USA: Jennifer C. Boone Named Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Field Office

Director Christopher Wray has named Jennifer C. Boone as the special agent in charge of the Baltimore Field Office. Most recently, Ms. Boone served as a special agent in charge at the Los Angeles Field Office.

Ms. Boone started her career as an FBI special agent in 1997, and was assigned to the Los Angeles Field Office, where she worked multiple investigative programs. She was later transferred to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she served in both the Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence divisions. For a time, she was detailed to the U.S. Senate. In 2009, she was promoted to a supervisory special agent and led a counterintelligence squad at the Washington Field Office.

Ms. Boone then served as a Director in Intelligence Programs for the National Security Council at the White House. After that assignment, she was promoted to an assistant special agent in charge at the Philadelphia Field Office, overseeing the Counterintelligence and Cyber Branch.

She returned to Washington as section chief of the Counterproliferation Center in early 2016, before being named deputy assistant director in the Counterintelligence Division at FBI Headquarters. In 2018, Ms. Boone was named the special agent in charge of Cyber and Counterintelligence at the Los Angeles Field Office.

Ms. Boone earned a bachelors of science degree in foreign service and a masters degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is also a certified FBI negotiator

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Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.In January, Steve Narans was talking with Tim Tarnick, a friend of his and fellow musician from Columbus.

Both had been in several Columbus-based bands over the years and were thinking of a way to get back into performing in a big way.

I said to Tim, Tim, we ought to put together an all-star band of all the bands that used to be playing in the late 60s and early 70s, Narans said. He says, Lets try it!

Thus, Narans went on the search for friends and peers of his who performed in Columbus during that time period. He was able to find 11 others willing to join him, all of whom had plenty of experience, not just with Narans and his bands but also other bands based out of Columbus at that time. They all met in March and hashed out the idea for the Columbus All-Star Rock and Roll Band, something that Narans called the first of its kind in Nebraska.

It was like we had been playing together all our lives, Narans said of the first meeting of the group. Everybody just meshes right in.

The band was formed with one night and one performance in mind: Saturday night from 7-9 p.m. at the Duncan Ribfest in the eponymous town. Every year, thousands of people descend on the town of approximately 351 people to enjoy some great eats. They also enjoy great music, cold beer and tremendous camaraderie, all for a good cause. All proceeds from the two-day festival go to the Duncan Volunteer Fire Department and the Duncan Wrestling Club.

The group is hard at work getting ready, even if it takes them a while to finish telling stories of their past. Younger people may be surprised at the level of musical talent that called Columbus home during the 60s and 70s. A performance like this could be a way to provide a solid education in just how musically talented the city was back in its heyday.

Back in the 60s, for a town the size of Columbus, there were great, great groups and musicians who came out of there, said Ken Walters, a member of the All-Star Band and former member of a group called The Shades of Blue.

Those groups regularly performed at places like the old Columbus Auditorium located right next to the library. The youth of Columbus, at that time, went to dances and other notable social functions at the auditorium where bands like The Echoes, Shantels, The Shades of Blue and Fates Hourglass performed. Members of those groups enjoyed the friendships that have continued to last over the years through their musical passion.

We all love music and each other, Narans said. I mean, music was a big part of my life. When my dad passed away, before I was a teenager, I dont know what would have happened if I hadnt run into band guys. I was put on the straight and narrow (through music). Our love for music, love for that time (and) the love of being together playing this music, theres nothing like it, as far as I know. I always say music was the best drug.

While they cant bring back everything from that special time in their lives, at least they can give others a small taste of that. The band is slated to perform 20 songs - mostly covers of popular music from the 1960s all the way to the 1980s. With a varied lineup and varied set list, its appropriate that the instruments they will use will also be varied, as well.

For instance, Narans son, Colin, is in the group as a saxophonist. Colin is easily the youngest member of the group, but he has performed with his father on several occasions and allows for the median age of the group to be brought down by a few years.

At practice, I had to pinch myself because I never thought at 14 years old Id still be playing rock music and my 34-year-old son would be playing with us, Narans said. Hes a great saxophone player and I said, You know, I think Im going to add some horns, so Colin came. Its unreal to have my son there playing with us.

The group will also use an organ, three horns, three saxophones, a flute, four guitars, two bass guitars, two drummers, a keyboard, a bell, a tambourine, some wood blocks and a jar of corn kernels.

Narans and the group has made sure to dedicate the performance to a mentor who helped so many of them get their start in music. Keith Goins was, in the words of band member Tom Obal, the man. He taught just about everyone in the group, including Jerry Frey, a prolific member of the All-Star Band who has performed in nearly 40 bands during the course of the last 50 years. He credits Goins for teaching everyone on how to properly write and sing pop harmonies and how to play guitars.

Keith Goins had polio as a little kid, Narans said. He had a brace on one leg, and he was the best guitarist to come out of Nebraska. This guy played with Tommy Shaw of Styx, he played with 38 Special, MSFunk was another one. Were dedicating a song to him.

That dedication has come about because Goins is currently in a nursing home due to serious medical problems that have risen in old age. But they will always have the memories of their friend, even if he cant make it to Duncan for the event.

I used to put his guitar and amp into my basket and ride him over to my house, Frey said. We practiced for more than two years before we started our own band. Our first gig was at St. Anthonys Church. I was 13 years old and the rest of its history.

Frey will hang up the guitar at the end of the performance on June 22. Before he does so, his fellow bandmates will ring in his retirement with a musical party in Duncan, along with thousands of well-wishers who may have never come to the Duncan Ribfest, but for this one night.

Cloud nine, Narans said. The biggest drug you could ever be on, and its legal. Im looking forward to seeing everybody. Everybody loves rock and roll.

Its not something were doing for ourselves, its for our fans that have come to see us play, Frey said. Theyre all going to be there that night.

Zach Roth is a reporter for the Columbus Telegram. If you have read this far, reach him via email at zroth@columbustelegram.com.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0When Tony Raimondo, Dick Casey, Bob Theilen and Steve McGill orchestrated a leveraged buyout to purchase Behlen Mfg. Co. in 1984, the company was experiencing its fair share of pains.

The 1936 Columbus-founded company now has five facilities spanning three states, employing more than 900 people, but in the 80s the goal was simple: just make sure Behlen can keep its doors open.

They didnt really have longevity on their mind, Behlen Mfg. Co. President/CEO Phil Raimondo said of when the buyout occurred. It was really, how do we save this company? Because we are in a lot of trouble. We had gone from being a really profitable company to, after the government passed the Pick Program to pay farmers to not grow crops (to not being one)  we were primarily a grain bin company.

It was a huge hit and it cut the revenues in half. I wasnt involved at the time, but I would hear things, like at family events, that Behlen was struggling.

Struggle is no longer a word associated with Behlen Mfg. Co., a company that is considered to be a global leader in steel fabrication. With a goal of reaching the $200 million revenue mark, the company is not only maintaining its clientele, but adding new business all the time. And, all of this is being done with the Raimondo family retaining local control of the company.

On Tuesday, the company and its approximately 600 local employees celebrated the 35th anniversary of the company being owned locally; a gathering that included employees' families, state and local chamber of commerce representatives, District 22 Sen. Mike Moser, Mayor Jim Bulkley and many, many others.

It was a time for everyone affiliated with Behlen Mfg Co.  employees, upper management and the community at large  to soak in a memorable moment. One of the major turning points for the company in the 80s was a shift that allowed for employees to feel like they were cared about and part of a winning team. A team that knew their worth and truly valued them.

The leadership team decided that they were going to win with people, Raimondo said. Some of the initiatives they took were getting rid of time clocks and using an honor system. That was a key piece of getting rid of time clocks and making people understand that management trusted them, and we wanted people to trust our management at the same time. So, it really was a two-way street in a lot of ways.

Since then, Behlen employees have been getting kept in the know in many ways. One of which is having a pizza lunch with the leadership team during their birthday month to ask questions, provide feedback and just have a good time in general.

Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce President Jeanne Schieffer said that Behlen Mfg. Co. and the Raimondo family made all in attendance during Tuesdays festivities feel welcome.

Not only did Behlen roll out the red carpet for the community, they really made us feel like we are part of their family, Schieffer said. They are just the epitome of what good business is here in Columbus, and frankly, also nationally and globally  They (the Raimondos) are just such a gregarious and welcoming family, very down to earth and make everyone they associate feel comfortable and welcome.

Mayor Jim Bulkley, who addressed those gathered Tuesday afternoon, echoed similar sentiments.

I just think that its a testament of Columbus and the values we try to portray  its what we are all about, Mayor Jim Bulkley said of the Raimondo family and the business they have continued developing and growing. You have a family-owned business that has persevered and made it through some good and bad times because of their family culture. And its the same thing that they have instilled in their workforce.

Bulkley added that Behlen employees are heavily active in many facets of the community and that Columbus spirit is alive and well within the companys walls.

They encourage them (employees) to be a part of the community, Bulkley said. I think its, again, a testament of what they do. Its what we try to do as a city, its one and the same.

Raimondo noted how Columbus is a great place to raise a family and grow a company. Columbus-bred people are the ones who have helped grow the Behlen operation into what it is today.

First and foremost its the people, and the ability to have great relationships with people, Raimondo said of what makes Columbus an ideal place to station Behlen Mfg. Co. headquarters. And the work ethic is second to none, I really think in the world  And its just a really exciting thing to be part of.

Sam Pimper is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at sam.pimper@lee.net.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Editor's note: "Community Champions" is a weekly feature in which area residents who are advocates for the community are profiled. To recommend someone for consideration, send an email with the subject line 'Community Champions' to news@columbustelegram.com. Please include contact information about the person and their background. Read previously published stories on columbustelegram.com.

The evening of Sunday, June 9, had a picture-perfect moment that Jill Goedeken will likely not forget anytime soon.

As the sun set, Goedeken and the kids in her Platte County 4-H Northern Lites club, as well as their parents, all spent a couple of hours installing a welcome sign near Highway 91 and 130th Avenue between Creston and Leigh. On this night, people of all ages were working and collaborating as a collective unit until the big green sign bearing the words Platte County 4-H Clubs Welcome You! was up for all to see.

We were all digging holes, screwing the sign together, parents and kids were helping each other, Goedeken explained. Some of these kids have never worked with these tools before, but everyone was working together in a positive way and helping one another. It was a really cool experience. There were about 25 of us working together and making a positive impact.

In essence, thats what drives Goedeken: Aiding others. The Nebraska native is proud of her heartland roots and strives to make the community the best it can be, through her role at Nebraska Extension in Platte County, volunteering for 4-H and Lakeview Future Farmers of America, parenting her two kids and more.

Its really refreshing to know youre spending your time with families, kids and community members doing something positive that is making an impact on your own children, said Goedeken, who with her husband, Kyle, has two young kids, 8-year-old Kade and 4-year-old Kendall. Its a really good thing.

GROWING UP ON THE FARM

A native of the small village of Utica in Seward County, Goedeken was born into farm life. Her parents had a diverse crops and livestock farm that featured corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs before its transition to being known for only the growing of corn and soybeans. At a young age, she got introduced to the world of 4-H in nearby York County as her mother was a 4-H club leader.

At the age of 8, I had my own hogs and sheep that I showed for 4-H and FFA. It was a lot of responsibility taking care of them every day and working with them, but thats really what I did, she said. I was always working with my livestock, working on my static 4-H projects and playing softball in the summers.

Goedeken dived into all kinds of 4-H activities without hesitation. Besides her work with livestock, she participated in sewing and baking, among other things, when she got to junior high age. She was never afraid to get her hands dirty either, as she refinished several pieces of furniture as part of her 4-H work, as well.

She and her family were all about 4-H and FFA, as they routinely traveled for family vacations to various fairs to show animals and participate in hog shows. A lot of the time they did so with other 4-H families they were friends with and created friendships that are still strong.

We had a great time, Goedeken said. We still get together.

FINDING HER WAY

When the time came, Goedeken decided to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to obtain her bachelors degree in agriculture education while interning for the York County Extension office during the summers.

My experience in FFA led me to that, she said of why she pursued that particular degree. I thought for a while I wanted to be an ag teacher.

She moved to Columbus the Saturday after graduation and about a month later married Kyle, who she met through FFA while they were in high school and is from here.

Goedeken wasted no time getting involved in the community. When she wasnt working for a pork production company that eventually was sold to Maschhoff Family Foods, she was helping out with the local 4-H program and other efforts early on. But in late 2011, she heard a staff member at the Platte County Extension office was leaving and decided to pursue the open youth coordinator role. That November, she was hired.

Then, in May 2012, she went back and got her masters degree at UNL in about a year-and-a-half. That resulted in a promotion, as she became the offices 4-H and youth development extension educator on Jan. 1, 2014. She has been in the position ever since.

I really enjoy the 4-H families I get to work with, she said. When I think of quality of life for myself and my family, I think about how more enriched it is because of the families we spend time with.

Goedeken has undoubtedly become a leader in the office. Megan Taylor, an extension educator of crops and water systems in Platte, Boone and Nance counties, has worked with Goedeken for about a year-and-a-half. She said her friend is a very driven person.

I think the best thing about working with Jill is she is definitely someone who gets things done. We get a lot of work done but it seems to go fast because we all enjoy each others company, Taylor said. She just has a good way of keeping everybody on task but makes it fun. Shes easy to work with and very task oriented.

"Its nice to have one vein that connects all the parts.

HELPING HEART

Goedeken has a reputation among many in the community as being selfless, which may come as a surprise to her. She simply does what she loves. Besides working for the local extension office, she volunteers by serving as a club leader. Shes also highly involved with Lakeview FFA, Lakeview FFA Alumni and numerous other local initiatives.

She doesnt want to be in the limelight, she doesnt need to be in the limelight. Shes definitely a humble servant, thats how she rolls, said Lakeview FFA Alumni President and friend June Loseke. But shes also very much a leader and thats why shes so respected by everyone. Shes very kind.

She gives us her time and she just treats people like theyre people. She definitely has a desire to encourage and make sure peoples needs get met.

Loseke said Goedeken is simply a special person who helps make the community great.

Shes an avid volunteer, shes definitely a go-getter, she said. I dont think theres a project she doesnt take.

Goedeken is also very committed to and loves spending time with her family. In a way, things have come full circle. Her son, Kade, is now involved in 4-H, starting at the same age she did years ago. The family loves working on the farm and walking their pigs together, as well as helping Kade as he gets more involved with 4-H. Theyre also known for enjoying some occasional camping trips.

I try to balance personal and professional life, Goedeken said, with a smile.

She and her husband are also pretty involved with their church, Christ Lutheran, and its accompanying school, where their children attend.

On a professional level, Goedeken said one of the most rewarding things she has helped the office accomplish was getting it moved out of the basement of the Platte County Courthouse to its current downtown digs at 2715 13th St. not long ago.

Goedeken acknowledged those at her office have stayed busy in the aftermath of Marchs historic flooding that ravished much of the area and eastern part of the state, but noted it has been wonderful helping area farmers get back on their feet and watching many others donate their time to helping however they can. Goedeken said 300 people have put in about 1500 volunteer hours and that the Extension Office, along with Colfax County Extension, Lakeview FFA and Lakeview FFA Alumni, recently distributed approximately $60,000 worth of fencing to area farmers over five nights.

I think Jill has done a lot for our community and youth and I think she will continue to do so. I think she will laser rocket to the top - I think whatever she does it just has to be done at a very high level. She is one of those people who takes everyone along with her, Taylor said. She pushes everyone to be better.

COLUMBUS FOREVER

Its been more than a decade since Goedeken moved to town. Its still surreal at times, but she said she wouldnt change anything Columbus, as she said, is a big small town. She said she loves being able to go to the eye doctor and have everyone know her name and bumping into people whens on the move.

The thing about Columbus I think is its just big enough you have the amenities you need. Everyone would argue there isnt enough here, but thats always an argument no matter where you live, she said. I think ultimately its the best of both worlds.

She added she enjoys the friendliness among residents and knows this is where shes supposed to be.

I think about how Columbus been home now for 12 years and I dont think I could imagine it any other way. Maybe life could slow down a bit, she said, with a laugh. Honestly, Columbus is bigger than in community I grew up in but thats not a bad thing. I love it here.

Matt Lindberg is the managing editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at matt.lindberg@lee.net.

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Taipei, June 14, 2019  Hong Kong authorities should immediately and thoroughly investigate police use of tear gas on journalists and allegations that officers hit and pushed journalists with batons during protests on June 12, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Hong Kong police should ensure the safety of the press during protests, not use force against them or block them from reporting, said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna in New York. This pattern of hostility against journalists is unacceptable. Authorities should hold the police to account and ensure that journalists can perform their jobs without fearing for their safety.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in Hong Kong in recent days to protest a proposed amendment to its extradition law that would allow Hong Kong to send fugitive suspects to places where it lacked extradition agreements, including mainland China, on a case-by-case basis, according to news reports. Last month, CPJ called on Hong Kong authorities to revise or drop the bill.

According to local and international media reports, local sources who spoke to CPJ, and a representative from the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), a nongovernmental trade union, who described complaints the association has received to CPJ via messaging app, police actions against journalists on June 12 included:

A police officer hit a journalist on the elbow with a baton while police were clearing the streets, the journalist, who asked to remain anonymous, told the HJKA. The journalist said that they were wearing a visible press badge at the time.

A police officer hit the backpack of a reporter from local news website Truth Media with a baton, the reporter, who asked to remain anonymous, told the HJKA. The journalist said that they were wearing a visible press badge at the time.

The HKJA received four complaints from journalists alleging that police fired tear gas at them at close range.

Police fired tear gas at a group exclusively consisting of journalists wearing yellow Press vests on a footbridge near the Hong Kong Legislative Building, according to Pang Tak Cheung, a reporter for public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), who contacted CPJ via messaging app, and as seen in a video (1:52:56) on RTHKs Facebook page.

A police officer fired pepper spray directly at a photojournalist, as seen in a video shared by Twitter user Galileo Cheng, who told U.S. broadcaster CNN that he was at the protest and filmed the video.

Police fired tear gas at a reporter with news website HK01 despite no protestors being in the immediate vicinity, according to local newspaper MingPao. The reporter told MingPao that he was not hurt but experienced tinnitus after the shot.

Police officers swung their batons at journalists and chased them, according to a video filmed and posted by RTHK on its Facebook page.

RTHK driver Zhuang Wenlong lost consciousness after inhaling tear gas that police fired at a crowd, according to news reports and the HKJA.

Police pushed journalists with their shields and batons to prevent them from filming, injuring one journalist, according to a report by the HJKA. CPJ was unable to determine the injured journalists status.

The Hong Kong Police Force did not respond to CPJs phone call requesting comment.1. Yes. The economy is strong and unemployment low. Thats a good basis for a solid year.

2. Yes. Health experts are getting a handle on COVID. 2022 should be a better year.

3. No. If any large-scale COV ID-related shutdowns take place, it will hit the nation hard.

4. No. Inflation is still too much of a wild card. It could really cause a drag on the economy.

5. Unsure. There are too many variables at play to predict with any degree of certainty.

Vote

View ResultsWhat are you prepared to believe about the private life of Martin Luther King Jr.?

Throughout his career leading the civil rights movement, he was the target of extensive FBI surveillance, which detailed excessive drinking and extramarital sexual relationships, behavior that has been confirmed by historians.

But would you believe that King was an accessory to rape?

That is the explosive and highly controversial contention of the civil rights icons Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, David Garrow, writing in the conservative British journal Standpoint.

The evidence consists of an anonymous scribbled note on typed summaries that the FBI produced of its surveillance of King and his associates at a hotel in Washington. The government bugged Kings hotel rooms, and on this occasion, January 5, 1964, according to agents, a minister associated with King brought several women parishioners to the room to meet with King and others. Talk turned to sex, and when one woman protested, according to the summary, the minister forcibly raped her.

The hand-written note, Garrow reported, adds that King looked on, laughed and offered advice as the rape occurred.

What should we make of this?

First, it must be said that Garrow has thrown a historical grenade and walked off.

Evidence of this sort cannot be accepted without corroboration. Tapes supposedly exist of the episode summarized in the document he cites, but it will take until January 31, 2027 to gain access to archived and court-sealed tape recordings.

Nearly eight years is too long to wait for the resolution of what some have gleefully billed as the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.s #MeToo reckoning. Its patently unfair.

It needs corroboration because, as Garrow himself has documented, it comes from an organization deeply invested in undermining King.

Initially, the FBIs rationale for tapping Kings phones and bugging his residence and hotel rooms was to investigate Kings ties to Communists. But later J. Edgar Hoover seemed to all too pleased to discover the tarnish on the ministerial image of King.

Recall that FBI leadership once labeled King the most dangerous Negro of the future in this nation.

Theres also the historical fact that white supremacists have always been obsessed with black mens sexuality  a thread that goes back to slavery. What better way to dehumanize than to claim that black men were sexually dangerous, so much so that they deserved to be kept in chains.

Garrow, the chronicler of all things King, came upon the notes while combing through recently released documents, and understandably he wanted the new material shared. He shopped his piece around to many major media outlets but got the cold shoulder. Many rightly hesitated, knowing that the notations couldnt be substantiated without access to the recordings. Its even possible that no recording exists to correspond with the written note.

If the allegation proves true, this act would have crossed a line far too evil to be dismissed as the chauvinism of the time. What weve already learned about Kings relationships with and attitudes toward women has been hard enough to square with other qualities of this martyr.

The African American women who contributed mightily to the civil rights movement deserved better than this.

Lets let one of those unsung women have the last say, for now.

Dorothy Cotton was one of two women who served on the Southern Christian Leadership Conferences executive staff. Cotton, who died in 2018, was interviewed about Kings chauvinistic attitudes, as recounted in writings by the late theologian James H. Cone.

Cottons reply: My hope and dream  and maybe its a fantasy  but it is that he would have seen that women are an oppressed class. I dont know how he could have preached what he preached and could not have seen that, too, but it might have been a painful lesson he had to learn. But I think he would have learned it.

Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at msanchezcolumn@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks to ensure their ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) are grouted to a structure preferably wall, pillar, or floor by 30 September 2019 in a move to enhance security of cash vending machines.

Key Highlights

Background: In October 2016, RBI had set up a Committee on Currency Movement (CCM), under the chairmanship of D K Mohanty, RBIs executive director to review the entire gamut of security of treasure in transit. Based on the recommendations of Mohanty panel, RBI has now issued instructions aimed at enhancing security and mitigating risks in ATM operations.

Key Recommendations

ATM Grouting: All ATMs shall be grouted to a structure (wall/pillar/floor) by end of September 2019, except for those ATMs which are installed in highly secured premises (ex- airports) or places which have adequate CCTV coverage and are guarded by state or central security personnel.

Digital Locks: As part of security measures undertaken by the central bank all ATMs shall be operated for cash replenishment only with digital One Time Combination (OTC) locks.

e-Surveillance Mechanism: Banks may also roll out a comprehensive e-surveillance mechanism at ATMs to ensure timely alerts and quick response.

Additional Instruction: These newly recommended measures are to be adopted by banks shall be in addition to existing instructions, practices and guidance issued by RBI and other law enforcement agencies.

Penalty: RBI has also warned all banks that non-adherence of timelines as well as non-observance of these instructions would lead to regulatory action including levy of strict penalty.Randolph Bourne (1886-1918) said, "War is the health of the state." James Madison said, "War is in fact the true nurse of executive aggrandizement," and the executive almost is the American state, Congress now being more theatrical than actual. Advocates of an ever-larger state, remembering Franklin Roosevelt's first inaugural address (seeking "broad executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe"), declare "wars" on this and that (poverty, cancer, drugs, global warming, etc.).

Such declarations have become trite, but scarcities are recyclable excuses for expanding government: There are so many things that alarmists can be alarmed about possibly becoming scarce and therefore supposedly requiring government rationers. Because there is an inexhaustible, because renewable, supply of alarmists, Washington's libertarian Cato Institute has created the Simon Abundance Index to refute them.

Its name honors the late Julian Simon, an economist who won a famous bet with Paul Ehrlich, the Stanford hysteric whose 1968 book "The Population Bomb" predicted that "hundreds of millions of people" would starve to death in the 1970s as population growth swamped agriculture production. Simon's 1980 wager was that any five commodities that Ehrlich would pick would be cheaper in 1990. Ehrlich picked five metals. All were cheaper in 1990.

In 1972, in the extravagantly hyped and resoundingly refuted (by events) "Limits to Growth," MIT computer modelers foresaw civilization collapsing because of "nonrenewable resource depletion." The modelers extrapolated from the then-current use of 19 commodities and projected the exhaustion, before 2012, of the supply of 12 -- aluminum, copper, gold, lead, mercury, molybdenum, natural gas, oil, silver, tin, tungsten and zinc. Forty years later, Bjorn Lomborg, the Danish academic and "skeptical environmentalist," noted:

Because of technological innovations replacing mercury in batteries, dental fillings and thermometers, mercury consumption had plunged 98%, and its price 90%. Since 1970, when gold reserves were estimated at 10,980 tons, more than 81,000 tons had been mined and reserves were estimated at 51,000 tons. Since 1970, when known copper reserves were 280 million tons, about 400 million tons had been produced and reserves were estimated to be almost 700 million tons. Aluminum consumption had increased 16-fold since 1950 as the world consumed four times 1950's known reserves. Known reserves could sustain current consumption for 177 years. And so on.

"Peak oil" has been exasperatingly (to eco-pessimists) elusive. In 1914, the U.S. government said oil reserves would be exhausted by 1924. In 1939, it said the world's reserves would be gone in 13 years. In 1951, after oil fueled a global war and the postwar boom, the government again said the world had 13 years of proven reserves. By 1970, however, there were 612 billion barrels, and by 2006, after another 767 billion barrels had been pumped, there were estimated to be 1.2 trillion.

Along came fracking, which has illustrated one of Cato's points: Unforeseen technologies continually alter the relationship between population growth (which is beneficial: people are, as Simon said, "the ultimate resource") and resource availability. The Abundance Index emphasizes "time price" (the amount of time required to earn the price of items) and the price elasticity of population (PEP), which measures the "sensitivity of resource availability to population growth." Cato's Abundance Index, covering 50 commodities, finds that between 1980 and 2018:

The average time price of the commodities fell 72.3%. The time it took to earn enough to buy one unit in the basket of commodities in 1980 bought 3.62 units in 2018. The compounded growth rate of abundance means that the affordability of the basket of commodities doubles every 20.49 years. According to the PEP metric, since 1980 "every additional human being born on our planet appears to have made resources proportionately more plentiful for the rest of us."

Cato's Abundance Index (measured with global prices relative to average global GDP per capita per hour) indicates this: The growth of abundance is highly probable because the fecundity of the future is almost certain. But the rate of growth is unpredictable because of government's willingness to expedite rather than regulate change.

Many people who want to stampede a panicked public into expanding government's micromanagement of everything have forgotten Gregg Easterbrook's "Law of Doomsaying": Predict catastrophe no later than 10 years hence but no sooner than five years away -- soon enough to terrify people but distant enough that they will not remember that you were wrong.

George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Thank you for reading!

To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99.More than 80 Corvallis High School students walked out of class Thursday to protest recent Corvallis School District decisions about the future of the dual language immersion program, which brings together native Spanish- and English speakers as kindergartners for curriculum aimed at graduating students fluent in both languages.

A student held a sign that read We learn in Spanish, we dont learn Spanish, during the protest, which included gathering on the sidewalk outside the school during an afternoon class period and marching around the building.

An administrator at Corvallis High said the school was willing to work with the students to address their concerns.

Camilla Robertson, a sophomore who has been in the program since she was a kindergartner at Garfield Elementary School, said students have three primary concerns.

The first is that the schools class about the history of Spanish-speaking countries, which is conducted in Spanish but covers social studies topics, gives students only a half-credit in social studies, with the other half-credit falling into the fine-arts/language category.

Robertson said dual immersion students are still able to get enough social studies credits to graduate without taking extra classes, but she said not granting a full social studies credit for the class disrespects what they're learning, which includes history on three continents.

The only difference between our class and a normal social studies class is the language, said Mateo McCann, another sophomore in the program.

Robertson said that another of the students' concerns is that starting in the fall, some freshmen in the program will go straight into AP Spanish instead of taking the class as juniors.

She said this has the effect of splitting up dual immersion students who have been together since kindergarten and placing them with students they dont know. She said the protesters aren't just concerned about their own cohort being split up  they also dont think its fair for the rising freshmen to be separated from their peers.

Dual immersion students are like a family, according to McCann. A lot of us were upset that they were ruining our community, he said.

Robertson said the students third concern is that administrators dont appear to have worked out what dual immersion classes the incoming freshmen will take after completing AP Spanish.

They have no plan for what they will take next year, she said.

Robertson noted that one lesson in the class about Spanish-speaking countries was that many uprisings begin with students and young people.

It goes with our curriculum that we are stepping up and taking responsibility, she said.

Clarissa Cisneros, a sophomore who organized the protest, said in addition to those three issues, the students dont feel people understand what dual immersion is. She said many view it as just an advanced Spanish class, but it's more than that: Students are studying other subjects as well, but the lessons are in Spanish.

We already know Spanish," she said. "Were learning about the world in Spanish.

Robertson said the students hope to send a message to the district administration that will result in changes, if not in the coming school year, then in the future.

Were still going to work on it, even if it doesnt work out for us next year, she said.

Invested in the program

Paul Navarra, a Corvallis High School assistant principal, told the Gazette-Times Friday morning that he was planning to meet with the organizers of the protest Friday afternoon. (Results of that meeting were not immediately available Friday night.)

I love that they are invested in the program and they care so much, he said, adding that it's important for students to feel ownership of the program.

On the issue of the social studies credit, he said the state requires specific curriculum in global studies classes, and since the history of Spanish-speaking countries doesnt cover all those topics, the school cant offer a full social studies credit for it. However, he said, the school is open to adding some topics to the class in future school years so it could work as an equivalent to the global studies class and offer a full credit for social studies.

He also said it was natural for students to feel angst about the addition of freshmen to the AP Spanish class. He said the change was part of an effort to improve the dual immersion program across the district and increase the representation of students from underrepresented demographics in all AP classes.

Navarra said the feeder schools for the Corvallis High School dual immersion program have been making changes to their curriculum, such as increasing the amount of time students in grades kindergarten through second spend speaking Spanish. As part of that effort, district officials evaluated eighth-graders in the program and around a dozen showed they were more than ready for AP Spanish.

These students are ready, he said. Why are we asking them to wait two years?

Navarra said by getting some students from Spanish-speaking families into AP classes as freshmen can give them the confidence to take more AP classes in the future, which could result in a better representation in those classes from students who are currently underrepresented.

He said the school hasnt yet found resources to hire additional teaching staff to expand the dual immersion course offerings, but the school is committed to offering more academic classes in Spanish.

Students who start in AP Spanish will continue to have dual immersion classes through high school, he said.

Navarra said at present, Corvallis High School students in the dual immersion program have just one class in Spanish on their schedule, so only 12.5 percent of their school week is in Spanish. By contrast, in grades K-2, dual immersion students are in Spanish 70 percent of the time, in grades 3-5 they are in Spanish 50 percent of the time, and in middle school they are in Spanish a third of the time. He said Corvallis High's goal in the future is to expand dual immersion course offerings so that dual immersion students can be in classes conducted in Spanish 25 percent of the time.

Navarra said that in the fall, about 70 incoming freshmen in the dual immersion program will go into the non-AP dual immersion class the school has been offering traditionally. He said the school is also adding a new academic support class, held in Spanish, for about 10 of the incoming dual immersion freshman who need extra help.

Navarra added that he was looking forward to talking with students directly about their ideas for the future of the program.

This is a great opportunity to see what they bring to the table and how we can incorporate that. We all want the same thing. We have a great program and we want it to get even better.

Anthony Rimel covers weekend events, education, courts and crime and can be reached at anthony.rimel@lee.net, 541-758-9526, or via Twitter @anthonyrimel.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1SALEM  Bowing to the pressures of time and differences of opinion, Democrats are setting aside a legislative effort to slap limits on political campaign contributions.

Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, had hoped to get contribution limits through the Senate after they passed the House on June 6. Her plan was for those limits to accompany a ballot referral that would change Oregon's constitution so it could take effect.

But after House Bill 2714 failed to pick up any Republican support as it squeaked through the House on a 35-23 vote, and with a stiffer challenge looming in the more conservative Senate, Burdick decided to pull the plug on the bill  at least for now.

I do not believe that we have time to resolve it this month, Burdick said.

Many campaign finance reform advocates have been focused on the mechanism for legalizing limits: an amendment to the state constitution, which voters would have to approve next year before they would take effect.

Oregon is one of 11 states with no limits on how much an individual can donate to a candidate for office. Limits were briefly in force for the 1996 election, but the state Supreme Court decided the following year that they violated Oregon's constitutional right to free speech.

Gov. Kate Brown wants to amend the constitution to explicitly allow contribution limits. She pledged during last year's election campaign that she will fight for campaign finance reform, and on Thursday she affirmed that passing a constitutional amendment is an absolute must.

Even without the contribution limits bill moving forward, Burdick said Friday she will forward the constitutional amendment to the Senate for a vote. We have to get that moving, she said.

Rep. Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, was the chief architect of the contribution limits in the House. He compared trying to get the bill through the Senate to Goldilocks.

For some, it was too hot. For some, it was too cold, Rayfield said.

HB 2714 would have limited campaign contributions to $2,800 per person for a statewide race. That amount would have been less for legislative races: $1,500 for a Senate seat, $1,000 for a House seat.

Conservative critics said Rayfield's proposal, which would have exempted small-donor committees from the limits, was unbalanced. Some questioned the need to have limits at all.

At the same time, some campaign finance reform advocates argued Rayfield's limits were too loose and suggested that a savvy donor could exploit loopholes to at least partially get around them. Freshman Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, who has been working with Rayfield and Burdick on campaign finance reform this spring, said publicly he could not support the version of the bill that came out of the House because it wasn't restrictive enough.

Eternally optimistic

Burdick and Rayfield said Friday they plan to continue working on contribution limits after this year's legislative session adjourns at the end of the month, in hopes a new version of the plan will find more success when the Legislature meets in February 2020.

It was too big a job to get done this time, Burdick said. Passing the constitutional amendment will definitely keep the pressure on to get to closure in the short session.

I remain eternally optimistic that the momentum  will continue into the short session, where I hope we can get a bill passed by both chambers and signed by the governor, Rayfield said, adding, I don't think this session is lost or wasted time in any way, shape or form.

For now, Burdick and Rayfield's focus has shifted to two other bills, as well as the constitutional amendment.

House Bill 2716 would require political advertisements that aren't produced by a candidate to list their biggest donors. Like the contribution limits, it's unlikely those tag line requirements could be enforced without a constitutional amendment, Burdick said.

House Bill 2983 is the one among Rayfield's bills that the Corvallis Democrat is most sanguine about at this point in the legislative session. That bill would require nonprofits that spend a certain amount on elections to identify campaign contributors who gave them $10,000 or more. Burdick said it's still being worked on, but she supports the bill and is trying to move it forward this month.

As for the constitutional amendment, which is Senate Joint Resolution 18, a revised version could move out of committee as soon as Monday, June 17. But with two weeks left in the legislative session, the clock is running down fast.

I hope it passes, Rayfield said. I am concerned with the timeline of getting that passed.

The Senate will have to approve the constitutional amendment before it goes to the House. Once it reaches the Senate floor, it could move quickly, but it will be competing for time with budget bills and other last-minute legislation, including high-priority housing and climate proposals.

Reporter Mark Miller: mmiller@fgnewstimes.com. Miller works for the Oregon Capital Bureau, a collaboration of EO Media Group, Pamplin Media Group, and Salem Reporter.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1March is an unusual time for grass fires in Linn County, but when the nearly 200-acre Santiam Park Fire broke out near Lyons, American Red Cross volunteers quickly set up a temporary shelter at the high school for anyone whose home was threatened.

Although appreciative of the Red Cross response, Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker said he was disappointed that the volunteers came from Marion County and not Linn County.

I have served on the Red Cross regional board of directors for two years, he said. Red Cross volunteers come to our county two to three times per month to deliver emergency services, usually to help families who have had a home fire, to install hundreds of fire alarms or collect blood that eventually comes back to our local hospitals.

Tucker said Red Cross services are an integral part of what we need in terms of support to help make Linn County what it is.

When he writes thank-you cards to Red Cross volunteers, he often notices they're for people in Benton or Marion counties.

We need more local volunteers, Tucker said. We need more people to hear about and learn about our local problems.

Tucker recalled that during the 1996 flood, the Red Cross staged a trailer filled with food, cots, blankets and pillows at Lacomb Elementary School.

Many of us were camped there for several days, he said. Most people never think about the Red Cross until the trailer shows up. But, with one phone call, we can get things moving. Its amazing to be a part of that, but we couldnt do any of it without volunteers.

Tucker said that due to the acute shortage of blood this summer, he's calling every blood-drive manager in Linn and Benton counties, encouraging them to increase their donations by four or five units.

Nick Widmer, the new disaster program manager for the Eugene-based Red Cross Cascades Region, said the March fire highlights why volunteers are needed for numerous Red Cross programs, from assisting at disasters to giving blood regularly.

Widmer, 26, knows about the values of the Red Cross, because his aunt was an international volunteer for many years.

The Cascades Region includes Linn, Benton, Lane and Douglas counties.

My job is to help prepare communities for natural disasters, fires, any large-scale natural disasters, he said.

Widmer was drawn to the interconnectivity of it. Its a passion, my mission of service. I have always felt drawn to it.

Widmer grew up in Canby and earned a degree in public health from Oregon State University, where he played on the Beaver lacrosse team.

Widmer said a key Red Cross program in the mid-valley is providing free smoke alarms for area homeowners.

The Red Cross responds to a home fire every eight minutes nationally. This spring, Red Cross staff and volunteers installed 100,000 free smoke alarms in homes in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mid-valley residents can learn more about free smoke alarms by calling 541-749-4144, visiting www.redcross.org/GetAnAlarm or emailing preparedness@redcross.org.

The alarms come with 10-year lithium batteries that are built into the unit.

Local volunteer responders are also needed to assist families who have experienced home fires, Widmer said. Volunteers need to be trained so they're ready to render aid.

The national goal is to reduce the number of persons killed or injured in home fires by 25% by 2020.

We also really need blood donors, especially in the summer, Widmer said.

Cascades Region executive director Carisa Hettich said the need for blood grows in the summer as families travel more and the potential for donors decreases, as high schools and colleges let out.

When classes are in, we can get 100 donors at one event, she said. When school is out, we have to have three events with 30 donors each to make that.

Hettich added that people have to remember that blood has a relatively short shelf life.

Blood is so critical to saving lives, she said. I would really hate to think someone died because there was a lack of available blood.

Hettich also pointed out that even if a person isnt able to give blood, they can volunteer to assist at a blood drive.

Other Red Cross emergency response programs in need of volunteers include:

 Prepare Outloud: An onsite drill that trains volunteers in the following areas: the science and history of the Cascadia Subduction Zone; human behavior in disasters; what to expect during a Cascadia earthquake; locating loved ones following a disaster; and how much food, water and other supplies are necessary for care. The next area Prepare Outloud training will be held Oct. 25 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth.

 Pillowcase Project: Geared toward youth ages 8 to 11, the Pillowcase Project increases awareness and understanding of natural disasters, and also teaches safety, emotional coping skills and personal preparedness. Students learn to stay safe and how to create emergency supply kits by packing essential items in a pillowcase that can be moved during a natural disaster.

Contact Linn County reporter Alex Paul at 541-812-6114.

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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New York State Attorney General Letitia James holds a press conference at the Office of the Attorney General in New York, 28 March 2019. The New York attorney generals office did not engage in prosecutorial misconduct in investigating Exxon for climate fraud, a judge ruled on Wednesday 12 June 2019. Photo: Timothy A. Clary / Getty Images

By Karen Savage

12 June 2019

(Climate Liability News)  A judge dismissed several claims by Exxon to stop New York States lawsuit against the oil giant for alleged climate fraud, including charges of prosecutorial misconduct and conflict of interest.

New York Supreme Court Judge Barry Ostrager on Wednesday rejected claims by Exxon that the New York attorney generals office violated the companys First Amendment and due process rights in filing the suit last year. He also denied Exxons request for access to the personal email account of former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

I am happy with the judges decision today, and look forward to continuing to make our case in court, said New York Attorney General Letitia James.

New York brought the suit last year under the states Martin Act, which prohibits securities and other types of financial fraud. The state alleges that Exxon intentionally deceived investors by misrepresenting what it knew about the risks of climate change to its business.

Exxon responded by accusing the New York attorney generals office of misconduct, saying it is selectively enforcing the law and is violating the companys constitutional rights. Ostrager reserved judgement on whether the AGs office is selectively enforcing the law, but ruled the other defenses were irrelevant to the case.

At the end of the day youre going to either prove a Martin Act violation or not, Ostrager told the attorney generals lawyer, Marc Montgomery, during the hearing.

Exxon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New York contends that Exxon violated the Martin Act when it employed internal practices that were inconsistent with its representations, were undisclosed to investors, and exposed the company to greater risk from climate change regulation than investors were led to believe. [more]

Judge Rejects Exxon Challenges to New Yorks Climate Fraud SuitBy trying to isolate Russia and Iran, the US is only isolating itself.





-by Reese Erlich





MOSCOW --





President Donald Trump wont go to war with Iran. That was the prediction of Russian experts I interviewed in Moscow during the height of the US-Iran crisis in May. They were right.





To date, Trump has threatened military action against North Korea, Venezuela, and Iran. But, while he has caused tremendous damage to ordinary people with tariffs and economic sanctions, he hasnt started any new wars. Countries around the world can now, after two years of Trump, distinguish between genuine military aggression and bluster.





Russian analysts say an outright occupation of Iran would be a disaster for the US military because of the tremendous loss of life and treasure. Even a so-called limited attack on Irans nuclear facilities would rally the Iranian people in support of their government, says Vladimir Sazhin, an Iran specialist at the Institute for Oriental Studies in Moscow





The results will be the opposite of American intentions, he tells me.





Certainly, some powerful factions in the Trump Administration advocate war as a means to overthrow the Iranian government. National Security Advisor John Bolton personally announced that Washington would send an aircraft carrier group to the Persian Gulf. Pentagon officials then planned to deploy Patriot missile batteries. War threats reached a peak when the Defense Department considered sending up to 120,000 troops to the region.





But US saber-rattling came under withering criticism at home and abroad, even from conservatives. Trump backed down. Right now, I dont think Iran wants to fight, and I certainly dont think they want to fight with us, he told reporters . He then announced plans to deploy 1,500 troops to the region, which included extending the stay of 600 soldiers who are already there.





Russian officials believe such erratic swings reflect a fundamental weakness in the American empire under Trump. I humbly agree. But that doesnt mean all is hunky-dory between Russia and Iran.





For the last several years, Russia and Iran have allied against the US as a common enemy. Both support Bashar al Assad in Syria, oppose US military action in Venezuela, and oppose US sanctions on various countries. Both have a vested interest in keeping oil prices high to benefit their major export. Russia has defended the lifting of sanctions on Iran as called for by the seven-nation nuclear agreement. Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord and imposed harsh new sanctions.





But Ivan Konovalov, head of the Center for Studies of Strategic Trends, notes that each country has its own political, military, and economic interests in the region.





Russia, he tells me, has three important national interests in the Middle East: Preventing Mideast terrorists from gaining a foothold in Russia; maintaining the large Russian navy and air force bases in Syria; and keeping channels open for trade in oil and natural gas. Those national interests look suspiciously like US justifications for maintaining its hegemony in the Middle East. The people of the region dont benefit from the presence of military bases and high oil company profitsregardless of whether they are American or Russian.





That desire for hegemony limits the level of longterm Russia-Iran cooperation. The two countries, Sazhin says, dont have a strategic alliance but rather a situational partnership. Differences may emerge in the future over a number of issues.





While leaders in both Iran and Russia support Assad, they dont agree on what kind of constitution and government should ultimately govern Syria. Iran appeals to the religious sector, including the small Shia Muslim community and the Alawite supporters of Assad. Russia has more influence among secular Syrians, particularly the military and intelligence services.





Russia doesnt care who the new leaders are so long as the bases stay, Sazhin says.





More importantly, the two countries differ about Israel. Iran doesnt recognize the existence of the Jewish state, while Russia has close ties with Israel. In the old days, the USSR sided with Arab nationalists and sought to isolate Israel. Not anymore.

Out of Israels total population of nine million people, some one million are former Soviet citizens or their descendants. President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have met at least eleven times since 2015. For Netanyahu, thats more than with any other world leader.





In practical terms, that means Russia has reached an informal compromise with Israel over its actions in Syria. Israel frequently bombs targets in Syria it claims are controlled by Lebanese Hezbollah or the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. But it has not attacked Russian bases.





We close our eyes when the Israeli Air Force attacks Syria as long as theres no attack on Russian installations, Sazhin says. Its a gentlemans agreement.





Russias alliance with Israel has also led to downplaying support for the Palestinians. Russia rarely raises the issue, while Iranian authorities provide political and economic support to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.





Palestinians have a legitimate complaint about Russian policy, Konovalov says. Everybody has forgotten about the Palestinians.





For the moment, however, such differences are ignored or downplayed in light of the US threat. The Trump Administration uses harsh sanctions and tariffs in an attempt to impose its will on the region. But by trying to isolate Russia and Iran, the US is only isolating itself.The thing about the Trump/Stephanopoulous interview that was so mind-boggling was how Trump admitted he would break the law to get his tiny little hands on Russian intelligence about the elections again. But there was something else that caught my attention-- and apparently other people's as well. Andrew Sullivan wrote it up forMagazine: Donald Trump and the Art of the Lie

I like the truth. Im actually a very honest guy, President Trump told a slightly incredulous George Stephanopoulos this week. Like almost everything Trump says, it was, of course, a lie. But it was a particularly Trumpish kind of lie. It was so staggeringly, self-evidently untrue, and so confidently, breezily said, it was less a statement of nonfact than an expression of pure power.





For Trump, lying is central to his disturbed psyche, and to his success. The brazenness of it unbalances and stupefies sane and adjusted people, thereby constantly giving him an edge and a little breathing space while we try to absorb it, during which he proceeds to the next lie. And on it goes. Its like swimming in choppy water. Just when you get to the surface to breathe, another wave crashes into you.





This particular lie was in the context of a report from the New York Times this week, independently confirmed by ABC News, that Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio had found Trump lagging Joe Biden in most of the states he needed to win-- even in Texas. The Times reported that Trump had instructed his staff to lie about this polling. When asked about it by Stephanopoulos, Trump simply followed his own advice. No, my polls show that Im winning everywhere, he said blithely. And when you hear him, it sounds as if he is telling the truth. Hes gooood.





In Michael Wolffs new book, Siege... Bannon, Wolff writes, came to understand that the lies were compulsive, persistent and without even a minimal grounding in reality. This is not to deceive the public. This is simply the way Trump behaves-- in private and public. Its why I have long believed he is mentally unwell.





At some point, the law usually catches up with this kind of con artist, and Trump has had quite a few close calls over the years (and paid out a lot in settlements). But a presidential con man at this level of talent, legitimized by public opinion, enlarged and enhanced by the office and its trappings, is far harder to catch. It seems to me we had one shot of doing this definitively-- the Mueller investigation-- and we failed. Trumps lies about the report, and his attorney generals genius move of lying about its conclusion before the rest of us could check it out fully, helped. So did conservative medias blackout of the actual substance of the report. Trumps Roy Cohn tactic of accusing his accusers of the same flaw-- it was Hillary who colluded with the Russians!-- was another masterstroke of distraction. But its hard to deny at this point that in the battle between Trump and Mueller, Trump just won.





...So, of course, Trump has upped the ante again. Why wouldnt he? He has proven that he can obstruct justice and get away with it, so now he is not only refusing to comply with any subpoenas and barring critical witnesses from testifying, but claiming, through his lawyers, that the only branch of government that can investigate the presidents compliance with the law is the executive branch itself, over which the president has total control: Congress is simply not allowed to conduct law-enforcement investigations of the president. Congressional oversight of possible crimes by the president improperly impinges upon and hence interferes with the independence that is imperative to the functioning of the executive branch. The president, they argue, is the only person who can determine if the president breaks the law. The only possible exception, Trumps lawyers grudgingly concede, is in an impeachment proceeding-- which they well know Pelosi doesnt have the guts to invoke.





If the president is judge and jury in his own case, he is a monarch, not a president. To add to this, we also have both Trump and his Botoxed dauphin, Jared Kushner, recently express the belief that they did nothing wrong in inviting, welcoming, and encouraging a foreign enemy of the United States to interfere in an American election. Trump, contradicting his own FBI director, told Stephanopoulos this week hed be open to receiving dirt on a political opponent from a foreign power again in 2020. Hey, why not? If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] we have information on your opponent-- oh, I think Id want to hear it, the president said. He might tell the FBI, or he might not. I know were used to this kind of thing-- he openly invited Russia to intervene in 2016, after all, and they did-- but it is vital to repeat that this is about as impeachable a statement as could be uttered by any president.





The worry about a president receiving assistance from a foreign country, let alone inviting it, was one of the central concerns of the Founders when they came up with the mechanism of impeachment. It need not be a conspiracy or a crime. It was about violating the integrity of the American political system-- to the advantage of another country. They were thinking of Britain and France, their equivalent of Russia and China. And they were understandably paranoid about it. He might betray his trust to foreign powers, Madison worried about waiting for the next election to call a president to account. Combine the blithe ease with which Trump considers this impeachable offense with his now-demonstrated attempts to obstruct justice, and now add a legal claim that the Congress cannot oversee what might be presidential criminality  well, you have a situation that impeachment was specifically designed for.





It is worth adding to this, for good measure, that, all the while, the president has been attempting to buttress Republican-- and essentially white-- power, by rigging the census to deny Democrats future seats, and thereby resources. We now have incontrovertible proof that this was the intention behind adding a citizenship question to the Census-- thanks to a leaked hard drive. Put all this together and you begin to get a sense of how contested the result of the next election could be. Trump is deliberately undermining public confidence in its integrity. He did this rhetorically as a candidate. Doing it as an incumbent president is an even graver assault on our liberal democracy. Imagine Bush v. Gore, but with an incumbent president who controls the executive branch and has the Supreme Court in his pocket, and you begin to see the risk we are taking by leaving him in place.





He will do anything, we have to understand, to protect his psychic attachment to his own self-interest. Anything. Ill repeat what I believe: He will not leave his office if he narrowly loses in 2020. Hell fight  and rally his supporters to fight with him. Hes not Nixon. Hes Erdogan. When, since becoming president, has Trump conceded anything?





A tyrants path to power is not a straight line, its dynamic. Each concession is instantly banked, past vices are turned into virtues, and then the ante is upped once again. The threat rises exponentially with time. If we cant see this in front of our own eyes, and impeach this man now, even if he will not be convicted, we are flirting with the very stability of our political system. It is not impregnable. Why is Putin the only person who seems to grasp this?An investor is seen behind a stock market screen at a securities company in Hanoi. Photo by Reuters/Kham.

Vietnam's State Securities Commission has fined Platinum Victory VND35 million ($1,500) for conducting a transaction ahead of the registered schedule.

The company, a unit of Singapore-based investment firm Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd, was fined for violations in its purchase of shares from Vietnamese industrial appliance maker Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation (REE).

Platinum Victory purchased 50,000 shares from REE on February 25, three days before the registered timeframe to buy over 350,900 shares between February 28-March 29, the commission (SSC) said in a statement.

This is the first time a subsidiary of a foreign company was fined by SSC this year.

Platinum Victory is the largest shareholder in the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange-listed REE with a 24.9 percent stake. It is also a major shareholder in Vietnams largest dairy firm Vinamilk with 10.6 percent ownership.

Since the end of last year, Platinum Victory had been making moves to acquire more ownership in REE and Vinamilk without success.Vietnam's military-run Viettel has launched a ride-hailing service, entering a crowded market dominated by Grab.

Viettels MyGo app, available for iOS and Android devices, offers motorbike, car, truck and delivery services.

The app is currently in its beta version and is scheduled to be officially launched on July 1.

The company is now recruiting drivers by offering promotions, including a bonus of VND1 million ($43), revenue of 95 percent for each trip and free internet data for MyGo app usage.

Viettel will likely take advantage of its current Viettel Post service, one of the biggest logistics companies in the country with a large number of drivers.

Vietnams ride-hailing market has become more crowded after Uber's departure last year. The country has welcomed several new players including FastGo, Go-Viet and Be, which are all offering promotions to compete with Grab.

The countrys ride-hailing market is forecast to reach $2 billion in 2025, according to a report released last year by Google and Singapore investment firm Temasek.

Viettel is among the leading Vietnamese firms in technology. It has 111 patents and manufactures 78 technology products. Its revenues from technology last year topped $1 billion. The group aims to become a global top 10 telecom company by 2030.Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed an 8.18 percent increase in minimum wages while VCCI, which represents employers, suggested 2 percent.

At a meeting held by the National Wage Council on Friday, the confederation (VGCL), a national union representing Vietnamese workers, proposed two options for 2020.

One was to increase minimum wages by an average of 8.18 percent, in the range of VND180,000-380,000 ($7.7 - 16.3) a month, varying by region. The second option would be an average increase of 7.06 percent, or between VND160,000-330,000 ($6.9- $14).

The option chosen would depend on actual socio-economic conditions. These proposals are based on forecasts that GDP will rise by 7 percent, consumer price index (CPI) by 4 percent, and labour productivity by 5 percent, according to the VGCL.

Le Dinh Quang, deputy head of the VGCLs Labor Relations Department, said workers lives would be very difficult if the proposed increase was not made.

In stark contrast, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), which represents employers in the country, suggested an increase of 2 percent.

It said that generally, businesses have paid above regional minimum wages in 2019, adding that 72 percent of businesses were paying at least 6 percent above the minimum wage.

The National Wage Council will hold one or two more meetings to debate the issue and come up with a final proposal on adjustments for 2020. This proposal is expected to be finalized and submitted to the government by July.

Currently, Vietnams minimum monthly wage is divided into four levels, depending on region - VND4.18 million ($179) for region 1, VND3.71 million ($159) for region 2, VND3.25 million ($139) for region 3, and VND2.92 million ($125) for region 4.

The four different minimum wage regions reflect the cost of living in each area. Region 1, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, has the highest minimum wage, while region 4, rural areas, has the lowest.Police check the autos smuggled from Laos into Vietnam via a ring forging papers in Vietnam's central province of Ha Tinh. Photo courtesy of the police.

Ha Tinh police are investigating ten men for counterfeiting papers to smuggle autos from Laos into Vietnam.

All 10 are now under investigation for forging seals and documents of state and organizations; and for smuggling. Tran Quang Dong, 28, from the southern province of Dong Nai, has been identified as the leader of the ring.

Police in the central province Ha Tinh that borders Laos discovered the ring back in November last year when tracking down counterfeit documents.

They found out later that Dong and his accomplices stole information of many auto owners via social media and from that, forged a series of papers from auto registration to inspection stamps to banking mortgage certificates to bring in autos with no clear origin from Laos into Vietnam as ordered by their clients.

Between late 2018 and March this year, the ring had forged over 400 sets of papers, earning over VND300 million ($12,860).

Police have seized over 300 counterfeit seals, fake registration papers and 26 autos of various types worth more than VND40 billion ($1.7 million) from the homes of the ring members.Two killed, 2 injured in shooting at Long An border guard station

Roads leading to Binh Hiep Border Guard Station in Long An Province, southern Vietnam, have been cordoned off. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Loc

A senior border guard officer in Long An Province shot two colleagues and a resident before killing himself Saturday.

Junior lieutenant Ta Quang Dat, chief of staff of Binh Hiep Border Guard Station, shot three people at the station, said Nguyen Van Vu, Chairman of the Kien Tuong Town People's Committee.

One of the three victims, senior lieutenant Vu Hao Hiep, deputy chief of the station, died at the provincial hospital while two others are injured and under treatment.

After hours of being in the station with an AK rifle, Dat killed himself.

Unconfirmed reports say he had undergone medical treatment for depression recently. The immediate cause of the shooting is yet to be ascertained.

"The scene is very chaotic. The provincial government has called for residents in the vicinity to be evacuated," Vu said.

All roads leading to the site have been cordoned off and people living near the station have been evacuated. More details of the incident are awaited.

One of the three victims, Tran Minh Triet, was shot in the leg.Prisoners wait for the start of a ceremony to announce their presidential amnesty at a prison in Hanoi on August 31, 2015. Photo AFP/Hoang Dinh Nam.

The National Assembly has voted against allowing enterprises to organize work for prisoners outside their prisons.

Revisions to the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments were passed Friday morning. A proposed amendment suggesting collaboration between enterprises and prisons to organize external work for prisoners was not approved.

The NA Standing Committee said that the government has been consistent with allowing imprisoned individuals to work and study to become a useful person for society while serving their time, as stated in the Criminal Code.

The current law allows prisons to either cooperate with organizations and individuals to organize labor and vocational opportunities for prisoners or do so on their own. The areas where work and study take place must be organized by the prison and be under its jurisdiction. Allowing prisoners to work outside the prison was a new proposal.

Prior to the rejection, Minister of Public Security To Lam said at the NA session on January 10 that the ministry had piloted the idea of authorizing 24 prisons to collaborate with companies to establish labor areas and vocational training programs.

The activities would take place at production facilities of the companies that had security fences and were secluded from residential areas. A pilot project showed that only one out of 7,000 prisoners involved escaped from the facilities.

There are currently 54 prisons run by the Ministry of Public Security. Most of them are located in less developed socio-economic areas, and traffic is not convenient.

Most prisons in the northern and central regions have limited and scattered land areas, making it difficult to develop production and vocational training for prisoners. The main option for inmates is agricultural work inside prison areas.

The revised Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments will take effect on January 1 next year.South Korean President Moon Jae-in, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and other participants of the South Korea-Sweden Business Summit at At Six, a Stockholm hotel, June 14. Yonhap





Global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Friday that it will invest 746 billion won ($630 million) in South Korea over the next five years. The announcement came at a business summit held in Sweden on the occasion of President Moon Jae-in's state visit, according to Cheong Wa Dae.







Moon participated in the South Korea-Sweden Business Summit with King Carl Gustaf XVI, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and hundreds of businesspeople from the two countries.







They included Leif Johansson, chairman of AstraZeneca, a Swedish-British pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical firm.







He said his company would make the R&D investment from 2020 through 2025, a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters.





ELKO  Black smoke wafted through the air as flames crackled and grabbed at the folds of red, white and blue cloth Friday afternoon.

Onlookers saluted or held their hands over their hearts, signifying the reverence of the moment. It was Flag Day and members of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Scouts gathered at Reynolds Ampitheatre on the Great Basin College campus. Their mission: retiring the American flag.

Today we are honoring not just our flag but what it symbolizes, said Adjutant Brenda Horton. We are honoring the freedom to worship as we please, to speak as we please and to vote as we please. Flag Day is Americas day. It represents liberation from tyranny, slavery, fascism, terrorism and communism.

Simply put, the flag represents us, said Dick Robie of American Legion Post 5 in Winnemucca. We owe it to our children, born and yet to be born, to continue to fly it high and proud.

Interestingly enough, the Continental Congress left no record as to why it chose the colors it did for our flag, he said. The Congress of Confederation in 1782 chose the same colors for the Great Seal of the United States and reasoned that the white meant purity and innocence, the red meant valor and hardiness, and the blue was for vigilance, perseverance and justice.

He said the flags they were about to retire had served their purpose.

Noah Koppe from Scout Troop 91 took the stand, asked the color guard to present the colors, and led the crowd through The Pledge of Allegiance.

The United States Flag Code stipulates when the flag of our country has become worn or damaged, and is in such a condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning, said Koppe.

Members of Troop 91 gathered a flag, presented it and placed it in on top of the fire.

One after another, the collection of well-worn flags was escorted from a table where they lay and placed upon the flame. Each one burned until the red, white and blue had turned black as coal.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.125 YEARS AGO

June 2, 1894: The young folks of Elko are having lots of amusement now. Last week they had a social at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Sproule in honor of Miss Gertrude Stephens of Portland, Oregon; Saturday there was a jolly picnic on the South Fork, with a climb up the high cliffs that border the east side of the canyon; and Tuesday evening of this week a lively crowd gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Farrington to give Erroll Taber a shaking up.



George Bruce has brought his trotter down from the ranch and is getting him in trim for the Fourth. Charley Holland is also getting his pinto nag in good shape.



The Free Press office has just finished printing a large map of Elko county. The map is the work of E. C. McClellan, the well known surveyor, is complete in every detail, showing all the mountains, valleys, streams, mining districts, post offices, school districts, roads, railroads and railroad limits.

100 YEARS AGO

June 9, 1919: The Commencement exercises for the graduation class of 1919 will be held at the gymnasium of the high school on Thursday evening. There will be a graduating class of twnty-one, probably the largest in the history of the school.

June 11, 1919: Otto Reil, who returned home yesterday from Gerhard Millers ranch in Paradise valley, states that the lower end of the valley is infested with what is believed to be the dreaded seventeen-year locusts, says the Winnemucca Star.

He says that one field of native hay at the Godchaux ranch out from Willow Point is already badly damaged.

June 13, 1919: Miss Alice Boynton of Reno has accepted a position as bookkeeper with the A. W. Hesson company, taking the place of Miss Margaret Hesson, who will attend summer school at San Francisco, and in the fall will return to Ann Arbor university to complete her law course.

June 16, 1919: Captain Bonnie McBride returned yesterday from San Francisco, where he was recently discharged. He has accepted the position of Deputy State Engineer and will have his office in Elko, and will have charge of the eastern part of the state.

75 YEARS AGO

June 9, 1944: Winter returned to Elko county yesterday and today with snow reported from a number of different sections.

One report received here this morning was that a foot of snow had fallen at the former Saval ranch, in the north, now owned by C. A. Sewell.

June 14, 1944: Effie Esther Wilson, a member of the 1944 Rio Tinto graduating class, has been awarded a $50 Honor Scholarship to the College of Idaho at Caldwell for the next school year. Candidates for such scholarships are selected on the basis of scholarship, character and interest in school activities.

June 15, 1944: The two-year-old son of Mr. & Mrs. Earl Dudley decided to go for a walk with his dog this morning and as a result the emergency alarm was sounded. The little tot was playing with his dog in the grass near the river when he was discovered by George Walther. Walther could see the dog bounding around and was thus attracted to the spot, seeing the child as he came nearer. The little fellow was quite unaware that he had caused any concern among the people of the community.

50 YEARS AGO

June 11, 1969: The Elko County School Board took no formal action on a request from the Elko General Hospital for a parcel of school land located east of the present high school auditorium.

The hospital requested the land, 80 feet wide (running east and west) and 240 feet long (north and south), which it would use for visitor parking following construction of its proposed addition. In return for the parcel of land owned by the school, the hospital offered to build an 88-car parking lot north of the present hospital on Cedar Street, which would be bi-use, between the hospital and the school.

June 12, 1969: Oath of Office was administered to recently-elected councilmen Dale Porter Jr. and Adolph Lipparelli by City Clerk Alice Geyer. Chet Pitman was selected as vice mayor during a regular council meeting Tuesday.

June 16, 1969: Soggy weather Saturday night and Sunday reinforced the somewhat damp reputation of the Elko Open Horse Show but the third annual show splashed smoothly through weekend rains and was lauded this morning as the most successful ever.



Don Elser, vocational agriculture teacher from Elko High School, and Ted Fairchild, one of four senior students named outstanding in agriculture at EHS, returned Sunday from Burbank, Calif., where they took part in an Agriculture U.S.A. television program. Elser received an award as outstanding teacher. He presented a brief talk showing slides of the EHS vo ag department.

25 YEARS AGO

June 9, 1994: Summit Raceway held its Bob Dorsa Memorial race Saturday and appropriately, Dorsas legacy lived on to help the local drivers finish the race on the track he helped start. A total of 29 cars competed in the third race of the Elko season.

June 11, 1994: Four hazardous mine shafts in eastern Elko County were sealed recently as part of the countys accelerated program to close abandon mine shafts using a $10,000 donation from Newmont Gold Company.

June 16, 1994: Contractors, home builders and others interested in new construction techniques, are invited to inspect the rammed-earth walls being used on a house under construction for Carolyn and Kim Steninger in Spring Creek.

The walls are built by tamping shallow layers of a damp, dirt-cement mixture ... The walls have the look and feel of a soft stone, which will harden over time.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Recently, the health-care system in Nevada seemed to be causing as much pain as it was treating. For many Nevadans, an unpleasant hospital visit is made worse by the staggering costs of an unanticipated medical bill. Recently, though, lawmakers took a big step toward righting this wrong.

As an anesthesiologist and proud Nevadan, I applaud Gov. Steve Sisolak and state legislators for enacting a law that protects patients from surprise medical bills for emergency care. The stress of a medical emergency should not be compounded by the sticker shock of a surprise bill, but there is more to be done to ensure that patients are fully protected for all types of care.

Surprise bills are often the result of insurance companies failures to provide adequate coverage for out-of-network care. Most physicians are in-network when we work with specific insurers and accept a reduced reimbursement rate for our services. Each dollar of care provided corresponds with a negotiated per-dollar rate of reimbursement from insurers.

Insurance companies  generating record annual profits  are endangering patients by shrinking their coverage networks and expanding the insurance gaps responsible for surprise medical bills. Complicated jargon and the inherent unpredictability of health care means that even the savviest patient likely wont know the network status of their doctor at every point of care, especially in a medical emergency.

The new law, Assembly Bill 469, takes patients out of the middle of emergency billing disputes so they can focus on what matters most  their health. In some cases, it also introduces a highly effective form of arbitration, which requires insurers and providers to submit their proposed prices for an out-of-network procedure to a neutral arbitrator who then selects one based on market rates.

These new regulations also defend patients with prudent layperson protection, which protects people who head to the hospital believing they are experiencing a medical emergency even if its later determined that their situation was less dire. So, if you go to the ER with chest pains but discover you were having a bad case of heartburn, youll likely be protected from picking up expensive out-of-network charges. This is critical because it ensures that no Nevadans will need to sacrifice their health for fear of not being able to cover the bill.

Once you leave the hospital, these new regulations also limit your payment to in-network fees for a co-pay, deductible or coinsurance. There are no loopholes that would subject you to expensive, unfair out-of-network fees. And in one to two years, the state will start evaluating how effectively the law is preventing surprise medical bills.

New York state has successfully implemented arbitration-style regulations for surprise billing, and the results have been remarkable. New York has seen its out-of-network emergency care billing rate fall from more than 20 percent to just 6.4 percent. With this new law  and hopefully, more patient protections on the horizon  Nevada could see a similar outcome.

Anesthesiologists spend their careers working with patients in the ER, so weve seen first-hand the devastating effects unexpected medical bills can have on patients who should be focusing on recovery. Future legislation must expand these protections to non-emergency medical care so that Nevadans dont have to fear a surprise bill when theyre at their most vulnerable. Its time for insurance companies to stop prioritizing profits over patient health and accept a reasonable solution that supports a better health-care system for all.

Dean Polce, D.O., resides in Las Vegas.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0It was a big mistake buying those strange seeds on eBay. Under the heading odd plants, I had purchased about 50 different and crazy seeds  mostly from the Orient  that promised to grow weird and unusual flowers, trees and vines for my greenhouse. Being only a dollar or two, I figured it would be fun to see what I could grow here in Elko and what could sprout.

Some of the variations were pretty interesting, such as the Baobab tree from Madagascar, or the Rare Blue Marigold Maidenhair seeds (they came up yellow anyway). I plunked down money for some blue sunflowers and these are still developing and havent flowered yet so no telling what color they will be. I gave some of these seeds to friends in town so if you see any blue ones growing they may have come from my eBay purchase.

But things didnt go as smooth as I had planned. One of the biggest problems with buying seeds from overseas is that they usually do not list the item description when you get the package. Because of this, I was stuck with dozens of envelopes from China, Thailand, and Korea that just contained seeds  no telling what they were or how to grow them. Although I tried to keep everything organized as best I could, it was a surprise every time one sprouted.

One plant, a Cardinal vine, was easy to distinguish because every week a new and pretty red flower popped out on the side looking like, yes, a tiny red bird. Another plant was quite sinister, however, because it grabbed onto everything in sight, prompting Mira to call it a Devil Bat vine. Over the weekend, one of these Devil Bats, just by itself, became entwined onto a dozen nearby tomato plants, taking us over an hour to untangle the mess. I could swear the plant was dangerous.

On a happy note, another sprout I could recognize was a tiny mimosa seedling. It was no doubt the sensitive plant I had bought. Going by various names, such as Touch Me Not, Shy Plant or even Zombie plant, this is one of those types, like a Venus Flytrap, that can actually move its leaves downward when touched by a human finger. The effect is rapid and reversible, with the plant returning to its original state within a few minutes.

I had seen one growing wild last December in Hawaii at a zipline park near Hilo, and thought it would be fun to grow here from seeds. Naturally it would have to remain inside, it couldnt take our Ryndon subzero cold winters. I did a little research on this plant and here is what I found.

Having the official scientific name of Mimosa pudica, the Sensitive Plant is native to South America but is now considered a pantropical weed, and can be found even in the southern United States. Grown often for its curiosity value, as said before, the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken.

The fact that they also close at night I discovered one evening when I was showing some guests my plant menagerie. I was startled to find the leaves drooped and at first thought the plant had died. It re-opened for business the next day in the sunlight, all ready to go.

Due to the Mimosa pudicas unique response to touch, it became an ideal plant for many experiments over the years regarding plant habituation and memory. Back in the 1870s a German botanist, Wilhelm Pfeffer, determined the mechanism of the plants rapid movements and found them to be associated with the quick movement of water within the structure. When touched, the stimulus is transmitted from the leaflet to the leaflets swollen base and from there to the bases of the other leaflets which run along the length of the stem. Somehow the water is set in motion by differences in ion concentration along the stimuli path.

Pfeffer was the first to propose that this reflex may have evolved as a defense mechanism to predators, theorizing that animals may be afraid of a fast moving plant and would rather eat a less active one. Other suggestions for this strange behavior include the idea that the sudden movement dislodges harmful insects or perhaps simply the plant prefers shade in order to reduce water loss due to evaporation.

The movement of folding inwards is energetically costly for the plant and naturally interferes with the process of photosynthesis. Pfeffer found that repeated mechanical stimulation of leaflets led to a decrease in sensitivity.

In 1906, the famous Indian scientist J.C. Bose confirmed Pfeffers findings that the plant needed a sufficient rest period between foldings by using an automatic leaf touching machine. Following this, the question arose among botanists as to whether the Mimosa pudica could actually discriminate between stimuli. This was answered in the affirmative in 1965 by Holmes and Gruenberg, whose experimental design included drops of water and finger touching as stimuli. After a while the plant habituated to water drops and would only close when touched by a finger, no longer responding to drops of water.

Other researchers such as Gagliano in 2014 have experimented with stimulating the plant using electric shocks and light intensity variations showing that the Mimosa can actually learn when to close and when not to. A plant that can think.

Gary Hanington is Professor Emeritus of physical science at Great Basin College and chief scientist at AHV. He can be reached at garyh@ahv.com or gary.hanington@gbcnv.edu.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0One WIA amid 24 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas in past day

Russia's hybrid military forces have mounted 24 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA), the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has reported.

"On June 14, Russia's hybrid military forces violated the ceasefire 24 times, of these, six times using 122mm artillery and 120mm and 82mm mortars banned by the Minsk agreements. One Ukrainian soldier was wounded as a result of enemy attacks," the press center of the headquarters said on its page in the Facebook social network on Saturday morning.

According to Ukrainian intelligence on June 14, one militant was killed.

"From the beginning of the current day, the enemy fired at the JFO positions four times," the press center said.A delegation of the Ukrainian parliament for foreign affairs headed by MP Hanna Hopko (not a member of any parliamentary faction) and Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States met Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper, the press service of the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States has reported.

"The issues of the current state and further development of security cooperation prospects between Ukraine and the United States, cooperation to ensure energy security, as well as the situation in the Azov and Black Seas were discussed. The importance of increasing pressure on Russia with a purpose to the early release of Ukrainian sailors captured in the Kerch Strait on November 25, 2019 was noted," the embassy said in a statement.

The Ukrainian side pointed out the importance of strengthening the of security support from the United States for Ukraine and the need to send noticeable political signals indicating that Washington remains with Kyiv against the background of continuing Russian aggression.

In turn, the U.S. side assured that it would provide the necessary support so that Ukraine would have the opportunity of protecting itself from external threats both on land and at sea.German Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 18 will discuss Minsk agreements and reforms in Ukraine with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, official representative of the German government Ulrike Demmer has said.

"During the working lunch, politicians will talk about bilateral relations, the implementation of the Minsk agreements, the conflict in the east of Ukraine and the reform process. Then a press conference will be held," Demmer told reporters on Friday.

According to her, for Germany the "Minsk process" to settle the situation in Ukraine is very important.

"You know how important the Minsk process is to us," she said. Despite the fact that work within the framework of the format at different levels is ongoing, Demmer did not specify the dates of the summit of the leaders of the Normandy Four or a meeting of foreign ministers.

"Work under the Normandy Four is under way, and I cannot tell you about specific events now," the spokeswoman for the German government said.

Zelensky will also meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Germany.The new Moldovan government has gathered for its first meeting after the political crisis in the country on Saturday morning; the meeting is being broadcast live for the press at the briefing room.

Prime Minister Maia Sandu expressed gratitude to citizens and foreign partners for support provided during the change of the government.

"We managed to overthrow the oligarch and oligarchy in Moldova. We fought for it, but we would have been unable to do that without massive support from our citizens. Special thanks to our foreign partners who played a crucial role in forcing the illegal government to step down and preventing destabilization of the situation," Sandu said.

"The new government has a lot to do to purge the country from the consequences of the rule of the oligarch," the prime minister said.

All ministers will be introduced to the personnel of the ministries on Saturday, and employees were asked to return to work, she said.An oil tanker is seen after it was attacked at the Gulf of Oman, in waters between Gulf Arab states and Iran, June 13. Reuters-Yonhap





Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. said Saturday it was unaware that a cargo ship it had chartered rescued crew members of a Norwegian tanker that was on fire in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week until after the incident.







The Hyundai Dubai rescued 23 sailors from the Norwegian tanker Front Altair, Thursday, after receiving a distress call, and then handed them over to Iranian authorities.







CBS News said the captain of the Hyundai Dubai "contacted his company's management, which told him to refuse the Iranian request (to turn over the mariners)," but handed them over as "he felt like he had no choice but to comply with Iranian demands," citing declassified U.S. intelligence reports Friday.







An official of the South Korean shipping firm said the company that the captain contacted could have been the ship owner headquartered in Germany, not Hyundai.





EU will soon discuss issuance of Russian passports to residents of Russia-occupied Donbas

Leaders of the European Union will discuss the issuance of Russian passports to residents of Russia-occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the next couple of weeks, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has said.

"Our leaders will discuss this in the next few weeks. I cannot tell you what the outcome of the discussions will be, but the condemnation has already been clear," he said in an exclusive interview with the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Mingarelli said the EU had immediately reacted to Russia's decision to simplify the procedure for granting Russian citizenship to residents of Russia-occupied eastern Ukraine.

"This was said that it was an additional attack [by Russia] against Ukraine's sovereignty, that this measure was clearly designed to further destabilize Ukraine, and it was blatant violation of the Minsk agreements," he said.

As reported, EU leaders are scheduled to meet on June 20-21.Moldova's Constitutional Court overturns all of its decisions that led to political crisis in country in 5 mins

Moldova's Constitutional Court has overturned all of its decisions that led to the existence of the dual authorities in the country and non-recognition of the new government at an extraordinary meeting that lasted no longer than five minutes on Saturday.

"Due to the fact that the Constitutional Court was being pressured and was not free to adopt its decisions, the Constitutional Court ruled to overturn all of its decisions adopted on June 7-9, 2019, guided by the provisions of the Code of Constitutional Jurisdiction," Moldovan Constitutional Court Chairman Mihai Poalelungi said.

The court decision is final and not subject to appeal.

On Friday evening, the power in Moldova fully transitioned to the new government headed by right-wing ACUM bloc leader Maia Sandu.

The government's first meeting took place on Saturday, the prime minister and President Igor Dodon introduced the new ministers at the ministries following it.

The Moldovan government established by the Democratic Party (PDM) on January 20, 2016, resigned on Friday, Prime Minister Pavel Filip announced on Friday evening after the PDM had made a decision on it. Therefore, the issue of the dual authorities was settled in favor of the new Moldovan government, formed by the Party of Socialists and the right-wing ACUM bloc on June 8.

The dual authorities appeared on June 8, after the Constitutional Court explained that the three-month period required to form a government after the parliamentary mandates were approved on March 9 had expired on Friday, June 7. The court reasoned its decision saying that a three month period cannot exceed 90 days. Therefore, the court declared the new government, endorsed by the parliament on the 91st day, June 8, illegal.

However, the Constitution stipulates the period of three months rather than 90 days. The new parliament and government did not recognize the Constitutional Court's decision and the court ruled to deem all the decisions of the parliament illegal.

On June 9, the Constitutional Court temporary suspended Dodon and granted former Prime Minister Filip the power to dissolve the parliament. He immediately signed a decree to dissolve the parliament and appoint a snap election for September 6. Meanwhile, Dodon signed a decree to abolish Filip's decree, because it had been "adopted in violation."

In the evening on June 14, Dodon called on the members of the Constitutional Court to overturn their own decisions and return the situation under the rule of law. The court made such decision, removing all doubts that the new Moldovan government headed by Sandu is legitimate.Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said that Ukraine would have a real chance of getting the European prospect after 2025, and maybe by 2035 the country could become a member of the European Union (EU).

"If sentiments within the EU are balanced, the Balkan countries successfully integrate in 2025, if other stars and planets become favorable and are placed on the European integration orbits, then after 2025 we will have a real chance of getting a European prospect. Ambitious but possible," Klimkin wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

He recalled that this requires the consent of all EU member states. "Therefore, until then, we must really jump over our heads in order to change Ukraine and the Ukrainians," the minister said.

Then, according to him, pre-accession negotiations will begin with the European bureaucrats, which "the further the more and more complicated will be."

The Ukrainian foreign minister recalled that, from the moment of filing an application for joining the EU, an average of 10-12 years passed since the moment of obtaining membership for other countries, despite the fact that there were no problems with providing a European prospect for the candidate countries.

"We believe that there is nothing supersophisticated, school arithmetic: prior to or after 2035," he said.Relatives of victims of the passenger Boeing 777 MH17 airliner downed over Donbas in July 2014 have protested near the Russian embassy in the Netherlands and condemned the position of Moscow, which continues to deny involvement in the tragedy, the Kyiv-based ZN.UA (Mirror Weekly) ezine has said, citing the Dutch ezine NOS.nl.

"In front of the Russian embassy in The Hague relatives of the victims symbolically set 298 white chairs symbolizing the 298 MH17 passengers who were killed. The seats were arranged like they were in the plane, and included aisles," said the report. Relatives and friends of the victims also hung placards, reading "Justice for MH17" and "Humanity over politics."

The protesters want Russia to answer for the crime it committed.

"We want to call Russia to accountability. It's abundantly clear that Russians played a certain role in the MH17 catastrophe Russia's silence is politically motivated. If you are silent and do not take responsibility then you cannot call yourself a great nation," Sander van Luik, a representative of the working group investigating the tragedy, said.

On July 17, 2014, the Boeing 777 belonging to Malaysia Airlines on the MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur disappeared from the radar screens over Shakhtarsk in Donetsk region. All passengers and crew aboard the plane died, including 80 children.

After almost four years, in May 2018, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) at a press conference at The Hague demonstrated fragments of the rocket, which downed the plane. The missile was launched from the BUK system belonging to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile based in the Russian city of Kursk.

The next day, Australia and the Netherlands officially announced that it was Russia that was responsible for shooting down the Malaysian plane. The European Council also called on the Russia to take responsibility and fully promote all attempts to establish the truth, justice and guilt of specific individuals involved in the crime.

Russia still denies any involvement in the tragedy  almost five years after the downing of the airliner.Almost 70% of Ukrainians say situation in country tense, over one third in favor of independent development of Ukraine  Socis poll

KYIV. June 15 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Around 70% of Ukrainian citizens believe that the situation in the country is tense, according to poll conducted by the Socis Social and Marketing Research Center presented at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on June 14.

According to the study, 67.7% of respondents said that the situation in Ukraine is tense, 19.9% believe it is stable, 8.9% said that the situation in the country is a tinderbox, and 3.5% refused to answer.

Only 25.9% of respondents believe that events in Ukraine are moving in the right direction, 48.6% believe that events are right in some spheres and wrong in some other, 20% of respondents believe in the wrong course of events, and 5.6% found it difficult to answer or did not answer the question.

Some 35.8% of respondents believe that Ukraine should have its own development path and rely solely on its resources. 31.7% are in favor of the need to seek membership in the European Union, 15.9% are inclined to think that Ukraine needs both integration into the EU and the development of close relations with neighboring countries in the east.

Only 12.5% of citizens are in favor of the need to restore friendly relations with Russia and the CIS countries, 0.3% chose the "other" option, 3.9% did not know the answer to the question or refused to answer.

The study was conducted on May 29 through June 6. A total of 4,000 respondents were surveyed, the statistical error of the sample was 1.6%.At the meeting, Alvarez voiced his delight to re-visit HCM City, the economic engine of Vietnam in the Doi Moi reform.

He also briefed Le on Cubas significant achievements in judicial reform, including the building of a new constitution which received an overall consensus from the Cuban people in the recent constitutional referendum.

The Cuban official also affirmed that Cuba wants to learn from Vietnams experience to revise the constitution, as well as enhance financial self-reliance and decision-making for local authorities through the model of the provincial Peoples Council.

For her part, Le thanked Cuba for its support and contributions to the revolutionary cause as well as national construction and development of Vietnam, stressing that the sound bilateral relations have been strengthened by Party and State leaders of both nations through various visits and activities.

She also informed the Cuban delegation about HCM Citys socio-economic development and activities of the municipal Peoples Council and its relations with central agencies.Former Deputy President of Iran Shahindokht Molaverdi has criticized the intelligence and judiciary authorities over the imprisonment of a U.S. permanent resident who was set free on June 11 after almost four years behinds bars.

Lebanese citizen and U.S. permanent resident Nizar Zakka had attended a 2015 conference in Tehran on the invitation of Molaverdi, who was deputy president of womens and family affairs (2013-2017), when he was arrested for espionage.

In an interview with the Associated Press last year, Molaverdi said her government had "failed" to help Zakka and acknowledged Iran's civilian leaders had limited power to influence the omnipotent security forces and hard-line judiciary. Three days after Zakka's release, Molaverdi wrote on her Instagram page, "Heavy cases related to espionage are s

helved with a happy ending, one after another. Now, only we are left with a multitude of libelous accusations."

After Zakka's detention, the conservatives had bombarded Molaverdi with harsh criticism, accusing her of having a dubious relationship with the "captured spy." Zakka, at the time of his arrest, was secretary-general of the Arab-ICT Organization, or IJMA3, a nonprofit group promoting access to information technology in the region.

Reacting to Zakka's sudden release, Molaverdi wrote on her Instagram page that they arrested him in September 2015 when he was on his way to the airport. "Immediately after his detention, they (the judiciary and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps intelligence agents) hacked my email and all social media platforms I was using," she wrote.

The former deputy president, who was demoted to the position of presidential aide after Zakka's detention, has derided conservative news outlets and monopolized state-run TV for describing Zakka as America's "ace in the hole," its "asset," and the "bridgehead to infiltrate the Islamic Republic's executive and political infrastructure" by allegedly controlling its cyberspace.

"If you were already aware of the existence of such an asset, why did you not immediately arrest him on his arrival? Why did you wait for a whole week to detain such [a] precious piece?" Molaverdi asked. Zakka, 52, who was sentenced to 10 years for collaboration with a hostile government and fined $4.2 million, was set free on June 10 after a request made by the president of Lebanon and Tehran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.

A day after his release, Zakka told the Associated Press that he was subjected to "all kinds of torture," both physical and mental, during his nearly four-year detention at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. "Nobody on earth deserves such suffering," he said in the 30-minute interview during which he broke down in tears.By RFE/RL

Iranian President Hassan Rohani says his country has made a decision to terminate the implementation of some of its obligations under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Rohani made the remarks on June 15 in Dushanbe at a summit of a 27-member regional grouping called the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

Rohani said Tehran is continuing to adhere to the obligations it assumed under the 2015 nuclear deal despite U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the accord and reimpose sanctions against Iran.

But he said the decision to stop adhering to some obligations under the agreement was made because of what he called confrontation by the United States, Trumps withdrawal from this deal, and the imposition of what he called illegal unfounded sanctions supported by other parties.

In the absence of positive comment from other parties, Iran will continue working toward ending its adherence to some of its obligations under the nuclear deal, Rohani told the CACI summit  which has gathered together leaders from 27 countries in the grouping and 13 observer states and international institutions.

The June 15 summit is being attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and leaders from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and India.

They had all gathered a day earlier in neighboring Kyrgyzstan for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Other members of the CICA group represented at the Dushanbe summit on June 15 include Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Mongolia, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, South Korea, and Arab states from the Persian Gulf region.

Observers at the Dushanbe summit include the United States Ukraine, Belarus, Japan, the United Nations, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Speaking at the start of the June 15 summit, Putin called on CICA members to facilitate efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and ensure security in Northeast Asia.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov says Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan briefly talked on the go before the beginning of the CICA summit.

Peskov said the foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey also took part in the conversation, which lasted for several minutes.

On June 14, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkeys government will retaliate against any possible sanctions imposed against Ankara by the United States over Turkeys deal to buy the S-400 surface-to-air defense missile system from Russia.

Ankaras deal with Russia has damaged relations between Turkey and the United States, which are both NATO allies.

Washington has warned turkey of possible sanctions if Ankara takes delivery of the Russian missile system.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, Anadolu, Interfax, and TASSThe following commentary is based on a longer research article by the author published by the Heritage Foundation.

The U.S. State Department claims that at least two Iranian military-controlled facilities have researched chemical agents with incapacitating effects, and Iranian research papers cite the potential military uses of Pharmaceutical-Based Agents. PBAs include, among others, the synthetic opioid fentanyl and the more powerful carfentanil.

These powerful opioids could be used to incapacitate or kill those who ingest, inhale, or absorb it through the skineven in minute dosages, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC).

While PBAs have legitimate purposes in civilian medicine and veterinary science, its use beyond those areas is of great concernand could violate the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

Using PBAs for military or paramilitary purposes wouldnt be unprecedented: Russian security services allegedly used a fentanyl variant in its attempt to liberate 800 hostages held by Chechen terrorists at Moscows Dubrovka Theater in 2002.

Pumping fentanyl-type gas into the theater to incapacitate the seemingly well-armed terrorists led to the death of some 120 theater-going hostages, apparently from exposure to the powerful opioid.

Chemical weapons, such as PBAs and others, in the hand of the Iranian regime is reason for significant concern. Indeed, Tehran could decide to develop and use PBAs for both internal and external security purposes.

Iran signed and ratified the CWC in 1997. But the U.S. government claims that Iran is in violation of the CWC for several reasons, including that Tehran has an undeclared chemical weapons program.

Specifically, Iran has not disclosed to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)the implementing body of the CWCits transfer of chemical weapons to Libya in the 1980s, and has not submitted a comprehensive declaration of its chemical weapons facilities nor declared its holdings of riot-control agents (RCAs).

Domestically, Tehran could use CNS-acting agents to deadly effects against those who resist, or demonstrate against, controversial regime policies, although no such cases have been reported before.

Chemical weapons could also be used in Irans international adventurism; unfortunately, it wouldnt be the first time. As is well-known, both Tehran and Damascus have used chemical weapons against adversaries.

Might Iran assist the Syrian regime with using new types of chemicals in the civil war there that has already witnessed Damascus using these horrific weapons against regime opponents?

While of lower probability, Iran could also supply its proxy, the Houthi rebels, with chemical weapons for use against its opposition in Yemens civil war. It might also provide PBAs or other chemical weapons to Iran-backed popular mobilization units in Iraq.

Equally concerning are Irans ties to terrorism. Indeed, Iran has been on the U.S. State Departments State Sponsor of Terrorism list since 1984. Today, Washington considers Tehran to be the worlds most active state sponsor of terrorism.

Irans ties to foreign terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, are well known. The idea of either of these two terror groups possessing Iranian-supplied chemical weapons is tremendously worrisome.

Tehrans violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with its secret nuclear program has been established; now Tehran appears to once again be violating an international agreement it agreed to uphold: the CWC.

Considering concerns about Tehrans threats to international security, the international community must pressure Tehran to comply with the CWC, preventing Iran and or its partners from developing or using chemical weapons at home or abroad.

The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the views of Radio FardaBaku, Azerbaijan, June 15

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 20 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on June 15, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 15

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

The modern history of Azerbaijan is directly connected with the return of Heydar Aliyev to power in June 1993, the Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Chairman and Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Ali Ahmadov said at an event organized in the administrative building of the NAP in honor of June 15 - the National Salvation Day, Trend reports.

"We all know what painful, troubled days we had to endure after the restoration of independence in the early 90s. We have not forgotten what source of danger was the authority of that time. The existence and independence of Azerbaijan was under threat and unpleasant processes took place," the deputy prime minister said.

Ahmadov noted that at that time chaos and arbitrariness were the reality of Azerbaijan.

"All this plunged society into serious trouble. Only the historical return saved Azerbaijan from great misfortunes, stability was strengthened and prosperity began. Having passed the path of development, Azerbaijan has come to where it is now," he added.

Speaking at the event, where, along with members of the NAP, representatives of the public also participated, the chairman of the State Committee on Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mubariz Gurbanli said that National Salvation Day was approved by the Azerbaijani parliament in 1997. He noted that it has already been 22 years as the Azerbaijani people celebrate this holiday.

"If a historical event occurs, it is impossible to recognize it on the same day. It receives the deserved assessment over time. Today, Azerbaijan is a leader in the South Caucasus. The country plays a significant role in international organizations," Gurbanli added.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 15

Trend:

The Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Novruz Mammadov and the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon met on the sidelines of the Fifth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Tajik president.

Emomali Rahmon expressed satisfaction with the level and quality of intergovernmental cooperation, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the sides reviewed the most important topics related to intergovernmental cooperation between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan in economy, trade, industry, transport and transport infrastructure, hydropower, agriculture, communications, science, education, culture and tourism.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during meeting.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 15

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The cost of the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) may drop even further, the head of TANAP consortium Saltuk Duzyol said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"We have spent less than $7 billion on the project. When we made the final investment decision, the initial estimated cost was $11.7 billion. Thus, we managed to save about $4.8 billion. And there is an opportunity for further reducing the cost of the project," he said.

Duzyol noted that this is a successful project that was completed within the budget and on time.

He further added that Turkey has been implementing such projects for a long time in close cooperation with Azerbaijan.

"It began with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project and continued with the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline project. Turkey has been importing Azerbaijani gas since 2007 under a contract that was signed in 2001 for the supply of 6.6 billion cubic meters. After the implementation of TANAP, Turkey will import 12.6 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas per year," the head of the consortium said.

Duzyol noted that the share of the Azerbaijani gas in the total gas consumption of Turkey has increased in recent years.

"Thanks to the TANAP project, Turkey will make a great contribution to ensuring security and diversification of supplies in the region. TANAP will definitely provide some flexibility in the supply to the Turkish network, because with the help of the TANAP system, BOTAS will be able to transport huge volumes of Azerbaijani gas directly to the consumption centers located west of Eskisehir, which is Turkeys receiving point. Currently, 66 percent of total consumption falls on the west of Eskisehir in Turkey, which means flexibility from an operational point of view. In addition, Turkey will receive significant tax revenues from the TANAP project," he said.

The head of the consortium noted that at the investment stage, TANAP provided many jobs for the Turkish people.

"At the peak level, more than 13,000 people were involved in the project. Turkey has ambitions to become a gas corridor and an energy hub in the region, and TANAP will best contribute to the achievement of this ultimate goal," he added.

The TANAP pipeline runs from the Georgian-Turkish border to the countrys western border with Greece. TANAP, together with the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), is part of the Southern Gas Corridor project, which provides the transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to Europe.

The initial capacity of the TANAP pipeline is expected to be 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year. About 6 billion cubic meters will be supplied to Turkey, while the rest will be supplied to Europe. After the completion of the construction of TAP, gas flow to Europe will being by early 2020.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynIran will continue scaling back compliance with a nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show positive signals, the Iranian president said on Saturday as tensions with the United States escalated over tanker attacks in the Gulf region, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Iran stopped complying in May with some commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal that was agreed with global powers, after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and ratcheted up sanctions on Tehran.

Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally, President Hassan Rouhani told Russian, Chinese and other Asian leaders at a conference in Tajikistan.

His comments follow rising tensions with Washington, which has accused Tehran of carrying out Thursdays attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route at the mouth of the Gulf. Tehran has denied having any role.

Rouhani did not refer to this weeks tanker incident in his speech to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, behind held in the Tajik capital Dushanbe.

It is necessary that all the sides of this agreement contribute to restoring it, he said, adding that Iran needed to see positive signals from other signatories to the pact, which include Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

He did not give details on what actions Iran would take or say what positive signals Tehran wanted to see.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would adhere to the agreement and urged other signatories to follow suit.

We believe that the only sensible decision is for all deal participants to honor commitments, Putin told the conference.Tehran, Iran, Jun.15

Trend:

Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdul Nasser Hemmati reacted to the impact of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Tehran on the currency market fluctuations.

Unfortunately, in the foreign exchange market, there are always people seeking to use political tools to disturb market stability, he said, Trend reports citing the official website of CBI.

It should be noted that none of the economic foundations that determine the exchange rate have changed, and the central bank dominates the market, he added.

During a meeting with the Japanese prime minister, the expansion of economic and financial relations between the two countries and Japan`s investing in health and the environment were discussed, he said referring to the economic goals of Japan's prime minister visit to Tehran.

"Iran has found ways to boost non-oil exports and return export earned currency to the economic cycle, he said.Tehran, Iran, Jun.15

Trend:

An agreement on the optimal use of Hirmand River water between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Afghanistan was signed.

At the end of the joint meeting of the water commission in Kabul, Iran and Afghanistan agreed on installing the measuring tools on the Hirmand River for better implementation of the 1973 treaty, Trend reports citing Official Website of Ministry of Energy of Iran.

"In a very friendly atmosphere, we have achieved good results, and the two sides emphasize that the operational plan for using the Hirmand River should be adjusted so that the people of both countries, especially the residents of the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran and Nimroz of Afghanistan will benefit from its results, Deputy Energy Minister of Iran Ghasem Taghizadeh Khamesi, said.

The aim to sign the agreement was to manage the water of the Hirmand River more accurately, he said.

Iran`s Ministry of Energy announced its readiness to cooperate with Afghanistan in the field of energy and water, in particular the establishment of the Water Research Center.

Hirmand or Helmand River on the borders of Iran and Afghanistan is a potential point of conflict on scarce water resources of the region between the two countries.

It has a long history of agreements and conflicts. In 1969-1973, Iranian diplomats were engaged in intense negotiations with Afghan counterparts over the waters of Helmand.

Iran had the upper hand and, legally, was in a position to push for a fair share of the water. Disregarding the ongoing negotiations, however, the Shah of Iran, prompted by the sensitive political situation in Afghanistan, decided to grant a major concession to the Afghans.

Immediately after the political decision, Iran and Afghanistan signed the 1973 treaty on the Helmand River, thus formalizing Irans unequal share of the waters.Tehran, Iran, Jun.15

Trend:

Some 30,000 liters of smuggled fuel worth more than $24,000 were discovered in Ahwaz, Khuzestan Province Police Chief Haidar Abbaszadeh announced.

"The security forces of the Ghizzaniyeh police station have succeeded to identify a smuggling truck which was to ship fuel to Tehran, the Chief of Khuzestan Police Haidar Abbaszadeh said, Trend reports citing IRNA.

Experts estimate the value of the smuggled fuel to be over $28,000, Chief of Khuzestan Police stated.

Khuzestan's Chief of Police said on June 10 that some 300,000 liters of smuggled fuel worth more than $309,000 were discovered in Ahwaz.

A government spokesman announced that around 11.5 million liters of gasoline is smuggled out of Iran on a daily basis. Ali Adyani, a member of the Iranian Parliament's Energy Committee has quoted various sources as putting the gasoline smuggling figure at ten, 15 and even 20 million liters a day.

Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh ruled out that figure, saying it is logistically impossible to carry that much gasoline across the border every day.

Observers say all of these figures can be true at different times depending on the availability of fuel inside the country and changes in demands in the neighboring countries.

The price of one liter of gasoline in Iran is currently about 8 cents while the price in the destination of smuggled fuel in Turkey, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistanis, Iraq, Afghanistan and Armenia is at least 1.23 US dollar per liter.A total of six militants were killed as governemnt forces struck Taliban hideout in Porak area outside eastern Logar provincial capital Pul-e-Alam on Friday, provincial government spokesman Shahpor Ahmadzai said Saturday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

According to Ahmadzai, the government forces, acting upon intelligence report, struck the Taliban insurgents on Friday night and besides killing six insurgnets also destroyed a car and five motorbikes of the militants.

Taliban militants haven't commented.On Saturday, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition announced that the group had set specific targets in Sana'a in an attempt to destroy Houthi military capabilities in the area and protect civilians, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

The coalition spokesperson stressed that civilians should avoid said target areas in Sana'a.

This reported attack in Sana'a comes a day after Yemen's Houthis targeted Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport with drones on Thursday and a two days following a Houthi cruise missile strike on the airport Wednesday, which injured at least 26 people.

Though the cruise missile did strike the airport, Turki al-Maliki, another spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, announced Friday that the Saudi Royal Air Force had intercepted and destroyed five unmanned drones deployed by the Houthis.

Since the start of the Saudi-led coalition's airstrike campaign in 2015, tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, have died. The United Nations has described the conflict as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.Yemen's Houthi rebels said they launched new drone attacks on two separate Saudi airports on Saturday, the group's al-Masirah TV reported, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

"The first attack targeted control rooms of Saudi military unmanned aircraft in Jizan airport, while the second attack hit fuel stations inside Abha airport," the television quoted Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea as saying.

"We promise more attacks on Saudi airports," he added.

The targeted airports are located in two separate Saudi provinces of Asir and Jizan.

However, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television reported that the Saudi air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile over the sky of Abha city in the southwest of the kingdom. The Saudi media did not confirm the Houthi drone attacks.

Saudi Arabia has witnessed more drone and missile attacks attempted by the Houthis, Yemen's Iran-allied rebels, in recent weeks.

Houthi drone attacks last week wounded 26 people at Abha airport. The rebels damaged two Saudi Aramco's oil pump stations and caused fire last month, according to Al Arabiya television.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been leading a coalition against the Houthis since March 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.We listen to local police and fire departments scanner traffic, but sometimes miss crimes, wrecks, fires or other incidents, especially if they happen overnight. If you know of something were not covering yet, please let Managing Editor Jeff Pownall know by emailing him at jeff.pownall@lufkindailynews.com, or submit a news tip online by visiting lufkindailynews.com/tips.Belgian Ambassador to Lebanon Hubert Cooreman vowed to exert efforts to boost Lebanese and Belgian economic ties, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

"We are going to make more efforts to enhance relations between the two countries on several levels," Cooreman was quoted as saying during his meeting with Mohammad Saleh, head of Lebanese Tripoli's Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

Saleh said the meeting aims at exchanging expertise between the two countries while boosting bilateral ties in economy and other areas.

According to the website of Lebanese Customs, the value of Lebanon's imports from Belgium amounted to 285 million U.S. dollars in 2018 while its exports to Belgium were only worth 23 million dollars.Dozens of Central American migrants have escaped morning from a support centre for migrants in the Mexican state of Tabasco due to mistreatment and intolerable conditions of stay, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

The Excelsior news portal reported that the escapees were mostly Salvador and Honduras' citizens.

Those fled the shelter took to the road near the town of Villahermosa and went to the border with Guatemala. However, some 80 people were detained and returned to the support centre as a result of the police operation.

Caravans of migrants from Central American countries seeking asylum began to move toward the United States through Mexico last fall. US President Donald Trump called the surge of arrivals a crisis and declared a national emergency in February to secure funds to build a wall on the border with Mexico.Mexico will be ready to retaliate in kind if the U.S. government imposes tariffs on Mexican exports to the United States, Mexican Economy Minister Graciela Marquez said, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Speaking in Congress, Marquez said Mexicos government would also initiate bilateral and multilateral procedures to defend its trade interests if the United States were to introduce tariffs.Residents living in Sydney's Mascot Towers were evacuated from their homes on Friday evening after "movement" and "cracking" were detected in the building, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

Mascot Towers are Located in the harbor city's inner-south near Sydney's International Airport. New South Wales State Fire and Rescue Service along with a team of engineers, were called to the scene to assess the 10-storey, 131-unit complex.

Although the Tower's Superintendent Adam Dewberry told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that "At this stage there is no thought that the building is going to have a catastrophic failure or collapse," engineers who inspected the tower felt it was not safe for residents to return.

With cracking found in the "transfer slab beams supporting the primary building corner," a letter to residents from building management stated that "following the inspection, the engineer raised concerns over the safety for residents in the building."

"It has been determined that there will be a partial evacuation of the building, pending further monitoring of the transfer beams over the course of the next week. This will determine if the building is safe for reoccupation," the letter said.

Erected 10 years ago, the complex is made up of two towers. At this stage 95 apartments have been affected, while residents of the remaining units have been allowed to return to their homes.

For those unable to find accommodation, authorities have set up a temporary shelter at the Mascot Town Hall.

The incident follows an identical series of events which occurred back in December last year, when another 36-storey highrise in Sydney was evacuated when structural cracks began to appear.

With 3000 residents told to leave 4-month-old Opal Tower complex, the episode sent shockwaves through the nation's property sector raising concerns shoddy building practices could be widespread throughout the construction industry.

"We hope that the builders or the people who are responsible for this will be held accountable because it's had so many issues from day one," Anthony, a resident from the Mascot Tower who did not wish to give his surname told local media.

"I guess defects happen in most apartments but you wouldn't ever have thought it would come to this."

"Especially after seeing the fiasco with the Opal Tower in Homebush, you would have never thought something like this would happen in metro Sydney."

"I hope the owners do all get together collectively to hold the right people accountable for this."A roadside bomb hit a police vehicle patrolling near Kenyas border with Somalia on Saturday, killing several of the 11 officers inside, a police spokesman said, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Separately, another blast in Somalias capital Mogadishu killed eight people, according to emergency services.

Both attacks were claimed by Somali Islamist insurgents who also kidnapped three Kenyan police reservists on Friday from the same area in Wajir district in northeast Kenya.

Kenyan military forces have occupied part of southern Somalia along the border since 2011. The Kenyans, along with allied Somali militia, wrested control of the territory from al Shabaab jihadists after a spate of kidnappings on Kenyan soil.

Al Shabaab is fighting the weak, U.N.-backed Somali government and its international allies in a quest to impose strict Islamic law.

Exact casualty figures from Saturdays patrol attack were still unclear, police spokesman Charles Owino told Reuters.

In Mogadishu, al Shabaab detonated two bombs. Police said the first blast, at a busy junction known as K4, was a car bomb intercepted by security services that caused no casualties.

The other blast killed eight people and injured 16, said Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Aamin ambulance service.

Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaabs spokesman for military operations, said the group was responsible for the blast in Kenya and the two in Mogadishu.Chilean authorities found alive one of three Bolivian miners trapped beneath the rubble at a small copper mine early on Saturday, while another was found dead, Chiles mining ministry said, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Authorities have yet to locate the third miner. The three men had gone missing late Thursday after a small landslide blocked the entrance to the mine, trapping the miners nearly 70 meters (230 feet) beneath the surface.

Our rescue teams found one of the miners in good physical condition, and he has been transferred to the hospital, mining minister Baldo Prokurica said in a statement on Saturday. We will continue to look for the third person that has not been found.

The mining ministry said authorities had worked for nearly 40 hours at the Directorio 8 mine near Tocopilla on the northern Chilean coast before locating two of the three men.

Chile is the worlds top copper producer, and mining accidents, while uncommon, are closely followed by the Chilean public and politicians.

In 2010, a mining accident in Copiapo, northern Chile, led to 33 miners being trapped underground for nearly 10 weeks before being rescued, an event that made world headlines.Prospects for strategic cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia were in focus of talks between the two countries presidents, Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan and Vladimir Putin of Russia, in Dushanbe, the press service of the Tajik leader said, Trend reports citing TASS.

The Tajik president said that top-level contacts between the two countries "are essential for the development of interstate relations." "I am confident that our meeting today will have a great influence on this process," the press service quoted him as saying.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the results of the Tajik presidents visit to Russia in April 2019 and practical implementation of the existing agreements. They also exchanged views on issues of the international agenda.

Putin arrived in Dushanbe earlier on Friday to attend a summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on June 15. The summit will be attended by delegations from 27 member nations, as well as 13 observers, including representatives from such international organizations as the United Nations, the Arab League, the International Organization for Migration, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries.Baku, Azerbaijan, June 15

Trend:

A fire broke out in the Istoc Trade Center in Istanbul, Trend reports via Turkish media.

According to media reports, the fire started in one of the stores of the shopping center.

Fire brigades arrived at the center and work is ongoing to completely extinguish the fire.

So far, there is no information on the victims.A United Airlines plane skidded off the runway after landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in the U.S. state of New Jersey on Saturday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

No injuries have been reported.

The FAA said in a statement that United Airlines Flight 627 landed at 1 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) on a runway at the airport, west of New York City, and then skidded off the left side of the pavement.

"The left main landing gear is stuck in a grassy area," the statement said. "The aircraft will be towed off the airfield after passengers leave the aircraft via stairs."

The passengers will ride buses to the terminal, the statement added.

"Flights are delayed until the aircraft is moved," it said.

The FAA is en route to the airport to investigate the incident.

United Airlines Flight 627 originated at Denver International Airport.KYODO NEWS - Jun 15, 2019 - 19:17 | Japan, All, World

Energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 major economies voiced concerns over disruptions in fuel supplies on Saturday following attacks on oil tankers in the Middle East.

The ministers began a two-day meeting in the resort town of Karuizawa in central Japan after Thursday's attacks heightened tensions in the region and sent crude oil prices surging.

"It is vital for the international community to respond collaboratively to such incidents from the perspective of ensuring global energy security," Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko, who is co-chairing the meeting, told participants.

"The G-20 shared the view that it is important to work together for the stability of the energy market," he later told reporters.

The United States has blamed Iran for the attacks on the two tankers, one of which was operated by a Tokyo-based company, an accusation Iran vehemently denies. The attacks occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important corridor through which a third of all oil traded by sea passes.

In bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting, Seko told U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette he is "extremely concerned" by the incident, which took place as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was visiting Tehran. Abe was hoping to help ease growing tensions between Iran and the United States over their row stemming from a nuclear deal that Iran reached with world powers in 2015.

"I recognize your concerns about the activities in the Strait of Hormuz. I will go back to Washington. I will be briefed on some of the intelligence matters, and I promise to call you to let you know what I learn," Brouillette said in their meeting, the start of which was open to the media.

Related coverage:

Japan to ban free plastic bags at stores to fight pollution

Japan's Abe denounces attacks on tankers near Strait of Hormuz

Also on the agenda is ways to utilize clean energy sources such as hydrogen, as well as efforts to reduce plastic waste in the ocean.

About 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced every year, of which 8 million tons ends up in the world's oceans, according to the U.N. Environment Program.

Japan drew criticism last year for refusing to endorse a Group of Seven statement setting a target for plastic litter reduction. The United States also did not sign the document.

Playing catch up, Japan is now aiming to garner support for a pledge to stop plastic waste from going into the ocean by 2050 at a G-20 leaders' meeting later this month in Osaka, western Japan.

The issue "is a global problem that needs to be addressed by both the public and private sectors," Seko said, adding that Japan will play its part by aiming to make businesses charge for disposable shopping bags by next April.

The G-20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the European Union.By Junko Horiuchi, KYODO NEWS - Jun 15, 2019 - 09:14 | All, Japan, Feature

Owners of Japan's ubiquitous convenience stores are facing a business model-threatening crisis as they grapple with the nation's demographic and labor challenges.

"I love working under the Seven-Eleven logo, and there is no doubt Japanese society needs convenience stores. But, honestly, headquarters has not kept pace with changes in society," said Atsushi Nara, who for 37 years has owned Seven-Eleven stores in Ibaraki Prefecture, east of Tokyo.

As the 58-year-old Nara says, convenience stores, all 58,000 of them nationwide, have increasingly become a part of the Japanese social fabric since the first Seven-Eleven Japan Co. store opened in 1974, the services and readily accessible products they provide now integral to people's lives.

But Japan's severe worker shortages and rising labor costs have laid bare the shortcomings of Seven-Eleven's upper management, demonstrating how the sole pursuit of revenue in businesses that operate around the clock is a fatal flaw, analysts point out.

It is not just Seven-Eleven, however, as Lawson and Family Mart, the second and third biggest convenience store chains in the country, respectively, are also struggling to overcome the same problems.

"(Seven-Eleven management) has found no effective measures to address the shortage of labor that has become a burden on franchise owners, but continue to be bound by the idea that opening new outlets will lead to higher sales," Nara lamented.

"And why would they change, when they are logging strong earnings on the back of royalties collected from the stores?"

Pressure has been mounting on the industry's long-established all day, every day business model, and an intense, high-profile dispute between Seven-Eleven and one of its franchisees in Higashiosaka, western Japan, just added fuel to the fire.

(Atsushi Nara)

In February, the franchise owner began closing his store overnight due to a lack of staff. In response, Seven-Eleven reprimanded him for violating his contract.

The fact the dispute made nationwide news shows just how ingrained convenience stores are into the nation's psyche.

In the wake of the dispute, the industry ministry took the rare step in April of urging convenience store operators to formulate plans to address staffing issues after a survey found an increasing number of franchises were struggling to recruit new staff and pay the wages of their increasingly expensive existing workers.

Japan's antitrust watchdog, the Fair Trade Commission, is also set to launch an investigation into whether convenience store operators are abusing a position of power to take advantage of vulnerable franchise owners, sources close to the matter have said.

In response to government requests, the large convenience store chains ostensibly formulated action plans, with features like the adoption of a lenient policy in reviewing business hours and introducing self-checkout machines and other technology.

But they have not answered calls for a review process of contracts they have with franchisees, including addressing royalty payments.

In early June, a group of convenience store owners visited the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to ask the minister to push the franchisors to provide financial support and better terms for workers through a petition signed by nearly 1,600 store owners nationwide.

"The action plan submitted by Seven-Eleven showed that their ideas of business improvements are way off," said Eiji Yoshimura, an owner of a Seven-Eleven outlet in Tokyo. "There is nothing new, just a bunch of steps it has already implemented before."

For example, while Seven-Eleven said they would deploy personnel to outlets experiencing staff shortfalls, when an owner actually makes a request, he or she discovers that the hourly wage of the temporary staff is more than double the pay of current staff.

Yoshimura also cast doubt on Seven-Eleven's claim that self-checkout machines will lead to reduced working hours as they would still require staff to oversee stores equipped with the technology.

He also criticized Seven-Eleven for a lack of communication with the owners, even though it pledged to do so in the action plan.

"My employees are worried about the situation surrounding the convenience store industry as there seems to be no end, no answer to this," said Nara, welcoming the moves by the government in exerting external pressure to drive change.

As the convenience store industry continues to seek ways to fix its problems, more franchise owners have been turning to foreign, part-time workers to cover shifts.

Nara said the shortage of labor is a painful problem. Even six years ago, when he opened a new Seven-Eleven store, only three people came applying for a job. "I sweated it out because before, I could choose 15 to hire from 20 or 30 people who came to apply for work," he said.

"(But now) there is no way we can go on without the help of foreign workers," he said.

Sanefuji Renebel, a 30-year-old mother of two from the Philippines, is currently in her second month working for one of Nara's Seven-Eleven stores.

Still unsure about Japanese kanji, hiragana and katakana characters, she says she needs to study and review how to operate the cash registers even when she is not on shift. She works from around 9 p.m. or 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. four days a week.

(Sanefuji Renebel shows her book she uses to study routine procedures.)

"I was surprised that I had been hired," she said. "I know that we are short of labor so I want to try not to cause trouble and learn my job as fast as I can," Renebel said.

She said stores being open all day and all night is good because it allows her to work when her children are sleeping. "At first I was afraid of working late at night but the customers have familiar faces and it was okay."

Her Taiwanese co-worker, Kai Jhen, 54, also said she enjoys working at Seven-Eleven despite the complexities, including operating the cash registers, handling utility bills and other public services, processing deliveries, cleaning toilets, restocking items, inspecting goods and taking out the trash.

"It cannot be helped that we are short of staff. We just need to cooperate," Kai said.

Denise Muriel Suriaga Reyes, a 27-year-old Filipino worker at a Seven-Eleven store, said she assists foreign customers by explaining food items to them.

"Sometimes we have customers from Pakistan and Nepal. I tell them what kind of meat is used in the products because they cannot read Japanese," she said.

Despite the difficulties, Seven-Eleven headquarters appears willing to allow store owners to run convenience stores as they see fit, as long as it does not impact the bottom line.

Ryuichi Isaka, president of Seven-Eleven's parent company Seven & i Holdings Co., told a shareholders meeting in May, "We will aim for leniency in operating convenience stores but without risking falls in sales."

Related coverage:

Seven-Eleven tests shorter opening hours amid labor shortage

Japan convenience store chain reviews 24-7 opening due to labor shortageKolkata: Junior doctors who are on strike have rejected CM Mamata Banerjee's invitation to meet at the state secretariat and said that CM Mamata Banerjee will have to apologise first. The doctors' strike continued for the fifth day on Saturday. Mamata Banerjee had called the doctors at the state secretariat to find a solution to the impasse.

Akhilesh Yadav meets UP Governor, submits memorandum on deteriorating law and order

Doctors who went on strike to protest against the attack on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital said on Friday that Mamata Banerjee will have to apologise unconditionally to the doctors. He has also put six conditions before the state government to call off his strike.

Five Indian who went Kuwait to earn money are not getting breads, family seek govt help

Speaking to the press, Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the Joint Forum for Junior Doctors, said, "We will not visit the state secretariat at the invitation of CM Mamata Banerjee for the meeting. "Mamata Banerjee herself will have to come to the Neel Ratna Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital and apologise unconditionally for the comments made during her visit to SSKM Hospital on Thursday," Dutta said, adding, "If Mamata can go to SSKM, she can also come to NRS. .Otherwise the movement will continue.China's smartphone maker Huawei has decided to launch Its operating system after the ban in the US and Google's support is discontinued. Huawei has applied for the trademarks of its OS Hongmeng. The company has taken the decision after it was banned by the US government last month. Let's say the Huwais is accused of spying on American citizens. Let us know all the details in detail

also read: Google's Gboard keyboard app now supports handwriting

For trademarks, Huawei has applied its operating system Hongmeng to countries such as Cambodia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand. It has been U.N. by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In addition to the above countries, the company has applied for the same in Peru on 27th May 2019. The Huawei will use its OS Hongmeng in smartphones, computers, robots, cars, and TVs, according to the report delivered by Huawei at the World Intellectual Property Organization. Let's say the company in China applied for its own operating system in August last year. Earlier this year, the CEO of Huawei's consumer division, Richard Yu, said in an interview to a German newspaper that Huawei had its own operating system. Huawei is the world's second largest smartphone maker.

For your information, let's say that Huawei was blacklisted by the US on espionage charges and put on the identity list. After going to the list, companies are no longer licensed to do business from US companies. The case has been ongoing since December last year. While the US has said that China can spy on them with the help of Huawei, Huawei says that it is not a threat to any kind of device and that it does not spy on the American people, Hurriyet said, adding that he Is ready to solve.

also read: Big news: Truecaller users will be able to make calls using the app, testing startsAfter achieving a big name in Bollywood films, Sunny Leone is now ready to compete in the new film industry. After her presence in Bollywood, Sunny is now seen to be extremely busy with some South Indian films and has also made her debut in Nepali cinema. For your information, Sunny has shared a song of her Nepali film Password in a tweet and the songs is also being liked.

In a recent tweet, Sunny wrote, "I am very happy to share the song of my Nepali film Password and many of you must know about my Nepalese love, which is why I am making a proud feeling like part of the Nepali Film World. The best talent from Nepal is getting to see.'

Actresses Sunny is also gearing up for her upcoming horror comedy 'Kokocola' and she is also learning the local dialect of Uttar Pradesh for her character. While the script of the film is based on Uttar Pradesh, Sunny is also learning the local language. Besides Sunny's horror comedy, South Indian films 'Rangela' and 'Veram Devi' are also to be screened. In a recent interview, he said, "When it comes to my work, I always keep my mind open to learning new things and even if it's about learning a new language. It gives me a lot of support in developing myself as an artist.EFE Latam

Madrid, 1 ene (EFE).- Nadie intuia a estas alturas de temporada, ya al borde del fin de la primera vuelta, que el Atletico de Madrid iba estar como esta, en la quinta posicion, con la Liga imposible y deprimido por cuatro derrotas seguidas, ni tampoco que el Rayo Vallecano iba a ser el equipo que marca la pauta en la Liga de Campeones, cuarto en la tabla, invencible como local, menos resolutivo fuera, pero un punto por delante del equipo de Diego Simeone cuando ambos se enfrenten este domingo en* Winning bid from EDF, Innogy, Enbridge consortium

* Winning tariff well below 50 euros/MWh - ministry (Adds EDF statement, CEO quote, background)

By Bate Felix

PARIS, June 14 (Reuters) - A consortium led by French state-owned utility EDF has won a contract for a major 600 megawatt (MW) offshore wind project near Dunkirk in western France, Environment Minister Francois de Rugy said on Friday.

EDF's bid in partnership with Germany's Innogy and Canada's Enbridge beat rivals including utility Engie in partnership with Portugal's EDPR and energy group Total in partnership with Denmark's Orsted

De Rugy said nine international energy and industrial companies had shown an interest in the project and that seven had made a bid.

"EDF has been chosen," de Rudy said in Saint Nazaire, western France, where he was launching a separate EDF offshore wind project.

The ministry said the tariff proposed by the winning consortium was significantly lower than 50 euros per megawatt hour (MWh). That compares with 63 euros/MWh for an onshore wind tender of around 516 MW that was awarded by the government on Wednesday.

EDF's bid was the highest ranked by the energy markets regulator CRE, which studied the proposals, the ministry said.

It also said the price was comparable to the best prices seen in European offshore wind projects and demonstrated the competitiveness of the French wind industry.

The wind farm will have forty-five wind turbines producing 2.3 terawatt hours of electricity per year from 2026, equivalent to the consumption of around 500,000 French households.

EDF, which operates France's 58 nuclear reactors that accounts for over 75 percent of the country's electricity needs, is rapidly expanding into wind and solar generation.

Its EDF Renewables subsidiary, which manages around 13 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity globally, has a project portfolio of more than 2 GW in France. It is negotiating to participate in two projects in China totalling 500 MW and also developing an area with a potential of 2,500 MW in the United States.

Dunkirk is the fourth offshore project the group has won in France through a public-sector tender process, after Saint-Nazaire, Fecamp and Courseulles-sur-Mer projects in 2012.

Story continues

"Our winning bid was highly competitive, and this has notably prompted the government to double the offshore wind power targets contained in its multi-year energy Plan, giving new development opportunities for EDF and all participants in the sector," EDF's CEO Jean-Bernard Levy said in a statement.

The government said on Wednesday it would double the pace of developing offshore wind projects to 1 GW per year from around 500 MW previously as costs are falling.

France is racing to increase its renewable power generation capacity to reduce its dependence on nuclear energy and phase out coal power production to curb greenhouse gas emissions. (Reporting by Bate Felix and Simon Carraud; Editing by Geert De Clercq, Jane Merriman and Mark Potter)* Washington pulled out of 2015 nuclear deal last year

* Tehran stopped complying with some commitments in May

* U.S., Iran embroiled in row over tanker attacks near Gulf (Adds Putin's comments paragraphs 8 and 9)

DUSHANBE, June 15 (Reuters) - Iran will continue scaling back compliance with a nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show "positive signals", the Iranian president said on Saturday as tensions with the United States escalated over tanker attacks in the Gulf region.

Iran stopped complying in May with some commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal that was agreed with global powers, after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and ratcheted up sanctions on Tehran.

"Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally," President Hassan Rouhani told Russian, Chinese and other Asian leaders at a conference in Tajikistan.

His comments follow rising tensions with Washington, which has accused Tehran of carrying out Thursday's attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route at the mouth of the Gulf. Tehran has denied having any role.

Rouhani did not refer to this week's tanker incident in his speech to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, behind held in the Tajik capital Dushanbe.

"It is necessary that all the sides of this agreement contribute to restoring it," he said, adding that Iran needed to see "positive signals" from other signatories to the pact, which include Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

He did not give details on what actions Iran would take or say what positive signals Tehran wanted to see.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would adhere to the agreement and urged other signatories to follow suit.

"We believe that the only sensible decision is for all deal participants to honour commitments," Putin told the conference.

Tehran said in May that Iran would start enriching uranium at a higher level, unless world powers protected its economy from U.S. sanctions within 60 days.

Washington has ratcheted up pressure on Iran, saying it wants to prevent Tehran developing a nuclear bomb, rein in its ballistic missile programme and end what the it calls Iranian meddling in the Middle East.

Tehran has said its nuclear programme is peaceful and will not be stopped, says its missile work is for defence and accuses the United States of destabilising the region.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal that aimed to curb Iran's nuclear work, have said they wanted to save the accord, but many of their companies have cancelled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States. (Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov and Andrey Kuzmin Editing by Edmund Blair)(Adds banking watchdog statement)

ISTANBUL, June 14 (Reuters) - A Turkish court has accepted an indictment requesting a jail sentence for two Bloomberg reporters and 36 other people after a complaint about the reporters filed by the country's banking watchdog (BDDK).

The indictment, seen by Reuters, was in relation to a Bloomberg story published in August 2018. The article was about the effects of a sharp decline in the Turkish lira and how authorities and banks were responding.

Worries about the Turkish central bank's independence and Turkey's tense ties with Washington sparked a currency crisis last year in which the lira shed nearly 30%.

Bloomberg reporters Kerim Karakaya and Fercan Yalinkilic are accused of trying to undermine Turkey's economic stability, charges that carry a jail sentence of between two and five years.

The other 36 defendants are accused in connection with social media comments on the story, or comments deemed critical of Turkey's economy, the indictment said.

The BDDK, Turkeys banking regulator, issued a statement on Friday evening saying that it had filed a criminal complaint to the Istanbul chief prosecutor's office on Aug. 14 last year regarding the story and three Bloomberg journalists.

"The necessary legal avenues will be resorted to in the future concerning similar publications that could damage the prestige of our banks and our economy or harm our sector," it added.

In a separate statement, Turkey's securities markets regulator, the Capital Markets Board, said it had filed a criminal complaint to Istanbul prosecutors regarding the social media posts of some individuals.

The board did not name the individuals or specify how many it was complaining about.

It said they had sought to create tension in markets and cause harm to investors.

The first session of the trial will be held on Sept. 20, according to Bloomberg.

"We condemn the indictment issued against our reporters, who have reported fairly and accurately on newsworthy events," Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait said. "We fully stand by them and will support them throughout this ordeal."

Last year, Turkey's Interior Ministry said it had identified 346 social media accounts carrying posts about the exchange rate that it said created a negative perception of the economy. It said it would take legal measures against them but did not specify what these would be. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen and Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, Pravin Char and Kevin Liffey)(Adds analyst quote, background)

By Nick Carey

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., June 14 (Reuters) - Workers at Volkswagen AG's assembly plant in the state of Tennessee narrowly voted against union representation, dealing a fresh blow to the United Auto Workers' (UAW) efforts to unionize a foreign automaker's plant in the U.S. South.

The German automaker and the UAW said on Friday that workers at the Chattanooga plant voted 833 to 776 against union representation, the second time in five years they have rejected collective bargaining.

"Our employees have spoken," Frank Fischer, president of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said in a statement. "Pending certification of the results... Volkswagen will respect the decision of the majority."

Speaking to reporters in Chattanooga, UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg claimed that Volkswagen had engaged in "threats" and "intimidation" that had affected the outcome of the vote.

"The company kept playing a lot of games and we are not going to abandon the workers who supported a union," he said.

Rothenberg said it was too early to tell whether the UAW would appeal the election results, or whether the union would support another vote at the plant.

The fresh defeat comes at a pivotal time for the UAW, which has been struggling to move beyond a federal corruption probe and faces contentious contract talks this year with General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV .

The loss also raises renewed questions about whether the UAW can gain a toehold in the U.S. South and organize workers at a foreign automaker.

The union's membership peaked at 1.5 million in 1979 and despite gains this decade, it fell to below 400,000 last year.

The UAW narrowly failed to organize VW's Chattanooga plant in 2014. The vote this week was closer than the one five years ago, which was 712 against to 626 for unionization.

In 2017, workers at a Nissan Motor Co Ltd plant in Canton, Mississippi, voted nearly two to one against union representation.

Ahead of the vote, prominent Republican elected officials in Tennessee, including U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, had argued publicly against unionization at the Chattanooga plant.

Story continues

Harley Shaiken, a labor expert at the University of California-Berkeley, said without "heavy political pressure" from those officials, the union could possibly have won.

"The UAW will absolutely have to try again in Chattanooga," Shaiken said. "The vote was too close not to."

(Reporting by Nick Carey; editing by Sandra Maler and Christian Schmollinger)* Listing priced at $20.50 per GDR

* Company to raise at least $1.5 billion

* Market debut slated for June 17

* Biggest orders placed by hedge funds -source (Adds financial details)

By Pamela Barbaglia

LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - China's Huatai Securities has priced its London stock market listing at the bottom of its indicated price range in a deal that will help it to raise at least $1.5 billion.

Huatai, one of China's largest brokerages, is expected to make its London market debut on June 17, becoming the first company to trade via the long-awaited London-Shanghai stock connect project.

Its listing on the London Stock Exchange will coincide with Britain and China holding the next round of their Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), with Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua leading a Chinese delegation to London on Monday.

Huatai sold 75 million global depositary receipts (GDRs) at $20.50 each, representing 9.1% of its outstanding share capital, it said on Friday.

The company will also make available an additional 7.5 million GDRs through an overallotment, or greenshoe, option that could boost the deal value to $1.7 billion. That would represent 82.5 million GDRs in total, or 10% of the group's capital.

Huatai, which has a range of businesses including brokerage, wealth management and investment banking operations, had targeted a price range of $20 to $24.50 per GDR.

Chairman Zhou Yi said the deal "opens a gateway for international investors to share in the rapid development of China's financial services market".

Based in Nanjing, capital of China's eastern Jiangsu province, Huatai has driven a fourfold increase in revenue through a series of mergers and acquisitions between 2012 and 2018.

Huatai is valued at about $21 billion through its Shanghai and Hong Kong listings, with the likes of BlackRock and Vanguard among its top investors in Asia.

A source close to the GDR sale said that the biggest orders for the London listing were placed by hedge funds, with other investors more cautious.

The listing, which was initially planned for December, has been delayed by uncertainty over how China's government would treat any currency conversion back into yuan, sources said.

Story continues

On May 27 China's forex regulator published cross-border capital management rules on depository receipts, paving the way for Huatai's London listing.

Other Chinese companies are expected to pursue similar moves, but several banking sources cautioned that it could take time to win over investors.

"This is a deal where investors had done the due diligence already back in December, so there was not a whole lot of market education needed," said a source close to the deal.

JPMorgan, Huatai Financial Holdings and Morgan Stanley are leading the GDR sale as joint global co-ordinators and joint bookrunners, with Credit Suisse and HSBC also among the joint bookrunners.

Huatai says it ranks as China's fourth-biggest securities company in terms of net profit and wants to use the proceeds from the GDR sale to ramp up its presence overseas after rapid growth in domestic revenue and wealth management customers in recent years. (Reporting by Pamela Barbaglia Additional reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan Editing by David Goodman and Jan Harvey)Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

Happy Birthday WishesNEW ALBANY, Ohio, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 12, 2019, the Board of Directors of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) authorized a new share repurchase program of up to five million shares of Class A Common Stock. This brings the shares available for purchase, as of June 12, 2019 under the companys publicly announced share repurchase authorizations, to approximately 7.6 million shares, or over 10% of its total shares outstanding.



This new program allows the company to repurchase shares at its discretion, while continuing to invest in growth opportunities. The timing and amount of repurchases will depend on various factors, including market and business conditions.

This new share repurchase program reflects our ongoing confidence in our long-term strategy, said Fran Horowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. We remain committed to enhancing shareholder value as we execute against our transformation initiatives and make investments to drive consistent, future growth.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

A&F cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in this Press Release or made by management or spokespeople of A&F involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which may be beyond the company's control. Words such as "estimate," "project," "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. The following factors, in addition to those disclosed in ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS of A&F's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2019, and in A&F's subsequently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q, in some cases have affected, and in the future could affect, the company's financial performance and could cause actual results for fiscal 2019 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in this Press Release or otherwise made by management: changes in global economic and financial conditions, and the resulting impact on consumer confidence and consumer spending, as well as other changes in consumer discretionary spending habits, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and liquidity; failure to anticipate customer demand and changing fashion trends and to manage our inventory commensurately could adversely impact our sales levels and profitability; our market share may be negatively impacted by increasing competition and pricing pressures from companies with brands or merchandise competitive with ours; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations; our ability to attract customers to our stores depends, in part, on the success of the shopping malls or area attractions that our stores are located in or around; the impact of war, acts of terrorism or civil unrest could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition; the expansion of our direct-to-consumer sales channels and omnichannel initiatives are significant components of our growth strategy, and the failure to successfully develop our position across all channels could have an adverse impact on our results of operations; our international growth strategy and ability to conduct business in international markets may be adversely affected by legal, regulatory, political and economic risks; failure to successfully implement our strategic plans could have a negative impact on our growth and profitability; failure to protect our reputation could have a material adverse effect on our brands; our business could suffer if our information technology systems are disrupted or cease to operate effectively; we may be exposed to risks and costs associated with cyber-attacks, data protection, credit card fraud and identity theft that would cause us to incur unexpected expenses and reputation loss; our reliance on DCs makes us susceptible to disruptions or adverse conditions affecting our supply chain; changes in the cost, availability and quality of raw materials, labor, transportation, and trade relations could cause manufacturing delays and increase our costs; we depend upon independent third parties for the manufacture and delivery of all our merchandise, and a disruption of the manufacture or delivery of our merchandise could result in lost sales and could increase our costs; we rely on the experience and skills of our senior executive officers and associates, the loss of whom could have a material adverse effect on our business; extreme weather conditions, including natural disasters, pandemic disease and other unexpected events, could negatively impact our facilities, systems and stores, as well as the facilities and systems of our vendors and manufacturers, which could result in an interruption to our business and adversely affect our operating results; fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate may result in volatility in our results of operations; our litigation exposure could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations; failure to adequately protect our trademarks could have a negative impact on our brand image and limit our ability to penetrate new markets; changes in the regulatory or compliance landscape and compliance with changing regulations for accounting, corporate governance and public disclosure could adversely affect our business, results of operations and reported financial results; and, our Asset-Based Revolving Credit Agreement and our Term Loan Agreement include restrictive covenants that limit our flexibility in operating our business.

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About Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) is a leading, global specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for Men, Women and Kids through three renowned brands. For more than 125 years, the iconic Abercrombie & Fitch brand has outfitted innovators, explorers and entrepreneurs. Today, the brand reflects the updated attitude of modern consumer, while remaining true to its heritage of creating expertly crafted products with an effortless, American style. The Hollister brand epitomizes the liberating and carefree spirit of the endless California summer for the teen market. abercrombie kids creates smart, playful apparel for children ages 5-14, celebrating the wide-eyed wonder of childhood.

The brands share a commitment to offering products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that allow consumers around the world to express their own individuality and style. The Company operates more than 850 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites www.abercrombie.com and www.hollisterco.comTORONTO, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- African Gold Group, Inc. (AGG.V) (AGG or the Company) announces that the Company has agreed with certain directors, officers, consultants and employees of the Company to cancel an aggregate of 1,500,002 stock options (the Cancelled Options) previously held by such directors, officers, consultants and employees.



Under the Companys rolling 10% stock option plan (the Plan), the Company may grant up to an aggregate of 4,821,102 stock options. Upon completion of the cancellation, the Company will have 3,316,669 stock options outstanding under the Plan, of which there are 266,667 stock options exercisable at a price of $0.45 per common share expiring on June 24, 2019 and 3,050,002 stock options exercisable at a price of $0.225 per common share expiring on June 3, 2024.

About African Gold Group

African Gold Group is a Canadian listed exploration and development company on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX V:AGG) with its focus on developing a gold platform in West Africa. Its principal asset is the Kobada Project in southern Mali. For more information regarding African Gold Group visit our website at www.africangoldgroup.com .

For further information please contact:

Stan Bharti

Interim President and Chief Executive Officer

(416) 861 2267

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future plans or intentions of the Company. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of exploration activities; regulatory risks; risks inherent in foreign operations; and other risks of the oil and gas industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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.New rail car assembly site in the Bay Area will be operational in the coming months and add local jobs over the next few years

BART Fleet of the Future cars will be produced closer to home

PITTSBURG, Calif., June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation announced today that it is opening a rail car assembly site in Pittsburg, California. Elliot G. (Lee) Sander, President, Americas Division, Bombardier Transportation was joined by federal, state and local California officials and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) General Manager Grace Crunican at the site for the official announcement.

The first rail equipment off the Pittsburg assembly line will be the Fleet of the Future rail cars from Bombardiers 775-car contract with BART. This work, which is currently taking place at the Bombardier site in upstate New York, will be transferred to its new sister site in California over the coming months. The move will serve several purposes including retaining and creating local jobs in Pittsburg and freeing up space at the New York site for new and upcoming East Coast orders.

We are pleased that the new rail cars for Bay Area passengers will now be produced in the Bay Area by Bay Area citizens, said Sander. The Pittsburg site will also enable Bombardier to pursue additional business opportunities in the growing rail transit equipment market on the West Coast and to serve this market with increased effectiveness. Wed like to thank the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development for its support, which includes the award of a California Competes Tax Credit, he added.

The Fleet of the Future cars have received rave reviews from our riders and we are thrilled to welcome Bombardier to the Bay Area, said BART General Manager Grace Crunican.

Other speakers at the event included U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, California Assemblymember Jim Frazier, California Assemblymember Tim Grayson, Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, Pittsburg Mayor Juan Banales and BART Director Mark Foley.

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Bombardier has been a U.S. manufacturer for nearly 40 years. The new site further strengthens its U.S. presence and commitment to the U.S. market, and will help Bombardier continue to meet Buy America requirements.

Bombardier currently has nearly 500 employees in California who are receiving and commissioning new rail cars for BART; operating and maintaining the AirTrain system at San Francisco International Airport; maintaining the commuter rail car fleet for the Metrolink service at the Southern California Regional Rail Authority; and operating and maintaining the Coaster and Sprinter rail services for the North County Transit District. Bombardier is also in the early stages of bringing a new automated people mover system to Los Angeles International Airport.

About Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation is a global mobility solution provider leading the way with the rail industrys broadest portfolio. It covers the full spectrum of solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling to complete turnkey transport systems, e-mobility technology and data-driven maintenance services. Combining technology and performance with empathy, Bombardier Transportation continuously breaks new ground in sustainable mobility by providing integrated solutions that create substantial benefits for operators, passengers and the environment. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Bombardier Transportation employs around 40,650 people and its products and services operate in over 60 countries.

About Bombardier

With over 68,000 employees, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries as well as a broad portfolio of products and services for the business aviation, commercial aviation and rail transportation markets. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier .

Notes to editors

For news, related material and photos, visit our newsroom at www.rail.bombardier.com/en/newsroom.html . Please subscribe to our RSS Feed to receive press releases or follow Bombardier Transportation on Twitter @BombardierRail .

Bombardier is a trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

For information

Media relations, United States

Maryanne Roberts

+1 450-441-3007

maryanne.roberts@rail.bombardier.com Global media relations

+49 174 926 2017

press@rail.bombardier.comLONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - The leader of Britain's main opposition party has questioned whether the government had evidence to back up its accusations that Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the entrance to the Gulf, and warned against escalating tensions.

Britain on Friday joined the United States in blaming Iran for attacks on two tankers, raising fears of a broader military confrontation in a vital passageway for the world's oil industry.

Iran has denied any involvement.

"Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the government's rhetoric will only increase the threat of war," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote on Twitter late on Friday.

"Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement," he added," he said, referring to Washington's withdrawal from a 2015 pact to curb Tehran's nuclear plans.

British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt, who is one of the leading candidates to succeed British Prime Minister Theresa May after she announced she would step down, described Corbyn's comments as "pathetic and predictable".

"Why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests?," Hunt said.

On Friday, the United States released video footage they say shows Iranian special forces removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers.

Dominic Raab, another candidate to be the next Conservative leader, said Corbyn's comments show he is unfit to lead Britain.

"Corbyn allows his anti-American prejudice to skew his moral compass and political judgment," he said.

Corbyn last year was criticised by opponents and lawmakers in his own party after he questioned the government's decision to blame Russia for a nerve toxin attack on a former double agent in England. (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill Editing by Andrew Heavens)This year's Pride month is particularly special.

It's the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, and the month of June carries a powerful significance for those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Two cannabis companies have come forward to tangibly demonstrate their commitment to equality for all sexual identities.

PAX Labs, a leading consumer technology company in cannabis, has announced a $50,000 pledge to the GLBT Historical Society in celebration of this years Pride to honor the culture and heritage of the LGBTQ community.

We have immense respect for the LGBTQ community and take pride in the opportunity to honor the movement this month. [The late medical marijuana and AIDS activist] Dennis Peron and others contributed so much to inclusiveness, diversity and advocacy for cannabis accessibility, PAX CEO Bharat Vasan told Benzinga.

We believe in the power of community, shared experiences, education and transparency to promote change. PAX is deeply committed to cannabis as a force for good, and we are dedicated to supporting those who drive change for the better as a company and in our communities.

What The Pledge Means

The pledge from PAX and its brand partners will support the societys initiative in building the first LGBTQ history museum in the U.S., with a portion of the funds dedicated to building a new exhibit honoring Peron, an LGBTQ activist, author and businessman who was instrumental in the crafting of California's medical marijuana law. He died in 2018.

The program, in partnership with Juanita More!, Jenny Lewis, and Peron's spouse John Entwistle, is part of a new campaign: "Be a Force for Good." It showcases advocacy for LGBTQ rights and celebrates the historical influence of Pride month.

PAX said it will celebrate alongside the community at Pride celebrations this month in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A Green Thumb

The second initiative announced is from Green Thumb Industries Inc (OTC: GTBIF), a Chicago-based cannabis company. Green Thumb unveiled the release of special, limited-edition rainbow Rythm vaporizer pens and a partnership with the GLBT Historical Society.

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GTI proudly supports Pride month, and were honored to share the stories of the LGBTQ communitys impact on legal, medical cannabis, said spokeswoman Kate Denton.

The road to legal, medical cannabis was paved by activists like Harvey Milk, Dennis Peron, Gilbert Baker and many more who fought for the right to wellness for the HIV/AIDS community in the 1990s."

Their perseverance changed the future of legal medical cannabis with the passage of Proposition 215 in California, Denton said.

"We are proud to celebrate these heroes and their stories throughout the month of June.

The Pride-themed pens will be available at all GTI-owned and operated dispensaries in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada and Florida. A portion of the proceeds from the Rythm Pride Pens will directly benefit the GLBT Historical Society, according to Green Thumb.

Photos courtesy of the companies.

Benzinga Cannabis writer Eric TerBush contributed to this report.

See more from Benzinga

 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.LE BOURGET, France, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS) and Belgium-based BMT Aerospace today announced their cooperation in the development of an additively manufactured (AM) aerospace pinion, using Carpenter Technologys Custom 465 Stainless.



BMT Aerospace and its subsidiary BMT Additive initiated the project by partnering with Carpenter Technology to produce a redesigned pinion. The redesign project was initiated to enable the benefits of additive manufacturing using high quality, printable material that would attain the high-performance expectations for the application. BMT Aerospace strongly believes in the disruptive potential of additive manufacturing and its possibilities in aerospace, explained Ewald Goossens, Business Unit Manager of BMT Additive. As a small player in the market, we strongly believe in cooperation opportunities like these, where each partner can rely and build on a project, starting from its own expertise. Our specific knowledge in design and manufacturing in aerospace, and our abilities in custom design for metal additive manufacturing, are a perfect match with Carpenter Technologys knowledge of high quality and innovative products.

The cooperation between the two companies resulted in an optimized and simplified manufacturing process for the aerospace part via AM and introduces the opportunity to expand AM part production further across multiple applications. Parts were printed by Carpenter Technologys business unit Carpenter Additive, using their high-strength, Custom 465 Stainless. Design, validation and post-processing for the redesigned pinion was done by BMT Aerospace. Both companies present the redesigned and printed pinion at their respective booths in Le Bourget, France.

Collaborations like the one with BMT Aerospace demonstrate how partnerships across raw material, production, validation and design can rapidly bring to commercial reality new parts with next step performance potential, said Marshall Akins, Carpenters Vice President, Aerospace Markets. Carpenter Additives suite of capabilities presents powerful tools to accelerate our customers additive aspirations.

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Media/Investor Inquiries

Carpenter Technology  Media Inquiries

Heather Beardsley

+1 610-208-2278

hbeardsley@cartech.com

Carpenter Technology  Investor Inquiries

Brad Edwards

The Plunkett Group

+1 212-739-6740

brad@theplunkettgroup.com

BMT Aerospace International

Geert De Donder

+ 32 476 990992

Geert.de.donder@bmtaerospace.com

BMT Additive

Ewald Goossens

+32 491 712824

Ewald.goossens@bmtaerospace.com

More information:

Carpenter Technology Corporation is a recognized leader in high-performance specialty alloy-based materials and process solutions for critical applications in the aerospace, defense, transportation, energy, industrial, medical, and consumer electronics markets. Founded in 1889, Carpenter Technology has evolved to become a pioneer in premium specialty alloys, including titanium, nickel, and cobalt, as well as alloys specifically engineered for additive manufacturing (AM) processes and soft magnetics applications. Carpenter Additive, a business unit of Carpenter Technology, provides a complete end-to-end additive manufacturing solution to accelerate materials innovation and streamline parts production. More information about Carpenter Technology can be found at www.carpentertechnology.com or www.carpenteradditive.com .

BMT Aerospace International, part of BMT Group, is an international market-leading provider of high technology aerospace gears and components, with production facilities in Romania, Belgium and the United States. The group designs, manufactures and markets gears, mechanical components, sub-assemblies and gearboxes for the principal EOMs in the worldwide aerospace and defense business.

With BMT Additive, its subsidiary focused on additive manufacturing, it provides metal printing capabilities and supports industrial partners in engineering and radically optimizing existing designs to make full use of the flexibility of the 3D printing process through tailored DfAM (design for additive manufacturing).

More info on www.bmtaerospace.com and www.bmtadditive.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fc68dacb-69a0-4660-8940-793aa90d5b50FILE PHOTO: An employee works at the Maanshan steel and iron factory in Hefei

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Friday it was raising anti-dumping duties on certain alloy-steel seamless tubes and pipes used at utilities and imported from the United States and the European Union.

The anti-dumping tax rates applicable to the steel tubes and pipes are set between 57.9% and 147.8% on companies in the United States and the EU, effective June 14, China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday.

The new tariffs are as much as 10 times the previous rates of 13%-14.1%, which were imposed in 2014 and expired on May 10. The increased steel tariffs come amid the escalating Sino-U.S. trade dispute that involves hundred of billions in goods passing between world's two largest economies.

Tariffs on U.S. steel extrusion firm Wyman-Gordon Forgings are at 101%, while those on all other U.S. companies are 147.8%, the ministry said.

The anti-dumping tariff on Vallourec units Vallourec Deutschland GmbH and Vallourec Tubes France are 57.9%, with all other EU companies face tariffs of 60.8%.

The decision to extend and raise the anti-dumping tariff follows a request from the Chinese domestic steel tubes and pipes sector, the ministry said.

Last year, government-backed Inner Mongolia North Heavy Industries Group Corp Ltd said in a complaint filed to the Ministry of Commerce: "Despite the (earlier) anti-dumping measures, producers in the EU and the United States ... further cut export prices in order to expand and maintain their market shares in China."

To make its point, Inner Mongolia North Heavy cited data showing European and U.S. products accounted for more than 50 percent of the specialty pipe and tubing market in China in the first quarter of 2018, with their import prices falling nearly 14% to $5,786 per tonne as compared with prices in 2014.

In 2017, the last year for which full date is available, China imported 9,500 tonnes of the tubes and pipes used by utilities, with nearly 95% of the products coming from the United States and EU.

The products involved in the anti-dumping case, alloy-steel seamless tubes and pipes for high temperature and pressure, are mainly used in ultra-supercritical thermal power units, with around 80% of the demand coming from the Chinese market.

(Reporting by Muyu Xu, Shivani Singh and Hallie Gu; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Tom Hogue)FILE PHOTO: A logo of the upcoming mobile standard 5G is pictured at the Hanover trade fair, in Hanover

By Josh Horwitz and Sijia Jiang

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's tech industry ministry on Thursday granted 5G licenses to China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Broadcasting Network Corp, marking a major benchmark in China's race to deploy and popularize 5G.

Telecom industry experts believe the technology could pave the way for major advances in technologies like artificial intelligence and autonomous driving.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had granted licenses at the end of 2018 to China's three state-owned carriers to conduct 5G trials but this is the first time it has given the go-ahead for full commercial deployment.

In a notice published on the ministry's website, official Miao Wei said the ministry welcomes foreign enterprises to actively participate in China's 5G market after the license issuance.

Shares in China's 5G-related firms such as ZTE slumped after the news, as investors pocketed gains.

The license grant comes just after Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, China's largest network equipment maker, was slapped with restrictions from Washington that prevent U.S.-based companies from supplying products to it.

Lawmakers in Washington have also called to bar Huawei from building out the domestic 5G networks for U.S. carriers, citing national security concerns. They have also urged governments in other countries to do the same.

Huawei says it has no formal ties to the Chinese government and poses no threat to national security.

In a statement released just after Beijing announced the commercial licenses, Huawei touted its advances in developing 5G technology.

It said that to date it has signed 46 5G commercial contracts in 30 countries, and 5G base stations have shipped more than 100,000 units.

(Reporting by David Stanway and Josh Horwitz in Shanghai, and Sijia Jiang in Hong Kong; Editing by Stephen Coates)Chip Bulls With `Fairy Dust' Optimism Absorb Another Body Blow (Bloomberg) -- Perhaps no industry has more at stake than semiconductors in the China-U.S. trade war. For bulls who seem hell bent on ignoring their vulnerability to the ongoing rift, faith keeps getting put to the test.Broadcom Inc. gave investors a taste of a worst-case scenario late Thursday, chopping $2 billion off its annual sales forecast. Chief Executive Officer Hock Tan told investors the company is suffering from a "very, very sharp and rapid contraction" as a result of the trade uncertainty and U.S. ban on sales to Huawei Technologies, one of Broadcoms biggest customers.Chipmakers fell Friday, with the Philadelphia semiconductor index closing with a loss of 2.6%. And yet, while Broadcom added to a drumbeat of bad news that drove the sector to its worst monthly decline in a decade in May, the industry is outperforming nearly every other group since U.S. stocks bottomed last year. The 30-company gauge is up 27% since Christmas Eve."The market is pricing in a deal and that these problems will go away" but thats a fairy dust scenario, said Gus Richard, an analyst with Northland Securities Inc. "Clearly there is some risk factored into the market, but you could easily have another 20% to 30% pullback if the tariffs get slapped on and stay through August."Another sign that the industry has yet to price in the trade risk is that analysts have been slow in lowering their estimates. Since the U.S.-China trade spat escalated in May, analysts have cut their forecasts at a rate thats half the pace seen for the broad market.Second-quarter profits will drop 31.7% from a year ago, the latest analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg showed. Thats not far from the 30.6% decline expected in early May.Either analysts are having a hard time quantifying the risk or theyre not taking it seriously. Whatever the case, the reluctance sets up the market for potential shocks such as the one that sent Broadcom shares falling 5.6% on Friday.The trade dispute with China threatens a worldwide electronics supply chain where the country not only serves as one of the biggest end markets but also a major manufacturing hub. As the worlds largest consumer of semiconductors, China accounts for more than half of the $470 billion industry.With so much at stake, investors havent given up on chipmakers. Theyve been betting that slumping demand is poised to revive and China will be forced into a settlement because its dependent on American-made components, according to Mark Newman, an analyst at Bernstein.One reason stocks may be pricing in a quick fix is that were in a "headline driven market," according to Michael Antonelli, managing director and market strategist at Robert W. Baird & Co."The market doesnt know what to price given that one tweet changes everything," Antonelli said in an interview.Even if theres a quick resolution, the idea that things will return to normal is naive, according to New Street Research analyst Pierre Ferragu. U.S chipmakers may still be at risk of losing market share in China as the blacklisting of Huawei has prompted Chinese companies to focus the attention on reducing their dependence, he said.China would get better at designing and manufacturing chips three times faster if they didnt have access to U.S. technology, Ferragu said in a note to clients. Survival is a great motivation factor.To contact the reporters on this story: Jeran Wittenstein in San Francisco at jwittenstei1@bloomberg.net;Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Catherine Larkin at clarkin4@bloomberg.net, Chris Nagi, Lu WangFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com2019 Bloomberg L.P.

(Bloomberg) -- Perhaps no industry has more at stake than semiconductors in the China-U.S. trade war. For bulls who seem hell bent on ignoring their vulnerability to the ongoing rift, faith keeps getting put to the test.

Broadcom Inc. gave investors a taste of a worst-case scenario late Thursday, chopping $2 billion off its annual sales forecast. Chief Executive Officer Hock Tan told investors the company is suffering from a "very, very sharp and rapid contraction" as a result of the trade uncertainty and U.S. ban on sales to Huawei Technologies, one of Broadcoms biggest customers.

Chipmakers fell Friday, with the Philadelphia semiconductor index closing with a loss of 2.6%. And yet, while Broadcom added to a drumbeat of bad news that drove the sector to its worst monthly decline in a decade in May, the industry is outperforming nearly every other group since U.S. stocks bottomed last year. The 30-company gauge is up 27% since Christmas Eve.

"The market is pricing in a deal and that these problems will go away" but thats a fairy dust scenario, said Gus Richard, an analyst with Northland Securities Inc. "Clearly there is some risk factored into the market, but you could easily have another 20% to 30% pullback if the tariffs get slapped on and stay through August."

Another sign that the industry has yet to price in the trade risk is that analysts have been slow in lowering their estimates. Since the U.S.-China trade spat escalated in May, analysts have cut their forecasts at a rate thats half the pace seen for the broad market.

Second-quarter profits will drop 31.7% from a year ago, the latest analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg showed. Thats not far from the 30.6% decline expected in early May.

Either analysts are having a hard time quantifying the risk or theyre not taking it seriously. Whatever the case, the reluctance sets up the market for potential shocks such as the one that sent Broadcom shares falling 5.6% on Friday.

Story continues

The trade dispute with China threatens a worldwide electronics supply chain where the country not only serves as one of the biggest end markets but also a major manufacturing hub. As the worlds largest consumer of semiconductors, China accounts for more than half of the $470 billion industry.

With so much at stake, investors havent given up on chipmakers. Theyve been betting that slumping demand is poised to revive and China will be forced into a settlement because its dependent on American-made components, according to Mark Newman, an analyst at Bernstein.

One reason stocks may be pricing in a quick fix is that were in a "headline driven market," according to Michael Antonelli, managing director and market strategist at Robert W. Baird & Co.

"The market doesnt know what to price given that one tweet changes everything," Antonelli said in an interview.

Even if theres a quick resolution, the idea that things will return to normal is naive, according to New Street Research analyst Pierre Ferragu. U.S chipmakers may still be at risk of losing market share in China as the blacklisting of Huawei has prompted Chinese companies to focus the attention on reducing their dependence, he said.

China would get better at designing and manufacturing chips three times faster if they didnt have access to U.S. technology, Ferragu said in a note to clients. Survival is a great motivation factor.

To contact the reporters on this story: Jeran Wittenstein in San Francisco at jwittenstei1@bloomberg.net;Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Catherine Larkin at clarkin4@bloomberg.net, Chris Nagi, Lu Wang

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.ATHENS, Greece, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that it has signed, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, a Memorandum of Agreement to sell to an unaffiliated third party, the 2004-built vessel Thetis, with delivery to the buyer latest by July 31, 2019, for a sale price of US$6.4 million before commissions.

Upon completion of the aforementioned, Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet will consist of 44 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 14 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 5 Kamsarmax and 16 Panamax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet, including the m/v Thetis, is approximately 5.5 million dwt with a weighted average age of 9.27 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release.

About the Company

Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

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The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Corporate Contact:

Ioannis Zafirakis

Director, Chief Strategy Officer and Secretary

Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100

Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com

Website: www.dianashippinginc.com



Investor and Media Relations:

Edward Nebb

Comm-Counsellors, LLC

Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350

Email: enebb@optonline.netATHENS, Greece, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX) (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced the commencement of a tender offer to purchase up to 2,000,000 shares, or about 2.0%, of its outstanding common stock using funds available from cash and cash equivalents at a price of $3.25 per share. The tender offer will expire at the end of the day, 5:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on July 16, 2019, unless extended or withdrawn. The Board of Directors determined that it is in the Companys best interest to repurchase shares at this time given Diana Shippings cash position and stock price. The tender offer is not conditioned upon any minimum number of shares being tendered; however, the tender offer is subject to a number of other terms and conditions. Specific instructions and an explanation of the terms and conditions of the tender offer are contained in the Offer to Purchase and related materials that are being mailed to shareholders.



Diana Shipping Inc. has retained Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as the depositary for the tender offer and Georgeson LLC as the information agent.

Copies of the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery are being mailed to the Companys shareholders. Additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal or the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery may be obtained at the Companys expense from the information agent at (800) 248-7690 (toll free). Questions regarding the tender offer should be directed to the information agent at (800) 248-7690 (toll free). Parties outside the U.S. can reach the information agent at +1-781-575-2137.

About the Company

Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.

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Certain Information Regarding the Tender Offer

The information in this press release describing Diana Shipping Inc.s tender offer is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Diana Shipping Inc.s common stock in the tender offer. The tender offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the related materials that Diana Shipping Inc. is distributing to its shareholders, as they may be amended or supplemented. Shareholders should read such Offer to Purchase and related materials carefully and in their entirety because they contain important information, including the various terms and conditions of the tender offer. Shareholders of Diana Shipping Inc. may obtain a free copy of the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO, the Offer to Purchase and other documents that Diana Shipping Inc. is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission from the Securities and Exchange Commissions website at www.sec.gov. Shareholders may also obtain a copy of these documents, without charge, from Georgeson LLC, the information agent for the tender offer, toll free at (800) 248-7690. Shareholders are urged to carefully read all of these materials prior to making any decision with respect to the tender offer. Shareholders and investors who have questions or need assistance may call Georgeson LLC, the information agent for the tender offer, toll free at (800) 248-7690. Parties outside the U.S. can reach the information agent at +1-781-575-2137.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Corporate Contact:

Ioannis Zafirakis

Director, Chief Strategy Officer and Secretary

Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100

Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com

Website: www.dianashippinginc.com



Investor and Media Relations:

Edward Nebb

Comm-Counsellors, LLC

Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350

Email: enebb@optonline.netFILE PHOTO: AltEn LLC ethanol plant in Mead Nebraska FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: AltEn LLC ethanol plant is seen in Mead, Nebraska, U.S., March 21, 2019. Picture taken on March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Humeyra Pamuk/File Photo/File Photo/File Photo

By Jarrett Renshaw

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration made it easier for oil refineries to get waivers from the nation's biofuel law at least four months before a 2017 court decision it often cites to justify the move to the corn lobby, and the move was motivated by a desire to save the oil industry money, Reuters has learned.

The timing and motivation for the Environmental Protection Agency's policy change, revealed through court documents and an interview with a former top agency official, have not been previously reported. This reinforces the concerns of the corn industry that the decision to expand the waiver program was made at the EPA's discretion.

"EPA repeatedly told Congress its hands were tied and blamed the courts. That appears to have been a lie. EPA also said it was following Department of Energy recommendations. We also know thats bunk. Im going to get to the bottom of this," U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from the farm state of Iowa, said in a statement on Thursday.

The waivers, granted to small refineries including those run by oil majors Exxon Mobil, Chevron Corp and billionaire investor Carl Icahn, saved the oil industry hundreds of millions of dollars. The waivers angered the corn lobby which argued they hurt farmers by threatening demand for ethanol.

Whether the EPA's moves have hurt ethanol demand has been a topic of fierce debate.

The U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard requires refiners to blend biofuels like ethanol into their fuel or buy credits generated by those who do, but smaller refineries can be exempted if they prove compliance would cause them financial harm.

Trump's EPA granted 35 such waivers for 2017, up sharply from seven in the final year of the Obama administration.

Court documents filed by a biofuels advocacy group show that the EPA changed the policy before May 4, 2017.

On that date, the EPA told a refining company in a letter that "we are changing our approach" to the waiver program by allowing exemptions to refineries even if their operations "are not significantly impaired" by compliance, according to the documents filed by the Advanced Biofuels Association in a challenge of the expanded waiver program.

That puts the policy shift at least four months ahead of an August 2017 U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that found the agency was using too strict a standard when it denied Utah-based Sinclair Oil an exemption. The EPA subsequently withdrew its defense on a similar court case, and lost a third.

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Those cases are often cited by EPA officials and refining industry representatives defending the expanded waiver program.

"The courts have clearly told us we have to follow the law, and that's what we are going to do," EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said in April media interview when pressed about the expansion.

Mandy Gunasekara, who retired as principal deputy assistant administrator at the EPAs Office of Air and Radiation this year, said the EPA under then-administrator Scott Pruitt had decided to "reinstate" the small refinery waiver program to help an industry that felt ignored by Obama.

She said Pruitt also believed loosening the standards could help lower the cost of compliance credits, known as RINS, which could help the entire industry as opposed to just smaller refiners.

"Certainly, one of the goals was to put downward pressure on the price of RINs," she told Reuters in an interview.

She said the Sinclair case did not influence the changes to the waiver program. "When I saw the Sinclar decision come down, I saw it as a vindication of our changes," she said.

EPA spokesman Michael Abboud did not respond to questions about whether the agency still believes the small refinery program should be used to help manage RIN prices. He maintained that EPA has been consistent in its justification for the expansion of the waiver program.

The premise of this story is wrong," he said, adding that the waiver program has "been subject to appropriations language and court opinions prior to and during the Trump Administration."

Expansion of waivers drove down RIN prices to multi-year lows last year. This helped refiners like Valero Energy Corp and PBF Energy Inc that had been purchasing them, along with CVR Energy Inc, owned by Icahn.

Icahn came under federal investigation after CVR was seen shorting the credit market in 2017 while he advocated for financial relief from the biofuel program.

Icahn and other merchant refiners had long complained that their profit margins were being squeezed by the law, which is nearly 15 years old. It was intended to help farmers and reduce U.S. reliance on energy imports.

The waiver provision was intended to temporarily exempt smaller refineries so they could invest in biofuel blending equipment.

(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by David Gregorio)Former Nissan and Renault chief Carlos Ghosn is suspected of hiring the entire Palace of Versailles outside Paris in October 2016 to celebrate his marriage, a benefit estimated as being worth tens of thousands of euros (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro NOGI)

French anti-fraud police on Thursday searched the residence of former Nissan and Renault chief Carlos Ghosn outside Paris as part of a probe into his sumptious marriage celebrations at the Palace of Versailles in 2016, prosecutors said.

The police went to his home in the town of Etang-la-Ville as part of a preliminary investigation prompted by Renault earlier this year, prosecutors in the district of Nanterre west of Paris said.

Renault has previously signalled to French authorities suspect transactions under Ghosn, who at the peak of his powers was known for his jet-setting and luxury lifestyle.

He is suspected of hiring the entire Palace of Versailles outside Paris in October 2016 to celebrate his marriage, a benefit estimated as being worth 50,000 euros ($56,000), in exchange for a philanthropy deal between the state-owned property and Renault.

The search marks a new headache for the former Renault CEO, who was also Nissan chairman in the alliance with the Japanese carmaker, after his initial arrest in Tokyo in November.

The 65-year-old Ghosn, who maintains his innocence, is awaiting trial in Japan over charges of under-reporting his salary for years while at Nissan and using company funds for personal expenses.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French television earlier this month Renault is to bring a case against Ghosn after identifying 11 million euros of questionable expenses.

France holds a 15 percent stake in Renault.

Ghosn, who is a French citizen, was seen as a titan of the industry until his mounting legal troubles precipitated his spectacular fall.

He was freed in Japan on $4.5 million bail in April after being detained on fresh charges but is living under strict conditions including restrictions on seeing his wife.

Under the conditions of his bail, Ghosn must stay in Japan and must live in a court-appointed residence with cameras to monitor his movements.

Renault under Ghosn for years tied its strategy to the partnership with Nissan but this has been put in doubt by his arrest and subsequent ouster at both companies.

An offer of a merger from Italian automaker Fiat Chrysler did not come to fruition, with Renault saying the government had blocked the deal, something denied by Le Maire.

Investigators are also looking at expenses paid for marketing in Oman suspected of being used for personal expenses by Ghosn without any link to the work of the company.It recently emerged that Facebook was planning to launch a cryptocurrency, GlobalCoin, designed to propel it into the payments sector via its Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook messaging platforms. The initiative is alleged to launch in a dozen countries by Q1 2020 and is, quite frankly, very ambitious for the conglomerate considering both their and the cryptocurrency sectors questionable reputations. Facebooks trust conundrum Unless youve been living under a rock, youre probably aware that cryptocurrencies had a tough year and a half with a slew of scandals and continued poor market performance. And if youre six feet under that rock, you probably also missed that Facebook has been suffering crisis after crisis since a whistleblower revealed that the social media giantThe post Will GlobalCoin make us trust Facebook again? appeared first on Coin Rivet.

It recently emerged that Facebook was planning to launch a cryptocurrency, GlobalCoin, designed to propel it into the payments sector via its Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook messaging platforms.

The initiative is alleged to launch in a dozen countries by Q1 2020 and is, quite frankly, very ambitious for the conglomerate considering both their and the cryptocurrency sectors questionable reputations.

Facebooks trust conundrum

Unless youve been living under a rock, youre probably aware that cryptocurrencies had a tough year and a half with a slew of scandals and continued poor market performance. And if youre six feet under that rock, you probably also missed that Facebook has been suffering crisis after crisis since a whistleblower revealed that the social media giant enabled Cambridge Analytica to harvest the personal data of millions of Facebook profiles without users consent.

The only difference is that the latter was largely preventable. Since then, the public has continued to have trust issues with the company to the point that the #DeleteFacebook hashtag has resurfaced countless times. Despite their ad campaign promising things will change, faith generally hasnt been restored.

The crypto disconnect

Unlike Facebook, neither cryptocurrency or blockchain companies have found success in becoming household names. Although the space recently celebrated its ten-year anniversary last fall, most outside of the FinTech sector couldnt hold a conversation on the matter until 2017, when Bitcoin saw a 2,000% increase in value from 1st January to 16th December 2017.

During that time, Amazon, IBM and even Starbucks launched blockchain or crypto initiatives. Even as cryptocurrencies saw their biggest market crash and bear market in 2018  along with a slew of hacks and scandals  private and institutional investors and legacy tech brands continued to invest heavily in the emerging technology.

Digital asset management fund Grayscale Investments released a mid-year crypto investment report revealing that the majority of capital inflow for cryptos in 2018 came from institutional investors. Despite the undeniably bearish picture for crypto markets and several scandals, the data shows the pace of investment has accelerated to a level that we have not seen before at nearly $248.4 million  the strongest ever fundraising period in five years.

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How impactful could this be?

Its obvious that investors are still betting on crypto. Whats unclear is whether Facebooks foray into the space will actually improve public perception of the sector when its own reputation remains murky at best for its poor data practices. With that being said, the potential impact of the move  if successful  would be significant to the company, and both the crypto and payments sectors.

To put it in perspective, if the social media behemoth only used the WhatsApp platform to enable its over 1.5 billion global users to transfer money, it would potentially force mass adoption of cryptocurrency or at the very least, significantly boost exposure to the space to more markets.

Keep in mind that although users have been denouncing Facebook, and many have started doubting the longevity of Silicon Valleys largest social media platform  most notably Walt Mossberg the companys stock price still managed to close at an all-time high in mid-July 2018 despite pressure from lawmakers in the wake of the Cambridge Analytics scandal.

One could argue that the company is here to stay given its penchant for replicating its competitors popular features and making strategic purchases that open up new market opportunities. WhatsApp, for instance, is one of Facebooks most profitable acquisitions to date. However, maybe the acquisitions evolved purpose is to provide Facebook its ticket to the crypto ball and disrupt the peer-to-peer sector entirely.

Regulation?

Despite being a social media behemoth, Facebooks user growth has slowed (there are only so many people on Earth, unless the company plans on somehow getting past Chinas block), which has forced the company to create new revenue streams based on their user data or, use its messaging platforms to risk making the same data privacy mistakes behind the guise of a blockchain-based peer-to-peer payment system.

Facebooks entrance into crypto raises obvious concerns including assuming further potential regulatory risks  since stablecoins are likely to be next on the SECs watchlist, but what should be the biggest red flag to investors and users is the least trusted legacy social media platform is trying to build upon an emerging sector whose ethos goes against everything that Facebook currently represents to scorned users.

However, on the plus side, the company did ask Congress to bring regulations (even if its on Zuckerburgs terms) in four ways including privacy and data portability. This wasnt just the right move, but a move that Congress should act upon sooner rather than later especially in light of the companys planned growth in the payments space. The risks are too great, and the FinTech and crypto communities shouldnt be the only ones on watch.

If users  whose data is the companys source of revenue  cant trust Facebook, why would they trust it with a form of currency that they dont yet understand? Its been said that Facebook hasnt finalised its strategy, but maybe its best for them to focus on building back trust before using its messaging platforms to dip their toe into a trustless ecosystem.

By Michael Mildenberger, CEO and Founder, seriesOne

The post Will GlobalCoin make us trust Facebook again? appeared first on Coin Rivet.Globotics. Telemigrants. White-collar robots. To describe the future of work, Richard Baldwin is developing a new lexicon.

The professor of international economics at the Graduate Institute in Geneva warns that we are unprepared for the ways in which new technology is changing the nature of globalization. Baldwins new book, The Globotics Upheaval: Globalization, Robotics, and the Future of Work, is a natural follow-up to his 2016 book, The Great Convergence. Three years ago, he explained how a third wave of globalizationa collapse in the cost of the movement of people thanks to technologywould be the most disruptive, because it hits workers in the service sector.

Baldwins new book, published earlier this year, breaks down what this disruption will entail. He echoes the warnings about 800 million jobs being displaced by automation in the next decade or so. While artificial intelligence will cause much of the upheaval, there is another factor: telemigration. The global gig economy, also known as the human cloud, where job tasks are broken up and done by freelance workers all around the world, is already a $82 billion industry, according to advisory firm Staffing Industry Analysts.

Automation and globalization are century-old stories. Globotics is different for two big reasons. It is coming inhumanely fast, and it will seem unbelievably unfair, Baldwin writes. Globotics is injecting pressure into our socio-political-economic system (via job displacement) faster than our system can absorb it (via job replacement).

Governments are failing to protect workers, companies are advancing the disruption, and workers are unwillingly complicit in it all. But Baldwin is no Luddite. Digital workforces and telemigration should rightly be prominent in the labor market of the future, he says. Quartz spoke to Baldwin in London about how the real problem is how ill-equipped countries like the US and the UK are for these changes. The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Quartz: Firstly, how do you describe globotics?

Baldwin: Hopefully its a memorable word. It smashes together globalization and robotics. I was tired of people talking about robots every single day and what they can do but completely missing the idea that the same technology was transforming globalization.

When I say globots, I mean both the white-collar robots, which is software that can do stuff that only humans could do before, and telemigrants, who are basically telecommuting from abroad. Dont forget that telemigrants are real humans. Theres nothing they cant do except be in the room.

What are some of the digital technologies that enable this?

Machine learning is the key. Lets first talk about automation and then Ill talk about globalization.

In automation, the key is machine learning, which is database, pattern recognition. Machine learning has given computers cognitive capacities that they did not have before 2016 and were all familiar with themspeaking, reading, writing, reading handwriting, generating PowerPoint presentations, etcetera. Those were in some sense gateway skills, which are exactly why humans were involved in many service office jobs. Somebody had to open up the email or answer the phone and figure out what people wanted. Now, robots can do that. These are what I call white-collar robots. There is not one killer application yet. The one thats closest is maybe RPA, robotic process automation. And then theres a higher level one like [IBMs] Watson and [IPSofts] Amelia.

These computer skills came over into globalization through progress in machine translation. And theres a whole set of telecommunication advances which made remote people less remote. That isnt really digital technology, its just that people are rearranging the way they work to slot in remote workers. But these things have basically made it possible to break up a service sector by having people far away do the same tasks. In the US, there was some estimate that 40% of people telecommute at least once a month. Their companies, once theyve set the whole thing up for domestic telecommuting, are going to realize they could get at least some of those tasks done by people overseas for less.

So this wave of globalization doesnt have an immigration debate attached to it? Its about moving peoples capabilities without moving people.

These telemigrants are coming for service jobs and a wall wont stop them! Its good news if you want to keep out migrants because you can have the work without the workers.

You can have the work without the workers. The other side of this is that anti-migrant governments are not thinking about the right immigrants, or maybe they dont care about white-collar immigrants. In any case, they are substitutes. In countries like Japan, which really doesnt want immigrants, they can use telemigrants to do things like teach English or childcare. Its an explicit policy of using telemigrants instead of migrants.

In the book, you describe the freelance economy as kind of a precursor to telemigration.

(Laughs) Yes, theres an element of a Greek tragedy to it. By trying to be more flexible with work, you thought you were getting control of your life. You could come home and take care of the kids while handling a few emails. But you actually arranged it so you ended up out of work because a telemigrant took your job for much less. Its a Greek tragedy where the hero is essentially enabling their own downfall. Workers are paving the road to global competition.

By being more flexible, weve actually shot ourselves in the foot?

Globalization always means more opportunities for the nations most competitive citizens, but more competition for the least competitive citizens. The trouble is that in the services sector there are a lot of uncompetitive people. Many of these jobs have been non-tradable.

If a car is made in Britain thats because it is globally competitive to do so. The manufacturer could always have made it somewhere else. Whereas people in the service sector in London, theres never been any international competition.

There is some international job competition in London.

So there is trade in services and particularly business services. These are competitive. But theres a huge number of people working in London offices and restaurants and bars, etcetera. Technically speaking, in order to be competitive, your productivity has to more than compensate for your wage compared to the foreigners. Somebody working in a pub in London is earning maybe 10 an hour, but they are doing exactly what somebody in Nairobi would be doing. They are no more productive, but the price is higher and the price is higher because its a non-traded service. The number of people who are uncompetitive in the service sectors in rich countries is way higher than it is in the manufacturing sector.

You see this in the legal industry already. Software robots can read hundreds of documents, hundreds of emails. These things will look for patterns, just like young lawyers used to do.

One of the companies that you mention a lot is Blue Prism, the British firm that offers Robotic Process Automation (RPA). You quote some of their marketing material, which says:

Imagine a different kind of workforce. A workforce that you can teach countless skills. The more it learns, the more efficient it becomes. It works without ever taking a vacation. It can be small one day or large when your business hits a spike. And it frees up your best people to really be your best people. Meet the Software Robotsthe Digital Workforce.

That sounds vaguely sinister.

It is. Im quite sure theyre going to have to change that when the upheaval starts. They are selling to companies the promise theyre going to undermine all these average-skill office workers.

What causes the upheaval?

People will find their jobs being disrupted. They already are, but they dont know who to blame. And its possible that they never really do figure it out because its very disaggregated. I think Ive started to detect that its digital technology that people are reacting against. The big issue will be if the white-collar workers connect with the blue-collar workers whove been hurt by robots in globalization for the last 20 years: then we could have a really holy mess.

Several studies show technology will disrupt jobs, but they also argue that almost as many jobs will be created.

Im a pessimist in the short run, an optimist in the long run. Theres a mismatch of job displacement and job creation. Job displacement is being driven at the speed of digital technology, which is explosive at this moment. And displacement is the business model for the AI geniuses and all those companies. All of them are hoping to get rich by displacing workers, not by creating jobs. Creating jobs is much slower. So, at least in the next few years, the displacement will outstrip the creation. But its not the direction of travel which is wrong. Its just a mismatch of speed. Im a pessimist in the short run, an optimist in the long run.

In the book, you suggest this backlash could lead to a new political movement. You write, perhaps the movement will come to be called shelterismnot antiprogress, just a little shelter from the storm. To me, it describes a sort of intersection between right-wing populism and left-wing socialism.

Theres a presidential candidate in the United States called Andrew Yang. He says people are trying to replace us with software robots and foreigners working abroad. He understands the globotics upheaval. Hes never going to get elected. But I think that the left-leaning Democratic candidates will find it almost irresistible to redirect the anger, which exists in America, away from China and away from immigrants and towards technology. Big tech will become the scapegoat.

You say are a long-term optimist, but thats probably only if governments can work to avoid massive job displacement, right?

Im worried about the United States in particular. Theres qualitatively nothing different about this transformation. People are having to change jobs because of technology and thats about a three-century-old story. The key difference is it may be happening faster than it did before.

Some governments are better at it than others. The UK is not the best, but much better compared to the United States. In the US, if you lose your job and you have a health problem, youre likely to go bankrupt and lose your house or your kids have to stop going to college. So its stuff like that in the United States that is just so stark. In the [European] continent they have these active labor market policies, which are already engaged and are helping people adjust.

In past disruptions, some of the workers displaced from manufacturing ended up stepping down into worse jobs into the service sector.

I think thats how its going to happen now.

What would people step down into today?

Uber drivers. Paralegals become Uber drivers! There will be a downgrading in the service sector, but its worthwhile pointing out that service workers are intrinsically more flexible than factory workers were. So while there will be a downgrading of skills, they will stay in the service sector and there wont be mass unemployment.

What kinds of jobs will be created?

AI is giving sophisticated thinking skills and certain types of pattern recognition to average-skilled people. This will lead to semi-professional jobs between doctors and nurses, between lawyers and paralegals, between architects and draftsman.

A level that doesnt currently exist.

That level doesnt exist because it will make people a lot smarter and you dont need a university degree to use this AI. Its just dead simple.

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More stories from Quartz:Disaster Housing In this Wednesday, June 12, 2019 photo, Houston resident Scenacia Jones, stands in front of her new home, part of an innovative program that builds houses after natural disasters and lets families live in one part of the structure while the rest is completed. The housing program known as Rapido, Spanish for fast, this week debuted its first such home built in Houston. Groups behind the program are hoping a bill signed this week by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott related to disaster planning will boost their efforts. (AP Photo/Juan Lozano)

HOUSTON (AP)  For Houston resident Scenacia Jones, the experience of getting her new home through an innovative way of building post-disaster housing was like an experiment.

Jones and her two children had been living in a shelter for single parents when Hurricane Harvey's devasting flooding hit the Houston area in August 2017. All the family's possessions were lost after the storage facility they were in flooded.

Desperately looking for a permanent place to live, Jones was approached by organizations behind the housing program known as Rapido, Spanish for fast. Under the program, a temporary modular core unit made up of interlocking wall, roof and floor panels would be built. Jones, her 10-year-old son Nyjel, who is disabled, and 12-year-old daughter Nnaji would live there while the rest of the house was built around them. The core is about the size of a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer. The process took about eight months, and Jones and her children now have a new, three-bedroom home, which looks like any other house.

"It has definitely been an experiment. We tried to keep a positive attitude because at the end of this experiment, we get to live in this beautiful house," Jones said this week as she gave a tour of her home, the first such Rapido house built in Houston.

The 1,200 to 1,300-square-foot home with a front yard has three bedrooms, a ramp in the front for her son's wheelchair and a bathroom designed to be handicapped-accessible. Jones' home, which was built on an empty lot, looks like a newer version of the other bungalow-style homes in the neighborhood.

The groups behind the Rapido program say their approach will save money and get people into housing more quickly. They're hopeful a bill signed this week by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott related to disaster planning will be a boost to their efforts.

The Texas General Land Office, in charge of short-term housing recovery efforts in the state after Harvey , says the agency strongly backs new housing innovations like Rapido but rule changes would need to occur to free up federal funding to support such ideas.

John Henneberger, co-director of Texas Housers, an Austin-based nonprofit that's one of the groups behind the Rapido program, said funding would be better spent on their program as opposed to FEMA trailers or hotel vouchers, which are typically used to temporarily house people after a disaster. Each Rapido home costs about of $145,000 to $150,000, while a FEMA trailer can cost up to $100,000 to buy and set up, Henneberger said. At some point, trailers are taken away and the hotel vouchers end, he said.

Story continues

"If we can build more houses with the same amount of money, it just means more families get a home," Henneberger said. "It's a win-win."

The Rapido program, first brainstormed nearly 15 years ago, has built 20 homes in South Texas and three in the Southeast Texas city of Port Arthur. The homes can be built on empty lots that are either owned by the nonprofits involved in the program or land owned by local governments. They can also be built on the site of a damaged home that has been razed or even partially built to provide shelter while a damaged home is fixed.

With the completion of the Houston home, Henneberger said the hope is the program can be used on a larger scale with funding from local, state and federal governments.

The groups behind Rapido are hopeful a new state law allowing local governments the ability to develop and adopt disaster recovery plans before a storm, including procedures detailing housing rebuilding efforts, will help their endeavor. Henneberger would like local governments as well as the state to consider incorporating Rapido in their disaster plans.

Brittany Eck, a spokeswoman for the Texas General Land Office, said Land Commissioner George P. Bush has spoken in favor of rapid housing alternatives in the wake of Harvey.

But for such innovative, permanent housing ideas to be able to utilize federal funding, rules would have to be changed allowing temporary housing funds to be used, Eck said. The housing funds that FEMA provides right after a storm are for temporary housing like hotels and trailers. The funding for permanent housing comes from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants, which can take years to be disbursed.

Bush said he is working with federal lawmakers on trying to change the rules and combine both pots of money.

Jones said she's grateful she no longer worries about where she's going to live and can focus on her children, including her son, who has a rare chromosomal disorder that makes him totally dependent on others for care.

"We can breathe easy and be able to live the American dream," Jones said.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70Hedge funds are known to underperform the bull markets but that's not because they are terrible at stock picking. Hedge funds underperform because their net exposure in only 40-70% and they charge exorbitant fees. No one knows what the future holds and how market participants will react to the bountiful news that floods in each day. However, hedge funds' consensus picks on average deliver market beating returns. For example in the first 5 months of this year through May 30th the Standard and Poors 500 Index returned approximately 12.1% (including dividend payments). Conversely, hedge funds top 20 large-cap stock picks generated a return of 18.7% during the same 5-month period, with the majority of these stock picks outperforming the broader market benchmark. Interestingly, an average long/short hedge fund returned only a fraction of this value due to the hedges they implemented and the large fees they charged. If you pay attention to the actual hedge fund returns versus the returns of their long stock picks, you might believe that it is a waste of time to analyze hedge funds' purchases. We know better. That's why we scrutinize hedge fund sentiment before we invest in a stock like Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS).

Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS) investors should be aware of a decrease in hedge fund interest of late. Our calculations also showed that goos isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds.

Hedge funds' reputation as shrewd investors has been tarnished in the last decade as their hedged returns couldn't keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. Our research has shown that hedge funds' small-cap stock picks managed to beat the market by double digits annually between 1999 and 2016, but the margin of outperformance has been declining in recent years. Nevertheless, we were still able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the market by 40 percentage points since May 2014 through May 30, 2019 (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that underperformed the market by 10 percentage points annually between 2006 and 2017. Interestingly the margin of underperformance of these stocks has been increasing in recent years. Investors who are long the market and short these stocks would have returned more than 27% annually between 2015 and 2017. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 in our quarterly newsletter.

Story continues

Gabriel Plotkin Melvin Capital Management

Let's review the fresh hedge fund action regarding Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS).

How have hedgies been trading Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS)?

Heading into the second quarter of 2019, a total of 27 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a change of -7% from one quarter earlier. By comparison, 20 hedge funds held shares or bullish call options in GOOS a year ago. So, let's check out which hedge funds were among the top holders of the stock and which hedge funds were making big moves.

No of Hedge Funds with GOOS Positions

More specifically, Melvin Capital Management was the largest shareholder of Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS), with a stake worth $22.8 million reported as of the end of March. Trailing Melvin Capital Management was McKinley Capital Management, which amassed a stake valued at $20.7 million. Citadel Investment Group, Sirios Capital Management, and Granite Point Capital were also very fond of the stock, giving the stock large weights in their portfolios.

Judging by the fact that Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS) has faced declining sentiment from hedge fund managers, it's safe to say that there were a few hedgies that elected to cut their full holdings last quarter. At the top of the heap, Scott Bessent's Key Square Capital Management dropped the biggest position of the "upper crust" of funds followed by Insider Monkey, totaling about $39.3 million in stock, and Benjamin A. Smith's Laurion Capital Management was right behind this move, as the fund cut about $34.3 million worth. These moves are interesting, as total hedge fund interest fell by 2 funds last quarter.

Let's now review hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS) but similarly valued. These stocks are Proto Labs Inc (NYSE:PRLB), Cosan Limited (NYSE:CZZ), Glaukos Corporation (NYSE:GKOS), and Yelp Inc (NYSE:YELP). This group of stocks' market caps are similar to GOOS's market cap.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position PRLB,11,24095,1 CZZ,16,141039,-2 GKOS,15,69093,4 YELP,33,568083,9 Average,18.75,200578,3 [/table]

View table here if you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 18.75 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $201 million. That figure was $122 million in GOOS's case. Yelp Inc (NYSE:YELP) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Proto Labs Inc (NYSE:PRLB) is the least popular one with only 11 bullish hedge fund positions. Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GOOS) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. This is a slightly positive signal but we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. Our calculations showed that top 20 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 1.9% in Q2 through May 30th and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by more than 3 percentage points. Unfortunately GOOS wasn't nearly as popular as these 20 stocks and hedge funds that were betting on GOOS were disappointed as the stock returned -26.2% during the same period and underperformed the market. If you are interested in investing in large cap stocks with huge upside potential, you should check out the top 20 most popular stocks among hedge funds as 13 of these stocks already outperformed the market so far in Q2.

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.

Related ContentShares of The Children's Place, Inc. PLCE have gained approximately 8%, against the industrys decline of 22.8% and he overall sectors rise of 1.7% in the past three months.





This may be attributed to multi-year growth initiatives, comprising productivity efforts, alternate channels of distribution, digital transformation, fleet optimization and international expansion. These helped this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock post better-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2019 results that also came ahead of managements expectations. Following the results, the company raised fiscal 2019 view.



Consequently, there has been an upward revision in the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Notably, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter and fiscal 2019 has increased 9 cents and 65 cents to 15 cents and $6.37, respectively, in the past 30 days.



Factors Propelling the Stock



Children's Place is leaving no stone unturned to improve the top-line performance and expand customer base. The company is making efforts to expand footprint not only in the U.S. market but also globally. This is evident from the companys license agreement with Zhejiang Semir Garment Co. Ltd (Semir) for the Greater China market, which covers Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.



Further, in an effort to provide a hassle-free shopping experience, the company is focusing on digital transformation. It had rolled out "BOPIS" (Buy Online, Pick Up in Store), Ship from Store, and mobile POS to all its U.S. stores. Further, the company launched SMS texting capabilities and is implementing BOSS (Buy Online, Ship to Store). Notably, e-commerce penetration expanded 270 basis points to 29% of net sales during the first quarter of fiscal 2019. E-commerce penetration is projected to increase more than 30% of net sales in fiscal 2019 from approximately 28% in fiscal 2018.



Additionally, the company is focusing on striking a balance between digital and physical stores. To this end, the company had closed 213 stores since 2013 till the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and targets to close 300 by 2020. The company closed 42 stores in fiscal 2018. It plans to close 40-45 stores in fiscal 2019 and roughly 45 in fiscal 2020. The company had earlier informed that this fleet optimization initiative will help it achieve a 200-basis point improvement in operating margin from 2013 to 2020.



As a result of Gymboree Group, Inc.s bankruptcy, the company intends to open 25 stores in centers with high productivity within a span of two years. It entered an Asset Purchase Agreement with Gymboree and related entities to buy intellectual property assets of the latter and Crazy 8 (the Gymboree Assets) for $76 million. This buyout is likely to be accretive to fiscal 2020 adjusted earnings per share.



3 Other Stocks to Bank On



Stitch Fix SFIX, with a long-term earnings per share growth rate of 22.5%, carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



L Brands LB, with a long-term earnings per share growth rate of 11%, carries a Zacks Rank #2.



Kering SA PPRUY, with a long-term earnings per share growth rate of 10%, carries a Zacks Rank #2.



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment ResearchWorking with over 100 outside carriers and brokers, Walmart Inc (NYSE: WMT) is likely to be a shipper of choice for many already. But even one of the U.S. freight industry's largest customers realized it could do better for drivers.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company came in third in a field of 135 shippers for the Shipper of Choice awards presented in partnership with Convoy at Transparency19. The awards rank shippers on the basis of criteria such as driver friendliness, flexibility, accommodations, efficiency and low detention times.

As Jon Dibee, Walmart's Senior Director of Inbound Transportation, explained to FreightWaves, a little over year earlier the company began to collect the same data about how it's perceived by its outside carrier network.

Walmart's Executive Vice President of Supply Chain Greg Smith met with the company's carriers at a Retail Industry Leaders Association conference. He asked what their main concerns were and how Walmart can help them do their job better.

The carriers told Smith their main issue, as always, is driver acquisition and retention.

"Our carrier partners asked us to just do what we can to support drivers," Dibee said. "We recognize this lifestyle is hard. Greg Smith tasked us with making sure we were taking actions that reduced driver friction in our supply chain."

Smith made being a shipper of choice an urgent agenda item for Walmart. In April 2018, he convened a team culled from Walmart's logistics and operations departments to meet monthly on how the goal would be achieved.

The first step was a 32-question survey sent out the following month asking carriers and brokers how Walmart ranked on issues of financial and operational terms.

But just over half the questions on the survey related to how Walmart performed as a customer in terms of freight delivered to market, driver experience at distribution centers and cross-docks, dwell times and flexibility in delivery windows.

While Walmart ranked high on issues such as treatment of drivers, freight volumes and pricing, the survey showed it could improve flexibility for late drivers and delivery windows, detention invoicing and policies, and timeliness of loading at suppliers' docks.

Story continues

In response, Walmart changed policies to better meet the needs of carriers. The window for shipping general merchandise on-time-and-in-full increased from one day to two. It also changed primary tender acceptance rules for low volume lanes, and increased delivery window flexibility at grocery distribution centers. Drivers arriving early were allowed in a yard two hours before an appointment, versus the prior rule of one hour.

"If the driver wants to do something like use the restroom or make a phone call, they can get to the yard earlier and do those things," Dibee said. "We made sure those windows were wide enough."

Dibee also formed a separate team in Walmart to address issues related to freight payments. The team assembled reports to monitor payables aging and late payments to carriers. Walmart also sought to match pay from transport management system rating versus one-time rate sheets.

Carriers also pointed to areas of improvement in detention billing processes. One deficiency in that area was carriers and brokers did not always provide all the necessary information to back up claims for detention billing, Dibee said. Walmart's transportation team made it clearer to vendors about what additional information needs to be added to invoice for driver detention.

"We simplified and streamlined the process for a carrier to be able to file a detention claim," Dibee said. "But ultimately our goal is to significantly reduce the occurrences of driver detention in our network."

Dibee also said Walmart increased the "cadence" of freight being offered into the market by lumping together bids. So, bids for delivering project freight for new store equipment fixtures would be lumped together with ongoing merchandise freight to help smooth out the number of bids that were put into the market.

Walmart's carrier partners also transport a large volume of goods from third-party distribution centers to Walmart's own distribution centers and cross-docks. On that front, many carriers asked, "how to make it easier to do business with those third-party suppliers," Dibee said.

To that end, Walmart built a "visibility dashboard" that benchmarks carrier dwell time at its third-party vendors.

The dashboard, live since September 2018, uses a carrier's electronic data interchange (EDI) about appointment, arrival and departure time to generate detention data for each facility and each carrier.

Dibee said EDI is "not great information" as it can keyed in manually at times. But aggregating multiple sources about when drivers arrive and depart from a facility can provide a view into trends occurring with shippers.

He cites the example of a charcoal manufacturer that was suddenly seeing an increase in wait times over two hours at one of its facilities. After setting up a call with the manufacturer, Walmart's operations team learned that orders were coming in faster than their plant could replenish inventory due to a sales promotion. Walmart then worked with the vendor to smooth out orders and reduce driver dwell time.

In another instance, Walmart's visibility dashboard picked up that one carrier was experiencing higher-than-normal detention at an apparel vendor. Walmart then had the carrier utilize the vendor's drop trailer program to speed up driver turnaround.

"We see issues that the carriers may not be aware of," Dibee said. "This is about making sure we can be a conduit between our carriers and our vendors when they are having an issue and the ability to share best practices across our network."

The visibility dashboard also picks up issues with Walmart's own network. Deliveries of consolidated produce loads from a grocery cross-dock center in Colton, California were sometimes taking up to three or four hours at Walmart's receiving distribution centers. This, despite "the only thing the driver being responsible for is maintaining the temperature and ensuring the seal on the trailer," Dibee said.

The operations team found that each item in the palletized shipment was being inspected while the driver waited. Dibee said new policies were then enacted for handling any rejected items without having to detain the driver.

The steps to becoming a Shipper of Choice make Walmart a more efficient company overall. But Dibee said the motivation was not purely out of competitive needs, but also to address the real issues facing the U.S. trucking industry.

"If all of us could be better stewards of our carrier networks, we would all benefit," Dibee said.

Image sourced from Google

See more from Benzinga

 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.At least six Americans have died at resorts in the Dominican Republic in the last year.

Multiple tourist deaths at all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic have raised alarm bells for those planning to vacation at the popular Caribbean destination.

Now, authorities in the Dominican Republic are looking to the FBI to help investigate the mysterious deaths and strange circumstances that have accompanied each incident.

This announcement comes as more families are coming forward about getting mysteriously ill.

Tourism officials in the Dominican Republic, the U.S. and Canada say its still safe to visit the country. But many are approaching booking a vacation there with caution.

Heres a timeline of the incidents that have occurred and whats next:

What deaths have occurred?

June 2018: Yvette Monique Sport

Fifty-one-year-old Yvette Monique Sport traveled to the Bahia Principe Resort in Punta Cana in June 2018 with her fiance.

Her sister says Sport took a drink from the mini bar in her room, took a shower, and then went to bed and never woke up.

Sports death certificate lists a heart attack as the cause of death. But her sister Felicia Nieves says shes become increasingly suspicious in the wake of other deaths reported at resorts in the last few months.

July 2018: David Harrison

David Harrison, from southern Maryland, died while vacationing at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana.

An autopsy revealed that Harrison had a heart attack and a pulmonary edema, which is caused by excess fluid in the lungs.

Dawn McCoy, Harrisons wife, told Business Insider that she, her husband and their then 12-year-old son were celebrating their anniversary at the Caribbean resort when Harrison fell ill.

Nine days into their vacation, she says Harrison became sick and woke up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat.

He couldnt talk, he was unable to sit up, everything that came out was just grunting, she told INSIDER. He was trying to talk, but nothing would come out.

She says her husband was healthy and had annual checkups, but he did take medication for high blood pressure. McCoy is now requesting a toxicology report from the funeral director who dealt with her case, after she heard of deaths she believes might be similar circumstances to her husbands.

Story continues

April 2019: Robert Wallace

While visiting the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana, Robert Wallace became sick soon after drinking scotch from the minibar in his hotel room, according to his niece Chloe Arnold.

He was in the Dominican Republic to attend his step-sons wedding, she told Fox News.

After falling ill that evening, Wallace, 67, died three days later. Arnold said authorities in the Dominican have yet to provide a cause of death.

May 2019: Miranda Schaup-Werner

Miranda Schaup-Werner, 41, had travelled to the Bahia Principes Bouganville resort to celebrate her wedding anniversary.

Her husband Dan Werner says that after she had a drink from the hotels minibar, she collapsed and was unable to be revived.

Dominican officials provided an autopsy that revealed Schaup-Werner died of internal hemorrhaging, pulmonary edema and an enlarged heart.

May 2019: Nathaniel Edward Holmes and Cynthia Ann Day

Just a few days after Schaup-Werner died, a couple on vacation in the Dominican Republic also died under similar circumstances.

Nathaniel Edward Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, had just gotten engaged before they went on their vacation to the Dominican. After they missed their checkout time, hotel staff went to the room and found them both collapsed, and unresponsive. There were no signs of violence.

Dominican police revealed that both had died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema.

June 2019: Joseph Allen

CNN reported that an American man was found dead in the Hotel Terra Linda in Sosua, Dominican Republic. Joseph Allen, 55, was apparently a regular at the hotel, and officials in the Dominican said he died of cardiac arrest. There were no signs of violence.

Are these deaths connected?

On June 11, the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic released a statement saying they are actively working with the government in the country along with the private sector to ensure U.S. citizens are safe when they visit.

They said a connection had not been established between the incidents, but they are investigating.

Dominican authorities have asked for FBI assistance for further toxicology analysis on the recent Bahia Principe, La Romana cases and our FBI colleagues tell us that those results may take up to 30 days, the statement reads.

One expert, Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security told the New York Times that symptoms like pulmonary edema could be consistent with poisoning (though accidental).

Its rare for travelers to die of unknown causes like this, and to have a high number of them in a relatively short period of time is alarming, shocking, sad, Inglesby said.

But without a toxicology report, its difficult to say if theres truly any connection between the deaths, he said.

What has the response been from the hotels?

Officials from the Hard Rock hotel said in a public statement that they are deeply saddened by the deaths and are waiting for the release of official reports on the deaths.

The Bahia Principe hotel chain said in a statement on their website that inaccurate and false information has been spread or circulated by media and social media about the incidents, but they dont state what exactly is false.

They note they are collaborating completely with authorities and will not make more statements so they dont interfere with the investigation.

Employees have received threats since the story started going viral, and they emphasize that they disagree with false information being spread and that their hotels remain safe.

Who else has gotten sick?

Other travelled have started to speak out about becoming sick, with one couple deciding to sue after their stay at the the Grand Bahia Principe La Romana.

Kaylynn Knull, 29 and Tom Schwander 33, are suing the chain of hotels for $1 million, their lawyer told the New York Times, after they became severely ill during their stay in summer 2018.

Symptoms for the couple included headache, blurry vision, nausea and diarrhea, and their family doctor told them it sounded like they had been exposed to a class of insecticide chemicals.

Recently, a group of high school students reportedly fell ill at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana, where three Americans died between April and May.

Seventy-five students along with their chaperones were staying at the resort in early June on a graduation trip, when multiple people in the group became sick.

Seven students were taken to the hospital after feeling nauseous, having body chills, cramping and sweating, reports the New York Post.

Is it safe to travel to the Dominican Republic?

Global Affairs Canada said in a statement to Yahoo News that they are unaware of any Canadian citizens being impacted.

They noted the government recommends a high degree of caution in the Dominican Republic, but thats due to a high crime rate.

The U.S. State Department hasnt issued a travel warning for the country and American officials have said the deaths are not connected, but they are investigating.

The Dominican Republic has been a top tourist destination for North Americans in the last few years, with over 2 million Americans visiting in 2017, and about 830,000 Canadians visiting, according to the ministry of tourism in the Caribbean nation.

Will you be changing your vacation plans? Or do you believe the deaths are an odd coincidence? Let us know in the comments.While sitting in his eponymous new Israeli-style bakery, 35-year-old baking guru Adir Michaeli paints a picture: Its Friday afternoon in Tel Aviv, and your Jewish mom is cooking for tonights Sabbath dinner. Aromas emanating from a rainbow of stews, rice dishes, pot roasts, schnitzels, and kugels waft through the air as you get back from school, starving. Dont touch anything! Its for tonight! screams mom as youre reaching for a meatball. Go downstairs and get something, she says. So you walk into your neighborhood bakery and are welcomed by the slew of women buying challah and kids looking for something as sweet-smelling and delicious as the food they just noticed in their own kitchensalbeit not off-limits. Enter the bureka, a baked pastry filled with potatoes or spinach or even served plain, warm and moist, thats a cornerstone of Israeli cuisine and is the exact kind of fare that Michaeli is looking to serve at Michaeli Bakery on Division Street in New York City. At first glance its an odd location but one that ends up serving his ultimate goal: to provide food to people who have yet to discover the power of a neighborhood patisserie.

[This] neighborhood didnt have a real, classic bakery close by, and this was something that I wanted to do, Michaeli says while sitting in the narrow store filled with plants, an open kitchen, white countertops, and six stools. Its very nice to go downstairs for a few minutes to grab something or on the way from work to pick up some items for the kids.

Michaeli Bakery

Lets start with the basics, which Ive attempted to stay away from until now, given Michaelis own disposition: The baker is the genius behind the chocolate babka cake served at Manhattans Breads Bakery, which revolutionized the local culinary scene and was, arguably, one of the first-ever desserts to go viral on social media. Moving to New York from his hometown in Tel Aviv back in 2013 to open the American version of Mafiat Lehamim (which translates from Hebrew to English as bakery of breads), Michaeli spent over five years at what is now a New York staple, helping propel the venue to success in large part thanks to his own sweet invention.

Story continues

But the baker doesnt want to talk about Breadsand its not because of any sort of animosity. On the contrary, Michaeli left what he calls his home (he still uses the pronoun we when discussing Breads) under great auspices and calls his new shop second to Breads first. ([Its] mathematics, its very basic: We are the second, they are the first, Michaeli explains.) But Michaeli says he feels Manhattan is owed something new and different.

Thats not because the babka shouldnt reign supreme. Michaeli also serves the sweet cake at Michaeli Bakery, although Michaeli says he prefers this not be whats flashing in my bakery. I really like the fact that this was in Breads, and it should stay there as their thing. Rather, Michaeli thinks the scene is ripe for the sorts of flavors that could tickle American palates.

But Michaeli is quick to note that hes dealing in Israeli products and not Jewish ones, as plenty of publications have inaccurately labeled his offerings. Tradition has nothing to do with religion, he says, explaining that there really isnt such a thing as a Jewish baked good.

Adir Michaeli at the counter of his Lower East Side shop, Michaeli Bakery.

Michaelis drive to be more than a one-hit wonder is palpable, especially when considering his devotion to turning the bakery into a viable business independent from the level of viralism of his creations. Nowhere is this approach more apparent than in his decision to delay the release of what hes sure will be a delicious, revolutionary product until the fall. I really wanted the bakery to be respected and beloved for itself, without any buzz, Michaeli says, echoing his feelings about his connection to the chocolate babka: He wants patrons to walk in not knowing much about him. Because if the product is good, and it is good in my opinion, I dont want to mix it with some PR buzz, especially in the Instagram era.

But curious minds wander, especially after tasting a roster of sweets now available at the eatery. The mere thought of a product even more delectable and so good it needs to be kept a secret is mind-boggling. The baker is intransigent, though, and reveals only that the delicacy will be fresh every few minutes, has chocolate and very popular components inside, and will awaken senses not just through taste but also touch. Basically, a gastronomic utopia is about to bombard New York City.

For now, though, New Yorkers will have to do with Michaelis current offerings. Among them: an extraordinary kugelhopf (something between a super-light brioche and a very rich cake) that begs to be devoured, rugelach cookies drenched in chocolate (in a good way), and three types of burekas, savory stuffed pastries. The bakery also serves apple pies as well as chocolate and almond croissants, which seem to strike far from the ethnic concept hes inviting people to enjoy. Some products are classic and are related to the concept of the bakery in general, Michaeli explains. Especially when youre not in your own country, you have to present something that theres a request for. Thats the basis of good business. Then, when the customer trusts you with what he likes, I believe theyll be much more open to try something crazier.

Michaeli also points out the supremacy of certain classic American goods. The American chocolate chip cookie is the best Ive ever tasted. Because [Americans] dont care: They put chocolate, sugar, peanut butter. His vision of whats right within the U.S. ecosystem of pastries gets the Israeli treatment with his yet-to-be-released (but not secret) Fun Cake: Its a cheesecake, kind of Ben & Jerrysstyle. I put all the good stuff inside.

The shattering of pre-established methods is the driving madness behind Michaelis genius. When asked to compare the American way with Israelis behavior toward food, Michaeli says that in his hometown everybody has an opinion and that has helped shape our taste.

We put the book aside, we put aside all the professional traditional processes of the French [so] you have this foundation to deviate after, Michaeli continues. I respect [the French way], but in the last term of my career, I started deviating.

So why not follow through with his original plans of opening up shop in Tel Aviv? There are plenty of bakeries with concepts similar to this in Israel and, during my stay here, I got to know the city, the American shopping and food habits, Michaeli says. I really feel there is plenty of space still for the Israeli flavor and touch.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

Oaxacan cuisine looks poised to make its mark with U.S. diners

Review: Chicagos Yugen is delightful, but sometimes overwrought

To combat food waste, these Brooklyn businesses teamed up to brew bagel beer

Toronto is home to a thriving Syrian food scene

Listen to our new audio briefing, Fortune 500 Daily

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NEW YORK, June 13 (LPC) - Market expectation that the US Federal Reserve will cut rates, possibly as early as this year, has sent investors fleeing the loan market.

A total of US$686.1m was pulled from loan funds the week ending June 12, according to Lipper, following the largest outflow this year in the previous week, which totaled US$1.472bn.

High yield bond funds saw a similar spike in outflows in the week ending June 5 with US$3.2bn withdrawn, the highest since December, Lipper data showed. The latest figures showed a US$1.7bn inflow to high yield funds.

Loan funds make up just 11% of the total leverage loan market, according to LPC, a historic low since mid-2016. Combined loan fund and ETF assets under management (AUM) dropped to US$137bn in May, a new low.

More than half the loan market demand stems from collateralized loan obligation (CLO) funds, which after a slow start this year have begun to pick up. Separate managed accounts made up 38% of demand, according to LPC Refinitiv data.

SECONDARY VALUE

With primary issuance still in the doldrums, loan investors are increasingly looking to the secondary loan market for value. The LPC Leveraged Loan 100 was at 97.87 on June 12, while the number of loan bids quoted above par remains at just 7%.

Retail and the oil and gas sector are the biggest drags on secondary pricing. Other sectors such as technology, auto, healthcare and plastics have not yet recovered to their levels at the pre-November rout.

Very few loans are trading above par and the market is very small, so there is a bit of a stalemate in the near term, which is resulting in increasing demand in the secondary market," said Andrew Carlino, managing director at Bain Capital Credit. Right now, everything in the secondary market feels reasonably balanced.

With still value to pick up in the secondary market, the change in appetite for loans has left some market participants reeling.

As a market weve got to better educate investors on the benefits of loans. There is more to the asset class than a rising rate hedge, said Frank Ossino, senior managing director at Newfleet Asset Management. In 2017, when we saw inflows, 66% of the market was trading at par or higher above par. Year to date that number has averaged around 9% but we still see retail redemptions. Retail investors are buying when were at par and not buying when there is more value in the market.

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Investment firms, however, are trying to stay nimble and have established pooled funds that combine exposures to both instruments when appetite shifts again.

Newfleet has established a fund to invest across both asset classes from a single pool of capital and KKR announced in January it would take an opportunistic approach to investing in sub-investment grade credit, allowing for managers to respond to current market dynamics.

Other hedge funds have marketed collateralized debt obligation vehicles to invest in both asset classes in recent years.

The spread differential between bonds and loans is reasonably low, said John McClain, a portfolio manager at Diamond Hill. There are pockets of value in the secondary loan market, some inter capital structures where you can move up into a securitized position and not give up much yield.

(Reporting by David Brooke. Editing by Michelle Sierra and Jon Methven)An Airbus A330neo is pictured on its final assembly line at Airbus headquarters in Colomiers, near Toulouse

(Reuters) - Airbus and Boeing are battling for wide-body aircraft orders worth well over $10 billion as the clock ticks towards next week's Paris Airshow, industry sources said.

The contests include a fight for business at Philippines budget airline Cebu Air as Airbus seeks a new foothold for its slow-selling A330neo airliner in the face of competition from Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

The budget carrier is leaning towards breaking its exclusive ties with Airbus by selecting the Boeing 787 for its requirement for up to 16 wide-body jets to be delivered in 2020 and 2021, but negotiations are set to go down to the wire, the sources said.

None of the parties agreed to comment on any confidential aircraft negotiations.

Airbus is urgently looking for at least two new buyers for the upgraded A330neo model, while wrestling with some glitches and delays in production for the 250-300-seat aircraft.

Cebu Air has eight older versions of the A330 wide-body and a fleet of smaller A320-family aircraft.

Airbus is close to signing a deal to sell A330neo jets to Virgin Atlantic, Reuters reported last week.

Asian carriers are looking to renew their long-haul fleets as passenger demand remains robust despite a decline in cargo traffic amid global trade tensions.

Boeing looks set to win an order for its upcoming 777X long-haul jet from Korean Air, industry sources said.

The South Korean flag carrier declined to comment.

Korean Air Chief Executive Walter Cho said last week a decision on the future of the carrier's wide-body fleet would be made "imminently", but declined further comment.

Airbus has meanwhile poached a senior air finance executive from a unit of General Electric (GE) to oversee the reorganisation of its sales financing operations in the latest evidence of a shake-up under new management, people familiar with the matter said.

Paul Meijers, until recently president of PK Air Finance, a debt financing unit of GE's aviation leasing arm GECAS, will be responsible for an enlarged operation combining the key areas of asset management and leasing market operations.

Airbus declined to comment. Meijers, who had previously worked for the European planemaker, could not be reached for comment.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Neil Jerome Morales, Heekyong Yang; Editing by Mark Potter)MEXICO CITY, June 14 (Reuters) - Mexican protesters agreed to lift a blockade at Newmont Goldcorp's Penasquito mine on Friday, according to a government document seen by Reuters, ending a standoff that led to the mine stopping production for more than a month.

An official at the Interior Ministry, which issued the document signed by protesters and company representatives, confirmed its authenticity. (Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by David Alire Garcia)Although major strides have been made for LGBTQ rights over the past decade, there is still major room to grow. According to a survey conducted by Verizon Media last month, just over one-third of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) employees at various companies are open about their sexual orientation at work.

The survey indicated that male LGBTQ employees were much less likely to be out at work than female LGBTQ employees. Additionally, the survey found that non-LGBTQ employees are more likely than their counterparts to feel like they can be themselves at work.

The LGBTQ community has come a long way. (Photo: Josh ReynoldsAP Images for Philips)

Some of the main reasons for this had to do with the fact that the individuals found it to be a private matter or did not want to be judged in the workplace.

I dont like to be judged, it would consume me, so I just keep quiet, but that makes me feel more isolated from everyone else as well, one respondent said in the survey. Being gay sucks!

Discrimination is prevalent, another respondent said, while another stated, Im a teacher and teachers cant be gay.

According to the survey, 44% of LGBTQ employees have said theyve experienced discrimination at work. My new manager was homophobic and wrote me up until I stepped down, one survey respondent said.

A total of 664 employees in the U.S. completed the survey, reporting that they work in various industries including health services, retail, education, finance, manufacturing, and technology; 115 of survey respondents identified as LGBTQ.

LGBTQ workers too often face a climate of bias...

In the U.S., 21 states, along with D.C., have labor laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Meanwhile, Wisconsins labor laws prohibit discrimination based solely on sexual orientation. Seven states bar discrimination against public employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and four states protect public employees based on just sexual orientation. There are 17 states, including Florida, Texas, and Alabama, that have no workplace protections in place for LGBTQ employees.

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Even though a majority of states in the U.S. have some kind of LGBTQ labor protection laws in place, that doesnt necessarily mean all of the LGBTQ employees feel comfortable being open in the workplace.

A majority of states have some kind of LGBTQ labor protection laws in place. (Graphic: David Foster/Yahoo Finance)

In a statement to Yahoo Finance, Beck Bailey, acting director of the HRC Foundations Workplace Equality Program, said: While LGBTQ-inclusive corporate policies are becoming the norm across Americas largest and most successful companies, LGBTQ workers too often face a climate of bias in their workplace  especially in the absence of federal non-discrimination protections.

LGBTQ employees are still avoiding making personal and professional connections at work because they fear coming out will negatively impact their relationships with coworkers. This hurts not only LGBTQ employees, but the company as a whole through lost engagement and productivity as well as unnecessary turnover. Even the best private sector employees with top-rate policies and practices must do more to bring those policies to life across their operations and nurture a climate of inclusion for all.

Does the federal law protect LGBTQ workers?

While there is no federal law explicitly protecting workers on the basis of sexual orientation, some courts have found that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does in fact protect LGBTQ workers from discrimination.

That law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin; LGBTQ advocates say that the laws already in place should protect gay people under the existing "sex" provision.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit came to the same conclusion in an August 2017 ruling: "We now conclude that sexual orientation discrimination is motivated, at least in part, by sex and is thus a subset of sex discrimination.

Title VII, when it was passed, the momentum and the thrust behind it was to help people of color, particularly African Americans, and women, but thats not the way they wrote it. What they said was you cant be discriminated against because of your race, your sex, your national origin, or your religion, said Lambda Legals Senior Counsel and Director of the Employment Fairness Project Greg Nevins.

He continued: Because they did it that way, white people  white men  can have a claim under Title VII. And similarly ... if someone were discriminated against because theyre heterosexual or cisgender, they would have a claim the same way were arguing. It doesnt usually work that way, in reality, but if that happens to be the case, its an even-handed treatment.

Not all courts have agreed, though, and as a result, the Supreme Court announced in April 2019 it will decide whether or not the law applies to sexual orientation.

Adriana is an associate editor for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @adrianambells.

READ MORE:

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday again said he was in no rush to reach a deal with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programs, days after saying he had received a letter from Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump, asked about North Korea's sanctions violations in an interview with Fox News, said "everybody tries to break sanctions," adding that the sanctions are hurting North Korea and that the United States is continuing to impose them. (Reporting by Makini Brice and Susan Heavey Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)Machines use Google-type algorithms on biopsy images to help children get treatment faster.

Charlottesville, Va., June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

A study published in the open access journal JAMA Open Network today by scientists at the University of Virginia schools of Engineering and Medicine says machine learning algorithms applied to biopsy images can shorten the time for diagnosing and treating a gut disease that often causes permanent physical and cognitive damage in children from impoverished areas.



In places where sanitation, potable water and food are scarce, there are high rates of children suffering from environmental enteric dysfunction, a disease that limits the guts ability to absorb essential nutrients and can lead to stunted growth, impaired brain development and even death.



The disease affects 20 percent of children under the age of 5 in low- and middle-income countries, such as Bangladesh, Zambia and Pakistan, but it also affects some children in rural Virginia.



For Dr. Sana Syed, an assistant professor of pediatrics in the UVA School of Medicine, this project is an example of why she got into medicine. Youre talking about a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of children, and that is entirely preventable, she said.



Syed is working with Donald Brown, founding director of the UVA Data Science Institute and W.S. Calcott Professor in the Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, to incorporate machine learning into the diagnostic process for health officials combating this disease. Syed and Brown are using a deep learning approach called convolutional neural networks to train computers to read thousands of images of biopsies. Pathologists can then learn from the algorithms how to more effectively screen patients based on where the neural network is looking for differences and where it is focusing its analysis to get results.



These are the same types of algorithms Google is using in facial recognition, but were using them to aid in the diagnosis of disease through biopsy images, said Brown.



The machine learning algorithm can provide insights that have evaded human eyes, validate pathologists diagnoses and shorten the time between imaging and diagnosis, and from a technical engineering perspective, might be able to offer a look into data sciences black boxes by giving clues into the thinking mechanism of the machine.



But for Syed, it is still about saving lives.



There is so much poverty and such an unfair set of consequences, she said. If we can use these cutting-edge technologies and ways of looking at data through data science, we can get answers faster and help these children sooner.



Syeds and Browns research is funded by grants from the UVA Center for Engineering in Medicine and the integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV).

Story continues



###





About the Center for Engineering in Medicine: The center identifies, develops and translates ideas at the engineering-medicine interface to improve prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease. UVA engineers and clinicians are forming innovative new research partnerships while building a comprehensive, sustainable ecosystem for advancing the future of medical care. Currently, more than 200 engineers and clinicians from 31 departments and divisions across UVA are engaged in engineering-medicine projects supported by the center. Learn more at engineering.virginia.edu/eim.

About the integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV): iTHRIV is a collaboration of public and private institutions across the Commonwealth of Virginia that promotes shared resources and best practices, team science, community engagement and innovation. iTHRIV integrates data science approaches through all aspects of clinical translational research to speed discovery and improve the health of our communities. iTHRIV is committed to train and equip the next generation of clinical and translational researchers. Health care solutions are hidden in underutilized data. The iTHRIV overall goal is to support clinical translational research for the benefit of diverse rural and urban populations by expanding iTHRIV infrastructure and improving processes. Learn more at www.ithriv.org/.

About UVA Engineering: As part of the top-ranked, comprehensive University of Virginia, UVA Engineering is one of the nations oldest and most respected engineering schools. Our mission is to make the world a better place by creating and disseminating knowledge and by preparing future engineering leaders. Outstanding students and faculty from around the world choose UVA Engineering because of our growing and internationally recognized education and research programs. UVA is the No. 1 public engineering school in the country for the percentage of women graduates, among schools with at least 75 degree earners; the No. 1 public engineering school in the United States for the four-year graduation rate of undergraduates students; and the top engineering school in the country for the rate of Ph.D. enrollment growth. Learn more at engineering.virginia.edu.

Elizabeth Thiel Mather

University of Virginia School of Engineering

434-924-1381

emather@virginia.edu



Wende Hope

University of Virginia School of Engineering

434-806-9326

wende@virginia.edu

Before you head to Europe, Asia or the Caribbean this summer for your holiday, figuring out where to get the best exchange rate for money will save you the headache of finding a favorable rate as you adjust to the jet lag.

Consider trading your U.S. dollars for euros, pesos or yen before you start your vacation so you can find the lowest fees and the best conversion rate. If you're traveling to several different countries with different currencies, planning ahead will save you even more money and time.

The most convenient spots to exchange money, such as airports, train stations, hotels and tourist spots, are usually the most expensive locations. Waiting in a long line to get some cash can put a damper on your travel plans.

Here are the best places to exchange your money into the local currency before and after your vacation.

[Read: Best Checking Accounts.]

Best Place to Exchange Currency Before and After Traveling

All the fees and extra charges can add up quickly, especially for longer trips. Avoid paying transaction costs by heading to your bank or credit union to have some cash on hand for coffee, snacks and tips.

Banks and credit unions will exchange currency for you before and after your trip if you have a checking or savings account with them. This can be helpful in case you don't spend all of the local currency and the amount is substantial. Other financial institutions will provide the service if you have a credit card from the bank. The exchange rate at your local bank is usually better than using a currency exchange provider at the airport.

Many banks such as Bank of America and Citibank might not charge a fee and offer options such as mailing you the currency or conducting the transaction online. For larger amounts such as $1,000, many banks will require you to pick up the currency in person at the branch.

Ordering currency online is another option. Bank of America charges a $7.50 fee for foreign currency orders less than $1,000, but will waive it for amounts more than $1,000.

Story continues

You can check out the exchange rates online and see which bank or credit union is offering the best conversion rate.

How to Exchange Currency

Start by checking with your bank online to see if it will exchange the currency you need. You can even order the money online and have it mailed to you if you are not able to go to a branch during regular business hours.

If you're going to a country that has restrictions on its currency for political or economic issues, your bank may not be able to access the currency. Currency from many African and Eastern European countries can only be exchanged at those countries' banks and ATMs.

One quirk is that some banks will not accept foreign coins, so consider that before you head to the airport at the end of your trip.

Here is a checklist:

-- Contact a bank or credit union to make sure it has the currency or will accept foreign currency and what the fees are.

-- Find current exchange rates through your bank, credit union or websites such as https://www.xe.com/.

-- Check the bank's exchange rate to make sure it's fair.

-- Arrange for pickup or delivery.

[Read: Best Savings Accounts.]

Where Else Can You Exchange?

Once you've reached your destination, you can also obtain more cash to pay for meals and shopping at mom and pop locales.

Using your bank's ATM or an ATM in its network and exchange providers like Travelex are two common options.

Your best bet is to get cash from an ATM, because many banks will reimburse you for the fees as long as you use one from their network. Look for an ATM that is located within a building or in popular tourist areas that likely do not have skimmers so you don't have to worry about having your personal information stolen.

Banks typically charge either a flat fee or a percentage such as 1% to 3% of the amount you take out. Determine your bank or credit union's policy on reimbursing ATM fees.

Download your bank's app ahead of time to find out where the closest ATM is. Consider taking out a larger amount if your bank charges a higher fee. If you cannot find an ATM that is in your bank's network, plan on also paying extra fees to use it.

Places to Avoid Exchanging Currency

The worst places to exchange currency are at airport kiosks, hotels and tourist centers, because the conversion rates are usually not in your favor.

"Not only will you be hit with extra service fees when going with these methods, but the exchange spread, which is the rate the business will give you when you are selling your U.S. dollars to them minus the rate they will give you when you are buying U.S. dollars from them is very high," says Derek Horstmeyer, an assistant finance professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. "This means every time you go to a bank or a foreign exchange kiosk, you will lose 1% to 2% in a nonfavorable exchange rate when changing your money. This goes for redeeming traveler's checks as well and other comparable cash items."

[Read: Best CD Rates.]

Alternatives to Exchanging Currency

Instead of exchanging currency, consider using U.S. dollars, or prepaid cards, credit cards or debit cards since even the smallest businesses, such as food trucks, often take payments electronically. Many countries will accept the U.S. dollar.

Many credit or debit cards offer a 0% foreign transaction fee, which you can use for dining out or buying museum, theater or sporting event tickets, Horstmeyer says. "A number of retail credit cards and most business credit cards now state right up front that they are 0% foreign transaction fees, which is a phenomenal feature to have on a credit card," he says.

Some banks offer travel credit cards for frequent travelers or people living abroad. Ashleigh Scanlan, an American who moved to Australia several years ago, says her card allows her to put the money in U.S. currency and switch it to whatever countries she travels to. "Currently, I have about five different currencies on the one charge," she says. "I just switch it when I enter into another country."

Check with your bank to see what the limit is for withdrawing money daily or weekly so you don't reach the maximum if you're making larger purchases.

Paying for your purchases with mobile payment providers such as Google Pay, Android Pay or Apple Pay are also options that can help prevent fraud while you are traveling.





More From US News & World Report

The Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Nebraska Integrated Seeds newly opened facility in Fremont on Friday.

The new 100,000-square-foot, climate-controlled warehouse located at 4100 N. Broad Street marks the longtime area companys effort to expand its seed sales and storage capacity.

For many years, the company was run under the name Fontanelle Hybrids, but underwent a name change to Nebraska Irrigated Seeds several years ago.

Fontanelle started in 1935 and, throughout the decades, flourished in the Midwestern Corn Belt through providing seeds most suited for the region. While this growth took place, the company attained additional businesses that held the same principles and core values, such as the SAR Seed Company, Heritage Hybrids, Superior Hybrids, Kaups Seeds, and Miller Seed Company.

The companys new Fremont-based facility was built as part of an effort to increase the longevity of its finished seed product.

The new facility includes two climate-controlled areas where seeds are stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and at 50 percent humidity. It also includes several offices and seven loading docks.

The reason we have to climate control it is we have these biological chemicals we add to the seed  where cold is not a problem, but if it gets warm, the shelf life is only a year, Nebraska Irrigated Seeds President Dave Monke said. If you can keep it at 50 degree temperature and 50 percent humidity, it will last three years.

According to Nebraska Irrigated Seeds Director Adam Monke, the introduction of the new biological treatment for seeds will be in full deployment in the next few years, which led to the need for the new climate-controlled warehouse facility.

That will really take on the market, and it will probably be in full deployment with all seeds being treated with that in about three years, Monke said. It is minimal levels next year, then the second year will be about 50-75 percent, and then in that third year about 100 percent of all seeds produced in the U.S. will have this particular treatment on it. That demands the 50 degrees and 50 percent humidity.

The company is currently in the process of moving into the new massive facility, which when fully stocked can hold up to 400,000 bags of seed.

Monke estimates that much seed would be enough to plant nearly 1.2 million acres of corn.

The new facility is the companys third located in Fremont as its bean processing plant is located at 919 W. 23rd St., and its corn processing plant at 2005 N. Somers Ave. The companys corporate headquarters is still located in Fontanelle.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dave Monke provided tours of the new facility and explained some of the things the company does including implementing the latest technology in growing, detasseling, harvesting, conditioning, treating, packaging, warehousing and shipping seed.

Since transitioning from Fontanelle Hybrids to Nebraska Irrigated Seeds, the company has increased production 250% since 2005.

The new facility and company expansion also represents the addition of several jobs within the community.

As any company in Fremont continues to spend capital and grow their business, obviously theres going to be demand for new jobs, he said. Theres demand for different types of jobs, and different levels of jobs. We just want to continue to grow the agricultural business. Its an exciting thing for local growers and producers in the area to see that the agriculture-based businesses are doing well and thriving in the community.

Following the ribbon cutting, Adam Monke thanked the Chamber, City of Fremont and the community as a whole.

We just want to thank the Fremont community, he said. Throughout this whole process, its been a quite an education for us in understanding that it does take a community to build a facility like this.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0A big smile spreads across Paul Krauses face when he thinks about U.S. Highway 30 reopening west of Arlington.

Im pretty happy, said Krause, village chairman for the community of 1,280.

Earlier this week, officials with the Nebraska Department of Transportation announced plans to reopen the highway that links the village to Fremont after mid-March flooding washed away a large section of the asphalt road.

The highway was scheduled to be reopened by today.

On Thursday, Krause was clearly pleased by the news  and he wasnt the only one.

I think theres going to be a lot of people doing a celebration drive on Highway 30 on Saturday, he said.

The roadway closure caused more than a few challenges for people in Arlington and other communities.

Whereas a trip from Fremont to Arlington typically takes about 10 minutes, it took at least 30 minutes as motorists traveled up U.S. 275 to Nebraska Highway 36 to Highway 31 and then back to Highway 30, entering Arlington from the east.

The trip could be shortened slightly if motorists used whats known as the old Marshall Nursery road, but even that trek was longer than before, especially with the traffic.

Most Arlington residents have been affected by having to drive farther to get supplies.

A lot of our businesses work with places in Fremont, Krause added. Instead of a quick trip, its a 30-minute-around trip.

Laurie Thompson, manager of the Quik Pik in Arlington, can relate.

Thats like two hours of my life I get back that Im not driving, she said of the prospective roadway opening.

Thompson goes to Fremont to get supplies like sandwiches from a restaurant and doughnuts from a bakery, both of which stopped delivering to Arlington after the road was washed out. She goes to a bank in Fremont as well.

Krause believes convenience stores probably saw less business from travelers coming through, but sold more grocery items  and even gas  to Arlington residents who didnt want to make the half-hour trip to Fremont.

Thompsons comments lined up with Krauses thoughts.

Arlington residents, who live west of the where the road washed out, and truckers havent been coming to the convenience store and gas station, she said.

But Arlington residents east of where the roadway washed out have come to the business for needed items.

Not a lot of people will drive the extra miles to go to Fremont for bread, milk  the necessities, Thompson noted.

Local residents also have bought more gas here  balancing out what hasnt been purchased by people coming through town.

That said, Thompson has been eager to see the road reopen.

I just cant wait, Thompson said. Its been quite an experience.

As for other businesses, Krause said he has been concerned about Erikas Village Spoon, the towns sole restaurant.

Erika Delasancha began running her restaurant in January.

Shes in the early stages of her business and I worry that lack of traffic probably hasnt helped her business, Krause said. I hope shell do better when the road reopens.

Businesses havent been the only places affected by the roadway washout.

Schools also were affected, too.

We have kids who option into our schools from Fremont, he said.

Before the section of highway was washed out, the school would send a bus to the Menards parking lot in Fremont.

After the road closed, a few more people were on that side of the river, so they added another bus  and instead of a quick trip to Fremont, they were going all the way around to Highway 36  which Im sure affected their budget, Krause said. There was a lot more time and gas involved and strain on drivers.

Normally, the trip to Fremont and back would be about 20 minutes  but that stretched into an hour at least.

Thats stressful for the bus drivers, who are part-time help, and have other things to do. I know that was stressful for a lot of them, he said.

Krause noted that the longer drive had residents trying to plan their trips, finding the closest place to get what they needed, and that motorists had added expense with the longer drives.

He also heard of more people going to Blair to get groceries or to go out for supper.

Besides shorter trips, Arlington residents should see other benefits with the highway reopening.

I think therell be more traffic going through town  probably fewer semi-trailers turning around on the highway, he said. Youd be surprised how many semis are being led here by their GPS and having to turn around and go back because they didnt know the highway was closed.

Krause doesnt know if this has posed a danger, but a light pole was knocked over.

There have been tire tracks in yards.

I cant, for sure, attribute those to somebody being lost, but it seems like there may be a connection, he said.

Hopefully, Fremonters will be able to make a trip to Arlington soon. The road will be open for events in town, including the Washington County Fair at the end of July.

And for people like Krause and Thompson the open road will mean a shorter trip to Fremont.

You dont realize how important it really is, Thompson said.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Altrusa

Fremont Altrusa met at 6 p.m. June 4 at Bellas.

Jolene Schauer and Darlene Kroeger served as hostesses. President, Sue Maly, gave Grace before the meal. After the meal a short business meeting was held.

Secretary, Rhoda Holstine, presented the minutes with corrections. Minutes were approved and filed.

Treasurer, Marion Brown, discussed her report which was approved and filed.

Birthday cakes were furnished to the Jefferson House by Schauer and Maly. Marilyn Clark reported on Habitat Breakfast Breaks upcoming in June. Director, Lou Stover, furnished the Altrusa birthday cake for this year.

The Altrusa International Convention will be held July 17-20 in Reno, Nevada.

Past Governor, Schauer, contacted the International Disaster Foundation of Altrusa asking for a grant to help with flooding in District Seven states (North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, upper Michigan). A $10,000 grant was approved to be distributed by the Red Cross to each state affected in District Seven Altrusa.

Schauer installed officers for the coming year. The theme of Colors was presented. Each person brings a variety of colors in personalities and talents as we all work together.

The following officers were installed: directors, Bev Merritt and Stover; past president, Maly; treasurer, Brown; secretary, Holstine; vice president, Jane Peterson; president, Karen Rathje. Kim Spicka was initiated as a new member, sponsored by Maly. Spicka was presented an Altrusa pin and membership kit.

With no further business the meeting was adjourned with the Altrusa Benediction. The next meeting will be held in August.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Doane University

Doane University recognized graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, and the College of Education at its commencement ceremony on May 11.

The following area students were awarded degrees:

Arlington: Kelli Nicole Albracht, Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Summa Cum Laude Honors Program; Catherine M. Theiler, Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Fremont: Lukas Michael Anderson, Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies in Business, Summa Cum Laude; Yahaira Natali Salinas, Bachelor of Science in Physical Education; Sophie Lee Tonjes, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

North Bend: Cassidy Grace Chapman, Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education & Special Education; Joshua Dykman, Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies in Business; Kortlyn Nicole Tawney, Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Prague: Trisha Lynn Aguilera, Master of Education in Educational Leadership.

Scribner: Jerica Nicole Baumert, Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.

Wahoo: Jordan Elaine Barry, Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction; Elizabeth Christine Tyler, Bachelor of Arts in Spanish; Sarah Jane Virchow, Master of Arts in Counseling.

Weston: Cassandra Delgado, Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies in Business Administration.

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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.A heated debate takes place every year around Christmas time. Its not about which relatives house you should visit for the holidays, its a topic with greater importance. Its a question everyone wants to know the answer to but cant seem to agree on. Is the 1988 film Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis, a Christmas movie?

You voted:Manitou Springs search for a new administrator to oversee day-to-day operations has dragged on for nearly a year and a half, raising tensions in the small Ute Pass community.

In declining to accept the job of city administrator, City Councilman Bob Todd on Tuesday accused the office of the mayor of fomenting unnecessary discord and confusion within our city and beyond.

Mayor Ken Jaray, Councilwoman Nancy Fortuin and some Manitou residents have objected to Todds appointment, saying it would be a conflict of interest because he took part in discussions about qualifications for the position and interviews with prospective candidates.

Jaray said he also has grave concern about how the council voted to move forward with contract negotiations with Todd  a process that might have violated open meeting laws.

The disagreement has caused hard feeling on the council and left residents wondering whos holding the reins at City Hall.

The bigger question is, Whos providing some oversight? asked Aimee Cox, a former Manitou Springs council member who has also served as the Colorado Springs City Councils administrator.

And is that part of the problem, that we dont have a full-time city administrator, and theres nobody there to give them guidance and advice?

Manitous council plans to discuss its options for picking a city administrator at its Tuesday meeting. The council, which has been working with a consulting firm on the search, still has resumes for more than a dozen candidates, Jaray said.

Council members have floated a few alternatives to continuing the search. Suggestions include having city department heads report to the council and waiting to fill the position until after the fall election, in which the mayor and several council seats are up for grabs, according to Manitou Springs weekly newspaper, the Pikes Peak Bulletin.

I just dont think we have a good ... understanding whats needed to run the city and who should be doing that, Jaray said.

The clock is ticking, however: interim City Administrator Leah Ashs last day is June 27.

The council has been searching for a new administrator since parting ways with its former municipal manager in January 2018. Ash, whos contract has been extended several times, was appointed as a fill-in after the first interim administrator left after about a year after taking a new job in another city.

Other municipalities in the Pikes Peak region have had trouble finding administrators, Jaray noted.

Town trustees in Monument spent months looking for a replacement after cutting ties with their former town manager in summer 2018. Green Mountain Falls, too, has struggled to fill that position.

Theres not a huge pool of candidates for this job, Jaray said.

Manitous City Council has made offers to several candidates, several of whom have declined. In one attempt, council members couldnt agree on a final pick.

Its not any one thing  anybodys fault, council member Jay Rohrer said. Nobody on council is blaming anyone else on council for how long its taking  its just how long its taken.

Todd has disputed the charge that accepting the position would be a conflict of interest.

The councilman, whose term expires in 2022, said he initially applied for the position in late May 2018, saying he would recuse himself from council discussions related to the job if he made a short list of candidates.

Todd said he chose not to participate in a work session in March, when council members met to discuss the recruiting process and qualifications. He applied again for the position in April, but later withdrew in deference to Manitou Springs School District 14 Superintendent Ed Longfield, who also interviewed for the job. But Longfield, too, withdrew from consideration.

The mayors concerns about open meeting law violations stemmed from a May 21 meeting, when Rohrer moved to add an item to the agenda to reconsider Todd for the position. Later in the meeting, the council voted 4-2, with Jaray and Fortuin opposed, to direct city staff to negotiate a contract with Todd.

The city requires that meeting agendas be publicly posted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. The states open meetings law has a similar requirement, as well as a provision that requires local bodies to make public the names of finalists for positions such as city administrator at least 14 days before appointing someone.

The council appears to have violated the 14-day posting requirement, said Jeff Roberts, executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, an organization that advocates for government transparency.

If Todd hadnt been publicly named as a finalist two weeks prior to the May 21 meeting, I dont see how the council could have voted to extend him an employment contract on that date, Roberts said in an email.

But Councilman Rohrer said the council remedied potential open meeting law violations when  on the advice of the city attorney  it passed a resolution on May 28 to retroactively list Todd as a finalist and ratify offering Todd a contract.

Questions over whether Todds nomination was appropriate, however, persisted.

In an attempt to respect everyones position, the process ended up getting very, very muddy, Fortuin said. My sense is that we have been a very functional council, except for the issue of the city administrator. And I dont know why that is.

The mayors complaints, posted on Facebook, have contributed to what Todd calls a downward spiral thats gotten very personal and very vicious.

Why are we playing Washington politics, I have no idea. I have no idea whats motivating the office of the mayor to do that, Todd said in an interview.

But former Manitou Springs Mayor Marcy Morrison said squabbles on the council are far from unprecedented.

I have lived in Manitou Springs 50 years, and we have shock waves from time to time, as most communities do. I dont know that its dysfunctional, said Morrison, who has also served as a state legislator and El Paso County commissioner.

She added that disagreements can become heated when local elected officials, who arent career politicians, are debating issues theyre passionate about.

They may be different in personalities and even in points of view, but you have to look at the big picture, Morrison said. This little city has to flourish, and it can only flourish with a community board that is doing their business as responsibly as they can.You have permission to edit this article.

Edit CloseThis is a shot of the Hellas Planitia region of Mars captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter featuring three undeniable Starfleet insignias around 500 meters long. Now according to the researchers at the University Of Arizona operating the Orbiter's camera, these shapes are the result of the interactions between "dunes, lava and wind," although I suspect that statement is actually the result of them lying straight to our faces. I mean the original U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 was built in the San Francisco Yards orbiting Earth, why's it so hard to believe it traveled back and time and visited Mars? Tell me I'm wrong. "You're wrong." Fine, then it's viral marketing for that new Star Trek: Picard series.

Keep going for the original shot.

Thanks again to Joann P, who agrees aliens are among us, and they're octopuses.Nearly 200 people will lose their jobs when Belmonds largest employer closes in 2020.

Members of Eaton Corp.s management team notified 184 employees Thursday that the engine-valve manufacturing facility will close by the end of 2020.

This difficult decision in no way reflects on the hard work of the people in this facility, and we are acutely aware of the impact this type of announcement has on our valued employees and their families, the company said in a statement. We are committed to acting with care and concern for the Belmond employees and are offering services and support to help them during this transition.

Eaton Corp. is closing its Belmond facility because it was unable to compete for new and replacement heavy-duty engine-valve production, the company said in a press release.

Brock Teslik has worked at Eaton for two years in the fluid care section. He said he wasn't surprised because business had been going downhill for the past two years, but he didn't think it would close for another couple of years.

"I'm still pretty shook," he said.

He has two brothers who also work at the facility.

Belmond Mayor Frank Beminio says the plant's shuttering is a real loss for the city because a large number of its residents are employed there, but the effects of the closure will also extend beyond the city's borders.

When employees will be laid off will depend on their job responsibility; however, no roles are planned to be eliminated this year, according to the press release.

A 60-day WARN notice will be given to employees before their positions are eliminated as required by state and federal laws.

Eaton said it will provide eligible employees with severance benefits, including increased production incentives and outplacement services, during the transition. All employees are eligible and encouraged to apply for jobs at other Eaton locations.

The company has seven locations relatively close to Belmond, the other Iowa facility is in Shenandoah. Nebraska and Minnesota each have three locations.

Eaton, an international manufacturer headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, opened its Belmond facility in 1981 as part of its vehicle components division, which manufactures vehicle products including emission-control components, engine valves, transmissions, clutches and torque-management products and systems.

Eaton employed nearly 900 people in Belmond during the summer of 1984 following the closure of its Battle Creek, Michigan, plant and the transfer or its employees. The employee roster leveled off at about 700 people once the summer concluded.

Today, Eaton employs about 160 plant workers and about 20 office staff, said Camie Melton Hanily, a company spokeswoman. The company employs about 99,000 people in electrical, hydraulics, aerospace, vehicle and eMobility divisions worldwide, according to its website.

Work being done at the Belmond facility, 700 Luicks Lane S., will be transferred to other Eaton plants, the company press release states.

We will work closely with our customers so there is no impact on their business operations, the release said.

Eaton said it will increase its charitable contributions to local organizations in Belmond chosen by its employees over the next two years, and it will work with the local economic development officials to determine future use for the facility.

Mayor Beminio said city officials have a meeting scheduled with Eaton for Friday morning in the hopes of getting the company to change its mind.

My North Iowa Town: How Belmond works, lives and plays

Reach Reporter Ashley Stewart at 641-421-0533. Follow her on Twitter at GGastewart.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Democrats take aim at big agribusiness



Tech companies are not the only ones under fire as competition concerns rise



Rana Foroohar







The two major beneficiaries of the global status quo since the 1980s have been big companies, and big countries. US president Donald Trump is (and will continue to be) spending much of his airtime ahead of the 2020 election going after the biggest of them all: China.



However, Democrats are focusing their economic policy attention at home on the issue of corporate monopolies. And in the last couple of weeks, they have come up with a new focus for their complaints about antitrust issues that could help them gain ground in Republican and swing states  agribusiness.



At a recent heartland forum in Iowa, five Democratic presidential hopefuls laid out policies to break up Big Ag and help small, family farmers. Elizabeth Warren said she would challenge mergers of big agricultural companies, such as German chemicals group Bayers 2016 purchase of US seeds group Monsanto. Meanwhile, Amy Klobuchar, the ranking member of the Senate antitrust subcommittee, complained that two seed companies dominate that market, and four railroads  the same number as on the Monopoly board do most food shipping.



Other contenders, including Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders, have introduced measures to level the playing field in farming. Even the centrist think-tank, Center for American Progress, has come out with a report on concentration in agribusiness, pointing out that four transnational companies control the bulk of Americas food supply. That turns Midwestern pig farmers into unlikely mascots for the diminishing power of labour relative to capital, and links their fortunes to those of groups being targeted by the Democrats, such as gig economy workers. Their message is that while Mr Trump may claim China is the problem, America has bigger issues at home.



The markets for corn seed and meat processing are not quite as concentrated as those for mobile phones or search engines, according to data compiled by the Open Markets Institute. But farms are far more emotionally resonant than technology. The beleaguered American farmer has been a powerful political icon for decades  think of Dorothea Langes photographs of Dust Bowl migrants, or the 1985 Farm Aid concert featuring artists including Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and my fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp, whose hit song Rain on the Scarecrow was inspired by the worst rural economic conditions since the Depression: The crops we grew last summer werent enough to pay the loans; couldnt buy the seed to plant this spring, and the Farmers Bank foreclosed.



Current conditions are not that bad, but they are not good. In April, a sentiment index based on a survey of 400 agricultural producers across the US, recorded the fourth largest one-month drop since data collection began in October 2015. Worries about trade had increased, the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, found. Only 28 per cent of respondents felt that the growing dispute between the US and China over soyabeans (and other trade issues) would be resolved by July, down from 45 per cent the previous month. Nearly half wanted the US to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the free trade pact that Mr Trump pulled out of shortly after his election.



This presents an opportunity for Democrats to pick up votes in crucial Midwestern swing states. Farming represents only 1.3 per cent of US employment. But nearly one in five rural counties depend on agriculture as a primary income source. In Iowa, the site of the caucuses that are an early test of US presidential candidates, 30 per cent of the economy is linked to agriculture.



What is more, concentration of power in agribusiness has been a bigger and certainly a longer-term problem for American farmers than China. As a few companies gained control of key areas of the food supply chain, spending on research and development fell, input costs rose, and margins for individual farms went down. The CAP report also documents small farmers being forced into opaque contracts and held up by ridiculous rules, such as those forbidding them to repair their machinery without permission from John Deere or other large manufacturers. (That is something Ms Warren wants to overturn.) Those who try to organise unions have faced retaliation.



It all fits into the larger Democratic effort to reset the economic discussion. They are promising to shift from a trickle down, market-knows-best, technocratic approach that limits the use of public policy solutions to one that acknowledges that where outsized power exists, it needs to be curbed with appropriate regulation.



Do not underestimate heartland support for Mr Trump. His approval ratings in Iowa are at the same level as before the trade war. And I have spoken to any number of people willing to take economic pain in order to reset what they see as a false free trade paradigm, in which China gets more than it gives.



But I think Democrats are wise to plant their policy seeds in Iowa. The president has done very little to help the Midwest in real terms over the past two years. Quite the opposite: Deutsche Bank calculates that eight of the 10 states most affected by Mr Trumps tariffs voted for him in the last election.Tension in the Strait of Hormuz



Who is blowing up ships in the Gulf?



A mysterious and violent game may yet lead to war









SHINZO ABE hoped this was a moment for diplomacy. His visit to Tehran this week, the first by a Japanese prime minister since the Islamic revolution in 1979, was meant to reduce tensions between America and Iran. After a meeting with Irans president, Hassan Rouhani, Mr Abe warned that the region could accidentally slip into conflict. And then, a few miles off Irans southern coast, came an illustration of how that might happen.



On June 13th two tankers in the Gulf of Oman sent distress calls after they had been damaged by large explosions. The Front Altair, flagged in the Marshall Islands and owned by Frontline, a Norwegian shipping company, was hauling a cargo of naphtha, an oil derivative, from Abu Dhabi; the Kokuka Courageous, registered in Panama and operated by the Japanese company Kokuka Sangyo, was laden with methanol. Both were bound for Asian ports. Photos from Iranian news agencies showed a fire burning on the starboard side of the Front Altair. The plume of black smoke overhead was thick enough to appear in satellite images. One-fifth of the worlds supply travels through the Strait of Hormuz, an important chokepoint for international shipping.



This is the second time in just over a month that tankers have been damaged in the Gulf. On May 12th four ships anchored off Fujairah, a port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had holes blown in their hulls. A preliminary investigation suggests that they were damaged by limpet mines. The latest explosions caused far more damage, forcing crews to evacuate both ships as they were underway. It will take weeks to probe what happened, amid reports of torpedoes being used. But the explosions do not seem accidental. The president of Kokuka Sangyo said the Kokuka Courageous vessel was attacked twice in a three-hour period.





Nor is it likely that two sets of explosions, weeks apart and in the same area, were mere coincidence. Though a UAE-led investigative team did not assign blame for last months sabotage, it said an unnamed state actor carried it out. America has blamed Iran for both sets of attacks. Iran, which is a regional rival of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, both American allies, has denied responsibility and hints that the latest explosions were orchestrated by its rivals. Suspicious doesnt begin to describe what likely transpired, tweeted Irans foreign minister, Muhammad Javad Zarif, on June 13th.



Iran has in the past threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if it were ever attacked. Some will see the strikes against ships in the area as a veiled warning of its readiness to make good on its threat. Messrs Zarif and Rouhani probably understand that attacking regional shipping would be to play with fire. But they do not call all of the shots in Iran. They are stuck in an internal battle with Irans ruling mullahs, who are more distrustful of the West, and their Revolutionary Guards, who back local forces in Syria and Yemen that have fought against Emirati- and Saudi-backed forces. Iran has a history of irregular warfare that allows it to maintain a measure of plausible deniability. In the 1980s it fought the so-called tanker war with Iraq. The conflict ravaged international shipping.



Tensions in the region have been rising since last spring, when Donald Trump withdrew from the deal, signed in 2015, that loosened sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme. Mr Trump reimposed sanctions and added new ones, in effect cutting Iran off from the global economy. After a year of abiding by the agreement, a bid to win European sympathy, Iran last month said it would begin enriching uranium in excess of the prescribed limits. Mr Rouhani warned that he would abrogate other provisions unless other signatoriesBritain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Unionhelped his country bypass American sanctions, which is unlikely to happen. Critics of Mr Trumps approach have long warned that economic distress would lead Iran to lash out.



For the Arab states across the Gulf, these latest explosions fit into a troubling pattern. In May, two days after the Fujairah incident, two blasts in the centre of Saudi Arabia, 700km north of the Yemeni border, damaged an oil pipeline that carries crude across the kingdom. On June 12th a rocket hit the international airport in Abha, a Saudi city 200km from the Yemeni border, injuring 26 people. Both attacks were carried out by the Houthis, a Shia militia that controls large parts of Yemen and is fighting a Saudi-led coalition there. A United Nations panel of experts has said that Iran supplied weapons to the Houthis, including drones and missiles, though the group does not always act at Iran's behest.



But Saudi Arabia and its allies have tried not to escalate directly a conflict that would wreak havoc on their oil exports, and thus their economies. The UAE has been particularly circumspect in its public statements about last months sabotage (though in private officials evince little doubt about Irans involvement). If there is to be a response, they would like it to come from America. Mr Trumps hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, has long supported regime change in Iran, and even military action against it. But the president, as ever, is erratic, toggling between fiery threats and offers of dialogue. He is reported to have given Mr Abe a message to pass to Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei (who declined to reply). We do not believe at all that the US is seeking genuine negotiations with Iran; because genuine negotiations would never come from a person like Trump, said Ayatollah Khamenei.



Mr Trump has already bolstered Americas military presence in the region. Last month he rushed an aircraft-carrier strike group to the region. Those vessels have not transited the Strait of Hormuz, an effort to avoid further tension. They will probably step up their patrols; an American destroyer picked up some sailors from the stricken tankers (Iran says it rescued some too). The Pentagon is deploying an extra 1,500 troops to bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq, and Mr Trump is invoking emergency powers to override congressional objections and sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.



All sides insist they do not want war. But even if they are sincere, good intentions go only so far. The Gulf states (and their American protector) cannot tolerate threats to shipping. Mr Abe was right to push for diplomacy between America and Iran. But his visit, and the events that overshadowed it, underscore how difficult that will be."a man of unblemished integrity and unsullied character"

"one of the most widely known and influential politicians of New Mexico in the territorial days"

Grand Old Partisan honors Trinidad Romero, born to a prominent Santa Fe family this day of 1835. He conveyed merchandise throughout the region in his youth, then prospered as a rancher.

Active with his county GOP, Romero served in the territorial legislature during the Civil War. He later was a probate judge. In 1876, he received a unanimous party nomination for congressional delegate and went on to win a term. This plain-spoken businessman denounced the "demagogueism" of the House Democrat leadership.

Romero edited a Republican newspaper. Rutherford Hayes and William Sherman were among luminaries who visited his home. President Benjamin Harrison appointed him a U.S. Marshal.

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CccF3ZPWjZE

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.

Each day, Michael Zak's grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far.

He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

Buy the book at Amazon

See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"After previously announcing a bid for governor, Republican Secretary of State Corey Stapleton on Saturday jumped into the 2020 U.S. House race.

"We don't need a bunch more awesome people running for governor," Stapleton told fellow GOP members gathered for a party convention in Helena. "Weve got plenty."

The wide-open nature of the 2020 political landscape in Montana has Republicans angling to regain the governor's office after what will be 16 straight years of Democrats in power. Gov. Steve Bullock is termed out from running again, and has launched a bid for his party's presidential nomination.

Stapleton, 51, was the first to announce for governor at the start of the year. But on Saturday he said Republicans need to hold Montana's sole seat in the U.S. House, which will also be an open race after U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte launched his second bid for governor in the last three years.

"I'm from Montana. I can win the big race. You know it. We need to do that. This seat is too important," Stapleton said.

Stapleton was elected secretary of state in 2016. He ran for governor in 2012, coming in second in the Republican primary. In 2014 he also came in second in the Republican U.S. House primary. He previously said he'd run for U.S. Senate that year. Stapleton is originally from Great Falls and was a two-term state senator from Billings. He served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy.

Other Republicans are expected to join the U.S. House race soon. The conservative PAC Club for Growth, which endorsed state Auditor Matt Rosendale in his 2018 race against U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, already had an ad ready to drop against Stapleton in anticipation of his Saturday announcement.

In addition to Gianforte, two other well-known Republicans  Attorney General Tim Fox and state Sen. Al Olszewski, of Kalispell  are running for governor in a field that could still grow. On the Democratic side, state Rep. Casey Schreiner, of Great Falls, and former lawmaker Reilly Neill, from Livingston, have announced. Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney is also expected to join the race.

In a short speech Saturday, Fox took a dig at Gianforte, signaling the start of what could be a lively primary. Fox told Republicans he was not leaving his seat to run for another one but instead because of term limits. Gianforte was first elected to the U.S. House in a 2017 special election and won it again eight months ago.

"I keep my promises. I sought the office of attorney general because I wanted to make a difference in communities across Montana. And that remains my No. 1 priority," Fox said. "Now due to term limits, my time is your attorney general is almost over. Out of the six statewide elected Republicans, I am the only Republican that is term-limited."

Fox emphasized party unity, something that's plagued Republicans during the last few legislative sessions. Republican members of a group called the Solutions Caucus have worked across the aisle with Democrats to pass legislation like Medicaid expansion.

"If we're going to take back the governor's office from the Democrats, we have to be unified and we have to be organized," Fox said.

The attorney general also focused on an issue he's spent much of his time in the office dealing with, the influx of drugs like methamphetamine coming into Montana from countries like Mexico.

"Much of the crime in Montana, it's no secret, is drive by the increase in drugs coming into our state from across our southern border," Fox said. "We need to secure our southern border."

Olszewski, who came in near the bottom in a four-way GOP primary for U.S. Senate in 2018, touted his support from fellow state legislators in a short speech Saturday and also urged harmony in the party.

"United, we win and we serve. Divide, we're going to lose," Olszewski said. "  Politics is not the game of exclusion, it's the game of addition."

Still, even with calls for solidarity, the divide in the party was evident over the weekend, with members of the Solutions Caucus holding parallel meetings to the main gathering Friday.

Gianforte didn't speak Saturday, but told the convention Friday he was running for governor because he'd been asked to by people around the state.

"It's time to set a new course with a new leader. And after talking to Montanans in every corner of our state, many have suggested that I should use my experience in business, creating jobs and solving problems, to serve Montana in an even bigger way," Gianforte said Friday.

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Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.DECATUR  Dalton Gentry's time as a legal smoker is running out  at least for a year.

The 20-year-old Decatur resident in three weeks wont be allowed to light up under state law. Gov. J.B. Pritzker in April signed legislation banning the sale of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and nicotine-based products to anyone under 21 starting July 1. The current age is 18.

No one disputes the dangers of addiction and the benefits of quitting, but for young smokers like Gentry who have been puffing away legally, the sudden shift in age presents an odd predicament.

The rules changed. The smokers didnt.

"Changing the age is not going to do much," Gentry said. "If anything it is just going to push young people to find someone else to purchase the stuff for them."

Illinois will become the eighth state and the first in the Midwest to lift the age to 21, a major victory for public health advocates. About two dozen Illinois communities, including Chicago, have already put the limit in place.

For Illinois, it will reduce costs for our state, it will make our schools and communities healthier places to learn and live, and  most importantly  it will save lives, Pritzker said after signing the legislation.

Chicago had a 36 percent decline in cigarette and e-cigarette use among 18- to 20-year-olds after raising its legal purchasing age to 21 in 2016, according to a 2017 Chicago Department of Public Health survey.

Nationally, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., have introduced the Tobacco-Free Youth Act, which would increase the age to 21 and require states to follow suit or lose money for substance abuse programs.

Walmart last month also announced it would stop selling products to customers under 21. Walgreens previously said it would adopt the policy starting in September. CVS did the same in 2014.

Illinois lawmakers this session also passed a $1 per-pack cigarette tax increase. The state tax now totals $2.98, the second-highest in the Midwest after Minnesota. Additionally, e-cigarettes will be taxed at 15 percent. Both taxes start July 1.

No grandfather clause for Illinois

The group Tobacco 21, part of the Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation that has been pushing lawmakers to change rules, counts more than 475 cities and counties in 29 states that have prohibited sales to those under 21.

The vast majority of the policy changes do not have grandfather clauses, which would allow smokers between 18 and 21 to continue purchasing. Two exceptions are Hawaii County in Hawaii and Massachusetts.

The Public Health Law Center in an October 2016 report said that whole grandfather provisions might seem feasible, they pose enforcement challenges not present with a universal  law and minimize the laws immediate public health benefits.

Similar situations happened when states increased drinking ages in the 1970s and 1980s, although states like Alaska, Florida, Iowa and others had grandfather clauses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 10 of every 100 adults 18-24 are smokers, a rate that has been steadily declining.

In Illinois, a plan to increase the purchasing age to 21 in 2018 was vetoed by GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, who said a change would send smokers to bordering states or to unlicensed sellers.

Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, at the time said that at 18 people are allowed to marry, buy property, borrow money and vote.

"But you are not wise enough to determine whether or not to buy and use this particular product," he said. "I have a serious issue with drawing a line at a place essentially for adulthood that is different from 18."

Samuel Allen, 20, of Mount Zion, is also one caught in the loophole. He started smoking e-cigarettes when he joined the Illinois National Guard.

Every winter, Allen said, he looks forward to going hunting with his dad.

We always smoke a cigar while we are out hunting. Its our tradition, Allen said.

The e-cigarette factor

The legislation also is aimed squarely at the burgeoning popularity of e-cigarettes. The U.S. surgeon general in December issued an advisory calling teen vaping an epidemic.

But Joshua Taapken, 27, said vaping can be used by smokers to step down from cigarette usage. He was a heavy smoker and tried to stop unsuccessfully. He switched to vaping when he was 20 and his second child was born.

I never smoked in front of my kids, but you think about how it lingers on your clothes and in your hair and that that cant be good for them, said Taapken, who used to work at the store Spacin Vapors in Decatur.

Said Taapken: "If this law was passed back then when I was 20 and was trying to quit, it would have taken much longer for me to quit cigarettes."

Murielle Umuhoza, a 19-year-old Millikin University student, questions how the higher age limit will be effective. Just like alcohol, she said, they will find someone else to get e-cigarettes for them.

Gentry, the 20-year-old, said people are old enough at 18 to make their own decisions about smoking and vaping, just as the law allows them to decide whether to fight in the military at that age.

"We have kids that sign their life away to the military at 18 and they serve, and they can't smoke cigarettes or drink until they are 21," Gentry said. "That makes no sense."

The State Journal-Register and Chicago Tribune contributed to this report.

Contact Analisa Trofimuk at (217) 421-7985. Follow her on Twitter: @AnalisaTro

Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 10Purging the rolls of voters sounds un-American, but in reality it is meant to have an accurate voter registration to make sure every vote does count.

According to Shelby County Clerk Jessica Fox, Shelby County will be doing a voter purge this summer as required by law.

"Every voter in Shelby County will be getting a new voter registration card," Fox said. "These cards will be printed in red ink, to notify the voter this is the most current card."

The new voter cards will be mailed on June 26.

"I applied for and received a grant from the Illinois State Board of Elections that pays for the costs associated with the purge," Fox said. "The required purge allows election authorities to clean up the voter rolls. By statute, voters that haven't voted during the preceding four years are purged."

After 30 days, voters whose cards have been returned to us will be inactivated.

"This allows us to clear out voters who have moved, changed their names, or passed away," Fox said.

Inactive status requires the voter to re-register to vote. Voters need to be correctly registered, so they are placed in the correct voting districts and voting precincts.

"With a primary election in March 2020, now is a good time for residents of Shelby County to check their voter registration for accuracy and notify the clerk's office if they notice a problem," Fox said. "Now is also the time for those people who are not registered to vote, to get registered."

Residents can come to the clerk's office with two forms of ID, at least one of those must be a photo ID and have a current address. Residents can also get registered by deputy registrars throughout Shelby County, or go online to the Illinois State Board of Elections website and register.

Shelby County only offers voter registration in the clerk's office on Election Day. However, voters should not wait until Election Day to check their voter registration

"I strongly encourage everyone to get registered to vote now, so their registration is correct for the March 2020 primary election," Fox said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0EFFINGHAM The Effingham Plan Commission this week discussed how to regulate possible Airbnb rentals in the city.

Building Official Michelle Wilkins approached the commission asking for guidance in regards to the popular house or room rental service and whether Airbnb should be allowed in Effingham. Wilkins said she was approached by a local resident who is interested in renting out their home through Airbnb.

"Our office had received some requests for turning single-family residences into Airbnbs or utilizing them as such, so we felt like maybe it was time to discuss this," Wilkins said. "Some of the concerns that the staff has discussed is the impact on the single-family residence districts (and) potentially the tenants not taking care of the property, leaving it a mess, the owners not being possible Effingham residents not taking normal care of their property."

Wilkins said single-family residence districts are not set up for short-term rentals, such as those often desired through Airbnb. She added that a typical Airbnb rental occurs for one week to two weeks at a time, which is less than the 30- to 60-day rental window usually occurring at regular rental homes.

Vice Chairman Dave Storm asked Wilkins if she had talked to other communities that already have Airbnbs and whether or not the rentals have caused issues. Wilkins said she has heard from other cities that some find the rentals have caused problems while others report no issues. She added that most often the issues with Airbnbs occur in large cities because they do not have a policy for the rentals in place.

Commission member Jeff Staser said he uses Airbnb and other rental services when he travels and does not see an issue with the rentals.

"When I go to Chicago, that's the first place I look," Staser said of Airbnb. "I find it nothing but appealing. Obviously, I guess there can be the negatives that can come with it, but I think you're going to have that whether you open any type of business, restaurant (or) anything like that. A hotel room is going to have those issues as well."

Commission members Alan Harris and Cindy Vogel said allowing Airbnbs in the city could create a ripple effect of problems if there is no language to regulate them. Vogel added that her main concern with the rentals is people constantly coming and going from a residence, causing a nuisance to the neighborhood.

The commission requested that Wilkins check further with other communities and what their established guidelines are for Airbnbs.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0When Melissa and Drew Herman moved to Lincoln Park so their son could attend one of the few free Montessori preschools in Chicago, they joined the ranks of volunteers who in the past decade have helped flip the institution from under-enrolled to in demand.

The program at Oscar Mayer Magnet School was such a success that its no longer free.

A year after an inspector generals report criticized the program for giving special priority to children living in the citys most affluent attendance area, Chicago Public Schools is set to start charging annual tuition of more than $10,000 for the full-day, two-year preschool.

That doesnt sit well with parents who say the program was a victim of its success. They say some existing families have been priced out, while the new, tuition-based preschool will become even more exclusionary and remain a perk only for the most affluent parents.

When you say well-to-doers, youre making it sound like everyone is privileged, Melissa Herman said. Yes, there are families with large houses and nannies, she said, but there are also those like hers, who live in apartments and wouldnt be able to afford the tuition.

We worked our butts off, said Herman, whose son is graduating to kindergarten. Both parents work, and she has volunteered in the classroom and with the chicken coops the Mayer students keep, and helped out with field days and fairs. Mayer does not by any means have an attitude or an air of privilege. Im so happy to be part of that community.

The evolution of Mayer  from a less sought-after but much more diverse building to a high-achieving magnet school that gives preference to children who live nearby  underscores a challenge for CPS: How to make schools appealing to more affluent parents while still providing equal opportunities for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds?

Just before becoming a magnet school, Mayers student body at the time was 56% black, 24% Hispanic and 11% white, and 71% of students were from low-income families, according to the 2007 Illinois School Report Card.

That has since flipped, with 2018 enrollment figures showing about 71% of students were white and only 15% low-income. The median income in the attendance area is about $178,000  the highest of any in CPS, the inspector general report said. Enrollment also swelled over that time from 524 students to 766.

Mayer parents interviewed by the Tribune didnt dispute the facts, but took issue with how they were portrayed. They said they werent trying to game the system, turn away low-income students or erode diversity. Thats just what happened when the school became more attractive.

And some are now scrambling to figure out how to pay the tuition  that is, if their kids got in.

Despite the new tuition charge, demand for the preschool program at Mayer still exceeds capacity. Parents reported a line out of the door on the first day applications could be submitted  with people even camping out overnight. Preference went to siblings of current students and those from the neighborhood. Parents were notified this week whether their children got spots.

Right when (the inspector generals report) came out, a lot of us said, Well, now what do we do?  said Kathleen Lee. The oldest of her three children is now finishing first grade at Mayer, her middle child is currently enrolled in the preschool there and she found out this week that her youngest got a spot to start the program in the fall.

I think it was upsetting to see kind of the emotions and just going through the discussions because people were so nervous about  what was going to happen to this program, Lee said.  Its going to be really tough to figure out, what is best? What is the best outcome for this? I think that answer is really difficult.

But sending children to comparable private preschools would be even pricier. While Mayer is charging $20,646 in total tuition for its two-year preschool, that cost would be about $30,000 in the private market, an estimate in the inspector generals report based on nine private Montessori programs within 3 miles of Mayer.

Not so long ago, it wasnt clear if Mayers lauded Montessori preschool would even stay open.

Because CPS made it a magnet school that draws from all over the city, but also gave enrollment preference to local children, Mayer is known as a magnet school with an attendance boundary.

While that may sound like a contradiction in terms, many of Chicagos magnet schools give priority to or hold seats for local children.

But in the whole city, Mayer is the only Montessori magnet preschool with an attendance boundary. Only three other public schools have Montessori preschool programs; all are significantly more diverse than Mayer.

All three will remain free, said CPS spokeswoman Emily Bolton.

The Montessori School of Englewood, a charter school, uses a lottery with sibling priority. At West Towns Suder and at Bucktowns Drummond Elementary, which are magnet schools, seats are awarded by computerized lottery. Priority is given first to siblings; some remaining slots are awarded based on need and the rest to children within 1.5 miles of the school.

Mayer was the only one giving free preschool seats based almost exclusively on where students lived.

The school shifted the way it did because CPS let Mayer keep an attendance boundary when it became a magnet school in 2008. In three of the five school years leading up to the 2018 inspector general report, neighborhood children and siblings of current students crowded out all other applicants, the inspector general found. And over all five years, only four 3-year-olds were admitted from outside the neighborhood.

After the critical report came out, Mayer considered the options: make the building a full neighborhood school  but that would mean giving up the Montessori program  or do away with the attendance boundary. But that could mean larger-scale redistricting, because each child in Chicago must have a neighborhood school option.

If its (a neighborhood school), thats great, but youd be losing the piece that makes it so great, Lee said, referring to the Montessori magnet program.

CPS Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said her team and the community did discuss making Mayer a citywide magnet, but said they didn't want to limit access for local children.

"That is not a decision that can be made lightly or overnight," McDade said. "You're talking about removing any possibility for parents in the neighborhood to be able to access the school.

McDade said the bigger issue highlighted by the inspector general report was the need to increase diversity, which school officials will have to "chip away at long term."

Beginning in the fall, the school will increase the number of seats for students in lower socioeconomic tiers  though the number of seats has yet to be determined.

But thats not for preschoolers, and McDade said pre-kindergarten remains a separate issue that will be first-come, first-served for those who are willing to pay.

Parent Haley Dorsey said the schools community lobbied for the program to stay open: Parents and the principal saved the program.

Charging tuition was the tradeoff.

For families who do live within the attendance boundary but can't afford the Mayer tuition, McDade said the question of tuition assistance didn't "make sense," because there are other CPS schools nearby with free preschool.

As the district aims for universal pre-K, it has started expanding free options based on need, she said.

Mayer Principal Danielle Drayton told families at a community meeting that she had negotiated the price tag of more than $14,000 originally brought before the school board down to $10,232. But that came with a reduction in the program from a 10-hour to a seven-hour day.

Named after that Oscar Mayer  the German immigrant who opened a butcher shop nearby and founded the eponymous hot dog company  the school was built in 1956, a year when urban renewal money paved the way for new schools and houses in Lincoln Park.

Many Germans and Italians whod settled the neighborhood worked in factories along the Chicago River, and many of the homes were run-down or lacked running water. When factory jobs thinned after World War II, many families moved to the suburbs. Over the next 20 years, more than 600 buildings  including low-income housing  were demolished, replaced by new homes, businesses and parks  and Mayer.

And as Lincoln Park became more affluent, many parents began sending their children to private or more exemplary public schools. In 2008, most of Mayers students came from outside the neighborhood.

I think, quite honestly, this has been a school that has not been a school of choice, Arne Duncan  who was then Chicago schools CEO and would go on to be Barack Obamas secretary of education  said in a 2008 school board meeting. The neighborhood children have not chosen to attend.

CPS wanted to enhance Mayer and make it a school of choice, Duncan said.

So on the heels of news that more than a dozen more schools would be closed, consolidated or phased out due to low enrollment or lagging test scores, CPS announced that year that Mayer would become one of five new elementary magnet schools.

In an application for a federal grant to try to boost enrollment and reduce minority group isolation at Mayer, CPS officials said it was making the school a citywide magnet. But later, people in the neighborhood who wanted to boost their childrens chances of getting into the new program persuaded CPS to make Mayer a magnet school with an attendance boundary, according to the inspector generals report.

Mayer had so many openings at the time that CPS officials assumed it had more than enough room, according to the report, which states that the school had a capacity of 948 but only enrolled 525 students.

But some district officials foresaw the problem that exists today.

Rufus Williams, who was president of the Chicago Board of Education when Mayer became a magnet school, said at the time that if improvements made the school more attractive to local parents, officials should find some way that we allow for some inclusion of those students who have been there for all this time.

His concerns about a demographic shift at the school proved true. The change was gradual but profound, washing over 10 years from 11% white to 71%.

It seemed incredibly unfair to build a great school and then exclude these black children who have been going there the whole time, Williams said in a recent phone call with the Tribune.   It was very disappointing because there are some children who certainly could have been benefiting from what happened at Oscar Mayer.

He agreed with the decision not to continue to have free perk in one of our highest-income census track areas, Williams said. I dont know what you do about not creating the diverse environment.

Like the Hermans, Lee and her husband moved to Lincoln Park so their three kids could go to Mayer.

Though their youngest was able to get a paid slot in the fall at Mayer, shes aware of other families who moved into the area thinking their children could attend preschool there but now must figure out affordable backup plans.

At the same time, Lee said, diversity is important, and when there is a lack of diversity anywhere its a problem.

As the Mayer changes are phased in, tuition will be waived in the fall for existing students starting their second year, but 3-year-olds entering the program must pay. In 2020-21, the school plans to have a program only for 4-year-olds.

What happens after that depends in part on whether the city meets its goal of universal pre-kindergarten. Until that happens, Mayer will keep a tuition-based 4-year-old program.

Lee hopes the community will continue to be involved in the conversation about the schools future, noting the importance its had in the neighborhood.

I think we as a community need to continue to talk about it and what the ultimate goals are, she said. What are we trying to achieve for our children and the future children entering this community, and all the children that deserve a chance at a really great program?

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0DECATUR  Rose Mary Wolfe doesnt feel her service time during World War II was courageous.

I didnt do anything very heroic, she said.

But Wolfe, 97, was among tens of thousands of women who rolled up their sleeves and joined the military, serving in a Navy unit known as WAVES  Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. They didn't serve in combat, but the women went through training to take on a variety of duties, including administrative and clerical work, medical assistance and even calculating bomb trajectories.

To do so, the women sometimes passed up better-paying civilian jobs. Wolfe, for instance, had been working at Caterpillar Inc. before she decided to enlist, and the pay there was better.

She wasn't alone. Some 100,000 women served as WAVES during the war, starting in 1942.

I guess we did sacrifice, she said, reflecting on that time.

Wolfe, whose maiden name was Bennett, enlisted in November 1943. Her then-fiance, Donald Wolfe, was serving overseas in the Army Air Corps, and she wanted to do more while she waited for him to return.

She learned about her options through other women who had joined the Red Cross volunteers. A lot of the nurses were gone, so the hospitals could use that help, she said.

Wolfe said attending Hunter College in New York City for training was quite an education in itself. I learned to appreciate people who are different from us, she said. She received training similar to her male counterparts: marching in ranks, learning strict military codes and receiving inoculations and military uniforms.

Her next training was at a Naval hospital in Boston, but she eventually received her orders to serve at a Marine base in Quantico, Va., where she remained until her time in the service had ended. The Marine girls barracks were right on the Potomac River, she said.

Wolfe was trained as a dental technician. The Marine guys had to have their teeth in tip-top shape, she said. It was a very busy dental dispensary.

The young servicewoman would eventually rise to the rank of Pharmacist Major Third Class, which Wolfe said is equivalent to a sergeant. She remembers her paychecks were $78 a month. It wasnt a lot, she said. Not compared to Caterpillar. The women also received a check for $250 when they left the service by "mustering out."

Her husband was discharged early after a health issue. The couple married on July 29, 1945, in her hometown of El Paso. After a week-long honeymoon in Lake Geneva, Wisc., Wolfe had to return to Quantico. Two weeks later, she headed home for good.

I went home to become a housewife, she said about her options to rejoin the workforce. But it was beginning to happen, because women, during the war, had worked.

Wolfe returned to Caterpillar for a short time, until she became pregnant with her daughter. Back then you didnt work after you became obvious, around five months along, she said.

When she was discharged from the Navy, Wolfe didnt take part in the end-of-the-war celebrations. She and her husband felt they received their recognition during a 2010 Honor Flight event, when military veterans are taken to Washington D.C. to view many of the service memorials. It is such an emotional thing, Wolfe said.

Donald Wolfe died in October 2016. The couple had two children: a daughter who served in the Air Force and is now a retired nurse, and a son who became a foster parent alongside his wife. They served in a different capacity, she said.

The couple also had a number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family. When their daughter and son-in-law served the military during Desert Storm, Rose Mary and Donald spent three months taking care of their grandchildren.

We served in another capacity, she said.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy." " Wikimedia Commons The Sandman as drawn by Vilhelm Pedersen for the fairy tale "Ole Lukie" (Mr. Sandman) by Hans Christian Andersen, published in 1841.

You know when you wake up in the morning and you have all that crusty stuff in your eyes? That's called rheum, and it's just discharge that comes out of your eyes and dries up while you're asleep. But if you were a child living in central or northern Europe a couple centuries ago, grownups would probably tell you you woke up in the morning with crusty eyelashes because the Sandman had been to your bedside, sprinkling his magical sleepy dust in your eyes, spinning the yarns of your dreams. This may or may not have been cause for alarm.

Have you ever tried to get a little kid to go to sleep? It can be one of the most aggravating experiences of your life because much of the time you're more tired than the child whose bedtime it is. What strategies work best for lulling kids into dreamland? Conventional wisdom says you should sing them a song or tell them a story. This was most likely how the Sandman came to be: a character made up by parents for the purpose of tranquilizing their children.

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But just like our relationship with a rowdy, sleepless child is complicated, the figure of the Sandman isn't all magical, benevolent snooze dust. It turns out, as much as the Sandman is to sleep as Santa is to gift giving, Sandman's shadow side is at least as conspicuous as Santa's penchant for shady, around-the-clock surveillance and the distribution of switches and coal to naughty kids.

"It's a bit difficult to trace his origins because stories about the Sandman are part of an oral tradition," says Dr. Maria Tatar, professor of German Studies, Folklore, and Children's Literature at Harvard University. "I don't think you can trace the Sandman to Denmark or Germany. I feel confident that there are similar figures in other cultures because so many of the jolly, child-friendly creatures are shadowed by a disciplinary evil person. Who invented the Sandman? Who knows!"

18th-Century Origin

The Sandman's first foray onto the page was in 18th-century German dictionaries, which briefly described the German idiom "der Sandmann kommt"  "Sandman is coming"  which was used to tease particularly sleepy-looking children. The first story about the Sandman and his doings was published in 1818 by German writer E.T.A Hoffman. "Der Sandmann" begins with an exasperated nurse telling a story about a mythical creature who throws sand in the eyes of little children who won't go to sleep, causing them to fall out of their sockets. The Sandman then collects the eyeballs in a sack and carries them to his home on the dark side of the moon, where he feeds them to his children.

"'Der Sandmann' became an important story in psychoanalytic circles because Freud made so much of it in his essay 'The Uncanny,'" says Tatar. "Hoffman's story is a fairy tale for grownups, really  his Sandman is this dark, predatory monster. It definitely wasn't written for children."

In 1841, Hans Christian Andersen published a fairy tale (that was meant for a young audience) called "Ole Lukie"  Ole being a Danish first name and Lukie translating to "shut your eye." The eponymous character, always dressed in silk pajamas and carrying a groovy colorful umbrella, is never referred to by Andersen as the Sandman, but "The Sandman" is the title most English translations assign to the fairy tale.

"It is a very strange story," says Dr. Jacob Bggild, a professor in the Hans Christian Andersen Center at the University of Southern Denmark, in an email. "Andersen's Ole seems to be a benevolent figure, but he does introduce the boy in the story, called Hjalmar, to death and sexuality. But he does not throw sand into the eyes of children, he squirts milk into them! Apart from that, it is not a story with a regular plot but more of a sequence of dreamlike tableaus."

It should be mentioned that at the end of Andersen's story, Hjalmar discovers Ole Lukie has a brother who, instead of coming night after night to our bedsides, bringing dreams, only visits each person once, bringing Death. His name is also Ole Lukie.

"What's interesting about the Sandman stories is they remind me a bit of the children's verses and lullabies we sing to children which are soothing and gentle, but there's a stark, violent side to them, too," says Tatar. "Somehow it seems to mirror our ambivalence towards children. We adore them and want to tell them gentle, lovely stories, but they drive us crazy at times. We  and especially our ancestors  resorted to cautionary and disciplinary tales like Little Red Riding Hood, in which the wolf will eat you up if you stray from the path. In the Hoffman story, if you don't go to sleep, the Sandman's going to come and scratch out your eyes."

And if strong-arming children into settling down to sleep isn't why the European parents and nurses of old told cautionary bedtime stories, maybe it's because they wanted to prepare their little ones for life's hardships.

"The unusual thing about the Sandman is, he's a lot bigger than you are  there's no defeating him," says Tatar. "You can't face him down like you can the villains in fairy tales. There's no happily ever after except falling asleep, giving in. He can't be beheaded or trapped or tricked like other villains. It's hard to distinguish fairy tale, myth, legend and all of that, but in a way he belongs more to the realm of myth than fairy tales."

Now That's Interesting "Mister Sandman," a 1954 pop song by The Chordettes, is used in the closing credits of the 1981 slasher film "Halloween."As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQThe latest news concerns the removal of 4,779 accounts that were identified as being either affiliated with or explicitly backed by Irans theocratic regime. This disabled accounts now stand alongside approximately 2,800 others that were reportedly removed at the beginning of May. The ongoing removals, along with the rise in the number of accounts involved, underscores what has often been said about the trajectory of this problem. As foreign government operations become increasingly sophisticated, cybersecurity experts anticipate that Twitter, Facebook, and other companies will struggle to keep up with the proliferation of new false accounts that spring up to replace the old.

Presently, there does not appear to be any way of comprehensively addressing this issue or rooting out the disinformation campaigns at their source. The most effective strategy for countering those campaigns would presumably involve not only ongoing takedowns but also efforts to reach international audiences with more reputable information about the subjects targeted by disinformation networks. But this presents difficulties in its own right, since the originators of such campaigns also tend to utilize various means of suppressing information both within and about their country.

The various reports of disruptions to Iranian disinformation networks have been accompanied by even more reports regarding attacks on independent journalists and the press in general. This has taken the form of outright arrests, as well as last years mass seizure of assets belonging to persons who have contributed to the British Broadcasting Corporations Persian service. And in a more subtle exertion of state power, sometimes the Iranian regime has simply stripped reporters of accreditation, leaving them unable to legally carry on their work even while they remain technically free of Iranian jail cells.

This is the circumstance under which Thomas Erdbrink, the Tehran correspondent for the New York Times, has been struggling for the past four months. The unexplained revocation of Erdbrinks press credentials was only revealed publicly this week, though he has been unable to work since February. The newspapers decision to speak out about the situation was apparently motivated in part by frustration with vague but oft-repeated assurances that the reporters case would be explained and his accreditation restored.

As traditional and social media continue to function as a battleground of ideologies and a pathway for both accurate and false information, the Iranian regime may also find additional incentives to specifically target foreign reporters for arrest.

In parallel with crackdowns on foreign nationals and persons with connections to the West, the Iranian regime has lately been making concerted efforts to reaffirm moral principles grounded in the regimes fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. These efforts include expanded gender segregation and more aggressive enforcement of the countrys forced veiling laws, although the largely young and well-educated public has been pushing back against these strictures in seemingly ever-greater numbers.Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women have been subjected to very strict dress codes. They have to wear loose-fitting clothes and the hijab is compulsory.

Ayyoub Soleimani, the commander of the countrys State Security Force, reiterated the regimes regulations, saying that any woman who removes her veil in public is committing a crime and will be treated accordingly.

He went on to explain that the responsibility lies with society as a whole. He said that just like a driver is ultimately responsible for their passengers wearing a seatbelt, the same appliers to taxi drivers who must ensure that any female passengers are properly veiled. Speaking to a reporter, Solaimani said: The legal responsibility of any car is with the owner. Just like the passengers failure to fasten the seat belt, for which the car owner must account before the law, drivers must note and be committed to their legal responsibility. They must not allow their passengers to break the law by removing their veil. All agencies must emphasize on their rules for observing the veil and Islamic principles.

Only a few days ago, a woman in Iran recounted her recent experience on social media. A taxi driver ordered her to get out of the vehicle because she was not properly veiled. She was ordered to get out of the taxi in a place where she was unable to find another means of transport and was effectively stranded.

The women of Iran are rising up against the Iranian regime and have held protests and demonstrations to make their voice heard. Activists from all over the word have been speaking out about the issue and raising their concerns about the treatment of women in the country.

Over the years, many people have been arrested and punished for not adhering to what the clerical regime deems appropriate. Last year, the countrys police force issued an official statement saying that females that protested against the veiling regulations would be charged with inciting corruption and prostitution.

People have been lashed, imprisoned and fined for what the regime sees as a crime.SPRINGFIELD  As temperatures begin to rise, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Public Health are reminding residents to be cautious if they are planning activities on Illinois lakes and rivers, now and throughout the summer. Water conditions are ideal for blue-green algae growth. Blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria) are microscopic organisms that naturally occur in lakes and streams. Rapid growth of algae is referred to as a bloom. While most blue-green algae are harmless, some can produce toxic chemicals that cause sickness or other health effects in people and pets, depending on the amount and type of exposure.

Sensitive individuals, including young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk to adverse health effects attributable to algal toxins. Individuals are most often exposed to algal toxins while swimming or participating in other recreational activities in and on the water. The most common routes of exposure are direct skin contact, accidental ingestion of contaminated water, or accidental inhalation of water droplets in the air. Symptoms of exposure to algal toxins include rashes, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, or wheezing. More severe symptoms may result from longer or greater amounts of exposure.

People who plan to recreate in or on Illinois lakes or rivers this summer are advised to avoid contact with water that:

 looks like spilled, green or blue-green paint;

 has surface scums, mats, or films;

 is discolored or has green-colored streaks; or

 has greenish globs suspended in the water below the surface.

People are also advised to keep children and pets out of the water. Do not allow pets to drink from the water and do not allow them to lick their fur after swimming in water containing a blue-green algae bloom. If you or your pet has contact with water you suspect may have a blue-green algae bloom, rinse off with clean, fresh water as soon as possible.

Activities near, but not in or on a lake or river, such as camping, picnicking, biking, and hiking are not affected. With all activities, wash your hands before eating if you have had contact with lake water or shore debris.

If you are concerned you have symptoms that are a result of exposure to algal toxins, contact your health care provider or call the Illinois Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. If your pet experiences symptoms that may be a result of exposure, contact your veterinarian.

For additional information about harmful algal blooms, please visit:

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Harmful Algal Bloom website:

USEPAs Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms website:

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0"The back-and-forth makes me feel a little uneasy in regards to manufacturing in Mexico," says Kat Rosati, brand manager at Apparel Booster, a Los Angeles-based company that helps clothing companies find manufacturing facilities overseas. She's willing to take a chance on garments that can be manufactured quickly, but because the situation between Trump and Mexico seems unclear, Rosati doesn't want her clients to sign long-term production deals and end up paying tariffs down the road.

The ongoing trade dispute with China, which has led to 25% tariffs on thousands of consumer and industrial products imported into the U.S., has forced some small U.S. manufacturers to seek new homes for production. But even that strategy has potential pitfalls. Before Trump renewed his threats of tariffs on Mexico, Rosati says, some clients switched their production from China to Mexico "as a way to keep costs down, avoid the trade wars and have some predictability in their overall production costs."

Switching countries is also an expense in time and money. Owners have to find available factories that do quality work and can deliver on time. But some are looking at countries like Peru where costs are higher than Mexico, but that doesn't have trade and other issues with the U.S., Rosati says.Mary Sevart, who graduated from the high school this spring, said watching Bergkamp's passion for sustainable energy and eco-friendly living helped her decide to study biomedical engineering at University of Kansas this fall.

"I think projects like these are very important to our society and for our children to survive in this world," Sevart said. "I think we need to quickly come up with solutions to this problem (of climate change)."

ICM Inc. will lease the $400,000 system to Maize High School for six years, with an agreement to pay $2,000 a month until it is paid off. Bergkamp said the project was financed through ICM Inc. because the company could receive a 30 percent tax credit on the infrastructure while the Maize school district could not.

Once the system is paid off, plans are for a similar project for Maize South High School, the second largest consumer of energy in the district, and surrounding schools, he said.

"The short-term goal would be to have every building in the district to have some type of solar energy to supplement their energies," Bergkamp said. "The long-term goal is to use this as a model that other districts can use."A 71-year-old man was killed Friday evening when the pickup he was driving was struck by a semi near Wahoo, according to the Saunders County Sheriff's Office.

Witnesses said a pickup driven by John Berggren, of rural Wahoo, was coming off County Road 25 when it was hit by a semi heading east on Nebraska 92.

Berggren, who was the only person in the pickup, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi, 44-year-old Robert Reardon, of rural Genoa, and his passenger were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0The mill again changed hands as John Zwonecek and Joseph Aksamit, who also owned the Wilber Mill, purchased it for $8,000 in 1902. As the number of water-powered mills in the state dropped to 45, Dewitt Mills built a hydroelectric plant at their site which supplied power to the mill as well as the city of Dewitt. After the Great Depression the flour milling operation closed partially due to the added expense required by governmental regulations and permits. At that point there were still three water-powered mills in Nebraska, some grinding grain in the daytime and generating power in the evenings. Dewitt Mills closed the hydroelectric plant in 1950.

In 1902 William Petersen immigrated from Denmark to Boston, moving to Dewitt in 1918 as a blacksmith. Three years later he developed an adjustable locking wrench which he patented as the Vice-Grip in 1924. The new manufacturer again boosted the economy of Dewitt as the firm became a partnership in 1934 and a corporation in 1946. In 1984 the Petersen family sold Vice-Grip Company to American Tool which closed the Dewitt facility in 2008 leaving 330 jobless. Malco bought the physical plant in 2006 and in 2018 announced they would reopen in 2019 to produce Eagle Grip Locking Pliers.

In 1978 the Dewitt Mill and cast iron bridge were added to the National Register of Historic Places There are no water-powered mills still operating commercially in Nebraska today and although the bridge was extended in 1920, it no longer carries vehicular traffic, however its site on an abandoned county road still qualifies it as the oldest vehicular truss remaining on its original site in the state.

Historian Jim McKee, who still writes with a fountain pen, invites comments or questions. Write to him in care of the Journal Star or at jim@leebooksellers.com.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1There are a lot disappointing elements in the story of Georgia Clark, the Fort Worth, Texas, high school teacher whose recent social media tirade about unauthorized immigrants prompted the district's board of trustees to recommend that she be terminated.

Clark, an English teacher, was apparently quite concerned by the number of students at the high school where she teaches (whom she believed) to be in the country illegally. She was so alarmed that she personally took her pleas that these students be "removed" to President Donald Trump, via her Twitter account, and even supplied her phone number so someone on his staff could call her to discuss the problem.

The real problem was that Clark did not understand how to properly use Twitter. What she thought were direct messages, for Trump's eyes only, were public posts. Disappointing.

Clark is entitled to express her views. That's not the issue here.

We may graciously grant that Clark's Twitter rant was an honest mistake, but her personnel file illustrates a pattern of intolerant behavior towards students; she was moved to another campus after a previous incident. It's a disappointment, really, that the district failed to act more decisively until now.Ah, but by Pavolitz's reckoning, anyone standing up for Trump is probably "a terrible human being," someone liking Trump because "he reflects your hateful heart; he shares your contempt of people of color, your hostility toward outsiders, your toxic misogyny, your ignorant bigotry, your feeling of supremacy." Ah, poor Victor Davis Hanson. A former professor I happen to know and a dazzling polymath whose knowledge would fit in very few brains, this writer has supported Trump and is therefore a hateful, bigoted, misogynistic supremacist who doesn't come close to any of that.

I will skip an adjectival attack on Pavlovitz. But good people, we should note, should also slow down and look in both directions before saying, for instance, that Trump referred to some "racists and Nazis" as "fine people" after the horror in Charlottesville. Sorry, Pavlovitz, but you are now about to get run over by a fact: Trump said there were "fine people" on both sides in the protests, but that he was "not talking about the neo-Nazis or the white nationalists because they should be condemned totally."

I am not through.All of which suggests both the limitations of, and the need for, LGBTQ pride. And while that is a paradoxical paradigm, it's not an unfamiliar one. No, we've seen this before.

Consider the old James Brown song, "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud." Released in 1968, it became an anthem for the Black Power Movement, a song that helped define the struggle for African American freedom.

But some contrarian part of me has always balked at the idea that it was necessary to assert such ostentatious pride in being black. "Black," after all, isn't something you achieve by dint of hard work or talent. "Black" is something you're born, something you are, through no effort of your own. What's the point of being proud of something you had nothing to do with?

Again, that's just the contrarian in me. Because the answer is as obvious now as it was 51 years ago. Black pride was required as a corrective to a culture that taught us black was something to be ashamed of, proof of physical, moral or mental defect.

That ethos is what made it necessary to raise a clenched fist, comb out an Afro and declare oneself black and proud. It was pride as self-defense.RACINE  Local legislators are working together to pass a bill that would enable a Dallas developer to build a $48 million or more hotel and convention center that would connect with Festival Hall.

On Friday morning at Racine City Hall, Mayor Cory Mason and David-Elias Rachie of Gatehouse Capital Corp. announced the developers intention to build at least a six-story Sheraton Hotel with 174 rooms or more, and first-floor convention center, in what is now the Festival Hall parking lot. The project will range from about $48 million to $54 million, Rachie said.

However, before Gatehouse can proceed with anything beyond discussions with city officials, a critical piece of legislation is required. That part of Racines lakefront, and all along Pershing Boulevard, is filled lakebed. There are special rules about how formerly submerged land can be used.

City Administrator Jim Palenick said that because the city wants to bring in a substantial for-profit enterprise, that requires legislative consent.

At the same time, city officials want to set up all of Pershing Park for potential development.

Even though we filled it in, you have to imagine that thats navigable, said Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine. Thats how they do this when they do these (land) grants.

We were fortunate to have a really good person in the LRB (Legislative Reference Bureau) that was drafting this (bill) that has done these before and is very knowledgeable, Wanggaard said.

The LRB explains that the necessary legislation would allow the City of Racine to enter into a public-private partnership with developers, which would permit the developer to lease land and building space from the city on previously filled lakebed granted to it by the Legislature between 1917 and 1963. Each of those three grants had different rules about what the city could or could not do with the land, Mason told The Journal Times Editorial Board on Friday.

He said the citys research really made it clear very early on that if were going to do a project like this or wanted to do anything else along the Pershing Park corridor, wed really need clarification from the Legislature.

Nonpartisan legislative effort

This bill expands the authorized uses of those three parcels of lakebed. Working together to try to pass it are: Wanggaard; Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Somers; Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Caledonia; Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine; and Rep. Tip McGuire, D-Kenosha; with Wittke as the lead sponsor. Legislators said on Friday morning that they also have the support of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester.

Mason explained that the lakebed will always remain in public hands, as well as the first 15 feet of anything built on it. Therefore, the proposed convention center would be city-owned. The city would then lease the air rights to Gatehouse to build above that.

The bill has several requirements including that public use of the land must provide or increase public recreation, arts, event, or civic opportunities in or near navigable waters or increase or improve public access to navigable water.

Another is: At least 20 percent of property tax revenues generated from a public-private partnership must be dedicated to support and improve public access to and enjoyment of navigable waters or recreational opportunities within the parcels.

Time is short

The bill further authorizes the development of a hotel at the Festival Hall site, subject to the several requirements including that the hotel must have an observation deck on the uppermost story or roof top that offers views of Lake Michigan and is accessible to the public.

Wanggaard said they put the bill out Friday for circulation among legislators.

I dont know if wed get it done before we go for our summer break, which he thinks will be July 1, he said. But Im pretty confident this would be one of the first bills out of the chute in the fall.

Weve done bills in two weeks before, Wirch said, and I just think that if you lean on Vos and we talk to him  because this is important, and time is money.

Were going to put the effort in to get it done now, Wanggaard responded.

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The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.At the end of June, just after Racine Unified School District schools are out for the summer the Racine Family YMCA will offer Safety Around Water, a free program designed to engage and educate parents about the importance of water safety skills and provide more of Americas youth access to water safety lessons.

The program focuses on reaching underserved communities with a special emphasis on African American and Hispanic communities, where risk of drowning among children is highest.

According to a 2017 national research study conducted by the USA Swimming Foundation with the University of Memphis and University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 64 percent of black children cannot swim, compared to 45 percent of Hispanic children and 40 percent of caucasian children. Additionally, 79 percent of children in families with household income less than $50,000 have no/low swimming ability.

Through Safety Around Water, parents and caregivers are encouraged to help their children learn fundamental water safety and swimming skills. During the eight-day course, children will learn how to respond if they find themselves in unexpected water situations  from how to reach the waters surface if they submerge  to safely reaching a pools edge or exiting any body of water.

For generations staying safe around water meant keeping kids away from water, but its time to start a new family tradition by learning basic water safety skills, said Katie Rognsvoog, YMCA aquatic director. Safety Around Water is a great starting point to not only get kids comfortable in the water, but also teach their parents the importance of developing water safety skills.

To help achieve its goal to making swimming accessible for all children, this summer the Y will award 100 scholarships for free Safety Around Water classes. The classes will be held at the SC Johnson Community Aquatic Center at Pritchard Park, 2800 Ohio St., beginning June 17.

The YMCA introduced the concept of group swim lessons in 1909. Now, each year in more than 2,000 pools across the country, the Y teaches more than 1 million children from all backgrounds invaluable water safety and swim skills. Here in Racine County the YMCA teaches more than 4,000 children water safety and swimming each year. Through Safety Around Water, the YMCA hopes to further bridge cultural and access gaps that can prevent some children from learning important water safety skills.

Families interested in learning more about Safety Around Water and how to enroll their child in the YMCAs swimming and water safety classes should visit www.ymcaracine.org, call 262-634-1994 or stop in at the Aquatic Center or one of the YMCA branches to register.

About the YMCA

The YMCA is one of the nations leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the United States, 2,700 YMCAs engage 22 million men, women and children  regardless of age, income or background  to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nations health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the YMCA has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0STURTEVANT  Evinrude, an industry leader in outboard engines, announced the company will be the 2019 supporter of the Racine Zoos penguin exhibit. Evinrude is also supporting the zoos Lil Explorers program, an initiative dedicated to enriching childrens education about the outdoors. In total, Evinrude is investing $10,000 to the community through the Racine Zoo so far this year.

Evinrude is thrilled to support the Lil Explorer program for the second consecutive year and were excited to expand our partnership with the Racine Zoo as the penguin exhibit sponsor, said Tracy Crocker, senior vice president and general manager of Evinrude.

At Evinrude, environmental responsibility is in our blood and integrated into our engines. That is why we are committed to investing in our community and supporting education that helps nurture the next generations appreciation for the outdoors.

Lil Explorers, launched in 2017, is a preschool education program offering hands-on educational activities, stories, music and interaction with live animals to create an innovative program. Through Lil Explorers, children in the community are taught to care for and empathize with animals.

The Racine Zoo is grateful to Evinrude for their continued support of our community programs and wildlife exhibits, said Elizabeth Heidorn, Racine zoo executive director.

Evinrudes latest investment will help the Racine Zoo offer more Lil Explorers classes and events to keep up with the demand and popularity of the program. Their sponsorship of the penguin exhibit will provide additional resources for upkeep and care for the exhibit and its occupants. Through our partnership, Evinrude continues to better the Racine community and demonstrates their allegiance to the outdoors.

Evinrude has been an active community supporter in southeastern Wisconsin since it was founded by Ole Evinrude in 1909. Now, 110 years later, Evinrude continues to maintain its commitment to the community by investing in local and national organizations through donations and by providing volunteer opportunities to its employees.

For more information or to register for the Lil Explorers program, go to www.racinezoo.org.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Children's Hospital of Wisconsin applauds Vos, Doyle and Snyder for their leadership in the last legislative session on the bipartisan Speakers Task Force on Foster Care," said Jodi Bloch, director of state and local relations at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. "The Task Force championed numerous policies to improve health and well-being for our most vulnerable children and youth. We are especially proud of our collaborative work to improve the process for children to find safe and permanent homes, increasing funding for home visiting and prevention services, helping foster parents to best support their childs mental health care and ensuring children in out-of-home care receive adequate dental services.MOUNT PLEASANT  A man was taken into custody on Friday after a reported assault.

At about 4:20 p.m. Friday, officers responded to a residence in the 4200 block of Durand Avenue regarding a complaint of an assault in progress.

Upon arrival, the first responding officer discovered that the victim, a 63-year-old woman, had sustained significant injuries to her face and head. She was transported to Ascension All Saints hospital by rescue for treatment.

During the investigation, police learned that a suspect fled to an apartment building in the 4300 block of Durand Avenue. Officers from the Mount Pleasant and Racine Police Departments located the suspect and took him into custody without incident.

The suspect was identified as Augie Marsch, 58, of Mount Pleasant.

He was transported to the Racine County Jail, where he was being held on suspicion of substantial battery to a person over 62 (domestic abuse), criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia and an active warrant.

This incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 884-0454 option #4 or Crime Stoppers at 262-636-9330 or via e-mail through the website www.racine.crimestoppersweb.com.

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.MOUNT PLEASANT  A male subject was killed in an officer-involved shooting early Saturday morning, Mount Pleasant Police Chief Matt Soens said in a news release.

On Saturday, June 15th, at approximately 1:35 a.m., an officer with the Mount Pleasant Police Department was involved in a deadly force incident in the 2500 block of Racine Street when the officer was forced to discharge their service weapon at an uncooperative male subject, Soens said in the mid-afternoon news release. Life-saving measures were rendered, but were unsuccessful.

The deceased has been identified as Tyrese West, 18, of Racine, Deputy Chief Todd Schulz of the Racine Police Department announced in a news release Saturday evening.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the Mount Pleasant officer attempted to make contact with an individual on a bicycle when the individual fled, Schulz said in the Racine Police news release. Following a short foot pursuit, the officer observed that the individual was armed.

Less-lethal attempts to address the threat were unsuccessful, and commands issued to the armed individual were ignored, Schulz said. Lethal force was used to address the threat of the uncooperative individual, Schulz said.

The Racine Police Department is the primary agency handling the investigation, Soens said, with assistance from the state Department of Justices Division of Criminal Investigation and the Wisconsin State Patrol. The investigation is ongoing and the public is not in danger, he said.

Law enforcement had the street closed until about 4 p.m. when it was opened back up, according to witnesses.

Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne confirmed Saturday morning that at 1:33 a.m. Saturday, his office was called to the 2500 block of Racine Street for a shooting that was reported by the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

Racine Police Lt. David Wohlgemuth confirmed that the incident was an officer-involved shooting, but referred all other questions regarding the incident to the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

The incident occurred blocks from the Lakeside Community Oriented Policing House located at 2237 Mead St.

Lelia Carrothers lives across from the COP House, and saw the police activity after the incident, but did not know what happened until a neighbor told her.

It scared me, Carrothers said. The last 10 years (the neighborhood has) been smooth ... (the incident) terrified me.

Carrothers said since the COP House was opened things have been good: This is a nice, calm neighborhood.

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.RACINE  By the end of July, Executive Director Joan Roehre will be the only employee left working at Visioning a Greater Racine.

After seeing decreases in grant funding as well as donations this year VGR, a local nonprofit, made the difficult decision to reduce staff from three people to one.

Im not doing cartwheels, but I remain committed to the community, Roehre said.

VGR is a 15-month-old nonprofit with more than 300 volunteers striving toward the goal of creating a flourishing community by 2030.

The organization informed all of its active volunteers of its plans via email earlier this week.

Roehre said VGR is far from the only nonprofit struggling with decreased donations, but believes her organization might be having a more difficult time than others because its so new. Roehre said the organization continues to receive donations from many of the same sponsors, they just arent as large as in the past.

WAVE teams

VGR works toward goals set by community members through its 11 Work, Action, Vision, Engagement or WAVE teams, all made up of volunteers. Each team has a focus, such as environmental sustainability, culture and recreation and diverse and collaborative leadership.

Some people in the community have questioned what VGR has accomplished in its first year and a half of existence, but Roehre said those people dont understand how long it takes to bring about change.

Building relationships and trust takes time, she said. But she believes VGR has already experienced successes, such as its neighborhood cleanup in Uptown, which brought an array of people from across the community together. Art prints now brighten some windows in Uptown and there are regular foot truck festivals in the area.

Another accomplishment is the work of the Thriving Economy WAVE team which is striving to bring a technology festival to Racine in 2020.

Other goals of the community that VGR is working to address, like eliminating racism, will take time, Roehre said.

Roehre said she wants to knock Racine off the list that ranked it as the third worst place for African Americans to live and she hopes to eliminate the list altogether.

Roehre said she knows things at VGR will change with a diminished staff, but shes not sure what the changes will be.

Previously, a VGR staff member had attended every WAVE team meeting. Now, its likely that wont be the case, meaning stronger communication between the WAVE teams, Roehre and the VGR board will be necessary.

Despite difficult circumstances, Roehre remains positive, and said VGR has received a lot of support within the past week, after the community found out about the decreased funding.

The a large portion of Visioning a Greater Racines donations come from individuals, and Roehre encourages locals to participate in any way possible, by donating time and talent or even giving just $10.

We are still seeking funding, she said. Were not going anywhere.

Of the two people losing their jobs, one is Trevor Jung, VGRs community engagement coordinator. Jung also is a Racine alderman, representing the 9th District.

The other VGR employee losing her job, Auntavia Jackson, was being paid by a grant that ends in July.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.In his May 17 e-Update, Budget Bulletin I, State Senator Howard Marklein (17th senate district) addressed the Republicans removal of the Medicaid expansion from the budget. The Medicaid expansion was designed to help people in the 100-138 percent range of the federal poverty level, earning about $12,140 to $17,200. They neither qualify for BadgerCare (Wisconsins Medicaid program) nor can afford good health care coverage in the private marketplace.

Marklein defended the Republicans' action by stating that Wisconsin has some of the best insurance coverage in the country and does not have a coverage gap for people who fall within the group the Medicaid expansion was designed to cover. He stated that this group of Medicaid citizens are eligible for very affordable private health insurance in the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

These statements seriously distort the truth. For example: A recent study of the cost of addiction treatment drugs found that people who would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid under the expansion will pay as much as 72 times more for opioid addiction drugs under the Affordable Care Acts private insurance marketplace than they would under BadgerCare  a clearly unaffordable amount for low income citizens.

The opioid epidemic is higher in Wisconsin than the national average and is rising! The Republicans refusal to include the very popular Medicaid expansion in the budget leaves these people out of any treatment possibility. Marklein is dead wrong when he says private health insurance for low income people is very affordable.

Lee D. Van Landuyt,

Hillsboro

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Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Six minutes into the 2019 La Crosse County dairy breakfast hosted by Creamery Creek Holstein, about 150 cars had filled the field-turned-parking lot near Bangor. There was a seven-minute wait for tickets in the breakfast line. A few hours later, that line stretched into a 45-minute wait.

It was a spectacular turnout for an annual event that almost didnt happen.

The organizing committee had initially canceled the breakfast due to difficulties finding a host farm. Dairy farmers declined, unable to shoulder the extra time, work and cost of hosting such a large event.

The show of support was overwhelming, said Louisa Peterson, breakfast organizer and host farm co-owner, as she gestured at the queue. What people are willing to do to get breakfast here is just moving.

Two days after the cancellation, Peterson, also a member of the committee, volunteered to hold the breakfast for the second year in a row at the 675-cow dairy farm the Petersons co-own with the Hansen family. The yearly dairy breakfast was a storied tradition Peterson didnt want to let go.

The goal of the dairy breakfast is to teach people about farms and food production, as well as meet local farmers.

My son asked me this morning, If we didnt have farmers, where would our pancakes come from, said Jenny Kilpatrick, as she and her children, Ian Johnson, 5, and Anya Johnson, 8, waited in line for breakfast.

The answer to his question?

Nothing, Ian said, who wore a shirt with no farms, no food printed on the back.

Thered be none, Anya said.

Last year, about 3,200 people came to the farm for breakfast.

This year?

I have no idea, said Liza Schlintz, from her seat at the ticket booth.

But it feels like 3,000 people at least, she said, about three hours in to the event.

With the hype and everything, we thought we might have to plan for a few more people, said Melissa Schaub, county dairy breakfast committee secretary.

Theyve had more volunteers take part as well, Schaub said. I even had volunteers show up today unscheduled.

In the breakfast tent, a six-person crew from Western Technical Colleges Foods Club huddled over a round griddle. Theyd been making scrambled eggs since 6 a.m. using metal dustpans in lieu of spatulas to cook 32-egg batches poured from large plastic bags.

At school, they teach us to crack eggs one at a time, said Toya Reynolds, a Western Technical College student. Her dream is to manage a restaurant that specializes in soul food. This is good experience, though, cooking for so many people.

Meanwhile, members of the Mindoro Lions Clubs dolloped pancake batter onto the griddle by the dozen. Volunteers spooned eggs, fresh cheese curds and sausages onto plates, dispensed milk and yogurt, and passed out cups of frozen custard.

Near the barn, a crowd gathered to watch a cow give birth.

The birthing can take anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours, Will Hansen said. The farm averages about three births a day right now, Will said.

People gasped and cheered as the cow panted and pushed. A pair of dainty hooves, followed by the flicker of a pink tongue, nostrils and a head soon followed. After a couple more heaves, the cow stood up and the calf slid out in a splash of birthing fluid.

Holy moly, shouted Mabel Kast, 4, as the mother cow licked her baby clean and the newborn calf tried to stand for the first time. By the end of the breakfast, the calf was able to stand on wobbly legs for short periods of time by the end of the dairy breakfast

In the milking parlor, Gary Baumbach, 72, of Sparta watched a single worker milk 20 cows in an automated milking parlor. Being on a farm reminds him of his childhood, Baumbach said: doing chores, putting hay in the barn for winter feed.

The small family farm he grew up on was very different from the farms of today, Baumbach said. If he were still farming, hed probably just be driving tractors at this point.

Its like, Im a farmer, but Im also a business with technology, said Gabriel Hansen, 29. Theres a lot of opportunities for cool things in farming.

Their field, for example, was cut by a tractor-mower with a GPS telling it exactly where to go, said Matt Hansen, 26.

Jeff Heitkamp, chairman of the county breakfast committee, asked everyone to pay attention to the various signs, covered in Wisconsin dairy facts, planted across the grounds. If you learn one thing (about farming) today, itll be successful, Heitkamp said.

Evelyn Larkins, 4, of De Forest said she learned that cows noses are fuzzy and that she liked petting them.

Jennifer Lu is the La Crosse Tribune environmental reporter. You can reach her by phone at 608-791-8217 and by email jennifer.lu@lee.net.

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Firefighters from 19 departments across Wisconsin will staff Madison fire stations and ambulances on Sunday so Madison firefighters can attend a memorial service for firefighter Todd Mahoney, who died Sunday while swimming in Lake Monona as he competed in the Ironman 70.3-mile triathlon.

The memorial service for Mahoney will take place at 6 p.m. at Door Creek Church, 6602 Dominion Drive.

Fire departments covering the Madison engine and ladder companies are Appleton, Brookfield, Fond du Lac, Racine, Kenosha, Fitchburg, La Crosse, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Janesville, Wausau, South Milwaukee, North Shore, Oshkosh and Greenfield.

EMS units covering the Madison Fire Department ambulances will come from Sun Prairie, Middleton, Fitch-Rona and Monona.

As a thank you from the Appleton Fire Department, Fire Station No. 1 Engine Company will be staffed by Appleton firefighters, said Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster. Fire Station No. 1 is where Apparatus Engineer Mahoney most recently served.

Madison firefighters helped cover Appleton fire stations in May so Appletons firefighters could attend the funeral of Mitchell Lundgaard, who was shot and killed while responding to a call.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

Raul Ruiz, a major leader of the Chicano movement of the late 1960s and 1970s, has died.

His longtime friend Jorge Rodriguez confirmed Ruiz's death, saying he died in his sleep on Thursday.

"Raul always talked about how you gotta capture the injustice, not only intellectually, but in film, and in pictures, so people can see it, and generations ahead can see it, and learn about it," said Rodriguez.

Ruiz, who was 78, documented a key moment in Chicano rights movement in Los Angeles when he covered the 1970 Chicano Moratorium March, which left three people dead, including a prominent journalist.

At the time, Ruiz had taken on the role of editor of the influential Chicano publication La Raza. While covering the march, Ruiz photographed the moments before -- and after -- Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Salazar was killed by a tear-gas canister fired by a L.A. County Sheriff's deputy into a bar in East Los Angeles.

His photos of that day became an indelible part of history.

He later went on to earn a doctorate at Harvard, and became a professor of Chicano studies at Cal State Northridge.

Ruiz was one of three key figures of the Chicano Movement profiled in Mario Garcia's book "The Chicano Generation: Testimonios of the movement."

Garcia, a professor of Chicano Studies at UC Santa Barbara, said the movement was "the largest, most significant civil rights and community empowerment movement" for Latinos in the U.S., up to that time.

Raul Ruiz documented the Chicano movement in his role as a journalist for the influential La Raza publication. Pictured are LAPD officers at a Los Angeles Civic Center demonstration, circa 1970. (Courtesy of Raul Ruiz and the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center)

Garcia said Ruiz was born in El Paso in 1940 but moved to L.A. with his family. He was, Garcia said, a "Renaissance Man" of the movement.

"He went to local Catholic schools eventually went to what became Cal State LA and got a degree in history," Garcia said. "And it was around the time that he was in Cal State LA that he became involved in the Chicano movement. He was one of the college students that was very important in helping to organize the 1968, so-called blow out, or walkouts in East L.A. public high schools."

Those walkouts are considered to be a pivotal moment in calling attention to the unequal treatment of students enrolled in predominantly Latino schools. Ruiz also got involved in the Chicano underground press.

Garcia said Ruiz continued his activism even as he was a reporter and an editor.

He also was among a group of Latinos who pushed the Catholic Church in Los Angeles to do more to improve conditions in East L.A. Garcia said L.A.'s cardinal at the time, James Francis McIntyre, refused to meet with Ruiz and others asking for investment in the community.

"So they organized significant protests on Christmas Eve of 1969 and they protested at the Cardinal's Midnight Mass on December 25, 1969," said Garcia.

McIntyre, aware the protest was planned, had brought in deputies to serve as ushers, Garcia said.

"And so as all the others tried to get into the church, the so-called ushers pounced on them, and there were literally fisticuffs going on at the back of the church," Garcia said. "It was a televised match. You couldn't see the conflict. But you could hear the uproar that was going on."

Ruiz was among those arrested that night.

"And then he became involved with the significant Chicano anti-war movement, which was the largest anti-war movement by any minority group because Chicanos would be disproportionately drafted," Garcia said. "They were dying in Vietnam and Raul publicized it through the magazine."

Garcia said Ruiz and the others he worked alongside laid the groundwork for Latino political power today.

"Raul should be remembered as a very courageous and brave and dedicated, committed activist who always wanted to improve the Chicano community and to improve Los Angeles, so that it would not be a city that would be divided by race and class and other kinds of ethnic conflicts," Garcia said. "And, and he worked all of his life to do that."

Watch Garcia's 2016 conversation with Rosalio Munoz and Raul Ruiz >>

Rebecca Nieto, Megan Erwin and Megan Garvey contributed to this report.Blog Archive Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (2) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (4) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (5) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (4) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (4) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (3) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (5) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (2) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) 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Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (2) Apr 17 (1) Apr 15 (1) Apr 13 (1) Apr 10 (2) Apr 08 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (1) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 24 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 21 (1) Mar 20 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (1) Mar 14 (2) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (1) Mar 04 (1) Mar 03 (2) Mar 02 (2) Mar 01 (2) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (1) Feb 26 (1) Feb 25 (1) Feb 23 (2) Feb 19 (2) Feb 13 (1) Feb 12 (1) Feb 02 (1) Jan 31 (1) Jan 22 (1) Jan 18 (1) Jan 16 (1) Jan 09 (1) Jan 01 (1) Dec 20 (2) Dec 15 (1) Dec 13 (1) Dec 11 (1) Nov 30 (1) Nov 27 (1) Nov 20 (1) Nov 11 (1) Nov 10 (1) Oct 23 (1) Oct 20 (1) Oct 01 (1) Sep 30 (1) Sep 29 (1) Sep 24 (2) Sep 15 (1) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 02 (2) Aug 31 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (2) Aug 24 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (1) Aug 18 (3) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 11 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 03 (1) Jul 27 (1) Jul 26 (1) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (1) Jul 19 (1) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (1) Jul 13 (3) Jul 10 (1) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (1) Jul 06 (1) Jul 03 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 28 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (1) Jun 18 (1) Jun 15 (1) Jun 14 (2) Jun 11 (1) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1)In today's Ask a Teacher, Learning English follower Shahram is struggling with a certain word. He wrote to us:

Question:

Please explain the word "struggle." I get confused about it.

Answer:

Thanks for writing, Shahram! We hope you will be completely at peace with "struggle" by the end of this program!

Struggle can be a verb or a noun. A simple definition of the verb struggle is to work very hard to try to gain something. You might use all your energy struggling for control of a ball in a sport, for example. Or you might spend a lot of time and brain power searching for a solution to a problem.

Here are some example sentences:

My son is struggling to pass math this term. He works for hours every night to understand fractions.

Or:

The baby bird had to struggle to spread its wings and fly.

Struggle is often used in terms of moral, social and political goals. A recent VOA Learning English headline read: Women with Albinism Struggle for Acceptance.

The story told about a movement to end discrimination against people with a medical condition that leaves their skin very light in color.

Next, we turn to the meaning of the word struggle when it is used as a noun. Merriam Websters online dictionary defines the noun struggle as an act of strongly motivated striving.

When struggle is a noun, the or a often comes before it. For example, we can return to our earlier sentence about the math student.

It is a struggle for my son to learn fractions.

Struggle as a noun is often used when people are talking about social movements. You might have heard the phrase the struggle for civil rights in America, or the struggle to end apartheid or a struggle for freedom.

A commonly used term in political news reports, is power struggle. This often refers to different political parties or individuals fighting to control a government or a policy issue.

Hope that helps, Shahram! And, to all our English Learners, please keep your questions coming to Ask A Teacher.

Im Caty Weaver.

Now try this practice:

Try to rewrite this sentence using the verb form of struggle:

The struggle to learn native accents is a struggle for all foreign language learners.

Can you rewrite this next sentence using struggle as a noun?

Every morning Daisy struggles to wake up and go to school.

(Write your answers in the Comments section)

Caty Weaver wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

confused - adj. unable to understand

fraction - n. mathematics : a number (such as / or /) which indicates that one number is being divided by another

motivate - v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something

strive - n. to try very hard to do or achieve something

apartheid- n. a former social system in South Africa in which black people and people from other racial groups did not have the same political and economic rights as white people and were forced to live separately from white people

refer - v. to have a direct connection or relationship toThe flags hanging outside Anwar Ragauas house near the Indonesian city of Palu have led to warnings from the police. But the 50-year-old fisherman promises he is not taking them down.

The police were not there to help when he was the only one in his community to survive the tsunami that hit Palu last September. Neither were the government or aid organizations that came to the affected area in the hard-to-reach part of the island of Sulawesi.

Instead, the first people to offer him hope  and a new boat  were members of a conservative Islamic group known for violent acts.

All this time I had often been offered similar assistance from various organizations, government and non-government, but they only made promises, Ragaua said.

Today, the Islamic Defenders Fronts white and green flag hangs outside Ragauas house. So does a large black flag with white Arabic writing. Flags similar to it have become linked with violent extremism.

Since the Islamic Defenders Front group was established 20 years ago, it has pushed for Islamic law to govern the lives of Indonesias 230 million Muslims. The groups leaders aim to correct what they see as the errors of Indonesias 1945 constitution, which established a secular state and religious freedom.

The group has recently had some unexpected and surprising political victories. Its successes are only partly due to the growth of conservative Islam in Indonesia.

The groups success also can be linked to a 10-year effort to repurpose its militia. It has turned its fighters into a force that is skilled at helping the poor and searching for victims of natural disasters.

Researchers say members of Indonesias military formed the Islamic Defenders Front after the fall of former president Suharto in 1998. They say the group formed as a tool for dealing with pro-democracy activists and liberalism.

The group was able to act without fear of punishment from the law. And it became known for criminal activities and violent attacks. It now has members in 23 of Indonesias 34 provinces and a military-like command structure.

Maman Suryadi Abdurrahman is the head of the fronts Islamic Defender Troops militia. He told the Associated Press the organization has one million members. Researchers have said its membership is much smaller, estimating that it numbers in the tens of thousands.

The group does not propose that Indonesia become a caliphate -- a state run by an Islamic ruler. Instead, the group says it wants Islamic law to govern the nine out of 10 Indonesian citizens who are Muslim. Its leaders wear the red-and-white Indonesian flag on their official clothing and often work with nationalistic causes.

The group says it has eased some of its violent methods. But it still forcefully deals with what it calls community diseases such as sex work, same-sex relationships and celebrations of Western holidays. It does so, it says, at the request of local communities.

Weve tried to improve our image, Abdurrahman said. Weve changed the ways of our demonstrations to be more persuasive and peaceful.

In doing so, it has followed the same path as other deeply conservative groups in Indonesia, including Hizbut Tahrir. This group, which does seek a caliphate, was banned last year.

Alexander Arifianto is an Indonesian politics expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He said Indonesian groups copied Egypts Muslim Brotherhood, which led Islamic charities in the 1970s and 1980s and became very popular.

The Islamic Defenders Fronts aid effort is known as Red Crescent Indonesia. It is not part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. But it was very busy last year.

Along with the Palu disaster that killed more than 4,000 people, earthquakes killed hundreds and destroyed thousands of homes on the island of Lombok. A tsunami also caused major damage on the Sunda Strait coastlines of Java and Sumatra.

Indonesia is made up of 17,000 islands. Its central government has often been accused of ignoring hard-to-reach areas far from Java, the center of political and economic power.

But the Islamic Defenders Front was right there at each disaster. Its members searched for victims, gave out aid and built temporary housing and new religious centers. Its usual social services -- such as free health care -- have become important for poor people in cities.

The fronts rising political power was notable in 2016 and 2017, when it organized hundreds of thousands to protest the Christian governor of the capital, Jakarta.

And, in Aprils presidential election, the front backed former general Prabowo Subianto. He won a large majority of votes in religiously conservative provinces. However, President Joko Widodo won re-election by appealing to less conservative and minority voters.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly. And Im Pete Musto.

Stephen Wright reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Where do people turn to in your country when the government fails to deal with natural disasters? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tsunami  n. a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land

various  adj. used to refer to several different or many different things or people

error(s)  n. something that is not correct

secular  adj. not religious

liberalism  n. belief in the value of social and political change in order to make progress

province(s)  n. any one of a the large parts that some countries are divided into

nationalistic  adj. relating to or showing belief that your country is better and more important than other countries

persuasive  adj. able to cause people to do or believe something

charities  n. organizations that help people in needOver the last three years, Linn County has aggressively put property that has been forfeited to the county for back taxes back in public hands.Ironically, for all the fame surrounding the Pony Express, the mail service only lasted 18 months, with the introduction of the transcontinental telegraph, the need for the service dried up almost immediately.

Despite this the Pony Express has endured as a lasting symbol of the American West and has become romanticized over the years.

Famous advertisements allegedly read, Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred, have added to the luster surrounding this short lived mail service.

What seems to be the most enduring aspect of the Pony Express is its symbolism of rugged American individualism during Frontier times what the lengths people would go to find a solution to a problem.

Today there is a group dedicated to keeping this spirit alive, the NPEA is an all-volunteer historical organization whose purpose is to identify, re-establish and mark the original Pony Express trail from St. Joseph Missouri through, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and into California.A longtime city employee opened fire in a municipal building in Virginia Beach on Friday, killing 12 people on three floors and sending terrified co-workers scrambling for cover before police shot and killed him following a "long gun-battle," authorities said.Four teenagers have been arrested in connection with a homophobic attack on two women on a London bus that prompted widespread condemnation in the UK.

The attack took place on a London night bus on May 30 as the couple, Melania Geymonata and her partner Chris, were traveling home from an evening out together.

Geymonat posted a photograph on Facebook of the aftermath of the attack, showing the pair sitting on the bus, covered in blood.

In the accompanying account of the attack, in English and Spanish, Geymonata said that least four males began harassing the couple when they saw them kissing. The group made lewd comments, demanded that they kiss and eventually assaulted and robbed them, Geymonat said.

"They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us 'lesbians' and describing sexual positions," she wrote.

Geymonat said she started making jokes in an attempt to defuse the situation. But the men "kept on harassing us, throwing us coins and becoming more enthusiastic about it."

"The next thing I know is that Chris is in the middle of the bus fighting with them," Geymonat said. "On an impulse, I went over there only to find er face bleeding and three of them beating her up. The next thing I know is I'm being punched."

Announcing the arrests, Detective Superintendent Andy Cox said inquiries were continuing into the "disgusting" assault. "Lots of people will understandably be outraged by this attack,"he said in a statement. "Our efforts to trace all the suspects involved and bring them in for questioning will be relentless."

London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, condemned the incident on Twitter, saying it was a "disgusting, misogynistic attack."

"Hate crimes against the LGBT+ community will not be tolerated in London," he added.

The prime minister, Theresa May, joined the condemnation. "This was a sickening attack and my thoughts are with the couple affected. Nobody should ever have to hide who they are or who they love and we must work together to eradicate unacceptable violence towards the LGBT community."

In her Facebook post, Geymonata, a flight attendant originally from Uruguay, expressed concern that it took the release of shocking photographs of violence against women to prompt a public response.

"I don't know yet if my nose is broken, and I haven't been able to go back to work, but what upsets me the most is that VIOLENCE HAS BECOME A COMMON THING, that sometimes it's necessary to see a woman bleeding after having been punched to feel some kind of impact," she said.

"We have to endure verbal harassment AND CHAUVINIST, MISOGYNISTIC AND HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE because when you stand up for yourself s**t like this happens."

The-CNN-Wire  &  2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0I thought it would be fun, for the launch of us starting to carry CBD, to have a dinner to celebrate it, Montelbano said.

In April, Healthy Place owner Tim OBrien and his team hosted Its Hemp, Its Fine, a CBD expo at the Monona Terrace. OBrien was on hand during the dinner to give a sales pitch for CBD.

Two years ago I was against CBD, he said. I thought it was marijuana, I thought it was going to get people high. Then I started to learn about its power and benefit, and I got behind it pretty quick.

This first CBD dinner was a quiet one, a small group of mostly friends and family. Montelbano knew that some of the diners would have experience with CBD, but she kept the dosage really light in each course, in part because there were five courses and in part because tolerance varies. If you have too much CBD, the most likely effects will be gastrointestinal distress and tiredness.

Because youre paying for a CBD dinner, I do want you to be at the higher end of the scale, she said. But also, if I know you dont have experience, Im going to let everybody know, Hey, let me know how youre feeling.If Evers signs off on the changes, the state will transfer $13.8 million in 2019-20 and $15.8 million in 2020-21 in tax revenue to the Veteran's Trust Fund, effectively making tax dollars the "primary source of ongoing revenue for veterans programs," according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau budget paper issued earlier this month.

Some lawmakers and veterans groups have criticized the practice of reallocating nursing home revenue to fund administrative salaries and other programs for years, arguing that a different funding stream was needed. Changes to the funding model now come as the nursing homes have decreased its numbers of residents and are not generating money like they used to.

The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King had an excess of $50 million in reserves it generated from filling the home to capacity. As the number of residents there has decreased, those reserves have also declined and are expected to be $14.4 million at the end of this fiscal year, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

There were 690 residents at King at the start of the 2016-17 fiscal year, according to the LFB. At the end of May there were 542. With fewer beds filled, expenses at King are now expected to exceed revenues.This argument makes it fairly explicit that county government does not see Madison (or any other municipality) as being part of the county for the purpose of transportation services. While city residents are not exempt from paying the $28-per-year registration fee or our share of sales and property taxes, we are forgotten when those revenues are appropriated. All too often, county elected officials need to be reminded that Madison residents are residents  and taxpayers  of the county, too.

The notion that the bus system is used exclusively by city residents is a myth. Who is that filling the park and ride lots and private and public public parking lots at the outer limits of the isthmus and along major bus routes?

My guess is that these are non-city residents who are avoiding the traffic and substantial parking fees of the downtown. Thus, the generous subsidies of the federal, state and city governments to Madison Metro allows the exurban county residents to live in comparably less expensive housing while using the city buses.Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required!

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.Trumps campaign marks the first time in American history that a foreign power is known to have intervened in a U.S. election, a stunning disruption of our revered political processes, a cunning use of soft power that would have left our intelligence services envious had it not happened to us. All of the years of the Central Intelligence Agencys interference in lands from the Middle East to South America never yielded a result quite so neat and clean. We were successfully attacked by a foreign power without a shot fired or a body dropped. Russias assistance may well have been the boost that put Trump over the finish line.

And unlike Nixon, who at least had the good sense to be ashamed of his dirty tricks, Trump has just told a national audience that he would welcome Russian assistance should they offer it again. Reminded that his own FBI director, Christopher Wray, has said that any such intrusion should merit an immediate report to federal authorities, Trump angrily retorted, The FBI director is wrong. The president said he might not report any such contact by a foreign power.TWIN FALLS  Salt & Light Radio Inc. has announced its newest radio frequency, 101.7 FMK269D, in Twin Falls.

This frequency is an FM translator of Salt & Light Radios primary AM signal KTFI1270 AM and reaches nearly the entire Magic Valley from its broadcast tower on the Jerome Butte.

Salt & Light Radio is a Catholic lay radio apostolate and Idaho corporation with 501c3 federal nonprofit status established in 2009.

The station is primarily listener-supported, along with local corporate underwriting.

Its 24-hour programming is mainly provided through the Eternal Word Television Network along with several locally produced programs for listeners throughout southern Idaho.

Its mission is To evangelize and teach, through multi-media communications, the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the fullness of truth of the Catholic Church.

The corporation strives to be Salt & Light, Mt. 5: 13-16, to all to promote and build up Christs body, the Church.

For a full program schedule, go to saltandlightradio.com or the Facebook site.

To make a tax-deductible contribution, call 208-344-4774 or mail to Salt & Light Radio Inc., P.O. Box 714, Boise, ID 83701.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The 10 Commandments, Exodus 20, have been the bedrock of American civilization from its early settling to the founding laws and regulations of our beloved republic. The sixth commandment is without a doubt one of the most overlooked commandments in our current day.

Hear me out on this.

If someone kills another person, the law has strict instructions for law enforcement, prosecution and even incarceration for the murderer. A basic right of all citizens is the right to life. Anyone who causes that life to stop before it naturally ends is susceptible to a murder charge and required by the law to be treated accordingly.

Because a civilized society adheres to this law, no one should consider it strange when the law comes down hard on someone who commits murder. Now the law of the land knows that there are different degrees of murder. It takes into account accidental causes and weighs in heavily on a premeditated murderer. To be fair, the law treats the intent with noted differences. This is a good thing.

The matter of abortion is back on the mind of Americans. And as one would expect it is an emotionally charged conversation to have.

Is abortion of a human fetus murder?

For me this is an easy answer, however, I realize that a 47-year-old opinion from the United States Supreme Court has muddied the waters for many.

This year alone, state legislatures across the nation have been signing bills and ignoring bills related to the issue. Some have put tight restrictions on when an abortion can be performed, others have opened Pandoras Box and made way for an abortion at any stage upon the human fetus. And like our own state, the opportunity to abolish abortion in Idaho was completely ignored.

I realize the general readership of this column may have a spectrum of thoughts on this matter. As for me, a preacher of the Bible, I see no other way to look at this but as murder. Now, I respect that a woman may have experienced many circumstances that brought her to a difficult situation in her life. However, if life is life, then there is no situation that can be a trusted reason for or against life. The follower of the Lord Jesus, as described by the Bible, must submit all opinions within this Word. The heart cannot be trusted to govern fairly for all parties in a time like this.

A law is needed to govern the people who respect that all persons have the right to life.

As you know, the state of Idaho Idaho identifies the human fetus in the womb as a person. It is identified in domestic language and in criminal code.

Just this past week, the governor of the state of Illinois decared, Abortion is a fundamental right of all women in Illinois. This declaration, like that of New York earlier this year, was celebrated with fanfare. A complete disrespect of a right of all Americans, but more than that, this is breaking the sixth commandment, Do not murder.

Think closely with me on this. Even though the state of Idaho has not verbally proclaimed, like the Illinois governor, that abortion is a right of every woman in the state; our state actually treats the murdering of the human fetus in the womb in that way.

The state of Idaho literally ignores historic and intentional code that identifies the human fetus in the womb as a person. It gives special exception to women who wants an abortion (the intentional stopping of life) to murder a person without fear of repercussion from the law. The same law that would otherwise charge someone who murders a pregnant woman and her baby with a double homicide.

There is no fear of God in the land. May God be merciful to us and show His kindness that leads to repentance.

All for the glory of God and his creation, for it was God who created humanity and instructed them to be fruitful and multiply and commanded them not to murder.

Pastor Paul Thompson is the preaching pastor at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho. Weekly gatherings at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Sunday at 204 Eastland Drive North. www.esbcTwinFalls.com. Paul can be contacted via email at paul@esbctwinfalls.com

The Rev. Paul Thompson is the preaching pastor at Eastside Baptist Church, 204 Eastland Drive N., Twin Falls. The congregation gathers weekly at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. For more information, email paul@esbctwinfalls.com or go to esbcTwinFalls.com.

Love 4 Funny 6 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1TWIN FALLS  Nearly 100 volunteers for Sleep in Heavenly Peace will gather from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Lowes, 1350 Blue Lakes Blvd. N., to build 40 bunk beds for children in the community.

This will provide 80 children with a place to sleep, contributing to the organizations larger goal of ending child bedlessness. Fourteen Lowes stores are hosting builds, including the store in Twin Falls.

The retailer contributed $350,000 to support the Bunks Across America event.

Several of Lowes stores across the country have partnered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build bunk beds since the organization started in 2011.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0MURTAUGH  A California man suffered a head injury when a four-wheeler rolled.

John Tuli was riding a 2014 Suzuki all-terrain vehicle Thursday evening on 2900 North  also known as 800 South in Cassia County  when he attempted to turn sharply on asphalt and the ATV rolled, according to the Cassia County Sheriffs Office report.

His age and hometown were not included in the report. The ATV belongs to Tulis father, Henry Tuli.

The elder Tuli told Cassia County Sheriffs Staff Sgt. Jarrod Thompson that his son was visiting from California and wanted to ride the ATV, the report said. He gave his son instructions before allowing him to ride.

John Tuli was not wearing a helmet, the report said. Rock Creek Rural Fire District and an ambulance responded to the scene.

An air ambulance flew the injured man to a local hospital.

Editor's note: Due to a misspelling in the police report, a previous version of this story had the Tulis' last name spelled incorrectly.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0TWIN FALLS  On a recent shift, Twin Falls Police Officer Dzevad Mandzic responded to a report of a battery. After speaking to the victim on the phone, she told him she had decided not to make any statements and "didn't want to be a victim."

"It's difficult when people don't want to get involved," Mandzic said.

Officers say a lack of understanding between police and certain groups within the community can make their jobs difficult, but they hope having a better trained and more diverse force will help them connect with people.

The lack of participation is a common problem Mandzic has noticed in his three years with Twin Falls Police. Whether it's from fear of retaliation by the suspects, or other reasons, he's not sure.

"It's nothing new," said Robert Storm, major adviser for the law enforcement program at the College of Southern Idaho.

With more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, Storm has integrated instruction about victims being unwilling to cooperate with police into the program's curriculum. That includes classes on situations in which many victims are reluctant to make statements, such as crimes of sexual abuse, crimes against children and domestic violence.

"Those crimes are so invasive and personal," Storm said. "It's much harder and more difficult for victims to verbalize what has happened to them."

There are other reasons why domestic violence victims, especially, don't wish to make statements to police.

"Statistics show the lethality risk in a domestic violence case rises 75% after a victim reports the violence to police or attempts to leave the batterer," said Lori Stewart, victims' assistance coordinator for the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office. She also cited economic factors, whether the abuser is the main source of support for a family, and emotional connections between the victim and abuser.

"It's one of the challenges in communications for officers," Storm said.

J.P. O'Donnell, community outreach officer for Twin Falls Police, confirmed this reluctance among some victims to come forward or give statements to the officers responding to crimes.

"In different cultures, it's more prominent," O'Donnell said. "That's why having some of these officers that reflect the different cultures is important to us."

Twin Falls Police has six Bosnian officers and four Hispanic officers.

"We want to mirror what our community is," O'Donnell said. "It's about building that trust relationship with the victims."

Storm sees an advantage to having police officers of ethnicities matching a community's population on the force.

"When you have higher percentages of immigrants and have an immigrant officer," Storm said, "it's much easier to communicate."

When a victim refuses to make a statement, for instance, some investigations cannot continue, O'Donnell said. "That makes it difficult for us."

When dealing with various communities, diversity on the police force is a plus, he said.

"The beauty of it," O'Donnell said, "they can speak the language. An instant trust and credibility is created between the victims and those officers."

For his part, Mandzic strives in his job to protect all people equally, he said. He moved to Twin Falls 18 years ago from Bosnia with his family. Prior to joining the Twin Falls Police, he served as a reserve officer for Kimberly and Gooding.

When he came to the U.S, he didn't know how to speak English, and he says he'll always have an accent.

Mandzic and other officers respond to a variety of calls during their 12-hour shifts, from reckless drivers and car accidents to a suspicious individual wandering through a homeowner's back yard.

On the night shift, Mandzic has noticed more serious crimes take place.

"During the day, we have animal calls, property calls," he said.

At night, officers can be tasked with breaking up late parties or dealing with violent crimes.

The officers rotate from night to day shift every three months. Their shifts can run from 6 to 6 or 12 to 12. Recruits work from 3 to 3, and K-9 units also have their assigned shifts.

Driving Ford Interceptors, the officers have the latest technology available.

When Mandzic stopped a Hyundai Santa Fe on Friday afternoon for a traffic violation, he typed the license plate number and the driver's information into the laptop computer and brought up the appropriate records. Scanning the barcodes on the driver's license or vehicle registration also pulled up information.

"We don't have to hand-write citations," Mandzic said. The e-ticket paperwork is printed right in the police car.

The laptop also posts a call log and list of officers active on the log. GPS devices on the cars keep their locations current on a map, so officers can see where their colleagues are patrolling.

Officers can type in the latest updates on a call, so the record is up-to-date for the next shift. It saves having to remember everything when it comes time to write reports, Mandzic noted.

At the beginning of each shift, the radar detector on the police car's dashboard is calibrated using specially designed tuning forks: one for 35 mph and one for 65 mph.

In the event of a bank robbery, the GPS tracker placed in a bag of cash can be tracked from the police car, enabling officers to apprehend a suspect.

This equipment makes the officer's duties a bit easier and more efficient, but there's still a lot to be done.

"Every day is different," Mandzic said. "You never know what will happen."

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0HAGERMAN  Magic Valley Republican Women will go on a field trip to the Hagerman Valley on Wednesday. Along with First Lady Teresa Little, they will visit the Hagerman High School Academy of Agriculture and Food Science at 5 p.m. Instructor Kirt Martin will lead the tour.

Hagerman High School partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a NIFA-funded research project to help sustain the commercial trout industry in the Hagerman Valley. As part of the grant, students are conducting research with the University of Idahos Research and Experiment Station in Hagerman.

The station researches aquaculture practices to help produce safe and sustainable fish for consumption.

The partnership is giving students a career boost in the regions fast-growing food industry.

Magic Valley Republican Women will hold their monthly by-invitation meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Snake River Grill in Hagerman.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0HONG KONG  Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam sought to quell public anger Saturday by shelving an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted apprehension about relations with mainland China, but opponents of the measure said it was not enough.

Activists said they were still planning a mass protest for Sunday, a week after hundreds of thousands marched to demand Lam drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by this former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

The battle over the proposal to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance to allow some suspects to face trial in mainland Chinese courts has evolved into Hong Kong's most severe political test since the Communist Party-ruled mainland took control in 1997 with a promise not to interfere with the city's civil liberties and courts.

Critics said Lam should withdraw the plan for good, resign and apologize for police use of potentially lethal force during clashes with protesters on Wednesday.

"Democrats in Hong Kong simply cannot accept this suspension decision," said lawmaker Claudia Mo. "Because the suspension is temporary. The pain is still there."

The decision was "too little, too late," she said.

"Hong Kong people have been lied to so many times," said Bonny Leung, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, one of the groups that has helped organize the demonstrations.

Lam has said the legislation is needed if Hong Kong to uphold justice, meet its international obligations and not become a magnet for fugitives. The proposed bill would expand the scope of criminal suspect transfers to include Taiwan, Macau and mainland China.

China has been excluded from Hong Kong's extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

Speaking to reporters after announcing her decision Saturday, Lam sidestepped questions over whether she should quit. She insisted she was not withdrawing the proposed amendment and defended the police.

But she said she was suspending the bill indefinitely. It was time, she said, "for responsible government to restore as quickly as possible this calmness in society."

"I want to stress that the government is adopting an open mind," she said. "We have no intention to set a deadline for this work."

She emphasized that a chief concern was to avoid further injuries both for the public and for police. About 80 people were hurt in the clashes earlier in the week, more than 20 of them police.

"It's possible there might be even worse confrontations that might be replaced by very serious injuries to my police colleagues and the public," she said. "I don't want any of those injuries to happen."

Lam apologized for what she said were failures in her government's work to win public support for the bill, which is opposed by a wide range of sectors in Hong Kong, including many teachers, students, lawyers and trade unions.

But she insisted the bill was still needed.

"Give us another chance," she said.

Beijing-appointed Lam said she had the central government's backing for her decision to yield to the protests. A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said in a statement Saturday that the Chinese government "expresses support, respect and understanding" for Lam's decision.

Many analysts believe that given deep public frustration over expanding control from Beijing under President Xi Jinping, China's strongest leader in decades, Lam might eventually have to abandon the plan altogether.

"If there's more mass action this week that doesn't degenerate into smashing, they will have to," said Ken Courtis, an investment banker who has worked in Hong Kong off and on for many years.

The anger seen in the streets has been directed squarely at Lam and the Hong Kong government, not Beijing, he notes.

"Young people continue to be very dissatisfied," said Courtis, chairman of Starfort Investment Holdings. "The economy's not growing like people thought it would grow."

Lam acknowledged that the government needed to tackle other issues, especially a dire lack of affordable housing. She also cited the economy as a concern.

The extradition bill has drawn criticism from U.S. and British lawmakers and human rights groups, prompting Beijing to lash back with warnings against "interference" in its internal affairs.

But analysts say China also has to weigh the risk of seeing Hong Kong, a vital port and financial center of 7 million people, possibly losing its special economic status.

Under the 1992 U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act, Beijing needs to abide by its "one country, two systems" promises to respect the territory's legal autonomy for 50 years as promised under the agreement signed with Britain for the 1997 handover.

Already, many here believe the territory's legal autonomy has been significantly diminished despite Beijing's insistence that it is still honoring those promises.

Prosecutions of activists, detentions without trial of five Hong Kong book publishers and the illegal seizure in Hong Kong by mainland agents of at least one mainland businessman are among the moves in recent years that have undermined that

In may well be in China's interest to help Hong Kong's role as a financial center to grow in importance given the current extreme trade tensions with the U.S.

Much hinges on whether protests persist or again turn violent, Courtis said.

"That is a limit, a brake of common sense of how far Beijing would push these things," he said. "The last thing Beijing wants, with all this trouble with Washington, is that Hong Kong boils over."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Ninety-seven percent of land in Custer County is state and federally owned and exempt from taxation, explained Custer County Commissioner and Idaho Association of Counties Public Lands Committee Chairman Wayne Butts. Counties and schools like ours cant operate without federal forest payments.

This is the crux of why addressing the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program is important. The SRS program has become vital in budgeting for essential services in Idahos forested counties with large tracts of tax-exempt federal lands. It is time to meet the federal obligation to these counties and create a permanent, lasting program for Idaho counties and schools surrounded by tax-exempt federal lands. A long-term endowment assisted by forest products receipts would ensure certainty for parents, students and those traveling Idahos roads and bridges.

Fellow U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), James E. Risch (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and I recently reintroduced the bipartisan S. 1643, the Forest Management for Rural Stability Act, that would establish a growing endowment to provide funding needed for schools, road maintenance, law enforcement and other essential services. The legislation would end the need for short-term or retroactive reauthorizations of the Secure Rural Schools program, which expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2018. Congress would provide seed funding for the endowment, and the legislation would enable commercial receipts generated on Forest Service and National Wildlife Refuge Revenue Sharing lands to be deposited annually into the fund. Interest from the endowments investments will finance county payments using the SRS formula.

Property taxes fund county governments, allowing them to provide public safety services and infrastructure maintenance for local communities. However, lands managed by the federal government cannot be taxed by local or state governments. The federal government is responsible for the impact of federal land ownership on local communities, and laws have been enacted to help offset losses to local governments from the presence of non-taxable lands. Critical services in federal forested counties have historically been funded in part with a 25 percent share of timber receipts from federal U.S. Forest Service Land. As those revenues fell due to reduced timber harvest, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was enacted in 2000 to provide SRS payments to help bridge the gap to keep rural schools open, provide road maintenance, support search and rescue efforts and other essential county services.

In the nearly 20 years since the establishment of the Secure Rural Schools program, Congress has reauthorized the program multiple times and made adjustments to it. But, too often the program has lapsed and left counties in limbo as fellow senators and I have pressed our congressional colleagues to fund the program in a fiscally responsible manner to meet the federal governments responsibility to the rural communities housing our federal lands. Lapses and short-term reauthorizations have created massive uncertainty for counties as they budget for basic county services.

To address the problem, I worked with Senators Wyden, Risch and Merkley to first introduce the bipartisan Forest Management for Rural Stability Act last year to make the SRS program permanent by creating the endowment fund to provide stable, increasing and reliable funding for county services. We have since gathered the input of stakeholders, our Senate colleagues and others to refine the proposal. This effort has culminated in the reintroduction of this legislation.

The Secure Rural Schools program is important to many states with forested counties with large tracts of tax-exempt federal lands, and this legislation should receive strong, bipartisan support. I look forward to its enactment that will help meet the federal governments responsibility to rural counties housing federal lands.

Mike Crapo represents Idaho in the U.S. Senate.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Twin Falls Senior Center does so much good for the elder population of our community. It is a valuable asset. The largest aspect of our operations consists of home delivered meals. These nutritious and freshly made lunches are prepared by our kitchen staff and delivered by volunteers to home-bound senior citizens all over the greater Twin Falls area.

Government funding cutbacks and a growing senior population necessitates greater private fundraising. An opportunity to support this beloved institution, aid us in our mission and have a wholesome recreational activity will be Saturday at 136 Maxwell Ave., in the beautiful Rock Creek Canyon Parkway. At 9 a.m., the 5K race will begin. Thanks to our sponsors Chick-fil-A, Ovation Performing Arts, Gold's Gym, Gemstone Climbing Center, Clif Bar and Cactus Pete's, we will have prizes for the winners. All participants will also receive a gift.

To sign up or volunteer, call 208-734-5084 or go to tfseniocenter.com. Please join us for the 4th annual Twin Falls Senior Center Fun Run and help make a difference in our community.

John Kapeleris

Twin Falls

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Appreciation for Shirley Meyer Hadley

Shirley Meyer Hadley is retiring after 33 years of service at Clover Lutheran Church and School. She served as teacher, school administrator, principal and event planner. The success of the annual Octoberfest is largely the effect of her hard work. But her real title was that of messenger.

Shirley brought the message of Jesus Christ to hundreds of children over the years. Every day that a child came to Clover, they learned that Jesus Christ was their Savior. They took this knowledge and passed it on to their family and friends, and the result is everlasting. It was through her prayer and faithfulness that the school continued when it seemed it might have to close.

We here at Clover Lutheran Church and School thank Shirley for her service. The hundreds of children she taught and told about Jesus thank her. And God says to you, Shirley Meyer Hadley, Thou have been a good and faithful servant, and I am well-pleased.

Terry Gartner

Clover

Thank you to supporters of the Burley Public Library

On behalf of the Burley Public Library Board and staff, I want to thank the citizens of Burley, our patrons and volunteers, for your support of our Operations Over-ride Levy. Your commitment to helping us maintain quality library services in our community is sincerely appreciated.

Each year the Burley Public Library continues to advance its mission of service as a premier information resource. Through our childrens programs, computer classes, technical support, after-school homework help and many other events, we have seen many lives changed for the better.

With help from supporters such as you, we will meet our goals to enhance and inspire learning and personal enrichment. Thanks again for your support

Tommie Dean, Trustee

Burley Public Library

Veterans of Foreign Wars appreciate Gooding community

A very sincere thanks is extended to everyone from the Gooding community who helped the local VFW Post 3078 members place crosses and flags on the resting sites of 600 plus veterans in Elmwood Cemetery on May 24 for Memorial Day. We also thank Jason Neil for his leadership in this project for this year.

VFW Auxiliary and American Legion Auxiliary blue flags were placed on those resting places, too. Also, one cross and flag were placed at the resting site of the only known veteran in the Pioneer Cemetery. If anyone knows the grave sights of other veterans in the Pioneer Cemetery, please contact VFW Chaplain Don Larson at 208-934-4887.

Elmwood Cemetery has one Medal Of Honor veteran (Army) from the Civil War.

Donald K Larson, VFW 3078 Chaplain

Gooding

The Letters of Thanks column will publish letters of up to 200 words from organizations thanking contributors or supporters and individuals thanking public agencies and businesses for extraordinary service. Send letters to letters@magicvalley.com. If you would like to purchase a classified ad to express gratitude of a personal rather than public nature, call the Times-News Customer Service Department.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Worse than you think, I enjoyed the discussion of dictionaries most of all:

One of the most unreasonably difficult things about learning Chinese is that merely learning how to look up a word in the dictionary is about the equivalent of an entire semester of secretarial school. When I was in Taiwan, I heard that they sometimes held dictionary look-up contests in the junior high schools. Imagine a language where simply looking a word up in the dictionary is considered a skill like debate or volleyball! Chinese is not exactly what you would call a user-friendly language, but a Chinese dictionary is positively user-hostile.

Figuring out all the radicals and their variants, plus dealing with the ambiguous characters with no obvious radical at all is a stupid, time-consuming chore that slows the learning process down by a factor of ten as compared to other languages with a sensible alphabet or the equivalent. Id say it took me a good year before I could reliably find in the dictionary any character I might encounter. And to this day, I will very occasionally stumble onto a character that I simply cant find at all, even after ten minutes of searching. At such times I raise my hands to the sky, Job-like, and consider going into telemarketing.

Chinese must also be one of the most dictionary-intensive languages on earth. I currently have more than twenty Chinese dictionaries of various kinds on my desk, and they all have a specific and distinct use. There are dictionaries with simplified characters used on the mainland, dictionaries with the traditional characters used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and dictionaries with both. There are dictionaries that use the Wade-Giles romanization, dictionaries that use pinyin, and dictionaries that use other more surrealistic romanization methods. There are dictionaries of classical Chinese particles, dictionaries of Beijing dialect, dictionaries of chengyu (four-character idioms), dictionaries of xiehouyu(special allegorical two-part sayings), dictionaries of yanyu (proverbs), dictionaries of Chinese communist terms, dictionaries of Buddhist terms, reverse dictionaries on and on. An exhaustive hunt for some elusive or problematic lexical item can leave ones desk strewn with dictionaries as numerous as dead soldiers on a battlefield.(HealthDay)Maine has become the eighth state to legalize medically assisted suicide.

"It is my hope that this law, while respecting the right to personal liberty, will be used sparingly," Gov. Janet Mills, told the Associated Press.

Under the law, doctors can prescribe a lethal dose of a drug to terminally ill patients, and it will not legally be a suicide. The bill had failed to pass in a state referendum and also a number of times in the State Legislature. It finally passed by one vote in the House and a narrow margin in the Senate.

The new law was praised by Staci Fowler, who took on the fight for the law in honor of her friend Rebecca VanWormer, the AP reported. VanWormer died of breast cancer in 2017 and had pressed for such a law for years before her death. "This is what she wanted," Fowler told the AP. "And now everybody has the option that she didn't have."

Explore further Vermont becomes third US state to legalize assisted suicide

More information: AP News Article

Copyright  2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog.Several businesses based in Missoula County, including a new downtown Mexican restaurant and agave bar, received a financial boost through state grant and loan funds in order to expand their output and hire more local employees.

During a meeting with the Missoula Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, three companies, which consisted of the upcoming restaurant, a pedicab manufacturer and a software start-up, requested funding. All three received a green light from commissioners.

The commissioners gave their approval for a loan application of nearly $160,000 for a Mexican restaurant slated to open this October in the historic Missoula Mercantile building recently converted to a Marriott hotel. The Camino will offer traditional dishes inspired by recipes from Oaxaca to Yucatan, prepared with locally-sourced food, along with an agave bar.

The loan application, prepared with the help of local financer MoFi, requests support from Missoula Countys Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund. Drawing from a pool of $700,000, projects must demonstrate a benefit for low- and moderate-income residents of Missoula in order to qualify.

As part of the agreement, the restaurant will employ eight full-time positions and pay back the loan over a period of 10 years. According to restaurant co-owner Tad Hilton, a concession with building owner Mercantile Enterprises allows them to operate without needing to purchase a liquor license. The $800,000 saved will allow them to rapidly pay off the loan.

Melissa Gordon, the grants program manager for the county, said MoFi has absolute confidence in the restaurant. According to Gordon, similar loans submitted through MoFi have had a default rate of only 1%.

Commissioner Nicole Rowley said funds like the revolving loan fund exist specifically because they are high risk, but still give businesses the leg up they need to launch and get off the ground and create jobs. She cited similar loans give to Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Free Cycles and Western Cider.

Plus, its Mexican. Of course Im going to vote for it, Rowley said. Her two counterparts, Commissioners Dave Strohmaier and Josh Slotnick, agreed.

Nicole Rush, the business initiatives director of the Missoula Economic Partnership, introduced Coaster Pedicab Manufacturing for commissioners to consider for a Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund grant.

The grant, funded by Montanas coal severance tax, partially reimburses companies that bring in out-of-state customers and provide high-paying jobs for residents. Employers must pay at least 170% of the state minimum wage in order to qualify.

Coaster Pedicab, with its facility based in Bonner, designs and manufactures custom-made bikes used for passengers, shipping and vending. During its five years of operation, the facility has expanded from an initial 2,000 square feet to a total of 24,500. They currently have 16 employees, and their clients include Starbucks, Wendys and the U.S. Coast Guard. The company has also been hired to build bikes for the University of Montana and the Missoula Public Library.

Coaster Pedicab COO Justin Bruce said he will add 39 employees by the end of 2021, with the help of the grant. The new positions include engineers, project managers, bike assemblers and administrative workers.

Because grant funding can go toward nearly any expenditure, be it increasing employees or purchasing new equipment, Bruce also showed commissioners concept art for a new, electrically assisted bike currently in development.

This is one of the main reasons why were coming to you, said Bruce. Were going to be launching one of the first electric-powered pedal bikes that will be fully enclosed.

According to Bruce, the enclosure on the bike will benefit both passengers and cargo by blocking out the rain and the snow. Bruce said Coaster Pedicab hopes to have a prototype completed by the end of the year.

Right now, the delivery companies using our bikes dont like that their drivers are getting soaked, he said.

Before granting approval, Commissioner Slotnick asked Bruce about his plans to provide healthcare for his employees. Although benefits at Coaster Pedicab include paid time off and a 401K plan, Bruce said healthcare is a top priority for his company. The lack of health benefits, he said, has made it difficult to fill some key positions in the past. He said he intends to offer healthcare for his employees by next year.

I will remember, when you come back next year, that you said you were going to have health insurance in 12 months, said Slotnick before he, Strohmaier and Rowley gave their approval.

Commissioners approved a second grant for TOMIS, a marketing platform headed by Evan Tipton, a UM graduate. The corporation currently employs 16 people, half of whom also graduated from UM.

TOMIS, founded in 2016, provides online marketing help for tour operations. It analyzes marketing and sales data to inform its clients in the tourism industry.

While companies like (Grizzly Hackle) may be great at running guided fly fishing trips, digital marketing is kind of like Mandarin to them, he said.

Tipton said funding from the grant will help in the hiring battle between all tech companies, with some of TOMIS employees leaving for jobs at Amazon and Silicon Valley startups. The company plans on hiring 15 new employees within the next year and another 14 by the end of 2021.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Missoula Farmers Market has been around since 1972, when the Vietnam War was raging and the compact disc was still 10 years away from being invented.

The weekly summer gathering of vegetable growers, musicians and people-watchers at the Railroad Depot near the XXXXs has stayed true to its character over those 47 years, but now it's adapting to the changing culture of modern times with new vendors and unique offerings.

Were the old-school market, explained market manager Florie Consolati. But this year I think were seeing a change in the clientele.

The Clark Fork Market near Caras Park started in 2005 and pretty much everyone agrees it feels busier and a little more energetic.

Its a little bit more laid back up there (at the Missoula Farmers Market), explained Clark Fork Market manager Franco Salazar. "The two markets are similar but they each have a different vibe."

Consolati agrees. Both metaphorically and literally, the Missoula Farmers Market feels a little less energetic.

We dont have much access to electric power up here, Consolati explained. So our vendors have to be able to deal with that. We have more of a traditional vibe. People can have long conversations with the farmers here and ask them whats it been like growing this and that or what can I cook with this and its a little less cramped and more relaxed."

"Thats what customers want here.

But that doesnt mean the market isnt changing with the times.

So this was a focus of ours this year was to really expand our food and drink options, Consolati explained. This year we are seeing more people who are coming just to get food.

Iron Cakes, owned by Scott and Kayla Johnson, got a newer and bigger food truck for their breakfast and lunch waffle sandwich creations.

Their business has been doing so well, they pretty much have a line the whole market, Consolati said. They do gluten-free waffles and you would never know they are gluten-free. They fold it into a sandwich, and you can get eggs, bacon and avocado or Nutella and fruit or chicken and waffles. They sell out.

Madelines Mediterranean Grill and Street Food joined the market this year, as did the Plum Bum, a food stall that serves Serbian plum dumplings.

Troy and Trent Yost, two brothers who live in Ronan, bring down their homemade coffee stand to serve their Dobson Creek Coffee Company products. They use a traditional siphon-brewing method using their homemade charcoal, and they also make a cascara soda from coffee fruit.

We really needed a new coffee vendor because one of our longtime vendors retired last year, so its great to have Troy and Trent here, Consolati explained.

Jaimee Vitolo competed on the popular cooking competition show MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay and got sixth place a few years ago.

He called me the blueberry queen, she recalled.

Now, shes moved permanently to Missoula from New York and bakes cake donuts and other treats at her food stall called Tiny Whisk.

Its fun and funky, she said of her creations. I roast my own strawberries for the glaze and I use a 1958 family recipe for my buckle, which is like a coffee cake.

Eddie Ridge and Micah Nelson converted a tiny van into the Mountain Tap Mobile Beverage Service, and now they pour beers and make mimosas every Saturday at the market.

We get a lot of people who say they grew up here and are happy to see new things here every year, Ridge explained.

Its also the 30th anniversary of selling at the market for the Vang family, a group of Hmong relatives who grow vegetables in the area. Hundreds of Hmong came to Missoula from refugee camps after fleeing Laos in the late 1970s and early 1980s and have become an integral part of the culture and community of the Missoula area and especially its agricultural scene.

Ive been coming here with my family since I was a little kid, said Tou Vang. I grew up here. Some of my earliest memories are at the market. I love this place.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Missoula's popular outdoor band concerts strike up their summer series in the Bonner Park Band Shell next week.

The Missoula Big Band and its practiced musicians will perform June 19, with the Missoula City Band and its amateur-friendly ensemble taking over June 26, according to director Gary Gillett. The City Band is Montana's only municipally funded music group and starts rehearsal June 17 (see info box).

I try and make sure they rehearse at least a couple of times before I take them out in public, Gillett said. Hows the band this year? We never know until the first rehearsal.

Around three-quarters of the 100-person band return year-over-year, Gillett said, with the rest made up of students or single-season members.

He works to keep the bands sound fresh every year, as much for his enjoyment as the bands and listeners'. This year, hes debuting a 100-year-old tune uncovered in a historical record that was penned by a Missoulian and performed by the City Band oh-so-long-ago before being forgotten to time.

Gillett came across the song while he was researching his book, published in 2018, on the history of the band since its 1865 founding.

Its a sweet, old waltz thats unique to Missoula, he said.

Otherwise, the band will welcome a guest soloist every week, usually a vocalist of some sort, to accompany the group.

Gillett said their first practice is open to any interested musicians who play a classic band instrument, or rhythm instruments like guitar, electric bass or drums, which occasionally supplement the group during rock-oriented numbers.

Dont be shy if youre an amateur, he noted.

Ive only ever disinvited a couple of folks, he said, adding with a laugh that if people at least know theyre not great, they know when not to play.

Dan Dixson, band member for nearly 20 years and baritone saxophone player, self-deprecatingly lumped himself in with those less-talented players, saying he sticks around for the people and the joy of playing.

Its pretty laid back, Id say, Dixson said. We have the music in common.

Dixson likes that Gillett keeps the music approachable for all levels of players, as well as interesting for their fans to listen to.

He recognizes a core following that returns year after year, but also notices those folks just stopping on their nightly walk to listen in.

Its really a continuation of an old American tradition that you dont really see anymore, Dixson said. Its just a whole different feel to it that isnt in any other concert.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.As the Earths climate changes, the roughly 20,000 migrating elk that summer in the high country in and around Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks seem ready to adapt, based on a recent study of 400 GPS-collared animals.

Led by University of California, Berkeley researchers, the study combined GPS tracking data from elk in nine herds with satellite imagery between 2001 and 2017 to create a comprehensive model of what drives these animals to move, according to a university press release.

In some ways it kind of confirms some things we would have expected based on anecdotal comments, said Arthur Middleton, an assistant professor of environmental science, policy and management at UC Berkeley and senior author on the study. This is just a much bigger, comprehensive look at the drivers, looking at the variation across the system.

Although climate change studies have to look at a much longer time scale  30 years  to make inferences, Middleton said the research is still one of the longest on such a large geographic scope.

Snowmelt

The study documented that when the snow melts and the forage gets green, elk are more likely to begin moving uphill.

We found that the immediate environment is a very effective predictor of when migration occurs, said Gregory Rickbeil, who conducted the analysis as a postdoctoral researcher in Middletons lab.

This is in contrast with some other species, such as migratory birds, which rely on changing day length to decide when to move, Rickbeil pointed out.

It seems like these animals can adapt to changing climates, which is likely a good thing, he said. But there will be a lot of consequences to these changes.

The results were published in the current issue of the journal Global Change Biology.

Surfing the wave

Elk that move from lower elevation winter ranges to the high country have long pursued a green wave of vegetation  the most nutritious new growth of the spring. Any change in the timing of that greenup will mean the animals move earlier or later. How that affects the interconnected web of other species  like grizzly bears, mountain lions, wolves and even human hunters who rely on elk for food  is unknown.

The decisions that these animals make about when to migrate are absolutely dependent on changes in the landscape, changes that are ultimately governed by the climate, Middleton said. And in the future, with climate change, we should expect the timing of these mass movements to be altered, which will affect the other wildlife and the people who depend on them, including predators, scavengers and hunters across the ecosystem.

The study is the latest from Middleton and his colleagues to examine wildlife migrations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem  mountainous terrain spread across 18 million acres in the adjoining states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

This is a big collaborative effort with state agencies sharing dating," he said. "We wouldn't be able to look at something like the Yellowstone super herd of elk without everyone sharing information.

Species

One surprising outcome of the study was that elk are leaving for winter ranges later  up to 50 days later in 2015 than in 2001. Why they may be delaying their movement is hard to determine, partly because snow depth is difficult to quantify via satellite data across a large region.

That remains kind of a head-scratcher, Middleton said. But it seems to resonate with some of the local managers.

The elk, which move seasonally anywhere from 30 to 100 miles, are equivalent to about 10 million or so pounds of animal biomass pulsing in and out of the parks and adjacent wilderness areas each year. Their movement across the vast landscape affects humans, vegetation and other wildlife.

These elk eat a lot of things, and they are eaten by a lot of things, so wherever these masses of hundreds or thousands of elk are on the landscape determines who gets to eat and who doesnt, Middleton said. In some cases, this could be sensitive populations of carnivores, like grizzly bears or wolves, and on the human side, it could be hunters, some of whom are making their income as outfitters and guides.

Recent studies have shown that grizzly bears depend on newborn elk calves as a food source in spring  right when the migration is occurring  and that a Yellowstone wolf kills, on average, 16 elk per year. Meanwhile, each fall hunters from around the country pay guides for the chance to shoot an elk in the forests near Yellowstone.

Big picture

While a smattering of studies has investigated the migration of individual herds in the park, none before this study had investigated the phenomenon on an ecosystem scale.

Its amazing the degree of variation, Middleton said. Its sort of surprising to me to see the extent of their flexibility.

One year, an individual female might migrate in April, but the next year in July, depending on the timing of snowmelt and green-up.

Theyve got a big brain and big eyes, and they can look around and, to a large degree, see changes on the landscape and react to them, Middleton said.

Alyson Courtemanch, who manages the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems Jackson elk herd as part of her job as a wildlife biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, says knowing the whereabouts of the elk is critical to her job setting hunting seasons and managing the spread of diseases among wild elk and domestic cattle.

Weve been observing a lot of really interesting changes over the past decade about the way that elk are moving across the landscape, specifically of the timing of the migrations, said Courtemanch, who supplied GPS data on the Jackson herd for the study. This analysis helped confirm a lot of things that people on the ground had suspected were happening, but that werent really quantified.

Looking ahead

This (study) provides great insight into the adaptation strategies of elk to climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, said Jonathan Jarvis, former director of the National Park Service, who now serves as executive director of the Institute for Parks, People, and Biodiversity at UC Berkeley.

Using such information on elk migrations to preserve corridors for the animals, to ensure their grazing lands are free of invasive plants like cheatgrass and to work on lessening predator interactions with livestock could be future projects, Middleton said.

Looking to the conservation questions is important.

The maps clearly demonstrate the need to think and operate at the landscape scale, Jarvis added. For the park managers, this kind of research gives them options and incentives, such as protection of migration corridors and seasonal habitats, for ensuring elk and other keystone species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will persist.

Study co-authors included Jerod A. Merkle of the University of Wyoming; Greg Anderson, Douglas E. McWhirter and Tony Mong of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department; M. Paul Atwood of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game; Jon P. Beckmann of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Eric K. Cole of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Sarah Dewey and David D. Gustine of the National Park Service; Matthew J. Kauffamn of the U.S. Geological Survey and Kelly Proffitt of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Our visit to Ravenna had exceeded our expectations. I'm glad we had stayed the night; we enjoyed our dinner, and the relaxed, pleasant vibe of the city. We really enjoyed our suite at the Casa Masoli. It was so comfortable and spacious and took us back in time and waking up to this in the morning sure does make a statement!

Breakfast was included in our night's stay, so we packed and headed down to the quaint dining area.

Breakfast was basic but quite satisfying.





After breakfast; we freshened up a bit, stored our bags....our train back to Bologna wasn't until 1230, and decided to take one more walk around Ravenna.

It seems like many cities in Italy have their own "leaning tower". Ravenna is no exception. This is the Torre Comunale (Torre Civica) which leans slightly to the west.

As we made our way back to Casa Masoli, we walked thru what is considered Ravenna's Main Square; Piazza del Popolo. Things were quite lively as there seemed to be some kind of bicycle event for families. Folks smiled and waved at us, folks congregated and chatted, what I'm assuming is a Girl Scout Troop marched thru the square as older folks caught up on the latest news (and gossip). It made for a wonderful scene.









We grabbed our bags; thanked the woman who runs things, we'd had a lovely stay. Great sights, good food, wonderful people, what more could one ask?

The train ride back to Bologna was a quick 90 minutes and change. We walked to our apartment, dropped our bags and headed on out.

This being a Sunday, Bologna was buzzing. The streets full of students, visitors, and locals enjoying their Sunday. It seemed like everyone was out and about on this beautiful day.

Of course every visitor just "needed" that selfie of Asinelli Tower.

It was fun just wandering the streets and alleyways people and pooch watching.

We passed the Chiesa de San Martino.

And somehow found ourselves at Palazzo della Mercanzia.





This has been Bologna's center of trade and commerce since the 14th century!

And guess what? There was some "trade" happening on this day as well as right down the street on Piazza Santo Stefano, the monthly Antiques Market was happening.

It was fun browsing thru the different stands. Though our favorite by far was a particular used book seller... whose "assistant" was hard at work!



All this walking and browsing made me want a snack.

So we headed off to the Quadrilatero and back to Af Tamburini. Which was quite busy as usual.

We just got a cheese sandwich and headed off to eat it at my favorite spot; on the stairs of San Petronio Basilica, where we could watch Bologna pass us by.

We love sitting on the stairs and just people watch.





Soon enough it was time to head back to the apartment for a nice nap.

This would be our last evening of this vacation and I had made a reservation at a well regarded restaurant for dinner.

You know, I hadn't read much about Emilia-Romagna over the years. A colleague of mine had mentioned his daughter going on an exchange program to Bologna, which is when, beyond all the food stuff, I started learning about the region.

From the warm and friendly people, the amazing food and ingredients (how can you beat Balsamic Vinegar, Parmesano Reggiano, Prosciutto de Parma, and of course culatello), to the history, I wonder why more people don't travel to this region.Sometimes good things come in small packages  at least thats true when it comes to a new exhibit at the Wah Chong Tai mercantile building and Mai Wah Noodle Parlor on West Mercury Street in Uptown Butte.

This summer, the Mai Wah Society will host an exhibit in the historic buildings, showcasing a small artifact that speaks to a global movement.

The object is a rare political medallion that Pat Munday, Mai Wah Society president, said volunteers uncovered during a 2007 archaeological dig in Buttes former Chinatown district.

The dig yielded all sorts of historical objects, ranging from pottery to textiles, many of which are on display at the Mai Wah Societys museum at 17 W. Mercury St.

The dig also uncovered a curious oxidized coin stamped with the letters C.E.R.A. and the bust of a man.

At first, Munday explained, the Historical Society wasnt sure what the object was, but after doing some research, they discovered that C.E.R.A. stood for the Chinese Empire Reform Association and that the man on the coin was the Chinese Emperor Guangxu, whose life seems like a story ripped from the pages of "Game of Thrones."

This was a kind of neglected piece of history generally (in the West)...and in Butte, we didnt really know anything about it, said Munday.

In the late 1890s, Munday explained, it looked like things were going pretty well back in China.

A new, young, progressive prince of the Qing family  thats Guangxu  was coming to power and wanted to lead a reform to modernize the country.

But as any politician will tell you  regardless of whether theyre a county commissioner or the Emperor of China  the one thing that people hate more than stasis is change.

Enter: the opposition.

There were some very conservative elements in China that resented these modernist reforms, said Munday. So these conservative forces kind of rose up, and they supported what was called the Dowager Empress.

The Dowager Empress Cixi was actually Guangxus aunt, and shes accused by historians of being responsible for not one but two coups.

Cixi started off her political career as a concubine of the emperor Xianfeng, and her influence was secured when she gave birth to a son, who was to become emperor.

When Xianfeng was on his deathbed, Cixis son was too young to rule, so he installed a board of regents, but Cixi conspired with Xianfengs principal wife Empress Zhen and two of his brothers to launch a coup against the regents, two of which were forced to kill themselves.

In 1873, Cixis son finally came of age but died just two years after assuming the throne.

After her sons death, Cixis nephew Guangxu was appointed as the next emperor.

However, once Guangxu began to rule and started rabble-rousing by implementing reforms, Cixi placed him under house arrest.

According to an article in The Guardian, by September 1898, she had deposed and imprisoned Guangxu and taken the reins again herself. (Other) reformers who did not escape were executed.

These events, Munday said, were a source of turmoil across the Chinese diaspora  not just among those who lived in China but also in the U.S. and in Butte.

Thus, from this politically tumultuous time C.E.R.A. came into being as a movement in support of Emperor Guangxu.

Munday said C.E.R.A. in the U.S. was led by Chinese merchants, who received donations from Chinese-Americans to support the movement.

It was very much parallel to what the (Butte) Irish were doing in supporting the (Irish Republican Movement), said Munday.

According to an article written by Butte historian Richard Gibson, the Butte chapter was organized in 1901.

By 1905, the organization was actively supporting a developing army in the U.S., intended (at least on the surface) to help restore the Guangxu Emperor to power, but its not clear that they actually expected to return to China in force, Gibson wrote.

So whatever happened to Cixi and Guangxu?

In a Shakespearean-like ending, Cixi died in 1908, just one day before Guangxu mysteriously passed away. In 2008, forensic tests on Guangxus hair indicated that he may have ingested lethal amounts of arsenic.

Mai Wah Society sends artifact to NYC exhibit

In other news, the Mai Wah Society will exhibit one of its artifacts at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City. The exhibit, called Gathering: Collecting and Documenting American History, opens in October.

Munday said the Mai Wah was invited to send one artifact for the show.

It was really difficult to choose, Monday said, who, along with other Mai Wah members, decided on a pair of Manchu shoes from the 1890s.

Also known as flowerpot shoes or horse hoof shoes, the shoes feature a heel-like structure in the middle of the shoe rather than at the back. According to Munday, the shoes were status symbols and were made to restrict womens movement. They were the invention of the Manchu people, who did not practice foot binding.

Very few of these shoes have survived, said Munday, noting that amidst turmoil in China and the process of assimilation in the West, shoes like the Mai Wahs have been lost or destroyed.

The shoes from the Mai Wah belonged to Lily Chew Huie, who was born in San Francisco in 1890 and moved to Butte after marrying Sam Huie.

They had 13 children and operated a restaurant on East Park Street.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.If you have an outstanding warrant out of Butte City Court  and there are hundreds of you who do  your name will be posted on the countys website soon for everyone to see.

City Court Judge Jerome McCarthy plans to start posting those names, adding more when he gets more and updating the online list weekly. He hopes to go live sometime after the Fourth of July.

McCarthy says the current 1,060 outstanding warrants are public record.

By posting them online, he says he wants to be transparent and expects to get calls from people wanting to clear their name and from others offering information on the wanted.

I anticipate an explosion as a result of this, said McCarthy, who was a longtime police detective in Butte before becoming city judge last year.

The web page would be similar to the Butte-Silver Bow jail roster, which is updated daily and gets more clicks by far than another other page on the countys website. McCarthy expects his list to be popular with the public, too.

It would include information on what to do if your name is on the list and a phone number to call for further instructions. McCarthy is looking at the possibility of sharing the list via Facebook and other social media, too.

Buttes City Court handles most offenses in the county when they are misdemeanors only, including crimes such as first-time partner or family member assault, drunken driving, simple assault, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and minor thefts such as shoplifting.

Police typically arrest people with outstanding warrants, and some from City Court date back to 2005. But the vast majority are from 2017 and on, he said.

I think we are really going to get a lot of calls from people who want to take care of them, who dont want to risk going to jail, he said. And lets be honest  there are going to be people who dont want their name on that bugger from a public information perspective.

We are not trying to humiliate or embarrass people, but at the same time, with public information today and being transparent and people wanting to know and having the right to know, that is the driving factor behind this, he said.

McCarthy says he has cleared the plan with County Attorney Eileen Joyce, and there are at least two municipal courts in Montana  in Great Falls and Helena  that already post the names of those with outstanding warrants.

The one in Great Falls is more than 80 pages long and includes a persons last, first, and middle names; sex; bond amount; case number; and date issued. It is listed alphabetically by last name, and some names appear multiple times if they have multiple warrants.

McCarthy wants to include all that information and also date of birth to help distinguish people with the same or similar names.

There are people who may not even know they have a warrant, and this gets this out there, McCarthy said. There may be citizens who contact law enforcement if they know someone who is on the run. At the end of the day, its just being open.

McCarthy is working with county IT staff to get technical details and bugs worked out, but if the council approves it, he would start posting names next month.

The warrants are for crimes committed within Butte-Silver Bow County regardless of home address, so there are lots of people on the list who live elsewhere in Montana or in other states.

The Sheriffs Office determines which misdemeanor warrants are shared with authorities statewide or on regional and national databases, McCarthy said. All felony warrants out of district courts in Montana are put on the national database.

Nate Watson, an IT systems administrator for the county, said the jail roster is by far the most popular page on Butte-Silver Bows website. Butte is by no means alone in that, he said.

He said he attended a web-provider conference in Kansas two years ago and learned that county jail rosters are a hit with the public everywhere.

Watson said if there are glitches with the jail roster here or the daily updates arent posted right away, he gets calls about it.

They say, Why isnt the jail roster up yet? I want to know if my relative is on it, Watson said.

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Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Montana's small-scale medical marijuana businesses this week are decrying a court ruling in favor of the state's apex provider, saying the result of that ruling, however temporary, could put some of them out of business.

Josh Saksa, grower and part-owner of A Perfect Cure MT in Helena, just invested in extraction equipment to diversify the products on his shelves, but cant get a license. Thats because last month, legislation updating the Montana Medical Marijuana Act put a moratorium in place on any new licenses for providers until every provider is compliant with the states seed-to-sale tracking system.

That tracking system was supposed to be the gold standard for transparency in Montana's medical marijuana industry. By tracing the product from a seed to growth, every time the plant physically moved, all the way to which patient bought it, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services would be able to see if any product slips out into the black market.

The largest provider in the state with more than 4,000 patients, Lionheart Caregiving is not fully aboard this tracking system. Thats why DPHHS rejected applications for five new Lionheart facilities  four grow operations and a dispensary  in March.

But Lionheart filed a civil action against DPHHS in Missoula District Court asking a judge to override that rejection and allow farmers to get seeds in the ground. Judge Robert Dusty Deschamps ordered DPHHS approve those sites until June 21, and scheduled a hearing on the matter for Wednesday.

Saksa, meanwhile, just invested between $3,000 and $5,000 in new extraction equipment but cant fire that new equipment up without a license, and DPHHS wont issue him one until all providers are compliant with the tracking system.

As Lionheart pushes back on the health department, amid reports by the department in recent court documents describing unlawful conduct and "blatant violations," court orders continue to fall its way.

At A Perfect Cure MT, on a starved budget and no return on his investment, Saksa said he cant afford an attorney to take on the health department in court. He didnt even see the moratorium coming when Senate Bill 265 clarifying the state's medical marijuana regulations passed the Legislature, so A Perfect Cures timing on its investment was uninformed. Now?

Were at a point already where were pretty detrimentally hurt, Saksa said. Were really at the bottom.

A DPHHS spokesman said Lionheart is not the only provider with compliance issues, "which may or may not be related" to the state's tracking system. As of Friday, 27 providers are facing compliance issues and 238 are compliant.

Talyn Lang, owner of Heirloom Remedies in Victor, has been active in the medical marijuana industry since 2007, both in business and policy reforms. He thinks Deschamps' ruling goes against what lawmakers and stakeholders have tried doing in recent years in promoting transparency and cracking down on non-compliance.

"Unfortunately, I think the message that's being sent to the rest of the medical marijuana community because of this judge's ruling is it's OK to thumb your nose at the law and not follow it and be compliant," he said. "That profits are going to come before compliance."

So while providers say the big-picture problems that follow this litigation in Missoula District Court could turn the tide on legitimizing the industry or maybe attract the attention of federal law enforcement, Saksa just wants to avoid falling victim to the industry's growing pains.

"I'm not against Lionheart, I think there's a place for everyone in this system," he said. "But I also don't want to be affected personally by a ruling that came out because of this giant mess."

Lionheart argues it's trying to comply with state regulations and is tracking its products in its own system as it tries to transfer that data to the state. Josh Van de Wetering, who represents Lionheart in three separate civil actions against the department, said that Lionheart and the smaller providers are basically on the same side; Lionheart simply has the resources to push back on the department's interpretation on compliance.

"They're right about that, they shouldn't have to hire a lawyer to operate their business," he said. "Lionheart shouldn't either.

"This stuff has to be sorted out," he added. "Not to act like litigation is an offense somehow, but when you have new rules there is invariably going to be interpretation."

The health departments response to Lionheart, filed in April, outlines blatant violations of state rules over the Montana Medical Marijuana program. They include:

Out-of-state transactions

Provider-to-provider transactions

Selling marijuana that hasnt been tested, packaged or labeled in compliance with state regulations

In one inspection earlier that month, Lionheart employees could not explain to inspectors the source of 3.7 pounds of marijuana at the Bozeman dispensary. The product was outside the state tracking system, even though Deschamps had ordered DPHHS to allow Lionheart into the tracking system four months earlier.

Department attorney Andrew Huff also described the departments serious concerns about diversion, and how it was unable to track marijuana and marijuana product when it moved from Lionhearts facilities. In March, inspectors also found a package of marijuana product that was labeled as if it had been entered into the tracking system, although it had not, according to court documents.

Van de Wetering countered that the health department and others who allege wrongdoing on Lionheart's part have not provided factual evidence.

"Here's the bottom line  Lionheart has not done the things it's been accused of doing," Van de Wetering said. "Where's the damn proof?"

He said Lionheart has brought this case into the sunlight of open court to defend itself and, if he's right, that result should then benefit all providers from mishandling by the state.

"What do they want Lionheart to do?" he said, "roll over and let the state lie about them?"

In early June, when asked how Lionheart is able to operate at all considering compliance issues, DPHHS spokesman Jon Ebelt said the department is working with providers while it installs a relatively new regulatory system that had minimal oversight prior to new laws in 2017.

The department worked with existing registered providers to remain in operation while becoming compliant with new laws, he said.

The department last month took action against Lionhearts license and is addressing those compliance issues in an administrative process; the department has declined to describe the nature of that action, but said Lionheart is still allowed to continue existing operations while that process is ongoing.

Meanwhile, Matt Martin, owner at Elevate in Billings, said conducting business this way means patients  of which Lionheart has the largest share in the state  could be subject to federal prosecution.

Its maddening, he said. It puts us all in jeopardy because the feds don't care. Its the risk of federal enforcement or the state throwing their hands up and saying, 'That's it.

The health department said in a June 7 email it anticipated being able to lift the moratorium on new licenses in the coming weeks, but Saksa said this week he might not have that much time.

Were losing patients, were losing money and were losing time and we're still not getting our license, he said. This was supposed to clean all this mess up and all it's done is dirty the water even more.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1West Liberty resident named Miss Agriculture USA Queen

Payton Maas, West Liberty, was recently named the 2019 Iowa Petite Miss Agriculture USA Queen. Miss Agriculture USA is a new non-profit agriculture promotion organization featuring Queens of all ages that promote, celebrate and educate about all the diverse aspects of agriculture.

Maas attends West Liberty Middle School and will be in the 6th grade next year. Her agricultural interests include market hogs and she is a second year member of 4-H. She lives on a family farm which includes row crops, cattle and confinement hogs.

She will compete at the National Miss Agriculture USA Queen competition to be held in Ohio Saturday, June 29.

For more information about the Miss Agriculture USA organization, visit MissAgricultureUSA.org.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The U.S. attorney general received a less-than-glowing job performance appraisal from one of his predecessors Friday in Iowa.

Eric Holder, the former attorney general during Democratic President Barack Obamas tenure, said he is extremely disappointed in current attorney general William Barr, the second to serve during Republican president Donald Trumps tenure.

Holder gave his assessment of Barr on Friday during the filming of this weekends episode of Iowa Press on Iowa Public Television.

Im both surprised and extremely disappointed, Holder said when asked to assess Barrs performance since taking the job in February. I actually thought that he was an institutionalist and I thought that he would actually be at odds with President Trump relatively soon in his tenure and he has proved to be anything but that.

Barr has been criticized for his framing of the Special Counsel report on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Critics say Barrs summary, which was published before the majority of the report was made public, lacked context in an apparent effort to make the report appear less critical of Trump, his campaign and his administration.Bitcoin is serving as a refuge for much of the rest of the cryptocurrency market.

The largest digital asset gained as much as 2.4% to $8,463 Friday while just about all the so-called alt-coins such as Ether, Litecoin and EOS were in the red.

The flight to safety follows an announcement by Malta-based Binance that it will no longer be able to provide services to U.S. traders starting in September.

The worlds biggest crypto-trading platform updated its terms of service to say it is instead launching a separate exchange for Americans.

The shuttering of the exchange to U.S. investors limits those traders and pushes them to sell, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mike McGlone. They have to sell and park their money in Bitcoin, he said. It is the benchmark go-to store-of-value.

That assessment rang true to Alex Kruger, a global macro and crypto trader, who wrote about the phenomenon on Twitter. Its very normal when crypto speculators, when they exit an asset class, they exit into Bitcoin, he said in an interview. Its just the asset of choice.

The change in Binances terms of service comes weeks after it disclosed that hackers  as part of a large scale security breach  stole about $40 million of Bitcoins via a single transaction. The exchanges own BNB coin fell as much as 6.4% on Friday, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com.

There are other explanations for Bitcoins outperformance, as is often the case in the crypto world. For John Spallanzani, portfolio manager at Miller Value Partners, reports detailing Facebooks plans to launch its digital currency are pushing people to gravitate toward Bitcoin.

Everybody is looking at the Facebook entry as a positive for Facebook and crypto and payments in general, Spallanzani said by phone. Bitcoin initially was established as the payment mechanism, the missing piece for the internet. Bitcoin was supposed to fill that void which obviously it has been, he said. I dont think theyre going to buy Litecoin because of that.The geographic, logistical, and economic challenges of shipping hardware to sell in South Africa place the countrys tech enthusiasts in an interesting position.

Many of of these challenges can be and are regularly overcome to deliver the latest hardware to customers in line with international releases, while at other times South African consumers must wait a few months before the hardware arrives.

MyBroadband spoke to Syntech co-founder Ryan Martyn and managing director Craig Nowitz about the perception that these types of products take a while to get to South Africa.

We were recently overseas at the Computex Expo in Taiwan, said Nowitz.

People often think products are not available in South Africa, but all of the top brands available world-wide are available here very quickly.

Theres no shortage of top brands or products here, he said.

Economies of scale

Martyn told MyBroadband that South Africa has a lot of the hardware brands available overseas, although sometimes in smaller ranges.

Sometimes distributors dont carry the complete range, or a specific product may be available with a lead time, he said.

Getting hold of specific products is relatively easy, it may just take a little bit longer and sometimes at a slightly higher price point because we dont have the economies of scale that Europe or the rest of the world does.

Nowitz said that as soon as there is a product which is doing well, distributors rush to bring the brand to South Africa.

Within a couple of months, the product will be available here through sub-distributors. Everyone is in the same position; everybody is looking at products to bring in, he said.

As soon as there is something great, then you have local distributors fighting to pick up the latest brands.

The problem with marketplaces

It is becoming easier for South African consumers to access products from overseas via new or informal channels.

Martyn added that while access to great brands is great, if this access isnt provided through a distributor, the experience will be far less enjoyable or more expensive in the long run.

In addition to great products there needs to be exceptional service, local stock holding, support, market development, warranties, and the right sales channels if a brand is to be sustainable in South Africa, he said.

I think that one of the risks that we face in South Africa is people having access to all these new brands relatively easily through marketplaces and international e-commerce sites.

Many of these channels win business on price but consumers should still consider the total cost of ownership. Upfront savings normally require the suppler to compromise on the level of service, support and availability, Martyn said.

Syntech has seen first-hand the results of brand which do not have economies of scale, the correct channels or the ability to support and hold sufficient stock.

At the end of the day, experience is going to drive it back to some structure and some channels that really allow consumers to trust and ensure that if something does go wrong, that theyve got the support behind the brand.ASUS has launched its new lineup of professional and gaming laptops in South Africa, including the dual-screen ZenBook Pro Duo and high-end ROG Zephyrus notebooks.

Many of these laptops were initially unveiled at Computex 2019 and are now set to launch in South Africa over the next two months.

ASUS is launching new laptops across its ZenBook, TUF Gaming, VivoBook S, ZenBook Pro Duo, and ROG Zephyrus ranges, offering portable computing solutions across various markets.

Many of these new devices feature ScreenPad 2.0, which comprises a second display below the keyboard which acts both as a touch screen and standard touch pad.

ASUS gaming laptops now include the latest hardware from AMD and Nvidia, including support for Ryzen CPUs and Geforce RTX graphics cards.

Below are the specifications, release date, and South Africa pricing for the new ASUS laptops coming to South Africa.

ZenBook

ASUS new ZenBook models deliver ScreenPad 2.0 touch pads in addition to high-resolution IPS displays and Nvidia GeForce graphics.

The ASUS ZenBook 14 and ZenBook 15 will be available from August in South Africa, from Takealot and Incredible Connection.

ASUS said the laptops would be priced from R19,999 to R24,999.

Component ASUS ZenBook 14 (UX434) ASUS ZenBook 15 (UX534) Processor Intel Core i7-8565U or Intel Core i5-8265U Intel Core i7-8565U or Intel Core i5-8265U Display 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD 15.6-inch 3,840 x 2,160 LCD or 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD Operating System Windows 10 Windows 10 Graphics Nvidia GeForce MX250, Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 Memory Up to 16GB 2,133MHz LPDDR3 Up to 16GB 2,400MHz DDR4 Storage Up to 1TB SSD Up to 1TB SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 Interfaces USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, USB Gen 2 Type-A, USB 2.0, HDMI, Micro SD reader, audio combo jack USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI, SD card reader, audio combo jack Touchpad display 5.65-inch FHD+ Super IPS display 5.65-inch FHD+ Super IPS display Battery 50Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer 71Wh 8-cell lithium-polymer Dimensions 31.9 x 19.9 x 1.69 cm 35.4 x 22 x 1.89 cm Weight 1.26kg Anti-glare display: 1.55kg, Standard display: 1.65kg

TUF Gaming

ASUS new TUF gaming laptops include Ryzen 7 CPUs paired with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1600 Series graphics cards and up to 32GB of RAM.

TUF Gaming FX505 and FX705 laptops are currently available and moving into inventory at Evetech, Takealot, Dion Wired and Incredible Connection.

Pricing for these laptops ranges from R13,999 to R19,999.

Component ASUS TUF Gaming FX505 ASUS TUF Gaming FX705 Processor Up to AMD Ryzen 7 3750H AMD Ryzen 7 3750H Display 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS LCD 60Hz/120Hz 17.3-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS LCD Operating System Windows 10 Windows 10 Graphics Up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Memory Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM Storage Up to 512GB SSD, 1TB HDD Up to 512GB SSD, 1TB HDD Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 Interfaces 2x USB 3.0 Gen 1, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio 2x USB 3.0 Gen 1, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio Battery 48Wh 48Wh Dimensions 36.0 x 26.2 x 2.58 cm 36.0 x 26.2 x 2.58 cm Weight 2.2kg 2.7kg

VivoBook S

The VivoBook S models also include ASUS ScreenPad 2.0 technology, offering great features and professional specifications in a compact form factor.

ASUS said its VivoBook S14 and S15 will be available in South Africa from August.

The devices will be priced from R14,999 to R17,999 at Evetech, Dion Wired and Incredible Connection.

Component VivoBook S14 (S431FL / S431FA) VivoBook S14 (S432FL / S432FA) Processor Intel Core i7-8565U or Intel Core i5-8265U Intel Core i7-8565U or Intel Core i5-8265U Operating system Windows 10 Windows 10 Display 14inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD 14inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX250 or Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 NVIDIA GeForce MX250 or Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 Memory Up to 16GB 2,133MHz LPDDR3 Up to 16GB 2,133MHz LPDDR3 Storage Up to 1TB SSD Up to 1TB SSD Connectivity 802.11ax Intel WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 802.11ax Intel WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 Interfaces 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2, 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combo audio jack, 1 x SD card reader 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combo audio jack, 1 x microSD card reader Touchpad display Integrated NumberPad (only on Transparent Silver models) 5.65-inch FHD+ Super IPS display. Battery 47Wh 2-cell lithium-polymer 42Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer Size 18.0 x 323.3 x 213.7 mm 18.0 x 322.4 x 211.7 mm Weight 1.4kg 1.4kg

Component VivoBook S15 S531FL / S531FA VivoBook S15 S532FL / S532FA Processor Intel Core i7-8565U or Intel Core i5-8265U Intel Core i7-8565U or Intel Core i5-8265U Operating system Windows 10 Windows 10 Display 15.6inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD 15.6inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX250 or Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 NVIDIA GeForce MX250 or Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 Memory Up to 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 Up to 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 Storage Up to 1TB SSD and up to 2TB HDD Up to 1TB SSD Connectivity 802.11ax Intel WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 802.11ax Intel WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 Interfaces 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combo audio jack, 1 x MicroSD card reader 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combo audio jack, 1 x MicroSD card reader Touchpad display N/A 5.65 inch FHD+ Super IPS display. Battery 42Wh 3-cell lithium-prismatic 42Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer Size 180 x 357.2 x 230.3 mm 180 x 357.2 x 230.3 mm Weight 1.8kg 1.8kg

ZenBook Pro Duo

The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo boasts a 4K OLED main display paired with a secondary 4K touch screen above the keyboard which can be used as a standard display within Windows 10.

The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo (UX581) will be available from July at Dion Wired starting at R47,999.

ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo (UX581) Processor Intel Core i9-9980HK or Intel Core i7-9750H Display 15.6-inch 3,840 x 2,160 OLED, 14-inch 4K LCD Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Memory Up to 32GB DDR4 2666MHz Storage Up to 1TB SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi 6 with Gig+ (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0 Interfaces 1 x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x Standard HDMI, 1 x Audio combo jack, 1 x DC-in Battery 71Wh 4-cell lithium-polymer Dimensions 359 x 246 x 24 mm Weight 2.5kg

ROG Zephyrus

ASUS also launched a trio of new ROG Zephyrus devices in South Africa, each sporting a different configuration.

These laptops include impressive gaming hardware packed into a slim form factor,offering the best of both worlds.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G GA502 will priced starting at R24,999, the ROG Zephyrus M GU502 will br priced from R32,999, and the ROG Zephyrus S GX502 will be priced at R44,999.

All of these new latops will be available at Evetech from June 2019.

Component Zephyrus G GA502 Zephyrus M GU502 Zephyrus S GX502 Processor AMD Ryzen 7 3750H Intel Core i7-9750H Intel Core i7-9750H Operating system Windows 10 Windows 10 Windows 10 Display 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS 120Hz 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS 244Hz 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS 244Hz Graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Memory Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM Storage Up to 512GB NVMe SSD Up to 1TB NVMe SSD Up to 1TB NVMe SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi 5, Blueooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 5, Blueooth 5.0 Wi-Fi 5, Blueooth 5.0 Interfaces 3x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x HDMI 2.0b, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio 3x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x HDMI 2.0b, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio 3x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x HDMI 2.0b, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio Battery 76Wh 76Wh 76Wh Size 36.0 x 25.2 x 1.99 cm 36.0 x 25.2 x 1.89 cm 36.0 x 25.2 x 1.89 cm Weight 2.1kg 1.9kg 2.0kg

Now read: The challenge of bringing big tech brands to South AfricaTake a look around Napa and there are plenty of oft-seen sights with overlooked, behind-the-scenes stories.

Some sights are eye-catching, such as the elevated metal water tower in the southern part of Napa. It has a long history tied to the now-gone local tanning industry and a new, 21st-century function.

Others blend in with the scenery as they serve important functions. For example, a rectangular building down the street from the water tower is indispensable, even though passersby might not give it a second thought.

Showy or subdued, the following structures and places are part of the fabric of Napa life.

Water tower

Just like the classic American small town of yesteryear, the city of Napa has a cant-miss-it elevated water tower that approaching visitors can see.

That is the metal tower on the Sawyer Tannery property along the Napa River at 68 South Coombs St. It stands 140 feet tall, rivaled in height in this part of the city only by the graceful Imola Avenue bridge.

Its most definitely a landmark, as far as visually, said Rebecca Yerger of Napa County Landmarks.

The tower is on the citys historical resources inventory list. Also, it gets the star treatment in the citys development guidelines for the Tannery Bend area.

New buildings constructed in the vicinity of the water tower should defer to it visually, the guidelines say.

F.A. Sawyer opened the Sawyer Tannery in 1869 and by 1925 the company could turn out 1,400 sides per day of upper leather for shoes. Long-time local resident Peter Manasse remembers the water tower from the early 1940s, when his father worked at the tannery.

It was definitely built before my time, Manasse said. There wasnt a lot of water pressure in the city when they built it. They just built a tower and filled it with water and used the water for the tanning.

He and his family lived on Elm Street and they could hear the whistle mounted on the water tower blow every day at 4 p.m. That whistle was part of the routine of small-town Napa.

That was the time we knew dad was going to come home from work, Manasse said.

Dogs heard the whistle and expected dinner, he said.

Sawyer Tannery closed in 1990 and its buildings were occupied by small businesses and artists. In the early 2000s, a local real estate development company bought the property, water tower and all. Today, the old Sawyer property is listed on the Rudd Properties website as having 85,000 square feet of mixed use/commercial space.

Chris Economou of Rudd Properties said the Sawyer tannery water tower is iconic and brands the site.

I think it will stay as long as its in good condition, which it is, he said.

The water tower no longer holds water, but in the mid-1990s started transitioning to a new function. Thats when property owners began mounting cellular equipment around the tank.

In October 2011, the water tower became the focus of high-altitude drama. A 22-year-old transient climbed atop the tank and didnt come down for more than six hours, at one point throwing a can with rocks at police below.

Elevated water towers in California are a diminishing breed. Manteca, Chico and Stockton are among the cities that have demolished towers in recent years in favor of ground-level tanks, for fear that earthquakes might send millions of gallons of water gushing down.

Napa had an official city elevated water tower built in 1904 on Pine Street near Shearer school. It lasted until 1946. In what amounted to an obituary, The Napa Register that year called it an imposing landmark slated to be cut up by torches and sold for scrap.

But Napa still has the Sawyer Tannery water tank as a landmark, albeit a privately owned, empty tank now used for cellular antennas.

Hazard Hill

Along the busy stretch of Napa Valley Vine Trail near South Napa Century Center and Imola Avenue is a hill with a metal gate blocking the rutted path leading up it.

No trespassing. Hazards may exist, reads white writing on a red sign posted on the gate. Thats it. Theres no elaboration.

What lurks on top of the small hill? A rattlesnake pit? A nuclear waste dump? The imagination could run wild, though the fact that the hill isnt fenced in argues against the direst interpretations. Anyone could easily walk around the gate.

In reality, the hill is a dredge disposal site. Muck sucked up from the Napa River channel is deposited there, such as when the Army Corps of Engineers in 2016 did a dredge job.

The sides of the hill are really levees, said Phillip Miller of the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Dredge spoils are pumped to the site to be dewatered until the district finds a use for them, such as fill for construction projects.

At the crest of Hazard Hill, the sight isnt impressive. The terrain is slightly crater-like, with weeds, cracked soil and metal pipes.

Hazard Hill history dates to 1980. Thats when the Army Corps of Engineers was ready to dredge the Napa River channel and required the county to provide a place to dump the silt.

The Napa County Flood Control District chose this site owned by the Napa Sanitation District near Imola Avenue. Napa San previously had its sewage treatment plant there, prior to relocating the plant to todays site near the airport industrial area. Napa San officials in April 1980 agreed up to six acres could be a dumping ground for dredge spoils.

And so it has gone over the years. Only in recent years, with the coming of the local Vine Trail segment, have people seen the site on a regular basis, though.

So Hazard Hill isnt such an ominous place after all. While not for public use, its no Superfund site or other toxic blot on the wine country landscape.

Pump station

A nondescript mystery building near the busy corner of Imola Avenue and South Coombs Street in the city of Napa helps keep the local toilets flushing.

The West Napa Pump Station is the size of a small store. It is painted tan with red and yellow sections near the bottom and has three doors facing the street and no windows. A Spanish-style roof adds a dash of character to a utilitarian building.

Inside are two 100-horsepower pumps and one 35- horsepower pump. They pump raw sewage from the southwest city under the Napa River and into a 66-inch-diameter pipe that leads to the sewage treatment plant in the airport industrial area.

Better look at the pump station soon, though. Napa Sanitation District plans to knock it down in coming months and replace it with a new, improved, $10 million version.

That building will be gone and well be going to a different style of pump station, Napa Sanitation District General Manager Tim Healy said. It will be a submerged pump station. The next building will be smaller.

The existing pump station has passed its useful life and doesnt have adequate capacity. With the upcoming Browns Valley Trunk Project, the sewer system will be moving more wastewater to the station more quickly, he said.

A pump station has existed on the South Coombs Street site since just after the birth of the Napa Sanitation District in 1945. Before then, the community simply poured its sewage into the Napa River, resulting in water quality described in a contemporary The Napa Register article as highly septic.

The Napa Sanitation Districts first sewage treatment plant was located on the east side of the Napa River near Imola Avenue. In 1948, the agency built the first version of the West Napa Pump Station to pump sewage generated west of the Napa River under the river to the plant.

The pump station by the early 1970s wasnt always doing the job. Heavy rains would overload its capacity and that led to some raw sewage flowing into the Napa River.

It couldnt be very much, then-district Manager Carl Lynch told The Napa Register.

It was too much for the state, which ordered the Napa Sanitation District to upgrade the pump station. The district did so in 1979, creating the version that is seen today.

The district in the late 1970s moved its sewage treatment plant from near Imola Avenue to several miles south, near the airport industrial area, where it remains. But a pump station is still needed to move sewage produced by homes and businesses on the west side of the Napa River to treatment facilities on the east side.

All of this makes this nondescript South Coombs Street building among the more important in Napa.

Channel markers

Landlubbers looking at the Napa River in and near the city of Napa might wonder about the periodic pilings sticking up 20 or so feet into the air with orange triangles containing numbers.

Even the least nautical probably know these structures have something to do with boating. After all, they sure arent lifeguard towers.

These markers maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard tell boaters where the deep water is so they can avoid shallow areas. Napa Valley Yacht Club Commodore William Carol Moore said boaters follow them along the Napa River from Vallejo to Napa.

Theres a lot of shallow water in the river, Moore said. If you have a boat that has a five-foot draft, you have to be careful to stay in the channel.

New channel markers went up in the river near downtown Napa in 2005, the Napa Valley Register reported that year. They reflected the new reality of the flood control project that created marsh terraces to handle flood waters.

When the tide is high, the river looks very big, Moore said.

But much of that water is covering mudflats just below the surface. The channel markers guide boaters to keep them from running aground.

Moore noted that boaters travel to the Napa Valley Yacht Club dock from around the Bay Area. Some of the trips are cruises to the area by other yacht clubs. On a recent weekend, 46 boats came from Sausalito Yacht Club and other clubs.

We get a lot of traffic here, Moore said. Its a good draw for the city.

These are boaters who might not know all the nuances of the local Napa River. The channel markers are their guide.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The political leaders of Los Angeles, led by Mayor Eric Garcetti, were convinced that they could persuade local voters to approve a very hefty tax increase for the citys schools, especially since the burden would fall largely on large property owners.

After all, they reasoned, a strike by Los Angeles Unified School District teachers had generated lots of sympathetic attention to the districts serious financial woes, and California voters generally approve taxes perceivedor marketedas falling on the affluent.

Also, the districts two unions would spend heavily to persuade voters that the new taxes were needed to improve the systems educational outcomes.

Oops.

Measure EE, a 16-cents-per-square-foot parcel tax on buildings that would have raised $500 million a year, not only didnt get the two-thirds voter approval it needed last week but also fell well short of even a simple majority.

The election in the nations second-largest school district was being watched closely by political groups outside the district for two reasons.

First: Despite very large increases in state and local school supportup 60 percent since 2010and virtually stagnant enrollment, L.A. Unified and most other school districts are facing big financial gaps.

The major reason for this seeming anomaly is that their costs for pensions and health care have outstripped those revenue gains, so theres relatively less available for classroom expenses, such as teacher salarieswhich also explains the rash of teacher strikes.

L.A. Unifieds election was a test case of sorts for whether school officials could persuade voters to raise taxes to cover their ever-increasing shortfalls, without explicitly telling voters about pensions and health care.

Although an early version of the measure, approved by the school board, had mentioned pension costs, district officials quietly changed it, removing the direct reference in an obvious effort to trick voters into thinking the money would be spent on more popular expenses.

Second: Measure EE was also seen as an early indicator of whether a statewide tax increase of some kind for education might fly in 2020.

A measure to remove Proposition 13s property-tax limits from commercial property, such as office buildings, warehouses and hotels, has already qualified for the 2020 ballot. It would raise perhaps $10 billion a year, 40% of which would go to schools. Some education groups are talking about an even more ambitious tax measure that would raise larger amounts of money just for schools.

The split roll measure thats already qualified for the ballot has not fared very well in polling of voters, and the resounding defeat of Measure EE bodes ill for it and any other 2020 tax proposal, especially since the state treasury is running up big surpluses these days.

As the defeat of Measure EE became apparent on election night, its backers promised to try again. However, it will be a tough sell, and Measure EEs rejection may give pause to officials in other communities where school tax measures are being weighed.

They include Sacramento, where Mayor Darrell Steinberg has suggested that a tax increase might rescue the Sacramento Unified School District from being placed in state receivership for its chronic inability to balance its budget.

In the future, if new school taxes are proposed in Sacramento, Los Angeles or anywhere else, officials shouldnt try to fool voters with clever buzzwords. They should be honest about their finances, own up to their miscues, own up to pension and health care expenses and stop blaming charter schools for their travails.

CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.It was extraordinary to hear a U.S. president declare that the FBI director is wrong for saying that candidates should report to the FBIas the law clearly intendsany effort by foreign agents to aid a political candidate by passing along opposition research. President Donald Trump does not understand the value of the law prohibiting campaigns from such aid, nor does he appear to have any intention of following it.

For all the different interpretations of the Mueller report, there is one aspect of it where there should be no debate among Republicans and Democrats: The threat of foreign meddling in U.S. elections has increased, it must not be tolerated or abetted, and campaigns must be held accountable for assisting in policing this national security imperative.

On this issue, the standard for ethical and patriotic behavior should not be whether someone engages in a criminal conspiracy. It should be whether someone acts with honor in rebuffingand reportingattempts at foreign influence. That did not happen in 2016, and unless Congress acts soon, we may see an even worse breach in 2020.

The National Republican Campaign Committee has refused to pledge, as its Democratic counterpart has, not to use hacked or stolen materials. And now the president has indicated that his re-election campaign would be open to using them, too. The Russiansto say nothing of the North Koreansmust be grinning ear to ear.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Dan Coats, noted two years ago that Russias interference in the 2016 election represented a significant escalation in directness, level of activity, and scope of effort compared with previous attempts. Special Counsel Robert Mueller agreed, calling the Russian efforts sweeping and systematic.

Although a lot of this mischief took place in the digital realm of hackers and social-media trolls, a shocking amount happened face-to-faceand all the while the public was in the dark. Russian nationals or intermediaries had at least 140 contacts with key figures employed by or associated with Donald Trumps campaign and transition teams.

Stopping campaigns from engaging in bouts of international footsie should be easyfar easier than addressing the multifaceted cyber-operations (run not only by Russia but also by China, Iran and other nations seeking to influence American politics). Congress can start by passing the Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act, sponsored by Senator Mark Warner of Virginia.

This sensible legislation would require campaign officials to maintain a basic compliance system to monitor election-related contacts with foreign nationals, and to report any such contacts to the Federal Election Commission. Elected office-holders and staff who meet with foreigners in an official capacity would be exempt.

Campaigns would need to alert the FEC within one week of receiving any offer of information, services or donations from a foreign national, and provide a summary description of who was involved and what was proposed. The FEC would then notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Anyone who knowingly violates the law would be subject to fines and imprisonment. That should limit the kind of misdirection employed by the Trump team in 2016, when high-ranking campaign figures, including the candidate himself, repeatedly denied any contacts with Russians.

By now it is abundantly clear that the public cannot simply trust campaign officials to act as honorably as Al Gores campaign did in 2000, when it came into possession of a Bush campaign briefing book and other materials and turned them over to the FBI. We should expect that kind of principled behavior. But we should not pretend every campaign is capable of it without legal compulsion.

This legislation alone is not enough to end foreign attempts at election interference. The vulnerabilities of U.S. infrastructure are too great and the potential rewards of manipulation, too enticing. But by making explicit what is out of bounds for American political campaigns, and reinforcing the rules with serious penalties, the proposed law should shore up at least one political norm, and perhaps some small measure of public confidence, damaged in the 2016 election.

Still, the larger problem remains: the absence in the Oval Office of an understanding that patriotism requires ethical actions that transcend ones own fortunes.

Michael R. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, where this originally ran. He is the UN secretary-generals special envoy for climate action.This letter is in response to your readers comments about the Napa Valley Register article on the new Vine Bus Maintenance Facility ("A modest proposal for the Vine bus system," June 15).

The reader is correct  the Napa Valley Transportation Authority is proposing to build a new Vine maintenance facility that is expected to cost $32 million. Most of the funding to pay for that facility is federal and state transit funds that can only be used for public transit purposes.

The agency did not come to the decision to spend $32 million on a new facility lightly. The agencys search for a facility included investigating a number of sites, sharing and leasing facilities with other agencies, and negotiating to acquire an existing facility - negotiations which ultimately failed. The existing facility is close to 50 years old and owned by the city of Napa. The city has plans to redevelop the site.

The Vine provides over a million individual passenger trips each year. Transit ridership has been declining throughout the Bay Area and the state but the Vines ridership decline is lower than most systems, and in fact, the Vines Express Bus service is growing.

Ridership trends follow other trends that public transit providers rarely have any influence over. Based on research completed by the University of California, Los Angeles, the most recent ridership decline is based on the lower cost of driving (sub-prime car loans), the high employment rate (former riders now have money to buy cars and pay for gas), and to lesser extent, the emergence of transportation network companies (TNC) such as Lyft and Uber.

Your readers proposal to use the transit funds to provide private sector TNC rides is prohibited by most of the fund sources we administer. This is largely because TNCs are not compliant with federal regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Act or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

NVTA has been deploying door-to-door service using its shuttles and RidetheVine app in American Canyon, Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga. We are investigating expanding that operation in other parts of the Vine service area.

We are also evaluating the existing system as part of the Comprehensive Operational Analysis to identify ways where we can serve the community better. The NVTA board is expected to act on staffs proposed fixed route service changes (Vine Vision) at its July 17th Meeting (1:30 p.m. at 625 Burnell Street) and we invite members of the public to comment on that proposal.

In addition, NVTA introduced increased service on the Vine Regional and Express Bus routes, which went into effect at the beginning of June and the changes seem to be embraced by the majority of Vine riders.

On behalf of NVTA, we appreciate hearing from members of the public. Your readers are welcome to comment directly to NVTA Board and NVTA staff. Our contact information is on our website: nvta.ca.gov.

Kate Miller, Executive Director

Napa Valley Transportation Authority

Editor's note: The headline of this letter has been amended to correct the formal name of the agency.For several years as a director of the Napa County Taxpayers Association, I have personally been involved in many meetings with the NVUSD superintendent and staff.

These meetings began before a new school bond was developed and continued through development of Measure H. Our association repeatedly noted our opposition to the scope and cost of the proposed bond. One of our directors spoke to the local Rotary club warning of potential problems.

The Taxpayers Association then authored the ballot argument against Measure H and the rebuttal to the argument in its favor. We note that on the ballot argument for the bond, five prominent signatories promised work that now will not be accomplished by Measure H. Unfortunately, our concerns about the Measure H proposal and management have come true.

NCTA meetings and discussions of concerns with the NVUSD superintendent and staff continued after Measure H was narrowly passed.

In May last year, the Napa County Grand Jury criticized the school district for failure of oversight and significant expenditures beyond the estimates indicated in Measure H continued to accrue. Thus, much promised seismic work on schools promised can not be accomplished.

It will take 40 years for taxpayers to pay off the Measure H tax lien on our houses  40 years of dismay. Can property owners ever be expected to vote for another school bond and again watch our hard earned money to be frittered away?

Since earlier this year several of our directors have participated in meetings with the new NVUSD superintendent, Dr. Rosanna Mucetti and her facilities assistant, Mike Pearson. We acknowledge that the financial and management problems at NVUSD existed before they came into office.

We have been impressed with Dr. Mucettis actions and support her extraordinary efforts to correct some of the these problems, including replacement of some senior staff personnel.

And yes, we even support her decision not to proceed with construction of a new middle school in American Canyon. The financial reality is that this is not the only action promised by Measure H which cannot be completed as promised. And, it is obvious that tens of millions of dollars have been over spent on projects on and off the project list.

To my knowledge it does not appear that the NVUSD Board of Trustees has taken any actions to independently monitor or control Measure H expenditures. In fact, the trustees recently decided that it was important to waste over $600,000 to change band logos, with no documented requirement.

At that same time NVUSD trustees and management depleted a huge budget surplus, placing the district in financial jeopardy, which Dr. Mucetti has pledged to correct.

Dr. Mucettis strategic leadership and actions taken to improve the administration and fiscal accountability within the Napa Valley Unified School District are considered to be exemplary. Our association will, and this community should, give her complete support in these endeavors.

Jack Gray, Director

Napa County Taxpayers AssociationNORMANDY, France  They died for us. We have to remember them.

Those were the words of a young French girl attending the ceremonies for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, on June 6, in Normandy, France.

I joined 12,000 others to honor the veterans at the American Cemetery situated above the American landing beach, Omaha, the deadliest of the landing beaches. The cemetery, designated as a piece of American soil, covers 172.5 acres and includes more than 9,300 burials of American soldiers who died in the D-Day invasion.

We boarded buses at 5 a.m. to be escorted by police down roads closed to traffic, then waited for the ceremony to begin at 11:30 a.m.

Five of the returning soldiers were awarded the French Legion of Honor. The soldiers who came back are now in their 90s, most walk with walkers or canes, and many are pushed in wheelchairs. But their spirits are still strong and courageous, and the people of Normandy still welcome, love and celebrate them. They know that the 75 years of freedom France and Europe have enjoyed began when these same soldiers risked their young lives to land on their shores.

French children hugged them and shook their hands. The young American Army soldiers who were there to take part in the ceremonies honored them. People wanted to pose with them for photographs and asked for autographs. The veterans were in their glory, and everyone wanted them to have it.

This is a generation of men who were raised to not cry and show emotion. But as they talked about what they experienced in the war, it was as if it was yesterday. Their eyes filled with tears as they remembered losing friends, then shone with the good memories, of surviving and of strength in the face of true adversity.

Here are a few of the stories from those who made the long journey back to Normandy.

Staff Sargent Irving Locher, age 94, landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, then fought in the Battle of the Bulge and all the way to Berlin. When asked how it was to be back in Normandy, he didnt hesitate.

Its marvelous, he said. Locher attributed his survival to being short. He demonstrated by grabbing a tall young soldier and standing behind him, promptly disappearing.

See what I mean? he said, then smiled. His wife of 70 years, Bernice, traveled with him and was thrilled with it all. The couple still do the jitterbug and ballroom dance back home at their retirement community in Florida.

William Galbraith, age 95, jumped into France as a paratrooper on D-Day. He also jumped on the 50th anniversary of D-Day from a C-47 at the age of 70. Galbraith traveled to France with his son, Donald, number six of 10 children. He cried when he told me how he had lost his wife of 56 years. I held his hand and wiped away my own tears.

Warren Goss, age 94, traveled with his daughter, Rhonda, from Pittsburg. Rhonda talked about the camaraderie she has noticed among the returning veterans. It is special to see how they talk to each other and reminisce. They share a deep understanding that must be healing for them.

Leila Morreson, 97, was 22 when she served as a nurse in the war. She remembers climbing down a rope ladder into a landing craft and heading to the beach. She was the only woman in her group of 16 returning veterans. They all stood proud for a photo, their wheelchairs hidden away for those moments.

Four Rosie the Riveters from the Bay Area came for the anniversary  Agnes Moore, Phyllis Gould, Marion Wyun, Maria Sousa and May Krier. All agreed that it was a thrill to be in Normandy. We wanted to do our part for the war, they said.

George Cross, a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, jumped into Normandy in the early hours of June 6. George was only 17 when he joined the army and 19 when he parachuted into France. He landed on a dirt road in the dark, took off his parachute and hid in the hedgerows, waiting to find the other members of the 82nd.

We had clickers to find each other, and after a few hours 15 or 16 of us from all different units banded together. There were no officers in the bunch.

When they heard hobnailed boots marching past and soldiers chattering in German, Cross took command and his group surrounded them. Cross made the German soldiers take off their boots and found daggers hidden in them. Those same daggers are now in a museum in Luxembourg.

After the war, he used his parachuting skills as a smoke jumper, fighting forest fires in Montana.

At one of the events, someone called his name and when he turned, a man from his regiment that he hadnt seen in 75 years stood in front of him. They had a moving reunion.

Cross is a great dancer and is known and loved in his retirement community in Arizona. He came to France as a guest of Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours, and his community raised the rest of the money for his airfare and for another resident, George Harmer, to accompany him.

In a speech he gave to the French, he said, Im over here to serve your country and mine. I believe in America and in our flag.

Many of the veterans returned through the generosity of non-profits or donations from friends. Donnie Edwards, founder of Best Defense Foundation, brought 16 veterans and family members over for the ceremonies.

Edwards, who was a linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, started his organization in honor of his grandfather, a full Apache Indian and Pearl Harbor survivor.

My grandfather taught me that the American flag represented opportunity and freedom and to be full of gratitude for the country we live in, Edwards said. This is my way of giving back, of honoring the veterans and giving them a chance to heal by coming here.

Scott Desjardins, superintendent of the American cemetery spent 20 years in the army before working for the American Battle Monuments Commission, which oversees the cemetery. It is a great honor to have this job. These places are holy, he said. For me, this job is soldiers taking care of soldiers.

It has been one of the most moving experiences of my life, to be a part of these days of commemoration and to know that these men and some women, will return home nourished by their time in France.

Diane Covington-Carter is an award-winning writer who writes frequently for the Napa Valley Register. Her father landed on Omaha Beach in the Normandy Invasion and she has attended and written about the 50th, 60th, 70th and now 75th anniversaries of D-Day in his honor. www.dianecovingtoncarter.comAncient high relief discovered in northern China

Switzerland: Simplified procedure for gender reassignment and name change comes into force

Cash payment stopped in Lithuania

Armenia to chair CSTO for a year

India and Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear facilities and prisoners

Alcohol prices in Armenia to rise sharply from January 1

Johnson pledges Brits to make the most of Brexit

Japanese Prime Minister names country's main goal for 2022

Over 12 people killed in stampede in India

Aliyev says whole world accepted second Karabakh war results

Ukraine closes its ports to Russian ships

Dozens of people injured in Italy during New Year's fireworks

Robert Kocharyan shares new photos on his Facebook (PHOTOS)

Scientific workers salary is up since January

The Catholicos of All Armenians visits Yerablur military pantheon

Taliban ditch idea of forcing men to grow beards

Christmas tree of 3,000 logs built in Karelia

Yerevan mayor visits Yerablur military pantheon

Coronavirus in Armenia: 5 new deaths

Tehran says UN did not forbid Iran to develop a space program

Chairmanship in the CIS passes from Belarus to Kazakhstan

Parents of captives in Azerbaijan holding sit-in outside Armenia government building

Yerevan military pantheon is packed on New Year's Eve

Remembrance, homage event kicks off at Yerevan military pantheon

Armenia premier to servicemen: I wish you honorable, trouble-free service

President: We are obliged to do and will do our best so that Artsakh always remains invincible

Catholicos of All Armenians visits combat positions

Lithuania lays more than 150km barbed wire along Belarus border

Armenia President: We must change the Constitution

First female boss of Camorra gang of the Mafia dies in Italy

Karabakh President: May there be eternal peace, stability in Armenian world

One of worlds shortest women dies aged 33

Bolivia police report record batch of cocaine seized in 2021

Erdogan presents model for Turkey's development next year

Artsakh President visits frontline, congratulates servicemen on New Year and Christmas holidays

Excavator operated by Azerbaijani passes over landmine in Karabakh

Opposition Armenia Bloc: Our commitment to bring our peoples historical aspirations to fruition is unwavering

Heads of various countries, international organizations congratulate Armenia President

Demonstration in front of Armenia attorney general's office is over

Karabakh FM visits military units, congratulates soldiers

Tens of thousands of Colorado residents evacuated due to wildfires

21 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

3rd President Sargsyan pays tribute to Armenians who sacrificed their lives for the homeland (PHOTOS)

Yerevan military pantheon takes on special look on New Year, Christmas holidays

130,000 chickens to be destroyed in Japan due to bird flu outbreak

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan congratulates on New Year, Christmas holidays

Russia envoy to Armenia: Our friendship will be complemented with glorious pages of joint achievements

Protest being staged outside Armenia Prosecutor Generals Office

104 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia servicemen on charge who were on combat duty on November 16 are arrested

Putin tells Biden the condition for Russias complete severance of relations with the West

Armenia PM visits Yerevan military pantheon

Germany to shut down 3 of its last 6 nuclear plants

Quake hits Georgia, also felt in Armenia

Bangladesh closes women-only beach after protests

US Navy seizes $4M worth of heroin in Arabian Sea

Biden vows to impose large-scale sanctions on Russia in case of escalation of tension on Ukraine border

Israel State Attorney's Office charges Aeronautics the UAVs of which Azerbaijan used against Armenia

Iran's 'Simorgh' Satellite Carrier successfully launches three research cargos

Armenia government sets monthly bonus for ex-servicemen declared as disabled

Deputy police chief: Armenia has recorded a rise in the number of crimes

Peskov states purpose of upcoming Putin-Biden talks

Erdogan opens major automobile tunnel between Turkey and South Caucasus through Georgian territory

Armenia PM awards top 10 athletes of the year, each of them will receive AMD 4,000,000

Turkish FM: First meeting of Armenia's and Turkey's special envoys may take place in January

ARF-D member: Armenia PM had to either resign or commit suicide

Armenia MOD Vazgen Sargsyan Military University has new rector

Armenia Peacekeeping Brigade has new commander

Iranian MFA: Iran to bring those guilty of assassination of Qasem Soleimani to justice

Lavrov, Bayramov discuss implementation of agreements of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani leaders

Azerbaijani army's General Staff chief assigns to increase combat-readiness in direction of Armenia's Sev Lake

Armenian army's General Staff chief learns about fortification works underway at position of military formation

Armenia police officers will serve on roads after unblocking of communications

Azerbaijan extraditing over 20 prisoners to Iran

Armenian ex-POW Robert Nalbandyan to be released on Jan. 6, judge rejects motion to extend arrest

Armenia Constitutional Court ex-chief of staff: Pashinyan's visit is criminally punishable act

Poland Ambassador to Armenia: Upcoming Vienna meeting to play important role in return of Armenian POWs

Armenian aviation authorities permit Flyone Armenia to carry out chartered flights to and from Yerevan and Istanbul

Armenia government lifts ban on imports of Turkish goods

Armenia PM receiving congratulatory messages on occasion of holidays

Russia PM congratulates Armenian counterpart on occasion of holidays

NEWS.am daily digest: 30.12.21

Poland Ambassador: Meetings for liberalization of Armenia-EU visa regime continue

Moscow considers appointment of special representatives for Armenia-Turkey dialogue a logical, reasonable step

Turkish intelligence detains 23 foreigners on suspicion of terrorism

MOD: Azerbaijan reports on Artsakh Defense Army shootings are false

One of Armenia POWs who were returned Wednesday from Azerbaijan is detained

Russia MFA comments on Armenia PM statement on Karabakh Azerbaijanis return to Artsakh

Zakharova speaks about first meeting in Moscow of Armenia, Azerbaijan elites after Karabakh war last year

Russias Putin sends New Year messages to Armenia ex-Presidents Kocharyan and Sargsyan

China president congratulates Armenia colleague

Azerbaijan army General Staff chief visits border with Armenia

Putin congratulates Armenia President Sarkissian, PM Pashinyan on New Year and Christmas holidays

Armenia parliament, Yerevan city council ruling majority factions hold joint meeting

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh

Al-Sisi expresses Sarkissian hope that 2022 will open new chapter of development for Armenians, Egyptians

US State Department calls on Azerbaijan to expeditiously release all remaining Armenian detainees

PM: A key indicator for 2021 is that Armenia government is Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine shareholder

89 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Explosion takes place in Baku, leaving 2 injuredYEREVAN.  Retired General Manvel Grigoryan, a former MP of the National Assembly of Armenia, on Friday was transferred from the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center to Nairi Medical Center, the latters director, Anatoli Gnuni, informed about this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He added that Grigoryan is in moderate condition, he is in a ward, and examinations are planned to be conducted on Saturday, to determine the severity of his condition.

On June 3, Manvel Grigoryan was transferred from Nairi Medical Center to a capital city Yerevan penitentiary, and then to a hospital for convicts. On June 6, however, his health condition sharply deteriorated at the said hospital for convicts, and he was transferred to the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Medical Center in Yerevan.

Manvel Grigoryan is charged with illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, appropriation of property, tax evasion, squandering of state resources, and organizing of property usurpation through extortion.

He is remanded in custody.Weather Alert

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... * WHAT...For the Winter Weather Advisory, snow. Additional snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph. For the Wind Chill Advisory, very cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 30 below zero. * WHERE...Portions of northeast Nebraska. * WHEN...For the Winter Weather Advisory, until midnight CST tonight. For the Wind Chill Advisory, until 6 PM CST this evening. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. &&On the eve of next weeks meeting in Washington, DC of Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers regarding Artsakh status and security issues, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to lift arbitrary, outdated, and counter-productive restrictions on travel and communication between the United States and the Republic of Artsakh. The ANCAs request is consistent with the legislative aims of H.Res.190, a bipartisan resolution seeking the removal of these prohibitions and the full return of Artsakh to any and all negotiations regarding its future.

The ANCA letter, forwarded this morning to the Department of State, stressed that: Azerbaijans attempts to limit U.S.-Artsakh dialogue, much like its reckless efforts to exclude Artsakh from full participation in OSCE negotiations, are clearly intended to serve the Aliyev regimes domestic political purposes, but, just as clearly, hinder U.S. diplomacy, and hold back the progress we would all like to see toward a durable and democratic peace between Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

The letter also recalled that: Artsakh signed the 1994 Bishkek Protocol, the cease-fire agreement that has, despite breaches by Baku, remained in place for a quarter century, concluding that: Artsakh must be a full stakeholder in any and all discussions regarding its future.

The bipartisan U.S.-Artsakh Travel and Communication Resolution (H.Res.190), introduced in March by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), currently has 20 cosponsors.The Spanish Supreme Court refused to cancel the national arrest warrant for the former head of the government of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in 2017 after holding an illegal referendum on regional independence, TASS reported referring to the country's judiciary tweet.

According to the tweet, judge Pablo Llarena refuses to request Carles Puigdemont and Antoni Comin to annul the national arrest and detention orders issued against them.

Puigdemont and the ex-adviser to the regional Cabinet of Ministers Comin were elected to the European Parliament (EP) on the basis of the elections held in Spain on May 26. According to the decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the country, parliamentarians of the kingdom must take the oath as European deputies on June 17 in Madrid. If Puigdemont and Comin arrive in Spain, they may be delayed. If politicians ignore the decision of the CEC, they may lose their deputy powers.

Earlier, the newspaper El Pais reported that the EP suspended the temporary passes for all Spanish MPs after Puigdemont was not allowed into the building of the institute. This decision will be in effect until Spain provides an official list with the names of persons who have properly followed all the procedures to be submitted to the EP.SANTIAGO, Chile (AP)  Chile's mining minister says one Bolivian has been rescued and another has died in a mine collapse in the northern Antofagasta region. The fate of a third is still unknown.

Mining minister Baldo Prokurica said on Twitter Saturday: "After 37 hours of intense work, the rescue of one of the miners trapped in Directorio 8 Mine of #Tocopilla is confirmed. Unfortunately one of the 3 miners is dead and a third is still missing. We will not give up until we find him."

Prokurica told the media that rescued miner Leonardo Condori is in good condition and was taken to a hospital.

The men were trapped deep underground Thursday when the Directorio 8 mine collapsed some 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) north of the Chilean capital of Santiago.(Adds quotes, background)

DUBLIN, June 15 (Reuters) - Ireland will not allow the Northern Ireland "backstop" clause in Britain's EU withdrawal agreement to be dropped because doing so would be as big a threat to the country as Britain leaving without a deal, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday.

While it is "alarming" that leading contenders to replace Theresa May as Britain's Prime Minister are increasingly threatening a no-deal Brexit, Ireland was 100 percent certain the European Union would not allow the backstop to go, he said.

Leadership contenders, including front-runner Boris Johnson, have called for the controversial Irish clause that is designed to avoid border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland to be changed or scrapped. They have said Britain would be prepared to leave without a deal if there was no compromise.

"To me no backstop is effectively the same as no-deal because what the backstop is is ... a legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard border emerge again," Varadkar told RTE radio. "If we don't have that, that is no deal."

How to manage the land border between EU-member Ireland and British-run Northern Ireland - including an emergency "backstop" solution to prevent the return of extensive frontier controls - has proven the most contentious element of Britain's planned exit from the European Union.

Varadkar again rejected a proposal for a time limit on the Northern Ireland clause, saying a backstop with a time limit is "not a backstop."

He said that Ireland remained open to the possibility of alternative arrangements that would allow an open border with Northern Ireland while protecting the European Union's single market - something Johnson has suggested may offer a solution.

But Varadkar said that would only be a possibility once the technologies required had been demonstrated to work effectively.

Story continues

"What people are saying is give up the backstop, which we know will work legally and operationally in return for something that doesn't yet exist but might exist in the future ... I can't do that to the border communities," Varadkar said.

Varadkar said he was looking forward to sitting down with May's replacement, but said the next prime minister should not expect a better Brexit deal.

"The fact that the failure of the House Of Commons to ratify the withdrawal agreement somehow means they are going to get a better deal, that is just not how the European Union works," he said. (Reporting by Conor Humphries Editing by Edmund Blair)(Adds candidate speeches from forum)

By Amanda Becker

CHARLESTON, S.C., June 15 (Reuters) - Four of the two dozen Democrats vying for their party's 2020 U.S. presidential nomination appeared at a Black Economic Alliance forum in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday, with an eye on the key role black voters will play in the early-voting state.

South Carolina will host the fourth nominating contest next year, after Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and it is the first state where a significant proportion of the Democratic electorate - about 60 percent - is black.

Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke and U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren attended Saturday's forum, which was organized by the Black Economic Alliance.

The candidates want to show their messages resonate with black voters in South Carolina, potentially portending success in subsequent nominating contests across the U.S. South.

They also want to prove they can generate enthusiasm among black voters for their candidacies in the November general election against President Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee. Democrat Hillary Clinton's stunning loss to Trump in 2016 was in part attributed to a decline in black voter turnout for the first time in 20 years.

At the forum, O'Rourke called for increased access to capital for minority business owners and expunging the arrest records for those with marijuana convictions, which disproportionately affects communities of color. Warren discussed her recent proposal for a $7 billion fund to launch 100,000 minority-owned businesses.

Buttigieg said the percentage of government contracts going to minority-run businesses should be increased. Booker said improving economic opportunities for minorities required investments in a variety of areas, and touted his "baby bonds" plan to close the racial wealth gap.

"We need to plant lots of seeds in our democracy to create the kind of harvest we need," Booker said.

Story continues

The Black Economic Alliance was started last year ahead of the 2018 midterm congressional elections, when it endorsed 26 candidates in House of Representatives, Senate and gubernatorial races.

The alliance has pivoted to policy development and decided to host its forum early in the 2020 election cycle in order to help set the agenda, Akunna Cook, a founding director of the organization, told Reuters.

"Black voters are really hungry for candidates who will put forward concrete plans for these issues," she said. "We wanted to make sure we were able to help mold and shape the conversation."

In a nationwide survey of 1,003 black adults released by the alliance earlier this month, 83 percent said the wage gap between white and black Americans was a big concern, 84 percent said hiring discrimination was a big concern, and 81 percent said it was hard to achieve the American dream today.

Warren, addressing the finding on achieving the American dream, said, "Yes, I think it's really, really tough and I think if we don't acknowledge that head on we can't diagnose what's wrong," Warren said.

The survey showed black adults were most enthusiastic about the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden, followed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris. None of the three attended Saturday's forum but they recorded video messages for the event.

The focus of the 2020 race will remain on South Carolina next weekend when Representative Jim Clyburn hosts his annual fish fry in Columbia, the state capital. It is South Carolina's first "cattle call," with 22 Democratic candidates scheduled to attend. It will be followed by forums hosted by the state Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which are also expected to draw large fields of candidates.

(Reporting by Amanda Becker Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Bill Trott)(Adds details)

By Nidhi Verma and Neha Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, June 15 (Reuters) - India will impose higher retaliatory tariffs on 28 U.S. products including almonds, apples and walnuts from Sunday, following Washington's withdrawal of key trade privileges for New Delhi.

The new duties take effect from Sunday, a government notification http://www.cbic.gov.in/resources//htdocs-cbec/customs/cs-act/notifications/notfns-2019/cs-tarr2019/cs17-2019.pdf;jsessionid=05BB93EF9871E631DCA5475F5330BC4E said, in the latest trade row since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in 2017 vowing to act against countries with which Washington has a large trade deficit.

From June 5, President Trump scrapped trade privileges under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for India, the biggest beneficiary of a scheme that allowed duty-free exports of up to $5.6 billion.

India termed that "unfortunate" and vowed to uphold its national interests.

Reuters previously reported India was preparing to levy higher tariffs ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Japan on June 28 and 29.

India initially issued an order in June last year to raise import taxes as high as 120% on a slew of U.S. items, incensed by Washington's refusal to exempt it from higher steel and aluminium tariffs.

But New Delhi repeatedly delayed raising tariffs as the two nations engaged in trade talks. Trade between them stood at about $142.1 billion in 2018.

India on Saturday amended its previous order "to implement the imposition of retaliatory duties on 28 specified goods originating in or exported from USA" while preserving the existing rate for these goods for all other countries, the government notification said.

Higher Indian tariffs on U.S. goods could impact growing political and security ties between the two nations.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is expected to visit India this month, said this week the United States was open to dialogue to resolve trade differences with India, through greater access for American companies to its markets.

India is by far the largest buyer of U.S. almonds, paying $543 million for more than half of U.S. almond exports in 2018, U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows. It is the second largest buyer of U.S. apples, taking $156 million worth in 2018.

New Delhi's new rules in areas such as e-commerce and data localisation have already angered the United States and hit companies such as Amazon.com, Walmart Inc, Mastercard and Visa, among others. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma and Neha Dasgupta; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)(Adds British government denial ambassador has been summoned)

DUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - Iran on Saturday summoned the British ambassador to Tehran after London blamed it for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, the semi-official Students News Agency ISNA reported, a claim denied by the British government.

"During the meeting with Iran's foreign ministry official, Iran strongly condemned the unfounded allegations and criticised Britain's unacceptable stance regarding the attacks in the Gulf of Oman," it said.

The ambassador was asked for an explanation and correction after Britain was the only nation to echo U.S. accusations, ISNA reported.

A British foreign ministry official said the report was wrong and the ambassador has not been summoned.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a statement on Friday blaming Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the attacks, saying no other state or non-state actor could have been responsible.

Iran has denied any involvement.

The attacks have raised fears of a confrontation in the vital oil shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz at a time of increased tension between Iran and the United States. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Andrew Cawthorne and Diane Craft)(Adds HRW statement, background)

CAIRO, June 15 (Reuters) - A Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes on Iran-allied Houthi forces in Yemen's capital Sanaa, Saudi state television reported early on Saturday, part of an escalation of tit-for-tat strikes that has stoked regional tensions.

The strikes hit air-defence systems and other military positions in the Houthi-controlled city, days after the Houthis launched a missile attack on a Saudi airport, according to the TV report.

The Western-backed, Sunni Muslim coalition has been battling the Houthis in Yemen since 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognised government that was forced out of Sanaa by the Houthis.

The Houthis have stepped up drone and missile attacks on cities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia in recent months as tensions have risen between Iran and Gulf Arab states allied with the United States further afield across the Middle East.

The Yemen conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. But the Houthis have denied taking any orders from Tehran and say they took up arms against corruption.

Yemen's civil war has killed more than 10,000 people and pushed the impoverished country to the verge of famine, the United Nations and aid agencies have said.

Saudi authorities says the Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia's Abha airport on Wednesday wounded 26 people.

Campaign group Human Rights watch condemned that attack. "Unlawful Saudi-led coalition air strikes in Yemen never justify Houthi attacks on Saudi civilians, said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

The escalation in violence could threaten a fragile U.N.-led peace initiative in Yemen's main port city of Hodeidah, which handles the bulk of the impoverished country's commercial and aid imports and is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis. (Reporting by Nayera Abdallah Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Andrew Heavens)(Corrects name to Joaquim Forn in paragraph 10)

MADRID, June 15 (Reuters) - A conservative was sworn in on Saturday as Madrid's new mayor, regaining control of the Spanish capital for the People's Party after forging a coalition including the far right, while the far-left won a second term in Barcelona with support from the Socialists and others.

Spain's municipal elections in May led to a fragmented political landscape, requiring numerous power-sharing deals to form coalition governments, with the most vote-winning candidates kept out of office in some places.

The PP's candidate for Madrid mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, came second behind a far-left candidate but he won control of the city government with the backing of the far-right Vox as well as the centre-right Ciudadanos party.

Some members of Ciudadanos have expressed unease over the party's decision to deepen its alliance with Vox and the PP to secure a share of power in Madrid and the southeastern Murcia region.

In neighbouring France, President Emmanuel Macron's government warned Ciudadanos, its Spanish centre-right ally in the European Parliament, of possible "consequences" if it went ahead with local alliances with Vox.

Under the municipal electoral system in Spain, city halls must choose a mayor from whichever group forms a majority if no single candidate wins outright.

The Socialists won the most support in May's elections, with 29.3% of the vote, followed by the PP on 22.2%.

In Barcelona, far-leftist mayor Ada Colau also came second in the elections but she was re-elected with support from the Socialists and a platform backed by former French prime minister Manuel Valls in a deal aimed at preventing a Catalan pro-independence leader from taking the job.

"I will not be a secessionist or anti-secessionist mayor," Colau said after being sworn in, adding that she felt somewhat uncomfortable over the way she was re-elected. She was at odds with Valls during the campaign in Spain's second-largest city.

Hundreds of people demonstrated outside Barcelona's city hall, some in favour of Colau and others for pro-independence groups. One elected city council member, Joaquim Forn, is among the jailed Catalan leaders on trial at Spain's Supreme Court for their role in the region's failed independence bid in 2017.

He received permission from the court to be transferred from a jail in Madrid to attend Barcelona's municipality inauguration, only to be sent back to Madrid immediately after. (Reporting by Joan Faus; Editing by Helen Popper and Hugh Lawson)June 15 (Reuters) - An explosion on Saturday in a Syrian ammunition depot in a military zone west of the capital was caused by wildfires, state television reported.

It said the depot was in the Dummar residential area.

But residents said the explosion, which could be heard across the capital, appeared to have come from a mountainous area between Dummar and Qudsaya, where large army units are stationed.

Israel, which sees Iran as a threat to its existence, has attacked Iranian targets in Syria before including those of allied militia such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Its strikes on the capital had long focused on southern and northern areas where Western intelligence sources have said there were military compounds for Hezbollah and other Iranian backed militias.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has said Iranian forces are welcome in the country, after years of military victories that have brought large parts of it back under his control. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting to Ali Abdelaty; Editing by Hugh Lawson)(Adds U.S. confirmation)

BAGHDAD, June 15 (Reuters) - The United States has allowed Iraq to import Iranian gas for its power grid for another three months by extending a waiver to sanctions - but insists that Baghdad seek alternative sources.

Iraq has had several extensions to the waiver first granted last year after Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran's oil sector forbidding countries from purchasing Iranian energy.

"An additional 120-day waiver was granted to allow Iraq to continue to pay for electricity imports from Iran," the U.S. State Department said in an emailed statement.

An Iraqi government source said the extension was given during a phone call between Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The State Department said the United States continued to insist on "diversifying energy imports away from Iran," however.

President Donald Trump's administration has said oil-rich Iraq must become more self-reliant for its electricity, including by harnessing gas energy and reducing flaring at oil production sites.

U.S. energy giant General Electric is in the running to win a large share of multibillion-dollar contracts to rebuild Iraq's electricity system amid intense U.S. lobbying efforts.

Washington reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil industry in November, citing concerns about its nuclear programme and what it said was its meddling in the Middle East.

Iraqi officials have said they might need years to wean the country of Iranian power.

Iraq relies heavily on Iranian gas to feed several power stations, importing roughly 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day via pipelines in the south and east.

Washington wants to roll back Iranian influence in the Middle East, including in Iraq, where Tehran holds broad sway over politics and trade.

Although Iraq has one of the world's largest natural gas reserves, it has moved slowly to develop them and has relied on Iran to supply it with gas and electricity. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Writing by John Davison; Editing by Edmund Blair and Andrew Cawthorne)(Adds detail on detentions)

By Hugh Bronstein

TAPACHULA, Mexico, June 15 (Reuters) - Many of the Central Americans who lined up for papers at an asylum office in southern Mexico said they could abandon plans to reach the United States and remain in Mexico if U.S. President Donald Trump clamps down further on migration.

Mexico is ramping up security on its southern border with Guatemala as part of an agreement with Washington after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican goods if the government did not stem the flow of migrants reaching the United States.

As part of that effort, Mexico has pledged to deploy 6,000 National Guard members along the border. Reuters reporters in Tapachula, a city near the frontier visited by many migrants, saw no evidence of that deployment there on Saturday.

Under U.S. pressure, Mexico has agreed to expand a program started in January that forces migrants to wait in Mexico for the outcome of their U.S. asylum claims. The United States began accelerating returns of asylum seekers to Mexico on Thursday.

In addition, if Mexico does not reduce immigration flows by mid-July, it could become a "safe third country" where asylum seekers must seek refuge instead of in the United States.

In the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, the overburdened COMAR refugee office in Tapachula has seen a surge of asylum seekers. It is one of only three such offices in the country.

People waiting in line outside the office said they would take their chances in Mexico if their only other choice was to return to violence-plagued Central America.

Thousands of families have fled poverty and rampant crime in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala in the past year, making their way through Mexico to the United States.

"If we have no other option then yes, we could remain in Mexico because we really cannot go back to Honduras," said Dagoberto, 34, waiting in line in the blazing midday sun on Friday with his partner, Jose.

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Dagoberto said he had been threatened in Honduras when the business he worked for was taken over by a criminal gang. He was asking COMAR for a humanitarian visa to allow him to reach the U.S. border.

Dagoberto and Jose, who hope to get married if they reach the United States, declined to give their surnames, saying the gang that forced them out of Honduras had international reach.

In a sign of intensifying efforts to stem the flow of people, several hundred migrants in trucks were detained by security forces at two points in the eastern state of Veracruz on Saturday, a Foreign Ministry official said.

BETTER MEXICO THAN HOME

Nidia Martinez and her three children slept the previous three nights on the sidewalk in front of the COMAR office, where she is seeking a credential to let her to travel to the U.S. border.

"I want to get to the United States. If I can't, then Mexico is a good place to live," she said, citing a sense of increased security she felt since arriving in Tapachula.

"In Honduras, you can't sleep on the street because they'd rob you. They'd rape you or kill you," Martinez, 28, said, beaming with relief that she and her children had not been assaulted in Tapachula.

But safety in their case depended on sleeping just outside the refugee office. Migrants in other parts of the city and throughout Mexico often face extortion, kidnapping and worse by criminals or corrupt government officials.

Martinez said she may look for her mother - who lives in Puebla, Mexico - and arrange to live with her and find work. But she says she cannot go anywhere without the COMAR document.

"We have to sleep and wake up here because without that credential they will grab us and deport us if we try to travel."

Her 20-month-year-old daughter, Litzy, looked up at her, smiling in a fleece hoodie decorated with blue hearts, her hair tied with a purple band. Later in the day, they were forced by a tropical downpour to cram themselves into doorways to stay dry.

Also sleeping outside for a chance at an interview in the refugee office was Hernando Gustavo Velazquez, 45, who arrived from Honduras a week earlier with his sister and nephew.

Velazquez said if he were unable to achieve his dream of reaching the United States, then Mexico would be a lot better than returning to Honduras.

"Here we have not seen any extortion," he said. "In Honduras, when they threaten to kill you for not paying for protection, they're not lying." (Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Additional reporting by Roberto Ramirez in Tapachula and Delphine Schrank and Frank Jack Daniel in Mexico City; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Steve Orlofsky and Daniel Wallis)(Adds background)

WASHINGTON, June 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee has issued subpoenas against former White House adviser Michael Flynn and President Donald Trump's former deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates, the panel said in a statement on Thursday.

In a letter accompanying the subpoena, the panel's Democratic chairman, Adam Schiff, demanded that Flynn and Gates, who have both pleaded guilty to charges related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, provide documents by June 26 and to testify before the committee on July 10.

The committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, said it had issued the subpoenas after Flynn and Gates declined to cooperate fully with Congress.

The move adds a new layer to a battle between the White House and congressional Democrats, who control the House of Representatives.

House Democrats are pursuing several congressional investigations of the Trump campaign, the White House and Trump's businesses. But the White House has vowed to stonewall all of the congressional investigations and has ignored official congressional demands and requests for testimony.

On Wednesday, Trump asserted executive privilege over documents related to his administration's push to add a citizenship question to the census.

Traditionally, presidents have cited executive privilege to block other branches of government from obtaining certain internal information from the White House.

Later that day, a House committee voted to hold two Trump administration officials in contempt for defying congressional subpoenas.

The Trump administration has also asserted executive privilege to prevent lawmakers from obtaining the unredacted Mueller report.

Mueller's investigation ended earlier this year, with Mueller saying there was not enough evidence to conclude the Trump campaign had conspired with Russia during the election. He declined to decide whether Trump had obstructed justice.

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Both Flynn and Gates pleaded guilty to charges stemming from Mueller's probe and initially cooperated with federal prosecutors. Flynn appears to have recently changed his legal strategy, firing his lawyers and hiring a new attorney who has been critical of Mueller's investigation.

On Thursday, Trump praised Flynn and his new lawyer on Twitter, saying: "General Michael Flynn, the 33 year war hero who has served with distinction, has not retained a good lawyer, he has retained a GREAT LAWYER, Sidney Powell. Best Wishes and Good Luck to them both!"

Powells office declined to comment. Gates' lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Susan Heavey, Bill Trott and Bernadette Baum)(Adds coalition statement)

CAIRO, June 15 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi movement launched fresh drone attacks targeting Jizan and Abha airports in southern Saudi Arabia, the group's Al-Masirah TV said on Saturday, adding the installations were out of service.

The Saudi-led coalition said in a statement that it had intercepted and downed a Houthi drone targeting the southwestern city of Abha.

The Iran-aligned group said multiple drone strike targeted control rooms at Jizan airport and a fuel station at Abha airport.

"The two airports are now out of service. We promise the Saudi regime more painful days as long as the aggression and siege continue on our country," the group's armed forces spokesman said in a tweet published by Al-Masirah TV's account.

The Houthis have launched several strikes targeting Abha airport since Wednesday, when a missile attack against the same airport wounded 26 people.

The Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in 2015 in Yemen's civil war to restore the government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, said earlier this week that it intercepted five drones that targeted Abha airport and Khamis Mushait in the same region.

In response to these attacks, the Western-backed coalition said it had destroyed Houthi military assets on the outskirts of the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.

It was unclear if there were any casualties following Saturday's drone strikes.

Coalition leaders, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, accuse Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah of supporting the Houthis, a charge all three deny.

The Houthis have stepped up missile and drone attacks against Saudi cities as tensions have risen between Iran and Gulf Arab states allied with the United States. Last month, the group carried out drone strikes on two Saudi oil pumping stations.

Tehran and Washington have engaged in a war of words since the United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran and increased its military presence in the Gulf.

The Yemen conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty; Writing by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Diane Craft and Daniel Wallis)761 Manhattan Ave. | Photo: Zumper

Curious just how far your dollar goes in Greenpoint?

According to Walk Score, this New York City neighborhood is very walkable, is convenient for biking and is a haven for transit riders. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Greenpoint is currently hovering around $2,985.

So, what might you expect to find if you're on a budget of $2,500/month? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings, via Zumper and Apartment Guide. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

India Street

Listed at $2,486/month, this studio apartment is located at India Street.

Building amenities include assigned parking, a fitness center and outdoor space. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(Take a look at the complete listing here.)

McGuinness Boulevard

Next, there's this studio apartment located at McGuinness Boulevard. It's listed for $2,496/month.

When it comes to building amenities, expect a fitness center, a roof deck and a swimming pool. In the apartment, you'll see in-unit laundry. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are welcome. There's no leasing fee required for this rental.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

761 Manhattan Ave.

Finally, here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit at 761 Manhattan Ave. that's going for $2,500/month.

You can expect to see hardwood flooring and high ceilings in the residence. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate an intercom. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Expect a broker's fee equal to one month's rent.

(See the full listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.(Adds Israeli military comment)

AMMAN, June 15 (Reuters) - An explosion on Saturday in a Syrian ammunition depot in a military zone west of the capital was caused by wildfires, state television reported.

It said the depot was in the Dummar residential area.

But residents said the explosion, which could be heard across Damascus, appeared to have come from a mountainous area between Dummar and Qudsaya, where large army units are stationed.

Israel, which sees Iran as a threat to its existence, has said it had carried out hundreds of attacks in Syria on Iranian targets, including those of allied militia such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, in the past several years.

Asked abut the incident, an Israeli military spokeswoman said: "We don't comment on foreign reports."

Israel is trying to counter the influence carved out in Syria by Iran, which has supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the war that erupted in 2011.

Its strikes on the capital have long focused on southern and northern areas where Western intelligence sources have said there were military compounds for Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias.

Assad has said Iranian forces are welcome in the country, after years of military victories that have brought large parts of it back under his control. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting to Ali Abdelaty in Cairo and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Bill Trott)The 2020 campaign begins in earnest next week in Florida, when Donald Trump officially launches his reelection bid. On June 26, 20 Democratic candidates and five moderators hold the first of two nights of debates. Where do things stand?

According to the polls, President Trump starts at a disadvantage. He has 44 percent approval in the RealClearPolitics average, with a net disapproval of nine points. The most recent Quinnipiac poll has the major Democrats defeating Trump. The margins range from Joe Bidens 13-point victory to Pete Buttigieg and Cory Bookers five points. Another recent Quinnipiac poll has Biden leading Trump by four points in Texas. Private surveys of the Lone Star State also show a tight race. Trump polls very badly among suburban women, and the growth in suburban Texas has been extraordinary. Which spells trouble.

If the election were held today, a generic Democrat would defeat Donald Trump. What makes the predictions game difficult is that Election Day isnt for 16 months, and generic Democrats do not exist. Political conditions are bound to change, for better or worse, and voters once again will make a binary choice between the incumbent and a specific progressive alternative. That alternative might not be as flawed as Hillary Clinton. But he or she will have flaws.

Do the Democrats have more than a fighting chance? Absolutely. Theyve won the popular vote in all but one presidential election since 1992. And yet they would be foolish beyond belief to assume Trump is destined for a single term. President Trump cant beat a generic Democrat. Lucky for him he wont be facing one.

Trump holds the high ground of incumbency. Only once in the last century, in 1980, has the public ousted a party from the White House after just four years. Moreover, Trump is extremely unlikely to face a primary challenger, and at the moment, the chances of an independent third-party candidacy are slim. At the outset of the contest, the economy is humming, the country is not in a major war, and there is no disruptive social unrest. This is a winning record.

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What makes the 2020 election unique is the disjunction between objective conditions and presidential polling. Econometric models predict a Trump victory. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moodys Analytics, has looked at 12 models, wrote Democrat Steven Rattner in the New York Times recently, and Mr. Trump wins in all of them. The most famous qualitative model, Allan J. Lichtmans 13 keys to the presidency, also points to Trumps reelection.

The models arent dispositive. Trump is such an unusual and unusually polarizing candidate that he underperformed the models last time around. He could do so again. Which makes his opponent decisive.

The Democratic field is weak. The frontrunner, Joe Biden, enjoys a solid national lead, but his margin in early states, especially Iowa, is narrowing.

And Biden has liabilities. They have been on display. His sloppy climate change plan not only reminded the public of his past plagiarism, it also included a carbon tax that will be easy for Trump to attack. His changing stance on the Hyde Amendment banning taxpayer funding of abortion, from support to opposition to support to opposition, was a disaster. It does more than suggest an opening for the flip-flop attack that worked against John Kerry in 2004. It also makes Biden vulnerable to the charge that hes caved to pro-abortion extremists.

Listening to the debut episode of the Hacks on Tap podcast with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy the other day, I was struck by how critical Axelrod was of Biden. Both strategists were skeptical of the former vice-presidents ability to run the gauntlet. But Axelrod drew special attention to Bidens age, half-century in Washington, and poor track record as a presidential contender.

Iowa chose the winner in the last four contested Democratic nominations. Bidens history there is not reassuring. He didnt even make it to the caucuses in 1988, and he came in fifth place 20 years later. A look at polls taken at about this point in primary cycles since 1980 suggests that while Biden leads now, theres a pretty good chance he wont actually win the caucuses, writes Harry Enten of CNN.

Losing Iowa would dissipate the aura of inevitability and electability that surrounds Bidens pate. Hed be hard pressed to win in New Hampshire, where he faces two candidates from neighboring states. Its been a quarter of a century since a candidate lost two of the first three contests but went on to claim the nomination.

The Democrats dont have many good options beyond Biden. Bernie Sanders would turn the election into a referendum not on Trump but on socialism, breaking the Democratic party and possibly drawing in an independent candidate. Elizabeth Warren has a story to tell, policy chops, and political seasoning, but Axelrod notes that she comes across as a professor delivering a TED Talk. Plus, the last three presidential nominees to come from Massachusetts all lost.

The last two Democratic presidents had youth, freshness, and cultural resonance. They were in their forties when first elected. The only first-tier candidate that approaches these criteria is Buttigieg. His problem is hes just 37 years old, mayor of the fourth-largest city in Indiana, and seems to have a problem attracting the support of minority voters. Hell have a breakout moment in the debates, for sure, but I wont believe the hype until I see it reflected in the polls. As for the other 19 candidates, yawn.

The 2020 election is shaping up to be complex and contradictory. A president who the models say should be running away with the race is under threat. A party that should be making its strongest case for a restoration is mired in impeachment talk, obsessed with slaking the appetite of left-wing interest groups, and offering a bizarrely expansive field of none-too-impressive challengers. A frontrunner whose strategy is to pretend hes already the nominee is slowly being brought down to Earth. And a country that never thought it could elect Donald Trump president might just do it again.

This piece originally appeared in the Washington Free Beacon.

More from National ReviewOrlando Sentinel

Jayden Gibson was supposed to be enrolling for the spring semester at the University of Florida in a few weeks. Thats where he wanted to be to start his college football career. Its where his heart was. Its where his mother and father went to college and where they met. Kelvin Gibson was even a walk-on football player for the Gators. Sometimes things just dont work out the way they were ...Looking to try the best taco food trucks in town?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top taco food trucks in Long Beach, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges.

1. Vera's Tacos

Photo: James O./Yelp

Topping the list is Vera's Tacos. Located at 3667 Delta Ave. in Long Beach, the food truck, which offers tacos and more, is the highest-rated food truck in Long Beach, boasting 4.5 stars out of 69 reviews on Yelp.

2. Tacos El Sapo

Photo: Maggie N./Yelp

Next up is Long Beach's Tacos El Sapo, located at 550 Pacific Coast Highway, with Yelpers giving the food truck, which offers tacos and more, 4.5 stars out of 18 reviews.

3. Arturos Tacos Truck

Photo: Ashley O./Yelp

Arturos Tacos Truck, a food truck that offers tacos and more in Long Beach, is another go-to, with four stars out of 11 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1801 Long Beach Blvd. to see for yourself.

4. Bomb Azz Tacos

Photo: Sabrina J./Yelp

Over in Long Beach, check out Bomb Azz Tacos, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 82 reviews on Yelp. You can find the food truck and Mexican spot at 2300 E. Seventh St.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Senior Irish officials voiced on Friday their full support to the process led by the Secretary General of the United Nations for the resolution of the Sahara issue.

During meetings held in Dublin with a delegation of elected representatives from Moroccos Southern Provinces, the Irish officials welcomed the in-depth, productive and enlightening presentations made by the Moroccan delegation on the Sahara regional conflict, saying their visit to the Republic of Ireland will surely contribute to strengthening partnership between their country and the North African kingdom.

After their visit to Norway, the delegation of elected officials from Moroccos Southern Provinces, travelled to Dublin where they conferred with several Irish Govt officials and political leaders on the Sahara issue.

Led by President of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Regional Council, Yanja El Khattat, the delegation met with the Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, the Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade & Defense, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several MPs and senators as well as leaders of Front Line Defenders, an international human rights watchdog, says a press release issued by the Moroccan embassy in Dublin.

These meetings, held in presence of Moroccan ambassador in Dublin, Lahcen Mahraoui, were an opportunity for the delegation to highlight the relevance of the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco for the settlement of the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

The elected officials from the Sahara affirmed that Moroccos plan offers a realistic political solution called for by the United Nations, noting that the Security Council Resolution 2440 invites all parties to move towards a realistic, pragmatic, sustainable and compromise-based political solution.

They also stressed that the genuine legitimate representatives of the Sahrawis are those democratically elected during the elections held in Morocco in 2015 and 2016. These polls were described as free and fair by the United Nations and international observers

During their talks with Irish government and elected officials, members of the Moroccan delegation tackled latest developments of Sahara issue including the two roundtable meetings convened in Geneva, extolling the socioeconomic development witnessed by the southern provinces under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

They affirmed that the Moroccan Sahara has become a model of development which is inspiring other regions of neighboring countries, particularly in sub-Sahara region.

Regarding the situation of Sahrawis sequestered in the Tindouf camps (Southern Algeria) and deprived of their most basic rights, the Moroccan delegation expressed hope to see their brothers and sisters in the Tindouf camps join Moroccos southern provinces, in order to enjoy economic prosperity, stability, security and freedom .Voting rights activists argue that newly discovered 2015 correspondence between a GOP redistricting expert and a current Census Bureau official bolster arguments that discrimination motivated efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 population survey.

The plaintiffs, who successfully challenged the question in a Maryland federal court, said in a filing late Friday that the email exchange between the late Republican consultant Thomas Hofeller and the Census Bureau official was discovered earlier this week. They say the documents give a federal judge, who previously ruled in their favor, latitude to re-examine whether Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross intended to discriminate against minorities by adding the citizenship question to the 2020 census.

While U.S. District Judge George Hazel issued a ruling in April to block the addition of the census question, he said the Maryland plaintiffs failed to prove that their equal protection rights were violated because they hadn't shown that Ross and other officials acted with discriminatory intent.

Plaintiffs, citing the new documents, say the judge should reconsider on the equal protection question.

"The trial record and the Hofeller documents both reveal that the central purpose of adding a citizenship question was to deprive Hispanics and noncitizens of political representation," the plaintiffs argue, adding that the evidence "explains precisely why Secretary Ross pressed ahead with adding the citizenship question in the face of ... evidence that it would cause a disproportionate undercount of noncitizens and Hispanics."

Trump administration lawyers argued in filings before Hazel this week that the newly discovered documents don't justify the "extraordinary request" to reopen a case already decided in the plaintiffs' favor.

The Commerce Department issued a statement Saturday saying that Hofeller played no role in Ross's decision to add the citizenship question: "All of Plaintiffs' conspiracy theories are outlandish and should be disregarded."

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The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering the citizenship question after Hazel's ruling and similar ones by judges in New York and California who concluded the question was improperly added to the U.S. census for what would be the first time since 1950. The high court could rule by July.

Voting rights groups have argued that the citizenship question would serve to strengthen GOP congressional representation and funding for areas where mostly Republicans reside by suppressing the count of immigrants. States with large numbers of immigrants tend to vote Democratic.

The U.S. Constitution specifies that congressional districts should be based on how many people  not citizens  live in an area.

The Maryland plaintiffs argued in a June 3 filing that the new trove of Hofeller documents, first revealed in late May as part of the New York case, show that he played a role in drafting Justice Department documents regarding the citizenship question, and that Hofeller had explained in a separate memo that the addition would help "Republicans and Non-Hispanic Whites."

The Hofeller documents were discovered when his estranged daughter found four external computer hard drives and 18 thumb drives in her father's Raleigh, North Carolina, home after his death last summer.

The challengers to the citizenship question have also cited the documents in New York federal court and at the Supreme Court in their effort to keep the question off the 2020 census.

The newer documents, unearthed this week during a further forensic analysis, show how far back the discussions about adding the citizenship question go, the plaintiffs argue. Attached to their Friday filing is a January 2015 email from Christa Jones to Hoffeler saying that a 2015 test of census data collection presented "an opportunity to mention citizenship as well." Jones is now chief of staff to the deputy director of the U.S. Census Bureau.

The plaintiffs argue that "newly discovered documents suggest that Hofeller had also long been in contact with a highly-ranked Census employee, who knew of Hofeller's interest in a citizenship question (and in fact suggested opportunities for him to raise that interest with the Census Bureau)."

The Justice Department has denied that the new documents show discriminatory intent. A spokeswoman declined further comment Saturday.

A spokesman for the Census Bureau didn't respond to a question seeking comment.

The Justice Department lawyers wrote in a filing in the Maryland case that "there is no basis to revisit this Court's prior determination that it could not 'connect the dots' between the Secretary's decision and evidence of third parties' animus."

They also argue that the evidence cited is not new, wouldn't have changed the outcome of the case and could have been previously brought to the court's attention "if Plaintiffs had exercised due diligence."

____

Associated Press writer Mark Sherman in Washington contributed to this report.

____

Follow Drew at www.twitter.com/JonathanLDrew

____

This story has been corrected to reflect that Jones reports to the deputy director of the U.S. Census Bureau.Boston-based AI-powered marketing company Alyce has secured $11 million in Series A funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the citys recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced June 10 and led by Manifest Investment Partners.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "Alyce is the AI-powered platform thats redefining direct mail, swag and gifts with its scalable, sustainable, hyper-personalized approach to account-based marketing. Alyce builds real, human relationships that deliver up to twice the named account penetration versus traditional approaches. Founded in December of 2015, Alyce is a privately held company headquartered in Boston, MA."

The four-year-old startup also raised a $5.3 million seed round in 2017.

The round brings total funding raised by Boston companies in data and analytics over the past month to $158 million, an increase of $98 million from the month before. The local data and analytics industry has produced 68 funding rounds over the past year, capturing a total of $1.1 billion in venture funding.

In other local funding news, blockchain and government company Voatz announced a $7 million Series A funding round on June 6, led by Techstars.

According to Crunchbase, "Voatz is a mobile election voting platform, secured via smart biometrics, real time ID verification, and the blockchain for irrefutability. Voatz enables citizens to vote in all kinds of elections or voting events via a smartphone. Past attempts at internet-based voting have failed or not gone mainstream due to fundamental concerns around security, auditability and voter anonymity."

Founded in 2015, the company has raised five previous rounds, including a $2.2 million seed round in 2018.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Gavin Jones

ROME (Reuters) - Amanda Knox, back in Italy for the first time since her 2015 murder acquittal, broke down in tears on Saturday as she relived her eight-year ordeal of trials and imprisonment, and the media frenzy surrounding it.

Speaking at a conference on criminal justice in the northern Italian city of Modena, Knox said she had considered suicide while in jail, and she blamed the media for its treatment of her and her trial, which was closely followed around the world.

"To the world, I wasn't a suspect innocent until proven guilty, I was a cunning, psychopathic, dirty, drugged-up whore who was guilty until proven otherwise," she told the audience.

"The prosecutors and the media created a story and a version of me that suited that story, on which people could attach all their fantasies, fears and moral judgments... the dirty, psychopathic man-eater Foxy Knoxy."

Knox, now 31, returned to the United States after Italy's top court annulled her conviction for the 2007 murder of her British flatmate in the town of Perugia, capping nearly a decade of courtroom drama during which she was twice found guilty.

The brutal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, alleged sex games and multiple trials provided fodder for tabloids on both sides of the Atlantic and inspired books and films.

Rudy Guede, originally from the Ivory Coast, is serving a 16-year sentence for the crime, but judges in the previous trials ruled he did not act alone.

"Lots of people think I am crazy to come here," Knox said. "I'm afraid today, I am afraid of being harassed, of being trapped, and I am afraid that new accusations will be made just because I have come here to give my version of the facts."

The Kercher family's lawyer said her return to Italy was "inappropriate" self-promotion. But Knox insisted Kercher was her friend and her only intention was to draw attention to miscarriages of justice and the risks of an irresponsible media.

Story continues

While definitively clearing Knox of the murder in 2015 due to insufficient evidence, the Rome court confirmed a previous three-year sentence given to her for falsely accusing Congolese barman Patrick Lumumba of the crime.

Knox said she had given the false statement because police had worn her down during "50 hours of interrogation, with no lawyer, in a language I spoke like a baby."

In January, the European Court of Human Rights ruled Knox had not had a fair trial for the malicious accusation charge and ordered Italy to pay her 18,400 euros ($21,000) in damages and costs, well below the 2.7 million euros she had sought.

During her 40-minute speech on "Trial by Media", Knox's voice broke frequently and she paused to sip from a glass of water.

She lost control and wept openly when she recalled her father visiting her in jail and telling her there was no near-term prospect of her release.

She said she would like to meet again with the prosecuting magistrate, who she saw then as "a nightmare figure, a monster whose only goal was to destroy me for no reason," but who she now realized was only trying to secure justice for Kercher.

(Reporting by Gavin Jones; Editing by Hugh Lawson)Damascus (AFP) - An ammunition depot in Damascus exploded Saturday, state media reported, prompting a blast heard by an AFP journalist in the Syrian capital.

"An ammunition depot for the Syrian army in western Damascus exploded after a fire in nearby fields started spreading," state news agency SANA said, citing a military source.

The ammunition depot was located in a military zone in Mashrou Dummar, a western suburb, SANA reported.

But in a later statement SANA quoted a military source as saying that "investigations are still underway to determine the cause" of the blast.

The explosion wounded eight pro-government fighters, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"It remains unclear if the explosion was deliberate or a result of the fires in the area," the war monitor said.

It cited eye-witness accounts claiming rockets were seen flying over the area.

The Syrian capital has been relatively calm since regime forces recaptured the Eastern Ghouta suburbs from rebel forces last year.

However, strikes by Syria's rival Israel continue to target military installations around the capital.

More than 370,000 people have been killed in Syria's war since it erupted in 2011 with a violent crackdown on anti-government protests.* HK leader postpones contentious bill after political upheaval

* Lam had been defiant in meetings with envoys in recent weeks

* Lam had emergency meeting with top China leader -report

* Some analysts see Lam's days as leader numbered

By James Pomfret, Greg Torode and Ben Blanchard

HONG KONG/BEIJING, June 16 (Reuters) - With an escalating U.S. trade war, a faltering economy and tensions in the South China Sea vexing her bosses in Beijing, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam appeared in no mood to compromise on a planned extradition law at recent meetings, according to foreign envoys and business people who met with her.

Some of the people at those meetings in recent weeks pointed to media reports that even Hong Kong's usually reticent judges were worried about the proposed law which threatened to send people for trial in mainland China for the first time.

But Lam bluntly dismissed concerns about a Chinese justice system that is widely criticised for forced confessions, arbitrary detentions and one-sided trials, saying judges were not supposed to speak.

Worries over the bill's impact on Hong Kong's international standing as a financial hub with a respected legal system were building in Washington, London and other European capitals, but Lam stressed the need for the extradition law to help solve the murder of a Hong Kong woman in Taiwan.

"She needed a dinghy and she deployed the Titanic," one diplomat who met Lam this month told Reuters, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

In numerous public appearances after that, Lam was unyielding on the need for the bill, despite huge and sometimes violent street protests including one last Sunday that organisers said drew more than a million people.

Then on Saturday, Lam suddenly announced the bill had been postponed indefinitely.

She told a news conference she felt "deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society".

Story continues

Hong Kong's self-styled Iron Lady had cracked, having apparently created an entirely fresh crisis for President Xi Jinping - and the city's biggest since Britain handed it over to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee its freedoms and autonomy would be preserved.

Clues to the catalyst for the about-face may lie in a reported meeting between Lam and China's Vice-Premier Han Zheng.

According to Hong Kong's Sing Tao newspaper, Lam had a clandestine emergency meeting with Han, a member of the Politburo's seven-person Standing Committee, China's top decision-making body, across the border in Shenzhen on Thursday.

The content of the meeting is unknown. Lam on Saturday refused to confirm or deny that it had taken place, despite repeated questions.

BEIJING BACKDOWN

Beijing's grip over Hong Kong has intensified markedly since Chinese President Xi Jinping took power in 2012, and after the city's protracted 2014 pro-democracy street protests.

He warned in 2017 that any attempts to undermine Chinese sovereignty were a "red line" that Beijing would not allow to be crossed - warnings that reinforced his strongman image amongst Hong Kongers.

Many politicians, diplomats and analysts had not expected Beijing to allow any backdown on the bill, unlike in 2003 when contentious national security laws were scrapped after half a million people took to the streets.

But a source in Beijing with ties to China's leadership who meets regularly with senior officials, said the Hong Kong government had handled the extradition saga badly.

And while a backdown from Beijing on the bill seemed near inconceivable just a week ago, the violence and escalating unrest forced their hand.

"The outcome doesn't bear thinking about if this situation wasn't turned around," the source said, also declining to be named given the sensitivity of the matter.

The source added that Beijing now had severe doubts about Lam's capabilities. China's State Council and the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Steve Tsang, a London-based political scientist, said Lam had caused Xi "major embarassment" at a time that is not helpful for him given trade tensions with the United States, and ahead of a possible meeting with U.S. president Donald Trump at the month's end at the G20 summit in Japan.

"Xi is not a leader who tolerates failures of officials," Tsang said.

Retired senior Hong Kong government official Joseph Wong said he was shocked by Beijing's U-turn, but the situation had become so untenable that he believed it had led to a recalculation by Han after meeting Lam in Shenzhen.

"I suspect ... he (Han) would have had to consider, are we prepared to continue to fire rubber bullets or even real bullets in order to get this through, and what would be the implications for the central government internationally, vis-a-vis the U.S. So that protest was the turning point."

Lam has refused calls from the opposition and protestors to step down but her ability to govern has been questioned on numerous fronts, including her failure to gauge the pulse in Hong Kong, the broader U.S.-China relationship, and Taiwan's refusal to accept any extradition bill, undermining her core argument the bill would resolve the Taiwan murder case.

Political scientist Tsang said he did not expect Lam to last much longer as leader.

"I think Carrie Lams days are numbered...Beijing cannot afford to sack her right away because that would be an indication of weakness. They would have to allow for a bit of decent interlude."

Two former post-colonial leaders, Tung Chee-Hwa and Leung Chun-ying, were forced to truncate their terms of office from various controversies linked to policies that stoked fears of Chinese encroachment on the city's freedoms.

For her part, Lam has asked for time so that the bill can be properly deliberated.

"Give us another chance and we will do this thing well," she told Saturday's news conference.

Asked about China's leaders, she said: "They have confidence in my judgment and they support me." (Reporting by James Pomfret and Greg Torode in Hong Kong and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Additional reporting by Anne Marie Roantree, Clare Jim and Jessie Pang and John Ruwitch in Hong Kong; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)By Mustafa Andalib

GHAZNI, Afghanistan, June 15 (Reuters) - An ancient tower dating back 2,000 years in the historic Afghan city of Ghazni collapsed this week, local officials said, raising concerns about the vulnerability of the country's cultural heritage and the government's ability to protect them.

The old citadel known as Ghaznain Fort originally had 36 towers, but 14 of the towers had collapsed in recent years due to decades of war, heavy rain and neglect.

The fort is one of dozens of unique historic sites in Afghanistan - ranging from the pre-Islamic Buddhist centre in the Bamyan valley to the 12th century minaret of Jam in a remote area of Ghor province - in urgent need of protection.

Officials in Ghazni, which nearly fell to the Taliban last year in some of the heaviest fighting seen in the war, said the tower collapsed on Tuesday following heavy rain. A short video posted on social media shows it crumbling but local residents say negligence also contributed to its collapse.

"The government paid no attention to the sites and didn't build canals to divert flood water," said Ghulam Sakhi, who lives near the citadel.

"We have warned the government about the dire condition of the citadel but no one visited," Sakhi said.

Mahbubullah Rahmani, acting director of culture and information in Ghazni, said heavy rain and recent fighting had contributed to the tower's collapse but said the government was working on a plan to protect the site from complete destruction.

He said a German archaeologist had worked at the site as recently as 2013.

Ghazni, a strategically vital centre on the main highway between Kabul and southern Afghanistan and two hour drive from the capital, is home to a range of cultural and archeological artefacts, some of which date back to pre-Islamic period.

The province and its cultural heritage was officially declared as Asian Capital of Islamic Culture in 2013 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a Morocco-based body created in 1981, supported by UNESCO.

The collapse of the tower in Ghazni follows concern over the condition of the 900-year-old Minaret of Jam, in Ghor, which has been on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Properties in Danger since 2002.

The Taliban during their austere regime from 1996-2001, before they were toppled by the U.S. and coalition force in late 2001, blew up two giant Buddha statues in central Bamiyan province, calling them idols. (Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi in KABUL and Jalil Ahmad Rezayee in HERAT; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Michael Perry)By Mustafa Andalib

GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) - An ancient tower dating back 2,000 years in the historic Afghan city of Ghazni collapsed this week, local officials said, raising concerns about the vulnerability of the country's cultural heritage and the government's ability to protect them.

The old citadel known as Ghaznain Fort originally had 36 towers, but 14 of the towers had collapsed in recent years due to decades of war, heavy rain and neglect.

The fort is one of dozens of unique historic sites in Afghanistan - ranging from the pre-Islamic Buddhist center in the Bamyan valley to the 12th century minaret of Jam in a remote area of Ghor province - in urgent need of protection.

Officials in Ghazni, which nearly fell to the Taliban last year in some of the heaviest fighting seen in the war, said the tower collapsed on Tuesday following heavy rain. A short video posted on social media shows it crumbling but local residents say negligence also contributed to its collapse.

"The government paid no attention to the sites and didn't build canals to divert flood water," said Ghulam Sakhi, who lives near the citadel.

"We have warned the government about the dire condition of the citadel but no one visited," Sakhi said.

Mahbubullah Rahmani, acting director of culture and information in Ghazni, said heavy rain and recent fighting had contributed to the tower's collapse but said the government was working on a plan to protect the site from complete destruction.

He said a German archaeologist had worked at the site as recently as 2013.

Ghazni, a strategically vital center on the main highway between Kabul and southern Afghanistan and two hour drive from the capital, is home to a range of cultural and archeological artifacts, some of which date back to pre-Islamic period.

The province and its cultural heritage was officially declared as Asian Capital of Islamic Culture in 2013 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a Morocco-based body created in 1981, supported by UNESCO.

Story continues

The collapse of the tower in Ghazni follows concern over the condition of the 900-year-old Minaret of Jam, in Ghor, which has been on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Properties in Danger since 2002.

The Taliban during their austere regime from 1996-2001, before they were toppled by the U.S. and coalition force in late 2001, blew up two giant Buddha statues in central Bamiyan province, calling them idols.

(Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi in KABUL and Jalil Ahmad Rezayee in HERAT; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Michael Perry)Charlie Morton had his 21-start unbeaten streak come to an end Saturday afternoon, and it was 21-year-old left-hander Jose Suarez who played a big role in just his third major-league start.

Suarez threw five shutout innings before needing help in the sixth and the Los Angeles Angels held on for a 5-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays in the third game of their four-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Suarez (2-1) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Hansel Robles worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

Morton (8-1), who had won 12 games during his league-leading unbeaten streak, steadied after a rough start and went six innings, allowing four runs and five hits. He struck out nine and walked two.

David Fletcher, Justin Bour and Kevan Smith homered for the Angels, who have won two of three in the series.

Tommy Pham had two hits for Tampa Bay.

Suarez did not allow a hit until Pham led off the fourth with a single.

Like Andrew Heaney did on Friday night, when he took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning before the Rays got to the bullpen in a 9-4 victory, Suarez took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning.

He also got into trouble before Yandy Diaz slammed a three-run homer to right-center field to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Smith hit a solo shot in the eighth to extend the lead to 5-3.

The Angels scored three runs in the second inning off Morton, who had a 1.00 ERA over his past four starts, all victories.

Smith walked to lead off the inning and Brian Goodwin followed with a blooper to center field that one-hopped over the head of Kevin Kiermaier for a double, scoring Smith for a 1-0 lead.

Fletcher then lined an 0-2 curveball down the left-field line and over the fence for a two-run homer and a 3-0 lead.

Bour led off the fourth by hitting another two-strike pitch over the fence in left-center field for a 4-0 lead. Morton had allowed four home runs all season before Saturday.

--Field Level MediaThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAE), in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has helped Morocco achieve its first victory in the ongoing campaign to suppress Mediterranean fruit fly, sometimes referred to as the medfly, which is threatening the countrys economy.

To suppress the pet, the Moroccan Government and producers have committed to the construction of a facility capable of producing, sterilizing and releasing sterile male medflies, known as the sterile insect technique (SIT), said the IAEA in a press release, explaining that the SIT is an environmentally friendly nuclear technique that can lead to the suppression or elimination of insect pests.

Through the delivery of training, expert visits and the procurement of equipment, the IAEA and the FAO are supporting the set-up of the facility, under construction near Agadir, in the heart of Moroccos citrus-producing region. The mass rearing facility is expected to reach or exceed a weekly production of 100 million sterile medflies per week, which will be sufficient to cover the 180,000 hectares in which most commercial and wild citrus are found in the Souss Valley, explained Walther Enkerlin, an expert at the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.

A SIT intervention across such a broad area requires a sequential approach, so the total area has been divided into SIT blocks. Facility operations, sterile flies rearing and release are expected to start in early 2020 and pest suppression will be gradually implemented, advancing from one block to the next, until effective pest suppression is achieved, the IAEA said.

Controlling medflies, however, is not enough. Invasive fruit fly species, present in neighboring countries, could undermine the success of the suppression of the medfly. These include the peach fruit fly and the Oriental fruit fly.

In order to mitigate this risk, the IAEA has helped Morocco in the development of the early detection of and emergency response to incursions of invasive fruit fly species. The IAEA conducted a transfer of relevant technologiesincluding geographical positioning systems (GPS) for the preparation of maps, and geographical information systems (GIS) for data analysisand delivered training, allowing counterparts in Moroccos National Office for Food Safety to launch an area-wide campaign to prevent the incursion of these invasive pests.

As a result, Morocco has successfully deployed a national surveillance network for the early detection of new fruit fly species, and the National Office for Food Safety has built the necessary capabilities for an emergency response in the event of a new pest incursion.

The surveillance network is composed of eight sites, classified as high-risk points-of-entry, located along the countrys borders, with a total of 94 traps. Additionally, traps have been placed in 19 supplemental sites identified as risk sites, including in fruit markets, tourist sites and some orchards close to risky areas.

The cultivation and export of citrus plays a significant role in Moroccos economy. It employs more than 13,000 farmers and farm workers and produces exports worth $300 million per year. However, the continued growth and success of this industry has been threatened by the presence of the medfly.

As medflies have made their home in Moroccos citrus orchards and farms, the volume of the countrys citrus exports has been reduced due to yield reductions caused by direct damage to fruit and to increased production costs associated with the use of insecticides and post-harvest treatments, necessary for fruit exports, the press release said.

Furthermore, farmers have seen indirect losses due to quarantine restrictions imposed by importing countries and have faced environmental costs caused by traditional, broad-spectrum insecticides.At 3:50 p.m. Friday afternoon, a 29-year-old New York City police officer shot and killed himself outside the Staten Island Police precinct where he worked.

It marked the latest in a troubling trend: three suicides of New York Police Department officers in 10 days  and the fourth this year.

The deaths in New York are part of a national problem. Last year, for the third straight year, cops who died by suicide outnumbered line-of-duty deaths.

New York's string of tragedies prompted NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill to deliver a call for action and to encourage fellow cops to not be afraid to seek help if they need it.

New York City Police officials gather along Wilcox Street behind the 121st Precinct station house following a report of a police officer shot in the Staten Island borough of New York, Friday, June 14, 2019. The officer's condition wasn't immediately known. (Joseph Ostapiuk/Staten Island Advance via AP)

"This is a mental-health crisis," O'Neill tweeted Friday night. "And we  the NYPD and the law enforcement profession as a whole  absolutely must take action. This cannot be allowed to continue. Cops spend so much of their days assisting others. There is no shame in seeking assistance from the many resources available, both inside and outside the department.

"Accepting help is never a sign of weakness," he added. "In fact, it's a sign of great strength."

This is a mental-health crisis. And the NYPD & the law enforcement profession as a whole absolutely must take action. We must take care of each other; we must address this issue  now. Please take my statement below to heart & help yourself, your loved ones, & your colleagues.  pic.twitter.com/urHuzIiiFb  Commissioner O'Neill (@NYPDONeill) June 15, 2019

The NYPD has not released the name of the latest police officer who died from suicide.

A funeral was held Monday for Steven Silks, a 62-year-old deputy police chief who shot and killed himself in a car on June 5. The New York Times reported that Silks, a 38-year veteran of the department, parked his car on a quiet street just hours after his mandatory retirement was announced. He shot himself near where his retirement ceremony would have taken place.

Story continues

His death rattled many in the department.

"Steve truly was one of the most capable and most dependable cops this job has ever seen," O'Neill said. "His entire career, much of his adult life in fact, was devoted to New York City, to its police officers and to fighting crime and to protect all the people that we serve."

The day after Silks's death, June 6, Detective Joseph Calabrese, 58, a member of the force for 37 years, went missing. His car was found off Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, The New York Times reported. After a widespread search, he was found dead in nearby bushes at Plumb Beach with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

"Det. Joseph Calabrese kept New Yorkers safe for nearly four decades," Police Chief Terance Monahan tweeted after his burial Wednesday. "Loved by his fellow cops, the loss of Joe is difficult for every member of the NYPD. As hes laid to rest, our prayers are with his family. Joes death has ignited a conversation we must all continue. #StopSuicide"

Det. Joseph Calabrese kept New Yorkers safe for nearly 4 decades. Loved by his fellow cops, the loss of Joe is difficult for every member of the NYPD. As hes laid to rest, our prayers are with his family. Joes death has ignited a conversation we must all continue. #StopSuicide pic.twitter.com/M9EqFBNeqG  Chief Terence Monahan (@NYPDChiefofDept) June 12, 2019

In 2018, 159 police officers in the USA died from suicide, according to the Massachusetts-based nonprofit BlueH.E.L.P., which tracks officer suicides while also seeking to prevent such tragedies from occurring.

That's 9% more than the 144 line-of-duty deaths in 2018. The latter includes include causes such as felonious assaults, patrol vehicle accidents, heart attacks and duty-related illness.

As tragic as these duty deaths are, the single greatest cause of death for law enforcement officers each year is suicide, Jeff McGill, co-founder of Blue H.E.L.P, said when the group released the 2018 figures.

The number of suicides last year matched the 159 who took their lives in 2017. In 2016, 140 police officers in the U.S. committed suicide.

Blue H.E.L.P. works to expand police officers access to mental health services.

Its organizers say that 151 of the suicides last year were male and eight were female. The average age was 41 years old, and the average length of service in the police force was 15 years.

But according to Steven Hough, co-founder of Blue H.E.L.P., the number of police suicides is likely greater.

The problem is we know there are other tragic deaths by suicide that we dont know about, Hough was quoted saying this year. So as bad a number as we have this year, were saddened by the fact that we know in reality the number is higher.

Reach Joey Garrison at jgarrison@usatoday.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'A mental health crisis': 3 NYPD officers die by suicide in 10 daysPhoto credit: Davey G. Johnson/Facebook

From Car and Driver

At its core, Car and Driver is a happy escape. It's written to be amusing, it invites readers on adventures with exotic machinery driven in far-off places, and we generate test numbers that will fuel goofball debates for decades. But 10 days ago at this writing, our friend and contributor Davey G. Johnson disappeared. There's still hope he'll be found, but it's been long enough now that despair rides alongside it. Sometimes reality hits us hard.

Davey is, like all of you and all of us, enthusiastic about his pursuits. Beyond his love of things on two and four wheels, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of guitars and rock and roll, and an independent streak that had him regularly wandering around America on epic, solo drives and rides.

When he picked up a Honda CB1000R test bike in Southern California for a Motorcyclist assignment, no one was really surprised that he headed to Las Vegas and then up the mountainous spine of California back to his home in the Sacramento area. Avoiding the freeways, that's a ride of maybe 1000 miles. But even on a bike without a fairing, with radical changes in weather and altitude, it's a ride the 43-year-old Davey was up for, and not so different from many he had done before.

About all we know about Davey's disappearance is that on Wednesday, June 5, the bike he was riding was found parked at a rest area beside California Route 49 near the Mokelumne River with its key in the ignition, and with his gloves folded inside his helmet. The rest of his gear, including his laptop, phone, and wallet, were found alongside the riverbank and by a nearby feeder stream. He had texted a friend, appending a few photos, at around 8:30 that morning saying he was sitting near that creek. Anything beyond that is speculation.

I've written before about the importance of enthusiasm. But, as with all things, there are limitations to that. Cars can bring joy and satisfaction to your life, but it's sharing that enthusiasm with other people that delivers lasting happiness. The friendships we forge over a shared love of mechanical things will be and are among the strongest and tightest in our lives. It's easy for us, distracted by that shared love, to believe those friendships are about cars. Cars are just the means, not the substance of our bonds.

Story continues



Car and Driver and automotive media in general is a large extended family. As much fussing and fighting that goes on within it, we're fused together by common passion and, often, parallel stories about how that passion developed. Ultimately, though, cars are just the icebreaker, and we are humans bonding with other humans.

And human beings who invest their souls in one another are vulnerable to harm. At Car and Driver, we've lost good friends before. Back in February 2000, when I was just starting to write for the magazine, we lost senior technical editor Don Schroeder when a modified Mercedes he was driving at high speed went off-track at a large oval in Texas.

Photo credit: Car and Driver

Andre Idzikowski, who wrangled cars and testing for 25 years, finally lost his battle with cancer in 2007. And the generation that established the legends-David E. Davis, Jr., Brock Yates, and a dozen others-have been passing from the scene. All of those losses still hurt.



Davey's disappearance is different. We already feel the loss, but we don't have closure. There's at least some chance we may never know what has happened with, or is still happening to, him. At this point, keeping our collective imaginations in check is the best way to maintain hope.

There's a lot of pride built into every aspect of Car and Driver today. We go about putting together the comparison tests, the feature stories, the news items, and the consumer advice with the dedication that comes with enthusiasm. But it's also a dedication that comes from the love for all the people who have worked for C/D over the years and the ones who are here now. The happiness here was earned by a lot of people.



Davey Johnson is our lost brother. We miss him in the same way that we miss Don, Andre, Brock, and David E. And we still want him back.

('You Might Also Like',)After almost a week of massive street protests, Hong Kong's chief executive said Saturday that she has suspended a controversial extradition bill that critics said would undermine the city's unique civil liberties.

But despite the about-face, pro-democracy activists are still vowing another demonstration on Sunday.

"After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise," Carrie Lam told reporters. "I want to stress that the government is adopting an open mind. We have no intention to set a deadline for this work."

Lam said she would "adopt a sincere and humble attitude in accepting criticism" over the governments handling of the issue, which had mobilized pro-democracy activists.

Residents watch a broadcast of Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaking at a press conference held in Hong Kong on Saturday, June 15, 2019. Lam said she will suspend a proposed extradition bill indefinitely in response to widespread public unhappiness over the measure, which would enable authorities to send some suspects to stand trial in mainland courts.

After demonstrations last Sunday, protesters surrounded the Legislative Council building on Wednesday, blocking lawmakers from meeting as scheduled to move the legislation toward a vote next week. Organizers said more than a million people had taken to the streets since demonstrators erupted.

Police arrested 11 protesters for illegal assembly, disorderly conduct, and other charges during the demonstrations, according to Hong Kong Police Commissioner Stephen Lo. Police and protesters were injured as police fired batons, tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators, who hurled bricks and planks.

After referring to the demonstrators on Wednesday as "spoiled children," Lam struck a more sympathetic tone Saturday, saying "this is the time to restore as quickly as possible calmness in society."

After the confrontation I saw on Wednesday, if it occurs again there will be more serious (injuries), Lam said.

The contentious bill has raised concerns among critics that it would be used to undermine the city's civil liberties by making political activists and human rights activists subject to removal.

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The former British colony of 7.5 million was formally transferred to in 1997 under an agreement guaranteeing its economic and political system for 50 years.

The extradition bill has drawn criticism from U.S. and British lawmakers and human rights groups, prompting Beijing to lash back with warnings against interference in its internal affairs.

What's next for the bill?

Lawmakers had initially been set to vote on the bill this week. But Lam's move, in the short run, takes the issue off the table for now. While suspension is not withdrawal, it could well amount to the same thing if no action is taken. There is little chance for any movement until the fall since the legislature is set to go on summer recess in July.

At minimum, it is a face-saving out for Lam.

Taiwan has helped by withdrawing its extradition request for a murder suspect who had fled to Hong Kong, saying that pressing ahead could endanger Taiwanese citizens.

Without Taipei's request, Lam said, there was "less urgency to pass the bill this year."

How will this affect the protest movement?

Even without the immediate focus on the extradition bill, pro-democracy activists, business groups and other public organizations have clearly been emboldened, further unifying a fractured political opposition.

Sunday's demonstration is still scheduled, says Baggio Leung, an activist and politician who was barred from taking up a seat in the legislature over a protest gesture, The Guardian reports.

But he adds that the government may be trying to use the lull to "defuse the movement."

Hong Kong, the newspaper says, was rife with reports of the widespread arrest of activists, including many taken out of hospitals where they were being treated after the street clashes.

He said the movement would continue until the extradition law was permanently taken off the table but expressed concern about the chilling effect of mass prosecutions.

What is Beijing's likely reaction to the upheaval?

Aside from warning foreign governments not to interfere in China's internal affairs, Beijing has keep a low profile as the events unfolded. It appeared China preferred to let the tensions subside rather than force a confrontation.

Officially, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement that the Chinese Central Government expresses its "support, respect and understanding" for Hong Kong authorities and will maintain its "staunch support for Lam" during the unrest.

Sing Tao, the pro-Beijing newspaper, noted that Lam made her decision after meeting Friday night with Han Zheng, a vice-premier, politburo member and the central governments point man on Hong Kong.

The newspaper said Lam, after "measuring various factors, decided to postpone further action on the bill so that the government has enough time to re-advise and explain more to the public."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's next for Hong Kong? Controversial extradition bill suspended, not scrappedA month has gone by since the last earnings report for Applied Materials (AMAT). Shares have lost about 1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Applied Materials due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Applied Materials Beats on Q2 Earnings and Revenues

Applied Materials Inc. reported robust fiscal second-quarter 2019 results, with both the top and bottom lines surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

The companys pro-forma earnings per share (EPS) of 70 cents beat the consensus mark by 4 cents and came in within the guided range of 62-70 cents. However, the bottom line was down 42.6% year over year and 13.6% sequentially.

Revenues of $3.54 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.48 billion and were within the guided range of $3.33-$3.63 billion.

However, the top line decreased 5.7% sequentially and 22.7% year over year.

Management expects inventory levels to normalize in the near term, creating a favorable environment for capacity investments in 2020. In foundry logic, management expects spending to be up year over year.

However, management continues to expect overall wafer fab equipment spending in 2019 to be down mid to high-teens.

Also, management expects 2019 display revenues to decline from a year ago as customers push out investments. However, the company is positive about the display market over the long term as it is becoming more technology intensive and increasingly dependent on materials innovation. Moreover, Mobile OLEDs and large screen televisions are opening new market opportunities for Applied Materials.

The company sees significant opportunities from emerging trends on the semiconductor and display fronts such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality and smart vehicles.

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We believe that Applied Materials is in a great position to grow sustainably and profitably, based on its strong pipeline of enabling technologies, supported by expanding opportunities on the semiconductor, service and display fronts.

Lets delve deeper into the numbers.

Revenues by Segment

The Semiconductor Systems Group (SSG) contributed 62% to its total revenues, reflecting a decrease of 3.7% sequentially and 24.7% year over year.

Applied Global Services (AGS) was the second-largest contributor with 28% revenue share. The segments revenues increased 2.3% sequentially and 4.1% from the prior-year quarter.

Revenues from the Display segment, accounting for 10% of the total revenues, were down 31.4% sequentially and 51.6% from the year-ago level.

Revenues by Geography

China contributed 28%, Taiwan 22%, Japan 15%,United States 13%, Korea 12%, Europe 6% and Southeast Asia 3% to the total revenues.

United States and Taiwan increased both on a sequential and year-over-year basis. All other countries, except China and Japan, decreased on a sequential and year-over-year basis. China increased on a sequential basis and Japan was up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter.

Operating Results

Pro-forma gross margin was 43.5%, down 240 basis points (bps) from the year-ago quarter.

Applied Materials operating expenses of $754 million decreased 1.3% from the year-ago quarter.

Pro-forma operating margin of 22.4% decreased 690 bps year over year.

Balance Sheet

At the end of the fiscal second quarter, inventories were $3.68 billion versus $3.72 billion in the prior quarter. Accounts receivables decreased to $2.26 billion from $2.44 billion in the fiscal first quarter. Cash and cash equivalent balance was $3.11 billion compared with $3.19 billion in the fiscal first quarter.

The company returned $625 million and $189 million through stock repurchases and cash dividends, respectively.

Guidance

Applied Materials provided guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Revenues are expected to be $3.525 billion (+/-$150 million).

Non-GAAP EPS is expected in the range of 67-75 cents.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed an upward trend in fresh estimates.

VGM Scores

Currently, Applied Materials has an average Growth Score of C, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a B. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision looks promising. Notably, Applied Materials has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.Iran has summoned the British ambassador to Tehran after the UK government blamed the country for an attack on two oil tankers.

Jeremy Hunt, the UKs foreign secretary, said on Friday that Iran was responsible for the 13 June attack on the vessels, which left one tanker ablaze in the Gulf of Oman.

During the meeting...Iran strongly condemned the unfounded allegations and criticised Britains unacceptable stance regarding the attacks, the semi-official Students News Agency ISNA reported.

The head of the Arab League earlier called on Iran to be careful and reverse course after the attack stoked interstate tensions in the Middle East.

The US blamed Iran for the fire, which occurred near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has denied all involvement in the incident.

We believe that responsibilities need to be clearly defined, said Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Arab Leagues Secretary-General.

The facts will be revealed, I am sure, its only a matter of time.

My call to my Iranian  and I call them Iranian brothers: Be careful and reverse course because youre pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no one would be safe if it happens.

We believe that the truth needs to be clearly established in relation to these attacks, he added.

Mr Aboul Gheit was speaking in New York on Friday, after meeting with Antonio Guterres, the UNs Secretary General.

As conflicting reports over the cause of the fire emerged, Mr Guterres called for an independent investigation into the alleged attack.

We believe it is very important to avoid, at all costs, a major confrontation in the Gulf, he said.

The UNs intervention came as the leaders of Iran and the US exchanged angry public statements over the alleged attack.

The Pentagon released a video showing what it said were Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the tankers.

Iran did do it, Donald Trump said on Friday, while calling into Fox & Friends, a television show.

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He labelled Iran a nation of terror, which had been exposed by the US video, during the segment.

The Japanese owner of one of the two tankers, the Kokuka Courageous, said crew members had seen flying objects attacking the ship, appearing to contradict the US account.

Hassan Rouhani, Irans president, said on Friday that the US was using all opportunities for radicalising the situation, which undermines the stability not only in our region but in the whole world.

The White House has increased scrutiny of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in recent months, taking the rare step of classifying a foreign government entity as a terror group.

Additional reporting by agenciesDUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - A tweet from Arabiya TV quoting the UAE's foreign minister talking about Iran on Saturday later disappeared from Twitter.

Arabiya TV did not immediately comment on the reason.

The original tweet quoted Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan saying Iran's fingerprints were clear attacks on oil tankers that took place on May 12.

A statement by the UAE's state news agency later quoted the foreign minister as saying a state actor was involved but there was insufficient evidence to point to any particular country. (Reporting by Asma Alsharif Editing by Andrew Heavens)Photo: Emory University/Facebook



Atlanta-based higher learning institution Emory University has secured $180 million in grant funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the citys recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced June 6 and financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "Emory University, recognized internationally for its outstanding liberal arts ... graduate and professional schools, and one of the Southeast's leading health care systems, is located on a beautiful, leafy campus in Atlanta's historic Druid Hills suburb. Emory maintains an uncommon balance for an institution of its standing: Our scholars and experts generate more than $500 million in research funding annually, while also maintaining a traditional emphasis on teaching. The university is enriched by the legacy and energy of Atlanta, and by collaboration among its schools, centers and partners."

The 184-year-old university has raised nine previous funding rounds, including a $400 million grant in 2018.

The round brings total funding raised by Atlanta companies in health care over the past month to $183 million. The local health care industry has seen 25 funding rounds over the past year, capturing a total of $487 million in venture funding.

In other local funding news, travel company Volantio announced a funding round on June 4, financed by Amadeus Ventures.

According to Crunchbase, "Volantio Inc. is a software (and) services company focused on helping airlines maximize unit revenues and decrease costs through greater capacity utilization, while providing customers with better predictability and control over their travel journey. Our web-based platform enables airlines to dynamically re-accommodate passengers in a number of situationsincreasing yield, reducing operational costs, increasing NPS and injecting control and predictability back into the travel journey. Volantio's headquarters are located in Atlanta, with team members in the Netherlands and Australia."

Founded in 2014, the company has raised three previous rounds, including a $2.6 million seed round in 2018.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Modena (Italy) (AFP) - Amanda Knox said Saturday she feared "harassment" and "new accusations" on her return to Italy years after she was acquitted of the gruesome killing of her British housemate.

Knox, from Seattle, spent four years behind bars after the half-naked body of fellow exchange student Meredith Kercher was found on November 2, 2007 in a bedroom of the apartment they shared in the central Italian city of Perugia.

Kercher, a 21-year-old Briton, had been stabbed 47 times.

Sentenced to 26 years in jail, Knox served four years before an initial acquittal on appeal in 2011. That was annulled two years later, but Italy's highest court ended up definitively acquitting her in 2015.

The 31-year-old is back in Italy for a discussion panel entitled "Trial by Media" at the Criminal Justice Festival in the northern city of Modena.

"To tell the truth I am afraid, afraid of being harassed, insulted, afraid of being trapped and new accusations being directed at me," Knox told the panel.

"I have come back because it was something I had to do -- there was a time when I felt at home in this beautiful country and I hope one day to recapture this feeling," Knox, speaking in Italian, told the forum, her voice often close to breaking.

- 'Many think I am wicked' -

"I know that, despite my acquittal, I remain a controversial figure in the face of public opinion, especially here in Italy. I know many people think I am wicked," said the American.

"Some have even suggested that by being here I am once again traumatising the Kercher family and profaning Meredith's memory," she went on.

"They are wrong," she insisted.

"The fact I continue to be held responsible for the Kerchers' pain shows how powerful false narratives can be and how they can undermine justice, especially when reinforced and amplified by the media," said Knox.

"Even before the start of my trial I was already submerged by an avalanche of fantasy spread by the tabloid media," she lamented, so "it was impossible for me to have a fair trial."

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In the eyes of journalists, she said, "I was a liar, a psycho, a dirty whore and a junkie."

"I was innocent - but the rest of the world had decided I was guilty ... my innocence did not save me," Fox said between sobs.

The conference has been organised by a group of Modena lawyers and the Italy Innocence Project, which focuses "on the issues related to wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice".

"The Italy Innocence Project didn't yet exist when I was wrongly convicted in Perugia," Knox tweeted in May.

From the outset, her case sparked lurid headlines in Britain and Knox's hometown of Seattle, Washington.

Prosecutors described the murder as a drug-fuelled sex game gone awryl, involving Knox, her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and an Ivorian drifter, Rudy Guede.

The prosecution alleged Knox and Sollecito had delivered the fatal blow while Guede restrained the victim.

Sollecito was acquitted alongside Knox, but Guede was convicted in a separate "fast track" trial and is serving a 16-year jail term in Italy.

Defence lawyers argued their clients could not get a fair trial because of the media frenzy over the murder, with lurid headlines seizing on the young US student's nickname "Foxy Knoxy".

In an essay published online on Wednesday, she recalled fleeing the country "in a high-speed chase, paparazzi literally ramming the back of my stepdads rental car".

Knox's sentence was raised to 28 years in prison when her conviction was upheld in 2014, though both she and Sollecito were finally acquitted by Italy's top court the following year and she returned home to work as a journalist and commentator.The global cannabis industry is growing at a torrid rate -- and the marijuana market may become far larger than many investors currently expect.

Investment firm Cowen recently boosted its worldwide cannabis sales forecast to $75 billion by 2030, up from a previous projection of $50 billion by 2026. Bank of America is even more optimistic; its analysts believe the marijuana market could one day reach $166 billion in annual sales.

If you're looking for a way to profit from this megatrend, read on to learn more about one outstanding business that's particularly well positioned to cash in on the global cannabis boom.

A cannabis leaf on top of a $100 bill.

Image source: Getty Images.

Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) is the largest cannabis stock in the world by market capitalization. It has rightfully earned this designation thanks to its powerful competitive advantages and massive growth opportunities -- all of which stand to make the company even more valuable in the years ahead.

Canopy Growth has built a leading position in the Canadian adult-use recreational marijuana market. Nearly 80% of its third-quarter sales were derived from the adult-use market, driven by its wholesale supply deals with several Canadian provinces. The company is also well positioned to benefit when Canada legalizes the sale of cannabis-infused beverages and edibles later this year.

International markets represent another long-term growth opportunity for Canopy Growth. The company already has a presence in more than a dozen countries spanning five continents. These markets are still in their nascent stages, and many more countries will likely legalize marijuana in the decade ahead. Canopy Growth -- with its ample production capacity and cash-rich balance sheet -- is positioned better than perhaps any other company to capitalize on this global trend.

The rich get richer

At a time when many of its competitors need to issue debt or sell equity to fund their expansion, Canopy Growth has more than $4 billion in cash in its coffers, thanks to Constellation Brands' (NYSE: STZ) investments. The beer giant owns about 38% of Canopy Growth, along with warrants that give it the right to boost its stake to approximately 50% in the future. This capital gives Canopy Growth a powerful edge over its competition, as it provides it with all the money it needs to increase its production capacity, enter new markets, and make strategic acquisitions.

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Constellation Brands' large equity stake also sets up the alcohol titan to potentially acquire all of Canopy Growth. Constellation would likely need to offer to purchase Canopy's shares that it does not already own at a substantial premium to where they currently trade in order to entice shareholders to approve the deal. Thus, investors who buy today could earn a hefty profit should Constellation Brands acquire Canopy outright in the future.

However, there's no need to speculate on a potential deal. Canopy Growth is a fundamentally strong business in its own right, and -- as a leader in the global cannabis industry -- it will likely deliver even greater long-term gains to investors if it remains independent.

A massive opportunity

All told, Canopy Growth is helping to meet the surging demand for products derived from cannabis across the world. With people increasingly turning to marijuana to treat an array of ailments, cannabis has the potential to disrupt industries -- such as alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals -- totaling $500 billion in sales, according to Canopy Co-CEO Bruce Linton. If this figure is even close to being accurate, Canopy Growth's current $14 billion market cap drastically understates its ultimate market opportunity -- and investors who buy its stock today should be well rewarded in the years ahead.

More From The Motley Fool

Joe Tenebruso has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Constellation Brands. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Black Boeing employee sues company after finding noose at desk, says 'my work life is degrading' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A black employee at Boeing who says that he has found a noose hanging near his desk, signs near his workspace saying "n-----" and urine covering his desk on separate occasions says that his work life remains "degrading" even after he complained to management, he told ABC News.

Curtis Anthony, a quality inspector since 2011 on the 787 Dreamliner at Boeing's North Charleston, South Carolina, plant, is suing the company for an alleged "racially hostile" work environment and for alleged retaliation after he complained about the alleged harassment.

"I'm not really sure who I'm walking up to. I approach people and it affects my whole overall being there," said Anthony, who is still employed by the aerospace giant. Even at home, the 57-year old said, "it affects me in a negative way."

(MORE: Video: New report raises concerns over Boeing Dreamliner jet)

In an emailed statement, a Boeing spokesperson wrote, that while Anthony "is a valued Boeing South Carolina teammate, there is no validity to his allegations."

In his lawsuit, Anthony claims that starting in 2017 he was "subjected to racial harassment" at his Boeing workplace, including having white coworkers "urinate in [his] seat and on his work desk."

"It was demeaning, I really didn't want to work, so they had to move my desk, they had to move my chair, I really couldn't perform the duties I am paid to do," Anthony said. "I had to wait till they cleaned the area, brought me a new chair, a new desk."

(MORE: Boeing notifies FAA about improperly made parts on 737 Max)

Instead of focusing on work, Anthony said, "I was thinking about, 'Who could do this? And why would they do this?' To anyone, no matter what hue or race they are. It was just degrading and it was demeaning. I don't know what their motive was, but I tell you right now, it still affects me to this day."

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"They did that and they used the n-word several times. You just hear people say that like it's 1817," Anthony said.

PHOTO: Boeing employees stand near the new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner at the company's facility in South Carolina after conducting its first test flight at Charleston International Airport in North Charleston, S.C., March 31, 2017. (Mic Smith/AP, FILE)

He claims in a lawsuit filed on June 7 that he complained to management and subsequently faced retaliation by being moved to a building with no air conditioning.

The company disputes that Anthony reported the alleged harassment incidents.

(MORE: US airline extends flight cancellations involving beleaguered Boeing 737 Max )

The experience compelled Anthony to take medical leave and seek treatment for his stress under the Family and Medical Leave Act and a relapse in his sobriety, he asserts in court papers. He also enrolled in the company's Employee Assistance Program. The lawsuit claims Anthony was retaliated against after returning from his leave and passed over for promotions in favor of "lesser qualified Caucasian workers."

Then, after working in New Orleans in January and February 2019, Anthony said he returned to work in the South Carolina plant in March to find a noose above his desk.

(MORE: FBI joins Boeing 737 MAX 8 criminal investigation as plane remains grounded)

"The significance and historical symbolism of hanging a noose over an African American's head is telling them you're going to lynch them. It's not only a symbol, it's a direct threat of violence," Anthony's lawyer, Donald Gist, told ABC News.

The Boeing spokesperson asserted that Anthony's requests for leave were "consistently and repeatedly approved by the company."

Moreover, the spokesperson said that "most of Mr. Anthony's allegations were never brought to the attention of management, giving the company no opportunity to investigate these claims. The single issue he did raise was dealt with promptly and in a fair manner."

After receiving notice that a noose had been found near Anthony's desk, the company investigated and fired the person responsible, the spokesperson said.

A company statement at the time lamented the discovery of the "racially charged symbol" on the site and said "there is absolutely no place for racism and these cowardly acts in society and especially in our company."RIYADH, June 15 (Reuters) - Crew members of Frontline's oil tanker Front Altair, one of two vessels attacked this week in the Gulf of Oman, have landed in Dubai, the Norwegian ship's operator said on Saturday.

"All 23 crew members of the tanker departed Iran, from Bandar Abbas airport, and landed at Dubai International Airport at 1830 CET this afternoon," a statement said.

A Frontline spokesman told Reuters that the crew, of Russian, Filipino and Georgian nationalities, were well-looked after by Iranian authorities. Most flew home straight after arrival to Dubai, with the rest to travel on Sunday. (Reporting by Tarek Fahmy in Dubai; Writing by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The Brazilian government has formally asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to open a panel to investigate Indonesian policies on Brazil's poultry exports, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday.

Brazil won a case against Indonesia at the WTO in 2017, but the South American country argues that the WTO decision was never implemented by Indonesia, which continues to block any chicken imports from Brazilian companies.

Brazil is not allowed to export poultry to Indonesia because it lacks an international sanitary certification that needs to be issued by the Islamic country's government.

In a statement, the Agriculture Ministry said a team of inspectors from Indonesia visited meat processing plants in Brazil last year, but has yet to release any documentation on the inspections.

"WTO rules say a country can not delay indefinitely the issuance of the sanitary authorization," the ministry said, adding that the Indonesian government has never identified any reason for not doing so.

Brazil, the world's largest poultry exporter, said its request for a panel will be evaluated by WTO's Dispute Settlement Body in a meeting scheduled for June 24.

(Reporting by Marcelo Teixeira; editing by Grant McCool)LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - Britain's foreign minister Jeremy Hunt welcomed a decision by the Hong Kong government to suspend a proposed law that would allow people to be extradited to mainland China for trial.

Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" principle, with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy and freedoms not enjoyed elsewhere in China.

"Well done HK Government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights," Hunt said on Twitter. "Safeguarding the rights and freedoms in the Sino-British Joint Declaration is the best future for HK and Britain stands behind this legally-binding agreement."

(Reporting By Andrew MacAskill Editing by Edmund Blair)Fire and smoke billow from the Norwegian-owned Front Altair tanker, which the Trump administration alleges was attacked by Iran. Photo: ISNA via AFP/Getty Images

The Trump administration wasted little time in alleging that Iran was behind the Thursday-morning attacks that left two tankers ablaze in the Gulf of Oman, dozens of crew members in need of rescue, and the stability of oil transport in the Persian Gulf in question. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the accusation the same day; by Friday morning, military spokespeople were presenting video to back up their claims.

As one would expect, Iran and its friends, Washingtons geopolitical foes, pushed back immediately. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani took the opportunity to call the U.S. government a serious threat to the stability of the region and the world.

Perhaps more surprising  and telling  were those who had little or nothing to say. Close U.S. allies outside the region, even Norway and Japan, where the two damaged tankers were registered, were silent or urged caution. Even the U.K., typically Washingtons closest ally on security matters, hedged its statement with if and said it would conduct its own inquiry. Then came a truly surprising remark from the British foreign secretary: The starting point is obviously to believe our U.S. allies. So we have now arrived at the moment when Washingtons closest ally thinks its necessary to say it believes us  even as it acts in a way that suggests it doesnt.

Oddly, the video Washington released does appear to show men in a type of boat used by Iran removing an object that could be a mine from the side of one of the tankers, but that tankers owner says it appears to have been hit by a flying object, not a mine.

My American colleagues, friends, and family from outside the Beltway often ask me whether those of us who make Washington our home understand how dire our global situation looks to them from farther away, how concerned they are about our safety and our kids future. My foreign friends are generally too polite to ask  they just look at me a bit differently and offer to pay for my drinks.

So heres the answer: yes. All my adult life, security-policy professionals in Washington trusted and stood up for each other across administrations and party lines. We gave each other the benefit of the doubt even when sometimes we should have been quicker to speak up.

Yesterday, the internet was full of Iran experts and defense wonks pointing out that Iran is fully capable of blowing up oil tankers, that the nation and its proxies have done far worse and would no doubt do so again.

But you couldnt find people unaffiliated with the administration coming out with confidence to back Secretary Pompeo or to agree that the photos released this morning sealed the case.

Kelly Magsamen, who started her career in the George W. Bush administration, worked on his National Security Council, and stayed to work for Barack Obama before moving to a senior job at the Pentagon, is exactly the kind of official who would always have given colleagues from the other party the benefit of the doubt. But there she was on Twitter, speaking for many who couldnt bring themselves to put fingers to keyboard:

What is truly sad is that I dont fully trust my own SecState on this. I think that there should be an international investigation before reaching this conclusion given the potential consequences. It could be Iran but why would they attack Japanese cargo when the PM was in town? https://t.co/fhro1LcH3x  Kelly Magsamen (@kellymagsamen) June 13, 2019

The cautious responses coming from the European Union, Japan, Norway, and elsewhere reflect a shared concern that a spiral of attacks and allegations will lead to a full-blown war in the Gulf, or even something lesser but still profoundly damaging to the global economy, and perhaps unleash a new round of extremist violence outside the region. By Friday morning, though, oil prices were holding steady, and Reuters reported that insurance for tankers in the region had risen by 10 percent and was headed higher, as analysts said instability had reached levels not seen since the U.S. war in Iraq in 2003. Even as the Japanese tanker was attacked, Tokyos prime minister  a close partner to Trump and the leader of a country that is profoundly dependent on the steady flow of oil out of the Gulf  was in Iran trying to lower tensions.

Japans awkward position is a good reminder of just how profoundly international the commerce in the Gulf is. Sailors from the stricken tankers wound up on U.S. and Iranian vessels, with a Dutch tugboat also participating in the rescue.

Many of our allies have an interest in avoiding conflict in the region and see no good coming from war. They will continue working to encourage Washington and Tehran to back down.

At some point, evidence may well emerge that shows Iran was responsible. Its also not impossible that one of Irans Gulf opponents, who see themselves gaining from a conflict that binds Washington to them and weakens Tehran, was behind it. If more of these relatively small provocations continue to happen, which seems certain, the sides will grow further apart, the list of grievances will get longer, and the off-ramps to defuse confrontation will crumble. American credibility, at least in some quarters, will be a side casualty of that. And because the entire U.S. security establishment is involved in pressing this case, the credibility of the entire establishment, not just its current leaders, is whats being lost. The next president  and the world  had best not plan on being able to regain that credibility to lessen the chances of conflict. And the people who most love U.S. security institutions need to think harder and more creatively about how to rebuild from where we are. Just changing leaders, if were lucky enough to get there, isnt going to be enough.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc (LON:SPX).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

View our latest analysis for Spirax-Sarco Engineering

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Spirax-Sarco Engineering

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Chairman of the Board James Robert Pike for UK200k worth of shares, at about UK70.02 per share. That implies that an insider found the current price of UK87.00 per share to be enticing. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. The good news for Spirax-Sarco Engineering share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price.

In the last twelve months insiders paid UK259k for 3756 shares purchased. In the last twelve months Spirax-Sarco Engineering insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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LSE:SPX Recent Insider Trading, June 15th 2019

Spirax-Sarco Engineering is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership of Spirax-Sarco Engineering

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Insiders own 0.2% of Spirax-Sarco Engineering shares, worth about UK10m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

So What Do The Spirax-Sarco Engineering Insider Transactions Indicate?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Spirax-Sarco Engineering shares in the last quarter. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. Overall we don't see anything to make us think Spirax-Sarco Engineering insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Spirax-Sarco Engineering.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.Mogadishu (AFP) - A car bomb exploded near the Somali parliament Saturday, killing eight people, emergency workers said, hours after militia executed nine civilians from a clan with suspected links to the Islamist Al-Shabaab.

"We have confirmed eight people killed and 16 others wounded in the blast," the private Aamin Ambulance service said.

A second blast on a key road leading to the airport of the Somali capital Mogadishu did not cause any casualties.

The Al-Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attacks saying "they were targeting two checkpoints, one of them along the airport road and (the other) along the road that leads to house of legislators."

Abdulahi Mire, who witnessed the explosion near the parliament building said; "I saw four dead bodies and four others wounded in the blast."

Police sealed off the road and ambulances rushed to the scene, he added.

Local shopkeeper Naimo Ali said the blast was "huge" and destroyed a part of her shop.

"I saw several people strewn in the road and some of them were motionless," she added.

According to security sources the second explosives-laden car a Toyota Noah, was spotted by security forces at a checkpoint. They opened fire and killed a man in the car, which then exploded.

No one was injured in the blast.

- 9 killed in revenge attack -

Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab fighters have fought for more than a decade to topple the Somali government.

In 2011, they fled positions they once held in Mogadishu, and have since lost many strongholds.

But they retain control of large rural swathes of the country and continue to wage a guerrilla war against the authorities.

Earlier Saturday, police said local militia executed nine civilians in retribution for Al-Shabaab killing a policeman.

The revenge attack Friday just outside Galkayo -- one of the most developed cities in the centre of the country -- targeted the Rahanweyn clan, several of whose members are suspected of being Shabaab fighters.

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"This was a horrible incident, a gruesome killing against nine unarmed innocent civilians in southern Galkayo," Mohamed Abdirahman, a local police official said.

"All of the civilians belong to one clan and the gunmen shot them dead in one location a few minutes after suspected Shabaab gunmen killed," he added.

"Their killing cannot be justified. It seems that the merciless gunmen were retaliating for the security official, who they believe was killed by Al-Shabaab gunmen belonging to the clan of the victims."

- 'It's ethnic profiling' -

Witnesses told local media the victims were rounded up from the streets or their homes and shot dead on the outskirts of Galkayo.

"It's ethnic profiling," said Abdulahi Moalim, a relative of one of the victims. "What did they do wrong?"

Local officials have in the past accused the Rahanweyn clan for fomenting instability in the region and supplying fighters to the Shabaab.

The militia accused of staging the revenge attack are from the Saad Habargidir, a sub-clan of the Hawiye group which is dominant in the southern part of the city.

Galkayo, about 600 kilometres (380 miles) north of Mogadishu, straddles the frontier with the self-proclaimed autonomous regions of Puntland and Galmudug.

The city has been the scene of violent clashes between forces of the two regions in recent years and has also witnessed violence between the two rival clans occupying its northern and southern districts.1816 New Hampshire Ave. NW. | Photo: Zumper

According to rental site Zumper, median rents for a one bedroom in Dupont Circle are hovering around $2,300, compared to a $2,000 one-bedroom median for Washington as a whole.

So how does the low-end pricing on a Dupont Circle rental look these days  and what might you get for the price?

We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments from Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find in the neighborhood, which, according to Walk Score ratings, is extremely walkable, is a "biker's paradise" and boasts excellent transit options.

Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

1727 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Listed at $1,700/month, this 440-square-foot studio apartment, located at 1727 Massachusetts Ave. NW, is 6.8 percent less than the $1,825/month median rent for a studio in Dupont Circle.

The building features a roof deck. Also, expect air conditioning, hardwood flooring and a walk-in closet in the apartment. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

1816 New Hampshire Ave. NW

Next, this studio apartment, situated at 1816 New Hampshire Ave. NW, is also listed for $1,700/month for its 336 square feet.

In the unit, expect air conditioning and hardwood flooring. Cats and dogs are not permitted. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(See the complete listing here.)

1809 Riggs Place NW

Check out this 543-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 1809 Riggs Place NW, listed at $1,995/month.

The apartment comes with air conditioning, a fireplace, hardwood flooring and in-unit laundry. Pets are not permitted. There's no leasing fee required for this rental.

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(Here's the listing.)

1740 R St. NW

This one-bedroom, one-bathroom townhouse, situated at 1740 R St. NW, is listed for $2,000/month.

In the unit, expect air conditioning and a fireplace. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There's no leasing fee required for this rental.

(See the listing here.)

1601 18th St. NW

Finally, over at 1601 18th St. NW, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, going for $2,100/month.

In the unit, expect to find air conditioning, hardwood flooring and stainless steel appliances. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Amenities offered in the building include additional storage space. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(View the listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Martin Petty

MANILA, June 15 (Reuters) - China has rejected Philippine allegations that a Chinese fishing vessel abandoned 22 Filipinos after it sank their boat in the South China Sea, as pressure builds on President Rodrigo Duterte to take a tougher line.

China's embassy in Manila said the crew had sought to rescue the Filipino fishermen but fled after being "suddenly besieged by seven or eight Filipino fishing boats".

"There was no such thing as (a) 'hit-and-run'," it said in a statement late on Friday, adding it would handle the issue in a "serious and responsible manner".

The sinking took place on Sunday near the Reed Bank, the site of untapped gas deposits that an international arbitration court in 2016 ruled the Philippines had sovereign rights to exploit. Beijing disputes that.

The issue could complicate what are determined efforts by Duterte to build a strong relationship with China, despite deep mistrust among his U.S.-allied defence apparatus, which remains wary about China's maritime militarisation and what it sees as bullying and denial of Manila's access to its own offshore oil and gas reserves.

Duterte has made no mention of Sunday's incident during any of the lengthy and unscripted speeches he has since given. His defence minister, navy chief and spokesman have publicly denounced the Chinese crew and his foreign minister said he had lodged a protest with Beijing.

Presidential spokesman, Salvador Panelo, did not respond to a request for comment on China's version of events.

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday called for bilateral ties to be downgraded and said China's denial was "preposterous" and the story made no sense.

She said Duterte had plenty to say about mundane issues, but should speak up when it came to sovereignty.

"Nothing is more reassuring to the public than to see and hear their own president, the supposed architect of the country's foreign policy, telling them that he is on top of the situation," Hontiveros said.

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Sunday's incident is the latest confrontation involving China's vast fishing fleet, which experts say has been co-opted to serve as Beijing's militia and augment its constant coastguard presence in waters also claimed by Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei.

Philippines Supreme Court judge Antonio Carpio, a staunch critic of China's maritime claims and conduct, said that among its massive fishing contingent were boats with reinforced steel hulls "purposely for ramming fishing vessels of other coastal states."

"The Filipino people must send a strong signal to China that any new 'grey zone' offensive of ramming Filipino fishing vessels ...will mean a break of diplomatic ties," Carpio said in a statement late Friday. (Reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Michael Perry)MANILA, Philippines (AP)  China has acknowledged its fishing vessel hit a Filipino boat in the disputed South China Sea in an incident that prompted an outcry in the Philippines but denies the collision was intentional.

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest after Filipino fishermen said a Chinese vessel rammed their anchored boat on Sunday night then abandoned them as the boat sank in the Reed Bank. Philippine officials strongly condemned the reported Chinese action.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila said late Friday that the Chinese vessel accidentally hit the Filipino boat as it tried to maneuver while being "besieged" by several Filipino boats. It said the Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipinos but was afraid of being besieged by other boats.

"There is no such thing as 'hit-and-run,'" the Chinese Embassy said in a statement, citing the result of a preliminary investigation.

It's the most serious incident so far in the disputed waters involving fishermen from the two Asian neighbors whose ties have flourished under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in 2016.

The territorial conflicts, which also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, have long been feared as a potential flashpoint in Asia. Tensions escalated in recent years after China transformed seven disputed reefs into man-made islands, which can serve as forward military outposts and intimidate rival claimants in the strategic waterway. The U.S. has accused China of militarizing the region and has carried out "freedom of navigation" patrols to challenge Beijing's sweeping claims.

Duterte has come under criticism for his silence on the incident although his spokesman, Salvador Panelo, described the abandonment of the 22 Filipino fishermen after their boat sank as "uncivilized as it is outrageous."

Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the Chinese government's explanation was "a flimsy attempt at a cover-up to shield the involved Chinese crew from any accountability and shift the blame and responsibility to our distressed fisherfolk."

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If there were seven to eight Filipino fishing boats besieging the Chinese fishing vessel, Hontiveros asked why it was a Vietnamese fishing boat that rescued all the 22 Filipinos, as the Philippine military reported.

Hontiveros renewed her call for Duterte to downgrade diplomatic relations with China by recalling the Philippine ambassador in Beijing to strengthen Manila's effort to seek justice and defend its sovereignty.

Philippine Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, who has done extensive studies on the South China Sea conflicts, said it was the first time that a Chinese vessel has rammed a Philippine fishing boat in the disputed waters in a "quantum escalation of China's aggressive acts." He said it could be the start of a more aggressive campaign to discourage the Philippine presence in an offshore region believed to be rich in undersea gas and oil deposits.

Chinese vessels have rammed Vietnamese fishing boats in another South China Sea region, the Paracel Islands, for years, Carpio said.

The Filipino fishermen, who were brought back home by the Philippine navy, told reporters the Chinese vessel turned around after hitting them and turned lights on, apparently to check on their sinking boat, then left.

"If the Vietnamese were not there, we would have all died," Filipino boat skipper Junel Insigne told ABS-CBN TV network.BEIJING (Reuters) - Those who insult Chinese people should pay the price in order to deter would-be offenders from following suit, Chinese state media said in a sharply worded commentary, after remarks by a UBS economist about pigs sparked an outcry in China.

Paul Donovan, global chief economist of UBS's wealth management business, said in a podcast on Wednesday that consumer prices in China had risen after an outbreak of African swine fever killed a vast number of pigs and cut pork supplies.

"Does this matter? It matters if you are a Chinese pig. It matters if you like eating pork in China," Donovan said in comments that some interpreted as referring to people, not livestock.

His comments caused a furore in Chinese social media and even prompted one Chinese firm to suspend all dealings with Switzerland's largest bank.

UBS apologised for any misunderstanding caused by Donovan's comments and put the economist on leave. Donovan also said he was sorry. [L4N23L133]

"Whether or not Donovan was fired is still unknown, but those who insult Chinese people must pay the price," the People's Daily, the newspaper of China's Communist Party, said in a commentary published late on Friday.

"Otherwise, relapses will be inevitable, and would-be offenders will be incentivised to do the same," the newspaper warned.

Many tried to explain it away by saying Chinese people are not native English speakers and have misunderstood, said Hao Hong, head of research at Bank of Communications International in Hong Kong and among the first in the Chinese financial community to call out Donovan for his comments.

"But you don't need to be a native speaker to understand the derogatory connection between the word 'pig' and a culture," Hong, wrote in a post on his personal WeChat account.

Donovan did not respond to a Reuters email seeking comment.

The stakes are high for foreign companies like UBS looking to expand their presence in China as the world's second-largest economy further opens up its financial sector.

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In December last year, UBS became the first foreign bank in China to get official approval to acquire a controlling stake in its local securities joint venture.

UBS has said it was enhancing its "internal processes" to avoid any recurrence of such an incident and remains "fully committed to investing in China".

The Swiss bank is not the first to trip over cultural issues in China.

Last year, Italian luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana caused an uproar after one of its advertisements showed a model of East Asian ancestry struggling to eat pizza with chopsticks.

"Whenever Chinese nationals respond to insults by foreigners, some people would quickly criticise Chinese people for having 'hearts of glass'," the People's Daily wrote.

"Even some compatriots feel that any Chinese retaliation is like making a mountain out of a molehill. But it is a big deal, and there can be no ambiguity about that."

(Reporting by Ryan Woo; editing by Christian Schmollinger)Tata Motors Finance (TMFL), a vehicle loan provider arm of Tata Motors, is looking to raise fresh funds worth Rs 1,000 crore through perpetual debt programme to boost capital adequacy. The global rating agency ICRA has assigned "A+" for the proposed perpetual debt with negative outlook.

ICRA's rating for TMFL is "strongly linked to the credit profile of its ultimate parent Tata Motors Limited (TML)", which, in the past, has included access to capital, management and systems and supervision by a strong board.

"The ratings are, however, constrained by TMFL's concentration on TML's vehicles, and its moderate delinquency level primarily on account of being a captive financier of TML," the agency said in its report.

The agency, however, said that outlook may be revised to 'stable' if there is any change in TML's credit profile. It also added that the ability to grow the loan book while maintaining the asset quality and solvency indicators will remain a key rating sensitivity.

Given the strategic importance of TMFL to TML, ICRA expects capital support from the ultimate parent to be forthcoming to keep TMFL adequately capitalised.

During FY2019, TMFL reported a net profit of Rs 204 crore on a total income of Rs 3,249 crore as compared with net profit of Rs. 272 crore on a total income of Rs.2,444 crore during FY2018. The Return on average assets (RoA) and Return on Equity (RoE) stood at 0.73 per cent and 8.28 per cent respectively during FY2019 as per Ind-AS (1.52% and 9.64% respectively during FY2018 as per iGAAP).

According to ICRA, with the expansion of loan book and controlled credit costs and operating expenses, the profitability is expected to improve for TMFL over the medium term. "Going forward, TMFL's ability to profitably grow the business volumes while improving asset quality would have a bearing on the overall profitability and would thus remain a key sensitivity," it added.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: M&M buys 11.25% stake in Swiss agri-tech firm Gamaya for Rs 30 crore

Also Read:Walmart's Flipkart, Indian startup GOQii settle dispute over sharp discountingBogota (AFP) - A Colombian high court on Friday withdrew the parliament seat for a former left-wing guerrilla leader who never assumed office after negotiating the country's historic peace deal.

Ivan Marquez renounced his seat 11 months ago and went into hiding, claiming the 2016 peace deal that ended more than a half century of conflict was being "disfigured."

The State Council, the highest administrative court in Colombia, said it was stripping Marquez of his seat because he never took office and didn't provide "just cause" for the move, court president Lucy Bermudez told journalists.

When the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) gave up their arms and signed a deal with then-president Juan Manuel Santos, they formed a communist political party that goes by the same acronym and were guaranteed 10 seats in Congress.

Marquez gave three reasons last July for his decision not to take up his seat, one being the arrest three months earlier of a fellow former rebel leader, Jesus Santrich.

The blind Santrich is wanted by the United States on charges of drug trafficking but was released from detention on May 31 following a Supreme Court order.

He was sworn in as a member of Colombia's Congress on Tuesday.

Marquez has previously complained that changes have been made to the peace agreement that were a "betrayal," and lamented the fact that the FARC handed over its weapons "without the prior implementation of the economic and social re-integration of the guerrillas."

Former State Council president Gustavo Gomez told AFP that the withdrawal of Marquez's seat amounted to his "political death."

Marquez responded on Twitter saying: "As long as I'm breathing, I will always have a political life."

High court judges will now decide whether the withdrawal of Marquez's spot means the FARC political party loses one of its Congress seats, or whether it can propose a substitute.Columbine High School shooting survivor Austin Eubanks, who became an outspoken advocate for addiction recovery, died of an accidental heroin overdose, the Routt County Coroner's Office confirmed Friday.

"Very sad," coroner Robert Ryg told USA TODAY. "We were hoping for some other medical reason but with his history we always knew that was a possibility."

Eubanks, 37, was found dead in May at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, during a welfare check after he failed to answer his phone.

During the Columbine massacre on April 20, 1999, Eubanks, then 17, was shot twice  in the hand and the knee  and watched his best friend Corey DePooter die, as they took refuge under a table in their schools library.

DePooter was one of the 13 people  12 students and one teacher  killed in what was the worst school shooting in U.S. history at the time.

While Eubanks' physical pain subsided after a few days, he was prescribed medications and continued to take them.

He struggled with addiction throughout his 20s and went through multiple treatment centers.

More: Columbine survivor Austin Eubanks spoke about emotional pain and drug addiction before death

More: 'We've lost so many': Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland shooting survivors struggle with suicide, guilt

After spending 14 months in rehab, Eubanks began helping other people struggling with the same challenges. For the past several years, Eubanks worked as a speaker on addiction issues. He cut his ponytail and started wearing a waistcoat. His dress shirts covered up the colorful tattoos along his arms.

He served as chief operations officer for Foundry Treatment Center and traveled the country speaking about his personal journey, as well as strategies for addressing the opioid crisis, according to his websitte, AustinEubanks.com.

Eubanks would tell audiences that his unwillingness to feel his emotional pain led to his opiate addiction. That same type of emotional pain, he said, is driving an addiction pandemic in America.

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Eubanks "lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face, according to a statement from his family obtained by KMGH-TV.

Helping to build a community of support is what meant the most to Austin, and we plan to continue his work, the statement read. As you can imagine, we are beyond shocked and saddened and request that our privacy is respected at this time."

The family announced a memorial fund in his name aimed at building a custom program for victims of mass shootings and gun violence.

Contributing: Trevor Hughes and N'dea Yancey-Bragg

:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Columbine survivor Austin Eubanks died of accidental heroin overdose, coroner saysA man who killed his five children and drove around with their bodies for several days before dumping them in Alabama has been given the death penalty by a South Carolina jury.

The jury unanimously agreed on the death penalty on Thursday for 37-year-old Timothy Jones Jr in the slayings of his children, aged one to eight, in their home in August 2014.

Jones admitted he exercised six-year-old Nahtahn until he collapsed and died, then several hours later decided to kill the other four children.

He confessed to strangling eight-year-old Merah and seven-year-old Elias with his hands and using a belt to choke two-year-old Gabriel and one-year-old Abigail because his hands were too big.

Jones then drove around with the bodies for nine days before dumping them in five trash bags in Alabama.

Although he is heading to death row, South Carolina hasnt executed an inmate since 2011.

If the jury had not voted unanimously for the death penalty, Jones would have been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The same Lexington County jury convicted Jones last week of five counts of murder.

Prosecutors said death was the only just choice because life in prison would be like sending Jones to his room to think about things.

Meanwhile, defence attorney Casey Secor asked jurors to punish Jones severely with life without parole, but show compassion for his family so they dont endure any more death.

The Associated Press contributed to this reportBy Amanda Becker

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - Four of the two dozen Democrats vying for their party's 2020 U.S. presidential nomination appeared at a Black Economic Alliance forum in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday, with an eye on the key role black voters will play in the early-voting state.

South Carolina will host the fourth nominating contest next year, after Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and it is the first state where a significant proportion of the Democratic electorate - about 60 percent - is black.

Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke and U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren attended Saturday's forum, which was organized by the Black Economic Alliance.

The candidates want to show their messages resonate with black voters in South Carolina, potentially portending success in subsequent nominating contests across the U.S. South.

They also want to prove they can generate enthusiasm among black voters for their candidacies in the November general election against President Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee. Democrat Hillary Clinton's stunning loss to Trump in 2016 was in part attributed to a decline in black voter turnout for the first time in 20 years.

At the forum, O'Rourke called for increased access to capital for minority business owners and expunging the arrest records for those with marijuana convictions, which disproportionately affects communities of color. Warren discussed her recent proposal for a $7 billion fund to launch 100,000 minority-owned businesses.

Buttigieg said the percentage of government contracts going to minority-run businesses should be increased. Booker said improving economic opportunities for minorities required investments in a variety of areas, and touted his "baby bonds" plan to close the racial wealth gap.

"We need to plant lots of seeds in our democracy to create the kind of harvest we need," Booker said.

Story continues

The Black Economic Alliance was started last year ahead of the 2018 midterm congressional elections, when it endorsed 26 candidates in House of Representatives, Senate and gubernatorial races.

The alliance has pivoted to policy development and decided to host its forum early in the 2020 election cycle in order to help set the agenda, Akunna Cook, a founding director of the organization, told Reuters.

"Black voters are really hungry for candidates who will put forward concrete plans for these issues," she said. "We wanted to make sure we were able to help mold and shape the conversation."

In a nationwide survey of 1,003 black adults released by the alliance earlier this month, 83 percent said the wage gap between white and black Americans was a big concern, 84 percent said hiring discrimination was a big concern, and 81 percent said it was hard to achieve the American dream today.

Warren, addressing the finding on achieving the American dream, said, "Yes, I think it's really, really tough and I think if we don't acknowledge that head on we can't diagnose what's wrong," Warren said.

The survey showed black adults were most enthusiastic about the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden, followed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris. None of the three attended Saturday's forum but they recorded video messages for the event.

The focus of the 2020 race will remain on South Carolina next weekend when Representative Jim Clyburn hosts his annual fish fry in Columbia, the state capital. It is South Carolina's first "cattle call," with 22 Democratic candidates scheduled to attend. It will be followed by forums hosted by the state Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which are also expected to draw large fields of candidates.

(Reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Bill Trott)Heres the main question that arises from Media-Democrat shrieking over President Trumps twaddle about taking campaign-related information from foreign powers: Is it just silly or actually dangerous?

In our latest episode of Un-reality Government, the president was egged on by  who else?  George Stephanopoulos, a partisan Democrat who is the face of ABC News. When last noticed in an election cycle, the Clinton confidant was setting up Mitt Romney with a question about whether the Constitution permitted the banning of contraceptives. Of course, no one was proposing a ban on contraceptives; the question was strategically planted to seed the Democrats War on Women narrative. Common sense, if there were any, would have the administration asking: Why would we give George Stephanopoulos two days of access? If your answer is Because that worked out so well with Michael Wolff, pull that resume together, because theres surely a White House staff job waiting just for you.

So what did George ask this time? He wanted to know whether, with the lessons of 2016 in mind, the president thought it would be appropriate to let a foreign government interfere in our elections by taking from that government information damaging to the opposing candidate.

Naturally, Stephanopoulos did not preface his query with, You know, the way that Ukrainian parliamentarian who was a source for Hillarys campaign leaked that oppo about the secret payments to Manafort. And the president was not swift enough to ask Stephanopoulos for clarification: You mean, like, an amateur-hour arrangement where I, or my son, take the information directly from Russia? Does it count if Im smart enough to have my cut-out law firm hire the cut-out grifters from Fusion GPS, and then they do the dirty work of hiring the foreign spy to tap the Russian sources  in their spare time from helping Putins cronies beat back the Justice Department?

In his staccato style, Trump appeared to respond that it would be all right to accept the information (because mere information is not an interference in an election); but he left ambiguous whether hed notify the FBI of the foreign contact: They have information  I think Id take it. If I thought there was something wrong, Id go maybe to the FBI  if I thought it was something wrong.

Story continues

The president elaborated with a hypothetical: If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said,] We have information on your opponent  oh, I think Id want to hear it.

I know, youre thinking, Those sly Norwegians . . . I found myself wishing that, instead of Norway, the president had reached another 500 miles eastward, to Estonia, for his example. Then he could have made two points to demonstrate the speciousness and hypocrisy of Stephanopouloss line of inquiry.



Point One: Friend or Foe?

The first point involves whether a country is an ally or adversary. Stephanopoulos specifically asked about interference from China and Russia, countries that are hostile. (To be more accurate, they are countries whose hostility Democrats now perceive temporary advantage in acknowledging  not to worry; theyll go back to why cant we be friends? mode the moment Trump is gone.) But if campaign information were to come from Estonia, Norway, or some other friendly country, that could be very different. Not all information that could interfere in an election is the same. The source matters.

Note that Democrats such as Stephanopoulos have to ask what the president thinks should be done if such information is offered. There is no legal mandate here. Democrats are forced to conjure up a new ethical duty to report outreach from foreign governments because it is not against the law to take information. We are not dealing with a crime, and there is no legal duty to report anything to the FBI.

Besides being a law-enforcement agency, the FBI is our domestic security service, guarding against foreign threats. As such, besides taking reports about crime, the bureau is in the intelligence business. The Democrats point, then, is that even if it is not illegal to take information from a foreign regime that may be trying to influence an American election, the FBI should nevertheless be told because the foreign outreach may have counterintelligence significance.

But how much significance? That could depend on whether the country offering the information is friend or foe. If Russia is calling to give the president information about a political opponent, odds are it is making mischief. But what if the call relaying such information comes from, say, Canada? While it is possible that this could be nefarious, it is more likely that, like a good neighbor, Canada would be trying to warn the president about some peril to American interests.



Point Two: Situational Ethics

Which brings us to the second point and my reference to Estonia. In the 2016 election, Estonia did call President Obamas administration to provide opposition research  specifically, to convey unverified intelligence that Russia might be channeling money into the Trump campaign. The Brits provided information too. So did the Aussies. So, according to former CIA director John Brennan, did a number of European governments.

To be sure, these countries are our allies. But that hardly means they were concerned only for our well-being. Like Brennan, they had their own anti-Trump agendas. The foreign-affairs component of Trumps populist platform seemed to be: better relations with Putin, NATO bashing, skepticism about American interventions and military commitments, and halting the U.S. taxpayer-funded gravy train for European security. Europeans did not like this, not one little bit. Next thing you knew, there were streams of anti-Trump intelligence being channeled into the CIA  none of which, it turns out, established a TrumpRussia collusion conspiracy. But when it comes to these countries interference in our election, I know youll be shocked that Democrats are not only unconcerned; they are outraged that the Justice Department is investigating.

Are you seeing how this works? In the Stephanopoulos construct, when a Republican president gets information about the Democratic rival, there is a duty to treat the matter as a crime and report it to the FBI. Since the outreach is not a crime and the FBI wont actually do anything other than note it in an intelligence file, the transparent purpose of this construct is to convert any Republican failure to report the non-crime into a political scandal  bordering on treason.

By contrast, when a Democratic president is in power, the intelligence community is placed in the service of the Democratic candidate. If a foreign power reaches out with information, no matter how dubious, about the Republican candidate, the administration does not notify the FBI to investigate the foreign power for interfering in our election; the Democratic administration thanks the foreign power and then directs the FBI to investigate the Republican candidate.



Our Glass House

Much like Stephanopouloss contraception gambit in 2012, his question this week about reporting foreign interference gives Democrats a narrative to run with.

On Wednesday, when news of the TrumpStephanopoulos exchange broke, I was in the House Intelligence Committees hearing room, testifying about the collusion volume of the Mueller report. Representative Mike Quigley, a Chicago Democrat, took pains to ask me whether, if Russians had reached out to me the way the report indicates they reached out to the Trump camp, Id notify the FBI.

I told him: Of course Id notify the FBI.

Unlike the Trump campaign and the Democratic party up until about 2 a.m. on November 9, 2016, I have never evolved from the Cold War  Im more like Putin in that regard. Compared with the Soviet Union, todays Russia is an epigone; but it is still a formidable adversary with revanchist ambitions and ill intentions toward the U.S. and the West. Plus, here in 2019, I have the benefit of our intelligence agencies assessment, the special counsels investigation, and congressional probes, all of which conclude that Russia conducted influence operations against our 2016 campaign. Its not a slam-dunk forensic case, but Im inclined to believe it. After all, thats what Russia does.

When Democrats were cheering Obamas Russia Reset and Secretary Clintons collaboration with Putins regime in the development of Skolkovo (Moscows answer to Silicon Valley), I was one of those antediluvian 1980s guys calling to get our foreign policy back. So yes, I would certainly call the FBI. To my mind, people who believe they are recipients of outreach by a foreign power that means harm to our country should report it to the FBI. It is not a legal mandate; it is being a good citizen.

If a political candidate, including the president, is offered information by a foreign power, what ought to be done depends on the circumstances: Which government? Hostile or allied? Whats the likely motivation for the outreach? Is the information true and authentic? And maybe most important but least discussed question: If we take some action, what are the foreseeable ramifications for U.S. relations with the foreign power and for U.S. operations worldwide?

Here we come to where this goes from quotidian Washington gotcha games to real peril.

One would never know from all the lofty talk about attacks on our democracy and the evils of foreign interference in our elections that our country  the good ol U.S. of A.  is the most active country in the world in attempting to influence the politics, governance, and even the elections of foreign nations. This will be obvious to any Democrat in good standing who fondly remembers President Obamas efforts to, for example, unseat Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to install the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt, to warn Britain off leaving the European Union, and to oust Moammar Qaddafi from Libya under the guise of a U.N. resolution to protect civilians. (Recall that oh-so-hilarious quip from Little Caesar herself, Hillary Clinton: We came, we saw, he died.)

As this short waltz down memory lane illustrates, many of our machinations do not go so well. But others, including many that will remain secret for decades because thats key to their success, are triumphs that contribute to the security and prosperity of the U.S. and the world.

Why would we want to make this vital work more difficult? Foreign governments share intelligence with us freely in the expectation that the sharing will remain confidential. It may be acted on, but not with any trace of where the information came from. The arrangement is reciprocal, enabling us to share intelligence confidentially and without becoming too entangled in another countrys internal disputes. If we start creating duties to report foreign outreach to the authorities, we will inevitably receive less intelligence of many kinds  it will not just be election-related information that is withheld. Moreover, if we create a norm that all foreign efforts to influence another countrys politics and elections are to be seen as hostile provocations, our own efforts to influence events in other countries will be regarded as provocations; American agents will be more aggressively policed, and their missions will become more difficult to accomplish. Why, just for the sake of scoring some transient political points, would we create anti-information norms that simultaneously contradict our societys commitment to the free exchange of information and undermine our governments capacity to influence events in the world  events that matter to us?

If President Trump does not think he should report Russian outreach to the FBI, or if the next Democratic candidate thinks its worth retaining foreign spies to scour the far corners of the world for dirt on Trump, voters should factor that in for what its worth. This is just an educated guess, but I daresay it will not be worth much in the greater scheme of things that cause us to vote a certain way.

Heres what I am sure of: Whether it is 18 months from now or five and a half years from now, Donald Trump will no longer be president, but the United States will still need both to have lines of open information exchange with foreign governments and to be able to influence events in foreign countries. What is done out of spite today will be back to haunt us tomorrow.

More from National ReviewWest Bengal Doctors' strike: After four days of protests across the state, doctors have demanded an unconditional apology from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, setting several conditions for the withdrawal of their stir. The doctors in Kolkata launched state-wide protests after two junior doctors were beaten up by the family members of a patient at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. "We want unconditional apology of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the manner in which she had addressed us at the SSKM Hospital yesterday. She should not have said what she had," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, Dr Arindam Dutta, said, reported India Today. Dutta was referring to a statement made by Banerjee during her visit to the hospital, where she warned the protesting doctors of a "strong action" if they didn't call off their strike. She also gave them a four-hour ultimatum and said "outsiders", supported by CPI (M) and BJP, had entered the medical college in order to create ruckus. Meanwhile, medical practitioners across the country are joining the protests, seeking better security at government hospitals.

Fight for safety at work causes nightmare for patients, IMA calls nationwide strike

Here are the top 10 developments that you need to know about the doctors' strike in West Bengal.

Doctors across the country have joined to support the doctors' protests in West Bengal. The leading doctors' body, Indian Medical Association (IMA), has called for a three-day nationwide protest from Friday in solidarity with the protesting doctors in West Bengal. The doctors' body has also called for the withdrawal of non-essential health services on June 17. Junior doctors at AIIMS centres in Delhi, Mumbai and other states also joined the protests on Friday. Their counterparts in hospitals and medical colleges of New Delhi, Odisha, Chandigarh, Goa, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra also held protests. Major demands of the protesting medical practitioners' include better security in government hospitals. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has appealed to the doctors all over the country to end their agitation and return to work so that patients do not suffer. He also wrote to Banerjee to find an 'amicable end' to the stir. Meanwhile, emergency wards, outdoor facilities, and pathological units of many state-run medical colleges and hospitals and several private medical facilities in West Bengal remained closed for the third consecutive day on Thursday. The entire controversy took a different turn after Mamata Banerjee, during her visit to the SSKM hospital on Wednesday, said: "I condemn the agitation. The junior doctors' strike is a conspiracy by the CPI (M) and the BJP". She also asked the police to clear the premises and only allow the patients to stay. Banerjee gave the doctors a 4-hour deadline to rejoin service at SSKM but later extended it to 2 pm. She also asked the protesting doctors to vacate the hostels if they do not resume work. Despite the ultimatum given by the CM, the doctors continued their strike. Additionally, a joint platform of doctors met Governor KN Tripathi. Saibal Kumar Mukherjee (principal of NRS Medical College) and Saurabh Chattopadhyay (medical superintendent-cum-vice-principal) submitted their resignation on Thursday while expressing regret over their inability to end the doctors' strike. The BJP and the TMC are in a bitter turf in West Bengal where on one-hand, Mamata Banerjee is accusing the saffron party of inciting trouble, the BJP, on the other hand, has claimed she is targeting the party as she is rattled by its major gains in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. The West Bengal CM described the injuries sustained by the two doctors as "unfortunate", adding that five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. She said a probe had been ordered look into the complaint of the negligence of treatment, which led to the death of the patient. Mamata Banerjee, reportedly, also wrote to senior doctors of all medical colleges and hospitals in the state and requested them to keep taking care of the patients.

Edited by Manoj SharmaWant to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Bardoc Gold Limited (ASX:BDC) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 22% in the last month. In contrast, the return over three years has been impressive. Indeed, the share price is up a very strong 124% in that time. To some, the recent share price pullback wouldn't be surprising after such a good run. If the business can perform well for years to come, then the recent drop could be an opportunity.

See our latest analysis for Bardoc Gold

We don't think Bardoc Gold's revenue of AU$41,679 is enough to establish significant demand. So it seems shareholders are too busy dreaming about the progress to come than dwelling on the current (lack of) revenue. It seems likely some shareholders believe that Bardoc Gold will find or develop a valuable new mine before too long.

As a general rule, if a company doesn't have much revenue, and it loses money, then it is a high risk investment. There is almost always a chance they will need to raise more capital, and their progress - and share price - will dictate how dilutive that is to current holders. While some such companies do very well over the long term, others become hyped up by promoters before eventually falling back down to earth, and going bankrupt (or being recapitalized). Some Bardoc Gold investors have already had a taste of the sweet taste stocks like this can leave in the mouth, as they gain popularity and attract speculative capital.

Bardoc Gold had liabilities exceeding cash by AU$7,332,475 when it last reported in December 2018, according to our data. That makes it extremely high risk, in our view. So the fact that the stock is up 31% per year, over 3 years shows that high risks can lead to high rewards, sometimes. Investors must really like its potential. You can see in the image below, how Bardoc Gold's cash levels have changed over time (click to see the values).

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ASX:BDC Historical Debt, June 15th 2019

Of course, the truth is that it is hard to value companies without much revenue or profit. Given that situation, many of the best investors like to check if insiders have been buying shares. It's usually a positive if they have, as it may indicate they see value in the stock. Luckily we are in a position to provide you with this free chart of insider buying (and selling).

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Bardoc Gold's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. We note that Bardoc Gold's TSR, at 126% is higher than its share price return of 124%. When you consider it hasn't been paying a dividend, this data suggests shareholders have benefitted from a spin-off, or had the opportunity to acquire attractively priced shares in a discounted capital raising.

A Different Perspective

Investors in Bardoc Gold had a tough year, with a total loss of 41%, against a market gain of about 12%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 12% over the last half decade. We realise that Buffett has said investors should 'buy when there is blood on the streets', but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality businesses. Investors who like to make money usually check up on insider purchases, such as the price paid, and total amount bought. You can find out about the insider purchases of Bardoc Gold by clicking this link.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU exchanges.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  The Associated Press has learned that major European nations are considering imposing sanctions on Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and several top officials for their recent crackdown on political opponents.

Diplomats and members of the Venezuelan opposition said the sanctions being mulled may also target top members of the armed forces and judiciary who have been instrumental in the arrest of allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido.

But the main obstacle to the plan is fear that it could derail ongoing international efforts to find a negotiated exit to the country's crisis.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss deliberations.

Envoys sent by Maduro and Guaido have participated in two rounds of mediation efforts by Norway, but talks have slowed.Just when it looked like the circumstances surrounding the G.M. vacancy in Houston couldnt get any more bizarre, the circumstances surrounding the G.M. vacancy in Houston have gotten more bizarre.

The discrimination complaint filed by former Texans coordinator Jeff Pope, coupled with comments from Popes lawyer, suggest that the Texans fired former G.M. Brian Gaine because of the discrimination claim.

When the Texans terminated Mr. Gaine, that caught my attention, attorney N. Lucy Chukwurah, Popes attorney, told the Houston Chronicle. They terminated him a few days after they spoke with their counsel. I found that to be unusual.

The Texans have denied that Gaines termination had any connection to the discrimination claim. And, frankly, it wouldnt make sense for the Texans to fire Gaine because of the discrimination claim. Most employers rally around an employee accused of discrimination or other workplace misconduct while legal action is pending, since the ongoing employment relationship tends to ensure that the employee accused of misconduct will fully and completely cooperate with the broader effort to defend against the claims being made.

If anything, firing Gaine increases the likelihood that he wont cooperate with the teams lawyers, and that his testimony wont be as malleable in the teams favor as it otherwise would be. Although the team could use the provisions of his contract that give him ongoing payment to get him to work with those who will be defending against the discrimination complaint, which may be a precursor to full-blown litigation, these things take time to play out. By the time Gaine would ever take the witness stand, his contract quite possibly will have expired.

While theres a good chance Gaines story will be locked in (via deposition or other sworn statement) before that happens, the lawyers who are trying to beat back discrimination charges prefer the not-so-subtle control of the employee-witness that comes from the ongoing employment relationship. Given the unique nature of the job Gaine held, the Texans wouldnt retain him simply to bolster its defense against the discrimination charges; however, they also wouldnt have fired him only because of that claim  barring blatant, over-the-top evidence of wrongdoing.

So, for now, its a stretch to think the Texans fired Gaine because of the discrimination complaint. Of course, further developments in the discrimination could change that assessment.Abuja (AFP) - European Union election observers on Saturday called on Nigeria to consider urgent electoral reforms after identifying "systemic failings" in the recent presidential, parliamentary and governorship elections.

The EU mission, which was in Nigeria between January and April, said the elections were marred by serious operational and transparency shortcomings, electoral security problems and low turnout.

President Muhammadu Buhari won 56 percent of the votes to secure a second term in office. Buhari, who headed a military regime in the 1980s, was elected to his first term in 2015.

But the victory of the 76-year-old retired general has been challenged by the main opposition challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He has alleged irregularities in the polls.

The EU mission said in its final report on the election that "systemic failings seen in the elections... show the need for fundamental electoral reform.

"This needs to be urgently undertaken to allow time for debate, legislative changes and implementation well in advance of the next elections," said EU chief observer Maria Arena in the statement.

Their report said journalists were subject to harassment and some independent observers were also obstructed in their work, which compromised scrutiny of the electoral process.

Among the report's recommendations was that the procedures for the collation of results be improved.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has a history of electoral malpractice and violence.

The 2019 vote was marred by violence and reports of vote-buying, ballot-snuffing and snatching, voter intimidation and low turnout.

Scores of people were killed before, during and after the polls.

Buhari was sworn in on May 29 for his second and final term in office.The South Carolina man who murdered his five young children was sentenced to death Thursday, according to multiple reports.

TV station WIS reports Timothy Jones was sentenced after being convicted of strangling and choking his five children to death, all of whom were under the age of 8.

The sentence came despite the plea from Jones ex-wife, who was the mother of the kids, to spare his life. The mom, Amber Kyzer, recalled the kids love for their father as her reason.

If I could personally rip his face off, I would, Kyzer said about Timothy Ray Jones Jr., who was found guilty on June 4 of the 2014 murders, reports local Columbia, South Carolina, TV station WIS. Thats the momma bear in me. I do not wish on the Jones family what I felt losing my sons.

She added: He did not show my children mercy by any means, but my kids loved him and if Im speaking on behalf of my kids and not myself, thats what I would have to say. Im not here for me. The mom in me wants him to feel everything that I feel, that my kids felt.

She told Jones in court: Nothing justifies what youve done.

Her appearance at the sentencing hearing as a character witness for Jones  after shed earlier testified against him  was a surprise, according to WLTX.

Amber Kyzer is helped out of court after breaking down on the witness stand on May 20, 2019 | Tracy Glantz/AP/Shutterstock

RELATED: S.C. Man Found Guilty of Obscene, Outrageous Murders of His 5 Kids, Despite Claiming Mental Illness

Amber, who are you here for? defense attorney Boyd Young asked as Kyzer took the stand, reports The State newspaper.

Im here for my babies, she answered.

Did your kids love their dad? Young asked her.

Yes, they did, she replied, before Jones attorney later asked her: Do you want Tim put to death?

I personally, myself, cant bring myself to want anybody to die, she replied.

Timothy Ray Jones | Rogelio V Solis/AP/Shutterstock

Jones, 37, had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His lawyers argued at trial that he was teetering on the brink of madness partially due to a dependence on drugs  he told a forensic psychiatrist he smoked synthetic marijuana up to five times per day, reported The Post and Courier  and partially because Kyzer allegedly had left him for a 19-year-old neighbor.

Story continues

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Following the couples contentious break-up, Jones, a college-educated computer software engineer, wound up with custody of all five children  three boys and two girls  because he could better support them on his $80,000-a-year salary, Kyzer earlier testified.

According to prosecutors, Jones killed the couples son Nahtahn, 6, after the boy broke an electrical outlet in their mobile home on Aug. 28, 2014. He then strangled his oldest child, 8-year-old daughter Merah, and his 7-year-old son, Elias, with his hands, they said.

Next, he wrapped a belt around the necks of his 2-year-old son, Gabriel, and his youngest child, 1-year-old Abigail, and ended their lives, prosecutors say, reported Fox News.

RELATED: Last Words of S.C. Girl, 8, Whose Dad Killed Her and 4 Siblings: Daddy, I Love You

After stuffing their bodies in garbage bags, he loaded their remains into his Cadillac Escalade and drove for days through four states, sleeping in his SUV with the decomposing bodies in the back, before dumping them in a desolate part of Camden, Alabama.

He was arrested Sept. 6, 2014, at a police checkpoint in Smith County, Mississippi, after an officer detected what he described on the stand as the smell of death in Jones SUV  along with blood, maggots and synthetic marijuana, officials said, The State reports.

During police questioning, Jones admitted to killing his kids but claimed he did so in preemptive self-defense before the children could chop him up and feed him to the dogs, according to his arrest warrant, according to the newspaper.

Jurors who convicted him rejected the insanity defense.

If only one juror had voted to recommend a life sentence, he would have been spared the death penalty.

The State reports Jones did not visibly react as the death sentence was read.By Alissa de Carbonnel

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the European Union to aim for a 55% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, far more than the bloc's current target for a 40% reduction.

In a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, seen by Reuters, ahead of a summit of EU leaders, Guterres said the world's largest economic bloc should lead by example to avert the worst effects of global warming and limit temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Next week's gathering of the 28 EU heads of state is the last before a U.N. meeting on global climate talks in September.

"I am counting on you, once again, to demonstrate the leadership of the European Union," Guterres said in the letter to Tusk dated May 23.

An announcement "aiming for a target of 55% reduction in emissions, would send a powerful message," he said. He also asked leaders to phase out burning coal, ending approval of new coal-fired power plants beyond 2020.

Despite a French-led push by eight capitals for more ambitious action on climate, notably by striving to go carbon neutral by 2050, leaked draft summit conclusions make no mention of ramping up the bloc's commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

With China and India seeking to take centre stage at the U.N. meeting after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris pact, some EU diplomats fear the bloc may become increasingly sidelined on the global deal.

EU states such as Poland, which relies heavily on coal-fired power, and Germany, with its powerful automotive sector, balk at deeper emission cuts for industry, while the "yellow vest" protests have dented France's climate drive.

However, growing climate concerns marked by protests across the continent helped propel Green parties to their strongest showing yet in the recent European Parliament elections.

The European Parliament and the EU's climate chief Miguel Arias Canete have called for the bloc to aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, saying legislation passed since the Paris deal already puts it on track to overshoot its current target.

Story continues

Climate campaigners, however, say action taken by the EU so far is as yet far from consistent with the transformative change scientists say is needed to avert the bleakest scenarios.

"This is not just about leadership, it's about doing what's necessary to ensure humanity's survival and protect the natural world for future generations," Sebastian Mang, an EU climate policy adviser at Greenpeace, told Reuters.

(Editing by Mike Harrison)Welcome Guest! You Are Here:By Greg Torode

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has delayed indefinitely a proposed law that would allow extraditions to mainland China, in a dramatic retreat after widespread anger over the bill sparked the biggest street protests in three decades.

The extradition bill, which would cover Hong Kong's 7 million residents as well as foreign and Chinese nationals in the city, was seen by many as a threat to the rule of law in the former British colony.

(To see a live blog of coverage of the Hong Kong protests, click https://reut.rs/2Iajtez)

WHAT DOES THE EXTRADITION BILL INVOLVE?

The Hong Kong government first launched the proposals in February, putting forward sweeping changes that would simplify case-by-case extraditions of criminal suspects to countries beyond the 20 with which Hong Kong has existing extradition treaties.

It explicitly allows extraditions from Hong Kong to greater China - including the mainland, Taiwan and Macau - for the first time, closing what Hong Kong government officials have repeatedly described as a "loophole" that they claim has allowed the city to become a haven for criminals from the mainland.

Hong Kong's leader would start and finally approve an extradition following a request from a foreign jurisdiction but only after court hearings, including any possible appeals. However, the bill removes Legislative Council oversight of extradition arrangements.

If the bill becomes law, it will be possible for mainland Chinese courts to request Hong Kong courts to freeze and confiscate assets related to crimes committed on the mainland, beyond an existing provision covering the proceeds of drug offences.

WHY IS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PUSHING IT NOW?

Officials initially seized on the murder last year of a young Hong Kong woman holidaying in Taiwan to justify swift changes. Police say her boyfriend confessed on his return to Hong Kong and he is now in jail on lesser money-laundering charges.

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Taiwan authorities have strongly opposed the bill, which they say could leave Taiwanese citizens exposed in Hong Kong and have vowed to refuse taking back the murder suspect if the bill is passed.

A long-forgotten issue, the need for an eventual extradition deal with the mainland was acknowledged by government officials and experts ahead of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under the "one country, two systems" model.

The city maintains a separate and independent legal system as part of the broader freedoms the formula guarantees. Little progress has been made in discreet talks since then with justice and security officials on the mainland, where the Communist Party still controls the courts.

HOW STRONG IS OPPOSITION TO THE BILL?

Concern about the amendments has spiralled in recent weeks, taking in pro-business and pro-Beijing elements usually loath to publicly contradict the Hong Kong or Chinese governments. Senior Hong Kong judges have privately expressed alarm, and mainland commercial lawyers based in Hong Kong have echoed their fears, saying the mainland system cannot be trusted to meet even basic standards of judicial fairness. Hong Kong lawyers' groups have issued detailed submissions to the government, hoping to force a postponement.

Authorities have repeatedly stressed that judges will serve as "gatekeepers" or guardians for extradition requests. However, some judges say privately that China's increasingly close relationship with Hong Kong and the limited scope of extradition hearings will leave them exposed to criticism and political pressure from Beijing.

Schools, lawyers and church groups have joined human rights groups to protest against the measures. Following a brawl in the legislature over the bill, the government moved to fast-track the bill by scrapping established legislative procedures that stoked outrage amongst critics.

Foreign political and diplomatic pressure over human rights concerns is rising, too. As well as recent statements from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his British and German counterparts, some 11 European Union envoys met Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to protest formally.

"It's a proposal, or a set of proposals, which strike a terrible blow ... against the rule of law, against Hong Kong's stability and security, against Hong Kong's position as a great international trading hub," Hong Kong's last British governor, Chris Patten, said on Thursday.

Some opposition politicians say the issue now represents a turning point for the city's free status.

WILL THE GOVERNMENT DROP THE BILL?

While Lam and her key officials have been strident in defending the bill both publicly and privately, cracks have began to appear in the support base for the law.

Several pro-Beijing politicians and a senior advisor to Lam said discussion of the bill should be shelved for the time being.

Lam has insisted that broad safeguards mean that anyone at risk of political or religious persecution or who faces torture would not be extradited. Likewise, no one who faces the death penalty would be extradited. China denies accusations of human rights abuses.

Lam said the city's legislature would now stop all work on the bill and that the next steps would be decided after consultations with various parties.

(Reporting by Greg Torode, James Pomfret Anne Marie Roantree, Jessie Pang; Editing by Nick Macfie, Paul Tait and Michael Perry)Global Gallery | Photo: Dakota B./Yelp

Looking to uncover all that Northmoor has to offer? Get to know this Columbus neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a farmers market to a specialty bookstore.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Northmoor, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Global Gallery

Photo: hui h./Yelp

Topping the list is Global Gallery, a spot to score coffee and tea and more. Located at 3535 N. High St., it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 61 reviews on Yelp.

The shop specializes in free-trade coffee, art and gifts. It also offers a variety of craft beers and hosts an ongoing series of events.

2. Smith's Restaurant & Deli

Photo: chelsea e./Yelp

Next up is deli and Italian spot Smith's Restaurant & Deli, serving pizza and more, situated at 3737 N. High St. With four stars out of 48 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

Family owned and operated since 1961, the deli's menu features pizza, pasta and sandwiches.

3. Clintonville Farmers Market

Photo: jayme h./Yelp

Farmers market Clintonville Farmers Market is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 3519 N. High St., four stars out of 37 reviews.

Open on Saturdays, the market features 60-plus producers. Items available include fruits and vegetables, poultry, pasture-raised meats, cheese, honey and more.

4. Colonial Candy Shoppe

Photo: colonial candy shoppe/Yelp

Colonial Candy Shoppe, a candy store and chocolatier and shop that offers desserts and more, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 19 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3519 N. High St. to see for yourself.

The staples at this store are Heggys chocolates and candies, which have been handcrafted and individually wrapped for more than 90 years at its home in Canton, Ohio.

5. Karen Wickliff Books

Photo: karen wickliff books/Yelp

Check out Karen Wickliff Books, which has earned four stars out of 19 reviews on Yelp. You can find the used bookstore at 3527 N. High St.

Established in 1975, the business describes itself as the oldest and largest used bookstore in Columbus with recent, out of print, scholarly and collectible books.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Manipadma Jena

BHUBANESWAR, India, June 15 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Six weeks after India's eastern state of Odisha was battered by the strongest storm since 2013, officials are considering how to build back damaged homes and power networks to better withstand future wild weather, as well as protecting the coast with trees.

When powerful Cyclone Fani swept ashore, the wind yanked a huge banyan tree from the soil and crashed it onto Phula Rout's corrugated-roof home in Shastri Nagar slum in Bhubaneswar city.

As the tree's roots began to pop, 30-year-old domestic worker Rout and her family rushed outside their two-room house.

The Routs were lucky, but many of the more than 16 million people in the path of the storm were saved instead by careful disaster planning, which led to an evacuation of 1.1 million to safer shelter ahead of the cyclone striking in early May.

Right after, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the state government aimed to substantially reduce damage in future disasters as it moved into recovery and reconstruction mode.

The storm will have cost the state about $1.3 billion, including loss of public property and the cost of recovery, said Bishnupada Sethi, chief of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).

Around Odisha, more than half a million homes were damaged, close to 1.5 million trees uprooted, and much of its energy infrastructure was destroyed.

In Shastri Nagar, where about 60% of families lost their homes, the worst-hit were still on the streets more than a week afterwards, struggling without power in harsh heat and humidity.

We are cooking, eating and sleeping on this sidewalk, Rout's rickshaw-driver husband Manoj told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

He paid wood-cutters a week's wages to chip at the banyan tree until it could be rolled off the roof. Clearing Bhubaneswar of fallen trees and vegetation took well over a fortnight.

BUILD BACK GREEN

After the storms, hundreds of government workers were deployed to map out damaged homes in poor areas, many of them roofed with thatch, tin or corrugated cement sheets.

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Nearly all the households identified have received more than 2,500 rupees ($36) to buy plastic sheeting for roofs, and 50 kg (110 lb) of rice to feed them in the short term.

Chief Minister Patnaik said in mid-May that there was "a dire need" to build disaster-resilient housing along Odisha's coastal belt, which is vulnerable to cyclones, having experienced four major storms in the last six years.

He requested the central government to provide funding for 500,000 affordable homes for the poor in rural and urban areas under the "Housing for All" scheme.

Another plan to increase coastal resilience is to put in "massive coastal plantations", especially in areas denuded by Fani, once the monsoon starts in July, Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha told journalists.

Meanwhile, 18,000 trees not fully uprooted by the storm were nursed back to health and sprouting new leaves, he noted in early June.

We are determined to green back the state better, he said.

Indigenous species that are hardier against strong winds are being planted on roadsides and in parks and sanctuaries.

GROUNDWORK LAID

Preparations for storms like Cyclone Fani began years ago, with the OSDMA training hundreds of community volunteers as first responders. Their ranks have grown to tens of thousands.

That effort paid off, with deaths kept to about 64, compared to 1999 when 10,000 people lost their lives in a super-cyclone.

This time, as Fani bore down, volunteers helped health workers identify pregnant women in each village, said OSDMA chief Sethi.

Ambulances ferried about 2,000 from remote areas to health facilities so they could access care during the storm.

Elsewhere, the state government set in motion a broader plan to evacuate more than 1 million people.

For the first time, it ordered schools, colleges, offices, markets and shops to close as the storm approached.

Operations in two major ports were suspended and berthing ships ordered to move out to sea to avoid damage.

Indian Railways cancelled or diverted some 200 trains along Odishas coastal tracks, while commercial flights at Bhubaneswar airport were stopped, and much road transport was prohibited.

In Puri, a religious and beach tourism hub, police went into every seaside hotel to evacuate 25,000 visitors who were moved by train to Kolkata in neighbouring West Bengal State.

Pre-prepared kitchens were set up to feed evacuated families rice and lentils.

In rural communities and urban slums, authorities and volunteers used phone text messages, radio and megaphones to urge families to flee to shelters.

Volunteer Ramachandra Maharana, 26, said that in his home village near Gopalpur port, everything - from three-wheeler rickshaws to goods-carrying mini trucks - was commandeered to move children, older and other vulnerable people to safety.

As formal shelters filled, families were diverted to the next-sturdiest structures, from schools to brick homes nearby.

"This is the result of Odisha changing to a proactive approach towards natural calamities from what was a reactive attitude during the 1999 super-cyclone," said Arun Bothra, Odisha police inspector-general.

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

But over a month on, power blackouts continued in several rural areas and electricity was restored in some cities and towns only a week ago, the Thomson Reuters Foundation learned.

Some districts will have to set up their entire electricity networks afresh, the Odisha chief minister noted.

The state is now looking at how to better disaster-proof its energy infrastructure, turning to the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to include such work in other clean energy programmes already underway.

Patnaik has also proposed that the United Nations set up an international centre in Odisha for disaster mitigation and recovery.

($1 = 69.7660 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Manipadma Jena; editing by Megan Rowling and Laurie Goering. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate)Disclaimer: These summaries are provided for educational purposes only by Nelson Rosario and Stephen Palley. They are not legal advice. These are our opinions only, arent authorized by any past, present or future client or employer. Also we might change our minds. We contain multitudes.

As always, Rosario summaries are NMR and Palley summaries are SDP".

[related id=1] Liu v. The Zerocoin Electric Coin Company LLC; and Does 1 Through 50, Inclusive, Superior Court of California, San Francisco County, CGC-19576321 (May 29, 2019) [SDP]

This new state court lawsuit involves a dispute over an alleged equity grant promised by Zerocoin to the Plaintiff. Its yet another example of how protocols may be decentralized and cryptographic and disputive as all get out but the rubber meets the road in business over what are fundamentally simple contract disputes.

According to the Complaint  which I hasten to add contains unproven allegations and arent necessarily true  Plaintiff and Zerocoin entered into a contract back in August 2016 where Plaintiff would be a Senior Software Engineer. In connection with that, he was granted an option to purchase 12,000 Units of Stock pursuant to a stock incentive plan. This was later amended to grant him 15,000 units. Plaintiff says that he was also promised a share of a Founders Reward in proportion to his option grant. (It is unclear who the 50 John/Jane Does defendants are).

Two years later, on December 31, 2018, plaintiff says the company sent a status update to him saying that they hadnt actually created a stock option plan and that no grants had actually been offered. He send a books and records request several days later asking for access to corporate information to determine the status and valuation of [promised] units[.] The company said nope. Things quickly got ugly and Plaintiff says the company basically told him to stop bugging them or theyd fire him. He resigned on May 28, 2019 citing as reasons (1) failure to get the options; (2) intolerable working conditions and (3) be threatened with termination unfairly.

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The Complaint has seven, count em seven counts. First, breach of contract because plaintiff allegedly didnt give his stock options. Second, promissory fraud which kind of repeats the contract claim but frames it as fraud (unclear why, if theres an express written contract). Third and fourth, misrepresentation (negligent and intentional), also unclear why these are alleged if theres a  written contract. Fifth, breach of fiduciary duty on the basis that Plaintiff was a shareholder and/or member of Zerocoin and had a right to review books and records and shouldnt have had his equity rights diluted. (This particular allegation has a slightly throw it up on the wall feel to it, in this writers opinion but, hey, maybe it works in California). Sixth, constructive discharge or  I quit but you really fired me. This sort of claim is more typically seen in the age/gender/race discrimination context but its given a try here. And last but not least, count seven alleges deceptive trade practice under a California statute, to round things out.

Anyways, not much in this lawsuit directly germane to crypto, other than the fact it deals with a company in the space and is a reminder that business disputes involving this emerging technology still seem to wind up in old fashioned courts with old fashioned causes of action.

The Block is pleased to bring you expert cryptocurrency legal analysis courtesy of Stephen Palley (@stephendpalley) and Nelson M. Rosario (@nelsonmrosario). They summarize three cryptocurrency-related cases on a weekly basis and have given The Block permission to republish their commentary and analysis in full. Part III of this week's analysis, Crypto Caselaw Minute, is above.Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged Asian countries and their partners to join hands in opening up new prospects for Asian security and development under new circumstances.

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

Addressing the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Tajikistan, Xi called on CICA members to build an Asia featuring mutual respect and trust, security and stability, development and prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, as well as cooperation and innovation.

China will steadfastly pursue a peaceful development path, stick to opening up and all-win approaches, uphold multilateralism, and work together with all sides to create a better future for Asia and the world, said the Chinese president.

Hosted by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the CICA summit was attended by leaders or representatives of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan and other member countries, as well as representatives of observer states and relevant international and regional organizations.

Participants exchanged views on the theme "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region," held in-depth discussion on international and regional issues of common concerns, jointly planned for Asia's long-lasting peace and shared prosperity, and reached extensive consensus.

In his address, Xi hailed the CICA's positive contributions to promoting peace and development in Asia since its establishment 27 years ago, saying that the mechanism has been committed to increasing mutual trust and collaboration among member countries and safeguarding regional security and stability.

Xi recalled that on the 2014 CICA Shanghai summit, he put forward a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and proposed exploring a new security and development path that fits Asian features and the common interests of relevant countries, which received positive responses from various parties.

China stands ready to work with all sides to deepen cooperation in various fields and push forward the CICA process onto new stages, he said.

Calling Asia one of the most dynamic and most promising regions in the world, Xi said Asian countries also face common challenges including insufficient political mutual trust, imbalanced economic development, and outstanding security and governance issues, and thus there is a long way to go to realize long-lasting peace and shared prosperity.

Hailing the progress made by Asian countries in building an Asian community with a shared future in the past few years, Xi encouraged CICA members to hold on to their goals, jointly seize opportunities and address challenges, and make concerted efforts in opening up new prospects for Asian security and development under the new circumstances.

Xi said that building an Asia featuring mutual respect and mutual trust is CICA members' shared expectation, calling on them to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect each other's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as their respective choice of political systems and development paths.

We should discard zero-sum game and protectionism, enhance policy communication, improve political mutual trust and gradually expand strategic consensus, said Xi.

Noting that building a safe and stable Asia is a common goal of regional countries, Xi called for dialogue rather than confrontation, and partnership instead of alliance among CICA members.

To properly address various traditional and non-traditional security problems, we should stand firm in cracking down on terrorism of all forms, take all kinds of effective precaution measures and extinguish extremism from its roots, the president said, urging CICA members to explore a regional security structure with Asian features to realize collective security and common security for Asia.

Building a prosperous Asia is a shared aspiration of Asian countries, and development is the key to all problems, Xi said, adding that CICA members should work together to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, implement the consensus reached at the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April, strengthen the synergy of their development strategies, boost comprehensive connectivity and promote high-quality economic development in all countries.

Building an open and inclusive Asia is a common pursuit of Asian countries, said Xi. He urged CICA members to well implement the consensus reached at the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in May in Beijing, and develop a vision of civilizations based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness.

We should ensure that diversified coexistence will replace civilization superiority, harmonious symbiosis will replace civilization clashes, exchanges and sharing will replace civilization estrangement, as well as joint prosperity and progress will replace civilization rigidity, said Xi.

Building a cooperative and innovative Asia is our common need, the president said, calling for innovation in such areas as theory, institution, science and technology as well as culture, and efforts to seek new answers to old problems and good answers to new problems, so as to crack various difficult problems facing Asia.

China has always insisted on developing good-neighborly relations with Asian countries, Xi said.

As a member of the Asian family and a responsible major country of the international community, China will continue to be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order, he said, adding that it will push forward the construction of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.

Firstly, China will steadfastly pursue a peaceful development path, Xi said, vowing never to seek benefits at the expense of others.

China will continue to deepen friendly cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, address territorial and maritime disputes with relevant countries through peaceful means, and support dialogue and consultation in solving regional hot-spot issues, the president said.

Secondly, China will stick to opening-up and all-win approaches, and share development opportunities with various countries, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with all sides to take the advantage of the Belt and Road international cooperation platform to inject powerful momentum into their common development.

China will hold the second China International Import Expo this year, which will create more conveniences for all parties to access the Chinese market, he said.

Thirdly, the Chinese president pledged to firmly uphold multilateralism and safeguard the international order based on international laws.

China stands ready to work with all countries to promote a global governance vision featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, staunchly protect the international system with the United Nations (UN) at its core, and firmly safeguard the multilateral trade system with the World Trade Organization at its core, Xi said.

He called for equal dialogue and consultation based on mutual respect, and adherence to the norms of international relations and multilateral trade rules in addressing economic and trade problems, stressing that relevant sides should never readily resort to protectionism and unilateralism.

Such a stance held by China, Xi said, is not just to protect the legitimate right of development for all countries, but also to protect international fairness and justice.

Applauding Xi's address, other CICA participants thanked China for its contributions in promoting dialogue and cooperation within the CICA framework during its previous presidency.

All sides agreed that they should continue to advance the CICA process based on Asia's realities, implement the confidence-building measures, seek common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect cultural diversity and build Asia into a harmonious region with lasting peace and prosperity.

CICA members reiterated that they adhere to the UN Charter and generally-accepted international laws and norms, uphold the efficient multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, fully support the principle of noninterference in each other's internal affairs, jointly build an open world economy and stand against protectionism in any forms.

They also pledged to jointly combat international terrorism, extremism and transnational organized crimes, join efforts in addressing various risks and challenges, promote peace and stability in Asia and the world, strive to build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation, and forge a community with a shared future for mankind.

A joint declaration of the fifth CICA summit was issued.

After the summit, Xi attended a welcoming banquet held by Rahmon for leaders and representatives participating in the summit.

Xi arrived in Tajikistan Friday for the CICA summit and a state visit to Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.Among them, director of Minh Phat Food Company said that it has many times attended fairs in Russia to seek partners to export canned tuna which has been exported to the Middle East.



Meantime, representative of Dakao Vietnam Company said that Russia is a new market in the cashew production and processing field. Formerly, Vietnamese firms majorly sold their products in the US, China and the Middle East. The company has been paying attention to market expansion and hopes that Russia will become a big market of the company.

Since Vietnam - Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement took effect in 2016, the tariff rates imposed on many items have reduced to 0 percent facilitating Vietnamese goods export to the Russian market which is in high demand of garment, textile, footwear items as well as agricultural-forestry-fishery products comprising phantasies fish and shrimp.

Mr. Dmirtriy Makarov from the HCMC branch of the Office of Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in Vietnam said that Russians do like mango. In comparison with mango from other countries, Vietnamese mango is much more delicious. So Vietnamese firms should increase export of the fruit to Russia.

Among export items to Russia, garment-textile and footwear are two major products of Vietnams light industry. Still, Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association commented that export intensification to the Russian market has faced lots of difficulties and barriers requiring careful market research to clarify importers potential and expectation and regular contact to create long term tie.

The association prompts Vietnamese firms intending to promote investment in the Russian market to build a strategy to penetrate into Russia, develop human resource in the market and improve competitive ability.

Economic experts said that in order to create a foothold in the Russia market, products must ensure clean standard. Farm produce export firms need to build a close and long term link with production households to create value chain and share responsibility as well as profit, update and take advantage of policies of the state in a timely manner to improve competitiveness of their export products. In addition, they should participate in goods associations and industries to create position for their products in the market. From that they can broaden advertising and connect with the community of 10,000 Vietnamese people in Russia to increase investment and speed up export.

Moreover, they should improve packing, design and change language for customers in Russia to fully grasp information about products.

According to Mr. Vu Ba Phuc, head of the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnamese firms need to ensure product quality in long term and pay attention to payment term to promote export to Russia.

In order to raise Russia-Vietnam bilateral trade turnover to US$10 billion in 2020, the ministry will continue focus on supporting businesses and goods industries, better take advantage of incentives from free trade agreements and forecast trade barriers to inform businesses so that they can have more efficient access directions to the market.

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX, June 14 (Reuters) - A fugitive former Catholic priest who fled to Italy and vanished after being indicted on child sex charges in Arizona in 2003 has been found and returned to Arizona, authorities said on Friday.

Joseph Henn, 70, was arrested in Rome by Italian police late last month and brought back to Phoenix by U.S. marshals to face charges of child molestation and sexual conduct with a minor, Arizona prosecutors said.

At the time of his indictment, Henn was the ninth Phoenix-area priest to face sex abuse charges, part of a sweeping church scandal that began in Boston in 2002. In its wake, the church saw its public image battered and its finances hit hard by multimillion-dollar settlements and judgments.

Henn's alleged sexual abuse against three boys under the age of 15 occurred from 1979 to 1981 while he was a priest in the Salvatorian order at St. Marks Parish in Phoenix, prosecutors said in a statement.

Henn was formally arraigned on the 13 charges on Friday in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix.

County Attorney Bill Montgomery said in the statement that the pursuit and prosecution of the long-time fugitive priest showed "neither position nor title will shield someone who harms children from accountability.

Henns public defender, Brittany Lamb, could not immediately be reached for comment late on Friday.

Henn fled the United States and traveled to Rome 16 years ago in an attempt to escape prosecution, authorities said. He was found and arrested by Italian authorities in 2005 and placed under house arrest at the headquarters of his religious order.

During court proceedings, his attorney at the time told an Italian court that Henn risked being killed in prison if he returned to Arizona but he was ordered to be extradited.

But Henn was nowhere to be found in 2006 when authorities arrived at the religious orders headquarters with an extradition order from the Italian Supreme Court.

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He was located again in Rome and arrested on May 29 by Italian law enforcement, prosecutors said.

In a statement, the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix said it was pleased Henn had been apprehended and it was committed to providing a safe environment for its youth.

We will continue to work in close cooperation with law enforcement to uphold the principals of accountability and justice, the statement said. (Reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Michael Perry)Who is responsible for the infamous Game Of Thrones coffee cup?

Game Of Thrones director Lee Nutter has insisted that he isnt to blame for the now infamous coffee cup mistake that was left in The Last Of The Starks, even though he directed the episode.

The first thing I said [when I saw the reaction] was they had changed an angle of the take, so I wasn't there when they changed it, so I didn't blame myself, which was good, Nutter recalled. And then I looked to see if it was maybe mine  it wasnt.

Read More: What 'Game Of Thrones' prequel's working title 'Bloodmoon' reveals about the series

But while Nutter completely absolved himself of any blame for the incident, the director also opened up about why it became such a talking point.

I think the show is so damn perfect in many respects that people love to find the blemishes, it's just a little non sequitur that doesn't really amount to anything at all, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Emilia Clarke and the coffee cup

While that might be true for Game Of Thrones previous seasons, the eighth and final season of the show was deemed far from perfect by its legion of fans and critics.

In fact, while its seven previous seasons all scored at least 91% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, and its lowest audience score was 85%, its eighth and final season scored just 58% from critics and 33% approval from audiences.

Read more: Isaac Hempstead Wright reveals book plans for Bran

Of course, the poor reaction to the end of Game Of Thrones is not David Nutters fault. Nutter, who has overseen 9 installments of the show since it debuted, actually oversaw arguably the most popular episode of its final run, the second episode of season 8, A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms.

Nutters comments thickens the plot over who is responsible for the coffee cup gaffe, and he is the latest name, after Sophie Turner and Emilia Clarke, to lay the blame elsewhere, with Turner previously insisting that it was Kit Haringtons fault because he is lazy.Paris (AFP) - Slumping orders, production bottlenecks, regulatory pressures and the prospect of fewer flyers: Aviation executives have plenty on their minds as they head to France on Monday for the opening of the Paris Air Show.

It's a starkly different mood from the previous edition two years ago, when airlines worldwide were optimistic about their prospects and placing big orders for new planes.

But industry leaders Airbus and Boeing have instead seen clients cancel orders for dozens of planes in recent months, managing to sell just a handful of new jets.

While Airbus might claw back some ground with the launch of the A321XLR at the airshow in Le Bourget, just north of Paris, Boeing's future has been clouded by two deadly crashes that have grounded its popular 737 MAX.

With the cancellations, "we're in negative territory for the year, and Airbus has a chance to rescue that a bit, but Boeing does not," said Richard Aboulafia, a longtime industry analyst at the Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia.

He said that slowing passenger traffic globally -- year-on-year growth slowed to just 4.3 percent in April, compared with 6.5 percent growth for all of 2018 -- also has airlines worried.

The decline echoes soft global economic growth amid trade tensions between the US, Europe and China, three huge markets for air travel.

And Aboulafia noted that air freight levels are usually good predictors of passenger traffic trends, "and these past couple of months have been even worse for cargo traffic".

The International Air Transport Association reports that freight traffic has been in a downward spiral since the beginning of the year.

"The two most recent months, March and April, were just god awful, and we're going into this show not really knowing what is happening," he said.

- Win back confidence -

Boeing and Airbus can take comfort in the fact that both their order books remain strong after hefty revenue growth last year, when combined they delivered more than 1,600 planes.

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And their dominance has been bolstered by the woes at two main rivals, Canada's Bombardier -- which has hived off aviation units while cutting thousands of jobs -- and Brazil's Embraer, which is selling its commercial plane division to Boeing.

That leaves them in prime position to meet an expected surge in global passenger traffic, especially in Asia -- at least until China's state-owned Comac starts marketing its first jet in 2021.

Analysts say nearly 40,000 planes will be in service by 2038, double the industry's current fleet.

Yet the frenetic production pace has left several Airbus and Boeing suppliers struggling to keep up, leading to delays as "gliders" without engines or other key parts remain parked on tarmacs.

Some pilots and travellers also suspect the rush to build may have contributed to the flawed anti-stall technology in the Boeing 737 MAX.

The so-called Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) is blamed for an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March and an Indonesian Lion Air crash in October, which together claimed 346 lives.

"The 737 MAX crisis has an impact across nearly the entire industry, because aviation security is an essential issue for every player," analysts at AlixPartners said in a research note.

"It's too early to tell what will happen, but winning back passengers' confidence will be a true challenge for the entire industry," they wrote.

- Pollution pressure -

French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the show's 53rd edition on Monday highlights another headwind: government pressure to limit carbon emissions.

While an official in Macron's office said no announcements on potential jet fuel taxes or emission quotas are planned, he has made no secret of wanting airlines and aviation firms to make more of an effort.

The subject will be on the menu at a dinner Macron will host for executives Sunday night, as France tries to forge a common EU strategy, the official said.

"Aerospace is about two percent of global emissions and 14 percent of those from transportation, so it's not negligible," said Philippe Plouvier, an analyst at the Boston Consulting Group.

"It's an industry that's going to double its emissions by 2040," he said, as growing passenger traffic offsets any expected improvements in engine designs.

On the military front, the defence ministers of France, Germany and Spain will meet in Le Bourget on Monday to sign a formal cooperation accord to build a new European fighter jet which they hope will be in the skies by 2040.

No financing deals or contracts will be announced for the so-called Future Combat Air System, and the production launch is still years away.

But another Elysee official said the cooperation pact would be the latest signal of Europe's determination to unite its defensive capabilities.

"We want Europe to be stronger, able to completely ensure the protection of its citizens, and to intervene jointly," he said.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Is The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) a good dividend stock? How would you know? Dividend paying companies with growing earnings can be highly rewarding in the long term. If you are hoping to live on your dividends, it's important to be more stringent with your investments than the average punter. Regular readers know we like to apply the same approach to each dividend stock, and we hope you'll find our analysis useful.

A 1.8% yield is nothing to get excited about, but investors probably think the long payment history suggests Goldman Sachs Group has some staying power. The company also bought back stock equivalent to around 6.4% of market capitalisation this year. When buying stocks for their dividends, you should always run through the checks below, to see if the dividend looks sustainable.

Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on Goldman Sachs Group!

NYSE:GS Historical Dividend Yield, June 15th 2019

Payout ratios

Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. As a result, we should always investigate whether a company can afford its dividend, measured as a percentage of a company's net income after tax. Looking at the data, we can see that 13% of Goldman Sachs Group's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. We like this low payout ratio, because it implies the dividend is well covered and leaves ample opportunity for reinvestment.

We update our data on Goldman Sachs Group every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here.

Dividend Volatility

One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. Goldman Sachs Group has been paying dividends for a long time, but for the purpose of this analysis, we only examine the past 10 years of payments. During this period the dividend has been stable, which could imply the business could have relatively consistent earnings power. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was US$1.40 in 2009, compared to US$3.40 last year. Dividends per share have grown at approximately 9.3% per year over this time.

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Businesses that can grow their dividends at a decent rate and maintain a stable payout can generate substantial wealth for shareholders over the long term.

Dividend Growth Potential

Dividend payments have been consistent over the past few years, but we should always check if earnings per share (EPS) are growing, as this will help maintain the purchasing power of the dividend. Goldman Sachs Group has grown its earnings per share at 8.2% per annum over the past five years. A low payout ratio and strong historical earnings growth suggests Goldman Sachs Group has been effectively reinvesting in its business. We think this generally bodes well for its dividend prospects.

Conclusion

Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. We're glad to see Goldman Sachs Group has a low payout ratio, as this suggests earnings are being reinvested in the business. That said, we were glad to see it growing earnings and paying a fairly consistent dividend. Goldman Sachs Group fits all of our criteria, and we think it's an attractive dividend idea that would warrant further investigation.

Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 23 analysts we track are forecasting for Goldman Sachs Group for free with public analyst estimates for the company.

If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of dividend stocks yielding above 3%.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.Welcome to the wonderful, wild world of American silver! This week and next, Ill write about two fantastic new exhibitions on American silver. This article will cover a retrospective of Gorham silver made in Providence from the 1850s to around 1920. Its at the Rhode Island School of Designs museum, itself a wonderful place in the heart of old Providence. Next week, Ill write about a show at Newports Redwood Library, on the New York Yacht Clubs collection of splendid, massive Tiffany silver sailing trophies. Its the first time these trophies have been displayed to the public.

Yes, Americans once obsessed over such items as silver bitters bottles, call bells, celery dishes, horseradish jars, puff boxes, pickle stands, toddy kettles, yo-yos, and picks, tongs, forks, jugs, and ladles of a multitude of shapes for an array of edibles. Well see some of these objects as well as elaborate trophies the size of small trees honoring achievements in sports, politics, and conquest.

Some will cry irrational exuberance and think not about Alan Greenspan and stock market bubbles but a silver-gilt ice bowl designed and produced by the Gorham Manufacturing Co. in 1869, decorated with silver icicles, moose heads, polar bears, and floating ice. Im not surprised the moose are rolling their eyes, as if bemused by the spectacle in which they serve as handles. Wed just bought Alaska, the Arctic was the new frontier, and even then, Americans liked their refreshments cold, cold, cold.

Ice Bowl, 1866, and Ice Tongs, 1869. Gorham Manufacturing Company. Silver with gilding.

Its wacky but its wonderful. And wonderful is the best description for the Rhode Island School of Design museums retrospective called Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance, 18501970. Its an immensely satisfying look at one of Americas premier makers of fine silver, based in Providence. The objects on view are themselves wonders of American design, craftsmanship, taste, and ingenuity. The show is a triumph of scholarship.

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Seeing as many shows as I do, I can say with authority that its uncommon, and all the more gratifying, to encounter an introductory gallery that describes parameters, issues, and goals as lucidly as this one and then delivers the goods with such elegance. The first object we see is a 15-pound sterling-silver spoon, made by Gorham around 1950 to market its new, soon-to-be ubiquitous Melrose pattern. This object, the 25-pound coffee pot nearby, and the rest of the shows opening gallery establish several things.

First, the silver in the show is best considered sculpture, regardless of how small or what the objects might have held or picked or spliced or ladled. They were designed and molded using high aesthetic standards and the finest craftsmanship. Almost everything in the show is three-dimensional. Even plates have a dynamic presence. We need to abandon all thoughts of mere utensils, the nightmare of polishing, or memories of cranky great-aunts serving tea. This is art and, given Americas love of consumption and of making things, its consequential art.

Second, these objects lived with people. They might have been admired and cherished but almost all were used, usually for dining. Gorhams growth and style coincided with the development of American etiquette. The show is an art show, but its essence is social history. This theme is splendidly and intelligently developed. Its a lifestyle show.

The new American people, most a generation or two from the frontier, hadnt had centuries for comportment to seep into their DNA. Manners were first come, grab all you can, with your hands if you must. Frontier Americans ate fast. Knives might be used for cutting meat but doubled as floss, screwdrivers, or weapons. As a bourgeois class emerged, and then a class of rich people, the dining room became a sacred space for family values, mind your manners, and a stage to display family wealth to guests. Silver and coffee services grew more elaborate and refined as leisure took on rituals. From the spectacular Martele centerpiece from 1903, replete with Neptune and nereids that took hundreds of hours to emboss, to, say, a simple Melrose service for eight bought in the late Forties as a wedding gift for a new couple, these objects expressed status  the wealth and taste to acquire beautiful things  but also aspirations for a better life.

Finally, they are manufactured goods. The show goes from strength to strength, but it makes the point very early that Gorham was a creature of the Industrial Revolution. It produced many one-off cast, embossed, and engraved objects such as the Admiral Dewey Cup from 1899, commissioned to honor the hero of Manila Bay and made from 70,000 dimes collected via public conscription. As singular a masterpiece as this is, the Dewey Cup and the many, many thousands of mass-produced table services in a multitude of patterns emerged from a form of assembly line.

Production of high-end goods in America didnt develop from an old European guild system. It was unregulated and driven by the constant invention of new tools and new machines. In the case of silver, from founder Jabez Gorhams early days in business in the 1830s, old-fashioned hand hammering was obsolete. Technology, especially technological innovation, formed the art in the show as much as taste. Smartly, the show has an early section on tools and techniques, augmented by a fine video. Technology bred efficiency and speed, but it also made more time for design, experimentation, and variety. Objects were not made beginning-to-end by one person. Many people were involved, each with a function and expertise.

Gorham started in Providence in 1831 and expanded haphazardly in the city center, cramming new demands in awkward, old spaces. By the early 1890s, Gorham had a new, purpose-built factory at the citys edge. It was both factory and campus, with divisions for design, research, mass production, and custom-made work. Gorham was both a factory and a community and was considered an exemplary company for its employee wages, training, and benefits.

Gorham produced millions of pieces of silver. The show could have gone in lots of directions, risking incoherence and effulgence. Its a smart, disciplined show, though. A gorgeous, fascinating section examines the Gorham dining silver of one couple, Henry and Elvira Furber, rich New Yorkers who owned 129 pieces of hollowware, among them pitchers, bowls, decanters, and sauceboats, and centerpieces and candelabras and a flatware set of 687 pieces. The Furbers bought their silver over 20 years, and during that period their taste, always advanced, changed from heavy Renaissance-revival forms in the 1860s to the loveliest examples of japonisme design around 1880, the dawn of the arts-and-crafts movement in America.

One of the shows splendors is the Furbers 1872 epergne set on a mirrored plateau decorated with a cast version of the Parthenon frieze. The epergne is capped by a cast figure of a female Columbia waving garlands. Shes flanked by putti and by dishes in the form of exotic birds. Its massive, and its a design mishmash, but it works. It weighs a ton, and almost every inch is cast, engraved, embossed, pierced, or gilded. Its got the mass of Grants Tomb, the complexity and insistence of a grain thresher, and the thrust of a skyscraper. Its all about power. Its no wonder it was displayed by Gorham at its booth in the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, effectively Americas first Worlds Fair.

Epergne, 1872, and Plateau 1876. Thomas Pairpoint, designer; Gorham Manufacturing Company. Silver with gilding and glass.

There are many examples of Gorham at its luxurious peak. Theres the silver, glass, and ivory dressing table and stool from 1899, part of the Martele line Gorham introduced in 1896. The line produced a special division. It emphasized the individual craftsman and handwork and allowed him some creative leeway. Its in the arts-and-crafts tradition of controlled creativity, based on set patterns and designs but with each object having its own flair. Mostly, it has art nouveau style, though the firm introduced the Athenic line for a more historicized look that also mixed media like glass and other metals.

What is American about this work? English Victorian and Edwardian silver, after all, is grand, too. Once civilized, Americans did what Americans do. They ran with the ball. Its dazzle and sparkle taken to an extreme. Gilded Age America was rich, and by the 1880s, English aristocrats were already feeling the pinch. Taste for splendor was growing enervated, too. Gorham style was driven by technology, an American forte, but also the willingness of Americans to crossbreed styles. An 1879 silver vase mixed copper and brass to show a samurai borrowed from Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Its a hybrid, with force and individuality, a look American silver tends to achieve whether painstakingly crafted like this or made in mass like a simple spoon.

Vase, 1879. Gorham Manufacturing Company. Silver, copper, and brass.

This period coincided with a change in the economics of silver. Eighteenth-century English and American silver objects were first and foremost stores of value. What was precious was the metal, not the design or craftsmanship. There were no IRAs. Wealth was in property, and silver was the most convertible. Often, pieces were melted when their owners needed money. By the 1860s, the balance flipped. Silver was cheaper, so design became more important. This is one reason a big firm like Gorham had many lines and patterns and offered things like different forks for pickles, sardines, cake, and ice cream. The company was a marketing machine. Cleverly and subtly, it pushed the etiquette industry to set higher, more complex standards, thus broadening and deepening demand.

Ice Cream Plate, 1879. Gorham Manufacturing Company. Silver with gilding.

So what happened? Gorham was traditionally brilliant in changing styles. In 1958, it introduced its Circa 70 line, with lovely streamlined silver, very meet-the-Jetsons, never imagining just how awful the 1970s would be.

The demise of Gorham and elaborate dining silver needs are more things to add to the pile of blights Baby Boomers have visited upon us. A conglomerate bought the company in the 1960s. We cant blame them for that, but it muddied the links between management, innovation, and quality control. In the haze of pot smoke, hippies tend to get their silver-mounted claret jugs mixed up with their martini shakers.

Fashions change, and fine dining and its equipment went out of style. It needs polishing is a feeble excuse, since silver, stored properly, rarely needs polishing. Cookings too much work is more like it. Society became more egalitarian, and good silver became the realm of old fogies. Today, Gen Xers sometimes see old silver as a fascinating, classy anachronism, but mostly they put their bucks into experiences. There will never be another Gorham, so this is a historical show. Still, as a show of design and the history of taste and production and as a complete delight, this is the very tops. Kudos to RISD. Providence should be proud.

More from National ReviewIn a story June 14 about governors' struggles in presidential races, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Montana Gov. Steve Bullock missed appearing on "Face the Nation." He appeared on the show from Denver.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Governors still in the shadows of Democrats' 2020 campaign

Three governors are having to scramble for any spotlight they can find in a 2020 Democratic presidential campaign dominated by former Vice President Joe Biden and a group of nationally known senators

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI and BILL BARROW

Associated Press

Being a governor isn't what it used to be, at least not in presidential politics.

Three Western executives are learning that the hard way in a crowded Democratic scramble dominated by former Vice President Joe Biden and a gaggle of nationally known senators.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a late entry into the field of two dozen, failed to qualify for Democrats' first debates later this month. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper will be among the 20 candidates spread across two debate nights in Miami, but both men linger at 1 percent in most national and early state polls, looking up at a leaderboard showing Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts trying to catch Biden.

"When you think of a governor, you think of a competent manager, and voters don't want a competent manager," said Bill Richardson, a former Democratic governor of New Mexico who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008. "They want excitement and inspiration and electability."

Indeed, Biden's pitch leans on the notion that he's the best shot to defeat President Donald Trump. Sanders, a democratic socialist, represents a sweeping ideological shift, as does the unabashedly liberal Warren. She and Harris also would be historic, with either being the first woman to win the presidency.

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Biden's next closest competitors are a pair of young politicians arguing for generational change: former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, 47, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 37, of South Bend, Indiana. Neither has held statewide office, but each outpaces Bullock, Hickenlooper and Inslee in fundraising and polling.

That group's jockeying so far swallowed the governors' efforts: Inslee's emphasis on combating climate change and his liberal record in Washington; Bullock's case as a Democrat who can win over more conservative areas; and Hickenlooper's successful terms in a battleground state.

Touting those kinds of accomplishments, Richardson said, "was a relative plus" in national campaigns not long ago. "Today," he added, "it's not a negative, but it's not a big factor."

From Jimmy Carter's inauguration in 1977 until George W. Bush left office in 2009, four out of five presidents were former governors: Carter in Georgia, Ronald Reagan in California, Bill Clinton in Arkansas and Bush in Texas. The lone exception was Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, who ascended from the vice president's office under Reagan.

But the last two winners have rewritten the rules of presidential resumes. Former President Barack Obama was the junior senator from Illinois when he was elected in 2008. Trump hadn't held public office at all. And through their consecutive tenures, U.S. politics has become markedly more nationalized.

Fights among White House and Capitol Hill players drive news cycles and transfix voters more than action at statehouses, where bipartisan deals are more common even in states dominated by one party. The Washington environment has helped elevate senators like Harris and Warren, building their name identification and their grassroots fundraising lists, and that feeds right into a primary season driven by the party's more strident base.

The governors are left looking for ways to grab the spotlight as they also reveal some frustrations that their records aren't getting more attention.

Bullock touts his ability to guide an expansion of Medicaid insurance through a Republican-dominated legislature. Getting that Medicaid reauthorization this year, he notes, was the primary reason he delayed getting into the race, a decision that ended up leaving him short in the fundraising and polling metrics required to make the first debate. In recent days, Bullock has played up his state's legal fight with the Trump administration over campaign finance rules and has gone on the offensive against the Democratic National Committee for how it's handled debate qualifications.

Inslee is hammering the DNC, as well, for not mandating that at least one of a planned dozen primary debates focuses exclusively on climate change.

Hickenlooper this week resorted to picking a fight with Sanders over the senator's socialist views. After Sanders delivered a major address on his political and economic philosophy, Hickenlooper quickly retooled a speech he was scheduled to give about a well-regarded Colorado birth control plan he helped implement to instead attack Sanders' democratic socialism.

He often says in campaign stops, "I am the only person running who has actually done what everyone else is just talking about." And in response to a recent question from a reporter about his lagging poll numbers, Hickenlooper said he wins over Democratic voters when talking to them in Iowa living rooms. "That tells me that my problem is not what I'm selling, it's how do I get this information to the buyer?" he said.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a University of Pennsylvania professor who tracks presidential races, said the governors lack a potential advantage, given a thriving national economy that gives them less of a cudgel against Trump and less oxygen for whatever success stories they're trying to tell from home. "You can't say 'I've revived my economy' because the economy is doing well."

She also noted that former Presidents Carter and Clinton campaigned as governors from a key electoral region, since the South in the late 20th century still played a pivotal role in swinging the Electoral College. Now, the crucial region is the Rust Belt, particularly Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Even as Bullock touts his Trump-state success, that electoral map leaves candidates like Biden, a Pennsylvania native, or Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar to tout their credentials.

The barriers even extend to logistics. Bullock was recently scheduled to appear from Iowa on CBS' "Face the Nation." But flying from Montana required a stop in Denver, and he missed his connection and had to film the show from a Colorado studio rather than with a backdrop of Iowa voters.

John Weaver, who advised then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich's Republican presidential campaign in 2016, said trends are unfortunate for governors but advised against the temptation of jumping into the Washington-driven skirmish of the day.

"They've got to find a place early in the calendar where they can make a move ... beat expectations," he said, noting that Kasich finished second to Trump in New Hampshire.

Weaver added that such a time investment takes discipline and forgoing a dependence on "viral moments" that are as reliable as "planning to be struck by lightning." A presidential campaign "is a grind" for any candidate, Weaver added, and for governors, the only path is "to pick your fights" and "to thine own self be true."

___

Follow the reporters at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP and https://twitter.com/NickRiccardi.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Could Granules India Limited (NSE:GRANULES) be an attractive dividend share to own for the long haul? Investors are often drawn to strong companies with the idea of reinvesting the dividends. Unfortunately, it's common for investors to be enticed in by the seemingly attractive yield, and lose money when the company has to cut its dividend payments.

With a 1.0% yield and a nine-year payment history, investors probably think Granules India looks like a reliable dividend stock. A 1.0% yield is not inspiring, but the longer payment history has some appeal. Some simple analysis can offer a lot of insights when buying a company for its dividend, and we'll go through this below.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

NSEI:GRANULES Historical Dividend Yield, June 15th 2019

Payout ratios

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. So we need to form a view on if a company's dividend is sustainable, relative to its net profit after tax. Granules India paid out 11% of its profit as dividends, over the trailing twelve month period. Given the low payout ratio, it is hard to envision the dividend coming under threat, barring a catastrophe.

Is Granules India's Balance Sheet Risky?

As Granules India has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A rough way to check this is with these two simple ratios: a) net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and b) net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA is a measure of a company's total debt. Net interest cover measures the ability to meet interest payments on debt. Essentially we check that a) a company does not have too much debt, and b) that it can afford to pay the interest. With net debt of more than twice its EBITDA, Granules India has a noticeable amount of debt, although if business stays steady, this may not be overly concerning.

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We calculated its interest cover by measuring its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), and dividing this by the company's net interest expense. Net interest cover of 9.79 times its interest expense appears reasonable for Granules India, although we're conscious that even high interest cover doesn't make a company bulletproof.

Consider getting our latest analysis on Granules India's financial position here.

Dividend Volatility

One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. Looking at the last decade of data, we can see that Granules India paid its first dividend at least nine years ago. The dividend has been quite stable over the past nine years, which is great to see - although we usually like to see the dividend maintained for a decade before giving it full marks, though. During the past nine-year period, the first annual payment was 0.13 in 2010, compared to 1.00 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 26% a year over that time.

The dividend has been growing pretty quickly, which could be enough to get us interested even though the dividend history is relatively short. Further research may be warranted.

Dividend Growth Potential

Examining whether the dividend is affordable and stable is important. However, it's also important to assess if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Growing EPS can help maintain or increase the purchasing power of the dividend over the long run. It's good to see Granules India has been growing its earnings per share at 20% a year over the past 5 years. Earnings per share have grown rapidly, and the company is retaining a majority of its earnings. We think this is ideal from an investment perspective, if the company is able to reinvest these earnings effectively.

We'd also point out that Granules India issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Regularly issuing new shares can be detrimental - it's hard to grow dividends per share when new shares are regularly being created.

Conclusion

To summarise, shareholders should always check that Granules India's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. It's great to see that Granules India is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. Next, earnings growth has been good, but unfortunately the company has not been paying dividends as long as we'd like. Overall we think Granules India scores well on our analysis. It's not quite perfect, but we'd definitely be keen to take a closer look.

Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 9 analysts we track are forecasting for Granules India for free with public analyst estimates for the company.

If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of dividend stocks yielding above 3%.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.Hong Kong protesters have piled the pressure on pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam with a series of huge demonstrations against a divisive bill to allow extraditions to mainland China.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back to China in 1997 but benefits from a "One Country, Two Systems" policy that allows it to retain certain key liberties, such as freedom of speech and an independent judiciary, until 2047.

A push for democratic reforms saw unprecedented street protests in 2014, with demands for change reignited in February this year.

Here is an overview:

- 2003: National security law -

Some half a million people marched against a controversial attempt by the government to introduce a national security law that critics feared would curtail free speech.

The bill, which came after a deadly outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), was the first mass demonstration movement the city's pro-Beijing leaders had faced since the handover.

It was eventually shelved, and set in process the resignation of then-chief executive Tung Chee-hwa.

- 2012: Education protests -

Tens of thousands of predominantly young demonstrators, many of them school children, surrounded the city government's complex for 10 days.

The target of their ire was a government order for schools to teach "Moral and National Education" classes that praised China's communist and nationalist history while criticising republicanism and democracy movements.

The government abandoned the curriculum and some of the protest leaders, such as then 15-year-old Joshua Wong, went on to become leading democracy advocates.

- 2014: Umbrella Movement -

For two months in late 2014, tens of thousands of protesters paralysed parts of the city with mass student-led demonstrations and sit-ins to demand democratic reforms including the right to elect the city's leader.

There were clashes and scenes of violence, which had been rare until then in the semi-autonomous territory, as police used pepper spray and tear gas to break up the demonstrations.

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It became known as the Umbrella Movement after some demonstrators used umbrellas to protect themselves.

Police dismantled the main pro-democracy site in December, hauling off a hard core of protesters who vowed that their struggle would continue.

But the movement failed to win any concessions and many of its leaders were imprisoned.

- 2019: Extradition anger -

In February Hong Kong's government announced plans for a bill that would allow, for the first time, extraditions to mainland China.

The move was prompted by a murder but the opposition and lawyers feared it would tighten Beijing's grip on civil society and allow it to pursue its political enemies in Hong Kong.

Tens of thousands of people hit Hong Kong's streets in protest on April 28 in one of the biggest demonstrations since the Umbrella Movement.

It came just days after four prominent democratic leaders were jailed for their role in organising the 2014 protests.

Hong Kong's government made concessions on May 30, saying the extradition law would only apply to cases involving a potential jail term of at least seven years.

- Bill suspended, fresh protests -

On June 9, more than one million people, according to organisers, took to the streets in the biggest demonstration since the return to Chinese rule.

The police, who made 19 arrests, put the turnout at 240,000.

On June 12, a scheduled second reading of the controversial bill was delayed after huge crowds rallied, blocking major roads and attempting to storm parliament.

Police used tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds in the worst clashes since the 1997 handover, leaving nearly 80 people injured.

More than 100 businesses and shops shut down in support of the movement and even Beijing sought to distance itself from the bill.

On June 15, embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced that the bill would be suspended, in a major climbdown for her government.

- 'Record' protest, activist freed -

Despite Lam's decision, organisers announced a fresh demonstration would go ahead and people poured into the city's streets on June 16.

Organisers say two million people marched in the protest, clad in black and calling for the full withdrawal of the bill. Police put the figure at 338,000 people.

On June 17, activist Wong, who became the face of the "Umbrella Movement", was released after serving half his reduced two-month sentence.

There was no comment from authorities on whether his release was a gesture or simply procedural.

Upon his release he immediately called for Lam to resign.Hong Kong (AFP) - Hong Kong braces for another mass rally Sunday as public anger seethes following unprecedented clashes between protesters and police over an extradition law, despite a climbdown by the city's embattled leader in suspending the bill.

Organisers are hoping for another mammoth turnout as they vowed to keep pressure on chief executive Carrie Lam, who suspended work on the hugely divisive bill Saturday after days of mounting pressure, saying she had misjudged the public mood.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will tangle people up in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts and damage the city's reputation as a safe business hub.

The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

Lam stopped short of committing to permanently scrapping the proposal and the concession was swiftly rejected by protest leaders, who called on her to resign, permanently shelve the bill and apologise for police tactics.

Jimmy Sham, from the main protest group the Civil Human Rights Front, likened Lam's offer to a "knife" that had been plunged into the city.

"It's almost reached our heart. Now the government said they won't push it, but they also refuse to pull it out," he told reporters.

- "Keep the heat on" -

On Sunday afternoon, protesters are set to march from a park on the main island to the city's parliament -- a repeat of a massive rally a week earlier in which organisers said more than a million people turned out.

Lam's decision to ignore that record-breaking turnout and press ahead with tabling the bill for debate in the legislature on Wednesday was the spark that lit the clashes which brought key parts of the city to a standstill.

The protest movement has morphed in recent days from one specifically aimed at scrapping the extradition bill, to a wider movement of anger at Lam and Beijing over years of sliding freedoms.

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"The pro-democracy group will not stop at this point, they want to build on the momentum against Carrie Lam," political analyst Willy Lam told AFP. "They will keep the heat on and ride the momentum."

Police said they had no choice but to use force to meet violent protesters who besieged their lines outside the city's parliament on Wednesday.

But critics -- including legal and rights groups -- say officers used the actions of a tiny group of violent protesters as an excuse to unleash a sweeping crackdown on the predominantly young, peaceful protesters.

Anger has also been fanned by Lam and senior officers calling the street demonstrators "rioters".

Protest leaders have called for police to drop charges against anyone arrested for rioting and other offences linked to Wednesday's clashes.

Lam has argued that Hong Kong needs to reach an extradition agreement with the mainland, and says safeguards were in place to ensure dissidents or political cases would not be accepted.

Opposition to the bill united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong from influential legal and business bodies, to religious leaders and western nations.Hong Kong's embattled leader on Saturday said a divisive bill that would allow extraditions to China would be "suspended" in a major climbdown from her government after a week of unprecedented protests.

The city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam has come under huge pressure to abandon the controversial legislation, including from her own political allies and advisers.

"The government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more... work and listen to different views of society," Lam told reporters Saturday.

"We have no intention to set a deadline for this work and promise to report to and consult members of the legislative council panel on security before we decide on the next step forward."

The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

As criticism mounted, signs also emerged of a growing discomfort among Communist Party leaders in Beijing, and Lam held her press conference Saturday at the same government complex that was besieged by protesters earlier in the week.

The South China Morning Post said Lam held an emergency meeting on Friday night with her advisers while Chinese officials were also meeting in the nearby city of Shenzhen to map a way out of the impasse.

Tensions were running high with protest organisers planning another mass rally on Sunday.

Lam, who is appointed by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists, had previously refused to consider abandoning the bill, despite months of criticism from business and legal bodies -- and a record breaking rally on Sunday where organisers said more than one million protesters hit the streets.

"I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years," Lam said.

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- 'Lost credibility' -

On Friday she found herself facing growing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiralling public anger -- including from hardline pro-Beijing lawmakers.

"Shouldn't (we) cool the citizens down? I think to postpone it for a little bit is not a bad thing. At this moment, the government should self-examine," Ann Chiang, a hardcore pro-Beijing lawmaker, told i-Cable News.

But others have warned against Lam bending to the protesters.

"If the government caves in to violence and external influences, in the long run that would also make Hong Kong ungovernable," pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip told reporters.

Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross section of Hong Kong.

Protest organisers had been calling for a full withdrawal of the bill, not a postponement.

James To, a lawmaker from the city's pan-democrat camp, called on Lam to step down.

"The credibility of our chief executive has already been written off, it's a kind of government that cannot have any credibility to rule anymore," he told reporters Friday.

Beijing has vocally supported the bill and earlier this week threw its full support behind the Lam administration, calling protesters "rioters".

But it has since sought to distance itself as public anger spiralled.

"The central government gave no instruction, no order about the... amendment," Lu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, told the BBC.

"This amendment was initiated by the Hong Kong government."

On Friday night, thousands of parents gathered in a park in the heart of the city's commercial district to condemn the use of rubber bullets and tear gas against predominantly young protesters on Wednesday.

Y. Chan, a 50-year-old mother of two, said she was outraged watching the scenes unfold.

"It's calling for all mothers who had enough already of what happened the other day," she told AFP. "My kids were out there also that day. And although I want them to be safe, want them to be at home, but this is their home. They are defending it."SHANGHAI, June 15 (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam will meet the media at 3 p.m. (0700 GMT) on Saturday, a government statement said, amid reports the government will suspend a proposed bill on extradition to mainland China that sparked protests.

The statement did not say what Lam planned to talk about. (Reporting by Twinnie Siu; Writing by John Ruwitch; editing by Christian Schmollinger)Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced the indefinite postponement of the controversial bill - REX

Thousands of protesters are expected to take to the streets of Hong Kong in another mass rally on Sunday despite a pledge by the citys embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam to suspend the controversial new extradition bill.

Ms Lam tried to strike a conciliatory tone on Saturday as she delayed the bill after a tumultuous week that saw the worst political violence since the UK handed the city over to China in 1997. Tens of thousands of demonstrators clashed with police who repelled them with tear gas and rubber bullets.

The escalation came three days after Ms Lam doubled down on the law despite a record-breaking rally last Sunday, which organisers say drew more than one million people to the streets.

Critics fear that the sweeping bill puts foreign and Chinese nationals, even those just transiting through Hong Kong, at risk of unfair treatment by Chinas mistrusted and opaque justice system, and damages the citys reputation as a safe global financial hub.

Ms Lams U-turn and pledge to listen to the public, was immediately rejected by protest leaders who demanded she fully scrap the bill, resign and apologise for hard-handed police tactics.

Hundreds of mothers joined the protests against the extradition bill in Hong Kong Credit: AP

Demonstrators expressed a lack of trust in the chief executive, who they accuse of being in thrall to Beijing, with some angry that the concessions came only after protests had turned violent.

Jimmy Sham, from the main protest group the Civil Human Rights Front, compared her offer to a "knife" that had been plunged into the city.

"It's almost reached our heart. Now the government said they won't push it, but they also refuse to pull it out," he told reporters while announcing todays rally.

Jason Ng, from the Progressive Lawyers Group, said that people remained incensed by Lam's refusal "to take responsibility for the excessive police force unleashed on protesters and for tearing society asunder."

"This is unlikely to mollify civil society and we are expecting another big turnout at the march tomorrow," he said.

Story continues

Theresa May's resignation was even held up as a shining example that Ms Lam should follow. Apparently without irony, Leung kwok hung, a social activist leading the protests, said: Theresa May resigned for a lack of leadership. She can't provide a Brexit plan and divided Britain. So, Carrie Lam, listen to me, follow the step of Theresa May, be courageous, step down. Otherwise, you will be brought down by Hong Kong people."

Ms Lams position became more precarious after China began to distance itself from the bill despite initially calling it a sovereign issue that was necessary to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a haven for fugitives.

Liu Xiaoming, Chinas ambassador to London, on Thursday became the first senior Chinese official to publicly dismiss suggestions that Beijing had pushed for the expansion of Hong Kongs extradition legislation.

The media had portrayed the story as Beijing instructing Hong Kong to do so, he told the BBC. As a matter of fact, [the] Beijing central government gave no instruction, no order about making [the] amendment.

On Friday, Michael Tien became Hong Kongs first pro-Beijing legislator to call publicly for a delay, garnering support from other leading members of the Executive Council.

The Chinese media reported that Ms Lam then met Han Zheng, the Chinese Vice Premier, for talks on Friday evening in Shenzhen, which links Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland, followed by a cabinet meeting with her top officials.

Chinas government, which recently faced widespread international criticism on the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, said on Saturday that it supported the decision to suspend the divisive bill.

We support, respect and understand this decision, said Geng Shuang, the foreign ministry spokesman, calling the move an attempt to listen more widely to the views of the community and restore calm..as soon as possible.

Ms Lam, who did not set a deadline for the reintroduction of the bill, defended her motivation for updating the extradition laws but appeared contrite over misjudging the public mood.

"I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years," she said.

The unprecedented chaos in Hong Kong has served to unite multiple layers of Hong Kong society - from church and human rights groups to the top layers of the business community  against the bill.

Ray Lo, 19, a student in HK studying business, told The Sunday Telegraph said she would return to the streets today/SUN to join thousands of other calling for Ms Lam to resign and scrap the laws.

She cast suspicion over Ms Lam's motives for postponing the legislation, theorising that the Hong Kong leader was keen to nullify protests before a key visit by top ranking Chinese government officials for the anniversry of the British handover on July 1.

Tony Hui, 20, another university student, said he was concerned like many others that Sunday would be one of the last opportunity for Hong Kongers to protests, because if the law if pushe through open political dissent may become a thing of the past.

He added: "I have not heard of any political prisoners who have won against China's legal system."

Thousands of mothers dressed in black and holding carnations staged a vigil in Chater Garden, a public park on Friday evening on behalf of their children.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that Hong Kongs tycoons had started to move their assets offshore, concerned that the law left them politically exposed.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt welcomed the decision to suspend the proposed law. "Well done HK Government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights," Hunt said on Twitter. "Safeguarding the rights and freedoms in the Sino-British Joint Declaration is the best future for HK and Britain stands behind this legally-binding agreement."Hong Kong (AFP) - Hong Kong's embattled leader on Saturday suspended a hugely divisive bill that would allow extraditions to China, in a major climbdown following unprecedented unrest, but protesters vowed to press ahead with a mass Sunday rally.

The concession from chief executive Carrie Lam was swiftly rejected by protest leaders, who called on her to resign, permanently shelve the bill and apologise for police tactics.

The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

Those clashes came three days after Lam refused to be budged by a record-breaking rally in which organisers said more than a million people marched through the streets calling for the Beijing-backed bill to be scrapped.

Critics fear the law will tangle people up in China's notoriously opaque and politicised courts as well as hammer the city's reputation as a safe business hub.

After days of mounting pressure -- including from her own allies -- Lam relented on Saturday, announcing that work on the bill would be halted.

She set no deadline for its reintroduction but stopped short of saying it was permanently scrapped.

Jimmy Sham, from the main protest group the Civil Human Rights Front, likened that offer to a "knife" that had been plunged into the city.

"It's almost reached our heart. Now the government said they won't push it, but they also refuse to pull it out," he told reporters as the front announced they would push ahead with a planned massive rally on Sunday.

Late Saturday a man who had been holding an hours-long anti-extradition protest on top of a building died after he fell, the Hospital Authority told AFP.

He had unfurled a banner saying: "Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Released students and the injured".

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- Rare concession -

Lam's about turn was a rare concession from the city's pro-Beijing leaders who have successfully faced down demands from pro-democracy demonstrators in recent years.

But anger over how police and city leaders treated predominantly young demonstrators is still simmering and opponents hope another huge turnout will pile pressure on Lam.

The chief executive -- who is appointed by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists -- said she had no plans to resign. She defended the need to overhaul the city's extradition laws and said she retained the support of China's central government.

But she admitted her team had misjudged the public mood.

"I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years," she said.

The unprecedented chaos in Hong Kong comes at a sensitive time for China, already on edge over the 30th anniversary of the deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown.

"We support, respect and understand this decision," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement.

- Temporary truce -

Political analyst Dixon Sing said tensions would likely dissipate in the short term if Sunday's rally remains calm.

"In the next few months there will be at least a truce," he told AFP. "But the anxiety that this draft bill will be passed in the future, that will remain for quite some time."

Jason Ng, from the Progressive Lawyers Group, said protesters were incensed by Lam's refusal "to take responsibility for the excessive police force unleashed on protesters and for tearing society asunder."

"This is unlikely to mollify civil society and we are expecting another big turnout at the march tomorrow," he told AFP.

Opposition to the Beijing-backed bill united an unusually wide cross-section of Hong Kong from influential legal and business bodies, to religious leaders, western nations and the huge crowds hitting the streets.

- Sliding freedoms -

But the furore was also the latest expression of public anger over fears that an increasingly assertive Beijing is stamping down on the city's freedoms and unique culture.

Under a 1997 deal signed with Britain, China allowed Hong Kong to keep key liberties denied to people on the mainland -- like freedom of speech and independent courts -- for 50 years.

On Saturday the UK's foreign secretary congratulated the Hong Kong government for "heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights."

"Safeguarding the rights and freedoms in the Sino-British Joint Declaration is the best future for HK and Britain stands behind this legally-binding agreement," Jeremy Hunt wrote on Twitter.

But critics say Beijing is reneging on that deal with the complicity of the city's unelected leaders.

They point to the huge 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement" that failed to win any concessions, the imprisonment of protest leaders and the banning of some critics from standing for election, as recent examples.

The writing on the wall began to emerge for Lam on Friday when she found herself facing growing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiralling public anger -- including from hardline pro-Beijing lawmakers.

Beijing had vocally supported the bill and earlier this week threw its full support behind the Lam administration, calling protesters "rioters".

But it has since sought to distance itself, with China's envoy to Britain saying the idea for the bill came entirely from the Lam administration.A 35-year-old man who died after unfurling a banner denouncing Hong Kongs extradition bill on the side of a shopping mall is being hailed by protesters as a martyr.

Local media reports reports that the man plunged to his death after climbing up construction scaffolding on Saturday afternoon local time at the Pacific Place mall in the Admiralty districtscene of massive protests this week against legislation that would have allowed, for the first time, the extradition of fugitives to mainland China.

Police are treating the case as suicide, local media said, giving the mans surname as Leung.

According to Apple Daily, the man strung up a banner denouncing the legislation and calling for the ouster of Hong Kongs top official Carrie Lam. He wore a yellow raincoat bearing the words Carrie Lam kills Hong Kong.

He reportedly continued his protest for some hours and then abruptly climbed over the scaffolding, falling to his death on the street below after firefighters failed to restrain him.

Twitter users reported that crowds of mourners had gathered overnight at the scene, laying down flowers and saying prayers. Protesters gathering today for a large march demanding the withdrawal of the bill are being asked to wear black and bring white flowers to commemorate the deceased man.

Hong Kong legislator Ray Chan tweeted You have blood in your hands, Carrie Lam and her administration. The people will make you pay.

Famed Chinese artist Ai Weiwei shared the news on his Instagram feed, while Chinese satirist Badiucao honored the dead man with a poignant cartoon.

R.I.P. Raincoat Boy

A young life passed away for HongKong tonight. I dont know your name my bro. But you will be known and you will be remembered, alwaysThis drawing is for you. There is #NoChinaExtradition in heaven.

# pic.twitter.com/suz7dzwGKO   Badiucao (@badiucao) June 15, 2019

The Hong Kong governments bid to fast-track legislation that would allow for suspects to be extradited to mainland China has plunged the semi-autonomous enclave into political crisis. Lam was forced to suspend the bills passage on Saturday but opponents are not satisfied and are marching Sunday to call for the bills total withdrawal.

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The government argues that the bill is necessary to ensure that the former British colony does not become a haven for fugitives, but critics fear that Beijing will use its provisions to come after dissidents and other political opponents, severely curtailing Hong Kongs freedom of expression.

Opposition to the bill has united broad swathes of Hong Kong society, from teenage students to lawyers and chambers of commerce. A protest march on June 9 brought hundreds of thousands onto the streets.

Huge crowds outside the legislature on June 12 forced the adjournment of a debate on the legislation. Violent clashes with police broke out afterward that left at least 72 people injured, 2 seriously.

If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. In emergencies, call 911, or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.Hong Kongs leader Carrie Lam announced Saturday her government will suspend a controversial bill allowing criminal suspects to be extradited to China, after massive street protests that gripped the city this week descended into violence.

Lam has faced unprecedented pressure to scrap the legislation, which its critics say could become a backdoor for China to round up political and commercial adversaries. An estimated one million people joined what is believed to have been the citys largest ever protest on June 9, and a second round of demonstrations ended violently on Wednesday.

After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, Lam said at a press conference, adding that the central government in Beijing supported the decision to take more time for discussion.

Read more: Hong Kong Is on the Frontlines of a Global Battle For Freedom

Reiterating her position that the legislation is necessary to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a haven for criminals, Lam told reporters the government had not provided adequate explanation to the public. The bill, she maintained, was designed to bring justice in the case of a Hong Kong man accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan in February 2018.

The original urgency to pass the bill this legislative year is perhaps no longer there, Lam said, a reference to statements from Taiwanese officials that it would not seek the suspects return under the proposed legislation. She added that a majority of lawmakers support the bill and it would not be completely withdrawn, as the protesters demand.

As there are still loopholes in our [extradition] mechanism we are not in a position to retract this bill, Lam said, as that would suggest that the legislation was not justified. Suspending the bill came as an abrupt about-face after Lams attempt to fast-track the legislation earlier this week. She said there is no timeframe for reopening debate on the matter.

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Protesters run after police fired tear gas during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 12, 2019. | Philip FongAFP/Getty Images

Lam said she felt heartbroken by the violence, adding that this is a time for a responsible government to restore as quickly as possible the calmness of society.

Authorities said 81 people were injured, 22 of them law enforcement officials, in the worst unrest the city has seen in decades. Police labeled the protest a riot, and said they fired 150 canisters of tear gas, several rounds of rubber bullets, and about 20 beanbag shots.

Amnesty International accused the police of using excessive force against largely peaceful protesters. A demonstration mostly of concerned mothers rallied in the city center on Friday, some holding signs reading, dont shoot our kids.

The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the pro-democracy coalition that organized the protests, said another march scheduled for Sunday will proceed as planned. The group said in a statement that the purpose of the demonstration is to condemn the use of force by police brandishing lethal weapons.

The group is also demanding that police withdraw their characterization of the protest as a riot, and release participants who were arrested, without charge. Demonstrators have further called for Lam to both fully retract the bill and step down as the citys Chief Executive.

Tomorrows protest sends a very important message: It tells Carrie Lam that we do not accept her response today, Jimmy Sham, the convenor of CHRF, told reporters after the governments press conference. We tell the 1.03 million who took to the streets on Sunday, we hope you all take another step, and encourage another person to come down too.

A hospital employee in his early 30s, who identified himself only as N., said suspending the bill was better than nothing, but was not a sufficient response. Im still planning to come out tomorrow because Carrie Lam hasnt withdrawn the bill, he said. Its just been put on pause, and thats not good enough.

Read more: Hong Kong Was My Refuge, Now Its Freedom Is at Stake

Lams reversal follows intense pressure across broad sectors of society, as well as the international community, over concerns that the citys democratic freedoms are eroding as an increasingly assertive Beijing seeks to exert greater influence. The former British colony was returned to China in 1997 under an agreement called one country, two systems that guaranteed its autonomy for 50 years, but many say Beijing is steadily chipping away at its freedoms.

The controversy over the extradition proposal has become the latest point of tension between the U.S. and Beijing. On Thursday, members of Congress reintroduced legislation supporting democracy and human rights in Hong Kong. The bill would require an annual assessment of the territorys political autonomy to determine whether it still qualifies for special trade status with the U.S.

Beijing has rebuffed the U.S., saying it would not accept what it has labeled as foreign interference in Hong Kongs affairs, and the Chinese government has summoned a U.S. envoy in Beijing over the matter.Images of riot police battling protesters in Hong Kong this week have reverberated in nearby Taiwan where many recoil at what they fear could be their future if Beijing has its way.

Taiwan has been a self-ruled de facto nation in charge of its own affairs and borders for the last 70 years.

But the leaders in Beijing maintain it is part of their territory and have never given up their threat to retake it, by force if necessary.

In an attempt to persuade Taiwan's 23 million inhabitants to consider a return to the mainland, China has touted the framework it devised with Britain to allow Hong Kong to keep its unique freedoms after the city's 1997 handover.

The "one country, two systems" formula envisages democratic Taiwan joining the authoritarian mainland but keeping some yet to be determined privileges.

But years of sliding freedoms in Hong Kong have undermined those promises, with growing numbers of young Taiwanese now adopting an increasingly hostile view towards the Chinese mainland and a staunchly independent identity.

The unrest in Hong Kong this week has only fanned those suspicions.

"Developments in Hong Kong from the Umbrella Movement to the recent protests, have cemented the view of people in Taiwan that the PRC can't be trusted to preserve their autonomy," Bonnie Glaser, a Taiwan expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told AFP, referring to the 2014 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that failed to win any concessions from Beijing.

- 'One country, one system' -

Taiwan heads to the polls in January to elect a new president in a contest set to be dominated by relations with China.

President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking a second term and hails from a Beijing-sceptical party, has repeatedly referred to the clashes in Hong Kong this week as a wake-up call.

Calling the election a "fight for freedom and democracy" she said one country, two systems "can never be accepted in democratic Taiwan".

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"The protests in Hong Kong make Taiwanese people cherish more our democratic system and way of life," she said Thursday.

Even her political opponents, who favour much warmer ties with China, have spoken in a similar vein.

Potential rival Terry Gou, the billionaire Foxconn boss who is seeking to run as the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang's presidential candidate, called the model "a failure" this week.

"If I become president I will open both arms to invite Hong Kong friends to emigrate to Taiwan because the Republic of China has a free and democratic environment," Gou said in a Facebook post, using Taiwan's formal name.

Taiwanese social media has been filled with messages of concern about what a Beijing-ruled future might hold.

"Hong Kong has already proven to us that there is only 'one country, one system'," one comment on social media read. "If we vote for a pro-China party in 2020, Taiwan will become Hong Kong".

- 'Hegemonic China' -

Beijing cut communication with Tsai's government following her 2016 election, ramping up military drills and poaching several diplomatic allies because she refuses to acknowledge that the self-ruled island is part of "one China".

With China keen to ensure Tsai is defeated in January, the renewed political crisis in Hong Kong is bad timing.

This week the South China Morning Post ran a report suggesting Chinese officials were angry the Hong Kong extradition bill had given fuel to Tsai.

"Taiwan is involved," the paper quoted what it said was a core pro-Beijing figure close to China's liaison office in Hong Kong. "A presidential election is coming and (the legislation) is like sending ammunition to the Democratic Progressive Party, the source added, referring to Tsai's party.

It was the murder of a Hong Kong woman at the hands of her boyfriend while they were on holiday in Taiwan last year that promoted Hong Kong authorities to call for an extradition law.

But Taiwan has become so concerned about its own citizens getting extradited to the Chinese mainland if they pass through Hong Kong that it has publicly said it will not seek the murder suspect's return if the bill goes ahead in its current form.

Taiwanese rights and student groups are planning to stage rallies over the weekend to support the Hong Kong protests.

Lin Fei-fan, a leading activist in Taiwan's 2014 Sunflower Movement opposing a controversial China trade pact, described the extradition bill as an example of how Beijing presented a current threat to his fellow citizens, not a future one.

"Today's Hong Kong is also today's Taiwan," he told a crowd protesting outside Hong Kong's trade office in Taipei this week. "We both face the expansion of a hegemonic China and we are on the frontline of defence."New Delhi (AFP) - India has decided to raise tariffs on imports of 29 goods from the US after having deferred the move several times since announcing it last year, media reported Saturday.

The government had said last June it would raise import taxes on a slew of US goods including almonds and apples, apparently irked by Washington's refusal to exempt New Delhi from higher steel and aluminium tariffs.

But it delayed raising tariffs several times as trade talks between the world's two biggest democracies raised hopes of a resolution.

However President Donald Trump's decision to strip New Delhi of its preferential trade status earlier this month appears to have triggered the latest Indian move.

There would be no further delays in imposing the retaliatory tariffs, the Economic Times reported, quoting a government official, with the new taxes due to take effect from Sunday.

The Press Trust of India news agency said the finance ministry would make a formal announcement soon, although it had already conveyed its decision to the United States.

The trade tensions come despite Washington's effort to boost ties with India as a counterweight to China and Trump's stated good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump and Modi are set to meet at the G20 summit on June 28-29 in Osaka where the sticky trade issue is likely to be taken up.

It is also likely to figure during talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who is set to visit India for talks later this month.

On Wednesday Pompeo had said the US was open to dialogue with India and would "broach some tough topics".

US goods and services trade with India stood at an estimated $142.1 billion in 2018. The US trade deficit with India was $24.2 billion, according to official data.

Washington is already engaged in a full-blown trade war with India's regional rival China.By Andrew Hay

(Reuters) - A six-year-old girl from India died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert after her mother left her with other migrants to go in search of water, a medical examiner and U.S. Border Patrol said on Friday.

The girl, Gurupreet Kaur, soon to celebrate her seventh birthday, was found by U.S. Border Patrol west of Lukeville, Arizona on Wednesday, when temperatures reached a high of 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius), U.S. Border Patrol and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) said.

The girl's death, the second recorded fatality of a migrant child this year in Arizona's southern deserts, highlighted the danger of summer heat as a surge of migrant families, mainly from Central America, cross the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum.

An increasing number of Indian nationals are entering the United States from Mexico, according to immigration officials. They are among thousands of Africans and Asian migrants making the arduous journey, led by smuggling cartels.

The girl and her mother were among a group of five Indian nationals dropped off by smugglers in a remote border area at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 17 miles (27 km) west of Lukeville, a U.S. border town 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Tucson.

After walking some way, the girl's mother and another woman went in search of water, leaving her daughter with another woman and her child.

"Once they went to look for water they never saw them again," said U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavilbaso.

The mother and the other woman wandered in the rugged Sonoran desert wilderness for 22 hours before being found by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who tracked their footprints.

Four hours later, Border Patrol agents found the body of the deceased girl a mile (1.6 km) from the border.

Agents tracked the remaining woman and her 8-year-old daughter into Mexico, before the mother and child re-entered the United States and surrendered to Border Patrol.

The deceased girl died of hyperthermia and her death was ruled an accident, said Greg Hess, PCOME chief medical officer.

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Up to May 30, PCOME recorded 58 migrant deaths in southern Arizona, most heat related. It recorded 127 deaths in 2018.

Border Patrol blamed Kaur's death on the smugglers.

"This is a senseless death driven by cartels who are profiting from putting lives at risk," Tucson Chief Patrol Agent Roy Villareal said.

Human rights activist Juanita Molina said U.S. border security measures were also partly to blame, along with the exhausted state of Indian child migrants once they reach the border.

"They're trying to unload people in places where they can avoid detection themselves," Molina, director of Tucson-based Border Action Network, said of smugglers.

"For a young child, death can come very quickly," she added.

(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Sandra Maler)Passengers on Delta Airlines' Flight 500 from Indianapolis to Paris got an unexpected visit to Detroit on Thursday after an "unruly passenger" caused the plane to divert.

The disturbance happened just after 6 p.m. EDT, according to a federal criminal complaint. About 40 minutes after boarding the flight to Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, authorities say Ian Robert James Morin began "yelling and acting erratically."

According to the complaint, the flight crew tried to calm Morin but he continued to shout and refuse to comply with their demands.

Morin then allegedly hit a flight attendant in the throat with an open hand. The complaint said he tried to strike the attendant a second time, then threw up on the aircraft.

Fair Oaks videos: Ethical questions coming from all directions

Lisa Gass, a spokeswoman for Michigan's Wayne County Airport Authority, confirmed the incident to USA TODAY via email, writing, On Thursday evening, a Delta flight from Indianapolis to Paris was diverted to Detroit Metropolitan Airport due to a disruptive passenger."

She added, "Security personnel on board were able to restrain the man until the aircraft landed. The man was taken into custody. The investigation was turned over to the FBI.

Morin, who resides in the northern Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, appeared in Detroit federal court on Friday afternoon and was released on bond, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Detroit told The Indianapolis Star.

Following the diversion and Morin's removal and arrest, Delta put the flight's other passengers up in hotels for the night and resumed the eight-hour flight to Paris Friday morning, Delta told The Indianapolis Star. The flight was scheduled to land at Charles de Gaulle about 14 hours later than originally planned.

The airline apologized to the passengers for the delay and inconvenience.

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Become an IndyStar subscriber today to support stories like this one. Get unlimited digital access here!

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Contributing: Adrienne Jordan, USA TODAY

Andrew Clark is Facebook editor for IndyStar. Call him at 317-444-6484 or email him at andrew.clark@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Clarky_Tweets.

Contact IndyStar reporter Crystal Hill at 317-444-6094 or cnhill@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @crysnhill.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana man arrested for hitting Delta flight attendant on Paris flight, causing diversionJakarta (AFP) - Indonesia has returned five containers of rubbish to the United States and will not become a "dumping ground", officials said Saturday, the latest Southeast Asian country to return imported waste.

The containers were supposed to contain only paper scrap, according to the customs documents. Instead they were loaded with other waste including bottles, plastic waste, and diapers, said senior environment ministry official Sayid Muhadhar.

"This is not appropriate and we don't want to be a dumping ground," Muhadhar told AFP.

The five containers -- owned by a Canadian company -- were shipped from Seattle in the United States to Indonesia's second biggest city Surabaya in late March, Muhadhar said.

It was not immediately clear where the rubbish originated from.

Indonesia is currently examining several other containers in Jakarta's port and the city of Batam on the island of Sumatra.

It is the latest country to return imported rubbish after neighbouring Malaysia vowed to ship back hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste last month.

The Philippines has ordered tonnes of garbage dumped in the country to be shipped back to Canada, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries.

For years China received the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world, but closed its doors to foreign refuse last year in an effort to clean up its environment.

Huge quantities of waste have since been redirected to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia and to a lesser degree the Philippines.

Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year. Much of that ends up in landfill or in the seas, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).Britain is ready to consider all options available to us to respond if Iran breaches the terms of its international nuclear deal, Downing Street has said.Tehran has threatened to break the uranium stockpile limit set in the 2015 deal within the next 10 days, in the latest escalation of tensions with the international community.The move comes against the backdrop of attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, blamed by the US and Saudi Arabia on Iran, which has denied responsibility.Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned of a great risk of a drift to war as a result of the attacks, but Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged caution, arguing that there is no credible evidence at this point of Irans involvement.Tehrans announcement that it is ready to breach stockpile limits on low-enriched uranium, which can be used in a nuclear reactor but not an atomic bomb, appears to be an attempt to put pressure on European countries to grant the country access to international financial systems which would enable it to work round US sanctions.Downing Street declined to spell out the detail of the options to be considered if the limit is breached. Security officials were meeting on Monday to discuss the situation.But the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed in 2015 sets out a series of steps which could be implemented in response to a failure by one party to meet its commitment, starting with diplomatic pressure and moving up to sanctions.Prime Minister Theresa Mays official spokesman said: We have been clear about our concern at Iranian plans to reduce compliance with the JCPOA.Should Iran cease meeting its nuclear commitments, we would then look at all options available to us.The spokesman confirmed that the UK believes it is almost certain that last Thursdays tanker attacks were carried out by Iran.The UK remains in close co-ordination with international partners to try to find a diplomatic solution to the current tensions, he said.Unintended escalation would not be in any partys interests, said the PMs spokesman.Asked if warships could be deployed to protect merchant shipping, he replied: We have a number of military assets in the region, including our new naval base in Bahrain and our facility in Oman.|But he stressed that Royal Navy ships currently active in the area were taking part in a pre-planned training operation which was not related to the current situation..The PMs spokesman said: As the Foreign Office announced on Friday, the UKs assessment has concluded that it is almost certain that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps attacked the tankers.No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible.These latest attacks build on a picture of destabilizing behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region. That is why we have called on Iran to cease destabilizing activity.DUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - Iran on Saturday summoned the British ambassador to Tehran after Britain said it blamed the country for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, the Students News Agency ISNA reported.

"During the meeting with Iran's foreign ministry official, Iran strongly criticised Britain's unacceptable stance regarding the attacks in the Gulf of Oman ... No other country but Britain has supported America's accusations over the attacks," ISNA reported.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt issued a statement on Friday blaming Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the attacks, saying no other state or non-state actor could have been responsible. Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Hugh Lawson)Rome (AFP) - The world of cinema was in mourning Saturday after Italian film and opera legend Franco Zeffirelli, feted for his lavish productions, died at home in Rome aged 96.

The Oscar-nominated director of movies and operas "died serenely after a long illness, which had worsened these last months," Italian media said, citing family members.

"I never wanted this day to come. Franco Zeffirelli departed this morning. One of the greatest men in the world of culture. We join in the grief of his loved ones. Goodbye, dear Master, Florence will never forget you," tweeted Dario Nardella, mayor of the Tuscan city where ZeffirelliZeffirelli was born.

"Deep emotion over the death of the master Franco Zeffirelli," tweeted Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte after Zeffirelli died in the presence of adopted sons Pippo and Luciano along with a doctor and a priest.

Afflicted by pneumonia for some time, Zeffirelli received the last rites last week, media reports said.

He was, Conte said, "an Italian ambassador of cinema, of art, of beauty. A great film maker, scriptwriter, scenographer. A great man of culture."

Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli said Zeffirelli was "a genius of our time."

The Zeffirelli Foundation offered a simple and affectionate "Ciao Maestro" on its website home page while leading Italian operas from Milan to Venice also paid tribute.

A date and setting for the funeral has yet to be announced but he will be laid to rest in Florence's Sacred Doors Cemetery at the San Miniato al Monte basilica, one of Italy's most scenic churches.

A director, screenwriter, and producer, Zeffirelli has about 20 feature films to his name.

Internationally, he is best known for having directed the 1968 film version of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

He also borrowed from Shakespeare for adaptations of "Hamlet" in 1992 with Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, and "The Taming of the Shrew" in 1967 with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

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Over and above his film work, he directed more than 30 plays and operas.

Born the son of a merchant on February 12, 1923, Zeffirelli was unable to take the name of either of his parents, both of whom were married to other people.

His mother gave him the surname "Zeffiretti' which means "little breeze" but, the story goes, it was misspelt on his birth certificate.

A homosexual and Catholic, Zeffirelli opposed an increasingly liberal sexual climate and came out against recognition of gay couples.

- 'Most exciting' Shakespeare film -

Zeffirelli also tried his hand at politics.

From 1994 to 2001 he was an MP in Italy's upper house for the centre-right Forza Italia party of tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, whom he defended amid escalating stories about the prime minister's sex antics.

But it is for his work as a film director that Zeffirelli will be best remembered.

Film critic Roger Ebert called his "Romeo and Juliet", starring a 15-year-old Olivia Hussey, "the most exciting film of Shakespeare ever made".

His other big films include "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", based on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and, returning to Shakespeare as he did often, "The Taming of the Shrew", in 1968 starred the famously tempestuous Hollywood couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

On the small screen, Zeffirelli put an all-star cast together for the 1977 British-Italian television miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth", the cast of which reads like a who's-who of 1970s acting talent, including Laurence Olivier, Rod Steiger, Anthony Quinn, Anne Bancroft, Claudia Cardinale and Christopher Plummer.

Another great love was opera, with films such as "Callas Forever" (2002), "Pagliacci" (1981) and "La Boheme" (2008), often working in myriad roles, including opera director and production and costume designer.

"The word of culture, and of cinema weeps today at the death of the maestro Franco Zeffirelli, a genius of our times, I love his films," said Italian Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli.

Zeffirelli received an honorary knighthood from Britain in 2004 for his "valuable services to British performing arts".Rome (AFP) - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini Italy on Saturday cleared 10 migrants to leave the rescue boat Sea-Watch 3, Italian media reported, while pressing on with plans to ban the vessel from Italian waters.

The 10, including two pregnant women, were allowed to disembark on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, which lies between the Italian mainland and the north African coast.

The others were three children, another woman, two sick men and two people accompanying them, media reported citing ministry sources.

The vessel rescued 53 migrants drifting in an inflatable raft off the coast of Libya on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, ordered Italian law enforcement to prevent the boat from entering Italian waters.

On Saturday, Salvini announced on Twitter: "I have just signed a ban on the entry, transit and berthing of Sea-Watch 3 in Italian territorial waters, as provided for by the Security Decree."

The decree still has to go before Italy's parliament where the coalition government holds a comfortable majority.

On Tuesday, Salvini said the 18-article decree would bring fines of up to 50,000 euros ($57,000) for the captain, owner and operator of a vessel "entering Italian territorial waters without authorisation".

Salvini has seen his popularity soar in the last year after taking a hard line against migrants, which has included closing ports to rescue vessels.

Salvini says those setting sail from Libya to seek safety in Europe should be returned to the crisis-hit country -- an order that is contentious under international law.

The NGO Sea Watch has repeatedly said it would not land survivors in Libya as it did not consider Tripoli a port of safety.

More than 12,000 people have died since 2014 trying to flee Libya to Europe by what the UN refugee agency calls the "world's deadliest sea crossing".LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - A British-Iranian aid worker jailed in Tehran has begun a hunger strike to demand release, her husband said on Saturday, adding he would support her by fasting outside Iran's embassy in London.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her daughter after a family visit.

She was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran's clerical establishment, a charge denied by her family and the Foundation, a charity organisation that operates independently of Thomson Reuters and Reuters News.

"Today I received a phone call from Nazanin in prison. She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike - she will drink water  to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment," her husband Richard said in a statement.

"Today she sounded nervous, but calm. Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it."

Britain has also called for her release, a demand repeated on Twitter by British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Saturday. Her jailing has added further tension to Britain's already strained ties with Iran.

Iran's judiciary could not immediately be reached for comment. Tehran has previously said her case was in the judiciary's hands.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband said he would stage a hunger strike outside the Iranian Embassy in London from Saturday.

In January, Zaghari-Ratcliffe went on hunger strike for several days in protest after her family said she was refused permission to see a doctor to examine lumps in her breast and to address other health issues.

Her family said she ended the hunger strike a few days later following a decision to grant her medical treatment. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill Editing by Edmund Blair)Jeremy Hunt condemned Jeremy Corbyns response to the Gulf of Oman oil tanker attacks as pathetic and predictable after the Labour leader questioned whether there was credible evidence Iran was responsible.

The US accused Iran of carrying out Thursdays attacks on two oil tankers and the British government announced Friday that it was almost certain Irans Revolutionary Guard was responsible. Iran has denied responsibility.

Mr Corbyn said the governments response was making war more likely.

Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement, Mr Corbyn said. Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.

The foreign secretary, who is also running to be next Conservative leader and prime minister, responded on Twitter, calling Mr Corbyns comments pathetic and predictable.

Mr Corbyn tweeted:

Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement. Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 14, 2019

From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests? Mr Hunt said.

The US has so far released a grainy video which it says show Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from the side of one of the oil tankers.

Donald Trump said the video was proof that Iran was trying to cover up its involvement in the attack by removing the evidence.

Analysts said the video was not definitive although it did appear to show Iranian forces pulling alongside one of the damaged oil tankers several hours after the attack and removing something.

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Nothing presented as evidence proves that the object was placed there by the Iranians. The video shows only that the Iranians chose to remove it for an as yet unknown reason, said Eliot Higgins, the head of the Bellingcat investigative group.

On Friday, US president Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran "did do it".

"I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it. And you saw the boat at night trying to take the mine off and successfully took the mine off the boat, and that was exposed," he said.

The price of oil rocketed on Thursday amid fears of disruption to one of the world's most important tanker routes as a result of instability in the region.

The suspected attacks came after four commercial ships were "subjected to sabotage operations" in the Arabian Gulf in May.

The FCO said a UAE-led investigation concluded that they were conducted by "a sophisticated state actor".

"We are confident that Iran bears responsibility for that attack," the FCO said.Jeremy Corbyn has warned against blaming Iran for an oil tanker attack without "credible evidence", as he claimed the UK government's hard-line rhetoric risked escalating conflict with Tehran.

His remarks came after the Foreign Office said it was "almost certain" that a branch of the Iranian military - the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - attacked the two tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week.

"No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible," a government assessment of the situation added.

Donald Trump claimed on Friday the oil tanker attack had "Iran written all over it", as the the US military released footage it said showed an unexploded mine being removed from one of the tankers by Iranian special forces.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani hit back accusing Washington of "carrying out an aggressive policy and posing a serious threat to regional stability", as his ministers claimed the US had made allegations "without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".

But on his social media account, Mr Corbyn, the Labour leader, said: "Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement.

"Without credible evidence about the tankers attacks, the government's rhetoric will only increase the threat of war."

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry later added on BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that it was important to establish independent evidence - a call made by the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres.

"The idea that we are going to get enmeshed in another war is something that we really need to think about very carefully," she said.

(Reuters)

But Mr Corbyn was quickly rounded on by his critics, with the foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt characterising the Labour leader's response as "pathetic and predictable".

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"From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to bak British allies, British intelligence of British interests?"

Dominic Raab, who is vying to succeed Theresa May as Britain's next prime minister alongside Mr Hunt, added: "Yet again Jeremy Corbyn allows his anti-American prejudice to skew his moral compass and political judgement."

In a statement released on Friday, Mr Hunt added: I condemn yesterdays attacks on two vessels in the Gulf of Oman. Our own assessment leads us to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran. These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region."RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  A Brazilian judge on Friday absolved the man who stabbed then-presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro in his torso last year, citing his mental illness and ordering him held indefinitely in a prison mental facility.

Adelio Bispo de Oliveira has been in police custody since Sept. 6 when he was accused of stabbing Bolsonaro while he was campaigning in the streets of Juiz de Fora, a city 115 miles (186 kilometers) north of Rio de Janeiro. The blade pierced the candidate's intestine and put his life in danger. The attacker was beaten badly by Bolsonaro supporters after the stabbing.

Police said Bispo confessed to the attack and Bolsonaro went on to win the presidential election.

On Friday, judge Bruno Savino ruled that Bispo's preventive detention should be converted into an indefinite internment in a mental facility within the federal prison system.

"The hospitalization will last for an indefinite period until medical experts have proven that he is no longer dangerous," Savino said in a statement from the federal justice system in Minas Gerais state.

The judge had already declared the attacker could not be jailed because he was mentally ill on May 27, so the ruling had been expected.

Bolsonaro said he will appeal the decision.

"Now, if Adelio wanted to say who paid him to try to kill me, it would have no legal value because he is crazy," the far-right president told O Globo newspaper. "They tried to assassinate me. I believe I know who it was, but I cannot say because I do not want to prejudge anyone."

The judge ruled that Bispo must complete his hospitalization within the federal prison system to minimize the risk of an escape and another attack. He said that during his examination he said he intended to attack Bolsonaro again as well as former President Michel Temer.

At the moment of the attack, Bolsonaro was on the shoulders of a supporter, looking out at the crowd and giving a thumbs up with one hand. He was already leading polls with his pro-gun and anti-corruption agenda, while drawing widespread criticism for several racist and homophobic comments.The world has a crush on Keanu Reeves right about now. In fact, several Reeves fans have started Change.org petitions calling for his superstardom to be officially recognized. Some examples of requests include: Daniel Hernandez wants others to help him meet the actor; Prajwal Pagar insists that Reeves be named a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and Trey Orcutt would like a statue to be named after the star. However, the most successful, with 362 supporters, is John Does call for Reeves to be named Time magazines Person of the Year.The saints chose vulnerability over vindictiveness, Colleen Carroll Campbell writes in her new book The Heart of Perfection: How the Saints Taught Me to Trade My Dream of Perfect for Gods. They chose to keep their wounded hearts wide open, like Christs, to keep loving no matter how many times the world or even their own family and friends hurt them. They chose to draw near to God in their suffering rather than to blame Him for it  not once, but again and again and again. Living that way is a different kind of perfect from what Campbell was trying to live in the world as a White House speechwriter (for George W. Bush), newspaper columnist, Catholic TV news anchor, and wife and mother. In an interview, she talks about her life as a recovering perfectionist and some of the saints and others who are helping her consider all good things as gifts from God, and life as a gift to be offered back to Him.

Kathryn Jean Lopez: Is your book really all about freedom? What can your journey with the saints tell us about reconsidering what freedom even is?

Colleen Carroll Campbell: Yes, I think you could say the book is all about freedom: freedom from unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others, freedom from the fear that our flaws make us unworthy of love, freedom from compulsions to compare, compete, and control. More than anything else, The Heart of Perfection is about trading the bondage of perfectionism for the pursuit of a new kind of perfection: the freedom of the children of God.

Lopez: Is perfectionism more widespread than we realize? Is there a test or check of sorts to see if this is a weakness? Are Ignatius Loyolas tools of discernment the best tool to have in your toolkit?

Campbell: Perfectionism is an epidemic in our culture today. Researchers blame it for everything from our soaring rates of pharmaceutical addiction and credit-card debt to the surging popularity of cosmetic surgery and filters on Facebook photos. Several studies have come out recently labeling Millennials as the most perfectionist generation in history. Everyone seems to know we have a problem with this.

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But the problem of spiritual perfectionism  which I would argue is the most subtle and dangerous form of perfectionism  gets overlooked. It fuels a toxic cycle of pride, sin, shame, blame, and despair. It can manifest in everything from anxiety and fear to scrupulosity, compulsive comparisons, workaholism, people-pleasing, addictions to control, and spiritual burnout. And, yes, the discernment rules of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, rooted in Scripture and Ignatiuss own life-or-death battle against discouragement and burnout, are an excellent place to begin when distinguishing healthy spiritual ambition from toxic spiritual perfectionism.

Lopez: Could the most important part of your book be a haunting from a woman named Angelique?

Campbell: Maybe so. Angelique Arnauld is the only heretic who gets her own chapter in The Heart of Perfection, and for anyone tempted to dismiss spiritual perfectionism as a marginal problem or one without ramifications for the larger community of faith, Angelique is a cautionary tale. I wont go into her whole sordid story here  the Mistress of Jansenism had a colorful life, to put it mildly, and I had great fun writing about it in chapter three  but the bottom line is that Angelique got the same advice from Francis de Sales as Saint Jane de Chantal did, yet she didnt take it. The results were catastrophic for her, her religious community, the many Christians she influenced, and, ultimately, the entire Church. We have Angelique to thank in part for the rapid spread of the notorious Jansenist heresy, which haunted the Church for hundreds of years, turned scores sour on God, and stoked the militant secularism of the French Revolution. Perfectionists who refuse to recover can do serious damage even, and especially when they begin as zealous reformers.

Lopez: Do you have a go-to strategy when you get tense and frazzled from a week of too much rushing, too little sleep, and too little prayer?

Campbell: I find the wisdom of the Rule of Saint Benedict helpful here. Benedict, one of the saints I profile in The Heart of Perfection, emphasizes the importance of recognizing our limits: spiritual, physical, psychological. So when I feel things are spinning out of control and Im heading for a train-wreck day, the best thing I can do is pause, pray  even for just a minute on the spot  and ask God what I need to let go of, which of my limits Hes asking me to recognize and respect. Usually that means admitting I cant do everything I want to do as well as I want to do it. Sometimes it means bagging my to-do list altogether. It almost always means prioritizing more prayer and better self-care. Prolonged sleep deprivation and a chronically overstuffed schedule are occasions of sin for me. Both are hazards of life as a homeschooling mom trying to keep my hand in public life with books and speeches. I dont always avoid them as well as I should. But Ive come to see the value in admitting my limits instead of always trying to plow past them.

Lopez: How can spiritual perfectionism steal your joy?

Campbell: Angelique is a terrific example of this. She lived hundreds of years ago, but in some ways her times were very much like ours. The Church was riddled with scandal; the culture was in upheaval; she longed to live a holy life surrounded by holy people but found herself chronically scandalized by everyones shortcomings, including her own. Her living faith hardened into an angry ideology, a club used to whack her critics. Criticism of others replaced praise of God; a desire to win trumped the hunger for holiness. She lost her joy.

The same can happen to us. Were swimming in scandal these days. Bad news screeches at us 24/7 from our omnipresent screens. Social media goad us to constant comparisons of our lives with the lives of others. Its easy to slip into cynicism and despair as Angelique did, to fixate on our flaws and the flaws of others. When we do that, we lose our joy and, with it, our best witness of faith to a spiritually hungry world.

Lopez: Surrender  like joy  is at the heart of Gospel perfection. And its the antithesis of perfectionism. How do you get to the point of real, healthy Christian perfection in the world today? It sounds so dangerously countercultural.

Campbell: Well, in some sense, all of The Heart of Perfection is my attempt to answer that question. But I think we begin with the awareness that this world isnt all there is, that this life isnt where were going to have it all, where everything will go our way and well glide from win to win and everyone will applaud our victories and reward our sacrifices. This aint heaven, and Jesus never said it would be. Trading worldly perfectionism for the pursuit of Gospel perfection is countercultural, and a life more focused on Gods standards than mans probably wont even impress our friends at church. The good news is that when we trade our dreams of perfect for Gods, we find new freedom to let others think what they will and focus instead on moving forward toward our true and lasting home: heaven.

Lopez: How is it easy to mistake perfectionism for a virtue?

Campbell: We live in a perfectionist culture. Many of us imbibed perfectionist theology or came from perfectionist families or faith communities or schools that taught us  however unintentionally  to see perfectionism as a positive. Really, though, I think our tendency in this direction is simply part of our fallen human nature. We think we have to earn Gods love (even if we know better than to say that out loud) because thats how human beings often operate: quid pro quo. Gods unconditional love can be hard to wrap our minds around. So we strive, strive, strive, when what Hes asking for is surrender. God wants us to cultivate virtue; He wants us to cooperate with grace. But what He wants first is for us to open our hearts to His unmerited, unlimited gift of grace. And in some ways, thats more challenging than planning and strategizing and striving.

Lopez: Its easier to lapse into division and despair than to keep our hearts open to the joy of the Holy Spirit and those He wants us to reach with His love. Christians recently celebrated Pentecost. How can we live the gifts of the Holy Spirit better?

Campbell: I think we can begin by consciously cultivating joy. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, but its also something we can choose each day: by opening ourselves to those people, habits, and practices that lead us closer to God and getting distance from those that leach our joy and lead us into perfectionist compulsion. Prayer is obviously a conduit to this deep-down spiritual joy; for me, the sacraments and Scripture and time spent outside, connecting with my family and God in His creation, are surefire means to cultivating joy. So is limiting my screen time, respecting my bodys needs, and avoiding overcommitment. And above all, practicing gratitude: Thanking God every day for all those gifts that my perfectionism would tempt me to overlook in my quest for a flawless life. If, as G. K. Chesterton said, gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder, then we couldnt do better than to give thanks that God is working all things together for our good even now, even in the middle of our imperfect lives.

More from National ReviewWant to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

The big shareholder groups in New Jersey Resources Corporation (NYSE:NJR) have power over the company. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. We also tend to see lower insider ownership in companies that were previously publicly owned.

New Jersey Resources is a pretty big company. It has a market capitalization of US$4.4b. Normally institutions would own a significant portion of a company this size. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about NJR.

Check out our latest analysis for New Jersey Resources

NYSE:NJR Ownership Summary, June 15th 2019

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About New Jersey Resources?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

New Jersey Resources already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own 67% of the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see New Jersey Resources's historic earnings and revenue, below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

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NYSE:NJR Income Statement, June 15th 2019

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. New Jersey Resources is not owned by hedge funds. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of New Jersey Resources

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. The company management answer to the board; and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board, themselves.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

We can see that insiders own shares in New Jersey Resources Corporation. This is a big company, so it is good to see this level of alignment. Insiders own US$52m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 31% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over NJR. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too.

I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow, for free .

If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.The Los Angeles Kings bought out the final two years of defenseman Dion Phaneuf's contract on Saturday, making him a free agent.

Phaneuf, 34, is a three-time All-Star who surpassed the 1,000-game milestone last season. He has 494 career points (137 goals, 357 assists) in 1,048 contests to go along with 55 career playoff games.

The heavy workload has had an effect. Phaneuf tallied a career-low six points (one goal, five assists) in 67 games last season.

The Kings acquired Phaneuf from the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 13, 2018, along with forward Nate Thompson. Ottawa received forwards Marian Gaborik and Nate Shore in exchange.

--Field Level MediaWant to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sell NRB Bearings Limited (NSE:NRBBEARING), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

See our latest analysis for NRB Bearings

NRB Bearings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Vice Chairman Harshbeena Zaveri bought 14m worth of shares at a price of 172 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than 163 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders bought 236k shares for a total of 39m. In the last twelve months NRB Bearings insiders were buying shares, but not selling. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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NSEI:NRBBEARING Recent Insider Trading, June 15th 2019

NRB Bearings is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

NRB Bearings Insiders Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider buying at NRB Bearings. In total, insiders bought 28m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This is a positive in our book as it implies some confidence.

Insider Ownership of NRB Bearings

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. NRB Bearings insiders own about 2.9b worth of shares. That equates to 18% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Does This Data Suggest About NRB Bearings Insiders?

It is good to see recent purchasing. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. Once you factor in the high insider ownership, it certainly seems like insiders are positive about NRB Bearings. Looks promising! I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.Nairobi (AFP) - Eight Kenyan police officers were killed Saturday when their vehicle ran over a landmine during a patrol near the border with Somalia, police said.

Police Inspector General Hilary Mutyambai said a landcruiser with 11 police on board "was hit by an improvised explosive device".

He did not give a toll but a regional police source told AFP: "We lost eight police officers in this attack".

They had been on patrol between Khorof-Harar and Konton in Wajir county on the border between Kenya and Somalia, Mutyambai added.

Kenyan media had reported an attack on Konton Friday by Islamist Al-Shabaab insurgents who kidnapped three Kenyan police reservists. AFP has not been able to confirm the information.

The patrol hit in Saturday's explosion was deployed in response to the reported incidents in Konton.

In June last year, eight Kenyan police were killed in a roadside bomb attack in the same region.

Wajir county and its neighbours Mandera and Garissa are frequently targeted in Shabaab attacks, notably security personnel deployed there to monitor the frontier.

The Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group has claimed several similar attacks targeting Kenyan police and soldiers.

The Shabaab has been fighting since 2007 to topple Somalia's fragile government, which is backed by a 20,000-strong African Union force, Amisom.

The insurgents fled fixed positions they once held in Mogadishu in 2011, and have since lost many of their strongholds.

But they retain control of large rural swathes of the country and continue to wage a guerrilla war against the authorities.

The group has carried out a number of attacks in Kenya since 2011 in reprisal for the country's participation in Amisom.Photo: Liveoak Technologies/Facebook

Austin-based collaboration and insurance company Liveoak Technologies has secured $8 million in Series A funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the citys recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced June 4 and led by S3 Ventures.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "Liveoak is a virtual customer engagement and business platform that enables your representatives to connect, engage and complete work with customers in a seamless way. Liveoak seamlessly combines modern conferencing, forms collaboration, e-Signature and efficient data/I.D. capture combined with bank-grade security and a complete System-of-Audit"

The five-year-old startup has raised six previous funding rounds, including a $2.5 million seed round in 2017.

The round brings total funding raised by Austin companies in sales and marketing over the past month to $55 million, an increase of $44 million from the month before. The local sales and marketing industry has produced 19 funding rounds over the past year, yielding a total of $133 million in venture funding.

In other local funding news, machine learning company Hypergiant announced a corporate round on June 5.

According to Crunchbase, "Hypergiant Industries is the AI industrial complex for leading global enterprises and governments. We help major institutions innovate with breakthrough machine intelligence-driven technology, and make sense of data at the intersection of critical infrastructures through our integrated approach of AI products and services. The solutions, products, and companies Hypergiant Industries create support its customers on their mission to speed beyond norms and realize an exploded potential of the future we were promised through AI."

The company also raised a seed round in 2017.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.(Adds latest stories)

June 15 (Reuters) - Hong Kong media reported the city's government would suspend a proposed law that would allow people to be extradited to mainland China for trial, after widespread anger and large protests.

Cracks began to appear on Friday in the support base for the extradition bill with several pro-Beijing politicians and a senior advisor to Lam saying discussion of the bill should be shelved for the time being.

The proposal, and official refusals to back down, have sparked growing outrage in the business, diplomatic and legal communities, which fear corrosion of the legal autonomy of Hong Kong and the difficulty of guaranteeing a fair trial in China.

Following are Reuters top stories on the news: > EXPLAINER-Why extradition bill is fuelling fears > HK media say controversial bill may be suspended > China summons US diplomat over HK remarks > Protesters scuffle with police, govt offices shut > Police fire rubber bullets as protests spiral

> HK lawyers protest extradition bill in rare march > Extradition bill a "terrible blow" -Patten > Bill is 'final nail' in HK's coffin -activist > Pupils petition against extradition bill > HK introduces concessions to extradition bill > UK, Canada express concern over proposed bill > EU lodges formal diplomatic note against HK bill > HK activists get Germany asylum, denounce bill > HK leader presses on, undeterred by critics > Pompeo meets Hong Kong pro-democracy leader > HK lawmakers clash over extradition bill > Bill seen raising risks for U.S. interests > HK law could instil fear, says Taiwan official > Spectre of bill spreads as HK bookseller flees > Thousands rally to protest extradition bill > HK launches extradition law despite opposition > Protesters arrested over proposed extradition law

EXCLUSIVE > Hong Kong tycoons move assets offshore amid fears > HK police "trapped in middle" by polarising bill > HK judges see risks in proposed extradition bill

Story continues

BREAKINGVIEWS > Corporate clout on the line in Hong Kong fight > Hong Kong fumbles its China extradition fix > Hong Kong's China extradition experiment unnerves

FEATURES > Independence advocates fear reach of planned bill

(Compiled By Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Michael Perry)1950 Winrock Blvd. | Photo: Apartment Guide

According to rental site Zumper, median rents for a one bedroom in Greater Uptown are hovering around $1,200, which is on par with the one-bedroom median for Houston as a whole.

So how does the low-end pricing on a Greater Uptown rental look these days  and what might you get for the price?

We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments from Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in the neighborhood, which, according to Walk Score ratings, is quite walkable, is bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options.

Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

5331 Beverly Hill St.

This one-bedroom, one-bathroom space, situated at 5331 Beverly Hill St., is listed for $732/month for its 510 square feet.

The residence offers a dishwasher, hardwood flooring and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include on-site laundry. Both cats and dogs are welcome.

(See the complete listing here.)

6403 Del Monte Drive

Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom living space at 6403 Del Monte Drive, which, at 650 square feet, is going for $745/month.

The building boats on-site laundry. In the unit, expect a dishwasher, hardwood flooring and in-unit laundry. Good news for animal lovers: both dogs and cats are permitted here.

(See the full listing here.)

5219 Richmond Ave.

Then there's this 725-square-foot rental with one bedroom and one bathroom at 5219 Richmond Ave., listed at $780/month.

The residence comes with a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. The building boasts assigned parking. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the listing here.)

1950 Winrock Blvd.

Story continues

And here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 1950 Winrock Blvd., which, with 630 square feet, is going for $819/month.

The building offers a fitness center and on-site laundry. The apartment also comes with large windows and internet access. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are welcome. Expect a $300 pet fee, $150 pet fee.

(Check out the listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Antananarivo (AFP) - Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina's coalition has won an absolute majority in the new parliament, according to provisional results published Saturday by the country's electoral commission (CENI), although the opposition is crying foul.

Projections based on the number of votes won by the various parties in the May 28 election give the president's is coalition 84 places in the national assembly's 151-seat chamber.

Deputies supporting his defeated rival for the presidency, Marc Ravalomanana -- who lost in the second-round presidential run-off last December -- won only 16 seats, according to the provisional results.

The remaining 51 seats went to deputies backing candidates who describe themselves as independents.

The results published by CENI still have to be validated by the constitutional court. It will announce its decision in a few weeks, once it has examined any legal objections.

Turnout was low, at 31 percent, for the May 28 legislative election.

The day after voting, Ravalomanana's opposition TIM ("I Love Madagascar") party said it was preparing legal action over the election.

"We have seen a lot of anomalies in all of the provinces and we are preparing our appeals," said Olga Ramalason, a TIM senator.

But an election observer mission from the Southern African Development Community has praised the peaceful conditions maintained for the election. The island has a long history of coups and unrest.

The parliamentary election was seen as the latest round of a bitter feud between Rajoelina and his longstanding rival Ravalomanana and his TIM ("I Love Madagascar") party.

The two men have dominated the country's politics since the early 2000s, sometimes cooperating but mostly fighting for advantage and high office.

The former French colony is well known for its vanilla and precious redwood, yet is one of the world's poorest nations, according to World Bank data, with 76 percent of people living in extreme poverty.Madrid (AFP) - Madrid's city hall swung to the right on Saturday after a conservative candidate was elected mayor with the support of newly-emerged far-right party Vox, in a move that has caused concern in Spain.

Three weeks after municipal elections in Spain and after non-stop negotiations, Jose Luis Martinez Almeida of the Popular Party (PP) was voted in as mayor with the support of councillors from the centre-right Ciudadanos and Vox.

A similar deal has been reached in other city halls in Spain, as the far-right party which a year ago was on the outer margins of politics gains ground around the country.

Altogether, 30 councillors voted for Martinez Almeida in a constituent session at Madrid city hall, more than the absolute majority needed.

He will replace Manuela Carmena, a former judge who was elected in 2015 on a left-wing citizen platform.

The PP will govern the Spanish capital in a coalition with Ciudadanos, with the outside support of Vox.

After the vote, Pepu Hernandez, who had been the Socialist Party's candidate for the Madrid mayorship, slammed the PP and Ciudadanos for cosying up to Vox.

"You're going to hear us lament as much as is necessary the fact that you decided to grant a force like Vox the capacity to decide and condition the government of the most important city in Spain, one of the most important in the world," he said.

The French presidency has warned Ciudadanos, with whom President Emmanuel Macron's list will sit in the European Parliament as part of the centrist "Renew Europe" group, against getting close to Vox.

"We need ideological coherence. A progressive and liberal group cannot afford to be accused of weakness or ambiguities" by getting close to populist forces, a source in the Elysee presidential office, who refused to be named, told AFP.

The PP and Ciudadanos have already signed an 80-point deal over how they want to govern the city.

One of these points calls for a review of Madrid Central, a traffic restriction scheme in the city centre implemented by Carmena.

The restrictions, which hope to reduce gas emissions by 40 percent by encouraging people to take public transport or bicycles, sees drivers banned from accessing the centre and fined if they do.

In the agreement, the PP and Ciudadanos agreed "a moratorium on the imposition of fines" from July 1 while they review the scheme.A man claims he was kicked off a cruise and never gotten the chance to appeal to the captain. (Photo: NBC Miami)

A loyal Norwegian Cruise Line passenger was shocked when a captain ordered him off the boat, and there was nothing he could do to dispute his decision, according to his passenger ticket which counted as a contract.

Robert and Esther Gaines have spent many vacations on NCLs ships, including their honeymoon 40 years ago. Esther told NBC Miami that they have never had a bad experience.

Were loyal NCL customers and thats what the biggest thing is, its the shock that this happened to us, Robert told the station.

In May, Robert and his wife booked a seven-night cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway. They were set to sail from the United States to the British Virgin Islands and then to the Bahamas. However, Robert didnt make it that far. According to Esther, her husband was ejected at the begging of our cruise.

Robert said that his ejection from the ship was the result of an interaction with a crew member. His family had allegedly booked a show on the boat in advance, but he was informed he was not listed.

I said, Listen you idiot, Im telling you right now that my family is in the show. Why are you keeping me out of the show? Robert said. They started calling security and I may have made a comment that said you better get more than a couple because Im a big guy. They were really scaring me.

Robert claims the incident did not get physical and that he complied with security and gave them a statement.

However, more than 24 hours after the incident, security officers knocked on the couples cabin door.

She said because of the incident the captain has reviewed everything and hes decided Robert has to disembark in Tortola, Esther said. Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. I gasped, I couldnt believe they were saying that.

Robert added, I was like public enemy number one.

He claims he spent hundreds of dollars to get back home after being left at Tortola, and that he was never able to dispute what happened. However, it appears the cruise line and the captain were not in the wrong in their decision.

Story continues

If something happens and they want to kick you off the ship, they are not only the police, Brett Rivkind, a maritime lawyer, told the station, they are the judge and the jury.

A passenger ticket is essentially a contract, according to Rivkind. Robert, however, admits that, while he has been on many cruises, he has never read the agreement. Now, hes hopeful his story will encourage others to be more mindful.

A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson provided the following statement to Yahoo Lifestyle: "We are in the business of providing incredibly positive and memorable experiences for all our guests. We also care deeply about our team members and work very hard to ensure they are happy and treated with the utmost respect. Therefore, we do not take kindly to anyone who behaves badly by disparaging others or creating an environment which erodes the experience we are providing for our guests and crew.

"As such, we have a zero-tolerance policy aboard our fleet when it comes to inappropriate or discourteous behavior. Guests are advised of this in our Guest Conduct Policy, which is agreed to by all guests upon payment of the cruise fare.

The statement continues: Any guest that violates these policies is subject to removal from the ship by order of the captain and is responsible for all travel arrangement expenses incurred. All travel companions of a removed guest remain in good standing and receive the exceptional service for which our crew members are recognized.

It concludes: Please know that we do not take the removal of guests from ships lightly."

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Near record high temperatures. High near 80F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with gusty winds developing after midnight. Low near 40F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - A Brazilian judge on Friday acquitted a mentally ill man of attacking far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on last year's campaign trail, but jailed him for an "indefinite period."

Adelio Bispo de Oliveira stabbed Bolsonaro in the stomach on September 6 during a campaign rally in Juiz de Fora, in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais.

Police previously said Bispo acted alone in a premeditated political attack that almost cost Bolsonaro his life.

Bispo suffers a delusional disorder and for that reason cannot be tried under Brazilian law, the federal judge ruled.

However owing to the "high risk" to himself and his wish to attack Bolsonaro and former president Michel Temer, Bispo should remain in a federal prison where he can receive treatment, the judge said.

Bolsonaro said he would try to have the decision overturned.

Bolsonaro thinks that declaring Bispo mentally ill is a way to protect the attack masterminds.

"They tried to kill me. I am certain who they were, but I can't say, I don't want to prejudge anyone," he told local media.

"This is a crime against a presidential candidate who now has the mandate and we must go to the final consequences of that situation."

Bolsonaro vowed to appeal.

"I will contact my lawyer. I will try to do whatever is possible," he said.One man shared a story about how he paid 20 for a cup of tea, boiled egg and toast in a London cafe. [Photo: Getty]

A mans tweet about how he spent 20 on a cup of tea, boiled egg and toast in a London cafe has gone viral, but not for the reasons you might think.

On first glance, the tweet looks as though it is going to be a thread complaining about the price of food in London.

After all, London recently climbed eight places in the worlds most expensive cities list. Paying 20 for a breakfast isnt unexpected amongst Londoners.

However, on closer inspection this is a different type of story.

20 for a boiled egg, one piece of toast and a mug of tea?



The story of a modern London cafe...



(Read to end of thread before commenting!) pic.twitter.com/h4Zz0xihHc  Steve Parks (@steveparks) June 13, 2019

READ MORE: A cat festival is coming to London this summer

Steve Parks encourages people to read to the end of the thread before commenting.

We quickly learn that the the cafe where he had his breakfast, simply named Eggs And Bread, in Walthamstow, North London, encourages people to pay what they can afford for breakfast.

One of the threads of Mr Parks tweet reads: There are brilliant charities and volunteers that provide food handouts, soup kitchens, food banks and so on. And this cafe is actually a new (to me at least) approach to that. It is open to *everyone*, and is Free - pay what you like, if you like.

There are brilliant charities and volunteers that provide food handouts, soup kitchens, food banks and so on.



And this cafe is actually a new (to me at least) approach to that.



It is open to *everyone*, and is Free - pay what you like, if you like pic.twitter.com/TBBiX963I0  Steve Parks (@steveparks) June 13, 2019

READ MORE: Skipping breakfast could lead to increased risk of heart attack

Story continues

The cafe, located near Wood Street Station, has a very simple menu consisting of eggs, toast, with jam and honey, porridge and coffee or tea.

It works on a self-service basis so customers boil their own eggs, pour their own tea and toast their own bread.

Although its self-service, Eggs and Bread has a supervisor on hand at all times to help anybody who needs it and to restock the supplies.

Over 100,000 people have shared Mr Parks tweet, many of whom have thanked him for bringing establishments like this to their attention.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK:If your soon-to-be spouse is in debt, here's what you should consider before the wedding.



Newly married couple leaving a church.

Image Source: Getty Images.

Getting married means combining many aspects of your financial life -- even if you decide to try to maintain separate accounts. So if your current or future spouse has a lot of debt, this is inevitably going to impact you too.

Debt can add stress to a relationship and make money fights much more likely, so its important to address the issue upfront as early as possible. You and your beloved need to be on the same page, and you need a plan for how youll tackle the debt. Here are a few tips to help you make that plan.

Discuss how the debt will affect your financial goals

When one partner is in debt, this can affect every aspect of your joint financial lives. For example, you may not be able to buy a house as soon as you planned because your partners debt-to-income ratio will be too high thanks to loan payments. Or you may not have as much money to devote to other goals, such as saving for retirement or starting a family, because money needs to go towards servicing the debt.

Its important to have a real understanding of what a lot of debt could mean for you and to set goals together that are realistic in light of the financial situation youre in. You should also consider whether debt payoff will be a primary goal that you try to accomplish ASAP or whether youll live with the debt for decades if its something like student loan debt that has a long payoff timeline.

Decide how youll handle repayment -- separately or together

If youll be combining finances entirely, then debt payoff will obviously need to be a joint goal that you work on together. But if youll maintain separate bank accounts, youll need to decide if the money for debt payment will come solely out of your spouses paychecks or if youll both work on paying it down.

There are some obvious pros to joining forces and throwing as much money as you can at the debt, especially if it is high-interest debt such as credit card debt. After all, if two people are working on paying it back, you can make larger monthly payments and really accelerate your debt payoff timeline.

Story continues

On the other hand, if youre hoping to maintain separate accounts so you can each have financial freedom to do what you want with much of your money, you may not want a lot of your spare cash going to your spouses debt. If thats the case, make sure youre both OK with the idea that the debt is going to be the responsibility of the spouse who acquired it.

Anticipate how future life events, such as having children, could affect your payoff plan

While you may have grand plans for your spouse to pay off debt out of his or her account only, or you may believe youll be able to become debt free in a few years, the reality is that life sometimes gets in the way.

You need to consider how big changes youre anticipating could affect your payoff plans -- and you also need to talk about unexpected surprises. For example, if you have separate accounts and your spouse is paying off his own debt, what would happen if he became unemployed or decided to become a stay-at-home dad? Would you chip in?

You need to be on the same page about how youll plan for contingencies and adjust for life changes while making sure the debt gets paid.

Make and live by a budget that takes your partners debts into account

Whether youll have shared accounts or separate ones, you need to make sure youre able to afford your lifestyle while still working on getting the debt paid down. This can be especially important if you do plan to maintain separate bank accounts. After all, how is it going to work if one spouse can afford a vacation or to pay rent on a nicer apartment and the other cant because all of their money is going towards paying back student loans?

Sit down and work out what youll spend, what youll save, and what youll put towards the debt and make sure the budget is realistic and agreeable to you both. This will help you avoid a lot of fights and resentment during the debt payback process.

Consider whether you need to take steps to protect yourself financially

In some cases, it will be really important for you to make sure you dont get stuck sharing legal responsibility for your spouses debt if you end up divorced or if your spouse passes away.

While no one likes to think about these things, you need to be practical and make sure youre protecting yourself when entering into a marriage -- especially if theres a big earning disparity between you and your spouse or if you have children from a prior relationship and you want to make sure theyre financially protected.

In most cases, debt your spouse comes into the marriage with belongs only to your spouse alone and you wont become responsible for paying it after a divorce. But if you refinance the debt into both of your names or if your spouse gets more indebted and you live in a community property state, you could be on the hook for payback.

To protect yourself, understand your states rules for when one persons debt becomes shared marital debt that you could be held legally liable for. And if necessary, consider talking with a lawyer about a prenuptial agreement. Its not romantic, but it could spare you a lot of financial heartache if something goes wrong.

Take these steps ASAP so debt doesnt hurt your relationship

Taking each of these steps is very important because you dont want the debt your spouse has to introduce resentment in your relationship or to cause money fights. When you make a plan together for how to handle the debt, you can make sure youre on the same page and that becoming debt free fits well into your joint financial goals.

The Motley Fool owns and recommends MasterCard and Visa, and recommends American Express. Were firm believers in the Golden Rule. If we wouldnt recommend an offer to a close family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Ascent either. Our number one goal is helping people find the best offers to improve their finances. That is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Chaos erupted in a neighbourhood in Memphis, Tennessee after US Marshals shot and killed a young black man.

Brandon Webber, 20, was getting into his car when US marshals approached and attempted to take him into custody. Webber was wanted on several felony warrants.

When the marshals tried to make their arrest, he reportedly rammed his vehicle into the officers vehicles multiple times before exiting with a weapon, says the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

At that point, The officers fired, striking and killing the individual.

No officers were injured in the altercation that ultimately lead to Webbers death, however, as community members came out demanding answers and accountability, some members of the police force were hurt.

As residents gathered in the street near where the shooting occurred, police responding by forming a human wall and ordering people off the streets. As tensions escalated, police turned to riot shields and tear gas to manage the crowd, who were throwing rocks and bricks at the officers.

Six officers were wounded, multiple police cars were vandalised, and two journalists were hurt in the riots. Three were arrested.

There is no body camera footage of the shooting, as federal agents arent required to use body cams, Dave Oney, a spokesperson for US Marshals Service told CNN.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and the US Marshals Service will conduct an internal review of the fatal altercation. The US Marshals Service not release the names of marshals involved in shooting until the investigation is completed, as per department policy.

Shelby County Commissioner and mayoral candidate Tami Sawyer took to Twitter to share her concerns on the matter.

I was in Frayser tonight because Brandon Webber was shot 16-20 times in his familys front yard on the same day as the Pulse nightclub shooting anniversary and on the same day that the DA chose not to charge another police officer for murdering a civilian.

Story continues

Ms Sawyer continued: Dont judge Frayser without asking a community how it feels to mourn their youth over and over again.

What do people do with their pain and trauma when it gets to be too much, when a city has ignored them, when their loss is too great and they can no longer yell at the sky?PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. (AP)  The annual race up the highest peak in the northeastern United States ended Saturday in the first photo finish atop the summit of cold and windy Mount Washington.

Brittni Hutton, 29, of Lubbock, Texas, led the entire race but Heidi Caldwell, 27, of Craftsbury Common, Vermont, caught her at the finish line Saturday.

Both finished with a time of 1 hour, 16 minutes, 17 seconds in the women's division of the 7.6-mile (12-kilometer) race to the 6,288-foot (1,917-meter) top of Mount Washington. Judges initially thought Hutton had won but later declared a tie upon further review, a spokesman said.

Eric Blake, 40, of West Hartford, Connecticut, won the men's division with a time of 1:02:52, besting a Kenyan, Francis Kamiri, 32, by about a minute.

In the women's race, Hutton was competing for the first time in a mountain race and jumped to a lead that she never relinquished. She said she didn't realize Caldwell, who finished in second place last year, was creeping up from behind on the final sprint.

"I had no idea she was right there behind me. I told myself I could do it. It felt like lightning struck. I was like, 'C'mon, you can!'" Hutton said.

Race officials said it was the first photo finish in the 59 years of the race.

In the men's division, Kamiri, who trains in Birmingham, Alabama, also ran the race for the first time. He jumped to an early lead but could not hang onto it.

The weather was nearly as brutal as the difficult, all-uphill race.

While most of New England was enjoying a pleasant, sunny day, Mount Washington had a temperature of about 37 degrees and gusts of 50 mph at the start of the race.

__

This story has been corrected to show that race officials, upon further review, declared a tie in the women's division.Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

One of the best investments we can make is in our own knowledge and skill set. With that in mind, this article will work through how we can use Return On Equity (ROE) to better understand a business. We'll use ROE to examine Minda Corporation Limited (NSE:MINDACORP), by way of a worked example.

Minda has a ROE of 14%, based on the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.14.

View our latest analysis for Minda

How Do I Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Minda:

14% = 1.7b  12b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.)

Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. Shareholders' equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company.

What Does Return On Equity Mean?

ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, all else equal, investors should like a high ROE. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies.

Does Minda Have A Good ROE?

Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. The image below shows that Minda has an ROE that is roughly in line with the Auto Components industry average (13%).

Story continues

NSEI:MINDACORP Past Revenue and Net Income, June 15th 2019

That's not overly surprising. ROE can give us a view about company quality, but many investors also look to other factors, such as whether there are insiders buying shares. I will like Minda better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity

Most companies need money -- from somewhere -- to grow their profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking.

Combining Minda's Debt And Its 14% Return On Equity

Minda has a debt to equity ratio of 0.45, which is far from excessive. Although the ROE isn't overly impressive, the debt load is modest, suggesting the business has potential. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality.

The Key Takeaway

Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. Companies that can achieve high returns on equity without too much debt are generally of good quality. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE.

But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company.

Of course Minda may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have high ROE and low debt.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.701 Kettner Blvd. | Photo: Zumper

According to rental site Zumper, median rents for a one bedroom in Marina are hovering around $2,272, compared to a $1,699 one-bedroom median for San Diego as a whole.

So how does the low-end pricing on a Marina rental look these days  and what might you get for your money?

We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments from Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in the neighborhood, which, according to Walk Score ratings, is a "walker's paradise," is great for biking and has excellent transit.

Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

750 State St.

This one-bedroom, one-bathroom rental, situated at 750 State St., is listed for $2,100/month for its 865 square feet.

In the unit, anticipate air conditioning and a fireplace. Pets are not allowed. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

701 Kettner Blvd.

Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom living space at 701 Kettner Blvd., which, at 761 square feet, is also going for $2,100/month.

In the unit, the listing promises a fireplace. Pets are not permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the full listing here.)

120 Island Ave.

Then there's this 935-square-foot abode with one bedroom and one bathroom at 120 Island Ave., listed at $2,195/month.

When it comes to building amenities, expect a fitness center and a roof deck. In the unit, anticipate air conditioning, hardwood flooring and a balcony. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(See the listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Andrea Shalal

PARIS, June 15 (Reuters) - NATO faces significant costs if it does not act soon to choose a successor for its ageing fleet of 14 Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) surveillance aircraft, often called the alliance's "eyes in the sky", senior officials said.

Michael Gschossmann, general manager of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agency that manages the AWACS fleet, said he expected to finalise by December a $750 million contract with U.S. arms maker Boeing Co to extend the life of the aircraft through 2035, with $250 million more earmarked for design, spare parts and testing.

But he said it was critical to decide quickly how to replace the 1979/1980-era airplanes, with their distinctive radar domes on the fuselage, or NATO would need to take costly steps to keep them flying even longer.

"We have to get moving on this. We have to ensure that the studies move along quickly. We need a reality check," he said.

The AWACS planes are among the few military assets owned and operated by NATO, rather than individual states. They are used to conduct missions such as air policing, support for counter-terrorism operations, evacuations, and crisis response.

Gschossmann told Reuters NATO could follow the lead of member states Britain and Turkey in purchasing the E-7, a newer radar plane also built by Boeing. Those aircraft, he said, were large enough to add potential new capabilities, such as operating drones for expanded surveillance, in coming years.

"We have to ensure that we acquire a system that has growth potential, but that also  for financial and time reasons  is based on existing capabilities," he said.

NATO is considering the AWACS replacement issue as part of a broader study of surveillance, but the process has dragged out given rapidly changing threats and newly emerging capabilities.

France and the United States also operate E-3A aircraft and could potentially buy E-7 planes in coming years, which could lower costs by generating larger order quantities.

Story continues

"Why don't we bet on the proven technology that we already have in the E-7 and provide NATO with a certain number of those aircraft? That would give us a basic capability that could be expanded in the future," he said.

George Riebling, deputy general manager of the agency and a former senior U.S. official, said NATO was running out of time.

"If you don't have an idea of what you're going to do to replace NATO AWACS, then the 'F' in Final Lifetime Extension Programme (FLEP) can't stand for final," he said.

"There will be things we need to do to the NATO E-3A fleet to keep it flying past 2040."

The FLEP programme will update the aircraft's mission system, as well as the processors for its electronic support measures (ESM) antenna. But it does not cover the radar itself, which would have doubled the cost. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)Photo: Casa d'Paco/Yelp

Craving Spanish food?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Spanish spots around Newark, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges.

1. Casa d'Paco

Photo: casa d'paco/Yelp

Topping the list is Casa d'Paco. Located at 73 Warwick St., the tapas bar, wine bar and Spanish spot is the highest-rated Spanish restaurant in Newark, boasting 4.5 stars out of 558 reviews on Yelp.

2. Fornos Of Spain

Photo: christopher v./Yelp

Next up is Fornos of Spain, situated at 47 Ferry St. With four stars out of 643 reviews on Yelp, the tapas bar, Spanish and Basque spot has proven to be a local favorite.

3. Casa Vasca

Photo: gladys r./Yelp

Casa Vasca, located at 141 Elm St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Spanish spot, which offers seafood and more, four stars out of 210 reviews.

4. Catas

Photo: jadira q./Yelp

Check out Catas, which has earned four stars out of 151 reviews on Yelp. You can find the tapas bar, lounge and Spanish spot at 538 Market St.

5. Manny's Restaurant BBQ & Deli

Photo: brian d./Yelp

And then there's Manny's Restaurant BBQ & Deli, a local favorite with four stars out of 17 reviews. Stop by 100 Thomas St. to hit up the Spanish spot, which offers barbecue and more, next time the urge strikes.

This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.By Maki Shiraki and Linda Sieg

TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co is considering giving its alliance partner Renault SA some seats on planned oversight committees after the French automaker expressed discontent with the envisioned governance reform, a source said.

The two-decade-old partnership of Nissan and Renault was plunged into a crisis earlier this week, as the French automaker's demand for a greater say in Nissan's new governance system drew rare public censure by the Japanese firm.

Renault, which owns 43.4% of the Japanese firm, signaled it would block Nissan from formally adopting an overhauled governance structure at a June 25 shareholder meeting - unless Renault received representation on new Nissan committees.

Nissan is now considering having Renault executives as members of the nomination, audit and compensation committees, a person with direct knowledge said.

"Nissan will have to make concessions for our governance reform," this person said. "Whether two or three seats, we still don't know how many committees we will be giving to Renault, but we are in talks with Renault to give some seats to someone recommended by Renault."

Jean-Dominique Senard, Renault's chairman, said earlier in the week that he was confident of reaching an agreement with Nissan on the composition of the Japanese company's main board committees. He said he would support Nissan's governance reform if the Japanese firm allowed Renault's two representatives on Nissan's board to be part of its powerful committees.

Nissan had offered to let only Senard to sit on the committees but Renault is insisting its chief executive Thierry Bollore also have a role.

A second source familiar with Nissan's thinking said that there is no agreement yet on Renault's recommendations and the two companies are still negotiating.

"There is still a gap ... both sides need to make concessions. The question is whether they can narrow (the gap)," this person said.

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In a related development, the source with direct knowledge said that Nissan has recommended Yasushi Kimura, adviser to leading fuel distributor JXTG Holdings Inc, to become the chairman of Nissan's board of directors.

Kimura will have to be approved to become an external director at the shareholder meeting slated for June 25. His official appointment as chairman of the board will be decided at the board meeting after the shareholder meeting.

(Writing by Ayai Tomisawa; editing by Christian Schmollinger)PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP)  Patrick Reed flubbed the chip. That lob wedge paid the price.

The 2018 Masters champion snapped the wedge over his thigh after leaving the ball in the rough on a delicate chip from right of the 18th green at the U.S. Open on Friday.

After taking it out on the wedge, he tossed the club shards toward his bag, grabbed another wedge, and chipped onto the putting surface. His putt to save double bogey helped him make the cut on the number at 2 over ... all of which gave him about 12 hours to find a new wedge (or fix the broken one) for Saturday's round.

CLUTCH PUTTS

Nobody would've blamed last year's runner-up, Tommy Fleetwood, for making alternate plans for the weekend after he drove into the water off the 18th tee.

A 14-foot putt from the fringe that dropped assured he wouldn't have to leave so soon.

Fleetwood's make saved bogey and left him at 2-over par after Friday's round, among the 79 players who finished in a tie for 60th or better and made the weekend.

Rhys Enoch will join him. Enoch sank a 4-foot slider on 18 to finish a round of 5-under 67  tied for the second-best score of the day  and also make the cut on the number.

Among those going home include Justin Thomas (4 over), 2009 champion Lucas Glover (3 over), whose 10-year past-champion exemption is now over, Tony Finau (3 over), who played in the final group in last year's U.S. Open and finished fifth, and Ernie Els (6 over), who received a special exemption to this year's Open at age 49.

CAP, GOWN AND DRIVER

Brandon Wu will have to skip graduation at Stanford this weekend.

Wu was among the biggest surprises at Pebble Beach, shooting 2-under 69 to easily make the cut.

Wu won his final match at Stanford as the Cardinal won the NCAA title over Texas. Then, he flew to Ohio and qualified for his first U.S. Open. Wu said after that qualifier that his goal was to make the cut in the U.S. Open, and that maybe he would wear his cap and gown down the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach if he can't make the commencement.

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"This is honestly the dream ending I could have had in my senior year at Stanford," he said.

WISE UP

Aaron Wise had a wild ride to end the second round of the U.S. Open right where he started.

Wise posted a round with five birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey to finish at even-par 71, leaving him four shots behind leader Gary Woodland. He closed with a flourish, birdieing the 17th and 18th holes to get back to where he started the day, at 5 under for the tournament.

"The hardest part of playing an Open, especially when you're playing well and maybe not having your best day, is staying patient and not trying to force things," he said. "I felt I did an amazing job. I was able to stay patient, wait for the birdies to come to me. And 17 was a huge birdie, and to get one on 18 and finish even for the day makes me feel good."

This is the 22-year-old Wise's best performance yet at the U.S. Open. He missed the cut in 2016 and 2018, posting a combined score of 21-over par in those four rounds.

OLD MAN FURYK

Jim Furyk will stick around for the weekend in his 24th consecutive U.S. Open.

It didn't look like that would be the case when the 2003 champion stood at 4-over par through 14 holes in the opening round. But he birdied two holes own the stretch and carried that momentum into the second round where he posted the lowest score of the morning with a 4-under 67.

That left the 49-year-old Furyk at 2 under for the tournament, five shots off the lead.

"I needed to come out today and play a solid round," Furyk said. "I think that finish the last six holes yesterday I played very well, and that allowed me to kind of get out there today and kind of build off of it."

DIVOTS: Sergio Garcia made his first cut in the last eight majors by backing up his opening-day 69 with a 1-under 70. Garcia, who won the 2017 Masters, hadn't made a cut in the majors since the British Open later that year. ... In search of that elusive U.S. Open title, Phil Mickelson shot 2 under to get into the red numbers and make it to the weekend. He'll start eight shots behind leader Gary Woodland. ... Brooks Koepka shot his second straight 69 to stay in the hunt for his third straight title. ... A day after Koepka nearly went out of bounds to the right on No. 18, his buddy, Dustin Johnson, hit the same shot to nearly the same spot on the cart path. Unlike Koepka, who hit off the path, Johnson took a drop and made an easy par to head into the weekend at 2 under.Red Sox legend David Ortiz remained in guarded condition in the surgical intensive care unit at a Boston hospital Thursday morning, his wife, Tiffany, said in a statement released by the team.

"He continues to heal and make progress. David will continue to recover in the ICU and future updates on his condition will be provided when necessary," she said.

Ortiz is hospitalized at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was admitted Monday night.

On Sunday, he was shot in the back at close range inside a club in his native Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He had surgery at a local hospital Sunday night, which Tiffany Ortiz credited for saving his life.

"To the amazing surgeons, medical team, and staff at the Abel Gonzalez Clinic in the Dominican Republic, there are no words to express our gratitude for the amazing care you provided. Without you, our story could have had a tragic ending. You will forever be our guardian angels.

At a press conference in the Dominican Republic Wednesday afternoon, authorities said that a group was offered 400,000 Dominican pesos (around $8,000) to kill Ortiz. Five people whom police said were involved in the attack, including the alleged gunman, have been arrested, and the handgun used has been recovered. Authorities added that neither the director of the group nor the motive have been determined.

--Field Level MediaKHARTOUM, June 15 (Reuters) - Sudan's chief prosecutor said on Saturday that ousted president Omar al-Bashir will be referred for trial soon after a period for objections expires.

Alwaleed Sayed Ahmed Mahmoud also told a news conference in Khartoum that criminal cases related to corruption have been opened against 41 other former officials.

He said he had attended a meeting with military heads to discuss judicial supervision of a plan to clear what he called "criminals" from an area adjacent to a protest camp in the centre of the capital.

But the idea of dispersing the protesters was not discussed, he said. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Hugh Lawson)Paris (AFP) - The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris hosted its first mass on Saturday exactly two months after a devastating blaze that shocked the world, with priests and worshippers wearing hard hats to protect themselves against possible falling debris.

Dressed in a white robe and helmet, Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit led the service, which was attended by just some 30 people -- half of them clergy.

The mass started at 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) in the Chapel of the Virgin on the east side of the cathedral, confirmed to be safe. It was broadcast live on Catholic TV channel KTO.

Aupetit was joined by the rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick Chauvet, other clergy, volunteers, people working on the restoration as well a handful of lay worshippers.

The date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral's altar, which is celebrated every year on June 16.

The date is "highly significant, spiritually," Chauvet told AFP, adding he was happy to be able to show that "Notre-Dame is truly alive".

- 'Inventive' reconstruction -

President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious target of five years for restoring Notre-Dame, which was gutted by a fire on April 15 that felled its steeple and consumed the lattice of beams supporting the roof.

The diocese is awaiting a response from the French authorities over whether it can re-open the esplanade in front of the cathedral to the public.

If the authorities approve the plan, the idea is to celebrate evening prayers there, the diocese said.

The church has also floated the idea of erecting a temporary structure in front of the cathedral to welcome worshippers while the building is being repaired.

Up to 150 workers have been working at the cathedral daily since the fire, continuing to remove debris and stabilise the structure.

Two large white canopies have been placed above the nave and the choir to ensure the edifice is protected, including from the rain.

Macron's call for an "inventive" rather than identical reconstruction of the steeple has left some architects up in arms.

Story continues

Meanwhile, legislation over the reconstruction has been blocked in parliament over disagreements between the upper and lower houses and is now only expected to be adopted at the end of July.

Pledges of some 850 million euros ($960 million) had been made from prominent French businessmen and ordinary citizens but only around 10 percent of that has been donated so far.

France Info public radio said just 80 million euros had been handed over, with businessmen giving the money in tranches and some private individuals renouncing their pledges due to the apparent success of the campaign.Paris (AFP) - The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris hosted its first mass on Saturday exactly two months after a devastating blaze, with priests and worshippers wearing hard hats to protect themselves against possible falling debris.

Dressed in a white robe and helmet, Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit led the service, which was attended by just some 30 people -- half of them clergy.

"The fire, which ravaged the building on April 15, has provoked a wave of emotion, not only for the community of believers," Archbishop Aupetit said in his sermon, broadcast live

"This cathedral is a place of worship, that's its true and unique purpose."

The mass started at 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) in the Chapel of the Virgin on the east side of the cathedral, confirmed to be safe.

Protective nets have been strung above the nave and choir and rubble still strews the floor but the pews have remained intact.

Aupetit was joined by the rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick Chauvet, other clergy, volunteers, people working on the restoration as well a handful of lay worshippers.

The date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral's altar, which is celebrated every year on June 16.

The date is "highly significant, spiritually," Chauvet had told AFP ahead of the service, adding he was happy to be able to show that "Notre-Dame is truly alive".

- Five-year plan -

President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious target of five years for restoring Notre-Dame, which was gutted by a fire on April 15 that felled its steeple and consumed the lattice of beams supporting the roof.

The diocese is awaiting a response from the French authorities over whether it can re-open the esplanade in front of the cathedral to the public.

If the authorities approve the plan, the idea is to celebrate evening prayers there, the diocese said.

The church has also floated the idea of erecting a temporary structure in front of the cathedral to welcome worshippers while the building is being repaired.

Story continues

Up to 150 workers have been working at the cathedral daily since the fire, continuing to remove debris and stabilise the structure.

Two large white canopies have been put in place to ensure the edifice is protected, including from rain.

- 'Inventive' reconstruction -

Macron's call for an "inventive" rather than identical reconstruction of the steeple has left some architects up in arms.

Meanwhile, legislation over the reconstruction has been blocked in parliament over disagreements between the upper and lower houses and is now only expected to be adopted at the end of July.

Pledges of some 850 million euros ($960 million) had been made from prominent French businessmen and ordinary citizens but only around 10 percent of that has been donated so far.

France Info public radio said just 80 million euros had been handed over, with businessmen giving the money in tranches and some private individuals renouncing their pledges due to the apparent success of the campaign.

Notre-Dame has figured as a central character through the ups and downs of French history since construction began in mid-12th century.

During the French Revolution in the 18th century, it was vandalised and plundered but went on to feature as a central character in a Victor Hugo's novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" (1831) which is credited with helping save it.

It survived the devastation of two global conflicts in the 20th century and famously rang its bells on August 24, 1944, the day of the Liberation of Paris from German occupation at the end of the World War II.RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)  Authorities say a New Jersey principal was stabbed at a school during a rehearsal for eighth-grade graduation.

A Rutherford police release says a 14-year-old male student ran across the Washington School gymnasium on Friday morning and struck the Union School principal in the chest several times. The student then turned around, dropped the knife and put his hands in the air.

The principal was identified as Kurt Schweitzer. Both he and the student were treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening wounds. Rutherford Public Schools Superintendent Jack Hurley tells the Bergen Record that Schweitzer is "a little shaken" but physically fine.

Hurley declined to comment on possible disciplinary actions against the student, who's been charged with aggravated assault and weapon possession counts.

Rutherford police will attend Wednesday's graduation as a precaution.Photo: RE2 Robotics/Facebook

Pittsburgh-based robotics and software engineering company RE2 Robotics has secured $3 million in grant funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the citys recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced May 20 and financed by the Office of Naval Research.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "RE2 Robotics, located in Pittsburgh, PA., is a Carnegie Mellon spin-off. We were founded in 2001 by Jorgen Pedersen on the principles of developing innovative robotic technologies that save lives and improve quality of life. Our team designs mobile manipulation technologies that enable robot users to remotely interact with the world  whether on the ground, in the air or underwater."

The 18-year-old company has raised three previous funding rounds, including a $1 million grant in 2017.

Over the past year, three Pittsburgh-based government and military companies have secured venture funding, totaling $3.1 million in new investment to the local industry.

In other local funding news, health diagnostics and video company Clinical Platform announced a $20,000 funding round on June 6, financed by Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse.

According to Crunchbase, "Clinical Platform creates short-form, video-based patient and caregiver information for people that have cancer and then connects them to clinical trials. The purpose of our business is to improve the outcomes of cancer patients by providing easily accessible and retainable information on the diagnosis of, treatments for, and living with any type of cancer. It is a fact that better educated patients have improved outcomes."

The company also raised a convertible note round in 2017.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.A small island, three miles off the coast of Ireland, has been making efforts to attract new residents, touting its newly established internet connectivity as a draw for remote workers.

Just a ferry-ride away from the village of Burtonport in northwest Ireland sits Arranmore Islandan island known for its history, fishing culture, beautiful landscapes, and now, its high-speed internet.

The island has been working with the Irish mobile operator company, Three Ireland, to become the first Irish island to have an offshore internet hub. Threes efforts have brought high-speed wireless connection to the 469 people currently living there. But the island is ready for more. With a population that has spent years in decline, Arranmore seeks to revive its economic and social color.

Arranmore has been touting its new high-speed internet in an effort to attract new residents, whom locals suggest could work remotely with their new resource. Theyve even written letters to America and Australia, according to reports, in an effort to increase the number of people living on the island. A campaign has been launched directed at those who have emigrated from Ireland as a way of enticing them back home.

According to CNN, the letter detailed the benefits of island life, explaining, there are less people here than would fit in a couple of Amtrak carriages but enough musicians and good Irish whiskey to keep the party going well into the night.

The lack of wireless connection in Irelands rural areas has been an ongoing issue for the country. Despite government promises of a National Broadband Plan, which is attempting to bring high speed broadband to every citizen and workplace in the country, the governments rollout has been slow, and Irelands many inhabited islands have yet to see results. So Arranmore decided to take matters into its own hands.

The Irish Independent reports that Three was able to set up a dish on the mainland which connects to a hub on the island, delivering faster download and upload speeds. This hub is a shared space that has been named MODAM, an acronym for an Irish phrase which means Arranmore Digital Hub. Spaces can be rented out for 20 a day.

Story continues

The Independent also reported that Three has helped Arranmore fund the purchase of equipment for this new facility, which now has video conferencing, smart technology, and telecommunication abilities.

Instead of spending time and money establishing a broadband connection using undersea wires, this plan has proven more effective for Arranmore. Hopefully, Arranmores success will improve data connectivity on other islands like it.

In the past, Arranmore has lost many of its residents to urban areas, where poor internet connectivity is not a hindrance to their professional lives. The Irish Times reports that there are 25 businesses currently operating on the island. But thanks to Threes technology and infrastructure, Arranmore is hoping this number will grow.Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

WHO panel decides not to declare international Ebola emergency

A World Health Organization panel decided on Friday not to declare an international emergency over Congo's Ebola outbreak despite its spread to Uganda this week, concluding such a declaration could cause too much economic harm. Congo's epidemic is the second worst ever, with 2,108 cases of Ebola and 1,411 deaths since last August. This week it reached Uganda, where three cases were recorded, all in people who had arrived from Congo. Two of them died.

U.S. cities propose framework for nationwide opioid settlement talks

Lawyers for counties and municipalities suing drug manufacturers and distributors over their alleged roles in the U.S. opioid epidemic on Friday pitched a novel plan that would bring all 24,500 communities nationally into their negotiations for billions of dollars in settlements. The proposal came in a motion filed in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio, where 1,850 lawsuits largely by local governments are pending accusing companies including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP of fueling the opioid abuse crisis.

Health Canada to allow some edible cannabis products starting mid-December

Health Canada said on Friday that some edible cannabis products, extracts and topicals would be sold in physical or online stores from mid-December. The amended cannabis regulations will come into force on Oct. 17, the health regulator said, adding that cannabis producers with federal license will need to provide a 60-day notice of their intent to sell new products, as they are currently required to do.

U.S. drugmakers file lawsuit against requiring drug prices in TV ads

U.S. drugmakers filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging a new government regulation that would require them to disclose the list price of prescription drugs in direct-to-consumer television advertisements. The lawsuit was jointly filed by Amgen Inc, Merck & Co, Eli Lilly and Co and the Association Of National Advertisers in the U.S. district court for the district of Columbia.

Story continues

Bluebird prices gene therapy at 1.58 million euros over 5 years

Bluebird bio Inc on Friday set a price for its gene therapy, Zynteglo, at 1.58 million euros ($1.78 million) over five years, after winning conditional approval in Europe this month to treat a rare genetic blood disorder. The company proposed an installment plan, with 315,000 euros paid up front and four additional annual payments due only if the treatment continues to be effective.

Experimental mobile app helps manage migraines

(Reuters Health) - A smartphone-based relaxation app could help migraine sufferers reduce the number of headaches they get each month, a small study suggests. Using the app twice a week was associated with an average of four fewer headache days per month, according to the report in Nature Digital Medicine.

Got an antibiotic prescription from your dentist? Chances are, it might be unnecessary

More than three-quarters of antibiotic prescriptions written by dentists before dental procedures are unnecessary and might do more harm than good, a new U.S. study found. Dentists write one of every ten antibiotic prescriptions in the United States, and despite national declines, antibiotic prescribing by dentists has held steady over the years, researchers wrote.

Listening to music may ease cancer patients' pain

(Reuters Health) - Listening to music at home may reduce cancer patients' pain and fatigue and ease symptoms like loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating, according to research in Taiwan. In the study, breast cancer patients assigned to 30 minutes of music listening five times a week had "noticeably" reduced side effects of cancer and its treatment over 24 weeks, researchers report in the European Journal of Cancer Care.

Indonesia cracks down on online tobacco ads to deter young smokers

Indonesia, the world's fourth biggest producer of cigarettes, will crack down on online tobacco advertisements in a bid to target youthful smokers, the communication minister said on Thursday. Health groups say more teenagers are taking to smoking in Indonesia, which already has nationwide curbs on cigarette ads, including a ban on sponsors' promotion of tobacco products, though it is not consistently enforced by regional authorities.

Brazil asks for WTO investigation of Indonesia on poultry trade

The Brazilian government has formally asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to open a panel to investigate Indonesian policies on Brazil's poultry exports, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday. Brazil won a case against Indonesia at the WTO in 2017, but the South American country argues that the WTO decision was never implemented by Indonesia, which continues to block any chicken imports from Brazilian companies.Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

India plans to launch own space station: space agency

India will look to create its own space station following the completion of the country's first manned mission into space in 2022, its space agency chief said on Thursday. The space station, where astronauts can stay for 15 to 20 days, would be placed in an orbit of about 400 kilometers (km)above the Earth, K. Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) told a news conference.

Russia uncovers 40,000 year-old wolf head, preserved in ice

About 40,000 years ago, a wolf died in what we know as Siberia. Now its severed head has been found, and because of the freezing conditions, it is so well preserved that its fur, teeth, brain and facial tissue are largely intact. A Yakutia resident, Pavel Yefimov, found the head last summer on the banks of the Tirekhtyakh river, close to the Arctic Circle in the region of Yakutia, local media outlet the Siberian Times reported.Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. drugmakers file lawsuit against requiring drug prices in TV ads

U.S. drugmakers filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging a new government regulation that would require them to disclose the list price of prescription drugs in direct-to-consumer television advertisements. The lawsuit was jointly filed by Amgen Inc, Merck & Co, Eli Lilly and Co and the Association Of National Advertisers in the U.S. district court for the district of Columbia.

Trump says will not fire White House adviser Conway

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he would not fire White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, despite the conclusion by a U.S. government watchdog that she repeatedly violated U.S. law by making political statements in her official White House post. Trump, in an interview with Fox News, defended Conway, saying it was a free speech issue.

Fugitive ex-priest to face Arizona child sex charges

A fugitive former Catholic priest who fled to Italy and vanished after being indicted on child sex charges in Arizona in 2003 has been found and returned to Arizona, authorities said on Friday. Joseph Henn, 70, was arrested in Rome by Italian police late last month and brought back to Phoenix by U.S. marshals to face charges of child molestation and sexual conduct with a minor, Arizona prosecutors said.

Four candidates at top of Trump's list to replace Sarah Sanders: source

U.S. President Donald Trump has four leading candidates under consideration to replace outgoing White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, a Trump confidant said on Friday. The four are deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley, Stephanie Grisham, who is first lady Melania Trump's communications director, former State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert and outgoing Treasury Department spokesman Tony Sayegh, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Democratic contenders Biden, Sanders to face off in Miami debates

Story continues

U.S. Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden will appear on the same stage with Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and six other rivals during the second of two nights of candidate debates scheduled for later this month in Miami. The first debate on June 26 will include candidates Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke among the 10 participants, NBC announced on Friday. The network is hosting that debate and a second one the following night.

Trump presses Lockheed to keep open a Pennsylvania plant slated for closure

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday urged Lockheed Martin Corp to keep open its Sikorsky helicopter plant in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, a week after the weapons maker announced the planned closure of the facility. The F-35 fighter jets maker had announced plans to close the plant, which does "completion work" for Sikorsky's S-92 and S-76D helicopters, citing a multi-year slump in the rotorcraft industry, possibly due to the protracted downturn in oil prices. The plant employs about 465 employees.

Hundreds gather for vigil in Memphis neighborhood where man was shot

Some 300 people gathered on Friday evening for a candle-light vigil in the Memphis neighborhood where a young black man was shot dead by federal authorities as residents remained on edge following violent demonstrations earlier this week. Brandon Webber, a 20-year-old father of two, was shot and killed on Wednesday by U.S. Marshals seeking to arrest him on a warrant for aggravated assault and other charges, touching off clashes between police and protesters on the streets of Memphis that left 36 officers injured..

Democratic 2020 candidates court South Carolina's black voters

Four of the two dozen Democrats vying for the party's 2020 U.S. presidential nomination will appear at a Black Economic Alliance forum in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday, with an eye on the key role black voters will play in the early-voting state. South Carolina, which will host the fourth nominating contest next year, will be the first state where a significant proportion of the Democratic electorate - about 60 percent - is black.

U.S. court rules against Trump administration in immigrant teen abortion case

A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that the U.S. government cannot deny access to abortions for unaccompanied immigrant minors in federal custody, delivering a blow to a Trump administration policy. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a lower court decision that found the government cannot unduly burden the ability of a woman to obtain an abortion under established Supreme Court precedent.

U.S. court lets Trump transgender military ban stand, orders new review

A U.S. appeals court handed President Donald Trump a victory in his effort to ban most transgender people from the military, ordering a judge to reconsider her ruling against the policy, which the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed to take effect. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday set aside a ruling by U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman in Seattle, which had said the ban likely violated the constitutional rights of transgender service members and recruits.Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Trump says 'Iran did do it,' as U.S. seeks support on Gulf oil tanker attacks

The United States on Friday blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers at the entrance to the Gulf and said it was seeking international consensus about the threat to shipping, despite Tehran denying involvement in the explosions at sea. Thursday's attacks raised fears of a confrontation in the vital oil shipping route at a time of increased tension between Iran and the United States over U.S. sanctions and military moves in the Middle East, Tehran's proxy groups in the region and its nuclear program.

China denies hit and run as pressure builds on Duterte to speak up

China has rejected Philippine allegations that a Chinese fishing vessel abandoned 22 Filipinos after it sank their boat in the South China Sea, as pressure builds on President Rodrigo Duterte to take a tougher line. China's embassy in Manila said the crew had sought to rescue the Filipino fishermen but fled after being "suddenly besieged by seven or eight Filipino fishing boats".

Russia's Putin gives China's Xi ice cream on his 66th birthday

Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrated his 66th birthday on Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who Xi considers a close friend and who gave Xi ice cream as a present, Chinese state media reported. The discussion of senior leaders' private lives is extremely rare in China, and the exact birth dates of most of them are not revealed publicly, as they are considered a state secret.

Anti-graft crusader sworn in as Slovakia's first female president

Anti-corruption campaigner Zuzana Caputova was sworn in as Slovakia's first female president on Saturday, vowing to fight impunity and champion justice in a country shaken by a journalist's murder last year. The killing of Jan Kuciak, who investigated high-level graft cases, and his fiance at their home last February sparked mass street protests and hit the approval ratings of the governing leftist party Smer.

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UK court sets Assange U.S. extradition hearing for February 2020

The full extradition hearing to decide whether Wikileaks founder Julian Assange should be sent to the United States to face accusations including spying charges will take place in February next year, a London court ruled on Friday. Assange, 47, faces 18 counts in the U.S. including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. He could spend decades in prison if convicted.

Bowing to pressure, Hong Kong leader suspends extradition bill

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Saturday indefinitely delayed a proposed law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, in a dramatic retreat after anger over the bill triggered the city's biggest and most violent street protests in decades. The extradition bill, which would have covered Hong Kong's seven million residents as well as foreign and Chinese nationals there, was seen by many as a threat to the rule of law in the former British colony.

Worshippers in hard hats to attend Notre-Dame's first mass since fire

A small congregation wearing hard hats will attend mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, the first service to be held since fire devastated the Gothic landmark two months ago. Church leaders are keen to show life goes on at the cathedral as donations to help rebuild it trickle in. Less than 10% of the 850 million euros pledged by billionaires, business leaders and others has been received so far, the French government said.

Brexit: Irish PM says no backstop as bad for Ireland as no deal

Ireland will not allow the Northern Ireland "backstop" clause in Britain's EU withdrawal agreement to be dropped because doing so would be as big a threat to the country as Britain leaving without a deal, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday. While it is "alarming" that leading contenders to replace Theresa May as Britain's Prime Minister are increasingly threatening a no-deal Brexit, Ireland was 100 percent certain the European Union would not allow the backstop to go, he said.

Iran renews nuclear pact ultimatum amid tensions with U.S.

Iran will continue scaling back compliance with a nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show "positive signals", the Iranian president said on Saturday as tensions with the United States escalated over tanker attacks in the Gulf region. Iran stopped complying in May with some commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal that was agreed with global powers, after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and ratcheted up sanctions on Tehran.

Spain's conservatives retake Madrid in pact with far-right

A conservative was sworn in on Saturday as Madrid's new mayor, regaining control of the Spanish capital for his People's Party (PP) after forging a rightist coalition involving the anti-immigration Vox group. Spain's municipal elections in May led to a fragmented political landscape, requiring numerous power-sharing deals to form coalition governments and keeping some of the most-voted candidates out of office.London (AFP) - The six contenders vying to become Britain's next prime minister held a leadership hustings on Saturday with rival candidates aiming their fire at frontrunner Boris Johnson.

The men battling for the leadership of the governing centre-right Conservative Party spoke at a central London hotel ahead of a week of voting that will whittle them down to two.

The contenders were warming up their arguments ahead of a 90-minute televised debate on Sunday although Johnson is sitting it out, claiming direct bickering between them will be counter-productive.

Johnson, who will be given an empty podium in the Channel 4 programme, will take part in a BBC debate on Tuesday.

Conservative MPs whittle the contenders down to two through successive rounds of voting before the 160,000 grassroots party members pick the winner in a postal ballot.

Speaking at the National Conservative Convention hustings meeting, Johnson said he wanted to revitalise the party.

"What we need to do is to speak with confidence again about our basic Conservative message," the former foreign secretary said, according to his campaign office.

"The basic idea that it is wealth creation, it is free market economics that is at the heart of delivering the revenues that we need to pay for civilised objectives."

He said he was the candidate that could win back voters who have drifted to the Brexit Party and the centrist Liberal Democrats, then beat the main opposition Labour Party.

He branded Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn a "high taxing, high spending, Hugo Chavez-admiring, anti-Semitism-condoning apologist for the Kremlin".

Johnson topped Thursday's first round with 114 votes, ahead of Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on 43 and Environment Secretary Michael Gove on 37.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab got 27, interior minister Sajid Javid got 23 and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart was on 19.

There are 50 votes to play for that went to candidates who have dropped out and contenders need 33 votes to get through Tuesday's second round, when at least one more candidate will be eliminated.

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- 'Blue on blue' attacks -

A report in The Daily Telegraph newspaper report suggested senior party figures had drawn up plans whereby other candidates could pull out, leaving Johnson as the only person going to a confirmatory vote of the membership, in order to avoid weeks of damaging "blue on blue" attacks.

Speaking as he left the private hustings at the London hotel, Javid said: "I don't want to see a coronation. There needs to be a proper process that's followed through."

Stewart attacked Johnson for entering the event via a side door, thereby avoiding speaking to reporters. Former London mayor Johnson has faced criticism for giving few interviews and public appearances.

"The whole genius of British politics is that we don't behave like American presidents sweeping up in a motorcade. We're all about talking to people," Stewart said.

Raab had earlier launched a broadside at Johnson, saying the party did not need a leader who could be "easily caricatured as being from the privileged elite", and suggested he couldn't "take the heat" of the TV debates.

The winner of the members' vote will be announced in the week beginning July 22 and then take over from Theresa May as prime minister.By Humphrey Malalo

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somali militants killed eight Kenyan police with a roadside bomb near the border between the two countries on Saturday, officials said, while another eight died in a bombing the same group carried out in the Somali capital.

Both attacks were claimed by Somali Islamist insurgents, who also kidnapped three Kenyan police reservists on Friday from the same area, in Wajir district in northeast Kenya.

Kenyan military forces have occupied part of southern Somalia along the border since 2011. The Kenyans, along with allied Somali militia, wrested control of the territory from al Shabaab jihadists after a spate of kidnappings on Kenyan soil.

Al Shabaab is fighting the weak, U.N.-backed Somali government and its international allies in a quest to impose strict Islamic law.

The vehicle that was hit by the roadside bomb was carrying 11 policemen, police spokesman Charles Owino told Reuters. A local official said eight were killed.

"Eight bodies were found and taken to Wajir. Two were rescued, but they are in critical condition," said Muhumed Ali Gedi, a member of the local community security team from Wajir who witnessed the rescue mission.

In Mogadishu, al Shabaab detonated two bombs. Police said the first blast, at a busy junction known as K4, was a car bomb intercepted by security services that caused no casualties.

The other blast killed eight people and injured 16, said Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Aamin ambulance service.

Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's spokesman for military operations, said the group was responsible for the blast in Kenya and the two in Mogadishu.

(Additional reporting by Noor Ali in Isiolo and Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar in Mogadishu,; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Edmund Blair and Andrew Cawthorne)Anas Alkharboutli/Getty

The Syrian civil war had seemed to grow quieter in early 2019 as battle lines stabilized and air raids became less frequent.

Now, with Russia targeting a rebel-controlled area this week, the air war is back on. A ground assault soon could follow.

Syria has all but disappeared from the news in many countries. Perhaps for that reason its a low priority for the administration of President Trump.

But the fighting and the dying are getting worse as the war drags into its eighth year. Mondays air raids are an extension of a bombing campaign that began in April and reportedly has killed more than 1,500 people.

Monitors in Syria told Reuters that Russian Sukhoi warplanes on Monday dropped bombs on Jabala and Khan Sheikhoun and other towns in Idlib province. Rescuers reported pulling at least 25 bodies from the rubble.

Despite territorial gains in recent years by a combined force of Syrian troops and Syrian- and Iranian-led militias, all backed by Russian missiles and air power, part of Hama and Idlib provinces in northwest Syria, just south of Turkey, largely remain under the control of rebel and militant groups.

As many as 3 million people live in opposition-controlled communities in Idlib and Hama. Around 270,000 of them have fled since Russian air attacks intensified in April, according to the Century Foundation, a New York City think tank.

Russia Starved People in a U.S.-Controlled Corner of Syria, and Trump Let It Happen

Since Russias intervention in 2015 tipped the balance of power in the region in favor of the regime of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, pro-regime forces have pursued the same strategy.

Russian warplanes bomb opposition forces as well as civilians in opposition-controlled towns, softening up resistance for an eventual ground assault by Syrian forces and Iranian-backed militias.

I think anyone who is following Syria closely realises that the battle for Idlib will be one of the final major actions of the conflict, Eliot Higgins, a Syria expert and founder of Bellingcat, told The Daily Beast.

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After heavy rebel losses and mergers and abortive attempts by the United States and its allies to train anti-regime fighters, two groups have come to dominate what remains of the Syrian opposition. Hayet Tahrir al Sham is an affiliation of Islamic militants. Jaysh al Izza includes the survivors of the U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army.

Both groups rely on financing from Turkey and the Gulf states. Money and manpower are short. Right now, both appear to be receiving only enough supplies and reinforcements only to maintain their front lines [and] sporadically launch counterattacks, Tom Cooper, an author and independent military expert, told The Daily Beast.

Hospitals and clinics are among the Russians favorite targets. Air raids since April have damaged or destroyed around two dozen medical facilities, the Century Foundation claimed.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

The Kremlins goal, Cooper said, is to make life for the remaining population in rebel- [or] insurgent-controlled areas impossible [and] drive that population out so as to destroy the local support for the enemy combatants and deny their legitimacy.

Dont expect world powers or international bodies to do anything to stop the attacks on medical facilities. The international community has done nothing about these sort of air strikes for the past eight years of conflict, Higgins said.

Theres currently a lack of interest and leadership from the White House, Higgins added. Trumps actions on Syria seems to be fueled by Fox News coverage and whatever world leader has recently given him the nicest compliments.

The U.S.-led Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, which oversees operations targeting ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq, told The Daily Beast the Russian air raids are none of its business. CJTF-OIR remains focused on the enduring defeat of Daesh, the coalition stated, using a slang term for ISIS.

Tragically, the United Nations inadvertently might have helped the Russians. Some hospitals in opposition-controlled areas voluntarily shared their GPS coordinates with the Russians as part of the United Nations humanitarian deconfliction initiative, all in the hope that Moscow would order its warplanes to steer clear.

It doesnt seem to be helping, analyst Aron Lund wrote for the Century Foundation. Some officials and activists now wonder if the no-strike list is being used to locate and destroy hospitalsthe very opposite of what the U.N. intended.

Moscow justifies the attacks by mischaracterizing the Syrian opposition. Moscows official position is Idlib and Hama became a safe haven for terrorists and need to be liberated from them, Pavel Luzin, a professor of international relations at Russias Perm University, told The Daily Beast.

The scale of the Russian air war belies the Kremlins desperation. Russian President Vladimir Putin as far back as 2017 declared victory in Syria, underscoring his eagerness to extricate his country from the Syrian quagmire.

But Putin wants to exit the war on favorable terms for Russia, with a strong ally firmly in power in Syria and diplomatic leverage over the United States and its allies, according to Luzin.

However, the tenacity of the Syrian opposition, deepening corruption and criminality in Damascus, and Irans own bloodthirstiness have combined to deny Russia a clean exit. Russia is not able to convert its achievements on the Syrian battlefield into political results, into political and diplomatic victory, Luzin explained.

So the bombings continue. Hospitals burn. People die.

Another bloody round of fighting on the ground is likely to follow as Assad tries, with Russian and Iranian support, to wipe out an opposition that has endured for eight years.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.Sarah Sanders has been in the role for more than three years - REUTERS

Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Sarah Sanders, his press secretary, will be leaving the post at the end of the month after a three-and-a-half-year tenure in the president's team.

The US president thanked her for "a job well done" in a tweet, saying she "will be leaving the White House at the end of the month and going home to the Great State of Arkansas".

It is unclear what prompted Mrs Sanders to depart the role - she has been a fiercely loyal aide to Mr Trump and has been at the White House for longer than most of the president's inner circle.

A replacement has not yet been announced, but the next press secretary will take on the role at a crucial period, just as Mr Trump's re-election campaign is formally launched.

Mrs Sanders has come under fire for bringing an end to the traditional daily White House press briefings, holding them ever more sporadically in recent months. She has not held a briefing in three months.

....She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas - she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019

Her credibility was also undermined after Robert Mueller's report into potential Russian collusion revealed she had given baseless information to the press. She told investigators the comments were a "slip of the tongue".

"She also recalled that her statement in a separate press interview that...a comment she made 'in the heat of the moment' that was not founded on anything," Mr Mueller's report stated.

Mr Trump on Thursday urged her to run to become the governor of Arkansas, her home state, saying "She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job".

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The state's current governor, Asa Hutchinson, was re-elected just last year so the post will not be open until 2023 unless Mr Hutchinson vacates the office early.

Mrs Sanders reportedly told her staff she was leaving about an hour before Mr Trump announced the news in a tweet.

Speaking at a White House event on Thursday, Mrs Sanders said she would continue to be an "outspoken and loyal" supporter for Mr Trump.

She described working for the President as "the honour of a lifetime", saying "I've loved every minute, even the hard minutes".

But she said she now plans on spending "a little more time" with her three children.

"In the meantime, I am going to continue to be one of the most outspoken and loyal supporters of the President and his agenda," she said. "And I know he's going to have an incredible six more years and get a whole lot more done."

Mrs Sanders has experienced the negative aspects of being the public face of the Trump administration first-hand.

She was refused service at a restaurant last June, with the restaurant's owner saying she felt she had to take a stand for "honesty" and "compassion".

Mrs Sanders wrote on Twitter: "Her (the owner's) actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so."

She has also publicly addressed the heavy toll media scrutiny has on her private life.

In an emotional exchange with a CNN reporter, Mrs Sanders she was probably the first press secretary in history to require secret service protection, linking the measure to negative media coverage.

The White House spokeswoman said she had experienced attacks on her personal appearance - referencing remarks made by comedian Michelle Wolf at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last year.

Ms Sanders' treatment at the event was widely condemned and Margaret Talev, head of the association, issued a statement distancing the dinner's organisers from the comedian.

Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's energy minister on Saturday called for a "swift and decisive" response to threats against energy supplies following twin attacks on tankers in a vital Gulf shipping channel.

"There must be a swift and decisive response to the threat against energy supplies... created by the recent terrorist acts in the Arabian Gulf," Khalid al-Falih was quoted as saying on the ministry's Twitter page.

He was speaking at a meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers in Japan after the attacks on Thursday, which sent crude prices soaring amid a tense standoff between Iran and the US.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman when it was rocked by explosions, causing a blaze that was quickly extinguished.

US President Donald Trump said the twin attack, which also targeted a tanker owned by Oslo-listed company Frontline, had Iran "written all over it".

Falih has previously said the kingdom was monitoring the situation with "great concern" and called for action to secure maritime traffic, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, is a bitter regional rival of Iran.

Iran has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the strategic Hormuz Strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

Doing so would disrupt oil tankers travelling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes.

But Trump has played down the threat.RIYADH, June 16 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" towards attacks on two oil tankers in a vital shipping route, which he blamed on Iran during an interview with Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat.

In comments published early on Sunday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also said the kingdom's strategic relations with the United States would not be affected by "media campaigns or some stances published by U.S. entities".

Riyadh has come under mounting international scrutiny over its human rights record since last year's murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who had been living in the United States and writing for the Washington Post. (Reporting By Marwa Rashad; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Daniel Wallis)Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accused rival Iran of attacks on two oil tankers in a vital Gulf shipping channel, adding he "won't hesitate" to tackle any threats to the kingdom, according to excerpts of an interview published on Sunday.

"The Iranian regime did not respect the presence of the Japanese prime minister as a guest in Tehran and responded to his (diplomatic) efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," Prince Mohammed told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, referring to the attacks in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

"We do not want a war in the region... But we won't hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, our sovereignty, our territorial integrity and our vital interests," he added.

The twin attacks sent crude prices soaring amid a tense standoff between Iran and the US.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman when it was rocked by explosions, causing a blaze that was quickly extinguished.

A tanker owned by Oslo-listed company Frontline was also targeted.

The two vessels were attacked around the time Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iranian leaders in Tehran.

US President Donald Trump said the attacks had Iran "written all over it".

Tehran has vehemently denied any involvement.

Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, is a bitter regional rival of Iran.

Iran has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the strategic Hormuz Strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

Doing so would disrupt oil tankers travelling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes.KARUIZAWA, Japan, June 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday that he hopes oil producers will be able to balance the oil market before next year.

"We hope that we will balance the market before next year. We are working on it," Falih told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers in Karuizawa, Japan, when asked about the current oil market situation.

Falih said earlier this month that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was close to agreeing to extend a pact on cutting oil supplies beyond June, although more talks were still needed with non-OPEC countries that were part of the production deal.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; editing by Christian Schmollinger)By Asma Alsharif

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia called for swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies and joined the United States in blaming Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital shipping route that have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region.

Thursday's tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman exacerbated the antagonistic fallout from similar blasts in May that crippled four vessels. Washington, already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, has blamed Tehran and Saudi Arabia's crown prince also accused Iran on Saturday.

Iran has denied any role in the strikes on the tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said there must be "a rapid and decisive response to the threat" to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence, his ministry said on Twitter.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an interview with Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, blamed Iran and called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" against the attacks.

"The kingdom does not want a war in the region but it will not hesitate to deal with any threats to its people, its sovereignty, or its vital interests," the crown prince said.

The U.S. military released a video on Thursday that it said showed Iran's Revolutionary Guards were behind the explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous.

"Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat," U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday.

The United States has tightened sanctions on Iran since Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and global powers last year. Washington's stated aim is to drive Iranian oil exports, the mainstay of its economy, to zero.

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Tehran has said that if its oil exports were halted, it could block the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel of water separating Iran and Oman through which passes a fifth of the oil consumed globally.

(Graphic: Attacks in Gulf of Oman - https://tmsnrt.rs/2X8ePpU)

ENERGY SECURITY

Oil prices have climbed 3.4% since Thursday's attacks. Ship insurers said insurance costs for ships sailing through the Middle East have jumped by at least 10%.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister said in Japan at a meeting of energy ministers from the G20 group of nations that the kingdom is committed to ensuring stability of global oil markets.

Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said ministers agreed on the need to "work together to deal with the recent incidents from (an) energy security point of view."

Trump, who pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal under which world powers agreed to ease international sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear work, said any move to close the Strait of Hormuz would not last long.

He also said he was open to holding talks with Iran, although Tehran said it had no plans to negotiate with the United States unless it reversed a decision on the nuclear deal.

Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in a war. But this has done little to assuage concerns that the arch foes could stumble into conflict.

A U.S. official told Reuters a surface-to-air missile was fired from Iranian territory on Thursday morning at a U.S. drone that was near Front Altair following the attack on the tanker. The missile did not hit the drone, the official said.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the United States was "planning various contingencies" when asked if more military forces would be sent to the area, but added that the focus was on building an international consensus.

"We also need to broaden our support for this international situation," he told reporters on Friday.

CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

As well as blaming Iran for the tanker attacks, Washington has said Tehran was behind May 14 drone strikes on two Saudi oil-pumping stations. Tehran has denied all those charges.

Britain has backed the United States in blaming Iran for the tanker attacks. On Saturday, Iran summoned the British ambassador to complain about its "unacceptable stance," ISNA news agency reported.

Other nations have urged caution. Germany said the video released by the U.S. military was not enough to prove Iran's role, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation to determine responsibility.

China and the European Union called for restraint.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani renewed Iran's threat to continue scaling back compliance with the nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show "positive signals".

He did not specify what Iran wanted in his comments to a meeting of Asian leaders in Tajikistan.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal have said they wanted to save the accord. But many of their companies have canceled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States.

(Additional reporting by Michele Kambas in Nicosia, Nazarali Pirnazarov in Dushanbe, Yuka Obayashi in Karuizawa; Writing by Edmund Blair and Bill Trott; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Daniel Wallis)DUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Saturday there must be a quick response to the threat to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence, the energy ministry tweeted, two days after attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"There must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat of energy supply, market stability and consumer confidence, which are posed by recent terrorist acts in both the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf, against the major global energy supply chains," Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih was quoted as saying. (Reporting by Asma Alsharif Editing by Edmund Blair)Podgorica (Montenegro) (AFP) - Thousands of people joined an open-air council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Podgorica on Saturday, accusing the Montenegrin government of trying to steal its church property through a draft law on religious freedom.

Last month the government introduced the draft law under which all religious facilities owned by Montenegro before 1918, when it lost its independence, would become state property.

Religious communities would only be able to retain ownership of their property if they could provide clear evidence of ownership prior to that date.

The draft law has sparked accusations from the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), the largest religious community in the Balkans nation, that the government wants to seize the Church's property.

On Saturday, at the open-air council in front of the main Orthodox church in the capital Podgorica, Bishop Joanikije read a statement labelling the draft bill as "anti-religious" and "preparation for the looting of Church property".

It is aimed "against the Orthodox Church, its priests, bishops, nuns and believers", the statement said, urging the Montenegrin government to withdraw it and draft a new version.

The current bill "deepens divisions ... and incites conflicts on religious and ethnic grounds", the statement said.

Nearly 72 percent of Montenegro's population of 620,000 are Orthodox faithful.

Ethnic Serbs make 29 percent of Montenegro's population, according to 2011 census.

Earlier this month President Milo Djukanovic accused the SPC of trying to "maintain its religious monopoly" in the country and announced the "renewal" of an independent Montenegrin Orthodox Church.

This Montenegrin church is not recognised by the Serbian or other Orthodox churches.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has added his voice to the chorus calling on the Montenegrin authorities to withdraw the bill.

But the Montenegrin government replied it would not allow "anyone, Serbia included, to influence our decisions".

Montenegro proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2006.Bratislava (AFP) - Slovak environmental lawyer Zuzana Caputova was on Saturday sworn in as the EU member's first female president, surprising observers with a speech that lacked the government criticism she was known for on the campaign trail.

The community activist, who ran on the slogan "Stand up to evil," was largely unknown before she launched her presidential bid in the eurozone member of 5.4 million people.

The 45-year-old environmental lawyer won the March ballot with 58 percent of the vote thanks in part to voter disillusionment with the governing coalition a year after the murder of an investigative journalist plunged the country into crisis.

"I did not come to rule, I came to serve citizens, and residents of Slovakia," the liberal politician, who is pro-choice and promotes greater rights for same-sex couples, said in her inaugural speech in Bratislava.

"I offer expertise, I offer emotion and I offer a healthy activist approach. So I offer my mind, my heart and my hands," she added alongside family, former presidents, politicians and members of her presidential campaign.

After the ceremony, Caputova walked to a nearby cathedral for an ecumenical service, shaking hands with people along the way, before hosting a lunch for seniors from across Slovakia.

Analysts called her inaugural speech surprisingly mild, given her past criticism of the government.

"The new president's speech was non-confrontational. It was formulated positively, not attacking political opponents," political analyst Juraj Marusiak told AFP.

Caputova "does not want to divide, she wants to unite. She talks about the common good, a common path, often using the word 'we'."

Caputova was among the tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets after journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee were gunned down at home in February 2018.

Kuciak was about to publish a report on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia.

Story continues

The premier at the time, Robert Fico, was forced to resign but he remains the leader of the ruling Smer-SD party and is a close ally of current Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini.

In her speech, Caputova declared unequivocal support for Slovakia's membership in the EU and NATO and also spoke out in favour of protecting the environment.

"The process of global climate change must be slowed down and reversed, otherwise it can have major consequences," she said.Lebanon-based Harmouch Interior Design has called for the setting up of a syndicate within interior design segment to maximise the sectors full potentials.



A leading player in the region, Harmouch Interior Design caters to the hospitality sector besides banks, schools and apartments in Lebanon.



The call comes at a time when a recent study conducted by the Design Education Outlook has projected that Middle East and North Africa region's (Mena) overall design industry will hit the $55-billion mark by this year.



Known as the design capital of the Mena region, Beirut has long been the centre of vibrant and value-added creative and innovative activities.



It is home to admired designers across various disciplines, including architects and interior designers, but the local industry is still in need of a major boost to take it to the next level.



It is against this backdrop that Harmouch Interior Design has made its call for the formation of a syndicate within the multifaceted space design segment in Beirut and the whole of Lebanon, said the top designer.



Such a move will not only make the sector more regulated and developed but it will also be an opportunity to highlight its role in building a flourishing local society by leveraging the peoples creative capabilities and unique design power, it added.



Masoud Madkour, senior architect at Harmouch Interior Design, said: "By forming a nationally recognized group of interior designers in the country, we will be able to muster enough local, regional, and global support for Lebanese professionals in this important field."



"Together, we can showcase the industrys relevance in the socio-economic development of the country and the entire Mena region in the hope of significantly increasing the domestic sectors market value," observed Madkour.



Jobs in architecture, fashion, and interior design are the most in-demand as per the same report.



A separate online news estimated that the value of the interior design and furniture industry in the Mena region stood at more than $20 billion.



In Lebanon, one of the regions key design markets, Harmouch Interior Design joins the ranks of leading local industry firms and is known for using sustainable materials and meeting international health and safety standards.



Harmouchs designs contain innovative elements with chic, subtle, and ultra-modern feel.



Moreover, the firms interior design solutions are delivered by its elite team of designers who graduated from acclaimed interior design schools in Europe and the Middle East. MM Michel and Harmouch spearhead the group.



The firms portfolio of projects includes hotels; banks; villas, residences, and apartments; and palaces, to name a few.



"Forming syndicates will also allow all relevant entities to gather their resources together and use them to support specific plans and actions aimed at strengthening the industry and maximising its full potentials," remarked Madkour.



"We can help generate substantial career opportunities for our citizens and subsequently support Lebanons growth and development. Indeed, it will also be an opportunity for all stakeholders to learn from each other and collaborate to attain common objectives and goals, including increased productivity and profitability," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceKhartoum (AFP) - Ousted Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir is to appear in court next week to face charges of corruption and illegal possession of foreign currency, the country's acting prosecutor general announced Saturday.

The announcement came more than two months after the military overthrew Bashir following mass nationwide protests against his iron-fisted rule.

Bashir "will appear in court next week following charges of corruption and possessing foreign currency", Al-Waleed Sayyed Ahmed told reporters, without specifying the day.

On Thursday, an unnamed official quoted by the official SUNA news agency said Bashir was facing charges including "possessing foreign funds, acquiring suspected and illegal wealth, and ordering the (state of) emergency".

In April, Sudan's army ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said more than $113 million worth of cash in three currencies had been seized from Bashir's residence.

He said a team of police, army and security agents found seven million euros ($7.8 million), $350,000 and five billion Sudanese pounds ($105 million).

When he imposed the state of emergency on February 22 in a bid to quell protests that erupted in December, Bashir issued a decree making it illegal to possess more than 5,000 dollars in foreign currency.

Bashir, who was toppled on April 11 following months of protests and is currently being held in the capital's Kober prison, swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989.

Sudan suffered high rates of corruption during his rule, ranking 172 out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Last month, Ahmed ordered Bashir questioned over money-laundering and "financing terrorism".

- Charges against Bashir aides -

In May, the prosecutor general said Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters during the anti-regime demonstrations, which eventually led to his ouster.

Ahmed also said on Saturday that other "symbols of the ousted regime" were under investigation.

Story continues

He did not name the others accused but said most of the charges were over the "possession of land".

Protests against Bashir's rule initially erupted on December 19 after his then government tripled the price of bread.

He was ousted by the army after thousands of demonstrators launched a sit-in outside military headquarters in central Khartoum from April 6.

But army generals have resisted protesters' demands to hand power to a civilian administration.

The protesters kept up their sit-in even as their leaders held several rounds of talks with the generals on installing civilian rule.

But talks broke down in May over who would lead a new overall governing body -- a civilian or soldier.

And on June 3, armed men in military fatigues launched a crackdown on demonstrators camped outside the army complex that left dozens of people dead and hundreds wounded.

Protesters and witnesses accuse a feared paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), of carrying out the assault on demonstrators.

General Shamseddine Kabbashi, spokesman of the ruling military council, has said the findings of a probe into the deaths would be released on Saturday.

- RSF image 'distorted -

On Thursday, he acknowledged the dispersal of the sit-in, saying the initial plan was to "clean" an area called Colombia -- an area near the sit-in that the generals have said was inhabited by criminals prior to the crackdown -- but adding "we regret what happened".

On Saturday evening the spokesman of a military panel investigating the crackdown said its report was still not finalised, but he revealed some initial findings.

"The committee's findings so far show that officers and soldiers of different ranks from regular forces entered the sit-in without any orders from their superiors," Brigadier Abderrahim Badreddine, spokesman for the committee, told state television.

"They were not part of the troops who were ordered to clean Colombia," he said.

RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo defended his force at a rally Saturday in a village on the outskirts of Khartoum.

"Our image as Rapid Support Forces has been distorted," said Dagalo, who is also the deputy chief of the ruling military council.

"But we will not talk about it (the June 3 crackdown) until the findings of the report come out," he said as a crowd of supporters cheered.

Doctors linked to the protest movement say about 120 people have been killed in Khartoum since the crackdown, while the health ministry says 61 people died nationwide on June 3.Dubai (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Saturday called for decisive action to protect energy supplies amid a tense US-Iran standoff as two tankers attacked in a vital Gulf shipping channel headed to port.

The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called on world powers "to secure international navigation and access to energy", a plea echoed by regional ally Saudi Arabia after the incident sent crude prices soaring.

The two tankers -- the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous that was carrying highly flammable methanol when it was rocked by explosions and the Norwegian-operated Front Altair -- were heading to port on Saturday, owners and shipping officials said.

The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from one of the tankers.

US President Donald Trump has said the twin attack in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday had Iran "written all over it", rejecting Tehran's vehement denial.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the Hormuz Strait, a narrow seaway vital to the world's oil supplies, in the event of a conflict with the US.

The UAE's Sheikh Abdullah, whose country is bitterly opposed to Iranian influence in the region, called Saturday for a deescalation of tensions.

"We remain hopeful in attaining a broader framework for cooperation with Iran," he said at a summit in Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih called for a "swift and decisive" response to threats against energy supplies after Thursday's "terrorist acts".

Gulf Cooperation Council secretary general Abdullatif al-Zayani also called the attack a "direct threat" to energy supplies, calling on world powers to protect international shipping lanes and hold the perpetrators accountable.

- Vessels head to port -

The Japanese tanker's Tokyo-based operator Kokuka confirmed Saturday the vessel was heading to port in the UAE.

Story continues

"We still don't know if the tanker goes to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah as they are very close," said a spokesman, referring to two Emirati ports on the Gulf of Oman.

Maritime experts would then seek to transfer the highly flammable cargo to shore, according to an unnamed official quoted by Japanese state media.

"From a viewpoint of global energy security, it is necessary for the international community to jointly deal with the act," said Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko at a G20 energy and environment meeting in Japan on Saturday.

The other ship, the Front Altair, has left Iran's territorial waters, multiple sources said Saturday.

The ship is "heading toward the Fujairah-Khor Fakkan area in the United Arab Emirates", head of ports for Iran's southern province of Hormozgan told the semi-official news agency ISNA.

The tanker "has left Iran's territorial waters," he said, adding that it was being towed and sprayed with water to cool the hull.

A spokeswoman for Frontline Management, the Norwegian company which owns the ship, said "all 23 crew members of the tanker departed Iran" and flew to Dubai on Saturday.

"All crew members are well and have been well looked after while in Iran," she said.

- 'Allegations against Iran' -

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the US had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."

The United States has also accused Iran over May 12 sabotage attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off Fujairah.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said London had concluded Iran was "almost certainly" responsible for Thursday's tanker attacks.

Iran's foreign ministry responded on Saturday by summoning British Ambassador Rob Macaire over Hunt's "false remarks", the official IRNA news agency reported.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation.

"It's very important to know the truth (and) that responsibilities are clarified," he told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

"Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts."

The oil tankers hit Thursday morning were 10 nautical miles apart and heading for Asia when they were struck by explosions after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, some 25 nautical miles off Iran's southern coast.

The Front Altair was carrying naphtha, a refined petroleum product, when it was hit by three explosions, according to Norwegian officials.

Blocking the Hormuz Strait would be a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure Iran could take against any attack by the United States, and would severely disrupt global oil supplies.

But Trump played down the threat.

"It's not going to be closed, it's not going to be closed for long and they know it. They've been told in very strong terms," he said on Friday, referring to Iran.

bur-gw-sy-mah-ac/rsc/dwoDubai (AFP) - A Japanese tanker, one of two vessels attacked in sensitive Gulf waters this week, was heading to port on Saturday, its owners said.

The Kokuka Courageous was rocked by explosions as it passed through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, threatening its highly flammable cargo of methanol.

The resulting blaze was quickly extinguished, although one crew member suffered minor injuries.

US President Donald Trump said the twin attack, which also targeted a tanker owned by Oslo-listed company Frontline, had Iran "written all over it".

The Japanese tanker's Tokyo-based operator Kokuka confirmed the vessel was heading to port in the United Arab Emirates.

"We still don't know if the tanker goes to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah as they are very close," said a spokesman, referring to two Emirati ports on the Gulf of Oman.

As US-Iranian tensions soared, Trump dismissed Tehran's repeated threats that in case of conflict it could block the Hormuz Strait -- a narrow seaway vital to the world's oil supplies.

Speaking hours after the US military released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from one of the tankers, Trump was emphatic.

"Iran did do it," Trump told Fox News. "You know they did it because you saw the boat. I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it."

- 'Allegations against Iran' -

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the US had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."

The United States has also accused Iran over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off Fujairah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation.

"It's very important to know the truth (and) that responsibilities are clarified," he told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

Story continues

"Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts."

The oil tankers were 10 nautical miles apart and headed to Asia when they were struck by explosions early Thursday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, some 25 nautical miles off Iran's southern coast.

The other vessel, the Front Altair, was carrying naphtha, a refined petroleum product.

It was hit by three explosions, according to Norwegian officials.

Iran has repeatedly warned that it could block the Hormuz Strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

Doing so would disrupt oil tankers travelling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes.

Trump played down the threat.

"It's not going to be closed, it's not going to be closed for long and they know it. They've been told in very strong terms," Trump said.

Oil prices have surged following the attacks.

burs-gw/parWant to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Dividend paying stocks like Tata Steel Limited (NSE:TATASTEEL) tend to be popular with investors, and for good reason - some research suggests a significant amount of all stock market returns come from reinvested dividends. If you are hoping to live on the income from dividends, it's important to be a lot more stringent with your investments than the average punter.

A 2.6% yield is nothing to get excited about, but investors probably think the long payment history suggests Tata Steel has some staying power. Some simple analysis can offer a lot of insights when buying a company for its dividend, and we'll go through this below.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

NSEI:TATASTEEL Historical Dividend Yield, June 15th 2019

Payout ratios

Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. So we need to form a view on if a company's dividend is sustainable, relative to its net profit after tax. In the last year, Tata Steel paid out 15% of its profit as dividends. We like this low payout ratio, because it implies the dividend is well covered and leaves ample opportunity for reinvestment.

Is Tata Steel's Balance Sheet Risky?

As Tata Steel has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A quick way to check a company's financial situation uses these two ratios: net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA is a measure of a company's total debt. Net interest cover measures the ability to meet interest payments on debt. Essentially we check that a) a company does not have too much debt, and b) that it can afford to pay the interest. With net debt of above 3x EBITDA, investors are starting to take on a meaningful amount of risk, should the business enter a downturn.

Story continues

Net interest cover can be calculated by dividing earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by the company's net interest expense. Interest cover of less than 5x its interest expense is starting to become a concern for Tata Steel, and be aware that lenders may place additional restrictions on the company as well.

Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Tata Steel's latest financial position, by checking our visualisation of its financial health.

Dividend Volatility

From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. Tata Steel has been paying dividends for a long time, but for the purpose of this analysis, we only examine the past 10 years of payments. Its dividend payments have fallen by 20% or more on at least one occasion over the past ten years. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was 16.00 in 2009, compared to 13.00 last year. This works out to be a decline of approximately 2.1% per year over that time. Tata Steel's dividend hasn't shrunk linearly at 2.1% per annum, but the CAGR is a useful estimate of the historical rate of change.

When a company's per-share dividend falls we question if this reflects poorly on either the business or management. Either way, we find it hard to get excited about a company with a declining dividend.

Dividend Growth Potential

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share (EPS) are growing - it's not worth taking the risk on a dividend getting cut, unless you might be rewarded with larger dividends in future. It's good to see Tata Steel has been growing its earnings per share at 20% a year over the past 5 years. Earnings per share have grown rapidly, and the company is retaining a majority of its earnings. We think this is ideal from an investment perspective, if the company is able to reinvest these earnings effectively.

We'd also point out that Tata Steel issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.

Conclusion

To summarise, shareholders should always check that Tata Steel's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. It's great to see that Tata Steel is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. Next, earnings growth has been good, but unfortunately the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. All things considered, Tata Steel looks like a strong prospect. At the right valuation, it could be something special.

Earnings growth generally bodes well for the future value of company dividend payments. See if the 19 Tata Steel analysts we track are forecasting continued growth with our free report on analyst estimates for the company.

Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of dividend stocks with a yield above 3%.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.A prematurely born infant and her 17-year-old mother spent seven days being almost entirely neglected in Border Patrol custody, according to lawyers who visited an immigrant processing station in McAllen, Texas, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The baby, barely a month old, was wrapped in a dirty towel, wore a soiled onesie and looked listless, said one of the lawyers, Hope Frye. The mother was in a wheelchair due to complications from her emergency C-section and had barely slept  the pain made it too uncomfortable for her to lie down and she was afraid of dropping her baby, the immigration and human rights attorney said.

I looked at that baby and said Who does this to babies? Frye said. They were being sadistically ignored.

(Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

The mother, according to Frye, said she had been taken to the hospital at least once to receive pain medication, but the baby had received no medical attention since being in Border Control custody. The child was born in Mexico just after her teenage mother left Guatemala for the U.S. when she was eight months pregnant.

The situation is so egregious and so inexplicable, Frye said. No person of good conscience could see this and think its alright to do any of what theyve done.

Frye said one of her colleagues, an immigrant rights advocate, told her on Wednesday that the baby had not cried for five hours and had become weak and listless. The advocate, according to Frye, said that since the infant was wrapped only in a towel she was concerned her body temperature was dropping, which can be fatal.

Children in government custody should not be kept in Border Patrol facilities longer than 72 hours, according to federal law and a court order. But The Washington Post recently found that children are regularly spending more than a week in stations and processing centers, and advocates told HuffPost that theyve encountered numerous mothers with their infants not being transferred to longer-term facilities in a timely manner.

Story continues

Frye said that she and her team worked Tuesday and Wednesday to try to get the new mother and her child released from Border Patrol custody. After alerting government officials and medical officers, they also called 911 and the local Child Protective Services office, both of which said they didnt have jurisdiction over the federal facility, according to Frye.

Dr. Marsha Griffin, a pediatrician who works at the border and is co-chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Immigrant Health Special Interest Group, said she reached out to government medical officers on behalf of the lawyers and said they were responsive and concerned.

Customs and Border Protection did not respond to HuffPosts request for comment.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) learned of the case through the lawyers and tweeted on Thursday that officials at the Department of Homeland Security he contacted said the mother and child would be transferred to a long-term shelter immediately.

The lawyers later on Thursday confirmed to HuffPost that the family had been transferred to a resettlement facility.

The conditions at Border Patrols facilities have drastically deteriorated in recent months since an influx of immigrants, including a record number of families and unaccompanied children, have been crossing the border. Five children have died in Border Patrol custody since December.

Migrants call the processing centers hieleras  iceboxes  because the temperatures are freezing cold and they are given only foil-like Mylar blankets to stay warm. Families also describe eating frozen ham sandwiches and sleeping on concrete floors under bright lights that are kept on 24/7.

Medical experts have previously told HuffPost that Border Patrol centers are not a safe place for kids, in part because no thorough medical assessments are provided by pediatricians and diseases can spread quickly in the environment. The McAllen processing center, the largest in the country, recently had to quarantine three dozen migrants with the flu, after a 16-year-old in the same facility died of the infectious disease.

The baby infant and mother should never have been held in detention for five minutes, Frye said. Any small sickness would kill her, period.

Processing centers are no place for children, said Griffin. Children can get rapidly sick.

She said premature babies, in particular, should be quickly transferred out of Border Patrol facilities and transferred to centers where they can receive proper nutrition and medical care.

Border Patrol facilities were designed to house single men, who previously made up the majority of immigrants crossing the border, and they are not equipped to handle the influx of families. A processing center in El Paso, Texas, has crammed up to 900 migrants in a cell supposed to hold 125 people, and some of the migrants had to stand on toilets to find breathing room, according to a recent report by DHS inspector general. Children in Border Patrol stations have reported being physically abused and having to drink toilet water to stay hydrated.

Government officials say they dont have the resources to deal with the specific needs of families in Border Patrol facilities. But advocates say the Trump administration has continually put childrens health in jeopardy, from family separation to holding children for up to nine months in temporary facilities, and that there is no excuse for this treatment.

Frye said the teenage mother she and her team just encountered will be forever traumatized. The whole thing is a nightmare from which shell never recover.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.After a violent clash with police, following the shooting death of Brandon Webber, 20, Memphis community members are speaking out about their issues with police and government in general. Several members of the community, who were involved Wednesdays protest, say Webber should still be alive today; and now that the 20-year-old isnt their distrust of police has reached a point of no return. Meanwhile, in DeSoto County, Mississippi local law enforcement pleaded with the the public to wait before they react, as they provided details of an attempted murder and auto death Webber allegedly committed earlier in the month.Tom Hanks appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Thursday, June 13 to talk about "Toy Story 4". (Randy Holmes via Getty Images)

Tom Hanks is currently touring the chat shows talking about Toy Story 4. But his answers this week deviated a little from Disneys approved script when he landed on Jimmy Kimmels couch.

The talk show host innocently asked if there were things Hanks wasnt allowed to say about the movie, only for the actor to produce a pile of papers from his pocket.

I have these talking points that Disney gives you at the beginning of the press junket thing, he explained, before comparing the notes to the Gutenberg Bible, stressing that he took them everywhere and showing off their tomato juice stains.

Read more: Prepare for more Pixar tears: Tom Hanks teases emotional 'Toy Story 4' ending

These are things you are not supposed to say or are supposed to say? asked Kimmel.

The answer was both. The Forest Gump actor then went on to read out sections he was advised not to mention replacing the sensitive text with humming.

There are all sorts of rules, he continued. They also give you sample questions  which you are yet to ask my friend! he told Kimmel.

He went on to also reveal a sample answer about another character - that of Bo Peep.

Bo Peep should be described as a strong character from the beginning. Her recent experience has perhaps made her stronger, but she was never a weak character.

The actor then laughed, saying,Do you know how many executives now want to kick my ass because I brought this out?

The actor went on Jimmy Kimmel to promote the fourth film in the Disney Pixar series, which he had only recently seen after years of five hours segments of recording spread out over years.

Its one of the best movies ive ever seen in my life, he freely admitted.

Read more: Toy Story 4 is another masterpiece, according to first reactions

Toy Story 4 is available in the cinemas in the UK from 21 June.Honeywell, a global technology leader, is marking the centenary of MK Electric, a leading manufacturer of electrical wiring devices and a Honeywell company.



Since its establishment in the UK in 1919, the brand has become synonymous with high quality, safe and reliable electrical products for domestic, commercial and industrial uses.



Yashdeep Sule, marketing director, Honeywell Electrical Products, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: For MK Electric, 2019 is a landmark year as we celebrate 100 years of innovation and achievement.



We are firmly committed to providing the region with a comprehensive range of premium products. We are market leaders in the electrical wiring devices business and will continue to work tirelessly to further strengthen our position, while leading the industry to a smarter and more sustainable future, Sule added.



MK Electric was established as the Heavy Current Electric Accessories Company by Charles Arnold with just one product: the Multy Kontact socket, which would later become its namesake.



Along the way there have been many pioneering inventions including anti-flash, the first shuttered socket to feature concealed live and neutral terminals; the first monobloc light switch product with two components  a mounting box and the integral switch and frontplate; and Logic Plus, with its revolutionary 3-pin, child resistant, design.



Recently, MK Electric introduced USB charging capabilities to its iconic product portfolio, to enhance guest experiences in the regions hospitality sector.



The new MK Electrics 1 Gang USB integrated sockets, equipped with dual USB charging ports, now meet both British and International standards, keeping in step with evolving technologies and needs.



Luc Escoute, regional leader for Honeywell Electrical Products in the Middle East, said: We sincerely thank all our customers in the region for their continued support and look forward to working with them to advance the industry to new heights.



We owe our success to our customers and valued employees, past and present, and are grateful for their hard work and dedication. We are very excited for what the next hundred years will bring, Escoute added.  TradeArabia News ServiceHere's the most recent top news you may have missed in Portland.

Portland appoints citys first African American fire chief

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Portland has appointed the city's first African American fire chief. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Thursday that Sara Boone was announced as the new head of the Portland Fire & Rescue department Thursday.

Read the full story on The Seattle Times.

Family of man killed by Portland State police plans to sue

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The wife and daughters of a man fatally shot by Portland State University officers near the campus are planning to sue the university. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports a law firm representing Jason Washington's family notified the university of the pending lawsuit in a letter Tuesday.

Read the full story on Houston Chronicle.

Portland State reconsiders tuition increase

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Portland State University Board of Trustees' finance committee has decided to lower its proposed tuition increase to 4.9% for next year. That proposal goes before the full board for approval next week.

Read the full story on Houston Chronicle.

27-year-old man fatally shot at Portland beach

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Police say a man was fatally shot during a fight at a Northeast Portland beach. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the shooter and other people at Broughton Beach fled the area after the Wednesday night shooting, according to Portland police.

Read the full story on Houston Chronicle.

Man shot and injured in SE Portland shooting

The shooting happened Southeast Powell Boulevard and Southeast 122nd Avenue.

Read the full story on KGW.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Geneva (AFP) - A woman has drowned in Lake Geneva when her sightseeing boat sank as a violent storm battered parts of Switzerland on Saturday, police said.

A man who was in the same boat was able to swim to another vessel from where he fired "two flares", Joanna Matta, police spokeswoman for the canton (region) of Geneva, told AFP.

The man told officers that the woman had been "passing through Geneva" and that the storm had taken them "by surprise", Matta said.

Three police boats and emergency services rushed to the scene. Police divers later retrieved the woman's body from the lake.

The victim, whose nationality remains unknown, was then taken to a hospital in Geneva where she was declared dead.

In a separate incident, the storm also damaged some of the 465 boats taking part in the 81st edition of the Bol d'Or, an annual regatta on Lake Geneva, the event's press service said.

Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the participants on Saturday afternoon, causing boats to capsize although nobody was injured.

However, the storm broke the mast of the ultra-fast "Real Team" catamaran, which had been in the lead and was forced to pull out of the race.

The bad weather struck western Switzerland on Saturday afternoon, bringing hail and winds reaching up to 110 kilometres (70 miles) per hour, according to the national forecaster MeteoSwiss.

In the neighbouring French region of Haute-Savoie the storm also caused damage and left a 51-year-old German tourist dead after a tree came down at a campsite.Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack Saturday on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, backing a right-wing British columnist who has been widely accused of Islamophobia and once called migrants "cockroaches."

Trump attached his latest denunciation of the mayor to a retweet by Katie Hopkins about crime in "Khan's Londonistan" -- using a term widely perceived as a pejorative reference to the British capital's Muslim population and Khan's Pakistan ancestry.

"LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!" Trump wrote in response to Hopkins' tweet, later adding the mayor was "a national disgrace who is destroying" the city.

Earlier this month the president's plane had not even touched down in London for the start of a state visit when he tweeted that Khan was a "stone cold loser."

Khan had criticized the red carpet treatment being given Trump for the visit.

Trump said the mayor should "focus on crime in London, not me," and made a derisive reference to Khan's height.

Khan, London's first Muslim mayor, had led opposition to Trump's visit, writing a newspaper article in which he compared the US leader to European dictators from the 1930s and 1940s.

At that time, the mayor's spokesman called Trump's tweets "childish" and "beneath the president of the United States."

On a trip to London in July last year, Trump accused Khan of doing "a very bad job on terrorism," linking immigration to a deadly wave of crime in London.

The feud began when Khan, the son of a bus driver who emigrated from Pakistan in the 1960s, criticized Trump's travel ban on people from certain Muslim countries.

Hopkins, who wrote in support of Trump's election campaign during her time at the Daily Mail, has been dogged by numerous allegations of Islamophobia and hate speech during her career as a columnist.

Her description of migrants as "cockroaches" in 2015 prompted a rebuke by former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Zeid Ra'ad Al Husein, who said Hopkins had used language similar to that employed by some Rwandan media outlets in the run-up to the 1994 genocide, and by the Nazis in the 1930s.LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump once again criticised London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Saturday, saying he is a "disaster" and will "only get worse" after three people were slain in the city in less than 20 hours.

Trump retweeted a tweet by the right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins who called London "stab city" and said "this is Khans Londonistan," a phrase used to describe the city's failure to tackle Muslim extremists.

"LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!" Trump said on Twitter.

Trump called Khan, a Muslim of Pakistani heritage, a "stone-cold loser" earlier this month after the mayor criticized the British government for inviting Trump for a state visit and compared him to 20th century fascists.

Trumps feud with Khan dates back several years. Khan has criticised Trumps effort to ban travellers from Muslim countries, while the president has castigated the mayor for his handling of a 2017 terrorist attack on the London bridge that killed 11 people. (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill Editing by Bill Trott)Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih said on Saturday that he hopes oil producers will be able to balance the oil market by next year.

"We hope that we will balance the market before next year. We are working on it," Al Falih told Reuters when asked about the current oil market situation.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers in Karuizawa, Japan.

Al Falih said earlier this month that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), was close to agreeing to extend a pact on cutting oil supplies beyond June, although more talks were still needed with non-Opec countries that were part of the production deal.President Donald Trump is challenging his former White House counsels testimony to Robert Mueller, asserting that he never even so much as suggested firing the special counsel.

In an interview with ABC News, the president suggested that Don McGahn told Mueller of Trumps supposed directive that he be fired in order to save face.

"The story on that very simply, No. 1, I was never going to fire Mueller. I never suggested firing Mueller," Trump said.

Pressed on why McGahn would have told Muellers team during his more than 30 hours of voluntary interviews of the multiple times the president sought to have the special counsel removed, Trump pushed back.

"I don't care what he says, it doesn't matter, he argued. That was to show everyone what a good counsel he was.

McGahn, who left the White House last fall, is a key witness in the portion of Muellers final report on whether the president obstructed justice.

According to the report, Trump asked McGahn to inform then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that Mueller was too conflicted to serve as special counsel, just days after media reports revealed that the special counsel was looking into whether Trump obstructed justice and for the first time was personally a target of the investigation. McGahn said he took this to mean Trump was asking him to remove Mueller from the investigation.

McGahn declined to fire Mueller, instead threatening to resign rather than do so, putting him in the company of numerous other presidential aides who shut down Trumps attempts to thwart the investigation.

Trump and his aides have sought to cast doubt on McGahns account in the aftermath of the release of the report, even as theyve defended Trumps right to oust Mueller. The former White House counsels testimony was backed up by the contemporaneous notes of his chief of staff, but the White House has blocked both McGahn and his aide from testifying further to House Democrats, citing executive privilege.

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Asked why McGahn would lie under oath, Trump again offered only a theory.

"Because he wanted to make himself look like a good lawyer," the president said. "Or he believed it was because I would constantly tell anybody that would listen  including you, including the media  that Robert Mueller was conflicted. Robert Mueller had a total conflict of interest."

"And has to go?" Stephanopoulos responded.

"I didn't say that," Trump shot back.

The president also defended not testifying in person for Mueller. Though he submitted written responses to the special counsel's questions, his legal team feared that the freewheeling, hyperbole-slinging president might perjure himself during a face-to-face interview.

Challenged on the fact that he didn't answer any questions pertaining to his potential obstruction of the probe  for which Mueller laid out evidence but did not make a final determination  Trump did not answer, but chastised Stephanopoulos for being a "little wise guy."REUTERS/Leah Millis

Attempting belated damage control over his statement on Wednesday to ABC News that hed welcome negative information about his campaign opponents from foreign governments, including Russia, President Donald Trump reversed himself on Friday morning and even pretended he never said it.

Of course you give it to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that, he told host Steve Doocy during a 50-minute-long phone interview on his favorite morning show Fox & Friends.

Trumps radical revision, on the morning that he was celebrating his 73rd birthday, was part of his near stream-of-consciousness musings, in which he hurled insults at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and potential Democratic opponents Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warrenwhom he persisted in mocking as Pocahontasand declined to say whether hed endorse a hypothetical 2024 presidential run by his current vice president, Mike Pence.

You cant put me in that position, Trump told host Brian Kilmeade with a chuckle. I certainly would give it very strong consideration.

Calling Pelosi a disgrace after she suggested hed participated in a criminal coverup, Trump trashed former vice president Biden: Look everybody knows that Joe Biden doesnt have what it takes. Citing Bidens two previous presidential campaigns, Trump added: I call him 1-percent Joe. He never got more than that. Obama came along and took him off the trash heap.

Meanwhile, Trump called the out-gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a joke.

Trump also refused to say what the United States response will be to Irans alleged role in this weeks attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Well see what happens, he dodged.

In a discursive answer to host Steve Doocywho asked the president to clarify his comment to ABCs George Stephanopoulos that there is nothing wrong in your estimation with accepting dirt from Russia or any other foreign country, Trump responded: First of all, I dont think anybody would present me with anything bad because they know how much I love this country, Trump said. Nobody is going to present me with anything bad.

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If I wasand of course you have to look at it, because unless you look at it, how are you gonna know if its bad?but of course you give to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that. But of course you do that. You couldnt have that happen with our country. And everybody understands that.

That answerto one of his most fervent supporters in the mediadirectly contradicted Trumps statement to Stephanopoulos during an on-camera Oval Office interview Wednesday, in which he said that the FBI director is wrong when Christopher Wray told a Senate committee, at the coaxing of Sen. Lindsey Graham, that its a campaigns obligation to report such a foreign contact to the FBI.

Trump Is a Walking, Talking National-Security Danger

They have information. I think Id take it, Trump said on ABC, adding erroneously that he has never contacted the FBI in his life. This is somebody that said, We have information on your opponent. Oh, let me call the FBI. Give me a break. Life doesnt work that way.

But on Fox & Friends, Trump insisted: And I thought it was made clear. And I actually said at the beginningI think I said that Id do both  They say Oh, he would accept it. But if I dont listen, youre not gonna know.

Responding to Ainsley Earhardt, Trump also defended his plan to change the iconic baby-blue paintjob on Air Force Onewhich he attributed to Jackie Oto a patriotic red, white and blue color scheme.

We have our own Jackie O, Trump said. Melania.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.President Donald Trump lashed out at Kamala Harris after the California senator said the Justice Department would have no choice other than to charge Trump with obstruction of justice after he leaves office.

Oh, give me a break, Trump said to ABCs George Stephanopoulos in an interview excerpt released Thursday. Shes doing horribly. Shes way down in the polls.

But Trump also conceded that he would have expressed a similar sentiment if he was in her position.

I heard she made that statement. And you know what? Who wouldnt? Probably if I were running in her position, Id make the same statement, Trump said, characterizing Harris' remarks as a product of her 2020 candidacy instead of personal conviction.

The president went on to deny reports of collusion with Russia that have dogged his administration since he took office. Trump stated that all the prosecutors who have worked on the case are Trump-haters and that he could find Stephanopoulos 5,000 that would also say that there is nothing.

The crime was committed by the Democrats. It was committed by your friend Hillary Clinton, Trump claimed.

Harris is not the only presidential contender to call for legal action against Trump if a Democrat is elected. On Wednesday, Pete Buttigieg said he would support a criminal investigation into Trump once he leaves office, telling The Atlantic that he would want any credible allegation of criminal behavior prosecuted to the fullest.

Donald Trump  amid massive outrage and a public scolding by election officials  has reversed course and said he would report any information provided by a foreign country to the FBI. He insisted, however, he would have to read it to know whether it was bad.

Following widespread criticism and dismay after the president said he would accept foreign-sourced information if it could help his 2020 reelection bid, he said he thought he had made clear he would inform the authorities.

Of course, you have to look at itbut of course, you give it to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that, Mr Trump said, during a live phone interview with Fox Newss Fox and Friends, one of his favourite shows. You couldnt have that happen with our country, and everybody understands that.

He added: If I thought anything was incorrect or badly stated, Id report it to the attorney general, the FBI. Id report it to law enforcement, absolutely.

Earlier this week, in an interview with ABC News, the president said he would accept damaging information about an opponent if it was provided by a foreign nation  something in breach of election laws.

I think you might want to listen, there isnt anything wrong with listening, he said.

If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] we have information on your opponent  oh, I think Id want to hear it.

He added: If I thought there was something wrong, Id go maybe to the FBI  if I thought there was something wrong.

On Thursday, the chair of the Federal Election Commission issued a rare public rebuke, apparently in response to the presidents comments, although without naming him.

Let me make something 100 per cent clear to the American public and anyone running for public office, Ellen Weintraub said on Twitter.

It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept, or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a US election.

Earlier this year, special counsel Robert Mueller, completed a two-year investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

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Mr Mueller probe found no evidence of a conspiracy between Moscow and the presidents team, although he detailed numerous interactions. On the question of obstruction of justice, Mr Mueller was unable to exonerate the president.

Attorney general William Barr decided there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Trump.Donald Trump has insisted that Iran is responsible for an attack on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, after the Pentagon released night-vision footage of what it says is an Iranian navy boat retrieving an unexploded mine from the hull of one of the targets.

Phoning in to Fox and Friends for an interview on his 73rd birthday, the president said: Iran did do it. You know they did it because you saw the boat.

Meanwhile in an ABC interview, Mr Trump questioned the testimony given to the Mueller investigation by ex-White House counsel Don McGahn, saying the adviser may have been confused when he said under oath that his former employer instructed him to fire the special counsel.

Please allow a moment for our liveblog to loadPhoto Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast / Photos Getty

After two years of investigations, President Donald Trump remains unconvinced that there is anything wrong with accepting help from a foreign government to win an election.

During a television interview with ABCs George Stephanopoulos, Trump said he would not tell the FBI if he were offered information on a political opponent from a foreign government. He said Give me a break, life doesnt work that way. When reminded that FBI Director Christopher Wray has said that candidates should report contacts from foreign governments, Trump said, The FBI director is wrong.

Trump later conceded that maybe he would go to the FBI if he thought that something was wrong, but only after he met with the foreign representative to listen.

Trump spoke in the context of defending his son Donald Trump Jr., who was interviewed yesterday by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Among the topics Trump Jr., was expected to discuss was a meeting with Russians in June 2016.

According to special counsel Robert Mueller report, Trump Jr., accepted an offer communicated to him by email to meet with Russians to receive some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary [Clinton] and her dealings with Russia and would be very helpful to your father. The email further stated, This is very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump..." Trump Jr. famously responded to the email by replying, If its what you say, I love it....

The meeting took place a few days letter, attended by Trump Jr., as well as campaign chair Paul Manafort and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The meeting participants say that they did not receive any of the kind of information that had been promised.

As Muellers report notes, however, the United States has a compelling interest in preventing foreign influence over the U.S. political process. For that reason, U.S. law prohibits foreign nationals from making donations in connection with elections, and prohibits any person from accepting soliciting, accepting, or receiving a donation of money or other thing of value from a foreign national in connection with an election. In other words, we dont want foreign governments or individuals having any say in who wins our elections because we are a self-governing democracy in which only American citizens get to vote and influence the outcome of elections.

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The federal statute has two specific requirements: The violation must be willful, that is, the person must know that his conduct is illegal. In addition, the value of the contribution must exceed $25,000. Mueller found insufficient evidence in this case to establish either of these elements. He was unable to show that Trump Jr., Manafort, or Kushner knew about the legal prohibitions on foreign contributions. He was also unable to put a dollar value on the promised opposition research, in part because it never materialized.

In light of public attention to the law that accepting a thing of value from a foreign national is illegal, Trump would be unable to hide behind a lack of willfulness defense in the future.

Trump Finally Told the Truth: He Needs Russia to Win

The failure to prove these two elements should not obscure what Mueller did show: that high-level members of the Trump campaign were willing to accept assistance from a foreign government. Even if the conduct did not technically violate the law, it violated every rule of national security.

In addition to permitting foreign actors to have a say in the outcome of our nations democratic election, the Trump campaign also exposed itself to foreign influence. This threat is why Trumps new comments are so alarming. Even sitting down and listening to an overture from a foreign government puts a candidate at risk of blackmail. Many intelligence operations are based on offering someone something that they wantmoney, access, sexand then using that enticement as a trap to coerce compliance with demands. The foreign adversary doesnt even need to say out loud that it will expose the persons betrayal to his country. The mere knowledge that the foreign government could expose a persons unpatriotic acts may be sufficient leverage to induce someone to act in the best interests of the adversary and contrary to the best interests of his own country. The meeting alone compromises the candidate.

Trump compounded the harm of the meeting with Russians by editing a press statement about the incident to omit any reference to the purpose of the meeting: to share information about Clinton. This act further compromised him with Russia because it created an additional opportunity for them to leverage against him his lie to the American people.

Trumps comments that he would listen, and report to the FBI only if something was wrong, is wrong as a matter of good counterintelligence practice, and profoundly wrong as a matter of patriotism.

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Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.By Hugh Bronstein

TAPACHULA, Mexico (Reuters) - Many of the Central Americans who lined up for papers at an asylum office in southern Mexico said they could abandon plans to reach the United States and remain in Mexico if U.S. President Donald Trump clamps down further on migration.

Mexico is ramping up security on its southern border with Guatemala as part of an agreement with Washington after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican goods if the government did not stem the flow of migrants reaching the United States.

As part of that effort, Mexico has pledged to deploy 6,000 National Guard members along the border. Reuters reporters in Tapachula, a city near the frontier visited by many migrants, saw no evidence of that deployment there on Saturday.

Under U.S. pressure, Mexico has agreed to expand a program started in January that forces migrants to wait in Mexico for the outcome of their U.S. asylum claims. The United States began accelerating returns of asylum seekers to Mexico on Thursday.

In addition, if Mexico does not reduce immigration flows by mid-July, it could become a "safe third country" where asylum seekers must seek refuge instead of in the United States.

In the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, the overburdened COMAR refugee office in Tapachula has seen a surge of asylum seekers. It is one of only three such offices in the country.

People waiting in line outside the office said they would take their chances in Mexico if their only other choice was to return to violence-plagued Central America.

Thousands of families have fled poverty and rampant crime in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala in the past year, making their way through Mexico to the United States.

"If we have no other option then yes, we could remain in Mexico because we really cannot go back to Honduras," said Dagoberto, 34, waiting in line in the blazing midday sun on Friday with his partner, Jose.

Dagoberto said he had been threatened in Honduras when the business he worked for was taken over by a criminal gang. He was asking COMAR for a humanitarian visa to allow him to reach the U.S. border.

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Dagoberto and Jose, who hope to get married if they reach the United States, declined to give their surnames, saying the gang that forced them out of Honduras had international reach.

In a sign of intensifying efforts to stem the flow of people, several hundred migrants in trucks were detained by security forces at two points in the eastern state of Veracruz on Saturday, a Foreign Ministry official said.

BETTER MEXICO THAN HOME

Nidia Martinez and her three children slept the previous three nights on the sidewalk in front of the COMAR office, where she is seeking a credential to let her to travel to the U.S. border.

"I want to get to the United States. If I can't, then Mexico is a good place to live," she said, citing a sense of increased security she felt since arriving in Tapachula.

"In Honduras, you can't sleep on the street because they'd rob you. They'd rape you or kill you," Martinez, 28, said, beaming with relief that she and her children had not been assaulted in Tapachula.

But safety in their case depended on sleeping just outside the refugee office. Migrants in other parts of the city and throughout Mexico often face extortion, kidnapping and worse by criminals or corrupt government officials.

Martinez said she may look for her mother - who lives in Puebla, Mexico - and arrange to live with her and find work. But she says she cannot go anywhere without the COMAR document.

"We have to sleep and wake up here because without that credential they will grab us and deport us if we try to travel."

Her 20-month-year-old daughter, Litzy, looked up at her, smiling in a fleece hoodie decorated with blue hearts, her hair tied with a purple band. Later in the day, they were forced by a tropical downpour to cram themselves into doorways to stay dry.

Also sleeping outside for a chance at an interview in the refugee office was Hernando Gustavo Velazquez, 45, who arrived from Honduras a week earlier with his sister and nephew.

Velazquez said if he were unable to achieve his dream of reaching the United States, then Mexico would be a lot better than returning to Honduras.

"Here we have not seen any extortion," he said. "In Honduras, when they threaten to kill you for not paying for protection, they're not lying."

(Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Additional reporting by Roberto Ramirez in Tapachula and Delphine Schrank and Frank Jack Daniel in Mexico City; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Steve Orlofsky and Daniel Wallis)WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - A senior Democrat on a congressional panel seeking President Donald Trump's tax returns warned on Saturday that the current Congress may not see the long-sought tax documents without launching an impeachment inquiry.

Representative Lloyd Doggett, who sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, said Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, were slow to request Trump's tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service and now need to push back forcefully against Trump's refusal to turn over the returns.

"Because this request was delayed until April and no legal action has yet been filed to get the returns, it is certain we won't get them this year and perhaps (will face) some challenge to even get them with favorable expedited rulings by the time this Congress ends," Doggett, who chairs the House Ways and Means health subcommittee, told CNN.

"That and the total obstruction by Trump have convinced me that we need to institute an impeachment inquiry," the Texas Democrat said. "I just think we need a thorough investigation and a strong pushback immediately to a president who believes he's above the law."

The current Congress is due to end in January 2021.

House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal requested six years of Trump's individual and business tax returns on April 3, under a federal law that says the Treasury secretary "shall furnish" such documents if requested by a lawmaker who holds in Neal's position. He later subpoenaed the returns.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rejected the subpoena. On Friday, the Justice Department issued a legal opinion saying the secretary was on solid ground for doing so.

Neal has said he is likely to sue in federal court to enforce the subpoena and obtain the returns. But he has taken no such action.

Democrats want Trump's returns as part of their inquiry into possible conflicts of interest posed by his continued ownership of extensive business interests, even as he serves as president.

Trump has broken with a decades-old precedent among recent U.S. presidents by refusing to release his tax returns while a presidential candidate in 2016 or since being elected, saying he could not do so while his taxes were being audited.

Numerous tax experts have said an audit should not be an obstacle to disclosing his returns. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for international development aid, has announced the successful completion of a Dh771 million ($210 million) petroleum storage facilities project in Jordan, which had been fully funded by ther Emirati entity.

With a holding capacity of 356,000 tonnes, the project includes the construction of 22 storage facilities for light petroleum products including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as well as petroleum derivatives  diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.

Built in accordance with best international standards and equipped with health, safety and environment (HSE) equipment, the project is also fitted-out with loading and unloading areas for tanks as well as a water treatment system.

The funding was made as part of the UAE governments contribution of Dh4.6 billion ($1.25 billion) in 2013 to the Gulf Development Fund  an Dh5 billion programme of the GCC member countries to finance development projects in Jordan, said the statement from ADFD.

The project was inaugurated by Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz at a major ceremony which was attended by a high-level delegation from ADFD led by Director General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi besides Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr Mohamad Al Ississ, Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati as well as a number of senior officials from both sides.

Addressing the gathering, Al Suwaidi said: "The UAE and Jordan enjoy historic bilateral relations. The UAE leadership is committed to providing all forms of support to Jordan towards achieving comprehensive development in the country."

"The Petroleum Storage Facilities project in Jordan has important economic development benefits. Apart from upgrading the oil sector infrastructure, it is designed to help the Jordanian government address challenges in achieving energy self-sufficiency and securing strategic reserves of petroleum derivatives," he stated.

Al Suwaidi also acknowledged ADFDs contribution to stimulating economic activity and achieving sustainable development in Jordan through financing priority development projects.

For her part, Zawati commended the UAE leadership for its ongoing support to the Jordanian people.

She praised the brotherly relations between the UAE and Jordan, noting the strong fraternal ties among King Abdullah II of Jordan, UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Highlighting ADFDs role in helping the Jordanian government achieve sustainable economic growth, the Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said that ADFD has been providing strategic funding to key energy projects which in turn help in stimulating the economy.

Zawati also highlighted the importance of the Petroleum Storage Facilities project, noting its storage capacity in ensuring the supply and security of oil derivatives.

She said the new Petroleum Storage Facilities project provides storage units to maintain a reserve of petroleum products sufficient for 60 days of domestic consumption across Jordan.

Apart from creating ongoing job opportunities, Zawati also said that the project will enhance Jordans oil security and infrastructure.

Since 1974, ADFD has effectively funded hundreds of development projects in Jordan valued at Dh5.6 billion across the mining, water and irrigation, transportation, housing, agriculture and energy, as well as education and healthcare industries.-TradeArabia News ServiceDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Crew members from a Norwegian-owned oil tanker apparently attacked in the Gulf of Oman landed Saturday in Dubai after two days in Iran as the other tanker targeted in the assault limped into anchorage off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Both the mariners' recollection and the physical evidence remaining on the MT Front Altair and the Kokuka Courageous, now off the coast of Fujairah, will play an important role in determining who the international community blames for Thursday's explosions on board the oil tankers.

Already, the U.S. has blamed Iran for what it described as an attack with limpet mines on the two tankers, pointing to black-and-white footage it captured that American officials describe as Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops removing an unexploded mine from the Kokuka Courageous.

Tehran rejects the allegation, instead accusing the U.S. under President Donald Trump of pursuing an "Iranophobic" campaign against it. However, Iran previously used mines against oil tankers in 1987 and 1988 in the "Tanker War," which saw the U.S. Navy escort ships through the region  something American officials may consider doing again.

In a new allegation Saturday, the U.S. military accused Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops of trying but failing to shoot down a U.S. drone to disrupt surveillance of the tankers during the attacks.

All this comes after four other oil tankers off Fujairah suffered similar attacks in recent weeks, and Iranian-allied rebels from Yemen have struck U.S. ally Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles.

Late Saturday, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed a new drone attack targeting Saudi Arabia, the latest in their recent campaign that has stepped up amid the Mideast tensions. Yahia al-Sarie, a Houthi spokesman, said their drones targeted airports in Jizan and Abha in Saudi Arabia. Early Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said it shot down a drone near the Abha regional airport, but did not acknowledge the Jizan claim.

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The Houthis say they launched a cruise missile that struck the Abha airport Wednesday, an attack Saudi Arabia says wounded 26 people.

Trump withdrew America last year from the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran reached with world powers and recently imposed a series of sanctions now squeezing its beleaguered economy and cutting deeply into its oil exports. While Iran maintains it has nothing to do with the recent attacks, its leaders repeatedly have threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil flows.

On Saturday, Associated Press journalists saw the crew members of Front Altair after their Iran Air flight from Bandar Abbas, Iran, landed at Dubai International Airport. Ten of its 23 mariners walked out to be greeted by officials who earlier could be heard saying the others would be catching connecting flights.

The officials repeatedly refused to identify themselves to journalists. They and the mariners declined to take questions.

The Front Altair caught fire after the attack Thursday, sending a thick cloud of black smoke visible even by satellite from space. A passing ship rescued the mariners, who later were turned over to Iranian officials. Iran took the mariners to Jask, then later Bandar Abbas before putting them on the flight Saturday night. Its crew was comprised of 11 Russians, 11 Filipinos and one Georgian.

Meanwhile on Saturday, the Kokuka Courageous arrived off the coast of Fujairah. Journalists in the city could not reach the vessel, as boat captains said authorities instructed them not to go near the stricken vessel.

The Kokuka Courageous is the vessel where Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops were filmed Thursday removing something from the ship's hull. The U.S. military says they removed an unexploded limpet mine, which can be magnetically attached to a vessel. The implication is that Iran wanted to remove any evidence that could link them to the attack. Weapons experts can examine a mine for clues about its manufacturer.

The black-and-white video shared Friday by the U.S. military's Central Command came from an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter, said Cmdr. Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Such helicopters carry FLIR cameras. FLIR, or "forward-looking infrared" cameras, which record heat signatures in black and white.

In a statement released Saturday, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command said a U.S. drone had been observing the Front Altair as it was on fire. Several minutes later, Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops fired a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile to try to bring down the drone in a likely attempt to disrupt the drone's surveillance of the Kokuka Courageous, Lt . Col. Earl Brown said. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the incident.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf have risen as Iran appears poised to break the nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew America from last year. In the deal, Tehran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions. Now, Iran is threatening to resume enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels if European nations don't offer it new terms to the deal by July 7.

Already, Iran says it quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium. Meanwhile, U.S. sanctions have cut off opportunities for Iran to trade its excess uranium and heavy water abroad, putting Tehran on course to violate terms of the nuclear deal regardless.

In May, the U.S. rushed an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the region in response to what it said were threats from Iran.

Regardless of who is responsible, the price of a barrel of benchmark Brent crude spiked as much as 4% immediately after the attack Thursday, showing how critical the region remains to the global economy. The Saudi Energy Ministry quoted Minister Khalid al-Falih on Saturday as saying "a rapid and decisive response" was needed to the recent attacks.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's Foreign Minister, also called the May attacks against the four oil tankers off Fujairah as "state-sponsored." He declined to name who the UAE suspected of carrying out the attacks.

___

Associated Press writer Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, contributed to this report.London (AFP) - A British-Iranian mother being held in a Tehran prison on sedition charges has begun another hunger strike in protest at her detention, her husband said Saturday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, is refusing food as she marks her daughter's fifth birthday, Richard Ratcliffe said in a statement.

His wife was arrested in April 2016 as she was leaving Iran after taking their infant daughter to visit her family. She was sentenced to five years for allegedly trying to topple the Iranian government.

"She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water) -- to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment," he said.

"This is something she had been threatening for a while. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed Gabriella's fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something -- to mark to both governments -- that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long."

A project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the media group's philanthropic arm, she denies all charges.

She previously went on hunger strike in January.

"Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it," said Ratcliffe.

"I do not know the response from the Iranian authorities."

He urged the Iranian authorities to release her immediately, for the British embassy to be allowed to check on her health, and -- if she is not released within the coming weeks -- for him to be granted a visa to visit her.

He later stood outside the Iranian embassy in London and said he would maintain his own hunger strike and vigil outside for as long as his wife was refusing food.

- 'Do the right thing' -

Last month, London changed its travel advice for British-Iranian dual nationals, warning them against all travel to Iran, citing Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his message to Tehran was: "Do the right thing, show the world your humanity and let this innocent woman home. Free Nazanin."

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He added: "Whatever the disagreements you may have with the United Kingdom, there is an innocent woman at the heart of this."

Amnesty International UK's director Kate Allen said Zagari-Ratcliffe's plight was "truly heartbreaking".

"Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, unfairly jailed after a sham trial and subjected to all manner of torments," she said.

"It's shocking that it's come to this."LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May is considering pushing through a 27 billion pound ($34 billion) increase to the education budget in her final weeks in power prompting a clash with the finance ministry, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

The prime minister is demanding a three-year funding settlement for schools and teachers as part of a bid to shore up her legacy, a move opposed by the finance ministry, the newspaper reported.

May is preparing to seek cabinet approval for the plan as soon as Tuesday, the newspaper said. ($1 = 0.7943 pounds) (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Daniel Wallis)Mariupol (Ukraine) (AFP) - New Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday made his first official visit to the major trading port city of Mariupol, where he observed joint military exercises in the Sea of Azov.

The city which is about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the frontline of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which was seized by Russian-backed separatists, was celebrating the fifth anniversary of it's liberation from the rebels.

"We must now thoroughly redistribute the maximum of our attention to the Donbass," Zelensky, 41, told journalists at the port, referring to the region controlled by the rebels.

"This is our land, our territory and we want people from the other side, in the temporarily occupied territories, to see that Ukraine is flourishing here."

The president, a former comedian and TV star whose landslide election victory shook the political establishment, said he had a plan for the "nearest future" -- that would not take five years.

He also said his main goal was to end the war in eastern Ukraine and return all areas to under the control of Kiev.

"There are our people, we are all Ukrainians," he stated.

During the military exercises, Zelensky sat on the deck of search and rescue ship and watched officers of the Ukrainian national guard, border guard, sappers and divers demonstrating their skills.

More than a hundred officers, at least three camouflaged guard boats, inflatable boats and a helicopter were involved.

After the official part of the visit, Zelensky visited the city centre, took selfies with people and even ran through a park fountain with children.

Earlier some 10,000 people had attended a military parade in the city to mark five years of being free from separatist control.

"The lesson for Donbass is that when Russian forces leave, peace begins," Kurt Volker, US special envoy for Ukraine, tweeted on Friday.

Volker said Mariupol had been largely peaceful in recent years "except for when Russian forces shelled it, killing dozens".

Story continues

In 2015 rocket strikes hit the residential district, killing 30 people and wounding more than a hundred.

Kiev and its Western backers accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border in the east to fan the flames of the conflict.

Moscow has denied the claims despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Some 13,000 people have been killed in this war since 2014.(Reuters) - British conservative lawmaker Esther McVey said on Saturday that she will support Boris Johnson in his bid to be prime minister, The Telegraph reported.

"Boris Johnson is supporting my agenda  which is why I'm supporting him", she wrote http://bit.ly/2WLp52V in the newspaper, adding that she looks forward to working with Johnson to deliver on behalf of "blue collar Conservatives" across the country.

(Reporting by Ishita Chigilli Palli in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis)CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  A Delta flight has made an emergency landing in Wyoming after instruments detected a possible fire in the plane's cargo area.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports that there were no injuries among the more than 200 passengers and crew Friday afternoon when a Delta Airbus A321 headed from Salt Lake City to Detroit landed at Cheyenne Regional Airport.

Cheyenne Regional Airport director Tim Barth says the plane was cruising at about 35,000 feet (10,668 meters) around 3 p.m. Friday when pilots noticed rising temperatures in the cargo area.

After the plane landed and passengers were evacuated, firefighters checked out the plane and found no fire. Passengers were allowed to re-board and retrieve belongings.

Barth says Delta was to bring in a replacement plane Friday night to resume the trip.

___

Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.comCARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Saturday called for an investigation into claims his representatives misappropriated funds intended to help defectors from the Venezuelan military living in Colombia.

More than 1,400 members of Venezuela's armed forces have fled to Colombia this year, heeding Guaido's call to disavow socialist President Nicolas Maduro. They began arriving in late February, as Maduro's troops at the border with Colombia drove back convoys of humanitarian aid requested by Guaido.

Latin American news outlet PanAm Post on Friday reported that representatives of Guaido, the leader of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, used funds intended to pay for the cost of the troops' hotels in the Colombian border city of Cucuta for personal purchases. [https://tinyurl.com/y6qgdeka]

"We will investigate this deeply," Guaido said during a speech to supporters in the mountainous Venezuelan state of Merida. "Every cent of public funds should be sacred, and that is something we have to learn as a society."

Guaido in January invoked Venezuela's constitution to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. He has since been recognized as the country's legitimate leader by most Western and Latin American countries, including Colombia and the United States.

The opposition and its allies abroad say Maduro is a corrupt dictator who, along with other senior officials, has grown rich as Venezuela's economy collapsed in recent years, prompting millions to emigrate. Maduro calls Guaido a U.S.-backed puppet seeking to oust him in a coup.

"We request that the relevant jurisdiction investigate and clear up these serious charges," Luis Almagro, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, wrote on Twitter on Friday, linking to the PanAm Post article. "Democraticization is not possible under the opacity of corrupt acts."

Story continues

Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said in a Friday tweet that the Maduro government had previously "denounced a gigantic corruption scheme of Guaido's with money sent to Cucuta to recruit hitmen."

In a statement, Guaido's office said he had requested Colombian authorities' help with the investigation.

"We condemn any possible act of corruption by Venezuelan citizens in the management of resources to pay for the lodging of troops who arrived in Colombia," Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said on Twitter, calling on "relevant authorities" to investigate.

(Reporting by Mayela Armas and Luc Cohen; Additional reporting by Helen Murphy in Bogota; editing by Diane Craft)NEWPORT, R.I. (AP)  The first female leader of the U.S. Naval War College says she's humbled by her selection as college president and looks forward to serving in that role.

Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, a helicopter pilot who heads a military command in Guam, was named as the 57th president Friday. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer called her a "historic choice."

Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harley was removed as president Monday after The Associated Press reported he was under investigation for questionable behavior and more than a year after the initial complaint was filed.

Chatfield told the AP in a statement Saturday it has been an honor serving with the service members and civilians at Joint Region Marianas, and a privilege working with Guam's governor and community.

She's looking forward to serving the Navy, faculty and war college students in Rhode Island.Tunis (AFP) - Tunisian officials uncovered four white tiger cubs being smuggled across the border to Libya, the customs department said Saturday.

The cubs were found hidden in the car of a Libyan driver at the southern Ras Jedir border post, a statement by Tunisian customs said.

According to Tunisian authorities, the Libyan said he "bought the tigers in a private zoo" in the eastern Enfidha region.

The zoo where the Libyan claimed to have bought the cubs announced the birth of tigers around two months ago.

"But he did not have documents with him proving the purchase and he did not have the necessary authorisations to leave Tunisian territory," the customs department said.

White tigers and lions are extremely rare, with only a few hundred worldwide, and owe their appearance to a recessive gene.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that the number of wild tigers has plunged from 100,000 in 1900 to around 3,900 today.

Numbers have edged back up in recent years but the species is still vulnerable to extinction, the WWF says.

The cubs seized in Tunisia were handed over to a department within the Ministry of Agriculture in the country's southern Medenine province.

A judicial investigation has been opened into the driver, Tunisian officials said, although he was not immediately arrested.Help India!

TCN News

The High Court of Bombay granted to four accused in the Malegaon Blast case of 2006 on Friday by releasing them on cash bail of Rs. 50,000 each.

Support TwoCircles



The bench comprising Justice A Mahanty and A M Badar also instructed the accused to attend the special court during the trial and shall not contact the witness or tamper with evidence.

The four accused Dhan Singh, Lokesh Sharma, Manohar Narwaria and Rajendra Chaudhary have been in jail since 2013 when they were arrested. Their earlier pleas for bail had been rejected.

The accused were booked by National Investigation Agency (NIA) which took over the probe from CBI who had taken over from the ATS (Anti-Terrorism squad) of Maharashtra.

The ATS had arrested 9 youth from the Muslim community and later when the CBI took over, they too followed the same procedure of probe holding the 9 youth responsible. However after the NIA, after their investigation concluded that the blasts were carried out by people from the majority community.

Subsequently, the special court accepted the stand of NIA, who had dropped the charges against the youth and discharged them in 2016, ten years after their arrest.

On September 8, 2006, during the Friday prayers, a series of blasts took place outside Hamidiya masjid as bobs tied to bicycles went off killing 37 persons and injuring more than 200 persons.

These blasts sent shock waves amongst the Muslims and even as they were recovering from these blasts, another major blast took place in September 2008 when bomb tied to Pragya Singhs motorcycle went off killing 6 persons and injuring 101 persons in Bhiku Chowk of Malegaon.

The trials are in process for both these cases.In another of her gone-viral congressional hearing moments, New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took Trump White House officials to task on Wednesday for their behind-the-scenes efforts to politicize the 2020 Censusand, more importantly, for the administration's continued refusal to answer to Congress for its conduct.

At issue during Wednesday's event were the Department of Commerce's strenuous efforts to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 edition of the survey. According to internal Census Bureau estimates, asking these questions could decrease response rates by five percent, making those who do not participateleery of revealing such sensitive information to the governmentinvisible in the eyes of the state. A large-scale Census undercount of immigrants could significantly affect congressional apportionment, diverting federal resources and power away from more diverse Democratic-leaning areas and toward whiter, more Republican areas for the next decade.

The likelihood of this outcome, of course, is exactly why the White House wants to ask about citizenship in 2020and why its members are so reluctant to discuss the issue in public. On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress after they refused to comply with subpoenas for related documents. And although neither man attended the hearing, Ocasio-Cortez tried filling in some of the blanks in their absence. "I want to know why we have skipped every normal mandated procedure in testing how this question gets added in the Census," she said, noting Ross's push to condense the typical five-year survey-modification process to two.

"I want to know why this question was magically added after we have seen that a political operative knew and detailed an intent to intimidate racial and immigrant communities for a partisan purpose," she added, referring to the late GOP strategist Thomas Hofeller, whose analyses explicitly concluded that drawing districts using the population of only U.S. citizens "would be advantageous to Republicans and Non-Hispanic Whites." Before his death, Hofeller helped the Department of Justice draft a formal request for a citizenship question to the Department of Commerce. In that letter, DOJ officials claimed they need the data to, of all things, better enforce the Voting Rights Act.

Story continues

Ocasio-Cortez pressed on. "I want to know why people like Kris Kobach, with a documented historya resume of voter-suppression techniques in the state of KansasI want to know why folks like that have their fingerprints all over the most sensitive Census operations that we have as a United States government," she said. Court filings show that Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state who briefly headed Trump's ill-fated "voter fraud" commission, pressed the issue with Ross and even discussed with him the potential effect on apportionment of adding "one simple question" to the 2020 form. Kobach did so, according to his e-mails, "at the direction of" former White House senior adviser Steve Bannon. Curiously, he did not mention the Voting Rights Act in the relevant correspondence.

"I want to know about corruption. I want to know about the racism, and the very disturbing history that we're seeing here," Ocasio-Cortez concluded. "That's what I want to know."

The congresswoman emphasized that she does not want to issue subpoenas in this matter, to Barr or Ross or anyone else. "Nobody" in Congress wants to be in this position, she urged; as a co-equal branch of government, the legislature is entitled to the courtesy of a voluntary response. But when it doesn't get one, she concluded: "We have to do our job. We have no other choice."

There is value in holding this sort of public quasi-trial-in-absentiaof laying bare the dishonesty and cynicism of executive-branch officials and calling out the xenophobia that motivates their seemingly benign efforts to assemble a Census form. For one, neither Barr nor Ross can tell even more lies about what they did; for another, neither Barr nor Ross can argue, bloviate, stall, or just needle their interrogators until time runs out.

There is more value, however, in getting executive-branch officials to answer lawmakers' questions, which is something empty hearing-room chairs cannot do. The congressional subpoena only functions as a meaningful check on the executive branch when the executive branch cares about cooperating, or at least fears paying a price for its obstinance. The Trump administration has now fought back against subpoenas and other formal requests issued to the president's former communications director, former White House counsel, former deputy White House counsel, Commerce secretary, Treasury secretary, and attorney general. It is fair to say that this is not an executive branch operating under normal presumptions about appropriate conduct.

Unless House Democrats are willing to escalate their struggle to hold the administration accountable, whether for Russia or obstruction or the Census or anything else, there will be no consequences for any of it.

Originally Appeared on GQIf Florida's state transportation authorities ever wanted to rename Interstate 4, the highway that slashes across the central part of the state from Tampa Bay to Daytona Beach, they might consider calling it, "The Road to the White House."

With its 29 Electoral College votes, Florida is the biggest swing state in the nation. Taking Florida in the 2020 presidential election will be key to winning the White House next year.

In fact, over the past 50 years, only Bill Clinton in 1992 won the presidential election without prevailing in Florida.

And the key to winning Florida, is winning Central Florida.

Which is why it's no coincidence that President Donald Trump chose Orlando to officially kick-off his re-election campaign on Tuesday.

"There is a reason why they are going to be in Orlando to start the campaign," said state Sen. Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. "The president has to win re-election here if he is going to win the White House again."

'We're off and running': A look at Donald Trump's un-Trumpian campaign for reelection in 2020

Other parts of the state are either highly Democratic or Republican, but Central Florida, with its seemingly endless stream of newcomers, remains stubbornly independent. And it is home to almost half the registered voters in the state.

"If you need to keep Florida, and you have to pick one place to go, you have to go the I-4 corridor," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics and a leading expert on presidential elections.

Orlando is the dead center of the I-4 corridor.

The swinging Sunshine State

At first glance, Florida might not seem like much of a "swing state." Republicans have controlled the state Legislature since 1996 and the governor's office since 1999. Both U.S. senators are Republicans. In fact, the only Democrat to hold statewide office at the moment is Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried.

Story continues

But in presidential elections, the state's voters flip back in forth.

Trump took the state in 2016, but former Democratic President Barack Obama won Florida in 2008 and 2012. Before that, former President George W. Bush, a Republican, won Florida in 2000 and 2004.

And top-of-the-ticket races like the president and governor have been won by narrow margins, most notably when Bush was declared the winner over Democrat Al Gore in 2000  after extended legal battles  by just 537 votes out of more than 6 million cast.

That was the closest statewide race in Florida history. Before that, the closest had been the 1994 governor's race when Democrat Lawton Chiles edged Bush's brother, Jeb, to win a second term.

How closely divided the state is was reinforced in last year's elections. Then Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, by 0.2 percentage points. In the governor's race Republican Rick DeSantis edged Democratic Andrew Gilllum by 0.4 points.

"We used to be the 1% state," said Susan MacManus, political science professor emeritus at the University of South Florida, about the typical margins in past statewide races. "As of 2018, we are the half-a-percent state."

All the candidates: Who is running for president in 2020? An interactive guide

Trump is no stranger to the Sunshine State. He spends many weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. And he held countless rallies here during the 2016 election season. He ended up winning the state by 1.2 percentage points over Hillary Clinton.

And while Trump bills this rally as the official kickoff to his campaign  the place where he "announces" his candidacy  he actually filed his re-election paperwork on Jan 20. 2017, the very day he was inaugurated. He held his first campaign rally a month later in Melbourne, Florida.

Trump still would have won the White House in the last election even if he had lost Florida because he also won several Midwestern states that had been Democratic strongholds.

But recent polling suggests that voters in at least some of those states now prefer former Vice President Joe Biden over Trump by a significant margin. While such polling 18 months ahead of Election Day is far from conclusive, it does emphasize the importance of winning Florida.

"This is a state that the Republicans have to win to win the White House," MacManus said, noting Trump's apparent weakness in the Midwest.

Florida is all Trump's, for now

Meanwhile Democratic candidates  all 23 of them  are spending the majority of their efforts in Iowa and New Hampshire, which in February kicked off the process of choosing the party's nominee.

Florida's presidential primary will be held March 17.

"The Democrats are fractured among 23 candidates," Gruters said. "We are unified around the president."

Democrats aren't ignoring Florida, though. The party's first debate will held later this month in Miami.

And the Florida Democratic Party is ramping up its outreach efforts now, says Juan Penalosa, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party. The goal is to register 200,000 new voters before Election Day and otherwise strengthen the party's "ground game."

"When we do have a candidate, we will be ready to go on Day 1," he said.

Other than that, Trump will have the state all to himself until next year. Don't be surprised to see him hold many rallies throughout Florida over the year.

2020 debate match-ups: Which candidates will face off in Miami?

He also has the advantage of being a close ally of Florida's new governor, Republican Ron DeSantis. Trump's endorsement of DeSantis is widely seen as having secured him the GOP nomination last year over the front-runner at the time, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.

"Having the governorship in Florida makes a difference," Sabato said. "DeSantis will devote a substantial amount of time and energy to campaigning for Trump."

Besides campaigning for Trump, DeSantis could continue to push policies the president favors. On Friday, DeSantis signed a bill banning so-called "sanctuary cities" in Florida, something the governor lobbied hard for. The president routinely rails against sanctuary cities.

While there is no concrete definition of sanctuary cities, they are broadly described as jurisdictions that have policies limiting cooperation with federal authorities in immigration enforcement actions.

Most analysts say there are no sanctuary cities in Florida. Even the Center for Immigration Studies  which favors less immigration  lists only Alachua County as a sanctuary area in the state. It's reasoning: Officials there won't detain suspected undocumented immigrants without a court order or criminal warrant.

A sign of things to come?

Trump's Orlando rally likely will set the tone for future events around the state: crowded, boisterous and a draw for protesters.

The official capacity of the Amway Center, site of Tuesday's rally, is 20,000. But Wednesday, Trump tweeted that 74,000 had already requested tickets. At that point Trump's website was still issuing tickets.

The Trump campaign later clarified that having a ticket did not guarantee entry into the event, that admission would be on a first-come, first-served basis.

On Friday, the campaign announced that an "inaugural 45 Fest" would be held outside the arena beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The tailgate-party-style event will feature food trucks, live music and jumbo TV screens so that those who didn't make it inside the arena can watch the president's speech.

Meanwhile, protesters from around the state are also expected to converge on downtown Orlando.

The Miami debates: Biden vs. Sanders and other things to watch in the first Democratic debates

Penalosa said at least 4,000 anti-Trump protesters have told the state party they are going to Orlando.

The LGBQT community is planning a "Win with Love" rally at the Stonewall Bar, a few blocks away from the Amway Center.

Hate, division, and greed have no place in Florida, said Christopher Cuevas of Orlando, one of the rally organizers. The Trump administration has demonized our most marginalized communities to distract from their own blatant corruption and incompetence."

Still, Gruters said he is confident Trump will take Florida again in 2020.

"This is President Trump's country," he said. "This is President trump's state."

Contact John McCarthy at jmccarthy@floridatoday.com

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Why will Trump be in Orlando? Because Florida is the road to the White HouseWashington (AFP) - Who will take the giant leap for womankind?

More than fifty years after the end of the Apollo program, NASA plans to return to the Moon by 2024 as a "proving ground" to test the next generation of spacecraft ahead of an eventual crewed mission to Mars.

The new program has been named Artemis after Apollo's twin-sister in Greek mythology, and the space agency has said that the mission will see the first woman to stride the lunar surface.

So, who will she be? No one knows for sure, but it's a likely bet the candidate will be selected from among NASA's current roster of 12 female astronauts.

They're aged between 40 and 53, and are former military pilots, medical doctors and scientists who were picked from among thousands of applicants since the late 1990s.

Predicting who will join Neil Armstrong in the annals of history isn't an exact science, but several former astronauts and experts interviewed by AFP say the proximity of the deadline mean it probably won't be a new recruit.

"Now personally, I'd be okay with flying a rookie astronaut to the Moon," former astronaut Eileen Collins, who flew and commanded Space Shuttles in the 1990s and 2000s, told AFP.

"But if you have enough astronauts who have already flown, they know how they're going to react in space.

"Some go up there and they have symptoms that might interfere with their ability to do the work. But you don't know who that is."

Ken Bowersox, a senior official at NASA, agreed. "I think it will be better to send people who have had at least one flight," he told AFP.

That objective will be easier than ever before because there have never been so many women astronauts.

When NASA was first established in 1958 it only recruited from the military, which was at the time exclusively male.

All 12 moonwalkers between 1969 and 1972 were men, and it wasn't until 1983 that Sally Ride became the first American woman sent to space.

Story continues

- Scientists and soldiers -

The four women of the 21st class of astronauts, recruited in 2013, represent a good mix of youth and experience. Currently between the ages of 40 and 41, they will all have made their first space forays between now and 2020.

Anne McClain, an ex-army helicopter pilot, will be in the International Space Station (ISS) until the end of June.

Well spoken, with a self-assured gaze and a light smile, she embodies the ineffable "right stuff" of NASA's early recruits.

Also currently in the ISS is Christina Koch, an engineer and passionate mountain climber. She will soon beat the record for the longest time a woman has been in space, at 11 months.

Back in March, the pair almost conducted the first all-female space walk, but a lack of a proper fitting spacesuit meant McClain had to give her place up for her male colleague Nick Hague.

"I think Christina Koch or Anne McClain would be my two top picks," said Janet Ivey, the presenter of a children's show on space and a governor of the National Space Society.

But their two female colleagues from the same class, Jessica Meir, a marine biologist who specializes in penguins and geese, and former F/A 18 fighter pilot Nicole Mann, who flew in Iraq and Afghanistan, are also highly qualified.

They are both in the middle of their training to go to the ISS.

In a 2016 interview, all four declared themselves ready to go to Mars if the opportunity presented itself. It's hard to imagine them turning down a trip to the Moon.

- Opaque process -

There's no upper age limit for space. The iconic John Glenn made his last flight at the age of 77 as a US senator.

There's nothing therefore excluding the highly experienced Sunita Williams, who is preparing for her third space mission and will be 58 in 2024.

Especially since NASA has long "appreciated the leadership skills that came along with test pilots," according to Kent Romninger, the former chief of the astronaut office from 2002 to 2006.

"Suni," as she's known, has piloted about thirty different aircraft in her military career.

Two other women, Serena Aunon-Chancellor and Kate Rubins, have also flown to space recently.

The other five haven't flown since 2010 but remain on active duty.

There are five women in the 2017 batch but they have yet to complete their initial training.

They're not ruled out yet, but the calendar isn't on their side -- especially since NASA tends to stick to a cycle of astronauts once their order is set, says Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former astronaut who spent 20 years with the agency.

When it comes down to the final call, though, the process "is fairly opaque," he conceded.

In Houston, the chief astronaut will be keen to build a team whose profiles will be complementary, a mix of ex-military and scientific backgrounds, and of different personalities.

The mission forsees a four-member crew, two of whom will walk the Moon. Why not have two women?By Nick Carey

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Reuters) - Workers at Volkswagen AG's assembly plant in the state of Tennessee narrowly voted against union representation, dealing a fresh blow to the United Auto Workers' (UAW) efforts to unionize a foreign automaker's plant in the U.S. South.

The German automaker and the UAW said on Friday that workers at the Chattanooga plant voted 833 to 776 against union representation, the second time in five years they have rejected collective bargaining.

"Our employees have spoken," Frank Fischer, president of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said in a statement. "Pending certification of the results... Volkswagen will respect the decision of the majority."

Speaking to reporters in Chattanooga, UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg claimed that Volkswagen had engaged in "threats" and "intimidation" that had affected the outcome of the vote.

"The company kept playing a lot of games and we are not going to abandon the workers who supported a union," he said.

Rothenberg said it was too early to tell whether the UAW would appeal the election results, or whether the union would support another vote at the plant.

The fresh defeat comes at a pivotal time for the UAW, which has been struggling to move beyond a federal corruption probe and faces contentious contract talks this year with General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.

The loss also raises renewed questions about whether the UAW can gain a toehold in the U.S. South and organize workers at a foreign automaker.

The union's membership peaked at 1.5 million in 1979 and despite gains this decade, it fell to below 400,000 last year.

The UAW narrowly failed to organize VW's Chattanooga plant in 2014. The vote this week was closer than the one five years ago, which was 712 against to 626 for unionization.

In 2017, workers at a Nissan Motor Co Ltd plant in Canton, Mississippi, voted nearly two to one against union representation.

Story continues

Ahead of the vote, prominent Republican elected officials in Tennessee, including U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, had argued publicly against unionization at the Chattanooga plant.

Harley Shaiken, a labor expert at the University of California-Berkeley, said without "heavy political pressure" from those officials, the union could possibly have won.

"The UAW will absolutely have to try again in Chattanooga," Shaiken said. "The vote was too close not to."

(Reporting by Nick Carey; editing by Sandra Maler and Christian Schmollinger)(Adds comments from Saudi crown prince)

* Six tankers attacked in space of month

* Trumps says U.S. video shows Iran "did it"

* Tehran denies role in May or June attacks

* Tensions high since U.S. quit nuclear pact

* Britain also blames Iran, others urge caution

By Asma Alsharif

DUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia called for swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies and joined the United States in blaming Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital shipping route that have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region.

Thursday's tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman exacerbated the antagonistic fallout from similar blasts in May that crippled four vessels. Washington, already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear programme, has blamed Tehran and Saudi Arabia's crown prince also accused Iran on Saturday.

Iran has denied any role in the strikes on the tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said there must be "a rapid and decisive response to the threat" to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence, his ministry said on Twitter.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an interview with Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, blamed Iran and called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" against the attacks.

"The kingdom does not want a war in the region but it will not hesitate to deal with any threats to its people, its sovereignty, or its vital interests," the crown prince said.

The U.S. military released a video on Thursday that it said showed Iran's Revolutionary Guards were behind the explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous.

"Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat," U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday.

Story continues

The United States has tightened sanctions on Iran since Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and global powers last year. Washington's stated aim is to drive Iranian oil exports, the mainstay of its economy, to zero.

Tehran has said that if its oil exports were halted, it could block the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel of water separating Iran and Oman through which passes a fifth of the oil consumed globally.

ENERGY SECURITY

Oil prices have climbed 3.4% since Thursday's attacks. Ship insurers said insurance costs for ships sailing through the Middle East have jumped by at least 10%.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister said in Japan at a meeting of energy ministers from the G20 group of nations that the kingdom is committed to ensuring stability of global oil markets.

Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said ministers agreed on the need to "work together to deal with the recent incidents from (an) energy security point of view."

Trump, who pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal under which world powers agreed to ease international sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear work, said any move to close the Strait of Hormuz would not last long.

He also said he was open to holding talks with Iran, although Tehran said it had no plans to negotiate with the United States unless it reversed a decision on the nuclear deal.

Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in a war. But this has done little to assuage concerns that the arch foes could stumble into conflict.

A U.S. official told Reuters a surface-to-air missile was fired from Iranian territory on Thursday morning at a U.S. drone that was near Front Altair following the attack on the tanker. The missile did not hit the drone, the official said.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the United States was "planning various contingencies" when asked if more military forces would be sent to the area, but added that the focus was on building an international consensus.

"We also need to broaden our support for this international situation," he told reporters on Friday.

CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

As well as blaming Iran for the tanker attacks, Washington has said Tehran was behind May 14 drone strikes on two Saudi oil-pumping stations. Tehran has denied all those charges.

Britain has backed the United States in blaming Iran for the tanker attacks. On Saturday, Iran summoned the British ambassador to complain about its "unacceptable stance," ISNA news agency reported.

Other nations have urged caution. Germany said the video released by the U.S. military was not enough to prove Iran's role, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation to determine responsibility.

China and the European Union called for restraint.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani renewed Iran's threat to continue scaling back compliance with the nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show "positive signals".

He did not specify what Iran wanted in his comments to a meeting of Asian leaders in Tajikistan.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal have said they wanted to save the accord. But many of their companies have cancelled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States.

(Additional reporting by Michele Kambas in Nicosia, Nazarali Pirnazarov in Dushanbe, Yuka Obayashi in Karuizawa; Writing by Edmund Blair and Bill Trott; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Daniel Wallis)Paris (AFP) - Italy's Franco Zeffirelli, who died Saturday aged 96, was one of Europe's foremost film directors, turning classics by Shakespeare and Verdi into modern gems, most famously in his Oscar-nominated "Romeo and Juliet" (1968).

With a career spanning more than 60 years and more than 40 films, plays and operas, Zeffirelli worked with a dazzling array of stars from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to Glenn Close and "La Diva" Maria Callas.

"Few Italians since Fellini have had such an impact in the United States as Franco Zeffirelli," the New York Times said in 2009, reviewing his Met production of "La Boheme".

As well as his work with Hollywood A-listers, the cultural icon has also collaborated with some of the 20th century's greatest voices, including Callas and Placido Domingo, in the world's most prestigious venues.

In the 1970s he expanded his repertoire to biblical subjects, notably in the all-star mini-series "Jesus of Nazareth" with Laurence Olivier, co-written with English novelist Anthony Burgess.

The series starred no fewer than seven Oscar winners.

Another religious theme was Brother Sun, Sister Moon, on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.

In later years Zeffirelli's life would provide inspiration in "Tea with Mussolini" (1999) starring Cher, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith as British and American women raising a young Italian boy in Florence through and after the Second World War. Dench also starred in a London theatre production of his Romeo and Juliet.

- Life-changing love affair -

Born in the Tuscan city on February 12, 1923, Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli was the illegitimate son of a married fashion designer who died during his childhood. His father, a likewise married textiles trader, only recognised him in his adolescence.

His mother came up with the name of "Zeffiretti" -- "little breezes" -- named after an aria from Mozart's opera, Idomeneo.

Story continues

In the register of births that was corrupted to Zeffirelli.

Both of his parents died when he was young and he was taken in by his aunt.

As a youngster, Zeffirelli was fascinated by casts of travelling actors performing in local villages, sparking his love of theatre and also music.

He studied architecture and then fought with the partisans against the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini during World War II.

During the conflict he also became an interpreter for the Scots Guards, a regiment of the British Army. It was that connection, as well as his contribution to the arts, that earned him in 2004 an honorary knighthood from Tony Blair's government.

After the war he met Italian film giant Luchino Visconti. The encounter proved decisive. Visconti, one of cinema's greatest names, hired him as assistant on three of his films.

Visconti was his mentor and became his lover. Their affair was, in Zeffirelli's telling, tumultuous, volcanic and ended brutally, but the union propelled and influenced his artistic career.

- Buddies with Berlusconi -

An elegant, exuberant maestro in the world of art, Zeffirelli's political trajectory has been more jagged and controversial.

From 1994 to 2001 he worked as a deputy in Italy's upper house for the centre-right Forza Italia party of tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, whom he defended amid escalating stories of his sex antics.

"What is the scandal?" he said in an interview with the New York Times in 2009. "I think its a joke. Its ridiculous... Berlusconi is a man that likes a lot women."

A homosexual and Catholic, Zeffirelli opposed an increasingly liberal sexual climate and came out against any recognition of gay couples.

In 2004 he advised audiences against seeing Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", which he described as "a step backwards of several centuries" in its portrayal of Jews.

In another unusual twist, he agreed in 2007 to become an image consultant to Pope Benedict XVI, finding the conservative pontiff's robes "too sumptuous and flashy".

In an interview in March he told with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera he named two major projects he regretted not having been able to take on.

One was a film adaptation of Dane's Inferno; and the other was a film on life and works of the quintessential Renaissance dynasty, the Medicis.TCN invites applications for the post of Managing EditorIn Russia, oil stands for money and gas for power. The extensive pipeline infrastructure connecting gas fields in Siberia with consumers in primarily Europe has been the source of interdependency and relative political power. In this context, no company is more powerful and essential than Gazprom, which is sometimes referred to as a state within a state. It also means, however, that the energy giant is no ordinary company as it has to deal with different KPIs than its peers.

Gazprom controls some of the worlds largest gas fields which dwarf the assets of competitors. The seemingly unlimited production capacity is the source of the energy companys power and influence. Gazproms 10 percent share of the Russian economy is a token of its importance for the countrys economy. Furthermore, the companys activities make up the bulk of Russias total fixed investments.

(Click to enlarge)

Changing fortune for investors

Before the financial crisis of 2007-2008, Gazproms market value stood at $360 billion. The companys management even promised to raise the valuation to $1 trillion. Instead, things went from bad to worse, and share prices fell to a mere fraction of their previous value. The energy giant had lost approximately $300 billion of its value by 2015 when market capitalization stood at $51 billion.

Gazprom stocks, however, soared to unseen heights last month, rising 30 percent as the gas major decided to double its dividend to 16.6 rubles from 8 rubles previously. According to several sources, the Russian Finance Ministry has been pushing state-owned enterprises (SOE) such as Sberbank, VTB, Gazprom, and Rosneft to increase the pay-out ratio to at least 50 percent. This, in turn, raised investors profitability expectations.

Related: Extreme Weather Could Send Global Energy Demand To Record High

Gazprom was rewarded with a sharp rise of its valuation by almost $25 billion to $71.4 billion within a couple of days. At the end of May, the companys share value had risen sufficiently to break through the $75 billion mark for the first time in years. Gazproms performance had been lagging behind most SOEs in 2018, which the management ascribed to the companys substantial investments in new pipeline infrastructure for markets in Europe and Asia. The Kremlin, however, seems to be losing its patience

when it comes to improving the efficiency and performance of the energy giant.

(Click to enlarge)

Mixing politics and economics

The Kremlin has launched 12 national projects to reinvigorate the Russian economy. One of the stated goals is to improve the efficiency of SOEs. An earnest effort has been made to curb spending on tenders and procurements, including the massive investment programs for the expansion of pipeline infrastructure to China and Europe. One of the measures to keep spending in control is organizing all projects under a single contractor, Gazstroyprom.

According to the World Bank, Gazprom is the most unproductive company in Russia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the company suffered from mismanagement and corruption. One of Putin's first battles was to reform the company and change the management. However, in recent months, it seems that the current leadership is at risk of being sacked. Since February, three high-ranking employees have left the company.

According to specific sources, CEO Alexei Miller is also under threat of being sacked. His departure could be one of the reasons for investors believe that the current drive for efficiency is a firm intention to reform.

The Kremlins push for sustained profitability is music in the ears of private investors. The end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 could be a watershed moment for the company as the construction Nord Stream 2, Turk Stream, and Power of Siberia near their end. It would benefit Gazproms position in two ways: sales should improve due to additional export capacity and the completion of the projects will reduce the financial burden concerning investments. Therefore, it seems likely that the companys profitability will significantly rise in the next couple of years. The Kremlins intention seems to cash in after a long period of significant spending and infrastructure expansion. Furthermore, improving Gazproms efficiency and effectiveness should boost the companys public standing and credibility.

By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:The Court of Appeal Sokoto Division has fixed June 23 for hearing in a suit filed by Malam Sadiq Sule-Iko challenging the nomination of Senator Bala NaAllah as the All Progressives Congress Kebbi South Senatorial District candidate.

Sule-Iko, approached the appellate court to challenge the decision of Federal High Court in Birnin Kebbi that struck out his suit in which he challenged the validity of NaAllahs nomination during the APC primaries conducted in October 2018.

ALSO READ:Supreme Court sacks Umar as Niger-East Senator, orders Musa as replacement

At the sitting on Friday, the Appellants Counsel, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, moved an application to amend the originating summons which was opposed by the Respondents Counsel, Mr Afraimu Jingi.

The counsel argued on the legality to effect changes on the summons after expiration of the stipulated period in accordance with pre-election matters regulation and Court rules.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Ahmed Belgore, adjourned the case until June 23, to hear the main appeal and gave Respondent Counsel five days for reply on motion papers served on him on the amended prayers.

(NAN)

Post Views: 53John Low, a 60-year-old Singaporean diving instructor, spent four days and three nights drifting in the South China Sea with nothing but a small buoy and a useless backpack, after his boat was capsized last month.

On May 4th, John Low was getting ready for a leisurely dive off the coast of Tioman Island, in the South China Sea, when a strong wave hit his anchored boat and threw him into the water. Before he even could even realize what had happened, the boat, started taking water and eventually sank. All John could retrieve was a ring buoy and his backpack, but he wasnt too worried at first, as he figured he could swim his way back to land. However, try as he might, he couldnt fight the currents, which constantly pushed him out into the open sea. By 10 pm, he could no longer see the shore, and he started panicking. For the next four days, he was all alone, with no food and potable water.

John Low recently talked about his grueling experience, telling Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao that out of all the things he had to endure, the mental torture of being by himself with nothing but salt water as far as the eye could see was the toughest to deal with. At one point, things got so bad that he started to talk to the inanimate objects he had as company, calling the buoy he clung to bro, and the Rolex watch on his wrist boy and brother.

The physical torture was no joke either, though. The scorching sun burned him so badly that the first photos taken after his rescue show the skin on his face and body burned to a crisp and peeling like a layer of, well, dead skin. He told reporters that at one point the t-shirt, shorts and underwear he was wearing in the water started rubbing against his sun-burned skin, and the pain was so bad that he had to take them off. Unfortunately, that only made him more vulnerable to the suns rays.

If you keep your head up, out in the open, you get burnt, which means a burning sensation on your face, Low said in an interview. The only way to avoid that is to put your face in the water. But because my face is all scarred, because (I had) been in the water for four days and three nights, when I put my face in the water, its like 1,000 needles poking my face. So its either I face the pain in the sun or the pain in the water.

After dozens of hours in salt water, the skin on his armpits literally got stuck to the buoy which caused him even more pain. Then he started marine creatures nibbling on his feet, but by that point he was already too exhausted to do anything about it.

The 60-year-old said that as the mental and physical torture intensified, he started seeing things and hearing voices that told him to let go off the buoy. Luckily, he didnt listen, instead willing himself to hang on and endure the pain, not for himself but for his family.

On the four night of his nightmarish experience experience, a miracle happened; a passing ship called the Diogo Cao noticed the buoy and lifted the half-dead drifter aboard. All he could remember from his rescue was thinking I am saved, now I can sleep.

John Low spent two days in the hospital, including six days in intensive care. Doctors in Singapore said he suffered a lung infection, kidney failure due to the complete lack of fluids, as well severe burns all over his body. Luckily, he has made a full recovery and recently met the crew of the Diogo Cao to thank them for saving his life.

I hope there will be no one else for you to save but if you do , keep doing the same thing with your bravery, Low told his saviors, after hugging them.

***Maxwell Okoye, a Nigerian from Oji River local government area of Enugu state, has been allegedly killed by men of the South African Police Service.

According to NAN, Joshua Itua, vice-president of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Okoye was tortured to death at Ladysmith, Kwa-zulu-Natal province, in the early hours of Friday.

According to Itua, the police forced their way into the apartment of the deceased. He said members of the union had cause to believe the deceased was tortured to death as there were bruise marks and blood all over his body.

While they were with him, he called to alert other Nigerians but before they could get to his apartment the police had made away with his body. Maxwells lifeless body was later seen at the mortuary, Itua said.

The vice president said NUSA leaders then went to the police for fact-finding, noting that his death has added to the number of Nigerians that were killed either by the police or through Xenophobia.



The station commander of Ladysmith claimed that he was met foaming as at the time they gained entrance to his apartment, he said.

Police murder inquest has been opened and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) in Kwa-zulu-Natal province have been informed for a full investigation.

Our condolence to his family and the Nigerian community in Ladysmith. We call on our government to seriously engage its counterparts in South Africa for investigation and prosecution if not a natural death.

This is because, according to our leaders who went to the mortuary, there are bruises and blood all over his body, hence, we have every reason to believe that he was tortured to death.

Our stand as foremost Nigerian organisation in South Africa is that all cases involving the killings of Nigerians should be investigated and prosecuted irrespective the nationality and status of the perpetrators.The spokesperson of the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign organization, Festus Keyamo, said the earlier claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the electronic server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed how gullible the party chieftains are.

PDP and Atiku Abubakar had asked the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to compel INEC to grant them access to the server and smart card readers used in the conduct of the 2019 election.

But counsel to INEC, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN) in a counter affidavit asked the court to dismiss the application on the ground that the commission had no server.

They are asking us to bring something we dont have, he said

Keyamo, who reacted through his twitter handle on Friday, said only gullible people believe the daft story of server results.

He noted that the initial petition written to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police to arrest PDP and its people for hacking INEC server was based on their claim. He wrote:Going by what a representative of Niger Republic, Aichatou Kane, said at the 54th Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Malabo, the wait for the single currency policy is over. This is because the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will adopt its own currency by 2020.

According to Kane, ECOWAS institutions have been more involved in the regions single currency creation programme and harmonisation of the monetary policy framework to encourage regional integration and eliminate diverse tariff barriers.

When the single currency policy finally takes effect, all the West African countries will be able to use a common currency. This implies that contrary to what we have now whereby different countries in West Africa use different currencies, there will only be a single currency to be used across the sixteen countries in West Africa.

ALSO READ: Youre misrepresenting facts, Kano anti-graft agency tells Sanusi

The perfect example is the introduction of the Euro which is the official legal tender across the European Union.

When the single currency policy is finally put in place by 2020, Nigeria will surely benefit from it. For one, it will eliminate the uncertainty that surrounds exchange rates. One of the many challenges with trading with other countries is that you never know which way the exchange rate will move. It may move in your favour or against you, thereby resulting in more costs for you.

This sort of uncertainty could hinder trade  particularly for smaller firms. A single currency gets rid of the uncertainty within the single currency zone, thereby encouraging trade.

The single currency will also eliminate the cost of converting currencies for Nigerians. At least, within the region, there wont need to convert currencies for any reason, and it will be more considerate to convert currencies outside the region as against what it is now for Nigerians.

Post Views: 66The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Friday warned Nigerians to be wary of another civil war, saying the country is only heading for implosion as long as equity and fairness is denied some sections of the country.

The President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo who stated this in a statement, said that in as much as northern Nigeria decides to be unreasonable and realistic, this country can never get better.

Nwodo, who was reacting to the Tuesday election of the ninth National Assembly leadership in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Chief Emeka Attamah, said that Nigerians should beware of another civil war. He said:Lagos former Gov. Akinwumi Ambode is going to get an automatic ticket into President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet, but chances are his past will haunt him.

Those APC party men he hurt while he was in office are ready to frustrate his appointment.

The leadership of the ruling APC, according to the Punch, have resolved to give some governors who lost their re-election bids automatic lifts to the federal executive.

So Ambode, Mohammed Bindow (Adamawa) and Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi) are sure to have made the cut.

The APC Organising Secretary, Adamawa State chapter, Ahmed Lawan, confirmed the Bindow possibility.

It is made certain too for Ambode because Buhari and his handlers at Aso Rock are said to have taken him as their golden boy irrespective of his failure to secure a second term as Lagos governor.

But the Mandate Group, a political machine of the APC national leader Bola Tinubu, are ready for a revenge.

Sources within the group told the newspaper they will petition the EFCC to look into Ambodes administration for possible corruption.

Ambode tried to destroy the party in his first term. Apart from not being accessible, he revoked contracts belonging to party members and brought in his own companies, a source told the newspaper.

There are also others who believe he is not a true-blue Lagosian since he comes from Ondo, and for that reason, he cannot represent Lagos at the federal level.

The National Daily reported that Ambode problem began in 2018 when he was accused of disloyalty to the APC and its members who worked for his election in 2015.

Tinubu, his godfather, therefore advised him not to bother contesting in 2019.

But Ambode defied the advice and went ahead to contest the ticket which he lost to the current governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu, another godson of the APC national leader.

Tinubu decides the political fate of his men in southwest politics, but certain forces within Aso Rock have always decided to bypass him, and influence political outcomes in the southwest.

In 2015, Tinubus effort to present his candidates for ministerial appointments were thwarted by the likes of Oguns former Gov. Ibikunle Amosun and others who are close to Aso Rock.

Many political observers considered the Aso Rock disruption then as a breach of contract between Buhari and Tinubu who many believed catalyzed the change that brought Buhari in 2015.

The 2019 repeat and its crisis between Tinubu and the president might just start with the Ambode appointment.

Post Views: 13,715



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LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



























Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



OZ2



OZ3



OZ4



Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



























La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



Capitalismo...



medicos (2)



Quien educa a nuestros hijos?



Los Medios...



Sin Palabras...



Chistes feministas

- Cual es el problema, Eva?

- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz...

- Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.

- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...

- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.

- Que es un hombre?

- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.

- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.

- Cual es el truco?.

- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.

- Cual?

- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.





Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Ellas...



Ellas (2)...



Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1

Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije:

-Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro.

Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria.

Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre?

-Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa!



VENGANZA NUMERO 2

Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris.

A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita:

- Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!!

Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta.

La mujer paso quince dias en Francia.

El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla.

Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es:

- Y amor me trajiste mi francesita??

- Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina.



VENGANZA NUMERO 3

El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion.

- No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo.

- Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz.

Te quiero confesar algo.

- Esta bien, esta bien. Habla!

- He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga.

- Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!!



machismo y cibernetica



Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston.

-Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide.

-Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!.



.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.

Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos.

Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco.

Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas



Gol !!!!



Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso!



Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy!

I am offering high quality A-grade charcoal for sale in Namibia ready to export to any destination. Please call or email me for more details.A Pennsylvania father wearing a Free Dad Hugs shirt at his local Pride parade never would have thought that his small act of giving strangers hugs would leave such a large impact on the world.

On Sunday, Scott Howie Dittman tagged along to the Pittsburgh Pride Parade with his friend Denna Hays, who was attending with Free Mom Hugs, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ equality and gives out hugs at Pride events.

Speaking to PEOPLE, Dittman says he decided to attend and wear a Free Dad Hugs shirt because he believed that dad hugs might be even more needed  and it turns out he was right.

While there, the friends gave out hundreds of hugs to parade attendees, but it was Dittmans shirt that particularly resonated with many, as attendees approached him throughout the day with smiles, tears and heartbreaking stories to share.

After the emotional encounters, Dittman, a father of two, tells PEOPLE that he came home to his wife to tell her about the amazing event, but had trouble grasping the fact that so many parents had abandoned their kids because of who they loved.

It was amazing, and Im really pissed off. Im not okay with this, he recalls telling his wife. How are these people parents? What are you doing? How can you treat your children like that just because of who they love? Even if you dont agree with it, how can you just cut them off?

They have to build a new structure when theyre missing the very foundation of what is supposed to be their support system, Dittman adds.

Scott

RELATED: Pride Month 2019: See How the Stars are Celebrating

That anger soon developed into inspiration and Dittman, who volunteers with a local charitable organization called Helping Butler County, posted about two particular encounters from the parade on his Facebook in hopes to make a difference in his community.

Story continues

In a powerful side-by-side photo, Dittman was captured in an embrace with two people  one man in his 50s and one woman in her early 20s.

Dittman says the young woman noticed his shirt from across the street and went out of her way to seek him out.

I turned around and this young woman was standing there in front of me with tears in her eyes, he explains, adding on Facebook that she had a look of sadness and helplessness that Ill never forget.

She just threw her arms around me and started thanking me, he tells PEOPLE. She was having a blast and she saw my shirt and instantly, something drew a switch in her that she was like, I have to cross the street and get a hug from this guy  a complete stranger.'

With that hug, Dittman says he truly began to understand the impact of his shirt that day.

Thats when I started realizing  this is more than just coming down here and sharing smiles and hugs, he explains. Some of these individuals, its gonna mean more to them.

Later during the parade, Dittman crossed paths with the man who revealed that his parents kicked him out of the house when he was 19. The other gentleman came up, and he sobbed for so long. Thats 30 years that his parents havent spoken to him since they found out, Dittman notes.

On Facebook, the father of two added that during their hug, he felt a tiny bit of that pain that he carries with him every minute of every day.

At the end of his post, Dittman also encouraged any parents who followed him to be more mindful about abandoning their children.

Imagine that, parents. Imagine that your child feels SO LOST FROM YOU that they sink into the arms of a complete stranger and sob endlessly just because that stranger is wearing a shirt offering hugs from a dad, he wrote. Think of the depths of their pain. Try to imagine how deep those cuts must be. Please dont be the parent of a child that has to shoulder that burden. I met WAY too many of them, of all ages, today.

Since opening up about his experience, Dittman tells PEOPLE that his post has gone viral and thousands of users from across the world have reached out to him on social media.

Some of them have shared their own stories of abandonment, while others have told him that they were suicidal and his post inspired them to keep living. Dittman says he even received messages from parents who thanked him for opening their eyes and encouraging them to reunite with their estranged family members.

Its humbling, but its sad, he explains of the impact. Its sad that these people needed a stupid social media post to have eyes opened and to feel welcomed. Its sad that some guy in some small town western Pennsylvania is having that much of an impact when that impact shouldve been made and when they shouldnt have even needed it because they werent abandoned in the first place.

RELATED VIDEO: Raymond Braun Shares LGBTQ Stories From Across the Country in Documentary State of Pride

Thats what makes me so angry and makes me so sad, is that theyre in that situation in the first place, he continues.

As happy as I am that these individuals are now going to press on and families are being reunited, the sheer number of them that were destroyed in the first place is inexcusable, Dittman adds. I dont understand but Im hoping itll change some things for a lot of people and it seems like it has and thats all that matters.

And while he hopes that this will continue to move forward, Dittman wants to stress to parents that even those children who seem fine on the exterior now are still in need of their foundational support system.

They might think that the child has moved on and is fine without them  if theyre even keeping tabs on them from a distance, he says. Theyre not okay. There is not a single person in this world that doesnt need the foundational love and support of their parent. It should be unconditional, it should be fully trusting, where they feel the safest.

That relationship is so meaningful, no matter how broken it is, he adds. Its never too late.Ousted Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir is to appear in court next week to face charges of corruption and illegal possession of foreign currency, the country's acting prosecutor general announced Saturday. The announcement came more than two months after the military overthrew Bashir following mass nationwide protests against his iron-fisted rule. Bashir "will appear in court next week following charges of corruption and possessing foreign currency", Al-Waleed Sayyed Ahmed told reporters, without specifying the day. On Thursday, an unnamed official quoted by the official SUNA news agency said Bashir was facing charges including "possessing foreign funds, acquiring suspected and illegal wealth, and ordering the (state of) emergency". In April, Sudan's army ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said more than $113 million worth of cash in three currencies had been seized from Bashir's residence. He said a team of police, army and security agents found seven million euros ($7.8 million), $350,000 and five billion Sudanese pounds ($105 million). When he imposed the state of emergency on February 22 in a bid to quell protests that erupted in December, Bashir issued a decree making it illegal to possess more than 5,000 dollars in foreign currency. Bashir, who was toppled on April 11 following months of protests and is currently being held in the capital's Kober prison, swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989. Sudan suffered high rates of corruption during his rule, ranking 172 out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index. Last month, Ahmed ordered Bashir questioned over money-laundering and "financing terrorism". - Charges against Bashir aides - In May, the prosecutor general said Bashir had been charged over the killings of protesters during the anti-regime demonstrations, which eventually led to his ouster. Ahmed also said on Saturday that other "symbols of the ousted regime" were under investigation. He did not name the others accused but said most of the charges were over the "possession of land". Protests against Bashir's rule initially erupted on December 19 after his then government tripled the price of bread. He was ousted by the army after thousands of demonstrators launched a sit-in outside military headquarters in central Khartoum from April 6. But army generals have resisted protesters' demands to hand power to a civilian administration. The protesters kept up their sit-in even as their leaders held several rounds of talks with the generals on installing civilian rule. But talks broke down in May over who would lead a new overall governing body -- a civilian or soldier. And on June 3, armed men in military fatigues launched a crackdown on demonstrators camped outside the army complex that left dozens of people dead and hundreds wounded. Protesters and witnesses accuse a feared paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), of carrying out the assault on demonstrators. General Shamseddine Kabbashi, spokesman of the ruling military council, has said the findings of a probe into the deaths would be released on Saturday. - RSF image 'distorted - On Thursday, he acknowledged the dispersal of the sit-in, saying the initial plan was to "clean" an area called Colombia -- an area near the sit-in that the generals have said was inhabited by criminals prior to the crackdown -- but adding "we regret what happened". On Saturday evening the spokesman of a military panel investigating the crackdown said its report was still not finalised, but he revealed some initial findings. "The committee's findings so far show that officers and soldiers of different ranks from regular forces entered the sit-in without any orders from their superiors," Brigadier Abderrahim Badreddine, spokesman for the committee, told state television. "They were not part of the troops who were ordered to clean Colombia," he said. RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo defended his force at a rally Saturday in a village on the outskirts of Khartoum. "Our image as Rapid Support Forces has been distorted," said Dagalo, who is also the deputy chief of the ruling military council. "But we will not talk about it (the June 3 crackdown) until the findings of the report come out," he said as a crowd of supporters cheered. Doctors linked to the protest movement say about 120 people have been killed in Khartoum since the crackdown, while the health ministry says 61 people died nationwide on June 3.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.GLENS FALLS  In dueling chants, a volley between protest groups bounced from one side of the street to the other on several corners of Centennial Circle on Saturday afternoon.

As part of the #ImpeachTrump National Day of Action, more than 100 protesters, along with the 20-foot-tall inflatable Trump Chicken, expressed their feelings about President Donald Trump.

We are here because Trump, Barr, McConnell all think they are above the law, said organizer Ellen Eggers-Aimone. We want our representative to come out and do something.

Protesters chanted No one is above the law, Impeach the criminal in chief, calling on U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, to take a stand against Trumps policies, lies and threats to democracy.

Hey, Stefanik, its not OK. Hey, Stefanik, its not OK.

The national #ImpeachTrump initiative, spurred events similar to the one in Glens Falls, with many set to take place in more than 100 cities and towns, including New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Orlando, Boston and Detroit.

Musician and songwriter Mike Glick, who was vacationing in the Catskills on Saturday, looked for the closest protest and the Glens Falls event was it, he said, talking about the importance of attending.

Glick, who Peter Seeger once said was one of the best songwriters going, shared several of his original protest songs on Saturday.

Are you outraged? he asked.

Wonder where the money went, tax cuts for the one percent, he said. If you are not outraged, you are not listening. If you are not outraged, you are not listening. With Nazis running in the street and getting praise ... if youre not outraged, youre not listening.

As the #ImpeachTrump protesters called, Impeach Trump, the pro-Trump group responded Impeach Hillary.

Yes, Hillary should legitimately be the president, responded co-organizer Joe Seeman. Were glad they understand that Hillary Clinton should indeed be the legitimate president.

But what began with each side shouting liar, liar, to the other, evolved into several #ImpeachTrump supporters crossing the street to talk with the other side.

Initially, both groups responded in angry shouts to the other, but settled into several discussions and even a few trying to hear the others side.

Several Glens Falls police officers were present, but the protests continued without incident.

Glicks songs were followed by the reading of the words of lawmakers like U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., presidential candidate and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and others.

Nationally, the weekend events highlighted the 10 million signatures delivered to U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., in May, calling on Congress to move forward with impeachment proceedings.

Donald Trump has broken the law, violated the constitution, and put the safety and future of the American people at risk. But by now, it is clear that Congress wont act unless we demand it. We need to take to the streets in every neighborhood in America to defend democracy, said national organizer Alexandra Flores-Quilty, with By the People in a release. We are making the urgent call for Congress to act and begin an impeachment inquiry now.

Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli covers Washington County government and other county news and events.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, re-introduced the Military Justice Improvement Act on Wednesday. The bipartisan bill would move the decision of whether to prosecute serious crimes in the military to independent prosecutors instead of chain-of-command, in an attempt to address sexual assault in the military.

For years, survivor after survivor has told us the change we need to make in the military justice system to end the scourge of sexual assault in our military  the same change that some of our allies all around the world have already made: move the decision to try these crimes outside of the chain of command to trained military prosecutors, Sen. Gillibrand was quoted as saying in a press release. The Department of Defense has tried incremental reforms, but they clearly havent worked.

The press release cites the Department of Defenses report this year on sexual assault, there were an estimated 20,500 instances of sexual assault last year, while the number of cases that went to trial dropped from 588 in fiscal year 2014 to 307 in fiscal year 2018.

None of this is acceptable, Sen. Gillibrand was quoted as saying. Its long past time for Congress to step up and create accountability where the DoD has failed. That is how we will finally give our men and women in uniform a justice. Under the new law, certain judicial advocates in the military of rank O-6, the equivalent of a colonel, or a captain in the Navy, would be granted the authority to send criminal charges to trial.

The bipartisan senators endorsing the legislation include Republican Chuck Grassley, Ted Cruz, and Lisa Murkowski, as well as fellow Democrats like Tammy Duckworth  herself a combat veteran and retired lieutenant colonel  and Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, among others.

Sen. Gillibrand has been an outspoken advocate on confronting sexual assault in the military. Last fall, after a report showed Fort Drum as having one of the highest rates of sexual assault, accounting for demographics, of any large Army installation, Sen. Gillibrand said she would work with the command to confront the problem.

The Pentagon should have released this report much sooner, but now that they have finally made this important analysis public, they have an obligation to take these findings seriously and do everything they can to end sexual assault in our military, Sen. Gillibrand said in a statement to the Times at the time. The report showed that a number of large installations face a higher risk of sexual assault, and I will continue to work with Fort Drum leadership on eradicating the risk of sexual assault and harassment among their population.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WASHINGTON  Almost every time voters who lean toward President Donald Trump visit Facebook, they get deluged with invitations to his rallies or pleas to support his immigration policies: Thats no surprise  the platform was central to his victorious 2016 campaign.

What they probably dont expect is that the Trump campaign also follows them to more distant corners of the internet  placing ads that supporters see on YouTube channels like Epic Wildlife, Physiques of Greatness and BroScienceLife, even the liberal site Daily Kos. The campaigns willingness to spend money on such sites may or may not pay political dividends, but its willingness to gamble points to something bigger that unnerves the Democratic Partys top digital thinkers.

His campaign is testing everything, said Shomik Dutta, a veteran of Barack Obamas two campaigns and partner at Higher Ground Labs, an incubator for progressive political tech. No one on the Democratic side is even coming close yet. It should be gravely concerning.

Trump is using the advantage of incumbency, a huge pile of campaign cash and a clear path to his partys nomination to build a digital operation unmatched by anything Democrats have. His campaign is testing all manner of iterations, algorithms and data-mining techniques  from the color of the buttons it uses on fundraising pitches to the audiences it targets with short videos of his speeches.

By the time Democrats pick a nominee, some of the partys top digital strategists warn, Trump will have built a self-feeding machine that grows smarter by the day. His campaign has run thousands of iterations of Facebook ads  tens of thousands by some counts  sending data on response rates and other metrics gleaned from the platform to software that perpetually fine-tunes the campaign messages.

As with most campaign tactics, no one knows for sure how much difference the flood of money and advertising on Facebook might make. Despite all the testing of how people respond to specific messages, even the richest political campaigns dont spend much money on rigorously researching the ultimate question of what, if anything, sways voters, especially with an incumbent who inspires such strong feelings  positive and negative  as Trump.

Still, the central fact of the 2016 election likely will remain true for 2020: Trumps victory margin in key states was so slim that just a handful of voters staying home or showing up could make the difference.

The main goal of the Facebook ad effort is raising money. But as it widens its base of small donors, Trumps campaign also gains contact information for activists and accumulates insights into what sells to the narrow group of persuadable voters Trump potentially could win over.

That could mean anything from learning that Trumps thumbs-up and pointing gestures inspire more campaign donations  a fact  to which messages most encourage voters to surrender phone numbers and demographic data.

For a planned kickoff rally in Orlando, Fla., the campaign posted a variety of Facebook ads  showing Trump head on, from the side, from the corner. Hes wearing a red tie, a striped tie and no tie at all. There is a range of musical styles and graphics, including one version that intersperses palm trees and an alligator wearing a red Make America Great Again hat along with more casual images of Trump pointing his index fingers toward the camera.

Though most of the ads are geared toward promoting Trumps personality and immigration policies or lambasting the fake news, Trump is also testing very narrowly targeted messages. In April, he touted a rare legislative achievement with crossover appeal  a law passed in the fall that reduced some federal criminal sentences  in Southern states with large black populations such as Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Trump is deeply unpopular with most minority voters, but lower-than-expected turnout of black voters in Detroit and Milwaukee was among the reasons for Hillary Clintons narrow losses in Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016.

Trump dominates Democrats on Facebook ads in battleground states

President Trumps campaign has vastly outspent top Democrats this year on Facebook, where relatively small advertising buys can reach large swaths of voters, donors and activists. By getting a head start in swing states, Trump is gaining an edge in honing his general election messages.

Other ads cite Trumps efforts at nuclear negotiations with North Korea and the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. A heavy focus on the fake news media helps insulate Trump from reporting of facts that undercut his case, including the lack of progress on nuclear talks, controversies about Kavanaughs past or Trumps failure to rewrite the nations immigration laws.

One of his most used advertising themes, building a wall on the southern border, asks supporters to sign a petition to show all Republican Senators a list of the many American voters that will NOT be happy if a wall isnt built.

Trump has also begun testing attacks on Democratic opponents, using sleepy Joe to target former Vice President Joe Biden in several ads while targeting Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on gun control.

Each of the messages could return in the general election, using information gathered now.

Chris Lehane, a longtime Democratic strategist who heads global policy and public affairs at Airbnb, said that Trump is running a true 21st century campaign. ... The more data you collect, the smarter your flywheel gets. They are doing this with precision.

The Trump campaigns marketing and advertising director, Gary Coby, compares the campaigns approach to high-frequency trading on Wall Street, constantly buying and selling to see which ads bring the most value.

Every month were testing on other channels, he said. It is a turnabout from Trumps last campaign, he said, when we didnt have the luxury of time to test and explore.

Democrats are online too, but in a way that does much less to boost the partys prospects next year. Locked in a competitive primary season, their online targets are donors in liberal areas and voters in a handful of early primary states  people already inclined to vote Democratic located mostly in regions not crucial to retaking the White House. Trumps messaging is far more likely to pop up on screens in such up-for-grabs states as Michigan, Ohio or Arizona.

For Democrats, this couldnt be further from a general election strategy, said Andrew Bleeker, a leading digital strategist for Obama, Clinton and other Democratic candidates who runs the firm Bully Pulpit. Trump and his allies, meanwhile, are making inroads in the places that will matter in 2020, he said.

The question is whether Democrats will be able to catch up when they have a nominee.

Theyre going to be so far behind in terms of just sheer volume of testing that theyre going to have to rely on just standard practices rather than whats tested, said Josh Canter, a Republican digital consultant based in Austin, Texas, who is not affiliated with Trump.

Trumps campaign has spent $15.5 million on digital ads so far this year, more than any other political group or candidate, according to data from Santa Monica-based Pathmatics, which detected purchases as small as the one on BroScienceLife. But its not just Trump. Other top spenders include a website called Conservative Buzz ($8.8 million), the right-leaning Judicial Watch ($3.7 million) and the Republican National Committee ($2.6 million).

The Democrats to crack the top 10: Sen. Bernie Sanders ($5.5 million), Sen. Elizabeth Warren ($3.4 million) and Gov. Jay Inslee ($2.4 million). Planned Parenthood Action Fund ($2.8 million) is the only liberal group on the list.

In the backdrop of this digital surge, strategists for both Democrats and Republicans continue to debate how much campaign money should be shifted away from television and into digital. Trump has become a pioneer, with plans to use as much as half the campaigns advertising dollars online. The ratio impresses many of the digital campaigners on the left who cut their teeth with Obama.

But Trumps digital mastermind didnt find his way into the job through the usual path of Stanford hack-a-thons or venture capital-driven startups. Brad Parscale, a tall Texan with a long beard and a faux-hawk hairdo, had been designing websites for Trumps winery and other projects before he was tapped to run his 2016 digital campaign operation and then manage the entire campaign for 2020. His renegade style, disdain for the establishment and Trump-world street cred have made him a campaign trail attraction, sought out for local television interviews and appearances on rally stages.

Parscales aptitude for Facebook is believed to have helped Trump reach significantly more voters per dollar than Democrats, whose content does not tend to keep users as engaged on the platform as long. Facebook algorithms reward advertisers who persuade users to stick around.

Much of the effort seems targeted at fundraising. But getting Facebook users to pitch in $10 or $20 is just the start.

By getting these people to donate, they have email addresses, said Patrick Ruffini, a Republican digital strategist. They have their cellphone number if theyve been to a rally. They have lots of different ways to communicate with their base other than Facebook, and thats where any incumbent is going to have an advantage.

But Ruffini points out that Clinton appeared to have all the campaign advantages in 2016 before Trump built a Facebook campaign from scratch.

If somebody catches on  like a Buttigieg, he said, referring to South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, or if Warren catches on further ... shes going to have the chance to do what Trump did.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Editor:

I understand to understand why some have to use solemn occasions as a back that in the world of politics, candidates are often going to strike back at their real or perceived opponents.

I would like readers to contrast the following images. Donald Trump, in his interview of Foxs Laura Ingraham went after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The backdrops for this interview were the white crosses and Stars of David of the American cemetery at Normandy. The speaker, in her interview with NBCs Andrea Mitchell, declined to respond citing this was neither the time nor the place for such a response.

Mr. Trump, while in Japan, attacked former Vice President Joe Biden. The vice president waited until Trump returned to American soil before responding. The day before Mr. Trump was interviewed on Britains equivalent of Good Morning America. In it he said he would have been proud to serve in World War II. The country was united and we won. My generation had Vietnam. Earlier in the states, Mr. Trump tweeted the reason he was supporting increased military spending was to make up for not serving during Vietnam. I wonder what Vietnam vets think of that. I wonder what people who have husbands, sons, fathers, classmates whose loved ones are on The Wall in Washington think of that rationalization.

The young people who fight our nations wars usually dont get to choose which wars to fight in. That decision is often forced on them by politicians. There are many who thought Vietnam was the wrong war but they went anyways. Its sad that Mr. Trump chose to ignore the backdrop of one of historys significant historical events to get even with his real or perceived adversaries. Apparently it couldnt wait until he got home  sad.

Mike Farenell, Glens Falls

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profileAn enforcer for former president Mikheil Saakashvili has established a new political party, pitching it to the substantial population of angry Georgians, Eurasianet writes in the article Angry People party established in Georgia.

Angry Georgians now have a political party committed to representing their core emotion in the public sphere. Our ambition is to create a large movement of a lot of angry people, said Irakli Okruashvili, a controversial former government minister, as he announced the establishment of a new political party, Victorious Georgia. We are angry about the mess that is going on in the country, Okruashvili said at the June 12 launch.

A political rolling stone, Okruashvili used to be known as the muscle of former president Mikheil Saakashvilis administration and has zigzagged among Georgias political camps for the past decade. His new party has now joined a crowded field of political groups bent on defeating Georgian Dream, the governing party presided over by billionaire tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, in parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.

We will go from village to village, street to street, door to door to inspire the need for change in people, Okruashvili said.

Some 27 percent of Georgians are angry, according to a recent poll by Gallup measuring prevailing national emotions around the world. That gives Victorious Georgia a potential electoral base to work with. The caveat, however, is that some Georgians are angry at Okruashvili for his past role as a senior government official.

One such angry Georgian showed up at the launch of the new party and staged a scene. I wont let them be politicians, the opposition or the government, said Soso Robakidze, whose 19-year-old son Amiran Robakidze was murdered in a police raid in 2004, during Okruashvilis tenure as interior minister.

Robakidzes family accused Okruashvili of covering up the murder, which became one of the biggest controversies of Saakashvili and Okruashvilis tenure. The latter served in a variety of roles  from interior minister to defense minister to economy minister  under Saakashvili, who had a habit of regularly rotating his ministers.

A kinetic man, Okruashvili had the reputation of a loose cannon when he served in the government and controversy followed him to every government job he held. As governor of Shida Kartli region, Okruashvili notoriously led special troops and a camera crew to raid a brothel as a part of his crackdown on crime. The footage, showing naked prostitutes and their naked clients, was then aired on national TV.

In 2004, Okruashvili, as a defense minister, led Georgian forces into a confrontationwith separatist forces in South Ossetia. In 2006, he vowed that he was going to ring in the New Year in the territory. Two years later Georgia and Russia went to war over South Ossetia, ending in disaster for Georgia, but by then Okruashvili was already dismissed from government.

He fell out with Saakashvili in 2007 and left vowing to use every chance to destroy Saakashvili. After uttering these threats, Okruashvili was arrested on charges of abuse of power, extortion and negligence. Following a few weeks in jail, he unexpectedly pleaded guilty in a nationally televised confession. He then received political asylum in France. Speaking from Paris, he claimed that his confession was made under duress.

Okruashvili returned to Georgia following the downfall of Saakashvilis United National Movement (UNM) and the rise to power of Georgia Dream in 2012. He was arrested upon arrival on the past charges but was released by the end of the year.

Okruashvili changed teams one more time when he supported the Saakashvili-endorsed presidential candidate from UNM in last years election. He now vows to defeat Ivanishvili and has recruited some of Ivanishvilis former loyalists to join his new party.

Georgian Dream has been dismissive of Okruashvilis comeback. New parties are created every day, Irakli Kobakhidze, the speaker of parliament, told reporters. We have 450 parties in Georgia. The number will probably increase to 500 by the next election.Four steps to mitigate cyber risk while in transit

We know that business travel can heighten cyber security risks for our clients. Keeping your organisations privacy and data protected whilst travelling on business is often a case of common sense; by adopting practices such as avoiding open WiFi hotspots and being mindful of sharing too much location data, most business trips should be uneventful from a cyber security perspective.

In this article, we wanted to move away from the obvious by outlining four scenarios that you might not necessarily have thought of and some steps that you can take to mitigate cyber risk while travelling on business:

1. Be aware of Lawful Interception

Lawful Interception, commonly referred to as LI, is a facility that almost all mobile network operators in every country worldwide provide to local law enforcement and intelligence agencies, allowing them to access both metadata around communications that have previously taken place as well as real-time access to voice, SMS and in many cases data communications.

Here in the UK, law and legislation such as The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and article 8 of The Human Rights Act (HRA) provides safeguards against the abuse of Lawful Interception. However, such strict controls and protections of citizens rights are not in place in many business destinations around the globe, meaning that you cannot assume that your mobile communications will remain private when on your travels.

Why might your mobile communications be intercepted?

In most cases, the average business traveller is unlikely to fall under the notice of agencies with a right of access to the local LI system. That being said, bear in mind the following:

Will you be communicating with individuals who might already be of interest to local law enforcement or intelligence agencies and therefore end up being targeted by association?

Are you traveling in a country where bribery may be a common occurrence? Would local business competitors gain anything from listening in to your communications in country? It is not unprecedented for LI systems to have been abused with the assistance of corrupt law enforcement officials and this will again depend on the controls and safeguards that are (or are not) in place.

LI systems have in the past been infiltrated by foreign intelligence agencies, with network users having their communications intercepted and exfiltrated. Might this be a possibility in the country where you are travelling?

A way around this issue of course is to make it much more difficult to intercept your communications in the first place.

Encryption of communications end to end (that is, encrypting the communication on the sending phone and decrypting it at the recipient phone) is a common feature of most messaging applications available today. Many of these applications also provide the ability to make voice calls. While using them relies on your contacts having access to the same applications, if you are concerned about the privacy of your mobile communications then they can provide an effective way of avoiding more easily intercepted mobile voice and SMS channels.

It is also important to bear in mind the laws around the use of encryption in the country to which you are travelling - more on this later.

2. Keep that phone out of sight

Being discreet when using our phones out in public is a common sense practice that can prevent them from being snatched from our clutches by a potential thief. You would be forgiven however for not giving the same consideration when it comes to the law enforcement agencies of the country to which you are travelling.

Contrary to popular myth, it is very difficult to break into a modern smartphone to access its contents. This has left the worlds law enforcement agencies in a tight spot when it comes to mobile forensics to support criminal investigations. With this being the case, one novel (and wonderfully simple) workaround for law enforcement is to simply confiscate a phone whilst it is unlocked, mid use in the owners hands.

So how does this relate to you, the law abiding business traveller?

You may be right in thinking that the government of the country to which you are travelling is wholly uninterested in your activities but take a moment to think about what that country might gain from the data on your phone:

Perhaps you regularly do business with government agencies or defence contractors and have access to highly sensitive data for which your destination country would pay dearly?

Maybe you work for a media organisation that doesnt paint your destination country in as favourable a light as it would like?

Did you recently visit a country with whom the country you are visiting doesnt have the best diplomatic relationship?

These are all reasons for which your destination countrys government might pay you more attention than you might have first thought. This is especially the case at airports.

The long queue at immigration presents the perfect opportunity for the authorities to lift your phone. You are tired and less alert, you are in a captive space and you are likely to take out your phone and send that message to the family to let them know that you have arrived safely.

This may seem far fetched but we have actual experience of this happening to colleagues at previous employers. Although in these cases our colleagues were eventually reunited with their phones and sent on their way, it is safe to assume that their phones were harvested for data whilst they were out of their possession.

So if you can, leave your phone in your pocket until you are safely through immigration.

3. Think before you encrypt

While it is good cyber security practice to keep your devices encrypted when travelling, data encryption laws vary from country to country and, in many countries, the mere act of importing, exporting and/or using encrypted devices can be illegal.

Some countries, including China, Israel and Russia may require the acquisition of an import licence before encryption software can legally be brought in. Others, for example, Saudi Arabia, reportedly ban any form of encryption, however, this is generally considered to be unenforced. Although it is usually the case that import licences are not required for standard consumer device encryption (e.g., Bitlocker on Windows laptops), laws around this can change frequently, and you should always check whether additional licences need to be acquired before travelling.

Once youve managed to actually bring your device into the country, with or without encryption, an additional barrier may still be applied to the use of encrypted communications. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are commonly used by organisations to enable encrypted communications between remote employees and a corporate private network. In China, for example, the current law states that foreign organisations are allowed to use VPNs purely for internal work purposes, however, as of March last year, this should now be supplied by an authorised VPN provider approved by the Chinese government. While some organisations still use existing corporate VPNs, as the law is not enforced strictly, a crack down on the use of external VPNs could begin at any point.

Although navigating the encryption laws for each country can be difficult, if these laws are violated, you may not only be prevented from entering a country but could have systems confiscated (potentially losing sensitive data), or, in more extreme cases, face fines or even arrest.

So, what should you do when travelling to countries where the laws prevent you from encrypting devices or communications?

One option is to take an unencrypted burner laptop. A burner laptop should be a completely clean device that:

has never stored sensitive information on it without being fully wiped;

contains the minimal information required for business purposes; and

should be wiped and have its operating system reinstalled upon returning from travel.

Although it is also possible to remove encryption from your usual corporate device, this introduces a new risk if sensitive information is present in some form on the machine. If the country permits it, a VPN should also be used when connecting devices to the internet, to increase the security of communications.

4. Ditch the public charging stations

Although it may be tempting to boost your phones battery while waiting for your next train or flight, have you ever stopped to consider the security of free charging kiosks and USB outlets? These charging stations are found in many airports, conference centres, and train stations, and almost exclusively use standard USB charging cables or USB ports, which, in addition to supplying power to your device, also allow data to be transferred.

This means that once your phone is unlocked, and in some cases, even when still locked, almost all the information on your phone, including emails, messages, contact information and photos could be compromised. Even when mobile devices can be set to Charging Only mode, which supposedly prevents USB data transfer at the software level, some information about the device can still be gathered, such as the device name and serial number, which could allow the device to be fingerprinted.

It is true that data transfer to an unrecognised system requires user input to confirm on many smart phones, which should help to reduce the risk of data theft. However, other methods may be used to bypass this, for example, splitting and recording the screen of the device can be performed without the users knowledge and could be used to steal passwords and other sensitive information.

Instead of using the charging station next time you find yourself on low battery when travelling, try to find an AC outlet and charge your device using your own USB cable and power adapter.

If it is necessary to charge your devices via USB outlets, USB data blockers can be purchased for less than 5 and attached to the end of your regular charging cable, to provide hardware level peace of mind that only power is flowing through the cable and not data.

Finally, if no data blocker is available, and the use of a USB outlet is necessary, it is still safer to turn off the device or leave it charging without unlocking the phone, as many modern phones will attempt to prevent data transfer when locked.

Conclusion

Here we have listed just a few of the many cyber security pitfalls to consider when travelling, which could put your business at risk. One misstep could allow sensitive business information to fall into the wrong hands, which could not only cause reputational damage but also incur fines and potentially endanger lives. It is therefore important to remain vigilant when travelling and remember to follow the four steps outlined above!This week Moscow hosted a number of events dedicated to the outcomes of the EAEU summit and future prospects of the Eurasian integration project. One of the participants of these event, deputy director of the Analytical Research Center "Eurasian Monitoring", Zhanar Tulindinova, visited Vestnik Kavkaza's studio and spoke about prospects of development of multilateral expert projects of the Eurasian space, as well as presidential elections in Kazakhstan.

- Early presidential elections were recently held in Kazakhstan. What do you think about their results?

- It was a historical event. These are the sixth elections in the history of independent Kazakhstan, but they are historical in the sense that for the first time, the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev, didn't participate in them. There was his successor, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev. Elections showed that Kazakh society is consolidated around the ideas of Elbasy and continuity of the policy of Kazakh leader. What's very important is that Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev received almost 71% of votes - less than Nursultan Nazarbayev had ever received in the elections (his minimum rate was 81% in 1999), and yet this shows that Kazakh society accepted transit of power.

There are opinions that the results of protest vote were quite high. Opposition candidate Amirzhan Kosanov received 16% of votes, and this is also a good measurement of social position, because it shows a number of socio-economic problems among certain groups of citizens, primarily rural residents, migrants in big cities, and young people. Let's assume that transit power made people under the age of 30 more interested in these elections, but it's wrong to interpret voting of such young people as protest - that's their way of showing that they want to participate in political life, not protest. I believe that processes that are taking place in Kazakhstan today show that Kazakh society has awakened and its desire to participate in social and political activities is at its peak.

I think the main thing that these elections showed is that the Kazakh people are ready to rally around Nazarbayev's successor and support continuity of the course of Elbasy.

- Caspian Media Forum will be held in two months. What projects does Kazakh side plan to propose?

- I think that it's very important not to build some megaprojects at the central level, but to develop the Caspian region. Kazakh regional media from Mangystau and Atyrau regions are strong enough, they have great prospects. Horizontal ties must be built up at the level of regions and existing media to create joint projects, albeit non-institutionalized, create alliances and associations. This process of cooperation at the level of creative editorial teams and experts is already underway, it's important to continue and intensify it.

- What are Nursultan Nazarbayev's powers as Honorary Chairman of the EAEU?

- Nazarbayev is one of those politicians that are able to have strong leadership over any project, and that's why he's recognized as the leader of the nation. At the EAEU summit in Astana, leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, noted that he sees Nazarbayev as the EAEU's strategist, in other words, they expect ideas from strategic development of the union. By the way, this is one of Nursultan Abishevich's strong point. Kazakhstan was the first country in the post-Soviet space that presented its future strategy, it happened back in 1997.

In addition, he can work on structures of the EAEU. The Eurasian Economic Commission obviously needs personnel strengthening, considering the growth of its political weight and authority. He's also a very talented moderator of conflicts. No integration is complete without problems, and there are many of them at the bilateral level - Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Belarus, Russia and Armenia, and so on. Such conflict ridden dialogue often lacks strong moderator with political weight and authority to deal with these issues and bring parties to constructive contacts. Perhaps this will also be his role. I think Nursultan Nazarbayev will give new impetus to the development of the Eurasian Economic Union.BISMARCK, N.D.| The Federal Highway Administration has approved construction of a bridge across the Little Missouri River in western North Dakota, although some private landowners have been fighting the project and supporters have not said how they will pay for it.

The Bismarck Tribune reports that the Billings County Commission wants the river crossing to improve emergency response. Opponents worry it would impact the remote and scenic landscape of the Badlands. One rancher has said it would destroy his property.

Billings County Commission Chairman Jim Arthaud said a timeline for the project has not yet been established. The next steps include meeting with private landowners to try and obtain right-of-way.

"It's been a long process and another step in the right direction," Arthaud said.

An environmental study last year identified the Short ranch site north of Medora as the preferred route, which the feds approved last week. Rancher Dave Short said during a hearing last summer that the route would ruin his land and the county would need to use eminent domain to acquire it. The Short family said through their attorney, David Keagle, that the costs of the project outweigh the benefits.

"It's going to help a handful of people," Keagle said.

The crossing would connect Belle Lake Road and East River Road and involve acquiring up to 62 acres from private landowners, 15 acres from the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands and 88 acres from the U.S. Forest Service.

It would involve about 2 miles of new roadway and a 600-foot-long, three-span bridge. The project is estimated to cost $11.2 million.

Billings County has spent years researching the addition of a bridge. Current bridges at Medora are about 70 miles apart on Interstate 94 and south of Watford City on Highway 85.

Arthaud said the county has not yet identified a funding source for the project.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0When Ascent Innovations current business development center opened in 2006 in a remote corner of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology campus, it was the right building at the right time to help technology-based startup businesses get established, said executive director Terri Haverly.

This (building) has been successful, Haverly said. But people need to see us.

Thirteen years later the center, now called Ascent Innovation, is poised to begin construction on a $12 million business development incubator campus near the more visible intersection of East Boulevard and East Main Street in downtown Rapid City.

When people see this building, its going to be like OK, theres something going on in there, Haverly said.

Construction of the Ascent Innovation Center, an expanded business development incubator, could begin yet this summer after an infusion of a $3 million federal grant that put the new center within range of being fully funded.

Once plans for the 40,000-square-foot center have been approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of the Economic Development Administration grant process, contractors can be hired and ground broken for construction.

The current business development center at 525 University Loop on the School of Mines campus is at capacity, with 21 companies renting space, Haverly said.

It is full and there is a waiting list, she said.

The building houses 120 employees along with Ascent staff and about 50 paid interns from Mines and other colleges and technical schools during the school year.

Startup companies receive a reduced rent fee to use the office and lab space and network with other companies in the incubator, with the stipulation that they agree to leave the nest, so to speak, after five years.

Notable business development center alumni include VRC Metal Systems, which developed a cold-spray metal technology for use in the aircraft industry, and B9 Creations, a producer of three-dimensional printer products.

VRC is in the process of moving to a refurbished school building in Box Elder near Ellsworth Air Force Base, which uses the cold-spray technology for repairs of its aircraft. B9 Creations opened a new office and production facility near Deadwood Ave. earlier this year.

Major funding sources for the new Ascent Center include a $1.2 million South Dakota Futures Fund grant announced late last year by then-Gov. Dennis Daugaard, $500,000 from the Rapid City Economic Development Partnership, and a $1 million commitment from Elevate Rapid City. The city of Rapid City donated the land.

Haverly said the addition of the federal EDA grant leaves between $1-2 million for the project, which will be obtained through loans.

She said Ascent aggressively pursued various grant sources to keep the debt load for the new building to a minimum and keep rent costs for potential tenants reasonable.

We can have the best building in the world, but if entrepreneurs and startups cant afford to go in there, then its not going to do its mission, she said.

The architect for the project is Madison, Wisc.-based Strang, Inc., which specializes in design of innovation centers and research parks.

Haverly said the board was sensitive about staying with locally based companies for the project. About 60 percent of contractors and subcontractors are expected to be from Rapid City and the Black Hills.

Not that the people here couldnt do it, but this is their niche," she said.

Companies currently on Ascents waiting list will have first opportunity for space in the new center, slated for completion in late 2020.

Ascent will work out of both locations while the current building vacates through attrition, as tenants reach the end of their five-year limit.

The next step, Haverly said, will be to offer it for sale to the South Dakota Board of Regents for use by the School of Mines.

That eventual sale of the current building is expected to take care of the debt, Haverly said.

There is also space on the lot for a second 40,000-square-foot building, which could offer a permanent space for new incubator businesses.

Our ideal thought process is you incubate over here, over here you have a more permanent location, she said.

The new center is expected to be the right building at the right time, Haverly said, with the coming of the U.S. Air Forces new B-21 Raider bomber, expected to deploy at Ellsworth Air Force Base in the next five or six years and the ongoing expansion of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead.

The new buildings location and design is meant to complete the link between the expanding core of the downtown business district and the School of Mines.

Standing on the second floor looking west offers a view straight down Main Street. With a curve built in to the design, a view to the east takes in the growing School of Mines campus.

There is a symbolic connection, Haverly said. The character of our community is Main Street. Thats where we want to be.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0STURGIS | The South Dakota State Horticultural Society will host its annual Business Meeting and Workshop at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 24, at Belle Joli Winery, 3951 Vanocker Canyon Road. The featured presenter is Jon Kieckhefer, owner Kieckhefer Apiaries, whose presentation will focus on bee production and management.About 40 people gathered Friday at 7th and St. Joseph streets in downtown Rapid City to celebrate Flag Day with a brief ceremony.

Mark Skogerboe got his start working on campaigns for Alan Keyes and his TEA Party roots are clear in his desire to keep the U.S. Constitution in every political discussion.

After quoting from the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, he retold the history of the founding of the nation and how the documents came about.

Skogerboe used the Flag Day event  where 13-star flags and copies of the Constitution supplied by Hastings College were handed out to those in attendance  to kick off his goal of establishing "Take Your Constitution to School Day." Skogerboe said the event would be recognized on Sept. 17 this year.

He said his goals aren't partisan in nature.

"I want to get the Constitution in as many hands as possible," Skogerboe said. "Take Your Constitution to School Day is part of that. I want to talk about the sacrifices our founders made to take on a king and establish this nation."

Skogerboe planned the rally in the shadow of the statue of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and across the street from James Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution.

"The Declaration, our flag and the Constitution don't belong to any party," he said. "They belong to all of us. All Americans live under the freedoms they represent."

Skogerboe said his event had no monetary sponsor although the pocket copies of the Constitution were provided by Hillsdale College in Michigan.

"We don't have financial backers," he said. "We are just a group of people who want to remind people about how the country was founded and what it stands for."

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WALL | A day of farm and ranch tours followed by a panel discussion are all part of a Land, Livestock and Life bus tour event on June 29, 2019, centered at Wall. The South Dakota Farm Bureau (SDFB) and the SDFB Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee are hosting the event.

The day begins with a bus tour leaving from Wall, making four stops on the tour, ending back at Wall for a social, dinner and speaker panel. Stops on the bus tour include: the SDSU West River Plot Farm, Maude Hog and Cattle, Eisenbraun Farm and Wall Meat Processing.

Cost is $30 per person. For a complete schedule, and to register, visit sdfbf.org. Registration closes at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 24.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Along with my seven colleagues on the Rapid City Historic Preservation Commission, I urge the Rapid City School District to adopt a facilities plan that places greater value on Rapid Citys many tight-knit neighborhoods. While we applaud the districts recent plan update to keep Wilson open (for now), our intention here is larger and hinges on the importance of community-centered schools in creating connected, healthy, and economically vibrant neighborhoods.

Due to its architectural significance as well as its vital role within the surrounding neighborhoods, we urge the district to fully incorporate a rehabilitated Wilson Elementary into the facilities plan. To support this goal, our commission stands ready and willing to provide technical assistance to the district. To guide the plan forward, we can explore case studies of successful renovations, retrofits, and additions to historic school buildings that brought life and value to the communities they serve.

While we think Wilson is the most architecturally significant building in jeopardy of closing, it is not the only neighborhood school whose closure would be detrimental to its neighborhood and to Rapid City at large. Wilson, Robbinsdale, Canyon Lake, and Horace Mann are all community-centered schools built in the pre- and post-war eras that helped shape the identity of Rapid City neighborhoods. While some of those facilities may not be suitable for preservation, the central, unifying role of the schools contributes to a strong sense of unity and belonging in the neighborhoods that are served by them. We support efforts to rebuild these schools, and pledge to help explore options that make sense for the Rapid City School District.

Borrowing from a seminal research paper, Helping Johnny Walk to School, we encourage you to consider that neighborhood schools:

 Encourage close ties with community members because residents of all ages can ably utilize the schools.

 Offer educational benefits because attendance and extracurricular participation are typically better.

 Increase property values, which encourages continued public and private investment in a neighborhood.

 Save on construction and operating costs by sharing facilities and utilizing existing infrastructure.

 Offer location efficiency and safety by reducing travel times, traffic congestion, and traffic accidents.

 Encourage healthier families due to increased walkability and access to school activities.

The decision to replace neighborhood schools with suburban campuses will impact the collective sense of place for generations. There are a host of reasons to avoid relying too heavily on suburban schools:

 Far-flung schools increase road congestion and strain on infrastructure.

 Distant locations requiring bus or auto transportation reduce opportunities for physical activity for both children and adults.

 Connections between school and community are weakened by distance, especially for economically disadvantaged families and those with two parents working full-time.

 Demolishing and abandoning schools in existing communities decreases property values and diminishes the tax base.

We humbly ask you to consider the many students who participate in enriching school activities because they can walk or use a public bus to attend, offering access that is equitable to all students, regardless of the resources available to their family. Think of all the times our school buildings are hives of activity before, during, and after the school day because they are located within our densest and most diverse neighborhoods. Pause and consider the range of local residents who use school facilities because they are multi-purpose resources that can be utilized by all, regardless of age, income, or demographics.

We want to be part of the districts coalition to support a successful Vote Yes campaign, but we need to make sure the district is committed to a plan that supports our under-resourced families and reinforces the historic fabric and neighborhood vitality of our great city. We look forward to working with the district to fully develop a plan that equitably serves the needs of all community members and continues to help Rapid Citys children and families grow and thrive in inclusive, community-centered schools.

John Riker is chairperson of the Rapid City Historic Preservation Commission.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The South Dakota State Park system is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and it's a good reason to explore these jewels of South Dakota again.

Technically, South Dakota has state parks, state recreation areas, state nature areas and other names. But let's not get hung up about names; let's group them all into one category.

That means there are 63 areas available to South Dakotans and visitors, with an extraordinary range of historic sites, recreation opportunities, campgrounds, trails, boat launches and so on.



This summer's celebration of the state park system include all sorts of events, games, giveaways, concerts, educational programs, and a statewide scavenger hunt. A great place to look for these is the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks website at https://gfp.sd.gov .

We encourage outdoor enthusiasts  or even those who aren't avid outdoors people  to visit South Dakota State Parks this year. They are great places we need to visit.

 Madison Daily Leader

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WASHINGTON | If you want a peek at the future, try looking at Japan. It's a sobering exercise. Here's how economist Timothy Taylor, managing editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives, describes the country's outlook:

"[Japan] is facing a situation of a declining population and workforce, and the share of the population that is elderly is on the rise. [This is] driving up government spending on pensions and health care, and together with attempts to stimulate its economy through government spending (much of it on infrastructure), Japan has run up an enormous government debt."

To put it bluntly (as I have argued before): Japan is slowly going out of business; its population is shrinking and it resists immigration. This cannot continue indefinitely.

What is significant about Japan's situation is that it's shared, to a greater or lesser extent, by most of the world's advanced countries. Birth rates are depressed; economies are expanding slowly, if at all; and debt burdens are high and often growing.

You may recall, or not, that in the late 1980s, Japan was widely expected to overtake the United States as the world's leading economy. Japanese firms also increasingly dominated old-line manufacturing industries (steel, autos) as well as new high-technologies (electronics).

What a difference a few decades make! Japan's economy, though huge, remains the world's third largest, behind the United States and China. But it is no longer the envy of the world. Many practices admired in the 1980s are less so today.

The biggest problem is the nation's aging. A new report on Japan from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)  quoted by Taylor and posted on his useful blog, the Conversable Economist  reports this astounding fact: Half of Japanese children born in 2007 are expected to live to 107.

Meanwhile, Japanese births have slumped. The total fertility rate  the number of children women are expected to have during their lifetimes  was only 1.4 in 2016, compared with an OECD average of 1.7. (A fertility rate of about 2.1 is needed for a population to replace itself.) Deaths have exceeded births since 2007, and the population is "expected to decline by 8.2 million in the 2030s, the equivalent of losing Tokyo."

Naturally, there are spillovers. Based on present trends, the labor force will drop 25 percent by 2050, while the relationship between working-age Japanese (20-64) and the 65-and-over population shifts sharply. There are now two working-age Japanese for everyone 65 and over; by 2050, that ratio is projected to fall to 1.3 working-age Japanese for each elderly person.

What this describes is an economic doomsday machine. The increasing number of older Japanese has already put enormous pressures on the government's budget. Since 1991, public social spending  mainly for retirement pensions, health care and long-term care  has doubled as a share of gross domestic product, from 11 percent of GDP to 22 percent of GDP in 2018.

The mounting deficit spending has in turn ballooned Japan's government debt to 226 percent of GDP  "the highest ever recorded in the OECD area" and roughly twice the U.S. level. But efforts to reduce the deficits by cutting spending or raising taxes risk squeezing the incomes of younger workers and discouraging them from having more children.

Of course, Japan's imbalanced population could be rectified through more immigration. But this has never been popular in a country with such a strong sense of its own identity. True, the number of foreign workers doubled from 700,000 in 2013 to 1.46 million in 2018. Still, that was only 2 percent of Japan's labor force. The share of foreign residents was only 1.9 percent of Japan's population in 2017, while the OECD average was 13 percent.

The ultimate cures for Japan's ills are obvious: women should have more children; people should work longer; economic growth should be accelerated. Despite some small improvements, all have been impossible to achieve.

Whether Japan can find its way out of this box is uncertain. There are good reasons (politically) to do nothing and weak reasons (substantively) to do something. Many advanced countries, including the United States, face similar  though less severe  problems. "The rest of the world will be watching," says the OECD. It may not like what it sees.

Robert Samuelson is a columnist for the Washington Post.

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Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Ravalli County Commission joined a growing chorus of voices urging the federal government to rethink its position on changing the way it operates Trapper Creek Job Corps.

In a letter written this week to U.S. secretaries of agriculture and labor, the commission called it shocking that  without so much as holding a single discussion on the local level  the federal government could threaten the program thats been so important to Ravalli County.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced in May the Forest Service would withdraw from operating 28 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers by the end of September. The U.S. Labor Department said it planned to privatize 16 of those centers, including Trapper Creek, and close the other nine, including Anaconda.

The commissioners letter said Trapper Creek Job Corps has become an integral part of the Ravalli County community.

They have stood beside us in good times, and been reliable partners in bad times, the letter read.

Whether it is helping to battle wildfires, combat flooding or assisting with recovery, the commission said Trapper Creek has always been there for county residents. Its students have also helped to improve the quality of life in the community in a variety of ways that range from pouring sidewalks, working on important building projects or crafting meals for community fundraisers.

Through our long-time partnership with TCJC, we have watched it become one of the most successful and impactful programs in the country, the letter read. It is no exaggeration to say that no other federal program we know of has changed more lives, turning many troubled youths into contributing, skilled members of our society.

It can truly be said that TCJC represents the best of what the federal government can offer its citizens, the letter continued. Our community is reeling from the news and we are angered at the lack of communication on a subject that in no small measure impacts us all.

At a time in our nations history when government is criticized for waste, fraud and abuse, it is inconceivable to us that you would take a model of success and, at worst, close it down, and at best, set it up for future failure by removing it from the stewardship of the Department of Agriculture and the US Forest Service where it has thrived for so many years.

It is our considered opinion that you are discarding a program, which, in our region, is hailed and universally regarded as a major success, the letter read. We respectfully request that you reconsider this precipitous move. At a minimum, please give our community the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process as you deliberate on this important matter.

The commissions letter brought quick response from both U.S. senators from Montana.

In his reply, Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican, told the commission he remained a staunch supporter of both Anaconda and Trapper Creek Civilian Conservation Centers.

I remain concerned that efforts to close or transition CCCs, like the ones in Anaconda and Darby, will have profound impacts on the young people, staff, and surrounding communities that benefit from the programs, Daines wrote.

In the letter, Daines said President Donald Trump has decided to keep the Anaconda CCC open following a conversation the senator had with the president. Daines said he continues to work to keep other CCCS, including Trapper Creek, open and within the Forest Service through letters of objection sent to Perdue and Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, and by signing onto legislation that would block the closures or transfers.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, also responded to the commissions letter.

I couldnt agree more with the folks in Ravalli County, Tester wrote. The Administrations decision to transfer control of Trapper Creek is short-sighted, reckless and ill-informed. Thats why I wrote and introduced a bill to stop the closure and transfer of all 25 Civilian Conservation Centers across the country.

And Im pushing hard to get this bill passed and on the Presidents desk as soon as humanly possible, Tester wrote.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan amendment that would prevent the federal government from pulling funding from Job Corps Conservation Centers for the rest of the year passed the House 313-109. That bill will now go to the U.S. Senate for a vote.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.On Thursday, on June 13, Turkey turned to Russia for assistance on Thursday after a group of militants began shelling a Turkish observation outpost in the Syrian province of Idlib, Bloomberg writes in the article TURKEY TURNS TO RUSSIA AND NOT U.S. OR NATO FOR HELP IN SYRIA.

"Given the lethal threat to its personnel, the Turkish command turned to the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides, requesting assistance in ensuring the security of its military and carrying out strikes against the terrorists' positions," Russia's Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

Turkey and Russia have not always seen eye-to-eye in regards to Syria policy, but the relationship between the two countries appears to have been bolstered by Turkey's controversial decision to purchase an S-400 missile defense system from Russia. The U.S. and Turkey's NATO allies have consistently argued that the system is incompatible with NATO weapons systems. The U.S. has threatened to stop selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey in response to the sale, and it is possible that Turkey could be subject to sanctions for having purchased Russian military equipment.

"As soon as Russia is ready to deliver them to us, we will be ready to accept them," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters about the missile defense system during a press conference late last month.

Officials have suggested that the delivery could be made by July.

"Turkey has already bought S-400 defense systems. It is a done deal. I hope these systems will be delivered to our country next month," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Thursday.

Geopolitical experts note that the past year has been significant for Turkey's relationship with Russia because the ongoing war in Syria has forced the two sides to cooperate. But that doesn't necessarily mean that this cooperation will be durable.

"Turkey's relationship with Russia is historically fraught with suspicion and friction. Since the end of the Cold War, however, the two countries have established an important economic relationship, and they have set a bold, perhaps unreachable target of $100 billion in bilateral trade," reads a 2018 report from the geopolitical intelligence platform Stratfor.

"Even so, this economic aspiration is counterbalanced by differing prerogatives in the strategic and geopolitical realm," the report continues. "Recent developments in the Syrian civil war have resulted in a strange congruence of interests and seeming cooperation between Ankara and Moscow, but it would be a stretch to argue that this cooperation will deepen into an enduring strategic relationship."A well-known Stevensville woman is recovering in a Boise, Idaho, hospital after the car she was driving plunged down a 400-foot embankment south of Challis Wednesday.

Nancy Lowell was traveling with her daughter, Jamie, to Boise to watch her grandson  Jamies son  graduate from lineman school when the accident occurred around midday.

The tires slid off the embankment and she just lost control, Jamie Lowell said Friday. We went down an embankment about 400 feet before the car finally stopped.

Nancy Lowell was trapped in the car following the accident and there was no cellphone service at the scene. Jamie Lowell managed to get back up the embankment, where she flagged down a passing car.

Emergency crews had to use the Jaws of Life to remove Nancy Lowell from the car. She was transported by helicopter to Boise.

Nancy Lowells back was broken in two places. She also suffered broken ribs, collarbone and an elbow.

There was no trauma to her brain, which is our saving grace, Jamie Lowell said. She is having extensive back surgery today (Friday).

Jamie Lowell said she suffered extensive bruising and concussion in the accident.

Im just feeling really bad for my poor mama, she said. My mom is a third-generation born and raised in Stevensville. She served as the city clerk for 17 years and has done all the grant work for the Free Store. Were well known in the community. Ive just been blown away by all the kindness weve received from people back home.

The kindness didnt stop there.

One the EMTs who helped rescue her mother took Jamie Lowell to her home after the accident and her dog to a local veterinarian.

I was covered in blood, she said. She took me to her own home so I could shower. My dogs leg was broken extremely bad. She helped me get her to a vet.

Then the woman drove Jamie Lowell 2 hours to Boise so she could meet her son and get to the hospital where her mother was being treated.

That whole community of Challis reached out and helped me, she said. Theres has been an outpouring from a lot of people since this happened.

A GoFundMe site set up in Jamie and Nancy Lowells names and had already collected more than $6,000 by Friday afternoon to help with expenses. The site can be accessed at www.gofundme.com/jamie-and-nancy-lowell.

Our amazing friends have been in a terrible accident on the way to see their son and grandson graduate from lineman school, the website read. We would like to help as much as possible to let Jamie focus on her mom and recovery a bit. They are both a huge part of the community and loved by many.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Longtime Butte piano teacher Ruth Rotondi, 95, was killed Wednesday in a two-car traffic accident south of Polson that also left four people injured.

Rotondi was a passenger in a Subaru northbound on Highway 35 that was sideswiped by an oncoming Oldsmobile that failed to negotiate a turn, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.

The driver of the Oldsmobile, an 18-year-old man from Appleton, Wisconsin, was injured, as were three other occupants of the Subaru in which Rotondi was riding.

All five were transported to St. Josephs Hospital in Polson, where Rotondi died.

It was not immediately known whether the driver of the Oldsmobile was cited.

Rotondi was honored in 2015 by the Music Teachers National Association at the organizations national convention. She was twice named Montana Music Teacher of the Year.

Rotondi, a nationally certified teacher of music, was born in 1923 in Brooklyn, New York. She attended Oberlin College, where she majored in political science and minored in music and gave a senior recital in 1945 at the Music Conservatory at Oberlin.

She moved to Butte with her husband, physician Leonard Rotondi, who took a temporary physician position that ended up lasting three decades. Leonard Rotondi died at age 86 in April 2000.

Rotondi earned a certificate in piano pedagogy from the Diller-Quaile School of Music, where she also taught piano. She became a member of Montana State Music Teachers Association, serving as competitions chair, foundation chair, and historian. She served twice as president of the Butte association.

Rotondi, a cellist, played for many years with the Butte Symphony.

Her son Jim Rotondi, a professional jazz trumpeter, credited his mothers influence for starting him on his musical path. My mom...was sort of my initial musical influence. She set the rules in the family. My father enforced the rules, but she set the rule that all of the kids needed to study the piano, he told The Montana Standard in a May 2017 interview.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The gold miners stocks have surged powerfully over the past few weeks, challenging upleg highs. Traders started returning to this small contrarian sector as gold blasted back above the psychologically-crucial $1300 line. While such early-summer strength is atypical, gold miners technicals, sentiment, and fundamentals all support more gains to come. Gold stocks need to mean revert to much-higher price levels.

Traders usually track gold-stock fortunes with this sectors most-popular exchange-traded fund, the GDX VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF. Launched in May 2006, this was the maiden gold-stock ETF. That big first-mover advantage has helped propel GDX to sector dominance. This week its net assets of $9.7b ran 46.5x larger than the next-biggest 1x-long major-gold-miners ETF! GDX is this sectors leading benchmark.

And it sure didnt look pretty in May, with traders wanting nothing to do with gold stocks. GDX spent the great majority of last month languishing near its 200-day moving average. Just a few weeks ago on May 29th, GDX closed at $20.42. That was down 3.2 percent year-to-date, much worse than golds own slight 0.2 percent YTD decline. The gold stocks were really out of favor, just like the metal they mine which fuels their profits.

This sector started perking up on May 30th, when gold and GDX enjoyed 0.7 percent and 1.7 percent rallies. Major gold miners inherent profits leverage to gold usually helps their stock prices amplify golds gains by 2x to 3x. But there was still no excitement with gold and GDX trading at $1288 and $20.77 heading into June. Early market summers have golds weakest seasonals of the year, usually weighing on it and the miners.

But leave it to Trump to unleash a bombshell shaking the status quo. That evening he shocked, tweeting On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5 percent Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied, at which time the Tariffs will be removed.

The White House said those tariffs would be ratcheted up 5 percent each month until they hit their terminal 25 percent level on October 1st! While Trump later suspended his Mexico-tariff threat, it really surprised traders. Not only was Trump opening up a new front in the trade wars, but he was tying tariffs to non-trade issues as a hardline negotiating tactic. That had serious implications, so Asian traders flooded into gold after that tweet.

The next day that new momentum spilled into the US, driving gold 1.3 percent higher to $1305. Long-apathetic gold-stock traders rejoiced at seeing gold claw back over $1300. That has proven a crucial level for gold sentiment for years now, the dividing line between popular bearishness and bullishness. GDX shot up 3.9 percent that day. Asian traders bought gold aggressively heading into the next trading day, driving a $1300 breakout.

That upside action again carried into US markets on June 3rd, when gold powered another 1.5 percent higher to $1325. The major gold stocks gains mounted, with GDX surging another 4.2 percent to $22.49. In those two trading days following Trumps Mexico-tariff threat, this leading gold-stock ETF blasted 8.3 percent higher on a 2.8 percent gold surge! GDXs gains were amplifying golds breakout rally by a strong 3.0x, rekindling sector interest. Related: Tech Crackdown Creates $120 Billion Bloodbath

Theres nothing speculators and investors like more than chasing winners, riding the momentum. So that newfound gold and gold-stock buying persisted. By this Wednesdays data cutoff for this essay, gold had powered 4.1 percent higher since May 29th. True to form, the major gold stocks as measured by GDX rocketed up 12.4 percent in that same span for 3.0x leverage. The gold miners stocks are starting to return to favor again!

Their strong gains in recent weeks didnt erupt from major lows, but from a lull in a solid existing upleg. This chart looks at GDX over the past several years or so, across the life of golds current bull market. It is important to consider big moves in broader technical context, as that offers clues on whats likely next. The gold miners stocks have lots of room to rally much higher from here, with major-upside-breakout potential.

(Click to enlarge)

While this weeks $23ish GDX levels feel high after Mays disheartening 200dma grind, they are actually fairly low. Since late 2016 GDX has mostly meandered in a major consolidation trend running from $21 support to $25 resistance. $23 is right in the middle of that long basing channel, which isnt noteworthy at all technically. The gold miners stocks wont get exciting again until GDX breaks out decisively above $25.

The past few weeks big surge is simply part of an in-progress upleg born in deep despair back in early September. That episode was brutal. All-time-record gold-futures short selling hammered the metal to 19.3-month lows. That unleashed cascading stop-loss selling in gold stocks, an ugly forced capitulation that crushed GDX to deep 2.6-year secular lows. All the gains since are just a normal mean reversion higher.

Gold stocks recovery from those anomalous extreme lows has already passed plenty of bullish technical milestones. GDXs series of higher lows and higher highs carved the nice uptrend rendered above. This leading sector benchmark enjoyed a major triple breakout, climbing back over three key resistance zones including GDXs 200dma. A powerful Golden Cross buy signal flashed as GDXs 50dma surged over its 200dma.

By late February this young gold-stock upleg had lifted GDX 33.0 percent higher to $23.36. But there was no reason for gold stocks mean reversion higher to fail there. Those gains remained relatively small by sector standards. Back in essentially the first half of 2016, GDX skyrocketed 151.2 percent higher in a monster upleg on a parallel 29.9 percent gold one! And gold-stock uplegs during golds last bull averaged bigger gains too.

Before GDX came along, the primary gold-stock benchmark was the classic HUI NYSE Arca Gold BUGS Index. Like GDX it tracks most of the same major gold stocks, so HUI and GDX price action are usually indistinguishable. The last gold-stock bull straddling GDXs birth saw the HUI soar 1664.4 percent higher over 10.8 years between November 2000 to September 2011! Those gains accrued over 12 separate uplegs.

One was an anomaly, the epic mean-reversion rebound after late 2008s first-in-a-century stock panic. Excluding it, the other 11 normal gold-stock uplegs in that last bull averaged 80.7 percent gains over 7.9 months per the HUI! So GDXs 33.0 percent upleg-to-date advance as of late February was nothing, way too small to be mature. Odds are it will yet grow much larger in line with past precedent before giving up its ghost.

Mid-upleg selloffs after big surges are normal and healthy to rebalance sentiment. If greed becomes too excessive early in uplegs, it can prematurely exhaust them by pulling forward too much future buying. In most cases mid-upleg pullbacks bounce at upleg support. But that didnt hold in late April, as GDX fell even farther to its 200dma. That was the result of extreme stock-market euphoria stunting gold demand.

The gold stocks were down but not out, simply awaiting signs of life in gold before traders returned. That came in late May after the stock markets had entered a pullback and Trumps Mexico-tariff threat rattled traders. GDX quickly leapt back up into its uplegs uptrend channel, proving it is alive and well. Overall this uplegs technicals remain very bullish, pushing this leading ETFs price ever closer to a major upside breakout.

For the better part of several years now, GDX $25 has proven gold stocks graveyard in the sky. Theyve challenged it several times, but havent been able to decisively break though. They certainly can go much higher. In this gold bulls monster initial upleg in H116, GDX rallied as high as $31.32. And near the end of golds last secular bull, this ETF peaked at $66.63 in September 2011. Theres nothing magical about $25.

And it isnt far away at all. As of the middle of this week, GDX merely had to rally 8.9 percent more to regain $25! Thats nothing for a sector as volatile as gold stocks. Remember just a few weeks ago GDX surged 8.3 percent in only two trading days as gold powered back over $1300 after Trumps Mexico-tariff threat. So a major gold-stock breakout that would radically improve sector psychology is very much within reach today.

The higher gold stocks climb, the more traders will want to buy them to ride that momentum. The more capital they deploy, the more gold stocks will rally. This normal virtuous circle of improving psychology and buying will become even more exaggerated as GDX $25 is surpassed. Seeing the highest gold-stock levels in several years will work wonders to improve sector sentiment, unleashing widespread bullishness. Related: What To Expect As Driving Season Kicks Off

This gold-stock uplegs potential gains are massive spanning such a major upside breakout. Remember speculators and investors love chasing winners, so the higher gold stocks rally the more attractive theyll look. If GDXs current upleg grows to the last secular bulls average upleg gain of 80.7 percent, it would catapult this ETF to $31.75. The major factor almost certain to push GDX well over $25 is golds own breakout.

Much like GDX $25, golds own bull since December 2015 has been capped near $1350 ever since. Last week I wrote a whole essay explaining why gold is winding closer and closer to blasting through that to new bull-market highs. New-bull-high psychology in gold would spark a frenzied rush to bring neglected gold stocks back into portfolios. Weakening general stock markets should create the necessary gold demand

Gold-stock sentiment is merely decent today, average at best even after recent weeks sharp surge. That leaves lots of room for improvement. The more bullish traders get on gold miners stocks, the more they will want to buy. Gold miners shift back into favor could easily propel GDX back above $25 anytime in the coming months. But we may have to wait until August, after the worst of the gold summer doldrums pass.

Normally this time of year Id be updating my gold-summer-doldrums research. But that takes a backseat to the recent gold and gold-stock surges. In a nutshell, Junes and Julies are the weakest time of the year seasonally for gold with no recurring outsized gold-demand spikes. Gold and gold stocks can rally during early summers if unexpected demand materializes, but they usually dont. Will summer 2019 prove an exception?

I sure hope so, but only time will tell. This next chart looks at the HUIs average summer performances in all modern gold-bull-market years. Each summer is individually indexed to its final close in May, keeping gold-stock price action perfectly comparable regardless of prevailing gold levels. The yellow lines show 2001 to 2012 and 2016 to 2017. Last years summer gold-stock action is rendered in light blue for comparison.

All these lines averaged together form the red one, revealing the center-mass drift trend of gold stocks in market summers. Gold stocks current 2019 summer action is superimposed over all that in dark blue. As you can see, this sector is off to one of its best summer starts in all modern bull-market years! That could be sustainable like summer 2016s powerful run, or gold stocks may end up consolidating until August.

(Click to enlarge)

Which way this summer plays out depends on gold. If gold keeps climbing on balance, so will the stocks of its miners regardless of seasonal tendencies. Weakening stock markets would spur gold investment demand continuing to push its price higher. A weaker US dollar would also help, motivating gold-futures speculators to buy as well. Only time will tell whether the gold and gold-stock breakouts come sooner or later.

Whatever the timing, the gold miners fundamentals remain strong and bullish and support much-higher stock prices. After every quarterly earnings season, I dig deep into the GDX gold miners fundamentals. They finished reporting their latest Q119 results about a month ago, and I wrote a comprehensive essay analyzing them. Theres no doubt fundamentally that gold stocks should be trading way over GDX $25 levels.

Stock prices are ultimately determined by underlying corporate earnings, and for the gold miners that is totally dependent on prevailing gold prices. Gold-mining costs are best measured in all-in-sustaining-cost terms. In Q119 the GDX gold miners AISCs averaged $893 per ounce. Thats right in line with the prior four quarters trend of $884, $856, $877, and $889. Gold-mining profits are going to soar with higher gold.

Gold averaged $1303 in Q1 when the major gold miners were producing it for $893. That implies they were earning $410 per ounce mined. $1400 and $1500 gold are only 7.4 percent and 15.1 percent higher from there. As the GDX gold miners AISCs reveal, gold-mining costs are largely fixed from quarter to quarter and dont follow gold higher. So assuming flat AISCs, gold-mining profits surge to $507 at $1400 and $607 at $1500.

Thats 23.7 percent and 48.0 percent higher from Q119 levels on mere 7.4 percent and 15.1 percent gold gains from that quarters average price! And as of the middle of this week, gold had already climbed 2.3 percent of that. The major gold miners fundamentals are already bullish, but improve greatly at higher prevailing gold prices. With earnings growth hard to come by in general stock markets this year, the gold stocks will be even more alluring.

All the stars are aligning for big gold-stock gains in coming months, with their technicals, sentiment, and fundamentals all looking very bullish. This mounting gold-stock upleg has great potential to grow much larger later this year, greatly rewarding contrarian traders buying in early. More and more investors are becoming aware of this sectors huge potential, including elite billionaires running major hedge funds.

This week one of them, Paul Tudor Jones, gave an interview in New York. He was asked what his best trade over the next year or two will be. He said, The best trade is going to be gold. If I have to pick my favorite for the next 12 to 24 months it probably would be gold. I think gold goes beyond $1400, it goes to $1700 rather quickly. It has everything going for it in a world where rates are conceivably going to zero...

This is not the summer to check out, but to do your homework and get deployed in great gold stocks. All portfolios need a 10 percent allocation in gold and its miners stocks! Many smaller mid-tier and junior miners have superior fundamentals and upside potential to the majors of GDX. And by the time the gold stocks get really exciting again in upside breakouts with gold, much of the easy gains will have already been won.

The bottom line is this gold-stock upleg is mounting. Despite weak early-summer seasonals, the gold miners stocks are rallying with gold and nearing a major breakout above GDX $25. Seeing the best gold-stock prices in several years will really motivate traders to return, fueling a virtuous circle of capital inflows and gains. Gold-stock technicals, sentiment, and fundamentals all support much-higher prices ahead.

Golds own inexorably-nearing major bull-market breakout will really light a fire under gold stocks. The higher gold climbs, the more investors and speculators will want to own it and its miners. While summer may force a consolidation, softening stock markets could easily overcome golds weak seasonals. The potential gold-stock gains as gold returns to favor are massive, so its important to get deployed early.

By Adam Hamilton

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: "The Myth of Bipartisan Death Penalty Abolitionism" | Main | "Criminal Clear Statement Rules" 

June 15, 2019

Two different stories undermining prosecutors' claims that "we do not make the laws, we just enforce them"

Criminal justice reformers have come to give so much attention to the role of prosecutors because of the wide-spread realization of the profound power of prosecutors to shape the nature and application of modern criminal justice systems. In this context, some prosecutors are eager to claim that they ought not be the focus of so attention (and criticism) because they are just tasked with enforcing the law and not making it. Usefully, Josie Duffy Rice last year in in this commentary at The Appeal, headlined "Prosecutors Arent Just Enforcing The Law  Theyre Making It," did a terrific job highlighting numerous examples of how "DA associations are using [their] power to defeat a wide range of bipartisan reform efforts." Similarly, others have spotlighted how, in this words of this piece, "Prosecutors Are Banding Together to Prevent Criminal-Justice Reform."

Two recent stories about prosecutors, one state and one federal, have me thinking about these issues today. The state one comes from Oregon and provides another example of prosecutors trying to shape the applicable criminal law. It is reported in this new local article fully headlined: "District Attorneys Quietly Passed the Hat to Overturn New Oregon Laws Reducing Jail Time; Emails newly obtained by WW illustrate a deep divide in the state, between the people who make the laws and the people who enforce them."

The federal story is not about prosecutors seeking to make the law, but rather about their disinclination to enforce the law against persons from their ranks. This Hill commentary, headlined "Feds gone wild: DOJ's stunning inability to prosecute its own bad actors," explains the ugliness here:

One was caught red-handed engaged in nepotism. Another, a lawyer no less, admitted to shoplifting at a Marine barracks store. A third leaked sealed court information to the news media. And a fourth engaged in fraud by turning a government garage into a personal repair shop. Four cases, all solved in the past month, with suspects who cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and significant breaches of public trust. But these werent your everyday perps. All were U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) employees who are supposed to catch other criminals while working for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. attorneys offices. Instead, they broke the law or violated the rules. And all managed to escape prosecution, despite their proven transgressions. Recent Justice Department disciplinary files tell an undeniable story. Under the leadership of Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz, DOJs internal watchdog is doing an outstanding job of policing bad conduct inside Americas premier law enforcement agency. And DOJ is doing a poor job of punishing its own. In cases closed in the past month, more than a half-dozen FBI, DEA, U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal officials were allowed to retire, do volunteer work, or keep their jobs as they escaped criminal charges that everyday Americans probably would not.

So, these stories reveal what insiders have long known: prosecutors do help make and shape our criminal laws, and they sometimes do not enforce them.

June 15, 2019 at 12:42 PM | Permalink

Comments

Regarding the Hill story, the author misses a very important angle---namely that those who were on the take (e.g., the guy who had his car fixed by the FBI auto shop) need to pay federal and state income taxes on the fair market value of what they took. (If they are required to reimburse---doesn't matter, they would pay the tax for the tax year they made their ill-gotten gains with a deduction coming in the year they had to reimburse).

The bigger issue---since government officials seem to get a break, there appears to be an Equal Protection problem lurking here--there are rational bases for basing lenience on the fact that someone is a government employee. (Note, last I checked, the Equal Protection Clause does apply to prosecutorial decisions.)

And where are the federal judges? They tolerate this sort of unequal justice---are they going to make noise?

Doug, what say you?

Posted by: federalost | Jun 15, 2019 5:36:30 PM

It's the old saying, "Don't do as I do, do what I tell you to do" attitude. All these Public Employees have signed and taken an Oath of Office, what good is the Oath if it is not enforced?

Posted by: LC in Texas | Jun 16, 2019 12:28:25 PM

federalist, I am not sure what kind of EP issue you think lurks here or what you expect judges to do. Many prosecuted defendants have tried and failed to get a prosecution dismissed because others similarly situated are not charged; courts have long said this is not an EP problem absent proof race or other suspect reason drove choices. And I am not eager to imagine a world in which judges review declination decisions and have to power to force a prosecution. Are you urging judges to go easier on those prosecuted who can highlighting that similar govt amployees avoided prosecution?

Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 17, 2019 9:08:10 AM

Doug, as you indicate, the EPC does apply to prosecutorial discretion. In the race context, obviously, the standards of proof are high (but the cases only really deal with statistics and limit discovery). However, if there was a smoking gun, it would be a real problem. Rational basis, however, also applies---I am not what the contours would be--but it seems clear that not being a government employee is not a rational basis upon which to base a prosecutor's decision. In other words, prosecutors cannot have a lenience policy that lets government employees get over like this.

Judges need to start by asking the hard questions. Law professors need to push this issue---we cannot live in a society where this occurs.

I'd dismiss charges in the right circumstances.

Posted by: federalist | Jun 17, 2019 7:32:56 PM

love your thinking here, federalist, but I see so many challenges in procedure and proof. Is the person who is charged with some low-level fraud going to be allowed to and able to collect evidence about all the folk NOT charged with fraud by the same office (or in the same city or state or nation)? And even if able to prove that there was some invidious/irrational basis for not charging some folks, will a judge think the right remedy is to dismiss an otherwise reasonable/rational prosecution when there is not reason to believe the person prosecuted was not targeted as a "non-official"?

These are comparable issues that have generally thwarted race-based selective prosecution challenges. Moreover, as is my concern with any EP challenge in this arena, the sensible way to respond is actually to bring more prosecutions and pursue equal levels of harshness. Perhaps that is what you hope to achieve, but I would rather see prosecutors be as forgiving of all as they are of their own.

Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 18, 2019 8:37:42 AM

Doug, I think the issue is that we all know what is going on here. And all the courts have to do is ask the hard questions of the prosecuting attorneys. Courts have inherent power. And that includes asking a prosecutor to compare and contrast and to deny that a person's status as a member of federal law enforcement isn't the cause of extreme special treatment

This is an intolerable state of affairs. There is simply no legitimate reason to forego prosecution of a guy who has his cars repaired by the government and who lie about it, don't pay taxes etc. We all know why. yet we tolerate it.

At the end of the day, the DOJ's argument, if ever pressed, is "We can do this." And that will change it because it is so offensive.

Posted by: federalist | Jun 18, 2019 7:42:41 PM

Post a commentEconomist, author of the report "North-South Transport Corridor : Realities of Transit and Prospects for Trans-Regional Integration", Alexander Karavayev, told Vestnik Kavkaza about reasons for growing interest in the North-South project among companies.

- In your opinion, what caused such a surge of interest in the North-South transport corridor?

- You may say that many conditions led to this moment. First of all, we're talking about Russia's interest in new markets in the south and southeast of the continent, with simultaneous desire to continue new trade and economic line of cooperation. Strictly speaking, the international transport corridor is a trade and economic line of cooperation tied to road infrastructure. When this interest awoke at the turn of the 2000s and 2010s, Russian Railways and Transport Ministry Ministry's project with participation of Iran and India was updated.

- Then why does this project take so much time?

There were problems related to blocking of dollar payments for Iran, right during biggest sanctions against Iran, but even so, countries began to develop ideas on how to complete necessary communications. By 2015, it became obvious that Russia should find an alternative to the group of countries that impose anti-Russian sanctions at the global level, and then this project was presented to the president. It's clear that two of the five countries of the North-South project are under sanctions, and yet everyone understands obviousness of the fact that by making necessary efforts  investment, administrative, tariff  we will get great results. Any infrastructure that is created by the country begins to operate not in 5-10 years, but in about 30.

- In other words, results of the North-South will be noticeable only after decades?

- When the highway will be completed, connecting all sections, and when logistics centers will be built - perhaps by 2030 - we will get a fairly full-fledged project that will be supported by all participants without depending on political preferences. Creation of transportation routes for goods (railway and highway channels for delivery of goods), will continue for decades to come.

- Is this project equally beneficial for all participants?

- It's benefits depend on how developed these countries are. Moreover, it should be noted that even certain regions that are not involved in economic activities of this route will sooner or later benefit from its existence. If we're talking about countries as a whole, then, of course, all countries will receive revenues from the North-South project.Cattle in El Centro, California. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/Corbis/ Getty Images

The European Commission said on Friday that it had struck a deal with the US that will guarantee American farmers a greater share of the quota that restricts beef imports into the EU.

The move is likely to end a decades-long dispute about beef imports  one that involved tetchy exchanges between leaders and the US taking the EU to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1996.

In recent years, the US has complained that other countries were benefitting far more from the 45,000-tonne hormone-free beef quota, which was agreed in 2009 as an interim solution to the row.

Under the deal, which the EU referred to as an agreement in principle, the US will now be allocated 35,000 tonnes of that quota. The increase will be phased in over seven years.

With this step, the European Union reaffirms its commitment to bring about a new phase in the relationship with the United States, in line with the agreement reached between presidents Juncker and Trump in July 2018, said EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan in a statement.

Though that White House meeting with Juncker, the president of the European Commission, did not concern the beef dispute, it resulted in a marked deescalation in a conflict that threatened to spiral into an all-out trade war.

In 1989, the EU banned imports of beef that contained growth hormones, which are relatively widely used in the US beef industry.

Hogan noted that the new deal will not change the overall volume, quality or safety of the beef imported into the EU.

The WTO ruled in 1998 that the EUs ban violated the organisations obligations and was not based on scientific evidence.

But the bloc has long disputed that ruling, and one of its scientific committees found in 2002 that the use of hormones was a potential health risk to consumers.

Following the failure of the proposed EU-US trade deal known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the US in 2016 stepped up its rhetoric on the beef war and threatened to impose tariffs on the bloc.

Story continues

Australia, Uruguay, and Argentina, whose sizeable beef exports to the EU have forced the US share of the quota down to around 30%, stand to lose out from the deal.

But they agreed to the changes  most likely because the EU is currently in the midst of trade negotiations with Australia and the Mercosur group of countries, which includes both Argentina and Uruguay.

Both trade deals are expected to increase the volume of beef shipments that these countries can ship to the EU.There is a definite shift in the way companies in Singapore are planning their real estate strategy: moving away from a dependence on long-term rental commitments in favour of a greater proportion of flexible space in their portfolio.



Ben Eckblad and wife Ginny are co-founders of the two-year-old GorillaSpace (Picture: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)



More companies are looking to flexible spaces as a viable complement to their long-term office footprint, says Ben Eckblad, co-founder of GorillaSpace, an online marketplace for a variety of commercial spaces in Singapore, ranging from meeting rooms to traditional long-term leases. GorillaSpace was founded by Ben together with his wife Ginny.

GorillaSpaces listing partners include Regus, Ascendas-Singbridge, JustCo, CapitaLand, Distrii Singapore, Keppel Land, Lendlease, The Work Project, and WeWork. It helps its listing partners to lease out their available office spaces. We do that by helping them articulate how they are different from their competitors, and that is increasingly important in todays market which has so much new stock in the pipeline, says Ginny.

The platform operates under a dual system to manage its more than 2,000 unique office listings. About half of the listings are publicly available for viewing on its website. The rest only get served up when they match a companys specific needs through the start-ups matching service called GorillaMatch, which is curated, personalised and powered by an AI engine.



Distrii Singapore, which has its flagship co-working space in Republic Plaza, is another GorillaSpace listing partner (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)



The reason for the dual system is some of our listing partners  whether they are brokers representing clients, or institutional landlords with a lot of vacant space  dont necessarily want the entire market to know how much space they have to lease, says Ben.

Seed funding

GorillaSpace has attracted attention in the property industry. In May, the two-year-old start-up clinched an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Japanese property giant Mitsubishi Estate. This is the first time the Japanese developer has invested in a non-Japanese start-up at this stage, and in a start-up company outside of Japan.

Story continues

The partnership is already bearing fruit for GorillaSpace. Mitsubishi Estate wants to support us and use our platform to help market CapitaSpring, its upcoming office project in Singapore, as well as some of its other projects in the region. Thats the real milestone for GorillaSpace, says Ben.

Read more: JP Morgan to be anchor tenant at CapitaSpring

CapitaSpring, a 51-storey skyscraper on Market Street, is a joint venture with CapitaLand, CapitaLand Commercial Trust, and Mitsubishi Estate. The Grade-A commercial building will boast more than 635,000 sq ft of office space over 29 floors and feature floor plates of about 22,000 sq ft. Construction started in February last year, with completion scheduled for 1H2021.

The CapitaSpring project is likely to be managed under CapitaLands new leasing and management strategy. CapitaLand announced last year that under this model, the landlords conventional office tenants will have any new, flexible requirements met, while small and medium enterprises in co-working spaces could choose to lease conventional workspaces as they grow.

Core-flex model

This model of hybrid office solutions fits well with GorillaSpace, whose platform allows users to plan out a combination of real estate solutions to fit their company needs. Other landlords like Lendlease and Ascendas-Singbridge have also adopted similar leasing models to cater to the changing office space needs of companies.

At Paya Lebar Quarter, GorillaSpace is helping Lendlease market both the conventional office space available, as well as the developers proprietary co-working solution csuites. We are working with CapitaLand, Lendlease and Ascendas-Singbridge to showcase the duality their commercial developments can offer tenants, says Ben. He adds: Landlords are rethinking their leasing strategy, and they know that they have to have multiple operators in the same building to provide differentiated solutions. Its not just a matter of the size of the space, but also the look, feel, vibe, and type of support they can provide.



The co-working space by Lendlease, csuites in Paya Lebar Quarter, is one of the most popular listings on GorillaSpace (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)



Serviced office provider Regus is also opening an outlet of its co-working brand Spaces in the mixed-use Paya Lebar Quarter, and has partnered GorillaSpace to list its office solutions in Singapore.

As office-user demand is changing, more companies are laying down specific wellness needs, and are requesting more sit-stand desks, childcare facilities, and 24-hour air-conditioning to accommodate flexible working hours, says Ginny. These types of conditions didnt appear up to 18 months ago, but they have become increasingly more common, she adds.

Even the co-working scene has evolved; the proportion of hot desks has fallen as demand for dedicated desks rises. We also see larger-sized companies move in. Traditionally they would have gone into a conventional fitted space, [but] they are now considering co-working or serviced offices, says Ben.

Expansion plans

GorillaSpace has received requests from its partners and clients for it to expand into other markets in Southeast Asia, says Ginny.

Many of our clients have grown and expanded. Peer-to-peer lending and investment platform Funding Societies found its office space through GorillaSpace, and is now asking us if we have leads in other cities around the region, she says.

Some of the cities they are eyeing include Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, as well as Hong Kong and Tokyo in the future. We will open up to these markets on the back of the existing relationships we have with our clients, says Ben.

See Also:





Saudi Arabia's energy minister on Saturday called for a "swift and decisive" response to threats against energy supplies following twin attacks on tankers in a vital Gulf shipping channel.

"There must be a swift and decisive response to the threat against energy supplies... created by the recent terrorist acts in the Arabian Gulf," Khalid al-Falih was quoted as saying on the ministry's Twitter page.

He was speaking at a meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers in Japan after the attacks on Thursday, which sent crude prices soaring amid a tense standoff between Iran and the US.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman when it was rocked by explosions, causing a blaze that was quickly extinguished.

US President Donald Trump said the twin attack, which also targeted a tanker owned by Oslo-listed company Frontline, had Iran "written all over it".

Falih has previously said the kingdom was monitoring the situation with "great concern" and called for action to secure maritime traffic, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, is a bitter regional rival of Iran.

Iran has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the strategic Hormuz Strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

Doing so would disrupt oil tankers travelling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes.

But Trump has played down the threat.Czech journalists and media analysts are raising alarm over the "threat" to the country's public media from mounting pressure on the press by populist politicians. Members of the bodies supervising the Czech news agency CTK, Czech Television and Czech Radio are elected by lawmakers and now press watchdogs warn that some nominees might affect the quality of their coverage. Next week, the Czech parliament is likely to propel Michal Semin, a journalist and writer who has blamed American elites for the 9/11 terror attacks, onto the CTK council. "There is a big risk that a man with very extravagant views will sit on the board of a major public medium," Adam Cerny, head of the Czech Syndicate of Journalists, told AFP. If elected, Semin will join council member and journalist Petr Zantovsky, who has said he would not mind CTK running news from the server of Sputnik, the Russian state-backed news agency. Semin was nominated by the opposition far-right, anti-EU SPD party, while Zantovsky was the nominee of the ruling populist ANO movement of billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis. Semin topped a first-round vote in early June, backed by ANO and SPD. Those two parties may end up with five people on the seven-member CTK council, which appoints the agency's director and takes major decisions on its business. "Czech public media are in jeopardy," said Tomas Trampota, a media sociologist at the University of New York in Prague (UNYP). "I see Semin's nomination as a threat." - 'Embarrassed over media' - Semin, the head of the D.O.S.T. (Enough) movement backing the SPD, once called Czech Television "a Bolshevik museum" and "a media swamp". In 2016, he said the official explanation of the attacks in New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, was "a fairy tale" and that the attacks were in part orchestrated by US elites, with Israel benefitting from the aftermath. Semin told AFP that public media should "reflect the plurality of opinions in society". The uproar over his nomination was "big media manipulation", he added. "It has strengthened my resolve to run and proved that I'm right about being more than embarrassed over our media world, the public one in particular," Semin said. He said he was asked to run for the post by SPD leader Tomio Okamura, with whom he shares the desire for a 'Czexit' from the European Union. Okamura has repeatedly called Czech TV journalists "liars", while PM Babis has dubbed them "a corrupt bunch". Babis leads a minority centre-left government of ANO and the leftwing Social Democrats with support from the Communists for a parliamentary majority. He is in the media spotlight because of police charges against him over EU subsidy fraud, an EU probe into his dual role as a politician and entrepreneur, and allegations that he served as a secret Communist police agent in the 1980s. Denying the allegations as a "smear campaign," the food, chemicals and media mogul is currently facing a wave of rallies against him across the Czech Republic -- but he also enjoys stable 30-percent voter support in opinion polls. - Kalashnikov for journalists - Charles University political analyst Josef Mlejnek described Babis as a "pragmatic politician" who was building ties with the SPD on the media front. "Public media are able to correct politicians' blather, their view of the world, fake news. That's why they want to control, destroy or debase them," Mlejnek told AFP. "This mainly concerns the populist camp." The Czech Republic ranked 40th on the 2019 World Press Freedom Index, which was put together by press watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It slid from 34th the year before, with RSF singling out President Milos Zeman -- Babis's political ally -- as a threat. Zeman is known for telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that "journalists should be liquidated", waving a dummy Kalashnikov at reporters at a press conference and slamming Czech TV for "manipulating public opinion". Experts fear the situation could get worse next year when lawmakers reshuffle the Czech Television and Czech Radio boards. "Given the parliament's current composition, there is considerable risk that the boards will become politicised and public media will fall prey to political power," Cerny said.COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  A father who killed his five children will be a new resident on South Carolina's death row, where the population has dropped by 25% in eight years  but not because of executions, since the state hasn't put anyone to death in that time.

The state is in an unofficial death penalty moratorium because prison officials have no drugs to carry out lethal injections and pharmaceutical companies publicly refuse to sell them more. And prosecutors, facing rising costs and more vigorous defenses in court, don't seek the ultimate punishment as frequently.

Timothy Jones Jr., sentenced to death Thursday for killing his children aged 1 to 8 in their Lexington home, is only the third new admission to South Carolina's death row in 10 years.

"It is frustrating and unfair. You have to start to wonder what is the purpose of having a death penalty if it can't be used," said state Sen. Greg Hembree, a former prosecutor who sponsored a bill that would have forced condemned inmates to the electric chair or firing squad. The bill failed to pass in 2019.

The trend toward fewer executions and death row inmates but more life without parole sentences is reflected across the country, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization that gathers data on the death penalty.

Virginia has executed 113 prisoners since 1982, but only three inmates remain on its death row. In Georgia, the only person sent to death row since 2014 acted as her own lawyer, and the state has executed 20 prisoners during that time span. Oklahoma executed 112 prisoners starting in 1990, but none since using the wrong drug in a botched 2015 lethal injection, according to the center.

"With better lawyers and juries that aren't afraid if they sentence someone to life that they will be released to commit another murder, the death penalty almost becomes a vestige," said Robert Dunham, executive director of the nonprofit.

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A Winthrop University poll from February 2018 found that two-thirds of South Carolina's residents still support the death penalty, even if about half felt it wasn't applied fairly in the U.S.

South Carolina ran out of the drugs needed for lethal injection in 2013 and hasn't been able to buy more since.

Prisons Director Bryan Stirling has asked lawmakers several times for various bills  to shield the names of companies selling the drugs from the public or to force inmates into South Carolina's still operational electric chair  but they haven't passed, even with the support of the governor and attorney general.

Thirteen inmates have left death row since the state ran out of lethal injection drugs. More than half of the 38 current death row inmates arrived there in 2003 or earlier. In September, the inmate on death row the longest will mark 36 years since he was condemned to death.

Jones was being processed into South Carolina's death row Friday, according to prison officials. Chances are that Jones' stay there will be lengthy as years, if not decades, of appeals play out.

Immediately after the sentence was announced, defense attorney Boyd Young asked a judge to toss it out for nearly a dozen reasons, including that the jury deliberated less than two hours after four weeks of testimony, the testimony of some experts was limited and the judge allowed jurors to view autopsy photos of the children in the jury room if they wished.

Judge Eugene Griffith ruled against the request, but lawyers who specialize in appeals were in the courtroom throughout the trial.

The trial also displayed another key factor in the decline of capital punishment: Jones was defended by a special group of public defenders called the Capital Trial Division. Created in 2008, the group's lawyers quickly identify cases that could result in the death penalty and begin vigorous investigations. Previously, private lawyers often would be appointed, juggling the cases with their regular, money making load.

Jones' lawyers hired at least eight experts to care for, evaluate and analyze Jones and paid them thousands  or, in some cases, tens of thousands  of dollars.

Similar lawyer teams have organized in North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Texas to defend people accused of the most heinous crimes, Dunham said.

The close examination of cases before they get to trial often leads prosecutors to accept guilty pleas that include a life sentence to avoid costly trials and years of appeals.

"You tell the families of victims that a murderer is going to die in prison  that's a big factor in this. Victims' families don't have to worry about going to parole hearings or appeals," said David Pascoe, the chief prosecutor for the First Judicial Circuit in South Carolina.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP .It was the 1950s and 60s, a time of high tension among the superpowers.

As one national government was funding elite research institutes and enlisting its countrys top scientific minds to develop military technology, it likely had little inkling the move would form the basis of a broader, civilian technology industry in the coming decades.

The force behind this state-led initiative  a style of innovation commonly associated with China  was the US government, which seeded Californias Silicon Valley with funding for military research at Stanford University.

It was there that the dean of engineering, Frederick Terman, actively encouraged students to launch companies to exploit these technologies for profit  the most famous of his disciples being Hewlett-Packard founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard.

Most people who came here after the 1980s just assumed its all silicon and chips, said Steve Blank, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and adjunct professor at Stanford.

But innovation in Silicon Valley actually started in Stanford University, thanks to a single professor who changed the entire culture.

After the second world war, Terman, whose background was in electrical engineering, drew upon his wartime experience heading a radio research lab at Harvard to help turn Stanford into a top-tier university specialising in electronic warfare and with government contracts.

Americans are not smarter than the Chinese. The only thing that holds China back, is that the nature of dissent and creativity are related.

Steve Blank, Silicon Valley entrepreneur

Since then, Silicon Valley has been seen as the mecca of technology innovation, producing some of the worlds largest tech companies, such as Intel, Amazon, Facebook and Google.

The region has been lauded for its culture and openness, with countries globally hoping to learn from its success and emulate it by design.

Theres something special that happens in a city or a region when people are able to pursue new ideas in a very free way, said Eric Ries, author of the book The Lean Startup.

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When I first came to Silicon Valley, I had a failed start-up on my resume  nobody saw that as a negative, they saw it as a sign that I showed initiative, tried to do something new.

Its not that Silicon Valley embraces failure, but it has a different understanding of the likelihood of success of anything new.

The fact that Silicon Valley also had its beginnings in federal funding suggests that the state has an important role to play when it comes to fostering innovation.

Countries like China, Singapore and Israel have sought to emulate Silicon Valleys success by designing strategies at a government level to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.

For China, the need to foster innovation comes at a critical time. The country is caught in an escalating trade and tech war with the US.

As the two nations slap billions in tariffs on each other, the US has also moved to cut off some Chinese technology firms from accessing US technology, with the countrys 5G champion, Huawei Technologies, directly in the firing line.

The Chinese government has now vowed to double down on developing core competencies, including semiconductor manufacturing  a central part of its Made in China 2025 plan which aims to locally produce 70 per cent of the chips the country needs within 10 years.

But Silicon Valleys history and Chinas push in state-led innovation also beg the question: how much of a role does the state play in fostering innovation?

Chinas efforts to strengthen its indigenous technology have been ongoing for several decades.

The first big push to boost modern technology capabilities came during the 1980s, putting in place the Torch programme  resulting in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing and a variety of other parks across the country.

The period also saw the establishing of the 973 and 863 programmes, which focused on developing basic research and hi-tech R&D, respectively.

The worlds fastest supercomputer, Tianhe-2, and Chinas self-developed spacecraft, Shenzhou, were among the fruits of the 863 programme, which was set up in 1988, while 1997s 973 programme funded research projects in agriculture, energy, material science and other areas.

In 2006, China proposed a 15-year road map for the nation to join the ranks of innovation-oriented countries by the end of 2020. Science and research spending would rise above 2.5 per cent of GDP under the guide to future goals, known as the National Medium to Long-Term Plan for Science and Technology Development.

The master plan identified industries, technologies and research areas such as energy, biotech, human health and diseases that were considered of utmost importance to the technological advancement of China.

These goals were elaborated on in three separate five-year plans, the blueprint for Chinas social and economic policies, and translated to a string of government efforts in building the infrastructure to support the countrys technology ambitions.

This came in the form of industrial estates and the Thousand Talents plan to nurture and attract talent back to the country, not to mention a wealth of funding that ranged from research grants and subsidies to tax cuts for the private sector and academia.

Chinas tech ambitions strengthened under President Xi Jinping, who, on numerous occasions, has called for the construction of an innovation-driven economy to make the country a global innovation leader by 2035.

An important initiative under Xis leadership was Made in China 2025. First announced in 2015, the programme called for upgrading Chinas manufacturing model to better take on the US in strategic industries such as robotics, aerospace and new-energy vehicles.

These efforts have boosted some of Beijings favoured industries, turning them into rivals of global peers. In 2001, China identified electric vehicles (EV) as a major technology.

Sixteen years later, Shenzhen company BYD has become the worlds biggest EV maker, and a crop of start-ups including WM Motor, Xpeng Motors and the US-listed NIO have joined the race with funding from some of the countrys biggest tech companies and property developers.

In 2017 alone, Chinas central and local governments allocated US$7.7 billion in subsidies to both carmakers and the consumers who bought their vehicles, cementing the countrys position as the worlds largest EV market.

Some 770,000 EVs were made and sold in China in 2017, compared with just 199,000 in the US that year.

The planning for domestic integrated circuit (IC) production, a strategically important sector identified in the 15-year programme, was further developed in the 12th and 13th five-year plans.

Those concepts grew into an industry involving over 20,000 researchers that aimed to reduce reliance on foreign chip technology, according to Chinas Ministry of Science and Technology in 2017.

Yet, as self-reliance is more relevant than ever to China amid the tech war, it still lags behind the US and Taiwan in chip making, despite the billions of dollars in state backing the sector has received.

Chinas semiconductor industry needs more than 10 years to catch up with global peers, Jay Huang Jie, founding partner of Jadestone Capital and former Intel managing director in China, said in May.

Some have pointed to Chinas tech gap with the US as evidence that the Asian giant does not have what it takes to achieve technological competitiveness.

China, however, is still in the early stages when it comes to developing technology, according to Andy Mok, senior research fellow at the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based non-government think tank.

A lot of research universities in the US  like MIT, Caltech  theyve had decades of operations [since the second world war and the cold war], said Mok.

Itd be quite a myth to say that the US system is so successful technologically because of its political or economic system.

While semiconductors may not have been a top priority for China until recently, threats of a tech cold war which could cut off the country from US technology, including chips, mean China will double down on developing its own proprietary technology.

In the short term, China could fall further behind the US, Mok said.

Some of these indigenously produced components were a nice to have but not a must-have before  it was one priority among many, Mok said. Will Chinas chips be cutting edge? Probably not, but they will be good enough to be used in the short term.

But while state-led innovation has helped drive industries, broadly labelling Chinas technology achievements as state-driven could be an inaccurate generalisation, said Zhang Jun, dean of the School of Economics at Fudan University and director of the China Centre for Economic Studies, a Shanghai-based think tank.

Some of the more notable innovations in China  like mobile payments  took place on the application level and were driven by private companies such as Alibaba and Tencent.

Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

These companies succeeded by banking on the huge consumer market in China in the internet age, Zhang said.

Zhang pointed out that while the state did not actively drive those innovations, it too contributed by giving the companies leeway to experiment instead of immediately regulating the industries, which could have stifled innovation.

Chinas state support comes primarily in basic science and core technology, where it needs to play catch-up with countries like the US, and in the form of investment in universities and research labs that is likely to accelerate due to the trade war with the US.

Basic scientific research will still rely on the states continuous investment into the academic field and into nurturing talents, but in terms of the application of the technology, the government will need to work with the market, and control less, Zhang said.

Countries that adopt a largely top-down approach to innovation are not uncommon.

In Singapore, a tiny island-nation that lacks natural resources, the Economic Development Board has been instrumental in providing grants and incentives to small business, including low-rent office space for start-ups.

The country also has a nationally-supported artificial intelligence programme called AI Singapore, which is aimed at fostering AI research and talent and bringing private and public sectors closer together when it comes to AI applications.

Israel, which has billed itself as a start-up nation, also has a central agency in charge of planning and executing its innovation policy.

It can also trace its leadership in cybersecurity to the Israel defence forces, whose military intelligence unit 8200 has trained and provided a lot of the manpower for the civilian sector.

Ultimately, despite the role the US and Chinese governments play in driving their respective tech ecosystems, many other factors contribute to the flourishing of an innovation cluster, including private capital and a culture that accepts failure and allows individuals to exercise creativity.

Getting the state out of the tech ecosystem should be the goal for private capital to take over, said Stanfords Blank. At some point, the government needs to let go.

Federal funding in the US helped get technology and innovation off the ground in Silicon Valley, but once venture capital started to flow into the region, a culture where innovation was left to the entrepreneurs and tech talent was created.

Blank pointed out that culture also has a big part to play. The US, for example, encourages individualism. Furthermore, in technology hubs like Silicon Valley, Boston and New York, failure is seen as good experience rather than as shameful.

Americans are not smarter than the Chinese, said Blank. The only thing that holds China back, is that the nature of dissent and creativity are related.

Great entrepreneurs, great founders are dissidents. Steve Job was a dissident, Elon Musk is a dissident, he said.

They tell the status quo, the leadership of whatever industry theyre in that theyre wrong. In the US, thats in fact part of our culture and we encourage that, but in China you can only do that within the bounds of what the [Communist] Party allows you to do.

However, Mok disagrees. Many of the most valuable US companies today are seen as tech leaders because they were able to piggyback on US hegemony, he said. If you could win in the US, you could probably win everywhere else.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Does top-down, state-led innovation work? Just ask Silicon Valley first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg attends a state-level Gawai Dayak celebration in Kuching June 15, 2019.  Picture by Sulok Tawie

KUCHING, June 16  Sarawak wants one of the Court of Appeal (CoA) judges hearing cases coming from the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak to come from either of the two states, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg said.

He said he has brought up this issue for discussion at the Steering Cabinet Committee on the review of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Normally, the hearing before the Court of Appeals of cases, which originate from the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak, are heard by judges who are not from the two states, he said at the state-level Gawai Dayak celebration here last night.

This is the issue which is being looked into by the steering committee so that we have a structured way on how we manage ourselves, he added.

The chief minister said that a judge from Sarawak would be more familiar with the local conditions and situation and way of life of the local communities than those from Peninsular Malaysia.

Abang Johari also said he had instructed his deputy Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah to head a committee to improve the structure of the Native Court system based on traditions and customs.

He said he has asked that a legal expert be engaged to guide the committee.

The chief minister said the restructuring of the Native Court system should place it on par with the Civil Court or Shariah Court.

He said many problems and disputes relating to traditions and customs, like native customary rights land, can be settled by the restructured Native Courts.

The Civil Court may not be efficient to adjudicate the disputes relating to traditions and customs, and that is where the Native Courts can come in, he said.

The Native Courts system has been part of the state administration system since before even the formation of Malaysia.

It has also been part and parcel of the Resident and District Office administration and under the Native Courts Ordinance which was passed by Sarawak State Legislative Assembly in November 1992.

Related Articles Chinese firms to pump US$5b into Sarawak O&G complex Sarawak ready to host Malaysia Day, says CM CM says Sarawaks economy now moderately good after infrastructure spendingThe row between Beijing and Washington over Hong Kong has exacerbated tensions between the two powers, but observers say neither side wants to push too hard because of the high cost involved.

Analysts and diplomatic observers said the tough rhetoric from both mainland China and the United States was unlikely to be followed by any concrete action as they grappled with a broader conflict.

Their protracted dispute has been complicated in recent weeks after US officials expressed grave concerns over legislation that would allow Hong Kong to extradite fugitives to mainland China, which has prompted mass protests and violent clashes in the city this week.

The Hong Kong government backed down on Saturday, suspending the highly unpopular bill without saying when it would be reintroduced.

On Friday, Beijing had summoned Robert Forden, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in the capital, to protest against Washingtons condemnation of the bill. It came after calls from the US Congress to review whether Hong Kong had sufficient autonomy from mainland China to continue enjoying special trade and economic benefits under a 1992 act.

Shi Yinhong, a US affairs expert at Renmin University of China, said the move could have a big impact.

Huge US financial and business interests would be affected if Hong Kongs special status is removed, and the US will not gain from it, Shi said.

He said the decision to suspend the bill would prevent tensions between Beijing and Washington from worsening, meaning Hong Kong would not become a persistent thorny issue like the South China Sea and Taiwan.

The US will continue criticising Beijings handling of Hong Kong affairs, Shi said. But Hong Kong will not be at the forefront of the China-US conflict.

But according to a senior US official quoted by Reuters on Saturday, the Donald Trump administration was unlikely to move to revise the US-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 unless there was a dramatic escalation of the situation by Beijing.

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Its going to depend on what the Chinese do, the official said, adding that the United States might consider sanctions if there was a precipitating event, such as Hong Kong police being told to stand down and mainland Chinese forces moving in and using violence against protesters.

The official said any US response could also be influenced by its trade talks with Beijing.

Hong Kongs special status has shielded Hong Kong from the punishing tariffs imposed during the protracted US-China trade war.

Washington recorded a trade surplus of US$31.1 billion with Hong Kong last year, its largest bilateral trade surplus worldwide. The city also helps the US in counterterrorism, to combat money laundering and with other law enforcement efforts.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council also said earlier this month that US firms accounted for 18.3 per cent of all foreign companies with regional headquarters or offices in the city.

White House officials have said Trump may bring up the Hong Kong issue if he meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for talks at the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan later this month. Meanwhile, senior US lawmakers introduced legislation on Thursday requiring the president to protect Americans from the proposed Hong Kong laws effects and to sanction individuals responsible for abducting booksellers, journalists and activists.

Pang Zhongying, a Beijing-based international relations expert, said the developments in Hong Kong had complicated an already tense relationship between Beijing and Washington.

This is adding to complications facing China-US relations, he said. It also means the confrontation is spilling over, and even if there is a trade deal, tensions between the two sides will not be contained much.

Pang said Washington did not necessarily want to broaden the conflict.

Some in the US are seeking to restructure its economic relations with China through the trade and tech war, but expanding the confrontation is another matter, and there are those who dont want a new cold war, he said. And how far can the US really go on Hong Kong? It wont go as far as supporting Hong Kong independence.

After the announcement on Saturday, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing respected the Hong Kong governments decision to suspend the bill and reiterated that it was an internal affair and it did not accept foreign nations intervening.

Wu Xinbo, director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University, said with trade at the top of the agenda, the two sides were not likely to make any drastic moves on the Hong Kong issue.

Beijing will not do much other than making a diplomatic protest as the US has not done anything about Hong Kong yet, he said.

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This article Hong Kong extradition bill complicates an already tense US-China relationship first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.Tens of thousands of security personnel were on the streets of Jakarta Friday as a court heard a defeated presidential challenger's claim that Indonesia's 2019 election was rigged -- allegations that spawned deadly rioting last month. Ex-general Prabowo Subianto lodged an appeal seeking to overturn his loss to incumbent leader Joko Widodo on April 17 over claims it was the result of massive electoral fraud and vote-counting irregularities in the world's third-biggest democracy. Indonesia's election commission has said Widodo won 55.5 percent of votes against Subiantos 44.5 percent, but Subianto has insisted that he had won the poll. Election officials and analysts have discounted Subianto's rampant cheating claims. He lost a similar court battle in 2014 when Widodo defeated him. On Friday, Indonesia's constitutional court began hearing evidence. Subianto's legal team alleged Widodo mobilised the power of the state to win the vote and broke campaign finance rules in what it called a "systematic, structured and massive" electoral fraud. Another hearing is scheduled for next week. Subianto supporters held small protests outside the downtown courtroom Friday, some holding placards criticising the official result. But there were few signs of mass unrest as some 32,000 police and military were deployed to watch for "any potential for disruption that could interfere with the proceedings", said National police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo. Last month, peaceful protests against the official result erupted into two nights of street battles between police and rioters in Jakarta, leaving eight people dead and hundreds injured in the capital's worst violence in years. Indonesian police have been under the spotlight after online videos surfaced that appeared to show officers beating some protesters. There are also questions about how the demonstrators -- including a 15-year-old high school student -- died. Police have insisted they did not shoot live rounds, but instead used rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to push back the crowds. Some of the dead were reported to have had gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, several Subianto allies have recently been arrested, including former army general Kivlan Zen over his alleged links to the Jakarta riots. Police have also aired video from several arrested suspects who claimed that Zen masterminded a failed plot to kill four senior government officials, including its chief security minister and the president's top intelligence adviser. A total of six people -- arrested before they could carry out the killings -- planned to murder the officials and an election pollster in a bid to plunge the country into chaos, police have said.A Brazilian judge on Friday acquitted a mentally ill man of attacking far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on last year's campaign trail, but jailed him for an "indefinite period." Adelio Bispo de Oliveira stabbed Bolsonaro in the stomach on September 6 during a campaign rally in Juiz de Fora, in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Police previously said Bispo acted alone in a premeditated political attack that almost cost Bolsonaro his life. Bispo suffers a delusional disorder and for that reason cannot be tried under Brazilian law, the federal judge ruled. However owing to the "high risk" to himself and his wish to attack Bolsonaro and former president Michel Temer, Bispo should remain in a federal prison where he can receive treatment, the judge said. Bolsonaro said he would try to have the decision overturned. Bolsonaro thinks that declaring Bispo mentally ill is a way to protect the attack masterminds. "They tried to kill me. I am certain who they were, but I can't say, I don't want to prejudge anyone," he told local media. "This is a crime against a presidential candidate who now has the mandate and we must go to the final consequences of that situation." Bolsonaro vowed to appeal. "I will contact my lawyer. I will try to do whatever is possible," he said.The Crimea has long been a Russian territory, and the peninsula turned out to be part of Ukraine only because its membership in one of the republics did not play a significant role during Soviet times, told the former Federal Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder in an interview with Bild, News Front reports.

According to him, the referendum and the subsequent reunification of the Crimea with Russia were carried out according to all democratic and legal canons, therefore all the accusations of the West about the annexation sound ridiculous. These actions were approved by the population, which means there is no point in talking about aggression, the German politician noted.

He also considers it necessary to lift sanctions against Russia and provide conditions for peace in the Donbass. In this regard, he urged Kiev to put an end to the hostilities and move to the implementation of the Minsk agreements.A photo from the Iranian News Agency reportedly shows a Norwegian-owned Front Altair tanker attacked in the waters of the Gulf of Oman. Photo: -/AFP/Getty Images

Oil has risen for a second day after spiking on Thursday after the suspected attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Brent crude (BZ=F) was up 0.3% to $61.47 as the US claimed Iran was behind the attacks, which fuelled fears of reduced crude flows along one of the worlds busiest shipping routes.

The British government is reported to share US suspicions about Iranian involvement in the explosions, in what is thought to be the second attack in a month in the region.

But oil remains volatile after the incidents near Iran and the Strait of Hormuz pushed up oil prices by up to 4.5% on Thursday, with the price of crude down 0.2% (CL=F) to $52.19 on Friday morning.

The explosions have halted the slide in prices that has rattled the industry in recent weeks amid concerns about global demand levels.

READ MORE: Tensions on the rise over oil tanker attacks as US releases video of Iranian patrol boat near vessel

Tehran has denied any involvement in the blasts, which saw three separate detonations on board the Norwegian ship the Front Altair and the Japanese Kokuka Courageous. Dozens of staff were rescued.

"The events in the Gulf would now appear to have taken on an overt military dimension and we are waiting to see what action the U.S. Fifth Fleet and other military resources in the region may take," said Tom O'Sullivan, founder of energy and security consultancy Mathyos Advisory.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 multinational nuclear pact with Iran and reimposed sanctions, especially targeting Tehran's oil exports.

An OPEC report yesterday noted: "Throughout the first half of this year, ongoing global trade tensions have escalated. Significant downside risks from escalating trade disputes spilling over to global demand growth remain."

READ MORE: Oil spikes on Thursday after blasts in Gulf of Oman* Philippines on track for 4th straight weekly gain * China industrial production, retail sales data awaited * Indonesia on track for third straight session of falls By Shreya Mariam Job June 14 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets traded in a tight range on Friday as investors awaited a host of data from China, with Philippines shedding nearly 1% on the back of industrials. China will release May industrial production, retail sales and investment numbers later in the day which could throw light on the impact of strenuous Sino-U.S. trade relations on the world's second-largest economy. The U.S. Federal Reserve is meeting on June 18-19 and investors are keen to see if its monetary policy stance is in sync with market expectations for a near-term rate cut. Investment manager Vanguard now sees the chance of a U.S. recession in the next 12-18 months at 40%, up from 30%, and believes the Fed will implement an "insurance" rate cut as early as next week. However, a Reuters poll suggests that the Fed will maintain rates. Philippine shares fell 0.9% on Friday but were headed for a fourth straight weekly gain. JG Summit Holdings Inc declined 2.1%, while International Container Terminal Services Inc dropped 2.4%. "From our perspective these declines are driven by mostly profit-taking... since a lot of these companies rallied for the past week," said Rachelle C Cruz, an analyst at AP Securities. ICT shares had gained 8% this week up to last close, while JG Summit had gained 3.3%. Indonesian stocks slid 0.3%, dragged by consumer stocks. Unilever Indonesia Tbk Pt dropped 0.9%. For the week, however, the key Jakarta stock index was up 1.3%. Vietnam stocks gained 0.4% on the back of financials, but were down 0.9% for the week. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS As at 0324 GMT Change on the day Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3219.09 3220.66 -0.05 Bangkok 1673.39 1674.14 -0.04 Manila 7975.86 8051.76 -0.94 Jakarta 6256.461 6273.082 -0.26 Kuala Lumpur 1642.12 1643.74 -0.10 Ho Chi Minh 953.72 950.08 0.38 Change so far in 2019 Market Current End 2018 Pct Move Singapore 3219.09 3068.76 4.90 Bangkok 1673.39 1563.88 7.00 Manila 7975.86 7,466.02 6.83 Jakarta 6256.461 6,194.50 1.00 Kuala Lumpur 1642.12 1690.58 -2.87 Ho Chi Minh 953.72 892.54 6.85 (Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)Sudan's veteran opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi called on Friday for an "objective" international investigation into last week's deadly crackdown on protesters, after the ruling military council rejected such a probe. Mahdi's call was backed by top US envoy Tibor Nagy, who urged an "independent and credible" investigation into the June 3 killings. Thousands of protesters who had camped outside the army headquarters in central Khartoum for weeks were dispersed in an operation which left dozens dead. The crackdown followed the collapse of talks between protest leaders and generals, following the ouster of president Omar al-Bashir. The generals had repeatedly pledged they would not disperse the sit-in, but on Thursday admitted that "mistakes" had been made. Mahdi, speaking after attending Friday prayers at a mosque in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman, condemned the operation. "The protest's dispersal was wrong. There should be an independent international investigation into it," he told AFP. "It's important that the probe is objective and not biased in favour of the authorities." Mahdi's elected government was toppled in a 1989 coup led by Bashir, who then ruled for three decades before being ousted in April following mass protests. - 'Independent and credible' - Nagy, the US assistant secretary of state for Africa, also called for an investigation. "The USA believe very strongly there has to be an investigation which is independent and credible which will hold accountable those committing the egregious events," he said in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, after a two-day visit to Khartoum. Along with the newly-appointed US special envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth, Nagy met with military council chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Thursday. The June 3 crackdown left about 120 people dead and hundreds wounded, according to doctors linked to protesters, while the health ministry put the death toll at 61. The protest movement has also called for an international probe, something rejected by the military council. "We do not accept an international investigating committee. We are a sovereign state," council spokesman Shamseddine Kabbashi told reporters late Thursday. Expressing "regret" over the crackdown, Kabbashi said the plan had been to clear an area close to the sit-in -- but "excesses happened". He said the military is carrying out its own inquiry, whose findings are to be released on Saturday. - 'Harsh and unacceptable' - On Friday, worshippers at the mosque linked to Mahdi's National Umma Party appeared frustrated with the generals' version of the crackdown. "The way the sit-in was dispersed was harsh and unacceptable," said Salim Gebril, a university professor and member of the National Umma Party. "They (the military rulers) keep saying they are looking forward to reaching an agreement (with the protest leaders) but their tone sounded as if they may take another route." Another worshipper, Abdelrahman Amir al-Tom, found the military council's statement to be "extremely disappointing". Protest leaders and generals have now agreed to resume talks after mediation led by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Mahdi believes the mediation "may have a positive impact," and may help both sides overcome the differences. "In the end, the military council cannot rule, that is clear, and civilian forces cannot talk about a future without the participation of the military council," the former premier said.A record number of almost seven million people are facing severe hunger in South Sudan, despite a peace agreement which has largely stopped fighting after more than five years of war, UN agencies warned Friday. "Every year, hunger reaches new and unprecedented levels in South Sudan with millions of people unsure where their next meal will come from, particularly at this time of the year when hunger peaks from May to July," Hsiao-Wei Lee of the World Food Programme (WFP) said in Juba. UN-backed assessments use a ranking called the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which rates hunger levels from one to five. The WFP, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and children's agency Unicef said about 1.8 million people in South Sudan were in an "emergency," or level four, which means large gaps between meals, acute malnutrition and excess deaths. More than five million others are also having to skip meals. At the beginning of 2019, it was estimated that 6.1 million people were facing hunger. But this figure now stands at 6.9 million people -- about 61 percent of the population. Under the IPC system, level five is classified as "catastrophe," and when it applies to 20 percent of the population is deemed a famine. South Sudan declared a "man-made" famine in 2017. While the technical requirements for a famine are not currently met, the overall number of people requiring food aid has increased by about two million. A statement from the agencies said the annual lean season "started early following record low stocks from the poor 2018 harvest and has been further extended by the delayed onset of 2019 seasonal rains." Persistent economic instability, years of fighting and displacement and high food prices have all made access to food more difficult. If the current situation continues, about 21,000 people could slide into "famine" conditions, said Pierre Vauthier, deputy country director for the FAO. This estimation has dropped from about 30,000 in January. "With greater stability in the country, access to those in need has improved, allowing us to treat more than 100,000 children suffering from severe malnutrition in the first five months of the year, with more than 90 per cent of those children recovering," said Mohamed Ag Ayoya, UNICEF's representative in South Sudan. "But malnutrition levels remain critical in many areas and our fear is that the situation could worsen in the coming months." South Sudan descended into war in 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy and fellow former rebel leader Riek Machar of plotting a coup. The war, marked by ethnic violence and brutal atrocities, has left about 380,000 dead while some four million have fled their homes. Under a peace agreement signed in September, Kiir agreed to set up a unity government with Machar, who is to return from exile, but that has been delayed by six months until November.The Hong Kong governments decision to suspend the highly unpopular extradition bill has prompted comparisons with the aborted national security Article 23 legislation in 2003 but analysts said there were critical differences between the two.

Experts on parliamentary procedures said that with a suspension, the extradition bill is technically still alive and could in theory be reintroduced by way of a straightforward notice from the government to the Legislative Council president.

It remains on the books as part of the governments legislative agenda but its shelf life will be in sync with the current term of the Legislative Council which ends in July 2020.

Here is a look at where the two bills are similar and where they are different:

What was the public backlash to each bill?

In the extradition bill, the government argued it needed to plug legal loopholes as it lacked extradition arrangements with many countries and the bill was supposed to allow for ad hoc arrangements to transfer fugitives to jurisdictions with which it lacked a mechanism, including mainland China. Critics at home and abroad have said this would expose people in Hong Kong to being sent across the border to face political persecution or be subject to unfair trials.

The government conducted only 20 days of consultation on the bill. More than a million people marched last Sunday, according to organisers, and tens of thousand surrounded Legco on Wednesday, sparking violent clashes with police.

In 2003, the government tried to enact the national security law, a constitutional duty under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the citys mini-constitution. Back then half a million people took to the streets.

What happened next in each instance?

For the extradition bill, the government has backed down and withdrawn the notice to resume a second reading debate. This means it will not be possible to retable it before the summer recess in July. But Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has refused to withdraw the bill.

Story continues

In 2003, the then Chief Executive Tung Chee-wah first delayed the second reading of the draft bill on the national security law in July, and promised to listen to public opinion and study the draft bill again. But faced with doubts, Tung withdrew the bill entirely two months later.

What followed after the bills were taken off the agenda?

For the extradition bill, the embattled Hong Kong leader said officials would listen with an open mind to views from the public about the bill, before consulting the Legco security panel.

She said the government had no timeline for when to table the bill again, and that it would not be possible this year. She has not given a clear indication of whether she would push for the law again during her term of office. Lam also did not say she would resign, despite being asked repeatedly by journalists if she would and being demanded to do so by the opposition.

In 2005, two years after the Article 23 debacle, Tung handed in his resignation to the central government, citing health reasons. Subsequent administrations have not sought to reintroduce the national security law, although Beijing has signalled its impatience with the absence of such a law.

Former Legislative Council president Andrew Wong Wang-fat said if the government did not seek to resume a second reading within this Legco term until July 2020, the bill would meet a natural death.

Of course, the government could still resume [reading] anytime if they so wish, Wong said.

Another legal expert, who asked to remain anonymous due to professional obligations, also said that, legally, the extradition bill is still alive, although politically it may see an indefinite postponement, as in 2003.

Under Legcos house rules, any government bill can be retabled for scrutiny with 12 days notice.

He added Lam did not need to consult the security panel, and the government may only be binding itself to do so as a gesture of goodwill.

This article Suspend versus withdraw: How is the passage of Hong Kong extradition bill different from aborted Article 23 legislation in 2003? first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.Fuhu Restaurant & Bar is a partnership with chef Alvin Leung (pic) who is famous for his three Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong.  Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 -- Heads up, everyone! We will soon be getting a modern Chinese restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Alvin Leung, thanks to the Zouk Group.

In an interview with The Straits Times, Zouk Group Chief Executive Officer Andrew Li confirmed that they will be opening Fuhu Restaurant & Bar (Fuhu) at Resorts World Genting in the third quarter of the year.

The restaurant is a partnership with Leung who is famous for his three Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong.

Leung who is also known as "The Demon Chef" also has two restaurants in Singapore.

Currently he is one of the judges on television series MasterChef Canada and he has just published My Hong Kong, his long-awaited cookbook..

Leung is best known for modernising Chinese cuisine with molecular gastronomy.

In his early days, everyone talked about his famous "Sex on the beach" dish, where he served an edible pink condom (made with konjac and kappa) filled with honey and ham on shiitake mushroom "sand."

The dish was created to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS, where the proceeds went to an AIDS Concern in Hong Kong.

Fuhu which means "lucky tiger" in Chinese is also expected to be introduced to Genting's new cruise ships and the upcoming Resorts World Las Vegas.

Li had described to The Straits Times that the food served at Fuhu will be Chinese dishes found in the United Kingdom like lobster noodles and crispy aromatic duck, but given a twist to make it show worthy.

This foray into food and beverage by the Zouk Group is part of their transformation from a nightlife operator to a lifestyle brand. The club is currently owned by Genting Hong Kong, after it was sold to them in 2015.

In addition, the Zouk Group also announced that they will be bringing in popular US burger joint Five Guys to Singapore.

There was no confirmation whether Five Guys will be coming to Malaysia but a previous news report in Singapore's 8 Days said there are also plans to open here.

Related Articles Durian fest and other fun-filled adventures at Genting Resort this school holiday season (VIDEO) Resorts World Genting hosts buka puasa event for underprivileged orphans, senior citizens New 'party spot: Zouk Genting opens doors to give unique mountaintop revelry experienceThe United States has granted Iraq another 90-day waiver to continue with vital energy imports from neighbouring Iran despite re-imposed sanctions, a government source said Saturday. The extension came after "long discussions" with Washington ahead of a looming deadline on a previous extension granted in December, the official, close to the negotiations, told AFP on condition of anonymity. The talks came amid spiking tensions between Iraq's two closest allies -- the US and Iran -- following a twin attack on tankers in the Gulf that US President Donald Trump has blamed on Tehran. Iranian energy imports are vital to Iraq, one of the world's hottest countries, which faces chronic blackouts that often leave homes without power for up to 20 hours a day. Summer temperatures in Baghdad are already topping seasonal averages, boosting electricity consumption and raising fears of a repeat of last summer's mass protests over power outages. To compensate, Iraq pipes in up to 28 million cubic metres of Iranian gas a day for power generation and also directly imports up to 1,300 megawatts of Iranian electricity. That dependence is uncomfortable for Washington, which sees Tehran as its top regional foe. Trump reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors in November following a decision to abandon a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Tehran. He gave Iraq an initial 45-day waiver to continue buying electricity and natural gas from Tehran, and in December Washington granted Baghdad an 90-day extension.Fans of Airbnb get ready for some good news: The travel company just introduced Airbnb Adventures, and with it theyre giving a few lucky people the chance to travel around the world. The new trip is similar to any other tour operator and an extension of the current Airbnb Experiences that are offered by the company. This new addition to the portfolio now makes Airbnb a trifecta of sorts, offering accommodations, shorter experiences, and longer adventures.

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To celebrate the beginning of the new trips, the company was inspired by Jules Vernes Around the World in 80 Days. The book takes readers on a journey through six continents, 18 countries, two oceans, and five seas using eight different types of transportation. The Around the World in 80 Days Adventure will recreate a good part of this trip over 12 weeks.

The trip begins in London, but before returning here youll travel to medieval Europe, the former Soviet Union, eastern Africa, the Middle East, northern and southern Asia, the South Pacific, the Americas, and a Nordic island, according to the trip website. More specifically, youll visit England, Romania, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Jordan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the North American desert, Ecuador, Chile, and Iceland. All accommodations, food, transportation, and drinks are included  all you have to do is buy a round-trip ticket to London.

This adventure kicks off on September 1 and is priced at $5,000 per person.People wearing "hanfu" - traditional Chinese clothing - taking a photo at a gathering of hanfu devotees at a park in Beijing

Dressed in a flowing long robe adorned with beaded floral embroidery from a bygone era, stylist Xiao Hang looks like she surfaced from a time machine as she strides across the bustling Beijing metro, attracting curious glances and inquisitive questions.

China has embraced Western fashion and futuristic technology as its economy boomed in recent decades, but a growing number of young people like Xiao are looking to the past for their sartorial choices and donning traditional "hanfu", or "Han clothing".

These historic costumes of the Han ethnic majority are enjoying a renaissance in part because the government is promoting traditional culture in a bid to boost patriotism and national identity.

Period dramas have also contributed to the surge in interest for traditional Chinese garb -- "The Story of Minglan", a TV series set in the Song Dynasty, garnered more than 400 million viewers in three days when it debuted earlier this year.

There is no uniform definition of what counts as hanfu since each Han-dominated dynasty had its own style, but the outfits are characterised by loose, flowing robes that drape around the body, with sleeves that hang down to the knees.

"When we were little, we would also drape sheets and duvets around ourselves to pretend we were wearing beautiful clothes," Xiao told AFP.

Xiao, who used to work at a state-owned machine manufacturing company, now runs her own hanfu business, where she dresses customers for photo shoots and even plans hanfu-style weddings.

- Ancient style, new fashion -

In modern China, the hanfu community spans the gamut: from history enthusiasts to anime fans, to students and even young professionals.

Yang Jiaming, a high school student in Beijing, wears his outfit under his school uniform.

"Two-thirds of my wardrobe is hanfu," he said, decked out in a Tang-style beige gown and black boots at a hanfu gathering, adding that his classmates and teachers have been supportive of his style.

Story continues

A government-supported revival in Chinese culture has given the hanfu community a boost: since he entered office in 2012, President Xi Jinping has supported the idea of promoting a Han-centric version of heritage.

In April, the Communist Youth League of China launched a two-day conference for traditional Chinese garb, including hanfu.

A live broadcast of the event drew some 20 million viewers, alongside a visceral outpouring of emotions.

"Chinese people have abandoned their own culture and chosen Western culture. The red marriage gown has now become a wedding dress," wrote on user on Bilibili, a video streaming platform popular among young anime, comic and gaming fans in China.

Clothes are the "foundation of culture," said Jiang Xue, who is part of Beijing-based hanfu club Mowutianxia, which has received funding from the Communist Youth League.

"If we as a people and as a country do not even understand our traditional clothing or don't wear them, how can we talk about other essential parts of our culture?" she said.

- 'Strange clothes' -

There is some way before the style reaches mainstream acceptance in China.

In March, two students in Shijiazhuang Medical College in northern China were reportedly threatened with expulsion for wearing the outfits to school.

Others say they're deterred by the odd looks they get when wearing hanfu in public.

"I used to be very embarrassed to wear (hanfu) out," screenwriter Cheng Xia told AFP.

The 37-year-old said she overcame her reservations after going out dressed in a full outfit last year.

Meanwhile, the movement to revive Han ethnic clothing is raising questions about nationalism and Han-ethnocentrism -- a sensitive issue in China where the government is wary of any inter-ethnic conflict.

For instance, within the hanfu community, there is long-running opposition towards the qipao, the high-collared, figure-hugging garment that used to be a staple of women's wardrobes.

Also known as cheongsam in Cantonese, the qipao -- meaning "Qi robe" -- began as a long, loose dress worn by the Manchus or "Qi" people who ruled China from the 17th century to the early 1900s.

Its popularity took off in 1920s Shanghai when it was modified into a fitted must-have, favoured by actresses and intellectuals as a symbol of femininity and refinement.

"Some people... think that the cheongsam was inspired in the Qing Dynasty, which is not enough to represent China. There are nationalist undertones in this issue," said Chinese culture scholar Gong Pengcheng.

"It is a good trend to explore traditional culture and clothing culture... There are many things we can talk about, and we need not shrink to nationalist confrontation."

Yang, the high school student, is more upbeat.

He said: "At the very least, we can wear our own traditional clothes, just like the ethnic minorities."Brunch: the go-to meal thats suitable for most occasions. From lavish birthday celebrations, casual meet-ups with friends or just playing host to guests in town, brunch is a great excuse to eat out. We have put together several brunch options in Singapore which includes champagne brunch, cocktail brunch, Japanese brunch and even a Dim Sum brunch.

Saturday Brunch in Singapore



1. Skai at Swissotel Singapore - Brunch with a View

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

With a breathtaking view of urban Singapore, Skai situated in Swissotel Singapore overlooks Marina Bay Sands. If youre looking for brunch with a view, its got to be Skai. We absolutely loved the breakfast bellini that leaves you wanting more. We highly recommend the Wagyu Beef Tataki and Skai Steak. We loved how Skai has got the portion size spot on as we were able to taste multiple dishes without feeling too full. Skai also offers a visual feast with its latest collaboration with ruby chocolates that are a must try. Naturally pink without added colourings or berry flavours, ruby chocolates unique fruity notes paired with the creaminess of cocoa makes for a taste different from other chocolates.

Enjoy free-flow of cold and hot dishes straight from Skais kitchen, fresh seafood and a dessert station. Do not miss out on signature desserts like Matcha pancakes or their fancy chocolate fountain at Skais Saturday brunch. Perfect for a relaxed, romantic anniversary date where you can sit back and take in the majestic view of Singapores iconic cityscape. Available on Saturdays from 12 pm to 3.30 pm. Reserve a spot online or call +65 6837 3322.

Price: SGD168++ with free-flow champagne, cocktails, wines and beer

2. Kinki - Japanese Brunch

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

For an Asian twist on western brunch, check out Kinki, a restaurant that serves traditional and contemporary Japanese cuisine. Forget the usual champagne or cocktails, Kinki offers free-flow of Sake, Shochu, Beer and Prosecco for just an additional $35++. Saturday brunch at Kinki promises a buffet of fresh sashimi, sushi, maki amongst other delectable mains. Available on Saturdays from 12 pm to 3 pm. Book online to enjoy a sumptuous buffet-style menu.

Story continues

Price: SGD93++ per person with free-flow Sake, Shochu, Beer and Prosecco

3. Brasserie Les Saveurs at St Regis Hotel - French & Local Cuisine

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

Local favourites come together with French classics at Brasserie Les Saveurs as it offers up an exciting Saturday brunch that features a mix of Singaporean hawker and French delights. From Hainanese Chicken Rice and Singapore Laksa at live stations to DIY stations where you can make your own Rojak and Kueh Pie Ti, this Saturday buffet brunch elevates local hawker dishes to fine dining courses that are still as authentic in flavours. As a semi-buffet, you get to pick your main course - Signature Baked Laksa Lobster Thermidor; Pan-seared Seabass with crab and Assam broth, which was personally our favourite; and Ravioli du Dauphine with mushroom and feta cheese for vegetarians. End on a high note with the dessert table filled with sweet treats true to Singapore flavours including Gula Melaka and Pandan. Available on Saturdays from 12 pm to 2.30 pm. Call +65 65066860 or book online to reserve a spot.

Price: SGD128++ per person inclusive of a flow of wines, SGD148++ per person inclusive of a flow of R' de Ruinart Brut NV

Sunday Brunch in Singapore





4. LAVO Singapore - Champagne Brunch Singapore

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

Located at Marina Bay Sands, LAVO Singapore offers their Sunday Funday Champagne Brunch. Start your Sunday champagne brunch with the raw bar which has a selection of Oysters, Shrimp Cocktails, Chilled Lobster, Chilled Snow Crab, Chilled Scallops, Green Lip Mussels, Yabbies, Poached Salmon, Middleneck Clam. Indulge in your favourite carved meats at LAVO Singapores Sunday Funday brunch with Roasted Pork Roulade with Juniper Agrodolce, Broiled Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream & LAVO Steak Sauce, Whole Roasted Free Range Chicken with Red Wine jus and Confit Fingerling Potato.

Our must-try dishes are the Seared Foie Gras with Apple Chutney on Puff Pastry and the LAVO Singapore yummy Parmesan Cheese Wheel with Linguine Pasta Cacio E Pepe Style.

Being an Italian restaurant, LAVO Singapore's Champagne Brunch has outdone itself with brick oven pizzas like Carne Pizza and Salmon Oreganato with Garlic Butter and Breadcrumbs.

For those with a sweet tooth, an entire assortment of Muffins, Croissant Mignardises, Petit fours, Gelato and Sorbet awaits you. We enjoyed their B-52 flavoured gelato that was delicious. This brunch buffet is available on Sundays, from 12 pm to 3 pm. Book online or call +65 6688 8951.

Price: SGD158++ per person with Champagne

5. Manhattan at Regent Hotel - Cocktail Brunch Singapore

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

Kick back and let loose with a booze-filled buffet brunch at Manhattan, our choice for a pleasantly naughty cocktail brunch. We had fun customising and creating our very own alcoholic drinks with Manhattans Boozy Milkshake station, custom Bloody Marys and Gin and Tonics. Dont miss out on Manhattans selection of innovative cocktails like the Th-aiquiri, inspired by the strong flavours of Thai cuisine, this cocktail is an interesting mix of birds eye chilli tincture, kaffir limes and a lemongrass cucumber syrup, perfect for a fun Sunday cocktail brunch.

Manhattans cocktail brunch features Asian inspired dishes that are strong on umami flavours with courses such as Saint Jacque Scallop, BBQ Pork Belly and Lavender Blinis. Available every Sunday from 12 pm to 3 pm. Call +65 6725 3377 to reserve a spot.

Price: SGD158++ per person free-flow cocktails, wines and beers or SGD195++ with Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne

6. Hilton Singapore - 50% off 2nd person for Citibank Cardholders

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

The Ultimate Hilton Sunday Brunch offers a wide range of tasty international dishes with eight live stations. Dont forget to visit the cheese room, an entire room that houses a lavish assortment of up to 30 varieties of European cheese. End the whole Sunday brunch experience on a sweet note! From the famous Hilton cheesecakes to a wide variety of treats, this is one brunch that is great on a Sunday if you're a Citibank cardholder. Get 50% off every second diner with up to 5 redemptions per reservation. Available on Sundays from 12 pm to 3 pm. Call +65 6730 3390 / 6737 2233 for reservations.

Price: SGD128++ per person with free-flow Prosecco, Beer, Wines or SGD168++ with free-flow Taittinger Champagne, Beer, Wines

Weekend Brunch in Singapore





7. Clifford Pier at The Fullerton Bay Hotel - Dim Sum Brunch

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

Dim sum is not just for high tea, its also the perfect answer to weekend brunch when you are craving some Chinese food to start the day. Kick off the weekend with Clifford Piers Heritage Dim Sum brunch. Get your fix of popular dim sum such as steamed Siew Mai with roe, dumplings and steamed custard buns from hawker carts directly to your table. Explore their hawker themed live stations to enjoy local favourites, a great way to introduce foreign friends to hawker fare without subjecting them to long queues or unbearable heat. A weekend brunch featuring dim sum and local hawker favourites is a refreshing change from the usual western fare that is offered for brunch. Clifford Piers Heritage Dim Sum brunch also comes with free-flow of Veuve Clicquot NV Brut Champagne. Available on weekends from 11 am to 2 pm. Call +65 6877 8911 / 8912.

Price: SGD133++ per person with free-flow Veuve Clicquot NV Brut Champagne

8. Ginett Singapore at Hotel G - Brunch with Longest Free-Flow in Singapore

Saturday & Sunday Brunch in Singapore: From Champagne Brunch to a 4 Hour Free Flow

Offering five hours of free-flow alcohol, Ginett is a place thats great if you just want a light weekend brunch with an endless supply of wine. Savour brunch French style at Ginett, a French-inspired bistro that is known for their amazing wine collection. Start the weekend right with signature brunch items at Ginett, from tartines like the healthy Tuna Nicoise Tartine to sweet pastries like Mille-feuille, you cant go wrong with the affordable breakfast fare at Ginett. To spice things up, Ginett is now offering their charcoal grill items during brunch if youre looking to start the day with a rich, meaty brunch.

If nothing on the menu tempts you, try customising a breakfast thats to your taste. Choose from various types of bread with add-ons like avocado or spam. Theres also free-flow sparkling wine for an additional $30++. Available from 11.30 am to 4 pm. Book online or call +65 6809 7989.Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with his Tajik counterpart, Emomali Rahmon, on Saturday on the sidelines of the summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia(CICA) in Dushanbe, Urdu Point reports.

The Russian president arrived in the Tajik capital on Friday.

He was greeted by Rahmon at the airport and the two had a brief discussion there.

According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, the two presidents will exchange views on a wide range of issues of the bilateral and regional agenda.

Putin may also meet with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at the CICA summit, though no official confirmation has been provided so far from either side.All images by Zachary Tang.

Of all the brands I love to hate, I hate TWG the most. Its not the whole 1837 controversy, I just cant stop laughing at the companys pomp and pretence. Visiting one of their salons is like travelling back in time to an inbred Hapsburg Europe. A Europe of gilded mirrors, powdered wigs, and peasants dying of smallpox.

Its all a bit too much for me. After ten minutes of dessert forks and canned Vivaldi, I want to jump on the table and scream, THE PROLETARIAT HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT THEIR CHAINS.

And as if the whole enterprise wasnt silly enough, they made a new tea named after The Man Himself.

Behold: the Stamford Raffles Tea.

Stamford Raffles Tea is a limited-edition loose leaf tea made by TWG. It is not the first Singapore-themed tea theyve madeor even the seventh.

Prior to this Bicentennial beverage, there was a Singapore Breakfast Tea, Midnight in Singapore Tea, Weekend in Singapore Tea; Tokyo-Singapore Tea; New York-Singapore Tea; Paris-Singapore Tea; London-Singapore Tea, and last but not least, Singapore Surprise Tea.

However, the Stamford Raffles is TWGs first tea to be named after an actual historical figure. It costs $40 per 100g, and every can is emblazoned with a portrait of Raffles pouting in his turtleneck.

Hes giving us his best hey-baby-come-hither look, and who can blame him? In the half-empty TWG outlet I visited, there was row upon row of Stamford Raffles Tea, prominently displayed but totally unmolested.

Somewhere in the Scottish lowlands, Farquhars ghost is laughing his head off. Even the store assistanta young man dressed in white starchcouldnt help giggling when I questioned him about their Raffles-inspired refreshment.

He was, however, very knowledgeable about the product and could answer all of my questions.

No, this isnt a government-sponsored Bicentennial tie-in. Yes, this is a black tea, but there are golden needles a.k.a white tea leaves mixed in. Bergamot, which gives Earl Grey its citrusy aroma, is added to give the Stamford Raffles tea its sweetness.

Story continues

No, you shouldnt add milk because this is a blended tea.

You can add sugar if you like, he said, whilst shooting me a frown which said, No, dont fucking add sugar, you filthy philistine.

Needless to say, I was sold. Take my money. Colonise my tastebuds.

So, what does Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles taste like?

While the real man reeked of insecurity and naked ambition, TWGs Raffles is supposed to be a balance of force and smoothness. There are notes of fine bergamot, alongside berries, anise, and a caramel finish.

Drinking it should bring back reminiscences of a warm afternoon idyll and tropical ports of call.

I cant speak for the tropical ports of call because I do not know what malaria and seamen taste like, but TWG was not lying about the sweet fragrance and berries. After infusing 2.5g of leaves for the recommended 3 minutes, the RICE pantry was filled with a wonderfully fruity aroma. People drifted in from other rooms, sniffing the air and saying, Ooo, whats that?

Raffles Tea, I replied, to gales of bemused laughter.

They can laugh all they want, but Stamford Raffles turned out to be a highly-enjoyable brew. TWGs decor may look like Trump-meets-Versailles, but you cant deny their exper-teas. The Raffles is a delight for the senses and a real pleasure for ones palate. It has neither the astringency of cheaper teabags nor the overpowering floral perfume of your supermarket fruit infusions. What hits your nostrils is light, pleasant, and remarkably balanced; with just enough body to still taste like a proper cup of Empire.

Needless to say, it is a vast improvement over the usual Lipton and Chamomile.

Almost everyone in the office agreed when I served them a cup. They gagged when I told them about the $40 price tag, but up until the moment I unleashed that nugget of information, there were audible Mmmms, closed eyes, and appreciative nods all around. My colleagues might be too cheapo to pay for Raffles out of their own wallet, but they certainly didnt mind a cup or eleven.

This is not to say that Raffles tea is perfect. The B.S. about a warm afternoon idyll proves prescient. This is definitely not a hearty breakfast tea for construction workers or even spreadsheet warriors.

Like most of TWGs offerings, its a chi-chi high-tea-type tea for Paragon-bound tai-tais, best enjoyed with an abundance of leisure and gossip.

In short, its more soothing than invigorating. The perfect drink after a long hot day of oppressing the natives, or bickering with your superiors in the East India Company.

Okay, stop. Why should anyone care? Its just a marketing gimmick, right? Anyway, I only drink bubble-tea so what does it matter? Leave the Atas brigade to their macaroons and supply-side economicsI hear ye say.

You are right, of course. To be honest, I dont really care about Stamford Raffles Tea either, except as a curiosity in the wider problem of post-colonial history. Even though Raffles was alive barely 2 centuries ago, he seems as far removed from reality/time-and-place as Englands St George or Russias Alexander Nevsky. Nevermind Raffles fairly well-documented career or his controversial policies, there is so much of the man about in Singaporean that he has slipped the surly bonds of history to become a metaphorical Merlionhalf myth, half meme.

Raffles Hospital. Raffles Hotel. Raffles Tuition Centre. Raffles Western Delights. Raffles Air.

At this point, the R word has become a sort of etymological Rorschach test, signifying everything from old-world elegance to present-day privilege. You wont dream of making a Lim Bo Seng Kaya Spread or a Munshi Abdullah Moleskine, but Raffles occupies a strange place in the quantum realm; a place neither Singaporean cynicism nor common sense appliesa place where curiosities like Stamford Raffles Tea may yet exist.

This is, of course, a problem for 2019, when we are belatedly trying to decolonise our history. Real historical figures may be re-evaluated and subsequently purged from the textbooks, but how does one decolonise a meme? How do you erase something that has become a language unto itself?

Wew. Its a headache, a joke, and a pain-in-the-arse for all who want to see the wrongs of history rectified. Its a problem that needs you to Keep Calm and Drink Raffles Tea.

This article is not sponsored. I was honestly just looking for fancy tea. Correspond with me at community@ricemedia.co.

The post What If Sir Stamford Raffles Was a Tea? Now, You Can Taste It For $40 appeared first on RICE.If youre heading to New Mexico this summer  or you're looking for a reason to take a vacation  make sure and look up Ted Turner Reserves. The luxury hospitality and tour operator brand has a new group of experiences coming this summer, including the Bats and Brews package where you can picnic in a cave while witnessing one of the largest bat migrations in North America.

The Ted Turner Reserves Armendaris Ranch will set you up with some craft beer from T or C Brewing (made locally in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico) and a picnic basket from the propertys executive chef and send you off into Armendaris nearby bat caves. Once there, youll learn all about the beer youre drinking from a T or C cicerone and a guide will share more information on the bats youre seeing, as well as the bats primary predator, the Swainsons Hawk, which has developed a very stealthy strategy for catching the bats and eating them mid-flight. Gruesome: yes; interesting: definitely.

If youre lucky, you may catch sight of some of the other local wildlife on your way to the caves. Bison, pronghorn, mule deer, oryx, javelina, mountain lions, and desert bighorn sheep all call Armendaris Ranchs 360,000 acres of land home.

There are only three days youll be able to catch this experience  June 22, July 20, and August 17  so plan accordingly. The Bats and Brews package comes as two options: a two-night stay or a three-night stay. Prices for a two-night stay range from $532 to $1080 while a three-night stay will cost you between $650 and $1470, depending on the accommodation you choose.The longest pause among nearly 600 names announced during the Buena Vista University commencement ceremony occurred after that of Laura Lynn Stangl, a secondary education major from Ida Grove.

At first, there was quiet, as Stangl made her way from stage right to stage left, shaking hands with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, then BVU President Joshua Merchant.

The applause trickled in sound then grew as 3,500 fellow graduates and spectators reacted in awe, watching Stangl, diploma in one hand, harness in the other.

Stangl walked across the stage with Iseebell, or Isee, for short, the guide dog for a 52-year-old who hasnt allowed blindness to deter her from raising a family, working for Marriott, or earning a bachelors degree.

I have retinitis pigmentosa, which Ive had since birth, Stangl says, noting how her rods and cones are deteriorating.

A sensitivity to light marked her formative years. It grew worse as she matured, eventually making it difficult, if not impossible, to see a teachers instructions on the chalkboard or overhead projection screen.

I never did drive, she says. Id miss stop signs. Merging onto an interstate for me could have been fatal.

Her condition was diagnosed at age 21.

The ophthalmologist said, We cant tell you for sure; some people go blind with this, some lose a portion of their vision, she recalls.

The best prognosis involved her vision staying the same. The worst? Complete blindness.

In the 31 years since my diagnosis, its gotten worse, she says.

While some distinct areas of her retinas have retained their ability to discern the outline of contrasting figures, its a small area, around 3 percent. Stangl has limited peripheral vision.

But, she maintains a position as an at-home agent for Marriott. The Ida Grove resident also tends to the needs of her children, three of whom joined her for the commencement ceremony at Buena Vista University on May 25.

As my children were getting into school, I looked for a job and found it difficult in rural Iowa to get what I wanted without a degree, she says. My kids were my priority for years, so I didnt return to school until a few years ago as the children got older.

She earned an Iowa Central Community College associate of arts degree in 2015 by taking classes online. Harboring aspirations to become a teacher, Stangl looked into BVU and discovered she could achieve her dream through grit and a network of support.

Stangl rode with friends to BVU for classes throughout the past four years. She made friends on campus and found employees and fellow students at the Center for Academic Excellence to be incredibly supportive. When Stangl experienced difficulty in reading a test, for example, CAE Director Donna Musel and Theresa Melohn, administrative assistant, aided in reading or finding ways to convert texts and other materials to JAWS, a screen-reading program she uses.

Dr. Dixee Bartholomew-Feis, professor of history and dean of BVUs School of Social Sciences, and Dr. William Feis, professor of history, worked with academic assistants to develop tactile maps for Stangl. The Iowa Department for the Blind also offered assistance.

Weve used Legos, 3-D paper, embossing, other ways to allow me to feel whats being presented, since I cant see it, Stangl says.

Iseebell, her yellow Labrador, helped Stangl make her way around campus. If there were times the two of them ended up in or close to the wrong building, staff members and fellow students were always eager to extend a helping hand.

Stangl was a regular at the BVU Chapel service each Thursday. She traveled in January on an Interim experience that allowed her to visit sights where the Holocaust took place during World War II, places that included stops in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Israel.

Shes an excellent traveler, Musel says.

Being there gave me more dimension, which Ill need in teaching, says Stangl, who student-taught in the special education department at Storm Lake High School before teaching history and government at Woodbury Central in Moville. I now have a fuller vision of those important places, as I can remember the feel of the cobblestone and stone. I have a sense of the crowds in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Traveling there gave me a sensory experience over what books could do.

Stangl sighs and admits there were times she wondered if shed make it through BVU, what with the demands of a house at home, 30 hours of work each week, homework, and more.

Im proud I made it, she says. Im excited to be a teacher, knowing that I persevered.

Stangl hopes her presence on stage, making that walk with Iseebell, encourages others to chase their goal through her alma mater.

If youre a non-traditional student, or need assistance in any way, it need not be daunting, she says while sitting in the CAE. At BVU, the professors care and want to be part of your education. There are scholarships and different kinds of assistance. Theres also nothing wrong in asking for help.

Laura Lynn Stangl hopes to offer her assistance in directing a special education classroom in the future. She seeks to start and keep other learners on their educational path. She also seeks to continue her journey.

I want to teach in a special education setting for at least a couple of years to get experience, she says. And then maybe Ill go on to earn a masters in TVI, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0ALTON, Iowa -- At a small gathering in Alton Saturday morning, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said his GOP primary challengers -- Randy Feenstra, Jeremy Taylor and Bret Richards -- have every right to challenge his 4th district seat in 2020.

"I won't assign anybody any injustice by entering into the electoral process, everybody's got the right to do that, and I've exercised that myself a number of times," King said to a crowd of just over a dozen people gathered at the Community Center in Alton.

Taylor, a Woodbury County Supervisor, announced in January his intent to run against King for the seat; Feenstra, a state Senator from Hull, also made his announcement in January.

On Wednesday, Feenstra stepped down from his position as chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee to devote more time to his campaign to unseat King.

King also has a third challenger, former Irwin Mayor Bret Richards.

As of April, Feenstra had out-raised King by a four-to-one margin-- $260,442 was donated to his campaign efforts, compared to King's $69,000.

All that being said, King maintained his challengers won't be able to take issue with his record.

"It's curious that none of them have taken issue with a single vote or position that I've taken on anything," he said.

His restrained tone at the town hall contrasted sharply with a recent King campaign email attacking Feenstra as an ally of the "ultra-liberal New York Times" and the "Never Trumpers."

Republican challengers aside, King returned to familiar topics during the town hall, including the Trump Administration's recent move to allow year-round E-15 sales; abortion, which he remains opposed to; the media, with which he has not enjoyed a good relationship; and illegal immigration, his signature issue -- he told those in attendance that illegal immigrants have killed more Americans than the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

"You don't have to wonder where I am on that; you don't have to wonder where I am on life; you don't have to wonder where I am on renewable fuels; you don't have to wonder where I am on the Second Amendment; you don't have to wonder where I am on the repeal of Obamacare, I wrote the legislation," he said.

King said he anticipates the return of his Congressional assignments -- he was stripped of all of them in January amid a storm of bad publicity surrounding a New York Times article in which he was quoted asking when "white nationalist" became offensive. He cautiously avoided saying "white nationalist" during the town hall, referring to it as "odious ideologies."

"I do plan to get those committee assignments back," he told the crowd. "This has never happened in the history of the United States Congress, that any member has been stripped of committee assignments for a misquote in the New York Times or any other paper. This was a strategy that was ginned up by the Never Trumpers."

He also spoke about his "Diamond and Silk Act," named for Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, known popularly as Diamond and Silk, a duo of conservative video bloggers and vocal supporters of King and President Trump. The act would pull funding from so-called sanctuary cities and direct the funds to homeless people and military veterans.

"We've got mental health issues that we're not addressing with enough resources, so why send this money to sanctuary cities, why not use that money instead to help the veterans, the homeless veterans, and the homeless that are not veterans," King said at the town hall.

At a press conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, King, standing with Hardaway and Richardson, said there are roughly 300 communities and jurisdictions that have opted not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank in favor of lower immigration levels, several counties in Northwest Iowa -- including Ida, Monona and Sioux counties -- are considered "sanctuary" counties because they have policies against honoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers without a warrant approved by a judge.

In an "Immigration Brief" from 2017, the Center also cited the 300 figure -- cities, states and counties that have some sort of rule impeding ICE action -- referenced by King.

"We've been dealing with sanctuary jurisdictions for way too long, and it's been growing year after year," King said during a Capitol Hill press conference which appeared on Facebook Wednesday.

Hardaway and Richardson, meanwhile, mounted an aggressive defense of the often-embattled Congressman, who in the video appeared to be smiling and laughing as the pair condemned his critics.

"Shut the border down if you have to! Close it down! But when you come up in this country, you do it the right way, you get in line, you wait your turn!" Hardaway yelled.

She became even more upset when a man asked how they could support King's "retweeting white supremacists."

"What is the definition of white supremacy? What is your definition of that? Why would you -- if you don't know what a white supremacist is, why would you talk that? Why would you ask me that question?" Hardaway said. "I'm tired of you all playing the race card."

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.HINTON, Iowa -- School let out for the summer on May 29 at the Hinton school district. The very next day a host of eighth- and ninth-graders were learning key details about driving safely on area roads.

In the fourth of the 10 days of classes, driver's education instructor Craig Hoffman ended a video about the unlawful dangers of driving after drinking alcohol, which he admitted was dated in terms of visuals for teens today.

"But the message in that still rings true. A zillion times in here, and at home, you guys are going to hear, 'Don't drink and drive, don't drive distracted,' " Hoffman said.

Hoffman had a supply of jokes, using one old standard, that Iowa has two seasons, winter and construction season. He threw out pieces of candy to the students who answered questions correctly.

Additionally, hammering on such concepts as driving being primarily a thinking and not just physical task, Hoffman prepped the Hinton kids on final details they needed to know about chapter five of the book, to be demonstrated by completing a take-home test.

"Should be an easy 'A' people, if we do what? Read the book," said Hoffman, who serves as an industrial arts teacher during the year.

The 46 students in the Hinton class are completing an early summer staple, as they work by the end of June -- over 30 classroom hours and 12 driving hours -- to prove they understand rules of the road and can ably navigate vehicles on roads. That task often comes with initial trepidation for some neophyte drivers.

Isabella Kimbell prepped for getting into the school-owned car, the kind with the affixed yellow Student Driver banner, by driving with her parents for about an hour daily during the last few weeks in May.

"This is the biggest thing of my summer," said Kimbell, who will be a Hinton freshman in August.

Several thousand students will go through driver's education in Iowa this year, in order to be line for licenses at age 16 from the Iowa Department of Transportation. Kim Mendenhall is teaching the course for the second year at Woodbury Central in Moville, with 29 students taking part. During the instructional year, she is a North Middle School counselor, and W-C is the fourth system in which she's taught driver education over a decade.

Mendenhall said 20 to 30 students are an ideal class size. Students are able to participate in hands-on activities and work in small groups. She said students are understandably nervous when driving with an instructor who will assess their driving skills and point out errors.

"Many times to ease a nervous driver, I will have them do an activity called Parking Lot Play, where you go to a big empty parking lot and have the student get to know the vehicle, by getting a feel of starting, stopping, turning left, right, keeping the vehicle in between the lines and backing maneuvers," she said.

One thing students routinely talk about is the extra brake instructors have in cars set up for driver's education.

"Fortunately, I havent been involved in any wrecks with a student behind the wheel, but I have experienced several near misses, where another vehicle has pulled out in front of us and I had to use the brake on my side of the vehicle to stop the car," Mendenhall said.

"After an incident like this takes place, I talk with the student about what happened, were they ready for the other driver to make an error, and remind them that they have to be a defensive driver with no distractions while driving."

Hoffman has taught driver education since 2001, and he doesn't get in the cars with students these days, as at Hinton those tasks are handled by Ryan Gillespie and Diane Fay, who is a secretary at the school.

"When you drive with me, we talk about what you did well, what you can improve on and what to work on next time," Fay told the students.

"Some of you who have driven with me have done well, and others have not."

A collection of three dozen silenced mobile phones lay on top of a side bookcase in the school's media center as Hoffman's lesson continued. Kimbell pleased him by knowing astute drivers scan the area ahead in which they'll travel over the next 12 to 15 seconds.

"You are looking farther ahead, seeing what's what," Hoffman said.

He also tossed a candy to Beck Holtzen, a ninth-grader, who knew "defensive driving" is a key concept. Another went to Ian Grover, a classmate of Holtzen and Kimbell, who detailed the six zones around a car that drivers should scan in various directions.

Hoffman added the students should always be on watch, and not just for basic complicating factors, such as cars on the side of highways or bicycles in a neighborhood.

"Whoa, there's a Doberman dragging the owner, wasn't expecting that. Every driving situation is going to be different," he said, in narrating a drive.

Hoffman delivered a key message near the end of the session, that "we don't teach you how to drive," but rather to instill the basic mechanics to be used on roads.

"I can't lecture you and make you a good driver. Our job is to teach you to be the best driver you can be. The rest is up to you, to practice...There is no substitute to experience. All that experience adds up," he said.

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0DES MOINES --Joni Ernst said she will frame her first re-election campaign as a choice between socialism and liberty.

Ernst will officially kick off her campaign Saturday at her annual Roast and Ride summer fundraiser at the Central Iowa Expo in Boone.

Ernst and organizers said the event is being moved inside because thunderstorms are in the forecast.

Im really excited about this, and Im so glad to be engaging in the election cycle now, just full speed ahead, Ernst said Friday during an interview at the state Republican Party offices.

Ernst said she will talk about her view of whats happening across the country and highlight what she feels have been achievements during her first six-year term, especially during the past three years with Republican President Donald Trump.

Ernst also will frame Iowas U.S. Senate race as a choice between a country operating under a Democrat-led expansion of government and a Republican-led focus on liberties and freedoms, she said.

What Ill do is kind of compare and contrast the stark difference between a nation that could be controlled, top-down, by a heavy-handed government, versus one that celebrates liberties and freedoms, Ernst said.

Ernst said it is to her advantage that more than 20 Democratic presidential candidates are barnstorming Iowa in an effort to secure their partys nomination. She thinks the Democratic presidential race will spotlight liberal policies that will not be palatable to Iowa voters, like Medicare for all on health care and the Green New Deal on the environment.

Compare that to where we are as a nation and why we are the great nation we are: because we have freedoms and liberties and the ability to do what we want to do, Ernst said.

Three Democrats thus far are running in Iowas U.S. Senate race: Des Moines real estate businesswoman Theresa Greenfield, Des Moines businessman Eddie Mauro and Indianola lawyer Kimberly Graham. The Democrats national organization that works to elect Senate candidates has endorsed Greenfield.

I am very ready (for the campaign,) Ernst said. Were going to do it.

Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and former governor of South Carolina, will speak at Saturdays event.

Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Iran has denounced as "ridiculous" and "dangerous" allegations by the United States that Tehran was behind reported attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reports.

The two vessels - the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian-owned Front Altair - were damaged on Thursday morning as they were leaving the Gulf of Oman, the second such incident in four weeks that sent Brent crude prices up and heightened tensions in the region.

US officials late on Thursday released a grainy video they said showed a boat crew of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) drawing up toKokuka Courageous, hours after the suspected attacks, and removing an unexploded limpet mine from the hull.

The release of the black-and-white footage came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said US intelligence agencies had concluded that Iran was responsible for the attacks, without offering concrete evidence.

On Friday, in a TV interview on Fox News, US President Donald Trump said, "Iran did do it".

"You know they did it because you saw the boat," Trump told the "Fox and Friends" show. "I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it."

But Yutaka Katada, owner of the Kokuka Courageous, cast doubt on part of the US account, telling reporters on Friday that the vessel's crew saw a "flying object" before a second blast on the boat.

Calling reports of a mine attack "false", he said: "The crew was saying it was hit by a flying object  To put a bomb at the side of the boat is not something we are considering."

For its part, Iran rejected the accusations as the United Nations, Russia and Qatar called for an international investigation into the reported attacks.As far as Donald Trump speeches go, this one was pretty tame.

The president was in Iowa this week to celebrate his administrations move to clear the E15 ethanol blend for year-round sale.

After touring an ethanol plant in southwest Iowa during the afternoon, he went to West Des Moines to speak at a state party fundraiser.

Trump spoke for more than 46 minutes, and the evening ended without a dramatic headline. Thats an upset on par with the Washington Generals beating the Harlem Globetrotters.

Should a refresher be necessary: in his last Iowa rally speech, in Council Bluffs last October, Trump warned the crowd that Democrats would "end ethanol," a puzzling claim given the strong bipartisan support the ethanol industry receives in Iowa.

And it was on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, during the 2015 campaign, that Trump infamously, during a discussion about the late U.S. Sen. John McCain and his military service, said he prefers military people who were not captured.

There were no such headline-stealing proclamations at Tuesday nights event. Perhaps most surprising, Trump made little to no mention of the Democratic presidential candidates. He didnt even mention Joe Biden, who also was in Iowa the same day.

It bears noting Trump did offer stinging criticism earlier Tuesday before leaving Washington, D.C., for Iowa. But during his remarks to roughly 800 Iowa Republicans that night, Trump focused on making the case for re-election by listing his administrations accomplishments. His remarks were decidedly light on the combative speaking style he often uses at rallies and fundraisers.

Trump did manage to take some swipes at Democrats more broadly, saying they are "angry people" who are "going crazy." But that was about it.

The vast majority of Trumps remarks were a reading of his White House resume, a description of how "our country is winning again like never before." He talked about job and unemployment numbers, tax cuts, ending the Affordable Care Acts individual mandate, U.S. Supreme Court appointments, ethanol, immigration and abortion.

He also renewed his pledge to keep Iowa first in the nations presidential nominating process.

He even said at one point, during a riff on the Green New Deal, "I dont want to talk about it. I dont want to go too strong tonight, so I wont. We wont talk about it anymore."

So, the story was that there was really no story.

Of course, that didnt last very long. A day later, in an interview with ABC, Trump said he would be willing to accept information on his political foes from a foreign country, a statement that once again sent shockwaves through the political atmosphere.

And all we got Tuesday in Iowa was Trump conducting a crowd-sourcing poll  by show of applause  whether he should keep "Make America Great Again" as his campaign slogan or change it to "Keep America Great."

I think "Keep America Great" won by a slim margin, in case youre curious.

Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government for Lee Enterprises. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The political left says we need an endless supply of unskilled and undereducated immigrant labor. Meanwhile, presidential candidates from the left propose support for unskilled workers replaced by machines and artificial intelligence technology. Go figure.2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #24

Posted on 15 June 2019 by John Hartz

A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Jun 9 through Sat, June 15, 2019

Editor's Pick

Costa Rica Doubled Its Forest Cover In Just 30 Years!

Costa Rica has a long-standing commitment to the environment. The country is now one of the leading nations of sustainability, biodiversity, and other protections. The countrys first lady, urban planner Claudia Dobles, said in an interview with The New York Times that they plan to be completely fossil fuel free by 2050 and that achieving that goal would combat a sense of negativity and chaos in the face of global warming. We need to start providing answers, she said.

Which is exactly what theyve been doing. One of their most incredible feats so far is managing to generate all the countrys power from solely renewable sources for three years consecutively! Then theres also what they plan to do, which is absolutely incredible  they are set to be carbon-free and plastic-free by 2021. In addition, theyve tackled the dilemma of deforestation remarkably  resulting in a doubling of tree coverage across the country in the last 30 years.

After decades of deforestation, Costa Rica has reforested to the point that half of the countrys land surface is covered with trees again. That forest cover is able to absorb a huge amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, combating climate change for us all.

Costa Rica Doubled Its Forest Cover In Just 30 Years! by Andrea D. Steffen, Environment, Intelligent Living, June 4, 2019

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Sat June 15 2019Euphoria, HBOs nihilistic drama about the terrifying life of contemporary adolescents, is a panicked teen trend piece turned up to Its so much worse than you think!!! Created by Sam Levinson (Assassination Nation), the show is excessive in the guise of being honest, its apparent knowingness smashing into the audiences anxiety, and suddenly Tide Pods and rainbow parties seem like the least of it. In Euphoria, a whole generation is being lost to alienation, hedonism, hopelessness, porn, and drugsI would have ended that sentence with an exclamation point, except that would not be in keeping with the series dirge-like vibe, its stultifying ennui. Euphoria is close to apocalypse fiction, but it doesnt have the frisson of fantasy or energy of attempted escape. The null void of the future is already here, and its high school.

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Rue (Zendaya), Euphorias protagonist, was born three days before 9/11, which she informs of us as an image of a fetus smash-cuts to the planes flying into the towers. (According to the Hollywood Reporter, Levinsons original conception was for the camera to swoop between her mothers legs and into her vagina.) I was crushed by the cruel cervix of my mother, Rue explains, sounding exactly like an overwrought teen, and I laughedfor just about the last time all series. As a young girl, Rue was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety, and promptly medicated; later on, after the death of a parent, she found escape and quiet in drugs. As the show begins, shes just getting out of rehab, and despite a near-fatal OD, completely committed to continuing to use.

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Rue is jaded and hopeless and sophisticated, and the sucking emptiness of her addiction provides the series with its baseline vibe. But she begins to feel some joy when she meets Jules (Hunter Schafer), a new girl who has just moved to town. Jules, who is transgender, is a relative beam of lightshes got joie de vivrebut she also regularly takes part in dangerous sexual scenarios, including one involving the father of a classmate. Theres a passel of self-aware popular girls whose nude pictures are passed around by Cro-Magnon bros, led by a jock with anger problems and a secret. His more sensitive friend cant escape the influence of porn, and a chubby girl who is popular online winds up in a sex tape after losing her virginity to a stranger. Theres also a soulful drug dealer and a number of drunk and perverse parents. Euphoria has all the elements of a juicy teen soap, but the high school antics are curdled into their most sickening formulations, the fun sanded off till the skin is raw. Everywhere you look is only sadness and debasement.

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Euphoria has plenty of antecedents, other teen incitements that push a frenzied kind of emptinessKids, Skins, Less Than Zerobut theres an especial dullness to Euphorias provocation. For one thing, there is the relentlessness of its perspective, which makes room for every imagined teenage trauma or misbehavior but no room for joy, fun, or unsullied desire. For another thing, theres addiction, which is boring. Like so many diseases, its in charge, and it reduces people to automatons, going through the same motions for the same high. Probably the best recent show about drug addiction, Russian Doll, was so wise about the essential monotony of addiction that it compressed the mandatory scene in which its protagonist gets really messed into a quick montage and instead addressed the repetition compulsion through a literal time loop.

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On Euphoria, drugs are sad and grimy, but they happen again and again and again and again. This is similar to the shows representation of sex, of which there is a copious amount, nearly all of it alarming. Its prurient, but it doesnt want to turn you on. It wants to rub your nose in the possibility that you would be turned on by all the dysfunction being displayed: the casual cruelness, the way even kind boys try to choke their partners without asking because they saw it in a porno. Euphorias presentation of sex as nightmarishly compromisedhaving basically nothing whatsoever to do with joy or fun or connectionis as prudish as anything, though it can be hard to discern that through the parade of porn and dicks.

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Euphoria frames itself as showing us the real experiences no one else has the heart to show, the unvarnished, gnarly truth, and theres something sticky and queasily self-punishing about this vision of a world where everyone is empty and miserable and theyre only 16. Before you succumb to the idea that high school students are joyless, self-numbing, in or about to be in a sex tape, though, I recommend that you a) lay eyes on an actual 16-year-old, who just by looking so much younger and gawkier than the actors in this show will remind you of the awkward physical comedy of youth or b) watch a semi-decent teen movie, like Booksmart.

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I spent the day between watching Booksmart and starting Euphoria trying out my critique of the movie on unsuspecting friends and colleagues. I had homed in on a scene when Molly (Beanie Feldstein), the achievement-obsessed valedictorian, overhears a mixed-gender group of peers taking trash about her while shes in a bathroom stall. Its a classic teen movie trope, and it seems obvious where all of this is goingtoward disparaging comments about Mollys bodyonly to reverse course, an intentional inversion of expectations. Instead of calling her fat, as they seemed poised to do, one of the boys explains he would absolutely have sex with her if it werent for her butter personality, a twist on the term butterface.

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The scene, like so much about Booksmart, is fundamentally positive: Here is a high school where women of all body types are openly considered hot, not shamed or castigated for their weight, and no one is shamed or castigated for lusting after them. This is not the world we actually live in, but thats the point: Maybe with more movies like this, it could be. I found it well-meaning but limiting: Its a scene that wants to be the change it wants to see in the world, at the expense of reflecting that world. A little more verisimilitudewhich in this instance might have been one line of snarkand the movie could still have been woke and positive, while also having a little more heart, a little more pathos. (It also might help make sense of Molly, who as played by Feldstein, is so appealing its easy to slide right by her incomprehensible characterization, but thats a harangue for some other time.)

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I only had to watch the first episode of Euphoria to decide I owed Booksmart an apology: Though the movie makes no particular claims to realism, even with its positivity and hyped-up banter, I think it probably is more reflective of what high school is like, in total, than Euphoria. By way of comparison, Kat, the chubby girl in Euphoriawho, as played by Barbie Ferreira is also extremely appealingis referred to and degraded as fat by literally everyone. In desperation to lose her virginityThis is not the 80s. You need to catch a dick.she has sex with a boy she has just met at a raucous house party, who records her without her knowledge or consent and then puts it on the internet, where nude pictures of all her high school friends already reside. Kat learns that she is desired from the comments on her sex tape, and she proceeds to have sex with a series of strange men, posting a video of herself dancing online so that still others can masturbate to her. Whatever positivity there is in this gets steamrolled by all-encompassing seediness, the series nightmare vision of what it is to be young and alive.

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I liked Kat. As with Orange Is the New Black, Euphoria fills you in on the (traumatic, obviously) backstory of a different character at the beginning of each episode. After we learn how Kat was insulted and dissed and humiliated as a child, we learn that shes famous online for having written fan fiction about Larry Stylinson, the pairing of One Directions Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. Her fan fic is briefly animated, and its one of the shows highlights: Its light, its funny, and, unlike almost all of the sex in the show, its kind of supposed to be sexy.

Euphoria and Booksmart both exist in a world in which teenagers attend unchaperoned house parties, they do drugs and fool around, girls are slut-shamed and gossiped about, and everyone watches porn. But its only in one that teenagers care about things beyond this very moment and are capable of happiness, goofiness, idiocy, innocence, kindness, and the entire spectrum of human feeling. That its easy to buy into Euphorias nihilistic vision of adolescence as distilled misery says more about us than it does about teenagers: Some people just love a good scare.For more than two decades, Pixar movies have been shown in theaters with a warm-up act. It began when A Bugs Life was released in 1998 accompanied by Geris Game, in which an old man plays chess against himself in the park. That 5-minute film pushed the boundaries for CGI animation, won an Academy Award, and started a tradition of Pixar releasing all of its features with a short attached. In recent years these have ranged from the shockingly bad Lava (ahead of Inside Out) to the breathtakingly cute Piper (ahead of Finding Dory) to the devastatingly moving Bao (ahead of Incredibles 2). Even Coco was preceded by Olafs Frozen Adventure, though at 21 interminable minutes it did stretch the limits of the word short.

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Toy Story 4 will break with tradition by going without an animated short when it enters theaters June 21, a representative for Disney confirmed to Slate. That makes it the first Pixar movie without one since the original Toy Story in 1995, which was only paired with Tin Toy (another Oscar winner) on its home video releases, not in theaters. I wouldnt be too alarmed by the omission, though. Pixar continues to produce plenty of shorts, including through experimental programs like SparkShorts, which earlier this year put out Kitbull, a film very much in the studios tradition of making viewers ugly cry.

As for Toy Story 4, youll just have to munch your popcorn though the usual 20-odd minutes of trailers and commercials before the movie instead.This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist. The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission.

Tahini, the versatile condiment thats creamy without dairy and nutty without technical nuts, has been a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine for millennia (recent interest in the regions food notwithstanding). Its a common ingredient in dressings and pastries, called for over and over again in some of our favorite cookbooks, but, as food writer and author of Dining In and Nothing Fancy, Alison Roman points out, Theyre not all the same.

We asked 13 experts on the subject, Roman included, which tahini they prefer and why. Everyone agreed that the sign of a subpar tahini (or one that has gone bad) is bitterness and oil separation. Danielle Oron, author of Modern Israeli Cooking, who grew up eating tahini with everything including hard-boiled eggs in the morning, told us that a good tahini should taste good to you in its raw state, straight out of the container, and explained that the oil content in tahini is very high and can easily go rancid. So if you bought a good tahini last year and its still on your shelf  toss it. Another point they all agreed on was that adding water is key (Roman uses a two-to-one ratio) when making a simple sauce or dressing. Here, our experts top eight tahinis plus a few tips on how to use them.

The best tahini

Soom Foods Pure Ground Sesame Tahini

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Of the 13 experts we talked to, six recommended Soom tahini, the Philadelphia-based company owned by three sisters. I currently use Soom tahini at home and at work said pastry chef M Whitaker of the Butchers Daughter. It has a perfectly silky texture, a wonderful flavor profile, and is also certified women owned, which is always a plus in my book. And Samantha Kincaid, pastry chef and owner of Cadence, named Food & Wines No. 1 Best New Restaurant in America told us, We are loyal Soom users. They source white humera sesame seeds from the Tigray region of northwestern Ethiopia, and maintain a constant relationship with the growers. The tahini is blended fine to yield an ultracreamy consistency, and it has an intensely earthy, nutty flavor with little bitterness.

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Other fans of the brand include Oron; Roman (though she specified that for recipe development she uses the most basic tahini she can find to ensure success for her readers); Brooklyn business owner and restaurateur Andrew Tarlow, who told us he carries Soom at his fine-food grocery Marlow & Daughters (though technically he named Har Bracha as his pick for the best); and Jen Satinsky, co-owner of Weckerlys Ice Cream, who uses it in her chocolate-sesame sorbet saying, I found that it has a depth of flavor that compliments the cocoa and dark chocolate, and gives the sorbet a creamier texture.

Seven other chef-recommended tahinis

Har Bracha Tahini Paste

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The second-most-popular tahini, among the folks we asked, was Har Bracha. Tarlow said he knows it by the packaging since the writing is in Hebrew. My friend and chef Nir Feller showed it to me. He is from Tel Aviv. I use it more for dressings and always thin it out with a bit with water, he said. Johana Langi, executive pastry chef at Boulud Sud NY and Bar Boulud NY, told us, We use Har Bracha tahini in the sesame foam that goes in our Grapefruit Givre. She also said that at home she likes to add a little salt and drizzle tahini over Stracciatella ice cream. And Elad Zvi, co-founder of Bar Lab and Broken Shaker, said he loves the diverse flavor of Har Bracha, which he brings home from the motherland. Oron also uses Har Bracha, which she also gets from Israel, via her mother.

Seed + Mill Organic Tahini

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Another tahini that was recommended by Oron and Roman is Seed + Mill. The New York brand has a shop in Chelsea Market where you can get soft serve made with their tahini.

Beirut Tahini Sesame Paste

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Both Oron and food writer/ceramicist Marian Bull said they love Beirut tahini. Bull gets hers at Kalustyans and both agree that the big jar is a plus. Oron told us, I go through a lot of tahini. It was the most used ingredient after salt, pepper, and olive oil in both of my cookbooks. So when shes not using Soom, Seed + Mill, or Har Bracha, she chooses Beirut tahini because its super-delicious and comes in big containers. Her advice for baking with it: Think of it like you would peanut butter. Whatever you can make with PB, you can make with tahini.

Alwadi Sesame Tahina

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Alwadi tahini was mentioned by both Nasim Alikhani, executive chef at Sofreh in Brooklyn, and Aaron Gottesman, executive chef of Oyster Housein Philadelphia. Alikhani uses it in a tahini and date salad at work and told us his recipe for a simple homemade tahini sauce. Ice water to thin it down, sometimes honey, lemon juice, and grape molasses. Gottesman, who uses Alwadi in dressings, vinaigrettes, and a preserved lemon hummus said, It doesnt separate as much as many other varieties we have tried and the consistency in general is creamier and smoother.

Al Arz 100% Pure Sesame Tahini

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Another one of Zvis recommendations was Al Arz Palestinian tahini. His advice, Keep it simple, if the sesame is coming from a good source there is no reason to mess with it, in my opinion. And his recipe for a quick dressing is tahini, salt, lemon, and ice-cold water. Once its the texture of toothpaste, its good to go.

Tarazi Organic Tahini (2 lb)

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Cristina Topham, chef and owner of Spread Catering, makes regular trips to a Middle Eastern market in San Francisco to buy her favorite tahini, Tarazi, which she uses in everything from hummus to shortbread cookies to vegan ice cream. I have to drive 30 miles to get the brand that I like because none of my other vendors carry it. I buy large format, eight-pound jars, which last about six weeks. Some tahinis can be very bitter, but Tarazi is not. To me, its very fresh-tasting and I like the consistency.

Greek Macedonian Tahini

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When hes not cooking at work, Alikhani told us that he uses Macedonian tahini for salad dressing and snacks at home. There are some traditional snacks from the south of Iran that include tahini, chili, and dates.

Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication.There is a need to restore trust between countries in relation to global trade and find a way to resolve trade war issues, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, addressing the summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Tajikistans capital of Dushanbe on Saturday, TASS reports.

"Unfortunately, trade wars are raging across the world, in fact, ultimate fighting is ongoing, which involves bullying and attempts to eliminate competitors through non-market methods. Today, our collective efforts to find a way out of the situation are important like never before," Putin noted. He emphasized the need "to restore trust and establish fair economic cooperation rules," "starting by protecting the social and humanitarian sector from trade and economic sanctions."

Putin pointed out that the issue had been raised at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) held on June 6-8.An argument inside Costco ended up having deadly consequences Friday night as a man pulled out a gun and killed the person he had been in an argument with inside the store in Southern California. Three other people were injured in the crowded store in Corona, about 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Among the injured was an off-duty police officer who also discharged his gun during the altercation.

There are few details about what actually happened inside the store but a law enforcement officer said that the gunman was arguing with someone when he suddenly pulled out a gun and killed the man. Chaos ensued as several shots were fired and panicked shoppers and employees started running as they looked for a place to hide. When police arrived they found that one man had died from his injuries and three other adults were taken to local hospital for apparent gunshot wounds, including the off-duty police officer.

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Upon entering Costco, officers located four injured people on the floor. One subject succumbed to their injuries at the scene and three other subjects, including an off duty officer from another agency, were transported to local hospitals in unknown conditions, Corona Police Public Information Officer Tobias Kouroubacalis wrote in a statement.

The alleged shooter was detained at the store and later taken to the hospital for an unknown injury. But on Saturday police said no one was in custody.

Police confirmed Saturday that the off-duty police officer fired his gun inside the store. The man who died has not been identified.

Some people suffered injuries as they tried to escape the store. Some said the whole situation became even more chaotic when emergency doors wouldnt open. Its not very fun when youre scared and youre running for your life and youre trying to open a door that says emergency and they dont open, Rochelle Flores told KTLA. Everybody was freaking out. People were falling over each other.On May 30, the plaintiffs challenging the Trump administrations census citizenship question dropped a bombshell: A central portion of the Justice Departments rationale for the question was apparently written by Thomas Hofeller, the GOPs longtime gerrymandering mastermind. In a 2015 study, Hofeller wrote that adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census would be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic Whites and a disadvantage to the Democrats. He also explained how Republicans could justify inserting a citizenship question by claiming, falsely, that it would aid enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. Multiple passages in Hofellers study appeared verbatim in the 2017 Justice Department letter that provided a legal rationale for the questions addition. This new evidence, the plaintiffs argued, proved that the Trump administrations real reason for adding the citizenship question was to boost white, Republican voting power.

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The Justice Department responded with indignant denial. It insisted that the plaintiffs could not link Hofeller to the Commerce Department (which oversees the Census Bureau), Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, or the Census Bureau itself. Thus, the plaintiffs lacked proof that Hofellers study played any role in the development on the citizenship question.

On Friday night, however, voting rights advocates released new evidence connecting Hofeller directly to the Census Bureau. The evidence comes from Hofellers hard drives, which his daughter gave to a voting rights group after his death. It reveals that Christa Jones, current chief of staff to Census Bureau deputy director Ron Jarmin, personally communicated with Hofeller, emailing him about the citizenship question in 2015months before Hofeller authored the study explaining how the question would benefit white voters and disadvantage non-white ones.* Jones played a key role in the creation of the citizenship question, so these emails seem to disprove the administrations claims that Hofeller had nothing to do with the manipulation of the census.

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Jones and Hofellers relationship goes back to at least 2010. That year, Jonesthen a civil servant at the Census Bureausent Hofeller an email from her private Hotmail account about a Sean Hannity segment. The Fox News host had condemned the bureau for airing an ad during the Super Bowl encouraging everyone to participate in the 2010 census. Jones emailed a transcript of the segment to Hofeller, writing: They could really hurt the census. What do you think? The two then discussed whether the ad was a waste of money. It is unclear why Jones, who again was then a civil servant in the Census Bureau, was communicating with Hofeller about bureau affairs from her private account.

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Five years later, Jones emailed Hofeller once again from her Hotmail account, alerting him that the bureau was collecting public comments on the 2020 census. Public comments highly useful in this context, Jones wrote. The next day, she sent a follow-up email, telling Hofeller: This can also be an opportunity to mention citizenship as well. Jones appears to have been advising Hofeller to file a public comment encouraging the bureau to adopt a citizenship question.

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Other emails prove that Jones communicated with Hofeller and other Republican strategists throughout this period about redistricting-related matters. For instance, in 2010, Jones forwarded an email from Burton Reist, director of the 2010 census communications campaign, to Hofeller and Mark Neuman that highlighted a website debunking misleading information about the census. (Neuman, a friend of Hofellers, provided the 2017 letter that appeared to draw from the 2015 Hofeller memo to create a legal rationale for the citizenship question.) Jones and Hofeller appear to have met for dinner in 2015 with an unknown third person. And Jones was on a 2010 email thread with Hofeller and several Republican operativesincluding David Avella of GOPAC, a Republican training group, and Charles Black, ex-partner of Paul Manafort and Roger Stonediscussing redistricting.

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It is increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to believe that Hofeller played no role in the insertion of the citizenship question.

Following Donald Trumps election, Jones was elevated to the bureau deputy directors chief of staff. In that capacity, she helped to review and approve the citizenship question. She also searched for activists who would support the questions inclusionsuggesting Mark Kirkorian and Steven Camarotta of the Center of Immigration Studies, a notoriously racist anti-immigrant organization.

In their Friday filing, the plaintiffs allege that Jones direct private contact with Hofeller about the citizenship question refutes [the governments] contention that no link between Hofeller and [Ross] can be shown. Rather, it proves that a proponent of the citizenship question near the top of the Census Bureau communicated with Hofeller about adding the question.

The plaintiffs filed this evidence with the U.S. District Court of Maryland, one of three courts that had blocked the question before the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over the dispute. Judge George Hazel found that the question ran afoul of the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitutions enumeration clause, but he did not find evidence of discriminatory animus in violation of equal protection and civil rights laws. The plaintiffs on Friday urged Hazel to reopen the case in light of these emails linking Hofeller to the Census Bureau.

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On June 12, the House Oversight Committees Republicans tweeted that [o]fficials involved in the decision to add the citizenship question never heard of Hofeller. But the Hofeller files demonstrate that, to the contrary, a high-ranking official who endorsed the citizenship question had a close relationship with Hofeller and had even discussed the citizenship question with him. And this information comes on the heels of the revelation that Hofellers own words appear verbatim in a critical DOJ document that attempted to justify the question with a transparently pretextual argument.

It is increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to believe that Hofeller played no role in the insertion of the citizenship question. The Supreme Court is set to rule on the questions legality by the end of the month; it cannot ignore this mounting evidence of bad faith and deception without undermining its own legitimacy.Listen to Slates The Gist:

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Listen to The Gist via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

On The Gist, Canada declares war on the plastic straw.

In the interview, Emmy Blotnick has written for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and served as head writer on The President Show. But she also does stand-up, including in her new album Party Nights, where she gets into her love of pop music and why she joined a social networking site for tea-drinkers. Blotnicks album is streaming nowand her next show is at The Bell House in Brooklyn on July 6.

In the Spiel, theres no good reason for the news media to cover Jessica Biels anti-vaxxer stance.

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Podcast production by Pierre Bienaime and Daniel Schroeder.An Arizona couple has filed a $10 million claim against the city of Phoenix after several police officers there repeatedly threatened to shoot them during a physically aggressive encounter. The scene erupted after the couples 4-year-old daughter allegedly stole a doll from a dollar store, according to the Arizona Republic.

Videos of the May 29 incident, which circulated more recently on social media, show a pregnant woman24-year-old Iesha Harperstruggling to obey police orders to leave her car as she holds her two small children. At one point, while the children are still in the vehicle, a police officer can be seen pointing a gun at the car as another yells, Youre going to fucking get shot.

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At another point, one of the officers shouts at the girls father, 22-year-old Dravon Ames, Im going to put a fucking cap in your fucking head.

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According to Ames, the incident started when police (who appear in the videos to be mostly white) approached Ames and Harper (who appear black) after they had parked at their babysitters apartment complex. Before the encounter, someone anonymously called the police to report that the couples daughter had stolen a doll from a nearby Family Dollar. The couple believes the daughter took the toy by accident. Ames says in the filing that the officers hadnt used their lights or sirens before walking over to their parked car.

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In a video that a resident of the apartment complex recorded, an officer can be seen pointing his gun and shouting at Ames and Harperwho are inside the car with their daughters, ages 1 and 4to get out. In the claim, Ames says that an officer walked to the backseat door but couldnt open it because it was broken. He adds that the officer then slammed his fist against the window and told Harper to open the door and put her hands up.

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Get your fucking hands up! the officer shouts repeatedly in one video, with his gun raised. Im going to put a fucking cap in your fucking head. She shouts at the officers that she cant open the door. I promise, it doesnt open, Ames can be heard saying. Youre going to fucking get shot, an officer screams at him in response.

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When Harper complains in the same video that she has her children with her, one officer replies, I dont fucking care, put your hands up. Harper, audibly in distress, repeats: I cant put my hands up, I have a fucking baby in my arms, I cant, Im pregnant.

"My hands are up! My hands are up!" 22yo Dravon Ames says as a Phoenix police officer yells to "get your fucking hands up." The same officer later says "You're gonna fucking get shot!"



Ames says the officers stopped him after his child walked out of a Dollar Store with a doll. pic.twitter.com/Nlkd7IXsyc  Meg O'Connor (@megoconnor13) June 12, 2019

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According to the claim, one of the officers told Harper, I could have shot you in front of your fucking kids.

Meanwhile, the filing says, another officer pointed his gun at Ames in the front seat and pulled him out of the car. Another video shows Ames lying on the ground while an officer handcuffs him. According to the claim, the officer then stood Ames up, told him to spread his legs, and kicked him in his right leg. (One of the videos shows the kick.) The claim reports that Ames then collapsed, and the officer pulled him back up again, before punching him in the back as he pushed him against the police vehicle.

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When I tell you to do something, you fucking do it! an officer can be heard shouting at the handcuffed Ames in one bystander video. Im sorry, Im sorry, Ames says. The officer pushes him against the vehicle and repeats the same line. Youre not compliant with me, the officer screams. I am, Ames says, in what seems to be a confused voice.

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Around the same time, the complaint recounts, when Harper stepped out of the car, one of the officers tried to take one of her daughters from her as he took Harper into custody. In the filing, she says he ordered her to place her 1-year-old daughter on the hot pavement, and that she refused. In the video, as the officers surround her and she holds the 4-year-old by the hand and the 1-year-old in her arms, she says, while crying, This is all for nothing. She hands off her children to another woman at the apartment complex to allow the police to handcuff her.

Another angle of the incident filmed by a different resident of the apartment complex where Ames and his pregnant fiancee were dropping off their kids with a babysitter show a Phoenix police officer trying to yank the child from the mother's arms. pic.twitter.com/pTb07lZAXD  Meg O'Connor (@megoconnor13) June 12, 2019

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In their claimwhich the couple filed Thursday, requesting $2.5 million in compensation for each family memberHarper and Ames say the police officers actions amounted to battery, unlawful imprisonment, false arrest, and a violation of their civil rights that left them with emotional distress. They claim the officer harmed their 1-year-old daughter when they pulled her arm and harmed Ames when they arrested him.

The couple also say they kept Ames in the back of the police car for a half-hour and that they were only released after another police lieutenant arrived at the scene. Neither was formally arrested or charged with a crime.

Phoenix police, who have not released the officers names, have said they are investigating the incident. The Phoenix Police Department takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and for this reason, this incident is currently being investigated by the Professional Standards Bureau, the police statement said. Phoenix told ABC 15 that the officer who cursed at, threatened, and kicked Ames is on a non-enforcement assignment. The officer who pointed a gun at Harper and her children inside the vehicle remains on patrol.As White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders failed the public. In the rare press conferences she held in her two-year tenure, she lied about matters ranging from the FBIs reaction to James Comeys firing to Donald Trumps nonexistent conversations with Mexico to Trumps job creation numbers to his hush-money payments. It seems urgent, then, that wethe baffled and underserved publicfigure out what she understood her job to be and how she was effective at it.

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A couple of examples might help. In a May 7 interview Sanders did with an ABC news podcast (she has not held a press briefing since March), John Santucci asked: Should we take the presidents tweet from this past weekend as an order to Bill Barr to not allow Robert Mueller to testify?

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Sanders first turned to a passive crutch: I think thats a determination to be made at this point, she said. But he said it, Santucci replied.

The press secretarys response is fascinating: But thats the presidents feeling on the matter and the reason is because we consider this as a case closed, as a finished process. And I again I think that most Americans think that this is finished. Theyre sick and tired of hearing about it.

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Sanders awkward sentences might make her approach look artless, but this is a pretty smart (and illuminating) example of her ability to reroute questions until theyre no longer about the subject at hand. The question was whether the presidents Tweet amounted to an order to Barr. First, Sanders tries to bluffnothing to see herebut it fails. Her next move is to defend Trumps right to personal feelings. And here is a potent rhetorical move: Sanders implies that Trumps feelingsto which hes perfectly entitledhave no effect on his policy. Its akin to the argument made, after the release of the Mueller report, that Trump did not obstruct justice because no one actually listened to his requests to obstruct. He was just venting. We consider this as a case closed, she adds, the we effectively recasting the presidents feelings as a consensus position.

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Its a delicate cake-having-and-eating moment. The feelings whose significance she underplayed a sentence earlierdenying that they had policy implicationssuddenly have institutional and semi-official status. And they are in touch with the American peoples. In the space of three sentences, then, Trump has been cast as a) the president, b) a private man with the right to wounded feelings he wont act upon c) an official channeling the official position and d) a man in tune with the hearts of the people. Shes muddled the premise of the questionwhether Trumps complaint will have public consequencesso thoroughly that follow-up questions seem impossible. No one has done more to normalize Trumps tantrums or to manage their political significance by making any serious inquiry into them seem petty and off-base.

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An exchange with a reporter at a Dec. 18, 2018 press briefing demonstrates how firmly Sanders refused to grant that any concern might overrule or matter more than Trump.

Reporter: Does it concern the president that Flynn lied to the FBI and was working for a foreign government? Sanders: Not when it comes to things that have anything to do with the president. The activities that [Flynn] is said toand Ill, again, well let the court make that determinationto have engaged in, dont have anything to do with the president.  The only reason that the president is the president is because he was a better candidate and beat Hillary Clinton. We also know that the president never colluded with Russia.

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As deflections go, this is impressive, and it performs many of the same moves as the first example: circumscribing the presidents sphere of influence, hinting at facts yet to be determined, but appealing to a supposedly shared understanding of that which is not factual at all: Trumps uncontaminated legitimacy. When the reporter asks again about Flynn, Sanders tries, as she would later with ABC, first to evade.

Sanders: Look, theres certainly concern, but thats something for the court to make that determination, and well let them do that.

But the reporter follows up one more time, noting that the president has commented extensively on that ongoing matter by saying positive things about Flynn. Sanders has no choice but to escalate.

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Sanders: Its perfectly acceptable for the president to make a positive comment about somebody while we wait to see what the courts determination is.

Pressed, Sanders here resorts to her masterstroke, making the controversial inarguable by simple declarationperfectly acceptable. The president is not, on this understanding, someone with any responsibility to protect the public or to root out wrongdoing. His publicly expressed sentiments have no bearing at all on the carriage of justice or his attitude toward it. Hes a private man who has every right to make a positive comment about someone regardless of what he stands accused of, as the facts, ever elusive, await some vaporous determination.

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So thats the reality-distorting rhetoric of Sanders, and why the headline on a Margaret Sullivan retrospective calls her the Queen of Gaslighting. But the secret to Sanders success wasnt just to sanitize the presidents every impulse as commonsensical and justified; it was to woodenly fail to register any acknowledgement at all of his excesses. Even Sean Spicer stammered and sweat. By treating his inflammatory remarks and actions as utterly commonplace, Sanders modeled to the public how to metabolize the outrageous as if it were normal. This was a performance, of course: Sanders impassivity was selective, and she was adept at acting like it was the medias reaction that was strange.

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Sanders didnt just defend the president from the effects of his own statements; she offered herself as a kind of prosaic presence whose function it was to act like anything Trump did, no matter how shocking, was no big deal. She exemplified the stolid approval Trump wanted for everything from family separations to tax cuts for the rich. As her tenure ends, we can now see how much her reliance on reassuring phrases like make a determinationand unblinkingly calling lies differences of opinion and hush payments not worth discussingprovided a kind of muted laugh track to the terrible show being forced upon America. Rather than laugh at unfunny jokes, she loyally normalized despicable conduct.

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Her valueand Scaramucci never understood thiswas her ability to do this in a distinctly un-Trumpish way. Rather than be sensational or offensive or inflammatory, Sanders was staid and dull. In an era characterized by White House in chaos headlines, her repressive calm served an essential function. Sanders possesses a unique talent that, heretofore, has not quite been considered a talent: She can deaden a room, Jason Schwartz wrote at Politico. As a public servant, Sanders was abysmal. As a public speaker, she was subpar. But as the first line of Trumps defense, she was absolutely indispensable.

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Her departure also means one less woman playing a particular role on the front lines of the Trump-is-normal campaign. Kellyanne Conway was the first to deploy a particular form of unflappable femininity in the service of making Trumps feelings and actions palatable to the public.

Trump seems to need this. His masculinist fantasy of himself is structurally dimorphic; it requires an approving female presence to authorize and excuse and interpret. He needs a Sanders to explain that his saying the U.S. is the highest taxed nation in the world was not a lie because the U.S. is the highest-taxed, corporate taxed, in the developed economy, and he needs a Sanders to project that people are fools to think these do not mean the same thing. He needs a Conway to launder his lies as alternative facts. Above all, though, he has always had women validate and center not what he does, but his license to feel things, without limit or consequence.

And as Trumps public pronouncements continue to throb with self-obsession and self-concern, the best ally he can possibly have is a calm and effortlessly authoritative woman who parrots his talking pointsmirroring his narcissism at one remove and on his behalf.America finds itself in the grip of an endless and inscrutable daily mystery: How is it possible that the presidentwhose chief occupations seem to be tweeting, lying, lying about what he tweeted, watching television, and committing crimesis not on the hook for anything? Not for the lying, and not for the criming, and not even for the endless truculence and meanness. More broadly, one wonders, how is it possible that nobody within his orbitincluding those who refuse to comply with subpoenas, and those who openly commit flagrant acts of greed and corruption, and those who have broken federal lawsis on the hook for anything either? This vast epistemological question can consume every ounce of energy that remains after an average day spent watching atrocities directed at small children and humanitarian volunteers being put on trial. The atonal incantation of imagine if Obama had has by now lost all meaning; its more or less just a drinking game.

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Once upon a time in America, the things we witnessed this past weekthe presidents defense of a murderous dictator, the presidents claim that he would welcome foreign dirt on his opponents, the presidents claim that he cannot be investigated criminally by Congresswould be the end of a presidency. But its just more of the same song, perhaps with a slightly different chorus. The operative question is no longer what did he do now? Its the exhausted afterthought of what could he possibly do that would bring about any consequences?

Democracy is on fire. Nobody knows what to do. Therefore, democracy cant really be on fire? Repeat.

The answer, of course, is that weve let him get away with it. As Michelle Goldberg argued Thursday, we let him because we are numb and tired and losing our capacity to react. This is partially because while Donald Trump remains a first-order attention grabber, he no longer feels like a first-order problemperhaps because we have learned that there isnt much to do about him, or because we think that voting him out in 2020 is the best answer. Instead of trying to stop this administration that is simply and stubbornly still there (and surely getting worse), we seem to have decided to spend most of our energy on our other priorities, on our lives, and on following the 2020 Democratic primary. Who can blame us, really, with Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats focused on infrastructure, hearings, reelection bids, and their own races? They are the people who can do something tangible to end this presidency, and from the looks of it, many are not very focused on that task (opting instead to spend time fighting over what to focus on). That means that every day House Democrats send out the message that this is a crisis and also that Im working on other projects becomes a day in which they look like they are either overstating the crisis or declining to take appropriate action. Democracy is on fire. Nobody knows what to do. Therefore, democracy cant really be on fire? Repeat.

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Perhaps it isnt so much that Americans are numb. More accurately, it feels like everyone is waiting around for their instructions. This makes sense, as we do find ourselves in a rather unprecedented moment in American politics. But with so much of progressive leadership writing books or sitting on panels or running for president, the folks who might be able to give instructions seem to still be workshopping their plan. I admit that it is strange to me that, in the face of mass uncertainty about what the president did and didnt do with respect to foreign election interference and obstruction of justice, Democrats wouldnt take advantage of a process that is designed to showcase for the American public exactly these things. But they dont seem to be biting.

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We kept hoping that someone trusted and unifying would come along and bring us all together. Perhaps if not around a plan, around an idea or a value. But we are not coming together; we are cracking apart. And that feelingof a country cracking apartis in no small way responsible for the feeling of creeping numbness that Goldberg describes. Among the stories that barely broke through the mayhem of the week, we have Kellyanne Conway laughing off Hatch Act violations that should have ended her White House career, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders slinking away from the White House, such that 25 percent of the surviving senior staffers are now evidently related to the president. Maybe all this misery is resolved by way of free and fair elections in 2020. The problem is that maybe there wont be free and fair elections in 2020: The president has invited the same foreign election interference he once declared never happened to repeat itself, and efforts to suppress the vote continue apace. Republicans in the Senate made clear that they intend to do nothing to secure those elections. That is not a good trend for electoral victory.

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A year and a half is a long time. It represents a lot of new federal judges who will bless Trumpian claims that he is above the law. It represents a lot of time for foreign interests to pay to play in the elections and to hack and misinform as they go. We can be numb without being naive about how risky it is to put complete faith in voting. That was the original sin of 2016. Nobody can tell you what to do (and certainly, no one official is), but Goldbergs suggestionsprotests and gumming up the Senateare a start. Calling your elected officials like its 2017 is also good. Donating time and money and airspace to entities trying to ameliorate suffering is good. Nobody should presume to tell others what the work should be. But nobody should presume that engraved invitations to do the work will show up in the mail. Numb is not necessarily contagious, but it is very possibly terminal.President Donald Trump came out in favor of a fresh effort to challenge long-held precedent by the Supreme Court that would ban the burning of the American Flag. All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer! Trump wrote Saturday morning on Twitter.

All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019

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The move comes a day after Sen. Steve Daines introduced a constitutional amendment that would give Congress the authority to prohibit burning the American flag. The American flag has been a symbol of hope and freedom for centuries and ought to be respected, the senator from Montana said. Our nations flag must be set apart as a protected symbol worthy of honor. Rep. Steve Womack, meanwhile, also reintroduced a joint resolution to that end with 14 co-sponsors.

The bills were reintroduced to mark Flag Day, a day in which the White House was roundly mocked on social media for the way it chose to honor Old Glory. The White Houses official Twitter account tweeted a photo of Trump hugging the American flag at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March, a choice many found a little strange and embarrassing.

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Is that what youre supposed to do to the flag?  Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) June 14, 2019

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This is not what Betsy Ross intended #FlagDay2019 https://t.co/Vlk32WUke1  Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) June 14, 2019

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This isnt some idiotic campaign or RNC account, Bill Kristol wrote. Its the official White House account. How far toward the Third World weve sunk. Others also characterized the photo as disrespectful and more appropriate for a parody account than the official White House Twitter feed.

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This isn't some idiotic campaign or RNC account. It's the official White House account. How far toward the Third World we've sunk. https://t.co/8ynyxvxlw5  Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 14, 2019

That photo intensifies the disgust most veterans and active duty military feel when they see you treating our flag with such disrespect. The flag is not to be fondled like some porn star. Despicable.  American Veteran (@amvetsupport) June 14, 2019

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Trumps support for an amendment that would ban flag burning isnt exactly surprising considering he had already expressed objections to the Supreme Court decision that determined burning the flag was protected under the First Amendment. Shortly after he was elected, Trump sent out a tweet suggesting that those who burn flags should see severe punishment, suggesting that could include jail time or loss of citizenship. Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail! he tweeted on Nov. 29, 2016.

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AdvertisementDriver Bruce Ranger posted his 9,000th career victory when he steered Anderlecht to the winners circle in the first race on Friday (June 14) at Bangor Raceway.

It was the first of four consecutive victories for the 59-year-old Ranger, who became the 24th driver in North America to reach the 9,000 career-win plateau.

Rangers career began in his native Maine in 1978. He enjoyed success in New England and the Delaware Valley before becoming the all-time leading driver at Pompano Park. He is in the Florida and New England halls of fame.

In 2015, Ranger decided it was time to retire from racing as the result of the wear-and-tear on his body. He returned to Maine with no thoughts of driving ever again. But last summer Ranger began driving the starting gate on the states fair circuit and soon found the competitive juices starting to flow.

Nobody was more surprised than me, Ranger told the USTAs Ken Weingartner earlier this year about his return to the sulky. After about three weeks at the fairs, I started to get the itch to race again. It definitely wasnt in my plans. It was really something. I cant say it hasnt been fun. It gets the adrenaline going again.

Ranger has won 44 times in 274 starts this year, with purse earnings of $162,336. He is the leading driver at Bangor Raceway with 31 wins, $79,179 in purses and a .436 UDR.

(USTA)"Which horse am I scared of? I'm scared of all of them!"

Less than a month ago, pacing colt Tyga Hanover was winless in seven career starts. On Saturday night (June 15) he'll be racing for a million-dollar purse in Canada's premier pacing event, the 2019 Pepsi North America Cup.

After having worked out a pocket trip, Tyga Hanover (PP6, Sylvain Filion, 12-1) held on to finish fourth in his Cup elim to advance to Saturdays final. He was individually clocked in 1:49.3 in his elim, which was won by Workin Ona Mystery. (Click here to watch/hide the video replay.)

Tyga Hanover, who had overcome broken equipment to win his Somebeachsomewhere division one week earlier, will now take his best shot in the Cup final for trainer Ben Baillargeon and owners Thomas and Elizabeth Rankin (St. Catharines, Ont.) and Glen Rankin (Ottawa, Ont.). The bay tightened through the lower conditions at Mohawk to kick off his three-year-old campaign, but stepped up in his Somebeachsomewhere split to hold off Best In Show, Stag Party and Bronx Seelster in victory. The gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere has now won three of his 11 career starts and has banked $72,000 in purses.

Trainer Ben Baillargeon spoke with TROT Magazine's Rachel Oenema at Tuesday's North America Cup draw, where he was thrilled to have another shot at Canada's premier harness racing event.

The 36th edition of the Pepsi North America Cup will go postward at 10:14 p.m. (EDT) and will be broadcast live on TSN5 from 10-10:30 p.m. The full field for the 2019 Pepsi North America Cup is as follows:

2019 Pepsi North America Cup

(Post  Horse  Driver  Morning Line Odds)

1  Aflame Hanover  Andrew McCarthy  20-1

2  De Los Cielos Deo  David Miller  9-2

3  Bettors Wish  Dexter Dunn  7-2

4  Workin Ona Mystery  Tim Tetrick  2-1

5  Captain Victorious  Yannick Gingras  15-1

6  Tyga Hanover  Sylvain Filion  12-1

7  Best In Show  Bob McClure  15-1

8  Captain Crunch  Scott Zeron  5-2

9  Hurrikane Emperor  Dan Dube  15-1

10  Stag Party  Brian Sears  12-1

The winner of the Pepsi North America Cup earns $500,000. This year marks the 19th anniversary of Pepsis sponsorship of the race.

The Pepsi North America Cup undercard features the $454,000 Fan Hanover, $330,000 Roses Are Red, $256,000 Armbro Flight, $247,000 Goodtimes and $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup.

The Cup card wagering menu will feature a $100,000 guaranteed Pick-5, $100,000 All-Stakes Pick-4 and the usual $50,000 Early Pick-4.

Post time for the first of 15 races on the Pepsi North America Cup card is 6:30 p.m. To view entries for Saturday's card, click on one of the following links:The bill submitted to Congress on Deterring Russian Aggression in the Baltic States" is in the spirit of Russophobic politics, head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky said stressing that Washington uses any pretexts to push its arms to the Russian borders.

Earlier it was reported that the Republican Congressman Michael Conway had proposed the above-mentioned initiative.Question:

How has the decline in the honey bee population affected farmers in the United States?

Honey Bee Populations:

Over the last two decades, the wild honey bee population has been affected by increased numbers of parasites, diseases, and predators. One such parasite is the tracheal mite, which invades the bees' breathing tubes and has caused thousands of wild honey bee colonies to die out. Another is the varroa destructor, which feeds on the blood of honey bees and transmits deadly fungi to their bodies. The varroa destructor is an invasive species that was introduced to the United States from Asia; pollution and agricultural pesticides have further exacerbated this problem.

Answer and Explanation:

Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! Create your account View this answerColumbia County officials are starting a pilot needle exchange program to help combat the countys opioid problem.

The needle exchange will operate for the first time from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, then again during the same hours on July 3 and July 17. People can exchange dirty needles and syringes for new, sterile equipment.

The exchange will operate in vans parked at the far side of the Columbia Community Mental Health property in St. Helens, Ore. Needles will be exchanged at a 1-to-1 ratio.

The county hopes to continue the exchange twice a month for the remainder of 2019, according to the Columbia Health Services prevention team lead, Claire Catt. The program is based off Clatsop Countys needle exchange.

We anticipate having several van visits throughout the year. But well have to see how these first ones go, Catt said.

Needle exchange programs aim to reduce the number of needles incorrectly disposed of, reduce transmission of bloodborne disease and encourage addicts to get treatment.

The Columbia County program was put together by the Opiate Task Force, a local group searching for ways to reduce opioid abuse in the county. The project is funded by a $10,000 grant.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported 344 opioid overdose deaths in Oregon and 742 overdose deaths in Washington in 2017.

In contrast to the controversy, now diminished, that accompanied the launch of the Cowlitz needle exchange several years ago, Columbia Countys does not appear to be facing a headwind of disapproval.

Rainier Mayor Jerry Cole said he supports the program because it could decrease the frequency of disease and reduce the number of addicts.Its not condoning the practice. Its just trying to prevent some of the outcomes, Cole said.

St. Helens Mayor Rick Scholl recently learned about the needle exchange but said it has the potential to make a difference.

Sharing needles can spread viruses, and people can leave needles anywhere. Having an exchange can make a difference,anything we can do to clean it up helps Scholl said.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Two local companies were included among 15 Washington businesses and individuals fined by the state Department of Ecology in the first three months of 2019 for violating state environmental laws.

North Pacific Paper Company received a $8,200 fine for violating permits for particle pollution on August 7, 2018, after failing to property maintain its pollution control equipment, according to the Ecology website. Nippon Dynawave Packaging company was fined $5,000 for allowing air emission to exceed visibility limits 19 times between June 2018 and September 2018, the site says.

Both Longview companies have paid their fines, which were issued in February.

Ecology issued more than $200,000 in penalties of $1,000 or more from January through March this year. Penalties are issued in cases where businesses continue to violate laws after Ecology has provided warnings or technical assistance to the group, according to an Ecology news release. Particularly serious violations may also lead to fines, the release says.

The money owed from penalties may be reduced from the issued amount due to settlement or court rulings, the release says. Collected funds go to the states general fund or to dedicated pollution prevention accounts.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Shadowed by the ongoing 737 MAX crisis, Boeings leadership heads to Paris for the biannual Air Show starting Monday braced for incessant questions for which it has no clear answers.

Top executives might well feel this is a year to just get through the public presentations and return home quickly to press on with their 737 MAX fix. But they also will meet privately at the Boeing chalet overlooking the Le Bourget airfield runways with the airline leaders and suppliers most affected by the grounding of the aircraft and the growing buildup of parked MAXs.

This will not be a typical Air Show for us by any means, said Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Kevin McAllister via email. This is an important time for us to meet with customers, industrial partners and suppliers on our path forward.

McAllister said hes going through the most trying time I have encountered in 30-plus years in this industry.

This is a pivotal moment for us, he added.

Boeing still hopes a consensus will emerge soon among air safety regulators worldwide to allow the MAX to fly again  but theres no firm schedule for that outcome.

At the largest owner of commercial airplanes in the world, leasing giant Aercap, CEO Gus Kelly has 100 MAXs on order. Hes spoken directly to global regulators who, he said, want to get this airplane back in the air.

Maybe the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] goes first, he said. But 75 percent of the market is outside the U.S. It would be better for the whole brand if it was a global certification.

Airlines have had to accept they wont have the MAX during their peak travel season. The summers gone and the airlines have already made contingency plans, said Kelly.

Meanwhile more than 140 completed but undelivered MAXs have piled up, parked at crowded spaces in Renton, Seattles Boeing Field, Everett, Spokane and San Antonio.

The crisis now matches in duration the three-month grounding of the 787 in 2013 because of overheating batteries, though only about 50 of those widebody jets were taken out of service versus nearly 400 MAXs at airlines around the world.

As the wait for a resolution on the MAX stretches on indefinitely, aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group said that in Paris hes not expecting anything really of any substance from Boeing, and on the MAX, basically just confidence and hope.

The biggest commercial jet news in Paris will come from rival Airbus, which is expected to launch a new longer-range version of its A321 that, especially with the damage to the MAXs reputation, could extend the European jetmakers already substantial lead over Boeing in the single-aisle jet category.

And Mitsubishi Aircraft will show off a mock-up of its newly renamed SpaceJet regional jet  the first version of which is being flight tested at Moses Lake in Central Washington  that positions it for a possible breakthrough in the U.S. market.

Boeing at bay

The Paris show is the years biggest aviation event, and typically features new airplane launches and big jet orders. This year, said Boeing sales chief Ihssane Mounir, his primary focus there will be working with customers and addressing their issues on the 737 MAX.

Hell be making sure folks understand the technical aspects of the accidents, and the fixes, weve put in place, he said. Hell work with airlines to come up with interim solutions to fill gaps left in their schedules by grounded jets. And hell try to ensure carriers have all the resources ready to return planes to flying condition and to train their pilots as soon as the grounding is lifted.

Mounir said that since the second accident hes spent more than 85 percent of his time traveling across the globe to meet with customers face to face  including leaders at Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, which suffered the two MAX crashes that killed 346 people.

Those conversations are emotional, they are difficult, and heartbreaking in many cases, Mounir said. But we have some pretty strong relationships, some long-lasting relationships. Over the years, weve demonstrated that we are reliable partners ... Were working through things.

McAllister too said that meeting with airline leaders hes known for many years, hes been humbled by their belief in Boeing and our people.

Theyve stuck with us, he said.

Meanwhile, two variants of the MAX family that have yet to be delivered to an airline are in limbo.

The first 200-seat, high-density model configured for Ryanair flew in January but is grounded at Boeing Field. The smallest 737 MAX 7 variant was still in flight testing when the grounding happened.

The first wings of a third variant  the newest and largest  the MAX 10, were being assembled when the fleet was grounded. That jets certification would be delayed only if the MAX grounding were to stretch on toward years end.

With the intense focus on getting the MAX back in the sky, Boeings plans for future new planes are even more uncertain.

Just last year, it seemed Boeing might announce plans at the 2019 Paris show for an all-new airplane  what it calls the New Midmarket Airplane or NMA, a midrange, middle-of-the-market plane designed to be larger than the 737 single-aisle but smaller than the 787 widebody.

Its top selling point was that it would have the comfort of a widebody jet with single-aisle economics.

But an NMA decision has been pushed way out by the MAX crisis, which may even alter Boeings plan for what that future plane should be.

Kelly of Aercap said any discussion or decision about launching a new airplane would be foolhardy until they fix the problem with the biggest selling airplane theyve had ... They need to focus on the present.

The jet maker has said the NMA will be designed and built in a radically new way, based on comprehensive digital modeling of both the airplane and its production system. Yet that technology approach can be applied to whatever new plane is chosen, NMA or otherwise.

Shifting strategies

In light of the MAX crisis, analysts say theres been some internal debate at Boeing about perhaps abandoning the NMA and instead accelerating plans for a Future Small Airplane (FSA) that is supposed to replace the MAX around 2030.

Such a switch could hurt further sales of the MAX. It could also leave Airbus a clear advantage in the single-aisle jet market through at least 2027, which is the earliest new engine technology for an FSA could possibly be ready.

Both Mounir and McAllister expressed absolute confidence in the recovery of the MAX.

The MAX is a new airplane. Its got great appeal. Its got great economics ... Airlines are waiting for it to get back in service, said Mounir. The MAX is our horse to ride.

Yet both men were noticeably more noncommittal about whether the NMA will go ahead. Each said Boeing is still studying the business case and that there is interest in it from airlines. But clearly there is now a possibility of Boeing taking a different turn.

We continue to look at the middle of the market, said McAllister. Beyond that, we will always work to understand future market needs.

Adam Pilarski, senior vice president at consulting firm Avitas, said Boeings best course is to proceed with its NMA plan, to learn from its development, and then apply the lessons to the more important follow-on plane, the FSA.

Bjorn Fehrm, France-based aviation analyst with Leeham.net, said there are opposing camps within Boeing on whether to pull the trigger on the investment needed now for the NMA.

The bean counters want to suck every penny out of 737 and give it to shareholders. They say were not forced to do the NMA, said Fehrm. The other camp says ... we need to invest in a measured way and create exciting products. We have to go forward and make sure engineers have things to do.

For now, the latter camp  proposing to go forward with NMA  has more backing, he said.

Aside from signaling its direction on NMA in Paris, Fehrm said Boeings Mounir may even announce one or two MAX orders to shore up support. Perhaps the 737 customer and inveterate bargain hunter Michael OLeary of Ryanair can be persuaded to buy some more at a fire-sale price.

Boeing cannot have this drip feed of bad news, said Fehrm. They need some positive spin.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WASHINGTON  Permit me a question to every truly fair-minded person in our country. Imagine that one party packs the Supreme Court with ideologues and the other party does absolutely nothing in response. Isnt this abject surrender to an unscrupulous power grab?

This inquiry can no longer be ducked. Even those in the deepest denial can no longer ignore Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells nakedly political aim of cramming the Supreme Court with justices who will undo more than seven decades of precedent. Theyll do the bidding of corporate interests, undercut voting rights and empower billionaires to buy elections.

What McConnell said in 2016 to rationalize his decision not even to hold hearings on President Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the court is now, to appropriate the word from the Nixon era, inoperative.

Back then, McConnell waxed all bourbon-and-branch about tradition. He made the misleading claim that keeping a court seat open in an election year until a new president took office dated back to 1880. The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so lets give them a voice, he told us. He piously insisted that this was about a principle, not a person.

Some principle.

What he embraced all along was what we can now call the Paducah Principle, named after the venerable Kentucky community whose Chamber of Commerce meeting McConnell graced on Tuesday.

Under the Paducah Principle, McConnell will use any method available to stuff the Supreme Court with young, right-wing nominees who will do the bidding of conservative interest groups regardless of what voters say in the next election  or the one after that, or the next one, or the next.

An attendee at the Chamber of Commerce event put an admirably unvarnished query to McConnell that created an exact parallel to 2016, when Justice Antonin Scalia passed away: Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot?

Oh, wed fill it, McConnell said quickly, with that small smile of his. Court-packing  excuse me, loading the court with your ideological friends  is the one way you can set the nations political course no matter what voters decide year to year. You want to have a long-lasting positive impact, he explained. Everything else changes. ... What cant be undone is a lifetime appointment to a young man or woman who believes in the quaint notion that the job of a judge is to follow the law.

Of course, follow the law for conservatives means the law back before the mid-1930s. Conservatives have long dreamt about salvaging what they call the Constitution in Exile, a reading that lets courts eviscerate the ability of the legislative and executive branches (and state governments) to protect workers and regulate the economy  back to the days before Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade and the one-person, one-vote decisions.

McConnell enunciated the Paducah Principle a week after an exceptional investigative report by The Washington Posts Robert OHarrow Jr. and Shawn Boburg about the battle for conservative justices that will shape the nation for decades. The operation has been spearheaded by Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the Federalist Society, and a network of organizations that brought in more than $250 million in mostly dark money between 2014 and 2017.

Were going to have to understand that judicial confirmations these days are more like political campaigns, Leo told members of an influential conservative group.

Thanks to the efforts of Leo, McConnell and those friendly anonymous benefactors, the courts are being packed, politicized and pushed hard to the right.

So what are we going to do about it? Mention the words court packing and many liberals and moderates wring their hands and fret about the Supreme Courts legitimacy. But the courts legitimacy is already shot to hell. Remember the words Oh, wed fill it the next time the justices hand down another reactionary ruling. The only relevant issue is what might be done to restore the court to something closer to, well, judiciousness.

Of the Democratic presidential candidates, Pete Buttigieg has the most articulated suggestion. It would involve enlarging the court to 15 members, with five justices chosen by each party and the last five picked unanimously by those 10 from the lower courts. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Beto ORourke and Kirsten Gillibrand are among the other contenders declaring themselves at least open to court enlargement.

Good. Giving in to McConnells manipulation of the judiciary is not principled restraint. Its cowardice.

E.J. Dionnes email address is ejdionne@washpost.com. Twitter: @EJDionne.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to strengthen joint actions in the fight against terrorism, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reports.

According to Xi Jinping, the parties should support the main interests and promote the resolution of common problems in the fight against terrorism.

The head of the PRC added that countries, being members of the G20, should strengthen cooperation in other areas as well, RT reports.Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools:

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Stock Ideas and Recommendations Get daily stock ideas top-performing Wall Street analysts. Get short term trading ideas from the MarketBeat Idea Engine. View which stocks are hot on social media with MarketBeat's trending stocks report.These days Baku hosts 3rd International Baku Summer Jazz Days festival. Yesterday, two groups performed - the Georgian Ehno-Jazz band IRIAO and the French virtuoso guitarist and composer Tom Ibarra with his quintet.

The entire repertoire of the Georgian Ethno-Jazz Band IRIAO is based on Georgian folk and rich and skillfully decorated with jazz elements. The musicians performed at such major music festivals around the world as the Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia, the Borneo Jazz Festival in Malaysia, the Alfa Jazz Festival in Ukraine, and other festivals in Austria, Poland and the Baltic countries.A place to exercise ideas before writing about them with greater discipline.MARION  During its meeting last week, Williamson County board approved two items that will add or expand businesses in the county.

The board approved an ordinance adding 20 acres on southeast corner of Interstate 57 on Illinois 148 to the Williamson County Enterprise Zone.

Road Ranger plans to construct a travel center at an estimated cost of $10 million," Board Chairman Ron Ellis said. "The company plans to create four management positions, approximately 24 full-time equivalent jobs and 10 part-time equivalent positions."

Opening is planned for the second quarter of 2020.

We are one of eight different government agencies that have to approve this ordinance change, and it would be submitted to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for their final approval, Ellis said.

A public hearing on the project took place May 22. Ellis said everyone at the hearing was excited about the new truck stop.

Commissioner Brent Gentry asked when work would begin. According to Ellis, once the approval process is completed, work is anticipated to begin in March 2020. The developer is still working with Illinois Department of Transportation to make some changes to the roadway. It is projected to take four to six months for the approvals and the survey work to be approved.

It will cost $350,000 to bring water and sewer to the site. Ellis said they are looking at grants from Delta Regional Authority and the State of Illinois to help with the cost.

By putting this into enterprise zone they are looking at saving $450,000 to $500,000 in sales tax that they will be able to use for the project, Ellis said.

They also will receive one to two years of real estate tax abatement.

Commissioner Jim Marlo explained this is a different truck stop that is coming to the city of Marion. He said a study was conducted that found more than 200 trucks parked illegally along I-57 on any given night.

Ellis added that the study found that a stretch of I-57 from the I-24 interchange to the I-64 interchange averages 250 trucks illegally parked on any given night. The new truck stop will be able to park 80 trucks to get them off the road, making I-57 safer.

The project will include a full-service gas station for vehicles and 18-wheelers. It will also include a restaurant. The proposed restaurant is Wendys, according to Ellis.

The board also approved an application to add territory to the Williamson County Enterprise Zone for the construction of a new, stand-alone Fujiyama Restaurant. The new restaurant will be in the northwest corner of the parking lot north of Cornerstone Church, directly across from Mackies Pizza in Marion.

This is one of two things that is really important, Ellis said.

Fujiyama currently is in the mall building, which has been closed, except for businesses with separate outside entrances.

Im 100 percent on making it (the motion to accept the application), Gentry said. I think more enterprise zones need to be done.

The motion was seconded by Marlo and passed unanimously.

In other business, the board:

Approved a raffle and poker run license for Carterville Chamber of Commerce.

Approved a rate increase for Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center. The rates will go from $100 per day to $105 per day.

Tabled votes on a Frontier Contract for phone services, an IT position, and a Crawford Survey.

Discussed the effects of mining under Thompsonville Road that will close the road for at least eight weeks and will disturb a gas pipeline that runs under the road. That work is expected to begin in spring 2020.

The board's next regular meeting will be at 10 a.m. July 9 in the Williamson County Government Building in Marion.

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Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Claflin University hosted its 25th annual Recognition, Rewards and Retirement Luncheon on May 8.

The event, themed "25 Years of Shining Superstars," honored the faculty and staff who served the university during the 2018-19 academic year.

President Henry N. Tisdale had a vision to host a rewards luncheon when he became Claflin's eighth president and has seen its growth over the last 25 years. During the silver anniversary of the luncheon, Tisdale and First Lady Alice Carson Tisdale were celebrated in a different way, as they received their retiree plaques for their 25 years of leadership. Last spring, Tisdale announced his retirement from the university effective June 30.

The luncheon not only recognized the Tisdales for their 25 years of service, but those who have been employed for five to 45-year increments. This year, the employee with the highest years of service was the Rev. Dr. Whittaker V. Middleton, vice president for institutional advancement, who was recognized for 45 years of service. The university also recognized other retirees, including Carlene Punter, resident life coordinator (13 years of service), and Barbara Raysor, administrative assistant (39 years of service).

George Johnson Jr., assistant vice president of communications and marketing, was selected as Administrative Employee of the Year; Leah Cromer, senior employee relations generalist, was selected as Professional Employee of the Year; Lynn Lee-Williams was selected as Administrative Support Employee of the Year; and Leah Cromer also received the Exemplary Customer Service award. Each winner received a financial gift and a certificate of appreciation.

The winner of each award was selected through evaluation of the employee's actions that are consistent with Claflin University's Guiding Principles: Commitment to Excellence, Commitment to Valuing People, Commitment to Being Student Centered, Commitment to Exemplary Educational Programs, and Commitment to Fiscal Accountability.

Faculty members were also honored for their leadership and instruction in the classroom. Dr. Ramaier Sriram, an associate professor of management information systems, received The United Methodist Exemplary Teach Award; and Dr. Deidra Morrison, assistant professor of computer science, received The South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Excellence in Teaching Award.

Two other faculty members received honors at the sesquicentennial Commencement Convocation on May 11. The William and Annette Johnson Endowed Faculty Award for Innovative Scientific Research was presented to Dr. Jie Ling, an assistant professor of chemistry. Dr. Abdullah Khan, associate professor of economics, received the James E. Hunter Excellence in Teaching Award for his outstanding performance in teaching and educational development.

Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Denmark residents gathered on the campus of Voorhees College on Thursday afternoon to bring awareness to problems with the towns water system.

Denmark Citizens for Safe Water, along with Black Voters Matter, co-sponsored a block party to increase awareness of the water issues in the city of Denmark.

What brought us to Denmark was this issue of the water crisis that the areas been dealing with. Not a lot of people around the country really know about it, so one of the things we try to do, both here and wherever we go with the bus, is we try to help amplify stories, Black Voters Matter co-founder and director Cliff Albright said.

We are a power-building organization. We believe in building power in black communities, primarily throughout the South, but also throughout the rest of the country as well, he said.

The block party was scheduled to feature music by DJ Prince Ice, a bouncy house and appearances from several guests, including actor Danny Glover and Denmark native Bakari Sellers.

Cases of bottled water were also given to Denmark citizens.

Black Voters Matter, which formed in 2017, in its special black tour bus that documents all of the cities the group has visited across the southeastern area of the United States.

All of last year, 2018, we traveled around in this bus, we call it the blackest bus in America. We traveled around seven states spreading a message of love and power, Albright said.

Albright said he hopes that those who attended the event take away the message of the importance of power and love.

We just want to encourage folks and let them know that theyre not alone, that they matter and that theyre loved, he said.

Contact the writer: bharris@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5516

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.COLUMBIA  The State of South Carolina announced the award of a contract for a new statewide voting system.

After a lengthy evaluation of numerous proposals, an evaluation panel unanimously selected the Election Systems and Software (ES&S) ExpressVote voting system. The new paper-based system will replace the states aging paperless system that has been in place since 2004.

This is an exciting day for the future of elections in South Carolina, said Marci Andino, executive director of the State Election Commission. This system will not only provide voters with a dependable system for years to come, but it will also greatly enhance the security and resilience of our election process.

Andino continued, We will now be able to audit paper ballots to verify results. This is a significant measure that will go a long way in providing voters and election officials the assurance that every vote is counted just as the voter intended.

The ExpressVote ballot-marking device provides voters with the familiarity of a touchscreen combined with the security of a paper ballot. Voters will navigate the ballot and make selections using a touchscreen. After verifying selections, voters will print their paper ballot.

Voters will then have the opportunity to review the paper ballot before inserting it into a scanner. The scanner counts the votes, and the paper ballot is automatically dropped into a ballot box. Votes are recorded on the scanner, and the paper ballots are saved for auditing and verification of results.

The award was made after a six-month procurement process overseen by the S.C. Department of Administration and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. An evaluation panel made up of the five members of the State Election Commission considered a total of seven proposals including both hand-marked and ballot-marking systems from three voting system providers.

Our job was to find the best system out there for the voters of South Carolina, said John Wells, chairman of the State Election Commission. We were looking for a system that is secure, accurate, accessible, auditable, transparent, reliable and easy for poll managers and voters to use. Over the course of our six-week review, we read the proposals, participated in the demonstrations, and heard from industry experts. In the end, one clearly stood out above the rest.

The panel was advised by state and private cybersecurity experts, advocates for voters with disabilities, experts on accessible technology, national voting system technology consultants, and county and state election administrators. After deliberation and independent scoring by panel members, the panel unanimously selected the ExpressVote voting system as being the most advantageous to the voters of South Carolina.

The cost of the system is approximately $51 million. The system will be implemented this year and be used to conduct all elections after Jan. 1, 2020.

For more on South Carolinas new statewide voting system, visit https://www.scvotes.org/new-voting-system-faqs.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0This Saturday, the Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council approved the recommendation to make public transport between Luxembourg and Belgium free of charge.

Public transport between the Grand Duchy and our Belgian neighbor is likely to be made free. On Saturday morning, Benelux Parliament approved this idea, which was part of a larger list of suggestions.

The Parliament comprises 49 MPs from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg and advises the three national governments. Luxembourg's Democratic Party (DP) MP Gusty Gras currently serves as the president of the Parliament.

Another suggestion that was accepted on Saturday morning is to improve the mutual recognition of diplomas from the three Benelux countries. In this context, the council also hopes to make cross-border internships and traineeships possible.A Japanese tanker, one of two vessels attacked in sensitive Gulf waters this week, was heading to port on Saturday, its owners said.

The Kokuka Courageous was rocked by explosions as it passed through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, threatening its highly flammable cargo of methanol.

The resulting blaze was quickly extinguished, although one crew member suffered minor injuries.

US President Donald Trump said the twin attack, which also targeted a tanker owned by Oslo-listed company Frontline, had Iran "written all over it".

The Japanese tanker's Tokyo-based operator Kokuka confirmed the vessel was heading to port in the United Arab Emirates.

"We still don't know if the tanker goes to Khor Fakkan or Fujairah as they are very close," said a spokesman, referring to two Emirati ports on the Gulf of Oman.

As US-Iranian tensions soared, Trump dismissed Tehran's repeated threats that in case of conflict it could block the Hormuz Strait -- a narrow seaway vital to the world's oil supplies.

Speaking hours after the US military released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an "unexploded limpet mine" from one of the tankers, Trump was emphatic.

"Iran did do it," Trump told Fox News. "You know they did it because you saw the boat. I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it."

- 'Allegations against Iran' -

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the US had "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."

The United States has also accused Iran over May 12 attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off Fujairah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation.

"It's very important to know the truth (and) that responsibilities are clarified," he told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

"Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts."

The oil tankers were 10 nautical miles apart and headed to Asia when they were struck by explosions early Thursday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, some 25 nautical miles off Iran's southern coast.

The other vessel, the Front Altair, was carrying naphtha, a refined petroleum product.

It was hit by three explosions, according to Norwegian officials.

Iran has repeatedly warned that it could block the Hormuz Strait in a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States.

The strategic Strait of Hormuz /  AFP

Doing so would disrupt oil tankers travelling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes.

Trump played down the threat.

"It's not going to be closed, it's not going to be closed for long and they know it. They've been told in very strong terms," Trump said.

Oil prices have surged following the attacks.

burs-gw/parThere was a time when rare earth minerals, the stuff on which smartphones, wind turbines and hybrid cars rely, drew prospectors to Montana and Wyoming.

To counter an emerging supply threat from China, mining companies made plans to shovel up technologys raw ingredients by the dragline bucket load from places like Bear Lodge, Wyoming.

In 2010, China, which produces nearly all of the rare earth minerals used in advanced electronics, was threatening to limit rare earth exports. Japan had been making noise about Chinas claim to islands in the South China Sea. China responded by curtailing rare earth exports.

It was a crisis for the next five years. Of the 17 minerals in the rare earth category, nine are used in smartphones. But Chinas threats died down and the mines were never built. So long as China produced rare earth minerals cheaply, U.S. mines could not compete.

This week, the threat resurfaced as China again threatened to cut off rare earth exports in retaliation to the U.S. tariffs. The Trump administration responded recently by calling for new, favorable mining rules promoting the domestic extraction of 35 critical minerals, including rare earths.

As with our energy security, the Trump administration is dedicated to ensuring that we are never held hostage to foreign powers for the natural resources critical to our national security and economic growth, said Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. The department will work expeditiously to implement the presidents strategy from streamlining the permitting process to locating domestic supplies of minerals.

It will take more than permitting and locating to resurrect U.S. development of rare earth minerals. Courtney Young, a professor at Montana Techs Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Department, said Chinas share of the rare earth minerals market is so big that tariffs cant curb it. And the price of rare earths is too low to support newly developed U.S. rare earth mines.

Mountain Pass Mine is the only U.S. mine producing rare earths, and it has struggled in a market where whenever China loosens its grip, export prices fall so low rivals go out of business. A California operation, Mountain Pass went bankrupt in 2015  the same year would-be mines in Montana and Wyoming faltered.

Whats likely needed, Young said, are subsidies for domestic producers. Hes been adamant about the need for U.S. production of rare earth minerals, not only for consumer technology but also for U.S. defense.

There are 920 pounds of rare earth minerals in every U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet, reports the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

Its pretty hard to put a tariff on something like that. All its going to do is increase the prices we pay for things if we dont have domestic supply, and we dont, Young said. Its going to take some time to get up and running.

The rare earth mines proposed for Montana and Wyoming earlier this decade looked promising but didnt fare well. In 2013, an Arkansas company drilling for rare earth minerals along the Montana-Idaho line was progressing. It had drilled 18 test holes spread across 25,000 acres of the Lemhi Pass area, mostly in the Last Chance Mine footprint of Montana and the Idaho North Fork area.

Kevin Cassidy, U.S. Rare Earths CEO, told Lee Montana Newspapers in 2013 that the company would need a concentration and partial separation plant by 2015 the way things were going. Federal natural resource revenue data showed the company had paid more than $175,000 in fees and permits for the project.

By 2016, U.S. Rare Earths had filed for bankruptcy. Attempts to reach Cassidy were unsuccessful. The companys digital presence had been reduced to a Facebook account, which hadnt seen activity since September 2015.

Wyomings Bear Lodge rare earth mine project was mothballed in 2016 because of low prices and a lack of investment. At the time, developer Rare Element Resources pulled the plug on the $290 million project. The U.S. Forest Service had just completed an environmental review of the northeast Wyoming mine and recommended the project for development. The project was five years in the making. Calls and emails placed last week to Rare Element Resources were not returned.

There were more than rare earth minerals included in the list of critical materials issued by the Trump administration. Among the 35 was uranium, which drew the attention of Whitefish, Montana-based Western Values Project.

WVP had been objecting to the inclusion of uranium since the critical mineral list appeared in draft form in 2017. Owners of uranium mines in Utah and Arizona have been pushing for federal support. By directive, the critical minerals list was not supposed to include minerals used as a fuel source, said Jayson ONeill, Western Values Project deputy director.

Bernhardt, as an attorney in private practice, had represented mining company Ur-Energy for five years ending in 2012, ONeill said. That relationship, as well as the shrinking of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, concerned WVP because there are uranium mines in the area.

Ur-Energy also owns the Lost Creek Mine in south-central Wyoming. In March, the Bureau of Land Management approved an expansion of the mine. BLM was also reviewing plans for a new mine in nearby Shirley Basin, according to the Associated Press. Wyoming is the nations largest uranium producer.

Ur-Energy representatives told AP in March that they expected the Trump administration would follow through on a plan for tariffs or quotas on imported uranium. The move would make some struggling uranium mines profitable.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Legislators had mixed reactions on Friday after officials from the state Department of Health walked them through the latest plan to tackle air ambulance costs in Wyoming.

Very innovative, very thorough, said Rep. Scott Clem, a Gilette Republican. Very well done.

Sen. Charlie Scott, the co-chairman of the Labor, Health and Social Services Committee, was a little more guarded in his assessment of the plan, which calls for using Medicaid to cover all of Wyomings air ambulance services and treating the industry as a public utility.

I would be very cautious about a proposal that looks like its going to get rid of a bunch of the existing (air ambulance bases), he told Franz Fuchs, the policy analyst at the Health Department whos led the agencys air ambulance plan.

It is very innovative, but whats it going to do to us if (it happens)? Scott added later.

The issue of how to best lower the cost of air ambulance rides has vexed Wyoming officials for some time. They arent alone: the industry is largely insulated from regulation by individual states because of a federal law passed in 1978.

The plan Fuchs has championed is unique and would require federal approval  as well as statute changes in Wyoming  to work. Not only would it expand Medicaid for the purposes of air ambulances, but it would also include having the various aircraft companies bid to become the states Medicaid provider for the service. Theoretically, because Medicaid is partially a federal program, it could get around the federal law that has reined in Wyomings efforts to curtail air ambulance costs.

Essentially, the plan would call for treating air ambulances like a utility. Ground ambulances, for instance, are usually a monopoly. By controlling the supply and better applying it across the state to meet the demand, the state could better control the costs, Fuchs said.

Its how a small town with long streets would approach fire coverage, he told the committee Friday.

Still, Scott was leery to immediately throw his weight behind the proposal, which has opponents in the air ambulance industry. Scott noted that the plan would call for potentially moving or closing some bases  where air ambulances are stationed around the state. Fuchs has said the bases could be more efficient if strategically placed and regulated. But Scott said that was a politically sensitive decision: How do you tell a community that the state is moving your air ambulance base to somewhere thats more efficient?

An attorney for one of the air ambulance companies was even blunter.

How many of those 4,000 patients a year is somebody here willing to tell, Sorry, weve decided as a Legislature, youre going to have to take ground ambulance, Cheyenne attorney Richard Mincer asked the committee. Fuchs previously told lawmakers that around 4,000 people take air ambulance rides per year.

Mincer, who represents AMGH, added that the industry was not the moneymaker that some believed it to be. He said the companies themselves were more prepared than the state to ensure air ambulances were being efficient and to let the industry make those decisions. Hes repeatedly suggested theres not nearly the price problem in Wyoming that some lawmakers have suggested there is.

While its true that 4,000-odd patients make use of air ambulances each year, the vast majority of them are not in emergency situations. Fuchs showed data to lawmakers that indicated 8.5 percent of flights were for 911 responses. The other 91.5 percent were used to take patients from one facility to another. While some of those may still be emergencies, most werent  meaning that patients could afford to wait.

In other words, Mincer argued that the state couldnt cut costs the way it planned without limiting the supply of air ambulances, which, in turn, would leave some patients in the cold. But because most of the patients who are transported by aircraft are not in an immediate medical emergency, that likely wont negatively affect those patients health outcomes.

In any case, Mincers argument is at the heart of the broader debate in Wyoming about health care costs, which are among the highest in the nation: How should the state balance access versus cost? Are Wyomingites willing to pay more so theres a specialist in their backyard? Or are they willing to travel further to pay less?

That question is Scotts political sensitivity. In a rural state with a small population, residents  and policymakers  will have to choose between high access and low cost.

As for the air ambulance plan, Fuchs told the lawmakers that the Medicaid waiver that must be filed with the federal government for approval will be drafted in the next month and will be available for public comment. It will then be sent to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in August.

Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann

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Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy."It's an honor to see Rock Springs mentioned in such a respectable publication," Rock Springs Mayor Tim Kaumo told the Rocket-Miner. "It goes to show how the hard work of our employees and dedicated volunteers are paying off. It's great to know that people across the nation and around the world have the ability to investigate who we are in Rock Springs and hopefully visit us to experience all we have to offer."Our nation and our state were founded on principles of volunteer service, self-sacrifice and courage, principles instilled in me at a young age. They ignite a passion in the American soul and inspire a sense of duty thats never more evident than in the heart of those who join our nations armed forces. How best do we honor their service, sacrifice and courage?

When I read a recent guest commentary by U.S. Navy veteran, now House Majority Whip and Republican state Rep. Tyler Lindholm of Sundance, it brought back a flood of memories and thoughts of how strongly I agree with President Trumps words in his State of the Union address, that after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace... It is time to give our brave warriors a warm welcome home.

The first memory was of standing at the Casper airport ten years ago, listening to the drum beats and songs of Native Americans singing prayers for the volunteer warriors who were being deployed, leaving their families and preparing themselves, if ordered, to go into battle.

I remembered the sense of responsibility knowing that my little brother  trying to follow his big sisters example  was among those being deployed and sent into harms way.

I remembered the veteran who came back, who took years to return to normal and be the man he was when he left. Too many of our veterans come home with permanent physical, mental and emotional injuries, and sadly, the benefits and services we promised these veterans too often arent sufficient to repay the immeasurable price they paid. Of course, the ones who came back are the lucky ones.

I also reflected on taking the oath of enlistment myself, joining the Wyoming National Guard in 2004. I wanted to serve my state and country and will never forget that when I took that oath, I pledged to obey the lawful orders given me, at that time by Gov. Dave Freudenthal and President George W. Bush.

In 2009, Gov. Freudenthal seemed truly conflicted when he had to deploy the largest group of soldiers in Wyoming history. He seemed to take seriously the oath we as soldiers took, and spared nothing in supporting our soldiers and their families.

Fast forward to 2016, when the Lander unit deployed, and Gov. Matt Mead was an hour late, keeping our deploying soldiers waiting and taking away precious time with their families their last night home.

Every year, it seems Wyoming is sending more and more troops, active duty and National Guard, to wars in Africa and the Middle East that have no end, impacting so many soldiers, families and businesses in an endless revolving door of deployments.

But weve been in conflict so long that many of us are desensitized to this revolving door.

In just the last month, weve deployed two more units of Wyoming soldiers, one to the Middle East and another to Kosovo, part of a six-phase deployment statewide planned in 2019.

As I look back on the reasons I enlisted, I remember my freshman year in high school, watching the Twin Towers fall in New York City. Now, two decades later, were deploying soldiers who werent even born when the Towers fell! Theyve never known America not at war.

When does it stop, and at what cost do we keep sending our troops to never-ending conflicts and other peoples civil wars? When can we move forward?

I believe its time to end our involvement in these never-ending conflicts and bring our troops home. Protect our own country. Spend the trillions weve spent overseas on our own people, our border security, infrastructure and schools.

If you agree, sign the petition at www.WyBringOurTroopsHome.com to Congresswoman Liz Cheney of the House Armed Services Committee and Sen. John Barrasso of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urging them to bring our troops home.

Bethany Baldes of Riverton served 6 years in the Wyoming Army National Guard. She is a wife, mother of three and was a Libertarian candidate for the Wyoming House of Representatives in 2018.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Looking out over a Wind River Range valley of trees, a meadow and a stream, we can see that people all over the world are busy at work using fossil fuels, because there is a thick haze obscuring the mountains. No matter which sovereign nation creates air pollution, theres still just one sky. Wyomings politicians aspire to send more coal to Asia, but they will in return only send us money for the One Percenters, and more smog for the rest of us.

Given that Wyomings coal miners are continually given the shaft with each coal-mine bankruptcy, at what point do we ask, Are these good jobs? Also, why are Wyomings politicians not making a big noise to defend Wyoming workers? Our Washington Congressional delegation, the undynamic trio of Mike Enzi, Liz Cheney and John Barrasso, do not support legislation to protect health care and retirement benefits for coal miners.

Workers in gas and oil do no better. With drillings booms and busts, and little or no help for workers injured on the job, when do we ask, Could we hold employers accountable?

Our state has some 21 billion dollars invested elsewhere, so we have lots of money but no economy. That money should be intelligently invested within this state, not put into the risky stock market. Our former state treasurer, and current governor, Mark Gordon, is upholding economic conditions common in the Third World. A First World economy is partly defined by an equitable distribution of wealth, great infrastructure and strong social institutions, and steady and improving conditions for everyone.

Wyoming needs, and can afford, a kind of State New Deal, and make it green, so that we can see unhazy mountains again. For this to occur: No. 1, we have to stop fossil-fuel companies from running roughshod over us; No. 2, we must elect candidates who share this vision. The right people would not necessarily be Democrats or Republicans; Wyomingites are sick of these naughty children. We need to elect Independent candidates, part Libertarian and part Socialist, depending on the issue.

We really must do this, because our repeatedly elected politicians absolutely refuse to look at our energy and economic prospects with clear eyes. As time passes, another fossil-fuel boom is less and less likely. If demand for fossil fuels spikes, because of a major war or something, these suddenly more expensive fuels will only serve to make solar and wind that much more competitive, because they will not go up in price. This would hasten the day when fossil fuels will become valueless.

Fossil fuels are commodities that must be paid for. On the other hand, energy derived from solar and wind do not require the input of any kind of commodity. The energy these create is produced by physics married to technology. In this case its all about scale, design and mechanical setup. Many Wyomingites excel at these things, but most of our creative and working efforts are still focused on fossil fuels. This is bad because they are becoming globally odious, and their economic marginalization is just over the horizon.

Some interesting questions are, if coal sold for a nickel a ton, oil for a buck a barrel and natural gas for a dime per cubic foot, could they outcompete solar and wind? Ridiculously, todays answer is, Probably. As solar and wind prices continue to fall, however, tomorrows answer is No. This is the sort of situation that political leaders are supposed to give a little thought to, but in Wyoming they clearly dont understand, or believe, any of this. Instead, they are prevaricating with a fairy tale about a vegetative paradise we will soon be enjoying because of all the wonderful carbon being pumped into the atmosphere.

Crazily, Governor Gordon said, (May 7, 2019) We can burn it (coal) better  than anywhere in the world and be part of the climate solution  We will have a strong coal industry moving forward 

Though this is just anecdotal, in the 36 years that I have lived in Colorado and Wyoming, and according to several ole-tymers who have lived in the Rockies double that time, the sky is hazier than it was three decades ago. This is borne out scientifically, too, as is the case almost universally (Britain excepted). We have, after all, just one sky. This should concern anyone worried about respiratory illnesses, like asthma, as well as those of us who just like an unhazy view of the mountains.

Tom Gagnon lives in Rock Springs.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 10General Dynamics Information Technology  a major partner in the Raytheon-led Warrior Training Alliance that executed the earlier FOCUS contract  notified the state in February it was laying off 201 workers at Fort Huachuca.

General Dynamics spokesman Tom Doheny confirmed the layoffs were prompted by the Army contract changes.

But he said many of those employees will continue to work for General Dynamics on other task orders under ongoing and anticipated contracts, while some will have the opportunity to work on the same programs with new employers.

Our priority will always be taking care of our employees and finding every possible avenue to keep them on board, Doheny said.

The current number of General Dynamics employees at Fort Huachuca was not immediately available, but as recently as 2016 the company employed about 600 workers there, according to the Star 200 survey of major employers.

Tony Boone, director of economic development for the city of Sierra Vista, said the community will likely suffer few, if any, net job losses as a result of the contract changes, as most workers are immediately re-employed.A trial judge threw out the case on Nissans claim of federal preemption, leading to this appeal.

Weinzweig said both DOT and NHTSA have shown palpable and enduring interest in the development of automatic emergency braking and continues to explore test procedures and the effectiveness of these systems and to refine the performance criteria that should be used to assess these systems.

More recently, he said, NHTSA is seeking ways to incentivize manufacturers to install new technologies.

Shumway said the agency has gotten commitments from 20 car companies to make them standard in 2022.

But that, said Shumway, is not enough. Nor, he said, should it immunize manufacturers from failing to install clearly available  and he contends affordable  safety features.

Statistically, were talking about many, many thousands of deaths every year and hundreds of thousands of serious injuries that are not being prevented by the withholding of these, Shumway said.Five Franciscan friars who once staffed churches on the Tohono Oodham reservation near Tucson have been named to a new list of Roman Catholic clergy credibly accused of child molestation during their careers.

The five, all now deceased, were members of the California-based Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. Barbara. Four of the five were assigned at various times to the historic San Xavier Mission, the religious order recently disclosed on its website.

The list, which covers the last 50 or so years, does not say precisely when and where the alleged incidents occurred or whether any of the complaints the religious order has received came from local tribal members.

The five friars who served locally were identified as:

Brother Camillus Cavagnaro  Cavagnaro worked on the reservation from 1964 to 1971, from 1973 to 1978 and from 2006 to 2007 at San Xavier Mission and other churches and chapels on tribal land. The Franciscans received a report in 2004 that he engaged in sexual abuse of a minor from 1962 to 1965, a timeframe that partially overlaps one of his stints on the Oodham reservation. Cavagnaro died in Tucson in 2011 at age 92.Mary Babicke, a mother to four sons, has been a member of the parish since she was young girl and attended school there. She said she will never forget when her father suffered a heart attack in 2009 and she called Cahalane in the wee hours of that morning, and he came to the hospital right away. Days later, he gave her father last rites before he died.

Babicke said when one of her sons decided to go to West Point, Cahalane held a special prayer service for her sons protection. It brought the mother a sense of calmness and peace. This peace has extended to her family, she said, when undergoing surgeries, fertility struggles, funerals and countless other times of pain and sorrow.

Fedigan was an alienated Catholic who returned to the church 20 years ago through Cahalanes program in which he made us feel welcomed and engaged us in living our Catholic faith. He has been our champion and miracle person. He always has been very supportive.

Cahalane works with Fedigan at the womens center. He sits on the centers board of directors and also serves as the chaplain.

In retirement, Cahalane plans to travel first to Ireland and visit his sister and brother on the familys farm, which sits on green fertile land.

I sleep in the room where I was born when I go home. The house is more than 100 years old.

Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at cduarte@tucson.com or 573-4104.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The report has a Chamber of Commerce feel and flavor, strongly suggesting that Tucson can and should expand. Looking at the committee roster, it appears that all the members were white and male  the movers and shakers of the time, including Roy P. Drachman.

The community must strive to create those conditions which will best achieve its desire to make Tucson a city which is healthful, pleasant, efficient and prosperous, and which has those special qualities which identify it unmistakably as Tucson, it said. Yet, it added, Tucson must develop an identity.

But if the report were issued today, likely it would include topics that were unforeseen or ignored in 1966  racial and gender diversity and inclusion, environmental degradation and climate change, trade with Mexico and the border, gentrification of the citys downtown barrios, sustainability and promotion of alternatives to vehicles.

The committee today would, hopefully, include women and people of color.

A committee today would probably report that more affordable housing is needed, that public education requires more resources, that the local economy should be diversified and not rely on home construction and on call and distribution centers.This weekend, Ivchenko is scheduled to fly to Newark, N.J., with the woman and her daughter to meet the womans husband, who is in New York state. Then Ivchenko will return to Tucson for her second week at the monastery.

If motivation wanes

For many volunteers at the migrant shelters, the presence of children and families is what is especially motivating. But as time goes on, if this wave doesnt subside, even they may exercise less of a tug on peoples consciences.

I asked Stuart Mellan, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Arizona, about its recent contributions to Casa Alitas, the migrant shelter. The group raised $75,000 for the effort, which the shelter program can draw on for specific needs.

But Mellan is concerned about how things will go if the crisis continues, going from acute to chronic.

Sustainability is always a worry, he said. Its in the news; people are compassionate. Is the interest level going to stay?After 3 p.m. on most school days, the Joel D. Valdez Main Librarys teen 101Space rings with laughter and conversation.

Teens gather and pull out homework, borrow headphones and unwind with Fortnite or Minecraft, chat with their friends, or grab craft supplies so they can paint, make pinback buttons or work on school projects.

Our youth are loyal customers. Most come in almost daily and stay for multiple hours. They use the library regularly and with depth, allowing for a deeper involvement with their community and peers.

Most young people start coming to the library because they want to see their friends and use computers, but as they build relationships with the library staff and one another, they grow their involvement and become library volunteers, members of Teen Advisory Boards, or partners that create and present special programs.

One of the things I love most about my job is helping teens understand local government and connecting them to the resources they need to take their leadership to the next level. I feel lucky to work with them to build engaging programs, make cool stuff, and create a tight-knit community where people feel safe and welcome.Is this country not simply defined in the ethics and values of being a a Christian nation? To see such harassment and to imprisoned somebody hVietnam's homegrown carmaker VinFast will deliver its first cars on June 17, the company said Friday as it showcased a factory in one of Asia's fastest growing economies.

VinFast said it will supply a domestic market that is rapidly expanding thanks to a mushrooming middle class with a growing appetite for cars -- though it will face stiff competition from well-established players like Toyota and Ford.

The carmaker is a subsidiary of Vietnam's largest private conglomerate, Vingroup, which is owned by the country's richest man.

It is seeking to tap into national pride with vehicles that include sedan and SUV models, along with e-scooters and even electric buses.

"In less than 72 hours, the first Vietnamese branded cars will officially be driven on the streets of Vietnam," said Vingroup director general Nguyen Viet Quang.

Quang -- speaking at the sprawling factory in Hai Phong where rows of red, white and grey cars were being assembled -- said the company has received orders for 10,000 cars and "tens of thousands" of e-scooters.

Vietnam's Prime Minister said he hoped the vehicles would help Vietnam become a household name -- alongside auto-making heavyweights Japan and Germany.

"Vietnamese are able to do what the world can," PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said.

Vietnam's fast-growing economy has largely been buoyed by cheaply manufactured goods like sneakers, T-shirts and computer processors.

GDP growth hit 7.1 percent last year, and the World Bank says annual growth is expected to reach 6.6 percent later this year.

The country has said it hopes to move into value-added and high-tech manufacturing like more developed neighbors like South Korea and Japan.

Vietnam currently assembles foreign-branded cars for a growing domestic market: auto sales are up 22 percent year-on-year over the past five months, according to Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

The Vingroup empire includes housing, resorts, farms, schools, hospitals, shopping malls and smartphones.

CEO Vuong is worth an estimated $7.7 billion, according to Forbes.Your browser does not support the audio element.

A multi-department inspection team has discovered a large number of fake textbooks at a bookstore in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, in the countrys largest pirated coursebook haul ever busted, officials said on Thursday.

Officials found 72,602 pirated versions of the official textbooks used in Vietnams K-12 system at the My Huyen Bookstore in Hoai Nhon District after the inspection on Wednesday.

In Vietnam, the authentic textbooks are published the Vietnam Education Publishing House, each of which is placed with an anti-counterfeiting stamp.

The inspectors said they decided to check the Binh Dinh bookstore as the stamps placed on textbooks on sale there showed signs of suspicion.

The bookstore where the pirated textbooks were discovered is seen in Binh Dinh, south-central Vietnam, June 12, 2019. Photo: Tuan Nghia / Tuoi Tre

The bookstore owner failed to provide relevant documents to prove the origins of the books as per requested, one member of the inspection team said.

The pirated textbooks have been sealed and confiscated for investigation.

The bookstores owner, Le Van Hai, was summoned to work with the inspection team on Thursday, according to Tran Kim Kha, director of the provincial information department.

Hai admitted at the working session that he sourced the textbooks at cheap rates to sell at lower prices than market rates, just to help people to buy them at affordable prices.

The textbooks have the exactly same contents as authentic ones published by the Vietnam Education Publishing House, except for their low paper quality, Hai said in defending his 'good deed.'

Pham Thi Thu Huong, deputy director of the Vietnam Education Publishing Houses branch in the central city of Da Nang, said this was the biggest volume of pirated textbooks ever been discovered.

The pirated textbooks are seized after the inspection in Binh Dinh, south-central Vietnam, June 12, 2019. Photo: Tuan Nghia / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!As the inevitable switch to a cash-free society looms over Vietnam, many expats and foreign tourists believe a cashless revolution could bring big benefits to the Southeast Asian country.

Tuoi Tre News asked some foreigners for their view on the possibilities and shortcomings of a cashless Vietnam, as the country will observe the maiden Cashless Day on June 16.

The benefits

Raphael Galuz, a French expat who has spent the past three years living in Ho Chi Minh City says he typically does his best to pay with plastic at shopping malls, hotels, big restaurants, and convenience stores, but its not always easy.

I like being able to pay by card at businesses that dont require a minimum purchase because I dont always have too much cash on me, he shared with Tuoi Tre News.

According to Galuz, cashless payments make it easy to keep track of monthly spending.

I wish there were more places I could pay by card, he said. How great would it be to just swipe by card or pay by mobile for a plate of com tam [Vietnamese broken rice grilled ribs]?

At the moment, the 30-year-old Frenchman said he still has double check that he has enough cash before taking his girlfriend out to eat because a couple of times I was embarrassed when the restaurant didnt take card and I didnt have enough cash.

Of course, there are more pragmatic reasons for businesses, especially eateries, to go cashless.

If you go to restaurant with friends, it's easier to split the bills because not everyone has exact change, he said, adding that Cash is also a hotbed of bacteria because it goes hand-to-hand.

According to Galuz, the benefits of a cashless society reach far beyond individual convenience.

Cashless transactions make the entire economy more transparent, and a more transparent economy is typically more trusted by society, Galuz explained.

Vietnamese people seem to only trust what they can see and touch, that's why so many payments are still made in physical currency, whether its USD, VND or gold, Galuz opined.

This has serious impacts on the country because it means that fewer taxes are collected leading to less funding for public projects such as schools, hospitals, and roads, he added.

Other expats in Vietnam seem to share Galuzs view, with many sharing that they would feel safer if they didnt have to carry cash in their wallets.

If our bags are stolen, we wont lose much money if we cancel our cards quickly, Wayne Jordan from the UK suggested.

Filipino John Bayarong shared that hes rarely had any trouble paying with card during the last five years he spent living in the country.

The man who switches off between using his Filipino credit card and his Vietnamese debit card said he always tries to use plastic for any amount over VND500,000 (over US$21).

A customer pays without cash at a milk tea shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh/ Tuoi Tre

Missing pieces

Although some expats seem to prefer living a cashless lifestyle, many say they often come across difficulties while trying to use cards in Vietnam.

I only have an international credit card and the banks fees make it uneconomical to use regularly in Vietnam, Australian Ray Kuschert, a six-year resident in Vietnam said. Currency exchange fees and extra charges could definitely be reasons why foreigners hesitate to use international cards in Vietnam.

Several foreigners also agreed that Vietnams street food culture makes the switch from cash to card pretty difficult.

Taiwanese tourist Lu Ling Kai shared that, while he supports the benefits of cashless payment and believes it should be encouraged by the local government, street food vendors dont have systems in place to accept plastic.

Some places accept e-wallet payments, but that method is much more popular to Vietnamese people than to foreigners who are just visiting the country for a few weeks, he added.

Lu also noted the important role cash plays in Vietnamese culture, pointing out that it is a societal tradition to present cash on birthdays and weddings in lieu of other gifts.

You cant replace that habit with cashless payments because it might be considered rude, Lu Ling Kai said.

Other reasons foreigners have said they hesitate to use cards in Vietnam are concerns over privacy, the fear of dealing with banks in Vietnam, uncontrollable spending.

I think its possible for Vietnam to go cashless in the future, but not for a while; Its in the culture and its in their blood, Wayne Jordan, a British expat, expressed.

"Maybe over time things will change but I think its just a waiting game."

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Your browser does not support the audio element.

A Vietnamese mother who chose to give up on her cancer treatment so her unborn child could live has finally been able to meet her son, 21 days after her successful premature delivery.

Nguyen Thi Lien touched hearts across the nation after her story made headlines late last month.

The Hanoi woman was diagnosed with end-stage breast cancer in March, when she was in her fifth month pregnancy. The mother-to-be decided to pass on radiation therapy to maintain the fetal development of her child, despite high possibility of death for herself.

Lien, 28, eventually had to undergo a surgery to have her baby taken out prematurely, as her condition became really severe.

The boy said hello to the world on May 22 in the tears of happiness of his family, especially his father, Do Van Hung.

But the mother was not able to meet her son, who was named Do Binh An, meaning peaceful, after delivery, as her health grew weaker. With Lien falling into a coma at times, doctors had even feared the worst, that she would never make it to see her son for the first time.

Lien is being treated at the National Cancer Hospital, while her son receives treatment at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The two hospitals are both in Hanoi and located only ten kilometers apart, but no one had believed the mother could cover such a not-too-far distance to meet her child.

But miracle happened on Thursday this week, as her husband took her to the obstetric hospital to see their 21-day-old son for the first time ever.

A heartfelt reunion

At around 9:00 am on Thursday, an ambulance carrying Lien, accompanied by Tran Van Thuan, director of the National Cancer Hospital, arrived at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

A wheelchair was given to Hung so he could take his wife to the isolation room where their son is being treated. By that time, the couple were only a few steps away from the moment they had been waiting for, for too long, the husband said.

Lien arrives at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ready to meet her son. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

For the very first time since she gave birth to Binh An, Lien was finally able to hold him in her arms.

She could only spend seven to eight minutes with her son, as both of them had to quickly return to continue their respective treatment.

I could see tears in the mothers eyes, an attendant of the newborn care center of the hospital recalled the heartfelt moment filled with happiness he witnessed firsthand.

The mother was so weak that she could only nod her head while holding the baby.

Lien holds Binh An for the first time. Photo: National Cancer Hospital

Earlier last week, the eldest daughter of Lien and Hung paid a visit to the mother at the National Cancer Hospital. On Thursday, she was also allowed to visit her younger brother with her grandmother.

The family did not waste such a precious opportunity to take a reunion photo.

The picture, showing a couple with their two children and the grandma, may be just a normal photo for other families, but Lien and Hung know it is an invaluable treasure to them.

Lien and Hung pose for a photo with their two children. Photo: National Cancer Hospital

After the special visit to her son, Lien has returned to treatment at the cancer hospital.

Hung said she has been making significant progress, even managing to stand on her own, something our family had never believed could be possible.

And Binh An, the boy named after peace, has also been bringing joy and hope to the family.

The prematurely born child that weighed only 1.50 kg at birth now weighs 1.75kg. The child no longer needed a ventilator machine to breathe, and is also making progress like his brave mother.

I long for the day when I can take my wife and my youngest son home, where our eldest daughter has been waiting for both of them, the husband said.

The happy moment of Lien as she sees her son for the first time. Photo: National Cancer Hospital

Lien is accompanied by a group of doctors during the meeting. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Only 30 minutes after meeting her son, Lien has to return to the National Cancer Hospital. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Doctors help dress Lien with special clothes before entering the isolation room to see her son. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Lien is taken on a wheelchair to meet her son at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Your browser does not support the audio element.

While Vietnam continues to debate whether or not to preserve or tear down old buildings, a project undertaken by a Japanese man in the early 2000s to document over 1,200 churches in Vietnam serves as an important reminder that history cannot be erased.

Dr. Tomoharu Katano was a doctoral fellow when he conducted a field trip across the northern Vietnamese provinces of Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Thai Binh between June and November 2007 to document churches in the northern region.

The six-month expedition, and another one he made in January 2009, took him to 1,224 churches in the three provinces, belonging to some of Vietnams largest and oldest Catholic dioceses.

On rented motorbikes, Katanos mission was to access churches in even the most remote of places in order to photograph exterior and interior of each building he visited and map their location into a GPS coordinate system.

Katano shared that he found it astounding that, with such an immense number of churches, Vietnam had no systematic scientific research on the religious buildings unique architectural value.

For the next four years, Yukimasa and his peers worked under the instruction of Dr. Yamada Yukimasa to pursue a thesis that examined 69 of the churches more closely.

The team received funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science as well as support from the three Vietnamese dioceses of Bui Chu in Nam Dinh, Phat Diem in Ninh Binh, and Thai Binh in the namesake province.

Dr. Tomoharu Katano (C) examines a church in Vietnam in this photo he provided to Tuoi Tre.

They were joined by researchers from the Hue University of Sciences in the projects second phase, which concluded in 2018.

All data collected from the research has been sent to Vietnams Department of Cultural Heritage and the local culture departments of Vietnamese provinces where the churches being studied are located.

Dr. Katano said he found it fascinating that these Vietnamese churches are supported by a system of wooden columns and truss, similar to those found in local pagodas, but the front of these buildings are built from bricks with hints of Europes Gothic or Romanesque architecture.

This hybrid between Vietnamese and Western architectures is unique to churches in Vietnam and a particularly interesting feature of architecture in the region.

The high density of churches in Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh and Thai Binh also adds an invaluable cultural landscape to the region, he said, adding that it could a tourist magnet if given proper though and investment.

Revenue from tourism can then be spent on conserving these heritages, the Japanese expert suggested.

The Bui Chu Cathedral in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Last month, the 134-year-old Bui Chu Cathedral in Nam Dinh  home to a namesake diocese with over 412,000 Catholics  was on the verge of being disassembled completely for reconstruction.

It was only days before work was set to begin that the plan was indefinitely put on hold due to public backlash.

Bui Chu is the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in Vietnam, founded in 1533 during the first wave of European missionaries who visited the area in order to proselytize.

We [Japan] also had a period of blindly destroying heritages, but we have realized our mistake and are trying to fix it, Dr. Katano said.

I hope Vietnam will not repeat our mistake. You still have time to protect your rich treasure of architectural heritage.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Here are todays leading news stories.

Politics

-- The seventh session of the 14th National Assembly (NA) wrapped up in Hanoi on Friday, completing all items on its 20-day working agenda.

-- Helicopter carrier Izumo and destroyer Murasame of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on Friday anchored at Cam Ranh International Port in the south central province of Khanh Hoa, beginning a four-day visit to Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Society

-- A tractor trailer crashed a car heading to Ho Chi Minh City on a section of National Highway 22 passing through Trang Bang District, in the southern province of Tay Ninh at about 6:00 am on Friday, killing the driver and all four passengers on board.

-- Mien Dong (Eastern) Bus Station in Ho Chi Minh Citys Binh Thanh District has sought to reduce congestion in front of its entrances by equipping buses with digital parking cards that allow them to pass the gates without stopping the vehicles.

-- A two-day court in the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho on Friday imposed a 20-year imprisonment sentence to Tran Anh Huy, former director of a local branch of Vietcombank, for violating regulations in the provision of loans.

-- Police of the northern province of Lao Cai have arrested three men, who attempted to illegally transport 16 bricks of heroin to China. They are members of an inter-provincial and trans-national drug trafficking ring from Laos to China, with two connecting points in Vietnam - the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak and Lao Cai.

Business

-- Several household eateries located along a section of National Highway 1 passing through the two districts of Le Thuy and Quang Ninh in the north-central province of Quang Binh have complained that a ban on trucks and passenger buses through the section have affected their businesses with a significant drop of customers.

-- The third European Art of Living Exhibition - EuroSphere 2019 which gathers over 50 European age-old brands in the fields of food and beverage, fashion, jewelry, cosmetics, perfume, furniture, cars, education, real estate and tourism, is taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from June 14 to 16.

Lifestyle

-- A series of cultural activities to boost summer tourism, including an international womens beach volleyball open tour, a coracle paddling race, a cuisine competition and a photo and painting exhibition, is taking place on the pristine beach of Ha Thanh Village of Tam Ky Citys Tam Thanh commune, in the central province of Quang Nam, from June 14-18.

Sports

-- Vietnam jumped to the 96th place on the FIFA Rankings, their highest rank in 20 years, according to the latest updates by the football governing body on Friday.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!Congratulations to our very own @Jo_Hall9, whos celebrating an incredible 40 years with #9News! pic.twitter.com/lw3ratotNr  9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) June 15, 2019

Congrats to enduring Nine News presenter Jo Hall who has now chalked up 40 years with the network.

Hall, who joined Nine in 1979, hosts regional Victorian bulletins for Nine and Southern Cross, plus updates and human interest stories.

Over the decades Hall has done it all as a news presenter, juggling life as a single mum.

When she celebrated 35 years with the network she told TV Tonight she welcomed the change from Melbourne weekend presenter to reporting.

Its proved to be the best thing ever, because Ive never been happier with what Im doing, with beautiful feature stories on whatever subject I want to do, she said.

When I look back on weekends I think How on earth did I do that for as long as I did?

(Change) was the best thing ever.

For the latest video tribute she tweeted, 4 decades of my two worlds. Not colliding. In harmony ?Legendary Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, whose credits included The Taming of the Shrew & Jesus of Nazareth, has died aged 96.

He died on Saturday a spokeswoman for his foundation in Rome confirmed. He had been debilitated by pnuemonia he contracted around two weeks ago but had failed to recover.

Zeffirelli, whose prolific work in the second half of the 20th century established him as one of the countrys most cherished creative figures, had been debilitated by pnuemonia he contracted

Known for theatre, opera and film his 1968 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet earned him an Oscar nomination, while his film The Taming of the Shrew, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, endures as one of the 20th centurys most celebrated retellings of a Shakespearean comedy.

Operatic films included La Traviata and Otello, regarded as classics of the genre, and the director staged shows in many of the worlds most prestigious opera houses, including many for television.

Jesus of Nazareth a pioneering British television miniseries, further cemented his status as a leading artistic figure of recent decades.

Source: CNNAmanda Knox arrived in Milan midweek for the Modena conference organised by the Italian version of Innocence Projects, which lasts through the weekend. At the airport, press photos reveal she made a great show of bowing her head and looking fragile, "I feel frayed", she wrote, on social media, The Telegraph reported. Her boyfriend Christopher Robinson was looking on in the background. Mom Edda is supposedly there but hasnt been featured in news reports as of yet.

Sincere or acting?

Once again, the world gets a glimpse of Amanda Knox who some believe is the consummate actress who can never resist "hamming it up", because of the gestures and body language to convey high drama.

Remember her clutching her chest, cross-armed, in a gesture of gratitude when news came her conviction had been annulled, for the benefit of the photographers on her doorstep? The Guardian covered that news.

There was the time she pressed her hands together in front of her, as a gesture of humble thanks at the conference in Seattle after she was released in 2011 by Judge Hellman. Just hours earlier as she changed flights at Heathrow, she was seen laughing gleefully. Or, the most famous occasion of all, when she gesticulated wildly and dramatically from the dock, as she made her final submissions to the court after her trial, enunciating each word in Italian?

Prior to that, she was pictured outside the cottage on the day after the murder waving her hands about as a gaggle of reporters eagerly leant forward to discover what had happened.

She wore a pristine white skirt. So, image is all to Amanda Knox and this visit to Modena is no exception. We can expect to see a lot more of her heightened body language.

Knox meets up with old friend Peter Pringle in Modena

The Daily Mail reported on Friday that she is due to speak Saturday, supposedly of her 'trial by media' where she appeared to be visibly emotional, wiping away a tear, as old friend Peter Pringle gave his testimony of his time on "Death Row for 14 years." Plus there's the Italian innocence claimer, Angelo Massaro, little known in the English-speaking world, who is described in the Italian news agency ANSA as "Tarantino acquitted - and released from prison - after a conviction for murder".

So, once again, attention was on Knox, who appears fully aware of the world's press focus on her. Amanda is captured wiping away a dry tear as Pringle speaks.

The Pringle Connection

As part of her "Innocence" campaign, you may recall Knox travelled early last year, February 2018, to the Republic of Ireland to appear in the Raymond DArcy Show.

It was thought her connection to Ireland is her earlier connection to Innocence campaigners, Peter Pringle and Sunny Jacobs. The link continues. Peter Pringle has now also turned up in Modena for the very same Justice Festival.

Amanda Knox appeared with Peter Pringle on K5News channel in May 2017, together with Pringle's then partner, 'Sunny' Jacobs.

Dublin-born, Pringle had spent seventeen years in prison, on death row, for the alleged murder of two young policemen during a bungled robbery in Roscommon. Pringle has always maintained his innocence. The last person to be executed in Ireland was in 1954. Pringle was never in any real danger of the death penalty as an Act of Parliament had stayed it shortly after Pringle's conviction.

Pringle made a bid for compensation from Ireland in January 2018. The judgment was reserved and we have heard nothing more since.

Peter and Amanda certainly seem to keep reuniting, as they make their way from country to country as innocence speakers: Dabbing an eye here and giving their moving testimonies there.The River Foyle, which marks the border between Ireland on the right and Northern Ireland on the left. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne/ Reuters

The European Union has announced that it will provide almost 9m (7.98m) in funding for a 30-acre park that will cross the Northern Ireland border.

The Riverine project, which is designed to increase cross-border understanding, will stretch from Strabane, a town in west Tyrone, to Lifford, a town in the neighbouring county of Donegal.

The money comes from a 270m pot of funding that was created by the EU in 2014 to support peace and reconciliation projects in both Northern Ireland and the counties in Ireland that sit along the seamless border.

Some 9m will also be provided by Irelands rural and community development department, and Northern Irelands communities department.

Gina McIntyre, from the EU body that awards the funding, noted that the project would create a shared space which citizens can enjoy together, irrespective of their background.

The money will be used to build a pavilion building, outdoor wetland and park space, cross-border pathways, and a pedestrian footbridge that will span the River Foyle.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Michaela Boyle said that the project could be a real catalyst for transformation and said that it would further strengthen cross-border links.

The Northern Ireland border, which currently has no visible infrastructure, has come into sharp focus in the Brexit debate.

The UK has been forced to delay its departure from the European Union as a result of disagreements about the backstop that is designed to prevent the occurence of a hard border.

Both Ireland and the European Union fear that the emergence of a hard border would disrupt the peace and stability seen on the island of Ireland since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Before the signing of the agreement, clashes between paramilitary loyalists and republicans  known simply as the Troubles  took the lives of around 3,600 people.

The EUs Peace programme, where the funding for the Riverine project comes from, was created in 1994 as a positive response to paramilitary ceasefires in Northern Ireland.

Whilst significant progress has been made since then, there remains a need to improve cross-community relations and where possible further integrate divided communities, the website for the project notes.A baby boy who was cut from his mothers womb with a butchers knife has died in hospital where he had been in grave condition since the April attack that killed his mother, the family said.

Yovanny Jadiel Lopez died at Christ Medical Centre in Oak Lawn, Chicago, from a severe brain injury, according to a statement posted on Facebook by family spokeswoman Julie Contreras, who expressed great sadness in announcing the babys death. Family spokeswoman Cecilia Garcia confirmed the statement.

The baby had been on life support since being taken to the hospital on April 23.

Prosecutors say Clarisa Figueroa, 46, claimed she had given birth to the baby. She and her 24-year-old daughter Desiree are charged with murder over the death of the babys mother, 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, and Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said he expects both women will now be charged with murder in the infants death.

Pioter Bobak, Clarisa Figueroa and Desiree Figueroa (Chicago Police Department/AP)

Prosecutors will make a determination on additional charges after police and the medical examiners office complete their investigations, Cook County States Attorneys Office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said.

Clarisa Figueroas boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, is charged with concealing a homicide. The three defendants are due back in court on June 26.

Ms Garcia said the family had been weighing whether to take the baby off life support when he died.

Christ Medical Centre said in a statement that its hearts and prayers were with the babys family, and their courage and grace have drawn the admiration of our entire organisation.

Authorities say that not long after Clarisa Figueroas adult son died of natural causes, she told her family she was pregnant. They say she plotted for months to acquire a newborn, and posted an ultrasound and photos of a room decorated for a baby on her Facebook page.

In March, she and Ms Ochoa-Lopez connected on a Facebook page for pregnant women.

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The two first met in person around April 1, when Ms Ochoa-Lopez went to the Figueroas house and left unharmed, prosecutors allege.

The teenager returned on April 23 to accept Clarisa Figueroas offer of free baby clothes, and as Desiree Figueroa was showing Ms Ochoa-Lopez a photo album of her late brother to distract her, Clarisa Figueroa sneaked up behind her and strangled her with a cord, prosecutors say.

Once Ms Ochoa-Lopez stopped showing signs of life, Clarisa Figueroa cut the baby from her womb and she and her daughter wrapped the teenagers body in a blanket, put it in a plastic bag and dragged it outside to a rubbish bin, according to prosecutors.

Later that day, Clarisa Figueroa called 911 claiming that her newborn baby was not breathing. When first responders arrived, the child was blue. They tried to resuscitate him and took him to Christ Medical Centre, where he remained until his death.A pair of explosions rocked Somalia's capital and left eight people dead, the director of an ambulance service said Saturday, as the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility. Another 16 people were wounded, some of them seriously, Dr. Abdiqadir Aden with the Aamin ambulance service told The Associated Press. He said a car bomb detonated near the Somali parliament headquarters in Mogadishu and caused the most damage.Al-Shabab, which often targets the capital, said the blasts were meant to strike the first line of security checkpoints for the heavily fortified airport and the presidential palace. The airport is home to a number of diplomatic offices. The palace is a frequent al-Shabab target."I was at a short distance from the blast and I saw several people dead including two women, a passenger and two men, some of whom were elderly," witness Hussein Mohamed told the AP. "This is really very terrible."Al-Shabab was responsible for the horrific truck bombing in Mogadishu in October 2017 that killed more than 500 people in one of the world's deadliest extremist attacks since 9/11 .The United States military has dramatically increased the number of airstrikes against al-Shabab in the past couple of years, seeking to limit the territory the group controls in central and southern Somalia and make it more difficult for fighters to circulate.In a report to the United Nations Security Council circulated last month, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres noted an increase in security operations "and a large number of airstrikes targeting al-Shabab training bases and assembly points" that were deemed to have degraded its operating capability and freedom of movement."They have also led, however, to increased al-Shabab movement into urban centers, in particular Mogadishu, where their forces are less likely to be targeted from the air," he said.Guterres added that Somalia is making progress toward building a functioning state after three decades of civil war, extremist attacks and famine but that insecurity, political instability and corruption remain major challenges.The multinational African Union force in Somalia continues to gradually withdraw personnel in preparation for Somali government forces to assume responsibility for the country's security. Those forces, however, have been described by U.S. military officials and others as not yet ready for the job.(AP)

A pair of explosions rocked Somalia's capital and left eight people dead, the director of an ambulance service said Saturday, as the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

Another 16 people were wounded, some of them seriously, Dr. Abdiqadir Aden with the Aamin ambulance service told The Associated Press. He said a car bomb detonated near the Somali parliament headquarters in Mogadishu and caused the most damage.

Al-Shabab, which often targets the capital, said the blasts were meant to strike the first line of security checkpoints for the heavily fortified airport and the presidential palace. The airport is home to a number of diplomatic offices. The palace is a frequent al-Shabab target.

"I was at a short distance from the blast and I saw several people dead including two women, a passenger and two men, some of whom were elderly," witness Hussein Mohamed told the AP. "This is really very terrible."

Al-Shabab was responsible for the horrific truck bombing in Mogadishu in October 2017 that killed more than 500 people in one of the world's deadliest extremist attacks since 9/11 .

The United States military has dramatically increased the number of airstrikes against al-Shabab in the past couple of years, seeking to limit the territory the group controls in central and southern Somalia and make it more difficult for fighters to circulate.

In a report to the United Nations Security Council circulated last month, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres noted an increase in security operations "and a large number of airstrikes targeting al-Shabab training bases and assembly points" that were deemed to have degraded its operating capability and freedom of movement.

"They have also led, however, to increased al-Shabab movement into urban centers, in particular Mogadishu, where their forces are less likely to be targeted from the air," he said.

Guterres added that Somalia is making progress toward building a functioning state after three decades of civil war, extremist attacks and famine but that insecurity, political instability and corruption remain major challenges.

The multinational African Union force in Somalia continues to gradually withdraw personnel in preparation for Somali government forces to assume responsibility for the country's security. Those forces, however, have been described by U.S. military officials and others as not yet ready for the job.

(AP)Cuba Gooding Jr has pleaded not guilty to forcible touching and sexual abuse after a woman accused the actor of groping her.

The 51-year-old Oscar-winning actor was arraigned on Thursday after turning himself in to police.

He smiled as he entered the courtroom in handcuffs and led by two officers.

A 29-year-old woman told police Gooding placed his hand on her breast while he was drunk on Sunday night in a bar in New York City.

Gooding's lawyer said security video will exonerate the Jerry Maguire star.

"Mr Gooding has not acted inappropriately in any shape or form," he said.

"Nothing in the video could even be considered ambiguous, and I frankly am shocked and horrified that this case is being prosecuted."

Gooding's next court appearance will be on 26 June.Ugandas national dailies lead with accounts of how the killer virus crossed into the country from its epicentre in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where it has killed more than half of 2,000 people infected.According to New Vision, a Congolese woman married to a Ugandan is at the origin of the outbreak. She reportedly fell ill after travelling back home to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola.When she came back from the burial in Beni, she was running a fever, and high temperatures, says Nelson Naturinda, author of the New Visions front-page report about the Ebola scare that has hit the western Ugandan district of Kasese.Naturinda, editor of the online edition of the Kampala-based publication, told RFI that she is believed by virologists to have transmitted the virus to her three children and their nanny before passing away on Wednesday. Family repatriatedRed Pepper claims that the womans death came barely hours after the governments of Uganda and the DRC agreed to repatriate the six Ebola victims to Beni where a team of experts were standing by to provide them specialised treatment.Daily Monitor relays a World Health Organization report confirming that 12 members of the family who attended the burial in the DRC town of Beni were immediately placed in isolation, except six others who "escaped and crossed over to Uganda on 9 June. * WHO says no global emergency after Ebola outbreak spreads to UgandaBeni lies 86 km from the Ugandan border town of Mpondwe where thousands of Congolese have sought refuge, after fleeing communal violence in their home towns. Bracing for the worstUgandan Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng travelled to Bwera, a settlement east of the Mpondwe border crossing from the DRC on Wednesday, accompanied by experts from the Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe and the WHO, to assess the state of response operations. Uganda has reportedly vaccinated close to 5,000 health workers in 165 health facilities close to the DRC border while Kampala prepares its response to the looming epidemic.Life in death's shadowEbola, which spreads among humans through contact with bodily fluids, is one of the most virulent tropical haemorrhagic fevers, often killing within days of infection. Daily Monitor takes up the stark finding by British researchers that up to half of all outbreaks of the deadly virus never get detected.According to the paper, the study carried out by biologists at Cambridge University's Department of Veterinary Medicine also found out that the probability of an individual health worker detecting an isolated Ebola case was less than 10 percent. The study is published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases on Thursday.

Ugandas national dailies lead with accounts of how the killer virus crossed into the country from its epicentre in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where it has killed more than half of 2,000 people infected.

According to New Vision, a Congolese woman married to a Ugandan is at the origin of the outbreak. She reportedly fell ill after travelling back home to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola.

When she came back from the burial in Beni, she was running a fever, and high temperatures, says Nelson Naturinda, author of the New Visions front-page report about the Ebola scare that has hit the western Ugandan district of Kasese.

Naturinda, editor of the online edition of the Kampala-based publication, told RFI that she is believed by virologists to have transmitted the virus to her three children and their nanny before passing away on Wednesday.

Family repatriated

Red Pepper claims that the womans death came barely hours after the governments of Uganda and the DRC agreed to repatriate the six Ebola victims to Beni where a team of experts were standing by to provide them specialised treatment.

Daily Monitor relays a World Health Organization report confirming that 12 members of the family who attended the burial in the DRC town of Beni were immediately placed in isolation, except six others who "escaped and crossed over to Uganda on 9 June.

Beni lies 86 km from the Ugandan border town of Mpondwe where thousands of Congolese have sought refuge, after fleeing communal violence in their home towns.

Bracing for the worst

Ugandan Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng travelled to Bwera, a settlement east of the Mpondwe border crossing from the DRC on Wednesday, accompanied by experts from the Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe and the WHO, to assess the state of response operations.

Uganda has reportedly vaccinated close to 5,000 health workers in 165 health facilities close to the DRC border while Kampala prepares its response to the looming epidemic.

Story continues

Life in death's shadow

Ebola, which spreads among humans through contact with bodily fluids, is one of the most virulent tropical haemorrhagic fevers, often killing within days of infection.

Daily Monitor takes up the stark finding by British researchers that up to half of all outbreaks of the deadly virus never get detected.

According to the paper, the study carried out by biologists at Cambridge University's Department of Veterinary Medicine also found out that the probability of an individual health worker detecting an isolated Ebola case was less than 10 percent.

The study is published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases on Thursday.FILE PHOTO: A sub-scale sized model of a Corvette by Fincantieri is displayed at Euronaval, the world naval defence exhibition in Le Bourget near Paris

By Cyril Altmeyer

PARIS (Reuters) - France and Italy forged a military shipbuilding alliance on Friday, as state-controlled Naval Group and Fincantieri signed off on a 50-50 joint venture that will bid for Franco-Italian warship projects and sell to the world market.

The alliance reflects the two countries' desire to fend off competition in naval shipbuilding from the likes of China, the United States and Russia.

It is targeting orders worth up to 5 billion euros (4.5 billion) over the next decade. Naval Group said the joint venture aims to build 10-15 warships in that period, with synergies estimated at 10-15%.

"It is the product of a shared industrial ambition," Herve Guillou, chief executive of Naval Group told reporters on a call.

"We are by far the two biggest naval shipbuilders in Europe, but we cannot remain competitive and maximise our resources if we rely only on our domestic markets."

The joint venture does not entail a share swap between the two groups.

France and Italy first outlined plans to deepen naval shipbuilding cooperation in September 2017.

However, political and business relations between the two euro zone powerhouses have become increasingly fraught since then and uncertainty hangs over other deals.

Earlier this month, Fiat Chrysler withdrew its proposal for a 35 billion euro merger with Renault, with both the Italian-American carmaker and Rome blaming French government interference for the deal's collapse.

Meanwhile, at France's request, the European Union's antitrust chief is examining Fincantieri's purchase of a 50% stake in French shipbuilder Chantiers de l'Atlantique, formerly STX, a move which irritated Fincantieri and Rome.

Fincantieri top executives recently said they were confident of winning approval from Brussels, but that it could take some months.

The joint venture between Fincantieri and Naval Group, in which French defence company Thales has a 35% stake, seeks to balance power within the alliance.

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That has been a stumbling block for other Franco-Italian mergers such as the troubled Essilor-Luxottica tie-up.

The new enterprise will be headquartered in Genoa, with its engineering centre based in France's southern Var region.

Its chief executive Claude Centofanti is a Frenchman and its chairman, Giuseppe Bono, an Italian who is also CEO of Fincantieri.

The two companies have said they will look for efficiencies by taking advantage of their bigger scale, jointly conducting some research and sharing test facilities.

Guillou said the market for mid-size to large frigates was growing 5-7% a year. "It's also where the emerging competition is attacking us the hardest," he added.

He said there was potential for Naval Group and the new JV to derive synergies too from the Fincantieri-Chantiers de l'Atlantique tie-up, but a go-ahead from Brussels would be needed before they can be more deeply explored.

But he added that the setting up of the venture and the merger between Fincantieri and Chantier were separate issues, downplaying analysts' hopes the JV could make it easier to win the go-ahead for Fincantieri-Chantier.

Naval Group holds a minority stake in Chantiers de l'Atlantique.

"We could imagine buying steel benefitting from scale of volume," Guillou said. "When you think about what vessels of the future might look like, and cleaner energies, it's not something that will only interest military shipbuilders."

(Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Jan Harvey)The World Health Organization said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not qualify as an international public health emergency, despite confirmed cases also in neighbouring Uganda. The UN health agency convened its expert committee for the third time Friday to assess the outbreak, which has killed more than 1,400 people. At a press briefing following the meeting, Dr. Preben Aavitsland, the acting chair of the committee, announced that the outbreak is "a health emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo" but that the situation does not yet meet the criteria for being declared a global emergency.The WHO panel has used the label "public health emergency of international concern" only four times previously.Those included the H1N1, or swine flu, pandemic of 2009, the spread of poliovirus in 2014, the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016 and the surge of the Zika virus in 2016.The current Ebola crisis, which began in eastern DRC last August, is the worst on record since the 2014-2016 outbreak that killed more than 11,300 people in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.Epidemic crosses porous borderThe WHO panel had already held off making the emergency call at previous meetings in October and April, despite several experts arguing that the outbreak met the criteria to be designated an international emergency long ago.The pressure mountedthis week with confirmation that the virus had reached western Uganda, where it has claimed two lives so far.A Congolese woman -- who is married to a Ugandan -- as well as her mother, three children and their nanny had travelled to DRC to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola.The WHO said 12 members of the family who attended the burial in Congo were placed in isolation in the DRC, but six "escaped and crossed over to Uganda" on June 9.The next day, a five-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in Bwera, a border town, vomiting blood before he died. Tests confirmed he had Ebola and the family was placed in an isolation ward.His three-year-old brother was also confirmed to have Ebola, as was their grandmother, who died late Wednesday.Speaking from western Uganda's Kasese district, a senior Red Cross official told AFP that "the biggest challenge" was ensuring robust monitoring along the porous border with DRC."People are continuing to come in to the country and not passing through the areas where screening is taking place, because screening has been instituted along certain points of entry but not all the points," said Josephine Okwera, the director of health and social services for the Ugandan Red Cross.The mere fact that cases have crossed a border does not automatically compel WHO to make the emergency declaration, especially as the epidemic is still confined to one contiguous region.But invoking the emergency provisions would have entailed additional measures to manage the outbreak, including a possible call for "immediate international action", according to the UN health agency.Hostility to health workersHealth officials had initially hoped that they could contain the outbreak with help from a new vaccine, which has now been given to more than 130,000 people in DRC.But chronic violence and militia activity in the affected eastern DRC provinces of Ituri and North Kivu as well as hostility to medical teams among some people in the region have hampered the response.WHO has also accused political leaders in the affected region of manipulating the Ebola issue to turn people against health workers.On Thursday, the agency acknowledged it had been unable to track the origins of nearly half of new Ebola cases in Congo, suggesting it doesn't know where the virus is spreading.Ebola spreads among humans through close contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected person.Chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines can also become infected, and humans who kill and eat these animals can catch the virus through them.(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP)

The World Health Organization said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not qualify as an international public health emergency, despite confirmed cases also in neighbouring Uganda.

The UN health agency convened its expert committee for the third time Friday to assess the outbreak, which has killed more than 1,400 people.

At a press briefing following the meeting, Dr. Preben Aavitsland, the acting chair of the committee, announced that the outbreak is "a health emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo" but that the situation does not yet meet the criteria for being declared a global emergency.

The WHO panel has used the label "public health emergency of international concern" only four times previously.

Those included the H1N1, or swine flu, pandemic of 2009, the spread of poliovirus in 2014, the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016 and the surge of the Zika virus in 2016.

The current Ebola crisis, which began in eastern DRC last August, is the worst on record since the 2014-2016 outbreak that killed more than 11,300 people in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Epidemic crosses porous border

The WHO panel had already held off making the emergency call at previous meetings in October and April, despite several experts arguing that the outbreak met the criteria to be designated an international emergency long ago.

The pressure mountedthis week with confirmation that the virus had reached western Uganda, where it has claimed two lives so far.

A Congolese woman -- who is married to a Ugandan -- as well as her mother, three children and their nanny had travelled to DRC to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola.

The WHO said 12 members of the family who attended the burial in Congo were placed in isolation in the DRC, but six "escaped and crossed over to Uganda" on June 9.

The next day, a five-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in Bwera, a border town, vomiting blood before he died. Tests confirmed he had Ebola and the family was placed in an isolation ward.

Story continues

His three-year-old brother was also confirmed to have Ebola, as was their grandmother, who died late Wednesday.

Speaking from western Uganda's Kasese district, a senior Red Cross official told AFP that "the biggest challenge" was ensuring robust monitoring along the porous border with DRC.

"People are continuing to come in to the country and not passing through the areas where screening is taking place, because screening has been instituted along certain points of entry but not all the points," said Josephine Okwera, the director of health and social services for the Ugandan Red Cross.

The mere fact that cases have crossed a border does not automatically compel WHO to make the emergency declaration, especially as the epidemic is still confined to one contiguous region.

But invoking the emergency provisions would have entailed additional measures to manage the outbreak, including a possible call for "immediate international action", according to the UN health agency.

Hostility to health workers

Health officials had initially hoped that they could contain the outbreak with help from a new vaccine, which has now been given to more than 130,000 people in DRC.

But chronic violence and militia activity in the affected eastern DRC provinces of Ituri and North Kivu as well as hostility to medical teams among some people in the region have hampered the response.

WHO has also accused political leaders in the affected region of manipulating the Ebola issue to turn people against health workers.

On Thursday, the agency acknowledged it had been unable to track the origins of nearly half of new Ebola cases in Congo, suggesting it doesn't know where the virus is spreading.

Ebola spreads among humans through close contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected person.

Chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines can also become infected, and humans who kill and eat these animals can catch the virus through them.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP)An unidentified man with smallpox Is shown in this undated photo. (Getty Images)

(by Dr Namrata Ganneri and Professor Sanjoy Bhattacharya)

As the only human disease to have been successfully eradicated from the planet, the once dreaded smallpox offers important lessons for ongoing disease eradication efforts (for example, Polio and Ebola). India was the largest reservoir of the virus and offered peculiar challenges because of its geographic complexity, size and population, not to speak about the religious beliefs associated with the disease. In this exclusive piece, Dr Namrata Ganneri, Commonwealth Rutherford Fellow (2018-2020) at the Department of History, University of York and her supervisor, Professor Sanjoy Bhattacharya, a global expert on smallpox eradication, share their special insights with us.

How important is the smallpox eradication story today?

Antivax sentiments or the deliberate refusal to vaccinate is one among the top ten global health threats by the World Health Organization (WHO), as per a recent Yahoo report. And one cannot help but recall the centrality of vaccination to the elimination of a host of diseases  the fight against polio is still on, but the success against smallpox offers important lessons to the global health community.

Young millennials would not have even heard of this horrendous disease which maimed, blinded and killed princes and peasants till it was certified as eradicated in May 1980 by a Global Commission of experts of the WHO. Thereafter, vaccinations were stopped even in endemic countries and today the deadly virus, variola, is no longer an active infection. It exists only in heavily guarded laboratories of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in Atlanta, Georgia) and the Russian State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology (in Koltsovo, Novosibirsk).

There may be occasional scares as the discovery of long forgotten stocks discovered recently. But any new case could be only due to deliberate or accidental release of the virus, though Bichat guidelines for the clinical management of smallpox and bioterrorism-related smallpox recognise the ever present threat of the disease.

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The smallpox virus, poxviridae, had two major forms Variola minor (which killed one in 100) and Variola major (which killed one in three), and whole civilisations are known to have been decimated by the scourge. The native populations of North and South America, for example, were annihilated in the absence of exposure and immunity to the disease when introduced by the Europeans. Smallpox was usually transmitted by airborne droplets and therefore immediate family members in close contact with the patient were the first to be affected though it spread fairly rapidly in the community. Patients suffered high fever and vomiting which was followed by the development of painful pustules which extended over the entire body and between 15% and 30% of victims died within two weeks after becoming ill. Those who survived were left with disfigured faces and /or blindness.

The pox in history

When and where smallpox first arose is not known. The evidence suggests it first appeared in Africa or India some time after humans began concentrating in agricultural settlements around 10,000 BC, but before 1,000 BC. The earliest specific notable victim was the Egyptian pharoah Ramses V who died in his thirties of an acute illness with a characteristic rash in 1157 BC. The fear that smallpox struck in people was extraordinary, and many societies had special smallpox deities.

The Indian goddess of smallpox Shitala Mata (the cool one), is apparently the oldest of the deities associated specifically with smallpox, possibly dating to as long back as 2,000 or 3,000 years ago. In China, T'ou-Shen Niang-Niang, the Chinese goddess of smallpox, is traditionally traced to an eleventh century Buddhist nun who is said to have introduced her from India. Among the Yoruba of West Africa, the god of smallpox was Shapona whose worship was carried to the New World with African slaves to Haiti, Cuba, and the Caribbean. Europeans of Roman Catholic faith prayed for relief to St. Nicaise, their patron saint of smallpox who was the bishop of Rheims, France.

While propitiating smallpox deities was one response, another was inoculation or variolation  deliberately infecting a healthy person with the dried scabs of someone with smallpox, giving that person a mild form of smallpox, so as to make the person immune to the disease in the long run. The practice seemed to have originated in India and then spread to rest of Asia, although Africans were also practicing inoculation and introduced the practice into the Americas. Variolation remained dangerous as those inoculated could actually become infected and die. Besides, the spread of the disease through contagion was an ever present possibility.

From variolation to vaccination

In 1796, the English country surgeon Edward Jenner demonstrated that immunity to smallpox could be produced by inoculating a human with material from a lesion on the udder of a cow. Jenner called this infectious material vaccine, and the procedure came to be called vaccination (from the word vaccinia, the Latin translation of cowpox).

When Jenner published his results, vaccination gained both adherents and opponents, and almost a century later Louis Pasteur developed preparations against rabies and anthrax giving traction to the efficacy of vaccination. Sweden was apparently the first country to use Jenners vaccine to eliminate smallpox in 1895; England and USSR came later in the 1930s and Canada and United States in the 1940s. By 1950, the disease was prevalent in South America, Asia and Africa and was being imported into Europe and North America by people travelling abroad. So there were compelling reasons to eliminate the disease globally, as the costs of routine vaccination and disease-monitoring could be saved both for developed and developing countries. T

he modern public health concept of eradication, reduction of the worldwide incidence of a disease to zero as a result of deliberate efforts, had been tried with other diseases- Malaria being the most well-known- though it had not been as successful as anticipated.

Telling the story of the Global campaign

Smallpox was seen as a suitable candidate for worldwide eradication efforts since it was easily diagnosed, with no animal reservoir and most importantly an effective vaccine. Hence, in 1966 the Nineteenth World Health Assembly (WHA) allocated funds from the regular budget of World Health Organization (WHO) and established the intensified Smallpox Eradication Program (SEP). The 1500-page official account, Smallpox and Its Eradication, which was published by the WHO in 1988, describes how smallpox rapidly receded following the WHO call. By 1972 it was gone from South America, and by the end of 1973 it was restricted to the Indian subcontinent and the horn of Africa, Ethiopia, and Somalia. By 1975, India was free and the last case was stalled in Somalia in 1977. In May 1980, the Thirty-third WHA accepted the report of the Global Commission for the Certification of Smallpox Eradication, and declared that smallpox was eradicated.

The official version

However the official version of the global campaign simplifies the complicated story of smallpox eradication especially in myriad national contexts where the campaign actually unfolded. This has been highlighted by Professor Sanjoy Bhattacharya, a globally renowned expert on the history of smallpox and Director of the Centre of Global Health Histories and Director, WHO Collaborating Centre at the University of York, United Kingdom. Bhattacharyas Expunging Variola The Control and Eradication of Smallpox in India 1947-1977 (2006), challenges these unified, celebratory narratives. Having consulted official though unpublished documents, conducting interviews with a variety of clinicians and public health officials, Bhattacharya shows how in the Indian case, the WHO itself was engaging in wide ranging negotiations and had to convince India to join the global effort amidst its own varied public health and other priorities. Contrary to what is believed, the SEP was not a centrally directed global programme but was a series of carefully coordinated national campaigns, and integrated local knowledges of field workers as well as the federal and district level staff.

Continued research into the history of the programme also reveals that research conducted by Indian doctors was vital to understanding disease transmission and its clinical characteristics which were not fully known until the early 1960s. One such doctor was Dr A. Ramachandra Rao, whose work at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Madras drew experts from all over the world and resulted in several scientific publications. Sustained engagement with the disease through the 1950s fed into the ongoing smallpox research and was vital to understanding how the disease could be checked. I have been delving into the histories of Indian doctors and health officials who were key to the success of the Indian programme and have been largely neglected in the overall eradication saga. It is hoped that the research being conducted at the University of York by Professor Bhattacharya and colleagues will improve institutional memory of the eradication programme and eventually de-centre the WHO focussed narratives of the global programme.

Is there more to the eradication story?

Smallpox is famous for being the first disease that humankind eradicated, but it will also be remembered as the first disease for which we created a vaccine. Even the term "vaccination" referred specifically to the insertion of cowpox virus into the human body in order to prevent smallpox, but today it means any administration of weakened, killed or fragmented microorganisms with the purpose of preventing disease, and that is an enduring linguistic legacy of smallpox vaccination.

Smallpox eradication definitely led to improved cold chain equipment and system and a network for surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases, apart from trained health workers. There was a move towards campaigns for other vaccine preventable diseases, and the WHO launched the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974. India joined in with its National Immunization programme called Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) in 1978 which targeted diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, poliomyelitis and tuberculosis.

Whats in store?

Smallpox may not return, though people wildly speculate ominous possibilities, from rogue nations or terrorists spilling the virus to the situation when the bodies of those who died of smallpox in the permafrost wastelands of Siberia could thaw  due to global warming  unleashing the virus on the nearby population and, eventually, globally. Nevertheless, the most potent threat to global health remains if people refuse to vaccinate against vaccine preventable diseases as is happening now in Europe and America. The history and lessons of smallpox hence remain more relevant than ever before.DUBLIN (Reuters) - The Irish government plans to slow spending growth at its budget in October, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday, after the Central Bank and state budget watchdog warned of signs of overheating.

Ireland has been Europe's best-performing economy since 2014 and its Fiscal Advisory Council has warned of an over-dependence on a small number of multinational companies for corporate taxes, which are vulnerable to change with the global business cycle.

"This budget coming ... will need to be tighter than the last one in terms of the extent to which we increase spending," Varadkar told RTE radio in an interview.

"We need to make sure that the spending increases are more in the range of 4-5% rather than 7-8%," he said.

The government is aiming to record its first budget surplus in more than a decade this year and plans to grow that next year to "somewhere in the region of 1 billion" euros, Varadkar said.

The government plans to announce its annual budget weeks before Britain is to leave the European Union and will prepare two budgets - one in case Britain leaves the EU with a deal and another for a no-deal Brexit in which growth would be expected to "slow dramatically," Varadkar said.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)By Matthias Williams

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's new prime minister Maia Sandu consolidated her power on Friday as her predecessor resigned, appearing to ease a crisis that shook the country for the past week as two rival governments jostled for control.

Sandu took office last weekend as the head of a new coalition government designed to fight corruption and remove a party led by tycoon Vladimir Plahotniuc from power.

But Plahotniuc's Democratic Party called her a usurper and insisted Prime Minister Pavel Filip was still in charge. Filip stepped down on Friday but demanded a snap election and refused to recognise Sandu's government as legal.

The crisis threatened more instability for one of Europe's smallest and poorest countries, where the West and Russia vie for influence.

Moldova has been dogged by scandals and the emigration of citizens to Russia or wealthier European countries to find work. Sandu is the country's eighth prime minister since 2013.

"I have a message to the entire world. Moldova is finally free," Sandu told a televised briefing.

Earlier on Friday in an interview with Reuters, she laid out some of her government's priorities: fight corruption, sack dishonest officials, make the electoral system fairer and get foreign aid flowing.

"The biggest challenge of the country is that people are leaving. It's the young people who are leaving."

UNLIKELY ALLIANCE

After a February election produced a hung parliament, Sandu, a Harvard-educated former World Bank economist, became head of a coalition government comprising her ACUM bloc and the Socialist party of President Igor Dodon.

It is an unlikely alliance  ACUM wants Moldova to join the EU, while Dodon wants closer ties with Russia.

Sandu told Reuters her government will adhere to Moldova's current international agreements, including a political and trade pact with the EU rolled out in 2014.

"This is not a natural alliance. There is no question about it, and probably half a year ago nobody would have said that this could happen," she said.

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She is keen to ensure Moldova receives two outstanding tranches of aid from the International Monetary Fund before the current programme expires in November.

Sandu joined politics in 2012 as an education minister, where she became well known for her efforts to clamp down on rampant cheating during exams.

Tackling corruption on a national scale would likely prove popular as it is one of voters' biggest concerns.

Plahotniuc's Democratic Party said Sandu had missed a legal deadline to form the government and the Constitutional Court last weekend declared her government invalid.

It suspended Dodon temporarily to allow Filip as acting president to declare an election in September. Sandu and Dodon ignored the ruling.

The crisis led to two rival governments issuing orders. Sandu's ministers could not enter government buildings, which were surrounded by police and Plahotniuc's supporters. She ran her government out of offices in the parliament.

When the man Sandu appointed interior minister tried to enter police headquarters earlier this week, it ended in a scuffle with officers in helmets and balaclavas.

Russia supports the new government. The EU, which froze aid to Moldova last year, said it was "ready to work with the democratically legitimate government".

The U.S. State Department said it was "encouraged that both the new coalition and the former government have committed to a peaceful transfer of power reflecting the will of the people of Moldova."

Sandu accuses Plahotniuc of corruption and trampling on democracy. Plahotniuc's camp says such allegations against him are politically driven lies, and that Sandu's government would let Moldova fall into Moscow's orbit.

Filip, for his part, has accused Sandu and Dodon of subverting democracy and called their administration an "illegal, Kremlin-backed government".

He resigned on Friday but said he only did so because of the pressure being put on his administration.

"Our resignation does not unblock the legal process, because the constitutional crisis continues," he said.

Sandu called on the Democratic Party to withdraw its supporters from surrounding government buildings and desist from protests.

(Additional reporting by Alexander Tanas; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Sonya Hepinstall)Leo Varadkar has said removing the border backstop would be as bad for Ireland as a no-deal Brexit.

Some contenders to replace Theresa May as prime minister, including front runner Boris Johnson, have proposed changes to the policy.

The EU has said the Withdrawal Agreement  including the backstop  is not up for renegotiation.

The Taoiseach said the backstop was a legal guarantee (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Irish premier told RTEs Marian Finucane programme: Its a legal guarantee and legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard border again.

The difficulties we have with a time limit is effectively you are saying there will or could be a hard border once that time limit expires  that isnt a backstop.

What we are open to, and always have been open to, is alternative arrangements that perhaps could avoid a hard border, through procedures and technologies and so on.

What we expect  and I dont think its unreasonable  we want to see that fleshed out, we want to see it exist, it demonstrated before we are willing to give up the backstop.

Mrs Mays erstwhile Democratic Unionist Party backers are adamant they cannot support any EU withdrawal deal which includes a backstop with no time limit.

The Taoiseach added: What people are saying is give up the backstop  which we know will work legally and operationally  in return for something that doesnt yet exist but might exist in the future.

I cant do that to the border communities.

Some Conservatives are concerned anything that keeps the UK tied to Europe after Brexit may hinder the ability to strike trade deals with other countries.

An extension to the period before the UK leaves the EU ends in the autumn.

Mr Johnson has claimed it is perfectly realistic to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow the UK to leave in October.Relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran have rarely been worse, regarding the attacks on the oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman  for which both sides blame each other. Nevertheless, in the history of relations between the two countries, there have been regular shifts between tension and rapprochement  and things can change for the better once again.

As an Iranian and a Saudi, working as research fellows for peace studies, we believe it is time that our two countries seek to manage the conflict, improve their dialogue and begin the peace building process. And we are hopeful that this could happen.

But how? Peace cannot be achieved overnight; it requires a range of factors to strengthen diplomatic ties and decrease the level of enmity between the two states. First, we suggest both states politicians soften the language in their speeches, altering the hostile rhetoric to a more moderate one. This would open new paths towards a direct and constructive dialogue, reducing the tensions that are affecting the two countries, the region and, potentially, the world.

Sabre-rattling

Direct dialogue between the two regional actors could launch negotiations that may lead to more stability in the region. The existing regional turmoil has had a detrimental impact on relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran over Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain and Yemen. The [Yemen war], which has caused a [dramatic humanitarian crisis], remains one of the main areas of conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but it also offers ground for talks between the two states.

Both Saudi Arabia and Iran agree that the conflicts in Yemen and Syria can only be ended through the implementation of political, rather than military, solutions. If Saudi Arabia and Iran can take steps toward political compromises in Syria and Yemen, this subsequently will reflect positively on the trust building process.

While Saudi Arabia relies on its strategic Western allies and its ever-increasing military expenditure, Iran, which has been isolated by the US, prefers a more regional approach. Indeed, Saudi Arabia may have to ignore US protests to sit down at the negotiating table with Iran.

Story continues

But the will for closer ties is, perhaps, there. Indeed, Irans foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, declared on March 13, 2018:

We believe that security of our neighbours is our security and stability within our neighbourhood is our stability. I hope they [Saudi Arabia] have the same feeling and I hope that they come to talks with us for resolving these problems. There is no reason for hostility between Iran and Saudi Arabia. However, we tell the Saudis that you cannot provide security from outside of the region.

Adel Al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, also recently stated in an interview that his country does not want war with Iran, but will not tolerate what it considers hostile Iranian activity in the Middle East.

Suspicions clearly remain, but such pronouncements could be viewed as a pause in hostilities, a turning point that could bring both sides closer together to resolve tensions.

There are also domestic reasons for a reduction in tensions, with both states building strategic plans for the future. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has embarked on an ambitious socioeconomic plan to diversify the countrys economy by curbing its historic dependency on oil and challenging conservative social constructs and norms by unshackling society from some past constraints. In a state where most of the population is under the age of 30, Vision 2030 serves as a mega project that will lead the country to modernise economically and socially.

The same goes for Iran. The country has adopted a promising strategic plan called the 20-Year National Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran which has social, economic, and political objectives. But to be successfully implemented, both countries strategies will need stable societies and vibrant economies which cannot be attained in a hostile neighbourhood. Integration and cooperation will be essential.

Diplomacy is the solution

It is evident that Saudi Arabia and Iran will benefit more from direct dialogue than hostile rhetoric. Through discussing and working together on domestic, regional and international issues, it is in the interests of both states  and the wider region  to reduce conflict and increase cooperation through diplomatic ties.

The gradual shift from hostile to inclusive rhetoric by politicians is a helpful first step, but it is also necessary for Saudi and Iran to take practical action in their bilateral relationship.

It is expected for states to compete in their sphere of influence, but pragmatism must prevail if both countries want to put an end to their conflicts in the region.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.Donald Trumps dig at Sadiq Khan over the recent violence in London is the latest in a long-running spat between the pair.

LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster  will only get worse! https://t.co/n7qKI3BbD2  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019

The US president and mayor of Londons history of trading blows can be traced back to 2015, when Khan reacted to Trumps plan for a Muslim ban.

In December 2015, he said in a BBC interview he hoped Trump would lose the presidential election badly.

Roughly five months later, when Khan was elected mayor in May 2016, Trump laid on some unusual praise: If he does a great job, frankly that would be a terrific thing.

In comments reported by the New York Times, the future president also hinted Khan, a Muslim, would be exempt from the proposed ban.

But days later the relationship soured after Trump admitted he was offended by Khans comment that his views of Islam were ignorant.

When he won I wished him well, Trump told Good Morning Britain. Now, I dont care about him. It doesnt make any difference to me about him.

Trump dished out some rare praise after Khan was elected mayor, but it only took a few days for the relationship to sour (PA)

The feud intensified in the aftermath of the London Bridge attacks in June 2017, when a controversial tweet by Trump opened him up to widespread criticism.

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is no reason to be alarmed!, the president wrote.

Khans spokesman released a scathing rebuke, pointing out the comment was taken out of context.

The mayor had more important things to do than respond to Donald Trumps ill-informed tweet, he said.

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!"  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2017

Trump didnt stop there  he again responded: Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his no reason to be alarmed statement. MSM [mainstream media] is working hard to sell it!

Story continues

Days later the mayor called for plans for a Trump state visit to be scrapped.

In July 2018 Trump eventually did travel to Britain  not on an official state visit  for a trip which marked the first public flight of the baby blimp.

The giant inflatable effigy of Trump flew over Parliament Square after Khans office granted the organisers permission.

On the eve of his visit, the president told The Sun Khan had done a very bad job on terrorism.

The flames were stoked when Khans office gave approval for the Trump blimp to fly during the presidents first UK visit since his election (PA)

After a year of relative silence, the spat resurfaced this month, June 2019, during Trumps official state visit to the UK.

Moments before he stepped off the plane, the president tweeted that Khan has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly nasty to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me.

He then misspelled the mayors name in a follow-up tweet, adding: Kahn reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job  only half his height.

In any event, I look forward to being a great friend to the United Kingdom, and am looking very much forward to my visit.

.@SadiqKhan, who by all accounts has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly nasty to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2019

Trump then doubled down on his criticism during a press conference with Theresa May.

He could straighten out some of the problems that he has caused, Trump said of Khan.

Khan told the Press Association: Im not 12 years old in a playground, Im just surprised Donald Trump thinks he is.

Tory leadership hopeful Boris Johnson, who has received praised from Trump, also once had a small run-in with the president (PA)

He isnt the first London Mayor to have a run-in with Trump.

In 2015, the then mayor Boris Johnson hit back after Trump said London had areas so radicalised by Islam that police were afraid for their own lives.

Johnson responded: The only reason I wouldnt go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.Another weekend is around the corner and with it comes a set of three matches in the space of just a couple of days. While Australia take on Sri Lanka at the Oval, and South Africa lock horns with Afghanistan at Cardiff, on Saturday, arch-rivals India and Pakistan will go head to head against each other at the iconic Old Trafford on Sunday. Let's have a look at what to expect from each of these encounters.

Lankan Lions dancing to Mitchell Starc's tunes

Mitchell Starc holds an excellent bowling record against Sri Lanka having claimed 23 wickets in 13 matches against them at an outstanding average of 19.78. He has a five-wicket haul to his name in this tournament already and is coming into this match on the back of an impressive spell of 9-1-43-2 against Pakistan as well. So, he is in an excellent run of form and hence, we might see him rattling up a fragile Lankan batting lineup on Saturday.

Malinga to match up with Starc?

If Australia have Starc, Sri Lanka have their old war-horse Lasith Malinga. The 35-year-old also has an exceptional bowling record against Australia. In 27 ODIs against them, Malinga has taken 47 wickets at an excellent bowling average of 24.65. Moreover, his strike-rate of 29.8 suggests that he takes at least a couple of wickets in every match he plays against Australia. So, it's not only Starc but Malinga could turn out to be equally lethal in this match as well.

Quinton de Kock to ton up at Cardiff?

Quinton de Kock has looked in good touch during his brief stays of 68, 23, 10 and 17* in the previous four innings of this tournament. However, he hasn't gotten into the proper groove to kick on and get a big score. But that might change in this match as he would be facing one of the least fancied Afghan bowling attacks. Afghanistan do have a good collection of spinners but, as seen in previous matches, they are not suited for these conditions, especially with the rain around. So, this is a perfect time for de Kock to cash in on the opportunity and get his much awaited three-figure score.

Story continues

MS Dhoni special on the cards?

MS Dhoni has an outstanding average of 55.90 in ODIs against Pakistan. In fact, it's the highest for any Indian batsman who has batted in at least 10 innings against Pakistan. He has 1230 runs against them, which includes two centuries and nine fifties as well. Although India haven't needed his batting services in four out of the last six ODIs against them, his record speaks for him and you know what to expect if the need for him to bat arises.

Pakistan's most experienced duo to turn up once again

Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik are the most experienced players in the Pakistani side right now and they have a vast experience of playing against India as well. While Hafeez has an ODI average of 48.60 against India, Malik's average of 48.16 is only a touch lower than that of Hafeez. Moreover, both batsmen scored fifties in their last innings against India. While Hafeez played an unbeaten knock of 57 runs in the Champions Trophy final of 2017, Malik played a mature knock of 78 in the Asia Cup encounter in September, last year. So, both can be expected to play a significant role in this match.

These enticing encounters have a variety of players to choose from for your Yahoo Daily Fantasy teams! Create your teams now and win exciting prizes.A Pennsylvania woman who went out for a swim in the Dominican Republic tragically died this week after she got caught in an aggressive rip current.

With the tragedy, Surely Miller sadly joins the list of at least six American tourists who have passed away while vacationing on the Carribean island since 2018.

On Tuesday, Miller, a yoga teacher and mom of three, decided to go for a swim near coastal city Puerto Plata, Dominican Today reports.

Unfortunately, while enjoying the waters in Cabarete, Miller, 42, was swept up by a powerful marine current and carried more than two miles from the shore.

On the beach, a friend of Millers helplessly watched as the Pennsylvania native threw her hands in the hair and attempted to get help while she was dragged out to sea, according to the outlet.

Surely Miller | Surely Miller/Facebook

RELATED: Yoga Teacher Who Fought for Survival Thought She Was Going to Be Found Dead in Hawaii Forest

Unfortunately, it was too late as the yoga instructor eventually vanished in the waters. Her body was recovered by a local fisherman one day later, on Wednesday, in Malecon.

Millers body was examined by local doctor Ruth Esther Rosario before being transported to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) in Santiago de Los Caballeros to be further examined, Dominican Today reports.

Following the tragedy, Millers friends confirmed her death in a GoFundMe page, launched as an effort to provide financial support for her three sons: Dylan, 15; Mylz, 11; and Preston, 9. In less than a day, it has raised over $3,600.

Surely has blessed so many of us with her warm healing touch and the best thing we can do for her now is [to] make sure her children are taken care of, the GoFundMe campaign reads. Lets give back to Surely and help in a way she no longer can by ensuring the well being of her children.

Surely Miller

RELATED: Mysterious Dominican Republic Tourist Deaths: The Victims So Far

On the campaigns page, many of Millers loved ones paid tribute to the yoga instructor with sweet notes and messages.

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The most beautiful soul Ive ever met. Her love will live in me forever, someone wrote, while another added, She had such a lasting impact We will all miss her kind loving healing energy.

Tribe Yoga, the local yoga studio where Miller taught classes, also confirmed her passing in a post on Facebook.

In addition to sharing the sad news, Tribe Yoga announced that they would be holding an Ashtanga class  the same type of yoga Miller was trained in  to honor their beloved friend and teacher and her beautiful spirit.

RELATED VIDEO: Colorado Couple Says They Became Violently Sick at Dominican Resort Where 3 Americans Died

Miller owned a studio named Surely Yoga in Slatington, Pennsylvania, where she taught Ashtanga, Hot Yoga and Vinyasa Flow styles, according to her website.

Her classes, which were filled with technique and alignment cues, were aimed at helping others intelligently know and heal their bodies, and source their own power to heal through their practice, her website reads.

In addition to teaching in Pennsylvania, Millers website says she studied her craft in New York, Miami, Orlando, Allentown, Washington, D.C., Dominican Republic, Tulum, Mexico and has been to South India multiple times for intensive yoga studies.Photo credit: Rowan Fee

From Men's Health

By the time Craig Strippel found himself at the end of the Albert Pier in Penzance last October, willing his frozen legs to step onto thin air, he had lost control. Cocaine had taken over his brain. After 17 years of use, the drug had hijacked the chemical pathways that would normally have steered Craig towards the things that make life worth living. It had robbed him of his ability to assess risk and exercise self-control, the brakes that might have slowed his descent into addiction. It had burrowed deep into the primitive parts of his brain that summon emotions and memories, to provide constant reminders of just how good cocaine made him feel, like a bell that never stopped ringing.

Three hundred miles away, in London, a man well call Ian was wondering whether his own relationship with cocaine was becoming something of a problem. Theyd been seeing each other on and off for the best part of two decades, though Ian wasnt as loyal as Craig: he was as enamoured of ketamine and had dalliances with MDMA and GHB. Now, following a period of unexpected job insecurity, things were starting to slide. He was using more during the week. He was, on occasion, using it alone. It worried him, but he was confident that, with a bit of effort, he could wrest back control.

Cocaine has long been Britains illegal stimulant of choice. The drug of Britpop benders and Met Bar toilets remains our favourite way to get buzzed. For a while, it looked as though its crown was slipping: between 2008 and 2013, the number of cocaine users in the UK fell by a third. The party that had raged since the early 1990s was seemingly coming to an end. Then, like someone who doesnt know when to call a cab, coke sat up, shook itself awake and sat back at the table. In the past five years, usage has recovered almost to its 2008 peak. The reasons behind this shift are hard to unpick, but they are also very simple.

About a decade ago, most cocaine was, in reality, anything but cocaine. It was 10-20 per cent pure. The rest of it was bulking agents, says Steve Rolles, a policy analyst for drugs reform charity Transform. As with any consumer good, people drifted away when coke stopped offering much bang for their buck. Then-legal highs such as mephedrone and Spice crept into the market. In response to these interlopers, cocaine rebranded. Dealers lowered their prices and stopped over-diluting their product. In recent years, the strength of the cocaine on UK streets has quadrupled. Uncut, effectively pure cocaine began appearing on the market, says Rolles. And it found a receptive audience. When cocaine started getting good again, people migrated back.



Story continues

Little White Lies

This recent enthusiasm is at odds with our purported rejection of other ways of getting messed up. We drink less than we used to, with millennials in particular turning their backs on booze in record numbers. And yet, cocaine use among 16-to-24-year-olds has doubled in the past five years. Harry Sumnall, a professor in substance use at Liverpool John Moores University and member of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, isnt too surprised. Like many trends, drugs are subject to fashion and social norms, he says. If you look at other drug use, ecstasy is at its highest level since the early 2000s. LSD has gone up. Cannabis has gone up.

Perhaps, some suggest, a minority of enthusiastic users is skewing the statistics. There will always be some young people who want to do drugs, and with cocaine now more potent and more affordable than it has been for decades, those who are tempted are diving in nostrils first. There are more teetotal young people, Sumnall concedes, but binge-drinking hasnt yet been consigned to history. And because cocaine still has a comparatively niche user base, small increases in the number of people taking it will produce spikes in official reports.

Rolles suggests that part of cocaines attraction is that it appeals to the sensibilities of the current moment: its an ego-inflating drug that chimes with our self-obsessed, solipsistic world, just as it did in the 1980s. Cocaine fits in with social media culture, he says. People are documenting their nights out more. With alcohol, you look bleary, staggering around. On ecstasy, you look like youre on drugs. But you can take cocaine and it doesnt show.

Ironically, the rise of gym culture may also have its part to play. As more than one user pointed out to MH, cocaine is, in effect, carb- and calorie-free. Beer makes you fat, one said. Besides, if I take coke, I dont want a kebab at the end of the night, so I dont gain weight. And often I dont feel like shit, either. So, I can get up and go to the gym the next day.

Photo credit: Rowan Fee

There was also a widespread view among an admittedly small and biased sample that cocaine wasnt really that bad for you. The scared-straight approach to drugs education that these people endured at school didnt seem to relate to their own experiences. They took it a few times but didnt become addicts, so figured that the other horror stories probably werent true, either. Its horseshit, says Ian. From a health perspective, if you have to choose between the occasional line or being a man with a wine fridge, you should go for the class As.

When this point of view is presented to Peter J Hamilton, who studies cocaine at the Icahn School of Medicines Nestler Lab in New York, he laughs. Absolutely not. Alcohol is by no means good for you, he says, but cocaine is much riskier. Long-term use is associated with a slew of mental health problems, especially depression. But the health risks for recreational users also include the acute effects of the drug at the time of use  such as a spike in blood pressure, seizures, heart failure and stroke. Your chance of a heart attack increases 24-fold in the hour after ingesting cocaine, when the drug sends the organ racing while constricting the arteries that supply it. In other words, its like putting your foot on the accelerator and the brakes at the same time.

Inherent Vice

Scaling these side effects according to frequency of use is not easy. Our bodies can react differently to the same substances. In this respect, every person who dabbles is rolling the dice. The likes of Craig, to whom cocaine had become a daily necessity, would undoubtedly experience some damage. But so could weekend users such as Ian. For most people, at least according to the statistics, cocaine is an irregular vice. The average powder cocaine user takes the drug less than 10 times a year, according to the Global Drug Survey, which maps substance abuse patterns in more than 30 countries. Most people are using it in a non-problematic fashion, says Sumnall. Of young people who used cocaine in the past year, only half did so more frequently than once or twice. So, more people are using it, but theyre not increasing their use.

Enemy Lines

As we talked one Friday afternoon earlier this year, Ian oscillated between his sofa and a mound of cocaine that his dealer had just deposited on his kitchen counter. His partner was out of town, and a friend was on his way. Hes a coke friend, Ian said. When you see them, theres an expectation. Offer them a coffee, or a glass of wine. Then, offer them a bump.

As he stood next to the pile, holding a silver straw in one hand, he gestured with the other to the fridge behind him. Everything in there is free range, organic, fair trade he said. No sugar, nothing processed. It is, if you were to audit it, full of nothing but healthy things. He laughed. And yet here I am, snout down in a pile of chop. How undignified.

Ian is aware of the hypocrisy of his drug use. Its not just that its bad for him, but also that every gram he buys is inseparable from its criminal origins. Yet he doesnt feel particularly responsible. British weapons are killing civilians in Yemen. Thousands of people are

killed by guns in America. Cocaine is not some uniquely evil thing.

Tony Saggers, a 30-year veteran of British drug policing and the former head of drugs threat at the National Crime Agency, disagrees. Theres more violence, crime and exploitation linked to the cocaine trade and funds from it than that of any other drug, he says. Gangs that move cocaine use the same supply networks to smuggle firearms, or women into the sex trade. In producer countries, it is linked to tens of thousands of murders and wide-scale corruption.

The drug is grown almost exclusively in Peru, Bolivia and, increasingly, Colombia. After a dip at the start of the decade, Colombian cocaine production has exploded in the past few years. Its an unexpected consequence of the governments peace treaty with the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), which, during its 50-year conflict against the state, taxed coca farmers for war funds. Now that Farc has hung up its AKs, narco-traffickers have taken its territory, increasing Colombias cocaine output by a third.

Photo credit: Rowan Fee

In the UK, this oversupply has been exploited largely by Albanian gangs, which set up in Britain during the Balkan Wars. These gangs have forged direct relationships with producer countries. With the middlemen cut out, they have been able to flood the market with stronger cocaine at lower prices. Its a conscious marketing strategy to make it popular again, says Rolles. Consider, too, that while the cost of cocaine has fallen in the past decade, the price of a pint has gone up by a third, and house prices have increased by almost half. (As Ian puts it, Everythings so expensive now. So why not spend 80 on a couple of grams instead?)

The new purity of cocaine means it contains fewer unknown nasties: dealers have been known to cut the drug with everything from dental anaesthetics and caffeine to cow dewormers that some studies hint might increase the drugs addictive potential. But purer drugs arent inherently safer. People continue to use the same amount as they used before, so they just end up getting a bigger hit, says Adam Winstock, a consultant psychiatrist, addiction specialist and founder of the Global Drug Survey. The truth is youre more likely to lose control.

Powder Keg

Cocaine is also killing people. Along with an increase in cocaine-related mental health hospital admissions, mortality rates have quadrupled over the past seven years  although its hard to tell whether its users of powder cocaine or crack (a derivative that can be smoked) who are dying. When coroners do tests, the metabolites come up as the same thing, says Karen Tyrell, from substance abuse charity Addaction. What is clear is that crack inspires far more people to seek help. Problematic [powder] cocaine users often dont present at treatment centres. If youre out three nights in a row using cocaine in pubs and clubs, you might have one day off sick, then youre back at work. You might not consider yourself a problematic user.

Few people realise that, chemically speaking, the two are identical. Crack and powder cocaine work in exactly the same way in the brain, says Hamilton. In a healthy brain, dopamine is released when we do things that are evolutionarily advantageous  eating calorie-dense foods, having sex  stimulating our pleasure receptors. This dopamine should then be swiftly recycled, but cocaine binds to the proteins that control reuptake. Flooded with dopamine, the brains reward centres just keep firing, triggering a sense of euphoria. Hamilton likens it to a room full of sinks with running taps, and cocaine molecules are the plugs. Chewing coca leaf is comparable to adding them one at a time; the sinks fill slowly. Snort it, however, and you block every drain at once. The room floods.

Yet it is not a drug that works the same way in every brain. Its estimated that half of your propensity for substance abuse is dictated by your environment, while the other half is built into your DNA. There are individuals who are inclined to abuse the drug, and there are others who are somewhat impervious, who can use it recreationally and not succumb to addiction, says Hamilton. The trouble is that no one knows in which group they fall.

Even among recreational users, the line between dependency and a casual habit can be hard to discern. Most of the people who spoke to MH expressed some uncertainty about the extent to which they  or their friends  had their usage under control. Id like to do it less often, one user told MH. But when Im out with my friends, and theyre all taking cocaine, I feel like I need it just to keep pace. Its a bit Go hard or go home.

Its ubiquity can also go some way to explaining the current lack of concern about both cocaines health implications and its ethical ones. Theres a principle in psychology called the bystander effect, in which the greater the number of people who witness an incident, the less likely each one is to intervene. Our sense of personal responsibility becomes diluted. In the same way, when cocaine is seemingly everywhere  in every bar, at every dinner party, or ordered at the tap of a touchscreen  it provides a certain reassurance. If no one else is concerned, why should I be?

Snow Warning

Craig, now 37, once felt that way, too. He first took cocaine when he was 20 and, for most of the following decade, it was an occasional treat. But by 30, he was drinking heavily, and cocaine had become a fixture of his days off. Id get excited about sniffing it, he says. When are you going to get it? Can I come and get it now? Then, when youve got it in your pocket, its just sitting there. Id look for places to do it. I hated doing it in public, but Id always find somewhere.

Cocaine addiction is largely in the mind. After a decade of exposure, Craigs brain would likely have developed dopamine-sensitive growths, called spines, which create deep, almost insurmountable cravings. The drug would also have fundamentally altered his prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for decision-making. As the primitive parts of his brain yearned for cocaine, his ability to assess its risk collapsed. Id start off lightly, with 3g. That would last an hour and, once Id got it in me, Id want more and more. I could spend 800 a night quite easily.

It doesnt help that, according to the Global Drug Survey, many users can get cocaine delivered more quickly than a pizza. You dont have to go through much planning, and that is really important for a drug like cocaine, Winstock says. Its a spontaneous purchase.

Gradually, Craig began to lose control, drinking more, doing more cocaine, until one night, with 16 pints and a few grams inside him, he decided to kill himself. I didnt have a way out, and that was my way out, he says. After an hour willing himself to jump  My brain was saying, Do it! but my legs wouldnt move  a fisherman spotted him and called the police, who talked him down. With the help of the charity Addaction, he has stayed clean. I never saw a light at the end of the tunnel at all. But now Im on a bigger and better path.

Ian, perhaps, does not have a genetic predisposition for addiction. But that doesnt mean he is without his share of conflicts. In the spirit of the New Year, he considered quitting the habit in January, but decided it wasnt for him. I think you have to be motivated towards something else, not just away from drugs, he says.

For now, he feels that he has a handle on his intake. He plans to cut down and do other things  such as paint a wall that, for a couple of years, cocaine has sapped him of the motivation to tackle. For the moment, though, that can wait. Today, a bump would be more fun.

If youre concerned about your own relationship with cocaine, seek advice from the addiction and mental health charity Addaction at addaction.org.uk

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('You Might Also Like',)When it comes to style, typically members of the royal family will play it very safe, opting for demure, smart outfits especially for official royal events and tours. However, Sophie Wessex wowed fans in a daring choice while on her official visit to Lebanon on Thursday evening. The 54-year-old opted to wear a subtle sheer white dress while visiting the country's National Library to mark the Queen's birthday.

sophiee

A slightly bohemian design, the summery dress featured embroidery detail with voluminous, loose sleeves. Pinching her in at the waist, despite its relaxed vibe, it did feature some tailored panelling to flatter her shape. Calf-length, the top section of the dress was sheer, showing off her strappy cream slip dress underneath and providing a dressy, but laid-back vibe to the overall look.

READ NEXT: The Countess of Wessex recycles her favourite green dress - and it's a beauty

The wife of Prince Edward opted to accessorise with a brown leather and snakeskin clutch, nude strappy heels and black drop earrings as well as her trusty silver watch. Keeping her beauty look elegant, she opted to wear her hair in a bun with her fringe swept to the side. Her skin was absolutely glowing with just a swipe of foundation and a light blush. Her eye makeup was kept low key with just a little shadow and mascara and she finished with shaded brows and a swipe of rose lipstick to compliment her natural lip colour.

READ MORE: Flower power! Royal ladies show how to rock summer florals for sping

dress

SHOP: Sophie Wessex's Suzannah dress, 1650.00

A stylish week, this was actually the second showstopping outfit of the day for the royal. Earlier on Thursday, she wowed onlookers in a stunning silk floral dress while meeting the Lebanese President Michel Aoun. A shirt dress, the silhouette had a slight retro feel with a belted waist, button up front and calf length design. For those wanting to copy the look, the bad news is that you better get saving however. Designed by Suzannah, the 'Peace Lily' dress retails for 1650.00. Gorgeous!

Story continues

sophie

This article contains affiliate links, which means HELLO! may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. More information.According to CNN, at least 36 officers and deputies were injured after Wednesday night's protest in Memphis. Reportedly, U.S. Marshals had been searching for 20-year-old Brandon Webber and found him at a home in a Memphis' Frayser neighborhood. CNN reports, Webber was wanted on multiple warrants. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation told the source that Webber escaped to a vehicle outside the residence and begin ramming into officers' cars several times. The agency states that he eventually exited the vehicle with a weapon.

That's when multiple Marshals fired on Webber, striking and killing him.

At that point, no officers were injured. However, news of the alleged felon's death spread like wildfire throughout the neighborhood. ABC News reports that protesters quickly gathered in the vicinity. The more protesters arrived, the more Memphis police also arrived on the scene as backup to the Marshals. CNN states that neighborhood residents began hurling rocks and bricks at officers, as well as smashing squad car windows. Two journalists were also injured during the protests, according to Strickland.

Memphis police director says protesters attacked the wrong agency

Michael Rallings, Memphis police director, told a CNN affiliate that his officers were only on-location to help contain the scene.

However, Rallings mentions that "for some reason," the protesters turned their anger and frustration toward his department. According to Rallings, there were people in the crowds trying to help keep the angered residents calm. But he also calls the Frayser neighborhood a "victimized" one. Likewise, the department director continues by stating that, when violent acts like these happen, it only furthers that mentality.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Director Rallings mentioned that residents and protesters should wait until accurate information is released. He says people should know exactly what happened before spreading misinformation, rumors, or jumping to conclusions. "Often individuals do not have the facts," Rallings notes. He states that's a dangerous thing.

Mayor Strickland commended the Memphis police department, saying he was impressed by their "professionalism" and "incredible restraint" during the protests.

However, Shelby County Commissioner and mayoral candidate Tami Sawyer empathized with the neighborhood. Although she's not excusing the protesters' responses, she says she understands it. "People are hurting," Sawyer mentions. Reportedly, she says that people shouldn't judge the neighborhood without asking how it feels mourn their youth time and time again. Sawyer notes that when pain and trauma become too much to handle, and when the city has constantly ignored their cries, what are people to do?Vietnams aviation industry has been witnessing steady 2-digit growth rates over the last 10 years.

Voters have raised questions about the role and responsibility of the Ministry of Transport for the overloading situations at airports, and the time that it will take to expand Tan Son Nhat and build Long Thanh airports.

Vietnams aviation industry has been witnessing steady 2-digit growth rates over the last 10 years. From one local airline, it now has five: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific, Vasco and Bamboo Airways.

The number of aircraft soared from 60 to 192 in 2008-2018, of which the number of Vietnamese owned increased from 29 to 57.

However, the rapid growth has put pressure on aviation infrastructure, labor force and aviation safety management. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) estimates that the existing airports, especially Tan Son Nhat in HCMC, Noi Bai in Hanoi, Da Nang and Phu Quoc, are used at a higher designed capacity after five years of expansion.

According to chair of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) Lai Xuan Thanh, Vietnam will still be among the fastest growing markets in the time to come. Though the current infrastructure can satisfy requirements for development, some airports have become too overloaded, especially Tan Son Nhat.

Vietnam will still be among the fastest growing markets in the time to come. Though the current infrastructure can satisfy requirements for development, some airports have become too overloaded, especially Tan Son Nhat.

The overloading has partially affected airlines development plans. In high season, airlines have had to increase the number of night flights.

Meanwhile, the building of T3 terminal of Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh is still under discussion.

The lack of pilots and technicians is also hindering the development of the aviation market. Every time a new airline is established or signs a contract on purchasing new aircraft, a battle for pilots and aviation engineers is triggered.

Not only airlines, but the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) also complains about the lack of workers.

In the latest document to the Ministry of Transport, discussing an airlines request to increase the fleet to 40 aircraft from the initial number of 40, CAAV said the current staff is enough to manage no more than 256 aircraft of Vietnamese nationality.

If counting the 30 additional aircraft of the airline, the total number of aircraft by the end of this year would be 277, beyond CAAVs capacity.

Meanwhile, CAAV said despite the workforce problems, the agency will still has to cut the workforce.

The overloaded infrastructure explains why the watchdog agency is reluctant to grant new licenses to new air carriers.

A leader of the transport ministry revealed that some investors are queuing up for licenses, but the ministry will have to carefully consider the cases.

The airlines plan to rely on the Hanoi  Da Nang  HCMC route, which is called the golden route, but the airports that exploit the route are all overloaded.

Thanh Lich

Vietnam Airlines to launch Da Nang-Busan direct route The National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced on June 3 that it will open a direct air route between the central City of Da Nang and Busan city of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on July 20.Central province approves hi-tech farming project



Quang Ngai High-Tech Agricultural Joint Stock Co under Tran Viet Group got approval in principal from the Quang Ngai People's Committee to develop a hi-tech farming project in the locality.

The project, expected to cost about VND294 billion (US$13 million), will cover 196ha in Mo Duc District. It will also include an agricultural processing plant with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of products, according to the provincial portal.

During a working session early this week, the committee chairman Tran Ngoc Cang said once operational, the project will help to create more local jobs, contributing to restructuring the provinces agricultural sector as well as accelerating its socio-economic development.

The chairman also asked the investor to fulfil its commitment to using high technology and assessing environmental impacts related to the project in addition to considering purchasing local farm produce.

In order to develop safe and organic agriculture, the province has requested all relevant bodies to create favourable conditions for investors in agriculture, especially in site clearance and investment procedures, the committee has said.

Attracting hi-tech and safe agricultural projects has opened a new direction for Quang Ngais agricultural sector, helping it develop safe and organic agricultural production, heading towards sustainable development, it said.

In the 2008-18 period, the central province had attracted 54 projects in agriculture sector with total registered capital of more than VND2 trillion. Of the total, 12 were working in clean and hi-tech farming, statistics from the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development revealed.

Vinafood 2 not to pay 2019 dividends



Viet Nam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) has set 2019s revenue at nearly VND21.29 trillion (US$913.73 million), a year-on-year increase of 19 per cent, and does not plan to pay a dividend to compensate for losses in 2018.

The information was revealed in documents for 2019s annual shareholders meeting, which will be held on June 25.

This year, Vinafood 2 plans to invest VND106 billion in basic construction to serve production and business.

In addition, the document also has a proposal to add some business lines, including: real estate, agencies for petrol, oil, lubricant and related products, retail of petroleum, lubricating grease and cooling products for motor vehicles, motorcycles, motorbikes and other motor vehicles, parking management and vehicle management activities.

In 2018, the company suffered losses, so it proposed not to set up funds and pay dividends. It is predicted that the corporation will not pay dividends this year because its after-tax profits will be used partly to cover losses in 2018.

Becamex IDC to pay 6 per cent dividends



The Investment and Industrial Development Corporation (Becamex IDC) will pay a 6 per cent dividend payout in cash on August 1.

That means every shareholder will receive VND600 (US$0.26) for each share they own.

That values the firms August dividend payment at VND607.5 billion ($26 million).

Becamex IDC will finalise the list of beneficiary shareholders on June 28.

In 2018, the company earned VND6.5 trillion and VND2.34 trillion in total revenue and post-tax profit, respectively.

The company plans to raise its charter capital to VND20 trillion in 2019 and move from UPCoM to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE).

If the exchange-switching plan is approved, Becamex IDC will list all of its one billion shares on the southern bourse.

Becamex IDC has more than one billion shares, of which nearly 24.8 million shares are traded on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) with code BCM.

In early December 2017, the previously State-owned Becamex IDC tried to sell more than 311.2 million shares to cut State capital to 51 per cent in an IPO.

But only 6 per cent of the shares, equal to 19 million shares, were sold.

The firm tried to sell another 296.5 million shares but only five million were offloaded successfully.

Becamex IDC debuted on UPCoM on February 21.

The companys shares jumped 11 per cent to close yesterday at VND26,200 per share.

World Bank offers new credit to develop urban centres



The World Bank (WB) Board of Executive Directors on Wednesday approved a US$194.36 million credit plan to help four secondary cities in Viet Nam build critically-needed municipal infrastructure and strengthen urban planning.

The Dynamic Cities Integrated Development Project aims to increase access to improved urban services in Ky Anh in Ha Tinh Province, Tinh Gia in Thanh Hoa Province, Hai Duong in Hai Duong Province and Yen Bai in Yen Bai Province.

Approximately 200,000 residents are expected to benefit directly from the project, of which more than half are women.

The project will help reduce flood risks, improve sanitation, reduce travel times on new and improved roads and develop high-quality public spaces.

The project will also improve connectivity to industrial parks, export processing zones, commercial establishments and tourist attractions, benefiting workers and merchants as well as visitors.

These improvements in turn are expected to help boost productivity, enable exports, create more jobs, and help generate sustained economic growth.

Secondary cities are set to play an increasingly important role in Viet Nams growth poles through efficient movement of goods, people, services and information, said Ousmane Dione, WB Country Director for Viet Nam.

These four selected cities have demonstrated significant potential to become dynamic economic hubs at the provincial and regional levels. This operation would help to fill the infrastructure gap by providing much-needed financing to deliver quality services with lessons and best practices gained from World Bank engagements in other cities around the world, he said.

A major problem in these cities is the uneven access to basic services, including drainage systems, wastewater collection and treatment and road networks. This has resulted in increasing traffic congestion, flooding and the deterioration or lack of public spaces. In addition, all four cities are either located along the coast or in mountainous areas, making them vulnerable to disasters and the impacts of climate change.

The project will help address these problems with both structural and non-structural support, including a series of infrastructure investments in each city, and technical assistance to strengthen the capacities of the cities to adopt a comprehensive and integrated urban planning approach that links physical development to long-term socio-economic strategies, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management plans.

The total cost of the project is $276.17 million, of which $194.36 million will come from the International Development Association.

Building material prices on the rise



The cost of building materials has been on the rise due to increasing electricity tariffs at the peak time for construction.

Many shops selling materials such as cement and steel have increased their prices since the beginning of this month.

The SCG Cement  Building Material Viet Nam Company Ltd announced to its distributors it was raising the cement price by VND29,700 per tonne including value-added tax (VAT) starting this Sunday.

Vicem Hoang Mai Cement Joint Stock Company has also increased prices by VND30,000 per tonne including VAT from the beginning of this month.

SSE Steel Company said the price of steel billet and other input materials had been hiked.

Vice chairman of the Viet Nam Steel Association Nguyen Van Sua said the power price rise of 8.36 per cent since March had made steel prices increase by VND100,000 per tonne. In steel production, electricity prices often account for 8 to 9 per cent of total costs.

Statistics from the association showed that steel producers using electric arc furnaces for production were affected most by the power tariff hike. The total steel output from companies using electric arc furnaces accounts for 65 per cent of the countrys total steel output.

He said high iron ore prices were also a major reason for enterprises to increase selling prices of finished steel products. The main factor causing the sharp increase in iron ore prices was a dam collapse in February at Brazil's Vale - the world's largest ore mining group.

According to Vale's estimates, sales of iron ore in 2019 would fall by 75 million tonnes from previous expectations. The most optimistic scenario was for sales to fall by about 50 million tonnes from the previous forecast.

In addition to steel and cement, the prices of other building materials this month were higher than the previous month.

Ceramic tiles prices increased by VND1,000-2,000 each.

Offshore wind power seminar held in Hanoi

An offshore wind power seminar took place in Hanoi on June 12, as part of the second Vietnam Wind Power Conference.

Speaking at the event, deputy head of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority Do Hong Quan said the event aims to update the latest technology in offshore wind power and suggest solutions to challenges faced by Vietnam in the field.

Consultant Ivan Chia from Energy & Resources Group said offshore wind power is more competitive than other kinds of energy because of easy transportation of turbines by ships or barges and low carbon dioxide emission.

He suggested using high-quality turbines, building wind power farms over 20km distant from the mainland and with a total capacity of over 500 MW to cut maintenance costs.

Bernard Casey, Vietnam Development Director of Irelands Mainstream Renewable Power, said the company signed a deal with Phu Cuong Group to build an 800 MW wind power farm in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang at a total cost of 2 billion USD. The first stage will have a total capacity of 150  200 MW.

Asia-Pacific Market Entry Manager Andreas Waern Madsen from Denmarks MHI Vetas Company said the firm has 20 years of experience in manufacturing offshore wind turbines. Since 2016, it has produced turbines of greater size in Denmark and the UK.

The event was co-hosted by the Global Wind Energy Council, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and the embassies of Denmark and Ireland.

Germany helps improve Vietnams SMEs via innovation programme

The Central Innovation Programme for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), also known as ZIM, was introduced to Vietnamese and German firms and organisations at a workshop in Berlin on June 12.

The ZIM programme has been carried out within the framework of a letter of intent on scientific and technological cooperation signed in December 2012 between the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. It looks to help transfer advanced technologies and improve the technical capacity of SMEs and scientific-technological organisations in Vietnam.

Tran Dong, Counsellor for Science and Technology at the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany, said the workshop was one of the three similar events held by the MoST to introduce the ZIM programme. The two previous events took place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in late May.

The Berlin workshop aimed to give instructions on the approval process, financial mechanisms and methods for supporting the connection of Vietnamese and German scientists and businesses.

He added that during the Vietnam visit last March by German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the European country to assist Vietnam to develop SMEs and some other fields, including digital technology, startups and innovation.

Meanwhile, Counsellor Dang Chung Thuy at the Vietnamese Embassy highlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation in researching, developing and commercialise technologies in the two countries SMEs.

He noted that with a dynamic economy, the Governments efforts, the private sectors investment and human resource advantages, Vietnam is becoming a startup and innovation hub in Asia-Pacific.

Felix Richter, Coordinator for International Cooperation at AiF Projekt GmbH, said apart from Vietnam, the ZIM programme has cooperated with 25 other countries. Each year, it issues announcements to invite businesses to propose feasible projects to seek funding.

He expressed his hope that the programme will expand its sponsorship scope to attract more SMEs and foster cooperation between the two countries.

Government to continue facilitating US firms operation in Vietnam: Deputy PM

The Government of Vietnam will continue creating optimal conditions for US businesses, including Hanesbrands clothing company, to operate effectively in the Southeast Asian country, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung affirmed on June 12.

At a reception of Jerry Cook, Vice President Government and Trade Relations at Hanesbrands, in Hanoi, the Deputy PM congratulated the group on its successful operation in Vietnam in recent past and welcomed it to expand investment in the country.

He proposed the group pay more attention to social and charitable activities to help improve the quality of life for locals.

The presence of US major groups, including Hanesbrands, has significantly contributed to the promotion of trade and investment relations between the two countries, he said.

The Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership has developed pragmatically and effectively in all fields over the past time with the focus on economy, trade and investment relations, Dung said, adding that two-way trade stands at around 28.4 billion USD at present.

Jerry Cook said Hanesbrands has received big assistance from the Vietnamese Government, ministries, departments and localities over the past time.

US businesses highly appreciate the assistance of the Vietnamese Government, especially its efforts in improving the business and investment environment, he said, adding Hanesbrands is increasing the number of its factories and expanding the scale of production in Vietnam.

In the time ahead, the group wants to strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, departments and localities, particularly in the fields of customs and taxation, the official added.

Hanesbrands is running seven plants in Vietnam with nearly 12,000 workers, producing 26 percent of the groups total products in the globe.

The export turnover of Hanesbrands Vietnam in 2018 was estimated at 400 million USD.

Vietcombank takes big stride in international market

The Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) has been named in the 17th annual Global 2000  Forbes ranking of the Worlds Largest Public Companies in 2019.

Ranked the 1,096th and with its market value hitting 10.9 billion USD, the bank took the lead among Vietnamese companies included in the list. The others are the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), property and retail giant Vingroup and the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank).

Over the past five years, the Vietcombanks market value increased nearly three times, as compared with 2015 when it embarked on the 2016-2020 restructuring period.

Companies on the 17th annual Global 2000 account for more than 40 trillion USD in annual revenue and upwards of 186 trillion USD in global assets. The rankings are based on a composite score of revenue, profits, assets and market value.

Vietcombank, VietinBank and BIDV have been included in the rankings since 2016.

Forbes Vietnam recently announced Vietnams 50 top listed companies for 2019, which accounted for 63 percent of total market capitalisation on the Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi stock exchanges.

Vietcombank is the only representative of large-scale State credit institutions to be included in the list for seven consecutive years.

For three consecutive years, Vinamilk led the market in terms of profitability, but last year, Vietcombank surpassed the dairy company to become the champion in post-tax profit with growth rate of 60 percent.

The banks profit exceed 2 trillion VND (86 million USD), even higher than the combined number of VietinBank and BIDV.

With market capitalisation amounting to over 10 billion USD, Vietcombank has also surpassed Vinhomes, Vinamilk and PV Gas to become the largest in this regard.

In 2018, Vietcombank entered The Asian Banker magazines rankings of the 30 strongest banks in the Asia-Pacific region for the first time. The magazine has also repeatedly named the bank with the strongest balance sheet in Vietnam.

Last year, Vietcombank pulled its bad debt down to below 1 percent (0.97 percent) for the first time since its equitisation. Its return on average assets (ROAA) and return on average equity (ROAE) were 1.37 and 25.42 percent.

The bank opened its first overseas branch in Laos the same year. Of note, it has become the only Vietnamese bank to get the approval of the US Federal Reserve (FED) to open a representative office in the US.

Vietcombank is stepping up efforts to complete procedures for the opening of its first branch in Australia.

The bank set the target of raising its pre-tax profit to 1 billion USD by 2020.

Nepal tourism promoted in Hanoi

The Tourism Board and the Society of Travel and Tour Operators of Nepal have joined the Hanoi-based CapTour Club to organise a conference promoting Nepal tourism in the capital city.

At the event, held on June 10, representatives from 15 Nepalese tour operators exchanged information with their Vietnamese peers, aiming to form partnerships in tourist exchange between the sides.

Travel companies from Nepal said they hope to serve Vietnamese visitors to their country and are ready for cooperation to bring more Nepalese tourists to Vietnam.

Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Hong Dai, chairman of the CapTour Club, said Nepal offers enticing experience for visitors for its pristine beauty and ancient Buddhist relics.

He noted Vietnamese people visiting Nepal still have to transit in Thailand as a direct air route is yet to be operated between the two countries.

He hopes that in 2020, after the opening of Nepals Gautam Buddha International Airport, a direct route will be launched.

The conference was part of a programme on Nepal tourism promotion in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand from June 10 to 14.

In 2018, Nepal hosted 12,454 visitors from Vietnam; 53,250 from Thailand; and 3,790 from Cambodia.

Business environment improves following Governments Resolution 02

The implementation of the Governments Resolution 02/NQ-CP issued early this year has brought about improvements in the business environment, heard a working session on the impacts of the document held on June 12 under the chair of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Thanh Thong said the ministry and the Government Office had coordinated with World Bank experts to update the indexes on Vietnams business environment for the banks Doing Business report, slated to be announced in October this year.

Accordingly, the procedures and time for starting a business reduced from 8 and 17 days to 5 and 8 days, respectively; the procedures and time for getting a construction permit decreased from 10 and 166 days to 10 and 62 days. The payments of tax per year dropped to only one time a year from the previous 5 times, and the time taken to file value added tax was cut from 219 hours to 129 hours a year.

The WB also noted that recently-issued documents had helped speed up the settlement of contract disputes and insolvency.

However, the deputy minister said that some ministries have not fulfilled the requirements set by the resolution. Few ministries have issued full guidance documents on implementing tasks under the resolution in the first quarter as required, resulting in confusions and difficulties in building and carrying out action plans.

Many ministries have drafted decrees on adjusting business conditions but are slow to submit them to the Government for approval. Most ministries have not issued documents guiding subsidiaries, enterprises and localities regarding the reform in business conditions.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Son said enterprises and people still complain when doing administrative procedures, particularly the attitude of civil servants who do not give full explanations on procedures, forcing enterprises and people to return many times.

Concluding the working session, Deputy PM Dam urged ministries and agencies to tighten public discipline and order in implementing Resolution 02 in order to create substantial changes.

Ministries and agencies should hold inspections to check the pace of reform, and dialogues with business associations to learn about existing problems, he said.

The Deputy PM requested that ministries and sectors submit reports on the pace of cutting business conditions within next week and propose solutions to problems raised by the business community.

He suggested the Ministry of Planning and Investment consider the ranking of ministries, sectors and localities in implementing Resolution 02.

Portal launched to connect borrowers with credit institutions

The National Credit Information Centre of Vietnam (CIC) and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has officially launched a portal connecting borrowers and credit institutions.

Through the portal, borrowers can easily choose credit packages and register loan needs at the appropriate credit institutions, saving travel costs and time when using banking services.

The borrower connection portal is also aimed at improving the transparency of credit information. Borrowers are allowed to view their own credit information and credit scores to monitor their credit levels as well as prevent fraud.

In addition, customers will be advised by CIC on how to improve their credit scores and access credit at credit institutions.

Credit institutions participating in the portal are introducing credit packages and preferential policies for customers. They will be able to use the platform to approach borrowers, reduce the time and cost of finding and selecting customers and ensure openness and transparency.

According to CICs General Director Do Hoang Phong, CIC provides guidance and solutions on its website and through its smartphone application "CIC Credit Connect - Connecting loan needs".

At the launch ceremony for the platform, SBVs Deputy Governor Nguyen Kim Anh said the move showed CIC has applied new technologies to help borrowers and credit institutions.

Anh said CIC needs to improve the features of the portal, focusing on convenience for customers when registering online and ensuring the safety and confidentiality of their information.

Credit institutions must coordinate with CIC to introduce and regularly update credit packages, serve the needs of customers and give feedback to CIC to improve and develop the portal, Anh added.

Van Don Economic Zone needs 358.2 million USD for infrastructure

The Peoples Committee of northeastern Quang Ninh Province has released a plan to implement Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs conclusion on the development of Van Don Economic Zone (EZ) that would require more than 8.35 trillion VND (358.2 million USD) to expand its infrastructure by 2030.

The plan aims to make Van Don an economic hub of Vietnam and get the city listed as one of the best places to live in the Asia-Pacific region.

The provincial budget will allocate 2.4 trillion VND in the 2019-2025 period for investment into infrastructure. The province has proposed supplementing this with 2.1 trillion VND from the State budget. The Van Don EZ will also mobilise 350 billion VND from land funds and use its State budget collection for re-investment. It was estimated that the State budget collection would be some 3.5 trillion VND in the 2026-2030 period.

Quang Ninh province set five key tasks to reach the goals. The priority task was to develop the EZs infrastructure including air, road and waterway transport systems and tourism infrastructure.

The plan proposed studying expanding the annual capacity of Van Don Airport to more than five million arrivals and 30,000 tonnes of goods by 2030.

It also suggested attracting investors to build helipads on the provinces islands to facilitate transport between Van Don and Ha Long, Mong Cai and other islands.

The plan would also accelerate the construction of Van Don  Mong Cai Expressway and bridges connecting Cam Pha city to Van Don EZ.

The province also planned to build a coastal route along the new urban areas of Bai Tu Long Bay and upgrade the roads on Quan Lan  Minh Chau islands and the cable car route from Cai Bau to Tra Ngo  Cai Lim islands.

Van Don expected to attract investment in maritime infrastructure as well, including Hon Net Con Ong Port, Cai Bau Island Port and tourism ports on Minh Chau, Quan Lan, Ngoc Vung, Thang Loi and Van Canh islands.

The plan would give priority to supporting strategic investors in tourism and resort complexes. It would help investors complete investment procedures for the construction of high-end hotels in the Bai Dai and Cai Rong urban areas.

Other key tasks include the development of a modern high-tech tourism industry, high-tech agriculture and sustainable aquaculture.

Institutional, legal weaknesses hamper SOE restructuring: CIEM

Shortcomings in terms of institutions and laws are the main cause of the sluggish restructuring of State-owned enterprises (SOEs), which may fail to fulfill many important targets by the end of 2020, according to the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM).

At a workshop in Hanoi on June 12, head of the CIEMs department for enterprise reform and development research Pham Duc Trung said by the end of next year, SOEs are hoped to have a more reasonable structure through equitisation and divestment of State capital.

Vietnam also expects to complete the divestment of State capital from firms in which the State doesnt need to hold capital, improve businesses performance, and thoroughly handle poor-performing and loss-making SOEs by the end of 2020.

Trung said although the targeted number of equitised firms may still be reached, many important targets will be definitely unable to be fulfilled, including the attraction of private investment in SOEs, and the investment of State capital divested from SOEs into the fields that really need the States presence.

Therefore, the target of a more reasonable structure for SOEs hasnt been reached, he said, adding that State capital is still present in almost all business fields in the economy.

[Equitisation of State-owned enterprises remains slow: official]

The State economic sector hasnt clearly played its role as the one that leads and creates momentum for economic development and is the important force for the State to orient and regulate the economy, he said.

Noting institutional and legal shortcomings that have hampered the SOE restructuring, the CIEM official said the States ownership and management havent been separated, posing risks of unequal treatment and unfair competition in reality.

Additionally, the States investment in socio-economic development and serving other economic sectors is still mixed with its investment in SOEs and SOEs investment.

Le Xuan Ba, an economic expert, said in the State economic sector, SOEs are the most crucial element but they have performed poorly. Meanwhile, these businesses are still considered to be the main force in the economy.

This viewpoint is wrong right from the beginning, so the old mindset should not be sustained, he added.

Trung, from the CIEM, said to improve the State economic sectors efficiency, Vietnam needs to detail the role of this sector, which should be tasked with ensuring the infrastructure system and essential public services for activities of other economic sectors; ensuring defence, national security and a safe business environment; and equally and efficiently allocating assets owned by the whole people to other sectors.

Economic expert Tran Tien Cuong said it is necessary to increase using the State-issued macro-economic policies instead of using SOEs as a tool to regulate the macro-economy. SOEs should only be used as a support tool together with policies to regulate the macro-economy, and this role must be institutionalised and made transparent, he added.

Cuong also called for the enhancement of the States monitoring and auditing of its capital and assets, along with stronger analysis, assessment, discovery and warning of SOEs problems.

OV businesspeople learn about business opportunities in An Giang

A conference in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on June 12 helped overseas Vietnamese (OV) businesspeople learn about agriculture and tourism projects in need of capital.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Le Van Nung lauded OV businesspeople as an important resource to develop agriculture and tourism, hoping that they will invest in high-tech farming and tourism to fuel local economy.

The provinces gross regional domestic product (GRDP) expanded by 6.52 percent in 2018. Its key products such as rice, tra fish, vegetables were shipped to 76 countries globally, bringing home 840 million USD.

The locality attracted 8 million tourists and earned 4.8 trillion VND (208.6 million USD) thanks to its diverse terrain with rivers, mountains, plains, pagodas, temples and relic sites, which is a potential to develop ecological and spiritual tourism.

It is now home to 19 firms invested by OVs with a total registered capital of 17.85 million USD.

OV businesspeople discussed measures to help An Giang boost farm produce export to the US and EU, attract investment in hi-tech agriculture, ecological and resort tourism.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Tran Duc Hien expressed hope that OV businesspeople will choose suitable investment projects following the event, contributing to turning An Giang into a tourism and high-tech agriculture hub in the Mekong Delta.

At the event, IMM Group Vietnam and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development signed an agreement on providing support to pitch for agricultural investment.

The provincial Business Association also inked a deal on creating an environment for trade and investment with the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese.

PM urges acceleration of electronic toll fee collection

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The to report on the progress of applying non-stop electronic toll fee services nationwide before June 20.

The leaders order aims to accelerate the application of electronic services and ensure transparency of toll collection.

The report must detail the progress of applying technology at every toll station, as well as difficulties and proposed punishments for those who delay the work.

During a Q&A session at the National Assembly last week, a deputy raised concerns that so far only 30 per cent of toll stations nationwide have non-stop toll collection services.

Minister The said the deadline for all tool booths across the country to install the systems is December 31. Toll booths will also add cameras to monitor traffic and revenues.

Once the electronic toll fee collection is applied, drivers will be able to top up their account through text or banking services to pay toll fees at Build-Operate-Transfer booths nationwide.

Each car will be given an electronic tag (e-tag) which is attached to the windscreen or lights.

Through e-tags, the system will identify the vehicle and transmit its image and information to a data centre at high speed. Confirmation of the vehicles information and deduction of the required amount from the account will be almost immediate, so the barrier will lift without the vehicle having to stop. Electronic devices will also be used to supervise the entire toll collection process.

More than 700,000 vehicles have been given e-tags, according to the transport ministry.

Minister The added that by the end of this year, vehicles which do not have e-tags or sufficient funds in their account will be asked to go through the manual toll lanes.

Waiting times due to traffic congestion at manual toll stations have delayed goods transportation and wasted fuel for drivers, not to mention the negative effects of emissions on the environment and the risk of traffic accidents.

20,000 job vacancies available in HCM City market

Ho Chi Minh City-based companies will need to fill some 20,000 job vacancies in June, the citys Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information (FALMI) said.

Although the number of job openings is lower than May, employers need more skilled workers, which account for 72.05 percent of the total demand.

Most of the vacancies are in the citys four key industrial sectors and nine service sectors such as engineering-automation, garment- leather shoes, transport-warehouse-import-export and electricity-refrigeration- industrial electricity.

FALMI Director Tran Thi Anh Dao said that local enterprises require experienced workers to ensure their business operation and production development.

As for the job seekers, they tend to find jobs in IT, architecture-construction, accounting-auditing, sales, transport-warehouse-import-export, customer service, and administration.

Around 94.59 percent of the job applications are from experienced workers.

Regarding salaries, 26.65 percent of the job seekers ask for 5-8 million VND (214.12-342.6 USD) in payment, 41.07 percent propose salaries range of 8-10 million VND (342.6-428.24 USD), and 18.49 percent want jobs that secure them 10-15 million VND (428.24- 642.37 USD). Meanwhile, only 8.8 percent of them negotiate salary from 15 million VND (642.37 USD), and the remainders want under 5 million VND (214.12 USD) in payment.

There will be some 170,000 job vacancies in the city this year, 80 percent of which are for experienced workers in digital marketing, customer service, logistics service, retail sales and fashion service.

Exports up 7.1 per cent in five-month period

Vietnam racked up some US$101 billion from exports during the first five months of 2019, recording a year on year rise of 7.1 per cent, according to Vietnam Customs.

Apparel exports jumped 11.5 per cent to US$12.2 billion in the first five months of 2019.

Statistics newly released by the General Department of Vietnam Customs show that exports brought home US$21.9 billion in May alone, up 7.2 per cent against the previous month.

Three categories saw their five-month export turnover hit at least US$10 billion. The export of telephones and components edged by 2.2 per cent on year to reach US$19.7 billion following consecutive drops in the previous months.

The overseas shipments of machinery, equipment, and spare parts recorded US$12.547 billion in value, an annual rise of 13.1 per cent, while apparel exports jumped 11.5 per cent to US$12.2 billion.

Elsewhere, the country spent US$101.555 billion on imports during the five-month period. Most notably, imports reached US$23.2 billion during May, a surge of 10.5 per cent compared with April.

Given this, the country sustained a trade deficit of US$434 million in the first five months of the year.

New credit to develop critical urban infrastructure in Vietnam

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors on June 11 approved a US$194.36 million credit to help four secondary cities in Vietnam build critically-needed municipal infrastructure and strengthen urban planning.

The Dynamic Cities Integrated Development Project aims to increase access to improved urban services in four urban centers of Ky Anh (Ha Tinh Province), Tinh Gia (Thanh Hoa Province), Hai Duong (Hai Duong Province), and Yen Bai (Yen Bai Province).

Approximately 200,000 residents are expected to benefit directly from project activities, of which more than half are women. In Vietnam, secondary cities are broadly defined as cities with populations ranging from 100,000 to 500,000.

The project will help reduce flood risks, improve sanitation, reduce travel times on new and improved roads, and develop high-quality public spaces. The project will also improve connectivity to Industrial Parks, Export Processing Zones, commercial establishments, and tourist attractions, benefiting workers and merchants as well as visitors.

These improvements in turn are expected to help boost productivity, enable exports, create more jobs, and help generate sustained economic growth.

Secondary cities are set to play an increasingly important role in Vietnams growth poles through efficient movement of goods, people, services, and information. said Ousmane Dione, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam.



These four selected cities have demonstrated significant potential to become dynamic economic hubs at the provincial and regional levels. This operation would help to fill the infrastructure gap by providing much-needed financing to deliver quality services with lessons and best practices gained from World Bank engagements in other cities around the world, he said.

A major problem in these cities is the uneven access to basic services, including drainage systems, wastewater collection and treatment, and road networks. This has resulted in increasing traffic congestion, flooding, and the deterioration or lack of public spaces.

In addition, all four cities are either located along the coastline or in mountainous areas, making them vulnerable to disaster risks and the impacts of climate change.

The Project helps address these problems with both structural and non-structural support, including a series of infrastructure investments in each subproject city, and technical assistance to strengthen the capacities of the cities to adopt a comprehensive and integrated urban planning approach that links physical development to long-term socio-economic strategies, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk management plans.

The total cost of the project is US$276.17 million, of which US$194.36 million comes from International Development Association (IDA).

Seminar looks to find best waste treatment model for Vietnamese localities

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environments Vietnam Environment Administration (VAE) organised a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on June 12, selecting a waste treatment model that suitable for Vietnams development conditions.

According to VEA deputy general director Nguyen Hung Thinh, fast-growing economy and population growth pose great challenges in waste management and treatment.

Urban citizens dump about 38,000 tonnes of waste per day while the amount generated in rural areas is 32,000 tonnes, he said, stressing that only 85 percent of the garbage is treated in cities and some 40-50 percent in rural localities.

As a lack of proper solutions to the problem is harming the environment, Thinh called sector, branches and localities to apply advanced technologies as well as enhance technology transfer between domestic and foreign firms to better treat waste.

Park Jung-jun, deputy director of the Republic of Koreas Ministry of Environments Environmental Industry and Economy Division, stressed that the RoK has overcome various environmental issues, and it has developed the worlds leading technologies for waste treatment.

The RoK is able to provide a wide range of environmental equipment and solutions which suit conditions in each country, he said, adding that the country has operated 377 environmental projects in 82 countries worldwide, including Vietnam.

Park said in the coming time, the RoK will boost international cooperation in the sector, supporting developing countries with their environmental improvement plans by inviting experts to study RoKs waste treatment models, and providing training courses for Vietnamese officials and experts.

Meanwhile, Mai Huy Tan, director of the Vientam-Germany Bridge Ltd, said that Germanys INTEC-Thermolytic Cracking Process (TCP) technology can treat all kinds of waste without classification at source. Besides, the belt chain can work more than 30 years and does not cause any harm to the environment.

The seminar was held on the sidelines of the 11th International Exhibition on Environmental Technology, Energy and Environmentally-friendly Products (ENTECH Vietnam 2019) at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in HCM City's District 7, which takes place from June 12-14.

Vietnam international commercial mediation centre debuts

The Vietnam International Commercial Mediation Centre (VICMC), the first of its kind set up under a license of the Ministry of Justice, has made its debut.

As a member of the Vietnam Society of International Law (VSIL), the VICMC is established and operates for non-profit purposes. It aims to bring another approach to non-litigation settlement of commercial disputes among businesses and investors.

At the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Justice Dang Hoang Oanh spoke highly of efforts of and coordination among related ministries, sectors and organisations in the establishment of the centre.

She hoped that the VICMC and its members would make greater efforts to be professional, independent and fair in mediation activities, contributing to improving the business environment in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Justice will accompany the VICMC in its activities in particular and mediation activities in Vietnam in general, she affirmed.

In addition to mediation activities, the VICMC will perform its social responsibility through mediation training, study and promotion of mediation activities in Vietnam.

Japanese-invested gypsum factory built in Ba Ria-Vung Tau

Yoshino Gypsum Vietnam Co., Ltd began construction on a 50 million USD gypsum factory in Phu My town in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau on June 13.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Long expressed his belief that the factory will help improve local production technology and generate jobs for locals.

The factory will provide gypsum products that meet Japanese standards of quality for the construction material market in Vietnam, he said.

Ba Ria  Vung Tau will continue improving its business environment and facilitate the operation of businesses, he affirmed.

Sudo Eisaku, Chairman and CEO of Yoshino Gypsum Vietnam Co., Ltd, said the project is wholly-owned by Yoshino Gypsum of Japan.

It is expected to be put into operation in December 2020. Yoshino Gypsum will apply the most advanced Japanese technologies to produce gypsum products for the Vietnamese market.Vietnam is following an export-based growth model, striving to become a production base for multinational groups.

Experts from VEPR, however, have warned that Vietnam may not be able to improve domestic industry capacity.

Vietnam has emerged as a global production base which specializes in assembling. The manufacturing and processing industries made up 42 percent and 40 percent of export value, respectively, in 2017, compared with 11 percent and 41 percent in 2006.

The high jump in the export value was attributed to the policy on prioritizing the export of electronic products with the participation of Samsung, Intel and IBM.

Vietnam also exports food, beverages, textiles and footwear products. As Vietnam has joined the global value chain, it has more job opportunities, experience and managerial skills.

However, VEPR believes that the benefits depend on the type of link chain and the position of every country in the chain.

In Vietnams trade structure, the share of imports from intermediary parties is 47.9 percent, which is much higher than exports. The imports mostly serve foreign-invested enterprises assembly for export.

Vietnam is following Mexicos export-based economic growth model to become a production base for multinationals. The model is different from the one applied in Germany, Japan and the countries belonging to the group of four Asian tigers.

Vietnam is following Mexicos export-based economic growth model to become a production base for multinationals. The model is different from the one applied in Germany, Japan and the countries belonging to the group of four Asian tigers.

In Mexico, the model still has not brought success. The countrys GDP growth has slowed, while productivity remains unchanged.

Although living standards improved, the advantage of the cheap labor force wont exist in the future. If so, the assembling jobs will go to other countries.

VEPR stressed that outsourcing and assembling must be associated with the development of domestic industry capacity and the national technology platform. This will help Vietnam upgrade the value chain and turn Vietnam from an intermediary assembler into a local producer.

The researchers from VEPR also stressed that Vietnam must apply new technologies, saying that 4.0 industries will re-define the positions of countries in the global value chain.

VP Bank Securities n May released an updated report on Vietnams economy, putting emphasis on the FDI increase and number of newly registered businesses.

In the first five months, the FDI committed was $9 billion, an increase of 27.1 percent compared with the same period last year.

Vietnam had a trade deficit of $1.3 billion in May and $548 million in the first five months of the year. It had had a trade surplus of $2.6 billion the same period last year.

Kim Chi

Policy key to boosting Vietnams digital economy, say experts The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)s key task is to evaluate the building and adjustment of policies to support the development of the digital economy, according to Deputy Minister Cao Quoc Hung.The national oil and gas group PetroVietnam is taking necessary steps to recover the investment capital in unprofitable projects overseas, estimated at $800 million.

The State Audits Report submitted to the National Assembly showed that 24 PetroVietnams oil and gas projects overseas have been unprofitable over the last 19 years. It is taking back investment capital from the projects, worth $773 million.

The report mentioned Danan project in Iran and Junin 2 in Venezuela. PetroVietnam had to stop the project after having injected $66 million into them.

As for the oil & gas exploration and exploitation in Peru, it decided to transfer the two projects after investing $849 million.

Meanwhile, Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon quoted its sources as reporting that only one project in Russia and one in Malaysia have had cash flow back to Vietnam. The other projects, described as black holes, have sucked away big money and caused major losses.

The sources also said the amount of money PetroVietnam may lose could be much higher than $773 million.

PetroVietnams 2017 audited finance report did not mention the investment in Danan project.

The report mentioned Danan project in Iran and Junin 2 in Venezuela. PetroVietnam had to stop the project after having injected $66 million into them.

As for the project on establishing a joint venture between PVEP (a subsidiary of PetroVietnam and Petromacareo), and the first & second commission payment for the right to join Junin 2 Block in Venezuela, the investment capital was reported at the initial capital level of VND10.753 trillion.

It is highly possible that the VND10.753 trillion will be lost. Meanwhile, its unclear about the fate of the third payment of commission ($142 million) to the Venezuelan government for the right to undertake the project.

The $66 million that the State Audit mentioned in its report is just the capital contribution by PetroVietnam. In reality, PetroVietnam also had $442 million in commission. The amount of money was transferred two times to the partner and was mentioned by Deloitte in the 2017 finance report.

Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon estimates that the total money spent by PVEP in unprofitable overseas projects mentioned in the 2017 finance report amounted to VND31.475 trillion, or $1.368 billion, much higher than the $773 million shown in the State Audit report.

At the moment when PetroVietnam began making investment in the projects, the exchange rate was VND18,000 per dollar. But now, one dollar is priced at VND23,000. The exchange rate fluctuation also needs to be listed as investment cost.

By the end of 2017, the loss from exchange rate fluctuation had reached VND3.413 trillion.

MOIT and PetroVietnam one year ago sent a document to the government asking for permission to cover the losses by allocating its assets within 20 years. However, to date, there has been no final decision.

Mai LanMemorial ceremonies are always emotional. And the emotions are sure to bubble up in a stronger and more special way when the ceremonies take place at spots where the martyrs spent their final minutes.

Breath of spring in Truong Sa archipelago

Truong Sa archipelago peaceful daily life

Fallen soldiers in Gac Ma battle commemorated

Gac Ma Inmortal circle lives on

Commemoration for Gac Ma soldiers

WAVES OF EMOTION: An incense-burner floats off the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago with Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef on the background in commemoration of 64 naval soldiers who died while fighting to protect the reef from Chinese invaders in 1988.

For many travellers who are lucky enough to visit Vietnams territorial waters in Truong Sa (Spratly) islands, its surrounding area and southern continental shelf, attending the two special memorial ceremonies commemorating naval soldiers who died to protect the nations maritime sovereignty would surely stir different emotions.

Grief and sadness are generally the foremost, but above all, feelings of pride and patriotism would be named.

On the Spratlys, a memorial service to commemorate 64 naval soldiers who died with honour while fighting to protect Vietnam's Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef from Chinese invaders in 1988 is normally held when the cruise reaches the sea area among Gac Ma, Co Lin (Collins) Reef and Len ao (Lansdowne) Reef.

SOLEMN: Each delegate at the memorial ceremony holds a flower and an origami bird to offer to the sea as a prayer for the soldiers and gratitude for their sacrifices.

Here, 64 soldiers of Navy Engineering Regiment 83 bravely sacrificed their lives on March 14, 1988 as they were attacked by six Chinese frigates. Eleven others were wounded and nine were captured by the Chinese troops.

Speaking at a ceremony late last month, Rear Admiral Pham Van Quang, deputy head of the Political Department under the High Command of Viet Nam Peoples Navy, emphasised to nearly 200 delegates the heroic sacrifices of the fallen soldiers.

In the countrys thousand-year history, the islands and the seas are always a sacred part that cannot be separated from Vietnam, he said.

With sweat, blood and even lives, generations of Vietnamese people have established, managed and firmly protected the sovereignty in the East Sea, as well as Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagoes.

In protecting the countrys sovereignty, many officers and men, even though they were aware of the dangers, were not afraid and decided not to step back, bravely and fiercely accept sacrifices to protect the national seas and islands to their last breaths.

BIRD OF PEACE: A delegate offers an origami bird to the sea. -- VNS Photos WE WILL NEVER FORGET: Navy officers offer incenses to their deceased comrades.





Tears of delegates fell when Quang recalled the story of Lieutenant Tran Van Phuong, who sacrificed himself to protect the national flag on Gac Ma Reef with the immortal saying: I would rather die than to lose the island. When Phuong died, a sergeant replaced his position and was also shot down.

The Rear Admiral also recalled the heroic story of Colonel Vu Huy Le, the captain of Vietnams navy ship HQ505, who, in the decisive moment, drove the ship straight on shore of Co Lin Reef, making it a live marker of national sovereignty so the island was kept.

More than 30 years have passed, but the memory and pain from that battle will never fade. The people of Vietnam will never forget the war martyrs, like the waves in the ocean will never stop, Quang said.

All the delegates paid tributes to Gac Ma fallen soldiers with incense and wreaths. Each of them held a flower and an origami bird to offer to the sea as a prayer for the soldiers and gratitude for their sacrifices.

As the trip went on, a similar ceremony was held to commemorate the martyrs who died on duty at Vietnams oil rig cluster DK1.

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS: Flowers and incense-burners float near DK1/7, or Huyen Tran Platform, in commemoration of those who died on duty.

The cluster DK1 included 20 platforms built on the coral foundation, tens of metres under the ocean on the continental shelf off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. It was constructed in 1989 for scientific research, oil exploration, hydrometeorology and for protection of national sovereignty. It has also served as a food, water and fuel supplier for Vietnamese ships.

Speaking at the memorial ceremony near Platform DK1/7, or Platform Huyen Tran, Rear Admiral Quang recalled the severe weather conditions facing the soldiers and engineers who guard the platforms.

Fierce storms devastated the platforms and claimed the lives of a number of officers and soldiers in the 1990s.

Recalling the deaths of six officers and soldiers who tried to protect the platforms DK1/3 Phuc Tan and DK1/6 Phuc Nguyen during historic storms in 1990 and 1998, Rear Admiral Quang said: Their sacrifices are the embodiment of the spirit of courage and pride of Vietnamese people.

In an exclusive interview with Viet Nam News the next day, Colonel Vu Viet Lich, said he could not stop the tears falling down his face at the ceremony as he was visiting the place one of his comrades died on duty before.

I witnessed him die during the storm but I couldnt do anything. At that time, his wife just gave birth to a baby but he couldnt see his son, he said, full of emotion.

R.I.P: Rear Admiral Pham Van Quang offers incense to martyrs who died on duty at Vietnams oil rig cluster DK1 in continental shelf. EMOTIONAL MOMENT: Colonel Vu Viet Lich (far left) cannot stop the tears falling down his face at the ceremony.



Hoang Ngoc Cuong, an officer from the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, said he was so moved attending the trip to Truong Sa and DK1 cluster, especially attending the memorial ceremonies for the fallen soldiers.

Seeing the seas and the islands under Vietnams sovereignty with my own eyes, I realise that they are part of the flesh and blood of the Vietnamese people, he said.

The ceremonies have taught us how much blood, sweat and tears of many generations have poured down to establish, manage and protect our territorial waters in the East Sea, he said. VNS

Hong MinhDeputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lt. General Nguyen Chi Vinh, who led a Vietnamese high-ranking military delegation to pay a working visit to Germany from June 10-15, has held talks with Germanys Defense State Secretary Peter Tauber.

Deputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lt. General Nguyen Chi Vinh (L) and Germanys Defense State Secretary Peter Tauber

During the talks on June 13, the two sides shared their views on global and regional issues of shared concern, and informed each other about security situation in Europe and Asia Pacific.

They reviewed results of defence cooperation between the two countries in recent times, especially in training, military medicine and UN peacekeeping.

Vinh said that Vietnam's Ministry of Defense approved Germanys resident defense attache to Vietnam, affirming that Germanys appointment of a resident defence attache to Vietnam for the first time reflects strong development of defense bond between the two countries, and is the foundation for both sides to increase their understanding and cooperation in the coming time.

The Vietnamese delegation discussed with the Germany side about strengthening defense cooperation in the future as a strategic partner of each other.

The cooperation will focus on considering the possibility to sign a memorandum of understanding on defence collaboration and promoting the establishment of a deputy ministerial-level defense policy dialogue mechanism, and strengthening cooperation in military medicine, training, UN peacekeeping, defence industry, and overcoming post-war consequences.

During their visit, the Vietnamese delegation had working sessions with a number of German defence officers and officials from the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and visited the army combat training centre and the international peacekeeping centre.-VNADr Ho Ngoc Anh Vu of My Duc Hospital in HCM City won the Best Oral Presentation Award for his outstanding research at the 9th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE 2019).

The 9th ASPIRE 2019 organised by the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction and the Hong Kong Society for Reproductive Medicine held from May 2-5 in Hong Kong. Gia Loc spoke with Vu about his research and the status of reproductive medicine in Vietnam.

Vietnamese doctors win 2 awards at Asian conference

Charity provides free IVF treatment for poor infertile couples

Dr Ho Ngoc Anh Vu of My Duc Hospital in HCM City. Photo courtesy of the hospital



Can you tell us about your research?

Our study compared the effectiveness and safety of in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes versus in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women with a high antral follicle count (AFC). My colleagues at the hospital and I conducted the research.

This was the largest study ever in Vietnam on this topic. We studied 1,000 patients who needed infertility treatment and compared the two techniques.

IVM helps the contents of ovarian follicles and the oocytes mature in vitro. The study showed that IVM seems to be an effective treatment compared to IVF, and it eliminates the risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome in women with a high AFC.

IVM is postulated as an alternative to conventional IVF to avoid ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome. This has particular potential in women with a high AFC, who have increased risk of getting the syndrome.

Only few infertility treatment centres in the world, including IVFMD in Vietnam, have performed this technique.

In Vietnam, the first expert to do research and apply this IVM technique was Dr Vuong Ngoc Lan, the countrys leading IVF specialist, at HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. It was performed at My Duc Hospital, which is a private hospital specialising in infertility, obstetrics, gynaecology, and neonatal healthcare services.

In the IVF process, a patient's ovaries are stimulated by taking daily injections of hormones. This helps multiple eggs mature in the ovaries, increasing the chance for pregnancy.

This step can cause ovarian hyper-stimulation, which is a condition developing when the ovaries become very enlarged and tender due to the stimulation medications used. The syndrome can lead to development of pelvic pain and the accumulation of pelvic fluid as well as other complications such as ovarian torsion or deep vein thrombosis.

It can affect patients psychological state because they have to undergo hormone injections for around 11 consecutive days, while with IVM, they only need to do this for two or three days.

Fewer blood tests and ultrasounds are done with IVM compared to IVF, offering benefits for the patient and reducing costs.

Moreover, with IVM, patients do not need ovarian stimulation or are stimulated less. So their ovaries are not enlarged and their hormones do not increase.

Dr Ho Ngoc Anh Vu of My Duc Hospital in HCM City presents his research at the 9th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE 2019) in May. Photo courtesy of the hospital

What were the most significant breakthroughs of your study?

The big breakthrough was the increased effectiveness of infertility treatment.

If the technique is practised well in infertility treatment centres in the country, patients who need infertility treatment, but are afraid of ovarian stimulation and a lot of injections or have contraindications for stimulation and a high level of estrogen, could use the alternative technique. They will suffer less.

Is the technique used in other infertility treatment centres besides My uc Hospital?

Not many infertility treatment centres in the country are using it. In the upcoming time, more centres are expected to use IVM after short-term training courses are provided by My Duc Hospitals doctors. Last year, the first Master class on IVM was held in our centre with participants from many countries in the Asia Pacific region, Australia and the US.

We are ready to train any doctor who wants to learn reproductive medicine.

To apply it, a complete system is required, including laboratories, advanced machines and high-level skills of doctors.

In the IVM process, it is difficult to extract and retrieve immature eggs. The size of immature eggs is 4mm to 6mm, smaller than the ones in the IVF process which are 16mm to 18mm. So, doctors have to have high-level skills and professional knowledge.

Besides IVM, which new techniques are being used in reproductive medicine in Vietnam?

Many new techniques, which infertility treatment centres in the world have applied, are used in Vietnam, where the cost is cheaper.

Pre-implantation genetic testing, a technique used to identify genetic defects in embryos created through IVF before implantation, is an example.

Vietnamese patients do not need to go abroad for infertility treatment. Many foreigners come to Vietnam for treatment. Many overseas Vietnamese I have treated said that they were impressed by Vietnamese doctors expertise and skills. I often tell overseas Vietnamese that Vietnams doctors are very good and can use many advanced techniques.

At the ASPIRE 2017 launching ceremony in Indonesia, the organising boards chairwoman mentioned Vietnams reproductive medicine, especially assisted reproduction, as an example of good practice and legal regulations for other countries to learn from. This was a source of deep pride.

Why did you choose reproductive medicine? What are your plans for your future?

In the 2001-2008 period, my aunts were infertile and came to HCM City for treatment. I went along with them during that time. At the time, I thought that I would study at a medical university and work in reproductive medicine including infertility treatment, just like the doctors who treated my aunts. I saw these doctors as angels who brought happiness to infertile patients and their families.

Working with senior physicians, I learned the way they diagnose and treat and do research. With any occupation, we have to work with our whole heart. We have to take advantage of our time to keep our knowledge up-to-date and practise a lot.

In the treatment process, I often seek ways to understand what patients feel and share with them, because many of them are disappointed and very sad because of many repeated failures to get pregnant.

Of 10 patients with infertility treatment, four to six are successful and are able to deliver a baby. That is the reason why I want to do research to seek better treatment to help the remaining group who experience failure.

Our team is conducting a large trial composed of patients with high AFC in East Asia and Vietnam. In the East Asia region, the proportion of women with a high AFC is high. The studys results will help us have a deeper understanding about the characteristics of the region and Vietnam to create protocols that can be tailored to each patient. And it will provide more evidence related to the effectiveness and safety of IVM to the literature in the field.

Dr Ho Ngoc Anh Vu of My Duc Hospital in HCM City examines a patient. Photo courtesy of the hospital

What advantages do young doctors have in helping patients?

Young doctors are provided favourable conditions to quickly update their professional knowledge and skills via modern technologies. They also are able to share patients feeling and suffering.

Before they begin working independently, they first work with many senior physicians to learn how to detect and find solutions to problems that patients face.

When I read the health records of patients, I am really absorbed. I want to know why they experienced failure and I want to find a suitable therapy for them. Infertility treatment is like untying knots in a string. Thirty per cent of patients do not know why they are infertile.

VNSJust a day after undergoing surgery to remove one of her lungs lobes, Nguyen Thi H., a 59-year-old woman from the northern province of Bac Giang, could already sit up and chat with other patients in the room.

Hospitals with financial autonomy need more funds

Improve health examination and treatment quality in 2019

Doctors at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi receive training from Japanese doctors on the less invasive ablation method to deal with liver tumours. Financial autonomy is expected to give public hospitals more budget freedom to invest in advanced medical technology and equipment.  VNA/VNS Photo Duong Ngoc

Last week, H. was one of the first two cancer patients to experience a brand-new and much less invasive procedure, namely the uniport video-assisted thoracic lobectomy. The procedure was first carried out at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi with support from world-leading surgeon Dr Diego Gonzales Rivas, who is also the father of this technique.

The method forgoes the cutting open of the patients chest cavity, which means the patient suffers less pain and takes less time for recover, as well as reduces risk of complications that could affect the functions of the lungs post-op.

However, as one of the hospitals under the direct management of the health ministry, this advanced technique and other state-of-the-art equipment wouldnt be possible at Bach Mai Hospital if it still solely depended on limited funds from the State budget.

Duong Duc Hung, head of the financial planning department of Bach Mai, said financial autonomy is required in line with market mechanisms.

Accordingly, over the past few years, Bach Mai Hospital has started to take advantage of its newly granted freedom to make decisions as it sees fit in various areas, from deciding on salaries for its employees or calling upon private funding to expand operations and upgrade existing facilities.

Many public hospitals in the southern region are suffering from a terrible brain drain where skilled doctors jump ship, and work for private hospitals instead. The reason is simple  the salaries they get are not commensurate to the time and effort they spend on training, or their skill level, Hung told Dan Viet newspaper.

Now, if the director of a [public] hospital has the authority to recruit staff as they see fit and set a salary that best reflects their ability without conforming to a rigid basic salary scheme that is applied on all public employees, Hung said.

Nguyen Nam Lien, head of the financial planning department under the health ministry, said that financial autonomy would boost the competitiveness of health institutions as they would have more "wiggle room" to pursue hi-tech techniques in organ transplants, extracorporeal lithotripsy, endoscopic surgery and other cancer-related diagnosis and treatments.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently approved a decision to grant full autonomy on a trial basis for the super four hospitals under the health ministry  the Viet Nam-Germany Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital and K (Cancer) Hospital in Hanoi, and the Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City.

According to the decision, the move aims to encourage proactiveness, creativity and effective use of the hospitals resources to raise the capacity and quality of medical examinations, treatment and healthcare for people, as well as promote the establishment of hi-tech centres that could cater to both Vietnamese and foreigners as well.

Attached responsibility

Currently, regarding financial autonomy, hospitals are categorised into four groups: ones that have stable, sufficient revenue to cover expenditures and have some left to invest in facilities, equipment and human resources; ones that can handle expenditures only; ones whose revenues can partly cover expenses, and finally, those that are entirely dependent on the State budget.

The four hospitals that were given comprehensive autonomy in the Prime Ministers decision belong to the first group, and they will enjoy a higher degree of freedom in professional activities, organisation and structure, tenure and other expenditures.

They could also decide salaries and recruit employees just like any other business, Lien from the health ministry said.

The Government has a reason to encourage financial autonomy in hospitals  at least, the larger, more reputable ones in the country  since it would also mean less pressure on the already-stretched State budget.

According to the health ministry, the budget allocation for hospitals in 2017 decreased by nearly VND5.47 trillion (US$234.8 million) compared to 2016, and dropped another VND3.21 trillion in 2018.

However, many have voiced concerns over the possibility that hospital fees would skyrocket and public hospitals would deviate from their original social welfare functions now that the regulatory shackles have been relaxed significantly.

Professor Tran Tuan, Director of the Research and Training Centre for Community Development, argued that there must be an independent unit that monitors the now-autonomous hospitals, citing fears that the hospitals could focus more on developing for-profit services to recoup their investment instead of catering to the general public.

We still lack a way to supervise the autonomy mechanism, which means patients could stand to lose as all sorts of services, while rates, screening fees or treatment costs could rise significantly. Also, these four hospitals are central-level ones, so patients wont have an alternative if their condition proves to be serious, Tuan said.

Director of the K (Cancer) Hospital in Hanoi, Tran Van Thuan, said the hospital fees for those with healthcare insurance will continue to follow the guidelines issued by the health ministry.

The fees for non-insurance medical services will be based on another set of guidelines from the health ministry, which will take into full account all seven cost factors  ranging from maintenance of equipment and depreciation of facilities to electricity and salaries for medical staff  while the current fees do not reflect the true costs.

In a roadmap issued by the health ministry, hospital fees for those with insurance will also be raised accordingly by 2021.

However, the health ministry will place a cap on the fees if the hospitals provide on-demand services for patients with the facilities and equipment they get from State investment.

For other totally financially independent institutions, with facilities they themselves build, equipment they themselves buy and staff they pay, they could set their own rates, but the rates must be public and transparent so patients could make an informed choice, Lien said.

According to Bach Mai Hospitals officials, 80 per cent of their patients have health insurance so the impact wouldnt be considerable, but those opting for non-insurance services will likely have to pay more.

But the service quality will be worth every penny, Hung said.

Aside from the price hike, Bui Sy Loi, deputy chair of National Assembly Committee for Social Affairs, said that as larger hospitals relied less on State funding, the freed-up money should go into directly supporting citizens, especially those in disadvantaged areas or poor backgrounds, in the form of health insurance.

As attractive as it seems, there has not been a detailed and consistent set of instructions for the mechanism yet, nor is there a one-size-fits-all model of autonomy. What the super four are doing could not be easily replicated at any other hospital, especially lower level ones at communes or districts.

We need to pilot different models of autonomy, identify the problems and the measures to correct them, so that subsequently autonomy could be extended to all hospitals, Hung from Bach Mai Hospital said.

VNSAdvertisement

By WestKyStar & MSU Staff

Jun. 14, 2019 | MURRAY

By WestKyStar & MSU Staff Jun. 14, 2019 | 09:41 PM | MURRAY

MSU's Summit. a Teaching and Technology Conference, draws 1,500 educators for keynote speeches and workshops.



Nearly 1,500 educators representing 81 school districts across five states convened at Murray State University June 11-12 for a professional development conference that featured nationally-known keynote speakers spanning a variety of educational roles.



Through a partnership between Murray States Teacher Quality Institute and the Kentucky Academy of Technology of Education, The Summit: A Teaching and Technology Conference offered educators innovative and collaborative activities, seminars and workshops that introduced new ideas to the classroom. Participants were eligible to receive six hours of Professional Development or Effective Instructional Leadership Act credit each day.



Now in its seventh year, the annual summit placed a strong emphasis on technology and its increased role in education. Keynote speakers included Marshall County School District Superintendent Trent Lovett, authors Kasey Bell and Matt Miller, kindergarten teacher Christine Pinto and licensed clinical social worker Angie Judd.



Principal and social media star Gerry Brooks capped off the two-day event with a keynote held in Lovett Auditorium. Brooks is well-known among educators for his informative and humorous video work, with more than one million subscribers between his YouTube and Facebook pages.

Kem Cothran, coordinator of the Teacher Quality Institute, said the 1,500 attendees on campus for the summits second day nearly doubled last years 800-plus educators. To accommodate the record interest, sessions were held in Lovett Auditorium and Alexander Hall.



Were so excited to see this summit grow year after year, Cothran said. This is a unique professional development opportunity youll only find at Murray State. I spent 27 years in public education, so I know how difficult it can be to get high-quality development; most events like this are far away and expensive, so to be able to provide this right here at our university at no cost to educators is something special.



Cochran said this years summit incorporated feedback from the 2018 event, which she said has played an important role in building relationships with school districts across the region.



Its important that we listen to teachers, principals, superintendents and all educators, she said. To be able to provide the best development opportunities, we need to listen and see how we can help. This is not only key for educators, but for their students as well. If just one teacher that took a workshop or listened to a keynote takes some of what they learned back to a room of 30 students, that makes a big difference.



The summit also provided a hands-on experience for Murray State education students, who worked with educators in attendance.



Ive met a lot of school administrators over the past two days, said senior Mackenzie Harper, an elementary education major from Marshall County, Kentucky, who will begin student teaching this fall. This has been a great opportunity for me to familiarize myself with area school districts and make connections for future internships and a career in education.



Sponsors of the 2019 summit include Murray States College of Education and Human Services, the Teacher Quality Institute, Kentucky Academy of Technology Education and Office of Development as well as the Kentucky Middle School Association.



Murray State University provides opportunities for students through a high-quality education with experiential learning, academic and personal growth and the ability to secure a lifetime of success. Since 1922, the true value of higher education has been found at Murray State University, where our commitment is to afford endless opportunities for developing leaders in the community, the country and the world. The Universitys main campus is located in Murray, Ky., and includes five regional campuses. For more information about Murray State University, please visit murraystate.edu.

A ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of Asia Dragon Bazar, a shopping centre of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, recently took place in Cheb city, Karlovarsky province bordering with Germany.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Ho Minh Tuan lauded Asia Dragon for its contributions to the life of the overseas Vietnamese in the European country and its border areas in particular.

He asked the Vietnamese people in Asia Dragon to continue building on the past achievements and look toward the homeland.

Tran Van Dang, General Director of Asia Dragon, said from its beginning as a wheat field, the centre is now home to over 200 Vietnamese vendors selling food, apparel, cosmetics, household appliances, mechanical engineering products and electronics.

They raised fund in support of disaster victims at home, he said, adding that his company also invested in a wind power project worth 200 million USD in Vietnams central province of Ha Tinh, which was mentioned in a Memorandum of Understanding during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit to the Czech Republic in April 2019.

The bazar is also a venue for activities during Vietnams major holidays. It also opens two Vietnamese classrooms each Saturday.

Founded on June 12, 1999 on a total area of 13ha, the bazar groups the Vietnamese communitys associations and organisations like the Vietnamese associations chapter, women club, war veterans and Buddhists chapters. VNAMAQUOKETA (AP)  Stepping down into Macs Wine Cellar is walking into a snapshot of the communitys early history.

Lights shaped like gas lanterns line the cedar walls. Milk tanks fashioned into seats rest next to tables made out of burly wooden barrels.

Sturdy, wood beams made up the ceiling, holding up a structure that was a cigar shop more than 100 years ago.

Back then, the buildings designers probably never intended live music would be played in the basement. But the acoustics are surprisingly solid nonetheless.

The sound is remarkably awesome, said Adam Beck, guitarist and vocalist for the two-piece group Amber and Adam, which plays at the cellar about once per month. You wouldnt think it, but it sounds great.

The wine cellars reverence for local history stems from its owners passion for historic preservation.

Sue and Jim Mayberry opened Macs Wine Cellar about a year and a half ago to get the full use out of the downtown building that has held their antique store for years. But they wanted to make sure the history of the building was not forgotten.

It was a spur-of-the-moment thing for us, Sue Mayberry told the Telegraph Herald. We realized the possibilities of what we could do.

The idea was to give Maquoketa a spot where residents can relax and drink their favorite beverages in a space that wouldnt look too different from the saloons that early settlers would stumble into a few centuries ago.

Much of the basements original aesthetic has been preserved, including a deep impression in the wall that at one point served as a coal shaft.

It wasnt long after opening that the Mayberrys decided to host live music every weekend.

It seemed like it would be a good fit, Sue Mayberry said. There isnt a whole lot of live music in town.

Acts typically play a combination of rock and country music, which Sue Mayberry said fits well with the limited space of the venue. Occasionally, the cellar will feature something more unique, like an Irish music group on St. Patricks Day.

Dan and Sarah Pinion, of Maquoketa, stop by the wine cellar semi-regularly. For them, the look, combined with the music, makes for an inviting atmosphere.

It just feels cozy, warm and friendly, Dan Pinion said. What they have done with this place is impressive.

Sue Mayberry said the wine cellar is continuing to evolve. Most recently, they began serving food.

She said she hopes the wine bar becomes a premier location for residents looking for a good time.

Were really excited with how it has turned out, she said. We just want everyone to have a good time and relax.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0JOHNSTON  The U.S. attorney general received a less-than-glowing job performance appraisal from one of his predecessors Friday in Iowa.

Eric Holder, the former attorney general during Democratic President Barack Obamas tenure, said he is extremely disappointed in Attorney General William Barr, the second to serve during Republican President Donald Trumps tenure.

Holder gave his assessment of Barr on Friday during the filming of an episode of Iowa Press on Iowa Public Television.

Im both surprised and extremely disappointed, Holder said when asked to assess Barrs performance since taking the job in February.

I actually thought that he was an institutionalist, and I thought that he would actually be at odds with President Trump relatively soon in his tenure, and he has proved to be anything but that.

Barr has been criticized for his framing of the special counsels report on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Critics say Barrs summary, which was published before the majority of the report was made public, lacked context in an apparent effort to make the report appear less critical of Trump, his campaign and his administration.

(Barr) has become a defender of the president, a protector of the president and has done things inconsistent with what I think an attorney general is supposed to do, Holder said.

I think he has tended to think of himself as the lawyer for the president as opposed to the attorney for the people of this country.

Holder also was critical of Trumps comments this week in an ABC-TV interview that he would not go to the FBI if a foreign government were to reach out to his campaign with information on one of his political opponents.

Thats shocking. Its appalling to have a president of the United States say that if a foreign power was to offer me information, I wouldnt immediately reject it and report it, Holder said.

Its pretty frightening because the reality is once you interact with that foreign power, theyve got something on you. They have something on you that they will undoubtedly try to use. And the fact that the president doesnt understand that either expresses to me some degree of venality or ignorance or some combination thereof.

Holder also pushed back at suggestions from some Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that the reaction to Trumps comments is hypocritical for anyone who did not have a similar reaction when it was revealed Hillary Clintons presidential campaign paid a former British spy to look into Trumps past.

Holder called the comparison a red herring.

This is really just an attempt to divert attention from the very real concerns that we ought to have about the degree of cooperation that existed between a foreign government and the Trump campaign, Holder said. Thats nonsense. Thats absolutely nonsense.

The Iowa Press episode featuring Holder will air at 7:30 p.m. June 21 and at noon June 23. It can be viewed online now at IPTV.org.

Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BOONE --- Joni Ernst revved up her 2020 U.S. Senate re-election campaign Saturday by pledging to take the fight aggressively to Democrats with expectations for victory next year.

The source of Ernsts optimism appears to be her belief that Democrats --- particularly the roughly two dozen frequenting Iowa as they seek their partys nomination for president --- are becoming more liberal and embracing socialism.

All across Iowa, liberal Democrats running for president --- almost two dozen of them --- are advocating for a socialist agenda, Ernst said, adding later, Our freedoms are quite literally under attack because the radical left will stop at nothing until socialism has spread from coast to coast. And we all know there is a better way.

Ernst, who is finishing her first six-year term as a Republican U.S. Senator from Iowa, made her widely expected re-election campaign official Saturday at her annual Roast and Ride fundraiser at the Central Iowa Expo.

During her remarks at the fundraiser, Ernst pointed to policy proposals from some of the Democratic presidential candidates like government-run health care and Andrew Yangs proposal for a universal basic income, a $1,000-per-month government-funded stipend for every U.S. adult.

Is that true to Iowa values? Ernst asked the crowd.

More than 1,000 supporters attended the fundraiser, campaign organizers said.

Three Democrats thus far have announced they are running for the U.S. Senate. Des Moines real estate businesswoman Theresa Greenfield, Des Moines businessman Eddie Mauro and Indianola attorney Kimberly Graham will compete in a primary for the right to face Ernst in next years general election.

While Senator Ernst spends the day re-affirming her support for Donald Trumps extreme agenda, Democrats are holding more than 50 events across the state to show our communities that were committed to organizing in every corner of the state and building a better Iowa together, Troy Price, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, said in a statement. Iowans wont forget Ernsts broken promises and Democrats are building a ground game to make sure voters know the truth about Ernsts record of putting political ambitions above the best interests of the Hawkeye state.

Speaking to reporters before jumping on her motorcycle for the ride portion of Saturdays fundraiser, Ernst expressed confidence that her re-election campaign will be victorious.

I know that this is an important seat that the Democrats would love to have back, but Im going to make them fight for it and they are going to fail, Ernst said before leading a pack of about 250 motorcyclists on a 49-mile ride from Des Moines to Boone.

Ernst's 5th Roast and Ride fundraiser took her and a long column of riders from the Big Barn Harley Davidson parking lot along a route past the Iowa National Guard Camp Dodge headquarters near Johnston --- where Ernst spent time as an Iowa National Guard soldier --- and over the Mile Long Bridge at Saylorville Lake to the Central Iowa Expo in Boone at about 12:33 p.m.

Cars, trucks and a pair of motorcyclists pulled to the side of the road and some honked as Ernst passed. A small group near Saylorville sat in a driveway, with a man standing alongside waving a large American flag as the riders passed.

Ernst was joined at the Boone event by Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former governor of South Carolina, along with Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Ernst, 48, a Red Oak Republican who defeated Democrat Bruce Braley in 2014, said she expects a tough challenge in 2020, but she believes she has amassed the record and experience over the past five years in working for Iowans that will win her the support she needs to prevail in November 2020.

I am going to hold this seat, she said.

While she is clearly pleased to campaign against the Democratic presidential candidates policies, Ernst conceded their presence in Iowa also drives up enthusiasm for Democratic voters, which could drive up turnout in 2020 and impact down-ballot races like Ernsts.

Ernst said she expects Republicans to counter with a strong, coordinated 2020 effort by next year.

Guaranteed, voter turnout in Iowa is going to be very high, Ernst said.

Despite occasionally parting ways with Republican President Donald Trump on some issues, such as using trade tariffs against Mexico to change immigration policies, Ernst said she would welcome his help in her re-election effort as often as he wants to come to Iowa.

The president is using the tools that are at his disposal, she told reporters. Ive talked to the president. He knows that I'm not necessarily a tariff gal, but he will tell me that Im a tariff guy. So I push back on it when I think its necessary.

But at the same time what Im hearing from farmers across the state is that they are OK with the stance on China."

Overall, Ernst said the country is doing well under Trumps leadership.

Regardless of where you stand on the president, look at the policies, look at our economy. I mean, it is growing, it is booming. The policies are working, she said. I would really enjoy it if the president campaigned for me.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1WATERLOO  Endurance marked Fridays Relay for Life event, endurance through laps and life as hundreds of cancer survivors, caregivers, family and supporters gathered at Hawkeye Community College.

The race is not for the swift or the battle to the strong, but for those who endure, said the Rev. Quovadis Q Mashall during the opening ceremony, quoting the Bible. As long as were willing to pass the baton the race wont end.

Relay For Life is the primary fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. All of the money raised goes to provide cancer education, advocacy, research and services for patients and their families, said Lisa Kremer, Waterloo Relay For Life co-lead and volunteer. Relay for Life has raised around $100,000 in Waterloo.

Kim Bindel, honorary cancer survivor, and Kathy Hoth, honorary cancer caregiver, gave powerful and emotional speeches prior to the survivor walk, recounting their own battles against cancer. Both left many in the crowd with tears in their eyes.

Bindel, a radio personality on Life 101.9, is five years cancer free, but lost her mother, who was her caregiver, to cancer two months ago.

Theres a plan, and its in place, but there are days you just dont feel there is a plan, Bindel said, choking back tears. We fight and we kick cancer. We kick cancer and we love each other.

Bindel remembers sitting in waiting rooms with people going through the same things and talking about life and love with other cancer patients and about what happens if this doesnt go the way we hope it will go.

I am grateful. I cant even believe I get stand here because I know so many of you who are here today because youre loved ones fought the good fight, and their healing came in a different way, she said.

Hoth spoke through tears as she talked about her journey as a caregiver to her sister and husband. Her sister died in 2006 from cancer.

Its been a long journey, but my husband is cancer free, but he struggles with the side effects daily, Hoth said.

After Hoth and Bindel spoke, Junior ROTC students held a colors ceremony and helped lead the survivor-caregiver walk.

It overwhelms you to see the amount of people who are out here, cancer survivors who have come back again and again, Kremer said. Its a lot of powerful emotions going on for many people during the survivor laps.

The survivors wore purple shirts, and began their walk at 6:30 p.m.

Julie Jewell is a two-time cancer survivor. She held a photo of Tom Kastli as she walked. Kastli, a 36-year cancer survivor, couldnt be there because he is recovering from surgery.

Its amazing to see the other survivors showing and taking the lap, Jewell said. Its important to see other survivors.

Jewell was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2011 and with breast cancer three years ago. She wants to make sure other women check themselves.

A national event, Relay for Life began about 30 years ago and has been held in Black Hawk County for almost 25 years.

The Black Hawk County Relay is one the top Relays in Iowa, Kremer said.

Added Jewell: Its overwhelming that there are so many people who love you, who dont even know you.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0WATERLOO  Waterloo residents Friday and Saturday celebrated Juneteenth, commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States, with a march, music and speeches.

On Friday, a group of 40 to 50 Cedar Valley residents took part in a peace walk from Walter Cunningham School for Excellence to Sullivan Park. On Saturday, at least 100 people came together as Mayor Quentin Hart read a proclamation commemorating the event.

Across our nation, Americans celebrate Juneteenth, a day to reflect on the sufferings of slavery and to remember the joyful declaration of freedom, Hart said as he quoted the declaration.

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of African-American slaves shortly after the end of the Civil War. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the abolition of slavery.

Juneteenth is about remembering our ancestors and what people that have been on the front lines go through and what theyve done for us. But its also an opportunity for us to look at where were at right now and see where we can go together as a community, he said.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but it freed few slaves at the time and none in the Confederacy.

The slaves were freed, though they received the news two-and-a-half years later, said LaTanya Graves, president of the Waterloo chapter of the NAACP. Once they received the news there were celebrations because they were free.

The Crusaders Drill Team from Union Missionary Baptist Church held an impromptu parade as students walked on Adams Street to Sullivan Park for the celebration.

Its so important to recognize and honor those who paved the way for us, Graves said. Its to bring the community out. Its to bring people together. Its to celebrate what took place.

Several community leadership awards were given out to students and teachers by Graves, Hart and Angela Weekley, Veridian Credit Union community inclusion manager.

Graves and Belinda Creighton-Smith, pastor at Faith Temple Church and member of the NAACP, attended the peace walk, first held about three years ago.

There were so many members of our community being impacted by violence  either victims of violence or they are family members of victims of violence, Creighton-Smith said.

More than 100 names of such victims were named, going back to 1988, after the walk.

We said were going to take our community back and let people know across the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area that were united in that, Creighton-Smith said. Usually held on Saturday, the march this year was held Friday because younger people suggested that was a better time.

During Saturdays celebration, several booths were open in Sullivan Park to register people to vote, including one operated by former Waterloo City Council member Willie Mae Wright, who was the with League of Women Voters and the NAACP.

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Suketu Mehta traveled the same route five times. As a child, he settled with his family, originally from Gujarat in India, in the United States. As an adult, he returned to India, where he lived in Mumbai (Bombay) for two and a half years and wrote a book about the city. Titled Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found and published in 2004, it was a highly acclaimed work that I cant recommend enough. Mehta later returned to the United States, only to retrace his footsteps years later  but this time in his reminisces and feelings  in a new book, where he returns to the memories of his family voyage, to the story of how they, like so many others, moved to America, the promised land of generations of migrants. The second part of the title of Mehtas new work says it all  This Land is Our Land: An Immigrants Manifesto. It is a powerful defense of peoples right to migrate, a song of praise for multiculturalism, and a strong critique of Washingtons policies toward immigrants and refugees under President Donald Trump. The author took pains to travel and collect various stories of migration  he took these pains quite literally, as a large part of the book is a cataloging of sorrows that people shared with him. Focusing mainly on the United States as a destination country, he provides statistics and cases to show where and how migration policies are failing. Mehta wrestles with the exorbitant fears of the Other, with the myth that the influx of migrants will sweep the country away.

He also reminds us of the link  historical and moral  between migration and colonialism. Mehtas grandfather was once asked by a British man what he was he doing in the United Kingdom, to which the Indian man replied: We are the creditors. You took all our wealth [in the colonial period] Now we have come to collect. This is also Mehtas standpoint. Not only does he believe that the West has a moral obligation to accept people from countries it had once ruled or influenced, but he thinks this responsibility comes also from the Wests (mainly the United States) current military engagements in countries like Iraq. Before you ask other people to respect the borders of the West, ask yourself if the West has ever respected anybody elses border, he remarks. And then there are the practical arguments: Developed countries need migrants for demographic and economic reasons.

More here.Kentucky law capping insulin cost for many goes into effectEvgeny Morozov in The Guardian:

[T]heres one issue on which theres no agreement between American rightwing populists and their peers in the rest of the world: what to make of Silicon Valley. On the one hand, its services and platforms have been a boon to the populists everywhere, greatly boosting their audience numbers and allowing them to target potential voters with highly personalized messages; the Cambridge Analytica fiasco has made it quite clear. Today, upstart and new rightwing parties like Spains Vox instinctively understand the primacy of digital battles; Vox already leads all other Spanish parties in terms of Instagram followers.

This pragmatic embrace of digital platforms is where the populist consensus ends; the intellectual evaluation of Silicon Valleys significance is rather cacophonous. The American wing of the movement sees big tech as an attractive target of attack; for them, Silicon Valley is a bizarre mix of greedy capitalists and cultural Marxists, keen on indoctrinating their users into leftwing ideas while getting filthy rich off everyones data. Populists in the rest of the world, in contrast, see Silicon Valleys platforms as their best chance of escaping the intellectual hegemony of their own domestic cultural Marxists, firmly ensconced in elite institutions, such as the media, the academia, and the Deep State.

More here.Powderhounds will feel at home at one of SLC's 14 nearby ski resorts, which get steady snow as late as April, and off-the-slopes diversions abound both in the city center and its neighboring communities. So pack your snow jacket, hop a direct flight from OAK or SFO to Salt Lake in less time than it would take you to drive to Tahoe, and prepare to forget everything you thought you knew about this ideal mountain getaway.

EAT

(Courtesy of Finca)

Finca

With checkered flooring and delicate chandeliers, Finca may not scream contemporary Spanish tapas with its decor, but each dish manages to combine European-inflected flavors without overwhelming the palate. Nibble from pintxos ranging from a white anchovy boquerone to a smoked trout mousse, or live large and order off the platos grandes menu, where shareable options include a loaded paella and a juicy 24-ounce Niman Ranch bone-in rib-eye. The same restaurant group focuses the same attention to detail at varied restaurants around Salt Lake, including beloved Pago, Trestle Tavern, Hub & Spoke Diner, and East Liberty Tap House. // 327 W. 200 S., fincaslc.com





The Copper Onion

This hip downtown hotspot, helmed by former NYC chef and native Utahn Ryan Lowder, brings Big Apple appeal to Salt Lake in dishes showcasing seasonal ingredients from local purveyors. Highlights of the dinner menu include the wagyu beef stroganoff with housemade pappardelle noodles and shareable ricotta dumplings, which you can also snag during a bustling brunch service that includes a Turkish twist on eggs Benedict and the Bloody Bull cocktail, made with beef stock, horseradish, and house pickle juice. // 111 E. Broadway, thecopperonion.com





Provisions

Another heavyweight in the hyperlocal, organic dining scene, this brightly wallpapered spot specializes in small plates, so bring an adventurous appetite and prepare to graze. Attentive but never overbearing service complements a seasonally changing menu that includes bites such as Asian-inspired steamed buns, wood-roasted mushrooms dusted with bonito flakes, and fork-tender pork ribsdon't miss the fluffy spiced beignets for dessert. // 3364 S. 2300 E., slcprovisions.comCentral falls to Arrows in Watertown, despite halftime lead

Aberdeen Central led at halftime, but were unable to keep that momentum, falling 53-39 to Watertown.SANTA FE  The Rio Arriba County jail officer who was shocked with a Taser by a county deputy at the jail recently was tased in the genital area, according to two brief accounts of the incident released by the county Friday.

The incident that led to the tasing of detention officer Timothy J. Gallegos apparently started after a group of deputies arrived at the jail in Tierra Amarilla on June 3 and one was honking a car horn.

The county sheriffs office confirmed last week that Deputy Leon Gallegos is on paid leave over the tasing.

Sheriffs office Maj. Randy Sanches has called the use of the Taser accidental and said it took place in the sally port, a secured entrance to the jail.

On Friday, the county released accounts of the tasing by Timothy Gallegos and another jail officer.

Timothy Gallegos wrote that he and officer Terrance Garcia went out to help arriving deputies. His statement said that he was joking when he told Deputy Gallegos to stop honking his horn at my jail.

When he said this isnt your jail, both men laughed, then Deputy Gallegos pulled his issued taser out and tased me in the groin, says the jail officers report. He added that he told jail administrator Larry Deyapp what happened and Deyapp advised me to do the proper documentation and go get checked out by a physician at a nearby clinic.

Jail officer Garcias statement says the incident took place about 9:30 a.m. He says that he heard Timothy Gallegos tell Deputy Gallegos to stop honking in a joking manner.

Deputy Leon opened the trunk of his marked sheriffs vehicle and stopped behind the car facing as if to place items in the trunk, says Garcias statement. He heard the deputy say something to Timothy Gallegos and then turn toward Timothy Gallegos while brandishing a black object in his hand.

I heard a loud pop Garcia wrote, and he saw jail officer Gallegos fall toward the ground.

He heard a sound he immediately recognized as from a Taser and noticed Taser leads on the ground, Garcia added. Timothy Gallegos, after a few moments on the ground groaning, stood up and stated he had been tased in the genital area, Garcias report concluded.

Rio Arriba County Manager Tomas Campos, asked for comment Friday, said, I cant comment because I dont know what you want me to say.

The jail incident is the second recent tasing by a Rio Arriba deputy that has raised questions. Another deputy, Jeremy Barnes, tased a 15-year-old special education student at Espanola Valley High School on May 10

The school district condemned Barnes actions after the Rio Grande Sun newspaper first reported the tasing and obtained and posted video of the incident. The teens family has filed a lawsuit against the county.

Barnes, unlike Deputy Leon Gallegos, has not been placed on leave. Sanches said earlier this week that the department is reviewing its policy on taser use in light of the two incidents.

County government gave notice late Friday afternoon that video of the jail tasing, requested by news organizations, is available at office in Tierra Amarilla. But the notice came too late to reach the office before it closed Friday afternoon.SANTA FE  Two men are charged with cashing or trying to cash fraudulent New Mexico School for the Deaf checks two years ago. One of them didnt make it very hard for police to find him, by putting his name and address on the checks.

One defendant was recently indicted by a grand jury. The other currently has a bench warrant out for his arrest.

Rene Geisseler, 41, was indicted this week on three counts of forgery and three counts of fraud for cashing fake checks for over $8,800 from a School for the Deaf account. He was initially charged in Santa Fe Magistrate Court in May 2017 for the alleged crimes, records show.

Christopher Neal, 55, was also charged with one count of fraud for taking part in the scheme. A bench warrant has been out for him since June 2017.

In May 2017, an accountant at the school told Santa Fe police that he learned from two different First National Bank branches in Santa Fe that checks had been cashed using the NMSD bank account, according to a criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court.

The accountant showed Officer Denis Mares two fake checks that had Geisselers name and Albuquerque address on them. One check also listed Geisselers drivers license number. Mares ran the license number through a crime database and confirmed Geisselers address was the same as the one on the fraudulent check.

Later that day another SFPD officer arrested a man, later identified as Neal, for trying to cash a fraudulent check at a First National Bank office. Neal told police that earlier that morning he was walking on Central near San Mateo in Albuquerque when a car with two men pulled up near him and asked him if he wanted to make $300. Neal said he agreed, a criminal complaint says.

Neal said the occupants then printed a check payable to him from the New Mexico School for the Deaf, the complaint says.

Neal said he was driven to two different banks in Albuquerque to cash the check but was denied both times. They then drove to First National Bank in Santa Fe, where Neal was arrested. Hes wanted now for failure to comply with subsequent court orders.See if you can find the logic in this. A local government issues traffic fines to residents for infractions like not wearing a seat belt, expired registration tags or a broken taillight. If the fine isnt promptly paid, then interest and penalties pile up and soon a $50 or $100 ticket can quickly balloon to many thousands of dollars. If a person cannot afford to promptly pay the full ticket, what sense does it make to keep piling on extra monetary demands?

It happened to Leah Jackson in Otsego, Minnesota. She was ticketed for obstructing traffic and fined $135. She had just gotten a new job but no paycheck. Immersed in her new position she inadvertently forgot about the ticket. Unbeknownst to Jackson the city suspended her drivers license, but she had to drive as part of her job. She then got three $200 tickets for driving without a license. Over time, and overwhelmed with the financial burden, Jacksons fines and penalties rose to a grand total of $13,000.

Its not just traffic offenses that can bury a citizen for non-payment. In Texas, an open-heart surgery patient was confronted by U.S. Marshals over an old $2,500 student loan debt that had grown to $12,000. He was arrested for failure to appear at a court hearing that took place, without his knowledge, during his recovery. A woman in Alabama was put in jail after she missed a court date about her unpaid utility bill. In Oregon, heavy fines are levied against parents of kids who play hooky from school. Non-payment of the fine means potential time behind bars.

Does it make sense to punish someone who owes a debt by putting them in jail? They cant earn money to pay bills if they are locked up. And, arent jails already full enough? The same argument could also be used in those jurisdictions that use indebtedness to suspend drivers licenses or seize the vehicles of those who owe past-due bills. How can someone get to-and-from work to repay what they owe if they dont have transportation?

Heres a sobering statistic. The Federal Reserve Board estimates that 40% of Americans dont have enough cash in the bank to cover an emergency expense of $400. A hefty traffic ticket plus, say, an unusually high utility bill in the same month could put a person in a terrible downward slide.

This idea of criminalizing debt  especially among those least able to pay  is pushed by zealous bill collectors who partner with amenable city officials. Prosecutors have allowed bill collection companies to use their official letterhead when sending out past-due warning letters. Judges have been known to issue arrest warrants for overdue bills as low as $28. In a report from the American Civil Liberties Union titled Pound of Flesh, it is estimated tens of thousands of these warrants are issued annually, but the total number is unknown because states and local courts do not typically track these orders. Judges usually set bail for the exact amount the debtor owes to the bill collector, often adding hefty court costs on top of that.

It is increasingly clear that municipalities are relying on these fines to help balance their budgets. Rather than work out some sort of repayment plan with the offender, or require days of community service in return for the debt, cities and towns continue to try to squeeze those least able to pay. The hope, I suppose, is that a relative or benevolent friend will open their wallet and come to the rescue. If that doesnt happen and the person is jailed, well, the state subsidizes the cost of incarceration.

Congress abolished Debtors Prisons in 1833. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on three different occasions that it is unconstitutional to imprison citizens who are too poor to repay debt. The high court said judges must take time to distinguish between those who are clearly without means from those who have the financial ability to pay but are willfully ignoring their responsibility. And just a few months ago, in a rare unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court justices invoked the Eighth Amendments prohibition on excessive fines and ruled that states and localities cannot impose excessive fees, fines and forfeitures as criminal penalties.

Laws are designed to control public conduct so that everyone is kept safe. That is completely understandable. Scofflaws should never be tolerated, and when they are discovered they should be punished. But common sense should prevail in cases where indigent people simply cannot immediately pay a debt. Tainting a poor person with an arrest and imprisonment record helps absolutely no one. Alternative ways for offenders to work off their debt to the community are out there. Lets find programs that can both benefit society and help the least fortunate maintain their dignity while they pay off their debt.

Diane@DianeDimond.com.When water from a school faucet is so rank a principal wont subject her pet fish to it, youve got to suspect a problem.

Of course, we are well beyond suspicions when it comes to the still-unfolding matter of high lead content in water at some of the 69 Albuquerque Public Schools buildings spot-checked in recent months. According to a series of recent reports from Journal writer Shelby Perea, several schools sinks were found to have lead levels that exceeded federal standards. Lead poisoning can affect mental and physical development, especially in young children, so this is a concerning problem, exacerbated by APS middling level of candor. Heres a recap of what we know so far:

 Water samples from more than 800 sinks and water fountains in 69 schools were submitted for testing back in April through a program offered by the state government.

 APS started getting results back in early May  several weeks before school let out for the summer.

 Testing showed about 5% of water sources submitted had lead levels above the threshold established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

 Bellehaven Elementary School stood out, with multiple sinks that far outstrip the EPAs threshold.

 Officials believe the contamination comes from certain plumbing fixtures in certain schools, and not from water coming from the public system. APS appears to have quickly halted access to the problem sinks until they are repaired and new testing deems them acceptable.

 Parents werent immediately notified of concerns; APS only released a letter and scheduled a press conference after Perea requested records. APS officials said they were waiting for the full results before notifying parents.

Theres a lot to unpack here, and the story is still developing.

State health officials insist the water is not harmful to children, in part because it is not their main source of drinking water. But it is unacceptable that APS sat on this information for any amount of time while school was in session. School officials claims that the district waited to release information because of short staffing and the desire to wait for more details ring hollow. Yes, the district took immediate action by flagging the fixtures with elevated lead levels, then replacing them. But the public that pays for those fixtures and those schools should have been kept in the loop every step of the way.

When Perea reported on the particulars of testing at Bellehaven  where multiple sinks showed worrisomely high lead levels  Heidi Krapfl of the New Mexico Department of Health commented we would be much more concerned if this was the primary drinking source every single day. Yet Bellehaven teacher Molly Keyes wrote in an op-ed published in the Journal on June 9 that students drink the water from the water fountain attached to our classroom sink three to five times a day, five days a week for the entire school year. That sink was flagged as having high lead levels.

Further, Keyes described a troubling dynamic around water use at the school. It appears to have been common knowledge among adult employees that the water wasnt fit to drink. But while teachers didnt drink the tap water at the school  according to Keyes, the school principal went so far as to bring in filtered water for her office fish  students werent stopped from partaking. Thats not OK.

Thanks to Pereas reporting, the public knows about APS water problem now. And though the state says risks are still considered minimal, the district should expand the number of sinks and faucets tested for lead levels. Other school districts across the state might want to take note and avail themselves of state funding to perform the same analysis. And all should do a better job informing parents and taxpayers of the results.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and other community leaders said Friday that theyre ready to work with the Beyond Carbon initiative  a philanthropic effort by Michael Bloomberg  to promote clean-energy projects and policies in New Mexico.

We know we cant do it alone, Keller said Friday as he listed Albuquerques own commitments to renewable energy.

State Senate Majority Whip Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, and environmental leaders joined Keller at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to celebrate the Beyond Carbon initiative.

Bloomberg, a former New York City mayor, has pledged $500 million to put the United States on track for a 100% clean energy economy. The money could be used to back political candidates and support clean energy policies throughout the country.Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

Fast-growing Albuquerque engineering firm Verus Research won a 10-year, $48 million defense contract to design effective methods to test and evaluate high powered microwave and other non-explosive weapons and systems.

It is the companys largest contract since launching in 2014, said Verus managing director Hank Andrews.

The firm specializes in research and development of lasers, radio frequency communications like high-power microwaves, and nuclear engineering, with extensive modeling, simulation, testing and design work.

Under the new contract  awarded by the U.S. Armys Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation  Verus will work to improve the Department of Defenses ability to measure the effectiveness of emerging non-kinetic weaponry. That includes microwave and other electro-magnetic, as well as nuclear, systems.

Verus will develop specialized sensors, instruments and diagnostics to track and confirm weapon performance for use at major range and test facilities.

The defense world understands that there are more ways to affect adversaries than just blowing them up, Andrews said. This contract will help the DOD understand the outcome of non-kinetic technologies when applied to targets to see if they achieve the intended results.

The contract reflects DOD efforts to integrate 21st Century weaponry, particularly directed energy systems like high-power lasers and microwaves, into battlefield operations.

New Mexico has emerged as a center of excellence in developing those systems, spearheaded by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base. Thats generating many contract opportunities for local engineering firms like Verus.

Its an indication of the evolution in how we conduct warfare, Andrews said. The non-kinetic element of this is crucial. The DOD is trying hard to not do unnecessary harm.

Emerging directed energy systems enable warfighters to key in on targets and limit collateral damage by disabling but not blowing things up. DOD must assure the precision control needed to avoid unintended consequences.

If you use electro-magnetic weapons against targets, you dont want to actually black out an entire city, Andrews said.

Verus has already received the first $13 million task order under the new contract, and more orders are being finalized now, Andrews said.

The company previously won a myriad of contracts with the DOD, with other federal agencies like NASA, and with private customers. Its revenue grew from just $77,000 in 2014 to $12 million last year, earning a top spot on this years Flying 40 list of fast-growing technology companies, which will appear in the Journals Business Outlook on Monday.

Verus now employs 87 people at four different Albuquerque facilities with a total of 41,000 square feet of space. That includes a new, 11,000-square-foot facility it opened in May near Kirtland that houses 20 individual offices and an electronics lab.A federal government agency took control of a gate thats part of a private organizations border wall on private land in Sunland Park in southern New Mexico, according to the U.S. section of the International Water and Boundary Commission.

Commission officials in a news release earlier this week said that We Build the Wall, a private company, built a gate across a levee road used by the water commission without authorization. The gate  between New Mexico and Mexico  is connected to the privately-funded, half-mile border wall built in southern New Mexico on private land. The bollard fence is 2,300 feet long, according to the groups cofounder Iraq War veteran Brian Kolfages Twitter account.

We Build the Wall submitted an incomplete application permit to the IWBC on June 2 and didnt respond to the IWBCs questions and requests for additional information, according to the commission news release. We Build the Wall ignored repeated requests to unlock and open the gate, according to the release.

The water commissions responsibilities include applying boundary and water treaties between the U.S. and Mexico and settling differences that arise between the two countries.

The commission opened the gate to give its workers access to American Dam, which is at the border of the two countries.

On Monday afternoon, IWBC officials replaced the lock on the gate with a lock of their own, according to the agency, which said it will keep the gate closed at night and open during the day.

Kolfage said on Twitter that there is security near the gate when it is open during the day.

The gate also prevented access to Monument One, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and marks the start of the land boundary between New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, said Nia Rucker, the policy counsel and regional manager for the ACLU in Las Cruces, in a letter to the Journal.

She called the wall project an increasingly bizarre and lawless tale of anti-immigrant hate.

This kind of behavior has no place in New Mexico, and its time to stand up to these out-of-state anti-immigrant bullies that have run roughshod over our border communities these past months, she said in the letter. The IBWC did the right thing by forcing the gate to remain open. Now they should continue to do the right thing by denying all permit applications for private construction of barriers on public property, removing the unauthorized gate, and requiring We Build the Wall remediate public land to its prior state.

Officials from We Build the Wall couldnt be reached for comment on Friday.

The IWBC has an agreement for services from the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office, and a patrol sergeant and deputy accompanied the federal officials when they opened the gate, said Kelly Jameson, a spokeswoman for Dona Ana County.The family of a former Arkansas state senator who was found dead outside of her home says they are sickened and upset by the thought that one of her friends could have been involved in her killing.

Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of 48-year-old Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, of Pocahontas, in connection with the killing of 57-year-old Linda Collins, whose body was found June 4 outside her home in Pocahontas, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.

It was not clear where ODonnell was being held on Saturday, but jail records in Randolph County, where Pocahontas is located, do not list her as an inmate. In neighboring Lawrence County, a woman who answered the phone but declined to give her name said Saturday that were not going to release any of that information when asked about ODonnell. The woman referred questions to Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Yates and jail administrator Debbie Burleson, who didnt immediately reply to phone messages seeking comment.

State police spokesman Bill Sadler said in an email Saturday that no additional information is expected until Monday or Tuesday.

Authorities havent said why they suspect ODonnell had a role in Collins killing. At a news conference Friday night, Randolph County Sheriff Kevin Bell said the investigation was at a critical juncture and no further information will be released at this time until we are confident it will not compromise the integrity of the criminal investigation.

Phone calls Saturday to numbers listed as ODonnells rang unanswered or messages werent returned.

Police said criminal charges are pending, but didnt say what the charges may be or whether they were seeking any other possible suspects in the death of Collins, who went by Collins-Smith when she was in the Legislature.

There is a probable cause hearing on Monday in regards to Becky ODonnell, Collins former communications director, Ken Yang, said Saturday. He said the family has had no contact with police since being informed of ODonnells arrest.

Collins family issued a statement through Yang in which they said they are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda, would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime. The family is very confident that the Randolph County Sheriffs Department and the Arkansas State Police will continue to work diligently to bring justice to this case.

Yang said Collins and ODonnell, who goes by Becky, were friends.

Becky had worked to help Linda in her last Senate election, in which Collins was defeated in a re-election bid. I had met her (ODonnell) a couple of times, but only in passing.

Collins funeral was held Saturday morning in Pocahontas and was followed by a private burial service attended only by family, Yang said.Orlando activists are planning a London-style greeting for the president Tuesday when he launches his reelection campaign in Central Florida.

Organizers planning a rally near the Amway Center announced Saturday that theyre bringing to town one of the giant Donald Trump baby balloons that have infamously trolled the president during his trips to Great Britain. The balloon, standing 20 feet tall, will be positioned on Glenn Lane, three blocks from Trumps rally.

Organizers of the Win With Love Rally wrote in a June 8 permit application with Orlando police that they were trying to bring the infamous inflatable to the city. But it wasnt until Saturday that the group confirmed it was logistically possible. Now, theyre trying to crowdfund the $2,500 cost of inflating the balloon caricature.

We plan to win with love, and we LOVE Baby Trump, rally organizer Ida Eskamani wrote in a press release.

The balloon wont fly in the air, as it did in London. It will be on the ground outside Stonewall Bar. Eskamani said the group hosting the event plans to dedicate volunteers to protecting the balloon, given the occasional efforts to destroy the inflatable infants.

Currently there are five baby Trumps in the world. There were more but some have demised, Eskamani said, laughing. Theres one that has often made an appearance at Mar-a-Lago that were trying to bring here to Orlando.

Along with the rally outside Stonewall Bar, the Florida Democratic Party and Boricua Vote sought free speech permits to hold events for roughly 1,000 people at Lake Eola Park, located on the other side of Interstate 4. Some 1,300 people have confirmed for the rally at Stonewall.

Trumps rally at the Amway Center is expected to fill the arena to its 20,000-seat capacity.

There is some tension leading into the event. The Orlando Sentinel reported Friday about jokes made on a Brevard County Facebook page about running over anti-Trump protesters outside the presidents rally.

Eskamani said the Stonewall rally will be surrounded by barricades. And on their own Facebook Page, the rally organizers told attendees to leave backpacks and large bags at home and avoid engagement with opposition protestors.

This is a peaceful rally, the page states. Violent behavior will not be tolerated.CHICO, Calif. - The Celebration Gospel Choir is presenting a free concert on June 15 in celebration of Juneteenth.

"Juneteenth is known as the African-American Independence Day," explains Reverend Robert Morton. "Two and a half years after the signing of the emancipation proclamation, slaves in Texas found out they were free."

The choir of Morton's church, Bethel AME, proposed, that while celebrating Juneteenth, they also wanted to do work for the community and their church.

Funds from a gospel singing workshop put on by the choir will help fund restorations of the church.

A $50 donation will provide you with a lecture by an assistant professor of Chico State, another lecture by Reverend Robert Morton himself, as well as the opportunity to be a part of the choir concert.

Workshop

$50 requested donation per participant

WHEN: 10 a.m., June 15

WHERE: Bethel AME Church, 821 Linden Street, Chico

Concert

WHEN: 4 p.m., June 15

WHERE: Bethel AME Church, 821 Linden Street, ChicoRED BLUFF, Calif. - Red Bluff Police are putting out a warning after a possible mountain lion sighting near two schools on Friday.

Neighbors told Action News Now that mountain lions are not new to the area but the recent sighting does worry them still.

Those who live on the 1000 block of Dumosa Avenue said they possibly saw a mountain lion last night around 10 p.m., just to the north of where neighbors saw the animal in Brickyard Creek.

Also in the area of the sightings are three schools: Red Bluff Union High School, Bidwell State Preschool and Bidwell School.

All three schools in the area were advised of the possible sighting and Action News Now spoke with a neighbor who said she heard the animal last night.

"It's scary, you know, because our neighbor's dog would get dragged off and it's just scary," said a neighbor. "So, I fear for not just my animals but everyone else's animals too."

A warden with California Fish and Wildlife said recordings by neighbors determined the animals were foxes but still warn if you do see a mountain lion in the area, call California Fish and Wildlife or Red Bluff Police.Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

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Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.North Augusta City Council's meeting agenda Monday is sparse, but a few important topics will be discussed during their study session beforehand.

City Administrator Todd Glover will lead a discussion on possible locations for the new Public Safety fire station No. 1.

The city has funds available to build the station but hasn't completely settled on a location.

The city owns property off Georgia Avenue, known as the Flythe Property, and has announced plans to built there but has also faced backlash for those plans.

The property is included in the only part of North Augusta that is included on the National Historic Registry.

Last year, the Planning Commission voted against the city's request to redo the property for public use, which would allow the fire station to be built.

Other locations that have been brought up as a site for the facility include the land where the Community Center sits and land off Martintown Road near Clay Street.

Glover will also give Council an update on the addition of a senior adult center to the city.

During the meeting, Council will vote on the third and final reading of an ordinance that would amend the city's municipal code as it relates to construction codes and revisions, as well as the city's Building Codes Board of Appeals. The first two readings passed at Council's June 3 meeting.

Finally, Council will vote on a resolution that, if passed, would authorize the issuing of a parade permit.

The permit would be for an informational picket on Knox Avenue by Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 3207.

CWA is a communications and media union. The local union is located in Martinez, Georgia, according to their website.

City Council will meet at 6 p.m. for the study session and 7 p.m. for the meeting. Both meetings will be held on the third floor of the municipal building at 100 Georgia Avenue.RAMALLAH, West Bank  West Bank drivers: Smile for the camera and consider yourselves warned.

The Palestinian Ministry of Transportation is equipping safety patrol vehicles with cameras to capture traffic violations on roads between Palestinian cities. Transportation Minister Assem Salem said in a May 28 press release the new approach is intended "to achieve a safe traffic environment and reduce road accidents, which kill or injure citizens and destroy their property.

Salem added, The ministry, in cooperation with the traffic police, will impose a series of penalties and legal proceedings against violators of traffic laws." Most notably, penalties will include withdrawing licenses, impounding vehicles and forcing offending drivers to take training courses.

Accidents and deaths significantly increased in the West Bank in 2018. According to Palestinian police statistics, there were 12,829 accidents  an 11.2% increase over 2017. Accidents in 2018 killed 125 people, a rise of 16% over 2017 when 108 deaths were recorded.

The statistics further show that by far the highest number of deaths occurred on roads connecting Palestinian cities, although there were just slightly more than half as many accidents. In 2018, there were 8,536 accidents and 51 related deaths on Palestinian city streets, while there were only 4,293 accidents but 74 deaths on roads connecting cities.

In 2018, traffic police issued some 221,000 citations because drivers were speeding, using their cell phones, not wearing seatbelts, failing to obey traffic signs, or because their vehicle registration was expired or they had no registration papers.

Issam Yamin, director of road safety vehicles at the Transportation Ministry, told Al-Monitor the camera project is the first of its kind in Palestine, especially on outer roads where there is no official police presence. Road safety vehicles are intensifying their efforts beginning this month.

Thirteen such vehicles now operate in the West Bank; there were only three a couple of years ago. All the vehicles are equipped with cameras and deployed around the West Bank  five vehicles to the north, four vehicles in the central West Bank and four vehicles in the south, Yamin said.

The transportation minister has a vision to equip the ministrys public vehicles and government vehicles from various ministries to have a larger number of cameras and thus greater control and presence on those roads, he noted.

Transportation Ministry Spokesman Mohammed Hamdan told Al-Monitor the safety vehicles' drivers will document violations on roads outside the city and transfer the information to traffic police to take legal action. The vehicles can also monitor other areas where the Palestinian police don't operate, such as Area C, which is under Israel's control.

Al-Mashreq Insurance Co. donated the cameras. Nihad al-Assaad, general manager of the company, told Al-Monitor the cameras can serve as a deterrent, reminding drivers to be careful and respect the laws, thereby reducing the number of accidents.

Assaad declined to say how much the cameras cost but noted they can take highly accurate videos and pictures, helping insurance companies determine, in some cases, the payout to accident victims.

They also can help reduce the money paid by the Palestinian Road Accident Casualties Compensation Fund (PRACCF), which in certain instances helps victims who aren't covered by insurance companies.

The fund is financed entirely by citizens," former PRACCF director Wadah al-Khatib told Al-Monitor. The amount citizens contribute varies depending on their car's model and engine size, but the cost ranges from 80 shekels to 160 shekels ($22 to $44). In 2018, Khatib said, PRACCF paid out 18 million shekels ($5 million) in compensation, and since its establishment in 1995, it has paid around $55 million.The Birmingham Airport Authority was honored at a national conference Thursday night with an Inclusion Champion Award.

The Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) honored the recipients of the 2019 ACI-NA Inclusion Champion Awards during a dinner at the ACI-NA Business of Airports Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The conference brought together more than 600 commercial management, human resource and finance executives from the North American airport industry.

Birmingham won in the Small Hub Category. Other honorees were Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Stellar Partners.

The authority was honored for recruitment strategies, which included print media and local career centers to engage veterans, along with LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to tap into diverse talent pools. The authority stays in contact with organizations such as the Minority Business Council of West Alabama and Tuskegee University. It also works with the Lakeshore Foundation, in order to accommodate travelers with disabilities.Flower girls and boys tossed rose petals down the aisle of First United Methodist Church in downtown Birmingham Saturday as a bridal march played in the background, in preparation for a viewing of Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone.

Last month, Alabama Public Television chose not to air an episode of Arthur that contained same-sex rat nuptials. Mike McKenzie, director of programming at APT, cited parents trust in APT as the reason behind the decision.

Rachel Morgan, creative director of Sidewalk Film Festival, said she immediately texted the festivals executive director after hearing about what she calls the television censor, and started planning a free public viewing.

I think that its a statement when people come and sit in a seat to see this kind of thing thats been banned on TV, Morgan said. Everyone should be represented in media. The message [by not airing the episode] is not everyone does deserve representation.

First Church has hosted Sidewalk viewings of films that fit the churchs mission for the last five years. The Rev. Stephanie Arnold spoke at the front of the church sanctuary alongside Sidewalk Film Festival representatives and Magic City Acceptance Center directors to welcome the more than 300 people in attendance.

The viewing consisted of the Arthur episode, now deemed the gay rat wedding by Twitter, followed by another Arthur episode on movie-making and concluded with a 1997 Simpsons episode called Homers Phobia.

Arnold said First Church has a vibrant LGBTQ-inclusive congregation and a mission to be an open place for all.

We understand the heart of the gospel is centered on love and that God is love and we are called to love one another and celebrate," Arnold said. "This was a celebration of life and love and a diverse community coming together.

Amelia Grace, a University of Montevallo student, attended with her little brother, mom and best friend to watch and celebrate with the community.

Weve been talking a lot in our family about what it means that Im gay, how my family can support me and [my brother] really wanted to come out and watch and meet other people and we also love Arthur, Grace said.

One protester stood outside the church with a megaphone but left when the event began.Authorities have released the names of three people killed in a predawn crash Friday in Greene County.

Alabama State Troopers identified the victims as Rodrecious Lee Jackson, 34, of Northport; Daisha Elise Murray, 23, of Fairfield and Khalaliah Bashir Numan, 25, of Birmingham.

The crash happened at 2:20 a.m. on Interstate 50 about eight miles north of Eutaw. Senior Trooper Reginal King said the circumstances of the accident remain under investigation but said speed and alcohol is believed to be a factor.

Jackson was driving a 2014 Fusion that collided head-on with a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. Murray was driving the Cobalt and Numan was her passenger. All three were pronounced dead on the scene.A Cullman man has been charged in the hit-and-run crash at Rock the South that left a pedestrian seriously injured.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency late Friday night announced the arrest of 40-year-old Kevin Michael Talley. He is charged with leaving the scene of an accident  a felony - in connection with the June 1 crash. Injured in the crash was 30-year-old Rob Clemmons.

The crash happened just before 1 a.m. that Saturday on Cullman County 469 in the area of the Rock the South event. Daniel said the driver  now identified as Talley - left the scene after striking Clemmons.

Clemmons was airlifted from the scene to UAB Hospital in Birmingham. His mother later posted on Facebook He is banged up, but nurses say he will be OK. Please keep him in your prayers. She wrote that he has a fractured neck and will have to wear a brace for 2-4 weeks. He also received stitches in part of his ear and under his eye.

A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of the driver. The reward was announced by ALEA Senior Trooper Chuck Daniel, Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry, Cullman Police Chief Kenny Culpepper and Rock the South co-owner Nathan Baugh.

Authorities had said they believed the motorist was driving a silver or grey Chevrolet Silverado, possibly made between 2004 and 2007.

Trooper Curtis Summerville announced the Friday arrest. They said they identified him as the suspect after receiving a tip from a private citizen. Evidence from the scene was a match to a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado owned by Talley.

The arrest was made shortly after 5 p.m. at the Cullman County Sheriffs office after Talley turned himself in. Following his arrest, Talley was placed in the Cullman County Jail. He is being held without bond.The search continues for a suspect in the fatal hit-and-run in Talladega County.

The crash happened at 5:10 p.m. Wednesday on Alabama 77 near Speedway Boulevard in Lincoln, said Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Cpl. Jimmy Harrell. The victim has been identified 41-year-old Donald Edward Carroll, who was a pedestrian when he was struck.

Harrell said the vehicle is described as a gray or greenish-gray Nissan Altima with heavy front-end damage. The car was last seen eastbound on Interstate 20 near milepost 167.

Authorities have released a photo of the suspects vehicle in hopes that someone from the public will recognize the car.

Anyone with information is asked to call the troopers Jacksonville Highway Patrol post at 256-435-3521.Amid last-minute preparations to travel to the Paris Air Show, members of the Mobile Airport Authority Board took time for a special meeting Saturday morning to head off a problem with a major bond issue for Airbus.

Though the highly unusual weekend meeting took only a few minutes, it obviously wasn't the most convenient time to pull together a quorum. Two members present, James Fowler and Michael Pierce, were due to depart later Saturday for Paris. So was MAA President Chris Curry, who participated by phone. Board Chair Elliot Maisel, who was not bound for Paris, mentioned that he was dialing in from "foggy San Francisco."

Attorney Alvin Hope said a legal review had uncovered a discrepancy in a bond issue due to close Monday, a small detail with potentially major ramifications. Theres several hundred million dollars in the balance, he said.

In setting the parameters of the issue, Hope said, the board had previously approved a Weighted Average Maturity (WAM) of 11 years. But the issue executed by City Bank included a WAM of 13 years. The board needed to approve that longer term to assure the full legitimacy of the bond issue, he said.

The error might not have prevented the bond deal from closing on Monday as planned, Hope said, but It certainly would complicate things for their prospective investors.

"Really this is about supporting Airbus, as I understand it, and making things run smoothly for Airbus," said Fowler. "They're great partners of ours, and if it means us getting up on Saturday morning and being here for a 9 o'clock meeting, if that's what it takes to make Airbus successful, that's what we'll do. For me it's a sign of our commitment to making sure that our partners, especially at Brookley, are successful."

An Airbus spokeswoman said the company appreciated the effort. As the Airbus U.S. companies are responsible for the payment of these bonds, we are thankful the MAA board took the time to resolve the issue," she said.

Maisel said such efforts were part and parcel of the MAA's economic development role.

Hope said that bond issues totaling over $300 million would fund the ongoing construction of a new assembly line for Airbus A220 jets plus a new hangar. He said that because the MAA is a public entity, there are tax advantages to letting it handle the bond issue on Airbus behalf, rather than Airbus directly financing the funding for its expansion.

Note: This story has been updated with comment from an Airbus representative.An early-morning raid in Lee County led to the arrest of four people on drug charges.

The Lee County Sheriffs Office SWAT team on Thursday carried out a search warrant in the 4000 block of Lee Road 175 in Salem, said sheriffs Capt. Van Jackson. The raid stemmed from a combined state and federal probe into the illegal trafficking and sale of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl.

The Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force is comprised of members of the Lee County Sheriffs Office, the Russell County Sheriffs Office, the Chambers County Sheriffs Office, the Valley Police Department, the Lanett Police Department, the Macon County Sheriffs Office, and ALEA State Investigators.

The search turned up 8 pounds of meth, 100 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 100 grams of marijuana, approximately 1 gallon of GHB, cash, a shotgun, and assorted drug paraphernalia. Assisting agencies included the Muscogee County Sheriffs Office, Harris County Sheriffs Office, and the Auburn Police Department.

Those under arrested are:

-Kenneth Blake Muldrew, 37, two counts of drug trafficking (methamphetamine and heroin)

-Brandon Lee Hayes, 43, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

-Pamula Thomas Gentry, 63, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

-Cynthia Brown Jones, 64, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia

Muldrew is currently being held in the Lee County Detention Facility on a $100, 000 bond. Hayes, Gentry, and Jones all three have been released on a $2,500 bond.

Jackson said the case is still under investigation and anyone with information is urged to contact the Lee County Sherriffs Office at 334-749-5651 or the Lee County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-522-7847.Guatemala City, Guatemala  Olivia Aju arrived at the airport before dawn, but not for a flight. For more than two decades, she has been selling crafts outside Guatemala Citys international airport. Now her means of subsistence is in jeopardy.

What we do is survival, because there are no job opportunities, Aju told Al Jazeera.

An indigenous Maya Kaqchikel and single mother of two, Aju sells crafts and souvenirs to support her children, ages 10 and 13. Her little metal cart is filled with beaded and woven wallets, dolls, key chains, and other items, some of them brought from her original hometown of Solola.

Aju is one of more than 20 longtime vendors, most of them women, selling food, snacks, balloons and crafts to travellers who are transiting in and out of the capital. But the vendors presence was never formalised in any way, leading to what has become a long, drawn-out conflict between these informal workers and airport authorities.

In December, authorities began restricting access to vendors, first to the area outside the airport doors. In February, they were barred from operating anywhere on the grounds of La Aurora International Airport.

They have intimidated us, they have discriminated against us, and they have treated us terribly, Aju said of the airports administrators.

What we do is survival, because there are no job opportunities Olivia Aju, informal worker in Guatemala City

Francis Argueta Aguirre, head of Guatemalas General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, DGAC, categorically rejects the vendors claims of mistreatment.

At no point did we disrespect them, he told Al Jazeera, claiming that airport authorities took action based on tourist complaints of harassment and that he personally spoke with the vendors last year to inform them they would no longer be permitted to sell their wares on airport grounds.

Argueta said the vendors have no legal right to be there and DGAC has no contractual obligation to assist them. He added that he granted them an extension of a few months, and offered them work and the possibility of leasing space if they could stay away for two weeks to demonstrate that they could follow the rules  measures that he claims didnt work.

But Aju said she stayed away for a month, and that when she and the other vendors attempted to return in late March, police and airport authorities restricted their access.

The women and their wares have since returned, but the atmosphere has been tense and the situation has yet to be resolved.

Ajus plight is symptomatic of a wider problem in Guatemala, where the National Statistics Institute (INE) reports that roughly two-thirds of the workforce carves out a living in the countrys unregulated informal economy.

Lacking rights and rights protections, these workers can suffer debilitating blows to their already fragile livelihoods. Nearly 60 percent of Guatemalas population lives in poverty, according to government figures.

Last year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted that raising living standards continues to be the main challenge facing the country, with income per capita over the past decade growing at an average rate of 1.2 percent  a pace the IMF deemed insufficient to meaningfully reduce Guatemalas high levels of poverty.

Though remittances into the country remain strong, corruption, weak confidence, and a lack of investment all pose significant challenges.

Guatemala has been beset by corruption scandals that involved high-level officials in recent years and that even brought down sitting president Otto Perez in 2015. Several candidates running for president in the upcoming June elections are implicated in corruption cases, and another  Mario Estrada  was recently arrested in the US on drug trafficking and weapons charges.

Organising for change

A national law to support entrepreneurship passed last fall, and includes technical and financial assistance for the creation of micro, small and mid-sized companies.

It is seen as a possible way for people to generate income and get out of the informal economy, Claudia Garcia, director of the economics unit of the Association for Research and Social Studies (ASIES), told Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Guatemala has a long tradition of local-level activism  including non-traditional labour organising  to put workers in informal sectors of the economy on more solid footing.

In the agricultural sector  the largest within the informal economy, according to INE  farm workers have a long tradition of organising with grassroots land-rights and rural-development movements.

Agriculture is the largest sector of Guatemalas informal economy [File: Luis Echeverria/Reuters]

Market and street vendors in the capital and beyond have also formed various local and national informal labour organisations over the decades, with union support. These grassroots initiatives have often fought back against evictions, sometimes leading to violent confrontations with police and government repression, including killings.

Aju and 15 other airport vendors sought help from the General Confederation of Workers of Guatemala, CGTG, a trade union with a long tradition of supporting informal labourers.

With the help of the union, which they formally joined last year, the airport vendors filed a legal motion to challenge their displacement. They continue to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict with airport authorities.

We have been seeking a dialogue process, Emilio Real, a CGTG leader working with the vendors, told Al Jazeera. It is the only solution.

Meanwhile, the Guatemalan government announced late last year that it had developed a new method of gathering more data on the informal economy with the objective of transitioning more workers  and more production  to the formal economy.

One significant obstacle to the transition is the cumbersome, multi-step process required to register and operate a business, according to David Casasola, an economist working at the Centre for National Economic Research. Guatemala should look to the experiences of other countries such as Mexico and Peru, where the formalisation process has been simplified, he told Al Jazeera.

It is important to have an agenda that allows us to reflect on the various laws we have in the country for the operation of businesses and economic activities, said Casasola.

Comprehension and accessibility may also be barriers.

Many people in the informal sector have told ASIES they have not formalised their status because they have trouble understanding the new legislation and cannot find anyone at government institutions to let them know where to go or what steps to take, said Garcia.

In other cases, it is because their activities really do not generate enough to pay taxes, so it is simply an obstacle of subsistence, she said.

Rosaura Raguex, a Maya Kiche sociologist and researcher with the public university-affiliated Institute for Political and Social Research, says reforms should be approached from the perspective of whats best for workers, and not for government coffers.

The government and economic elite highlight and critique the lack of taxes or the loss of income the informal economy creates for the state and for the country in general, Raguex told Al Jazeera.

The focus of critique and emphasis, she said, should be the absence of social security and basic services for the majority of the economically active population.Another 36 are accused over social media comments about a negative Bloomberg story or for criticising Turkeys economy.

A Turkish court has accepted an indictment requesting a jail sentence for two Bloomberg reporters and 36 other people after the countrys banking watchdog (BDDK) filed a complaint about the reporters.

The indictment, seen by Reuters, was related to a Bloomberg story published in August 2018. The article was about the effects of a sharp decline in the Turkish lira and how authorities and banks were responding.

Worries about the Turkish central banks independence and Turkeys tense ties with Washington sparked a currency crisis last year in which the lira shed nearly 30 percent.

Bloomberg reporters Kerim Karakaya and Fercan Yalinkilic are accused of trying to undermine Turkeys economic stability, charges that carry a jail sentence of between two and five years.

The other 36 defendants are accused in connection with social media comments on the story, or comments deemed critical of Turkeys economy, the indictment said.

A warning to other media outlets

The BDDK, Turkeys banking regulator, issued a statement on Friday evening saying that it had filed a criminal complaint to the Istanbul chief prosecutors office on August 14 last year regarding the story and three Bloomberg journalists.

The necessary legal avenues will be resorted to in the future concerning similar publications that could damage the prestige of our banks and our economy or harm our sector, it added.

In a separate statement, Turkeys securities markets regulator, the Capital Markets Board, said it had filed a criminal complaint to Istanbul prosecutors regarding the social media posts of some individuals.

The board did not name the individuals or specify how many it was complaining about.

It said they had sought to create tension in markets and cause harm to investors.

The first session of the trial will be held on September 20, according to Bloomberg.

We condemn the indictment issued against our reporters, who have reported fairly and accurately on newsworthy events, Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait said. We fully stand by them and will support them throughout this ordeal.

Last year, Turkeys Interior Ministry said it had identified 346 social media accounts carrying posts about the exchange rate that it said created a negative perception of the economy. It said it would take legal measures against them but did not specify what these would be.On June 5, during a rare trip abroad, Aung San Suu Kyi, state counsellor of Myanmar and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, visited Hungary and met Prime Minister Viktor Orban. After the meeting, the Hungarian government released an official statement, saying: The two leaders highlighted that one of the greatest challenges at present for both countries and their respective regions  Southeast Asia and Europe  is migration. They noted that both regions have seen the emergence of the issue of coexistence with continuously growing Muslim populations.

It is indeed strange that both Aung San Suu Kyi and Orban expressed concern over growing Muslim populations given that neither of their countries actually faces such a problem. Hungary has a tiny population of just over 5,000 Muslims and although over the past few years hundreds of thousands of mostly Muslim refugees have passed through its territory going west, few have expressed desire to stay and the government has refused to accept any.

Myanmar, too, does not have a Muslim population growth problem. In fact, over the past few decades, it has expelled hundreds of thousands of Muslims from Rakhine state, which for centuries has had a large Muslim community, despite the baseless claim by Burmese and Buddhist nationalists that Muslims are recent migrants.

In spite of these realities on the ground and historical facts, both Aung San Suu Kyi and Orban have continued to insist that their countries are under threat by Muslim migration.

Long lauded as a proponent of human rights and civil liberties, Suu Kyi has stood up in defence of Myanmars military which has unleashed an unprecedented campaign of persecution against the Muslim-majority Rohingya. The systematic ethnic cleansing in Rakhine state, which has had a sizeable Muslim population since the 8th century, has resulted in the brutal killing of thousands of men, women and children and the displacement in 2016 of some 700,000 to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, those who remain in Myanmar still face the threat of violence and various violations of their rights; over 100,000 are forced to live in camps where international visitors and the media are not allowed.

Within the Buddhist world, Aung San Suu Kyi has faced little backlash for her politics. In 2017, when asked about Myanmars brutal policies towards the Rohingya, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Buddhists, said that they should remember, Buddha, in such circumstances, Buddha [would have] definitely helped those poor Muslims. So, still, I feel that [its] so very sad  so sad. But since then, he has fallen silent on the issue even though the violence against the Rohingya has continued.

At the same time, just as little is being done to stop the persecution of Muslim-majority Rohingya in Myanmar, not much has been done to address the root cause of the problem in Syria: the eight-year-long bloody civil war.

In 2015, eager to placate their angry electorates, European leaders pushed for a deal with Turkey to stem the flow of refugees into Europe, placing the burden on Turkish shoulders. The country currently hosts over 3.5 million Syrian refugees with very little help from the outside world.

Since then, Syrians have continued to be killed at an alarming rate in the conflict, with hundreds of thousands displaced internally, sometimes multiple times, and many still trying to flee to safety and dying in the cold waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, the Europeans have shown little interest and leadership in ending the Syrian war, their primary concern remaining (Muslim) migration.

Of course, the biggest problem of both Myanmar and Hungary (and by extension Europe) is not Muslims per se. But presenting them as a threat is a useful strategy to deflect attention from the real problems of social disintegration, economic stagnation, the rise of populism and far-right movements, the erosion of traditional values, the failure of mainstream politics and a host of other issues that have practically nothing to do with Muslim or other minority groups.

Today there is concerted effort to instrumentalise Muslim communities within old-fashioned identity politics to stoke fear and justify conflict. Islam and Muslims are increasingly treated as the opposite of what both the secular and Judeo-Christian West supposedly stand for; they are the new common enemy. Thus, right-wing, left-wing, liberal, conservative, evangelical and other groups which normally argue over a thousand different issues on a daily basis, readily agree on this perceived Muslim threat.

This, however, is a dangerous path to tread on. Islamophobia will solve neither Europes nor Asias problems. In the short term, it may serve narrow-minded populist agendas, but it in the long term, it could lead to more victimisation of minorities and ethnic and social upheaval.

As American scholar Anne Norton has brilliantly argued, the Jewish question Karl Marx had identified in the 19th century has become the Muslim question in the 21st century. In both cases, the problem was never about Jews or Muslims, their values or ability to coexist in Europe, but rather about European capacity to accept them as equal citizens and partners in an increasingly interdependent and globalised world.

Some 150 years ago, Marx rightly said that the promise of freedom, equality and fraternity in Europe was dependent on the inclusion of Jews. Today, in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, it is very much dependent on the acceptance of Muslims as equal human beings and fellow citizens.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.Among other objectives, the aim of the summit is to pave the way for a road map on addressing urgent global issues.The Syrian government, backed by Russia, began bombarding the last rebel-held territory of Idlib in April.

At least seven civilians have been killed by Syrian government air raids on the northwest province of Idlib, the White Helmets civil defence group has said.

Three people have been killed in an air raid on the town of Maaret al-Numan, while in al-Bara, three children and their father were killed after an air attack on the town centre on Saturday.

A total of 15 others were wounded, the White Helmets said.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fighting between government forces and armed opposition fighters left 34 dead.

Twenty-six troops and pro-government fighters were killed, as well as eight fighters from the opposition, the war monitor said.

Last September, Turkey and Russia signed an agreement to turn Idlib, which has a population of three million people, into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression would be expressly prohibited.

3 man were killed, and 13 injured, including 5 children, after regime warplanes targeted #MaaratalNuman City in southern #Idlib with three missiles. White Helmets search and rescue operations continue. pic.twitter.com/C9wTNCZPpD  The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) June 15, 2019

But the deal was never fully implemented, as armed fighters refused to withdraw from a planned demilitarised zone.

The last territory held by the opposition  mostly under the banner of former al-Qaeda affiliate Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)  Idlib has been under bombardment by the Syrian government and its ally Russia since April.

Turkey said Friday that it did not accept Russias excuse that it was unable to stop the Syrian governments continued bombardments.

In Syria, who are the regimes guarantors? Russia and Iran, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told state news agency Anadolu in a televised interview.

Thus we do not accept the excuse that We cannot make the regime listen to us,' he said.

His comments came after Moscow this week said a new ceasefire had been secured in the province following weeks of government bombardments  a claim that was denied by Ankara.

At least 300,000 people have been driven from their homes due to the violence, while more than 300 civilians have been killed since fighting broke out.

Ammunition depot explosion

Separately, an explosion hit a Syrian army ammunition depot on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, Syrias state news agency SANA reported.

The blast in a military area in Dummar, a northwest suburb of Damascus, was caused by a fire that started in some nearby dry vegetation and extended to the depot, the agency added, citing a military source.

The sound of the explosion was heard in most parts of Damascus, SANA said.

There were no immediate reports of potential casualties.

Syrias war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.US says China could use UN visit to Xinjiang to portray repression of Uighurs as legitimate counterterrorism.

The United States and other western countries have objected to a visit by the United Nations counterterrorism chief to Chinas remote Xinjiang region, where UN experts say about one million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims are held in detention centres.

Vladimir Voronkov, a veteran Russian diplomat who heads the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), is in China at the invitation of Beijing and is due to visit Xinjiangs capital Urumqi, according to an email sent by his office to countries that raised concerns.

Diplomats said that along with the US several other countries, including Britain, have also complained.

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US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday to convey deep concerns about Voronkovs trip because Beijing continues to paint its repressive campaign against Uighurs and other Muslims as legitimate counterterrorism efforts when it is not.

The Deputy Secretary expressed that such a visit is highly inappropriate in view of the unprecedented repression campaign underway in Xinjiang against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslims, the US State Department said in a statement.

Sullivan told Guterres that Voronkovs trip puts the UNs reputation and credibility at risk.

China has been condemned internationally for setting up the detention complexes, which it describes as education training centres helping to stamp out extremism and give people new skills. Western states are worried Voronkovs visit will validate Chinas justification for the centres, diplomats said.

China will, and is, actively saying that what theyre doing in Xinjiang is good terrorism prevention, said a UN Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The visit by Voronkov validates their narrative that this is a counterterrorism issue, when we would see it more as a human rights issue, said the diplomat, adding that if Voronkov did not speak out after visiting Xinjiang then silence could be seen as implicit acceptance, at worst UN complicity.

DepSec Sullivan spoke with @UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres to convey concerns re: Under-Secretary-General Voronkovs planned travel to Xinjiang. The visit is egregious in view of the repression campaign in Xinjiang against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and other Muslims. pic.twitter.com/lRMYbAQa7i  Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) June 15, 2019

The email from Voronkovs office, seen by the Reuters news agency, said China planned the itinerary for Voronkov, who is the UNs top counterterrorism official. The email said his office does not expect any public statements on his visit to Xinjiang.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticised the UN for sending a counterterrorism official instead of a human rights expert, saying it risks deflecting attention from what it called a massive government rights violation against the Turkic Muslim population.

Voronkov will be visiting Xinjiang before UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who has repeatedly pushed China to grant the UN access to investigate reports of disappearances and arbitrary detentions, particularly of Muslims in Xinjiang.

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This mission is not connected in any manner to upcoming visits by other senior UN officials, including the High Commissioner of Human Rights. We would like to assure you that (Voronkovs) visit is not intended to undermine or overshadow the visit of Ms Bachelet, the email said.

Chen Xu, Chinas new ambassador in Geneva, told reporters on Thursday that China had invited Bachelet to visit the camps in Xinjiang to see for herself.

UN spokeswoman Marta Hurtado confirmed Bachelet had met Chen and that her office is continuing to negotiate full access for any trip to China.

The last visit by a UN human rights chief to China was in 2005.

The email from Voronkovs office said he had already visited Russia, Britain, the US and France which, along with China, make up the five permanent veto-wielding members of the UNSC.

HRW UN director Louis Charbonneau said that instead of sending Voronkov to Xinjiang, Guterres should be calling for the immediate closure of political education camps and pushing for unfettered access for Bachelet and other rights experts.

Guterres raised the plight of Muslims in Chinas Xinjiang region with the Chinese governments top diplomat, Wang Yi, during a visit to Beijing in April.US working on contingency plans and broadening international support for standoff with Iran, US defence secretary says.

US President Donald Trumps administration is focused on building international consensus following attacks on two oil tankers in the Middle East that the US has blamed on Iran, acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said on Friday.

Shanahan told Pentagon reporters that he, White House National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared that goal.

Iran has denounced as ridiculous and dangerous US allegations that Tehran was behind the attacks near the Strait of Hormuz.

The two vessels  the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian-owned Front Altair  were damaged on Thursday morning as they were leaving the Gulf of Oman, the second such incident in four weeks that sent Brent crude prices up and heightened tensions in the region.

Shanahan, asked later whether he was considering sending more US troops or military capabilities to the Middle East, said: As you know were always planning various contingencies.

But he then returned to the issue of building consensus.

When you look at the situation, a Norwegian ship, a Japanese ship, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, 15 percent of the worlds oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, he said.

So we obviously need to make contingency plans should the situation deteriorate. We also need to broaden our (international) support for this international situation, he added.

Shanahan said the Pentagons role would include sharing intelligence, as the US militarys Central Command did on Thursday by publicly releasing a grainy video it claimed showed Irans military removing an unexploded mine from Kokuka Courageous, hours after the suspected attacks.

Iran said the video proved nothing and that Tehran was being made into a scapegoat.

The more information that we can declassify, the more information we can share, we will. And thats our intent, Shanahan said.

The release of the black-and-white footage came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said US intelligence agencies had concluded that Iran was responsible for the attacks, without offering concrete evidence.

On Friday, in a TV interview on Fox News, Trump said, Iran did do it.

You know they did it because you saw the boat, Trump told the Fox and Friends show. I guess one of the mines didnt explode and its probably got essentially Iran written all over it.

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But Yutaka Katada, owner of the Kokuka Courageous, cast doubt on part of the US account, telling reporters on Friday that the vessels crew saw a flying object before a second blast on the boat.

Calling reports of a mine attack false, he said: The crew was saying it was hit by a flying object  To put a bomb at the side of the boat is not something we are considering.

For its part, Iran rejected the accusations as the United Nations, Russia and Qatar called for an international investigation into the reported attacks.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, said the US had immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence.

The allegation only makes it abundantly clear that the US and its regional allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were moving to a Plan B, Zarif said, which was to sabotage diplomacy as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran to defuse escalating US-Iran frictions.

Arab League caution

On Friday, the head of the Arab League called on the Iranians to be careful and reverse course.

Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit noted, after meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at UN headquarters in New York, that there are conflicting reports about how Thursdays tanker incidents occurred.

We believe that responsibilities need to be clearly defined, he said. The facts will be revealed, I am sure, its only a matter of time.

Aboul Gheit added My call to my Iranian  and I call them Iranian brothers: Be careful and reverse course because youre pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no one would be safe if it happens.

The British government said it agreed with the US conclusion that Iran attacked the tankers.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that its own assessment concluded it is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had attacked the tankers.

It said it also believed Iran was behind an attack last month on four tankers near the UAE port of Fujairah.

On May 12, days after Washington announced the military deployment, four oil tankers near the port were damaged in what the UAE called sabotage attacks. The US blamed Iran for the incidents, saying Iranian-made limpet mines were used in the attacks. Tehran also rejected these claims.

Ridiculous, dangerous

Abbas Mousavi, a spokesperson for Irans foreign ministry, called the latest US accusations ridiculous, but also very worrying and dangerous, according to the IRNA state news agency.

Blaming Iran for the incidents was the simplest and the most convenient way for US officials, he said, adding: We are responsible for ensuring the security of the Strait and we have rescued the crew of those attacked tankers in the shortest possible time.

Justin Bronk, a combat technology specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, said the patrol boat shown in the US video was known to be the kind used by the IRGC.

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However, if the attack was the Iranians, this would be a very, very brazen thing to do, to go up and retrieve an unexploded mine [while] under scrutiny from the US destroyer that was nearby, he said.

On the other hand, you could argue that they were keen to pick up an unexploded mine to avoid it linking back to them. Although, realistically, if this was the Iranians, there will be enough evidence to link back to them even without the unexploded mine.

The worlds largest international shipping association, BIMCO, urged all nations involved to defuse tensions and work through diplomatic efforts.

We strongly call for nations to do what they can to de-escalate tensions and ensure the safe passage of merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Angus Frew, BIMCO secretary-general and CEO, said in a statement.

It is unacceptable that the lives of innocent seafarers are put at risk in these unprovoked attacks, Frew added.

BIMCO represents about 60 percent of the worlds merchant fleet by tonnage.

Jakob Larsen, BIMCOs head of maritime security said the attacks were an urgent concern to the industry.

Following the two most recent attacks, and while we await the results of the investigations of the attacks, the tension in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf is now as high as it gets without being an actual armed conflict, Larsen added.

The Strait of Hormuz provides the only sea passage from the Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the worlds most important sea lanes. Disruption of shipping through the strait will have a major impact on the oil trade and the shipping industry.Guatemala City  When Guatemalans cast their ballots in Sundays general election, thousands of their compatriots will continue their harrowing journey as migrants and asylum seekers heading up through Mexico and across the US border.

A crowded field is vying for the presidency following a chaotic campaign period. Voters will also elect all 160 representatives to the unicameral congress and hundreds of local officials.

The voting centers are expected to open at 7:00am (13:00 GMT) and close at 6:00pm local time (12:00 GMT, Monday)

Here are five things to know:

1. Will there be an outright winner of the presidential election?

If one of the 19 presidential candidates obtains 50 percent of the votes, they will become president-elect, but this is highly unlikely. The leading pair after Sunday will face off in an August 11 runoff election, and the winner will take office on January 14.

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Sandra Torres leads the crowded field. A businesswoman and former first lady, the National Unity of Hope (UNE) party centrist candidate faces allegations of illegal campaign financing in the 2015 election, but her candidacy confers her immunity from prosecution.

Alejandro Giammattei has been polling in second place. The right-wing Vamos candidate and former prisons director spent 10 months in pre-trial detention after being accused of participating in a 2006 massacre of inmates. He was acquitted in 2011.

A staff member of Guatemalas Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) sets up voting equipment ahead of Sundays presidential election in Guatemala City [Saul Martinez/Reuters]

Roberto Arzu is not far behind. The far right PAN-Podemos candidate is the son of former president Alvaro Arzu and brother of the current president of the congress.

Humanist party candidate Edmond Mulet and Movement for the Liberation of the Peoples (MLP) candidate Thelma Cabrera round out the top five.

2. Candidates plans to address migration vary wildly

Thousands of Guatemalan families are fleeing north every month. The leading presidential candidates proposals to address migration range from farmer support to US military bases.

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The Torres campaign is focused on addressing the driving forces of migration with public investment in infrastructure, health, education, and small-scale agriculture in rural areas, the source of much of the current exodus.

Giammattei plans to create an economic wall of jobs and opportunities to halt migration, he told EFE in an interview last week, emphasising the need for greater foreign investment.

Arzu hopes for US military bases along the Guatemala-Mexico border and told EFE he would invite the US and Israel to co-manage customs, immigration, ports and airports.

3. The lead-up to the election has been mayhem

Over the past three months, several candidates have been barred from running. Others have been arrested. Some have been killed. Officials with key roles in elections have reported threats and pressure and two are now taking leaves of absence.

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I think what we all hope for is for these elections to take place in non-violent conditions, Oswaldo Samayoa, a lawyer and university professor, told Al Jazeera.

Five presidential candidates were barred from running well into the campaign period, following heated legal battles. Two were frontrunners, including Semilla party presidential candidate Thelma Aldana, a former attorney general disqualified on allegations of corruption, which she denies.

A remaining option  voting for no one  has generated confusion. For the first time in Guatemala, spoiled ballots are binding protest votes. If 50 percent of votes in any race are null, that election must be repeated.

The option was not sufficiently disseminated at the national level for people to cast an informed vote, Stephanie Lopez, a political analyst from the Central American Institute of Political Studies, told Al Jazeera.

4. There is an ongoing political crisis tied to corruption

Corruption has taken tens of millions of dollars out of the public coffers that could have otherwise contributed to addressing climate change, poverty, and other drivers of migration.

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A UN-backed anti-impunity commission, CICIG, has been working with prosecutors to take down high-level networks and even a sitting president. But corruption has deep roots, and the efforts sparked a powerful backlash after it began investigating current president Jimmy Morales.

Morales did not renew CICIGs mandate, which ends in September. Guatemalas highest court struck down Morales subsequent ban of the head commissioner, but the government began openly defying rulings, sparking an ongoing political crisis.

Giammattei and Arzu firmly oppose CICIG. Cabrera fully supports it. Mulet wants a reformed CICIG. Torres has avoided taking a clear stance one way or the other. Either way, the next president will not have the power to bring CICIG back. Congress would need to pass a new agreement.

5. The US and Guatemala are making migration deals

The US is cracking down on migration and the Guatemalan government appears to be on board despite the deaths of five Guatemalan children in US custody in just over six months.

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The United States is probably looking at this election solely through the eyes of whether the person elected will be able to make progress on reducing the number of Guatemalans leaving the country, Mike Allison, a political science professor at the University of Scranton, told Al Jazeera.

Last month, the Guatemalan government signed a deal with the US Department of Homeland Security for the latter to deploy agents and investigators to Guatemalas border with Mexico.

This week, US State Department officials were in Guatemala to negotiate a bilateral safe third country agreement, the Voice of America (VOA) radio network reported. The deal would restrict Honduran and Salvadoran asylum seekers to requesting asylum in Guatemala.

The US is erroneously focusing purely on deterrence and enforcement instead of providing the political and economic support needed to address the root causes of insecurity and migration, Allison said.Leader Carrie Lam is expected to address local media after several pro-Beijing politicians called for pause on bill.

Hong Kongs embattled government looks set to suspend a proposed law on extradition to mainland China that sparked widespread anger and violent protests, with leader Carrie Lam planning to address the press on Saturday, local media has reported.

Support for the swift passage of the controversial extradition bill began to crumble on Friday with several pro-Beijing politicians and a senior adviser to Lam saying discussion on the bill should be shelved for the time being.

Around a million people, according to protest organisers, marched through Hong Kong last Sunday to oppose the bill. The international finance hub was further rocked by political violence on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by anti-riot police firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets. A second reading of the bill was postponed.

Another round of protests is planned for this Sunday.

The extradition bill would allow Hong Kongs chief executive to send suspected offenders to places with which the territory has no formal extradition agreement for trial.

It would apply to Hong Kong residents and foreign and Chinese nationals living or travelling in the city to be sent to mainland China and has many concerned it may threaten the rule of law that underpins Hong Kongs international financial status.

As criticism mounted  and signs emerged of a growing discomfort among party leaders in Beijing  local media in Hong Kong reported on Saturday that Lams administration was planning to announce some sort of climbdown as it tries to find its way out of the political crisis.

Hong Kongs iCable, the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Sing Tao newspaper, Now TV, TVB and RTHK reported that the bill would be suspended or postponed. TVB and iCable said Lam would hold a news conference on Saturday afternoon.

Lam defiant

Lam, who is appointed by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists, has so far refused to abandon the bill despite months of criticism from business and legal bodies and in the face of the huge demonstrations.

Calls to Lams office have also gone unanswered outside of business hours. Lam has not appeared in public or commented since Wednesday. Hong Kong media reported Lam would meet pro-Beijing legislators to explain her pending announcement.

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Backing down from efforts to drive the bill through the citys legislature by July would have been unthinkable last week when the laws passage seemed inevitable as Lam was adamant.

But on Friday she found herself facing growing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiralling public anger.

Yet Michael Tien, a member of Hong Kongs legislature and a deputy to Chinas national parliament, said a total withdrawal of the bill was unlikely.

The amendment is supported by the central government, so I think a withdrawal would send a political message that the central government is wrong. This would not happen under one country, two systems, he told Reuters news agency, referring to the model under which Hong Kong enjoys semi-autonomy.

Tien, a member of the pro-Beijing camp, said he supported a suspension of the bill without a timetable.

Another march

Despite chatter that the government would hit pause on the bill, organisers of last Sundays protest march stood by plans for another march this Sunday. In addition to opposing the bill, they said they would also be calling for accountability of the police for the way protests have been handled.

Lam has said the extradition law is necessary to prevent criminals using Hong Kong as a place to hide and that human rights will be protected by the citys court which will decide on case-by-case basis extraditions.





Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, note that Chinas justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

Last Sundays protest in the former British colony was the biggest political demonstration since its return to Chinese rule in 1997 under a one country, two systems deal. The agreement guarantees Hong Kongs special autonomy, including freedom of assembly, free press and independent judiciary.

Many accuse China of extensive meddling since then, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with elections and of being behind the disappearance of five Hong Kong-based booksellers, starting in 2015, who specialised in works critical of Chinese leaders.

Beijing has denied that it has overreached in Hong Kong.

The extradition bill has spooked some of Hong Kongs tycoons into starting to move their personal wealth offshore, according to financial advisers, bankers and lawyers familiar with the details.Carrie Lam suspends controversial bill, but activists vow more protests saying proposed law must be shelved permanently.

Hong Kongs embattled leader has indefinitely delayed a controversial bill that would allow extraditions to China in a major climbdown after anger over the proposed law triggered the citys biggest protests in decades.

But protest leaders swiftly rejected Saturdays concession from Chief Executive Carrie Lam, calling on her to resign, permanently shelve the bill and apologise for police use of force against demonstrators.

Activists also said they were still planning a mass protest for Sunday.

The extradition bill, which would have covered Hong Kongs seven million residents as well as foreign and Chinese nationals there, was seen by many as a threat to the rule of law in the former British colony.

Around a million people marched through Hong Kong last Sunday to oppose the bill, according to organisers of the protest. Demonstrations continued through the week and were met with tear gas, bean bag rounds and rubber bullets from police, plunging the Asian finance hub into turmoil and piling heavy pressure on Lam.

After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more explanation work and listen to different views of society, Lam told a news conference.

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I want to stress that the government is adopting an open mind, she said, insisting the bill was still needed.

She emphasised that a chief concern was to avoid further injuries both for the public and for police. About 80 people were hurt in the clashes earlier in the week, including more than 20 police.

Lam repeatedly sidestepped reporters questions over whether she would step down, and appealed to the public to give us another chance.

Too little, too late

However, her political opponents said the measures were not enough.

Democrats in Hong Kong simply cannot accept this suspension decision, said legislator Claudia Mo. Because the suspension is temporary. The pain is still there.

The decision was too little, too late, Mo said.





Opponents of the bill fear it could make residents of the city vulnerable to politically-motivated charges in Chinas court system and comes as part of a wider move by Beijing to scale back the freedoms Hong Kong enjoys under the so-called one country, two systems principle put in place as it was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.

Lam had said the extradition law was necessary to prevent criminals using Hong Kong as a place to hide and that human rights would be protected by the citys court which would decide on the extraditions on a case-by-case basis.

Al Jazeeras Scott Heidler, reporting from Hong Kong, called Lams decision on Sunday a short-term victory for these protesters.

Hundreds of mothers protest against the amendments to the extradition law and activists say demonstrations will continue despite the suspension of debate [Vincent Yu/AP]

He added: This reversal comes on the heels of a miscalculation by Carrie Lam. She didnt expect to get this kind of backlash from Hong Kongers so she is having to back-pedal.

Meanwhile, the Civil Human Rights Front, which organised last weeks rally, said protests will continue on Sunday, while a strike is planned for Monday.

We need to tell the government that the Hong Kong people will persist and will not discontinue our protest towards the government unless we see the withdrawal of the bill, Jimmy Sham, from the organisation, told reporters.

Emily Lau, human rights campaigner and former legislator, also called for continued protests.

Its a fundamental issue of two different systems. In Hong Kong we have the rule of law, independent judiciary, protection of human rights, she told Al Jazeera.

Over there in mainland China, its complete lawlessness. Thats why the people feel very unsafe. If you send somebody back there for trial, you cannot guarantee the person is going to get a fair trial. So its not a communication problem; what [Lam] said is nonsense, Lau said.

Authorities in Hong Kong have been negotiating with the central government for more than 20 years about rendition agreements, she said. However, so long as the two legal systems are so different, so long as you cannot guarantee that the person youre sending back will get a fair trial, its very difficult to get a deal, she said.

China supports Lam

China said it supported Lams decision.

Geng Shuang, spokesman for Chinas foreign ministry, said the central government fully affirmed the work of Lam and would continue to firmly support her.

Beijing strongly condemns the violence during the protests and supports the Hong Kong police, he said.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdoms foreign secretary congratulated the Hong Kong government for heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights.

Safeguarding the rights and freedoms in the Sino-British Joint Declaration is the best future for HK and Britain stands behind this legally-binding agreement, Jeremy Hunt wrote on Twitter.

Under a 1997 deal signed with Britain, China allowed Hong Kong to keep key liberties denied to people on the mainland  like freedom of speech and independent courts  for 50 years.

Many accuse Beijing of extensive meddling since then, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with elections and of being behind the disappearance of five Hong Kong-based booksellers, starting in 2015, who specialised in works critical of Chinese leaders.Recent arrests appear to follow a pattern of attacks on press freedom since Modis ascension to power, journalists say.

New Delhi, India  On the afternoon of June 8, two plain-clothes policemen arrived at the house of Prashant Kanojia, an independent journalist in Delhi.

Without giving a specific reason, they asked Kanojia to accompany them. Soon after, Jagisha Arora, Kanojias wife, frantically tried to reach his mobile.

I kept trying him repeatedly, said Arora, but his phone had been switched off.

Ten hours later, Arora received a call from the police in Uttar Pradesh, Indias largest state bordering Delhi. Her husband had been flown to Lucknow, the state capital almost a thousand kilometres away.

The police informed Arora that her husband had been arrested for a provocative tweet about Yogi Adityanath, the firebrand far-right chief minister of the state.

Kanojia had shared a video on Twitter, showing a woman speaking to various media organisations, claiming she had sent Adityanath a proposal for marriage. The Uttar Pradesh police charged Kanojia with criminal defamation and attempts to malign the chief ministers image.

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After Kanojias arrest, Arora immediately contacted his former colleagues at The Wire, an online media organisation where Kanojia had worked until recently. Soon, word went around the countrys media fraternity who began to rally around Kanojia in solidarity.

Legal help was marshalled for his defence. The lawyers advised me to approach the Supreme Court, Arora said.

Kanojia had been arrested on a Saturday, which was most likely not a coincidence, said Arora. This meant he could be held in detention until Monday when the courts would reopen. All their moves seemed like it was part of an intricate plan, she said.

On Monday, Arora filed a petition in the Supreme Court. A day later, on Tuesday, Indias top court ordered Kanojias immediate release. The question is whether (Kanojia) ought to be deprived of his liberty, the court said. The answer to that is prima facie in the negative.

Kanojia was not alone. On the same day he was picked up, Ishika Singh and Anuj Shukla, who worked at Nation Live, a private news channel, were arrested on the same charges as Kanojia.

Two days later, on June 10, Anshul Kaushik, another journalist at Nation Live, was arrested on charges of defaming Adityanath.

Sliding down

The arrests appear to follow a pattern of escalating attacks on press freedom since Prime Minister Narendra Modis ascension to power in 2014.

India continues to slide down the World Press Freedom Index. In the annual rankings released by Reporters Without Borders in April 2019, India was ranked 140th out of 180 countries, two places down from the previous year.

Spokespersons for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and top officials of the Uttar Pradesh government declined to comment on the latest arrests, instead pointing to the police report and saying that the matter was now in the courts.

While the state of press freedom appears to have worsened under Modi, the clampdown on the media seemingly goes beyond the BJP.

In September of last year, journalist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra was arrested by the Odisha government after he made remarks mocking the erotic sculptures at the iconic Konark temple in Indias eastern state. He was released in December 2018 after spending 43 days in prison. Odisha is ruled by the Biju Janata Dal, which is not aligned with the BJP.

On May 19, the security personnel of Tej Pratap Yadav, an opposition leader in the state of Bihar, beat photojournalists at a polling booth after a minor argument.

On June 15, Dilip Sharma, a journalist running a local news website in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, was arrested for what the government considered a false news report on erratic power supply in the state. Chhattisgarh is ruled by the Indian National Congress, Indias main opposition party.

On June 9, a day after the arrests of the three journalists, the Editors Guild of India, Indias premier body for protecting press freedom, termed the act an effort to intimidate the press, and stifle press freedom.

The police action is high-handed, arbitrary and amounts to an authoritarian misuse of laws, a statement issued by the Guild said.

However, the Editors Guild of India has faced criticism for what some journalists have called a lethargic response to the arrests.

At this particular moment, when the press is facing an unprecedented subversion by the government, the Editors Guild should be a proactive body speaking for journalistic independence, said Hartosh Singh Bal, political editor of The Caravan, a magazine in New Delhi, and an outspoken commentator on media issues.

According to Bal, the office bearers of the Editors Guild should be directly in touch with politicians and police officials to aid journalists in such instances.

When contacted by Al Jazeera, none of the three office bearers of the Editors Guild of India would comment.

Ashok Bhattacharya, the organisations general secretary, and Sheela Bhatt, the treasurer, declined to comment, while Shekhar Gupta, the president of the Editors Guild, did not respond to texts asking for comment.

Gupta, usually a prominent presence on television debates and social media, has been subdued on the issue.

If the Editors Guild is just for carrying around a label, then dont waste anyones time, said Bal. In that case, it should be disbanded rather than pretending to speak for journalists.

On June 13, Kanojia finally returned to his home in Delhi, five days after he had been picked up by the Uttar Pradesh police. Arora said both she and Kanojia were still feeling the aftershocks of a traumatising week.

Right now, we are trying to relax, she said. But we will keep on fighting.Saudi Arabia has urged a rapid response to secure energy supplies in the Gulf region after the attack on two tankers in a critical oil shipping route caused tensions to soar.

The United States has blamed Iran for the attacks, but Tehran has denied any role in the incidents and called the accusations ridiculous and dangerous.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Saturday there must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence after the attacks in the Gulf area, his ministry posted on Twitter.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also called upon world powers to help secure maritime traffic and energy supplies.

The international community must cooperate to secure international navigation and access to energy, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said at a summit in Bulgaria.

Tanker incident video

On Friday, the US released a grainy video it claimed showed Irans military removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers, Kokuka Courageous, hours after the suspected attacks.

Iran said the video proved nothing and that Tehran was being made a scapegoat.

The more information that we can declassify, the more information we can share, we will. And thats our intent, US acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said.

The release of the black-and-white footage came after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said US intelligence agencies had concluded that Iran was responsible for the attacks, without offering concrete evidence.

On Friday, in a TV interview on Fox News, President Donald Trump said, Iran did do it.

You know they did it because you saw the boat, Trump told the Fox and Friends show. I guess one of the mines didnt explode and its probably got essentially Iran written all over it.

But Yutaka Katada, the owner of the Kokuka Courageous, cast doubt on part of the US account, telling reporters on Friday that the vessels crew saw a flying object before a second blast on the boat.

Calling reports of a mine attack false, he said: The crew was saying it was hit by a flying object  To put a bomb at the side of the boat is not something we are considering.

For its part, Iran rejected the accusations as the United Nations, Russia and Qatar called for an international investigation into the reported attacks.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, said the US had immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence.

The allegation only makes it abundantly clear that the US and its regional allies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, were moving to a Plan B, Zarif said, which was to sabotage diplomacy as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran to defuse escalating US-Iran frictions.

The director general of ports and maritime affairs of Irans Hormozgan province told Irans student-run ISNA news agency on Saturday that no marine pollution was detected after the tanker explosions.

The 23 seamen of the second tanker, Front Altair, who were rescued and taken to Bandar Abbas, arrived in Dubai on Saturday, according to the ships owners and managers.

The other tanker, Kokuka Courageous, with 21 crew on board, arrived on Friday at the port of Khor Fakkan in the UAE, ISNA reported.

Arab League caution

On Friday, the head of the Arab League called on the Iranians to be careful and reverse course.

Leagues Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, after meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at UN headquarters in New York, noted that there are conflicting reports about how Thursdays tanker incidents occurred.

We believe that responsibilities need to be clearly defined, he said. The facts will be revealed, I am sure, its only a matter of time.

Aboul Gheit added, My call to my Iranian  and I call them Iranian brothers: be careful and reverse course because youre pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no one would be safe if it happens.

The British government said it agreed with the US conclusion that Iran attacked the tankers.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that its own assessment concluded it is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military, implying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had attacked the tankers.

It said it also believed Iran was behind an attack last month on four tankers near the UAE port of Fujairah.

On May 12, days after Washington announced the military deployment, four oil tankers near the port were damaged in what the UAE called sabotage attacks.

Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in British Ambassador Rob Macaire on Saturday to submit a few explanations, state news agency IRNA reported, without giving further details.

Nuclear deal compliance

Separately, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday told a meeting of Russian, Chinese and other Asian leaders in Tajikistan that Iran will continue scaling back compliance with its commitments under the nuclear deal unless other signatories show positive signals.

Iran stopped complying in May with some commitments in a 2015 nuclear deal that was agreed with global powers, a year after the US unilaterally withdrew from the accord and tightened sanctions.

Tehran said in May that Iran would start enriching uranium at a higher level unless world powers protected its economy from US sanctions within 60 days.

Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally, Rouhani told the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

It is necessary that all the sides of this agreement contribute to restoring it, he said, adding that Iran needed to see positive signals from other signatories to the pact, which include Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

He did not give details on what actions Iran would take or say what positive signals Tehran wanted to see.

France and other European signatories to the deal, which aimed to curb Irans nuclear ambitions, have said they wanted to save it, but many of their companies have cancelled deals with Tehran under financial pressure from the US.

Western powers have accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, saying it wants nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.British-Iranian mother was arrested for allegedly plotting against the Iranian government, charges she denies.

A British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran for more than three years on sedition charges has begun a new hunger strike to protest against her detention, her husband has announced.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 41, is refusing food as she marks her daughters fifth birthday, Richard Ratcliffe said in a statement on Saturday.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who worked for the charity arm of news agency Thomson Reuters, was detained at Tehran airport in April 2016 on charges of plotting against the Iranian government.

She was sentenced to five years on espionage charges and has since been held in a prison in Tehran.





Her family denies the allegations.

Speaking outside the Iranian Embassy in London, Richard Ratcliffe said on Saturday that Nazanin would refuse to eat but would drink water until she is granted unconditional release.

She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water)  to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment, he said.

This is something she had been threatening for a while. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed Gabriellas fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something  to mark to both governments  that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long.

Ratcliffe said he would hold a vigil outside the embassy and would fast in support of his wife.

Human rights group Amnesty UK said it plans to publish a video diary from Ratcliffe during his hunger strike.

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Nazanin previously went on hunger strike in January.

Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it, said Ratcliffe.

I do not know the response from the Iranian authorities.

High-level diplomatic attempts to secure her release have so far failed.

The UKs foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, granted Nazanin diplomatic protection in March, but Iranian officials refuse to recognise her dual nationality.

Reacting to the news that she had begun a hunger strike, Hunt on Saturday sent a message to Iran via Twitter, urging the Iranian government to do the right thing, show the world your humanity & let this innocent woman home.

With Richard Ratcliffe this morning whose family have been separated for over 3 years. As Richard continues his campaign for Nazanins release at the Iranian embassy,my message to Iran: DO THE RIGHT THING, SHOW THE WORLD YOUR HUMANITY & LET THIS INNOCENT WOMAN HOME #freenazanin pic.twitter.com/bitSctNmn9  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 15, 2019

Ratcliffe urged the Iranian authorities to release her immediately, for the British embassy to be allowed to check on her health, and if she is not released within the coming weeks, for him to be granted a visa to visit her.

Last month, London changed its travel advice for British-Iranian dual nationals, warning them against all travel to Iran, citing Zaghari-Ratcliffes case.Washington, DC  The first Palestinian museum in Washington, DC, is set to open on Saturday, exhibiting artwork and historical and cultural documentation of Palestine through contributions from Palestinians around the world.

The Museum of the Palestinian People (MPP), with the motto Many Stories, One Heart  features two sections. The temporary exhibit currently holds work from five artists with the theme Reimagining a Future. The permanent exhibition, curated by Nada Odeh, depicts the history and culture of the Palestinian people through four segments: A Remarkable People, Nakba and the Diaspora, Occupation and A Resilient People.

Saturdays opening comes a little more than a year after the first Palestinian museum in the United States opened its doors in Woodbridge, Connecticut.

The seeds of MPP, which formerly operated as a travelling exhibit, were planted as early as 2015.

When I came to DC in 2011, I was really amazed by the museums and monuments and memorials in the city, said Bshara Nassar, founder and director of the museum.

And at the same time, I was lost because I couldnt find a place where the Palestinian story has been told, Nassar told Al Jazeera.

Nassar, along with a small group of supporters, started doing travelling exhibitions in 2015, beginning in Washington, DC. They would go on to partner with Palestinian artists from Palestine as well as in the diaspora, and travelled with their work to universities, community centres, churches, and also engaged in cultural nights, and hosted speaking events with artists.

Now, the permanent museum exhibits document the history of Palestine.

We want this exhibit focusing on the stories of the people and to tell how Palestine was before and how its now, said Odeh, the curator. Not from the political side but from the peoples side: what the people are doing what theyre accomplishing in their lives  in the US, or Palestine, or Israeli territory, all the combinations. Thats very important to reflect.

The temporary exhibit currently holds work from five artists with the theme Reimagining a Future [Samira Sadeque] [Daylife]

Nizar Farsakh, Chair of the Board of MPP, sees the value in this.

We see that the Palestinian story has been told by others, its reduced to a single story, so this museum is the space where were really trying to showcase the richness of the Palestinian stories and to have Palestinians tell their own stories their own ways, he told Al Jazeera.

From Bethlehem to DC

The temporary exhibit focuses on the optimism for the future, and features work from artists Ahmed Hmeedat, Manal Deeb, Mohammad Musallam, Dalia Elcharbini and Haya Zaatry.

Hmeedat, who was part of the initial travelling exhibit, was also an artist in residence with the museum late last year.

For Ahmed Hmeedats current exhibition at MPP, he wanted to stray away from the narrative of victimhood of Palestinians [Samira Sadeque/Al Jazeera]

He grew up in the Dheisheh refugee camp in the occupied West Bank and started painting when he was a child.

He said he used to paint murals when he was in high school, and that artwork had a political spin.

For his current exhibition at MPP, he wanted to stray away from the narrative of victimhood of Palestinians.

Why we are commemorating the past  the past is good but at the end of the day, the past doesnt exist. The past is over, he said in a phone interview with Al Jazeera. He said when he discussed the museums project with Nassar, they decided to focus on the positive things, positive energy, positive stories that encourage people to move forward.

Hmeedats artwork is a testament to that sentiment. The 27-year-old has four pieces exhibited at the museum with one showing war criminals being prosecuted, another showing sunlight entering through a now-broken Israeli separation wall, another one showing an old man smoking hookah against a disappearing checkpoint wall, and another depicting Palestinian farmers harvesting oranges, which Hmeedat said was a key production before 1948.

He added that his message through his artwork at the museum is what you imagine would become a reality.

Palestinian soil

Across from his work at the gallery stands the gold leaf-plated paintings by Elcharbini, who is based in Ontario.

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Elcharbini, whose signature is to use gold leaf and silver leaf in her artwork, aimed to envision the future with stones and sand from Palestine.

Her three paintings are varnished with sand, crushed stone from the soil of Jerusalem and small pieces of olive tree bark from the Al Baddawi tree.

Elcharbini, 29, was born and raised in Kuwait and moved to Canada with her family in 2005. She said receiving these crushed particles from the soil was the closest she ever came to experiencing Palestine.

It was in a ziplocked bag with the sand and the stone, [and] when I received that, I was tearing up because that was literally the closest Ive ever felt to my homeland, she told Al Jazeera via phone.

The museum is donation-based and has raised funding from many in the Palestinian diaspora, and Jewish Americans, among others.

I think [the museum] is long overdue, said Roberta Schwartz, who assisted with grant writing for the museum.

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I think the stories havent been told by Palestinians. Theyve been told by other people that in many cases have really just produced a completely inaccurate and demeaning and racist story, she told Al Jazeera.

Nassar added that the idea is that as Palestinians, whether we are in Palestine or whether we are in the diaspora  as oppressed people and any other oppressed people around the world, we cant imagine a future thats different from what were living right now.

Speaking of the current theme of the museums exhibition, Nassar said what were doing through this exhibit is [relaying] an act of courage and resistance we are showing visitors  Palestinians and non-Palestinians  a different future, and inviting others, with the question  how can you be part of the experience?

The museums grand opening is Saturday afternoon.

From June 20, the museum will be open from 12pm to 6pm, Thursday to Saturday.Saudi-led coalitions reported attacks on Houthis in Sanaa come amid sharp escalation on both sides in recent days.

A Saudi-led coalition has launched air attacks on Houthi rebel forces in Yemens capital Sanaa, Saudi state television reported early on Saturday, part of an escalation of tit-for-tat attacks that has stoked regional tensions.

The raids hit air-defence systems and other military positions in the Houthi-controlled city, days after the Houthis launched a missile attack on a Saudi airport, according to the TV report.

No casualties were reported. Houthi forces have yet to comment on Saturdays reports.

The Western-backed coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been battling the Houthis in Yemen since 2015 to restore the internationally recognised government that was forced out of Sanaa by the Houthis.





The Houthis have stepped up drone and missile attacks on cities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia in recent months as tensions have risen between Iran and Gulf Arab states allied with the United States further afield across the Middle East.

The Yemen conflict is widely seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. But the Houthis have denied taking any orders from Tehran and say they took up arms to fight corruption.

Yemens civil war has killed more than 10,000 people and pushed the impoverished country to the verge of famine, the United Nations and aid agencies have said.

Saudi authorities say the Houthi attack on Saudi Arabias Abha airport on Wednesday wounded 26 people. On Friday, the kingdoms air defence forces said they intercepted five Houthi drones launched at Abha airport and the southern city of Khamis Mushait.

The rebels said they had the right to defend themselves in the face of five years of Saudi-UAE bombing and an air and sea blockade.

The Houthi forces spokesman had issued a warning on Friday to airlines and civilians to avoid Saudi airports and military sites threatening further raids.

We tell the Saudi regime that our operations against airports and military sites will continue as long as Saudi aggression against our country continues.

We also call on airline companies and civilians to stay away from airports and military sites as they have become legitimate targets, spokesman Yahya Sariee said in a Facebook post.

The escalation came after Saudi air defence forces said they intercepted two drones targeting the city of Khamis Mushait on Monday and had shot down a bomb-laden drone deployed by Houthi rebels that targeted Jizan airport last month.

Campaign group Human Rights Watch had condemned that attack. Unlawful Saudi-led coalition air strikes in Yemen never justify Houthi attacks on Saudi civilians, said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at HRW.

The escalation in violence could threaten a fragile UN-led peace initiative in Yemens main port city of Hodeidah, which handles the bulk of the impoverished countrys commercial and aid imports and is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis.Thousands of migrants cross into Peru ahead of the deadline for all Venezuelans to have valid visas and passports.

Thousands of Venezuelans have rushed to Perus northern border on Friday in hopes of entering the Andean country before the introduction of tough immigration requirements at midnight.

Venezuelas economic collapse under President Nicolas Maduro has unleashed the biggest migratory crisis in recent Latin American history, forcing countries like Peru  a developing nation of 32 million people  to grapple with an unprecedented surge in immigration.

There were many children in the crowds of tired migrants who arrived at the Peruvian border town of Tumbes from Ecuador on Friday, before the June 15 deadline for all Venezuelan migrants to have valid visas and passports to enter Peru.

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On Thursday alone, 5,849 Venezuelans entered Peru at Tumbes, compared with a daily average of around 1,500-2,000 in recent months, Perus immigration office said on Friday.

It was awful! said Rosmaura, a 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant who said she had travelled for a week from the eastern Venezuelan city of Maracaibo to reach Tumbes with her two children.

Rosmaura was afraid that after the deadline Peru would not let her 5-year-old daughter in because she lacks a passport, which she said costs $200-$500 in Venezuela  an impossible fee for most people in a country where the monthly minimum wage equates to just $6.

She said she hopes to make it to Chile.

Most of my family is there, she said.

Perus new policies

Previously, Venezuelan citizens only needed a national ID card to enter Peru.

Four million Venezuelans  more than a tenth of the population  have fled the economic and humanitarian crisis in their homeland, the United Nations said last week.

Perus government says it is home to some 800,000  the second-largest Venezuelan migrant population outside Colombia, which houses more than 1.2 million.

Just two years ago, Peru had introduced new migratory laws to accommodate Venezuelan migrants. It doled out hundreds of thousands of special residency cards so they could work legally, go to school and access public healthcare.

But the tide has since turned, amid growing fears fanned by media reports and politicians that Venezuelan migrants are driving down wages and increasing crime.

The government has said it would require migrants to secure a visa from its consulates in Venezuela before going to the border  a policy similar to one implemented by neighbouring Chile.

As migrants took buses, hitchhiked and trekked their way to Perus border on Thursday, President Martin Vizcarra defended his new immigration stance from an event in the northern city of Piura.

Our country has opened its arms to more than 800,000 Venezuelans. I think its completely logical and justified to ask them to bring visas to ensure better control of who enters, Vizcarra told journalists.

In the middle of this crisis Michelle Bachelet, UN high commissioner for human rights, said she will visit Venezuela this month, where she will meet both President Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido.Experts say pollution from surrounding oilfields is one of the reasons why Basra has the highest rate of cancer in Iraq.

Iraqs vast oil wealth once paid for some of the best health services in the Middle East. But decades of conflict and political unrest have led to, as the government admits, a crisis in hospitals.

Things are particularly bad in Basra province where people have long complained of government neglect.

Around 70 children are being treated for cancer in Basra Childrens Hospital. Experts say pollution from surrounding oilfields is one of the reasons why Basra has the highest rate of cancer in Iraq.

Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford reports.Chief prosecutor says toppled leader could appear in court as early as next week to face corruption charges.

Sudans toppled President Omar al-Bashir could appear in court as early as next week to face corruption charges, the countrys acting prosecutor general has said.

Alwaleed Sayed Ahmed made the announcement on Saturday, two months after the military overthrew and arrested al-Bashir amid mass protests against his 30-year autocratic rule.

The former president will appear in court next week following charges of corruption and possessing foreign currency, Ahmed said, without specifying a date.

The trial referral would be made after a one-week period for objections expires, Ahmed said. He added that 41 other former officials were under investigation for corruption.

He did not name the others accused but said most of the charges were related to the possession of land.

Ahmeds announcement came days after the official SUNA news agency said al-Bashir faced several charges, including possessing foreign funds, acquiring suspected and illegal wealth as well as ordering a state of emergency in response to protests in February.





Al-Bashir, who has not been seen in public since his arrest in April, had already been charged last month with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters.

Prosecutors had also ordered his interrogation on suspicion of money laundering and financing terrorism.

Shams, a Sudanese protester, told Al Jazeera the move against al-Bashir was aimed at distracting from the generals recent bloody crackdown on a protest camp outside the military headquarters in the countrys capital, Khartoum.

Side news

Sudanese doctors said more than 118 protesters were killed in the June 3 raid on the protesters, who were demanding the Transitional Military Council (TMC) that replaced al-Bashir cede power to an interim administration led by civilians.

I feel that this is side news, distracting from the main issue right now which is how the sit-in was cleared, Shams said from Khartoum. We want to get to the main issue. We want the negotiations to reach an end and we want our internet back so we can have the freedom to actually protest on the streets and have everyone around the world see us and hear us.

She said protesters would like al-Bashir prosecuted under a civilian government.

The TMC, which began negotiations with protesters after al-Bashirs removal, has dragged its heels on handing over power to a civilian-led transitional body. The Freedom and Change alliance, a coalition of protest groups and opposition parties representing the demonstrators, suspended talks after the crackdown and launched a civil disobedience campaign.

The alliance has called for an independent and international investigation into the violent dispersal of the protest camp. The TMC has since admitted to ordering the crackdown.

On Wednesday, the protest movement called off the civil disobedience campaign after the TMC agreed to release political prisoners, according to an Ethiopian envoy, who said the movement was ready to resume talks with the TMC.

The top United States diplomat for Africa, Tibor Nagy, said outside mediation was needed to defuse Sudans crisis. The two parties absolutely do not trust each other in any way, Nagy said on Friday, following a visit to Khartoum.

He also backed a call for an independent and credible inquiry into the crackdown on protesters, saying accounts of victims he had met in Khartoum had been harrowing.

The TMC has confirmed 61 deaths in the sit-in raid.

Shams al-Din Kabashi, the military council spokesman, said on Thursday there had been excesses and deviations from a plan devised after the council ordered military leaders to clear the sit-in.

Some officers have been arrested in connection with the raid and the results of an investigation will be announced soon, he said.Analysts examine US claim that Iran was behind the reported attacks on commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz.

Even in ordinary times, an attack on commercial tankers near the Strait of Hormuz  a vital sea lane for the worlds oil supplies, located between Iran and Oman  would be a matter of concern for global trade.

That such incidents were reported on Thursday, at a time of soaring US-Iran tensions, makes them an even greater threat. Not just for global commerce, but also for peace and security in the region and the world.

Thursdays incidents, which caused damage to the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, came just a month after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported sabotage attacks against four other commercial ships off the coast of its Fujairah emirate.

The US, which has been building up its military presence in the region, has blamed Iran for both events.

Hours after the latest incidents were reported, the US military released a grainy video that it said showed members of Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) trying to remove an unexploded mine from the Kokuka Courageous.

Tehran has denied the US accusations, saying the latest claims are both ridiculous and dangerous.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Irans foreign minister, also called the timing of the reported attacks suspicious, given that a Japanese-owned ship was damaged while Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was on a visit to Tehran, seeking to defuse US-Iran frictions.





As calls grew for an international inquiry, the owner of the Kokuka Courageous cast doubt on the US narrative, saying the vessels crew saw a flying object before it was rocked by a second blast.

I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship, Yutaka Katada said on Friday.

Analysts reacted to the US allegations with scepticism. Even those who found the claims credible said Washington may have forced Irans hand with its maximum pressure campaign of punishing financial sanctions.

Threat to close Strait of Hormuz

Tehran has the capability to commit such attacks and has threatened to interfere with shipping in the Gulf while it is also in a state of desperation due to the tight sanctions and international isolation, said Max Abrahms, professor of political science at Northeastern University in the US.

That Iranian threat followed a US bid to bring Irans oil revenues down to zero. The US move, announced in May, came after Washington re-imposed sanctions on Iran, a year after exiting an international accord that lifted global sanctions in exchange for curbs on Tehrans nuclear programme.

US President Donald Trump said the renewed financial pressure was aimed at forcing Iran to negotiate a new deal that would also address its ballistic missiles project.

Iran, however, has remained defiant.

Despite US sanctions triggering an economic crisis in the country, Iranian leaders said they would not be bullied into talks with the US. Instead, they threatened counter-measures, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than a third of all oil traded by sea passes.

According to international law, the Strait of Hormuz is a marine passageway and if we are barred from using it, we will shut it down, General Alireza Tangsiri, commander-in-chief of the IRGCs navy, said in April.





Irans President Hassan Rouhani said the same last December. If one day they want to prevent the export of Irans oil, then no oil will be exported from the Persian Gulf, he had warned.

The Islamic Republic has also warned it will withdraw from the nuclear accord if other parties to the agreement  Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and China  fail to shield Tehran from the US penalties.

Barbara Slavin, director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said if Iran was responsible for Thursdays attacks, it was carrying out its repeated threats that other countries in the region would also face obstacles in exporting oil.

The aim would be to show the international community that its acquiescence to US secondary sanctions is not cost-free and to show the Trump administration that far from curbing Irans malign policies, US actions are incentivising them.

Scepticism warranted

But with Iran still appealing to the remaining signatories to deliver on its promised economic benefits, Abrahms said it was not in Tehrans interests to disrupt trade in the Gulf.

The question arises as to why Tehran would commit such an attack because it only harms Iran on the world stage and helps its enemies, while scepticism is also warranted due to the unreliability of [US] intelligence, he said, referring to the faulty intelligence Washington used to justify its invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Despite Irans defiance to the USs moves, attacks on international oil shipments in the Gulf represented a qualitatively different type of activity, others noted.

It could not be Irans job or even that of certain elements within the Iranian state, said Hamidreza Azizi, professor of international relations at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran.

Consider the coincidence of these attacks with Abes landmark trip to Tehran, the presence of Russian crew on Norwegian-owned Front Altair, the proximity of the incident site to Irans territorial waters, and finally the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis emphasis that resistance does not mean military action, and you will realise Tehran is not the culprit, he said.





It sounds like a provocative false-flag operation staged by Irans regional nemeses so they could play the victim and portray Tehran as the chief devil in the room even as they are trying to torpedo any chance of negotiations between Tehran and Washington and dragging Iran into a conflict they crave for but cannot win alone, Azizi added.

All-out war

Regardless of who was behind Thursdays incidents, insecurity in the Gulf is likely to persist until the US and its allies change their aggressive behaviour towards Iran and let off steam, said an IRGC-affiliated intelligence analyst.

Speaking to Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity, the analyst said some in Tehran believe a large-scale confrontation in the Gulf is unlikely because such a conflict would also have severe consequences for the US and its regional allies.

If these escalations lead to military confrontation between Iran and the US by any chance, Tehrans response will not be limited to the US, but will definitely involve its allies in the neighbourhood; they will see the end of their rule, the analyst explained.

They might be hoping for a limited conflict, but thats not how things will turn out in the case of Iran. It will be an all-out war but lets not forget that it was the US that started this spiral.If you feel youre experiencing 'micro-aggressions' when someone asks where you are from or 'Can you help me with my math?' or offers a 'God bless you' after you sneeze, or... someone merely insulted you, or the candidate you voted for wasn't elected, or someone correctly identifies you by your gender, and you consider this a massive societal dis, and its triggering you and you need a safe space, then you need to seek professional help.

This quote, which sounds like it was taken from a Tucker Carlson monologue on a particularly grouchy day, is actually an excerpt from White, the first nonfiction book from the famed novelist Bret Easton Ellis. The book, which has topped the Amazon bestseller list, is something of a rambling mess, in part a memoir of his life growing up in the pre-social media days of the 1970s, and in part of a critique of film, music, and culture.

It is worth a look, however, if only to appreciate Ellis evisceration of progressive groupthink, particularly his description of the hysterical reaction to Trump's election. The book is calculated to be particularly irksome to the woke Left, since Ellis is not a deplorable who can easily be dismissed, but rather, a celebrated writer who travels in their own social milieu.

In some ways, Ellis is a 21st-century version of the master social satirist Tom Wolfe. Both novelists used a journalistic eye to chronicle the cultural zeitgeist. And both have covered some of the same terrain: Wall Street in 1980s (Ellis' American Psycho (1991) has drawn comparisons to Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities (1987)) and the drug- and sex-infused climate at American colleges (compare Ellis Less Than Zero (1985) and The Rules of Attraction (1987) with Wolfes I Am Charlotte Simmons (2004)).

To be sure, there are significant differences between the two writers: Wolfe was a Southerner, straight, and a conservative; Ellis is from Southern California, gay, and a liberal, though in the old-fashioned meaning of the term. (Liberalism, he writes, used to concern itself with freedoms I'd aligned myself with, but during the 2016 campaigns, it finally hardened into a warped authoritarian moral superiority movement that I didn't want to have anything to do with.)

In White, Ellis disparages the easily triggered millennial generation as Generation Wuss. They are anxious and needy, marinate in social media and, above all, he maintains, strive to be liked. Safe spaces at the university, Ellis perceptively notes, serve to infantilize students. This desire for perpetual childhood, he writes, strikes me as the defining aspect of American life right now.

When Ellis describes encounters with his wealthy friends during and after Trump's election, it reminds one of Radical Chic, Wolfe's brilliant essay in 1970, in which he described a party given by composer Leonard Bernstein to raise money for the Black Panthers. Wolfes essay so perfectly captured the affectation of radical leftism by the fashionable elite that the phrase radical chic permanently entered the lexicon. In White, Ellis deftly exposes 21st century version of radical chic: the rich and entitled progressives who are hysterical about Trump.

Ellis relates a dinner with a man in his sixties, privy to a vast fortune, who informed that Ellis that the Electoral College is bullshit and that Los Angeles and New York should determine who the president is. I dont want any goddamn know-nothing rural hicks deciding who the president should be. I am a proud liberal coastal elite and I think we should pick the president because we know better.

At another dinner, Ellis tells how his mild criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement (on aesthetic, rather than substantive grounds) caused a female dinner companion to suddenly explode into a spastic rage and begin sputtering about white patriarchy and how Trump hadnt really won the election. This woman, Ellis notes, lived in a penthouse with stunning views of Central Park and probably had a net worth of more than ten million dollars, so I kept wondering why her vast misery was all Trumps fault.

Ellis is no conservative or Republican, he's mostly apolitical. Nor is he a fan of Donald Trump, whom he used as the personification of yuppie avarice in American Psycho. But Ellis can recognize mass hysteria when he sees it.

Ellis friends describe the hangovers, literal and metaphysical on the morning after the election. His millennial boyfriend is reduced to a physical and emotional wreck.

This wasnt the usual disappointment about election results, writes Ellis, this was fear and horror and outrage that it seemed would never subside and not just for members of Generation Wuss, like my partner, but also for real grownups, in their forties and fifties and sixties, so unhinged that their team hadnt won that they began using terms like apocalypse and Hitlerian.

At one point during the campaign, Ellis offhandedly tweeted that he had just come home from a dinner in West Hollywood where he'd been shocked to discover that the entire table was voting for Trump. The tweet became international news overnight, with many on the left refusing to believe that anyone in that part of LA would vote for Trump (so airtight was their bubble). Later one of the participants at that dinner asked that Ellis not ever mention who was present for fear of being outed as a Trump supporter in Hollywood. Ellis can only comment, What an awful way to live.

Reflecting back on another era, Ellis wonders how Frank Sinatra might have fared in todays self-censorious age. If he sang The Lady is a Tramp, would be accused of misogyny? White male patriarchy? Toxic masculinity? Would his records be boycotted? Sinatra would have been disgusted by the Orwellian tenor of our current moment, but I cant imagine he would have ever bowed to it, Ellis concludes.

Ellis admits to losing a few friends over his refusal to indulge their paranoia about Trump. This book isn't likely to win them back.Optimal ignorance is the idea that experts can be so constrained by their own knowledge that it hinders their ability to innovate. That in fact, a somewhat incomplete knowledge of the discipline may enhance rather than inhibit creativity. If optimal ignorance is a valid concept, it has far-reaching implications for the specific types of resources that are likely to be most effective in solving complex problems.

The Innovator Charles Kettering

Charles Franklin Kettering (1876-1958) was born in the year the telephone was invented and died at the peak of Americas industrial supremacy. He ranks second only to Thomas Edison in the number of patents to his credit (200). Among his inventions are the electric cash register, the individual ringing function for party line telephone service, and the electric starter for the automobile engine.

Kettering began his career with National Cash Register, cofounded Delco Corporation and served as the research chief at General Motors (GM) for over twenty-five years. While at GM, he brought life to a struggling division known as Frigidaire by encouraging the development of Freon gas. A strong supporter of medical research, in 1945 he cofounded the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute. The quintessential American success story, his life was one of genius, innovation, and vision, of turning handicap into advantage.

Kettering recognized that experts could be so constrained by their own knowledge that they were less likely to find solutions to complex problems. As a result, he regularly assigned such problems to nonspecialists. In 1940, at the Sesquicentennial of U.S. Patent Law, Kettering observed that nonspecialists were responsible for some of the greatest inventions in history.

It is very difficult to tell just who is going to originate a new thing. A Schoolteacher, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. Goodyear was a store clerk. Fulton and Morse were artists. The Wright brothers ran a bicycle shop and George Eastman was a bookkeeper. The developments that made these men famous had practically no relationship to their occupations. But, of first importance each of them had an idea. And, with these men, the perfection of the idea became the controlling influence.

In the early 1920s, one of the most serious problems facing the automotive industry was fuel knock, which robbed engines of power and severely limited automobile performance. It was not known whether the knock was a problem with the engine or the fuel. And while fuel was not the primary business of GM, it had a vested interest in finding a solution to the problem, since it adversely affected the demand for automobiles.

Kettering was already the head of a large research team at GM when the fuel knock problem surfaced. He assigned the problem to Thomas Midgely, a mechanical engineer. Neither Midgely nor Kettering were experts in fuel chemistry, but this may have been providential. Thomas Midgely possessed something much more valuable than formal training in fuel chemistry; he possessed the ability to fail intelligently -- that is, in a manner that brought him one step closer to finding the solution. Midgelys research team performed a multitude of experiments and discovered that the knock was caused by pre-ignition of the fuel. Various formulations of the fuel chemistry, first with kerosene and then iodine, ultimately led to the discovery of tetraethyl lead. This ingredient precipitated the development of high-octane gasoline which led to the introduction of high-compression engines with significantly improved performance.

Perhaps due to his own educational difficulties, or his significant accomplishments in spite of these difficulties, Kettering developed an inherent distrust for so-called experts and highly educated individuals. [Poor eyesight caused Kettering to drop out of the engineering curriculum at Ohio University. He finally completed his degree at the age of twenty-seven, but only after enlisting his college roommates to read the textbooks to him.] He believed that experts could be so caught up in what they already knew that they frequently encountered difficulties in learning anything else. As a result, they may be less likely to find an innovative solution to a difficult problem. As Kettering liked to point out, The Wright brothers flew right through that smoke screen of impossibility (T.A, Boyd, Prophet of Progress  Selections from the Speeches of Charles F. Kettering, New York: E. P. Dutton and Co. Inc., 1961, p. 239). Kettering understood the importance of thinking outside the box long before it became part of the modern-day vernacular.

It is noteworthy that Google and other high-tech companies no longer require job candidates to hold four-year degrees. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs would no doubt approve. Neither completed their college degrees, but nonetheless went on to become the top industrialists of their generation. The innovations in information technology that they pioneered are responsible for dramatically increasing productivity around the globe. Companies are recognizing the tradeoffs between the trained mind and the gifted, untrained mind in solving complex problems. They are beginning to see the value of optimal ignorance.

Charles Kettering would have high praise for the ingenuity of Dr. Allan Goldman, an ICU pediatric chief, and Dr. Martin Elliot, a surgeon, on staff at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. The physicians, both racing enthusiasts, were deeply troubled over the number of errors at their hospital that was having a deleterious effect on patient care. One day, while watching a Formula One race, they noted similarities between patient handoffs in the hospital and the interaction of tasks during a racing pit stop. They subsequently contacted Ferraris Formula One pit crew to solicit their counsel on improving the efficacy of handoffs between medical units.

The Ferrari crew is renowned for avoiding communication errors and perfecting the transfer of responsibilities between team members. After the hospital implemented the changes recommended by Ferrari, the average number of technical errors per handover dropped by 42% and information handover omissions fell by 49%. This is a prime example of Kettering Think at work. Identify the root cause of the problem, explore an interdisciplinary approach to solving the problem, and then implement the solution expeditiously.

Optimal Ignorance in the Academy

It is noteworthy that two of the twentieth centurys greatest mathematicians, John Nash and Srinivasa Ramanujan, were rebuked by their colleagues for a less-than-complete familiarity with classic works in their discipline. For Ramanujan this ignorance was a matter of circumstance; for Nash it was by design. Sylvia Nassar (A Beautiful Mind, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994, p. 112) describes the traits foundational to Nashs creativity.

No one was more obsessed with originality, more disdainful of authority, or more jealous of his independence. As a young man he was surrounded by the high priests of twentieth-century scienceAlbert Einstein, John von Neumann, and Norbert Wienerbut he joined no school, became no ones disciple, got along largely without guides or followers. In almost everything he didfrom game theory to geometryhe thumbed his nose at the received wisdom, current fashions, established methods Nash acquired his knowledge of mathematics not mainly from studying what other mathematicians had discovered, but by rediscovering their truths for himself... When he focused on some new puzzle, he saw dimensions that people who really knew the subject (he never did) initially dismissed as naive or wrong-headed.

Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) was born into abject poverty in India and developed his mathematical skills in almost complete isolation. When the English number theorist G.H. Hardy received a letter from Ramanujan containing a plethora of pathbreaking results, he sponsored his travels to Cambridge where the self-taught mathematicians true genius was revealed and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. While his talents were discovered relatively late and he died at the age of only 32, the value of Ramanujans scientific contributions is incalculable; his theorems are being used today in the study of black holes.

It is common to observe individuals engaged in deep thought close their eyes and cover their ears. This occurs because extraneous visual and auditory information can be a distraction to the thinking process. In a similar fashion, the existing literature was a distraction for Nash and Ramanujan. The paradox is that other mathematicians who knew far more, saw far less. Such is the confounding nature of optimal ignorance.

The observation that life is a blank slate on which experience writes is attributed to the philosopher John Locke. The interesting question is whether this experience provides a basis for solving the problem of interest, or merely clouds the slate making it more difficult to see the solution? The notion of optimal ignorance derives from the basic idea that some knowledge is productive, but too much may be unproductive or worse. The conjecture is that there may not only be decreasing returns to knowledge of the discipline after a certain point, but quite possibly negative returns. As the economist John Maynard Keynes (The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1935, p. viii) observed, The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones The more entrenched the knowledge the more difficult the escape. This suggests that it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks because there is too much written on his slate.

Was the creativity that so distinguished Nash and Ramanujan the product of optimal ignorance in which an incomplete knowledge of the discipline proved beneficial? This idea is related to Ketterings belief that experts could be held hostage by their own knowledge in a manner that made it difficult for them to think in dimensions different from those in which they were trained. It is also conceivable that select ignorance of works in the field mitigates the problem of path-dependency that can foreclose promising avenues of inquiry.

A final case in point is that of Milton Babbitt, a renowned musical composer whose pathbreaking dissertation at Princeton in the 1940s used advanced mathematics (Fourier Analysis) to analyze the 12-tone system. His dissertation was rejected, in large part, because no one on Princetons music faculty could understand it -- the all-knowing were not the all-seeing. His innovation lay in combining two disparate fields of study that had never been integrated before. Almost a half-century would pass before this injustice was corrected when Babbitts dissertation was resurrected from Princetons Archives and he was finally awarded the Ph.D. (Princeton University Press Release, Famed U.S. Composer Finally Awarded Doctorate: Dissertation Was 46 Years Ahead of Its Time, January 30, 1992.)

Conclusions

In a certain sense, the concept of optimal ignorance is illogical. And yet, there are simply too many examples throughout history of pioneering breakthroughs by nonspecialists to dismiss it out of hand. None of this would have surprised Charles Kettering, who leveraged optimal ignorance and intelligent failure to devise innovative solutions to complex problems. Similar phenomena are witnessed across diverse fields of scientific inquiry. These observations engender the final proposition that ignorance may not be bliss, but neither is it unequivocally counterproductive.

Dennis L. Weisman is a Professor of Economics Emeritus at Kansas State University. I thank Melanie Weisman for helpful discussions.Why Eastern Europeans are much more reluctant to accept Muslim migrants than their Western counterparts can be traced back to circumstances surrounding a pivotal battle, that of Kosovo, which took place today, June 15, exactly 630 years ago today in 1389. It pitted Muslim invaders against Eastern European defenders, or the ancestors of those many Eastern Europeans today who are resistant to Islam.

Because the jihad is as old as Islam, it has been championed by diverse peoples throughout the centuries  Arabs in the Middle East, Moors (Berbers and Africans) in Spain and Western Europe, etc. Islam's successful entry into Eastern Europe was spearheaded by the Turks, specifically that tribe centered in westernmost Anatolia (or Asia Minor) and thus nearest to Europe, the Ottoman Turks, so-named after their founder, Osman Bey. As he lay dying in 1323, his parting words to his son and successor, Orhan, were for him "to propagate Islam by your arms."

This his son certainly did; the traveler Ibn Batutua, who once met Orhan in Bursa, observed that although the jihadi had captured some one hundred Byzantine fortresses, "he had never stayed for a whole month in any one town," because he "fights with the infidels continually and keeps them under siege." Christian cities fell like dominoes: Smyrna in 1329, Nicaea in 1331, and Nicomedia in 1337. By 1340, the whole of northwest Anatolia was under Turkic control. By now and to quote a European contemporary, "the foes of the cross, and the killers of the Christian people, that is, the Turks, [were] separated from Constantinople by a channel of three or four miles."

By 1354, the Ottoman Turks, under Orhan's son, Suleiman, managed to cross over the Dardanelles and into the abandoned fortress town of Gallipoli, thereby establishing their first foothold in Europe: "Where there were churches he destroyed them or converted them to mosques," writes an Ottoman chronicler. "Where there were bells, Suleiman broke them up and cast them into fires. Thus, in place of bells there were now muezzins."

Cleansed of all Christian "filth," Gallipoli became, as a later Ottoman bey boasted, "the Muslim throat that gulps down every Christian nation  that chokes and destroys the Christians." From this dilapidated but strategically situated fortress town, the Ottomans launched a campaign of terror throughout the countryside, always convinced they were doing God's work. "They live by the bow, the sword, and debauchery, finding pleasure in taking slaves, devoting themselves to murder, pillage, spoil," explained Gregory Palamas, an Orthodox metropolitan who was taken captive in Gallipoli, adding, "and not only do they commit these crimes, but even  what an aberration  they believe that God approves them!"

After Orhan's death in 1360 and under his son Murad I  the first of his line to adopt the title "Sultan"  the westward jihad into the Balkans began in earnest and was unstoppable. By 1371, he had annexed portions of Bulgaria and Macedonia to his sultanate, which now so engulfed Constantinople that "a citizen could leave the empire simply by walking outside the city gates."

Unsurprisingly, then, when Prince Lazar of Serbia (b. 1330) defeated Murad's invading forces in 1387, "there was wild rejoicing among the Slavs of the Balkans. Serbians, Bosnians, Albanians, Bulgarians, Wallachians, and Hungarians from the frontier provinces all rallied around Lazar as never before, in a determination to drive the Turks out of Europe."

Murad responded to this effrontery on June 15, 1389, in Kosovo. There, a Serbian-majority coalition augmented by Hungarian, Polish, and Romanian contingents  twelve thousand men under the leadership of Lazar  fought thirty thousand Ottomans under the leadership of the sultan himself. Despite the initial downpour of Turkic arrows, the Serbian heavy cavalry plummeted through the Ottoman frontlines and broke the left wing; the Ottoman right, under Murad's elder son Bayezid, reeled around and engulfed the Christians. The chaotic clash continued for hours.

On the night before battle, Murad had beseeched Allah "for the favour of dying for the true faith, the martyr's death." Sometime near the end of battle, his prayer was granted. According to tradition, Milos Obilic, a Serbian knight, offered to defect to the Ottomans on condition that, in view of his own high rank, he be permitted to submit before the sultan himself. They brought him before Murad and, after Milos knelt in false submission, he lunged at and plunged a dagger deep into the Muslim warlord's stomach (other sources say "with two thrusts which came out at his back"). The sultan's otherwise slow guards responded by hacking the Serb to pieces. Drenched in and spluttering out blood, Murad lived long enough to see his archenemy, the by now captured Lazar, brought before him, tortured, and beheaded. A small conciliation, it may have put a smile on the dying martyr's face.

Murad's son Bayezid instantly took charge: "His first act as Sultan, over his father's dead body, was to order the death, by strangulation with a bowstring, of his brother. This was Yaqub, his fellow-commander in the battle, who had won distinction in the field and popularity with his troops." Next Bayezid brought the battle to a decisive end; he threw everything he had at the enemy, leading to the slaughter of every last Christian  but even more of his own men in the process.

So many birds flocked to and feasted on the vast field of carrion that posterity remembered Kosovo as the "Field of Blackbirds." Though essentially a draw  or at best a Pyrrhic victory for the Ottomans  the Serbs, with fewer men and resources to start with in comparison to the ascendant Muslim empire, felt the sting more.

In the years following the battle of Kosovo, the Ottoman war machine became unstoppable: the nations of the Balkans were conquered by the Muslims  after withstanding a millennium of jihads, Constantinople itself permanently fell to Islam in 1453  and they remained under Ottoman rule for centuries.

The collective memory of Eastern Europeans' not too distant experiences with and under Islam should never be underestimated when considering why they are significantly more wary of  if not downright hostile to  Islam and its migrants compared to their Western liberal counterparts.

As Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban once explained:

We don't want to criticize France, Belgium, any other country, but we think all countries have a right to decide whether they want to have a large number of Muslims in their countries. If they want to live together with them, they can. We don't want to and I think we have a right to decide that we do not want a large number of Muslim people in our country. We do not like the consequences of having a large number of Muslim communities that we see in other countries, and I do not see any reason for anyone else to force us to create ways of living together in Hungary that we do not want to see[.] ... I have to say that when it comes to living together with Muslim communities, we are the only ones who have experience because we had the possibility to go through that experience for 150 years.

And those years  1541 to 1699, when the Islamic Ottoman Empire occupied Hungary  are replete with the massacre, enslavement, and rape of Hungarians.

Note: The above account and its quotes were excerpted from the Raymond Ibrahim's recent book, Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West.Forgive me, dear reader, for being late to the pooh-pooh party.

Commentators of a certain Numquam Trumpus disposition are apparently hitching their wagon to another lost cause two falls from now. After searching far and wide, in hills and in hollers, for a respectable challenger to the president's domination of the Republican Party, it appears some perfervid anti-Trumpers have found their man.

Justin Amash, the von Misesquoting congressman from Michigan, is the NeverTrump candidate for the next election. At least, that's columnist Matt Lewis's supposition. Writing in The Daily Beast, Lewis endorses a nonexistent Amash bid, lauding his "moral courage" for joining Democrats in calling for Trump's impeachment.



Justin Amash. (Photo credit: Gage Skidmore.)

Right off the bat, Lewis admits he's "not naive enough to think [Amash] can win." Well, OK, then. End the column. Cancel the streamers. Can we still get a refund for the Hudson River fireworks show? See you all in 2024, when the Democrats excavate Lenin's corpse to run.

Hold up: Lewis is still serious, in spite of his misgivings about Amash's chances. He knows the rogue congressman would be a protest candidate, failing to sway the election in either direction.

Say, isn't this fail-first campaign redolent of the last sorry attempt conservative Trump opponents made to soothe their egos? In 2016, they rallied around a cue ballheaded Mormon whose vaunted conservative principles turned out to be made out of whole cloth. And he still gets an NBC byline.

Justin Amash will never be president. Lewis knows that but wants voting for Trump to be beyond the pale. Why? Well, because he's a brutish bore who undermines the institutional integrity of the republic, and something something something...*loud snores*

No, really. Here's why Lewis finds the president so detestable: "Trump's authoritarian tendencies, disrespect for the rule of law, and lack of civility and temperament make it impossible to back him."

You still awake, attentive reader? Good, I thought I lost you there, among the preening prating about Trump disassembling a two-century-old government from within. Franklin Roosevelt tried to pack the Supreme Court, Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, Andrew Jackson filled his administration with toadies, but Trump's tweets are a unique threat to our constitutional order and the metaphysical propriety of American politics that exists only inside Lewis's head.

It is remarkable what little purchase Beltway conservative attacks on Trump have among salt-of-the-earth Republican voters. During the 2016 primaries, he sustained sorties from the intellectual doyens of the conservative movement, including a full-blown National Review issue dedicated to his destruction, with nary a scratch. Trump was labeled a Democratic intrigant, a louse, a blackguard, a no-count carnival barker. His straight-from-the-shoulder demeanor was seen as inimical to the conservative world-weary brand of Kirk-quoting pseuds adorned with tweed jackets and crepe-de-chine pocket squares.

Yet he remains unchallenged heading into the 2020 election, absent a bibulous former blue-state governor nobody outside Reason's subscription list has heard of. Hence Lewis's entreating Amash to run. The libertarian-ish congressman isn't about to throw his Adam Smith tie into the ring, though.

It's ironic that Lewis, an establishment scribbler, has been reduced to courting Amash, who has long been a pill to Republican leadership for his obsessive philosophical hewing to the plain language of the Constitution. He refused to vote for bills defunding National Public Radio and Planned Parenthood, one a longtime liberal punching bag, the other a baby-maiming factory, because he considers it unconstitutional to target specific entities for the stripping of public funds.

Lewis really just wants someone to vote for "in good conscience." It's a fair, if fatuous, request. Most voters don't want to feel as though they need a scalding shower after emerging from the voter booth. But politics isn't a cleanly game with easy, spick-and-span results. It's dirty, it's compromising, and it's mostly unsatisfactory. You make a choice between imperfect options.

Rather than see Trump for what he is  a flaxen straw in the wind signaling a new political alignment  the rarefied conservative class still views him as an existential threat to their popularity industry that's bolstered by occasional Fox News appearances and artificially inflated book sales. Trump, in his own inchoate manner, peels back the respectable veneer of politics, revealing it as a naked power struggle. It's refreshingly honest, for the outside observer.

For insiders like Lewis, it's disconcerting, because they are forced to see themselves in the mirror for what they truly are: hacks and apparatchiks.

Justin Amash's animus toward the president isn't a redoubt for conservatives trying to weather Hurricane Donald. It's an anomalous blip in the partisan war of sound bites that constitutes our jejune politics.

Lewis should consult the Gospels if he's looking for a savior.We all know that leftists are intolerant. They cannot abide those with differing opinions. One only has to scroll through a few pages of Twitter or any other social media site to know that this is true. It is true as well among leftist media personalities, especially on CNN and MSNBC. As Monica Showalter wrote here on Thursday, the news that Sarah Sanders will be leaving her post as President Trump's press secretary led many of them to reveal their inner mean girls.



Former Twitter icon of the White House press secretary.

Their behavior would be entirely unacceptable among children; they would rightfully be called bullies. But these are people who inhabit adult bodies, who go to work as pundits or analysts on two alleged news outlets. We all know that CNN and MSNBC are not actual news outlets; they are in business for one purpose only: to spend their hours on air trashing anyone to the right of Saul Alinsky. That is what they do all day, every day.

They viciously malign all Republicans and of course the current president, his staff, and his supporters. And on Friday, the news of Sanders's leaving revealed to everyone just how vile these people really are. April Ryan, Nicolle Wallace, Jim Acosta, and their nasty little clique of like-minded on-air non-entities were absolutely monstrous. They each seemed to relish the opportunity to shred this fine woman in public. Let us hope none of them is a parent, for if any of them is, he's a despicable role model.

Sarah Sanders has been the finest, most engaging press secretary since Tony Snow. She will be sorely missed by those of us who early on came to admire her grace under fire and to respect her ability to field questions from the same people who behaved so monstrously on Friday. She is extraordinarily quick-thinking and often very funny. She made watching the White House press briefings entertaining, for she did not suffer fools gladly, and most of the W.H. press corps behave like ill-mannered fools, especially Jim Acosta and April Ryan. Each of them is old enough to know better, to have learned somewhere along the line to have respect for others, but these two and many of their colleagues as well have not learned the basics of polite society.

What does that tell us, those of us who have observed their relentless unkindness toward President Trump and his staff? That they are both childish and fiendish; they relish their opportunity to publicly vilify those whom they oppose politically. They are bullies, of that we can be sure, and they cherish what they see as their positions in a certain level of power that allows them to be cruel. And cruel they are. If any of their parents are alive, they must be very ashamed of these middle-aged adults who traffic in the politics of personal destruction.

This degenerate class of not-journalists accuses Sanders of lying! Because she has represented the president, they have challenged every word she ever uttered. Since Trump became the nominee for the presidency, the Left has focused on anything it hoped might derail him. Their disdain for Trump supporters led them down a primrose path; they assumed the deplorables would be horrified by their tales of Trump's supposed promiscuity. Because they abhor his incautious way of speaking, they stupidly assumed the folks in flyover country would as well. They made fun of Sarah Sanders's Arkansas accent that most everyone else found charming, especially because it was delivered with such intellectual firepower.

These infantile, rude, crude, and most of all cruel people who populate much of the mainstream media are a disgrace to this nation, let alone to a profession that at least pretended to be objective and truthful but was in fact always tainted by bias. Read Unfreedom of the Press by Mark Levin. Not one of these nattering nabobs of negativity can be called a journalist, let alone an analyst. Not one of them seems at all familiar with the Constitution, though they all verbally toss it around as if they were. Each of them is ignorant of American history beyond believing that our founding was illegitimate. They've all succumbed to the indoctrination fashionable in universities for the last forty years. They care only about race, class, and sex. All of this means that not one of them is a critical thinker. They are all just plain old mean, like the worst bully any of us knew in middle school. Their brains are full of mush.

Sarah Sanders is a class act. She has put up with all manner of insults and injury simply because she worked for Trump. Her composure in the face of nonstop abuse these past two years has elevated her to a permanent position in the hearts and minds of conservatives. She deserves a respite from the romper room level of discourse that defines the Beltway. As for her detractors, they've shown their true colors, and they are ugly colors, indeed."A republic, if you can keep it" was Ben Franklin's famous reply to the breathless folks waiting outside Independence Hall in 1787 who had asked him, "Well, doctor, what have we got  a republic or a monarchy?"

If you can keep it? Let's just say it's not looking good. And that isn't good. For America  or the world at large.

As Washington was the "one indispensable man," the U.S. is the one indispensable nation. The less its leaders and its citizens believe that, the more it is proven to be true, as the world situation deteriorates. Yet many Americans are experiencing a crisis of faith, deeper and more sinister than the "malaise" with which Jimmy Carter said we were afflicted in the late 1970s.

Truth be told, the United States has been in the midst of a "Cold Culture War" for several decades. That war is essentially over. The progressives won. In 1993, Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) coined the phrase "defining deviancy down" to describe the redefining of deviancy to exempt conduct previously stigmatized and brand behavior previously considered abnormal and abhorrent as normal and mainstream. (He was vehemently against this practice). Can anyone imagine a Democrat saying such a thing today? Shortly thereafter came the "trickle-down immorality" of the Clinton years. In more recent times, marriage has been redefined, with homosexuality approved and celebrated and the LGBTQIIA+ community holding public "PRIDE!" parades all over the fruited plain, and men who claim to be women have won the "right" to excrete or compete in any bathroom, locker room, or venue their transgendered hearts desire.

The Left never gives in, never tires, never wavers, always presses on. The Ten Commandments are banned from public spaces. Conservatives are prevented from speaking on college campuses or shouted down if they are "allowed" to speak. Those wearing "MAGA" hats are the targets of bullying and violence. Statues of Civil War figures and former presidents are removed as statues of Baphomet are unveiled. Christianity is boldly mocked in movies, on television, and by "entertainers" and academics. Anti-Semitism is on the rise. Private business-owners are forced to make cakes for gay ceremonies or Satanic rituals even as many who espouse traditional values are banned from social media platforms, slandered, and smeared. Pro-life and Christian content is considered "pornography" by the very same social media giants that fail to take down videos of ISIS beheadings and livestreamed suicides. Schools allow drag queens to read to their young students, cover every sexual deviancy imaginable, and encourage the kiddies to act on their "gender fluidity" but send them home for passing out Bible passages or wearing shirts that support President Trump or the border wall. The death penalty for mass murderers is considered barbaric by those on the Left even as they promote unfettered abortion.

Then there are the little things. People are expected and coerced to pay for others' birth control. The reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance is being discontinued in some schools. Many athletes are not standing for the National Anthem. There has been talk of removing "In God We Trust" from our currency. Sometimes the Devil is in the details.

An extreme tolerance of some things has been accompanied by an inordinate intolerance of other things. Tolerance of the perverted has led to a concurrent rise in intolerance of the traditional, the good, the elegant, the holy. Snark and ennui have replaced reverence. Faith, hope, and love have been replaced by atheism, hopelessness, and free love. The ideal of marriage between one man and one woman, able to procreate and united in holy matrimony, has been cast aside as so much white, patriarchal, Christian pablum. Today, an unholy game of anything goes is the standard, a twisted Twister of gender, kink, and sexual fluidity.

Tolerance is not a virtue per se. It can be  and often is  a good thing, but it can be bad as well. It needs to be remembered that we get more of what we tolerate.

It is no longer enough to be an American. One has to be a Two-Spirited transvestite or a black bilingual bisexual, for example. American pride has been replaced by gay PRIDE!, transgender PRIDE!, bisexual PRIDE!, polyamorous PRIDE!

We have literally replaced one flag on the national pole with many. Our foundational belief in "E Pluribus Unum" has somehow been replaced by a virulent and growing strain of identity politics.

We have balkanized ourselves at the altar of multiculturalism.

When a society loses faith in itself, something must fill the void. Bizarrely, we have lost faith in what demonstrably works and brings the most freedom, prosperity, and happiness to the largest number of people a mix of free-market capitalism and Judeo-Christian values  and are now supplanting that faith with "faith" in what demonstrably doesn't work  socialism, an economic and governing philosophy that has brought only death, tyranny, poverty, and despair to all who have lived under it. The federal government has usurped states' roles and rights. And now Democrats want to dispense with the Electoral College.

It is exceptionally difficult for a rational person to reconcile what is occurring right now: people averring that socialism is better than capitalism, even as Venezuelans are killing and eating their pets to avoid starvation. Or stating, "Pregnancy kills, abortion saves lives." It is certainly no coincidence that loss of traditional religious faith has occurred simultaneously with the loss of faith in Western economic systems, history, culture, and values. One begat the other.

It is increasingly clear that what we are witnessing in many respects is simply a battle of good versus evil. The "final battle"? I don't pretend to know. But the alliance of Russia and Iran, the rapid rise in anti-Semitism, the raising of man above God, the obliteration of sexes, and the disdain for life are not signs of the Age of Aquarius.

Sadly, Dr. Franklin, it does not appear that we will be able to keep the republic you and your contemporaries bequeathed to us after all. Thanks for trying.About thirty kilometers off the coast of Chile is a small teardrop-shaped island called Mocha, inhabited by the indigenous Mapuche people. The island was well known among sailors, especially pirates and privateers, who used the island as their supply base, exchanging steel and manufactured goods for livestock, corn and potatoes. English and Dutch privateers would often stop at the island, load their ships with supplies, and after a brief stay, sail up the Pacific coast sacking Spanish ships and ports along the way.

It was around the waters of this island that Mocha Dick was first spotted in 1810.

Mocha Dick, named after the island where it was frequently seen, was famous among English and Nantuck whalers. The enormous, albino sperm whale was actually quite docile, sometimes swimming alongside the very ships designed to kill its race. But once attached, Mocha Dick would turn violent and retaliate with such aggression that many whaling ships and boats have been lost to his attacks. Mocha Dicks ability to give the slip to even the most experienced whaling captain earned him reverence, and as his notoriety increased his name seemed naturally to mingle with the salutations which whalemen were in the habit of exchanging, in their encounters upon the broad Pacific, wrote American explorer Jeremiah N Reynolds in an 1839 issue of the magazine The Knickerbocker. 'Any news from Mocha Dick?, whalers would ask each other at port.

Depiction of Isla Mocha from the book that narrates the adventures of Dutch pirate Joris van Spilbergen.

Reynolds describe Mocha Dick as a freak of naturewhite as wool, and covered with barnacles. From its back protruded no less than twenty harpoonsrusted mementos of many a desperate encounter. The whale also had a peculiar method of spouting:

Instead of projecting his spout obliquely forward, and puffing with a short, convulsive effort, accompanied by a snorting noise, as usual with his species, he flung the water from his nose in a lofty, perpendicular, expanded volume, at regular and somewhat distant intervals; its expulsion producing a continuous roar, like that of vapor struggling from the safety valve of a powerful steam engine.

Mocha Dick was eventually killed in 1838. His carcass was measured and found to be seventy feet long.

In twenty eight years, Mocha Dick had, by some accounts, over one hundred encounters with whaling ships, reportedly killed over thirty men, and attacked and damaged or sunk close to twenty whaleboats.

But Mocha Dick was hardly unique. It wasnt the only white whale in the sea, nor was it especially hostile. In fact, sperm whales are known to be aggressive towards ships. In 1820, a giant sperm whale, about 85 feet long attacked a whaleship named the Essex, causing her to sink. Her crew were left adrift in three whaleboats thousands of miles from land. One by one the men succumbed to starvation and dehydration until only eight of the original twenty men remained. They were rescued more than three months later. Seven of them had given up their lives so that the others could eat their bodies to stay alive. Its a tale of unfathomable hardship and extreme desperation.

When Herman Melville heard the story, he met with the captain of the Essex and was inspired to write his classic novel Moby Dick, expertly intertwining fact with fiction along with his own experience as a sailor. The notoriously hard-to-catch white whale in Melvilles novel is based on Mocha Dick.

The legend of Mocha Dick continue to survive among inhabitants of Mocha Island. According to Mapuche mythology, there lives four elderly women on the island who are transformed every evening into four whales. The whales, called trempulcahue, take the souls of the dead to Ngill chenmaywe (place for peoples reunion), from where the souls began their journey westwards. It is believed that Mocha Island is the Ngill chenmaywe.

Approximately half of the island today is protected under the National Reserve program. Because of its sparse population, the island has a thriving bird population and lush virgin forest. The waters around the island is also teeming with numerous historic shipwrecks.

Perils of Whaling, sketch by F. A. Olmstead, 1841Google looks to have rolled out material theme icons to Search on the desktop version of the website for anyone who uses it. These icons can be spotted up towards the top of the page above the very first search result in the list and are simply additions to the labels that were already there prior to the icons popping up.

Though completely aesthetic the icons do provide an extra bit of eye-catching design and it makes things a little more visually pleasing.

One thing that might be easy to miss is that the icons are all fitted with Googles signature colors of red, blue, yellow, and green, though only when that particular icon is selected. For example, when you search for something the first icon that will be highlighted will be the all tab, which in this case is now accompanied by a colorful magnifying glass icon.

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Once you click on the videos tab however, the all icon then switches to a more subtle dark grey color while the video icon becomes the colorful focus. The icons also transition to the blue Google uses once you hover over them with the mouse too. While not colored, you might also notice that clicking on the more button brings up a drop down panel with the additional Google services like maps, flights and more all of which have their own material theme icons too.

In addition to being more visually pleasing the icons can also help those to distinguish the different tabs and what theyll show to the user when clicked. This might be useful for someone who may be using Google for the first time and has never seen which tabs are where.

Adding icons to the labels is certainly a simple change and was probably not seen as a necessity by Google, but it does make sense to have them on the desktop version of the search website to fill up some of the white space that was there before, so more than adding a visual element to help distinguish which tab is which it makes for less empty space on the design of the page. And less empty space generally looks better at least to Google.

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Google hasnt made any official statements about the icons being there for all users, but then again it might not be something that Google felt the need to inform users of in the first place. Its also entirely possible that some people wouldnt even notice that the icons were never really there.

In either case the rollout for the icons being part of Search on the desktop version of the website should be on a pretty wide scale if not for literally everyone at this point. If theyre not showing up for you, chances are it wont be long before they do.

Googles material theme icons can be found in numerous places on Android handsets in all of Googles apps and services, and more places on desktop than just Search, like the Android Messages app which gained Dark Mode and the Material Theme UI around the middle of August of last year.Amazon has discounted the Sony CT290 sound bar and wireless subwoofer today, dropping it down to just $148. Thats good for about $50 off of its regular price, making it a pretty good time to pick up a sound bar.

The sound system that is built into your TV is terrible. Its trash. This is because TV manufacturers spend time making these TVs as thin as possible, and audio is an after-thought. Luckily, a sound bar can improve that terrible sound, and it doesnt cost much.

This Sony sound bar is a pretty slim sound bar, that can fit under or in front of your TV. But it is still pretty powerful. It has up to 300W of output, so youre going to be able to blow the roof off of the house, literally. With the sound bar, you also get a wireless subwoofer, thats going to provide you with plenty of bass, but the mids and highs are still pretty crisp. Which is nice to see.

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You can pick up the Sony CT290 Sound Bar and Wireless Subwoofer from Amazon using the link below. But youd better hurry, as this is only going to be on sale through June 17, and then its going back to $198.The Trump administration is now ready to meet a two-year deadline to enforce some key provisions of a ban that targets Huawei. In a letter dated June 12, which was seen by Reuters, the acting director of the White Houses Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought has said that the administration is committed to taking all the required steps to make sure all prohibitions related to national security are enforced.

It appears that pressure from Congress is at play as just five days ago, Vought had asked for a delay in the implementation of certain parts of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was signed by President Donald Trump in 2018. The Office of Management and Budget has had two years to enforce it from the time it was approved by the President.

The letter, which was addressed to Senator James Inhofe, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, says that after learning about the importance of implementing the law within the stipulated deadline, the administration will do just that.

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The bill bars the government from signing contracts with Huawei or buying equipment from it. U.S. officials accuse Huawei of operating at the directives of the Chinese government and stealing intellectual property.

The law requires government contractors and third party suppliers to suspend their use of Huawei equipment and given that the Chinese company is the biggest maker of telecom equipment in the world, suspending business relations with it wouldnt be as easy as it may sound. Therefore, Vought had earlier asked for the deadline to be extended to four years, warning otherwise there would be a scarcity of telecom manufacturers that the U.S. government would be able to buy from.

Huaweis business footprint was restricted in the U.S. when a 2012 Congressional report barred it from selling gear to major telecom carriers. However, telecom companies in rural areas still use the companys equipment and they could be disproportionately affected by the ban.

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The small carriers have voiced their concerns against the governments decision to block Huawei as they rely on federal grants and after the ban is implemented, they wont be able to use federal money when dealing with Huawei. Vought had previously requested restrictions on federal loan and grant recipients and contractors to be delayed for two more years.

This time would have allowed the affected companies to prepare for the eventual ban and act accordingly. Now that Vought has given the green light, the ban will likely take effect this year. He further said that the administration will work with Congress to tackle any unforeseen issues that may arise.

The ban is one of the many measures taken by the U.S. government to reduce Huaweis clout in sensitive technologies. The U.S. officials also say that China can use the companys equipment to disrupt communications. The Commerce Department has put the tech juggernaut on its entity list, preventing companies that use American technology from doing business with it.

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Huawei has denied all the accusations against its and has even filed a lawsuit over the restrictions placed on it but the U.S. government hasnt formally responded yet. Trump maintains that he sees Huawei as a security threat but he has also hinted that the company can be used as a bargaining chip during trade negotiations with China.Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.The airline and its lenders have been searching for new investors, while employee unions have been calling for government intervention.

New Delhi: Indias new civil aviation minister said on Friday he is confident that airline capacity shortage problems following the grounding of Jet Airways Ltd will be solved, in the governments first comments about the issue since it was re-elected last month.

We are very confident we can solve that problem, Hardeep Singh Puri said on the sidelines of a conference in New Delhi.

Massive debt and suffocating price competition forced what was once Indias biggest private-sector airline to halt operations in April at the cost of thousands of jobs, and resulting in higher airfares across the industry. It has also resulted in capacity constraints across the industry.

The airline and its lenders have been searching for new investors, while employee unions have been calling for government intervention. The government, however, has largely been quiet on the Jet issue since its election victory.

Puri has assumed office at a time of distress in areas of Indian aviation. Last year, the government unsuccessfully sought a buyer for money-losing state-owned carrier Air India Ltd.

We have made mistakes in civil aviation in the past which we need to correct, Puri said.

Jets share price was 9 per cent lower in early afternoon trade. The stock sunk in the last two trading sessions after Indias largest stock exchange limited speculative trading in the firm.This will be the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday chair the fifth meeting of the Niti Aayog's Governing Council which will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain-water harvesting and preparedness for Kharif crops.

The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security related issues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said.

The meeting, to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of union territories, several union ministers and senior government officials.

This will be the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, has refused to attend the meeting, saying it is "fruitless" as the Niti Aayog has no financial powers to support state plans.

Headed by the Prime Minister, the Governing Council includes ministers of Finance, Home, Defence, Agriculture, Commerce and Rural Development, besides state chief ministers and Niti Aayog vice chairman, CEO and members.

The Governing Council reviews the action taken on the agenda items of the previous meeting and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities.

So far, four meetings of the Governing Council have been held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.

The first meeting of the Governing Council was held on February 8, 2015, at which the Prime Minister laid down the key mandates of Niti Aayog such as fostering cooperative federalism and addressing national issues through active participation of the states.

The second meeting on July 15, 2015 reviewed the progress made by the three sub-groups of chief ministers and the two task forces.

In the third meeting on April 23, 2017, Modi had pitched for conducting simultaneous elections of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies and shifting to a January-December fiscal year.

The fourth meeting of the council on June 17, 2018 deliberated upon measures taken to double farmers' income and the progress of the government's flagship schemes.The film had run into controversy recently, and reports had surfaced about the film getting delayed.

Actress Yami Gautam, who kickstarted her career in Bollywood with Vicky Donor, will be seen working with Ayushmann Khurrana once again in the film Bala.

Speaking about the film, she says, I think the audience is the best judge as far as co-stars are concerned. It doesnt feel very different; it feels the same. We both have same style of working. It feels good to be back together; we had an amazing experience working on Vicky Donor and things changed for both of us, so it will always be special for us. We will start the second schedule in Lucknow in two days.

Bala is one more in a string of offbeat films starring Ayushmann  it deals with premature balding. The film had run into controversy recently, and reports had surfaced about the film getting delayed.

I am not the right person to address this question. But having said that, its scheduled on time. I am leaving for Lucknow for the second schedule, and the film will release on time. So I dont see any delays, said Yami in response.

She added, It is a quirky subject. It deals with certain issues that our society usually has about the concept of external beauty. Its kind of accepting the way you are. Its one of those films which speaks about relevant issues and will entertain you.

Meanwhile, Yamis film Uri is releasing in Telugu, and she feels elated that her career has come back to the south. I am very happy; its always good when a good film reaches wider audiences, she says, adding that the Telugu audience has always acknowledged good cinema. For me there is a special connect because I started my career from there, so happy to be back with a good film, she concludes.The owners of Rooh Afza rose syrup took offence to the film being named after it, similar to how Zandu Balm was offended by a song from Dabangg.

Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Raos latest was called Rooh Afza earlier. However, the owners of the rose syrup the film is named after, which is 112 years old in India, took umbrage to the use of their brand name for a horror comedy by producers Dinesh Vijan and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba. Following this development, the makers have now changed the name to RoohiAfza.

The drink is famous and manufactured in India and Pakistan. The founder Hakim Abul Majids son migrated to Pakistan after Partition and started his own brand there too under the same name. It is registered as an unani medicine by the company Hamdard. It has been in India since 1907, and just like how Zandu Balm took offence to their brand name being used in Dabangg, the owners of Rooh Afza too had a problem. Hence the title is now RoohiAfza, informs a trade source.

The said film went on the floors on Friday and is being directed by Hardik Mehta, who has been a part of films like Chaar Cutting and Kaamyaab.

 Sanskriti MediaThe WB govt on measures taken to contain political violence in the state and investigate such incidents so as to bring culprits to book.

Another detailed report has been sought from the West Bengal government on the ongoing strike by the doctors which has crippled medical services in the state, the official said. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: The Centre Saturday sought separate reports from the West Bengal government on political violence in the state which has claimed 160 lives in the past four years, and on the ongoing doctors' strike, officials said.

A report has been sought from the West Bengal government on measures taken to contain political violence in the state and investigate such incidents so as to bring culprits to book, a home ministry official said. Another detailed report has been sought from the West Bengal government on the ongoing strike by the doctors which has crippled medical services in the state, the official said.PM Modi also showed optimism for effectively tackling drought situation in the country.

NITI Aayog last met on June 17 in the previous year. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Canvassing the vision for India 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set ambitious five trillion dollar economy goal on Saturday.

While proposing the goal at NITI Aayog's fifth governing council meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan, PM Modi said ''it is challenging but achievable''.

''Export sector plays a vital role in boosting income and employment; states should focus on export promotion,'' he added.

Addressing the meet, PM Modi showed optimism for effectively tackling drought situation in newly created Jal Shakti Ministry and said it will ''provide an integrated approach to water''.

This is NITI Aayog's first meeting after PM Modi-led National Democratic Alliance formed the government for the second time in a row.

Agrarian crisis, internal security with a special focus on Maoist-affected areas will be on the agenda. Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors, union ministers and senior officials will be in attendance for the meeting, NDTV reported.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to attend the meeting stating that the NITI Aayog has no financial power to support state plans.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will also skip the meeting as he would be busy inaugurating an irrigation project.

Andhra Pradeshs newly elected Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy met Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday evening to persuade him for granting special status to Andhra.

Reddy said he took an appointment with the Home Minister "to try and prevail on him and to also soften PM's heart on the special category status, what we will definitely be asking for in tomorrow's (Saturday) NITI Aayog meeting."

A similar demand is expected to come from Bihars Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kumar has been demanding this for quite some time now.

Odisha has also sought the demand for special status which the ruling Biju Janata Dal would be raising along with YSRCP and Janata Dal (United).

Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states will share the benefits of the loan-waiver scheme implemented by them in their states.

NITI Aayog last met on June 17 in the previous year.Exercise may has different effects in morning and evening: Study.

There appear to be rather significant differences between the effect of exercise performed in the morning and evening, and these differences are probably controlled by the body's circadian clock. (Photo: Representational/Pixabay)

Washington: Benefits of exercise vary according to the time it is done, recent findings suggest. A team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen has learned that the effect of exercise may differ depending on the time of day it is performed.

As part of the research, in mice, they demonstrate that exercise in the morning results in an increased metabolic response in skeletal muscle, while exercise later in the day increases energy expenditure for an extended period of time.

Studies in mice reveal that the effect of exercise performed at the beginning of the mouse' dark/active phase, corresponding to our morning, differs from the effect of exercise performed at the beginning of the light/resting phase, corresponding to our evening.

According to the researchers, there appear to be rather significant differences between the effect of exercise performed in the morning and evening, and these differences are probably controlled by the body's circadian clock. The findings were published in the Journal of Cell Metabolism.

Morning exercise initiates gene programs in the muscle cells, making them more effective and better capable of metabolising sugar and fat. Evening exercise, on the other hand, increases whole-body energy expenditure for an extended period of time.

The researchers have measured a number of effects in the muscle cells, including the transcriptional response and effects on the metabolites. The results show that responses are far stronger in both areas following exercise in the morning and that this is likely to be controlled by a central mechanism involving the protein HIF1-alfa, which directly regulates the body's circadian clock.

Morning exercise appears to increase the ability of muscle cells to metabolise sugar and fat, and this type of effect interests the researchers in relation to people with severe overweight and type 2 diabetes.

On the other hand, the results also show that exercise in the evening increases energy expenditure in the hours after exercise. Therefore, the researchers cannot necessarily conclude that exercise in the morning is better than an exercise in the evening, Jonas Thue Treebak stresses.Ancient Afghan citadel collapses, cultural heritage sites at risk.

The old citadel known as Ghaznain Fort originally had 36 towers, but 14 of the towers had collapsed in recent years due to decades of war, heavy rain and neglect. (Photo: Pixabay)

Ghazni: An ancient tower dating back 2,000 years in the historic Afghan city of Ghazni collapsed this week, local officials said, raising concerns about the vulnerability of the countrys cultural heritage and the governments ability to protect them.

The old citadel known as Ghaznain Fort originally had 36 towers, but 14 of the towers had collapsed in recent years due to decades of war, heavy rain and neglect.

The fort is one of dozens of unique historic sites in Afghanistan - ranging from the pre-Islamic Buddhist centre in the Bamyan valley to the 12th century minaret of Jam in a remote area of Ghor province - in urgent need of protection.

Officials in Ghazni, which nearly fell to the Taliban last year in some of the heaviest fighting seen in the war, said the tower collapsed on Tuesday following heavy rain. A short video posted on social media shows it crumbling but local residents say negligence also contributed to its collapse.

The government paid no attention to the sites and didnt build canals to divert flood water, said Ghulam Sakhi, who lives near the citadel. We have warned the government about the dire condition of the citadel but no one visited, Sakhi said.

Mahbubullah Rahmani, acting director of culture and information in Ghazni, said heavy rain and recent fighting had contributed to the towers collapse but said the government was working on a plan to protect the site from complete destruction. He said a German archaeologist had worked at the site as recently as 2013.

Ghazni, a strategically vital centre on the main highway between Kabul and southern Afghanistan and two hour drive from the capital, is home to a range of cultural and archeological artefacts, some of which date back to pre-Islamic period.

The province and its cultural heritage was officially declared as Asian Capital of Islamic Culture in 2013 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a Morocco-based body created in 1981, supported by UNESCO.

The collapse of the tower in Ghazni follows concern over the condition of the 900-year-old Minaret of Jam, in Ghor, which has been on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Properties in Danger since 2002.

The Taliban during their austere regime from 1996-2001, before they were toppled by the U.S. and coalition force in late 2001, blew up two giant Buddha statues in central Bamiyan province, calling them idols.The more they explored, the more encouraged they were to break stereotype and adopt a child with the disease.

For Kavita (left) and Himanshu (right), different is beautiful. They adopted a baby (centre) with Down Syndrome. (Photo: Instagram/ extrachromieveda)

Mumbai: For Kavita and Himanshu, different is beautiful. It is love.

The couple first came across the condition Down Syndrome while living in the US three years ago.

The more they explored, the more encouraged they were to break stereotype and adopt a child with the disease. They moved back to India just to do that.

Talking about their journey, Kavita said, Adoption was always on my mind. I find it ironic that people are busy raising their own family, but very few are concerned about kids who do not have a family to look after them. I wanted to adopt a girl child and had discussed this with my husband before marriage. Luckily, he took it positively and we decided to adopt a girl. Also, having biological kids was something we never wanted.

In 2017, they decided to move back to India and registered themselves under the adoption agency, Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Soon, the couple began their search for a baby instead of waiting for referrals. In no time they found a baby in the disability section, a 15-month-old girl in Bhopal.

A first look at her and we considered her our baby, as she was that adorable. Next day, after going through her profile, we reserved her and within a week we were all set to travel to Bhopal from Delhi to meet her. She came home in 45 days of registration, the mother said.

Explaining about her views on adoption, Kavita said, For me, adoption is the most beautiful word. Adoption is another word for love. Its just another way to have a family without doing charity or a good deed towards kids. I encourage people to talk about it and use positive adoption language. Adoption is not about finding children for families, its about finding families for children.

When asked how the couple felt becoming the first of their kind, the mother replied, Actually, there is nothing to be proud of. Out of 800 babies, one child has DS. As a citizen of the second most populous country, no couple came forward or even thought of adopting a child with DS. We are happy to have chosen this path.

The couple named the baby girl Veda. Veda means knowledge. We chose the name as she enlightened us with the fact that the most important thing in life is to stick to the basics: be happy and healthy. Slow down a bit and enjoy those small achievements.

Several questions loom over parents when it comes to raising a special child. However, for the Delhi couple it is a usual affair.

"There are days when it gets hard but then which parenting is easy. Veda has filled our lives with immense and unconditional love, expressed Kavita.

Veda is giving new definition and perspective to their lives. Kavita said she learned that its okay to be different, its okay not to fit into any box. Different is beautiful.

With her we have climbed each step together, right from just lying on the bed at 15 months to sitting, babbling, crawling, standing and finally walking independently after a year-long tireless effort from both ends, Kavita said.

Veda is often greeted with weird stares at public places. The couple have faced disheartening situations when people commented even about her glasses. But that did not deter them.

Neither did the intial hesitance of their families. Kavita and Himanshu had to struggle to persuade their families. Our parents and in-laws were hesitant regarding our decision, so one with special needs was absolutely out of the consideration. We were told that we were taking a risk, its complicated or that kids like these wont be able to give back anything or support us once we get old. Despite all that, we went ahead, Kavita said.

However, standing firm on the decision of adopting Veda wasnt easy. The couple received a bunch of sweet and sour advice from society.

Once we were told to rather give her to an orphanage and pay her growing-up expenses. They gave us that advice without knowing she was already in an orphanage for a year, Kavita says.

We received good counselling too. One DS community enlightened us with minute facts related to her health and how we needed to undertake them while parenting, she exclaimed.

To tell people that Down Syndrome is not scary, Kavita with the help of social media is leaving no stones unturned to spread awareness. Recently, she posted Vedas early learning videos on Youtube. Along with that, Kavita is also documenting real moments of their life on Instagram. I talk about adoption topics and DS awareness every now and then. As a homeschooling mom to a toddler, I believe social media is my best option right now to create awareness which I am already doing, she stated.

Kavita and Himanshu urge people to be kind towards each other. If you do not have disability, if you are not different, that doesnt make you superior, lucky or blessed in any manner. That gives you a chance to be more sensitive, empathetic towards those who are different, says Kavita. We should start accepting people as they are. We should teach ourselves and our kids to be sensitive towards everyone, especially if someone has special needs (physical or emotional) or disability, she added.

I never dreamt of adopting a child with special needs, I believe it was destined, Kavita concluded.Craig Mazin took to his Twitter account to urge people to be sensitive and asked them to remember that a terrible tragedy occurred there.

The Chernobyl disaster, which happened due to Russian negligence not only killed many people but severely affected those who lived within a few kilometres of the nuclear plant.

Following the popularity of Craig Mazins popular television drama Chernobyl, the number of tourists that visit the site in Ukraine, where the world's worst nuclear disaster happened in 1986, has increased drastically. With the 30-km exclusion zone around Chernobyl becoming a tourism zone, people have started to take selfies in front of the abandoned nuclear plant, which has intrigued the makers of the show to respond. Craig Mazin took to his Twitter account to urge people to be sensitive and asked them to remember that a terrible tragedy occurred there. A tourist was even seen posing half naked at the spot. It is not the first time people are asked to stop taking questionable selfies at historical sites. In 2014, an American teenagers selfie at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp went viral for all the wrong reasons when a website photoshopped the graphic images from the site to selfies. We ask historians, youngsters and professors what is the reason behind peoples insensitivity towards such matters and whether certain places should be open to tourists.

Respect such sites

Tourists can click selfies at places of historical importance as long as they do not hurt the sentiments of people. I havent seen people clicking absurd pictures at a historical spot, but I love to see people having fun while taking pictures. However, they should respect the monument and people around. There should also be guides and staff in place at such sites to regulate selfies.

Vivian John, Entrepreneur

Selfies are harmless

People travel to earn new experiences and challenges which let them outside their comfort zone and discover how resourceful they are. A trip allows people get exposed to new places and do something different and exciting away from home. Its a platform for learning, as each experience gifts you new skills. Every destination has something unique for the visitors. Seeing the world is more educational than reading books. When the government has allowed tourists in, promising that its a radiation-safe zone, why wouldnt people love to experience the Chernobyl experience through selfies?

Shravan Bharati, Telecommunication Analyst

Replace mockery with empathy

The series tries to bring out the reality of Chernobyl disaster. It is not a place for fun; we should rather empathise with the people struck by the disaster. I was disturbed by the public selfies and inconsiderateness; peoples reaction to this grave matter was disturbing. In the online era real interaction is slowly fading away and people have lost their sensitivity, becoming more mechanical and creating memes about this disaster all over the internet. Many are making profits from the disaster. Thus social media should monitor content more responsibly.

Leni Abraham,Teacher.

Govt is to be blamed

The Chernobyl disaster, which happened due to Russian negligence not only killed many people but severely affected those who lived within a few kilometres of the nuclear plant. Children were born with disabilities and many were maimed. Posing for selfies at these sites is an insult to the lost lives. The government of the day has no business opening it to tourists and making it the most blatant mockery of all those innocent lives lost. People taking selfies would not be aware of how the tragedy unfolded on a sleepy night from which nobody woke up to see the light of the day.

Conrad Young, Corporate GM

Sensitivity brings peace

Every tragedy, small or big, should be taken into account at all times. Lets always respect and regard such losses. A little sensitivity brings peace. Unfortunately, most issues are taken lightly and such behaviour is the reason why humanity is at a big loss.

Shriya Sachdeva, Student

Negligence is the villan

A vast area around the plant and its inhabitants were affected with genetic mutation issues of which no one would know unless they physically witness it. Clicking a selfie at Chernobyl is not like clicking one at Taj Mahal or similar tourist spots. To understand the intensity of the matter, one must experience how living among the affected feels like. Watching a series or visiting the place doesnt help people understand the gravity of the problem. It is only because of immense exposure to social media and negligence about the real issue that makes people do such immoral norms.

Sethulekshmi, a post-graduate studentThree-day 'Raja Parba' celebrations begin in Odisha.

The festival, which started as a tribal practice is based on the belief that Mother Earth menstruates for those three days and she is given a ceremonial bath on the fourth day. (Photo: ANI)

Bhubaneswar: A three-day festival 'Raja Parba', which celebrates the onset of monsoons and earth's womanhood commenced across Odisha on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended greeting to people of Odisha on the auspicious occasion of Raja Parba.

"Raja Parba is an auspicious occasion, which furthers brotherhood and happiness in our society. Greetings to the people of Odisha on this festival. May everyone be happy, healthy and may all aspirations be fulfilled," Modi tweeted.

The festival, which started as a tribal practice is based on the belief that Mother Earth menstruates for those three days and she is given a ceremonial bath on the fourth day.

As part of the celebrations, girls wear new dresses, enjoy the 'Doli Jhula' and savour traditional delicacies with some notable dishes being 'Podo Pitha', 'Manda Pitha' and 'Arisha Pitha'.

Arpita, who arrived from Mumbai to participate in the festival said, "It is a typical Odia festival for girls, and women. To celebrate, we wear new clothes, go around with friends, swing on the 'raja doli' and eat the 'raja pan."

She added, "It's a festival dedicated to Mother Earth. Although cyclone Fani caused a lot of devastation, cities have still managed to celebrate with the same spirit but I really feel bad about the underprivileged."

This festivity is also special for girls because they get to enjoy the days being free and away from household work. "During this three-day fest, no girl does any household work. We celebrate the three days wearing new clothes, relishing our special dishes," Archita Patra, a local added.

Aditi Singh, a little girl of about 10 who dressed up in traditional attire said, "I'll go out with my friends, eat pitha and mitha pan too."

As long as festival goes on, no agricultural activity like ploughing or sowing takes place for it is believed that Mother Earth goes through rejuvenation during these three days.

The first, second and third day of 'Raja Parba' are called 'Pahili Rajo, 'Mithuna Sankranti', and Bhu Daaha' or 'Basi Raja', respectively.

The fourth day which marks the ceremonial bath is called 'Vasumati Snana.' Conducted around mid-June every year, men also participate in this festival with full fervour.

After the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Fani and Odisha, the people of Odisha are gearing up to celebrate this traditional festival. People use bamboo plant and wood sticks to hang "Doli Jhula."Maintaining a stance of no dialogue is not the best recipe for securing Indias own interests.

When after securing clearance from Islamabad to let Prime Minister Narendra Modis special flight go through Pakistani airspace to allow the Indian leader to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Mr Modi chose not to avail himself of the special dispensation, it became evident that India-Pakistan ties will continue to be mired in negativity for now.

At the summit, Mr Modi decided not to meet Pakistan PM Imran Khan or even exchange facetious greetings with him. This further underscored the fact that Pakistan is the lone SAARC nation with which India has chosen not to seek to normalise relations, although the opportunity to do so presented itself.

Mr Khan had phoned to congratulate Mr Modi after the latters emphatic victory in the recent Lok Sabha election. Later he wrote to his Indian counterpart, strongly hinting at the resumption of bilateral relations. While the poll campaign was on in India, Mr. Khan had told an international wire agency that the return of Mr Modi to power would offer the best chance to work for peace between the two countries. Clearly, none of this has impressed the Indian PM. He has maintained the stance that any effort at returning to normality in bilateral ties can be meaningful only when Islamabad demonstrates that it has taken concrete steps to move against anti-India terrorist groups in Pakistan.

Mr Modi went to the extent of informing China President Xi Jinping during their bilateral meeting at Bishkek that talks with Pakistan were off the table for now, and underlined the need to take effective steps against terrorism. At the SCO summit, and a couple of days prior in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr Modi made it plain that extracting accountability from countries from which terrorists operated with impunity was a precondition for peace and stability.

In this backdrop, and seeing that Mr Modi opted to avoid flying through Pakistani airspace, Mr Khan would have come to the conclusion even before the SCO summit began that it was futile to expect any thaw with India at Bishkek. He proceeded, in an interview to the Russian news platform, Sputnik, to underline that India-Pakistan relations had reached their lowest point. Going well beyond making this observation, he noted that Pakistan would welcome any mediation with India. This was hardly calculated to please New Delhi, and may even be attributed to pique since India's insistence on strict bilateralism in ties with Pakistan goes back to the Simla summit of 1971. It was also written into the Lahore Declaration of 1999.

Having said this, it must be noted that maintaining a stance of no dialogue is not the best recipe for securing Indias own interests. India has to be balancing relations as between the United States, Russia and China, and remain on strong terms with Afghanistan. Pakistan is a factor in all of these.In his words: "I am just a professional writer, which means I don't do blogs and try and get money for whatever I write."

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has a population of 66 million people.

They say the elephant never forgets

And counts the children he begets

The females can recall the pain

And yet give birth again and again

Nature trumps the memory

Remembering is secondary

When instinct overtakes the beast

Copulation is natures feast

From Terry Marco Polo by Bachchoo

Posing as a champion of the truth you tell the biggest lie.

As the defender of democracy, you gaily spit in its eye.

The British media estimates that about 160,000 members of the Tory Party will vote in the leadership elections to take place in a week. The majority of these will choose one of the two candidates offered to them by Tory MPs and crown him or her leader and therefore the new Prime Minister of the UK.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has a population of 66 million people. 613 Tory MPs will, through a process of elimination of the 11 MPs standing, choose two candidates and then the approximately 160,000 members will choose the PM who will be responsible for implementing the will of the people to leave the European Union. This will was expressed in a 2016 referendum by a vote of 51.9 versus 48.1 who voted to remain.

A quick mental calculation tells me that the number who will choose a Prime Minister to rule a country of 66 million is 0.0024242 of the population (Okay, that was a lie  I mean I used a calculator!). And this will be done with trumpet blasts by the Tories in the name of democracy.

The present farce of Britains politics means the dem in that word, which stems from the Greek demos  the people  should read hyp  which stems from the Greek hypocrisis  meaning to play a part.

The entire fiasco, over the last three years of this democratic decision of the British voting population to leave the European Union, brings the D-word into severe disrepute. Thats the serious aspect of the fiasco  but theres another.

I for one, gentle reader, have stopped watching situation comedy on British TV in these last few months. For laughs, I turn on the news and current affairs programmes which feature the much more amusing shenanigans of Brexit, of parliamentary bickering over it, of the hypocrisy of the resigned Prime Minister Theresa May and of the twists and turns of the now 11 Tory MPs who aspire to be voted leader and walk into 10 Downing Street without a nod to the democracy in whose name they are standing for the leadership.

The farce went explosive this week when each of the candidates had  through revelations threatened in the media  to admit that at some point in their previous lives, they had indulged in illegal drug-taking. Michael Gove, a previous education minister who introduced a law which stipulated that if a schoolteacher was caught snorting cocaine, he or she would be dismissed from the profession for life, was himself exposed as a cocaine user.

Mr Gove said he regretted his mistake in snorting the exhilarating Charlie when he was a journalist, before he was a minister, but the press wouldnt let it go. One of his colleagues said hed still vote for him to be Prime Minister because very many MPs snort cocaine!

In the wake of the exposure of Mr Goves indulgence, if not habit, Rory Stewart, another candidate for the prime ministership and an ex-soldier stationed in Iraq, admitted that he had smoked opium while on duty there. Then the current foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, another candidate for the leadership, admitted to the press that he had smoked cannabis but regretted it now.

Mr Goves colleague, who said the drug-taking may interest the media items but would not affect the way MPs will vote, is probably right. Drugs and the illegal trade in them claim the lives of hundreds of young, mostly black, gang members who shoot and knife each other in the UKs cities in gang-rivalries over drug territories. MPs live in the customer sphere of this underground industry. Safe, and safely hypocritical.

Democracy was defined as government of the people, for the people, by the people. Churchill went on to say that its the least-worst system weve evolved.

The Brexit referendum has raised important questions. Does democracy work if voters are led to believe that when theres no bread there will be cake? Does it work when the instruments of dissemination of news and opinion are mostly in the hands of those who will profit by one verdict? Is a referendum result final and forever or can it be reversed or reaffirmed after years when hundreds of facts, figures and consequences come to light which inevitably change minds? Britain has a fixed-term Parliament, so if the country voted for one party to rule, it could in five years vote that party out. This aint China!

Brexitwallas played on the xenophobia of sections of the British public. Take back control of our democracy was their slogan, and to the majority of supporters, it meant keep the foreigners out.

And now these champions of democracy allow a Prime Minister to be installed through the votes of 0.0024242 per cent of the population. Oh yes! The people have spoken. All 0.0024242 per cent of them!

The final irony (or perhaps not) is that in the name of defending the right of the British Parliament to pass all of Britains laws, the Brexiteers voted this week to suspend the operation of Parliament so that the new Prime Minister can push through a no-deal Brexit without getting it passed through Parliament. The very perpetrators of the leave campaign whose main platform was take back control  meaning let the Westminster Parliament be supreme  have now passed into law a means by which that Parliament can be prorogued and the Prime Minister can dictatorially take the UK out of the EU on the worst terms for its economy, future and place in the world.

O tempora, O mores! Youve got to laugh.EU governments and NATO allies say Russia is targeting elections to undermine Western democracy.

The European Union said online platforms must do more to combat disinformation.

The European Union said online platforms must do more to combat disinformation, including sharing data on their efforts, after it tracked suspected Russian and domestic attempts to disrupt last months European Parliament elections.

In a review due to be published on Friday and seen by Reuters, the EU assesses efforts to safeguard the May vote for the EUs legislature by funding fact-checking organisations, building up an in-house unit to counter disinformation from Russia, and enlisting the help of Facebook, Google, Twitter and others.

It cites what it called evidence of a continued and sustained effort by Russian elements to promote extreme views and polarise local debate through disinformation spread online.

EU governments and NATO allies say Russia is targeting elections to undermine Western democracy. Moscow denies that.

In the recent EU elections, the worlds second largest, domestic political actors mimicked these tactics to undermine the blocs democratic institutions, the report by the blocs executive and its foreign service said.

However, it added, there was no proof of a distinct cross-border disinformation campaign from external sources specifically targeting the European elections.

Despite progress by Facebook, Twitter and other online platforms in countering malign actors, the EUs assessment piles pressure on the firms to go further.

It called for online platforms to develop tools to vet websites hosting ads. Online platforms should also ramp up cooperation with fact-checking organisations, increase transparency by giving researchers access to data and governments information on the malign actors, the report said.

Stricter rules governing paid-for political advertising implemented by Facebook and others under pressure from EU regulators should be rolled out to upcoming national elections across the 28-nation bloc, it said.Companies like Apple Inc, Nokia Inc and Qualcomm Inc own many thousands of patents issued by governments around the world.

Huawei may end up going to a US court and suing Verizon for alleged patent infringement. (Photo: AP)

Huawei is demanding Verizon Communications Inc pay USD 1 billion to license the rights to patented technology, signalling a potential shift in the embattled Chinese companys strategy for the US market.

A Huawei executive made the demand in a February letter, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the letter on Wednesday. The fee would cover licensing of more than 230 patents.

Verizon spokesman Rich Young declined to comment regarding this specific issue because its a potential legal matter.

However, Young said, These issues are larger than just Verizon. Given the broader geopolitical context, any issue involving Huawei has implications for our entire industry and also raise national and international concerns.

Huawei did not respond to a request for comment.

The following explains why the patent dispute is not unusual and how it could be resolved.

How common is patent licensing?

Patent licensing is very common, particularly in complex industries like telecommunications. As technology has advanced, it has become harder to avoid violating  or infringing  patent rights. There are millions of US patents in force, and a typical smartphone implicates hundreds of thousands of them.

Companies like Apple Inc, Nokia Inc and Qualcomm Inc own many thousands of patents issued by governments around the world.

It is not unusual for these firms to try to make money from their massive patent portfolios. Nokia, for example, routinely brings in more than USD 1 billion a year from licensing its patents to others.

Large companies like Verizon will try to identify patents they might be violating, said Gaston Kroub, a patent lawyer in New York. But that can be a challenge because so many patents are granted every year, Kroub said.

Sophisticated companies like Verizon understand that they could be approached by licensors of any stripe at any time, Kroub said. The philosophy of wireless carriers and smartphone companies, Kroub said, can be lets deal with these claims as they arrive, because we dont know who will knock on our door next.

Tom Cotter, a professor of patent law at the University of Minnesota, said it was possible Huawei executives believe Verizon has been infringing their US patents for some time but for business reasons waited until now to seek compensation.

Patent owners may not enforce their patents for a period of time, but they can choose to do to so whenever they want to, Cotter said. It happens all the time.

What happens if Verizon does not pay?

Huawei may end up going to a US court and suing Verizon for alleged patent infringement.

While some licensing disputes are resolved without lawsuits, litigation is fairly common. Huawei and Samsung Electronics Co recently settled a global legal battle on confidential terms.

A defendant in a patent case typically argues that it does not actually infringe the asserted patents, or that they were mistakenly issued and should be revoked.

In a lawsuit, a patent owner can ask a judge to block sales of infringing products. While such injunctions are rarely granted in the United States, the threat of one can motivate a defendant to settle with the patent owner.

Legal experts said Huawei is likely prepared to go to court.

I dont know how you can make a demand of USD 1 billion and not be prepared for the answer to be no, at least at first, and for the need to litigate, Kroub said.

Has Huawei been an aggressive enforcer of its patents?

Huawei has long been known for defending itself against US patent infringement claims, rather than bringing them. But that could be changing.

George Koomullil, a patent analyst at Pleasanton, California-based technology company Relecura, said that 10 or 15 years ago Huawei applied for a relatively modest number of patents. But the company has been more aggressive about applying for patents since around 2007, and particularly in recent years, Koomullil said.

Huawei may be more inclined to monetize its US patents now that the US government has limited its ability to sell products in the country, Kroub said.

The National Defense Authorization Act last year placed a broad ban on the use of federal money to purchase products from Huawei, citing national security concerns.

Last month, the Trump administration banned Huawei from buying vital US technology without special approval and effectively barring its equipment from US telecom networks.

Kroub said Huaweis licensing demand could reflectdesperation to come up with ways of generating revenue in the US market, especially considering the traditional ways of offering products and selling things to business is closed to them.

Franklin Turner, a government contracts lawyer at McCarter & English in Washington, said the patent licensing demand may also be a way for Huawei to retaliate against the United States.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said on Twitter on Thursday that the demand against Verizon was an attempt by (Huawei) to retaliate against the US by setting the stage for baseless, but costly, patent claims.Worshippers will be expected to don hard hats but priests will be wearing their ceremonial garb.

President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious target of five years for restoring Notre-Dame, which was gutted by a fire on April 15 that felled its steeple and consumed the lattice of beams supporting the roof. (Photo: File)

Paris: For safety reasons, worshippers attending the first mass at Notre-Dame since the devastating fire will be expected to don hard hats.

The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris will host its first mass on Saturday, exactly two months after the devastating blaze that shocked France and the world.

For safety reasons, the mass led by Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit will be celebrated on a very small scale. Worshippers will be expected to don hard hats but priests will be wearing their ceremonial garb.

There will be just some 30 people -- half of them clergy -- although the mass will be broadcast live on Catholic TV channel KTO.

It will take place at 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) in the Chapel of the Virgin on the east side of the cathedral behind the choir, which has been confirmed to be safe.

Aupetit will be joined by the rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick Chauvet, canons, volunteers, people working on the restoration as well a handful of lay worshippers.

The date has been chosen as it is the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral's altar, which is celebrated every year on June 16.

The date is "highly significant, spiritually," Chauvet told AFP, adding he was happy to be able to show that "Notre-Dame is truly alive".

'Inventive' reconstruction

President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious target of five years for restoring Notre-Dame, which was gutted by a fire on April 15 that felled its steeple and consumed the lattice of beams supporting the roof.

The diocese is awaiting a response from the French authorities over whether it can re-open the esplanade in front of the cathedral to the public.

If the authorities approve the plan, the idea is to celebrate evening prayers there, the diocese said.

The church has also floated the idea of erecting a temporary structure in front of the cathedral to welcome worshippers while the building is repaired.

Up to 150 workers have been working at the cathedral daily since the fire, continuing to remove debris and stabilise the structure.

Two large white canopies have been placed above the nave and the choir to ensure the edifice is protected, including from the rain.

Macron's call for an "inventive" rather than identical reconstruction of the steeple has left some architects up in arms.

Meanwhile, legislation over the reconstruction has been blocked in parliament over disagreements between the upper and lower houses and is now only expected to be adopted at the end of July.

Pledges of some 850 million euros ($960 million) had been made from prominent French businessmen and ordinary citizens but only around 10 percent has been donated so far.

France Info public radio said just 80 million euros had been paid, with businessmen giving the money in tranches and some private individuals renouncing their pledges due to the apparent success of the campaign.Alex Sills memorial is scheduled for Wednesday, June 19, at the Aspen Mountain Sundeck. Sills, 30, lost his life in a motorcycle accident last week near the Emma curve on Highway 82. He is pictured with his dog of eight years, Macey.Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.You are the owner of this article.SUV

Aimed at youthful, tech-savvy buyers, the Seltos will have to compete against a lot of rivals from Asian, European, and American brands. But on the other hand, the Seltos will help Kia bolster the crossover andportfolio with a more conventional-looking alternative to the Soul. Dont get us wrong; we dig the exterior design but were also aware the boxy profile isnt to everyones liking.To slot underneath the Sportage , the newcomer features a 10.25-inch UVO touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring. Speaking of which, BMW is charging $300 to add Apple CarPlay capability in vehicles as expensive as the 8 Series. BMW also charges an annual fee for Apple CarPlay, which goes to show how far corporate greed goes in Munich.Turning our attention back to the Seltos, previous teasers of the compact crossover revealed a bone-stock instrument cluster, not the digital cockpit of the XCeed. The SP Concept -based model is expected with a 2.0-liter engine with natural aspiration and the 1.6 T-GDI with 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The entry-level option is tuned to produce 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet.Chief executive officer Han-Woo Park confirmed the three-row Telluride will be joined by a compact crossover in North America, and this might be our best clue yet the Seltos will be sold in this part of the world. Over in South Korea, production is expected to start this summer and sales will start in the second half of 2019 for the 2020 model year.If you were wondering whats a Seltos, Kia took inspiration from Greek mythology. Celtus is the son of Heracles, and hes regarded as the progenitor of the Celts.PHEV

EV

SUV

The Great Firewall of China is one of the culprits for sure, but beyond that, not even Automotive News Europe can imagine what Land Rover refers to. During a presentation to investors, the Defender has been confirmed with conventional, mild-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options.Customers in the market for the Defenderwill have to wait a little longer, and regardless of market, the newcomer will be manufactured in Nitra, Slovakia alongside the Discovery. Quite shocking to find out the Defender isnt made in the United Kingdom, isnt it?The secret to electrification is the Modular Longitudinal Architecture, which Land Rover will utilize in the next generation of the Range Rover as well. Capable of complete electrification, Land Rover could be tempted to roll out the Defenderat some point in the future.On the suck-squeeze-bang-blow front, the most interesting engine we can expect from the Defender is the Ingenium inline-six. The mild-hybrid option in the Range Rover Sport HST develops 400 ponies, which are enough for a vehicle the size and weight of the Defender.As opposed to the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the 2020 Land Rover Defender will switch from a body-on-frame design to unibody. The British automaker did it before with the Discovery, and nobody cared about the change except for a few purists.The previous Defender went out of production in 2016, and if youre keeping count, the original was launched 71 years ago. Then called the Series, the off-road vehicle was conceived by Rover during the aftermath of World War II. Chief designer Maurice Wilks envisioned a light agricultural vehicle, but little did he know the Defender would morph into a luxuriousseven decades later.SUV

AMG

The cheapest specification starts at $124,500 in the United States, but Europeans are treated to the more affordable G 350 d at 95,021.50 in Germany. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the G 63 takes the crown in every single aspect. But have you ever wondered how the G-Class is manufactured?Since the beginning, the Gelandewagen was manufactured in Graz by Magna Steyr with close attention to detail. In other words, the production output doesnt match that of regular SUVs. In July 2017, the 300,000th example of the breed rolled off the assembly line, and the numbers keep increasing since the arrival of the new G Shmee150 (a.k.a. Tim Burton) bought one of these gentle giants, and thanks to his status in the automotive world and YouTube creators community, the three-pointed star invited him to check out how the W463 is manufactured. Wait, wasnt W463 used for the previous generation? Youre right, dearest reader, but the higher-ups decided to keep the codename instead of switching to W464.The production process starts with the bodies of the G-Class arriving at Magna Steyr, then the specialized personnel builds the vehicle, one part and subassembly at time. Among others, Shmee150 was allowed to fit the steering wheel and airbag to the G 63 of his dreams.In regard to suck-squeeze-bang-blow, the metallic blackfeatures a 4.0-liter V8 with twin turbocharging that originates from Affalterbach. Codenamed M177, this engine differs from the Mercedes-GT series through the wet-sump lubrication system and AMG Speedshift TCT 9G automatic transmission.Tuned to 585 PS (577 horsepower) and 850 Nm (627 pound-feet) of torque, the M177 is more potent than the M157 in the previous generation of the G 63. On that note, the G 65 has been discontinued because Mercedes-AMG is focused on V8s and electrification.The M279 engine, a 6.0-liter V12 with twin turbocharging, will be discontinued at the end of the production cycle of the S 65. Tobias Moers, the head honcho of Mercedes-AMG, also confirmed the S 65 will be discontinued with the arrival of the W223 generation S-Class.The spec of this Prancing Horse is impressive as a whole, but, for now, let's focus on the main shade of the 720 horsepower machine.Called Verde Francesca, this is a new color for the Italian automotive producer. Long story short, the new color traces its origins to a 1950s Maserati shade, which was modified by the owner of the car and then further refined by Ferrari's Tailor Made department.In fact, here's the supercar collector who owns this Pista talking about how the hue came to be: "The green will be a new shade for Ferrari, they have graciously allowed me to name it Verde Francesca (after a very special little girl). The colours origin comes from a gorgeous 1950s Maserati colour called Verde Tevere which was used recently (ex factory) on a Ferrari 250 SWB. As I was researching historic colour options for my Pista, Tevere was suggested by @yournotmyfather I then created my own samples in the U.K. before visiting Maranello. Ferrari has created their version of it which is slightly different,"Green can also be found inside the Italian exotic, albeit with the color simply being used for small accents covering the paddle edges and the gearbox-controlling center button surroundsAs we've discussed in the past, getting your hands on a special like the Pista requires one to be a Ferrari collector. Then again, tipozerofourzero (the social media name of the aficioando who owns this car) has multiple Fezzas in his garage, with the list including the F50, F40, F12 TDF, 599 GTO, 458 Speciale Aperta, 458 Speciale and 550 Maranello.Renault and Nissan have inaugurated their joint innovation lab in Tel Aviv at Atidim Park, where the two companies are aiming to create a unique model of collaboration with Israeli startups and an exclusive partnership with the Israel Innovation Authority.

Badged as the Alliance Innovation Lab Tel Aviv, the facility will be a hub for development of sensors for autonomous driving, cybersecurity and big data. The Alliance is currently testing and working on over 10 joint prototyping projects with Israeli startups at different stages. Among them are Apollo Power; Argus; AutoTalks; BrightWay Vision; Electreon; Enigmatos; IRP systems; Karamba; Moodify; Saferide; and Upstream.

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Covering an area of 1,600m, it features modern office spaces and full vehicle testing areas. The labs location in Atidim Park is ideal for testing proof of concepts (POC) and prototypes in Tel Avivs smart city experiment zone.

With Israel as a global innovation hub, particularly with automotive technology, this new lab is a natural next step for us and will allow the Alliance to leverage the strengths of Israels startup ecosystem, said Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Alliance EVP, engineering. Through collaborations with promising local startups with cutting-edge technologies, we aim to develop a variety of key technologies, which will be essential for the future of mobility.

Antoine Basseville, director of the Alliance Innovation Lab Tel Aviv, said, The opening of this new facility is a special milestone for us. It is part of the Alliances growing engagement in the Israeli ecosystem, after setting-up the local innovation lab. We believe that the new facility, the Alliance partnerships with the Israel Innovation Authority, the municipality and university of Tel Aviv, will contribute to create a comprehensive mobility ecosystem in Atidim in a wide array of fields.

As a selected operator of the Israel Innovation Authoritys Technological Innovation Labs program, the lab will offer funding to startups for POCs.

The lab will also work in close cooperation with Alliance Ventures, the Alliance corporate venture capital fund that plans to invest up to US$1bn over five years in startups, early-stage technology companies and entrepreneurial talents and has already invested in Maniv Mobility fund in Israel.The first round of U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon over the two countries' long-standing maritime border dispute is expected in July, a senior Israeli official told me.

Why it matters: Israeli-Lebanese talks would be a dramatic diplomatic development and a significant step forward in a long-standing conflict that has stalled natural gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Solving the crisis could unlock potential natural gas reserves for both countries.

Behind the scenes: Earlier this week, U.S. envoy David Satterfield held talks with officials in Beirut and Jerusalem in an effort to close the final gaps and set a date for the first round of negotiations. Israeli officials told me Satterfield made substantial progress in his talks and managed to find solutions for many technical issues that had held up the launch of the negotiations.

The Israeli official said the Lebanese wanted to initiate the talks without a firm timetable for getting a deal. Israel, on the other hand, wanted to set a six-month deadline.

As a compromise, the talks will have no firm deadline, but the statement which the U.S. will release to announce the talks will say that the aspiration is to get a deal in six months, the Israeli official to me.

What's next: Satterfield is expected to return to Beirut on Monday or Tuesday to get the final green light from the Lebanese government. He will then return to Jerusalem for talks with the Israelis. The Israeli official told me he thinks the last gaps will be closed this week and a first round of U.S.-mediated Israeli Lebanese talks will be set for July.Protests in Khartoum have resumed after Sudan's military leadership admitted to ordering the crackdown on a group of protesters last week that left at least 100 people dead, reports Al Jazeera.

The big picture: The uprising in Sudan began in December and brought down Sudans brutal dictator, Omar al-Bashir, four months later. Since then the army and the opposition have grappled over the future of the country. After the protestors refused to stand down and called a national strike, the military turned violent  seeming to confirm fears that they had no intention of giving up power or allowing an opening for freedom and democracy.

What they're saying:

A spokesman for the military council admitted there had been outrageous violations during the crackdown and said an internal investigation had been launched, reports the AP.

The State Department Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, is calling for an outside probe, saying, "when governments investigate themselves there tends to be a lot of skepticism," per the Washington Post.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly supported the military council's consolidation of power.

The state of play:

108 people were killed and 500 wounded last week, according to the Sudanese Doctors Central Committee. The Health Ministry, which is controlled by the military, reported 61 deaths.

Military leadership has shut down internet access on dubious national security grounds, drawing further scrutiny from international organizations and leaders, per the AP.

There have been accounts of widespread rape and sexual assault of protestors and medical professionals by security forces and militias, according to the AP.

What's next: The Sudanese military has rejected all outside help with the investigation, and says it will share the findings on Saturday, per the Post.

The military council is still blaming protesters for the violence. A spokesman called the military "the soul guarantor for peace and stability in the transitional phase" and rejected the opposition's demand for a civilian-led transition.

Worth noting: Ousted President Omar al-Bashir will be going to trial on corruption charges stemming from his 3 decades in power, reports Reuters. He's already been charged with ordering the killing of protesters in May, and is suspected of funding terrorism groups.

Go deeper: How Sudan's pro-democracy uprising was beaten backBy Trend

Tactical-special exercises on the action of the battalion during the offensive operation have been conducted in a military unit of Azerbaijans chemical protection troops, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijans Defense Ministry.

The main goal of the exercises was the organization of the interoperability of units, as well as the improvement of practical skills and abilities of military personnel, including the increase of its moral-psychological endurance in carrying out tasks.

In the course of the exercises, the units conducted chemical reconnaissance, identified the types of toxic agents and the boundaries of the contaminated area, as well as fulfilled other tasks.

During the tactical-special exercises, the military personnel has demonstrated high combat capability.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The 16th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Russian joint committee on the division of water resources of the transboundary Samur River was held in Baku, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijan Melioration and Water Management OJSC.

The parties discussed matters regarding the division of water resources of the Samur River between the two countries, as well as environmental and other issues, and measures to be implemented before the next meeting of the committee were determined.

A bilateral protocol was signed at the end of the meeting. As per the agreement, the committee meets twice a year.

Representatives of Azerbaijan Melioration and Water Management OJSC, as well as the Azerbaijani Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Committee for Property Affairs and the State Border Service took part in the meeting. It was held under the leadership of the Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan Melioration and Water Management OJSC, Co-Chairman of the Committee from the Azerbaijani side Zakir Guliyev.

The committee was established on the basis of the agreement "On cooperation in the effective use and protection of water resources of the transboundary Samur River between the governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation signed on September 3, 2010.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The modern history of Azerbaijan is directly connected with the return of Heydar Aliyev to power in June 1993, the Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Chairman and Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Ali Ahmadov said at an event organized in the administrative building of the NAP in honor of June 15 - the National Salvation Day, Trend reports.

"We all know what painful, troubled days we had to endure after the restoration of independence in the early 90s. We have not forgotten what source of danger was the authority of that time. The existence and independence of Azerbaijan was under threat and unpleasant processes took place," the deputy prime minister said.

Ahmadov noted that at that time chaos and arbitrariness were the reality of Azerbaijan.

"All this plunged society into serious trouble. Only the historical return saved Azerbaijan from great misfortunes, stability was strengthened and prosperity began. Having passed the path of development, Azerbaijan has come to where it is now," he added.

Speaking at the event, where, along with members of the NAP, representatives of the public also participated, the chairman of the State Committee on Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mubariz Gurbanli said that National Salvation Day was approved by the Azerbaijani parliament in 1997. He noted that it has already been 22 years as the Azerbaijani people celebrate this holiday.

"If a historical event occurs, it is impossible to recognize it on the same day. It receives the deserved assessment over time. Today, Azerbaijan is a leader in the South Caucasus. The country plays a significant role in international organizations," Gurbanli added.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Novruz Mammadov and the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon met on the sidelines of the Fifth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Tajik president.

Emomali Rahmon expressed satisfaction with the level and quality of intergovernmental cooperation, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the sides reviewed the most important topics related to intergovernmental cooperation between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan in economy, trade, industry, transport and transport infrastructure, hydropower, agriculture, communications, science, education, culture and tourism.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during meeting.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzBy Trend

The cost of the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) may drop even further, the head of TANAP consortium Saltuk Duzyol said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"We have spent less than $7 billion on the project. When we made the final investment decision, the initial estimated cost was $11.7 billion. Thus, we managed to save about $4.8 billion. And there is an opportunity for further reducing the cost of the project," he said.

Duzyol noted that this is a successful project that was completed within the budget and on time.

He further added that Turkey has been implementing such projects for a long time in close cooperation with Azerbaijan.

"It began with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project and continued with the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline project. Turkey has been importing Azerbaijani gas since 2007 under a contract that was signed in 2001 for the supply of 6.6 billion cubic meters. After the implementation of TANAP, Turkey will import 12.6 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas per year," the head of the consortium said.

Duzyol noted that the share of the Azerbaijani gas in the total gas consumption of Turkey has increased in recent years.

"Thanks to the TANAP project, Turkey will make a great contribution to ensuring security and diversification of supplies in the region. TANAP will definitely provide some flexibility in the supply to the Turkish network, because with the help of the TANAP system, BOTAS will be able to transport huge volumes of Azerbaijani gas directly to the consumption centers located west of Eskisehir, which is Turkeys receiving point. Currently, 66 percent of total consumption falls on the west of Eskisehir in Turkey, which means flexibility from an operational point of view. In addition, Turkey will receive significant tax revenues from the TANAP project," he said.

The head of the consortium noted that at the investment stage, TANAP provided many jobs for the Turkish people.

"At the peak level, more than 13,000 people were involved in the project. Turkey has ambitions to become a gas corridor and an energy hub in the region, and TANAP will best contribute to the achievement of this ultimate goal," he added.

The TANAP pipeline runs from the Georgian-Turkish border to the countrys western border with Greece. TANAP, together with the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), is part of the Southern Gas Corridor project, which provides the transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to Europe.

The initial capacity of the TANAP pipeline is expected to be 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year. About 6 billion cubic meters will be supplied to Turkey, while the rest will be supplied to Europe. After the completion of the construction of TAP, gas flow to Europe will being by early 2020.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAzChevron USA Inc. announced Tuesday it has partnered with a Visalia-based company to help fund up to 18 dairy "digesters" that would harvest mePolish President Andrzej Duda rounded out his trip to the United States with a visit to a Louisiana liquid natural gas export facility that U.S. energy officials believe will play a part in shifting geopolitical power from Russia.

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and Duda met briefly at the Sabine LNG facility operated by Cheniere Energy for a tour and a briefing with U.S. and Polish media. The Cheniere plant was an appropriate backdrop for the latest leg in Duda's tour, as it is expected to supply a significant amount of natural gas needed for Poland's shift from Russian energy dependence.

"Since the actions taken by Russia against Ukraine and their shutting of gas supplies, Central Europe has learned the lessons of energy independence," Duda said.

Poland receives almost 65% of the 17 billion cubic meters of natural gas it requires annually from Gazprom, a Russian-owned liquid natural gas company. As the current contract inches closer to expiring in 2022, Polish officials have made clear they don't intend to extend the relationship or Russia's ability to cut them off.

Cheniere already brokered a 24-year contract last year to deliver LNG to Poland. The company said the contract would help support its expansions in Corpus Christi and the Sabine Pass facility currently under construction for its sixth liquefaction train.

The company also took Duda's visit to Houston on Thursday as an opportunity to announce the Corpus Christi facility recently started production from its second train.

Cheniere closed 2018 with a $471 million profit on $8 billion in revenue.

Cheniere was the first to take advantage of the new era of domestic natural gas production with Gulf Coast exports, but it will soon be joined by competition such as recent ventures supported by Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum on the Texas side of Sabine Pass and Sempra and Saudi Aramco in Port Arthur, which are expected to be operating within the next two to three years.

Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump signed a deal to send an additional 1,000 U.S. troops to Poland to add to the usual 4,000 troops based there on rotation.

> > RELATED: Trump addresses Sempra crowd as Louisiana plant begins LNG production

Duda was also treated to a flyover from an F-35 jet during his White house visit, a model Poland hopes to acquire for their own defense forces.

Tensions between Russia and the former Soviet-bloc nation have been increasing as Poland's position in NATO has continued to be perceived by Russian President Vladamir Putin as a front for an attack on Russia's influence.

Perry's comments wouldn't have reassured Putin, as he described the recent boom in U.S. oil and gas production as a driving force to be used to keep Russian influence under control.

"American fuels can be a force of good to limit the ability of bad actors to leverage energy supplies on countries like Poland," Perry said.

He also called the omnipresent hum of the cooling turbines in the background a "sound of freedom," echoing language in a recent Department of Energy memo that dubbed hydrocarbons as "molecules of U.S. freedom."

One of Poland's largest importers, PGNiG, signed signed a deal with Venture Global LNG in Virginia for an additional 1.5 million tons of gas each year while Duda was meeting with Trump earlier this week, but it also receives gas from Norway and Qatar.

In his remarks Friday, Duda chose to speak on Poland's international moment in contrast to Perry's image of the U.S. being Poland's closest and best ally.

Duda referenced remarks he made at the completion of PGNiG import terminal in which he called it a "window to the rest of the world."

"We will soon be sourcing our energy from countries across the world, including the United States," Duda said.

Jacob Dick is the Business Reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact him at Jacob.Dick@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here.American Pain Management owner Scott Novick was sentenced to more than six years in prison  plus three years of supervised release  for participating in a $2.2 million Medicare fraud scheme, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

After pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, Mr. Novick was sentenced to 78 months behind bars. He was ordered to liquidate several financial accounts worth about $1.3 million and pay the money back to Medicare.

In addition to American Pain Management, which had locations in Florida's Broward and Palm Beach counties, Mr. Novick owned Miami-based Pacific Pharmacy, which filled most of the prescriptions written at American Pain Management. Pacific Pharmacy received more than $1 million for drugs that weren't eligible for reimbursement, authorities said.

As part of his plea deal, Mr. Novick admitted to the following:

Submitting about $1.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for pain management services that weren't eligible for reimbursement

Falsely listing a relative as the owner of Pacific Pharmacy in order to subvert Florida law and continue dispensing controlled substances

Knowledge of inappropriate and illegitimate prescribing of drugs by the physician at American Pain Management

Illegally bringing in about $1.4 million for himself and his clinics

Mr. Novick's case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which has charged nearly 4,000 defendants with illegal billing practices since it was established in 2007.A report on board governance at Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System has left many local leaders frustrated and skeptical, according to a report from The Baltimore Sun.

The report, published earlier this week, is the result of a UMMS-funded review of the board, conducted by Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Nygren Consulting. The report found the board didn't properly perform due diligence on contracts related to board members' companies. As such, Nygren found "varying degrees of potential conflicts of interest" between nine board members and the health system.

Seven board members resigned this year after The Baltimore Sun uncovered conflicts of interest. Four directors went on voluntary leave, but will be reinstated, the board announced June 12.

In The Baltimore Sun's latest report, several state lawmakers voiced ongoing frustrations with the board. State Sen. Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore, called the 41-page Nygren report "sobering and infuriating," while state Sen. Jill Carter, D-Baltimore, took issue with the four board members returning from leave, which she felt "violates the spirit" of reform.

UMMS will also undergo a state audit under a new law passed his year.

Read the full story here.

More articles on leadership and management:

Augusta University Health System restructures top post in face of $24M net loss

Planned Parenthood to host women's health forum for Democrats

Mitt Romney wants to revive ACA replacement talksMy 12-year-old daughter recently asked me what I think about abortion. She walked into the kitchen, poked around the refrigerator, then spun around and blurted it out: "I can't decide what I think about abortion. I want to know what you think."

My daughter is an avid consumer of the news. Unlike myself at her age, she's genuinely interested in political news - news about climate change, racial and gender justice, and the next election. As her question hung in the air between us, I knew immediately that she had read the news that our home state, Ohio, had just banned nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Kentucky had already done so, in a law that's since been blocked by a federal judge. Alabama would soon follow. Several other states were lining up in the queue, eager to strip women of the right to choose.

I took a deep breath. Her question took me by surprise and yet I had been waiting for it since the day she was born. I always knew the time would come when I would have to tell my daughters the truth: I was raped. And I had an abortion. One day, you may face these challenges, too.

By age 45, nearly one in four women in the United States will have had an abortion, despite a steep decline in abortion rates since 2008 that experts say is due largely to increased availability of contraceptives. The likelihood of rape is also high.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women will be raped in their lifetime. This estimate strikes me as absurdly low, given what I know about my close female friends and family members.

I did not call my mother after I was raped, but I called her immediately after I learned that I was pregnant as a result. It was my first semester of law school and I was terrified that everything I had hoped for my future was suddenly unravelling before my eyes.

At the time, my father was unemployed. My mother was working a minimum-wage job. Miraculously, I was at Stanford Law School with a chance to pursue my dream of being a civil rights lawyer. But now everything was falling apart.

I was devastated, emotionally wrecked, not only because I had been raped, but because I was pregnant with my rapist's child. I wondered aloud whether I should just quit law school and give birth to the baby that had been forced inside me.

My mother listened quietly. She then told me that she, too, had been raped at about my age. She was raped by her boss when she was 20 years old. It was her first sexual experience. As she choked back tears, she said she never wanted her own daughter to experience the same fate.

I begged her to tell me what to do: should I have this baby? But she gently refused. "This is your choice, Michelle. Thank God you have a choice."

I found it difficult to face what had occurred. Like countless women, I found a way to blame myself. Why did I drunk-dial him at midnight? Why did I say he could come to my dorm room at that hour? Why didn't I scream? He wasn't a big man; he was rather skinny - muscular, but lean. Couldn't I have fought him off?

I did say no, over and over, and tried to stop him. But his hand slipped over my mouth to silence me and his forearm pressed down across my shoulders to pin me to the mattress.

I didn't call the police - not after he left my dorm room and not after I discovered I was pregnant. I never once imagined that calling the police could help my situation. It could only make things worse. I envisioned prosecutors, courtrooms and interrogations.

I was trying to survive my first year of law school, worried I might fail, wondering how I would make it through my first round of exams. The last thing I wanted was to become a court case myself.

Nor did I want a baby. I had no extended family to fall back on; no one who could loan me money to help raise a child; no place to go except to my parents' rented home - a place that felt temporary, at best, given their financial insecurity and recent eviction. I did not want to give a baby away and I did not want to raise my rapist's child.

At the time, I felt terribly alone but my circumstances were far from unusual. Black women in the US have the highest rates of abortion in the country, undoubtedly due to the severe wealth gap between black and white families - a gap that holds even among the poor.

The white household living near the poverty line typically has about $18,000 (14,242) in wealth - primarily due to intergenerational wealth transfers - while black households in similar economic straits typically have a median wealth near zero.

Although women of all colours who are poor are far more likely than those who have greater resources to choose to end their pregnancies, the situation for black women is especially dire. Although our families often want to help, as mine certainly did, that frequently proves to be a practical impossibility. A 2014 report found that for every dollar of wealth owned by the typical white family, the median black family owns just five cents. Even if I wanted to give birth to my rapist's baby - which I did not - I, like so many others, could not turn to my family for help.

During my second year in law school, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case, Rust v Sullivan, that many worried might overturn the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v Wade. I recall some male law students arguing that abortion bans wouldn't be so bad, so long as there were exceptions made in cases of rape.

I wondered how a "rape exception" to an abortion ban could possibly help women, like me, who did not want to report a rape to the police and who could not possibly prove that a rape occurred if the man denied it.

Criminal cases take months, even years, to be resolved. Would abortions be allowed based on mere allegations of rape without any proof? If not, what would a woman have to prove in a matter of days, or weeks, to get an abortion in the first trimester? How could she overcome the inevitable denial? What man would admit to rape knowing that he'd face a likely prison sentence?

My own situation proved to be highly unusual in one respect. The man who raped me admitted what he had done and apologised. I doubt if he would've done the same if I'd been legally required to report the rape to obtain an abortion. I know many women who've been raped; not one has called the cops.

My rapist called the day after he violated me and left an awkward message on my answering machine saying he was sorry about "what happened". He did not use the word "rape". He asked me to call him back. I did not. More messages were left in the days that followed; each time he sounded more distraught, more apologetic, more despondent.

On the day I learned I was pregnant, I finally decided to call. I wanted to punish him with the news. Look what you've done to me. I wanted him to know that his actions had consequences and this was something we'd both have to live with for the rest of our lives, no matter what I decided.

When he answered the phone, he sounded relieved that I had finally called. I interrupted his efforts to apologise yet again to deliver my news.

After a long silence, he asked, quietly, "Are you sure it's mine?" I nearly threw the phone against the wall, but instead steadied myself and told him coldly that, yes, you did this.

"Oh, no," he sighed. A long pause. "Are you going to keep it? It's your choice, totally up to you."

"I know it's my choice," I replied.

An even longer pause followed. The silence stretched between us and I refused to be the one to break it. Then he said slowly: "I know you don't believe me, but I am sorry. I didn't give you a choice. I will never forgive myself for what I did."

I know many women yearn for an apology like that. Eve Ensler, the renowned feminist playwright, just published a powerful book, The Apology, that lays out in wrenching detail what she wished her father had said to her after years of brutal violence and sexual abuse.

What I experienced in my dorm room was far less horrific, but I still couldn't accept his apology. I didn't even think I wanted one. I told myself that I wanted nothing from him. I refused his offer to pay for the abortion. I refused to allow him to drive me to the clinic, or to care for me upon my release. I refused to allow him to believe that there was anything he could do to make up for what he had done.

And yet, years later, I realised that I was free. I no longer felt fear, anger, or resentment towards the man who raped me. Without even realising it, I had forgiven him. It's difficult to imagine that I would feel the same if he had shown me no care, or concern, or if I had been forced to endure a fresh wave of trauma in our court system, or if I had been forced to give birth to a child that I did not choose.

My daughter listened to my story with wide, frightened eyes. She did not want to hear that something like this had happened to me or that it could happen to her. Eventually she asked whether I thought my rapist's apology was truly sincere. Her scepticism was well-founded. After all, many abusive partners apologise over and over again for the harm they've done, even as they continue to do it.

I would never tell my daughter, or any woman, to accept an apology, or to forgive a man who abuses her. Nor would I tell any woman whether she should or should not terminate a pregnancy. Those are not my choices to make.

What I did say to my daughter, as she sat perched on our kitchen stool, is that I am filled with gratitude for the women who came before us - women who fought for the right to choose, who dared to imagine that we had the right to control our bodies and who said loudly and proudly that we should not be forced to bear children against our will.

Roe v Wade is rooted in a basic understanding that women's lives matter and that we have rights, needs and interests that don't vanish when we become pregnant.

Pregnancy and childbirth can be extremely difficult - emotionally and physically painful - and bringing a child into the world is an enormous responsibility. Deciding whether or not to give birth may be the most important decision a woman will ever make, potentially changing the course of her life forever - or ending it. Black women, in particular, have high mortality rates during pregnancy.

In some areas of Mississippi, black and Latina women are more likely than women in some of the poorest countries in the world to experience a pregnancy-related death. Forcing any woman to see a pregnancy to term may be risking her life as well as her physical and emotional health.

I said to my daughter, as a young woman, you will be faced with many difficult choices in your life and I cannot protect you from all that may come your way. You will have to decide for yourself what you think about abortion and everything else. I will always respect the careful decisions you make.

But, since you asked me, I will tell you: if we want to continue to have the rights and freedoms that were won in the generations that came before us, if we want gender and racial equality, and if we want the right to control our own bodies and destinies, we are going to have to stand up, speak out and fight for our right to choose.There's no one quite like your dad. Father's Day is our annual excuse to pay tribute to the wonderful dads who helped guide and nurture us and continue to be our biggest supporters.

They are the men who stand at the sidelines of our lives, clapping and cheering when things go right, and are there with a hug when things go wrong.

Four of Northern Ireland's best-known faces tell us why their dads are, and were, the best in the world.

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Anything we wanted to do, hed always encourage us

Northern Ireland cook Jenny Bristow lost her dad James King in 1975. A farmer based in Coleraine, he would have been 93 this year. Jenny, who lives in Cullybackey with her husband Bobby and has three grown-up children of her own, says he provided the most idyllic of childhoods for her and her two siblings.

"My mum and dad were dairy farmers," she says. "They launched a range of Jersey cattle and they started separating the milk into the cream.

"My summer job was delivering the cream to all the hotels and restaurants. In those days everyone wanted good Jersey cream with high cholesterol. And now we've all changed around again.

"I have a brother and a sister. I was in the middle. We just had the most ideal lifestyle. You were never bored. We were just busy on the farm doing things.

"We worked hard and we played hard.

"In the evening we went fishing on the River Bann and caught salmon and pike. We used to go to Portrush and fish for eels. We were bringing in hay. We were always doing things. We never stopped.

"Dad was the most ideal person. He was wonderful. If we had said we wanted to build a spaceship he would have said, right let's go see where we will put it. He totally motivated us.

"My brother was a fisherman. I bred dogs, my sister kept horses and he encouraged us all. I think that's where we all got it from. Nothing was a bother. Anything we wanted to do, he encouraged us and was supporting us along the way.

"They didn't have a lot of money, but mum and dad worked hard.

"My dad gave me the best advice anyone ever gave me. He said never marry for money, but marry a man who will have the ability to go out and earn it. I thought that was very profound.

"He would give us all little goalposts. He would say if we got to 21 years old and did not drink and smoke, he would give us 100. And that was a lot of money. We wouldn't have done anything. The thought of losing our 100 prevented that."

Jenny adds: "What made dad so special was his love for mum.

"They were just so devoted to each other. And for us as kids, that was a special thing for us to see in a house. I know that life today is so difficult and so different for many homes. And we used to think, and still do looking back, that we grew up in such an ideal situation.

"He was quite a disciplinarian," she says. "You knew what you were allowed to do and you knew where the guidelines were.

"There were rules set in stone and we had great respect for them and for our parents."

Jenny says that her dad is her hero who, despite passing away while still so young, gave her and her siblings the guidelines to navigate life successfully.

"Everyone says to me that I am so like my dad," she adds.

"But I look so much like my mum. However dad and I would be very similar in our personas. I work things out and rationalise things like he would have done and had similar philosophies in life.

"He is absolutely my hero. He couldn't have been any better.

"We lost him when he was so young. It was such a change in our lives.

"If I could say anything to him this Father's Day I would say that we only had a short time together, but I think he very much gave us the guidelines, principles and the values to carry on."

Family is the most important thing to him ... hes a good man

BBC star Vinny Hurrell's dad Donal (66) is the man we can thank for introducing his oldest son to Radio Ulster. Vinny says the electrician from Randalstown lives for his family. He once tried to steer Stephen Nolan's sidekick into farming, but thankfully for listeners, to no avail.

Vinny says: "I'm the middle child. I have two older sisters and two younger brothers.

"I grew up in Randalstown until I was 16 then we moved to Longford. Being the oldest boy, there was a lot expected of me. My dad used to do a little bit of farming, which I hated. He wanted me to help, which I hated. I was quite a typical grumpy teenager, so I think that is why we clashed sometimes.

"My dad is quite a traditional man. My grandad was a butcher and then my dad took over from him. I helped out in the butchers too. It was hard work and I was lazy.

"I think he might have hoped I would have taken over, but I wasn't interested and I'm sure that was a bit of a disappointment to him.

"When I got out of my teens I started to appreciate my dad more. When I moved to England to go to university and my family weren't around me all the time, I got to thinking they weren't so bad and I wouldn't mind having a chat with my dad. I knew I would miss my mum, but I was surprised how much I missed my dad.

"From being that moody teenager who would have been grumpy with my dad, now that I'm older, I love spending time with him.

"He is a very practical, hands-on kind of man. He could turn his hand to anything, from electrical work to house stuff. He always tries to help out and he's always trying to pass on whatever knowledge he has.

"He shows me how to do stuff and encourages me to do it myself."

Vinny says there are a lot of qualities that make his dad very special, particularly his focus on his family's happiness.

"Dad is a very considerate human being," he says. "I know that his family are the most important thing. And it's not necessarily something that he says all the time. But I just know from how he prioritises everything with the family and always has. He would literally give you his last morsel of food.

"Everything he does is centred around his family. He likes nothing more than when we are all in the house, or if he comes up to us, just spending time together. You just get that feeling from him."

Donal gives practical advice on renovating houses, says Vinny, and can turn his hand to anything.

"He also gives me great pointers around buying houses and renovations because he's been there and he's done that," he says.

"I've bought a couple of houses over the years and I'm renovating one at the minute. He just is full of advice and information. And because he's so handy and he's kind of semi-retired, he has got more free time. So he's always up doing things and helping me out."

Vinny adds that he and his dad have similar driving techniques and even though they differed greatly when he was a teenager, they now share the same musical and radio tastes.

"We are similar with regards to our driving, in that we both get impatient with other drivers," he says.

"I'm not saying road rage, but we both get aggravated by other drivers occasionally.

"With people not using their indicators and the like.

"In terms of music, I remember sitting in his car - a bright orange Vauxhall Cavalier - at around seven or eight years old.

"He would be listening to the Eagles and I'd say I hate that music and I'd be trying to turn it over. He said that one day I'd appreciate it and I'd say I would never.

"Fast forward a few years and I'd stolen all his Eagles records to take to university and I still have them.

"He also was the man who introduced me to Radio Ulster. It was always on in the car and in the shop with him.

"I used to always try and switch it over to Cool FM and he would say it was good radio and I'll appreciate it some day. And I do.

"He is proud of me.

"He always listens to my Monday night show on Radio Ulster and he always listens to Nolan. He shows an interest and wants to know how things work.

"He genuinely is a good man and I'm glad now that I realise how lucky I am to have him," he says. "I have lost a few people in my life - my best friend and my granny - and when you look back you wish you had appreciated them more. So I'm glad that I realise how lucky I am to have him and the great fella that he is.

"Him and my mum are a great couple. They look after each other and he is very good to her. That is also good to see, because not everyone is as fortunate to have their family around them.

"If I could say anything to him this Father's Day I would say to him 'thank you and I appreciate everything you do for me, even if I don't always show it'.

"He is a good man and I'm lucky to have him."

'Dad has always been my biggest supporter'

Apprentice winner Dr Leah Totton, who runs a multi-million aesthetics business in London and Essex, says it was her father Trevor (55) who instilled in her the self-belief to reach for her dreams.

The 31-year-old says her dad, a taxi driver from Londonderry, has always been her and her two younger sibling's biggest cheerleader.

She says: "I grew up in Derry. Dad was amazing with us growing up. He really is the most fabulous father. I know everyone says that but mine really is. He would be my best friend, even now. I would speak to him at least once a day. We are all very close with dad. I think it might be because my parents got married and had us quite young, they were very young when we were growing up.

"My mum would be quite strict but dad was just like a mate. I would have told him everything, from if we were drinking when we weren't supposed to be, to who I was dating, everything. He was very relaxed growing up.

"He is really funny. Dad is the funniest person in the world. He would have made a real joke out of everything.

"I was really into academia and into schooling and my dad couldn't have cared less. I would be doing exams and stressing out and being a perfectionist. I wanted top scores in everything and anything less than an A* was no good. But dad did not have that at all. He would tell me that it was totally fine whatever grade I got. He was so chilled out.

"He is completely selfless. Every time I fly back home he comes and gets me at the airport. He is really great. We are so lucky to have him and have him as our dad growing up. He always was and continues to be our biggest supporter."

Leah says she owes her success to the confidence her dad gave her growing up.

"The amount of self-belief that he instilled in me growing up was amazing," she adds. "That is really unique. It was only as I've got older that I've realised how much natural self-belief I have. He really made me believe anything was possible. We grew up in a working-class household in Derry and he had me believing that I was going to be able to go on and do everything that I have done and more. He really instilled a self-confidence in me that I could achieve my dreams.

"He did that and he is still my biggest supporter and my biggest encourager.

"In business, a lot of people listen to professional motivational speakers, but I literally grew up in a household where that was my every day. My dad would tell me I was amazing.

"And now, that is just naturally how I think and I don't see anything as beyond unachievable. He made me a really positive and confident person."

She says that she and her health-obsessed dad have similar traits.

"I think that we share the same sense of humour," she says. "I think I am funny like him. He is very loyal and honest and I have those traits also. He would be very laid back. I don't know if I'm as laid back as him. I am a bit more of an organiser and a planner."

She says this Father's Day she wants to tell her father that he is "the best dad in the world".

"My dad is my hero," she says. "Everything that I have achieved in my life is because of him, because of the grounding, encouragement and support he has given me and continues to give me.

"On Father's Day I would want to thank him for being the best dad in the world. I would tell him that everything I have achieved in life I owe to him. I want to thank him so much."

'He is very intelligent and has a wonderful sense of humour'

One of the most recognisable faces on TV, Claire McCollum (45), lives in Whiteabbey with husband Alastair and their two children Samuel (12), and 10-year-old Rosa.

Her father Sam (78), who lives in Jordanstown, suffers from Parkinson's disease.

Claire says he is a wonderful, gently spoken man who gave her and her sister the best start in life.

"Dad was so lovely growing up," she says. "He is just such a mild-mannered man, he always was. He is and was a wonderful father, not strict at all. He was firm but fair.

"He never really had to be firm, though. My sister Kelly and I were such wonderful children. But we knew when we stepped out of line, because he would have just gone quiet. He wasn't a shouty type at all. He would give us a look and we would know that we had to get back into line.

"Dad just lived for his family and worked hard all his life. We enjoyed lovely holidays together. He and my mum are a great partnership.

"Dad has a wonderful sense of humour and I share that with him. Dad has Parkinson's so some things have been taken away from him in recent years, but he still enjoys slapstick humour, like me.

"Dad is a very intelligent and creative man. He is great with his hands. He would have built model airplanes and flew with the Ulster Model Aircraft Club.

"He once flew a plane across Belfast Lough to raise money for charity.

"He had a workshop down in our garage and I used to love going down there with him and going out to Nutts Corner where he flew his model planes.

"He is very talented and a lovely gentleman and a man of moderation. I can't speak highly enough of my father, but then we are always biased about our own dad."

Claire says the most profound advice her dad gave her was to treat others as she would wish to be treated.

"I think the best advice he gave me was to really follow his example of moderation," she says. "He always told me to be kind to the people around you. His motto was always 'do onto others as you would have them do onto you'. And that is how I would try and live my life, to treat people the way I would want to be treated.

"He is just a really great guy. The Parkinson's is compromising a lot of dad's wonderful qualities, but he is still very much in there and every so often there is a lovely chink of light.

"My dad is a hero to me, without a doubt.

"Both my parents are my heroes. They have been a wonderful example of how to live for your family and do your best.

"If I could tell my dad one thing this Father's Day it would be that I love him and he is wonderful.

"I always say that he set a wonderful example to both Kelly and I.

"I would say thank you to him."Leo Varadkar has said removing the border backstop would be as bad for Ireland as a no-deal Brexit.

Some contenders to replace Theresa May as prime minister, including front runner Boris Johnson, have proposed changes to the policy.

The EU has said the Withdrawal Agreement  including the backstop  is not up for renegotiation.

Expand Close The Taoiseach said the backstop was a legal guarantee (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Taoiseach said the backstop was a legal guarantee (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Irish premier told RTEs Marian Finucane programme: Its a legal guarantee and legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard border again.

The difficulties we have with a time limit is effectively you are saying there will or could be a hard border once that time limit expires  that isnt a backstop.

What we are open to, and always have been open to, is alternative arrangements that perhaps could avoid a hard border, through procedures and technologies and so on.

What we expect  and I dont think its unreasonable  we want to see that fleshed out, we want to see it exist, it demonstrated before we are willing to give up the backstop.

What people are saying is 'give up the backstop' ... in return for something that doesn't yet exist but might exist in the futureLeo Varadkar

Mrs Mays erstwhile Democratic Unionist Party backers are adamant they cannot support any EU withdrawal deal which includes a backstop with no time limit.

The Taoiseach added: What people are saying is give up the backstop  which we know will work legally and operationally  in return for something that doesnt yet exist but might exist in the future.

I cant do that to the border communities.

Some Conservatives are concerned anything that keeps the UK tied to Europe after Brexit may hinder the ability to strike trade deals with other countries.

An extension to the period before the UK leaves the EU ends in the autumn.

Mr Johnson has claimed it is perfectly realistic to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow the UK to leave in October.The family of a Co Armagh woman missing for 10 days is watching and waiting anxiously as search teams scour a river for her.

Dolores Hughes (62), a grandmother and mother-of-four, was last seen in the Moy area of Co Tyrone last Wednesday, June 5.

Police and volunteer rescue teams began searching a nine-mile stretch of the Blackwater River the day after she went missing.

This followed reports that a woman had been seen entering the water.

A red Audi A3, which Mrs Hughes was driving on the day she was last seen, was also discovered close to the river.

Her family has been at the riverside every day since the intensive search began.

Mrs Hughes is from the Grange, a rural area just outside Armagh city, and the community has been rallying round to help.

On Tuesday parishioners packed the Church of St Colmcille, Knockaconey, where a special Mass was said for her.

Local SDLP councillor Eamon McNeill said it has been a very difficult and uncertain time for the family.

"My thoughts are with them and the search and rescue teams and we hope they will have a successful outcome," he said.

The Community Rescue Service said the search had been made more difficult by the recent heavy rain, which resulted in a very strong current most of the week.

It added: "There is also a massive amount of trees and undergrowth which are additional challenges. The consensus of opinion is that the lady may have entered the water which is why we are concentrating on it."

Lough Neagh Rescue Service has also been assisting in the search, with a water rescue technician concentrating on the shallows at the Lough Neagh end ot the river.

Police dogs and those from the Search and Rescue Dogs Association are also being deployed in the hunt, as is underwater sonar equipment.The dog was cleaned up and placed in the care of the local council.

A dog had a concrete block chained around its neck and thrown in a Co Tyrone canal.

Police described the attack as "disgusting".

It happened in the Coalisland area police said on Friday.

In a Facebook post police said the dog was found by council officials.

"A disgusting attack on a defenceless dog in Coalisland," they said.

"Council Enforcement Officers found and rescued this Samoyed weighed down in the canal with a chain round its neck and a concrete block weighing it down to trap it in the water.

"The dog has now been cleaned up and is being looked after by Mid Ulster Rehoming Centre for Dogs

"If you know anything about this dog or how it came to be in the canal call 028 8773 8861."New information has been received by police investigating the disappearance of a Co Down man, a senior detective has revealed.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery was speaking yesterday as an underwater search was carried out for 55-year-old William McCormick, known as Pat.

He was last seen in Comber on May 30. Police believe he was murdered.

Two weeks on from his disappearance, police carried out a media appeal and traffic stop in Comber. Mr Montgomery said that, as a result, they have received new information.

Mr McCormick was last seen walking down Castle Street in Comber at around 10.45pm on May 30.

The 55-year-old's disappearance was changed to a murder inquiry after police reviewed the evidence.

Police sources said that officers had visited 137 premises and retrieved CCTV from each.

In some premises, police had downloaded up to 96 hours of footage.

Mr Montgomery revealed that police had conducted 15 searches in Comber and spoken to around 100 people, which had also provided new evidence.

Police were still trying to locate Mr McCormick's clothes, his iPhone SE and his Ben Sherman watch, the officer said.

Yesterday, police searched a lake and wetland on the outskirts of Comber in the search for the missing father of four.

The underwater search with a specialist team was carried out at Castle Espie Wetlands.

It is understood that a "significant route search" will be carried out today in the Comber area with the help of the Community Rescue Team.

Earlier, in a direct appeal to those responsible, Mr Montgomery said: "I have no doubt that in your life you have faced grief and buried love ones. I want you to think of Pat's family."SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has admitted to using drugs in the past.

The Foyle MLA said he had taken cannabis in his younger days, telling the Belfast Telegraph: "Yes I did, and yes I inhaled."

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It came after a series of high-profile British politicians publicly admitted to using drugs.

The string of admissions was sparked by Tory leadership hopeful Michael Gove confessing that he had taken cocaine on a number of occasions over two decades ago.

The Belfast Telegraph approached each of the main party leaders here asking if they had used drugs in the past.

Mr Eastwood (36) was the only one to answer yes.

Arlene Foster (DUP), Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Fein), Naomi Long (Alliance), Robin Swann (UUP) and Jim Allister (TUV) all replied in the negative.

Green Party leader Clare Bailey could not be reached for an answer.

Mr Eastwood, a married father-of-two, confirmed he had used cannabis when younger.

He said the focus of the drugs debate should instead be on its harmful effects on society here.

"While we're having this conversation, let's seriously discuss the major problem we have with addiction in communities across the North," he said.

"We have people forced into despair, their mental health damaged by the impact of drug, alcohol and substance addiction.

"Without an Executive or a Health Minister we're paralysed and unable to provide the comprehensive care and support that people really suffering in our communities need.

"Let's, as political leaders, step up to the mark and deliver on an issue that is tearing people, families and communities apart."

Last weekend Mr Gove admitted he was "fortunate" to avoid prison after using cocaine several times 20 years ago. He said he took the class A drug while working as a journalist.

A series of other Tory leadership hopefuls also admitted to drug use.

International Development Secretary Rory Stewart has already apologised for smoking opium - a class A drug in the UK - at a wedding in Iran 15 years ago.

Boris Johnson, the favourite to succeed Theresa May as Conservative Party leader, was asked about claims he had taken cocaine at university by Marie Claire magazine in 2008.

He replied: "That was when I was 19."

Andrea Leadsom told the Independent that she "smoked weed at university" but had "never smoked it again since".

Dominic Raab has previously admitted smoking cannabis, while Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had drunk a cannabis lassi while backpacking through India, and Esther McVey said she had tried cannabis when she was "much younger".

Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Theresa Villiers, who is not running for party leader, confessed to smoking cannabis in her past.

Ms Villiers said she "had about three attempts of cannabis at university, only the last time I managed to inhale and was sick".

"So I never touched it again and wouldn't recommend to anyone else," she added.

She made the admission as a panellist on Thursday's BBC Question Time during which two Welsh politicians - Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price and Labour MP Stephen Kinnock - admitted to drug-taking in their youth.

Other party leaders here confirmed they had never taken illegal drugs.

Jim Allister said: "No, I have not, but I am addicted to plain speaking. Drugs ruin lives and the current bizarre direction the Tory leadership election has taken does nothing to help solve a problem which has led to countless deaths."

Mrs Long, the newly-elected MEP, said: "I've never taken any illegal substances.

"In fact, I've never even smoked a cigarette.

"I've lived a rather sheltered life."

Sinn Fein said: "No. She (Mrs O'Neill) has never used illegal drugs."

The Ulster Unoinist Party said: "Robin Swann has never taken any illegal drugs."

And a DUP press officer said: "Arlene Foster has confirmed that she has never taken any illegal drugs."The case was adjourned to July 5 for sentence-specific probation reports, with both men facing a maximum of 12 months' imprisonment (stock photo)

Two self-appointed so-called paedophile catchers who received suspended prison sentences for intimidating a journalist, have been found guilty of assaults and disorderly behaviour during 'sting operations'.

Richard Brian Curtis (33), of Albert Road, Carrickfergus, and Tim Heron (29), of Cloverhill Vale, Bangor, denied charges of unlawful assault, and using disorderly behaviour at Glengall Street, Belfast, on January 16 2018. They also denied unlawfully assaulting three people, and using disorderly behaviour at Inn Road, Ballymacateer, Dollingstown, on February 4, 2018.

Curtis also denied charges he assaulted an individual on November 23, 2017, and that he used disorderly behaviour at Kenlis Street, Banbridge, on January 13, 2018 during two other vigilante sting operations.

Both received three years' suspended imprisonment earlier this year, for disorderly behaviour and obstructing a road in South Belfast, for attempting to intimidate BBC journalist Kevin Magee in February 2018.

They followed Mr Magee, who had previously interviewed another member of their group for a television documentary.

At Laganside Magistrates Court yesterday, the court heard the so-called 'predator catchers' created fake profiles on dating websites described as 'decoys' to find their targets, and suggested meeting places where they could surround them.

In each incident, the group called police and waited until officers arrived. Curtis and Heron did not deny any of the facts of the case, but contested the charges on the basis they were making citizen's arrests.

The prosecutor reminded the court that a citizen's or summary arrest required the criteria that there were 'reasonable grounds for the necessity' for one, and that it was 'not reasonably practicable for police to make the arrest' at the time.

Judge Brady agreed they did not show the requirements for a citizen's arrest, and added: "This is a civilised society, we cannot have vigilante groups doing this."

She convicted both men on all counts.

The case was adjourned to July 5 for sentence-specific probation reports, with both men facing a maximum of 12 months' imprisonment.Boris Johnson gives an interview to Radio 4s World at One, just after Matt Hancock quit the race

Boris Johnson has said the Irish backstop problems could be solved by having checks away from the border.

The former Foreign Secretary said it is "perfectly realistic" to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow the UK to leave the EU in October.

Read More

He said he was committed to the October 31 exit date, adding: "There is a clear way that the now effectively defunct Withdrawal Agreement can be disaggregated - the good bits of it can be taken out."

Mr Johnson is the clear front-runner in the race to be new Conservative leader.

Yesterday, in his first broadcast interview of the contest, he agreed to take part in a BBC debate - but suggested he would miss one hosted by Channel 4 - amid accusations that he was hiding from the media.

And he denied using cocaine since a "single inconclusive event" more than 30 years ago.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World At One programme, Mr Johnson said the "fundamental flaw" in the current Withdrawal Agreement is the Irish backstop, and claimed that a solution could be found.

"In the meantime, it's absolutely crucial to prepare for no-deal and I don't share the deep pessimism of some people about the consequences of no-deal," he said.

"That's not to say that I don't think there will be some difficulties that need to be addressed and we must make sure that we can address them."

Asked how he would solve the border problem, he said: "Those problems are easily capable of solution, as I think the [European] Commission has said in the past, with maximum facilitation techniques and, after all, at the moment you already have goods conforming to different standards."

On the televised debates, he said it was "important that we have a sensible grown-up debate".

"My own observation is that, in the past, when you've had loads of candidates, it can be slightly cacophonous, and I think the public have had quite a lot of blue-on-blue action, frankly, over the last three years."

It came after he was criticised for a lack of media appearances, with his rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, accusing him of hiding from the media and preventing a wider debate in the Tory Party.

Mr Hunt told the BBC: "We can only have that debate if our front-runner in this campaign is a little bit braver in terms of getting out into the media and actually engaging in debates. Engaging in the TV debates."

Mr Johnson also defended his record as foreign secretary, including his handling of the case of British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is imprisoned in Iran.

He said: "If you point the finger of blame at me or at anybody who has tried as I did to get Nazanin out then I think you are unintentionally exculpating the people who are really responsible and that is the Iranian Revolution[ary] Guard."

Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that he had withdrawn from the Tory leadership race as candidates seek a way to defeat front-runner Mr Johnson.

Mr Hancock, who secured 20 votes in the first ballot of the contest on Thursday, said the party is looking for a candidate for the "unique circumstances that exist now".

He tweeted: "I have decided to withdraw from the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.

"I will now look for the best way to advance the values we fought for."

Candidates need to secure 33 votes in the second ballot on Tuesday in order to continue in the contest.

Mr Johnson was the clear winner in the first ballot with 114 votes - 71 votes ahead of his nearest rival, Mr Hunt.A church minister has acknowledged there are "unanswered questions" about the tragic death of a pensioner in Portadown.

Victor Pickering (84) was discovered dead at his home in Levaghery Close on Wednesday by a friend who had gone to check on him.

The visitor is understood to have smelt gas fumes after peering through the letter box and alerted emergency services.

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Mr Pickering's wife Betty, who is in her 80s, was in the house at the time. She is being treated at Craigavon Area Hospital.

Mr Pickering's funeral will take place on Tuesday.

The Rev Robin Brown is minister of First Portadown Presbyterian Church, where the couple were regular worshippers.

He said the priority is the "ongoing pastoral care of Betty, who remains ill in hospital, and practical support for son Paul as he returns home later today to begin to finalise plans for his father's funeral".

Paul Pickering, the couple's only child, was on holiday when the tragedy took place.

Mr Brown said it was "a great shock and a cause of much sadness" to learn of Mr Pickering's death.

"As far as I know, there are unanswered questions about what occurred in the family home and a police investigation is continuing," he added.

He described Mr Pickering as a much-loved and highly-respected member of the church.

"Victor and Betty were regularly at morning and evening worship and midweek meetings until age and infirmity restricted their mobility," he added.

"I was last visiting in their home in March and they were with us at an evening service around two months ago."

Neighbours of the couple have been expressing their shock and sadness.

They were described by one man as "living for each other", while another person described them as "quiet, private people" and "really good neighbours".

Mr Pickering was an honorary life member and former secretary of First Portadown BB Old Boys' Association.

Portadown UUP councillor Kenneth Twyble said he had known Mr Pickering for a lifetime and was "heartbroken" at his death.

He said: "I always found him to be a most gracious and humble man who gave a lifetime of service to young people, mainly through the Boys' Brigade and the wider church."

Police said they are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death.

Detective Chief Inspector Eamonn Corrigan said: "At this stage we do not believe anyone else was involved in this incident."

A private interment will take place followed by a service of thanksgiving for the life of Mr Pickering in the church on Tuesday at noon.

Mr Pickering is survived by his wife Betty, son Paul, daughter-in-law Kate, sister Lila, brother-in-law Randall and family circle.The aftermath of the caravan blaze on Lagmore Avenue yesterday

A west Belfast mother whose home was severely damaged in an arson attack has said she would be dead if her neighbour had not come to her rescue.

The Lagmore Avenue resident had fallen asleep on the sofa at around 12am yesterday.

A short time later she was woken by the frantic screams of a neighbour who managed to gain access to the property and drag her out as a caravan burned in the driveway.

"The flames were roaring," the mum-of-two recalled.

"It went up like a matchbox; someone must have poured petrol all over it.

"The whole driveway was ablaze. My neighbour saved my life."

The 47-year-old's house was badly scorched in the blaze that destroyed the unoccupied caravan.

The front windows of the property cracked and melted in the intense heat, which allowed smoke to billow inside and cause extensive damage.

"It all happened so quick," the woman added.

"I'm just so thankful that my neighbour got me and the wee dog out.

"Jacko usually barks if someone comes up the driveway but he didn't make a peep."

The 15-year-old Jack Russell has also been left badly shaken following the attack, which caused damage to her neighbour's home.

"The lady next door lives there with her husband and three kids," she said.

"One of them is a wee baby who had to be woken up.

"They were terrified of the flames, which were going up into the rafters.

"The entire street could have gone up."

The woman, who lives with her 23-year-old daughter, said the damage would have been worse if there had been a gas canister in the caravan.

"Thankfully there wasn't or the whole thing would have exploded," she added.

She believes those responsible were targeting someone else.

However, she is now considering her options before she meets with housing officers on Monday.

"It's mad around here and it's only getting worse," she said.

"There's a big problem with drugs, which is affecting so many young people. I think a lot of people will move out of this area. I'm going to be seriously weighing up my future over the next couple of days."

The PSNI said police received a report that a caravan was on fire at around 1.30am yesterday before they attended the scene with a Fire and Rescue Service crew.

"NIFRS has deemed this to be deliberate, and so we are treating it as arson at this time," it added.

"This was a reckless act and it's fortunate no one was injured."

Sinn Fein councillor Daniel Baker condemned the attack which he said could have ended in tragedy.

"Residents are shocked and angry," he said.

"If it wasn't for the fast actions of neighbours who raised the alarm we would have had a very different outcome this morning.

"The quick response from the emergency services saved properties from catching fire."

People in the area spoke of their shock. One branded the attack as "disgraceful".

The victim added: "It was such a scary night, it could have been such different scenes if the neighbours weren't so brilliant in helping us."

Detectives have appealed for anyone with information or who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area to contact police on 101, quoting reference 69 of 14/06/19.RTHK: Indonesia turns back containers of US waste

Indonesia has returned five containers of rubbish to the United States and will not become a "dumping ground", officials said on Saturday, the latest Southeast Asian country to return imported waste.

The containers were supposed to contain only paper scrap, according to the customs documents. Instead they were loaded with other waste including bottles, plastic waste, and diapers, said senior environment ministry official Sayid Muhadhar.

"This is not appropriate and we don't want to be a dumping ground," Muhadhar said.

The five containers  owned by a Canadian company  were shipped from Seattle in the United States to Indonesia's second biggest city Surabaya in late March, Muhadhar said.

It was not immediately clear where the rubbish originated from.

Indonesia is currently examining several other containers in Jakarta's port and the city of Batam on the island of Sumatra.

It is the latest country to return imported rubbish after neighbouring Malaysia vowed to ship back hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste last month.

The Philippines has ordered tonnes of garbage dumped in the country to be shipped back to Canada, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries.

For years China received the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world, but closed its doors to foreign refuse last year in an effort to clean up its environment. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-06-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.Howard Hughes of the Air Accident Investigation Unit at the scene

The remains of the crashed light aircraft in Co Kildare

Two friends have been found dead after an horrific incident in which their small plane crashed into a remote field.

An investigation is under way into the fatal crash near Athy, Co Kildare, on Thursday evening which claimed the lives of James Price (70) and Aidan Rowsome (58).

The two men, who were both pilots, were the only passengers on board the single engine BRM NG5 aircraft when it failed to return to Kilrush airfield.

The aircraft had taken off from the runway at around 7pm, and was due to land at the same airfield later that evening.

However, the families of both men became concerned when they failed to return home.

Gardai were alerted at around 1am yesterday morning and a major emergency response was launched involving the Marine Coordination Centre, the Irish Coast Guard and Air Traffic Control (ATC).

A location for the plane's last known position was identified by ATC controllers, who recorded the aircraft as being near the Belan area of Athy, Kildare at around 7.20pm on Thursday evening.

A ground search involving gardai was carried out while the Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116, was also dispatched.

The airplane's wreckage was discovered at around 4.30am, along with the two deceased.

Rescuers said there was no debris at the scene or any immediate indication as to why the craft might have crashed.

"It looked like the craft just literally dropped out of the sky, like a stone", one said.

Airplane enthusiast Mr Price, from Balinteer in Co Dublin and Mr Rowsome, from Kildare town, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A senior source said that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash and that a lengthy investigation would be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU).

It is understood that so far no witnesses have come forward and investigators may have to rely primarily on the wreckage itself to establish the cause of the fatal crash.

The aircraft, a single engine BRM NG5, has been described as a "very new and very modern" aircraft.

Kildare Superintendent Martin Walker said that the bodies of both men have since been moved to Naas General Hospital where post-mortems would be carried out.An RAF Chinook helicopter at the River Steeping where it burst its banks near Wainfleet

Hundreds of homes have been evacuated in a Lincolnshire town following severe flooding, as the local MP has said residents are by no means out of the woods yet.

Residents in at least 590 homes in Wainfleet and Thorpe Culvert have been told to leave as waters continued to surge on Saturday.

The town first flooded on Wednesday after more than two months worth of rain fell in two days, causing the River Steeping to burst its banks.

On Friday, three RAF helicopters dropped 270 one-tonne sandbags in an attempt to repair the bank.

Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness, Matt Warman, told the Press Association on Saturday evening that the Environment Agency is in the process of putting together two pumps that will start taking away some quantities of water, but he was unsure when they would be up and running.

Expand Close Matt Warman warned there was still the potential for risk to homes and lives. (Joe Giddens/PA Wire) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Matt Warman warned there was still the potential for risk to homes and lives. (Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

He also suggested the body and other authorities may need to consider in future what could have been done better to prevent the deluge, but ultimately, that level of water was always going to cause problems.

Mr Warman also praised the multi-agency response to the flooding.

He added: In terms of the response, we have seen an incredible working together of the agencies.

Local people should keep an eye on the police because there is still the potential for risk to homes and lives.

But in the long term, it will always just be a huge thank you.

Lincolnshire Police have shared a list of more than 100 postcodes, all in the PE23 and PE24 area, where evacuations are possible.

Big shout out to our staff who have been mobilised with our High Volume Pump to help out @LincsFireRescue with the flooding that his hit the county over the last couple of days #Lincolnshire pic.twitter.com/la0B01NWkv  South Yorkshire Fire (@SYFR) June 15, 2019

The force said on Saturday afternoon: Some occupiers in this area were advised to leave in this area yesterday. Our advice still remains and has been extended to around 300 homes (in addition to the 290 already advised and assisted to evacuate).

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are assisting with the evacuations.

They said: HM Coastguard is assisting other emergency services and authorities in Lincolnshire this afternoon in response to further flooding.

On Saturday June 15th, HM Coastguard is assisting with the evacuation of approximately 300 properties in Wainfleet.

Three Coastguard rescue teams are on scene through the afternoon and the teams which are responding are from Mablethorpe, Skegness and Wrangle in Lincolnshire.An oil tanker on fire in the sea of Oman (ISNA/AP/PA)

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has hit back at Jeremy Corbyn after the Labour leader accused the Government of fuelling conflict with Iran.

Mr Corbyn said Britain should not be stoking a military escalation in the Gulf without credible evidence Iran was behind the attacks on two oil tankers which dramatically heightened tensions in the region.

In response, Mr Hunt  who has said it was almost certain Tehran was behind the attacks  accused him of persistently failing to stand up for British interests and British allies.

Pathetic and predictable. From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests? https://t.co/8JyGz7T4Yx  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 15, 2019

Pathetic and predictable, he tweeted.

From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests?

In a statement, the Foreign Office said no other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible for the incident.

It was broadly in line with the assessment of the United States which has firmly blamed Iran  a claim which Tehran denies.

Expand Close Jeremy Corbyn has accused the Government of fuelling tensions in the Gulf (David Mirzoeff/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Mr Corbyn tweeted: Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement.

Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the Governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.

Mr Corbyns comments were echoed by shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who said US hardliners like national security adviser John Bolton were trying to engineer regime change in Iran.

These are extremely dangerous developments and we really have to pause and think about where we are going next, she told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Expand Close Donald Trump has blamed Tehran for the attacks, saying Iran did do it (Jose Luis Magana/AP/PA) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald Trump has blamed Tehran for the attacks, saying Iran did do it (Jose Luis Magana/AP/PA)

The idea that we are going to get enmeshed in another war is really something we need to think about very carefully. What we do not want is British forces being drawn into a conflict of that size.

We have got to give up on this idea that if the United States decides to go into war  especially one engineered by the likes of John Bolton and the neo-cons  we have to stop and say there are times when we just dont follow.

Harold Wilson did that with Vietnam and said no to the Americans. We made a dreadful mistake when it came to Iraq and we must not make the same mistake again.

The US has sought to back up its claims, releasing footage on Friday said to show an unexploded mine being removed from one of the tankers by Iranian special forces.

President Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran did do it.

I guess one of the mines didnt explode and its probably got essentially Iran written all over it, he said.

Mr Hunt said Britains assessment leads us to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran.

These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region, he said.An oil tanker on fire in the Gulf of Oman following an alleged Iranian attack (ISNA/AP/PA)

Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of virulent anti-Americanism after he blamed Britain and the United States for stoking conflict with Iran.

The Labour leader said Britain should not be fuelling a military escalation in the Gulf without credible evidence Iran was behind attacks on two oil tankers which dramatically heightened tensions in the region.

His comments were denounced as pathetic by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. who accused him of consistently failing to stand up for the interests of Britain and its allies.

Arriving for a Tory leadership hustings in London, he cited Mr Corbyns reluctance to denounce Russia over the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter.

For Jeremy Corbyn its all Americas fault. This is the same man by the way who refused to condemn Putin after the Salisbury Novichok attacks, he said.

Im afraid this shows that Labour is in the grip of virulent anti-Americanism that will be incredibly dangerous for our country if they ever took control.

Pathetic and predictable. From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests? https://t.co/8JyGz7T4Yx  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 15, 2019

Britain had broadly backed the US assessment that Iran was responsible for the explosions on Thursday on two tankers sailing through the Gulf of Oman  a claim Tehran strongly denies.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said no other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible for the incident.

In response, Mr Corbyn tweeted: Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement.

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Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the Governments rhetoric will only increase the threat of war.

Mr Corbyns comments were echoed by shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who said US hardliners like national security adviser John Bolton were trying to engineer regime change in Iran.

These are extremely dangerous developments and we really have to pause and think about where we are going next, she told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

The idea that we are going to get enmeshed in another war is really something we need to think about very carefully. What we do not want is British forces being drawn into a conflict of that size.

We have got to give up on this idea that if the United States decides to go into war  especially one engineered by the likes of John Bolton and the neo-cons  we have to stop and say there are times when we just dont follow.

Expand Close Donald Trump has blamed Tehran for the attacks, saying Iran did do it (Jose Luis Magana/AP/PA) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald Trump has blamed Tehran for the attacks, saying Iran did do it (Jose Luis Magana/AP/PA)

Harold Wilson did that with Vietnam and said no to the Americans. We made a dreadful mistake when it came to Iraq and we must not make the same mistake again.

The US has sought to back up its claims, releasing footage on Friday said to show an unexploded mine being removed from one of the tankers by Iranian special forces.

President Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran did do it.

I guess one of the mines didnt explode and its probably got essentially Iran written all over it, he said.

Foreign Office sources denied a report by the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, that the British ambassador in Tehran Robert Macaire had be summoned to a meeting with a senior Iranian diplomat to complain at Britains support for the US position.

Mr Hunt said Britains assessment leads us to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran.

These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region, he said.A day of violence saw two teenagers killed within minutes of each other in different parts of London while a man was stabbed to death hours later.

Three men were also stabbed in a separate attack during a weekend of violence in the capital.

Scotland Yard said a man in his 30s died after he was stabbed in east London on Saturday afternoon.

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Police officers and London Ambulance Service attended reports of an injured man at Alton Street, Tower Hamlets, just before 2pm.

He was pronounced dead at the scene  a field next to a childrens nursery and a mosque  some 40 minutes later and police began inquiries to notify his next of kin.

A crime scene has been established, there have been no arrests and officers retain an open mind as to the motive for the stabbing, the Met said.

I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth & Greenwich. Anybody who has information about what happened should do the right thing and call the police, either on 101 or anonymously, through @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 https://t.co/yqHPMVQvzt  Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 14, 2019

The force said 14 people  including several boys and a girl  have been arrested in connection with three other incidents, two of which happened on Friday afternoon and the other in the early hours of Saturday morning.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was sickened following the deaths of the two teenage boys.

Emergency services were called to Deeside Road in Wandsworth, south-west London, at 4.42pm on Friday where the first victim  aged 18  was found stabbed.

The victim died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified, with a post-mortem examination due to be held.

Expand Close Flowers left near to the scene in Deeside Road, Wandsworth (Emma Bowden/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Flowers left near to the scene in Deeside Road, Wandsworth (Emma Bowden/PA)

Six males  aged between 16 and 19  were later arrested and taken to separate west London police stations for questioning.

Marina Paget, 22, who lives in the area, told the Press Association: I walked past at 2.30pm and I didnt see anything, but when I came back from work at 5.30pm it was all going on.

I walked past I saw what looked like the body on the floor covered in a bag and there were 50 people around, loads of people, two or three ambulances.

In a second incident, at 4.54pm, armed police were called to Hartville Road in Plumstead, to reports of a shooting.

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The victim, aged 19, was found with critical injuries.

The London Ambulance and the London Air Ambulance attended, but the teenager died at the scene a short while later.

The victim has yet to be formally identified and police were working to notify his next of kin.

Three boys and a girl, all aged between 16 and 17, were later arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to separate south London police stations for questioning.

At around 3.22am on Saturday, police were called to Bedford Road in Clapham following reports of a fight.

Expand Close Three men were found suffering from stab and slash injuries in Clapham (Emma Bowden/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Three men were found suffering from stab and slash injuries in Clapham (Emma Bowden/PA)

Three men were found with stab and slash injuries. The condition of two of the men is unknown, while the third has injuries which are not life-threatening or life-changing.

Four men were arrested in connection with the incident  two for violent disorder, one accused of carrying a bladed instrument and another for possession of a Taser  and have been taken into custody at a south London police station.

Mr Khan said: I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth and Greenwich.

Our overstretched police are working around the clock to keep Londoners safe. They need our support to end this scourge of violence.

Anybody who has information about what happened either in Wandsworth or Greenwich should do the right thing and call the police.

In a statement, the Met said bearing down on violent crime in the capital remains their top priority but appealed to the public for information about people carrying knives.

The force added: Teams across the city are working tirelessly  day and night  to identify and pursue offenders, help bring perpetrators to justice, take weapons off the street, support victims, engage and reassure the public, and keep our communities safe.

However, the police cannot solve this problem alone. The police, our partners and the public must work together to deal with knife crime and prevent further lives being lost.

Communities have a vital role to play in tackling violent crime. We want to hear from anyone who may have information about people who may carry knives or firearms, or who are involved in organised drug crime and violence.Police officers near to the scene in Deeside Road in Wandsworth, south-west London (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Police are investigating after two teenagers were killed within minutes of each other on the streets of London on Friday evening.

Emergency services were called to Deeside Road in Wandsworth, south-west London, at 4.42pm were the first victim  believed to be in his late teens  was found stabbed.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene.

I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth & Greenwich. Anybody who has information about what happened should do the right thing and call the police, either on 101 or anonymously, through @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 https://t.co/yqHPMVQvzt  Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 14, 2019

The victim has yet to be formally identified and a post-mortem will be held in due course, the Met said.

Six males were later arrested and taken to separate west London police stations for questioning.

Just a few minutes later at 4.54pm, armed police were called to Hartville Road in Plumstead, to reports of a shooting.

The victim, also believed to be in his late teens, was found with critical injuries.

The London Ambulance and the London Air Ambulance attended, but he died at the scene a short while later.

The victim has yet to be formally identified and police were working to notify his next of kin.

Three men and a woman were later arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to separate south London police stations for questioning.

The Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command is investigating both killings, and the force said residents can expect an enhanced police presence in the Wandsworth and Plumstead areas.

It urged anyone with any information on the two deaths to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth and Greenwich.

Our overstretched police are working around the clock to keep Londoners safe. They need our support to end this scourge of violence.

I am in close contact with the Metropolitan Police and locally elected representatives.

Anybody who has information about what happened either in Wandsworth or Greenwich should do the right thing and call the police.

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan said the suspected murder on Deeside Road was heartbreaking and absolutely tragic.

My heart goes out to the family of this victim after this absolutely tragic incident, she wrote on Twitter.

I spoke at length with people on the Aboyne Estate tonight, anyone with concerns can contact me  Im here to listen.

Sending love to the Tooting family tonight  this is heartbreaking.Donald Trumps dig at Sadiq Khan over the recent violence in London is the latest in a long-running spat between the pair.

The US president and mayor of Londons history of trading blows can be traced back to 2015, when Khan reacted to Trumps plan for a Muslim ban.

In December 2015, he said in a BBC interview he hoped Trump would lose the presidential election badly.

Roughly five months later, when Khan was elected mayor in May 2016, Trump laid on some unusual praise: If he does a great job, frankly that would be a terrific thing.

In comments reported by the New York Times, the future president also hinted Khan, a Muslim, would be exempt from the proposed ban.

But days later the relationship soured after Trump admitted he was offended by Khans comment that his views of Islam were ignorant.

When he won I wished him well, Trump told Good Morning Britain. Now, I dont care about him. It doesnt make any difference to me about him.

Expand Close Trump dished out some rare praise after Khan was elected mayor, but it only took a few days for the relationship to sour (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Trump dished out some rare praise after Khan was elected mayor, but it only took a few days for the relationship to sour (PA)

The feud intensified in the aftermath of the London Bridge attacks in June 2017, when a controversial tweet by Trump opened him up to widespread criticism.

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is no reason to be alarmed!, the president wrote.

Khans spokesman released a scathing rebuke, pointing out the comment was taken out of context.

The mayor had more important things to do than respond to Donald Trumps ill-informed tweet, he said.

Trump didnt stop there  he again responded: Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his no reason to be alarmed statement. MSM [mainstream media] is working hard to sell it!

Days later the mayor called for plans for a Trump state visit to be scrapped.

In July 2018 Trump eventually did travel to Britain  not on an official state visit  for a trip which marked the first public flight of the baby blimp.

The giant inflatable effigy of Trump flew over Parliament Square after Khans office granted the organisers permission.

On the eve of his visit, the president told The Sun Khan had done a very bad job on terrorism.

Expand Close The flames were stoked when Khans office gave approval for the Trump blimp to fly during the presidents first UK visit since his election (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp The flames were stoked when Khans office gave approval for the Trump blimp to fly during the presidents first UK visit since his election (PA)

After a year of relative silence, the spat resurfaced this month, June 2019, during Trumps official state visit to the UK.

Moments before he stepped off the plane, the president tweeted that Khan has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly nasty to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me.

He then misspelled the mayors name in a follow-up tweet, adding: Kahn reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job  only half his height.

In any event, I look forward to being a great friend to the United Kingdom, and am looking very much forward to my visit.

Trump then doubled down on his criticism during a press conference with Theresa May.

He could straighten out some of the problems that he has caused, Trump said of Khan.

Khan told the Press Association: Im not 12 years old in a playground, Im just surprised Donald Trump thinks he is.

Expand Close Tory leadership hopeful Boris Johnson, who has received praised from Trump, also once had a small run-in with the president (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Tory leadership hopeful Boris Johnson, who has received praised from Trump, also once had a small run-in with the president (PA)

He isnt the first London Mayor to have a run-in with Trump.

In 2015, the then mayor Boris Johnson hit back after Trump said London had areas so radicalised by Islam that police were afraid for their own lives.

Johnson responded: The only reason I wouldnt go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.Protesters take to the streets in Rio de Janeiro (AP)

Thousands of people filled the streets of Brazils main cities for the first general strike of far-right president Jair Bolsonaros administration over pension reforms and budget cuts.

The nationwide strike was called by Brazils unions and mainly targeted the pensions overhaul Mr Bolsonaro is currently pushing for in congress.

It follows massive protests in May against steep cuts to the public education system and discontent over an economic downturn.

In Rio, police launched tear gas at protesters who attempted to block Avenida Brasil, while residents of Sao Paulo awoke to find demonstrators burning tyres on the main Rodovia Anhanguera road. There were no reports of injuries.

Expand Close The pension reforms would mean a rise in the retirement age (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Authorities in Rio Grande do Sul said 76 people who participated in the protests had been detained, including 54 in the state capital of Porto Alegre.

Schools, banks and some public transportation shut down amid the protests.

While the crowds were not as large as in Mays education demonstration, the United Workers Central labour federation called the strike a success, claiming that 45 million people heeded its call not to work.

Mr Bolsonaros government, which took office on January 1 and has faced a series of protests by womens and indigenous groups as well as teachers and students, ignored the general strike.

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The pension reform would raise the retirement age to 65 for men and 62 for women and increase workers contributions. Under the current system, male and female workers can claim pension benefits after 30 to 35 years of contributions, respectively, meaning many can retire as early as 50 or 55.

Mr Bolsonaros government said the reform could save about one trillion reals (206 billion) and help save the troubled social security system from bankruptcy.

The proposal is currently being reviewed by a special commission in the lower house of congress. A previous pension reform bill, introduced by former president Michel Temer, managed to pass the commission and made it to the plenary, but was abandoned after nine months.

Protester Carolina Cacau said the plan would do away with retirement altogether.

It will make workers work until their death, she said.An oil tanker on fire in the Sea of Oman (ISNA/AP)

Crew members of the Norwegian-owned oil tanker that was attacked in the Gulf of Oman have landed in Dubai after two days in Iran.

Associated Press journalists saw the crew members of the MT Front Altair after their Iran Air flight from Bandar Abbas, Iran, landed in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

The Front Altair caught fire in the attack on Thursday, sending a thick cloud of black smoke visible even by satellite from space.

Expand Close Mariners from the MT Front Altair arrive at Dubai International Airport (Jon Gambrell/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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The US has blamed Iran for the attack, saying it suspects another limpet mine attack on oil tankers by Iran.

Tehran has denied being involved and accused the US of promoting an Iranophobic campaign against it.

The suspected attacks occurred at dawn Thursday about 25 miles off the southern coast of Iran.

The Front Altair, loaded with naphtha from the United Arab Emirates, radioed for help as its cargo of flammable chemicals caught fire.

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The Kokuka Courageous, carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, called for help a short time later.

The US Navy sent the USS Bainbridge, which picked up 21 mariners from the Kokuka Courageous.

Its crew members stayed overnight on the destroyer, returning to their vessel on Friday to help in it being towed.

Iran ended up taking the 23 mariners from the Front Altair.

They initially ended up in the port city of Jask before being taken to Bandar Abbas.

Its crew comprised 11 Russian, 11 Filipinos and one Georgian.

Expand Close The Kokuka Courageous, one of two oil tankers targeted in the Gulf of Oman, was taken to the United Arab Emirates eastern coast on Saturday (Jon Gambrell/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Kokuka Courageous, one of two oil tankers targeted in the Gulf of Oman, was taken to the United Arab Emirates eastern coast on Saturday (Jon Gambrell/AP)

On Saturday, the Kokuka Courageous arrived off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE.

That was the site of a similar suspected limpet mine attack in May on four other oil tankers.

Tensions have risen as Iran appears poised to break the nuclear deal, which US President Donald Trump withdrew from last year.

In the deal, Tehran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions.

Now, Iran is threatening to resume enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels if European nations do not offer it new terms to the deal by July 7.

Already, Iran says it quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium.

Expand Close A false-colour image from the European Commissions Sentinel-2 satellite shows the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair ablaze with smoke rising from it in the Gulf of Oman (European Commission/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Meanwhile, US sanctions have cut off opportunities for Iran to trade its excess uranium and heavy water abroad, putting Tehran on course to violate terms of the nuclear deal regardless.

In May, the US rushed an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the region in response to what it said were threats from Iran.

Iran previously used mines against oil tankers in 1987 and 1988 in the Tanker War when the US Navy escorted ships through the region.

The price of a barrel of benchmark Brent crude spiked as much as 4% immediately after the attack on Thursday, showing how critical the region remains to the global economy.US president Donald Trump has blamed Iran for attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but also expressed hope that implicit American threats to use force will bring the Islamic Republic back to the negotiating table.

Mr Trumps claim comes as the Pentagon considers beefing up defences in the Persian Gulf.

A day after explosions blew holes in two oil tankers just outside Irans territorial waters, rattling international oil markets, the US administration seemed caught between pressure to punish Iran and reassure Washingtons Gulf Arab allies without drawing America closer to war.

Iran did it, Mr Trump told Fox News Channels Fox & Friends.

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He did not offer evidence, but the US military released video it said showed Irans Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Tehran wanted to cover its tracks.

By pointing the finger at Iran, Mr Trump is keeping a public spotlight on an adversary he accuses of terrorism but has also invited to negotiate.

The approach is similar to his diplomacy with North Korea, which has quieted talk of war but not yet achieved his goal of nuclear disarmament.

Iran has shown little sign of backing down, creating uncertainty about how far the Trump administration can go with its campaign of increasing pressure through sanctions.

Iran denied any involvement in the attacks and accused Washington of waging an Iranophobic campaign of economic warfare.

Expand Close The US military revealed damage and a suspected mine on the Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman (US Central Command/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp The US military revealed damage and a suspected mine on the Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman (US Central Command/AP)

A US Navy team was aboard one of the tankers, the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, collected forensic evidence.

Apparently alluding to the US video, Mr Trump said Irans culpability had been exposed.

He did not say what he intended to do about it but suggested very tough US sanctions, including efforts to strangle Iranian oil revenues, would have the desired effect.

Mr Trump added: Theyve been told in very strong terms we want to get them back to the table.

Just a day earlier, the US president took the opposite view, tweeting that it was too soon to even think about making a deal with Irans leaders. They are not ready, and neither are we!

Last year, Mr Trump withdrew the United States from an international agreement to limit Irans nuclear programme that was signed in 2015 under his predecessor, Barack Obama.

He has since then reinstated economic sanctions aimed at compelling the Iranians to return to the negotiating table. Last month, the US ended waivers that allowed some countries to continue buying Iranian oil, a move that is starving Iran of oil income and that coincided with what US officials called a surge in intelligence pointing to Iranian preparations for attacks against US forces and interests in the Gulf region.

On May 5, the US announced it was accelerating the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group to the Gulf region. It also sent four nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Qatar and has beefed up its forces in the region by deploying more Patriot air defence systems.

The United Arab Emirates top diplomat said his country possesses evidence which indicates that recent attacks against oil tankers inside UAE waters were state-sponsored.

Foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan did not name the state, but said his country wants to work with other nations to prevent a further escalation of tensions in the region.

Sheikh Al Nahyan said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides that the UAE presented this evidence to the UN Security Council in a very technical, open and transparent manner.The Very Rev Dr Norman Hamilton is a former Presbyterian Moderator, who stepped down at last week's General Assembly from the position of Convenor of the Church's Council for Public Affairs

Q: Can you tell us about your background?

A: I was born in Magheralin in 1946. My dad, Lewis, worked in the shipyard on the administration side and my mum, Florrie, was at home all the time. I had no siblings. It was a happy, ordinary, working-class home, where Christian faith was quiet, but diligent. I am married to Evelyn, whom I met at Trinity College Dublin. We have one daughter, Julie, who is a maths teacher in Newcastle-on-Tyne.

My primary schools were in Magheralin and Lurgan and then Portadown College, before going to Trinity, where my main subject was economics.

Q: What about your early career?

A: After graduation, I was a career civil servant for seven years, before moving to be a staff worker with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship in England. Four years later, I came back to Belfast to study theology at Union College, before becoming assistant minister in Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church for six years. I migrated from there to Ballysillan Presbyterian in north Belfast, where I was minister for 26 years prior to retirement in 2014.

I have just stepped down at the end of May as a member of the Community Relations Council and I was hugely privileged to be honoured with an OBE in 2007 for services to community relations.

Q: How and when did you come to faith?

A: This happened shortly before I went to Trinity, but while at college my faith was gently taken apart and rebuilt on a much more satisfying base. My involvement there in the Christian Union opened up a thinking, structured and rational basis for being a follower of Christ - something I had really never encountered at all when attending church at home.

I try to allow my faith to shape everything I do every day, but, of course, not always living up to my own expectations.

Q: Have you ever had a crisis of faith or a gnawing doubt about your faith?

A: Not really, but I have been perplexed at times as to why some things happen in God's world. Brutal dictatorships, evil political alliances and some disasters can be very difficult to explain in the context of Christ's love for all people and God's sovereignty over the nations. Yet, these ever-present problems of suffering are not confined to those who have a Christian perspective. They are universally hard to handle, especially if you start with the premise that people are essentially good.

Q: Do you ever get criticised for your faith? And are you able to live with that criticism?

A: I am rarely criticised, but often directly challenged by others. I greatly welcome a good challenge, as it helps me think things through more rigorously. The probing questions of journalists, or the interrogation of a Stormont committee, to say nothing of the questions posed by many friends, these all help - a lot.

Q: Are you ever ashamed of your own Church or denomination?

A: I am never ashamed, for all of us and all institutions are flawed by the fall of humankind, as the Book of Genesis makes clear. I am on public record recently as saying that we come over as rather obsessed by a few issues of morality - and we almost totally ignore other major moral and ethical issues, which affect tens of thousands of people right across Ireland, north and south, and on which scripture has much guidance to give, such as the modern version of slavery through debt, the shame of failing to address homelessness, or the degrading curse of poverty.

Add to these issues such as sectarianism, paramilitarism and immigration policy. We are much too quiet. As I said in my speech to the Presbyterian General Assembly last week, we seem obsessed by a few issues.

Q: Are you afraid to die? Can you look beyond death?

A: I have no fear so far and those hymns that speak of the glory of sharing eternity with the risen Lord are so important to me. I love the songs of Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.

Q: Are you worried about hell?

A: No, because of the resurrection. And while I can't guess the detail of it, the prospect of it happening and entering eternity to be with the Lord is very energising.

Q: What do you think about people of other denominations and other faiths?

A: Every person is made in the image of God, so it is hugely important to me that nothing I say or do in any way demeans, or devalues, them. I recognise, however, that it is all too easy to stereotype others, especially in a society such as ours that has the doing of this down to a fine art.

Q: Would you be comfortable in stepping out from your own faith and trying to learn something from other people?

A: Absolutely.

Q: Do you think that the Churches here are fulfilling their mission?

A: "Mission" is a word that has little substantive meaning today. If we use it in a wide and full-bodied biblical sense of helping people come to faith in Christ, alongside caring for them in whatever situations they are in, irrespective of their response, then there is a good deal to be celebrated.

Yet, there is still what might be called a real "deficit" of evangelism in so many of our churches. Too often, we seem unable to explain what we believe and why we believe it and in a straightforward, gracious and coherent way.

Our ability to connect biblical truth with the real-life, day-to-day experience and aspirations of people, especially those under 30, is often very weak.

Q: Why are many people turning their back on organised religion?

A: Organised anything is no longer in vogue. People rarely "join" anything today, other than a club or group that provides a service to them for which they are willing to pay a fee. For example, less than a quarter of employees are members of a trade union and signed-up membership of the three major parties in the UK is a mere 1.6% of the electorate.

On the Church scene, I would also return to my comments to the question immediately above.

Q: Has religion helped, or hindered, the people of Northern Ireland?

A: I would draw a very clear distinction between religion and active Christian faith. One coffee chain even uses the slogan, 'We're religious about coffee'.

Yet, politically, in Ireland, north and south, God has historically been invoked as being on our side, whether in the phrase, 'For God and Ulster', or in the last paragraph of the republican proclamation in 1916, which declared: "We place the cause of the Irish Republic under the protection of the Most High God, whose blessing we invoke upon our arms."

It is extraordinarily hard to see just how the message of salvation through Jesus Christ has been advanced by such rhetoric.

Q: Some personal preferences - what is your favourite film, book and music, and why?

A: I love the Paddington films, because I identify so readily with the world's favourite bear trying to do the right thing, but often unable to make it work properly. The most influential book in recent years has been Professor Joan Williams' White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America. It could readily have been written on this side of the Atlantic. On the musical scene, I love happy music, whether classical or traditional jazz.

Q: Where do you feel closest to God?

A: Probably in places of isolated grandeur and beauty, such as Glenariff Forest in Co Antrim or Skomer Island in Wales, where thousands of puffins breed. And I hope to be there and see them again towards the end of this month.

Q: Have you any major regrets?

A: No major ones, except, perhaps, not taking up the offer to be taught to play the flute when I was visiting a specialist music college during my time with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship.In an age when many politicians try to dodge questions about their possible use of illegal drugs, full marks to SDLP leader Colum Eastwood after he admitted that as a young man he smoked cannabis.

His revelation came when this newspaper asked the main party leaders here if they had ever used illicit drugs. All apart from Mr Eastwood said "no".

Whatever you think of him for making such an admission, he deserves credit for his honesty. He also emphasised that more needs to be done to help people with addiction issues.

Honesty is a good quality in a politician. Mr Eastwood could have easily batted off the question and hoped that his youthful dabbling with cannabis would have remained a secret.

Instead, he turned the question into a means of trying to help others. It is praiseworthy that he is trying to highlight the blight of drugs in our society and asking for more help for those who are mired in addiction and drug use. He also rightly pointed to the lack of a Health Minister at Stormont, and urged political leaders to "deliver on an issue that is tearing people, families and communities apart".

Mr Eastwood is not the only politician to talk about drug issues this week. Michael Gove, a contender in the Tory leadership contest, had to deal with embarrassing revelations about his cocaine habit of some decades ago.

It should be pointed out that there is a vast difference between cannabis and a class A drug like cocaine. Mr Gove has also faced serious allegations of hypocrisy over what he said publicly as a minister and what he did in private.

However, these disclosures have raised another important issue, as to whether an individual's misjudgment in the distant past should preclude him or her from holding high office and entering the fray for the election of a Prime Minister.

Perhaps there is a lesson here that the older we all get, the more we realise that past mistakes do not have to be the end of the world, and with true repentance and regret we can move on to better things.At #jobcrystal, we always look for the best companies, and the best candidates, which together make the best matches. Better than Tinderby Giovanni Pang

Giovanni Pang also would like the Pope to pray for Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, also a Catholic, who "turns a blind eye to the outcry of Hong Kong citizens". Priests from Hong Kong, "especially those who are supportive and are close to the underground Church community in China, are at risk.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  A young man from Hong Kong, Giovanni Pang, has written to Pope Francis asking him to include the problems of the territory and the controversial extradition law in his prayers. His letter arrived last night. This morning, Hong Kongs Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, a Catholic, decided to suspend the draft bill, but there is no certainty that it will be permanently scrapped.

According to Pang, if the law were adopted, it would make the work of many priests who help unofficial communities in China dangerous, as they could be extradited to stand an unfair trial. He is concerned about "our future in this city".

Giovanni Pang Chenyu is one of the young Hongkongers who met Pope Francis at the Asian Youth Congress in Daejeon (South Korea) in 2014 (pictured). He was also one of the speakers at the 2018 AsiaNews Symposium on Young people who resist.

Your Holiness,

Please include Hong Kong in your prayers. The Chief Executive of HKSAR,[*] a fellow sister in Christ, Mrs. Carrie Lam, turns a blind eye to the outcry of Hong Kong citizens and proposes to pass the Extradition Bill in the Legislative Council. The bill is widely opposed as it might result in unjust surrenders of Hong Kong citizens to mainland China, which adopts a different juridical system from here. Worse still, should this bill be passed, the clergymen in Hong Kong, especially those who are supportive and are close to the underground Church community in China, would possibly be sent to the mainland for unfair trials.

Many Hong Kong citizens are now fighting against this unjust decision. On 9 June 2019, a million of them took to the street to demand the bill to be withdrawn. Yet, such strong voice was disregarded by the Hong Kong government. On 12 June 2019, the police even used excessive and unnecessary force against the unarmed protesters with rubber bullets and tear gas. As Catholics who are in grief and deeply concerned about our future in this city, we wish that Your Holiness will include Hong Kong in your prayer: praying that our almighty God will soon grant this piece of land justice, soften the heart of our fellow sister Carrie Lam, and keep our people safe from fear or harm. I have the honour to profess myself with the most profound respect. Your Holiness' most obedient and humble servant,

Giovanni Pang

[*] Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, June 14, 2019

Fellowships honour investigative journalists Corbett Hancey and Greg Mercer

OTTAWA, June 14, 2019 /CNW/ - The Telegraph-Journal has won the 2018 Michener Award for meritorious public service journalism for its 18-month series Sounding the Alarm.

The Saint John newspaper discovered a critical shortage of paramedics was forcing New Brunswick's ambulances to sit idle and unstaffed. It was an issue with life-and-death consequences: at least one person died.

"There were many stellar entries to the Micheners this year  powerful work which uncovered political corruption, gave voice to the voiceless, changed laws  but none more transformative than this series," said Alan Allnutt, president of the Michener Awards Foundation. "It was a major issue in the 2018 provincial elections and gave rise to a new government championing a wide-ranging overhaul of the ambulance system."

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, presented the Michener Award trophy to the Telegraph-Journal in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on June 14. The media outlet was among nine Canadian newsrooms honoured at the ceremony. The Michener Award honours, celebrates and promotes excellence in Canadian public service journalism that makes a significant impact on the public good.

"The Telegraph-Journal daily newspaper, published in Saint John since 1862, is small by many standards, with about 10 dedicated reporters and editors," noted Chief Judge Margo Goodhand. "But its team's dogged coverage, led by investigative reporter Michael Robinson, managed to place ambulance services front and centre as an election issue in the fall of 2018."

The series starts with the tale of citizens being loaded into cars by concerned onlookers because ambulances (parked minutes away) failed to arrive. And as the investigation progresses, pushing past both stonewalling and misleading data, it reveals skyrocketing overtime payments, injuries and mental-health issues on the front line. In announcing its overhaul of the ambulance system in 2018, the new government cited the Telegraph-Journal's coverage.

"This is an example of outstanding public service journalism," said Goodhand.

Michener Citations of Merit were presented to CBC Television News (The Fifth Estate); The Waterloo Region Record; St. Catharine's Standard; CBC North; APTN; and a joint citation to CBC/Toronto Star/Societe Radio-Canada.

CBC Television News: Unbuckled  School Bus SafetyIt's a question parents have asked for decades: Why don't school buses have seatbelts? For years, Transport Canada has claimed buses are actually safer without them. This Fifth Estate five-month investigation discovered flaws in its seatbelt 'science' and pivotal 1984 study which kept seatbelts off school buses across North America for more than 30 years. It constructed a database of dozens of studies and academic journals, and revealed that the school bus industry has lobbied against seatbelts to keep costs down. It discovered that Transport Canada itself concluded eight years ago that school buses with seatbelts would have prevented numerous deaths and thousands of injuries. Transport Minister Marc Garneau formed a task force to study the issue. The Ontario School Bus Association came out in favour of three-point seatbelts. And, starting Sept 1, 2020, seat belts will be mandatory on medium and large highway buses in Canada.

The Waterloo Region Record: Rubber TownThe Record's Greg Mercer spent months investigating the toxic legacy of Kitchener's once-booming rubber industry. He found a troubling pattern of workers who had been exposed to carcinogens and later diagnosed with cancer and other lung diseases, but whose claims for compensation were denied. Mercer used public records to show that 85 per cent of the claims for compensation were denied based on out-dated science, leaving some workers, widows and families of former rubber workers struggling financially. With rubber companies, their unions and many workers now gone, the newspaper became an advocate for these victims and their families. The series prompted Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to launch a formal review of more than 300 rubber workers' previously rejected claims for occupational disease. Now, thanks to the work of one reporter in a small newsroom, some of those claims are being accepted.

St. Catharines Standard: All the Chair's MenIn a year-long investigation, reporter Grant LaFleche uncovered a conspiracy to manipulate the hiring of the Niagara Region's top bureaucrat and a secret contract worth more than one million dollars. Leaked documents, confidential sources, encrypted emails  all the stuff of a modern movie thriller. But this wasn't fiction. The Standard's most ambitious investigation was a textbook example of dogged, relentless, digging by a reporter determined to shed light into the corners of the region's shady political business. Undaunted by intimidation and public criticism aimed at discrediting their reporting, LaFleche and his editors refused to back down and just kept digging. As a result, the more than 50 stories published triggered an ongoing Ontario Ombudsman's probe into the politics of the Niagara Region, and played a role in shaping the outcome of the 2018 municipal election.

The Toronto Star, CBC News, Societe Radio-Canada: The Implant FilesIn collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a team formed by the Toronto Star, CBC News and Radio-Canada exposed lax approval, regulation and oversight of Canada's medical device industry. Among the findings: devices continued to be implanted into Canadians years after being banned elsewhere due to health risks, and blanket secrecy around the public reporting of serious medical device incidents in Canada. Since 2008, defective implants have killed 1,400 Canadians and sickened another 14,000. Health Canada has approved the marketing of breast implants that are now associated with autoimmune diseases and a rare form of cancer. This project produced a database of more than 160,000 incident reports. Dozens of news and public affairs reports almost immediately resulted in the federal government announcing a comprehensive and ambitious reform of the regulatory system governing medical implants. As well, Health Canada moved to ban textured breast implants.

APTN: Life and Death in CareCBC North: Righting the Wrongs for Youth in Government Care Reporters at both CBC North and APTN unraveled Ariadne's thread as they tackled the issue of indigenous teens let down by the child welfare system in 2018. They followed a thread that started with one story, and ended up exposing systemic failures.Youths living in group homes operated by the Yukon government approached CBC North reporter Nancy Thomson with their stories of physical abuse and neglect. Her work eventually led to investigations by the department of Health and Social Services and by the Office of the Yukon Child Advocate. The Yukon government publicly apologized to the youths -- and the public -- for its failure to protect them, and announced a series of corrective measures. APTN reporters Kenneth Jackson and Martha Troian showed the same determination investigating the death of a 15-year-old from Poplar Hill First Nation, Kanina Sue Turtle, who filmed her suicide while in a foster home owned by a child welfare agency. They set out to investigate the connection between the high rate of suicides among Indigenous youth -- five to six times higher than in the non-indigenous population -- and child welfare. APTN exposed the lack of a surveillance system to keep track of suicides in First Nations. They also showed that children's aid societies in Ontario don't provide the data needed to determine the number of Indigenous kids taken from their homes. Last February, Ottawa tabled Bill C-92, aimed at stopping the over-representation of Indigenous children in foster care. But as APTN's investigation shows, without proper data tracking, the legislation cannot deliver on its promises.

Judges for the 2018 Michener Awards:Margo Goodhand, Chief Judge, former editor-in-chief of The Edmonton Journal and the Winnipeg Free Press; Sally Reardon, former CBC-TV producer and author; Mary McGuire, Carleton University professor of Journalism; Pierre Tourangeau, former ombudsman and news director at Radio-Canada; Katherine Sedgwick, Frontier College journalism professor and former deputy editor of The Gazette; Pierre Asselin, former editorialist for Le Soleil.

Judges for the 2019 Michener-Deacon FellowshipsDonna Logan, Professor Emerita/Founding Director of the Graduate School of Journalism at UBC; Genevieve Rossier, Directrice des communications, de la programmation et de l'education, Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Quebec; Romayne Smith Fullerton, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information and Media Studies, University of Western Ontario and Ethics Editor at J-Source; Dean Jobb, an award-winning author and journalist who teaches in the MFA in Creative Non-Fiction program at the University of King's College in Halifax; and Connie Monk, Program Head of Broadcast and Online Journalism at BCIT.

Michener AwardRecognizing outstanding and unbiased public service in journalism, the award is presented to news organizations; newspapers, broadcasting stations and networks, news agencies, periodicals, magazines and online journalism sources.

Websites: www.michenerawards.ca

SOURCE Michener Awards FoundationPR Newswire

SAN ANTONIO, June 14, 2019

SAN ANTONIO, June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Whataburger announced today that BDT Capital Partners, LLC, a merchant bank that advises and invests in family and founder-led companies, has agreed to acquire through its affiliated funds a majority interest in Whataburger.

Together, BDT and the Whataburger team will begin exploring expansion plans  while staying true to the brand it has been over the past 69 years.

The company also announced an internal leadership realignment to position the brand for long-term growth and success. Most notably, the company named several new internal promotions, including a president, chief operating officer and chief restaurant operating officer.

Whataburger headquarters will remain in San Antonio.

New partnership poises the brand for long-term growth

"Whataburger has grown significantly over the years. And, in order to keep satisfying our customers, we've been exploring different options to expand the brand and introduce it to new audiences. We've gone through this process purposefully and diligently because we wanted to find a partner who honors our values, culture and 69-year legacy of family tradition," said Whataburger President/CEO Preston Atkinson.

"We're excited about the partnership with BDT because they respect and admire the brand we've built," Atkinson continued. "They want to preserve it while they help us continue growing a sustainable, competitive business over a long period of time. They don't plan to change our recipe for success."

BDT will be key in providing strategic vision and long-term growth capital to the tenured Whataburger leadership team.

"Whataburger is an iconic brand and extraordinary company with an important legacy of family ownership, loyal customers, valuable community involvement, dedicated and talented employees, and a highly experienced management team," said Tiffany Hagge, Managing Director of BDT Capital Partners. "We look forward to a long-term partnership with the Whataburger team, continuing their commitment to serving high-quality, great-tasting food at a value and delivering a superior customer experience. We are excited to support Whataburger as they continue to innovate and pursue accelerated growth in existing and new markets. This investment is a perfect example of BDT's business model  to partner and invest alongside exceptional family businesses, with strong cultures, deep community ties and loyal customers."

Morgan Stanley and Ernst & Young (EY) acted as transaction advisors and Jackson Walker acted as legal advisor to Whataburger. Norton Rose Fulbright acted as legal advisor to BDT Capital Partners. Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. will provide the committed financing to support the transaction. Closing of the transaction is expected later this summer and is subject to customary regulatory and other conditions. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Tenured Whataburger core leadership team at the helm

Current Whataburger President/CEO Preston Atkinson and Board Chair Tom Dobson also elevated several leaders within the company. Whataburger's leadership team holds more than 150 years of combined experience growing the Whataburger brand, and for that reason, all positions named were internal promotions.

"As the brand embarks on a growth and expansion plan, we decided the time was right to promote new leadership to carry the company forward," said Atkinson. "This leadership team has the right combination of Whataburger core values, strategic vision and people-centered leadership to take us into the future."

Effective July 1, Whataburger's executive leadership team will include:

Ed Nelson, currently serving as chief financial officer and controller, will be promoted to president.Nelson joined Whataburger in 2004 as controller for the company. Since 2008, Nelson has been at the helm of Whataburger's financial department as chief financial officer, overseeing all finance, accounting, treasury and business risk and reporting operations for 828 restaurants across 10 states. He holds both a bachelor's and master's degree from Clemson University.

Leonard Mazzocco, currently serving as vice president of business operations, will take on the role of senior vice president and chief operating officer.Mazzocco joined Whataburger in 1999 as the operations services director and has since guided efforts in brand management, marketing, human resources, supply chain, shared services and product development. He was promoted to his current role in 2014, where he has led strategic planning. Mazzocco is a graduate of Creighton University.

Rob Rodriguez, currently serving as senior vice president of restaurants, will assume the role of senior vice president and chief restaurant operating officer.A 30-year restaurant industry veteran, Rodriguez is an experienced multi-unit leader with a track record of delivering exceptional customer service. Under his guidance, his teams have successfully piloted new models used in concept revitalization, opened and expanded new restaurant markets, and surpassed sales forecasts. Rodriguez joined Whataburger in 2006 as a director of operations and was named a senior vice president in 2014.

James Turcotte, currently senior vice president of the real estate segment, will continue in his role and be promoted to chief development officer.Turcotte began his Whataburger career in 1998 as a director in the real estate division. He then took on the role of group director followed by vice president of franchise development. In 2004, Turcotte was named vice president of property and facilities to oversee new construction, enhancement and property management functions. Turcotte is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Mike Sobel, currently vice president of retail, will be promoted to senior vice president of retail. Sobel joined Whataburger in 2011 as the company's group director for supply chain solutions, before assuming his current role in 2014. Sobel brings almost 35 years of experience in supply chain, quality assurance and product development experience in the restaurant industry.

Michael Gibbs, currently senior vice president and general counsel, will continue his role as general counsel and will be promoted to executive vice president.Gibbs joined Whataburger in 2005 as the company's first ever in-house general counsel. Prior to joining Whataburger, he practiced corporate law and served as vice president and general counsel for a Detroit-based restaurant chain. He holds bachelor's degrees in biology and economics from Ripon College, as well as an MBA from Emory University, and a law degree from Wayne State University.

Other members of Whataburger's highly tenured leadership team include:

Atkinson and Dobson will hold seats on the Whataburger board of directors to provide ongoing guidance and ensure a smooth transition.

The Dobsons have built more than a burger chain. Whataburger is a place that feels like home to 43,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. It's a brand built on pride, care and love. It's a place people count on in their communities.

This leadership realignment will allow Atkinson and Dobson to step aside and focus on operating Las Aguilas, a diversified investment company established by the Dobson family in 2011 which is focused on real estate and philanthropy.

While this has been a difficult and emotional decision for the family, Tom, Lynne and Hugh Dobson believe BDT Capital is the right partner to take Whataburger into the future.

"This is both exciting and bittersweet for the Dobson family. Whataburger has been the heart and soul of our family legacy for nearly 70 years, but we feel really good about the partnership with BDT," said Tom Dobson. "They have a track record of success with businesses as special as ours that want to grow, while preserving culture and family history. They are trusted advisors and partners who have worked closely with other family businesses and they have a tremendous reputation for doing the right thing."

"More than anything, we're beyond grateful for our 43,000 Whataburger Family Members who work in our restaurants 24/7," Dobson continued. "And to our Whataburger fans: You're part of our family. And as we grow, we know our Whataburger team will continue to make you proud."

About Whataburger

Whataburger has focused on its fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Dobson gave his restaurant a name he hoped to hear customers say every time they took a bite of his made-to-order burgers: "What a burger!" Within the first week, people lined up around the block for his 25 cent, 100 percent beef burgers served on five-inch buns. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with 828 locations in 10 states with sales of more than $2 billion annually.

Check out the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat. Stay updated on the latest Whataburger news on our digital newsroom and be sure to customize all your Whataburger cravings with online ordering at Whataburger.com or by using our mobile app available on the App Store or Google Play.

About BDT Capital Partners

BDT Capital Partners provides family and founder-led businesses with long-term, differentiated capital. The firm has raised more than $15 billion across its investment funds and has created and manages an additional $4.7 billion of co-investments from its global limited partner investor base. The firm's affiliate, BDT & Company, is a merchant bank that works with family and founder-led businesses to pursue their strategic and financial objectives. BDT & Company provides solutions-based advice and access to a world-class network of business owners and leaders.

Media Contacts:

WhataburgerJenny [email protected]

BDT Capital PartnersJennifer [email protected]

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SOURCE Whataburger Restaurants LLCby Paul Wang

Chief Executive Carrie Lam admits communication "inadequacies", wants to restore "peace and order", and will listen to everyone, the opposition included. Still, the Civil Human Rights Front will continue to demonstrate. Trade unions plan strike with business backing. The mainland has been silent so far.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced this morning that her government was suspending plans to pass a proposed extradition law. This apparent bow to Hong Kong public opinion follows days of protests by residents, culminating in a rally of a million people last Sunday.

Ms. Lam had previously refused to scrap the bill despite mass protests, pressures from Hong Kong groups (lawyers, business, trade unions, media, etc.), and clashes between the police and large numbers of protesters.

Speaking at a press conference Lam admitted to "inadequacies" in communicating her message as well as doubts and misunderstanding. She also acknowledged that "The bill has caused a lot of division in society.

She reiterated that the original intent of the bill was to give Hong Kong authorities the power to extradite a suspect wanted in connection with a murder case in Taiwan and to ensure that Hong Kong did not become a refuge for other criminals.

However, most people in Hong Kong fear that the law would be use to extradite people who are suspects in Beijings eyes, namely dissidents and critics of the mainland, handing them over to a legal system, that of the Peoples Republic, that does not guarantee minimum human rights or a fair trial.

Lam promised to heed all the voices, even those of the laws opponents, to restore "peace and order" in the territory, shocked by days of demonstrations and violence by police, which used tear gas and rubber bullets against many young people, wounding at least 80 people.

In recent days, including yesterday, even some of Lams closest advisors were pushing for a suspension.

Likewise, foreign envoys and business chambers, fearful of seeing Hong Kongs fair legal system absorbed by Chinas unfair legal system, continued to raise concerns about the proposed bill.

Before Lam's media briefing, the Civil Human Rights Front said that protest action would continue as planned, including tomorrows rally.

Trade unions have also said that they want to strike next Monday, backed by many businesses.

So far, Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong has been silent with regards to the massive display of public opposition to the bill.

According to some reports, Lam met Vice Premier Han Zheng in Shenzhen yesterday. The latter is Beijings point man on Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, mainland media have been parsimonious with news about events in Hong Kong and the role of young people. One exception was the Global Times, which blamed "foreign forces" seeking to spread "chaos" in order to attack China.Japans Interstellar Technologies wants to try an unprecedented mission. The MOMO-4 observation rocket will carry three paper planes and release them at an altitude of more than a hundred kilometres. Once released, they will glide down to Earth.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Origami, a traditional Japanese art of paper folding, is about to cross the limits of the atmosphere for the first time.

Interstellar Technologies Inc., the first private Japanese firm to successfully launch a rocket in space, announced two days ago that its next spacecraft will carry paper airplanes to be released over the Earth.

On 4 May, the Japanese start-up launched into space the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket from a facility in Taiki, a town in Japans northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.

"For our next step, we want to try the unprecedented mission of sending paper planes gliding down to the ground from space. We hope this will help people feel closer to the universe and enjoy our space project," the company stated.

The MOMO-4 observation rocket will carry a payload of three paper airplanes at an altitude of more than a hundred kilometres. The planes will then be released by a ground operator pressing a button from the control station in Japan.

The paper planes are expected to re-enter the atmosphere, gliding towards the earth's surface.

The company has developed a special device to release them in flight and will cover its operating costs through crowdfunding with the names of contributors printed on the paper planes.The conservation work now gives access to new areas of the complex, which includes a church and a monastery. For local Muslim authorities, the site is a source of pride and confirms the importance of interfaith dialogue. The site is considered a symbol of tolerance that favours the relationship between the religions, said For Vicar of Arabia, in the wake of Pope Franciss visit.

Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews)  The church and monastery complex on Sir Bani Yas Island, the oldest Christian site in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reopened to the public yesterday. The island is just over 200 km south-west of Abu Dhabi.

UAE Minister of Tolerance Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan was present at the official inauguration ceremony. Archaeologists, experts and various local Catholic leaders, including Mgr Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of southern Arabia, were also in attendance.

Thanks to the conservation work, new areas of the complex are now open to the public. Discovered in the early 1990s in the eastern part of the island and dating back to 600/700 AD, the site was off-limits to the public until now.

Flint tools from the Neolithic period and a stone structure from the Bronze Age were also found on the island at around the same time. The area includes the ruins of a monastery, probably Nestorian, home to scores of monks.

This site received special attention from the UAEs founding father, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, due to the great significance and value it holds as a historic part of the UAEs cultural heritage, said Shaikh Nahayan.

The Sir Bani Yas church and monastery sheds light on our cultural history, one that we can be proud of; its existence is proof of the longstanding values of tolerance and acceptance in our lands, he explained, adding that This further emphasises the importance of cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration, as the site provides evidence of the UAEs openness to other cultures.

The inauguration is one of the many initiatives undertaken for the Year of Tolerance, coming a few months after Pope Franciss historic visit to the Emirates, in early February, when he and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb signed the document on human Brotherhood for world peace and coexistence.

The Apostolic Vicar of Arabia spoke about the commitment of the UAE to preserve the heritage of other religious other than Islam, considering them an integral part of the national culture.

Even I didnt know that a church existed in the UAE centuries back, he said. Im sure people would love to know about it and its past. Such measures open up the minds of people, which is very important, and it favours the relationship between the religions.

The site was first discovered in 1992. In the following years, some crosses emerged, evidence of the its Christian origin. Eventually, archaeologists found a church, dormitories, a burial ground and a kitchen where the religious lived in peace and cooked the fish they caught.

The monks belonged to Christian communities that existed beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. This community continued to prosper for some time even after the spread of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.

Between 2015 and 2016, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism completed its conservation work of the church as part of a broader plan to manage the whole island.Whats the first word that pops into ones mind when describing going off to college? Excited? Hopeful?

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This article was published 15/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Randa Wilson, left, who graduated as an administrative professional, and Elizabeth Santos, who earned her diploma as a health-care aide, take some selfies during Robertson College's graduation ceremony Friday at the Victoria Inn. (Bud Robertson/The Brandon Sun)

Whats the first word that pops into ones mind when describing going off to college? Excited? Hopeful?

Try terrified.

Despite being terrified at the thought of going back to college for a second time, Stephanie Key-Pichie graduated with honours from Robertson College on Friday. (Bud Robertson/The Brandon Sun)

As she got ready to receive her diploma as a health-unit clerk during Robertson Colleges graduation ceremony Friday at the Victoria Inn, Stephanie Key-Pichie said she was "terrified" to go back to school.

"Id been to ACC (Assiniboine Community College) before, and I didnt finish my first year there," said Key-Pichie, who has three younger kids at home.

"I guess that really discouraged me, and I was really nervous about going back to school."

But after looking into the programs at Robertson College and talking to director Amy Kilburn, she decided the health-unit clerk program was the right fit for her.

Unlike a similar two-year office administration program at Assiniboine, this one only took a year to complete, she said.

It all worked out for the best.

Key-Pichie graduated with honours and, after her practicum, landed a job a Brandon Clinic.

"It feels good," she said, as she and the other graduates got ready to receive their diplomas.

Key-Pichie wasnt the only one to feel the cold sweat of hitting the books.

"After being out of school for just over 10 years and having three amazing children ... I never thought Id have it in me, the opportunity or time to go back to school," said Randa Wilson, one of three graduates to speak at the ceremony.

"In high school, I was always struggling to get my grades up, and I was terrified to go back to school," she told the audience.

As it turned out, there was nothing to fear but fear itself.

Wilson also graduated with honours and is now Kilburns administrative assistant at the college.

This year, the college graduated 72 students in a number of programs, including accounting assistant, administrative professional, legal assistant, health-care aide, health-unit clerk and massage therapy.

Forty-seven graduates were on hand to receive their diplomas in person.

A number of dignitaries were on hand to congratulate the graduates, including Brandon East MLA Len Isleifson, Brandon West MLA Reg Helwer, assistant deputy mayor Glen Parker and Glenda Short, director of clinical programs and services at Prairie Mountain Health.

Robertson College is one of the oldest private colleges in Canada, dating back to 1911.

 brobertson@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @BudRobertson4A Brandon student is one step closer to her dream of becoming an astronaut.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (932 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School Grade 12 student Zeel Patel has been awarded an $80,000 STEM scholarship and will be attending the University of Waterloo this fall. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

A Brandon student is one step closer to her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Late last month, Zeel Patel found out she was one of 50 kids from across the country receiving an $80,000 STEM scholarship, and will attend the University of Waterloo this fall.

The Crocus Plains Regional Secondary student hopes to one day make it to space.

"(Wanting to be an astronaut) was almost always a part of me," Patel said. "Exploration and trying to figure out the unknown (interests me)."

The Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded to students enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or math program at a post secondary institution.

Shell be attending the University of Waterloo in September for physical sciences for physics and astronomy. It has always been her goal to go there, she said.

After she completes the program, she already has the next few years mapped out. Her plan is to get into aviation for three years, then go into a masters program, get her doctorate and have a strong application for becoming an astronaut.

Her desire to be an astronaut grew in her teenage years after she overcame her fear of getting lost in space. When she started learning all about the team of people who are behind astronauts up there, it eased that worry for her.

"I got over the fear," she said. "I heard this one thing, which is knowledge is the thing that gets rid of fear basically."

Patel has always been interested in learning new things, and increasing her knowledge base. Earlier in her high school career, her main focus was on getting good grades in school, but over time her focus shifted with the help of her guru Mahant Swami, her spiritual leader. The grades dont matter to her as much as coming out of a subject knowing more than she used to.

"With grades, I used to get really competitive," Patel said. "So, to keep everything healthy with my peers, I just started looking at it in a way (that) I should be a little smarter tomorrow than I am today."

With the $80,000 scholarship, her time will be freed up from working and shell have more time to focus on university assignments as well as on personal projects.

"Now I can put those things towards driving more community-oriented causes and stuff like that, more initiatives definitely. Just put my focus towards something that helps me impact the people around me in a positive way."

The process of getting to space is what shes really looking forward to, she said, including the years of post-secondary education that lie ahead of her and the experiences that come with it.

"Theres a whole bunch of growing to be done," she said. "I know that Im going to be a completely changed person as well, not in terms of ethics but in terms of knowledge and in terms of how I think of others and how I work with others.

"Just the journey of growing to get there, thats just the reward I guess."

 mverge@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @Melverge5OTTAWA - Canada's spy service destroyed a Cold War dossier on Pierre Trudeau in 1989 instead of turning it over to the national archives, The Canadian Press has learned.

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This article was published 15/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau looks on as Cuban President Fidel Castro gestures during a visit in Havana on Jan. 27, 1976. Canada's spy service destroyed a Cold War dossier on Pierre Trudeau in 1989 instead of turning it over to the national archives, The Canadian Press has learned. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

OTTAWA - Canada's spy service destroyed a Cold War dossier on Pierre Trudeau in 1989 instead of turning it over to the national archives, The Canadian Press has learned.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service says the secret file on the former prime minister was scrapped because it fell short of the legal threshold for retention by either the service or the archives.

News of the decision to purge the file, which is coming to light only three decades later, has stunned and disappointed historians.

"It's just outrageous, there's no other word to describe it," said John English, who wrote an acclaimed biography of Trudeau. "It's a tragedy that this has happened, and I think the explanation is weak."

Steve Hewitt, who has spent years chronicling the country's security services, called the destruction "a crime against Canadian history."

"This wanton destruction cries out for parliamentary intervention to ensure that historically significant documents held by government agencies are preserved instead of being made to disappear down an Orwellian memory hole," said Hewitt, a senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham.

The Trudeau file was among hundreds of thousands the newly created CSIS inherited in the 1980s after the RCMP Security Service was dissolved following a series of scandals.

In a bid to uncover subversives out to disrupt the established order, RCMP spies eyed a staggering variety of groups and individuals, from academics and unions to environmentalists, peace groups and even politicians.

In 1988, James Kelleher, the federal minister responsible for CSIS at the time, directed the spy service to sort through the resulting heap of files.

Some RCMP records  including voluminous files on Quebec premier Rene Levesque and NDP leaders David Lewis and Tommy Douglas  were sent to the national archives.

Others were destroyed, including dossiers on prime ministers John Diefenbaker and Lester Pearson. Still other files, judged to have current value at the time, went to CSIS's active intelligence holdings.

Security records on individuals become eligible for disclosure under the Access to Information Act only 20 years after a person's death. Until then, even the existence of a file is secret due to privacy considerations.

Rumours of a file on Trudeau, Canada's third-longest serving prime minister, have circulated for decades.

A 1959 memo in the RCMP's Levesque file indicates undercover officers duly noted Trudeau's attendance at a gathering hosted by a Montreal artist.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has long worked closely with the Mounties, kept watch on Trudeau for more than 30 years, charting his path from globetrotting public intellectual who visited the Soviet Union in the early 1950s through his time as a Liberal prime minister.

The bureau's heavily censored, 151-page dossier was released under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act just months after Trudeau's death in September 2000, in keeping with American disclosure practices.

The Canadian Press recently requested the former prime minister's RCMP file under the access law from Library and Archives Canada and CSIS prior to the 20th anniversary of his passing next year, given that it can take many months to process such applications.

The archives swiftly replied that it does not have a Trudeau dossier. CSIS said its records indicate the file was destroyed on Jan. 30, 1989.

In a written response to questions, the spy service said a 1988 analysis of the Trudeau file concluded it did not meet the threshold in the CSIS Act to justify being kept in service's active inventory. The file also fell short of criteria for preservation set out by the national archives and was therefore destroyed the following year, CSIS added.

"CSIS takes privacy considerations related to its work very seriously. We are committed to ensuring that the retention of information continues to be in compliance with all legislation and ministerial direction," the agency said.

In addition, guidelines and regulations set by the archives "are always followed when determining whether CSIS holdings contain archival value."

CSIS declined to elaborate on the rationale for purging the Trudeau file.

However, when destruction of the Pearson and Diefenbaker files became known seven years ago, the spy service noted they were presumably compiled at the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

"That was a time when, as some historians argue, the security community occasionally saw threats that  hindsight being 20-20  might seem exaggerated to us today."

CSIS pointed out that such behaviour helped spur the federal government to divorce security-intelligence from law enforcement, leading to the creation of CSIS, a civilian agency.

Historians say that does not excuse erasing security files on former prime ministers from the national record.

It is the sort of practice "expected of an authoritarian state and not a proper democracy that values its history," said Hewitt, co-author of the recent Just Watch Us, which delves into RCMP surveillance of the women's movement.

University of Toronto historian Robert Bothwell said security files like the one on Trudeau tend to say more about the compilers than the subject of the surveillance. Nevertheless, important records should be kept.

"When it concerns a prime minister, it has historical value," he said. "That's a pretty clear standard."

Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version did not make it clear that CSIS inherited old RCMP files in the 1980s.VAUGHAN, Ont. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is committed to issuing a formal apology to Italian Canadians mistreated in the country during the Second World War.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives remarks at a reception held in honour of Italian Heritage Month in Vaughan, Ont., on Friday, June 14, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

VAUGHAN, Ont. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is committed to issuing a formal apology to Italian Canadians mistreated in the country during the Second World War.

"We have to face the dark chapter in our country's history," he said Friday. "Italian Canadians have lived with these memories for many years and deserve closure."

Trudeau made the announcement in Vaughan, Ont., at an event celebrating Italian heritage month.

He said during the war, Italian Canadian families and businesses struggled and no one was held responsible.

"It was a time when their patriotism was questioned and their lives thrown into chaos. During the Second World War, hundreds of Italian Canadians were interned," said Trudeau.

He did not say when the formal apology would be issued, but said it would offer closure to the community.

Trudeau also announced that the federal government would be opening a permanent trade centre in Milan, Italy.

Trudeau did not provide further details, but he said the centre will ensure that the "future is bright" between Canada and Italy.OTTAWA - The Telegraph-Journal in New Brunswick has been named the winner of the 2018 Michener Award, which honours excellence in public-service journalism.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Journalist Corbett Hancey receives the Michener-Deacon Fellowship for investigative Journalism by Governor General Julie Payette at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Friday, June 14, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrandi

OTTAWA - The Telegraph-Journal in New Brunswick has been named the winner of the 2018 Michener Award, which honours excellence in public-service journalism.

The Saint John-based newspaper was nominated for an 18-month investigation that exposed problems with New Brunswick's ambulance service. The newspaper uncovered a severe shortage of paramedics that left ambulances sitting empty, leaving some people in emergency situations to be transported in regular vehicles.

The finalists for the award included work by the Waterloo Region Record; the St. Catharines Standard; CBC TV News; the Toronto Star, CBC News and Radio-Canada; and APTN and CBC North.

Gov. Gen. Julie Payette presented the award to the winner Friday at a ceremony at Rideau Hall. The Michener Award was founded in 1970 by former governor general Roland Michener.

Alan Allnutt, president of the Michener Awards Foundation, praised the winning entry and paid tribute to the finalists in a news release.

"There were many stellar entries to the Micheners this year  powerful work which uncovered political corruption, gave voice to the voiceless, changed laws  but none more transformative than this series," Allnutt said. "It was a major issue in the 2018 provincial elections and gave rise to a new government championing a wide-ranging overhaul of the ambulance system."

The Waterloo Region Record was nominated for Greg Mercer's months-long investigation of the health problems inflicted on workers by the once-important rubber industry in Kitchener, Ont.

The St. Catharines Standard earned its nomination for reporter Grant LaFleche's year-long investigation that led to more than 50 stories on a conspiracy behind the hiring of the top bureaucrat in Ontario's Niagara region.

CBC TV News was nominated for an investigation by the program "The Fifth Estate" into long-standing claims by Transport Canada that school buses are safer without seatbelts, contrary to the department's own conclusion that they would have prevented numerous deaths and thousands of injuries.

The Toronto Star, CBC News and Radio-Canada received a joint nod for their collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that shone a light on lax approval, regulation and oversight of the country's medical-device industry.

APTN and CBC North earned a joint nomination after they exposed failures in the child-welfare system that led to physical abuse and neglect of Indigenous teens. The reporting led to a public apology by the Yukon government for its failure to protect the youths as well as corrective actions.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had the incorrect name of the president of the Michener Awards Foundation.Plans for 335 apartments in Galway have been lodged with An Bord Pleanala.

They have been filed with the planning board under the new fast-track mechanism for large developments.Gardai in Ballyfermot are asking for help to find a man who was last seen in Dublin city on Tuesday.

36-year-old Stephen Richardson was last seen on James Street in Dublin 8 at around 1.25pm on June 11.Update: 9.40pm:This evening, An Garda Siochana have formally apologised to former garda Majella Moynihan, the woman who was found in breach of discipline after becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

A statement from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris read :

On behalf of An Garda Siochana, I fully apologise to former Garda Majella Moynihan for the manner in which she was treated and the subsequent lifelong impact this had on her.

Earlier: A woman who was charged with a breach of garda discipline when she became pregnant out of wedlock in the 1980s has spoken out for the first time.

Cork-born Majella Moynihan believes she was forced to give up her child for adoption after she became pregnant while a recruit after becoming involved in a relationship with a male recruit.

Majella, speaking on the Doc On One series on RTE radio, recalled a meeting with her District Officer in An Garda Siochana when she was four months pregnant. At this point, the father of the child had made it clear he would not be involved in the baby's life, after Majella rejected a marriage proposal.

"I sat in his office, I told him that I was pregnant and the first question he asked me was Who is the father of your child?. And he said Is he a guard? and I said he is and straight away, he got out a pen and he wrote down his name," she recalled.

"And I remember asking Why is it that important who he is and whether hes a guard or not? I didnt know what that meant at that time."

Majella gave birth to a healthy baby boy, but gave up the child for adoption.

"On May 31, at two minutes past five, I gave birth to a beautiful boy.

"I left the hospital on June 1, and I left my son behind," she said crying,

"The next day I went into the hospital and he was in the nursery and I asked the nurse could I hold him and she said no. I remember staring into the nursery, just wanting to grab him and run. I didnt know where I was going to run. That pain is still like it was yesterday," she explained.

"It was the worst day of my life."

The child, David, was placed into foster care.

In September 1984, upon returning from maternity leave she was charged with two breaches of garda discipline:

(i) Conduct prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit on the force. That is to say that between the May 20, 1983 and September 30, 1983, you being an unmarried female member of An Garda Siochana did associate on terms of intimacy and undue familiarity with one Recruit Garda, an unmarried member of An Garda Siochana and during such period of association, you had sexual intercourse with said Recruit, as a result of which you became pregnant and gave birth to a male child at Galway Regional Hospital, Galway, on or about May 31, 1984.

(i) You being a female member of An Garda Siochana, did on or about the May 31, 1984 give birth to a child outside wedlock at Galway Regional Hospital, Galway, Co Galway.

Majella officially signed the papers to give up her son for adoption but feels she was forced into this decision.

She said:

To me, it was a forced adoption because I was in no state of mind to sign it.

"Looking back at me now as that 21-year-old, 22-year-old, I was a lost soul. I was portraying to the civilian out on the streets that I was a wonderful, carefree person and inside I was dying."

Majella in 1988.

Majella spoke of the pressure that was put on her from all sides to give the child up for adoption.

"The pressure came from every angle to adopt - it came from the Gardai, it came from Cura and it also came from the social worker."

Eventually, the Archbishop of Dublin intervened, advising the Garda Commissioner at the time that if Majella was convicted, it would encourage other female Gardai to go to the UK for abortions. Majella was made aware that, without this intervention, she would have been sacked.

Traumatised by the loss of her child and by the treatment she had received within the Force, Majella remained a member of An Garda Siochana for a total of 15 years but, in 1998, eventually sought early retirement.

The father of Majellas child would be fined 90 for his conduct.Irish Rail is describing an incident of alleged racial-abuse on a train as "shocking" and "upsetting".

Gardai are renewing their appeal for information into the incident, which took place on the Belfast-to-Dublin line last Sunday evening.

A man boarded at Dundalk and allegedly began to racially abuse a family.

Barry Kenny, from Irish Rail, said the matter is being taken extremely seriously.

Mr Kenny said: "Well, we've provided the information that the customers have provided to us and the families themselves of what was really quite shocking and upsetting racial abuse from the individual on board.

"We had security meet the train at Connolly Station as well, but obviously it's important that these are pursued and we can help the gardai secure a prosecution."

Gardai said that as the family were travelling on the 7.05pm train last Sunday evening, a man boarded the train at Dundalk at about 8.15pm.

It is alleged that he began to racially abuse the family.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact Dundalk Garda Station.

They are appealing especially to anyone who may have mobile phone footage or a voice recording of the incident.

Anyone with information can contact Dundalk Garda Station on 042-9388400, the Garda Confidential line 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.A conference in Dublin is hearing from speakers from all over Europe on how people could have more of a say in how our cities are built.

Co-Housing Here is holding a public session at the Technological University of Ireland at Bolton Street today.

Architect Colin McDonnell, one of the organisers of the conference, says they're hoping to bring some new ideas to the debate on housing.

"We've got an exhibition on here which is really interesting," he said.

"It shows examples of a lot of different projects from different places around Europe.

"There has been a perception around Ireland that if someone hears the word 'co-housing' they think 'hippie' still. The exhibition and the projects that are shown here sort of dispel that notion," he added.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy came under fire last month for suggesting that co-living is "another choice for people" that would allow them to "pay a little less" for accommodation.

Housing charity Threshold described the developments as "21st-century bedsits with a glossy makeover".

Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald also hit out at the Housing Minister.

"Minister Murphy is so out of touch that he can't seem to grasp that this co-living isn't an answer to the housing crisis or the rental crisis, it is in fact and insult to those seeking a safe and secure roof over their head," she said.

However, Minister Murphy's comments were defended by the Taoiseach.A series of protests are taking place across Ireland today in support of striking ambulance workers.

Paramedics have held several days of industrial action since January, as they seek union recognition.

Trade unionists, politicians and paramedics will highlight their case again today, in rallies in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway cities.

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, one of the organisers, said he strongly supports the ambulance staff.

Deputy Murphy said: "This is a union recognition strike and unusually it's one involving the public sector whereby you have 500 paramedics in a union, Nasra, which is part of the PNA and the HSE, under instruction of the Government. continues to refuse to engage with their union.

"So we are bringing this to the public, to the streets, to let people know what's happening and to encourage them to contact Minister Harris."Around one in six older people experience some form of abuse, according to the United Nations.

It is being highlighted as today marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.Philippe Coutinho scored a quickfire double as hosts Brazil kicked off their Copa America campaign with a 3-0 victory over Bolivia.

The Selecao opened the tournament in Sao Paulo and were able to overcome the loss of injured star man Neymar to claim their 100th Copa victory.

Brazil had the first effort on goal and were dominating proceedings, but the back of the net proved elusive in the first half.

Roberto Firmino and Thiago Silva provided the best chances from corners but it needed a penalty to break the deadlock five minutes after the break.

Richarlison's strike from inside the area hit the arm of Jusino and, after a VAR review, Coutinho converted from the spot.

The ex-Liverpool man then doubled the lead with a header just three minutes later.

Bolivia were increasingly over-run and had no way back when substitute Everton Soares fired into the far corner in the 85th minute to wrap up the comfortable victory.

Brazil have won the Copa America on all of the four previous occasions they have been hosts - the last time in 1989.

Tite's team face Venezuela on Wednesday for the second of their group stage matches, while Bolivia will play Peru on Tuesday.Ambitious targets will be set for every NSW public school in an attempt to lift student outcomes, but the move has upset principals who say the targets are de-motivating and fail to reflect student complexity.

Each school will have its own achievement benchmark for literacy, numeracy, wellbeing, equity and attendance from next year, in a move designed to improve performance across the state's 2200 government schools.

They will be "stretch targets", which is corporate-speak for goals that require extra effort to achieve.

Arncliffe Public School's results have improved thanks to the Bump It Up program. Credit:Nic Walker

"Reflecting the strategic goal that every student, every teacher, every leader and every school improves every year, all schools - including those that are already high-performing - will have an improvement stretch target," a department spokesperson said.Most schools no longer emphasise speed and rote learning when teaching maths, and now focus on students' understanding of key concepts as part of a concerted effort to improve engagement in maths across the system.

Hundreds of tutoring businesses have sprung up across Australia in the past decade, offering everything from one-to-one tutoring to hours of weekly coaching for NAPLAN, selective school entrance exams and high school certificates.

Maths teachers including high-profile mathematician Eddie Woo have sounded an alarm on private tutoring, warning that bad tutors could be "fatal" to students' future in the subject.

Celebrity maths teacher Eddie Woo said private tuition could help students with gaps in their knowledge but warned parents to be careful. "There are other kinds of tuition which are frankly just pumping out an industrial model of education," he said.

"Maybe it does [help], and maybe it is making your child hate maths because they are doing it until 9pm at night after a whole day? That to me is heartbreaking," he told the NSW Department of Education's Every Student Podcast.

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"If you are just churning through, often [you are] tragically learning things which are actually just machine processes. I don't know how to bake, but I can follow a recipe. That's OK for cake because you can still eat it in the end.

"But that is fatal for mathematics because you don't know why you are doing any of the things you are doing. If that is what you are, you are not a mathematician, you are a machine, and that is not what we want our children to become.But Professor Alexander McFarlane, director of The University of Adelaide's Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, argues that nobody can really give informed consent when they say yes to strapping on that headset. I base that on my experience of having dealt with people whove killed people in the line of duty in their role as a police officer or a military person," he said. Until theyve carried out that act, they have no idea what that's going to do to them. I think we are completely underestimating peoples desensitisation to killing, through what we see on the media and in video games." Cassils' Inextinguishable Fire, installation view, Dark Mofo 2019. Credit:Dark Mofo/Remi Chauvin

Canadian-born, LA-based artist Cassils, who has two works showing at Dark Mofo, has thought deeply about these issues. Four years ago, Cassils (who identifies as trans masculine and uses the pronouns they/them) set themselves on fire in front of a live audience in London. The 14-second full-body burn was filmed at a high frame rate and slowed down to 14 minutes to create a lasting cinematic work that toys with perceptions of violence. The artists intention with Inextinguishable Fire, named after Harun Farockis 1969 film about napalm victims in the Vietnam war, is to highlight the very concerns Mr McFarlane raises. I want people to become less numbed out to the barrage of violence that we experience in the day-to-day, which numbs us and makes us apathetic, they said. (The result of that live performance? "The audience wants to puke.") Fire and ice: Cassils performing their second work at Dark Mofo, Tiresias, in which they stand against a classical male bust carved from a slab of ice. Credit:Cassils Cassils employed Hollywood stunt techniques and a rigorous training regimen to ensure they did not harm themselves in the making of the work.

When they were on fire, it was "pure presence - the pure present moment", they said. Youre not thinking about trauma, youre not thinking about the pain in the world; youre thinking about, is that flame going to lick my face? Must I move my nose very subtly out of the way? [But] in terms of trauma, this is a work that speaks to the construction of images of violence. The film begins with a tight shot that looks like a blank canvas. As the camera slowly zooms out, flames appear in the frame, then the shape of Cassils body. Any terror the viewer might feel at that moment of recognition is fleeting: before long, a backdrop is revealed, then a fan, positioned to keep the flames off the artists face.

By the end you realise that were in a studio and that the image that you initially thought was a traumatised body is an image that has been constructed to manipulate you into thinking that youre looking at a traumatised body, Cassils said. Dark Mofo curator Jarrod Rawlins said the festival had always been interested in exploring strong themes. Theres a lot of trauma in the world [already] and when Im thinking about a program Im not shy  Im not going to hide in a bubble, he said. Everything in those works [that depict trauma] you could say is coming from trauma as well. Its not accidental - the artist has not just fictionalised something for the sake of it. What gives them artistic value, he argues, is that they reference and reframe the violence seen every day in mass culture.

Theyre not accidental references, theyre derivative. Theres nothing happening in here that you wouldnt find in a collection of great 20th-century cinema but when we turn it into an art experience peoples expectations change. Violence ... is becoming more normalised. I think there is a great risk to us. Professor Andrew McFarlane, director, Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, University of Adelaide McFarlane agrees there is a chasm between reactions to violence in mass culture and in art. Dark Mofo is not the first to depict violence in this way, he said, [but] I think its right for people to be concerned. He said there would always be a tiny percentage of people in the community who were profoundly perverted, though they might not know it until they see something that triggers them.

It can create an awareness and an attraction and a fantasy - a bit like someone whos never tasted chocolate, he said. Once theyve tasted it  A still from Paul McCarthy's VR experiment Mary and Eve, showing at Dark Mofo 2019. Credit:Paul McCarthy/Dark Mofo I think it is critical to acknowledge the costs. Particularly with the use of amphetamines in our community, violence, in some ways, with the presence of the drug ice, is becoming more normalised. I think there is a great risk to us." Art was meant to test boundaries and provoke discussion, he said. "But if you put [Real Violence] to a medical ethics committee as a way of studying trauma, I bet you they wouldnt let you do it."Peter Batey, the founder of one of Australia's most recognised arts prizes, has died.

Mr Batey created the Bald Archy Prize in 1994 as a spoof of the prestigious Archibald Prize, and it has since become an icon on the Australian art calendar for its satirical images of well-known Australians.

Peter Batey has died after his car went off the road in regional NSW. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

NSW Police confirmed a man in his 80s died when his car left Muttama Road at Coolac near Gundagai and struck a tree about 2.30pm on Friday.

The Bald Archy Prize Facebook page described Mr Batey's death as "unthinkable".After her hit musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs scored big among Wednesday's Helpmann Award nominations, you'd expect theatre star Ursula Yovich to be wildly celebrating. But the writer-performer has something else on her mind.

"I'm taking some... I shouldn't say time off, I actually want to step away from theatre altogether. So Barbara was probably one of my last performances. This is my last year of being on stage as a theatre actor," Yovich, 41, says.

Barbara and the Camp Dogs star Ursula Yovich says the hit musical will be one of her last stage performances. Credit:Janie Barrett

It's a surprising revelation from the 20-odd year stage veteran, 18 months after the show  praised for its rousing pub-rock aesthetics and compelling Aboriginal perspective  had its debut sell-out run at Sydney's Belvoir Theatre, and a subsequent revival and national tour that wrapped last week.

"I think Barbara and the Camp Dogs definitely pushed [my decision], but it was something I'd been thinking about for a few years now," says Yovich.Heather Ewart takes off for a fifth season of remote road-tripping, into what could be the pages of a Jane Harper murder-mystery novel. Near the tiny town of Glen Helen in the Northern Territorys MacDonnell Ranges, she meets the residents of a cattle station who are thankfully all alive and kicking and all too pleased to share their isolated existence. As is often the case with these vignettes, the reflections of the children make the biggest impact.

The Voice Credit:

THE VOICE

*** three stars

7.30pm, Nine

Yes, some All-Stars (read: recycled former contestants) have had a rough time when their second chances at stardom didnt quite work out as they had hoped. But as they really ought to know, having been once through the reality talent show wringer, thats showbiz. The process has been a reminder that, one way or another, life goes on for these performers long after their 15 minutes on the stage is up.There was a certain timidness in the first series that there isnt in the second, Hing says. It was easier this time to tell the kinds of stories we wanted to tell. And I reduced the amount of comedy to better showcase the stories.

When comedian Michael Hing took two mates who were handy with a video camera around regional Australia last year to interview people in migrant communities about their national identity, he took a trial-by-error approach to the experimental project. As a first-time documentary-maker, the Feed presenter grappled with notions of objectivity and political narrative, and of how to incorporate his comedic skills. Having struck a chord with Australians who are all too often asked the titular question, Where are you really from?, and highlighted the ethnic communities of places including Woolgoolga and Bendigo, Hing was given the green light to make season two  this time with a proper budget and crew.

His travels took him to the Italians of Ingham in Queensland; the Germans of the Barossa Valley; the ethnically diverse township of Katanning in WA; and the Sydney suburb of Fairfield, home to people hailing from the Middle East and South Sudan. It was there that he met former asylum seeker Albie Aldahawi, whose response to racist schoolyard bullying was to become a pro wrestler.

Albie had a tragic upbringing  living in detention camps, growing up as a refugee kid in Fairfield. Seeing how he and his family are able to fit into a community thats been there for 40 years was really interesting, says Hing.

As a fifth-generation Chinese-Australian, Hing is himself no stranger to racism. During Pauline Hansons rise in the 1990s, he was told by friends well-meaning parents that he was one of the good Asians. And hes been asked where he really comes from all his life, from people who cant accept as a valid answer the Sydney suburb of Illawong.

When you ask someone where theyre from, the onus is on you to accept whatever answer they give you. You dont want people to feel like theyre not from here when they are. You dont want people to feel like theyre not welcome here or theyre not part of this community or this nation. So when you ask someone where theyre really from, the implication is often that theyre not from here.

Sometimes, of course, the prejudice is less ambiguous. While shooting season one in a park in Toowoomba, Queensland, a passer-by took umbrage with the focus of the documentary on the towns South Sudanese community.Along the way, Tripp has created something bigger than himself. He is pioneering a whole new online ethnographic group, one at the centre of a deeply ambivalent state of heterosexual coupling in America: "wife guys."

From there Tripp's online notoriety took a familiar trajectory. First he was praised; then he was mocked; now he is a novelty rapper. Tripp's music video for the song Chubby Sexy, also featuring his curvy wife, dropped last month. It features the lyric: "Living my best life/with my curvy wife/I haven't slept in weeks/she keep me up at night."

He posted a photograph of the pair embracing in swimwear in Miami and wrote, "I love this woman and her curvy body." Then he detailed his journey toward feminism and body positivity, and his transformation into a man who can proudly post online: "This gorgeous girl I married fills out every inch of her jeans and is still the most beautiful one in the room."

A "wife guy" is not just a husband. He is a man who has risen to prominence online by posting content about his wife. Tripp is better known as the "curvy wife guy". Following him was the "elf wife guy," a gamer whose dirty laundry was aired after he blocked his wife, who works as a professional elf, on Twitter; the "fake wife guy", the man who pretended that he was his wife; and the "cliff wife guy", a YouTuber who published a video of his wife falling off a minor Hawaiian cliff (she was unhurt).

Tripp has made a brand for himself off his wife's body, not his own.

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A man posting about his wife on the internet is usually banal, so it is almost impressive when he has managed to make it appear, instead, ludicrous. The wife guy defines himself through a kind of overreaction to being married. His wife hurt herself, and he filmed it. He is sexually attracted to his wife, and he talks about it as if he were some kind of hero. The wife guy is a mutation of the "Instagram husband", the man who exists to take flattering photos of his wife, except that the wife guy is no longer content behind the scenes. He is crafting a whole persona around being that guy. He married a woman, and now that is his personality.

A wife guy is not embarrassing because he is overly devoted to his wife, the sexist idea that used to be called "being whipped" and is now more fashionably referred to as "being a cuck". He is worthy of suspicion because he appears to be using his devotion to his wife for personal gain. Tripp has made a brand for himself off his wife's body, not his own. He has leveraged it into Instagram brand deals for natural shaving creams and Dunkin'-themed sneakers; in his music video, he raps as his wife dances mutely in a swimsuit. He has taken a rather sexist tradition  of men gaining social status through the physical appearance of their wives  and pitched it as a newly enlightened stance.Sofala's Royal Hotel is a pokie-free country pub where "people actually have to talk to each other," says publican Sandy Tomkinson.

With six rooms, sloping floors and 160 years of history, the hotel will be the first to compete for a $50,000 grant when Airbnb launches its $250,000 Country Pub Project today.

"People say we are like a museum, there is stuff everywhere," said Mrs Tomkinson, whose family bought the pub in NSW's central west in the 1950s. It's smack in the middle of a rust belt - a town full of historic buildings with rusting galvanised rooftops and warped walls.

Local publicans, Sandy and Marty Tomkinson of Sofala Royal Hotel in regional NSW. Credit:Airbnb

In a new initiative to get Australians to rediscover country towns - and to encourage publicans to list rooms on the accommodation website - Airbnb will today launch a contest offering five pubs $50,000 each for rejuvenation.An elaborate scam that defrauded hundreds of customers at a Rozelle supermarket of over $1.3 million and allowed the fraudsters to buy a five-bedroom mansion on the north shore, investment properties and several Porsches came undone when one of the scam's ringleaders was acting "suspiciously" outside an NAB ATM in Castle Hill.

Li Lou was arrested in October 2017 after NAB security staff at Castle Towers alerted police to "suspicious behaviour".

The alleged $2.9 million skimmed from an ATM is believed to have paid for a Pymble home (above) with tennis court and pool, as well as a Porsche.

Investigators found Ms Lou in possession of $2500 cash and 62 gift cards which analysis revealed to contain legitimate credit card details.

Detectives then executed a search warrant at the Rozelle supermarket, Supermarket on Darling, operated by Ms Lou's husband Yi Zhou Fan. They found $1.3 million cash in a storeroom and a sophisticated approach to fraud.He was last heard from when he messaged a friend in Belgium just after midnight on Friday, May 31. He was last seen on CCTV about 15 minutes' walk from his Byron hostel, close to midnight. Dressed in a black hoodie, brown pants, black sneakers, a grey cap with a Puma logo and a black watch, Theo was walking back to the Wake Up! hostel on Childe Street after a night out at Cheeky Monkey's, a bar in the heart of Byron Bay. He never made it home. CCTV footage of Theo Hayez walking away from Cheeky Monkey's in Byron on Friday night, an hour before his last known contact. On CCTV footage from an accommodation house on Shirley Street, at 11.17pm, Theo is seen looking at his phone, before turning right toward his hostel. A couple of hours later, his phone was pinged near Byron Beach and Tallow Beach near Tallow's Ridge. Six days later, NSW Police were notified that he had failed to return. The hostel found his belongings and passport still in his room, but no sign of Theo. His phone and his bank cards have not been used since.

Updated posters of missing backpacker Theo Hayez. Credit:Danielle Smith On Friday Theo's father arrived from Belgium and was briefed by NSW Police on the situation. Theo's godfather, who lives in Australia, posted to a social media group dedicated to finding the missing teen that his father would take a day or two to rest and recover before meeting the residents who had dedicated hours to the search. "The time difference with Belgium and the nature of [Theo's father's] stay put him at risk of not only jet-lag but emotional shock. So, we may slow down a bit before getting fully active again," he wrote in a post that has since been edited. Throughout Byron, posters are stuck to poles and windows, sharing photos of a smiling Theo and asking for any information on his whereabouts. Police expect to hold a press conference in the next few days, depending on the results of their search over the weekend.

SES and surf lifesaver groups, police dogs, drones and members of the community have been canvassing hectares of swamp, beach, bushland and town streets in their search for Theo. His cousins who live in Brisbane and godfather joined the search last week, while a crowdfunding campaign was launched to help fund his immediate family's flights to Byron Bay. It has raised nearly $60,000. Dense bushland surrounds the town in all directions, showing the huge task being undertaken by police and community searches. Credit:Danielle Smith The Byron area is a challenge for any search, its popularity as a travellers' destination meaning thousands will pass through it streets each year, some for hours, some for days and some to stay. Throughout the spectacular headlands and beaches is dense swampy bushland, with many streets backing onto soggy waterways and private property.

Marshy tea tree and long grass make it almost impossible to see through, while the wide beaches stretch for kilometres across the headlands. Tweed/Byron Police, who are co-ordinating the investigation, said in a statement they were using "all resources available" including the dog squad and plain-clothes officers. The original poster from when Theo Hayez went missing two weeks ago. Credit:Danielle Smith "Officers are continuing to canvass the main Byron Bay area and the surrounding bushland," police said. "Detectives are looking into all available information that is provided to us with respect to Theo's disappearance, including reviewing available CCTV footage."

Loading Plain-clothes detectives and a sniffer dog were out searching through a section of bushland behind the missing backpacker's hostel on Friday morning. A railway line behind a row of hostels and cafes, separating the main road in and out of town from the beach with a stretch of damp swampy ground between them, was the focus of their search. The railway runs close behind the hostels, with no fences or barriers. In town though, life is going on as normal; under a sunny sky, tanned and wild-haired backpackers wander the streets speaking a multitude of languages, searching for hostels and bars. Residents in shorts and T-shirts walk their dogs, swim and stop for coffee. Only those few posters suggest anything has happened, that anyone is missing.

Loading Byron Bay business owner Christos Tsesmetzis was one of the first residents to begin organising a community search. He said when he first heard of Theo's disappearance, like other locals, his response was, "I just need to try. "I'm torn apart and exhausted," he said, a feeling shared by many of the Byron residents who had searched frantically for days. The searchers were striving to keep momentum, keep searching for Theo as the days stretched on. Mr Tsesmetzis said he and others had worked with Theo's cousin Lisa Hayez and friend Michael Dorkhom, who have spent days in Byron searching, to track down CCTV from houses and hostels along Theo's possible route home.

Loading There was still some CCTV footage he hoped to secure and pass over to the police, Mr Tsesmetzis said. If that footage was usable and did show Theo, it might help narrow down more of the short window of time between his last sighting and the last message sent from his phone. Nicoletta Revis, a long-term Byron local, has also been part of the search and rallied locals to bring together food, supplies and accommodation for Theo's family ahead of their arrival. After 20 years living in Byron, Ms Revis said she had never seen something like this happen before. While in previous years it wasn't uncommon for people visiting the alternative lifestyle haven to disappear into the hills for an overnight party or two, she said this was something else.Sydney construction site manager Michael Arcon has 42 stitches on his neck and arm showing how close he came to "death by power tool", as it is sometimes called.

New Australian research estimates that the cost and the impact of injuries from powertools - such as the angle grinder which missed Mr Arcon's jugular by a millimetre - is underestimated.

Michael Arcon's neck and arm was lacerated by an angle grinder that has since been banned as too dangerous. It narrowly missed his jugular, a doctor told him. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Unlike professionals like Mr Arcon, about half of those injured hadn't had any formal safety training, and many injuries were avoidable.

"Too many" users of powertools for do it yourself (DIY) projects had done stupid things, said Dr Rob Eley, the University of Queensland's research manager at the Princess Alexandra Hospital's emergency department and a coauthor of the research.The event, hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in China in coordination with Sichuans authorities, brought together representatives of nearly 200 businesses along with government officials from the two countries.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi affirmed that China is one of Vietnams most important trade and investment partners with bilateral trade reaching USD147.8 billion in 2018, up 21.2 percent year-on-year.

He emphasized opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises and localities in Chengdu - a big economic, financial, technological and cultural centre in western China with a population of nearly 91 million, gross domestic product (GDP) at USD600 billion and a growth rate of 8 percent in 2018.

Delegates to the seminar (Photo: VNA)

Chengdu is the gateway to Chinas western region, he said, urging Sichuan province and Vietnam to further promote their bridging role in cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and better optimize opportunities generated by the upgrading of the ASEAN-China free trade agreement.

Sichuans Vice Governor Li Yunze spoke highly of the cooperation outcomes across spheres, especially economy, trade and agriculture between Vietnam and China in general, and Vietnam and Sichuan province in particular.

He expressed hope for enhanced exchanges and result-oriented collaboration with Vietnamese localities in education, culture, health care and tourism.

Vietnam and Sichuan should expand their trade ties and promote their cooperation in logistics, towards forming inter-regional logistics chains, he said.

Li Yunze pledged to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese firms to operate in Sichuan, and encourage high-quality businesses from Sichuan to invest in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh introduced Vietnams advantages and potential for high-quality agricultural production, saying the countrys agro-forestry-fishery products have been exported to over 180 markets worldwide.

China is one of the major and traditional importers of Vietnamese farm produce, he said, noting that to increase the export of agro-forestry-fishery products to China, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has instructed competent agencies and localities to focus on measures to meet quality and food safety requirements of the Chinese market.

Following the seminar, the delegation of the MARD, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnams northern mountainous province of Thai Nguyen and Vietnamese businesses visited some economic, commercial, agricultural and logistics facilities in Sichuan./.A Gold Coast man has been charged after thousands of dollars worth of ice and counterfeit cash was found at a property this week.

Police raided a Burleigh Heads house on Thursday, and allegedly discovered more than $10,000 worth of methamphetamines and$10,000 in fake Australian fifty dollar notes.

A Gold Coast man has been charged after a raid found thousands of dollars worth of ice and counterfeit cash. Credit:Queensland Police

Ecstasy tablets, steroids and other drug paraphernalia were also found.

A 44-year-old man has been charged with multiple counts of drug and counterfeit currency possession.If politics makes strange bed-fellows, you can believe that the memorial service at the Opera House on Friday for the most iconic politician of our lifetimes, Bob Hawke, brought together more long-time adversaries than has been seen this side of the Black Stump, since forever.

Video of Bob Hawke shown during his memorial on Friday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Malcolm Turnbull observed the entire proceedings from the third row, looking right over the shiny pate of Peter Dutton, perhaps the man in politics he most detests, though it is a crowded field. To Turnbulls left John Howard and the one-time Kevin 07 Express train  toot! Toot! Coming through!  sat companionably side by side. David Marr, meantime, sat just a few seats along from Alan Jones. Though not adversaries, Paul Keating has been apart from his long-time wife Annita for well over two decades now and yet  just as they charmingly did for the Gough Whitlam Memorial Service at Town Hall in 2014  they sat warmly side by side, her occasionally touching his arm when warm reference was made to the father of her children. Twelve rows back, relatively anonymous but serene  given he must sometimes feel like the world is against him  Bill Shorten sat with his wife Chloe, the two flanked by Tanya Plibersek and Penny Wong. Had things turned out differently, it would have been him on the Opera House stage, claiming the Hawke mantle, promising to live up to his legacy, but ...

But it was not to be as, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who proceeded to make a strong and generous speech, perfectly pitched to the truth: though Hawke was a warrior for the opposing side of politics to his own, his iconic status transcended politics and not even his strongest critics could dispute the impact he had on his nation. Say it, Prime Minister.

Today, I come to speak on behalf of a nation Bob Hawke loved and that deeply loved him in return. It was a great romance played out in the shopping centres with journalists tripping over cables, sporting ovals, grandstands, schools, town halls, beaches, parks, outback stations and, of course, Indigenous communities all around the country. It was a passionate and affectionate relationship between Bob and the Australian people ... Today, we will rightly honour his many achievements for our economy, for our security, for Indigenous Australians, for our society and Australia's place in the world and, as a Liberal, I'm honoured to acknowledge these achievements as I know others would be ...Until recently, there werent too many people VCE student Isabelle Quine could turn to for help.

The Year 12 student, who lives 100 kilometres north of Melbourne in the historic township of Seymour, had to save her burning questions for school hours, when she had access to teachers.

Hamish Webster and a group of his friends have founded a free tutoring that aims to close the achievement gap between country and city students Credit:Simon Schluter

I didn't have the luxury of getting other views on my essays, the 17-year-old from Seymour College said.

I was confined to the teachers at school. I couldnt access them on weekends and holidays.She lived longer than she had any right to. First came dementia more than 10 years ago. Then palliative care in a suburban Melbourne nursing home from 2016. A fall and a fractured pelvis. When would she die? Maybe Anne was right all along  maybe she was Jesus and would live on forever.

She did die, on Thursday night. Everyone dies. She was not Jesus and her name was not even Anne Hamilton-Byrne. She was not the mother of the children she stole and drugged and cruelly controlled in the name of "family" and a spiritual master-race. She was not The Master. She was, to boil it down, Evelyn Edwards of Sale, Victoria; daughter of a mother who had paranoid schizophrenia and a father who was a failed soldier and itinerant railway clerk.

Cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne has died aged 97.

But as the messianic leader of Victorian cult The Family, which ran amok in secret from the Dandenongs, Kew and Lake Eildon for 35 years, she was good, very good. She was as effective a cult leader as there ever has been. She had hundreds of members under a punishable vow of silence and she had key enablers  nurses, doctors, social workers, architects, lawyers and psychiatrists  doing her dirty work. She was able to pull the levers, often from another country, gathering great wealth through property, estates and donations as children were tormented.

She ruined childrens lives. Worse, she took away their identities. Thats her legacy. Someone who comprehensively ruined young lives and continues to in degrees because of her dark, manipulative "spirituality". Friday was a tough day for those who suffered in her orbit; even just the mention of Hamilton-Byrne's name could trigger hatred, confusion and self-loathing.State schools will receive an extra $7 billion from the Andrews government over five years after Victoria grudgingly signed up to the Gonski 2.0 funding deal.

Signalling the end of a bitter and protracted dispute, Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has finally inked a school funding agreement with the Commonwealth.

Victoria has finally signed up to the Gonski 2.0 agreement in a move that will see the state government pump an additional $7 billion into state schools Credit:Eddie Jim

Mr Merlino said while the deal he signed on Friday treated state school students unfairly, schools needed certainty.

We simply have no choice in signing this agreement, we must provide schools with funding certainty moving forward and we will not put them at risk of missing out on all federal school funding, he told the Sunday Age.The union's members and officials have faced countless allegations of death threats and workplace assaults. None of this is secret, nor is it new. It is the subject of years of reporting and judicial statements, and it formed a good part of the evidence heard by the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, which commenced in 2014. That commission, called by Tony Abbotts government, was transparently politically motivated, designed to damage Bill Shorten and Julia Gillard, and as such it was easily dismissed by its victims as a witch-hunt. No wrongdoing was ever proved against either Shorten or Gillard but the CFMMEU was rife with it, according to evidence tendered. There was evidence of death threats, strict enforcement of closed union shops and ugly confrontations with bosses. In 2014 the commission heard Setka allegedly threatened to bury a concreters head next to Ned Kellys unless he was kicked off a worksite.

Loading In another instance, a Melbourne builder gave evidence of Setka taking a bribe of free accommodation in exchange for industrial peace on a site. "If he didn't get what he wanted, there was trouble for me, the builder said. Setka has rejected this claim. The commission also heard of links between various underworld figures and the union. Setka is openly an associate of Mick Gatto, one of those men often described as a colourful Melbourne identity. The charges against Setka are weeks old, and the various accusations of other wrongdoing are years old, yet until The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald reported an account of his comments on Batty, no one within the labour movement seemed to object terribly much to Setka.

What he is alleged to have said about Batty is that her work has led to men having fewer rights. This is the favourite complaint of the so-called mens rights movement, stroked like a precious pet  that freeing women from the oppression of abuse comes at a cost to men. The very title of the mens rights movement tells you everything you need to know about the sense of entitlement underpinning it. Men have no rights over women. They only have responsibilities towards them. But responsibility, respect, care, duty and obligation to others is not part of the language of these people. Whatever he said about Batty, Setkas comments in his press conference on Thursday showed he is more concerned about the wrong he perceives has been done to him by his political enemies than he is with any obligation he has towards others.

Loading Labor leader Anthony Albanese has said Setka will be expelled from the Labor Party. ACTU head Sally McManus has said Setka should stand down, but she has no power to compel him to do so. Remarkably, some union leaders still back him, as do some of his members, it seems, which tells you everything you need to know about the often self-sabotaging tribalism of the far left. The whole mess has shown what a liability Labors union links can be, not least because it takes so much money from the CFMMEU. Since Setka took over the unions Victorian branch in 2012, it has given nearly $1 million in donations to the ALP, with the bulk of the money going to the partys Victorian branch.The Morrison government wants to make tiny homes a bigger deal.

Industry Minister Karen Andrews, a self-described fan of tiny homes, says she wants to see the prefabricated building sector grow by $30 billion over the next five years. The sector currently makes up about three to five per cent of Australia's $150 billion construction industry, but Ms Andrews says it could grow to 15 per cent by 2025.

Branden Kuah says tiny homes are energy-efficient and easy to construct. Credit:Dean Sewell

The Industry, Science and Technology Minister will announce a study on Sunday which will look at ways to develop the prefabricated building industry.

"What do we need to do to grow this sector?" Ms Andrews told The Sun-Herald and The Age.Beijing: In a dramatic backdown, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam has suspended the legislative process on a controversial extradition bill.

The move comes in the wake of public anger and street protests that had followed months of opposition to the bill.

Hundreds of mothers holding placards, some of which read "If we lose the young generation, what's left of Hong Kong", and lit smartphones protest against the amendments to the extradition law in Hong Kong. Credit:AP

The suspension of the bill would allow Hong Kong to restore peace and order but the bill won't be withdrawn, she said.

The government needed to rebuild trust after a protest involving tens of thousands of young people was dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets by police on Wednesday."We live in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, so the constitution of the Afghan government is based on Islamic principles," Hafizullah said. "Religion is our politics and our politics are our religion." "The Afghan mind does not separate religion from politics or life or social issues," Insaan said. "From birth, in the home and in public spaces, that is how they have ordered their lives." Hafizullah looked uncomfortable with the entire discussion but he felt as if he should contribute. A woman wearing a burqa walks the streets of Kabul. Credit:Mark Isaacs "It is difficult to discuss these concepts in Afghanistan because each community has a different definition or practice of equality, and people have to behave according to those ideas in that area," he said.

"For example, in Kabul, a woman may not think it fair to wear the burqa. But in the villages, the woman herself may feel more comfortable wearing the burqa." While the men found it difficult to speak about equality, Hojar did not. "That religious decree was established by men," Hojar said. "In Afghanistan women must submit to whatever men say. That is the custom. In all the years Karzai was president his wife didnt have a public persona  the highest-ranking political personality in Afghanistan didnt feel free enough to have his wife as a public figure." "I cant comment on gender equality," Horse said. "But the independent human rights commission has done a lot of work over the years in raising awareness of the rights of women. During and after the Taliban period there were, and there still are, people who adopted the view that women shouldnt go to school and if they did they could only study up to a certain age. Nowadays more and more people are becoming aware that girls have the right to go to school. This is one example of change." A woman at Kabul's Turquoise Mountain school practises her calligraphy. Credit:Mark Isaacs Horse was finding the middle ground. He didnt address the idea of gender equality in our discussion, but he supported the advancement of womens rights. Perhaps his approach would be the formula for progress in Afghanistan.

"There are more and more reports of violence against women who want to speak out," Hojar said, with feeling. "These women face violence in their own homes and their own communities. Women are fighting for their voice and facing the consequences for it. Just look at what happened to Farkhunda." Farkhunda was an Afghan woman in her twenties who had an argument with a mullah outside a mosque in Kabul. The mullah falsely, and publicly, accused her of burning the Koran. A mob of angry men dragged her out into the street and then stomped on her, beat her with sticks, stoned her and drove a car over her. The mob dumped her body in the Kabul River and set it on fire. Those who werent participating in the violence either watched or filmed the attack on their phones. This was in 2015. Afghan women carry the coffin of 27-year-old Farkhunda, beaten to death by a mob in 2015. Credit:AP "Thats why we are so concerned about the behaviour of our volunteers at the centre," Insaan said. "Because women are still being stoned in 21st-century Afghanistan ... We rely on the wisdom of the female volunteers to navigate societys expectations." "So, when the community says one of its goals is equality what does that mean?" I asked.

"For now, we are focusing our efforts on ethnic equality and cooperation," Insaan said. Insaans reply acknowledged that religious equality was seldom talked about anywhere in Afghanistan. Even equality between Sunnis and Shiites was difficult to discuss. That was why the volunteers thought it would take two generations to achieve change: that wasnt being negative, that was being realistic. "Teaching in Afghanistan is a process. Imagine students from this political and social environment coming to the door of non-violence, or equality, or sustainability for the first time. The average person will take three years of consistent hard work to start considering the ideas, because they have never encountered these philosophies before. Over the years I have seen how the volunteers have changed within their personal lives, even if it means distancing themselves from the traditions of their own family. They will be the ones who, in their social context, among their communities and their families, will bring out this personal change at the appropriate time. Thats why I have hope. But on a public level its much slower." I had underestimated the dangers the community faced and the degree of caution they had to show, even in discussing theoretical concepts of equality, and it made me realise how hard it would be to safely effect change in this conservative society. Later that night, when I was alone with Insaan, I confessed to him my concerns.

"You are one criticism away from serious harm. One slanderous remark away from mob rule," I said. Insaan smiled sadly. "I imagine it sometimes. I may become the object of the mobs anger. The community will not be able to help me. If they do, they will have the same fate as I. I wont be surprised at their helplessness, but I will be disappointed." Loading He sighed. "I would rather be on the hopeful side because that is what it means to strive for change. It is a hopeful endeavour. Those people in the past who opposed unacceptable laws like that of slavery did not know they would be successful and they faced dangerous opposition. Thats why threats to the community traumatise us so much. We need to be prepared to be harmed."

When I went to bed that evening, I couldnt stop thinking of the horrific murder of Farkhunda and the very real possibility that something similar could happen to any of the female volunteers I met, like Hojar. When she took on the role, Hojar had been worried that the other volunteers would be upset that she, a Hazara and a woman, was now community manager. The role was purely administrative, but she was mindful it could cause rivalry among the other volunteers; indeed, money had been the cause of rifts and infighting between ex-volunteers and the community in the past. "When I was young I accepted my role in society because I didnt know there was any other way," she said. "However, my experiences of war and my family circumstances caused me to lose patience with societys expectations of me. Now, I think of myself as rebellious." Loading She looked at me with a determined smile, as if to emphasise her last remark. Hojar didnt think she was a special case in wanting more freedom as a woman. She thought lots of Afghan women felt the same as her and she took heart from the brave activists  the human rights advocates, politicians, feminist writers and artists and many others all over the country  who pushed back against the patriarchal structure. However, she believed there was still a lot of work to do.

"Since 2001, when the US and NATO forces invaded Afghanistan, the term 'womens rights' has been repeated almost like a slogan. But in reality, they havent taken solid shape." In truth, advancing womens rights in Afghanistan was much more complex than dismantling the Taliban regime. Gender dynamics were not solely based on Islamic interpretation. The pre-Islamic Pashtunwali code of ethics, which functioned in modern Pashtun tribal communities and ran parallel to Islam, also informed Afghan culture. Policies about womens issues had been shaped by Afghan royalty, military commanders, warlords, communists, the Soviets, the Taliban, the United States and NATO. The Kabul Peace House by Mark Isaacs (Hardie Grant, 2019) When I looked at Hojar, I saw the spirit of the community. She was fierce yet compassionate. She would stand up for what she believed, but she would also listen to the opinions of others. Not only was she an integral part of the communitys past, she held the keys to the communitys future. Soon after, other volunteers joined us, arriving for the weekly meeting for project coordinators.When I first arrived in the UK, an old friend I hadnt met in years took us on a pub crawl of the City of London.

The tour really brought home to me the astonishing history etched deep in the fabric of this place. I stumbled from boozer to boozer, mouth agape, only partly because we were having a pint at each stop.

The Turf Tavern, in Oxford, commemorates former student Bob Hawke's record-breaking beer-drinking feat, which didn't occur there.

Here was a tiny pub with a tree in the corner that Queen Elizabeth I once danced around. There a pub whose cellars were once the cells of Londons most notorious prison, and where you can still see the holes where virtuous visitors dropped food down to the starving inmates below.

Hence to a pub in Blackfriars where crowds in Olde London would gather to marvel at a man in monks robes with black skin. On to another pub where an old tapestry bears a gaping scar from the bayonet of a traumatised English soldier in times of yore.London: The full extradition hearing to decide whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be sent to the United States to face accusations including spying charges will take place in February next year, a London court ruled on Friday.

Police watch an Assange supporter wearing a mask and protesting at Westminster Magistrates Court in London. Credit:AP

Assange, 47, faces 18 counts in the US including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. He could spend decades in prison if convicted.

"It is important that people arent fooled into believing that WikiLeaks is anything but a publisher," said Assange, who appeared by videolink from a London prison, dressed in a grey T-shirt and wearing black-framed glasses.

"The US government has tried to mislead the press," he told Westminster Magistrates' Court.Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

Last week in Brooklyn, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that hate crimes, especially against our Jewish neighbors, are on the rise in the city and that the political right is responsible. His blame game is a lie, and only meant to further his presidential pipedreams.

The Mayor and NYPD Commissioner James ONeill announced the latest crime figures, which showed most crimes continuing to decline. One notable exception was a 64 percent increase in hate crimes from January through May, compared to the same months last year. In 2018 there were 112, compared to 184 of these hate crimes this year, 60 percent of which were anti-Semitic.

After batting down any suggestion of anti-Semitism on the left, de Blasio proceeded to say, The violent threat, the threat that is ideological, is very much from the right. I guess the mayor conveniently forgets the words of anti-Semitism by his progressive allies like Brooklynite Linda Sarsour and Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

Obviously, both the far-right and far-left have, in words and actions, contributed to the unfortunate rise of hate. The mayor saying the far-right is the cause of the 64 percent increase in hate crimes here while exonerating his far-left buddies is a crass attempt to help his quixotic presidential campaign by blaming President Trump and the right for everything that is wrong. Of course he cant condemn Sarsour or Omar, lest he risk losing their support.

Lets begin with de Blasios Brooklyn neighbor Linda Sarsour, who has been a left-wing political activist and was the executive director of the Arab-American Association of New York, based in Bay Ridge. This is a woman who penned an op-ed titled New Progressive Era Still Politics As Usual Regarding Israel. In the op-ed, she criticized New York City Democrats for standing with a handful of political elites to show unwavering support for Israel against terrorist attacks from Hamas.

In October 2015, Sarsour posted on her twitter account a photo of a Palestinian boy preparing to throw a rock at Israeli soldiers and called it The definition of courage. How the mayor does not think promoting violence by the next generation does not lead to more hate is beyond me. Perhaps it would ruin his chances of getting Sarsour to endorse him for president.

Further, after Queens Councilman Rory Lancman  who is now running for District Attorney in his borough  responded to Sarsour, stating, Attacking Jews at their homes, schools, supermarkets, cafes, buses, roads, synagogues and Seder tables is barbarous, and enlisting children to commit those acts is even more so, she responded with The Zionist trolls are out to play. But, according to de Blasio, it is only the right that promotes violence and anti-Semitism.

To Sarsour, it is not her own words that harm race relations and cause bad blood, it is our NYPD. At an anti-police protest in December 2015, Sarsour was arrested. Video shows one of her fellow protestors yelling in the face of a police officer Nobody looks at you like a hero, just a racist. It also shows Sarsour chanting about the violence of racist police.

No matter how many examples of Sarsours radical actions and words are provided, she and the left are innocent of any anti-Semitism, according to de Blasio  it is all President Trump and the rights fault.

Since de Blasio is running to be the chief executive of the country, I am confident he has been following Congress a bit more. Therefore, he should be well aware of Congresswomans Ilhan Omars (D-MN) attempts to top Sarsour for the most extreme rhetoric against Jewish-Americans and Israel.

In February, Omar tweeted that support for Israel in the United States is all about the Benjamins and accused Jewish leaders of having dual loyalty to America and Israel. Even Chelsea Clinton, who has a Jewish husband, had to speak up. She tweeted, We should expect all elected officials, regardless of party, and all public figures to not traffic in anti-Semitism.

Of course, the mayor would disagree with the former first daughter because to him, anti-Semitism is only practiced by one partys elected officials and public figures.

On June 5, a vandal wrote Kill All Jews on a mailbox outside of Saint Patricks in Bay Ridge. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is even assigning the New York State Police Hate Crimes unit to assist the NYPD in finding the culprit. While borough Democrats and Republicans all condemned this incident, only de Blasio would pin the blame on the right.

The mayor only has to look to his left in Brooklyn and Minnesota to see some who really spread anti-Semitism.

Bob Capano has worked for Brooklyn Republican and Democrat elected officials.Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

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Digital EditorFor the third time, the World Health Organization declined on Friday to declare the ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency, though the outbreak spread this week into neighbouring Uganda and ranks as the second deadliest in history. An expert panel advising the WHO advised against it because the risk of the disease spreading beyond the region remained low and declaring an emergency could have backfired. Other countries might have reacted by stopping flights to the region, closing borders or restricting travel, steps that could have damaged ...Broadcom Inc sent a shockwave through the global chipmaking industry on Friday with its forecast that US-China trade tensions and the ban on doing business with Huawei Technologies would knock $2 billion off the company's sales this year. The forecast, included in the company's second-quarter results late on Thursday, was the hardest evidence yet of the damage President Donald Trump's trade war with Beijing may do to the global industry. Shares in Broadcom fell as much as 8.6%, wiping more than $9 billion off the market value of the company, previously based in Asia but ...Those who insult Chinese people should pay the price in order to deter would-be offenders from following suit, Chinese state media said in a sharply worded commentary, after remarks by a UBS economist about pigs sparked an outcry in China. Paul Donovan, global chief economist of UBSs wealth management business, said in a podcast on Wednesday that consumer prices in China had risen after an outbreak of African swine fever killed a vast number of pigs and cut pork supplies. Does this matter? It matters if you are a Chinese pig. It matters if you like eating pork in ...European authorities blamed Russian groups on Friday for disinformation campaigns designed to depress turnout and sway public opinion in last months European Union elections, an official accounting that underscored how Russian interference has not abated and that Facebook and other tech platforms remain vulnerable to meddling. The preliminary review by the European Commission and the blocs foreign policy and security arm found that Russian-linked groups and other nonstate actors had worked to undermine credibility in the European Union through Facebook, Twitter and ...The presidents top diplomat even predicted disarmament would take about two years and said the US had big teams ready to go. Those teams are still waiting. A year after Singapore and a second, more confrontational meeting between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February, the US and North Korea are stuck in the same spot -- still waiting to begin substantive talks on dismantling North Koreas nuclear program in ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



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Digital EditorEconomic liberalisation might have robbed aspiring towns of their provinciality, but Baroda in the latter decades of the 20th century was as claustrophobic as only a small town can be. It was not a city where you could hide, or keep secrets, but Bhupen Khakhar did both.

More even than the fear of being outed as homosexual was the anxiety of the morality brigade, surrounded as he was by the trade and commerce of any small town  the barber, fruit seller, grocer, tailor, watch repairer, mendicant and, inevitably, the neighbour. Within this slightly squalid world, desire existed at a ...The newly-constituted Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against Deputy Mayor of Srinagar and Director of Kehwa Group, Sheikh Imran, officers of Jammu and Kashmir Bank and other government officials, for alleged misappropriation of subsidy worth crores of rupees.

A statement issued by ACB said, "A case under section 5(1) (d) Prevention of Corruption Act Samvat 2006, punishable u/S 5(2) of the Act r/w 420 & 120-B RPC has been registered in Police Station Anti Corruption Bureau in South Kashmir's Anantnag against Shiekh Imran Director M/S Kehwa Square Pvt. Ltd. BohriKadal Srinagar, officers of Jammu and Kashmir Bank and other Govt officials, for illegal appropriation of subsidy with inflated project cost for establishment of CA storage at Lassipora in Pulwama."

During verification conducted by the ACB in Kashmir, it came to the fore that Imran had submitted a proposal to Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the establishment of CA storage under the name and style of M/S Kehwa Square Pvt. Ltd. at Lassipora in Pulwama.

As per the norms of Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Joint Inspection Team (JIT) of various experts and government officials in association with Imran conducted spot inspection at the site.

The assessed cost of the project to Rs 33 crores with the subsidy component thereof calculated to Rs 16.50 crores, that is, 50 per cent of estimated project cost (EPC), purportedly as per the norms of Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan (HMNEH) states was sent to empowered monitoring committee of MIDH for final approval, the statement said.

Subsequent to its approval, the state government also constituted a Committee which conducted spot inspection and physical verification and recommended release of subsidy as per norms without altering or amending the component-wise value of machinery and civil works.

"During the enquiry, it also came to light that Kehwa Group has six more business units. Sheikh Imran has raised varied loan facilities and overdrafts for these business units. The liabilities on account of loan accumulated to Rs. 138 crores. Since one of the companies Kehwa Square had turned NPA including its sister business concerns, Sheikh Imran sought one-time settlement with J-K Bank authorities. The bank finally granted wave off liabilities of Rs.33 crores. Pursuant to the one time settlement, Kehwa Group was asked to deposit Rs 105 crores in two installments with the first installment of Rs. 50 crores to be paid by March 25, 2017," the ACB claimed.

The enquiry further revealed that in order to usurp the subsidy component under the garb of promoting horticulture activity or storage facility with the connivance of the Horticulture Officers and Bank Officials, the proprietor of Kehwa Group and his partners to declare the CA Store as NPA without paying even a single installment towards the bank while as the cost of the project assessed subsequently during enquiry by ACB was found much lower than the projected cost.

The enquiry revealed that this criminal design of Imran and his partners was actually executed with the active support of the officials of Jammu and Kashmir Bank through business unit namely Go Fresh whose proprietor/s Nadeem Ahmad Mayar was roped in seeking a loan term of Rs 36.10 crore with the arrangement of margin money of Rs. 1.90 crore in lieu of the proposed transfer of the lease/property rights of this mortgaged business unit, that is, CA Store Lassipora in his favour.

Mayar, the statement said, obtained a loan of Rs. 36.10 crore, he physically took over the operation of the CA storage business unit without formal transfer of assets/liabilities in his favour. Ironically, the bank authorities extended the loan facility to the proposed buyer on the same property which was already under hypothecation with the bank as an asset of the principal borrower, that is, M/S Kehwa Square Pvt. Ltd.

Enquiry has further revealed that M/S Kehwa Square Pvt. Ltd. sought further concessions from the bank subsequent to the first OTS (One Time Settlement), were sought by it surreptitiously and consented to by the bank authorities whereof the second installment of Rs 55 crore, duly payable after the first OTS was further reduced to Rs 27 crore.

During the enquiry, it has come to fore that Kehwa Group in furtherance of a well-knit conspiracy with respective Government agencies and bank authorities under the garb of NPA and OTS/s in mutual conspiracy illegally benefitted the proprietor/s of Kehwa Group with an illegal appropriation of subsidy amount of Rs. 16.50 crore and layering of various transactions.

"Thus, it is established that the M/S Kehwa Group has got their loan of Rs. 138 crore with J & K Bank, restructured for an amount of Rs. 78 crore and under a well-knit conspiracy Sheikh Imran and partners of M/S Kehwa Square Pvt. Ltd. was extended with covert/overt support by Officers of J & K Bank and Joint Inspection Team, dishonestly and fraudulently, who by abuse and misuse of their official position as public servants conferred undue pecuniary/monetary advantage on M/S Kehwa Group of Companies thereby causing illegal appropriation of crores of rupees from state exchequer, for personal motives," the statement said.

As per ACB, more corruption cases will be registered in this regard.

On June 11, the Income Tax (I-T) department had raided the office and other business locations linked Imran in connection with Jammu and Kashmir bank case. Ten premises linked to Imran in Srinagar, Delhi, and Bengaluru were raided by the I-T sleuths.

The ACB had on June 8 had registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act to look into allegations related to illegal or fraudulent appointments made by the officials of J & K Bank.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday held a meeting with chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to discuss the issues to be taken up by them at the governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today.

In the meeting held at All India Congress Committee (AICC) here, Singh expressed concerns over various issues including the need for river rejuvenation and the importance of reviving the agriculture sector.

Moreover, the forest amendment act to ease the lives of tribals and the need for investment in Naxal-affected areas were also discussed.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who was part of the meeting, said, "We had a discussion on various issues pertaining to the agrarian and acute water crisis in several states. There should be a scheme that would address the crisis and a major step should be taken to rejuvenate those drying rivers and other water resources."

Besides Nath, chief ministers including Ashok Gehlot, V Narayanasamy, H D Kumaraswamy, who is an alliance partner of Congress in Karnataka, and Bhupesh Baghel attended the meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who did not attend the meeting called by Singh, will also not be attending the Niti Aayog meeting.

Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs, Finance, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Vice Chairman, Members, CEO and senior officers of NITI Aayog will be among those attending the event.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) took out a candlelight march here on Saturday in solidarity with the junior doctor who was allegedly attacked in West Bengal, demanding justice for him and also increased security for government doctors.

On Friday, Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS had met Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan with regard to the violence against doctors in West Bengal and demanded security for their fraternity.

Early today, medical practitioners at AIIMS called off their protest and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to fulfil the demands. In their ultimatum, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at AIIMS stated that if the demands are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike.

"200 people attacked the doctors in West Bengal, 5 days have passed and culprits are not booked. We want that attacking doctors should be made a non-billable offence," said Dr Abhinav Sharma.

"To beat doctors is very bad. We only do our work and try to save the lives of patients. If someone dies it's not our fault. We want that adequate security should be deployed at emergency wards so that our security is ensured," said another resident doctor.

"We are not asking for an increase in salaries or perks, we are just asking that we should be provided security," another doctor added.

Junior doctors in Kolkata have been on strike after one of their colleagues was attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation earlier in the day met Harsh Vardhan to discuss the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bad weather severely hampered the rescue operation to retrieve the mortal remains of the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel onboard the ill-fated AN-32 in Arunachal Pradesh.

"The rescue team of 17 IAF, Army Special Forces and civilian members is present at the crash site. The rescue operations are being curtailed due to incessant rains and heavy clouding. No helicopter could fly today due to bad weather," an IAF spokesperson said on Saturday.

Helicopter operations require great skill and caution, under such conditions, especially hovering at high altitudes and very close to the steep mountain slopes.

Bad weather is hampering hovering by helicopters to do winching operations which are mandatory for all the rescue operations and recovery of mortal remains.

"All efforts are being made to heli-lift the mortal remains of the IAF personnel at the earliest to their parent base Jorhat. Rescue teams are standing by and operations will resume as soon as the weather improves," IAF said in its statement.

The AN-32 transport aircraft of the Air Force with 13 IAF personnel onboard went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat. The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper.

The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo at an elevation of 12,000 feet. The picture emerging from the crash site suggested that the plane was trying to cross over the mountain top but could not do so due to blockage of views by clouds.

The IAF faces problems in operating the AN-32 aircraft in the Northeast and Northern areas as the plane can't fly above the terrain in mountains with one engine and has to manoeuvre through the valleys the way aircraft like Dakotas and Caribou aircraft in older days.

The upgradation plan of the aircraft has been derailed due to strained relations between Russia and Ukraine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)BJP Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders staged a protest against Jindal South West (JSW) Steel land deal, on Saturday.

"The decision has already been taken to sell the JSW land and everybody knows their intention behind this deal. We will continue with the dharna today and tomorrow as well," he told ANI.

Another party leader, Shoba Karandlaje, MP, said the state government was not at all bothered about farmer's problem. Karnataka was facing severe drought problem but the government was not even releasing the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (HDRF) funds from central government, she said.

She also added that the state government has decided to give approximately 3,000 acres of land to JSW which is a rich iron ore field but they have not done anything for the poor farmers

The Karnataka Cabinet recently decided to execute the absolute sale of land to JSW Steel, which is based out of Vijayanagar in Ballari district in the state.

According to the decision, the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel would be converted into a permanent sale in accordance with the initial agreement.

This issue has created a furore in the opposition camp with the BJP alleging that the government would get kickback after the finalization of the deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four youths, who were trying to exfiltrate the Line of Control in north Kashmir, were handed over to their families by Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday.

They were apprehended in the Limber area of Boniyar in the Baramulla district on Friday, while trying to cross over the LoC to get arms training in Pakistan.

The men were "on the path of violence" but now have been sent back to their kin, informed, Brigadier Girish Kalia, Commander of the 79 Mountain Brigade.

"I appeal to youth to not to get misguided by the propaganda of militants. Youth should choose the path of peace, not violence," Kalia told reporters in a press conference.

The Commander added that the four Kashmiri youths were misguided by local militants and their accomplices.

Acting swiftly to prevent them from choosing the wrong path, Army's 161 Territorial Army battalion, Baramulla police, and 53 battalion CRPF apprehended the young men.

Commander Girish Kalia also informed that the youths were properly counseled before being handed over to their respective families.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Brazil's Supreme Court has criminalised discrimination and hateful acts against gays and transgenders.

The court on Thursday ruled with eight votes in favours out of 11 for the law. According to the court's ruling, the homophobic and transphobic violence falls under the existing anti-racism laws.

Justice Carmen Lucia, who supports the new policy, said the court can't deny protection "to those who have at times been denied the right to life, and most often to the right to liberty and dignity, by the absence of legislation," the Hill reported.

The court ruled unanimously in 2011 that every state in Brazil had to recognize same-sex civil unions. However, the country has not passed reinforcing legislation.

Along with that, there is no provision to protect the LGBT community from harassment.

Some gay groups have earlier said that they have faced more threats of violence and hostility following the election of the country's president, Jair Bolsonaro, last year.

Brazil has one of the highest murder rates when it comes to individuals in the LGBT community. In 2018, 420 LGBT people were killed across the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India's Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Saturday concluded their 48th DG level talks here on Saturday with the signing of Joint Record of Discussion between DG, BSF, Rajni Kant Mishra and DG, BGB, Major General Md Shafeenul Islam.

According to an official statement, both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in the areas vulnerable to cattle and narcotics smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of International Border (IB) and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.

During the meeting, Mishra said the BSF uses the policy of non-lethal weapon on the borders out of its concern for human rights in general and particularly lives of Bangladeshi nationals.

"BSF troopers use firearms in the rarest situations, when they are cornered by miscreants threatening the very lives of BSF troops," Mishra was quoted as saying.

"Preventing these crimes, one BSF trooper has lost his life and 39 were grievously injured in the last few months. The firing was resorted to only when, in large numbers, miscreants threaten BSF troops with the sharpedged weapon, dahs, stones, etc. All miscreants died in such firing on the Indian soil," he added.

Highlighting the importance of Coordinated Border Management Programme (CBMP) in curbing the menace of trans-border crimes both sides agreed for the implementation of CBMP in its positive spirit, the official statement said.

DG BSF appreciated the cooperation extended by BGB and other security forces of Bangladesh against Indian insurgent groups (IIGs) and sought further cooperation from BGB for the destruction of reported hideouts of IIGs in Bangladesh.

Both sides also agreed to pursue and share real-time information including a preliminary questioning report as applicable about the persons apprehended with smuggled items.

According to the official statement, both sides mutually agreed to solve the pending issues regarding development works including single row fencing of integrated check posts and land customs stations within 150 yards of IB by joint verification or re-verification of appropriate levels as early as possible

The two Border guard forces also agreed to declare new areas as crime free zone in phases of which proposed area within Sarail region or Tripura Frontier may be formalised in the first phase.

The next DG level conference will be held in New Delhi during the first week of November this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and discussed issues of mutual interest on the sidelines of the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit here on Saturday.

"EAM @DrSJaishankar met with Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif on the sidelines of #CICA2019 summit in Dushanbe. Discussed issues of mutual interest. @Iran_in_India @IRIMFA_EN @IndEmbDushanbe," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the US sanctions on Iran as well as Tehran's partial withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), worsening ties between the two sides.

This comes a day after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran President Haasan Rouhani was cancelled on Friday due to "scheduling issues."

Addressing the summit earlier in the day, Jaishankar had underlined that terrorism is the 'gravest threat' that people in Asia face, saying that terrorists and their victims must never be equated.

"Terrorism is the gravest threat that we face in Asia today. Many CICA members are victims of terrorism and should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated. CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism," he had said.

Jaishankar's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek had stressed that countries "sponsoring, aiding and funding" terrorism must be held accountable, without naming any particular country.

The CICA is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia.

The theme of this year's summit is "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region."

India has been actively participating in various activities of the CICA since its inception in 1999.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)All District Congress Committees in Uttar Pradesh may be dissolved soon and reconstituted in the wake of the party's debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Sources said that new names were being considered.

This follows Congress General Secretary East Priyanka Gandhi reportedly pulling up the party rank and file at a meeting held at Raebareli on June 12 for Congress's poor-show.

The sources said Gandhi came down heavily on Amethi Congress President Yogendra Mishra in the meeting and asked him to leave.Congress president Rahul Gandhi had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi while the party could

In the meeting in Rae Bareli, apart from senior party workers, Lok Sabha candidates who contested on Congress ticket in Lok Sabha constituencies in Eastern UP, district presidents, city president and coordinators were present.

The sources said the AICC feels that Amethi Congress leaders kept the leadership in dark and did not apprise it of the ground situation.

When reached, senior Congress leader P L Punia only said that the party was going to strengthen the organization in the state.

"Various measures will be adapted to activate the state setup. Priyanka Gandhi will be touring the state and will give two days time in the state," said Punia.

Priyanka who was the in-charge of UP East had campaigned vigorously in favour of Congress candidates in the state, especially in Raebareli and Amethi.

Several senior party leaders including Congress President Rahul Gandhi had to suffer defeat in the elections.

After the Lok Sabha debacle, Priyanka faces an uphill task to strengthen the party cadre in the state in view of the upcoming bypoll and the Assembly elections due in 2022.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Medical practitioners at AIIMS Delhi on Saturday called off their protest and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to fulfil the demands.

In their ultimatum, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at AIIMS stated that if the demands are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at the Delhi hospital.

"All the junior and the senior resident doctors are back to work but we are continuing the protest. We are holding symbolic protest by wearing black badges, helmets and bandits. We have given 48-hour to the Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal health minister to meet our demands, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike from June 17," said Amarinder Singh Malhi, President, Resident Doctor's Association AIIMS while speaking to ANI.

Junior doctors in Kolkata have been on strike after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation earlier in the day met Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to discuss the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The resident doctors of Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to accept the demands of the agitating junior medicos failing which they will be going on an indefinite strike.

''We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike,'' the Resident Doctors Association told ANI.

This warning of going on indefinite strike from the RDA of AIIMS came just hours after the West Bengal Chief Minister invited the agitated junior doctors to meet her again on Saturday to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday had called for a nationwide strike on June 17. The organisation is demanding safe working conditions for medical practitioners. The organisation also launched a three-day pan-India protest, beginning Friday to express solidarity with their West Bengal counterparts.

Junior doctors in Kolkata have been on strike after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Delhi Court on Saturday deferred hearing in the bail plea filed by Wave Group chairman Manpreet Singh (Monty) Chadha in connection with a cheating case against him.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Gaurav Rao adjourned the matter for hearing on June 17 after Chadha's leading senior counsel failed to appear before it citing personal reasons.

Senior advocate Vivek Tankha is likely to appear for Chadha on the next date of hearing.

Earlier on Thursday, Metropolitan Magistrate Paras Dala rejected Chadha's bail plea and sent him to 14-days judicial custody.

Monty Chadha, vice-chairman of the Wave group and director of Uppal-Chadha Hi-tech Developers Private Limited was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing while he was flying from India to Phuket via Singapore.

Chadha, son of late liquor baron Ponty Chadha, was arrested for allegedly cheating investors to the tune of over Rs 100 crore.

The FIR has alleged that the company had defrauded investors of more than Rs 100 crore.

According to the police, a Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued against him earlier this year in connection with the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Dia Mirza along with an array of stars attended the special screening of her web series 'Kaafir' on Friday. Mirza, who is playing the role of a Pakistani woman, is making her digital debut with the series.

After impressing the fans with her stellar performance in films, the actor is all set to enthral the fans with her magical performance once again.

The actor spoke about the hurdles and challenges she faced while shooting for the series. "I was really excited about the new project and more than that I was happy that the series was initially to filmed in Kashmir. But unfortunately due to the 'Pulwama problems' we just couldn't shoot there," she said.

"We were denied shooting permission in Kashmir. Then we had to begin shooting in Himachal which is also known as mini Kashmir and which is near the Tibet border. So we shot in Sangla and Kalpa villages," she added.

The story, written by Bhavani Iyer, breaks the stereotypes and mentality of the people regarding cast and religion. The actor revealed she was also questioned on playing the character of a Pakistani woman.

"The storyline of the web series addresses the prejudices that people hold. When people come to me and asks if I fear playing the character of a Pakistani woman amid tensions between our neighbouring country, I would say that the series is something which will hammer the mentality of the people against such preconceived notions."

Apart from Dia, the series streaming on Zee5, also stars Mohit Raina. The series is directed by Sonam Nair.

Meanwhile, the actor will be seen in her next web series which will be a historical drama, written by Bhawani Iyer and directed by Nikkhil Advani.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ignoring Congress objections, the Election Commission on Saturday announced separate bye-elections on July 5 to two Rajya Sabha vacancies in Gujarat, created by the election of Amit Shah and Smriti Irani to Lok Sabha, while announcing bye-polls to four other Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar and Odisha.

Apart from the two seats, bye-elections will be held to a seat vacated by the election of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to Lok Sabha and three seats in Odisha rendered vacant by the election of A Samanta and PK Deb to Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly, respectively. The third seat in Rajya Sabha in Odisha became vacant after the resignation of Congress leader Soumya Ranjan Patnaik.

In a press note, the Commission said while the schedule for the 6 bye-elections will be the same, the vacancies for bye-elections to all Houses, including the Rajya Sabha, are considered as separate vacancies and notifications are issued and a separate poll is taken for each of the vacancies although the programme schedule may be common.

Justifying the holding of separate elections for the vacancies, the Commission said, "This is in conformity with the provisions of Section 147 to 151 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and has been the consistent practice of the Commission in such cases."

"Holding of separate elections has been upheld by the Honourable Delhi High Court in civil writ petition No 132 of 1994 (AK Walia vs Union of India and others) and writ petition No 9357 of 2006 (Satya Pal Malik vs ECI) by its decision dated 14 01 1994 and 20 01 2009 respectively."

The Commission's decision to hold separate bye-elections assumes significance because of Congress' apprehensions that it will not be able to win one of the two vacancies in Gujarat. The Congress feels that if the bye-elections are held not as separate constituencies, then it has a chance of winning one of the seats because of its numbers in the Gujarat Assembly. But if the elections are held as separate vacancies then the ruling BJP could win both the seats.

Earlier this week, Congress spokesperson and eminent lawyer Abhishek Singhvi urged the Election Commission to hold the two Rajya Sabha bye-elections under one notification and not as separate notifications. He had expressed the hope that the EC would be fair in holding the elections while making it clear that it was only the party's apprehension that the Commission would hold them as separate elections.

Under the common schedule for the six Rajya Sabha seats, notification for the election will be issued on June 18 while the last date for nominations will be June 25. Scrutiny will be done the next day and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be June 28. The hours of the poll on July 5 will be between 9 am and 4 pm and the votes will be counted on the same day.

While Ravi Shankar Prasad's term from Bihar was to end on April 2, 2024, the term of Amit Shah and Irani from Gujarat was to end on August 18, 2023. In Odisha, the term of Samanta was to end on April 3, 2024, Deb on July 1, 2022, and Patnaik on April 3, 2024.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday said the state government is doing its best to save children, as the death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur mounted to 73.

Speaking to ANI, Pandey said doctors and nurses are being called in from Patna for additional help.

"We are trying everything and anything that can save children's lives. Everything is being made available from medicines to doctors. We have even called doctors and nurses from AIIMS in Patna," he said. "There is a protocol regarding what kind of medicines and facilities should be given and we are doing the same. We are monitoring things regularly and trying to save our children."

Recalling the situation that prevailed five years ago, Pandey said a team that was formed to ascertain the cause of this disease concluded that sleeping empty stomach at night, dehydration due to humidity and eating lychee on empty stomach were some of the causes of Encephalitis.

"Our government has tried to spread awareness which will be beneficial as well. Advertisement in newspapers, radio jingles, pamphlets and mic announcements are going to spread awareness regarding the disease. Health ministry is also working on it," he said.

On being asked about spread of ASE in Gorakhpur last year, he said, "From Gorakhpur to Muzaffarpur region, this disease had spread last year and the Union government had worked on this and we will continue to fight it now."

"This incident in Muzaffarpur is very saddening and we also feel bad when children of our nation die like this. Not the whole district is affected but a large part is suffering from it," he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Union Ministry for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, visited Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital here to review the situation after the outbreak of AES.

Encephalitis is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said sedition charges should not be slapped if someone expresses their opinion. He feels "everyone should have 'Freedom of Expression.'"

Baghel's comment comes after a man in Rajnandgaon was reportedly arrested and charged with sedition in the state for allegedly spreading rumours on social media over power cuts in the state. He was arrested following a complaint filed by Chhattisgarh State Power Holding Company Limited (CSPHCL). However, Baghel later directed the police to withdraw the sedition charge.

"Everyone should have freedom of expression. If someone expresses their opinion, sedition charges shouldn't be slapped on him. It was in our manifesto that Section 124 A will be scrapped," Baghel told media while talking about the incident.

"As soon as I had received info, I had expressed displeasure that it should not have been done. But I would also like to say that nobody should misuse social media to spread rumours. There are separate laws for it. Action should be taken as per them," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Freida Pinto, along with co-actors Bo Hopkins and Owen Asztalos, have wrapped up shooting for Ron Howard's unnamed flick, which is based on J.D. Vance's bestselling book 'Hillbily Elegy'.

The film is about the modern exploration of the American dream, which is narrated by Appalachian family's youngest member, reported Variety.

Vanessa Taylor, the 'The Shape of Water' famed screenwriter wrote the screenplay for the movie. Howard, Brian Grazer and Karen Lunder produced the film along with executive producers Julie Oh and Vance will.

The film will be aired on Netflix, which boarded the project in January.

The 'Slumdog Millionaire' actor has appeared on Netflix earlier as well, in 'Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle'. She is also lending her voice for the upcoming Disney show 'Mira, Royal Detective.'

Other than Freida, the movie also stars Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Haley Bennett, and Gabriel Basso.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As defiant striking doctors skipped a meeting with her for the second day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday extended an olive branch to them by promising not to invoke the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and appealed to them to resume work immediately.

"For the sake of humanity, I do not want to invoke the ESMA Act in the state. I want the junior doctors to resume work as we have accepted all their demands. Thousands of people are awaiting medical treatment," she a press conference as the strike by doctors continued for the fifth day.

Banerjee said that the state government will bear all medical expenses for the treatment of the two junior doctors, who were assaulted in a Kolkata hospital that triggered the strike.

"The state government is fully committed to taking necessary steps. We have taken the decision to bear all the expenses of medical treatment of the junior doctor who is admitted at a private hospital," the TMC supremo said.

Banerjee asserted that she had cancelled all official engagements just to meet the agitating doctors but they did not meet her.

"I had sent my ministers, Principal Secretary to meet the doctors. We waited for five hours to meet doctors delegations yesterday and today, but they did not come. You have to give respect to the Constitutional body," she added.

Terming the June 10 incident as "unfortunate", the TMC supremo said that her government did not arrest a single doctor and promised that no stringent action will be taken.

"We never arrested a single person. We will not take any police action. Health services cannot continue like this. I am not going to take any stringent action. Let good sense prevail. We want a peaceful resolution to the issue," Banerjee said.

"The state government is committed to resuming normal medical services at the soonest. The incident on 10th June was unfortunate. We had continuously tried to reach a solution," she added.

The ongoing strike by the medical practitioners entered its fifth day in West Bengal. Both the junior and senior doctors are on strike from the past five days after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Monday.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

The Centre has sought a report from the state government on measures taken to resolve the ongoing strike by doctors.

"This Ministry is in receipt of a number of representations from doctors, health care professionals and medical associations from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal. It is requested that a detailed report be sent urgently on the representations and the ongoing strike by the doctors," a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had written a letter to Banerjee urging her to "personally intervene" to resolve the woes of agitating doctors in the state.

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) urged the doctors to call off their strike, saying that children are dying for lack of timely critical medical services.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)American actor Casey Affleck has the perfect mantra to raise children right.

The 43-year-old star may have a successful acting career but the Oscar-winning actor knows how to keep his little ones grounded.

"I have tried really hard to kind of keep them away," the 'Light of My Life' star told Us Weekly recently.

"We never go to industry things together. They're not even really that interested in the movies. They just don't seem to care that much, and I hope that's because around the house we just talk about other stuff. It's not their whole world," he added.

The doting father shared how speaking about challenges plays a key role to help his kids lead a normal life.

He continued, "I have had lots of conversations with them about the challenges of being in a family where some people are in the public eye, and they've seen a lot of things. ... Because I talked to them about that very early on, I think now it's just, like, old hacks for them."

The actor, who shares two sons Indiana (15) and Atticus (11) with his ex-wife Summer Phoenix, opened up to the outlet about his favourite way to spend time with his children.

Apart from playing sports, listening to music and reading, the actor shared that he likes his boys to work.

"One thing I really like to do is, as soon as they say that they're bored, I just give them a job," Affleck explained.

"So if there's something that needs to be done, I really like to wait them out. I just create no fun happening around the house for us. ... Soon enough, they're like, 'We're bored!' and I'm like, 'Great! There are three loads of laundry that need to be done,'" he added.

The 'Interstellar' star also enjoys watching his youngest son sell "overpriced" lemonade and baked goods in their neighbourhood. "He's a hustler," Affleck told the outlet.

The actor spoke about his bond with his children while writing his new movie 'Light of My Life', telling the outlet, "I was incorporating conversations and situations from my relationship with my kids and putting in the scenes."

"It was a great way of making those characters really alive to me, and also it strangely helped me understand the conversations that I had with my kids better in reading the scenes and thinking about them and sort of analyzing them from a different perspective," he added.

'Light of My Life' premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, this year.

The film will be released in NYC and L.A. on August 2.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Union Home Ministry has asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has been constituted to investigate closed cases of 1984 Sikh genocide cases, to probe afresh a case against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, said Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa here on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference here, Sirsa said he had taken up the matter of investigation against Nath with then Home Minister through Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and had written a letter in December 2018.

Sirsa alleged that Kamal Nath is guilty of instigating mob at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib on November 1, 1984, where the mob burnt two Sikhs. He said that an FIR (601/84) was registered at the Parliament Street Police station on November 1, 1984, in this regard in which police filed a charge-sheet against five accused but deliberately left out Kamal Nath.

Sirsa said that he had taken up the matter with the SIT which said that its jurisdiction was limited to the cases closed for lack of evidence only and it cannot investigate a case already tried in a court of law.

He said that he then took up the matter with Home Ministry which has now asked the SIT to investigate the case against Kamal Nath. "It has also issued the notification in this regard extending jurisdiction or scope of inquiry of the SIT," he said.

Sirsa said that the new order of Home Ministry extending the scope of the inquiry has paved the way for reinvestigation in cases where accused were let off due to lack of evidence due to the collusion of police with the guilty.

The DSGMC president said that now with reinvestigation of the case, "Kamal Nath will surely go to jail like Sajjan Kumar who too was enjoying Z-Plus security."

Sirsa said: "We will urge the SIT to include the name of Kamal Nath in FIR No. 601/84 and immediately arrest him. With the latest order of the Home Ministry, we have fulfilled our promise to ensure action against Kamal Nath.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been in constant touch with the families of the 13 air warriors who lost their lives in the ill-fated AN-32 crash in the mountainous region of Arunachal Pradesh over 10 days ago constantly updating them about the operation to retrieve the mortal remains from the crash site.

Defence Public Relation Officer (PRO) in Tezpur, Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande, said, "Cheetah and ALH Helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves. At present, there are low clouds associated with rain in the area. IAF is making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors."

"Early this morning the rescue efforts got hampered due to inclement weather in the area," he added.

Meanwhile,mourners gathered at the house of Lieutenant Mohit Garg, who was the pilot of AN-32 aircraft.

Garg's father said, "We were informed about the missing AN-32 aircraft. After that, we were informed that my son has died in the crash. His body will reach here in two days time and all other relatives have gathered here to share the grief."

"My son got married about 11 months ago. His wife works as a bank manager in Jalandhar. My son was commissioned as a pilot five years ago."

The AN-32 transport aircraft of the Air Force went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat. The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper. The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo at an elevation of 12,000 feet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Six teams of Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Karnataka government on Saturday conducted searches at the residences of accused persons in Govind Pura, Shivaji Nagar, Tasker town and HBR Layout in connection with IMA Jewels case.

The teams retrieved documents during the searches.

IMA Jewels auditor Iqbal Khan was arrested by the SIT in connection with the Ponzi scam in Bengaluru on Thursday. Khan, a resident of Frazer town, has been the auditor of IMA for many years.

According to an immigration form, the main accused, IMA Jewels founder Mohammed Mansoor Khan, has flown to Dubai on June 8. As per SIT, efforts are being made to nab Khan.

The 11-member SIT headed by DIG BR Ravikanthe Gowda was formed by the Karnataka government to probe the alleged fraud by the firm, which has an estimated Rs 200 crore investment of Muslim women alone.

The SIT, which is a part of Karnataka Police, on Wednesday, arrested 7 directors of different entities linked to Mansoor Khan, who is accused of allegedly perpetrating financial fraud in Bengaluru. The accused directors are - Nizamuddin, Nasir Hussain, Naveed Ahmed, Arshad Khan, Wasim, Ansar Pasha and Dada Peer.

The police confirmed that over 25, 000 complaints have been filed so far against the company.

It is alleged that IMA Jewels, with Muslims as its prime investors, has not paid interests on investments for the last three months.

Accused Mansoor Khan disappeared after sending an audio clip to some investors threatening to commit suicide due to what he alleged was "harassment" by some politicians and rowdies.

IMA founder Khan, in the said audio clip sent to investors, alleged that rebel Congress MLA Roshan Baig had taken Rs 400 crore and was not paying back. He has, however, refuted the allegation and termed it a "total conspiracy."

Currently, shops of IMA Jewels in Shivaji Nagar are closed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)People residing near the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district have thanked the central government for approving a bill to provide for job reservation to them on the lines of the concession enjoyed by those living along the Line of Control.

The Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has earlier this week cleared the decks for approval of The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which will now be introduced in Parliament in the forthcoming session.

Hailing the government's decision, a local resident said, "Every time firing is done from the other side of the border, we are forced to leave this place. Our children's studies are affected badly due to this, our crops get damaged and our business comes to a halt. Government does provide us help but still we have to suffer a lot. We thank the central government for helping us out. If people here will get reservation in jobs then it will help us a lot as it is difficult for children here to compete with those living in other cities."

Another person said, "This decision should have been taken long time back, but still we are happy that finally somebody has thought about us. It's a good decision taken by the government. We thank the government for this. We hope that the government will think more about the people staying in such tough conditions. We will support that government, which will think for us."

Yet another local resident has further requested government to provide financial aid.

He said, "We further request the government to provide us more bunkers. Also, the government should provide us financial assistance for the loss of property during firing from the Pakistan side."

The Bill will replace "The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance,2019" by amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 and bringing persons residing in the areas adjoining International Border within the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining Actual Line of Control (ALoC).

The people living in Jammu and Kashmir areas adjoining International Border were not included in the ambit of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 and Rules, 2005. It provides for reservation in direct recruitment, promotions and admission in different professional courses to various categories including residents of Areas adjoining Actual Line of Control. Therefore, they were not getting these benefits for a long time.

Hence, the Union Cabinet "felt justifiable to extend the reservation benefits to persons residing in the areas adjoining International Border on the similar lines of the persons living in areas adjoining Actual Line of Control (ALoC)," a statement read.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The state police on Saturday claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of criminals and have arrested five persons so far.

Talking to media persons here, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Haseeb Mughal said that cars with the registration number of other states, light emitting diode (LED) TV and other electronic equipment were recovered from their possession.

"Police have so far arrested five persons out of which four are the main accused. The remaining one used to deal in selling and purchasing of stolen vehicles. The accused have confessed their crime during interrogation," said Mughal.

Police had received a complaint of theft from an ITC store in Bagh Nand Singh area of the city. They swung into action and got some leads after initial investigations regarding the involvement of gangs from places like Budgam and Baramulla.

"The important thing to note here is that the gang members had very sophisticated tools and methodology. They were also very organised. They used to survey the whole area, damage CCTVs, their DVRs, laptops, and all other possible evidence before committing the crime," he said.

In reply to a question, SSP Mughal said: "The cars recovered from their possession had the registration number of other places. Three cars have Delhi's registration numbers. Further probe is on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The youth of Kashmir got an opportunity to participate in a five-day long visual storytelling workshop on a houseboat on Jhelum River.

The workshop titled 'Jhelum Fables' was organised by a young entrepreneur, and founder of ROOTS learning group, Mahi Burza. Participants were given a platform to showcase their imagination and creativity through photography and writing.

The five-day affair was conducted with the help of Dr. Tabeena Anjum Qureshi, a noted journalist who is presently working in Jaipur with a reputed English daily.

"The soul of this workshop is imagination and creativity. What better place to conduct such a workshop than on the beautiful Jhelum River, a muse of so many poets over the years!", Dr Tabinah told ANI.

Afaan Qadri, a participant, and a photography enthusiast shared how he was able to add another dimension to his craft. "From this workshop, we were able to cultivate a creative eye which helped us to see the world through different lenses. The same creativity also started to reflect in our writings and photography."

One of the biggest aims of the workshop, in the eyes of the organizer, was to reconnect the Kashmiri youth to the rich culture of the region. Also, the location of the workshop, Jhelum River was chosen primarily for the participants to experience the nature, the sounds of birds and water which can stimulate creativity in the minds of the participants, she added.

The area has witnessed plenty of violence over the years and according to participants, this workshop helped them look beyond events they see in their daily life and pursue their creative edge. Dr. Tabeena said," On the day of the orientation, the students were asked to not write about conflict but to look beyond it- the imagination, the river and its beauty, the bond between Jhelum and its inhabitants. They were encouraged to capture the essence of their surroundings right from the start."

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two convicts in Jyoti Chaudhary rape and murder case moved the Bombay High Court on Saturday challenging the rejection of their mercy plea by the President.

The execution of Purshottam Borate and Pradeep Kokade is scheduled for June 24.

A petition moved by them through lawyer Yug Chaudhary sought commutation of their death penalty.

The plea is slated to be heard on June 19, according to the lawyer.

22-year-old Jyoti Chaudhary was raped and murder by her company's cab driver and his friend in 2007.

The Pune District and Sessions court in 2012 had sentenced the duo to death. The sentence was later upheld by both Bombay High Court and Supreme Court in 2015.

The convicts then moved a mercy petition, which was rejected by the President of India in 2016.

A Pune court in April this year fixed the date for their execution on June 24.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and congratulated him on being re-elected for a second term.

On the issue of the expansion of Karnataka Cabinet, Kumaraswamy told media that it is a political issue and he will manage it. "That is a political issue, leave it. We will manage it and there is nothing to worry," he said.

Amidst coalitions troubles and decimation of the ruling combine in elections, Kumaraswamy on Friday expanded his Cabinet by inducting two independent MLAs.

Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to R Shankar and H Nagesh at the Raj Bhavan where deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and others were also present.

In Karnataka, BJP is the single largest party with 105 members in the 225 member assembly, while the ruling coalition of Congress and JD(U) has 117 members. 79 legislators belong to Congress, 37 from JD(S)and 1 from BSP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two men died after allegedly inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning an approximately 40 feet deep sewer located near DP Bora petrol pump in Chinhat locality of Faizabad on Saturday.

The two men had reportedly entered the sewers through a manhole with a contractor and three other people at around 12 in the noon.

Attempts by the personnel of the police and Fire Department to save them failed.

The bodies were recovered by a local swimmer -- Monu Kashyap -- who used a rope to get down in the sewer line and get the two bodies out.

Sachin Kumar Singh, Inspector of the Chinhat police station, said the people with whom the two victims had descended into the sewers are being searched for and an investigation has been started.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Avinash Mahtekar, a senior Republican Party of India (RPI) leader, will take oath as a minister in Maharashtra government's cabinet expansion.

The development has come to light just days after Minister for Finance and Planning in the Maharashtra government Sudhir Mungatiwar stated that Cabinet expansion by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will ensure allies are satisfied.

Mungantiwar's statement comes at a time when speculations are rife on an alleged rift between the Shiv Sena and BJP over portfolio allocation and Chief Minister post in Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra Minister had assured that BJP will help candidates of its allies win from their respective seats in the upcoming assembly elections as per the directions of BJPPresident Amit Shah.

"The next Chief Minister will be from BJP and cabinet ministers from all our allied parties. This is what BJP President Amit Shah told us and this is what we are aiming for. Abki baar 220 paar (We will cross 220 seats this time)," Mungantiwar had stated while speaking to ANI a few days back. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Avinash Mahtekar, oath, cabinet, BJP, Amit Shah.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Amid speculations that BJP could offer deputy Chief Minister post to ally Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis on Friday met Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the proposed state cabinet expansion in detail.

"I met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ji at Matoshree here today and had a long discussion on the cabinet expansion," Fadanvis said in a tweet in Marathi.

The Cabinet expansion is proposed at a time when speculations are rife on an alleged rift between the Shiv Sena and BJP over portfolio allocation and Chief Minister post in Maharashtra.

Earlier, the BJP said that the expansion would help fulfill the expectations of the Shiv Sena and other NDA allies.

Minister for Finance and Planning in the Maharashtra government Sudhir Mungantiwar had on Tuesday said that cabinet expansion will be done before the assembly session which begins on Monday.

"Devendra Fadnavis has decided that Maharashtra Cabinet expansion will be done before the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Session, soon all will hear the good news. Shiv Sena and other allies will meet their expectations," he had said.

Shiv Sena and the BJP had contested the 2014 assembly polls separately, but the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined the government later.

Both parties contested the Lok Sabha election in a coalition and swept the state. While BJP won 23, Shiv Sena bagged 18 out of total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Mumbai court has allowed the application of Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur for exemption from appearance on Saturday in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

The court had on June 3 directed Thakur and all other accused in the case to appear before it once a week.

Thakur's lawyers had on Friday sought exemption for her from appearing before the Special NIA court today. Her application was transferred to a Mumbai court since the regular Special NIA Judge Vinod Padalkar was on leave today. It was allowed after her counsel J P Mishra told the court that he had asked her not to appear as Special NIA judge was on leave.

Besides the Bhopal MP, the other accused are Lt Col Prasad Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Ajay Rahirkar, Sameer Kulkarni and Sudhakar Chaturvedi.

They have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The charges include sections 16 (committing terrorist act) and 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist act) of the UAPA and sections 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153 (a) (promoting enmity between two religious groups) of the IPC.

The accused have also been charged under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act.

On September 29, 2008, six people were killed and a dozen others were injured when a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A day after former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to agree to Delhi government's free travel for women proposal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said that Delhi Metro was running in losses.

"I have written to Sreedharan Sahib and told him that Delhi Metro is running in losses. Its carrying capacity is 40 lakh passengers every day but presently it is carrying only 25 lakh passengers," Deputy Chief Minister told ANI.

Delhi government had recently announced its decision to give free travel to women passengers on metro and buses.

Popularly known as the 'metro man,' Sreedharan wrote to Modi asking him not to agree to Delhi government's proposal.

Delhi government and the Centre have an equal partnership in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

"Our proposal for 'free travel for women on Metro' will be beneficial for the Delhi Metro. Its ridership will increase and fares will come down. One of the reasons behind low ridership is high fare. If Delhi government pays the fare of women commuters, the Delhi Metro should be happy with it," Sisodia said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Centre has constituted a new Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) in Jammu and Kashmir in a bid to dismantle terror-financing structure and crackdown terrorists financers in the valley.

Sources said the group will be headed by additional DGP, CID in Jammu and Kashmir, as its Chairman,

There will also be representatives from Intelligence Bureau (IB), Investigation Agency (NIA), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the TMG.

According to highly-placed sources, TMG has initiated concerted action by all the agencies as part of efforts to strike at the financiers of Terror in the valley.

After assuming charge as Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has held back-to-back meetings with officials and others over internal security issues.

He also had a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in which Malik briefed Shah about the prevailing situation in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)After concluding his two-day visit to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reached India.

During his visit, he held successful bilaterals with China, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan, apart from addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek.

Despite Pakistan's request, Modi did not hold any formal meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, Modi exchanged "usual pleasantries" with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan in the Leaders' Lounge at the SCO Summit.

Beside this, the Prime Minister also held a pull-aside meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus on the sidelines of the SCO Summit on Friday, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

He coined the acronym HEALTH during his address at the Summit, which is a template for strengthening cooperation amongst SCO member-states.

Expanding on the acronym, he said that the 'H' in HEALTH stands for Healthcare Cooperation, 'E' for Economic Cooperation, 'A' for Alternate Energy, 'L' for Literature and Culture, 'T' for Terrorism free society and 'H' for Humanitarian Cooperation.

Even though India did not hold any official talks with Pakistan -- who is also an SCO member -- in Bishkek, Modi also jointly inaugurated the India-Kyrgyz Business Forum with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov earlier today, following which the new strategic partners held a bilateral. He was also accorded a ceremonial welcome by Jeenbekov at the Ala Archa Presidential Palace in the Kyrgyz capital, which formally started off the Prime Minister's bilateral visit to the Central Asian country.

15 documents were exchanged in various sectors in Modi and Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov's presence at a joint presser which followed the India-Kyrgyz bilateral. India also proposed a 200 million dollar line of credit to Kyrgyzstan during wide-ranging talks with the country on Friday.

Even though Pakistan again showed its eagerness in holding talks to resolve all issues, India maintained its stance that Islamabad needed to create a terror-free atmosphere first -- a position which was conveyed to Chinese President Xi Jinping by the Prime Minister during their bilateral on Thursday.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiralled following the deadly February 14 Pulwama terror attack. New Delhi has remained rooted to its stand, saying that terror and talks with Islamabad cannot go together. China is an all-weather ally of Pakistan.

The next SCO Summit will be hosted by Russia, the MEA confirmed in a special briefing here on Friday. India became a full member of the organisation in 2017 in Astana, along with Pakistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As many as 66 children have died due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, officials said.

A total of 55 patients died at Shri Krishna Medical College while 11 of them died in private Kejriwal hospital here. Till now over 130 have been hospitalised in the district.

District Magistrate of Muzaffarpur had on Friday told ANI that for students till class eight, schools will remain closed till June 22 and for students in higher standards, classes will be held only till 10.30 am.

Encephalitis is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) here on Saturday submitted its reply in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the plea seeking suspension of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's sentence in Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.

In its reply, the anti-corruption watchdog has opposed the suspension of Sharif's sentence and requested the court to reject his plea, Dunya News reported.

Sharif cannot be released on bail as he is a convict and the accountability court had punished him after analysing the evidence, the NAB has stated.

Last month, a two-judge IHC bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani issued a notice to the federal government, the NAB and the superintendent of the jail to submit their responses on the matter within two weeks.

On March 26, the Supreme Court had granted a six-week bail to the former Prime Minister on medical grounds, which expired on May 7.

Apart from seeking suspension of his sentence, the petition, filed by Sharif on May 20, also said that the three-time Prime Minister had invested in his children's companies.

His sons, Hussain and Hassan, had no known sources of income and they were under the guardianship of their father, according to Sharif's plea.

The case will be next heard on June 25.

In December last year, accountability court judge Arshad Malik had convicted Sharif in the Al-Azizia/Hill Metal Establishment reference. The court sentenced him seven-year imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of Rs 1.5 billion and USD 25 million on him.

Besides, the leader was also disqualified from holding any public office for a period of 10 years. The disqualification will go into effect following his release from jail after serving the seven-year sentence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As Manmohan Singh's nearly 30-year-long tenure as a Rajya Sabha member ended on Friday and HD Deve Gowda lost from Tumkur seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, no former Prime Minister will be present in the forthcoming Budget session of the Parliament.

Parliament's first Budget session after the constitution of the new government at Centre is scheduled to start on June 17.

Deve Gowda, who served as the 11th Prime Minister of India from June 1996 to April 1997, lost to BJP's GS Basavaraj from Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency by little over 13,000 votes.

Earlier, Deve Gowda used to regularly contest from Hassan parliamentary constituency. However, he had vacated his seat to field his grandson Prajwal Revanna from there.

Soon after the Lok Sabha results were announced on May 23, Revanna, who defeated BJP's A Manju from Hassan by a margin of 1.41 lakh votes, offered to resign from the seat to get his grandfather re-elected.

"To reinstate the confidence of JD(S) cadre, we have to fill the gap left by the defeat of HD Deve Gowda. Therefore, I have decided to tender my resignation. I want him to be victorious once again from Hassan," said Prajwal, who was the only JD(S) candidate to be able to win his seat in Karnataka.

After his loss, Deve Gowda said, "As a former Prime Minister, I have been defeated twice. This is not a big issue. My concern is how to save a regional party. I will see that JD(S) strengthens its base. I will take responsibility and proceed forward. I am not going to blame anybody for the loss. How it happened is not to be discussed in media."

BJP ruled out JD(S)-Congress alliance in Karnataka by winning 25 out of 28 seats. The Congress and the JD(S) received one seat each, while one seat went to an independent candidate.

Similar to its performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party didn't perform well in 2019 general election too and only managed to win on 52 seats.

Due to Congress' poor performance, Manmohan Singh, who was the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, will be missed in the upcoming Budget session of the Parliament as his nearly 30-year-long tenure as a Rajya Sabha member ended on Friday.

Singh would not be present in the Rajya Sabha for the first time since his first election from Assam in 1991 as he could not make up to the Parliament' upper House due to Congress' poor strength in the state Assembly.

The Congress party could not get him re-elected from Assam as it has only 25 MLAs as against 43 first-preference votes needed. The party even cannot send Singh from other states where Rajya Sabha seats are vacant. With the election of BJP's Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and AGP's Birender Prasad Baishya's unopposed election from Assam, a total of nine seats are lying vacant in Odisha (4), Tamil Nadu (1), Bihar (2) and Gujarat (2).

Congress does not have required numbers to secure any Rajya Sabha berths in these states except Gujarat where it is eyeing to grab at least one seat. Although Singh can be sent to the House from Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan or Punjab, there are no immediate vacancies in these states.

During his tenure as Rajya Sabha MP, Singh led the upper House for 10 years from 2004 to 2014 and acted as the Leader of the Opposition for six years. Singh was last elected to the House in 2013.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As many as 17 schools were fined over Rs 8 lakh by Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration on Saturday for violating fee norms.

While Jagran Public School Noida has been fined Rs. 1 lakh, three major schools --APJ International School Greater Noida, Rayan International School Greater Noida and G.D.Goinka Public School Greater Noida--were fined Rs 10,000 each.

Meanwhile, Vishw Bharti Public School, Noida, has been fined Rs. 50,000 by the authorities.

The other 12 schools fined by officials include CLM public school Greater Noida, Gagan Public School Guar City Greater Noida, Grads International School Sec-33 Noida, Greater Nights Public School Greater Noida, Shri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir Sec-48, SD Public School Bhangal, Karl Huber Sec-62 Noida Nithari, Dharm Public School Greater Noida, Rockwood School Noida, Ramagya School Noida Sec-53, Modern Public School Shahberi and Accent International School Greater Noida.

The case has been registered under Self-Financed Independent Schools (Regulation of Fees) Bill 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As many as 521 cases have been registered against owners and drivers of the vehicles allegedly ferrying extra school children in the last two days here as police launched a special drive to ensure the safety of the children.

According to police, 246 cases were registered for carrying extra children in autos and vans alone, rest were booked for not having proper documents.

The police have collaborated with the transport department to conduct checkings in the city.

Twenty-five traffic and six transport department teams are working on the special drive which will continue to a couple of the next days.

"In the last two days, we have booked 521 cases against the autos, vans and school buses for carrying extra school children and some for not having proper documents. Apart from this, we are counselling parents and school management and have issued guidelines to follow to ensure the safety and security of the children," Hyderabad Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Anil Kumar told ANI.

He said, "The teams are also carrying breath analysers to check whether the drivers are in a drunken condition."

School vehicle drivers, however, maintained that they have been complying with the police' guidelines.

"We carry six school children in our auto and follow all the guidelines given by traffic police. Every time traffic police explain to us about the guidelines, we follow them," a school auto driver Shankar Yadav said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a high-level task force to bring structural reforms in agriculture in the country, said NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar here on Saturday.

"The Prime Minister has announced a high-level task force to bring structural reform in agriculture. The task force will be constituted very soon. It will submit its report in 2-3 months. The emphasis is on how to increase production and marketing in the agriculture sector," said Kumar while briefing media persons about the 5th meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog.

Kumar said that rainwater harvesting, drought situation and relief measures, aspirational districts, agricultural sector transformation and modernisation, and security-related issues were the key issues discussed during the meeting.

"This is the first time after Independence that there is monsoon deficit continuously for five years. This year the monsoon is projected to be normal at about 96 per cent but still not 100 per cent. Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat have told the meeting about the steps taken by them," said Kumar.

Talking about the North East Water Management Committee meeting, Kumar said: "The North East Water Management Committee constituted by the Prime Minister and chaired by me has submitted its report. It will be implemented as all north-east states have agreed to it. It deals with Brahmaputra-Barak river basin development."

Talking about the economy, Kumar said that the meeting has agreed that each and every state would set its own goal of increasing its economy. "The meeting decided that emphasis will be on increasing export," he said.

Kumar said that India's economy is to be made the US $ 5 trillion dollar economy

He also informed that Prime Minister Modi suggested that development should be done at block level for which blocks should be selected in the district and development should be done.

Talking about how the devolution from the Centre to the State, Kumar said: "Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the devolution from the Centre to the State has increased by more than two times in the past five years from Rs 20 lakh crore to Rs 41 lakh crore."

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said the States had a request that the Central government should review the guidelines of the State Disaster Response Fund. "We will be doing it in cooperation with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture," he said.

Kant said that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath especially mentioned that the Forest Act needs a few changes while Goa and many other states said the production in the mining sector was at a decline.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In his first meeting with the Chief Ministers after re-election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, corruption, and violence and for urgent steps to tackle drought and drinking water crisis in the country.

"Empowerment and ease of living have to be provided to each and every Indian," he said while addressing the 5th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in the capital.

Modi said goals set for the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi should be accomplished by October 2 and work should begin in earnest towards the goals for 2022, the 75th anniversary of Independence. The focus should be on collective responsibility for achieving short term and long-term goals.

Modi said the goal of making India a five trillion dollar economy by 2024 is challenging but achievable. The states should recognise their core competence and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level.

"Both the Centre and the States should work towards growth in exports in order to raise per capita income. A thrust on export promotion at the state level will provide a boost to both income and employment," said the Prime Minister.

Describing water as an important element for life, Modi said the poor bear the brunt of insufficient water conservation efforts. He called for effective steps to tackle drought and said that the spirit of per-drop, more-crop needs to be promoted.

The newly-created Jal Shakti Ministry will help provide an integrated approach to water. He urged states to integrate their efforts towards water conservation and management. Management of available water resources is a vital imperative, said the Prime Minister.

Reiterating his government's commitment to double the income of farmers by 2022, Modi said that this requires to focus on fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, fruits, and vegetables.

There is a need for structural reform in agriculture which require corporate investments, robust logistics, and ample market support. He said the food processing sector should grow at a faster pace than foodgrain production.

The Prime Minister said the battle against Naxal violence is now in a decisive phase. Violence will be dealt with firmly even as development proceeds in a fast-paced and balanced manner, he said.

On the health sector, Modi said that several targets have to be achieved by 2022. He also mentioned the target of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025. The Prime Minister urged those states who have not implemented Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) under the Ayushman Bharat so far to come onboard this scheme at the earliest.

Health and wellness should be the focal point of every decision, he added.

Modi said the country is moving towards a governance system characterised by performance, transparency, and delivery for which proper implementation of schemes and decisions is vital.

He called upon all members of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog to help create a government setup which works and has the trust of the people.

The Prime Minister said NITI Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.'

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Saturday to discuss various financial issues related to the state.

He requested the centre to give approval to the pending proposals of drinking water projects and ensure timely release of funds of the centrally-sponsored schemes, an official statement said.

"As per the past practice the state's share in the central taxes should be released to the respective states on the first date of the month. As this practice had been changed since past few years, the states were facing financial issues. The states have to make payments towards salaries and pension on the first date, which becomes very difficult," the Rajasthan Chief Minister was quoted as saying.

The Chief Minister also requested the Finance Minister to approve the financial proposals of seven drinking water projects costing Rs 5473 crore at the earliest.

According to the official statement, Gehlot asked for approval for the proposal for external financial aid for the Phase 3 of Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal Project costing Rs. 1,450 crore.

He a;sp sought swift approval of several drinking water projects pending with Union Ministries of Drinking Water & Sanitation and Urban Development.

"The Chief Minister asked the Union Minister to support the state's loan waiver scheme to help farmers of Rajasthan recover from the indebtedness. He informed that 24 lakh farmers affiliated to cooperative banks had been given the benefit of loan waiver in Rajasthan and the state had to bear a burden of Rs 15,679 crore," the official statement said.

Gehlot suggested that to ensure no dearth of funds for various development projects, the states should be allowed to take loans upto 4% instead of 3% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). He said that the Centre should make the procedure for the states to take loans from the open markets a stable one.

The delay on part of the Centre to give approval for taking loans was hampering the ongoing development projects, the Chief Minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Republican Party of India (RPI) on Saturday said that it wanted to contest on 10 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections slated to be held later this year.

"In the state elections, RPI, Shiv Sena and BJP will contest the elections together. We have demanded 10 seats. I spoke to the chief minister in this regard and has assured me of positive response," Athawale told reporters here.

It may be noted that RPI is a part of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra.

Athawale said senior RPI leader Avinash Matekar has got a ministerial berth in the expanded Maharashtra Cabinet and is set to take oath at the Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

"Tomorrow, the cabinet expansion will take place. The Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) has fulfilled our demand and our party will get a ministerial berth. I had forwarded the name of our senior party leader Avinash Matekar. (Cabinet minister) Chandrakant Patil informed me that he (Matekar) will take oath at Raj Bhavan at 11 am tomorrow," he said.

"I express my gratitude to the Chief Minister, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi for fulfilling our demand," the RPI president added.

Athawale also thanked BJP for appointing him as a Union Minister in the second term of the Modi government.

"I thank Narendra Modi for reposing faith in me and appointing me as a union minister. Around 60 to 70 per cent of Dalits had voted for the Modi government and that is why they won 303 seats while NDA got 353 seats," said Athawale, who is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.

On Tuesday, Minister for Finance and Planning in the Maharashtra government Sudhir Mungantiwar had said the cabinet expansion will be done by Fadnavis before the Assembly's monsoon session begins from June 17.

He had also said the cabinet expansion would help fulfil the expectations of the Shiv Sena and other NDA allies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Saudi-led coalition attacked Houthi air-defence system in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Saturday morning.

The coalition has announced earlier that it is planning to attack specific targets in Sanaa, Sputnik reported.

This comes two days after Houthis rebels targeted Abha Airport in Saudi Arabia with drones, killing 26.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been leading an Arab military coalition against the Houthis in support of Yemen's internationally recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi over the last four years.

The Yemeni rebels have seized control of much of the northern parts of the war-ravaged country, including capital Sanaa, in September 2014, forcing Hadi and his government into exile in Riyadh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A self-styled Muslim godman was held for allegedly repeatedly raping a girl on the pretext of shooing away evils from her house in Borabanda area of Hyderabad, police said on Saturday.

As per the police, the accused identified as Azam and the 19-year-old girl are resident of the same area. The accused first got familiar with the girl and started visiting her house. Later he suggested to her parents that their house was under the shroud of evil forces that needed to be chased away.

He suggested the family to visit a Dargah in Bidar district of Karnataka to in order to get away with the evils, the police said.

Azam accompanied the family to the dargah, an Islamic religious place, where he lured the victim and raped her.

"After their return from the trip, Azam again visited the house of the victim and asked her parents to stay outside while he recited some hymen to scare off the evils. On finding the girl alone, the accused once again raped her," Panjagutta Additional Commissioner of Police Thirupatanna said.

A case under section 376 (punishment of rape) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at SR Nagar Police Station.

The girl was sent to Bharosa centre for medical assistance and counselling and the victim was sent to judicial remand, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Social media users are turning their profile pictures blue to express solidarity with Sudan in the wake of the recent military crackdown in the country that left at least 113 pro-democratic protestors dead in capital Khartoum.

One of the protestors shot in the incident was 26-year-old Mohamed Hashim Mattar, who became a symbol for #BlueforSudan social media campaign. Reportedly, blue was Mattar's favourite colour and his friends and family had put up this colour on their profiles to honour his death, reported CNN.

It soon spread across various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, with stars like Rihanna putting up the colour and using the hashtag to spread awareness about the ongoing situation in Sudan.

"Once he was murdered, his friends and family changed their profile picture to match his, and eventually other people began to join in," Al Jazeera quoted Mattar's friend, Shahd Khidir, as saying. "Now [the colour] represents all of the Sudanese people who have fallen in the uprising."

Violence erupted in Sudan's capital city of Khartoum on Monday after the military stormed the main camp of the protesters here in a bid to break up the agitation. The demonstrators had demanded that the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which toppled Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir in a coup this April, hand over the government charge to civilians.

In the aftermath of the military crackdown, a 'civil disobedience' movement was called by The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) to demand the civilian rule in the country.

In a country where the state tightly monitors traditional media outlets, social media is the last resort of protestors to bring attention to the ongoing situation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sudan's toppled President Omar al-Bashir is expected to appear in court next week to face charges of corruption, announced acting prosecutor general on Sunday.

"The former president will appear in court next week following charges of corruption and possessing foreign currency," Al Jazeera quoted Al Waleed Sayed Ahmed as saying.

After months of mass protest, the military overthrew and arrested al-Bashir. He was charged for inciting and participating in the killing of demonstrators.

Prosecutors had also ordered his interrogation on suspicion of money laundering and financing terrorism.

After Bashir's departure, the army formed Transition Military Council (TMC) to transfer power to a civilian government.

People, however, are still on streets protesting against the army.

In the aftermath of the military crackdown, a 'civil disobedience' movement was called by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) to demand the civilian rule in the country.

Sudanese doctors have claimed that more than 118 protestors were killed in the protest so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two Telugu Desan Party (TDP) MLAs, along with party workers, staged half-naked protest against the withdrawal of Z+ category security to former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday.

Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar and Velagapudumi Rama Krishna alleged that Naidu was frisked like an ordinary passenger at Gannavaram Airport and denied VIP access to a Hyderabad-bound aircraft.

Speaking to ANI, Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar said: "Chandrababu Naidu was frisked like a common man. He went inside the airport without security and pilot vehicles."

He further said that Naidu is on the hit list of Naxals, still, the government withdrew his security in order to "take revenge".

"He has served the state as Chief Minister for 14 years and remained under Z+ category security throughout. If anything happens to him, the state will be burned," he added.

Naidu's TDP faced a severe drubbing at the hands of Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP which got an absolute majority in the 175-member Assembly by winning 151 seats.In the Lok Sabha elections, the YSRCP bagged 22 seats while TDP managed just three.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to expand his dozen-member Cabinet after June 19.

There is a total of six berths that are lying vacant in Rao's council of ministers, which could be filled after Telangana Rashtra Samiti state executive meeting on June 19. KCR is widely expected to induct more members in his Cabinet so that a full-time finance minister could present the budget in the state Assembly on July 5.

Rao's son K T Ramarao and nephew T Harish Rao are expected to be inducted in the Cabinet and may secure key ministerial positions.

Including the Chief Minister, there is a total of 12 ministers in Telangana Cabinet which will meet on June 18.

After winning the Assembly elections in 2018, chief minister Rao took an oath just with his loyalist Mahamood Ali, keeping the size of the state cabinet at a paltry two. He inducted 10 more ministers in February after drawing a fair share of criticism over the cabinet size.

On Friday, Rao met the Governor of Maharashtra CH Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Terrorism is the 'gravest threat' that people in Asia face, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Saturday, while stating that terrorists and their victims must never be equated.

Addressing the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit at Tajik capital, Jaishankar said that many CICA members are the victims of terrorism.

"Terrorism is the gravest threat that we face in Asia today. Many CICA members are victims of terrorism and should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated," External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said in a statement.

"CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism," the statement added.

Jaishankar's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, stressed that countries "sponsoring, aiding and funding" terrorism must be held accountable, without naming any particular country.

The CICA is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia.

Upon his arrival in Tajikistan, the External Affairs Minister was welcomed by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

In the meeting, Jaishankar further reiterated India's commitment to 'Afghan-led and Afghan-owned' peace and reconciliation process.

"We believe all initiatives and processes must include all sections of Afghan society, including the legitimately elected Government," he said.

In addition, the globalisation is under stress due to new and emerging geopolitical and geo-economic faultlines, he noted in the statement.

"The recent India-Central Asia 5 Ministerial dialogue is a very positive development that can only enhance further cooperations and stability across our regions," the statement read.

It added, "India's vision of Indo-Pacific, as outlined by Prime Minister Modi in Singapore in June 2018, is rooted in advocacy of SAGAR- Security and Growth for All in the Region. It is in sync with the theme of this Summit "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region."

The new External Affairs Minister arrived here on Friday for the 5th CICA Summit. The theme of the summit is "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region." The Summit will adopt a declaration covering issues of cooperation within CICA.

India has been actively participating in various activities of the CICA since its inception in 1999.

Jaishankar also held a meeting with Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh on the sidelines of the Summit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)German multinational conglomerate ThyssenKrupp AG has appointed Premal Desai as the new Chief Executive Officer for its steel division to oversee the restructuring of after the collapse of a proposed joint venture with Tata Steel in Europe.

Desai has been Chief Financial Officer of ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG since 2015 and was previously Head of Strategy at ThyssenKrupp AG.

Guido Kerkhoff, CEO of ThyssenKrupp AG, said: "We are pleased that we have appointed a new steel board member from our own ranks. Our steel is facing major challenges. We have now put together a strong team that will tackle the tasks at hand quickly and develop a sustainable strategy for steel following the cancellation of the joint venture."

Andreas Goss will resign from his position as Chief Executive Officer by mutual agreement as of Saturday. Heribert Fischer will also leave the Steel Board but remain with ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG in an advisory capacity at the request of the company.

"Shaping the future of steel is a challenging task," said Desai. "There's a lot to do. We look forward to tackling this together as management team. The market environment is not easy, but we are in a strong position and have a lot of potential. We'll build on that," he said in a statement.

ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe and Tata Steel Europe had signed agreements on June 30, 2018 to create a 50:50 joint venture. However, the European Commission had raised concerns over high prices for electrical steel, automotive steel and packaging among others in the event of the merger going ahead.

Last month, the two companies announced they were scrapping the plan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II had more fun during his state visit to the UK than in the last 25 years.

"I have such a great relationship, and we were laughing and having fun. And her people said she hasn't had so much fun in 25 years. Then I got criticized for it because they said we were having too much fun," the Hill quoted Trump as saying.

Trump's comments come two weeks after his first state visit to London to meet the 93-year-old monarch.

During his three-day visit, the president dined with the Queen, members of the British royal family and other British politicians at Buckingham Palace.

Trump and the queen reaffirmed the importance of the Washington-London relationship during an elaborate state banquet.

"On behalf of all Americans I offer a toast to the eternal friendship of our people, the vitality of our nations and to the long cherished and truly remarkable reign of her majesty, the queen," Trump said in his toast during the event.

He also met Prime Minister Theresa May.

Opposing Trump's visit, thousands of people hit the streets. The 'Trump Baby' blimp was flown by the demonstrators outside the Houses of Parliament, according to CNN, alongside a 16-foot robot version of Trump sitting on the toilet and tweeting.

Other activists came dressed as gorillas, with signs reading that they "only eat chlorinated chicken" -- a nod to concerns in Britain that a post-Brexit trade deal with the US would mean a decline in food standards for imported produce.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought a one-time grant of Rs 5,000 crore for organising the Maha Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2021.

Rawat said, "More than 15 crore tourists and devotees from different parts of the country and the world are expected to visit Haridwar for the Maha Kumbh in 2021. Keeping in view the arrangements like housing, transportation, health, sanitation, security etc. to be made for the Maha Kumbh Mela, we have requested for Rs 5,000 crore one-time grant."

"All the preparations for Maha Kumbh in Haridwar have to be done by October 2020," he added.

The Finance Minister said, "The Central government will provide every possible assistance to Uttarakhand for the Maha Kumbh."

Rawat also met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and requested the Central government to bear the cost of land acquisition for Rishikesh bypass road.

"Land acquisition for Rishikesh bypass is estimated to cost around Rs 250 crore. Since the road was accepted under the Char Dham Highway Project, the Central government should bear this cost," Rawat said.

"In order to deal with the traffic inflow during the Maha Kumbh, it is also necessary to construct a ring road in Haridwar city," he added.

The chief minister said that the NHAI is already working to convert the Muzaffar Nagar-Haridwar Highway into four lanes and requested Gadkari to make sure the road is completed before the commencement of the Kumbh Mela in 2021.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The United Kingdoms on Friday accused the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of carrying out the attack on the two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week.

"It is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military - the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - attacked the two tankers on 13 June. No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible," Sputnik quoted a statement issued by UK Foreign office.

On Thursday, two oil tankers-- Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair and the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous-- were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. Shortly after the incident, the United States claimed that Tehran was responsible for the attack, a statement that was denounced by the latter earlier today.

To back its claim, the US released a blurry video which, the country believed, showed the boat crew of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers shortly after the attack.

The statement issued by the UK Foreign office further claimed Iran to be responsible for the attack on four oil tankers off the port of Fujairah last month.

"The Emirati-led investigation of the 12 May attack on four oil tankers near the port of Fujairah concluded that it was conducted by a sophisticated state actor. We are confident that Iran bears responsibility for that attack," the statement said.

Coming in Iran's support, Russia has warned against "hasty conclusions" over Friday's incident in the Gulf of Oman or blaming the suspected attacks on Iran. "I would use this opportunity to warn against hasty conclusions, from any attempts to impose responsibility on those who are seen as undesirable," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters after a meeting of the State Duma's international affairs committee, RIA-Novosti reported.

Tensions have escalated in the already simmering region. The US and Iran are at loggerhead since President Donald Trump's decision in May 2018 to withdraw from a landmark nuclear deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The United States on Friday objected to a visit by the United Nations counterterrorism chief to China's Xinjiang province, where around one million ethnic Uighurs and minority Muslims are reportedly held at detention centres.

Vladimir Voronkov, a veteran Russian diplomat who heads the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), is in China at the invitation of Beijing and is due to visit Xinjiang's capital Urumqi, according to an e-mail sent by his office to countries, including Britain that raised concerns over his visit, Al Jazeera reported.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday "to convey deep concerns" about Voronkov's trip.

Sullivan said, "Beijing continues to paint its repressive campaign against Uighurs and other Muslims as legitimate counterterrorism efforts when it is not."

"The Deputy Secretary expressed that such a visit is highly inappropriate in view of the unprecedented repression campaign underway in Xinjiang against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslims," the US State Department said in a statement.

Sullivan also told Guterres that Voronkov's trip puts the UN's reputation and credibility at risk.

China has been condemned internationally for setting up the detention camps, which it describes as "education training centres" helping to stamp out "extremism" and give people new skills.

However, the West is worried about the fact that Voronkov's visit will validate China's justification for the centres, authorities were quoted as saying.

"China will, and is, actively saying that what they're doing in Xinjiang is good terrorism prevention," said a UN Security Council diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"The visit by Voronkov validates their narrative that this is a counterterrorism issue when we would see it more as a human rights issue," said the diplomat, adding that if Voronkov did not speak out after visiting Xinjiang then "silence could be seen as implicit acceptance, at worst UN complicity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tamil Nadu is reeling under acute water crisis for the past several months after Chennai's Porur Lake, which is considered one of the main sources of water, has reached its lowest level. Moreover, with mercury soaring in the region, there seems to be no respite for perturbed locals here.

In Chennai, locals installed hand-pumps near Marina Beach to extract groundwater to manage their daily needs. However, the water, residents say, is of a compromised quality owing to pollutants, thereby forcing them to buy packaged water from shops for consumption.

Speaking to ANI, a local said, "We have to stand in a queue for hours under this scorching heat to fetch some water as borewells in the area have gone dry. This is for the third time in a row that Chennai is facing a severe water crisis."

"Most of the time, the water we get from these hand pumps can't be used for drinking as it stinks. For drinking and cooking, we have to buy water from the shops," she added.

Earlier this week, DMK leaders had slammed the AIADMK government in the state for its inability to solve the impending water crisis in the state.

While responding to the criticism, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had said that the government is looking into the issue and required arrangements will be made.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi Congress will organise demonstrations in all the 70 Assembly constituencies in Delhi on June 18 to protest against alleged power cuts and water shortage in Delhi.

In a statement, Delhi Congress said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has failed to address these issues, and therefore, called for demonstrations.

DPCC working presidents Haroon Yusuf, Rajesh Lilothia and Devender Yadav will lead the protest.

According to the Congress, DPCC president Sheila Dikshit has invited all the Residents' Welfare Associations of Delhi to join the demonstration.

"People are harassed and fed up with the power and water shortage in these peak summer days. There is not only a severe shortage of water but also the water is not potable," said Yusuf.

The Congress informed that a delegation of the DPCC, led by Dikshit, had met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday and drew his attention to the alleged power and water shortage in Delhi, seeking urgent remedial measures.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bharatiya Janata Party secretary Rahul Sinha on Friday said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was to be blamed for attacks on doctors in the state and accused her of shielding the attackers.

"Doctors were attacked by the goons and then again attacked by Mamata Banerjee. The way Mamata attacked the doctors just to save some Muslim attackers is absolutely wrong," Sinha told ANI here.

Doctors have been protesting against the rising violence against the medical fraternity after a junior doctor of Nil Ratan Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital was allegedly attacked by the relatives of a patient who died on June 10.

Banerjee had on Thursday visited Kolkata's SSKM Hospital where she gave the agitating doctors a four-hour ultimatum to withdraw their ongoing strike and warned of "strong action" if the situation was not normalised within the deadline.

Sinha also demanded the Chief Minister's public apology for bringing a bad name to the state by supporting the attackers. "This is very shocking that just for the sake of her vote bank, West Bengal is paying such a heavy price," he said.

CM Banerjee had earlier accused the BJP of perpetrating violence in the state.

Sinha also took a dig at her over her comments on the necessity of Bangla language in the state.

He said, "Banerjee took up the issue of language to divert the people's attention from attacks on the doctors. She is trying to create unrest in society."

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Banerjee said that the people coming to West Bengal must speak Bangla.

Addressing a party workers' rally in Kanchrapara, she said: "I respect all states. When I go to Bihar, UP, and Punjab, I speak in their language. If you are in Bengal you have to speak Bangla. We have to bring Bangla forward. I will not tolerate criminals who stay in Bengal and roam around on bikes. I will not let Bengal become like Gujarat," Banerjee had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At a reception for CapitaLand Chairman Ng Kee Choe in Hanoi, the PM said Vietnam is pushing ahead with urbanisation and considered it one of the growth drivers.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and CapitaLand Chairman Ng Kee Choe (Photo: VNA)

Therefore, the group should create more added values and differences in the country to match the trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Besides, CapitaLands projects should be green, clean, modern and environmentally friendly as Vietnam is one of the pioneering countries in developing green and smart cities, he added.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested the group pay more attention to social housing and accommodations for the poor and workers, saying the Vietnamese Government always encourages and welcomes investors in this field.

For his part, Ng Kee Choe affirmed that CapitaLand is resolved to run long-term business in Vietnam.

CapitaLand will expand its operation in industrial and services areas, he said, stressing that the group will increase high-tech contents in its projects in Vietnam, and invest in smart city projects in the country in the time ahead.

CapitaLand will consider investing in social housing and step up social welfare activities in Vietnam, the official added./.In view of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday wrote to the Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories (UTs), urging them to take strict action against any person who assaults medical practitioners.

Expressing deep concern over the recent act of violence against doctors, the Union Health Minister stated that incidents of assaults on doctors are reported from different parts of the country, leading to a sudden strike by doctors, gravely affecting healthcare services.

"Resident doctors in many parts of the country are agitating and not providing healthcare services. Agitations by doctors in West Bengal seem to be getting aggravated and taking shape of a strike by both government and private sector doctors, all over the country," Dr Harsh Vardhan said in the letter.

Stressing the need for avoiding such incidents in the future, Harsh Vardhan said that law enforcement should prevail so that doctors and clinical establishments can discharge their duties and professional pursuit without fear of any violence.

"Strict action against any person who assaults them must be ensured by the law enforcement agencies," he said.

The ongoing strike by the medical practitioners entered its fifth day in West Bengal. Both the junior and senior doctors are on strike from the past five days after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

Taking note of the matter, Harsh Vardhan said that doctors form an important pillar of society and often work under stressful and difficult conditions.

"Our doctors rank among the best in the world and work for long hours under stressful conditions, grappling with a huge load of patients. It is the duty of the states to ensure the safety and security of doctors who assure that the healthcare needs of the society are met," he added.

Representatives from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) also called on the Union Health Minister.

Dr Harsh Vardhan also cited a letter, dated July 7, 2017, sent by the Union Health Ministry to all Chief Secretaries of states which contains the decision taken by an inter-ministerial committee constituted under the Health Ministry to review the issues raised by the IMA.

The committee, in its report, recommended that the Health Ministry shall suggest to all state governments, which do not have specific legislation to protect doctors and health professionals to consider one to strictly enforce the provisions of special legislation wherever they exist or enforce the IPC/CrPC provisions with the vigour.

"The IMA has raised this concern many times. Since 'police' and 'public order' are state subjects, the Central government on many occasions has drawn the attention of State governments for an urgent need for a robust criminal justice system with an emphasis on prevention and control of crime," said Dr Harsh Vardhan.

A copy of the draft of 'The Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017' provided by the IMA was also circulated to the states vide the 2017 letter.

Dr Harsh Vardhan also reminded the Chief Ministers and requested them to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals.

The Union Health Minister on Friday had met a delegation of Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, United Resident and Doctors Association of India (URDA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), who gave a representation to him on the violence against doctors in West Bengal.

The Health Minister had assured his support and cooperation to the delegation and wrote a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Saturday urged the agitating doctors of the state to call off their strike because children are dying for lack of timely critical medical services.

"We strongly condemn the attack on you and all attacks on the medical fraternity that have happened in the past. We would like you to know that we are with you in your hour of agony. However, you are a crucial link in the lifeline of the people.

"In the last few days, we have seen hundreds and thousands of people suffering because of the cease-work. Amongst them are children who are dying or have died because critical medical services could not be made available to them on time, due to the cease work," the letter read.

The organisation also stated in the letter that many of the patients do not possess enough money to take treatment in private nursing homes and hospitals.

"The people who are languishing in front of the hospital waiting for the cease-work to get over are not fortunate enough to afford treatment in private nursing Homes and hospitals. They are the worst sufferers in this stalemate situation; they deserve better.

"We appeal to you on behalf of West Bengal Commission for the Protection of Child Rights to immediately end the cease-work and render your services to the patients, many of whom are children. We cannot as a society hold the entire medical services at a standstill and thereby make people suffer," the Commission stated in its letter.

The ongoing strike by the medical practitioners entered its fifth day on Saturday. Both the junior and senior doctors are on strike from the past five days after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)We will eradicate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days, Minister of State in Home Ministry G Kishan Reddy said on Saturday.

"In coming days, I believe that the Kashmiri youth who are being attracted towards terrorism will understand the real situation. Pakistan is trying to spread terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and in coming days we will eradicate terrorism in the state," he told ANI.

Terming Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao's absence from the NITI Aayog meeting as "unfortunate", the Minister said, "After elections here, TRS has formed the government and in Centre, BJP has come to power. And for the first time after that, the NITI Aayog meeting was held."

"Chief Minister Rao not attending the meeting is not good for a new state like Telangana. KCR has time to go to Maharashtra and other places but he didn't go to NITI Aayog. KCR has many times said in the assembly that NITI Aayog is supporting state schemes and even then he didn't turn up at the meeting," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Government is very positive and has faith & trust in the industry. We are bringing improvements as per suggestions of industry and request for more recommendations. Government is investor friendly and wants to support industry for employment, growth and exports, said Shri Nitin Gadkari Honorable Minister for Road, Transport & Highways, Shipping and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. He was speaking at Confederation of Indian Industry's National Conference held in New Delhi. The present government is constantly striving to usher in more reforms. The industry has to be the government's partner in this journey of growth, he further added.

MSME sector has great potential for growth and improve India's employment potential. A decision has been taken to invite corporates in industrial clusters, where they were banned earlier. We have to make 700 clusters and provide them with land, power and incentives, and to achieve this, we would need the support of the private sector, said Shri Nitin Gadkari. We need to move from import substitution to export promotion and this could lead to further progress of MSMEs, he added. The sectors which are facing stress currently like real estate should be taken care of first and helped to pull them out of their current predicament.

We will encourage large enterprises to build an ecosystem of ancillaries and vendors so that MSME can produce at home. Government will support export of goods that MSME can produce, engage in skill development by building ITIs in all areas, stressed Shri Gadkari. Permissions will be given in a time-bound fashion owing to which the private sector will be greatly encouraged to engage with the MSMEs, he added.

The Minister underlined that Roads & Highway sector had contributed 1.7% to GDP, while investments in the shipping sector had touched Rs 16 lakh crore. He was of the view that we would want to emulate similar progress in the MSME sector as well and make the sector more investor friendly.

The Minister stated that ensuring cheap and easy availability of capital is of prime importance. He highlighted that the road sector has been a bright spot in terms of seeing adequate sources of financing. The Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways was able to revive 483 stalled projects valued at Rs 3.85 lakh crores, thus preventing their conversion into NPAs. He further stressed on the need for finding innovative sources of financing other than banks, especially for the MSME sector and reducing the time for giving permissions on financing.

Stressing on the importance of rural and agri sector in India's growth and development, Shri Gadkari stated that this sector needs to be encouraged to adopt new technology and adopt newer and innovative methods such as organic farming. Besides the urban areas, the industry should also focus and give ideas on social-economic transformation of rural areas.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 12 Kenyan police officers were on Saturday killed while another escaped with serious injuries after a vehicle they were travelling in was hit by improvised explosive device (IED) in Wajir county along the border with Somalia.

A senior police officer said that suspected al-Shabab militants were believed to have crossed over from neighbouring Somalia. The incident took place between Riba and Konton villages in Wajir east, Xinhua news agency reported.

"A team of 13 administration police officers were attacked with IED between Riba and Konton and only one survived with serious injuries subject to confirmation of the number of death toll," said the police officer who declined to be identified.

The security officer said the administration police officers were allegedly conducting security surveillance along Kenya-Somalia border when the incident happened, two days after the militants stormed a local centre and abducted three police reservists in the same location.

Witnesses said the police officers were killed when their vehicle ran over the landmine and those who survived were pursued and shot dead. A police chopper has been sent to pick the only survivor, according to officials.

Meanwhile, the Al Qaeda allied terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack in northeastern Kenya, saying their fighters seized the Konton village in the outskirts of Wajir town.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 14 militants have been killed in an airstrike targeting Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan's Zabul province, the country's Army said in a statement on Saturday.

The sorties, according to the statement, were conducted late on Friday in Regi area of Mizan district, killing 14 armed insurgents and capturing two others, Xinhua news agency reported.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of Zabul province didn't comment on the incident.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three Indian labourers were killed and three others injured when a part of an under-construction building collapsed in Nepal's Dang district on Saturday, officials said.

Chief of the Dang District Administration Govinda Prasad Rijal told Xinhua news agency the part of the under-construction Samrat Cement Factory collapsed at 1 a.m. The deceased Indians were from Jharkhand, officials said.

Those injured were rushed to local hospitals.

Remanta Dhakal, factory's General Manager, said the accident occurred when the labourers were working to set up the sixth floor of the building.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three Trinamool Congress workers were allegedly shot dead in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Saturday, police said.

"Three persons were killed when a group of miscreants allegedly fired bullets and hurled bombs at them in Domkal's Kuchiyamora village. The bodies have been sent for autopsy," said an officer from Domkal police station.

"We have heard that they were active Trinamool Congress workers. Our senior officers are investigating whether there was any political motive behind the killings," he said.

Family members of two of the deceased accused BJP-backed miscreants of the murders.

"These people are convicts in another murder case. They were after me as I am one of the witnesses. Yesterday, they came here and killed my uncle and nephew after they could not find me in the house," said a relative of the deceased persons.

Police said raids were on in the area but no arrests had been made so far.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actress Aditi Rao Hydari was nostalgic as her maiden Telugu film "Sammohanam" clocked a year since its release on Saturday.

Directed by Mohan Krishna Indraganti, the romantic drama also features Sudheer Babu.

"'Sammohanam' my Telugu debut with a dream team. Lots of love to the audiences who not only accepted me but also gave me so much love. Cannot believe it's already been a year no Sudheer Babu. Turn back the clock! P.S. 'V' will all be together soon," Aditi tweeted.

The team has now reunited for action thriller "V".

Announcing the new project, Sudheer had earlier tweeted: "V are coming back and this time with an action thriller. Reunion with my favourite Mohan Krishna Indraganti sir and Aditi Rao Hydari."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav met Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Saturday and handed over a memorandum about the deteriorating law and order situation, farmers plight and the governments apathy towards issues related to the common man.

The SP chief, accompanied by senior party leader Ahmad Hasan, sought the Governor's intervention and said that the situation in the state was turning volatile and immediate steps must be taken to ease the same.

He said that murders were taking place inside jails and in court premises which was a matter of concern.

Later, talking to reporters, Yadav said that criminals were having a free run in Uttar Pradesh while the Chief Minister was busy with meetings. He said crimes against children and women were escalating and the government is not taking the necessary action.

This was Yadav's first visit to Raj Bhavan after he relinquished office in March 2017.

Reacting to the SP chief's allegations, BJP General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said: "Akhilesh Yadav should first go through the list of incidents of crime in his tenure before commenting on the present situation. The law and order situation was worst in the SP regime and we have ensured a definite improvement in the law and order situation".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Urging Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to ensure steps to protect Punjabi settlers, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has decided to send a four-member delegation to resolve the settlers' issues.

The delegation, to be headed by Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, would meet the Chief Minister and others in Meghalaya, an official spokesperson said here on Saturday. Ravneet Singh Bittu and Jasbir Singh Gill, both MPs, and Kuldeep Singh Vaid, an MLA, will be other members of the team.

Planning Special Secretary D.S. Mangat has been asked to accompany the team and the Chief Secretary coordinate the visit.

The move comes amid reports that Paunjabi settlers have received threats from local terrorist organisations, warning them of dire consequences if they resisted the state government's attempts to evict them.

"These reports have caused concern in Punjab as these families have been residing in Shillong since pre-independence days," said Singh in a letter to Sangma, requesting steps to instil a sense of security among the settlers.

Underlining the sensitivity of the issue, the Punjab Chief Minister stressed the need for careful and amicable resolution of issues. It was important to prevent it from acquiring a religious or parochial colour, he added.

In the letter, he also referred to last year's visit to Meghalaya by a delegation headed by the Punjab Cooperation Minister. The delegation had met settlers as well as the state government officials and was assured due measures to prevent the displacement of Punjabi families.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The official advisory organisation on natural World Heritage has recommended putting the Sundarbans on a list of 'natural sites in danger' as Bangladesh has continued implementing a coal-fired power plant project near the forest.

The World Heritage Committee of 21 governments is scheduled to decide on the recommendations by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its annual meeting in Azerbaijan from June 30 to July 10, bdnews24 reported on Saturday

In July 2017, Unesco withdrew a plan to inscribe the Sundarbans in the list of heritage sites in danger by 2018 in case of the failure to meet the mission's recommendations.

The government had been allowed until December 2018 at the time to report on the conservation of the world's largest mangrove forest to the World Heritage Centre.

A reactive monitoring mission, jointly conducted by the Centre and IUCN in March 2016, made detailed recommendations including the necessity of a strategic environmental assessment for the south-west region.

After the mission, the World Heritage Committee had called for the Rampal power plant project to be cancelled and relocated.

The committee had welcomed Bangladesh's decision to carry out the assessment into the potential impact of a coal-based thermal plant, besides the decisions to scrap the plant's second phase and also the Orion power plant.

In an article on its website, IUCN on June 7 this year said it recommended listing of the Sundarbans, Mexico's Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California and the Ohrid region in North Macedonia as "World Heritage in dnger

It cited severe threats from coal-fired power plants and numerous industrial activities in close proximity.

Despite the call for relocation of the project, its construction has continued without any assessment of its impact on the Sundarbans' World Heritage values, the Union said.

Two additional coal-fired power plants are being constructed on the Payra River, which flows into the same bay as the Sundarbans, according to IUCN.

Over 150 industrial projects are also active upstream of the site, and their associated shipping and dredging activities further threaten its hydrological and ecological dynamics, it said.

"The hydrological systems, which drive this dynamics, are very large in scale and vulnerable to upstream impacts," it added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the doctors and to take the medicos into confidence.

In his letter, the Governor also expressed his sadness over Banerjee's "non-responsive" stand to his efforts to initiate talks with the Chief Minister.

"The Governor today (Saturday) wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the doctors and to take them into confidence about the firm and credible assurance of arrangements for their security as well as quick investigation of the incidents of assault on them so that suitable atmosphere is generated to enable the doctors to resume their duties," a press release issued by the Raj Bhavan said.

Protesting against the brutal attack on two junior doctors by the family members of a deceased patient at the NRS Medical College and Hospital on Monday night, doctors across the state have stopped work at the outpatient departments (OPDs) in most government hospitals in the state since Wednesday.

Health services in West Bengal's state-run hospitals remained partially disrupted on Saturday as the 'cease work' called by the agitating junior doctors continued for the fifth day.

Tripathi mentioned that he had written a letter to Banerjee on Friday in which he mentioned "the grievances and demands of the doctors and their willingness to resume duties upon the redressal of their grievances".

Tripathi said, "While assuring the associations that I will send their representations to the state government, which is the appropriate authority to look into their demands, I appealed them to resume duty.

"I had suggested in my letter to you (Banerjee) to meet the doctors and assure adequate security to them and also look into their grievances. I understand that no meeting with the agitating doctors has been held by till now."

The Governor also requested to be kept informed about the actions taken in this regard.

When asked about the letter sent by the Governor to her, Banerjee said, "You please leave it to us. It is between the Governor and me. I have spoken to him and he is convinced."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A good, sweet cherry crop -- largely organic as less pesticides are used in its cultivation -- has brought cheer to its growers in Himachal Pradesh, with production expected to be over 520 tonnes this season, up from 225 tonnes last year.

The cherries are highly remunerative too compared to stone fruits, currently fetching a price of Rs 150 to Rs 200 per kg in state markets and over Rs 250 in Chandigarh and New Delhi.

Growers, however, rue that the rates are comparatively less this season compared to last year owing to a glut-like situation.

Its harvest is at its peak and the fruit packed in small cartons is heading to markets in Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan, say traders.

Horticulture Department Director M.L. Dhiman told IANS on Saturday that the total yield of cherries is good this year in the state.

"Last year, the production was bad owing to unfavourable weather. The growers are getting good prices, despite the crop being plentiful," he said.

This was the highest production after 2015-16, when the total production of cherries was 617 tonnes, Dhiman added.

The higher reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Kinnaur, at altitudes of 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level, are ideal for cherry cultivation. Shimla district alone accounts for more than 90 per cent of the state's total production.

Trade representatives said the imported cherry varieties like 'deuro nera', 'stella', 'merchant' and 'celsius', which have a longer shelf life, would get good demand.

The hub of cherry cultivation is Narkanda, Kotgarh, Baagi, Matiana, Kumarsain and Thanedhar in Shimla district.

Nearly 20,000 marginal farmers are involved in cherry cultivation and grow over 20 varieties on over 500 hectares of areas in the state.

The cultivation of cherries has emerged as an alternative in the apple growing areas of the state and is fetching fairly high prices compared to other fruit crops.

Traders say local varieties have been retailing at Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kg in Shimla depending upon the quality, while imported varieties like 'merchant' and 'stella' command Rs 200-250 per kg.

The shelf-life of normal cherry varieties ranges from two to three days, while the top varieties last up to six days.

Bumper production of cherries in the state was recorded in 2013-14 with the production of 1,183 tonnes.

"The fruit is fetching a price of Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kg in Delhi's Azadpur wholesale fruit market these days, while it was between Rs 500 and Rs 600 last year," Ranjeet Mehta, a prominent cherry grower of Kotgarh, told IANS.

The growers initially got good prices but as the harvesting picked up, there was almost a glut-like situation in the market. Subsequently, the prices tumbled massively, he said.

"Last year the production was less and the fruit's prices were handsome. This time the crop yield is good after a long time, but earnings are not plentiful," Mehta added.

Cherry harvesting will continue till July 15.

Horticulture experts say cherry cultivation is picking up in the state due to the higher value it fetched in the market than apples.

Besides cherries, Himachal Pradesh -- famous as country's fruit bowl -- produces major commercial crops include apples, kiwis, strawberries, pears, peaches, apricots, almonds and plums. Apples alone constitute about 89 per cent of the total fruit production.

The state's fruit industry is worth about Rs 3,500 crore a year.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Braces can help you get straight teeth but it may not always bring happiness and self-confidence, a study suggests.

Published in the journal Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research, the study followed 448 13-year-old kids from South Australia in 1988 and 1989. By the time that they turned 30 in 2005 and 2006 more than a third of them had received orthodontic treatment.

"The study, examined if having braces lead to a greater level of happiness or psychosocial outcomes, later in life. There was a pattern of higher psychosocial scores in people who did not have orthodontic treatment meaning people who hadn't had braces fitted were significantly more optimistic than the ones that did have braces," said Esma Dogramaci, Professor at the University of Adelaide.

"Those who didn't have braces had varying levels of crooked teeth, just like those who had braces treatment -- ranging from mild through to very severe," Dogramaci said.

The study looked at four psychosocial aspects: how well people felt they coped with new or difficult situations and associated setbacks; how much they felt that could take care of their own health; the person believed that the support they received was from their personal network and their own level of optimism.

"These indicators were chosen because they are important for psychosocial functioning and are relevant to health behaviours and health outcomes; since the core research question was the impact of braces treatment on patients' self-confidence and happiness in later life," Dogramaci added.

During the study, dental student Alex Furlan, who has never had braces fitted: "My orthodontist recommended that I have braces fitted but I'm quite happy without them.

"I've never felt the need to straighten my teeth - I can get on in life without having perfectly straight teeth."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Centre on Saturday sought a report from the West Bengal government on the measures it took to contain political violence in the state and the steps it took to bring the culprits to book.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, hit back saying her state was peaceful and that such an advisory should be sent to the Uttar Pradesh government about the encounter deaths in the past few years.

Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also issued an advisory to the West Bengal government, expressing "deep concern" over the unabated violence in the state over the years.

The MHA said the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018, with 773 incidents already being reported so far in 2019.

"Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place in 2019," the MHA said.

The advisory stated that "the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019, as evident from the above figures, is indicative of the failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and to inspire a sense of security among the people."

"The Government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal. It is requested that a report may be sent to this Ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence," the MHA advisory added.

Refuting the allegations of the continued trend of political violence, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed Bengal is a peaceful state and that there is no such situation.

"The Central government should send an advisory to the Uttar Pradesh government. Many people were killed in the name of encounter in the last three years in that state. People are not allowed to lodge FIR in Gujarat. How many advisories have been sent to the state? They should look into this first and then talk about Bengal which is peaceful state," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had on June 13 held a meeting with the leaders of the major political parties in the state over the issue of post-poll violence and to create a situation where peace and harmony prevailed.

The move came days after Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised them of the situation in West Bengal.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Centre on Saturday sought a report from the West Bengal government on the measures it took to contain political violence in the state and the steps it took to bring the culprits to book.

Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also issued an advisory to the West Bengal government, expressing "deep concern" over the unabated violence in the state over the years.

The MHA said the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018, with 773 incidents already being reported till date in 2019.

"Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place till date in 2019," the MHA said.

The advisory stated that "the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019, as evident from the above figures, is indicative of the failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and to inspire a sense of security among the people."

"The Government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal. It is requested that a report may be sent to this Ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence," the MHA advisory added.West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had on June 13 held a meeting with the leaders of the major political parties in the state over the issue of post-poll violence and to create a situation where peace and harmony prevailed.

The move came days after Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised them of the situation in West Bengal.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and now leader of opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu had to undergo frisking at Gannavaram Airport here late Friday.

Naidu was also denied VIP access to the aircraft and had to travel in the bus along with common passengers.

A security guard was seen frisking Naidu at the security entrance.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief was also not allowed to reach the aircraft in VIP vehicle.

The incident drew strong reaction from TDP, which alleged that BJP and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) were resorting to witch-hunting.

TDP leader and former state Home Minister Chinna Rajappa said the attitude of authorities was not only insulting but they also compromised on Naidu's security as he enjoys "Z plus' category security.

He said Naidu never had to face this situation though he was in opposition for many years.

He demanded the central and state governments to ensure proper security to Naidu.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on Saturday called off its day-long strike announced in support of the protesting medicos in West Bengal

Announcing the decision, the RDA gave West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a 48-hour ultimatum to meet the demands of protesting doctors in her state.

"RDA AIIMS issues an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal government to meet the demands of striking doctors there, failing which we will be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need," read a statement from the RDA.

The doctors associated with the Association, however, said that they would continue to wear red-stained bandages and helmets as a sign of protest.

The ultimatum came a day after Banerjee gave the protesting doctors in her state four hours to withdraw their strike and return to work or vacate the hostels.

The doctors of the Safdarjung Hospital too withdrew their strike. However, other hospital associations, including the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA)went on strike on Saturday as a mark of solidarity with the protesting doctors in West Bengal.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four youth, arrested from the Uri sector of the Line of Control (LOC) while trying to cross over into Pakistan-administered Kashmir, were handed back to their families on Saturday after counselling, an official said.

The youth, identified as Adil Ahmad Dar of Kulgam, Tahir Shamim Lone of Shopian, Sameer Bhat of Sopore and Naveed Parra of Pattan (Baramulla), were held by the security forces on Friday as they were heading to obtain arms training as newly-recruited militants.

Addressing a joint army-police press conference in Baramulla town, Brig. Girish Kalia said that security forces had got information about the youth "who were going to join the path of violence after being misguided by local militants and their accomplices".

"Moving swiftly, the army and the police apprehended them along the LoC in Uri sector. After proper counselling, these youth were handed over to their respective families," he said.

Baramulla's Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Qayoom was also present at the media conference.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani on Saturday condemned the arrest of his Hurriyat faction's spokesman.

Ghulam Ahmad Gulzar, spokesman of the Geelani-headed Hurriyat conference, was arrested from his residence by police on Friday.

In a statement, Geelani described Gulzar's arrest as "unlawful, unjustified and illegal" and said that by such actions, political space is being denied by causing political turbulence and uncertainty.

He cautioned that India would achieve nothing by pushing Kashmiris to the wall.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday and requested the central government to approve the proposals for several drinking water projects and the timely release of funds for the centrally-sponsored schemes.

According to an official release, Gehlot met Sitharaman to discuss various financial issues related to Rajasthan ahead of the Niti Aayog meeting.

During his meeting with Sitharaman, Gehlot said that as per the past practice the states' share in the central taxes should be released to the respective states on the first date of the month.

Gehlot said that as this practice had been changed since the past few years, the states were facing financial issues. The states have to make payments towards salaries and pension on the first date, which becomes very difficult.

Gehlot also requested the Finance Minister that proposals for seven drinking water projects costing Rs 5,473 crore should be approved at the earliest.

He asked for approval for the proposal for external financial aid for Phase 3 of the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal Project costing Rs 1,450 crore. This project would provide drinking water to 2014 villages and five towns of Jodhpur, Barmer and Pali districts till the year 2051.

Gehlot also apprised Sitharaman that Rajasthan had several drinking water projects lined up with the help of the Japanese aid agency JICA.

"These proposals are pending with Union ministries of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Urban Development," he said, adding that several villages of Jhunjhunu and Barmer districts would be benefited from these projects worth Rs 2,918 crores.

Gehlot also said that another scheme worth Rs 1,104 crore for Phase 2 of the Bisalpur project to provide drinking water to Jaipur city was also awaiting the centre's clearance and sought Sitharaman's support for these projects.

The Rajasthan Chief Minister asked the Union Minister to support the state's loan waiver scheme to help the farmers of Rajasthan recover from their indebtedness.

He informed Sitharaman that 24 lakh farmers affiliated to cooperative banks had been given the benefit of loan waiver in Rajasthan and the state had to bear a burden of Rs 15,679 crore for it.

The state also planned to waive off crop loans from nationalised banks, scheduled commercial banks and rural regional banks up to Rs 2 lakh per farmer, Gehlot added.

As these financial institutions are under the control of the Finance Minister, the Centre should help the state in having a one-time settlement with the banks for loan waiver, he demanded.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday called for punitive action against those attacking healthcare professionals, saying "strict action must be taken against any one who assaults them."

Harsh Vardhan also asked the law enforcement agencies to ensure that doctors and clinical establishments discharge their duties professionally without any fear of violence.

In a letter to Chief Ministers of all the states, Vardhan cited recommendations of an inter-ministerial committee in 2017 that suggested that state governments should enact legislation to protect doctors and healthcare professionals.

He also forwarded them the draft of the Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017, provided by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

"In case, a state already has a legislation, it should enforce the IPC/Cr.PC provisions with vigour," the Minister said in the letter.

Expressing concern over recent acts of violence against doctors in different parts of the country, Vardhan said they had led to strike by doctors, gravely affecting the healthcare services.

The Minister said doctors were an important pillar of the society and often worked under stressful and difficult conditions. "Our doctors rank among the best in the world and work for long hours under stressful conditions, grappling with a huge load of patients. It's the duty of state to ensure their safety and security," he said.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said the state government was focusing on moving towards a high Ease of Living Index for the people of the state after systematically ushering in a new era of corruption-free governance.

The Chief Minister was speaking during the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Haryana has become kerosen-free and open defecatio-free, it moved from 14th to the third rank in the Ease of Doing Business and removed the blot of female foeticide.

Congratulating the Prime Minister for the reconstitution of the NITI Aayog, he said that it is a hub of innovation and knowledge for the states to learn from each other and to replicate the successes and good practices of others.

Elaborating on the steps taken by the government, Khattar said being both a leading agrarian and industrial state, the state has focused on managing and regenerating water sources in a sustainable manner.

He said the government set up Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority in 2017 for development, protection, rejuvenation, conservation, construction and management of all the ponds in the state.

The authority has developed a pond data management software to monitor progress of rejuvenation and development works on over 14,000 water bodies -- ancient and teh new.

Of these, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority is working on revival of more than 500 water bodies through rainwater harvesting.

A comprehensive drainage plan and 'zero drain out system' has also been taken up for Gurugram.

The plan includes creation of water harvesting structures, pondage areas, channelization of creeks and construction of recharge wells.

The Chief Minister said under the scheme 'Other Interventions under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -- Per Drop More Crop', 881 structures have been created and 13,656 hectares have benefitted in 10 districts of the state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on Saturday the "suspension" of her controversial proposed extradition bill which has generated massive opposition in the streets.

Lam told a press conference that the project, which could allow China to extradite fugitives from Hong Kong, is temporarily "suspended" to defuse the crisis it has unleashed, Efe news reported.

She added that the goal of the law was to avoid Hong Kong becoming a "safe haven for criminals".

"After studying the matter in the last two days, I announce that we will pause the amendment. We will communicate with society, do more explaining and listen more," Lam told reporters.

"The government will listen with an open attitude to opinions about the bill," she added.

The decision comes after a meeting with members of her Executive Council and calls from several supporters of the regulation on Friday for the suspension of the project.

Protesters have planned another demonstration on Sunday, which has not yet been cancelled and comes in the wake of massive protests that started on Wednesday when thousands took to the streets to demand the government to revoke the controversial bill.

During protests, the police dispersed crowds by firing teargas and rubber bullets which left 81 people wounded. Two of the injured were in a serious condition and 11 people were arrested, authorities said.

"As a responsible government, we should defend law and order. But we also have to make a judgment call, and to protect Hong Kong's best interest," Lam said at the press conference.

Demonstrators are urging the government to condemn the use of force by the police during protests and have demanded that detained protesters be set free.

On the other hand, the central government of Beijing has shown support for police intervention during the protests and for the extradition bill to be made into law.

Lam acknowledged that policies that come with a mainland element could risk confrontation within Hong Kong, adding that the way forward would involve addressing such concerns and boosting confidence in the proposed policy which she defended was designed to avoid Hong Kong becoming a "safe haven for criminals".

"There could be even more serious confrontation. There may be more serious injuries for my police officers and citizens. I don't want any of these injuries to happen," she added.

Opponents of the bill, which include a broad spectrum of Hong Kong society, argued that the new law would leave citizens of Hong Kong unprotected against China due to the lack of checks and balances or separation of power.

Proposed in February, the bill passing into law would allow the Chief Executive's headquarters and the Hong Kong courts to process extradition requests from jurisdictions without prior agreement - in particular mainland China and Taiwan - and without legislative supervision.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Hitting back at the Trump administration for withdrawing trade privileges for certain Indian goods, the Indian government on Saturday raised custom duty on various items, including walnut and apples, exported from the US.

In a late evening notification, the Union Finance Ministry said that the decision was taken in public interest.

The higher custom duty would be applicable from June 16.

In response to the US refusal to exempt Indian steel and aluminimum from higher tariffs, India had last year announced to slam import duty as high as 120 per cent on over dozen items. It, however, deferred the decision in the wake of ongoing trade talks in the hope that the trade issues will be resolved bilaterally.

But India has finally retaliated to the US move, prompted by withdrwal of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) benefits a few weeks back.

Industry estimates have pegged the additional burden on US items exported to India at $290 million.

Last year, India's trade surplus for merchandise goods with the US was almost $18-19 billion.

India's firm action against US has come days before Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is to meet his American counterpart Mike Pompeo.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An Indian boat and 10 of its drowning crew members have been rescued 6.4 km off the Omani port city of Dhalkut, Omani authorities said.

According to an official statement by the Omani Maritime Security Centre on Friday, the centre, after receiving a distress call on Thursday, informed the authorities concerned. The Omani Navy sent a ship to the Indian boat, which was subjected to some technical failure in the engines.

The Omani Air Force planes are still searching for a missing crew member.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka on Saturday sought extension of the Compensation Act beyond 2022 to bridge the revenue gap likely to arise out of a shortfall in the collection of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"The Compensation Act should be extended beyond 2022 in case the revenue gap is not bridged by then to compensate our state, as envisaged in the Act," Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said at the fifth meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog in New Delhi.

As the GST regime has taken over the state's resource mobilisation efforts, the chief Minister said revenue shortfall would adversely impact developmental and other infrastructural projects across the state as well as the committed expenditure of the state government.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Chairman of Niti Aayog, attended by its members and chief ministers from across the country.

Addressing the council, the Chief Minister said though trends showed that the State GST (SGST) component of the GST has been on the rise, the revenue gap was being bridged by the assured compensation till 2022.

"As our state will have limited scope to mobilise additional revenue beyond 2022, there would be a steep fall in our revenues by the end of fiscal 2022-23, as compared to protected revenue till fiscal 2021-22 due to the constitutionally guaranteed compensation," Kumaraswamy pointed out.

Noting that the southern state would face a financial crunch after 2022 once the compensation ended, Kumaraswamy said it was time to devise a mechanism to overcome erosion of the state's tax base since the GST was being implemented with effect from July 1, 2017.

"The state's revenues under the GST have not risen to our expectations despite our best efforts to bridge the gap and overcome the challenges faced in implementing it, he said.

The state has taken steps to track non-filers and bill traders, data-analytic led enforcement and vigilance to detect suppression.

"Capacity building programmes to tax officers, awareness to stakeholders and other measures have, however, had a positive impact in enhancement of revenue when compared to the previous fiscal," added the Chief Minister.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday again appealed to the agitating junior doctors in the state to end their strike, assuring them that her government would not invoke ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) against them.

She said the state government is working to find a "peaceful solution" to the problem, and that it is ready to consider demands put forward by the doctors for their security inside hospitals.

"I have already appealed to everyone related to the medical fraternity to end the impasse for the sake of the ailing patients. I would again appeal to the junior doctors to end the agitation. We are always open to discussion," Banerjee said at the state secretariat, Nabanna.

"Yesterday (Friday) I had waited for taks with the junior doctors for nearly five hours, but they did not arrive. They told senior doctors that they would come today. So I along with my team of administrators waited for them. But they have not come today either. I would appeal everyone to join the work," she said.

Citing examples of several states such as Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu which had invoked ESMA to break the doctors' movement, Banerjee promised her government would not initiate any such administrative steps.

"So many states already used this Act because the profession of doctors is considered noble. Our government, too, has the provision. But we want to deal with the issue in a humanitarian and democratic way. So, we have neither invoked ESMA nor cancelled anybody's registration, or arrested anybody," she said.

When asked whether she would go to the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the doctor's movement, as per the demand of the agitators, Banerjee refused to answer.

"I will not tell you whether I will go somewhere or not. I think the state secretariat is the best place to hold a meeting with government officials in a democratic manner. I had gone to SSKM Hospital that day and waited for three hours, but no one came to talk to me," she said.

"One should respect institutions... when the government is calling them to hold a discussion, they continue to refuse... I wanted to talk to them over phone after the incident, but they refused to talk. Senior government officials also went to talk and asked them to come, but they refused," she alleged, adding all actions have been taken by the state administration.

Banerjee said a few "outsiders" with vested interest are trying to provoke the junior doctors and urged them not to fall in that trap.

"Some outsiders are trying to provoke. They are making one-sided comments. We have accepted all their demands and have taken all the necessary action. Please join the work because the patients are suffering. A number of children have died in the last few days," she added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her counterparts from Telangana K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Punjab Amarinder Singh will not attend the first meeting of the Niti Aayog governing council, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Banerjee and Rao had also skipped the MOdi's swearing-ceremony on May 23.

A vocal critic of the Modi government, Banerjee refused to attend the Niti Aayog meet saying that it was "fruitless' as the body had "no financial powers".

In a three-page letter written to Modi, she said it was "useless" to attend the meet as the agenda had been fixed by the Centre without consulting the states.

Chandrashekhar Rao is learnt to be busy with preparations for the launch of an irrigation project.

Amarinder Singh, who also skipped a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, would also give the Niti Aayog meet a miss, due to poor health.

This is the first meeting of the Niti Aayog after the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) landslide victory in the general elections and will be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

According to a statement issued by the Niti Aayog, issues like rain-water harvesting, drought situation and relief measures, transforming aspirational districts as well as security-related issues with a specific focus on left wing extremism-hit districts are expected to be discussed at the meeting.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The world of showbiz is brimming with superheroes, but for a slew of television actors, their dads are their real superheroes.

On the occasion of Father's Day, which falls on June 16, celebrities from the Hindi television industry shared their thoughts:

Faisal Khan (Chandragupta Maurya in 'Chandragupta Maurya'): My father has been my biggest pillar of support in my life and is one person I have looked up to for everything. Coming from a middle-class family, I never felt deprived of anything as my father always fulfilled my needs and never let me feel otherwise. My dad has always been a provider and the backbone of our family. I still remember the days when he used to drive a rickshaw to earn for our family and now he does it for fun. It makes me so happy that my father is proud of me and it is because of his hard work and support that I have reached where I am today.

Reem Shaikh (Kalyani in 'Tujhse Hai Raabta'): "My father has been a constant support through my entire journey and has encouraged me to chase my dreams. He is my best friend who is always guiding and helping me make the right choices and to do the right thing. I am more than thankful for him because he is a blessing in my life. He is the first person I want to share things with and seek advice from.

Ashnoor Kaur (Mini in 'Patiala Babes'): More than a father, he is like a brother to me. We are best of friends and are really open to each other and that's the reason, I am comfortable sharing everything with him. Out of all the beautiful moments that I have shared with my father, my favourite moment was hearing from him that the day I was born, he was so happy and elated that he hosted a huge celebration with close family and friends. Hearing this really made me feel special as at a time when people used to be sad with the birth of a daughter in the house, my father broke the norm and was the happiest father in the world.

Sehban Azim (Malhar Rane in 'Tujhse Hai Raabta': "A father always makes infinite sacrifices for his children and I have always aspired to be like my father someday. There are a lot of things that I do and follow in life which I have borrowed and grasped from my dad and there's a lot more that I intend to imbibe from him. My father is my superhero and will always be.

Reyhna Pandit (Mohini in 'Manmohini'): My father is my hero and I owe everything that I am today to him. He is the pillar of strength for our family and doesn't even let the slightest problem reach us. My dad always maintains a positive mindset and I have picked that from him. I am blessed to have him as my rock and am hoping to take him on a holiday around my birthday and spend some quality time with him."

Eisha Singh (Zara in 'Ishq Subhan Allah'): "When I was 5 years old and my dad used to come back from office, I used to quickly run and hide and wait for him to find me. I used to put out my hand and he used to come running and embrace me in his arms. I will never forget those moments. My father is my superhero and I feel Father's Day is the perfect day to thank him for all his sacrifices and unconditional love. I know that his guiding hand will always be on my shoulder and no matter what, his confidence in me will help me face any situation bravely.

Sneha Wagh (Mura in 'Chandragupta Maurya'): My father is a very humble and simple man. He passed the same traits to me for which I am very thankful to him. When I entered this industry and people started recognising me, he always suggested me to stay grounded and humble with everyone and never forget the hurdles that I have faced and how I started my journey.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)After one positive case and over 300 suspects, the scare of the second attack of Nipah virus in Kerala is over, state Health Minister K.K. Shailaja told the media on Saturday.

"Even though the Nipah scare is over and there is no need for complete surveillance, the situation will be under observation till the middle of next month," Shailaja said.

On June 3, a 23-year-old college student, admitted to a private hospital in Ernakulam, tested positive for Nipah virus. Since then, the health authorities in the state have been on their toes to prevent the virus from spreading. And after almost two weeks, Shailaja finally gave the signal that the scare was over.

After 12 deaths were reported last year in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts following a Nipah outbreak, experts had collected samples from bats. Now, fruit bats have been identified as the carriers of the deadly virus.

The health department is now conducting studies to find out the reasons behind the second Nipah outbreak.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two months after being devastated in a blaze, the Notre Dame cathedral will hold its first mass Saturday, which will be officiated by the Archbishop of Paris with a small number in attendance.

The mass will be held at 6 p.m. in the chapel of the Virgin Mary, behind the choir. It will be attended by only 30 people -- half of them clergymen -- all in protective helmets, including Monsignor Michel Aupetit, who will officiate a symbolic mass to denote that Notre Dame is "still alive", the cathedral rector Patrick Chauvet said.

The event - broadcast by Catholic television KTO - will be attended by a team working on the restoration of the building owing to the precariousness of the situation, the ambassador in charge of the international mobilization for Notre Dame de Paris, Stanislas de Laboulaye, told Spanish media.

There will be cleaning works of the cathedral and surrounding neighbourhood due to contamination by lead that covered the roof and needle of Viollet-le-Duc which melted in the 800 degrees flames, whose origin is still unknown.

"Notre Dame de Paris is still in a fragile situation, especially in the vault that has not yet been secured, and can collapse," said Culture Minister Franck Riester during an interview with France 2 network on Friday.

He also said that only 9 per cent of the pledged donations -- 80 million euros ($89.9 million) of the 850 million euros pledged -- have been collected so far, Efe news reported.

Riester expressed confidence that the process will fall into place once the law that sets the legal framework for the cathedral's restoration is approved by mid-July, with tax exemptions of up to 75 per cent per 1,000 euros.

De Laboulaye said that "everything will be paid for with private donations and this is a cultural shock for the French".

For now, the bulk of the money is French and American, reports say.

De Laboulaye added that countries like Chile and Canada have offered wood; Vietnam their stone carvers and Columbia University (New York) its knowledge of the cathedral, which has 3D laser detailed maps of the monument.

The priority at the moment is the consolidation of the building's structure with huge beams, which has forced the removal of the 19th century stained glass windows in order to accommodate them, while all residents around the building have been evacuated.

The flying buttresses have also been consolidated, a key feature in Gothic architecture and wooden structures have been laid to prevent them from leaning inwards and falling.

One of the biggest problems now, until the three gaping holes in the roof are repaired, is the wind, which is entering the cathedral threatening the precarious structure, said De Laboulaye.

A plastic guard has been installed on top to protect the interior from rain and a gigantic net to prevent stones from falling on workers inside while removing debris with the help of robots.

At the end of the consolidation and debris extraction, the removal of the 250-tonne scaffolding that enveloped the Viollet-le-Duc needle will begin in an operation that will take four months.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan wants talks with India on the "basis of equality" and in a "dignified manner" and has said it's up to New Delhi to decide whether it wants to engage with Islamabad to reconcile issues.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said this while confirming the exchange of pleasantries between Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi here on Friday on the sidelines of the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

"Yes, the meeting did take place. There was a handshake and exchange of pleasantries," Qureshi told Geo News in Kyrgyzstan's capital.

He, however, accused the Indian government of still "being in the election mindset". "Pakistan has said what it has to. India has not come out of its election mindset and the extreme position they had taken to influence their constituency and to keep their vote bank intact. It's still confined in that," said Qureshi.

"India has to make this decision. We are neither in haste, nor troubled. When India prepares itself, it would find us prepared. But we will hold talks on the basis of equality, in a dignified manner," Qureshi said.

Stating that neither we (Pakistan) need to run after anyone, nor to demonstrate stubbornness, he said, "Pakistan's approach is realistic and well thought-out."

Tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalated after the February Pulwama terror attack, claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The exchange of pleasantries between Khan and Modi was the first such event between the two Prime Ministers amidst the chill in bilateral relations.

It has come after Khan and Qureshi wrote letters to Modi seeking revival of talks.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Expressing concern over the water crisis in north India, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support for upgradation of his state's water distribution infrastructure, while calling for a fresh river waters tribunal to address inter-state disputes.

The Chief Minister, in his speech circulated at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting which he could not attend owing to indisposition, also called upon the Prime Minister to provide a one-time debt waiver to mitigate the distress of indebted farmers.

State Finance Minister Manpreet Badal represented Punjab at the meeting.

The Chief Minister urged the Centre to increase the annual assistance under PM-KISAN from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 per farmer, and to also include farm workers in its sweep. He also thanked the NITI Aayog for acknowledging the state's "Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao" initiative.

Another significant issue raised by the Chief Minister related to assistance for proper development of Punjab's border areas, which, he said, was a national responsibility.

Amarinder Singh regretted that the Centre had not taken any action on the state's similar demand, for a special package for border areas, raised in the last two meetings.

He demanded increase in the deployment of paramilitary forces along the Punjab border as well as special financial assistance package for upgradation of police in the border areas, where it formed the second line of defence.

He also called for greater inter-state cooperation to effectively tackle cross-border crimes.

Meanwhile, in a letter to Prime Minister Modi, the Chief Minister said that Punjab, in particular, was witnessing an alarming degree of over-utilization of ground water, mainly due to the extensive cultivation of paddy which supports national food security.

He cited estimates of the Central Ground Water Authority that the over-utilization of underground water in Punjab had risen to an alarming level of 168 per cent of the recharge.

Further, the canal irrigation system in Punjab, which forms the bedrock of the state's agriculture, was showing signs of ageing, indicated by reduced water carrying capacity and longer maintenance periods, he added.

To address and mitigate this imminent water crisis, the state government was taking several urgent measures to reduce consumption of water, conserve water, improve the efficiency of water utilization, and improve water infrastructure in the state, he said.

Several schemes had been framed by the state government and presented to the Centre for assistance under its flagship programmes, he said, urging the Centre to provide the maximum possible funding for all these comprehensive projects, beginning with the current financial year 2019-20.

Amarinder Singh hoped that appropriate provisions would be made in the Budget to be presented in July.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)To prepare a comprehensive master plan for the conservation and management of water resources to tackle declining ground water in Punjab, Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria on Saturday met a three-member team of experts from Israel in Amritsar.

The experts team along with senior officers of the Water Resources Department had earlier visited various parts of the state to assess the present situation and the challenges being faced by the state in dealing with the water sector.

During their three-day visit, the team of experts got an overview of the existing water resources and infrastructure in the state.

The experts team of International Special Projects Coordinator of Mekorot Diego Berger, Project Manager Niv Pintow, Water Engineer of Mekorot for North district Tomer Malol discussed ways and means with the minister to deal with the grave problem of deteriorating water resources in the state.

The team apprised Sarkaria that they will submit six reports -- 'Study in current situation of water sector', 'Water based economy regulations', 'Projections of the water resources', 'Projection of water demand', 'Alternative water supply schemes', 'Economic analysis and master plan summary and recommendations' for Punjab.

The national water company of Israel, Mekorot, and the Punjab government had signed an agreement in April after the visit of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to Israel in October 2018.

As per the agreement, the recommendations of Mekorot would be submitted in 18 months.

The final report of the master plan is expected in October 2020, a spokesperson for the state government told IANS.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)After launching its biggest crackdown on railway ticket agents and touts, the Special Intelligence Branch of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is now probing the role of insiders involved in the racket which runs into several crores.

The RPF has sought details from the commercial department of the railways about the real-time data of e-tickets. However, the crucial data is yet to be shared with the investigating agency.

Sources said that once the data relating to the booking of e-tickets and payment channels of various ticket agents across the country are made available, a clearer picture of the nationwide 'Tatkal' ticket racket will emerge.

When asked about the involvement of insiders, or lower staff in the racket, the Director General RPF, Arun Kumar, said: "It's a matter of investigation. I cannot share any details at this stage."

Sources said Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has appreciated RPF's investigation, called Operation Thunder, into the ticket fraud. The Minister has given the go-ahead to initiate action if any insider is involved in the racket.

The RPF rounded up more than 405 touts from raids conducted in 205 cities and towns relating to the booking of Tatkal Seva and e-ticketing. During the course of investigation, it was discovered that most of the ticket agents and touts use specific software to fraudulently book e-tickets under Tatkal Seva.

The tickets are later sold to passengers at high rates. The RPF and its intelligence branch were gathering evidence related to ticket frauds for the past few months.

Sources in the RPF said a software, 'ANMS/Red Mirchi', has been seized from Kota, Rajasthan, which was being used to hack into the Tatkal facility offered by the IRCTC, which is now being rectified.

According to an official of the RPF, 387 user IDs under which these tickets were booked frequently have been blacklisted and the tickets have been deactivated. RPF has also instructed all zonal railways to continue such raids in their areas to mount pressure on the touts.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the attack against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and called for refraining from making hasty accusations.

"We strongly condemn the attacks that occurred, whoever was behind their organization," the Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"We consider it necessary to refrain from hasty conclusions. Blaming anyone for involvement in these incidents before the completion of a thorough and impartial international investigation is unacceptable," it was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The Ministry expressed its concern over the tension in the Gulf of Oman and over the evidence of the US "artificially whipping them up" due to its "Iranian-phobia" policy.

It reiterated that it saw no alternative to establishing a dialogue in order to prevent further degradation of the situation in the region, the report said.

On Thursday, two oil tankers -- Front Altair, owned by shipping company Frontline Ltd. that is controlled by Norwegian-born magnate John Fredriksen, and the Panamanian-flagged Kokuka Courageous -- were reportedly hit by unknown attackers in the Gulf of Oman.

The crew of the tankers of 44, including 11 Russian nationals, were transferred to the Iranian port city of Jask.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for the attack.

"This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication," Pompeo said, according to an official transcript.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)South Korean tech giant Samsung has further extended the launch of its much awaited foldable smartphone Galaxy Fold beyond July.

The smartphone was originally set to release on April 26, but the manufacturer indefinitely delayed the device after multiple review units experienced display issues.

Following the defects that came to light, several brands across the US including AT&T, Best Buy along with Samsung itself cancelled pre-orders for the foldable phone, The Verge reported late on Friday.

In May, DJ Koh, Samsung's CEO promised that "we will not be too late", in terms of launch timing.

Later, Samsung representatives have also repeatedly mentioned that the company would announce a new release date for the phone "in the coming weeks", the report added.

Launched earlier this year, the first ever foldable smartphone features a 7.30-inch touchscreen primary display and a 4.60-inch secondary display.

The device is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor along with 12GB RAM and 512GB internal storage.

There are also two batteries on the inside of the device which together fuels the phone with a 4,380 mAh battery back-up.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Initial investigation by the CBI into the multi-crore scholarship scam reveals a deep-rooted nexus between government officials, private institutions and public sector banks to siphon-off funds meant for poorest of the poor students. Students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Minorities were also deprived of scholarships to pursue basic

Sources in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed to IANS that the scam in the scholarship fund meant for children from below poverty line (BPL) families was spread across Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.

Though the scope of the investigation pursued by CBI's Shimla branch is limited to this region, sources said that the scam is widespread and similar complaints have been made in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country.

"In the interest of the poor and SC/ST students, the agency can take up more such cases if the matter is recommended to us by other states," said a highly-placed source in the CBI.

The agency's investigation revealed that institutions like Lovely Professional University and Karnataka University established centres in different states, including Himachal Pradesh, where documents of SC/ST and BPL students were collected but admissions not granted. Later, with the connivance of officials of the Department and banks, fake bank accounts were opened on the basis of genuine documents(and addresses) secured by the centres.

For instance, almost 250 students of village Dehri in Himachal's Kangra district had applied at these centres, which took the documents of these students but did not give them admission.

Subsequently, a large number of fake accounts were opened in the State Bank of India and the Allahabad Bank on basis of documents submitted by the students and the bank officials did not verify the account holders, facilitating the scamsters' siphoning off the scholarship money.

Last month, the CBI conducted raids at multiple locations in northern India in the Rs 250 crore scholarship scam related to pre- and post-matric scholarship scheme. The CBI sleuths carried out the raids at 22 educational institutes across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Haryana.

Besides the CBI, police in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are also investigating scams related to scholarships where officials of the Department and private institutions have been found to be hand in glove. In Uttar Pradesh, the scam relates to the Minority Department, where scholarships of poor Muslim students were fraudulently siphoned-off by corrupt officials.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Striking junior doctors in West Bengal on Saturday once again turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's proposal for talks at the state secretariat - Nabanna, and stuck to their stand that she would have to come down to NRS Medical College and Hospital to listen to their grievances.

Thirty four doctors at Kalyani's Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital also tendered their resignations in solidarity with the state's government hospital doctors who resigned on Friday, the hospital authorities said.

"Yesterday, the Director Medical Education of West Bengal University of Health Sciences verbally informed us that Chief Minister has asked to meet some of our representatives at her office. For the last two days, the CM has made offensive and inappropriate statements directed towards doctors.

"Following that, we faced mob attacks and physical assaults at different medical and dental colleges and hospitals across the state. We are deeply upset and hopeless and we feel highly insecure and apprehensive about our representatives' meeting with her behind the closed doors. That is why we are not sending any representative to her office," Abhishek Sarkar, an intern at the College told reporters after their General Body meeting.

The doctors said that right from the beginning they were "open to a healthy discussion".

"We want an urgent solution to this situation. We shall resume our duties as soon as our demands for proper security and safety at work place are met. We humbly request the Chief Minister to meet all of us at NRS Medical College and Hospital and discuss and implement all our demands at the earliest," said Sarkar reading out a statement by the agitating doctors.

The statement also mentioned that the doctors were deeply concerned about the sufferings of the common people.

The invite from the Chief Minister's secretariat to the junior doctors was sent after five senior doctors, led by Sukumar Mukherjee, called on Banerjee and offered to mediate to resolve the stalemate, which has paralysed medical services at the state's government hospitals.

After the offer was declined, the talks were deferred till 5 p.m. on Saturday, so as to give the quintet of veterans time enough to persuade the medicos to attend the meeting.

Meanwhile, health services in West Bengal's state-run hospitals remained partially disrupted on Saturday as the "cease work" by junior doctors, protesting against attacks on their colleagues and demanding adequate security measures, continued for the fifth day.

Though the out-patient departments remained closed, the emergency services in all the state-run hospitals, including the NRS, were functional on Saturday, doctors said.

"The junior doctors are still on strike, but the emergency services are open," West Bengal Doctors Forum President Arjun Sengupta told IANS.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Santanu Sen on Friday held a meeting with the senior doctors and administrative authorities at the NRS Hospital to find a possible solution to the ongoing impasse.

However, the agitating doctors claimed that the meeting would not bear any positive outcome because Sen was a Rajya Sabha MP of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress.

Sen courted a controversy saying that "some non-medical persons with vested interests were brain-washing junior doctors to let the chaotic situation persist".

After their general body meeting, the striking doctors held a demonstration at the hospital premises condemning Sen's comment.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday emphasised on taking strong initiatives for reviving the rural economy in the country.

During the fifth meeting of NITI Aayog here, Baghel said that his state's newly- implemented scheme, 'Narwa, Garuwa, Ghurwa, Baadi' (rivulets, livestocks, domestic dump, farms), has the potential to lead the path to revival of the rural economy.

He said that the scheme will also play a significant role in achieving the target of doubling farmers' income.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Union ministers and chief ministers of several states.

Elaborating on the scheme, 'Narwa, Garuwa, Ghurwa, Baadi' Baghel said, the programme has been launched keeping in mind development of local resources, rival of farm-based rural economy and comprehensive conservation.

He said issues such as environmental balance, pollution, climate change, depleting underground water level, nourishment of livestock and organic farming are topics of global concern.

Referring to aspirational district programme in the state, he said 44 per cent of the state is covered with forest and percentage of forest in eight aspirational districts out of 10 has large forest areas therefore it has becomes very difficult to provide facilities such as water, electricity, road and irrigation to the tribals of these districts.

The Chief Minister also demanded 100 per cent financial assistance and grants for making arrangement of solar water pumps in these areas, sanction for generation of solar power on commercial scale in degraded forest areas, setting up of industries based on small forest products on forest land, exemption in forest area for setting up of small irrigation plants through solar pumps and for grant of forest produces and food processing for tribal unemployed youths.

Baghel said "there was a need to formulate strategies and coordinated policies at national level to tackle LWE (left wing extremism) menace in the country and affected states should have collective role in it so that coordinated steps should be taken fight against the violence".

He also demanded revision of surrender and rehabilitation policy for Maoists.

He said, "Maoist leaders of central committee level often surrender after 25 to 35 years of involvement in violence activities and due to current policy they escape legal action."

He said the state could prevent local unemployed youths of maoist affected regions from being misguided only by providing sufficient economic support and multidimensional development work and employment opportunities.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharmas "Sui Dhaaga - Made in India" has been selected in the competition category at the Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week.

A film about finding love and respect through self-reliance, it narrated the story of an innocent village couple Mauji and Mamta who dream big to start their own business together.

"Sui Dhaaga - Made in India" also brought together National Award-winning producer-director combo of Maneesh Sharma and Sharat Katariya after their hit film "Dum Laga Ke Haisha".

Producer Maneesh Sharma said in a statement: "The story of 'Sui Dhaaga - Made in India' is a special salute to the inherent entrepreneurial spirit of local artisans in India. An engaging tale about self-reliance seen through a young couple's determination against all odds, we believe this very human theme has universal appeal across the globe.

"I eagerly look forward to the audience response at a platform as prestigious as The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week."

The actors of the film too are ecstatic with this announcement.

Varun said the movie was made with a lot of heart and is a story about a working-class man who fights for self-respect.

"I'm hoping the film will win hearts in this festival as well and they will like our made in India film," he added.

Anushka described it as "an incredible story of human triumph".

"I'm certain that its universal storyline has the potential to appeal to audiences across the globe. It is quite special that our film has been selected in the competition category at The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week, which indicates that power of good content can cut across language and cultures."

The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week begins on Saturday.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The incidents of terrorist activities have come down in Jammu and Kashmir as the people of the state are not giving shelter to militants, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said here on Saturday.

Addressing the 5th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, Malik said time has come to focus on development of the state. He also gave a Powerpoint Presentation and figures about terror activities.

"Terrorism has shrunk in the Valley and the situation has improved a lot," NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar quoted Malik as saying.

Kumar said the Governor put across his points strongly in the meeting and presented figures to prove as to how terrorism has shrunk in the state.

"As the situation has improved, now we need to focus on state's development. We also need to focus on agricultural products," he said.

The Governor claimed that the administration was getting information about terrorists and their activities by locals and that they are not offering shelter to those involved in militant activities.

Kumar said that Home Minister Amit Shah assured the states facing the menace of terrorism and Maoism that the Centre stands behind them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the the states the Ministry of Home Affairs will coordinate with all affected states to decisively end Maoism and drive the agenda of development in the affected regions.

Shah said steadfast implementation of National Policy and Action Plan started in 2015 has resulted in significant success in combating the Maoists problem. The Centre and states have collaborated in the endeavor, he added.

He said the geographical area of influence of Leftwing extremism has shrunk and the number of perpetrators of violence has declined significantly.

--IANS

bns/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)How does one determine the finances of a country where the growth rate is slowing, banks are sceptical to lend and tightening fiscal space leaves little scope for adventurism? That is the impossible conundrum facing Nirmala Sitharaman, Indias first woman Finance Minister in the Modi governments new Cabinet. It will be interesting to note how she addresses these pertinent issues facing the Indian economy when she rises up in Parliament on July 5 to deliver her Budget address.

It would not be a stretch to argue that Sitharaman is facing the toughest task of all ministers in the Modi cabinet. The two significant hurdles currently ailing the economy are that of growth and employment. As soon as the new government was sworn into power, the data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) revealed that the GDP growth had fallen to a 5-year low in the last quarter of the previous financial year while another report released by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) stated that the unemployment in the country had touched a 45-year high of 6.1 per cent in 2017-18. Although the government has said the latter figure is not comparable to previous years, it is still an issue that Sitharaman will look to address in her first budget.

At first glance it might seem that the issues of growth and unemployment are linked and solving the former would address the latter. However, this would be a dangerous assumption to make for the Indian economy. India has had an infamous trend of jobless growth due to its economy being primarily service led. In fact, even during its fastest-growth period between 2004 and 2009, only a million jobs were created in the five-year period when more than a million jobs were needed on an annual basis.

This only goes to show that both issues need to be resolved independently and, at least for the latter, the problem is more structural in nature. So, the solutions must be a combination of short-term and medium-to-long-term. Even though these solutions will pertain to policy decisions that extend beyond the Budget, allocating finances in the right places of the economy is a good place to start. No electoral compulsions are also tied to this Budget, so it has the potential to be bold and target oriented as possible.

To address the issue of growth slowdown, it is necessary to go to its root cause. There are two sides to the story: supply and demand. In the supply side, to put it simply, India's credit system is clogged. The capital of Indian banks is locked up in Rs 14 lakh crore of stressed assets and, despite all efforts to the contrary, the resolution mechanism is still slow. The public sector banks (PSBs), which account for two-thirds of the banking system, are facing serious capital shortages, which has made them risk-averse and, thus, wary of lending. As credit availability dries up, the fuel that drives investment vanishes, slowing the latter. Gross fixed capital formation, or investment in plant and machinery, has dipped to 31 per cent from 34.3 per cent of the GDP in 2014.

Meanwhile, the demand side of the issue lies in falling domestic consumption as evidenced in the latest data provided by the Ministry of Finance, which shows the growth in sale of two-wheelers falling into negative territory. However, this is only a sign of the slowing economy as people are left with less disposable income to spend on goods. Once investment revives, money will flow through the system and consumption will pick up.

So, the Budget needs to focus on reviving investment and the obvious tool of boosting public investment is also not available as the fiscal deficit is well above its target already. Moreover, history shows that governments have a tendency of reducing expenditure post-elections. And the target to revive investment should be to allay the prevailing risk aversion of banks. One way is to use the surplus RBI capital for bank recapitalisation. There will be more clarity on this front once the Bimal Jalan Committee submits its report later this month.

An additional solution, which is also more structural in nature, would be to implement the recommendation of the PJ Nayak Committee to set up a Bank Investment Company as the holding company for various state-owned banks. This would create a certain autonomy in operations of public banks without government interference and improve their lending behaviour.

The second issue of job crisis is a long-standing problem for India and cannot be resolved in a Budget or two. The Budget can only provide a fiscal stimulus package like the one India saw implemented in 2009 as a response to the financial crisis. But a more long-term redressal of the problem is crucial as I've argued through these columns before. Improving the productivity of India's labour through education and skilling is indispensable.

Beyond that, a data-based approach towards policy making can also prove helpful here. Employment elasticity, a measure of how employment varies with economic output, can be measured for the economy and each sector within it. Targeting investment within sectors with the highest employment elasticity can maximise the job-creating capacity of the economy. India is in dire need of such novel ways to resolve its most challenging facets of the economy.

(Amit Kapoor is chair, Institute for Competitiveness, India. He can be contacted at Amit.Kapoor@competitiveness.in and tweets @kautiliya. Manisha Kapoor, senior researcher at Institute has contributed to the piece).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump has rejected firing his aide Kellyanne Conway for several violations of a law banning high government officials from using their positions to influence elections.

"No, I'm not going to fire her. I think she's a terrific person. She's a tremendous spokeswoman. She's been loyal. She's just a great person," Efe news quoted Trump as saying on Friday in a TV interview.

The President's comments came a day after the news went public about a report Trump received from the Office of the Special Counsel (OSC), an independent organization that keeps a lookout for possible legal infractions within the government, accusing Conway of violating the Hatch Act on numerous occasions.

Conway, a high-profile White House official, violated that law "on numerous occasions by disparaging Democratic presidential candidates while speaking in her official capacity during television interviews and on social media", the OSC said in a its document.

Far from accepting that his counsellor had done anything wrong, Trump said: "It looks to me like they're trying to take away her right of free speech," something he said was "just not fair."

The same agency had already determined last year that Conway had violated the Hatch Act, which dates back to 1939 and which prohibits using a position in the federal government for partisan ends, when she promoted in interviews the senatorial candidacy of Roy Moore, a former Judge accused of sexually abusing minors and who finally lost the election.

In 2017, Conway also had to receive legal counselling after doing TV advertising for the clothing brand of Ivanka Trump, the President's eldest daughter and senior White House advisor.

Conway was Trump's third and last campaign chief during his 2016 presidential campaign, and since he took office she has been closely involved in issues related to party policy and election strategy.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa on Saturday said the Indian Air Force was trying to ascertain the cause of the recent crash of AN-32 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh that killed 13 people.

He said the IAF would also take steps to ensure such accidents do not recur. He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy, Dundigal on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The aircraft went missing on June 3, after taking off from Jorhat in Assam. Its wreckage was found by the rescue team on Tuesday at a height of 12,000 feet near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts. All 13 persons onboard were killed.

The IAF Chief said they recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. "We will analyse it and go into details to find out what happened and how we make sure that it does not happen again," he said.

Dhanoa said that the terrain in Aruncahal is difficult to fly. "The terrain there is very treacherous and most of the time it is cloudy," he said and pointed that there have been many accidents involving not just IAF aircraft but also others.

Earlier, the Air Chief Marshal reviewed the parade and conferred the aPresident's Commission' on behalf of the President of India to 152 graduating flight cadets who completed their basic and professional training.

The flight cadets including 24 women graduated as Flying Officers to join the elite cadre of the IAF.

Dhanoa, an alumnus of the Academy, said he was here 41 years ago and did a lot of flying as a cadet and also as an instructor.

Dhanoa, who is also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, said it was a matter of great pride to review the parade and welcome fine men and women into the Indian Air Force as military leaders and aviators.

He exhorted the cadets to uphold the core IAF values of mission, integrity and excellence.

Gajulapalli Navin Kumar Reddy of Andhra Pradesh received the President Plaque along with Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for outstanding performance in pilots' course.

Navin Reddy, the only son of Subedar of Indian Army, G. Pulla Reddy, said he chose IAF as he liked the speed of the fighter aircraft. "The thrill always keeps me motivated. Everyone won't get this chance. I have put in a lot of hard work to reach here," said Navin Reddy, who hails from Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Parents of the graduating trainees and various military and civilian officials witnessed the colourful march past.

--IANS

ms/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Amidst reports of growing activities of North Koreans in Nepal, Mark Lambert, the special US envoy for Pyongyang, has asked the Himalayan nation's government and politicians not to entertain North Koreans in the country.

Lambert, who is on a three-day visit to Nepal, made this appeal to lawmakers, senior government officials and ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal here on Friday, reports The Himalayan Times.

The envoy expressed concerns about growing business activities of North Koreans in Nepal.

"He also expressed fear that North Koreans might have been using Nepal as a base to commit cyber crimes," a lawmaker, who met Lambert, said.

Lambert's message during these meetings was clear - the UN Security Council has placed sanctions on North Korea, and Nepal, as a member country, should respect this decision.

The UN has imposed a number of sanctions on North Korea after the country started developing nuclear weapons, in violation of the UN charter. These sanctions, among others, bar UN member countries from hosting citizens of North Korea.

"Nepal is a member of the UN and it has the obligation to follow resolutions passed by the UN Security Council," said US Embassy Spokesperson Andie De Arment, who confirmed that Lambert was in Nepal to discuss growing activities of North Koreans in the country.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pampeo had also raised the North Korean issue during Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali's visit to the US last December.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ten Indian crew members of a dhow, which was sinking in Omani waters due to some technical problem in the engines, have been rescued off the port city of Dhalkut, according to the Indian Embassy here.

"An unfortunate incident of drowning of a dhow with Indian crew happened in Omani waters today morning. Due to swift action of Omani authorities, 10 persons were rescued and only one is missing," the Indian Embassy in Muscat tweeted.

The Indian Embassy is extending full assistance to the survivors and will help them in repatriation.

"We deeply appreciate the timely support extended by Omani authorities in saving lives of Indian nationals," it said.

The Royal Oman Sea Vessel Sadah, in coordination with the Maritime Security Center, carried out a rescue operation at a distance of 4 nautical miles from the port of Dhalkut in Dhofar governorate, Oman Agency said.

The dhow was slowly filling with water, the agency said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two Naxals, one of them carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, Saturday surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.

The duo, identified as Madkam Bheema (25) and Lekam Masa (30), both residents of Tongguda village in Sukma, turned themselves in at Chintalnar police station, Superintendent of Police Shalabh Sinha told PTI.

While Bheema was a "commander" of the Chetna Natya Mandali, a cultural front outfit of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), Masa was a member of the CNM, he said, adding that Bheema had a reward of Rs 1 lakh against his name.

The two were involved in murder, attacks on police and planting explosives to target security forces, Sinha said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three people were killed and another injured on Saturday when their car collided with a stationary truck in Jaipur rural area, police said.

The incident occurred on Dausa-Manoharpur highway. The car coming from Dausa rammed into the truck parked outside an eatery, they said.

The deceased have been identified as Tarachand Jain (60), his brother Rameshchand Jain (55) and Sunil Jain (45), all residents of Sikar district.

Bodies were handed over to the family members after post-mortem, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Thirty-one people were tested HIV positive during a screening programme conducted in Pakistan's Sindh province on Saturday, health authorities said amid a probe by international experts from the WHO to check the outbreak of the deadly virus.

The new cases in Shikarpur district see a surge in cases of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) in Sindh after 215 positive cases, including 181 children, were reported in Ratodero district of Larkana last month, Geo reported.

According to District Health Officer Shabbir Sheikh, 2,500 people were screened out of which 31 tested positive, the report said.

Those that have tested positive were being provided treatment and other amenities according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) regulations.

A delegation of the United Nations bodies, including the WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF, are already in Karachi to help the Sindh health authorities to investigate the alarming outbreak of the HIV in the district.

Main reason behind the spread of HIV virus was revealed to be the use of unsafe blood, unsafe injections and unsafe practice, the WHO Representative Palitha Mahipala said.

Those affected have urged the Sindh government to make HIV medicine readily available at private medical stores apart from government hospitals for easy access.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said that legislation for the formation of a health commission, to address HIV outbreak, has been completed, she said, the Express Tribune reported.

Dr Pechuho said that the investigation revealed a large number of doctors in Sindh were carrying out unsafe medical practices. Efforts are being made to stop them from doing so.

She also requested the federal government to allocate certain amount in the budget for the production of auto-lock syringes in Pakistan, the report said.

She said that the recent outbreak was a sign that if the issue of HIV is neglected any further, it would result in a dangerous situation.

Federal Health Minister Dr Zafar Mirza also said that federal and provincial governments were working together and the recent HIV outbreak was a wakeup call to improve the healthcare system in the country.

He stressed on the need to make HIV control programme more effective, at national and provincial levels.

He said that Pakistan has the highest number of Hepatitis B cases in the world and Hepatitis C was also turning out to be a big challenge, adding that if not addressed, HIV too would become a big problem.

Citizens have also asked to take adequate measures to counter the disease.

In total, 76.1 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV, since the epidemic started in the 1980s. Some 35 million have died, according to official figures.

Without treatment, HIV-infected people go on to develop AIDS, a syndrome that weakens the immune system and leaves the body exposed to opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, and some types of cancer.

Treatment carries side-effects and is costly, but allows infected people to be healthier for longer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nine Sri Lankan Muslim ministers, who resigned recently in the wake of growing anti-minority sentiments in the country following the Easter suicide bombings, are likely to rejoin their office on the request of chief Buddhist prelates.

Along with the nine ministers, two provincial governors from the minority community also resigned on June 3 to allow the Lankan government to investigate allegations against some of them on links to an Islamist extremist group blamed for the deadly terror attack that claimed 258 lives.

"There will be a meeting on June 18 to reconsider our positions since we have been asked to return to our ministerial positions," AHM Haleem, who was one of the ministers to quit, told reporters here on Saturday.

Haleem, who was the Minister of Posts, said the ministers are reconsidering their decision after the chief Buddhist prelates urged them to return to the government.

There are 19 Muslims lawmakers in the 225-member Parliament and nine of them held Cabinet, state and deputy ministerial positions.

The nine Muslim politicians had also protested what they term the government's inability to ensure the safety of their community which constitute 9 per cent of the island's 21 million population.

Their resignations came four days after thousands of people, majority of whom were Buddhist monks, launched a protest in the pilgrim city of Kandy, demanding the expulsion of three Muslim leaders whom they alleged were linked to the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) - the banned outfit blamed for the attacks on three Colombo hotels and three churches.

The three were Industry and Commerce minister Rishad Badiyudeen, Western Province governor Azath Salley and Eastern Province governer ALM Hisbullah. All of them have rejected the allegations.

In a related development, former governor Hisbullah was questioned for over eight hours on Saturday by the Terrorism Investigation Division of the police over his alleged links to the NTJ.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit here on Sunday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple, his party leader Sanjay Raut said the Ram temple will be constructed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modia and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

He said Thackeray, who will be joined by 18 newly elected party MPs, is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit again after elections and asserted that his party has "not sought votes in the name of Ram and will not do so in future".

Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year. The visit is being seen as an attempt by the Shive Sena to put pressure on ally BJP. But Sena has maintained that Thackeray's visit should not be seen through the electoral lens.

"Ramlala is not a subject for but it is matter of our faith. We have not sought votes in the name of Ram and will not do so in future. When he (Uddhav) visited Ayodhya in November he promised to come again after elections. He is fulfilling his promise," Raut said at a press conference here.

On construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Raut said, "It will be constructed in Modi and Yogi's leadership. The BJP will decide on it. The majority in 2019 is for construction of Ram temple. In Rajya Sabha too we will get majority by 2020."



Thackeray, who will be reaching Ayodhya Sunday morning, will offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple, address a press conference and leave later in the evening.

UP Chief Minister Adityanath visited Ayodhya last Friday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple.

His visit, the first after the Lok Sabha election results, was apparently aimed at reiterating support for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

"It is everybody's wish that Ram Mandir must be constructed," he had said after unveiling a seven-foot Ram statue at a museum in the city.

He also took part in the week-long celebrations to mark the birthday of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

The title suit over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is being heard by the Supreme Court.

Soon after the BJP got a second term in the Lok Sabha elections, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat had said, "Ram's work has to be done, and Ram's work will get done.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Resident doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, who boycotted work on Friday in protest against attacks on their colleagues in Kolkata, have now given a48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister to meet the demands of the state's agitating doctors, failing which they said they would go on indefinite strike.

Members of the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA), who resumed work on Saturday, said that if the demands of the West Bengal doctors are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike.

"We condemn the hostile and unapologetic attitude of the government of West Bengal. Our protest at AIIMS, New Delhi continues until justice is meted out.

"According to the decision taken in a general body meeting held on June 14, RDA issues an ultimatum of 48 hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need," the AIIMS RDA said in a statement.

They expressed their gratitude to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for his prompt and proactive steps to resolve the impasse.

"We sincerely hope that he will address this matter of utmost importance with the urgency that it merits," they said.

Safdarjung Hospital RDA president Parakash Thakur also echoed a similar stand on the matter.

The doctors, however, will continue to wear helmets and bandages at work as a sign of protest.

The 48-hour ultimatum by AIIMS doctors comes days after gave a four-hour ultimatum to the striking doctors in her state to withdraw their strike or vacate hostels.

To express solidarity with the doctors who are agitating against an attack on their colleagues in West Bengal, the (IMA) has called for a strike on June 17.

The IMA has also decided to continue their protest on Saturday and Sunday condemning the continued suffering of the resident doctors and repeated occurrence of harassments, it said.

These protests will include wearing black badges, dharnas, peace marches. IMA has also requested the support from all associations of the fraternity to join the agitation.

The apex body of doctors in the country also renewed its demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said that the law should provide a minimum sentence of seven-year jail to violators.

Vardhan on Friday supported the medical fraternity's demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said such crimes should be made non-bailable.

Scores of doctors in Delhi Friday held demonstrations, with many seeing patients in emergency wards wearing bandages on forehead or helmets, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity.Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, a body of various sects of ascetics, Saturday asked the Centre to build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and abolish Article 370 of the Constitution which gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.

It also demanded expansion of the area allocated for the 2021 Kumbh Mela, construction of a ring road around the fair area besides grant of Rs 5 crore to each of the 13 akharas for building things of permanent nature in their chavanis in view of the Kumbh congregation.

A resolution to this effect was passed by the attending akharas at a meeting of the Akhara Parishad headed by Mahanth Narendra Giri.

The resolution will be handed to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat when he returns from New Delhi on Sunday.

The parishad also demanded the appointment of a nodal officer for Kumbh mela soon so that construction projects of permanent nature in the fair area can be completed expeditiously.

Parishad general secretary Mahanth Hari Giri said the mela area should be freed of encroachments and expanded for the convenience of the devotees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An ammunition depot in Damascus exploded Saturday, state media reported, prompting a blast in the Syrian capital.

"An ammunition depot for the Syrian army in western Damascus exploded after a fire in nearby fields started spreading," state agency SANA said, citing a military source.

The ammunition depot was located in a military zone in Mashrou Dummar, a western suburb, SANA reported.

The explosion wounded eight pro-government fighters, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

The Syrian capital has been relatively calm since regime forces recaptured the Eastern Ghouta suburbs from rebel forces last year. However, strikes by Syria's rival Israel continue to target military installations around the capital.

More than 370,000 people have been killed in Syria's war since it erupted in 2011 with a violent crackdown on anti-government protests.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Amid simmering discontent within the Congress in Karnataka over the induction of two Independent MLAs into the coalition government's ministry, the party's state unit chief Saturday said a "reshuffle will definitely happen", and several senior leaders will be "taken into confidence".

This comes a day after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet by inducting R Shankar and H Nagesh into the ministry, in an apparent move to give stability to his 13-month old wobbly JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

The two Independent legislators were inducted into the minister overlooking the claims of several senior leaders, particularly in the Congress, who are sulking ever since they failed to make it to the ministry earlier.

Other than Siddaramaiah and top ministers, most of the Congress leaders and senior legislators such as H K Patil, B C Patil and Sudhakar who are ministerial aspirants, had skipped Friday's swearing-in ceremony, giving credence to reports of a growing discontent.

Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters here, "Reshuffle will happen definitely... Most probably in about six to eight months the process of reshuffle will begin and many who have not got the opportunity, including several seniors, they will be taken into confidence."



"Evaluation of ministers' performance and representation will be looked into and decided (during the reshuffle)," he said.

Terming the induction of Independent MLAs into the state cabinet as "most unfortunate," B C Patil, the Congress MLA from Hirekeru, said that he is discussing future move with other legislators and friends.

Hitting out at the Congress state leadership, he said, "It looks like saving the government is more important than saving the party. If the party survives there will be government."



Pointing out that the Congress won only one seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Patil said rather than legislators who worked for it, Independents who won against the party were being given berths.

"I'm unable to understand the logic behind it," he said, claiming that Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara had given assurance that he would be made minister after the general elections.

Noting that Patil might have spoken out of "disappointment", state Agriculture Minister N H Shivashankar Reddy too said a cabinet reshuffle was on the cards.

"It has already been decided that after some time, sitting ministers should make way for new faces, during which he (Patil) may be accommodated," he said.

The cabinet expansion on Friday was seen as a move to ensuring that the two Independent lawmakers don't jump the ship once again and move to the BJP, affecting the stability of the government.

Shankar was inducted from the Congress' share and Nagesh from the JD(S) quota in the ministry. Under the coalition arrangement, out of the total 34 ministerial positions, Congress and JD(S) have 22 and 12 berths respectively.

Prior to the expansion, three posts were vacant-- two from JD(S) and one from Congress. There is still one post vacant in the JD(S) share.

Faced with a rout in the Lok Sabha polls and growing disgruntlement within, the coalition leaders, after a series of negotiations, had decided fill vacant posts in the cabinet.

An increasing number of cabinet berth aspirants in the Congress is worrying the coalition leaders, as this may once again lead to disgruntlement and cause disturbance in the smooth functioning of the government.

Meanwhile, dismissing reports about his resignation as state Congress chief, Rao said, he has not written any letter to the party high command as being reported, and his continuation as the party's state unit chief is left for the Congress leadership to decide.

Rao was conspicuous by his absence at the cabinet expansion on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The official advisory organisation on natural World Heritage has recommended putting the Sundarbans on a list of natural sites in danger as Bangladesh has continued implementing a coal-fired power plant project near the forest, a media report said on Saturday.

The World Heritage Committee of 21 governments is scheduled to decide on the recommendations by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its annual meeting in Azerbaijan from June 30 to July 10, the bdnews24.com reported.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.

It is adjacent to the border of India's Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987.

The recommendation came after the UNESCO in July, 2017, withdrew a plan to inscribe the Sundarbans in the list of heritage sites in danger by 2018 in case of the failure to meet the mission's recommendations.

A reactive monitoring mission, jointly conducted by the Centre and IUCN in March 2016, made detailed recommendations including the necessity of a strategic environmental assessment for the south-west region of the country.

After the mission, the World Heritage Committee had called for the Rampal power plant project to be cancelled and relocated.

The Bangladesh government had been allowed until December 2018 at the time to report on the conservation of the world's largest mangrove forest to the World Heritage Centre, the website reported.

The committee had welcomed Bangladesh's decision to carry out the assessment into the potential impact of a coal-based thermal plant at Rampal on the Sundarbans, besides the decisions to scrap the plant's second phase and also the Orion power plant.

It cited severe threats from the coal-fired power plants and numerous industrial activities in close proximity, the report said.

However, despite the call for relocation of the project, its construction has continued without any assessment of its impact on the Sundarbans' World Heritage values, the Union said.

Two additional coal-fired power plants are being constructed on the Payra River, which flows into the same bay as the Sundarbans, the website reported the IUCN as saying.

Over 150 industrial projects are also active upstream of the site, and their associated shipping and dredging activities further threaten its hydrological and ecological dynamics, it said.

The hydrological systems, which drive this dynamics, are very large in scale and vulnerable to upstream impacts, the report said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Barcelona's acting mayor Ada Colau was re-elected on Saturday, beating a Catalan separatist who had come first in municipal polls, after reaching a deal with the socialists and getting unexpected support from France's former prime minister Manuel Valls.

Hundreds of independence supporters filled the square in front of the city hall as voting took place in a constituent session also attended by Joaquim Forn, Catalonia's former regional interior minister who is in jail and on trial over a failed secession bid in October 2017.

Forn, who was elected as a councillor in municipal elections on May 26, was allowed to leave prison temporarily to attend the session.

Colau narrowly lost those local elections to Ernest Maragall, a veteran politician from ERC, a party that wants Catalonia -- the northeastern region ruled by separatists -- to be independent from the rest of Spain. He gained 10 seats out of 41 in the city council, as did Colau. Maragall beat her by fewer than 5,000 votes.

If he had gained the necessary support to get an absolute majority of 21 in the city council, he would have become Barcelona's first separatist mayor in modern Spanish history.

That would have been a significant change in Spain's second biggest city, a tourist magnet, as the independence movement moves to conquer new power centres in Catalonia.

But in Saturday's constituent session, Colau was re-elected with 21 votes.

The vote is anonymous but Colau had already reached an agreement with the Socialist Party to support her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Commercial vehicle maker India Commercial Vehicles, subsidiary of Stuttgart-based said it plans to strengthen the aftermarket service support by setting up parts facility.

The company on Saturday inaugurated the first parts outlet here under this initiative.

The outlet which has been set up in association with Prabal Trucking would provide genuine parts for range of vehicles and the facility would also offer trained technicians for taking up quick and minor repairs.

"Easy availability of BharatBenz genuine parts becomes even more vital as we rapidly grow our vehicle park. We will continue to strengthen our aftermarket support for customers and will expand this service to other regions," DICV, Customer Service-Vice President, Ramesh Rajagopalan, said.

has 18 network touch points in under BharatBenz brand and the dealerships provide sales and service for the complete range of trucks and buses.

The company said pan-Indian BharatBenz sales and service of more than 180 touchpoints was continuously expanded.

Prabal Trucking, CEO, Kannan Veeraiyan, said, "We are very keen on serving our customers with availability of genuine parts close to their actual operation areas. This will enable us to retain more customers and increase vehicle uptime.The Karnataka BJP Friday demanded a CBI probe into the alleged financial fraud perpetrated by an investment firm here, leaving thousands of investors in the lurch.

The owner of city-based IMA Jewels, Mohammed Mansoor Khan, had disappeared few days ago after allegedly threatening to commit suicide while police have formed teams to trace him.

State BJP chief B S Yedyurappa put forth the demand for a probe by the central agency after a group of people belonging to the minority community, most of them investors in IMA Jewels, met him and submitted a petition.

Yeddyurappa assured them that BJP MPs from Karnataka would ensure the central governments intervention and steps to ensure the Enforcement Directorate probe into the case.

"We (BJP) feel that it is our responsibility to ensure that innocents who have lost their money get it back," Yeddyurappa was quoted as saying by BJP in a release.

Only a CBI inquiry can ensure justice to the affected investors, he said, as he held the state government responsible for the "injustice" to the IMA investors.

The BJP leader also promised those who met him that the centre would take all steps to find out the wherebaouts of IMA jewels owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan.

Earlier, speaking to reporters, Yeddyurappa raised questions about Minority welfare minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan's alleged links with Mohammed Mansoor Khan.

"While asking him (Mansoor) to come back, Zameer, who is a Minister, has said that government is with you (Mansoor), dont fear- what does this mean? Chief Minister has to answer this," he said.

Hitting back at Yeddyurappa, Zameer Ahmed Khan pointed out that it was he who took initiative after the incident came to light and sought a SIT probe.

"It was not Yeddyurappa. Making speeches sitting somewhere is not enough. We are doing whatever we can. SIT is probing...," he said.

Nearly 30,000 complaints have so far been received by police in connection with the case, relating to which seven directors of the firm were apprehended on June 12.

Mohammed Mansoor Khan went absconding after allegedly threatening to commit suicide in an audio clip.

As the audio went viral, panicked investors, most of them Muslims, had swarmed the firm's office at Shivajinagar in thousands, demanding action against the owner and directors.

Khan in an audio clip had purportedly said he was committing suicide as he was fed up with corruption.

He had also alleged the Shivajinagar Congress MLA Roshan Baig took Rs 400 crore from him and was not returning it.

Baig had rubbished the charge, alleging that his political adversaries had orchestrated the "series of events" to tarnish his character.

On June 12, The Karnataka government had formed a 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.

As reports emerged that Khan had fled to Dubai, the SIT had said they were investigating his whereabouts.

The Enforcement Directorate also filed a case of money laundering in the alleged ponzi scheme.

The agency's zonal office here filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, and has pressed criminal charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP's Karnataka unit, which is on a round-the-clock sit-in since Friday protesting against the sale of land to JSW Steel at Ballari and other issues, has decided to "lay siege" to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's official residence on Sunday.

State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa along with a host of senior party leaders including former deputy chief minister R Ashoka, among others, spend the night at Anand Rao circle, the protest venue, as part of the stir, on Friday.

Continuing the protest for the second consecutive day, Yeddyurappa Saturday said they have decided to "lay siege to the Chief Minister's residence tomorrow."



"The overnight protest will continue tonight as well, we will be here tonight..." he added.

He said the protest was against government's "inconsistency" on the issue of farm loan waiver and also its "failure" in managing the drought situation.

The BJP was also opposed to sale of 3,667 acres of land to JSW Steel in Ballari, the leader of the opposition in Karnataka assembly said.

Accusing the ruling Congress-JDS coalition of getting "kickbacks", for the sale of land, Yeddyurappa said "We are against the sale of land that has rich minerals without any survey being done.

We are not against providing facilities to industries or continuation of lease."



The Karnataka cabinet had recently decided to convert the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel into sale, in accordance with the initial agreement.

Caught in a row, the state cabinet Friday decided to refer its decision to a cabinet sub-committee for reconsideration, which Yeddyurappa termed as "eyewash".

He claimed that ruling coalition leaders, including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, were worried about cabinet expansion when there was drought in different parts of the state.

Kumaraswamy and his ministers have not travelled to the affected areas to assess the situation there, the BJP leader alleged.

Yeddyurappa also termed Kumaraswamy's scheduled "Grama Vastvya" (overnight stay in villages) programme to make the administration more effective, as "drama".

BJP sources said the protest would conclude Sunday with thousands of party workers and leaders "laying siege" to the Chief Minister's official residence 'Krishna'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 25-year-old youth was seriously injured when the bomb he was carrying to attack a village sarpanch went off in Ganjam district, police said Saturday.

Two men who were accompanying Shyam Sundar Patra alias Cheru, the injured person, fled after the explosion at Chanchadapalli under Digapahandi police station limits on Friday night.

Patra suffered serious injuries in one of his palms and he was admitted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here, police said.

Sub-divisional police officer of Chikiti, SN Murmu, said Patra and his associates were on their way to attack the sarapanch of Banthapalli gram panchayat Prasant Kumar Swain because of some enmity.

A case was registered at Digaphandi police station basing on the complaints lodged by the sarapanch, Additional SP (Berhampur) Prabhat Chandra Routray said.

Police said at least 15 cases were pending against Patra in various police stations across the district.

He was arrested in December 2016 and currently on bail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya will not run her specialist 800m distance at Rabat on Sunday despite having received an invitation to do so, in the latest twist of her bitter court battle over gender rules.

"She received an invitation but is unable to organise her schedule to come to Rabat," organiser Alain Blondel told AFP.

Semenya was cleared to take part in the Diamond League meeting after Switzerland's top court rejected an IAAF request to re-impose rules obliging her to lower her testosterone before competing in certain events.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will visit Muzaffarpur on Sunday to take stock and review the situation following the death of 67 children this month.

The 67 children died due to hypoglycemia in two hospitals here -- the state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and the Kejriwal Hospital which is run by a trust, officials said.

"While the Centre is extending all support to Bihar for the containment and management of the recent surge of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, I shall be going to Muzaffarpur tomorrow to take stock and review the situation at the site with the state government," Vardhan, said as per the release issued by PIB.

During his visit, the Union Health minister will interact with the multi-disciplinary teams deployed there and address the state level review meeting, it said.

Vardhan said that the Union Health ministry is constantly monitoring the situation and supporting the state's health authorities in managing the AES/JE cases.

"The continued round-the-clock presence of the Central and state teams in the affected areas and preventive actions taken by them have instilled confidence among the public. We will soon be able to contain the rise in AES/JE cases," Vardhan added.

The Union Minister, who met Bihar's Health minister Mangal Pandey twice recently, discussed the reported rise in cases of AES from Muzaffarpur and JE from Gaya in Bihar, and public health measures for their containment.

"I shall discuss the management measures being recommended by the high level expert team of the Centre, and support that can be extended through National Health Mission (NHM) for health systems strengthening, and other Ministries of the Central government including the Ministry of Women and Child Development as part of the immediate and long term measures", he stated.

A Central government team of experts had visited Muzaffarpur on Wednesday last.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China on Saturday said it supports the Hong Kong leader's decision to suspend a controversial bill that would allow extraditions to China, following massive protests.

About an hour after Hong Kong Chief Executive of Carrie Lam announced the suspension of the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019, following sustained protests from lakhs of people an official statement here expressed China's backing for Lam and her decision to back down.

"We note that Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government decided to suspend work on the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in statement.

China also expressed Beijing's backing for the beleaguered Lam who faced heavy criticism from local people, specially students, for attempting to push the bill disregarding massive protests.

"The Chinese Central Government expresses its support, respect and understanding for the SAR government's decision and will continue its staunch support for Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the SAR government in governing Hong Kong in accordance with law and upholding the SAR's prosperity and stability with people from all sectors," Geng said.

He said China continued to respect and faithfully implementing the "one country, two systems" policy under which Hong Kong was return from British rule to China in 1997.

The former British colony is being governed a high degree of autonomy and the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents have been fully guaranteed according to law, he said.

"The facts are there for all to see. Maintaining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability serves not only China's interests, but also the interests of all countries across the world," he said.

"I would like to emphasise that Hong Kong is China's SAR and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no interference from any country, organisation or individual. China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests and uphold Hong Kong's prosperity and stability is rock solid," he said.

Lam, who had previously refused to scrap the bill despite mass protests since June 9, told a press conference in Hong Kong on Saturday that "I feel deep sorrow and regret that deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies".

Protesters expressed concern at increased Chinese influence.

Lam said she had heard the calls for her government to "pause and think", BBC reported.

She also admitted that the "explanation and communication" of the bill had not been adequate.

She said her goal was "the greatest interests of Hong Kong", which involved first restoring peace and order.

The government had argued the proposed extradition bill would "plug the loopholes" so that the city would not be a safe haven for criminals, following a murder case in Taiwan.

Lam said that the urgency felt to pass the bill before the legislative year ends "perhaps no longer exists".

No date has been set for "the next step forward", she said.

For the pro-democracy activists, who have been opposing China's increasing grip over Hong Kong, this is regarded as their first success.

In 2014, thousands of pro-democracy activists occupied central Hong Kong district lasting 75 days protesting against China vetting contests for the local legislature petered out.

China's handling of the protests in Hong Kong drew sharp criticism from the US and the European Union.

The "Hong Kong Bill of Rights on Human Rights and Democracy", if passed by the US Congress, would require an annual assessment of Hong Kong's political autonomy to determine whether it still qualifies for special trade status with the US.

The bill also threaten sanctions and travel restrictions against individuals found to be involved in disappearances in the semi-autonomous region.

On Friday, China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned US deputy Ambassador to Beijing Robert Forden and lodged a diplomatic protest objecting to the "Hong Kong Bill of Rights on Human Rights and Democracy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Saturday urged the Centre to accept Puducherry's demand for full statehood to ensure its overall development.

Narayanasamy, who is in Delhi to attend Niti Aayog meeting, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and presented a memorandum comprising several demands of the Union Territory.

In the memorandum, a copy of which was released to the media by the chief minister's office here, Naryanasamy said the demand for statehood had been constantly pursued with the Government of India since 1987.

The Puducherry government had passed resolutions on the floor of the Assembly seeking statehood on several occasions. The resolutions were forwarded to the Union Home Ministry seeking immediate steps to grant statehood to Puducherry, now a Union Territory.

At loggerheads with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi here, Narayanasamy contended that in a democracy, real power must subsist in the hands of the ministers who are elected representatives and accountable to people through their collective responsibility to the legislature.

"The relationship between the Council of Ministers and the titular head of the State is governed by the over-arching consideration that real power and substantive accountability is vested in the elected representatives of the people," the memorandum said.

Had Puducherry been a state, it would have received 42 per cent Central grant which would be on par with other states as recommended by the Central Finance Commission instead of the present 30 per cent grant, it pointed out.

Naryanasamy also urged the Centre to ensure that there was an increase by at least 10 per cent in the Central assistance to Puducherry.

He sought a one-time Central assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for the government to construct premises for a new Legislative Assembly and a world-class convention centre, each costing Rs 500 crore.

The chief minister wanted the Centre to include Puducherry in the Central Finance Commission, release of Central aid to meet additional financial implication arising out of the implementation of the Seventh Central Pay commission report for government staff here and waiver of loans due from Puducherry to the Centre over the years.

The chief minister also called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and submitted a memorandum listing identical demands, official sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not attend the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi Saturday as he is understood to be busy with preparations for the inauguration of the Rs 80,000 crore Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project on June 21.

Rao travelled to Mumbai Friday and invited his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis for the inauguration.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy would also be invited, a release from the chief minister office had earlier said.

TRS sources said Rao could not attend the NITI Aayog meeting as he was busy with the Kaleswaram inauguration with a series of meetings lined up.

He had attended the NITI Aayog meetings earlier, they said.

The Kaleswaram project across the Godavari river, which flows through Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, aims at meeting drinking water requirements of about 80 per cent of districts in the state, besides the farm sector and industries.

The foundation stone for the project was laid on May 2, 2016 by Rao.

A meeting of the Telangana cabinet, chaired by Rao, would be held on June 18.

On June 19, Rao, the president of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi would preside over the TRS state executive, a TRS release said.

TRS sources said the state executive was likely to discuss the recent Lok Sabha election results and the programmes to be taken up by the party in the next few months.

The sources dismissed speculation that the state cabinet is likely to be expanded after June 19.

The Kaleswaram inauguaration is scheduled for June 21, they pointed out.

Asked about Congress MP A Revanth Reddy appealing to the government not to demolish the existing Secretariat buildings--with Andhra Pradesh government set to hand over the Secretariat buildings in its possession--the sources indicated that no decision had been taken as the AP government was yet to communicate its plans on the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four Congress chief ministers and Karnataka's met former prime minister on Saturday to discuss issues of their respective states, especially those related to farmers and tribals, to be taken up at the meeting.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister and Puducherry' V Narayansamy held a meeting with Singh at the Congress headquarters here. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also joined the meeting later.

Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is heading a coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka.

They discussed the proposed agenda and issues of their respective states to be taken up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Niti Ayog meeting, sources said.

Among the issues discussed were injecting life back in water bodies, fresh efforts needed from the Centre in the agricultural sector and amendment in the Forest Act to bring about change and prosperity in the lives of the tribals.

Baghel, Kumaraswamy and Narayansamy also separately called on the prime minister on Saturday.

On Friday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Nath had hosted a dinner at his residence where Gehlot, Baghel and Narayansamy were present. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh could not make it for the dinner and is likely to skip the meeting.

The chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states are expected to raise key farmers issues and also share the benefits of the loan waiver scheme implemented by them at the meeting, sources said.

The fifth meeting of the Niti Aayog's Governing Council will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain water harvesting and preparedness for kharif crops.

The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security related issues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said.

This is the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government, which is being attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, Union ministers and senior government officials.Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Saturday asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence in the wake of the recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.

Along with a letter to all chief ministers, he also attached a copy of the Draft Act provided by IMA --the Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017.

He drew the attention of all states and UTs for strict action against any person who assaults doctors.

The move comes after the (IMA) launched a four-day nationwide protest from Friday and wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding enactment of a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals. The apex doctors body has called for a nationwide strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

Expressing deep concern over the recent act of violence against doctors, Vardhan stated that incidents of assault on doctors are reported from different parts of the country and this leads to sudden strike by doctors, gravely affecting the healthcare services.

"Resident doctors in many parts of the country are agitating and not providing healthcare services. Agitations by doctors in West Bengal seem to be getting aggravated and taking shape of strike by both government and private sector doctors, all over the country," he said in his letter.

Representatives from the IMA and Delhi Medical Association (DMA) also called on Vardhan Saturday.

Stressing further on the need for avoiding such incidents in future, Vardhan said that law enforcement should prevail so that doctors and clinical establishments discharge their duties and professional pursuit without fear of any violence.

"Strict action against any person who assaults them, must be ensured by the law enforcement agencies," he emphasised.

Vardhan cited a letter dated July 7, 2017 sent by the Union Health Ministry to all chief secretaries of states which contains the decision taken by an Inter-Ministerial Committee constituted by the ministry to review the issues raised by IMA.

The committee, in its report, had recommended that the Health Ministry shall suggest to all state governments which do not have specific legislation to protect doctors and health professionals to consider one to strictly enforce the provisions of special legislation wherever they exist or enforce the IPC/CrPC provisions with vigour.

"The IMA has raised this concern many a times. Since 'police' and 'public order' are state subjects, government of India, on many occasions has drawn attention of state governments for an urgent need for a robust criminal justice system with emphasis on prevention and control of crime," Vardhan said.

The draft of The Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017, circulated to the states, includes clauses on penalty and recovery in case of loss/damage to property.

Vardhan said doctors form an important pillar of society and often work under stressful and difficult conditions.

"Our doctors rank among the best in the world and work for long hours under stressful conditions, grappling with a huge load of patients. It is the duty of State to ensure safety and security of doctors who assure that the healthcare needs of the society are met," he highlighted.

On Friday, while reviewing the situation, Vardhan had met a delegation of Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, United Resident abd Doctors Association of India (URDA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), who gave a representation to him on the violence against doctors in West Bengal.

He had assured them his support and cooperation.

He also wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Friday in this matter.BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty's brother who was booked for sexually harrasing and assaulting a woman journalist, Saturday lodged a counter complaint against her, police said.

In the FIR lodged with Purighat police station, Anuprash alleged that the scribe, Sashmita Acharya, visited their residence on Wednesday night, abused them and pelted stones at the house.

Acharya had lodged an FIR against Kendrapara MP Mohanty, his younger brother Anuprash and the MP's filmstar wife Barsha Priyadarshini on Friday.

They were booked on the charge of assaulting and sexually harassing Acharya when she had gone to the MP's residence to complaint against his brother for passing lewd remarks at her.

While the police had recorded the statements of the journalist and her husband on Friday, the BJD leader and his kin named in the FIR are yet to be questioned.

The BJD leader rejected the allegations against him and his family members.

"Since the MP has left for New Delhi, we have examined three witnesses in the counter case filed by his brother," said Inspector In-Charge of Purighat police station Rashmi Ranjan Sahu.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on held a demonstration here demanding immediate arrest of the lawmaker.

Burning effigies of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Mohanty, the protesters threatened statewide agitation if the newly elected MP was not arrested within 24 hours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Associated Press has learned that major European nations are considering imposing sanctions on Venezuela's Nicols Maduro and several top officials for their recent crackdown on political opponents.

Diplomats and members of the Venezuelan opposition said the sanctions being mulled may also target top members of the armed forces and judiciary who have been instrumental in the arrest of allies of opposition leader Juan Guaid.

But the main obstacle to the plan is fear that it could derail ongoing international efforts to find a negotiated exit to the country's crisis.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss deliberations.

Envoys sent by Maduro and Guaid have participated in two rounds of mediation efforts by Norway, but talks have slowed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Scores of doctors from several government hospitals here, who could not join a nationwide stir on June 14, Saturday protested in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata.

Doctors at the Centre-run Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital, and Delhi government facilities such as Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and DDU Hospital, boycotted work and held protests.

On Friday, a majority of hospitals in Delhi had joined the country-wide agitation in support of the doctors in West Bengal, on a call given by the India Medical Association (IMA) and various resident doctors' associations (RDAs).

However, many hospitals could not join the protest on June 14 as they had not submitted the 24-hour advance notice to the government as required by protocol. So, they are observing a bandh on Saturday, President of Federation of Residents Doctors' Association (FORDA) Sumedh Sandanshiv said.

However, ICUs and emergency wings of these hospitals are functioning, he said.

There was a shutdown of out patient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits, except emergency services at these hospitals of the city, where doctors held their token strike on Saturday.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured allegedly by relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Scores of doctors in Delhi on Friday had held demonstrations, with many seeing patients in emergency wards wearing bandages on forehead or helmets, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity.

On Saturday, doctors at several hospitals wore helmets or bandages over forehead while seeing patients. Even though regular services have resumed at AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital and various Delhi government-run facilities, many doctors continued to do work wearing bandages.

Condemning any form of violence, especially against medical professionals in the country, the IMA launched a four-day nationwide protest from Friday and called for a strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

The apex medical body also wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over their demands regarding safety of doctors in hospitals. Vardhan on Friday supported the medical fraternity's demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said such crimes should be made non-bailable.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Opposition parties of West Bengal Saturday attacked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for "not being serious" about resolving the situation arising from the protests by junior doctors and asked her to apologise to them.

The BJP, the Congress and the CPI(M) blamed Banerjee for the ongoing crisis in the state's health sector and accused her of being more interested in scoring political brownie points rather than diffusing the tension.

"From the very beginning she was adamant. It is due to her arrogance and ego that the situation has snowballed into such a crisis. Had she been serious about resolving it, she should have apologised and accepted all the demands of the doctors, which are justified," BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said.

The agitating junior doctors have demanded an unconditional apology from the chief minister for her remarks at the SSKM Hospital on Thursday. She alleged that outsiders had entered medical colleges to create disturbance and that the agitation as a handiwork of the CPI(M) and the BJP.

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty too blamed Banerjee for the crisis and urged her to take action to resolve the crisis.

"Had she gone to the NRS Medical College and spoken to the doctors, the matter would have been solved. But she made it a prestige issue. She should remember that the prestige of the state is bigger than that of her own," Chakraborty said.

The junior doctors have demanded that the chief minister come to the NRS Medical College and Hospital where two of their colleagues were assaulted and seriously injured on Monday night by relatives of a patient who died.

State Congress president Somen Mitra said Banerjee should stop threatening doctors.

"She has got it all wrong in her basics. From the very beginning she started threatening the doctors. She should remember that her of threat and intimidation will not work in all cases," Mitra said.

The chief minister on Saturday said her government has not invoked the ESMA even after five days of agitation by the junior doctors, and appealed to them to rejoin duties.

The agitators turned down her appeal saying there was no honest effort on her part to break the deadlock.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Agitating junior doctors Saturday turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to end their stir and resume duty, saying there was no honest effort on her part to break the deadlock.

"We are eagerly waiting to rejoin our duty, but from the Chief Minister's side there is no honest initiative to find a solution (of the ongoing problem)," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors told reporters after CM appealed to protestors to return to work.

The agitating junior doctors also rubbished Banerjee's claims that a few of their colleagues visited her at the state secretariat.

"What CM has told in the press conference is not at all true. No junior doctor went to meet her. What she claimed that we are against the solution and conversation...But we want her to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital listen to us and take necessary steps to serve the ailing people," he said.

Earlier, Banerjee, while addressing the press at the state secretariat, left it midway, claiming that a few junior doctors have appeared there in order to meet her.

Banerjee during her press meet said that her government had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) even after five days of strike by the junior doctors and appealed to them to immediately rejoin service.

The chief minister said the state government had accepted all the demands of the doctors and was ready to accommodate their additional demands, but that they must resume work.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The department here has sealed 15 private schools running without proper recognition from the government in the last three days, officials said Saturday.

District educational Officer B Lingareddy in a statement said the department has beenconducting raids on such private schools for the last few days.

The raids will continue in the distinct to detect the unauthorised private schools and strict action taken against them, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Buddhist couple were gunned down in a drive-by shooting on Saturday morning by suspected militants, police said, the latest bout of violence in Thailand's Muslim-majority restive south.

Thailand's three southernmost provinces have since 2004 been plagued by conflict between ethnic Malay Muslim rebels agitating for greater autonomy and the Buddhist-majority Thai state, which annexed the region about a century ago.

Around 7,000 people have been killed in the violence, mostly civilians from both the Muslim and Buddhist communities.

The latest incident came in Narathiwat province's Ra-ngae district, the site of previous skirmishes and bombings as rebels and security forces wrestle for control of the area.

Paisal Jungsakul, 65, and his wife Sumol, 58 -- who ran a small restaurant -- were returning home from the market by motorcycle when they were shot dead on a remote road, said a police commander.

"Police suspect the killing was the work of a group of militants who operate in that area... based on the pattern of the attack," Major General Dussadee Choosangkij told AFP.

"The group uses the same weapons," he said.

The suspects also stole the couple's motorcycle, and authorities fear that it could be used in another bomb attack, Dussadee said, adding that an alert has been issued for the stolen bike.

The shooting comes more than a week after the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month which typically sees an uptick in violence in the region.

Last month, a motorcycle bomb was detonated at a crowded market in neighbouring Pattani province, killing two civilians and wounding four military rangers.

Army officials believed it was in retaliation for the death of a fugitive suspected rebel leader in bordering Yala province, who was shot dead as authorities surrounded his house.

Peace talks have been inconclusive despite an intensification of army operations in the border zone with Malaysia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane Saturday demanded stringent laws to protect doctors and other medical staff against violence.

The medical fraternity across the country have been protesting after two doctors were seriously injured in an assault by relatives of a patient who died in Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this week.

On Friday, doctors in several parts of the country, including Goa, had held protests marches on a call given by the Indian Medical Association.

Condemning any form of violence, especially against medical professionals in the country, the IMA had launched a four-day nationwide protest from Friday and called for a strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services.

The apex medical body also wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over their demands regarding safety of doctors in hospitals.

"I stand by the decision of the IMA. We will be calling on the Union health ministry seeking laws to protect doctors and medical professionals from violence. Doctors save human lives and do not deserve to be treated barbarically," said Rane.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Saturday asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Saturday asked the Centre to extend GST compensation beyond five years, saying that the state will face "severe financial crunch" after the recompense period ends in 2022.

He was speaking at the first meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

While implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Centre had assured the states to compensate them for loss of their revenue for five years till 2022.

"While the revenue gap is being bridged by the assured compensation till 2022, the state has limited scope to mobilise additional revenue thereafter," Kumaraswamay said.

It is evident that at the end of 2022-23, there would be a steep fall in revenues of the state as compared to the protected revenue of 2021-22 which would have accrued to the state due to the constitutionally guaranteed compensation, he said.

"This would adversely impact developmental and other infrastructural projects implemented in the state as well as committed expenditure of the state government.

"Thus, in case this revenue gap is not bridged in the coming years despite all compliance efforts, adequate compensation, in the manner as envisaged in the Compensation Act, should be extended beyond 2022," he added.

Stating that Karnataka is the most arid state in the country after Rajasthan, the Chief Minister said the state "faces serious drinking water challenges. Ground water table is depleting and ground water sources are getting contaminated."



He urged the prime minister to significantly increase the allocation to rural drinking water sector.

Karnataka is investing Rs 2,800 crore during 2019-20 for rural drinking water, of which the centre's share is only Rs 400 crore, he added.

The chief minister also urged the Centre to approve Rs 2,064 crore relief from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) for damage to crops in the 2018-19 rabi season.

He also urged the prime minister to release pending Rs 1,500 crore reimbursement under the MGNREGA scheme and raise the fund allocation under the scheme to ensure MGNREGA workers are not subjected to hardship due to delays in payment of wages.

On the ranking system adopted by NITI Aayog, Kumaraswamy said it should be more participative, scientific and transparent.

"For example, giving 58th rank to Bengaluru in Ease of Living Index is unacceptable as Bengaluru is widely rated as the most preferred city for work in the country by reputed agencies," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis discussed river-linking projects in his state with Jal Shakti Minister Devendra Singh Shekhawat, here on Saturday.

They discussed various linking proposals in Maharashtra, including bringing water from Godavari basin to parched regions in Marathwada and northern Maharashtra, a statement by the state government said.

The Marathwada and Vidarbha regions have been grappling with drought-like situation.

A presentation would also be made before the union minister on the issue, the statement added.

Fadnavis said the Centre has provided considerable help to the state and soon a solution to the drought would be put in place.

The Maharashtra chief minister is here to attend the NITI Aayog meeting.

On the day, Fadnavis also met Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Petroluem and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)It was a collaboration that started with Shyam Benegal's "Nishant" and now 44 years later, Shabana Azmi remembers theatre and film veteran Girish Karnad as a true intellect, whose life cannot be described in a single sound byte.

Azmi on Saturday finally opened up about her work relationship with Karnad, who died at the age of 81 at his residence in Bengaluru after prolonged illness on June 10.

In a Facebook post, titled "Farewell My Friend", the actor said she first heard about Karnad during the making of Benegal's 1974 feature "Ankur", when he assisted the director with the editing.

"Few people know that when Shyam Benegal first made 'Ankur' it was a very lengthy film. Shyam roped in Girish to help him edit the narrative. That's when I first heard of Girish."



Azmi recalled that when Karnad was director at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), he showed immense maturity in handling the students' strikes that she said were headed by actor Naseeruddin Shah.

"It was a troubled tenureship because the students were on strike and very hostile. But Girish handled it with great maturity and compassion. Legend has it that Naseeruddin Shah was in the forefront of the strike and there were some unpleasant altercations between them.

"But to Girish's remarkable credit that didn't deter him from recommending Naseer to Shyam for a very important role in 'Nishant' -- his first break in films that launched his career and established him as a fine actor. A lesser person than Girish could have been revengeful."



In Benegal's 1975 film, Azmi remembers that it was the first time that she shared screen space with Karnad.

"I was playing the schoolmaster's wife in 'Nishant'. Girish played the somewhat timid school master - quite the opposite of what he was in real life - confident, articulate, erudite, a true intellectual.

"He didn't fancy himself as an actor and rued that it would damage his reputation as a playwright (who was fast getting acknowledged as one of the best in India). I would tease him and say, 'No matter... even if you aren't good, you are so good looking that all will be forgiven!' He would laugh loudly and then proceed to regale us with umpteen stories. it was a pleasure to hear him speak. I warmed up to him."



Azmi said she was later cast as Karnad's wife in Basu Chatterjee's 1997 film "Swami", which was based on a short story by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhayay.

"Girish and I were tickled pink and made a pact that we wouldn't let on that we both thought otherwise! If that's how the audience saw him we would keep the secret between ourselves!



"But the fact is that he had undeniable screen presence and very soon turned into a fine actor."



She said her last film collaboration with the veteran was 2016 film "Chalk and Duster".

"Gone was the initial reluctance and hesitation. He faced the camera like a total pro, as though to the manor born! Even so being an actor was only a small aspect of his personality," Azmi recalled.

The actor said she last met Karnad in Bengaluru on the sidelines of his play "Broken Images" and added that despite his failing health, the veteran was still full of "his passion or his commitment as an engaged citizen".

"It was his fearlessness, his speaking his mind without mincing words, his total commitment to freedom of speech that defined him. We kept in touch on e-mail and the occasional phone call," Azmi wrote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Tusshar Kapoor describes fatherhood as a life long vision which has made him feel more complete and confident as a person.

The 42-year-old actor became single parent to his son, Laksshya, through surrogacy in 2016.

Ahead of Father's Day, the actor says for him, fatherhood is all about a feeling which does not ever go away.

"I feel more confident as a father, I feel my life has a purpose and feel more fulfilled and accomplished. When a day ends, I feel I've done a lot, even when I'm on holiday, I don't feel like I am not working," Tusshar tells PTI.

"Fatherhood makes me feel good about myself, makes me feel complete. It has also made me manage my time and more organised because you've to work with a clock work precision when you're a father," he added.

The "Golmaal" actor said he had a "positive nervousness" before becoming a father and took the decision only when he felt he was ready.

"I was always very fond of babies, so it didn't feel like fatherhood would be a burden ever. But the calling never came till I decided to be a father. I took this step only when I felt the time has come."



But many still find it a bit daunting to turn a single parent without getting married, for the responsibilities which will come along with the decision.

Tusshar says it has to be a well thought out decision, one which requires a lot of acceptance of the self.

"It's normal to be scared. It okay to be a single parent. If you accept yourself then even the society will accept you. The fear is about whether I'll be able to take up the responsibility or not.

"If you have the infrastructure and means to take care of a child, then better late than never. Do it when you feel is the right time."



Tusshar says being a father from the movie industry can be a bit challenging but the difficulties are not restricted to just the film line.

"It's hugely compromised for movie stars, no matter how much they try. A lot of times, specially in the earlier years, father's probably left it to the mothers.

"That also happens outside of the film line, a lot of busy fathers think the mothers will do everything and I can just have a special appearance in the child's life... But that's not necessarily restricted to movies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Healthcare said on Saturday that it has decided to close the bidding and search process to explore the possibility of sale of interest in RHT Health Trust and RHT Health Trust Manager Pte Ltd (RHTTM).

In an earlier filing to bourses, the company had said its group firm Healthcare International Ltd had commenced deliberations to explore sale of interest in RHT and RHTTM.

No firm proposal which is commercially viable was received and no agreement (binding or non- binding) has been reached with any of these parties in connection with the Potential Transactions or any other transaction involving RHT and/or RHTTM," Healthcare said.

RHTTM is a subsidiary of Stellant. Stellant and Fortis Healthcare International Ltd (FHIL) are direct/ indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of the company, Fortis Healthcare said in a filing to BSE.

Pursuant to an open invitation to interested parties to submit proposals in connection with the potential transactions, a process to evaluate proposals was undertaken with professional advisers, and preliminary discussions were held with certain third parties concerning the Potential Transactions, it added.

Since the process to explore the potential transaction was inconclusive, it was decided to close the bidding and search process, it added.Four children died in Muzaffarpur district Saturday due to hypoglycemia, taking the number of such deaths to 67 this month, officials said.

All the victims, most of whom are below the age of 10, have fallen prey to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by a very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance, they said.

The 67 children died in two hospitals here -- the state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and the Kejriwal Hospital which is run by a trust.

According to a release by the Muzaffarpur district administration the four children died at SKMCH on Saturday.

Since June 1, 197 children have been admitted to SKMCH while 91 were admitted to Kejriwal Hospital with suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), but most of them were found to be victims of hypoglycemia.

The condition of six children undergoing treatment at each of the two hospitals is stated to be serious.

Meanwhile, Union minister and Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai, during his first visit to the state after being sworn in as MoS Home, went straight to Muzaffarpur from Patna airport, cancelling all felicitation programmes.

He expressed concern over the children's deaths, and said the party will not organise any programme to welcome anyone for two weeks.

"It is a painful period for all of us. This unknown disease has taken a heavy toll this year," he told reporters after visiting the SKMCH where he spoke to patients and their relatives.

In the last two years, the number of deaths was around two or four, Rai said, adding the Centre and the state governments have taken requisite preventive measures and so far 69 children, affected with the disease, have been discharged from the two hospitals.

The Union Minister said a team from Norway has arrived to ascertain the reasons behind the deaths of children while samples were sent to a laboratory in Pune.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier advised parents not to let their children sleep or have litchi on empty stomach, as a preventive measure.

He has already directed the officials concerned to ensure that preventive measures were taken in affected districts, though deaths have so far been reported from Muzaffarpur only.

Health Department's Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar had earlier said the disease has affected 222 blocks of 12 districts especially Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran. A central government team of experts had visited Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Meteorological Department has issued a fresh yellow warning for thunderstorm in Himachal Pradesh for the next three days, an official said on Saturday.

The Shimla Met centre forecast thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorm and gusty winds in plains, low and middle hills of the state from June 16 to 18.

The Met office issues colour-coded warnings to alert people ahead of severe or hazardous which has the potential to cause "damage, widespread disruption or danger to life".

Yellow is the least dangerous out of the warnings it indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days.

Meanwhile, the weather remained dry over the state during the last 24 hours.

Una continued to be the hottest place in the state with a high of 43.4 degrees Celsius, whereas the lowest temperature on Saturday was recorded at 6.6 degrees Celsius in tribal district Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre Keylong.

The maximum temperature in Paonta Sahib was 42.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Kangra (40), Bilaspur (40.4), Hamirpur (39.9) and Sundernagar (39.6).

State capital Shimla recorded a maximum of 29 degrees Celsius, while tourist place Manali registered a high of 27.8 degrees Celsius. Dalhousie and Kufri recorded maximum temperatures of 23.9 and 20.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A German stunt pilot died on Saturday after his plane crashed into the Vistula river while he was performing an acrobatic manoeuvre at an air show in central Poland, local media and firefighters said.

The man, whom local media said was a German citizen, was doing a spin when his small Yak-52 Soviet plane plunged into the water by the riverbank in the central city of Plock.

"The pilot's body has been removed from the wreck... The doctor on site confirmed his death," local firefighter spokesman Edward Mysera said, quoted by the Polish agency PAP.

He added that the pilot, who once worked for Lufthansa according to the event organisers, was around 60 years old.

The air show was suspended after the accident as police investigate the crash cause.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Over 30,000 tourist taxi operators will protest here next week against the Goa Tourism Development Corporation's app-based service 'Goa Miles', Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said Saturday.

Taxi drivers have been opposing Goa Miles and several operators of the app-service have been attacked by the former recently, leading to chief minister Pramod Sawant issuing a warning against such incidents.

"Over 30,000 tourist taxi operators will hold a silent protest in Panaji next week. The app-service is being run by a private company. The state government is supporting a private firm at the cost of traditional taxi operators," Lourenco claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Russian President Vladimir Putin presented his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a giant box of ice cream for his 66th birthday before a summit in Tajikistan on Saturday, the Kremlin said, in a sign of the pair's warm ties.

"Happy birthday, my best wishes... I am delighted to have a friend like you," Putin told Xi, according to the Kremlin website.

The two leaders met in the Tajik capital Dushanbe for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which brought together delegations from 27 countries including Iran and Qatar.

Xi last week made a three-day visit to Russia to visit Putin, whom he described as his "best friend", as the two countries seek to bolster ties amid shared tensions with the US.

"We came with good gifts," Putin said on Saturday before presenting a huge box full of Russian ice cream as temperatures in Dushanbe sweltered above 30C degrees (86 Fahrenheit).

Other presents included a cake and an ornate vase. Pictures showed Xi and Putin holding up champagne glasses to toast the birthday.

"Our whole team, and I can even say our whole nation, wishes you all the best in the world because you do a lot for the development of relations between our two countries," said Putin.

"You enjoy great authority in the hearts of the Chinese people," Xi said.

The two men last week signed a joint statement on the development of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.

Major Russian and Chinese companies also signed cooperation agreements.

The CICA summit, which was also attended by Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan, aimed to explore ideas to stabilise Asia amid turbulent geopolitics.

"The Russian leader praised Xi Jinping's role in the development of bilateral relations and noted the success of the recent state visit by China's President to Russia," the Kremlin website said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Google's Indian-American CEO has said that it is "perfectly fine" for big companies to be scrutinised but cautioned against doing it just "for the sake regulating" them amid reports that the US is initiating an anti-trust violations probe against the internet giant.

Pichai made the comments for the first time after reports emerged earlier this month that Google's search business and advertising practices may come under scrutiny during the potential anti-trust violations probe by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ and Federal Trade Commission are said to be dividing up responsibility for oversight of Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon to probe their market dominance.

Pichai told CNN Business on Friday that it's "perfectly fine" for companies like to be scrutinised when they get big enough.

"Scrutiny is right, and we will participate constructively in these discussions," he said.

"I worry that if you regulate for the sake of regulating it, it has a lot of unintended consequences," he said, focusing on the issue of artificial intelligence in particular.

Pichai said, "it will have implications for our security and ... for other important areas of society. Having leadership ends up being really critical."



This is not the first time has come under scrutiny. The company was under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission in 2013, but emerged relatively unscathed after the firm pledged to change certain aspects of its business, such as how it handles content from third-party travel or shopping sites.

"We have gone through similar situations in Europe, so it's not a surprise to us," Pichai said, adding "for some of the other companies, maybe the scrutiny is newer."



He said that there are countries that aspire to be the next Silicon Valley, and they are supporting their companies too.

"This doesn't mean you don't scrutinize large companies, but you have to balance it with the fact that you want big, successful companies as well," Pichai added.The government needs to draft a new policy to deal with Naxalism in the country in the wake of the recent attack on a police team in Jharkhand, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Saturday.

Referring to the attack in the Seraikela-Kharsawan area near the Jharkhand-Bengal border on Friday in which five police personnel were killed in an ambush by Maoists, Surjewala said the act was highly condemnable.

"The cowardly face of naxalism has been spreading in Jharkhand. The government of this country needs to draft afresh its policy to deal with naxalism," he tweeted.

Two assistant sub-inspectors and three constables came under attack while patrolling the Tiruldih police station area of the district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.): The NDA government at the centre would take tougher measures to put down terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said Saturday.

"At the central government, we will make efforts in the days to come to root out terrorist activity in Jammu and Kashmir with more toughness.

I am fully confident the Centre is trying to root out terrorism with a zero-tolerance (approach). The Narendra Modi government is making efforts to take the country forward in the coming days," he told reporters here.

Reddy, Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad here, is scheduled to undertake a 'padayatra' in the city on Sunday.

Meanwhile, he called on President Ram Nath Kovind in Delhi on Saturday, BJP sources said, adding that it was a courtesy call.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Saturday called on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to discuss issues relating to farmers' welfare such as the Kisan Kalyan Nidhi Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

A delegation led by Rupani, Gujarat Agriculture Minister R C Faldu, Chief Secretary J N Singh, Chief Principal Secretary to CM K Kailashnathan, Additional Chief Secretary (Agri) Sanjay Prasad and officers of the agriculture department met Tomar, according to an official statement.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Parshottambhai Rupala was also present at the meeting.

The issues on pending claims of interest subvention of crop loan advance by banks of the state and extension of date to purchase of mustard in the Price Support Scheme were also discussed in the meeting, the statement read.

It was decided in the meeting that the last date for purchase of mustard under the Price Support Scheme shall be extended up to June 30.

The government also decided to expedite payment of interest subvention to the cooperative banks and nationalised banks so that farmers do not face any inconvenience, according to the statement.

The discussion also focused on measures being jointly undertaken by the Union and state governments to increase agriculture productivity to improve farmer income as well as on strengthening measures for farmer welfare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In order to effectively deal with drought, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday proposed that the norms regarding the use of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) should be revised.

"The recent years for Gujarat have been rainfall deficient and therefore, we have taken stringent measures to mitigate the effects of scanty rainfall," he said in his speech at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting here



Gujarat had received just 73.87 per cent of the average rainfall during the monsoon season in 2018.

Rupani said the state would like to propose certain "revisions" in the SDRF norms.

"As per Supreme court orders, the mid-day meal centres have to be kept open during vacations also after drought notification. The same applies to anganwadi centres," he said.

"As the mid-day meal and anganwadi centres have to be kept open, it is proposed that the expenditure incurred thereon should be incorporated in SDRF guidelines," he added.

The SDRF is the primary fund available with the state governments to deal with natural disasters.

The central government contributes 75 per cent for general category states such as Gujarat and 90 per cent for special category states of the assessed SDRF each year.

Rupani said that during drought period, either the number of work days under the MGNREGA scheme should be increased to 200 days from 150 or the additional expenditure "beyond 150 days should be allowed to be made from the SDRF".

According to the current norms, during drought period, the number of work days under the MGNREGA scheme are only increased to 150 days from 100 days.

The chief minister said it is very important to reform existing SDRF norms to provide financial assistance for entire drought period.

"Total default time frame for relief aid during natural calamities, including moderate and severe calamities, is 90 days. Normally, during the calamities like cyclones, heavy rains and floods, it is not required to extend the time limit. However, drought is a very different kind of natural calamity; which lasts for about eight to nine months," he explained.

"And as the drought prolongs, situation worsens which requires even greater need to carry out relief measures during such period. As the time limit for drought relief measures is confined to maximum 90 days, it puts heavy burden on state exchequer to continue relief works for seven to eight extra months," he added.

According to the current SDRF norms, the subsidy provision is for animals under cattle camps only, Rupani said.

"It is proposed to incorporate financial aid for registered gaushalas and panjra pole as they also carry out very significant relief works," he added.

Panjra pole is an enclosure where old and sick animals are kept.

According to the SDRF norms, financial assistance is provided only for transportation of fodder.

The chief minister said that during drought, the state government has to distribute fodder at subsidised rates.

"Therefore, procurement cost of fodder also needs to be incorporated under SDRF norms," he said.

The chief ministers for all states of India met on Saturday at the fifth meeting of NITI Aayog governing council.

In his speech, Rupani said his government is committed to achieve the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and have prepared "Gujarat Sustainable Vision 2030" as its commitment.

He said the state government will leave no stone unturned in transforming Gujarat in line with the prime minister's vision of transforming India into a new India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gurdaspur MP and Bollywood actor Sunny Deol Saturday reviewed the progress of work on the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak here.

He posted his pictures of reviewing the work at Kartarpur corridor on his Twitter handle.

The 59-year-old BJP MP visited the Kartarpur corridor site for the first time after winning the Lok Sabha polls.

He was accompanied by officials of the district administration, BSF personnel and others at Dera Baba Nanak here, but stayed there for just half-an-hour, officials said.

In May, Deol had offered prayers at the Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak before starting his poll campaign.

The construction of Kartarpur corridor on the Indian side is expected to be complete by September 30.

The Kartarpur Corridor links Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Narowal with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur. The corridor will provide a visa-free access to Sikhs from India to their holiest Shrine located inside Pakistan.

It will be open to pilgrims in November to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Meanwhile, Punjab Cooperation Minister and Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa asked Deol to arrange adequate funds for infrastructure projects and special programmes in towns and cities associated with Guru Nanak Dev.

Taking potshots at the BJP MP, Randhawa said, "He (Deol) has no political vision. He could have invited local MLAs here to know what they want from the Centre."



Deol had defeated Congress' candidate Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes in the Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier this month, the newly elected MP faced wrath of the people in Gurdaspur after he posted a video of his vacation in Kaza on Instagram.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will visit Bihar's Muzaffarpur on Sunday to take stock of the situation there in view of rising cases ofAcute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) there.

According to officials, 67 children have died this month in two hospitals -- the state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and the Kejriwal Hospital which is run by a trust



"While the Centre is extending all support to the state for the containment and management of the recent surge of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, I shall be going to Muzaffarpur tomorrow to take stock and review the situation at the site with the state government," Vardhan said.

During his visit, the minister will interact with the multi-disciplinary teams deployed there and address a state-level review meeting.

I shall discuss the management measures being recommended by the high level expert team of the Centre, and support that can be extended through National Health Mission (NHM) for health systems strengthening, and other Ministries of the Central government including the Ministry of Women and Child Development as part of the immediate and long term measures," he stated.

Vardhan said that the health ministry is constantly monitoring the situation and supporting the state health authorities in managing the AES/JE cases.

The continued round-the-clock presence of the central and state teams in the affected areas and preventive actions taken by them have instilled confidence among the public. We will soon be able to contain the rise in AES/JE cases," Vardhan added.

Elaborating on the support being extended to the state of Bihar, Vardhan said, A multi- disciplinary specialist high level team has been deployed by the Health Ministry. Experts drawn from NCDC/NVBDCP/ ICMR/AIIMS, Patna/ Child Health Division of the Health Ministry are part of this Central team and are supporting the state in containing the surge in cases of encephalopathy/ encephalitis.

The Union Health Minister also met Mangal Pandey, Health Minister of Bihar, on two occasions recently and discussed the reported rise in cases of AES from Muzaffarpur and JE from Gaya in Bihar, and public health measures for their containment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Minister said on Saturday that the West Bengal government had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) even after five days of strike by the junior doctors and appealed to them to immediately rejoin service.

"We have the laws, but we do not want to use them.... We are not going to take any stringent action against any of the agitating junior doctors and hamper their career," she said at a news conference after the agitating doctors did not turn up for a meeting at 5 pm.



Under the ESMA, employees in a long list of "essential services" like post, railway, airport and port operations are prohibited from going on strike.

Banerjee cited instances of steps taken against doctors in similar situation by other states, adding that the West Bengal government had not taken any tough action against them as she does not want to hamper their careers. The chief minister said the state government had accepted all the demands of the doctors and was ready to accept more, but she added that they must resume work.

"On Friday, I waited for the junior doctors for five hours. And today, I cancelled all my programmes for them. You must show some respect to the constitutional body," she said.

On the mass resignation of the doctors across the state, Banerjee said it was not legally tenable.

"If the junior doctors think I am incapable, they can always talk to the governor or the chief secretary... or the commissioner of police," she said.

ALSO READ: Harsh Vardhan asks states to consider enacting law to protect doctors

The agitating doctors had earlier turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday, and instead asked her to visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse.A 21-year-old man with an alleged criminal record was gunned down by the police here on Saturday after he attacked two police personnel with a machete, grievously injuring one of them, officials said.

When constables Pounraj and Ramesh attempted to apprehend Vallarasu late last night in connection with a case, he hacked them with the machete, grievously injuring the former.

Pounraj was rushed to a hospital and had to get 20 stitches, police said, adding that the other constable who sustained minimal injuries was also being treated.

Later, another team of police personnel, led by police Inspector Miller, was deployed to nab the culprit and they spotted him after several hours early Saturday at Madhavaram.

"When Miller and his team spotted Vallarasu, he attacked them with the machete despite being asked to drop the weapon," a police official told PTI.

Given the gravity of the situation, the police team was forced to open fire in self defence in which the accused died, he said.

Vallarasu had several cases against him, including one related to murder, attempt to murder and robbery, he said.

Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan visited the injured constable in the hospital.

Last year, another history sheeter Anandan was shot dead by police here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Smartphone major Saturday said Holitech Technology - one of its global component suppliers - has inaugurated its first component manufacturing plant in India (Greater Noida).

Holitech Technology has built its operations in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh and was first invited by the Chinese tech major in the first quarter of 2018 to investigate local manufacturing opportunities during its 'Supplier Investment Summit', said in a statement.

"Holitech Technology would be investing nearly USD 200 million over three years in the country and would be manufacturing Compact Camera Modules (CCM), Capacitive Touch Screen module (CTP), Thin Film Transistor (TFT), Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC), and fingerprint module locally," it added.

The statement pointed out that the local manufacturing plant is ready and will be in production within the third quarter of 2019 and it aims to generate 6,000 jobs in three years.

Interestingly, in August last year, China's Holitech Group had said it will set up a production facility in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, with an investment of Rs 1,400 crore to supply mobile phone components like camera modules and touch panels to

The two did not respond to queries on the status of the Tirupati plant.

The Greater Noida component manufacturing plant is spread across four factories and spans over 25,000 sqm, and will start mass production with a capacity of over 300 million components per year, the statement said.

Holitech Technology, in partnership with the government of Uttar Pradesh, is also organising a Supplier Investment Summit with Holitech Technology component suppliers on 16th June, 2019 where over 15 of its suppliers are visiting the state, it added.

"We are pleased to bring several industry firsts to the state of Uttar Pradesh with the manufacturing of camera modules, CTP, TFT, FPC and fingerprint module and propel the growth of component manufacturing in India. We hope to further boost this initiative by setting an example for other component manufacturers, and being a part of Xiaomi's growth in India," Holitech Technology CEO Chenguisheng said.

(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.)Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) is warmly received by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon upon his arrival at the airport in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 14, 2019. Xi arrived here Friday for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and a state visit to Tajikistan. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

DUSHANBE, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Friday for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and a state visit to Tajikistan.

Xi was warmly received by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the airport.

The two heads of state had a cordial talk. Xi thanked Rahmon for meeting him in person at the airport and conveyed to the Tajik government and people sincere greetings on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

As good neighbours, friends and brothers, China and Tajikistan have maintained sound and steady development in relations ever since they forged diplomatic ties 27 years ago, he said.

Xi said he and Rahmon decided to establish the China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017, which has ushered bilateral relations into a new phase of rapid development.

"My visit this time aims to push bilateral ties to an even higher level," he said. "I look forward to having in-depth communication with my old friend President Rahmon, and jointly outlining the beautiful blueprint of China-Tajikistan relations."

He pledged China's willingness to work with Tajikistan to further promote bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields to bring more benefits to both peoples.

The Dushanbe summit bears great significance to the development of the CICA, where all sides will discuss the mechanism's future development and decide on priorities for cooperation, Xi said, praising Tajikistan's efforts in preparing for the event and expressing belief in its success.

Recalling Xi's visit to Tajikistan five years ago, Rahmon extended a warm welcome to the Chinese leader for the state visit and his participation in the CICA summit.

Rahmon wished the visit a complete success and better and faster development of bilateral ties.

Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]A British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran for more than three years has begun a hunger strike to protest her detention, her husband said Saturday.

Richard Ratcliffe said Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has told judicial officials she will refuse food but will drink water until she is granted "unconditional release." Ratcliffe said he would hold a vigil outside Iran's London embassy, and would fast in support of his wife.

Ratcliffe said his wife "had vowed that if we passed (daughter) Gabriella's fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something to mark to both governments that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long." Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who worked for the charity arm of agency Thomson Reuters, was detained at Tehran airport in April 2016 on charges of plotting against the Iranian government.

Her family denies the allegations. High-level diplomatic attempts to secure her release have so far failed. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt granted 40-year-old Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection in March, but Iranian officials refuse to recognize her dual nationality. The hunger strike comes amid heightened tensions between the West and Iran, which the U.S. and U.K. blame for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman this week. Iran denies involvement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Danny Lloyd, who played the young Danny Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 classic "The Shining", says he was surprised after watching the trailer of the film's sequel "Doctor Sleep".

The original movie starred Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, a writer who agrees to become the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado during its off season. Actor Shelley Duvall played his wife Wendy.

"Doctor Sleep", directed by Mike Flanagan of "The Haunting of the Hill House" fame, follows an adult Danny Torrance (played by Ewan McGregor), who is battling alcoholism and dealing with the trauma of what happened to him as a child in the Overlook Hotel.

"I was surprised. It looked really good," Llyod told The Hollywood Reporter about the new film's trailer.

"I was curious since there is a fine line they have to walk with Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. It looks like they found a way to pay tribute to both," he added.

Llyod was five years old when he worked in the original and recalling the experience, he said Kubrick was very protective of him on the sets.

"He wanted me to act scared, but he didn't want me to be scared of anything. There were days when I wasn't allowed on set because of something they were shooting," the actor said.

Lloyd also revealed that he was not allowed to watch the movie until he was a teenager.

The actor, who now works as a community college professor in Kentucky, said many of his students are still unaware that he starred in the film.

"I try to keep it on the down low. You get students of all different ages. The younger ones are not aware and that's how it should be. But every now and then, a student will say something," Llyod said.

"Doctor Sleep", also featuring Rebecca Ferguson and Kyliegh Curran, will release in November this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Inclement weather on Saturday hampered rescue efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of 13 air-warriors who were on board the Indian Air Force aircraft that crashed in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, an IAF spokesman said.

Shillong-based IAF spokesman Ratnakar Singh said the rescue operation, which commenced early Saturday morning, could not progress further due to inclement weather at the crash site.

Cheetah and ALH helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves.

At present there are low clouds accompanied with rain in the area, the spokesman said in a statement.

The IAF is making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors.

IAF personnel are in constant contact with the families of these air-warriors and they are being updated regularly about the ongoing rescue operations. They are also being explained the challenges being faced by the rescue team, he added.

The rescue team on Friday recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) of the Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft.

The aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Mechuka advanced landing ground in Shi-Yomi district in Arunachal Pradesh, near the border with China, on June 3 when it lost contact around half-an-hour after taking off.

The wreckage of the plane was spotted by an IAF chopper on Tuesday at a height of 12,000 ft near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts, after eight days of a massive search operation involving a fleet of aircraft and choppers as well as ground forces.

A 15-member team of rescuers were sent to look for survivors in the accident site on Wednesday and eight of them reached the place on Thursday morning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A tired and sleep-deprived Indian-origin woman who fell asleep at the wheel while driving with her baby in the car has been jailed for killing another driver in a crash in Oxfordshire, south-east England.

Anusha Ranganathan was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to causing the death of 70-year-old Patricia Robinson by dangerous driving in July last year.

The 41-year-old IT expert was tired after multiple sleepless night with her baby who had recently undergone heart surgery, the court was told.

"When someone is driving a car and they fall asleep, it turns into a lethal weapon. This was a poor piece of driving to put it mildly, said Judge Ian Pringle.

"We will never know why you drove in the way that you did, but it seems that you fell asleep behind the wheel. Ms Robinson suffered injuries described by doctors as the most extensive in a road traffic accident who had not died, and this was caused by you," he said.

The court heard that the fatal crash occurred in East Hanney, Oxfordshire, with both cars ending up in a water-filled ditch. Ranganathan's car caught fire with her baby, who was a passenger, trapped in the footwell after falling out of his baby seat. All those involved were rushed to hospital, where Robinson died almost five weeks after the crash from her injuries.

The Toyota, carrying Ms Ranganathan's young son in the rear of the car, veered onto the opposite carriageway and hit the Nissan head-on, causing both vehicles to come off the road and into a muddy ditch," Prosecutor Jonathon Stone told the court.

A police investigation concluded that it was not any weather conditions, inappropriate speed, drugs or alcohol that caused the crash but either that Ranganathan was distracted or fell asleep at the wheel.

Her lawyer, Matthew Kerruish-Jones, told the court that Ranganathan had, prior to the collision, a clean driving licence and had never been in trouble with the police and that she did not set out to cause an accident.

He also read out her letter of remorse in court, which read: "When I set out to drive with my husband and son that day, I never imagined being the reason to cause so much hurt and pain to so many people. I shall feel remorse for as long as I live."



Judge Pringle admitted that Ranganathan's character references submitted to the court were an impressive set of testimonies" but concluded that a custodial sentence was necessary given the impact on the victim's family.

He also disqualified Ranganathan from driving for three-and-a-half years and said that she will have to undergo an extended test before driving again. She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Taking a dig at the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh over power cuts, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Saturday that investors now want to open lantern and inverter factories in the state.

The BJP has been targeting the state government claiming that there are frequent power outages in many areas.

"We (the previous BJP government) ended the era of inverters (which are used as power back-up). The sale of lanterns and chimneys also ended," Chouhan said.

He was speaking to reporters here after returning from Delhi where he took over his new assignment as national convener for the BJP's membership campaign.

"But many people want to open inverter, lantern and chimney factories in MP now....people are not getting electricity so they have to buy inverters," he said.

He also alleged that corruption is rampant under the Congress rule, "money is being charged for everything" and welfare schemes for the poor are being closed.

The law and order situation has collapsed, Chouhan said.

"The Kamal Nath government is busy with only transfers and postings. Rule of goons is prevailing everywhere," the BJP leader alleged.

"People are rightly saying that 'Bantadhar's Raj' has returned to MP," he said, using the disparaging term coined by Opposition for former chief minister Digvijay Singh's rule from 1993 to 2003.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iran's foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador on Saturday over his government accusing Tehran of being behind attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"Rob Macaire, Britain's ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the foreign affairs ministry... following the false remarks made by the British foreign affairs minister," the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the official IRNA agency.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt a day earlier said London had concluded Iran was "almost certainly" responsible for Thursday's tanker attacks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Punjab Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria Saturday met a team of experts from Israel to prepare a comprehensive water management master plan for the state.

The Israeli team comprised International Special Projects Coordinator of National Water Company, Mekorot, Diego Berger, Project Manager Niv Pintow and Water Engineer Tomer Malol, according to an official statement here.

The experts told Sarkaria that they will submit their report of recommendations within 18 months, the release said.

The Israeli team, which is on a three-day visit here, along with senior Punjab water resource officers had earlier visited various parts of the state to assess the present situation and the challenges in the water sector.

In April, Mekorot and the Punjab government had signed an agreement in this regard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Jammu and Kashmir administration has approved the second phase of a comprehensive plan for flood management work on the Jhelum river at a cost of over Rs 5,400 crore, an official spokesman said on Saturday.

The State Administrative Council (SAC), which met here under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik on Friday evening, accorded in-principle approval to the Comprehensive Plan for Flood Management Works on Jhelum-II at a cost of Rs 5411.54 crore, the spokesman said.

He said the project is proposed to be implemented part-wise with Part A amounting to Rs 1,684.60 crore approved under Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP) and Part B for which source of funding is to be identified. The project has been formulated to achieve short-term goal of mitigating the flood threat at Sangam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

The SAC directed Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Departments to proceed with the implementation of Part A of Phase-II of the project utilising the available funds and earnestly take up the matter with the Government of India for funding its share of Part A of Phase-II of the project, the spokesman said.

The departments were also directed to explore financing options for Part B of Phase-II of the project, he added.

The spokesman said the SAC also approved constitution of a high-level committee for examination of the detailed project report (DPR), regular follow up with Central Water Commission (CWC)/Government of India for its approval, identifying source of funding for part-B (of phase-II) and also regular monitoring and supervision of execution of various works under both phases of the project.

The spokesman said after the devastating floods of September 2014, and on the recommendations of a high-level committee, constituted by the Centre, a multi-pronged strategy was adopted for flood mitigation in Kashmir Valley.

Accordingly, he said, to enhance carrying capacity of the river Jhelum from the then 31000 cusecs to 60000 cusecs, action was envisaged in two phases under PMDP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Saturday held bilateral talks with his Iranian counterpart and Vietnam's vice president here and discussed issues of mutual interest and regional developments.

Jaishankar met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Vietnam Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh on the sidelines of the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit in the Tajik capital.

"Met my Iranian counterpart Dr @JZarif. Discussed regional developments, " Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani could not hold a planned meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek on Friday due to scheduling issues.

It was expected that Modi and Rouhani would discuss a range of issues including the US sanctions on import of Iranian oil and implementation of the Chabahar port project.

The Modi-Rouhani meeting was keenly awaited as it was to take place amid escalating face-off between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear programme.

India, the world's third biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports.

Iran was its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia till recently.

Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing in the past few years.

During the meeting with Vietnam's vice president, the two leaders discussed various aspects of India-Vietnam relations.

"Renewing a special bond with Vietnam. Thank you Vice President Mme. ?ng Th? Ng?c Th?nh for the warm meeting," Jaishankar tweeted.

The CICA is a pan-Asia forum for enhancing cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

The new External Affairs Minister arrived here on Friday for the 5th CICA Summit.

The theme of the summit is "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region".

Earlier, addressing the CICA Summit, Jaishankar said terrorism poses the "gravest threat" to the people in Asia and terrorists and their victims must never be equated.

The CICA Summit will adopt a declaration covering issues of cooperation within CICA.

India is a member of the CICA since its inception and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had participated in the first CICA Summit held in 2002 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

India has been actively participating in various activities conducted under the aegis of CICA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jaypee Infratech's creditors, which include banks and home buyers, will meet on June 20 to assess the progress of the ongoing insolvency process and decide future course of action.

The meeting has been called days after majority of banks voted against state-owned NBCC's bid to acquire the debt ridden realty firm. A meeting of Committee of Creditors (CoC) will be held on June 20, 2019, Jaypee Infratech's Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) Anuj Jain said in a regulatory filing. He did not disclose the agenda of the meeting.

Sources, however, said that the CoC has been called to discuss the status update of the ongoing insolvency proceedings and the way forward. A majority of lenders voted against NBCC's bid on June 10 but most home buyers wanted the state-owned company to takeover the debt-laden realty firm, sources had said.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had clarified on June 10 that it did not bar lenders from voting against NBCC's resolution plan. It also directed IRP to report the outcome of voting process directly to it. The also advanced the date of next hearing to July 17 from July 2.

The exact percentage of votes in favour and against the NBCC's takeover plan was not disclosed due to an insolvency court order. The sources had said the bid possibly did not muster the requisite nod of two-third of lenders and buyers. The voting result is to be placed before the

In most bankruptcy proceedings, lenders have the right to vote for or against a resolution plan for a debt-laden firm. In the case of realty firms, home buyers also have voting rights at par with lenders. As many as 13 banks and over 23,000 homebuyers have voting rights in the CoC of

Homebuyers represent nearly 60 per cent of voting rights, while banks have the rest. For approval of any resolution plan, at least 66 per cent votes should be in favour. Bankers had reservation with the NBCC's bid because of certain concession sought by the state-owned firm related to future tax liabilities and approval from development authority YEIDA for transfer of land and Yamuna Expressway.

This is the second round of bidding process to revive Jaypee Infratech, which went into insolvency in August 2017 after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted an application filed by an IDBI Bank-led consortium.

In the first round of insolvency proceedings conducted last year, the Rs 7,350-crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha Group, was rejected by lenders. Later in October 2018, the IRP started the second round of bidding process. Early last month, the CoC rejected Suraksha Realty's bid. On May 30, the CoC decided to put on vote NBCC's bid even as bankers had reservations against the proposal. The voting process, which started on May 31, concluded on June 10.

Last week, lenders filed a petition before the to allow them to vote against NBCC's bid in an ongoing insolvency process. They also pleaded that other options should be explored, including considering of other bids or initiating fresh expression of interest. Adani group recently made an unsolicited and non-binding bid to acquireCausing much embarrassment to the Congress-JD(S) ruling coalition, senior JD(S) legislator A T Ramaswamy has resigned as chairperson of the Karnataka legislature committee on government assurances, upset over the 'inaction' in a land grabbing case.

Stating that his 'conscience' was not allowing him to continue, the Arkalgud MLA, in his resignation letter to the legislative assembly Speaker, said that not taking action on a serious issue, despite being assured of it when he raised the matter in the assembly, was regrettable.

"It has caused me much pain that no action was taken by the government on an illegality raised by me as the chairperson of the government assurances committee," he said in the June 14 dated letter.

Ramaswamy was referring to a issue he raised during the Belgavai assembly session about a case where about 310 acres of government land at BM Kaval in Bengaluru South taluk was transferred to private parties.

The Revenue Minister had conceded that the case was true and the Special Deputy Commissioners decision was not correct, he said.

The JD(S) leader pointed out that Speaker Ramesh Kumar had requested the government to place the officer under suspension, to which the revenue minister had responded positively.

He said when he raised the matter at the June 14 Assurances Commitee meeting, he had mentioned that the government had not taken any action, as assured.

The committee also found that the land had been fenced, stating it was owned by the private parties, Ramaswamy said, as he demanded criminal prosecution against those involved.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Doctors in the centrally- sponsored JIPMER here will boycott work on Monday in solidarity with their striking counterparts in Kolkata.

The stir is in response to the call given by Indian Medical Association for a nation-wide protest against the attack on two junior doctors by relatives of a patient in NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata recently.

The management of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research announced that the doctors association in the institute had given notice announcing the strike on June 17.

A release from the management said in view of the plan of doctors to resort to a strike all the services in the OPD and in thelaboratory and elective surgeries scheduled for Monday have been suspended.

However, the hospital would render emergency services on Monday, the release said.

The strike had been organised to show the solidarity of doctors in JIPMER with their counterparts across the country to condemn the attack on two medicos in West Bengal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Alleging that "jungle-raj" was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav met Governor Ram Naik on Saturday over the poor law and order situation and asked him to "wake up" the Yogi Adityanath government as he used to do during the SP regime.

"The Governor used to intervene on law and order earlier (during SP regime). It was said that there were only Yadav officers...Now there is hardly any Yadav SP or DM. We have requested him (Governor) to wake up the government and give direction to control the prevailing 'jungle-raj'," the SP chief told reporters after meeting the Governor.

He, along with senior party leader Ahmad Hasan, gave a memorandum to the Governor and sought his intervention to check deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

"Bar council chairperson is being murdered in her chamber. There is murder in jail...How these are happening? The state government is responsible," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Bar Council president Darvesh Singh was allegedly shot dead on Agra court premises on Wednesday by a lawyer who then tried to kill himself.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday raked up the issue of full statehood to Delhi at the NITI Aayog meeting here and also sought the Centre's cooperation in the AAP government's project for natural storage of water in the Yamuna flood plains.

"Delhi be given the status of full statehood, which has been promised since decades but denied by successive central governments," the chief minister was quoted as saying in the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party had made the full statehood issue its poll plank in the recent Lok Sabha election, saying it has been unable to carry out its schemes effectively in Delhi due to the Centre's interference.

"Delhi government wants Centre's cooperation in its mega-project for natural storage of water in the Yamuna flood plains. Important studies, including from IIT Delhi, show in case this is done, water storage during a single Monsoon will be sufficient to end water shortage in Delhi for two years," the chief minister said.

Kejriwal also lamented that Delhi was not getting its share in central taxes.

"According to 14th Finance Commission, states get 42 per cent share in central taxes. whereas Delhi gets a paltry Rs 325 crore," the chief minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence here Saturday and expressed the state's reservation on the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

This is for the first time that the Left leader was meeting Modi after he assumed office for the second time following the BJP-led NDA's victory in the Lok Sabha polls.

Vijayan is here to attend the Niti Aayog meeting.

During the brief meet, attended by state PWD minister G Sudhakaran and Chief Secretary Tom Jose, Vijayan submitted a memorandum citing various demands including further aid for rebuilding the flood-hit state.

Official sources said the chief minister requested the Centre to retain the airport in the public sector and not to hand over its management to any private company.

Kerala's concern over its reported exclusion from the priority list of the national highway development and the need to get more central assistance for various projects also figured in the discussion, which lasted for around 15 minutes, they added.

The Adani group had, in February, won the bid to operate five out of six airports, including the one at Thiruvananthapuram, proposed for privatisation by the central government.

The state government had earlier appealed to the Centre to reconsider its decision to lease out Thiruvananthapuram aerodrome for operation, management and development under the public-private partnership (PPP).

"Without the co-operation of the state government, no private company can develop the airport properly," Vijayan told the state Assembly earlier this week.

In a letter to the prime minister in March, Vijayan had demanded that the airport's operation be handed over to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) floated by the government-run Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).

The airport was established in 1932 on 258.06 acres of land owned by the princely state of Travancore, of which the state is the successor.

The 258.06 acres of land had been entered into the revenue records as government land.

The Airports Authority of India has admitted that only 0.05756 hectares out of the total extent of 636.57 acres of land are under its ownership.

The state government claims it has the expertise in airport management and also creditworthiness, more than that of the private entity, which does not possess previous experience in such operations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Saturday raised the issue of establishing a medical



institute equivalent to AIIMS in the state during this financial year.

He was in the national capital to attend the fifth Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog.

Speaking at a press conference here, Vijayan maintained that his government has identified sites for establishing AIIMS-like institute in the southern state according to the direction of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

"We have informed the ministry that 200 acres of land in Kozhikode district of Kerala has been identified. The establishment of AIIMS in Kerala will augment the real-time efforts of Kerala government in setting higher standards of medical education and better quality of preventive and curative treatment facilities," he said.

The Left leader said the Kerala government also intends to establish an international research institute on Ayurveda. He said it will be a laboratory-cum-study centre for the scientific development of Ayurveda.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed keen interest regarding the global Ayurveda institute and assured all support. We have presented the project to the Centre for funding and urged the prime minister for early approval," he said.

Among other projects, the Kerala government also proposed the extension of Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor to Kochi via Coimbatore. The proposal has been submitted to the National Industrial Corridor Development Implementation Trust.

On his meeting with Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Vijayan said the Centre has assured the state that the development of its national highways will be taken up on a priority basis.

The Kerala chief minister also called on the prime minister and expressed the state's reservation on the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought central assistance to the state reeling under severe drought due to 45 per cent shortfall in the rainfall.

Before the Lok Sabha polls, the state government in its memorandum to the Centre had sought a financial assistance of Rs 2,064 crore to provide relief to farmers hit by drought during the rabi season.

Kumaraswamy also requested Modi to ensure the pending funds under MNREGA scheme are released at the earliest besides sharing the state government's success in implementing the farm loan waiver, an official statement said.

In the meeting, the Karnataka chief minister informed Modi that the state was facing drought this year too because of 45 per cent shortfall in rainfall.

"The CM requested the prime minister to come forward to help the state in this situation," the statement added.

Kumaraswamy also raised the matter of pending funds of Rs 1,500 crore to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme and requested the Centre to release this amount at the earliest.

Karnataka has declared drought in 156 taluks in 30 districts. As many as 107 taluks are facing severe drought, while 49 taluks have moderate drought.

About 20.40 lakh hectare farm land has been affected due to the drought in the state. Crop loss is estimated in 19.46 lakh hectare, according to the state government.

The state had faced drought during the kharif season of 2018-19 crop year (July-June).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Saturday organized a seminar on the "Life And Philosophy of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji" here to spread the message of peace, service, harmony and humanity.

Attended by the members of all faiths, the event was held prior to the nationwide celebration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Roop Singh, Chief Secretary, SGPC, Amritsar Sahib, said "With long ties of cultural and business exchanges, Kolkata has held a very special place in heart of the Sikh Community. There is a thriving Sikh community here. Kolkata was also the venue for release of the Bengali translation of the Holy Granth Sahib."



The organisers hoped the event will spread the Guru's message of peace, service, harmony and humanity.

"June 15 is a very significant date for our community. The foundation stone of Sri Akal Takht was laid by Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib ji on this day in 1606," said Sardar Taranjit Singh, Chancellor, JIS University, Kolkata.

According to Dr Jaspal Singh, former Vice Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala, Guru Nanak re-energized many personalities. The Granth Sahib is infused with 31 ragas and was influenced by Baba Farid and Jaidev of Bengal. Rabindranath Tagore was a strong proponent of the Sikh faith and respected its universality of brotherhood.

Sardar Tarlochan Singh, Former Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, requested the members of Sikh community in Kolkata to spread the message of Guru Nanak Dev ji through interactions with people of other faiths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Saturday laid the foundation stone of a 10- storeyed complex in Bandra which will house a state-of-the-art cyber crime lab, a police station, a training centre along with flats for senior police personnel.

According to officials, the cyber lab, police station and training centre will occupy the lower six floors while the top four floors will have residential apartments.

It will be constructed by the Maharashtra State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Fadnavis said a lot of crime presently was being carried out using online tools and there was a need to tackle them effectively.

"The next era will be of new challenges. We have taken many initiatives to tackle these new challenges. 40 cyber labs have been set up, a proper framework is in place," the chief minister's office (CMO) later tweeted.

In another tweet, the CMO said, "Our police force needs to be technologically strong. We have selected 1000 officials to give them proper training. On one hand we are bringing in more digitisation for providing speedy governance & on the other, we are making these systems secure & safe too."



Local BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, who worked toward making the project a reality, took to Twitter to thank Fadnavis.

"Great satisfaction that Hon CM @Dev_fadnavis ji with MP @poonam_mahajan today did bhoomipoojan of 10 flr ultra- modern cyber crime lab/office @ Bandra Stn SV Road Junction! I pursued this project for 4 years and we are transforming junkyard in to world class cybercrime detection facility! @CPMumbaiPolice," Shelar tweeted.

State minister Deepak Kesarkar, Mumbai North Central MP Poonam Mahajan and Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Barve were also present at the function.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Saturday said the state recorded 115.70 lakh metric tonnes of food production despite drought and deficient rainfall, thanks to various water conservation methods adopted by it.

He was here to attend the NITI Aayog meet.

"We achieved 115.70 lakh metric tonnes food grain production. This could be possible because of less dependency on rainfall and putting in place alternative arrangements," Fadnavis said.

He also elaborated on the benefits of Jal Yukt Shivar farm ponds and the ongoing irrigation projects and plans for the ambitious Marathwada Watergrid project.

Jal Yukt Shivar is the flagship programme of the Mahrashtra government. It envisages desilting streams and encouraging farm ponds with an emphasis on percolation of water.

Fadnavis also talked about the measures taken by his government to mitigate drought like deploying tankers, fodder camps and massive tree plantation programmes.

He thanked the Centre for the "highest ever assistance" to Maharashtra this year to tackle the drought situation.

"Rs 4,248.59 crore assistance has been received so far and it was distributed among farmers," he said.

The BJP leader said the Maharashtra government is also stressing on efforts for rainwater harvesting in cities.

As of now, 13,277 such plans have been approved in major cities like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Thane municipal corporations, he said.

Fadnavis also underlined measures taken to tackle the Naxal problem in the state.

Numerous measures are under implementation in partnership with NGOs and corporates in Nandurbar, Osmanabad, Washim and Gadchiroli districts, he said.

"In 2018, Maharashtra Police succeeded in eliminating 50 Naxals, the highest ever, and 154 naxals surrendered in last five years. Improved interstate coordination and joint operations are giving good results," the chief minister added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)55 truckloads of relief material Facebook

Cameroons Government has dispatched 55 truckloads of humanitarian aid to the North West and South West regions hit by sociopolitical crisis for close to three years now. 40 truckloads of relief materials left Yaounde while 15 others took off from Douala.

The humanitarian aid left Yaounde this Thursday, June 13, 2019 to Bamenda for the North West and Buea for the South West after a ceremony at the Yaounde Town Hall chaired by Cameroons Territorial Administration Minister, Atanga Nji Paul.

Atanga Nji says the Head of State, President Paul Biya has given firm instructions for the acceleration of the process to distribute humanitarian assistance as part of his emergency humanitarian assistance plan for the people of the North West and South West regions where soldiers have been battling armed men fighting for the independence of a country they call Ambazonia.

That is why 55 truckloads of Humanitarian Aid will be reaching the North West and South West Regions on Friday June 14, 2019, which has never been seen before. The trucks contain mattresses, blankets, sanitary and food items, as well as some medications.

The Territorial Administration Minister recently paid working visits to the North West and South West Regions during which he commissioned the Regional Centres for the Coordination of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance.

Minister Atanga Nji informed Cameroonians and Cameroons International Humanitarian Partners that the acceleration of the distribution of Humanitarian Aid is so that government can move to the next phase, that of reconstruction, self-reliance, Development and Reintegration.

Minister Atanga Nji & Humanitarian Partners (c) Facebook

We believe that in less than no time, we would have terminated the humanitarian aspect and will be moving towards development so that instead of giving assistance, these people will be assisting themselves in other programmes the government is putting in place, Atanga Nji said.

The Minister of Territorial Administration who is charged with the 18-month Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan says even though government has done so much, it is still willing to do more things so that the world should see what has been done. But not only doing is important. People should know what is being done and we have to make people to understand and see what is being done. That is why we try as much as possible to associate our partners.

Government says about 152, 000 persons are internally displaced as a result of the crisis in the countrys North West and South West regions and that they have distributed aid to some 104,000 internally displaced persons out of the 152,000 registered in the two regions.The Maharashtra cabinet will be expanded on Sunday and a final meeting on the ministers to be inducted will be held later Saturday night, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in Delhi.

Raj Bhavan sources said the swearing-in ceremony will held at 11am on Sunday, a day before the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, the last before Assembly polls later this year, begins.

"I have had one meeting (on cabinet expansion) and the final meeting will be held tonight," the Maharashta CM said.

In the last few days, both Fadnavis and finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had given enough indications about a cabinet expansion.

Earlier, Friday night, Fadnavis had met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and discussed about the ministers to be inducted in his cabinet.

"I met shiv sena president uddhav thackeray at his residence Matoshri and discussed in detail cabinet expansion," Fadnavis had tweeted late Friday night.

The Republican Party of India (Athawale) Saturday announced that its leader Avinash Mahatekar will be inducted into the Fadnavis government in Sunday's expansion.

Currently, there are 37 ministers including the chief minister, and Fadnavis can accommodate another five.

A vacancy was created in 2018 when BJP's Pandurang Fundkar died, the then agriculture minister. The portfolio is now being handled by revenue minister Chandrakant Patil.

Deepak Sawant, then health minister, resigned earlier this year and the department is being looked after by Eknath Shinde, who is also the PWD minister.

Parliamentary Affairs and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Pune. His portfolios are being shared by Education Minister Vinod Tawde and Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal.

While the BJP has 16 cabinet ministers and seven ministers of state (MoS), its main all Shiv Sena has five cabinet ministers and only one MoS.

Smaller allies have one cabinet and MoS post each.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said the goal of making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging but surely achievable, as he asked states to focus on their core competencies and work towards increasing the GDP right from the district level.

In his inaugural address at the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog here, the prime minister also underlined the need for taking effective steps to tackle drought in various parts of the country.

The meeting is being attended by senior union ministers and almost all the chief ministers, except Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana). Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who could attend the meeting due health reasons deputed his finance minister Manpreet Badal.

Banerjee had earlier said she would not attend the meeting saying Niti Aayog is a "fruitless" body as it has no financial powers. Rao did not come as he was busy with preparations for the launch of the ambitious Rs 80,000 crore Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project that would end water woes in the state.

According to an official release, Modi recalled the recent General Elections as the world's largest democratic exercise and said that it is now time for everyone to work for the development of India. He spoke of a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence.

The prime minister said that everyone has a common goal of achieving a New India by 2022. He described Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and PM Awaas Yojana as illustrations of what the Centre and the states can accomplish together.

Modi also said that empowerment, and ease of living, have to be provided to each and every Indian. He said the goals that have been set for the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, should be accomplished by October 2nd, and work should begin in the earnest towards the goals for 2022, the 75th anniversary of independence.

Stressing that the focus should be on collective responsibility for achieving short term and long term goals, Modi said the goal to make India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024, is "challenging, but can surely be achieved".

The size of India's economy was estimated at USD 2.75 trillion at end-March 2019.

States, he added should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level.

He also stressed on increasing exports from the country.

Amid drought-like situation in several parts of the country, Modi called for effective steps to tackle drought and emphasised that "per-drop, more-crop" strategy should be promoted.

The release further said Modi reiterated the Union Government's commitment to double incomes of farmers by 2022. To achieve this, he said there should be a focus on fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, fruits and vegetables.

He said that the benefits of PM-KISAN - KisanSammanNidhi - and other farmer-centric schemes should reach the intended beneficiaries well within time.

Noting that there is a need for structural reform in agriculture, Modi spoke of the need to boost corporate investment, strengthen logistics, and provide ample market support. He said the food processing sector should grow at a faster pace than foodgrain production.

Referring to the left-wing extremism, Modi said the battle against Naxal violence is now in a decisive phase.

"He said violence will be dealt with firmly, even as development proceeds in a fast-paced and balanced manner," the release said quoting the prime minister.

On the health sector, he said that several targets have to keep in mind, to be achieved by 2022. He also mentioned the target of eliminating Tuberculosis (TB) by 2025.

The Prime Minister urged those states who have not implemented PMJAY under Ayushman Bharat, so far, to come onboard this scheme at the earliest. He said health and wellness should be the focal point of every decision.

While welcoming the participants, Modi said Niti Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas, SabkaVishwas.

On aspirational districts, he said that the focus should be on good governance.

He said the improvement in governance has led to remarkable progress in several aspirational districts.

Giving several examples, Modi said out-of-the-box ideas, and innovative service delivery efforts in some of these districts have also delivered outstanding results.

The Centre has embarked upon a major policy initiative for rapid transformation of 115 districts which are lagging on specific development parameters.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday rubbished the claims of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about "poor" law and order in the state, saying the Centre should send such advisories to states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat where "several murders have been reported in the last couple of years".

The MHA sought separate reports from the West Bengal government on the ongoing doctors' strike and on political violence that has left 160 people dead in the past four years.

In an advisory, the MHA told the state government that the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019 is an indicative of the "failure" on the part of the law-enforcement machinery of the state and asked the administration to inspire a sense of security among the people.

While Banerjee dismissed the allegation, opposition parties in the state seconded it and demanded her resignation as home minister.

"We do not have any such situation in West Bengal. It is a very peaceful state. Ask the central government to send advisory to the Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat governments," Banerjee, also the ruling TMC supremo, told reporters.

She said, "In the last three years, after the Yogi Adityanath government came to power in UP, several people were killed in the name of encounter. They do not allow people to lodge FIRs in Gujarat. How many advisories have they sent to these states?"



About the junior doctors' agitation, Banerjee said sometimes incidents of strike happen in a democracy.

BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said, "It is really shameful that the law and order situation has compeletely failed in the state. The advisory proves how the law and order situation has worsened in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee should immediately resign as home minister."



CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said it is due to of threat and intimidation of the TMC that the situation in Bengal has come to such a pass.

"It is due to Banerjee's of playing with fire that situation has worsened so much. Both the BJP and the TMC are equally responsible for this law and order situation," Chakraborty claimed.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, accused the BJP government at the Centre of "targeting Bengal" for political reasons.

"It is due to the goons of the BJP and the CPI(M) that there have been some incidents of violence. The BJP government at the Centre has taken a partisan approach towards Bengal. They are deliberately targeting Bengal for political reasons," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.

Pointing out the growing number of incidents of election-related and political violence and casualties during 2016-2019, the Centre said the "unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern".

The MHA said that according to reports it received, the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man was Saturday arrested in Palghar district of Maharashtra for allegedly abetting the suicide of an 18-year-old woman, whom he had promised to marry, police said.

The accused, Mahesh Bhaga (28), was arrested from Dhanivari village in Dahanu taluka.

"Bhaga, who is married and has three children, was in an illicit relationship with the victim. He had developed physical relationship with her on the promise of marriage. However, he later refused to marry her," police spokesperson Hemant Katkar said.

Disappointed, the woman ended her life by consuming poison at her house in Dhanivari village on May 8. A case of accidental death had been registered at that time.

"However, the victim's parents later lodged a complaint against Bhaga saying their daughter ended life due to him," Katkar said.

A case was registered against him under IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide) at Kasa police station on Friday night, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 30-year-old man on the run after allegedly killing a Thane woman over three years ago was Friday held from Kurla in Mumbai, a senior police official said.

Imtiaz Nannhe Khan is accused of strangling Khushbu Sachin Mishra (27) on March 20, 2016, Senior Inspector Madhukar Kad of Mumbra police station said.

"The two were in a relationship and Khan wanted the victim to divorce her husband and marry him. When she refused, he assaulted and choked her to death," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A man who posed as Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Narcotics Control Bureau to impress girls on social media has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marrying her in East Delhi's Mayur Vihar, police said Saturday.

The 26-year-old accused, Piyush Priya, is an MBA graduate and worked as a marketing manager at a flour factory in Noida, they said.

According to the police, the matter came to light after a 22-year-old woman approached police last week with a complaint that Priya posed as the ACP of Narcotics Control Bureau and befriended her on Facebook.

She alleged that the man established physical relationship with her on the pretext of marriage. The two had been knowing each other for over a month.

Subsequently, a case was registered and the accused, a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed from his rented flat at New Ashok Nagar on Friday.

"During interrogation, the accused told police that he used to impress girls on Facebook posing as ACP, Narcotics Control Bureau by using fake ID. He also confessed to establishing physical relation with the complainant on the pretext of marriage", a senior police officer said.

Several fake ID cards and stamps of ACP were also recovered from him, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The blasts detonated far from the bustling megacities of Asia, but the attack this week on two tankers in the strategic Strait of Hormuz hits at the heart of the region's oil import-dependent economies.

While the violence only directly jolted two countries in the region one of the targeted ships was operated by a Tokyo-based company, a nearby South Korean-operated vessel helped rescue sailors it will unnerve major economies throughout Asia.

Officials, analysts and media commentators on Friday hammered home the importance of the Strait of Hormuz for Asia, calling it a crucial lifeline, and there was deep interest in more details about the still-sketchy attack and what the United States and Iran would do in the aftermath.

In the end, whether Asia shrugs it off, as some analysts predict, or its economies shudder as a result, the attack highlights the widespread worries over an extreme reliance on a single strip of water for the oil that fuels much of the region's shared progress.

Here is a look at how Asia is handling rising tensions in a faraway but economically crucial area, compiled by AP reporters from around the world.

The oil, of course.

Japan, South Korea and China don't have enough of it; the Middle East does, and much of it flows through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.

This could make Asia vulnerable to supply disruptions from US-Iran tensions or violence in the strait.

The attack comes months after Iran threatened to shut down the strait to retaliate against US economic sanctions, which tightened in April when the Trump administration decided to end sanctions exemptions for the five biggest importers of Iranian oil, which included China and US allies South Korea and Japan.

Japan is the world's fourth-largest consumer of oil after the United States, China and India and relies on the Middle East for 80 per cent of its crude oil supply.

The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster led to a dramatic reduction in Japanese nuclear power generation and increased imports of natural gas, crude oil, fuel oil and coal.

In an effort to comply with Washington, Japan says it no longer imports oil from Iran.

Officials also say Japanese oil companies are abiding by the embargo because they don't want to be sanctioned. But Japan still gets oil from other Middle East nations using the Strait of Hormuz for transport.

South Korea, the world's fifth largest importer of crude oil, also depends on the Middle East for the vast majority of its supplies.

Last month, South Korea halted its Iranian oil imports as its waivers from US sanctions on Teheran expired, and it has reportedly tried to increase oil imports from other countries such as Qatar and the United States.

China, the world's largest importer of Iranian oil, "understands its growth model is vulnerable to a lack of energy sovereignty," according to market analyst Kyle Rodda of IG, an online trading provider, and has been working over the last several years to diversify its suppliers.

That includes looking to Southeast Asia and, increasingly, some oil-producing nations in Africa.

Asia and the Middle East are linked by a flow of oil, much of it coming by sea and dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, which is the passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Iran threatened to close the strait in April. It also appears poised to break a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, an accord that US President Donald Trump withdrew from last year.

The deal saw Tehran agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions.

For both Japan and South Korea, there is extreme political unease to go along with the economic worries stirred by the violence in the strait.

Both nations want to nurture their relationship with Washington, a major trading partner and military protector.

But they also need to keep their economies humming, which requires an easing of tension between Washington and Tehran.

Japan's conservative prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was in Tehran, looking to do just that, when the attack happened.

His limitations in settling the simmering animosity, however, were highlighted by both the timing of the attack and a comment by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who told Abe that he had nothing to say to Trump.

In Japan, the world's third largest economy, the tanker attack was front-page

The Nikkei newspaper, Japan's major business daily, said that if mines are planted in the Strait of Hormuz, "oil trade will be paralysed."



The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper called the Strait of Hormuz Japan's "lifeline."



Although the Japanese economy and industry minister has said there will be no immediate effect on stable energy supplies, the Tokyo Shimbun noted "a possibility that Japanese people's lives will be affected."South Korea, worried about Middle East instability, has worked to diversify its crude sources since the energy crises of the 1970s and 1980s.

Analysts said it's highly unlikely that Iran would follow through on its threat to close the strait.

That's because a closure could also disrupt Iran's exports to China, which has been working with Russia to build pipelines and other infrastructure that would transport oil and gas into China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Gurupreet Kaur, the six-year-old Indian girl whose body was found near a remote and deserted US-Mexico border died of heat stroke after her mother left her to go in search of water, US officials said Friday as they blamed people smugglers for the tragedy.

Kaur, who was a month shy of turning 7, was found by the US Border Patrol officials 27 kilometres west of Lukeville, Arizona on Wednesday, when temperature reached a high of 42 Celsius, the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner said.

Gregory Hess, Pima County Chief Medical Examiner, identified the girl as Gurupreet Kaur and said that her death was accidental and caused by hyperthermia, CNN reported.

However, Border Patrol blamed Kaur's death on people smugglers.

Kaur was travelling with four other persons and dropped near the border by human smugglers who ordered the group to cross in the dangerous and austere location.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents got the information after encountering two women from India, who explained how they came to the US and that three others, a woman and two children, got separated from them hours earlier, the agency said in a statement.

The agents took the two women into custody and began searching the area north of the international border in the remote terrain for the missing persons.

Agents used helicopters to search for the people she had been travelling with, and found footprints indicating they returned to Mexico.

After walking some way, the girl's mother and another woman went in search of water, leaving her daughter with another woman and her child.

"Once they went to look for water they never saw them again," said US Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavilbaso.

Hours later, they discovered the Kaur's body, it said.

"Our sympathies are with this little girl and her family," Tucson Chief Patrol Agent Roy Villareal said. "This is a senseless death driven by cartels who are profiting from putting lives at risk."



The CBP said Friday that the Border Patrol agents had also located "two missing Indian nationals" after they had crossed the border back into the US.

"The mother and her 8-year-old daughter were transported to a local hospital for treatment for dehydration," the CBP said in a statement.

The numbers of Indians crossing US borders from Mexico has steadily risen in recent years, according to immigration officials. They are among thousands of Africans and Asian migrants making the arduous journey, led by smuggling cartels.

Last year, more than 9,000 people from India were detained at US borders nationwide -- a big increase from the prior year, when that number was about 3,100. A decade ago, in 2009, that number was 204.

US President Donald Trump has been promising for more than two years to build a long, impenetrable wall along the border to stop illegal immigration, though Congress has been reluctant to provide the money he needs. In the meantime, he has repeatedly threatened to close the border.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said on Saturday that a massive mandate to the Narendra Modi government for a second term proved the country's growing faith in his vision and leadership.

"People paid no heed to what different political parties said about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and rose above narrow considerations of caste and religion to reassert their faith in his vision and leadership," Nishank said at his first press conference here after assuming office.

He said the Lok Sabha poll verdict this time was a proof of the Congress' total emaciation as the party could not even open its account in 18 states.

Nishank said the BJP is growing steadily under the leadership of Modi and so is the country.

He said under Modi, the country's international prestige has grown like never before with its stock on forums like the UN on the rise.

The HRD minister said Modi had honoured entire Uttarakhand by giving him an important ministerial responsibility and he will try his best to rise to his expectations.

"I am a small member of the team the Prime Minister has chosen to implement his vision of a new India with the focus on the man standing on the lowest step of the social ladder," he said.

He said he was new to his ministry but will meet the press again after achieving his target set for the first 100 days in office.

The HRD minister also invited suggestions from the media for the new education policy, saying constructive support from journalists was always welcome.

"Journalists have more analytical powers than people normally have and their suggestions for improvement on anything, including the new education policy, are welcome. I would always look forward to getting their positive support," he said.

Nishank, who was re-elected from Haridwar in the general election, also visited Kedarnath and Badrinath on Saturday morning to pay obeisance at the Himalayan shrines before he arrived at the state party office here to a resounding welcome by party workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Thousands of people belonging to the ethnic Newar community staged anti-government protests on Saturday, demanding withdrawal of a



controversial bill, which they say has provisions in favour of land mafias and could jeopardise Sanatan Hindu culture and tradition.

Around 10,000 people from Newar community rallied in the major parts of the city Saturday morning raising slogans against the Oli government demanding that the government withdraw the Guthi bill from the Parliament.

The K P Sharma Oli-led Communist Party government has tabled the bill in Parliament to amend the Guthi Act and nationalise both public and private guthis and regulate all religious sites under a powerful commission.

Guthis are socio-economic institutions (trusts), both public and private, that fund their obligations from incomes from cultivated or leased land assets. Depending on their obligations, guthis fulfil religious, public service or social roles and could either involve members from a common lineage, or several.

"Don't destroy heritage," "scrap Guthi Bill", "Our culture our identity", "down with KP Oli government," "stop invasion of Sanatana Dharma", read the placards the protestors carried during the rally.

"Our Sanatan Dharma and culture could be jeopardised if the Bill, tabled by the Communist Party led government in Parliament, gets endorsed," said Pavitra Bajracharya a Newar activist and central member of Federal Socialist Party Nepal, which is also part of the ruling coalition.

The aim of the bill is to snatch the public and private land allocated for cultural trusts and distribute to others encroaching our age cultural heritages, he said.

Thousands of people also organised torch lit rallies in neighbouring Lalitpur and Bhaktaur districts Friday night to oppose the government's move to endorse the Bill that would destroy centuries old Sanatan culture.

The organisers of the protest warn of intensified protest on Wednesday in all the three cities of Kathmandu valley if the proposed bill has not been withdrawn.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Patrick Youssef, International Red Cross Archives

The Deputy African Regional Director of the International Red Cross says theres a need for immediate response to the suffering masses in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon.

Patrick Youssef was talking during a press briefing in Douala, Littoral region, on the activities of the International Red Cross in the Anglophone regions, after he concluded a one week visit to Buea and Mutengene, South West region.

He announced that his visit to Cameroon was to better understand the humanitarian crisis, rising violence in the affected regions and help the people to be open to all humanitarian aid, be it from government or private bodies.

To Mr. Youssef, the situation in the North West and South West remain preoccupying. He revealed the Red Cross was ready to intervene and champion the humanitarian dialogue in the crisis, so that solutions to the affected masses can be provided.

He stressed on the fact that his institution was more concerned about the humanitarian aspect of the war than the political, reasons why they insist to intervene only on humanitarian issues.

The International Red Cross by mid-December 2018, had assisted some 460 displaced families in Mutengene and by May 2019, had extended its largess to 120 other displaced families in Ekona, still in the South West region.

He expressed worry that they are unable to reach to those affected, bow seeking refuge in the forests, who have no access to food and other basic needs. Mr. Youssef is certain that if all both factions involved in the war, understand the need to reach out to concerned persons(who never wanted a war in the first place), through a humanitarian dialogue, then part of the problem of this crisis would be solved.A Chinese government's proposal of covering salaries of teachers in Nepal who teach Mandarin have prompted many private schools in the Himalayan kingdom to make it mandatory for students to learn the language, according to a media report.

The move came at a time when the Chinese involvement in Nepal is surging, largely on the back of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a project boycotted by India as it comprises the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Many schools across Nepal have made it mandatory for students to learn Chinese lured by the Chinese government's offer to cover salaries of teachers who teach Mandarin, the Himalayan Times reported.

However, as per the guidelines laid down by the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC), a government body which designs school-level academic curriculum, schools in Nepal are allowed to teach foreign languages, but they cannot make those subjects mandatory for students.

The schools were aware of the provision, but they overlooked it as they are getting Mandarin teachers for free, the report said.

Also, as per the CDC rules, schools are not allowed to teach any foreign language within school hours, but none of the schools has obliged despite being aware of the provision, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Saturday said that NITI Aayog has not "played the much expected role of a facilitator" in the last four years and perhaps was not a substitute for the erstwhile Planning Commission.

Vijayan,in his speech at the 5th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog here, said that after doing away with the plans at the national level, states have lost the Gadgil formula, grants which they used to get asplan assistance earlier.

Besides, states now have also to bear a higher share -- 40 per cent --instead of the earlier average 25 per cent in many centrally sponsored schemes, resulting in shrinking the State governments' fiscal space, he said.

He said transformation of the Planning Commission to NITI Aayog has adversely affected states like Kerala, which had lost a source of funding forits Five Year Plans.

"I hope that my colleague Chief Ministers would agree with me that NITI Aayog in the present form has not played the much expected role of a facilitator in the last four years.

There is growing realisation that it is perhaps not a substitute for the erstwhile Planning Commission," he said.

Vijayan said Kerala wascontinuing with the Five Year Plans and implementing many development programmesthrough its Thirteenth Five Year Plan.

He said the centre has recently been spending onsubjects in the State List, resulting incentralisation in design of welfare schemes,which by economic reasoning, could be effectivelydone by governments at the State and locallevel.

"For astrong nation, a strong Centre, strong states and vibrant local governments are essential pre-requisites."



He said the foremost aim to fulfill people's aspirations was decentralisationof power to them as mandated in constitutional amendments.

Vijayan said "incursions" into areas of legislative competence of state governments enshrined in the Constitution would weaken the federal system and make cooperative federalism lose its content, as well as its spirit.

Vijayan opposed the move for Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee(APMC) Actand said the "exploitative conditions"will worsen in all probability.

He said states have their own legislation on reforming agricultural producemarketing as it's an item in the State List of theSeventh Schedule of the Constitution.

He said Kerala has noAPMC Act and the focus of the draft model act was on bringing incorporate farming and putting farmers in directcontact with corporate trading entities,with theexpectation that their income standards would improve.

"In a society with highly unequal bargainingpowers and monopoly power, these corporateentities would have the exploitative conditionswill worsen in all probability.

Our State hasdemonstrated that through peoples' participation,intervention of the cooperative movement and thegovernment, procurement of agricultural produceat fair prices is possible.

We have taken effectivesteps in paddy procurement by ensuringremunerative prices for farmers," Vijayan said.

On Left Wing Extremism (LWE),he said the security appartus needs to be vigilant and curbany kind of extremism and terrorism threateningthe peace and security of common people.

"Regarding left wing extremism, it is our statedposition that attention and focus has to be on thealleviation of conditions of deprivation andmarginalisation in society.

At the same time,the security apparatus needs to be vigilant and curbany kind of extremism and terrorism threateningthe peace and security of common people.

Government of Kerala is addressing these twinconcerns with equal importance," Vijayan said.

He said the Kerala government felt states should be able to perform theirconstitutionally assigned developmental roleeffectively.

"Kerala has the recent experience of not being ableto avail of assistance after the devastating floodsof 2018 because of the rigid fiscal constraintsbeing followed without the needed flexibility.

Thegravity of this can be realised only whenconsidered against the fact that the State suffereddamage amounting to Rs 31,000 crore, which isapproximately 4 per cent of its Gross StateDomestic Product," He said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The district authorities have imposed a penalty of Rs 8.30 lakh on 17 private schools for charging excessive fees from students, officials said Saturday.

The maximum penalty of Rs 1 lakh was imposed on Jagran Public School, Noida, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said in a statement.

Rs 75,000 penalty was imposed on eight schools: CLM Public School, Gagan Public School, Greater Heights Public School, Dharm Public School (all four in Greater Noida), Grads International School, Shri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir, Karl Huber (all three in Noida) and SD Public School in Bhangel, it said.

"Altogether a penalty of Rs 8.30 lakh was imposed on 17 schools following a decision of the District Fees Regulatory Committee under provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Fees Regulation Act for SelfFinanced Schools 2018," it said.

Vishwa Bharti Public School in Noida have been asked to pay a penalty of Rs 50,000, while Ramagya Public School Rs 20,000, the administration said.

Six schools Rockwood, G D Goenka, Modern Public School, Acent International, APJ International and Ryan International were penalised Rs 10,000 each, it added.

Amid complaints of excessive fees in private schools by thousands of parents and guardians of children, the Uttar Pradesh government had in September 2018 asked all districts to set up a fees regulatory committee to take cognisance of such matters.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The impasse in West Bengal showed signs of easing as agitating doctors said Saturday night that they were open for talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to end their stir, but they would decide on the venue of the meeting later.

They had earlier in the evening turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat and had instead asked her to visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse.

Late on Saturday night, the joint forum of junior doctors held a press conference their meeting.

"We are open for dialogue always. If the chief minister extends one hand we will extend 10 of ours... we are eagerly waiting to break the deadlock," the spokesperson said.

The agitating doctors said they would wait for their governing body to decide on the proposed venue for the meeting.

The agitating doctors had also turned down Banerjee's request saying there was no honest effort on her part to break the deadlock.

"We are eagerly waiting to start our duty, but from the chief minister's side there is no such honest initiative to find a solution (of the ongoing problem)," he had said earlier in the night.

The agitating junior doctors also rubbished her claims that a few of their colleagues visited her at the state secretariat.

Banerjee, during a press conference at the state secretariat, had urged the agitators to resume work and said her government has accepted all their demands.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an advisory seeking a report on the stir. But she reacted sharply to it and said such advisory should be "sent to states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat where several murders are reported since the last couple of years".

Bengal Governor K N Tripathi wrote to Banerjee advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the medicos and find out a solution to the impasse. Banerjee later said that she has spoken to the governor and apprised him about the steps taken by the state government to resolve the impasse.

She also said her government has not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) even after five days of the strike by the junior doctors.

"We have the laws, but we do not want to use them... We are not going to take any stringent action against any of the agitating junior doctors and hamper their career," she told a conference after the agitators did not turn up for a meeting at 5 pm.

The strike began on Monday night when two junior doctors of NRS hospital were injured in an attack by relatives of a patient, who died.

Banerjee said, on Friday, she "waited for the junior doctors for five hours. And today, I cancelled all my programmes for them. You must show some respect to the constitutional body".

On the mass resignation of the doctors across the state, she said it was not legally tenable.

"If the junior doctors think I am incapable, they can always talk to the governor or the chief secretary... or the commissioner of police," she said.

Earlier, Banerjee, while addressing the press at the state secretariat, left it midway, claiming that a few junior doctors have appeared there in order to meet her.

In its advisory, the MHA said it has received a number of representations from doctors, healthcare professionals and medical associations from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the strike in West Bengal.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked states to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence in the wake Bengal assault on junior doctors.

Patients in Delhi faced hardships for the second consecutive day as protest by doctors, in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata, spread to several government hospitals, which could not join a nationwide stir on June 14.

The opposition BJP, CPI-M and Congress in Bengal lashed out at Banerjee "for not being serious in resolving the impasses over doctor's strike" and asked her to resolve the crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pakistan will hold talks with India on the "basis of equality" and in a "dignified manner", and it is up to New Delhi whether to engage with Islamabad to resolve all outstanding issues, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.

Qureshi, who was in the Kyrgyz capital to attend the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, said this while confirming exchange of plesantaries between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi here on Friday on the sidelines of the multilateral meeting.

"Yes, the meeting did take place, there was a handshake and exchange of pleasantries," Qureshi told Geo

He accused the Indian government of being in the "election mindset" to keep their "vote bank intact".

"Pakistan has said what it had to," Qureshi said.

"So India has to make this decision, we are neither in haste, nor troubled. When India prepares itself, it would find us prepared, but we will hold talks on the basis of equality, in a dignified manner.

"Neither we need to run after anyone, nor we need to demonstrate stubbornness. Pakistan's approach is very realistic and well thought-out," Qureshi said when asked to comment on demand by some people that Pakistan should not repeatedly invite India for talks.

He said India had to make a decision whether to hold bilateral talks with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues, and that Pakistan sought the dialogue to be based on equality.

"India has not come out of its election mindset and the extreme position they had taken to influence their constituency and to keep their vote bank intact. It is still confined in that," Qureshi said.

The exchange of pleasantries between Khan and Modi came over two weeks after Khan and Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts, pushing for restarting the bilateral talks.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.

Khan had also made a telephone call to Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries.

On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was later handed over to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Bihar government on Saturday said all schools in the city will remain closed till June 19 in view of the prevailing weather condition.

Patna district magistrate Kumar Ravi said all government and private schools of Patna will remain shut till June 19, due to persisting heatwave-like condition for the past several days, an official release said.

A number of private schools were scheduled to open in the week starting June 17 after the summer vacation.

This is the second time the district administration has extended suspension of academic activities in schools due to the weather.

Earlier on June 9, the DM had ordered closure of schools till June 16.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to heads of all village panchayats in the country urging them to conserve rain water and make it a people's movement.

In a letter to sarpanchs (village council heads), he urged them to either construct or repair water bodies in their areas to conserve rain water.

"The monsoon season is around the corner. We are fortunate that God has blessed our country with adequate rainwater. But it is our duty to respect this gift from nature... As soon as the monsoon begins, we have to make arrangements to conserve as much rainwater as possible," Modi wrote last week.

He urged them to join hands to build check dams and embankments along rivers and streams, clean up ponds for storage of dam water.

"If we are able to do this, then not only will the crop yield increase, but we will also have a large reserve of water, which we will be able to utilise for many purposes," the prime minister wrote in the letter.

He asked the sarpanchs to convene a meeting and read out his letter to the people.

"Just as you made Swachhata (cleanliness drive) a successful mass movement by making cleanliness a people's movement, I urge you to also lead this water conservation campaign and make it a people's movement as well," Modi said.

The prime minister urged them to make the "impossible possible and contribute to the creation of a New India".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Striking junior doctors turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation for a meeting at the state secretariat, which was called to resolve the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital here, has sought unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government in order to withdraw the stir.

"We are not going to the secretariat upon the invitation of the chief minister for the meeting. She will have to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for the comments she made during her visit to the SSKM Hospital on Thursday," Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, told PTI.

"If she can go to the SSKM she can also come to the NRS... or else this agitation will go on," he said.

Banerjee, who visited the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday amid slogans of "we want justice", had contended that outsiders were creating disturbances in the medical colleges and the ongoing agitation is a conspiracy by the CPI(M) and the BJP.

On Friday night, the agitating junior doctors declined to attend a meeting called by Banerjee at the state secretariat, saying it was a ploy to break their stir.

After the protesting doctors did not turn up on Friday night, Banerjee asked the students to come to Nabanna, the state secretariat, at 5pm on Saturday, senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee along with other senior doctors, who were not part of the agitation, met Banerjee on Friday.

They held a two-hour-long meeting with the chief minister at the secretariat to find a solution to the ongoing problem.

Notably, over 300 senior doctors across various state-run medical college and hospitals resigned from their services in solidarity with their agitating colleagues.

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi last evening invited Banerjee to Raj Bhawan for a meeting to resolve the crisis. Banerjee, however, did not respond.

"I tried to contact the chief minister. I called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me up, we will discuss the matter," the governor told reporters after visiting Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, the doctor who was assaulted, at a hospital on Friday night.

Meanwhile, resident doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi have given a 48-hour ultimatum to Banerjee to meet the demands of the agitating doctors, failing which they said they would go on an indefinite strike.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support in upgrading the state's water distribution infrastructure and requested setting up of a fresh tribunal on river water disputes among neighbouring states.

At the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting here, Singh, who could not attend it due to ill-health and was represented by Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, also called for greater interstate cooperation to effectively tackle cross-border crimes.

Singh demanded in his speech, which was circulated among those present at the meeting, bolstering the deployment of paramilitary forces along the border as well as a special package for upgrading the police force in the border areas, where it forms the second line of defence.

He also called upon the PM to provide a onetime debt waiver to mitigate the distress of indebted farmers and establish a fresh tribunal to resolve disputes among states on river waters.

He urged the Centre to increase the annual assistance under the PM-KISAN scheme from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 per annum and also include farm workers in its ambit. He also thanked the NITI Aayog for acknowledging his state's "Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao" (save water, earn money) initiative.

The CM raised the issue related to assistance for proper development of the state's border areas which he said was a national responsibility.

He regretted that the Centre had not taken any action on the state's demand for a special package for border areas, raised in the last two meetings.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the PM, Singh said that Punjab was witnessing an alarming degree of over-utilization of ground water mainly due to the extensive cultivation of paddy which supports national food security.

He pointed to the estimates of the Central Ground Water Authority that utilisation of underground water in Punjab has risen to an alarming level of 168 per cent of the recharge.

Further, the canal irrigation system in Punjab, which forms the bedrock of the state's agriculture, was showing signs of ageing, indicated by the reduced water carrying capacity and longer maintenance periods, he added.

To mitigate an imminent water crisis, the state government, he said was taking several measures to reduce consumption, increase conservation, improve utilization efficiency, and improve water distribution infrastructure.

Several schemes had been framed by the state government and presented to the Centre for assistance amounting to Rs 20,758 crores, he said.

The CM urged the government to provide maximum possible funding for all these projects beginning with the current financial year 2019-20.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Police on Saturday intensified combing operation to trace notorious dacoit Jagan Gurjar and his accomplices after they allegedly beat two women and tore their clothes in Rajasthan's Dholpur district, a senior police official said.

Nearly 500 policemen, including three companies of RAC and one Emergency Response Team (ERT), were deployed in Daang area of the district, Bharatpur IGP Bhupendra Sahu told PTI.

"Some senior police officials who have worked in the area are also leading the operation," he said.

Sahu said that a brief exchange of fire took place between police officials and two other wanted dacoits -- Ramvilas Gurjar and Bharat Gurjar -- on Friday night during the combing operation in search for Jagan Gurjar.

On June 12, Jagan Gurjar and three of his men barged into the house of a villager and beat his wife and niece.

According to an FIR registered in the case, Jagan Gurjar, Ravi and two others beat up and tore the cloths of his wife and niece. The victims were admitted to a hospital.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the State Human Rights Commission had also issued a notice seeking a detailed report from the Dholpur Superintendent of Police by July 16.

Some media reports claimed the women were paraded naked but the police did not confirm this.

The FIR was registered under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)GICAM workshop on security and health at work place CIN

Cameroon Business cartel, GICAM , in collaboration with the International Work Office (known as BIT) is currently sensitising its members at a two day workshop on new strategies of promoting and implementing security and good health practices at the work place.

The initiative which began this Thursday June 13, at the structures headquarters in Bonanjo Douala, falls in line with objectives of the International Labour Organisation, which insists on promoting decent work at job sites.

According to organisers, statistics show that most companies with better security and health measures implemented at the work place, are successful and last long.

The security measures and health (which involves the fight against HIV/AIDS in the workplace is expected to improve productivity, reduce absences, reduce unforeseen circumstances amongst other advantages.

Talking on behalf of GICAM, the Vice Secretary, Kouete Vincent said it was important for companies to know the stakes and act on it with no waste of time.

 We are here to present to firms, health and security at the job site, the new tools elaborated by the Ministry of Labour and the International Labour Office, which will help to improve their capacity in tackling future health and security issues, said Mr. Kouete

A facilitator, Medical Doctor and Specialist in occupational health safety, Dr. Joseph Dieboue, dwelled more on the tools.

 One of the tools is for labour inspectors, the aim of this tool is to reinforce their labour capacity in occupational safety to help carry out inspection in their companies.

The second tool is for occupational safety and health committee in the companies. To improve working conditions, he said.

Following 2016 statistics from the National Insurance Fund on occupational health and safety, more than 2200 industrial accidents within companies were recorded and these companies lost more than FCFA 3.5 Billion on compensations.Southern Mizoram's Lawngtlai district administration Saturday deferred the proposed repatriation of over 200 refugees to Myanmar on 'humanitarian ground', an official said.

A team of officials, policemen, NGO leaders and Assam Rifles authorities went to Hmawngbuchhuah village and intended to repatriate the refugees numbering 219 people belonging to 54 families to Myanmar.

The repatriation process was postponed due to rainfall as also fresh identification process was being undertaken during the visit, the official said.

"We would have to make another arrangement at another time to push them back," the official said, adding that using force would not be advisable as all of them were poor people and not involved in any illegal activities.

Over 1,700 refugees from Paletwa and surrounding villages in Myanmar fled the country during the later part of November in 2017, entered Mizoram and took shelter in four villages in Lawngtlai district along the Myanmar border areas due to armed conflict between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army (AA) militants.

While majority of the refugees have returned to their homeland after the Myanmar Army sanitized the area, some of them refused to go back and settled down by constructing houses and taking up livelihood.

The remaining refugees claimed that though their villages were now peaceful but it would be difficult for them to earn livelihood.

The refugees mainly belonged to the Rakhine community and the local populace called them 'Zakhai'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A day after a gang of robbers shot dead an employee of a gold finance firm in the city during a failed robbery bid, police have found three motorcycles abandoned near here, which they believe were used in the crime.

Police have formed ten teams to trace the unidentified accused, an official said on Saturday.

"Three motorcycles were found abandoned near Ramshej fort at Ashewadi, around 10 kms from Nashik, this morning. The vehicles are suspected to have been used by the robbers," an official of Ambad police station said.

Sajju Samuel (32), who hails from Kerala, was shot dead by the gang of five robbers in the office of Muthoot Finance in Untwadi locality of the city around 11.30 am on Friday. Two of his colleagues were injured in the attack, police said.

Although the robbers wanted to loot cash from the office, they had developed cold feet after one of the employees of the firm switched on the siren. After that they shot Samuel dead and fled from the spot without taking away any cash or valuables, police said.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters on Saturday, Dr Anand Pawar, medical officer of Nashik Civil Hospital, said that during the post-mortem of Samuel, five bullets were recovered from his body.

The condition of the two injured is improving, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Seven persons, including four sanitation workers, died on Saturday after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning sewer of a hotel in Vadodara district of Gujarat, officials said.

The incident happened shortly after midnight at Darshan Hotel in Fartikui village of Dabhoi tehsil, around 30 kms from Vadodara city, police said.

Three employees of the hotel were also among those killed.

"The sanitation workers had been roped in to clean the sewer. When one worker failed to come out of the manhole, others went inside to check, but all of them died of asphyxiation," in-charge district collector Kiran Zaveri told PTI.

"We rushed to the site soon after learning about the incident and teams of the fire brigade from Vadodara Municipal Corporation and Dabhoi civic body launched rescue work. They took out the bodies of the deceased after three hours of efforts," he added.

After the post-mortem, the bodies were handed over to the kin of the deceased.

The owner of the hotel, Hassan Abbas Ismail Boraniya, is absconding.

Talking to PTI, BJP MLA Shailesh Mehta, who represents the Dabhoi Assembly constituency, said the four sanitation workers were from the nearby Thuvavi village and they were hired to clean the sewer lines.

He added that the incident shows sheer disregard for the safety of the workers.

Police said the incident took place around 12.30 am.

Due to inhalation of toxic fumes inside the manhole, the workers fell unconscious and died, police said.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

In a statement, the government said that it has directed the police to take strict action against the hotel owner.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by her father's acquaintance here following which he was arrested on Saturday, police said.

On Friday, Vinod Rai, 55, saw the girl and her 12-year-old sister playing in their house, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sunil Gupta said.

He told them that their father was calling them and the older girl sent her sister with him, Gupta said.

On Friday night, the Sikriganj Police was informed via the Dial-100 helpline that the girl had been abducted by Rai on a motorcycle, the official said.

The police arrested him and during interrogation he told them that he had dumped the girl's body in a mango orchard in his village.

Her body was recovered by the police, they said.

Rai was booked on charges of kidnapping, rape, murder and under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, the SSP said.

He has three children, including two daughter who are married. He was alone at home on the day of the incident as his wife and 19-year-old son were on a visit to Mumbai, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Minister R K Singh Saturday assured international community that India will achieve the target set under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to reduce emissions, saying that the country "is moving towards those goals".

India had committed to reduce its emissions by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels under the Paris agreement (COP21).

"India is implementing one of the largest Renewable Energy expansion programs, Energy Efficiency programmes and moving towards the achievement of our target to fulfill our commitment made in Paris Agreement on Climate Change," Singh said while making interventions at the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global for Sustainable Growth, being held in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on June 15-16.

The power and new & renewable energy minister highlighted the path breaking achievements in household electrification and providing energy access to all in India.

The minister also mentioned about the progressive steps towards the achievement of the target to fulfill commitment made in Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

He also expressed confidence that India will achieve 40 per cent renewable in energy mix by 2030. In addition to this, Singh mentioned various energy efficiency programmes such as through PAT, UJALA, Standard & Labelling, ECBC etc and reiterated the country's commitment for greener and healthier planet.

The minister said that India is achieving one of the largest expansion of renewable energy in the world, and it has become a net exporter of power in past five years.

He also talked about India's achievements in Transmission systems - One Nation One Grid, Green Energy Corridors etc.

India's achievements in power and renewable sectors received appreciation at the ministerial meet.

On the sidelines of the meet, Singh had bilateral meeting with IEA ED Fatih Birol and discussed cooperation between India and IEA.

Singh also had bilateral meeting with Therese Coffey, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK and discussed various areas of cooperation between the two countries related to energy and

The minister also held bilateral meeting with Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Economy, Trade & Industry, Japan.

He also met with Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Anton Inyutsin.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A woman and her paramour have been arrested for allegedly hiring killers for Rs 7,000 to murder her husband at the couple's accommodation in South Avenue here, police said Saturday.

A juvenile has also been held for the murder of 52-year-old Suresh Kumar whose throat was slit when he was alone at his home on June 7. However, his accomplice, identified as Aman, is absconding since the incident.

Kumar's wife Anju and Shivam Thakur (21) have been arrested. Aman was Thakur's friend and allegedly hired for killing Kumar.

The couple stayed at the servant quarters of MPs' flats in South Avenue.

According to police, Kumar did not share good relations with his wife, who was 16 years younger to him, and indulged in gambling.

On the night of the incident, one of the residents had seen two masked men fleeing from the area.

During investigation, the police learnt that Anju used to often visit her family and friends in Meerut without her husband. This raised suspicion about her involvement and the police zeroed in on Thakur, her relative and paramour, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma said.

Thakur was nabbed from a relative's house in north Delhi's Burari, he said.

Interrogation revealed that Thakur had developed closeness with Anju, who is related to him.

"Anju disclosed that she was not happy with her conjugal life. Her husband indulged in gambling at home and several people came to her house, to which she objected. He forced her to make tea and food for them at odd hours," the officer added.

A month before the incident, Anju had even consumed poison after a tiff with her husband. When Thakur asked her the reason, she insisted that either she or her husband should die. So, Thakur along with Anju hatched a conspiracy to kill Suresh, the DCP said.

Thakur involved his friend Aman, a resident of Meerut, who agreed and asked for money. Anju promised to pay him Rs 7,000 for the crime, he said.

Aman and his juvenile accomplice, left for Delhi. Suresh Kumar was sleeping alone at his home when the juvenile and Aman allegedly slit his throat, Verma said. Kumar's wife had claimed that she and her children were out for a walk at Teen Murti Marg when it happened.

Thakur was employed at a medical store in Meerut while Anju was working as a domestic help in MPs' flats at South Avenue, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 23-year-old Spanish woman was allegedly raped in DLF phase 1 here by a man who befriended her on social media, police said on Saturday.

The woman reached Guragon from Spain a couple of weeks ago to get internship with a multinational company. She was looking for a rented accommodation and had shared a post on Facebook in this regard.

The accused, Ajanya Nath, a resident of Anand Vihar in Delhi contacted her over Facebook and offered assistance in finding a rented flat.

Nath befriended her on the social media and invited the woman to a dinner party at a rented flat in DLF phase 3 on June 14, said Subhash Bokan, PRO of Gurgaon police.

"When she reached at the flat, Nath allegedly raped her. The woman reached civil hospital. When she was questioned by doctors, she narrated her ordeal. The civil hospital doctors informed Gurgaon police about the incident," Bokan said.

Sensing the gravity of the matter, a police team immediately scanned Facebook profile and mobile phone of the woman using which it gathered some clue including the name and address of the accused.

Subsequently, a raid was conducted at his home and he was nabbed, Bokan said.

The accused was booked under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to rape and criminal conspiracy, Bokan added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Odisha Assembly Speaker S N Patro has convened an all-party meeting on June 24, a day before the commencement of the first session of the 16th state Legislative Assembly.

The first session of the Assembly will start from June 25 and continue till August first week during which Finance minister Iranian Polari will present to annual budget on June 28.

This is for the first time that an all-party meeting will be held before the Assembly session in Odessa. The meeting is being held for smooth conduct of the House, Patrol said.

The speaker said the meeting will also discuss how to devote more time for debates on issues concerning the interest of the state.

The all-party meeting ahead of the assembly session is significant in view of the fact that number of sitting days are washed out in earlier sessions due to noisy scenes created by the opposition members over different issues.

Apart from other matters, the meeting will deliberate on issues to be taken up for discussion during the session. Generally such a meeting was earlier held whenever there was disruption in the proceedings of the House to bring back normalcy.

The new Assembly has 111 members from BJD, followed by 23 BJP MLAs and nine MLAs from Congress. CPI(M) and Independent has one member each.

Senior Congress leader and former Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra thanked the Speaker for convening an all-party meeting before the Assembly session.

Senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra also welcomed the decision.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sri Lanka has released 18 Indian fishermen arrested for illegally fishing in the Sri Lankan waters, an official said on Saturday.

The fishermen, who were held off the coast of Point Pedro two months ago by the Sri Lankan Navy, were freed by a court here on Friday.

"They are now to be handed over to the immigration officials for repatriation to India," the official said.

Illegal fishing by Indians in the Sri Lankan waters have been a recurring problem and has figured at high level talks between the two neighbours.

However, the Navy says there has been a marked decrease in the number of cases compared to a few years ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Jean-Paul Simo Njonou, SONARA GM SONARA

The General Manager of the National Refining Company, SONARA, Jean Paul Simo Njonou has assured workers that they will be paid in full at the end of each month despite the May 31 fire incident that brought down four out of the 13 production units at the facility.

He was speaking during a meeting with staff of the company days after the the fire incident. He told them of Governments determination not to send off any staff on a temporal leave as a result of the fire outbreak, insisting that they will all receive their pay as when due.

I have brought to you words of encouragement and comfort from the Government following the unprecedented disaster that our Refinery has witnessed since its creation, the GM said, promising that Office space shall be made available for those whose offices have suffered damages, so they can continue to do their work.

The General Manager added that: We must work together, and together we shall come out of this crisis. Following the High Instructions of the Head of State, the Prime Minister, Head of Government, announced to us that there will be no technical leave. In addition, the staff will receive their full monthly pay package. Let's be more vigilant, avoid spreading false information. Above all, let's be serene.

This reassurance has, thus, boosted the workers' morale and it is expected as they re-engage work, things will run on smoothly.

Meantime, following the Governments recommendations, SONARA, as was evident by the many tankers that were anchored at the loading terminal on Tuesday, June 11, shall continue to supply the Southwest, West and Northwest Regions with finished petroleum products such as super, diesel, kerosene and others.

In a drive to better inform the public following the incident and on what goes on at the Refinery, SONARA, thanks to their GM, has created a WhatsApp group christened, Our SONARA.

A release to this effect states that this group has been created with the aim of communicating useful information related to the crisis and others SONARA is committed to mobilising energies around a common ideal, the Success of SONARA which has been the backbone to fuel the ambitions of the Cameroon economy.

The platform will also help to clarify doubts in the minds of the public, especially on any false notions or information that must have been propagated on some other media or platform.

On this platform, we urge everyone to avoid generalisations, rumours and rather promote objectivity, states the release.

Meantime, the Prime Minister had decreed a commission of inquiry to determine the real cause of the fire incident and the results are expected by July 10.West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi Saturday wrote to Chief Minister advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to medicos and find out a solution to the impasse rising out of junior doctors' agitation across the state.

Banerjee later said that she has spoken to the governor and appraised him about the steps taken by the state government to resolve the impasse in hospitals.

Tripathi advised her to take the doctors into confidence about the arrangements of their security as well as the progress of investigation into the incidents of assault on them.

It will help create a suitable atmosphere and "enable the doctors to resume their duties", the governor's letter read.

Tripathi had on Friday said that he tried to contact the chief minister to discuss the issue of junior doctors' agitation but got no response from her.Terrorism poses the "gravest threat" to the people in Asia and terrorists and their victims must never be equated, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Saturday.

Addressing the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit in the Tajik capital, Jaishankar said that the CICA members are the victims of terrorism.

"Terrorism is the gravest threat we face in Asia. CICA members are its victims and so it should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated," he tweeted.

His statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, lashed out at countries "sponsoring, aiding and funding" terrorism and said that such states must be held accountable, in a veiled reference to Pakistan.

The CICA is a pan-Asia forum for enhancing cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

Ahead of the Summit, Jaishankar was welcomed by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

"An important Central Asian partner. EAM @DrSJaishankar welcomed by President of Tajikistan @EmomaliRahmon at the start of the #CICA2019 summit. CICA leaders will discuss collective strategies to deal with challenges facing the Asian continent," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

Jaishankar said India supports a peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.

"All initiatives and processes must include all sections of Afghan society, including the legitimately elected government," he said.

Globalisation is under stress due to new geo-political and geo-economic faultlines. India supports a rule based order, he said.

"The India-Central Asia 5 dialogue format is big positive for cooperation and stability across regions.

"India's vision of the Indo-Pacific is rooted in SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and in sync with CICA's goals," Jaishankar added.

The new External Affairs Minister arrived here on Friday for the 5th CICA Summit.

The theme of the summit is "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region".

The Summit will adopt a declaration covering issues of cooperation within CICA.

During the Summit, the CICA leaders are likely to deliberate on the existing and emerging issues of common concern and underline implementation of confidence building measures for developing Asia into a prosperous, secure and peaceful region.

India is a member of the CICA since its inception and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had participated in the first CICA Summit held in 2002 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

India has been actively participating in various activities conducted under the aegis of CICA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A month after the body of a woman was found stuffed in a bag in outer Delhi's Paschim Vihar, three persons, including her live-in-partner, have been arrested, police said on Saturday.

The woman's live-in partner Nikhil Singh and his brother Varun and mother Geeta Devi were also nabbed for their alleged involvement in the murder case, they said.

According to the police, a body was found floating in the drain in Jwala Puri on May 16. When a police team reached the spot, it found the body of a woman stuffed in a red trolley bag floating in the drain.

The woman was later identified as Sarita.

The police team identified the accused Nikhil, Varun and Geeta Devi and apprehended the three, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Seju Kuruvilla said.

During interrogation, the accused told police that Sarita was already married and had a three-year-old daughter. Sarita allegedly met the accused about six months ago, fell in love and the two started living together in Sultanpuri, the officer said.

Later, they separated from Nikhil's family and started living in Nihal Vihar and on the night of May 14, an argument ensued between the couple after which Nikhil strangled Sarita to death, the officer added.

He called his brother Varun and mother Geeta Devi and the three packed the body in a bag after which they threw it in the drain, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Three Indian labourers were killed and three others injured when a part of an under-construction building of a cement factory collapsed in Nepal's Dang district on Saturday, said a media report.

The incident happened when the labourers were working to set up the sixth floor of a building belonging to Samrat Cement factory , My Republica reported.

"The deceased have been identified as Saheb Bodra, Dayal Haren and Mangal Kashyap," the general manager of the factory was quoted as saying in the report.

In the same incident, three more Indian labourers were injured and have been undergoing treatment at a Bhairahawa-based hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Saturday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence here and sought his support for various state-specific projects.

Palaniswami, during the brief interaction, also presented him a memorandum on various development projects.

Later, the chief minister took part in the fifth governing council meeting of NITI Aayog here.

"The Tamil Nadu government, working on the lines of my revered leader Amma (former chief minister J Jayalalithaa), is pushing forward her vision of a developed Tamil Nadu and I request the prime minister to support us by providing sufficient funds (for the developmental schemes)," Palaniswami said in his address.

The schemes for which he sought financial assistance from the Centre included rejuvenation of water bodies in Tamil Nadu, setting up of rainwater harvesting structures, besides seeking linking of Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh with Cauvery river on a priority basis.

Palaniswami sought Modi's intervention in setting up a 400 million litres per day desalination plant at Perur (near Coimbatore) costing Rs 6,078 crore. He asked the Centre to provide a gap funding of Rs 1,810 crore.

The chief minister requested the prime minister to allot Rs 100 crore each to Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar districts in order to overcome the shortfall in specific components like agriculture and skill development.

Noting that states like Tamil Nadu face droughts frequently, Palaniswami requested him for special allocation of Rs 1,000 crore per annum towards water conservation.

On the proposed greenfield airport in Chennai, Palaniswami said his government had already announced the project and requested the Centre to extend support for its construction "with equal participation by Government of India".

He also requested Centre to release pending IGST arrears of Rs 4,458 crore to the state.

The chief minister also asked Modi to direct NITI Aayog to accord necessary approval and funding for the Chennai Integrated Flood Management System costing Rs 3,000 crore.

Palaniswami, during his brief visit here, also met Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and discussed projects of the state with them.

The issue of Mekedatu dam was among the subjects that came up for discussion with Shekhawat, a release said.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had in December adopted a resolution in December 2018 urging the Centre to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka for a detailed project report for its proposed dam across Cauvery river at Mekedatu in Karnataka.

"..Honble Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu called on (sic) for a courtesy meeting and to discuss water-related issues in the state, at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi," Shekhawat said on Twitter.

Palaniswami also called on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman later.

The office of Finance Minister in its official twitter handle shared a picture of Palaniswami meeting Sitharaman.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Saturday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence here and discussed State specific projects.

Palaniswami also handed over a memorandum on various development projects to the Prime Minister, a State government release said.

Later, the Chief Minister visited Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and discussed state projects related to the respective ministries.

Mekedatu dam issue was among the subjects that came up for discussion with Shekhawat, the release said.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had last December adopted a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka for a detailed project report for its proposed dam across river Cauvery at Mekedatu.

"... Honble Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu called on (sic) for a courtesy meeting and to discuss water-related issues in the state, at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi," Shekhawat said in his twitter handle.

The Chief Minister participated in the meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog here, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the need for taking effective steps to tackle drought in various parts of the country.

Modi said the goal of making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging but surely achievable, asking states to focus on their core competencies and work towards increasing the GDP right from the district level.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Representatives of on Saturday pressed the government to raise the minimum wage to Rs 20,000, provide 200 days of assured work under the rural employment guarantee scheme and ensure minimum monthly pension of Rs 6,000.

The unions during a pre-budget meeting also demanded hiking slabs for exemption of income tax for salaried persons and pensioners to Rs 10 lakh per year. They asked for Rs 8 lakh income tax slab for senior citizens and exemption of all perks and fringe benefits like housing, medical and education facilities and running allowances from income tax.

Besides, the representatives of around a dozen central expressed their reservation against the privatisation and divestment in profit-making public sector undertakings and stressed on increasing investment for job creation in the pre-budget meeting with Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur.

After the meeting, some of trade union leaders also expressed their unhappiness over the absence of Finance Minister in the meeting. Thakur chaired the meeting as Sitharaman had to attend the NITI Aayog's Governing Council meeting held around the same time.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said, "Finance Minister had invited us for pre-budget consultations. But we had a discussion with Minister of State. They tried to limit the discussion on four broad points protection of labour, skill development, jobs and wages."



However, she said, "We, the 10 central group, put up all of our points. We have demanded for Rs 20,000 minimum wage, Rs 6,000 minimum monthly pension and guaranteed employment of 200 days under (100 days at present)."



She stressed that the government needs to make investments for creating jobs and stop divesting and privatising public sector undertakings as well as the implementation of fixed-term employment announced in the last budget.

She also pointed out that the government had given no heed to their suggestions and demands in the budget last year.

Indian National Congress Union Congress (INTUC) President G Sanjeeva Reddy said, "We have opposed the idea of giving profit being earned by the government to the private sector. We have opposed privatisation and divestment in profit-making PSUs. There is no such need.

Reddy said, "There is a need for creating jobs at present. Besides we have opposed the consolidation of 44 labour laws into four codes. At present, individual labour laws are not being implemented."



In a statement, the said that experts and representatives from various trade unions and labour organisations gave suggestions related to the alignment of skill development with aspirations of rural youth with a focus on agriculture; the need for strict enforcement of Minimum Wages Act and introduction of the comprehensive unemployment insurance scheme.

They also asked for a revision of ITIs' syllabus for enhancing employability; provision of social security for contract workers; and giving a boost to the capital intensive industry.

Other demands included conversion of casual/contractual workers to formalised employment; fixation of minimum wages on the recommendation of 15th Indian Labour Conference; increase in allocations on social sector and basic essential services like health, education and food security; extension of MGNREGA to remaining all rural areas and introducing it in urban areas besides increasing number of workdays under the scheme to 200 days and creation of National Fund for Unorganised Workers to provide social security.A British-Iranian mother being held in a Tehran prison on sedition charges has begun another hunger strike in protest at her detention, her husband said Saturday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, is refusing food as she marks her daughter's fifth birthday, Richard Ratcliffe said in a statement.

His wife was arrested in April 2016 as she was leaving Iran after taking their infant daughter to visit her family. She was sentenced to five years for allegedly trying to topple the Iranian government.

"She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water) -- to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment," he said.

"This is something she had been threatening for a while. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed Gabriella's fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something -- to mark to both governments -- that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long." A project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the media group's philanthropic arm, she denies all charges.

She previously went on hunger strike in January.

"Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it," said Ratcliffe.

"I do not know the response from the Iranian authorities." He urged the Iranian authorities to release her immediately, for the British embassy to be allowed to check on her health, and, if she is not released within the coming weeks, for him to be granted a visa to visit her.

Last month, London changed its travel advice for British-Iranian dual nationals, warning them against all travel to Iran, citing Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Saturday that Urdu had never belonged to a particular faith or sect, but there was a kind of "communal mentality" that is spreading a "malicious" propaganda about the language.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister underscored the need to give equal respect to local languages, alleging that homogeneity was being forced on the people of the country.

"There was a kind of communal mentality that is spreading a malicious propaganda about the Urdu language. Urdu has never belonged to a particular sect or faith," Abdullah said.

"Urdu is a representative language of 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb' of India. The language has been watered by both Hindus and Muslims. The existence of Urdu language owes a lot to Munshi Premchand and others," he said.

The NC leader was addressing a gathering here after inaugurating the 23rd All India Urdu Book Fair, which is organised by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) at the Kashmir University.

Abdullah said the "rise" of communalism in the country was taking a toll on the language.

"Today we see homogeneity being forced on our country that has always been known for its diversity. This, I believe, is one of the (reasons behind) the diminishing use of Urdu from our day-to-day lives," he said.

Abdullah thanked the NCPUL coming up with the initiative.

"Events like these (fair) provide a window of opportunity for those who have a penchant for Urdu literature," he said. "Such festivals and fairs will surely acquaint the new generation about the contemporary happening in the field of Urdu literature."



The 81-year-old said learning to speak in one's mother language was very essential for a child's overall development.

"Being fluent in other languages helps a child in many ways. However, using local languages as a medium of teaching helps a lot in the cognitive development of a child," he said.

The former chief minister highlighted that the Kashmiri language is known for its richness, particularly for its poetry, maxims and other literary aspects. "The need of the hour is to get our new generation acquainted with it," he said.

Similarly, Abdullah said, the speakers of other languages take equal pride in speaking their languages. "Therefore, it is imperative for a government to provide patronage to all the languages of the state," Abdullah said.

He said the youth should strive towards getting education, adding that it holds the panacea for all the problems.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Vietnamese border guard open fire and injured three people at his patrol station before killing himself on Saturday, state media reported in the communist country where gun violence is extremely rare.

Civilians are banned from owning guns in Vietnam, a one-party state where a vast police force and soldiers are among the few officials with access to weapons.

On Saturday, a border guard in southern Long An province near Cambodia opened fire at his post injuring two colleagues and a local resident, according to the official Vietnam Agency.

The shooter holed himself up at the post in Binh Hiep commune before committing suicide, VNA said, identifying him as second lieutenant Ta Quang Dat.

"Dat had shown recent signs of psychological disorder and he just returned from treatment," VNA reported.

Some unverified media reports said one of the injured victims later died in hospital.

Roads were blocked around the crime scene and local residents were evacuated from the area.

A local official requesting anonymity told AFP earlier "authorities were working at the scene", without providing further details.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the assurance that he would consider the grievances of the state with regard to privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and seek a report from the Aviation Ministry in this regard.

Vijayan, who met the media after the 5th Governing Council Meet of NITI Aayog here, said the credibility of Kerala government to run international airports has been appreciated by international agencies like the United Nations.

The Adani group had, in February, won a bid to operate five out of six airports, including the Thiruvananthapuram airport, proposed for privatisation by the central government.

"The Adani group lacks the experience of running an airport. However, the Kerala government has shown its experience in managing airports," the chief minister said.

"The Cochin Airport is an example. The effort was even recognised by the United Nations. With this experience, we decided to start and operate the Kannur International Airport. Now we have two international aerodromes operated by the government successfully," he said.

The state government had earlier appealed to the Centre to reconsider its decision to lease out Thiruvananthapuram aerodrome for operation, management and development under the public-private partnership (PPP).

The Left leader said the central aviation secretary had given a written assurance in 2003 that the Centre would consider the state government in good faith before taking a decision with regard to privatisation of airports.

"The 635 acre land in which the airport is situated was given by Travancore king and the state government. Therefore, it cannot be transferred to any private agency.

"The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation also participated in the bid. Hence, the Centre cannot hand it over to Adani group, which is a private company, which has no previous experience only by citing the reason that they had quoted comparatively high amount," Vijayan said.

In a letter to the prime minister in March, the chief minister had demanded that the airport's operation be handed over to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) floated by the government-run Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).

However, the Adani group had emerged as the highest bidder for managing, operating and developing six AAI airports, which are to be privatised.

"The prime minister has given assurance that he would consider the demand of Kerala and would seek a detailed report from the Aviation department in this regard," Vijayan added.

The airport was established in 1932 on 258.06 acres of land owned by the princely state of Travancore, of which the state is the successor.

The 258.06 acres of land had been entered into the revenue records as government land.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has admitted that only 0.05756 hectares out of the total extent of 636.57 acres of land are under its ownership.

The state government claims it has the expertise in airport management and also creditworthiness, more than that of the private entity, which does not possess previous experience in airport management.

Earlier in the day, Vijayan also met Union minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed the development of the state's national highways.

Gadkari told media after meeting Vijayan that the southern state's demands will be considered.

"I was there in Kerala last week. The roads are not wide. They are narrow and there is heavy traffic. But the cost for land acquisition when compared to other states is four folds high. This amounts to a major hurdle in the national highway development," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Agitating doctors turned down the invite for a closed-door meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday, raising apprehension about their security, and instead asked her to visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse.

They said no representative of the agitating doctors would be attending the meeting called by Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday evening.

"We feel highly insecure and apprehensive regarding our representatives' meeting with the chief minister behind closed doors. That is why we are not sending any representatives to the Chief Minister's Office to attend the meeting," said a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors after holding a governing body meeting.

Instead, they invited Banerjee for a meeting at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, where two doctors were allegedly assaulted by relatives of a patient who had died on Monday night.

"We humbly request the chief minister to meet all of us at the NRSMCH to discuss and implement all our demands at the earliest," the spokesperson said.

"We are open to a healthy discussion to find a solution to meet our demands. We are deeply concerned about the sufferings of the common people," he added.

On Friday night, the agitating junior doctors declined to attend a meeting called by Banerjee at state secretariat, Nabanna, saying it was a ploy to break their stir.

After the protesting doctors did not turn up, Banerjee gave them time again at 5 pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, resignation by senior doctors continued in support of their protesting colleagues. Over 300 medicos across various state-run medical college and hospitals have resigned from their services.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Frontier guarding forces of India and Bangladesh Saturday decided to undertake joint efforts to reduce border killing incidents, as the BSF said it fires only when a situation turns "ugly" and lives of its troops are in danger.

The 48th bi-annual Director General-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) concluded in Dhaka and it was mutually decided to enhance cooperation to better check crime and smuggling of cattle and narcotics across the 4,096 km frontier shared by the neighbours, a senior BSF officer said.

BSF chief Rajni Kant Mishra told the other side that an Indian soldier was killed while 39 were "grievously" injured in attacks by miscreants and criminals at this border in the last few months.

Bangladesh, in the meeting, reiterated its concern over killing of its people on the border by the BSF, while the Indian force maintained that its aim is to stop crime and avoid casualty as far as possible.

"Both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in areas vulnerable to cattle and narcotics smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of the international border and preventing criminals from crossing over," the officer said.

He said the BSF DG asserted that "we use the policy of non-lethal weapon on the borders out of our concern for human rights in general and particularly the lives of Bangladeshi nationals".

"BSF troops use firearms in rarest situations, when they are cornered by miscreants threatening their very lives," Mishra told the BGB.

The Border Guard Bangladesh side was led by their DG, Maj Gen Shafeenul Islam.

BSF DG also informed the counterparts that the Indian side has trained its forces to maintain maximum restraint.

"But sometimes the situation turns so ugly that our men are attacked with stones, sticks and sharp weapons.

"Preventing these crimes, one BSF trooper lost his life and 39 were grievously injured in last few months," the officer said quoting the BSF DG.

Mishra said firing is resorted to only when, in large numbers, miscreants threaten BSF troops with sharp-edged weapons, dah, stones and other sharp objects.

All miscreants died in such firing on the Indian side of the border, the BSF DG told the meeting.

"Instructions are reiterated to keep utmost restraint in maintaining the sanctity of the international border," he said.

Mishra also sought "further cooperation from BGB for destruction of reported hideouts of Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh".

"Both sides agreed to take effective steps for preventing smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, drugs, gold and fake Indian currency notes across the border," the BSF officer said quoting the joint record of discussions that began on June 12 at the BGB headquarters in Pilkhana in Dhaka.

It was also decided to enhance the concept of "crime free zones" along the India-Bangladesh border like the one operational in West Bengal and a new such location would be in Tripura, the officer said.

The BSF and BGB jointly patrol crime free zones to ensure the area remains safe.

It was decided to hold the next such meeting in India in November this year, the officer added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A wild elephant trampled two persons to death in as many days in Dumka district, police said Saturday.

Another person was also injured in an attack by the same animal.

Police said the male elephant killed Betka Soren, an elderly person, near Kaljhar under Kathikund police station when he was going to take bath in a nearby river on Saturday.

Niyaz Ansari was attacked and seriously injured near his paddy field in the same area. He has been hospitalised.

The elephant had trampled 20-year-old Robin Tudu near Kathalia village under Raniswar police station on Friday when he was searching for his cow.

Divisional Forest Officer Saurabh Chandra said Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 have been provided to the families of Soren and Tudu respectively as compensation.

Process has also started to give Rs 10,000 to the injured man, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A woman was lashed with a leather belt, punched and kicked by a group of men after being dragged out of her house in Punjab's Muktsar district for allegedly failing to repay Rs 23,000 she had borrowed from one of them, following which six persons were arrested, police said Saturday.

A video of the brutal assault has gone viral, triggering outrage.

An elderly woman who was trying to stop the accused was also pushed, showed the video.

Police said the woman was assaulted as she could not repay Rs 23,000, which she owed to one Suresh Chaudhary.

She has been admitted to the civil hospital and was stated to be out of danger, they said.

"We have arrested six persons in this case," said Manjit Singh Dhesi, Muktsar's Senior Superintendent of Police.

Suresh Chaudhary, Roop Lal, Sunny Chaudhary, Guddi, Sekhu and Jebo have been arrested, while four others -- Rakesh Chaudhary, Hassan, Renu and Jyoti -- were on the on the run, police said.

The have been booked under several charges, including attempt to murder.

Police said efforts were being made to arrest the remaining four accused.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh condemned the incident and said such acts of violence will not be tolerated.

"Accused in the video from Muktsar have been arrested by Punjab police & booked for attempt to murder u/s 307 IPC. No one is above the law and such acts of violence will not be tolerated (sic)," the chief minister tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 100-kilogramme (220-pound) US World War II bomb was defused overnight near Berlin's central hub of Alexanderplatz, police said Saturday.

Police evacuated some 3,000 people from the area on Friday and cordoned it off after the bomb was discovered near a large shopping complex.

The evacuation zone covered parts of the shopping centre, and several trains were also suspended during the operation.

The US bomb was found at a depth of about three metres (10 feet) and had an intact detonator, police said.

"The detonator was successfully destroyed. We are lifting the restrictions in stages.

You can return to your apartments soon," the Berlin police said on Twitter.

Nearly 75 years after the end of the Second World War, Germany is still littered with bombs and other unexploded ordnance. Experts have said that some 3,000 devices still remain in the German capital's subsoil.

Alexanderplatz is one of Berlin's busiest areas, with dozens of shops and residences located near the square that is home to the city's iconic TV tower.

Berlin was heavily bombed by the Allied forces in the spring of 1945 with a third of its houses destroyed and tens of thousands killed.

In April last year, a 500-kg British bomb was defused. Around 10,000 people were evacuated for the operation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)It has been almost two decades since Google started to dominate internet search the way Microsoft dominated software for personal computers a generation earlier. Now computer scientists at Stanford University are warning about the consequences of a race to control what they believe will be the next key consumer technology market  virtual assistants like Amazons Alexa and Google Assistant. The group at Stanford, led by Monica Lam, a computer systems designer, last month received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant is for an internet ...Caught in a row over the controversial JSW Steel land sale, the Karnataka cabinet Friday decided to refer its decision on the sale of 3,667 acres to the firm at Ballari, to a cabinet sub-committee for reconsideration.

As there were a lot of objections and opposition to the decision to sell the land, the minister concerned (Industries Minister K J George) requested the Chief Minister to constitute a cabinet sub-committee to look in to all aspects and reconsider it, Rural development minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

"On the request of the Industries Minister the cabinet today has given its approval to constitute a sub-committee, which will review it at the earliest and report back to the cabinet," Gowda said.

The composition of the cabinet sub-committee has been left to the discretion of the Chief Minister, he said, adding that "though the maximum view of the cabinet was that its decision is right, but in the wake of objection and opposition we are giving it for reconsideration."

The Karnataka cabinet had recently decided to convert the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel at Ballari into sale, in accordance with the initial agreement.

The issue came up in the cabinet for discussion Friday as Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy after consulting with Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and George had asked for the subject to be placed before the cabinet once again for reconsideration.

Accusing the government of selling the land to the company at a throwaway price, the BJP has commenced a two-day round-the-clock sit-in Friday.

State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday had even accused the ruling Congress-JDS coalition of getting "kickbacks", for the sale of land.

Causing embarrassment to the coalition, senior Congress leader H K Patil has been opposing the sale, by writing a series of letters to the government.

Amid the row, JSW Steel chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal has said the firm never does anything "illegal" or "disadvantage" the people of Karnataka.

Karnataka CM says state to reconsider decision on sale of land to JSW SteelMahindra & Mahindra, India's multinational car manufacturer, has signed a share subscription agreement to buy 11.25% stake in Gamaya SA, Switzerland, in the series B funding round for Rs 30 crore ($4.3 million). The farm equipment sector (FES) of the automaker has subscribed up to 300 common shares and 30,469 series B preferred shares of Gamaya. The stake in Gamaya, which works in the precision farming industry, is expected to support Mahindra's farm division by developing technology solutions.

The all-in-cash transaction is to be completed by June 28, 2019. The Switzerland-based agri-tech company, Gamaya SA ("Gamaya"), that focuses on imagery analysis for monitoring the health of crops, has a turnover of about Rs 3.5 crore (0.5 million in Swiss Franc CHF) as per 2018 figures.

As per the filing, the technology solutions provider for agricultural sector primarily operates in Brazil, India, Switzerland and Ukraine. "Gamaya has advanced capabilities in Hyperspectral Imagery Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning which captures and interprets images to give farmers information about the state of their fields and crops," the filing added. Shares of M&M ended at Rs 635 on the BSE, down by 5.35 points or 0.83 per cent.

(Edited By Rupa Burman Roy)

West Bengal Doctors' strike Day 5: Doctors seek apology from Mamata Banerjee; IMA calls for pan-India strike

SBI never stopped lending to NBFCs, will continue to do so, says MD Arijit BasuDrug maker Novartis India on Saturday said it has appointed Sanjay Murdeshwar as vice chairman and managing director of the company.

"Based on recommendation of the nomination and remuneration committee of the board, the board of directors of Novartis India Limited at their meeting held today, have approved the appointment of Sanjay Murdeshwar as Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the company effective June 15, 2019, subject to the approval of Shareholders and Central Government, if any," Novartis India said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Currently, Murdeshwar is Novartis' country president in India and is responsible for the company's pharmaceuticals business in the region. He is also managing director of Novartis Healthcare Private Ltd.

Murdeshwar has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry which includes varied roles in the pharmaceuticals and consumer health businesses, the company said in the exchange filing.

Before joining Novartis, Murdeshwar was with AstraZeneca based in Maryland, USA as Vice-President in their Global Product and Portfolio Strategy group and before that Country President and Managing Director of AstraZeneca India since 2013.

Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Murdeshwar was with Bayer AG for 17 years with stints in various sales, marketing, finance, strategy and general management roles and in different countries, including USA, Germany, Philippines, India and Singapore.

He has a Bachelors' Degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: I-T Dept summons Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal in tax evasion case: Report

Also Read: Facebook gets big firms on board! Uber, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard to invest $10 million each in Bitcoin rival LibraPeriyar University Results: Periyar University, Salem (Tamil Nadu) may announce the final result for undergraduate and postgraduate exams on its official website periyaruniversity.ac.in today (June 15). Periyar University had conducted these exams in April. The final results will be available on both the university and the respective college websites. The final result of each student who appeared for these exams will also be sent to their registered mobile numbers via SMS.

Those looking for re-evaluation, re-verification and duplicate answer sheet will be able to do so after 10 days of the final result (on June 25). Application fee for any of these services is Rs 350 (for undergraduate students) and Rs 450 (graduates). The university, named after social reformer Thanthai Periyar EV Ramasamy, was established by the Tamil Nadu government in 1997. A total of 106 affiliated colleges from four districts of Tamil Nadu are affiliated with the university. Over 1.35 lakh students are studying in the affiliated colleges.

Periyar University results 2019: Here's how to check resultsAt a time when concerns around the liquidity crunch in the country are high and recent defaults by some shadow banks have raised eyebrows, State Bank of India on Friday said it had not stopped lending non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). The bank said the crises in the NBFC sector were not "grave" as only one or two companies had been severely impacted, and that they needed to address the core problems. "SBI is lending to NBFCs and we will continue to do so... Our decision is based on the risk perception that we have on a particular entity. We have not stopped lending to NBFCs at all," SBI Managing Director Arijit Basu told PTI on the sidelined of IMC's Banking and Finance Conference.

Basu said both the Reserve Bank of India and the central government had taken appropriate measures to address issues around the NBFC sector. He added, the SBI was also trying to address concerns raised by the central bank in its June-7 circular about banks and NBFCs. The SBI's total loan exposure to NBFCs stood at Rs 1.87-lakh crore as of March 31 -- Rs 62,511 crore to housing finance companies; Rs 63,033 crore to government-backed NBFCs; and Rs 67,226 crore to big private sector institutions. Despite this, SBI seems confident of safeguarding its interest. "The overall quality of the NBFC asset portfolio in our books continues to be good. We have already included the stressed NBFC accounts in our estimate for slippages and loan loss provisions for the current financial year," SBI had said in a statement last week.

RBI will keep a close eye on NBFCs, performance of bank MDs, CEOs, says Shaktikanta Das

Last week, the RBI said the apex bank would continue to keep a close eye on developments in the NBFC sector and would take every possible step to ensure its financial stability. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said several steps had been taken to enhance the supervision over NBFCs, including on-site examination, off-site surveillance, market intelligence and annual reports of statutory auditors, and that the RBI would work towards bringing corporate governance reforms in both banking and non-banking sectors.

"It has been observed that most bank frauds can be traced to the absence of effective controls. An essential element of an effective system of internal control is a strong control mechanism. It is the responsibility of the board of directors and senior management to emphasise the importance of internal control through their actions and words. Banks should regularly reorient and train their personnel so that they fully understand the importance of internal controls in their respective stations. The boards of banks should specifically pay attention to creating and sustaining a culture of effective control in the banks," Das had said, while delivering the 15th annual convocation address at National Institute of Bank Management, Pune.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Also Read: Parvez Ahmad removed as Chairman of J&K Bank; RK Chibber appointed as interim chief

Also Read: RBI imposes Rs 2 crore fine on Kotak Mahindra Bank for withholding shareholder detailsKerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence here Saturday and expressed the state's reservation on the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

This is for the first time that the Left leader was meeting Modi after he assumed office for the second time following the BJP-led NDA's victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Vijayan is here to attend the Niti Aayog meeting.

During the brief meet, attended by state PWD minister G Sudhakaran and Chief Secretary Tom Jose, Vijayan submitted a memorandum citing various demands including further aid for rebuilding the flood-hit state.

Official sources said the chief minister requested the Centre to retain the airport in the public sector and not to hand over its management to any private company.

Kerala's concern over its reported exclusion from the priority list of the national highway development and the need to get more central assistance for various projects also figured in the discussion, which lasted for around 15 minutes, they added.

The Adani group had, in February, won the bid to operate five out of six airports, including the one at Thiruvananthapuram, proposed for privatisation by the central government.

The state government had earlier appealed to the Centre to reconsider its decision to lease out Thiruvananthapuram aerodrome for operation, management and development under the public-private partnership (PPP).

"Without the co-operation of the state government, no private company can develop the airport properly," Vijayan told the state Assembly earlier this week.

In a letter to the prime minister in March, Vijayan had demanded that the airport's operation be handed over to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) floated by the government-run Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).

The airport was established in 1932 on 258.06 acres of land owned by the princely state of Travancore, of which the state is the successor. The 258.06 acres of land had been entered into the revenue records as government land.

The Airports Authority of India has admitted that only 0.05756 hectares out of the total extent of 636.57 acres of land are under its ownership.

The state government claims it has the expertise in airport management and also creditworthiness, more than that of the private entity, which does not possess previous experience in such operations.

Maruti Suzuki launches Alto CNG for Rs 4.11 lakh

IBPS RRB recruitment 2019: IBPS releases exam notification; check complete schedule here

M&M buys 11.25% stake in Swiss agri-tech firm Gamaya for Rs 30 croreCAMEROUN :: Eco-entrepreneur: Cameroonian Wins WWF International Presidents Youth award

Monique Ntumngia, founder of Green Girls in Cameroon, a social business, which educates young women from rural communities in the use of renewable energy, is the recipient of this years WWF International Presidents Youth award.

The award recognizes young people under the age of 30 helping promote the cause and impact of nature conservation. Since its founding in 2015, Green Girls has empowered and trained almost 800 women from 23 communities across Cameroon to generate solar energy and biogas from human waste.

As well as her outstanding contribution to promoting sustainable development in the country, the award is a recognition of Moniques efforts to champion the inclusion of women and girls in the renewable energy sector in Cameroon and Africa. On receiving the award, Monique said: Its been my good fortune that Green Girls has allowed me to combine two of my great passions: sustainable development and female empowerment. Renewable energy is an essential part of any solution if we are to meet both Africas future energy needs and the environmental challenges that lie ahead. Todays youth will be at the forefront of meeting these challenges and women will have a central role to play. Thanks to the tireless work of my team and the boundless enthusiasm of countless young women, weve managed to make some significant progress and its truly humbling to be recognised for our work. Through Green Girls work, more than 3,000 households have been provided with biogas, while more than 100 households have had solar installations fitted. In addition to being trained on how to produce biogas, young women are taught how to promote sustainable development and become financially independent.

In 2017, Monique was also crowned the winner of the inaugural WWF Africa Youth Award. At a time when we are witnessing the devastating loss of nature and biodiversity and imminent breakdown of climate systems, risking the very foundation of human existence, Monique and these amazing women give us hope and show what is possible. Not only is Monique promoting renewable energy that benefits the environment, she is also empowering hundreds of young women across Cameroon. She is a shining light, setting an example and showing us all that development and protecting the environment can go hand in hand, said Pavan Sukhdev, President, WWF International.

The 2019 WWF International Presidents Youth Award will be presented in Mombasa, Kenya at 6:30 p.m. local time today. The award acknowledges and encourages outstanding achievements of young people under the age of 30 who are making significant contributions to nature conservation. Nominations are invited annually via WWF offices around the world.June 14, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Global Affairs Canada today issued the following statement:

The Government of Canada condemns the latest attacks on shipping tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Canada is a trading nation dependent upon freedom of navigation and the uninterrupted passage of maritime trade. These attacks on civilian shipping are of concern to Canada and many of our international partners.

Canada remains deeply concerned about further escalations in an already tense region. A deterioration of the situation would be counter to regional security, global trade, the rules-based international order, and the interests of Canada and the world.

Canada is in contact with partners and closely monitoring the situation.Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, June 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BISHKEK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko here on Friday, agreeing to promote cooperation in various fields including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek.

It has been their second meeting within two months, an evidence of the high level of bilateral relations, Xi said, noting that China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership, featuring mutual trust and win-win cooperation, has been developing in recent years.

Xi called on the two sides to put more efforts in aligning the BRI with the economic and social development strategy of Belarus, and creating sound environment for the China-Belarus industrial park construction.

Major projects should be well implemented, and people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning need to be expanded amid efforts to further advance the bilateral ties, he said.

Lukashenko hailed the fruitful achievements of cooperation between the two countries, with mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests.

Belarus admires the achievements made by the People's Republic of China since its founding 70 years ago, and supports the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Lukashenko said.

Belarus is ready to enhance the cooperation with China in such fields as economy and trade, production capacity, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, as well as the construction of the China-Belarus industrial park, he said, adding that Belarus is willing to coordinate with China within multilateral frameworks including the SCO.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]As a direct support professional in behavioral health, I am sickened and overwhelmed at the thought of parents of autistic children giving them bleach to try and cure their autism. Having children of my own with no disabilities in their way, I cant imagine walking in the shoes of the parents who have children with physical and mental disabilities. However, I get to be involved with autistic residents who truly warm my heart and make me smile with a love that is warm and humbling.

Instead of trying to cure the autism, maybe parents should try to learn their children and embrace them. Every autistic child and adult is a gift from God. They are special and unique in their own ways.

I have learned how to work with individuals who are non verbal or who have behaviors which can sometimes be violent. It takes dedication and love to be a support for them, but the feeling you get when you learn something new about one of these amazing individuals is one that cant be explained and it brings pure joy. If I get that joy as a staff, why cant some parents try and get the same joy as they are their own?

No, you didnt ask this for your child, but God gave you this child because He believed in you to be their parent.

I can tell you without a doubt that bleach will not cure autism nor will anything else take it away. There are medications and therapies to lessen the symptoms and behaviors of course. These parents who are trying this practice are beyond desperate and the doctors who are telling them its okay should be stripped of their license as this is not okay for anyone to ingest bleach.

There is help available for parents who are overwhelmed with having an autistic child or loved one. In Tennessee, you can reach out to the DIDD and so fourth and try and get some assistance. There are several programs to offer support such as day programs and respite programs to give the parents a well needed break.

Please rethink bleach if you are considering it to try and cure autism. Think of the cons that far outweigh the pros to this as there are none. Its a false hope that could only damage your child for life.

Be proud of that special little person you are blessed to raise. Learning their likes/dislikes, triggers and behaviors are key in the stability they need on a day to day basis. Stop searching for cures and instead look to your own child to learn their needs. There is help, actual resources to help, but bleach by far is not the solution.

Nicole Morris

* * *

Unless this is an urban legend...

If Nicole Morris, or anyone else, has information about parents administering bleach to their children, it seems to me that she has a legal (and moral) obligation to immediately report such abuse to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Since I suspect that many law enforcement people read this forum, it also seems to me that they would immediately open appropriate investigations even without formal reports to them.

We're talking about defenseless children here.

William CaldwellA home was damaged by fire on Friday afternoon on Hendricks Street.

Chattanooga firefighters responded to a reported house on fire at 1219 Hendricks Street just before 1 p.m.

The first arriving fire company reported heavy smoke coming from the roof of the house. Firefighters made an interior attack on the fire, then had to change tactics and ladder the side of the house to reach the fire through holes cut in the roof line. Incident command called the fire under control 30 minutes after the call came in.

Due to the fire damage to the home, The American Red Cross is assisting the residents with housing.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No injuries were reported.

The American Red Cross, Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services, Electric Power Board, and the Chattanooga Police Department were all on the scene to assist.Here is the Fort Oglethorpe arrest report for June 7-13:

06-07-19

Keith David Martin, 50, of 147 Inman Street, Ringgold arrested on charges of pointing a gun/pistol at another and simple assault.



Francisco Javier Vasquez Cruz, 22, of 3910 6th Street, Chattanooga arrested on charges of driving while unlicensed, failure to maintain lane and improper passing.



06-08-19

Eric Scott Knox, 49, of 7343 Sterling Road, Hixson arrested on charges of possession of schedule II, failure to maintain lane, tail light requirement, distracted driving and outstanding warrant.



Tyree C.





Moore, 40, of 4723 Mink Place Drive, Chattanooga arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and possession of schedule II.Henry L. Bennett, 29, of 4620 Shawhan Road, Chattanooga arrested on a charge of possession of schedule II.06-10-19Daniel Allen Vandyke, 46, of 132 Stephanie Drive, Ringgold arrested on charges of driving while license suspended and distracted driving.06-11-19Victoria Paige Cooper, 21, of 3953 Church Hill Road, Chattanooga arrested on charges of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of schedule II and windshield requirements.Terry Chace Massey, 31, of 1414 McFarland Avenue, Rossville arrested on charges of possession of marijuana, pills not in original container and possession of schedule IV.Jerry Davis Varnon, 38, of 408 Magnolia Vale Avenue, Chattanooga arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of drugs.Eric Clay Wilson, 37, of 13 Barnhardt Circle, Fort Oglethorpe arrested on charges of failure to maintain lane, outstanding warrant, failure to obey hands-free law, no license on person, possession of drug-related objects, suspended registration and possession of schedule II controlled substance.06-12-19Brandon L. Case, 20, of 1830 Fant Drive, Fort Oglethorpe arrested on a charge of theft by shoplifting.Miranda Faye Johnson, 22, of 713 Cloud Springs Road, Rossville arrested on a charge of driving while license suspended/revoked.Christopher Neil Middleton, 53, of 220 Hiawatha Circle, Chickamauga arrested on an outstanding warrant.06-12-19Matthew Bryne Beck, 43, of 152 White Oak Drive, Ringgold arrested on an outstanding warrant.06-13-19Michelle A. Anderson, 34, of 3417 Lisa Drive, Chattanooga arrested on a charge of theft by shoplifting.James Todd Blassingame, 48, of 72 Bonner Road, Ringgold arrested on charges of suspended license and texting while driving.Speeding6License required1Expiration & renewal licenses.1Certificate of registration1Failure to obey stop signs and yield signs..2Driving on roadways laned for traffic.5License to be carried and exhibited on demand.1Driving while license suspended or revoked3Windshields and windshield wipers1Suspended registration4Failure to obey hands-free law5Vehicle turning left.2Following too closely.1Proof of insurance required.1Defective tail lights..1Defective/missing headlights..1Removing or affixing license plate with intent to conceal.1Operation of vehicle without current plate5Seat belt violations2Failure to exercise due care3Use of fighting words, obscene and/or vulgar language..1Failure to obey traffic control device.1No passing zones.1Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs..1Todd Womack told members of the Chattanooga Civitan Club on Friday that his former boss, Bob Corker, Is "one of the most authentic people youll ever meet.

Mr. Womack also discussed his new public relations venture in the luncheon talk.

Club members seemed to be very interested in the speakers stories about his time in Washington, D.C.. with Bob Corker as he talked about the man he worked with for over a decade.

His time with Mr. Corker "was a great honor and privilege, he said.

He drew some laughs from the audience when he joked Senator Corker has not watched one second of cable TV since leaving office. No longer worried about his senatorial duties, Senator Corker has been focusing on his business ventures and enjoying the freedom of being back in civilian life.



Mr. Womack also made sure to highlight Bob Corkers high character, saying, He was involved in public service to have an impact on the community, and that was the only reason. It was to leave things better than he found them.



He spoke about the less-publicized part of the federal government, where there is not much disagreement or arguing going on. For instance, he talked about former Senator Corkers efforts to rid the world of slavery.



We began to focus on this issue, said Mr. Womack. When I heard about that issue, I was shocked. I thought it was something that had been dealt with in the mid-1800syou dont read about this issue, because slavery isnt something people disagree about.



He also stressed the humanity of the politicians in the nations capital, saying, People in Washington really want to make a difference. Mr. Womack also recalled a memorable scene where he got to watch Mike Lee and Bernie Sanders, who are diametrically opposed on the political spectrum, crafting some scheme together on an issue.



Mr. Womack let the club know about his previous ties to the scenic city. He is what one would call a Chattanooga lifer, as he went to Chattanooga public schools and then graduated from UT-Chattanooga. After graduating from college, the speaker worked at Erlanger Hospital. He jokingly stated that the hospital was where he learned about politics.



He then moved on to the state of the Chattanooga community. He spoke of developing the city by adhering to the wishes of the residents. We built our vision (for Chattanooga) around what the community wanted, said the former aide.



He mentioned Hamilton Countys plan for improving the school system, including the new Hamilton County Promise. This new plan would allow any student to take up to five dual-enrollment classes, in order for students to get a head start on their collegiate education.



Weve had an opportunity to get immersed in our community. We have a great county mayor who has a great vision for our community, said Mr. Womack.



Mr. Womack also spoke about his fairly new public affairs firm. According to the speaker, the firm does everything from lobbying for clients to helping people navigate the process of legal matters. When asked about what companies or clients he takes on, Mr. Womack grinned and said, We are young and hungry, so well take anyone.



Mr. Womack said his firm has around 14 clients, including automobile manufacturer Volkswagen.



When one of the Civitan members asked him about his thoughts on the Volkswagen unionization vote, Womack stayed neutral. Who knows what will happen in Volkswagen? said Mr. Womack. He did say that no matter what the result ends up being, it would affect the local economy.Chattanooga Volkswagen employees narrowly rejected representation by the United Auto Workers.

The vote was 833 against UAW and 776 for UAW.

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said, I am pleased that workers at the Volkswagen plant voted to preserve their ability to deal directly with their employer.

"There are many reasons I was concerned about the impact of the Michigan-based United Auto Workers union making East Tennessee their foothold in the South  most notably being their track record of failure in Detroit.

"Additionally, I believe that direct communication between workers and employers is best without the burdensome red tape historically imposed by unions. I sincerely hope that after this third failed attempt to unionize, this issue will not rise again, and Tennessee can continue to use its status as a right-to-work state to be an economic leader in the region and across the nation.

Officials said, "VWGoAs Chattanooga employees have now concluded their voting in a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to decide upon union representation.

"The preliminary results are as follows:



776 employees voted to be represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) and 833 employees voted against UAW representation.

93 percent of the eligible employees voted during the election. A total of 1609 votes were cast during the three-day voting period from June 12-14."

Frank Fischer, president and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said, On behalf of Volkswagen, I want to thank all of our Chattanooga production and maintenance employees for their participation in this week's vote on the question of union representation.

Our employees have spoken. Pending certification of the results by the NLRB and a legal review of the election, Volkswagen will respect the decision of the majority.

"We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with elected officials and business leaders in Tennessee. We chose Chattanooga to build our American production facility for a number of reasons, but in particular because of the quality of the workforce, the commitment of the business community, and the support and investments by state and local governments.

"As we have said throughout this process, our commitment to Tennessee is a long-term investment and central to the success of VW America. We look forward to working with the State of Tennessee, Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga to support job creation, growth, and economic development today and into the future.The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold its June 20-21 (Thursday-Friday) meeting in Cookeville at the Country Inn & Suites.

Thursdays committee meetings will begin at 1 p.m. The regular commission meeting starts at 9 a.m., Friday. The public is invited to attend each day.

An overview of the Tennessee Cooperative Fisheries Research unit will be presented. The cooperative agreement is among the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Society (USGS), and Tennessee Tech resources to address TWRAs research needs.

During the Wildlife Management Committee meeting, there will be a presentation on the 2019 quota hunts. The application period for the 2019 Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Big Game Quota Hunts, the Cherokee Party Dog hunts, the regular elk, youth elk, and WMA youth runs from June 19 through July 24. There will also be a presentation on waterfowl blind drawings.

There will be a rule amendment to governing shooting-operation of private wildlife preserves. This amendment would allow big game wildlife preserves to acquire in-state CWD susceptible species once the animals are enrolled in a CWD monitoring program with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). This would remove the current mandatory enrollment, minimum of five years, and prior to a preserve taking possession of the animals. Also, the amendment would require the TDA to be responsible for all mandatory CWD testing on preserves and any escapes of non-indigenous mammals.The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has announced the application period for the 2019 Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Big Game Quota hunts, the Cherokee Party Dog hunts, the regular and youth elk hunts, and WMA youth hunts will run from June 19 through July 24.

Applications must be submitted before midnight (CDT) July 24. The WMA hunting instruction sheet lists locations and dates for each of the quota hunts along with drawing rules and regulations. The current instruction sheet is available at www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/ quota-hunts . Applications may be submitted online at www.GoOutdoorsTennessee.com , at any TWRA license agent, or TWRA regional office. Mailed applications will not be processed into the drawing system.

There is no fee for current Annual Sportsman License holders, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, or seniors possessing a Type 167 Annual Senior Citizen Sportsman License. For all other applicants, there is a non-refundable $12 application fee for each drawing entered. There is a $1 agent fee for applications submitted at a license agent. When applying at a license agent, hunters must remain at the location while the application is processed to verify the information is correct on the receipt. For applications made on the internet, there is a $2 internet usage fee.

If entering multiple quota hunts, a person must pay the agent fee for each application and application fee for each drawing submitted. There are a maximum of 2 drawings for the WMA Big Game hunts. Transaction ID numbers are issued for all transactions and are the customers assurance that their application has been accepted into the system.

The WMA (elk hunts excluded) priority point system gives a priority point for each year a hunter participates (this year a maximum of 13 points) without being successfully drawn for a hunt. Applicants drawn for a hunt last year will start over with a priority of zero.

After the drawings are conducted, leftover permits will be sold on-line, on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning Aug. 21, 2019 at 8 a.m. (CDT).

The states 11th annual gun elk hunts will be held Oct. 12-18 with seven individuals selected to participate. Six of the participants will be selected through a computer drawing conducted by the TWRA. The seventh participant will be the recipient of a permit that is donated to a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), this year the chosen NGO is the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. That permit will be issued in a raffle for the second year.

Additionally, this will be the third year for archery only hunts with seven permits issued. Archery hunt dates are Sept. 28-Oct. 4. The regular elk permits are for a specific Elk Hunting Zone (EHZ) or specified combination of zones on North Cumberland WMA and for private lands in Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan and Scott counties. Applicants select which zone they would prefer during the application. More information about the elk hunt zones as well as an interactive map can be found at: www.tn.gov/twra/hunting/ big-game/elk.html

Youth ages 13-16 may apply for the regular or youth elk hunt, but may not apply for both. The youth hunt permit is valid for any zone.Jill Duggar has been slammed all over the internet for her strange tribute to her grandmother, Mary. The mother of two and former reality TV star, broke the news to her fans that Mary died suddenly at the age of 78. Several equally chilling tributes were posted by Jills siblings, but most fans just assumed that the ultra-religious Duggar family grieves differently. Well, cousin Amy doesnt seem to share the Duggar kids sentiment. Following a passive-aggressive tweet, the pregnant family rebel unfollowed a few of her famous cousins, and most fans believe it has something to do with Marys sudden passing and the Duggar family tributes.

What was wrong with Jill Duggars tribute to Grandma Mary?

Fans first took issue with Jills desire to use her grandmothers passing to garner cash. Her original post didnt really strike a nerve with Instagram followers, but a follow-up post that instructed readers to follow a link in her bio did. Tech-savvy users know that when a link in a bio is clicked, Jill likely gets paid. Monetizing a tragic death seems unsavory, at best.

Reddit fans, however, took offense to Jills post for a completely different reason. While everyone grieves differently, several fans pointed out that the language in the post was a bit coldhearted. In fact, it noted that Grandma Mary would have chosen to spend her last day the way she did. She also claimed that Mary was ready to check outta here. Recent news on how the death occurred makes the post even more chilling.

New details emerge around the sudden passing of the Duggar family Matriarch

Jill was slammed for her tribute to Grandma Mary long before details of the 78-year-olds death emerged. Now that the news is out, the tribute seems even more disturbing. While it is true that Mary Duggar passed away suddenly, it wasnt in her sleep or from a quick ailment. Instead, the death was a tragic accident.

According to People, Mary Duggars death has been ruled an accidental drowning. Mary is believed to have slipped and fallen into a swimming pool. Her daughter, Deanna allegedly found her unresponsive in the pool and called 911. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

Cousin Amys tweet and unfollowing

Cousin Amy was undeniably close to her grandmother. Over the years, the rebellious Duggar family member posted numerous pictures with the family matriarch, and in her own touching tribute to the Arkansas native. Amy, who is currently pregnant with her first child, noted that Mary was much more like a mother to her than a grandmother and that she was heartbroken by the loss.

You were such a beautiful person to me. A mother figure, not just a fun- loving Grandma. I'm thankful we were so close and that we spent so much quality time together.

~~~~~



Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:4 pic.twitter.com/mO4SkywUKj  Amy Rachelle King (@amyduggar) June 13, 2019

Around the time that she posted her own tribute, Amy utilized Twitter to send a thinly-veiled message to her cousins. She noted that sometimes its acceptable to use emojis and other times its not appropriate. The Duggar girls that paid tribute to their grandmother on Instagram all used emojis. Jill happened to use several.

Sometimes it's ok to use emojis and then there are other times when. You. Just. Don't.  Amy Rachelle King (@amyduggar) June 13, 2019

Shortly after sending the tweet, eagle-eyed fans on Reddit noted that Amy had gone on an unfollowing spree, and her cousin, Jill Duggar, seemed to be target number one. She also unfollowed Joy-Anna Duggar, as well as Anna Duggar. While its possible Amy unfollowed them because of the tributes they posted, its also plausible that the soon-to-be mother of one feels like she can part ways with some of her more controversial family members now that grandma has passed on.Royal fans are well aware that Meghan Markle has had more than one trip down the aisle  she was previously married to Trevor Engelson. The couple married in a private ceremony in Jamaica, but after a few years, they grew apart and ultimately divorced.

Although one of our favorite royals, Prince Harry, has never been divorced, he has had his fair share of serious girlfriends. Fast forward a few years, and it is next to impossible to imagine a time when Meghan and Harry werent together. Royal fans couldnt be happier when the couple married in one of the most amazing weddings to date, and most people can agree that they are simply perfect for each other.

That is why it is hard to believe that shortly before meeting Prince Harry, Meghan almost tied the knot with chef Cory Vitiello.

We couldnt be happier that Meghan eventually ended up with her fairytale ending, however, many people are still curious about her relationship with Cory. Lets take a look.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex | Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Who is Cory Vitiello?

Take one look at Cory, and it is evident that Meghan definitely has a type! Just like Prince Harry, Cory has boyish good looks and a sincere smile. Born and raised in Canada, Meghans ex Cory got his start as a sous chef in Melbourne, and since then has gone on to open several of his own restaurants.

He developed a passion for cooking at a young age, and his talents definitely appealed to Meghan, who is a self-proclaimed foodie herself.

Meghan and Corys relationship

The relationship began when Meghan wrote a review of a Toronto restaurant that she had recently dined at, raving about everything from the atmosphere to the staff, and most importantly, the chef who created her delectable meal.

In particular, the burger was what won her over, and left a lasting impression on the smitten actress. Singing her praises to the chef definitely paid off for Meghan, as she and Cory began a relationship in 2014, which lasted for two years.

Friends were on ring watch

The couple was going strong, so much so, that their circle of friends thought that a proposal was definitely imminent. Apparently, the two were spending all of their free time together, and they seemed to be very much in love.

However, it would appear as if it just wasnt meant to be, and Meghan and Cory eventually broke up, just weeks before she and Prince Harry were introduced on a blind date.

Did Meghan almost marry Cory instead of Harry?

It seems that she came pretty close. Meghan and Cory had a strong relationship, and they got along wonderfully. Meghan seems to have really enjoyed her time with Cory, savoring the wonderful dishes that he would create for her, and sharing the experience with her Suits co-stars.

As fate would have it, there was a prince waiting in the wings, and as we all know, once they met, they truly got their happily ever after.

Why did Meghan and Cory break up?

As happy as we are that Meghan and Harry ended up together, many fans cant help but wonder exactly what went wrong in her relationship with Cory. While there are rumors that she and Cory were still together when Prince Harry first entered the picture, this has never been confirmed, and, according to some reports, the relationship ended because of Meghans behavior.

After taking credit for one of his recipes, Cory decided that the relationship just wasnt right, and he ended things with Meghan. The timing couldnt have been better since Harry was just waiting to sweep Meghan off of her feet, and the two have been head over heels ever since.Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick were a well-known couple from Keeping Up With the Kardashians. The two of them were together for more than ten years and ended up having three children.

These days, they seem to be broken up for good and Scott is in a serious relationship with 20-year-old model Sofia Richie. But how does Kourtney feel about her long-time ex settling down with someone else? Is there any chance that she might not want Scott and Sofia to get married? Lets look at what we know.

Kourtney Kardashian And Scott Disick | Getty

Scott Disick and Sofia Richie have been together for almost two years

Rumors of Scott Disick and Sofia Richie began going around in 2017, though the pair did not confirm anything until September of that year. Since then, they have been spotted out together many times. The two of them even went on vacations with each other, showing how serious they really are about the relationship.

According to sources, Sofia is a steady rock that Scott can lean on. She has kept him quite grounded. Sofia has shown over and over again that she is willing to stay with Scott even when things are not great  but Scott is doing well lately, a source told People.

Scott Disick and Sofia Richie are reportedly thinking about marriage

Although Scott and Sofia hit a few bumps in their relationship last year, the couple seems to still be going strong. In fact, insiders recently shared that they might be heading down the marriage path.

Us Weekly reported that Scott and Sofia have talked seriously about getting engaged. Despite a big age gap between them, they seem to be on the same page about the relationship. Of course, its worth noting that this rumor has not been confirmed by either party.

Kourtney Kardashian has been supportive of Scott Disicks new relationship

Whether Scott will get married to Sofia or not, Kourtney has shown that she is nothing but supportive.

Kourtney has shared that she hopes to set a good example of co-parenting and is adamant about putting the kids happiness first. Instead of being hateful and jealous, Kourtney actually tries to get along well with Sofia and even accompanies the couple on some of their trips.

I feel like I can show a message, too, of like, parents can get along and work together and we travel together, Kourtney once said. I think its a good message to show other people. I am not doing it for that reason, but I think the positive things that we are doing is nice too.

Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick reportedly want to have another baby

Despite the fact that Kourtney and Scott seem to have left their feelings for each other in the past, some things have recently been revealed that might turn this whole situation into a complicated love triangle.

Last September, on an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian shared that both Scott and Kourtney want another child together.

In April, on another episode of the show, the Kardashian family was in Bali with Scott. Kourtney told her sisters about a bizarre experience she had with a mystical healer. Scott came in, and the guy was basically saying that in a past life that we were together, and that were soulmates, she said. So he was like You have to decide if you want to be together or not be together.

All these signs seem to point to the reality that Kourtney and Scotts relationship might not truly be over yet. It could also mean that if Scott and Sofia were to get married, Kourtney may not be happy. Some people believe that she would be a bit jealous that Scott did not settle down with her.Sophie Turner just recently celebrated her last days as a single woman with an epic bachelorette party in Europe.

The actress had the time of her life with some of her closest girlfriends and now, looks to be ready to marry Joe Jonas a second time this summer.

Sophie Turner | Photo by Getty Images/Jon Kopaloff

From wearing colorful wigs to sun tanning, Sophie Turner and her wedding crew did not hold back when it came to partying from sun up to sun down.

Sophie and her girlfriends partied all around Europe

As Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas are preparing to tie the knot a second time this summer, after getting married in Las Vegas last month, the actress recently enjoyed her bachelorette party with some of her closest friends.

Since she loves spending time overseas, Turner decided that she wanted her single lifestyle to go out with a bang as she and her closest friends party all around Europe.

Sophie flew to Spain four days ago on a private jet with her closest girlfriends, a source told E! News. Sophie rented out a luxurious penthouse suite at the hotel. Half of the girls are in her wedding party but they are all very close girlfriends of Sophie. Sophie has always been a huge fan of Spain and she knew that it would be a fun place to party and celebrate her upcoming wedding.

Along with a few of her closest friends and her sister-in-law Priyanka Chopra, Sophie Turners Game of Thrones co-star Maisie Williams was also part of the festivities and even planned out the European excursion.

Maisie helped coordinate a lot of the trip but everything was taken care of by Sophie, the insider revealed. She wanted her friends to have a lot of fun and wanted it to be a huge party weekend.

Since Turner is basically her husbands, Joe Jonas, biggest supporter, the women started their four day trip in London attending the Jonas Brothers concert.

After that, Sophie and her pals traveled to Benidorf, Spain, Berlin and Prague.

They are partying at night and sun tanning during the day. Everything is very coordinated with matching outfits and colorful wigs, another source revealed. They are going all out to make it fun for Sophie.

The girls have been hitting up nightclubs and dancing up a storm both in the clubs and at their hotel near the coast, the source continued. They spent one day recovering by the rooftop pool at the Soho House in Berlin. They all lounged in matching robes and enjoyed drinks at sunset.

Sophie enjoyed bonding with her closest friends all together

With Sophie Turner and each of her best friends busy with their own lives and careers, the actress loved every second she got to spend with all of them.

These past few weeks, Turner has been extremely busy promoting her new film, Dark Phoenix, and she hasnt had the time to let loose and relax.

Sophies friends gave her the time of her life and she couldnt be more grateful that they helped her celebrate her bachelorette party.

Its a fun group of girls and Sophie is having a great time just being with her best friends in so many different places. They are really bonding and making it a memorable few days she wont forget, a source stated.

Now, it is only a matter of time before Sophie Turner ties the knot once again and parties the night away with her best friends by her side.The last time that Love After Lockup viewers saw Clint Brady and Tracie Wagaman, he accepted her back after she left him the day after their wedding. Clints parents are against his relationship with Tracie and do not believe she is the girl for their son. However, Tracie wants a daughter-in-law bond with Clints mother. Will Clints mother ever accept her in the family and did viewers spot drug paraphernalia at the newlyweds house?



BEVERLY HILLS, CA  DECEMBER 11: (L-R) Dr. Ish Major, Brandi Glanville, Jon Gosselin, Nick Viall, Rachel Lindsay, Caitlyn Jenner, Tori Spelling, Bob Eubanks and Sherri Shepherd pose onstage during WE tv celebrates the return of Love After Lockup | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for WE tv

Clint Brady and Tracie Wagamans past



In Love After Lockup Season 2, viewers watched Clint and Tracie meet for the first time and then go to Las Vegas to get married that weekend. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse when Clint woke up the next morning with his new wife missing. She left her ring but took the car and Clint could not get a hold of her.

He finally realized Tracie went to get crack and he called his mother crying, telling her what happened. She advised him to report the car as stolen, so Clint would not be held responsible for not returning the rental car, but Clint refused.



Tracie remember when you left with the rental car & $100 looking for some crack thats why Clints mom isnt messing with you #LifeAfterLockup  Dani (@msdanipi) June 15, 2019

When he returned to his hometown of Hobbs, New Mexico, he found out that Tracie landed back in jail. His lawyer also told him to absolve the marriage; however, Clint never officially registered the marriage. Clint decided he wanted to get his goddess back, so he went against his parents wishes and picked her up from jail again. They officially got married on March 31, 2019.



Clint Brady and Tracie Wagaman are now living together



Clint and Tracies love story picks up on the Life After Lockup premiere with 48 hours left on Tracies parole. They plan on going to Las Vegas to celebrate after she completes probation, and Clint wants to make sure she doesnt violate again, so he reads her the rules every day.



Tracie complained to Clint about not knowing anyone in New Mexico because shes from Texas, so she wants a daughter-in-law bond with Clints mother. However, Clints mom hasnt forgiven Tracie for hurting her son.



I'm itching just looking at that bed that Clint and Tracie are making out on. Instead of taking her to Vegas, he needs to take her to buy a new bed. I can see the bedbugs through the TV. #LoveAfterLockup #LifeAfterLockup pic.twitter.com/peIvtXFWPh  Anniya Love (@anniyaluv) June 15, 2019

Fans also noticed that their house is not the cleanest, including worn-out furniture, ripped mattress, and clothes everywhere. They also spotted what appears to be drug paraphernalia in their home. In the first scene, Tracie is standing in the kitchen, and there seems to be a red bong in the sink.

Viewers also spotted a shopping bag from a weed store in Las Vegas in their bedroom. Even though no one could see the contents of the bag, Clint does have an arrest history with marijuana charges.



Will Clint Bradys mom accept Tracie Wagaman?



Clint's mom has major LEGIT reasons for not wanting to meet and be around Tracie!!! #LifeAfterLockup  Shorty 40 (@lilcourtsays) June 15, 2019

Clint went to his moms house and told her Tracies concerns. While he tried to promise her that Tracie is doing better, his mom doesnt buy it. She says Tracies already hurt Clint and her past is indicative of her future behavior. Clints mother also doesnt believe that Tracie can stay clean after she gets off parole and wont get drug tested regularly anymore. Clints mom ultimately believes Tracie is not the girl for Clint, so she told him she would not give Tracie a chance.

Watch Life After Lockup Fridays at 9 P.M. EST on We TV!Fathers Day is this Sunday and while were not exactly sure how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will celebrate with their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, were hoping theyll mark the occasion with a new photo of the newborn as they did on Mothers Day last month.



Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared special photo on Mothers Day



Six days after Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, gave birth to baby Archie on May 6, 2019, the new family of three celebrated Mothers Day.



The new parents shared a sweet and meaningful post on their Instagram account.



The picture showed who we can assume to be Markle holding her newborn with beautiful purple flowers in the background.



Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and Markle captioned the image with the following:



Paying tribute to all mothers today  past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered. We honour and celebrate each and every one of you.

Today is Mothers Day in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Japan, and several countries across Europe. This is the first Mothers Day for The Duchess of Sussex.

They also included an excerpt from Nayyirah Waheeds poem, lands.

my

mother

was

my first country;

the first place i ever lived.

Poet Waheed is bi-racial, which is another way Markle has honored her heritage and used to her status as a member of the British royal family to promote works of other Black and bi-racial creators.

Special meaning behind purple flowers

Its clear from the caption the couple put a lot of thought into their Mothers Day post.

The purple flowers in the Instagram photo, forget-me-nots, were Princess Dianas favorite flower. Not only did the flowers honor Prince Harrys late mother but they honored all mothers as the couple wrote in the caption.

Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry share a photograph of Archie in honor of Fathers Day?

Again, while were not sure how theyll celebrate this Sunday, we can assume the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will celebrate Fathers Day similarly to how they celebrated Mothers Day: with a new photograph of baby Archie.

Maybe the world will get a sweet photograph of Prince Harry holding his son alongside his own father, Prince Charles.

We can assume the couple will put just as much thought into a Fathers Day post, that is, if they decide to post anything at all, as they did with their Mothers Day post.

Details of Archies birth

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor joined the British royal family at 5:26 a.m. on May 6, 2019, weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces. Hes now seventh in line to the throne after his father, uncle Prince William, and cousins George, Charlotte, and Louis, along with his grandfather, Prince Charles.

Although there were rumors Markle would deliver the baby at home, she gave birth to Archie at Portland Hospital, near their newly renovated home of Frogmore Cottage at Windsor. The details about Archies birth were made public when the couple filed their sons birth certificate.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and their newborn son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor during a photocall in St Georges Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019, in Windsor, England. | Dominic Lipinski  WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex skipped the traditional newborn photocall of standing on the hospitals steps, and opted for a more relaxed version at St. Georges Chapel two days after Archies birth. Cooing over their newborn, Prince Harry and Markle gushed about their son, with Markle describing Archie as an even-tempered baby.

While its certain the Duke and Duchess wont have a photocall for Fathers Day as they did for Archies birth, theres a good chance they will share a sweet photograph of the baby on Instagram along with heartfelt and meaningful words in the caption.

You have to wonder if Prince Harry has to carefully vet his most trusted friends nowadays due to so many people spreading malicious rumors about Meghan Markle. Deciding who his friends really are could be as stress-inducing as a pop superstar assuming they can trust everyone in their inner circle.

Such scenarios are true nightmares, even though were led to believe the royals are calm to chaos like this. Lets not blame Meghan, though, since she continually tries to bring positive changes, even if royal adherents despise her ways.

Who can Harry really consider his best friends who wont turn on him? All we can go on is what royal insiders say, which may require some filling in.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Does Harry really have close friends outside his family?

The best friends one can possibly have in Harrys situation are those known since childhood. Harry has several close friends hes known since he was a youngster, proving he does have some confidants to talk to outside of his dad, grandparents, and Meghan herself.

One of his closest childhood friends is reportedly Tom Skippy Inskip, with that middle name definitively British. Thanks to Inskip and Harry hanging out together as kids, theyve been seen together at various family events.

Prince Harry was allegedly forced to 'banish' his childhood best friend Tom Inskip after Tom allegedly advised him not to marry Meghan Markle.



Would you drop friends if they were opposed to your marriage? pic.twitter.com/ixOj9R7OJv  The Talk (@TheTalkCBS) April 5, 2019

Their connection goes beyond just forming a bond as children. Inskips father knew Prince Charles, so theres been a family connection all along. With the royals having a penchant for hanging with important people, you should know Inskips grandfather happened to be Lord Rufus Noel-Buxton, a Labour peer.

Harry and Meghan attended Inskips own wedding to Lara Hughes-Young a couple of years ago. Whether Harry turns to his friend Tom for major advice is virtually unknown. Some reports say Harry banished Inskip from his wedding to Meghan because Tom advised against marrying her.

Two more childhood friends

The Van Straubenzees are close to the royal family. In fact, Charlies brother, Thomas, was one of Williams best mans and is Princess Charlottes godfather.



(These are pictures of Thomas Van Straubenzee) pic.twitter.com/uYuVgpJEIk  Tea Time With The Cambridges (@TeaCambridges) July 29, 2018

Some of Harrys friends go back to his prep school days, like the van Straubenzee brothers. Thomas van Straubenzee is the closest to Harry of the two. Theyve been seen numerous places together, sometimes at rugby matches. Apparently the van Straubenzees were at Harry and Meghans wedding, which seems to say he still has friends whove stayed devoted.

Charlie van Straubenzee is the other brother whos almost as close as Thomas is to Harry. This is the one youve probably seen pics of playing rugby with Harry going back to his teen years.

Harry and Meghan have likewise attended the weddings of these brothers. If Harry turns to these bros to help him with advice, its as unknown as any of his other friendships.

Nacho Figueras

Professional polo player Nacho Figueras described meeting his friend Prince Harrys new baby, Archie https://t.co/8cKs8wkTTX  VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) June 4, 2019

A number of Harrys friends come from playing sports, sometimes polo. Nacho Figueras is one who Harrys played polo with over the years. Theyre very simpatico and Figueras often stays a champion for making sure Harry and Meghan maintain their privacy.

Harry must be happy to have a friend like this who attended his wedding, plus having his back against the warlike paparazzi. Maybe Figueras really is Harrys most trusted friend, simply because hes not considered a part of royalty like all of the others.

With that in mind, we also have to wonder if Harry can still consider parts of his family close friends.

Is the queen one of Harrys best friends?

One thing weve seen in the last few years is the seemingly solid relationship Harry has with his grandmother. At least this was occurring for a while before Harry started dating Meghan.

What the relationship is with his grandmother now is up in the air after all the turmoil with Meghan lately. Lets hope shes his best friend in the family next to his dad. Having the queen in your corner and being able to confide in her without talking to her like a boss would probably keep Harry sane for life.

Then again, if Harry and Meghan decide to move to Africa or America most of the time, they can probably wipe the slate clean on the type of friends they acquire."We have nowhere else" for Laureli Ivanhoff, word for her essay, "The Bearded Seal My Son May Never Hunt" published in the New York Times, 2018.

The University of West Hungary published a textbook last month which included an article by local artist Katie Craney.

She wrote about artists' unique ability to see and communicate climate change. Craney, a decade-long Southeast transplant from Wisconsin, said the northern hemispheres' rapidly changing climate has been both blatant and inextricable in her work.

She uses found materials to transmit images of shifting landscapes on small hand-cut scrap metal.

"Alaska is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world; how do we keep thinking it's a farce?" Craney said. "It's something I couldn't not talk about since it's something I pay attention to so much."

In April 2016, a university professor contacted Craney to commission the article based on her former work.

In her article "Deciphering Change in the Alaskan Landscape," Craney writes that "the Alaskan landscape challenges those who try to depict the experience of place through visual language." She contends that increasingly unpredictable weather patterns make it difficult to visualize, measure, and adapt to living on and with the land.

National Weather Service statistics show that the first two weeks of May in Haines have warmed by an average of three degrees since 2000. More active permafrost melting last fall contributed to a significant mudslide that closed Haines Highway for a weekend. Chilkat Valley bears denned later this year due to unusually high winter temperatures. Poor snowpack resulted in another poor heliski season for tour operators in 2019. Spring saw higher-than-average pollen counts and a longer allergy season. Four malnourished dead grey whales washed up on Alaskan shorelines this year (contributing to about 70 along the western coast); biologists say warmer waters and reduced sea ice may have affected their food supply.

Craney calls the changes "horrifying." "It keeps me up at night," she said. "I know I'm not the only one dealing with the mental overload of it."

When Craney first heard of "solastalgia," a word coined by Australian philosopher to mean existential distress caused by climate change, she thought 'I have that!' "I didn't know I needed a word, but it helps," she said.

In 2017, Craney was interviewed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change through an initiative to make the topic more accessible and understandable. She has completed artist residencies in Iceland, at Denali National Park (where she's returning this summer) and in the Inside Passage on board Sea Wolf Adventures, a Glacier Bay cruise company.

The purpose of her work is to encourage awareness and mourn the losses of irreversible impact on the environment.

"(I want to) encourage awareness that we are human and humans fail and we're failing big time," she said. "Through writing about my work, I try to talk about that. But then it's also coping at the same time."

In her latest exhibit "Landfalls," on display in Fairbanks, Craney curated excerpts from female Alaskan writers on their changing climate to accompany her art.

The series features 15 women, including excerpts from Nancy Lord's novel, pH, about ocean acidification and phytoplankton, poetry by Vivian Faith Prescott, and a quote from New York Times essayist Laureli Ivanhoff.

"I could see that it was responding to my words in a non-literal way," Lord said. "Art has such a great potential for influencing people, and is sometimes more helpful than words. People can respond emotionally as well as intellectually."

Ivanhoff ,who wrote "The Bearded Seal My Son May Never Hunt" The New York Times published in 2018, said she thought Craney's work is brilliant. Her reaction to seeing Craney's work was visceral, she said, similarly to realizing her young son will likely never hunt seal as his ancestors have in Unalakleet.

"I immediately am drawn to the photo of the ice," Ivanhoff said of the six-plate piece Craney created based off her words. "This past year, we had zero ice cover on our ocean. Growing up, the ice would start forming in October and would be here sometimes until June."

Ivanhoff said that reading is one thing, but seeing is another.

"We can read The New York Times and the Anchorage Daily News and get on with our day," she said. "But when individuals have the time to see a visual piece and reflect on the words, I think that's really special and important. I hope people feel what we are feeling out here because there are some drastic changes that are taking place.

The name of the piece has a dual meaning, Craney explained on Instagram.

"A few folks have asked why I titled my series of dedications as 'Landfalls.' Here's a brief answer: just when you think you've arrived safely, the ground underneath you heaves, buckles, redirects, and sometimes altogether disappears. It's disorienting and something I've personally experienced over and over, as many of the women in this series have-some more metaphorically than physically, though our climate crisis has taken over the wheel and is wreaking havoc on the actual ground that carries our weight. The plural use of the word implies the repetitive nature of our survival. We stand back up, dust ourselves off, and keep going."

Craney believes her role as an artist is not to reverse course-"it's too late for that"-but to "pay homage of what it is like to be human in the 21st century."

"Art is not a solution to the troublesome problem, rather, it offers a type of solace in a world wrought with unpredictability," she wrote in her conclusion. "Art offers viewers a chance to reflect on the world as they know it and see a different perspective through an artist's interpretation."Duggars grieve loss of family matriarch: 'Jesus took home a treasure'

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Popular reality TV family, the Duggars, are mourning the loss of Grandma Mary who died on Sunday.

News of the loss was first announced by the Duggars on their Facebook page.

We are so sad to share that Grandma Duggar (Mary) passed away Sunday afternoon, June 9, 2019. Mary Lester Duggar grew up in Farmington, Arkansas, and was married almost 50 years to J.L. (Jimmy Lee) Duggar who preceded her in death, the post revealed. Mary found great joy in sharing her love for Jesus and her own story of how at age 15 she asked Christ to forgive her for her sins. It was at that time she committed the rest of her life to live for Him, a commitment she kept with devotion.

The tribute went on to share some of the grandmothers successes which included being a real estate broker and a Grandma to 21 grandchildren and a great-grandmother to 13.

Grandma Mary Duggar has been on the TLC shows, '19 Kids & Counting' and 'Counting On' with her family for over 15 years. She is greatly loved and will be missed so very much! the post said. She lived a tremendous life as a follower of Christ, a wife, a devoted mother, a loving mother-in-law, and a much-loved grandmother.

The post concluded, We deeply appreciate your prayers for our family and all who loved Mary during this time.

Jill (Duggar) Dillard took to Instagram to write a dedication of her own that also revealed the sad news.

My heart breaks, Jill wrote. My grandma died suddenly today! She was an amazing woman of God and such a great example to so many!

The grieving granddaughter continued: She was a feisty, incredible woman who always took the time to talk about Jesus with everyone she knew! I know she was ready to check outta here and get her new body in Heaven before the old one started giving her too much trouble! We miss you so much!!

Jills cousin, Amy, who is expecting her first child, also professed her love for the matriarch on social media, revealing that the grandmother was her dearest friend.

It breaks my heart to write this. My best friend passed away yesterday afternoon, Amy wrote Monday on Instagram where she shared a series of photos.

Jesus sure took home a treasure. Im at a loss for words, shaking as I even type this out. I loved her so much, she continued. She helped raise me, we did everything together. Weve been on countless trips, we had lunch together 3 times a week, and if we werent together we were either texting or calling each other.

Amy also spoke of her grandmother's support for her first pregnancy, saying, she was so excited to meet our little guy.

I just cant believe she is really gone  thank you for the kind messages and every prayer lifted up for our family and I during this difficult time, she continued.

The Christian mother-to-be said she finds hope in the fact that she will once again reunite with her family.

My heart just hurts and my life will never be the same. Mema you will always be so precious to me and you were such a light who impacted so many lives. You lived joyously, and beautifully ... and I will miss you every single day, she gushed. I know though you are in perfect peace and we will see you again.

The cause of Mary Duggars death was not disclosed.106-year-old woman credits her faith in God for long life

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A 106-year-old North Carolina woman is crediting her faith in God for her longevity.

Ruth Hilliard was born on June 5, 1913, and told ABC news station WTVD that her long life is a testament to her Christian faith.

Hilliard is no longer able to read her Bible because of her vision, but the great-grandmother recites scripture by memory on a regular basis.

Her favorite scripture, she said, is Psalms 91:14-16.

"He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation," the scripture reads.

Hilliard believes the verses are God's promise to her and are a testament to why shes alive today.

The mother of one child, a son, Hilliard spent decades of her life teaching children and is recognized as a teacher and mentor to many. Hilliard taught kids at school and at church, WTVD reported. She also has three grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Hilliard's birth proceeded "stoplights, Band-Aids, bubble gum, ballpoint pens, microwave ovens and the discovery of penicillin," the news outlet added.

The great-grandmother celebrated her milestone birthday at an assisted living facility near Hampton County, where she lives. Her birthday was also recognized by the North Carolina House of Representatives which sent her a certificate of recognition.Ex-Muslim who planned to kill Christians and faced death for becoming one tells her story

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A Pakistani convert to Christianity who nearly blew herself up in the name of Allah says a spiritual journey that began with a dream transformed her from being a jihadi-minded teen into a devout Christian who's making disciples for Christ.

Born in 1982 to strict Muslim parents in a 97 percent majority Muslim nation, one of the things Esther (a pseudonym used for security purposes) ever wanted was for her father to accept her. But that acceptance never came.

Even though she did well in school, Esther and other women in her community were not allowed to pursue a high school education unless they had approval from their fathers or closest male relatives.

But the only way Esthers father would approve of her going to school was if she agreed to join a socially conservative Islamic political organization whose goal is to turn Pakistan into an Islamic state ruled by Sharia law.

That organization, which her father had joined about three years earlier, is Jamaat e-Islami.

When I first joined, they taught us to do everything Allah commands you. One day  they said whoever will give his or her life for Allah, Allah will repay that fully and also their parents will get into Heaven, Esther told The Christian Post in a phone interview.

My intentions were to make my father happy because he didnt accept me. I thought, this way, I could show my father that because of a girl, he will get to Heaven. That is why I raised my hand to be a volunteer to go for Jihad.

Although Esther was set on being a suicide bomber, killing herself and murdering a few Jews or Christians all to please Allah, as she recounts in her new book Defying Jihad, a dream completely altered the trajectory of her life.

Since the books release on June 2, it has become the No. 1 new release on Amazons religious intolerance list. The book comes not long after Pakistan was ranked as the fifth worst persecutor of Christians in the world, according to Open Doors USA's 2019 World Watch List.

When Esther joined Jamaat e-Islami in high school, she told CP that she believed at the time the organization was out to do good in the world through its social work and providing education to those who cant afford to go to school.

But as she got more involved in the organization, Esther said her eyes were opened to the reality of what Jamaat e-Islami was out to accomplish.

Whenever they were teaching, they always say Christians are the enemy and Jews are our enemy, Esther recalled. So we have to make this Earth clean by killing them or make them give tax or make sure they accept Islam.

While Jamaat e-Islami won't admit that they have an affiliation to terrorist entities, Esther was adamant that the group does have ties to terrorists.

They support them and do all kinds of stuff, she asserted.

When Esther went home to tell her parents that she had volunteered to go for jihad, her parents were happy to hear the news that their teenage daughter was going to kill herself for the glory of Allah.

Esther said her parents told her that everyone is going to die someday and the way she would be dying is considered a privilege.

The light man

But about two days before Esther was set to go on her suicide mission, she had a dream where she sat in a dark graveyard. The dream came after she fell asleep during her early-morning Muslim prayer.

I was in a graveyard. Everywhere was darkness. I was looking for a way out of the darkness.  As I was looking to come out from that graveyard, I saw a light appear, she recounted. And the light has arms, hands and face. I asked, Is this a man made of light? I have never seen a man made of light. If it is an angel, there should be wings behind it. But there are no wings, just a man made of light.

Esther said she called out to the light man, who responded with the words: come and follow me.

However, Esther told the man that she didnt want to follow. At that point, the light man called out: Esther, come and follow me. Esther again refused, and for a third time the light called: My daughter, come and follow me.

It was like, He had a connection with my thoughts. He started to walk. As he started walk, all the bushes and stones were moved off the path, Esther said.

I saw the light he made on the path. I started to follow the path. He stopped at one grave and he said to someone who was dead. He said, Come out. And the person came out. I said, Who are you giving life to dead people? He said, I am the way and the truth and the life. These words, I never heard in all of my life. I said please help me to come out from this graveyard.

Esther said she was then brought into an amazing place with a golden wall and tons of natural light. At that point of the dream, she woke up.

I couldnt sleep afterward. I was thinking about who was the light man and why did he call me Esther? she asked. Why did he say I am the way and the truth and the life. Why didnt he call me by my name?

She told a classmate at school about her dream the next day. The classmate turned out to be Christian but Esther refused to accept prayer from her. Growing up in Pakistan, Esther was taught that Christians and Jews are infidels and that she was not to mingle with them.

The next day, the classmate gave Esther an audio cassette and two books. One book was the Gospel of John and the tape featured a reading of the four Gospels. Esther destroyed the materials.

On the third day after her dream, Esther met a Christian man named John when she took her mother to the hospital for a checkup.

When John didnt greet her with the traditional Muslim greeting, she found out that he was a Christian. She asked him why he wasnt a Muslim.

He asked if Islam could give you salvation. I said, Yes. He said, I think you didnt read your Quran, Esther recalled. He said, 'Did you read in Quran where Allah said to Muhammad to say to your followers, I dont know what will happen with me and what will happen with all of you.

Esther said she thought that John had created his own version of the Quran to lead her astray. So she went home to look up that surah in her own Quran. But John was proven right by her own Quran, she said.

I thought that if the leader didnt know what will happen with him, what about the followers? Esther said. This was the point when I went back and started reading the Bible with John.

Gods plan

When she learned about Esther in the Old Testament, she asked John to interpret her dream with the light man.

He said Joseph had a dream and that dream has meanings, Esther explained. Similarly, God gave me the dream. John said, You are not here because of my effort. You are here because of Gods plan. He opened the book to John 14:6: I am the way and the truth and the life.

At that point, Esther was reduced to tears.

I was such a bad girl and God came to save my life, she said. I was going to kill His people but He came to save my life and my soul too.

Esther said that she lived as a Christian secretly for a few months until her parents wanted her to marry a man of their choosing. But she refused and told her mother that she wanted to marry a Christian man.

After telling her mother about her new faith, Esther said her mother beat her. Esther's mother waited a few months before telling her more radical father. After the father was informed, he told people at the mosque about his daughters new faith.

At that point, Esther said people had gathered to kill her.

Every day, I was thinking that today was my last day then I will be in Heaven with the Lord, she said.

Esther said she even participated in debates with Muslim scholars at her house. She boasted that none of the scholars could stump her because she was just a vessel through which God was speaking.

Esther eventually married John, but the couple was forced to go into hiding because her father felt so dishonored that he spent much of his time and effort trying to find and kill the couple.

After two years on the run in Pakistan, the couple and their daughter escaped as asylum seekers to Malaysia.

Along with Sri Lanka and Thailand, Malaysia is a popular destination for Pakistani immigrants fleeing persecution.

The family spent about eight years in Malaysia where they were accepted as refugees.

In Kuala Lumpur, the couple served with one of the megachurches there to evangelize to non-Christians.

We were just telling the truth through their own books, just like John used the Quran to tell me the truth, Esther explained, adding that the couple has helped bring 10 Muslims and one Sikh to Christ during that time.

In 2016, Esther and John were given the approval to resettle in the United States, where they were eventually given green cards.

In the U.S., the couple serves a mission-sending agency called Globe International to evangelize to non-Christians settling in the U.S.

We are working with international communities from Morocco, Iran and Iraq. We are working among migrants, refugees and students who are here to study, she said. We invite them to our home and we host them. We prepare meals for them. We let them see that we care for them. We are trying to make a bridge for them.Health workers should have no choice on abortion procedures, Planned Parenthood says, sues Trump

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Several nonprofits, including abortion giant Planned Parenthood, filed two lawsuits in Manhattan federal court Tuesday challenging the Trump administrations recently announced conscience rule that allows healthcare workers to abstain from participating in abortions or providing other services due to moral or religious objections.

The lawsuits, cited by Reuters, argue that the new rule that takes effect on July 22, will encourage discrimination against women, minorities, the poor, the uninsured, and members of the LGBT community.

Trust is the cornerstone of the physician-patient relationship, Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement. No one should have to worry if they will get the right care or information because of their providers personal beliefs.

The conscience protection rule was praised by conservatives and religious freedom advocates.

We need more health care in this country  not less. We all win if nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals can heal others without fear of being forced from their lifes work because of their religious beliefs, Becket Executive Director Montse Alvarado said at the time.

Also listed among the plaintiffs of the lawsuits are the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association and Public Health Solutions Inc., which are represented by The American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU will not stand by as our government institutes policy that could endanger peoples lives Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, senior staff attorney with the Reproductive Freedom Project at the ACLU said in a statement Tuesday. Freedom of religion is a fundamental right, but it cannot be used to harm others  especially when that includes withholding emergency care or critical information about patients health.

Roger Severino, director of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights, who announced the rule on May 7 at the National Day of Prayer, said the conscience rule protects healthcare professionals from being bullied out of their field because they object to abortion or other actions that conflict with their faith.

Finally, laws prohibiting government funded discrimination against conscience and religious freedom will be enforced like every other civil rights law, Severino said. This rule ensures that healthcare entities and professionals wont be bullied out of the health care field because they decline to participate in actions that violate their conscience, including the taking of human life. Protecting conscience and religious freedom not only fosters greater diversity in healthcare, its the law, Severino concluded.

Under the rule, which the HHS has pledged to defend, healthcare providers that depend on federal funding could lose those funds if they refuse to comply. Planned Parenthood estimates the rule could affect more than 613,000 hospitals, health clinics, doctors offices and nonprofits.

The rule has previously faced legal challenge from others like New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading a coalition of 23 cities and states in a lawsuit filed over the rule in May.

Personal views do not give people the right to withhold critical health care or endanger others lives, Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union said Tuesday. Patients should be able to trust that theyre getting the health care they need, regardless of religion or politics.Texas Gov. signs 'Save Chick-fil-A' bill into law, following San Antonio airport ban

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law a bill in defense of fast food chain Chick-fil-A after the fast food restaurant faced opposition from the San Antonio city council earlier this year.

The legislation, which has been called the "Save Chick-fil-A" bill, stops the government from taking action against a company or individual for donating to religious groups. The bill passed easily through the Republican-controlled state legislature.

Founded by the Atlanta-area based Cathy family, who are devout Baptists, Chick-fil-A has a long history of donating to Christian groups that adhere to traditional marriage beliefs, a stance now routinely framed in culture as anti-LGBT.

In March, Chick-fil-A was disallowed from opening a restaurant at the San Antonio airport following a vote from the city council, which prompted a backlash.

Council member Roberto Trevino reportedly said at the time that the southern Texas city did not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior and praised the city's move, saying it represented San Antonio becoming "a champion of equality and inclusion."

Abbott had signaled his support for the "Save Chick-fil-A" measure last month, tweeting a photo of his laptop showing a news article about the bill being sent to his desk alongside a Chick-fil-A beverage cup. He captioned the tweet: "So. What are the odds I'll sign the Chick-fil-A bill? I'll let you know after dinner."

The bill was sponsored in the Texas House by Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, who argued that the business was unfairly labeled as anti-LGBT because of its financial giving to organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which also reportedly receives contributions from other large companies.

Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a suit against the city of San Antonio in order to force them to comply with an investigation about their move to bar the fast food chain, examining whether it amounted to religious bigotry.

The public has an interest in the information, the lawsuit read.

The information sought by the Attorney General relates to the City of San Antonios decision to exclude Chick-fil-A from a public contract because of the sincerely held religious beliefs of its owners, and despite the fact that Chick-fil-A has a long and undisputed track record of serving its customers without bias or discrimination.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced in late May that it was undertaking its own investigation into whether the fast food chain was discriminated against because of their religious beliefs.

In the past decade, Chick-fil-A's sales have tripled, earning $10.2 billion in 2018. The fast food chain, which first opened over 50 years ago, is known for friendly customer service and has maintained its policy of being closed on Sunday.

Since 2015, Chick-fil-A has been ranked every year as the top fast-food chain in the American Customer Satisfaction Index.Trump judicial pick who said legally 'no difference' between gay marriage opponents, KKK withdraws

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A judicial appointee of President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nomination following backlash over his treatment of a Christian family-owned farm that opposed same-sex marriage.

Michael Bogren withdrew his nomination to the District Court for the Western District of Michigan in response to opposition from GOP Senators, according to a story by Politico on Tuesday.

Multiple conservative groups, as well as Senate Judiciary Committee Republican members Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, opposed Bogrens nomination, reported Politico.

Politico labeled the withdrawal a rare and embarrassing setback for the White House, which has had little trouble getting the GOP-controlled Senate to confirm President Donald Trumps judicial nominees.

At issue was Bogrens involvement in a 2017 lawsuit filed by Country Mill Farms and its owner, Stephen Tennes, against the city of East Lansing, Michigan.

Country Mill argued that East Lansing unlawfully banned the company from taking part in the citys Farmers Market due to the farm owners views against gay marriage, influenced by his Catholic beliefs.

"Tennes' Facebook statement professing his religious beliefs about marriage and his decision to only host and participate in only those weddings on his family farm that comport with those beliefs violates no federal, state, or local law or policy," stated the 2017 lawsuit.

"The policy and denial that followed violates Plaintiffs' First and Fourteenth Amendment rights because it regulates Plaintiffs' speech based on its content and viewpoint, creates a religious gerrymander designed to punish Plaintiffs for their religious beliefs, and conditions Plaintiffs' participation in a public benefit  i.e., participation in the Farmer's Market  on the surrender of Plaintiffs' constitutional rights to free speech, free press, the free exercise of religion, and equal protection under the law."

Bogren represented the city in the case, telling the Lansing State Journal at the time that he considered the farm owners to be discriminators.

The message isnt Catholics need not apply  The message is discriminators need not apply  This is not about religion. This is not about speech, said Bogren to the State Journal.

In his brief filed on behalf of the city, Bogren compared the Country Mill owners beliefs to the Ku Klux Klans opposition to interracial marriage.

In September of 2017, months after the suit was filed, U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney of the Western District of Michigan ruled in favor of Country Mill.

In May, during a hearing, Senator Hawley grilled Bogren over his involvement in the case, calling it extraordinary that Bogren would compare Catholic beliefs to the KKK.

I stand by those comparisons, responded Bogren during the hearing last month, claiming that From a legal perspective, senator, there is no difference.Ex-pastor sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing $800,000 from Texas megachurch

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A former minister at a Texas megachurch was sentenced to a decade in prison for stealing approximately $800,000 from the congregation.

Jerrell Altic, the 40-year-old former pastor at First Baptist Church of Houston, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years for embezzling the large monetary amount over a span of six years, until November 2017.

James Alston, attorney for Altic, said in a statement reported by ABC 13 that his client was cooperating fully with the district attorney's office and knew this day was coming.

He feels horrible for what has happened and the pain that has caused everyone at the church and his family members, and he would want me to tell everyone that he's sorry, said Alston.

In November 2017, church officials discovered through an investigation that Altic had been stealing money from FBC Houston. Altic resigned when confronted with the evidence.

Last December, Altic surrendered to authorities after a Harris County grand jury indicted him for stealing from FBC Houston to pay for personal expenses, including an overseas trip and an honorary doctorate from Lancaster Bible School.

FBC Houston Senior Pastor Gregg Matte released a statement last December explaining that his church kept quiet about the matter due to the sensitivity of the legal procedure.

While we were unable to inform the church body because of the ongoing investigation, we informed and kept updated the related church committees, including personnel, finance, and missions committees, along with key staff and the deacon body, throughout this process, Matte said last year.

These past months have been challenging and painful for us as the extent of Jerrells actions came to light and as we wrestled with the tension of wanting to inform the congregation, while also carefully following law enforcements lead in the investigation, balancing legal constraints with church procedures.

Matte added that while the fraudulent activities involved money for missions, all of the churchs ministry partners received their designated funding and that the megachurch's insurance paid out $500,000 for reimbursement purposes.

As challenging as this discovery has been for everyone involved, we have also been encouraged by the continued generosity and passion for missions work from our congregation  including through generous, unsolicited financial gifts from those who have come to know of his wrongdoing, he continued.Grand jury charges Louisiana man accused of burning 3 black churches with hate crimes

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A federal grand jury has filed hate crimes charges against a Louisiana man who allegedly burned three historical African-American churches in an arson spree.

Holden James Matthews, 21, was charged with six counts in an indictment announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday.

According to the indictment, Matthews set the church buildings on fire because of their religious nature. Three of the counts involve intentional damage to religious property, classified as a hate crime under the Church Arson Prevention Act.

Matthews was also indicted on three counts of using fire to commit a felony. If found guilty, Matthews can face as much as 20 years imprisonment per count of intentional damage to religious property, as well as at least 10 years for the first count of using fire to commit a felony.

U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana said in a statement that any attack against an individual or group because of their religious beliefs will not be tolerated.

Churches are vital places of worship and fellowship for our citizens and bind us together as a community. Our freedom to safely congregate in these churches and exercise our religious beliefs must be jealously guarded, stated Joseph on Wednesday.

Today we are one step closer to justice for the parishioners of these churches and the St. Landry Parish communities affected by these acts. My office will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute any type of hate crime.

Earlier this year, St. Marys Baptist Church of Port Barre, Greater Union Baptist Church and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church of Opelousas were heavily damaged by arson attacks that took place over a span of less than two weeks.

Police arrested Matthews, the son of a sheriffs deputy who had a strong interest in Black Metal, a musical genre known for anti-Christian themes, and reportedly often used racial slurs.

Information investigators have uncovered, and that Matthews has offered, suggests a possible connection with a genre of music called 'black metal' and its associated history with church burnings in other parts of the world, which have been documented in movies and books, said State Fire Marshal H. Browning in a statement, as reported by CNN.

In response to the fires, a widely circulated social media campaign was launched to fundraise for the three congregations so that they could rebuild their churches.

Earlier this month, it was reported that $2.6 million was raised on their behalf, with each church slated to receive approximately $866,000 for their respective rebuilding efforts.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

On the second Sunday in June, hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of Hong Kong to protest a proposed law that would allow people to be extradited from the former British colony to mainland China.

Yet, as the New York Times reported and subsequent media interviews have made clear, these protests are about more than one law. Theyre about preserving the freedoms that were promised when Britain returned control over Hong Kong to China in 1997, something thats been increasingly at risk given the increasingly dictatorial nature of Chinas Communist Party.

To understand this story, you need to know a bit of the backdrop of when Great Britain ceded Hong Kong back to China in 1997. The agreement clearly stated a governing principle, dubbed One Country, Two Systems that would govern relations between Hong Kong and mainland China for 50 years.

According to the agreement, Hong Kongs domestic affairs would be governed by systems it inherited from Britain, which included freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and eventually, free elections.

Under this arrangement, Hong Kong became freer and more prosperous than the rest of China. This made the rest of China look bad. So less than 20 years into the agreed-upon 50 years, China began undermining Hong Kongs autonomy by attempting to pre-screen candidates in their 2014 elections.

The response from Hong Kong became known as the Umbrella Movement, and included nine days of protest against Beijings violation of the agreement. In 2014, as now, the protests were more than an objection to a singular law or political change.

As the Wall Street Journal reported back then, the protests contained an undercurrent of another, much older tension: Between Christianity and Communist China. At least three of the founders of the Umbrella Movement were Christians, including the face of the movement, Joshua Wong.

In fact, there was a strong Christian presence felt throughout the protests: prayer groups, crosses, and protesters reading Bibles in the street. Churches played a quiet but important role in the citys protests, by offering food and shelter to demonstrators.

Oh, and one more thing to know (again from The Wall Street Journal): Hong Kong churches have long tried to spread Christianity in China. Protestant pastors based in Hong Kong have helped propagate the evangelical brands of Christianity that have alarmed the Chinese leadership in Beijing with their fast growth.

In recent years, Beijing has gone from being alarmed about the growth of Christianity to declaring war on it.

The people of Hong Kong realize that things have gotten a lot worse in China since 2014. They want nothing to do with Xis Socialism with Chinese characteristics. And because (unlike their mainland cousins) their internet isnt censored, they know what is happening to the Uighurs and to the Christians today on the mainland.

It shouldnt surprise us that, as Christianity Today reported, theres a significant Christian dimension to this years protests as well, just like there was in 2014. In fact, back in April, several Christians, including Joshua Wong, were arrested and imprisoned for taking part in pro-democracy protests.

Christians in Hong Kong arent buying the governments spin that the proposed new law would ensure that [Hong Kong does] not become a haven for fugitives and that existing legal protections and human rights would remain in force. They realize that subverting Hong Kongs autonomy is yet another way for Communist officials to suppress Christianity and its influence. They realize that, as the Times points out, laws like these are intended to extend Chinas reach into Hong Kong and strip its residents of the protection of the law.

And we can be certain, the first protections to be stripped will be those of Hong Kongs Christians.

Download mp3 audio here.

Resources

The Christian Backstory of Hong Kongs Pro-Democracy Protests

Morgan Lee | Christianity Today | May 30, 2019

History shows this weeks Hong Kong protests are about much more than just one law

Grace Shao | CNBC.com | June 12, 2019

Inside Chinas War on Christians (need subscription)

Nina Shea and Bob Fu | Wall Street Journal | May 30, 2019

Hong Kong Democracy Protests Carry a Christian Mission for Some

Ned Levin | Wall Street Journal | October 3, 2014

Originally posted at Breakpoint.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Becoming overly social justice minded at the exclusion of a gospel focus was most likely never an issue with Gunpei Yamamuro (18721940), who was the first Japanese Salvation Army commissioner.

Yamamuros spiritual growth including the beginning of his ministry that eventually led to as many as 10,000 young women and girls freed from a life of forced prostitution in Japan was definitively God-centered, according to records and as shown in the Japanese biopic, THE SALT OF THE EARTH, GUNPEI YAMAMURO.

Todays debate, mostly within the Christian community, about the theological relevance of social justice is getting tired and old.

During a screening of the movie alongside an anti-human trafficking forum in Southern California, I was reminded that efforts to tackle injustice, done in earnest while in relationship with Jesus, must be pleasing to God. The event held Friday (6/7/19) evening was hosted by leadership from the Salvation Armys Western Territory Headquarters and the California South Division in collaboration with SAs Japan Territory.

While battling human trafficking, inclusive of forced labor and sex for sale, the Salvation Army has been at the forefront long before corporate initiatives with campaigns and slogans hopped onboard the social justice issue of the day.

As was for Yamamuro, much of Salvation Armys message includes the belief that the gospel is inseparable from action steps taken that help others in need.

More and more we are having social justice awareness events even though SA has to keep much of their efforts in regards to human trafficking, such as safe houses for the victims escaping their captors, on the down-low, said Lisa Smith, who is the Assistant Director of Social Services for the Salvation Army on Friday. Just like you saw in the movie, people who are making money out of exploiting women dont like it when we are doing rescues. We are killing their business so to say.

SALT OF THE EARTH does a good job depicting part of the history of the Salvation Army (in Japan) and the ground-breaking work the organization did in the area of anti-human trafficking, Smith said. Today, its such a terrible thing about our society that we still have slavery, even though you would think it that would be long gone. [Today, Salvation Army] is living up to our DNA and who we are when we do this kind of work. Its part of our heritage.

Theres a scene in the movie where Yamamuro, (portrayed by popular Japanese actor Ryu Morioka), and a small group of ministry friends go to a house of prostitution in an effort to rescue the women. In their effort, the men are beat up and bloodied by the men running the house. Yamamuro and his friends called on God and were willing to sacrifice themselves in their efforts to not only deliver the women to safety, but to be a conduit for their salvation.

I witnessed the message of Jesus in words and action in SALT OF THE EARTH, GUNPEI YAMAMURO and in SAs Fight for Freedom Forum that Friday. The effort then and today by the Salvation Army to war against human trafficking is not exclusive of the gospel. Theres no room for cynicism. That would be a wasted effort.

Serving those who are enslaved is part of our DNA.Photo: Contributed

At 4:40 pm today, Kelowna Fire Department personnel responded to, a 911 call of a kitchen fire in the 400 block of Bach Rd.

A pot that was left on the stove Friday night caused a small kitchen fire.

The Kelowna Fire Department arrived on scene to find smoke in the upstairs portion of a house located at 400 block of Bach Road.

The fire extended into kitchen cabinets but no further. The home owner used a extinguisher to knock down flames before fire crews arrived.

A total of three engines, one command unit and 15 firefighters responded to the scene with assistance from BCAS and RCMP Services.

There were no injuries to those inside the home at the time of the fire, however they will be staying with Emergency Support Services as the house is not habitable at this time.

The Kelowna Fire Department would like to remind the public not to leave food unattended on the stove for any amount of time.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Fifty days after the exodus from Egypt, the people of Israel arrived at the foot of Mt. Sinai, where God specifically set apart the worshiping community and gave instructions for how he desired to be worshiped, serving as the formative era of Israelite worship and history.

This encounter is on Gods initiative. The people dont come on their own in order to attempt to get their Gods attention. Rather, The Lord called out to [Moses] out of the mountain (Exod 19:5)God himself called them to draw near to his presence. After giving Moses the Law, God called Moses, Aaron and his sons, the elders, and all the people to draw near to worship him (24:1).

The people had to remain at a distance, however (v. 2), emphasizing the fact that sin cannot come fully into the presence of God. For this very reason, this worship service continued with necessary consecration of the people. Moses presented Gods rules to the people as a way to reemphasize their own sinfulness and then offered the necessary sacrifices of atonement so that they would be accepted (vv. 38). God communicated his approval and acceptance of them based on the atoning sacrifice when the leaders of the people saw the God of Israel, . . . and he did not lay his hand against them (vv. 911). The ultimate expression of the fact that they were now welcome in his presence for communion with him was that they beheld God, and ate and drank (v. 11).

Later, after building the tabernacle and consecration of the priests, the nation celebrated a similar worship service, characterized by the fact that they drew near and stood before the Lord (Lev 9:5 ). This gathering in Gods presence was based on Gods invitation and dependent upon obedience to his directives (v. 6).

It began with a general call to worship in verse seven, followed by a period in which Aaron and the priests offer atoning sacrifices on behalf of themselves and the people. Verses 2324 demonstrate the amazing revelation that God accepted their sacrifices, and he revealed this to them by displaying his glory and consuming the sacrifice with fire from heaven. The people now knew that they were accepted by God because of the sacrifice. Following this period of Gods revelation of himself, the peoples sacrifices, and Gods affirmation of acceptance before him, the people listened to the Book of the Covenant as Moses read it in their hearing (Exod. 24:7 ).

They responded with All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient. The worship encounter climaxed with an expression of the very essence of worshipcommunion with God. God once again displayed his glory to his people, and they celebrated by eating and drinking (Exod 24:11 ). In the ancient near east, eating at someones table signified that you were welcome and accepted; to eat and drink before the presence of God was a powerful statement that the people had gained acceptance with God, not through their own work, but through the means that he had established.

These services of worship, most frequently described as solemn assemblies in the OT, follow a progression that became standard for the worship of Gods people from that time forward: God desired communion with the people he had set apart, but because of their sinfulness, they could not draw near to his presence. Yet he called them to come and provided the means for them to be able to at least partially draw near through a sacrifice of atonement.

Once the people obeyed his commands for sacrifice, God accepted them, albeit partially, and spoke to them. The people responded with commitment and a visible celebration of their acceptance in Gods presence in the form of a feast. This Sinai liturgy could be summarized this way:

God reveals himself and calls his people to worship

Gods people acknowledge and confess their need for forgiveness

God provides atonement

God speaks his Word

Gods people respond with commitment

God hosts a celebratory feastMom of Boko Haram captive who refuses to deny Christ pleads to Trump for help

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WASHINGTON  The mother of Leah Sharibu, a Christian girl kidnapped by Boko Haram last year, visited the United States this week to call on President Donald Trump to pressure the Nigerian federal government to work harder to secure the release of her daughter.

Rebecca Sharibu told attendees gathered for a Tuesday panel discussion on persecution in Nigeria hosted by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation that she has not heard from the Nigerian government in months about the effort to secure the release of her daughter.

This is despite allegedly being promised by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari that he would do his best to secure the release of the 16-year-old girl.

Leah Sharibu, who turned 16 last month, has been held by a faction of Boko Haram called Islamic State West Africa Province since February 2018. Thats when she was kidnapped along with over 110 other schoolgirls in Dapchi. About five died and all others were released weeks later.

The jihadis reportedly did not release Sharibu with her classmates because of her refusal to renounce her faith in Christ.

I am Rebecca Sharibu. I stand here pleading with government of U.S. Please help me! Sharibu said at the opening of the event as she started crying. Please help me bring my daughter back.

Sharibu continued crying as she was consoled by her translator, Gloria Puldu.

We stand here with Rebecca Sharibu, the mother of Leah Sharibu, Puldu said. Her daughter is still in captivity. We have tried the best that we could to get the attention of our federal government and the state government and the local governments to make sure that she is released. But up until today, Leah has not been released.

In October 2018, Sharibu held a press conference calling on the Nigerian government to do their best to ensure that Leah is released. According to Puldu, the press conference was held because there hadnt been any government official that visited the parents to tell them the information they had on their daughters kidnapping.

After the press conference, Sharibu finally spoke on the phone with Buhari months after her daughters abduction. Puldu said that Buhari promised to do his best to secure her daughters release.

After two weeks of the president speaking with her, we got the attention of three ministers that he sent to Dapchi, Puldu explained. That was the first official government people that came to see them in Dapchi. But after that one, we never heard anything again.

Reports at the time suggested that the militants were demanding a ransom of about $275 million for Sharibu's release.

In February 2019, we held another conference crying out that the president has promised that Leah will be released. But up until now, we havent heard anything from the government since that time, Puldu added. After that, nothing. We didnt hear anything.

Puldu said that there was a nationwide advocacy day on May 13, the day of Leahs 16th birthday. The advocacy spanned across multiple states.

Especially for us women, we focused on our first lady, Aisha Buhari, that she should speak to her husband so that we will be able to have our daughter released because she is a prisoner of conscience, Puldu said. Up til now, we did not get that attention. That is why we are here. [We want] to plead with your government to pressure our government because our government seems unable to secure her release.

We are pleading with you to please call on our government or to step in and do something, she continued. [We want] to call on all of you. We know that President Trump can do something about it. Your administrators can do something about it. All of you sitting here can do something about it.

Puldu added that the Nigerian government should be held responsible since they are unable to stop Boko Haram from raging across the northeastern part of the country.

Women and girls are going through Hell. Please pressure our government, Puldu concluded. Help us. We are out here. [Rebecca] is crying, just wanting her daughter to be set free.

Former Congressman and longtime religious freedom advocate Frank Wolf, the namesake of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016, spoke during the event and called on the U.S. government to be more active in monitoring the genocidal acts being committed in Nigeria.

In the Bible, Peter denies Christ three times, Wolf said. There is a 14-year-old Christian girl who would not deny Christ. The church in the West has an obligation to speak out. Secondly, this administration  career and non-career  and Congress ought to be engaged.

For as engaged as the U.S. was in the international coalition fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Wolf stressed Boko Haram has been just as deadly, if not deadlier, than IS.

Until the idea of genocide began in the Ninevah Plains [of Iraq], our government was relatively silent, Wolf recalled. I called an expert before I came here because I wanted to make sure we werent exaggerating and throwing the word around. Boko Haram is guilty of genocide. We have a museum not very far from here saying, Never Again.

Nigeria ranks as the 12th worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List.

Along with Leah Sharibu, Boko Haram has kidnapped hundreds of schools girls.

In 2014, the group kidnapped about 276 school girls from the mostly Christian town of Chibok, Nigeria.

After years of global advocacy, a little over 100 of the Chibok schoolgirls have been released. But about 112 others are still missing.

"They [the government] are not talking about our girls anymore, Chibok parent Enock Mark, whose two children are still missing, told Al-Jazeera in April. They are acting as if they are happy about what happened to us."

Other participants on Tuesday's panel event discussed the genocidal horrors Christian farming communities have faced at the hands of Fulani radicals in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. The Christian Post will report on those remarks in a forthcoming article.Jeremy Hunt reiterates support for lower abortion time limit

Pro-lifers have come to the defence of Jeremy Hunt after he was attacked over his support for reducing the abortion time limit.

The Tory leadership candidate recently restated his support for reducing the time limit for abortions from 24 weeks to 12 weeks.

Asked about his opinion on the issue on Sky, Hunt responded: "These are matters of conscience, yes, my view hasn't changed on that.

"I respect the fact other people have very different views and that's why these matters are matters for free votes in the House of Commons."

Mr Hunt, who is the former health secretary, clarified that although he favoured halving the current limit to 12 weeks, he would not push to change the law if he became Prime Minister.

"What I can guarantee is it will be a matter for the House of Commons, not a matter for government policy," he said.

"The Prime Minister will have his view just like every other one of the 650 MPs and these will be decided as a matter of conscience.

"But it won't be government policy to change the law in that respect."

Despite this clarification, he was strongly criticised for his views. Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine said they represented an attack on women's rights.

"It is incredibly alarming to see the former health secretary and a candidate in the race to be the next prime minister hold such a view," she said.

"Rather than attacking the women's rights we already have in some parts of the UK, the Tories should be fighting for them to be equal in Northern Ireland.

"So far the Tory leadership race has shown how out of touch many of those putting themselves forward are. The Liberal Democrats demand better for the UK and think that women across the UK, especially in Northern Ireland, deserve better."

Labour MP Jess Phillips said: "Did this one say he was a feminist? It's hard to keep up with who's on drugs and who pretends to care about women. Jeremy Hunt, how about we base this stuff on evidence and science and keep what you think is best based on no experience out of this?"

Ann Furedi, head of abortion provider the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said in Spiked that his views were "ignorant and unprincipled".

Pro-life campaigners have responded positively to Mr Hunt's comments, though.

Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Clare McCarthy welcomed them, citing recent polling showing strong support among women for a reduction in the abortion time limit.

The research by ComRes found that seven out of 10 women support lowering the abortion time limit to twenty weeks or below, while only one per cent of the UK public expressed support for legalising abortion up to birth.

"A twelve-week time limit would bring the UK in line with the majority of EU countries that have a time limit for most abortions of 12 weeks or lower," she said.

"At twelve weeks an unborn child is fully formed, has a heartbeat and all the organs, muscles, limbs and bones are in place.

"The baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, her toes will curl, her eye muscles will clench, and her mouth will make sucking movements."

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children said Mr Hunt's views reflected what many members of the public feel about the issue

"Despite the hysteria in the press and from some MPs about Mr Hunt's comments being extreme and out of touch, his position is more in line with the public than that of BPAS and Jess Phillips," it said.

It continued: "The SPUC position is that all unborn babies should be protected by law, not just those over an arbitrary time limit, and that the current situation in Parliament makes attempts to achieve change through lowering the time-limit unwise.

"However, the fact that a politician expressing that he would personally like to see such a moderate change to the law is attacked with such vitriol shows how extreme the abortion lobby has become and how little their horrific ideology can be questioned."The Church of England needs to think more clearly about transgender issues

The clear and rational stance taken by the Roman Catholic Church in its document 'Male and Female He Created Them: Towards a path of dialogue on the question of gender theory in education' stands in contrast to the confused thinking of the Church of England.

In 2000, a male Church of England priest who had undergone a sex change (as it was then described), and assumed a female identity, was allowed to continue in ministry; while 2005 saw the first ordination of a post-operative transsexual to the priesthood.

Since the passing of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 into UK law, a number of weddings have also taken place in Church of England churches where one of the parties holds a Gender Recognition Certificate but both are of the same biological sex.

At a time when the word 'transgender' was not yet in common use, and transgenderism was regarded as a rare condition affecting a tiny proportion of the population, it was not considered necessary to expend a great amount of time or energy unpacking its implications. In concluding that transgenderism was no barrier to ordination or to marriage in church, the House of Bishops failed to anticipate the repercussions of their decision, as they could not have foreseen the future significance of transgenderism as a social phenomenon.

In July 2017, the General Synod debated a motion from the Blackburn Diocesan Synod, proposed by the Rev Chris Newlands, calling on the House of Bishops "to consider whether some nationally commended liturgical materials might be prepared to mark a person's gender transition". The debate was lacking in analysis but high in emotion, and included assertions that trans people would commit suicide if the notion was not carriedwhich it was, with a large majority.

In the end, the House of Bishops shied away from producing special liturgical resources to mark gender transition, but instead suggested that the existing rite for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith could be used for the purpose. This was followed in December 2018 by official 'Pastoral Guidance for use in conjunction with the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith in the context of gender transition', produced by a committee chaired by the Bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson.

The publication of the guidance led to immediate protests, with clergy and laity signing an open letter calling on the bishops to "revise, postpone or withdraw" it. (The total number of signatures now stands at over 3,000.) The extent of the outcry seems to have come as something of a surprise to the bishops, who appear to have believed that, by declining to produce new liturgies but commending the use of existing ones, they were adopting some kind of compromise or 'middle way'. Indeed, Bishop Henderson himself declared that he no longer supported the guidance and apologised for the confusion caused.

Unhappiness continued to be manifested at the General Synod in February this year, as those opposed to the guidance, and to the Church of England's approach to transgender issues more generally, submitted a flurry of questions. In response to some of these, bishops on the one hand explicitly commended the use of the service for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith to "mark" gender transition, while on the other hand asserting that it was to be used "in the context" of gender transition, but NOT specifically to "mark" it.

At the root of the confusion lie fundamental theological questions about our very nature as male and female, which have been neither clearly asked nor answered by the House of Bishops. As the Church's Living in Love and Faith project exploring human identity, sexuality and marriage proceeds, the bishops urgently need to unravel the mess, and revisit the matters that should have been more deeply explored almost 20 years ago.

Prudence Dailey has been a lay member of the General Synod of the Church of England since 2000.Wife of detained Chinese pastor freed after six months

The wife of a pastor being held in China has been freed from detention after six months.

Jiang Rong, a member of Early Rain Church, was released on 10 June but her husband, Pastor Wang Yi, and several other church members remain in detention.

She was released on bail pending trial together with one other church member, according to the church's Facebook page.

Jiang, her husband and over a hundred other church members were rounded up last December. Many of them were detained for short periods.

Wang and Jiang have been accused of inciting subversion, while Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that other church members are facing harassment from police and landlords.

Unregistered churches across China have come under renewed pressure as a result of changes to regulations on religious affairs that came into effect in February 2018.

Many unregistered churches have been closed as a result of the new regulations, while their pastors and congregations have faced harassment from the authorities.

However, registered churches have also been caught up in the crackdown on religious groups, with some being forced to remove religious symbols and cancel children's activities.

In some parts of China, church buildings have been demolished.

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas called for all the charges to be dropped against the Early Rain Church members.

"While we welcome the news that Jiang Rong has been released on bail and reunited with her son, we strongly condemn her six month long detention and the charges against her, which are completely unfounded," he said.

"For half a year, Jiang has been arbitrarily deprived of her liberty and kept apart from her son. We call on the Chinese authorities to drop all charges against Jiang, to release immediately and without condition all Early Rain Church members still in detention, and to cease all forms of harassment against the church."It took Khawaja Azimuddin six months to complete the ornate hand-painted tilework for the prayer room at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, but he said it was the biggest and finest piece of art he has ever done.

Azimuddin, who is a colon and rectal surgeon at the hospital, was joined by colleagues and community members in the hospitals north pavilion on June 11 to celebrate the opening of a new prayer room built in the Muslim tradition.

He and another doctor, Muhammad Hanif, aided in the design and construction of the room. The prayer room contains copies of the Quran in different languages and a mihrab, or a wall facing Mecca that Muslims face to pray.

Azimuddin said the project was an honor to complete.

He joked about his motivation for the project, eliciting lighthearted laughter from guests.

I was sneakily trying to get into heaven through the backdoor, he said. Because the prophet said whoever builds a house for God, God will make a house for him in paradise. Mr. Keith (Barber), when you get over there you should have a house over there.

Keith Barber, CEO of Houston Methodist Willowbrook, said the hospital is glad to host a space to help their patients and staff practice their faith. Previously, Muslims in the hospital would use a 12-foot by 12-foot room in the southern portion of the hospital, Azimuddin said.

As a faith-based organization, Houston Methodist Willowbrook is dedicated to serving the medical and spiritual needs of people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds, Barber said. Our region is home to the highest number of mosques  18 in the northwest Houston region  in the Houston metropolitan area behind only the southwest area of Houston. Muslims are also a significant part of our diverse community here at Houston Methodist Willowbrook.

Zafar Tahir, representative from the Houston Planning Commission, said the inclusion of an onsite prayer room is a step forward for progressive thought toward Muslims in Houston.

Forget what youre hearing about in Washington, Tahir said. As far as Houston is concerned, we are the most diverse city in the U.S. We are proud of that. Muslims are part of us. They are woven into the fabric of the city and this county. Were here to stay and we want to be part of this country. Thank you, Methodist.

Sohail Syed, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, said the prayer room is important not only for Muslims, but for marginalized groups that are portrayed negatively in media.

In a time of hate, of minorities and faith-based groups, of faith-based communities, this is a great message, Syed said. God bless you, God bless every one of you here and we appreciate all of your efforts. Thank you.

chevall.pryce@chron.comKingwood firefighters will move back into Station 101 early Saturday morning after being displaced due to water damage from heavy rainstorms in May.

While the deadline was slated for the end of June, the citys general services division was able to deploy extra resources and contractors to finish the job early, said Rodney West, executive assistant fire chief of administration and support for the Houston Fire Department.

Thunderstorms in May damaged two HFD stations in Kingwood, 101 and 102. Both suffered rain damage, but 102 was still habitable. The stronger-than-predicted storms dropped close to 10 inches of rain on Kingwood, causing street, business and home flooding on May 7.

West said a leaky roof and flooding caused by a clogged drain led to extensive water damage in Station 101. Firefighters from 101 were working out of 102 as their station underwent construction to fix the roof, ceiling, walls and flooring.

It was crowded, West said. Theyre going to be elated to go back.

The City of Houston spent approximately $33,000 and replaced flooring and sheetrock, repaired the roof and damaged ceiling, and performed electrical and mechanical repairs, said Jaquelyn Nisby, a spokesperson for the citys general services division.

The repairs were desperately needed, Houston City Councilmember Dave Martin said. Originally, the stations were built to house volunteer fire departments, he said.

Since HFD Station 101 was flooded it created a very urgent situation, expediting the need for immediate renovations, Martin said. The safety of firefighters and their working conditions is the highest priority. The conditions created after these rain events put our first responders in unnecessary danger and that risk needed to be eliminated swiftly.

Firefighters are happy to return ahead of schedule. Housing the firefighters nearly 4 miles away at Station 102 caused a slight increase in response times, West said.

Were just very thankful for GSD working as diligently as they did to get us back into the station, West said.OakBend Medical Center has set up the latest technology in telemedicine at its Wharton hospital. This innovative way of caring for patients uses a combination of telecommunication and information technology to provide patients clinical health care even when the specialist is not in the same room or at the same location.

This allows physicians, like OakBend Medical Groups Dr. Long Cao, a preventative cardiologist, to see patients via telemedicine and determine if they need to be admitted to the hospital or if there is another plan of action that should be taken. The patient has an office visit without going to the doctors office.

Telemedicine, especially in rural areas, can help save lives and prevent unnecessary admittances into the hospital. It brings the specialist to the patient, even when they are miles away. It can also help EMS understand the patients needs while being transported to a hospital.

The telemedicine cart is on wheels and can be moved around the hospital to be at the patients bedside or to be in an area where the patient can be seen in private. The cart allows the doctor (with the help of a technician) to see the patient via camera. The doctor can access the patients chart and with the telemedicine machine is able to not only listen to the heart, but view the hearts rhythm. Additionally the machine has attachments for viewing eyes, ears, throat and epidermis. The doctor also has access to all of the patients records so that there is no lag in care.

OakBend has been using telemedicine in Wharton for approximately a month and has seen more than 20 patients. And, while the hospital is currently focusing on cardio telemedicine, it plans to move into other specialties in the near future and to bring telemedicine to both the Jackson Street campus and the Williams Way campus.

Using telemedicine allows us to bring our specialists right to our patients. They no longer need to drive to our main campus in Richmond; they are able to go to our Wharton hospital and do a consultation from there, stated Joe Freudenberger, CEO of OakBend Medical Center. We are extremely proud of this new technology and the potential it has for streamlining patient care and preventing unnecessary hospital stays.

The patient will have a telemedicine appointment with the doctor, just like they would have for office visits and most insurance providers are now viewing telemedicine as if it were an office visit.Photo: Contributed

FortisBC is reporting a power outage in Rutland.

The power was reportedly lost just before 9:30 p.m. from Benvoulin Road to Graham Road.

A total of 1008 customers have been affected.

A transformer along Tamarack Drive off of Springfield has blown.

Fortis BC is on scene assessing the situation.The hospital staff was insistent, but Brenda Bennett-Johnson could not be sure. It was May 13 and Bennett-Johnson and her sister Rosie Brooks were visiting the intensive care unit at Chicago's Mercy Hospital & Medical Center, watching a man struggle for his life. Authorities said they were looking at their brother.

He was confined to a hospital bed, bobbing in and out of consciousness, face beaten beyond recognition, chest rising with breath only due to the ventilator tube snaked down his throat. The man had been brought in after being discovered naked and viciously attacked on April 29.

It had been years since Brooks and Bennett-Johnson had been in touch with their sibling, Alfonso Bennett. And as the sisters recently told WBBM, through the injuries and medical contraptions, they did not recognize the man slipping away at Mercy as Alfonso.

"They kept saying [the Chicago Police Department] identified this person as our brother," Bennett-Johnson told the station.

Accepting the word of authorities, the sisters kept vigil over the injured man. When doctors said it was time, they signed the necessary paperwork allowing the staff to unhook him from the machines. He quickly passed away, and the sisters started making funeral plans.

Then, amid the family's grief, a miracle dropped.

A member of the family called to report that Bennett - alive and well - had just walked through her front door.

"I almost had a heart attack," Bennett-Johnson said.

The sisters' hunch at the hospital had been correct. Unfortunately, they had signed off on a stranger's death.

"It's sad that it happened like that. If it was our brother and we had to go through that, that would have been a different thing," Bennett-Johnson told WBBM. "We made all kinds of decisions on someone that wasn't our family."

The head-scratching case of mistaken identity has now prompted hard questions for Chicago authorities after Chicago media reported on the case this week.

"To say that we currently have questions is an understatement," Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer for the Chicago Police Department, tweeted in a response on Wednesday. "We have detectives looking into every aspect of this incident - from the incident response to the circumstances leading to the hospitalization and the notification of family members."

Incredibly, a similar scenario played out last summer in New York. As The Washington Post reported in January, a woman was alerted in July 2018 by a hospital in the Bronx that her brother was unconscious and suffering from severe brain damage after a drug overdose.

Two weeks later, the sister told doctors at St. Barnabas Hospital to take her brother off life support after they advised her the patient would never recover. Later, the sister learned the hospital had incorrectly identified the man in their care as her sibling. Her actual brother was being held at the time on Rikers Island after an arrest. The mix-up became apparent only after the city medical examiner's office did an autopsy.

The family filed a lawsuit against St. Barnabas in January.

In Chicago, the false identification that embroiled Bennett-Johnson and Brooks was equally strange.

As the sisters told WBBM, when they first got to the hospital, a nurse told them their brother had been identified through police mug shots. The department had not identified the man through fingerprints because of budget cuts, the nurse said, according to the sisters.

Police sources told WBBM that fingerprinting identification is only used when an individual has committed a crime or is taken to the morgue.

"You don't identify a person through a mug shot versus fingerprints," Bennett-Johnson told the station. "Fingerprints carries everything."

The mistake only surfaced after authorities at the morgue took his fingerprints. He's still a mystery man. According to WBBM, investigators are now looking for the actual relatives of the deceased.

In a statement to the station, Mercy noted, "The family did identify this patient as their brother."

Guglielmi, the Chicago police spokesman, said an investigation is underway into what happened.

"I can't conceive of how a budgetary issue would drive whether or not a person who was a John Doe would be fingerprinted before they're taken off of life support," Bennett-Johnson and Brooks's attorney, Cannon Lambert Sr., told the station. "If that's the situation, something's got to be done."A new state law instructs public school districts and charter networks to teach about tolerance, genocide and the Holocaust at every grade level starting this year, through participation in an annual Holocaust Remembrance Week.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 1828 on Tuesday, mandating that schools shall include age appropriate instruction determined by the districts for grades K-12.

Texas now is one of a handful of states with such a law, said commission member Jonathan Gurwitz, calling it a very positive step forward while noting it contains no formal way to convince the states more than 1,000 independent school districts and 700 charter schools to participate.

You cant mandate something that has no funding.  Its going to be difficult to get every school district to comply, Gurwitz said. Some are going to have to come a long way. Its going to have to be a progression.

Since it carries no funding or enforcement mechanism, responsibility for meaningful participation likely will fall on individual superintendents or teachers  but Lisa Barry, a teacher at Alamo Heights Junior High School who helped push for passage of Senate Bill 1828, already knows whats possible.

She has been passionate about teaching the Holocaust for 16 years at three school districts. Barrys fifth-grade reading students at Navarro Independent School District in rural Guadalupe County drew fame for setting a goal in 2007 to collect 6 million pennies to represent the 6 million who lost their lives in the Nazi genocide.

The students eventually accomplished about one-third of it, raising more than $20,000 for charity. To this day, theyll drop off pennies at her classroom or home to thank her for the lesson, Barry said.

FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE: Holocaust survivor tells students to stand up for whats right

She got the idea of advocating for Holocaust education as an antibullying method when she witnessed students harassing a classmate and was reminded of a personal past experience with bullying. If Holocaust literature can show students a way to get through tough times, they can have hope, Barry said, adding, If one kid is helped, if one kid is even impacted, its worth working myself to the bone to do it.

The new law, which was sponsored by Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, and Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, gives the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission the job of approving the educational material school districts create for the week. Its website offers guidelines for the lessons and resources for teaching the topic.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS: San Antonian joins Texas genocide commission

The bill states the governor will set a date for the remembrance week. Abbotts office has not yet announced the date but the bills backers think it might fall either in January or April because of other Holocaust remembrance events.

I knew if we tried to attach money to the bill it would probably hurt it, Menendez said at a panel discussion this week sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women and the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio.

To me, the issue is a no-brainer. Were not forcing something other than, when the governor dictates its Holocaust Remembrance Week, it becomes a public holiday, Menendez said. There are some school districts that will go out of their way and embrace it, and there are some that wont.

Joining Barry at the conference were three other women who lobbied hard for the bill and were celebrating its signing: Sharon Greenwald, Varda Ratner and Ginny Wind, all daughters of Holocaust survivors and the legislations original drafters.

Greenwalds parents, David and Golda Sharff, came to San Antonio in 1949 after both survived Nazi labor camps. Ratners parents, Nathan and Ilona Haendel, spent years in hiding, while Winds mother and grandmother, Ann Levit and Bella Yedwab, survived the Kaiserwald concentration camp and a death march to the Baltic Sea.

The women have had a long, close friendship, Ratner said, and their work on the bill led them to call themselves the four ladies in a car.

The work isnt done, they said.

Were now brainstorming a task force to work alongside the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission in implementing the bill and aiding school districts with educational workshops, Greenwald said.

The bill is only the first step, Barry said. Well continue pressing for this education.

brooke.lamantia@express-news.net | Twitter: @brooke_lamantiaWhataburger isn't just a Texas thing anymore.

And people from Houston to DFW to El Paso and almost everywhere in between are not happy about it.

Especially not J.J. Watt. The hulking lineman may have Wisconsin roots, but Texas has become his home away from home.

Here's what's got the Texans star so unhappy.

On HoustonChronicle.com: New Whataburger swag just for dad

On Friday, Chicago-based BDT Capital Partners announced it had agreed to acquire a majority stake in Whataburger, the incredibly popular Texas-based burger chain (you can read about the full details of that deal here).

Watt has expressed his love of Whataburger before. And on Twitter, he even proposed an inventive, multi-step solution for how to keep the brand out of the hands of a non-Texas company.

Above you can read Watt's solution and how residents in Houston and the state of Texas reacted to the sale of Whataburger.

Peter Dawson is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | Peter.Dawson@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email hereA call from a suspicious resident who noticed two men walking in a quiet Sugar Land neighborhood around 3:30 a.m. Monday, June 10, led to the arrest of two Houston men accused of burglarizing a home.

According to police officials, an alert resident in the New Territory neighborhood called police to report seeing suspicious people walking in the 100 block of Pendelton Place. Patrol officers dispatched to the area reportedly spotted two men who matched the callers description driving a silver, 2005 Chevrolet Equinox and initiated a traffic stop. Further investigation revealed stolen property and a small amount of marijuana in the suspects vehicle, police officials allege.Photo: Tri-City News

A Port Coquitlam homeless man says police and bylaw officers routinely seize his belongings and are trying to push people like him out of the community.

Ross Brydon has lived on the streets for more than 15 years and currently resides in a tent along the Coquitlam River. He said it is not uncommon for homeless people like him to return to their camps to find all of their possessions gone and a card for 1-800-GOT-JUNK left behind.

"They will take everything," he said. "If you haven't moved when they tell you to leave, if you aren't gone by their set warning time ... they will seize everything."

A tent, a bike, some food and identification are among the items Brydon said have been taken over the years. The few possessions he owns, he added, he relies on for survival.

I dont understand the thinking behind it, he said. Where does it help to take someones possessions? Anyone that hopes to assimilate back into society, they are not going to do it by having bylaws [officers] seize their belongings.

Paula Jones, Port Coquitlam's manager of bylaw services, said in a statement that homelessness is a "complex and challenging issue." She added that staff do a lot to connect homeless people in the community with services and outreach programs.

"The city's bylaw services division's first priority is to check on the individuals' wellbeing and ask if they need outreach services and refer them accordingly," she said. "They have never taken down active camps without fair notice and always give the individuals the opportunity to take what they want and then we dispose of what is left behind."

However, the treatment Brydon said he has experienced at the hands of police and bylaw officers prompted him to get involved with Alliance Against Displacement. Thursday afternoon, the organization held a rally in front of the Port Coquitlam courthouse and marched into Coquitlam, where demonstrators attempted to set up what they called the We Exist Tent City in a vacant lot next to a homeless shelter and transitional housing.

But attempts to set up a tent city in Coquitlam were thwarted Thursday when the RCMP ordered protestors to vacate the lot. After a couple of hours and multiple meetings between activists and Mounties, the marchers agreed to disband their camp and move out.

Mayor Richard Stewart said Coquitlam has been supportive of initiatives to help the homeless, pointing to the Gordon Avenue shelter, which sits on land provided by the municipality. Council also recently approved re-instating a cold/wet weather mat program, which provides shelter to people during the winter months.The Trump administration intensified its effort Friday to demonstrate Iran's culpability in a spate of damaging oil tanker attacks, as dueling accusations from Washington and Tehran heightened concerns about military conflict.

American officials said newly released intelligence, including a grainy video, illustrated Tehran's role in twin explosions Thursday that crippled Japanese- and Norwegian-owned ships in the Gulf of Oman.

But European nations appealed to all sides to de-escalate, as statements by the owner of one of the targeted ships appeared to challenge the U.S. account that Iranian naval boats had employed limpet mines.

President Donald Trump insisted that video released by U.S. Central Command that appeared to show unidentified people in a small boat removing something from the side of a tanker - which officials said was an unexploded mine - was proof that Iran had carried out the attacks.

"Well, Iran did do it," he told Fox News. "And you know they did it because you saw the boat."

Depicting Iran as a "nation of terror," the president's remarks underscored the urgency that has characterized his administration's approach to a country it has identified as its primary adversary in the Middle East.

U.S. officials say Thursday's attacks, like a similar incident off the United Arab Emirates in May, was part of an attempt by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to hobble energy commerce as the United States moves to shut off Tehran's ability to sell oil on international markets.

Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran - [without] a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence," accusing the Trump White House of "economic terrorism" and "sabotage diplomacy."

The escalating rhetoric on both sides has alarmed allied nations and generated concerns among Democratic lawmakers who fear that the administration, led by national security adviser John Bolton, known for his hawkish views on Iran, could allow a conflict to erupt.

Military officials have scrambled to reinforce a presence in the Middle East, which they had reduced in an attempt to refocus on China and Russia, while also voicing concern about the potential for conflict with a well-armed and unpredictable rival.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that the impetus behind the attacks on the Japanese ship Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian Front Altair was the administration's "maximum pressure campaign" of sanctions, which is intended to get Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program and its support of militia groups in the region.

"This is a way station to a wider conflict breaking out between Iran and the United States," said Ali Vaez, senior Iran analyst and Iran project director for the International Crisis Group. "If Iran was behind it, it is very clear the maximum pressure policy of the Trump administration is rendering Iran more aggressive, not less."

A day after the attacks, numerous questions remained about what occurred and how the administration will respond.

Yutaka Katada, president of the Kokuka Sangyo shipping firm that owns one of the targeted tankers, told reporters Friday in Tokyo: "The crew are saying it was hit with a flying object. They say something came flying toward them, then there was an explosion, then there was a hole in the vessel. Then some crew witnessed a second shot."

Katada added: "To put a bomb on the side is not something we are thinking. If it's between an explosion and a penetrating bullet, I have a feeling it is a penetrating bullet. If it was an explosion, there would be damage in different places, but this is just an assumption or a guess."

He said he did not believe that the tanker was struck "because it was Japanese," as that would have been difficult for an attacker to determine.

The Courageous was targeted as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran.

"When the shell hit, it was above the water surface by quite a lot," Katada said. "Because of that, there is no doubt that it wasn't a torpedo."

He said the ship's crew saw an Iranian military ship in the vicinity Thursday night Japan time, Reuters news agency reported.

The White House said Trump and Abe spoke Friday about "the circumstances surrounding the attacks," and that the president thanked the Japanese leader "for his effort to facilitate communication with Iran."

Following the attacks, the USS Bainbridge, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer that was in the area, took on board 21 crew members from the ship. According to U.S. officials, the crew of the Front Altair boarded Iranian naval vessels after initially being rescued by another ship.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said that "responsibility for the security of the Strait of Hormuz lies with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

"We showed that we were able to rescue the sailors of the ship as soon as possible," Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The accusation against Iran, he said, is "not only not funny . . . but alarming and worrisome."

As part of its effort to make its case about the attacks, U.S. officials showed reporters photographs of the Kokuka Courageous with what the Navy identified as a suspected magnetic mine attached to its hull.

One official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity because many elements of the investigation remain secret, said the unexploded device was probably applied by hand from an Iranian fast boat. It is thought to be the same kind of weapon used to blow a hole elsewhere in the tanker and to damage the Front Altair, two officials said.

The officials said the type and timing of the attacks bear Iranian hallmarks. But U.S. officials could not yet say with certainty where the mines were manufactured or exactly how they were laid.

"There's not too many ways in which this can be done," one official said. "Very few that don't involve an individual physically placing it on the ship."

Before the attacks, Iranian forces fired a surface-to-air missile at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone in the area of the attacks, but they missed, a defense official said Friday. Several days earlier, Yemeni Houthi militants shot down another Reaper in the Red Sea. Those allegations were first reported by CNN.

U.S. officials said several nations are discussing how to respond. One option may be to provide military escorts for commercial tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz, one official said, although no decision has been made.

The attacks underscored the vulnerability of commerce in a strategic waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes. It connects energy supplies from Arab nations in the gulf, as well as Iran, to consumers around the globe.

Oil prices rose by as much as 4.5% on Thursday before easing back. On Friday, the price of the Brent benchmark crude oil used internationally closed at $62.06 a barrel, up 1.2% but still below Thursday's peak. The price of the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate grade of crude oil closed Friday at $52.51 a barrel, up 0.44%.

Trump, in another instance of his binary messaging on foreign affairs, appeared in his remarks to Fox to leave the door open to negotiations with Tehran while criticizing its leadership.

"They've been told in very strong terms . . . we want to get them back to the table if they want to get back," he said. "I'm in no rush."

Officials said the Trump administration was attempting to broaden the international consensus on finding Iran responsible for the recent attacks. That is likely to be a challenge given European nations' ongoing commitment to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal backed by President Barack Obama and their criticism of the Trump administration's more hostile policy.

Germany's government on Friday called for an investigation into the "extraordinarily worrying" incident, but said it had no information on who carried out the attacks, the Associated Press reported.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman also expressed concern and called for restraint on all sides.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes that "all sides can jointly safeguard navigational safety in the relevant waters," news agencies reported.

"Nobody wants to see war in the gulf," he said. "That is not in anyone's interest."

- - -

Cunningham reported from Istanbul. Denyer reported from Tokyo. The Washington Post's William Branigin, John Hudson, Steve Mufson, Karoun Demirjian, Anne Gearan and Carol Morello in Washington and Akiko Kashiwagi in Tokyo contributed to this report.New York on Thursday became the fifth state in the nation to eliminate religious exemptions for vaccine requirements in school children.

The state Senate and Assembly passed the measure following a dramatic committee meeting and two spirited floor debates about bodily autonomy, science, and whether public health concerns should trump the First Amendment.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the legislation into law.

The bill's Senate sponsor, state Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, said the repeal of non-religious exemptions sends a message to New Yorkers that vaccines are safe.

"We're putting science ahead of misinformation about vaccines and standing up for the rights of immunocompromised children and adults, pregnant women and infants who can't be vaccinated through no fault of their own," he said.

New York is at the center of one of the worst measles outbreaks the country has seen in decades. Of 1,022 confirmed measles cases nationwide, 588 are in New York City and 266 are in Rockland County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There was one confirmed case of measles in Greene County and seven in Sullivan County.

Proponents of the bill say the religious exemption has been interpreted over-broadly. Leaders in most major religions in the state have urged adherents to vaccinate. Elimination of the religious exemption in California has resulted in increased vaccination rates, notes the Assembly's sponsor, Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-Bronx.

"This bill will help save lives and protect children," Dinowitz said.

Sign up today! Get a jump-start on Houston's newest source for healthy living See More Collapse

Parents who say they oppose immunizations on religious grounds or are skeptical of widely accepted vaccine science protested loudly throughout the day at the Capitol as the bill wended through the approval process.

In the Assembly, after the votes were tallied, protesters who were in the public gallery overlooking the chamber started shouting at the lawmakers below. State Police arrived to clear the group from the chamber as befuddled Assembly members looked on.

A woman who had waited outside the Assembly's main entrance screamed "Shame on you!" as some lawmakers emerged after voting.

"The religious will never comply," activist Stephany Maharis said. "They threw children with disabilities out of school and religious children out of a public education, because they don't want to comply with forced, coercive medicine."

[EDITORIAL: Worse than Stickland calling vaccines 'sorcery?' Silence by those who who know better.]

Earlier Thursday, the bill narrowly passed by a vote of 14-12 during an intense Assembly Health Committee meeting that enabled the bill to go to the floor for debate. The room was filled with activists, several of them soothing children or infants in slings.

The 26-member committee had been split on the issue a week ago, with a slight majority opposing or holding serious reservations about advancing the legislation.

Assembly Health Committee Chairman Richard Gottfried voted to move the bill through committee, but also signaled that he would vote against the measure on the Assembly floor.

"After months of extensive discussion, the Assembly Majority Conference has come to the conclusion that it wants this bill on the Assembly floor," Gottfried said. "The Health Committee majority's responsibility is to move the bill forward."

The Assembly leadership also appears to have put pressure on Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, and Assemblyman Nader J. Sayegh, a Westchester Democrat, to advance the bill through committee. Both lawmakers voted "yes" in committee and "no" on the floor.

In a remarkable moment, Sayegh changed his committee vote to "yes" after conferring with Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. He clarified that he was voting to allow for a debate on the floor.

[Despite measles outbreak, Texas vaccine exemptions up again]

Some anti-vaccine activists broke into tears as the committee meeting concluded.

"God help us!" a woman cried.

A poll released Monday by the Siena Research Institute indicated that New York voters overwhelmingly favor an end to the religious exemption for vaccinating children.

Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Rockland, spoke on the floor of her grandmother who became deaf due to the measles.

"It is one of the most contagious diseases," Jaffee said. "Fever, rash, cough, cold, inflammation in the brain that spreads, pneumonia. Why would we want our kids to have that risk?"

The measure passed the 150-member Assembly by a margin of 77  53, barely surpassing the 76-vote threshold.

The repeal was less contentious in the 53-member Senate, where the bill cruised through committee process and passed Thursday evening 36-26.

"Vaccines save lives. We are in the midst of a measles epidemic which is completely preventable given proper immunizations," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. "The fact that New York state has the overwhelming majority of these measles cases is shameful, and we must step up to protect New Yorkers' health."

David Lombardo contributed reporting for this story.An Indiana man is behind bars, accused of attempting to kidnap a 6-year-old girl from her grandparents' home.

According to WTHR, Benjamin Dillon, 37, faces a slew of charges including counts of burglary, intimidation and resisting law enforcement.

Witnesses told WTHR that Dillon kicked his way into a Lebanon apartment in the middle of the night. The girl's grandparents, Martin Roth and Patricia Roth, reportedly fought him off and kept him away from the girl until police arrived.

The Roths told officers that Dillon, who they had never seen before, told them he was "taking the child."

I was sound asleep in my bedroom and this guy came kicking in and said, 'You have my daughter,' Patricia Roth told Fox 59. I was nervous, very nervous. I was shaking so bad."

A police report states that officers found Dillon outside "shirtless and very agitated, insisting there was a little girl in the apartment being raped" and "that the little girl was his daughter."

Officers shocked Dillon with a Taser but it had no effect. When finally handcuffed, officers said he "then kept kicking us and screaming."

The man was taken to the Boone County Jail. The 6-year-old girl was very frightened, but unhurt.

I wouldnt want him walking back in my apartment again. He will regret it the next time, Patricia Roth said.

CHRON CATCH-UP | NEWSLETTER Get a quick, weekday news update for free. See More Collapse

Dillon attempted to clarify the incident in a jailhouse phone call with WTHR.

"I was under the impression that maybe my daughter might be over there in that apartment complex," he said.

Dillon denies threatening to take the 6-year-old girl and even denies kicking in the Roth's door.

While jailed on bonds totaling $75,000, Dillon said he's enrolled in a substance abuse treatment program.Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau looks on as Cuban President Fidel Castro gestures during a visit in Havana on Jan. 27, 1976. Canada's spy service destroyed a Cold War dossier on Pierre Trudeau in 1989 instead of turning it over to the national archives, The Canadian Press has learned.

The Canadian Press has learned that Canada's spy service destroyed a Cold War dossier on Pierre Trudeau in 1989 instead of turning it over to the national archives.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service says the secret file on the former prime minister was scrapped because it fell short of the legal threshold for retention by either the service or the archives.

News of the decision to purge the file, which is coming to light only three decades later, has stunned and disappointed historians.

John English, who wrote an acclaimed biography of Trudeau, says the move is outrageous, and the explanation offered by CSIS is weak.

Steve Hewitt, who has spent years chronicling the country's security services, calls the destruction a crime against Canadian history.

The Trudeau file was among hundreds of thousands the Mounties inherited in the 1980s after the RCMP Security Service was dissolved following a series of scandals.Photo: CTV News

An early morning dispute over a limo for hire turned violent in downtown Vancouver, resulting in a teenager being sent to hospital.

Shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday morning on Seymour Street near Dunsmuir, two groups of teens got into a dispute over a limo, according to Vancouver police.

The groups did not know each other, and the dispute became heated. A 19-year-old was stabbed and suffered serious injuries, and remains in hospital.

Another young man sustained minor injuries, but declined medical attention at the scene.

The suspects, all young men, fled the scene before police arrived but were soon arrested. They remain in custody.

Anyone with information is asked to call the VPD's Major Crime Unit at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.Baytown PD

Authorities are searching for an 86-year-old Baytown man who they fear may have gotten onto a bus.

Clarence Green, 86, was last seen on Tuesday at his home in the 2100 block of Taft Drive. Investigators believe Green may have gotten onto a bus and traveled into the Houston area.The former pastor of a Southern Baptist church in north Harris County has been arrested in connection with an allegation that he molested a teenage relative for about two years, court records show.

Stephen Bratton, who stepped down from the Grace Family Baptist Church in Cypress Station last month, has since been released from custody at the Harris County Jail after posting a $50,000 bond.

The investigation began on May 16 after Bratton allegedly confessed to three Southern Baptist clergy members that he abused the child, according to court documents. Two of Bratton's co-pastors, Aaron Wright and Erin Frye, called the Harris County Sheriff's Office to their church on Bammel Westfield Road to take a report that same day, while the third pastor, David Shiflet, said he referred the complaint to the Department of Family Protective Services.

Bratton, 43, was charged Friday with continuous sexual abuse of a child, Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland said Saturday.

"As the weeks followed the pastors continued to make contact with the detective because they desired the case to be brought forward so that justice would be served," Wright said in a written statement. "Once the case began we continued to cooperate fully throughout the investigation."

Bratton is accused of abusing the child from 2013 to 2015 with inappropriate touching that escalated to "sexual intercourse multiple times a day or several times a week," Gilliland said.

There are no other known victims, according to church leaders.

Court records show an emergency protection order was granted.

A LinkedIn profile shows Bratton listed himself as unemployed after leaving the Grace Family Baptist Church on Bammel Westfield Road in May. He previously worked at the Old River Baptist Church in Dayton.

[The Southern Baptist Convention declined to keep a list of key church officials and volunteers convicted of sex abuse crimes. We did.]

Bratton most recently testified in support of failed House Bill 896 that would have abolished abortions in Texas and opened up the possibility that prosecutors could charge a woman who undergoes the procedure with criminal homicide. The offense can be punishable by the death penalty under current Texas law.

"Whoever authorizes or commits murder is guilty," Bratton said in an April 8 hearing. "They're guilty already in a court that is far more weighty than what is here in Texas."

He is married with seven children.

The charges follow this week's Southern Baptist Convention annual gathering in Birmingham, Alabama, where religious leaders called for churches to toughen screening processes of pastors and ensure the treatment of sex abuse survivors.

An investigation by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio-Express News found more than 700 people -- mostly children -- had been victimized by hundreds of Southern Baptist church leaders since 1998.A: According a 2018 survey from the California Association of Realtors, 93% of home buyers go to the internet as part of their home search and 50% find the home they purchased online. So working with a brokerage firm/agent that can give your property a strong online presence is imperative.

As the listing agent, I assure that the property has that strong online presence. Homes I have listed for sale appear on more than 700 websites, including the most visited real estate websites in the world, like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com and many more.

This includes displaying the home with a detailed description, multiple professional photos and a link to a virtual tour/single property website.

Additionally, Coldwell Banker was ranked as the most-visited residential real estate brand online. (145.6 million visits, per Comscore 2018 Media Trends).

A strong social media presence is designed to engage and connect with buyers with more than 500,000 followers across all the major social media platforms.

A professionally produced spot on ABC on Sunday afternoon is also part of the marketing plan. This also gets posted to Coldwell Bankers and my own YouTube Channel.

Jeff LaMont, Coldwell Banker, 650-740-8808, jeff@jefflamont.com.

A: Enhancing residential marketing and the potential sales price starts with knowing the fundamental attractions and benefits of your home and its downsides.

Getting your home to trend is more than just social media, but in other channels, in conversations, in the places where people seek information and buy their next home. First establish your homes story: Accentuating the positive is the lead-in, but also be ready to position the negatives or to put them in context. How to get it to trend?

Realtors and consultants often have their marketing strategy that works for them, but there are some constants across the board. Establish a dedicated website with great photos, home features, neighborhood attractions and easy contact info. Maximize your social media channels with a newsy approach to the listing and a great image, but dont overdo a particular offering that creates fatigue for your contacts.

Publishing as a blog with your market insights can build a strong, search- and SEO-worthy network but keep it real. Scan other properties in the area, or in competing neighborhoods where your buyers are looking, to see whats resonating and play off of or borrow whats working. Email lists, blog postings and even snail-mail flyers have been core marketing tools but be sure to optimize them to enable more trending, such as including easy-click tools to share the information on social media. And make sure the property website you create and all your social media posts have top-trending keywords.

For the small but growing niche of DIYers -- for sale by owner -- taking on the learning curve of the above-noted strategies is do-able. But if you turn to You-tube top tips and how-tos from consultants, make sure theyre strategies that work for you, and resonate in your market.

Ron Heckmann,

Heckmann Communications,

(510) 652-5800

ron@heckmanncomms.com

A: In a place like San Francisco, the word affordable is a relative term. With a median single-family home currently more than $1.6 million, buyers come to the table with an elevated level of expectations. Stack that with a massive uptick in social media, and simply put, if a home is not Instagramable, it may not receive the attention it well deserves.

Making a home trend for a sale is most often referred to as staging. While this seems like it only refers to furniture, the scope of service provided covers exponentially more. The best approach is to look at this process of trending holistically.

For a quick fix trend solution, most will rattle off something like repaint the walls, change out the fixtures or something basic like that. If the strategy is to get the home to trend for a sale, it may be best to start with a budget.

A simple calculation is to start with 3% of the expected sale price. This budget is then used to freshen up landscaping, paint walls, update flooring, change hardware, upgrade lighting fixtures, freshen up cabinets, swap countertops and, of course, furniture.

Shawn Kunkler, Compass, 415-516-3302, shawn@shawnkunkler.com.In route news, United has its eye on a new route to China from San Francisco; SJC add six new gates; Southwest enters a new transcontinental market from San Jose and adds other U.S. service; American and Southwest postpone plans for the 737 MAX to re-enter service; Delta expands at LAX with a new Midwest route and more transatlantic capacity, and will also begin a new Sacramento route next week; Alaska adds a spoke from its Seattle hub; and American begins new summer transborder service form the East Coast.

No U.S. carriers currently fly to Guangzhou, but United is reportedly considering a new route there from San Francisco. Walter Dias, United's top executive for China and Korea, said in Hong Kong that he would "not be surprised" to see United enter the SFO-Guangzhou non-stop market  "not tomorrow and...not next year but at some time in the future." The carrier was making plans to fly that route back in 2008 but dropped that idea after the Great Recession hit. Guangzhou (aka Canton) is located in the heavily populated Pearl River delta, about an hour northwest of Hong Kong by train.

This week Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) opened a new $58 million Interim Gates Facility, which was designed and constructed to add capacity in light of the airport's recent growth spurt. It opened just in time for peak summer travel season, which starts this weeked. The new Gates 31-36 concourse, which is attached to the south end of Terminal B, will house Southwest Airlines flights. The facility is expected to remain operational for five-to-seven years while the airport continues its planning work for the future Phase 2 Expansion of Terminal B.

Besides its new daily service from Mineta San Jose to Nashville that we mentioned last week, Southwest Airlines has also kicked off another new SJC route  but it's not daily, and it's not year-round. The airline has started transcontinental service from SJC to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, operating just once a week  on Sundays  through the summer season. Southwest, which is SJC's largest carrier with up to 115 daily departures to 31 cities, got more capacity at the airport this week, taking over the newly opened Gates 31-35 at the south end of Terminal B.

Southwest also made some other domestic schedule additions last week. In addition to the San Francisco International-Ontario and Nashville-Burbank service that we covered last week, Southwest has also started daily San Diego-Omaha flights, along with twice-weekly flights between Nashville-Seattle and Nashville-Norfolk and weekly Austin-Raleigh/Durham operations. The airline also added more frequencies this week on its existing Nashville routes to Boston, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, San Diego and St. Louis.

Both Southwest and American this week once again pushed back the dates when they hope for the grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to resume flying in commercial service. Both airlines had previously been planning for an August resumption of MAX flights, but it is still uncertain when Boeing can get a software fix for the troubled plane approved by the FAA, and whether that fix will require additional pilot training. American has now extended MAX cancellations from August 19 to September 3, and Southwest has extended the date from August 5 to September 2. Southwest said the extension affects about 100 flights a day, while American estimated total 737 MAX flight cancellations at about 115 a day.

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Delta this week increased frequencies on its Los Angeles-Amsterdam and Los Angeles-Paris service from four a week and three a week respectively to daily operations on both routes for the summer. The airline now plans to discontinue the LAX-Amsterdam service on September 1 but will maintain daily flights on the LAX-Paris route through the winter instead of cutting it back to three a week. In other international markets, Delta this week inaugurated new non-stops between its Minneapolis/St. Paul hub and Mexico City, using a 132-passenger A319 and offering connections to other Mexican cities via MEX with its partner Aeromexico. Delta has also pushed back from July 1 to July 15 the planned debut of the brand new Airbus A330-900neo on its Seattle-Shanghai route.

On the domestic side, Delta is due to begin new daily service from Salt Lake City to Columbus on June 16 and from Sacramento to Detroit on June 17. The airline also has plans to add new service six times a week between Los Angeles and Omaha beginning November 1, using an E175.

Alaska Airlines this week added another spoke from its Seattle hub, kicking off service six days a week to Charleston, South Carolina. And American Airlines has added east coast routes to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the summer including daily E175 flights from Philadelphia and weekly E175 service from New York LaGuardia.

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio

Unwanted guest, Noble Road

At 11:10 a.m. June 6, police were called to a home that was being painted. The supervisor of the paint crew told police that a woman who had worked under his supervision had been suspended for her poor work and other wrongdoings, and was not to be on the site.

Despite her suspension, the woman showed up for work that morning and started painting the house. Police spoke with the woman, who said she was not suspended. When the supervisor again confirmed her suspension, officers asked the woman to put down her brush and leave.

The woman, 38, ignored police and continued painting. Officers took the paint brush from the woman and she began to walk away. When officers asked her several times to identify herself, she refused to do so.

Eventually, police attempted to take the woman into custody. She made her body limp and refused to walk to the squad car. Officers had to pick her up and carry her to the car.

At the jail, the woman behaved erratically, getting on her knees and stating she needed to go to the hospital because of chest pains. EMS personnel checked the woman and determined that she did not need a hospital visit.

Later, the woman complained of back pains and again wanted to go to the hospital. Again, EMS deemed that unnecessary.

After being let out of her jail cell to check on her condition, the woman refused to return and resisted attempts to carry her back inside. She was eventually talked into going back into the cell. Police charged the woman with disorderly conduct.

Obstructing official business, Superior Road

At 10:50 p.m. June 7, an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop on a car that had no back license plate. It was learned that there was an active warrant for the cars owner out of Allegheny County, Pa.

The officer spoke with the driver, who matched the description of the person wanted on the warrant. The driver said she did not have a drivers license, but identified herself as the person wanted on the warrant and gave as her own the wanted womans Social Security number. Police in Allegheny County wanted the woman arrested so they could pick her up.

After the woman was arrested and sitting in a squad car, she told the officer that she wanted to be honest. She said she is a friend of the wanted woman, who had let her use her car. The woman produced identification showing she wasnt the wanted woman.

The woman in custody said she didnt give her real name because she is wanted on a Shaker Heights police warrant. She apologized several times to the officer for lying.

The woman, who was found to be driving with a suspended license, was cited for that offense and charged with obstructing official business.

Disturbance, Euclid Heights Boulevard

At 1:10 a.m. June 7, police were called to the Coventry Road Courtyard, near Euclid Heights Boulevard, on a report that people were fighting, then running to the nearby Huntington Bank and municipal parking lots 15 and 20. It was also reported that one of the involved male suspects had a gun.

Police spoke with two men on the scene, ages 22 and 21. The older man had a gun and a concealed carry permit. The men said they were not involved in a fight.

After further discussion, the men were allowed to leave in a car. Before they did, another man, 22, got into the car. A detective believed that the man who got into the car was involved in the fight. That suspect returned to the area a little later and was arrested on an active warrant.

Obstructing official business, Caledonia Avenue

At 2:35 a.m. June 7, police were called to a home where a man and a woman were arguing. As officers approached the house, the homes owners, another man and woman, said their son had been arguing with his girlfriend, but that they were done fighting and their son had left the premises.

While on the scene, officers learned that the son was wanted by the Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Office on a felony robbery warrant and by Cleveland Heights police on a traffic warrant.

Officers then saw a man, the suspect, run into the homes back door. Police spoke with the suspects girlfriend, 21. She said that the suspect, 24, had become angry when he found a box of condoms in her car. The suspect punched her in the face three times and choked her until his parents came into the basement and separated them.

The suspects parents were uncooperative when police asked their help to get their son to come out of the house and peacefully surrender. Police could not enter the home because three small children and an elderly woman were also inside. After an hour, the barricaded suspect surrendered without incident.

Police charged the man with disorderly conduct/intoxication, assault and obstructing official business, and arrested him on the felony warrant.

See more Sun Press news here.ALLIANCE, Ohio  A Munroe Falls nurse is facing 114 criminal charges in connection with the forging of documents and the theft of prescription pain medications from the Alliance nursing home where she worked.

Kortney A. Aebersold, 32, was arrested Wednesday on felony warrants charging her with forgery, identity fraud and 28 counts each of theft of drugs, aggravated possession of drugs, illegal possession of drug documents and deception to obtain a dangerous drug, according to Alliance Municipal Court records.

On 28 occasions from Feb. 20 to April 17, 2019, Aebersold forged the initials of two co-workers while reporting that she wasted the prescription opioid Norco, a hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen, according to court documents.

But Aebersold was actually stealing and abusing the prescription pain medications herself, court documents read.

Charging documents do not identify the nursing home where Aebersold worked.

Aebersold became a licensed practical nurse in 2009, but her license expired on Oct. 31, 2018 and has not been renewed, according to a state registry. She was licensed as a registered nurse on Feb. 17, 2018, and the license expires on Oct. 31, 2019, but the state registry shows its status as inactive.

Aebersold appeared in court Friday and was appointed a public defender, but did not enter a plea, court records show.

Judge Andrew Zumbar continued Aebersolds bond of $50,000. A date for her preliminary hearing has not been set, court records show.

To comment on this story, visit Fridays crime and courts comment section.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 30-year-old was shot dead Saturday morning in the citys Fairfax neighborhood, police say.

The shooting happened just after 3:30 a.m. on Euclid Avenue near London Road, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said.

The man, who has not been identified, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.

He was taken to University Hospitals where he was pronounced dead.

The shooting is under investigation.

This post will be updated if more information becomes available Saturday.

If youd like to comment on this story, visit Saturdays crime and courts comments section.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine sent a letter Friday to the United State Department of Agricultural secretary requesting a disaster designation for farmers in the state after heavy rainfall.

DeWine wrote in the letter that the record rainfall during the spring planting season has heavily affected farmers with flooding, preventing them from planting crops, according to a news release from DeWines office.

It states 50 percent of corn crop and 32 percent of soybean crop have been planted as of Monday, the release says.

The harsh reality for Ohio farmers is that many acres will remain unplanted, DeWine says int the release. Our dairy and livestock sectors also face serious forage and feed shortages. We recognize the tremendous challenges facing our agricultural community, and we are working to identify any and all sources of possible relief.

The heavy rainfall has been a challenge since last fall, the release says, and some crops from 2018 are still in fields and have not been harvested, the release says.For many years, the phrases "Silicon Valley" and "luxury fashion" were rarely uttered in the same breath. Tech industry chic is often thought of as a crisp new hoodie to match a pair of new Allbirds sneakers. But the worlds of tech and high-end fashion have become more closely linked in recent years, especially after a group of Silicon Valley luminaries made headlines this week for their visit to luxury designer Brunello Cucinelli's Italian headquarters that reportedly included much talk of entrepreneurship and philosophy  and a very unfortunate example of photoshopped diversity. As GQ magazine writes in an article this week covering that visit between Cucinelli and such tech leaders as Amazon's Jeff Bezos, LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, the Italian designer "has become something of a tech-world icon." While some of the group of tech executives seems to have been drawn to Cucinelli's headquarters to discuss common interests beyond fashion  including running a business, as the designer launched his namesake company in 1978  it's also clear that the designer's influence has rubbed off on more than one Silicon Valley leader's fashion choices in recent years.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the F8 Developer Conference in 2017. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg via Getty Images

For example, while Mark Zuckerberg is one of the Silicon Valley leaders most associated with a casual look that's often incorporated a seemingly endless supply of hoodies and flip-flops, the Facebook CEO's signature gray t-shirts are actually custom-ordered from Cucinelli's fashion house, and they cost almost $300 apiece. Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff is another devotee of Cucinelli's designs. The billionaire CEO reportedly met and Cucinelli in San Francisco four years ago and the two men bonded over the designer's belief in the philosophy of "humanistic capitalism," the idea that business should be ethical and that employees should have a healthy work-life balance.

Cucinelli went on to become a regular guest at Dreamforce, the annual conference for Benioff's company in San Francisco, where the designer spoke about humanism in tech in a 2017 keynote speech that included a "fireside chat" with Benioff. For that chat, the Salesforce CEO even reportedly took the stage wearing a pin-striped navy Cucinelli suit made of the rare, super-soft, and extremely expensive, wool sourced from South American animals called vicunas. (Cucinelli's website does not currently list any vicuna items for sale, but a vicuna jacket made by Loro Piana, a similar Italian luxury designer, sells for over $18,500.)

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff points inside his Brunello Cucinelli suit at Dreamforce 2017. Michael Short | Bloomberg via Getty Images

It was also at Dreamforce that Cucinelli first met Amazon's Bezos last year, according to GQ. Bezos' own fashion sense seems to have evolved in recent years, with GQ noting that the Amazon founder had already been seen wearing Cucinelli's deconstructed blazers (which can cost anywhere from nearly $2,500 to over $5,000 apiece) before he met the designer. Speaking about his meeting with Bezos on a recent conference call discussing his brand's quarterly earnings with analysts, Cucinelli reportedly said he and the Amazon CEO spoke for two hours at Dreamforce last year. "He asked me for [wardrobe] advice," Cucinelli said, according to Women's Wear Daily. So, aside from a common interest in business philosophy, why are Cucinelli's luxury designs such hot-ticket items in a Silicon Valley world known more for its extremely casual approach to fashion? Well, for one, the area's tastes seem to be evolving as denizens of the tech industry mature from dorm-room startup chic to pricier apparel more befitting the current landscape of post-IPO millionaires and billionaires. According to Robb Report, today's Silicon Valley wardrobe staples include more luxury items made by brands like Loro Piana, French fashion house Lanvin (whose $500 sneakers are worn by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella) and, of course, Cucinelli.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Phillip Faraone | Getty Images

Of course, it also helps that Cucinelli's designs tend to feature a blend of high-end luxury and a casual aesthetic that is right at home in Silicon Valley, where even wealthy tech executives and investors are commonly seen sporting fleece vests, jeans and sneakers in board meetings. In addition to the unassuming and plain Cucinelli t-shirts favored by the likes of Zuckerberg, the designer also sells high-end casual clothing like $2,500 sweatpants (made of a mix of cashmere and French terry cotton) and $800 sneakers made from calfskin and washed suede. These types of items seem to align with the "simple,classic comfortable style" that Victoria Hitchcock, a San Francisco-based fashion stylist who mostly serves clients from the tech industry, says most of her clients come to her to find. Indeed, Hitchcock tells CNBC Make It that Cucinelli has become more popular with tech workers in general (and not just CEOs) in San Francisco and Silicon Valley in recent years even despite the brand's "luxury price point," because of the designer's "approachable casual style."Caroline Chan is what's known as the cybersecurity group's business manager. She has been with the company for two decades, knows every hacker who has ever been hired there and is tasked with delicately walking the line between creating a cyber program that works and creating a cyber program that continues selling itself to the bank's upper ranks.

The attacks were not damaging in terms of monetary losses, which were nearly zero, but were incredibly high-profile. The attacks brought so much energy to cybersecurity within NOW Bank that they created real political currency. By July 2014, that currency was finally realized in actual capital expenditures. A bigger budget.

In 2012 and 2013, Iranian sponsored distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that took down the websites of several prominent banks, including NOW Bank, one of the world's largest.

The following is a modified excerpt from CNBC cybersecurity reporter Kate Fazzini's " Kingdom of Lies: Unnerving Adventures in the World of Cybercrime ," on sale wherever books are sold. Names of corporations and individuals have been changed to protect sources.

One of her primary projects, her baby really, is building a new security operations center right in the middle of the bank's corporate headquarters. It informally becomes known as the SOC, pronounced "sock."

They've moved or hired new security employees, about 30 in all, from "back-office" locations across the tri-state area, to staff the new space.

The new employees are still getting used to wearing ties, and the searing natural light of several large windows, a strange phenomenon for those who may have previously worked in windowless offices or basement rooms.

It's a move from the back office to the front office, at least that's what executives keep saying. From the back burner to the front burner. Caroline knows from experience that even if the attention is fleeting, it's still necessary to maintain the urgency needed for sustained attention to cybersecurity.

For some of the team members, it's an exciting change, getting noticed, coming to work at the corporate headquarters, where everyone dresses well and market-moving business decisions happen. It's exciting. For others, being on the front-burner just feels like another burner.

In the SOC, everything is new, and Hollywood-style impressive. Five 50-inch plasma screens span the east wall, one displaying data from an analytics software program called Splunk. The data is mostly scrubbed or fake because the people working there, most of whom are called analysts and skew toward deeply paranoid, don't know who will be coming into their new center to view it.

On the south wall, a 90-inch plasma screen plays CNBC on mute. A communications specialist often stands near it, watching it intently to see what they might be getting wrong. The door to the SOC is hidden, a nine-foot wooden slab flush with the wall. Nobody without an appointment would even know it is there.

The north wall is made up of 100 square feet of electrochromic glass. The analysts call this the fog wall. It has been constructed using a five-layer sandwich of ultra-thin glass and polymer layers, the middle layer being a separator with rows of thin, clear, invisible electrodes on either side.

One of the layers is soaked in polycrystalline tungsten oxide. When someone flips a switch, lithium ions are attracted to one side of the sandwich, making the glass go white so it resembles a plain, opaque wall. Flip the switch again, and the glass goes clear, so you can see inside the SOC.

The fog wall is not meant as some kind of impermeable force field against cyberattacks, prying eyes, or malicious devices. It is meant to surprise and delight corporate clients who visit the bank, and entertain important people who want to know what it's doing about cybersecurity.

Bankers will talk to these power players in the sober confines of the walnut and forest-green atrium just outside the SOC. The location  headquarters  implies significance. The blinking and blooping screens imply an LA-approved version of what it means to be high-tech. The hidden door, the lithium ion curtain  a little clandestine touch.

When the banker flips the switch, the fog wall dissipates, and the important visitor will then be able to see all of it, with the addition of all those young analysts typing away feverishly on their keyboards.

That experience, Caroline knows, transforms a back-burner function like cybersecurity into something more than what it once was, in the eyes of bankers. Something valuable, rather than a drain on resources.

The atrium outside the SOC served as an area that previously was just a pass-through to get from one bank of elevators to another. The hallway includes a sitting area, outfitted in sober dark-wood furniture with tasteful, academic dark green accents .A purely 80s investment bank aesthetic of upper-middle-class normalcy.

Just beyond it, behind the fog wall, the analysts are really working. No visitors are coming today. They prowl the bank's systems, waiting for an enemy to strike their shiny new set-up.

They will not have to wait long.Chinese President Xi Jinping (L), Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga attend a trilateral meeting, the fifth of its kind, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, June 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BISHKEK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Presidents of China, Russia and Mongolia pledged to strengthen trilateral cooperation during their meeting here on Friday.

The trilateral meeting, the fifth of its kind, among Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga was held on the sidelines of the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

The heads of state reviewed the achievements of trilateral cooperation and discussed the overall plan for the next phase.

Since the last gathering of the heads of state in China's eastern port city of Qingdao last year, the three sides have maintained close communication and cooperation, and the trilateral cooperation has gradually developed, said Xi.

Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the China-Russia and China-Mongolia diplomatic relations, Xi said China will hold celebrations with the two countries respectively.

Against the backdrop of rising protectionism and unilateralism, the three countries need to firmly promote regional cooperation and achieve common development, he said.

They should focus on the alignment of the three countries' development strategies, promote comprehensive cooperation in all fields, and jointly release the positive signal of maintaining multilateralism and creating an open world economy, said Xi.

For the next phase, the three sides should deepen political mutual trust, increase mutual support, respect each other's core interests, and strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, Xi stressed.

The Chinese president said the three countries should promote the implementation of cooperative projects within the framework of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, promote customs facilitation measures, upgrade major ports, and deepen sub-national cooperation.

The cooperation and coordination within the framework of the SCO should be expanded, said Xi.

Putin said Russia is committed to deepening its relations with China and Mongolia on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and is ready to step up cooperation to promote the synergy between the Eurasian Economic Union, the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and Mongolia's Steppe Road program.

He also called on the three parties to enhance inter-connectivity in transportation, expand trade, and bolster cooperation in energy and finance.

Battulga said it is Mongolia's unswerving policy to deepen the friendly cooperation with China and Russia, adding that his country is committed to pushing forward the trilateral cooperation and the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.

He called on the three sides to set up institutional arrangements so as to accelerate the construction of a network of cross-border highways, facilitate customs clearance, strengthen energy cooperation, and discuss the construction of regional power grids.

2

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony to bestow state awards on military personnel who fought in Syria, at the Kremlin in Moscow on December 28, 2017.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin recently bought himself into an African country for a relative pittance, working through Yevgeny Prigozhin, his favorite contractor for such special projects, which have ranged from attempting to tip U.S. elections to saving Syria's dictator.

With that partner, Putin won an insider's influence over the strategically placed Central African Republic, or CAR, and priority access to its oil, diamonds, gold and uranium resources. At least that's how one U.S. government official, with years of experience tracking such matters, explains this bargain basement price of geopolitical cunning.

The story goes that President Faustin-Archange Touadera, though elected fairly in 2016, was struggling to exert control over much of the nation's territory. Soldiers from a United Nations peacekeeping mission were working to stabilize the country amid clashes between rival militias, but inadequately.

That's when Prigozhin, nicknamed "Putin's chef" for his catering business, stepped forward with money, training, paramilitary support and other survival help. (That's the same Prigozhin indicted by Robert Mueller for funding a social media troll factory to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.) Russia also provided CAR's president his national security advisor, Russian intelligence agent Valery Zakahrov, who serves him to this day.

Welcome to our new era of major power competition, which is playing out globally, sometimes quietly and sometimes this colorfully. What the CAR story provides is yet further evidence that America's autocratic rivals, both Russia and China, are acting with greater operational creativity and strategic purpose than their counterparts  in this case France and the United States.

In the Central African Republic, Washington had discarded this resource-rich country, poised strategically between Africa's Muslim north and Christian south, as a place of marginal importance. US officials are now scrambling to frame a response.

Ensuring his escalating African efforts aren't missed, Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi will convene 50 African leaders at the first-ever Russian-African Summit in Sochi this October. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a frequent traveler to Africa, says its purpose will be to cement "Russia's active presence in the region."

When Moscow sees a vacuum in Africa left by Europe or the United States, it increasingly steps in with trade and business agreements, military sales and cooperation, and political and paramilitary support. What it lacks in China's means it makes up for with muscle. Putin's efforts sometimes fail: Russia bet on the wrong horse in Sudan and paid handsomely for a nuclear energy contract in South Africa that looks less likely now that Jacob Zuma has left power.

Russia's successes, however, are more frequent. And both Russia and China see themselves involved in a long game for position and influence on an African continent that by 2050 will have 25% of the world's working age population and the greatest store of rare earth materials outside of China. What's more, its 54 countries make up the most important voting bloc in the United Nations, providing both China and Russia the wherewithal to block Western initiatives.

Though the story of China's increased influence in Africa is well-known, the competing Russian version has only recently gained more attention.

The Guardian this week, reporting from documents leaked to the Mikhail Khodorkovsky funded Dossier Center, reports that Russia is seeking to bolster its presence in at least 13 African countries  having already signed military deals in 20 states  "by building relations with existing rulers, striking military deals, and grooming a new generation of 'leaders' and undercover 'agents.'"

The documents include a map that assesses the level of cooperation between Prigozhin's "company" and individual African countries, scoring them at between one to five points on matters of cooperation that include military, political, economic, police training, media and humanitarian projects.

This Russian activity hasn't gone without notice in Washington. Last December, national security advisor John Bolton, in a speech to the Heritage Foundation, laid out what he called "the Trump administration's new Africa strategy."

"In short," said Bolton, "the predatory practices pursued by China and Russia stunt economic growth in Africa; threaten the financial independence of African nations; inhibit opportunities for U.S. investment; interfere with U.S. military operations and pose a significant threat to U.S. national security interests."

He outlined a three-part response, which included advancing trade and commercial ties, countering radical Islamist terrorism and violent conflict, and ensuring U.S. aid dollars are more effectively deployed.

The United States, however, is playing catch-up and lacks not only the bandwidth but also the focus. It also hasn't yet fully absorbed the requirements of this new, global struggle for influence, one where the costs of losing may not be apparent until it's become a fait accompli.

One of the earliest experts to spot this Russian shift of attention to Africa was J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council's Africa Center. Pham isn't ready to predict a return to the Cold War's zero-sum competition in Africa, but he does believe the United States and Europe "no longer can ignore Moscow's resurgent interest" and its reconstituting of a strategic web of access.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War tracks several lines of Russian effort: military basing, security cooperation, capturing the emerging nuclear energy market, gaining access to natural resources, leveraging private military contractors and growing agricultural export markets for its wheat.

One of the most telling recent efforts, reported in a BBC documentary earlier this year, involved a Russian campaign to influence presidential elections in Madagascar. According to the BBC, the Russians worked with six of the 35 presidential candidates. Candidates who received Russian money told the BBC they were instructed to back off and support the front-runner, who Russia was also backing, when it became apparent he would win.

Yet tracking these sorts of Russian activities in Africa can be a perilous game. Last July, three Russian journalists investigating Prigozhin's paramilitary involvement in CAR were shot dead outside the capital city.

Russia's price for acquiring influence in the Central African Republic might have been a small one. The price for the United States and Africans alike of neglecting this Russian shift may be far higher.

Frederick Kempe is a best-selling author, prize-winning journalist and president & CEO of the Atlantic Council, one of the United States' most influential think tanks on global affairs. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for more than 25 years as a foreign correspondent, assistant managing editor and as the longest-serving editor of the paper's European edition. His latest book  "Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth"  was a New York Times best-seller and has been published in more than a dozen languages. Follow him on Twitter @FredKempe and subscribe here to Inflection Points, his look each Saturday at the past week's top stories and trends.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.A Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane Stephen Brashear | Getty Images

Boeing is heading to the world's largest air show in crisis, giving its rival Airbus an opportunity to steal the show. Boeing's best-selling plane, the 737 Max, has been grounded since mid-March after two crashes of the aircraft within five months killed a total of 346 people. Regulators have not said when they expect to allow the jets to fly again, sending major airlines scrambling to cancel flights during the peak summer travel season as the grounding drags on longer than expected. Boeing is planning to brief suppliers and airline customers about the latest fixes for the 737 Max at the Paris Air Show, which starts Monday. Investigators have implicated the planes' stall-prevention system in the two crashes, one in Indonesia in October followed by another in Ethiopia in March. Boeing has prepared a fix for that system but regulators haven't signed off on it yet. "The air show is an important event for us to meet with customers, partners and suppliers and engage with them on our path forward on the 737 Max and reinforce our unrelenting commitment to safety," Boeing said in a statement.

An opening for Airbus

With its focus on restoring trust  and getting its cash cow back in the air  Boeing isn't expected to announce any orders of the plane. The Paris Air Show was also supposed to set the stage for Boeing to reveal that it will offer a highly anticipated new aircraft, but analysts say the company has likely shelved those plans against the backdrop of safety concerns about the 737 Max and questions about its certification. "If I were Boeing I would not want to launch an aircraft into that kind of environment," said Samuel Engel, who heads the aviation group at consulting firm ICF. "I would not want to taint my new baby with that doubt." Boeing competitor Airbus on Friday hinted in a media briefing that it could soon launch the Airbus A321XLR  an extended-range version of its new narrowbody A321LR plane. Analysts expect the announcement during the show. The single-aisle aircraft would provide range without the expense of operating a widebody plane and could potentially win over customers long before Boeing's new twin-aisle plane is officially announced. Some existing A321 customers, like JetBlue Airways, which in April announced its first service to Europe, could opt to convert some of its orders for the longer range model. It was after the Paris Air Show in June 2011 that American Airlines announced a massive 460-plane order that included both Boeing planes and Airbus jets, American's first order from the European manufacturer in more than 20 years. The Airbus order included 260 planes, half of them for the neo, or new-engine option that provided more fuel efficiency. In August, Boeing unveiled the 737 Max, its new fuel-saving update to the line of planes that had been flying since the 1960s.

The new double-aisle plane Boeing is mulling, which it's informally calling the NMA for new mid-market airplane, is bigger than the 737 Max but smaller than the Boeing 787. Boeing expects it could start flying by the middle of the next decade, but Airbus' A321XLR would likely make it to market sooner and could steal some would-be Boeing customers. "I'd say the broad timeline has not changed, but it's very clear to us that our top priority right now is getting the Max back up and flying safely, and NMA is second to that," Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg told investors at a conference on May 29 in New York.

'Keep their mouth shut'Vessels from a People's Liberation Army Navy fleet take part in a review in the South China Sea on Apr. 12, 2018.

China has rejected Philippine allegations that a Chinese fishing vessel abandoned 22 Filipinos after it sank their boat in the South China Sea, as pressure builds on President Rodrigo Duterte to take a tougher line.

China's embassy in Manila said the crew had sought to rescue the Filipino fishermen but fled after being "suddenly besieged by seven or eight Filipino fishing boats".

"There was no such thing as (a) 'hit-and-run'," it said in a statement late on Friday, adding it would handle the issue in a "serious and responsible manner."

The sinking took place on Sunday near the Reed Bank, the site of untapped gas deposits that an international arbitration court in 2016 ruled the Philippines had sovereign rights to exploit. Beijing disputes that.

The issue could complicate what are determined efforts by Duterte to build a strong relationship with China, despite deep mistrust among his U.S.-allied defense apparatus, which remains wary about China's maritime militarization and what it sees as bullying and denial of Manila's access to its own offshore oil and gas reserves.

Duterte has made no mention of Sunday's incident during any of the lengthy and unscripted speeches he has since given. His defense minister, navy chief and spokesman have publicly denounced the Chinese crew and his foreign minister said he had lodged a protest with Beijing.

Presidential spokesman, Salvador Panelo, did not respond to a request for comment on China's version of events.

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday called for bilateral ties to be downgraded and said China's denial was "preposterous" and the story made no sense.

She said Duterte had plenty to say about mundane issues, but should speak up when it came to sovereignty.

"Nothing is more reassuring to the public than to see and hear their own president, the supposed architect of the country's foreign policy, telling them that he is on top of the situation," Hontiveros said.

Sunday's incident is the latest confrontation involving China's vast fishing fleet, which experts say has been co-opted to serve as Beijing's militia and augment its constant coastguard presence in waters also claimed by Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei.

Philippines Supreme Court judge Antonio Carpio, a staunch critic of China's maritime claims and conduct, said that among its massive fishing contingent were boats with reinforced steel hulls "purposely for ramming fishing vessels of other coastal states."

"The Filipino people must send a strong signal to China that any new 'grey zone' offensive of ramming Filipino fishing vessels ... will mean a break of diplomatic ties," Carpio said in a statement late Friday.Protesters occupy a main road and walkways during a rally against a proposed extradition law in Hong Kong on June 12, 2019. Paul Yeung | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Hong Kong's top official caved in to pressure on Saturday, announcing that a contentious proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China has been indefinitely put on hold. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said there was no timeline for reviving the bill, but that its passage was unlikely anytime soon. Citing what she called "polarized opinions" and the need to prevent any more injuries such as those seen in recent clashes during large-scale demonstrations, Lam said that more time was necessary before proceeding. "After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more explanation work and listen to different views of society," she said at a press conference. The turnaround came after mass protests shook the Asian financial hub over the past week. Just days earlier, Lam said that the bill must be passed and on Wednesday condemned the demonstrations as a "blatant, organized riot." But citing widespread "concerns and doubt" among the public, and fears over a "further blow to society," she called for a time-out. "As a responsible government we have to maintain law and order on the one hand, and evaluate the situation for the greatest interest of Hong Kong, including restoring calmness in society as soon as possible and avoiding any more injuries to law enforcement officers and citizens," she said. Lam, who has rejected calls for her resignation, reiterated that she planned to continue in Hong Kong's top post. She begins the third year of a five-year term next month.

Time to cool down

The proposed bill, calling for legal amendments to allow accused criminals to be extradited to jurisdictions with which Hong Kong has no such arrangement, including China, has led to widespread opposition in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of 7.4 million people. Hong Kong citizens, who enjoy a legal system independent from the rest of China, fear the plan could threaten those judicial protections and their broader autonomy  legacies of the city's time as a British colony. The city was guaranteed a high degree of control over its own affairs for at least 50 years under a "one country, two systems" arrangement when Britain ceded sovereignty to China on July 1, 1997. But local unease over increasing mainland influence has steadily grown since.

Foreign business groups and governments, including the United States, had come out against the extradition plan, stressing concerns that any erosion to Hong Kong's legal system could make it a less attractive place for banks and companies to operate. "We welcome the chief executive's decision to indefinitely suspend consideration of the amendments," a spokesman for the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong said in an emailed statement. The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, a local business organization that backed the legislation, also supported the decision. The move "will allow things to cool down and let everyone return to rational debate," Aron Harilela, the chamber's chairman, said in a statement. "We look forward to the government continuing to engage in constructive discussions with stakeholders and the public to address and eliminate doubts about the bill."

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor,(Right) Hong Kong's new Chief Executive and her new cabinet are sworn in by Chinese President Xi Jinping during an inauguration ceremony in Hong Kong Keith Tsuji | Getty Images

Lam said that while suspending the legislation does not mean it is being withdrawn, there will be no immediate resumption of debate in the Legislative Council, which "will halt its work in relation to the bill until our work in communication, explanation and listening to opinions is completed." Hundreds of thousands of people had marched in protest on June 9, followed by demonstrations on Wednesday that descended into violence when riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets, and some protesters clashed with officers and threw objects. Another mass demonstration had been planned for Sunday, but Lam said that had nothing to do with the government's decision to suspend the legislation. The Civil Human Rights Front, the pro-democracy political advocacy group that organized the June 9 protest as well as the one set for Sunday, said that Lam did not go far enough. "Postponement is not withdrawal," the group said on its Facebook page, calling for the scheduled rally to go ahead. RTHK, Hong Kong's public service broadcaster, reported that a campaigner died Saturday after falling from a ledge on top of a shopping mall where he displayed signs against the legislation after Lam's announcement. RTHK said that he unfurled a banner that read: "Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting." Asked at the press conference about her own future as chief executive and whether anyone in her government will take responsibility over the crisis, Lam acknowledged that she and other officials had not done a "good enough" job of persuading citizens of the need for the bill. "But give us another chance," she added. She added that officials in Beijing were informed and support the need to take more time. "I can tell you that the central people's government adopts the same attitude," she said. "They understand, they have confidence in my judgment."

Legal 'gap'Characters Marcus Kim and Sasha Tran eating together as teenagers in the Netflix film "Always Be My Maybe" Netflix

It's 1996 in San Francisco and a young Marcus Kim does not want to be "that" kid at school  the one sitting in the corner of the lunchroom with the stinky, bright-red kimchi jjigae, a type of Korean stew. Desperate to avoid humiliation, he runs next door to his friend Sasha Tran, begging her to help his family finish the kimchi jjigae before school the next day. "Nobody wants to sit next to that kid with thermos soup!" Marcus says frantically. "Only the other kids with thermos soup, and I don't want to sit next to those losers!" Sasha jokingly closes the door in his dejected face before opening it again smiling and laughing. She agrees to run next door and join his family for dinner: "You're like my best friend," she says. The new Netflix film "Always Be My Maybe" is the story of childhood sweethearts Marcus, played by Randall Park, and Sasha, played by Ali Wong, who have a falling out as teenagers only to reconnect later in life. Loosely inspired by the classic "When Harry Met Sally," food plays a central role in the film, but it trades in pastrami sandwiches at Katz's Deli for shumai, chicken feet, Spam and rice, and kimchi jjigae. Flash forward to 2019 in the film and times have changed. Kimchi jjigae is now a trendy food being sold at a restaurant run by a celebrity chef  who is none other than Sasha Tran.

Characters Marcus Kim and Sasha Tran eat together after reconnecting as adults in the Netflix film "Always Be My Maybe." Netflix

The film is fictional, but Americans growing taste for Asian cuisine is not. From 2004-2018, sales for limited-service restaurants specializing in Asian-Pacific cuisine grew 114% in the U.S., according to Euromonitor International. Niki Nakayama, chef and owner of the Michelin-starred n/naka, worked as a food consultant for "Always Be My Maybe," bringing to life the dishes at the film's fictional restaurant Maximalist. Nakayama, who has been known to carefully track her diners' preferences, said she's noticed that people are more open minded than ever before. "I think nowadays, people are definitely open to trying everything a lot more than they used to be just because of the exposure," she said. Her award-winning restaurant n/naka is one of the only in the Western world that specializes in Kaiseki, a traditional multicourse Japanese meal. Diners must make reservations months in advance to even have a chance of securing a spot at her restaurant. Nakayama said Japanese food can have unfamiliar textures or tastes to those who don't typically eat it, but she sees that as part of its beauty.

Ali Wong (left) and Chef Niki Nakayama behind-the-scenes during the filming of "Always Be My Maybe." Source: Netflix

"There are a lot of things that are slimy, sticky, chewy, firm and bite you back even though you don't want it to," she said with a chuckle. "For ourselves, we have to be mindful of that when we're serving people things that may be of different textures and flavors. We do our part by sending out things in smaller doses so that it becomes something that they can acclimate towards." Kimchi jjigae or kimchi stew is heavily featured in the film in all of its steaming, fiery-red glory. It's a lesser-known dish, but American diners have become much more familiar with kimchi in recent years. Kimchi consumption at restaurants increased more than 16% this year as fusion dishes like kimchi pizza, kimchi grilled cheese and kimchi fries have started trending, according to market research firm NPD.

Kimchi jjigae Source: Netflix

And Robert Ji-Song Ku, a food studies professor at SUNY Binghamton in New York, said audiences shouldn't be surprised to see Spam in the film's opening scene. He has extensively studied the trend of "dubious foods" becoming mainstream, a topic he has written on extensively in his book "Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USA." Ku said the Spam, rice and furikake dish Sasha makes in the opening scene would not have been viewed so positively years ago. Once seen as a lesser substitute or just bad, the canned meat is now a favorite to add a salty, fatty flavor to many Asian dishes.

A young Sasha Tran makes Spam, rice and furikake in the opening scene of "Always Be My Maybe" Source: Netflix

Hormel Foods, which owns Spam, experienced its fourth consecutive year of growth in 2019 and expects the trend to continue. CEO Jim Spree told CNBC in an interview that the company has noticed the growing demand of Spam. "We know consumers are connecting with it [spam] in ways they never have before," he said. In fact, now Spam is frequently used in Korean budae jjigae or army stew, Japanese musubi which is nori-wrapped rice and meat, and Hawaiian loco moco or rice bowl. In terms of rising trends, Ku believes that Filipino food will be the next big thing. He said with the public's increasing familiarity with Asian food, diners are more eager to experience new flavor profiles. One of the most obvious signs of this growth is Jollibee Foods, a Filipino fast-dining chain which started in the 1970s with just two ice cream parlors and now has an estimated 4,300 stores in 21 countries. In an interview with CNBC, Jollibee CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong said he wants to give McDonald's and KFC a run for their money "hopefully in the future." Tanmantiong is confident about the growing taste for Jollibee in the U.S. When Jollibee opened its first store in New York City last year, he said the first day of sales "went far beyond our expectations". "What pleasantly surprised us was the number of non-Filipinos visiting our stores," he said. "We observed that actually 50% of the customers who went to our stores were actually non-Filipinos."

Customers dine inside a Jollibee restaurant on April 11, 2018 in Milan, Italy. Jollibee Food Corporation, a Filipino chain of fast food restaurants and the largest Asian food services company, has chosen Milan, home of the biggest Filipino community in Europe, to open its first European branch. Emanuele Cremaschi / Getty ImagesUnited Airlines said one of its jet blew "multiple" tires on Saturday upon landing at Newark Liberty International Airport. Flights were delayed by more than five hours at the busy United hub airport that serves the New York City area.

The tires on the left landing gear of the Boeing 757 blew after Flight 627 from Denver landed at Newark around 1 p.m. said the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA, which is investigating the incident, said the plane veered off to the side of the runway after it landed. Earlier the agency said the plane had skidded off the pavement.

The plane had 166 passengers and six crew members on board.

Flights in and out of the airport, one of United's busiest hubs, were briefly suspended, the airport said, but had resumed by 3 p.m. Some arriving flights were delayed by an average of more than five hours the FAA said. Images on social media showed travelers departing the plane by stairs.

United Airlines said some customers had minor injuries and that they refused medical attention.

twee

The Chicago-based airline said it is evaluating the damage to the aircraft.

"We're in close touch with the FAA and airport authorities and are working expeditiously to safely remove the disabled aircraft so that operations at the airport can return to normal," it said in a statement.Suddenly, everybodys talking about ambient computing. I blame Intel, and Ill tell you why in a minute.

Ambient computing is real. Its the next megatrend in computing.

Ambient means in the air or present on all sides or all around us. To interact in an ambient computing context means to not care and not even necessarily know where exactly the devices are that youre interacting with.

When IoT devices and sensors are all around us, and artificial intelligence can understand human contexts for whats happening and act accordingly and in our interests, then ambient computing will have arrived.

In the past, computing existed inside a computer, which you saddled up to and consciously used. In the future, connected computing devices will be all around us, and well always be interacting with them, even when we dont know or think about it.

As I told you last year, ambient computing isnt a specific technology, but a general way to interact with digital devices and the internet.

As with many technology revolutions, including augmented reality and AI, the buzzword ambient will precede the actual technology by many years. In fact, the marketing buzzword is suddenly here in full force. The actual technologies? Not so much.

Instead, were on the brink of a revolution in what you might call semi-ambient computing.

Intel inside; screen and sensors outside

Intel dragged ambient computing into the spotlight a couple of weeks ago by unveiling a prototype laptop it calls an Ambient PC at its Technology Open House at Computex in Taiwan.

The Ambient PC gets its label in part from a touchscreen edge that functions while the laptop lid is closed. The edge-screen shows icons, calendar information (it's running a calendar app in the image up above), buttons for controlling audio on the device and the laptop (while still closed), and microphones make the laptop work like an Amazon Echo appliance, offering Alexa just a wake-word away. Most interestingly, the laptop has a 360-degree camera that can log you in as you approach it using Windows Hello.

Its a stretch to call Intels Ambient PC idea an example of ambient computing. It basically does things while closed that regular laptops can do only when open. Containing these functions with the closed lid doesnt make it ambient, just usable in a new configuration. I still want one.

Alexa, are you ambient?

Amazons Alexa virtual assistant shows up in many physical appliances these days, including Amazons own Echo and related lines of smart speakers and smart displays. Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana enable hands-free interaction with information, skills, the internet and communication and are, as such, semi-ambient computing products.

Theyre not fully ambient because they cant yet use AI to synthesize several sensors to understand context. For now, they mostly operate through voice. When Im having a conversation and mention Alexa, the Echo wakes up and says it doesnt understand. And thats right. Alexa has no ability to understand the context of my use of the A-word.

The new Google wave

Rumors are circulating that Googles next smartphones, the Pixel 4 line, may come with Soli built in. I told you in January about Googles Project Soli, which may be called the Aware sensor or feature in the Pixel 4  again, according to unconfirmed rumors.

Soli or Aware capability means the Pixel 4 may accept in-the-air hand gestures, such as skip and silence during music playback. The new Google wave is a hand gesture.

The ability to wave away music with a hand gesture brings the smartphone into the semi-ambient computing era. It basically adds natural hand gestures to natural-language processing. Theres no reason to believe that the Pixel 4 will synthesize these actions into context.

The truth is that ambient computing for consumers is years away, and will likely first emerge in cars.

As consumer electronics appliances, cars have an advantage for the introduction of sensors. The reason is that drivers and passengers are a captive audience  its clear where to point the sensors and even possible to build them into seats and seatbelts. The context of human activity or intent is also easier to guess in a car.

Over the next five years, an increasing number of cars will gain the ability to identify the drivers and passengers (and adjust settings and preferences accordingly); monitor the driver for sleepiness, drunkenness and distraction; and safely wrench control from the human and pull over if necessary.

Grocery stores will also become consumer-facing ambient computing locations. Amazons Go stores are already semi-ambient computing systems, where customers essentially shoplift with Amazons permission, and then pay for the nabbed items automatically.

Smart glasses will one day function as consumer ambient computing devices. With advanced machine learning, glasses will monitor gaze and drip information about what we see into our ears (or though bone conduction), and provide context and extremely effective virtual-assistant functions in a seamless way.

But the first place ambient computing will appear for real is in businesses, enterprises and healthcare facilities.

Clippy gets a job

Microsoft is going all-in on ambient computing, according to reports. Under the Surface brand, Microsoft is expected to release a range of ambient computing devices, features and services that probably involve its Cortana virtual assistant.

Looking behind the scenes, it appears that Microsoft sees ambient computing as a concept for businesses and enterprises. In posted job listings, Microsoft says that its Ambient Computing & Robotics team is creating applications for the era where computer vision, AI-based cognition, and autonomous electro-mechanicals pervade the workplace. We are using this convergence to transform physical work in construction sites, logistics yards, baggage handling areas, hospital corridors, factories, restaurants, farms and more.

Microsoft was mocked for its Clippy assistant, which the company released in 1996 as a way to provide friendly help for people using Microsoft Office. In the future, Microsoft may release what will essentially be a Clippy that works, because it will understand human context through AI.

Well also see ambient computing showing up in medicine.

Nuance, the venerable speech-recognition company, is working on ambient computing for healthcare called Ambient Clinical Intelligence, or ACI. It works through a smart speaker mounted on the wall of a doctors examination room, which also has a camera. By applying deep learning to speech and visuals, ACI is able to document doctor visits.

The idea is to enable the doctor to pay full attention to the patient, without worrying about writing everything down.

ACI should start showing up in medical centers next year.

Google also briefly talked last year about a healthcare assistant called Dr. Liz., which was described by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt as an ambient computing virtual assistant for doctors. Well see if Google ever ships a Dr. Liz product.

Yes, ambient computing is real, and the Next Big Thing, showing up first in business, enterprises and healthcare.

But for now, the term ambient computing will be misapplied. Its a buzzword that will be stapled to every semi-ambient computing product and service that comes out over the next few years.Leadership 1) Secret plan for Johnson to be unopposed in confirmatory membership vote

The view from Canterbury  The Times

Tory Muslim activist compares Johnson to Hitler  The Sun

Johnson haters have lost the plot, but voters must see him scrutinised  Leader, The Sun

Boris Johnsons name could be the only one that goes forward to the partys membership in the Conservative leadership election under a secret plan to avoid four weeks of damaging Tory bloodletting. Senior Cabinet ministers who are not linked to any of the six contenders in the campaign are examining whether Mr Johnsons name alone might forward to a confirmatory vote of the partys 160,000 members. The plan was hatched in the whips officeUnder the proposal the remaining candidates would bow out late next week in favour of Mr Johnson, who has built a seemingly unassailable lead among MPs and grassroots Tories, before party members voted a single question  whether they want Mr Johnson to be leader. The biggest hurdle is to convince Brandon Lewis, the partys chairman, to back the plan. He is determined to carry out the partys wish for candidates to be grilled by members over 16 hustings events in every region of the UK over a four week period starting in Birmingham next Saturday, June 22.  Daily Telegraph

>Today:

Leadership 2) Three contenders pledge to bring in legally binding clean air targets

Three Conservative leadership hopefuls pledge today to give people the legal right to breathe clean air as one of their first acts as prime minister. Backing this newspapers campaign for a Clean Air Act, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Rory Stewart all promise to bring in legally binding air quality targets in their first Queens Speech. The commitment will raise pressure on the other candidates to support new legislation as part of their campaigns to lead the country. The UNs most senior public health official warned politicians that they could find themselves facing criminal charges for failing to protect citizens from air pollution. Maria Neira compared the issue to the asbestos scandal of the 1970s, in which governments were accused of having failed to act quickly enough despite knowing the risks.  The Times

Leadership 3) Hancock withdraws from the contest

Hancock in talks with all six remaining candidates  The Sun

Matt Hancock has withdrawn from the Conservative party leadership race, after receiving the support of just 20 MPs in the first round of voting. The health secretary was the youngest candidate and presented himself as the moderate fresh face to widen the partys appeal, particularly among Liberal Democrat voters. But his campaign team concluded he did not have enough support among Tory MPs to make it through the next round of voting on Tuesday. Im hugely grateful for the warm and enthusiastic support Ive received throughout this campaign, and am proud of the way we managed to set the agenda by promoting new ideas to make peoples lives better, Mr Hancock said in a statement.  Financial Times

>Yesterday: MPsETC: I ran as the candidate of the future. Hancock withdraws from the leadership race.

Leadership 4) Johnson agrees to take part in BBC TV debate

Boris Johnson has said he will take part in Tuesdays televised Tory leadership debate on the BBC. The frontrunner in the contest to replace Theresa May said the programme, which will be shown after the second round of MPs voting, was the right forum to debate the big issues. Rival candidates have accused Mr Johnson of avoiding media scrutiny. He said he was very keen on TV debates but viewers might not like too much blue-on-blue action. Mr Johnson, however, will not be taking part in Sundays debate on Channel 4, with his team reportedly having reservations about its proposed format.  BBC

Senior Tories plot to expose Johnson as a liar  The Sun

Channel 4 to empty chair him  The Guardian

Debating Boris  Leader, The Times

>Today: LISTEN: ConHomes Tory leadership election podcast. Will Tuesdays BBC debate see Stewart confront Johnson?

Leadership 5) Raab pledges to extend right to buy to housing association tenants

He predicts Tory members will turn their backs on the privileged elite vying for power  Daily Telegraph

Leadership 6) Eurocrats predict October 31st deadline will be abandoned

Dominic Raab on Friday night vowed to give a million tenants the chance to buy their home as he sought to breathe new life into his campaign. The Tory leadership contender said one of his first acts as PM would be to fulfil the pledge made in 2015 to extend Right to Buy to housing association residents.Ex-PM David Cameron vowed to widen the scheme introduced for council house tenants four years ago  but the Government only ever carried out a pilot scheme in the Midlands. Mr Raab said this meant housing association tenants were missing out on potential discounts of up to 115,000.  The Sun

European Union negotiators do not believe Boris Johnsons Tory leadership promise to deliver Brexit by October 31, according to senior Brussels sources. Political planning in Brussels is now based on the assumption that Britain will not leave the EU on the present deadline, itself an extension from the original date of March 29. Senior EU sources, including those in contact with UK officials, believe Mr Johnson is the most likely next prime minister and will give a serious try to getting a new deal, as he has pledged. Even the boldest prime minister for a no-deal will have to demonstrate he has had one serious try and that means an extension, said a senior EU official. Johnson will want to last more than ten days in power so will need to try getting it over the line. He, or whoever it is, will not be able to hide the need for an extension. Because of the tight timetable it is unlikely that formal negotiations will open until October, only allowing a few weeks to conclude a deal that has so far eluded negotiators for over two years.  The Times

My mad first week in Brussels as a Brexit Party MEP  John Longworth, Daily Telegraph

Wetherspoons boss warns: Dont dare dream of more Brexit negotiations  Daily Express

DUP right to be wary of Boris Johnson becoming PM  Suzanne Breen, Belfast Telegraph

Leadership 7) Oborne: Candidates should not be spending 150,000 on their campaigns

Leadership 8) Moore: The Tory survival instinct has finally kicked in

When John Major ran for the Tory leadership after the political assassination of Margaret Thatcher, he had no big financial backers behind his campaign. He borrowed a basement flat near Westminster, installed some phones and his team set to work. John Major after retaining his parliamentary seat in 1997. In the current leadership contest, each of the candidates is allowed to spend up to 150,000 on slick videos, private polling, literature and other promotional stunts. One has to ask: who is paying for it all? I fear the answer is very rich men and corporations who, as night follows day, will demand a return on their investmentIt brings the Conservative Party into disrepute. And it should play no part in our political processes.  Peter Oborne, Daily Mail

Now that it has called a leadership election, the Conservative Party is rediscovering its famous survival instinct. After the Brexit Partys result in the European elections, it has become obvious to all but the most refined and highly educated minds that the Tories will make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister by Christmas if they do not deliver Brexit. So they seem to be deciding to follow democratic logic. That logic, like it or not, is Boris JohnsonDominic Raab is a man of high intelligence and commitment to the Brexit cause, but it does not follow that he is also the right leader. One sees him as the man to master the detail rather than to sweep the country. None of the other would-be leaders left in the race seems truly to want Brexit. So none can do the job.  Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph

Leadership 9) Parris: Its not a done deal  the membership will ask tough questions

Is Rory Stewart about to give the Tory party its Emmanuel Macron moment?  Daniel Capurro, Daily Telegraph

A recent survey on the Tory activists website Conservative Home suggests Johnson has (at present) the support of roughly half the membership, and I think thats probably right. What the survey cannot tell us about is the depth of lurking doubts in the minds of present supporters, and the propensity of the remainder of those surveyed to vote for an anyone-but-Boris challenger. A Huffington Post poll, meanwhile, suggests that Johnson is failing to get through to younger and undecided voters: Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt and Rory Stewart score much better. I conclude that a convinced, energetic, eloquent but intellectually serious campaign among the Tory grassroots next month could yet unseat the favourite. Unbeatable among his cowardly and preferment-seeking parliamentary colleagues, he remains beatable among the real grown-ups: the national membership of the Conservative Party.  Matthew Parris, The Times

Leadership 10) Mordaunt: To deliver Brexit we need a Conservative consensus

The next Leader must deliver unity and Brexit fast and well. So why are staunch leavers like myself and Liam Fox backing Jeremy Hunt?To deliver Brexit we need to find a consensus in the party. We must not end up with further division by just reinforcing factions in the party, Parliament or the country. We must use this time to map out a plan, persuade others of it, signal both our resolve and our ideas to Brussels, and reassure those worried about the future why they should be confident. In order to leave with a deal, we need to take the majority with us. This is as true for Brexit as it is for the next General Election. This contest is not about the next man, its about the next majority. To secure that majority we need Jeremy Hunt.  Penny Mordaunt, Daily Mail

>Today: Interviews: Hunt interview: Im clearly second-placed now to Boris, and ready to argue that we have better choices as a country than he is offering.

Leadership 11) McVey poised to back Johnson

Leadership 12) Hammond says only two candidates have pledged to hold down the National Debt

Some supporters of Home Secretary Mr Javid, who came fifth, are urging him to do a deal with Mr Johnson to become Chancellor. However, one senior MP in Mr Javids camp dismissed the idea  telling MailOnline that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt taking on Mr Johnson would be a quasi University Challenge final.Esther McVey is widely expected to endorse Mr Johnson and urge her nine backers to follow suit. Mark Harpers tally of 10 looks set to fragment across the campaigns.  Daily Mail

The chancellor, Philip Hammond, has revealed that just two of the remaining contenders for the Conservative party leadership have so far accepted his challenge and pledged to work to keep down Britains national debt. Hammond, who sought assurances after becoming alarmed by the spending promises being made by Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, disclosed that he had received private commitments from two campaigns. I believe that fiscal responsibility is one of the unique selling points of my party, Hammond said as he arrived at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg.A couple of the candidates have signalled privately that they will be signing up to the pledge but Im waiting to see what we get back. The chancellor wrote to the leadership hopefuls on Thursday asking them to maintain the current limit of the deficit at 2% of GDP at least through 2021-22, as he sought to block a tax and spend arms race.  The Guardian

>Yesterday: MPsETC: Conservative leadership election. Candidates polices  full list

May reinvigorated and working on her legacy

Yet the prime minister herself looks revitalised. I havent seen Theresa May this happy since she became prime minister, an aide said. The D-Day anniversary and the Trump visit were Theresa at her best. She knows what to say on set occasions: its like the vicarage fete, all platitudes and gratitude. After a premiership consumed by Brexit, Mrs May is determined finally to tackle the domestic agenda that she identified on becoming leader, when she talked about the burning injustices in society, rather than spend her last days as a forlorn caretaker. Those around her were stung by the Private Eye front page headlined Theresa Mays legacy in full  it was completely blank. With only weeks to go in Downing Street, the prime minister is determined to secure her inheritance to balance out her failure to take Britain out of the European Union.  Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester, The Times

>Yesterday: Comment: ConHomes leadership election panel. Mays successors deserve better than a lame duck PM half-emptying the fiscal cupboard.

Corbyn challenges claims that Iran is responsible for oil tanker attacks

Jeremy Corbyn has questioned whether the government has credible evidence to show Iran is behind the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said responsibility almost certainly lies with the Iranian regime. But the Labour leader tweeted that the UK should ease tensions in the region, not fuel a military escalation. The explosions on Thursday came in the Gulf of Oman  a strategic waterway crucial to global energy supplies. It is the second time in the past few weeks that tankers appear to have been attacked in the region and comes amid escalating tension between Iran and the United States. The US military released video footage which it said proved Iran was behind the blasts  something Iran has categorically denied.  BBC

Umunna could be future Leader of the Lib Dems

He belongs in a team of one  Leader, Daily Telegraph

Scottish Conservatives criticise methadone use for heroin addicts

Sir Vince Cable has suggested that Chuka Umunna could lead the Liberal Democrats one day, amid claims from party insiders that the former Labour MP has set himself up for the next leadership race. Unveiling his partys new MP at a press conference yesterday, Sir Vince praised Mr Umunna as a big political figure who had the leadership potential necessary to run in the future. Whilst he insisted that Ed Davey and Jo Swinson were excellent candidates to replace him when he steps down next month, he acknowledged that Mr Umunna was one of several good people coming through the ranks for a contest further down the line.  Daily Telegraph

Calls have been made to change the way heroin addiction in Scotland is treated after it was revealed the methadone substitute given to users has been responsible for more than 4,000 hospital admissions over the last two decades. Research by the Scottish Conservatives found there were 4,479 hospital admissions caused by methadone since records began in the mid-1990s. Last year 222 users were admitted to hospital after overdosing on the heroin-replacement substance. But the Scottish Government insisted that opioid substitution therapy (OST) was a treatment with a strong evidence base and was supported by experts across Europe. Tory public health spokeswoman Annie Wells said the official statistics proved the need to find better ways to treat heroin addicts north of the Border. The MSP has called for alternative treatments for users in Scotland, rather than parking them on a substance like methadone which she believes offers no real hope of recovery. Methadone is meant to help heroin addicts  but now we learn it has hospitalised thousands in recent years, she said.  The Scotsman

Patten: Our duty to Hong Kong

Governments around the world  particularly Britain  should make our views clear about what is happening. And the government in Hong Kong and its masters in Beijing should realise how much damage will be done to Hong Kong if it continues to think it can brazen things out, turning to tear gas and rubber bullets to get its wayAs the former sovereign power, Britain has a debt of honour to Hong Kong. I hope that does not sound too old-fashioned a concept these days. For China, what is at stake is whether in future the rest of the world will be able to trust it to keep its word. If it breaks its commitment to Hong Kong, where else can it be trusted? Sometimes it is difficult to avoid the rather gloomy thought that we are seeing the emergence of a superpower that does not believe in individual human rights. So much for the China dream.  Chris Patten, The Guardian

News in briefBrandon Lewis is Chairman of the Conservative Party, and is MP for Great Yarmouth.

I started my political journey in 1998 in leafy Brentwood, the heart of Essex. There, I was an activist and then a councillor, long before I had considered becoming MP. I grew up in the party, seeing first-hand how many remarkable women contribute to our party at every level.

Yet time and again these outstanding female activists, committed to their community and to public service, did not put themselves forward for local council or parliament. It is the same today, and that needs to change.

While as Conservatives we have led the way in terms of gender equality: from the first woman to take her seat in Parliament, to the first, and second, female Prime Ministers, there is still a long way to go to ensure more women stand for office at every level of Government.

Last summer, I set an ambition to see women make up half of our partys parliamentary candidates list. And in the year we mark the centenary of the first woman taking her seat in Parliament, the Conservative MP Nancy Astor, we are committed to having more women follow in her footsteps.

That is why this weekend we are hosting our first Conservative Womens Conference in a generation. It is part of a programme of events we are holding across the country, encouraging women of all backgrounds to stand. The conference will be held with the Conservative Womens Organisation, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year. It is the oldest womens political organisation in the world and works tirelessly to provide support and focus for women in the Conservative Party as well as encouraging more women to be politically active and to get elected at all levels.

As a Party, we want to make sure that we have the very best candidates representing their communities, competing in a level playing field. So we have reviewed and updated our parliamentary assessment criteria and we are about to start some comprehensive research into what barriers people face when seeking public office, so we can make the process fairer, and better, for everyone.

My ambition for women to make up half of our parliamentary candidates list is not a quota or a shortlist, as neither would solve the underlying problem. Instead, achieving this ambition will mean local associations have the ability to choose from a wider pool of the best possible candidates. I am determined to create an environment where more first-rate Conservative women from all backgrounds want to enter politics because they believe it is a rewarding and fulfilling vocation.

We, of course, have fantastic female MPs, councillors and activists who contribute so much to public life. Many of them have benefitted from the incredible work of Women2Win and the Conservative Womens organisation, both groups having transformed our politics by supporting women through every step of the candidate process. And with their help, we have made progress. Ten years ago, there were 17 women on the Conservative benches  today there are four times that number.

Yet, our research has shown us that on average, it takes women six to 12 months longer than their male counterparts to apply to be a candidate.

So, my focus over the past year, led by the work of my deputy Helen Whately, has been to change the political landscape by encouraging women to take the plunge and put themselves forward to represent the Conservative party.

Our plans to break down barriers for women are not a short-term project, focussed solely on outcomes. I want this vision to serve as a catalyst for change, encouraging all our Conservative Party activists, members and supporters to join me in asking women to get more involved in politics at every level. If all of us, men and women, take up this task, we can drive long-term change, and create a political culture where women are encouraged to take on bigger and better roles in public life.

If you know a woman who would make a phenomenal Conservative representative, why not ask her to stand?90%

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YCAB Foundation is a group of like minded people who are serious and passionate about making the world a better place according to our own individual talents and capacity. We believe that financial independence and self-sufficiency is the very essence of development and dignity comes before development. Therefore, we work hard to develop vulnerable youth by giving them access to education and economic assistance. We believe in the creation and the implementation of an inclusive, innovative and sustainable program. Only this can lead to a systemic change.

OG Description metadata is important for Facebook and Social MediaTen members of the Connecticut Army National Guards 192nd Engineer Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company returned from deployment on Saturday.

The announcement of their return came from Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, the adjutant general and commanding officer of the Connecticut National Guard.

We are thrilled that some members of the 192nd Engineer Battalion will be able to spend Fathers Day with their own families, Evon said in a prepared statement. The unit set a very high bar for others to follow, and I'm proud to call each and every one of them a brother or sister in arms.

The 40-soldier unit, based in Stratford, served as a battalion headquarters to supervise subordinate units specialized in route clearance. Some of the day-to-day tasks included the control and command of the route clearance efforts, the Connecticut National Guard said in a news release.

Some of the unit returned earlier in the week and others will continue to return home through July as they work through administrative requirements and transition authority to another deployed unit.New York  Longtime cult expert and NXIVM foe Rick Ross told jurors Wednesday he quickly identified the secretive self-help organization as a "destructive program" trying to create clones of spiritual leader Keith Raniere.



The 58-year-old Raniere bristled in his maroon sweater as Ross took the stand in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, where the man known as "Vanguard" faces charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor and conspiracy.



Ross, 66, who heads the Cult Education Institute and who was subjected to a 14-year legal battle with NXIVM that ended in 2017, said he first encountered NXIVM in 2002. A couple, Morris and Rochelle Sutton of New Jersey, hired him to extract their adult children from the group using an intervention. It was among 500 interventions Ross said he has done since 1982.



"It became clear to me that this was a personality-driven group defined by its leader  eerily reminiscent to Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard," Ross testified, citing the controversial church closely associated with actor Tom Cruise.

Ross said he met with the couple and their son, Michael, in Boca Raton, Fla., and tried to impress upon Michael Sutton that NXIVM, also known as Executive Success Programs, was engaged in "large group awareness training" or LGAT similar to another self-help organization, Landmark Education, that had sued him.



(After initial publication of this story, Landmark issued a lengthy statement asserting that it is not an LGAT program, and rejecting any comparison between its operations and those of Executive Success Programs and NXIVM. Landmark's federal suit against Ross, filed in New Jersey in 2004, was withdrawn the following year.)



"My feeling was Executive Success Programs was a destructive program and it was hurting people and it had the potential to hurt more people," Ross testified. "It became obvious to me how much power the group had over him."



Ross said he told Michael Sutton NXIVM's guidelines were less about a self-help group and more about a "cult of personality"  Raniere.



"I said, 'Is that really what you want in your life?'" Ross recalled telling the man. "I said, 'It sounds like what they're selling is you have to think like, act like and be like Keith Raniere.'"



As he tried to convince the man to withdraw from NXIVM, Ross testified, Michael Sutton was on the phone with NXIVM President Nancy Salzman. She wanted other experts to offer opinions and for years fought efforts to cast the organization as cult-like.



Ross said two experts  mental health doctors John Hochman and Paul Martin  later wrote reports highly critical of NXIVM. Michael Sutton did not want to read the reports, Ross said.

In their reports, the doctors took issue with NXIVM literature that redefined meanings of the words "good" and "bad."



Raniere's 12-point mission statement for NXIVM also featured the line, "There are no ultimate victims." Martin questioned the statement in his report, noting the unquestioned victim status of battered spouses and drunk driving crashes, among others.



"What does this mean?" he wrote.



The reports later became part of the lawsuit NXIVM filed against Ross, who had published the findings on his website. He also published information from Sutton's sister, Stephanie Franco, who left NXIVM.



In 2015, the Times Union reported that Kristin Keeffe, a former legal liaison for NXIVM, had alleged the corporation conducted secret financial research on federal judges involved in the group's legal battles. The targets included U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh and U.S. Magistrate Mark Falk, both of whom presided over a lawsuit NXIVM filed against Ross in 2006.



Ross prevailed in the years-long litigation, in which NXIVM had accused him of publishing  without authorization  protected materials from its training programs. Ross accused the corporation of hiring a New York investigative and security firm, Interfor, to conduct background checks on Ross, including obtaining details of his banking records and personal relationships.



A nine-page report attributed to Interfor, whose president, Juval Aviv, is a former Israeli intelligence officer, was filed in the case and included Ross's Social Security number, date of birth, medical and psychological history and details from his personal checking account and telephone records.



Salzman, one of Raniere's five co-defendants who all have pleaded guilty in the case, admitted conspiring to alter a videotape of NXIVM instructional sessions that had been ordered turned over as evidence in their lawsuit with Ross.



During cross-examination, Raniere attorney Marc Agnifilo asked Ross about $12,500 in donations he received from the late Seagram's liquor tycoon Edgar Bronfman, who became a NXIVM critic and once referred to it as a "cult" in a 2003 Forbes magazine interview.



His daughters, Clare and Sara Bronfman, were devoted members of NXIVM and their financial backers. Clare Bronfman was a co-defendant of Raniere before she pleaded guilty in April.



Ross only remembered one $5,000 check from their father, prompting Agnifilo to remind him of additional checks from Edgar Bronfman for $5,000 and $2,500.



Agnifilo asked Ross if he or the doctors ever took a NXIVM class or simply relied on the NXIVM literature they reviewed -- and notes written by Franco.



"It is a wealth of material," Ross responded.



At one point, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar showed Ross a file with his name on it. A prior law enforcement witness testified Nancy Salzman kept the file in the basement of her Oregon Trail home in Halfmoon along with files of other "enemies" of NXIVM.



Ross said he had never before seen the file.



Prosecutors later called an FBI examiner, Brian Booth, who testified about naked photos of women formerly linked to Raniere that were found in a computer at 8 Hale Drive, the defendant's so-called "executive library" in the Knox Woods complex in Halfmoon. The witness is expected to testify Thursday about child pornographic images of a 15-year-old girl from Mexico - who allegedly had sex with Raniere -- taken in 2005.



An FBI agent who investigated the case is expected to be the final prosecution witness. The government is expected to rest its case Thursday.The Story Never Ends: The days are long, but the years are short

opinionWASHINGTON  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she believes President Trump has been involved in a criminal cover-up. Too bad shes not in a position to do something about it.

Oh wait, she is. If she truly believes the president has committed crimes, if she truly believes he has violated his oath of office, if she truly believes he is trampling the Constitution, she can have the House begin a formal impeachment inquiry. But she wont.

When Pelosi says that most House Democrats do not favor launching a process that could lead to impeachment, shes telling the truth  but not the whole truth. She is the respected and unchallenged leader of her caucus. If she were to change her mind, a lot of other minds would quickly follow.

Pelosi clearly believes impeachment is a political trap, and she may be right. But doing nothing looks increasingly like a political trap, too, which means the speaker is going to have to pick her poison. In politics, observation suggests, it is generally better to play offense than play defense. And in life, conscience demands, it is always best to do what you know is right.

The danger in doing nothing is simply that Congress is allowing Trump to hold himself above the law. Trumps attorneys formally made that argument this week in a court filing that seeks to bar the House Committee on Oversight and Reform from investigating whether Trump committed tax fraud. But Trumps Sun King view of the presidency has been glaringly obvious all along. He treats legal and constitutional norms like doormats and acts as if the powers of the presidency are unlimited.

This is not what the American people voted for, as Ive heard Republicans argue. Many voters indeed wanted a wrecking ball, a disrupter. They did not want to weaken our democracy by giving the president the unchecked powers of a banana republic strongman.

And even if that is what some Trump voters want, they cant have it. Congress has a sworn duty to uphold the Constitution, which makes clear that everyone, including the president, is subject to the law.

There was much gnashing of teeth and clutching of pearls over Trumps declaration, in an interview broadcast Wednesday, that hypothetically he would accept help from a foreign government in his upcoming re-election campaign. Democrats and Republicans alike felt obliged to declare that they would never, ever do such a horrible thing. But Trump explicitly solicited and welcomed help from Vladimir Putins Russia in the 2016 election. If the idea of such foreign meddling is so shocking, why doesnt the established fact of such meddling deserve official sanction?

Pelosi says she accepts the ample evidence, as reported by special counsel Robert Mueller, that Trump obstructed justice. She says the president is stonewalling Congress by refusing to hand over documents and blocking witness testimony that House committees need to perform their constitutional duties of oversight and investigation. She says the president has abused his emergency powers in unconstitutional attempts to circumvent Congress and usurp its power of the purse.

She says, in other words, that Trump has committed impeachable offenses  but she declines to open an inquiry into whether he should be impeached. That is a difficult position to defend, including on political grounds.

The speaker is trying to use her committees to present what amounts to a made-for-TV version of the Mueller report. Trump is a master of reality television and understands its power, so he is doing everything he can to deny Pelosi the actors and the script she needs. How does it help Pelosis political position for her committee chairmen to spend months fighting in the courts for bits and scraps? What good does it do to hold a hearing starring Richard Nixons White House counsel, John Dean, when the witness you really need is Trumps onetime White House counsel, Don McGahn?

Pelosi has said she believes that Trump is trying to bait her into impeachment. I think hes trying to bluff her out of it. I dont think he wants the historical stigma that would mar his presidency  or the greater power it would give Congress to compel testimony and documents.

Pelosi is famous for making a plan and sticking to it, so I fear all of this is falling on deaf ears. She and her caucus are going to start hearing from the partys base, though. And the demands of history often overwhelm even the most carefully plotted strategies.

Eugene Robinson is syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group. His email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com.On May 22, I traveled to federal immigration court in Manhattan for a deportation hearing for a 34-year-old, 17-year resident of Kingston. The feigned appreciation of the judge for the defendants basic goodness and for the written testimony of the three advocates who traveled to the court to offer their support, and the arrogant display of self-righteous moralism on the part of the prosecutor were stunning displays in this travesty on justice.

A good mans life and the well-being of two children and their vulnerable mother were at stake. The judge and prosecutor played good cop/bad cop and only seemed concerned with wrapping matters up quickly and getting home. Their convenience took precedence over allowing the advocates to speak on the defendants behalf. Also disturbing was the obvious connection between the judge and prosecutor. It compromised any semblance of appropriate judicial independence and neutrality.

Both federal agents were young white women. They evidenced zero understanding of and compassion for the experience of a poor brown man who, at age 17, fled violence and poverty in the hope of having a life.

The defendant is not perfect. He made mistakes, even some serious mistakes.

He grew up without the supports that might have enabled him to put it all together as perfectly as the judge and prosecutor obviously have.

Though he fell victim to the illness called alcoholism, he always worked hard and long hours. Employers used his undocumented status to exploit him. Our system continues to offer little protection for the basic human rights of undocumented workers. But in spite of adversity, he managed to marry a woman he loves and begin a family for whose support he worked 60 to 70 hours a week for less than minimum wage.

The defendant has a demonstrated history of commitment to recovery. His two falls from the grace are part and parcel of the road to full recovery. The seriousness of driving while intoxicated should not be diminished. But if for citizens a first-time offense is treated as a misdemeanor, why did the prosecutor brand this noncitizen a criminal? If the second offense of a citizen merits five days in jail, why does that of a noncitizen result in six months of detention followed by deportation?

To further criminalize him, the prosecutor excoriated the defendant for nonpayment of taxes. For obviously good reasons, the undocumented are too terrified to come out of the shadows. The judge and the prosecutor, acting as minions of the moral reprobate and tax cheat occupying the White House, should think twice about assaulting the poor, from some moral high ground, for nonpayment of taxes. What a joke!

The judge and prosecutor agreed the negative impact on the children did not meet the governments standard for serious harm. A 4-year-old and a 6-year-old have had their father ripped out of their lives: If they do not see this as doing irreparable damage to these developing psyches, then they are either grossly ignorant or willfully blind fools. In these last several months, I have watched the light go out in the eyes of these two innocents as they struggle to understand the incomprehensible. They love their daddy and he loves them, and now, for all practical purposes, he is gone from their lives.

I make no apology for the anger expressed in this account. Righteous anger in the face of injustice is holy anger intended to serve the transformation of hearts. How could God not be angry when the suffering of children is callously minimized and dismissed? I hope the judge and prosecutor do not have to have a child of their own torn from their arms before they embrace the depths of what it means to be compassionate human beings as opposed to robotic functionaries of a morally compromised administration. The Scriptures enjoin us to care for the orphan and the widow, not to make orphans and widows. Yes, the law is the law, but the first law is and remains love.

The defendant was deported on Monday, June 10. His wife and children, who have not seen him since January, were denied a visit with him at the detention facility prior to his departure. I struggle to understand the benefit to the common good of such cruelty. And I struggle to understand a society that has yet to say No more!

The Freeman welcomes guest opinion columns for this space from public officials and public-interest groups about a single news topic. Submissions should be emailed to letters@freemanonline.com and should be between 550 and 750 words. The Freeman reserves the right to reject submissions.Missed Delivery?

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Click HereDOWNINGTOWN  The Chester County Intermediate Unit Board of Directors appointed George Fiore as its next executive director.

Fiore currently serves as superintendent of the Kutztown Area School District.

He went to Kutztown in September 2016 from the Wilson School District in West Lawn, Berks County, where he was the high school principal for four years. Prior to Wilson, Fiore was the founding headmaster of the Downingtown STEM Academy.

I am honored to have been selected by the Chester County Intermediate Unit Board of Directors to serve as executive director, Fiore said.

He described it as a wonderful opportunity to serve the 86,000 students of the 12 public school districts, private schools and charter schools of Chester County.

We are turning a new page, and going into a new era for the IU, said CCIU Board President Bonnie Wolff. I am looking forward to working with Dr. Fiore, hearing about his plans for the future and his vision for the IU.

The directors made the appointment of Fiore during at a special board meeting held on Wednesday at the CCIU Educational Service Center in Downingtown.

Going forward, it will be a team effort between Dr. Fiore and CCIU administrative leadership, Wolff said. I am confident the CCIU division directors will share their organizational knowledge with Dr. Fiore to ensure that his transition from superintendent to IU executive director is a smooth one with minimal disruption.

Fiore will be replacing Joseph OBrien, who is retiring from public education at the end of July.

Dr. OBriens retirement is bittersweet. He has been the anchor of the CCIU for the past 12 years, Wolff said. However, after 46 years in public service, he deserves the right to enjoy time with his family, to pursue his interests outside of work and to just relax. He will be missed incredibly.

OBrien, who has headed the CCIU since 2007, is credited with growing services and launching new initiatives that increased CCIU revenues by $120 million, as its overall annual budget grew from $150 million to $270 million.

Fiore, who will begin his duties as CCIU executive director on August 12, echoed Wolffs sentiments.

I am equally excited to work alongside the wonderful team at the CCIU, he said. Dr. OBrien is a leader whom I have admired, and I look forward to continuing the great work he has done over the past 12 years.

Fiores instructional school district experience also includes nine years as a high school social studies teacher, dean of students, director of instructional technology, high school assistant principal and junior high school principal.

Fiores notable accomplishments include increasing student achievement on state and national assessments, increasing equity of access for students in upper level courses such as Advanced Placement while increasing student achievement, earning National recognition for student achievement (US News & World Report Best High Schools, Washington Post Most Challenging High Schools, and Newsweeks Beating the Odds: Top High Schools for Low-Income Students), earning Pennsylvania Department of Education Title I Distinguished Schools designation for student growth, implementing the International Baccalaureate curriculum, and developing, implementing and creating one of Americas best high schools.

Furthermore, Fiore has worked collaboratively with various stakeholders to raise more than $1 million through capital campaign fundraising and grant writing to support students, staff and the community.

Fiore earned his doctorate from Immaculata University in educational leadership and a masters degree in classroom technology from Wilkes University. He earned his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education, concentration in social studies education and a minor in political science from Kutztown University. Fiore also serves as a part-time professor at Kutztown University, teaching graduate and doctoral education courses in the secondary education department as well as serving on several dissertation committees at Immaculata University.

The CCIU Board of Directors contracted the New Jersey-based firm Judy Wilson, LLC to conduct the executive search.WEST CHESTER  The Chester County Department of Emergency Services received confirmation that it remains nationally accredited by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) for a further five year period.

Chester County was the first county in the state to achieve full accreditation for its emergency management program in 2014.

Chester Countys position as the first county in the state to receive accreditation from EMAP five years ago reinforces the tremendous importance that we place on public safety, Chester County Commissioners Chair Michelle Kichline said, and our Director of Emergency Services, Mike Murphy, and his team have done a great job in maintaining this recognition.

EMAP is the only accreditation process for emergency management programs in the nation and recognizes the ability of emergency management programs to bring together personnel, resources and communications from a variety of agencies and organizations in preparation for, and in response to an emergency. The proven ability to measure these capabilities is also a key part of the EMAP accreditation.

The men and women in our Department of Emergency Services continually demonstrate their ability to help all Chester County residents who are in need, County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone said. They are especially focused on coordination of the many resources it takes to ensure citizens safety in the event of a major emergency, and continually review, practice and refine the program.

The EMAP process evaluates emergency management programs on compliance with requirements in 16 areas including planning, resource management, training, exercises, evaluations and corrective actions, and communications and warnings.

Earning  and maintaining  this accreditation validates the exceptional work of all staff in the Department of Emergency Services, Commissioner Terence Farrell said, as well as the 5,000-plus first responders throughout the County.

To maintain accreditation, Chester County had to once again demonstrate through self-assessment, documentation and peer assessment verification that its program meets the Emergency Management Standard set forth by EMAP.

Receiving initial accreditation by EMAP was a significant achievement by our Emergency Management Division, and the steps taken to maintain accreditation are just as substantial, Chester County Director of Emergency Services Mike Murphy said.

The Emergency Management Division staff worked tirelessly over the past five years to maintain the initial accreditation and prepare for re-accreditation, he continued. Specifically Emergency Management Division staff Andrew Thurston and Thaddeus Kavanagh spent a tremendous amount of time as our Program Accreditation Managers. By achieving re-accreditation we have demonstrated discipline and accountability in regularly reviewing, maintaining and documenting compliance with standards and best practices, and have proven yet again that Chester County has an exceptional Emergency Management Program.

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Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.WEST CHESTER  The West Goshen man who shot his next-door neighbor in the head after years of disputes was found guilty of first-degree murder by a Chester County Common Pleas Court jury.

The panel of eight women and four men hearing the case returned its verdict against Clayton Carter III around 10:40 p.m. Thursday after deliberating almost 10 hours at the Chester County Justice Center, according to court sources.

The verdict came after attorneys for the two sides offered sharply different versions of the tragic events in the case during closing arguments on the question of who had provoked who the night of the fatal encounter.

To defense attorney Joseph P. Green Jr. of West Chester, who represents Carter, the onus belonged on the shoulders of the victim, G. Brooks Jennings.

For years, Green argued, Jennings had attempted to make life for Carter as uncomfortable as possible, hoping he would get exhausted at the constant bickering and leave the tight-knit neighborhood of Box Elder Drive.

Jennings knows how to provoke (Carter), and he has been practicing and practicing and practicing, Green said in his closing, pointing to episodes like filming Carter in his backyard and shining flood lights at him in the middle of the night. If you continue to provoke someone over a period of years, eventually there are going to be consequences.

But to Deputy District Attorney Thomas Ost-Prisco, leading the prosecution against Carter, the evidence was overwhelming that Carter was the party who precipitated the events of the fatal night.

He brought a gun to the face-to-face stand off in front of the two mens homes that early morning, and concealed a folding knife that he could plant on Jennings to make the shooting look like self-defense.

He is the one who is goading Brooks into a fight, Ost-Prisco told the panel, using Jennings first name, quoting Carter as daring Jennings to cross the line and come onto his familys property so he could shoot him as a trespasser. He is starting the confrontation. He set the trap. He is baiting him.

The question of provocation was key to both sides. The answer determined whether Carter would be found not guilty because he was justified in using deadly force against a man who had been digging at him for months, if not years, or instead is guilty of first-degree murder, because he had no valid claim of self-defense and was, rather, the clear instigator of the shooting.

The jury received the case around 12:50 p.m. Thursday after hearing the two sides closing arguments and legal instructions from Common Pleas Judge Ann Marie Wheatcraft, who presided over the trial.

Carter, 53, was charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and related charges in the Aug. 8, 2017 death of Jennings, a 51-year-old father of one and small businessman who was described by his wife as a friend to all of his neighbors  with the extreme exception of Carter, who lived next door with his wife, their daughter, and his father-in-law, who owned the home.

Convicted of first-degree murder, Carter now faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. He will be formally sentenced at a later date.

The prosecution had contended that Carter, armed with a small, .380 caliber handgun, had planned for some time to commit a cold-blooded, calculated execution, of the neighbor who he was obsessed with and then fabricate a tale that he was acting to protect himself from an attack.

The defense, on the other had, asserted that Carter was acting in self defense of Jennings own drunken badgering that night. He told police in an interview that he had shot Jennings two times  once while he was lying on the ground  because he was afraid Jennings intended to stab him as the climax to a confrontation that had begun some hours before.

In his argument, delivered first by rules of criminal procedure, Green spent a significant portion of time explaining the law that governs self-defense, or justification, cases. In doing so, he cast a critical eye on Jennings behavior towards his longtime neighbor.

A criminal defendant is allowed under the law to use deadly force if he feels he is being threatened with a deadly weapon, and the burden is on the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was no true threat. In addition, a defendant can be found guilty of voluntary manslaughter if the jury finds that he acted in the heat of passion after a series of events meant to provoke a response.

The two men had been at one another for a long period of time, including an incident in May 2015 in which Green said Jennings tried to force his way into Carters home and had to be driven away from Carter pointing a shotgun at him. The night of the shooting in 2017, Jennings had taunted Carter while he was playing horseshoes in his backyard, filming him on a cellphone and calling him Sponge  a nickname Jennings had given him. The two men cursed at one another.

Then around 11:30 p.m., Jennings  after what Green characterized as a day of drinking  began wiring high-powered cam lights on the front of his garage and shining them into Carters eyes when the neighbor tried to park his car after. Why would you want to install cam lights in your driveway at 1 in the morning? unless you meant to anger your neighbor, Green asked. Those lights are a clear example of the provocation.

The two men argued for more than 45 minutes outside their homes until Carter, in his police statement, said he saw Jennings flash a knife at him. He then drew the .380 caliber Ruger semi-automatic pistol he had retried earlier from his home and fired it at Jennings.

Police found a knife at he scene, lying under Jennings left hand. But DNA recovered from the knife was identified as Carters, and not Jennings. In his closing, Green argued that the matter was a case of DNA transfer that occurred when an officer at the scene kicked the knife across the wet grass lawn when the shooting occurred.

The evidence of Carters DNA was a red herring, Green said. Dont let it overpower you because it is sexy.

But in rebuttal, Ost-Prisco reminded the jurors that the DNA expert from the Pennsylvania State Police lab who testified had been certain that the DNA on the folding knife matched that of Carters and no on else. Her worked had been checked and reviewed. To suggest that it somehow got on the knife from the wet grass was magical thinking, he said.

Greens defense was a replay of the penultimate scene from the film The Wizard of Oz when the false wizard attempts to distract Dorothy and her friends by saying, Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! Ost-Prisco said.

For Ost-Prisco, the significant factor in finding that Carter had acted with intent to kill was embodied by the second shot he fired that night. It came 12 seconds after the first  proven by audio from a neighbors security system that recorded the shooting  with the barrel of the Ruger less than 20 inches from Jennings face, while the other man lay on the ground, likely lifeless.

If you look at the second shot by itself, self-defense is out the window, Ost-Prisco said. This was a cold blooded execution, and that second shot tells you everything you need to know. There is no justification for that second shot.

He cast aide the notion that Jennings had provoked a deadly confrontation, noting that in previous incidents it is always the defendant stating trouble. The other neighbors kept saying, Will you just leave people alone?'

Ost-Prisco suggested that Carter had planned the shooting for sometime. He said that a previous encounter with Jennings in which he pointed a shotgun at the neighbor had ended with Jennings retreating away from his front door. The prosecutor said, Carter knew he needed a smaller weapon that could be hidden and a knife to plant. This man was obsessed with Brooks Jennings, he said. He hated him. He despised him. But he cant shoot him if Brooks doesnt have a knife, so he set him up.

He reminded the jury that Jill Jennings, who testified last Friday, said that she had heard her husband pleading with Carter to remove a skeleton display from his front yard because it was disturbing to neighborhood children.

In the last hour of his life, he was trying to do something for the neighborhood, Ost-Prisco said. Does that sound like that act of someone who is standing there with a knife ready to stab someone?

No one is perfect, the prosecutor said of Jennings. But he did not deserve to die.

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.Backing Hunt: Miss Mordaunt, who wants Tory unity

Let me apologise to the millions of people, outside of Westminster without a Conservative Party membership card, who are watching those who do choose their Prime Minister.

You are going to be subjected to hustings, wall-to-wall broadcast coverage, and copious column inches all about the candidates, their families, their pets and their ovens!

What you wont have is a vote. All Conservatives should remember that the decision we are taking has a profound effect on you.

Whoever we select has one hell of a shift. The challenges they face are about so much more than the fortunes of a political party.

People are angry and frustrated. Trust in politicians is at an all-time low. We gave you a clear mandate to leave, so why havent you done it yet? What part of WE WANT TO LEAVE do you not understand?

In truth, the reason Brexit hasnt happened yet has nothing to do with the lack of mandate, but the lack of a majority to enact it. True, some politicians have tried to frustrate the process. On the Labour side for political gain. On the Conservative side, for purity of outcome.

Every sensible Conservative knows that we either leave Europe or we leave government. Its as simple as that. But we should also remember that there is a far more important reason why we must deliver Brexit: The country needs us to.

Having given the vote to the people we must implement their choice. Faith in democracy and our politics depends upon it. Business needs us to extract it from this limbo. It can prepare for any eventuality, but not every eventuality. It must have some certainty. It must have it soon.

The people want this settled swiftly. But we must also settle it well.

How we Brexit must preserve the opportunities that come from leaving the EU, such as the benefits of an independent trade policy. Deliver it well and we can do so much better than just WTO terms. If we manage to secure a good deal, well have less to mend now and more to spend later on clear and present needs, like education, social care, the NHS and our Armed Forces.

If we manage to secure a good deal, well have less to mend now and more to spend later on clear and present needs, like education, social care, the NHS and our Armed Forces, writes Penny Mordaunt

And in the coming months a new leader must bring us together.

The nation, like my party, has been divided on this issue. Half of us are appalled that the other half voted to leave, that half appalled that we have yet to leave. If we Brexit well we can restore that pride in each other and move on as a country.

The next Leader must deliver unity and Brexit fast and well. So why are staunch leavers like myself and Liam Fox backing Jeremy Hunt?

Firstly, because we dont need to convince the already convinced. There are dangers to riding the tiger of populism. Not least that it scares off the majority. Not least that it consumes you last.

The greatest act of patriotism in the last three years was not people like me who voted to leave, but those who voted remain and accepted the result, Jeremy included. We dont need a Remainer or a Leaver. We need a democrat. We need a listener. We need a negotiator. We need a unifier. We need an intelligent, experienced leader to reach out to help us get the majority we need to break free. He has the ability to negotiate a way through. He knows Europes leaders well and is respected by them. He knows what he must do if he cannot secure a deal and he has been strong and resolute on this point the whole time I have been in Cabinet.

All his working life he has been someone who does, not just says. Who creates opportunities, not just exploits them. Who brings people together, not divides them.

To deliver Brexit we need to find a consensus in the party. We must not end up with further division by just reinforcing factions in the party, Parliament or the country. We must use this time to map out a plan, persuade others of it, signal both our resolve and our ideas to Brussels, and reassure those worried about the future why they should be confident.

In order to leave with a deal, we need to take the majority with us.

This is as true for Brexit as it is for the next General Election.

This contest is not about the next man, its about the next majority.

To secure that majority we need Jeremy Hunt.Maria Wheeler pictured above with Boris Johnson in 2018

For 25 years Marina Wheeler QC, one of the countrys most highly regarded human rights lawyers, stood by her husband Boris Johnson.

Quiet, meticulously elegant, forensically clever, she was steadfast in her support  even though she was tried to the limit.

She put up with his public affair with Petronella Wyatt, an employee of the magazine her husband then edited. And she managed to stomach his many other mistresses, including Helen Macintyre with whom he has a daughter.

She even boosted him politically at a crucial juncture, extolling in the Spectator magazine the merits of a hard Brexit just after Boris went behind Theresa Mays back as Foreign Secretary and published his own vision for EU withdrawal.

Marina, 55, put their family first, she was their glue. They raised four children together while she nursed and encouraged his one dream  of becoming Prime Minister.

How many times can she have thought that, if that dream were ever realised and he walked through the door of No 10, she would be proudly by his side, along with their children?

Carrie Symonds (pictured above) has been credited with turning Boris Johnson's image around

Instead, on Boriss arm as he heads towards the winners enclosure, is his new girlfriend, 31-year-old Carrie Symonds. Whether it was Boris or Marina who called time on their marriage  and divorce is now pending  she must feel that sense of crushing betrayal that strikes at the heart of any 50-something whose husband trades her in for a younger model.

Boris Johnson (pictured above) walks with Carrie Symonds

Boris is said to be devastated by the anger of Marina and their four children. Alongside that anger will be raw pain. For many abandoned wives, the pain can be contained in private. Late at night, after too many glasses of chablis, they may perhaps glance at the Facebook account of their husbands new squeezes, but at least it ends there.

Marina cannot escape now her husband looks certain to become PM. She will not be able to avoid images of Boris and the blonde whos little more than half her age. How utterly desolating that must be.

If she becomes the first girlfriend to move into Downing Street when the PM is still married to another woman, Carrie will only command more media attention. And, for Marina, that will pour on even more agony.

I cast no judgment over Boriss personal life nor his suitability for the highest office. All of us are flawed.

But my heart breaks for Marina and his kids.

My brush with acidic Brand

The furore over Jo Brands joke about throwing battery acid at politicians and her defiant response  insisting she cant be sacked  reminded me of an encounter with her.

Jo Brand (pictured above) will receive no police action following her comments on BBC radio earlier this week

Wed done Question Time, after which she ranted about why she hated the print media.

She was deeply hurt that whenever they ran a story about her it was accompanied by a picture that made her look fat. As a gesture of sisterhood, I suggested she provide a more flattering picture of herself. Unsurprisingly, none has appeared.

Tom shows real pecs appeal

Post Poldark, it appears to be obligatory for male actors in historical dramas to bare not just their souls, but their solar plexuses. Hence Tom Bateman, star of ITVs Beecham House, goes topless. His honed torso is certainly enough to set women swooning.

Tom Bateman pictured above as John Beecham in BBC drama Poldark

Unlike those boys on Love Island. With their pumped-up Popeye arms, they look like plastic Action Men on steroids.

Dad's the word

GQ magazine has a special edition about dads and sons for Fathers Day. A bit sexist, lads, considering dads and daughters are just as important.

Its a double whammy for me this weekend: todays the first of Dads birthdays without him and tomorrows Fathers Day.

Im planning to open a bottle tonight of his favourite Glenfiddich, which we shared so many times together.

Dads and daughters, Ill drink to that.

TV's Lorraine not so cuddly

We all think Lorraine Kelly is this lovely, cuddly GMTV presenter, but when she said she couldnt even remember the then Tory leadership candidate Esther McVey, despite them working together in the past, it gave us a glimpse of the real Lorraine.

Lorraine Kelly (pictured above) said she couldn't remeber Tory leadership Esther McVey

A tribal Scottish Labour supporter who let the mask slip, her contempt for Esther was as palpable as it was unedifying.

Torn off a strip

The Mexican cultural secretary demands that fashion house Carolina Herrera compensate the countrys indigenous communities after it culturally misappropriated their signature striped shawls in its collection of stripy dresses .

Crikey, will the Mexicans be coming after our deckchairs next?

To V of not to V, Stacey

Having been condemned as a white saviour after highlighting poverty in Africa, Stacey Dooley posts a picture of herself and a woman in a hijab putting two fingers up.

Stacey Dooley (right) posted a picture online of herself and a woman wearing a hijab

Stacey offers the Churchill two-fingered, which means victory, while the other woman presents her V-sign with her hand turned the other way round. Telling us, perhaps, what Stacey really thinks of her critics.

Westminster Wars So farewell Esther McVey, who launched her leadership bid channelling the spirit of Margaret Thatcher with a picture of the Iron Lady before her. The only thing Esther  known as half-woman-half-hairdo  and Mrs T had in common was a really good coiffure. Despite being stunned himself that hed made it to the second round, MP Rory Stewart still insists he can beat Boris  which is about as likely as Graham Norton knocking out Tyson Fury. Yet who can help but admire gracious, gentle Rory? Tellingly, hes the only contender Larry the Downing Street cat is happy to be stroked by. Advertisement

The award-winning drama Big Little Lies, starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and now Meryl Streep, returns to TV. It is being heralded as inspired by women, written and acted by them  the ultimate post-modern feminist doctrine. So why are the women all so rich, horrible and screwed up? Its enough to make any sensible man-friendly feminist give up the ghost.

One of the most shocking images in recent days was Melanie Geymonat and her partner Chris, covered in blood after yobs attacked them. Their crime? Theyre two gay women taunted by Neanderthal men trying to make them kiss. I hope the boors are prosecuted. I really did think we had left all that gay-bashing behind us.

Much admiration for Ben Fogle, who has donated the entire fee for his BBC1 Animal Park series to subsidise free TV licences for the elderly after the BBC said it was scrapping them for many over the age of 75. Were still waiting to hear from Gary Lineker how much of his 1.75 million BBC salary hell donate.

Harry was frosty at Trooping the Colour, ordering his wife to turn to face the salute. Poor Megs, shes a newcomer, radiant with her lovely, post-baby glow. Yet six weeks after Archie was born, weve still only seen one eye, a bit of his forehead and his tiny toes. As we are paying millions for his parents protection, surely one little pic isnt asking too much  or will he first appear on Oprah?

When the Duchess of Cambridge attended a gala dinner for one of her charities, Action On Addiction, she reminded me of Princess Diana. Beautiful, but so slender in a white sheath dress and with her cheekbones now so chiselled I hope she had double helpings.A growing social media trend of accounts that encourage women to ditch traditional birth control in favour of natural methods has been slammed by doctors.

Papaya seeds, wild carrot and thistles are among the fruit, vegetables and plants that are being promoted as 'natural' alternative contraceptives on Instagram and Facebook.

They are often pushed to users alongside statements questioning the safety of popular methods like the pill, implant or coil.

The British Pregnancy Advice Service is among the organisations that has spoken out to warm women of the dangers of relying on these 'natural' remedies, noting that they are at 'best useless and at worst potentially toxic'.

Meanwhile Harley Street's Dr Jane Leonard warned the risk of falling pregnant is 'so much higher' using natural methods.

A growing social media trend of accounts that encourage women to ditch traditional birth control in favour of natural methods has been slammed by doctors. Pictured, papaya appears on a number of accounts that claim it will act as a contraceptive

Natural remedies ranging from thistle (pictured), papaya seeds to neem oil have been labelled potential potentially toxic by exports

A Devon-based Instagram influencer attempted to convince users of the social media platform to consume wild carrot (pictured) to prevent pregnancy

The Daily Telegraph noted in an article this week that the spread of material on 'natural' contraceptives on social media has similarities to the anti-vaccination movement.

Instagram accounts using the hashtags #naturalbirthcontrol #herbalcontraceptive and #naturalcontraceptive have continued to gain followers in recent years.

A Devon-based user captioned one post: 'Wild Carrot or Queen Anne's lace is flowering all along the Holy Isle coastal path. This beauty is listed in older herbals for its anti-fertility agents.

'Eve's herbs' (an amazing book about the history of contraception) says a tablespoon of its seed is a powerful contraceptive if taken orally immediately after sex.

'It is thought to have been what women turned to in ancient times ~ the earliest reference to it as a contraceptive being 4th Century BC. And still the seeds are used in this way by women in rural India today.'

Another person urged people to try eating pomegranate as a natural birth control alternative

Social media accounts have promoted the use of tansy, pictured, however the leaves and flowers are toxic if consumed in large quantities

Another Instagram user wrote: 'Papayas contain digestive enzymes Papain which help break down food quite rapidly, thus aids digestion, helps prevent constipation and cures indigestion, acid reflux, heart burn, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers and gastric problems. Its one of the few natural laxatives.

'However, ladies please note this is also known to be a natural contraceptive and may lead to pre mature labor but also relieves morning sickness.'

In addition to Instagram, Google's video sharing platform YouTube has hundreds of videos posted by people who claim to have had success with using natural and herbal contraceptives.

A number of videos featuring people claiming to have successfully used a range of natural ingredient like Neem Oil, pictured, to prevent pregnancy

Warning of the dangers of such methods, Dr Leonard told MailOnline: 'From my experience as a GP, no matter how in tuned with your body you may feel you are and understand your cycles like the back of your hand, the risk of pregnancy using natural methods is so much higher than traditional medical options.

'The key things to consider when choosing less conventional contaceptives: Have you explored all the option? Many people think the pill is the only option, or have a misplaced fear about the coil. There are many types of contraception available many of which you may not be aware of.

'The problem with natural methods is that there are no medical tests / stats regarding their effectiveness or safety to perform this role. This means you have no way of knowing how or will it work for you and that it is medically safe for you to use.'

When asked about the safety of natural remedies such as papaya, pictured, Dr Venkat of Harley Street Fertility Clinic warned natural family planning isn't about plants or herbs but instead understanding your menstrual cycle

Harley Street fertility specialist Dr Geetha Venkat added: 'When it comes to natural family planning, it isnt about plants or herbs, but about understanding your menstrual cycle so you can plan or avoid pregnancy.

'You can write this down or track it on an app, but need to ensure you get your details right. However, timing methods are not as effective as the contraceptive pill.

'Remember, only barrier methods of contraception will protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), plants definitely cannot do this.'Amber Luke has flaunted her new fangs

A young body modification fan has flaunted her new fangs after splashing out $26,000 on transforming her look from a fresh-faced teen to 'dragon girl'.

Amber Luke, 24, has 130 inkings, including her blue tattooed eyeballs and 'savage' permanently penned under her eye, a tongue split and earlobes stretched.

The blue-haired body piercer, from the New South Wales Central Coast, developed a fascination for tattoos at the age of 16 before she dabbled with extreme body modifications.

The self-described 'Blue Eyed White Dragon' travelled to the US in April to purchase a set of acrylic fangs so she could insert them into her mouth.

'They're very sharp, sharp enough to pierce skin. I love the look of them, it's so aesthetically pleasing,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

The 24-year-old has 130 inkings, including her blue tattooed eyeballs and 'savage' permanently penned under her eye, a tongue split and earlobes stretched

The body piercer developed a fascination for tattoos at the age of 16 before she dabbled with extreme body modifications

Amber Luke's $26,000 body modification Tongue split

Pointed implants in ears

Pierced forehead, chest, lip, cheek, wrist and arm

Earlobes stretched

About 130 tattoos, including on her chest, neck, stomach, arms, face, fingers, thighs, sternum, bottom and hands Advertisement

'I decided years ago that I wanted vampire fangs. I knew I wanted them to be a part of my look.

'I had connections so I only paid $100 for a set of fangs. No downside whatsoever. They're easily removable and one day I'll be getting permanent ones.'

Amber also dyed her blonde luscious hair to bright blue recently.

'I love it. It's a vibrant change. It makes life interesting,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Amber said she's currently in Melbourne in the hope of further transforming her look.

'I'm here for the next week or so. I plan on getting tattooed while I'm here by at least four different artists,' she said.

'I'm also planning to do four sessions of EMSculpt (Eliminate Fat and Build Muscle) on both my stomach and butt. One session is the equivalent of 20,000 crunches or squats. It's going to tone me up nicely.

'Get ready for another transformation.'

Amber said she thought she looked 'plain' and 'boring' before her $15,000 transformation (pictured in 2014)

She has a mandala on her decolletage and forehead, blue tattooed eyeballs and a split tongue

Amber Luke (left at the age of 14 and right at 24 years old) looks worlds apart from her younger days as she unveiled her remarkable 10-year transformation

'What you see on the left is a girl who hated every aspect of herself. Her looks, her mind you name it. Who you see on the right is a woman who loves herself for who she is no matter what mental illness, shes proud to be her and no one will ever break that. People change, we grow up and we find ourselves along the way. Dont be scared to be who you want to be'

Earlier this year, Amber shared an incredible picture of herself as a 14-year-old fresh-faced schoolgirl.

'I absolutely hate the way I used to look. It wasn't me,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'But I've evolved myself over the years into what I want to be and look like, but in saying that, I still have a long way to go.'

At the age of 14, Amber was diagnosed with severe clinical depression.

'Back when I was 14, I didn't know who I was or what I wanted from life. I was catatonic and couldn't see what was best for me. I was naive. But I now have a backbone and I can stand up for what I believe in. I also have the confidence to look how ever I want too.'

After celebrating her 16th birthday, she developed an addiction to tattoos.

'It wasn't until I turned 16, I was finally able to find an outlet that released all my negative energy,' she explained.

By the time she turned 18, she already had three tattoos.

'My count is now more than 100 tattoos,' Amber said.

'I'm not worried what I'm going to look like when I'm older, I understand that everyone ages and I don't think anyone will be looking too 'pretty' at 70 years old.

'At the end of the day, it's the only thing I can take to my grave with me.'

The then fresh-faced schoolgirl developed an addiction to tattoos at the tender age of 16

Since sharing her body modification story with Daily Mail Australia in June last year, she has been bombarded with photo shoot and business opportunities

Before and after: The young woman has been documenting her transformation on Instagram

Amber said her ideal image was to be 'fully covered by the end of next March'.

'I'm going to America next month and over there I will be getting fully covered and getting silver grills on the shape of two fangs for my canine teeth,' she revealed.

Since sharing her body modification story with Daily Mail Australia in June last year, she has been bombarded with photo shoot and business opportunities.

Amber said she has also been met with mixed responses from strangers.

'I gained a lot of support and positive vibes from complete strangers - there was always the few nasty opinionated ones who try to make you feel inadequate, but I never let them get to me,' she explained.

'[To the trolls], if you're reading this and you have nothing nice to say? Don't say it at all. You never know what a person's going through in their personal lives, be kind.

'I'm not harming anyone in the process, I'm doing what I want to do and if it makes me get up in the morning and be a happy person, then so be it.'

Amber has spent around $5,000 getting another 50 new tattoos over the last six months

'I'm not worried what I'm going to look like when I'm older... At the end of the day, it's the only thing I can take to my grave with me,' Amber added

Previously speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Amber proudly said she has 'no regrets whatsoever... I'm absolutely in love with my image.'

She explained the meaning behind her nickname: 'I got the name 'Blue Eyed White Dragon' from my friends, they call me that because I resemble a dragon with my eyes and tongue.'

She has also risked going permanently blind after getting her eyeballs tattooed with blue ink in March 2017.

'The procedure for getting my eyes done was only 40 minutes,' she said.

'It was very intense and very painful. My eyes got held open while a syringe was injected into my eye four times per eye. I was blind for three weeks.'

Embarking on her incredible body transformation, Amber went under the knife to modify her tongue split and get 'pointy' ears.

'My tongue split was very uncomfortable as well, I wasn't able to speak or eat for a week afterwards,' she said.

'My ears were a very simple procedure; a silicone implant was inserted into the tips of my ears to shape them.'A reality TV star has told how he is preparing to walk the Great Wall of China in memory of his late mother.

Chris Jammer, 25, is the British businessman behind the Strawberries & Creem music festival, which attracts the likes of Brooklyn Beckham and Jourdan Dunn to its VIP tent, and recently appeared on rebooted C4 reality show Shipwrecked.

But despite having the tall, muscular physique and understated charisma viewers have come to expect from a reality star, Chris' heart-breaking personal story has charged him with an inspirational mission that is far from superficial.

For last April Chris' mother, Annabel Nnochiri, lost her battle with cancer, just a day before her 57th birthday.

This October Chris will undertake the great challenge of walking the Great Wall in a bid to raise money for bereavement charity Grief Encounter - and keep his mother's legacy alive.

On a mission: Chris Jammer will trek the Great Wall of China this autumn to raise funds for bereavement charity Grief Encounter [pictured earlier this year on Shipwrecked]

'When I was 17, Grief Encounter offered therapy and bereavement support via my school when both my grandparents passed away,' Chris said of the cause.

'The therapy my sister and I received was very helpful, as it was also the same year my mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so we were going through a difficult time at home.

'Their support was amazing, and its been the only time I accepted help from a charity. I want to give back and show my appreciation, so I reached out and want to go on this Trek to fundraise and use my platform for good.'

Grief Encounter is the leading childhood bereavement charity in the UK, servicing three up to 19-year-olds after the death of a parent or sibling, helping them to rebuild a new life.

Annabel seemed to emulate this message before her death, proving an unflappable figure of strength, courage and inspiration to Chris and his family - a legacy he now wishes to champion to others.

Having previously fought and won a two-year battle with breast cancer, Annabel was later diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, following the sudden death of Chris grandfather and step-grandmother.

Tragic loss: Annabel Nnochiri, Chris' mother, lost her life to cancer on April 24 2018, a day before her 57th birthday

In her memory: And this October, he will be trekking The Great Wall of China, raising money for the charity Grief Encounter, for which he is an ambassador

Inspiring: Annabel seemed to emulate this message before her death, proving an unflappable figure of strength, courage and inspiration to Chris and his family - a legacy he now wishes to champion to others

She fought this for a further six years, during which time Chris became her primary carer.

Despite her diagnosis, Annabel took lessons in art, baking and crafts, traveled to places she had always wanted to see, and extended her life expectancy in the process.

'From diagnosis to her death, my mum lived every second to the fullest, doing amazing things,' Chris went on.

'She has inspired me to seize the moment, and use my voice to share my experience, helping support bereaved young people.

'I cant wait to get started on this adventure, both with the charity, raising awareness and vital funds for bereaved children.'

Chris will be travelling to China to take part in the Great Wall Discovery from the 12  21 October 2019.

Over 9 days, he will be trekking through the twisting pathways of the Yan Mountains, and taking thousands of challenging steps to one of the New Wonders of the World.

What a woman! Despite her diagnosis, Annabel took lessons in art, baking and crafts, traveled to places she had always wanted to see, and extended her life expectancy in the process

In good company: Chris will also join Made In Chelseas James Dunmore on the trek - all in an effort to contribute to the 44,000 dependent children who are bereaved annually in the UK

Timely: Chris' trek seems poignant, too, in light of recent tragic events surrounding reality stars, with the likes of [L-R] Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis - both of former Love Island fame - taking their own lives this year

Cambridge graduate Chris added: 'My relationship with my mum was, and is so special and important to me. Death doesnt change that. The time we had together is untouched and unchanged so Im choosing to celebrate and remember that'

He went on: 'By becoming an ambassador for Grief Encounter, and taking on this amazing trek in her memory, I hope to help people be more aware of the challenges young people face with adolescent bereavement.

GRIEF ENCOUNTER SAYS: Children have an overwhelming sense of confusion, fear and anxiety, alongside their grief, which must be cared for in order for them to continue into adulthood with a sense of confidence and long-lasting happiness. This is where Grief Encounter makes a difference. We help families address a multitude of challenging issues following the death of a loved one, alleviating the hurt and confusion caused, whilst promoting healing. Established in 2003, Grief Encounter offers a flexible and accessible service, which aims to professionally care and respond to bereaved children, young people and their families via counselling, group activities, family fun days, residential camps and interactive online services. We support over 500 bereaved children and young people in the UK, relying solely on donations, so we can offer a way to identify and escape from the encompassing feeling of grief. Adolescent grief has a devastating impact that can last for life, with research showing links to mental health issues and serious social and behavioural problems without early intervention. This is where Grief Encounter makes a difference. Advertisement

'I aim to raise 50,000 for this amazing cause. It will support between 25-30 children suffering from bereavement for a whole year. If I can help these children receive the help they need and hopefully prevent them from possible mental health issues in their future, then I can make a difference.'

Chris' trek seems poignant, too, in light of recent tragic events surrounding reality stars, with the likes of Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis - both of former Love Island fame - taking their own lives this year; and with a rise in reality personalities and Instagram influencers championing mental health awareness in today's digital landscape.

Chris will also join Made In Chelseas James Dunmore on the trek - all in an effort to contribute to the 44,000 dependent children who are bereaved annually in the UK.

Having lost both of his sisters, Lucinda and Jodi, to Cystic Fibrosis as a teenager, James, 30, became the one in every classroom in the UK who experiences the bereavement of a parent or sibling by the time they reach 16 years old.

He will be taking on the Great Wall Discovery challenge in their memory, in his new role as a Grief Encounter Ambassador.

Cambridge graduate Chris added: 'My relationship with my mum was, and is so special and important to me. Death doesnt change that.

'The time we had together is untouched and unchanged so Im choosing to celebrate and remember that.'

Follow Chris journey and donate to his trek at his JustGiving page.

For more information, images or expert comment from Grief Encounter, please contact Samantha Rose at Grief Encounter on 07944 398 474 or sam@griefencounter.org.uk.A third of people conceived using a sperm or egg donor are discovering the truth from DNA-testing websites, according to researchers.

People are in danger of finding out their parents are not who they think they are if they use sites such as 23andMe or AncestryDNA, experts have warned.

A survey of donor-conceived adults revealed that 37 per cent found out after using a genealogy site.

A third of people conceived using a sperm or egg donor (stock image) are discovering the truth from DNA-testing websites, according to researchers

The sites take saliva samples, analyse the DNA and can flag up relatives registered on the same site.

Support group We Are Donor Conceived, which surveyed 312 people, found that 55 per cent had identified their sperm or egg donor using DNA testing.

In Britain, children of infertile couples who have used a sperm or egg donor will soon be able to find out the name and recent address of the donor.

But that is only possible for those turning 18 after 2023, with donors from before 2005 guaranteed anonymity.

In Britain, children of infertile couples who have used a sperm or egg donor will soon be able to find out the name and recent address of the donor (stock image)

The Progress Educational Trust is holding an event in London next week to discuss whether that anonymity is still possible because of genetic testing.

More than 4 million people in Britain are believed to be signed up to genealogy websites. About 3,500 children a year are born from donated sperm and eggs.

Debbie Kennett, a genetic genealogist at University College London, said: 'We need more support and counselling for people who discover through DNA testing sites that they are conceived by a sperm or egg donor.

The sites take saliva samples, analyse the DNA and can flag up relatives registered on the same site (stock image of DNA readings)

'Suddenly everything they know about their life and identity is completely different.'

AncestryDNA said: 'We take our responsibility towards our customers  and the potential impact of complex discoveries  very seriously. Ancestry works hard to help our customers understand that some of what they learn about themselves might be unexpected.'

23andMe said: '23andMe explicitly warns its customers that the 'DNA Relatives' tool may reveal that they are related to someone unexpected.'It's not often that Amy and Matt Parkin-Low allow their three young children sugary treats. But just over a week ago, and two days into the familys luxurious Mexican holiday, feeling utterly relaxed, they thought: why not?

After all, the frozen lime lollies five-year-old Henry was lusting after had been hand-crafted by the Cancun resorts staff and contained nothing but local, natural ingredients. They were sugar-free, with not an additive in sight.

Yet that afternoon, as the family lounged in their five-star suite, Amy, 32, noticed a splattering of red, angry spots collecting around her eldest sons mouth. By the end of the evening, these had morphed into large, crusty blisters.

As first we thought hed contracted foot-and-mouth disease, says Matt, an HR consultant from Tunbridge Wells.

But then we noticed that the inflamed, red areas seemed to be only where hed smeared the ice lolly over his face, and where it had dripped down his arm and splattered on his chest.

Day one: Inflamed, red areas start to appear around the mouth of five-year-old Henry after he ate a frozen lime lolly made from local, natural ingredients

Day two: The condition worsened and the inflamed patches grew more severe. Henry was suffering the beginnings of a bizarre condition triggered by a chemical reaction between sunlight, certain plant chemicals  most commonly limes  and the skin

Baffled, and desperately worried  but not able to get in touch with their local family doctor  Amy began researching online and quickly discovered the possible, and quite unexpected cause.

Henry was suffering the beginnings of a bizarre condition triggered by a chemical reaction between sunlight, certain plant chemicals  most commonly limes  and the skin.

Called phytophotodermatitis, it is thought to affect about 16 in every 100,000 people and can also be triggered by exposure to the juice of lemons, oranges and even celery, figs, carrots and parsnips. Phyto means plant, photo means sunlight and dermatitis means inflammation of the skin.

It occurs when compounds within the plants called furocoumarins react with UVA light, causing damage to the skin.

Day three: Blisters started to form on Henry's face, as the reaction grew more severe causing damage to the skin

Day four: A few days later, the red patches had morphed into large, crusty blisters. Called phytophotodermatitis, it is thought to affect about 16 in every 100,000 people and can also be triggered by exposure to the juice of lemons, oranges and even celery, figs, carrots and parsnips

Phytophotodermatitis occurs when compounds within the plants (such as limes, stock image) called furocoumarins react with UVA light, causing damage to the skin

Mixing margaritas can be risky too: How the cocktail can leave your hands terribly burnt It's not just children licking lime ice lollies who can fall victim to phytophoto-dermatitis. The condition is also known as margarita burn, as its often seen on the hands of those preparing the famous lime-based cocktail in the hot summer months. Recently there were reports of a woman who squeezed hundreds of limes to make margaritas for a celebration  and ended up with blistering burns on her hands. Limes can also cause damage to the hands when preparing margaritas in hot weather Courtney Fallon was holidaying in Florida when she spent a morning blending lime juice, ice and tequila before going to relax by the pool. The next morning her hands were covered in huge red blisters and her skin felt as if it was on fire. Experts say that if parents get lime on their hands and then touch their children, the youngsters can end up with red fingerprint marks if there is later sun exposure. If possible, wear rubber gloves while preparing limes or handling other fruit, vegetables or herbs known to cause phytophotodermatitis. Advertisement

Telltale signs are red, itchy patches on the area of skin covered by the juice, which appear some 12 hours after exposure to strong sunlight.

Dermatologist Dr Sweta Rai, of Kings College Hospital, London, says: We often see cases in spring and early summer after families who havent had much sun exposure go to a hot country on holiday.

'Its not a reaction to the juice itself, but the combination of the juice on the skin causing a reaction in the skin once exposed to sunlight.

For most, the flare-up of burning blisters subsides within a week or two, once the skin is away from the trigger. Its important for those affected to seek specialist help as soon as possible to avoid long-term skin damage, says Dr Rai, who advises patients to use an anti-inflammatory steroid cream to control the inflammation, itching and discomfort.

In the most extreme cases, sufferers can develop serious bacterial and fungal infections and may even require a hospital admission to treat infected skin and prevent permanent scarring.

Initially, Amy and Matt took Henry to a local pharmacist near their Mexican resort, who gave them an antibiotic cream. A week later, back at home, the family doctor prescribed a steroid cream.

Henry still has red patches all over his mouth and legs where the lime juice trickled down. He is still sore all over, says Matt, 35. The paediatrician told us that theyd disappear after about two months but Im not convinced. Were petrified hell be permanently scarred.

Dr Rai says: If patients are treated promptly, the skin should recover. However, if the reaction is severe, some patients will need stronger steroid medication, and may be left with permanently pigmented areas.

Worryingly, there is no telling who will develop a sudden bout of phytophotodermatitis and who will not.

We dont know exactly how much of the juice needs to be on the skin, and in what strength sun for how long, for there to be a reaction, explains Dr Rai. But even if you wash the juice off the skin, some could remain, and there still could be a reaction.

Health hacks: Sing out loud for a boost of happiness

It might embarrass the kids, but singing along to the car radio can, temporarily, make you happy.

Scientists from the University of Manchester discovered that a tiny organ called the sacculus in the inner ear connects to the hypothalamus  a part of the brain that registers pleasure.

It might embarrass the kids, but singing along to the car radio can, temporarily, make you happy (stock image)

When you sing, the sacculus detects small vibrations which send instant signals to the hypothalamus, resulting in a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Psychologist Neil Todd says the buzz is similar to the thrills people get from swings and bungee-jumping, and suggests that this may explain why music has become such a cultural force.

Blog me better

The blog: upperstoryclub.com

The blogger: Writer Sarah Gaffney Lang who was diagnosed with a brain tumour three years ago at the age of 29. She has since given birth  despite being told that cancer treatment would probably leave her infertile.

Whats it all about? Sarah tells of daily life as a thirtysomething new mother with a stable but potentially deadly tumour. Select Brain Tumour Babes under the Blog menu for an informative and inspiring platform in which other young women give their accounts of what its like to be diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Writer Sarah Gaffney Lang (pictured) was diagnosed with a brain tumour three years ago at the age of 29

Yes please

Neom Real Luxury Intensive Skin Treatment Candle

Inhale fumes of lavender, jasmine and rosewood, then blow out the candle and drizzle soothing oil over dry skin.

36, neom organics.comNEW YORK, June 13 (Xinhua) -- As the year 2018 witnessed the first decline in the number of Chinese visitors to the United States in 15 years, the American travel and tourism industry is worrying about the prospect of losing more business from China amid protracted bilateral trade tensions.

Data released last month by the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office showed that the number of Chinese tourists travelling to the United States fell 5.7 percent to 2.9 million in 2018, despite that the total outbound trips of Chinese tourists registered remarkable growth.

"We are very concerned about this decline of Chinese tourists," Christopher Heywood, executive vice president of global communications for NYC &Company, the official destination marketing organization for the largest U.S. metropolis, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "We are monitoring the situation very closely."

According to a report released by the United States Travel Association (USTA) in March, the travel and tourism sector supports 15.7 million direct and indirect American jobs, with 1.2 million of them directly associated with international inbound travel.

"Any decline in international visitation will impact jobs. There's no question about it," Roger Dow, president and CEO of the USTA, told Xinhua in a separate interview.

The United States also enjoys a positive balance of trade in travel and tourism, as spending by international visitors on the U.S. soil, which is considered as U.S. travel export, far exceeds Americans' spending overseas.

This surplus dropped from 99 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 to 69 billion dollars last year due to the decline of tourists from not only China, said Dow. "But of that 69 billion, 31 billion comes from China. So that's a bigger trade surplus than all other industries combines, and that's why it (the Chinese market) is extremely important to the United States."

However, in the last couple of years there have been continuous reports of U.S. authorities tightening up visa restrictions on Chinese applicants, many of whom were either denied a visa or put through lengthy additional screening.

On June 4, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism also issued travel alerts for Chinese citizens planning to visit the Unites States, citing surging incidents of unwarranted harassment by U.S. law enforcement agencies in addition to unrelated incidents of shooting, robbery and theft.

Things like these could "have a chilling effect" on inbound travel from "one of our top source markets," Dow said.

"The more hurdles that are put in place, the more difficult could it be to attract travelers at a time when there is fierce competition. We have other destinations globally that are rolling out the welcome mat for Chinese travelers," said Heywood of NYC &Company.

Despite the current difficulties and great uncertainties about the future, both the USTA and NYC &Company are hoping that things would smooth out so that the tourism sector could get back on the track of sound and rapid growth.

"We will continue to sell New York City in the Chinese market," said Heywood, who just returned from a travel trade fair in China. "There's so much in a place like New York, and there's such a great affinity at least between New York and China."

"One thing we can assure the Chinese travelers is that New York City welcomes them," he added.

Dow pointed to the fact that when bilateral ties are experiencing a period of difficulties, it is all the more important for the two countries to promote two-way travel, which could help create better understanding between their peoples.

"The more we spend time with each other, the more we realize how much we are alike," he said.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]Alex Roantree-Roesch was, like many other seven-year-old boys, a dinosaur-obsessed bundle of energy. And even when he was struck by the common childhood infection chickenpox, his mother Angela was not in the least concerned.

After all, he barely had any spots, his temperature hardly rose and it all cleared up within a matter of days. Yet nine months later, her lively little boy could no longer talk or eat unaided, and was back in nappies  struck down by a devastating stroke triggered by the virus that causes chickenpox.

It was like having a newborn baby again, Angela, 43, a learning support assistant from Gosport, Hampshire, admits.

Chickenpox barely affected him, but the virus has now changed his life for ever. It is not something hes ever going to fully get over.

Now aged 14, Alex Roantree- Roesch's remains partially paralysed and struggles to talk. His future is uncertain. He is pictured with his mother Angela

Like most parents, Angela had simply considered chickenpox a rite of passage illness that all children must endure.

After all, the virus that causes it, varicella-zoster, is normally a mild and relatively harmless illness that clears up on its own within days.

Symptoms include a high temperature, aches and pains, and a rash of red, itchy spots that blister and eventually crust over to form scabs.

In the majority of cases, soothing creams and oat baths ease the itching and paracetamol can relieve any pain.

Angela admits that she had no idea that chickenpox can cause serious complications including sepsis, pneumonia, brain damage and, as in Alexs case, even triggering a stroke.

Now aged 14, he remains partially paralysed and struggles to talk. His future is uncertain.

Yet tragically, it could all have been prevented.

A vaccine to protect against chickenpox has been available since 1984.

Alex (pictured with his mother aged 14) caught chickenpox in March 2011 when he was six, from a family friend. He later suffered a stroke caused by the infection

But, until now, at a cost of 27 to the NHS, the jab has been deemed too expensive to offer all children.

Last month The Mail on Sunday reported that UK Government scientists are now looking at whether or not to start a national chickenpox vaccination campaign, which would see more than 700,000 babies inoculated annually.

It is something Angela supports wholeheartedly.

Alex caught chickenpox in March 2011 when he was six, from a family friend.

Later that year, just a month after celebrating his seventh birthday, and four days before Christmas, the unimaginable happened.

Angela says: He was a happy little boy being his usual cheeky self and excited about Christmas. I was pregnant and looking forward to a really special time. Then he just suddenly collapsed at home.

Angela had been out shopping when her telecoms engineer husband Mike, 47, rang to say he was with their son at Portsmouths Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Alex had complained of feeling cold and Mike had given him a blanket, but then he heard a loud thud from the living room, she recalls. He found Alex slumped on the floor and when he tried to get him up, he couldnt.

Alex was making a funny wailing sound and he knew that something was very wrong.

A blood test and CT scan revealed he had a lesion on his brain which doctors thought could be a tumour.

He was put in an induced coma and rushed to Southampton Hospital, where he underwent an MRI scan and a spinal tap which ruled out cancer.

Instead, the tests confirmed he had in fact suffered a stroke. Doctors have told them the most likely explanation is that it was caused by his chickenpox infection.

Chickenpox (pictured) infects at least 600,000 people a year in the UK, with up to three per cent of children being hospitalised as a result

Unfortunately, these life-threatening complications are not as rare as people may think.

Chickenpox infects at least 600,000 people a year in the UK, with up to three per cent of children being hospitalised as a result.

It kills about 25 people  a fifth of them children  each year in England and Wales, more than from measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough) and Hib meningitis combined, a 2001 analysis in the British Medical Journal found.

According to the Stroke Association, 400 children have a stroke every year in the UK and the risk of haemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding in or around the brain, is six times higher in those who have had chickenpox.

Dr Kate Holmes, assistant director of research at the charity, says: It is thought that in some cases, the chickenpox virus causes blood vessels in the head to narrow.

Dr Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, adds: Chickenpox is usually mild but it can also occasionally go on to be devastating and even fatal. Statistics show it could be the cause of about 20 strokes a year in children.

The chickenpox vaccine contains live virus and offers about 90 per cent protection from the disease, and is already routinely given in countries including Germany, the US, Japan and New Zealand when a child is 12 to 18 months old. In Italy, parents must vaccinate their children against chickenpox before they start school.

Health comment by Dr Ellie Cannon For the vast majority of children, chickenpox is a mild, self-limiting illness with no long-term effects  so, though this story is frightening, I would urge parents not to worry. Having the virus in childhood also usually provides lifelong immunity, which is particularly important for girls since contracting chickenpox while pregnant can have serious consequences for the baby. Here in the UK, we have historically not had a vaccination programme as severe consequences of chickenpox are rare, compared to conditions such as meningitis or measles. Parents may choose to vaccinate their children but it is difficult, given the numbers, to justify mass vaccination. It is hard to read the story of Alex and the devastating complications he has suffered, seemingly as a result of chickenpox, and think that a vaccination programme is not needed. But before we give the jab to all children, we have to weigh up really how necessary it is against the extensive costs. Advertisement

The jab contains a weakened form of varicella-zoster, which stimulates the body into producing immune system cells called antibodies that help to protect against infection.

In 2010, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises Ministers on new vaccines, ruled that mass vaccination was not cost-effective for the NHS. Instead, the jab was made available only to healthcare workers who are not already immune to chickenpox  having had the virus as a child  and anyone in close contact with someone who has a weakened immune system, for example, from HIV and AIDS or through treatments such as chemotherapy. It is also available privately in chemists such as Boots and Superdrug for about 65 per dose  two are needed  and at private clinics.

A national campaign would probably eradicate chickenpox, but currently it is a difficult virus to avoid  90 per cent of those coming into contact with the varicella-zoster virus who have not previously had chickenpox will be infected by it, according to the NHS.

Reasons given for not introducing the vaccine included that it could lead to more cases of shingles  an acutely painful rash  in adults.

Shingles occurs when the varicella-zoster virus reactivates. This can happen because once youve had chickenpox, the virus remains in your system for life.

However a study published last week found that children who are vaccinated against chickenpox actually have a 78 per cent lower risk of developing shingles.

But Dr Finn says: As a paediatrician, and looking at the science, it is perfectly obvious that we could be preventing this illness. If we offered inoculation to all against chickenpox, then we could prevent many serious complications like strokes happening in children.

For Angela, there is no doubt that a chickenpox vaccination programme would save any other families going through what they have been through.

She says: Like most parents, we didnt think it was anything to be concerned about.

It is frightening to know that chickenpox caused his stroke and it scares me when I hear of parents holding chickenpox parties so their child gets it young. Chickenpox is a dangerous illness and we should not to be so blase about it.

In 2010, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises Ministers on new vaccines, ruled that mass vaccination was not cost-effective for the NHS (stock image)

Angelas daughter, Gwen, now seven, has been vaccinated against chickenpox and so have her nieces.

Today, Angela says Alex is still a typical 14-year-old who still wants to be doing everything at 110 miles an hour.

He attends a special needs school, his speech has improved but he slurs when tired. He has limited movement on his right side and sometimes uses a wheelchair. Since he was nine, Alex has been helped by therapists from The ARNI Institute, a charity for stroke survivors providing specialist rehabilitation. Broadcaster Andrew Marr credits the charity for his return to work following a stroke in 2013.

Angela says: Alex still remembers the boy he was - that he used to be able to ride a bike. Now he tells people that he had a stroke and his brain forgot how to use parts of his body. Hes not scared to say it.

She adds: I dont understand why all children arent vaccinated. It is a serious virus that can be life-threatening and it should be offered on the NHS.

That option needs to be there for all parents to stop what happened to Alex from happening to anyone else.Ask Paul Culwick to describe the pain he suffers from his frequent cluster headaches and he gives a shocking answer.

Put it this way, says the 69-year-old photographer from Chiswick in West London, there have been times when if Id had a gun, I would have pulled the trigger.

Today, though, his problem is under control thanks to a hand-held nerve-zapper that he holds to his neck twice a day.

The device, called gammaCore, which he has been using since 2013, works by stimulating a vital nerve thought to be involved in the headache condition.

This, it is claimed, could help prevent cluster headaches happening in the first place, and ease pain when they do.

The GammaCore device works by stimulating the vagus nerve inside the neck and easing a headache. Pictured is a graphic showing the steps required

It has really changed my life, says Paul. I use it twice a day to try to prevent headaches, but if I feel one coming on, Ill use it even more as I find it really reduces the intensity of the pain.

Not for nothing are cluster headaches  a particularly excruciating form of the condition affecting more than 60,000 people in the UK  known as suicide headaches.

Attacks happen in bursts, with a single attack lasting between 15 minutes and three hours, up to eight times a day. Some patients say it feels as if they are being stabbed through the eye.

One recent South Korean study found that almost two-thirds of sufferers contemplated suicide during an attack because the pain was so unbearable. Four of the 170 patients researchers interviewed had actually tried to kill themselves.

The gammaCore device has been available privately in the UK for the six years. The battery-powered gadget resembles an electric shaver and works by firing mild electric pulses through the skin to stimulate the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to major organs like the heart, lungs and abdomen.

The device, called gammaCore (pictured), which he has been using since 2013, works by stimulating a vital nerve thought to be involved in the headache condition. It is held next on the side of the neck

Research suggests activating the vagus nerve with electricity appears to stop the pain signals that trigger the sudden onset of crippling pain reaching the brain.

Patients get a microchip that powers the device to deliver a pre-set number of electric shock treatments. Each chip, which slots into the handset, lasts about three months, after which another must be purchased. But it is incredibly expensive, with a years use costing up to 3,000. A small number of NHS patients who failed to respond to existing treatments have had access to gammaCore through referrals from their neurologists.

Now thousands more are set to benefit after NHS England announced it would be funded through the NHS Long Term Plan  a scheme that fast-tracks the use of cutting-edge technology across the health service.

However, headache experts have questioned the decision. Dr Manjit Matharu, Associate Professor at the Institute of Neurology, London, and honorary consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, says: I dont know what NHS England is thinking. Its throwing a lot of money at this, yet evidence that it is effective as a painkiller or prevents cluster headaches is minimal.

And Dr Andy Dowson, a headache specialist at Kings College London, says: We tried gammaCore on about 20 cluster headache patients who got it free for a month and then had the chance to pay privately for it if it helped. None of them took up the offer as they didnt get the response they wanted.

However, the company says thousands of customers across the world have found relief from debilitating pain thanks to the device. Cluster headaches tend to strike people in their 20s or 30s and are more common in men than women. Common triggers in diagnosed sufferers include alcohol, exercise, heavy smoking and smells like petrol, paint, perfume or bleach.

The headaches strike out of the blue, causing sharp, burning or piercing pain on one side of the head around the eye and temple.

Cluster headaches happen in bursts, with a single attack lasting between 15 minutes and three hours, up to eight times a day (stock image)

Ordinary painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen have little or no effect, so doctors often recommend inhaling pure oxygen through a mask attached to a cylinder, as studies suggest it dampens the activity of brain cells involved in transmitting pain signals.

A drug called sumatriptan, used widely in migraine treatment, is also sometimes injected to curb the pain of cluster headaches. The gammaCore could be a more effective and convenient solution. The idea is that patients use it twice daily to ward off the headaches.

First, they locate their pulse on whichever side of the neck is usually affected by cluster attacks. The vagus nerve travels through the neck at this point, close to the skin. After applying gel to two electrodes on the top of the device, the gammaCore is held firmly against the neck and, at the press of a button, delivers a mild electric current to the vagus nerve.

Patients feel a deep vibration in the neck but no pain. The treatment lasts two minutes before the device automatically switches off.

Paul recalls how as he was travelling as a passenger in a friends car one day in 2005, he was suddenly gripped by a blinding pain on one side of his head. It was nine months before it happened again, and after a third bout a few months later he was finally diagnosed with cluster headaches by a neurologist.

Oxygen had no effect on the pain and after Paul suffered a series of attacks, his neurologist recommended the gammaCore device.

US manufacturer ElectroCore claims stimulating the vagus nerve reduces inflammation in the brain that may contribute to cluster headaches. But there are only five published studies  involving some 400 people in total  on gammaCore, and all had funding from the firm that makes it.

Critics say the benefits may be due to a powerful placebo effect, where patients feel better simply because they believe the new treatment is working.

Paul, who has been using the hand-held device since 2013, is convinced it does work. He says: However it works, it works. I couldnt live without it now.

Ever wonder why we doodle?

It is not just a sign of boredom or laziness  doodling can in fact make you more productive at work.

People who were played a rambling answerphone message achieved scores a third higher in memory and learning tasks if they doodled as they listened, a University of Plymouth study found.

The researchers say that doodling may focus the mind and stop daydreaming, helping us to complete dull tasks.

Sugar count: How much lurks inside your favourite foods?

Dairy-free ice cream: Vegan Magnum (left) contains six tsp of sugar per lolly, while Alpro (vanilla and hazelnut chocolate) contains two and a half tsp of sugar per two scoops (right)

What's the difference between a twitch and a tic?

A twitch is an uncontrollable muscle movement, often in the leg or eye, which occurs repeatedly for up to two weeks. It can be worsened by alcohol, caffeine or lack of sleep.

A tic is a fast, repetitive muscle movement in which the body jolts or makes a sound. Its usually caused by a psychological or emotional trigger.Thousands of NHS patients may have taken pills that were tampered with or damaged by criminal gangs linked to the Italian Mafia, a shocking investigation has revealed.

Commonly prescribed drugs were stolen in Italy and then sold to British pharmacists and hospitals, exposing patients to potentially lethal consequences.

Stockpiles of medications deemed unsafe, as they may have been handled or stored improperly, are now known to have landed in Britain five years ago, and health chiefs admit they have no record of who they were prescribed to.

Among them is the vital prostate cancer treatment bicalutamide, also known by the brand name Casodex, and the statin rosuvastatin, or Crestor, given to millions of patients with high cholesterol in order to reduce the risk of a fatal heart attack.

Commonly prescribed drugs were stolen in Italy and then sold to British pharmacists and hospitals, exposing patients to potentially lethal consequences (stock images)

Antidepressants, drugs for neurological condition Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy, and vital asthma medicines were also among the 25 different types affected.

The Governments drug watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) were alerted in August 2014 that potentially harmful prescription pills were in the NHS system, yet failed to warn patients they were at risk.

In light of the revelations, on Friday the body announced a review of their practices.

The drugs investigation, conducted by Channel 4s Dispatches, to be screened tomorrow night, reveals the alarming scale of criminal activity within the legal but secretive world of prescription drug trading, estimated to be worth 1 billion a year.

In addition to the 2014 incident, the MHRA told the programme that tampered-with drugs have entered the UK supply chain at least nine times in the past decade, with no available information about whether patients received them.

Dispatches chief investigator Antony Barnett said: They claimed they had no evidence these drugs went to patients, but as we discovered this doesnt mean they didnt.

The drugs investigation, conducted by Channel 4s Dispatches, is to be screened tomorrow night. Pictured is chief investigator Antony Barnett

Leading pharmacologists say these pills could be, at best, ineffective. At worst, they might contain toxic and potentially lethal substances.

As recently as December 2017, a batch of one of the worlds most expensive drugs  eculizumab, or Soliris, which treats blood and kidney conditions and costs 340,000 per year  was seized by the MHRA after tests proved it to be ineffective.

While the watchdog said this particular batch did not reach patients, thousands of other unsafe medicines are still left unaccounted for...

SO HOW CAN RISKY DRUGS MAKE IT INTO THE NHS?

There is no doubt that purchasing pills online from overseas pharmacies who may not even ask for a prescription is risky, with no regulation from medical authorities in place to protect us. But drugs dispensed by your local pharmacy are not guaranteed to be safe either.

Medicines can travel long, convoluted routes from the lab, where they are created, to UK chemists or hospitals. Bulk consignments of pills are traded back-and-forth between numerous pharmaceutical wholesalers across Europe.

Its much like trading any commodity, says Barnett.

HOW TO CHECK YOU HAVEN'T GOT DODGY PILLS All experts believe the chances of being handed counterfeit or damaged medication by your local pharmacist or hospital is very low. However drug safety expert Professor Atholl Johnston advises anyone who is concerned to carefully examine the drug packaging. He said: Does it look professionally produced? Drug companies go to a lot of time and effort to ensure that the packaging is sufficient to maintain the quality of the drug. Sub-standard drugs usually use cheaper packaging material. Are there any spelling mistakes? Check that the medicine is still in date. Inspect the blister pack to make sure there is nothing untoward. For example, with liquid-filled capsules, check they have not leaked. If you have got any suspicions that your medication may not be working in the same way that it was, then speak to your pharmacist. Even side effects stopping could be a red flag, he added. People need to get used to what their normal reaction is when taking their medication. Then, if that changes, it is worth raising it with their pharmacist and explaining the changes. And remember, substandard drugs can be more powerful, as well as less. Advertisement

British wholesale firms purchase drugs from other EU countries where they are available more cheaply, rather than directly from the manufacturer. The medications are then repackaged in English and sold to pharmacies or hospitals, then dispensed to patients.

This is perfectly legal  ten per cent of medicines dispensed in the UK are obtained this way  but the industry is vulnerable to criminals. Dispatches found that gangs linked to the Italian Mafia set up bogus wholesalers, mainly in Eastern Europe. This allowed them to infiltrate the chain of trade and sell stolen, tampered-with or counterfeit medications to legitimate pharmaceutical wholesalers  making a huge profit.

Between 2011 and 2014, around 70 robberies took place in Italian hospitals, alongside lorry hijackings, with Mafia gangs escaping with critical medicines. Dr Domenico Di Giorgio, from the Italian Medicines Agency, who investigated, said: Hospitals were raided every week by criminals. We were having to figure out where the stolen medicines were being used.

DID HEALTH CHIEFS KNOW YET SAY NOTHING?

The Italian agency issued warnings to other European authorities  including UK health chiefs  concerned that the contraband medicines may have been sold on to nearby countries. The Italians were able to provide a list of 25 affected drugs, including batch numbers attached to the consignments and the names of several UK wholesalers that bought them.

In total, they identified 10,000 units of unsafe medications  a unit could mean a single vial of liquid, a box of tablets or large packets containing hundreds of pills.

Trident Pharmaceuticals, which supplies Lloyds Pharmacy in the UK, was revealed in Italian Medicines Agency documents  seen by Dispatches  to be one of the biggest purchasers of the stolen drugs. They, and the other wholesalers purchased them from legitimate sources.

In a November 2018 email to Dispatches, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency claimed they had no evidence of these medicines reaching patient level in the UK.

But in January, in a response to a Freedom of Information request, the watchdog admitted that unsafe drugs had in fact been sold by wholesalers to UK pharmacies over a two year period, between 2012 and 2014. They included bicalutamide for prostate, pregabalin and zonisamide for epilepsy, and aripiprazole for schizophrenia.

According to the World Health Organisation, bogus medications are responsible for the deaths of up to 169,000 children worldwide (stock image)

Alarmingly, the MHRA told The Mail on Sunday: We acknowledge that there is a possibility that some of these medicines reached patients [but] we do not hold prescribing data.

Other drugs, including treatments for arthritis, asthma, heart disease, depression, Parkinsons and multiple sclerosis were identified by the Italian authorities as having been sent to UK wholesalers.

The MHRA told Dispatches there was no trace of them.

Chillingly, Barnett concludes: We know these drugs came into the UK, but we just dont know what happened to them next.

In an email dated June 4 this year, wholesaler Trident told Dispatches they were shocked to be told in December 2018 that they had been victims of fraud in the supply chain. It added: We have a robust process to verify [medicines] are genuine products from legitimate manufacturers. This was followed in this case, and the products verified as genuine [were] purchased from an authorised supplier.

Despite our rigorous processes, we were victims of fraud in the supply chain. There were no MHRA alerts... in this case the regulator did not notify us.

Days later, the MHRA handed over emails that proved they had in fact alerted Tridents owners about the suspect medicines in 2014, and had also given a green light to ship the stock to pharmacies.

In an email dated June 13 this year, the MHRA claimed: The advice [to green light the medication for sale] would only have been made following careful consideration, including the risk to patients.

DID FAKE PILLS MAKE MY EPILEPSY WORSE? Sean Hamilton fears he became an unwitting victim of the fake medication trade when his anti-epilepsy medication suddenly stopped working. He started experiencing fits ten years ago when, as a student at Buckinghamshire New University, he was attacked and suffered a head injury. Doctors prescribed the neurology drug pregabalin  also known by the brand name Lyrica  which reduced the frequency and severity of Seans seizures, giving him his quality of life back. Sean Hamilton (pictured) fears he became an unwitting victim of the fake medication trade But then, in 2014  around the time that pills were stolen by Italian gangs then fed back to the UK market  his treatment stopped working. As a result, his seizures became increasingly frequent and severe, often striking at unpredictable times with potentially dangerous consequences. At one point he suffered a terrifying seizure on an escalator on the London underground. Sean, right, a 28-year-old charity boss from London, said: On several occasions during that period I woke up in hospital. I just didnt know where I was or what had happened. The medication didnt seem to be working. It seemed to be having more negative side-effects. Having learned of the newly revealed stolen drug scandal, he has no doubt that he is one of its victims. He still has packs of some of the medication, and examined the packaging after being told of the problems. I saw it had different branding to the others that I had taken, he said. The writing on it was in German rather than English. I looked up what I could online and the pharmaceutical company on the packet didnt seem to exist. We took it back to the pharmacy and got a new supply of the original medication and since then it has worked fine. Today, Sean says he feels terrified to think about what could have happened  and admits that he remains deeply concerned. I have to rely on medicines every day to keep me safe and alive and to give me quality of life. I have to presume they are safe for me to take. It worries me more and more every day. These drugs shouldnt have got through the system in the first place.It just shows you that the culture is still profit first, patients last. Advertisement

When approached by The Mail on Sunday, last night MHRA chief executive Ian Hudson said: I take our responsibility very seriously and that is why I have ordered an internal review of our investigation practices covering circumstances like this to make sure that if there are any areas that need strengthening, we address these as a priority.

We always warn the public if there is a risk to them, however, there needs to be a balance between warning patients of possible risk and making sure they continue to take lifesaving medicines. These were legitimate medicines and the risk to patients was low.

PATIENTS WON'T KNOW IF PILLS WERE UNSAFE

According to the World Health Organisation, bogus medications are responsible for the deaths of up to 169,000 children worldwide  mostly in developing nations.

And there are least 116,000 malaria fatalities, due to substandard or counterfeit anti-malarial drugs. Some fakes contain little or no active ingredient. Or they are mixed with highly potent, toxic  yet cheaper  compounds that could cause life-threatening side effects.

But the problem doesnt only lie with counterfeits. As soon as a genuine drug is removed from the official supply system, it is deemed legally unsafe for patients. Even storing drugs at the wrong temperature could dramatically change their effectiveness.

This is the biggest concern for the experts who spearheaded the Italian investigation. Mr Di Giorgio said: Once they get out of the controlled framework they are a danger because we have no clue about what happened in the meantime.

Atholl Johnston, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Queen Mary University of London, said: The danger posed by a counterfeit paracetamol is negligible, a headache just doesnt go away or takes a bit longer to resolve. But with other medications the consequences could be life-threatening.

If an anti-epilepsy drug is ineffective the patient may well have a fit. If it is a really serious fit they could actually die.

If a patients medication suddenly stops controlling seizures, then it might be quite sensible to look at the tablets.

But with things like cancer, it is really difficult to know whether something is going wrong because of the illness or the medication.

For example, if you are taking Herceptin to prevent breast cancer returning and it comes back, youll will never know if that was going to happen anyway, or if it was down to substandard medication.

COULD IT STILL BE HAPPENING?

In February, a new system to protect patients from falsified or fake medicines went live across the UK and Europe.

According to The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, it should make the medicines supply chain across Europe safer.

New technology means that from the moment a medicine comes off the production line to the point it reaches a patient, every person and organisation it has been in contact with can verify and authenticate the pack, from manufacturers to wholesalers to pharmacies to GP surgeries and hospitals.

The new system will also result in anti-tamper devices applied to packs of medicines.

The UK has contributed to the development of the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD)  an EU regulation that makes this plan possible  and pharmaceutical companies led the way in funding and setting up the system here over the past two years.

The system  a world first  means that patients can be completely confident the medicines they are taking are genuine and safe. But British drug wholesaler Trident admitted: While we have very tight controls there will always be a risk of human fraud which is beyond our control.

Former Health Minister Norman Lamb told Dispatches: There has to be an urgent review to ensure we can trace medicines and we can be open about how many patients have been affected when something does go wrong.

Dispatches: How Safe Are Your Medicines? is on Channel 4 tomorrow at 8pm.I thought I was relatively healthy but Ive noticed spots of blood in my urine twice over the past two weeks. I am a 70-year-old woman. Is this normal?

Blood in the urine is never normal and should always be checked out by a GP.

Having said that, it isnt always a sign of something sinister. The most common cause of blood in the urine is a urinary tract infection, which is easily treatable with antibiotics.

But blood in the urine could be a sign of cancer  most commonly in the bladder or kidneys  which is why an examination and urine test are essential.

Usually, if there is pain with the blood, it is likely to be a simple infection.

But blood in the urine could be a sign of cancer  most commonly in the bladder or kidneys  which is why an examination and urine test are essential (stock image)

Urinary infections often cause pain or burning when going to the toilet. When theres blood but no pain, it is more worrying.

Bladder and kidney cancers are not common and they are much easier to treat  often curable  if detected early.

For women, it can be hard to distinguish whether blood is coming from the urine or the vagina. But vaginal bleeding in post-menopausal women is never normal and should always prompt further investigation.

I am 73 and for years have suffered symptoms of an underactive thyroid , such as tiredness, depression and weight gain. Blood tests show that my thyroid is functioning normally. Why?

An underactive thyroid, where the thyroid gland doesnt produce enough of an important hormone, affects about 15 in every 1,000 women and one in 1,000 men.

The hormone at play is called thyroxine, which controls several vital bodily processes. When the thyroid is ineffective, many different processes are affected, causing a whole range of symptoms. Most common are tiredness, constipation, muscle aches, depression and even memory loss.

If you fell your are suffering from thyroid symptoms, ask for blood tests to measure Vitamin B12, iron levels, Vitamin D and general kidney and liver function

It can also cause skin changes, hair loss, an increased sensitivity to the cold, and tingling fingers.

This catalogue of symptoms is easily mistaken for other common problems such as vitamin deficiencies, the menopause or anaemia. And many people see a list of thyroid symptoms and feel they have them, simply because the list is so extensive. If you feel you are suffering with thyroid symptoms, get the test repeated once, because hormone levels will fluctuate.

Then ask for blood tests to measure Vitamin B12, iron levels, Vitamin D and general kidney and liver function.

All blood tests may well be normal. Psychological causes such as depression or even chronic insomnia can lead to symptoms similar to those seen in thyroid disease.

Top doc is wrong on vaping

No, we shouldnt ban vaping in public, despite what Britains Chief Medical Officer thinks. I was baffled to hear Dame Sally Davies say that e-cigarettes should only be used inside the home.

She told the Commons science and technology committee last week that she found breathing in white clouds of e-cigarette vapour offensive.

DR ELLIE CANNON: No, we shouldnt ban vaping (pictured) in public, despite what Britains Chief Medical Officer thinks

But the top doctors words are at odds with the stance from Public Health England, which says that vaping is far less harmful than smoking tobacco, and doctors should be recommending it as a means to quit. I certainly do with my patients  for use both in and outside the home.

While we dont yet know if walking through a plume of e-cigarette vapour is harmful, we know that taking in others cigarette smoke is.

Vape smoke may not be pleasant  personally I dont think it is  but that cant dictate public health advice.

Do you have a question for Dr Ellie? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk or write to Health, The Mail on Sunday, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT. Dr Ellie can only answer in a general context and cannot respond to individual cases, or give personal replies. If you have a health concern, always consult your own GP. Advertisement

At last, the Government has finally pledged to inject folic acid into British bags of flour.

The move, announced last week, will protect thousands of unborn babies, since folic-acid deficiency in pregnant women stunts the growth of the foetuss spinal cord and brain, causing serious birth defects.

Critics claim the new action is unnecessary and say that pregnant women should simply take a supplement.

Well, defects tend to happen within the first month of pregnancy, when women may not know they are pregnant, so dont take a supplement.

Simply adding folic acid (also found in leafy greens and oranges) to flour could save 200 babies from devastating disabilities, including spina bifida, every year.

Surely its to be welcomed.Thousands of NHS patients may have taken pills that have been tampered with by criminal gangs linked to the Italian mafia.

Treatments for prostate cancer and epilepsy are among commonly prescribed medicines that were stolen from Italian hospitals and sold to unwitting UK pharmacies.

The Government's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was alerted in August 2014 that contraband pills were circulating in the NHS system  yet failed to alert the public.

An internal investigation was made a priority last night to discover how the MHRA allowed the tablets to be handed to patients, despite being made aware of the concerns.

Thousands of NHS patients may have taken pills that have been tampered with by criminal gangs linked to the Italian mafia (stock image)

Italian Medicines Agency documents show that scores of other tainted medicines, including statins and pills for Parkinson's disease, have been shipped to Britain.

Health chiefs admit there is now 'no trace' of them, or a record of who they were prescribed to.

Even if the drugs are genuine, once removed from the official supply system they are deemed legally unsafe.

Trident Pharmaceuticals, which supplies Lloyds Pharmacy's 1,500 pharmacies in the UK, is understood from paperwork from the Italian authorities to be one of the biggest purchasers of the stolen drugs, having bought them from legitimate suppliers.

In a statement last night, MHRA chief executive Ian Hudson claimed they deemed the drugs legitimate and 'the risk to patients was low'.

But one epilepsy sufferer told how five years ago  at the time stolen Italian epilepsy pills had entered the UK  his seizures became severe and uncontrollable.

The Government's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was alerted in August 2014 that contraband pills were circulating in the NHS system  yet failed to alert the public (stock image)

Since being prescribed new medication, his condition has vastly improved.

Drug safety expert Professor Atholl Johnston, of London's Queen Mary University, said: 'The consequences could be life-threatening.

'If an anti-epilepsy drug is ineffective, the patient may well have a fit and could die.'

The findings only came to light after an investigation by Channel 4's Dispatches uncovered the secretive world of prescription pill trading, estimated to be worth 1 billion a year in the UK alone.

Medicines can be legally bought by UK pharmacies for NHS use from countries where they are on sale at a cheaper price.

Roughly ten per cent of medicines dispensed in the UK are obtained this way.

Dispatches found that the Italian gangs set up bogus Hungarian wholesalers to infiltrate the supply chain and then sell the stolen medication to legitimate pharmaceutical wholesalers to supply UK firms.

alian Medicines Agency documents show that scores of other tainted medicines, including statins and pills for Parkinson's disease, have been shipped to Britain (stock image)

When it was first approached, the MHRA claimed there was 'no evidence of these medicines reaching patient level in the UK'.

But in January it admitted that unsafe drugs had been sold by wholesalers to UK pharmacies between 2012 and 2014.

The MHRA's Mr Hudson said last night: 'We acknowledge there is a possibility that some of these medicines reached patients [but] we do not hold prescribing data.

'I have ordered an internal review of our investigation practices to make sure if there are areas that need strengthening, we address these as a priority.'

How Safe Are Your Medicines?: Dispatches will be screened on Channel 4 tomorrow at 8pm.And with one topless thrash of his machete, the bare-chested (and absurdly good-looking) Tom Bateman looks set to join Colin Firth and Aidan Turner in the roster of costume-drama hunks who have turned the knees of a significant proportion of the viewing public to jelly. This promises to be his Poldark moment, the precise point he becomes the nations new favourite phwoar.

In Beecham House, ITVs glossy Indian-set historical drama, Bateman plays the title character John Beecham, an English adventurer with a secretive past trying to make his way in the early 19th century, just before the Raj.

In a scene in the first episode, we see our man setting about some invasive plant life in the grounds of his eponymous residence, greenery that is providing cover for those trying to spy on his activities. Given he is in the middle of India, this promises to be warm work, so he removes his shirt.

With one topless thrash of his machete, Tom Bateman (above) looks set to join Colin Firth and Aidan Turner in the roster of costume-drama hunks who have turned the public's knees to jelly

Honestly, I wanted it to be embedded in reality. So did Gurinder [Chadha, the series writer and director]. He needs to cut the trees down for security reasons, and its hot in India. So obviously the shirt has to come off.

The speedy introduction of partial nudity onto our Sunday evening screens, then, is not remotely gratuitous?

Listen, he smiles. Im not stupid, I know what it does for attention and publicity.

Intriguingly, Chadha, known best for Bend It Like Beckham, gave him plenty of notice the scene was coming, yet Bateman did not spend the six months leading up to filming buffing up his pecs. When his shirt comes off, it reveals no narcissistic, Popeye-muscled physique.

I dont do the gym, he says. Maybe its my excuse for being lazy but I think the reality of what a person would look like at the time is important. That ripped body shape  if youre playing a superhero, sure. But there is no point in the story that says my character spends his time bench-pressing while drinking protein shakes. For me, if he looked like he did that, it would ruin the illusion.

But Bateman didn't spend months in the gym like Aidan Turner's Poldark (above): I think the reality of what a person would look like at the time is important' he says

He pauses for a moment and breaks into a broad grin. Well, thats what Im saying anyway.

Not that Bateman need worry. Never mind that he is unlikely to be mistaken for Arnold Schwarzenegger, such has been the trajectory of his career, he is rapidly establishing himself as Britains most popular leading man, frequently touted as a potential James Bond.

When we meet at ITVs London headquarters, there opposite the lift is evidence of Batemans growing renown: a full-size photo of him from his recent television hit, 2018s acclaimed TV version of Vanity Fair, in which he played the dashing Army captain Rawdon Crawley.

Ive got kind of used to it, he says of being confronted by images of himself. I remember the first time it happened, when I was in Shakespeare In Love in the West End and I saw myself on the side of a bus.

While Colin Firth's Mr Darcy (above) managed to set pulses racing with his shirt on, Bateman understands that today a little nudity can do wonders for a show's publicity

I found it all very odd, I didnt enjoy it at all. But I guess if youre getting that level of attention it suggests people like the things you are doing.

He has had plenty of opportunity to become reconciled to seeing himself everywhere. Batemans rise has been extraordinary. Just turned 30, he has spent the past decade building up a vast portfolio of work. Ever since he was cast alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate in a West End production of Much Ado About Nothing while still at drama school, he has been continuously employed on stage, TV and film.

My mum said to me the other day, How lucky have you been? I said, Mum, I dont tell you about the 99 auditions I go to and get turned down, I only tell you about the one when I get a part. There isnt an actor alive who hasnt been turned down, and I promise you I have taken a hell of a lot of rejection. That said, I do count my blessings every day.

Amateur psychoanalysis would insist that the young Bateman was always destined to become an actor. He grew up in a bustling, bohemian household in Oxford. His mother taught at the primary school he attended and his father was a music teacher.

He is one of 14 full and half-siblings, including twin brother Merlin. From the moment he was born there must have been an endless competitive striving for attention. Just to get heard must surely have required a virtuoso effort.

Actually, competitiveness was never part of our upbringing, he insists. If it was Freudian attention-seeking, wed have 14 actors. But Im the only one. Ive got a brother who works for the Red Cross, another brother is working with the homeless in France, some who work in restaurants or as teachers and dental technicians. My twin brother Merlin is an artist. So no, thats not why I became an actor.

It was, in fact, a teacher at his Oxford comprehensive who set him on his way, casting the teenager then more interested in roller-blading in an end-of-term production. He was so good that the teacher suggested he audition for the National Youth Theatre.

I was in an NYT production at the Hackney Empire and had to take a week off school. I remember going back to the classroom and being so bored. From that moment on, all I wanted to do was be on stage.

Since then he has starred in everything from the TV remake of Jekyll And Hyde to Kenneth Branaghs all-star Murder On The Orient Express reboot. Though perhaps the thing that has garnered him most attention was something well beyond his control.

During the publicity tour of the film Cold Pursuit earlier this year, he was sitting alongside Liam Neeson for a television interview when his co-star embarked on a tale of once looking to kill the first black male he encountered, as vengeance for a friend who had been raped, sparking outrage. Batemans look of alarm spoke volumes. Actually, my initial reaction was more shock about Liams story, I didnt think about the ramifications, he says. But people were very upset. I never got to speak to Liam about it, though I do know that would never have been his intention. He is not a provocateur. Im sure he is looking back, going, Oh God, sorry.

The incident had a significant effect on Bateman. It was a very big lesson, he says. Experience like that teaches you to be a little more guarded, to be a little bit more careful about what you say. Things can be twisted out of context. Its one of the many reasons Im not on social media. I know it sounds ridiculous when you are in a job as public as this, but Ive always tried to keep as much ownership of my privacy as I can. And Im even more careful now.

Indeed, before we meet, Bateman makes it clear that he wont under any circumstances talk about his private life, particularly his relationship with Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley, so I cant ask him to address rumours that they are engaged. And polite and personable as he might be, he is wary of talking about anything other than his career.

What I find odd is that actors get asked questions as if they are an authority on something, he says. if youre passionate about an issue, its a wonderful platform to use. Unfortunately, when youre asked about Brexit, or Jeremy Corbyn, that platform can be dangerous territory. The last thing I want to do is upset anyone, so its best to stick to the work.

But surely, given his growing renown, he cant genuinely believe everything would crumble to dust should he say the wrong thing in an interview.

Listen, every day I feel insecure about everything, he admits. And screen work does nothing but feed your insecurity.

Why? Because you can watch it back in a way you cant with stage work.

Not that he will be tuning in to Beecham House. No chance. I have had to stop watching my stuff because no good comes of it. I either think Im brilliant or absolutely terrible, and neither are good outcomes. Im very poor at being objective.

In the unlikely event that everything does go suddenly pear-shaped, he can at least derive comfort from this thought: there is one role he will forever be a dead cert to play.

Ive been told I look like Roger Federer for years, he smiles. At drama school people said if there is ever a Federer biopic Id be a shoo-in. The trouble is, it would be the most boring film ever: guy wins every match he plays and is really gracious about it. Not much jeopardy there.

The funny thing is, one of my brothers is an absolute ringer for Andy Murray. When Murray played Roger in that Wimbledon final, my family were texting: whos going to win, Tom or Owen? If they ever make a drama of it, weve got the parts sewn up.

It's Downton Abbey meets Jewel In The Crown You can tell an awful lot about a time through table manners, says Beecham House co-creator Shah Husain, who reveals there is a moment in the first episode that tells us as much about the social politics of early 19th-century India as a series of lectures. We see the hero John Beecham entertaining his mother to dinner at his fine residence in Delhi. Local delicacies are served, which, much to his mothers evident horror, Beecham consumes in the local style, using his hands. In that brief scene is writ large the trajectory of British India over the next century, the relentless manner in which the imperial order sought to impose its own social habits on a long-established civilisation. Its a subtle moment, says Husain, who describes herself as etiquette adviser to the series. Nothing is said but it simultaneously demonstrates that Beecham is sympathetic to Indian ways and shows how revolted many of the English were by them. In Beecham House, Bateman plays John Beecham (above), an English adventurer with a secretive past trying to make his way in the early 19th century, just before the Raj When writer and director Gurinder Chadha approached her with an idea to make a Downton Abbey in India, Husain spent the next six months putting some flesh on that most basic of skeletons. Her plan was to set the series in the years before the Raj, when India had become a wild west frontier for greedy European adventurers. I felt the whole era had more parallels with the modern world than you might think, says Husain. It was all about massive conglomerates fighting each other for a larger share of the new world trade. In that turmoil, one or two preferred to fight fair. Not least the series hero. Husain based Beecham on Thomas Metcalfe, an ancestor of her English husband. Metcalfe was, she says, a different kind of Englishman in India. He harboured a genuine love for the country and was anxious to treat it fairly. Unlike the unscrupulous commercial imperialists of the East India Company. At one point in the early 19th century, accounting for a third of world trade, the company was making fortunes exploiting India. With its own private army, it imposed its rule over much of the country before being effectively nationalised in 1858, when its possessions and territories were absorbed into the Empire. Husain felt one of the most revealing ways to demonstrate Beechams sympathy towards the locals on screen was in his attitude to his servants. Upholding employee rights was not high up the political agenda of the Raj. Others were less tolerant. You can see that in the manner in which his mother treats his staff, says Husain. She is immediately hectoring and bullying. Husain has also tried to get it right in presenting Indian royalty. A princess, for instance, wouldnt have had her feet touched. Yet you watch Western dramas about India and we are forever presented with people prostrating themselves and for some reason touching their feet. Its nonsense. And there wouldnt have been any of that walking backwards going Salam you so often see in Raj movies. Things were way more informal. Not least when it came to eating dinner, and using hands instead of cutlery. Advertisement

Beecham House is on ITV next Sunday and Monday at 9pmLove And War In The Apennines

Eric Newby Slightly Foxed Editions 18.50

Rating:

When I was a boy in the Sixties, one of the jokes that did the rounds was Whats the shortest book in the world? The answer was Italian War Heroes.

Reading this reissue of Eric Newbys classic account of his time as an escaped prisoner- of-war on the run in northern Italy, I remembered this silly joke with embarrassment.

Newby was hidden and helped by a great many Italian peasants, who put their own lives at risk by doing so. In fact, the very first words in Love And War In The Apennines are these: To all those Italians who helped me, and thousands like me, at the risk of their lives, I dedicate this book.

In the hospital, Eric Newby had encountered a beautiful Slovenian girl called Wanda, who started teaching him Italian... They're pictured above after the war as man and wife

In August 1942, Newby had been captured by the Germans after a failed bombing raid in Sicily. At one point, he was obliged to walk across a possible minefield, which he describes as a disagreeable sensation.

Later, stranded in a canoe that was filling with water, he confesses: I was frightened, more frightened than I had ever been. What upset me more than anything, quite irrationally, was the thought that if we drowned  which seemed more than probable  none of our people would ever know what had happened to us and why.

As these two early passages indicate, Newby makes no pretence of being an iron-jawed Alistair MacLean war hero. He writes with a mixture of understatement and humour, and is happy to admit to untoward emotions like fear.

After being captured, he and his comrades are told that they will be shot at dawn as saboteurs. This follows a long, inexpert interrogation by unpleasant men in civilian clothes.

It is his use of that mild adjective unpleasant that is so characteristic of Newbys writing, and lies at the heart of its quiet charm: more self-serving authors would have tried to boost their derring-do by turning up the volume.

Newby and the others have their death sentences reprieved, or at least postponed. Instead, they are told that they will be sent to Rome for further interrogation. Perhaps they never meant to shoot us, but, all the same, we thought ourselves lucky.

To cut a long story short, Newby is held prisoner for a year, and is in a prison hospital with a broken ankle when the Italian government surrenders to the Allies in September 1943.

Italy is in turmoil, with the Germans and the Allies both advancing. He is being held by the Germans when he escapes in his pyjamas through a loo window, but with his broken ankle he cannot go far.

In the hospital, he had encountered a beautiful Slovenian girl called Wanda, who started teaching him Italian. I had begun by thinking her a very good-looking girl and being flattered that she should take any notice of me. Then I had begun to admire her courage and determination; now I was in love with her.

In August 1942, Newby had been captured by the Germans after a failed bombing raid in Sicily. At one point, he was obliged to walk across a possible minefield

It will be his memory of Wanda  and the occasional notes she smuggles through to him, that sustain him through the months ahead.

She and her father assist in his escape, give him a change of clothes, and then take him to the first of a number of peasant dwellings in the Apennines, in which he is allowed to hide.

His first hiding place is probably also the most unpleasant: he is buried in a hole the size and shape of a grave.

Everyone he encounters is, quite understandably, scared to death. A friendly doctor drops him off at a safe house, but, the moment the doctor has gone, the owner tells Newby that he will have to go.

I am afraid of the Germans. I am afraid of the Fascists. I am afraid of spies. I am afraid of my neighbours, and I am afraid of having my house burned over my head and of being shot if you are found here. My wife is also afraid. Now go!

For the next three months, he is on the run, helped and sheltered by extremely poor anti-Fascist Italian peasants whose material lives would have been greatly improved by the sums of money the Germans paid to informers.

Why did they risk their lives in this way? One man tells him that some of them have sons forced to fight in Russia. They feel that you are in a similar condition to that of their sons who, they hope, are being given help wherever they are.

As a narrative, it has the picaresque quality of The 39 Steps, or Rogue Male, with a fugitive darting from place to place, at the mercy of strangers. For a long time, he is given board and lodging in a hidey hole in the eaves of a farmhouse roof, in return for back-breaking work clearing fields of heavy stones.

One of his many endearing qualities is his lack of self-pity: even in the toughest conditions, he is able to experience sudden shafts of joy, particularly in the beauty of nature.

IT'S A FACT After the war, Eric Newby went on to be a successful travel writer, his best-known work being A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush, 1958. Advertisement

There are descriptions of starlings and cuckoos, of wind blowing through trees, and the sun shining red through dark clouds, as if someone had opened the door of a furnace, that are wonderfully evocative, and made all the more poignant by jeopardy, which is always to hand.

At one point, he has taken himself off on a walk on a sunny day. The air was filled with the humming of bees and the buzzing of insects and from somewhere further up the mountain there came the clanking of sheep bells, carried on a gentle breeze that was blowing from that direction.

He lies down, falls asleep and wakes to find a German soldier standing over him. At first, the soldier assumes he is Italian, and bids him Buon giorno. He knows that his own Italian will not pass muster.

So what should he do? He thinks of pushing the soldier over the cliff; after all, he was standing with his back to it; but I knew that I wouldnt. It seemed awful even to think of murdering someone who had simply wished me good day.

He had always planned to pretend to be a deaf-mute, by making strangled noises, but I couldnt do this either. It seemed too ridiculous.

Before he can decide what to do, the German sits down next to him, and tells him that he thinks he is English. You must be a prisoner-of-war. That is so, is it not?

Newby doesnt reply. The German tells him not to be afraid. I will not tell anyone that I have met you. I have no intention of spoiling such a splendid day either for you or for myself.

Instead, he wishes to carry on with what he was doing: catching butterflies in the sun. The two men shake hands, and introduce themselves. The German offers him a beer, and, together on that Italian hillside, they sit and chat.

His job, he says, is to give lectures on Renaissance painting and architecture to soldiers who are, he says, mournfully, engaged in destroying them.

He believes that the Germans are in the wrong and, because of this, they will lose the war. We must. We have to. He advises Newby to pass the winter in the Apennines, and to wait for the spring before moving on.

And then he bids Newby farewell, setting off with his butterfly net. I was sorry to see him go.

The book ends, movingly, in 1956 with Newby and Wanda, who is now his wife, returning to the Apennines with their two little children, to look up and give thanks to all those who gave him shelter.

Large men whom I remembered as small boys came forward and pumped my hand, enveloping it in their great fists.

In an earlier preface that, for some reason, is not included in this handsome little reprint, Newby said that he didnt write his book until 1971 because, compared to the flood of many more heroic tales of wartime escapes, his did not seem exciting enough to write about.

But eventually he decided to write about it because so little had been published about ordinary Italians who helped prisoners of war at great personal risk and without thought of personal gain, purely out of kindness of heart.

Love And War In The Apennines is exciting, illuminating, funny, touching, and charming. If you havent already read it, its high time you did.Wild Bill Wednesday, ITV

Rating:

And also

Rating:

Killing Eve Saturday, BBC1

Rating:

Wild Bill stars Hollywood A-lister Rob Lowe as a top American cop who relocates to Boston, Lincoln-shire, to head the police force there. It is one star and also five stars because it possesses the kind of one-star terribleness that, if properly embraced, can transport you to five-star levels of happiness.

Its that gloriously bad. Also its a comedy drama, and I did laugh quite a lot. Mostly, I laughed when I wasnt supposed to, but that still counts I think. It is certainly the funniest show Ive seen for a good while.

The first episode opened with a non-exciting car chase though a cabbage field and then time-spooled back to a week earlier, for no good narrative reason whatsoever. Still, here is Bill Hixon, arriving in the UK with the 12-year-old daughter whom we know is smart because she wears big glasses.

Rob Lowe (above) and his Wild Bill co-star Susan Lynch are fine actors, but theyre entirely boxed in by the one-dimensionality of their characters and the tone that can turn on a sixpence

Always a sign. This is a fish-out-of-water scenario and the local cops, who are all weathered and old school, are not welcoming.

Bill gives them a pep talk. I was Americas top metropolitan chief of police Im the best at what I do and you need what I do My dad was a cop. He patrolled the same beat from 18 until he was 67. I watched it grind him down year after year, like trying to beat down a wildfire of social disintegration with a fly swatter.

I once tried beating down the wildfire of social disintegration with a fly swatter, even though I did not understand what it meant, and it was extremely tiring, I agree.

The cops are not won over. One even writes Bill a speeding ticket for doing 37mph on his bicycle. However, as speed limits only apply to motor vehicles  there is no law relating to bikes  I would certainly urge Bill to appeal it.

I am kind of hoping that the writers (Jim Keeble, Dudi Appleton) will invent further transgressions for which you might receive a penalty notice. Madam, your kettle is boiling too fast. The fine is 80 but 40 if you pay in the next seven days.

That kind of thing.

Bill embarks on a meet and greet with the public, accompanied by Angela Griffin playing a journalist. The Home Office directive of 2014 opened recruitment to citizens from foreign countries, she explains to one local resident, helpfully.

But whats this? A crime! Satellite dishes are being stolen from an estate! The police stake out the estate and  this is where it goes truly bonkers  through a half-open door see a Rab C Nesbitt figure singing I Want To Know What Love Is and staring into his open fridge, which contains a decapitated head.

I had to check it wasnt my head  I gave it a tap, still there  in case Id laughed it off.

The head, it turned out, belonged to a girl who disappeared a decade earlier, but the pathologist said as it had been kept in the freezer it was still as fresh as a daisy. But the head was not kept in a freezer.

We saw it was in the fridge, along with a cucumber and a lettuce. If I were ever to meet the writers, I would take their heads and knock them together.

There are other characters. Theres Bills sidekick, Muriel, who is in fact nicely played by Bronwyn James, a sexy magistrate (Rachael Stirling), a Russian gangster (Aleksandar Jovanovic) and the dead girls mother (Susan Lynch).

She has to say lines like: She werent no slag. That were me. Oh, Susan. She turns up at Bills house, as you do, and he allows her to babysit his daughter. Might Bill need a pep talk on boundaries, perhaps?

Lowe and Lynch are fine actors but here theyre entirely boxed in by the one-dimensionality of their characters and the tone that can turn on a sixpence.

Its knockabout one minute and effing and jeffing the next. Its also a show that wants to make a point about Brexit  you may glimpse a graffitied Union Jack scrawled with Leave out of the corner of your eye  but doesnt know what that point is.

Still, the scene on top of that wind turbine was thrilling. Only kidding. It was as daft as everything else and I laughed. Again. Heartily. So sheer heaven if you can embrace it. Really.

I greeted the return of Killing Eve with five stars but now Im reducing it to three. I had anticipated bingeing on all episodes but I made it to four and then stalled. I have said, previously, that that the writing is so smart that the incoherence of the plot is irrelevant, but now that incoherency is properly getting on my nerves.

OK, Konstantin and Villanelle are now in Amsterdam, but how did they get there? How? Konstantin was being held by MI6 and escaped, but his passport worked as normal? Plus its also a bit, well, samey. What do you think? Seriously, I want to know.From next Friday, Britons will be able to spend up to 100 using a contactless card without having to input their Pin. The Government, banks and retailers claim it will help boost the economy. In the past four years the number of contactless payments in the UK has risen from 7% of all payments to 27%, according to UK Finance. Some banks will let you toggle the limits or even request a non-contactless card.Promises, promises. That is what politicians seeking election make, and the Tory leadership contest is true to type. Boris Johnson promises a massive cut in income tax for higher earners.

Dominic Raab says there is 26 billion of headroom from the Brexit war chest built up by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Michael Gove wants to scrap VAT and replace it with a lower-rate sales tax. Sajid Javid calls for a 100 billion fund for spending on infrastructure and cutting the deficit more slowly.

Hamish McRae notes that Dominic Raab says there is 26 billion of headroom from the Brexit war chest built up by Chancellor Philip Hammond

But the mathematics won't change. Our next Prime Minister will have to confront the world as it is, not as he (we now know it will be a he) might wish it to be. War chest? There isn't one. True, Government finances have been largely repaired and the fiscal deficit is down to a little over 1 per cent of GDP.

That is thanks in part to the squeeze on spending but equally to strong tax revenues, which in turn must be the result of reasonable growth. But we must be close to the top of the global economic cycle. Let's hope there is some slack in public finances because, my word, we are going to need it.

We don't know what will happen over Brexit. But we do know a lot about the UK economy, and running that well will be the key to the prosperity of all of us in the years ahead. The next Prime Minister will be dealt an interesting hand of cards, which he has to play as adeptly as he can. He has, I suggest, two long suits and two short.

The long ones are, first, the flexibility of the economy: the ability (and, of course, the ability of its workforce) to adapt to the seismic shifts that are taking place in the world economy. We are number three after the US and China in 'unicorn' start-ups, companies floated with an initial valuation of more than $1 billion.

Hamish says: 'Let's hope there is some slack in public finances because, my word, we are going to need it'

We have the third highest stock of inward investment in the world, and highest in Europe, as new United Nations Conference on Trade and Development figures published last week showed.

And second, there is strength in services, as the second largest exporter in the world after the US. If the present trade tensions mean the movement of goods will be more restricted, then trade in services becomes relatively more important. This is not just financial services, though they remain massive earners. The top universities, the legal profession, the creative industries are all outstanding. Most countries would love to have them.

As for the short suits, one is our unevenness: the best enterprises are wonderful, but there is a long tail that is mediocre. That is the message from Andy Haldane, the Bank of England chief economist. He argues this country is full of world-leading innovative firms, but their ideas seem slow to spread across the whole economy. This is partly a North-South imbalance, but it is also a big firm/small firm one.

The other short suit is our skill levels. Right now employers are crying out for more skilled workers, and we have perhaps relied too much on foreigners to fill the gaps. It is scary, but whereas in most other countries young workers are more skilled than older ones, here that is not the case.

Eventually Brexit will be out of the way and the Government will have bandwidth to deal with something else. So new PM, please no bombast. Just play your long suits thoughtfully, and figure out how to do something about your short ones.

Oil matters. With gas, it supplies two thirds of the world's primary energy. While that may shrink over the next 30 years it will do so only slowly. Right now, the world very much needs secure supplies. That is why the attacks in the Strait of Hormuz are so troubling. About one third of all the oil that is carried across the oceans comes through a 21-mile wide gap.

But one of the advantages of the resurgence of oil production in the US is that the world is a little less dependent on the Middle East. Thanks to fracking, the US last year became the world's largest oil producer, and looks set to remain so for the next five years. In political terms, it is encouraging that the US should be pulling ahead of Russia and Saudi Arabia. In practical terms, it means we can be a little more relaxed about what is happening now  but only a little.Generating wealth from a portfolio of investments has never been easier thanks to online dealing services and the plethora of opportunities available  shares, funds, investment trusts and exchange traded funds. We should herald this as a triumph.

It is investor empowering in a world where we are being encouraged to take control of our financial destiny rather than depend upon the State.

But as the Neil Woodford debacle has demonstrated, there are flaws in the investment wealth 'system' that cut across the best financial interests of investors  and which need to be addressed as a matter of urgency by regulators and powerful industry associations.

Jeff Prestridge says generating wealth from a portfolio of investments has never been easier thanks to online dealing services and the plethora of opportunities available

Generally, the rewards for product providers (investment houses), the middlemen (online dealing services) and investors need to be more evenly distributed.

At the moment, they are skewed in favour of the managers (have you ever met a fund manager who is not loaded?) and the online facilitators (so-called fund platforms), some of which are now FTSE 100 or FTSE 250 listed companies with multi-billionaire owners (or former owners).

Specifically, investment funds should do what they say on the tin and the regulator should clamp down on funds that invest in illiquid investments, making it impossible for investors to sell their holdings at certain times.

Furthermore, the close relationship between platforms  the likes of Hargreaves Lansdown  and big investment houses should be subject to greater regulatory scrutiny so that specific investment funds are not blindly promoted as best buys when they patently aren't.

Most importantly of all, the fund management industry needs to become more investor-centric, something it has lost since the birth of the powerful online platforms. That means lower investment charges and more ethical behaviour when things turn bad.

In the case of Woodford, it is simply unacceptable that he refuses to waive the annual management fee on the 3.7 billion Equity Income fund that still remains suspended 14 days after shutting its doors, thereby preventing investors from heading for the hills.

Prestridge says generally, the rewards for product providers (investment houses), the middlemen (online dealing services) and investors need to be more evenly distributed

As one former doyen of the fund management industry told Wealth yesterday: 'I suspect he [Woodford] is doomed, but that shouldn't mean it's right for him to squeeze the last lump of management fees before his funeral.'

Powerful words, but they are sentiments shared by many Woodford investors who feel they have been left to sweat over the future of their nest eggs while Woodford's business earns 100,000 a day in fees.

They are also echoed by consumer champions, although interestingly no investment management company contacted by Wealth  other than brave-heart James Anderson at FTSE 100-listed investment trust Scottish Mortgage  offered a view. Such silence is shameful  evidence that asset managers are more focused on protecting each other's interests than batting for investors.

1 Funds must be honestly named

Put an 'equity income', 'UK equity income' or plain 'income' label on an investment fund and it is a powerful marketing tool. In the eyes of customers, it conjures up the opportunity to earn an attractive return, even if they do not take it straightaway and plough it into buying more shares or fund units. Some of the country's largest investment funds have income in their name.

But some funds with that label are not actually what they say they are. The managers do not invest with an overriding income bent and so end up putting together portfolios that are not concentrated on dividend friendly companies. It is a bit like buying a tin of beans only to discover the contents are dog food.

Woodford Equity Income is a case in point  its portfolio has significant exposure to unquoted companies that do not pay dividends. Misleading? Of course. The Investment Association, the trade body representing the fund management industry, helps investors by categorising individual funds according to strict investment criteria.

Most funds investing in the UK stock market fall into one of three main categories  UK equity income, UK all companies or UK smaller companies. These categories are then used by platforms and investment information websites such as Trustnet to differentiate individual funds.

So, in the case of 'UK equity income', a fund is only permitted to sit inside this sector if it can prove it has provided an average dividend yield better than the market (the FTSE All-Share Index) over the past three years  and at least within touching distance of it over one year. If it can't, it is re-categorised which is exactly what happened with Woodford Equity Income.

Equity Income started life as a 'UK equity income' fund in June 2014, but in April last year  because of its failure to deliver investors a satisfactory level of income  it was reclassified as a 'UK all companies' fund.

To remain in this sector, it must have at least 80 per cent of its assets in the UK stock market and have a primary objective of 'achieving capital growth'  a goal it has so far singularly failed to achieve (maybe, a new category should be invented exclusively for it: 'UK dog').

2 The regulator should intervene

While the association's policing of funds and the categories they sit in is satisfactory, it can't force Woodford to change Equity Income's name to more reflect its investment approach (that is something only the regulator can do). Nor was there any duty on Woodford's behalf to inform investors that in April last year, its classification had changed. Issues that surely now need to be tackled.

I suspect Woodford is doomed. But that shouldnt mean its right for him to squeeze the last lump of management fees One investment industry veteran last week

Last week, Brian Dennehy, of adviser FundExpert, told Wealth: 'Woodford has never been an income fund manager. He has always been a total return investor which makes the name of his fund confusing for income-seeking investors.'

Jason Hollands, of wealth manager Tilney, said: 'Do I think names should clearly represent the investment mandate and management approach behind a fund? Yes, of course. If a fund is managed for total return, then it should be called UK Equity or UK Growth & Income  or if the emphasis is on identifying undervalued companies, then UK Value.'

For the record, numerous 'income' labelled funds fail the criteria for being categorised as UK equity income  the likes of Evenlode Income, Franklin UK Rising Dividends, Royal London UK Dividend Growth and (surprise, surprise) Woodford's old funds at Invesco  Income and High Income. The regulator must look at this urgently.

3 Clamp down on illiquid assets

There are funds aplenty that invest a slice of their portfolio in illiquid or unquoted assets  for example, those that invest in property and smaller companies. Of course, such assets often provide attractive income or strong long-term capital returns. But they can also prove a nightmare if sentiment changes and a fund manager needs to sell them to generate cash to pay investors wanting out.

Such illiquidity was the reason why some property funds stopped investors selling their holdings in the wake of the Brexit referendum in June 2016. It is also why all dealings in Woodford Equity Income have been suspended, allowing the manager time to jettison holdings and free up cash ready for when dealings recommence and an inevitable flood of investors head for the door.

The industry 'doyen' who spoke candidly to Wealth last week believes Woodford Equity Income's exposure to unquoted companies now 'brings into debate the case against unquoted investments in an open ended fund'. By 'open ended' they mean an investment fund or unit trust that is not listed on a stock market, but which either issues 'shares' (usually known as 'units') or redeems them according to whether investors want to buy into the fund  or get out.

So, when a torrent of investors wants out  as with Woodford Equity Income  the manager has no choice but to offload investments. If they can't, they have no choice but to shut up shop.

Investment trusts, listed on the stock market, are different. They have a fixed number of shares in existence. When investors want out, they can always sell their shares. The regulator should insist that illiquid investment funds are structured as investment trusts, not as unit trusts or open ended investment companies.

4 Make best buy lists watertight

At the very least, Prestridge says fund platforms should make available to investors a detailed summary of the work they do in arriving at a best buy

Although investment fund best-buy lists via online platforms can help investors identify suitable homes for their money, the Woodford Equity Income debacle has highlighted big flaws.

Are lists such as Hargreaves Lansdown's 'wealth 50' (its top 50 funds) rigorously compiled, regularly updated and devoid of commercial interest? Certainly, in the case of Hargreaves' relentless pushing of Woodford Equity Income and sister fund Income Focus, there seems a lack of detailed scrutiny.

For a long time, I have questioned Hargreaves as to why its best-buy list fails to include stock market- listed investment trusts, many of which have a far superior record when it comes to providing investors with income  and a growing income at that.

The response has always been to say that the trusts could not cope with the resulting demand for shares from Hargreaves clients. It's an ingenious argument given many investment trusts are among the country's biggest listed companies by market capitalisation.

Certainly, James Anderson, manager of Scottish Mortgage, the country's largest trust, was singularly unimpressed when I met him for breakfast five days ago. He said he had been to see Hargreaves earlier this year, but it wouldn't change its stance on excluding investment trusts.

'It's the compilation of these lists that worries me,' he added. The Treasury Select Committee is on the case. It has asked Hargreaves boss Chris Hill a series of questions on the compilation of the wealth 50 list  as well as its relationship with Woodford. Hill has until close of play on Tuesday to respond.

At the very least, fund platforms should make available to investors a detailed summary of the work they do (qualitative and quantitative) in arriving at a best buy.

They should also spell out in pounds and pence any payments they receive from investment groups with funds on the list. Those individuals directly responsible for compiling the lists should also disclose on the fund platform their holdings in best-buy funds  and the date of any dealings (buying or selling).

For the record, Wealth asked Hargreaves Lansdown for details of the holdings its head of research Mark Dampier has in the three Woodford funds  Equity Income, Patient Capital and Income Focus  and any dealings he has undertaken in recent months. It declined to provide the information.

Prestridge says Neil Woodford should waive his fund's fees while it remains shut for business

5 Woodford must waive fees now

It is unfair that while Equity Income investors fret over their holdings and are unable to escape Woodford's clutches, his investment operation earns some 100,000 a day in fund management fees. Last week, Wealth canvassed opinion from many quarters on whether Woodford should waive the fund's fees while it remains shut for business. The overwhelming view was that he should.

Fund expert Adrian Lowcock, of Willis Owen, said: 'Not doing so fuels accusations that the fund management industry is just lining its own pockets at the expense of individual investors.'

Sheridan Admans, of The Share Centre, agreed. James Daley, of Fairer Finance, said waiving fees was 'the least that should be done while investors are denied access to their money' while reader John Duffy, from Newcastle, accused Woodford of being 'plain greedy'.

John is an investor in Hargreaves Lansdown fund Multi-Manager Income and Growth  a fund with 13 per cent exposure to Woodford Equity Income. As for rival fund groups, last week I was met with a wall of silence  other than from Scottish Mortgage's James Anderson, who said it was 'wrong' for Woodford to not waive the fee.

6 ... And finally

Investment funds need to reduce annual management charges and give investors a fairer deal. The new norm should be 0.4 per cent. If Mercantile can do this, why can't most other funds?

Do you have a view on Woodford? Email jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.ukCreo Medical is a junior healthcare firm, but its technology is already changing people's lives.

Midas recommended Creo, based in Chepstow in South Wales, in December 2016, when the shares were 81p. Today they are 1.94 and brokers believe they have significantly further to go.

Cancers affecting the digestive tract are a dreadful affliction of modern society, with almost two million sufferers around the world, including over 40,000 in the UK and almost 300,000 in the US.

New option: Traditional treatments for cancers affecting the digestive tract are grim but Creo Medical has devised an alternative

Traditional treatments are grim  hours in surgery, days in hospital and sections of the gut removed, with potentially life-changing consequences.

Creo Medical has devised an alternative  a tool that allows patients to go through a procedure lasting around 30 minutes, under mild sedation, following which they can leave hospital later that day, with their gut intact.

Back in 2016, Creo had just joined the Aim market and chief executive Craig Gulliford had a three-year plan to develop the company.

First, gain regulatory approval for the Creo toolkit. Second, deliver initial clinical results and third, launch commercially. In the end, Gulliford has made even more progress than expected.

Creo's kit is already in use in selected hospitals here, as well as in the US, Continental Europe and South Africa. Doctors are enthusiastic and so are patients.

Under the Creo system, an endoscope is inserted into the patient, with a tiny device on the end used to remove pre-cancerous and early cancerous growths.

Microwave energy curbs bleeding and the procedure is precise, effective and far cheaper than traditional surgery.

In the UK, for example, initial estimates suggest that each case can save the NHS between 2,000 and 3,500, so potential savings could add up to millions of pounds a year.

Creo has kept the launch process deliberately slow. Doctors need to learn how to use the new system and Gulliford is keen to ensure that they are properly trained. So far, the results have been extremely encouraging and the company is already working on treatments for cancers of the liver, kidney, pancreas and lung.

All this work is costly. Creo is loss-making and may have to raise money via the stock market to fund its growth. Longer term, however, the prospects are bright.

This small Welsh company is a pioneer in its field and its technology should bring tangible benefits to patients and healthcare systems alike.Neil Woodford's interest in early-stage healthcare firms was once widely praised.

Now he faces fierce criticism for his selection, not least because many of them are not even quoted businesses.

But Woodford's troubles should not infect sentiment towards the entire industry. Some stocks are going from strength to strength and should continue doing so.

AIM-listed Renalytix AI is a case in point. Priced at 2.40, the company focuses on kidney disease, which has become an epidemic, affecting more than 850 million people around the world.

Stock picking: Some healthcare industry players are going from strength to strength and should continue doing so

In many cases, however, sufferers do not find out they have the disease until it is at an advanced stage.

This is deeply unpleasant for those affected, often resulting in dialysis or transplants. But kidney disease affects different people in different ways. Some can live with it for decades. Others suffer from a progressive version, which becomes chronic within a few years.

If doctors could diagnose kidney issues earlier  and assess who is most likely to develop aggressive symptoms  they could begin treating the most vulnerable patients straight away and prevent them developing life-affecting complications.

Renalytix intends to do just that. The company has pioneered a way of combining blood tests with artificial intelligence (AI) to assess whether kidney disease sufferers can live with their condition reasonably happily or will go on to develop chronic problems.

AIM-listed Renalytix AI: The firm focuses on kidney disease, which has become an epidemic, affecting more than 850 million people around the world

The group joined AIM last November and has already made strides. But the company has real potential and the stock should rise as chief executive James McCullough delivers on his promises.

Renalytix is based in New York, because more than 40 million Americans have chronic kidney disease and the US spends almost $115 billion (91 billion) a year treating it. Numbers are also increasing, as kidney disease is closely linked to diabetes, one of the fastest growing illnesses in the world.

McCullough and his colleagues have designed a product called KidneyIntelX, focused initially on diabetics, to calculate which of them are most at risk of ending up with advanced kidney problems.

Doctors simply take a blood test and send it to the Renalytix lab. The company assesses the blood test, alongside data gleaned from hundreds of thousands of health records. The results produce a prognosis for individual patients and those most at risk can begin preventative treatment.

Progress has been impressive. The company was founded by McCullough and Julian Baines, chief executive of Cardiff-based diagnostics firm EKF Diagnostics (recommended by Midas in 2012 at 22p, now 33p). Baines began with an idea and a promising blood test. He shared his thoughts with McCullough, a former colleague with more than 20 years' experience in the medical sector. McCullough was enthusiastic and Renalytix was born.

Last year, the duo began collaborating with Mount Sinai, an American hospital group, with eight hospitals, millions of patients and a worldwide reputation for medical research.

Other partnerships have been signed since then and last month, KidneyIntelX received 'Breakthrough Device' designation from the US health regulator, the Food and Drug Administration. This was a major boost, as it means the device will be fast-tracked through regulatory hurdles and is expected to be launched later this year.

City brokers have high hopes for Renalytix. The company is forecast to deliver revenues of $3.7 million in the year to June 2020, soaring to $19 million in 2021. Currently loss-making, the firm is expected to become profitable from 2021 if not earlier.

Although KidneyIntelX will start out in America, Baines and McCullough have the UK and Continental Europe in their sights. They have also started work on another diagnostic product, to improve kidney transplant results.Fashion chain Jigsaw has drafted in a string of directors to its board, including Glasses Direct entrepreneur Jamie Murray Wells, as it strives to revive its fortunes.

The new hires follow a period of upheaval for the chain  a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, who briefly worked at the company  after a 20 million rescue deal last year.

Other newcomers include Richard Walker, a former executive at TalkTalk, who currently sits on the board of car dealership Lookers, as well as brand consultants Isabel Spearman and Silvana Rossi.

Royal fan: The Duchess of Cambridge, wearing Jigsaw trousers, once worked for the fashion brand

The new appointments also include Despina Don-Wauchope, a former head of finance at property group Land Securities, who is now Jigsaw finance director.

The appointments have been made public in documents filed at Companies House. Jigsaw did not respond to requests for comment.

Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk co-founder David Ross, reputed to be worth 1 billion, now holds a significant stake in Jigsaw.

Jigsaw human resources director Toby Foreman is currently acting chief executive, following the departure of Chris Stephenson in January.The Government is locked in crunch talks in an effort to avoid a lengthy High Court battle by settling a 1.25 billion legal claim by an Iranian bank.

A five-week hearing involving Bank Mellat and the Treasury was due to begin tomorrow.

But The Mail on Sunday understands the Government has entered settlement talks with the bank aimed at averting a costly  and potentially embarrassing  court case.

The Government is locked in crunch talks in an effort to avoid a lengthy High Court battle by settling a 1.25 billion legal claim by the Iranian Bank Mellat

Mellat, which is part-owned by Irans government, is demanding compensation after the Treasury imposed sanctions on it in 2009.

Labour Ministers had believed there was evidence linking Mellat with the financing of state nuclear weapons development. Mellat claims action by the UK led to other countries imposing their own sanctions.

The Mail on Sunday reported earlier this month how several high-profile Government figures, including then-Chancellor Alistair Darling, could be called to give evidence.

Mellat is being represented by London law firm Zaiwalla and Co. The Treasury and Mellat both declined to comment.One of Britain's largest privately owned treatment centres for drug addicts could be about to change hands after its American investor became embroiled in an FBI investigation into the alleged bribery of public officials.

City sources said UK Addiction Treatment Centres, also known as UKAT, and its backer, US-based Eli Global, have been sounding out financial advisers about 'strategic options'. Corporate finance firm Alantra is believed to be working on a deal.

One of Britain's largest privately owned treatment centres for drug addicts could be about to change hands

Bankers said UKAT  which runs seven sites  is likely to be worth about 40 million. Last August, privately-owned conglomerate Eli Global bought a substantial shareholding in UKAT.

However, it later emerged that Eli Global and its chief executive Greg Lindberg were being investigated by the FBI and the US Attorney's office. Recently, reports claim Lindberg has been indicted by a federal grand jury.

A spokesman for Eli Global said: 'Eli Global is not involved in the day-to-day operations of its UK businesses.'

A UKAT spokesman said: 'UKAT is not for sale. It is a thriving, expanding business.'Defeated Tory leadership candidate Esther McVey would drastically reduce Britain's foreign aid budget so she could spend extra on schools and the police if she became Chancellor of the Exchequer.

McVey, MP for Tatton, who was knocked out in the ballot to find the next PM last week, earned a six-figure sum before she became an MP. She keeps all her savings in the bank because she is aware a career in politics is 'precarious'.

The 51-year-old spent the early years of her life in foster care as a Barnardo's child. She founded charity If Chloe Can in 2013 to help young inner-city girls. The charity provides practical careers advice to teenage girls helping them to realise their aspirations.

Role: Esther founded her own charity for young inner-city women

How do you feel about losing the leadership race?

Naturally, I am disappointed to be out, but I am pleased to have been able to make my case in the debate around the leadership for Brexit, Blue Collar Conservatism and the need to power up the Northern economy. These are passionate ideas and beliefs that I will continue to promote within the Party and across the country.

What did your parents teach you about money?

To always have more coming in than you have going out. My parents were young and poor when they had me and at the same time my grandma was dying. So I was put in foster care when I was born with charity Barnardo's. That allowed my parents to work all hours when I was little and get a small deposit together for a house. When I was four and a half, I came back home to Mum and Dad.

As you can imagine, my parents always understood exactly what it meant to have no money and to struggle. They impressed on me the need to have money and security, but also how important kindness is. When you are at a low point in your life or in need, they always said it is important that the State and charities are there to help you get back on track.

My dad did many jobs over his lifetime. He was a taxi driver, sold ice creams and then set up his own business as a metal merchant and moved into demolition and construction. Eventually, he became a specialist in property development and land reclamation.

Was money tight when you were growing up?

It started off being tight but my parents firmly believed that through hard work and determination we could progress. Bit by bit, we became better off and I was the first person in my family to go to university. I guess that is why I believe in social mobility. I do not think it matters where you come from. It is about where you are going to and what you want to achieve.

What was the first paid work you ever did?

I worked for free for my father at weekends and during the summer holidays when I was at school. The first paid work I did was waitressing when I was 18 and at university. It was fun.

The first paid work Esther did was waitressing when she was 18 and at university (stock image)

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

Yes, straight after university. I spent about a year doing work experience for free and trying to get a TV job. I wanted to work in the media, but I did not know anything about it or anyone in the industry. It was a struggle.

I only managed to make ends meet because I received criminal injury compensation while at university. When I was 19, someone started a fight in a restaurant I was in and threw a glass across the bar. I needed five stitches in my eyebrow. I used the 1,500 I received to live on and after a year I got a job on children's TV for the BBC.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

Yes. In the late 1990s, I presented the ITV programme How Do They Do This? I got paid a ridiculous amount for a small amount of work  about 40,000 to host eight episodes.

What was the best year of your financial life?

It was 2009, just before I became a politician. In the early 2000s, I left the TV industry but it took me ten years to win my seat as an MP. What enabled me to keep going was my own business. I bought a building and set it up as an office and incubator space for start-up companies. My best year was 2009 when I sold the property. I made a six-figure sum.

Esther said her biggest money mistake was not buying a two-bedroom flat in South Kensington, London, in 2000

What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought for fun?

I splashed out on an authenticated Ringo Starr autograph at a charity auction. It was written on a floorboard from the stage of The Empire in Liverpool where The Beatles gave one of their last concerts. It cost about 2,000.

What is your biggest money mistake?

Not buying a two-bedroom flat in South Kensington, London, in 2000. I was too cautious. The places I looked at seemed so expensive  they were about 450,000. I thought surely prices would come down. A two-bed flat in that part of London is now worth more than 2 million.

The best money decision you have made?

Taking a master's degree in corporate governance at in 2008. It cost 10,000. I really enjoyed learning about the best businesses worldwide and aspects of brand and reputation management. I see people who build businesses as the creators in society. They generate money, wealth, jobs and communities.

Do you save into a pension or invest in the stock market?

I have an MP's pension, but I do not invest in the stock market. I keep my money in the safest place possible. Jobs in politics can be precarious.

Do you own any property?

Yes, in my constituency in Tatton. It is a four-bedroom house. I live there with my other half and my 73-year-old father.

If you were Chancellor, what would you do?

I would cut the Foreign Aid budget and spend more right away on the schools and police. Getting a good education is key in life. Given the right support, anybody can achieve irrespective of their background. I would not only increase the core budget for schools, but also the budget for pupils with special educational needs and those who go into further education. That is really key if we want to help all of our citizens.

I would spend more on the police because you need a safe environment to live in. We all need to know that when we go home and close the door, it is all going to be OK. I would release money from overseas aid because it is the only budget that has nearly doubled since 2010. Most other budgets have either been cut or frozen. I just think we need to re-prioritise our spending now on our young children and to make sure we are safe.

Do you donate to charity?

I founded my own charity, If Chloe Can. We work with young inner-city girls to help them with the challenges of life, offer them advice on careers and give them role models. Our current programme aims to build confidence, assertiveness and resilience.

What is your number one financial priority?

To pay off my mortgage and make sure I always have a roof over my head.Access to cash is dwindling. Horrible fact number one.

Just as worrying, acceptance of cash is shrinking as more businesses  pubs, coffee shops and theatres  put up signs stating: 'No pounds and coins, contactless payment only.' Nasty fact number two.

Indeed, if experts are right with their forecasts, cash could be all but dead in ten years' time as we are bullied and prodded with cattle sticks into embracing a cashless society  where debit cards and contactless payment rule the banking waves.

Natalie Ceeney is the author of the recent 'Access To Cash Review' report which highlighted the dangers of the country's relentless march towards a cashless society

This is causing fear, big fear, for swathes of people both young and old and for communities  rural and urban  up and down the length of this magnificent country of ours. People excommunicated from the brave new digital world by virtue of age, disability, personal choice, financial circumstance or the fact that their broadband or mobile reception is borderline useless  thereby necessitating the use of cash.

Thankfully, there are some battling individuals and consumer-friendly organisations  The Mail on Sunday included  determined to keep waving the flag for cash despite the money-grabbing banks and payment companies. Even if this seems an uphill battle  Custer's Last Stand without the blood.

Last week, while newly streamlined and coiffured Boris Johnson was launching his campaign to become leader of the Conservative Party, 200 individuals congregated within a lion's roar of Regent's Park in London to chew the cash cud  and discuss whether it has a future.

Mostly bedraggled as a result of incessant rain, they cut a rather sorry lot as they trudged into the trendy offices of consumer group Which? (worth a million or six to an oligarch looking for a vast home) to hear the great and not so great put their views forward on the outlook for cash.

It is all part of a powerful Which? 'Securing Our Freedom To Pay' campaign (#freedom2pay in social media language) aimed at protecting consumers' access to free cash. This can happen whether it is through a meaningful network of free-to-use ATMs and bank branches (both being felled at a faster rate than trees in rainforests) or greater provision of cashback facilities at local retailers.

If experts are right with their forecasts, cash could be all but dead in ten years' time

Oh, how the founders of Which?  operating out of a garage in London's Bethnal Green 62 years ago  would have marvelled at the way the consumer group has moved on from testing kettles to challenging the giants of the banking world.

An eclectic mix of bankers, academics, consumerists, small business representatives and payment providers comprised the audience. All ears and notepads and fortified by copious amounts of coffee (I dripped rain as if I were a fisherman caught in an Atlantic storm).

Sadly, keynote speaker John Glen (Treasury Minister) was forced to duck out at the last minute. But into Glen's shoes stepped Treasury official Gwyneth Nurse, director of financial services, who seemed to enjoy her moment in the spotlight without saying anything of substance.

Our manifesto to make banks listen The Mail on Sunday has drawn up a 'Keep Our Cash Manifesto' to force banks and financial authorities to tackle the crisis. Our key demands are: Every town should have at least one bank. Every town should have a free cash machine. Every town should have a post office. For smaller communities without a bank, post office or free cash machine, 'cashback' must be offered for free at local shops and pubs. One regulator must take charge, ensuring there is access to free cash for everyone, and Natalie Ceeney must play a role.

Among the others who did turn up was Anabel Hoult, Which? chief executive, oozing worthiness. Also Chris Hemsley, a somewhat nervous boss of the Payment Systems Regulator that has stood still and watched an alarming shrinkage in the number of free-to-use ATMs in recent months as a result of a reduction in the fees that the banks are prepared to pay cash machine operators.

They were joined by Martin McTague, a spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses, an organisation whose members are increasingly being stung by the banks with high charges for banking cash.

Also up on stage was Mark Barnett, UK 'president' of payments giant Mastercard, who believes cash is the Antichrist; Which? director of content Jenni Allen (it was their show after all); and John Hutton, director of payments at Nationwide Building Society.

The building society director was introduced by facilitator Joel Hills (ITV News) as a representative of Nationwide Bank, which only served to highlight the fact that the banks were absent from the stage.

For the record, representatives from Barclays, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, TSB (oh dear) and UK Finance (the banking industry's mouthpiece) were all spotted in the audience although none of them asked questions at the end. More spies than contributors.

Yet the star of the 'cash summit' by a country mile was Natalie Ceeney, author of the recent 'Access To Cash Review' report which highlighted the dangers of the country's relentless march towards a cashless society.

Warning: The MoS is campaigning to keep notes and coins available on Britains high streets

Wearing killer heels and spectacles that Miranda Priestly would have been proud to sport in The Devil Wears Prada, this former head of the Financial Ombudsman Service reiterated her fervent belief that everyone should have guaranteed access to cash in the future.

Unless action is taken soon, she said the country is in danger of 'sleepwalking into a cashless society'. A decade ago, she said six out of ten payments were made by cash. Now the number had fallen to below three and she predicted that cash could be gone in nine years' time.

After the event, I tracked down this pocket dynamo of an individual who has put cash back on the political and regulatory map.

Her original Access To Cash Review report prompted positive responses from Government, the Bank of England and banking representatives, resulting in the formation of the Joint Authorities Cash Strategy Group. The group's task is to ensure consumers have a choice in how they pay for goods and services  in other words, access to cash.

Your message is clear: Keep notes and coins Hundreds of readers have responded to our powerful campaign to keep cash on the high street, reports Toby Walne... Philip Burgess lives in the small market town of Ramsbottom in Lancashire. On Thursday, the last bank in town  Santander  will close its doors for the final time. The 58-year-old retired accountant says: 'Ours is a thriving community with lots of visitors coming to enjoy the shops and scenery of the Pennine Way. When I moved here 30 years ago there were four banks  now the nearest branch will be five miles away in Bury.' He adds: 'The elderly and vulnerable, especially those without cars, are being abandoned and it is a huge inconvenience to those who prefer face-to-face banking and need access to cash. The only ones that benefit are the banks that save themselves money.' Philip Burgess lives in the small market town of Ramsbottom in Lancashire. On Thursday, the last bank in town - Santander - will close its doors for the final time Access to cash is now available only via a small post office counter inside the local Morrisons supermarket  and a free cash machine. Barbara Cashell, from Tonyrefail in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales, is struggling to get her hands on cash after its post office closed two years ago. This followed the axeing of Barclays and Lloyds branches. The 71-year-old says: 'New houses are being built here to attract more residents, but the local financial infrastructure has been ripped out. The arrogance and lack of concern shown by the banks is appalling.' She adds: 'Fortunately, we still have three cash machines, but one is always broken, another charges 1 and the only free one is in a local Spar store at the top of a steep hill.' The Mail on Sunday has drawn up a Keep Our Cash Manifesto, which we believe would ensure that notes and coins remain widely available.

Ceeney genuinely believes progress is being made to stop cash becoming an endangered species. Indeed, she is enthused (more than me) by trade group UK Finance's announcement  made on the same day as the cash summit  that it is exploring ways in which the banking industry 'can work with local authorities to identify and report gaps in cash provision'.

It will update the world on its work by the end of September. Ceeney says this could form the framework for a so-called 'universal service obligation'.

This would ensure all communities of a certain population size (for example 1,000 plus) have free (and easily available) access to cash. This could be through a 24-hour, seven days a week ATM, a local post office, cashback in a local store or new ways of delivering cash.

Ideally, she says, this 'obligation' would be enshrined in law with communities able to 'appeal' against access to cash that they felt was not 'suitable'  for example, an ATM located at the top of a big hill, making it difficult for some elderly people to use. As for ATMs, she wants a more even nationwide distribution, even if it means a reduction in the numbers located in busy City centres.

As I left the so-called 'cash summit' and prepared for another drenching, I received an email from one of the delegates.

'Great to hear everyone agreeing that cash needs protecting,' they said. 'But as a consumer, I'm not sure who is going to fix this for me. There are too many regulators looking after different bits of the cash system but no one in charge of the whole.'

They added: 'We need someone in charge, a Cash Tsar, whose brief is to ensure access to cash is protected. They should then report to the Bank of England, given the importance of cash to the stability of the country's financial system.'

Guess who they suggested for such a role? No, not Mr Hemsley or Mr Barnett. Step forward Natalie Ceeney. With her zest and determination, cash has a chance of surviving. Without her input, the banks will roll all over us and strip the pounds from our wallets, just like they axed our branches. Mark my words...

Are you cut off from cash? Email: jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.ukThe House Judiciary Committee Chairman on Tuesday issued a subpoena for longtime Trump press aide Hope Hicks, in the latest escalation of the battle for documents and testimony.

The Democratic-led panel issued the subpoena hours after former White House counsel Don McGahn adhered to a White House directive and defied a subpoena to appear before the committee.

Hicks, 30, joined Trump's campaign from the Trump Organization, than followed her boss to the White House, where she became communications director, putting her near the center of key decision points. Upon leaving, she landed a job at Fox Corporation, parent company to Trump's preferred network, Fox News.

The House Judiciary has subpoenaed former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks seeking documents and testimony

As part of the initial skeleton crew of Trump's campaign effort, she is privy to an array of business and political information, and interacted with key players including McGahn, longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, and top campaign staff.

The subpoenas seeks information as well as a June appearance from her.

Hicks was among a group of 81 individuals and entities Nadler sought information from earlier this year as part of a sweeping investigation.

A document request sought information about the Comey firing, former national security director Mike Flynn, the recusal of former attorney general Jeff Sessions, a Trump tower project in Moscow, the response to the infamous Trump Tower meeting with Russians, and other topics. Initial indications were that Hicks was complying.

The panel also subpoenaed Annie Donaldson, who served as McGahn's chief of staff.

Her notes provided memorable fodder for Special Counsel Mueller's investigators.

She wrote of a 2017 internal meeting: 'POTUS in panic/chaos ... Need binders to put in front of POTUS. (1) All things related to Russia.'

And after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, Donaldson wrote: 'Is this the beginning of the end?'

The committee last month voted to authorize subpoenas for Hicks, McGahn, former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, former chief of staff Reince Priebus, and Donaldson.

Rep. Jerold Nadler said Tuesday that Donald Trump's conduct detailed in the Mueller report 'constitutes a crime'  and would be prosecuted were Trump not president.

Hicks, 30, joined Trump's campaign from the Trump Organization, than followed her boss to the White House, where she became communications director

Nadler, who has considerable influence over whether House Democrats go down the path of impeachment, made the stark statement Tuesday at a hearing where former White House counsel Don McGahn adhered to a White House directive and defied a subpoena to appear before Nadler's committee.

With no witness present, Nadler read aloud passages from the Mueller report  including passages describing when Trump told McGahn to contact deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein and tell him to push out Mueller, and then later draft a memo stating that Trump never told him to fire Mueller.

'I believe that each of these incidents documented in detail in the Mueller report constitutes a crime,' Nadler said, of the report's 10 instances of potential obstruction.

Former White House counsel Don McGahn defied a House Judiciary Committee subpoena on Tuesday. Chairman Jerold Nadler vowed: 'We will not allow the president to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness'

'But for the Department of Justice's policy of refusing to indict any sitting president I believe the president would have been indicted and charged with these crimes,' he continued. Then he cited a letter from 900 former federal prosecutors who signed a letter saying Trump would be charged if it weren't for internal guidelines against a sitting president being charged.

'I believe that the president's conduct since the report was released with respect to Mr. McGahn's testimony and other information we have sought have sought has carried this pattern of obstruction and cover-up well beyond the four corners of the Mueller report,' Nadler said.

'The president has declared out loud his intention to cover up this misconduct. He told Mr. McGahn to commit crimes on his behalf. He told Mr. McGahn to lie about it,' Nadler added.

President Trump hit back on Twitter, but not until late Tuesday afternoon.

'So even though I didnt have to do it with Presidential Privilege, I allowed everyone to testify, including White House Counsel Don McGahn (for over 30 hours), to Robert Mueller and the 18 Angry Trump-Hating Democrats, and they arrived ...at a conclusion of NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION!' Trump wrote.

'The Dems were unhappy with the outcome of the $40M Mueller Report, so now they want a do-over.,' Trump wrote.

Nadler's searing statement came as McGahn defied a House Judiciary Committee subpoena Tuesday  failing to show up for a hearing after the White House directed him not to appear and stated his immunity from subpoena.

Nadler blasted President Trump for efforts to 'intimidate' a witness, saying it was 'not remotely acceptable.'

'The witness must show up,' Nadler intoned. 'Our subpoenas are not optional.'

'If he does not immediately correct his mistake, this committee will have no choice but to enforce the subpoena against him,' Nadler said of McGahn at the start of the hearing, which continued without the witness present.

Nadler said the panel would hear from McGahn 'even if we have to go to court to secure it.'

'We will not allow the president to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness,' he said.

'We will not allow the president to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself and his allies above the law,' Nadler added. 'We will hold this president accountable, one way or the other.'

Ranking member Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia resonded, after Nadler read passages from the Mueller report based on McGahn's testimony  including McGahn's efforts to prevent Trump from pushing out Mueller.

VACANT: A name placard is displayed for former White House Counsel Don McGahn, who failed to appear despite a subpoena

McGahn features prominently in the Mueller report, which describes phone calls he received at home from Trump. McGahn says Trump told him to contact the deputy attorney general and have him tell Mueller he couldn't be special counsel

Nadler accused President Trump of intimidating McGahn from appearing

Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, accused Democrats of not engaging in the 'accommodation process' and 'rejecting olive branches from the administration'

Collins says Nadler left out that: 'There was no collusion. There was no obstruction charges. There's nothing here. After two years of doing this.'

He accused Nadler of seeking 'drama' and headlines, rather than information.

'I cannot emphasize this enough. The track record demonstrates he does not actually want information. He wants the fight, but he does not want the truth.'

He pointed to an incident when Attorney General Bill Barr refused to comply with a subpoena to appear, after Nadler insisted he be question by committee counsel about the Mueller report. The Democratic-run panel voted to hold Barr in contempt.

Trump has said he is fighting 'all of the subpoenas.'

On the committee's obstruction of justice inquiry, Collins said: 'That investigation was already done. Robert Mueller spent two years running it and then closed it,' he said.

'You know the one thing that we seem to avoid is Mr. Mueller himself, the one who wrote it,' said Collins. He claimed Democrats 'don't want to talk to the author.'

Collins accused Democrats of not engaging in the 'accommodation process' and 'rejecting olive branches from the administration.'

Mueller examined ten cases of potential obstruction, but made no determination. His report referenced the role of Congress, and Barr made his own determination not to prosecute two days after Mueller turned in his report.

After Nadler and Collins spoke, the committee quickly voted to adjourn  avoiding a prolonged hearing that might have lead to new talk of impeachment.

The subpoena fight came as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is fending off an intensified push from fellow Democrats and Judiciary Committee members who want to push ahead with an impeachment inquiry of President Trump.

The push comes after the White House has denied a series of requests for information  including a Judiciary Committee subpoena of the un-redacted Mueller report and Trump's tax return information. It also follows Attorney General William Barr's refusal to attend a Judiciary Committee hearing on the Mueller report.

The White House directed McGahn not to appear, citing Justice Department guidance that requiring a presidential advisor to appear is akin to forcing the president himself to appear, and therefore a violation of his own constitutional powers. It claimed his former role provides him 'absolute immunity' from being required to testify.

'The Department has long taken the position across administrations of both political parties that 'the President and his immediate advisers are absolutely immune from testimonial compulsion by a Congressional committee,' according to a letter from current White House counsel Pat Cippollone.

McGahn rejoined his law firm Jones Day after leaving the White House. This gives the White House an additional point of leverage. The firm represents the Trump campaign.

The Republican National Committee's top expense last month was $2 million paid to McGahn's firm. The Washington Post reported that were McGahn to testify, Trump has 'mused about instructing Republicans to cease dealing with the firm, which is deeply intertwined in Washington with the GOP'

He rejoined his old firm in March, and now heads its government regulation practice.

The issue came to head at a closed-door leadership meeting in Pelosi's office Monday.

Lawmakers including Rep. Jamie Raskin, David Cicilline of Rhode Island, and Joe Neguse of Colorado are pushing to move ahead on an impeachment inquiry now.

'Those of who serve on the house Judiciary Committee have been exposed right up front and close to Presidential obstruction of justice and high crimes and misdemeanors for a long time now,' Raskin told CNN Tuesday morning.

'And we are at a certain point in our educational process  that a lot of us think the logic may be inescapable  not for impeaching or not impeaching  but for launching an investigation into high crimes and misdemeanors so we can figure out what to do. The Constitution gives us a pathway through this crisis,' he said.

Cicilline tweeted Monday: 'If Don McGahn does not testify tomorrow, it will be time to begin an impeachment inquiry of @realDonaldTrump.'

During the hearing Tuesday, he tweeted that the witness 'is not present. I've made clear what this means for me.'

Pelosi, meanwhile, has cautioned in public and in private on the need to allow the investigatory process put in place to proceed  even amid White House defiance.

She was able to point to a Monday court ruling where a federal judge ruled that an accounting firm must comply with a subpoena for Trump financial information.

'You want to tell Elijah Cummings to go home?' she told members, bringing up a House Oversight Committee investigation.

The split came hours before the Judiciary Committee was to meet to hear testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn, who didn't show up, after the White House determined he should not as a former advisor to the president.Millions of Australians are set to have the way they live and work changed by a raft of new measures.

The country's lowest-paid workers will score a payrise of $21.60 a week but students will have to pay back their loans sooner.

Almost one million Australians will have their power bills cut, up to five million people are likely to benefit from changes to superannuation and transport will be cheaper in some states.

But, perhaps most bizarrely, the definition of one of our most well-loved farmyard animals will change for good.

Here, Daily Mail Australia takes a look at the looming changes and how they may affect you.

A big change for farmers...

From July 1, the definition of a 'lamb' will change in New South Wales

From July 1, the definition of a 'lamb' will change in New South Wales.

According to The Land newspaper, an animal will be considered to be a lamb only if it is 'under 12 months or with no permanent incisor teeth in wear'.

Some farmers had an issue where they would watch the value of their lambs plunge by as much of two thirds if their livestock lost a tooth just prior to sale.

Minimum wage increase

Australia's lowest paid workers will get a $21.60 a week pay rise, or a three per cent increase.

The national minimum wage will jump to $740.80 a week from July 1, the Fair Work Commission recently announced.

Unions had been calling for a six per cent rise, about $43 a week, while business groups were banking on a more modest increase of up to two per cent.

The national minimum wage will rise by three per cent to $740.80 a week from July 1 (stock image)

The commission's decision directly affects 2.2 million workers.

The increase to $740.80 a week for minimum wage earners equates to $38,521.60 a year before tax.

A full time low wage earner will be placed in to the second lowest tax bracket following the $18,200 tax-free threshold.

The changes will hit Australians' wallets during your employer's first full pay period starting on or after July 1.

Student fees

From July 1 2019, the new minimum HELP repayment threshold will be an income of $45,881 with a one per cent repayment rate.

There will be a further 17 thresholds and repayment rates, up to a top threshold of $134,573 at which ten per cent of income is repayable.

The lowest threshold has been reduced from $51,957.

Those earning $45,881 will be paying one per cent of their taxable income on tuition fee repayments, which works out at $459 a year.

Almost 2.7 million Australians now have a student debt, which stands at an average of $20,000.

Transport caps

Sydney residents will pay no more than $50 a week for trips on trains, buses, ferries and light rail under an election promise by the NSW government.

The cap, currently $63.20, will be reduced by 20 per cent from July 1.

'Public transport is a significant cost for regular commuters and we want to make it more affordable,' Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

'We expect around 55,000 commuters will benefit from the lower cap, with thousands to save up to $686 a year.'

Politicians

Federal politicians will receive a pay rise from July 1.

Ministers will be handed a two per cent pay rise, with Scott Morrison making in an extra $10,000 per year on top of his $538,460 salary.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's salary will go up by $8,000 from $388,312.

Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton, who currently earns around $357,247, will get a pay rise of just over $7,000.

Federal MPs will get a two per cent rise from their current base salary of $207,100 - taking it up to $211,242.

Power

Almost one million Australians will have their power bills cut from July under new government regulations.

Residents are set to save up to $181 per year, while business owners can save up to $896 per year.

The new rules affect customers in New South Wales, South Australia and south-east Queensland who are on a standard retail plan.

Almost one million Australians will have their power bills cut from July under new government regulations. Pictured: A power station

The Australian Energy Regulator announced on Tuesday a new default market offer, which will effectively cap prices for people on the plan from July 1.

For residents, the new default market offer will be $1,941 in South Australia, $1,570 in south-east Queensland and either $1,467, $1,720 or $1,957 in New South Wales, depending on provider.

For a small business, it will be $9,120 in South Australia, $6,025 in south-east Queensland and either $6,204, $7,371 or $8,045 in New South Wales.

What is a default market offer? All retailers are required to provide services to residential and small business customers under a standard retail contract if the small customer does not otherwise accept a market offer. It is designed to provide a safety net for consumers who had not engaged in the market, or for consumers who face barriers to accessing a market offer due to credit issues or other reasons. Advertisement

The new prices will lead to median savings for residents of $171 in South Australia, $118 in south-east Queensland and $129-$181 in New South Wales.

For businesses, annual savings will be $896 in South Australia, $457 in south-east Queensland and $579-$878 in New South Wales.

Standing to benefit are around 70,000 residents and 14,000 businesses in South Australia, 214,000 residents and 28,000 businesses in south-east Queensland and 473,000 residents and 75,000 businesses in New South Wales - a total of 867,000 people.

Standard retail plans - also called standing offers - are in place to provide for a small minority (around 10 to 15 per cent) who do not shop around for their electricity.

They are almost always more expensive than market rates where companies offer discounts.

Income tax

Proposed tax changes were laid out in the Coalition's budget in April. They will not be passed through parliament by July 1 but will be put to the House shortly and the government has signalled it would like the changes to be retrospective.

Taxpayers who earn between $1 and $37,000 will get a tax break of up to $255. Some 2.3 million taxpayers will get this amount.

Taxpayers who earn between $37,001 and $47,999 will get a tax break of between $255 and $1,080. Some 1.7 million taxpayers will get this amount.

Taxpayers who earn between $48,000 and $90,000 will get the full tax break of $1,080. 4.5 million taxpayers will get this amount. Couples would take home a maximum $2,160 a year.

Taxpayers who earn between $90,001 and $126,000 will get tax break starting at $1,080, with the number falling as salaries get bigger. 1.6 million taxpayers are in this bracket.

Taxpayers who earn $126,001 or more will get a $135 tax break.

Family tax benefits

Some Australians who receive Family Tax Benefit Part A may win an increase - but others will lose out.

From July 1, the scheme's income free area will jump from $94,316 to $98,988.

That means people with an income of more than $94,316 may receive a larger FTB part A.

But families with an adjusted taxable income over $98,988 will lose 30 cents for every dollar they earn over that amount.

Further changes are detailed by the Department of Human Services here.

Superannuation and life insurance

Major changes are coming to superannuation to stop companies from gobbling up retirement savings with fees and insurance premiums.

One of the biggest changes to be introduced is that super fees will be slashed to just 3 per cent for Australians who have less than $6,000 in their accounts.

Officials estimate this will benefit some five million Australians, particularly those who have just begun full time employment, or consumers with multiple accounts.

Beginning July 1 disability and life insurances attached to super will lapse if they have been 'inactive' for 16 months.

(Super accounts often come with death, disability and life insurances by default.)

This means insurance companies will be gobbling up less of your money if, for instance, it is languishing in multiple superannuation accounts.Its very hard to go from what feels like elementary school and feels like the same grade over and over and over again to finally being able to go to college and then having to go back to the same [elementary] grade, she says. It was just tough. Im not saying it made me sad or anything. But it didnt feel great. And after [K.C.] was done, it was weird because Ive had a consistent job, or that kind of schedule, since I was, like, 13. So then to face the fact that I didnt have that anymore was a little weird. And all the scripts I was getting just did not feel right to me because they were with the pretense of what Id done already, still in that world. Nothing fit. Nothing worked.Dulcie Markham was the prettiest prostitute in the razor gang era of inner-city Sydney

The underworld called her the Black Widow and the newspapers dubbed her the Angel of Death but 'Pretty' Dulcie Markham said she was a just an ordinary girl.

Markham was the most attractive and expensive prostitute to work the streets of Sydney when the inner city was ruled by the 'razor gangs' of the late 1920s and early 1930s.

But her main claim to infamy was the number of her lovers - at least eight - who would meet violent deaths at the end of a gun barrel or the point of a blade.

Between 1930 and the 1950s Markham racked up almost 100 convictions for offences including prostitution, consorting, vagrancy, drunkenness, keeping a brothel and assaulting police and members of the public.

Unusually, her offending ranged outside her hometown of Sydney to the capital cities of Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

Markham's company did not come cheap - she could charge up to 2 for her services when that was about half the average weekly wage for a man and a few shillings less than the weekly wage for a woman.

The underworld called her the Black Widow and the newspapers dubbed her the Angel of Death but 'Pretty' Dulcie Markham said she was a just an ordinary girl. Markham was the most expensive prostitute to work the mean streets of Sydney in the late 1920s and early 1930s

Dulcie Markham first became involved with gunman Guido Calletti, who was married to the infamous prostitute Nellie Cameron, about 1936. He was shot dead at Woolloomooloo in 1939

She sometimes worked under exotic names such as Tosca De Marca and went through the courts using the aliases Mary Williams, Dulcie Johnson and Mary Eugene.

The feared Sydney policeman Frank 'Bumper' Farrell once told a judge Markham was 'past redemption' but still gave the eulogy at her funeral.

Australia's first female detective, Lilian Armfield, tried to reform the young Markham despite once saying she was 'completely incorrigible'.

In the late 1940s she was arrested wielding an axe in her underwear as she chased a client down a Melbourne street.

'The bastard insulted me about the price,' she told onlookers.

Author and academic Leigh Straw has now told this extraordinary story in a new book, 'Angel Of Death: Dulcie Markham, Australia's most beautiful bad woman'.

'Dulcie started out as a teenage streetwalker around eastern Sydney before working in brothels and becoming involved in the underworld mainstays of drugs, gambling and sly grog,' Straw writes.

Nellie Cameron was Dulcie Markham's only competition for sex appeal among prostitutes working in Sydney in the 1920s and 1930s. Cameron was married to gunman Guido Calletti

'Violence was a part of life in the Australian underworlds, but it was the intimate nature of the violence that captured media interest in Dulcie.

'Gangsters found it easy to fall in love with her but harder to stay alive. Newspapers wrote that she "had a closer view of violent death than probably any other woman in Australia".

'At least a dozen of her lovers and husbands were stabbed and gunned down, and she also witnessed or even, police would allege, encouraged other murders.'

Markham's stunning looks stood out in an era when Sydney's gangland, including prostitution, was dominated by women such as sly grog queen Kate Leigh and brothel madam Tilly Devine.

She once said of herself: 'I was pert, more than ordinarily pretty, and fellows took a lot of notice of me.'

Her only competition for raw sex appeal among prostitutes was Nellie Cameron but not even she was compared favourably with the Hollywood star Ginger Rogers.

Notorious madam Tilly Devine ran a string of prostitutes out of brothels in inner-city Sydney during the razor gang era. She employed Dulcie Markham, who was one of her best earners

Former detective Bill Harris described Markham as having had 'a magnificent figure and she walked better than any model'.

'I'd rate her 12 out of 10,' Harris said. He rated Nellie Cameron 'a seven or eight' and Kate Leigh 'minus two'.

Straw writes that Markham's life 'played out like a Hollywood movie and she was the star attraction'.

'Her highly charged sexual image could just as easily have translated into a 1930s or 1940s film noir role.'

'Had she taken a different course in life, and not run away from home and become a prostitute, perhaps she could have been an actress.

'In her real-life story, Dulcie is a beautiful, captivating and complex character regularly featured in sensational crime stories and horrendous murders.

'The story of her life is one of love and loss, vengeance and violence, and offers a warts-and-all insight into what it was like to live and work in Australia's underworlds from the 1920s to the 1950s.'

Between 1930 and the 1950s Markham racked up almost 100 convictions for offences including prostitution, consorting, vagrancy, drunkenness, keeping a brothel and assault

Markham kept company with some of the most violent criminals in Sydney and the other east coast capital cities. She was often called a femme fatale.

'She ensnared her lovers, many of them married men, and kept husbands and boyfriends at the same time, one or two at once in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne,' Straw writes.

'In newspaper stories and courtroom testimonies, she was the underworld beauty who led her lovers into dangerous and deadly situations.

Guido Calletti was one of Dulcie Markham's underworld lovers to meet a violent death

'They didnt like sharing her with others, though they were perfectly fine with profiting from her sex work.

'Jealousy over Dulcie was behind many of the underworld shootings in the 1930s and 1940s.'

Dulcie May Markham was born in Crown Street Women's Hospital in Sydney's inner-city Surry Hills on February 27, 1914.

She ran away from home and became a prostitute at 15 and was soon working for the notorious Tilly Devine.

An early lover was standover man Cecil 'Scotty' McCormack who ran a fruit barrow in Darlinghurst with gunman Guido Calletti.

While McCormack was in prison Markham took up with small-time crook Alfred Dillon, who stabbed McCormack to death at Darlinghurst in 1931.

Markham reportedly wore a black wig for some time out of respect for McCormack and wept and waved at Dillon in court when he was sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter.

In 1936 she married another criminal, Frank Bowen, and while that union did not last the couple never divorced.

Kate Leigh was one of two female crime bosses in the razor gang era in Sydney. Leigh sold sly grog and cocaine while Tilly Devine dominated prostitution in East Sydney and Darlinghurst

About that time Markham first became involved with Calletti, who was married to the infamous prostitute Nellie Cameron and the pair continued an affair for years.

In 1937 Markham was working in Melbourne and had taken up with another gunman, Arthur 'The Egg' Taplin, as her pimp and lover. Taplin was shot dead in a bar the same year.

Calletti was shot dead at Woolloomooloo in 1939. Markham's first husband Frank Bowen was shot dead at Kings Cross in 1940.

WHAT WERE THE RAZOR GANGS? Violent gangs ruled the roaring Sydney underworld of the late 1920s and early 1930s waging war with weapons including cut-throat razors Razors became the gangs' weapon of choice after strict laws banning pistols were introduced in 1927 The razor gangs built criminal empires based on sly (illegal) grog, prostitution, cocaine, extortion and gambling Two leading figures in the 'razor wars' were women: London-born Matilda 'Tilly' Devine and Dubbo-born Kate Leigh Advertisement

That year Markham took another trip to Melbourne, where a new boyfriend, John Charles Abrahams, was shot and killed outside his sister's home. The main suspect, Frederick 'Paddles' Anderson was another of Markham's lovers.

World War II drew Markham to Queensland where by 1943 she was taking advantage of the influx of American servicemen wanting her services.

In November 1944 Markham was back living in East Sydney when she shot a soldier at her home. Markham took the solider to hospital, claiming she had found him in the Domain, and was not charged.

Another presumed boyfriend, gangland heavy Donald 'The Duck' Day was shot dead in Sydney in January 1945.

By the end of World War II Markham was back in Melbourne and in September 1945 her then partner, criminal Leslie 'Scotland Yard' Walkerden, was shot dead.

Two years later Markham stood trial in Sydney for conspiring to murder Valma Hull, the wife of Days killer, Keith Kitchener Hull, but the charges were later dropped.

Returning to Melbourne, Markham was herself shot in the hip during a wild party at St Kilda in September 1951. Her then beau, Gavan Walsh, was shot and killed at the same cocaine-fuelled shindig. Markham failed to identify Walsh's killers.

'A prostitute by the time she was 15, and a gangster's girlfriend at 17,' writes Leigh Straw. 'With her dyed blonde hair and deep blue eyes, young flapper Dulcie made her mark on Sydney'

While still recovering from that shooting Markham married Leonard 'Redda' Lewis in the room where Walsh had been murdered and the couple settled in Sydney.

Lewis was shot six times at his parents' flat in Melbourne in April 1952, and again in June the following year. Unlike his marriage to Markham, he survived.

Despite the trail of destruction Markham left in her wake she always objected to being called an angel of death or black widow.

'Because men who have loved me have died, I've been called these silly names,' she complained in the 1940s.

Angel of Death by Leigh Straw is published by ABC Books and is now available for $32.99

'I've even been sketched in one newspaper, feet apart, hair flying loose and holding a smoking gun.

'But I'm no gun girl. I've never touched a gun in my life. It's just unfortunate that those men have died.

'Believe me, I'm just an ordinary girl. These things have been thrust upon me.'

Straw writes there was speculation that a curse followed Markham as she moved through the small world of Australian crime.

'We could explain this away as Dulcie simply living and working in criminal circles that brought with them their fair share of violence.

'What sets Dulcie apart, however, is that she was directly connected to a number of violent deaths and seemed to have become the pin-up girl for Australian crime.'

Markham moved to Bondi in the 1950s but did not really leave her past behind. In 1955 a male visitor, presumed to have been a client, threw her off the first floor of a block of flats.

Having suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and other internal injuries, Markham refused to report the incident as a crime.

'There's nothing to it, dear,' she told one reporter.

'I simply rolled down a flight of stairs. I'm a very sick girl, but don't worry about me, honey, I'll come good.'

Markham never fully recovered from her injuries and became known locally as the 'limping blonde'.

Her days as a successful prostitute were over and she appeared in court for the last time in 1957, charged with soliciting and having no lawful means of support.

Dulcie Markham is pictured here arriving at the Supreme Court of Victoria where she appeared as a witness to the fatal shooting of her lover Gavan Walsh. Markham had also been shot

The now no longer pretty Dulcie Markham told a magistrate she had sold 'the last of her jewels and furs to survive'.

Markham finally found one last love with sailor Martin Rooney and married him in 1972. The couple lived quietly in a two-storey house in Moore Street, Bondi.

On April 20, 1976, the retired prostitute and gangster's moll fell asleep while smoking in bed and died of asphyxiation. She was 62.

Her husband told reporters: 'I loved the woman.'

'She was a wonderful housewife and we both wanted to forget the past. She was Mrs Rooney, not "Pretty Dulcie Markham", and that's how she'll be buried.'

Markham's funeral was held at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Bondi, where Frank 'Bumper' Farrell delivered a glowing eulogy.

'There will never be another like her,' Farrell told mourners.

'She ran with a hard bunch and she was a hard woman.'

Angel of Death by Leigh Straw is published by ABC Books and is now available for $32.99 at all good bookstores and online.Eight years ago almost to the day the head of Victoria's maximum security Barwon Prison vanished.

David Prideaux was 50 when the experienced hunter went on a trip with his brother-in-law in Victoria's rugged Alpine National Park on Mount Stirling and simply vanished.

The terrain along the Buckland Spur Track is notoriously harsh, and is trekked by experienced bushmen who know most of everything that could go wrong.

But vanish he did. Gone without a trace.

Ever since, conspiracies about what happened to the prison boss have abounded - from being killed by gangland figures to faking his own disappearance.

Barwon Prison boss David Prideaux went missing on Mount Stirling while on a hunting trip in 2011. His body has never been found

Tomahawk Hut on Mount Stirling. Mr Prideaux signed the guest book there before heading out to hunt deer. He never returned

Mistakes happen when one goes bush. Just ask former Victorian Water Minister Tim Holding, who fell off Mount Feathertop while attempting a solo hike back in 2009.

Mr Holding was found, but Mr Prideaux was not so lucky. Everyone who knew him said he was prepared.

He was no slouch when it came to living it rough.

But the timing of Mr Prideaux's disappearance could not have come at a more interesting time in Victoria's criminal history.

Melbourne underworld kingpin Carl William had only a year earlier being bashed to death inside the very prison Mr Prideaux was in control of.

Williams had been giving information to police about a murder that involved an allegation that one of their own had organised a hit on an informer.

Police had made arrangements with Mr Prideaux for release visits, where Williams could rat on his underworld friends.

The police had made a deal to pay the school fees of his daughter in return for the damning information.

Williams was bludgeoned to death inside Barwon Prison while reading a front page story of that very deal.

Matthew Johnson prepares to murder Carl Williams as he reads a newspaper containing a front page article that outed him as a rat. Barwon Prison officials later came under fire for housing Williams with a man known for his hatred of police informers

Mystery in the bush April 2010: Carl Williams is murdered in Barwon Prison June 4, 2011: Barwon Prison boss David Prideaux vanishes on Mount Feathertop The search officially ended eight days after Mr Prideaux entered the forest Police investigate foul play linked to Williams' death October 2011: The search resumes over 50 hectares of dense forest Reports emerge he had been having an affair when he disappeared December 8, 2012: A newspaper reports that Mr Prideaux had been seen in Broome 2014: The coroner declares Mr Prideaux dead Advertisement

It was a messy end to what had been a bloody period of unbridled murder in Melbourne.

A history that now extended to the very concrete blocks where the surviving members of the so called 'Underbelly War' were being housed.

When Mr Prideaux went missing, reports suggested he had possessed copies of statements on a CD ROM made by Williams and his father, George, including the allegations of police involvement in corruption and murder.

The Australian reported that during the eight-day search for Mr Prideaux, a work colleague found sensitive files in his four-wheel-drive vehicle parked at the remote Tomahawk Hut, on the Buckland Spur Track, where he was last seen.

Police were unable to find the CD-ROM in the car and later searches of Mr Prideaux's home in suburban Melbourne and office failed to turn up the disk.

Rumours that he had been taken out by gangland figures started to emerge from unlikely places.

Paul Prideaux was vocal about what he believed may have happened to his brother.

His public thoughts divided his family amid accusations of betrayal, adultery, conspiracy and murder.

The former bank robber was the black sheep of the family.

Both David and his other brother Peter, had been prison staff.

'I'm going to cop a barrage of abuse for speaking out about this, but I'm doing this for my [late] father,' he told crime reporter Adam Shand in 2013.

'I know he would be saying, "Get in there boots and all and find the truth".'

One of seven boys, David Prideaux had a love for the Aussie bush and was no stranger to the kind of terrain he went missing in.

He had taken off with his hunting partner, Robbie Dale, who is married to David's elder sister Janine, for a four-day trip.

Matthew Johnson inside Barwon Prision. He murdered Carl Williams about a year before David Prideaux went missing in the bush. Some have linked his disappearance to his involvement with Williams turning rat

The prison boss was apparently obsessed with 'risk management' and had been prepared for the cold and formidable conditions.

On June 4, he signed the guest book at Tomahawk Hut: 'Thanks to VicHuts, cheers'.

Robbie Dale later told police that he and David had set off from the hut at 7.45 the next morning. They separated with a plan to circle the same mountain in opposite directions and meet back at the hut for lunch.

David had a new rifle and camo gear, with a high visibility beanie to avoid any unfortunate hunting accidents.

He had binoculars and a backpack loaded with food, water, a UHF radio, compass and a GPS.

He even had a space blanket in case he had to spend the night in the open.

But he left his mobile phone in his LandCruiser at the hut - there was no reception anyway.

When David didn't return for lunch, Mr Dale went back out to look for him.

It would be close to 9pm before he called the police. He hadn't been able to get phone reception either.

More than 100 police, search and rescue officers, State Emergency Service and volunteers from the Bush Search and Rescue descended on the area at first light.

Carl Williams' statements were allegedly being held by David Prideaux at the time of his disappearance. A murder prosecution against a former police officer died with Williams' death. Some say Mr Prideaux may have been able to give evidence about those statements

Two helicopters with thermal imaging technology were flown in and rescue teams scoured the bush of foot, on horses, trail bikes and in four-wheel-drives.

Another 40 family and friends came up from Melbourne and from interstate to search too.

Police didn't get around to formally interviewing Mr Dale until much later in the week.

It was a move that would later come under fire as the Prideaux family turned the search into one for answers.

Police had also broken into David's car to get his phone, but failed to forensically test the vehicle.

It was then used to bus searchers about - contaminating any potential evidence.

As the days dragged on, things started to get stranger.

Two clairvoyants claimed to know where he was, and there began to be supposed sightings of the missing prison boss.

One hunter claimed to have seen David 25km away on the Zeka Spur Track, a place familiar to the Prideaux family.

But the snow came in and the search was called off.

The investigation turned to the Williams case, which saw prison staff come under fire for allowing the murder to happen.

Paul Prideaux later claimed he had been told by underworld connections that his brother was approached by two people he knew on the Buckland Spur Track; one was a prison warder.

While one kept David busy, the other shot him three times in the back.

His body was buried in a shallow grave nearby on land owned by a well-known crime identity.

The search resumed again in October that year over nearly 50 square kilometres.

Not a trace of him was found.

That Christmas a story appeared in a Melbourne newspaper that stated it was likely Mr Prideaux's remains had been eaten by wild dogs which spread his bones over several kilometres.

The reporter received a letter from the Prideaux family saying they hoped he choked on a bone during his Christmas turkey dinner.

David Prideaux was boss of Barwon Prison (above) which houses some of Victoria's worst offenders

If Mr Prideaux had been eaten by dogs, where was his clothing, rifle and backpack?

None of it has ever been found.

Then the stories began that Mr Prideaux had actually faked his own death and had fled to live with a secret lover.

About a year after he vanished, The Australian broke the news that David had been having an affair.

Within days, the Herald Sun published a story police were investigating a sighting of David in the West Australian resort town of Broome.

The newspaper sent a reporter there, who found nothing more than a few beers and some seafood dinners he charged back to Rupert Murdoch.

Weeks after his disappearance, a family member claimed that he was 90 per cent sure he'd seen David in Melbourne's east, driving a Nissan Navara.

The prison boss had been a Toyota fan and a staunch family man.

If he was on the run, he never again touched his bank accounts or credit cards.

While David's body remains unaccounted for, the theories and speculation will continue.

The reality is probably more tragic.

Rescuers said the vegetation was so dense where David went missing that rescuers walking metres apart were invisible to each other.

In 2012, Peter Prideaux told the Herald Sun he knew his brother was not alive.

'I'm convinced he died of natural causes very quickly and was unable to tell anyone of his location,' he said.

He dismissed the conspiracy theories as 'bulls**t'.

Peter said his brother loved his family and friends too much to ever go underground.

'He wouldn't have lasted 18 minutes, let alone 18 months,' he said.

In July 2014, Deputy State Coroner Iain West declared David Prideaux officially dead.

Mr West said he was satisfied there was no credible evidence to suggest David was still alive or had been murdered.

'(Police) believe that he died from a major medical event or a serious accident that caused him to be incapable of movement or communication while hunting in the vicinity of Tomahawk Hut,' he said.

As far as the law is concerned, David Prideaux was claimed by the forest.Salim Mehajer's wife and six sisters never could have predicted the fallout from his infamy - from jail sentences to bankruptcies, big weddings and spectacular break-ups.

Few had heard of the Auburn deputy mayor until his 2015 'wedding of the century' to sweetheart Aysha Learmonth, where he controversially shut down an entire street in Sydney's west with a fleet of luxury cars.

Mehajer, who recently walked free from prison over electoral fraud, has been known for his outlandish antics ever since. But his six sisters and now ex-wife have suffered from the spotlight too.

Siblings Fatima, Zenah, Sanaa, Aisha, Mary and Kat and his ex-wife Aysha have been dragged along through Mehajer's ups and downs.

Daily Mail Australia takes a look at what has happened to the women in his family.

Scroll down for video

Outlandish antics: Few had heard of Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer until his 'wedding of the century' in 2015 where he shut down an entire street in Sydney's west

A rare photo of the six Mehajer sisters: (From left) Sanaa, Zenah, Aiisha, Kat, Fatima and Mary

AYSHA MEHAJER:

Bankrupt wife now out of the spotlight

Mehajer infamously married Aysha - originally known as April Learmonth - in 2015's mammoth ceremony, bringing their relationship under media scrutiny.

'She changed her whole life for him,' a school chum told Daily Mail Australia shortly after the wedding.

Ms Learmonth met the now-disgraced councillor in about 2008, converted to Islam, changed her name and worked for his property development firm, the Sydney Project Group.

But their relationship fell apart, with sensational video emerging of Mehajer bellowing at Aysha, and police bringing an AVO against him on her behalf.

Mehajer married Aysha - originally known as April Learmonth - in 2015 and their relationship soon came under the spotlight

Ms Learmonth met the disgraced councillor around 2008 and then converted to Islam and worked for his property development firm, the Sydney Project Group

Mehajer screamed in the clip: 'Aysha, you've got five minutes to give me a call. If you don't call me in five minutes, I'm going to rape your mum, your mum and your f---ing dad. Call me now'.

Since their split, Aysha has managed to keep largely out of the public eye, and returned to work as a beautician, launching the Sydney clinic Sculpting Haus.

Ms Learmonth was declared bankrupt on August 27, 2018, bankruptcy records seen by Daily Mail Australia show.

The bankruptcy relates to a $2 million sum owed by Mr Mehajer's companies, The Australian newspaper reported last year.

SANAA MEHAJER:

Briefly married to a convicted killer and now a charity operator

Sanaa, the second youngest of Salim's sisters, long flew under the radar as her older siblings made headlines.

But towards the end of 2017 she emerged from the family's rather large shadow, with Daily Mail Australia revealing she had suddenly tied the knot with Moudi Tajjour.

Tajjour is the former president of the Nomads motorcycle gang. He was once jailed for manslaughter.

The second youngest of eight siblings, Sanaa emerged from the family's rather large shadow in 2017, when she revealed she had suddenly tied the knot with Moudi Tajjour (pictured)

Tajjour is the former Nomads national vice-president who was once jailed for manslaughter, but their marriage was short lived and ended with her taking an AVO out against him

Their marriage was short lived and ended with police bringing an AVO out against Tajjour on her behalf.

Sanaa, 23, previously said she knew the relationship was over during their honeymoon when Tajjour allegedly called her names.

She said that she knew about his violent past but said she did not see bad behaviour from him before they wed.

Last year Sanaa announced she was starting a charity called Girls on a Mission, to help victims of domestic violence.

Sanaa said that she knew about her husband's past prior to their marriage

Sanaa remains close with her high profile Lebanese family, telling Daily Mail Australia last year that they're 'each other's number one fans' (above with younger sister Mary, right)

Her charity aims to help disadvantaged women in Australia and overseas with a 'focus on transparency'.

Despite publicly coming out to announce the establishment of her charity, Sanaa now keeps a relatively low profile on social media.

She has just 21 followers on her private Instagram account.

Sanaa remains close with her high profile Lebanese family. She told Daily Mail Australia last year that they're 'each other's number one fans'.

MARY MEHAJER:

More glamorous than ever

Mehajer's younger sister Mary burst into the spotlight when she controversially won a beauty contest, Miss Lebanon Australia, in 2016.

Nowadays, Mary is somewhat of an Instagram influencer, with nearly 15,000 followers.

Mary Mehajer, above, was controversially crowned Miss Lebanon Australia in 2016

Now: The 21-year-old has kept up her glamorous lifestyle since her pageant days, and regularly posts photos in elegant gowns and heavy makeup to her popular Instagram page

The 21-year-old has kept up her glamorous lifestyle.

She regularly posts photos in elegant gowns and heavy makeup, and pumps out promotional brand content to her large audience of followers.

Mary remains close with her older sister Sanaa, who is just two years her senior, and attended her charity opening for Girls on a Mission.

ZENAH OSMAN

Struck off the roll of lawyers

Arguably the most low profile of the women in Mehajer's life is his sister Zenah Osman, a former solicitor.

In May last year, Ms Osman was purged from the New South Wales roll of lawyers for trying to mislead the Federal Court.

Ms Osman had told the court she worked for a number of creditors for her brother's collapsed development company.

Arguably the most low profile of the women in Mehajer's life is his sister Zenah Osman, a former solicitor

In yet another legal headache for the Mehajer family, Osman was purged from the roll of lawyers in May last year for trying to mislead the Federal Court. Pictured with sister Aiisha (left)

Ms Osman was struck off the roll and ordered to pay New South Wales Law Society's costs

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Ms Osman 'knew or ought to have known' her claim about acting for the creditors 'was false'.

In documents published online, the tribunal said there was 'no evidence' she had demonstrated any remorse over the incident.

'It is trite to say that a legal practitioner misleading a court in which she or he appears must be amongst the most egregious misconduct that a legal professional can commit,' the three-member tribunal ruled.

Ms Osman was struck off the lawyer's roll and ordered to pay New South Wales Law Society's costs.

FATIMA ELKHEIR NEE MEHAJER

Suspended jail sentence for electoral fraud

Mehajer's sister Fatima Elkheir made headlines in 2016 when the Australian Federal Police accused her of involvement in a dodgy election plan with her brother.

Prosecutors allege Salim and Fatima submitted 77 online applications to enrol or update voter details with false information, in the lead-up to the 2012 Auburn council election.

Elkheir, now 29, pleaded guilty to 77 charges against her and narrowly escaped time behind bars for her involvement. She was given a two month suspended prison sentence.

Mehajer's sister Fatima Elkheir made headlines in 2016 when the Australian Federal Police accused her of involvement in a dodgy election plan with Salim

Prosecutors allege Fatima (left) and her brother Salim submitted 77 online applications to enrol or update voter details with false information

Like her brother, Elkheir has shown a taste for big budget celebrations. In 2016 she splashed $10,000 on her daughter's princess-themed first birthday party (pictured with husband Jamal and daughter Sophie-Rose)

A magistrate said text messages between Elkheir and Mehajer showed she had been reluctant to get involved in the fraud.

Like her brother, Elkheir has shown a taste for big budget celebrations.

In 2016 she splashed $10,000 on her daughter's princess-themed first birthday party.

KHADIJEH MEHAJER

Physical transformation and a mega wedding for herself

Salim's younger sister Khadijeh, or 'Kat,' took a leaf out of her brother's playbok and held a mega-wedding of her own, rumoured to have cost upwards of $1 million.

Mrs Sakalaki even allowed media access to her lavish nuptials at Doltone House, where she tied the knot with Ibrahim Sakalaki.

With more than 30,000 Instagram followers, Salim's younger sister Khadijeh, or 'Kat,' has an opulent lifestyle. Pictured with son Abraham

Mrs Sakalaki and her IT engineer husband Ibrahim Sakalaki (right) have a one-year-old son together, named Abraham, who she regularly posts to her Instagram

She first made headlines when pictures emerged of her dramatic physical transformation over the years. Pictured: before having cosmetic procedures

Mrs Sakalaki and her IT engineer husband have a one-year-old son together, named Abraham, who she regularly posts to her Instagram.

With more than 30,000 Instagram followers, Ms Sakalaki has an opulent lifestyle.

She first made headlines when pictures emerged of her dramatic physical transformation over the years.

AIISHA

Married to an Ibrahim

Mehajer's sister Aiisha managed to connect her family with Australia's equally as notorious clan - the Ibrahims.

In November 2017, Aiisha married Hassan Sam Sayour, the nephew of nightclub identity John Ibrahim.

In November 2017, Aiisha married Hassan Sam Sayour, the nephew of nightclub identity John Ibrahim

Like her sister Khadijeh, Aiisha has also gone under a drastic physical transformation over the past decade

Their extravagant wedding followed suit with the Mehajer lavishness, and came after the shooting of John Ibrahim's bodyguard Semi 'Tongan Sam' Ngata the night before.

Like Khadijeh, Aiisha has also gone under a drastic physical transformation over the past decade.Investigators will next week announce criminal proceedings against suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 five years ago, allegedly by pro-Russian separatists, two leading Dutch broadcasters reported on Friday.

MH17 was shot out of the sky over territory held by separatists in eastern Ukraine as it flew from Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people on board.

About two-thirds of the passengers were Dutch.

Scroll down for video

A pro-Russian separatist stands at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014

The reconstructed wreckage of MH17 is presented to the media by Dutch investigators back in 2015

Dutch prosecutors said on Friday a multi-national investigation team would present its latest findings to media and families on June 19.

A spokesman for the national Dutch prosecution service declined to specify what would be announced.

Citing anonymous sources, broadcaster RTL reported that the public prosecution service had decided to launch a case against several MH17 suspects.

National public broadcaster NOS also reported that criminal proceedings will be announced against individual suspects.

No suspects were named in the reports.

The Joint Investigation Team, which seeks to try the suspects under Dutch law, has said the missile system came from the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, based in the western Russian city of Kursk.

MH17 taking off from Amsterdam's Schipol airport just 24 hours before it was shot down over Ukraine

Investigators had said their next step would be to identify individual culprits and to attempt to put them on trial.

Dutch officials have said Russia has refused to cooperate.

Russia is not expected to surrender any potential suspects who may be on its territory and authorities have said individuals could be tried in absentia.

The Joint Investigation Team was formed in 2014 by Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine to investigate collaboratively.

The Netherlands and Australia, which lost 38 people, hold Russia legally responsible. Moscow denies all involvement and maintains that it does not support, financially or with equipment, pro-Russian rebels fighting Ukrainian government troops.Prosecutors claim a former cop applied for a job with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in order to help drug-trafficker friends evade law enforcement.

Fernando Gomez, who is awaiting trial in New York on conspiracy charges, became a DEA agent in 2011 after years of serving as a police officer outside Chicago.

The 41-year-old has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and smuggling firearms to members of La Organizacion de Narcotraficantes Unidos, or La ONU, a drug-trafficking enterprise in Puerto Rico.

Law enforcement claim La ONU slaughtered drug rivals and exported hundreds of kilograms of narcotics to New York City.

In a court filing this month, federal prosecutors accuse Gomez of becoming a criminal associate of the gang while he was still in the Evanston Police Department, where he worked between 2004 and 2011.

Prosecutors claim Fernando Gomez applied for a job with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in order to help drug-trafficker friends evade law enforcement

Prosecutors claim that Gomez, who grew up in Puerto Rico, became a close friend of La ONU member Jose Martinez-Diaz.

Gomez is accused of providing firearms to Martinez-Diaz, who, along with several other defendants, is accused of conspiring to smuggle large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York.

Gomez also allegedly picked up $45,000 in drug money in the Boston area and transported it to Puerto Rico, receiving $5,000 for his efforts.

Gomez then applied for a job at the DEA in 2010 to allegedly obtain inside information and help the racketeering enterprise evade law enforcement.

'Martinez-Diaz and Gomez decided that Gomez should apply to the DEA in order to better assist Martinez-Diaz,' prosecutors wrote in the filing.

'Gomez said that once he joined the DEA, he and Martinez-Diaz would be 'unstoppable.''

Gomez worked before for the Evanston Police Department from 2004 and 2011, before he joined the DEA

During the DEA's screening process, Gomez informed an investigator that he was 'unaware of any associates having involvement in criminal activities'.

After he got the job as an agent, prosecutors said Gomez divulged the DEA playbook to La ONU, helped drug-traffickers evade law enforcement and even accessed DEA files on the drug ring's behalf.

Gomez was arrested in December at the DEA's Chicago field division.

He is scheduled to stand trial in September in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.Advertisement

Albania's Cold War paranoia dots the landscape with 175,000 concrete bunkers which were built at great cost and time for the nuclear Armageddon that never came.

Communist leader Enver Hoxha ordered the 'bunkerizimi' throughout the country under his isolationist rule from the 1960s to the 1980s.

They were built in the snow-covered mountains, on sandy beaches, lush meadows, quiet forests and even within the grounds of the country's most famous hotel.

An Albanian tank passes a bunker positioned near the border with Yugoslavia during army exercises near the northern Albanian village of Morina during the Kososvo War of 1999 - thousands of civilians died during the ferocious war between Albanians backed by NATO and Yugoslavia

The bunkers were laid out in lines, spreading from central command bunkers which were visible to all the others to allow for communication through slits - guns would protrude from the slits and lights would shine from the central bunkers to signal to the others

A bunker sits on a cliff beside the azure shores of Lake Ohrid which ripples amongst the mountains that run along the southwestern border of North Macedonia and eastern Albania - the bunkers were built across the country, in every clime

A reinforced nuclear bunker sits high in the Prokletije Mountains - the Albanian Alps, also known as the Accursed mountains - the stunning snow-capped mountain ranges of the Balkans were not immune to the fears of the Communist regime who had the bunkers constructed high and low

Photographs illustrating the political persecution of some 100,000 Albanians from 1945 until 1991 during the former communist regime cover the walls of a bunker at a museum in the capital, Tirana

The tops of the iconic domes sprout through the flushing meadows of an Albanian spring in an isolated forest outside the city of Durres which lies on the Adriatic coast

Hoxha's breakaway from Nikita Kruschev's Soviet Union and hostility towards NATO meant he feared airborne attacks from all sides.

The head of state had the bunkers laid out in lines, spreading from central command bunkers which were visible to all the others to allow for communication through slits.

Their concrete was reinforced with steel and iron, and they ranged in size from small two-man gunner boxes to massive domes with underground networks for high-ranking party members and military officers.

A larger bunker sits on an Albanian lake - they ranged in size from small two-man gunner boxes to massive domes with underground networks for high-ranking party members and military officers

A horse grazes on the meadow beside a decaying nuclear bunker in the Albanian mountains - the Communist leader Enver Hoxha's breakaway from Nikita Kruschev's Soviet Union and hostility towards NATO meant he feared airborne attacks from all side

An Albanian walks near an artillery bunker encircled by barbed wire on the Adriatic Sea shore near Tale, in Albania's northern Lezhe region some 44 miles from capital Tirana - one of the four bunkers was transformed into a backpacker's hostel by German and Albanian architecture students

People stand outside a communist-era heavy artillery bunker fitted as a hostel, on the Adriatic Sea shore near Tale - the bunker was transformed into a hostel and furnished by architecture students in 2012

A classic example of an Albanian bunker with a broad slit for communication, receiving supplies and firing back at the enemy

An Albanian girl plays at Seman beach near the city of Fier, some 93 miles south of capital Tirana on July 15, 2009. The army has made efforts to clean some of the beaches of many of the concrete bunkers built during Albania's self-imposed isolation period but thousands still remain throughout the land

They were a colossal drain on Albania's feeble economy and did not see action until the ferocious Albanian Civil War of the 1990s and the Kosovo War in 1999.

Bullets sprayed across the dome studded landscape during the civil war and citizens fled to the bunkers in terror during the shelling of the Kosovo war.

More than 25 years since the Communists' fall, large bunkers serve as sheep barns, bars, restaurants, public toilets, hotels, museums and even as homes.

The jewel in the crown is a sprawling five-story subterranean hideaway on the outskirts of the capital Tirana to protect Albania's army command from nuclear attack.

An abandonned bunker bearing an inscription stands in the middle of the countryside - the intense building efforts were a colossal drain on Albania's feeble economy and did not see action until the ferocious Albanian Civil War of the 1990s and the Kosovo War in 1999 - albeit not used for their intended nuclear conflict

An Albanian farmer walks his livestock past abandoned military bunkers on his farm outside of Kukes, Albania Tuesday May 18, 1999 - today some of the larger structures are used by farmers for housing sheep

A man fishes from atop a bunker at a lagoon in Patok near Tirana on November 23, 2009. The waters have eroded part of the beach that used to stretch for at least one hundred metres below the building in the background, a former hotel which is now abandoned

A colossal dome bunker set into the hillside surrounded by woodland - Communist leader Enver Hoxha ordered the 'bunkerizimi' throughout the country under his isolationist rule from the 1960s to the 1980s

A bunker which has been used as a makeshift shelter for someone - after the fall of the Communist regime many Albanians took refuge in the bunkers as they could no afford to live in housesA giant sea crustacean with a build designed to kill has been found fossilised off the coast of a popular tourist spot.

The 500 million-year-old fossil were discovered at Emu Bay Shale on South Australia's Kangaroo Island by researchers from the University of Adelaide, University of New England and the South Australian Museum.

The creature has a terrifying physique with 'crushing' legs and a 'shredding' spine made for eating and killing, with scientists describing the crustacean as the 'T-Rex of the trilobites'.

They named it the 'Redlichia rex', in tribute to the dinosaur.

The fossil (pictured) has been named Redlichia rex and was found on Kangaroo Island in South Australia

James Holmes (pictured) one of the researchers who made the discovery believes the creature would have been a terror to other small sea creatures

'(It had) formidable legs with spines used for crushing and shredding food, which may have been other trilobites. This giant trilobite was likely the terror of smaller creatures on the Cambrian sea floor,' head researcher from the University of Adelaide's School of biological sciences, James Holmes said.

The creature belongs to the extinct group of trilobites, which were crustaceans and insects that had their skeletons on the outside of their bodies like armour.

The creature had distinct features like crushing legs and shredding spines that made it a large threat to other prey

This group of animals became extinct 250 million years ago.

The creature discovered at Kangaroo Island was the largest trilobite ever recorded in Australia, measuring up to 30cm, double the size of other animals of its kind.

Researchers believe it developed distinct features to deal with an 'arms race' of evolution between prey and predators and came at the time of the Cambrian explosion, a period where nearly all animal groups suddenly appeared over half a billion years ago.

The new species was 30cm in length, double the size of other trilobites (pictured is artist Katrina Kennys impression of the Redlichia Rex)

'The overall size and crushing legs of Redlichia rex are are a likely consequence of the arms race that occurred at this time,' Mr Holmes said.

'The large size of injured Redlichia rex specimens suggests that either much bigger predators were targeting Redlichia rex, or that the new species had cannibalistic tendencies.'

Fossilised faeces were also found within the crustaceans remains.A rule of modern life is that when some leading quangocrat becomes mired in a gruesome scandal, its never their head that actually rolls.

Certainly thats what happened at Oxfam, the 400 million-a-year aid charity found to have covered up appalling allegations of sexual harassment, prostitution, bullying and even possible paedophilia by its staff.

The ugly affair, which this week resulted in it being handed an official warning by regulator the Charity Commission, claimed the scalp of Mark Goldring, its boss from 2013 onwards, and Penny Lawrence, his deputy.

Dame Barbara Stocking has given no personal explanation, still less any proper apology, for the myriad shortcomings at Oxfam that were identified by the Charity Commission. Neither has she felt the need to offer any mea culpa for the appalling events that unfolded on her watch

This is despite the fact that the despicable allegations largely dated to 2010 and 2011, some two years before Goldring took charge of the now all-but-disgraced charity.

The chief executive who presided over the mess was Dame Barbara Stocking, whose gilded career glides serenely on.

Currently President of Cambridges all-female Murray Edwards College, where she earns 70,000-80,000 and resides in a 2 million grace-and-favour home with all bills paid, the Left-leaning 67-year-old has spent the past week ducking invitations to defend herself.

She has given no personal explanation, still less any proper apology, for the myriad shortcomings at Oxfam that were identified by the Charity Commission.

Neither has she felt the need to offer any mea culpa for the appalling events that unfolded on her watch.

She even agreed to pay the sexual predator, 68-year-old Roland van Hauwermeiren, above, an extra months salary, saying he could resign before he was fired. This allowed him to waltz into jobs at rival aid agencies

After an earthquake ravaged Haiti in 2010, senior Oxfam staff used official charity residences to stage what whistleblowers described as Caligula-style orgies with mostly very young  and even allegedly underage  prostitutes.

Dame Barbara has not faced the cameras to express even a hint of regret for the abuse that went on.

There was, for example, no personal admission of wrongdoing over the fact that she allowed her charitys top official in the country to have a phased and dignified exit from his job, after hed admitted paying for exploitative sex with disaster victims at his Oxfam-funded villa.

She even agreed to pay the sexual predator, 68-year-old Roland van Hauwermeiren, an extra months salary, saying he could resign before he was fired. This allowed him to waltz into jobs at rival aid agencies.

Meanwhile, Dame Barbara has still to apologise fully for failing to inform police after a whistleblower emailed her with allegations that Oxfam staff were guilty of child rape. That matter is only now in the hands of the National Crime Agency.

In fact, the closest that this pillar of the liberal establishment came to facing her critics this week was when she joined half a dozen former Oxfam colleagues in hiring a smart London law firm to represent them.

Through their lawyers, they issued a media statement saying we apologise to all those affected by the Oxfam sex scandal. (The Mail approached Dame Barbara via these lawyers for comment, but we did not receive a reply.)

There was, for example, no personal admission of wrongdoing over the fact that she allowed her charitys top official in the country to have a phased and dignified exit from his job, after hed admitted paying for exploitative sex with disaster victims at his Oxfam-funded villa, above

Perhaps understandably, many of the people affected by the bullying and sexual misconduct that were seemingly endemic in the charity  in Haiti and elsewhere  dont think this mealy-mouthed legalese is remotely good enough. Take, for example, Lesley Agams, Oxfams former director in Nigeria.

In 2012, she emailed Dame Barbara to claim that she had been sexually assaulted by a male colleague in a Premier Inn hotel. The email included a detailed account of the incident, which took place in 2010.

Dame Barbara responded that, regrettably, there was insufficient evidence to corroborate your allegation and insisted the charity had acted fairly in fully investigating your complaints.

Agams, a lawyer who now runs a womens crisis centre, tells me: Its absolutely disgraceful that she presided over both the Haiti debacle and my case, and still gets to head what is a womens college, no less.

Take also Shaista Aziz, who worked at Oxfam under Dame Barbara and went on to co-found NGO Safe Space, a lobby group that campaigns against sexual harassment at aid agencies.

She is outraged by the deafening silence of Dame Barbara who to this day has refused to properly apologise for the grotesque abuses that took place while she was at the helm of Oxfam GB.

At Cambridge, many agree. Students have previously accused Dame Barbara of having a complete lack of regard for the victims of sexual exploitation, and of handling the issue in a colonial way.

Somewhat amazingly, they were this week sent an email by Dame Barbaras college seeking to dissuade them from discussing the Oxfam scandal with journalists.

This email, seen by the Mail, claims that while the college is strongly committed to the principle of freedom of speech, it also believes that the media can be intrusive and manipulative.

At Oxfam, her path mirrored this upwardly-mobile trajectory. The once-tiny charity, founded during World War II to raise money for victims of a famine in Greece, was already a multinational concern with outposts across the world [File photo]

Students were therefore advised to contact a college PR adviser before speaking to the press. Some, perhaps understandably, see this as a crude effort to muzzle them.

Meanwhile, Murray Edwardss financial donors have been sent an email saying the college is looking into the scandal. Several have withdrawn funding in a bid to force Dame Barbara to resign.

Many MPs take a similar view. Bill Cash, a Tory who drafted the Protection of Children Bill in the 1970s, which sought to prevent sexual abuse by aid agencies, says Stockings silence is irresponsible.

He adds: When it comes to something as devastating as this, the buck stops at the top.

To understand how things have come to this, one must first wind the clock back almost 20 years, to Dame Barbaras 2001 appointment to run the charity.

Then plain Barbara Stocking, she was a highly ambitious NHS director who had narrowly failed to be appointed chief executive of the health service by the New Labour government.

She learned about the vacancy at Oxfam after chancing upon a job advertisement in the Economist magazine, perhaps realising that her liberal credentials made her a perfect fit.

In interviews, Stocking describes herself as a working-class postmans daughter from Rugby, Warwickshire. The difference in resources between my state school and the (local) public school made me think about inequality, she once said.

That description is, however, a stretch: she had attended the towns successful high school before winning a place at Cambridge. Despite never having worked in the private sector, she is very prosperous, sharing a four-bedroom home in Oxford with husband John, a doctor whom she met on a ski holiday, and their two children.

Since they now live rent-free in Cambridge, the property (worth 1.2million) is rented out for upwards of 1,500 per month. Their hobbies include opera, about which she has said: I spend a fortune watching it. They also enjoy spending time at a little cottage they own near Toulouse in France.

At Oxfam, her path mirrored this upwardly-mobile trajectory. The once-tiny charity, founded during World War II to raise money for victims of a famine in Greece, was already a multinational concern with outposts across the world.

Stocking continued its development into a campaigning behemoth with an ever-expanding brief, devoted to wiping out poverty across the globe and campaigning on a host of related issues.

During her 12-year tenure, Oxfam opposed, among other things, the global arms trade, climate change and, controversially, Israeli policy in Gaza, making her a regular on news pages and in lists of the most powerful women in the land.

Meanwhile, annual revenues grew from 187 million to 385 million, while its payroll swelled to 6,000 staff, plus 20,000 volunteers. Her salary (she liked to tell interviewers that shed taken a 30 per cent cut to join Oxfam) rose simultaneously, increasing from 75,000 to 119,000.

One reason for all this financial success was that government grants to Oxfam had mushroomed. And that was no accident. For the period also saw Oxfam cultivate increasingly intimate relations with Tony Blairs New Labour.

Dame Barbaras senior staff included Justin Forsyth, a former special adviser to Blair, Brendan Cox, husband of the late Labour MP Jo (who herself also worked for Oxfam) and Stephen Doughty, a future Labour MP.

In 2008, David Pitt-Watson, the charitys treasurer, was appointed General Secretary of the Labour Party, though did not take up the post. Under Stocking, Oxfam became highly political, one former employee reveals. Staff would be seconded to work for Labour during elections.

Party spin doctors conducted our media training. There were endless revolving doors, and government grants just rolled in. People began to see a career at Oxfam as a way in to Labour politics.

That, perhaps, is why things went so terribly wrong. For when the Haiti scandal erupted, Oxfam gave every impression of wanting to protect its lucrative political brand.

After an earthquake ravaged Haiti in 2010, senior Oxfam staff used official charity residences to stage what whistleblowers described as Caligula-style orgies with mostly very young  and even allegedly underage  prostitutes [File photo]

Trouble began in July 2011 when Stocking was contacted by an unnamed whistleblower claiming that a group of Oxfams male aid workers in Haiti had been guilty of a number of offences, including serious sexual misconduct.

They were throwing big parties with prostitutes, a source who saw the whistleblowers evidence (which included witness statements and video footage) later told The Times. It was a like a full-on Caligula orgy. It was unbelievable.

It was crazy. At one party there were at least five girls and two of them had Oxfam white T-shirts on. These men used to talk about holding young meat barbecues.

Stocking sent investigators to Haiti to look into the claims. They rapidly concluded they were true, speaking to three sources who were concerned some of the prostitutes were girls aged 14 to 16, below the age of consent in Haiti (17) and therefore victims of rape. They also spoke to van Hauwermeiren, a Belgian, who admitted paying for sex from local women.

As a result, two members of staff resigned while being investigated for using prostitutes, bullying and CV fraud.

Four were sacked for gross misconduct that included use of prostitutes on Oxfam property and having pornographic and illegal material on a work computer. And, of course, Van Hauwermeiren was discreetly eased out.

All of this might have made for some very awkward headlines  but Stocking chose never to make public the full revolting details.

Keeping quiet: One of the victims is pictured above. For when the Haiti scandal erupted, Oxfam gave every impression of wanting to protect its lucrative political brand

Instead, Oxfam quietly issued a press release in September 2011 stating that a small number of staff had been involved in a number of instances of misconduct. No mention was made of sexual misconduct, and the news duly generated almost no coverage.

Meanwhile, a formal internal report prepared by the Oxfam investigators was kept firmly under wraps. This spoke of a culture of impunity and added that it cannot be ruled out that any of the prostitutes were under age.

Not only were the sordid details of this alleged criminality kept from the press, they were also withheld from the police.

The Charity Commission alone was kept vaguely informed. The regulator received an email from Oxfam reporting that there had been a serious incident involving inappropriate sexual behaviour by staff in Haiti. But the commission wasnt told that prostitutes (and still less children) might have been involved.

Critics, including Haitis president Jovenel Moise, believe this was a shockingly negligent course of action for a charity to pursue.

The decision to keep police in the dark was particularly troubling because, during the summer of 2011, Dame Barbara had been sent a series of emails purporting to come from a 13-year-old Haitian girl who claimed to have been the victim of yet more serious criminality at the hands of Oxfam staff.

The writer said shed been forced into prostitution and beaten and used by two men who I know work for you. Her email continued: They also have a boss who works for you and I have not met, but my young friend, she is 12 (and) has had sex with him.

Dame Barbara responded saying the email would be taken seriously. But according to this weeks Charity Commission report, it was not. Instead, Oxfam swiftly determined that the emails were probably faked, due to what it called unusual use of language in the email.

They again chose not to involve the police. The mysterious author wrote again to Stocking in August 2011, saying she was living in Carrefour [a Haitian district], in the convent of St Teresa.

Oxfam has claimed it made serious efforts to track her down. However, the Charity Commission report claims otherwise: it found that Oxfams inquiry was cursory.

Although Dame Barbara continues to insist that the emails were fake and did not originate from Haiti, the regulator says the passage of time means it will not be possible to conclude with sufficient certainty whether minors were involved or at risk.

The emails were finally passed to police last summer, but only after details of the scandal had been exposed, some seven years later, by the press. By then, Barbara Stocking was of course no longer at Oxfam, having moved to Murray Edwards College, Cambridge in 2013.

During her reign, she has predictably campaigned against Brexit, and less predictably chosen to alter the all-female colleges entrance rules to allow anyone who identifies as a woman to apply for a place there.

She has also joined the books of Big Speak, an American agency that rents out keynote speakers to the organisers of conferences and corporate events, usually for thousands of pounds.

How ironic, then, that at this moment, Dame Barbara Stocking seems so disinclined to speak at all.Taylor Swift's newly-released single, You Need to Calm Down, which takes aim at anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, has led to an 'influx' of GLAAD donations.

Since the single's debut Thursday, the LGBTQ advocacy group told NBC News that it has been receiving a plethora of donations for $13, which it believes to be a reference to Swift's favorite number, 13.

Among the song's lyrics are the lines 'And control your urges to scream about all the people you hate/'Cause shade never made anybody less gay' and 'Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?'

Taylor Swift's new single, You Need to Calm Down, which features anti-LGBTQ rhetoric lyrics, is said to have led to an 'influx' of donations to GLAAD in $13 increments

GLAAD, which was name checked in the song, believes the donations are from Swift's fans as 13 is her favorite number

Just to be clear that Swift was talking about the advocacy group and not just the act of being glad, the song's accompanying lyric video specifically spells out the term 'GLAAD.'

The spelling did not go unnoticed by the group as it tweeted out Thursday night, 'did @taylorswift13 just -' along with screengrabs of the lyrics in question.

In a statement emailed to NBC News, GLAAD's direct of talent engagement, Anthony Ramos, said that the fact that Swift 'continues to use her platform and music to support the LGBTQ community ... is a true sign of being an ally.'

Ramos added that '"You Need to Calm Down" is the perfect Pride anthem, and were thrilled to see Taylor standing with the LGBTQ community to promote inclusivity, equality, and acceptance this Pride month.'

On Friday, GLAAD tweeted that it had created three limited edition stickers to go along with one time gift donations.

GLAAD tweeted about being mentioned in Swift's music video on Thursday night

Swift made sure that fans knew she was talking about the organization in the song's lyric video

The day after the single was released, GLAAD tweeted that it had created a series of stickers which would be given to people who made $13 one-time donations

'You could be GLAAD with a limited edition sticker invoking @taylorswift13's lyrics from #YouNeedToCalmDown. Theyll sell out quickly, so reserve yours right now!' the tweet said.

One of designs would be given out for a $13 donation, but all three designs could be had for donations of $25.

GLAAD noted that Swift had made a 'very generous donation' to the organization at the start of the month as a way of honoring Pride Month.

Although Swift had kept a relatively low political profile for most of her career, she began actively speaking out about LGBTQ political advocacy during the 2018 midterm elections.

Since then, she is said to have donated $113,000  another reference to her favorite number  to the Tennessee Equality Project, which seeks to fight a series of anti-LGBTQ bills in her home state.

Rolling Stone reported that Swift sent a handwritten note to the organization's executive director accompanying the April donation, writing: 'Im so inspired by the work you do, specifically in organizing the recent petition of Tennessee faith leaders against the slate of hate in our state legislature. Im so grateful that theyre giving all people a place to worship.'

On June 1, the first day of Pride Month, Swift took to Instagram with a lengthy post, in which she wished her fans a happy Pride Month, then took the opportunity to encourage people to write letters to their senators explaining why they should pass the Equality Act, which had already been passed by the House.

She accompanied the post with an image of the letter that she had written Tennessee senator, Republican Lamar Alexander.

That same night, Swift performed at an iHeart Wango Tango concert in Los Angeles while wearing a rainbow colored outfit, encouraging fans to contact their senators to appeal to them about passing the Equality Act, according to Reuters.A Tennessee nurse has had her license revoked for swiping her patient's pain pills and getting high while at work.

Misty Hoke, 41, of Ashland City, Tennessee, worked as Assistant Executive Director at the local Vantage Point Assisted Living facility for the elderly until she was forced to quit on September 19, according to Tennessee Board of Nursing records recently obtained by Scoop: Nashville.

Hoke's sudden resignation came the same day she was seen slurring her words, acting strangely and 'displaying hyperactive behavior', while on the job.

After investigating, staffers found Hoke had withdrawn prescribed hydrocodone pills at 8am, 11am, and 3pm that day, but never gave them to the intended elderly female patient who had complained about not receiving her pain medication since the morning of the same morning.

Misty Hoke, 41, of Ashland City, Tennessee, had her license revoked for swiping her patient's pain pills and taking them herself

Hoke's sudden resignation came the same day she was seen slurring her words, acting strangely and 'displaying hyperactive behavior,' while she was at work

Hoke worked as Assistant Executive Director at the local Vantage Point Assisted Living facility for the elderly in Ashland City, Tennessee (pictured) until she was forced to resign on September 19

Five days prior, another elderly patient under Hoke's care had reported being in a 'great deal of pain' to Vantage Point staffers after Hoke failed to provide scheduled pain meds, records show.

A September 19 blood test revealed Hoke had oxycodone and opiates in her system the day she was forced to quit.

She admitted taking a patient's oxycodone pill that day, but said the patient had refused to take the pill. She also said she took a hydrocodone pill, but claimed one of her relatives gave it to her.

In January, Hoke sought professional help for drug counseling from the Tennessee Professional Assistance Program (TnPAP), but she failed to complete the evaluation process, according to the board of nursing report.

A September 19 blood drug test revealed Hoke had oxycodone and opiates in her system the day she was forced to quit

In January, Hoke sought professional help for drug counseling from the Tennessee Professional Assistance Program (TnPAP), but she failed to complete their evaluation process, according to the board of nursing report

'The Stipulations of Fact are sufficient to establish that [Hoke] ... is guilty of unprofessional conduct,' Assistant General Counsel Kaitlin R. Parham wrote in her report. '[Hoke's] license to practice as a nurse in Tennessee ... is hereby SUSPENDED and [her] multistate privilege to practice in any other party state is VOID.'

In her report, Parham said Hoke can get her license reinstated if she participates in the state's drug counseling program and later is found fit to return to work, but she will remain on probation and must agree to drug monitoring for at least three years under those circumstances.

The report was signed by Hoke on May 2. She did not immediately return requests for comment via Facebook Messenger.

A man who identified himself as a Vantage Point manager over the phone Friday night also declined to comment on the matter.Karma Marie, who said she grew up with Bernicky in the Beverly neighborhood, described the 25-year-old as a loving, caring and outgoing person. Bernicky often stopped by her house to pick up her nephew and cousin to hang out, she said.The attacks on the Japanese and Norwegian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman have brought the simmering tensions between the US and Iran to a new incendiary level.

Even before this weeks incident, President Donald Trump demonstrated his hostile approach by imposing heavy sanctions on Iranian oil exports and withdrawing from the conciliatory nuclear deal negotiated by President Barack Obama in 2015.

Now, Washington has directly blamed Tehran for the tanker explosions, backing up the claim with the release of video evidence which appears to show members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard handling what looks like an unexploded Iranian mine on the side of one of the damaged vessels.

Even before this weeks incident, President Donald Trump demonstrated his hostile approach by imposing heavy sanctions on Iranian oil exports

It should be acknowledged that Iran has categorically denied any responsibility, arguing that the attacks were perpetrated by someone who wants to damage the countrys international reputation.

It certainly came at an awkward time for the Iranian government, which was hosting talks with the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, whose nation is dependent on Iranian oil imports.

On paper, it seems irrational that Iran would damage the interests of its own fragile economy with an assault on one of the biggest customers of its oil supply.

But economic rationality is not always paramount. And there are a number reasons why certain figures in the Iranian regime might actually welcome an escalating crisis with the US.

Inferno: A fire rages on board the oil tanker MT Front Altair after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman yesterday, in what has been described as a torpedo attack

Smoke pours from the Norwegian-owned oil tanker on Thursday. For if war does break out, the US will find defeating Iran much more costly than Saddam Husseins Iraqi regime during the two Gulf campaigns

Outsiders tend to regard the Tehran government as a theocratic monolith, but in reality there is a division between the pragmatists, led by president Hassan Rouhani, and the fundamentalists who follow the head of state, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Growing in confidence, Irans hawkish hardliners contend that a more aggressive diplomatic policy would have a number of advantages.

A collision with America would serve as a distraction from Irans economic woes, which have left the country plagued by public discontent.

Posing as the patriot saviour in a national emergency, the hardliners could rally the people against the Great Satan of the US, crack down on dissent and strengthen their grip on power.

According to this narrative, ruthlessness, not diplomacy, is the best way to force Washington to back down on sanctions.

And if things do escalate, the disturbing reality is that these Iranian hardliners certainly have the capability to wage war against the US.

For if war does break out, the US will find defeating Iran much more costly than Saddam Husseins Iraqi regime during the two Gulf campaigns.

In Washington, an anti-Iranian sentiment prevails, a legacy of the hostage crisis at the end of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Americas anti-Iranian allies such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will be ramping up demands for action. The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is pictured above

A diagram showing the U.S. and Iranian forces in the region and the location of recent attacks on oil tankers and a Saudi oil pipeline, which have escalated Middle East tensions

Iran is three times the size of Iraq and the Revolutionary Guards which make up the special forces are well-equipped and battle-hardened. The Iranian military possesses an array of sophisticated armaments, including ballistic missiles.

But even low-tech equipment could cause severe damage to the US if it came to war in the Gulf.

If only one Iranian torpedo boat from a swarm of 40 or 50 managed to break through the US defensive screen, it could still sink or cripple an American ship. And it would only need a few drones to reach a target for the results to be devastating.

Nevertheless, it is unlikely the US will back down. Given its colossal military power, it is rightly still regarded as the worlds military guardian.

In Washington, an anti-Iranian sentiment prevails, a legacy of the hostage crisis at the end of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Americas anti-Iranian allies such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will be ramping up demands for action.

Britain will be left in an awkward position if conflict does erupt. It is unlikely that the UK will have any direct military involvement, but diplomatically  as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said yesterday  it would be unthinkable if Britain did not support the US.

If that does happen, British expats and commercial interests in the Gulf would be in a vulnerable situation. And in Britain itself, our stuttering economy  like the rest of the western world  would be severely hit by an oil crisis arising from a war.

It came as no surprise that, following the tanker attacks, oil prices in global markets became extremely volatile. After all, 30 per cent of the worlds crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz which borders Iran.

In this combustible situation, the stakes could not be higher. We can only hope that a mood of restraint and common sense will ultimately prevail.

Mark Almond is director of the Crisis Research Institute, OxfordVulnerable hospital patients should not be given sandwiches and salads because of the risk of infection, the sandwich-makers industry body said yesterday.

Jim Winship, director of the British Sandwich Association (BSA), said some hospitals did not store food at sufficiently cold temperatures, allowing bacteria to grow.

Speaking as the number of deaths in the listeria outbreak rose to five, Mr Winship said chilled foods such as sandwiches should not be served to patients with lowered immunity.

Deadly toll: A sandwich made by the firm at the centre of the listeria outbreak

Listeria occurs naturally in some foods like salad leaves  you cant get away from it entirely and there is no regime that can kill it off completely.

We have expressed concern for some time that a lot of the products being served in hospitals contain risky ingredients that should not be eaten by vulnerable groups  patients that are very ill, with suppressed immunity. There is also a bigger issue of the mishandling of products on wards.

Mr Winship said guidelines stated that chilled food should be kept at strict temperatures, between 5 and 8C (41-46F), but cited a survey carried out three years ago which found one hospital fridge was running at 25C (77F). That was shocking. Also, often patients dont want to eat food immediately after it is brought around, so it can be lying by their bedside for long periods. But the NHS wont be very keen to talk about their mishandling [of food] because they will be worried about liability in that situation.

The Good Food Chain, which supplied the sandwiches, is based in Stone, Staffordshire

Meat was produced by North Country Cooked Meats, based in Salford, Greater Manchester

Mr Winship said some members were thinking about no longer supplying hospitals because of the risk involved.

Kaarin Goodburn, director of the Chilled Food Association, said patients were dying because sandwich suppliers to the NHS were not being forced to adhere to the strict requirements of those supplying major retailers.

Miss Goodburn said the Department of Health should stop people being killed by food they have effectively been fed by the Government.

Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was one of the two hospital trusts affected

This is a national scandal, its been going on for 20 years, ever since the first listeria outbreak at an NHS hospital. These NHS suppliers do not meet the same strict standards regarding shelf life, hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting that are required by those supplying all the main high street retailers.

The Food Standards Agency said its guidance was that while there is the potential for chilled ready-to-eat foods to present an increased risk to vulnerable groups, these could be addressed with effective controls.A lesbian couple who were victims of a horrific homphobic attack on a London bus two weeks ago have defiantly spoken out as their injuries slowly heal.

They say they were primarily targeted by a gang of men because they are women who are viewed as 'sexual objects' and also hit out at Tory frontrunner Boris Johnson.

It comes after their ordeal shocked London and the world and after the arrest of five young men over the incident.

Melania Geymonat, 28, and her American partner Chris, 29, said they were punched and robbed following an evening in West Hampstead, north west London, in the early hours of May 30.

Ms Geymonat, a doctor from Uruguay and a Ryanair flight attendant, said that the incident was primarily 'an attack towards women, and then after homosexual women', revealing that she was told to 'get the hell out of the country' by her friends after the incident.

Melania Geymonat (left), 28, and her American partner Chris (right), 29, said they were punched and robbed following an evening in West Hampstead, north west London

In an interview with Channel 4 News she said the attackers firstly saw them as 'sexual objects' who were 'there to entertain them'. Her partner Chris said that a gang of young men saw they were a couple - as they were holding hands - and demanded they kiss before attacking the pair.

When asked if she still feels safe in public, Chris said: 'If anything I'm more confident in myself because I know I will stand up for myself.'

Chris also said the reason their attack had caught so much attention was that the picture was 'very striking', depicting 'two white women who were tidily packaged into sympathetic victims'.

When the interviewer brought up that Boris Johnson seemed to be the most likely person to be the next Prime Minister, and referenced comments he had made in 2001 comparing homosexual marriage to 'bestiality', Chris said that the Tory frontrunner was not 'fit to lead anything, much less the United Kingdom'.

The Tory leadership front-runner had written in his book Friends, Voters, Countrymen that 'if gay marriage was OK  and I was uncertain on the issue  then I saw no reason in principle why a union should not be consecrated between three men, as well as two men, or indeed three men and a dog.'

Melania Geymonat (right), 28, has released this image of her with her girlfriend Chris (left) covered in blood, after she claims she was attacked by a group of young men on a London bus

She said that Johnson was not the only person ascending to power 'with his views and his ideology', and he was just 'one person in a growing climate.'

Five teenagers aged between 15 and 18 have been charged with robbery and aggravated grievous bodily harm. All five have been bailed until early July.

Ms Geymonat said that she simply does not know if she will feel confident holding her partner's hand on the bus in the early hours of the morning anymore, revealing to The Times that her friends had told her to 'get the hell out of the country' following the incident.

Speaking to the paper, Ms Geymonat said: 'In the first place they came towards us because we were seen as sexual objects.

'It's not the first time this happens to me that I'm with a girlfriend or on a date and men tend to be excited by watching.

Miss Geymonat is pictured left before the incident, and right afterwards. She appears to have sustained a bruised eye

'That's one of the things that really annoyed me. I'm 28 so it has been ten years that I've seen this. We are not performing. It feels really humiliating to be treated [like that].'

When asked if she thought the portrayal of lesbians as a male fantasy in pornography had an effect on some young men's views of gay women in real life, Ms Geymonat said she did think porn 'plays its own part' in contributing to the treatment of homosexual women as objects who exist for the sake of the male gaze.

Both women were taken to hospital for treatment for facial injuries. Miss Geymonat said one of the men spoke Spanish and the others had British accents.

Miss Geymonat, who moved to the UK in February and is on a year's sabbatical from her medical studies, previously said she had felt safe as a gay woman in London.

She said the police had been 'extremely good' in dealing with the incident.

Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn both condemned the attack.

Mrs May said: 'This was a sickening attack and my thoughts are with the couple affected.

'Nobody should ever have to hide who they are or who they love and we must work together to eradicate unacceptable violence towards the LGBT community.'

Mr Corbyn labelled the attack 'absolutely shocking, saying: 'We must not, and will not, accept this homophobic and misogynist violence in our society.

The attack happened on a N31 bus (left) travelling towards Camden Town (right). The pair had been on a date night, and were holding hands while on the bus

'Solidarity to Melania and Chris, and to all in the LGBT+ community for everything they endure for simply being who they are.'

London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: 'This was a disgusting, misogynistic attack. Hate crimes against the LGBT+ community will not be tolerated in London.'

Constituency MP Tulip Siddiq added: 'Horrified to see this homophobic attack against two women simply trying to enjoy a night out in West Hampstead.

'There can be no excuses, no space, for such obscene behaviour. My full solidarity is with these women and the UK's LGBT community.'

And Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'This is appalling. Everyone has the right to love and I was proud to support equal marriage.'The boss of Hargreaves Lansdown has volunteered to forgo a bonus of up to 2.1million after the disaster at Neil Woodfords flagship fund.

Chris Hill, chief executive at the investment platform, said he will not take any bonus payments until the scandal at Woodford Equity Income is resolved, insiders at the firm said.

Equity Income shut its doors to investors on Monday last week due to a shortage of cash to pay for withdrawals as customers fled for the exit.

Chris Hill, chief executive at Hargreaves Lansdown, an investment platform who supported Neil Woodfords flagship fund

Hargreaves had repeatedly plugged the toxic fund in its prestigious Wealth 50 list of top investments despite three years of poor performance. A total of 160,000 people invested in Woodfords funds through Hargreaves, which has launched an internal investigation into the Wealth 50 to ensure it is recommending products in an unbiased way.

Mr Hill has said he will take no bonus until the issue is resolved and the fund reopened. He feels it would be wrong to pocket the money while customers are suffering, sources said. It means he could miss out on an annual bonus of up to 2.1million if the problem is not fixed soon.

The move piles further pressure on Mr Woodford himself to stop charging customers fees while their money is locked away. Hargreaves has already waived fees for investors with money stuck in Equity Income, a decision that is costing the company almost 500,000 a month.

59-year-old Neil Woodford launched the first fund brandishing his name, Woodford Equity Income, five years ago

Nicky Morgan, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, has called on the tainted stock-picker to cancel fees until withdrawals reopen.

But Mr Woodfords firm has refused to follow suit, which means his company is still pocketing close to 100,000 a day from trapped investors. The fund boss claims he is working hard for the money. He has disposed of a string of stocks to release cash so that he can pay investors.Advertisement

Heathrow Airport will begin consultation on a dramatic plan to build its third runway over the M25 on Tuesday morning.

The public consultation will last for 12-and-a-half weeks and the submissions could influence the final design of the project.

The airport has successfully defeated a legal challenge seeking to block the ambitious plan.

Heathrow Airport's third runway, pictured left, will pass over the M25 motorway according to architects plans which will form part of a public consultation on the project which will begin on Tuesday

The airport has released a number of artist's impressions of what the new facility will look like

The airport's Executive Director for Expansion, Emma Gilthorpe said: 'Heathrows expansion is a project of huge national and local significance, and it is critical to our countrys economic growth. An expanded hub airport will allow the country to access more of the world, create thousands of jobs locally and nationally and it will open up new trading routes.

'But we cant deliver these plans alone. We urge everyone to have their say in this consultation, to shape our plans, and to help us deliver expansion in the fairest and most sustainable way.'

Sections between the runway and taxiways crossing the motorway will be opened up to improve visibility and ventilation for road users.

Designers have had to assure Highways England that aircraft using the runway will not distract motorists or possibly damage the tunnel - which will be used by tens of thousands of cars a day.

The massive project is expected to cost 14 billion, although Boris Johnson, who is the bookies' favourite to replace Theresa May in Downing Street is opposed to the plan.

The project will see the M25 motorway lowered by seven metres at the point where the runway will pass over head.

Local residents will also be consulted on three options for the new runway and what the terminal infrastructure should be.

However, as well as Mr Johnson, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is opposed to the third runway project which hill see an estimated 800 homes demolished.

According to The Times, the new runway will allow further extensions of Terminal 5 and Terminal 2. It will also include a satellite terminal - known as T5X - next to the runway.

It is understood, the project will see a pair of massive new car parks and an underground transit system for linking the parts of the airport.Police have arrested an ex-campaign staffer of the Arkansas former state senator who was found dead outside her own home in early June.

Authorities said Friday night they've arrested Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, 48, of Pocahontas, Arkansas, in connection with the death of former state Sen. Linda Collins, 57.

Arkansas police said criminal charges were pending and did not say whether they were seeking any other suspects in Collins' death.

Authorities said Friday night they've arrested Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, 48 (right), in connection with the death of former state Sen. Linda Collins, 57 (left)

Collins, 57, who went by Collins-Smith in the Legislature, was found dead June 4 outside her home in Pocahontas, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Authorities have released few details about Collins' killing and have not said how or when the former lawmaker was killed.

Her body was discovered wrapped in a blanket, according to The Arkansas Times, and allegedly had a gunshot wound.

Sources claimed that Collins-Smith's body had started to decompose, which made it difficult to identify.

Although active on social media, Collins' last tweet was posted in late May.

Ken Yang, a former communications director for Collins, said that Collins' neighbors heard gunshots a day or two before her body was discovered around 7.15pm on June 4.

A judge last week granted a request by prosecutors to seal documents and statements obtained by police during the investigation.

A State Police spokesman declined to say where O'Donnell was being held. The Randolph County jail referred questions to the sheriff, who did not immediately return a call seeking comment. State Police said it did not know when O'Donnell would appear in court.

O'Donnell (left) was said to have been a former campaign staffer of Collins (right) and that the two women were friends

Collins (in 2015) was found dead outside her own home on June 4. Authorities have not revealed how or when Collins died, but her body was said to have started to decompose

Jennifer McKenzie-Smith (left), with husband Butch Smith (right) posted on Facebook about the loss of her mother-in-law, Sen. Linda Collins-Smith

Collins, a Republican, was once quoted as telling the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: 'You can't be pro-gun enough in Arkansas'

Ken Yang, former communications director for former state Sen. Linda Collins, speaks at an event remembering Collins at the state Capitol on Tuesday in Little Rock, Arkansas

Yang said O'Donnell had worked on Collins' most recent campaign and that the two were friends.

On Friday night, Yang posted a statement from Collins' family, regarding O'Donnell's arrest on Facebook, which read in part: 'We are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda, would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime.'

Collins served one term in the state House and was originally elected as a Democrat in 2010. But she switched parties and became a Republican in 2011, the year before the GOP won control of both chambers of the Legislature.

She was elected to the state Senate in 2014 and was one of the most conservative lawmakers in the majority-GOP chamber. She lost re-election in the Republican primary last year.

As a State Senator, Collins-Smith introduced or co-sponsored multiple bills seeking to expand the places where concealed weapons could be carried, including college and university campuses, the state Capitol, other state offices and courtrooms.

She was once quoted as telling the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: 'You can't be pro-gun enough in Arkansas.' She had an 87 percent rating from the National rifle Association for her positions on gun rights.

Collins and her husband, retired Circuit Judge Philip Smith, divorced last year and were in the middle of a legal fight over their properties, including a motel.

In a statement released June 11, Collins' two adult children and father said they were 'surprised, upset, angered, and saddened' by her death.

And her daughter-in-law, Jennifer McKenzie-Smith, wrote on Facebook: 'Linda Collins loved her family. Now, a monster has taken her away from us.

Collins' funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning in Pocahontas.It follows research from University College Londons (UCL) Institute of Education

Schools must stop giving children detentions during their break and lunchtimes as a punishment, experts warned yesterday.

The membership body for UK psychologists said unstructured activities are critical for childrens wellbeing and development, and that teachers should not take away their pupils break times.

The British Psychological Society issued the warning, saying that youngsters have a right to play.

It follows research from University College Londons (UCL) Institute of Education, which revealed that school break times have been slashed by more than an hour a week over two decades.

Psychologists yesterday issued a position statement, demanding that all children have access to free, high quality opportunities for play (stock)

Pupils bad behaviour and teachers desire for students to catch up on unfinished work were among reasons cited for the cuts.

But psychologists yesterday issued a position statement, demanding that all children have access to free, high quality opportunities for play.

The societys Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP) called on educational psychologists to challenge practice that restricts or reduces access to this vital activity.

Dr Gavin Morgan, chair of the DECP, said: The benefits of play for children, including older children, have been well documented by educational psychologists, and it is crucial that this part of their development isnt taken away as a punishment for misbehaviour or to complete unfinished work.

Play improves physical and emotional wellbeing, and creates stronger relationships between peers, within families and across wider communities.

Nearly 60 per cent of schools withheld breaks from children when they or their classmates had been poorly behaved or needed to finish off work (stock)

The DECP strongly advocate for childrens fundamental right to play, both during the school day and in their lives.

We encourage all educational psychologists to use the influence they have to challenge practices which restrict or reduce access to play and advocate initiatives which promote it.

The UCLs Institute of Education study last month found an average reduction in break times of 45 minutes for pupils aged five to seven in England and 65 minutes for those aged 11-16 since 1995.

Nearly 60 per cent of schools withheld breaks from children when they or their classmates had been poorly behaved or needed to finish off work.

The research also found that the closure of play facilities, increasing use of technology and social media, and worries about safety are limiting childrens access to play.New York City police say a 29-year-old officer has died after shooting himself in the head, the department's third suspected suicide in nine days.

Police say he was shot around 3:45 p.m. Friday on a Staten Island street, behind the 121st Precinct. The officer was pronounced dead at the scene.

The officer was said to be a domestic violence investigator and had been with the department for six years.

Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill released a statement on Friday remembering the three officers who had taken their lives and asserting that the department 'must end the crisis together.'

The NYPD say the 29-year-old shot himself around 3:45 p.m. Friday on a Staten Island street, behind the 121st Precinct

Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill released a statement on Friday remembering the three officers who had taken their lives and asserting that the department 'must end the crisis together'

'This is a mental-health crisis,' he said in the statement. 'And we  the NYPD and the law enforcement profession as a whole  absolutely must take action. This cannot be allowed to continue.

'Cops spend so much of their days assisting others. But before we can help the people we serve, it is imperative that we first help ourselves.'

O'Neil advocated for officers and NYPD personnel to seek out assistance when needed.

The officer was said to be a domestic violence investigator and had been with the department for six years. He was pronounced dead at the scene

His statement and the officer's death comes just a week after two officers died in suspected suicides within 24 hours of each other.

Deputy Chief Steven Silks was found dead in a police vehicle in Queens on June 5. Detective Joseph Calabrese was found the next day at a Brooklyn beach.

Police say both died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head.

Those deaths prompted NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill to remind police personnel that help is available - and that seeking it isn't a sign of weakness but of 'great strength.'

Two officers died in suspected suicides within 24 hours of each other last week. Deputy Chief Steven Silks was found dead in a police vehicle in Queens on June 5. Detective Joseph Calabrese was found the next day at a Brooklyn beach.

Calabrese, 58, was last heard from on June 6 after leaving his wife at a hospital, where she was recovering from a minor procedure, the New York Post reported.

The first grade detective's vehicle was found one hour later, near the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn.

Calabrese's son, who serves in the NYPD, is assigned to the 67th Precinct, New York Daily News reported.

A photographer on the scene captured images of at least 100 people, both in uniform and plain clothes, searching the area immediately surrounding the water at the Plumb Beach rest area in Brooklyn.

A photographer on the scene on Thursday for DailyMail.com captured images of authorities searching the area immediately surrounding the water at the Plumb Beach rest area in Brooklyn for Calabrese

Calabrese was said to have been with his wife at Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park between roughly midnight and 2am.

Calabrese did not report to work and his black Cadillac sedan was spotted at around 3am near Plumb Beach, off the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn.

A license plate reader captured Calabrese's license plate, appearing to place him driving eastbound near the Verrazano Bridge just after 2am, NBC reported.

'He didn't report to work. He had not shown up. Nobody was able to get ahold of him,' a high-ranking police source said.

Calabrese did not report to work and his car was spotted at around 3am near Plumb Beach, off the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn

At least 100 people, both in uniform and plain clothes, searching the area immediately surrounding the water at Plumb Beach in Brooklyn

People combed the beaches, the brush and searched in the water for Calabrese

Police dogs were called in to assist in a search for the detective.

'The dogs were tracking his scent and it ended at the water,' another high-ranking source within the NYPD said.

Dozens of police vehicles lined the roadway at the scene being searched for Calabrese.

Investigators combed the beaches and the brush as divers searched the waters nearby.

Some officers rode all-terrain vehicles through the parking lot, on their way to join the search effort.

Some officers rode all-terrain vehicles through the parking lot, on their way to join the search

Dozens of police vehicles are shown at the scene being searched for Calabrese

Divers searched the water Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, at the Plumb Beach rest area

Other authorities scoured Calabrese's car for evidence, with the doors and trunk wide open.

The massive search party continued throughout Thursday afternoon, as it had been over 14 hours since Calabrese was last heard from, before his body was found.

The 37-year-veteran of the force resided very near where his car was located.

Calabrese, who joined the NYPD in 1982, was assigned to the Brooklyn South homicide squad.

He also served as a chairman for the board of trustees for the DEA.

For confidential support in the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here.

For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here.

For confidential support in Australia, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or click here.Circuit boards for top-secret F-35 warplanes flown by Britain are being made by a Chinese-owned company, it has emerged.

Defence experts have raised concerns over the security of the new warplane programme because of fears about Chinese spying.

Documents published by the Ministry of Defence say the component in question is vital to 'control many of the F-35's core capabilities'.

Pictured: The first Dutch F-35, (Joint Strike Fighter) in action during the Air Force Days 2019 at airbase Volkel, the Netherlands, 14 June 2019

These include its 'engines, lighting, fuel and navigation systems'.

F-35 stealth warplanes will play a central role in Britain's air and naval forces in the coming decades.

The part is made in Gloucestershire by manufacturer Exception PCB, which was bought out in 2013 by Chinese firm Shenzhen Fastprint.

There is no suggestion either company have done anything wrong.

Pictured: The first Dutch F-35, (Joint Strike Fighter) in action during the Air Force Days 2019 at airbase Volkel, the Netherlands, 14 June 2019

Tory MP Bob Seely, who has written a paper about concerns with China's Huawei and Britain's 5G mobile network, told Sky News: 'I think it's breathtaking.

'It's not a question of: Is this bad? But it's a question of: How bad is it?'

He plans to raise the matter with Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt.Comedian Jim Davidson has vowed never to visit London again after accusing the capital's mayor Sadiq Khan of having 'f***** up' his home town.

The 65-year-old stand up comedian gave his opinion on London in a single tweet.

Davidson was forced to clarify his comments after fellow social media users accused him of racism.

Veteran comedian Jim Davidson, right, accused Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, left, of having 'f***** up' his home town. The controversial funny man, who was big in the 1980s, claimed he was talking about traffic congestion in the capital rather than race

Jim Davidson claimed he was never coming to London again as Sadiq Khan had 'f*****' up the town

Davidson was forced to return to Twitter to counter allegations that he is racist

He said wrote: 'To all you twitter (sic) moaners re my coment (sic) on my home town. It is purely the congestion and traffic I cannot bare but all you lefties can still call me racsist (sic) if if (sic) gets you off Charlton? You can bypass London and go through Kent.'

He had earlier tweeted: 'I am never coming to London again. Khan. You have f***** my home town up.'

Davidson, 65, who was popular in the 1980s, had earlier been accused of making homophobic and racist jokes.

His humour was also very critical of the working class during Margaret Thatcher's time in Downing Street.

Twitter users reacted sarcastically to Davidson's announcement, with one lady responding 'you won't be missed'.

Another wrote: 'Good. F*** the hell off. You made life in the playground utter hell for a generation of Black kids, myself included, in the late 70s and 80s.'

A third woman also seemed pleased about Davidson's self-exile: 'Awesome news for London!! Mind taking some of your mates with you?'

One comment asked whether this was Sadiq Khan's 'greatest ever achievement'.

Actor Michael Cashman wrote: 'The same Jim Davidson that celebrated Margaret Thatcher as she tried to crush mining communities & lesbian and gay people. The man who laughed whilst the working-class struggled. By the way your grammar is appalling. Proud of the city in which I was born and where I still live.'When I was dismissing cases, I was a great guy, said Robert Milan, who was appointed special prosecutor for Burge-related matters in 2017. I look at each case individually, and (when) I dont decide the case their way  now I have a conflict? Now I dont have the authority?A notorious conman who cheated Centrelink out of almost $90,000 has lost his fight against deportation after arguing it was an 'unreasonably harsh' penalty.

Michael Boghdadi Asaad, 80, had his visa cancelled and was jailed in 2016 for receiving welfare payments on the false basis he was born in Australia.

Authorities also discovered that his true identity was Egyptian born Farouk Asaad, who had a criminal history spanning decades across the United States and Australia.

Michael Boghdadi Asaad, 80, had his visa cancelled and was jailed in 2016 for receiving welfare payments on the false basis he was born in Australia

Authorities also discovered that his true identity was Egyptian born Farouk Asaad, who had a criminal history spanning decades across the United States and Australia

Asaad arrived in Australia in the 1980s using a Canadian passport under the name of Rick Michaels.

He was then able to gain a late registration birth certificate which stated he was born in New Norfolk in Tasmania.

This enabled him to get an Australian passport which he used to receive $89,161.44 from Centrelink between 2002 and 2009.

He was convicted after a Brisbane District Court trial and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for what prosecutors labelled a 'calculated and sophisticated and determined fraud'.

His criminal history in Australia goes back to 1993 and includes fraud charges and drug charges connected with a heroin syndicate.

Before fleeing to Australia, Asaad was reportedly in and out of prisons in the United States between 1971 and 1987 on charges ranging from bank fraud to embezzlement to passing fake cheques.

When he left the United States he also left behind his wife and his stepdaughter named Heidi.

Heidi Kiernan, formerly Heidi Asaad, told Daily Mail Australia in January this year that she wanted to confront her father after learning Australian authorities were holding him at Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney.

'I fell to my knees crying happy tears when I heard [Asaad had been detained],' Ms Kiernan said.

'Not only did he abandon and hurt my mother, he did me as well. I will never forgive. I am hoping to confront him in Villawood myself.'

Ms Kiernan claimed that her father committed bigamy when he married another woman while still wed to her mother.

Heidi Kiernan, formerly Heidi Asaad, told Daily Mail Australia in January this year that she wanted to confront her father after learning Australian authorities were holding him at Villawood Detention Centre

When Asaad was released from prison in 1986, he married 21-year-old Antoinette Lahood at a Las Vegas Chapel (Asaad and Lahood pictured in Australia)

It was during one of his stints in Washington State Prison where he met Australian drug lord Harry Lahood, according to Ms Kiernan.

When he was released the following year in 1986, he married 21-year-old Antoinette Lahood at a Las Vegas Chapel.

'I saw Antoinette in 1987 and I cried to her that [Asaad] was a married man, that I was his daughter and to have a heart. She didn't tell me a word about them being married,' Ms Kiernan said.

A court awarded the Florida family home to Ms Kiernan's mother, and with American authorities hot on his heels over more criminal charges, Asaad fled to Australia.

Asaad, now 80, suffers heart problems, diabetes, arthritis, dental problems and an abdominal hernia, while his 16-year-old son is severely intellectually disabled.

He fought his deportation arguing that his autistic Australian son needs him.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton accepted the boy 'is very attached to his father and would suffer emotionally through further physical separation'.

But he ruled in February 2018 his visa should be cancelled because Asaad had a lack of respect for the law and would likely reoffend.

Asaad also argued visa cancellation would leave him stateless, claiming neither Egypt nor Canada are able to confirm him as one of their citizens.

A photo of Asaad's stepdaughter Heidi from her childhood when she says Asaad abandoned her and her mother

But his case was rejected by the Federal Court on Friday, which found Mr Dutton acted within his statutory discretion in making the decision.

The court also found while the possibility he is a citizen of another country remains open, Asaad can't claim to be stateless.

He will remain in immigration detention until he is deported.Homeowners may be forced to foot the bill after cracks a high-rise Sydney building.

Irate residents of 122 apartments in Mascot Towers were evacuated after concerns were raised about the structural integrity of the building at 6pm on Friday.

They have now learned the warranty on the building has expired, meaning they will be expected to foot the hefty bill to repair the faults via an increase in their strata fees.

Current NSW law offers owners a six year warranty period after the completion of the development for building defects deemed out of their hands.

After that period, the onus falls on the owners.

Stephen Goddard, spokesman for the Owners Corporation Network, told the ABC the owners of apartments within Mascot Towers fell out of this warranty period almost four years ago.

'Consumers have nowhere to go in these sorts of situations, there's nobody for them to sue, there's nowhere for them to turn,' Mr Goddard said.

'People have more consumer protection buying a fridge than a million-dollar apartment.'

Scroll down for video

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from a high-rise apartment block (pictured) after 'movement' was detected in Sydney's Mascot

Cracks (pictured) on the 131 unit apartment building caused a mass evacuation on Friday night

International students Leo (pictured right) and Belinda (pictured left) and their pet cat Early (pictured) were stranded in the cold with their luggage outside of their Mascot apartments, in Sydney's inner south, after 11pm on Friday

A faulty support beam is likely to have caused cracked in a Sydney high-rise building which forced hundreds onto the streets.

A four-hour crisis meeting involving senior building managers, government officials and strata representatives on Saturday confirmed multiple factors were at play.

Namely, the 'underdesign' of a transfer beam which is supposed to transfer the weight of the building onto vertical pillars may have been compromised.

Construction and excavation work from nearby was also cause for concern.

The disturbance from nearby building work of an 11-storey apartment block may have impacted multiple buildings - including Mascot Towers.

Mr Goddard also compared the building to the doomed Opal Tower, saying the pubicity surrounding faults in both apartments makes them 'toxic' properties.

Owners hoping to sell out of the apartment will now struggle to do so considering they are now deemed unsafe in the public eye.

'Anybody looking to purchase in a building less than 10 years of age is foolish because the defects will not have yet surfaced. Don't buy anything less than 10 years old. You never buy off the plan, it's unsafe to do so,' he said.

Real estate agent John Higgins sold all of the apartments in the building. He said he is 'worried that any material might fall off the building might fall on any of us'

Estate agent John Higgins told reporters on Saturday 'owners of apartments nearby have indicated to me that there are cracks of about 60mm at the steel-works building'.

NSW member for Heffron Ron Hoenig said he had been informed of the cracks in a nearby building.

'There were some cracks in the basement after the completion of an adjoining building on the eastern side,' Mr Hoenig said.

'The owners corporation brought in their own engineers who installed stanchions.

'On Thursday those stanchions fell down.'

Leo and Belinda (pictured) may be homeless for days as they wait anxiously for news about their home

Furious residents claimed their apartment tower has been plagued by issues for years before they had to evacuate on Friday night.

Rosalyn Lean, 65, was told to pack her bags and leave the building on Bourke Street in Mascot, Sydney's inner south, by 9pm on Friday due to 'identifiable movements in the basement area'.

'(It was) defects in the building, it was the joints and in the last few hours the cracks have got bigger in the car park,' she told The Daily Telegraph.

A letter from the building manager shows concern about a crack in the slab which supports the building corner.

'The building's engineer has carried out a site inspection this afternoon regarding cracking in the transfer slab beams supporting the primary building corner,' the letter read.

'Following this inspection, the engineer has raised concerns over the safety for residents in the building.

'It has been determined that there will be a partial evacuation of the building, pending further monitoring of the transfer beams over the course of the next week.

Frustrated residents (pictured) returned to their homes on Saturday morning only to be sent away

Residents (pictured) are still stranded as of Saturday morning despite claims that alternative accommodation was provided

'This will determine if the building is safe for reoccupation.'

Hundreds of irate residents were stranded on Friday evening, with some telling Daily Mail Australia they weren't offered any form of temporary accommodation in the interim.

International students Leo and Belinda and their pet cat, named Early, were stranded in the cold with their luggage outside the apartments after 11pm on Friday.

'At nine o'clock, everyone should have left. But we had a cat at home so we were permitted to enter at eleven o'clock,' Leo told Daily Mail Australia.

'We got a phone call so we entered to save our cat. [Then] they just asked me to leave - we didn't give a place to go.'

Leo and Belinda stayed at a 'stranger's house' because their only friends, who are all students, did not have any room in their small apartments.

'We don't have a place to go. With a cat we can't go to a hotel,' Leo said.

Engineers noticed cracks in the building's car park on Friday, which raised alarms

'We were just sitting out here waiting for help. A stranger couple driving in a car asked us if we needed help. We said 'yes' so we stayed with them.'

The couple are back on the street waiting for news from the building's manager about when or if they will be let back in.

Another pet owner Masa Tatewaki said he was threatened with arrest when he tried to reenter the building to save his two dogs.

Mother-of-two Alicia is desperate to find accommodation for her family.

'We weren't told, we're still not being told anything,' she said.

'It's just really frustrating, we have to keep reading the news.'

'There's no communication whatsoever. I would really appreciate if they let us know what's going on.'

The building and Church Street were blocked off on Saturday morning

Evacuated residents have been left in the dark about when or if they will ever be allowed inside their apartment

Alicia said the 'the whole building shook for a long time' when the new building next door was built last year.

Am, a 30-year-old baker, was working overnight and discovered she was not allowed inside her home when she returned on Saturday morning. She is yet to take any of her belongings from the apartment.

'I stayed with my friend in building three and slept on her couch,' Am said.

'I've only had two or three hours of sleep.'

Elly Boo and her two housemates, who are all students, are searching for accommodation for Saturday night after spending $200 on a hotel on Friday.

Ms Boo said she was the first to arrive home on Friday evening.

'I got home at around 8.40pm and someone told me I needed to leave at 9pm,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'They asked me to contact all of them (my housemates) that we had to be out.'

A representative (second left) from the building management for Mascot Towers was seen near the building on Saturday

The trio are unsure what their next step is.

'I think everyone is looking for a place so there are quite full bookings,' Ms Boo said.

'I tried to call the building manager this morning but it failed, I think too many people are trying to call him.'

Several other residents confirmed they were not given alternative accommodation, despite NSW Police's statement that 'a temporary shelter has been established at Mascot Town Hall'.

An insurance company was supposed to organise accommodation but none had been sorted out, according to a person who answered the building manager's phone.

Renters have been informed their temporary accommodation won't be covered by insurance while owners' alternate housing may also not be covered.

NSW member for Heffron Ron Hoenig said it is a 'disgrace' that insurance companies are not helping residents but 'it's too early to point the finger'.

Engineers will spend at least the next two days examining the basement of the building, meaning residents could be homeless for days.

Engineers Australia said the situation was further evidence changes were needed in the building and construction sector.

'The evacuation of Opal Tower was a major wake-up call for NSW to get serious about reform,' spokesman Jonathan Russell said in a statement.

'It is time to finally implement the changes agreed by Council of Australian Governments in response to its inquiry into regulation of the sector.'

Workers are seen putting road barriers in place to stop traffic in front of the Mascot Towers

Evacuated residents were only given minutes to quickly gather their belongings and leave the apartment

Another resident, Vitoria Krug, said she recently learned repair works were needed in the basement of the building, before she was suddenly told to evacuate.

'Around 9pm, a police officer knocked our door and said we have five minutes to leave the building with our stuff,' she told news.com.au.

Others said cracking in the building 'had been going on for years'.

Diner Express owner Justin Zheng has 'no idea' when he will be allowed inside his restaurant after adjoining business owners were kicked out on Saturday morning.

'It's a big issue if there's a defect with the structural integrity because it's not going to be fixed over night,' he said.

'We don't know if its going to be a long term thing that will effect our business.'

Diner Express owner Justin Zheng (pictured right) has 'no idea' when he will be allowed inside his restaurant after adjoining business owners were kicked out on Saturday morning

Workers (pictured) from Diner Express were seen removing their stock from the restaurant to use it before it spoiled

Workers from Diner Express were seen removing their stock from the restaurant to use it before it spoiled.

Resident Brian Leggott, who has lived in the building since 2008, blamed a nearby development at Church Avenue for the problems.

'The council and government gave [the development] the green light, barely any questions asked,' he said.

'The land is tiny for the size of this development and basically squeezing Mascot Towers. This is a disgrace and I blame them for turning minor defects into major ones.'

Yet another resident, Anthony, told the ABC the building had 'so many issues from day one'.

Residents of the Bourke Street building and some nearby buildings have been evacuated as fears grow for the structural integrity of the building

Families (pictured) were left homeless after they were suddenly kicked out of their apartments on Friday night

'I guess defects happen in most apartments but you wouldn't ever have thought it would come to this,' he said.

'Especially after seeing the fiasco with the Opal Tower in Homebush, you would have never thought something like this would happen in metro Sydney.

Shop owners in businesses said they had noticed cracks on their walls and ceilings start to develop five years ago, according to 9News.

'We pretty much just moved in and now that. Very worrying. We don't know what to do. We have to take the cars and go somewhere else,' resident Fabiano Di Santos said.

The area has been closed off by police with multiple fire trucks parked outside the building as units were evacuated. Thirty-five have since been deemed 'under no threat'.

A number of residents left the building of their own accord, while Fire & Rescue NSW and police also assisted people to leave the building.

A business owner (pictured) was notified by police (pictured) that he had to leave his shop on Saturday morning

A letter from the building manager revealed that an inspection was being carried out following reports of cracks in the slab beams

The building and Church Stret have both been blocked off by police

NSW Fire and Rescue said that there was 'no concern with catastrophic failure of the building' and the evacuation was just a precaution.

'At the moment there is a concern with an 11-storey building,' NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.

'As a precaution we believe there has been some movement detected over a couple of days, which has been monitored by engineers.

'All we know is there have been some issues and reported movement and there have been some concerns raised. There is no injury or concern of immediate collapse.'

Residents could be seen wandering around the apartment block, some with luggage while others remained in their pyjamas.

The 11-storey building was evacuated as a precautionary on 6pm Friday

Mr Di Santos said they were given only 30 minutes to evacuate and grab whatever they could.

'There's not much information at the moment, just told there's a structural problem,' he said.

'This is a surprise for everyone especially us because we bought a unit here two-three months ago.

'The manager said 'the walls are moving'. That's very worrying, we don't know what to do.'

Mr Di Santos said he had noticed cracks in the building's walls and in a car park.

'When I heard about it I went the to have a look and the building manager told me that those cracks been getting bigger and bigger by the hour,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Me, my wife and our pets are in a friend's place for tonight and tomorrow, and then we'll see. Management told us that more engineers are coming tomorrow morning to assess the situation and the return home could be days, weeks or months.'

Confused residents have been attempting to enter their apartment to no avail

The newly-built tower in Sydney Olympic Park was evacuated on Christmas Eve last year after cracks were found in the building, sparking fears it could collapse

Rosalyn Lean owns a unit in the building and was told to pack her bags and evacuate by 9pm. She said she was worried it could be a repeat of the Opal Tower.

The newly-built tower in Sydney Olympic Park was evacuated on Christmas Eve last year after cracks were found in the building, sparking fears it could collapse.

Violeta Adriaan said she felt 'crap' and 'upset' because there wasn't much information.

'We're very annoyed and in a panic mode,' the 35-year-old said.

'We haven't got any information about who's paying for accommodation and they told us to go to family and friends.'

Engineers and building managers remained on the scene to determine the integrity and safety of the affected floors.Australian home owners can boost the value of their property by 30 per cent and break into the booming Airbnb industry by building a granny flat.

More than half a million homes on the east coast have enough space on their property to build a self-contained unit, which has the potential to add around 27 per cent to rental income and nearly a third to property value.

Over 583,000 properties in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane meet the criteria for an additional unit of at least 60 square meters, according to CoreLogic and Archistar analysis.

Building a one-bedroom granny flat would require an initial investment of around $120,000 mark, while the outlay for a two-bedroom would cost about $200,000.

Australian home owners can boost the value of their property by 30 per cent and break into the booming Airbnb industry and by building a granny flat, which also has the potential to add around 27 per cent to rental income

Built on a million dollar home, a self-contained unit would add around $300,000 to the property's value.

'Building a granny flat is becoming an increasingly compelling proposition for homeowners in a relatively lacklustre market,' CoreLogic Head of Research Tim Lawless said.

'Not only can it help to manufacture new capital gains, but it has the potential to generate rental income while meeting demand for more affordable housing.'

A granny flat usually costs less to rent than a standard apartment, making it a popular and affordable option for renters on a budget.

Over 583,000 properties in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane meet the criteria for an additional unit of at least 60 square meters, according to CoreLogic and Archistar analysis

'Many properties identified as suitable for a granny flat are in densely populated and traditionally expensive areas, such as Sydney's Northern Beaches or Hornsby,' Mr Lawless said.

'More granny flats on the rental market will make it easier for young people to stay in their preferred area, rather than move further afield to find value for money.'



Co-Founder of Archistar Robert Coorey said that many homeowners are sitting on a pot of gold in the form of excess land that could be developed to generate a new stream of income.

'This has wider economic benefits for renters who want to access popular suburbs without paying a premium,' he said.

He said that there's also benefits to the family of creating a granny flat.

Co-Founder of Archistar Robert Coorey said that many homeowners are sitting on a pot of gold in the form of excess land that could be developed to generate a new stream of income

'(It gives) adult children more privacy while they save for a mortgage, keeps loved ones close as they become more reliant on care or gives additional accommodation for overseas visitors,' he said.

Capitalising on this untapped potential for half a million additional dwellings could also deliver economic benefits.

'What is a relatively small outlay for home owners could boost the construction industry to the tune of $87.5 billion, and accommodate the growing population in some of the cities' most popular suburbs,' Mr Coorey said.Survivors of the notorious cult 'The Family' can rest easy a day after their evil leader died, bringing closure from a life of torture and abuse.

Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the once glamorous and charismatic cult founder, died in palliative care on Thursday night aged 98 after a 12-year battle with dementia.

Adam Lancaster, now 48, who grew up in the cult and spent 22 years living on the family's property, remembers his abuser and tormentor as 'auntie'.

Two days after her death, Mr Lancaster told Daily Mail Australia he feels 'numb' after the news.

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Adam Lancaster pictured with Anne Hamilton-Byrne and her husband Bill while he was living at 'The Family's property in central Victoria

Anne Hamilton-Byrne (pictured with cat Tiffany) was the glamorous, charismatic and delusional leader of notorious Australian sect dubbed The Family. She has died aged 98

'(It's) something that I've been wishing in many ways that she goes. It's time. It's cruel that she's being staying around for so long,' he said.

'While she was on the planet, we were never going to get any closure.

'I'm excited for what's going to be in our future now. There is a bit of grief. It still hasn't hit me. It's brought a lot of emotions up.'

Mr Lanaster was 'adopted' by Hamilton-Byrne at just a few days old, and grew up in the sect believing another member, Elizabeth Whitaker was his mother.

Mr Lancaster visited his 'Auntie Annie' at her nursing home before her passing while she suffered with severe dementia (pictured)

Hamilton-Byrne spent her final years living in a Melbourne nursing home with dementia

The cult in central Victoria included the illegal adoption and drugging of many children from the early 1970s until 1987, when two children managed to escape and alert police.

It was then Mr Lanaster learned his 'adoption' was a sham.

Identically dressed with bleached blonde hair shaped into the same bob, the children were bashed, starved and injected with LSD by Hamilton-Byrne and other cult leaders in terrifying sect initiation rituals.

Mr Lancaster was offered to be a ward of the state at age 17 but decided to stay with Ms Hamilton-Byrne.

After leaving the cult in his early twenties Mr Lancaster experienced a life of turmoil from the devastating impacts 'The Family' had, living homeless and turning to drugs.

'I ended up getting on the drugs as basically a timeout from the thoughts in my head,' Mr Lancaster said as he battled twenty years using drugs.

He describes the impacts from drugs such as methamphetamines and LSD being forced into his system from Ms Hamilton-Byrne.

Identically dressed, the children were allegedly bashed, starved and injected with LSD by Hamilton-Byrne and other cult leaders

Mr Lancaster said he still uses marijuana but steers clear of other drugs and alcohol.

'I think I had a strong constitution from drugs as a toddler, they were pumping drugs into us,' he said.

Mr Lancaster saw his former tormentor in her nursing home. She couldn't remember who he was.

He said it was unfair she wouldn't remember the pain she inflicted.

'Auntie Anne didn't know who we were. It's very unfair, she got away with it in her own mind,' he said.

In total, 28 children spent time at the Eildon property, 14 of which Hamilton-Byrne and her husband Bill were thought to be biological parents.

Anne Hamilton-Byrne (pictured) convinced herself and up to 500 followers she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

Hamilton-Byrne convinced herself and up to 500 followers she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

Under the influence of LSD, she believed an apocalyptic war was imminent and that she had a duty to collect children from birth in preparation for a new world.

She gathered young boys and girls and raised them as her own on a property in Lake Eildon in central Victoria in the 1970s and 1980s.

Some children were obtained through questionable adoptions, others were born to cult members and some were even handed over by compliant sect parents.

Mr Lancaster said the once beautiful Ms Hamilton-Byrne was hit with karma as she spent her final 12 years living with the illness.

'Karma had already started with her. She would never have wanted to be in the state she was in in that nursing home. She's been reaping karma for the last 12 years.'

Mr Lancaster doesn't know if he believes in the after life but says she will pay the price.

'I don't think she will be going to the almighty. There is love but I know she did so much wrong,' he said.

In 1987, authorities dramatically rescued six traumatised children from the sect property after two managed to escape and alert police.

Because of legal complexities, Hamilton-Byrne and her husband were only ever convicted of fraud offences in relation with forged birth certificates.

They avoided jail and were fined $5,000 each.

In 2009, The Family founder Anne Hamilton-Byrne mistreated the children at the property

Mr Lancaster still struggles after living a life of torture and hardship, suffering from mental health issues and living on a disability pension.

He says he feels closer to having a sense of peace after his 'Auntie Annie' died.

Lex De Man, the retired Victorian detective who led investigations into the cult group described Hamilton-Byrne as 'the most evil person I ever came across,' despite her never being charged with child abuse.

'You wouldn't normally say that about a 98-year-old woman  From my perspective upon hearing the news of her death, no-one is sad,' Mr De Man said.

'Those who survived, some justice has been served. Today is not a sad day but a day to celebrate  may she rot.'

He hopes her death will mark a fresh start for survivors and said his one regret was that she never faced justice for the serious crimes.

'She left a trail of broken lives, ruined people and the one good thing I've seen is that the former children who were victims of some horrible things have moved on with their lives and they're good people,' Mr De Man told AAP

'I think of them today and what they went through.'

Survivor Ben Shenton, who was just 18-months-old when he went to the cult, was relieved to hear about Hamilton-Byrne's death.

'I feel for the many families and people who suffered at her hands over the years and I'm just glad that a chapter's closed,' Mr Shenton told The Australian.

Survivor Ben Shenton has expressed his relief over the death of the notorious cult leader

He was horrified to discover devotees were visiting her when he visited Hamilton-Byrne in her nursing home in 2012.

'To see that perpetrated and to see the damage that it caused in people's lives is more of an issue to me. Her death closes a chapter on that,' Mr Shenton said.

Victims have attempted to pursue Hamilton-Byrne through the Supreme Court in recent years to get justice for the abuse of more than 20 children.

Despite police raids on the Lake Eildon property and a massive investigation, the only penalties ever imposed on Hamilton-Byrne and her husband and sect co-founder Bill Hamilton-Byrne were $5000 fines for falsifying a statutory declaration.

In a chilling interview featured in the 2017 documentary The Family, she describes her twisted affection for 'her children.'

'I wanted them to look like brothers and sisters - I must admit this,' Hamilton-Byrne said.

She gathered young boys and girls and raised them as her own in the 1970s and 1980s

'I loved them in their little smocks and jeans and the long hair and ribbons. It was beautiful - it was lovely to see.'

Asked why she imprisoned 28 children over two decades, she responded: 'I love children.'

The Family documentary director Rosie Jones said Hamilton-Byrne lured many of her victims in with her charm and good looks.

'She was basically Jesus Christ reincarnated in the view of her followers, and I think in her own view,' Ms Jones told ABC Radio Melbourne.

'She was charismatic and gorgeous and she knew how to reach people's weak spots.'

Born as Evelyn Edwards in Sale in rural Victoria in 1921, Hamilton-Byrne barely knew her father and her mother was mentally ill.

She was a yoga teacher when she met highly-respected English physicist Dr Raynor Johnson in 1963.

Together they founded the sect and began to 'adopt' and acquire children to create a 'master race' while teaching a mixture of Christianity and Hinduism.

Holding back tears, Ben Shenton relived the moment he witnessed Hamilton-Byrne's 'favourite daughter' being beaten to a pulp.

Asked in a 2017 documentary why she imprisoned 28 children over two decades, Hamilton Byrne (pictured right) responded: 'I love children'

'Sarah was thrashed,' he says, holding back tears.

'I was watching her being belted with a buckle and she's being beaten to the point where she's wriggling out of her clothes.

'Hearing her body smash across the balustrades - it was horrendous to know they had the power to do that and would it.'

It wasn't until Victorian Detective Lex De Man learned that children as young as 13 had been injected with LSD that a task force to investigate the sect was established.

In 2009, Hamilton-Byrne told the Sunday Herald Sun she was ready to die after reconciling with Sarah, the 'daughter' who had exposed the cult to the world.

But she denied mistreating the children, saying, 'They were normal children and they could be disobedient to a point, but not all the time.'

The first group of children destined for Lake Eildon. In all, 28 spent time there under the cultALEXANDRA SHULMAN: Nobody could say 2021 was the easiest year in any way. And that includes getting dressed up. But as these pictures show, style did not go into lockdown. Quite the opposite, in fact. The star dressers of the year demonstrated a fantastic diversity and pleasure in their choice of clothes. They include Anna Taylor-Joy, left, who won the Best Actress award at the Golden Globes in February for her captivating performance in The Queen's Gambit. American actress Zendaya (second left) could lay claim to the winner of the best red-carpet style of last year. At the Oscars ceremony in April, she wore a brilliant yellow cut-out Valentino Couture gown and more than $6 million of Bulgari diamonds. This pale blue tulle Dolce and Gabbana number (second from right) was a big hit for Sharon Stone at the Cannes Film Festival. When Emma Raducanu (right) appeared at the Met Gala two days after winning the U.S. Open, frankly she could have been dressed in a bin bag and still be adored. But in black and white Chanel, her bare torso decorated with a chain of pearls, it was clear she was going to be a heavy hitter for any fashion brands that could sign her up as ambassador.Donald Trump has criticized Joe Biden for his policy flips, just days after the former vice president  who is running for 2020 Democratic candidate - changed his mind on abortion funding.

The US President disparaged Biden Tuesday in an interview that's due to air as part of an hour-long program on ABC News.

'He has recalibrated on everything Everything he's said he's taken back two weeks later because he's getting slammed by the left. And he stuck with this stuff. He's really stuck with this.'

On Friday Biden said he no longer supported the Hyde Amendment which stops federal funds going to towards abortions in pregnancies that are not a threat to the woman's life, rape or incest.

The day before he said he stood by his supporting view, which was received with disapproval from some opponents in the race for candidacy.

Donald Trump criticized Joe Biden for his policy flips, in an interview just days after the former vice president changed his mind on abortion funding

The Hyde Amendment means that low-income households on Medicaid would have to seek financial help independently in order to have an abortion if their case didn't fit one of the requirements.

Beto O'Rourke on Thursday, blasted Biden as a return to the past.

Trump's comments to ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos were made after he mocked Biden for thinking he's a 'tough man'.

It was the same day Biden labeled the American leader an 'existential threat to America' and 'a genuine threat to our core values'.

In a clip previously released by ABC News, Trump denied that he was trailing Biden in key battlegrounds.

They include Pennsylvania, where Biden launched his campaign, Wisconsin, a state Trump pried from Democrats, and Florida, a state Trump carried in 2016.

Biden led 55 to 39 in Pennsylvania, 51-41 in Wisconsin, with a 7-point lead in Florida. Trump's lead was just two points in red state Texas.

Trump told Stephanopoulos this week that polls showing Biden ahead 'don't exist'.

He told George Stephanopoulos in an interview airing Sunday, it's 'because he's getting slammed by the left'

'Everything he's said he's taken back two weeks later, ' Trump said Tuesday to ABC News

'Nobody showed you those polls because those polls don't exist, George. Those polls don't exist. I'm losing in 15 out of 17 states? Those polls don't exist,' Trump said.

The Trump camp said more current polling tested the issues Democrats are running on, and Trump performs better.

'The President is correct that we have no current polls against defined Democrats  at all  that show him losing in any of the states we have tested. For example, the President leads in Florida by 8 points,' he said.

Trump denied a New York Times report that he instructed aides to lie about the results, although Press secretary Sarah Sanders did not refute the claim in her initial comments when asked about it.

A senior official with the Trump campaign told DailyMail.com that aides were not asked to lie about the survey, however.

After reviewing a new poll poll of 17 battlegrounds, Trump instructed his aides to deny him running behind his rival Biden in key states he needs to stitch together a 2020 win, the New York Times reported.

Trump's comments were made after he mocked Biden for thinking he's a 'tough man'

Democratic competitor Beto O'Rourke on Thursday, blasted Biden as a return to the past

The poll was in the field March 15 through March 28  a span that included the March 24 summary of the Mueller report by Attorney General Bill Barr. Such an event has a potential to roil poll data  although Democrats fumed that Barr's letter put a positive spin on Mueller's findings.

Both Trump and Biden were in Iowa this week where the president trashed the former VP to Fox and Friends.

'The Democrats have become a radical left party and he probably figures he cant win. But Im not sure hes even thinking about it, I think hes having other people doing his thinking because hes having a hard time thinking lately,' Trump - who turned 73 on Friday - said after claiming he was concerned about 76-year-old Biden's 'mental capacity'.

POTUS added: 'He doesnt have, never did have what it takes,' said Trump, who pointed to Biden's showing in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses before getting elevated as Barack Obama's running mate.

'He never got more than 1 per cent, then Obama came along and surprisingly he took him off I say the trash heap and and ran, but everybody knows Joe is  doesn't have it.'

Twenty Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have been invited to two nights of presidential primary debates set for June 26 and 27, 2019 in Miami Florida

The Democratic Party on Friday announced its line-ups for the debut debate of the 2020 presidential cycle -- a crowded, two-night affair that will see frontrunners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders square off in a highly anticipated match-up.

Twenty Democrats will take the stage in prime time on June 26 and 27 in Miami -- in two groups of 10 -- as they battle to become the nominee who will challenge President Donald Trump for the White House next year.

Former US vice president Biden, the unequivocal frontrunner, and liberal senator Sanders, who is polling in second, will be among 10 candidates sharing the stage on the second night.

They will be joined by South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who has surged from obscurity into fourth place in early polling, and fifth place Senator Kamala Harris, who launched her campaign to strong buzz but has struggled to maintain momentum.

That leaves liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is polling in third place and whose star has risen recently, as the clear headliner on the first night.

Her primary on-stage rivals will be ex-congressman Beto O'Rourke and Senator Cory Booker.

With the opening debate now set, the political stakes of the primary race were becoming clearer.Witnesses say a shooting at a Costco store southeast of Los Angeles sparked a stampede which killed one and left at least two injured.

Police swarmed the Costco Friday night and several ambulances were also parked outside the store located 480 N McKinley Street the city of Corona, about 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles.

'The shooting incident at the Costco in Corona has been stabilized,' the Corona Police Department said on their social media. 'There is no apparent threat to our community from any outstanding persons.'

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Police swarmed the Costco Friday night and several ambulances were also parked outside the store located 480 N McKinley Street the city of Corona

Witnesses told KCAL-TV that a man with a Mohawk haircut was arguing with a woman with a child inside the store when about eight shots rang out.

One witness says shoppers began stampeding toward exits and he saw people on stretchers who appeared to have minor injuries.

It's unclear whether any of the injured were shot.

Two people were injured while another was killed. People are gathered outside the store above

The suspect was taken to a local hospital after telling authorities that he was injured

'The shooting incident at the Costco in Corona has been stabilized,' the Corona Police Department said on their social media. 'There is no apparent threat to our community from any outstanding persons'

It's unclear whether any of the injured were shot. the scene is seen above

KCAL-TV reported more than 100 people were outside the store. Video also showed a police officer with a gun at the ready checking parked cars.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital after telling authorities that he was injured, CBS Los Angeles reports.

One person on Twitter claimed that the emergency doors would not open when the shooting occurred.Two children of a wealthy Mormon doctor who murdered his wife and moved his mistress into their home as a 'nanny' weeks later, helped get him convicted after they suspected his odd behavior.

Alexis Somers said he knew the moment that Martin MacNeill said her mother Michele MacNeill was lifeless in the bathtub that he had killed her.

The woman who changed her last name to disassociate with her father tells ABC's 20/20: 'He said, "Your mom. Shes in the tub. She's not breathing. Ive called an ambulance.' And then he hung up. I just started driving to the airport and I was just screaming. Just screaming. He killed her. That was my first instinct.'

Her sister Rachel MacNeill also speaks to the program where they recount how their doctor-and-lawyer father changed after turning 50. After the case into her death was closed two months after her April 2007 death and her passing was ruled natural, they had an idea to check Martin's phone records.

Alexis Somers and Rachel MacNeill were suspicious of their father's involvement in their mother's 2007 death

Somers said he fed her a cocktail of drugs and moved his mistress into their home shortly after their mom passed

Michele MacNeil was a former beauty queen in her California hometown. Her husband convinced her to have a face lift at 50, around the same time he had started losing weight, tanning and acting strangely, even disappearing for days at a time

Gypsy Willis previously revealed how she exchanged 22 text messages with MacNeill throughout his wife's funeral and he paid for all of her living costs. They are pictured together when she moved in to his house in 2007

The spiral to Michele's death began after Martin demanded his wife get a face lift in April 2007 after she accused him of having an affair and told surgeons to prescribe his wife Valium, Ambien, Phenergan, Percocet, and Lortab - central nervous system depressants that should not be taken simultaneously.

Somers - a medical student - tells 20/20 her mother 'looked bad' and was 'in a lot of pain' post-surgery but her dad told her he's take care of medication.

The following morning Michele 'was completely sedated and out of it' but Somers' father simply admitted he'd given his spouse too much medicine. Somers added: 'And he said, Oh and your mother threw up so then I gave her more medicine".'

Michele - who was wearing eye patches - also became suspicious and told her daughter: 'Give me each of the pills so I can feel it with my finger so if he tries to give me something else, Ill know what hes giving me.

Somers adds in the show: 'She started to cry. She said, If anything happens to me, make sure it wasnt your dad".'

Gypsy Willis, (pictured), speaks out in a new documentary about her affair with married doctor Martin MacNeill, who moved her into his home as a nanny weeks after he murdered wife Michele

Prosecutors said Martin MacNeill, (left), plied his wife Michele, (right), drugs after she got a face lift and left her to die in a bathtub because he wanted to start a new life with his mistress

The murderer had instructed his younger daughter Ada to check on her mother while he waited downstairs.

MacNeill cut off the 911 operator stating he was a physician and had administered CPR. He also cut off his daughter after calling her to raise the alarm about Michele.

The case for the mother's death was closed two months after she passed away but Somers recalled sinister details about her father's behavior.

He told her he'd flushed pills that had caused her death.

Somers tells 20/20: 'He said... it was making him too sad to look at. To see this medication. As soon as I heard that, things were just starting to add up. Everything was adding up.'

Michele MacNeill, (right), was found unconscious in a bathtub in 2007. Her husband, (left), left her there to die after over medicating her with prescription painkillers she was given after a face lift he convinced her to get

The couple's daughters Alexis, (left), and Rachel, (right), claimed Gypsy Willis was 'evil' and that she was a perfect fit for his father. The pair were the driving force behind their father's prosecution after convincing them to look into their father's dark past

Alexis Somers quickly recognized Gypsy Willis as his father's secret lover and the subject of arguments between their parents. She was in her first year of medical school when her mother died in 2007

Utah Investigator Doug Witney discovered that Martin used fake transcripts to get into medical school, received disability payments for three decades from the Veterans Administration after the U.S. Army discharged him for a psychiatric disorder

'She just turned fifty years old. I mean, she, she had a few issues. She had a little bit of high cholesterol, some high, high blood pressure, but who doesnt?  I thought that, okay, if this is a healthy woman that died that there would be some sort of big police investigation,' Somers said. 'Their police report into my mothers death is about two and a half paragraphs.'

The daughters discovered many phone calls to Gypsy Jillian Willis who he chose over them when he kicked his elder daughters out of the house.

Somers says she tried to go to the authorities and attempted to have people at the governors office as well as the media in Utah listen. But she claims no one cared.

Doug Witney and Jeff Robinson eventually helped them discover their father's fraudulent past and history of mental health issues.

While Willis and MacNeill were in jail for fraud they managed to get another look at the toxicology report which found there was a cocktail of drugs in Michele's body.

Rachel MacNeil, (left), and another relative are seen in tears as her father is sentenced sentenced to at least 15 years and up to life in prison on a murder charge, plus one to 15 years on an obstruction of justice charge

MacNeill, seen here with his family, shocked his Mormon community when he gave wife Michele a lethal cocktail of drugs before drowning her in the bath

The result was changed to undetermined and MacNeill went on trial for her murder October 2013.

A new documentary reveals the sordid past Michele MacNeill, a former beauty queen, was found unresponsive in a bathtub and her older daughters immediately suspected that their father Martin MacNeill had killed her.

The two-hour documentary that aired on June 14 revealed that MacNeill proposed to his girlfriend Gypsy Willis, less than 90 days after her death.

The ABC Special features interviews with Gypsy and other relatives.

He was found guilty of her murder in November 2013 and was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison in a trial that captivated the nation.

Willis was never charged in connection to the death, but investigators wondered if she had a role in the planning since she was a regular presence at the MacNeill house following Michele's death.

Gypsy Willis is seen gazing adorably at Martin MacNeill during his trial in October 2012. They had an affair for more than a year before the death of his wife Michele

Martin died by suicide at the Utah State Prison in April 2017, just two days before the tenth anniversary of Micheles death.

Separately, MacNeill was found guilty in May 2007 of sexually abusing Somers.

She told ABC News back in 2017: 'This was someone that I loved and admired for 23 years,' she said of her father. 'His whole life was a facade, and his life with us was a facade.'

Her mother, on the other hand, was the 'exact opposite of him', she said, 'a wonderful example of just love and compassion.'A 78-year-old volunteer has been charged with chopping off the phallus of a Maori carving with a chainsaw after the devout Christian deemed it immoral.

Milton Wainwright who runs the Woodville Organ Museum in New Zealand has been a volunteer caretaker of the Manawatu Gorge Reserve.

The carving has welcomed hikers at the popular tourist spot since December 2018.

A 78-year-old volunteer has been charged with chopping off the phallus of a Maori carving with a chainsaw after the devout Christian deemed it immoral

He has previously earned praise for his volunteer work but now says the community has turned against him over the act of alleged vandalism.

'I never dreamt the Maori would be so offended... As one commenter said, I've gone from hero to zero,' he told Stuff.

Wainwright had complained previously to the local council about the immoral nature of the statue then allegedly took matters into his own hands by trying to cut off the phallus with a handsaw earlier this year and returned with a chainsaw the next day when it proved difficult, according to Stuff.

He has been charged with wilful damage over the alleged act of vandalism.

Local Rangitane carver, Craig Kawana, who created the set of statues called Te Hononga Maunga was upset but did not wish to talk about the matter as it was before the court.

Massey University professor of Maori visual arts and culture Bob Jahnke told the publication the carving had cultural significance and the alleged vandalism was an insult to the Maori.

Wainwright has been banned from the nature site for two years by the Department of Conservation and is due in court in July.Conservative leadership contenders have criticised a secret plan to crown Boris Johnson as prime minister as the first hustings today got underway.

The plan was proposed by senior ministers amid concerns that a six-week battle of candidates criticising each other would leave whoever wins weakened, providing ammunition for Jeremy Corbyn.

But Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart warned against any 'coronation' as they arrived for the Conservative National Convention Hustings in central London, while Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed the same view.

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Conservative leadership contenders have criticised a secret plan to crown Boris Johnson as prime minister as the first hustings today got underway. Above: Mr Johnson (left) seen leaving his home before his arrival at the Convention Hustings in central London (right), where he refused to answer questions from reporters

All six of the candidates for the Conservative leadership - Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt, Mr Stewart, Mr Javid, Mr Raab and Michael Gove made their pitches to local volunteers at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel.

Mr Gove did not speak to reporters as he arrived and entered through a side door, which attracted criticism from Mr Stewart.

Mr Javid, the Home Secretary, was greeted by a heckler who shouted 'People's Vote Home Secretary' as he arrived.

He told reporters: 'I don't want to see a coronation. There needs to be a proper process that's followed through.

Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart arrived at the Conservative National Convention in central London and both warned against a Boris Johnson 'coronation' plan launched by senior ministers. Both men said they did not want to see a 'coronation'

'We had a coronation the last time. That didn't work out well so let's not make the same mistake again.

'Let's give the opportunity to the members to have their say.'

He added it was 'clear' Boris Johnson would be one of the final two leadership candidates but he was happy to be in the running.

Mr Stewart echoed Mr Javid's comments and said the party members 'deserve a choice'.

Mr Javid also told reporters it was 'clear' Boris Johnson would be one of the final two leadership candidates but he was happy to be in the running

'The members of the Conservative Party who are wise, sensible, experienced people, deserve to have a choice,' he said.

'We should have learned from the last time round coronations are not the way to do democratic politics.'

As Mr Stewart left the hustings he said Mr Johnson's decision to enter though a side door was 'very strange'.

He said: 'The whole genius of British politics is that we don't behave like American presidents sweeping up in a motorcade. We're all about talking to people.'

Their comments came following the controversial 'coronation' proposal, which was reported by the Daily Telegraph.

It would see other leadership contenders stand aside next week in favour of Mr Johnson, who has built up an enormous lead among MPs and Tory members.

Members would then have a 'confirmatory' vote on whether or not they want Mr Johnson to be leader.

Above: Jeremy Hunt arrives for the convention. He previously warned against a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson

And yesterday, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also warned against a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson and criticised his refusal to appear in a Channel 4 debate featuring the contenders.

He said: 'What would Churchill say if someone who wants to be prime minister of the UK is hiding away from the media, not taking part in these big occasions?

'What people are worried about is that we could be heading for a re-run of the 2016 campaign [when Theresa May was chosen] where we effectively had a coronation without a huge amount of scrutiny.'

Environment Secretary Michael Gove is also running to replace Theresa May and was photographed arriving at today's meeting

Mr Johnson, who has been criticised for his reluctance to submit to media scrutiny, avoided reporters as his Range Rover pulled up at a side door at the London hotel where the event was being held.

He also did not answer questions when he left the event.

Last night Mr Stewart questioned whether Conservative party members would accept only Mr Johnson's name going forward to them.

Mr Stewart said as he arrived at the event: 'We should have learned from the last time round coronations are not the way to do democratic politics'

Last night he also questioned whether Conservative members would accept a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson : 'Please write to your MP if you think this is not a good idea and please RT if you think anyone else might think this is not a good idea....'

He said in a Tweet: 'Please write to your MP if you think this is not a good idea and please RT if you think anyone else might think this is not a good idea.'

Today, Mr Stewart rowed back on his previous fierce criticism of Mr Johnson.

Asked if he would allow Boris Johnson to serve in his cabinet, Mr Stewart said: 'That would very much be a decision for him but I would be honoured to have him.

'He is an amazing communicator.'

Mr Stewart, an outsider, previously said he would not serve under Mr Johnson before apparently backtracking to announce he would.

The 'coronation' proposal would be highly controversial within the party following criticism of the manner in which Theresa May became Prime Minister in 2016.

Her sole rival for the post, Andrea Leadsom, pulled out of the race, meaning that Mrs May became Prime Minister by default.

Mr Johnson is the overwhelming favourite to become Tory leader and prime minister - he received the backing of 114 MPs in the first round of voting on Thursday.

Trailing far behind was Jeremy Hunt on 43, Michael Gove on 37, Dominic Raab on 27, Sajid Javid on 23 and Rory Stewart scraping through on 19.

Mr Raab, who spoke to reporters about how he would stop Boris Johnson as he left today's hustings, said there needed to be a proper contest.

'We should have proper scrutiny of everyone. The longer this goes on, the more the underdog gets their shot.'

He added: 'I'm just getting started. I'm the candidate I think can be most trusted to deliver on Brexit.

'We've got to get Brexit done to deliver a fairer deal for workers, a fairer society and unite the aspirational working middle classes of this country.

'That's how we get out of this rut.'

Mr Raab had previously criticised Mr Johnson in an interview with The Telegraph.

He said that he, being a grammar school boy and the son of a refugee, would be in a better position to win a general election than someone who is 'easily caricatured as being from the privileged elite'.

Mr Johnson attended prestigious private school Eton with former prime minister David Cameron and the pair went on to study at Oxford together.

Boris Johnson may be the only Conservative Party leadership candidate to be put to the party's membership in the ongoing leadership election under a secret plan hatched by senior ministers to avoid damaging internal fighting

Mr Raab also attacked his plan for a tax cut for people earning over 50,000 - contrasting it with his own proposal to help those on low income.

The former Brexit secretary poured scorn on Mr Johnson's reluctance to appear in the television debates, questioning whether he had the 'mettle' to be prime minister.

Mr Johnson made it clear that he will not be taking part in the first TV debate on Channel 4 on Sunday but did agree to appear in the second debate, on the BBC, on Tuesday.

The biggest hurdle to the 'coronation' proposal succeeding is convincing Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis to back it.

He is insistent that the candidates need to be grilled by members during 16 events in every region of the UK across four weeks, starting in Birmingham on Saturday, June 22.

But the ministers behind the plan hope the proposal for a 'confirmatory ballot' will lessen Mr Lewis's concerns.

Yesterday, Mr Johnson hinted he would be happy with only his name going forward to members as he said: 'The public have had quite a lot of 'blue on blue' action frankly over the last three years. We don't necessarily need a lot more of that.'

However, senior Tory MPs Dame Cheryl Gillan and Charles Walker, returning officers for the membership ballot, made it clear that all candidates are expected to take part in the whole process.

Fellow candidate and Brexiteer Dominic Raab also criticised Mr Johnson's refusal to appear in a debate among contenders on Channel 4, hinting that he too wants to see through the contest to its conclusion. Above: Mr Javid arrives at the convention

Mr Walker warned earlier this month that the party would not accept a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson.

He said: 'The expectation is that if they are in the final two, they will put themselves through the membership hustings.

'We've had a conversation with those who have indicated they are going to put their papers in.

'There is a great recognition across the parliamentary party that this does need to go to the membership this time.

'Potential candidates are fully aware of that and hopefully relishing the prospect.'

Mr Walker said all existing candidates had indicated they would not pull out.

A source close to Mr Johnson told The Telegraph that he was 'happy' to take part in the whole contest, including hustings with rival candidates.

Postal ballots for members are only being sent out on 8-9 July, which means the result cannot easily be moved forward from the week of July 22.

Matt Hancock - who gained just 20 supporters in the first ballot - dropped out of the race yesterday, and those who backed him are said to be shifting their support to Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Mr Hancock had said on Twitter: 'I ran as the candidate of the future, but the Party is understandably looking for a candidate for the unique circumstances we face right now.'About 6:30 p.m., one of them bashed a hammer into the other persons head multiple times. The man struck, 47, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in good condition, police said.Advertisement

Hong Kong's leader announced the government will suspend its unpopular extradition bill after unprecedented mass protests this week.

City leader Carrie Lam was previously urged to halt discussions on the unpopular legislation which saw more than a million demonstrators take to the streets of the island territory.

Ms Lam said in a press conference that she took the decision in response to widespread public unhappiness over the measure, which would enable authorities to send some suspects to stand trial in mainland China.

'The government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise,' chief executive Carrie Lam told reporters.

'The council will halt its work in relation to the bill until our working communication explanation and listening to opinions is completed,' she said. 'We have no intention to set a deadline for this work.'

She said the extradition law was needed to plug loopholes and stop the international finance hub being a haven for criminals but admitted her administration had underestimated the public backlash.

'I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years,' she said.

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Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced at a press conference on Saturday that the debate on the extradition bill would be halted amid protests

Lam told reporters she had taken the decision in response to widespread public unhappiness over the measure after this week's protests

Violence erupted during clashes between police and protesters on Wednesday, with riot police firing rubber bullets and beanbag rounds at unarmed protesters in the worst unrest the city has witnessed in decades

Another mass protest over the issue had been planned for Sunday after earlier demonstrations this week which ground the city to a halt.

More than a million people marched through the streets of the territory to voice their objections to the proposed law.

The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of unarmed protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds.

Many in the former British colony worried that the move would further erode cherished legal protections and freedoms promised by Beijing when it took control in 1997.

Lam, chosen by Beijing to be the highest-level local official, is caught between her Communist Party bosses and a public anxious to protect the liberties they enjoy as a former British colony.

She had previously refused to withdraw the bill, and many protesters are demanding she quit.

Protests died down late in the week, but around midnight Friday there were still dozens of youths singing and standing vigil near the city's government headquarters, where demonstrators had tussled with police who deployed tear gas, pepper spray, hoses and steel batons as thousands pushed through barricades.

Police said 11 were arrested. Lam declared that Wednesday's violence was 'rioting,' potentially raising severe legal penalties for those arrested for taking part.

Police officers fire a tear gas during the demonstration against the controversial extradition bill. A total of 81 people were hurt

Police use tear gas to block protesters from coming closer to the Legislative Council as the protests turned violent earlier in the week

Police were accused of over-stepping lawful powers and launching an unprecedented operation against the much larger mass of peaceful protesters in the former British colony, which was handed back to Chinese rule in 1997, amid guarantees of autonomy and freedoms

A protester wearing a face mask and goggles tosses a police-issue tear gas grenade back towards riot cops during Wednesday's protests

A protester tries to run for cover as she is attacked by a riot police officer near the city's Legislative Council on Wednesday

Police stand guard as protesters display placards during a demonstration near the government headquarters in Hong Kong on Saturday

Prior to Saturday's announcement by Lam, some members of the Executive Council, Hong Kong's cabinet, said she should perhaps rethink plans to rush the bills' passage. A group of former senior government officials issued a public letter urging her not to force a confrontation by pushing ahead with the unpopular bills.

Many in Hong Kong fear the measures would undermine the former British colony's legal autonomy.

More than 1,000 people joined a peaceful 'mother's protest' Friday evening in a downtown garden.

Adding to tensions, the extradition bill has drawn criticism from U.S. and British lawmakers and human rights groups, prompting Beijing to lash back with warnings against 'interference' in its internal affairs.

Anson Chan, a former chief secretary for Hong Kong, said Friday that Lam still could keep her post if she backs down.

'What the people are attempting to tell is that we are very worried about the consequences of passing the extradition bill, because no one will feel safe, even in their own beds, after passage of this bill,' Chan said in an interview.

'It places everybody's individual freedom and safety at risk,' said Chan, who as chief secretary was the top local civil servant under former British Gov. Chris Patton.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam faced calls from both outside and within her government today to delay extradition legislation that has spurred massive protests. Hundreds of mothers gathered in city centre to call for a retract of the bill

One mother is seen holding a signboard that says 'protect children, protect Hong Kong' during Friday evening's peaceful sit-down

Residents in Hong Kong staged demonstrations six days in a row with an estimated one million people taking to the streets

Many in Hong Kong fear the measures would undermine the former British colony's legal autonomy. As of Friday afternoon, more than 30,000 people had signed a petition protesting the use of force by police during violent clashes on Wednesday

More than 1,000 people joined a peaceful 'mother's protest' Friday evening in a downtown garden. Speakers at the rally called for Lam to step down. One mother is seen holding a piece of paper telling the government that it was not 'children's fault'

The standoff between police and protesters is Hong Kong's most severe political crisis since the Communist Party-ruled mainland took control in 1997 with a promise not to interfere with the city's civil liberties and courts

Michael Tien, a member of Hong Kong's legislature and a deputy to China's national parliament, said a total withdrawal of the bill would not be possible.

'The amendment is supported by the central government, so I think a withdrawal would send a political message that the central government is wrong. This would not happen under 'one country, two systems',' he told Reuters, referring to the model under which Hong Kong enjoys semi-autonomy.

Organisers of last Sunday's protest march are planning another march this Sunday.

In addition to calling for the bill to be completely dropped, they would also be pushing for accountability of the police for the way protests have been handled.

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, note that China's justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

Police used more than 150 rounds of tear gas during Wednesday's clashes, he said. That's nearly double the amount used in the city's 2014 protests

Hong Kong police officers walk past words formed with tape which read 'Protect our city, against extradition to China'

A group of Christian worshippers sing hymns to voice their opposition to an extradition law in Hong Kong on Friday afternoon

Tech-savvy protesters are going digitally dark as they try to avoid surveillance and potential future prosecutions, disabling location tracking on phones, buying train tickets with cash and purging their online conversations

Hong Kong police rejected accusations of excessive use of force during clashes in Wednesday's protests. Pictured: Demonstrators covering their faces to protect from tear gas

In addition to pepper spray and tear gas, police were said to have fired rubber bullets and beanbag rounds at unarmed people. Pictured: A man pours water on his eyes after exposure to tear gas

Critics said police over-stepped lawful powers and launched violent operation in maintaining public order

China's state media made virtually no mention of the protests until Hong Kong authorities denounced Wednesday's violencePolice in Majorca have arrested a man over the rape of a 15-year-old British holidaymaker in a hotel sauna.

The suspect has been described locally as a well-known Romanian pickpocket.

Civil Guard officers held him on Thursday.

He is understood to have been released on bail after appearing in court on Friday.

Police in Majorca have arrested a man over the rape of a 15-year-old British holidaymaker in the sauna of the four-star Best Delta Hotel in Llucmajor (pictured)

The hearing took place in private.

The Civil Guard confirmed investigators were probing the hotel sauna, but said they could not give out any more information.

Investigators were called in on May 27 after the 15-year-old told police she was raped after entering her hotel sauna alone around 4pm.

The suspect was described at the time as a foreigner.

The girl was staying at the four-star Best Delta Hotel in Llucmajor with her family.

A spokesman for the hotel, speaking after news of the sex attack emerged, said: 'We have assisted one of our clients after she informed us she had suffered a sexual attack in our establishment.

'We deeply regret what has happened and from the very outset, and have focused all our attention and human and technical resources into helping the person affected and her family.

Investigators were called in on May 27 after the 15-year-old told police she was raped after entering her hotel sauna (outdoor swimming pool at the Best Delta Hotel pictured) alone around 4pm

'As soon as we were made aware of what happened, we requested the appropriate medical response team and notified the police who arrived on scene very quickly.

'This incident is under investigation by the Civil Guard.

'We remain available to the authorities for whatever they need.

'At this moment in time we cannot give out any more information as we are not authorised to do so.

'Once again we deeply regret what has happened and reiterate our full co-operation to the victim and her family.'

Island newspaper Ultima Hora described the suspect as a 'well-known pickpocket' who had gone to the hotel with his wife to target holidaymakers they intended to rob.

His alleged victim is said to have recognise him from police mugshots.

The investigating judge is understood to have confiscated his passport and ordered him to sign on at court regularly as part of his bail conditions.

The local newspaper said the British teenager had told police her attacker did not have any tattoos, but the suspect told the judge during his court appearance that he had a large inking on his chest.

The hotel where the incident happened is set in a family-friendly neighbourhood with cliff top walks in Llucmajor about 20 minutes from the Majorcan capital Palma.

A British holidaymaker was injured at the same hotel in April last year after falling off a cliff while he was taking a selfie.Advertisement

Amanda Knox broke down in tears as she appeared at a criminal justice festival in Italy this morning.

The US citizen, 31, has returned to Italy for the first time this week since she was cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher at their rented house in Perugia in 2007.

Despite being cleared of Meredith's murder by an Italian supreme court back in 2015, Ms Knox told a conference in Modena on Saturday she 'still fears more charges'.

'I'm afraid today, now, I'm afraid of being harassed, mocked, stuck and I'm afraid that new accusations will be addressed to me just because I come here to say my version of the facts. But above all, I fear I will lack the courage,' she told the crowd.

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Amanda Knox (left) is held by her mother, Edda Mellas, as they listen to a speaker at the conference of the Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena in Italy - her first return to the country since she was cleared of murdering Meredith Kercher at their rented house in Perugia in 2007

Ms Knox and her mother wipe away tears as they attend the conference in Modena, despite being cleared of murder by the Italian supreme court in 2015, Ms Knox told the conference she 'still fears more charges'

Tears spill from Ms Knox's eyes as she delivers her speech at the conference in Modena, northern Italy on Saturday - she told the audience, 'I'm afraid today, now, I'm afraid of being harassed, mocked, stuck and I'm afraid that new accusations will be addressed to me just because I come here to say my version of the facts. But above all, I fear I will lack the courage.'

Amanda Knox breaks down in tears as she speaks at a Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena, Italy on Saturday

Ms Knox controversially flew into Italy this week to speak at a criminal justice forum in Modena. Her appearance was slammed by murder victim Meredith Kercher's family

'I know that despite my acquittal issued by the Court of Cassation, I remain a controversial figure in the presence of public opinion, above all and especially here in Italy'.

'A lot of people think I'm crazy to come here. I was told that I was not safe, that I will be attacked in the streets, that I will be falsely accused and sent back to prison and that even if I return to Seattle, it will have been all in vain, it will not have been useful to anything'.

Ms Knox, who fought a bitter legal battle against the Italian justice system, broke down in tears as she said: 'It is not enough to get it right eventually. We need to get it right sooner, to do more often than we do.'

She also revealed she had even contemplated suicide after being accused of murder.

"At 20-years-old I was a happy and a lively girl and I was forced to spend my 20th year imprisoned in an inhumane, unhealthy and unpredictable environment,' she said.

"Instead of dreaming about a career or a family, I contemplated suicide."

'On the world stage I wasn't a defendant innocent until proved guilty, the verdict fell upon me like a crushing weight.'

Ms Knox spent four years in an Italian prison over the killing. She was later cleared along with her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito.

Since her release, Ms Knox has written a book about her experience - 'Waiting To Be Heard: A Memoir' - been the subject of a Netflix documentary, and become a public advocate for inmates who have been wrongfully imprisoned.

Ms Knox, a former American exchange student who became the focus of a sensational murder case, arrived in Italy Thursday for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011

Despite her acquittal by an Italian court in 2015 Ms Knox told a crowd on Saturday morning she still fears charges

Ms Knox wipes a tear away as she addresses journalists and members of the public during Saturday's conference at the University of Modena

Amanda Knox on Thursday arrived in Italy for the first time since she was released from prison in the country in 2011

Ms Knox was barely able to get through parts of her speech on Saturday as she struggled to hold back the tears while addressing the crowd

Ms Knox (left) was convicted of murdering her roommate, British exchange student Meredith Kercher (right), in their Perugia apartment in 2007. She was later cleared of the killing

Before her trip to Italy he family of Miss Kercher labelled her return to the country 'inappropriate' and said her reappearance in the public eye was 'very painful for the family'.

In an essay published online on Wednesday, Ms Knox said she was 'polishing up the speech I'm about to give to a potentially hostile audience in Italy'.

The Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca told the Guardian: 'All these insistences and appearances are only ever done to keep the attention on herself.

'The murder is a tragic memory for the Kercher family, they lost their daughter and sister in such a terrible way. It's also an injustice for them as they still don't know the full truth.

Discussing Ms Knox's speech at the event, he added: 'It's unjustified because her process was not a classic case of ''judicial error''. There was a swing in the decisions: some judges decided one way, and others in another way.'

Ms Knox was pictured looking downcast as she was swarmed by gathered global media as she touched down in Milan on Thursday

Shying away from cameras as she touched down in Milan, the writer and campaigner kept her head bowed as she left the airport

Ms Knox's fiance Robinson, who proposed to her with an elaborate sci-fi-themed display last November, sported multicoloured trousers and a trilby hat at the airport

Novelist Christopher Robinson, 36, who is engaged to Ms Knox (back right) held his arm out to passing cameras as the couple touched down in the airport

Wearing her auburn hair pinned back, the justice campaigner appeared sombre as she was flanked by expectant travellers at the airport. Ms Knox, who has pursued a career in broadcasting and campaigning since leaving prison in 2011, wore dark grey trousers with a check pattern and a black T-shirt

Ms Knox appeared sombre and with her head bowed when she landed. But appeared more relaxed at the cocktail event in Modena, Italy

Ms Knox laughing at a cocktail event on the eve of the opening of the Criminal Justice festival, in Modena, Italy. It is in contrast to when Ms Knox landed in Milan, where she kept her head bowed

The Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca told the Guardian: 'All these insistences and appearances are only ever done to keep the attention on herself.

'The murder is a tragic memory for the Kercher family, they lost their daughter and sister in such a terrible way. It's also an injustice for them as they still don't know the full truth.

Discussing Ms Knox's speech at the event, he added: 'It's unjustified because her process was not a classic case of 'judicial error'. There was a swing in the decisions: some judges decided one way, and others in another way.'

Kercher's half-naked body was found on November 2, 2007, in a back room of the apartment she and Ms Knox shared in Perugia.

The 21-year-old had been stabbed 47 times and had her throat slashed. Police also found signs of sexual assault.

Rudy Guede, an Ivory Coast-born drifter and small-time drug dealer, was eventually convicted of the murder and is serving a 16-year sentence in an Italian prison.

Ms Knox, flanked by her boyfriend Christopher Robinson, is moved and dries her eyes while listening to the the speech of Angelo Massaro, a man victim of a judicial error, during the conference of the Criminal Justice Festival on Friday

Ms Knox previously said she was 'polishing up the speech I'm about to give to a potentially hostile audience in Italy'A business owner has pleaded with her customer to stop giving money to beggars outside her shop after one of her staff was attacked.

Discount Hut owner Onur Cajina said one of her employees was attacked by a female beggar who came into her store in Canberra.

Prior to the incident she said she had no issues with beggars outside her store, ABC News reported.

Canberra Discount Hut owner Onur Cajina (pictured) said she's been forced to ask people to stop giving money to beggars outside her shop after one of her staff was allegedly attacked

Ms Cajina said she had no issues with beggars outside her store (pictured) until the alleged attack on on of her female employees

'It was only when we saw a number of incidences that really raised safety concerns, we're talking about very, very abusive language and violent actions,' Ms Cajina said.

Her employee Chico Cheung was working a weekend shift inside the Canberra store when she said a female beggar came inside and attacked her.

'She just came and shoved me and assaulted me, and threw stuff. She was holding me and yelling at me,' Ms Cheung said.

'It was terrible  I was just shaking and stayed in the shop to stay safe.'

Begging in a public place is not a crime in the ACT however police have the power to move people from a public place if they believe they are a risk of acting violently (file photo)

Ms Cajina posted a sign in front of her store asking people to stop giving money to the beggars and instead give to the Food for Life charity.

'In the past 12 months our staff and the general public have witnessed a number of incidences that have compromised our safety as a result of individuals (who are not homeless) begging for donations,' the notice read.

The notice asked for people to make educated decisions before giving money to beggars.

Begging in a public place is not a crime in the Australian Capital Territory however police have the power to move people if they believe they are a risk of acting violently.Ignoring a cold has had devastating consequences for a Queensland bar manager, who lost her voice for eight months.

Kaitlyn Grace, 28, began suffering from what she thought was a common cold in May 2016.

But instead of taking time off to recover, the Sunshine Coast woman worked through her illness and only became worried about her lack of voice until months later when it still hadn't returned.

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Kaitlin Grace spent more than $6000 on injections and surgery to get her voice back

Hand gestures and whispering were the only ways she could communicate.

'Initially it was like this big joke, that I was the perfect girlfriend because I couldn't speak, and the perfect sibling because I couldn't whinge about anything,' Ms Grace, 28, told Yahoo News Australia.

'I remember crying to my mum, saying that I was never going to have my voice back, and never going to be the way I was before. It was kind of hard.'

She spent three months desperately trying to get answers from doctors before she was a referred to a specialist with a two month waiting list.

Ms Grace was eventually diagnosed with left vocal nerve paralysis  an uncommon complication of severe laryngitis.

Kaitlyn (pictured) needed collagen injected into her vocal cords to get her voice back

The Sunshine Coast resident now takes better care of herself and listens to her body

She required a procedure that involved collagen injections into her vocal cords.

Ms Grace was awake during the procedure and after the first round injections, her voice returned for the first time in eight months.

Her voice continued to get stronger after a second round of injections a month later.

The only way Kaitlyn Grace could communicate was through whispering and hand gestures

But the injections are only a temporary solution.

Ms Grace has been told she may eventually need reconstructive surgery to repair the severe nerve damage.

Ms Grace has so far spent more than $6000 on getting her voice back and now takes better care of herself when she's feeling rundown.

'I know now I need to listen to my body really early, because I caught the common cold and continued working the whole time, so I don't know if I did more damage by doing that,' Ms Grace said.Letters believed to be written by notorious serial killer Ivan Milat are being sold online for $1,000.

Supernaught, an American true crime collectable store, listed the letters believed to be written by Milat and sent from prison.

One letter was seven pages long and was up for sale until Saturday morning, according to 7 News.

Letters believed to be written by notorious serial killer Ivan Milat (pictured) are being sold online with for $1,000

One letter was seven pages long and was up for sale with the whopping price tag of $1,000 was on sale until Saturday morning

The letter was written to a man named Dave in July 2014, who Milat thanks for sending a post card and discusses interviews about himself.

He wrote: 'The longer I live the longer is my sentence.'

'I've seen a few interviews on TV, everyone has a story. Some are just a lot more dramatic than others, and in some cases, lots of people form a view based on hastily constructed stories,' Milat wrote.

Milat wrote that his life 'does make... an interesting story'.

An envelope from Milat where he wrote his name and he sent from Goulburn's Supermax prison is still listed on the website for $199.

Milat was convicted of murdering seven backpackers aged 19 to 22 in the Belanglo State Forest, south of Sydney, and jailed for life in 1996.

He stabbed most of his victims - decapitating one whose head has never been found - and shot another ten times in the head.

He was also questioned in 2004 about the disappearance of two nurses at Parramatta in 1980 when he was working at the nearby Granville depot of the then Department of Main Roads.

Milat - Australia's worst ever serial killer - was in hospital for the majority of May where he had been undergoing treatment for throat and stomach cancer

An envelope from Milat where he wrote his name and he sent from Goulburn's Supermax prison is still listed on the website for $199

Deborah Everist (left) and Anja Habschied (right) were among Ivan Milat's seven victims. Everist, 19, died after being stabbed multiple times. Habschied, 20, was decapitated

MILAT'S MURDERS Between 1989 and 1992 seven young backpackers went missing while hitch-hiking on the outskirts of Sydney, New South Wales. Their bodies were all discovered in the Belanglo State Forest, near Bowral, south of Sydney, and found to be victims of serial killer Ivan Milat. The victims were: Victorians Deborah Everist and James Gibson, both 19, who were last seen in December 1989, and who were each stabbed multiple times. German Simone Schmidl, 20, who disappeared in January 1991 and died from multiple stab wounds, including a knife through her spinal cord. German Gabor Neugebauer, 21, who was gagged and shot six times and his 20-year-old girlfriend Anja Habschied, who was decapitated after they disappeared in January 1992. Britons Caroline Clarke, 21, who was shot 10 times as if she was target practice and Joanne Walters, 22, who was stabbed. Last seen in April 1992. Ivan Milat received seven life sentences for the murders and will die in Goulburn's Supermax prison. Advertisement

In 2006 Milat was named by police at an inquest as the person most likely to have killed a schoolgirl and her boyfriend who disappeared from northern Sydney in 1978.

Milat - Australia's worst ever serial killer - was in hospital for the majority of May where he had been undergoing treatment for throat and stomach cancer.

Doctors have told him he likely has just weeks left to live and he was transferred to Long Bay Prison on May 28 from Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick.

Before that Milat spent the past 23 years in Goulburn's Supermax prison, the strictest in Australia.

He has left the prison on just two other occasions - once in 2001 for a court appearance and once in 2009 when he cut off one of his fingers.Advertisement

Revellers at the Isle of Wight Festival have mixed waterproofs with bikinis as they attend the penultimate day of the music event in Newport.

It comes after five days of torrential rain across Britain - but the sodden conditions have done little to dampen their spirits at the island festival, where today's performers include George Ezra, Fat Boy Slim and Rick Astley.

However, hundreds of homes still remain at risk, with 53 flood alerts issued by the Environment Agency today - mostly in the Midlands and North West. As of June 12, the UK has seen 65.7mm of total rainfall.

But there is good news on the horizon, as temperatures in the UK are rising from below-average to above-average levels this weekend.

Revellers at the Isle of Wight Festival kept themselves dry today with waterproofs over their bikinis on the penultimate day of the event following five days of torrential rain across Britain

Miserable weather plagued the start of the music festival, in Newport, and the return of the downpours has done little to dampen the spirits of music fans today

Meteorologist Simon Partridge said: 'There is the potential for some thundery and heavy rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

'A little bit of uncertainty about when it will arrive but it will be pushing in from the south and will leave from north-east England.

'England and Wales will have spells of heavy and thundery rain.'

Immediately before that, the south-east of England could have temperatures of 25C or 26C on Tuesday, according to the forecaster.

Mr Partridge added: 'Between now and then there will be nothing too significant.

'Some areas will see some long spells of rain but they will be nothing to worry about.

'Sunday and Monday are looking fairly breezy.'

Over the next week, temperatures will return to just below average for the time of year.

The line-up at the Isle of Wight Festival today includes Fat Boy Slim, George Ezra and Rick Astley - which is more than enough to divert attention away from the grey skies for these festival-goers

Four women gather by the drinks stand before the Macmillan Charity Raceday kicks off at York Racecourse today - where the mercury is set to hit 18C (64F), with a slight chance of rain

It was a wet day at Bath racecourse for these two women on Ladies' Day - but there is good news on the horizon, as temperatures in the UK are rising from below-average to above-average levels this weekend

After five days in a row of torrential rain across Britain since Monday, hundreds of homes still remain at risk, with 52 flood alerts in place today - mostly in the Midlands and North West - according to the Environment Agency.

Exacta Weather's James Madden said it was an 'abysmal start' to summer, but added: 'With better weather on the horizon in the coming weeks, a flaming June is still on the cards.'

This will come as scant consolation for one homeowner who says she has lost 'everything' to flood water after heavy rainfall submerged the town of Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire.

Jean Hart said she was left in shock as she watched the water wrecked her house.

Mrs Hart has been left with only the clothes on her back, her pets and her husband after the River Steeping burst its banks on Wednesday.

About 100 properties were hit by the flooding but Lincolnshire County Council warned that up to 720 could be affected after it said the town of Wainfleet had more than two months of rain in just two days.

Homeowner Jean Hart (above) says she has lost 'everything' to flood water after heavy rainfall submerged the town of Wainfleet All Saints in Lincolnshire

Mrs Hart said she was left in shock as she watched the water wrecked her house. Pictured, the ground floor of her property is seen submerged in floodwater today

Mrs Hart has been left with only the clothes on her back, her pets and her husband after the River Steeping burst its banks on Wednesday. (Above, her car, stuck in floodwater)

About 100 properties were hit by the flooding but Lincolnshire County Council warned that up to 720 could be affected after it said the town of Wainfleet had more than two months of rain in just two days. (Pictured, two Wainfleet locals struggle as they wade through the water)

Rescue workers in Wainfleet today. Lincolnshire County Council said the response from the community to the flooding has been incredible

RAF personnel assist civilian emergency services and the Environment Agency with flood defences near Wainfleet today

An aerial shot of the River Steeping breach. One resident said that the floods are the 'worst that he's seen' since moving to the village in 1970

Police advised the occupants of almost 600 houses in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, to leave the area after concerns about flood defences on the River Steeping.

The Royal Air Force helped to drop 270 bags of material to fill a breach in the river's banks after the town had to deal with more than two months of rain in just two days.

The Environment Agency said on Saturday: 'The flood risk for the weekend remains low with an improving weather picture on Saturday and Sunday, although there will be showers, occasionally heavy, at times.

'Continuing minor river flooding impacts are possible but not expected along parts of the River Severn until Sunday.'

As of Saturday evening, 16 flood warnings remain in place across England in areas where flooding is expected, and 35 flood alerts have also been issued.

The majority of these are in the Midlands and east of England.

Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness, Matt Warman said 'the Environment Agency is in the process of putting together two pumps that will start taking away some quantities of water', but he was unsure when they would be up and running.

He also suggested the body and other authorities may need to consider in future what could have been done better to prevent the deluge, but 'ultimately, that level of water was always going to cause problems'.

Mr Warman also praised the multi-agency response to the flooding.

He added: 'In terms of the response, we have seen an incredible working together of the agencies.

'Local people should keep an eye on the police because there is still the potential for risk to homes and lives.

'But in the long term, it will always just be a huge thank you.'

Lincolnshire Police have shared a list of more than 100 postcodes, all in the PE23 and PE24 area, where evacuations are possible.

The force said on Saturday afternoon: 'Some occupiers in this area were advised to leave in this area yesterday. Our advice still remains and has been extended to around 300 homes (in addition to the 290 already advised and assisted to evacuate).'

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are assisting with the evacuations.

They said: 'HM Coastguard is assisting other emergency services and authorities in Lincolnshire this afternoon in response to further flooding.

'On Saturday June 15th, HM Coastguard is assisting with the evacuation of approximately 300 properties in Wainfleet.

'Three Coastguard rescue teams are on scene through the afternoon and the teams which are responding are from Mablethorpe, Skegness and Wrangle in Lincolnshire.'

Drone footage today of the flooding in in Wainfleet All Saints. Public transport services have also been delayed with diversions in place across the county

Lisa Fay, 28, from Basingstoke hasn't let the bad weather stop her having a good time at the Isle of Wight festival - following five days of torrential rain across Britain

Three-day weather outlook Saturday: Cloud and rain in the west will spread into central areas. Sunny spells will follow into the west with the odd shower. Eastern areas of the UK will have sunny spells with just the odd shower around. Temperatures still generally below average but a little higher than recent days. Sunday and Monday: On Sunday there will be a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, some of which will be heavy, especially in the west. Moderate south-westerly winds. Monday will start dry and bright but heavy showers will develop later, especially in the north and west. Moderate to brisk south-westerly winds Advertisement

And over at Download - the annual heavy metal and rock festival in Donington Park - which kicked off yesterday, in Derby, some revellers have been having fun with playful 'mud fights'.

However, a number of punters left the site before the music even began, taking to social media to rename the festival 'Drownload'.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said that despite the treacherous conditions, June 2012 remained the wettest on record with 149mm.

'Although we are at a point where some areas have seen their full amounts of monthly rain, so far we don't think we're on track to beat the 2012 record as a wet June,' he said.

'It's something we do get now and again, which is obviously unwelcome for those people who have wanted to enjoy nicer weather.'

Showers are expected over the weekend but conditions are due to settle down, temperatures are anticipated to rise and no further weather warnings have been issued, the Met Office said.

** Have you taken any photographs of the rain or flooding today? Please email: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe jailed in Iran on spying charges has began a new hunger strike.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said in a statement on Saturday that he received a phone call from his wife telling him she informed the Iranian judiciary she has stopped taking food in protest of her 'unfair imprisonment'.

He said that he would join his charity worker wife for the duration of her protest and not eat (only drink water) while in London.

Mr Ratcliffe said Nazanin, who is serving a five-year sentence in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, sounded 'nervous, but calm' when she spoke to him from prison.

British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (pictured with daughter Gabriela) jailed in Iran on spying charges has began a new hunger strike

'This is something she had been threatening for a while,' Mr Ratcliffe said.

'Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it. I do not know the response from the Iranian authorities,' he said.

In March this year, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) granted Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protect, but Tehran has refused to acknowledge her dual nationality

Mr Ratcliffe said: 'Nazanin had vowed that if we passed Gabriella's fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something  to mark to both governments that 'enough is enough'. This really has gone on too long.'

Their daughter, Gabriella, has not been allowed to leave Iran following her mother's arrest in 2016 and is living with her grandparents.

Mr Ratcliffe said he had previously been planning a 'small event' outside the Iranian embassy in London to mark Gabriella's birthday.

'Given Nazanin's decision, I will also begin a continual vigil in front of the Iranian embassy, perhaps occasionally joined by friends and family,' he said.

'During this vigil I will also not eat, and will continue this fast until such time as her hunger strike ends.

'I vowed last time that if she ever went on hunger strike again, we would not leave her to go through this ordeal alone.'

In March this year, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt granted Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protect, but Tehran has refused to acknowledge her dual nationality.

Back in January, she refused food for three days in protest at the decision of the prison authorities to deny her access to medical treatment.

Richard Ratcliffe (pictured protesting outside the Iranian Embassy in London his wife informed the Iranian judiciary she has stopped taking food in protest of her 'unfair imprisonment'

Mr Ratcliffe (pictured) said: 'This is something she had been threatening for a while. Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it. I do not know the response from the Iranian authorities'

Mr Ratcliffe, who is calling for his wife's immediate release, urged the Iranian authorities to allow British embassy officials to visit her to check on her health.

He said that if she was not freed within the next few weeks, he wanted the Iranians to grant a visa so he could visit her himself.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested on April 3 2016 at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport as she prepared to board a plane with Gabriella back to the UK after visiting relatives.

Amnesty International UK's director Kate Allen said her plight was 'truly heartbreaking'.

'Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, unfairly jailed after a sham trial and subjected to all manner of torments  including months in solitary confinement and endless game-playing over whether she would receive vital medical care,' she said.

'It's shocking that it's come to this, and we and countless people across the country fervently hope the Iranian authorities will now finally do the right thing and release Nazanin.'Vladimir Putin was pictured alongside President Erdogan, Xi Jinping and the Emir of Qatar as he flew into Tajikistan for a summit.

The Russian President attended the summit with other world leaders as he attempts to cultivate closer ties with China and the Middle East as amid growing tensions with the US.

Putin was pictured shaking hands with Xi and enjoying an informal chat with Erdogan as the conference kicked off on Saturday.

It comes in the same week the US accused Iran of carrying out Thursday's attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route at the mouth of the Gulf. Tehran has denied having any role.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, toasts with Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia on Saturday

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) talks with Putin at an unofficial meeting during the conference

The conference in Tajikistan is aimed at creating a closer relationship between Asian and Middle Eastern nations

Yesterday afternoon Putin was also pictured meeting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani amid his spat with Donald Trump.

Rouhani said Saturday it will continue scaling back compliance with a nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show 'positive signals'.

Iran stopped complying in May with some commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal that was agreed with global powers, after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and ratcheted up sanctions on Tehran.

'Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally,' President Hassan Rouhani told Russian, Chinese and other Asian leaders at a conference in Tajikistan.

Rouhani did not refer to this week's tanker incident in his speech to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, behind held in the Tajik capital Dushanbe.

'It is necessary that all the sides of this agreement contribute to restoring it,' he said, adding that Iran needed to see 'positive signals' from other signatories to the pact, which include Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

He did not give details on what actions Iran would take or say what positive signals Tehran wanted to see.

Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar and Putin during a bilateral meeting at the Navruz Palace

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (left) and Putin shake hands as they meet on the sidelines of the conference on Friday

Rouhani has been embroiled in a war of words with President Trump this week after Iran was blamed for an attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would adhere to the agreement and urged other signatories to follow suit.

'We believe that the only sensible decision is for all deal participants to honour commitments,' Putin told the conference.

Tehran said in May that Iran would start enriching uranium at a higher level, unless world powers protected its economy from U.S. sanctions within 60 days.

Washington has ratcheted up pressure on Iran, saying it wants to prevent Tehran developing a nuclear bomb, rein in its ballistic missile programme and end what the it calls Iranian meddling in the Middle East.

Tehran has said its nuclear programme is peaceful and will not be stopped, says its missile work is for defence and accuses the United States of destabilising the region.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal that aimed to curb Iran's nuclear work, have said they wanted to save the accord, but many of their companies have cancelled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States.

As well as the official photoshoot on Saturday, Putin took the time to help President Xi celebrate his birthday by serving him ice cream.

The discussion of senior leaders' private lives is extremely rare in China, and the exact birth dates of most of them are not revealed publicly, as they are considered a state secret.

State television showed pictures of Xi, 66, and Putin holding up champagne glasses to toast Xi's birthday at the hotel he is staying at in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, where they are both attending a regional summit.

While Putin gave Xi Russian ice cream - the flavour was not mentioned - Xi gave Putin back some Chinese tea, the report said.

Putin congratulates China's President Xi Jinping on his 66th birthday by presenting him with ice cream

The discussion of senior leaders' private lives is extremely rare in China, and the exact birth dates of most of them are not revealed publicly

Xi thanked Putin and said that in China Putin was extremely popular, it added.

Pictures on Chinese state television's website showed the two men inspecting a white cake decorated with red and blue confectionary flowers with the words written on it, in somewhat shaky red-coloured Chinese characters, 'good fortune double six'.

President Trump accused Iran on Friday of attacking the oil tankers and warned Tehran that he doesn't take the aggressive move lightly.

'Iran did do it,' Trump said on 'Fox & Friends' when during a phone interview with the morning cable news show.

He advised Iran's mullahs that the U.S. could see evidence of the attack, citing grainy video footage released Thursday that the American military claimed shows Iranian vessels retrieving an unexploded mine from one of the damaged ships.

'You saw the boat, one to have mines didn't explode and it has Iran written all over it. Successfully took the mine off the boat and that was exposed. They didn't want the evidence left behind. They don't know that we have things that we can detect in the dark that work very well. We have that. It was them that did it,' Trump said.

But Trump didn't offer details when pressed on how the United States would respond.

'We're gonna see. We're gonna see how to stop,' he said.

'We'll see what happens. We don't take it lightly, that I can tell you,' he added.

President Donald Trump has accused Iran of attacking the tankers, one of which erupted in a fireball on ThursdayAlexa Washington, (pictured), was outraged after a worker wrote at the top of her receipt, 'Black b*****s in silver car' at a restaurant she visited on Friday

An employee at a Mississippi restaurant was fired after writing a racist slur on an African-American woman's receipt.

Alexia Washington and a friend visited Who Dats in Oxford on Friday and placed a meal order.

But they were horrified when they received a receipt from a male worker at the drive-thru and saw a line reading: 'Black b*****s in silver car.'

Washington said she immediately reported the inappropriate remark to the manager of Who Dat's, who made the employee apologize.

However she was still disturbed by the restaurant workers vile message and posted an image of it on Facebook.

'My car isnt silver, for one. For two, I wasnt rude.

'I didnt have any type of hostility. He didnt have any hostility with me,' she said in a now deleted Facebook post.

She claims she had requested that the employee who printed the slur on the receipt be fired, as she felt 'racially ridiculed and demeaned as a African American female.'

She decided to post her message on social media after her queries to the manager seemed to go unheard.

'I seek justice for this hate crime and I will no longer remain silent,' she wrote.

The drive-thru worker at Who Dat restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi, posted a racist slur at the top of her receipt which read: 'Black b*****s in silver car'

'I've lived in Oxford for 5 years and Im still having to deal with this type of ignorance. Im not a rude or hateful person.

'I was not rude when I was at this establishment and was greeted with this kind of service. I will not stand for it.'

Shortly after her post, Who Dat's owner Wylie Coleman posted a message on Facebook saying that the employee's contract was terminated.

He said he sat down with Washington for over an hour on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

Alexia Washington said she was horrified by the incident and decided to post about it on Facebook, saying she felt the employee should be fired over his racist comment

Washington said she immediately reported the inappropriate remark to the manager of Who Dat's, who made the employee apologize

He added: 'Unexplainable to me were the words on the receipts. The first step was taken by myself to the employee who was informed that they were terminated immediately.

'Ms. Washington & I decided this was necessary because the food service could be jeopardized & that is the only way to start moving forward with what transpired.

'We agreed upon to take steps to ban this & any individuals that feel in any way, they may be allowed to marginalized people to a word or level.'

He claimed Washington was sweet and communicative during their interaction.

He added: ' I am not only apologizing to her but to everyone & anyone that could subject to a label in life.'"If we really want our children to be safe, we're the ones who's got to do our part on the block, in the neighborhood and in the community," Pfleger said. "We got to rise up, we got to stand up and we got to speak up."Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli famed for directing operas, films and television has died in Rome at the age of 96.

The Academy Award Nominee and recipient of an honorary British knighthood passed away peacefully at noon today in his home, his son Luciano said.

Involved in around 20 films and more than 30 plays and operas, the two-time Oscar nominee is most famed for his 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet alongside other films including Tea with Mussolini (1999) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977).

Franco Zeffirelli, famed for his 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, has died at the age of 96, his son has said

A headshot of famous director Zeffirelli. He was an academy award nominee and also received an honorary British knighthood

Zeffirelli pictured on the terrace of his home in Postiano, Italy, in September 2001. He died at his home in Rome, said his son Luciano, in a 'peaceful way'

Announcing the death, Luciano said: 'He had suffered for a while, but he left in a peaceful way.'

The Mayor of Florence, his birthplace, Dario Nardella, paid tribute to the director saying 'I never wanted this day to come'.

'Franco Zeffirelli departed this morning. One of the greatest men in the world of culture', he said on Twitter.

'We join in the grief of his loved ones. Goodbye, dear Master, Florence will never forget you.'

Zeffirelli delighted audiences around the world with his romantic vision and often extravagant productions, most famously captured in his cinematic rendering of Romeo and Juliet.

Showing great flexibility, he produced classics for the world's most famous opera houses, from Milan's venerable La Scala to the Metropolitan in New York, and plays for London and Italian stages.

The illegitimate son of a merchant, he grew up in Florence with his father's cousin, after his mother died of tuberculosis when he was six years old.

His father came to visit him weekly and organised for him to have English lessons three times a week with a British expatriate living in the city.

Initially training as an architect, his studies were then interrupted by the Second World War.

A picture from his version of Romeo and Juliet which cemented his reputation

The Italian film, stage and opera director pictured working in his studio in Rome, Italy (1965)

Actors boy at the end of a performance of L'Elsir d'Amore in East Sussex (1961) Zeffirelli directed the performance

Zeffirelli joined the Italian partisans, twice escaping death by firing squad, before becoming an interpreter for the British army after the allied invasion of Italy.

Returning to architecture, it was Laurence Olivier's 1944 film Henry V that inspired the young Zeffirelli, at the age of 20, to move into theatre.

Gaining a role as assistant director on 1948 movie La Terra Trema, he then worked for several directors before moving into design and trying his hand at directing.

In 1967 his first film, The Taming of the Shrew, was released starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor as its main actors.

The film was well received at the time but it was his second film, Romeo And Juliet, that cemented his reputation.

Its iconic score, by Nino Rota, remained in the public consciousness long after he film's release, with The Love Theme providing the background to former Radio One DJ Simon Bates long-running feature Our Tune.

He also continued to direct opera, staging performances such as Tosca which was so successful it ran for 40 years at London's Opera House.

As well as adapting Shakespeare classics, in 1996 he also produced a film on Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.

That same year he also revealed his homosexuality, but quickly came under attack from the LGBT community over his support of the Catholic church.

Two years earlier he tried his hand at politics, becoming a senator for centre-right party Forza Italia. He continued in politics until 2001.

Wherever Zeffirelli worked, however, controversy was said not to be far away.

In 1978 he threatened to leave Italy for good because of harsh attacks against him and his art by leftist groups in his country, who saw Zeffirelli as an exponent of Hollywood.

Zeffirelli with co-star Martin Hewitt drinking wine in 1981 celebrating his film 'Endless Love'

The academy award nominee (right) rehearsing with actors Natasha Pyne and Michael York for his first film The Taming of the Shrew in 1967Four table knives concealed in a knee brace were confiscated from a British woman at Boston Logan Airport

A British woman has been caught trying to smuggle table knives onto a plane by concealing them in a knee brace.

The London woman was caught at Boston Logan Airport when tying to board a plane to Paris.

She arrived at the security checkpoint in a wheelchair and placed her knee brace onto the X-ray monitor.

Transport Security Administration officers called for a closer look at the brace after spotting unusual objects on the monitor.

The TSA said when she was asked what was in the brace that she laughed.

However, it would appear the security officers did not find it funny when they found four table knives concealed in the knee brace.

The TSA's federal security director for Massachusetts Robert Allison said the incident was 'no laughing matter'.

Transport Security Administration officers said when the womn was asked what was in the brace that she laughed

'This is a good example of what a fine job our TSA officers do,' he said.

'The officer staffing the X-ray machine spotted something unusual and it turned out that he was spot-on.

The woman was not allowed to board the flight and the Massachusetts State Police were notified of the incident

'The TSA officer who pulled out the knives showed them to the woman and she laughed, but I can assure you that trying to artfully conceal any sort of weapon in an effort to get it onto an airplane is no laughing matter.'

The woman was not allowed to board the flight and the Massachusetts State Police were notified of the incident.A bride has told how she and her new husband both fell violently ill after their wedding day at a Dominican Republic resort where two other Americans died in mysterious circumstances, forcing them to cut short their honeymoon.

Claudia Massaranduba and fiance Kevin Gentile, who live in the Boston area, were staying at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana when the began to suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.

The newlyweds, believed to have tied the knot earlier this month, told The New York Post that several members of their family also fell ill during the celebrations.

Two other Americans, David Harrison and Robert Bell Wallace, have died at the resort in the last year.

A total of seven US holidaymakers have died in mysterious circumstances while vacationing in the Dominican Republic.

Claudia said Kevin was ill on morning of their big day: 'It was scary. He had a fever, chills and we were more concerned about getting fluids into him than the wedding.'

Claudia Massaranduba and fiance Kevin Gentile were staying at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana when the began to suffer from vomiting and diarrhea

Claudia claims her bridesmaid and her 10-year-old nephew also fell ill and were charged hundreds of dollars to visit the resort's clinic before being referred to a local hospital. She says her guests were among dozens of other guests at the hotel who were getting sick that same week.

She added: 'The doctor was very concerned about how she was going to be paid. I asked her if she was going to do anything for my husband besides look at him and tell him to go to the hospital.

'People at the hotel were not surprised at all by our experience, which I thought was strange. That's why when I went to the doctor it seemed like a business.'

Claudia herself says she then fell ill and she later discovered that other members of her family, including elderly relatives, were also sick but had not wanted to spoil the couple's wedding.

The couple were then forced to cut short their honeymoon.

'Our plan was to spend our honeymoon at the resort and instead we left a day early,' Claudia said.

She added: 'The hardest part was that a big part of our wedding was having the family together and that got taken away from us. Instead I was stuck in our room with my husband getting sick.'

Claudia herself says she then fell ill and she later discovered that other members of her family, including elderly relatives, were also sick but had not wanted to spoil the couple's wedding. The couple were then forced to cut short their honeymoon

Claudia, pictured with Kevin, claims her bridesmaid and her nephew also fell ill and were charged hundreds of dollars to visit the resort's clinic before being referred to a local hospital

Two other Americans, David Harrison and Robert Bell Wallace, have died at the at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, pictured, in the last year

Leyla Cox, 53, of New Brighton became the seventh American in last year to die in mysterious circumstances in Dominican Republic after she was found dead in her hotel room on Monday. Her son William has claimed no toxicology report has been carried out on her because all the country's machines are broken.

Cox said that he was told by the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo that his mother died of a heart attack, but in light of recent news reports about Americans dying during their vacations, he is not ready to accept the official explanation.

'I have a right to be suspicious,' he said. In a phone interview with the New York Post he explained: 'The Dominican Republic has not released an autopsy report.

'They will not do a toxicology report on her because they say the toxicology machines in the Dominican Republic are broken.

I've been trying to get her body flown back to the US, so we can do our own autopsy and our own toxicology report,' he said.

'But unfortunately that will cost a fortune. And I do not have anywhere close to that sort of money.'

Toxicology reports - drug tests done on people who have died - cost thousands of dollars.

'They've put me against a wall where I don't have a choice,' William said.

'I don't know how she died. I don't know where she died  I know it was in a hotel. I don't know if she was in a room or at the bar.'

Leyla Cox, 53, of New Brighton, flew to the Dominican Republic on June 5. She was expected to spend a week on the island before flying back to New York on Wednesday, according to her son, William Cox

Cynthia Day, 49, and Nathaniel Holmes, 63, of Maryland, checked into the Bahia Principe Hotel, La Romana on May 25. They were found dead in their rooms five days now and their families say they now plan to carry out their own autopsies on their bodies

Leyla flew to the Caribbean island on June 5 and was expected to spend a week on the island before flying back to New York on Wednesday, William told the Staten Island Advance.

The family says it is waiting for her body to be transferred from the hospital to Blandino Funeral Home in Santo Domingo.

'Once they have her, they're going to call me, and they're going to make arrangements with me,' said William.

Authorities believe the deaths may have been caused by bootleg booze Police believe the seven American tourists who have mysteriously died in the Dominican Republic over the past year may have been poisoned by bootleg liquor. The Caribbean island has said the deaths are isolated incidents, but U.S. law enforcement sources told the New York Post that they are looking into who supplied the alcohol the victims drank in the hours before their deaths. They also want to test the drinks to see if they contain dangerous chemicals. One source told the Post that the FBI will take blood samples from the dead back to its Virginia research center for testing. Most of the victims were apparently healthy adults, several of whom are known to have drank from their hotel room minibars before becoming extremely ill. Lawrence Kobilinsky, a forensic science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, told the New York post that the symptoms of many of the dead and sick, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are consistent with poisoning from methanol or pesticides. Methanol is toxic form of alcohol used as antifreeze. It is a light, colorless, flammable liquid with a odor similar to that of ethanol (drinking alcohol). 'It looks to me, from what I've heard and read, is that something was added to the drinks or bottles in those little refrigerators,' he said. Advertisement

Another factor that will likely complicate any attempt to find out what happened is the fact that his mother wished to be cremated - which would preclude any toxicology report.

Leyla was found dead in her hotel room on Monday June 10, just one day after her birthday.

Cox said he and his family had urged his mother not to go to the island given the recent events.

'My family wanted her to not go on this vacation,' he said.

'I truly believe if my mother was not in the Dominican Republic, she would have been alive right now.

'With everything going on in the news right now, we think she's a casualty of what's been happening.'

Cox said he spoke to his mother days before her departure.

'I called her on a Sunday and wished her a happy birthday,' he said. 'I told her I loved her.'

It is unclear if Leyla Cox stayed at one of the resorts where other Americans have fallen ill.

Earlier on Thursday, an Atlanta couple said they fell violently and mysteriously ill while on a vacation to Dominican Republic.

Vanessa McNelley-Neal and her husband James say they were the victims of a 'very intense' sickness while on a break on the island.

Four American tourists have died at the Bahia Principe hotels and two at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana.

FBI officials say they're now investigating each of the deaths.

The brother of Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran, John, was also found dead in a Dominican Republic hotel room in April. Corcoran said in a statement on Instagram Thursday that her brother had an 'existing heart condition and we believe he died of natural causes'.

But the family of Nathaniel Holmes and Cynthia Ann Day, who died at the Bahia Principe Hotel, La Romana, say they plan to carry out their own autopsies on their bodies.

Their attorney Steven Bullock told People: 'We are continuing to investigate the exact cause of death. The families are determined to find out what happened and why. At this time the cause of death remains a mystery.

'We look forward to getting the FBI findings.'

Cynthia Day, 49, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland and her fiance Nathaniel Holmes, 63, of Temple Hills, Maryland were found dead in their room at the Bahia Principe hotel

Miranda Schaup Werner collapsed on May 25 and died in her room after having a drink from the mini-bar at the all-inclusive Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana. She's pictured left with her husband Dan. David Harrison, 45, right, of Maryland died of an alleged heart attack while vacationing with his wife, Dawn McCoy and their son at the Hard Rock in Punta Cana

Yvette Monique Sport, 51, left, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, also died after drinking from the minibar at the Bahia Principe resort, Sport's family members said. Robert Bell Wallace, 67,right, of California, became ill and died after he had a scotch from the room minibar at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino resort in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic

FBI officials say they're now investigating the seven deaths of seemingly healthy Americans who died suddenly at one of two resorts in the last 12 months

An autopsy carried out in the Dominican Republic said Holmes and Day they both died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema. Day also reportedly suffered from cerebral edema.

The McNelley-Neals told 11Alive they had been staying at the same chain of hotels as other Americans who have died or suffered from illness.

The couple first visited in October last year before returning a month later.

Vanessa said: 'We had a good couple of days and then started feeling ill.

'Started having really bad abdominal cramps. Thought it was some kind of a GI [gastrointestinal] issue. I had a light headache.

'I had food poisoning years ago in Tahiti so I know what that feels like and it did not feel like that,' Vanessa said. 'The stomach cramping was very different. It was very intense. It was not the normal stomach pains.

'Anything we took didn't really help.'

Her husband James added: 'I had a heavy headache that just lasted and lasted. I took everything and nothing phased it.'

The couple, living in Puerto Rico at the time, went to the doctor when they first returned home but doctors there and later in Atlanta could not determine what was wrong with them. They say they were sick for at least three weeks.

Vanessa added: 'We just left it be until people started having the same issues and it sounded very similar to what we had going on and it just didn't make a lot of sense.'

The couple now say they hope 'other people will come forward' and an investigation is launched.

TIMELINE: American tourists who mysteriously died or were struck down with illnesses in the Dominican Republic June 2018: Yvette Monique Sport, 51, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, dies after drinking from the minibar at at a Bahia Principe hotel in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. Family said the previously healthy Sport had the drink, went to sleep and never woke up. June 2018: Kaylynn Knull, 29, and Tom Schwander, 33, woke up in their hotel room at the Grand Bahia Principe with a pounding headache. They returned to the room later in the day, to find a 'chemical smell'. The couple changed their flights and flew home early. July 2018: David Harrison dies while on vacation at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana to celebrate his wedding anniversary. He woke up struggling to breathe and covered in sweat. He died that same day. His widow said he'd visited the doctor before the trip who'd given him a clean bill of health. October, 2018: Awilda Montes, 43, of New York, claims she drank a bottle of soda from the minibar at the Grand Bahia Principe resort in La Romana that 'turned out to be bleach.' She survived but suffered chemical burns. April 10, 2019 : Robert Bell Wallace, 67, of California, became ill almost immediately after drinking an alcoholic beverage from his in-room minibar at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino resort in Punta Cana - the same hotel as Harrison. April 14: Wallace dies in hospital four days after falling ill. May 25: Miranda Schaup-Werner, 41, of Pennsylvannia, dies within hours of consuming a drink from a resort minibar across the island at Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana. May 25: Cynthia Day, 49, and Nathaniel Holmes, 63, of Maryland, check into the Bahia Principe Hotel, La Romana. May 30: Day and Holmes are found dead in their rooms. June 10: Leyla Cox, 53, of Staten Island, New York, is found dead in her hotel room. The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo informed her family that she died of a heart attack, but her son, William Cox, says he is suspicious. Advertisement

Tourist Jerry Martin, from Plant City, Florida, also claimed to have fallen ill at Caribe Club Princess Beach Resort & Spa in Punta Cana last month.

He told Fox 13: 'We were down at the pool when it hit, and I had to go up and just lay down and hold my stomach. It was on fire.'

DailyMail.com has contacted the resort for comment.

The Bahia Principe Resorts and Hotels tweeted to say: 'The safety and comfort of our guests and staff stand at the core of our company values and we work daily to insure it.

'All our properties in the Dominican Republic hold some of the most prestigious certifications in the industry including Travelife certifications at the Gold level, as well as a Global Reputation Index (GRI) of 90 percent.'

In a statement a spokesman for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana told the DailyMail.com: 'Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana is deeply saddened by these two unfortunate incidents, and we extend our sincerest sympathy to the families of Mr. Harrison and Mr. Wallace.

'We are currently waiting for official reports regarding these deaths, which occurred in July of 2018 and April of 2019 respectively.

'We can assure you, the safety and health of our guests is now, and has always been our highest priority. We currently implement beverage protocols, including purchasing sealed and unopened products from licensed and reputable vendors, as well as daily inspections of all products served throughout the hotel bars and in-room liquor dispensers.

'Additionally, our team members are trained to inspect all supplies, equipment and products that enter the property.'

Authorities in the Dominican Republic had said last week the deaths of a Pennsylvania psychotherapist and an American couple five days later at the same resort appear to be unrelated incidents.

The resort released this statement saying it is 'deeply saddened' by the couple's deaths

Robert Bell Wallace, 67, of California became ill almost immediately after drinking an alcoholic beverage from his in-room minibar at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino resort in Punta Cana on April 10, and died on April 14 after being hospitalized, Fox News reported.

Pennsylvania's Miranda Schaup-Werner, 41, also died after consuming a drink from a resort minibar across the island at Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana on May 25.

Five days later, Maryland couple Cynthia Day, 49, and Nathaniel Holmes, 63, were found dead in their rooms on May 30 at the same resort, though staying in an adjacent sister hotel.

One year ago, Yvette Monique Sport, 51, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, also died after drinking from the minibar at that resort, Sport's family members told Fox 29.

In July 2018, David Harrison, 45, of Maryland died of an alleged heart attack while vacationing with his wife and their son at the Hard Rock in Punta Cana, which his widow now calls into question given the other recent deaths.A six-year-old boy whose throat was slashed by his own mother in April collapsed and died suddenly in the lunch line of his Bronx school on Friday  and police believe his death was caused by a pre-existing injury.

The little boy, who has not been publicly named, fell unconscious inside the PS 5 Port Morris School at around 11:30am, with eye witnesses claiming he struck his head on the way down and had blood pouring from his mouth.

Paramedics rushed to the scene to calls of an unresponsive child, where they attempted to resuscitate the boy in the middle of a busy cafeteria.

He was then transferred to the Lincoln Medical Center in a critical condition before sadly dying shortly after his arrival.

The little boy (pictured left with his mother Shanice Martin), who has not been publicly named, fell unconscious inside the PS 5 Port Morris School at around 11:30am, with eye witnesses claiming he struck his head on the way down and had blood pouring from his mouth

Paramedics rushed to the scene to calls of an unresponsive child, where they attempted to resuscitate the boy in the middle of a busy cafeteria of the PS 5 Port Morris School (above)

Video courtesy PIX 11

Authorities say the boy suffered a severe medical episode, which included foaming at the mouth.

They believe the episode was triggered by a pre-existing and unhealed injury.

[He] was getting lunch and suddenly he just passed out, said fifth-grader Jason Nunez, to the NY Post. He hit his head. The blood was coming out of his mouth.

An employee of the school told the NY Daily News that it was only the boys second day at PS 5 Port Morris.

He was standing in line for lunch. He hadnt eaten yet and he suddenly collapsed. We dont know what happened, she said.

The victim, as well as his two-year-old sister, had their throats slashed with a razor-blade by their mother Shanice Martin, 24, on a New York City sidewalk in April.

Authorities say the boy suffered a severe medical episode, which included foaming at the mouth. They believe the episode was triggered by a pre-existing and unhealed injury

The victim, as well as his two-year-old sister, had their throats slashed with a razor-blade by their mother Shanice Martin, 24, on a New York City sidewalk in April

Martin walked away from the scene leaving her children for dead as panicked pedestrians scrambled to flag down passing police cruisers.

Both of the childrens throats were said to have been cut from ear to ear, authorities later revealed.

Minutes later, a blood soaked Martin emerged through the doors of the of the 42nd Precinct station-house clutching the same razor urging officers to go ahead and arrest me.

The troubled mother is said to have struggled with a number of mental health issues and had previously been homeless, her family claimed.

Police sources claimed that Martin was 'covered in blood' and 'made incriminating statements' about how she harmed her children.

She was charged with a host of charges including assault, child abandonment and child endangerment as a result of the April 27 incident.

A blood soaked Martin emerged through the doors of the of the 42nd Precinct station-house on April 27, clutching the same razor she used to cut her childrens' throats with, urging officers to go ahead and arrest me

Martin remains in custody without bail. Its unclear who the boy had been living with at the time of his death.

On Friday, the schools principal Danielle Keane sent a letter home to parents informing them that a student passed away suddenly during lunch hour.

Several students witnessed what occurred, the letter read. We know how devastating this news is for our school community. Our school crisis team is available to provide support for students and staff as needed.

We are saddened by this loss and are here to assist our school community in any way we can.

Police say the citys Medical Examiners Office will work to determine the boys specific cause of death.Sam Baldacchino feared he had lost his eyesight after he was attacked by drunk thugs

An elderly grandfather almost lost his eyesight when he was attacked by violent thugs in a vicious and unprovoked attack.

Sam Baldacchino, 71, was setting up his fruit and vegetable stall at the Smart Street Markets in Mandurah, south of Perth, when he was confronted by a group of drunk men about 4am on Saturday morning.

Mr Baldacchino's partner began filming the ugly confrontation when the men started swearing at him.

The disturbing footage shows one of the men stealing a watermelon, which is smashed to pieces when it's kicked on the ground, while Mr Baldacchino's partner yells at the group to stop.

Part of the confrontation was captured by Mr Baldacchino's partner, including the moment one man steals a watermelon from his stall and kicks it along the ground (pictured)

Not captured in the footage is the moment a man hurls an apple at Mr Baldacchino, which hits him in the head.

'I tripped and then went on the ground and then he hit me,' Mr Baldacchino told Seven News.

'It's just crazy, this is absolutely [a] disgrace.'

The group then fled the scene.

The men were drinking at a nearby bar prior to the incident.

Sporting a black eye and deep cut to his right cheek, the attack didn't stop Mr Baldacchino from returning to the markets several hours later to run his stall.

Doctors told him he's lucky not to have lost vision in one eye.

His customers at the weekly markets have taken to social media to express their disgust about the attack.

'This is awful he is such a lovely man and their produce has always been wonderful when I've brought it,' one woman posted on Facebook.

Another added: 'I have know Sam for years, hes hard working, such sad news.'

Western Australia Police are now investigating the attack on Smart Street Markets (pictured)

Mr Baldacchino now plans to protect himself with pepper spray when he sets up his stall in the future.

'I'm sorry, we've had enough of this. We can't take it anymore,' a distraught Mr Baldacchino said.

Western Australia Police are investigating and urge anyone with information to come forward.

No charges have yet been laid.A host of Hollywood actors and directors have gotten involved in a mayoral election in a small German town commonly used in big budget films.

Gorlitz - often referred to as Gorliwood - became famous after Hollywood films, such as Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel and Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds used the picturesque town as a shooting location.

However, the town, which has a population of 56,391, is now making headlines for an altogether different reason.

On Sunday the town may elect the country's first mayor from the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party.

Alternative for Deutschland politician Sebastian Wippel (right) will likely be the next mayor of Gorlitz, Germany. Hollywood figures such as Daniel Bruhl (left) are campaigning against him

Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel was partly filmed in the town of Gorlitz

The party's candidate is 36-year-old Sebastian Wippel, who made headlines in 2015 after handing out flyers that encouraged Arabic refugees to return to their countries of origin.

Directors, producers and actors that have worked in the town are pleading with the electorate not to vote for the AfD in tomorrow's poll.

Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds used Gorlitz to film the movie Der Stolz der Nation, which was a film shown in the film

English director Stephen Daldry and actors Brigitte Broch and Daniel Bruhl are among a group of people to sign an open letter hitting out against Mr Wippel.

They're afraid that the town's welcoming atmosphere will be changed if he is elected.

'Please vote wisely,' the letter reads.

Gorlitz is a town in the far east of Germany and has become famous for being used in Hollwyood films

'Don't succumb to hate and enmity, discord and exclusion . . . Don't betray your convictions as soon as someone claims he can solve things for you.'

Mr Wippel won the first round of voting in the mayoral election with 36 per cent of the vote and is fancied to prevail in tomorrow's final vote.

The former policeman, and current member of parliament in Saxony's regional assembly, has promoted himself as tough on crime and immigration.

Gorlitz, which is located in the far-east of Germany, experienced a surge in cross-border crime after Poland entered the European Union, however recent figures show crime is falling

Benjamin Kornblum, a local restaurant owner, told the Financial Times that people were concerned about the amount of crime in the town.

Gorlitz, which is located in the far-east of Germany, experienced a surge in cross-border crime after Poland entered the European Union, however recent figures show crime is falling.

'Gorlitz has a big crime problem, and maybe we need a policeman to sort it out,' Mr Kornblum said.

Kate Winslet and David Kross starred in 2009 film The Reader. The film used Gorlitz to film parts of the movie

'The government has been cutting back police numbers for years and we need to reverse that.'

Mr Wippel's campaign slogan - 'Life is better with borders' - could be seen as a direct rebuke to his opponent.

Geoffrey Rush and Sophie Nelisse in 2013 film The Book Thief. Gorlitz was used for much of the production

Running against the former policeman is Christian Democratic union candidate Octavian Ursu - a Romanian immigrant.

Mr Ursu has centred his campaign around making Gorlitz an innovative town open to the world.Olivia Munn has helped aid in the safe return of a pet pooch stolen by a dog walker who was using the app, Wag.

The actress, who is an investor in the 'Uber for dog walking' app, coordinated with police after a New York couple's Shih Tzu-Yorkie mix was nabbed from their apartment on Thursday.

Sophie and Max Troper contacted Munn, 38, through Instagram when they returned to their Manhattan home to find their canine, Benny, missing.

The Tropers told ABC that only dog walkers on Wag have the codes to their apartment building, narrowing down the list of suspects who may have stolen their pooch.

The distressed pair pleaded with Munn to use her star power in order to bring Benny home - and the X-Men actress didn't disappoint.

Olivia Munn has helped aid in the safe return of a pet pooch stolen by a dog walker who was using the app, Wag

The Tropers thanked Munn in a photo they shared to Instagram that showed them posing with an NYPD detective after they were reunited with their dog

The Tropers say Munn spent all night on the phone with them, and she helpfully liaised with Wag staff and police in order to locate the little dog.

On Friday, cops finally found Benny, who had been dognapped by Wag user, Christian Madriaga, 22.

Madriaga was seen on apartment CCTV footage dressed in a red sweatshirt carrying little Benny from his home on Thursday.

He has now been charged with theft.

The Tropers thanked Munn in a photo they shared to Instagram that showed them posing with an NYPD detective after they were reunited with their dog.

They wrote: 'BENNY WAS FOUND!!!!!!! We are so so so grateful to Detective Kaufman and the other officers from @nypd and @oliviamunn and everyone in the community for their help in bringing our angel home!!!!!

Shih Tzu-Yorkie Benny mix was nabbed from the Troper's New York apartment on Thursday

On Friday, police finally found Benny, who had been dognapped by Wag user, Christian Madriaga, 22

'Benny was found at the residence of a wag walker and was rescued by an amazing detective from Precinct 1 NYPD'.

Munn issued similar sentiments, telling fans on Reddit on Friday evening: 'I've been up all night. wanted to make sure we got Benny home safe with Sophie and Max. Huge huge gratitude to the NYPD and Detective Kaufman for working so hard and moving so fast to bring Benny home'.

Wag released a statement following Benny's safe return saying that incidents of dog-napping are extremely rare.

The company started in 2014, and has raised $300 million in venture capital funds.

In addition to being an investor in Wag, Munn is also a creative strategist and spokeswoman, who appears in advertisements for the company.Lawyers suing over the opioid epidemic have asked a judge to allow a structure for all 25,000 municipal and county governments in the US to be paid if a settlement can be reached with companies that make and distribute powerful prescription painkillers.

The proposal came in a motion filed on Friday in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio, where 1,850 lawsuits largely by local governments are pending accusing companies including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma of fueling the opioid abuse crisis.

The plaintiffs' lawyers sought to certify for the purpose of settlement talks a class that would include every US county and municipality in the country, who would then have the right to vote on accepting any deal with a company.

The lawyers say the proposal fits with calls by US District Judge Dan Polster, who presides over the cases, for a national settlement that would 'do something meaningful to abate this crisis.'

Attorneys for cities accusing companies including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma of fueling the opioid abuse crisis propose adding all 25,000 local governments to the class-action suit

Joe Rice, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at the law firm Motley Rice, said the proposed framework would allow companies the chance at global peace without worrying more lawsuits could emerge.

'The aim is to form a united group vested with the power to negotiate, vote on and deliver finality if there is an opportunity to negotiate a settlement,' Rice said.

Dr. Richard Sackler (pictured) ran Purdue Pharma from 1999 to 2003 and oversaw much of the increasing sales of OxyContin

Rice acknowledged that some defendants may oppose the proposal out of concern it could expose them to greater liabilities. Many local governments have also chosen so far to not sue and could decide to opt-out.

Elizabeth Chamblee Burch, a University of Georgia law professor, said it was unclear if the courts ultimately would allow such a large class of localities to be given class action status, which have increasingly been harder to get approved.

'I think it will be an uphill battle,' she said.

Drug distributor Cardinal Health Inc, a defendant in the cases, called the proposal 'a novel and untested approach that is likely to face extended legal challenges and lead to years of collateral litigation.'

Stamford, Connecticut-based Purdue in a statement said it was 'committed to working with all parties toward a resolution.' Other companies had no immediate comment.

Opioids were involved in a record 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017, well more than the number killed by guns, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention says.

More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, including 47,600 from opioids

Christine Gagnon of Southington, Connecticut protests with other family and friends who have lost loved ones to OxyContin and opioid overdoses at Purdue headquarters last year

The unified approach on behalf of municipalities would help address a problem that is widespread and reaches across city and county lines, Rice said. Providing assistance from a settlement to one county doesn't help the people in a neighboring town, he said.

'These pills have wheels, they move around,' Rice said, citing the documented cases of pain pills obtained in Florida being taken to West Virginia.

The lawsuits allege that drugmakers such as Purdue, Johnson &Johnson and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd overstated the benefits while downplaying addictive risks of opioids in marketing their pain treatments.

They also accuse distributors like Cardinal, McKesson Corp and AmerisourceBergen Corp of failing to halt suspicious opioid orders.

The companies deny wrongdoing and say they cannot be found to be the overdose epidemic's cause. Plaintiffs claim it could cost about $480 billion to address the epidemic, according to defense court filings in April.

In addition to the cases before Polster, others are in state courts, including a lawsuit by Oklahoma's attorney general against J&J that is now on trial after the state reached settlements worth $270 million with Purdue and $85 million with Teva.A mother used a phone tracking app to find her daughter who was trapped in her car after it fell 25 feet down the side of a mountain.

Catrina Cramer Alexander, from North Carolina, resorted to the Find My Friends app to locate her 17-year-old daughter Macy Smith after she missed curfew and did not respond to texts or calls from her family.

Smith was driving on Pilot Knob Park Road in Surry County, near U.S. 52, on the afternoon of June 7. She said she was on her way to see a friend and it had been raining heavily that day.

However it turned out that Smith that her vehicle hydroplaned, and fell 25 feet down an embankment and flipped free times.

Macy Smith's car fell down an embankment and flipped three times as she was driving along a road on Pilot Mountain on June 7. She is pictured here with her mother Catrina Cramer Alexander, (left)

The teenager shared images of her white car, which was totaled in the crash after flipping over

In a Facebook post, she described how lucky she felt as she heard her family call her name, after she was pinned under the vehicle for seven hours.

She said: 'Almost 24 hours ago I was lying in a ditch 20 yards off the road for the 7th hour with my arm pinned under my car. I will never forget the sound of my family calling out my name.

'I do not deserve to be here right now, but God has bigger plans for me. I searched for my phone to call for help but the only thing in sight was my bible.

'I held on to my bible and prayed harder than I had ever prayed before.'

Paramedics arrived to rush Smith to the hospital after her mother raised the alarm.

The 17-year-old said she fractured her neck and had undergone surgery to relieve pressure and swelling.

She also suffered severe nerve damage in her left arm, which had been pinned underneath her car.

Macy Smith, 17, said she fractured her neck and had undergone surgery to relieve pressure and swelling and she also suffered severe nerve damage in her left arm

The car had hydroplaned after heavy rain and fell 25 feet down an embankment and most of its windows smashed in

She added: 'I'm so thankful for the phone calls, flowers, text messages, friends and family who surrounded me as I was found last night, and all of the visitors I have had today.'

Alexander told WFMY she is so grateful that she found her daughter, adding: 'The lack of response was out of character for her.

'The app showed that Macy Smiths phone was in the same place for many hours, prompting her mother to drive to the location.

Smith suffered a massive gash on her arm and open tissue can be seen on her arm which looks extremely painful

Smith's mother Catrina Cramer Alexander, from North Carolina, resorted to the Find My Friends app to locate her 17-year-old daughter Macy Smith after she missed curfew and did not respond to texts or calls from her family

'I cant explain watching the GPS on my phone with my dot for my phone getting close to hers and then suddenly seeing the tire tracks.'

Both the mother and teen said they hope their story encourages other parents and children to take advantage of Find My Friends and similar tracking app Life 360 to help keep each other safe.

The teenager shared images of her white car, which was totaled in the crash.

The front windshield was smashed both sides of the car sustained damage; the front-right portion of the vehicle was heavily damaged, and the backside was smashed up, with loose pieces sitting underneath.

She also posted pictures of herself lying in a hospital bed with a neck brace on.

Her mother described what happened as a 'miracle' and claimed they are celebrating 'every minute and every milestone.'Craig Porter, 37, is behind bars again after being arrested over a violent carjacking

One of the two Brits tried for kidnapping a missing waitress outside a Costa del Sol nightclub is behind bars again after being arrested over a violent carjacking.

Craig Porter, 37, was cleared last month of Agnese Klavina's illegal detention along with multi-millionaire's son Westley Capper.

Capper, 41, was instead convicted of a lesser crime of coercion relating to the way he got 'drunk' Agnese to leave celeb Puerto Banus nightclub Aqwa Mist with him and was handed a two-year prison sentence he vowed to appeal.

Liverpool-born Porter was found guilty of being Capper's accomplice and given a six-month jail term he also said he would fight, although both men walked free from court as sentences of two years or less are normally suspended for first-time offenders.

Today Spanish authorities confirmed Porter had been remanded in prison after being arrested with another British pal over a vicious attack on two Spaniards said to have ended with the alleged victims throwing themselves out of a moving vehicle which was later found burnt out.

Well-placed sources said the other man held - named as Joseph Robert Moore, 26, from Crawley, West Sussex - was also wanted on a European Arrest Warrant issued by a UK court.

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Latvian Agnese Klavina (pictured) disappeared without trace after leaving a celebrity Spanish nightclub with two Britons including the son of a multi-millionaire

Westley Capper (centre), Craig Porter (right) and doorman Siene Ousmane (left) sit in court in Malaga at the last day of their kidnap trial last month

Porter was remanded in prison pending an ongoing criminal probe after appearing before a judge on Thursday. His pal was also sent to jail but is expected to be extradited to Britain. It was not clear this morning why he was wanted.

The two Brits were held on Monday over the May 31 incident.

National Police from a specialist violent crime unit were hunting them after two Spaniards claimed they had been forced into a vehicle at knifepoint and assaulted by two men in the resort of Estepona west of Marbella.

Latvian-born Agnese was last seen getting into Capper's Merc S63 with them after meeting them during a night out in Aqwa Mist

The van they claim they were bundled into was found burnt out on remote wasteland near the Costa del Sol holiday town later the same day.

One of the men told detectives he threw himself out of the moving vehicle on a motorway after being hit with a bottle and badly beaten, moments after his pal had escaped from the same van as things turned nasty.

The motive has not been made clear but detectives are working on the theory that the Brits wanted a lift home because they had been drinking and the situation turned violent when the Spaniards refused.

A spokesman for Spain's National Police said: 'I can confirm two British men wanted for questioning over an incident in Estepona on May 31 were arrested on June 10 in Torremolinos.

'They were held on suspicion of robbery with violence, assault and criminal damage.

'One of the men is also wanted by authorities in the UK who had issued a European Arrest Warrant.'

Court officials confirmed today Porter had been remanded in custody on suspicion of 'robbery with violence, assault and criminal damage.' after his Thursday court appearance. He has not been charged as formal charges are only laid in Spain shortly before trial.

CCTV footage at Aqwa Mist nightclub in Puerto Banus, the night Agnese Klavina went missing, shows Westley Capper leaving the club with Ms Klavina

Porter only learnt on May 17 that he had been cleared of kidnapping Agnese, 30 when she disappeared on September 6 2014, but convicted of being Capper's accomplice in a lesser crime of coercion.

Latvian-born Agnese was last seen getting into Capper's Merc S63 with them after meeting them during a night out in Aqwa Mist.

Capper, whose wealthy dad John made his fortune from real estate, insisted during a trial at a court in Malaga that he dropped her off near a flat she was staying at for the summer after she changed her mind about going back to his house to party.

Father-of-four Porter says he fell asleep on the back seat of the Mercedes before the drop-off because he was 'drunk and tired.'

CCTV footage of them leaving Aqwa Mist was played in court on day two of the four-day trial which ended in April, and was analysed by police who said it showed Agnese was forced into Capper's car and defence experts who insisted there was no coercion.

No DNA evidence was ever uncovered in the Mercedes or a boat Capper and Porter went out to sea on from Puerto de la Duquesa port near Gibraltar shortly after Agnese's disappearance that assisted the prosecution case.

Miss Klavina was last seen leaving Aqwa Mist (pictured) with the two British defendants and her phone stopped emitting a signal around five hours later

Fernando Scornik, one of the lawyers representing Agnese's family, made the blunt admission before the trial started that she was 'at the bottom of the sea.'

State prosecutors went to court demanding a 12-year prison sentence for Capper and Porter if they were found guilty of illegal detention.

Porter was also a passenger with Capper when his pal caused the hit-and-run death of Bolivian mum-of-three Fatima Dorado while the multi-millionaire's son was high on alcohol and cocaine.

Capper has yet to be tried over the May 2016 manslaughter although he confessed to his crime through his lawyer shortly after his arrest and is expected to be jailed for two and a half years. Porter was never prosecuted.

Westley Capper was not arrested in the latest incident Porter was caught up in, and there is no suggestion he has been involved in any criminal wrongdoing since his arrest over Agnese's disappearance.

Porter is also being probed over an incident last August in which a 25-year-old Spaniard was seriously hurt after being run over outside a brothel in Estepona. He was arrested last October on suspicion of attempted homicide.

A judge in the resort is set to finish his criminal investigation into that incident shortly and is expected to recommend charges against Porter.According to the American Cancer Society, about 13,170 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2019  a disease that tends to strike women in midlife between the ages of 35 and 44. In the United States, Hispanic women are most likely to get cervical cancer, followed by African Americans. Scholl is of Hispanic decent.President Donald Trump has said he doesn't particularly believe that UFOs are extraterrestrial, but acknowledged that the military is on the look out.

Trump's remarks came in an interview with George Stephanopoulos airing on ABC News on Sunday.

Stephanopoulos pressed the president on a recent rise in US Navy pilots reporting unidentified aircraft, asking what Trump made of it.

'I think it's probably -- I want them to think whatever they think. They do say, and I've seen, and I've read, and I've heard. And I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particular,' Trump said.

Trump told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos (right) that he has been briefed on UFO sightings, but is not particularly convinced that they are real

An image from footage shot by the Navy that shows an encounter between US fighter jets and 'anomalous aerial vehicles' flying at 25,000 feet

Asked if he thought he would know if extraterrestrial life had been confirmed, president replied, 'Well, I think my great pilots would know. Our great pilots would know.'

'They see things a little bit different from the past. So we're going to see. We're watching, and you'll be the first to know,' he assured Stephanopolous.

It comes as Navy pilots increasingly report sighting anomalous aircraft that appear to defy the laws of physics, prompting the service to roll out new guidelines for reporting sightings last month - though none of the information will be made public.

A Navy spokesman told The Washington Post that the reporting on UFOs would fall under 'privileged and classified information' so that military aviation safety organizations can 'preserve the free and honest prioritization and discussion of safety among aircrew.'

The new guidelines for reporting UFOs have come in response to unknown, advanced aircraft flying into or near Navy strike groups or other sensitive military facilities and formations, the Navy said.

'I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particular,' Trump said

The Navy made it easier for sailors to report UFO sightings amid fears that the mysterious unidentified flying objects could actually be 'extremely advanced Russian aircraft.'

After years of dismissing UFOs, the new guidelines are being introduced in response of a series of unexplained sightings of unrecognized and 'highly advanced' aircraft encroaching on Navy facilities and strike force formations, the department says.

'There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military-controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years,' a spokesperson for the Navy said to Politico.

The statement continued: 'For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the U.S. Air Force takes these reports very seriously and investigates each and every report'.

In recent years, there has been a need for a more formalized process of recording UFO sightings which greatly increased after World War II.

In 2017 the service said it had run a secret UFO office and spent $22 million over five years to study 'anomalous aerospace' threats.'

An Operations Specialist Seaman stands a lookout on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in a file photo. The Navy has issued new guidelines for reporting UFO sightings

But for now, the data 'remains strictly within classified channels,' said Luis Elizondo, an intelligence officer who ran the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, which officially ended in 2012, according to The Post.

The Navy has pledged to update and reform their current policies for how reports of 'suspected incursions' are made to the correct authorities.

Former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, who headed up the specialist department, revealed after his retirement that he thought the office was too nonchalant in their investigations of the unidentified aircraft.

'If you are in a busy airport and see something you are supposed to say something,' Elizondo told Politico. 'With our own military members it is kind of the opposite: 'If you do see something, don't say something.'

He added that many of the specialist crafts sighted were said not to have flags on their tails  or any tail at all  asking, 'What happens in five year if it turns out these are extremely advanced Russian aircraft?'

However, the Navy's new policy does not mean they believe their sailors have actually encountered alien spacecraft, but rather they believe the reported sightings shouldn't be instantly dismissed and are worthy of further investigation.A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a teenage aspiring musician.

Tashaun Aird was stabbed to death in Somerford Grove in Hackney, east London, on the evening of Wednesday May 1.

Scotland Yard said the suspect was arrested on Friday morning before being charged with murder, grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

The family of aspiring musician Tashaun Aird, 15, paid tribute to him after he was stabbed to death in east London on May 1. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder

The teenager is due to appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is the fourth teenager to be charged with the murder of the 15-year-old.

Two boys aged 15 and 16 and an 18-year-old man are due to appear at the Old Bailey on July 25.

Officers were called to Somerford Grove at 8.54pm on May 1 to reports of a stabbing.

Tashaun, 15, was described by friends as a 'good guy' who produced drill music. The charged boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to appear at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court on Saturday

Tashaun was found at the scene suffering from stab injuries and, despite the 'extensive efforts' of emergency services, he died at 9.49pm.

A post-mortem gave the provisional cause of death as a stab wound to the lung.

Police are continuing to appeal for information.

Tashaun, who was described as a 'loving, caring boy' by his family.

Detectives believe aspiring musician Tashaun Aird was killed after a 'fracas' with a group of young people in a park in Hackney.

His family went to the scene of his death in Somerford Grove, with one woman heard screaming: 'It's my son. It's my son.'

He was described by friends as a 'good guy' and produced Afrobeat and drill music.

In a statement released by Scotland Yard last month, they said: 'Tashaun was family orientated, he loved his family and we loved him dearly. He was passionate about his music and he loved drawing. He was a loving, caring boy with an infectious laugh.

'There are no words to avoid this empty void we now have, a huge part of us is now missing. He was a talented young boy and worked hard in his studies, particularly with his English.

'We are deeply shocked and saddened by our loss; we have lost a dear son, a brother, a nephew, a grandson and an uncle in Tashaun.'

Another teenager was in hospital after he was found with stab injuries in nearby Shacklewell Road, but police said at the time his injuries were not life-threatening.

Detective Chief Inspector Helen Rance said: 'Tashaun's family have been left devastated by the sudden loss of their son and we are continuing to do everything we can to find those responsible.

Members of the victim's family were seen at the estate in Hackney, East London, carrying flowers. One woman was heard screaming: 'It's my son. It's my son'

Police in Hackney, east London, after the 15-year-old was stabbed to death

'We believe both victims were attacked following a fracas with another group of youths in a park near Somerford Grove before both fled.

'Although we are following a number of leads we are urging anyone who has any information that may help our investigation to get in touch with us or Crimestoppers anonymously.'

The killing was the 43rd homicide in the capital at the time and the 27th fatal stabbing.

A blue tent was erected in Hackney as police continue to investigate the scene last month

Despite efforts of medics to save him, he was pronounced dead at 9.49pm.

A friend who visited the scene of the boy's death said: 'It's sad. It came to us as a surprise because he was a good guy.

'We did music together. He didn't only produce afrobeats, he made drill music as well. He also sold some beats to some big artists.

'I never thought that any of my friends would be murdered. I'm shocked.'

Another friend added: 'I'm so done. It doesn't feel safe anymore.'

Family members leave flowers at the scene in Hackney on May 2 following the stabbing

Police officers investigate the scene in Hackney after the boy was stabbed to death

Members of Tashaun's family were seen at the estate, carrying flowers. One woman was heard to scream: 'It's my son. It's my son.'

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted: 'I am deeply saddened by the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy in Hackney. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

'This horrific violence has absolutely no place on our streets. To anyone with information - please contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously.'

The Metropolitan Police had a Section 60 order in place for Hackney, which allows officers to stop and search anyone in the area.

Anyone who can assist police was asked to call 101 quoting CAD 7861/01MAY19 or the incident room on 020 8721 4266.

Alternatively, they can tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.Megan Danielle Holman, 25, was arrested and booked into the Oconee County Detention Center, on public intoxication charge Monday

A South Carolina mom who police say was driving drunk will not be cited with a DUI because her vehicle of choice was a toy truck belonging to her child.

Police will instead charge 25-year-old Megan Holman with public intoxication, it has been reported.

Holman, 25, turned heads on Monday when she took the children's item for a spin down North Church Street and North Broad Street.

Walhalla police responded to a suspicious persons report about a female steering the motorized Power Wheels item.

According to cops, Holman was under the influence of a narcotic or drug when she told law enforcement she was taking part in a scavenger hunt.

The police report claimed Holman said 'she wanted to be a professional wrestler like her father and this was how to do it'.

According to Facebook, her father Dan Holman is a Physical Education Teacher (PE Teacher) at Walhalla Elementary School.

He is seen online promoting wrestling events in his community and internationally.

Holman was found a mile from her home and authorities believe she was returning from somewhere.

Holman turned heads when she took the children's item (left) for a spin down North Church Street and North Broad Street

Cops responded to call about suspicious female and she told them she was taking part in a scavenger hunt

Holman's Facebook profile suggests she is the single mother of a son and a daughter and both children are seen playing in a truck similar to the one seen in the clip.

She was arrested and booked into the Oconee County Detention Center, and charged with public intoxication.

She was later released on a personal recognizance bond, WSPA reported.

The toy truck appeared to belong to her children who are seen playing in it here

Holman said 'she wanted to be a professional wrestler like her father and this was how to do it'Passengers and cabin crew onboard on a Turkish Airlines flight to Sudan had to subdue a man who tried to smash an oxygen mask box and storm the cockpit.

A few minutes after takeoff the man started screaming and smashing the oxygen mask box, before pushing flight attendants aside and running down the aisle.

The man, who is thought to be of Sudanese origin, was stopped by several passengers in business class before he reached the cockpit.

Passengers and cabin crew onboard on a Turkish Airlines flight to Sudan had to subdue a man who tried to smash an oxygen mask box and storm the cockpit

Cabin crew were able to calm the man down after 15 minutes and was taken back to his seat.

The man complained to the cabin crew of not being able to breathe.

Despite the incident, the plane continued its journey to its destination - Khartoum.

However, two hours later the pilot announced the plane would return to Istanbul, prompting the man to once again run to the front of the plane.

The man calmed down after 15 minutes and returned to his seat, however he tried to run up the plane again 2 hours later

Flight attendants were forced to physically shackle the man to his chair with plastic restraints.

Passengers were yelling in fear and children were crying.

The plane landed back in Istanbul about three hours after it took off and police escorted the man off.

The plane turned around to Istanbul, where the man was detained by Turkish police following the incident

As he departed, he shook hands with some passengers and kissed children.

The airline and police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

There was no immediate word on where the man was taken.A Texas bride-to-be has sparked outrage online after she refused to book a make-up artist because she was gay and then proceeded lecture her on why being a lesbian is sinful in a series of homophobic texts.

Cosmetics expert Kristian Cardenas, from Lubbock, say she was taken aback by the womans shift in attitude after her sexuality was revealed in a chain on text messages on June 12.

The interaction ended with the anonymous bridezilla declaring that she didnt want Cardenas anywhere near her wedding, but told her to let her know if she changes her mind about her sexuality in time for the ceremony so she can hedge a booking after all.

Cardenas took to social media and uploaded pictures of the vile interaction, accompanying the screenshots with a message urging people to be kind to one another regardless of their differences.

The post has since been like 310,000 times and received in excess of 71,000 retweets  sparking outrage online.

Kristian Cardenas, a cosmetics expert from Lubbock, say she was taken aback by the womans shift in attitude after her sexuality was revealed in a text chain

Cardenas interaction with the woman, who has not been named, started out harmlessly, with the woman inquiring about pricing for her services

Cardenas interaction with the woman, who has not been named, started out harmlessly, with the her inquiring about pricing for Cardenas' services.

But immediately after receiving the information she requested, the woman opened a completely separate line of questioning.

Are you gay?, the woman abruptly asks.

Cardenas confirmed that Yes maam, I am, but inquired what such a personal question has to do with her services or abilities as a professional makeup artist.

I dont want a gay person doing my wedding, the woman responded, adding that she had been wondering if she was gay or not from her photos.

Opting for a professional response, Cardenas told the woman thats totally fine and told her to have a nice day, but the insults and judgement from the would-be client kept coming in abundance.

I still have more questions, she continues. How can you be a Latina woman and be gay? You do know being gay is a sin, correct?

I will pray for you my friend. Im sorry that youve chosen a path thats going to take you straight to hell.

Cardenas took to social media and uploaded pictures of the vile interaction, accompanying the screenshots with a message urging people to be kind to one another regardless of their differences

The tirade of abhorrent messages ended with the woman saying: I think you do beautiful make-up but I just cant have someone whos gay being a part of my special day.

The wedding is in a church and I dont want you walking into my church. If at any time you change your mind about being gay, let me know and Ill book you.

Cardenas never replied to the latter texts but she spoke out online against the homophobia she endured, insisting the exchange shows the adversity the LGBTQ community face even still, in 2019.

Openly sharing who I am with the world is my choice; a choice I will never apologize for, Cardenas said in a tweet, emotionally reflecting on her conversation with the woman. I love what I do and who I am. Today I was taken back a little bit.

Homophobia is a real issue still in 2019, she continued. Please just be kind to everyone you meet.

In the tweets wake, thousands poured in with support for Cardenas lambasting the Bidezillas behavior, branding it disgusting and judgemental.

Cardenas never replied to the latter messages but she spoke out online against the homophobia she endured, insisting the exchange shows the adversity the LGBTQ community face even still, in 2019

This is disgusting, one user said. Im so sorry you were talked to this way! They said theyll pray for you? Nah honey, way I see it they the one that truly needs Jesus. Ill be praying for that judgmental homophobic human who thought this was okay.

Another added: Wow! I cant believe people like that idiot exist in real life! Its so surreal! All my support and love. Your makeup work is fantastic!

Though she missed out on a potential booking, Cardenas post seems as though it may lead to potential new opportunities for the budding makeup artist.

As a recently baptized Catholic (raised Catholic my whole life just never had the education), I want to fly you to Pittsburgh next year and have you do all the hair and makeup for me and my fiancees wedding, said one outraged user.

Cardenas thanked everyone for their support, providing an update that she had now blocked the womans number and the friend that had recommended her services.

I blocked her number, name and her friends name, she said. I dont want anyone to be hateful to her even though she was to me.At least one Washington State waterfront landowner has said yes to a request to allow dead gray whales to decompose on their property.

So many gray whale carcasses have washed up this year that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries says it has run out of places to take them.

In response, the agency has asked landowners to volunteer property as a disposal site for the carcasses.

By doing so, landowners can support the natural process of the marine environment, and skeletons left behind can be used for educational purposes, officials said.

But the carcasses can be up to 40 feet long. That's a lot to decay, and it could take months.

Landowner Mario Rivera of Port Hadlock, Washington, told KING5-TV that the smell is intermittent and 'isn't that bad.'

In this May 6, 2019 file photo, Duat Mai stands atop a dead whale at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Federal officials are asking waterfront landowners in western Washington to volunteer their properties to be the final resting place for dead gray whales

'It is really a unique opportunity to have this here on the beach and monitor it and see how fast it goes,' said his wife, Stefanie Worwag.

The federal agency said that about 30 whales have stranded on Washington's coast this year, the most in two decades.

On the US West coast, about 70 whales have been found dead this year along California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, the most since 2000.

About five were found on British Columbia beaches.

Still, that's a small fraction of the total number because most sink or wash up in remote areas and are unrecorded.

NOAA Fisheries late last month declared the die-off an 'unusual mortality event,' and provided additional resources to respond to the deaths.

'With the unusual mortality event of these gray whales, we know more whales will be coming in, or there is a high likelihood that more whales will die within Puget Sound and out on the coast,' said Port Townsend Marine Science Center Citizen Science Coordinator Betsy Carlson.

Officials say the gray whale population remains strong at about 27,000.

Lime is being used to help break down the whale carcass on the beach near where Rivera and Worwag live.

'The lime appears to be working,' Rivera said. 'It is decomposing nicely. I think.'Police are searching for a swimmer who vanished during a race down New York's Hudson River on Friday.

Multiple media sources are naming the missing athlete as Dr Charles Van Der Horst, 67, a prominent AIDS researcher and Democrat Party donor from Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Van Der Horst was taking part in the 8 Bridges Race, a multi-stage 120-mile swimming event down the Hudson.

Fridays leg spanned 15.7 miles, starting at the Tappan Zee Bridge in upstate New York, and concluding at George Washington Bridge in Manhattan.

The swimmer was reported missing just after 3 p.m. when it was realized that they had failed to finish the event.

Multiple media sources are naming the missing swimmer as Dr Charles Van Der Horst, 67, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The New York City Police Department have launched a large scale search, but they have yet to locate the missing swimmer

The New York City Police Department have launched a large scale search, but they have yet to locate the missing person.

New York Water, the organization running the event, canceled Saturday's seventh and final stage of the race.

In a statement they said safety protocols were in place and police were escorting the swimmers during the race.

However, it appears they are preparing for the worst.

Writing on the New York Water website, they wrote: 'It is with great sadness that we report the loss of a swimmer on Stage 6 of the 8 Bridges Open Water Swim.

'Our thoughts are first and foremost with the swimmer's family.'

While the organization would not confirm the identity of the missing person, media sources are naming the swimmer as Van Der Horst.

The doctor's Facebook account lists him as a 'competitive swimmer' and he has shared multiple pictures that show him competing in aquatic events.

Van Der Horst is an internationally known AIDS researcher who previously worked as a professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Van Der Horst is a top doctor who is an internationally-known AIDS researcher

Van Der Horst is also an outspoken Democrat who endorsed Barack Obama for President in 2008

Van Der Horst was educated at the elite Phillips Academy prep school in Andover, Massachusetts before completing an undergraduate degree at Duke.

He went on to study at Harvard Medical School, and is listed as a former consultant for UNICEF.

Van Der Horst is also an outspoken Democrat who endorsed Barack Obama for President in 2008.

A picture of the doctor with the former Commander-in-chief is featured on his Facebook profile.

He recently told Facebook friends that he was donating money to a variety of Democrats seeking the 2020 nomination.

According to The News & Observer, Van Der Horst was one of 900 protesters arrested during Moral Monday demonstrations in 2013.

The demonstration was held to protest North Carolina's law prohibiting transgender people from using the public restroom of their choice.Advertisement

Princess Charlene of Monaco got motors running at the classic 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

The princess waved the French tricolore to signal the start of the gruelling endurance race on Saturday, which is held every year at the Circuit de la Sarthe raceway in north-west France.

She arrived at the race and met with two-time winner of the race Jean Todt, before also getting her own personal look inside one of the cars.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans race was started by Princess Charlene of Monaco as she waved the French tricolore to get it underway

The princess gets fitted with a Porsche helmet before the race by an official at the Circuit de la Sarthe raceway in North West France

The 41-year-old princess was snapped today inside a Porsche trying on a helmet from one of the drivers before she went on a personal lap of the course

The princess was an Olympic Swimmer at the 2000 games for South Africa and wed Prince Albert II in 2011 after a five-year relationship

The 41-year-old was snapped inside a Porsche trying on a helmet from one of the drivers.

She also got to go for a personal lap of the course with driver Francsco Castellacci.

When it came time for the race to start, she stood at the podium and waved a French flag to get the race underway.

The bookmakers' favourite to win the race this year is reigning champion, and former Formula One champion, Fernando Alonso.

The race, which lasts for a full 24 hours, was first ran in 1923.

Princess Charlene takes a stroll with two-time winner of the race Jean Todt, 73, who won the race in 1992 and in 1993

Princess Charlene was born in Zimbabwe, but moved to South Africa with her parents as a child

Mr Todt and Princess Charlene await the start of the race trackside surrounded by officials and crew members

The 41-year-old walks beside driver Francesco Castellacci after she completed a lap of the Le Mans circuit today

Princess Charlene was born in Zimbabwe, but moved to South Africa with her parents as a child.

She represented South Africa in the swimming pool at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, competing in the 4x100 metres freestyle.

She married Prince Albert II in 2011 after a five-year relationship.Hard-working NHS staff returned to their cars to the devastating discovery they had been stripped of parts while they worked on the wards.

Bonnets were ripped off, windows were smashed and entire fronts of some vehicles were missing after callous thieves struck at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, near Llantrisant, in South Wales, as they worked.

Raids on cars have been on the rise with the site the third to be targeted by criminals in the last year.

Audacious thieves have nicked off with a car bonnet and grille from a white Citreon DS3 in nearby Talbot Green, which took place between 8.30am and 4pm on Thursday, June 13.

A bonnet was also ripped off a white Ford Fiesta in a separate incident.

NHS raid: Thieves targeted a number of cars at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in South Wales and seized bonnets and other car parts

Smash and grab: Thieves made off with a stash of parts and left broken car windows in their wake in their brazen attacks on the vehicles

Ellie Kinson, 25, who works at the hospital and was a passenger with her colleague in the Citroen spoke of their shock on their return to the car.

She discovered the window was smashed so the thieves could make off with the bonnet.

'My colleague parked her car in the car park around 8.30am roughly, and we finished work at approximately 4pm,' she said.

'When she walked out, she noticed the window smashed and the whole front of the car was missing.

'There was a lady parked next to us who said she was in the car at around 3pm I but did not see anything out of of ordinary.

'The passenger side window was smashed to pop the bonnet. As you can see, it was ripped off completely.'

She added: 'It's a real problem at the moment and it would make people feel on edge to park there while at work.

'The hospital have now issued the picture on our main staff page and are trying to raise awareness.'

Another bonnet was stolen from a white Ford Fiesta earlier this week at the same hospital.

There have been a spate of attacks on cars parked outside a number of hospitals across South Wales, including Singleton and Morriston hospitals in Swansea and Princess of Wales in Bridgend, which have been stolen in broad daylight.

Seven of the cars taken were Ford Fiestas with the majority being stripped of their parts.

A man was shocked to find the entire front section of his Ford Fiesta was snatched in a further incident with the bumper and headlights being taken in the day.

South Wales Police said there had a wave of Ford cars being broken into or having parts stolen.

Crime wave: The entire front of some of the cars have been taken by the thieves who targeted the hospital sites

A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morganwwg University Health Board, said: 'We are deeply upset that our staff have experienced a crime such as this while coming into work.

'It's extremely distressing for anyone to return to their car to find its external parts stripped and the car damaged.

'Incidents of vehicle crime at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board sites are relatively low, but we ask any staff or visitors to our sites to remain vigilant against this type of crime.

'Security Officers and Police Community Safety Officers continue to patrol our sites to help deter crime, and CCTV helps to record evidence of crime; however we ask anyone who suspects any suspicious activity not to intervene but immediately report the incident to the on-site security staff which they can do at our main reception or to the Police.'

Prime target: A number of hospital staff have been targeted by the thieves with Ford Fiestas on the top of their hit list

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: 'Police in Llantrisant are investigating the theft of a car bonnet and grille from a white Citroen DS3 which happened sometime between 8.30am and 4.00pm on Thursday, June 13, in the car park of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.

'Anyone who may have witnessed this theft or with any information concerning this incident is asked to contact South Wales Police on 101 and quote reference 1900213266.'Eccentric security software guru turned Bitcoin entrepreneur John McAfee has said that he is stuck 'unwillingly' in Cuba, where he has issued a series of threats to expose 'corrupt' US officials he claims are unjustly pursuing him.

McAfee, 73, took to the high seas in January, fleeing his heavily fortified Tennessee compound with wife Janice, 36, claiming a grand jury was preparing to indict him on tax-related charges.

Life in the Caribbean has also allowed McAfee to avoid a $25million judgement in a wrongful death lawsuit over the 2012 murder of his neighbor in Belize - a crime he was never charged with and has always strenuously denied.

Meanwhile, McAfee has pressed on with his campaign for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination for 2020, vowing run 'from exile' by utilizing surrogates wearing masks and video-conferencing equipment.

But in recent days a dark pall has fallen over McAfee's sunny Caribbean sojourn, with the computer whiz claiming that corrupt governmental forces are hounding him and his small entourage aboard his 'Freedom Boat'.

McAfee has been living aboard his 'Freedom Boat' in the Caribbean since January, fleeing what he says is a pending indictment on tax-related charges in the U.S.

McAfee and his wife Janice are seen on June 9, as she debates a 'disbeliever' at a bar

McAfee, who was at one time worth more than $100million due to the sale of his eponymous cybersecurity firm, has said that virtually all of his fortune is now gone.

His personality changed abruptly around 2010 while living in Belize, when he reportedly began producing and consuming large quantities of bath salts, a powerful psychoactive drug that was legal in that country.

He has now reinvented himself as a Bitcoin expert, recently debuting a cryptocurrency trading portal call 'McAfee Magic'.

On Wednesday, McAfee revealed that one of his teleconference-enabled 'body doubles', Jay Pizzle, had disappeared on June 7 while in route to deliver a keynote speech for him in Barcelona.

'No-one's heard from him. I'm not a conspiricy [sic] theorist, but I don't believe in co-incidence. I have no clue. But would the U.S. go that far to silence me?' McAfee said.

'We spoke with Jay the night before he was supposed to leave. All was fine and he was excited to go on the cruise,' tweeted McAfee in an update on Saturday.

McAfee claims that his surrogate Jay Pizzle (seen left, and right wearing a McAfee mask) disappeared while traveling to a conference in Barcelona to speak on his behalf

John and Janice McAfee are seen in a spoof video from 2013, in which they poke fun at John McAfee's wild-man image. He is reportedly an aficionado of bath salts

'His flight was to leave the following morning. We know only that he did not show up for his flight and he was not seen at the airport,' said McAfee.

McAfee has responded with wide-ranging threats to release information he says will expose corruption at the highest levels of the CIA, as well as other U.S. authorities.

'If I'm arrested or disappear, 31+ terrabytes of incriminating data will be released to the press,' McAfee said in one recent tweet.

On Friday, he McAfee issued a video statement vowing to release a web page detailing corruption within the U.S. government.

'There is corruption that goes far deeper, however, and that is the corruption of those who reach for more power, in order to be more corrupt,' he said.

McAfee has been waylaid in Cuba due to a mysterious fire on his 'Freedom Boat'. He has strongly warned any authorities pursuing him to back off

McAfee is seen addressing a Coinsbank Blockchain Cruise Asia conference event in Thailand last year. This year he sent a surrogate whom he says has mysteriously disappeared

Later in the day he released a list of five senators and 25 US representative whom he said should be 'immediately recalled' based on their voting records.

Meanwhile, McAfee has been engaged in a bitter feud with the Assistant Police Commissioner for the country of the Bahamas, whom McAfee accused of 'blatant corruption.'

McAfee published information that he claimed showed a secret bank account controlled by the police official, and details of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of deposits.

Coincidentally - or perhaps not - McAfee's Freedom Boat mysteriously caught fire earlier this week after departing Exuma, forcing him to make an emergency port call in Cuba.

'I am unwillingly in Cuba and the US Government is stalking me. Belize is near,' he said on Twitter Thursday, referencing the controversy over the death of his neighbor in the South American country.

Still, McAfee says he has found moments of solace, posting a video of he and his wife dancing lovingly in what appears to be a Cuban restaurant as a violinist serenades them.

McAfee and his wife Janice (together left) took a moment to dance together on Wednesday (right) during their forced stopover in Cuba

McAfee appeared contemplative as a violinist serenaded him in Cuba this week

'I let [loose] last night. The universe graced me with a violinist with a soothing bow and string. God is good,' he said.

The happy couple met in 2013, a day after McAfee was deported from Guatemala while fleeing Belize.

Janice was working as a prostitute in Miami Beach when McAfee hired her for a night, before rescuing her from a violent pimp and falling madly in love, the couple have openly revealed.

They have now been married for six years, and Janice is serving as his presidential campaign's director of media relations.

She did not immediately respond to a message from DailyMail.com on Saturday.

As for McAfee, he announced on Saturday morning he would be disappearing from Twitter for about 48 hours, his movements and purpose unknown.

'Going dark now. All is well. See you folks in a couple of days,' he tweeted.We live in a time of intense negative partisanship. Thats what political scientists call the tendency of voters to rally around what theyre against as much as  or more than  what theyre for. When Trump attacks a Democrat, it causes other Democrats to rally behind the Democrat under attack. One of the reasons Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar are so popular with their base is that they are so unpopular with the Republican base.Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said removing the border backstop would be as bad for Ireland as a no-deal Brexit.

Some contenders to replace Theresa May as prime minister, including front runner Boris Johnson, have proposed changes to the policy.

The EU has said the Withdrawal Agreement - including the backstop - is not up for renegotiation.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, pictured, has vowed to block any attempt to reintroduce a hard border on the island of Ireland, claiming the backstop was a legal guarantee

Boris Johnson, pictured, has vowed to ditch the Irish backstop and renegotiate a new withdrawal deal with the EU in time for Britain to Brexit on October 31

The Irish premier told RTE's Marian Finucane programme: 'It's a legal guarantee and legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard border again.

'The difficulties we have with a time limit is effectively you are saying there will or could be a hard border once that time limit expires - that isn't a backstop.

'What we are open to, and always have been open to, is alternative arrangements that perhaps could avoid a hard border, through procedures and technologies and so on.

'What we expect - and I don't think it's unreasonable - we want to see that fleshed out, we want to see it exist, it demonstrated before we are willing to give up the backstop.'

Mrs May's erstwhile Democratic Unionist Party backers are adamant they cannot support any EU withdrawal deal which includes a backstop with no time limit.

The Taoiseach added: 'What people are saying is 'give up the backstop' - which we know will work legally and operationally - in return for something that doesn't yet exist but might exist in the future.

'I can't do that to the border communities.'

Some Conservatives are concerned anything that keeps the UK tied to Europe after Brexit may hinder the ability to strike trade deals with other countries.

An extension to the period before the UK leaves the EU ends in the autumn.

Mr Johnson has claimed it is 'perfectly realistic' to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow the UK to leave in October.The face is unmistakable even if the words coming out of her mouth would cause her politically correct friends to choke on their quinoa. Do we have a plan for Brexit? We do, she appears to say. Are we ready for the effort it will take to see it through? We are!

Arch-luvvie Emma Thompson is known, of course, for being an ardent Remainer, having described Brexit as madness and Britain as a cake-filled, misery-laden grey old island.

So this latest astonishing footage of the millionaire Labour supporter regurgitating a speech by Prime Minister Theresa May could come as something of a surprise.

But all is not as it seems. The remarkable clip is, in fact, a video commissioned by The Mail on Sunday to illustrate the more insidious powers of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology  which can now be used to create frighteningly realistic fake videos.

Arch-luvvie Emma Thompson is known, of course, for being an ardent Remainer, having described Brexit as madness and Britain as a cake-filled, misery-laden grey old island

This latest astonishing footage of the millionaire Labour supporter regurgitating a speech by Prime Minister Theresa May could come as something of a surprise

Known as deepfakes, they are so convincing  and salacious  that they can spread across social media in minutes, proving Winston Churchill right when the great wartime politician said that a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.

The chilling potential of the technology was illustrated to great effect last month when Donald Trump shared a clip on Twitter, apparently showing Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat Speaker of the House of Representatives, slurring, stumbling and repeating her words at a press conference. There was one problem: the video had been doctored to make her appear drunk and incoherent.

All is not as it seems. The remarkable clip is, in fact, a video commissioned by The Mail on Sunday to illustrate the more insidious powers of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology  which can now be used to create frighteningly realistic fake videos

Technically, the Pelosi film was a shallowfake, made by simply speeding, slowing and altering the pitch of a real video of her speaking. Despite the crudeness of its production, the clip has been viewed millions of times on Facebook.

Deepfakes, however, can make anyone appear to do or say anything. A perfect recent example was a clip of Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg which appeared online after the social media giant refused to take the Pelosi video down.

It showed a sinister-looking Zuckerberg gloating about his power and a made-up organisation called Spectre. Imagine this for a second, the deepfake Zuckerberg says. One man with total control of billions of peoples stolen data, all their secrets, their lives, their futures. I owe it all to Spectre. Spectre showed me that whoever controls the data, controls the future.

Today, in an investigation that should terrify us all, The Mail on Sunday reveals just how easy it is to turn Emma Thompson from Remainer to Brexiteer with the technology. If we can no longer believe what we see, the implications are far-reaching not just for people like Thompson, Zuckerberg and Pelosi, but for democracy itself.

A video of the US Democrat Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made her appear drunk and slurring her words after it was doctored by the AI technology

Making computer-generated images, known as CGIs, of real people is, of course, nothing new. A recent advert was spookily realistic, appearing to show Audrey Hepburn eating Galaxy chocolate while being driven along the Amalfi Coast.

The advert was created by technical wizards who applied state- of-the-art CGI computer graphics typically used by Hollywood to enhance old footage.

Deepfake technology, however, is different. It uses AI, computer software that effectively learns how to do complex tasks, to quickly and cheaply manipulate images fed into the machine and make them appear to do or say something else.

The Mail on Sunday commissioned a team at the University of Albany in New York to fuse a clip from several randomly chosen Emma Thompson videos and a Brexit speech made in March by the PM in which she called on MPs to back her Withdrawal Agreement. The software analysed the mouth movements of both women before generating the final clip.

Today, in an investigation that should terrify us all, The Mail on Sunday reveals just how easy it is to turn Emma Thompson from Remainer to Brexiteer with the technology

And the same tricks put celebrities in to porn films Fake videos have been made showing celebrities including Emma Watson in X-rated footage The spread of the deepfake technology has been driven by the creators of explicit pornographic images. Online message boards delight in creating fake porn by adding the faces of Hollywood stars on to X-rated actors bodies. One piece of software is claimed to have been downloaded more than 100,000 times just for this purpose. Another app, calling itself the best online application for changing faces in video, boasts it may be used to create fake celebrity pornographic videos or revenge porn as well as to create fake news and malicious hoaxes. Users feed in an explicit video and pictures or video of their unfortunate targets, and the AI machine sets to work combining the two. Videos have been made of Game Of Thrones star Natalie Dormer, Emma Watson and Natalie Portman. Even the Duchess of Cambridge has been edited to appear in X-rated footage. The problem has become so entrenched that, last year, US actors union The Screen Actors Guild announced it was fighting back with legal action, adding: We are closely watching the development of so-called deepfakes. Meanwhile, officials are also concerned about the political impact. The House Intelligence Committee in Washington has said it will launch an investigation into the threat, following the Pelosi scandal. Digital expert Rafe Pilling said: In the near future, we are likely to see some government investing in deepfakes for propaganda purposes. That might be to undermine an opposition politician  or perhaps if youre a major terrorist group and your leader has just been killed, they may create a video which appears to show he is still alive. The benefit for the propagandists is that  as many studies based on social media have shown  fake news often spreads wider than the truth. Dave Coplin, of technological consultancy The Envisioners, said: As soon as deepfake technology becomes widely available, very quickly we will all expect it. In that coming world, where no one can really believe anything, trust becomes very important. Advertisement

Professor of Computer Science Siwei Lyu, at the University of Albany, who created the clip with student Yuezun Li, said: To make these types of videos requires computer units that cost between $5,000 and $20,000 (4,000 to 16,000).

There is no issue of accessibility to such technology, however, as there are plenty of services online where people make these videos on request. All you need to do is get high resolution images from YouTube and input them into the computer, which then generates the deepfake clip using algorithms.

Prof Lyu said within five years, everyone could have access to the technology on their home computer, smartphone or tablet. It will be doable in just a few hours, he said.

It is already advancing. At present, most deepfakes feature the apparent speaker lip-synced to someone elses voice, often an impersonator. But soon, the technology will be able to deconstruct the various distinctive elements of any voice and put them back together to create phrases, or whole speeches that the original speaker has never uttered.

It could be used for nefarious domestic purposes, such as making someone look like they are having affairs or carrying out illegal activity. But of more concern is its ability to put words in the mouths of political leaders which could deliberately set out to spark widespread fear, hatred and panic. For this reason, it is already being dubbed the next generation of fake news.

Digital expert Rafe Pilling, who works as a senior security researcher at digital security firm Secureworks, said: It is likely to be available to the mainstream within five years, as a computer program or an app.

It could be as easy as applying an Instagram or Snapchat filter [which alters faces, and can appear to swap genders] is today. As soon as the first consumer application comes out, it will rapidly become ubiquitous.

Professor Anthony Glees, Director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, added: The prospect of this is Orwellian, and then some.

Its not just fake news, its giving out fake news in the images of people who we believe. Professor Glees is in no doubt what effect it could have.

This kind of Frankenstein technology will have a devastating impact on our politics, he said.

In the hands of an enemy that wants to sow discord and undermine our way of life  be it Russia, Iran, North Korea  the potential is terrifying. Weve become used to treating words and images with caution, especially online, and lots of people see video footage as the only evidence they can trust.

As these deepfakes show us, in a few years even that will be gone.

The end result will be a collapse in the trust in political figures, which we need in order for our democracy to function.A jealous boyfriend who drowned his ex-girlfriend after they rowed over her talking to other men has been found guilty of her murder.

Robert McWhir, 26, was convicted of killing 29-year-old mother-of-two Marissa Aldrich following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court.

McWhir, 26, of St Neots, drowned his ex-girlfriend in what was described as a balancing pond in Loves Way, St Neots, just three days before Christmas last year.

Robert McWhir, left, was found guilty of the murder of his ex-girlfriend Marissa Aldrich, right, who he killed on December 22, 2018 in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. McWhir drowned the mother-of-two in a pond

McWhir was arrested shortly after the murder on December 22, 2018 in St Neots

After the verdict was delivered by the jury and the sentencing was passed by Judge Farrell, Marissa's mother Gemma Aldrich shared a heartbreaking statement about her beloved daughter in front of the court.

Mrs Aldrich was on holiday with Marissa's two children on the Cape Verde islands when she was told about the brutal crime.

A tour rep approached Mrs Aldrich and passed her a phone to talk to the police.

Officers were forced to break the tragic news over the phone as she was on holiday.

Mrs Aldrich said Marissa's two children have not yet recovered from the tragedy and do not want to go on holiday again in case other people die.

Gemma Aldrich's heartbreaking statement on the impact of her daughter's murder on her family 'On the 22nd of December 2018 my whole world and my family's world was torn apart. 'It is very difficult to describe how it feels emotionally other than it is a torment that is constantly with us. There is now a black hole that will not be filled. We have scars that will not heal. 'The mental anguish I myself, feel every day wondering if my beautiful daughter Marissa called out to me for help. Every night I close my eyes, I picture Marissa with fear in her eyes, this does not go away, I imagine it never will. 'Knowing how Marissa and where Marissa's life was taken causes the whole family trauma. Trauma which will always be with us. 'Marissa was a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter and mother, we all love her dearly and struggle to understand how she was here one minute and gone the next. 'Marissa will always be part of our lives because we will talk about her every day and we will keep the precious memories alive, we will carry her in our hearts every day in everything we do for the rest of our lives. 'I was on holiday with Marissa's children in Cape Verde at the time when I received the phone call that has changed everything. '2018 had been a horrendous year for my family. Marissa's son had an accident in the May which resulted in multiple breaks in his leg. As a result he missed out on the heat wave that summer. This meant that the children had missed out on the school holidays, the school authorised in-term time to have our family holiday. 'We had spent the morning on the beach, returning to the hotel for lunch. We had all had such a lovely morning and some happy times where some happy memories had been made. 'As our lunch finished my mobile phone rang, I looked at the number and did not recognise it. I ignored the call but the same number called back. 'Wondering who it was I answered the call. A male voice started to speak, he introduced himself as Zac the Tui holiday rep. 'Zac asked where I was and asked that I go to the hotel reception straight away. My initial thoughts were "What had the children broken in the room?" I asked them both what they had been up to and they replied "Nothing Nan, honest". 'In the hotel reception I was met by Zac and another rep, the children were told "Nanny won't be long, let's go and play". What was going on?, what have they done!? What have I done!? 'I was petrified thinking "had I done something wrong", we had ventured out into the town the previous day, had something happened when we were out?. 'I walked past reception, as I did all of the reception staff lowered their heads. I started to worry more and more as I was led into the manager's office. It was here I was told I would be receiving a call from the UK. Who was calling me?, why hadn't they called my mobile phone? 'Nothing was to prepare me for the next few moments, my life was to change forever. 'The rep's phone rang, he said "yes she is here", "yes she is sitting down", "no I won't leave". His phone was handed to me. What was going on?, who wanted to speak to me?. I cannot begin to explain how I was feeling at this time. 'I spoke to a lady who said she was a police woman. She said she was sorry to inform me but my daughter had died. 'I could hear my son crying in the background. As I spoke with my son, I felt so useless, I just wanted to hold him and take the pain away. 'The police woman came back on the phone saying "I'm so sorry but we have arrested him and he's in custody". I replied "who?". I had not taken any of the phone call in. The police woman had to say "Gemma, Marissa was murdered" for reality to set in. 'Those words ripped my heart out, my world was never going to be the same again. I was violent sick due to shock but I knew had to be strong for the children. Once they knew their innocence would be gone forever. 'The children had to know something had happened and why we had to end our holiday early so I told them their mummy had been seriously hurt and as a result she was in hospital. I did not add on that their Mummy had died. 'The children started to cry but I said "mummy wouldn't want that so let's enjoy our last day/evening". That is exactly what we did. I was broken inside but I had to put on a brave face, and pretend everything was going to be ok. 'That night the children went to sleep, I then sobbed my heart out. I woke the next day with bloodshot eyes, but I knew I had another day of staying strong for the children. 'We left the hotel 24 hours later, it was one of the longest journeys home with the children constantly asking questions that I could not answer as they still did not know about their Mummy. 'I felt so lonely that day, evening and the whole flight home. All I wanted was to be at home with my beautiful daughter Marissa. 'On returning home, the following day I had to go and identify Marissa's body. Something a mother should not have to do for their young daughter who had a lifetime of happiness ahead of them. 'I was not allowed to touch Marissa as she was police evidence. All I wanted to do was to hold her so tight and give her my life energy, but I couldn't, I was not allowed. 'I took my cuddly dog I have had on my bed for 20 years as I knew it smelt of us and our home, along with a photo of the children so Marissa would not be alone. 'Because of the police investigation I did not get the opportunity to hold Marissa, to kiss her and to say goodbye properly in my own time and privacy. Not only has he taken my daughter from me but he has taken the chance for me to say goodbye to her. 'Marissa's funeral was an amazing turnout with friends traveling from Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey and Cambridgeshire. It showed Marissa's children how loved and well liked their mum was. It was lovely hearing how Marissa was always there for her friends and helped them whenever they needed it. 'Every night I check on the children before I go to bed, most nights I find Marissa's son asleep with his mum's scarf wrapped over him, it breaks my heart over and over again seeing him like this. 'I have asked the children if they would like to go on holiday this year. Marissa's son is adamant he does not want to go on holiday again as when we were away Christmas 2015 my auntie died, now his mummy so he is scared someone else will die every time we go away. 'It was Marissa's daughter's birthday in May, she did not want to go for dinner to celebrate as her mum would not be there, she didn't think it was fair to celebrate. 'We, as a family kept asking what she would like for her birthday present, she would not say as she did not want a birthday without her mummy. Hearing these words from a child breaks your heart. Birthdays should be happy occasions that you look forward to as a child.' 'They say "life goes on" and "it gets easier with time", well I can tell you, life doesn't go on. I don't live anymore, I exist. I only drag myself through the day to help Marissa's darling children have the life she would have wanted for then. Time will not heal this. 'Every time I receive a text I think it's Marissa as we would text all the time. I'd give anything for my phone to ring and to see Marissa's name come up, or for one last text message from her. I know this will never happen, but it does not stop me hoping and wishing. 'Marissa's children will forget how funny and loving their mummy was, her beautiful smile and laughter. They will miss out on a relationship with their mummy, a relationship that most children take for granted. 'I will support them both into adulthood, through special events in their lives, like marriage, births, exam results day, driving tests, their first house and car. Marissa should be here to help and support them and enjoy these events with them. All future celebrations will be marred with a great sadness, there will always be an empty chair and a feeling of low and sorrow. 'My son has lost his big sister. Marissa was an ally in his childhood and helped support him into adulthood. A relationship as a mother you dream of for your children. 'I, myself am a shadow of my former self, I am nervous and anxious, stressed and overwhelmed with guilt, remorse, anger and frustration. I will exist and the children will live through this heartache. 'We will not give him the satisfaction of anything more. 'I will never forget the day this man savagely took my baby girl from us. That day he didn't just kill Marissa, he killed my whole family. 'Marissa was killed because she had a heart, she was wanting her dream to come true of finding her prince charming. All Marissa wanted was for her prince charming to come and complete her life. 'Marissa will now never have this chance to find him all because she wanted to see the best and give people the benefit of the doubt. 'Over the last couple of weeks mine and my children's lives have been put on hold while we have had to sit here in court and listen to his lies as he is not man enough to own up to his actions that evening/morning and face the consequences. 'Instead he has tried to tear our memories and the true person Marissa was. 'He does not care whose lives he destroys in the process of trying to save his own skin. 'I will always be grateful of his friends for attending court and telling everyone the truth of what happened that terrible evening/morning. Without these people I would go to my grave not knowing who was responsible for killing my daughter and how it happened. 'Luckily these people see morals before friendships because otherwise an innocent man would be on trial for Marissa's murder. 'We have now got justice, my family and I will return home knowing that the justice system can work. 'He will get what he deserves, his family will still see him, I will never see my beautiful daughter Marissa again. 'I wish I had tomorrow instead of yesterday. Love you Marissa always and beyond.' Advertisement

Gemma Aldrich read the statement aloud, saying: 'On the 22nd of December 2018 my whole world and my family's world was torn apart.

'It is very difficult to describe how it feels emotionally other than it is a torment that is constantly with us. There is now a black hole that will not be filled. We have scars that will not heal.

'The mental anguish I myself, feel every day wondering if my beautiful daughter Marissa called out to me for help. Every night I close my eyes, I picture Marissa with fear in her eyes, this does not go away, I imagine it never will.

'Knowing how Marissa and where Marissa's life was taken causes the whole family trauma. Trauma which will always be with us.'

She continued: 'Marissa was a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter and mother, we all love her dearly and struggle to understand how she was here one minute and gone the next.

'Marissa will always be part of our lives because we will talk about her every day and we will keep the precious memories alive, we will carry her in our hearts every day in everything we do for the rest of our lives.'

Speaking about the moment she received the call about the death of her daughter Ms Aldrich said: 'I was on holiday with Marissa's children in Cape Verde at the time when I received the phone call that has changed everything.

'2018 had been a horrendous year for my family. Marissa's son had an accident in the May which resulted in multiple breaks in his leg. As a result he missed out on the heat wave that summer. This meant that the children had missed out on the school holidays, the school authorised in-term time to have our family holiday.

'We had spent the morning on the beach, returning to the hotel for lunch. We had all had such a lovely morning and some happy times where some happy memories had been made.

'As our lunch finished my mobile phone rang, I looked at the number and did not recognise it. I ignored the call but the same number called back.

Wondering who it was I answered the call. A male voice started to speak, he introduced himself as Zac the Tui holiday rep.

'Zac asked where I was and asked that I go to the hotel reception straight away. My initial thoughts were "What had the children broken in the room?" I asked them both what they had been up to and they replied "Nothing Nan, honest".'

She went on: 'In the hotel reception I was met by Zac and another rep, the children were told "Nanny won't be long, let's go and play". What was going on?, what have they done!? What have I done!?

'I was petrified thinking "had I done something wrong", we had ventured out into the town the previous day, had something happened when we were out?.

'I walked past reception, as I did all of the reception staff lowered their heads. I started to worry more and more as I was led into the manager's office. It was here I was told I would be receiving a call from the UK. Who was calling me?, why hadn't they called my mobile phone?

'Nothing was to prepare me for the next few moments, my life was to change forever.

'The rep's phone rang, he said "yes she is here", "yes she is sitting down", "no I won't leave". His phone was handed to me. What was going on?, who wanted to speak to me?. I cannot begin to explain how I was feeling at this time.

'I spoke to a lady who said she was a police woman. She said she was sorry to inform me but my daughter had died.

'I could hear my son crying in the background. As I spoke with my son, I felt so useless, I just wanted to hold him and take the pain away.

'The police woman came back on the phone saying "I'm so sorry but we have arrested him and he's in custody". I replied "who?". I had not taken any of the phone call in. The police woman had to say "Gemma, Marissa was murdered" for reality to set in.

'Those words ripped my heart out, my world was never going to be the same again. I was violent sick due to shock but I knew had to be strong for the children. Once they knew their innocence would be gone forever.

'The children had to know something had happened and why we had to end our holiday early so I told them their mummy had been seriously hurt and as a result she was in hospital. I did not add on that their Mummy had died.

'The children started to cry but I said "mummy wouldn't want that so let's enjoy our last day/evening". That is exactly what we did. I was broken inside but I had to put on a brave face, and pretend everything was going to be ok.

'That night the children went to sleep, I then sobbed my heart out. I woke the next day with bloodshot eyes, but I knew I had another day of staying strong for the children.

'We left the hotel 24 hours later, it was one of the longest journeys home with the children constantly asking questions that I could not answer as they still did not know about their Mummy.

'I felt so lonely that day, evening and the whole flight home. All I wanted was to be at home with my beautiful daughter Marissa.

'On returning home, the following day I had to go and identify Marissa's body. Something a mother should not have to do for their young daughter who had a lifetime of happiness ahead of them.

'I was not allowed to touch Marissa as she was police evidence. All I wanted to do was to hold her so tight and give her my life energy, but I couldn't, I was not allowed.

'I took my cuddly dog I have had on my bed for 20 years as I knew it smelt of us and our home, along with a photo of the children so Marissa would not be alone.

'Because of the police investigation I did not get the opportunity to hold Marissa, to kiss her and to say goodbye properly in my own time and privacy. Not only has he taken my daughter from me but he has taken the chance for me to say goodbye to her.

'Marissa's funeral was an amazing turnout with friends traveling from Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey and Cambridgeshire. It showed Marissa's children how loved and well liked their mum was. It was lovely hearing how Marissa was always there for her friends and helped them whenever they needed it.

'Every night I check on the children before I go to bed, most nights I find Marissa's son asleep with his mum's scarf wrapped over him, it breaks my heart over and over again seeing him like this.

'I have asked the children if they would like to go on holiday this year. Marissa's son is adamant he does not want to go on holiday again as when we were away Christmas 2015 my auntie died, now his mummy so he is scared someone else will die every time we go away.

'It was Marissa's daughter's birthday in May, she did not want to go for dinner to celebrate as her mum would not be there, she didn't think it was fair to celebrate.

'We, as a family kept asking what she would like for her birthday present, she would not say as she did not want a birthday without her mummy. Hearing these words from a child breaks your heart. Birthdays should be happy occasions that you look forward to as a child.'

'They say "life goes on" and "it gets easier with time", well I can tell you, life doesn't go on. I don't live anymore, I exist. I only drag myself through the day to help Marissa's darling children have the life she would have wanted for then. Time will not heal this.

'Every time I receive a text I think it's Marissa as we would text all the time. I'd give anything for my phone to ring and to see Marissa's name come up, or for one last text message from her. I know this will never happen, but it does not stop me hoping and wishing.

'Marissa's children will forget how funny and loving their mummy was, her beautiful smile and laughter. They will miss out on a relationship with their mummy, a relationship that most children take for granted.

'I will support them both into adulthood, through special events in their lives, like marriage, births, exam results day, driving tests, their first house and car. Marissa should be here to help and support them and enjoy these events with them. All future celebrations will be marred with a great sadness, there will always be an empty chair and a feeling of low and sorrow.

'My son has lost his big sister. Marissa was an ally in his childhood and helped support him into adulthood. A relationship as a mother you dream of for your children.

'I, myself am a shadow of my former self, I am nervous and anxious, stressed and overwhelmed with guilt, remorse, anger and frustration. I will exist and the children will live through this heartache.

'We will not give him the satisfaction of anything more.

'I will never forget the day this man savagely took my baby girl from us. That day he didn't just kill Marissa, he killed my whole family.

'Marissa was killed because she had a heart, she was wanting her dream to come true of finding her prince charming. All Marissa wanted was for her prince charming to come and complete her life.

'Marissa will now never have this chance to find him all because she wanted to see the best and give people the benefit of the doubt.

'Over the last couple of weeks mine and my children's lives have been put on hold while we have had to sit here in court and listen to his lies as he is not man enough to own up to his actions that evening/morning and face the consequences.

'Instead he has tried to tear our memories and the true person Marissa was.

'He does not care whose lives he destroys in the process of trying to save his own skin.

'I will always be grateful of his friends for attending court and telling everyone the truth of what happened that terrible evening/morning. Without these people I would go to my grave not knowing who was responsible for killing my daughter and how it happened.

'Luckily these people see morals before friendships because otherwise an innocent man would be on trial for Marissa's murder.

'We have now got justice, my family and I will return home knowing that the justice system can work.

'He will get what he deserves, his family will still see him, I will never see my beautiful daughter Marissa again.

'I wish I had tomorrow instead of yesterday. Love you Marissa always and beyond.'Border Force intercepted two boats carrying 40 migrants from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan off the coast of Kent - making it 152 since the start of June.

The Home Office confirmed men, women and children were brought ashore near St Margaret's Bay, Kent, and medically assessed this morning.

Charlie Elphicke, the Tory MP for Dover, urged action to 'prevent a summer of chaos in the English Channel.'

The news comes after 38 were intercepted at Dungeness, Kent, on Wednesday, and another 74 were captured off East Sussex on June 1.

The Home Office confirmed men, women and children were intercepted on vessels off the coast of St Margaret's Bay, Kent this morning (stock image)

A Home Office spokeswoman said: 'Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.

'It is an established principle that those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and since January more than 35 people who arrived illegally in the UK in small boats have been returned to Europe.'

Mr Elphicke said 'more migrants have arrived so far this year than arrived in the whole of last year' and described the situation as a 'crisis'.

'The Home Office needs to regain control of our borders and seek a proper agreement with the French to stop these people leaving the French coast,' he said.

'This is not just about border security. We've got to stop vulnerable people being exploited by criminal trafficking gangs.

'And protect life - these are overcrowded boats with men, women & children aboard.

A woman as the part of the group intercepted at Dungeness on Wednesday - the group, who identified themselves as Iranian or Iraqi, included men, women and children

A rubber dinghy which landed as part of a group of 38 at Dungeness on Wednesday

'There is a real risk of a tragedy in the middle of the English Channel resulting in loss of life.'

One dinghy carrying nine was intercepted as it came ashore early on Wednesday morning at Dungeness, Kent, another 29 were apprehended on two other vessels by a patrol boat.

The 38 people were made up of men, women and children, all claiming to be either Iranian or Iraqi.

Earlier this month 74 including several children were detained as eight boats tried to cross the Channel, with one landing at Winchelsea Caravan Park beach, East Sussex.

Eight vessels made it to shore, landing at Winchelsea Caravan Park beach, East Sussex on June 1, with a total of 74 migrants being captured

Home Secretary Sajid Javid described the incident as 'concerning.'

Britain saw a surge in the number of migrants coming into the country last November.

And in December, after 138 made it on to UK shores, the Home Secretary declared a 'major incident' and hauled in extra Border Force cutters.

But last month saw that figure beaten, with 140 getting into the country.

The Home Office has agreed a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais.The Royal Navy is sending 30 Marines to the Gulf for a training exercise amid Iranian attacks on two oil tankers.

Elite soldiers from 42 Commando will leave their Plymouth barracks to form Special Purpose Task Group 19, deploying on Royal Navy ships from Britain's new Bahraini base.

Earlier reports that the Marines are being deployed to protect British ships in light of the tensions were tonight denied by the Ministry of Defence.

An oil tanker is seen after it was attacked at the Gulf of Oman, in waters between Gulf Arab states and Iran on Thursday - Donald Trump has said the two attacks had Iran 'written all over it'

Royal Marines Commandos - including the 42 Commando unit being dispatched to the Gulf - taking part in arduous training exercises in Plymouth recently

A diagram showing the U.S. and Iranian forces in the region and the location of recent attacks on oil tankers and a Saudi oil pipeline, which have escalated Middle East tensions

'This is a pre-planned training deployment and is in no way related to the ongoing situation in the Gulf of Oman,' an MOD spokesman said.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said London had concluded Iran was 'almost certainly' responsible for Thursday's tanker attacks, The Times reported.

Donald Trump has said the oil tanker attacks had Iran 'written all over it', rejecting Tehran's vehement denial.

Attacks on tankers have brought chilling echoes of the 1980s Tanker War which resulted in a one-day naval battle between the US and Iran.

The US military on Friday released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an 'unexploded limpet mine' from one of the tankers.

Britain has backed the United States in blaming Iran for the tanker attacks and on Saturday, Iran summoned the British ambassador to complain about its 'unacceptable stance,' ISNA news agency reported.

'Rob Macaire, Britain's ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the foreign affairs ministry... following the false remarks made by the British foreign affairs minister,' the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.

Other nations have urged caution. Germany said the video was not enough to prove Iran's role, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation to determine responsibility.

China and the European Union called for restraint.

Meanwhile Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Britain should 'ease tensions' and 'not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement.'

Hunt trashed his notion that the UK lacked 'credible evidence,' and branded Corbyn 'pathetic' for his 'virulent anti-Americanism.'

In a statement, the Foreign Office said 'no other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible' for the incident.

The Royal Marines elite commandos (pictured in training recently off Plymouth)

Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the Hormuz Strait, a narrow seaway vital to the world's oil supplies, in the event of a conflict with the US.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the US had 'immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence.'

The US has also accused Iran over May 12 sabotage attacks on four tankers anchored in the Gulf of Oman off Fujairah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation.

'It's very important to know the truth (and) that responsibilities are clarified,' he told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

'Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts.'

President Donald Trump on Friday charged Iran with attacking oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and warned Tehran their actions will not be taken lightly. 'Iran did do it,' Trump said on 'Fox & Friends' when he called in to the morning show for an interview

The oil tankers hit Thursday morning were 10 nautical miles apart and heading for Asia when they were struck by explosions after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, some 25 nautical miles off Iran's southern coast.

The Front Altair was carrying naphtha, a refined petroleum product, when it was hit by three explosions, according to Norwegian officials.

Blocking the Hormuz Strait would be a relatively low-tech, high-impact countermeasure Iran could take against any attack by the United States, and would severely disrupt global oil supplies.

But Mr Trump played down the threat.

'It's not going to be closed, it's not going to be closed for long and they know it. They've been told in very strong terms,' he said on Friday, referring to Iran.An eminent New York judge died after he suffered a heart attack on the bench, officials said.

Putnam County Court Judge James Reitz, 57, fell ill in court on June 14 while he was handling a family law court matter.

Court officers were unable to revive him after performing CPR and using a defibrillator in an attempt to resuscitate him.

Court system spokesman Lucian Calfen told Associated Press that Reitz died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Putnam County Court Judge James Reitz, 57, (pictured), suffered a heart attack in court and died while he was handling a family law court matter

It was unclear Friday whether the judge had health issues in recent years.

The New York Law Journal reported that a Legal Aid attorney and a lawyer for children were in the courtroom when it occurred.

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said that Reitz had carried out one case and then asked a court officer for help, according to what she heard about what happened.

'He said, "John, I think I need you to help me," Odell told the New York Law Journal.

Reitz, a resident of Mahopac, had been a county judge since 2007 and was also an acting justice with the state Supreme Court. He previously worked as a lawyer in private practice.

State Senator Terrence Murphy called Reitz the 'ultimate public servant' in a Facebook post and praised his drug court program.

On Facebook he wrote: 'Putnam County lost a giant today. In my life I have met few people of greater character, loyalty and dedication than Judge James Reitz.

'His Drug Court Program, which will be his legacy as a public servant, should be a model for New York State.

Reitz, a resident of Mahopac, (pictured right), had been a county judge since 2007 and was also an acting justice with the state Supreme Court

Police and law enforcement officials paid tribute to him and praised a drug court program which he implemented

'My heart goes out to all who had the privilege of knowing him, and of course, his incredible wife Barbara. Rest easy my friend.'

Reitz was subsequently elected as the Putnam County Court Judge in 2007 and was re-elected in 2016.

He graduated from Mercy College in 1986 and earned his law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1989, the Daily Voice reported.

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said that Reitz had completed one case and then asked a court officer for help, according to what she heard about what happened. He is pictured in court during a previous hearing

Putnam County Sheriff Robert L. Langley, Jr. also paid tribute to the deceased judge. He said: 'Judge Reitz was a man who changed peoples lives through his passion for the drug court in which he always had the support and active participation of members from the Putnam County Sheriffs Office.

'We could go on endlessly on Judge Reitzs accomplishments and passion for serving his community not only as Judge but as a friend to many.'

He claimed his passing was a 'tremendous loss' for the community and he will be missed by many.

He added: 'On a personal note I am proud to say Judge Reitz was more than a Judge to me, he was a friend who I respected and admired.

'Rest in peace Jim. Your passing will be felt by many. May his memory be a blessing.'

People who came before him in the courtroom paid tribute to him on Twitter, claiming he was always fair and good.Flights were halted at New Jersey's Newark airport on Saturday after a plane skidded off a runway while landing, but no one was hurt, federal officials said.

United Flight 627 from Denver reportedly blew out a tire while landing at 1pm on Runway 22 before skidding off to the left side of the pavement, according to the FAA.

Flights have been delayed until the aircraft is moved however there were no serious injuries.

No injuries were reported when United Flight 627 from Denver landed at 1pm on Runway 22 and then skidded off to the left side of the pavement, according to the FAA

No injuries were reported when United Flight 627 from Denver landed at 1pm on Runway 22 and then skidded off to the left side of the pavement, according to the FAA

The left main landing gear was stuck in a grassy area, authorities said.

The aircraft was to be towed off the airfield after passengers left the aircraft via stairs and ride buses to the terminal.

The Newark airport tweeted Saturday afternoon that passengers had 'safely deplaned' and officials were working to resume flights.

The airport had earlier reported no arrivals or departures because of the emergency.

The FAA issued a statement saying the left plane's main landing gear was stuck in a grassy area and that the plane would be towed after passengers were evacuated

The FAA issued a statement saying the left plane's main landing gear was stuck in a grassy area and that the plane would be towed after passengers were evacuated.

Newark airport said arrivals and departures were on hold and advised travelers to check with their carrier.

A spokesman from United said the plane 'experienced multiple flat tires upon landing in Newark.'

'After landing, the aircraft became disabled which is currently affecting operations at Newark Airport,' the spokesman said.

Passenger Caroline Craddock says the pilot told everyone they blew tires. She said someone hit their head and there was an elbow injury.Two men rescued after becoming stranded on an island in the Tennessee River were arrested for public intoxication.

Officers in Knoxville discovered Bradford Thacker and John Maxey on Lyons Island late Monday after residents called 911 when they heard the sound of gunshots.

Authorities determined that the noise was coming from the public island, located about 100 meters from the mainland.

The Knox County Rescue Squad used a boat to reach Lyons Island and make contact with Thacker and Maxey.

A police report filed by Knox Country Sheriff's Department states that both men had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol.

They were found in possession of a bottle of Captain Morgan rum, and were arrested for public intoxication.

Bradford Thacker and John Maxey were charged with public intoxication after becoming stranded on Lyons Island in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Moday

Lyons Island is owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority, and is designated as public land.

Police considered the pair a 'danger to themselves and others', according to ABC 9.

Thacker and Maxey were taken to Knox County Jail, before they were charged and released.

While neighbors had complained that gunshots were being fired in their direction, investigators found no firearm in Thacker and Maxey's possession.

However, shotgun shells were discovered on Lyons Island.

Meanwhile, it was later discovered that the pair had earlier been joined on the island by a juvenile, who had swum the 100 meters back to the mainland.Donald Trump deplored Sadiq Khan as 'a national disgrace' just hours after reigniting their feud with a stinging lash as London saw three murders in 24 hours.

The US President tweeted, 'He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!'

This followed a statement from the mayor on Saturday night, saying he would not 'waste his time' with Trump after he wrote: 'LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!'

Two teenagers were murdered within 12 minutes of each other, 12 miles apart in the capital on Friday, while a man was stabbed to death on Saturday afternoon - making three killings within just 24 hours.

Khan clashed with Trump when he jetted in for a state visit earlier this month, with the Mayor of London dubbing him a 'fascist' before Air Force One had even taken off.

The US President tweeted, 'London needs a new mayor ASAP,' as he warned things 'will only get worse,' with Khan at the helm (pictured walking to the Rose Garden on Friday)

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has backed his mayor, saying it was 'absolutely awful' to see Trump using the tragedy to attack Khan (pictured: Khan at the Grenfell Tower memorial on Friday)

Police officers at the scene in Tower Hamlets, East London after a man suffered stab injuries this afternoon and was pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday - London's 59th murder this year

On June 3, Trump rapidly hit back at Khan after his 'fascist' comments and branded the mayor a 'stone cold loser' in a two-part tweet as he touched down in Britain.

The Labour mayor then accused the President of 'playground behaviour' and claimed he was a 'poster boy' for the far-right.

Jeremy Corbyn said it was 'absolutely awful to see @realDonaldTrump using the tragedy of people being murdered to attack the Mayor.'

The Labour leader tweeted: '@SadiqKhan is rightly supporting the police to do their job while Katie Hopkins spreads hateful and divisive rhetoric. They seek to divide at a time we need to come together.'

Trump's ferocious tweet comes after an 18-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Wandsworth on Friday afternoon, minutes before another 19-year-old man was fatally shot in Plumstead.

Just hours later, a man in his 30s was killed in Tower Hamlets, east London.

Three men were also stabbed in a separate attack in Clapham during a weekend of violence in the capital.

The Metropolitan Police said 14 people - including several boys and a girl - have been arrested in connection with the incidents in Wandsworth, Plumstead and Clapham.

Retweeting a post by commentator Katie Hopkins about the killings, the President said the capital needed a new mayor 'ASAP'.

Sadiq Khan dubbing Trump a 'fascist' before Air Force One had even taken off earlier this month ahead of the state visit (pictured: Khan's video addressing Trump directly prior to his state visit)

The Queen alongside President Trump, first lady Melania, Prince Charles and Camilla ahead of the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in London on June 3

The original post by Hopkins shared two screenshots of BBC News articles detailing the violence.





Around five hours later, Trump fired off his 'national disgrace' tweet in response to American journalist Jessica Fletcher who revealed: 'Khan is the reason I dont feel like visiting London anytime soon.'





In response to Donald Trump's original tweet, a spokesman for Sadiq Khan said the mayor was 'focusing on supporting London's communities' following the 24 hours of violence.





The spokesman said: 'Sadiq is focusing on supporting London's communities & over-stretched emergency services.

'He has been in regular touch with senior Met police officers last night and throughout the day.

'His thoughts are with the victims' families. He is not going to waste his time responding to this sort of tweet.'The security camera footage is black- and-white and a little grainy but it reveals unequivocally a premeditated violent attack by a drunken thug on an innocent bartender.

The man wielding the vodka bottle is speedboat killer Jack Shepherd.

He is currently in prison for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown who drowned when she was flung from his speedboat after a champagne-fuelled joyride down the river Thames.

Shepherd's victim is Army veteran David Beech who, at the time, was still recovering after being shot in the head by a Taliban sniper while on operations in Helmand.

Just hours after the bottle attack, Shepherd, 31, would flee Britain for eastern Europe where he lived as a fugitive until his discovery in January.

'The lucky one': David Beech was recovering after being shot at by a Taliban sniper when he was struck by Shepherd

Wounded: The ex-Royal Tank Regiment soldier was hurt in the attack and it derailed his recovery

Earlier this month, he pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Beech. Shepherd was jailed for four years in addition to the six he is already serving for the manslaughter of 24-year-old Charlotte.

His conviction leaves Mr Beech, a former frontline Challenger Tank driver, able to deliver a damning verdict of his own.

'Jack Shepherd is a spineless liar, a snivelling little coward, and a sociopath who tries to manipulate everybody and every situation to his own advantage,' he says.

'I've got far more respect for the Taliban sniper who shot me than I have for him. He's a complete weasel. The apologies, the remorse shown in court, it's all a sham.'

In the aftermath of Charlotte's death in November 2015, Shepherd's attack on Mr Beech was all but ignored. The story of the pretty brunette killed when a Tinder date ended in tragedy dominated the headlines.

Charlotte had willingly boarded Shepherd's red 14ft speedboat at its Hammersmith moorings for a late-night trip to the House of Commons. But, apparently, they struck a submerged log near Wandsworth Bridge. Shepherd saved himself, publicly showing so little contrition to her grieving family that he became nationally reviled.

Now, the full details of what Shepherd did to the ex-Royal Tank Regiment soldier while he was awaiting trial for Charlotte's manslaughter, can also be revealed.

Denial: Shepherd originally denied he was responsible for the attack but CCTV footage proved otherwise

What emerges from the account is that Shepherd's self-pity, his lying about who was to blame and his callous disregard for someone who could have been killed by his actions, are identical to the despicable way he behaved after Charlotte's death.

Today David Beech, 32, tells for the first time how the attack in a Devon hotel derailed his recovery by triggering a series of terrifying flashbacks to the moment he was shot in the head.

Already suffering from brain damage and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), he ended up too scared to leave his home. Physically, the impact of the bottle on his skull has left him with a jagged scar on his forehead, just two inches from the wound inflicted by the Taliban.

'For the ten months Shepherd was on the run, I was very scared because I knew, probably better than anyone else alive, of his disregard for human life,' Beech says.

'What terrified me the most was that he had friends and family living near me. As a soldier, I know he'd consider these safe havens, somewhere he could return to lie low and possibly to strike again. His attack on me was enough to have killed me or blinded me yet it came without any warning. There were no threats, no escalation before it happened, none of the things I had been trained to look for and guard against.

'So how could I be certain he wouldn't sneak back to Devon and come after me again?

Lashing out: Shepherd was jailed for four years because of the attack on the veteran

'It left me so on edge that if I heard any noise at night, I'd be up and watching through my bedroom window for anything suspicious. It was like I was back in Afghanistan. I knew how violent Shepherd could be because all I'd done that night in the hotel was to  very politely  ask him to leave the premises. He was too drunk to be served.

'Seconds later and with my back turned to him, he produced the vodka bottle and clubbed me around the head. He wasn't even angry, he just seemed to act on instinct. That's what makes him a very dangerous individual.'

Mr Beech, from Moretonhampstead, Devon, had never met Shepherd before the early evening of March 16 last year when he swaggered drunkenly into the village's plush White Hart Hotel.

Bar work was just another minimum wage job David had after leaving the Army with a pitiful 10,000 one-off payment in 2015. This, said the Ministry of Defence, was adequate compensation for the life-changing wounds he'd sustained serving his country in 2013.

Chronic memory loss, epileptic seizures and migraines, along with the heavy medication which left him exhausted and unable to work for long periods, saw David seek work in his home village where he would be among friends.

The team at the White Hart was happy to support his recovery and David's confidence was growing.

He was on duty in the bar when at about 6pm Shepherd and a male companion entered the hotel, already deeply drunk. David ushered them politely back towards the front door and they left to find somewhere else to eat and drink.

But they returned around 9pm, even more drunk and eager to continue. Unknown to David, Shepherd had brought a bottle of vodka with him which he had concealed down the back of his trousers.

Since both men were barely able to stand and slurring their speech, Mr Beech realised he'd have to remove them a second time. 'I asked if I could help them. They said they were looking for drink. I replied, gently, that they couldn't drink here because they'd had enough already.' He ushered them into a corridor towards the exit.

'Shepherd's mate seemed to accept this and headed towards the front door. But Shepherd sneaked back into the bar area, out of my sight. It was then he withdrew the vodka bottle from his pocket and held it in both hands behind his back, out of my view.

'When I asked him to leave the bar, Shepherd said something like, 'Why are the heavies kicking us out?' To which I replied, 'Lads, it's nothing like that, you've just had too much already.'

'Neither of them was anything to be reckoned with physically and as they didn't seem angry, just resigned, I didn't think there was anything to worry about.

'So I turned away from Shepherd and extended my right arm towards the front door as a gesture for him to join his mate who by then was standing outside.'

It was at that moment the cowardly Shepherd produced his makeshift weapon and smashed the vodka bottle into the barman's face. The powerful blow dropped David to his knees as his forehead burst open and blood began to stream down his face.

Another barman wrestled Shepherd to the floor as David, badly dazed, cradled his bleeding head in his hands.

Then he experienced his first ever flashback to the devastating attack in Afghanistan. 'I was transported back to the battlefield. I could feel the pain in my skull from the sniper's bullet, taste the blood and sand in my mouth, hear our machine guns as my mates bombarded the sniper's position.

'For several seconds I could see the chaos of warfare all around me. It was overwhelming, like being hypnotised I guess, and very scary.'

He only survived the Taliban attack by a fluke. The bullet pierced his helmet above his eyes and scorched a trail around his head, ripping his skin from his skull, before bursting out the back of his helmet. Prior to being bottled by Shepherd, he had never relived those near-death split seconds.

Since then however, he has suffered regular episodes and now fears he is going to have to fight even harder to rebuild his life.

When Mr Beech came to in the foyer of the White Hart, he found Shepherd struggling and grumbling beneath the combined weight of other hotel staff and an off-duty policeman.

It was then that Charlotte's killer demonstrated the self-serving dishonesty and risible self-pity which has so angered and distressed her family and friends.

Seeking sympathy: Shepherd claimed Mr Beech had tried to strike him although it was not the case. The veteran said after he survived the assault he was 'the lucky one'

Initially, he claimed Mr Beech had struck him first, an accusation clearly disproved by the CCTV footage. He also tried to seek sympathy from those who'd witnessed the assault saying: 'You don't know what I've been through, you don't know what I've had to put up with.'

A court later heard he was referring to his forthcoming manslaughter trial over Charlotte's death, the one he would then attempt to skip by starting a new life in Georgia where he would live as an outlaw for ten months.

Last week, Shepherd launched a brazen attempt to have this conviction overturned because police had failed to caution him or offer him a solicitor following his arrest.

Sad bond: The veteran has forged a relationship with the parents of Charlotte Brown who was killed on a date with Jack Shepherd in a speedboat incident

Charlotte's parents Graham Brown and Roz Wickens attended the Court of Appeal hearing in London at which lawyers for Shepherd told a panel of senior judges that detectives wrongly interviewed him as a significant witness rather than a suspect.

They claimed Shepherd had been entitled to legal representation ahead of providing officers with testimony that later formed part of the Crown Prosecution Service's case.

Shepherd's determination to win his freedom on a technicality rather than accept that Charlotte's death deserved justice, led to another ferocious judgment from his second victim, David Beech. 'It's him to the core isn't it? Any opportunity to dodge the responsibility for Charlotte's death, he'll take it.

'I sincerely hope he is unsuccessful. He's a man with innumerable excuses and lies up his sleeve.'

Mr Beech's own future is uncertain. He has launched a legal bid to force the Ministry of Defence to increase his 10,000 compensation payment, but it has been hampered by a clerical error.

Defence chiefs have apparently mislaid all the paperwork relating to his case, from hospital notes written at the time he received emergency surgery at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan to the documentation generated by his medical discharge from the Army.

He said: 'I'll fight on. I would much rather my symptoms would have gone away by now but that's not the case. My injuries restrict my employment options so just paying the bills and keeping a roof over my head can be a struggle.

'But I won't be like Shepherd and descend into self pity, that's not in my nature.

'I am decent, I have dignity, I am resilient. He's just a disgrace.'

Mr Beech's bravery and compassion has endeared him to Charlotte's parents with whom he has forged a sad bond.

Late last year, they arrived unannounced in Moretonhampstead to offer him their support and find out more about the incident in the hotel.

They understood he had been a victim of Shepherd's monstrous ego, just as their daughter had been.

Mr Beech said: 'They're wonderful people, I couldn't believe it when they walked into the bar and asked for me. We met after my shift and sat down to talk about everything.

'It had been very emotional for all of us. I felt a lot better for meeting them and their suffering really puts my own situation into perspective. It's a miracle I'm still alive, whereas they've lost their daughter and had to fight for justice.

'Despite what Jack Shepherd did to me, I'm the lucky one.'I absolutely get the idea that you need to have diversity in the judiciary, particularly when youre talking about criminal matters and when you look at who is most likely to be a defendant, Lightfoot told reporters on Friday. But I think thats really something thatll be played out between Justice Burke and elected officials on the West Side.Nine months ago, Liam Ruckert left his home and mother in Berlin to start a new life at a boarding school in Israel.

Aged just 16, he had been driven out of Germany by anti-Semitic bullies. The attacks had gone on for two years, with classmates openly talking about killing Jews and calling him vile names.

The fearful teenagers grades declined as he ducked school, then he was sent to join a special unit for struggling children.

Liam Ruckert felt the need to flee Germany like his grandfather Issak. His liberal-minded family moved him from a Jewish school to ensure he was fully integrated in wider society  and the attacks started on his second day

The final straw was a school trip to Rome.

Liam refused to go  and only told his mother recently that the reason was a threat from the bullies that he would never return from Italy.

His story is chilling enough. But a twist makes it even more shocking.

My son was forced to leave Germany 80 years to the month after his grandfather  and for the same reasons of anti-Semitism, says his mother Billy. Its just too awful to see this again.

Liam was offered sanctuary by a school near Tel Aviv, where he is now thriving. But his story of fleeing Germany as did his grandfather Issak Munves highlights the explosion of anti-Semitism in the nation that unleashed the evils of the Holocaust.

Little more than seven decades after the hideous discovery of Nazi gas chambers, the German governments commissioner for anti-Semitism Felix Klein has warned it is unsafe for Jews to display their faith by wearing skullcaps in public.

My opinion... has changed after the ongoing brutalisation in German society, he told a newspaper two weeks ago. I cannot recommend Jews wear the kippah whenever and wherever they want in Germany.

Israels President Reuven Rivlin responded by saying the warning  which followed the release of data showing rising incidents of abuse and violence  amounted to an admittance that, again, Jews are not safe on German soil.

His story of fleeing Germany as did his grandfather Issak Munves (pictured above) highlights the explosion of anti-Semitism in the nation that unleashed the evils of the Holocaust

Chancellor Angela Merkel added that unfortunately there is to this day not a single synagogue, not a single day care centre for Jewish children, not a single school for Jewish children that does not need to be guarded by German policemen.

These are frightening statements. Many French Jews have fled to Israel in recent years, while anti-Semitism stains the Labour Party in Britain  but Germany was meant to be the model state, exorcising such demons after the Nazi horrors.

Instead, this ancient bigotry has seeped back, with school pupils abused, women harassed, restaurants attacked, rabbis forced to stop using public transport and Jews urged by community leaders to hide symbols that might identify them.

Many fear this hostility has become permissible again in a harsher political climate fuelled by social media and surging populism. It seems as if people dare to say again what they have always thought, but did not dare to say, said Josef Schuster, of the Central Council of Jews.

Official figures disclosed 1,646 hate crimes against Jews in 2018, a ten per cent rise on the previous year, with a sharper increase in physical attacks from 37 to 62 incidents. The vast majority were blamed on the far-Right.

But many incidents go unreported. A recent report found 1,083 anti-Semitic incidents in the capital alone, including 46 physical assaults and 43 desecrations of property.

We can understand why people are worried, said Alexander Rasumny, spokesman for the Department for Research and Information on Anti-Semitism. This is an extremely serious situation. A lot of Jewish people do not feel safe in Germany.

Jewish groups acknowledge the far-Right remains the biggest problem  but say there is evidence of simmering anti-Semitism erupting from all sides, including from the hard Left and liberals hostile to Israel, as well as among Islamic migrant groups that were swelled by hundreds of thousands of new arrivals welcomed by Mrs Merkel at the height of Syrias civil war.

Police guard a march against anti-Semitism in Berlin. After the Nazi defeat, about 15,000 Jews remained in Germany, where they were joined by 20,000 others displaced by war. Boosted by exiles from the former Soviet Union, there are today about 200,000 Jews in a country of 82 million

Yechiel Brukner, rabbi for Colognes 4,000-strong community, now has to rely on cars after a series of unsightly incidents on public transport, which included a man shouting that he should be dead while drawing swastikas with his hands.

I was petrified and shocked, said Brukner. Another time, I was on the subway at the main station with my wife and we wanted to make way for a man aged about 60, who said to us: Thats not going to change the hate against you.

Much of the concern has focused on abuse in schools, such as that faced by Liam Ruckert. His liberal-minded family moved him from a Jewish school to ensure he was fully integrated in wider society  and the attacks started on his second day.

The teacher talked about the conflict in the Middle East and some Muslim kids said they hated Jews and would kill them, said his mother Billy, who works with Palestinian migrants. One asked if there were any Jewish children in the school. My son is a proud Jew but was very afraid.

When they found out Liam was a Jew he started not attending school. I would send him off with his lunchbox but he did not go to the classroom. They were threatening him but he did not tell me.

She found out only when summoned to a school meeting over his truancy, which led to Liam attending an unsuitable special unit for disruptive and struggling pupils. The school seemed to have no understanding for his situation, said his mother.

The family spoke out after a similar case that involved a pupil who is half-English, half-German, who also moved to a more diverse school in Berlin only to suffer bullying. It sparked huge publicity  yet was dismissed by the authorities as a one-off.

On his fourth day, Solomon Michalski told his classmates he was Jewish, which led to abuse and ostracisation. It began with hostile comments on greedy Jews, then escalated to being hit, and even having a fake gun pointed at his face.

I was not so shocked by the events, said his father Wenzel, director of Human Rights Watch in Germany. What I found astonishing was the school management and social workers wanted to silence us, calling us pushy.

They never did anything when my son was attacked  so the perpetrator thought I can beat the Jew while his teachers looked away. Then, when we complained, other parents accused us of ruining the image of the school.

His wife Gemma, granddaughter of former Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell, said that when she moved to Berlin 30 years ago, she found people became defensive about the Nazi past if she mentioned being Jewish. So she decided to keep quiet about it. Now both here and in Britain I see a creeping normalisation of nastiness about me and my family in places you least expect it, like the Labour Party in the UK, or a Berlin school, she said. It is so distressing  especially when it is dismissed by the authorities.

After the Nazi defeat, about 15,000 Jews remained in Germany, where they were joined by 20,000 others displaced by war. Boosted by exiles from the former Soviet Union, there are today about 200,000 Jews in a country of 82 million.

Yet Wenzel Michalski believes his nation failed to fully confront its darkest deeds, despite the imposition of rigid controls on Nazi insignia and more recent instigation of a culture of remembrance about the Holocaust, symbolised by a striking memorial in Berlin.

Germany buried responsibility for the Holocaust beneath big memorials, but people never questioned their own family connections, he said. Everyone said my own grandfather was a soldier but he was never a Nazi. I feel very depressed because, like many others, I fell for the narrative that Germany had dealt with its past, but I was kidding myself. This is not unique to our country, as you can see with Labour in Britain, but because of our history it is different.

Michalski added he would be tempted to leave if he did not have his job. Anti-Semitism is always one of the first indications something is going wrong in society.

Much of the hate is fostered on the internet. One study in 2017 analysed 300,000 entries on German social media on relevant topics, and found almost one-third of them were anti-Semitic  compared with less than eight per cent a decade earlier. Content had also grown angrier.

After restaurateur Yorai Feinberg posted a video of an anti-Semite yelling Go back to your gas chambers outside his Berlin restaurant, he received a fusillade of death threats, fake bookings and abusive calls. They dont like what I am doing here, he told me.

Or take the appalling events at Schalom, a kosher restaurant in a quiet side street in Chemnitz, a city in the far-Right heartland of Saxony. It has had swastikas painted on the building, windows shattered and a pigs head left at the door.

Little more than seven decades after the hideous discovery of Nazi gas chambers, the German governments commissioner for anti-Semitism Felix Klein has warned it is unsafe for Jews to display their faith by wearing skullcaps in public

Last summer, the owner was hurt when a group of black-clad protesters, marching against asylum-seekers, stopped to hurl rocks and bottles at his restaurant. They were reported to have been screaming: Get out of Germany, Jewish pigs.

Yet most of the anti-Semitism is more insidious, such as blaming Jews for Israels actions in the Middle East. Psychologist Marina Chernivsky told me she was called child killer by a man who heard her talking Hebrew on a train last month.

I was speechless and got out at the next station, said Chernivsky, a government adviser who runs an anti-Semitism watchdog offering counselling to victims. She believes her country must accept the prevalence of anti-Semitism in its midst. In Germany, they always blame other people, not themselves, she said.

Certainly the populist and anti-Islam Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), now third biggest party in the Bundestag after feeding off concerns over the 2015 migrant influx, has sought to blame bigotry on new arrivals from the Middle East.

Critics say its focus on German identity and its furious political discourse helped foster a more open anti-Semitism. Senior figures in the party have also brushed aside the Nazi era, one even asking why Germany planted a monument of shame in the heart of the capital by building a Holocaust memorial in Berlin.

More than half of AfD supporters were found last year to agree with the statement that Jews have too much influence in the world  more than twice the level found in the wider German population.

When I go to the cinema or theatre, every third person has a prejudice against me, said Daniel Alter, a rabbi who was beaten in front of his daughter seven years ago after being asked if he was Jewish. That does not make you feel very easy.

There have also been fears over the reach of anti-Semitism after 14 police officers in Bavaria were dismissed for membership of an online group sharing offensive videos, along with a series of probes into far-Right cabals in the army.

Yet there are signs of a fightback. Berlin has appointed its first anti-Semitism official. Germanys main music awards, meanwhile, were simply cancelled when a winning hip-hop duo was accused of having anti-Semitic lyrics.

Muslim leaders are working with other faith groups to combat hate, including taking people on trips to former concentration camps, while there is even a provocatively titled body called Rent-A-Jew, which offers speakers for schools and workplaces.

We realised how few Germans had ever met a Jew, said Mascha Schmerling, one of its organisers. So we offer insights into Jewish life and all its diversity in Germany.

Last week saw the launch of a website backed by journalists, experts and faith leaders offering responses to common anti-Semitic statements.

But this does not stop the fears. Sigmount Konigsberg, anti-Semitism commissioner for Berlins Jewish communities, was born to a mother who survived Auschwitz and a father who spent the war hiding from fascists in Ukrainian forests. He told me after the fall of the Nazis, Jewish families like his in Germany kept a suitcase by the door.

It was always in their mind that they might have to leave suddenly, he said, adding that such fears disappeared only in the 1990s.

I am still optimistic as I can see decent forces working to stop anti-Semitism. We are not sitting with our luggage packed, but we are wondering where the suitcases might be. People are getting nervous.Theresa May has privately vowed to thwart any attempt by Boris Johnson to take the UK out of the EU without a deal, her allies have told The Mail on Sunday.

The disclosure comes as senior party figures told The Mail on Sunday that Mrs May had voted for ultra-Remainer Rory Stewart in Thursday's ballot of MPs, which led to a landslide victory for Mr Johnson.

Mrs May, who has vowed to stay on as an MP after she leaves Downing Street next month, has suggested she would join forces with pro-Remain Ministers such as Chancellor Philip Hammond and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd to try to stop Mr Johnson from leaving after the October 31 deadline 'Deal or No Deal'.

No one ever looked this pleased to see Theresa! Pictured: Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meets association activist to National Conservative Convention Hustings as part of his leadership campaign

Theresa May, pictured today at church, has privately vowed to thwart any attempt by Boris Johnson to take the UK out of the EU without a deal, her allies have said

The scale of Mr Johnson's victory means that, barring a major Boris blow-up, the race has effectively turned into a battle for second place, with his vanquished opponents deciding whether to fight on or clamber aboard his bandwagon.

It is predicted that the Commons contest to whittle down the field of six to a final two will conclude as soon as Wednesday, after two more rounds of votes.

Esther McVey backs Boris for Tory leader Former Tory leadership contender Esther McVey has come out in support of Boris Johnson. Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Ms McVey - who was eliminated in the first ballot of MPs - said Mr Johnson had agreed to back her agenda for 'blue collar Conservatism'. 'He has promised to deliver Brexit on October 31, deal or no deal, and has shown time and time again that he is a dynamic leader, capable of building a strong team around him that will deliver on his promises,' she wrote. 'Our country is crying out for strong, optimistic leadership and Boris is the man best equipped to take us out of the EU, to transform our country into an outward-looking, confident, self-governing nation, and to implement a policy agenda that will bring back the voters we have lost and ensure we don't allow Jeremy Corbyn's manifesto of economic carnage to plunge us back into the dark ages.' Advertisement

The last two will then face an electorate of more than 160,000 Tory members, after a surge of new members who signed up ahead of the contest were deemed eligible to vote by party chiefs.

Last night Mr Johnson moved to scotch suggestions he wished to avoid a run-off, saying it was 'full steam ahead to a contest'.

Esther McVey, who came last with nine votes on Thursday, was the first former candidate to declare her intentions, saying that she would swing behind Mr Johnson and urging her eight supporters to do the same.

A source said: 'Boris has told Esther that he will give his backing to blue-collar Conservative policies, such as the need to invest in the Midlands and North'.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who pulled out on Friday, was last night on the brink of declaring, with friends saying that he was wavering between backing Mr Johnson or Michael Gove  although most expect ambitious Hancock to plump for the frontrunner.

'Matt would be a moderating influence on the likely PM and help unify the party,' the friend said.

In a further boost for Mr Johnson, it is expected that Mrs May's closest Commons aide, Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie, will endorse him to help unify the Scottish party around Mr Johnson's banner.

Mrs May has suggested she would join forces with pro-Remain Ministers such as Chancellor Philip Hammond (left) and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (right)

Some of the most intense soul-searching was going on in second-placed Jeremy Hunt's team, with Ms Rudd  who until recently had been poised to form a blockbuster double act with Mr Johnson  angered by Mr Hunt's recent hardline remarks on abortion.

Her views are understood to be shared by Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt, who has also signed up to Mr Hunt's campaign but warned she would not defend his stance that the legal time limit for a termination should be reduced from 24 weeks to 12.

Yesterday Home Secretary Sajid Javid made an impassioned plea to stay in the race, saying it was not just the 'message that mattered, but the messenger too'.

The size of Mr Johnson's victory has also concentrated minds in the party over his Brexit strategy, and in particular his pledge to leave the EU without a deal if Brussels refuses to make changes to the Withdrawal Agreement.

Where do they stand this morning? What the candidates for Tory leader said as they gear up for the debate Michael Gove Declared himself the 'Chumbawumba candidate' following a decent showing in the first round of voting despite his cocaine revelations, in a reference to a 1997 hit by the anarchist band with the lyrics 'I get knocked down, I get back up again, you're never going to keep me down'. How familiar Tory members will be with the tune waits to be seen. In the Sunday Times he put forth a proposal for a national housing fund paid for by 'Brexit bonds', with home designs to be approved by citizens juries - all of which which has been interpreted as a pitch for the election-battleground portfolio of Communities Secretary in a possible Johnson administration. Mr Gove, who in 2016 said Mr Johnson was not up to the top job, scuppering his former ally's campaign, added: 'I would absolutely work with Boris in any way that he wanted to work with me. No question' Sajid Javid Declaring himself one of only two 'change' candidates in the race, along with Boris, the Home Secretary used an interview in the Sunday Times to point out all his rivals went to Oxford University, while he grew up above his parents' shop and was the first member of his family to go to university. He said he was the leader who could 'look the British public in the eye' as a fellow consumer of state services. In a possible bid to enter the door of Number 11 as Mr Johnson's neighbour, Mr Javid set out his economic credentials, outlining plans for an emergency 'no-deal budget'. Rory Stewart The International Development Secretary told the Sunday Telegraph: 'The other candidates aren't prepared to talk about how they're going to get Brexit done', adding: 'They're just basically saying, Brexit, deliver Brexit. When you say how, answer comes there none. Trust me I'm going to deliver Brexit.' This morning he asked the BBC's Andrew Marr 'How is Boris going to deliver Brexit?' He added: 'I don't even know what he believes. He won't talk to me, he won't talk to you, he won't talk to the public,' as it emerged the front-runner will be empty-chaired at tonight's Channel 4 debate. Dominic Raab Mr Raab, the contest's other remaining hard-Brexiteer, this morning accused rivals of going 'weak at the knees' and defended his decision not to rule out suspending Parliament to push through a no deal Brexit if needs be. He told Sky: 'We gave people a decision. Now Parliament is trying to steal it back away from them. When people voted, they voted to leave.' He added: 'The big mistake we made in these negotiations was taking no-deal off the table. When we start ruling things out we only weaken our chances of getting a deal.' Jeremy Hunt The Foreign Secretary, who came second to Mr Johnson in last week's ballot of Tory MPs, announced an eye-catching policy of offering financial incentives to families who build accommodation for elderly relatives  to help ease the growing social care and childcare burden on the taxpayer. Mr Hunt, who was a distant second in the first round, insisted in the Mail on Sunday he had still not given up hope of winning in the final postal ballot of party members. 'I am the insurgent in this race,' he said. 'I am in it to win it because we have to give the country better choices given the crisis that we're in now.' Today he said he would exhaust all options before contemplating No Deal. 'The difference between me and Boris is I would try for a deal,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show. Boris Johnson Mr Johnson remains tight-lipped as his team seeks to avoid doing or saying anything which could undermine their candidate's huge lead among MPs. Mr Johnson was criticised yesterday for busting into a hustings event in London without taking questions from journalists - and sneaking out the back door afterwards. By contrast his rivals stopped to talk to reporters. All six have agreed to take part in the Channel 4 show this evening - but Mr Johnson has made clear he will stay away. Advertisement

Boris Johnson, leadership candidate for Britain's Conservative Prime Minister, leaves home in London, Britain, today

It was Mrs May's failure to secure changes to the deal, and its subsequent rejection by MPs, which led to her downfall. But her allies say she has 'not budged' in her view that the UK should not leave the EU unless a deal has been struck and that to do otherwise would 'jeopardise the integrity of the Union'.

One said: 'She made little secret of the fact that she did not want Boris to succeed her, and if you study everything she has said it is clear where she now is on No Deal. The best hope is that Boris is bluffing as usual.'

Allies of the PM believe that she voted for Mr Stewart in order to 'keep the race interesting' despite claims in Westminster she was backing Jeremy Hunt. The Foreign Secretary's 43 votes match 43 public declarations, meaning one of his supporters was being publicly misleading about who they voted for, or Mrs May  who has never publicly expressed her intentions  must have backed someone else.

Conservative party leadership contender Boris Johnson arriving for the Conservative National Convention meeting at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, central London, today

Mr Stewart was one of Mrs May's final appointments to her Cabinet and had been one of the most ferocious defenders of her Brussels deal. He has also said he would not seek major changes to Mrs May's Withdrawal Agreement that has been comprehensively rejected by the Commons three times.

Instead Mr Stewart has said he would seek to 'communicate' the deal in a better fashion, and, like Mrs May, has vowed to avoid a No Deal scenario at all costs. A senior Tory told The Mail on Sunday: 'At the end of the day Mrs May believes the only way to leave is with a deal and Rory is the only candidate really sticking to that.'

Another ally added: 'No one has asked her but she values loyalty, and while he was quick out the traps in saying he wanted to run, Rory spent most of the year defending her.'When I answered the front door to a pale, emaciated and strangely attired Rory Stewart in downtown Kabul back in 2002, he didn't strike me as a possible future Prime Minister.

Dressed in traditional Afghan clothing, the loose-fitting shalwar kameez suit topped by a pakul felt hat, he looked lost and homeless and probably about to beg for money or food.

As it turned out, he did both. It was the last day of his 6,000-mile trek on foot through the hostile territory of Afghanistan's northern mountains in the dead of winter. Unknown to me at the time, his battered backpack contained the journals which would later be published as his travelogue, The Places In Between.

Dressed in traditional Afghan clothing, the loose-fitting shalwar kameez suit topped by a pakul felt hat, he looked lost and homeless and probably about to beg for money or food

Within minutes he had tapped me up for $300, saying he had run out of cash, assuring me in his cut-glass accent that 'Mummy' would repay the loan if I gave him details of my UK bank account.

Stewart, 29 at the time, had suffered run-ins with warlords and their militias, stray Taliban members and Western occupying forces who had told him he was 'a f****** nutter'.

Now he was sipping green tea in the house I shared with other journalists reporting from Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11 and asking for money with his total self-confidence and unapologetic insistence.

Within minutes he had tapped me up for $300, saying he had run out of cash, assuring me in his cut-glass accent that 'Mummy' (Mr Stewart's mother Sally, centre, and his wife Shoshana, left) would repay the loan if I gave him details of my UK bank account

'It's purely temporary, I assure you', he said. 'Mummy will reimburse you within days'

'It's purely temporary, I assure you', he said. 'Mummy will reimburse you within days.'

No one wanted to stump up, especially as hard currency was hard to come by in Kabul at the time.

There were no banking facilities so every time I wanted cash I had to use a money-man who accepted me enough to give me cash under the hawala system, under which Muslims borrow funds on trust and pay them back as soon as possible.

I would have secret meetings with him, ask for a small bundle of cash and arrange for my newsdesk to courier the repayment, plus a small amount of interest, to his relative who ran a fish-and-chip shop in Walthamstow, North East London.

It was a difficult process. Why would I go through it again to lend cash to this scruffy stranger in native clothes?

I asked him why he wore them. Us journalists had seen our share of the real thing: thin, battle-worn mujahideen holed up in ruined villages or living rough in the mountains. They were not always friendly to Western reporters, so it seemed insane to us that a Westerner would provoke them by dressing like them and walking through their jealously-guarded territory while American forces were raiding their home villages.

But Stewart, then as now, had an irresistible self-belief. There was no explanation, no apology.

He did with me what he did on Wednesday in the House of Commons corridor. As Tory MPs filed in to vote, 'I looked into people's eyes, saying 'if you believe in me and my message, vote for me' ', he said.

In Kabul all those years ago, he looked into my eyes and made me believe in him.

Needless to say, his Mummy repaid me within days. By that time Stewart had regained his strength, thanks to our cook's robust chicken and rice dishes, and cadged a lift to Pakistan

Needless to say, his Mummy repaid me within days. By that time Stewart had regained his strength, thanks to our cook's robust chicken and rice dishes, and cadged a lift to Pakistan.

It used to take us weeks to acquire visas for Pakistan. Stewart had one within 24 hours. The king of networking had sweet-talked his way through the diplomatic corps and the UN delegation in Kabul and used his Afghan language skills to charm the warlords and renegades now vying to rule the country.

Stewart made it home to the family estate in Scotland but became restless. In August 2003, aged 30, he flew to Jordan and took a taxi to Baghdad. He fetched up at the head office of the transitional government and asked director of operations Andy Bearpark for a job.

Bearpark, formerly Margaret Thatcher's chief of staff, says: 'He just turned up under his own steam asking for a job. He was certainly very good at local negotiations.'

He made Stewart deputy governor of a southern province.

But within a year, Stewart was back in Kabul, where he set up the Turquoise Mountain charity with the support of Prince Charles.

There, of all places, the geeky Old Etonian found true love. Unfortunately it was with the wife of another man. Shoshana Coburn had arrived as a volunteer from America with her husband Noah, both respected academics wanting to help with the restoration of Afghanistan's traditional arts and crafts.

The atmosphere at the compound was fraught. 'There was a lot of tension, a lot of arguments and we were sad for Noah when Shoshana made it clear she was in love with Rory,' one contact of mine said.

'Noah was brave to go on working there for a while. But Rory was brave too. He had to call security several times to control some of the rough guys. There was a US contractor who got drunk and beat him up.'

Stewart and Shoshana are now married. In 2014 he delivered their baby son himself on their bathroom floor after Shoshana went into early labour.

And during the Tory leadership contest, her ex-husband's only comment has been to wish them both well. Another diplomatic triumph for Stewart.The US Bureau of Land Management is recommending attendance be capped at existing levels for the next 10 years at the annual Burning Man festival in the desert 100 miles north of Reno.

Organizers of the counter-culture event had previously proposed raising the current 80,000 limit as high as 100,000 in coming years.

But the BLM said in releasing the final environmental impact statement on Friday its preferred alternative for the proposed 10-year renewal of Burning Man's special recreation permit would stick with the cap that's been in place since 2017.

The agency said it would work with event organizers to address environmental and security concerns, but it's not advocating at this time any of the changes proposed in the draft environmental impact statement, including a ban on dumpsters or new security barriers.

The US Bureau of Land Management is recommending attendance be capped at existing levels for the next 10 years at the annual Burning Man counter-culture festival

The federal agency may, however, hire a private security firm this year to conduct drug screenings. Or, it might wait until 2020, BLM spokesman Rudy Evenson told the Reno Gazette Journal on Friday.

'The BLM and cooperating agencies could not support the event growing. The city of Reno, Nevada Department of Transportation, Nevada Highway Patrol as well as the Bureau of Land Management could not support the growth particularly because there are other events going on during Labor Day,' Evenson said.

One third of BLM law enforcement officers nationwide are required to patrol the event at the current size, but one half would be required if it grew to 100,000. Transportation agencies also want to find ways to alleviate the congestion on area roads before the BLM allows any growth of the event, Evenson said.

The agency said it would work with event organizers to address environmental and security concerns, but it's not advocating at this time any of the changes proposed in the draft environmental impact statement, including a ban on dumpsters or new security barriers

One third of BLM law enforcement officers nationwide are required to patrol the event at the current size, but one half would be required if it grew to 100,000

That said, the federal agency could permit growth of the event in the future if BLM officials and Burning Man organizers find solutions to existing problems.

In an effort to make the event safer and more secure, the BLM plans to hire a private security firm to 'screen' attendees for drugs and weapons prior to entering the event, according to the report.

In public meetings, festival-goers called the suggested drug searches unconstitutional.

Burning Man representatives said in a statement they intend to fully analyze the environmental impact statement.

'Our priority at the moment is the 2019 event, and we are deeply engaged in planning and production,' the organization said.Gavin Williamson was last night accused of mounting a bully-boy campaign to drive Boris Johnson into No 10.

The former Tory Chief Whip faced claims that he was resorting to threats against fellow MPs to force them to back Mr Johnson.

That allegedly included telling former Ministers there was no way back into office unless they backed Boris in the first round of voting.

Mr Williamson was also accused of trying to scare colleagues into the Johnson camp by showing them dire polling figures showing they would lose their seats at the next General Election unless Boris was their leader. He also warned MPs not backing Boris that they will crash against a wave of inevitability.

Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson (right) arrives at Boris Johnson's launch of his bid to become the leader of the Conservative Party in London, Britain

Tellers at the first round of voting last week also reportedly demanded MPs surrender their phones amid reports Mr Williamson asked them to photograph their ballot papers to show they had backed Boris.

One MP privately told The Mail on Sunday: Gavin is behaving like a classic playground bully. It might work in the short-term but MPs will remember this.

Mr Williamsons emergence as co-chairman of the Johnson campaign alongside former Zac Goldsmith comes just weeks after Theresa May sacked him as Defence Secretary for allegedly leaking information from the National Security Council  a claim he firmly denied.

Boris Johnson, leadership candidate for Britain's Conservative Prime Minister, leaves home in London, Britain, today

Mr Williamson  once dubbed Mrs Mays baby-faced assassin when he was her Chief Whip  has already denied threatening MPs that they will not get back into Government without backing Mr Johnson.

And last night, his allies also rejected the bully boy accusations.

One said: This feels like sour grapes from rival campaigns at how efficient Gavin has been building support for Boris.Boris Johnson is plotting his takeover of No 10 in a Westminster townhouse with a history of disloyal scheming.

The leadership frontrunner has set up his campaign headquarters at 11 Lord North Street  where Michael Portillo ran his doomed coup against John Major 24 years ago. The then Defence Secretarys machinations were revealed when BT engineers were spotted installing 40 phone lines, despite his public declarations of loyalty to the Prime Minister.

Now the 3.6 million home of Tory peer and donor Greville Howard is the nerve centre of what insiders have dubbed Mr Johnsons government in exile  where he is planning a wholesale clearout of party and Government figures if, as expected, he gets into Downing Street.

Home of Tory peer and donor Greville Howard is the nerve centre of Team Boris, the 3.6million Westminster townhouse has a history of disloyal scheming. Insiders calling the campaign headquarters at 11 Lord North Street Mr Johnsons government in exile

Behind the Georgian facade on one of the countrys most expensive streets, the ornate dining room has been turned into a comms centre while the grand sitting room serves as a war room. Aides cluster on a large L-shaped sofa with TVs showing all the news channels, and maps of constituencies are draped over the aristocrats expensive art collection.

Donors are urging Mr Johnson to begin preparations for an Election, and approach a select number of serving permanent secretaries  as they hope one of his first acts in No 10 will be to oust controversial Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill.

One millionaire backer of Mr Johnson told The Mail on Sunday: Hes going to need a comprehensive clearout, a new chairman and a new treasurer of the party.

And thats before he even starts on Whitehall.

Australian election guru Sir Lynton Crosby and Mr Johnsons girlfriend Carrie Symonds are feeding into the campaign in an unofficial capacity. The activity is being formally headed by former London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith and former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, both tipped for top jobs in Mr Johnsons government.

Day-to-day running of the campaign is overseen by coordinator James Wharton, a Tory MP between 2015 and 2017 and a close ally of Mr Williamson.

Former Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps runs a vast spreadsheet of exactly who every Conservative MP is backing  boasting that he had correctly predicted Mr Johnsons barnstorming 114 votes in the first round.

Behind the Georgian facade on one of the countrys most expensive streets, the ornate dining room has been turned into a comms centre

Liz Truss is heading up policy, with the Treasury No 2 heavily tipped to step up to Chancellor in a Johnson Government  a role also coveted by leadership rivals Sajid Javid and Matt Hancock, who dropped out of the race on Friday. Long-time Johnson ally Ben Wallace, the Security Minister, is widely expected to get a Cabinet job, too.

Mr Johnsons team insist no jobs have been promised, but a potential return of Mr Williamson weeks after he was sacked for allegedly leaking details of a National Security Council meeting about Chinese telecoms giant Huawei could prove problematic, as it would put them in conflict with Sir Mark Sedwill, who was instrumental in his firing. Asked last week if he could work with Mr Williamson again, Sir Mark refused to comment, saying only: You must think I was born yesterday.

Mr Johnson also needs to recruit a powerful Chief of Staff, with former City Hall officials Sir Edward Lister and Will Walden tipped to return to his side. Mr Walden will spend the next three days preparing Mr Johnsons for Tuesdays BBC debate.

Meanwhile, insiders say Mr Johnsons father Stanley has been tasked with keeping Boriss Remainer siblings Jo and Rachel on a tight leash.Sandhurst is being earmarked as the countrys No Deal nerve centre if Britain leaves the European Union without agreement later this year.

Whitehall contingency planners  who have ramped up their efforts since Boris Johnson became the frontrunner to be the next Prime Minister  calculate the military academy would be the ideal base for the logistics command centre.

The challenges would potentially include keeping fuel and food deliveries moving if the Channel ports were blocked. A Whitehall source said: If we are going to prepare for this eventuality properly  and signal to Brussels that we are doing so  then we will need to effect a proper, military-style operation. And our Army is still among the best in the world.

Whitehall contingency planners say The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire, (pictured) would be the ideal base for the logistics command centre

The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire, was founded in 1801 and trains all British Army officers, including Princes William and Harry.

As part of the contingency planning, a total of 3,500 Army troops are being held at readiness to help to transport food, fuel and other essentials around the UK.

The strategy has been thrashed out by a team operating from a nuclear bunker beneath the Ministry of Defence under the codename Operation Redford. This is the military side of Operation Yellowhammer, the name for the cross-Whitehall plans for a No Deal Brexit.

Day-to-day operational planning would switch to Sandhurst in the days before a No Deal exit.

The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire, was founded in 1801 and trains all British Army officers, including Princes William and Harry

The decision to use Sandhurst as a command centre comes after Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill recanted on his previous doomsday warnings about No Deal.

A leaked letter from Sir Mark in March claimed that No Deal could trigger a ten per cent spike in food prices, bankrupt businesses and plunge the economy into recession.

But he told the Institute for Government think-tank last week: I think were in pretty good shape for it. We did a lot of preparation in the run-up to the March deadline,  the date when Britain was initially set to leave the EU.Tory leadership front runner Boris Johnson has rejected a plan for a 'coronation' to see him installed in Number 10 without a vote of party members.

Senior party grandees believe the former London mayor's lead among his colleagues is unassailable, so he should be fast-tracked into Downing Street.

Earlier, Mr Johnson said he was not going to attend a debate on Channel 4 this weekend as it would result in 'blue on blue attacks'. However, he has also rejected the coronation idea as 'totally wrong'.

Scroll down for video.

Conservative leadership contenders have criticised a secret plan to crown Boris Johnson as prime minister as the first hustings today got underway. Above: Mr Johnson (left) seen leaving his home before his arrival at the Convention Hustings in central London (right), where he refused to answer questions from reporters

According to The Telegraph, in hustings, Mr Johnson was asked whether the coronation plan should go head. He replied: 'No, no, no. I think that would be totally wrong. We must have a proper vote, we must have a proper contest.

'I think it is very important that whoever is leader has a mandate both from the MPs and from the party and the country.'

Mr Johnson's rivals dismissed the secret plan claiming the leadership election should continue until its natural conclusion.

The plan was proposed by senior ministers amid concerns that a six-week battle of candidates criticising each other would leave whoever wins weakened, providing ammunition for Jeremy Corbyn.

But Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart warned against any 'coronation' as they arrived for the Conservative National Convention Hustings in central London, while Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed the same view.

All six of the candidates for the Conservative leadership - Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt, Mr Stewart, Mr Javid, Mr Raab and Michael Gove made their pitches to local volunteers at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel.

Mr Gove did not speak to reporters as he arrived and entered through a side door, which attracted criticism from Mr Stewart.

Mr Javid, the Home Secretary, was greeted by a heckler who shouted 'People's Vote Home Secretary' as he arrived.

He told reporters: 'I don't want to see a coronation. There needs to be a proper process that's followed through.

Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart arrived at the Conservative National Convention in central London and both warned against a Boris Johnson 'coronation' plan launched by senior ministers. Both men said they did not want to see a 'coronation'

Mr Javid also told reporters it was 'clear' Boris Johnson would be one of the final two leadership candidates but he was happy to be in the running

Above: Jeremy Hunt arrives for the convention. He previously warned against a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson

'We had a coronation the last time. That didn't work out well so let's not make the same mistake again.

'Let's give the opportunity to the members to have their say.'

He added it was 'clear' Boris Johnson would be one of the final two leadership candidates but he was happy to be in the running.

Mr Stewart echoed Mr Javid's comments and said the party members 'deserve a choice'.

'The members of the Conservative Party who are wise, sensible, experienced people, deserve to have a choice,' he said.

'We should have learned from the last time round coronations are not the way to do democratic politics.'

As Mr Stewart left the hustings he said Mr Johnson's decision to enter though a side door was 'very strange'.

He said: 'The whole genius of British politics is that we don't behave like American presidents sweeping up in a motorcade. We're all about talking to people.'

Their comments came following the controversial 'coronation' proposal, which was reported by the Daily Telegraph.

It would see other leadership contenders stand aside next week in favour of Mr Johnson, who has built up an enormous lead among MPs and Tory members.

Members would then have a 'confirmatory' vote on whether or not they want Mr Johnson to be leader.

And yesterday, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also warned against a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson and criticised his refusal to appear in a Channel 4 debate featuring the contenders.

He said: 'What would Churchill say if someone who wants to be prime minister of the UK is hiding away from the media, not taking part in these big occasions?

'What people are worried about is that we could be heading for a re-run of the 2016 campaign [when Theresa May was chosen] where we effectively had a coronation without a huge amount of scrutiny.'

Environment Secretary Michael Gove is also running to replace Theresa May and was photographed arriving at today's meeting

Mr Johnson, who has been criticised for his reluctance to submit to media scrutiny, avoided reporters as his Range Rover pulled up at a side door at the London hotel where the event was being held.

He also did not answer questions when he left the event.

Last night Mr Stewart questioned whether Conservative party members would accept only Mr Johnson's name going forward to them.

Mr Stewart said as he arrived at the event: 'We should have learned from the last time round coronations are not the way to do democratic politics'

Last night he also questioned whether Conservative members would accept a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson : 'Please write to your MP if you think this is not a good idea and please RT if you think anyone else might think this is not a good idea....'

He said in a Tweet: 'Please write to your MP if you think this is not a good idea and please RT if you think anyone else might think this is not a good idea.'

Today, Mr Stewart rowed back on his previous fierce criticism of Mr Johnson.

Asked if he would allow Boris Johnson to serve in his cabinet, Mr Stewart said: 'That would very much be a decision for him but I would be honoured to have him.

'He is an amazing communicator.'

Mr Stewart, an outsider, previously said he would not serve under Mr Johnson before apparently backtracking to announce he would.

The 'coronation' proposal would be highly controversial within the party following criticism of the manner in which Theresa May became Prime Minister in 2016.

Her sole rival for the post, Andrea Leadsom, pulled out of the race, meaning that Mrs May became Prime Minister by default.

Mr Johnson is the overwhelming favourite to become Tory leader and prime minister - he received the backing of 114 MPs in the first round of voting on Thursday.

Trailing far behind was Jeremy Hunt on 43, Michael Gove on 37, Dominic Raab on 27, Sajid Javid on 23 and Rory Stewart scraping through on 19.

Mr Raab, who spoke to reporters about how he would stop Boris Johnson as he left today's hustings, said there needed to be a proper contest.

'We should have proper scrutiny of everyone. The longer this goes on, the more the underdog gets their shot.'

He added: 'I'm just getting started. I'm the candidate I think can be most trusted to deliver on Brexit.

'We've got to get Brexit done to deliver a fairer deal for workers, a fairer society and unite the aspirational working middle classes of this country.

'That's how we get out of this rut.'

Mr Raab had previously criticised Mr Johnson in an interview with The Telegraph.

He said that he, being a grammar school boy and the son of a refugee, would be in a better position to win a general election than someone who is 'easily caricatured as being from the privileged elite'.

Mr Johnson attended prestigious private school Eton with former prime minister David Cameron and the pair went on to study at Oxford together.

Boris Johnson may be the only Conservative Party leadership candidate to be put to the party's membership in the ongoing leadership election under a secret plan hatched by senior ministers to avoid damaging internal fighting

Mr Raab also attacked his plan for a tax cut for people earning over 50,000 - contrasting it with his own proposal to help those on low income.

The former Brexit secretary poured scorn on Mr Johnson's reluctance to appear in the television debates, questioning whether he had the 'mettle' to be prime minister.

Mr Johnson made it clear that he will not be taking part in the first TV debate on Channel 4 on Sunday but did agree to appear in the second debate, on the BBC, on Tuesday.

The biggest hurdle to the 'coronation' proposal succeeding is convincing Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis to back it.

He is insistent that the candidates need to be grilled by members during 16 events in every region of the UK across four weeks, starting in Birmingham on Saturday, June 22.

But the ministers behind the plan hope the proposal for a 'confirmatory ballot' will lessen Mr Lewis's concerns.

Yesterday, Mr Johnson hinted he would be happy with only his name going forward to members as he said: 'The public have had quite a lot of 'blue on blue' action frankly over the last three years. We don't necessarily need a lot more of that.'

However, senior Tory MPs Dame Cheryl Gillan and Charles Walker, returning officers for the membership ballot, made it clear that all candidates are expected to take part in the whole process.

Fellow candidate and Brexiteer Dominic Raab also criticised Mr Johnson's refusal to appear in a debate among contenders on Channel 4, hinting that he too wants to see through the contest to its conclusion. Above: Mr Javid arrives at the convention

Mr Walker warned earlier this month that the party would not accept a 'coronation' of Mr Johnson.

He said: 'The expectation is that if they are in the final two, they will put themselves through the membership hustings.

'We've had a conversation with those who have indicated they are going to put their papers in.

'There is a great recognition across the parliamentary party that this does need to go to the membership this time.

'Potential candidates are fully aware of that and hopefully relishing the prospect.'

Mr Walker said all existing candidates had indicated they would not pull out.

A source close to Mr Johnson told The Telegraph that he was 'happy' to take part in the whole contest, including hustings with rival candidates.

Postal ballots for members are only being sent out on 8-9 July, which means the result cannot easily be moved forward from the week of July 22.

Matt Hancock - who gained just 20 supporters in the first ballot - dropped out of the race yesterday, and those who backed him are said to be shifting their support to Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Mr Hancock had said on Twitter: 'I ran as the candidate of the future, but the Party is understandably looking for a candidate for the unique circumstances we face right now.'The founders of the controversial JustGiving fundraising website have each bought new multi-million-pound homes.

Zarine Kharas and Anne-Marie Huby created the site  which allows people to raise money for charities and worthy causes  in 2001 but faced criticism when it emerged that fundraisers were being charged a five per cent platform fee on donations.

The pair sold the firm for 95 million in 2017 and The Mail on Sunday can reveal they have now both bought plush London properties.

Zarine Kharas and Anne-Marie Huby created the site  which allows people to raise money for charities and worthy causes  in 2001 but faced criticism when it emerged that fundraisers were being charged a five per cent platform fee on donations

Kharas, 68, a former lawyer who received a damehood in 2015 for services to business and charity, purchased a four-bedroom flat in Paddington, West London, earlier this year for 3.7 million, while Ms Huby, 52, last year moved into a 2 million three-bedroom house in Islington, North London.

JustGiving was established at the height of the dotcom bubble. Since then, it has enabled charities to raise more than 3.8 billion.

But its five per cent charge on contributions meant 190 million was kept back from charities. The site faced fierce criticism when it emerged that more than 30,000 of the 638,000 raised for the family of Keith Palmer, the policeman murdered by a terrorist outside the House of Commons in 2017, had been retained by JustGiving.

At the time, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paddick, who served in the Metropolitan Police for 21 years, said: Bearing in mind the bravery of the officer  an unarmed man tackling a knifeman leaving a distraught family behind  surely JustGiving can in these exceptional circumstances waive their fee? However, the company refused to waive its fee, instead insisting it had ploughed 10,000 of its own money into the PC Palmer fund.

Kharas, 68, a former lawyer who received a damehood in 2015 for services to business and charity, purchased a four-bedroom flat in Paddington, West London, earlier this year for 3.7 million

Ms Huby, 52, last year moved into a 2 million three-bedroom house in Islington, North London

Before helping to set up JustGiving, Belgium-born Ms Huby was an executive with the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres

JustGiving was sold in 2017 to the US software company Blackbaud, which announced in March that it was scrapping the fee. It will, however, retain a processing fee of 1.9 per cent of any donation, plus an additional 20p charge.

Dame Zarine grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, but moved to the UK to study law at Cambridge University before worked for City solicitors Lawrence Graham and Linklaters & Paine. Before helping to set up JustGiving, Belgium-born Ms Huby was an executive with the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Accounts reveal that in 2016  when the pair were still in charge of the company  JustGiving spent 10 million on staff costs alone, with employees earning an average of 60,000. One director was paid a salary of 152,000 and 46,000 in pensions contributions.

Asked about the processing fee, Keith Williams, JustGivings UK general manager, said: We believe people who donate through JustGiving will be happy more money will be going to their chosen charity.

Dame Zarine declined to comment. Ms Huby could not be contacted.The one-mile border wall built by a Steve Bannon-backed private group must remain open every day, federal officials have decreed.

U.S. officials from the International Boundary and Water Commission said on Tuesday the barrier in New Mexico was blocking a government-owned access road and the agency had repeatedly asked the group to keep the gate open.

As a compromise over 'security concerns', the IBWC pledged to lock the gate every night.

'It's not the border wall that we have a problem with,' agency spokeswoman Lori Kuczmanski told WGNO-TV. 'The problem is the gate is on federal property. You just can't come in and build a gate on somebody's property without asking  especially not giving them the keys and walking away from it. It's not right.'

Triple-amputee veteran Brian Kolfage's non-profit We Build the Wall Inc. built a portion of its promised border last month, spanning one mile and costing $6-$8 million

The group bought the property the wall sits on from a private owner. It starts at the Rio Grande River and goes up Mount Cristo Rey, ending at a cliff (location shown on map)

The IBWC applies the boundary and water treaties of the United States and Mexico and settles differences that may arise in their application.

The agency quickly raised objection over the construction of the border barrier last month.

The wall, which spans just under one mile in length, went up over the weekend on private property running next to El Paso, Texas, through Sunland Park, New Mexico, triple-amputee veteran Brian Kolfage told DailyMail.com last month.

Kolfage is operating under an entity called We Build the Wall Inc., which is a Florida non-profit tax-exempt advocacy organization, with former White House Chief Strategist and former Breitbart News executive chairman Steve Bannon as director, and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach on the team as well.

Kolfage estimated that the total cost of the wall built over the weekend to be between $6 million and $8 million

Kolfage said his organization had to build in secrecy for fear of groups opposing the building of a border wall impeding the project's process. The non-profit's director Steve Bannon (pictured) said, 'We had to catch them by surprise,' while discussing the building in between his weekend in Kazakhstan for a geopolitical seminar

'Its just under one mile long,' Kolfage said. 'The wall starts at the Rio Grande River and goes up Mount Cristo Rey where the US Army Corps of engineers said it was impossible to build.

Kolfage said once everything is said and done, his organization will sell the wall, which cost between $6million and $8million to build, to the federal government for the bargain price of $1.

'We're going to sell this wall to them for $1 and release the title to them,' he said. 'We can't give the government the money because that's not the way it works. But we wanted to show the American people how to get this job done.'

Kolfage told DailyMail.com that this build has been approved by Trump and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A DHS official told DailyMail.com that 'this project is not connected to DHS efforts.'GENEVA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The chilling winds of unilateralism, protectionism and bullying cannot destroy the "giant tree of China," and the forest made up of all nations will remain safe if they cooperate with each other, China's new Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva Chen Xu said Thursday.

Chen made the remarks at a press conference organized by the UN journalists' association in Geneva, marking his first interaction with the press since taking office about one month ago.

POSITION ON ECONOMIC, TRADE CONSULTATIONS

Under the current international situation, said the Chinese envoy, "the tree wants to stand still but the winds just don't stop," as some countries insist on suppressing China as a major strategic competitor.

"The Chinese side has always insisted on resolving the disputes through dialogue and consultation, and is willing to promote a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement in a cooperative manner," he said.

However, cooperation has to be based on principles, he said, adding that there are bottom lines in consultations.

China does not want a trade war, but it is not afraid of one and will fight to the end if need be, according to Chen.

"China is doing this not only for its own benefits, but also for the common interests of the world," he added.

"GIANT TREE"

For him, China has grown into a "giant tree" over the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially after 40 years of reform and opening up.

"China's development achievements belong not only to China but also to the world. China has unswervingly taken the path of peaceful development and has no intention of challenging or subverting the existing international system," said Chen.

The diplomat told reporters that in the face of the challenges of the times, China's proposal is to actively promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity and build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation.

"A single tree does not make a forest. The strength of a single country is weak. Only cooperation can make a big deal," he stressed.

On China's determination to broadly deepen reforms and comprehensively expand its opening up, the Chinese envoy said that China will adopt a series of major reform and opening up measures, strengthen institutional and structural arrangements and promote wider foreign market access.

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT XINJIANG, HONG KONG

In response to questions about Xinjiang, Chen said that there is no so-called "re-education camps" in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region but vocational and educational training centers.

The establishment of such facilities have promoted local development and significantly contributed to "zero terror attack" in Xinjiang over the last two years, which proves that China's measures are a valuable contribution to the world's anti-terrorism cause, Chen said.

When asked if China would invite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to visit Xinjiang, Chen said the Chinese side welcomes the high commissioner to visit China, including Xinjiang, at a time of convenience for both sides.

In response to questions about the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's proposal to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, Chen said the Chinese central government supports the HKSAR government in advancing the amendment to the two ordinances so as to better fight crimes and maintain the rule of law there.

Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. No other country, organization or individual has the right to interfere, he added.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]The chief executive brought in to clean up Oxfam was last night accused of covering up a sex scandal at another major charity.

Danny Sriskandarajah promised to put the beleaguered charity's 'house in order' last week following a damning report into 'appalling safeguarding failures' after aid workers were accused of having sex with earthquake survivors in Haiti.

But The Mail on Sunday can disclose that, when he previously led the Royal Commonwealth Society, one of its senior figures was allowed to 'quietly resign' after a whistleblower discovered a dossier detailing his alleged encounters with sex workers.

One of those workers alleged yesterday that the man paid for sex during official taxpayer-funded visits to Amsterdam and Los Angeles.

Oxfam Chief Executive Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah promised to put the beleaguered charity's 'house in order'

The man who discovered the evidence in March 2009 was Nigel McCollum  at the time the RCS's head of public affairs  and he alerted his bosses.

But he was furious when the man in the dossier was allowed to step down quietly and continue working for two other charities.

Mr McCollum said he expected a 'pat on the back' for coming forward, but instead claims he was ostracised and effectively forced out. He was given a small financial settlement and made to sign a gagging order. He was also ordered to destroy the dossier.

Mr McCollum alerted this newspaper to the scandal after Dr Sriskandarajah appeared on television to speak about cleaning up Oxfam. He said: 'I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This is remarkably similar to what happened on his watch at the RCS. This man covered up a scandal there, so he should not have been hired to clean up Oxfam. It's staggering.'

The senior figure in question  who The Mail on Sunday cannot name for legal reasons  resigned from the RCS as soon as the dossier emerged. The charity, whose patron is the Queen, publicly said that it was due to 'personal and health reasons'. However, Mr McCollum believes the RCS took no action to alert other charities to the real reason the figure quit  the same thing Oxfam has been criticised for.

Nigel McCollum said he expected a 'pat on the back' for coming forward, but instead claims he was ostracised and effectively forced out

Last night, Dr Sriskandarajah, who was RCS director between January 2009 and 2012, insisted he was 'not involved in, or party to, any decisions relating to the resignation'. In a statement he said the matter was 'rightly dealt with'  not by him but 'by the trustees at the time'. And he further said he had never seen the 'alleged material' contained in the dossier.

The cache comprised documents, DVDs, photographs and audio cassettes. In it, the senior charity figure chronicles his relationships with sex workers, and in one document meticulously logs and records details of an escort's sexual encounters.

Lawyers for Mr McCollum said the dossier related to 'inappropriate behaviour and unprofessional conduct' that posed a 'significant threat to the Royal Commonwealth Society's reputation'. Last night, Tory MP David Morris demanded an urgent investigation. He said: 'It stands to reason that the person brought in to clean up Oxfam must himself be beyond reproach.

'Therefore, these allegations must be investigated as a matter of the utmost urgency. The Oxfam staff working tirelessly for the charity deserve nothing less, not to mention people in need around the world for whom Oxfam offers a lifeline.'

The man who discovered the evidence in March 2009 was Nigel McCollum  at the time the RCS's head of public affairs  and he alerted his bosses

Mr McCollum told this newspaper that he believes Dr Sriskandarajah failed to take charge of the situation and said the RCS's council of trustees should have taken action collectively. But this, claims Mr McCollum, never happened. He insists only a few senior trustees were formally told about the allegations, which related to a time when the man worked for another government-funded charity.

Neither, he believes, were the circumstances surrounding the resignation reported to the Charity Commission 'to ensure other charities that may need to be alerted, were alerted'.

At the time, the senior figure worked for two other charities and remained with them long after his RCS resignation. He continues to be a trustee of two charities today. During an interview on Channel 4 News last week, Dr Sriskandarajah addressed the problem of disgraced charity workers being allowed to work at similar organisations.

Call me Danny, says the boss who vows to be new broom By Michael Powell Oxfam's latest chief executive last week promised to be the new broom that would clean up the scandal-hit charity humbled by the sex abuse scandal in Haiti. Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah took to the airwaves and wrote newspaper columns to pledge a new, brighter future after the excoriating report into his organisation's cover-ups and failures. 'There is no room for this sort of behaviour,' he told Channel 4 news. And writing in The Guardian, he said: 'We cannot promise to eliminate abuse, no organisation can, but I do pledge that Oxfam will do all it can to minimise risk and to tackle it whenever it occurs.' Just days later, Dr Sriskandarajah faces accusations that, while head of the Royal Commonwealth Society, he was part of a charity cover-up culture that he has now vowed to eradicate. The 44-year-old, who tells colleagues to 'Call me Danny', says he has been inspired to fight global injustice by memories of growing up in a rural community in Sri Lanka, from where his family was displaced by the onset of a brutal civil war when he was six. They fled first to Papua New Guinea and then to Australia, where he went to school and university in Sydney. He moved to Britain in 1998 and completed a Masters and Doctorate in international development at Oxford University. In 2003, he married fellow Oxford graduate Suzanne Lambert, a barrister originally from Trinidad, and the couple settled in London. He became a British citizen in 2010 and, while he retains a hint of an Australian accent, it is now mixed with a home counties tone. Dr Sriskandarajah joined Oxfam in January after being Secretary General of CIVICUS, an alliance of civil society organisations which he had led from 2013. In a slick PR video recorded by Oxfam to mark his arrival, he said: 'What happened in Haiti was scandalous, let's be clear about that, but I think what is happening in Oxfam now is people are working tirelessly to put things right, to learn the lessons and ultimately to build a more open and accountable institution and I feel that my key responsibility is to help colleagues do exactly that.' Questions are now being asked about his accountability. Advertisement

He said: 'One of the things this report highlights is that people who engaged in sexual misconduct were allowed to be re-employed in other agencies.' He has also said it was his mission to change the culture that had 'protected certain people and practices' after the Haiti scandal shocked the public.

Mr McCollum also pointed out that, among the many serious mistakes by Oxfam cited in last week's Charity Commission report, is how managers 'encouraged and facilitated' the resignation of head of operations in Haiti, Roland van Hauwermeiren, 'despite his admissions of serious misconduct'.

Mr McCollum said: 'Again, there are some similarities with what happened at the RCS.'

The Charity Commission requires charities to report a 'serious incident' whether actual or alleged which risks significant 'harm to your charity's work or reputation'.

Mr McCollum said: 'In my view, the bottom line is Danny and the RCS covered this up. These days we expect transparency but we didn't get it on this. The matter was brushed under the carpet.'

Recalling the day the senior figure resigned, Mr McCollum claimed he was advised by a colleague that the 'documents threw up issues of reputational risk to the charity'.

A meeting with the senior figure and two others was arranged. After around 40 minutes, Mr McCollum was asked to join them.

'I remember thinking how awkward it was,' he recalled. 'Looking back I think they wanted to let me know that this was being handled, that he was resigning.

'Staff got an email the next day saying he was resigning on personal grounds.'

According to Mr McCollum, the email told staff 'not to allow speculation or rumours about the resignation to grow'.

And the following week he said Dr Sriskandarajah  who last night denied having any role in decisions involving the resignation  sent another email saying: 'I have also been made aware that there are some rumours about [the senior figure's] departure circulating and some unhelpful chatter around the place'  and urged staff to 'remain professional'.

Mr McCollum claims he very quickly began to feel sidelined by Dr Sriskandarajah. He said the director failed to consult him, for instance, about a major project celebrating the Commonwealth's 60th anniversary. In a little over a month, the situation had become 'stressful and intolerable' and Mr McCollum submitted a formal grievance to Dr Sriskandarajah over his treatment. In it, he said: 'The Charity Commission is very clear that any issue which results in a trustee resigning for matters that may have a reputational risk have to be discussed collectively and recorded.

'The very phrase 'reputational risk' means that every charity has to act seriously and effectively... Transparency is frankly what modern society expects.'

In a letter to Dr Sriskandarajah dated April 30 and headed 'Whistleblowing', Mr McCollum's lawyers said: 'It is our client's case that he reported to the RCS... documentation relating to inappropriate behaviour and unprofessional conduct which led to... [the] subsequent resignation. [That] conduct posed a significant threat to the Royal Commonwealth Society's reputation...

'Following the protected disclosure, our client has been undermined, victimised and subjected to discrimination.

'Our client believes that but for the disclosure he would not have been treated in this manner.'

Last night Dr Sriskandarajah said: 'As the director of the RCS I was assured by the trustees that the allegations related to the man's personal life and not the RCS.

'This was a matter led by the trustees and not a matter for executive of the RCS. ' He further claimed: 'On March 10, 2009, I was informed by the Trustees of the Royal Commonwealth Society that [the senior figure] had resigned.

'I was not involved in, nor party to, any decisions relating to the resignation.

'The matter was rightly dealt with by the trustees and not me. I had been in post for just eight weeks at the time of the resignation.

'A few weeks later I was made aware of a grievance claim from Mr McCollum. Mr McCollum left the RCS soon after this and this process was dealt with in accordance with due process and employment law, and a settlement was reached in agreement with Mr McCollum's lawyers.'Boris Johnson has been accused of ranting 'F*** the families' of the victims of the London 7/7 attack, despite others disputing what was said at a meeting over inquests' costs.

The alleged outburst came when the then Mayor of London was briefed over the costs of inquests into the jihadist attacks which killed 52 in July 2005.

Fire Authority chief Brian Coleman claims he overheard Mr Johnson furiously yell, 'F*** the families! F*** the families!'

Another source confirmed Mr Coleman's account to the Sunday Mirror, while another refuted the explosive claims against the Tory leadership front-runner.

Boris Johnson, leadership candidate for Britain's Conservative Prime Minister, leaves home in London on Saturday - London's Fire Authority chief Brian Coleman has made the bombshell allegation as Mr Johnson leads the Tory leadership contest

A family grieve as they stand next to a memorial to victims of the July, 2005 bus bombing near Tavistock Square on July 7, 2015

MailOnline has contacted Mr Johnson's spokesman for comment.

Mr Coleman, 57, said Mr Johnson lashed out when he told him the cost of lawyers for the Fire Authority, the Met Police and Transport for London.

Mr Johnson replied, 'I blame Tony Blair for all this. He started it with the Marchioness,' Mr Coleman wrote on his blog.

This supposedly is a reference to inquests into the deaths of 51 revellers after the Marchioness steamer collided with a dredger on the Thames in 1989.

Fire Authority chief Brian Coleman made the explosive accusations against Mr Johnson on his blog last month

And Mr Coleman explained it was when Guto Harri, Mr Johnson's communications officer at the time, said the inquests were for the benefit of the families that the mayor began swearing.

Mr Coleman wrote: 'To which Boris replied, "F*** the families! F*** the families!"'

The fire chief said he 'snapped' back at Mr Johnson, 'You didnt have to write eight letters of condolence to families of your constituents or attend the funeral of 31-year-old Lee Baisden (a Fire Authority employee) who had been blown to pieces at Aldgate and comfort his poor widowed mother.'

But on Friday, Mr Harri told the Mirror he had never heard Mr Johnson make the remark, adding, 'It's not the kind of thing he would say so I think its extremely unlikely.'

The Tory politician publicly rebuked Mr Coleman in the past after the fire chief labelled union officials 'thick' and 'nasty,' in November 2010.

Mr Coleman posted the blog last month, saying: 'I feel moved to write with my views on Boris Johnson as it appears likely that he may well win the Conservative Leadership contest and become our next Prime Minister.'

Survivors, friends and relatives of victims walk to lay flowers at the 7/7 memorial in London's Hyde Park on July 7, 2015

The fire chief, who says he was the first to endorse Mr Johnson's candidature for the mayoralty, said he discovered Mr Johnson was a 'poor judge of character.'

He cites 'failed and pointless' capital projects including Boris Island (the proposal for a Thames Estuary airport), the East London Cable Car and the Garden Bridge, which was scrapped in 2017 after 53million was spent.

The bombshell allegation comes as Mr Johnson finds himself streaks ahead of other candidates in the Tory leadership race which is expected to wrap up at the end of July.President Trump says he is all in in support of a no brainer constitutional amendment which would ban the burning of the American flag.

The president took to Twitter on Saturday to declare his support for the amendment which was introduced by Senator Steve Daines of Montana.

The amendment, which was co-sponsored by Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, was put forward on Friday, which coincided with Flag Day.

Our United States flag is a timeless symbol of liberty that tells the story of America, the story of our enduring pursuit of freedom, Daines said.

President Trump (left) on Saturday tweeted in support of a proposed constitutional amendment by Senator Steve Daines (right) of Montana to ban flag burning

The president tweeted: 'All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!'

'The American Flag is a symbol of freedom - and it should always be protected,' Daines tweeted on Friday

Remembering the sacrifices of all who carried its colors into battle, our nation should always render the flag the honor and dignity it is due.

This is the third time in the last three years that Daines has introduced proposed legislation seeking to give Congress the authority to ban the burning of the Stars and Stripes.

But the Supreme Court has already ruled that the burning of the flag is protected under the First Amendment.

Forty-eight states passed laws against flag burning, but those laws were ruled unconstitutional in 1989 following the Supreme Court decision in the Texas v. Johnson case.

Johnson refers to Gregory Johnson, who was arrested by authorities in Texas after he burned the flag outside the Republican National Convention in Dallas in 1984.

In 1989, the Supreme Court ruled that flag burning is protected speech following the arrest in 1984 of Gregory Johnson. Johnson (seen above burning an American flag in Cleveland in 2016), will be paid $225,000 by the city of Cleveland after he was arrested in July 2016

Earlier this week, the city of Cleveland agreed to pay the 63-year-old Johnson $225,000 after he was arrested for burning the American flag outside the Republican Convention in Cleveland in 2016, according to The New York Times.

The Supreme Court as it is currently constituted is unlikely to reconsider the issue.

While there is a conservative majority on the court, Chief Justice John Roberts and newly nominated Justice Brett Kavanaugh, have both indicated that they support the 1989 Court decision.

Weeks after he won the election, Trump tweeted: Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!Young Britons heading to Majorca are to be warned about the perils of taking nightmare summer jobs.

Border Force officials will tell revellers heading for the holiday island of the dangers of being lured into working as unofficial reps drumming up business for local bars and nightclubs.

Often working without official contracts, those who sign up for such jobs can be forced to work long hours for low wages  and can be drawn into illegal activities such as selling drugs.

Border Force officials will tell revellers heading for the holiday island of the dangers of being lured into working as unofficial reps drumming up business for local bars and nightclubs

Officials will distribute leaflets warning about working for unscrupulous bosses from later this month.

Young people will also be told to insist on a formal contract as those without one are working illegally under Spanish law.

The move comes after Foreign Office research found that 80 per cent of British people imprisoned in Majorca last year were former so-called PR reps.

Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said: Travelling abroad for a summer in the sun can seem like a dream come true. But it can quickly turn into a nightmare for young people subject to exploitation by unscrupulous employers.

Its important to raise awareness of these risks.Tory leadership hopeful Sajid Javid is facing criticism over the Home Offices failure to find hundreds of foreign criminals who have gone on the run to dodge deportation.

Figures obtained by The Mail on Sunday reveal 747 offenders from overseas, including convicted rapists and killers, have vanished after being released into the community.

A senior immigration source last night gave a grim assessment of the likelihood of the fugitives ever being caught.

In another extraordinary case, a convicted sex attacker facing deportation managed to escape from a prison van. Kamil Malag, 36, escaped as he was being taken to Hewell Grange prison in Redditch after an appeal hearing

Its not usually something we like to publish, but once you vanish you will only get caught by luck, he admitted. There are no resources any more.

Foreign citizens  including asylum seekers, those caught entering the UK unlawfully and those overstaying their visa  are meant to report regularly to immigration centres or police stations if there are potential grounds to deport them.

But the figures, released under Freedom of Information laws, reveal that as of last September, 49,381 foreign nationals have disappeared.

Alarmingly, an additional 747 foreign criminals  681 men and 66 women  have also gone missing. They are believed to include Hektor Mahmutaj, a convicted killer on Interpols most-wanted list who disappeared while the Government was trying to extradite him.

The 43-year-old is wanted in his native Albania after being sentenced in his absence in October 2000 to a 25-year jail term for shooting a farmer. He fled to the UK by hiding in a lorry and began a new life in Merseyside.

But he was convicted of a string of crimes in the UK, including drink-driving, driving while disqualified and possession of a firearm in 2007, when he was jailed for two-and-a-half-years.

He was released on conditional bail last year, but disappeared after Home Secretary Mr Javid signed an extradition order.

In another extraordinary case, a convicted sex attacker facing deportation managed to escape from a prison van. Kamil Malag, 36, escaped as he was being taken to Hewell Grange prison in Redditch after an appeal hearing.

The Home Office refused to disclose how the Polish national managed to escape on the M42 in February, but a source said last night that he was re-arrested in March and deported on May 22.

Under Home Office rules, all foreign nationals given a jail sentence are considered for removal from the UK.

But in a damning report in June 2017, Chief Inspector of Borders David Bolt revealed officials had lost track of 753 foreign criminals who faced deportation and that the team trying to find them had only 11 staff.

Foreign citizens  including asylum seekers, those caught entering the UK unlawfully and those overstaying their visa  are meant to report regularly to immigration centres or police stations if there are potential grounds to deport them. The UK Border is pictured above in a stock image [File photo]

Campaigners expressed shock that the number of foreign criminals on the run has shrunk by only six since Mr Bolts report.

This is clear evidence of the continued failure of the Home Office to ensure the prompt removal of foreign offenders, said Alp Mehmet, vice-chairman of Migration Watch UK. Resources are clearly stretched, but there also seems to be a lack of political commitment.

Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union also warned that more serious criminals tend to have more in-depth criminal connections and consequently are harder to find.

The number of foreign offenders deported dropped by 13 per cent in the year to November, a figure that Government sources say followed a Supreme Court ruling in June 2017 that found that deporting criminals before they had a chance to appeal breached their human rights.

A Home Office spokesman said 48,000 foreign offenders had been removed since 2010, adding: We have a dedicated team working with the police and others to track down, arrest and return absconders to custody. Since the team was formed in 2009 it has traced 2,250 absconders.The U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday started a two-week test transporting mail across three Southwestern states using self-driving trucks, a step forward in the effort to commercialize autonomous vehicle technology for hauling freight.

San Diego-based startup TuSimple said its self-driving trucks will begin hauling mail between USPS facilities in Phoenix and Dallas to see how the nascent technology might improve delivery times and costs.

A safety driver will sit behind the wheel to intervene if necessary and an engineer will ride in the passenger seat.

If successful, it would mark an achievement for the autonomous driving industry and a possible solution to the driver shortage and regulatory constraints faced by freight haulers across the country.

San Diego-based startup TuSimple said its self-driving trucks (pictured) will begin hauling mail between USPS facilities in Phoenix and Dallas to see how the nascent technology might improve delivery times and costs

The pilot program involves five round trips, each totaling more than 2,100 miles (3,380 km) or around 45 hours of driving.

It is unclear whether self-driving mail delivery will continue after the two-week pilot.

'The work with TuSimple is our first initiative in autonomous long-haul transportation,' USPS spokeswoman Kim Frum said.

'We are conducting research and testing as part of our efforts to operate a future class of vehicles which will incorporate new technology.'

TuSimple and the USPS declined to disclose the cost of the program, but Frum said no tax dollars were used and the agency relies on revenue from sales of postage and other products.

TuSimple has raised $178 million in private financing, including from chipmaker Nvidia Corp and Chinese online media company Sina Corp.

The trucks will travel on major interstates and pass through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

'This run is really in the sweet spot of how we believe autonomous trucks will be used,' said TuSimple Chief Product Officer Chuck Price.

TuSimple has raised $178 million in private financing, including from chipmaker Nvidia Corp and Chinese online media company Sina Corp. The trucks will travel on major interstates and pass through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas

THE CHALLENGE OF LAST-MILE DELIVERY The biggest hurdle for delivery services is what is known as the 'last mile'. It is defined as the movement of goods from a transportation hub to the final destination of the package - the recipient's door. This final stretch of delivery is often the most inefficient and expensive part of the delivery chain. Vans delivering the last mile use up a comparatively large amount of fuel, and employee time, for individual deliveries that don't earn companies much cash. Routes and recipients are unpredictable, meaning many last-mile deliveries fail or run late compared to other parts of the chain. For comparison, delivering goods to a central hub - such as an Amazon warehouse - is usually achieved via a single route, and transports hundreds of packages in one fell swoop. To cut to the costs of the last mile, delivery companies are attempting to introduce new technologies to the step, much of it involving AI. Autonomous delivery drones, self-driving delivery vehicles and even flying warehouses have all been proposed over the past decade. Advertisement

'These long runs are beyond the range of a single human driver, which means today if they do this run they have to figure out how to cover it with multiple drivers in the vehicle.'

The goal is to eliminate the need for a driver, freeing shippers and freight-haulers from the constraints of a worsening driver shortage.

The American Trucking Associations estimates a shortage of as many as 174,500 drivers by 2024, due to an aging workforce and the difficulty of attracting younger drivers.

A new safety law requiring truck drivers to electronically log their miles has further constrained how quickly and efficiently fleets can move goods.

TuSimple's tie-up with the USPS marks an achievement for the fledgling self-driving truck industry, and follows Swedish company Einride's entry into freight delivery using driverless electric trucks on a public road, announced last week.

The developments contrast with retrenching efforts by robotaxi companies such as General Motors Co unit Cruise, Uber Technologies Inc and startup Drive.ai, which have stumbled in building self-driving cars that can anticipate and respond to humans and navigate urban areas, an expensive and technologically challenging feat.

Price said self-driving trucks have advantages over passenger cars, including the relative ease of operating on interstates compared with city centers, which reduces mapping requirements and safety challenges involving pedestrians and bicyclists.Adobe researchers have developed an AI tool that could make spotting 'deepfakes' a whole lot easier.

The tool is able to detect edits to images, such as those that would potentially go unnoticed to the naked eye, especially in doctored deepfake videos.

It comes as deepfake videos, which use deep learning to digitally splice fake audio onto the mouth of someone talking, continue to be on the rise.

Scroll down for video

Adobe researchers have developed an AI tool that could make it easier to spot 'deepfakes'. The tool is able to detect edits to images, particularly those in doctored deepfake videos

WHAT IS A DEEPFAKE VIDEO? Deepfakes are so named because they utilise deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence, to create fake videos. They are made by feeding a computer an algorithm, or set of instructions, as well as lots of images and audio of the target person. The computer program then learns how to mimic the person's facial expressions, mannerisms, voice and inflections. If you have enough video and audio of someone, you can combine a fake video of the person with a fake audio and get them to say anything you want. Advertisement

'While we are proud of the impact that Photoshop and Adobe's other creative tools have made on the world, we also recognize the ethical implications of our technology,' Adobe wrote in a blog post.

'Trust in what we see is increasingly important in a world where image editing has become ubiquitous - fake content is a serious and increasingly pressing issue.

'...This new research is part of a broader effort across Adobe to better detect image, video, audio and document manipulations,' the firm added.

Adobe worked with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley to develop the tool, which is described in a new Arxiv paper published this week, titled 'Detecting Photoshopped Faces by Scripting Photoshop.'

The AI was built to detect the use of a Photoshop tool called Face Aware Liquify, which warps elements of a person's face.

According to Adobe, the Face Aware Liquify tool makes very subtle adjustments to a person's face, making them hard to detect.

But throughout their research, they determined that the AI system they developed could spot manipulation with greater accuracy than humans.

Not only that, but it could also 'revert' the manipulated image back to its original state.

'We show that our model outperforms humans at the task of recognizing manipulated images, can predict the specific location of edits, and in some cases can be used to "undo" a manipulation to reconstruct the original, unedited image,' the study notes.

Adobe determined that the AI system could spot manipulation with greater accuracy than humans. To build the system, they trained the AI system using fake images such as these

In addition to being more accurate than humans, researchers found that the AI system could also 'revert' the manipulated image back to its original state

To build the AI system, researchers trained the AI using a collection of thousands of fake images.

The fake images were created by applying the Face Aware Liquify feature to a set of real photos scraped from the internet.

Overall, humans were able to correctly spot an altered image 53 percent of the time, whereas the AI system achieved a success rate of nearly 99 percent.

'This is an important step in being able to detect certain types of image editing, and the undo capability works surprisingly well,' Gavin Miller, head of Adobe Research, said in a statement.

'Beyond technologies like this, the best defense will be a sophisticated public who know that content can be manipulated  often to delight them, but sometimes to mislead them.'Some parts of the earth are so remote that you almost believe you are the first person ever to set foot on them.

Thats what I felt when I arrived on the tiny, uninhabited island of Cosmoledo in the Seychelles.

It looked like virgin territory: each grain of sand pristine, each palm frond immaculate. Of course, I wasnt the first to explore this atoll 1,000 miles off the coast of Africa  more than a few sailors and fishermen got there before me  but I am certainly among the initial tourists to discover this particular corner of the world.

Alphonse Island in the Seychelles is a slightly larger island near to Cosmoledo

Yes, its quite a trek. Leave London on a Saturday morning and its Monday evening before youre tucked up on Cosmoledo. Thats after a stopover in Doha, in Qatar, and another on the island of Mahe, the largest landmass in the Seychelles archipelago and home to the capital, Victoria.

Exploration of the Seychelles  a chain of 115 islands spread across hundreds of miles of Indian Ocean  is possible only by small plane (just as long as the islands have landing strips) or boat. And if you think Mahe is a remote speck in the ocean, you are in for a shock. Cosmoledo, our final destination, was still another 600 miles further south-west.

I had been lured to the Seychelles by the promise of unspoiled nature. While the (relatively) nearby larger islands of Alphonse and Astove already welcome visitors, Cosmoledo, just seven miles long by ten wide, opened only late last year.

On these remote atolls, formed of coral, there would be no television, no telephone, limited internet, only the thump of the pounding surf on the white sand and the call of the magnificent frigatebirds soaring above.

Along the way we hoped to see giant tortoises and rare hawksbill turtles. With such abundant wildlife, its no wonder the Seychelles is often referred to as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean.

Im a huge fan of Sir David Attenborough and all he has done in raising our awareness of our beautiful and fragile world.

So, to wake up that first morning in a converted plantation house on Astove, before jumping on a small boat for the 90-minute journey to Cosmoledo, was pure joy.

I watched as the sun turned the sea from cobalt to hues of turquoise. That was my Blue Planet moment.

When it comes to islands, I have history. I spent four weeks marooned with nine others on an islet off the coast of Panama during the filming of Channel 4s Celebrity Island last year.

Relaxed: The former model enjoying the beach on Cosmoledo in the Seychelles

As tough as it was to find food and shelter, it was one of the happiest times of my life.

Our group, which included the rower James Cracknell and the actor Martin Kemp, had been given only three days of survival training before being dumped on the island by Bear Grylls.

I remember being the first one to catch a fish, which was cause for celebration. I learned a lot about myself during those weeks. It taught me that I am comfortable with nature  and happy spending time alone.

Its important to love your own company before you can love anyone else. This appreciation of solitude has come late in life. It wasnt always like that. I was married to Ronnie Wood, of the Rolling Stones, and we spent years touring the world, living in hotels.

We were together for 31 years and had two children together before splitting in 2008. But, as it turned out, the best thing that ever happened to me was becoming single. Now Im in control of my life. When you are on tour, others control you.

Of course, my island odyssey was nothing like being on that reality show. For a start, I didnt have to kill to eat, and I wasnt fighting for survival among a group of strangers. This time, I had a travel buddy, my son Tyrone. Hes 36 and shares my passion for the environment.

He is managing director of the charity Project Zero, which promotes ocean conservation.

Plush: One of the eco pods at Cosmeldo Eco Camp, which has windows, air conditioning and proper plumbing

Like all of us, hes appalled by the amount of plastic in the ocean, so he raises awareness through global events and is working on conserving and protecting 30 per cent of the oceans worldwide by 2030.

So, happiness for me was spending hours snorkelling with Tyrone among the coral reefs and marvelling at the brilliance of the exotic fish. But I drew the line at scuba-diving.

I remember my children learned as teenagers when on a trip to Hawaii, and I was keen to try it with them.

But when I was told that I would have to take my mask off underwater, clean it and then put it back, that was it  much too scary. That fear meant that here in Astove I couldnt tackle one of the most famous diving sites in the world.

This whole area was made famous by the underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, so when Tyrone came back and told me all about the rare turtles he had seen, I must admit I was a little envious.

No wonder the Seychelles government is keen to promote eco-tourism. Fishing, for example, is heavily regulated and you throw back what you catch.

Since the government has outlawed any permanent structures, everything must be easily dismantled. That emphasis on conservation is why, on Cosmoledo, I found myself sleeping in a converted shipping container; These were plush eco-pods with windows, air conditioning and proper plumbing.

Serenity: Cosmeldo Eco Camp has eight eco-pods on the island

We were here to see nature in the raw  and thats what we did.

With only eight eco-pods on the island and a handful of staff, we were a group of 20. And, with no one else around, the lagoons and reefs were ours to explore.

As well as cooks and crew, there was a marine conservationist to answer our questions and take us on guided walks.

Its one thing to watch a frigatebird try to land; its quite another when Lucy, our expert, explained how their giant claws make it almost impossible for them to alight on sea or ground.

I couldnt believe what food was magicked up by the cooks, a husband-and-wife team, in their tented kitchen. Delicious tuna sashimi, seaweed salads and creamy coconut desserts.

Its easy to get into a peaceful rhythm in a place as enchanting as Cosmoledo. Lets be clear, theres nothing rocknroll going on here.

Its more an improving book kind of place and lights out after supper.

So, if youre not passionate about barracudas and giant trevally, masked boobies and sooty terns, theres little diversion.

Theres much that will draw me back to these islands. I would like to return with my children and grandchildren.

I want them to see a turtle crawl out of the water to lay its eggs on the beach. And to swim with a manta ray. To spot dolphins and whales. To fish for wahoo and snapper and, most importantly, throw them back.

I want them to enjoy every minute, as I did, of my glorious Marine Safari.One moment Vienna, the next Vladivostok - the looks of the Finnish capital are balanced on the cusp between East and West, veering from nifty Art Nouveau to Soviet sternness.

With a population of only 650,000, Helsinki's alluring collection of museums, galleries and churches never feels rushed.

Combine this with its bijou size and you get a city both easy on the eye and not too taxing on the legs.

City escape: Helsinki, the Finnish capital, has a population of only 650,000

Where to stay

Scandic Grand Marina

Overlooking the central harbour, this is the quintessential unfussy yet subtly stylish Nordic hotel. Every room is slightly different, but all have muted tones with the odd splash of vivid colour in the form of beautiful cushions and designer chairs. The breakfast buffet is a real treat, too; try the classic Finnish rye Karelian pasty. B&B doubles from 96 (scandichotels.com).

Hotel Finn

The bathrooms here are absolutely tiny, but this is a hub designed for those who want to get outside and mingle. All the rooms feature hipster, retro flock wallpaper and funky chrome chairs. The location is outstanding, opposite the Stockmann department store, but be warned: this hotel doesn't do breakfast. Twins from 97 (hotelfinn.com).

Explore: A map showing all of the tourist hotspots in Helsinki

Hotel Fabian

You'll have to be eagle sharp on the website to snag a room for less than 100, but it is just about possible if you book at least three months in advance. And it's worth it for Fabian's warm service and sweet touches; from the bedside tables made from stepladders to the plant-smothered courtyard, the perfect spot for a hot chocolate on a chilly Nordic morning. B&B doubles from 97 (hotelfabian.com).

Hotel Arthur

The truly enormous mural of a flower brightens up the outside of what otherwise would be a dull-looking building located just behind the railway station. Rooms are basic, but the staff are excellent, especially in helping guests navigate the lifts, which resemble moving fridge-freezers. B&B doubles from 100 (hotelarthur.fi); prices fluctuate.

What to see and do

Astonishing: Temppeliaukio Church, above, is a must-see. It was built in the 1960s

Sublime music

Jean Sibelius's sublime and oft-strange compositions are essential to understanding the Finnish character. Every Monday and Friday morning there's a recital of his work at the 19th-century Balderin Sali Hall, followed by a walking tour of the city (from 33  and worth it). Visit skafur-tour.fi.

Pictured is Helsinki City Museum

See the amazing churches

Hewn into rock, the astonishing Temppeliaukio Church (3.50) is a must-see: a flying saucer-shaped oddity built in the Sixties. Yet the first prize for combining sci-fi and sacrament goes to the windowless, egg-shape Kamppi Chapel of Silence on Narinkka Square (entrance is free). Helsinki's impressive White Cathedral is also well worth a visit.

Pop into a cool museum

At the Helsinki City Museum there's something strangely soothing about the focus on the minutiae of Helsinki life over the years. Expect a reconstruction of a Seventies beer bar complete with table-top jukebox, as well as a 'time machine' showing cityscapes from the 1860s to the present day. Entrance is free (helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi).

Where to eat

Green Hippo Cafe

The daubing on the wall that states, 'this was supposed to be another painting but we ran out of ideas' says everything about this quirky cafe, which boasts excellent one-bowl meals for 10.60.

Menus change daily, but expect hearty portions of avocado pasta, or kale with poached eggs and halloumi (greenhippocafe.rocks).

Pihka Kasarmi

Finns like to eat early, so be sure to get to this smart canteen by just after noon at the latest, or you might have to queue with the discretely stylish business crowd.

Spending 9.30 gets you a three-course meal with access to a 'green table' of salads and soups, plus mains such as chicken corn chowder with chorizo croutons (kasarmi.pihka.fi).

Teurastamo

Teurastamo is a former abattoir now converted into restaurants and events spaces

Helsinki's former slaughterhouse is now a burgeoning complex of breweries and eateries. Head to B-Smokery for some smoked pork tacos (10.60) before a sublime Helsinki dry gin at the Helsinki Distilling Company.

There's even a community grill in the central square, where you can bring your own meat for a DIY barbecue (teurastamo.com).

La Torrefazione Lasipalatsi

Don't forget to try the classic Finnish rye Karelian pasty, pictured above

TRAVEL FACTS British Airways has return flights from Heathrow from 108 (ba.com). More information at myhelsinki.fi. Advertisement

Housed in the midst of the curving, white, Art Deco-style Amos Rex museum, Lasipalatsi (the 'Glass Palace') serves one of the best caffeine fixes in the city as well as offering a robust range of lunch options, such as chorizo frittata (10.10) and a superb shrimp and lemon pasta (9.25) (latorre.fi/toimipiste/lasipalatsi).

Market hall

Vanha Kauppahalli, the tiled, 19th-century market hall by the harbour, has stalls selling elk jerky, reindeer kebabs and tins of native muikku fish, similar to whitebait (vanhakauppahalli.fi).On the third day of my Oman trip I'm being driven back to the hotel, having just been on a three-and-a-half-hour walk in the Jebel Akhdar, part of the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian peninsula, when my guide pulls up alongside a fenced-off area.

'You will want to see this,' he says.

Inside the fence, which has been lovingly maintained, is the wreckage of an RAF fighter jet that was shot down by a local tribesman, as well as a mausoleum where the pilot is buried. His family still come to pay their respects every year.

Toby Young ventured to Oman. He notes that Jebel Akhdar (pictured), known in English as 'the Green Mountain', has long been regarded as a magical place - the Gulf's answer to Shangri-La

Luckily, this event was more than 60 years ago, and there hasn't been a war in Oman since 1976, which makes it one of the safest countries to visit in the Middle East.

'The man who brought down this plane is a legend round here,' my guide explains. 'It is thought he used magic.'

If he did rely on magic, it wasn't powerful enough to defeat the forces of Sultan Said bin Taimur, who ruled Muscat and Oman from 1932 to 1970.

Aided by British soldiers, including the SAS, the Sultan suppressed a number of internal rebellions, the most serious of which was in 1965.

Sun-baked: In Oman, 82 per cent of the land is desert

Toby said he spent lots of money in the souk while visiting the capital of Muscat

The rebels, who were supported by the neighbouring Arab states of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, were conservative Muslims opposed to the Sultan's efforts to modernise the small Gulf state - and their failure is visible all around you.

And despite the tanker attacks this week off the coast of Iran, the Foreign Office still rates Oman as safe to visit.

I make the 93-mile journey from Muscat, the capital city - where I spent several hours and lots of money in the souk - on a freshly-tarmacked road and spot at least half a dozen new towns on the way, all undergoing rapid expansion.

Oman has been described as the Switzerland of the Middle East, but I'm not so sure. Every acre of land in a country that is 82 per cent desert is in the process of being reclaimed.

Good to know before you go... You need a visa to travel to Oman. Best to get this in advance. It costs 10. You can buy one on arrival before you go through passport control, but it means queuing for more than half an hour.

There's no need for an adaptor to plug in your appliances. They use the same three-pronged plugs as us.

Muscat International Airport opened a new terminal in 2018, and it's state of the art. You glide through on travelators in air-conditioned comfort, able to access the free wi-fi from the moment you land.

Avoid the sweets in Duty Free, though - a box of mini KitKats costs 14.

If you go to Muscat in July or August, be prepared to be knocked sideways by the heat. The mercury often reaches nearly 50c in those months. Advertisement

In 2010, the United Nations Development Programme ranked Oman as the most improved country in the world over the previous 40-year period.

Jebel Akhdar, known in English as 'the Green Mountain', has long been regarded as a magical place - the Gulf's answer to Shangri-La. Its green hills emerge out of the sandy wastes of the Omani plain and, at its 3,075-metre peak, the mountain reaches upwards into the clouds.

Its meadows look like a series of giant steps in the mountainside, where grapes, pomegranates, peaches, apricots, figs, walnuts, onions, and garlic have been grown since Biblical times.

The temperature here is always ten to 25 degrees cooler than anywhere else in the region, making it an ideal getaway.

My three-mile hike with a local guide takes me down into a limestone gorge where, at the bottom, we are greeted by the splendour of the Wadi al Masdara, a turquoise pool of water so fresh you can drink from it as you swim.

Al Masdara is one of a series of wadis created by underground springs that feed the complex, hand-built irrigation system that enables the fruit and vegetables to be cultivated. The area is most famous for its roses and produces gallons of rose water each year, sought after across the Middle East.

But there's no avoiding that Oman's lightning-quick development has come at a price. The previous day, I'd gone on a tour of three mountain villages and each was more deserted than the last.

One had only a single resident - a haunted-looking man in his 70s - while another was completely abandoned.

That pattern is repeated across the region, with villagers leaving en masse to take up residence in the newly-built towns nearby. The government has encouraged them to do this, offering interest-free loans to anyone who wants to build their own home.

Toby stayed at the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, which opened in 2017 and cost more than 200 million to build

It's not surprising so many villagers have taken up this offer. The area didn't have electricity until 1997 and the main road was only built in 2005, with deliveries having to be made by donkeys before that.

My guide on the three-village tour had lived in one of them as a boy and recounted how he had to jog six miles there and back every day to get to school.

Sometimes he'd hitch a ride on a military helicopter owned by the Omani ministry of defence that can still be seen criss-crossing the mountain.

The lowdown on Oman: Whale watching and the Middle East's longest-serving head of state 1. Between 2010 and 2016 the population of Oman almost doubled and half of its residents are under 15. 2. The coastline is more than 3,000 km long and has some of the prettiest beaches in the world. 3. Less than five per cent of Oman's 5 million population is not Muslim - they are mostly Hindu and Christian migrant workers. 4. The Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said, is the longest serving ruler in the Middle East and the world's fourth longest serving head of state. 5. Until 1970, there were no hotels in Oman - now there are hundreds. Hotels and restaurants can sell alcohol, but it is an offence to drink or to be drunk in public. 6. Oman is one of the most popular spots in the world for whale watching. 7. Homosexuality is illegal in Oman. 8. Women didn't get the vote in Oman until 1997 and are still not allowed to get mortgages. 9. Oman was one of the last countries to officially abolish slavery in 1970. 10. Muscat was named the world's second best city to visit in 2012 by Lonely Planet (London was number one). Advertisement

The demographic shift has been exacerbated by the diversion of the water supply to service the new towns, along with the luxury hotels and spas around the mountainside. Some crops are still grown in the ancient meadows, but most lie fallow and the ancient irrigation system has dried up.

Indeed, the name 'green mountain' now seems like a misnomer - 'brown mountain' is more like it.

While this rapid change is perfectly understandable given how tough the living conditions used to be, you cannot help feeling a smidgen of regret.

Villages that date back to the seventh century, accommodating a way of life that hadn't changed much until 40 years ago, are crumbling into dust.

The biggest of the local hotels, with the most thrilling views of the mountainous landscape, is the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, where I stayed.

Opened in 2017, it took more than three years to build and cost more than 200 million. It has 82 rooms and 33 villas, each with its own private pool so female guests can swim without being seen.

Privacy is extremely important to the hotel's guests, many of whom are Muslim grandees from across the Middle East, and it's possible to pull up outside a villa in an SUV and check in without passing through reception.

Incidentally, your car has to be a four-wheel drive - all other vehicles are prohibited from making the trek up the mountain.

The resort, which stretches over several acres, strikes a delicate balance between Islamic tradition and the demands of modern, international holidaymakers.

There's a copy of the Koran and a prayer mat in each room and, if you stare at the ceiling for long enough, you'll see a discreet arrow no bigger than a child's hand pointing towards Mecca. But there's also a mini-bar stuffed with alcohol, a large flat-screen TV and good Internet access.

Venture outside your room and there's an infinity pool with a mountain view, a choice of four restaurants, a well-stocked bar, a coffee shop, a spa and a shisha lounge.

The Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort boasts an infinity pool with mountain views

There are many reasons the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is one of the most popular hotels in Oman.

In addition to guided mountain walks, it offers guests the opportunity to abseil down a sheer rock face on the resort's southern edge, accompanied by a certified mountain guide.

I spend a hair-raising 45 minutes pretending to be Tom Cruise in Anantara's version of Mission Impossible, the climax of which is hurtling along a zipwire that dangles you over a huge, cavernous expanse.

One of the best things about my trip is getting a break from my four kids aged 15 and under, who don't give me much peace when I'm at home. But on this occasion I wish they were with me. They would love the zipwire. They would have enjoyed the falconry shows, too.

The Sultan, Qaboos, is 78 and not in the best of health. The locals I speak to are worried about who would succeed him - one of the pitfalls of an absolute monarchy.

Muscat was named the world's second best city to visit in 2012 by Lonely Planet (London was number one)

The fact he doesn't have children adds to the uncertainty. But it's unlikely that his successor will try to reverse the rapid economic development.

There hasn't been any internal strife in Oman since Qaboos deposed his father in a bloodless coup in 1970 and defeated the Dhofar Rebellion in 1976, and the country's modernisation, helped along by a booming oil market, has enriched its people considerably. Between 1980 and 2015, Oman's per capita income increased by 600 per cent.

I felt ambivalent about the disappearance of so many venerable traditions in less than half a century, but if I were an Omani villager I would long ago have applied for an interest-free loan and built my own house in one of the new towns.Advertisement

She split from ex-husband and Wiggles co-star, Lachy Gillespie, in August last year.

And now it seems that yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins is well and truly moving on.

According to Saturday's The Daily Telegraph, the 29-year-old has purchased a charming home in Sydney's East Ryde for a cool $1.3 million.

Something to Wiggle about! The Wiggles' Emma Watkins (left) has bought a home in Sydney for a cool $1.3 million after her split with ex-husband and co-star Lachy Gillespie (right)

Fresh start: The spacious home is located in Sydney's East Ryde

The home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms and overlooks local bushland.

Emma reportedly grew up in Ryde and by all accounts secured a good deal - the home was on the market for six months with an asking price of $1.55 million.

The publication reported that the redhead snapped up the 1960s pad after she and Lachy sold their $2.05 million apartment in Sydney's Wollstonecraft.

Plenty of room! The home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms and overlooks local bushland

She's a local: Emma reportedly grew up in Ryde and by all accounts secured a good deal - the home was on the market for six months with an asking price of $1.55 million.

The former couple split in August last year, after two years of marriage.

They tied the knot in NSW's Bowral in April 2016.

When they first announced their split, the pair released a joint statement online, saying that they had been through a trial separation for six months prior.

Moving on: The redhead snapped up the 1960s pad after she and Lachy sold their $2.05 million apartment in Sydney's Wollstonecraft

'We have, and continue to share, the most beautiful life together, but we wanted to let you know that privately for the last six months we have been navigating through a trial separation, and we have made the decision to separate as a couple,' part of the statement on Instagram read at the time.

'Throughout that period, we have performed hundreds of shows together and that is always a continued source of joy for us both. We have embraced this as a very positive change in our relationship,' it continued.

And it seems the pair are still close friends. They still work together and regularly post about each other online.They're no strangers to airing their private lives on reality television.

Kris Jenner was spotted in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood on Friday with her friend Faye Resnick as they enjoyed lunch at rustic Italian spot Toscana.

The 63-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was draped in a festive floral suit, whereas the 61-year-old Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills fixture was unmissable in a hot pink outfit.

Two pals: Kris Jenner was spotted in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood on Friday with her friend Faye Resnick as they enjoyed lunch at rustic Italian spot Toscana

Kris's suit was built around dark colors, with bright splashes of color from white, blue and yellow flowers.

She lighted up the dark look with a pair of white heels, and wore a silky white blouse under her jacket.

The reality matriarch sported a set of diamond-encrusted hoop earrings, and she blocked out the sun's rays with a stylish pair of cat-eye sunglasses.

She toted along a shiny black lizard print clutch.

Blooming: Kris's suit was built around dark colors, with bright splashes of color from white, blue and yellow flowers, and she lit the outfit up with white heels and white blouse

Faye contrasted Kris with a pink suit fit for Barbie.

Her jacket was left unbuttoned, highlighting her black top and cleavage.

She wore a diamond necklace with a long strand of jewels that reach down to her midriff, and she carried a larger black handbag that looked to be of the same vintage as Kris'.

The RHOBH guest star had on large pink-tinted sunglasses and matching pink open-toe shoes with intriguing metal heels.

Suited up: Faye contrasted Kris with her pink suit, which made her look like a Barbie

The two women's friendship precedes their involvement in the 1995 trial of O.J. Simpson for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.

Both women were also friends with Nicole prior to the slayings, and Faye would go on to write two bestselling tell-all book about Nicole and their relationship.

Kris' ex-husband Robert Kardashian was part of Simpson's defense 'dream team.'

Festive style: Kris recently showed off an all-pink look of her own during a trip to Monaco for the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix

Kris recently showed off an all-pink look of her own during a trip to Monaco for the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix.

The businesswoman paired the suit with pastel pink heels.

She was joined at the iconic race by her boyfriend Corey Gamble. The two have been together since 2014.

Family drama: Kris' history with her second spouse, Caitlyn Jenner, came up on recent episode of KUWTK when Kim invited her to the family's opulent Christmas party

Kris' history with her second spouse, Olympian decathlete Caitlyn Jenner, was an issue of contention on a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Kim Kardashian had taken over planning the family's opulent Christmas party from her mother, and she also invited Caitlyn.

But her sister Khloe took issue with the invitation, arguing on her mom's behalf that Caitlyn's presence would sour the holiday spirit.

The KardashianJenner clan had a public falling out with the gold medalist for what they considered to be an unflattering portrait of Kris in her 2017 memoir The Secrets Of My Life.Jessica Biel is still facing heaps of backlash after publicly coming out against a California bill hoping to curb vaccination exemptions.

But the 7th Heaven starlet didn't look like she was worried about critics when she and husband Justin Timberlake ventured out into NYC for some luxury shopping on Friday.

During their shopping trip to Gucci, The Sinner actress, 37, and her pop star hubby, 38, put on a united front in matching outfits.

Retail therapy: Jessica Biel kept her chin up while out with husband Justin Timberlake in NY after causing a stir with her apparent anti-vaccination stance

Jessica looked classic in a pair of ripped jeans, a white tee and a leather motorcycle jacket which she dressed up with a boxy pearl-adorned bag.

Justin offered his own interpretation on simple separates wearing light-washed denim with a two-toned Levi's outer layer.

Underneath he covered up with a black and white flannel. Continuing the rugged appeal, Justin topped things off with a beanie and a scruffy beard.

While the pair were out shopping, Jessica was facing the ire of California legislators for lobbying against laws supporting vaccination requirements in the state.



Denim dude: Justin wore simple separates wearing light-washed denim with a two-toned Levi's outer layer

Timeless: Jessica looked classic in a pair of ripped jeans, a white tee and a leather motorcycle jacket which she dressed up with a boxy pearl-adorned bag

(She later went on to clarify on Instagram that she does not actually oppose to children having the injections.)

Democratic California State Senator Richard Pan called the actress's comments 'misinformed' while talking to The Hollywood Reporter on Friday.

'I wish the 1 percent would stop spreading disease to the 99 percent,' he explained about the collective impact of not vaccinating.

'This starts to be about privilege,' Pan told THR. 'The only reason that [Biel and peers] are able to do this is that they are counting on others to vaccinate their own kids for them. How many people have to be hospitalized before people think, "This isnt right." I wish the 1 percent would stop spreading disease to the 99 percent.'

The law in question seeks to close a loophole in California law that allowed parents and physicians to evade the state's vaccination requirements via unfounded 'medical exemptions.'

'Were trying to crack down on fraud,' explained Anthony York, a spokesman at the California Medical Association, an advocacy group for physicians.



Ignoring the science: Jessica appeared with controversial activist Robert F Kennedy Jr. in Sacramento on Thursday

THE DEBUNKED SCIENCE USED IN ANTI-VAXXER BOOKS There are countless books that make anecdotal links between autism and vaccination, but they are all rooted on one now-debunked study. The 'scientific' root of the movement comes from a 1998 paper led by the now-infamous Andrew Wakefield - who has been dating Elle Macpherson. Wakefield's research suggested that the MMR (measles mumps and rubella) vaccine 'triggers' autism in children. In the scientific community, the backlash was swift and clear. Scores of scientists published their own studies in response, pointing out the poor quality of the study - for example, problems with the sampling, and unethical funding. Plus, most children develop the first signs of autism around the same age that they would get the MMR vaccine: between 12 and 18 months. Scientists pointed out there was no reason to think that shots caused autism - what Wakefield found was nothing more than a coincidence of timing. The Lancet, the journal that published the study, ultimately retracted it. But Wakefield's now-debunked research made headlines, and anti-vaccination sentiments spread like wildfire among some communities - including Hollywood. Advertisement

Jessica appeared with controversial activist Robert F Kennedy Jr. in Sacramento on Thursday.

The environmental attorney, 65, praised Jessica as 'courageous' for urging lawmakers like Democratic Assemblywoman Autumn Burke to oppose SB 276, a bill limiting medical exemptions from vaccinations without approval from a state public health officer.

Kennedy - who's married to Cheryl Hines - explained to The Daily Beast on Wednesday: '[Jessica] is upset about this issue because of its particular cruelty. She has friends who have been vaccine-injured who would be forced to leave the state.'

'The biggest problem with the bill, which is something I think Jessica is concerned with is that a doctor who has made a determination - if he has found children in this state whose doctors have determined that they're too fragile to receive vaccinations - this bill would overrule the doctors and force them to be vaccinated anyways.'

Robert then claimed that the recent measles epidemic in New York and Washington State 'has almost nothing to do with unvaccinated children.'

Living on the edge: Jessica has never before spoken out against vaccines, but a source told In Touch back in 2015 that the couple 'refused to vaccinate' her son Silas Randall, four

The scientific consensus is that vaccines do not cause autism, but Robert proudly chairs the Children's Health Defense - which alleges a government conspiracy that vaccines 'cause autism, ADHD, food allergies, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.'

Jessica later posted on Instagram to say she is 'not against vaccinations' but is concerned with medical exemptions.

She wrote: 'This week I went to Sacramento to talk to legislators in California about a proposed bill.

'I am not against vaccinations  I support children getting vaccinations and I also support families having the right to make educated medical decisions for their children alongside their physicians.

'My concern with #SB277 is solely regarding medical exemptions. My dearest friends have a child with a medical condition that warrants an exemption from vaccinations, and should this bill pass, it would greatly affect their familys ability to care for their child in this state.

Flip-flop: Jessica later posted on Instagram to say she is 'not against vaccinations' but is concerned with medical exemptions. Seen here with Justin and son Silas in April

Jessica has never before spoken out against vaccines, but a source told In Touch back in 2015 that Biel 'refused to vaccinate' her son Silas Randall, four.

The source said: 'She feels that vaccination could cause complications'.

Other stars who have been vocal against vaccines include actress Alicia Silverstone, who according to Metro, wrote in her 2014 book The Kind Mama: 'There is increasing anecdotal evidence from doctors who have gotten distressed phone calls from parents claiming their child was ''never the same'' after receiving a vaccine.'

Actress Jenny McCarthy - whose son Evan was diagnosed with autism in 2005 - has also famously campaigned against vaccines.

The star said in a 2010 interview with Frontline she blamed an MMR vaccine on her son's condition and credited 'mommy instinct' as her evidence.

Measles strikes two new states as the caseload climbs over 1,000 On Monday it was revealed 21 more measles cases have been identified, bringing the total nationwide number to 1,022. The new cases have stretched into two more states Idaho and Virginia, making the total number of states affected up to 28. This means the 2019 outbreak is the worst since 1992, when 2,126 cases were recorded. The US is on track to lose its 'elimination' status and will instead become a country where measles is considered active. This year's outbreak has been attributed to vaccine misinformation and US parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. These parents believe, contrary to scientific evidence, that ingredients in the vaccine can cause autism. 'We cannot say this enough: Vaccines are a safe and highly effective public health tool that can prevent this disease and end the current outbreak,' Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement last week. Advertisement

Music man: Justin grabbed a guitar for his performance at the eventShe joined the Home and Away cast as feisty 16-year-old Bella Nixon last year.

And Courtney Miller, 23, has revealed she often gets mistaken for a teenager in real life.

'It happens constantly. A posty came to the door once and asked me why I wasn't at school,' she told Sydney Confidential on Saturday.

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How old are you? Courtney Miller (left) has revealed she often gets mistaken for a teenager in real life

'I was in third year (of university) - I get it all the time. At least I can use it for my career,' she added.

Courtney graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Macquarie University last year, and landed her new role after learning to act part-time.

In what has been a whirlwind period for the actress, she has now been nominated alongside ex-The Voice judge Joe Jonas for Most Popular New Talent at the Logies.

But despite her success, Courtney said she was keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground.

'I want to be happy wherever I land,' she said.

The young starlet added she wanted to do bring a sense of justice to her role as Bella - who has been estranged from her older brother Colby for years.

'It happens constantly. A postie came to the door once and asked me why I wasn't at school,' she told Sydney Confidential on Saturday

The character ingrained herself into viewers' memories as she burst onto the scene on the Channel Seven soap holding a scoped crossbow.

Courtney Miller also volunteers as a Lifeline counsellor, helping people in emotional distress.

The qualified psychologist told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday: 'I'm probably working two to three hours per week on the phones helping people through crisis.'

Helping hand: Soap fans might know her as rebellious teenager Bella on Home And Away (pictured on the soap). But what they might not know is that Courtney volunteers as a Lifeline counselor, assisting people in emotional distress

With her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, Courtney said her job as a phone counselor is a bit like playing a role.

'I become a different person, I really do. It's almost like acting. I become "Professional Courtney" on the phones,' she said.

Miller, who grew up in the Sydney suburb of Gladesville, joined Home and Away last year, and it is her first gig as a TV actor.

Sweet: The qualified psychologist told The Daily Telegraph: 'I'm probably working two to three hours per week on the phones helping people through crisis'

The opportunity did not come easily, however.

Courtney told TV Week in November: 'I've auditioned for Home And Away three times before, but felt a strong connection with Bella. This character just clicked with me, although I'm very different to her.'

She added: 'But I liked her story and worked really hard.'

While the brunette beauty joined the soap in November last year, having played an extra in the series several years prior gave her a taste of what was to come.

'I was about 15 when I was first an extra,' Courtney told New Idea.

'That was really my introduction to screen acting and how a set worked.'She's one of Australia's freshest Indigenous voices on television.

But even for Today's Brooke Boney, she still comes under a particular microscope within her own community.

Opening up to Harper's Bazaar recently, Brooke, 32, said that although she strived to represent change, she admitted that she doesn't 'look' what people would traditionally consider as being Aboriginal.

'They often think I'm a white woman': On Saturday, Today's Brooke Boney (pictured) revealed some Aboriginal communities don't realise she is Indigenous... and she also opened up on her goal for the struggling morning show

'Even when I go into Aboriginal communities, if they are really dark skinned, they often think I'm a white woman,' Brooke said.

'But my Indigeneity is something I can't escape. I never, ever think of myself as anything other than an Aboriginal woman,' she added.

Brooke, who switched over from radio station Triple J to become a presenter on one of the most watched breakfast programs on television, says she strives to tackle the big issues in her community head-on in the mainstream media.

Even when I go into Aboriginal communities, if they are really dark skinned, they often think I'm a white woman,' Brooke said. Pictured with Today hosts Deborah Knight (left) and Georgie Gardner (right)

Touching on her controversial stance against Australia Day and her announcement during her first week on air that her Indigenous brothers and sisters were statistically far more likely to be raped or incarcerated, Brooke's gun-hoe technique was all part of the plan.

'It wasn't a new concept. I've said it a lot of times before, but I'm speaking to a whole new audience [now]. That's exactly why I wanted to go to the show,' she said.

Acknowledging Australia is home to the longest-continuing culture in the world, Brooke says there needs to be a 'reckoning' of some sorts and for Australia and to admit that there have been awful things that have happened in this country's history.

Community: Brooke told Harper's Bazaar that 'my indigeneity is something I can't escape. I never, ever think of myself as anything other than an Aboriginal woman'

Since Brooke joined the Today show, after the unceremonious firing of Karl Stefanovic, it hasn't entirely been smooth sailing.

Viewership has plummeted and audiences have slammed hosts Georgie Gardner and Deborah Knight's chemistry.

However, Brooke has brushed off any criticism, telling The Sun Herald that gelling with a new team is always 'a process'.

'I think it's the same as any new team - we're all gelling together, more than (we were) a couple of months ago,' Brooke revealed.

Stronger team: 'We're all gelling together, more than (we were) a couple of months ago,' Brooke said. Pictured with Deborah Knight (far left), Georgie Gardner (second from right) and Tom Steinfort (right)

'It's a process,' she added. 'A couple of months down the line we'll be even stronger.'

The presenter went on to say that she tries to disregard online criticism, particularly when it comes to dwindling ratings.

'If I'm doing really well, they'll let me know, and if I'm not, they'll let me know too.'Her ex boyfriend Chris Brown recently hit out at her current beau Victor Cruz on a social media post.

But Karrueche Tran put on a defiant display with her other half as they attended the Ermenegildo Zegna fashion show during the Milan Men's Fashion Week on Friday.

The actress, 31, donned a dark brown blazer with a matching pair of trousers for the event.

Event: Karrueche Tran and her boyfriend Victor Cruz attended the the Ermenegildo Zegna fashion show during the Milan Men's Fashion Week on Friday

Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, Karrueche added height to her frame with a pair of heels.

NFL player Victor donned a grey bomber jacket and matching trousers for the fashion show while he also sported a white shirt and several necklaces.

It comes after Chris criticised Victor's fashion sense in an Instagram post.

'Nothing bad or major,' he wrote in his assessment. 'UPGRADE HIM SIS. I'll take him around to style him. NOT HATE. He just need some game spirit.'

Style: The actress donned a dark brown blazer with a matching pair of trousers for the event

He continued, 'No shade boo, BUT PLEAS STYLE HIM. He look like he's shopping of the manikin and trying to bargain wit the sales manager. Retired wrestler spanks. IM F**KING AROUND... good bless.'

In the photo, Victor wore a black long sleeve shirt, track pants, purple sneakers and gold chains, while Karrueche stood out in a flashy neon green mini dress with strappy heels.

In addition to checking out Victor's Instagram account, Chris sought the advice of his fans about exes.

'Is it a sucka move to think about your ex?' he asked in the Instagram comments.

Fashion: Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, Karrueche added height to her frame with a pair of heels

Slam: Karrueche's ex boyfriend Chris Brown recently hit out at Victor on a social media post

All of the comments - including the Instagram story - have since been deleted, according to The Shade Room.

Karrueche has been dating the athlete for about a year, starting their romance in December 2017.

Victor won the Super Bowl in 2012 with the Giants over the New England Patriots and was cut by the Chicago Bears last September.

Couple: Karrueche has been dating the athlete for about a year, starting their romance in December 2017

Since retiring in August, Victor has worked as an analyst for ESPN.

The pair made their relationship public just months after she was granted a five-year restraining order against her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown.

She previously told Us Weekly: 'He's so sweet, like a really nice guy, he's genuinely kind and it's so refreshing to be with such a kind, great guy.'She is always one to turn heads with her glamorous displays.

And Victoria Silvstedt looked sensational as she attended the opening ceremony of the 59th Monte Carlo Television Festival in Monaco on Friday.

The Swedish model, 44, showed off her tanned physique in a vibrant yellow figure-hugging dress which put focus on her busty assets.

Vibrant: Victoria Silvstedt, 44, looked sensational as she attended the opening ceremony of the 59th Monte Carlo Television Festival in Monaco on Friday

Victoria accentuated her svelte physique by belting her busty gown around her waist.

The dress also featured a racy thigh-high split which out focus on her toned legs as she posed in towering nude heels.

Victoria styled her blonde tresses in a very bouncy, curly style, while her stunning features were enhanced with a glamorous coat of make-up.

Not so mellow yellow! The Swedish model showed off her tanned physique in a vibrant yellow figure-hugging dress which put focus on her busty assets

Sensational: Victoria accentuated her svelte physique by belting her busty gown around her waist

She has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993.

After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate.

Since her career rocketed, Victoria has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino.

Glam: The dress also featured a racy thigh-high split which out focus on her toned legs as she posed in towering nude heels

Despite the glamorous veneer to her lifestyle as a young model, she revealed there was a dark side in a recent interview with Female First.

Victoria said: 'I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18, I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious.

'But it never felt like it was my thing, I'm not like a runway skinny model, I'm more curvy. It was torture, I put myself through starvation, you know torturing myself.'She's built a multi-million dollar empire off delivering the hard facts about health and fitness.

So when celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges cops a backlash, she has learnt how to take it.

Opening up to The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Weekend on Saturday, Michelle, 48, said that in her more-than-a-decade-long career in the public eye, she's had to develop a thick skin.

'People have an issue with my style: Celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges (pictured) shrugged off the trolls on Saturday, saying she has developed a thick skin after spending nearly two decades in the public eye

'For every hundred people I've helped, there's maybe one person who has an issue with my style,' she said.

'There are politics at play; there's always going to be. You can't be a trailblazer and expect everyone to like you. But I've got a very thick skin,' she added.

And while the hard-as-nails Michelle finds it easy fighting against the trolls when it comes to herself, when talk turns to her relationship, she sometimes finds it harder to shrug off.

Empire: Michelle, whose created a multi-million dollar empire, told the Good Weekend: 'For every hundred people I've helped, there's maybe one person who has an issue with my style'

Speaking to WHO's Raw Talks with Keshnee earlier this month, the former TV star said that she struggles to read negative or false stories about her relationship with Steve 'Commando' Willis, 43, in the media.

'Sometimes I don't deal with it well. Sometimes it really, really hurts me but it depends on the story.' she told the publication.

The heartfelt confession comes after rumours circulated there was tension between the couple.

Thick skin: After being in the public eye for nearly 20 years, Michelle said that she has been forced to develop a tough exterio

A source close to the couple also told Woman's Day last month that the duo are heading for a 'split'.

'The relationship has become increasingly toxic in the past 12 months,' they told the publication.

They said the couple argue about everything, from their respective careers to how best to raise their three-year-old son Axel.

Soft spot: However, the hard-as-nails Michelle finds it easy fighting against the trolls, when talk turns to her relationship, she can find it harder to shrug off. Pictured: Michelle with partner Steve 'Commando' Willis

'They are constantly bickering over everything, from work to parenting to what to have for dinner. His daughter Brianna was living with them for a while, but she found the arguments so unbearable she moved out,' the source added.

The couple met on set of The Biggest Loser in 2013.

Steve shares daughter Ella, nine, and son Jack, six, with a previous partner.Their reunion tour Spice World has proved a huge success.

And the Spice Girls brought the house down once again, as they took to the stage during another sold out performance at Wembley Stadium on Friday evening.

Mel B, Emma Bunton, Mel C and Geri Horner didn't disappointed as they put on a energetic show for the crowd of thousands that turned out to see them.

Star power: The Spice Girls brought the house down once again, as they took to the stage during another sold out performance at Wembley Stadium on Friday evening

The Spice Girls - who have reunited as a four piece for a special tour - kicked off the London leg of their hotly-anticipated tour on Thursday evening at Wembley.

The group have been touring England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with their 2019 Spice World tour and reunited at the UK's biggest arena for the first time in 21 years.

The girl band have been touring without their fifth member Victoria Beckham, and they appeared to make a cheeky dig at her absence during one of their tracks.

Girl gang: Mel B, Emma Bunton, Mel C and Geri Horner didn't disappointed as they put on a energetic show for the crowd of thousands that turned out to see them

2 become 1! The Spice Girls - who have reunited as a four piece for a special tour - kicked off the London leg of their hotly-anticipated tour on Thursday evening at Wembley

As they belted out the words to their hit track Wannabe, the girls changed the original lyrics from 'Easy v doesn't come for free, she's a real lady...

'And as for me, haha you'll see' to 'as for V - where is she?' as they made light of their former band member's decision not to join them on tour.

Addressing the audience during Thursday's show, Geri admitted she was glad to finally be on stage on Wembley after quitting the band shortly before their first Wembley gig in 1998.

They're back! The group have been touring England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with their 2019 Spice World tour and reunited at the UK's biggest arena for the first time in 21 years.

'Amazing night': The girl band have been touring without their fifth member Victoria Beckham, and they appeared to make a cheeky dig at her absence during one of their tracks

'I was gutted they were doing it without me,' she announced. 'Yet 21-years later we came back and are doing it together with you lot.'

Emma also admitted she was overwhelmed to be performing at the iconic venue as broke down in tears in front of a crowd of thousands, prompting supportive hugs from her band-mates.

Mel described the Spice Girls' concert at Wembley Stadium as one of the most

Jokers: 'And as for me, haha you'll see' to 'as for V - where is she?' as they made light of their former band member's decision not to join them on tour'

High energy! Addressing the audience during Thursday's show, Geri admitted she was glad to finally be on stage on Wembley after quitting the band shortly before their first Wembley gig in 1998

Mel, known as Scary Spice, posted a picture of herself alongside two of her three daughters asleep in the car on the way to the venue on Instagram.

She wrote: "Typical. haha yep my kids are fast fast asleep!!!

"But I don't care haha as long as they are right beside me, I'm in my car on the way to Wembley stadium eekkkkk wtf it's actually happening, I've been praying and saying this 'will happen' for years and now it is friggin Nora, I'm over whelmed that is actually is, it actually is!!

"This is one of the most important days of my whole entire life (apart from birthing my 3 beautiful babies of course) my heart is bursting open with so much love and joy, we did it or were about to it girls.

Geri said: 'I was gutted they were doing it without me,' she announced. 'Yet 21-years later we came back and are doing it together with you lot'

Emotional: Emma also admitted she was overwhelmed to be performing at the iconic venue as broke down in tears

"I have so much respect and loyalty to you @melaniecmusic you @emmaleebunton and YOU @therealgerihalliwell I'm humbled and greatfull to get up there with my 3 best friends at Wembley stadium tonight in front of 90,000 of MY family MY friends and YOU the fans!!!!

"Wow wow we wa, this 'is ALL' for you spice fans,it's because of YOU we get to do what we do, omg I think I'm gonna cry sporty help!!!!"

Earlier on Friday as she made her way to the gig, Mel proved she was just like the rest of us, as she touched up her make-up on a Jubilee line tube with a compact mirror.

The Spice Girl was passing through St John's Wood tube station on the way to Wembley for the group's concert, when her tour photographer snapped her applying her lip gloss and checking her phone.

Getting ready: Mel B proved she was just like the rest of us, as she touched up her make-up on a Jubilee line tube with a compact mirror

Mel revealed on her Instagram story that the reason she hopped on the underground with some of her team was so that she wasn't late to the show.

She told her 1.5 million followers on social media: 'We are on the tube ... We are on the tube on the way to Wembley so we are not late.'

Bands typically arrive at their sold out concerts in chauffeur driven cars and tour buses, however Mel instead opted to make a very low-key arrival at the show.

Mel appeared to be almost stage ready, as she donned a full face of make-up including a glitzy eye look with sweeping eyeliner and lashings of mascara.

Low-key: The Spice Girl, 44, was passing through St John's Wood tube station when her tour photographer snapped her applying her lip gloss and checking her phone

Down-to-earth: Bands typically arrive at their sold out concerts in chauffeur driven cars and tour buses, however Mel instead opted to make a very low-key arrival at the show

The songstress sported a double denim look, including a cropped jacket and a pair of blue jeans which she teamed with a pair of black heeled boots.

Mel teamed her ensemble with a white T-shirt, while completing her look with a black baker boy cap and wore her curly locks in a loose, bouncy style.

Mel was no doubt on her way to the second night of the show after a successful return to the stadium, 21 years since they last performed there as a group.

Glam: Mel appeared to be almost stage ready as she donned a full face of make-up including a glitzy eye look with sweeping eyeliner and lashings of mascara

Stylish: The songstress sported a double denim look, including a cropped jacket and a pair of cropped jeans which she teamed with a pair of black heeled boots

Mel B, Emma Button, Mel C and Geri Horner have been touring England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland with their 2019 Spice World tour.

Addressing the audience during Thursday's show, Geri admitted she was glad to finally be on stage on Wembley after quitting the band shortly before their first Wembley gig in 1998.

'I was gutted they were doing it without me,' she announced. 'Yet 21-years later we came back and are doing it together with you lot.'

Emma also admitted she was overwhelmed to be performing at the iconic venue as broke down in tears in front of a crowd of thousands, prompting supportive hugs from her band-mates.

Breaking down: There were emotional scenes later that night as Emma admitted she was overwhelmed to be performing at the iconic venue, 21-years after their last Wembley showHe's the heartthrob currently playing bad boy Pierce Greyson on long-running soap Neighbours.

But on Saturday, Tim Robards proved he's still a mummy's boy at heart.

Taking to Instagram, the 37-year-old captured the moment he reluctantly handed over his keys to his luxury Mustang hire car to his mum, Tanya.

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Vroom vroom! The Bachelor's Tim Robards (right) reluctantly handed over the keys to his rented Mustang to his mother so she could go grocery shopping on Saturday... as he continues filming Neighbours after becoming a full-time cast member

'When your mum asks to borrow your car for groceries... but checks "this is the mustang with 400kw of power?",' he wrote in the picture's caption.

'Not bad for a hire car,' Tim added.

In the image, a leather jacket-wearing Tim is seen looking nervous as he dangles the car's keys above Tanya's hands.

Aspiring actor: The former chiropractor debuted as wealthy investor Pierce Greyson on Neighbours in October last year

The fun photo comes after Tim secured a full-time role on Neighbours - a role which has seen him commit to spending half of his time in a different state to his wife, Anna Heinrich, 33.

According to a report earlier this month, the couple are 'feeling the strain' after being forced to live in different cities due to Tim's new role on Ramsay Street.

'Anna doesn't love that the job takes him away from her a lot,' a source told NW on Monday. 'There seems to be a lot of tension between them.'

Tim spends five days a week in Melbourne filming Neighbours and flies back to Sydney on the weekends.

Feeling the strain: According to a new report earlier this month, the couple are 'feeling the strain' after being forced to live in different cities due to Tim's new role on Ramsay Street. Pictured: Tim with wife Anna Heinrich

Meanwhile, Anna is based permanently in Sydney, where she works as a lawyer.

With 'tension' building, the insider claimed that Anna is still undecided on whether she would move to LA with Tim if he tried to pursue a career in Hollywood.

'Whether she would be up for the move to LA should his career go that far, who knows?' the source said.

However, Tim laughed off the claims when approached for comment and said all is fine in his relationship with Anna.She's one of Australia's hottest up-and-coming exports.

And on Friday, actress Elizabeth Debicki, 28, took a moment to cool down with a healthy and refreshing beverage on a rare day off.

The stunning blonde was seen taking a breather as she wandered the streets of Beverly Hills, stopping to lean up against a wall while sipping a nutritious green juice.

Thirsty for success! A chic Elizabeth Debicki (pictured) downed a healthy green juice as she listened to music in Beverly Hills on Friday... just days after Hollywood event that celebrated her promising career in LA

The Peter Rabbit star looked casually chic in a beige jumper tucked into high-waisted cropped jeans with white sneakers.

She teamed the outfit with a long light grey coat, a large leather bag and funky silver headphones.

The actor was seen taking her time scrolling through her phone before taking off her headphones to take a long swig of the beverage.

Down time: The actress was seen taking her time scrolling through her phone before taking off her headphones and sipping on the beverage

Casual chic: The Peter Rabbit star looked casually chic in a beige jumper tucked into high-waisted cropped jeans with white sneakers

Meanwhile, Elizabeth's career has begun to flourish in the notoriously cutthroat US market.

Earlier this week, she actor was honoured at the 2019 Women In Film Max Mara Face of the Future event in Los Angeles.

Elizabeth, the main attraction of the night, was flanked by some of the industry's biggest names including US InStyle editor-in-chief Laura Brown, 45, and Armie Hammer's wife Elizabeth Chambers, 36.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph in April last year, Elizabeth confessed she still finds her career trajectory somewhat surreal.

'I'm so grateful every day': Despite Elizabeth's sudden trajectory, she has to remind herself to remain humble, saying that 'I perpetually think that I may never work again'. Pictured at the 2019 Women In Film Max Mara Face of the Future on Tuesday

'I perpetually think that I may never work again, I am so grateful every day,' she confessed.

Despite the fanfare surrounding her, the fiercely private actress admitted she prefers to hide behind her work during an interview with Vogue in October last year.

'I've always been a private person. I feel like the thing I want out in the world is my work and I've always believed  and it's the way I approach my work  that me and the work are separate,' she confessed.

'I think that people with social media can blur it so beautifully, and I respect that, but it's not really how I am and I just want the work to speak and people to receive it the way they will without anything influencing it. I just want people to know me for my work.'She recently announced she was expanding her fitness empire in Los Angeles.

However, that doesn't mean Rachael Finch can't enjoy some sightseeing first.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the 30-year-old model shared shots of her riding around Hollywood on a motorised bike.

Rolling along: Former Miss Universe Australia Rachael Finch (pictured), 30, rode around Hollywood on a motorised bike on Saturday... as she takes her Body By Finch fitness brand to the US market

Despite arriving fresh off the long-haul flight, Rachael looked bright-eyed in a pastel pink shirt, beige shorts and a maroon jumper tied around her waist.

She teamed the look with casual black sneakers and a light brown shoulder bag.

'LA exploration, so much fun! Weekend has arrived,' she wrote in the post's caption.

Down time: On her Instagram stories, Rachael documented herself having fun riding around with husband Michael Miziner (right)

On her Instagram stories, Rachael documented herself riding around the city with husband Michael Miziner.

'LA angel, best way to get around,' the brunette beauty said in footage of the fun.

While Rachael enjoyed the down time with her husband, it is expected that the model will be working hard to open up her brand, Body By Finch, to the US market while she's there.

Expanding her empire: It is expected that Rachael will be working hard to open up her brand, Body By Finch, to the US market while she's in LA

Earlier this month Rachael told Confidential that she was taking her fitness brand into LA: 'We're heading to America in June for a little business trip.'

The beauty revealed that her app will be available around the world.

'We're launching our body program overseas,' she said, adding that LA is the perfect market for the brand.

'LA is very health and fitness focused so it'll be great to get among energy and excitement,' Rachael said.She's on vacation in the Whitsunday Islands, with daughter Poppy, two, and son Billy, six months.

And on Saturday, Phoebe Burgess looked to be enjoying a well-earned break, away from her hometown of Sydney.

Taking to Instagram to share a picture-perfect shot, the 30-year-old covered her post-baby body in a blue summer frock, and luxuriated barefoot in the sun.

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'When the sun comes out': Phoebe Burgess (pictured), 30, took to Instagram on Saturday while on vacation in the Whitsunday Islands, to share a picture-perfect photo of her luxuriating barefoot in the sun... with no sign of husband Sam

Phoebe captioned the photo, 'When the sun comes out on Daydream', in reference to the luxurious Daydream Resort in Queensland.

In the picture, the former journalist is holding onto the fabric of her billowing dress and smiles as she walks barefoot in the sunshine.

Phoebe's blonde locks are styled semi-straight and she accessorised her outfit with white narrow-frame sunglasses.

Luxurious: The former journalist took to Instagram Stories to share a slew of beautiful photos hile at Daydream Island Resort in Queensland

Beauty: Phoebe covered her post-baby body in a summer frock and accessorised with a stylish round-rimmed hat

A slew of photos shared to Instagram Stories, Phoebe is shown walking through the grounds of the resort and luxuriating in a cabana.

However, it is unclear as to whether husband Sam, 30, intends on joining Phoebe on vacation.

On Friday, the blonde beauty told her Instagram fans that she's coming for Daydream Island Resort, 'complete with four suitcases, two kids, a pram and one mummy who needs a cocktail'.

'Vacay vibes today': Another photo saw the blonde beauty relaxing in a cabana

Phoebe and Sam, once considered NRL's golden couple, broke up in December after three years of marriage, and just weeks following the birth of their second child.

At the time, their split was widely described in the media as 'messy'.

A close friend previously told The Daily Telegraph that 'things [had] been bad for a while' before Sam and Phoebe decided to part ways.

Jetting off: On Friday, Phoebe told her Instagram fans that she's coming for Daydream Island Resort, 'complete with four suitcases, two kids, a pram and one mummy who needs a cocktail'

However, the break-up didn't last.

By February, the South Sydney Rabbitohs star had moved out of his temporary home in Dover Heights and back in with Phoebe and the kids in Maroubra.

In April, Phoebe confirmed to Stellar magazine that the couple were back together, but admitted things still weren't 'perfect'.It's long been rumoured that Phoebe Burgess and her sister-in-law Joanna Burgess aren't the best of friends.

Earlier this month, the 'feud' between the women appeared to continue, with Joanna holding a baby shower from which Phoebe was seemingly absent.

And on Saturday, it appeared tension was still rife, with Phoebe vacationing in Queensland while Tom Burgess' girlfriend Tahlia Giumelli celebrated her baby shower.

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Steering clear of the drama? Phoebe Burgess (left), 30, missed Tahlia Giumelli's baby shower (right) on Saturday, amid rumours of a on-going feud with sister-in-law Joanna Burgess

Tahlia, 26, shared a series of photos from her baby shower to Instagram Stories.

The heavily pregnant brunette stunned in a figure-hugging white dress at the event, which was nothing short of lavish.

The shower was held at the upmarket 1908 restaurant in Sydney's Cronulla, with guests including Phoebe's sister-in-law, Joanna, 29.

Big day! Tahlia, 26, who dates Phoebe's husband Sam Burgess' brother Tom (pictured left with Tahlia), 27, shared a series of photos from her baby shower to Instagram Stories

Two weeks ago, Phoebe was noticeably absent from Joanna's bridal shower.

Joanna, who is expecting her third child with Sam Burgess' brother George, posed in a number of Instagram photos with Tahlia.

The ladies enjoyed the festivities at Sugarcane Restaurant in Sydney's beachside suburb of Coogee.

Omission: Two weeks ago, Phoebe was noticeably absent from Joanna's bridal shower. Joanna, 29, is pictured with Tahlia, 26

Yum: Joanna shared photos of elaborate cakes from the event, one of which featured an ultrasound photo of her unborn baby

Rumours of a feud began when Joanna shared an Instagram post about the Burgess family's annual Christmas lunches, leading to speculation that she had taken a 'swipe' at Phoebe.

In a post shared to Instagram late last year, Joanna had claimed the most recent get-together, which took place at a restaurant in Watson's Bay, 'was the best one yet'.

Phoebe wasn't pictured in the family photo, leading fans to wonder whether Joanna's post was a thinly-veiled swipe at her sister-in-law.

Family ties: Phoebe is married to Joanna's brother-in-law Sam (pictured), 30. Sam is the brother of George and Tom Burgess

Husband and wife: Joanna is married to Phoebe's brother-in-law George (pictured), 27

But Joanna clarified in another Instagram post earlier this year: 'It is not in my nature to take a dig at someone.

'Phoebe has never joined the Burgess side for previous Christmas festivities. Therefore it couldn't possibly be aimed at her!'

She continued: 'My last year's Christmas upload I used a similar caption as it was our son's first Christmas. This year we had our daughter join the three of us, hence it being the "best one yet"'.

Joanna later deleted the post.

Taking a swipe? In this post shared to Instagram late last year, Joanna had claimed the Burgess family's most recent get-together 'was the best one yet'. Phoebe wasn't pictured in the photo, leading fans to wonder whether Joanna's post was a thinly-veiled swipe at her sister-in-law

But Joanna clarified in another Instagram post earlier this year: 'It is not in my nature to take a dig at someone. Phoebe has never joined the Burgess side for previous Christmas festivities. Therefore it couldn't possibly be aimed at her!'

In January, Daily Mail Australia revealed that Phoebe had unfollowed Joanna and George Burgess on Instagram.

Shortly afterwards, Joanna likewise unfollowed Phoebe.

That same month, Phoebe 'liked' an Instagram post from her manager Sharon Finnigan, which read: 'It's funny how you're nice to my face. It's hilarious how you talk s**t behind my back. And it's downright comical that you think I'm unaware.'

The feud came after a brief split between Phoebe and husband Sam Burgess, just three weeks after the birth of their second child, Billy Mark, in December.Chris Martin has been seen for the first time since it was reported he had split from actress Dakota Johnson.

The Coldplay front man, 42, looked downcast as he headed on a bike ride around Malibu on Friday, following claims his romance with the Fifty Shades of Grey star was over after two years of dating.

A source close to Chris claimed that news of the couple's split came as a huge shock to friends, as they had been discussing getting engaged just weeks earlier.

Downcast: Chris Martin, 42, has been seen for the first time since it was reported he had split from actress Dakota Johnson, 29, as he headed out on a bike ride in Malibu on Friday

Chris - who split from wife Gwyneth Paltrow in 2014 - cut a casual figure as he rode down the street with a friend.

Speaking of the split, a source close to Chris told The Sun: 'There was talk of engagement but now he says they have gone their separate ways, which has come as a real surprise to everyone.

'Chris and Dakota were very easygoing and always seemed really happy together.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Chris and Dakota for further comment.

Splits: The afternoon outing comes amid reports he split with Dakota after nearly two years of dating, and seven months after they were last seen together (Chris above in 2015 and Dakota in 2019)

Staying in shape: The Coldplay front man showed off his toned arms in a grey tee as he peddled around the tony seaside town of Los Angeles with a friend

Single again: Chris - who split from wife Gwyneth Paltrow in 2014 - cut a downcast figure as he rode through the LA sunshine

Chris and Dakota were last seen together in public back in November of last year.

The pair first fuelled rumours when they were dating when they were spotted on a sushi date in mid-October 2017, People reports.

Back in April, a source also told People: 'Chris lives in Malibu and Dakota seems to love hanging out there. They occasionally go for dinner with friends, but mostly have friends over at home.

Surprise: On the split a source said: 'There was talk of engagement but now he says they have gone their separate ways, which has come as a real surprise to everyone'

Finished: The source continued: 'Chris and Dakota were very easygoing and always seemed really happy together'

'They go to the beach together, and walks around the neighbourhood. They seem to enjoy sharing a quiet life.

'It does seem they are getting more serious,' it was concluded.

The notoriously private former couple were tight-lipped over their romance, with Dakota simply telling Tatler magazine previously that she is 'very happy' while refusing to discuss her relationship further.

'Gone their separate ways': The Coldplay rocker is said to have told his pals he's single again following the demise of his relationship with the American actress last month

In December there were talks of the pair getting engaged soon as a source told US Weekly at the time: 'Chris is head over heels.'

People also previously reported that Dakota spent Thanksgiving with Martin and ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow plus their kids Apple, 14, and Moses, 12.

Proving that they were very much friendly, Paltrow and Johnson were also pictured at dinner together in late April in a photo fashion editor Derek Blasberg shared to Instagram.

Ex-wife: Martin was previously wed to actress Gwyneth Paltrow for ten years before deciding to part ways in March 2014 (above in January 2014)

Before Chris, Dakota had been on and off again with model-musician Matthew Hitt for years and were last seen together in 2016.

Prior to Johnson, Martin was linked to British actress Annabelle Wallis.

Wallis and Martin began dating in 2015, and she was even spotted accompanying him on tour with his band.

'Unconsciously throupling': Proving that they were very much friendly, Paltrow and Johnson were pictured at dinner together in April alongside fashion editor Derek Blasberg

Martin and Gwyneth were married for ten years before deciding to part ways in March 2014.

However, they left fans scratching their heads when they used the phrase 'consciously uncoupling' to describe the demise of their marriage after ten years.

Gwyneth is now married to Brad Falchuck. They wed in a stunning ceremony in September of last year.She is the German supermodel who is never afraid to show off her enviable figure.

And Heidi Klum left little to the imagination on Saturday as she posed topless while brushing her teeth in a raunchy Instagram clip.

The mother-of-four, 46, wore just black bottoms, which rested high on her hips, as she walked towards a long mirror in the short video.

Daring: Heidi Klum, 46, left little to the imagination on Saturday as she posed topless while brushing her teeth in a raunchy Instagram clip

Heidi also donned a delicate, pendant necklace as her golden locks cascaded down her front and covered the top of her chest.

The home video, which was filmed on the model's phone, showcased the beauty's lithe legs and trim physique for her 6.3 million followers.

It comes after the German native covered herself in rainbow paints and danced in her underwear in a video she posted to Instagram for Pride.

Raunchy: The mother-of-four wore just a pair of black underwear, which rested high on her hips, as she walked towards a long mirror in the short video

Delicate: Heidi also had on a delicate, pendant necklace as her golden locks cascaded down her front and covered the top of her chest

She captioned the clip: 'Happy #PRIDE Celebrating & supporting all of those in the LGBTQ+ community today ... and every day.

'Thank you for educating, inspiring and continually fighting for a world that is tolerant and equal.  #loveislove #pride #pride2019 #equality #lgbtq #vote.'

The model has been busy spending time with fiance Tom Kaulitz, 29, overseas as he's been playing several gigs with his band Tokio Hotel.

Pride: It comes after the German native covered herself in rainbow paints and danced in her underwear in a video she posted to Instagram for Pride

She captioned the clip: 'Happy #PRIDE Celebrating & supporting all of those in the LGBTQ+ community today ... and every day'

Heidi and Tom met on the set of Germany's Next Top Model in March 2018 and the musician popped the question just months later on December 24.

The blonde beauty recently told ET that the two have set a date for their wedding and 'it will be very organized and on time.'

Speaking to Closer magazine, she also revealed that her children 'can't wait for the wedding'.

New flame: The model has been busy spending time with fiance Tom Kaulitz, 29, overseas as he's been playing several gigs with his band Tokio Hotel

'The kids adore Tom. They can't wait for the wedding! They'll be very involved in it all.' Klum gushed.'

Heidi shares three children with ex-husband Seal - Lou, 10, Henry, 14, Johan, 12, with the former couple having been married from 2005 until 2014.

Seal also adopted her daughter, Helene, 15, from her relationship with Flavio Briatore.Her latest TV series L.A.'s Finest- has been renewed for a second season.

And Gabrielle Union has ensured she is very much on the promo trail for the upcoming show as she arrived for the opening ceremony of the 59th Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco on Friday.

The Bring It On star, 46, slipped into a halterneck floral print dress which boasted a plunging neckline and maroon fringe detailing as she descended onto the red carpet for the glamorous event.

Radiant: Gabrielle Union proved there was no stopping her as she arrived for the opening ceremony of the 59th Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco on Friday

Gabrielle oozed radiance and style as she graced the annual event with her recently cut bob acting to perfectly display all the best bits of her stunning gown.

The actress wore a pair of bronze stilettos with a strap around the ankle, while sporting simple gold earrings and a selection of delicate rings.

She completed her look with a palette of bronze-toned make-up and a sweep of blush across her cheeks to help accentuate her naturally beautiful features.

The star was joined by her fellow co-star Jessica Alba, 38, who donned a plunging red tiger print dress that cinched in at the waist.

Natural beauty: The Bring It On star slipped into a halterneck floral print dress which boasted a plunging neckline

Strike a pose: Gabrielle oozed radiance as she descended onto the red carpet for the glamorous event

Leading ladies: The star was joined by her fellow co-star Jessica Alba, 38, who donned a plunging red tiger print dress that cinched in at the waist

Jessica completed her look with a rectangular clutch bag and wore her caramel locks in sleek loose waves.

The leading ladies are currently starring in the Bad Boy spin-off series L.A.'s Finest which follows LAPD detective Syd Burnett, played by Gabrielle, and working mum Nancy McKenna, played by Jessica, as they try to tackle crime in the city.

Following its renewal, Katherine Pope, head of Spectrum Originals, said: 'We're thrilled has resonated with our subscribers in such a major way...

'When I first saw the pilot  a show about two strong women learning to trust and support each other and still getting into plenty of trouble  I knew I'd follow them anywhere...

Stylish: The actress sported simple gold earrings and a selection of delicate rings on her hands

Catwalk: The leading ladies are currently starring in the Bad Boy spin-off series L.A.'s Finest

A candid moment: The drama follows LAPD detective Syd Burnett, played by Gabrielle Union, and working mum Nancy McKenna, played by Jessica Alba, as they try to tackle crime

'Kudos to Gabrielle and Jessica, as stars and executive producers, along with creators Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis and everyone else involved, for helping us launch our first original series and making the decision to greenlight a second season incredibly easy.'

On Mother's Day this year, Gabrielle shared a candid Instagram post of herself and husband Dwayne Wade welcoming their daughter Kaavia James Union Wade into the world in November via surrogate.

On Instagram she wrote: 'I've cried so many times today for so many reasons, mainly because I'd gotten accustomed to heartbreak and disappointment...

'I think a lot of us live in that space. I set up shop there. This moment reminded me that miracles do happen. You cant age out of joy. You are worthy. You are worthy. You are worthy.

Looking good: Gabrielle welcomed her daughter Kaavia James Union Wade into the world in November via surrogate

Smile: The actress (pictured with Jessica Alba and Prince Albert II of Monaco) shared a message about the birth of her daughter on her Instagram

'Sending so much love today to all the mamas, stepmamas, grandmas, aunties real and play, daddies, friends and anyone who has taken the time to nurture another living soul. I see you, I gotchu...

'And to those who have lost their mamas, grandmas, mother figures, sending extra love and light and hugs your way.'

The couple had struggled to conceive on their own child for years and the Being Mary Jane star did multiple cycles of IVF which resulted in nearly 10 miscarriages.They went Instagram official in September last year, and by December had moved in together.

And speaking to Fader magazine this week, Playboi Carti, 22, opened up on his whirlwind romance with Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, 29.

The Atlanta native revealed just how quickly he became infatuated with the blonde.

From decorating their Atlanta home, to cutting off the outside world: Inside Iggy Azalea and Playboi Carti's whirlwind romance

'Once I started talking to her, I just cut off everybody. It was over with,' Playboi, real name Jordan Carter, explained.

The couple who met in 2018 while he was on tour, moved in together in December that same year, in exclusive Buckhead, Atlanta.

Playboi told Fader how Iggy took control of the interior decorating, saying: 'I ain't do all this, that was her.'

'Once I started talking to her, I just cut off everybody': Playboi Carti, real name Jordan Carter, 22, told Fader magazine this week how he became infatuated with the blonde, 29

The mansion features a barely-lived in living room with one piece of abstract art, and a photo shopped image of Martin Luther King Jr. 'flipping the bird'.

Iggy appeared to have taken inspiration from Khloe in the kitchen, with a line of glass jars filled with cookies and cereal taking up the space.

At the time of Playboi's interview with Fader magazine, Iggy was in domestic mode.

The publication recalled how it was unusual to see the Fancy hitmaker 'arranging hot cross buns on a baking sheet' that were sent from her family in Australia.

Parked in the couple's garage is a black Lamborghini Huracan, worth upwards of $400,000AUD, that Iggy bought the rapper as a Christmas gift.

'I ain't do all this, that was her': Playboi revealed how the Australian rapper took control of decorating their home in exclusive Buckhead, Atlanta

Iggy and Playboi went Instagram official in September last year by sharing a photo of themselves cuddling on a sofa.

After confirming their relationship, the couple faced criticism from fans for their seven-year age gap, but Iggy was quick to defend the romance.

'Is that unusual to you? Because almost everyone I know isn't the exact age as the person they date,' she said online.

'You all act like he's some little kid that just left school or I'm some old ass woman. We are both in our twenties, get off my nuts.'Plus size model Fiona Falkiner has weighed in in Nike's decision to use plus-size mannequins at its London flagship store.

In a column for news.com.au, the 36-year-old wrote: 'People who train have all sorts of body types and we all want and deserve hot training gear to rock while we get our sweat on.'

The former Biggest Loser host went on to say that at a size 16, she is fit and healthy.

'We deserve hot training gear': Fiona Falkiner (pictured) defended Nike's plus size mannequins and gym outfits on Saturday, after they were slammed as 'promoting obesity'

'I ran 10kms at size 16, I have completed triathlons and don't get me started on how heavy I can lift,' she wrote.

Fiona went on to say that she cheered the new line, writing: 'Having been a larger human for most of my life I know all about the struggle to find clothes that actually fit, feel comfortable and look good.'

The sportswear brand revealed the larger dummies at the Nike Town store in Oxford Street, alongside para-sport mannequins, last week.

Controversy: Nike unveiled plus-size mannequins (pictured) in its flagship London store on Oxford Street

In a column for news.com.au, the 36-year-old wrote: 'People who train have all sorts of body types and we all want and deserve hot training gear to rock while we get our sweat on'

It comes as part of renovations to the women's floor which opened Wednesday, including 'extended offerings of plus-sizes' as well as women's team kits and customised sportswear.

A Nike press release read: 'To celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of sport, the space will not just celebrate local elite and grassroot athletes through visual content, but also show Nike plus size and para-sport mannequins for the first time on a retail space.'

Yet the decision has received mixed reviews with internet users disagreeing on whether the move is a positive step forward, with some arguing it will encourage obesity.

Go girl! Fiona went on to say that she is a size 16, as well as fit and healthy. 'I ran 10kms at size 16, I have completed triathlons and don't get me started on how heavy I can lift,' she wrote

A staff member at the London-based store confirmed to MailOnline that the mannequin fits size 1X clothing.

Nike released a women's plus-size range in 2017, offering sizes from 1X to 3X.

Fiona first shot to fame as a participant on the first season of The Biggest Loser back in 2006, before returning to the spotlight in 2015 as the show's official host.Laura Byrne is due to give birth to her first child any day now.

And it looks like the delivery couldn't come soon enough for The Bachelor star, after she was spotted unable to tie her own shoelaces during an outing in Sydney on Saturday.

The 32-year-old received some assistance from boyfriend Matty 'J' Johnson out the front of Bondi's iconic Icebergs bar.

Out of reach! Bachelor couple Matty J (right) and pregnant Laura Byrne (left) shared a cute moment outside of Bondi's Icebergs bar as he assisted in tying her shoelaces on Saturday

Laura and Matty appeared to be a joyful mood while taking a stroll around the beachy suburb on Saturday.

The expectant mother showed off her pregnancy glow and burgeoning belly in a billowing black dress which she paired with a denim jacket.

She completed her effortlessly chic ensemble with a pair of white Converse high-tops.

Adorable: In one photo, Matty lovingly touched Laura's belly while staring affectionately at her bump

Casual day out: Laura and Matty appeared to be a joyful mood while took a stroll with an another unidentified man

Matty looked just as suave wearing navy chinos, a plain white T-shirt and a navy jacket.

He also donned a pair of white Converse high-tops and hid his face behind a trendy pair of aviator sunglasses.

In one photo, Matty lovingly touched Laura's belly while staring affectionately at her bump.

Effortlessly chic: The expectant mother showed off her pregnancy glow and burgeoning belly in a billowing black dress which she paired with a denim jacket

Dapper: Matty J looked just as suave wearing navy chinos, a plain white T-shirt and a navy jacket

Laura is currently two days overdue, after passing her June 8th due date, despite her efforts to spur on labour.

She recently told Who magazine that she and Matty are looking forward to meeting their baby, saying: 'Emotionally and mentally, we're both so ready.'

The couple have chosen not to find out the sex of their baby during Laura's pregnancy - instead wanting the gender to be a surprise at the birth.

'I was there when my sister had her baby and when the doctors held him up and said, "It's a boy!" It was just such a special moment,' Laura said. 'I knew I wanted that.'

Refusing to say whether she'd prefer a boy or a girl, Laura added that she'll be 'stoked' either way.She recently confessed to going to 'great lengths' to get the perfect Instagram shot.

And Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis was pictured in action while out in Sydney's Double Bay on Saturday.

The 30-year-old enlisted the help of a salon worker to capture her silhouette from behind, after having her hair and makeup professionally done.

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How do I look? Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis, 30, posed up a storm outside of a Sydney hair salon on Saturday

Martha recruited a female to take shots of her in front of a grey cement wall.

The reality star cut a casual chic figure in a white blouse tied at the waist, teamed with lightwash denim and grey ankle boots.

Martha turned her back to the camera, drawing attention to her toned derriere and tilted her head, offering a glimpse of her side profile.

Dedicated: The reality star recruited a salon worker to take shots of her in front of a grey cement wall

Impressed: Keen to see how she photographed, the former makeup artist beamed as she scrolled on her iPhone

Her locks were freshly blow-dried, styled in relaxed waves, and tied into a half-up, half-down do.

Martha's beauty look was finished off with a matte foundation, defined brows, lashings of mascara, winged liner, and a slick of colour on her plump pout.

Keen to see how she photographed, the former makeup artist beamed as she scrolled on her iPhone.

Banter: Martha, who recently turned to vlogging, chatted animatedly with her hair stylist

Scrolling through Instagram? The brunette beauty kept her trusty iPhone close by at all times

Primped: While in the salon chair, Martha showed off a blemish-free complexion and defined brows

During an appearance on Today Extra last week, Martha told hosts Sonia Kruger and David Campbell that she takes photography very seriously.

Martha is known for sharing raunchy snaps online, most recently one which saw her posing seductively while naked in a bathtub.

Referring to the bathtub shot, Sonia directed at the aspiring model: 'Your Instagram photos have caused a bit of a stir. Who actually takes your pics? Given that Michael (Brunelli), well, I hope that's Michael, is in most of them.'

Casual chic: For her salon outing, the aspiring model sported a white shirt tied at the waist, and lightwash denim

Ready for her close-up: Martha added a slick of gloss to her plump pout and checked out her reflection

Distracted: At one stage, Martha looked to be deep in thought

A defiant Martha responded: 'I mean, I'll go to great lengths to take a good photo.'

The Kim Kardashian lookalike added that she 'can't give away' all her tricks when it comes to taking headline-stealing selfies.

Martha became a household name after starring in this year's season of Nine's Married At First Sight.

She is still going strong with her 'TV husband', primary school P.E. teacher Michael Brunelli.

Tricks: The Kim Kardashian lookalike told the Today Extra hosts recently that she 'can't give away' all her tricks when it comes to taking headline-stealing selfies

Reality star fame: Martha became a household name after starring in this year's season of Nine's Married At First SightShe's completely unrecognisable following a $50,000 plastic surgery makeover.

And Josie Capllonch is certainly happy with her new look, flaunting her plastic fantastic appearance in a sizzling shoot with photographer Tyson Gardner.

The 32-year-old, who starred on Love Island Sweden and Channel Seven's Please Marry My Boy, shows off her physique in a sheer bodysuit that leaves nothing to the imagination.

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Barbie girl! Swedish-Australian reality star Josie Capllonch flaunts her $50,000 plastic surgery makeover in a sizzling new shoot with photographer Tyson Gardner

In another image, she poses topless in fishnet stockings with a bondage-inspired belt made from handcuffs.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia last year, Josie bragged: 'I look nothing like I used to and people love to hate on it.'

The blonde bombshell detailed her extensive surgery, which includes two breast augmentations, a nose job, Botox, fillers in her cheeks, lips, and jawline, and even a Brazilian butt lift to enhance her derriere.

Before and after: The 32-year-old has drastically transformed her looks over the years, going from a fresh-faced brunette (L) to a blonde bombshell (R)

'For the Brazilian butt lift, they transferred fat from my stomach, back, and inner thighs to my booty,' she explained.

At the time, the Swedish-Australian stunner said that she wasn't done going under the knife, and was planning on getting a third boob job and a second nose job.

Her transformation has already set her back a whopping $50,000 - and the number is rising every year.

'For the Brazilian butt lift, they transferred fat from my stomach, back, and inner thighs to my booty': Josie admits to having work done on her derriere

Bad girl: In one image from the shoot, Josie poses topless in fishnet stockings with a bondage-inspired belt made from handcuffs.

Maintaining her fillers alone costs $4000 a year, but the cost hasn't deterred her from continually tweaking her appearance.

Just this week, Josie documented herself getting fillers and a PDO thread lift at a Beverly Hills salon.

The non-surgical procedure lifts and tightens the skin by sewing Polydioxanone into the skin.

Work in progress? Just this week, Josie documented herself getting fillers and a PDO thread lift at a Beverly Hills salon

Plump: The Love Island Sweden star splashes out thousands of dollars on fillers each year

Last September, the model admitted to using sugar daddies to fund her lavish lifestyle.

'I have had rich sugar daddies in the past,' she boasted. 'What hot girl hasn't?'

The jet-setting personal trainer continued: 'I live a good life and girls just hate on me and I've accepted it and live with it now.'

Josie first graced screens back in 2012 as a fresh-faced brunette on Channel Seven's Please Marry My Boy, before blasting back into the spotlight on Love Island Sweden.

Flashback: Josie first graced screens back in 2012 as a fresh-faced brunette on Channel Seven's Please Marry My Boy (pictured)

Who's that girl? The former brunette looked much different at age 24 during her stint on the now-defunct Channel Seven series

Despite being unlucky in love on reality television, Josie hasn't ruled out another on-screen romance in the future.

'I've tried everything to find love and failed, so I'd definitely give reality TV another shot,' she told Daily Mail Australia last year.

'I think people who go on TV to find love are open minded and a little bit crazy, just like me,' she continued. 'I can't do normal, boring people!'It has been a great time for nostaligic pop fans of late, after both the Spice Girls and Westlife hit the road with reunion tours.

And Friday night saw the two worlds mesh as the Irish hitmakers took to the stage at London's O2 Arena as part of their Twenty Tour to pay tribute to the Spice Up Your Life hitmakers by belting out one of the ladies' hits.

Taking the lead was Mark Feehily who began singing Spice Up Your Life, shortly before he was teased by Shane Filan who joked 'there's a reason it's sung by a woman', as they continued on their record-breaking tour

The boys of Westlife - Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, Shane and Mark - have been ensuring every show goes off without a hitch and Friday night saw them honour their peers.

As fans descended on both Wembley Stadium and the O2 to see Spice Girls and Westlife respectively, the boys decided to give a nod to the ladies.

Fans appeared delighted with the turn of events, as Twitter was flooded with videios while concertgoers wrote: 'When @westlifemusic meets @spicegirls at @TheO2...

'That moment you go to a #Westlife gig and they start singing the #SpiceGirls?! Yas!!! ... @westlifemusic singing spice girls tonight funny as... WESTLIFE SUNG WANNBE AND SPICE UP YOUR LIFE AT THE SHOW @spicegirls'.

Woo! Friday night saw the two worlds mesh as the Irish hitmakers took to the stage at London's O2 Arena as part of their Twenty Tour to pay tribute to the Spice Up Your Life hitmakers by belting out one of the ladies' hits

Cheeky! Taking the lead was Mark Feehily who began singing Spice Up Your Life, shortly before he was teased by Shane Filan who joked 'there's a reason it's sung by a woman', as they continued on their record-breaking tour

The show has left fans delighted and for those who miss the live version, the final night of the record breaking tour will be broadcast live from Dublins Croke Park to cinemas across the UK on 6 July.

The boys, who have sold out three nights at the O2 Arena, are also said to be eyeing an Adam Lambert-style Queen collaboration.

Insiders told MailOnline: 'Mark Feehily has such a powerful voice. Hes the sort of gay music icon who would fit well in with Queen'.

Here come the boys: As fans descended on both Wembley Stadium and the O2 to see Spice Girls and Westlife respectively, the boys decided to give a nod to the ladies

Rocking out: Insiders told MailOnline: 'Mark Feehily has such a powerful voice. Hes the sort of gay music icon who would fit well in with Queen'

Westlife have come back with a bang as their first single in eight years hit airwaves in January, ahead of their reunion tour kicking off last month.

The hit group soared to fame in 1998 when they were formed in Dublin, with the original line-up also featuring Brian McFadden, who later left in 2004.

The group broke hearts of fans around the globe when they announced plans to disband in 2012 before all embarking on respective solo careers over the years.

Woah: Kian, 39, Nicky, 40, Mark, 38, and Shane, 39, are said to be in the best shapes of their lives after working hard on their fitness ahead of the shows

Way back when: The hit group soared to fame in 1998 when they were formed in Dublin, with the original line-up also featuring Brian McFadden, who later left in 2004

In October, Westlife announced their return - with both new music and an anniversary tour - as Shane delightedly revealed: 'We still have a lot that we want to achieve as a band and we want to bring our new music to fans all over the world'.

Kian, 39, Nicky, 40, Mark, 38, and Shane, 39, are said to be in the best shapes of their lives after working hard on their fitness ahead of the shows.

Sources revealed: 'Theyre in the best shape of their lives, they look fantastic and are ready to put in energetic stage performances. They've been training together, putting in serious gym time and even yoga to build their pre-tour stamina...Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky posed up a storm as they attended his new film premiere Men In Black: International in New York City on Monday.

And to celebrate their final day in the Big Apple on Saturday, the loved-up duo spent it with their close friends Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso.

Taking to Instagram on Friday, Elsa, 42, shared a series of photos from the fun night out with her celebrity entourage.

'Bye, had such a great time!' Elsa Pataky (right) and Chris Hemsworth (left) partied in New York City with A-lister pals Matt Damon and wife Luciana Barroso on Saturday

In the first photo, Chris, 35, and Elsa embraced one another at the rooftop bar in Brooklyn with the city skyline and sunset framed them in the background.

'Bye bye NY, we had such a great time!' Elsa's caption read.

A second photograph showed Chris posing with his mother Leoni and his father Craig, along with his wife, Matt and other close friends.

What an entourage! One Instagram snap showed Chris posing with his mother Leoni (left) and his father Craig (left), along with his wife (right), Matt,(centre) and other close friends

In a third hilarious snap, Elsa and her mother-in-law were sitting with a male friend on a couch while Luciana lay over the top of them, all donning huge grins.

After leaving the bar, Elsa and Luciana took a quick selfie at park with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

Chris and Matt, along with their families, share a close friendship, with Matt regularly visiting the Aussie heartthrob at his home in Byron Bay, often for months at a time.

All smiles! In a third hilarious snap, Elsa and her mother-in-law were sitting with a male friend on a couch while Luciana lay over the top of them, all donning huge grins

In an interview with Today Extra in June last year, Chris confessed Matt was even considering a more permanent move to Australia.

'He [Matt] was in love with this country and wanted to come for a holiday,' Chris said at the time.

'And that holiday got longer and longer and they [Matt's family] have been here a few months now and I'm loving it.'Channel Nine confirmed last week that Karl Stefanovic will return to host the second season of This Time Next Year.

And the 44-year-old couldn't wipe the smile off his face, when he caught up with Richard Wilkins and Ray Martin at a charity event in Noosa on Saturday.

Karl, who has been keeping a low profile since being sacked as host of the Today show, mingled with the network's most noteworthy stars on the Sunshine Coast.

Back in the fold! Karl Stefanovic (far left), 44, hung out with Channel Nine stars at a charity event in Noosa on Saturday, months after being axed from the Today show

In a photo shared to Instagram by Karl, the journalist smiled for the camera, while sitting next to Ray, 74, and Richard, 64.

Also pictured at the dinner table was Channel Seven's Larry Emdur, 54, who hosts The Morning Show.

In attendance for a worthy cause, Karl wrote in the picture's caption: 'Raising money for the @humptydumptyfoundation in beautiful Noosa with these legends.'

Just a week prior, Channel Nine confirmed that Karl will return to host the second season of This Time Next Year.

Employed: Just a week prior, Channel Nine confirmed that Karl will return to host the second season of This Time Next Year

In an extended trailer promoting the network's 2019 lineup, Karl makes a brief but memorable appearance.

The teaser also includes glimpses of other top-tier Nine shows, including Australian Ninja Warrior, The Block and Doctor Doctor.

Karl finished filming the second season of This Time Next Year in February, and the show is expected to air in the coming months.

In late December, following his dismissal from Today, Karl risked being blacklisted by his own employer by 'liking' a series of eyebrow-raising Instagram comments.

One of the comments he liked read: 'I can't wait until [the Today show producers] realise it wasn't you that was the problem after all.'

Tumultuous past six months: Karl has been keeping a low profile since being sacked as host of the Today show in December last year

Karl later claimed this questionable social media activity was the result of his account being hacked while he was on a fishing trip.

This Time Next Year's second season was announced in October 2018, two months before Nine executives decided to sack Karl as host of the Today show.

He was fired from the Today show on December 19, with the decision reportedly being prompted by his 'over-the-top wedding' to Jasmine Yarbrough.

Nine bosses were also apparently furious that photos from the ceremony, which took place in Mexico, had appeared in WHO magazine without permission being given.

Two years remain on Karl's multi-million dollar contract with Channel Nine, but it is unclear what else is planned for him besides This Time Next Year.Ines Basic says she never has to work again thanks to her newfound Insta-fame.

The Married At First Sight villain, 29, has officially quit her pre-fame job as a legal assistant to become a full time Instagram influencer.

Speaking to the Herald Sun on Friday night, Ines bragged: 'I don't need to [work].'

'I will probably never have to go back to a 9-5 job': Married At First Sight villain Ines Basic has quit her career as a legal assistant to become a full time Instagram influencer

'I will probably never have to go back to a 9-5 job,' she continued.

'Instagram is huge, the power of Instagram is so massive... I just want to work for myself.'

Despite becoming one of Australia's most hated TV personalities earlier this year, Ines was able to walk away from MAFS with 160,000 loyal Instagram followers.

She regularly flogs products to her followers, spruiking everything from face creams and clothing to double-sided breast tape.

'The power of Instagram is so massive': Ines regularly flogs products to her followers, spruiking everything from face creams and clothing to double-sided breast tape (pictured)

Ines isn't the only MAFS mean girl cashing in, with both Martha Kalifatidis and Jessika Power becoming professional Instagram models too.

On Thursday, Martha took to social media to show off her new Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, while Jessika revealed that day that she'd just purchased her first investment property in Perth.

Celebrity agent Max Markson, who represents several Married At First Sight stars, including Jessika and Ines, recently claimed that his clients can earn up to $10,000 for a single social media deal.

It pays to be bad! Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis has also become an Instagram star, recently purchasing a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder as a birthday gift to herself

Show me the money! MAFS mean girl Jessika Power just purchased her first investment property in Perth thanks to Instagram

Appearing on the Mumbrellacast podcast, the English-born publicist said: 'I'm getting people [advertisers] ringing up, wanting to spend money.'

He continued: 'I'm charging $5,000 for three posts and three [Instagram] Stories, or $10,000.'

However, while Ines believes that she'll never have to work another 9-5 job again, Max warned that most reality TV stars only have a short window of time to monetise their fame.

'It might only be 12 months and then there will be another fresh set,' he said, referring to Married At First Sight participants.He was booted out of the Love Island villa for 'breaking the rules' in a shock move earlier this week.

And Sherif Lanre reemerged on Instagram on Saturday to post a shirtless snap taken during a show 'lockdown' - before it was quickly deleted from his account.

In the snap, the chef, 20, who was axed from the ITV2 reality show on Tuesday, relaxed under the covers in his hotel room.

New post: Sherif Lanre, 20, reemerged on Instagram on Saturday to post a shirtless snap taken during a show 'lockdown' - before it was quickly deleted from his account

Sherif held his arms behind his head against the plush leather headboard as he posed for the snap, which amassed more than 24,000 likes before it was deleted.

He captioned the photograph: 'Just waiting... #lockdown #itiswhatitis'. It is believed Sherif, who was coupled up with Anna Vakili in the villa, was asked to remove the shot by producers.

The reason for the chef's shock exit remains a mystery, and Love Island bosses are said to be holding back the details amid fears it could damage the show.

'Lockdown': In the snap, the chef, who was axed from the ITV2 reality show on Tuesday after just nine days, relaxed shirtless in his hotel room

Relax: Sherif held his arms behind his head against the plush white leather headboard as he posed for the snap, which amassed more than 24,000 likes before it was deleted

The ITV2 series rakes in an estimated 25million a year in advertising revenue, including a sponsorship deal with high-street health and beauty retailer Superdrug.

But The Sun claim bosses are fearful of the fiscal impact Sherif's transgression might have on the show, with the reason being carefully held back to avoid any potential loss of earnings.

It's understood that executives have demanded a wall of silence regarding his exit, with security drafted in to prevent family members speaking publicly.

He captioned the photograph: 'Just waiting... #lockdown #itiswhatitis'

Mystery: The reason for the chef's shock exit remains a mystery, and Love Island bosses are said to be holding back the details amid fears it could damage the show

The chef took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, a day after the initial news broke, thanking his fans for their support.

The post came as fans continued to ask show bosses why he had to leave the show without explanation, saying the 'rumours could be worse than the truth.'

He wrote on Instagram: 'Thank you to everyone including my friends and family for the support I've come back to.

'I appreciate you all and hope I provided some good, positive moments during my time on Love Island and for anyone wondering I'm all good.'

Coupled up: The chef took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, a day after the initial news broke, thanking his fans for their support (Pictured with Anna Vakili)

Sherif also hashtagged the popular Islander saying, 'it is what it is', along with a crying-with-laughter emoji.

It has also been revealed that the ex-Islander was being guarded by 24 hours security following his return to the UK after his ejection.

Hot on the heels of the boosted after-care, ITV bosses told MailOnline: 'Security is provided to assist families as part of our duty of care'.

Insiders meanwhile told the Sun: 'Sherif is being closely guarded by round-the-clock security that has been put in place by ITV.

'They want to make sure he's being looked after and they're keen to protect him from fans and trolls.'They split last week, ending a four-year relationship that began in April 2015.

And Irina Shayk showed ex Bradley Cooper what he's missing as she put on a cheery and leggy display in Milan, Italy, on Saturday.

The supermodel, 33, flashed a smile to photographers as she showcased her slender figure in a tiny black Versace mini skirt with a daring slit, which was perilously fastened with a gold heart safety pin.

What split? Irina Shayk showed ex Bradley Cooper what he's missing as she put on a cheery and leggy display in Milan, Italy, on Saturday

Irina teamed the item of clothing with a tiny white T-shirt, which she tied into a knot to tease a glimpse of her washboard abs.

Adding some glamorous touches, the model accessorised her look with a pair of gold Versace earrings, oversized black sunglasses and heeled biker boots.

Irina styled her brunette locks into a sleek sweptback bun, she added a slick of glamorous make-up.

The mother-of-one appeared in very good spirits despite her recent high-profile split as she flashed a smile to photographers while exploring the Italian capital.

Wow: The supermodel, 33, flashed a smile as she showcased her slender figure in a tiny black Versace mini skirt with a daring slit, which was perilously fastened with a gold heart safety pin

Star: The beauty was later spotted arriving at the Versace Fashion Week Men's show in Milan

The stunning brunette joins an array of supermodels who have jetted into Italy and on Thursday she walked the LUISAVIAROMA runway with Gigi and Bella Hadid.

Irina's appearance comes after she shared a sultry swimsuit snap from a work trip to Iceland on Tuesday, amid claims her ex Bradley was 'emotionally absent' as he worked on his movie, A Star Is Born.

Putting on a defiant display, the Russian beauty exhibited her pert derriere in a high-cut black swimsuit as she posed on a rock and stared into the distance at a scenic waterfall.

Accessories: Adding some glamorous touches, the model accessorised her look with a pair of gold Versace earrings, oversized black sunglasses and heeled biker boots

Sleek: Irina styled her brunette locks into a sleek sweptback bun, she added a slick of glamorous make-up

The black swimsuit drew the eye to the star's toned legs and hugged her slender waist and pert cleavage as she struck the smouldering pose.

Her brunette tresses were styled in soft waves as the star posed in the stunning surroundings of the Nordic Island country.

Irina has jetted to Iceland for a work trip just days after the split was confirmed and has now gone onto Florence, Italy.

Over: They split last week, ending a four-year relationship that began in April 2015 (Irina and Bradley pictured at the Met Gala in May 2018)

Wow: Irina's appearance comes after she shared a sultry swimsuit snap from a work trip to Iceland on Tuesday, amid claims her ex Bradley was 'emotionally absent' during A Star Is Born

It comes amid claims that the model and Bradley continue to put on a united front for the sake of their two-year-old daughter Lea.

A source has told People the pair, who recently split after four years together, spend time together 'as a family' for their toddler.

'For Lea's sake, they keep spending time together as a family,' a source told the site. 'Bradley is a great dad. He has always been very involved with his daughter.'

Happier times: It comes amid claims that the model and Bradley continue to put on a united front for the sake of their two-year-old daughter Lea (pictured January 2019)

Though the couple recently split after four years together, they remain dedicated to the well-being of their daughter and are on the 'same page' about how to raise her.

'They want her to live a normal life, be surrounded by friends and thrive through play. They are both wonderful parents,' the source indicated.

Irina has continued to make her daughter a top priority, with a source telling the site the model has been taking her 'to the park, to classes, to play dates' as she 'just adores' her.

Dedicated to their daughter: A source has told People the pair, who recently split after four years together, spend time together 'as a family' for their toddler (pictured October 2018)

Bradley and Irina's daughter Lea seemed to be the biggest reason the couple remained together towards the end of their relationship.

Irina reportedly decided to end their relationship at the end of last month because she rarely spent time with Bradley.

According to Page Six, the couple were unable to 'make a life together outside of the child', and had broke up several times once the 'lust' wore off.

Though they had been together for years and even had a child together, Irina reportedly longed for a stronger commitment from Bradley.

Family: Bradley and Irina got together in 2015, and two years later welcomed daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper together (pictured in October 2018)

'They never shopped for their own house in California. It was just his house. There were no moves in that direction. Then there's the fact that they never got married after they had a kid.

'She was certain that would happen. It felt like they weren't truly making a life together outside of the child.'

Bradley and Irina got together in 2015, and two years later welcomed daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper together.

On Monday claims emerged that Bradley was 'emotionally absent' from her as he was working on his critically acclaimed movie A Star Is Born.

The actor was distant 'during the long time filming' the musical drama with Lady Gaga, a source told People on Monday.

'Same page': Though the couple recently split after four years together, they reportedly remain dedicated to the well-being of their daughter and are on the 'same page' about how to raise her (pictured in May 2019)

'They tried to save the relationship but it had changed,' an insider said of the A-list actor and Victorias Secret model, who share two-year-old daughter, Lea.

The Yemanzhelinsk, Russia native and Limitless actor were able to maintain privacy amid the troubled times, the source told the publication.

'Since Bradley and Irina have always been very private about their relationship,' the source said, 'few knew there was really for sure something going on.'

Cooper directed and starred in the motion picture, which earned eight Oscar nominations.

He acknowledged the long hours he poured into the project at the BAFTA awards in London earlier this year, thanking Shayk for her patience through the process.

Claims: On Monday claims emerged that Bradley was 'emotionally absent' from her as he was working on his critically acclaimed movie A Star Is Born (pictured in character with co-star Lady Gaga)

'I have to thank Irina,' he said, 'for putting up with me for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year.'

Cooper was intense and focused while making and promoting A Star Is Born, a source told CNN last week.

'He's into bettering himself, and his career and doesn't want distractions,' the insider said. 'When he does a role, he stays in character, at least partly, all during filming.'

Following the conclusion of awards season with the Academy Awards - in which Cooper and Gaga created buzz for their chemistry-packed performance of Shallow - the actor spent 'every day with his family' following the Hollywood frenzy, a source told People.

Another source told the magazine last week that the pair 'were living totally separate lives,' noting that 'if he was in LA, she's out of town, and if she was in town, he was out of town.'Mark Ronson has revealed he got so drunk at the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes that he 'threw up all over' the luxurious castle they wed in.

The Hollywood actors tied the knot in the Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy in November 2006 with Tom hiring Mark to perform a DJ set for their guests.

However, Mark, 46, admitted he lost track of how much he was drinking while he was performing his set and started 'spinning' when he was finished.

Honest: Mark Ronson, 46, has revealed he got so drunk at the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes that he 'threw up all over' the luxurious castle they wed in (pictured in 2016)

He told The Mirror: 'The person I was most starstruck by was probably Tom Cruise.

'But I got really drunk. And theres something about when I am DJing, I do not realise when I am drunk, so I keep drinking.

'The minute the music stops, I start spinning, so I threw up all over the castle. It was in the Italian countryside and it was very disrespectful. And I am sorry to Tom.'

Mark said the the wedding itself was amazing and recalled mixing the Top Gun theme song with Tom shooting the guns with him.

Nuptials: The Hollywood actors tied the knot in the Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy in November 2006 with Tom hiring Mark to perform a DJ set for their guests (pictured in 2006)

Gig: Mark admitted he lost track of how much he was drinking while he was performing his set and started 'spinning' when he was finished (pictured in 2015)

The DJ split from his wife of five years to Josephine de La Baume in 2017 and they divorced last year.

In an interview with Event magazine, Mark described himself as a 'workaholic' and added that while this trait benefits him in his work, it doesn't always in relationships.

He said: 'Things that drive you can also cause you damage. Im a workaholic, a perfectionist and Im never satisfied.

'That combination can create success in an album or a song but not in a relationship.

'And because you know its all part of the reason you have hits or make a great album, you are hesitant to try to stop and fix it. But I got to a point where I did have to stop and have a look at myself.

Mark said: 'The minute the music stops, I start spinning, so I threw up all over the castle. It was in the Italian countryside and it was very disrespectful' (pictured in June 2019)



He recently underwent surgery on his ankle after falling during filming for a high-octane scene in Jamaica back in May.

But Daniel Craig, 51 looked in fighting form as he was pictured back in gym for the first time since his injury.

The snap, taken by renowned behind the scenes photographer Greg Williams, shows Daniel weight-lifting in the gym while still sporting the cast around his ankle.

The actor underwent an operation followed by two weeks of rehabilitation, causing delays to filming the upcoming Bond film.

The official Twitter account for Bond 25 released a statement concerning his injuries at the time, writing: 'Daniel Craig will be undergoing minor ankle surgery resulting from an injury sustained during filming in Jamaica.

'Production will continue whilst Craig is rehabilitating for two weeks post-surgery. The film remains on track for the same release date in April 2020'.

The British star is said to have flown to New York City for treatment, but was thought to be 'furious' that he injured himself after months of gruelling preparation for the role.

Back in action: Daniel Craig, 51 looked in fighting form as he was pictured back in gym for the first time since his ankle injury (pictured in 2006)

Filming was also said to have also been affected by Rami Malek's busy schedule as the actor had other filming commitments while Daniel was being treated for his injuries.

Detailing the actor's filming clashes, a source said: 'Filming was meant to finish in September but now it's been pushed back to late October, early November.'

'But they still need to find a time for Daniel and Rami to film together - 007 must come face-to-face with the villain. It's a complete logitical nightmare,' an insider told The Sun.

Award-winning star Rami plays the villain in the long awaited film, which is scheduled for release on April 3, 2020.

Bond 25: The actor underwent an operation followed by two weeks of rehabilitation, causing delays to filming the upcoming Bond film (pictured in 2012)

The latest film sees Bond living a tranquil live in Jamaica after leaving active service before Felix turns up asking for help in a mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist.

The scheduling difficulties of the film's main actors comes after three explosions went off at Pinewood studios after a stunt went wrong during filming.

Health and Safety officials arrived on the set of the beleaguered movie after an explosion ripped a hole in a sound stage and injured a member of the crew.

Plot: The latest film sees Bond living a tranquil live in Jamaica before Felix turns up asking for help in a mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist (pictured in 2006)

The official Twitter account for the 007 franchise confirmed: 'During the filming of a controlled explosion on the set of Bond 25 today at Pinewood Studios, damage was caused to the exterior of the 007 Stage.

'There were no injuries on set, however one crew member outside the stage has sustained a minor injury.'

A spokesman for the HSE, whose mission is 'to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health', said: 'HSE is aware of the incident and making initial enquiries.'They're both young actors with busy schedules.

And on Friday, Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler fueled their moves forward with some Starbucks iced coffee in Studio City.

Hudgens, 30, and Butler, 27, oozed chic as they walked in line with one another on the sidewalk.

Caffeinated cuties: On Friday, Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler fueled their moves forward with some Starbucks iced coffee in Studio City

Hudgens went for a polished ensemble featuring a mustard-yellow cropped sweater, white high-waist trousers and a pair of black penny loafers.

Butler was every bit of the bohemian in a longline overcoat he paired with a chambray shirt, straight-leg jeans and some combat boots.

His usual dark-colored pompadour appeared lighter and had grown out into the long, light-colored strands he's rocked in the past.

Chic: Hudgens went for a polished ensemble featuring a mustard-yellow cropped sweater, white high-waist trousers and a pair of black penny loafers on Friday

Lovebirds: Butler (right) was every bit of the bohemian on Friday in a longline overcoat he paired with a chambray shirt, straight-leg jeans and some combat boots

Time to go! Hudgens revealed a toned midriff as she entered her car to leave the area on Friday

As one of young Hollywood's longest-standing couples, these two support each other on more than just coffee runs.

Last week, Hudgens flew out to New York City with Butler to attend the premiere of his new film The Dead Don't Die at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

She attended the Tony Awards ceremony in New York City the night before.

Stronger together: Hudgens supported Butler at the New York City premiere of The Dead Don't Die on Monday

The actress will put her own thespian chops to the test as Allie in a live reading of The Notebook in Vassar and New York Stage & Film's annual summer play Powerhouse Theater.

In a June 5 interview with Seventeen, Hudgens looked back on the production that started it all for her - High School Musical.

When asked about her favorite memory from the shooting the film, she replied: 'I feel like the memory that sticks out most in my head from is probably filming We're All In This Together,' she said.

Throwback: Hudgens posed with her High School Musical castmates for a promotional photo in 2016. In a June 5 interview with Seventeen, Hudgens looked back on the production that started it all for her - High School Musical

'All of us together doing the choreography that we had been rehearsing for weeks. I don't know, it just felt really magical and still lives to this day,' she added.

She also made it clear on whether fans can expect her to return for a High School Musical 4.

'Probably not. Girl aint in high school anymore,' she joked.

'I feel like the whole heart of High School Musical are the students. So Ill let them be the heart.'They split last week, ending a four-year relationship that began in April 2015.

But Irina Shayk remained professional as she walked the runway for Versace men's Spring-Summer 2020 collection during Milan Fashion week on Saturday.

The supermodel, 33, looked phenomenal in a low-cut, glittering leopard print dress, just a week after her Bradley Cooper break-up.

Strutting: Irina Shayk, 33, remained professional as she walked the runway for Versace men's Spring-Summer 2020 collection during Milan Fashion week on Saturday

Irina slipped her frame into the eye-catching leopard print mini dress, which showcased a glimpse of her toned abs and enviable cleavage.

She worked the long-sleeved ensemble dramatically along the catwalk and looked powerful in black sparkly, open-toed stilettos, emphasising her long pins .

Adding some glam accessories, she completed the designer look with a gold bodychain, chunky necklace, stand-out ring and embellished Versace earrings.

Irina wore her brunette locks in a sleek tight ponytail and accentuated her model features with a nude make-up look and dramatic smokey eye.

Single: The supermodel looked phenomenal in a low-cut, glittering leopard print dress, just a week after her Bradley Cooper break-up

Pout: Irina slipped her frame into the eye-catching leopard print mini dress, which showcased a glimpse of her toned legs and enviable cleavage

The mother-of-one appeared sassy and confident despite her recent high-profile split as strutted along the star-studded venue's runway in the Italian city.

Irina's catwalk commitment comes after she shared a sultry swimsuit snap from a work trip to Iceland on Tuesday, amid claims her ex Bradley, 44, was 'emotionally absent' as he worked on his movie, A Star Is Born.

Putting on a defiant display, the Russian beauty exhibited her golden long-legs in the fitted Versace creation and gave a perfected model pout as she walked.

Work it: Irina worked the long-sleeved ensemble dramatically along the catwalk and looked confident and powerful in black sparkly, open-toed stiletto

The supermodel showed ex Bradley Cooper what he's missing as she flaunted her model frame in the tiny Versace piece.

Irina jetted off to Iceland for a work trip just days after the split was confirmed and then went to Florence, before arriving in Milan.

It comes amid claims that the model and Bradley continue to put on a united front for the sake of their two-year-old daughter Lea.

Glam: Adding some glam accessories, she completed her designer look with a gold bodychain, chunky necklace, stand-out ring and embellished Versace earrings

Confident: The mother-of-one appeared sassy and confident despite her recent high-profile split as strutted along the star-studded venue's runway in the Italian city

A source has told People the pair, who recently split after four years together, spend time together 'as a family' for their toddler.

'For Lea's sake, they keep spending time together as a family,' a source told the site. 'Bradley is a great dad. He has always been very involved with his daughter.'

Though the couple recently split after four years together, they remain dedicated to the well-being of their daughter and are on the 'same page' about how to raise her.

Split: Irina's catwalk comes after she shared a snap from a trip to Iceland on Tuesday, amid claims her ex Bradley, 44, was 'emotionally absent' as he worked on his movie, A Star Is Born

Enviable pins: The supermodel showed ex Bradley Cooper what he's missing as she flaunted her model frame in the tiny Versace piece

'They want her to live a normal life, be surrounded by friends and thrive through play. They are both wonderful parents,' the source indicated.

Irina has continued to make her daughter a top priority, with a source telling the site the model has been taking her 'to the park, to classes, to play dates' as she 'just adores' her.

Bradley and Irina's daughter Lea seemed to be the biggest reason the couple remained together towards the end of their relationship.

Family: It comes amid claims that the model and Bradley continue to put on a united front for the sake of their two-year-old daughter Lea

Irina reportedly decided to end their relationship at the end of last month because she rarely spent time with Bradley.

Bradley and Irina got together in 2015, and two years later welcomed daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper together.

On Monday claims emerged that Bradley was 'emotionally absent' from her as he was working on his critically acclaimed movie A Star Is Born.

The actor was distant 'during the long time filming' the musical drama with Lady Gaga, a source told People on Monday.

Movie: On Monday claims emerged that Bradley was 'emotionally absent' from her as he was working on his critically acclaimed movie, A Star Is Born

It's over: Irina reportedly decided to end their relationship at the end of last month because she rarely spent time with Bradley

According to Page Six, the couple were unable to 'make a life together outside of the child', and had broke up several times once the 'lust' wore off.

The Yemanzhelinsk, Russia native and Limitless actor were able to maintain privacy amid the troubled times, the source told the publication.

'Since Bradley and Irina have always been very private about their relationship,' the source said, 'few knew there was really for sure something going on.'

Cooper directed and starred in A Star is Born, which earned eight Oscar nominations. He thanked Shayk for her patience at the BAFTA awards in London earlier this year

Cooper directed and starred in the motion picture, A Star is Born, which earned eight Oscar nominations.

He acknowledged the long hours he poured into the project at the BAFTA awards in London earlier this year, thanking Shayk for her patience through the process.

'I have to thank Irina,' he said, 'for putting up with me for all the music I was trying to make in our basement for a year.'

Family life: Bradley and Irina got together in 2015, and two years later welcomed daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper together

Stepping out: Irina appeared to be wearing the same glitzy bra as she left the show

Amazing! She teamed the garment with an open black shirt and and tiny black mini skirt

Glam: Irina heavily accessorised her look with a gold body chain and a pair of huge stud earringsShe is a regular fixture on the most exclusive designer runways.

And Stella Maxwell made another sensational appearance as she walked for the Versace fashion show during the Milan Men's Fashion Week on Saturday.

The Victoria's Secret Angel, 29, cut a striking figure as she flaunted her model prowess in a very quirky ensemble during the presentation.

Model material: Stella Maxwell made another sensational appearance as she walked for the Versace fashion show during the Milan Men's Fashion Week on Saturday

Stella flashed her toned abs in a black car print blouse, which was adorned with red vehicles and left unbuttoned from the bottom upwards.

She teamed the shirt with a baby pink mini skirt which also boasted the same pattern, while highlighting her very lithe limbs.

The model added further inches to her statuesque frame with a pair of towering black platform heels, which featured bucked straps across the front.

Glam: The Victoria's Secret Angel, 29, cut a striking figure as she flaunted her model prowess in a very quirky ensemble during the presentation

Flaunt it: Stella flashed her toned abs in a black car print blouse, which was adorned with red vehicles and left unbuttoned from the bottom upwards

She accessorised the ensemble with a silver body chain and a chunky silver choker-style necklace which had the brand's name embossed into the metal.

Stella sleeked her blonde locks back off her face in a wet-look style and highlighted her pretty features with light touches of nude make-up.

Elsewhere, Stella and her on-again girlfriend Kristen Stewart have been spotted together on multiple recent occasions, including a late-night hand-in-hand stroll last Monday.

Leggy: She teamed the shirt with a baby pink mini skirt which also boasted the same pattern, while highlighting her very lithe limbs

A source told Us Weekly that the dynamic duo, who first got together in late 2016, have rekindled their relationship.

Their breakup was reported shortly before last Christmas, with an E! insider dishing: 'Kristen and Stella are still in touch, but decided it was best to see other people.'

Said the source: 'They started to disagree on things and it stopped being fun. Kristen went to Germany to film and they realised that the relationship had run its course and they needed a change.'

Strut: The model added further inches to her statuesque frame with a pair of towering black platform heels, which featured bucked straps across the frontWith her father being Lionel Richie and her boyfriend being a Lord, reality star Scott Disick, she has quite the affluent network.

And Sofia Richie proved this was the case on Friday, spotted attending Formula One billionaire heiress Petra Ecclestone's engagement party.

The 20-year-old stole the show in her little white number, seen strutting into the Giorgio Baldi event solo in Santa Monica.

Gorgeous: Sofia Richie stole the show on Friday evening, when she stepped out in Santa Monica to attend billionaire heiress Petra Ecclestone's engagement party

Sofia dressed quite maturely, opting for a button-up peplum shirt and a complimentary mini skirt for the evening.

The beauty showcased her enviable long, lean, toned and bronzed pins as she strutted into the venue adding a pair of skin toned strappy heels.

She accessorised the look with a small rectangular clutch and had a belt around her waist to showcase her tiny frame.

Stunner: Sofia dressed quite maturely, opting for a button-up peplum shirt and a complimentary mini skirt for the evening

Glamour queen: Sofia styled her blonde tresses out for the event into voluminous locks with a slight wave at the end

She's glowing! Her makeup was simple, opting for a bronzed and glowy complexion complete with highlighted cheekbones and a plump nude lip

Sofia styled her blonde tresses out for the event into voluminous locks with a slight wave at the end.

Her makeup was simple, opting for a bronzed and glowy complexion complete with highlighted cheekbones and a plump nude lip.

The model's outing comes as she was out and about to help celebrate Petra Ecclestone's engagement to her beau Sam Palmer.

The 30-year-old Formula One heiress announced their engagement on December 31, 2018.

And while Sofia's boyfriend, Scott Disick didn't appear in attendance, he's been friends with Petra for many years.

Bride-to-be: Petra was seen in white with a 'Bride' sash around her body

Sneak peak: Sofia took to social media during the night to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the event

Yes! There were also shot glasses with: 'She said yes' written on it

Sofia took to social media during the night to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the event.

Petra's fiance, Sam, serves as a director at Maddox Gallery in West Hollywood.

He works alongside Petra's elder sister, Tamara's, 34, husband, Jay Rutland, 37, - who serves as the creative director for the gallery.

Petra was previously married to James Stunt between 2011-2017. They went through a bitter divorce that was finalized in October 2017.

Together they share daughter, Lavinia, six, and twin sons, Andrew and James, four.

Stunner: Petra was spotted out and about Los Angeles on Thursday night

Keeping it in the family: Petra's fiance, Sam, serves as a director at Maddox Gallery in West Hollywood. He works alongside Petra's elder sister, Tamara's, 34, husband, Jay Rutland, 37, - who serves as the creative director for the gallery

While no details of the settlement were releases, it was reported that James signed a $20.1 million prenuptial agreement, with Petra also awarded sole custody of their three children.

Speaking of her new relationship, she told Mail On Sunday's: 'It's very early-on dating. The whole thing is quite strange because my life didn't pan out the way I expected it to.'

'I thought I wasn't the type who believed in divorce. I go to church and I got married thinking I would be with that person for the rest of my life. But things happen for a reason and, whatever that reason is, I've now got my three kids.'Tommy Lee shared an eye-popping snap of his wife Brittany Furlan as the couple enjoyed a trip to Mexico this week.

The ageing musician couldn't help but show off Brittany to his Instagram followers as she paraded around in a tiny purple bikini on Saturday.

'She gonna kill me for posting this but look at this 100% natural body' Tommy, 56, captioned the image along with a tongue emoji.

All natural! Tommy Lee drooled over his wife Brittany Furlan on Saturday as he posted this sexy snap of her

It appeared to be a candid snap of the internet star enjoying the couple's tropical accommodations displaying her amazing curves in a string two piece.

The Motley Crue drummer married Brittany, 32, just four months ago.

Last month the rocker shared another vacation snap showing his admiration for his much younger wife and writing: 'Dayum!!! My wife is [bomb]'

Dayum! Last month he did it again as he posted this image showing his admiration for his much younger wife

This time the brunette wore a black push-up two-piece with string cover-up over the top.

At 56, Tommy is 24 years older than Brittany, and the newlyweds are clearly still enjoying the honeymoon phase.

The May-December couple tied the knot on February 14 after a year-long engagement following eight months of dating.

Going strong: The May-December couple tied the knot on February 14 after a year-long engagement following eight months of dating

Animal attraction: The couple have never shied away from flaunting their attraction to each other

Lee proposed to Furlan Valentine's Day 2018.

Then, about three months later, they sparked rumors that they had gotten married when Lee shared an Instagram photo of the couple in their bathrobes in front of an alter with the caption: 'Did it, I do A LOT.'

The photo turned out to be a prank.

The couple have been together since June of 2017.

Smooches: The Pennsylvania-born beauty rose to fame as a video star on Vine

Lee was previously married to model Elaine Bergen from 1984-1985.

Then he was wed to Melrose Place actress Heather Locklear from 1986 to 1993.

And he was also married to Baywatch actress and Playboy model Pamela Anderson from 1995 to 1998. They have two sons together.

Tommy and Pam split and got back together for a few years after their official divorce. They finally called it off for good in 2008.It's her eldest daughter North's sixth birthday.

But the pre-arranged plans didn't stop for doting mom Kim Kardashian, spotted visiting a friend at their Beverly Hills home on Saturday.

The 38-year-old beauty showcased her incredibly toned frame as she stepped out of her luxury car.

Gorgeous: Kim Kardashian proved her work at the gym was paying off, flaunting her enviable hourglass physique while out meeting a friend in Beverly Hills on Saturday

Kim opted for a long sleeved sheer top with various designs throughout.

She teamed the look with high-waisted black leather pants that hugged her enviable hour-glass physique and drew attention to her incredibly tiny waist.

The KKW Beauty entrepreneur completed the day look with flip-fop inspired wedge heels.

Unique style: Kim opted for a long sleeved sheer top with various designs throughout

Sleek and straight: Kim added extensions to her dark tresses, wearing out her long locks straight and sleek

Kim added extensions to her dark tresses, wearing out her long locks straight and sleek.

The wife of Kanye West accessorised with a pair of trendy shades and kept her makeup simple to a smokey eye, contoured cheekbones and a plump nude lip.

Kim's outing comes after she shared a touching message to her six-year-old daughter North on her birthday.

'Happy Birthday my sweet girl! The last 6 years have been the best of my life raising you and seeing you grow up. Mommy loves you forever and beyond!' she captioned a series of photos.

She's glam! The wife of Kanye West accessorised with a pair of trendy shades and kept her makeup simple to a smokey eye, contoured cheekbones and a plump nude lip

Solo outing: Kim was seen driving herself to her pals home in Beverly Hills

Grandma Kris Jenner also shared a sweet message to Kim's first born.

'Happy Birthday to my little Angel Northie!!!! What a bright light you are and such a blessing to our family!! Your magic and sunshine lights up every room and I adore how creative and smart you are.

'You are so kind and loving to everyone you know and have a beautiful heart and soul...I love you so much precious North and it is a pleasure and a privilege to be your Grandmother. I love you Lovey xo #HappyBirthdayNorth.'

Kim and Kanye are also parents to Saint, three, Chicago, one, and Psalm, one-month.She's one of the most beautiful women on the planet.

And Elsa Hosk stood out from the crowd as she wandered around a market in St Tropez, France, on Saturday.

The 30-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel flashed her stunning figure in a skimpy bikini top as she documented her vacation with beau Tom Daley to her Instagram followers.

Stunning: Elsa Hosk stood out from the crowd as she wandered around a market in St Tropez, France, on Saturday

The blonde beauty flashed her extremely flat tummy in a barely there green string top by Sommer Swim, which she teamed with 1970s-style floral Prada bell-bottoms.

She practiced her model moves, pouting for the camera as she checked out the wares in St Tropez market.

The Swedish star wore her golden tresses in soft waves which she later put half-up to relax poolside at the exclusive Hotel Epi 1959.

Blonde bombshell: The 30-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel flashed her stunning figure in a skimpy bikini top as she documented her vacation with beau Tom Daley to her Instagram followers

Elsa praised her 'St Tropez mornings' in a selfie video which appeared to have been taken first thing in her bed, despite being immaculately made-up.

The star later changed into a plunging yellow floral bikini as she kept up the retro 1970s vibe.

She shared a glimpse of her handsome beau on the video as they stepped out to explore together.

Woke up like this! Elsa praised her 'St Tropez mornings' in a selfie video which appeared to have been taken first thing in her bed, despite being immaculately made-up

Super pretty: She pouted for the camera

Pristine: Luckily her make-up was perfect as she lazed against the white sheets

South of France vibes: The Swedish-born beauty added a sunshine to her greeting to her followers

Secret's out: Elsa pouted for the camera as she covered her eyes with dark glasses

Oodles of noodles: The model was tucking into some pasta for lunch

Shopping vibes: She stood out in 1970s-style floral Prada bell-bottoms

Stalls ahead: She practiced her model moves as she checked out the wares in St Tropez market

Cute: She shared a glimpse of her handsome beau on the video as they stepped out to explore together

Sunshine: The star later changed into a plunging yellow floral bikini as she kept up the retro 1970s vibe

Pretty: The Swedish star wore her golden tresses in soft waves which she later put half-up to relax poolside at the exclusive Hotel Epi 1959

Sparks started flying between Elsa and Tom when they first decided to date three and a half years ago.

However, the couple go way back as the pair built a solid friendship before embarking on a romance years later.

The lingerie model's beau first shared a snap of the two of them together back in Halloween 2015.

They have a shared love of arts; Elsa is a supermodel while her beau is the founder of District Vision, a company that focuses on products for runners.She played assassin with a trademark thigh-grip, Xenia Onatopp, in GoldenEye.

And Famke Janssen, 54, flashed her famous pins when she stepped out in New York City on Saturday.

The stunning Dutch actress looked chic in a Breton-striped top teamed with a navy skirt.

Stepping out: Famke Janssen, 55, flashed her famous pins in New York City on Saturday

The star draped a wine red leather jacket over her shoulders and carried a giant tote bag.

She kept it fresh and cute with grey pumps, as the Hemlock Grove star checked her cellphone.

Janssen - who also starred in the 2017 NBC crime thriller The Blacklist: Redemption - covered her eyes with giant sunglasses.

The sophisticated beauty swept her dark tresses into a sleek updo with a tousled ponytail.

She kicked off her career in front of the camera as a fashion model with a move from her home country in the Netherlands to the US in 1984 when she was 19.

Sailing on: The stunning Dutch actress looked chic in a Breton-striped top teamed with a navy skirt

Janssen spoke with People last week about playing Jean Grey in five X Men films (including The Wolverine), a role played by Sophie Turner in X-Men: Apocalypse and the upcoming Dark Phoenix.

Asked what advice she would give Turner in playing the role, Janssen said Turner 'doesn't need to do anything,' as 'she knows what she's doing [and] she doesn't need [her] advice.

'I'm sure she did an amazing job and I cant wait to see it,' said the one-time model, who noted she has never seen Game of Thrones or Turner's work on the series.

Checking the weather? The star draped a wine red leather jacket over her shoulders and carried a giant tote bag and umbrella

Janssen told the outlet she 'never was quite a fan-girl about' the comic book series, and mainly watched the films at the premieres.

'I'm sure its wonderful and when I have 87 hours of my life to dedicate, I will watch it,' she said, 'but in the interim I'll watch smaller ... I tend to watch a lot of documentaries.'

She said her time in the film series 'was just such a great experience.'

Janssen has also garnered headlines with roles in GoldenEye (1995), the X-Men film series (2000-2014), and the Taken film franchise (2008-2014), and TV hits Nip/Tuck (2004-2010) and How To Get Away With Murder (2015-2019).

She currently has three films and a BBC series in some phase of production.They've been dating for more than a year.

And Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson made a rare public display of affection on Instagram on Friday to celebrate Pride Month.

The British supermodel, 26, posted a steamy clip of the her and the Pretty Little Liars alum, 29, making out in their film, Her Smell, with the caption '#PRIDE' alongside several rainbow and heart emojis.

Scroll down for video

Smitten: Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson made a rare public display of affection on Instagram on Friday to celebrate Pride Month

The timing was perfect as June marks Pride month for the LGBTQ community.

Ashley and Cara first met while appearing as upstart Riot Grrrl band members in the critically acclaimed punk rock drama Her Smell, starring Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss.

The two were first romantically linked after they were seen kissing in London's Heathrow Airport last summer.

Since then they have kept a relatively private affair although they've been spotted on holiday together and Ashley cheered Cara on at Chanel's Paris Fashion Week show.

That kiss: The British supermodel, 26, posted a steamy clip of the her and the Pretty Little Liars alum, 29, making out in their film, Her Smell, with the caption '#PRIDE' alongside several rainbow and heart emojis

Perfect timing: The timing was perfect as June marks Pride month for the LGBTQ community

Meet cute: Ashley and Cara first met while appearing as upstart Riot Grrrl band members in the critically acclaimed punk rock drama Her Smell, starring Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss

Cara came out as bisexual in 2015 and she told Glamour magazine that coming out as such is difficult for people to grasp.

'Once I spoke about my sexual fluidity, people were like, "So you're gay," the Suicide Squad star shared at the time.

'And I'm like, "No, I'm not gay." A lot of the friends I have who are straight have such an old way of thinking. It's, "So you're just gay, right?" [They] don't understand it.'

Linked: The two were first romantically linked after they were seen kissing in London's Heathrow Airport last summer

The model has had plenty of A-list ex-boyfriends, including musicians Jake Bugg and Harry Styles, but she's since identified as 'sexually fluid.'

She has therefore been romantically linked to Rita Ora, Michelle Rodriguez and Paris Jackson.

The model's longest high profile relationship was with musician St Vincent, real name Annie Clark, which ended in 2016 after a year and a half.

Past loves: The model has had plenty of A-list ex-boyfriends, including musicians Jake Bugg and Harry Styles, but she's since identified as 'sexually fluid' (Cara and Ashley pictured together)

Ashley has been linked with Ryan Good, Nat Wolff, Taylor Lautner, Chord Overstreet and Justin Thorne.

Following her role in Her Smell, Ashley will be seen in Ask Me If I Care opposite Hank Azaria and Ruby Modine.

Cara will be starring alongside Jaden Smith in the upcoming Life In A Year.Shots have been fired at two homes in Sydney.

Police were called to a Regents Park house in southwest Sydney about 12.55am on Wednesday after reports shots were fired into the property and a car parked out the front.

No one was reported injured in the shooting, which police suspect may have been targeted.

Twenty minutes later officers were called to a house in Ryde, in the city's northwest, following reports shots were fired into the home and a car out the front.

The seven people inside were uninjured. Police are expected to investigate whether the shootings are linked.Two key crossbench senators could support proposed income tax cuts provided the government promises that services won't be cut.

Centre Alliance's Rex Patrick said tax relief would be delayed beyond July 1, but raised the prospect of supporting the package when parliament returns.

"Centre Alliance would like hard-working Aussies to get a tax cut but in the face of a softening economy, we need to make sure that a year down the track we're not facing cuts in services, education or pensioner support," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.

"There is some chance that we will come to a conclusion that this is a good thing. We just have to do our due diligence."

Parliament can't sit until the Australian Electoral Commission returns the election writ to the governor general, which is due by June 28.

The Australian Tax Office can retrospectively amend tax assessments to provide cuts if the laws pass after June.

Labor leadership hopeful and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said the government had broken its first promise since being re-elected.

"A day after the election they have been found out about lying about tax cuts which was an essential part of their re-election agenda," he told ABC News Breakfast.

The opposition supports the first stage of tax relief, but it is unclear whether it will continue to oppose the second and third parts of the package.

"The best thing would be for the government to just separate those and allow its immediate passage through the House of Representative," Mr Bowen said.

"If they don't do that, then we'll have to consider our position, but they're playing games trying to cover up their lies during the election campaign."

The government looks set to rally crossbench support rather than split its package.Troops and police maintained tight security across Sri Lanka as Catholics marked one month since Easter Sunday suicide attacks that killed 258 people

Hundreds of Catholics prayed outside the bombed St Anthony's Church in Colombo on Tuesday, marking one month since the Easter Sunday suicide attacks that killed 258 people in Sri Lanka.

The faithful lit candles and offered prayers even as the church, first built in 1740, was being restored following the devastating April 21 bombing.

Two other churches outside the capital and three luxury hotels in Colombo were also hit in the coordinated attacks blamed on local jihadists and claimed by the Islamic State group.

Troops and police maintained tight security across the country on the anniversary, which also coincided with the partial reopening of Catholic schools after an extended Easter holiday.

At St. Joseph's College in Colombo, upper school students were seen returning to classes.

Public schools had reopened earlier in the month. Catholic schools reopened after army chief Mahesh Senanayake said security forces would ensure that students were not targeted by Islamic militants responsible for the Easter bombings.

A Catholic spokesman in Colombo said primary classes will resume next week.

President Maithripala Sirisena has vowed to crush Islamist militants blamed for the Easter bombings that also left 500 injured.

Christians make up 7.6 percent and Muslims 10 percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka, which has been under a state of emergency since the attacks.A member of the Iraqi federal police forces stands guard at a checkpoint in Baghdad's Karada district

Scarred by two decades of conflict, Iraq finds itself caught in the middle of a US-Iranian tug-of-war, fearing it could pay the price of any confrontation between its two main allies.

Analysts say third parties may seek to exploit the latest spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington to spark a showdown that serves their own interests.

Iraq "pays a disproportionate tax on Iranian-American tensions and (has) an unenviable front-line position in any future conflict between the two," said Fanar Haddad, an Iraq expert at the National University of Singapore.

During the three-year battle to oust the Islamic State group from Iraqi cities, powerful Iran-backed Shiite militias on the ground effectively fought on the same side as US-led coalition warplanes in the skies.

But since Iraq declared victory over the jihadists in December 2017, relations between Washington and Tehran have deteriorated sharply.

In May last year, US President Donald Trump pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and later re-instated tough sanctions.

This April, Washington dubbed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a "foreign terrorist organisation", prompting Iran to designate US troops across the region as "terrorists".

Tensions escalated this month, with Washington deploying a carrier group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over alleged, unspecified Iranian "threats".

The Trump administration last week ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, alleging Iran-backed armed groups posed an "imminent" threat.

On Sunday, a rocket was fired into the "Green Zone" of Baghdad that houses government offices and embassies, including the US mission.

There has been no claim of responsibility.

For Iraqi political analyst Essam al-Fili, the rocket attack was a sign some sides want to pull Tehran and Washington into a confrontation in Shiite-majority Iraq.

"There are those who want to fight Iran with other people's weapons, and those who want to fight the US with other people's weapons," he said.

But he added that Iran has "so far favoured restraint in Iraq, a country which is vulnerable on the security front".

Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi has echoed those fears, saying Tuesday that Iraq would "very soon send delegations to Tehran and Washington to push for calm".

He warned that Iraq "does not have the option of distancing itself" from US-Iranian tensions, and stressed the need to "avoid giving other parties the space to inflame the situation".

- 'Settling old scores' -

Several groups in the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition that battled IS denied any link to the rocket attack, with Assaib Ahl al-Haq chief Qais al-Khazali pointing a finger at "Israeli interests".

Analyst Karim Bitar stressed that "the stakes are so high that Iranian proxies cannot act without an explicit green light" from Iran's Revolutionary Guard force.

Tehran and Washington "know perfectly well that it's an unwinnable war and that an all-out confrontation would be devastating for both the US and Iran", said Bitar, an expert at France's Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.

But, he added, "the inflammatory rhetoric of the past few weeks plays right into the hands of Iran's hardliners" as well as pleasing Saudi Arabia and Israel, "bent on settling old scores with Iran".

Tehran accuses its regional Sunni rival Riyadh and archfoe Israel of pressing the Trump administration to adopt a hard line.

But experts doubt the crisis will result in a head-on confrontation with Washington.

"There won't be a direct war. The United States is counting on a collapse of the (Iranian) economy, which could be accompanied by limited air strikes," said Iraqi political scientist Hashem al-Hashemi.

He said Washington may also urge Israel to carry out air strikes against Iran's militia allies in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.

Meanwhile, memories of American interventions in recent years could also dampen Washington's appetite for an offensive.

"The US foreign policy and security establishment knows full well that attacking Iran would make the Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya wars look like walks in the park," Bitar said.

"So besides some messages that could be sent on the Iraqi arena, unless utter madness prevails, a large, open, direct war is still unlikely."Indian paramilitary soldiers guard a security check post in Itanagar, capital of Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India on October 11, 2009

A state legislator in the northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and at least 10 others were killed Tuesday in an attack by suspected separatist militants, officials said.

The attack follows the end of India's typically violent general elections on Sunday, as well as state assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh -- which borders China, Myanmar and Bhutan.

Lawmaker Tirong Aboh and some family members were killed when insurgents opened fire on their convoy of vehicles in the Tirap district of the state, police said.

Kiren Rijiju, Indian minister of state of home affairs, confirmed the number of killed to be 11.

"I'm shocked and saddened by the brutal attack and tragic killing of... Tirong Aboh of Arunachal Pradesh, his family including 11 people," he tweeted.

"Strongest possible action will be taken against those responsible for such dastardly attack," he added.

A top officer told AFP on condition of anonymity that reinforcements had been rushed to the area.

As in previous years, the general elections have been rocked by violence. On May 1 some 15 troops and their driver were killed by Maoist rebels in the western state of Maharashtra.

A grenade attack in Guwahati, capital of the northeastern state of Assam, injured 12 people, officials said.

A local separatist group, the United Liberation Front of Asom, claimed responsibility.

- Modi ally -

Aboh represented the Khonsa constituency for the National People's Party (NPP) -- allied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party -- and was standing for a new term.

He was travelling from Dibrugarh in neighbouring Assam to Khonsa when the incident took place.

Militants belonging to a faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), one of several separatist groups in the area, are suspected to have carried out the attack after making threats to Aboh.

The faction, known as NSCN (IM), is fighting for the creation of an independent state for the Naga people, an ethnic group living across several northeastern Indian states.

The seven states that make up India's northeast are home to dozens of tribal groups and guerrilla armies demanding greater autonomy or independence from India.

India blamed another NSCN faction for the killing of 20 soldiers in an attack in neighbouring Manipur state in 2015.

New Delhi responded by saying it launched retaliatory strikes against the group in Myanmar, where a significant Naga population lives.

Myanmar's government have launched fresh military offensives against the Naga insurgents despite a ceasefire agreement between the militant group and the powerful army.

Maoist guerrillas are, meanwhile, believed to be present in at least 20 Indian states, but most active in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler blasts President Donald Trump after Trump's former lawyer Don McGahn rejects a committee subpoena to testify

Furious Democrats threatened to go to court or invoke contempt charges against Donald Trump's former lawyer Don McGahn on Tuesday after McGahn refused to testify about obstruction allegations against the president.

McGahn, who provided evidence to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia meddling investigation that Trump tried to stifle the probe, failed to appear before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday on White House orders, despite having been subpoenaed.

Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said each of the incidents of Trump's obstruction that McGahn described to Mueller "constitutes a crime," and said McGahn must testify about them to Congress.

"Our subpoenas are not optional," Nadler said in opening the hearing.

"Let me be clear: this committee will hear Mr McGahn's testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it."

"We will hold this president accountable one way or the other."

Trump's block on McGahn's testifying was the latest in Trump's efforts to prevent Congress from further exposing possibly criminal behavior by the president.

The White House and the Justice Department have refused to turn over to Congress an unexpurgated version of Mueller's final report, completed in March, and documents linked to his investigation.

They have also refused to provide another Democrat-led House committee with Trump's financial records, a fight which is already in federal court in Washington where a judge ruled on Monday that the records must be handed over.

Trump's persistent "stonewalling", as Nadler branded it, has Democrats arguing internally whether to keep fighting for the documents and testimony they want, or, using the Mueller report's evidence, directly launch an impeachment effort against the president.

Nadler said McGahn's testimony to Mueller was strong evidence of law-breaking by Trump, but made clear he favors sticking with the party's current path of publicly investigating the Republican leader rather than impeaching him.

He accused Trump of pressuring McGahn to stay away from the committee hearing and trying to destroy McGahn's reputation.

"In short, the president took it upon himself to intimidate a witness who has a legal obligation to be here today. This conduct is not remotely acceptable."

On Monday the White House said Mueller's sprawling probe had cleared the president, meaning there was no need for more digging.

McGahn himself was questioned by Mueller's team for about 30 hours.

"The Department of Justice has provided a legal opinion stating that, based on long-standing, bipartisan, and Constitutional precedent, the former Counsel to the President cannot be forced to give such testimony, and Mr McGahn has been directed to act accordingly," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives for a closed-door briefing on Iran at the US Capitol

President Donald Trump's administration charged Tuesday it was "quite possible" Iran was responsible for the sabotage of Gulf oil interests but said its own robust response had prevented potential attacks on Americans.

Top Trump officials appeared to be toning down weeks of fiery warnings to Iran before delivering a classified briefing to the full Congress, where opposition Democrats have accused the administration of hyping intelligence and pushing the United States dangerously close to war.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States has not made "a definitive conclusion" that can be presented publicly over the sabotage of oil tankers off the United Arab Emirates or drone strikes on a crude pipeline in Saudi Arabia.

"But given all the regional conflicts that we have seen over the past decade and the shape of these attacks, it seems like it's quite possible that Iran was behind these," Pompeo told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt before heading to Capitol Hill.

Yemen's Huthi rebels, who are allied with Iran and are being hit hard by US-backed Saudi air strikes, claimed responsibility last week for a drone strike on a major east-west pipeline in the kingdom, which was forced to shut down temporarily.

John Bolton, Trump's hawkish national security advisor, earlier this month warned of "unrelenting force" if Iran strikes US interests as he announced the deployment to the region of an aircraft carrier strike group, followed by nuclear-capable B-52 bombers.

- Threats 'put on hold' -

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi arrives for a closed-door briefing on Iran at the US Capitol

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who was joined at the briefing by the US military chief, General Joseph Dunford, said the US response had made an impact.

"I think our steps were very prudent and we've put on hold the potential for attacks on Americans," Shanahan told reporters.

"I'd say we're in a period where the threat remains high and our job is to make sure that there is no miscalculation by the Iranians," he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that the United States was "playing a very, very dangerous game" with military deployments, saying that some actors were "interested in accidents" -- a likely allusion to its regional rivals such as Saudi Arabia.

"There will be painful consequences for everybody (if) there is an escalation against Iran, that's for sure," he said," Zarif told CNN.

Trump last year pulled out of a multinational agreement negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear work in return for promises of sanctions relief.

The administration, which is closely allied with Riyadh, instead vowed "maximum pressure" to weaken Iran's regional influence, including by trying to stop all oil sales by Tehran.

Democrats said they were determined to hold the administration to account after the debacle over intelligence before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Iran's military strength

Representative Adam Smith said that Pompeo in the briefing gave "a very lengthy political argument" explaining "all the terrible things Iran has done" until the Democratic lawmaker said he cut him off and asked to hear about US policy.

"I think there's a risk of miscalculation on both sides. And that remains my biggest concern," Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters.

Representative Eliot Engel, who runs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he feared the administration was "walking towards war."

"I think we should have learned our lesson. War is the last thing you do, not the first thing you put on the table," he told reporters.

But Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on Engel's committee, said Pompeo made a convincing case that Iran and proxies were behind numerous attacks -- including a rocket that landed Sunday near the evacuated US embassy in Baghdad.

Also taking a moderate tone, he described the administration's effort as "a deterrent operation to stop Iran's escalation and aggression in the region."

"It was made very clear... there is no intention to go to war," McCaul said.

- Opening on prisoners? -

Iranian demonstrators rally around an effigy of US President Donald Trump

Trump stoked the fire on Sunday in a tweet in which he warned: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran."

But the US president -- who made similar threats against North Korea before meeting leader Kim Jong Un -- downplayed the Iranian threat to US interests a day later and has called for talks.

Few expect Iran's leaders to meet Trump -- anti-Americanism is a cardinal tenet of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

But Zarif has proposed a swap of prisoners, a step some observers say could offer a path to resume at least low-level dialogue to ease tensions.

Pompeo said in the radio interview, without further explanation, that there had been "just a hint" that Iran was moving to release imprisoned US citizens.

"Even a small confidence-building measure is a good thing, so it's absolutely the case that were they to release these Americans who are wrongfully held, it would be a good thing," Pompeo said.

burs-sct/dwSudanese demonstrators flash V-for-victory signs as they gather outside the military headquarters in Khartoum in the capital Khartoum on May 20, 2019

Flashing the victory sign and chanting revolutionary slogans, Sudanese protesters camped outside the military headquarters are determined to install civilian rule even as talks between their leaders and army generals have faltered.

"Young people have sacrificed themselves to overthrow a 30-year-old regime, and that should be protected," Wafaa al-Tayeb said as she stood among a group of demonstrators spending a yet another night at the sit-in outside the military complex in central Khartoum.

Thousands of men and women have held an around-the-clock sit-in at the site since April 6, initially to seek the military's support in toppling longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and later to remove the generals who seized power after his ouster.

Although the number of protesters has dwindled during the day since the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, crowds swell at night when demonstrators gather after breaking the dawn-to-dusk fast.

But more than a month since Bashir was overthrown, their determination and enthusiasm has not waned even though the protest leaders have been unable to reach a deal with the military on forming a new governing body that would replace the generals.

A new round of talks that started late on Sunday faltered last night as a deadlock remained over the make-up of the new body and who should lead it.

Sudanese protesters say they will never accept military rule, after the ouster of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir

"After getting rid of the greatest dictator in Africa, the millions of people here will never accept that the military imposes its rule," Tayeb said.

"Yes or no," she asks the cheering crowd, which immediately voices its approval.

Protester Hind Mohamed said she expects talks with the army generals to last a long time.

"The negotiations will not end in a day. Problems are inevitable. The important thing is that the final agreement meets our expectations," she said.

- 'Foreign interference' -

The protesters have accused regional powers of trying to influence the outcome of their uprising.

Sudanese muslims gather to break their fast outside the military headquarters in Khartoum in the capital Khartoum on May 20, 2019

"The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have put pressure on Abdel Fattah al-Burhan because these Gulf states want to implement their political will as they did in Egypt," said Rafeei Ibrahim, an economics graduate, referring to the general who heads the present ruling military council.

Experts say the Saudis, Emiratis and Egyptians have thrown their weight behind Burhan to ensure a military-led governing body is formed.

For some authorities around the region, a possibile repeat of the 2011 uprisings that roiled Egypt and the wider Arab world is a frightening prospect.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have already announced a $3-billion aid package to Sudan, which some say will help the generals to keep their grip on the northeast African country.

Demonstrators have been camped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum around-the-clock since April 6, initially to seek the support of the armed forces in ousting Bashir and later to demand the generals who replaced him step aside

"We are certain that the street, the sit-in, will win in the negotiations, whether it takes a month, two months or a year," said Ibrahim, carrying a bag on his back.

"We are hopeful, we are millions and we have real ambitions for the future of Sudan," he said as groups of men and women chanted "Freedom, peace, justice" -- the catchcry of the protest movement that brought down Bashir.

A short distance away from the sit-in, Nour Galil could be heard cheering as he watched a game of volleyball.

"Of course there is frustration but there is hope too for a better future, that people will live well and free," said Galil, 30, who does several odd jobs to make a living.The daughter and son (pictured April 2019) of Zaki Mubarak, whose body was transferred to Cairo after Ankara said he had committed suicide in prison, hold his picture during an interview in their family home

The family of a Palestinian former intelligence agent, who have claimed that he was tortured by Turkish authorities, said Tuesday that Egyptian prosecutors had approved their request for an autopsy.

The body of 55-year-old Zaki Mubarak was transferred last week from Turkey to Cairo after Ankara said last month he had committed suicide in prison.

Turkey had charged him with spying for the United Arab Emirates.

After seeing his body on its arrival in Egypt, his family said it had been badly mutilated.

"His tongue was removed and we saw marks of torture on the corpse," said Abs Mubarak, his cousin, who is in Cairo.

He accused Turkish authorities of carrying out an "extra-judicial killing".

Mubarak, from the Gaza Strip, had fled the enclave in 2007 after Islamist movement Hamas seized control there.

He was arrested in Turkey last month, along with another alleged spy, and later formally charged with espionage, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.

Turkish media have speculated he was allied to Mohammed Dahlan, a UAE-based former supporter and now rival of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

His family have denied he had any relationship with Dahlan's movement.

Ankara has been investigating claims the two detainees were linked to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist whose killing in the country's Istanbul consulate last year sparked a diplomatic crisis.

His family deny the allegations.

Turkey's justice ministry has rejected claims Mubarak was tortured.

Mubarak's cousin said the autopsy was due to be finalised by the end of Tuesday before the body would be returned to the blockaded Gaza Strip later this week.Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi addresses a press conference in Germany last month

Iraq is planning to send urgent delegations to the United States and Iran, its prime minister said Tuesday, as Baghdad seeks to rein in soaring tensions between its top allies.

Baghdad "will very soon send delegations to Tehran and Washington to push for calm", Adel Abdel Mahdi told journalists in the Iraqi capital.

The United States and Iran have exchanged bellicose rhetoric in recent weeks, with the US deploying a naval strike group and B-52 bombers to the Gulf over unspecified Iranian "threats".

The bitter standoff has raised fears of the consequences for Iraq, which has sought to balance its ties between the bitter enemies.

On Sunday, a Katyusha rocket was fired into Baghdad's Green Zone housing government offices and embassies including the US mission, days after Washington evacuated staff from Iraq, citing Iranian threats.

Abdel Mahdi stressed the need to "avoid giving other parties the space to inflame the situation".

"We will not allow Iraq to be a war zone or a launchpad for a war against any state," he said.

Calming the situation would "serve both the interests of Iraq and its people and those of the region in general," he added.

The premier said Iraq "does not have the option of distancing itself" from US-Iranian tensions, and said Baghdad was working with European and Arab states to calm the situation.

Another Iraqi official, who asked not to be named, told AFP that Baghdad would be a suitable place for US-Iranian talks.

"The United States considers Iraq the only country able to bring the two countries together for negotiations," he said.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pressing China to release two Canadians being held as spies

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed Tuesday to keep the pressure on Beijing as a Canadian parliamentary delegation in China sought the release of two Canadians held as spies.

"China is making stronger moves than it has before to try to get its own way on the world stage and Western countries and democracies around the world are pointing out (that) this is not something we need to continue to allow," Trudeau told reporters.

Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor were detained after the arrest December 1 of a top Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou, in Vancouver on a US warrant.

China has said it suspects Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group think tank, of espionage and alleged that Spavor had provided him with intelligence.

Trudeau told reporters Spavor "had been detained for political reasons."

"This is something that we remain concerned about (and) ... that countries around the world are concerned about," he said.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said earlier that her parliamentary secretary Rob Oliphant and a delegation of lawmakers has gone to China to push for the two Canadians' freedom.

They arrived Monday in Shanghai and were expected to remain in China until Saturday. It was not immediately known who they were meeting with.

"Rob has been raising the case of the detained Canadians. That is really important for the Chinese to be hearing directly from us," Freeland told public broadcaster CBC.

"It's a terrible situation and we are very clear that these two men are arbitrarily detained."

Freeland said she had sought a meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to no avail.

The detentions have thrown relations between Ottawa and Beijing into crisis.

Two other Canadians convicted of drug trafficking have been sentenced to death, while Beijing also blocked Canadian shipments of canola and pork worth billions of dollars.

In response, Ottawa has rallied a dozen countries to its side, including Britain, France, Germany and the United States, as well as the EU, NATO and the G7.DR Congo politician Etienne Tshisekedi died in February 2017, aged 84

The body of the opposition figurehead father of DR Congo's new president is to be repatriated to his home country two years after he died in Belgium, family members said on Tuesday.

Etienne Tshisekedi, whose son Felix was this year sworn in as leader in the country's first peaceful transition of power in decades, is to be returned to DR Congo for burial next week.

He died in Brussels aged 84 in February 2017 but his body stayed in the Belgian capital due to political tensions with the regime of ex-president Joseph Kabila.

"The body of Etienne Tshisekedi arrives May 30 and the funeral will happen at Martyrs stadium," his brother, Archbishop Gerard Mulumba, told AFP.

He said the burial was expected to take place on June 1.

Relatives told AFP that Etienne Tshisekedi's body would be repatriated the day before.

"It's been more than two years since we did everything we could (to repatriate the body)," said Mulumba.

"Now that things are going better, we are obviously relieved," he said.

A veteran political campaigner, Etienne Tshisekedi spent decades in opposition but never reached the top job.

A critic of former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, he co-founded the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) in 1982 after a stint in prison.

In 1997, after Mobutu was ousted in a rebellion led by Kabila's father, Laurent, Tshisekedi quickly became an opponent of the new regime -- a stance that continued after Laurent's assassination in 2001 and his son's rise to power.

Beaten in 2011 elections tainted by massive irregularities, Tshisekedi refused to recognise Kabila's legitimacy to the very last.

Almost two years after his death, on January 24, his son Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in as president after elections that saw Kabila quit following 18 years in power.

The election however was marred by widespread allegations of rigging and the country's politics remain overshadowed by Kabila, who amassed extensive clout during his time in charge.

On Monday Tshisekedi named government veteran Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba as the next prime minister.McDonald's has been the target of dozens of new sexual harassment complaints

McDonald's workers filed dozens of new sexual harassment charges against the fast food giant, advocates said Tuesday, escalating a years-long battle for unionization in the US and stronger worker protections.

The complaints, filed with the US agency that investigates workplace misconduct, were on behalf of workers in 20 cities.

Allegations included groping, indecent exposure, propositions for sex and retaliation against those who complained.

Dozens of workers protested in front of the company's headquarters in Chicago, two days before its annual shareholders' meeting, tying their efforts to the #MeToo movement.

"I was subjected to a humiliating and intimidating environment at McDonald's and managers did nothing to stop it," said Jamelia Fairley, a worker of a Florida store who filed a complaint.

In advance of the protest, McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook said in a letter that the company has improved its sexual harassment policy, training and education initiatives, and provided resources for its franchisees to do the same.

"The McDonald's system has always had an unyielding commitment to providing a safe and respectful work environment for all," Easterbrook said in the letter.

The company has said it has limited authority over the personnel decisions of its US franchisees -- independent businesses that operate more than 90 percent of its 14,000 US restaurants.

Workers say little if anything has changed since 10 complaints were filed last year with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and 15 complaints in 2016.

Many of the cases are still pending -- two have advanced to lawsuits, joining three other lawsuits filed outside of EEOC review, according to workers' advocates who claim McDonald's has not done enough to address their concerns.

"We can find no one who has heard of a new policy or training initiative," said Gillian Thomas, an attorney with the ACLU Women's Rights Project, which is helping the workers.

Workers are demanding the right to help craft sexual harassment policies and for the corporation to assert control over the personnel decisions of franchisees.

Their demands are part of a unionization effort of McDonald's workers known as "Fight for $15" -- an initiative begun in 2012 with demands for a $15 minimum wage.

The Time's Up legal defense fund, created to help workers who don't have deep pockets to fight sexual harassment, is bankrolling the effort.No caption

Jihadists launched a counterattack against regime forces Tuesday on the edges of their bastion in northwestern Syria, leaving dead 26 pro-government fighters and 18 jihadists, a monitor said.

The jihadist-dominated Idlib region is nominally protected by a buffer zone deal, but the regime and its Russian ally have escalated their bombardment of it in recent weeks, seizing several towns on its southern flank.

Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, controls a large part of Idlib province as well as adjacent slivers of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces.

Jihadists on Tuesday launched a counterattack against pro-government positions to the south of the enclave, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The fighting in the town of Kafr Nabuda in the north of Hama province killed 26 pro-government fighters, as well as 18 jihadists, the Britain-based monitoring group said.

One of the jihadists who died was a suicide bomber who killed five of the 26 soldiers in an attack.

The regime's forces took control of the town on May 8, according to the Observatory.

Regime planes also pounded the northern Hama countryside, while Russian aircraft carried out strikes on the south of Idlib province and the west of Aleppo province, it said.

State news agency SANA said "terrorist groups" -- a catch-all term for opposition armed groups -- had fired missiles on the west of regime-held Aleppo city, wounding six civilians.

Russia and rebel ally Turkey inked a buffer zone deal in September to protect the Idlib region of some three million people, amid fears of a massive regime offensive.

But regime fire has increased again since HTS took control in January.

The Observatory says 180 civilians have been killed in the flare-up since April 30, and the United Nations has said tens of thousands have fled their homes.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions inside Syria and abroad since starting in March 2011 with a crackdown on anti-government protests.Angola's President Joao Lourenco (pictured April 2019) cancelled a real estate deal, stating in a decree that the contract had been cancelled "after establishing overcharging"

Angolan President Joao Lourenco has cancelled a $1.3-billion real estate tender that had been awarded to his predecessor's daughter Isabel dos Santos, the presidency said Tuesday.

In a decree, it said the contract had been cancelled "after establishing overcharging" and denounced a "violation of moral principles".

In January 2016 former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos approved a tender awarded to several companies -- including Urbinveste, in which his daughter Isabel is the main shareholder.

The tender was for the construction of a new suburb in the capital Luanda.

Isabel, the former president's oldest daughter and believed to be the richest woman in Africa, said on Twitter on Monday that the allegations of "over-invoicing are unfounded".

"There is a will by new Angolan executive to demonstrate, even without any facts and without proof, that those who worked at the time of the previous executive were dishonest," she tweeted.

In a statement, Urbinveste described the cancellation of the contract without proof "of overcharging" as "incomprehensible ... and incoherent", saying it had followed public procurement procedures.

Relations between Dos Santos's family and Lourenco have soured since the former handed over power in 2017, after 38 years in office.

The new president has embarked on a large-scale clean up of government and state-owned companies, targeting the ex-leaders relatives.

Within three months of taking control of Angola, Lourenco sacked Isabel as head of the state-run oil company and set about dismantling the empire built by Dos Santos.

Last year Dos Santos' son was fired from his position as head of the sovereign wealth fund.

Most of the dos Santos family are now abroad.The cartoon character "Arthur" is an aardvark who, at the age of eight, is older than the six-week-old baby pictured at a German zoo

A public television station in the conservative southern US state of Alabama refused to broadcast an episode of the cartoon "Arthur" that depicted a marriage between two same-sex characters, US media said.

"Arthur," an American-Canadian series which first aired in 1996, tells the story of an eight-year-old aardvark, his family and friends.

In the episode "Mr Ratburn and the Special Someone," Arthur and his friends attend the wedding of their teacher Mr Ratburn with Patrick, a chocolate-maker.

Mr Ratburn is a rat, while Patrick is a long-eared aardvark like Arthur.

Rather than broadcast the episode which aired nationally in mid-May, Alabama Public Television (APT) replaced it with a re-run.

"Although we strongly encourage parents to watch television with their children and talk about what they have learned afterwards -- parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision," Mike McKenzie, the channel's director of programming, was quoted by the local AL.com news website as saying.

"We also know that children who are younger than the 'target' audience for Arthur also watch the program."

Alabama is in the headlines this week after passing the country's most restrictive abortion ban.

It's not the first time that the issue of homosexuality in a children's program has generated controversy.

In September, a longtime writer for the beloved children's show "Sesame Street" appeared to confirm years of speculation that the puppets Bert and Ernie were a "loving couple."

The show's creators denied the pair were together and the writer seemed to backtrack.The Russian aircraft included two Tu-95 strategic bombers, similar to the ones pictured May 4, 2019

US fighters intercepted six Russian military aircraft in international airspace west of Alaska, and shadowed them until they exited the area, the North American Air Defense Command said Tuesday.

The Russian aircraft included two Tu-95 strategic bombers, which were intercepted Monday by two F-22 fighters, the command said.

A second group of two Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters were also intercepted by a pair of F-22 fighters, it said.

An AWACS surveillance plane monitored the operations, NORAD said, adding that the Russian aircraft were in international airspace throughout.

They were picked up as they entered the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, a perimeter line that lies outside national airspace but within which air traffic is kept under constant surveillance to reduce response times in case of a hostile threat.

"Our ability to deter and defeat threats to our citizens and vital infrastructure starts with detecting, tracking, and positively identifying aircraft in our airspace," NORAD's commander, General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, said.

"We are on alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," he said.

The United States has four Air Defense Identification Zones. The Alaska zone extends about 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the state's coast.Former Mozambique finance minister Manuel Chang (pictured January 2019 at his extradition trial in South Africa) will be extradited to his home country

South Africa said Tuesday it would send home former Mozambique finance minister Manuel Chang, who has been held since December on a US arrest warrant, to face corruption charges.

"I have decided that the accused, Mr Manuel Chang, will be extradited to stand trial for his alleged offences in Mozambique," South African Justice Minister Michael Masutha said in a statement.

"I am satisfied that the interest of justice will be best served by acceding to the request by the Republic of Mozambique," Masutha said.

Chang, 63, was arrested at Johannesburg airport in December at the request of US authorities over alleged involvement in fraudulent loans to Mozambique state firms worth $2 billion (1.76 billion euros).

Mozambique has accused Chang of receiving $17 million in kickbacks in a scam which creamed off hundreds of millions.

In the US, Chang faces charges of conspiracy to commit electronic fraud, financial security violations and money laundering, and could be jailed for up to 45 years if found guilty.

The South African minister said he had noted that the US submitted its extradition request weeks before Mozambique's one.

After weighing the relevant facts and taking into account the criteria contained in both the extradition treaties between the US and South Africa, and the southern African SADC regional bloc agreement on extradition, he said he had decided to send Chang back home.

US Assistant Secretary of State Tibor Nagy in March said he expected Pretoria to honour an extradition accord it signed in 1999.

- 'Seriousness of alleged offence' -

South African Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu had indicated in February however that Chang would be handed to Maputo because it would be "the easiest thing for everybody".

In reaching his decision, Masutha said he had taken into consideration that the alleged offence was committed whilst Chang was a cabinet minister in Mozambique and also his preference to face trial in his native country.

The minister said he also took into account the "seriousness of the alleged offence" and the "onerous debt for Mozambique as a result of the alleged fraud".

In Mozambique, Chang stands accused of abuse of position and function, violation of budget law, fraud, embezzlement, receiving bribes, money laundering and criminal association.

The charges against Chang relate to loans taken out by the government in Maputo when he was head of treasury between 2005 and 2015.

An independent audit found that a quarter of the loan amount was illicitly diverted.

The US alleges at least $200 million of the loans was spent on bribes and kick-backs.

Mozambique has arrested several other suspects linked to the scandal, including the son of ex-president Armando Guebuza, and senior intelligence officials.

In January, three former Credit Suisse workers were arrested in London and charged with helping to create $2 billion in maritime projects as a front.Jonathan Pollard was released in November 2015 after serving a 30-year term for passing sensitive security documents to Israel

Jonathan Pollard, the American spy jailed for decades, gave a rare interview Tuesday in which he criticised Israel for not helping him emigrate after selling American secrets to the Jewish state.

"It's a question of priorities. There always seems to be something else" more important, Pollard told Channel 12 during an interview at a New York cafe.

Pollard, 64, was released in November 2015 after serving a 30-year term for passing sensitive security documents to Israel while working as a US Navy intelligence analyst.

Under the terms of his release, he was barred from leaving the United States for five years and as a result prevented from moving to Israel.

"To make me a priority would mean that the government actually cared and said 'this is what we want, we want him to come home'. That simply hasn't been done," Pollard said.

He rebuked the Israeli government for "missing several chances" to discuss his case with US President Donald Trump or his predecessor Barack Obama.

Pollard was granted Israeli citizenship in 1995, but said he was not in contact with any officials from the country.

But the Israeli government said it remained "determined to ensure the return of Jonathan Pollard to Israel".

"The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has discussed the subject several times with the American president and will do so until he (Pollard) returns," the premier's office said in a statement.

Over the years Israeli right-wing activists have sought to turn Pollard into an icon for what they see as his efforts to defend Israel's security, even when it meant spying on Israel's closest ally.

In the US, however, Pentagon and CIA officials are still angry about the classified documents he leaked after making contact with an Israeli colonel in New York.

Israel's October 1985 raid on the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Tunis headquarters that killed around 60 people was planned with information from Pollard, according to CIA documents declassified in 2012.US President Donald Trump: Democrats are debating whether to launch an impeachment probe of Trump over allegations he tried to obstruct the Russia meddling investigation

Democratic Party talk of impeachment intensified Tuesday after Donald Trump's former lawyer Don McGahn refused to testify about obstruction allegations against the US president.

House Democratic leaders held off fresh pressure from rank-and-file legislators to launch an effort to remove the president, after the White House again stymied their probe into Trump's actions in the Russia meddling investigation.

But McGahn's refusal to abide by a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee stoked the furor among Democrats, with more demanding the party resolve to put the president on trial.

"Stonewalling Congress on witnesses and the unredacted Mueller report only enhances the President's appearance of guilt, and as a result, he has pushed Congress to a point where we must start an impeachment inquiry," said Representative Mark Pocan, one of the leaders of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

"We need to do our job & vote on impeachment," tweeted Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has so far fended off pressure to pursue that option, scheduled a party meeting Wednesday to discuss the issue.

"I don't think we're there at this point in time," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Pelosi's deputy, said Tuesday.

Hoyer said they would continue on the current path of investigating Trump, which has included seeking testimony and documents that so far the Trump administration has refused to hand over.

"And if it leads to a conclusion that we need to proceed further through other avenues, including impeachment, so be it," he said.

- White House 'stonewalling' -

Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler blasted Donald Trump after the president's former lawyer Don McGahn rejected a committee subpoena to testify

McGahn's refusal to appear before the Judiciary Committee was the most recent in a growing list of ways the White House has frustrated investigations by the Democrat-controlled House.

Trump's Justice Department has refused to turn over to Congress the unexpurgated version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report on his Russia meddling and obstruction investigation, along with supporting documentary evidence.

Arrangements for Mueller himself to testify have been stalled on his insisting that much of his testimony take place in private.

And the White House appealed Tuesday against a federal court order for Trump's accountants to turn over years of his financial records to another House committee.

McGahn was subpoenaed to testify on evidence he provided to Mueller on Trump's efforts to stifle that investigation, evidence which Mueller indicated was strong enough to support criminal obstruction charges.

Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said each of the incidents that McGahn described to Mueller "constitutes a crime," and that McGahn must testify.

"Our subpoenas are not optional," Nadler said in opening the hearing with the witness chair empty.

"Let me be clear: this committee will hear Mr McGahn's testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it."

Nadler accused Trump of "stonewalling" but the White House maintains that Mueller's sprawling probe cleared the president, meaning there was no need for more digging.

US President Donald Trump's former aide Hope Hicks has been subpoenaed' to testify about her former boss by the House Judiciary Committee

The White House also says that people on Trump's staff cannot legally be compelled to testify.

Nadler underscored his disagreement and determination to force testimony Tuesday afternoon when his committee subpoenaed former Trump aide Hope Hicks and former McGahn chief of staff Annie Donaldson to testify.

There was no immediate indication of whether the White House, as with McGahn, would try to prevent them from appearing before the panel.

- Shadow of 2020 -

But Democrats remain divided on how to move ahead. With an election 18 months away, Democratic leaders have so far stuck to the position that determined investigations of Trump will serve a better purpose than a politically fraught impeachment effort.

The Washington Post reported that late Monday Nadler, whose committee would handle any impeachment action, told Pelosi that he favored opening an impeachment inquiry, the first step in the process.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a member of Nadler's committee, told reporters that she will formally introduce a "resolution of investigation" for impeachment "in the next 48 hours."

But Hoyer argued that his fellow Democrats were not yet ready.

"I don't think there is any Democrat who probably wouldn't in their gut say, he's done some things that probably justify impeachment," said Hoyer.

"Having said that... I think the majority of Democrats continue to believe that we need to continue to pursue the avenue that we've been on."US President Donald Trump's former aide Hope Hicks has been subpoenaed' to testify about her former boss by the House Judiciary Committee

The Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas Tuesday for former White House aides Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson to testify in the panel's obstruction investigation of President Donald Trump.

The subpoenas were announced hours after Trump's former lawyer and Donaldson's ex-boss Donald McGahn refused to testify to the committee under orders from the White House, raising the stakes in a power showdown between the two parties and two branches of government.

Like McGahn, both Hicks and Donaldson were important witnesses for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia meddling and obstruction investigation, their names appearing scores of times in his final report, which outlines potentially criminal obstruction acts by the president.

It was not immediately clear if the White House would also try to prevent them from testifying before the Judiciary Committee.

Hicks was a close aide to Trump during the 2016 election campaign and then became White House communications director until she stepped down in March 2018.

In both positions she had an inside view into actions by Trump and top associates, and spoke to the Mueller investigation on issues of both possible collusion with Russia and obstruction.

Donaldson was chief of staff for McGahn's White House Counsel office for nearly all of 2017, during which she took copious notes on meetings, conversations and actions that were addressed in the Mueller investigation.

McGahn's testimony to Mueller on Trump's attempts to interfere with the Russia investigation supported the strongest allegations by Mueller of potentially obstructive behavior.

Mueller's report makes clear that Donaldson corroborated much of McGahn's testimony.

Mueller ultimately declined to render a judgement on whether Trump obstructed justice, leaving it up to Congress to investigate further and take action to impeach Trump if warranted.President Donald Trump's meeting with the leaders of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands comes as Washington is pushing back against Chinese influence in the Pacific

President Donald Trump met Tuesday at the White House with the leaders of the tiny, but strategic states of Micronesia and other Pacific island nations to underline the leading US role in the region.

The brief but symbolic meeting demonstrated US support at a time when Washington is pushing back against expanding Chinese influence in the Pacific.

Trump hosted the presidents of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

After, they issued a joint statement to "jointly reaffirm our interest in a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region."

"It is in our mutual interest that the Pacific Ocean remains an important and vibrant corridor for maritime trade," the statement said in a possible message to China, which is projecting naval power further into previously US-dominated waters.

A senior White House official said "President Trump has been directing an unprecedented level of focus on the Pacific Islands, in recognition of the fact that the United States is a Pacific nation, with immutable strategic, economic, cultural and people-to-people links in the islands."

The tiny countries, formed from sprawling but lightly populated archipelagos, have what are known as compacts of free association with the United States dating back to the aftermath of World War II.

Washington pays much of their budgets and in return uses the territories as important links in a huge chain of military bases across the ocean.Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan (left) and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo give a statement after a closed-door briefing on Iran to lawmakers

President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday appeared set on easing weeks of escalating tensions with Iran, assuring worried lawmakers it does not seek war and crediting robust US military moves with deterring the clerical regime.

After a month of fiery warnings to Iran, top Trump officials delivered a classified briefing to the full US Congress where Democrats have accused the administration of hyping intelligence and pushing the United States dangerously close to war.

"This is about deterrence, not about war. We are not about going to war," Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, told reporters after exiting the closed-door briefing he gave with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Shanahan cast the US deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable B-52 bombers as reactive actions -- and said they sent a strong signal.

"We have deterred attacks based on reposturing of assets -- deterred attacks against American forces," Shanahan said.

"Our biggest focus at this point is to prevent Iranian miscalculation. We do not want the situation to escalate," he said.

Pompeo and Shanahan are believed to have shared intelligence that blamed Tehran -- enemy number one for Trump -- for security incidents involving US-allied Arabs.

Pompeo, in an interview earlier Tuesday, said it was "quite possible" Iran was behind sabotage of oil tankers off the United Arab Emirates as well as drone strikes on a crude pipeline in Saudi Arabia, although he stopped short of giving a definitive conclusion.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi arrives for a closed-door briefing on Iran at the US Capitol

Yemen's Huthi rebels, who are allied with Iran and are being hit hard by US-backed Saudi air strikes, claimed responsibility last week for a drone strike on a major east-west pipeline in the kingdom, which was forced to shut down temporarily.

Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the administration made a convincing case that Iran and its proxies were behind numerous attacks -- including a rocket that landed Sunday near the US embassy in Baghdad, which has been evacuated.

But McCaul also cast the US response as deterrence, telling reporters: "It was made very clear... there is no intention to go to war."

- 'Very dangerous game' -

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that the United States was "playing a very, very dangerous game" with military deployments, saying that some actors were "interested in accidents" -- a likely allusion to its regional rivals such as Saudi Arabia.

"There will be painful consequences for everybody (if) there is an escalation against Iran, that's for sure," he said," Zarif told CNN.

US Senator Bernie Sanders speaks to the media following a closed-door briefing on Iran at the US Capitol

Trump last year pulled out of a multinational agreement negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear work in return for promises of sanctions relief.

The administration, which is closely allied with Riyadh, instead vowed "maximum pressure" to weaken Iran's regional influence, including by trying to stop all oil sales by Tehran.

Democrats, while criticizing Iran, said its actions were predicted responses to Trump's actions and vowed to hold the White House to account after the debacle over the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Iran's military strength

Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent leftist who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, said that both the Iraq and Vietnam wars were based on lies.

"I worry very much that, intentionally or unintentionally, we can create a situation in which a war will take place," Sanders told reporters.

"I believe that a war with Iran would be an absolute disaster, far worse than the war with Iraq," Sanders said.

Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat who leads the House Armed Services Committee, said that Pompeo in the briefing gave "a very lengthy political argument" explaining "all the terrible things Iran has done" until the Democratic lawmaker said he cut him off and asked to hear about US policy.

"I think there's a risk of miscalculation on both sides. And that remains my biggest concern," Smith said.

- Opening on prisoners? -

Iranian demonstrators rally around an effigy of US President Donald Trump

Numerous Republicans have been clamoring for a tough stance on Iran that includes military options.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime hawk who is close to Trump, called the classified briefing a "game-changer."

"The appeasement strategy against Iran is over," he declared after the briefing.

But Trump has sent mixed signals, on Sunday warning by tweet that the United States could obliterate Iran while also calling for talks.

He similarly threatened North Korea before his historic meetings with its leader Kim Jong Un, although few expect Iran's leadership -- for whom anti-Americanism is a cardinal tenet of the 1979 Islamic revolution -- to meet Trump.

But Zarif has proposed a swap of prisoners, a step some observers say could offer a path to resume at least low-level dialogue to ease tensions.

Pompeo, in a radio interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, said without further explanation that there had been "just a hint" that Iran was moving to release imprisoned US citizens.

"Even a small confidence-building measure is a good thing, so it's absolutely the case that were they to release these Americans who are wrongfully held, it would be a good thing," Pompeo said.

burs-sct/dwSyrian rebels gather in a field in the northern countryside of Hama province during clashes with regime forces

The United States said Tuesday it suspected that Syrian government forces have carried out a fresh chemical attack and it threatened reprisals.

The State Department said it was assessing indications that the regime used chemical weapons on Sunday during its offensive in Idlib, the most significant remaining holdout in Syria of jihadist rebels.

"We are still gathering information on this incident, but we repeat our warning that if the Assad regime uses chemical weapons, the United States and our allies will respond quickly and appropriately," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

She also denounced Russia, the key ally of Damascus, for what she called a "disinformation campaign" as it tries to blame other parties for chemical attacks.

"The Assad regime's culpability in horrific chemical weapons attacks is undeniable," Ortagus said.

Russia and Turkey, the key ally of the rebels, in September reached an agreement that nominally protects Idlib amid fears for the safety of some three million people in the northwestern area.

But Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has seized a large part of the province and adjoining areas, triggering a regime offensive that includes strikes by Syrian and Russian airplanes.

Ortagus said that the offensive has "destroyed known health facilities, schools, residences and internally displaced person camps."

"The regime's attacks against the communities of northwest Syria must end," she said.

"The United States reiterates its warning, first issued by President (Donald) Trump in September 2018, that an attack against the Idlib de-escalation zone would be a reckless escalation that threatens to destabilize the region," she said.

- History of chemical attacks -

Syrian rebels gather in a field in northern Hama province amid clashes with regime forces

The warning came despite a trip to Russia last week by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who voiced optimism that the rival powers had found ways to work together on Syria.

Some 180 civilians have been killed in the flare-up since April 30, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor. The United Nations says that tens of thousands have fled their homes.

International inspectors say that Assad's forces have carried out a series of chemical attacks in the course of the brutal civil war, which has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since 2011.

A sarin gas attack in April 2017 in the town of Khan Sheikhun killed 83 people, according to the United Nations, leading Trump to order a strike by 59 cruise missiles on a Syrian air base.

His action was a reversal from his predecessor Barack Obama, who had declared chemical weapons to be a red line but controversially chose not to respond militarily and instead worked with Russia on a plan that aimed to remove the regime's chemical stockpile.

Trump, however, is also skeptical of a commitment in Syria and last year ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 US troops, although aides later said a small number would stay.Gabon is heavily forested and the timber industry is hugely important for the economy

Gabon's leader Ali Bongo on Tuesday announced the dismissal of his vice president and the minister of forests, in a move that comes amid a scandal over the smuggling of precious timber.

The president did not give a reason for the sackings of Vice President Pierre Claver Maganga Moussavou and Forestry and Environment Minister Guy Bertrand Mapangou, in his statement late Tuesday.

No new minister was appointed to the forest and environment portfolio, which was placed "under the direct authority" of the prime minister.

There have been intensifying calls for Mapangou to resign in recent days in the press and from civil society groups in the aftermath of the theft of hundreds of seized containers of kevazingo, a rare wood considered sacred.

Nearly 5,000 cubic metres (177,000 cubic feet) of kevazingo worth some 7 million euros ($7.8 million) was found in two depots belonging to Chinese companies in the Libreville port of Owendo in February and March.

Several suspects were arrested, but 353 of the containers -- which had been confiscated -- mysteriously disappeared.

The wood had allegedly been loaded into containers bearing water and forestry ministry labels, falsely describing it as okoume -- a kind of timber cleared for export.

Local media have called the scandal "kevazingogate".

Earlier in May, the government said several top Gabonese officials had been suspended over suspected involvement in smuggling the precious timber.

Kevazingo is a rare central African wood that is prized in Asia, notably for sculpting into temple doorways, tea tables and meeting tables.

Gabon, three quarters of whose land mass is forested, last year banned the exploitation of kevazingo after illegal felling reached alarming proportions.

The industry is hugely important for the West African nation's economy, supporting some 17,000 jobs, and is second only to the petroleum sector in terms of foreign earnings and accounts for 60 percent of non-oil related GDP.The Emir of Kano (C), Muhammadu Sanusi II is at the centre of tensions between new and old styles of governance

When the emir of Kano returned from pilgrimage this month, dancing supporters lined the streets to welcome a monarch commanding millions as one of Nigeria's principal Islamic leaders.

For years, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has inherited an ancient title in northern Nigeria that gave him power over an area the size of Israel with the population of Portugal.

But this month his power was cut, in a clash between traditional rule and formal government in Africa's most populous nation that has some worried about power struggles ahead.

The Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II commands millions of followers a key Islamic representative in majority Muslim north of Nigeria

The local governor carved up Kano emirate creating four new emirs -- and Sanusi's funds from state government were split among them in what critics say was a bid to curb his influence.

"Kano's pre-eminence as an emirate is dented," said Sule Bello, a history professor from Nigeria's Ahmadu Bello University.

"The new emirates will cause the influence and the prestige of the traditional institution to be whittled away."

In a changing Nigeria, it is a test case of tensions between governance styles old and new, experts say, that could have wide-reaching impact on other areas of the country.

- 'Power struggles' -

Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is the man who signed the new emirs into law.

Ganduje was narrowly re-elected in February and sees Sanusi as pro-opposition -- but insists he just wants to make traditional institutions more accountable.

A modernist reformer, he has spoken out against traditions such as marrying multiple wives, angering some Islamic leaders

"It is not a vendetta," Ganduje told reporters. "I'm not against him."

But others worry it is a divide-and-rule policy that could lead to conflict.

A group of activists, powerful politicians and academics from northern Nigeria calling themselves the "Friends of Democracy", said they were worried about potential violence.

Creating new emirs means the "politicisation of traditional authority", the group said.

"The situation will lead to power struggles for the throne among the different ruling clans in the new emirates," said Bello, a former head of the National Council for Arts and Culture.

- Scholar and critic -

Sanusi, an Islamic scholar, is the 14th emir following centuries of rule.

But the 57-year-old straddles two very different worlds; a leader of an ancient monarchy, he was once the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria -- a critical role in Africa's biggest oil producer.

In that post, he earned a reputation as a straight-talking leader, not afraid to speak out against corruption, although he faced -- and denied -- accusations of graft himself.

He became emir in 2014, selected by elders and then confirmed by the governor, after inheriting the post from his great-uncle.

A modernist reformer, he has also spoken out against traditions of marrying multiple wives and having several children if the man cannot support the family, angering some Islamic leaders.

- 'Unity' -

Loyalty to the emir remains strong.

Many ordinary people have grown sceptical of democratic systems they see as rigged, and where elected officials treat public cash as their own private funds.

Traditional leaders, viewed as the holders of ancient cultural powers passed down through the centuries, still have major influence

Traditional leaders, viewed as the holders of ancient cultural powers passed down through the centuries, still have major influence.

As an Islamic leader in a state with sharia law in majority Muslim northern Nigeria, it is a powerful post.

"I grew up to revere the emir," said Saratu Bature, a mother, who cried at the news of the changes, fearing it could weaken an ancient system of stability.

"The emir has been a source of unity among our people," she said. "The new decision will destroy all that."

Many people are unhappy.

"The creation of new emirates in Kano was done in bad faith... the governor has politicised his personal problem with the emir," said Mansur Ibrahim, a textile trader in Kano.

"Breaking it into smaller emirates will no doubt distort our history, culture and tradition."

- Show of power -

Supporters of the emir of Kano see the new law as a way to reduce his influence in the state.

"Dismembering the emirate is nothing but destroying it," said teacher Umar Habu.

"We all know the governor and the emir have differences, but instead of fighting the emir, the governor is destroying the royal institution. He is throwing away the baby and the bathwater."

The move to cut Sanusi's powers was made while he was in Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage to Mecca.

Neither Sanusi nor his courtiers have made a statement on the issue -- but when he returned to Nigeria, his arrival reception was held with extra flair.

Supporters fired muskets into the air, as the emir drove through the city in a white Rolls-Royce, dressed in his finery of embroidered robes and turban.

It was a very visible display of power.

As a message, it could not have been clearer; the emir is here to stay.Beverly Hills, California is set to become the first US city ban the sale of all all tobacco products - with one exception

Posh Beverly Hills is poised to outlaw the sale of all tobacco products -- except at cigar lounges where the rich and famous like Arnold Schwarzenegger are assured they can keep puffing away.

Under the proposed ordinance, described as the first of its kind in the nation, the sale of tobacco products would be banned starting in January 2021. An initial vote on the measure is scheduled for late Tuesday, with a final vote is set for June 4.

Beverly Hills already has strict rules that outlaw smoking on sidewalks or in multi-unit housing.

The new law would apply to the sale of cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes at gas stations, pharmacies, convenience stores and other retailers.

"We are a city that has taken the lead on restricting smoking and promoting public health," Mayor John Mirisch said in a statement. "Somebody has to be first, so let it be us."

However three cigar lounges whose customers include celebrities and local elites would be exempt from the ban.

Fearing that their beloved parlors could go up in smoke because of the new law, aficionados in recent months flooded the Beverly Hills Health and Safety Commission with letters urging that the clubs be exempt.

Rigoberto Fernandez, owner of the Buena Vista Cigar Club, wrote that a radical ban would be devastating for his family and drive him out of business.

Hollywood star and former state governor Schwarzenegger wrote in support of the exclusive Grand Havana Room, which he called a "home away from home," where community members ranging from politicians to artists and rabbis are known to gather.

Former "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger is among the most famous cigar aficionados

"It is unthinkable that the city might adopt a policy that would intentionally or unintentionally cause the closure of this character-defining institution, and it should not do so," Schwarzenegger wrote.

Even the chairman of cardiac surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles has chimed in, saying he visits the Grand Havana Room several times a week to kick back and have a cigar.

"At the end of a busy (day) doing cardiac surgery, I go to the Grand Havana Room to relax and enjoy the company of friends," wrote Richard Shemin.

The proposed ordinance has been met with mixed reactions, with some business owners saying it would turn away well-heeled tourists while health advocates insisting that it is the right thing to do.

City officials said they also expect legal challenges from tobacco companies who stand to lose in sales.Kenya's decision on gay rights could reverberate across Africa

Kenya's High Court is on Friday expected to deliver a long-awaited ruling on whether to scrap colonial-era laws which criminalise homosexuality, a verdict that could have repercussions across Africa.

However, the LGBT community fears yet another postponement. In February, the three-judge bench pushed back its decision, citing a heavy workload, prompting dismay from a persecuted community who have fought for years to be accepted.

"There are a lot of mixed emotions around this because people are just wary of the fact that it could be postponed yet again," Brian Macharia of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), one of the petitioners, told AFP.

"Everyone is just hopeful and we recognise that things could go either way."

Gay rights organisations are asking the court to scrap two sections of the penal code that criminalise homosexuality.

One section states that anyone who has "carnal knowledge... against the order of nature" can be imprisoned for 14 years. Another provides for a five-year jail term for "indecent practices between males".

Activists believe Kenya has a chance to blaze a trail in Africa where homophobia is virulent in many communities, with similar laws in over half the countries on the continent.

While convictions under the decades-old laws are rare, gay activists say the legislation is unconstitutional and fuels homophobia.

The National Gay And Lesbian Human Rights Commission says it dealt with 15 prosecutions under the laws in 2018, with no convictions recorded.

- 'Unimaginable harm' -

The petitioners argue that under Kenya's 2010 constitution, every person is said to be equal before the law.

Pride: Fiona Thabatha, left, and Shakira Leota, finalists in the 2017 Miss Gay South Africa competition. The country's 1996 post-apartheid constitution scrapped legal discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation

However members of the LGBT community are blackmailed, evicted, fired, expelled from school, or assaulted over their sexual orientation, but are unable to access justice without effectively confessing to a crime.

"LGBTQ people in Kenya for years and years have faced and suffered violence and harm in unimaginable ways, but justice has not been afforded to them because of the penal code," said Macharia.

Activists are optimistic of an eventual ruling in their favour, given recent decisions by the court.

In March, the High Court banned forced anal testing of men suspected of being gay.

And in September, a court ruled that "Rafiki" ("Friend"), a film about a lesbian love affair which was the first Kenyan movie to be shown at the Cannes film festival, could be screened domestically for seven days after its initial banning.

Macharia said Kenya's powerful churches had been holding special events in the leadup to the ruling to fight what they term "the LGBT agenda".

"The church is spreading a lot of hatred, a lot of misinformation," he said.

The petition is being fought by an association of Catholics, Protestants and evangelicals.

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa with anti-homosexuality laws

Twenty-eight out of 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have laws penalising same-sex relationships, according to Neela Ghoshal, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) specialist in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights.

The death penalty is on the books, under Islamic sharia law, in Mauritania, Sudan and northern Nigeria, although there have been no known executions in recent times. In southern Somalia, gay men are believed to have been put to death in territory ruled by the Al-Shabaab jihadist group.

Angola, Mozambique and Seychelles have scrapped anti-gay laws in recent years.

On the other hand, Chad and Uganda have introduced or toughened legislation.MIAMI (AP) - The first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season was fizzling out Tuesday over the western Atlantic, far from any shore.

The National Hurricane Center said Subtropical Storm Andrea was about 280 miles (450 kilometers) west-southwest of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds dropping to about 35 mph (55 kph). As of 11 a.m., it was moving northward at 8 mph (13 kph) and turning northeastward.

The Miami-based center said people in Bermuda should monitor the storm's progress.

But it says "Andrea is expected to degenerate into a remnant low" pressure system without posing a hazard to land.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Yemen's Iranian-allied Houthi rebels attacked a Saudi airport and military base with a bomb-laden drone Tuesday, an assault acknowledged by the kingdom as Middle East tensions remained high between Tehran and Washington. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The attack on the Saudi city of Najran came after Iran announced it has quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity, though still at a level far lower than needed for atomic weapons, a year after the U.S. withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.

Underlining the tensions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is seeking expanded executive powers to better deal with "economic war" triggered by the Trump's administration's renewal and escalation of sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

"A person or a nation might be under pressure but the Iranian nation will not bow to bullies," Rouhani vowed in a televised speech Tuesday night.

By increasing production, Iran soon will exceed the stockpile limitations set by the nuclear accord. Tehran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to put forth new terms for the deal, or it will enrich closer to weapons-grade levels in a Middle East already on edge. The U.S. has deployed bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over still-unspecified threats from Iran, which is the biggest rival in the region to the U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia.

Before a briefing on the situation to Congress , acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan suggested the U.S. military response to Iranian threats has already had an effect. He said U.S. military moves have given Iran "time to recalculate" and as a result the potential for attacks on Americans is "on hold," although the threat has not gone away.

In this Sunday, May 19, 2019 photo, an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter transports cargo from the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during a replenishment-at-sea operation in the Arabian Sea, as Mideast tensions remain high between Tehran and the United States. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Darion Chanelle Triplett/U.S. Navy via AP)

In the drone attack, the Houthis' Al-Masirah satellite news channel said they targeted the airport in Najran with a Qasef-2K drone, striking an "arms depot." Najran, 840 kilometers (525 miles) southwest of Riyadh, lies on the Saudi-Yemen border and has repeatedly been targeted by the Houthis.

A statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi-led coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki as saying the Houthis "had tried to target" a civilian site in Najran, without elaborating.

Al-Maliki warned there would be a "strong deterrent" to such attacks and described the Houthis as the "terrorist militias of Iran." Similar Houthi attacks have sparked Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen, which have been widely criticized internationally for killing civilians.

Civilian airports across the Middle East often host military bases.

The New York Times reported last year that American intelligence analysts were based in Najran, assisting the Saudis and a deployment of U.S. Army Green Berets on the border. Lt. Col. Earl Brown, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said there were "no U.S. personnel involved nor present at Najran" at the time of the attack.

Last week, the Houthis launched a coordinated drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Earlier this month, officials in the United Arab Emirates alleged that four oil tankers were sabotaged and U.S. diplomats relayed a warning that commercial airlines could be misidentified by Iran and attacked, something dismissed by Tehran.

In its nuclear program announcement Monday night, Iranian officials stressed that the uranium would be enriched only to the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 nuclear deal, making it usable for a power plant but far below what's needed for an atomic weapon.

Iran said it had told the International Atomic Energy Agency of the development. The Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog did not respond to a request for comment. Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them.

President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise to pull the U.S. from the Iran deal, has alternated tough talk with more conciliatory statements - a strategy he says is aimed at keeping Iran guessing at the administration's intentions. Trump also has said he hopes Iran calls him and engages in negotiations.

But while Trump's approach of flattery and threats has become a hallmark of his foreign policy, the risks have only grown in dealing with Iran, where mistrust between Tehran and Washington goes back four decades. While both sides say they don't seek war, many worry any miscalculation could spiral out of control. A Trump tweet Monday warning Iran would face its "official end" if it threatened the U.S. drew sharp rebuke from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Twitter, who used the hashtag #NeverThreatenAnIranian.

In Iran, it remains unclear what powers Rouhani seeks. In Iran's 1980s war with Iraq, a wartime supreme council was able to bypass other branches to make decisions regarding the economy and the war.

"Today, we need such powers," Rouhani said, according to IRNA. He added that country "is united that we should resist the U.S. and the sanctions."

Meanwhile, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told an audience in the United Arab Emirates on Monday night that America "needs to engage more in the world and intervene militarily less." While "Iran's behavior must change," he urged the U.S. not to engage in unilateral action and that American "military must work to buy time for diplomats to work their magic."

"I will assure you no nation will be more honest with you than America," the retired Marine Corps general said, according to a report in the state-linked newspaper The National. "America will frustrate you at times because of its form of government, but the UAE and America will always find their way back to common ground, on that I have no doubt."

Mattis abruptly resigned in December after clashing with Trump over withdrawing troops in Syria. He spoke at a previously unannounced speech before a Ramadan lecture series in honor of Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

___

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed.

In this Sunday, May 19, 2019, photo released by the U.S. Navy, an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the "Nightdippers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 transports cargo from the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during a replenishment-at-sea in the Arabian Sea.(Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeff Sherman/U.S. Navy via AP)

In this Monday May 20, 2019 photo, Jim Mattis, former US Secretary of Defense, right, prepares to deliver a lecture "The Value of the UAE - US Strategic Relationship", at Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the U.S. and Mexico sits at left. Mattis told the audience that America "needs to engage more in the world and intervene militarily less." (Eissa Al Hammadi-Ministry of Presidential Affairs/WAM via AP)

In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rouhani said Wednesday that it will begin keeping its excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms to its nuclear deal with world powers before it will resume higher uranium enrichment. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

In this Monday May 20, 2019 photo, Jim Mattis, former US Secretary of Defense, right, prepares to deliver a lecture "The Value of the UAE - US Strategic Relationship", at Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the U.S. and Mexico sits at left. Mattis told the audience that America "needs to engage more in the world and intervene militarily less." (Eissa Al Hammadi-Ministry of Presidential Affairs/WAM via AP)

In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani, center, heads a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Rouhani said Wednesday that it will begin keeping its excess uranium and heavy water from its nuclear program, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms to its nuclear deal with world powers before it will resume higher uranium enrichment. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

In this Saturday May 18, 2019, photo, two U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornets fly alongside two AV-8B Harrier over the Arabian Sea. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group are conducting joint operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, as Mideast tensions remain high between Tehran and the United States. (Lt. Logan Holshey/US Navy via AP)WASHINGTON (AP) - Tamping down talk of war, top Trump administration officials told Congress on Tuesday that recent actions by the U.S. deterred attacks on American forces. But some lawmakers remained deeply skeptical of the White House approach in the Middle East.

After a day of closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said their objective over recent days has been to deter Iran. Now they want to prevent further escalation, Shanahan said.

"We're not about going to war," Shanahan told reporters.

"Our biggest focus at this point is to prevent Iranian miscalculation," said Shanahan, flanked by Pompeo, after back-to-back briefings for the House and Senate. "We do not want the situation to escalate."

The officials arrived on Capitol Hill as questions mounted over President Donald Trump's tough talk on Iran and sudden policy shifts in the region. Skeptical Democrats sought out a second opinion, holding their own briefing with former Obama administration officials, former CIA Director John Brennan and Wendy Sherman, an architect of the Iran nuclear deal.

The competing closed-door sessions Tuesday came after weeks of escalating tensions that raised alarms over a possible military confrontation with Iran.

Former CIA Director John Brennan, left, and Wendy Sherman, right, a former State Department official and top negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal, arrive to meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., about the situation in Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Trump, veering between bombast and conciliation in his quest to contain Iran, threatened Monday to meet provocations by Iran with "great force," but he also said he's willing to negotiate.

The results of the meetings Tuesday were mixed, with views settling largely along partisan lines.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said the action taken by the Trump administration "is totally appropriate" and sends a message that "if you attack our people, there will be a response."

Romney characterized it as defensive in nature and meant to deter Iran from "malign" actions.

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, a veteran of the Iraq War, left the classified House briefing, saying: "What I heard in there makes it clear that this administration feels that they do not have to come back and talk to Congress in regards to any action they do in Iran."

Democrats are particularly concerned the Trump administration may try to rely on nearly 20-year-old war authorizations rather than seek fresh approval from Congress for any action.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he told Pompeo and the others their consultation with Congress has been "inadequate." Shananan said he and the others heard that message and vowed to better communicate with lawmakers and the public.

In recent weeks, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft and other assets to the region, and is moving a Patriot missile battery to an undisclosed country in the area. The Trump administration has evacuated nonessential personnel from Iraq, amid unspecified threats the administration says are linked to Iran.

Shanahan said the recent U.S. actions in the region were based on "credible threats" to U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East.

"We have deterred attacks based on our repositioning of assets, deterred attacks against American forces," he said.

Pompeo said he tried to put the Iran situation in the country's 40-year history of "malign" actions.

Pompeo, a former congressman, has become somewhat of a polarizing figure on Capitol Hill, and some lawmakers left the meeting saying he was lecturing and arrogant.

Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he interjected at one point during the briefing: "We know Iran is bad, OK? What is the policy going forward? There wasn't enough information on that."

Smith said Pompeo was asked why it took so long to brief Congress. The congressman said the secretary's answer was, "We were busy." He said it was not an acceptable answer.

Earlier, Brennan told House Democrats that while Tehran wants to avoid conflict, the country's leadership will not capitulate to Trump. Sherman warned that reckless behavior by the Trump administration in Iran is hurting the U.S.'s credibility and undermining moderates in the country. Their comments were conveyed by a person in the room who was not authorized to discuss the private meeting by name.

Top Democrats say Trump escalated problems by abruptly withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, a complex accord negotiated during the Obama administration to prevent Iran from nuclear weapons production.

"I have yet to see any exhibited strategy," said Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, a former CIA officer. She said she finds many of the administration's recent statements on Iran to be "deeply troubling."

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the chairman of the House intelligence committee, said, "What I'm interested in more right now is what the administration's strategy is - if they have one - to keep us out of war."

Republicans and Trump's allies in Congress said the threats from Iran are real. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., suggested lawmakers who say otherwise are doing so for political reasons. GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina urged Trump to "stand firm."

The U.S. military appears to have concluded that Iran was behind the reported attack May 12 on four commercial vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A U.S. official said Monday a probe into the attack was finished and evidence still pointed at Iran, although the official did not provide details. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and so spoke on condition of anonymity.

On Sunday, a rocket landed near the U.S. Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraq's capital of Baghdad, days after nonessential U.S. staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. No one was reported injured.

Defense officials said no additional Iranian threats or incidents had emerged in the days since the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier battle group arrived in the Arabian Sea late last week.

Iran, meanwhile, announced that it has quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity. Officials said it remains set to the limits of a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below what's needed for an atomic weapon.

Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, though the West fears its program could allow it to build them.

___

Associated Press writers Robert Burns, Lolita Baldor and Matthew Daly contributed to this report.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., departs a meeting with the Democratic Caucus where members heard from former CIA Director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for a trip to a Montoursville, Pa., for a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - The defendant charged with killing 17 people in last year's Florida school shooting was back in court, but only to learn the next time he must show up.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer on Tuesday set new hearing dates for May 28 and July 17 for 20-year-old Nikolas Cruz in the February 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Cruz could get the death penalty if convicted.

Nothing of note was raised at Tuesday's hearing.

Cruz's attorneys say he would plead guilty in return for a life prison sentence, but prosecutors have refused that offer.

The presiding judge recently ordered that the Broward County public defender's office must continue to represent Cruz for now even though he could get an estimated $432,000 payout before taxes from his late mother's annuity.JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A federal judge indicated Tuesday that he is likely to block a Mississippi law that will ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

The new law puts a cutoff point for abortion at about six weeks, when many women may not yet know they're pregnant.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves heard arguments about a request from the state's only abortion clinic, which wants him to block the law from taking effect July 1, as scheduled. Reeves is the same judge who ruled last year that Mississippi's 15-week ban is unconstitutional because it would prohibit access to abortion before a fetus could survive outside the pregnant woman's body. Viability is generally considered to be about 23 or 24 weeks.

In an indication of which way he is leaning on the request to block the new law, Reeves asked attorneys: "Doesn't it boil down to: Six is less than 15?"

Mississippi is one of several states enacting abortion restrictions this year in hopes that the U.S. Supreme Court, with new conservative justices, will reevaluate and maybe overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Reeves criticized Mississippi lawmakers for passing an earlier ban after he struck down the one at 15 weeks.

Amanda Furdge of Jackson and a mother of three boys, relates her experience seeking an abortion in the state, as she addresses abortion rights advocates at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., during a rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans that prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The rally in Jackson was one of many around the country to protest abortion restrictions that states are enacting. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

"It sure smacks of defiance to this court," he said.

The state is appealing Reeves' ruling on the 15-week ban, and Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed the new law in March. The state's only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, quickly sued the state.

Reeves said he would decide soon on the request to block the law, but did not indicate when he would issue a ruling.

Governors in Kentucky, Ohio and Georgia have signed bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Alabama's governor signed a measure making abortion a felony in nearly all cases.

The Mississippi law says physicians who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of their state medical licenses. It also says abortions could be allowed after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy endangers a woman's life or one of her major bodily functions. Senators rejected an amendment that would have allowed exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

Hillary Schneller, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Mississippi law is "clearly unconstitutional" because it bans abortion before viability.

If the law were to take effect, "Women will be forced to leave the state to obtain legal abortions ... or will be forced to remain pregnant against their will," Schneller said.

Mississippi Special Assistant Attorney General Paul Barnes said the new law is not an outright ban on abortion but a limitation on when the procedure can be done.

"When a fetal heartbeat is detected, our position is it is constitutional" to prohibit abortion, Barnes said. He also said the state respectfully disagrees with Reeves' ruling on the 15-week ban.

If Reeves temporarily blocks the new Mississippi law, he would hear arguments later on the larger question of constitutionality.

Reeves asked Barnes whether a 10- or 11-year-old girl who is impregnated by rape would have to carry the pregnancy to full term if she waited too long to tell anyone what had happened to her. Barnes said he did not know whether a family court judge would allow the child to have an abortion after the fetal heartbeat is found. Barnes said the man who impregnated the girl could be charged with capital rape.

Reeves said legislators were aware the law did not allow exceptions for rape or incest. Barnes said he did not know if they knew, and Reeves responded: "Well, they speak through their statute."

After the court hearing, more than 100 abortion-rights supporters rallied outside the state Capitol in downtown Jackson less than a mile from the federal courthouse. They chanted: "We won't go back" and "My body, my choice."

Zakiya Summers of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi said outlawing abortion will not get rid of the procedure but will make it more dangerous.

"The decision whether to become a parent is in the hands of those who are involved. It is not the politicians' decision to make," Summers said. "Bodies do not belong to the government."

After the rally, Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves held a news conference at a church in the Jackson suburb of Byram with pastors and others who oppose abortion. Tate Reeves, no relation to the federal judge, said he will continue to try to restrict abortion if he is elected governor this year.

"Mississippi is overwhelmingly pro-life," Tate Reeves said. "And we need a governor that will be overwhelmingly pro-life."

____

Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus .

An abortion rights advocate who did not want to be identified detains Coleman Boyd, right, an anti-abortion supporter, as he tries to disrupt a gathering of rights advocates who gathered at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., to voice their opposition to the state legislature passing a new law that prohibits most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Mindy Brown, of Yazoo City, Miss. holds up a sign and a hanger at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., voicing her opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans that prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. In addition, there are no provisions for rape or incest. Mississippi is among the states that have passed and signed into law such legislation. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Abbey Williams of Brandon, Miss. holds a sign at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., voicing her opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans that prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. In addition, there are no provisions for rape or incest. Mississippi is among the states that have passed and signed into law such legislation. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, a candidate for governor, tells a group of anti-abortion supporters, that he pledges to keep fighting abortion if he's elected governor this year, during a "news conference" at a church in Byram, Miss., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The news conference came the same day abortion rights supporters held nationwide rallies, including one in front of the Mississippi State Capitol, to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans that prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

An abortion rights advocate holds signage at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., voicing her opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans that prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The rally in Jackson was one of many around the country to protest abortion restrictions that states are enacting. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Felicia Brown-Williams, Mississippi state director for Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates, addresses abortion rights advocate, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, left, a candidate for governor, tells a group of anti-abortion supporters, that he pledges to keep fighting abortion if he's elected governor this year, during a news conference at a church in Byram, Miss., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The news conference came the same day abortion rights supporters held nationwide rallies, including one in front of the Mississippi State Capitol, to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans that prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Valencia Robinson with Mississippi In Action, a reproductive justice organization, addresses abortion rights advocates, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Doreen McCoy, 95, of Clinton, Miss., holds a sign of support as abortion rights advocates speak, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

An abortion rights advocate hoists a sign, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Dozens of inmates, many of them black, are set to stay in Washington state prisons for life - left out of the latest in a multi-year wave of reforms easing tough-on-crime "three-strikes" laws around the U.S.

At least 24 states including Washington passed such laws during the 1990s, driven by rising violent crime rates. But nearly half have since scaled them back amid concern that habitual but less-violent offenders were being stuck behind bars for life with hard-core felons.

Washington's 1993 three-strikes law was among the first and stands out as among the nation's strictest. Lawmakers targeted it for reform this year with legislation removing second-degree robbery - generally defined as robbery without a deadly weapon or significant injury - from the list of crimes qualifying for cumulative life sentences.

The original reform made inmates sentenced under the old law eligible for resentencing. But an amendment pushed by a prosecutors' group cut out the retroactivity that would have applied to those already behind bars. Washington governor and Democratic presidential contender Jay Inslee signed the changes into law April 29.

That means 62 inmates convicted of second-degree robbery will still serve life sentences, according to state records, even after judges stop "striking out" new offenders convicted of the same crimes. The racial makeup of the group is disproportionate: About half are black, despite African Americans making up only 4% of Washington's population.

Under the original bill, the inmates with a robbery "strike" would have had the opportunity to have their life sentences re-examined by judges - but now they won't.

In this May 9, 2019 photo, Devon Laird poses for a photo in the Washington Correctional Center in Shelton, Wash. Laird is among a small group of inmates who are set to stay in Washington state prisons for life who were left out of the latest in a multi-year wave of reforms easing tough-on-crime "three strikes" laws around the U.S. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Supporters of the amendment have said even less serious robberies can leave emotional scars, and that prosecutors might have set aside more serious charges because they knew second-degree robbery convictions would mean life in prison for those offenders.

But inmates still facing life behind bars described frustration that offenders with similar records may face drastically shorter sentences going forward.

"It's just wrong on its face, to make people rot in prison for the rest of their life on a sentence that doesn't even exist anymore," said John Letellier, 67, whose 1999 fast food restaurant robbery earned him his third strike.

The push to take out the reform's retroactivity clause emerged from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, a group that represents prosecutors.

Russell Brown, the group's director, said he reviewed most of the cases listing second-degree robbery as the third strike, and believed that prosecutors in many probably refrained from seeking more serious charges because of the guarantee the charge - known in legal circles as "Rob 2" - would count as a third strike.

But he acknowledged that he never confirmed his suspicions with any of the prosecutors who handled the cases.

"You worked the deal with the understanding that the Rob 2 would count as a strike and they would go away for life," Brown said.

Three-strike laws - typically focused on handing out life or near-life sentences - surged in popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s in response to peaking violent crime, driven in part by gang crime and the crack cocaine epidemic.

But a movement to reform the laws grew as backers cited the high cost of life imprisonment and the potential injustice of lumping lower-level offenders with violent predators, said Alison Lawrence, head of the criminal justice program at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In Washington, second-degree robbery has one of the lowest seriousness levels of any crime on the three-strikes list, hypothetically encompassing anything from demanding money from a clerk to snatching a purse.

At least 11 states including Washington have eased their three- strikes laws since 2009, often removing property crimes from "strike" lists or restoring discretion to judges over previously mandatory life sentences.

But lawmakers have also often been reluctant to make the three-strikes reforms retroactive: Out of the 11 only California has included such a clause, Lawrence said.

In phone and email interviews, inmates among the 62 excluded from the reform in Washington described how the reform raised their hopes - and the amendment dashed them.

Among them is Devon Laird, age 54 and serving life on a robbery third strike.

Convicted of snatching a wallet from an elderly man outside a drugstore in 2007, Laird's court records include convictions for violent crimes in his early 20s, but also testimony portraying him as attempting to escape a past that included being stabbed at 14 and shot twice before age 21.

"When they said it wasn't retroactive, it really set in on me that, man, I got life," said Laird.

Cheryl Lidel, 60, is also serving life for a 2010 robbery after being convicted of other robberies and theft. She described her crimes as driven by substance abuse that began shortly after she was sexually assaulted as a young girl.

In charging documents for her third-strike robbery, prosecutors said Lidel was going through heroin withdrawal when she robbed a Subway blocks from a police station, sticking her hand in her pocket to imitate a gun. She then asked a taxi to take her to an area known for drug dealing.

"The first time I came here I was 23 years old, and in March of this year I turned 60," Lidel said.

While it's hard to say exactly how much time any of the 62 would have faced without their robbery charges counting as strikes, few would have faced life.

With the exception of third-strike crimes, Washington hands out sentences using a formula that takes into account the number and severity of a person's previous crimes.

According to state guidelines, the maximum for second-degree robbery, given to the highest-level offenders, is less than seven years.

By comparison, a life sentence under the state's three strikes law is exactly that: Life, without the chance of release.

"I've been down 21 years," Letellier said.

Some of the 62 might not have received shorter sentences because of other serious crimes on their record, including at least eight with early robbery convictions but a final strike for murder. But nearly half the inmates on the list received a third strike only for some form of robbery.

The bill's sponsor, Democratic Sen. Jeannie Darneille, said before the state's legislative session ended that she did not want to change her bill with the amendment killing retroactivity but that it would have been at risk of failing without support from law enforcement or prosecutors because lawmakers would have feared being labeled soft on crime.

Despite its low seriousness classification, second-degree robbery can still be traumatic, said Rep. Brad Klippert, a Republican who is also a police officer and opposed the reform altogether.

But advocates and the inmates themselves said making the law non-retroactive creates an inescapable disparity: Two prisoners with identical records could end up with vastly different sentences.

It's not fair "if new people don't get strikes," said Lawrence Fillion, an inmate serving life after a third-strike robbery.

"Yet I have the same thing and I am going to die in prison."

In this May 9, 2019 photo, Cheryl Lidel poses for a photo in the Washington Correctional Center in Shelton, Wash. Lidel is among a small group of inmates who are set to stay in Washington state prisons for life who were left out of the latest in a multi-year wave of reforms easing tough-on-crime "three strikes" laws around the U.S. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In this May 9, 2019 photo, Devon Laird poses for a photo in the Washington Correctional Center in Shelton, Wash. Laird is among a small group of inmates who are set to stay in Washington state prisons for life who were left out of the latest in a multi-year wave of reforms easing tough-on-crime "three strikes" laws around the U.S. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky Republican Gov. Matt Bevin cleared his first hurdle toward a second term but had to fend off a strong primary challenge Tuesday, setting up a long-anticipated showdown with his arch-nemesis - Democrat Andy Beshear - that will settle the feud they've fought in courtrooms over education and pension policies.

While Bevin claimed the nomination in GOP-leaning Kentucky, an upstart challenger - state Rep. Robert Goforth - attracted nearly 40% of the vote in a sign the combative incumbent has fence mending to do with his political base after his high-profile feuds with public school teachers.

Bevin got a last-minute boost from President Donald Trump, a key ally who looms as a huge asset as the governor tries to overcome self-inflicted damage in what will be a grudge match against Beshear. National political experts will be looking to see whether a Republican incumbent closely aligned with the president might be more vulnerable than expected.

Beshear, the state's attorney general, defeated two prominent rivals - Rocky Adkins and Adam Edelen - in the four-candidate Democratic primary. He'll try to restore the governorship for Democrats and carry on a family tradition. His father, Steve, was a popular governor whose two terms preceded Bevin's tenure.

Now he's on to the main event to be settled in November - Bevin vs. Beshear.

Bevin immediately tried to frame the matchup Tuesday night, saying: "It's going to be a remarkably stark contrast between the two tickets - conservative vs. liberal, black and white, night and day."

Kentucky Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear, right, and his running mate Jacqueline Coleman wave to their supporters following their victory speech in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Beshear ripped into Bevin's policies on health care, pensions and education in his own preview of the fall campaign.

"It is not about what's going on in Washington, D.C.," Beshear said in declaring victory. "And it's not about right vs. left. Folks, it's about right vs. wrong."

Wielding his authority as the state's top lawyer, Beshear emerged as a Democratic obstacle to Republican dominance of state government. He challenged several of Bevin's executive actions and sued to block Bevin-backed pension and education initiatives in high-profile lawsuits. Beshear filed the suit that led Kentucky's Supreme Court to strike down a Bevin-backed pension law on procedural grounds last year. The pension measure sparked massive protests by teachers who converged on the state Capitol.

"Suing me is not beating me," Bevin said on Tuesday night.

Bevin has the advantage of heading the Republican ticket in a state that has trended overwhelmingly toward the GOP in recent elections. In his low-profile primary campaign, Bevin touted job growth, low unemployment and his alliance with Trump, who overwhelmingly won Kentucky in 2016 and remains a political force in the bluegrass state.

Trump waded into the GOP primary by tweeting his support for Bevin and recording a phone message urging Republican voters to back the governor. Bevin shares a style similar to Trump's. The Republican businessmen are proudly unconventional conservatives who favor social media and attack critics fiercely.

But Bevin's most prominent Republican challenger garnered significant support. Goforth put at least $750,000 of his own money into his insurgent campaign, which attacked Bevin for his combative style and his struggles on the pension issue.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Bevin had 136,060 votes, or 52 percent, while Goforth had 101,343 votes, or 39 percent. Two other challengers drew the rest of the votes.

Goforth's performance shows Bevin has "work to do," GOP strategist Scott Jennings said, predicting that the Bevin-Beshear showdown will be close.

"I'm sure Trump will help shore up Bevin's GOP flank," Jennings said. "And that's his imperative now: nationalize this race."

It's a formula that's been effective for the GOP in becoming the state's dominant party.

In a pre-emptive shot, the Democratic Governors Association said even Bevin's allies at the White House are worried about his reelection.

"They have every right to be worried - the bluegrass state is ready to turn the page from the failed Bevin era," the group said in a statement.

During the primary campaign, Bevin was a lightning-rod target for the Democrats. Goforth also ran an aggressive campaign, trying to capitalize on the governor's public spats with teachers.

Bevin has sharply criticized teachers who used sick days to rally at Kentucky's Capitol, forcing some school districts to close.

In 2018, he asserted without evidence that a child who had been left home alone was sexually assaulted on a day of mass school closings as Kentucky teachers rallied. He apologized but then doubled down last month, connecting a young girl's shooting in Louisville with school closings caused by more teacher protests.

Beshear continued his portrayal of Bevin as a bully in setting the stage for their coming showdown.

"We were raised better than this," he told supporters Tuesday night.

Kentucky teachers rallied last year to oppose pension changes and to demand more funding for schools. Protests continued this year against some education measures. The demonstrations were part of a nationwide wave of teacher activism.

Bevin has steered Kentucky on a conservative course along with the state's GOP-dominated legislature. He supports school choice efforts and signed measures to restrict abortion, allow people to carry a concealed handgun without a permit or training and a right-to-work measure letting workers evade union fees. Several of the abortion measures are being challenged in court.

He's also tried to revamp the state's Medicaid program to require "able-bodied" adults to get a job, go to school or volunteer as a condition to continue receiving the benefits. A federal judge blocked the rules and Bevin's administration appealed. Beshear has condemned Bevin's efforts, which would scale back one of his father's biggest achievements.

As governor, Steve Beshear expanded Kentucky's Medicaid program to include coverage for able-bodied adults, increasing the rolls by more than 400,000 people in a state with chronic health problems. It was an option given to states by former President Barack Obama's signature health-care law.

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear speaks to his supporters following his victory in the democratic primary for Governor in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin addresses the media after winning the Republican gubernatorial primary, in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. At right is Kentucky Sen. Ralph Alvarado, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

FILE - In this March 26, 2019, file photo, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin speaks with the media during an event about the new Interstate 165 in Bowling Green, Ky. Kentucky Republicans will give an initial verdict on Bevin's job performance in the state's primary election Tuesday, May 21. Meanwhile, Democrats will choose from three prominent candidates looking to challenge Bevin, an ally of President Donald Trump. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP, File)

Kentucky attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear talks with reporters during a campaign stop at Spencer's Coffee, Friday, May 17, 2019 in Bowling Green, Ky. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP)

FILE - In a Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 file photo, Kentucky state Rep. Robert Goforth, R-East Bernstadt, left, speaks with running mate Lawrence County Attorney Mike Hogan after officially filing for governor at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. Undaunted by his status as a political underdog, state Goforth has logged more than 10,000 miles in his pickup truck and invested at least $750,000 of his own money into challenging Kentucky's governor in the state's Republican primary. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019, file photo, former state Auditor Adam Edelen, a Democratic candidate for Kentucky governor, responds during a debate at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. A well-funded group backing Edelen shook up Kentucky's Democratic gubernatorial primary on Thursday, May 16, running a short-lived TV ad denouncing rival Andy Beshear's private legal work for the Boy Scouts of America in a sexual abuse case years ago. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019 photo, Democratic candidate for Kentucky governor, state Rep. Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, responds during a debate at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. The three leading Kentucky Democrats on the May primary ballot agree their state badly needs a new chief executive. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Kentucky attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear talks with reporters during a campaign stop at Spencer's Coffee, Friday, May 17, 2019 in Bowling Green, Ky. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP)

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019, file photo, candidates for Kentucky governor, from left, Democratic former state Auditor Adam Edelen, Kentucky state Rep. Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, and Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear stand on stage during a debate at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. The three leading Kentucky Democrats on the May primary ballot for governor agree their state badly needs a new chief executive. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Kentucky Senator Ralph Alvarado, the republican nominee for lieutenant governor, speak to the media after winning the republican gubernatorial primary, in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Kentucky Senator Ralph Alvarado, the republican nominee for lieutenant governor, speak to the media after winning the republican gubernatorial primary, in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin speaks to the media after winning the republican gubernatorial primary, in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, right, with Kentucky Senator Ralph Alvarado, the republican nominee for lieutenant governor, listens as he speaks to the media after winning the republican gubernatorial primary, in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, left, with Kentucky Sen. Ralph Alvarado, the republican nominee for lieutenant governor, speaks to the media after winning the republican gubernatorial primary, in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Filled with paratroopers, a U.S. warplane lumbered down an English runway in 1944 to spearhead the World War II D-Day invasion with a message for Adolf Hitler painted in bright yellow across its nose: "That's All, Brother."

Seventy-five years later, in a confluence of history and luck, that plane is again bound for the French coast for what could be the last great commemoration of the Allied battle to include D-Day veterans, many of whom are now in their 90s.

Rescued from obscurity in Wisconsin after Air Force historians in Alabama realized its significance, the restored C-47 troop carrier that served as a lead aircraft of the main invasion force will join other vintage planes at 75th anniversary ceremonies in June.

After flying over the Statue of Liberty in New York on Saturday, the plane embarked for Europe with other vintage aircraft along the same route through Canada, Greenland and Iceland that U.S. aircraft traveled during the war. There, it and other flying military transports are expected to drop paratroop re-enactors along the French coast at Normandy.

"It's going to be historic, emotional," said pilot Tom Travis, who is helping fly That's All, Brother to Europe for the event. "It'll be the last big gathering."

Air Force historian Matt Scales said there's no question that the twin-engine plane is the same one that led the main D-Day invasion. It's now operated today by the Texas-based Commemorative Air Force, which preserves military aircraft.

In this April 9, 2019, photo, Pilot Tom Travis sits in the cockpit of the World War II troop carrier That's All, Brother during a stop in Birmingham, Ala. The C-47 aircraft, which led the main Allied invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, is returning to the continent to participate in events marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day in June. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

"There's not a doubt in my mind. We have three separate documents that prove it," said Scales, who found the aircraft with help of a colleague.

Scales tracked it down a few years ago while researching the late Lt. Col. John Donalson of Birmingham, who was credited with piloting the lead aircraft that dropped the main group of paratroopers along the French coast in preparation for the assault on June 6, 1944.

The night before infantry squads hit the beaches, Donalson's aircraft and about 80 others were watched by news crews and military brass, including Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, as they took off, according to an official history by the 438th Troop Carrier Group. That's All, Brother was at the tip of about 900 planes that made the flight across the English Channel to drop some 13,000 paratroopers in all.

Donalson's plane was in the lead partly because it was equipped with an early form of radar that homed in on electronic beacons set up on the French coast by a small group of paratroopers in "pathfinder" aircraft, Scales said. Some mountings of that electronic system remain on the C-47's fuselage.

Scales found wartime information about Donalson's That's All, Brother aircraft and matched records from both the military and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the plane, manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Co. in 1944, still existed.

The aircraft was sold on the civilian market in 1945 and had changed hands several times before Scales found it. At one point, it was painted in a camouflage scheme similar to C-47s that flew during the Vietnam War.

"It had never crashed, it had never been damaged," Scales said. "All the dozen owners who had it between the end of the war and when I found it had taken pretty good care of it."

The aircraft was tracked down using identification numbers to a company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and purchased by the Commemorative Air Force in 2015 following a fundraiser that brought in some $250,000, Scales said. It was badly corroded and partially disassembled, but all the main parts were there.

With rebuilt piston engines, modern navigation and radio equipment and a fresh coat of paint, the reborn That's All, Brother made its inaugural flight in February 2018. A crew now travels with it, offering flights to veterans and others.

The austere interior is lined with long metal benches for seats and the airframe is exposed for all to see. There's no insulation, so the engines' roar makes communication difficult when the props are spinning. A cable used to deploy paratroopers' chutes runs along the top of the cabin.

Donalson, who retired with the rank of major general, died in 1987. But during a recent stop in Birmingham, two of his grandchildren were among those who climbed aboard the resurrected aircraft. Granddaughter Denise Harris sat in one of the seats occupied by a paratrooper for the ride to France.

Harris struggled with the thought of being inside the same airplane her grandfather flew for the invasion in 1944.

"It's unbelievable to think that all those men were in that plane also, and to hear the stories, and to know some of the people that came back," she said.

In this April 9, 2019, photo, the World War II troop carrier That's All, Brother sits on an airport tarmac during a stop in Birmingham, Ala. The World War II aircraft that took part in the D-Day invasion in 1944 is returning to Europe for the 75th anniversary of the battle in June. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

In this April 9, 2019, photo, Pilot Tom Travis, left, and Phil Bonasera sit at the controls of the World War II troop carrier That's All, Brother in Birmingham, Ala. Found in a Wisconsin aviation boneyard and restored, the C-47 named will drop paratrooper re-enactors over the French coast in June 2019, marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

This April 9, 2019, photo, shows the hat of a crew member of the World War II troop carrier That's All, Brother during a stop in Birmingham, Ala. The World War II aircraft that took part in the D-Day invasion in 1944 is returning to Europe for the 75th anniversary of the battle. It could be the last great commemoration of the Allied battle to include D-Day veterans, many of whom are now in their 90s. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

In this April 9, 2019, photo, crew members of the World War II troop carrier That's All, Brother stand outside the airplane during a stop in Birmingham, Ala. Found in a Wisconsin aviation boneyard and restored, the C-47 named will drop paratrooper re-enactors over the French coast in June 2019, marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The San Francisco police chief said Tuesday that he respects the news media, but a freelance journalist whose home and office were raided by officers had "crossed the line" by joining a conspiracy to steal a confidential report.

Chief William Scott addressed reporters hours after police agreed in court to return property seized from Bryan Carmody in raids aimed at uncovering the source of a leaked police report into the unexpected death of the city's former elected public defender, Jeff Adachi.

Tensions are high in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on elected leaders in the politically liberal city to defend the press.

Authorities believe a police department employee was involved and had contact with Carmody.

"We believe that that contact and that interaction went across the line. It went past just doing your job as a journalist," Scott said.

He added: "This is a big deal to us, as well it should be. It's a big deal to the public. It's a big deal to you all."

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott answers questions during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed Tuesday to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. Authorities have said the May 10 raids on freelancer Bryan Carmody's home and office were part of an investigation into what police called the illegal leak of a report on the death of former Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who died unexpectedly in February. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Scott said the primary target of the ongoing investigation is the employee, whose identity investigators do not know. He said the secondary focus is on Carmody, who may have been motivated by profit or a desire to tarnish Adachi's reputation, or both.

Carmody's attorney, Thomas Burke, declined to comment. Carmody did not respond to an email request for comment.

He said on Twitter that he was pleased with the return of his equipment but he will have to replace numerous cameras, cellphones and computers for security reasons. A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $15,000 for him.

His main goal, he said, is to ensure "that nothing seized can be used against myself, North Bay Television News or our sources."

Media organizations across the country criticized the May 10 raids as a violation of California's shield law, which specifically protects journalists from search warrants. The Associated Press is among dozens of news organizations siding with Carmody and seeking to submit a friend-of-the-court brief.

The case will soon return to court. Carmody's attorney and media organizations have asked to unseal warrant materials and revoke the search warrants. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng has not ruled yet on those requests, but he set deadlines for further filings.

The editorial board of the San Francisco Chronicle has joined other publications in criticizing city leaders, including Mayor London Breed, for failing to quickly condemn the police actions. A Chronicle report published Monday named supervisors who have not returned messages for comment on the raids.

When they arrived at Carmody's home, police had a sledgehammer, and they cuffed him for hours. The police chief said Carmody was cuffed because of the possibility he might have firearms in the house.

Breed initially defended the raids but on Sunday posted messages on Twitter saying she was "not okay" with raids on reporters.

District Attorney George Gascon, whose office would normally be responsible for possibly prosecuting Carmody, condemned the police. He said he has not seen the warrants, which are sealed, but he could not imagine a situation where warrants would be appropriate.

"Seizing the entire haystack to find the needle risks violating the confidences Mr. Carmody owes to all his sources, not just the person who leaked the police report," he said in a Monday tweet.

The police chief acknowledged the uproar, saying that in hindsight the department could have done things differently and will strive to learn from its mistakes.

"We respect the news media," he said. "We have to own what we own and move forward, and try to get better at what we do."

The city attorney's office did not send an attorney to Tuesday's hearing, and spokesman John Cote said the office is "not appearing in court on that matter."

The duties of the city attorney's office include providing legal services to city agencies such as police, but Cote said the office does not represent the police in proceedings related to search warrants, because police have their own in-house counsel for that.

In court documents, Carmody has said he is a veteran journalist who is often the first on the scene of breaking news. He provides video news packages to outlets in return for payment.

He said a source gave him a preliminary police report on Adachi's death that contained unsavory details. Carmody went on to sell copies of the report along with video footage from the scene of the death and information obtained from interviews to three news stations.

The leak infuriated city supervisors. They scolded police for anonymously releasing the report to the press, saying it was an attempt to smear the legacy of Adachi, who was an outspoken critic of police. An autopsy blamed Adachi's Feb. 22 death on a mixture of cocaine and alcohol that compromised an already bad heart.

People who want to crack down on journalists come in all political stripes, said Jim Wheaton, founder of the First Amendment Project, a public interest law firm.

"They went after him because he's all by himself," Wheaton said. "And the fact that he sells the materials that he packages. He puts together a journalism report including documents and sells it. That's what journalism is."

It was unclear who is paying Carmody's legal fees.

San Francisco police have defended the raids, and police attorney Ronnie Wagner said she intends to respond to the requests made by Burke and others. She declined to answer further questions Tuesday as reporters followed her down a courthouse staircase.

The First Amendment Coalition wants the judge to unseal the police department's applications for two search warrants, which would show whether officers informed judges that Carmody is a journalist.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed Tuesday to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. Authorities have said the May 10 raids on freelancer Bryan Carmody's home and office were part of an investigation into what police called the illegal leak of a report on the death of former Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who died unexpectedly in February. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott, foreground, walks to the podium at a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. Authorities have said the May 10 raids on freelancer Bryan Carmody's home and office were part of an investigation into what police called the illegal leak of a report on the death of former Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who died unexpectedly in February. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott answers questions during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed Tuesday to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed Tuesday to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. Authorities have said the May 10 raids on freelancer Bryan Carmody's home and office were part of an investigation into what police called the illegal leak of a report on the death of former Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who died unexpectedly in February. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this May 10, 2019, image from video provided by Bryan Carmody San Francisco police armed with sledgehammers execute a search warrant at journalist Bryan Carmody's home in San Francisco. The San Francisco reporter is seeking the return of property after police raided his home, as officials sought to determine the source of a leaked police report into the death of the city's public defender. An attorney for Carmody will make the request Tuesday, May 21 in San Francisco County Superior Court. (Bryan Carmody/@bryanccarmody via AP)

Thomas Burke, attorney for freelance journalist Bryan Carmody, answers questions after a court hearing Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. A San Francisco police attorney said that Carmody, whose office and work equipment was seized in a police raid, can collect his property although the legal issues surrounding the case were not resolved Tuesday. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng set dates to hear separate motions to quash search warrants used to raid the home of Carmody and to unseal those warrants. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Thomas Burke, attorney for freelance journalist Bryan Carmody, talks in a hallway before a court hearing Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. A San Francisco police attorney said that Carmody, whose office and work equipment was seized in a police raid, can collect his property although the legal issues surrounding the case were not resolved Tuesday. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng set dates to hear separate motions to quash search warrants used to raid the home of Carmody and to unseal those warrants. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Thomas Burke, attorney for freelance journalist Bryan Carmody, followed by David Snyder, First Amendment Coalition Executive Director, make their way into a courtroom Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. A San Francisco police attorney said that Carmody, whose office and work equipment was seized in a police raid, can collect his property although the legal issues surrounding the case were not resolved Tuesday. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng set dates to hear separate motions to quash search warrants used to raid the home of Carmody and to unseal those warrants. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

David Snyder, First Amendment Coalition Executive Director, answers questions outside a courtroom Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. A San Francisco police attorney said that a reporter whose office and work equipment was seized in a police raid can collect his property although the legal issues surrounding the case were not resolved Tuesday. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng set dates to hear separate motions to quash search warrants used to raid the home of freelance journalist Bryan Carmody and to unseal those warrants. Media organizations are outraged that police raided a journalist's home. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

FILE - In this July 7, 2015, file photo, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, left, talks to members of the media after Francisco Sanchez' arraignment in San Francisco. Bryan Carmody, a San Francisco reporter, is seeking the return of property after police raided his home with a sledgehammer, as officials sought to determine the source of a leaked police report into Adachi's death. An attorney for Carmody will make the request Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco County Superior Court. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday accused former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and Russian oligarchs of conspiring with Europe's nationalists to dismantle the European Union, saying Europeans "should not be naive" about foreign interference ahead of this week's European Parliament elections.

The centrist French leader said in an interview with French regional newspapers published Tuesday that "Russians and some others" are financing extremist political parties in Europe, without elaborating.

Macron also singled out Bannon for criticism. Bannon, who has been in France in recent days and praised far-right leader Marine Le Pen's campaign, called himself an "observer."

Macron's interview is a last-ditch appeal for support for his centrist movement in the elections, in which nationalists are expected to gain ground amid worries about migration.

Le Pen invited Bannon to a congress last year of her anti-immigration party, which changed its name from National Front to National Rally. However, she has publicly distanced herself from him ahead of France's May 26 elections.

"He has no role in the campaign," she said Monday on FranceInfo. She claimed she didn't know he was in town, although Le Parisien newspaper reported that two National Rally party officials were spotted in the luxury Bristol Hotel where he was staying.

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, meets with European Council President Donald Tusk at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, May 20, 2019. (Yoan Valat/Pool via AP)

Bannon's presence in Paris in the last week of campaigning - with numerous interviews in the French press - riled other parties, including Macron's.

Le Pen blamed the media.

"It's not us who invite Steve Bannon into the campaign. It's you journalists who invite (him)," Le Pen said, noting the numerous interviews he has given to the French press.

Macron himself has been criticized for his increasingly active role in his party's campaign as polls show his Republic on the Move! neck to neck with Le Pen's National Rally. Her party was the biggest winner in France's European Parliament voting in 2014.

Many in France have framed the European elections as a replay of France's 2017 presidential vote, which pitted Macron against Le Pen - who lost in a landslide - and say the president is on shaky ground throwing himself into the ring.

He argued that the elections are "the most important since 1979 because the (European) Union is facing an existential risk."

Asked to define Europe's biggest enemy, Macron told regional newspapers that "the enemy of Europe is he doesn't believe in its future. The nationalists who want to divide it are the main enemies."

He said he saw "connivance between nationalists and foreign interests, whose objective is the dismantling of Europe" - naming Steve Bannon, "close to the American power structure."

___

For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliamentBERLIN (AP) - German authorities on Tuesday handed over to Israel some 5,000 documents kept by a confidant of Franz Kafka, a trove whose plight could have been plucked from one of the author's surreal stories.

The papers returned include a postcard from Kafka from 1910 and personal documents kept by Max Brod, which experts say provide a window into Europe's literary and cultural scene in the early 20th century.

They are among some 40,000 documents, including manuscripts, correspondence, notebooks and other writings that once belonged to Brod, which are being brought together again in Israel's National Library. They had ended up in bank vaults in Switzerland and Tel Aviv, a Tel Aviv apartment and in a storage facility in Wiesbaden, Germany, where police found them tucked among forged Russian avant-garde artworks.

"I think he (Kafka) would really be amused," said National Library archivist Stefan Litt, who helped identify the papers recovered in Germany. "He couldn't invent by himself a better plot."

The documents recovered in Wiesbaden have little to do with Kafka himself, but make the Brod collection complete and shine a light on Brod and his circle, which included Kafka and other writers, Litt said.

"This is an important chapter in Max Brod's estate," Litt said. "It's always good for researchers to have as complete a picture as possible."

Israel's ambassador in Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, right, holds documents prior to a handing over ceremony at the embassy of Israel in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. German authorities are handing over to Israel some 5,000 documents kept by a confidant of Franz Kafka, a trove whose plight could have been plucked from one of the author's surreal stories. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

After the formal handover of the documents from Germany's Federal Criminal Police at the Israeli ambassador's residence in Berlin, National Library chairman David Blumberg pledged to make the whole collection available to everybody.

"Everything will be published, everything will be digitized, so we can share it with the world," he said.

Kafka, a Bohemian Jew from Prague who lived for a while in Berlin, was close friends with Brod, himself an accomplished writer. Shortly before his untimely death at 40 of tuberculosis in 1924, Kafka bequeathed his writings to Brod, reportedly telling him to burn them all unread.

Instead, Brod published much of the collection, including the novels "The Trial," The Castle," and "Amerika," helping to posthumously establish Kafka as one of the great authors of the 20th century. He also brought "Kafkaesque" into the English language to describe bizarre, illogical or nightmarish situations like the ones Kafka wrote about.

After the Nazis occupied the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in 1938, Brod fled to escape persecution with the entire collection to what was then British-ruled Palestine. When Brod died, he left his personal secretary Esther Hoffe in charge of his literary estate and instructed her to transfer the Kafka papers to an academic institution.

Instead, she kept the documents for the next four decades and sold some, like the original manuscript of Kafka's "The Trial," which fetched $1.8 million at auction in 1988. She kept some items in a bank vault in Tel Aviv, some in Switzerland, and others at her apartment in Tel Aviv.

When she died in 2008, the collection went to her two daughters, who fought to keep it but eventually lost a battle in Israel's Supreme Court in 2016. The court sided with the country's National Library, whose lawyers had argued the Kafka papers were "cultural assets" that belonged to the Jewish people.

Both daughters have now died, and the documents stored in Israel have already been transferred to the National Library's care. The documents held in Switzerland should be on their way soon after the National Library won a court case in Zurich last month.

But that left the documents in Germany, which had been stolen from Hoffe's apartment about a decade ago.

They ended up with an Israeli dealer, who tried in 2013 to sell them to the German Literature Archive in Marbach - the same institution that bought "The Trial" manuscript in 1988. The German archive instead reported the offer to Israel's National Library, which then got authorities involved, Litt said.

The documents resurfaced at the Wiesbaden storage facility used by an international forgery ring that produced and sold forged paintings and was taken down by German authorities that same year, Litt said. Since then, they have been stored by German authorities as Litt and others sought to confirm their provenance.

Those being returned include correspondence between Brod and his wife, and even some of his notebooks from high school, Litt said.

"There's no doubt these materials were part of his papers," he said.

The manuscript of "The Trial," however, was properly purchased by the German Literature Archive in the 1988 Sotheby's auction, and the National Library has no claim on it, he said.

"We're happy it's in safe hands," Litt said.

Israel's ambassador in Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, holds documents prior to a handing over ceremony at the embassy of Israel in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. German authorities are handing over to Israel some 5,000 documents kept by a confidant of Franz Kafka, a trove whose plight could have been plucked from one of the author's surreal stories. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)LOS ANGELES (AP) - "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia learned firsthand what the Red Nose Day's fundraising campaign means to children in need, and he's eager to spread the word.

"I saw how the money was being spent, and how it's impacting these kids on a very real level and giving them a better shot at life," the actor said after an April trip to the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. "It's the simplest of corrections to get a kid educated, to get a kid healthy, to get a kid safe."

He visited a clinic vaccinating children from deadly, preventable diseases including pneumonia, and a program that houses and educates young girls who have been subsisting on landfills. Video of his encounters will be part of NBC's Red Nose Day USA special airing Thursday (8-10 p.m EDT) with host Terry Crews.

Performances by Sting, Josh Groban, John Legend, Chrissy Metz, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton, and a sketch with "Saturday Night Live" players Michael Che, Colin Jost and Kate McKinnon are part of the special. Other celebrities participating include Julia Roberts, Gloria Estefan, Damian Lewis, Kal Penn, Saoirse Ronan, Ben Stiller, Chrissy Teigen, Connie Britton, Lilly Singh, Susan Kelechi Watson and Daryl Hall and John Oates.

The Red Nose Day campaign , in its fifth year in America, is run by the nonprofit Comic Relief USA. It's raised close to $150 million, including through donations at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, to support programs for children in the U.S. and other countries. Red Nose Day originated in Britain more than 30 years ago and reports more than $1 billion in donations internationally.

Ventimiglia, who plays patriarch Jack on NBC's drama "This Is Us," made his African trip after appearing on previous Red Nose Day specials. He's also a longtime supporter of U.S. veterans' causes, including traveling with the USO to Iraq and Afghanistan.

This image released by NBC shows actor Milo Ventimiglia visiting the vaccination clinic at Kibera AMREF Health Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Ventimiglia, star of the series "This Is Us," traveled to the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, and saw programs supported by the campaign providing health care, education and more. Video of his trip is included in NBC's two-hour Red Nose Day special airing Thursday with host Terry Crews. (Mia Collis/NBC via AP)

"This was the first time that I'd been invited to see the challenges that these kids were living in," Ventimiglia said. He witnessed children rummaging through trash dumps for items to sell and even food to eat.

"It's hard to imagine that this is average life for a human being," the actor said, and he was glad to put the goodwill he's gained playing Jack to good use.

"Hopefully, people's familiarity with me and an interest in where I might be spending my time will lead to some good donations that are going to help kids out," he said.

___

Online: https://rednoseday.org/KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Sudan's ruling generals and the protesters who drove President Omar al-Bashir from power last month said Tuesday they remain divided over who will lead the country during its transition period despite progress in recent talks.

The protesters, represented by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, have insisted on "limited military representation" in a sovereign council, while the military wants to lead the body during an agreed-upon three-year transition.

The military council said in a statement Tuesday that the two sides are split over the makeup of the council and who should lead it. Both sides said early Tuesday that they intend to continue the talks, without setting a date.

The U.S., Britain and Norway meanwhile issued a statement urging a transition to civilian rule.

"Any outcome that does not result in the formation of a government that is civilian-led, placing primary authority for governing with civilians. will make it harder for our countries to work with the new authorities and support Sudan's economic development," it said.

The two sides have held several rounds of talks since the military overthrew al-Bashir on April 11, ending his 30-year reign after four months of mass protests and sit-ins, which are still underway.

FILE - In this April 30, 2019 file photo, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military council, second right, speaks at a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan. Sudan's ruling military council is meeting with protesters on Sunday, May19, 2019, to discuss the country's political transition after talks were halted for three days while roads were cleared outside the main sit-in in the capital, Khartoum. (AP Photo)

The protesters have threatened a general strike, accusing the generals of dragging their feet on handing over power.

The military has warned against any further "chaos." Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo , deputy head of the council, on Monday told his paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to be vigilant and ready to preserve security.

"There are parties that are plotting to create chaos," he said.

The protesters are still holding a mass sit-in outside the military headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, that was set up days before al-Bashir was overthrown. They have vowed to remain there until the military hands over power to civilians.

Also on Tuesday, Sudan's prosecutor's office said in a statement that guards for former intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Salah Abdallah Gosh obstructed his detention the previous day for questioning about alleged financial wrongdoing.

Prosecutors have been investigating a bank account with 46 billion Sudanese pounds (more than $1 billion) accessible only by Gosh. Protesters have accused Gosh of involvement in killing demonstrators during the uprising.

Once a member of the president's inner circle, Gosh was sacked as an adviser in April 2011 for criticizing the government. He was arrested the following year on suspicion of involvement in a coup attempt, but was later pardoned by al-Bashir, who appointed him intelligence chief in February 2018.

Al-Bashir is being held in a jail in Khartoum, and local prosecutors have charged him with involvement in killing protesters and incitement to kill protesters during the uprising. The military has said it will not extradite him to The Hague, where the International Criminal Court has charged him with war crimes and genocide linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s.

_______________

Magdy reported from Cairo.The United States is delaying some restrictions on U.S. technology sales to Chinese tech powerhouse Huawei in what it calls an effort to ease the blow on Huawei smartphone owners and smaller U.S. telecoms providers that rely on its networking equipment.

The Trump administration insists the sanctions are unrelated to its escalating trade war with China, and many analysts see it as aimed at pressuring U.S. allies in Europe to accede to Washington's entreaties to exclude Huawei equipment from their next-generation wireless networks, known as 5G.

The U.S. government on Monday amended last week's order restricting all technology sales to Huawei, the world's biggest maker of mobile network gear and the No. 2 smartphone brand. It granted a temporary, 90-day exemption, but only for existing hardware and software.

It also said that grace period could be renewed.

Shares in tech companies rose Tuesday after some news organizations erroneously reported that the amended order amounted to a blanket reprieve for Huawei.

"It's just housekeeping. It's not a capitulation. It's a very pragmatic solution to avoid unintended consequences to third parties," said Kevin Wolf, who oversaw a related case involving China's No. 2 telecoms supplier ZTE as assistant secretary of commerce for export administration under President Barack Obama.

In this photo taken Monday, May 20, 2019, residents enjoy a cool evening near a Huawei store in Beijing. The Trump administration's sanctions against Huawei have begun to bite even though their dimensions remain unclear. U.S. companies that supply the Chinese tech powerhouse with computer chips saw their stock prices slump Monday, and Huawei faces decimated smartphone sales with the anticipated loss of Google's popular software and services. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

The U.S. claims Huawei is a cybersecurity risk and has targeted it against the backdrop of a wider battle with China over economic and technological pre-eminence that has included tariffs on billions worth of trade and limits on business. U.S. officials say Huawei is legally beholden to China's repressive rulers but have provided no evidence that it has intentionally allowed its equipment to be used for espionage.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei sought to put a brave face on the situation, saying Tuesday that the company has "supply backups" if it loses access to American components. Huawei Technologies Ltd. relies on Google's Android operating system and U.S. components suppliers for its smartphones.

"I should say this impact will be very big, but Google is an extremely good company," Ren Zhengfei told Chinese reporters. "We are discussing emergency relief measures," he added, without giving details.

Industry analysts say Huawei might struggle to compete if it cannot line up replacements for Google services that run afoul of the U.S. curbs.

Google says its basic services still will work on existing Huawei smartphones. However, the company would be barred from transferring hardware or software directly to Huawei. That would affect maps or other services that require the American company's support.

In Brussels, a senior Huawei European representative lashed out at the U.S. sanctions.

"This is dangerous. Now it is happening to Huawei. Tomorrow it can happen to any other international company," Abraham Liu, Huawei chief representative to the European Union's institutions, told reporters.

China's government repeated its promise to defend Chinese companies abroad but gave no details of what Beijing might do.

The 90-day grace period announced Monday by Washington exempts from U.S. licensing requirements any technology needed to maintain and support existing networking equipment and smartphones. It also authorizes U.S. providers to alert Huawei to security vulnerabilities and engage the Chinese company in research on standards for next-generation 5G wireless networks.

"This license will allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks," Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said in a statement.

But still in place are requirements that government licenses be obtained for any sales to Huawei unrelated to existing equipment.

The Commerce Department said the grace period would allow rural U.S. telecom operators that depend on Huawei equipment for "critical services" time to make other arrangements. Companies that supply software - such as Google for Huawei's Android smartphones - can continue to provide updates.

Britain's cybersecurity agency issued guidance saying the temporary reprieve means "people should be able to update their handsets as normal."

In a report, the global risk assessment firm Eurasia Group said that if the sanction process helps persuade European network carriers to also shun Huawei equipment, a full ban on purchases of U.S. technology products and services could be avoided.

The move to delay the restrictions on Huawei may follow a familiar script with the Trump administration, which in its attempt to change the U.S.'s trade relations with major economies like China and Europe has often announced restrictions or tariffs only to delay their implementation. That increases pressure on the other side but also gives them an incentive to negotiate.

It hasn't always worked. The U.S. has announced new tariffs on European and Chinese goods several times, only to see them retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods. That has raised the stakes in the trade wars, hurting global commerce and economic growth.

As China looks to respond to President Donald Trump's move against Huawei, Apple makes a prominent potential target for retaliation.

Apple is Huawei's main American rival in smartphones and its iPhones are assembled in China. The country is also Apple's No. 2 market after the United States.

Attacking Apple might be politically awkward for Chinese leaders who have accused Washington of mistreating Huawei. Business groups say Chinese officials are trying to reassure American companies they are welcome despite the tariffs war.

But regulators have an array of tools including tax and safety inspections that can hamper a company with no official acknowledgement it is targeted.

Huawei's U.S. sales collapsed in 2012 after a congressional panel told phone carriers to avoid the company and its smaller Chinese competitor, ZTE Corp., as security threats.

Despite that, Huawei's sales elsewhere have grown rapidly. The company reported earlier its global sales rose 19.5% last year over 2017 to 721.2 billion ($105.2 billion).

Huawei smartphone shipments rose 50 percent over a year earlier in the first three months of 2019 to 59.1 million, while the global industry's total fell 6.6%, according to IDC. Shipments by Samsung and No. 3 Apple declined.

___

McDonald reported from Beijing and Bajak from Boston. AP researcher Shanshan Wang in Beijing and AP writers Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this story.

In this photo taken Monday, May 20, 2019, a child plays with bubbles near the logo for tech giant Huawei in Beijing. The Trump administration's sanctions against Huawei have begun to bite even though their dimensions remain unclear. U.S. companies that supply the Chinese tech powerhouse with computer chips saw their stock prices slump Monday, and Huawei faces decimated smartphone sales with the anticipated loss of Google's popular software and services. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A man walks by a Huawei retail shop behind a handrail inside a commercial office building in Beijing, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The Trump administration's sanctions against Huawei have begun to bite even though their dimensions remain unclear. U.S. companies that supply the Chinese tech powerhouse with computer chips saw their stock prices slump Monday, and Huawei faces decimated smartphone sales with the anticipated loss of Google's popular software and services. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

A man looks at his smartphone past a Huawei retail shop is seen through a handrail inside a commercial office building in Beijing, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The Trump administration's sanctions against Huawei have begun to bite even though their dimensions remain unclear. U.S. companies that supply the Chinese tech powerhouse with computer chips saw their stock prices slump Monday, and Huawei faces decimated smartphone sales with the anticipated loss of Google's popular software and services. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Abraham Liu, Chief Representative of Huawei to the European Institutions speaks during a DigitALL lunch talk in Brussels, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)BEIJING (AP) - The Latest on U.S. restrictions on sales to Chinese technology giant Huawei (all times local):

7:00 p.m.

Chinese tech giant Huawei's top executive in the European Union is lashing out at the Trump administration's recently announced trade ban on the company and says other firms should be worried, too.

The U.S. government says Huawei is a security risk and issued an order last week requiring government permission for sales of U.S. technology to the company, which denies accusations it facilitates Chinese spying.

Huawei's chief representative to the EU institutions, Abraham Liu, said Tuesday that "those among us who cherish the rule of law should be worried."

Lamenting what he says is "bullying" by the administration, Lui said: "What has happened to the sacrosanct presumption of innocence?"

A man looks at his smartphone past a Huawei retail shop is seen through a handrail inside a commercial office building in Beijing, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The Trump administration's sanctions against Huawei have begun to bite even though their dimensions remain unclear. U.S. companies that supply the Chinese tech powerhouse with computer chips saw their stock prices slump Monday, and Huawei faces decimated smartphone sales with the anticipated loss of Google's popular software and services. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

He says: "Today it is happening to Huawei, tomorrow it can happen to any other company."

___

6:00 p.m.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has cut its forecast for world growth this year and warned about the impact of the escalating trade tensions.

The organization, which advises industrialized nations on policy, said Tuesday it expects the global economy to grow 3.2% this year, down from its previous forecast of 3.3%.

It singles out trade tensions as the "principal factor weighing on the world economy" and notes that trade is expected to grow just 2% this year, which would be the lowest in a decade. The U.S. and China are engaged in a dispute over economic and technological supremacy that has seen both sides raise tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of traded goods.

The OECD's chief economist, Laurence Boone, says "the fragile economy is being destabilized by trade tensions."

___

5:35 p.m.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman has accused Washington of misusing "state power" to hurt foreign companies and interfere in commercial markets.

The spokesman, Lu Kang, said in a routine briefing on Tuesday that "The Chinese government has determination and ability to safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests."

Responding to a question about President Donald Trump's comment that a trade deal with Beijing has to be more beneficial to the U.S. than China, Lu said it was "unscientific and unprofessional" to assume that there must always be a winner and a loser in trade relations between the two countries.

He said any agreement must be balanced, equal and mutually beneficial.

Lu also said that using government power to "crackdown" on foreign companies and interfere in markets would not be in the interest of the U.S.

___

4:44 p.m.

The founder of Huawei says U.S. restrictions on sales to the Chinese tech giant will have little impact and the company is talking with Google about the possible effect on its smartphone business.

Ren Zhengfei told Chinese reporters Tuesday in comments broadcast by state TV the company has "supply backups" if it loses access to American chips and other technology under last week's order.

Washington says Huawei is a security threat and imposed imposing restrictions last week on technology sales to the company.

Ren said those control "will have no impact within this company" but some low-end business might be affected.

He said Huawei and Google are discussing possible "emergency relief measures" for its smartphone business, which might lose access to some of the American company's services.

A woman gets her bearing outside a Huawei store in Beijing Monday, May 20, 2019. Google is assuring users of Huawei smartphones the American company's services still will work on them following U.S. government restrictions on doing business with the Chinese tech giant. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)LONDON (AP) - In a major concession, British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday offered U.K. lawmakers the chance to vote on whether to hold a new referendum on the country's membership in the European Union - but only if they back her thrice-rejected Brexit agreement.

May made the offer as part of a desperate attempt to persuade Parliament to back a divorce deal that will allow the U.K. make an orderly, if delayed, departure from the EU.

She plans to ask the House of Commons to vote in early June on a withdrawal agreement bill, in what May called a "last chance" to seal a Brexit deal. Soon after that vote, she will give a timetable for her departure as Conservative leader and prime minister.

In a speech Tuesday, May said the bill would include "a requirement to vote on whether to hold a second referendum" that would give Britons a chance to approve or reject the terms of Brexit. A referendum is a key demand of opposition lawmakers who have until now rejected May's deal.

"I do not believe that this is a route we should take," said May, who has long opposed a new public vote on Brexit. "But I recognize the genuine and sincere strength of feeling across the House on this important issue."

The Brexit referendum, however, will only happen if Parliament backs the EU withdrawal bill and it becomes law, something that still seems unlikely, despite May's last-minute changes.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said May's new bill was merely "a repackaging of the same old bad deal, rejected three times by Parliament."

Ian Blackford, a lawmaker with the pro-EU Scottish National Party, said it was "too little, too late from a prime minister who is headed for the exit door."

May's tack toward the opposition further angered pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers, who are already furious at her failure to take Britain out of the EU on schedule. They want to replace her with a staunch Brexit supporter such as Boris Johnson, a former foreign secretary.

"There's nothing new or bold about this bad buffet of non-Brexit options," said Ian Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader.

Conservative lawmaker Owen Paterson, a prominent Brexiteer, tweeted that the referendum vote promise was "a direct insult to 17.4m people" who voted in 2016 to leave the EU.

Britain voted for Brexit in June 2016 and was due to leave the EU on March 29, but the bloc has extended the deadline until Oct. 31 amid the U.K.'s political impasse. Talks on securing a compromise on the Brexit deal between May's Conservatives and Labour broke down last week.

May says she will try again the week of June 3 by asking lawmakers to vote on a withdrawal agreement bill implementing the departure terms.

Outlining what she called a "new Brexit deal," May tried to win support from both pro-EU and pro-Brexit sides of the House of Commons.

To Brexiteers concerned that the need to ensure an open Irish border will keep the U.K. too closely aligned to EU rules, she offered a promise of unspecified "alternative arrangements" to a contentious provision on the border known as the backstop.

But most of her concessions were aimed at the left-of-center opposition Labour Party. May promised that Britain would maintain high standards on workers' rights and environmental protections - both Labour priorities - and said U.K. lawmakers would get to decide on what customs arrangements should be in place to ensure "as close as possible to frictionless trade" between Britain and the EU.

Customs is a major bone of contention between the parties. Labour wants to stick close to EU rules in order to guarantee seamless trade, while the government wants a looser relationship that would leave Britain freer to strike new trade deals around the world.

Addressing lawmakers - though in a speech at the corporate headquarters of PWC rather than in the House of Commons - May said she was "making a new offer to find common ground in Parliament."

"I have compromised. Now I ask you to compromise too," she said.

May, who knows her legacy will be dominated by Brexit, implored lawmakers to let Britain leave the EU "in a way that protects jobs, protects our security, maintains a close relationship with our friends and works for the whole United Kingdom.

"It is practical. It is responsible. It is deliverable. And right now, it is slipping away from us," she said.

___

Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May drinks water during a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) - Companies specializing in the handling of radioactive material are buying retired U.S. nuclear reactors from utilities and promising to clean them up and demolish them in dramatically less time than usual - eight years instead of 60, in some cases.

Turning nuclear plants over to outside companies and decommissioning them on such a fast track represents a completely new approach in the United States, never before carried to completion in this country, and involves new technology as well.

Supporters say the accelerated method can get rid of a hazard more quickly and return the land to productive use sooner. But regulators, activists and others question whether the rapid timetables are safe and whether the companies have the expertise and the financial means to do the job.

"We were up in arms that it was 60 years," Janet Tauro, head of the environmental group New Jersey Clean Water Action, said of the initial plans for decommissioning the Oyster Creek plant. "And then we hear it's going to be expedited to eight years. It's great to get it over with, but are there corners that are going to be cut?"

Once a reactor is shut down, the radioactive mess must be cleaned up, spent nuclear fuel packed for long-term storage and the plant itself dismantled. The most common approach can last decades, with the plant placed in a long period of dormancy while radioactive elements slowly decay.

Spent fuel rods that can no longer sustain a nuclear reaction remain radioactive and still generate substantial heat. They are typically placed in pools of water to cool, staying there for at least five years, with 10 years the industry norm, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. After that, they are removed and placed in giant cylindrical casks, typically made of steel and encased in concrete.

FILE - This Feb. 28, 2017, file photo shows Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, N.Y. A deal announced April 16, 2019, would close the two reactors at Indian Point within two years. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

But Holtec International, which in the past year has been buying up several retired or soon-to-be-retired nuclear plants in the U.S., has designed a cask it says can accept spent fuel after only two years of cooling.

Holtec, a corporation with more than 30 years of experience in handling radioactive waste, struck a deal last year to buy Oyster Creek in Forked River, New Jersey, from its owner, Exelon Generation.

It also has deals in place to buy several plants owned by Entergy Corp., including: Pilgrim, in historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, closing May 31; Palisades, in Covert, Michigan, set to shut down in 2022 ; and two reactors expected to close within two years at Indian Point in Buchanan, New York.

"Our commitment to the nuclear industry includes taking ownership of shutdown nuclear plants so that we can safely and efficiently decommission the plants so that the land can be returned to productive use," Holtec spokeswoman Joy Russell said in an email.

The proposed sales await NRC approval, with decisions expected in the coming weeks and months.

Similarly, in January, NorthStar Group Services, a specialist in nuclear demolition, completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from Entergy with plans for its accelerated decommissioning.

The full financial details of the pending deals have not been disclosed. But if the agreements are approved, Holtec will inherit the multibillion-dollar decommissioning trust funds set up by the utilities for the plants' eventual retirement.

The company would be able to keep anything left over in each fund after the plant's cleanup. Holtec and Northstar are also banking on the prospect of recouping money from the federal government for storing spent fuel during and after the decommissioning, because there is no national disposal site for high-level nuclear waste.

The companies jumping into the business believe they can make in profit. For the utilities, such deals free them from having to oversee long, complex projects involving decades of work and round-the-clock guarding of the dangerous waste.

While there are risks in transferring spent fuel too quickly, experts also note there are dangers while the fuel rods are sitting in the pools, including the chances of a catastrophic fire or leak resulting from a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other event.

"There's a natural tendency to say, 'Oh, they're doing it fast, they're going to make mistakes, it's not going to be safe,'" said Rod McCullum, senior director of decommissioning and used fuel at the Nuclear Energy Institute, a Washington-based advocacy group for nuclear power. "You're actually getting safer by getting faster."

In legal briefs filed with the NRC, however, Massachusetts state officials have expressed skepticism about Holtec's plan to decommission Pilgrim on an expedited schedule "never before achieved." Holtec has never managed a decommissioning start to finish.

Holtec has come under scrutiny over its role in a mishap last August during the somewhat less aggressive decommissioning of the San Onofre plant in Southern California, where two reactors were retired in 2013 and the estimated completion date is 2030.

Holtec contractors were lowering a 45-ton spent fuel cask into an underground storage vault at San Onofre when it became misaligned and nearly plunged 18 feet, investigators said. No radiation was released.

Federal regulators fined Southern California Edison, the plant's owner, $116,000, and an investigation found that some Holtec procedures had been inadequate or not properly followed.

Massachusetts officials have stopped short of asking the NRC to block Pilgrim's sale but have cited the California incident while questioning whether the money in Pilgrim's decommissioning trust fund is sufficient to cover unexpected delays or overruns.

By Holtec's accounting, the Pilgrim decommissioning will cost an estimated $1.13 billion, leaving $3.6 million in the fund. State officials have described that cushion as "meager" and have warned of "significant health, safety, environmental, financial and economic risks."

Holtec said its equipment has never been involved in a major accident and stands by its cost estimates.

Pilgrim, which is along scenic, environmentally sensitive Cape Cod Bay and is being retired after 47 years, has a history of unscheduled shutdowns and was only recently removed from an NRC list of the nation's least safe reactors .

The citizen group Pilgrim Watch, which has long pushed for the closing of the plant, is leery of what lies ahead during the decommissioning.

"The story isn't over. There's a sequel," said Mary Lampert, the organization's director. "And sometimes the sequel, like in the movies, is worse than the main show."

FILE - This March 30, 2011, file photo shows the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Mass. A company that manufactures giant containers used to store spent radioactive fuel has signed a deal to purchase the plant, scheduled for shutdown May 31, 2019, for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

FILE - This June 24, 2010 file photo shows the Palisades nuclear power plant, located in Covert Township, Mich. A company that manufactures giant containers used to store spent radioactive fuel has signed a deal to purchase the plant, slated for closure in 2022, for accelerated decommissioning. (John Madill /The Herald-Palladium via AP, File)

FILE - This July 8, 1998, file aerial photo shows the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township, N.J. A company that manufactures giant containers used to store spent radioactive fuel has signed a deal to purchase the plant, which ceased operation in September 2018, for accelerated decommissioning. (Tim McCarthy/The Asbury Park Press via AP, File)

This April 29, 2019 photo shows the abandoned control room, no longer in operation at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

In this April 29, 2019 photo, a worker walks past the main transformer, no longer in service at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

This April 29, 2019 photo shows part of the abandoned control room, no longer in operation at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

This April 29, 2019 photo shows the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt., as seen from across the Connecticut River in Hinsdale, N.H. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

This April 29, 2019 photo shows the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) area at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

In this April 29, 2019 photo, a mildly contaminated transfer container stands wrapped and labeled as part of the decommissioning process at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

In this April 29, 2019 photo, a mildly contaminated transfer container stands wrapped and labeled as part of the decommissioning process at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

In this April 29, 2019 photo, workers test a spray to be used for controlling contaminated dust in the decommissioning process at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, Vt. In January, privately held NorthStar Group Services completed the purchase of Vermont Yankee from New Orleans-based Entergy after federal and state regulators approved the sale of the reactor, closed since 2014. It marked the first permanent transfer of an operating license to a nuclear cleanup specialist for accelerated decommissioning. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)WARSAW, Poland (AP) - A 29-year-old Polish mother who gave birth to sextuplets has been able to leave her hospital bed and visit her babies in another ward, where the infants are said to be doing fine, doctors said Tuesday.

The four girls and two boys were born prematurely Monday in the 29th week of pregnancy by cesarean section in Krakow, southern Poland.

Doctor Ryszard Lauterbach at the University Hospital said the babies were "born in a condition surprisingly good for sextuplets," but their respiratory, nervous and digestive systems are immature and require medical care.

The sextuplets were a surprise to the family - their mother, Klaudia Marzec, said on TVN24 the family was not expecting six but five babies.

"We have made some logistical plans at home for five, but now they will need to be changed," Marzec said. "Now we just want them to leave hospital in the best condition possible."

They were conceived naturally, the hospital said. The couple have a 2 -year-old son.

Incubators with one of the sextuplets, believed to be Poland's first ever and said to be doing fine, that have all been placed in incubators to assist their development at the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, on Tuesday, 21 May 2019. The babies were born Monday in the 29th week of pregnancy through caesarean section.(AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel) Poland Out

The babies, whose individual birth weights ranged from 890 grams (1.96 pounds) to 1,300 grams (2.86 pounds), are in incubators. Doctors say the little ones can breathe on their own but will likely remain in hospital for around three months.

Hospital director Marcin Jedrychowski called the operation an "extremely difficult" one that involved up to 40 doctors and medical personnel.

The surprise sixth girl had a moment of warm physical contact with her mother before a sixth incubator arrived for her, according to Lauterbach.

The boys' names are Filip and Tymon and the girls were named Zosia, Kaja, Nela and Malwina.

Their father, Szymon Marzec, said their arrival was a "great joy, but we also have plenty of concerns."

"We are happy that the kids are in the best hands possible, and all that we can give them now is our love and presence near them."

Only one in about 4.7 billion spontaneous pregnancies leads to sextuplets, the hospital said.BERLIN (AP) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is set to face a no-confidence vote in parliament next week after his governing coalition collapsed over a corruption scandal that Austria's president warned risks harming the country's image abroad.

Speaker Wolfgang Sobotka, a member of Kurz's conservative People's Party, set a special session of the legislature for Monday. Opposition parties wanted it held this week, but Sobotka said he wants to "give space to the EU election campaign," the Austria Press Agency reported Tuesday. Austria elects European Parliament lawmakers Sunday.

The opposition Now party has drawn up a no-confidence motion seeking to oust Kurz before an early national election expected in September.

Kurz called for that election after far-right Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who was his vice chancellor, resigned Saturday. Strache was shown on video appearing to offer favors to a purported Russian investor during a meeting two years ago on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

Kurz's party holds only 61 of the 183 seats in parliament. It isn't yet clear whether the second- and third-biggest parties, the center-left Social Democrats and the Freedom Party, will vote to remove him - depriving the 32-year-old of the advantage of going into the national election as the incumbent.

That would leave President Alexander Van der Bellen to name an interim chancellor.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, left, and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the Austrian People's Party, OEVP, right, arrive for a news conference after their meeting at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache from the Freedom Party spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber)

While Kurz remains in office Van der Bellen has asked him to propose interim ministers to replace the Freedom Party politicians who have left the government - including the interior, defense and labor ministers.

The president said Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who was nominated by the Freedom Party but isn't a party member, has agreed to stay on.

Van der Bellen, a liberal whose position puts him above the cut-and-thrust of politics, said the interim ministers will have to be "impeccable experts."

"Let us not forget that there has been a massive betrayal of trust as a result of this disturbing image of immorality from Ibiza," he said after meeting Kurz.

Later, in a public television address, Van der Bellen appealed to voters not to turn away from politics in disgust at the "disturbing images" they had seen in the video.

"The damage these pictures will cause can't yet be judged," he said, adding that he wanted to apologize to voters for the impression they might have of politicians after seeing Strache apparently willing to trade favors for support.

But he added: "We aren't like that. Austria isn't like that."

Van der Bellen warned that the bad impression left by the video might deter investors and tourists from coming to Austria, at a cost of tens of thousands of jobs.

Addressing Austria's political parties, he said: "Please don't think what advantage you can get for your party in the short term now. Think about what you can do for Austria."

Strache has said he was set up through illegal surveillance, but conceded his behavior was "stupid, irresponsible and a mistake."

On Tuesday, he sounded a combative note.

"We will find the people behind the criminally produced video and the dirty campaigning and I will prove my innocence!" Strache wrote in a Facebook post.

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Frank Jordans contributed to this report.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, prior for his meeting with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the Austrian People's Party, OEVP, at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache from the Freedom Party spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber)

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the Austrian People's Party, OEVP, leaves after he addressed the media during in Vienna, Austria, Monday, May 20, 2019. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache from the Freedom Party spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber)

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, left, shake hands with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the Austrian People's Party, OEVP, right, prior to their meeting at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for an early election after the resignation of his vice chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache from the Freedom Party spelled an end to his governing coalition. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber)FRIMLEY GREEN, England (AP) - No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU.

Hard-core Brexit supporters have become increasingly eager to cast ballots for Nigel Farage's newly formed Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. They're attending rallies in their thousands to chant "Ni-gel! Ni-gel!" and denounce what they call the betrayal of their referendum vote to leave the bloc. Three years after that decision, political gridlock in Parliament means the U.K. is still not out the exit door.

The five-yearly elections to the European Parliament are generally sleepy affairs in Britain; only about a third of the electorate bothered to vote in 2014. But Brexit has made Thursday's vote an emotionally charged showdown with high stakes for Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative government.

"There is a momentum, an energy behind the Brexit Party," a beaming Farage told The Associated Press before addressing more than 1,000 supporters at a rally in Frimley Green, a commuter-belt village 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of London. "There are millions of people out there asking a question: What kind of country are we if we turn our backs on a democratic result?"

If things had gone to plan, this election - being held across the 28 EU countries between Thursday and Sunday - wouldn't be taking place in Britain, which was due to have left the bloc on March 29. But with departure postponed, potentially until Oct. 31, Britain must elect its 73 representatives, even though they may only serve briefly in the 751-seat EU legislature, which has a wide array of budgetary and scrutiny powers.

Opinion polls suggest Farage's Brexit Party could pick up as much as a third of the vote in an election many see as proxy Brexit referendum, with many defecting from May's deeply divided Conservative Party.

British Politician Nigel Farage speaks during an interview ahead of a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU. Hard-core Brexit supporters are chomping at the bit to cast ballots for populist politician Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. Three years after Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU, Thursday's election is seen by many as a proxy referendum on Brexit. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The pro-EU Liberal Democrats and the Greens are also seeing big surges, largely at the expense of the main opposition Labour Party, which is divided over whether to support a second referendum for Brexit.

Arguably the U.K.'s best-known Brexiteer, Farage is a longtime thorn in the side of the EU, a prominent U.K. fan of President Donald Trump and a hate figure for liberal and pro-European Britons. On Monday, Farage became the latest right-wing British candidate to be splattered with a milkshake while campaigning.

He helped lead the "leave" campaign in Britain's 2016 EU referendum using messages that have been accused of racism - one billboard showed a line of migrants under the slogan "breaking point." Electoral authorities have since investigated the funding of Farage's Leave.EU campaign and fined it for breaking campaign spending laws.

After the referendum Farage quit as leader of the U.K. Independence Party, which later lurched to the anti-Islam far right. He launched his new party last month to harness the anger and frustration felt by many Brexit-backers over the impasse in Parliament.

Farage says more than 100,000 people have paid 25 pounds ($32) to become registered supporters. Election regulators are investigating the party's finances after claims it broke the rules by accepting donations from overseas.

In Frimley Green, the largely white, middle-aged crowd - packed into a 1970s leisure center that usually holds darts tournaments - roared as Farage condemned the "betrayal" of Brexit and May's "shameful" deal with the EU.

Farage, 55, has sat in the European Parliament for two decades and run unsuccessfully for Britain's Parliament seven times, but the crowd lapped up his tirades against the "career political class."

"He's the only one who speaks for us," said Kerry Hawkins, wearing a "team Nige" T-shirt with Farage's face plastered on it.

The Brexit Party wants to rip up the divorce agreement agreed between May and the bloc - and three times rejected by Parliament - and leave without a deal on future trade terms. Most businesses and economists think that would cause economic turmoil and plunge Britain into recession. But Farage supporters deride such warnings as "Project Fear."

"We got through two world wars as a sovereign nation," said retiree Peter Harrison. Invocations of the wartime Blitz spirit crop up frequently in the Brexiteer lexicon.

Pro-EU voters, who tend to be younger and more urban, are also eager to send a message on Thursday, but must choose among several parties promising the chance to stop Brexit. The centrist Liberal Democrats, who support a second referendum on Britain's EU membership, have seen their poll ratings soar.

The environmentalist Greens are surging in opinion polls. Also on the ballot paper is Change U.K., formed earlier this year by 11 lawmakers who quit the Conservatives and Labour.

Change U.K. is struggling to make a breakthrough and has been accused of splitting the pro-EU vote - a claim rejected by lawmaker and party spokesman Chuka Umunna.

"There are lots of people who won't vote for other parties, that want a people's vote to remain in the European Union, who will vote for us," he told the BBC.

The plethora of parties may just be a reflection of a splintering political system in which the power of the long-dominant Conservative and Labour parties is waning.

Farage's ambitious aim is the destruction of Britain's two-party system in favor of a new political alignment - with himself as kingmaker.

"There is a possibility that the two main parties could do so badly in this election that people begin to question their fundamental loyalties," said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London.

"It could be that Britain is actually on the way to a much more fragmented, much more volatile kind of party system."

For some, that can't come a minute too soon.

"I think we're on the verge of something that could be quite historic," said Mark Bowles, a residential building manager standing in line to hear Farage speak. "For the first time in my lifetime it could be that the two major parties don't decide what's going to happen.

"And I think most people would agree, from whatever background, some kind of difference is needed. . We can't carry on as we are."

___

Jo Kearney contributed to this story.

___

Follow Jill Lawless on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

___

For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections, go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament

British politician Nigel Farage, right, holds a banner on stage with Brexit Party candidates Robert Rowland, left, and Alexandra Phillips during a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU. Hard-core Brexit supporters are chomping at the bit to cast ballots for populist politician Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. Three years after Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU, Thursday's election is seen by many as a proxy referendum on Brexit. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

British politician Nigel Farage speaks on stage during a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU. Hard-core Brexit supporters are chomping at the bit to cast ballots for populist politician Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. Three years after Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU, Thursday's election is seen by many as a proxy referendum on Brexit. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

British politician Nigel Farage speaks during a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

British Politician Nigel Farage speaks on stage during a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU. Hard-core Brexit supporters are chomping at the bit to cast ballots for populist politician Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. Three years after Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU, Thursday's election is seen by many as a proxy referendum on Brexit. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

British Politician Nigel Farage, fourth left, holds up a banner alongside Brexit Party candidates on stage during a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU. Hard-core Brexit supporters are chomping at the bit to cast ballots for populist politician Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. Three years after Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU, Thursday's election is seen by many as a proxy referendum on Brexit. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

British Politician Nigel Farage speaks on stage during a Brexit Party rally at Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green in Surrey, England, Sunday, May 19, 2019. No one in Britain is more enthusiastic about this week's European Union elections than people who hate the EU. Hard-core Brexit supporters are chomping at the bit to cast ballots for populist politician Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, whose sole policy is to leave the EU as soon as possible. Three years after Britain narrowly voted to leave the EU, Thursday's election is seen by many as a proxy referendum on Brexit. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)LONDON (AP) - Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's British restaurant chain filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, partly due to increased competition and escalating rents in local commercial districts.

The insolvency will leave 1,000 people out of work and reignited worries about local retail and food outlets in Britain, which are struggling to attract customers much like downtowns in the United States.

"I'm devastated that our much-loved U.K. restaurants have gone into administration," Oliver wrote on Twitter. "I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the staff and our suppliers who have put their hearts and souls into this business over the years."

Financial firm KPMG, which will oversee the process, said all but three of the group's 25 eateries will close. They include restaurants in the Jamie's Italian chain, as will the more upmarket Fifteen, and steak house Barbecoa.

Two restaurants and a diner at Gatwick Airport will continue to operate while joint administrators explore options for the site. Overseas branches of Jamie's Italian, Jamie's Pizzeria and Jamie's Deli, are not affected, nor is Fifteen Cornwall, which operates as a franchise.

Other chains run by celebrity chefs have also struggled in recent years. Thomas Keller closed Bouchon in Beverly Hills at the end of 2017, saying it couldn't remain profitable. That same year, Guy Fieri closed Guy's American Kitchen and Bar in Times Square and Daniel Boulud closed DBGB Kitchen and Bar in New York, saying it didn't get enough business during the week.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, British chef Jamie Oliver attends a panel session during the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's British restaurant chain has become insolvent, putting 1,300 jobs at risk. The firm said Tuesday May 21, 2019, that it had gone into administration, a form of bankruptcy protection, and appointed KPMG to oversee the process. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP, File)

Bad behavior can also hurt chains' success. In March, Mario Batali gave up his financial stakes in all of his restaurants after being accused of sexual harassment. Todd English, who was sued for sexual harassment in 2017, has closed numerous restaurants in Boston, Mexico City, Las Vegas and New York.

Oliver said Jamie's Italian was launched in 2008 "with the intention of positively disrupting mid-market dining" with higher quality ingredients, animal welfare standards, better service and good value.

But the launch came just as local businesses throughout the U.K. were squeezed by the onset of the 2008 financial crisis. Rising food prices, increasing rents and competition took a toll.

The company had been in trouble for at least two years, despite Oliver's global fame on the back of his cookbooks and television shows. Last year, it shuttered 12 of its 37 sites in Britain, while five branches of the Australian arm of Jamie's Italian were sold off and another put into administration.

He has personally pumped 13 million pounds into his Italian chain, but it was not enough.

"I appreciate how difficult this is for everyone affected," he said.

Will Wright, a partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said that the directors at Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group had worked hard to stabilize the business, but costs were rising and consumer confidence was brittle.

He said the priority now is to support those that have been made redundant.

Simon Mydlowski, a partner at Yorkshire law firm Gordons and an expert on the hospitality industry, said Jamie's is the latest brand that has failed to keep pace in a rapidly changing sector where a business needs to keep evolving.

"A number of suppliers will have been caught unawares here, perhaps showing a little too much trust in the Jamie Oliver name, but this is not the first big restaurant chain to have suffered and it won't be the last," he said in a statement.

"Faced with higher rent, rising food prices and increased competition, restaurants need a point of difference - it's no coincidence that smaller brands with the freedom and flexibility to keep things fresh are currently the ones performing well."DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Bahrain on Tuesday defended its decision to host a White House-engineered conference to address the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, saying its only objective is to support the "brotherly Palestinian people."

The Palestinian Authority has rejected the economic conference planned for next month, which is part of the rollout of the White House's long-awaited Israel-Palestinian plan, saying any peace effort that ignores the Palestinian people's aspirations for an independent state is doomed to fail. A senior Palestinian official has likened the White House plan to "financial blackmail ".

Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, tweeted that his country respects the Palestinian leadership's steadfast position safeguarding Palestinian rights.

He said that both the official and popular position of Bahrain "has been and continues to be championing the brotherly Palestinian people in the restoration of their legitimate rights in their land and an independent state with its capital as east Jerusalem, additionally economically supporting the Palestinian people."

The minister added that "there's no other purpose" in hosting the conference than Bahrain's continued support of the Palestinians.

His comments highlight the uneasy balance some Gulf Arab leaders are attempting to strike as their once quiet ties with Israel grow tighter and more public in the face of shared enemy Iran. The region's public, though, remains sensitive to the Israeli occupation and Palestinian demands for independence while the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in east Jerusalem holds religious significance to Muslims around the world.

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2019 file photo, Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, attends the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, in Beirut, Lebanon. Al Khalifa defended his country's decision to host a White House-engineered summit to address the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, saying Bahrain's only objective is to support the "brotherly Palestinian people". He tweeted Tuesday, May 21, 2019, that it also respects the Palestinian leadership's steadfast position safeguarding Palestinian rights. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)

In recent weeks, civil society groups in Bahrain took to Twitter to protest a visit to Manama by an Israeli delegation to a global entrepreneurship summit. Bahrain's lower house of parliament also issued a statement rejecting the visit.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is working to rally key Arab states, like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and others, to help bankroll economic incentives that could get Palestinians to buy into its Mideast plan.

The plan, which has been two years in the making, envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work in the Palestinian territories. But the central political elements remain mostly unknown. President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Jason Greenblatt, envoy of international negotiations, have been leading efforts to write the plan, but so far, there's been no participation from the Palestinians.

U.S.-based Rabbi Marc Schneier, who was appointed special adviser by Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, said he knows of no other Gulf leader that has been more preoccupied with establishing relations with Israel and bringing other Gulf states onboard. The tiny island nation of Bahrain is a close U.S. ally and hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Schneier said King Hamad told him in a 2016 meeting in the palace that "our only hope for a strong, moderate Arab voice in the Gulf is a strong Israel." He noted that the king also sent an interfaith delegation from Bahrain to Jerusalem not long after the Trump administration moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in recognition of it as Israel's capital.

"It's not a question of Bahrain being a participant. They have led this effort, at least since I've known the king for eight years," Schneier said, adding that it's no wonder that the king "would embrace" the opportunity to host the Mideast meeting.

Kristin Smith Diwan, a scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said Gulf societies appear to be much less comfortable than their governments with the warming relations that are taking place with Israel before a political settlement with the Palestinians is reached.

She said when the Bahraini foreign minister expresses the country's traditional support for a Palestinian state while hosting this conference, people understand the political significance lies more in the latter.

"It is a big change from when Gulf states publicly competed in their support for the Palestinian cause," Diwan said.

The conference, running June 25-26 in Bahrain, will not address the most contentious parts of the conflict: borders, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israel's security.RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Altered rules on how North Carolina student and employee identification cards must be authenticated before they qualify as voter identification required for next year's elections are advancing through the state legislature.

The Senate elections committee recommended on Tuesday bipartisan legislation already approved by the House, after the panel made slight changes.

The bill surfaced after photo IDs provided by many University of North Carolina system campuses failed to meet security standards set in a law last year to implement a constitutional amendment requiring ID to vote.

Without some changes, hundreds of state and local institutions can't apply again to the State Board of Elections to have their IDs qualify for election use until 2021. The bill now heading to another Senate committee provides another chance to qualify by this fall.Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, June 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BISHKEK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Friday, urging the two countries to foster a closer community with a shared future against complicated regional and international situations.

Meeting Khan on the sidelines of the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Xi noted that it has been his third meeting with the Pakistani prime minister in the past eight months.

This, he said, fully demonstrates the high level of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

He called on the two countries to carry out closer coordination and cooperation.

Stressing that the two sides should well maintain, consolidate, and develop their all-weather partnership and all-dimensional cooperation, Xi said that China and Pakistan should carry out in-depth communication on issues of common concern, so as to make joint efforts to safeguard regional and international security and stability.

China and Pakistan should expand and enrich the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with new focus on areas including industrial parks, agriculture and social welfare, Xi said.

Xi also called on the two countries to take the upgrade of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement as an opportunity to vigorously expand bilateral trade.

China is willing to help Pakistan within its capabilities, Xi said, adding that China supports Pakistan in implementing its national counter-terrorism plan to the end and is ready to help the country strengthen its counter-terrorism capacity.

China also supports Pakistan and India in improving their relations, Xi said.

Noting that China is Pakistan's all-weather strategic cooperative partner, Khan said his country appreciates China's valuable support and assistance and applauds China's active role in promoting international and regional peace and security.

Pakistan, Khan said, is committed to deepening its strategic relationship with China, and will firmly advance the construction of the CPEC, adding that his country will take effective measures to ensure security for the project.KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine's new president on Tuesday formally ordered Ukraine's parliament to dissolve and called an early election for July, hoping to ride the wave of his electoral success to get his supporters into parliament.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old TV comedian who won 73% of the presidential vote last month, announced his intention of disbanding parliament in his inauguration speech Monday, saying that current lawmakers were too focused on self-enrichment and lacked public trust.

He quickly fulfilled the promise in Tuesday's decree, which set a parliamentary election for July 21.

Zelenskiy's landslide victory reflected Ukrainians' exasperation with the country's economic woes, rampant official corruption and the country's political elite.

The election to Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada legislature was originally scheduled for Oct. 27. That would have left Zelenskiy facing a parliament dominated by supporters of the man he beat, former President Petro Poroshenko, and unable to pursue his anti-corruption agenda for months.

Zelenskiy, who has become famous for playing the role of a Ukrainian president in a widely popular TV sitcom, was gambling that his popularity will allow his party to make a successful showing in the parliamentary vote.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a meeting with the lawmakers in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Ukraine's new president on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of the nation's legislature and called a snap election in two months, hoping to ride the wave of his electoral success to get his supporters into parliament. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

"Zelenskiy is trying to act as quickly as possible, because he realizes that voters' excitement will cool down in half a year," said Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Kiev-based independent think-tank Penta.

His foes in parliament had sought to push Zelenskiy's inauguration past the May 27 deadline by which the parliament could be dissolved, but eventually had to submit to public pressure.

Zelenskiy already has asked several top ministers to step down, but he would likely have trouble getting their successors appointed by the current parliament.

On Tuesday, he asked the parliament speaker to call an emergency session to discuss amendments to Ukraine's electoral law. Zelenskiy has called for electing the next parliament entirely on party lists, arguing that the current system in which part of parliament is elected in single ballot races foments corruption.

In his inaugural speech, Zelenskiy said the main goal of his presidency is to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops have been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years in a conflict that has left at least 13,000 dead. He said that Ukraine would rely on Western help in talking to Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about Ukraine among other issues in a conference call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Putin emphasized the need for the Ukrainian government to enact legislation granting special status to the rebel regions in line with a 2015 Minsk agreement sponsored by France and Germany, according to the Kremlin. Putin also noted that the Ukrainian government must establish direct dialogue with the rebels.

On Tuesday, Zelenskiy dismissed the nation's top military officer, Gen. Viktor Muzhenko, replacing him with Lt. Gen. Ruslan Khomchak.

Khomchak, 51, has served as the chief of staff of the military's ground forces and took part in the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Zelenskiy also named 42-year-old lawyer Andriy Bohdan as his chief of staff. Bohdan, who worked as a deputy justice minister in the past, served as Zelenskiy's legal adviser during the election campaign.

Speaking on television after his appointment, Bohdan said that a possible peace deal with Russia must be put to a referendum.

"We are forced to look for a compromise," he said, adding that Zelenskiy has emphasized that he wouldn't "trade in our territories and our people."

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Vladimir Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Yuras Karmanau in Minsk, Belarus, contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens during a meeting with the lawmakers in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Ukraine's new president has signed a decree dissolving the parliament and calling a snap election in two months. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy, center, gestures as he waits to attend his inauguration ceremony in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, May 20, 2019. Ukrainian TV star Volodymyr Zelenskiy has sought to capitalize on his huge popularity, dissolving the country's parliament Monday minutes after he was sworn in as president. (AP Photo/Zoya Shu, Pool)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens during a meeting with the lawmakers in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Ukraine's new president has signed a decree dissolving the parliament and calling a snap election in two months. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a meeting with the lawmakers in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Zelenskiy dropped a bombshell when he said he is dissolving the parliament, dominated by allies of the former Ukrainian president. Zelenskiy sat down with political leaders Tuesday morning to discuss the dissolution. Andriy Bohdan, adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskiy is at right. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

In this photo taken on Monday, May 20, 2019, Ukrainian new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, centre, leaves the parliament after his inauguration ceremony in Kiev, Ukraine. Ukrainian TV star Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, and promised to stop the war in the country's east against Russian-backed separatists and immediately disbanded parliament, which he has branded as a group only interested in self-enrichment. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - A 17-year-old girl abducted from an Idaho fast-food restaurant where she worked was found safe in Arizona on Tuesday and the man accused of taking her was jailed on a $1 million bond, authorities said.

Police in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise said 18-year-old Miguel Rodriguez-Perez of Jerome, Idaho, was taken into custody without incident after he sped through a traffic stop and abandoned his car.

Authorities tracked Rodriguez-Perez through his cellphone signal and he and the girl were found hiding underneath some bushes, according to police.

They said the teen was examined by doctors, found to be unharmed and was waiting to be reunited with her family.

Rodriguez-Perez was booked into a Phoenix jail on an outstanding felony warrant issued in Idaho and for being a fugitive from justice. No other charges were immediately listed and he didn't have an attorney at his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities said Rodriguez-Perez allegedly forced the girl from her job at a Wendy's restaurant in Jerome on Sunday evening.

This undated photo released by the Surprise, Ariz., Police Department shows Miguel Rodriguez-Perez. Authorities say a 17-year-old girl abducted from the Wendy's restaurant where she worked in Idaho has been found in Arizona along with Rodriguez-Perez, who is accused of taking her. Police tell KNXV-TV Rodriguez-Perez, 18, was taken into custody without incident early Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Surprise, Ariz. Police say the girl appeared unharmed. (Surprise Police Department via AP)

The girl had an order of protection against Rodriguez-Perez, who police said has previously threatened and assaulted her.

Court documents released Tuesday stated that Rodriguez-Perez "was said to have abducted the victim, raped and assaulted her and he made threats to kill her" and the suspect "had an active warrant out of Idaho for the current incident."

The probable cause statement didn't list any dates or details of the alleged assault and threats.

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Information from: KNXV-TV, http://www.abc15.comPARIS (AP) - A last-ditch appeal to the United Nations forced French doctors to resume life support Tuesday for a man who has been in a vegetative state for years and whose case has drawn attention across Europe.

Vincent Lambert was critically injured in a 2008 car accident, and his parents and wife disagree on whether to keep him alive artificially. After years of legal battles, a team of doctors decided last year to stop giving him food and liquids and allow him to be sedated until death. Doctors stopped feeding him on Monday.

But his parents appealed to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, arguing the 42-year-old should be treated as disabled.

And in a surprise twist just hours after his feedings were halted, a Paris court ordered a freeze on previous rulings while the U.N. committee considers the case. That process could take years.

Doctors resumed feedings Tuesday, the parents' lawyer told French media at the hospital in Reims east of Paris. The parents want Lambert transferred to facility for the disabled instead.

The Lambert case has provoked national soul-searching over how to deal with terminally ill patients, and has drawn attention around Europe.

FILE - In this July 23, 2015 file photo, Viviane and Pierre Lambert, left, parents of Vincent Lambert, arrive at the Sebastopol hospital, in Reims, eastern France, where Vincent, who is currently on artificial life support, is hospitalized. A last-ditch appeal to the United Nations forced French doctors to resume life support for a man who has been in a vegetative state for years and whose case has drawn attention across Europe. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

It was central to the debate leading up to France's 2016 law on terminally ill patients. The law allows doctors to stop life-sustaining treatments, including artificial hydration and nutrition, and to keep them sedated until death. It stops short, however, of legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide.

The European Court of Human Rights and France's top administrative body had upheld the doctors' earlier decision to stop Lambert's life support, with the court finding the move did not violate Lambert's rights.

Commenting on the case Tuesday, two top Vatican officials issued a joint statement saying that the provision of food and water to the sick was an "inescapable duty."

"Suspending such care represents a form of abandonment, based on a pitiless judgment about the quality of life and an expression of a throwaway culture that selects the most fragile and defenseless people, without recognizing their individual, immense value," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell, in charge of Catholic laity, and the Vatican's top bioethics official, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia.

___

Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed.CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo says an eastern black rhinoceros named Kapuki has given birth to a calf.

The zoo says Kapuki was pregnant for 15 months before the calf was born Sunday night. Zoo staff members monitored her labor and are watching the rhino and her calf remotely using cameras to give them privacy but are nearby.

The zoo hasn't named the calf or announced its sex, but officials say details will be announced once available. The animals won't be visible to the public until further notice, but people can follow along on the zoo's social media accounts and at #RhinoWatch on twitter.

Zoo officials say the calf stood up at just 53 minutes of age.WASHINGTON (AP) - More Democrats are calling - and more loudly - for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump after his latest defiance of Congress by blocking his former White House lawyer from testifying on Tuesday.

A growing number of rank-and-file House Democrats, incensed by former counsel Don McGahn's empty chair in the Judiciary Committee hearing room, are confronting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and pushing her and other leaders to act. Their impatience is running up against the speaker's preference for a more methodical approach , including already-unfolding court battles.

Pelosi summoned some of them - still a small fraction of the House Democratic caucus - to a meeting of investigators Wednesday to assess strategy.

Some other Democratic leaders, while backing Pelosi, signaled that a march to impeachment may at some point become inevitable.

"We are confronting what might be the largest, broadest cover-up in American history," Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters. If a House inquiry "leads to other avenues including impeachment," the Maryland Democrat said, "so be it."

Reps. Joaquin Castro of Texas and Diana DeGette of Colorado added their voices to the impeachment inquiry chorus.

Ranking Member Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., right, listens as Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, speaks at a House Judiciary Committee hearing without former White House Counsel Don McGahn, who was a key figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. President Donald Trump directed McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena to testify but the committee's chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has threatened to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesn't appear. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

"There is political risk in doing so, but there's a greater risk to our country in doing nothing," Castro said on Twitter. "This is a fight for our democracy."

Tweeted DeGette: "The facts laid out in the Mueller report, coupled with this administration's ongoing attempts to stonewall Congress, leave us no other choice."

One Republican congressman, Justin Amash of Michigan, has called for impeachment proceedings. He said Tuesday he thinks other GOP lawmakers should join him - but only after reading special counsel Robert Mueller's report carefully.

Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy dismissed Amash as out of step with House Republicans and "out of step with America." And Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said wryly of Amash's position, "I don't think it's going to be a trend-setting move."

As Democrats weigh their options, Trump is almost taunting them by testing the bounds of executive power in ways few other administrations have. The White House contends that even former employees like McGahn do not have to abide by subpoenas from Congress.

A short time later House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler issued subpoenas for more Trump administration officials - former White House communications director Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson, a former aide in the White House counsel's office - for documents and testimony.

Trump's former White House counsel is the most-cited witness in Mueller's Trump-Russia investigation report, recounting the president's attempts to interfere with the probe. And that makes his silence all the more infuriating for Democrats.

Nadler gaveled open Tuesday's hearing with a stern warning that McGahn will be held in contempt for failing to appear.

"Our subpoenas are not optional," Nadler said. "We will not allow the president to stop this investigation."

However, Rep. Doug Collins, the ranking Republican on the committee, spoke scornfully of Nadler's position, calling the session a "circus" and saying the chairman preferred a public "fight over fact-finding."

Democrats are "trying desperately to make something out of nothing," Collins said, in the aftermath of Mueller's report.

A lawyer for McGahn had said he would follow the president's directive and skip Tuesday's hearing, leaving the Democrats without yet another witness - and a growing debate within the party about how to respond.

Nadler said the committee would vote to hold McGahn in contempt, though that's not expected until June, after lawmakers return from the Memorial Day recess.

Democrats are encouraged by an early success in the legal battles , a Monday ruling by a federal judge against Trump on in a financial records dispute with Congress. Trump's team filed notice of appeal on Tuesday.

But Pelosi's strategy hasn't been swift enough for some lawmakers. In particular, several members of the Judiciary panel feel they must take the lead in at least launching impeachment proceedings.

They say a formal impeachment inquiry could give Democrats more standing in court, even if they stop short of a vote to remove the president.

"I think that's something a lot of members of the committee - and more and more members of the caucus - think is necessary," said Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee. "I think an inquiry, as the Senate Watergate hearings were, would lead the public to see the misdeeds of this administration."

Others, though, including some from more conservative districts, said they prefer the step-by-step approach.

"We want to make sure that we're following all the legal processes, everything we've been given, to truly make the best decisions," said Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia, a freshman on the Judiciary panel.

Pelosi scheduled Wednesday's meeting with lawmakers from the Judiciary and Oversight committees after some members confronted her during a meeting among top Democrats Monday evening.

At that time, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland led others in arguing that an impeachment inquiry would consolidate the Trump investigations and allow Democrats to keep more focus on their other legislative work, according to people familiar with the private conversation who requested anonymity to discuss it.

Pelosi pushed back, saying that several committees are doing investigations already and noting that Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the chairman of the Oversight Committee, already had won the early court battle over Trump's financial documents.

With a 235-197 Democratic majority, Pelosi would likely find support for starting impeachment proceedings, but it could be a tighter vote than that margin suggests. Some lawmakers say voters back home are more interested in health care and the economy. Many come from more conservative districts where they need to run for re-election in communities where Trump also has support.

For Pelosi, it's a push-pull exercise as she tries to raise awareness about Trump's behavior without moving toward impeachment unless she knows the public is with Congress.

"We've been in this thing for almost five months and now we're getting some results," Pelosi told lawmakers Monday night. "We've always said one thing will lead to another as we get information."

But other Democrats in the meeting, several of whom have spoken publicly about a need to be more aggressive with Trump, are increasingly impatient. They include Reps. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California and freshman Joe Neguse of Colorado.

"We're in a very grave moment," said Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, and "probably right now are left, with nothing but that we must open an inquiry."

Tweeted Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas: Congress has made "accommodation after accommodation. I don't think we should wait any longer."

___

Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman, Matthew Daly, Michael Balsamo, Jonathan Lemire, Eric Tucker and Mark Sherman contributed to this report.

A photojournalist photographs a name placard for former White House Counsel Don McGahn, who is not expected to appear before a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The witness chair in the House Judiciary Committee is expected to be without former White House Counsel Don McGahn, who was a key figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. President Donald Trump directed McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena to testify but the committee's chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has threatened to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesn't appear. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., arrives at his office before a House Judiciary Committee hearing without former White House Counsel Don McGahn, who was a key figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. President Donald Trump directed McGahn to defy a congressional subpoena to testify but the committee's chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has threatened to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesn't appear. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., departs a meeting with the Democratic Caucus where members heard from former CIA Director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, White House counsel Don McGahn listens as President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. A House Judiciary Committee hearing will again be missing its star witness after the White House stepped in. The Democratic-led committee subpoenaed former White House counsel McGahn to appear for the hearing session Tuesday, May 21, but President Donald Trump on Monday directed McGahn to defy the subpoena. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2018 file photo, White House counsel Don McGahn, listens as he attends a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota woman charged with murder in the death of her newborn who was abandoned in a ditch 38 years ago has been released from jail.

Theresa Bentaas, 57, has been in the Minnehaha County Jail since her arrest March 8. Investigators said they used advances in DNA evidence and genealogy sites to determine she was the mother of the infant, called Baby Andrew, whose body was found wrapped in a blanket in a cornfield ditch in Sioux Falls in February 1981.

Bentaas was released Monday, according to the Argus Leader , after a judge changed a $250,000 cash-only bond to a surety bond, which allows a defendant to work with a bail bondsman to be released while their case is pending.

Bentaas, who is charged with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, told authorities that she hid her pregnancy from her friends and family and gave birth while alone in her apartment, according to a court affidavit. Bentaas told authorities she then drove the baby to the area where he was later discovered.

The baby died of exposure.

Bentaas, who was 19 at the time, said she was "young and stupid" and felt sad and scared as she drove away, according to the document. She later married the infant's father and has two living adult children with him. The father won't be charged because he wasn't involved, authorities have said.

FILE - This March 8, 2019 booking photo released by Minnehaha County, South Dakota, Jail shows Theresa Bentaas. Bentaas, a Sioux Falls woman charged with murder in the 1981 death of her newborn has been released from jail. Bentaas posted bond Monday, May 20, 2019. Bentaas has been in the Minnehaha County Jail since her arrest March 8. She's charged with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in the death of her baby who was left in a ditch. (Minnehaha County Jail/KELO via AP)

Retired Detective Mike Webb said authorities used DNA from the baby exhumed 10 years ago and DNA obtained from Bentaas through a search warrant. Authorities submitted a DNA sample from Baby Andrew to Parabon NanoLabs, which found two possible matches using the public genealogical database GEDmatch. Police constructed a family tree and performed a "trash pull" to collect beer, water bottles and cigarette butts at Bentaas' home.

Results from a cheek swab sample show there's "extremely strong evidence" to support a biological relationship between Bentaas and the child, according to the affidavit.

___

Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.comWARSAW, Poland (AP) - A Polish official said his country is entitled to seek World War II reparations from Germany, arguing Tuesday that no documents or records show Poland ever renounced its right to do so.

Berlin has repeatedly said there is no legal basis for the claims because the matter was settled in a 1953 agreement.

But prominent ruling party lawmaker Arkadiusz Mularczyk told The Associated Press that to his knowledge the only document that exists is a copy of a 1953 note from a government session. It's signed only by Poland's communist leader of the time, Boleslaw Bierut, and isn't legally binding.

Poland's current right-wing authorities have argued the 1953 decision is invalid because it was dictated by Moscow when Poland was a satellite of the Soviet Union.

Mularczyk believes that raising reparations with Berlin would improve bilateral ties. He said Poland hasn't been adequately compensated for the human and material losses it suffered under Nazi German occupation from 1939-45.

"This is not antagonizing," he argued. "If Germany paid reparations to Poland it would be a chance to improve those relations," because there is still a sense among many Poles that the country should be compensated for its losses.

Poland's ruling party lawmaker Arkadiusz Mularczyk talks to The Associated Press in the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, about a report that assesses Poland's World War II losses and that, he says, will be given to German government. Contrary to Germany claims, Mularczyk says there are no documents or records suggesting that Poles has ever renounced its right to seek reparations from Berlin.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

According to Mularczyk, Poles who were Nazi concentration camp inmates, victims of pseudo-medical experiments or forced laborers have been paid less than 2 billion euros in compensation, which is incommensurate with their suffering.

He believes the matter could be solved through bilateral talks. Last month, Greece said it would revive its long-standing demand for German war reparations and would make use of European and international law to back its demand, which Germany has repeatedly rejected.

Mularczyk reiterated the government's refusal to discuss compensation for Jewish property, saying Poland shouldn't pay reparations since it was a victim of the war.

He said that in line with Poland's law, legal heirs should claim property, if it exists, or compensation, through courts, a lengthy procedure that also applies to Polish citizens whose property was seized during the war and under communism.

"Please send the bill to Germany, to Mrs. Merkel" Mularczyk said, referring to the German chancellor.

Mularczyk heads a team of experts set up in 2017 by the ruling nationalist Law and Justice party that tasked it with counting the losses and their long-term effects on Poland, saying the nations deserves compensation. He intends to present it to Germany and other countries on Sept. 1, the 80th anniversary of the Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland.

"Our goal is to show (internationally) the effects and consequences of World War II, the human and material losses and how they influence today the life, the economic, the political and the demographic position of our country," he said.

Mularczyk said the "very cautious, minimalist" estimate of losses will be higher than the currently cited $850 million, which derives from a 1947 count. It will include losses to all who were Poland's citizens in 1939, including Jews and other minorities.

Poland's ruling party lawmaker Arkadiusz Mularczyk talks to The Associated Press in the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, about a report that assesses Poland's World War II losses and that, he says, will be given to German government. Contrary to Germany claims, Mularczyk says there are no documents or records suggesting that Poles has ever renounced its right to seek reparations from Berlin.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq will send delegations to the U.S. and Iran to help end tensions between the two countries, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said Tuesday, adding that Baghdad is neutral in the conflict.

Abdul-Mahdi, whose country has close ties to both Iran and the U.S., said that Iranian and U.S. officials have informed Iraq that they have "no desire in fighting a war."

Last week, the U.S. ordered the evacuation of nonessential diplomatic staff from Iraq amid unspecified threats from Iran and rising tensions across the region. The White House has sent warships and bombers to the region to counter the alleged Iranian threats.

Abdul-Mahdi's comments came two days after a rocket slammed into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy. No injuries were reported and no group immediately claimed the Sunday night attack.

Major Iranian-backed groups in Iraq distanced themselves from the attack saying their country should not be pulled into regional conflict.

After America's 2003 invasion of Iraq to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, American troops and Iranian-backed militiamen fought pitched battles around the country, and scores of U.S. troops were killed or wounded by sophisticated Iranian-made weapons.

Abdul-Mahdi said Iraq is "playing a role to calm the situation but it is not a mediation." He said he will visit Kuwait on Wednesday to discuss regional issues.

"Iraq is only carrying messages (between the U.S. and Iran). Mediation is a big word. What we are doing is trying to defuse the crisis," he told reporters in Baghdad during his weekly news conference, without going into details about the delegations that will be sent. "We are transferring messages from one side to the other."

"Iraq has no choice in the crisis. We don't stand by one side against the other," Abdul-Mahdi added.

On May 8, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a lightning, previously unannounced trip to the Iraqi capital following the abrupt cancellation of a visit to Germany, and as the United States said it had been picking up intelligence that Iran is threatening American interests in the Middle East.

Abdul-Mahdi was asked whether Iraq is taking any measures in case the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded at sea passes, is closed. Most of Iraq's oil exports pass through Hormuz.

"We are working for alternatives but these are not short-term alternatives. They are long-term ones," he said.

"We have stored fuel for the crisis" in the local market in case something happens, he said.BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A jury began deliberations Tuesday in the trial of a Vermont man facing murder charges in the deaths of five teenagers after he caused a head-on crash by driving the wrong way on an interstate.

Judge Kevin Griffin told the jury of eight women and four men late Tuesday morning that they could find Steven Bourgoin, 38, guilty or not guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of manslaughter or not guilty by reason of insanity.

"You are the sole judges of the evidence," Griffin said.

Bourgoin's attorneys acknowledge that he was driving the pickup truck that hit the teenagers' vehicle in October 2016 on Interstate 89 in Williston, but they say he was insane at the time and not criminally responsible.

Prosecutors said Bourgoin was troubled, going through a custody battle and having financial troubles but legally responsible for the crash.

Two psychiatrists who testified for the defense, including one originally hired by prosecutors, said that in the days leading up to the crash, Bourgoin thought he was on a secret mission. He believed he was in danger and thought he was getting inferences from lights, radios and television static about what to do, they said. Psychiatrists said Bourgoin was psychotic and legally insane at the time of the crash.

Steven Bourgoin confers with a member of his defense team during his murder trial in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington, Vt. on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A jury has begun deliberations in the trial of the Vermont man facing murder charges in the deaths of five teenagers after he caused a head-on crash by driving the wrong way on an interstate. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger.org via AP, Pool, File)

Another psychiatrist diagnosed him as having an adjustment disorder with disturbance of mood behavior but said he was sane at the time of the crash.

Prosecutors said Bourgoin left his home that night, got onto Interstate 89 going south and then turned around, nearing 90 miles (144 kilometers) per hour traveling north in the southbound lane. He collided with the car that carried the five teenagers in Williston.

After the initial crash, Bourgoin allegedly stole a Williston police cruiser and again headed south on the interstate before turning around and crashing again into vehicles at the original crash scene.

The crash killed Mary Harris, 16, of Moretown; Cyrus Zschau, 16, of Moretown; Liam Hale, 16, of Fayston; Janie Cozzi, 15, of Fayston; and Eli Brookens, 16, of Waterbury. Four of the teenagers attended Harwood Union High School in Duxbury. Cozzi attended Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire.

The trial began May 6.

___

This story has been corrected to state that two psychiatrists testified for the defense.

Prosecutor Sarah George looks at the jury as jurors receive instructions from Judge Kevin Griffin, not seen, during the Steven Bourgoin murder trial in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A jury has begun deliberations in the trial of the Vermont man facing murder charges in the deaths of five teenagers after he caused a head-on crash by driving the wrong way on an interstate. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger.org via AP, Pool, File)

Steven Bourgoin's defense attorney Robert Katims asks Judge Kevin Griffin, not seen, to add wording to Griffin's instructions to the jury during Bourgoin's murder trial in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A jury has begun deliberations in the trial of the Vermont man facing murder charges in the deaths of five teenagers after he caused a head-on crash by driving the wrong way on an interstate. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger.org via AP, Pool, File)

Judge Kevin Griffin gives instructions to the jury in the Steven Bourgoin murder trial in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington, Vt. on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A jury has begun deliberations in the trial of the Vermont man facing murder charges in the deaths of five teenagers after he caused a head-on crash by driving the wrong way on an interstate. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger.org via AP, Pool, File)

Steven Bourgoin leaves the court room after the jury began deliberations during his murder trial in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington, Vt. on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Bourgoin is facing murder charges in the deaths of five teenagers after he caused a head-on crash by driving the wrong way on an interstate. (Glenn Russell/VTDigger.org via AP, Pool, File)WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the House Judiciary Committee and Don McGahn (all times local):

4:05 p.m.

The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former White House communications director Hope Hicks and a former aide in the White House counsel's office as Democrats continue their investigations of President Donald Trump.

The committee subpoenaed Hicks for documents and for testimony at a public hearing. It subpoenaed Annie Donaldson for documents and for questioning in a private deposition.

Donaldson was a top aide to former White House Counsel Donald McGahn, who on Tuesday defied a subpoena from the committee to testify. Trump had directed McGahn not to appear.

McGahn was a key figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, describing ways in which the president sought to curtail that probe.

A name placard is displayed for former White House Counsel Don McGahn, who is not expected to appear before a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The subpoenas come as Democrats debate how to respond to Trump's declaration that he will fight "all of the subpoenas" from Congress.

__

3:55 p.m.

More Democrats are calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump after he blocked his former White House lawyer from testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

A growing number of rank-and-file House Democrats, incensed by former counsel Don McGahn's empty chair in the hearing room, are pushing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leaders to act. Their impatience is running up against the speaker's preference for a more methodical approach, including already-unfolding court battles.

Pelosi has summoned them to a meeting Wednesday to assess strategy.

Some other Democratic leaders, while backing Pelosi, signaled that a march to impeachment may at some point become inevitable.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says if a House inquiry "leads to other avenues including impeachment ... so be it."

__

10:40 a.m.

The ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins, says Democrats are "trying desperately to make something out of nothing."

Collins spoke at a hearing Tuesday, where the panel's chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, issued a stern warning that former White House Counsel Don McGahn would be held in contempt for defying a congressional subpoena and failing to appear before the committee.

Nadler said that if McGahn doesn't "immediately correct his mistake" in not showing, the committee will have to enforce the subpoena. McGahn was a key witness in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

Collins called the session a "circus" and said Democrats preferred a public "fight over fact-finding."

The committee voted to adjourn the hearing immediately after Collins' remarks.

___

10:20 a.m.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler says the House will hold President Donald Trump accountable "one way or the other" after he directed former White House counsel Donald McGahn to defy the panel's subpoena.

The Judiciary panel is holding a brief hearing Tuesday in McGahn's absence with an empty chair where he was supposed to sit. Nadler said that if McGahn doesn't "immediately correct his mistake" in not showing, the committee will have to enforce the subpoena.

Nadler has said the committee is ready to hold McGahn in contempt. The committee will hear McGahn's testimony, "even if we have to go to court," Nadler said.

Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, the committee's top Republican, said it's time to move on. He said Nadler wants "the fight and the drama."

___

10:10 a.m.

Former White House Counsel Donald McGahn is a no-show at a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, defying a subpoena for his testimony.

President Donald Trump directed McGahn to ignore the committee's subpoena to testify on Tuesday. A lawyer for McGahn said he would follow the president's directive.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said the committee will vote to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he did not testify. It is one of several actions against current and former members of the administration as Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

McGahn was a key witness in the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller.

___

12:30 a.m.

House Democrats are facing yet another attempt by President Donald Trump to stonewall their investigations, this time with former White House counsel Donald McGahn defying a subpoena for his testimony on orders from the White House.

A lawyer for McGahn says he will follow the president's directive and skip a House Judiciary hearing Tuesday, leaving the Democrats without yet another witness - and a growing debate about how to respond.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, backed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, is taking a step-by-step approach to the confrontations with Trump. Nadler says the committee will vote to hold McGahn in contempt, and take the issue to court.

Nadler warned McGahn on the eve of the hearing that he faces serious consequences if he doesn't appear.I dont think we pick any series to look forward to or not look forward to, Bryant said. Its all the same to us. Just go where the plane goes and were there. Thats how we approach it. Thats how we have to.ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A presidential pardon won't be enough to clear someone associated with the commander-in-chief of similar state charges under legislation approved by New York state lawmakers Tuesday.

The bill, which now moves to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, revises the exceptions to the state's double jeopardy law in an effort to ensure the state's ongoing investigations into the Republican president and his associates can't be derailed by a White House pardon.

Attorney General Letitia James had pushed for the law, which she said will eliminate a "gaping loophole" that could have allowed someone pardoned by Trump to argue similar state charges should be dismissed.

"This loophole, which effectively allows the president to pardon state crimes, must be closed," James, a Democrat, told reporters after the bill passed the Assembly Tuesday. She said presidential pardons shouldn't "be used as a get-out-of-jail-free card."

Republicans argued the bill is a partisan attack on Trump and accused Democrats of trying to rewrite the law to prepare for hypothetical pardons that may never be issued.

Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, called the measure "a sharp poke in the eye" of the president. He said his Democratic colleagues were using the bill "to express a political statement about our current president, about things he hasn't done."

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Democrats said the bill isn't designed to target a particular president, but to safeguard the state's ability to enforce its own laws.

"We're trying to root out corruption and abuse of presidential power," said Assemblyman Joe Lentol, D-Brooklyn.

Still, some lawmakers made it clear that they had a specific commander in chief in mind when they voted yes Tuesday.

"We are dealing with a criminal in the White House," Assemblyman Michael Blake, D-the Bronx, said of Trump.

Twenty-four states already have laws making it clear that presidential pardons do not cover state charges, according to Sen. Todd Kaminsky, D-Long Island and the bill's Senate sponsor.

The new exception wouldn't apply to all presidential pardons. Instead, the legislation spells out several categories of people for whom presidential pardons would not be sufficient: members of a president's family, their government and campaign staff, employees of a president's private business or nonprofit, as well as anyone else who prosecutors believe may have conspired with an associate of the president.

Prosecutors in New York are in the midst of several investigations related to Trump and his associates, including Paul Manafort, the president's former campaign chairman, who is now serving time in federal prison for tax and bank fraud.

A message left with the White House was not immediately returned Tuesday evening.RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Amnesty International published an open letter Tuesday criticizing the policies of President Jair Bolsonaro, saying they will lead to more homicides and deny some Brazilians their human rights.

The group said Bolsonaro's "anti-human rights" rhetoric throughout his career is now "being translated into concrete measures and actions that threaten and violate the human rights of all people in Brazil."

The letter outlined measures like Bolsonaro's moves to ease gun laws, a tougher new drug policy and what it said are attempts "to interfere unduly in the work of civil society organizations."

It also said Bolsonaro, who took office Jan. 1, is infringing on the rights of Brazil's indigenous people and communities of the descendants of enslaved people.

Amnesty's Brazil executive director, Jurema Werneck, noted that when Bolsonaro was elected, the organization warned of the risk that the far-right politician represented to human rights.

"We are beginning to see that our concerns were justified," she said.

International Amnesty's Brazil Executive Director Jurema Werneck, speaks during a press conference in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Amnesty International is launching a campaign called "Brazil for Everyone" to present their criticisms of Jair Bolsonaro's "anti-human rights" agenda. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Erika Guevara-Rosas, the Amnesty International Americas director, said Bolsonaro's actions are a part of a worrying trend in the region.

"It is an extremely delicate time in the Americas," she said, citing Central Americans in need of protection in the United States and leaders accused of promoting violence and persecuting opponents in Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Bolsonaro's ministry of women, family and human rights responded to Amnesty International, saying they wanted to promote dialogue with the NGO to show that the their statements weren't true.

"There was no evidence that any of the accusations are based on data or concrete events," the statement read.

Also on Tuesday, governors from 13 of Brazil's 26 states published a letter protesting the decree that Bolsonaro signed to loosen gun laws. The decree increases annual ammunition purchase limits and gives the right to carry a gun in public without permission for people ranging from the federal police to professions like truckers, elected politicians and journalists.

"We do not think the measures outlined in the decree will help make our states safer, quite the opposite, these measures will have a negative impact on violence," the governors wrote.RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A disabled North Carolina woman is suing the right-wing group Project Veritas and its founder James O'Keefe over how her assault outside a 2016 Donald Trump campaign rally was portrayed in a video.

Jurors in Asheville were sequestered before testimony Tuesday in the federal libel trial expected to last all week.

Shirley Teter, 71, of Asheville, sued O'Keefe, Project Veritas and its tax-exempt social welfare affiliate Project Veritas Action for what her lawyers described as targeting an innocent, private person for "ridicule, contempt, or disgrace." Project Veritas has used disguises and hidden cameras to uncover supposed liberal bias and corruption.

Teter joined a crowd of protesters outside a Trump rally on Sept. 12, 2016, at an arena a block from her downtown Asheville senior housing apartment. The disabled woman was assaulted and knocked to the ground, police said. A South Carolina man was arrested days later, but charges were later dropped.

A month later, Project Veritas Action Fund released an online video purporting to show Democratic operatives describing a plan to incite violence at Trump rallies. The heavily edited video led to Wisconsin-based Democratic activist Scott Foval cutting ties with the Democratic National Committee.

The video, which featured Foval, described plans to position supporters in event locations so they could ask Trump questions while reporters were nearby, Teter's attorneys said in court filings. The video, and a later one focused on Teter, omitted Foval telling interviewers pretending to work for a wealthy donor that Teter's assault "was not preplanned" and "we haven't paid a single person to get beat up at a rally," her attorneys said.

FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2015, file photo, James O'Keefe, President of Project Veritas Action, waits to be introduced during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington. A trial over a lawsuit against O'Keefe is under way in North Carolina. At issue is how a woman who was struck in the face outside a 2016 Donald Trump campaign rally was portrayed in a video. Jurors in Asheville were sequestered overnight to hear testimony Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Shirley Teter's lawsuit. Police said the disabled woman was assaulted and knocked to the ground. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

"We stand by our reporting in the video that is the subject of this defamation lawsuit," O'Keefe tweeted on an account confirmed by a Project Veritas spokesman. "We did not alter the meaning of his (Foval's) statements, and we preserved the video recording in its original state. We issued the report because the public has a right to know the issues raised in these videos."

Wisconsin's Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel concluded last year that the secretly recorded videos of Foval revealed no evidence of election fraud or other state crimes.

O'Keefe's attorneys contend Teter became a public figure after speaking to the news media about the assault and so must prove to jurors that Project Veritas published the videos knowing they were false or with reckless disregard for their truth or falsity.

"She used that altercation to advocate against Trump in the media and with activist organizations," defense attorneys said in a court filing. Though releasing the videos, Project Veritas Action "had no intent to defame Plaintiff."

Teter's lawyers said jurors should consider awarding her money damages not only for her injuries but to punish Project Veritas, which rewards employees and raises funds under "a business model that uses deception to produce highly publicized content, without fear of the consequences. These tactics demonstrate reckless disregard for the truth."

___

Follow Emery P. Dalesio at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/emery .NEW YORK (AP) - Prosecutors aren't quite finished investigating campaign finance violations by President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer.

U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III agreed Tuesday to keep search warrant materials related to the investigation of Michael Cohen under seal until July 15 after prosecutors submitted a letter last week explaining why the probe continues. That letter remains sealed.

Pauley cited "ongoing aspects" of the government's investigation as he directed prosecutors to identify in July what individuals or entities remain subject to continuing probes and explain any need for continued redaction.

Cohen, 52, is serving a three-year prison sentence after admitting a role in paying off two women - porn star Stormy Daniels and a Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal - who claimed they had affairs with Trump. Assuming good behavior, Cohen would be released in December 2021.

Cohen and federal prosecutors said Trump directed the payments. The president denied any sexual relationship with the women and said on Twitter that payments were "a simple private transaction," not a campaign contribution.

The search warrants preceded raids on Cohen's homes and office in April 2018.

FILE - In this March 6, 2019 photo, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer departs the Capitol in Washington. Prosecutors aren't quite finished investigating campaign finance violations by Cohen. A federal judge in New York agreed Tuesday, May 21 to keep search warrant materials related to the investigation under seal until at least mid-July after prosecutors submitted a letter explaining that the probe is still ongoing. Cohen is serving a three-year prison sentence after admitting paying off two women who claimed they had affairs with Trump. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Media organizations previously persuaded the judge to release much of the material related to the warrants, but not the sections related to the campaign finance investigation.

It remains unclear exactly what part of the campaign finance probe remains unfinished.

Cohen admitted that he arranged for American Media Inc., parent of the pro-Trump National Enquirer, to pay McDougal $150,000 to buy and bury her story. He also admitted paying Daniels $130,000 and was reimbursed by Trump's business empire. Both payments came during the 2016 campaign.

Prosecutors said those secret payouts were not reported as campaign contributions and violated the ban on corporate contributions and the $2,700 limit on donations by an individual.

Shortly after Cohen's sentencing, federal authorities announced a deal not to prosecute AMI. The deal required the company to admit making the payment to McDougal "in concert" with the Trump campaign to protect him from a story that could have hurt his candidacy.

The non-prosecution agreement was put in jeopardy this year when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said the National Enquirer threatened to publish explicit photographs of him unless he publicly declared that the tabloid's coverage of him was not politically motivated.

In April, it was announced that the supermarket tabloid was being sold to the former head of the airport newsstand company Hudson News.KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - The Latest on Ukraine's politics (all times local):

6 p.m.

Ukraine's new president has signed a decree dissolving the parliament and calling a snap election in two months.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced his intention to disband the legislature minutes after being sworn in Monday. His decree dissolving the Verkhovna Rada and setting early elections for July 21 was posted on the presidential website Tuesday.

The current parliament is dominated by allies of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, and Zelenskiy hopes to ride the wave of his electoral success to get his supporters into parliament.

___

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, center, speaks during a meeting with lawmakers in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Zelenskiy dropped a bombshell when he said he is dissolving the parliament, dominated by allies of the former Ukrainian president. Zelenskiy sat down with political leaders Tuesday morning to discuss the dissolution. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

2:40 p.m.

An adviser to the new Ukrainian president says that he will sign a decree formally dissolving the parliament and calling snap elections within days.

Andriy Bohdan, adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said in televised remarks Tuesday that the president would send the decree in the coming days. He said he hopes that parliament would vote for changes to the electoral law before it is disbanded.

Moments after he was sworn into office, Zelenskiy dropped a bombshell when he said he is dissolving the parliament, dominated by allies of the former Ukrainian president. Zelenskiy sat down with political leaders Tuesday morning to discuss the dissolution.

Bohdan said the meeting with the lawmakers showed that they would be willing to adopt the electoral changes Zelenskiy has proposed.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a meeting with the lawmakers in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Zelenskiy dropped a bombshell when he said he is dissolving the parliament, dominated by allies of the former Ukrainian president. Zelenskiy sat down with political leaders Tuesday morning to discuss the dissolution. Andriy Bohdan, adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskiy is at right. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

In this photo taken on Monday, May 20, 2019, Ukrainian new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, centre, leaves the parliament after his inauguration ceremony in Kiev, Ukraine. Ukrainian TV star Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as the country's new president on Monday, and promised to stop the war in the country's east against Russian-backed separatists and immediately disbanded parliament, which he has branded as a group only interested in self-enrichment. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A court in Myanmar on Tuesday formally charged an American man and two local co-workers with violating drug laws concerning marijuana, with potential penalties ranging from five years' imprisonment to death.

The court in the central Mandalay region charged John Frederic Todoroki with violating five sections of the drugs and narcotics law covering possession, sale and trafficking of illegal drugs, lawyer Thein Than Oo said by phone. The defendants contend they were growing hemp, not marijuana. Both are subspecies of the cannabis plant genus.

The mildest penalty facing the defendants is five years if they are convicted of growing narcotic drugs. The most severe penalty is 15 years to death for trafficking narcotic drugs.

The company that operates the 20-acre (8-hectare) farm on an industrial estate where police arrested the three late last month says it had official permission from the Mandalay regional government to grow hemp, which can be processed into CBD - cannabidiol - a non-intoxicating compound that many believe has health benefits.

Hemp can be grown legally in many countries, and is often used for making CBD products. Myanmar law does not seem to clearly distinguish between hemp and marijuana.

Police who raided the III M Nutraceutical Co. plantation said they found about 349,300 marijuana plants, 5,200 seedlings, 380 kilograms (838 pounds) of marijuana seeds, 1,804 grams (64 ounces) of marijuana oil, and chemicals and laboratory equipment.

The company said in an April 26 statement that the plants are actually hemp, and its project was approved by the Mandalay region government last August for research and development purposes. It said its farm has been growing industrial hemp, kenaf, peppermint, coffee and eucalyptus, and is strictly doing research, with no sales or distribution.

Another lawyer working on the case, Khin Maung Than, said the company received official permission for the enterprise because it was growing hemp.

Thein Than Oo said there was nothing stealthy about the project, and any action against the company should be done administratively rather than prosecuting it under the drug laws.

He expressed concern for the health of 63-year-old Todoroki, who he said had lost considerable weight since being detained after the raid.

"The heat is too strong even for locals, how could he resist the heat," the lawyer said.

The Ngunzun township court in Mandalay's Myingyan district scheduled its next hearing for June 4.

Todoroki's co-defendants are Shein Latt and Shun Lei Myat Noe. When they were in court last week, Shun Lei Myat Noe's parents said she was a simple worker at the enterprise, ignorant of what was going on and seeking mainly to improve her English-language skills.

Police have said they are also seeking to arrest Alexander Skemp Todoroki. It's unclear where the Todorokis, believed to be father and son, last lived in the U.S.SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) - North Macedonia's new president has cleared a backlog of legislation adopted by parliament that his predecessor had refused to sign into law because of a dispute with the center-left government.

The office of Stevo Pendarovski, whose candidacy was backed by the governing Social Democrats, said Tuesday that he signed 21 decrees on laws including reforms to the security services and investment.

Pendarovski was elected earlier this month.

His conservative predecessor, Gjorge Ivanov, had refused to sign off on new legislation for months, objecting to the deal with neighboring Greece that saw the country previously known as Macedonia renamed North Macedonia.

Pendarovski is a strong supporter of the name deal finalized in February that ended a decades-long dispute over the country's name, in exchange for Greece backing its NATO membership.LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Britain's political debate as it attempts to leave the European Union (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May says Parliament will get the chance to vote on whether to hold a new referendum on Britain's EU membership, as she tries to get lawmakers to back her divorce deal with the European Union.

May says Tuesday that an EU withdrawal agreement bill that she plans to bring to Parliament next month will include a provision for a vote on whether to hold a new public poll on whether to leave. That is a key demand of many opposition lawmakers.

May is offering concessions in what she says is a "last chance" to secure an orderly British departure from the bloc.

The deal that she struck with the EU has been rejected by UK lawmakers three times already.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)

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2 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May secured backing from her Cabinet for tweaks to her proposed European Union divorce terms that she hopes can finally get Parliament's approval for her thrice-rejected Brexit deal.

The Cabinet met for three hours to work out details of what May has called a "bold offer" to win support for her Brexit agreement.

May was due to give details of what's being billed as her "new deal" in a speech later Tuesday.

But it's unlikely changes agreed by the government - whose members are divided over the terms of Britain's EU departure - will be sweeping enough to change lawmakers' minds on a divorce deal that has been resoundingly rejected by both pro-EU and pro-Brexit lawmakers.

Britain was due to leave the EU on March 29, but the bloc extended the deadline until Oct. 31 amid the political impasse. Talks on securing a compromise between May's Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party broke down last week.

___

Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May with her husband Philip leave after a church service near her Maidenhead constituency, England, Sunday May 19, 2019. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)

Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock, left, Education Secretary Damian Hinds and Works and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd leave after the cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, London, Tuesday May 21, 2019. The British government on Tuesday is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (Isabel Infantes/PA via AP)

Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock, left, Education Secretary Damian Hinds and Works and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd leave after the cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, London, Tuesday May 21, 2019. The British government on Tuesday is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (Isabel Infantes/PA via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech in London, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The British government is discussing how to tweak its proposed European Union divorce terms in a last-ditch attempt to get Parliament's backing for Prime Minister Theresa May's deal with the bloc. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A law firm has completed its investigation into how a racist photo appeared on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's yearbook page 35 years ago, and is expected to release the results on Wednesday.

Eastern Virginia Medical School announced Tuesday that it plans a news conference and will make a written report of the investigation public.

The school's statement included no details about what the investigation found out about Northam's 1984 yearbook page, which includes a photo of a man in blackface standing next to someone in Ku Klux Klan clothing.

Northam's office declined to comment.

The medical school in Norfolk hired the law firm McGuireWoods, which is also a top lobbying firm, to conduct an independent investigation.

Virginia politics was turned upside down in a matter of hours in early February after a conservative website posted a picture online of Northam's medical school yearbook page. The Democratic governor issued two apologies within hours, initially indicating that he was one of the people in the picture. By midnight it appeared his entire political base was gone, with the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, other key Democratic groups and top allies calling on him to resign.

FILE - In this Feb. 2, 2019 file photo, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, left, gestures as his wife, Pam, listens during a news conference in the Governors Mansion at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. A law firm has completed its investigation into how a racist photo appeared on a yearbook page for Northam. Eastern Virginia Medical School said in a statement Tuesday, May 21 that the findings of the investigation will be announced at a press conference on Wednesday, May 22. Northam's profile in the 1984 yearbook includes a photo of a man in blackface standing next to someone in Ku Klux Klan clothing. Northam denies being in the photo, which nearly ended his political career in February. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Northam reversed course at a news conference the next day, saying he was convinced it was not him in the picture, while revealing that he did in fact wear blackface once decades ago, to look like Michael Jackson for a dance contest. Defying calls to resign, he said he wanted to focus his remaining three years in office on addressing longstanding racial inequities. While he was all but invisible in February and much of March, the governor is making routine public appearances again.

And he's won praise from black lawmakers and others for several recent policy moves. Those include a halt to suspending the suspension of driver's licenses for motorists with unpaid court fines and costs, and a review into how public schools teach our nation's racial history.

The heat for Northam to resign significantly lessened after scandal enveloped his potential successors. Two women publicly accused Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, which he denies, and Attorney General Mark Herring announced he'd also worn blackface in college, just days after he too called on Northam to resign. Both Fairfax and Herring also resisted calls to resign. And other politicians around the South soon had their own explaining to do over yearbook images taken long ago.

But the incident will forever mark Northam's time in office, and opponents still use it against him. House Majority Leader Del. Todd Gilbert recently said Northam had chosen to "repair his own racist legacy," rather than protect victims of domestic abuse after the governor vetoed a bill requiring a mandatory jail term for repeat domestic abusers.

The photo on Northam's yearbook page was one of at least three blackface photos in the 1984 publication, which was reviewed by an Associated Press reporter. One of the others shows a man in blackface who is dressed up as a woman wearing a wig. A caption reads: "'Baby Love,' who ever thought Diana Ross would make it to Medical School!"

Calling the photos "shockingly abhorrent," school leaders commissioned an investigation into past yearbooks and the school's culture. Thousands of letters and emails were sent to alumni asking for information as part of the investigation.

Former students who worked on the 1984 yearbook have disagreed over whether the photo could have been mistakenly placed on Northam's page.

Dr. Giac Chan Nguyen-Tan, a physician practicing in Connecticut, said earlier this year that a page he laid out for the yearbook was changed without his knowledge before publication. But fellow yearbook staffer Dr. William Elwood disagreed that any photos were mixed up and said it was unlikely someone could have pulled a prank, because a limited number of people had keys to the yearbook room.

__

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia.GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) - Prosecutors say a carnival worker accused of sexually assaulting women and a girl at the Montana State Fair last year was arrested after he groped an off-duty police detective who had training as a special victims unit officer.

The Great Falls Tribune reports opening arguments were made Monday in the trial of Roberto Salaman-Garcia, who is charged with four counts of sexual assault.

Great Falls Detective Katie Cunningham told Cascade County prosecutors that Salaman-Garcia groped her between the legs while he was checking the seatbelt on a ride in July 2018.

The Associated Press does not normally name alleged victims of sexual assault, but the detective wanted her name made public to encourage possible victims to report sex crimes.

Salaman-Garcia's attorney, Carl Jensen, says his client denies the allegations.

___

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.comThe properties have been a matter of speculation for the city going back to when Tom Weisner was mayor. At one time, the property owners along there banded together and marketed their parcels together through one broker, but in the past year or so went back to marketing the parcels individually. The city owns a parcel along there already that it bought about three years ago, and even considered using that land to create another back entrance to the outlet mall.UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. envoy for Libya warned Tuesday that the oil-rich nation "is on the verge of descending into a civil war" that could divide the country and imperil the security of its neighbors and the wider Mediterranean region.

Ghassan Salame told the Security Council that extremists from the Islamic State and al-Qaida are already exploiting the security vacuum sparked by the offensive to take the capital Tripoli launched April 4 by the self-styled Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter.

He said the black flags of the Islamic State extremist group are appearing in southern Libya and there have been four attacks by its fighters in the south since April 4 that together have killed 17 people, wounded more than 10 and led to eight kidnappings.

"Libyan forces that had in the past courageously defended their country against these terrorist groups are now busy fighting each other," Salame said.

Besides innocent Libyans being increasingly subjected to the increasing wrath of Islamic State extremists, he said, "there will be spillover of this violence to Libya's immediate neighbors."

Civil war in Libya in 2011 toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and the chaos that followed resulted in a divided country, with a U.N.-aligned, but weak, administration in Tripoli overseeing the country's west and a government in the east aligned with Hifter. Each is backed by an array of militias and armed groups fighting over resources and territory.

FILE - In this Aug. 14, 2017 file photo, Libyan militia commander General Khalifa Hifter meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia. After years of assassinations, bombings and militia firefights, Libya's eastern city of Benghazi finally feels safe again -- but security has come at a staggering cost. The city center lies in ruins, thousands of people remain displaced, and forces loyal to Khalifa Hifter, who now controls eastern Libya, have cracked down on dissent. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)

Salame lamented that when Hifter launched the offensive on April 4 "the capital was enjoying a measure of increased security, the population a much more stable currency and an improved economic outlook, and the political process, despite many obstacles, was moving forward" with a national conference 10 days away to chart a roadmap to elections and a united future for Libya.

But 48 days into Hifter's offensive, he said, more than 460 people have died, including 29 civilians, over 2,400 mainly civilians have been wounded, and over 75,000 civilians have been forced from their homes.

Humanitarian officials estimate that "over 100,000 men, women and children remain trapped in immediate frontline areas, with over 400,000 more in areas directly impacted by the clashes, he said. And "nearly 3,400 refugees and migrants are trapped in detention centers exposed to, or in close proximity to, the fighting."

Salame said there are also numerous reports of extremists, people on U.N. sanctions blacklists, and people wanted by the International Criminal Court "appearing on the battlefield on all sides."

He called on the Security Council to support the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry "to determine who has taken up arms and support the establishment of mechanisms to ensure the exclusion of unwanted elements." And he urged all parties to hand over those sought by the ICC.

Salame also said that "arms are pouring in again to all sides" from many countries that he did not name, in violation of a U.N. arms embargo against Libya. He urged the U.N. to enforce the embargo, saying the amount and sophistication of new weapons "are already causing greater numbers of casualties."

"I am no Cassandra, but the violence on the outskirts of Tripoli is just the start of a long and bloody war on the southern shores of the Mediterranean, imperiling the security of Libya's immediate neighbors and the wider Mediterranean region," Salame said.

However, the U.N. envoy said "full civil war is not inevitable," though "it may occur by the will of some parties, and by the inaction of others."

He called on the Security Council to urge an immediate cease-fire and return to a U.N.-led political process.

"A better future is still possible, but we all must be seized with the fierce urgency of now while the front lines remain on the outskirts of Tripoli and before the battle moves, God forbid, to the capital's more densely populated neighborhoods," Salame said.HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Abortion clinics are facing protesters emboldened by a flurry of restrictive new state laws as they reassure confused patients that the laws have yet to take effect, abortion providers said.

"We have actually had many people calling and say, 'Are you open? Are you still seeing patients? Is abortion now illegal? Will something happen to me if I come for care?'" said Dr. Willie Parker, one of two doctors providing abortions at the Alabama Women's Center in Huntsville recently.

Last week, Alabama enacted the nation's strictest abortion law, making performing abortions a felony at any stage of pregnancy with almost no exceptions.

Women who came through the doors held hands with loved ones or curled into chairs as they waited. A television set to a cable news channel aired a segment about Alabama's abortion law.

It is one of only three abortion clinics in the state, and the only one that provides abortions when a woman is up to 20 weeks pregnant. Some patients drove from Mississippi and other neighboring states because of a shortage of clinics.

"Our doors are open, and we continue to be here for women in our communities, and we intend to keep it that way," said Dr. Yashica Robinson, an obstetrician and gynecologist who provides abortions at the clinic.

A "No Trespassing" sign is posted along the fencing protecting the parking lot of the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Friday, May 17, 2019, in Jackson, Miss. The facility is the state's only abortion clinic. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Thank you notes from patients, sent on cards or written on yellow and blue sticky notes, dot a bulletin board in the clinic.

"I was so scared on this journey in the Bible Belt, and you put me at ease with no judgment," one read.

Georgia , Kentucky , Mississippi and Ohio have passed laws that prohibit abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected - about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Missouri and Louisiana are close to enacting similar bans.

None of the laws has taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked while legal challenges work their way through the courts.

Some lawmakers hope two new conservative justices nominated by President Donald Trump will provide the votes for the Supreme Court to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

That prospect has energized protesters at Mississippi's only abortion clinic and made them more aggressive, with 100 people gathering on some days singing and waving signs- double the usual number, clinic owner Diane Derzis said.

"They know they're winning, and they don't care what they need to do," she said.

Messages in pink and blue chalk remained on a sidewalk recently near the hot pink building in Jackson that houses the clinic: "Babies are murdered here" and "Repent. Turn to Christ."

Clinic administrator Shannon Brewer took a call from a pregnant woman wanting to schedule an abortion for next week. Brewer told her about the requirement for two trips to the clinic - the first for state-mandated counseling and the second, at least 24 hours later, for the procedure.

She told the woman that no bags, purses or children are allowed. The ban on bags and purses is because of security concerns and the ban on children is because of protesters, Brewer explained after she was off the phone.

"People are screaming at the women as they come in," she said. "That's not good for a child."

POWER House, a group that offers escorts to women seeking abortions in Montgomery, Alabama, for the first time hired an off-duty police officer to watch over escorts and patients because of the attention generated by Alabama's new abortion law, said Mia Raven, the group's executive director.

Six anti-abortion protesters gathered outside the Montgomery clinic on a recent day, carrying signs reading "Babies Are Murdered Here" and depicting aborted fetuses.

Abortion opponents disputed the claim that protesters were more aggressive because of the new state laws and push to overturn Roe v. Wade.

"We have not really had any reports of any heightened activity in the area of protesting of the clinics or anything like that," said Zemmie Fleck, executive director of Georgia Right To life.

In Atlanta, doctors who provide abortions are talking about how to practice in accordance with the Georgia law if it's not blocked in court and goes into effect as scheduled in January, said Dr. Lisa Haddad, an associate professor in gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Georgia includes an exception to save the life of the mother, but Haddad said doctors will need protocols to determine when to invoke that provision.

She said a doctor who was prepared to provide abortions in Georgia decided against immediately taking the job after the new law passed.

"Many of us are drained by this whole process," she said.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that Alabama's law was enacted last week.

___

Thanawala reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Sanya Mansoor in Atlanta, Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, and Blake Paterson in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed to this report.

Escorts, using umbrellas, shield clients from the gestures and voices of anti-abortion activists standing on the sidewalk in front of the Alabama Women's Wellness Center Friday, May 17, 2019 in Huntsville, Ala. The Alabama legislation signed into law Wednesday would make performing or attempting to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony. The ban does not allow exceptions for rape and incest.(AP Photo/Eric Schultz)

Anti-abortion messages written in chalk are drawn along the sidewalk leading to the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Friday, May 17, 2019, in Jackson, Miss. The facility is the state's only abortion clinic. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Shannon Brewer, the clinic director at the Jackson Women's Health Organization, watches a monitor with the live feed from security video cameras set throughout the property Friday, May 17, 2019, in Jackson, Miss. Brewer is concerned about the growing number of abortion restrictive bills being passed by state legislatures, (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

This Friday, May 17, 2019 photo shows the Jackson Women's Health Organization in Jackson, Miss. The facility is the state's only abortion clinic. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Protesters for women's rights march to the Alabama Capitol to protest a law passed last week making abortion a felony in nearly all cases with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest, Sunday, May 19, 2019, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Dr. Yashica Robinson, is greeted with a hug from Josie Poland, a clinic escort, while arriving for work at the Alabama Women's Wellness Center Friday, May 17, 2019 in Huntsville, Ala. The Alabama legislation signed into law Wednesday would make performing or attempting to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony. The ban does not allow exceptions for rape and incest.(AP Photo/Eric Schultz)

Major Fecteau, a Huntsville anti-abortion protester, holds a rosary and prays while he holds a sign on the sidewalk in front of the Alabama Women's Wellness Center Friday, May 17, 2019 in Huntsville, Ala. The Alabama legislation signed into law Wednesday would make performing or attempting to perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony. The ban does not allow exceptions for rape and incest.(AP Photo/Eric Schultz)NEW YORK (AP) - The outlook for department stores grew murkier Tuesday after J.C. Penney, Kohl's and Nordstrom reported fiscal first quarter results that reflected their struggles at the start of the year.

Penney, which has been trying to turn around its business for several years after a disastrous reinvention plan, reported a wider than expected loss and sales declines during the quarter.

Kohl's sales momentum also stalled and it cut its fiscal 2020 profit outlook . It cited damp weather that cut into sales of spring clothing and a competitive environment in discounted home goods.

Upscale Nordstrom, which reported results after the close of trading on Wall Street, reported a first quarter sales drop and cut its annual sales forecast.

The downbeat reports from the department store chains were in contrast to Macy's performance. Macy's reported a first-quarter profit last week that smashed Wall Street estimates. It also put up its sixth consecutive quarter of increases in comparable store sales - or sales in stores open a year - fueled by its robust online business after a three-year sales slump. However, it's still facing challenges attracting shoppers.

Department stores have been trying to reinvent themselves as more shoppers go online. They are also facing increasing competition from the likes of T.J. Maxx and other off-price stores, which offer coveted brands at cheaper prices. T.J. Maxx's parent reported strong results Tuesday that topped Wall Street estimates, indicating that shoppers continue to be drawn to its treasure hunt experience.

FILE - In this May 16, 2018 file photo, a man enters the JC Penney store at the Manhattan mall in New York. J.C. J.C. Penney Co. (JCP) on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. reported a loss of $154 million in its fiscal first quarter. The Plano, Texas-based company said it had a loss of 48 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 46 cents per share. The results missed Wall Street expectations. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

To lure customers, department stores have been offering exclusive merchandise and adding online services. Last month, Kohl's said it was expanding is partnership with Amazon, with plans to accept Amazon returns in all of its 1,150 stores starting in July. But apparently, those efforts haven't yet translated into higher sales.

"The middle market is collapsing," said Steve Dennis, a strategic retail adviser. "They're fighting so many headwinds."

Department stores are also facing the threat of escalating trade wars with China that could mean higher prices on clothing and other goods. Retailers had been left largely unscathed by the first several rounds of tariffs since they focused more on industrial and agricultural products.

But items like furniture saw an increase in tariffs to 25% two weeks ago. And now the Trump administration is preparing to extend the 25% tariffs to practically all Chinese imports not already hit with levies, including toys, shirts, household goods and sneakers.

Nearly 200 footwear retailers and brands including Adidas and Shoe Carnival wrote a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday, calling for him not to slap tariffs on footwear imported from China.

The group, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, estimates that Trump's proposed actions will add $7 billion in additional costs for customers every year.

Kohl's Corp., based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, reported first-quarter net income of $62 million, or 38 cents per share.

Earnings, adjusted for asset impairment costs, came to 61 cents per share, missing the average Street estimate of 67 cents per share.

The department store's revenue of $4.09 billion in the period fell short of forecasts of $4.2 billion.

Kohl's now expects full-year earnings per share earnings in the range of $5.15 to $5.45, down from a previous range of $5.80 to $6.15.

Meanwhile, J.C. Penney's CEO Jill Soltau, who took the helm last October, is facing more pressure to turn around its business. The Plano, Texas-based company is bringing in new executives while trying to come up with a plan to attract shoppers. On a conference call, Soltau declined to divulge specifics and said that she wasn't ready for "prime time."

J.C. Penney Co. reported a quarterly loss of $154 million, or 48 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 46 cents per share. That's worse than the per share loss of 39 cents Wall Street was expecting, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.

The company's revenue was $2.56 billion, down 5.6%. Same-store sales fell 5.5%. The company attributed part of the sales drop to its move to get rid of major appliances and furniture, which were eating away at profit margins.

Nordstrom reported net income of $37 million. On a per-share basis, the Seattle-based company said it had net income of 23 cents.

The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 43 cents per share.

The department store operator posted revenue of $3.44 billion in the period, down more than 3% from $3.47 billion in the year-ago period.

Kohl's shares tumbled more than 12%, or $7.76, to close at $55.15, while J.C. Penney's shares fell nearly 7%, or 8 cents, to close at $1.07 per share. Nordstrom shares fell 9%, or $3.43, to $34.42 in extended trading after the release of the company's earnings report.

_____

Follow Anne D'Innocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzioWASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the Trump administration's Iran policy (all times local):

5:20 p.m.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is trying to assure lawmakers that the administration is not rushing toward a military confrontation with Iran.

Shanahan says he outlined during closed-door briefings Tuesday what the Pentagon has done since receiving "credible intelligence about threats to our interests in the Middle East and to American forces." He said, "This is about deterrence, not about war."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo briefed lawmakers alongside Shanahan and said he placed recent intelligence about Iran "in context."

The briefings on Capitol Hill came after weeks of escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf. Lawmakers have criticized the administration for not communicating with Congress while responding to the threat. Many have warned that the Trump administration cannot go to war without authorization from Congress.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks to reporters after a classified briefing for members of Congress on Iran, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

___

4 p.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top Trump administration officials are briefing Congress behind closed doors about the situation in Iran.

Pompeo, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented a classified briefing Tuesday to House lawmakers to mixed results.

Some Republicans say what they heard backed up President Donald Trump's recent actions in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. has sent an aircraft carrier and other resources to the region amid undisclosed threats officials indicated are linked to Iran.

But Democrats say they left the session with more questions than answers. Some Democrats appeared skeptical of the administration's strategy.

The administration officials were briefing senators next in a separate closed-door session.

___

3 p.m.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, has canceled a trip to Europe amid U.S. tensions with Iran.

In acknowledging Dunford's decision to remain in Washington, his spokesman, Air Force Col. Patrick Ryder, did not cite the Iran situation. He said only that "unforeseen commitments" required him to cancel the trip.

The planned trip already had been shortened so that Dunford could join Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and other administration officials Tuesday in closed-door Iran briefings for the House and Senate.

Dunford had planned to travel to Brussels to attend routine NATO military consultative meetings.

___

12:10 p.m.

House Democrats have received a closed-door briefing on Iran from former CIA Director John Brennan and former State Department official Wendy Sherman, who negotiated the Iran nuclear deal.

Brennan told Democrats that while Iran wants to avoid conflict, the country's leadership will not capitulate to Trump. Sherman warned that reckless behavior by the Trump administration is undermining moderates in the country. That's according to a person in the room who was not authorized to discuss the private meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. has sent an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf region and evacuated non-essential personnel from Iraq amid unspecified threats the administration says are linked to Iran.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said he wants answers on "what the administration's strategy is - if they have one - to keep us out of war."

- Susannah George

___

11:50 a.m.

Ahead of briefings on Capitol Hill, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is suggesting that the U.S. military response to Iranian threats has already had an effect.

Shanahan tells reporters that the military moves by the United States have given Iran "time to recalculate" and as a result the potential for attacks on Americans is "on hold."

He cautioned that the lack of attacks on Americans doesn't mean the threats have gone away.

The U.S. sent an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft and other assets to the region, and is moving a Patriot missile battery to an unnamed country in the area.

Shanahan says the response was a measure of America's willingness to protect its people and interests in the region. He and other national security officials will brief Congress on Tuesday.

___

12:30 a.m.

Iran and tensions in the Persian Gulf as well as President Donald Trump's tough talk are the subject of competing meetings in the House and Senate, both closed to the public and the press.

Tuesday's meetings on Capitol Hill come as lawmakers warn the Trump administration it cannot take the country into war without approval from Congress. The briefings are another indication of wariness by Democrats and some Republicans over the White House's sudden policy shifts in the Middle East.

Trump continues to offer a mixed signal on Iran, telling reporters Monday that Iran has been "very hostile" and that its provocations will be met with "great force," but also saying that he's willing to negotiate. Trump also says no talks are scheduled but he'd like to hear from Iran.

Former CIA Director John Brennan, left, and Wendy Sherman, right, a former State Department official and top negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal, arrive to meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., about the situation in Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)TORONTO (AP) - A Canadian delegation in China is pressing Chinese officials to free two detained Canadians but there has been no contact between the two nations' leaders or foreign ministers despite the worst relations between Ottawa and Beijing since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.

Adam Austen, a spokesman for Canada's foreign minister, said Tuesday that lawmaker Rob Oliphant is in China as part of a Parliament delegation that often visits there and that Oliphant has "raised Canada's strong concerns regarding the arbitrary detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor during his meetings with Chinese government officials."

China detained Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Spavor, an entrepreneur, in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a Chinese tech executive who is facing fraud charges in the U.S.

Canada arrested Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou Dec 1. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, is out on bail awaiting extradition hearings and living in her two Vancouver mansions.

Kovrig and Spavor have been held since Dec. 10 and haven't had access to lawyers or family.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said her Chinese counterpart hasn't agreed to talk with her.

FILE _ in this March 6, 2019, file photo, Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou arrives back at her home after a court appearance in Vancouver, British Columbia. China has formally arrested two Canadian citizens it is believed to be holding to pressure Canada into releasing Meng Wanzhou. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File )

"We're not the first country to find itself in this situation with China and the Chinese practice seems to be to avoid in the early stages of these kinds of standoffs, to avoid higher level meetings," Freeland told CBC's Metro Morning radio show.

"I have sought repeatedly a meeting with the Wang Yi, the foreign minister, my counterpart. Thus far that meeting hasn't happened. But if Chinese officials are listening to us today, let me repeat that I would be very, very keen to meet with Minister Wang Yi or to speak with him over the phone at the earliest opportunity."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping but Freeland said during the recent U.S.-China trade talks - at Trudeau's request - the detained Canadians were raised by the Americans directly with the Chinese.

"This is a very difficult moment in the relationship between Canada and China," Freeland said. "The detentions of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are unacceptable."

But Freeland said Canada won't escalate the dispute.

"We do not escalate," she said. "We would like this conflict to end, but we also do not back down."

Trudeau said a news conference in Quebec that the Canadians are being held for political reasons and other nations are taking note of China's behavior.

"China is making stronger moves than it has before to try and get its own way on the world stage and Western countries and democracies around the world are pulling together to point out to that this is not something that we need to continue to allow," Trudeau said.

China has often retaliated against foreign governments and corporations in diplomatic disputes, but rarely by holding a foreign national. Beijing threatened "grave consequences" if Ottawa did not release Meng, shortly after she was detained in Vancouver in December for possible extradition to the U.S.JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel says it is expanding the permitted fishing zone off Gaza's coast, the latest sign that a cease-fire deal with Palestinian militants is moving forward.

COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said Tuesday that it had expanded the fishing zone to 15 nautical miles (28 kilometers).

The cease-fire agreement, brokered earlier this month by the U.N., Egypt and Qatar, ended the worst bout of violence between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers since a devastating 2014 war.

The deal calls for economic incentives to ameliorate the dire conditions in the Gaza Strip, including loosening restrictions on movement and allowing cash for civil servant salaries and Qatari-funded fuel shipments into the enclave. Israel imposed a blockade with Egypt's help after Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007.

Palestinian fishermen unload their catch from boats after a night fishing trip, in the Gaza Seaport, Tuesday, May. 21, 2019. Israel extended the permitted fishing zone along the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday to a maximum of 15 nautical miles up from the previous limit of six nautical miles. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Palestinian fishermen unload their catch from boats after a night fishing trip, in the Gaza seaport, Tuesday, May. 21, 2019. Israel extended the permitted fishing zone along the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday to a maximum of 15 nautical miles up from the previous limit of six nautical miles. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Palestinian fishermen unload their catch from boats after a night fishing trip, in the Gaza seaport, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Israel extended the permitted fishing zone along the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday to a maximum of 15 nautical miles up from the previous limit of six nautical miles. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Palestinian fishermen unload their catch from boats after an overnight night fishing trip in the Gaza seaport Tuesday, May. 21, 2019. Israel extended the permitted fishing zone along the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday to a maximum of 15 nautical miles up from the previous limit of six nautical miles. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Palestinian fishermen unload their catch from boats after a night fishing trip in the Gaza seaport, Tuesday, May. 21, 2019. Israel extended the permitted fishing zone along the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday to a maximum of 15 nautical miles up from the previous limit of six nautical miles. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Residents described moments of confusion and terror as a gunman rained deadly gunfire on police at an Alabama mobile home park known as a quiet spot to live for both college students and young couples.

Arrowhead Park, where owner Tom Cordi said the suspect resided with a woman who is in veterinary school and their child, was considered safe before the shooting, residents said.

"It's a harmonious kind of place," said Cordi.

That changed late Sunday when a resident identified by authorities as longtime Alabama National Guard member Grady Wayne Wilkes, 29, allegedly unleashed bullets on officers responding to a reported domestic disturbance. The shooting left one officer dead and two others wounded.

On Tuesday, Wilkes appeared in court in handcuffs and leg shackles for an initial hearing, answering a judge's questions politely and wearing a light-blue shirt.

The scene was all so different than the pandemonium that witnesses described on Sunday night.

This booking photo released by the Auburn Police Department on Monday, May 20, 2019, in Auburn, Ala., shows Grady Wayne Wilkes. Wilkes, who opened fire on police responding to a domestic disturbance report, killing one officer and wounding two others, was arrested on Monday and charged with capital murder and attempted murder, authorities said. (Auburn Police Department via AP)

Dylan Edwards, 25, said he stepped outside his trailer to investigate after hearing shots. He ran into an officer, who said: "There's a lunatic with an AR and armor on, y'all get inside." The officer's voice was trembling. "You could tell he was scared," Edwards said.

Tammy Klinton said she initially thought the gunshots were celebratory. But then she and her boyfriend saw an officer with a gunshot wound running down a hill.

Klinton said her boyfriend went to help the officer, but was told to get inside immediately.

Elizabeth Daniel, an Auburn student and resident of the park, barricaded herself in her bedroom. She turned off the lights, placed a curtain rod against her door and grabbed a toy foam bat for protection.

In an email to residents, Cordi said he had never had the "slightest hint of a problem" with Wilkes, who had lived at Arrowhead about three years.

Veteran officer William Buechner was killed. Authorities said the other officers, Webb Sistrunk and Evan Elliott, are expected to recover.

Investigators haven't said what prompted the shootings, only that officers came under fire when they arrived.

During the hearing, a judge denied bond for Wilkes and appointed an attorney to represent him.

District Attorney Brandon Hughes said Wilkes had an "on-again, off-again" relationship with a woman who called the police alleging domestic abuse. The two aren't married, he said.

Wilkes was arrested about nine hours after the shooting, following an overnight manhunt. He is charged with capital murder and Hughes said he would seek the death penalty.

Wilkes also is charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting the two officers who were wounded and strangling someone during the domestic disturbance that resulted in officers being called.

Wilkes has been a member of the Alabama National Guard since 2010 and was the leader of an infantry fire team, or combat unit, said Lt. Col. Tim Alexander, a Guard spokesman.

A public alert sent out after the officers were shot described the suspect as wearing camouflage body armor and a helmet. Authorities haven't said whether any such gear might be linked to military service.

Records don't reflect any overseas deployments by Wilkes, Alexander said, and additional details about his service record were not immediately available.

___

Associated Press writer Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama, contributed to this report.

This undated photo provided by the Auburn Police Department shows Officer William Buechner, who was killed while responding to a domestic disturbance report on Sunday, May 19, 2019. Grady Wayne Wilkes, who opened fire on police Sunday night, killing Buechner and wounding two other officers, was arrested Monday, May 20 and charged with capital murder, authorities said. (Auburn Police Department via AP)PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona has banned prisoners from reading a book that discusses the impact of the criminal justice system on black men, drawing outcry from First Amendment advocates who say the move is censorship.

The American Civil Liberties Union called on the Arizona Department of Corrections this week to rescind the ban on "Chokehold: Policing Black Men." The book by Paul Butler, a former federal prosecutor, examines law enforcement and mass incarceration through its treatment of African American men.

"In order for them to ban a book, they have to show the restriction is related to a legitimate prison interest," said Emerson Sykes, an ACLU attorney. "There's no interest to keep inmates from learning about the criminal justice system and policing."

Butler, a criminal law professor at Georgetown University, said his publisher was notified by email in March that his book had "unauthorized content." The notice did not specify what led to the decision but warned that some aspect of the 2017 book was "detrimental to the safe, secure, and orderly operation of the facility."

Butler said he is mystified as to what raised alarm bells. He uses the title, which is a maneuver police have used to restrain a suspect by the neck, throughout the book as a metaphor for how society and law subjugate black men. Nowhere does Butler advocate violent or retaliatory behavior.

"I disavow violence because first, I think it's immoral, and second, because it wouldn't work," Butler said. "I've received letters from several inmates who have read 'Chokehold' while they are serving time. No one has indicated that reading 'Chokehold' has caused any problems in prison."

FILE - In this July 4, 2015, file photo, prison inmates stand in the yard at Arizona State Prison-Kingman in Golden Valley, Ariz. A book that discusses the impact of the criminal justice system on black men is being kept out of the hands of Arizona prison inmates. The American Civil Liberties Union is calling on the Arizona Department of Corrections to rescind a ban on "Chokehold: Policing Black Men." (Patrick Breen/The Arizona Republic via AP, File)

Arizona's corrections department prohibits inmates from receiving publications that contain any depictions or descriptions that would incite or facilitate a riot, a resistance or stopping work. They also can't contain pictures, illustrations or text that encourage "unacceptable sexual or hostile behaviors." Any publications with sexually explicit material or sexual representations of inmates and law enforcement also are not permitted.

Corrections spokesman Andrew Wilder said the department had not yet received the ACLU's letter asking for the ban to be reversed and declined further comment Monday.

The agency is in a court battle over a similar case. Prison Legal News, a monthly journal, sued corrections officials in 2015 for refusing to deliver four issues in 2014. The publication said in court documents that there were descriptions of "non-salacious" sexual contact between jail guards and prisoners when talking about incidents where inmates were sexually harassed. The case is set for trial later this year.

Supporters say access to books for the more than 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S. can make all the difference for life outside the prison walls. More education decreases the likelihood of repeat offenses and can lead to better job prospects later, according to inmate advocates. They point to studies showing the literacy rates of incarcerated white, black and Hispanic people are significantly lower than their non-incarcerated counterparts.

About half the adult prison population doesn't have a high school degree, said Christia Mercer, a philosophy professor at Columbia University who has taught classes in New York prisons. Reading books can be transformative and help them feel like they are using their time to make something of themselves.

"Unless the book itself promotes violence, there is never a reason not to allow it," Mercer said. "Short of that, anything that gets people to read and think about themselves in the world is just going to be good for the person."

Arizona's population of 7.1 million is roughly 5% black, according to the U.S. census. As of October 2018, the corrections department found black people make up 14.5% of the 42,000 inmates in the Arizona system.

"One in 19 black men are in prison in Arizona right now," Butler said. "Rather than acknowledge it's a good thing that inmates want to read about and debate important public policy, Arizona pushes back against rehabilitation, against literacy, against the Constitution."

Sykes, of the ACLU, said the group is prepared to sue if corrections officials fail to respond to its written request to end the book's exclusion. He believes the ban was made based on content, which would be unconstitutional.

It's not uncommon for state prisons to ban books, Sykes said. "Chokehold" is also not the first book dealing with racial justice issues to be prohibited.

In January 2018, New Jersey banned from two prisons "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander. The 2010 book looks at how black felons convicted of minor crimes are seemingly set up to fail. Officials reversed course after receiving a letter from the ACLU.

"When these issues come up, we try our best to push back against them," Sykes said. "Unfortunately, the reality is I think in many cases, no action is taken because people whose rights are being affected are not in a strong position to push back."

___

Terry Tang is a member of the AP's race and ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ttangAP

FILE - This July 23, 2014 file photo shows a state prison in Florence, Ariz. A book that discusses the impact of the criminal justice system on black men is being kept out of the hands of Arizona prison inmates. The American Civil Liberties Union is calling on the Arizona Department of Corrections to rescind a ban on "Chokehold: Policing Black Men." (AP Photo/File)WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina day care center is closing after five of its toddlers escaped and wandered near a major road.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that officials at Pinedale Christian Day Care have informed the state Child Development and Early Education division that it's closing in three weeks.

State Health and Human Services spokeswoman Sarah Lewis Peel says the decision was made voluntarily by the day care, which operates inside Pinedale Christian Church.

Winston-Salem police said the five children were supposed to be at the day care last Dec. 4 when they were spotted walking into traffic on a busy road.

An officer and some motorists gathered them up and took them to safety.

___

Information from: Winston-Salem Journal, http://www.journalnow.comWASHINGTON (AP) - The former attorney general of Virginia, whose name had been tossed around for months for an immigration role, will be joining the Trump administration, according to a White House official.

Ken Cuccinelli will be taking a position within the Department of Homeland Security, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday ahead of an official announcement.

The Associated Press first reported last month Trump was considering bringing on Cuccinelli as an "immigration czar" to coordinate policy across federal agencies. But the official said Cuccinelli will not be assuming that role.

A second official said the job was still being defined and it wasn't clear yet what Cuccinelli's role would be within the department. The official was not authorized to speak about internal policy and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The hire comes as Trump is struggling with a migrant surge at the southern border that is straining federal resources. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan has asked Congress for $4.5 billion more in supplemental funding.

Cuccinelli has in the past advocated for denying citizenship to the American-born children of parents living in the U.S. illegally, limiting in-state tuition at public universities only to those who are citizens or legal residents.

FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2018, file photo, from left, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, laugh before President Donald Trump arrived to announce his support for the first major rewrite of the nation's criminal justice sentencing laws at White House in Washington. Cuccinelli will be joining the Trump administration. A White House official confirms Cuccinelli will be taking a position at the Homeland Security Department, focusing on immigration. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

He didn't immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.

There was debate within the Trump administration over whether an immigration czar would be housed within the White House or within Homeland Security, a trickier positioning where the appointment could conflict with top leaders in Senate-confirmed positions.

While Homeland Security often plays a leading role when it comes to immigration policy and enforcement, the department is not in charge of officials at the departments of Health and Human Services, State, Defense and Justice, which also play key roles.

But the plan was on hold amid a staff shake up that began with the surprise pulling of the nomination of Ron Vitiello to head U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and led to the resignation of Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and the removal or resignation of other top department officials.

Trump named McAleenan, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as acting secretary.This is our 23rd year, and whats cool about it is that Leland Tower was a prime recording site in the late 30s, and the Sky Club there was the perfect place to make recordings, said Jim Jarvis, vice president for programming and sales for RiverEdge Park. There were these amazing folks that did all these recordings that became a part of our musical history.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The Latest on Kentucky's primary election (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

Attorney General Andy Beshear has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Kentucky, setting up a showdown with his political nemesis - Republican incumbent Matt Bevin.

In Tuesday's primary election, Beshear defeated two other prominent Democrats - former state auditor Adam Edelen and longtime state Rep. Rocky Adkins.

Beshear will try to restore the governorship for Democrats and carry on a family tradition. His father, Steve Beshear, was a popular governor whose two terms preceded Bevin's tenure.

Even during the primary campaign, Beshear aimed most of his criticism at Bevin. The two have waged a series of legal battles in recent years as Beshear challenged some of Bevin's executive actions and sued him on pension and education issues.

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019, file photo, former state Auditor Adam Edelen, a Democratic candidate for Kentucky governor, responds during a debate at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. A well-funded group backing Edelen shook up Kentucky's Democratic gubernatorial primary on Thursday, May 16, running a short-lived TV ad denouncing rival Andy Beshear's private legal work for the Boy Scouts of America in a sexual abuse case years ago. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

___

8:30 p.m.

Democrat Adam Edelen's political comeback has come up short as the former state auditor has conceded in his run for the Democratic nomination for governor in Kentucky.

In his concession speech Tuesday evening, Edelen pitched his progressive ideas to the end. He talked about the need to build a modern state economy that includes creating renewable energy jobs in coal-producing Kentucky.

Edelen urged Democrats to rally around the party's gubernatorial nominee, who will challenge Republican Gov. Matt Bevin.

Edelen, who ran attack ads against rival Andy Beshear in the gubernatorial primary, described the primary squabbles as "family differences." Edelen says Bevin and his "radical cohort" will bring Democrats together.

Edelen's political rise took a sudden fall four years ago when he lost his reelection bid for state auditor.

___

7:55 p.m.

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has cleared his first hurdle toward a second term, defeating three challengers to win the Republican nomination.

Bevin beat three Republican challengers in Tuesday's primary election. They were state Rep. Robert Goforth, William Woods and Ike Lawrence.

The governor is an ally of President Donald Trump, who remains a popular political force in the state. The governor's strong showing Tuesday gives him a boost heading into the fall campaign in a state that has trended overwhelmingly toward the GOP.

At least among Republican voters, Bevin overcame a series of self-inflicted political wounds from his feud with groups representing public school teachers. Bevin's approval ratings had slumped after his failed attempt to change the state's struggling public pension systems.

___

12:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump has tweeted support for Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in Kentucky's primary election.

Trump's tweet encouraged Kentuckians to vote for Matt Bevin on Tuesday, saying he "has done a fantastic job for you and America!"

Voter Tom Priddy in Lawrenceburg cast his vote for Bevin on Tuesday morning. He says he appreciates that the governor is a strong Trump ally.

A spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office says things were going smoothly at the polls, but turnout was light and might end up lower than the projected 12.5%.

Bevin faces state Rep. Robert Goforth and two other challengers in the GOP primary.

Bevin's standing with conservatives is being tested after a turbulent term. Among other things, he has lashed out at teachers who used sick days to attend protest rallies.

___

8:30 a.m.

Voters in Kentucky are casting ballots in a primary that will deliver an initial verdict on the job performance of Gov. Matt Bevin.

The ally of President Donald Trump faces state Rep. Robert Goforth and two other challengers in Tuesday's GOP primary.

Democrats are choosing between three leading gubernatorial candidates on a ballot that also includes contested primaries for attorney general and other statewide offices.

Bevin's standing with conservatives is being tested after a turbulent term. Among other things, he has lashed out at teachers who used sick days to attend protest rallies.

The leading Democrats running for governor are Attorney General Andy Beshear, ex-state auditor Adam Edelen and longtime state Rep. Rocky Adkins.

Beshear is the son of Kentucky's last Democratic governor.

FILE - In this March 26, 2019, file photo, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin speaks with the media during an event about the new Interstate 165 in Bowling Green, Ky. Kentucky Republicans will give an initial verdict on Bevin's job performance in the state's primary election Tuesday, May 21. Meanwhile, Democrats will choose from three prominent candidates looking to challenge Bevin, an ally of President Donald Trump. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP, File)

Kentucky attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear talks with reporters during a campaign stop at Spencer's Coffee, Friday, May 17, 2019 in Bowling Green, Ky. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP)

FILE - In a Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 file photo, Kentucky state Rep. Robert Goforth, R-East Bernstadt, left, speaks with running mate Lawrence County Attorney Mike Hogan after officially filing for governor at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. Undaunted by his status as a political underdog, state Goforth has logged more than 10,000 miles in his pickup truck and invested at least $750,000 of his own money into challenging Kentucky's governor in the state's Republican primary. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

In this Wednesday, April 24, 2019 photo, Democratic candidate for Kentucky governor, state Rep. Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, responds during a debate at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. The three leading Kentucky Democrats on the May primary ballot agree their state badly needs a new chief executive. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Kentucky attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear talks with reporters during a campaign stop at Spencer's Coffee, Friday, May 17, 2019 in Bowling Green, Ky. (Bac Totrong/Daily News via AP)JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on a hearing in a lawsuit to block a Mississippi abortion law that bans the procedure after 6 weeks (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

The same day a federal judge heard arguments about a Mississippi abortion law, the state's Republican lieutenant governor pledged to keep fighting abortion if he's elected governor this year.

And, more than 100 abortion-rights supporters rallied Tuesday outside the state Capitol. The rally in Jackson was one of many around the country to protest abortion restrictions that states are enacting.

A Mississippi law that was passed this year, but has not yet taken effect, would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. That's at about six weeks, when many women many not know they are pregnant.

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves says Mississippi is "overwhelmingly pro-life."

Amanda Furdge, of Jackson and a mother of three boys, relates her experience seeking an abortion in the state, as she addresses abortion rights advocates, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Zakiya (zah-KEE-yah) Summers of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi says: "Bodies do not belong to the government."

____

12:05 p.m.

A federal judge who struck down Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban last year is sharply questioning a new state law that bans abortions even earlier.

The new law prohibits most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. That's at about six weeks, when many women may not know they are pregnant.

During a hearing Tuesday, attorneys for the state's only abortion clinic asked U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves to block the law from taking effect July 1. He said he would decide soon, but didn't specify when.

Reeves noted the law has no exceptions for rape or incest. He asked state attorneys whether the law would require a 10- or 11-year-old girl who is impregnated by rape to carry the pregnancy to term if she waits too long to tell anyone what happened.

____

12:10 a.m.

A federal judge who struck down Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban last year is hearing arguments about a new law that puts the ban even earlier.

The law would prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, at about six weeks, when many women may not know they're pregnant.

Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed it in March. The state's only abortion clinic sued the state.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves is hearing arguments Tuesday on the clinic's request that he block the law from taking effect July 1. It's unclear whether Reeves will issue an immediate decision.

Governors in Kentucky, Ohio and Georgia have signed bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Alabama's governor signed a measure making abortion a felony in nearly all cases.

Doreen McCoy, 95, of Clinton, Miss., holds a sign of support as abortion rights advocates speak, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Abortion rights advocates surround Coleman Boyd, left, an anti-abortion supporter, as he tries to disrupt a gathering of rights advocates, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., during rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Abortion rights advocates gather. Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., as they rally to voice their opposition to state legislatures passing abortion bans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

This Friday, May 17, 2019 photo shows an examination/procedure room at the Jackson Women's Health Organization in Jackson, Miss. The facility is the state's only abortion clinic. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

This Friday, May 17, 2019 photo shows the Jackson Women's Health Organization in Jackson, Miss. The facility is the state's only abortion clinic. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - A Dutch junior justice minister has quit after his department came under fire for appearing to minimize statistics about criminality among asylum seekers.

The ministry was criticized for categorizing hundreds of cases reporting serious offenses including attempted murder and sexual assaults under the heading "others."

The revelations last week and accusations of a cover-up led to a swift internal investigation at the justice ministry.

Anti-immigration lawmaker Geert Wilders accused the ministry of "sweeping under the carpet" allegations of serious crimes among the thousands of asylum seekers in the Netherlands.

Junior minister Mark Harbers resigned Tuesday, saying he was taking political responsibility for an error of judgment by his ministry.

Wilders said the resignation was "the only correct conclusion."BALTIMORE (AP) - The overall health of America's largest estuary declined last year due to the effects of record-breaking precipitation washing more pollutants into the water, but scientists described the difficult year as a dip for the Chesapeake Bay and not a disaster.

For an annual report card evaluating the 200-mile-long (322-kilometer-long) bay, researchers at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science on Tuesday gave the Chesapeake a grade of 46% for 2018, down from 54% in 2017. All of the indicators factored into the bay's health index declined or stayed flat last year. Its letter grade of "C'' is unchanged.

A punishing cycle of heavy downpours in the mid-Atlantic region increased sediments and runoff pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay last year, ending four successive years of largely positive health indicators. Maryland's Baltimore area, for example, was deluged with 72 inches (183 centimeters) of rain in 2018, 175% above normal rates.

A preliminary analysis shows nitrogen pollution saw its worst scores in densely populated areas, while phosphorous scores were particularly bad upstream along the Susquehanna River in southeastern Pennsylvania. These "nutrient" pollutants provide a buffet for algae and lead to low-oxygen conditions that can suffocate underwater life and shrink habitat in the bay, which is fed by numerous rivers and streams.

The Chesapeake's water clarity continued to get a failing grade, seeing a reduction of 10 percentage points. Total nitrogen notched a C-, losing 15 percentage points from the previous year. Aquatic grasses - a key habitat providing a home for important species including blue crabs and striped bass - scored a D-, losing 13 percentage points. Fish populations declined in 2018.

But despite the decreases, scientists say overall bay health is still significantly improving over time, with total phosphorus, nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, and aquatic grasses showing improving trends over years. And while the Chesapeake will never be restored to the condition it was in when Capt. John Smith wrote about its pristine waters and abundant fish in 1608, scientists say its recent health trajectory remains positive.

FILE - In this May 12, 2010 file photo, a man looks out over the Chesapeake Bay, with the Bay Bridge in the background, at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Md. For an annual report card evaluating the 200-mile-long (322-kilometer-long) bay, researchers at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 gave the Chesapeake a grade of 46% for 2018, down from 54% in 2017. All of the indicators factored into the bay's health index declined or stayed flat last year. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

For Bill Dennison, a marine science professor and official at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the fact that the Chesapeake wasn't more negatively impacted by 2018's intense rainfall is a positive sign that decades of restoration and resiliency efforts are indeed working.

"The bay is showing some resilience," Dennison said at a gathering in Baltimore that drew a small crowd of state and federal officials.

But as climate change effects accelerate, bringing more volatile weather and more intense downpours to the region, officials said much more needed to be accomplished to effectively reduce nutrient and sediment pollution.

Ben Grumbles, secretary of Maryland's Department of the Environment, said the latest UMCES report card sends a "strong, strong signal" that all the bay states need to keep doing more to prevent runoff and build up climate resiliency practices "to deal with an increasingly wetter and wilder mid-Atlantic region."

Kate Fritz, director of the nonprofit Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, agreed. "We can't take our foot off the pedal now, not with threats of climate change knocking on our door every day," she said Tuesday.

___

Follow McFadden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmcfaddCHICAGO (AP) - The agency that licenses and inspects health care facilities in Illinois has started an investigation of a suburban Chicago hospital where doctors treated a baby brought in by a woman claiming to be his mother, a spokeswoman for the agency said Tuesday. The woman was charged weeks later with killing the actual mother and cutting the child from her womb.

Illinois Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold's comments about the investigation mark the first time that a state agency has confirmed it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the treatment of the baby. The infant was brought to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn on April 23 by Clarisa Figueroa. Arnold would not comment further on the investigation or say when it would be completed other than to say typically the department's investigations take a few days.

But last week, she told The Associated Press that if the department determines rules or regulations were violated, a facility would be required to correct the problem. And she said that the ultimate penalty for a facility would be the revocation of its license.

The hospital's handling the case has raised questions, particularly since the Chicago Police Department and the state's Department of Children and Family Services both said last weekend that staff at the hospital did not alert them after determining that Figueroa had not just given birth to the gravely ill newborn. The family of the slain mother, 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, has been critical of the hospital and a representative of the family said they met on Monday with hospital staff to ask that they be provided copies of protocols it follows when it receives a baby who was born at home. Cecilia Garcia said on Tuesday that the hospital had not yet provided that information but the family hoped that it would during a second meeting that has yet to be scheduled.

The hospital has declined to say whether or when it contacted authorities when it learned that Figueroa was not the baby's mother, citing state and federal regulations.

Arnold's comments come a day after the Cook County Sheriff's Department said it would ask the state's Department of Children and Family Services if the hospital violated the state's Abuse and Neglected Child Reporting Act. The sheriff's department says if DCFS determines that such a failure would constitute a violation of the act, it would conduct its own investigation.

This combination of booking photos provided by the Chicago Police Department on Thursday, May 16, 2019 shows from left, Pioter Bobak, 40; Clarisa Figueroa, 46; and Desiree Figueroa, 24. Charges against them come three weeks after 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez disappeared and a day after her body was discovered in a garbage can in the backyard of Clarissa Figueroa's home in Chicago's Southwest Side. Police said the teenager was strangled and her baby cut from her body. (Chicago Police Department via AP)

Figueroa and her daughter, Desiree Figueroa, remain in jail after being arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder. The mother's boyfriend, 40-year-old Piotr Bobak, was charged with concealing a homicide.

The child remains hospitalized in grave condition.SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California sued Tuesday to block the Trump administration from cancelling nearly $1 billion for the state's high-speed rail project, escalating the state's feud with the federal government.

The Federal Railroad Administration announced last week it would not give California the money awarded by Congress nearly a decade ago, arguing that the state has not made enough progress on the project.

The state must complete construction on a segment of track in the Central Valley agricultural heartland by 2022 to keep the money, and the administration has argued the state cannot meet that deadline. That line of track would be the first built on what the state hopes will eventually become a 520-mile (837-kilometer) line between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

But Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom says the move is retribution for California's criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

"The decision was precipitated by President Trump's overt hostility to California, its challenge to his border wall initiatives, and what he called the "green disaster" high-speed rail project," the state said in the lawsuit.

California was not expected to tap the $929 million the Trump administration has revoked until 2021. If the lawsuit is not resolved before then, the election could put Democrats in the White House and Congress who may be friendlier to the project.

FILE - This Dec. 6, 2017, file photo shows one of the elevated sections of the high-speed rail under construction in Fresno, Calif. California has sued to block the Trump administration from cancelling nearly $1 billion for the state's high-speed rail project. The lawsuit filed Tuesday, May 21, 2019 comes after the administration revoked the funding last week. Gov. Gavin Newsom has called the move illegal and says it's political retribution for California's resistance to President Donald Trump's immigration policies. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

The lawsuit faulted the Trump administration for halting cooperation with the state on granting environmental clearances for the project. It said terminating the funding would "wreak significant economic damage on the Central Valley and the state."

Newsom told reporters the administration is "after us in every way, shape or form." But he expressed confidence the state will win in court.

"Principles and values tend to win out over short-term tweets," Newsom said.

The lawsuit highlighted a series of tweets Trump sent about the project, including one that said California's rail project would be far more expensive than Trump's proposed border wall.

That tweet came a day after California led 15 states in suing over Trump's plans to fund the border wall, and hours before the administration first threatened to revoke the rail funding.

The Federal Railroad Administration did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment about California's lawsuit.

California has worked for more than a decade on the project to bring high-speed rail service between Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the project has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. It's now projected to cost around $77 billion and be finished by 2033.

The state has already spent $2.5 billion in federal funding, and the Trump administration is exploring whether it can try to get that money back.

The lawsuit also asks the court to block the administration from awarding the money to any other project.

The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of California.

The dispute over the funding was partly driven by Newsom's remarks in February that the project faced challenges and needed to shift focus. Rail officials had been planning to connect the line under construction in the Central Valley to Silicon Valley, but Newsom has proposed extending the line further north and south into the valley before heading west.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority presented a plan in early May that showed it would cost $18.3 billion to get trains up and running between Bakersfield and Merced by 2028.

The board overseeing the project voted Tuesday to further study whether it makes sense financially and otherwise to run early train service on that line. Tom Richards, the vice chairman, noted the board has not yet formally approved the new approach.

"The board has not been asked for, nor has the board given, any interim service direction to (the project's) management," he said.

Daniel Curtin, left, a member of the California- High Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors, talks with Thomas Richards, vice chairman of the board of directors, following a board meeting Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Sacramento, Calif. California has sued to block the Trump Administration from cancelling nearly $1 billion for the state's high-speed rail project. The lawsuit field Tuesday May 21, 2019 comes after the administration revoked the funding last week. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico is studying a change in the way it handles migrants who have been overwhelming its facilities near the border with Guatemala, and may try to keep more of them in newly constructed voluntary shelters rather than in detention facilities.

Tonatiuh Guillen, director of the National Immigration Institute, told The Associated Press this week that migrants requesting asylum or certain other visas would be free to come and go from the shelters. He said the first such shelter would be built in Chiapas near the southern border.

Guillen said officials are looking at a 37-acre (15-hectare) property in Tapachula. "If everything goes well, in the second half of the year we would begin design and hopefully construction of the new facility that is more like a shelter and not confinement, coexistence and not control," he said.

Mexico has been overwhelmed in recent months by the flow of U.S.-bound migrants, especially Central American families with children, many of whom have travelled in caravans.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has insisted that his main strategy to deal with migration is to improve conditions in migrants' countries of origin so they don't feel compelled to leave.

However, detentions and deportations in Mexico are up 150% so far this year.

FILE - In this April 29, 2019 file photo, Rahjit, from India, poses for a photo as he waits with other migrants for a ticket to register their entry into Mexico at an immigration station in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico. The National Immigration Institute said on Monday, May 20, 2019, it is studying a change in the way it handles the migrants who have been overwhelming its facilities near the border with Guatemala. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

Mexico's efforts did not appear to immediately appease President Donald Trump, who unleashed a broadside on Twitter on Tuesday.

Trump wrote that he was "very disappointed that Mexico is doing virtually nothing to stop illegal immigrants from coming to our Southern Border" and added that "Mexico is wrong and I will soon be giving a response!"

It was not clear what precisely triggered Trump's tweet. White House officials said no announcement was scheduled.

Guillen did not provide many details for the plan that is still being developed. But he said the idea is to reduce the number of immigrant detention centers - there are now more than 50 - and reserve them for migrants who are awaiting deportation.

Other migrants, such as those requesting asylum or holding regional permits to work or travel in southern Mexico, would have access to the new shelters.

"This proposal speaks to the crisis in Mexico's immigration system and mainly in the" National Immigration Institute, said Abbdel Camargo, a researcher at the College of the Southern Border. He said that while details are unclear, he worries that the shelters could become recruitment centers for workers rather than humanitarian shelters for families.

Camargo said the idea appeared to formalize what authorities had already done in moving migrants from the detention center in Tapachula to a fairground, which did not have adequate facilities for them.

"This government needs to urgently move from words to deeds," said Ana Saiz, director of Sin Fronteras, a non-government organization that along with two other groups denounced detention conditions in a report to Mexico's Senate.

Saiz said that days after that report, the government closed five small immigration detention centers, including one where abuses had been reported.

Guillen said the immigration agency had fired some 600 employees for reasons including "inadequate conduct, signs of corruption, others for (poor) performance, others for not passing confidence controls..."

But Saiz still has doubts. "There's a lot of talk about looking for alternatives, but the detention centers are full, the massive operations continue. They separate families and even a child lost her life," she said, referring to a 10-year-old Guatemalan girl who died last week after apparently falling from a bunk at a Mexico City detention center. The death is under investigation.

The government has denied separating families, but admits it is overwhelmed.

"The Institute does not have infrastructure for families," Guillen said. "The (detention centers) have a very severe control model and from the perspective of children, it's completely inappropriate." But he said the kids are there because the government decided to keep them with their parents.

The National Human Rights Commission recently denounced confinement conditions and the lack of accurate counts of who was held at the Tapachula facility.

Guillen said the change in approach is needed urgently. But it will take time to build the shelter facilities and the U.S. is entering another election cycle where the threat of harsher measures against migrants could increase.

"This is a transition period," Guillen said. "I hope that these flows are a stage, a circumstance, a situation and that we find a way to ease the number and improve the (migrants') treatment quickly."DENVER (AP) - Prosecutors say they only learned after a judge set $400,000 bond for a truck driver accused of causing a fiery pileup that killed four people on a Colorado highway that he had tried to flee the scene of the collision.

In a filing Monday, they asked a judge to require the now-released man to wear a GPS monitoring device.

Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23, of Houston, was released over the weekend after being charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and other crimes in the April 25 collision near Denver.

Police have said the truck was going at least 85 mph (137 kph) on a part of Interstate 70 where commercial vehicles are limited to 45 mph (72 kph). Authorities described the resulting crash as a 28-vehicle chain reaction wreck that ruptured gas tanks, causing flames that consumed several vehicles and melted parts of the highway just after it descends from mountains west of Denver.

Jefferson County district attorney spokeswoman Pam Russell said Tuesday that she could not provide more information about investigators' conclusion that Aguilera-Mederos tried to leave the scene.

In an emotional video posted Monday evening on Facebook, Aguilera-Mederos, speaking in Spanish, offered his condolences to those who died in the crash, calling the situation "really rough" and "really sad."

FILE - This Thursday, April 25, 2019 file photo provided by West Metro Fire Rescue shows a firefighter working the scene of a deadly pileup involving over two dozen vehicles near Denver. Colorado prosecutors, on Monday, May 20, want a judge to require a GPS monitor for Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos , the truck driver accused of causing the fiery pileup. (Ronda Scholting/West Metro Fire Rescue via AP,File)

He also reached out to the injured, saying, "I thank God for the miracle of allowing them to remain alive."

Aguilera-Mederos did not provide any details about the crash and spent much of his time thanking his supporters. His attorney, Robert Corry, did not return a phone message seeking comment Tuesday.

According to previously filed court documents, Aguilera-Mederos spoke to police at a hospital where he was treated for injuries he received in the crash. The document says he was transported to the hospital for treatment and then taken to a police department for more questioning.

Aguilera-Mederos was released from jail Saturday after paying bond, which is typically 10% of the total amount set by a judge. Corry has said the crash was an accident caused by a mechanical failure of the truck his client was driving.

Authorities have said the semitrailer was destroyed in the crash, making a mechanical inspection impossible.

Prosecutors, though, have argued that Aguilera-Mederos showed "extreme indifference to the value of human life."

A judge has not scheduled a hearing yet on prosecutors' request for GPS monitoring. KDVR-TV first reported the request.

According to the court's original order, Aguilera-Mederos cannot drive commercial vehicles and must remain in Colorado while out on bond.

___

Associated Press journalist Anita Snow in Phoenix contributed to this report.ATLANTA (AP) - A lawsuit challenging Georgia's outdated voting machines and seeking statewide use of hand-marked paper ballots can move forward, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

The lawsuit argues that the paperless touchscreen voting machines Georgia has used since 2002 are unsecure, vulnerable to hacking and unable to be audited.

The state's voting system drew national scrutiny during last year's midterm election in which Brian Kemp, a Republican who was the state's chief election officer at the time, narrowly defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams to become Georgia's governor.

State lawyers had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg to dismiss the lawsuit.

Totenberg wrote in her order rejecting that request that the state's arguments "completely ignore the reality faced by election officials across the country underscored by Plaintiffs' allegations that electronic voting systems are under unceasing attack."

She cited multiple reports and findings by federal government officials and cybersecurity experts that highlight security vulnerabilities in the kind of system Georgia uses.

Among other arguments, lawyers for the state said the lawsuit was no longer valid because a new law provides specifications for a new voting system that state officials say will be implemented in time for the 2020 election cycle.

But Totenberg had said during a hearing last month that she didn't think the claims were irrelevant given that the current machines are still in use for numerous special and municipal elections scheduled this year.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of voters and the Coalition for Good Governance, an election integrity advocacy organization. Totenberg wrote that they have "plausibly and sufficiently demonstrated a legitimate concern" that when they use the current paperless electronic voting machines "their vote is in jeopardy of being counted less accurately and thus given less weight than a paper ballot."

At this stage in the litigation, where the decision is whether to allow the lawsuit to continue, the allegations that the use of those "unsecure" machines violate their fundamental right to vote are enough to assert "a plausible due process violation," Totenberg wrote.

Tess Hammock, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, declined to comment on the ruling.

Totenberg's order Tuesday allows the parties to begin the process of gathering information, including requesting documents and taking sworn statements from potential witnesses. It doesn't stop the state from continuing to use the current machines.

Lawyer Bruce Brown, who represents the Coalition for Good Governance, said in a phone interview Tuesday that a next step will be to ask the judge to order the state to immediately stop using the current machines and to replace them with hand-marked paper ballots while the lawsuit is ongoing.

The plaintiffs made a similar request in August, asking Totenberg to force the state to use paper ballots in the November midterm election. Though she said they had demonstrated "the threat of real harms to their constitutional interests," she denied the request in September, worrying it would be too chaotic to make the switch so close to the election.

Now would be an opportune time for a switch to hand-marked paper ballots because the state has enough time to implement them in the upcoming elections, which are smaller in scope, Brown said.

Lawyer David Cross, who represents three of the individual voters, said Totenberg's order "validates the serious constitutional concerns underlying our case and provides an opportunity to finally institute secure, reliable, and transparent elections for Georgia voters."

Georgia's voting machines will be replaced by touchscreen ballot-marking devices that print a paper ballot, according to the new law signed by the governor. Brown argued during a hearing last month that those machines are also unconstitutional because there's still a computer between the voter and the permanent record of the vote.

Totenberg didn't address those concerns in her order, saying only in a footnote that since the state has yet to choose a specific system, "how these issues will play out in the context of new voting technology remains an open question."

This lawsuit is one of several filed before and after last year's midterm election that challenges various aspects of Georgia's voting system. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones is currently considering the state's motion to dismiss a separate suit filed by Fair Fight Action, a group founded by Abrams.ROSHARON, Texas (AP) - A former Texas prison sergeant is slated to stand trial, accused of throwing a handcuffed prisoner onto a concrete floor so viciously that the inmate died.

Lou Joffrion slammed inmate David Witt in August 2017 in an attack that was captured on video at the Darrington Unit in Rosharon, south of Houston.

Joffrion resigned two days later after being recommended for termination, said Jeremy Desel, a prison spokesman.

Joffrion will stand trial in September on an aggravated assault charge. He wasn't charged with murder, partly because the assault charge would be easier to prove, the Houston Chronicle reported. The charges carry the same sentencing range.

Just weeks before the attack that was caught on video, state officials said Joffrion had completed six months of disciplinary probation for another violent encounter with the 41-year-old Witt.

Prison officials Monday condemned Joffrion's conduct but noted a powerful painkiller in the slain inmate's blood as a possible cause of the altercation.

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows David Witt. A former Texas prison sergeant is scheduled for trial on charges that he picked up Witt, a handcuffed inmate, and slammed him to the ground, causing Witt's head to strike the concrete floor, killing him. Lou Joffrion is charged with aggravated assault in the 2017 incident. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)

"While the use of force was deemed excessive in the investigation," said Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Bryan Collier, "an autopsy of offender Witt did find the presence of fentanyl, an extremely powerful synthetic opioid, which could explain the actions which prompted the use of force."

Witt's family members said they weren't informed of the circumstances surrounding his death for months. Officials didn't report Witt's death as a homicide until the full autopsy was completed a year later.

It's unclear whether the drug was smuggled illegally into prison or given as treatment at the hospital, where Witt had undergone surgery prior to this death. Prison officials did not further elaborate.

Connie Williams, the lawyer representing Joffrion, said his client followed proper procedures.

"There are some suggestions that he slammed him too hard," Williams said. "But there was no intent to kill anybody."

Witt had suffered from mental health issues before he was imprisoned, his family noted. He was charged with aggravated robbery in 2004, resulting in a 20-year prison sentence.

He was in and out of the system's psychiatric prisons during the first few years, according to his mother. Occasionally, she would visit the prison and Witt couldn't recognize who she was. In other instances, Witt wouldn't recognize himself.

"He was such a sweet man," Rosemary said. "And prison destroyed him."

___

Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.comAt that time, the bond payments were structured to balloon in later years, with the assumption that continued residential and commercial development in the district would provide sufficient property tax revenue to cover debt payments, but that anticipate growth was stalled by the recession.NEW YORK (AP) - After Eric Garner's death following a confrontation with New York City police five years ago, one officer involved in the struggle wrote up paperwork that exaggerated the seriousness of the dead man's suspected crime, that officer testified Tuesday.

Officer Justin Damico said that after riding in an ambulance with the dying Garner, he filled out arrest papers listing a felony tax charge that would have required prosecutors to prove Garner, a small-time street hustler, had sold 10,000 untaxed cigarettes.

Damico was questioned about the posthumous arrest papers while testifying at the disciplinary trial of Officer Daniel Pantaleo, a one-time partner accused of restraining Garner with a banned chokehold as they tried to arrest him for selling loose, untaxed cigarettes on Staten Island in July 2014.

"You initiated this on your own, writing up the arrest of a dead man?" asked Suzanne O'Hare, a lawyer for the police watchdog agency bringing the disciplinary case against Pantaleo.

Damico acknowledged that the felony charge was incorrect because Garner actually had with him five packs of Newports that contained a total of less than 100 cigarettes. The cigarettes were marked for sale in Virginia, a sign they were being resold illegally in New York.

Garner was ultimately posthumously charged with two misdemeanors, which alleged he resisted arrest and sold untaxed cigarettes. The case was not prosecuted because Garner is dead.

New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo leaves his house Monday, May 13, 2019, in Staten Island, N.Y. A long-delayed disciplinary trial is set to begin Monday for Pantaleo, accused of using a banned chokehold in the July 2014 death of Eric Garner. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Damico's testimony was often revealing, giving the never-before-heard perspective of the one officer who had been with Pantaleo throughout the confrontation. Pantaleo, 33, denies wrongdoing. He has been on desk duty since Garner's death.

Speaking for more than an hour in a nearly full hearing room at police headquarters, Damico recounted how he'd given an agitated Garner a warning two weeks earlier, instead of arresting him, for selling loose cigarettes because he felt that approach was "the right thing to do."

Once Pantaleo grabbed Garner and pulled him to the ground, Damico said he just assumed that Garner was faking unresponsiveness - "playing possum" - to get out of being arrested. An officer who arrived as Garner was being restrained testified that he had the same thought.

Garner's dying pleas of "I can't breathe," captured on a bystander's cellphone video, became a rallying cry against police brutality targeting black people.

Damico testified he saw Pantaleo's arm around Garner's neck as the two men struggled - but he didn't say if he thought the move was a chokehold.

At one point in his testimony, Damico said he recalled Pantaleo's arm being around Garner's "upper body." That description prompted Garner's widow, Esaw, to mutter: "Oh, come on."

Damico, then in charge of combatting graffiti and quality of life issues in a neighborhood near the Staten Island Ferry terminal, said he was paired with Pantaleo to watch for loose cigarette sales when he saw Garner completing such a transaction.

Damico, who hasn't faced disciplinary action, testified that he and Pantaleo didn't rush to arrest Garner because they were "trying to avoid a physical fight." They stayed calm as Garner screamed for around 10 minutes about feeling targeted by police and swatted Damico's hands away while refusing to be arrested, Damico said.

Pat Lynch, the president of the Police Benevolent Association officers' union, said Damico and Pantaleo "utilized textbook de-escalation techniques to limit the use of force against a much larger and irate individual."

"We are convinced that if the politics of the streets are removed from this process and the case is decided on a dispassionate hearing of the facts, that Police Officer Pantaleo will be exonerated," he said.

The NYPD's disciplinary process plays out like a trial in front of an administrative judge.

Normally the purpose is to determine whether an officer violated department rules, but that's only if disciplinary charges are filed within 18 months of an incident.

Because Pantaleo's case languished, the watchdog Civilian Complaint Review Board must show that his actions rose to the level of criminal conduct, even though he faces no criminal charges and is being tried in a department tribunal, not a criminal court.

The final decision on any punishment lies with the police commissioner. Penalties range from the loss of vacation days to firing.

The disciplinary hearing is scheduled to resume June 5.

Pantaleo's lawyers say they will call a medical examiner from St. Louis, Missouri, to rebut the New York medical examiner's finding that a chokehold set into motion "a lethal sequence of events" for Garner.

Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, said she's "tired of the disruptions."

___

Follow Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak

___

Send news tips, documents and recordings to AP securely and confidentially: https://www.ap.org/tipsHOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) - An Arkansas man faces a murder charge after sheriff's deputies said they found a body in his car during an April traffic stop.

The Hot Springs Sentinel-Record reports Tuesday that 58-year-old Keith Ashlock has been charged with first-degree murder after deputies found evidence of a crime scene at his home.

Authorities identified the body as 65-year-old Jimmy Fryar.

The Garland County Sheriff's Office says Ashlock fled when a deputy tried to stop him April 30 for driving a vehicle with an unauthorized vanity license plate. Ashlock crashed through the gate of a condominium complex and was arrested on the roof of a condo.

Ashlock is being held on $200,000 bond. He's also charged with fleeing police, criminal mischief and obstruction. The public defender's office is representing him and declined comment.KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) - The Latest on a second fatal Alaska floatplane crash in a week (all times local):

4:50 p.m.

Witnesses told U.S. investigators that one of the two floats on a plane in a deadly commuter crash Monday dug into water during landing, causing the right wing to hit the water and then the aircraft to cartwheel several times.

Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board in Alaska, says witnesses reported the Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air landed upside down and became submerged in water.

The pilot, 51-year-old Ron Rash of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and 32-year-old passenger Sarah Luna died when the single-engine plane crashed in Metlakatla Harbor.

Johnson said he anticipates the preliminary report into the crash to be released by the end of the week.

This Monday, May 20, 2019 photo provided by Aerial Leask shows good Samaritans off of fishing vessels attempting to bring in a floatplane that crashed in the harbor of Metlakatla, Alaska. Officials said the pilot and passenger aboard the plane died, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. (Aerial Leask via AP)

The crash followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Otter floatplane with another floatplane. Six people died in that crash and another 10 people were injured.

___

3:20 p.m.

The police chief of Metlakatla has identified the pilot of Monday's deadly commuter plane crash in that Alaska community.

The pilot was identified as 51-year-old Ron Rash of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was identified by Police Chief Bruce Janes.

Also killed was 32-year-old passenger Sarah Luna, a staff epidemiologist with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

The two died when a Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air crashed in Metlakatla Harbor on Monday afternoon.

Monday's crash followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Otter floatplane with another floatplane. Six people died in that crash and another 10 people were injured.

___

12:20 p.m.

An Alaska tribal health organization says the passenger killed in the state's latest floatplane crash was a staff epidemiologist.

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in a statement Tuesday said that Sarah Luna joined the group nearly a year ago.

Consortium spokeswoman Shirley Young says Luna was flying to the community of Metlakatla to provide health services when the plane crashed.

Luna's uncle Carlos Luna says his niece was 32. She was originally from Camarillo, California.

Luna and the pilot of a Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air were killed when the aircraft crashed in Metlakatla Harbor on Monday afternoon. The pilot's name has not been made public.

Monday's crash followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Otter floatplane with another floatplane. Six people died in that crash and another 10 people were injured.

___

Eds: Corrects model of Taquan plane in May 13 crash to Otter, not Beaver.

___

10 a.m.

Federal officials say an Alaska air carrier involved in two deadly floatplane crashes in a week has voluntarily suspended operations.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the halt of flightseeing and commuter flights is in place until further notice.

The action comes after the passenger and the pilot of a Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air were killed when the aircraft crashed in Metlakatla Harbor on Monday afternoon during a scheduled commuter flight from Ketchikan.

Taquan Air officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board in Alaska, says witnesses reported the crash occurred during landing.

Monday's crash followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Otter floatplane with another floatplane. Six people died in that crash and another 10 people were injured.___

Eds: Corrects model of Taquan plane in May 13 crash to Otter, not Beaver

___

6:25 a.m.

Authorities say the second Alaska floatplane crash in a week has killed two people in the same region where two floatplanes collided last week in an accident that left six people dead.

Ketchikan Gateway Borough spokeswoman Deanna Thomas said in a statement that the passenger and the pilot of a Beaver floatplane operated by Taquan Air crashed in Metlakatla Harbor Monday afternoon.

The accident followed the May 13 midair collision of a Taquan Air Otter floatplane with another floatplane.

Thomas says the circumstances of the latest crash are not yet being made public.

The victims in the latest crash were not identified because their families were being notified.

Thomas says the floatplane was being towed to land.

___

Eds: Corrects model of Taquan plane in May 13 crash to Otter, not Beaver

___

The 12:20 p.m. item has been corrected to reflect passenger is originally from Camarillo, California, not Oxnard, California.

This Monday, May 20, 2019 photo provided by Aerial Leask shows good Samaritans off of fishing vessels attempting to bring in a floatplane that crashed in the harbor of Metlakatla, Alaska. Officials said the pilot and passenger aboard the plane died, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. (Aerial Leask via AP)

This Monday, May 20, 2019 photo provided by Aerial Leask shows good Samaritans off of fishing vessels attempting to bring in a floatplane that crashed in the harbor of Metlakatla, Alaska. Officials said the pilot and passenger aboard the plane died, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. (Aerial Leask via AP)

This Monday, May 20, 2019 photo provided by Aerial Leask showing good Samaritans off of fishing vessels attempting bring in a floatplane that crashed in the harbor of Metlakatla, Alaska. Authorities say a pilot and a single passenger have died after the small plane crashed Monday near Ketchikan. (Aerial Leask via AP)

This Monday, May 20, 2019 photo provided by Aerial Leask shows good Samaritans off of fishing vessels attempting to bring in a floatplane that crashed in the harbor of Metlakatla, Alaska. Authorities say a pilot and a single passenger have died after the small plane crashed Monday near Ketchikan. (Aerial Leask via AP)AKROTIRI, Cyprus (AP) - Six F35-B Lightning warplanes, the U.K.'s newest fighter, arrived Tuesday at a British air base on Cyprus for training and a systems test in the aircraft's first overseas deployment.

The jets from 617 Squadron, flown by three British Royal Navy and three Royal Air Force pilots, touched down at RAF Akrotiri for what officials said will be a six-week deployment on the eastern Mediterranean island nation as part of Exercise Lightning Dawn.

RAF Akrotiri Station Commander Christopher Snaith said the deployment will let pilots put the planes through their paces, test logistics and sharpen ground crew training.

Snaith said the training aims to prepare the aircraft for its first deployment aboard the U.K.'s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, and to develop its strike capability.

There are no current plans to have the aircraft conduct combat missions, said Snaith.

Flight training will take place over waters south of Cyprus and won't involve any weapons.

Soldiers wave at a F-35B aircraft waves after landing at Akrotiri Royal air forces base near coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the jets first training deployment outside of the UK. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, Pool)

Snaith said RAF Akrotiri was selected for training because it's far away enough from the U.K. to "stretch logistics," but familiar enough to U.K. pilots, some of whom have flown out of the air base before.

A pilot in a F-35B aircraft waves after landing at Akrotiri Royal air forces base near coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the jets first training deployment outside of the UK. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, Pool)

An aircraft F-35B prepares for landing at Akrotiri Royal air forces base near coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, the jets first training deployment outside of the UK. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, Pool)SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Gov. Gavin Newsom called growing homelessness in California a national disgrace as he announced Tuesday that he is launching a task force to find solutions amid a housing crisis in the most populous state.

The Democratic governor said the state has lacked a strategy to curb homelessness but argued that answers will come from the local level. He said the group will work with cities and counties to develop regional plans for addressing the issue.

Newsom made the announcement in Oakland, where county officials said the number of homeless people rose 43 percent over the last two years. Recent data from other counties has shown large increases, too.

"These are jaw-dropping numbers," Newsom told reporters at the Henry Robinson Multi-Service Center, which provides transitional housing for people facing homelessness.

Newsom has proposed spending about $1 billion in the state budget on programs to tackle homelessness, including providing $650 million to local governments for emergency shelters and other services. He also wants to spend money on programs for homeless college students and legal protections for people facing evictions.

Meanwhile, major housing legislation has faltered in the Legislature in recent weeks.

File - In this March 20, 2019, file photo, Gov. Gavin Newsom, center, discusses the homeless problem facing California after a meeting with the mayors of some of the state's largest cities held at the Governor's office in Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Newsom is creating a task force on homelessness as the state grapples with a housing crisis. Speaking Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Oakland, Newsom described homelessness as an epidemic of statewide concern but says it will be best addressed at the local level. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

A measure to expand rent control stalled, and the chairman of a key Senate committee held back a closely watched proposal that would have waived zoning rules in some neighborhoods to allow for more housing, such as around public transportation.

Supporters argue that such measures are key to preventing homelessness and creating more housing.

Newsom told reporters that he is talking with Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and legislative leadership about the development measure. But he did not take a position on whether it should get a vote on the Senate floor.

During his campaign last year, Newsom proposed creating a cabinet-level secretary of homelessness, a post he has yet to fill.

Newsom tapped Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to chair the new Homeless and Supportive Housing Task Force. The governor's office said he will appoint other members later.

The group will meet around the state to see best practices and gather input to propose solutions, Newsom's office said. The task force will issue at least one report a year to the governor.

Republican Assemblyman Devon Mathis questioned the need for a new task force, arguing Newsom's administration is not doing enough to address the state's high cost of living.

"Every month, families sit around the kitchen table and have to figure out how to make ends meet. Are we bringing down their cost of electricity?" He said. "Are we bringing down their costs in rent?"

In this photo taken on Friday, May 17, 2019, a woman smokes a cigarette outside a homeless encampment in Oakland, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is creating a task force on homelessness as the state grapples with a housing crisis. Speaking Tuesday, May 21, in Oakland, Newsom described homelessness as an epidemic of statewide concern but says it will be best addressed at the local level. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)WASHINGTON (AP) - Lawmakers clashed Tuesday over the Trump administration's move to send hundreds of Transportation Security Administration employees to the U.S.-Mexico border, and one airport official warned it could lead to long checkpoint lines this summer.

The TSA is asking federal air marshals, airport screeners and others to volunteer to support a buildup of federal agents along the border who are dealing with waves of migrants.

"It just goes to show what a crisis we have down on the border," Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., said during a hearing.

But the Democratic chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, said shifting airport workers to the border was "the contrived manufacturing of a crisis to the detriment of the TSA."

Travel industry groups have expressed concern that the shift could leave airports understaffed during the peak summer season.

The movement of TSA screeners "has all airports very concerned," said Lance Lyttle, managing director of aviation for the Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2018 file photo, Transportation Security Administration officers check boarding passes and identification at Logan International Airport in Boston. A House panel is divided over the Trump administration's move to send TSA employees from airports to the US-Mexico border. Republican lawmaker says the move shows the severity of the crisis on the border, where waves of migrants are arriving. But a Democratic committee chairman says the administration is manufacturing a crisis. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

"Significant diversion of (TSA officers) would reduce TSA's ability to open all security lanes during morning peak this summer, which could result in lines out to our garage as often as four to five days per week," Lyttle said.

TSA says it will move fewer than 1% of its 60,000 employees to the border and that security operations will continue uninterrupted.

The agency says employees who volunteer for border work will handle transportation, meal distribution and other tasks, but won't perform law-enforcement duties.WASHINGTON (AP) - Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy pushed back Tuesday against Rep. Justin Amash and his call for President Donald Trump's impeachment, saying the Michigan Republican is out of step with others in the party and with Americans. But the most conservative group of House Republicans declined to oust Amash from its ranks. And Amash isn't backing down.

"Their pressure doesn't have influence on me," Amash said in a brief interview with The Associated Press. "I really am not concerned about what Kevin McCarthy thinks about it."

The development came after Amash became the first Republican to call for Trump's impeachment. On Twitter over the last several days, Amash said special counsel Robert Mueller's description of the president's efforts to shut down the probe and get others to lie for him qualifies as obstruction. Republicans were furious, in part because Amash, a libertarian, is a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and remains in the group even though he hasn't shown up lately to meetings.

The caucus on Monday voted by a show of hands to condemn Amash's call for Trump's impeachment. McCarthy, who on Monday questioned whether Amash is really a part of the House Republican Conference, said Amash was an outlier.

"Mr. Amash always has a different voting record than most of us, anyway," McCarthy told reporters Tuesday.

But any impeachment moves would be more than a vote with or against Trump on policy. It would be a formal charge by the House. The Senate would then hold a trial on whether to strip the president of his office.

FILE - This March 28, 2017, file photo shows Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., followed by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, leaving a closed-door strategy session on Capitol Hill in Washington. Amash isn't taking back his call for President Trump's impeachment. The fourth-term congressman took considerable heat on Monday, May 20, 2019, for tweeting over the weekend that special counsel Robert Mueller's report outlined obstruction by the president.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

In calling for Trump's impeachment, Amash stepped farther even than some Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is holding her increasingly restive caucus to a step-by-step process by which the courts and perhaps the House would weigh in on Trump's lack of cooperation. Multiple committees are investigating Trump's business dealings and other conduct. Pelosi and her allies say it would take more Republicans than just Amash, plus broad public sentiment, to trigger impeachment proceedings.

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., described a tense meeting Monday night in which a vocal minority of Pelosi's leadership team spoke in favor of launching an impeachment inquiry, and Pelosi held firm.

"We've got to lay the groundwork, lay the framework before you start anything like that," Dingell said. "Because a partisan impeachment would divide this country further."DETROIT (AP) - Fiat Chrysler can move forward with plans to build a new, $1.6 billion assembly plant in Detroit and invest $900 million to retool and modernize another.

Land deals and community benefits agreements tied to the project were approved Tuesday by the Detroit City Council, shortly before Michigan's economic development board approved a $223 million incentive package in exchange for the automaker creating 6,400 jobs, including nearly 5,000 in the city.

A Fiat Chrysler executive said construction will begin immediately, with vehicles expected to roll off the assembly line by late 2020. The automaker also will retool and upgrade its Jefferson North Assembly Plant, which will be adjacent to the new facility.

"One of the largest auto production centers in America ... is going to be on the east side of Detroit," said Mayor Mike Duggan. "It's going to be transformative."

For the city, it means jobs. Detroit's unemployment rate of about 8% is more than double the national average of 3.6%. For the state, it's an affirmation that Michigan "remains the automotive capital of the world" and that its United Automobile Workers "build the best cars, trucks and SUVs on the planet," Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said at a celebratory news conference in Lansing.

She called it the largest auto assembly plant deal in the U.S. in a decade and said the jobs will have a "sweeping ripple effect" throughout the state's economy.

FILE- In this Feb. 26, 2019 file photo, Jeep vehicles are parked outside the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. Fiat Chrysler can move forward with plans to build a new, $1.6 million assembly plant on Detroit's Eastside and invest $900 million to retool and modernize another. The Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved land deals and community benefits agreements tied to the project. They include a four-week exclusive window Detroit residents will have to apply for jobs at the facilities once laid-off workers and temporary employees are considered. Fiat Chrysler expects to add 4,950 new jobs. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

Fiat Chrysler expects to create 4,950 new jobs in Detroit, and additional ones in the suburbs - 1,400 at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant and 83 at its Sterling Stamping Plant. Under the company's contract with the UAW, laid-off employees get first choice, followed by temporary employees at the Detroit plant. As part of the city's incentive package, Detroit residents then will have a four-week window to apply and be considered for any remaining jobs before they are open to others.

The company has said about 4,218 jobs will be classified as front-line workers. An additional 345 will be filled by electricians, plumbers, laborers and others in the skilled trades, while 387 are expected to be supervisory positions. New employees would start work late this year or in early 2020.

The city is preparing residents for the Fiat Chrysler jobs through information sessions. They also can receive assistance to help prepare for the application and interview process.

"We're putting Michigan and Detroit first," said Mark Stewart, chief operating officer for Fiat Chrysler North America. "This is our home. We're very proud."

The company is getting tax breaks and 215 acres (87 hectares) of adjacent land the city had to acquire. The land and site preparation deals are about $108 million, with Detroit and the state splitting it about equally. Included in the $223 million state incentive package - which was made public for the first time only minutes before its approval by the Michigan Strategic Fund board - is $55 million for site preparation and $168 million in tax breaks, exemptions and cash.

The automaker committed to creating and maintaining at least 3,500 jobs in Detroit and Warren with an average wage of $59,846, as part of a "good jobs" incentive that lets companies keep all or half of the income taxes associated with new jobs for up to 10 years if the jobs pay at least the regional average.

One sticking point in the plan involved deals and land swaps with Crown Enterprises, owned by the family of businessman Manuel "Matty" Moroun. The city will pay Crown Enterprises about $43 million for 82 acres (33 hectares) needed for the Fiat Chrysler deal. Detroit also is giving Crown Enterprises 117 acres (47 hectares) of city-owned property elsewhere in Detroit. That land is valued at $10.5 million, the city said.

Some councilmembers expressed concern that the city is giving up too much.

Council President Brenda Jones said last week that she supports the new jobs that come with the plant, but "equally important are all the swap agreements and how much the city is spending to make this happen."

"Everyone in the community is not just looking for a job," she added.

__

Eggert reported from Lansing, Mich.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the new assembly plant will cost $1.6 billion.CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - West Virginia's Roman Catholic diocese failed to publicly disclose decade-old allegations of sexual abuse of a student involving a Catholic school teacher, the state's attorney general said Tuesday.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced an amended lawsuit against the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and former Bishop Michael Bransfield.

A diocese spokesman didn't immediately comment on the complaint. It accuses the diocese of keeping secret a 2006 report on sexual abuse allegations involving a teacher in Kanawha County.

Morrisey said an internal investigation alleged the teacher used alcohol and prescription drugs to gain a teenage student's trust before multiple incidents of abuses occurred.

Like the original suit, the amended complaint cited the state Consumer Credit and Protection Act, accusing the diocese of "unfair competition" over other schools when it advertised for prospective students to join its schools and camp without disclosing the employment of accused priests.

The amended complaint alleges Bransfield was personally advised that more than 20 background checks were not done at a Catholic elementary school in Charleston between 2007 and 2008.

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, Patrick Morrisey speaks to reporters after a debate in Morgantown, W.Va. Morrisey announced an amended lawsuit Tuesday, May 21, 2019, against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and former Bishop Michael Bransfield. The original lawsuit was filed in March. The latest version alleges the diocese kept secret a 2006 report on sexual abuse allegations involving a teacher in Charleston, W.Va. (AP Photo/Raymond Thompson, File)

Morrisey's original lawsuit filed in March accused the diocese and Bransfield of a cover-up, adding the diocese didn't conduct background checks on admitted abusers and priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse.

Attorneys for the diocese and Bransfield filed a motion last month to dismiss the lawsuit.

On Tuesday the diocese said in a statement that some of the allegations in the amended lawsuit weren't accurately described.

"In the strongest terms, we deny the allegation that initial background checks were not conducted on school employees, as the amended complaint contends," the diocese said.

In one decades-old instance cited in the original lawsuit, Rev. Victor Frobas, who was forced out of the Philadelphia seminary system because of a credible accusation of child sexual abuse, was made the director of a summer youth camp owned by the diocese. Frobas was then accused of sexually abusing children at that post and, following a leave of absence, was later assigned to work as a chaplain at Wheeling Central Catholic High School, the lawsuit said.

Frobas was convicted in 1988 of molesting two boys at a parish in suburban St. Louis. He served more than two years in prison and died in 1993.

In November the West Virginia diocese released the names of 18 priests or deacons who it said had been credibly accused of child sexual abuse since 1950, including 11 who had since died. None of the others are in active ministry.

Bransfield resigned last year and the Vatican appointed Baltimore Archbishop William Lori to take over the Wheeling-Charleston diocese. Bransfield had been implicated in a 2012 case against Philadelphia priests accused of sexual abuse, but he denied abusing anyone.

Catholic Church officials in March imposed ministerial restrictions on Bransfield pending the Holy See's final assessment on the investigation into the claims in West Virginia.

"There are many, many wonderful people in the church. I know many of them. I'm a practicing Catholic," Morrisey said at a news conference in Wheeling. "And I can say to you that a lot of people have been deeply disturbed by the activities and the cover-up here. The most important thing everyone can do now is to come clean, to be transparent, acknowledge the mistakes and move forward."RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Rio de Janeiro's city hall selected a group of companies to build a new track that could eventually host a Formula One race, a move that could still be challenged in courts.

Official city hall records published Tuesday say the Rio MotorSports group was the only bidder for the job of building a track in northern Rio.

The group also issued a statement confirming it will build and operate the track in the region of Deodoro for 35 years.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said this month that the new track could be used to host F1 and MotoGP races, and suggested it should be named after three-time F1 champion Ayrton Senna.

Rio has not hosted an F1 race since 1989 but is hoping to win back the Brazilian Grand Prix from Sao Paulo's Interlagos track when its contract with the sport ends in 2020.

Organizers of the Brazilian Grand Prix insist they are already in negotiations with F1's new owners Liberty Media to extend the contract with Interlagos for another 10 years.

Rio prosecutors said they will challenge the city hall's decision based on environmental issues. The Camboata forest sits right next to the region where the track could be built.

Rio MotorSports said "there will be a proper moment for technical evaluation and approval of the environmental license to the construction of the track."

Rio's Jacarepagua autodrome hosted Brazil's F1 race from 1978 to 1989 before it was moved to Sao Paulo. Jacarepagua was destroyed for the construction of Rio's Olympic Park under the promise the city would soon get a new track for auto racing.

The estimated cost of the new venue is of $170 million, which could help boost Rio's crumbling economy. Officials have promised there will be no public spending on the project.

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacin g and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsMadigan: It taught me a lot of personal discipline  thank God. In my experience in Catholic schools and the Catholic community was an experience of ethical conduct, caring for those who are needy, open-mindedness and a strong sense of responsibility, a strong drive for following the rules. That was part of the Catholic environment where I was raised. So, whatever I took from all of that, I bring to this. The Catholic Church and the Catholic environment have their critics all over the world and a lot of the critics say a lot of things that are true. But in my personal experience I think it gave me the intellectual resolve that has helped me in what I have done.AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - The Latest on the Sunday killing of an Alabama police officer (all times local):

2:23 p.m.

A man charged with killing one Alabama police officer and wounding two others has made his initial court appearance.

Grady Wayne Wilkes was denied bond during a hearing Tuesday in Opelika.

He was handcuffed and shackled about the legs as he answered a judge's questions politely.

The 29-year-old Wilkes is charged with capital murder and other crimes following a shooting Sunday night at a mobile home park in Auburn.

A tow truck removes a police car from a mobile home park, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Auburn, Ala., where three police officers were shot late Sunday. Authorities say a man opened fire on police responding to a domestic call late Sunday, killing one officer and wounding two others. (AP Photo/Blake Paterson)

Authorities say a gunman opened fire on officers responding to a call about a domestic disturbance.

A prosecutor says Wilkes has an "on-again, off-again" relationship with a woman who called the police alleging domestic abuse. He says the two aren't married.

Wilkes hasn't responded to the charges, but a judge appointed an attorney to represent him.

___

1:45 p.m.

Residents of an Alabama mobile home park described moments of confusion and terror as a gunman fired on authorities, killing one officer and injuring two others.

Tammy Klinton says she initially thought the gunshots Sunday night at Arrowhead Park in Auburn were celebratory. But then she and her boyfriend saw an officer with a gunshot wound running down a hill.

Klinton says her boyfriend went to help the officer, but was told to get inside immediately.

Elizabeth Daniel, a student at Auburn who lives in the RV park, barricaded herself in her bedroom, turning off the lights, placing a curtain rod against her door and grabbing a toy foam bat for protection.

An overnight manhunt led to the arrest of 29-year-old suspect Grady Wayne Wilkes about nine hours after the shootings. He is charged with capital murder.

___

11:25 a.m.

A man suspected of killing one Alabama police officer and wounding two others is due in court for an initial hearing.

Security is expected to be tight as 29-year-old Grady Wayne Wilkes appears in court in Lee County on Tuesday afternoon.

Wilkes was arrested Monday on charges of shooting three Auburn police officers who responded to a domestic disturbance call on Sunday.

Veteran officer William Buechner was killed. Authorities say the others are expected to recover.

Wilkes is charged with capital murder and other crimes, but court records show he doesn't yet have a lawyer to speak on his behalf. A judge could appoint one during the hearing.

An Alabama National Guard spokesman says Wilkes has been a member since 2010. He's an infantry combat leader.

This booking photo released by the Auburn Police Department on Monday, May 20, 2019, in Auburn, Ala., shows Grady Wayne Wilkes. Wilkes, who opened fire on police responding to a domestic disturbance report, killing one officer and wounding two others, was arrested on Monday and charged with capital murder and attempted murder, authorities said. (Auburn Police Department via AP)COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A federal prosecutor suggested a suspended sheriff in South Carolina has tried to intimidate former deputies from cooperating with investigators that continue to look into corruption charges.

The lawyer for Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood called the case an assault on law enforcement and denied he made any threats during his arraignment on charges he jailed a man videotaping a police investigation from his front lawn on trumped up charges, then created a false police report, tried to destroy the man's cellphone and lied to the FBI.

Underwood, his Chief Deputy Robert Sprouse and sheriff's Lt. Johnny Neal Jr. face several federal charges ranging from civil rights violations to lying to police. All three men appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. They were indicted earlier this month.

The charges against Underwood and his deputies stemmed from a man videotaping the aftermath of a wreck after a police chase in November. The man, who was filming from the yard of his Fort Lawn home, was identified in court papers only by his initials.

Prosecutor Alyssa Richardson on Tuesday asked for monitoring of Underwood while he awaits trial because of threats made against deputies and witnesses as the investigation into Underwood's activities as sheriff continues. She did not give specifics.

The judge agreed instead to an order barring Underwood from contacting anyone involved in the case or sheriff's office employees. Underwood, a longtime state agent and sheriff of Chester County since 2013, also was ordered to give up his guns until his trial.

Suspended Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood gives a thumbs-up as he walks out of the federal courthouse in Columbia, South Carolina, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Prosecutors said Underwood jailed an innocent man then created a false police report to cover his tracks and lied to the FBI. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

The sheriff will fight the charges in court, defense lawyer Stanley Myers said.

"This is an assault on law enforcement. They were going out on an active manhunt in rural Chester, South Carolina. One side of the story has been painted. We look forward to giving our side later on," Myers said outside the courtroom.

After seeing the man outside, Underwood ordered him to go back to his porch. The man refused and kept recording for 25 minutes, prosecutors said.

Underwood and his deputies eventually arrested the man, keeping him in jail for three days without a reason, prosecutors said.

The deputies then created a false police report, which they gave to FBI agents that said the man stepped out of his yard into the public roadway and cursed at police, according to the indictments.

The courtroom Tuesday was packed with supporters of Underwood with about a dozen people having to stand because they didn't have seats.

Myers didn't go into details about Underwood's defense, but said he plans to fight the charges.

"Once Mr. Underwood has an opportunity to take the witness stand to give his side of the story, I think that will shed a lot of light on this indictment," Myers said.

Underwood didn't speak as he left the courtroom but gave a thumbs up to reporters standing outside.

Underwood, 55, faces up to 51 years in prison if convicted of five charges against him. Sprouse, 44, faces up to 70 years behind bars if convicted of five charges and Neal, 39, faces a maximum sentence of 35 years if convicted on three counts.

Underwood's wife, Angel, was elected again Monday as the chief magistrate for Chester County, which has about 32,000 people and is about 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Columbia.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP . Read his work at https://apnews.com/search/jeffrey%20collins .ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - U.S. military officials say four Russian bombers and two fighter jets were intercepted off Alaska's western coast by U.S. aircraft but had not entered U.S. or Canadian air space.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement that its early warning system identified the four Tupolev Tu-95 bombers and two Su-35 fighters.

Two pairs of F-22s fighter jets met the Russian aircraft on Monday but further details of the encounter were not provided.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said on Twitter that the U.S. planes accompanied the Russian aircraft along part of their route.

The agency said the Russian planes made scheduled sorties over the neutral waters of the Chukotka, Bering and Okhotsk seas, as well as along the western coast of Alaska and the northern coast of the Aleutian Islands.ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A jury on Tuesday found a northern Virginia man who once served as a colonel in the Somali Army responsible for torturing a man more than 30 years ago under a government campaign against its perceived enemies.

After more than three days of deliberations, the civil jury in the Washington suburb of Alexandria awarded a $500,000 verdict to Farhan Mohamoud Tani Warfaa, a member of the Isaaq clan in northern Somalia.

Warfaa came to the U.S. and testified at the trial last week. He said he was 17 years old and herding camels and cattle for his family's farm when he was rounded up in a mass arrest In December 1987 over a missing water-tanker truck. He said he was then regularly beaten and hogtied during weeks of incarceration and interrogations. Finally, he said that Yusuf Abdi Ali, a colonel who was known as "Tukeh" or "Tokeh," shot him multiple times and left him for dead when his interrogation was interrupted by an insurgent attack.

According to the lawsuit, Ali ordered his underlings to bury Warfaa, but the soldiers quickly realized Warfaa was still alive and instead solicited a bribe from Warfaa's family to let him live.

Ali, who now lives in Alexandria, acknowledged he was a Somali colonel, but denied torturing Warfaa.

The jury's verdict found Ali responsible for the torture of Warfaa, but it explicitly rejected an allegation that Ali was responsible for the attempted extrajudicial killing of Warfaa, even though Warfaa testified directly that it was Ali who shot him.

Ali's lawyer, Joseph Peter Drennan, said the jury's verdict indicates that it did not believe parts of Warfaa's testimony, and held Ali responsible for the torture only under the theory the soldiers who did torture Warfaa were under the command and control of Ali, who led the Army's 5th Brigade.

The lawsuit was first filed in 2004. It was delayed for 15 years mostly by legal debate over whether a Somali national could bring suit in the U.S. over alleged torture overseas. Parts of the lawsuit were tossed out, but Warfaa was allowed it to proceed to trial under the federal Torture Victims Protection Act.

Drennan said the case left Ali in an almost untenable position of trying to defend himself for the actions of his underlings more than 30 years ago. He also noted those actions occurred half way across the world in a country divided by civil war, where the central government was breaking down.

"This idea of universal jurisdiction, and American courts adjudicating issues like this that happened far away, and long ago, is very problematic," Drennan said.

Warfaa, who brought the lawsuit with help from the San Francisco-based center for Justice and Accountability, said in a statement that the verdict was "a vindication not only for me, but also for many others in Somaliland who suffered under Col. Tukeh's command."

It is unclear whether Warfaa will be able to collect any significant judgment. Drennan said his client does not have that kind of money - he had until very recently been working as an Uber driver until he lost that job because of publicity over his case.

Drennan alleged that the real motive for the case is clan vengeance, and cited efforts by members of the Isaaq clan to establish an independent Somaliland state in northern Somalia.

The judgment comes several years after resolution of a similar lawsuit against Somalia's former prime minister under dictator Siad Barre, Mohamed Ali Samantar, who also took up residence in northern Virginia. In that case, Samantar accepted a default judgment against him on the eve of trial and refused to contest the allegations against him in court, though he said outside court that he committed no wrongdoing.

CJA lawyer Kathy Roberts said the evidence in the most recent case "has confirmed the truth about crimes perpetrated by the Siad Barre regime against members of the Isaaq community during the Somali civil war. Our client Farhan's strength and perseverance is a testament to all those who seek truth, justice and accountability."WASHINGTON (AP) - The Rev. Wilton D. Gregory was installed Tuesday as the seventh archbishop of Washington following a pair of high-profile sexual abuse cases that ensnared his two predecessors.

The 71-year-old Gregory, previously the archbishop of Atlanta, becomes the first African American to lead the Washington archdiocese.

Gregory replaces Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who resigned in October amid allegations that he covered up multiple abuse scandals while serving as a bishop in Pittsburgh.

Wuerl had replaced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was defrocked by the pope after a Vatican-backed investigation concluded he sexually abused children and adults during his time as a priest in New York and a bishop in New Jersey. It was the first time a cardinal had been dismissed from the priesthood for abuse.

Despite his resignation, Wuerl remains in good standing in the church and served in a caretaker role while the search for his replacement was conducted. On Tuesday, he gave the opening remarks introducing Gregory.

"All of us here recognize his many gifts and welcome him as a faith-filled pastor," Wuerl said. "It is clear that Pope Francis sends us a bishop attuned with the signs of the times and endowed with great pastoral ability."

Archbishop Wilton Gregory, center, joins a procession during his installation as the seventh Archbishop of Washington at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Washington. The Rev. Wilton D. Gregory was installed Tuesday as the seventh archbishop of Washington following a pair of high-profile sexual abuse cases that ensnared his two predecessors. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post via AP)

Gregory, in his remarks, directly addressed the recent scandals.

"We stand at a defining moment for this local faith community," he said. "Our recent sorrows and shame do not define us. Rather they serve to chasten and strengthen us."

Calling his installation "an indescribably humbling moment," Gregory pledged to create an open and inclusive environment.

"I want to be a welcoming shepherd," he said. "We begin a journey together on undeniably choppy seas."

Gregory is credited for his leadership of the U.S. church during a moment of crisis. As president of the U.S. bishops conference, he persuaded church leaders to adopt toughened penalties for abusers in 2002.

In Atlanta, Gregory was embroiled briefly in a scandal of his own in 2014 after the archdiocese used $2.2 million in donations to buy and renovate a swank new home for the archbishop. The mansion was later sold, and Gregory apologized following an outcry from parishioners.

A native of Chicago, Gregory takes over a relatively small archdiocese that has always held outsized importance due to its location in the nation's capital. Washington archbishops are traditionally elevated to cardinals; if that happens, Gregory would become the first African American cardinal.DETROIT (AP) - The Latest on plans by Fiat Chrysler to build a new vehicle assembly plant in Detroit (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Michigan's economic development arm has approved $223 million in incentives to help Fiat Chrysler invest in five factories, including the construction of a new assembly plant in Detroit.

The Michigan Strategic Fund authorized the package Tuesday, shortly after it was unveiled during a public meeting. The incentives include a mix of tax breaks, grants and the state's portion to help Detroit acquire land.

Fiat Chrysler is pledging to add 6,400 jobs in the Detroit area, including just under 5,000 in the city of Detroit.

Included in the state package is a $105 million "Good Jobs" incentive, which lets companies keep all or half of the income taxes associated with new jobs for up to 10 years, if the jobs pay at least the regional average. That accounts for more than half the maximum $200 million available under the program.

___

3:10 p.m.

Fiat Chrysler says construction is set to begin immediately on a new, $1.6 billion assembly plant on Detroit's east side.

A representative of the automaker told state officials Tuesday that vehicles are expected to start rolling off the line at the plant by late 2020.

The Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved land deals and community benefits agreements tied to the project. Michigan's Strategic Fund was expected to vote Tuesday afternoon on the state's portion of incentives for the project.

The new assembly plant is expected to add 3,850 jobs. Fiat Chrysler also plans an additional 1,100 new jobs at its adjacent Jefferson North Assembly plant to build the Jeep Grand Cherokee and a new, three-row, full-size Jeep SUV and plug-in hybrid models for all.

___

2:20 p.m.

Fiat Chrysler can move forward with plans to build a new, $1.6 billion assembly plant on Detroit's eastside and invest $900 million to retool and modernize another.

The Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved land deals and community benefits agreements tied to the project. They include a four-week exclusive window Detroit residents will have to apply for jobs at the facilities once laid-off workers and temporary employees are considered.

Fiat Chrysler expects to add 4,950 new jobs - mostly on the assembly line.

The company is getting tax breaks and 215 acres (87 hectares) of adjacent land the city had to acquire. The land deals are about $108 million, with Detroit and the state splitting it about equally.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the cost of the new Detroit plant will be $1.6 billion.WASHINGTON (AP) - The Organization of American States called Tuesday on Nicaragua to unconditionally release all prisoners related to anti-government protests that started last year.

Twenty of the 34 member states in the hemispheric body voted in favor of a resolution that urges all prisoners to be liberated by June 18th, as agreed during talks held by the government of Daniel Ortega and the opposition since February.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname joined Nicaragua for the only three votes against the measure, while 10 countries abstained.

Nicaragua's deputy foreign minister, Valdrack Jaentschke, said his government so far has released 336 prisoners -including 100 released Monday to a form of house arrest- while 132 people remain in jail.

"All will be released by June 18th," Jaentschke said.

The resolution calls for raising the Nicaraguan crisis to the attention of the foreign ministers of the continent who will be attending the OAS General Assembly on June 26-28 in Medellin, Colombia.

Opposition member Maria Adilia Peralta Cerratos raises her arms in jubilation as she returns home after being in prison, in Masaya, Nicaragua, Monday, May 20, 2019. Peralta Cerratos is one of 100 prisoners the Nicaraguan government released Monday in a form of house arrest, including three human rights activists. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

In January, OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro invoked a section of the organization's charter that could lead to its Permanent Council taking diplomatic measures to restore democracy.

If those measures fail to put an end to the conflict, the process could lead to suspension of the country from the OAS if 24 countries agree.

The measure adopted Tuesday and sponsored by Canada also calls on Managua to start adopting measures to ensure elections in accordance with international standards, to stop arbitrary detentions and guarantee the work of human rights defenders and organizations.

The opposition announced Monday it was withdrawing from talks with the government to press for the release of protesters still in jail and a revocation of charges against them.

The Central American nation has been rocked by a political crisis since protests against social security reforms began in April 2018 and then grew in scope to demand Ortega's exit from office and early elections.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights says a crackdown that followed left 325 people killed, at least 2,000 wounded and pushed 52,000 out of the country.

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Luis Alonso Lugo on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/luisalonsolugo

Opposition member Maria Adilia Peralta Cerratos is embraced by her mother Mariela Cerratos, right, during her return home after being in prison, in Masaya, Nicaragua, Monday, May 20, 2019. Peralta Cerratos is one of 100 prisoners the Nicaraguan government released Monday in a form of house arrest, including three human rights activists. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Opposition member Maria Adilia Peralta Cerratos raises her fist in defiance as she talks to the press during her return home after being in prison, in Masaya, Nicaragua, Monday, May 20, 2019. Peralta Cerratos is one of 100 prisoners the Nicaraguan government released Monday in a form of house arrest, including three human rights activists. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)WASHINGTON (AP) - A Libyan general who has gained control of the city of Benghazi and is believed to have ties to the CIA has hired a Texas-based lobbying firm to help him forge closer relations with the U.S. as he seeks to defeat rival militias and consolidate his hold on the North African country.

Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter and his Libyan National Army have hired Linden Government Solutions, based in Houston, according to a foreign agent registration document released Tuesday by the Justice Department.

Linden, which would receive about $2 million under the 13-month agreement, also will assist with "international coalition building, and general public relations" for the Libyan National Army.

Hifter last month was granted a phone call with President Donald Trump and has been gaining international support in his campaign to take control of an oil-rich country that has been in turmoil since the uprising that toppled dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

A White House statement about the call said "the two discussed a shared vision for Libya's transition to a stable, democratic political system."

The chaos that followed the overthrow and killing of Gadhafi resulted in a divided country, with a weak U.N.-supported administration in Tripoli overseeing the country's west and a government in the east aligned with Hifter.

FILE - In this May 9, 2019 file photo, provided by Egypt's presidency media office, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, right, walks with Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, the head of the self-styled Libyan National Army, in Cairo, Egypt. Hifter has hired a lobbying firm to assist it in forging better relations with the U.S. government. A foreign agent registration posted Tuesday on the Justice Department web site shows that the Houston-based Linden Government Solutions is to paid about $2 million over the one-year term of the deal. (Egyptian Presidency Media office via AP, File)

Hifter served as a senior officer under Gadhafi but defected in the 1980s during Libya's ruinous war with Chad, in which he and hundreds of soldiers were captured in an ambush. He later spent more than two decades in the suburbs of Washington, where he is widely believed to have worked with the CIA, before returning to join the uprising in 2011. He eventually built up the forces known as the Libyan National Army.

The Linden executives leading the firm's representation, Stephen Payne and Brian Ettinger, have extensive knowledge of Libya, the company said in a statement. Payne, Linden's president, said he has been in communication with Hifter for the past five years, according to the statement.

Libya has struggled to rebuild its oil industry - its main source of revenue - since 2011. The firm's statement doesn't mention a specific role for Linden in Libya's energy industry, but both Payne and Ettinger have experience in international oil and natural gas markets.

Payne represented the government of Turkmenistan, a central Asian nation of 5.4 million people, in a consortium of other countries and international companies to build a natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan, according to highlights of Payne's career provided by Linden.

Ettinger and Payne traveled to Libya in 2011 on a humanitarian mission, before Gadhafi was removed, and helped negotiate the release of several imprisoned journalists, the statement said. Ettinger is Linden's general counsel.

Payne did foreign travel advance work for the George W. Bush administration. He also served on Bush's campaigns. Other clients Payne has represented include Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, JP Morgan, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

___

Follow Richard Lardner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rplardnerJERUSALEM (AP) - The Queen of Pop has cleaned up her act.

After her much-panned performance in the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Madonna's official YouTube channel released a noticeably touched-up version.

Music critics and others weighed in online, saying she auto-tuned her vocals to fix flaws in her live show. Fan-produced videos splicing her pitch-perfect version with the original have circulated widely.

Many had complained she sang off-key while performing her classic hit, "Like a Prayer," and new single, "Future," from her forthcoming album "Madame X."

Madonna's representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams paid over $1 million to bring Madonna to Eurovision. She also caused a stir by injecting politics into the ostensibly non-political affair, with two of her dancers sporting Israeli and Palestinian flags.WASHINGTON (AP) - Joe Biden is finding unexpected online fundraising success from low-dollar donors, with more than 97% of his contributions coming from those who gave less than $200, his presidential campaign announced Tuesday.

The former vice president, who last month raised $6.3 million in his first 24 hours as a candidate, was widely expected to do well with conventional big-dollar Democratic donors, who have lasting loyalty to President Barack Obama's No. 2. But it was an open question whether he'd be able to raise small amounts online from the party's base, a metric that is often touted as a demonstration of grassroots support.

His campaign says the newly released figures are a clear sign that he will be able to compete not just with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke of Texas, whose online fundraising operations led the Democratic field last quarter, but also with President Donald Trump.

"We're continuing to build a robust digital operation that brings new voters to Team Joe and puts our campaign in a position of strength to take on Donald Trump," said Biden digital adviser Brandon English. "On Day One, a record-breaking 65,000 people found us online and donated to Joe Biden. These are people we didn't have email addresses for 24 hours earlier."

The campaign says nearly two-thirds of Biden's donors gave a total of less than $25, with teachers comprising the largest professional block of contributors.

But while Biden's campaign is happy to talk about the percentage of donors who have given small contributions over the internet, including 96,000 who gave during the first 24 hours of his campaign, they won't say how much has been raised online. Meanwhile, much of his recent campaign schedule has centered around high-dollar donor events in Los Angeles and Florida.

Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden meets with attendees during a campaign rally at Eakins Oval in Philadelphia, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Sanders, a prolific online fundraiser, took in more than $15 million last quarter from those who gave less than $200, including nearly $6 million collected from about 220,000 donors in the 24 hours after launching his campaign. O'Rourke took in about $5.5 million from donors who gave less than $200 during the first quarter, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Many candidates in the race have spent years building out their online fundraising operations, which often target prospective donors through social media ads and emails that ask for a small contribution.

Biden is a relative newcomer, though he did have one major advantage: Obama's email list. Another likely factor is his nascent success is online ad spending that has outpaced Trump $1.5 million to $969,000, according to spending data tabulated by the digital firm Bully Pulpit Interactive.

"Every story until now has been 'Trump is outspending Democrats online,' and it's clear Biden and his team understand that," said Tim Lim, a Democratic digital strategist who worked for Obama and Hillary Clinton. "They are putting their money where their mouth is."

The campaign says their biggest fundraising moment since their launch was during a Biden rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, when they took in about $1,000 per minute.

Lim, however, said that for all the talk about online fundraising, the most important numbers remain how much cash you have and how quickly you're spending it.

"There will be a lot of spin about those metrics, but unless they are impacting your bottom line, they don't really matter," he said.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Saturday was the Biden campaign's biggest fundraising moment since their launch, not its biggest fundraising day.We encourage our students to do redemptive work in the world, Perrin said. We want this to be a place where they can shape themselves. We want this to be a place where they have challenging discussions and become better citizens.MOSCOW (AP) - The Russian military said al-Qaida-linked militants in northwestern Syria launched an attack on Syrian government forces Tuesday, including with tanks.

Maj. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin, the head of the Russian military's Reconciliation Center in Syria, said the Syrian army was fighting back against the offensive in Idlib province.

Kupchishin said militants captured by Syrian troops spoke of a plan to stage fake chemical attacks in the towns of Saraqib and Jarjanaz and blame them on government forces. He claimed the militants had created a special "Chemical Wing" to produce and stockpile toxic agents.

The U.S. State Department disputed that claim, calling it an attempt to distract attention from efforts by Syrian President Bashar Assad begin using chemical arms again.

The U.S. continues "to see signs that the Assad regime may be renewing its use of chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack in northwest Syria on the morning of May 19, 2019," a State Department statement said later Tuesday. It said U.S. officials are still investigating that incident.

The statement said the Russian allegations "are part of a continuing disinformation campaign by the Assad regime and Russia to create the false narrative that others are to blame for chemical weapons attacks that the Assad regime itself is conducting."WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Jury deliberations are set to begin in the trial of an inmate accused of leading a riot at Delaware's maximum-security prison during which a guard was killed and other staffers taken hostage.

Jurors were scheduled to start deliberating the fate of Roman Shankaras on Wednesday morning after hearing closing arguments from attorneys and receiving final instructions from the judge Tuesday afternoon.

Depending on the jury's verdict, Shankaras, 32, could soon walk out of prison, having recently completed a 7-year sentence for unrelated riot and robbery charges, or he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Prosecutors acknowledged that there is no evidence that Shankaras participated in the killing of guard Steven Floyd during a February 2017 uprising in which two other guards were assaulted. They argued, however, that he can be convicted under the "accomplice liability" doctrine. Under that rule, a person who agrees to commit a crime, such as riot, can be found guilty of other crimes that could reasonably be foreseen as arising from that initial course of conduct.

"Was it reasonably foreseeable that people could be injured?" prosecutor John Downs asked jurors.

Defense attorney Patrick Collins argued that the prosecution of Shankaras is based on false testimony from other inmates acting in their own self-interests, including former Baltimore gang member and convicted murderer Royal Downs, the state's star witness.

Downs, who is serving a life sentence, has claimed repeatedly that he advocated for a peaceful protest as a way inmates could air grievances about their treatment, perhaps by staying in their cells and refusing to come out. Once the riot broke out, however, Downs became a key player, taking a walkie-talkie from another inmate and participating in hostage negotiations with law enforcement officials. Unlike Shankaras, Downs was never charged with Floyd's murder under the accomplice liability doctrine. He instead was allowed to plead guilty to a single count of riot, which carries no mandatory prison time, in exchange for testifying against other inmates.

"Your common sense should tell you that Royal Downs is not being truthful with you, and he was in on this from the jump off," Collins told jurors.

Shankaras, described by Royal Downs as the "puppet master" of the uprising, is charged with murder, assault, kidnapping, conspiracy and riot. He is one of 18 inmates indicted after the riot, 16 of whom were charged with murder in Floyd's death. Two other guards were released by inmates after being beaten and tormented. A female counselor was held hostage for nearly 20 hours before tactical teams burst in and rescued her.

The first two trials against seven inmates resulted in just one being convicted of murder. The verdict against Dwayne Staats, who was already serving life for murder, came after he openly admitted planning the riot, knowing it could become violent. Another inmate, Kelly Gibbs, killed himself in November, just days after pleading guilty to rioting, kidnapping, and conspiracy.

In March, prosecutors dismissed cases against six of the remaining inmates, opting to move forward only against Shankaras and two others.

With little physical evidence, and no surveillance camera footage, prosecutors have relied heavily on testimony from Downs and other inmates, whose credibility has been successfully attacked by defense attorneys.

In their case against Shankaras, however, prosecutors also are pinning their hopes on two prison letters that Shankaras wrote to Downs two months after the riot. Shankaras testified that he wrote the letters after being told to do so by Downs, who indicated he was going to shoulder the blame for the riot and needed information to bolster his credibility. Unbeknownst to Shankaras, Downs had signaled his willingness to cooperate with authorities even before the riot was over, having been among several inmates allowed to leave the building during the siege.

In the first letter, Shankaras described details of the riot, some of which turned out to be inaccurate because, according to the defense, they were based on what Shankaras heard from other inmates. The second, more damning letter, reads like a manifesto and notes that "persistence procreated the resistance."

"Some had to be convinced, some had to be tricked, and others had to be forced," Shankaras wrote.

Collins argued that Downs drafted the manifesto and duped Shankaras, out of fear, into copying it in his own handwriting, so that Downs could use it as "insurance" in his cooperation and plea negotiations with prosecutors.BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut woman who got hot wax dropped in her eye at beauty spa has settled a lawsuit against the now-closed business for $400,000.

Frank Bailey, an attorney for 61-year-old Gail Gianpalo, of Monroe, says his client suffered permanent eyes injuries from the botched eyebrow wax and incurred about $4,700 in medical expenses.

The settlement was first reported by the Connecticut Law Tribune .

Gianpalo went to the Fairfield spa in July 2016 to get her eyebrows waxed. According to the lawsuit, while the salon's manager was in the process of applying wax to Gianpalo's eyebrows, he got into an argument with another customer and dropped hot wax into her right eye.

The settlement was reached with the help of a mediator.

The Tribune left a message with the spa's attorney.UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. said it was informed that a Tunisian appeals court decided Tuesday to release Mocef Kartas, a U.N. expert monitoring sanctions against Libya, who was arrested following his arrival in Tunis on March 26 on suspicion of espionage.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the U.N. is "very encouraged by this development" and is looking forward to confirmation of his actual release from detention.

Kartas has dual German-Tunisian nationality and his family said he was being investigated for "allegedly possessing and disclosing intelligence information concerning national security to foreign governments."

The United Nations has insisted that Kartas be freed because experts on U.N. missions have diplomatic immunity.

Dujarric told reporters "a Tunisian appeals court has reviewed the case against Mr. Kartas and has decided to release him."

He said the U.N. is seeking further information from the government, including on the status of legal proceedings against Kartas.

The German Foreign Ministry said later Tuesday that it was "very relieved" that Kartas had been released from jail.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said "the immunity of U.N. staff and experts is a great asset for the functioning of the multilateral order and must be respected by everyone."

German news agency dpa quoted Kartas' lawyers saying the case against their client continues and it is unclear whether he will be able to leave Tunisia.McDonald's Corp. says it's enhancing training and offering a new hotline for workers in response to mounting allegations of sexual harassment.

On Tuesday, the labor group Fight for $15 filed 25 sexual harassment charges against McDonald's with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund are providing legal support.

Among those filing complaints is Jamelia Fairley, who works at a company-owned store in Sanford, Florida. In a conference call with media, Fairley said she was harassed by two male employees who would rub up against her, pinch her and make explicit comments.

"I stood up for myself and will not let anyone bully me," Fairley said. She said she never received training about harassment or how to report it.

It's the third time in three years that Fight for $15 has filed harassment charges on behalf of McDonald's workers. In all, around 50 cases have been filed. In addition to the charges filed with the government, civil lawsuits have been filed in Michigan, Georgia, California and North Carolina.

McDonald's says it has been working with the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network since last year to develop new training materials. It has also rewritten its employee policy to more clearly define sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

The fast food chain says it sent posters with the new policy to its 14,000 U.S. restaurants. The posters also make clear that employees can call a third-party hotline to report abuse. The company said it will begin training store workers about harassment and bias this August.

"We are committed to creating and sustaining a culture of trust where employees feel safe, valued and respected," McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook wrote in a letter sent this week to author and actress Padma Lakshmi, who participated in a Fight for $15 rally Tuesday outside McDonald's Chicago headquarters.BALTIMORE (AP) - A Maryland man who pleaded guilty to paying two teenage girls for sex while he was employed as a police officer in Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Robert Hur's office says a federal judge on Tuesday also sentenced 29-year-old Chukwuemeka Ekwonna of Glenn Dale to five years of supervised release after his prison term.

Ekwonna pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor. The former officer had faced a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison under his plea agreement with prosecutors.

Hur's office says Ekwonna exchanged more than 250 text messages and social media messages with two girls, ages 14 and 15, and paid both for sex.LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus' energy minister says energy companies will drill in search of natural gas in waters off the east Mediterranean island nation's southern coast at eight separate sites over the next two years.

Georgios Lakkotrypis said Tuesday that exploratory drilling would take place at six of those sites, while the remaining two would be to confirm gas deposits already discovered there.

Lakkotrypis didn't specify the exact locations where the drilling would take place. He said that drilling would start at the end of this year or early 2020.

Energy companies including ExxonMobil, Total and Eni are licensed to conduct a hydrocarbons search off Cyprus. Gas has been discovered at three locations.

Cyprus accuses Turkey of violating its sovereign rights by attempting to drill in waters where it has exclusive economic rights.TOROSZENTMIKLOS, Hungary (AP) - A small far-right party has held a rally in a rural Hungarian city, exploiting renewed tensions with some of the local Roma population.

About 400 people attended Tuesday evening's rally by Our Homeland Movement in the east-central city of Torokszentmiklos, but a plan to march through the city's Roma areas wasn't allowed by police.

In his speech, party leader Laszlo Toroczkai evoked the Hungarian Guard, a vigilante group disbanded by a court ruling in 2009, saying that the problems in Hungary - like alleged crimes by Roma - that had led to its creation had only gotten worse since.

Nearby, about 200 Roma commemorated the victims of a series of Roma killings a decade ago and two other groups also held small protests against the far-right event.

Laszlo Toroczkai, President of the Hungarian far-right party Mi Hazank Mozgalom (Our Homeland Movement) speaks during a demonstration in Torokszentmiklos, Hungary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A small far-right party held a rally in the rural Hungarian city, exploiting renewed tensions with some of the local Roma population. About 400 people attended the rally by Our Homeland Movement but a plan to march through the city's Roma areas hasn't been allowed by police. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

A counter-protester holding a banner faces a police officer as the Hungarian far-right party Mi Hazank Mozgalom (Our Homeland Movement) hold a rally in Torokszentmiklos, Hungary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A small far-right party held a rally in the rural Hungarian city, exploiting renewed tensions with some of the local Roma population. About 400 people attended the rally by Our Homeland Movement but a plan to march through the city's Roma areas hasn't been allowed by police. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Laszlo Toroczkai, President of the Hungarian far-right party Mi Hazank Mozgalom (Our Homeland Movement) speaks during a demonstration in Torokszentmiklos, Hungary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. A small far-right party held a rally in the rural Hungarian city, exploiting renewed tensions with some of the local Roma population. About 400 people attended the rally by Our Homeland Movement but a plan to march through the city's Roma areas hasn't been allowed by police. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) - A judge will not consider requests from a dead farmer's relatives to impose prison time when she sentences "The Bachelor" star Chris Soules for leaving the scene of the accident that killed the man, she ruled Tuesday.

The wife and sons of farmer Kenneth Mosher are not considered victims under Iowa law because Soules was not convicted of causing Mosher's death, Judge Andrea Dryer ruled. Therefore, it was inappropriate for a state corrections official to include their "victim impact statements" in a presentence investigation report that recommended Soules be given a term of incarceration, she ruled.

Dryer ordered the Department of Correctional Services to conduct a new presentence investigation and said she would reschedule Tuesday's sentencing hearing for a later date.

Soules was driving a pickup truck that rear-ended Mosher's slow-moving tractor on a rural highway near Aurora in northeastern Iowa on April 24, 2017. Mosher, 66, was killed after the tractor rolled into a ditch.

Soules called 911 and tried to perform CPR on Mosher. But he left the scene once emergency responders arrived and returned to his home in a neighboring county, where he refused to answer the door until law enforcement officers obtained a warrant several hours later. Prosecutors say Soules' departure prevented investigators from determining whether alcohol, exhaustion or other impairment were factors in the crash.

Soules pleaded guilty last year to an aggravated misdemeanor for leaving the scene without providing his address and license plate number as required. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped a felony charge. Defense attorneys have framed the collision as an "unavoidable accident," arguing that the tractor did not have required flashing lights and that Soules was traveling under the speed limit. They have also said there is no evidence that Soules had been drinking.

Reality TV star Chris Soules, of "The Bachelor," listens to his attorney while in the courtroom for his sentencing on leaving-the-scene charges, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Independence, Iowa. (Kelly Wenzel/The Courier via AP, Pool)

The three victim impact statements written by Mosher's relatives and the presentence investigation report are sealed but were described in court Tuesday. The statements suggested that the accident was avoidable and urged the court to impose a two-year prison term, the maximum penalty available. The author of the presence investigation report cited the victim impact statements in recommending a sentence of incarceration for Soules. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors had agreed to adopt that recommendation for sentencing. Soules' lawyers are asking for probation.

Dryer said Mosher's relatives are victims in the ordinary sense of the word and that she didn't "have any question as to the extent to which they suffered." But she said they do not meet the definition in state law.

Soules, his parents and an insurer agreed in January to pay $2.5 million to Mosher's estate to settle civil claims related to the accident.

Reality TV star Chris Soules, of "The Bachelor," left, sits in the courtroom for his sentencing on leaving-the-scene charges, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Independence, Iowa. (Kelly Wenzel/The Courier via AP, Pool)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A man accused of fatally beating a Central Texas woman, kidnapping her daughters and sexually assaulting one of them for five months was sentenced Tuesday to life in federal prison.

Terry Allen Miles, 45, was convicted in February of several charges, including two counts of kidnapping .

Authorities discovered the body of the woman during a welfare check at the home she shared with Miles in Round Rock near Austin in December 2017. The check had been requested after she didn't turn up to work.

Authorities believe Miles beat her with a heavy flashlight. Her eldest daughter, then 14, testified that she saw Miles punch her mother and knock her to the floor. She said Miles later came to her with blood on his clothing.

Miles was not charged in the mother's death.

After the beating, Miles fled with the girls, then aged 7 and 14, investigators said. Sheriff's deputies traced a cellphone used by the girls to catch up with them a few days later near La Veta, Colorado, a remote area in the southern part of the state.

FILE - This undated photo provided by the El Paso County, Colorado Sheriff's Office shows Terry Allen Miles, of Round Rock, Texas. A federal judge has imposed a life sentence on Miles, who kidnapped two sisters from a Central Texas home where their mother was later found dead. Judge Lee Yeakel handed down the sentence Tuesday, May 21, 2019, for Miles, who was convicted by a jury in February of several charges, including two counts of kidnapping. (El Paso County, Colorado, Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

Miles also was found guilty in February of transporting a minor with intent to engage in sex and of interstate travel with intent to engage in sex with a minor.

Prosecutor Michelle Fernald said at trial that Miles met the teenage daughter earlier in 2017 when she was visiting her father in Louisiana. Fernald said he groomed the girl by paying her special attention and making her feel important, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

After returning to Texas, the girl exchanged nearly 1,000 phone calls and texts with Miles from August to September of 2017.

Fernald said Miles convinced her mother to allow him to move into their home to serve as a nanny of sorts for the girl, who was being home-schooled, and her sister. Prosecutors say he engaged in sexual relations with the older girl over a five-month period.

Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick told The Associated Press following Miles' conviction that he was charged with the federal crimes, rather than the state crime of murder, because those were the strongest charges prosecutors could bring at the time of his arrest.

Miles' defense team had argued that he was diagnosed with a mental illness and that he should receive a lesser sentence because his illness made him less culpable.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Miles was sentenced to life in prison, and to reflect that the mother of the two girls was not his girlfriend.The upcoming meetings will include a rundown of the most up-to-date rainfall data for the area as compiled by the llinois State Water Survey. The new numbers impact not only the residents and business owners of Lake County, but also public and private development projects, according to a statement released by stormwater officials on Friday.JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A coroner has released the name of the man who was killed when an explosion leveled a home in southern Indiana.

Clark County Coroner Billy Scott on Tuesday identified the man as William Phillips. The News and Tribune reports Scott said it will be several weeks before a formal cause of death is issued, pending toxicology reports.

Officials said Monday that Phillips resided at the home that exploded early Sunday in the Ohio River city of Jeffersonville, just north of Louisville, Kentucky. Another resident was seriously injured. Two other people in other homes also were injured.

As many as 20 homes were damaged in the explosion. A cause for the explosion hasn't been released.

This aerial photo shows the scene of a deadly home explosion in Jeffersonville, Ind., on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Michael Clevegner/Courier Journal via AP)

Damaged vehicles sit amongst the debris of a deadly home explosion in Jeffersonville, Ind., on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (Michael Clevegner/Courier Journal via AP)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signaled he will sign legislation that Republicans say is a defense of Chick-fil-A and religious freedom, but gay lawmakers sometimes tearfully railed against it on the House floor as a license to discriminate.

The bill, given final approval Tuesday in the Texas House, was fast-tracked in the GOP-controlled Legislature in response to the San Antonio City Council stopping Chick-fil-A from opening a location in the airport of the nation's seventh-largest city.

Some council members said they were taking a stand over the fast-food company's values: Chick-fil-A's owners have donated to anti-LGBT causes, and councilmember Roberto Trevino said in March that the city does "not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior."

But 80 miles north in the Texas Capitol, Republicans swiftly responded with a bill that would prohibit cities from taking "adverse action" against an individual based on contributions to religious organizations. Opponents slammed the measure, which is likely to reach Abbott's desk before the legislative session ends Monday, as duplicating existing religious freedom protection and said it would only stoke discrimination against the LGBT community.

The bill reignited battles over divisive social issues that Texas Republicans have largely sought to avoid after an unusually rough election year for them in 2018. Two years ago, the Legislature was upended by a "bathroom bill" targeting transgender people, and LGBT lawmakers said during emotional floor speeches Monday that they've had enough.

"I'm tired of this," Democratic state Rep. Celia Israel, who spoke at length about the impact of such measures on LGBT youth. "It's been cloaked in religious freedom but the genesis and the nexus of this bill is in hatred."

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2012, file photo, Jessica Morgan, 19, of Whitehouse, Texas, and Bobby Ortiz, 18, of Whitehouse, hold signs supporting gay marriage outside of Chick-fil-A in Tyler, Texas. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signaled he'll sign a contentious measure that Republicans call a defense of Chick-fil-A and religious freedom but was tearfully opposed by gay lawmakers. The Texas House gave final approval to the bill Tuesday, May 21, 2019. It comes two months after San Antonio City Council members refused to let Chick-fil-A open an airport location. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph via AP, File)

Republicans pushed back, saying the bill contained no discriminatory language. Abbott teased in a tweet that he would sign the legislation.

"Should any city council be able to refuse me as a vendor in their city simply because I make donations to my church, which holds a biblical view of marriage?" Republican state Rep. Matt Schaefer said.

When another lawmaker said the First Amendment would already protect him, Schaefer shot back: "That's not what happened to Chick-fil-A."

In March, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would investigate the San Antonio's decision to deny Chick-fil-A a location. But in a late change, the bill now advancing to Abbott stripped a provision that would have allowed the attorney general to file lawsuits enforcing the law.

___

Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweberSALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon will use ground-penetrating radar to search for bodies buried on the campus of a now-defunct psychiatric hospital where the movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was filmed before a developer builds housing on the land.

The facility, which opened in 1883, once had a cemetery, but all the 1,500 bodies buried there should have been exhumed in 1913, the Statesman Journal reported Tuesday.

There is no evidence any remains were left behind, but the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde is asking the state to make sure before apartments and single-family homes are built on Oregon State Hospital's North Campus.

The psychiatric hospital has a troubled history, including the discovery of 5,000 unclaimed sets of cremated remains that belonged to patients who died over a span of decades.

Briece Edwards, who manages historic preservation for the tribes, pointed to an inconsistent record of tracking cemeteries at state institutions, namely hospitals, orphanages and prisons. He called it a nationwide issue.

"Sometimes records are spotty," Edwards said. The tribes wanted to ensure officials did their due diligence, he said.

File - In this May 24, 2013, file photo, is the Oregon State Hospital in Salem, Ore. Oregon will use ground-penetrating radar to search for bodies buried on the campus of the former psychiatric hospital that inspired the book "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." The Statesman Journal reported Tuesday, May 21, 2019, that the facility had a cemetery but all the 1,500 bodies buried there should have been exhumed in 1913. There's no evidence that any remains were left behind, but some tribes are asking the state to make sure before a housing development is built on the land. (Paul Carter/The Register-Guard via AP, File)

Cemeteries also don't always stay within their borders, he said.

"It's not so much about confirming where the cemetery is, it's about confirming where it isn't," Edwards told the newspaper.

The Department of Administrative Services, which owns the land, is hiring a contractor to do the search.

The state also will search the historical record for information about the exhumations and the cremated remains from the facility, department spokeswoman Elizabeth Craig said.

Opened 136 years ago as the Oregon State Insane Asylum, the hospital had a cemetery for 30 years. It closed in the early 1910s and state lawmakers ordered the remains exhumed in 1913, when the facility was renamed the Oregon State Hospital.

More than 1,500 people were buried in the cemetery, the newspaper has previously reported, ranging in age from children to older adults. Bodies that went unclaimed were supposed to be cremated.

State Senate President Peter Courtney discovered a room of thousands of metal urns of unclaimed cremated remains stacked on wooden shelves during a tour of the hospital in 2004.

They belong to people who died while living or working at the hospital and five other hospitals or state penitentiaries between 1914 and 1973, according to the Oregon Health Authority website.

It's unclear if any of the people believed to have been buried in the hospital's cemetery are in the discovered urns. In 2011, state researchers used records to try to match urns with families, but none matched with the cemetery's burial records.

The state maintains an online list of the 2,972 cremated remains that have not been claimed for families to search.

The psychiatric hospital was used as a film set for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," an Oscar-winning movie starring Jack Nicholson based on a novel by Ken Kesey.

___

Information from: Statesman Journal, http://www.statesmanjournal.comNEW YORK (AP) - Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily on Tuesday:

Kohl's Corp., down $7.76 to $55.15

The department store operator's first quarter results and its profit forecast for the year fell short of forecasts.

J.C. Penney Co., down 8 cents to $1.07

The retailer's first quarter sales fell and its loss was wider than analysts had forecast.

Mallinckrodt PLC, down $3.16 to $9.87

The drug developer is suing the U.S. government over a Medicaid drug rebate decision for its Acthar Gel.

Circor International Inc., up $12.34 to $43

Crane Co. is offering to buy the industrial pumps and valves maker for about $895 million in cash.

AutoZone Inc., up $54.42 to $1,032.25

The auto parts retailer beat Wall Street's profit and revenue forecasts for its fiscal third quarter.

Dycom Industries Inc., up $11.50 to $57.05

The provider of specialty contracting services beat Wall Street's first quarter earnings forecasts and gave investors a solid outlook.

Eaton Vance Corp., up $2.83 to $40.11

The investment manager's fiscal second quarter revenue and profit beat analysts' forecasts.

Qualcomm Inc., up $1.13 to $77.75

The chipmaker and its peers are getting a lift from the U.S. government's move to temporarily ease off restrictions on technology sales to Chinese companies.LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP) - A south Mississippi lawmaker punched his wife in the face after she didn't undress quickly enough when the lawmaker wanted to have sex, according to a police report in the case.

Republican state Rep. Doug McLeod of Lucedale was arrested Saturday on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.

The Sun Herald reports the document was filed with the George County Sheriff's Department. McLeod is free on bail. He didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 58-year-old McLeod has represented George and Stone counties since 2012. He's unopposed for reelection this year.

McLeod hasn't responded to requests for comment. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.

Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn of Clinton said McLeod should step down if he did punch his wife.

FILE - In a Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 file photo, Rep. Doug McLeod, R-Lucedale, questions a health care witness at a House Medicaid Committee hearing, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. McLeod of Lucedale was arrested Saturday, May 18, 2019 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. McLeod punched his wife in the face after she didn't undress quickly enough when the lawmaker wanted to have sex, according to a police report in the case.(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

"I have attempted to contact Rep. McLeod to request his resignation, if in fact, these allegations are true," Gunn said in a statement Tuesday. "These actions are unacceptable for anyone."

Deputies reported McLeod was drunk and holding a glass of alcohol when they arrived at the family's home Saturday night. Deputies report McLeod had punched his wife and bloodied her nose. They found blood on the bed and bedroom floor.

When McLeod opened the door and officers told him they were responding to a report of a domestic assault, they wrote that he replied "Are you kidding me?"

The deputies said they could hear McLeod when he walked back inside, yelling that "the cops are here."

"Mr. McLeod had slurred speech and walked slow in a zigzag pattern," deputies wrote, adding he was so inebriated he had to grab a handrail to maintain his balance.

When deputies entered, they said two women were standing at the top of a stairwell and both appeared frightened. McLeod's wife eventually came outside after deputies assured her they would keep her away from her husband.

The deputy said McLeod's wife was shaking and upset. McLeod's wife said her husband was drunk and "just snapped," as he often does when under the influence of alcohol, the report said.

Another woman present said McLeod's wife came running up to her room, her face bloodied. The woman shut the door and locked it with McLeod's wife inside.

The other woman said McLeod started banging on the door and telling the women to open it. He told the other woman if she didn't open the door, he'd "kill her (expletive) dog."

McLeod's wife did not want go to the hospital by ambulance, but assured authorities she'd have her daughter take her to get checked so authorities would have a report of the injuries.

George County Sheriff Keith Havard said the investigation is continuing.

___

Information from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.comLONDON (AP) - Omani author Jokha Alharthi won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize on Tuesday for "Celestial Bodies," the story of three sisters in a desert country confronting its slave-owning past and a complex modern world.

Alharthi is the first Arabic-language writer to get the prize and the first female writer from Oman to be translated into English. She will split the 50,000 pound ($64,000) purse with her U.K.-based translator, Marilyn Booth.

Historian Bettany Hughes, who led the judging panel, said the "lyrical" winning novel was "a book to win over the head and the heart in equal measure."

"Celestial Bodies" confronts Oman's history of slavery, which was abolished in the country only in 1970.

"It's a sensitive subject and kind of a taboo," Alharthi said in onstage interview at the awards ceremony in London. "But I think literature is the best platform to discuss sensitive issues. And slavery is not exclusive to Oman - it's part of human history."

She said her victory meant "a window has been opened to Arabic literature."

"Celestial Bodies" beat five other finalists from Europe and South America, including last year's winner, Olga Tokarczuk of Poland.

The prize is a counterpart to the Man Booker Prize for English-language novels and is open to books in any language that have been translated into English.

This is the final year of sponsorship by investment firm Man Group PLC, which is halting backing after 18 years. Starting next year the award will be known as the International Booker Prize.MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan says he's filed suit against eight members of the family that owns the drug company that manufactures OxyContin, one of the drugs believed to be partly responsible for the opioid crisis.

Donovan alleged Tuesday that for over two decades the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma, minimized the health risks of opioids, claiming the prescription drugs were rarely the cause of abuse, addiction or death.

Donovan says the Sacklers directed Purdue to promote products that were more dangerous, addictive and lucrative.

Last September, the state filed suit against Purdue.

An email to Purdue Pharma was not immediately returned Tuesday, but in a statement released after the September lawsuit, the company said it shared Vermont's concerns about the opioid crisis, but denied Purdue acted improperly.SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The family of an angler whose catfish held a South Dakota record for nearly 70 years is upset that state wildlife officials voided the record.

Roy Groves caught the 55-pound (24.9-kilogram) fish in 1949. The fish originally was identified as a channel catfish, but South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks voided the record Friday, saying Groves actually caught a blue catfish, not a channel catfish.

Groves' great-grandson, James Labesky, told the Argus Leader that his mother and his grandfather had shared stories about Groves' fishing exploits, but he had never heard about the record being disputed.

Labesky said in a Facebook post that South Dakota wildlife officials are taking away the record because they don't think it's a channel catfish by looking at a picture.

"Seems like they're just looking at a picture of it and showing it to some fish specialists," he told the newspaper.

He added in the Facebook post that his great-grandfather "would know the difference."

But state Fisheries Program Administrator Geno Adams said fish identification experts agreed that the photo was of a blue catfish.

Differences between the two fish can be subtle, with a primary one being whether a fin on the underside of the catfish is flat or curved.

"There's just a lot of information that doesn't line up to make that a channel catfish," Adams said.

He said the department does not "look at this lightly."

"We understand this is a big deal to a large amount of people," Adams said.

State Game, Fish and Parks officials are calling the quest for a new record "Catrush 2019" and expect the mark to be broken several times over the next few weeks.

___

Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.comSAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Latest on a San Francisco reporter whose home and office were raided by police (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott is acknowledging the furor his department caused when officers raided the home and office of a freelance journalist.

A chastened Scott told reporters Tuesday that he respects the news media and understands that seizing Bryan Carmody's equipment looks bad.

But Scott said the department believes Carmody was an active participant in a conspiracy with a police employee to steal a report concerning the death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi.

Scott said Carmody's motives went beyond his duties as a journalist and "crossed the line." Officers raided Carmody's home and work on May 10 and seized cameras, laptops and cellphones.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed Tuesday to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. Authorities have said the May 10 raids on freelancer Bryan Carmody's home and office were part of an investigation into what police called the illegal leak of a report on the death of former Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who died unexpectedly in February. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Carmody's attorney, Thomas Burke, declined to comment on the police claims.

___

4:25 p.m.

San Francisco police say they searched the home and office of a freelance reporter as part of an investigation into whether he was part of a criminal conspiracy to steal a confidential report about the death of the city's former elected public defender.

Police have come under scrutiny from First Amendment advocates and media organizations for raiding Bryan Carmody's home and business on May 10 as part of their investigation.

Chief William Scott said Tuesday that he fully respects journalists' rights.

But he says the raid and seizure of Carmody's equipment was part of a broader investigation into the theft and unauthorized release of a death report that focuses on San Francisco police employees. Officials also believe Carmody participated in criminal acts.

Carmody's attorney, Thomas Burke, declined to comment on the police claims.

___

2:40 p.m.

A press advocate says he's not surprised that police raided the home and office of a freelancer even in politically liberal San Francisco.

Jim Wheaton, founder of the First Amendment Project, said people who want to crack down on journalists come in all political stripes.

Wheaton says police raided the home and office of journalist Bryan Carmody precisely because he is an independent freelancer without the protections of larger media outlets.

Carmody obtained from a source a preliminary police report concerning the sudden death of the city's Public Defender Jeff Adachi in February. Police want to know who that source was.

Police said Tuesday they would return seized equipment to Carmody, but a legal fight over the actions will proceed.

___

10:15 a.m.

A San Francisco police attorney said that a reporter whose office and work equipment was seized in a police raid can collect his property although the legal issues surrounding the case were not resolved Tuesday.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng set future dates to hear separate motions to quash search warrants used to raid the home of freelance journalist Bryan Carmody and to unseal those warrants. A third motion by Carmody's attorney asked the judge order the immediate return of cameras, computers and cell phones seized by police May 10.

Ronnie Wagner, an attorney for San Francisco police, said she planned to challenge the motions.

Carmody's attorney, Thomas Burke, said police have "essentially acknowledged" that they had no right to his client's equipment.

Media organizations and First Amendment advocates are outraged that police raided a freelance reporter's home and office in search of a leaked police document concerning the death of the city public defender.

___

12:01 a.m.

A San Francisco reporter is demanding his property be returned after police raided his home to find the source of a leaked report into the death of the city's public defender.

An attorney for freelancer Bryan Carmody is expected to make the request Tuesday in San Francisco County Superior Court.

Police have defended the raids of Carmody's work and home, which were authorized by search warrants signed by two judges. But First Amendment advocates and news organizations say the raids violate the state's shield law that protects journalists.

Carmody was handcuffed for six hours May 10 while police armed with a sledgehammer searched for evidence related to a police report obtained from a confidential source.

The report contained details of the February death of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott answers questions during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. Police agreed Tuesday to return property seized from a San Francisco journalist in a raid, but the decision did little to ease tensions in the case, which has alarmed journalism advocates and put pressure on city leaders. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Thomas Burke, attorney for freelance journalist Bryan Carmody, answers questions after a court hearing Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in San Francisco. A San Francisco police attorney said that Carmody, whose office and work equipment was seized in a police raid, can collect his property although the legal issues surrounding the case were not resolved Tuesday. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Samuel Feng set dates to hear separate motions to quash search warrants used to raid the home of Carmody and to unseal those warrants. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this May 10, 2019, image from video provided by Bryan Carmody San Francisco police armed with sledgehammers execute a search warrant at journalist Bryan Carmody's home in San Francisco. The San Francisco reporter is seeking the return of property after police raided his home, as officials sought to determine the source of a leaked police report into the death of the city's public defender. An attorney for Carmody will make the request Tuesday, May 21 in San Francisco County Superior Court. (Bryan Carmody/@bryanccarmody via AP)BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - The city of Birmingham says a company has decided against moving to Alabama because of the state's move to outlaw virtually all abortions.

Mayor Randall Woodfin's office says a technology company isn't coming to Birmingham because of the law, and another company has put a hold on a possible relocation to the state.

Woodfin told reporters outside a City Council meeting on Tuesday that he has told lawmakers and the governor's office about what happened. But officials haven't released the name of either company.

In California, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved a one-year ban on official travel to Alabama because of the law.

Gov. Kay Ivey last week signed a bill to outlaw abortion in Alabama except when the mother's life is in danger.Prime Minister Mays resignation came one day after the European Parliament election took place in Britain, and as voting and vote counting was taking place throughout the member nations of Europes supranational economic organization. In Britain, the Brexit Party was the big winner with 29 seats. However, the pro-Europe Liberal Democrats also did quite well, and when combined with the pro-Europe Greens/European Free Alliance was on a par with the Brexit Party.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in prison for spray-painting anti-Semitic graffiti and lighting fires outside a suburban Indianapolis synagogue.

U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler says 21-year-old Nolan Brewer of Eminence was sentenced Monday evening for conspiring to violate the civil rights of Congregation Shaarey Tefilla. Minkler announced Tuesday that Brewer pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime.

Nazi flags and iron crosses were found spray-painted July 28 on a brick shed outside the synagogue in Carmel, just north of Indianapolis. Several areas of the grass and ground around the shed were also scorched, leaving burn residue on part of the shed. Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard condemned the vandalism and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb cited the incident in asking the Legislature to pass a hate crimes bill.LOS ANGELES (AP) - California growers are frustrated by an unusually wet spring that has delayed the planting of some crops like rice and damaged others including strawberries and wine grapes.

The state's wet conditions come as much of the West is experiencing weird weather. Colorado and Wyoming got an unusually late dump of snow this week. Meanwhile temperatures in Phoenix have dropped 15 degrees below normal.

Large swaths of California have seen two to five times more precipitation than is normal for this point in May, the National Weather Service said. A series of storms soaked much of Colusa County where rice grower Kurt Richter was forced to wait weeks to seed his land.

"You should be seeing green lawns of rice out there right now," Richter said Tuesday from his farm about 120 miles (195 kilometers) north of San Francisco. "But it's just flooded fields, with nothing sticking out of the water."

Rice he managed to get into the ground during brief dry spells is in a "refrigerated state" because of colder than usual temperatures that threaten to reduce yields, he said. Richter's property typically grows about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) of rice annually, but he predicted "we won't even get close to that this year."

In a 24-hour period last weekend, parts of Sacramento County in the northern part of the state recorded more than 3.25 inches (8.25 centimeters) of rain. The wet trend will continue through the month, forecasters said.

In this photo taken Monday, May 20, 2019, rain-ruined ripe strawberries lay in the mud of a berry field in Watsonville, Calif. Field workers throughout the Pajaro Valley are picking ripe berries and throwing them on the ground since they become moldy with the rains. Winter is long past but wet weather continues to roll through California, and it's beginning to become a problem for crops ranging from wine grapes to strawberries. (Dan Coyro/Santa Cruz Sentinel via AP)

Strawberry grower Peter Navarro said it's been at least a decade since heavy rains have affected his Santa Cruz County fields like this year.

"The month of May produces some of your best berries," said Navarro, grower for Well-Pict Berries in Watsonville. But he told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that ongoing wet weather was disrupting the picking schedule and causing a loss of production.

Too much rain can damage strawberries' delicate skin, causing the fruit to decay before being picked. Berries that start to rot on the vine can affect green fruit and bring disease to the plant, Navarro said.

To the south in wine country, May showers and accompanying winds have damaged some vines and brought unwelcome moisture that could delay blooming. On top of that growers worry lingering humid conditions will cause mold and mildew on vines that could take an even greater toll.

The result could be a smaller yield for certain varieties including chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, vintners said.

"It's not ideal," Alison Crowe, director of winemaking at Plata Wine Partners in Napa, told the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat . "It's not necessarily impacted quality. It will impact the quantity."

Meanwhile, a late spring storm dumped heavy, wet snow in Colorado and Wyoming, cancelling flights and snapping newly greened up tree limbs.

Lines were long at Denver International Airport Tuesday morning with travelers from earlier canceled flights hoping to fly out. The airport got 3.4 inches (8.6 centimeters) of snow but some areas near Colorado Springs got a foot (0.3 meters) or more. May snowfall is fairly common but usually not this late.

In western Colorado, a rock slide closed Interstate 70. The area is prone to slides especially following wet weather and temperature fluctuations.

Up to 9 inches (22.8 centimeters) of snow was reported in the Cheyenne, Wyoming area.

In Arizona, where 100 degree (37.75 Celsius) temperatures are not uncommon in May, some areas in the northern part of the state saw snow this week. It was a moderate 81 degrees (27 Celsius) by mid-afternoon Tuesday in Phoenix.

In this photo taken Monday, May 20, 2019, A field worker throws rain-ruined strawberries onto the ground in Watsonville, Calif. Field workers throughout the Pajaro Valley are picking ripe berries and throwing them on the ground since they become moldy with the rains. Winter is long past but wet weather continues to roll through California, and it's beginning to become a problem for crops ranging from wine grapes to strawberries. (Dan Coyro/Santa Cruz Sentinel via AP)

In this photo taken Monday, May 20, 2019, rain-ruined strawberries lay on the ground in a field in Watsonville, Calif. Field workers throughout the Pajaro Valley are picking ripe berries and throwing them on the ground since they become moldy with the rains. Winter is long past but wet weather continues to roll through California, and it's beginning to become a problem for crops ranging from wine grapes to strawberries. (Dan Coyro/Santa Cruz Sentinel via AP)

Deer roam the foothills of Ken Caryl Valley near Littleton, Colo., after a late spring storm blanketed the area with snow, seen Tuesday morning, May 21, 2019. Colorado and Wyoming got an unusually late dump of snow this week. Large swaths of California have seen two to five times more precipitation than is normal for this point in May, the National Weather Service said. (Adriana Wiersma via AP)

In this photo provided by Adriana Wiersma, a bicyclist rides a trail in the snow-covered Ken Caryl Valley near Littleton, Colo., after a late spring storm blanketed the area with snow, seen Tuesday morning, May 21, 2019. Much of the West is experiencing weird weather. Colorado and Wyoming got an unusually late dump of snow this week. In California, growers are frustrated by an unusually wet spring that has delayed the planting of some crops like rice and damaged others including strawberries and wine grapes. (Adriana Wiersma via AP)

Deer roam the foothills of Ken Caryl Valley near Littleton, Colo., after a late spring storm blanketed the area with snow, seen Tuesday morning, May 21, 2019. Much of the West is experiencing weird weather. Colorado and Wyoming got an unusually late dump of snow this week. Meanwhile temperatures in Phoenix have dropped 15 degrees below normal. In California, growers are frustrated by an unusually wet spring that has delayed the planting of some crops like rice and damaged others including strawberries and wine grapes. (Adriana Wiersma via AP)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas lawmakers are gearing up to pass new measures aimed at increasing campus security, adding more armed personnel and boosting student mental health resources a year after a mass shooting at a high school near Houston killed eight students and two substitute teachers.

The move marks the first major action by state lawmakers since the May 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School .

The Texas House on Tuesday gave tentative approval to a Senate measure that calls for schools to undertake several new safety protocols, including allocating funds for enhanced security, developing campus emergency plans to be filed with the state, and engaging in active shooter and emergency response trainings.

The changes being proposed feature measures proposed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott shortly after the shooting. The legislation doesn't include restricting gun sales or access to weapons , as GOP leaders have long pledged to protect gun rights.

Abbott had also proposed tighter gun storage laws following the shooting before going silent on the idea amid swift rebuke from gun-rights advocates.

The bill that passed the House with bipartisan support - on a 128-14 vote - also looks to get more mental health counselors in schools and create "threat assessment teams" that would help identify potentially dangerous students before they act.

Republican Rep. Greg Bonnen said the legislation was inspired by the students, faculty and staff at Santa Fe.

The chamber took up the measure before the Senate considered another bill that would expand the school marshal program, which trains teachers and other school personnel to carry weapons and let them keep their weapons on them at all times, instead of locking them in a safe away from students.

That effort has faced more opposition and tentatively passed the Senate on a 20-11 vote.

Teachers groups and gun control activists worry that more guns in classrooms, even concealed weapons, will lead to potentially lethal accidents.

"If we put an unlimited number of guns in our schools, we're only creating an unlimited number of potential mistakes that could harm our children," said Hilary Whitfield, a volunteer leader of the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, in a statement.

The bill would eliminate a provision that limit marshals to one per 200 students or one per building.

GOP Sen. Brandon Creighton said the measure would "allow school districts to decide themselves what works best for them in order to keep their students safe."At the U.S. Supreme Court, statehouses and other sites across the nation, abortion rights supporters held rallies Tuesday in opposition to the wave of sweeping abortion bans being enacted this year in Midwestern and Southern states.

Organizers - including Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America and the American Civil Liberties Union - predicted tens of thousands of people would attend hundreds of events scheduled in all 50 states.

The "National Day of Action to Stop the Bans" came in response to a near-total ban on abortion recently signed into law in Alabama, as well as bills enacted or nearing passage in Mississippi , Kentucky , Ohio , Georgia and Louisiana aimed at banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. That can happen in the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant. Missour i lawmakers have passed an eight-week ban.

None of the laws has taken effect, and all will likely be blocked while legal challenges play out. Ban supporters hope one or more of the measures might reach the Supreme Court and possibly trigger reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

In Washington, a demonstration outside the Supreme Court drew hundreds of protesters and several Democratic presidential candidates. Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, in addition to Reps. Eric Swalwell of California and Tim Ryan of Ohio, were among the attendees as multiple members of Congress spoke to a crowd that hoisted signs defending abortion rights.

"I cannot tell you how important this moment in our country's history is," Gillibrand said. "Do not allow this moment to lapse without putting everything you can behind it. Organize, advocate and vote."

As security guards the steps of the Supreme Court, Kristin Mink of Silver Spring, Md., holds her three-week-old daughter by a sign she brought that says, "I exist because my Mom had an abortion," as Mink joined a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. Being able to access abortion services in an earlier pregnancy made it possible for Mink to now give birth to this child. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Some protesters carried purple signs that declared, "Abortion is a human right." Among their chants: "No church/No state/Women must decide their fate."

Lauri Ploch, 67, came from Alexandria, Virginia, with a sign depicting a drawing of a uterus and the message, "Mine, not yours."

Ploch recalled the conflict over birth control and abortion rights in her youth, and suggested that her generation mistakenly believed that such struggles were in the past.

"I got complacent for a little while. I think a lot of people did," she said. "Right now we need to really get up in their faces and show that we are ready to fight to keep our rights."

In Atlanta, several hundred protesters jammed onto the steps of the Georgia statehouse.

Chants of "Vote them out!" and "My body, my right!" blared through a loudspeaker as passing drivers honked their horns in support. One woman carried a coat hanger with a sign that read, "Not going back."

Brandi Borgwat, 42, drove about 30 minutes from her home in Woodstock, Georgia, to join the protests.

"I didn't protest before because it sounded so insane that I didn't believe it would pass," Borgwat said of Georgia's new law. It's scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, but opponents have vowed to sue to block it.

In St. Louis, several hundred protesters gathered in a park between the Gateway Arch and the historic courthouse where the Dred Scott case decision that deemed black slaves as property, not citizens, was heard.

Katie Lorentz, a 19-year-old college student, said she worries that if she ever needs an abortion she'll be criminalized.

"It puts a lot of women in danger," Lorentz said of the new law. "States with strong anti-abortion laws have higher women mortality rates and infant mortality rates."

Ashley Buck, 30, a waitress from St. Louis, held a cardboard sign that read, "I'm a Pro-Choice Mom" on one side and "Ask Me About My 2 Abortions - I Am Not Ashamed" on the other. She said she had one at age 16, and another at age 27.

"My choice," Buck said.

That same message was echoed by several hundred people gathered in the Utah State Capitol Rotunda. Their chant: "My body, my choice!"

Utah legislators recently passed a ban on abortions after 18 weeks but have agreed not to enforce the ban as a court challenge plays out.

In the crowd of abortion rights activists, one counterprotester, Deanna Holland, stood with an anti-abortion sign urging people to care for unborn fetuses.

___

Associated Press reporters Ben Nadler and Sanya Mansoor in Atlanta, Ashraf Khalil and Elena Schor in Washington, Morgan Smith in Salt Lake City and Jim Salter in St. Louis contributed to this report.

Several hundred people rally in support of abortion rights Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at a park near the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Rallies around the country come as Missouri and Louisiana advance closer to final approval of laws constraining women's ability to terminate pregnancies, following passage of restrictions in Georgia, Alabama and Ohio. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)

President of Planned Parenthood Leana Wen speaks during a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. A coalition of dozens of groups held a National Day of Action to Stop the Bans, with other events planned throughout the week. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Activists gather in the Utah State Capitol Rotunda to protest abortion bans happening in Utah and around the country Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Salt Lake City. State law makers recently passed a ban on abortions after 18 weeks, but have agreed not to enforce the ban as a court challenge plays out. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The Texas Handmaidens join a group gathered to protest abortion restrictions at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Abortion rights advocates rally at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, to oppose state laws recently enacted that impose strict restrictions on abortion. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

A megaphone is held up for the speakers during a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. A coalition of dozens of groups held a National Day of Action to Stop the Bans, with other events planned throughout the week. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Anti-abortion and abortion-rights advocates attempt to cover up each others messages Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the State Capitol in Lincoln, Neb. Supporters of abortion-rights are mobilizing in Nebraska in response to states that have passed new abortion restrictions. (Kayla Wolf/Lincoln Journal Star via AP)

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., speaks during a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. A coalition of dozens of groups held a National Day of Action to Stop the Bans, with other events planned throughout the week. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Laurie Ploch, of Alexandria, Va., holds up a sign with a drawing of a uterus on it that says "mine not yours" as she protests against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, as a coalition of dozens of groups held a National Day of Action to Stop the Bans, with other events planned throughout the week. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. speaks during a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. A coalition of dozens of groups held a National Day of Action to Stop the Bans, with other events planned throughout the week. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., speaks during a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, outside the Supreme Court in Washington. A coalition of dozens of groups held a National Day of Action to Stop the Bans, with other events planned throughout the week. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

People rally in support of abortion rights Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Demonstrators take part in a protest against abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the state Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. (Christine T. Nguyen/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)

August Mulvihill, of Norwalk, Iowa, center, holds a sign during a rally to protest recent abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Abortion rights supporters protest at the Louisiana Capitol, where lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban abortion as early as six weeks of pregnancy, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La. The bill is nearing final legislative passage. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)

Women's rights advocates demonstrate against recent abortion bans, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Authorities say a man was shot outside of a South Dakota jail after he charged at officers with a knife.

Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead says authorities responded to gunshots just after 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Milstead says a deputy fired two shots, and at least one hit the 44-year-old suspect.

Jail Warden Jeff Gromer says a man holding a glass bottle approached the jail lobby and was hitting the bottle against the lobby window when security asked for police help.

Gromer says the men threw either a rock or the bottle through the jail door, injuring one officer with broken glass. Gromer says the man charged officers with a knife and was shot.

The man was taken to a hospital. The Argus Leader reports the courthouse and the jail were put on lockdown.

Law enforcement enters the scene after reports of shots fired outside the Minnehaha County Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Erin Bormett/The Argus Leader via AP)

An ambulance arrives on scene after a man was shot by law enforcement outside the Minnehaha County Jail in Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Authorities say a man was shot outside of a South Dakota jail after he charged at an officer with a knife. (Erin Bormett/The Argus Leader via AP)

Officers talk to civilians after reports of shots fired outside the Minnehaha County Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Erin Bormett/The Argus Leader via AP)DENVER (AP) - Colorado officials said Tuesday that they had no plans to stop energy companies from drilling for oil and gas while regulators overhaul state rules to make health, safety and the environment their top priority.

Dan Gibbs, chief of the state Department of Natural Resources, said lawmakers did not want a moratorium on drilling permits while regulators rewrite the rules under a new law that shifted the state's focus from production to protection.

"It was never the intent of the Legislature that we pause our work," Gibbs told the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which will implement the new law. The commission is part of Gibbs' department.

Some environmentalists and community activists have demanded the commission stop issuing permits until the new rules are complete. They argue that drilling makes climate change worse, pollutes Colorado's air and water, and puts nearby residents at risk from fires and explosions.

Industry executives and workers argued against a moratorium. Janet Rost, whose company helps secure mineral rights, said she is a cancer survivor who depends on the industry for her livelihood - a job that helped her support her children when she was a single mom.

"Please don't pass a moratorium," she told the commissioners.

FILE - This Feb. 28, 2019 file photo shows a storage tank near a well pad located in a field near a housing development in Broomfield, Colo. The newly reorganized Colorado Oil and Gas Commission planned to meet Tuesday, May 21, 2019, and will later begin rewriting state rules to emphasize public safety and the environment instead of production. A new Colorado law weakens industry influence on the commission while adding experts in public health and wildlife. The law reflects increasing fears about public safety as a booming oil and gas field north and east of Denver overlaps with fast-growing communities. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

One of the measure's sponsors, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Stephen Fenberg, said the law "clearly contemplated" that the state would keep issuing drilling permits while the regulations were revised.

The law allows regulators to deny or delay permits to ensure they comply with the spirit of the law while the revisions are underway, Fenberg said in an email to The Associated Press.

House Speaker KC Becker and Rep. Yadira Caraveo, Democrats who sponsored the measure in the House, also said the law was neither a moratorium nor a ban on drilling.

Tuesday's meeting was the first time the oil and gas commission met since Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed the law mandating sweeping changes in regulations.

In addition to the new focus on protecting the public and the environment, the law gives local governments some authority over the location of wells.

The changes are Colorado's latest attempt to balance its booming oil and gas industry with a burgeoning population. The state's crude oil production has quadrupled since 2010, and it now ranks sixth in the nation in both oil and natural gas output, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency.

But the state's most productive oil and gas field - the Wattenberg field north and east of Denver - borders on some fast-growing communities, raising fears about the dangers of pollution and accidents.

The new law changed the makeup of the seven-member commission to dilute industry influence, reducing the number of commissioners with oil and gas experience from three to one while adding experts in wildlife and public health.

Polis announced the new members Friday, a few days before their first meeting.

Only two commissioners are holdovers: Howard Boigon, who is an oil and gas attorney, and Erin Overturf, who works for the environmental group Western Resource Advocates.

Four other members applied for reappointment but were passed over, commission spokesman Chris Arend said.

Polis' spokeswoman, Shelby Weiman, did not directly answer a question about why the four were not chosen but said the new commission has the expertise and geographic and political diversity needed to implement the new law. She said Polis appreciates the service of the former commissioners.

Commission staff members have already begun rewriting rules and have held preliminary meetings and released some proposals. But the commissioners themselves are still reorganizing, and work on rewriting substantive drilling rules isn't expected to begin until later this year.

Once all the rules are rewritten, the commission will be replaced by a smaller version that includes five appointed, full-time commissioners and the heads of two state departments, natural resources and public health. The commission now consists of seven appointed, part-time members and the two department heads.

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP .WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump nominated an aerospace executive and former ambassador to Finland to be the next secretary of the Air Force on Tuesday.

Trump said in a tweet that he has chosen Barbara Barrett, former chairman of The Aerospace Corporation, to replace Heather Wilson when she steps down at the end of this month after two years on the job.

Barrett, 68, of Arizona, served as ambassador to Finland in 2008 during President George W. Bush's administration. She also previously served as deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and was vice chairman of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board.

This is the second time she's been picked for the Air Force job. In 2003, Bush announced he intended to nominate Barrett to replace John Roche, who was to become Army secretary. But when Roche's nomination was blocked in the Senate, he went back to his Air Force post, so Barrett was never confirmed for the position.

If confirmed by the Senate, Barrett would step into the center of the debate over the launch of a new U.S. Space Force, a Trump proposal that has hit widespread resistance on Capitol Hill.

A trained civilian pilot who also was certified for space travel, Barrett was mentioned last year as a possible replacement for Sen. Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican, who resigned his Senate seat. The appointment, however, went to Martha McSally, a U.S. House member who had run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2018.

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2017, file photo, former President Jimmy Carter, right, accepts the O'Connor Justice Prize from former U.S. Ambassador to Finland Barbara Barrett, left, at The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University Justice Prize Dinner in Phoenix. President Donald Trump has nominated Barrett to be the next secretary of the Air Force. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

McSally, a former fighter pilot, tweeted her congratulations to Barrett, thanking Trump "for taking my recommendation on this important role and selecting an incredibly talented leader as next AF Secretary!"

Barrett holds the distinction of being the first Republican woman to run for governor in Arizona. In 1994, she challenged the incumbent Republican, Fife Symington, in the primary and spent more than $1 million of her own money, but was soundly defeated.

Barrett, an attorney, serves on a number of boards, including for RAND Corporation, the Smithsonian Institution and the California Institute of Technology, and she's held a number of senior executive positions for Fortune 500 companies.

She and her husband, former CEO of Intel Corp., own Triple Creek Ranch, a luxury resort in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina teacher has been charged with threatening to "shoot up" her school.

A news release from the Orange County Sheriff's Office says Kristen Thompson was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of communicating a threat of mass violence.

The sheriff's office says Thompson abruptly resigned Friday from Pathways Elementary School in Hillsborough. It says other teachers reported that Thompson "made threats to shoot up the school."

A phone listing for Thompson rang unanswered Tuesday afternoon. A sheriff's spokeswoman said investigators didn't have information on whether Thompson has a lawyer who can speak on her behalf.

Thompson's name didn't appear on the school's website Tuesday, but an archived version indicated that she worked with children in the special education program.SEMINOLE, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a Florida teacher was arrested after bringing a handgun and knives to the elementary school where she worked.

The Tampa Bay Times reports 49-year-old Betty Jo Soto was arrested and fired Monday. Pinellas County Schools Police say she faces two misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon.

A district spokeswoman says Soto was exhibiting "suspicious behavior" Monday at Starkey Elementary School in Seminole. The principal notified police. An arrest report says officers searched a backpack in Soto's fourth grade classroom and found a 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Police also reported finding two knives.

Soto has a concealed weapons permit, but that doesn't allow her to carry weapons on school property.

Soto recently learned her teaching contract wouldn't be renewed, but school officials wouldn't say when Soto was told.

___

Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com.DALLAS (AP) - The shooting deaths of two transgender women and the stabbing of a third are being investigated to determine whether they are connected, police in Dallas said Tuesday.

No arrests have been made. The most recent killing occurred over the weekend.

"These cases, although not directly related at this time, do have some similarities the public needs to be aware of," Maj. Vincent Weddington said during a news conference .

He added that Dallas police will work with federal law enforcement officers to determine if any of the attacks should be considered hate crimes.

Muhlaysia Booker, 23, was found shot to death Saturday in northeastern Dallas. Her death came a month after a cellphone video showed her being brutally beaten in a separate incident.

The other killing occurred last October. A transgender woman was found shot to death in a vehicle parked near an elementary school in far southeastern Dallas, police said.

In this Friday, April 20, 2019 photo, Muhlaysia Booker speaks during a rally in Dallas. Booker, a transgender woman seen on a widely circulated video being beaten on April 12 in front of a crowd of people, was found dead Saturday, May 18 in a Dallas shooting. No suspect has been identified. (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

In the stabbing, a transgender woman survived after being cut repeatedly in April.

Weddington, in pointing out the similarities, said two of the victims had gotten into a vehicle with someone prior to their deaths, while the third had allowed someone inside her car to pick up a passenger. He declined to specify which victims did what, citing the investigation.

He added that two of the victims had been near an intersection close to Fair Park, southeast of downtown Dallas, before their deaths.

Weddington appealed to the public for tips. A town hall meeting has been scheduled for Thursday between police and members of the LGBT community.

Police also are trying to solve the case of a transgender woman whose remains were found in a field in July 2017, Weddington said. The cause of her death has not been determined.

Weddington has said that no evidence was found to link Booker's death to her April 12 beating following a minor traffic accident. According to a police affidavit, the other driver involved in the accident had a gun and refused to let Booker leave until she paid for the damage to his vehicle. A crowd gathered and someone offered a man $200 to beat the woman. Other men also struck her, while one stomped on her head. Booker suffered a concussion, fractured wrist and other injuries, police said.

Video of the attack, which was shared on social media, showed Booker being beaten as the crowd hollered and watched. Edward Thomas, 29, was arrested and jailed on an aggravated assault charge.

Thomas' attorneys have issued a statement saying Thomas wasn't involved in Booker's death and sending condolences to her family.As another year marked by the global pandemic comes to an end, our photojournalists remain challenged  and, frequently, awed - by the constant state of change.



We documented our ever-evolving world in ways few photo staffs could as we all worked to regain normalcy amid COVID-19s seemingly unbreakable hold on our communities. We showed the relieved faces of people receiving a coveted vaccine, telling the story of a scientific breakthrough with images of those benefitting from it. We covered new workplace policies, school protocols and policing practices. We traveled half-way across the world to an Olympics where the athletes couldnt hug each other, masked medalists step atop the podium and no one came to watch.



The Chicago Tribune faced its own series of changes, too. We have new owners. New bosses. Endured another move. Gained new talented journalists and lost many others from the newsroom ranks. The one constant has been our dedication to providing photography on a daily basis that is relevant to the communities we cover: The joy of picnicking at the lakefront on a summer afternoon, the pain of children, police officers and neighbors all falling victims to violent crime. Documenting whos in and whos out in the political landscape, escaping to your favorite cultural event or sports competition.



We hope this installment of the annual Photos of the Year project reminds us of the moments that shaped our lives and the thoughtful way we portray them. Its also a platform for acknowledging the talent and dedication of Tribune photographers, and all photojournalists, who make change a way of life.



The Chicago Tribune staff photographers for 2021: Brian Cassella, Erin Hooley, Terrence Antonio James, Vashon Jordan Jr., John J. Kim, Youngrae Kim, Jose M. Osorio, Antonio Perez, Armando L. Sanchez, Chris Sweda, Abel Uribe, E. Jason Wambsgans, Stacey Wescott and Raquel Zaldivar.



Tribune visual editors: Mark Hume, Andrew Johnston, Marianne Mather, Steve Rosenberg and Peter Tsai.

- Todd Panagopoulos, Director of Content/VisualsPONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - The discovery of handwritten wills in the home of the late Aretha Franklin could ignite a dispute among family members about the estate of the "Queen of Soul." She died last August without a formal document to guide her sons about her music, property and other assets. But the newly found writings filed in court Monday could change everything.

Here's a look at what's developing, nine months after Franklin's death in Michigan at age 76:

___

HOW WERE THE WILLS DISCOVERED?

A niece, Sabrina Owens, who serves as the estate's personal representative, discovered a key to a locked cabinet at Franklin's home on May 3, according to a court filing. Two handwritten wills from 2010 were inside. One says a will from decades earlier is "no good." The other one found in the cabinet is 11 pages long and has a notary's signature.

On that same day, Owens was searching under living room cushions when she located a notebook with another will, dated March 2014. The four-page document sets aside various assets for family members, including four sons and grandchildren, but is difficult to read.

This Monday, May 20, 2019, photo shows one of three handwritten wills that a lawyer said were found in the home of Aretha Franklin in Pontiac, Mich., months after her death. Three handwritten wills have been found in the suburban Detroit home of Franklin, months after the death of the "Queen of Soul," including one that was discovered under cushions in the living room, a lawyer said Monday. (AP Photo/Ed White)

"We all think of your standard will where you go into an attorney's office and get two witnesses to sign it," said Charyn Hain, an estate lawyer. "Michigan allows for wills that aren't completely compliant."

___

COULD THE WILLS BE ADMISSIBLE?

Yes. Michigan law gives great weight to the wishes of a decedent. The state appeals court last year said a man's final written words stored on a phone counted as a will.

"If it's clear and convincing evidence of your intentions, it's a perfectly valid document," said Patrick Simasko, another estate specialist. "The court wants to do everything in its power to fulfill the wishes of the person who passed away."

But Franklin's newly discovered wills are disorganized and look like rough drafts. Words are crossed out. She used arrows and wrote in the margins.

"You have to sit down with a magnifying glass and blow it up, try to enhance it," Simasko said.

The estate's attorney, David Bennett, shared the wills with Franklin's sons. He told a judge that the heirs "have been unable to reach a resolution" about their validity. A hearing is set for June 12.

Without a will, the estate typically would be divided among the sons, Simasko said.

___

WHAT DO THE WILLS SAY?

In the 2014 document, Franklin says she wants a son, Christian rapper Kecalf Franklin, to serve as personal representative of the estate.

Aretha Franklin's sons last year agreed to have Owens oversee the estate, but that was before the documents were found. Any change would require the approval of Judge Jennifer Callaghan.

Emails seeking comment from Bennett and Kecalf Franklin's attorney weren't returned Tuesday. Separately, the younger Franklin is objecting to Owens' plan to sell a piece of land for $325,000.

If Kecalf Franklin takes over, it "could be his business for many years," Simasko said. "He would be hiring lawyers, hiring managers and getting paid to do it. Her music, her image, her publishing rights - those are all things that have to be managed."

___

WHAT'S THE STATUS OF FRANKLIN'S ESTATE?

The value is not yet known, although the estate could be worth millions of dollars. The judge approved the hiring of experts to appraise assets, including Franklin's music catalog, her likeness, concert gowns and memorabilia.

Bennett said in a court filing that the Internal Revenue Service is auditing many years of Franklin's tax returns after making a claim for more than $6 million in taxes in December.

He said the estate is negotiating a contract with the TV series "Genius" and also working on a deal for a movie about Franklin's life.

Detroit last week celebrated the renaming of a city-owned outdoor music amphitheater for Franklin. Mayor Mike Duggan recalled her performing past midnight there in 2015.

"This daughter of Detroit has a permanent memorial," he said.

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwhiteapNEW YORK (AP) - Self-help guru Keith Raniere was a coward during his arrest last year in Mexico on a U.S. sex-trafficking charge and a bully when dealing with a follower who failed to adhere to his twisted code of ethics, a witness testified Tuesday at Raniere's New York City trial.

The follower was confined to a bedroom for two years, the witness said, despite passing a note that begged: "Let me out. I'm coming undone."

The harsh portrait of Raniere was provided by Lauren Salzman, a former member of his inner-circle in a group called NXIVM who's pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the government.

Salzman, 42, was recruited, along with TV actress Allison Mack and others, for a secret society within NXIVM of women who prosecutors say were brainwashed by Raniere's teachings, branded with his initials and pressured into having sex with him.

Mack, a star of the TV series "Smallville," has also pleaded guilty, but it's unclear if she'll testify.

Defense lawyers have insisted any contact Raniere had with the women was consensual.

FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2019 file photo, Lauren Salzman leaves Brooklyn federal court in New York. Testifying in NXIVM leader Keith Raniere's trial on sex trafficking charges Tuesday, May 21, 2019, Salzman said that when Mexican authorities broke down his door at a villa in Puerta Vallarta to grab Raniere, she was there and tried to stand up to them while he hid in a closet. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Salzman told the jury on Tuesday that Raniere - spooked by mounting news reports that the sorority was under investigation - went to Mexico with Salzman, Mack and others to try to reconstitute the group there. When Mexican authorities broke down his door at a villa in Puerta Vallarta to grab him, Salzman was there and tried to stand up to them while he hid in a closet, she said.

The scene made clear that while she had been programmed to put Raniere first in times of trouble, "Keith would choose Keith," she said.

The witness also detailed how Raniere groomed as followers a family from Mexico with three daughters. According to prosecutors, he sexually exploited all three - the youngest starting at age 15.

The middle sister, whose full name has been withheld by prosecutors, had a falling out with Raniere around 2010, Salzman said. He assigned Salzman to rehabilitate the victim by ordering her into a bedroom in her family's Albany-area home - with only a mattress and pen and paper - until she made amends to him in handwritten letters, she said.

What was expected to last no more than 10 days stretched into nearly two years when Raniere refused to forgive the victim and allow her back into the NXIVM community, the witness said. Her family finally returned her to Mexico and cut off support.

"I was unkind," said Salzman, weeping as recalled her role in the episode. "I think it's horrendous. Of all the things I did in this case, this was the worst."A new lawsuit says Boeing's design of the 737 Max was faulty and the company was able to rush the plane into production because it faced little oversight from regulators.

The lawsuit says the plane could crash if a single part malfunctioned, that Boeing concealed problems and refused to ground the plane on its own.

Lawyers say Boeing did the same thing after crashes of earlier 737s in the 1990s.

Former Transportation Department Inspector General Mary Schiavo filed the lawsuit last week in federal district court in South Carolina on behalf of relatives of a Swedish man killed on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March.

Boeing is also being sued over the October crash of Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia.

Boeing declined to comment on specifics of the lawsuit.LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on a Mississippi lawmaker accused of punching his wife (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

Mississippi's House speaker says a state lawmaker should resign if he punched his wife in the face.

Republican Speaker Philip Gunn says he has tried to contact Republican Rep. Doug McLeod of Lucedale to request his resignation if what sheriff's deputies accuse him of is true.

A report filed by George County deputies says McLeod bloodied his wife's nose after she didn't undress quickly enough when McLeod wanted to have sex. Deputies report McLeod was drunk and holding a glass of alcohol when they arrived.

Gunn calls the actions "unacceptable for anyone."

McLeod is charged with misdemeanor domestic violence. He's free on bail and hasn't returned requests for comment. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.

The 58-year-old McLeod has represented George and Stone counties since 2012. He's unopposed for re-election this year.

___

1:15 p.m.

A police report says a south Mississippi lawmaker punched his wife in the face after she didn't undress quickly enough when the lawmaker wanted to have sex.

Republican state Rep. Doug McLeod of Lucedale was arrested Saturday on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.

The Sun Herald reports the document was filed with the George County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies report McLeod was drunk and holding a glass of alcohol when they arrived. Deputies report McLeod punched his wife and bloodied her nose. When officers told McLeod a domestic assault had been reported, they say he replied "Are you kidding me?"

McLeod is free on bail. He didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 58-year-old McLeod has represented George and Stone counties since 2012. He's unopposed for re-election this year.SAN DIEGO (AP) - New federal charges were filed Tuesday against a man accused of opening fire in a Southern California synagogue, killing one person and wounding three others.

A grand jury handed up a revised indictment against John T. Earnest, 19, that adds four counts of discharging a firearm during crimes of violence.

He earlier pleaded not guilty to 109 federal charges, including committing a hate crime, and to state charges, including murder, in connection with the April 27 attack on the Chabad of Poway synagogue. Those charges also include attempted arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido a month earlier.

Prosecutors haven't decided whether to seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors say Earnest opened fire with a semi-automatic assault rifle and was carrying 50 extra rounds but had trouble reloading the weapon. During that pause, several members of the congregation, including an off-duty Border Patrol agent, chased him away, authorities said.

He drove away but was later captured.

FILE - In this April 30, 2019 file photo, John T. Earnest appears for his arraignment hearing in San Diego. New federal charges have been filed against Earnest accused with opening fire in a Southern California synagogue, killing one person and wounding three others on April 27. A federal grand jury on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, handed up a revised indictment that adds four counts of discharging a firearm during crimes of violence. He earlier pleaded not guilty to 109 federal charges. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

The attack killed 60-year-old Lori Kaye, who was hit twice as she prayed in the synagogue foyer. Wounded were Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was leading the service on the last day of the Jewish holiday of Passover, an 8-year-old girl and her uncle.

A federal affidavit filed earlier this month describes a deeply disturbed man filled with hatred toward Jews and Muslims, which is detailed in online writings. Earnest claimed to be inspired by the attacks on the mosques in New Zealand and the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue last fall, the affidavit said.

Court documents said Earnest dialed 911 after fleeing the house of worship in his car and said: "I just shot up a synagogue." He went on to tell the dispatcher that he did it "because Jewish people are destroying the white race," according to the affidavit. He was arrested without a struggle.

On Wednesday evening, the synagogue plans to dedicate a Torah scroll - a handwritten copy of biblical books that is considered the most sacred object in Judaism - in honor of Kaye.

"Lori was such a kind, loving soul, and she knew everyone here, so this is really an opportunity for the community to come together and heal, and celebrate the life of a very special person who was brutally taken from us," Goldstein said in a statement.SEATTLE (AP) - A 2017 deadly Amtrak train derailment in Washington state happened because the engineer lost track of where he was on the route and was going more than twice the speed limit when he hit a curve, federal safety investigators said Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced the findings at a meeting in Washington, D.C.

The train derailed Dec. 18, 2017, near DuPont, killing three and injuring dozens. The derailment occurred on the train's first paid passenger trip on a new route from Tacoma, Washington, to Portland, Oregon.

The News Tribune reports investigators also blamed the transit agency Sound Transit for not sufficiently mitigating the danger of the sharp bend, Amtrak for not better training the engineer, Washington State Department of Transportation for not ensuring the route was safe before green-lighting a passenger train and the Federal Railroad Administration for using rail cars beneath regulatory standards.

"The engineer was set up to fail," said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt.

Although federal officials released preliminary findings after the crash, this is the first time investigators have offered a final determination of what happened.

FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2017, file photo, cars from an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 alongside smashed vehicles as some train cars remain on the tracks above in DuPont, Wash. Federal safety investigators are expected to present their findings Tuesday, May 21, 2019, on the Amtrak train derailment south of Seattle that killed three people and injured dozens. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Investigators said the train was going 78 mph (126 kph) when it rounded the curve. That's 48 mph (77 kph) faster than the 30 mph (48 kph) speed limit.

The engineer appeared to apply the brakes but did not put the brakes in emergency mode.

He told federal officials he was aware of the sharp curve - he'd operated the locomotive three times on that track and observed the route another 7-10 times - but lost track of where the train was on the route.

Seattle-based Sound Transit issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, calling the derailment "a terrible tragedy that sears in the memory of all of us at Sound Transit."

"While Sound Transit does not operate any service in the segment of track where the accident took place, as owner of the track we commit to closely reviewing the NTSB's report and implementing recommendations in collaboration with Amtrak, the Washington State Department of Transportation, BNSF and the Federal Railroad Administration," the agency said.

Amtrak also issued a statement Tuesday.

"We remain deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries due to this tragic event," Amtrak said. It said it has already implemented a number of changes, including the creation of a new "safety organization" and the development of a strategic plan to "maximize the effective use of simulators in training, qualification and certification of Amtrak employees.

___

Information from: KIRO-TV, htthttp://www.kirotv.com/index.htmlSURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on the abduction of a 17-year-old girl from Idaho who has been found in Arizona and the suspect arrested (all times local):

4:10 p.m.

Bond has been set at $1 million for an 18-year-old man accused of abducting a teenage girl in Idaho before being arrested in Arizona.

Police in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise say Miguel Rodriguez-Perez was taken into custody without incident early Tuesday after he fled a traffic stop and abandoned his car.

Rodriguez-Perez and the 17-year-old girl were later found hiding underneath some bushes.

Police say the teen appeared unharmed and was waiting to be reunited with her family.

Rodriguez-Perez was jailed for being a fugitive from justice and didn't have an attorney at his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities say Rodriguez-Perez allegedly abducted the girl from her job Sunday at a Wendy's restaurant in Jerome, Idaho.

The girl had an order of protection against Rodriguez-Perez.

_____

10 a.m.

Authorities say a 17-year-old girl abducted from the Wendy's restaurant where she worked in Idaho has been found in Arizona along with the man accused of taking her.

Police tell KNXV-TV 18-year-old Miguel Rodriguez-Perez was taken into custody without incident early Tuesday in Surprise, Arizona. Police say the girl appeared unharmed.

Authorities say Rodriguez-Perez forced her from the restaurant where she worked in Jerome, Idaho, on Sunday evening. According to an Amber Alert, she had an order of protection against Rodriguez-Perez because he had threated and assaulted her in the past.

Police in Surprise spotted his vehicle and chased it. The vehicle was found abandoned. A search led to the girl and the suspect.

___

Information from: KNXV-TV, http://www.abc15.comUNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. envoy for Iraq called Tuesday for "wide-based international support" to prevent Islamic State extremists from regaining a foothold in the country.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert also told the Security Council that if the issue of thousands of returning Islamic State fighters and their families from Syria to Iraq isn't managed properly "we risk creating a new breeding ground for the next generation of terrorists."

She stressed that this "is not just an Iraqi problem" because there are non-Iraqi fighters as well, and she implicitly criticized some unnamed countries that are maintaining a "strategic distance" from their own nationals.

The Islamic State extremist group, which seized Iraqi cities and declared a self-styled Islamic caliphate in a large swathe of territory it took control of in Syria and Iraq in 2014, was formally declared defeated in Iraq in 2017 following a three-year bloody battle that left tens of thousands dead and Iraqi cities in ruins. But the group's sleeper cells continue to launch attacks in different parts of Iraq.

Hennis-Plasschaert said that on an encouraging note the capital Baghdad "is opening up" and "very soon" the high-security Green Zone where many government offices and embassies are located "will no longer exist." But she said the security situation in the capital and throughout the country will require close monitoring because the threat from the Islamic State extremist group "is still out there."

The U.N. envoy quoted an unnamed representative of the U.S.-led coalition in the country as saying recently that IS "is resurging. They rested, moved and are active."

Hennis-Plasschaert said "another dominant security concern" is "armed actors" operating outside the government who are engaged in illegal or criminal activities which undermine state authority, weaken the economy and prevent the return of thousands of displaced people.

She briefed the Security Council after it unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the U.N. political mission in Iraq that she leads until May 31, 2020.

More broadly, Hennis-Plasschaert also criticized political infighting in Iraq that has blocked key ministerial appointments a year after national elections, and corruption which is "pervasive at all levels in Iraq."

She alluded to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran which have raised concerns that Iraq could once again get caught in the middle, just as it is on the path to recovery. The country hosts more than 5,000 U.S. troops, and is home to powerful Iranian-backed militias, some of whom want those U.S. forces to leave.

Hennis-Plasschaert said she was pleased to report that Iraq's leaders continue to reach out to their regional and international counterparts, positioning the country "as a reliable partner."

"Iraq could well be a stabilizing factor in a turbulent region and instead of an arena for conflict, Iraq could well offer a space for regional reconciliation, preparing the ground for a regional security dialogue," she said.

"At the same time, we cannot ignore that Iraq faces serious challenges in preventing its territory from becoming the theater for different competitions," Hennis-Plasschaert said. "So, to all those feeling challenged: placing a further burden on Iraq is truly, the last thing it needs."MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador hasn't just moved out of the luxurious president's residence, he's using it to auction off seized luxury goods to raise money for poor communities.

After he took office Dec. 1, Lopez Obrador stayed in his middle-class condominium and turned the Los Pinos residence into a museum and cultural venue.

But on Sunday, the sprawling compound will host the first of several auctions of seized luxury goods, including a 2007 Lamborghini Murcielago, with an estimated worth about $73,000. If that's too expensive, there is a 2014 Mercedes Benz ML63 at about $20,000.

There are also, interestingly, lots of bullet-proof cars up for bid. Proceeds will go to two of Mexico's poorest townships, Santo Reyes Yucuna and Santa Maria Sanir in Oaxaca state.

Lopez Obrador's new Institute to Return Stolen Goods to the People will continue with auctions of real estate and jewelry, most confiscated from criminals or in tax cases.

Some of the seized properties have been loaned out for use by non-governmental groups but will eventually be sold in other auctions to raise money.WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump told Democratic leaders Tuesday that he believes Congress should first pass a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico before taking up a bill to boost the nation's infrastructure.

The president made his request in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer before a White House meeting Wednesday. The move fits with what many Republicans in Congress have been urging but clashes with the priorities of many Democratic lawmakers who still have concerns with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.

The potential clash in priorities is just one of the flash points that could derail action by Congress. Lawmakers and Trump administration officials have also been reticent to say how they would pay for an infrastructure bill, creating doubts about the prospects of reaching an agreement before the 2020 elections.

Trump said the trade agreement would boost employment growth and create millions of high-wage jobs.

"Once Congress has passed USMCA, we should turn our attention to a bipartisan infrastructure package," Trump said.

The Democratic leaders and Trump are aiming for a $2 trillion bill to address roads, bridges and other priorities.

President Donald Trump waves upon arrival at the White House in Washington, from a campaign rally in Montoursville, Pa., Monday, May 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trump said he remains committed to passing a bill, but he wants Pelosi and Schumer to spell out their priorities and how much money they would provide to each.

"Your caucus has expressed a wide-range of priorities, and it is unclear which ones have your support," Trump said.

Trump complained that he had hoped to work out the priorities following a meeting in late April at the White House "but you cancelled a scheduled meeting of our teams, preventing them from advancing our discussions. Nevertheless, I remain committed to passing an infrastructure bill."

He said there is no doubt Americans "want us to rebuild our infrastructure" and it's "now time for us to follow the wishes of the American people and work together to pass a big and bold infrastructure bill."BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 2019 Forum on the Development of Tibet that opened on Friday in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China.

Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibet is an important border area with ethnic minority populations, an important ecological security barrier, an important area for protecting distinctive culture of the Chinese nation and an important world tourist destination, Xi noted in the letter.

The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 60th anniversary of the campaign of democratic reform in Tibet, Xi said.

"Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Tibet has realized the most extensive and profound social transformation ever in its history in just a few decades, with millions of serfs emancipated and becoming masters of the country and society," the letter read.

With the strong support of the central government and the people throughout the country, people in Tibet have united in their struggle to turn the impoverished and backward old Tibet into a new Tibet characterized by economic and cultural prosperity, all-round social progress, a sound ecological environment and a happy life for the people, Xi said.

Xi expressed hope in the letter that Tibet will seize the opportunities for development, build a beautiful and happy Tibet, flourish its fine traditional culture, protect the plateau's ecological environment, implement a more active policy of opening up, conduct extensive international exchanges and cooperation and draw a new picture of Tibet's development in a new era.Efforts are needed to avoid a worldwide competitive devaluation of currencies triggered by trade frictions, said Zhou Xiaochuan, former governor of the People's Bank of China, speaking at the two-day Lujiazui Forum, which attracted government, business and academic leaders from home and abroad and ended on Friday in Shanghai.





Zhou said the nonprofit Financial Stability Board, which monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system, should help avoid such a devaluation, thereby giving a more positive signal to the global financial market. The issue is timely given the approach of the G20 Osaka Summit on June 28 and 29, he said.





Zhou said trade problems will again trigger competitive devaluations, as in the last global financial crisis. He said fiscal and central bank regulators of different countries reached an earlier consensus to make joint efforts to avoid competitive devaluation.





"There is no winner if a trade war is waged. The world's exchange rates will confront fluctuations and the entire financial order will be chaotic if every country adopts competitive devaluation," he said.





Competitive devaluation is a series of sudden currency depreciations between two national currencies as a result of tit-for-tat moves to gain an edge in international export markets. In 2016, the International Monetary Fund asked its member countries "to refrain from all forms of protectionism and competitive devaluations".





Zhou further warned that every country's GDP will contract, though at different levels, if there is a trade war. In that case, economic regulators will adopt more active or expansionary fiscal and currency policies to address the side effects of an economic slowdown, he said.





But trade losses cannot be directly offset by adjusting macroeconomic policies, creating a global predicament, he said.





In the short term, countries should turn to fundamentally addressing trade tensions, such as putting the world trade order back on track via trade talks and World Trade Organization reform, he said.





For China, there should be more favorable export policies to find new markets and build new outlets to make up for the affected exports to the United States.





"China's exports are of good quality and reasonable prices. We have seen from the experience of the last financial crisis that Chinese exporters have enough flexibility and resilience. With policy incentives, Chinese exporters will find new markets within two or three years' time," he said.





Paul Romer, co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, said that there might be some short-term volatility from trade tensions, but China has always coped with large fluctuations well and is sure to do the same.





Vice-Premier Liu He said at forum's opening on Thursday that China's long-term positive economic growth will not be altered and there is still a huge amount of room for development in its macroeconomy. China has confidence to face any challenges, he said.



LOS ANGELES (AP) - Military prosecutors seeking the source of news leaks in the case of a Navy SEAL accused of murder misled a judge to get permission to track emails sent to defense lawyers and a journalist, an attorney said Tuesday after reviewing newly released investigation documents.

Navy investigators and the prosecutor didn't get warrants or the necessary approval from higher-ups to investigate civilians, attorney Tim Parlatore told The Associated Press. They also snooped on emails of military lawyers and judges in the case.

"Everything I've suspected turned out to be true," Parlatore said. "The prosecutor did participate in the spying on the defense ... the prosecutor did lie to the court."

Parlatore, who represents Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher at his court-martial, declined to provide details, saying he would do so Wednesday in a San Diego military courtroom.

Gallagher is charged with killing a wounded Islamic State prisoner under his care in Iraq in 2017.

Dozens of Republican congressmen have championed Gallagher's cause, claiming he's an innocent war hero being unfairly prosecuted. President Donald Trump got him moved from the brig to better confinement in a military hospital with access to his lawyers and family.

FILE - This 2018 file photo provided by Andrea Gallagher shows her husband, Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who has been charged with murder in the 2017 death of an Iraqi war prisoner. Lawyers on Gallagher's defense team told The Associated Press that emails they and a reporter received from military prosecutors in the case contained tracking software. (Andrea Gallagher via AP, File)

Revelations about the extent of the leak probe come amid efforts by defense lawyers to have prosecutors and a judge removed just a week before Gallagher is scheduled to face trial at Naval Base San Diego.

The documents - about 180 pages of investigation reports - were turned over to Parlatore in advance of the hearing on whether to put the case on hold while he finds out what prosecutors and the judge knew before allowing the targeting of defense lawyers and Navy Times editor and reporter Carl Prine.

A Navy spokesman says the government wouldn't comment before the hearing.

Defense lawyers accuse prosecutors of misconduct by spying on communications and say that may have violated the sacred attorney-client privilege.

Prosecutors said Gallagher fatally stabbed a wounded teenage Islamic State fighter and also shot two civilians in Iraq and opened fire on crowds.

Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to all counts. His lawyers said he did not murder anyone and disgruntled SEALs made the accusations because they wanted to get rid of a demanding platoon leader.

Gallagher's supervisor, Lt. Jacob Portier, is fighting charges of conduct unbecoming an officer for allegedly conducting Gallagher's re-enlistment ceremony next to the corpse.

Parlatore said the leak investigation also targeted Portier's civilian attorney, Jeremiah J. Sullivan III and attorney Brian Ferguson, who represents SEAL witnesses in the case.

The tracking software embedded in an unusual logo of an American flag with a bald eagle perched on the scales of justice beneath the signature of lead prosecutor Cmdr. Christopher Czaplak was discovered two weeks ago by defense lawyers. Two days later, the prosecutor acknowledged the scheme in a closed-door hearing, but refused to provide details.

The discovery has led to criticism that the prosecution trampled on press freedoms and violated the defendants' rights to a fair trial.

Capt. David Wilson, chief of staff for the Navy's Defense Service Offices, wrote a scathing memo this week saying the lack of transparency has led to mistrust by defense lawyers in whether attorney-client communications are secure on the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet. An Air Force lawyer representing Portier had his computer and phone seized for review.

"The Air Force is treating this malware as a cyber-intrusion on their network," Wilson said.

Parlatore said the documents show intelligence specialists conducted deep background checks on the lawyers and Prine, who has broken several stories based on documents under court order not to be shared with news media. The reports he reviewed indicate they found nothing on the lawyers or Prine.

He said most of the leaks have benefited the prosecution's narrative and the likely leakers were on the government side of the case or in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

"The leakers are investigating the non-leakers and, funny, they found nothing," Parlatore said.

___

Associated Press reporter Julie Watson contributed to this story from San Diego.JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi lawmakers were giving Weight Watchers $1.5 million for a program that never appeared in any education funding bills or state contracts, just one example of how state legislators have been funneling education funding to favored vendors.

The Clarion Ledger reports that since 2016, top lawmakers have mandated that the Mississippi Department of Education spend up to $45 million on specific programs. Of that, nearly $10 million was earmarked not just for programs but for 13 select vendors.

Most of the vendors were represented by three lobbying firms. Since 2016, eight education companies and nonprofit groups have received $9 million cumulatively. They've spent nearly $800,000 on lobbying.

In at least four cases, key lawmakers received campaign contributions from vendors who received those earmarks. Disclosure reports also show companies paid for lawmakers' meals while seeking state money.

Weight Watchers, for example, collected about $300,000 per year between 2011 and 2016. The Clarion Ledger reports the organization paid $276,000 to lobbyist Beth Clay, one of the most prominent contract lobbyists in Mississippi, between 2010 and 2016.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Gray Tollison, an Oxford Republican, said as much as $20 million a year in education earmarks were once directed through "budget notes," letters written by top lawmakers directing an agency how to spend money after a bill is passed. That practice can conceal spending from public view.

Tollison said budget notes stopped in the 2016 legislative session when his committee began listing out each earmark in the education appropriations bill.

This process is how Weight Watchers got nearly $1.5 million in education money, without a competitive bid process.

Requirements came from a "Legislative Mandate," a Department of Education document shows. Spokesman Pete Smith said the department could find no correspondence regarding the mandate, but stressed that the department doesn't spend money without legislative direction.

The Weight Watchers program allowed teachers and school staff to sign up for 15-week courses at subsidized rates. Instead of paying $150, employees paid $60 and the state paid the remaining $90. Rather than pay Weight Watchers per employee, the Legislature gave the company $300,000 most years. That's enough money for 3,333 Weight Watchers vouchers. But the Weight Watchers program never had that many participants, peaking at 3,232 the first year and then falling. That means nearly $600,000 of the $1.5 million went directly to Weight Watchers without the company providing a service.

When asked if Weight Watchers should have received $1.5 million, Senate Appropriations Chairman Buck Clarke said lawmakers killed it because they heard it wasn't effective.

"That program probably would have been more appropriate going through the Department of Health," Clarke said.

Weight Watchers declined to comment.

Overall, the earmarks make it hard to determine if the state is getting the best deal or even using vendors with a proven record. Only one of the 13 vendors went through a competitive contract process with the Department of Education before receiving money. Nine vendors have received earmarks of at least $100,000, an amount that usually would trigger a state agency bid process.

Jumpstart ACT CEO Sha Walker says his hometown representative, Republican Becky Currie of Brookhaven, was a key player in helping his company get funding. The company helps students prepare for college entrance exams at 15 schools statewide and is budgeted to get $250,000 through 2020.

Currie sits on the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review. Two years ago, the legislative watchdog committee examined allegations of improper spending at the Department of Education.

After the report's release, Currie told the Clarion Ledger that the agency's contracting practices did not "pass the smell test." But Currie bristled at questions about whether requiring MDE to fund Jumpstart allowed the company to sidestep the bid process.

"I would never promote something I didn't think was good," she said. "Come down and meet the algebra teacher and see what they're doing before you want to make it political or whatever you're trying to do."

Several companies told the Clarion Ledger that even without bidding, they're confident the state is getting the best deal.

Jeff Maddox is the CEO of Sight Savers America. Mississippi pays another Alabama-based vendor called Vision Research Corporation to provide eye screenings to every kindergartner. Sight Savers' follows up with families after exams, coordinating visits with a local optometrist.

Since 2016, the nonprofit has received $1.45 million from the state.

Maddox said he's willing to go through a competitive bidding, if that's how "Mississippi decides to do it." But he doubts another provider would be able to top what Sight Savers offers.

When the Clarion Ledger pointed out that the discretionary funding isn't subject to competition but rather the discretion of the Legislature, Maddox paused before responding:

"That's the reason for having a lobbyist."

___

Information from: The Clarion Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.comBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana lawmakers took another step Tuesday in efforts to chip away at abortion rights, nearing final passage of a bill that would ask voters to rewrite the state constitution to ensure it offers no protections for the procedure.

The constitutional change, which has been enacted in some other conservative states, is one of several anti-abortion measures proposed in Louisiana's legislative session, including a bill nearing final passage that could ban the procedure as early as six weeks of pregnancy.

The Senate voted 31-4 Tuesday for the proposal by Democratic Rep. Katrina Jackson, of Monroe, asking voters to add language into the state constitution declaring that it doesn't protect abortion rights. The House already has approved it, but must take another vote to send it to the fall ballot.

The legislation, backed by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and the majority-GOP Legislature, would come into play if the U.S. Supreme Court ever reverses the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

Abortion foes want to ensure that if states can determine the legality of the procedure, a federal court couldn't cite the Louisiana constitution as conferring rights that keep lawmakers from limitations or an outright ban. Legislators years ago passed a law prohibiting abortion in Louisiana if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

At a rally before Tuesday's vote, Jackson bristled at suggestions from abortion rights advocates that female lawmakers weren't protecting women in the state by supporting anti-abortion legislation.

Rep. Katrina Jackson, D-Monroe, talks to reporters about her bill asking voters to add language into the state constitution declaring that it doesn't protect abortion rights, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La. The bill is nearing final legislative passage. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)

"I'm here to say that I'm pro-woman, I'm pro-life because abortions hurt more women than anything else," Jackson said, surrounded by a half-dozen female lawmakers.

Abortion rights supporters object to the constitutional amendment. They say it would lay the groundwork for outlawing abortions entirely in Louisiana, which only has three abortion clinics and many laws restricting the procedure.

"Just because you think a woman should choose doesn't mean you don't cherish life. Just because you don't think the Legislature should tell a woman what to do with her body doesn't mean you don't cherish life," said Sen. Troy Carter, a New Orleans Democrat.

Jackson's bill is one of several anti-abortion measures proposed this session in Louisiana, including legislation nearing final passage that could ban the procedure when a fetal heartbeat is detected. While supporters of Jackson's legislation held a support rally, a dozen protesters stood on the other side of the state Capitol, shouting at intervals: "My body! My choice!"

Lawmakers in conservative states around the nation are striking at Roe V. Wade, pushing new abortion restrictions, hopeful a case will make its way to the high court and could be successful with two new conservative justices appointed by President Donald Trump.

Alabama passed a law banning nearly all abortions while governors in Georgia, Mississippi , Kentucky and Ohio have also signed bans on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected. None of the laws have yet taken effect. All are expected to be blocked while challenges work their way through courts.

The new language in Louisiana's constitution would read: "To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion." The constitutional change requires support from a majority of voters in the Oct. 12 election for adoption.

Efforts to delay the vote until the 2020 presidential ballot failed.

"I can't think of anything more important than this constitutional amendment," said Sen. Mike Walsworth, a West Monroe Republican.

Before it reaches the ballot, the measure must return to the House for lawmakers to consider a Senate change that added language declaring lawmakers reserve the right to regulate and pass laws about abortion. Senators included the language to ensure they can enact exceptions to abortion limits to protect the life of a pregnant woman or for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

Five states have adopted similar constitutional language, including Alabama and Arkansas, according to anti-abortion organization Louisiana Right to Life, which calls Jackson's proposal the "Love Life Constitutional Amendment."

Opponents vowed to try to defeat the amendment with voters.

"Constitutions are meant to protect rights, not deny them," Michelle Erenberg, executive director of women's rights organization Lift Louisiana, said in a statement that pledged to "fight for women's rights all the way to the ballot box."

___

House Bill 425: www.legis.la.gov

___

Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslattePHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Latest on the Democratic primary for Philadelphia mayor (all times local):

9:05 p.m.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is poised to keep his job after fending off two challengers in the city's Democratic primary.

Tuesday night's victory all but assures Kenney will stay on as Philadelphia's mayor.

The primary serves as the de facto mayoral election in a city where no Republican has been elected to the office since 1948.

Two longtime city political figures took Kenney on, attacking him over his signature achievement: a soda tax helping to provide free preschool classes.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney steps from the voting booth after casting his ballot in the the primary election in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Kenney won the Democratic primary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in his bid for re-election. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Former city Controller Alan Butkovitz and state Sen. Anthony Williams were both banking on voter discontent with the soda tax. They also argued Kenney hadn't done enough to combat crime.

Voters didn't share the outrage.

Kenney will face Billy Ciancaglini, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in November.

___

6 a.m.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is hoping to keep his job and his signature achievement, a soda tax that's helping to provide free preschool classes.

In Tuesday's mayoral primary, the Democrat is facing two longtime city political figures who've attacked him over the soda tax.

State Sen. Anthony Williams and former city controller Alan Butkovitz both want the tax repealed. They also argue Kenney hasn't done enough to combat crime and other problems plaguing the city, the nation's sixth largest.

Philadelphia is a heavily Democratic city, and the winner of the primary is all but assured of victory in November's general election.

Kenney doesn't seem concerned. During a radio interview, he referred to his challengers as "annoying gnats."

Billy Ciancaglini is running unopposed in the GOP primary.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney waits in line to cast his ballot in the primary election in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Kenney won the Democratic primary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in his bid for re-election. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney leaves after casting his ballot in the the primary election in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Kenney won the Democratic primary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in his bid for re-election. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

In this Jan. 17, 2019, file photo, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney speaks during a news conference at City Hall in Philadelphia. Kenney won the Democratic primary, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in his bid for re-election. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Coast Guard says a plane has crashed in Alaska's Prince William Sound.

Officials say all three people on board the Cessna A185F Skywagon were picked up Tuesday by good Samaritans following the crash.

Two of the people were being flown by helicopter to an Anchorage hospital. The other person was being transported by boat for treatment in the community of Whittier.

Officials say the extent of injuries was not immediately known.

The Coast Guard says Cordova police reported at 2 p.m. that the Cessna crashed into Cascade Bay.

The incident comes one day after a passenger and the pilot of a Beaver floatplane were killed when the aircraft crashed in Metlakatla Harbor on Monday afternoon.BOSTON (AP) - MGM Resorts International says it will no longer pursue buying Encore Boston Harbor from Wynn Resorts.

MGM said Tuesday that stakeholders have concerns. It owns a casino in Springfield and wouldn't have been allowed to operate two in Massachusetts.

Wynn Resorts says it agreed to end discussions and remains "committed to opening and operating Encore Boston Harbor as only Wynn Resorts is able to do."

The $2.6 billion casino is scheduled to open next month in Everett, Massachusetts.

State gambling regulators found Wynn executives failed to disclose allegations of sexual misconduct against company founder Steve Wynn, and levied a $35 million fine against Wynn Resorts last month while letting it keep its casino license.

The company said last month that it's focused on a successful launch of the casino now that the review is complete. Steve Wynn has denied the allegations.OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on a Mississippi police officer charged with killing a woman (all times local):

9:30 p.m.

A court document shows a north Mississippi police officer has been charged with murder in the death of a woman he was romantically involved with.

Lafayette Circuit Judge Andrew Howorth on Tuesday signed the order saying Oxford Police Officer Matthew Kinne (KIHN'-ee) has been charged with murder by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Kinne is accused of killing 32-year-old Dominque Clayton, who was found dead Sunday.

Howorth is setting a Wednesday hearing to consider whether a law requiring probable cause to arrest a police officer applies in Kinne's case. The extra step before an arrest is only required when police officers and certain other public employees are accused of crimes while on duty. Howorth's order says it is alleged that Kinne was not performing law enforcement duties when he's accused of killing Clayton.

Howoth says he'll also consider whether he should set bail for Kinne.

Kinne is jailed in neighboring Panola County. Howorth directed that Kinne be appointed a lawyer.

____

2:20 p.m.

A north Mississippi police officer has been arrested in connection with the killing of a woman, but officials aren't saying what they're charging him with.

Mississippi Bureau of Investigation spokesman Capt. Johnny Poulos says Oxford Police Officer Matt Kinne (KIHN'-ee) was arrested Monday night in the killing of 32-year-old Dominque Clayton.

Poulos made the announcement Tuesday flanked by interim Oxford Police Chief Matt McCutcheon.

Kinne is jailed in neighboring Panola County. It's unclear if he's been formally charged with anything, has seen a judge, has a lawyer or has been given bail. McCutcheon and Poulos aren't immediately responding to messages seeking comment.

McCutcheon says police learned shortly after Clayton was found dead Sunday she was "possibly involved" with Kinne, leading them to call state investigators.WASHINGTON (AP) - The street outside of NASA's headquarters has been renamed "Hidden Figures Way" to honor the African American women who served as "human computers" in the effort to send humans to the moon.

News outlets report dignitaries gathered Wednesday in Washington, D.C., to unveil the new street sign, including district officials, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and others.

"Hidden Figures" author Margot Lee Shetterly and the families of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson also attended. Shetterly's 2016 book details the women's struggles as they crunched numbers at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, in the pre-computer age. Johnson is now 100 years old and is the last of the three women still living.

Cruz sponsored the Hidden Figures Way Designation Act.ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A northern Virginia man whose deportation to Israel was reversed last week is home again.

Immigration attorney Patrick Taurel says Abdelhaleem Ashqar was home in Alexandria on Friday following his release from a detention center in Bowling Green, Virginia.

The 60-year-old recently served 11 years in prison for refusing to testify to a grand jury investigating the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Last week, a judge's order forced immigration authorities to return him from Israel before he got off the plane. Ashqar fears he would be tortured in Israel.

Taurel said he's trying to get government attorneys to allow Ashqar to relocate to a country where he feels safe.

In 2005, Ashqar ran to succeed Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian National Authority. He finished fourth out of seven.

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2004 file photo, Abdelhaleem Ashqar, left, with his wife Asma, right, meets reporters at the National Press Club in Washington, to announce his presidential candidacy for the Palestinian National Authority. Ashquar who says he fears torture at the hands of Israeli authorities, is back in the U.S. after a judge's order forced immigration authorities to reverse his deportation and bring him back from Israel before he ever got off the plane. According to court papers and interviews, U.S. authorities arrested and deported Ashqar Tuesday, June 4, 2019 after misleading him about his need to report to an immigration office to process paperwork. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)Jamie Oliver has said he is devastated after his restaurant chains collapsed into administration, making around 1,000 staff members redundant.

Administrators KPMG have closed 22 of the celebrity chefs 25 restaurants, after investment could not be secured to keep them trading.

The business, which includes Jamies Italian, Barbecoa and Fifteen, confirmed the closure of all its sites excluding its two Jamies Italian restaurants and Jamies Diner at Gatwick Airport.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Oliver took to Twitter to express his sadness, saying he was devastated and thanking those who put their hearts and souls into this business over the years.

In an official statement, the chef added: We launched Jamies Italian in 2008 with the intention of positively disrupting mid-market dining in the UK high street, with great value and much higher quality ingredients, best-in-class animal welfare standards and an amazing team who shared my passion for great food and service. And we did exactly that.

Im devastated that our much-loved UK restaurants have gone into administration. I am deeply saddened by this outcome and would like to thank all of the people who have put their hearts and souls into this business over the years. Jamie Oliver  Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) May 21, 2019

Mr Oliver offered 4 million to support a last-minute search for funds, but with no investment forthcoming and in light of difficult trading conditions, the firm appointed the administrators.

Around 1,300 people are estimated to work for the UK business in total.

Closure notices were displayed in the windows of branches across the country on Tuesday.

Will Wright, partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said: Unfortunately, with insufficient funds available to be able to trade the business in administration, all but the Gatwick airport restaurants have now closed.

Our priority in the coming hours and days is to work with those employees who have been made redundant, providing any support and assistance they need.

All restaurant salaries will be paid up to the date of the administrators appointment, KPMG added.

The process does not affect Mr Olivers other companies, which handle his media and licensing deals, while the international branch of Jamies Italian is also unaffected.

A sign in the window of a Jamies Italian in Victoria, central London (Zoe Linkson/PA)

Fifteen Cornwall, which operates under a franchise, is also not involved.

It follows a hunt for a new investor in the Jamies Italian brand, with a number of private equity firms touted as mulling bids for a stake in the business.

Mr Olivers restaurant empire has taken a few knocks over the past two years.

In 2018 Jamies Italian shuttered 12 of its 37 sites through a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

Today is a sad day for the restaurant industry, my thoughts go out to Jamie, his family and all the staff at his restaurants. GDx  Gino D'Acampo (@Ginofantastico) May 21, 2019

The TV personalitys steak house, Barbecoa, also went into a pre-pack administration, leading to the closure of its Piccadilly branch.

Overseas, five branches of the Australian arm of Jamies Italian was sold off last year, while another was put into administration.

Despite the troubles, which forced Mr Oliver to pump 13 million of his own money into his Italian chain, he told Press Association earlier this year that casual dining was primed for a comeback.You are here: Business

The Chinese economy stayed resilient in May as the leading growth engine of consumption picked up expansion pace.





May retail sales expanded 8.6 percent year on year, quickening from an increase of 7.2 percent registered in April, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday.





China saw its total retail sales up 8.1 percent year on year in the first five months of this year to reach 16.1332 trillion yuan (about 2.33 trillion U.S. dollars).





Online retail sales continued to post robust growth momentum by growing 17.8 percent during the Jan-May period, NBS data showed.





Consumption is now the biggest driver of the world's largest developing economy, which contributed to over 65 percent of GDP growth in the first quarter of this year.





Friday's data also showed steady employment, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate remaining flat at five percent in May.





Growth of industrial output, fixed asset investment and real estate investment dipped last month.





"It's normal to see monthly fluctuations of economic performance, while we have to adopt a more long-term perspective concerning economic growth," said NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui.





China's economy maintained stable growth in May, with improvements on some fronts, Fu said, citing robust services market growth and rising investment in high-tech sectors.





Fu pointed out that the commercialization of 5G technologies, a decision made last week, will help boost the upgrading of the country's manufacturing as well as service sectors.





The Chinese government has stepped up efforts in recent months to keep the economy operate within an appropriate range.





"We have seen early signs of counter-cyclical policy adjustments to soften the impact of external demand shocks and domestic deleveraging," a research note from investment banking firm CICC said, citing a recent example of allowing local government special bonds to be used as capital for qualified infrastructure investment projects.





Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday called for further boosting mass entrepreneurship and innovation to better stabilize employment, promote innovation and strengthen new growth impetus.





Calling mass entrepreneurship and innovation "important pillars" of China's economic resilience, Li said the country can withstand downward economic pressures and maintain long-term economic fundamentals by stimulating market players' vitality and social creativity.





China's 11,800-plus incubators had helped nurture about 620,000 startup enterprises and teams by the end of last year, creating 3.95 million jobs, said a report by Torch High Technology Industry Development Center.Nigel Farage has accused the Electoral Commission of being absolutely full of Remainers as the watchdog visited the Brexit Partys headquarters amid a review into its donations system.

Mr Farage claimed the regulator was staffed by establishment figures and was not a neutral organisation  and said he believed his party was more compliant than any others standing in the European elections.

The Brexit Party leader, in an interview with the Press Association, also labelled Channel 4 News as political activists, after it reported that insurance tycoon Arron Banks had spent approximately 450,000 on Mr Farage in the year following the EU referendum in 2016.

It came as a European Parliament committee announced it would investigate a complaint about Mr Farage for allegedly failing to declare payments made to him by Mr Banks.

The complaint was submitted to European Parliament president Antonio Tajani by British Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder, a parliament source confirmed.

Under European parliament rules, MEPs must declare payments made to them, or other support given by third parties. On Tuesday, Mr Tajani referred the issue to an advisory committee of five MEPs that investigates the conduct of members.

Discussing his partys donation system ahead of the committees announcement, he said: Ive got a team of four qualified accountants looking after our money, our income. I bet were more compliant than any of the other parties in this election.

Ive crossed with the Electoral Commission before  they are not a neutral organisation, absolutely full of Remainers, full of establishment figures.

We are about not just leaving the European Union, the Brexit Party is about changing politics for good  getting SW1 and Westminster to reflect the country more broadly and the Electoral Commission are part of that huge reform that is needed.

Mr Farage said his party was looking for repeat donations, and had sent money back if it was unsure where it had come from.

Im not stupid. Ive set this up to take on the Labour and Conservative parties who, I think, have betrayed the biggest democratic vote in our nations history. I know that when you do that the establishment will not come out with a tray of gin and tonics and say well done.

I understand how it works. As I say, Im not stupid, Ive set this up properly, Im entirely confident that we are more compliant than any of the other parties right now.

Mr Farage confirmed he was not talking to Channel 4 News following their reports, saying: Im not speaking to them now, they are political activists. They are supposed to be a public service broadcaster, theyre not behaving in that way.

Weve no interest in talking to them whatsoever.

Nigel Farage on the campaign trail in Exeter (Ben Birchall/PA)

Asked if he was blocking their questions, he said: If you think Im funded by Russia, just watch Channel 4 News, because thats the kind of tosh they come out with regularly, and Ive just had enough of a series of accusations, in many cases based on nothing.

This is a two way street  the relationship between people in politics and the media is always going to be a slightly tense one, obviously, but it only works if everybody ultimately has a bit of respect for each other.

And we as an organisation have at the moment lost respect for Channel 4 News.

He said Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice had asked to sit down with the broadcaster to talk about the issue.

Were not being silly about this, were just saying lets try and get this relationship on an even keel.

The editor of Channel 4 News, Ben de Pear, said on Twitter: We hope to resolve our access ban from Brexit Party events ASAP.

We hope to resolve our access ban from Brexit Party events ASAP. We were unaware of the 6-week ban until last Thursday when we broadcast this Nigel Farage investigation, revealing he had been bankrolled by 450k from Arron Banks. Until then we had full access, including to Farage https://t.co/giVSm2CIxg  Ben de Pear (@bendepear) May 21, 2019

We were unaware of the 6-week ban until last Thursday when we broadcast this Nigel Farage investigation, revealing he had been bankrolled by 450k from Arron Banks. Until then we had full access, including to Farage.

An Electoral Commission spokesman said: Last weeks meeting with the Brexit Party was an opportunity to meet with representatives of this newly formed party. Todays visit is about taking a closer look at the systems the party has in place to receive funds.

It gives us active oversight of the rules and this includes helping those regulated to understand them and to ensure there are systems in place to comply with them.

As a newly registered party running a national election campaign who have put information into the public domain about the level of their fundraising, it is right and proper for the regulator to be in regular contact with the Brexit Party.

We have been talking to the Party since it registered, discussing the rules and the partys systems. But recently we have seen significant public concern about the way the party raises funds.

We have not seen evidence of electoral offences, but the law in this area is complex and we want to satisfy ourselves that the partys systems are robust.

Our regulatory work during this campaign  for the European Parliamentary elections  has not deviated from our usual approach. We are an independent and impartial organisation which is accountable to Parliament.

We regulate as is proportionate to the issue, regardless of a partys politics. Our decision to visit is not related to comments made by the former prime minister.Tottenham have handed indefinite bans to three supporters who tried to sell their Champions League final tickets on a secondary ticketing platform.

Spurs have been allocated 16,613 tickets for the June 1 showpiece against Liverpool at Atletico Madrids 64,000-seater Wanda Metropolitano stadium, meaning many fans will miss out.

Three season-ticket holders who were successful listed them on a resale site but have been caught out, with Spurs urging other fans not to ruin one of the biggest occasions in the clubs history.

A statement from Spurs read: The club has this week issued indefinite bans to three season-ticket holders who have listed their UEFA Champions League final tickets for sale on a secondary ticketing platform.

Once again, we wish to remind all our supporters that any ticket purchased is for the sole use of the individual that purchases it from the club.

Transferring or selling tickets on unofficially breaches our terms and conditions and is against the law.

Tottenham booked their place in the Champions League final with a 3-2 win in Ajax (Adam Davy/PA)

We shall look to take the strongest possible action against anyone found to be engaging in such activity  including indefinite season-ticket bans.

Additionally, if we are made aware of tickets being sold on by supporters after collection we will cancel the original match tickets with UEFA and the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, meaning these tickets will no longer be valid for entry to the stadium.

Please do not ruin one of the biggest occasions in the clubs history by selling on your ticket and profiteering from fellow Spurs fans.

As always, we also strongly advise fans against purchasing tickets from unofficial sources. These tickets could be invalid or counterfeit.

Liverpool have also pledged to fully investigate after identifying five supporters who have listed their final tickets for sale on secondary ticketing platforms.

The club warned last week, when one re-sale site was listing tickets ranging from 2,800 to 35,000, supporters could be indefinitely banned from Anfield if found guilty of such an offence.

For those of you that have asked, as per our advisory of 19th May, we have, and will continue to, investigate all tickets that are being offered for sale on the secondary market, chief executive Peter Moore wrote on Twitter.

With so many fans of each club set to miss out, Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust last week issued a joint statement with Liverpool fan group Spirit of Shankly imploring sponsors of the competition to give up tickets.

It read: We ask Nissan, PlayStation, Gazprom, PepsiCo, Banco Santander, Mastercard, Heineken and Expedia Group to help redress the balance in the current unfair allocation that sees fans of the competing clubs receive less than 25 per cent of the available tickets.

As major sponsors of the UEFA Champions League, we know these companies appreciate the passion and dedication of the fans who follow their teams and make every game such a spectacle.

But many of those fans who have followed their team and contributed to the competition throughout this season will miss out on the biggest game of all. As will thousands more loyal supporters.The family of a man who has been missing for a month are appealing for help to find him after he was last seen being forced into a car in east London.

Aron Kato, 28, from Newham, east London, was seen being pushed into a BMW in Ley Street, Ilford, shortly after 4.30am on April 18.

The Metropolitan Police have released CCTV footage of the father-of-one being chased and pushed to the ground by an unidentified man.

His family pleaded with anyone with information to come forward.

Mr Katos twin sister Sharon said: The way they dragged him and they took him, no human being should do something like that.

He had been out socialising with friends and drinking alcohol, and appeared vulnerable on CCTV footage from the night he disappeared, she said.

Ms Kato went on: We feel lost. You know you want something so bad but you cant find it. You dream about it, wanting it, but you just dont know where it is.

All the family, our life has been put on pause. Every Sunday as a family we get together, but even now when we get together its like one head is missing.

He was taken in the car, we know where he was taken from, but we dont know where he is. We dont know what theyre doing to him, we dont know if hes eating, drinking.

He is very, very loved. We love him so much and we just want him home. We just want him to come to his family, we need him. Were just lost.

Aron Kato (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Mr Kato, who has a three-month-old son with his partner Chanel Naidoo, has not made contact with his friends or family since he was last seen.

Appealing for help to find him, Ms Naidoo said Mr Katos family were praying for his safe return and would never give up on him.

Anyone that knows Aron knows that he is the most bubbly, happy, genuine family man who would do anything to help anyone and he would always go out of his way to make sure we were all looked after, she said.

He would never let anyone down and was always there for all of us and we will never let him down.

Scotland Yard said officers were very concerned for Mr Katos welfare, with the search to find him being led by detectives from the Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command.

The case is being treated as a missing person investigation.

Police issue footage of man who has been missing for a month https://t.co/nI2SYbmL3y pic.twitter.com/h8ZutuemF7  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 21, 2019

Seven men, aged 25 to 39, who were arrested on suspicion of kidnap have been released under investigation, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Norman said: Aron had recently become a father and his disappearance is very much out of character.

There has been no sighting of Aron for a month and, as you can imagine, his family are becoming increasingly concerned for his safety.

Mr Norman said Mr Kato was last seen being forced into an as yet unrecovered dark-coloured BMW hatchback with the number plate RF12 0ZA, and appealed for anyone with information about the cars whereabouts or its occupants to contact police immediately.

Ms Naidoo said that before his disappearance Mr Kato had gone out with his son and niece to go bowling and visit a park as he loved taking the kids out.

She added: That evening he left us to go out with his friends, he called me at midnight and told me he loved us and he was going home.

But the next morning I knew something was wrong when his phone was going to voicemail and he never came home and his family hadnt seen him either.

We are all so worried and we just want him home.

We miss and love him so much, Aron is the kindest and most caring person and he is the best partner, father, son, brother and uncle and we need him home back with us where he should be.

Ms Naidoo said Mr Kato would spend every day with his 15-week-old son and was the proudest father.

She added: For us to find ourselves in this situation we cant even describe what we are going through as a family right now.

No-one deserves this and Aron needs to be found. Its been too long without him.

Ms Naidoo said Mr Katos family would always be here for him especially when he needs us the most at a time like this.

We will never give up on him, she added. We just need him home and we pray that he is safe and returns back to us.

We love him so much. Please help us to find Aron. We all need our Aron back.A review of mental health provision at a young offenders institution where two people took their own lives has found the risks and vulnerabilities of some inmates are not given enough attention.

The report on HMP YOI Polmont also found systemic inter-agency shortcomings of communication and information exchange across justice inhibit the management and care of young people entering and leaving the institution.

A review of mental health services for young people in custody was ordered by the Scottish Government following the death of Katie Allan, 21, and 16-year-old William Lindsay, who took his own life at Polmont 48 hours after being sent there on remand.

Katie Allan died at Polmont in June last year (Family handout/PA)

The report found being traumatised, being young, being held on remand and being in the first three months of custody increases the risk of suicide.

It found there is a lack of proactive attention to the needs, risks and vulnerabilities of those on remand and in the early days of custody, and highlights the powerfully negative effect of social isolation.

The HM Chief Inspector of Prisons report makes more than 80 recommendations, including that social isolation, a key trigger for self-harm and suicide, should be minimised, with a particular focus on those held on remand and during the early weeks in custody.

It also said a bespoke suicide and self-harm strategy should be developed by the Scottish Prison Service and NHS Forth Valley for young people that builds on the strengths of the existing framework.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: We take the mental well-being of people in prison very seriously and while the numbers of suicides by young people in custody are small, no death should be regarded as inevitable.

Any suicide in custody is a tragedy that has a profound effect on family and friends, as well as prison staff, and my thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones to suicide.

Both the mental health review and routine inspection report highlight the hard work, compassion and dedication of frontline prison and healthcare staff who provide opportunities and support to young people in custody every single day.

That dedication is clearly evidenced in the Chief Inspectors finding that Polmont is a leading edge prison where there are respectful relationships between staff and the people in its care and an impressive range of support offered to young people.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf will consider the reports 80 recommendations (Jane Barlow/PA)

He added: The report contains 80 recommendations and we are clear that improvements can and should be made.

We will give the report and recommendations full and detailed consideration.

Katies parents Stuart and Linda Allan, together with lawyer Aamer Anwar, met the Justice Secretary last year to discuss the issue.

Mr Yousaf said the Scottish Government would work with the Scottish Prison Service, NHS and other partners to consider further action in light of the review.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said the safety and well-being of everyone in its care continues to be a priority and work is already under way to strengthen the support available.

A spokesman said: The Scottish Prison Service takes all instances of self-harm and threats to self-harm very seriously and we constantly review our processes to ensure those at risk are identified and supported effectively.

It said the report also recognises the hard-working and compassionate staff who work with and care for the young people in our care.

NHS Forth Valley said action has already been taken on many of the recommendations in the review and work is under way to address the others.

A health board spokeswoman said: While the report outlines a number of challenges, many of which are national issues affecting prisons across Scotland, it also highlights several areas of good practice.

These include the initial consultation carried out by nursing staff on admission, short waiting times and the ability to rapidly refer young people to psychiatry services, if required.

Solicitor Aamer Anwar, representing the families of Katie Allan and William Lindsay, said of the mental health review: It is a substantial report which will take time to consider.

However, on first reading it paints a picture of widespread failures at all levels of the SPS and NHS.

They regard the review as a damning indictment of Polmont for what it says but they raise concerns on what has been missed out.

He added: How can Polmont be described by HMIPS as a leading edge prison, when it is a system in deep crisis, lacking the resources, morale and trained staff which could save lives?Protesters demonstrating against the teaching of LGBT equality at a primary school have vowed to continue action despite calls for a halt from a chief constable.

Calling for dialogue, Dave Thompson of West Midlands Police said he had watched with increasing concern as a group of protesting parents have gathered outside the gates of Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham.

He added: Frankly, a primary school is no place for the continuance of a large scale protest, however lawful.

Despite the comments, the main organiser of the protests has said demonstrations will go ahead this week unless the approach to relationship education is halted for further talks with the school.

Mr Thompson added that on Sunday night there had been a number of criminal offences which had taken place near the school in Dennis Road, Moseley.

The force received reports of assaults and criminal damage at about 9.30pm on Sunday.

It came after counter-demonstrators were reportedly egged, after hanging up signs and placards on the schools gate, some of which read love is the answer.

The force is also investigating malicious communications after headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson alleged she had been sent threatening messages, as seven weeks of protests have dragged on.

Police presence as parents, children and protesters demonstrate against LGBT equality lessons outside the school (Aaron Chown/PA)

The city council has also said it is looking into whether it can use a public space protection order to move demonstrations away from the school.

Councillor Ian Ward, the leader of the local authority, said: Its one thing for parents to ask questions about elements of a school curriculum.

Its quite another for others to pounce on the situation as an excuse to peddle hatred and misinformation.

On Monday, the protesters claimed 600 pupils were withdrawn from lessons by the parents, after counting the numbers of students going onto the premises.

The main organiser of the protests is Shakeel Afsar.

His children do not attend the school, but his niece and nephew do.

Shakeel Afsar (Aaron Chown/PA)

He has said that without further mediation between parents, the school and the council, the latest pre-planned rally would be going ahead on Friday, despite the chief constables comments.

Mr Afsar has claimed demonstrations have continued because the school is using children as pawns by teaching LGBT equality which are over-emphasising a gay ethos.

He added: The parents in school feel, first and foremost, the children are too young, and second that it is counter to their moral and ethical values.

He has rejected allegations the protests are homophobic, claiming the school should respect the protesters moral beliefs.

In an exchange outside the school on Monday, Labour MP Jess Phillips told Mr Afsar demonstrators could not pick and choose which equality they apply.

Jess Phillips MP had been at the school for a meeting with headteacher, Miss Hewitt-Clarkson (Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

The city council sent a community protection warning to Mr Afsar on May 2, directing him not to interfere or attempt to interfere with the schools operation.

Mr Afsar has questioned the warnings legal basis, and, in any case, added he would would breach the terms of such a warning.

He said: I am ready to go Magistrates Court. Im ready with with my lawyers, because I am in this for the long haul.

Mr Afsar condemned any threats made against headteacher or staff, and said: I would never support any threats against any person.

Its not how we run a democratic society.

Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Dave Thompson (Richard Vernalls/PA Wire)

Mr Thompson said: As a citizen of this city, I have observed these protests and the rhetoric around them with increasing concern.

West Midlands Police values and celebrates the diversity of this area.

We believe the strength of this city is in tolerant and diverse communities.

Sadly, this is not the image of Birmingham that these events are projecting around the country and the world.

In a comment directed to all those involved in the dispute, he added: Views are entrenching with a determination to win this argument.

This is creating an environment where those who seek division will have cause to celebrate and to exploit.

Frankly, a primary school is no place for the continuance of a large scale protest, however lawful.

He added: In this holy period of Ramadan, and as we celebrate Birmingham Pride in our city, I urge those involved and those who can influence these events to think again and consider how they can come together to discuss these strongly held views and bring this protest to an end.

West Midlands Police cannot solve this problem but we will support all involved in seeking a dialogue and a solution.

Equally, we will act where people see to exploit these matters and break the law.The Scottish Government needs to invest considerably more on tackling child poverty if it is to meet legally binding targets it has set, according to its own advisers.

The Poverty and Inequality Commission said it was impossible to calculate how much cash from the latest Scottish budget will be spent combating poverty and inequality.

It highlighted the need for more funding directly targeted at tackling poverty and inequality, with the commission calling on ministers to consider if raising taxes could be one source of cash.

New report highlights "massive gap" between Scotlands ambition & investment on child poverty, say campaigners responding today to the Poverty and Inequality Commissions formal response to the Scottish Budget. Read CPAG in Scotland's press release https://t.co/ACK0Kkvovx  CPAG Scotland (@CPAGScotland) May 21, 2019

It said the Scottish Governments planned income supplement for poorer families should be brought in sooner than the scheduled date of 2022.

The commission said it strongly feels that many families need additional money in their pockets now.

It told ministers: The Scottish Government urgently needs to consider how they can progress this quicker or, if this is not feasible, what interim measures could help.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gives a speech setting out the SNPs plans to reduce child poverty at Forestbank Community Centre in Livingston while on the General Election campaign trail in 2015 (Andew Milligan/PA)

The commission, which was set up by the Scottish Government, said if tackling poverty is a priority of the Government then this needs to be matched in the spending plans.

It said: If the Scottish Government is to have any chance of tackling poverty effectively and meeting its statutory targets on child poverty, it will need to take sustained action and invest considerably more than current levels.

Future levels of funding must meet the scale of the challenge.

Today we publish our response to the Scottish budget 2019-20. Need more funding directly targeted at poverty & inequality and need to measure the impact of this spend. https://t.co/TOIW3Kz4U1  Poverty & Inequality Commission (@povinequalscot) May 21, 2019

The commission made the comments in its report on the Governments 2019-20 budget  which was passed with support from the Scottish Greens.

Holyrood previously passed legislation that sets out to cut relative child poverty to less than 10% by 2030-31, while reducing absolute child poverty to below 5%.

Figures showed almost a quarter (23%) of children were living in relative poverty in 2016-17  with this forecast to increase to 27% by 2023-24.

Using welfare payments to meet the child poverty targets would cost the Government 2.6 billion a year, previous research by think-tank IPPR Scotland has calculated.

But the commission said of the 42.5 billion allocated in the current budget only around 172 million  0.4% of the funds  was directly targeted at low-income households.

A further 1.9 billion is not directly targeted but likely to help efforts to tackle poverty to some extent, it added.

The report said: These are rough calculations. Nevertheless, it does appear that the current level of spending directed at tackling poverty is falling well short of what is needed.

While the commission accepted the Government has difficult decisions to make around funding priorities it said it should consider the opportunities it has to raise revenue through taxes.

Campaigners welcomed the call for a low-income supplement to be introduced more quickly.

Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland said: While welcome progress is being made to put dignity at the heart of Scotlands new social security system, it is clear that plans for a new income supplement in 2022 is simply too far away for families who need cash in their pockets today.

Warm words will not make a difference to people who cannot put food on the table.

John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said the new payment could be a potential game-changer for struggling families.

But he added: It needs to be backed by a level of investment that provides meaningful support to families and a substantive impact on overall child poverty numbers.

The current 2022 timetable for the supplement lacks urgency.

Families locked in poverty now cant wait until 2022 for Holyrood ministers to back their commitments with the investment needed to free children from the damage that poverty wreaks.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: The 2019-20 Scottish Budget continues our strong investment in building a fairer and more prosperous Scotland, despite our resource budget being reduced by almost 2 billion in real terms since 2010-11 due to UK Government cuts.

We are investing in truly transformational policies such as our commitment to deliver 50,000 affordable homes in this parliamentary term, backed by record investment of 825 million; an extra 210 million of resource and 175 million of capital to support our expansion of funded early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours by August 2020; and 435 in direct assistance through social security measures  all measures to help support those on low incomes and put money directly in the pockets of families in need.

We are clear that in order to reach our ambitious child poverty targets we will require to make substantial new investment, and we have committed to introducing a new Income Supplement which will put money directly in the pockets of families in need.The mother of murdered Billyjoe Bates has made a public appeal for any information about his killer, six months on from his death in Glasgow.

Emergency services were called to Ashfield Street at its junction with Kippen Street at around 2.30pm on Sunday November 18 after the 28-year-old was found seriously injured.

He was taken to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, where he died in the early hours of Thursday November 22.

Police believe someone in the Milton community where he was murdered knows who the killer is.

His mother Jackie Wilson said: I am appealing for anyone who has any information about the murder of my son Billyjoe or for the person responsible to look to their conscience and come forward.

It has been six months now and I still cant face the fact that he will never walk back through the door.

Billyjoe Bates was attacked in Milton, Glasgow (Police Scotland)

Billyjoe was my absolute world. Every day without him is mental torture.

He did not deserve to die the way he did. Myself and my family are heartbroken and deserve answers to why this has happened.

If you have any information please contact the police or Crimestoppers.

A dedicated team of specialist officers has been working on the case and is trying to find a potential witness who was seen around the time of the attack in the nearby Londis store and then walking along Kippen Street.

The man is described as between 25 to 45 years of age, of medium build, approximately 5ft 9in to 5ft 11in and had dark facial hair with a neatly trimmed beard, moustache and sideburns.

He was wearing a grey beanie hat, a black jacket, black jogging bottoms and white trainers.

The man bought milk and American Cream Soda at the Londis.

Detective Inspector Scott McCallum said: There is no doubt in my mind that people in the local community of Milton know who is responsible for the murder of Billyjoe Bates.

It is vital that we are able to arrest the individual responsible and provide some sort of closure to Billyjoes family, who have been left completely devastated by his loss.

I would urge anyone who has information, and is yet to speak to the police, to please do the right thing and get in touch.

A 10,000 Crimestoppers reward is being offered for any information that could lead to the arrest of the person responsible for Mr Bates death.The Prime Minister has outlined her latest plan to push her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament, warning that if MPs vote against the second reading of the Bill they are voting to stop Brexit.

Theresa May said her Withdrawal Agreement Bill will include a vote by MPs on whether to hold a second referendum.

She added that if her deal was rejected again: If they do so the consequences could hardly be greater  reject this deal and leaving the EU with a negotiated deal any time soon will be dead in the water and what would we do then? If not no-deal then it would have to be a general election or a second referendum that could lead to revocation and no Brexit at all.

The Withdrawal Agreement Bill will go to the Commons in early June, with defeat likely to hasten Mrs Mays departure from Number 10.

WATCH LIVE: PM @Theresa_May gives a speech on the new Brexit deal https://t.co/OJ2R78BPeJ  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 21, 2019

4.55pm

Conservative MP Owen Paterson, a prominent Eurosceptic, tweeted: I said 2 weeks ago The only promise the PM has still to break is her opposition to a 2nd referendum. Given her record, who would now bet against another pivot in that direction?

Prime Minister Theresa May making her speech on Brexit plans (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

I will definitely not be supporting WAB, a direct insult to 17.4m people, he added.

Reaction to this speech has been extremely adverse so far among MPs and campaigners.



Of course, I will vote against this muddled implementation of a failed deal which only adds yet more uncertainty.



A truly awful situation. https://t.co/Vlqh4AR3CC  Steve Baker MP FRSA (@SteveBakerHW) May 21, 2019

Mr Patersons fellow European Research Group member Steve Baker echoed his sentiments, tweeting: Reaction to this speech has been extremely adverse so far among MPs and campaigners.

4.50pm

There has been a mixed reaction from Mrs Mays party, with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith saying there was nothing new in the latest deal: I cant see that weve taken back control over anything.

The backstop is still there, its a customs union in all but name and it puts Brussels firmly in control of our destiny.

Theres nothing new or bold about this bad buffet of non-Brexit options.

At a time when people are deserting the main parties this is the PMs response, to do all she can to defy the result of the referendum. Today the Government has moved from take back control to give back control.

Conservative MP and Brexiteer Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP said she was very unlikely to vote for the deal, adding: It still contains the dreaded backstop, endangering our Union and selling out the people of Northern Ireland.

But International Development Secretary Rory Stewart tweeted that his leader was right: We need to get Brexit done.

Then - when we have got it over the line - we can move on and talk about the wider issues that really matter to people, while crafting the future of British foreign policy.  Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) May 21, 2019

And Education minister Chris Skidmore said it was the last chance for compromise.

We have gone through every possibility, every vote in the Commons. Now the PM has come forward with a New Deal- the last chance for compromise in the national interest. People are fed up with uncertainty and delay- lets get Brexit done by 31 July by voting for the bill in June  Chris Skidmore (@CSkidmoreUK) May 21, 2019

4.45pm

During the Q&A after her speech, Mrs May was asked if she would resign if the Withdrawal Agreement Bill was defeated and replied: That was last weeks news.

And I set out with the chairman of the 22 (1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers) what would be happening.

4.39pm

Responding, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said her party would be voting against the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to ensure Brexit was stopped:

2/ in PMs own words, if MPs vote against the Bill, they will be voting to stop Brexit. That is what @theSNP will do because Scotland did not vote for Brexit. #StopBrexit  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 21, 2019

4.38pm

As she ended the speech, the PM said: What matters now is honouring the result of the referendum and seizing the opportunity that is right before us.

So we are making a new offer to find common ground in Parliament. That is now the only way to deliver Brexit.

Over the next two weeks the Government will be making the case for this deal in Parliament, in the media and in the country.

Tomorrow I will make a statement to the House of Commons. And there will opportunities throughout the Bill for MPs on all sides to have their say.

But I say with conviction to every MP of every party  I have compromised. Now I ask you to compromise too. 

4.36pm

Mrs May added: This is a huge opportunity for the United Kingdom.

Out of the EU. Out of ever-closer union. Free to do things differently. And doing so in a way that protects jobs, protects our security, maintains a close relationship with our friends and works for the whole United Kingdom.

It is practical. It is responsible. It is deliverable. And right now, it is slipping away from us. We risk losing a great opportunity.

She then took questions from reporters in the audience.

4.32pm

As Mrs May warned this was the last chance to avoid a nightmare future of permanently polarised politics, she said her deal would be guaranteed to last for at least this Parliament.

She added: If MPs vote against the second reading of this Bill they are voting to stop Brexit.

If they do so the consequences could hardly be greater  reject this deal and leaving the EU with a negotiated deal any time soon will be dead in the water and what would we do then?

 If not no-deal then it would have to be a general election or a second referendum that could lead to revocation and no Brexit at all.

The SNP again raised that the PM had not made the speech direct to the Commons.

Seeking common ground in Parliament Theresa May says in a speech that is not in parliament. pic.twitter.com/OIbjvH6QuO  Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) May 21, 2019

Second referendum

On the prospect of a second referendum, Mrs May said: I recognise the genuine and sincere strength of feeling across the House on this important issue.

The Government will therefore include in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill at introduction a requirement to vote on whether to hold a second referendum and this must take place before the Withdrawal Agreement can be ratified.

4.29pm

Mrs May said a failure to reach agreement on Brexit would lead to a nightmare future of permanently polarised politics.

She also spoke about workers rights  one of the issues discussed with Labour during the cross-party talks  saying: We will introduce a new Workers Rights Bill to ensure UK workers enjoy rights that are every bit as good as, or better than, those provided for by EU rules.

And we will discuss further amendments with trade unions and businesses.

4.27pm

The Prime Minister said her Withdrawal Agreement Bill will include a vote on whether to hold a second referendum.

There was immediate reaction from MPs, with Conserative Simon Clarke tweeting that it was outrageous:

So if we pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill at 2nd reading, we allow a Remain Parliament to insist upon a 2nd referendum and a Customs Union? This is *outrageous*.  Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) May 21, 2019

Mrs May also said the Government will commit in law to let Parliament decide on the customs issue.

4.25pm

Mrs May said her new Brexit deal had listened to Unionist concerns about the Irish backstop.

So the new Brexit deal goes further, she said. It will commit that should the backstop come into force the Government will commit to ensure that Great Britain will stay aligned with Northern Ireland.

We will prohibit the proposal that a future government could split Northern Ireland off from the UKs customs territory.

4.23pm

Mrs May said: The new Brexit deal will set out in law that the House of Commons would approve the UKs objectives for the negotiations on our future relations with the EU.

And they will approve the treaties governing that relationship before the Government signs them.

PM Theresa May says her plan is one last chance to get a Brexit deal through Parliament. pic.twitter.com/IJbB1BDemU  David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) May 21, 2019

4.20pm

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford also said the speech should have been made directly to the House of Commons, tweeting: Why is the Prime Minister making a speech about a so called new Brexit deal away from Parliament. This is a breech of responsibility.

Any such statement should be made in Parliament, quite simply this is treating Parliament with contempt. This is not good enough.

The Prime Minister talks about a new Brexit deal. The one we want is to stay in the EU.That is the best deal. Scotland will not be dragged out of the EU against our will. Vote SNP on Thursday to send @theresa_may a clear message.  Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) May 21, 2019

4.18pm

The Prime Minister said there is one last chance to help MPs deliver the result of the 2016 referendum, as she offered her new Brexit deal.

She confirmed her latest Brexit deal will seek to conclude alternative arrangements for the Irish backstop by December 2020.

At a speech in Westminster, she said: Although its not possible for (alternative arrangements) to replace the backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement, we can start the work now to ensure they are a viable alternative.

So as part of the new Brexit deal we will place the Government under a legal obligation to seek to conclude alternative arrangements by December 2020 so that we can avoid any need for the backstop coming into force.

4.15pm

Mrs May began her speech just after 4pm, recounting her efforts over the past two years to achieve Brexit.

As she began, the Labours whips office tweeted that it was a shame she had not made it in Parliament, adding: presumably because she knows her warring Cabinet & party would clearly give away that they dont support her.The Royal Navys aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has set sail after undergoing routine maintenance.

The 65,000-tonne warship has spent the last six weeks in dry dock at Rosyth, Scotland, where it was originally built, to undergo a hull inspection and routine maintenance.

The completion of the check-up comes as it was revealed the ships commanding officer, Commodore Nick Cooke-Priest, was being reassigned after he had used a Royal Naval car for personal journeys.

We are afloat again!



Our dry docking period has been successfully completed on time, and we will shortly return to Sea for training in preparation for #WESTLANT19  pic.twitter.com/xFVO9DZlar  HMS Queen Elizabeth  (@HMSQNLZ) May 21, 2019

A navy spokesman said: The 65,000-tonne future fleet flagship has spent the last six weeks back in the cavernous dock in Rosyth where she was first pieced together as engineers inspected her hull and conducted routine maintenance.

During her time out of the water, 284 hull valves were changed, both rudder blades were removed and cleaned, her sea inlet pipes were inspected, all sacrificial anodes were replaced, and a renewed coat of anti-foul paint was applied to the ships bottom.

The huge port and starboard anchors and cables were also laid out along the length of dock to allow them to be inspected.

HMS Queen Elizabeth (Steve Parsons/PA)

The docking period was a mandatory requirement and its successful completion means HMS Queen Elizabeth should not need to dock down again for another six years.

Commander Mark Hamilton, head of marine engineering onboard, said: Its the first time that such a short docking period has taken place with a Royal Navy ship of this size.

Its real testament to the great working relationship forged between the MoD and industry to make this such a success.

Well now carry the concept forwards to future docking periods, as well as to those of our sister ship HMS Prince of Wales.

After sailing into the Firth of Forth, the carrier will conduct a period sea trials and training before a planned deployment to the east coast of the United States later in the year.Police are hunting a man after a mosque in Moray was sprayed with offensive graffiti in what has been described as a racist attack.

The incident happened at around 11pm on Monday at Elgin Mosque and included a swastika being painted on to the building.

Officers launched a search of the area and are now trying to trace a man who was seen there at the time.

Detective Inspector Martin MacDougall said: Crimes of this nature are completely unacceptable.

There is absolutely no place for it in our communities and a number of inquiries are ongoing to establish who is responsible.

We are in contact with the mosque and patrols will be increased in the area while our investigation continues.

Police launched a search of the area after the incident (David Cheskin/PA)

He added: I appeal to anyone with information about this incident to contact police as soon as possible, particularly anyone who was in the area last night and saw any suspicious activity or people.

The man being sought is described as white, aged between 30 and 40, around 5ft 10in, of a slim build and with short brown hair.

He was wearing blue jeans and potentially a dark hooded top.

Local MSP Richard Lochead said: I was disgusted and saddened to hear of the vandalism at Elgin Mosque last night just around the corner from my own office.

This is an abhorrent attack on our local Muslim community in this the month of Ramadan and it is more important than ever that we all stand together and speak out against such senseless and racist vandalism.

 I hope the mosque can take comfort from the fact that the community is rallying round and uniting in condemnation of this mindless act with people volunteering to clean up the graffiti.

Councillors from the area also voiced their support for the Muslim community and disgust at the vandalism.

Moray Council convener Shona Morrison said: Moray is a diverse community with people from many walks of life, different countries, different interests and different religions.

This type of criminal behaviour must not be allowed to take away from the strong community bonds that bring us all together.Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region will further open itself up and intensify international exchanges and cooperation, chairman of the regional government Qizhala said Friday.





While delivering a keynote speech at the 2019 Forum on the Development of Tibet, Qizhala said the region will pursue international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and actively engage itself in the building of the Himalayan economic cooperation belt and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor.





A set of measures will be adopted by the region to promote international cooperation.





According to Qizhala, Tibet will work to better align its development with that of its neighbors, improve the economic and trade coordination mechanism between itself and South Asian countries and explore to build a multilateral cooperation mechanism for jointly building the Belt and Road.





Qizhala also vowed to improve infrastructure connectivity, saying that Tibet will actively promote the building of the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.





At the same time, Tibet will further improve its ports and clearance efficiency in order to facilitate economic and trade cooperation with South Asian countries.





It will also expand market access for foreign investment and support foreign investment to set up payment institutions in Tibet.





Additionally, Qizhala said Tibet will deepen international cultural and people-to-people exchanges and intensify international cooperation in terms of science, education, culture and health.





The region is also willing to share its experience with its neighbors in terms of environmental protection and natural disasters prevention.





Statistics show that Tibet saw its total import and export volume reach 4.8 billion yuan (about 693 million U.S. dollars) in 2018. Enterprises in the region invested a total of 280 million U.S. dollars in Belt and Road countries.





This year, Tibet celebrates the 60th anniversary of democratic reform that abolished serfdom.





Qizhala said during the past 60 years, "the poor and backward old Tibet was transformed into a new Tibet featuring economic and cultural prosperity, all-round social progress, a good ecological environment and happiness of the people."





The 2019 Forum on the Development of Tibet opened Friday in Lhasa. The one-day forum, hosted by the State Council Information Office and the people's government of Tibet Autonomous Region, gathers nearly 160 scholars and officials from 37 countries and regions.A group of environmental activists has been ejected from BPs annual meeting in Aberdeen.

Protesters said six campaigners set off loud personal security alarms within the room, disrupting the yearly gathering of shareholders.

Some activists, from Climate Action Scotland and Extinction Rebellion Scotland, also tried to glue themselves to the floor of the citys conference centre, it was claimed.

Extinction Rebellion Scotland said the campaigners were removed from the protest by security staff and they went on to join other demonstrators gathered outside the AGM.

Alys Mumford, of Climate Action Scotland, said: As we are seeing increasingly devastating impacts of climate change across the world, it is unacceptable that fossil fuel companies are carrying on with business as usual.

Police Scotland said there were no arrests linked to the protest.

The action was the latest in a series of demonstrations by activists demanding stronger action on climate change.

Extinction Rebellion Scotland protesters outside a BP petrol station in Fort William (Extinction Rebellion Scotland/PA)

A protest was also staged outside BP petrol station in North Road, Fort William, Highlands, on Tuesday.

In London on Monday, police made 10 arrests after environmental campaigners attempted to block access to BPs offices by locking themselves in containers.

Last month, around 300 people staged a die-in protest underneath Dippy the dinosaur at the exhibits temporary home at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow last month.

Activists have also occupied North Bridge in Edinburgh, bringing traffic to a standstill, and scaled the Finnieston Crane in Glasgow to highlight their message.

BP has been contacted for comment.Any form of Brexit could cause severe difficulties for Scottish festivals, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has suggested.

Speaking at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, Ms Hyslop told MSPs the UKs immigration policy after Brexit could be a disaster for EU artists.

Last year, Edinburgh International Festival director Fergus Linehan raised concerns the 2019 event would have to be scaled back if the Brexit scenario turned out to be a catastrophic one.

Ms Hyslop said: Its absolutely vital that we recognise the threat of Brexit to our cultural life in Scotland.

Not just a no-deal Brexit but an any-deal Brexit will cause severe difficulties.

We know in terms of immigration that currently, non-EU artists really struggle in terms of getting access to our festivals and quite often in terms of cancellations at last minute, even when we can try to appeal some of those issues.

A busy Royal Mile during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Jane Barlow/PA)

If you then apply that to all EU artists, the disaster that awaits in terms of the Brexit immigration policy for the UK will severely damage our festivals and that is why it has to be resisted.Former White House aide Don McGahn has been told he will be held in contempt of the US Congress after failing to appear in front of the House Judiciary Committee.

The committees chairman Jerrold Nadler opened a Trump-Russia hearing with an empty witness chair and a stern warning for the former White House counsel for his failure to comply with a subpoena.

Mr Nadler said that subpoenas are not optional and that the panel will hear from Mr McGahn one way or another. This committee will have no choice but to enforce the subpoena against him, he added.

We will not allow the president to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness [or] block congressional subpoenas. We will hold this president accountable one way or the other.@RepJerryNadler makes it clear: Trump wont get away with obstructing justice. pic.twitter.com/b0GHjiHNnH  CAP Action (@CAPAction) May 21, 2019

Our subpoenas are not optional, Mr Nadler said. The panel will hear from Mr McGahn one way or another, he added.

Democrats are facing yet another attempt by President Donald Trump to stonewall their investigations. This time theyve been blocked from hearing from Mr McGahn  a chief eyewitness to the presidents handling of the federal Russia investigation  on orders from the White House.

Representative Doug Collins, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, spoke scornfully of Mr Nadlers position, calling the session a circus and saying the chairman preferred a public fight over fact-finding.

Democrats are trying desperately to make something out of nothing, Mr Collins said, in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Muellers findings in the Russia probe.

Chairman Jerrold Nadler, left, and represenative Doug Collins, right (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The committee voted to adjourn the hearing immediately after Mr Collins remarks.

A lawyer for Mr McGahn had said he would follow the presidents directive and skip the hearing, leaving the Democrats without yet another witness  and a growing debate within the party about how to respond.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi, backed by Mr Nadler, is taking a step-by-step approach to the confrontations with Mr Trump. Mr Nadler said the committee would vote to hold Mr McGahn in contempt, and take the issue to court.

We will not allow the president to stop this investigation, the chairman said. A contempt vote is not expected until June, as congressmen are scheduled to leave town for a week-long recess.

Democrats are encouraged by an early success on that route as a federal judge ruled against Mr Trump on Monday in a financial records dispute with Congress. Mr Trumps team filed notice that they would appeal.

But Ms Pelosis strategy has not been swift enough for some members of the Judiciary panel who feel Democrats should be more aggressive and launch a formal impeachment inquiry as they try to get information from the administration. Impeachment hearings would give Democrats more standing in court and could stop short of a vote to remove the president.

The issue was raised in a meeting among top Democrats on Monday evening, where some members confronted Ms Pelosi about it.

In the hours after the discussion, Ms Pelosi and Mr Nadler met privately. Shortly afterwards, Mr Nadler said its possible when asked about impeachment hearings.

The presidents continuing lawless conduct is making it harder and harder to rule out impeachment or any other enforcement action, Mr Nadler said.

Don McGahn was a no-show at the committee hearing (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Mr McGahns refusal to testify is the latest of several moves to block Democratic investigations by Mr Trump, who has said his administration will fight all of the subpoenas.

The Judiciary Committee voted to hold attorney general William Barr in contempt earlier this month after he declined to provide an unredacted version of Mr Muellers report.

And the House intelligence committee is expected to vote on a separate enforcement action against the Justice Department this week after Mr Barr declined a similar request from that panel.The UKs infected blood scandal has potentially claimed more lives than Northern Irelands Troubles, a contamination victim has said.

Haemophiliac Paul Kirkpatrick told his story publicly for the first time as he gave evidence to an inquiry in Belfast.

Thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. Around 2,400 people died.

Speaking after giving evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry, which is this week hearing evidence in Northern Ireland, Mr Kirkpatrick warned there could be many more hidden victims.

This cant happen again, there was more people infected in this inquiry and killed than probably in the Troubles of Northern Ireland, and its been hidden for so long and thats shocking.

So its important we learn from it and its important we make sure it doesnt happen again, because its very tough for people, but there are so many individual stories and so many individual impacts that, when they all add up, its just horrific.

Paul Kirkpatrick (David Young/PA)

Around 3,500 people were killed in the 30-year sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland.

Earlier, father-of-two Mr Kirkpatrick, 53, who was born in Belfast but has lived Londonderry for 30 years, told the inquiry how difficult it had been to come forward.

This is the first time Ive told my story publicly and thats been massive for me, he said.

For me this is a major, major decision to tell your story in public.

The senior manager for a manufacturing company said he feared his children would be mocked for his decision to share his story in a public forum.

Mr Kirkpatrick told the inquiry he was treated with blood products for haemophilia as a young child in the mid-1970s.

He was informed in the 1980s that he had contracted hepatitis B and hepatitis C from contaminated products.

Mr Kirkpatrick said a doctor told him at the time that he would continue to be treated with potentially contaminated product, despite his confirmed infection.

He said the doctors rationale was that he was already infected, probably had been for a long time and had shown no real side-effects.

We were continually being put at risk with product that was potentially contaminated, he said.

Mr Kirkpatrick, whose blood was recently cleared of hepatitis C after treatment, spoke about the impact of the infection on his family and raising his twin boys.

My blood was always open and my wife was following round the house sterilising everything to make sure there was no risk to the kids, he said.

That was a real focus of our lives bringing up our children.

Mr Kirkpatrick described the impact of the infection on his life. He said he lives with the fear that his liver has been damaged and he would develop cancer.

We are continually exposed to major life-threatening events, continually. Its the whole of my life.

It messes with your head, all these things mess with your head. We are trying to lead a normal life, but when you talk to people you realise its not normal, but for us its normal.

The second witness to give evidence was Brigid Campbell, whose haemophiliac father Malachy Devlin died in 1990 having been infected with HIV in 1983 from contaminated product.

Mrs Campbell told the inquiry her mother struggled after the death of her father.

It was the burden of the secrecy of it all, the stigma that was attached to it, she said. It was all very swept under the carpet. To this day I dont know who was told, who knows what my dad died of.

She recalled the ordeal of her fathers funeral, revealing that special precautions had to be taken.

She said his body was delivered to the undertaker in a disaster bag and the family were only allowed to have his coffin opened at his wake for one night, and under strict conditions.

His hands were covered and there was a net across his face which was obviously very different from any wake that I had been to, she said.

She said it had been extremely difficult sharing her familys story in public.

My dads death was preventable and we owe it to him today and my mother and my family to ensure that his life counts, said Mrs Campbell.

The final witness on the first day of the Northern Ireland hearings told the inquiry that contracting hepatitis C from contaminated blood saw her lose a successful career and led to the break-up of her first marriage.

The witness, known as Ms E, had the genetic blood disorder Von Willebrand disease.

She was told she contracted hepatitis C from being given a blood product as a teenager before 1987.

She claimed she only learned that she had the disease from a chance encounter with a doctor in a hospital ward six years later when she was being treated for chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME.

Ms E said she had told the doctor she had been feeling very unwell.

She replied that its not your ME, it must be the hepatitis C, and this was the first I had ever had knowledge that I had hepatitis C, she said.

The inquiry was told the doctor had no recollection of the conversation recounted by Ms E.

Ms E also recalled being told by a doctor in the 1990s that she would not live to see her 30th birthday.

I got my then-husband to go out and purchase a camcorder so I could make video for my son so whenever he was older he knew who I was, she said.

Ms E told the inquiry her health had deteriorated over the years. As well as chronic fatigue syndrome, she said she developed chronic fibromyalgia and has suffered from arthritis and serious gynaecological problems.

While she was later told her hepatitis C had cleared and the Von Willebrand disease had also faded, her general health had not improved, she told the panel.

Ms E spoke of the stigma she has endured.

She recalled when she gave birth to her first child she was kept in a separate room from the other pregnant women, with a yellow hazard sign on the door.

She also said she was always treated last when she visited the dentist, again in a separate room.

When I was diagnosed I was 21 and just newly married and thought I had a whole life ahead of me, she said.

I had a fantastic job with great prospects, very well paid, I really enjoyed doing it and I was just basically looking forward to a fantastic life.

To have that life taken away from you for no reason whatsoever, and especially no fault of your own, its very daunting, and having to live with something you didnt cause and be treated like it was your fault and have people look at you like you are something out of the Jungle Book.

Ms E said she stopped telling people she had hepatitis C from the late 1990s.

You could see people looking at you when you said you had hepatitis C, she said.

You could see them looking at you and saying is that not the same as Aids? and you were having to explain yourself every time.

She thanked inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff for bringing the probe to Northern Ireland.

I feel we are small over here and we are sometimes not taken into account with the rest of the UK, she said.

We contracted it the same as everybody else and were treated the same as everyone else, but when it comes to the financial side of it we are treated completely and utterly different.

Sir Brian thanked all the witnesses who had given evidence, praising their courage. The inquiry will continue to sit in Belfast for the rest of the week.The SNP will vote against Theresa Mays deal in a bid to stop Brexit, Nicola Sturgeon has pledged.

In a speech on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said her latest Withdrawal Agreement represented one last chance for MPs to deliver on the result of the 2016 EU referendum.

The First Minister said the SNP would not vote for a Bill that takes Scotland out of the EU against its will.

1/ The PM is asking MPs to vote for a Bill that takes us out of the EU - in Scotlands case against our will - out of the single market and possibly out of the Customs Union. And with no actual commitment to put the deal to a second referendum. @theSNP will not do that.  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 21, 2019

Ms Sturgeon tweeted: The PM is asking MPs to vote for a Bill that takes us out of the EU  in Scotlands case against our will  out of the single market and possibly out of the Customs Union.

And with no actual commitment to put the deal to a second referendum. The SNP will not do that.

In PMs own words if MPs vote against the Bill, they will be voting to stop Brexit.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP would vote against Theresa Mays deal (Andrew Milligan/PA)

That is what the SNP will do because Scotland did not vote for Brexit. #StopBrexit.

Mrs May said her Withdrawal Agreement Bill will include a vote on whether to hold a second referendum.

The Prime Minister also suggested failure to reach agreement at the fourth attempt on Brexit would lead to a nightmare future of permanently polarised politics.The Scottish Parliament has held what is thought to be the UKs first government debate on the menopause.

Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie led the Scottish Government debate in an attempt to break down stigma surrounding the process.

She said due to this stigma, many women are unprepared for the menopause and suffer in silence, often unaware help exists.

An historic day for Equalities Minister @christinaSNP as she opens the first ever @scotparl debate on the menopause.



"Its time to end the stigma of the menopause." pic.twitter.com/e6rJ4SwNGs  Scot Gov Fairer (@ScotGovFairer) May 21, 2019

Ms McKelvie told MSPs: We have to change this, to support them through the menopause and the stigma that surrounds it.

This debate is, I believe, the first ever government debate held on the menopause so this Parliament should be proud of itself today.

I think we can all agree that the menopause has always been stigmatised, ignored or treated as a joke at best and used as a way to denigrate women at the worst.

Annie Wells said talking about menopause should be normalised (Jane Barlow/PA)

Conservative MSP Annie Wells told the chamber she had started experiencing some of the first signs of the menopause.

She said: If Im completely honest over the past few months I have felt the start of the symptoms of the menopause and I have been a little anxious about whats to come.

But this debate has come at the right time for me as I have been able to learn more about it, which I am sure will make the process easier.

Ms Wells said normalising talking about menopause is key to destigmatising it and the impact on women can be significant.

She said workplace support for women going through the menopause needs to be vastly improved.

The MSP cited an example of a constituent facing disciplinary action at the company where she has worked for more than 25 years after being signed off by her GP for severe menopausal symptoms.

Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said about 400,000 women in Scotland were going through the menopause transition, arguing this was a normal part of life which has been a taboo subject for too long.

She welcomed the debate but also stressed our actions must match our ambitions as she called for better health care for this group of women.

Ms Lennon said: I hope we will see real progress in the provision of menopause care across the NHS and an end to stigma and discrimination.

Green MSP Alison Johnstone said: This is about equity. We cant hope to tackle the gender pay gap until women are no longer penalised for having periods, getting pregnant or going through the menopause.

For the Liberal Democrats, Liam McArthur stressed the menopause is not just a womens issue.

He said: The problems relating to stigma, the implications in terms of inequality, whether in the workplace or in terms of access to services, these are things that need to be addressed by all.

If we are to bring about full gender equality  whether that is in the struggle around equal pay, gender stereotypes or menopausal stigma  we need to start by talking about it, by raising awareness.Business leaders have urged MPs to back Theresa Mays latest Brexit deal, but trade unionists have dismissed it as a desperate last throw of the dice.

The Prime Minister had hoped to win over Labour MPs by offering commitments on workers rights.

But Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, said there were no real guarantees on jobs, workers rights or future customs arrangements.

Describing Mrs Mays latest offer as a desperate last throw of the Brexit dice, he called for a general election.

The country simply cannot go on like this. Whatever fate awaits Brexit, we clearly need a general election and a new government.

Its high time our political class woke up to what is wilful destruction of our economy.

Mays Brexit deal must be put to a confirmatory vote  without further hurdles  so we can draw a line under this damaging Brexit saga.

Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of London First, which campaigns to make the capital the best city in the world to do business, also called for Mrs May to actively support another referendum.

(PA Graphics)

She said: The Prime Minister is right to offer a vote on the second referendum as part of the debate on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

However, if she is confident in her conviction that this Bill is best for the country, she should actively support a second referendum  not just allow it to be tabled.

Otherwise, Parliament will continue going round and round in circles. Enough is enough: we need a second referendum to avoid permanent paralysis.

However Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, urged MPs to support compromise so the country can move forward.

Brexit has left the economy stranded in no mans land. The PMs offer provides a way forward, but only MPs can take it. Businesses urge them finally to find the spirit of compromise that has eluded them so far. Jobs and livelihoods depend on it.  Carolyn Fairbairn (@cbicarolyn) May 21, 2019

Brexit has left the economy stranded in no-mans land, she said.

The Prime Ministers offer provides a way forward, but only MPs can take it.

Businesses urge them finally to find the spirit of compromise that has eluded them so far. Jobs and livelihoods depend on it.

Adam Marshall, British Chambers of Commerce director general, called for an end to the deadlock as businesses need concrete outcomes to plan for the future.

The practical questions businesses face remain the same - and the real-world impacts of parliamentary indecision & delay are growing every day says @BCCAdam, commenting on the statement from @10DowningStreet: https://t.co/m2pbtqKGZ7 pic.twitter.com/D8rZuApQMq  BCC (@britishchambers) May 21, 2019

He said: In the absence of parliamentary consensus on either the Withdrawal Agreement or any other proposition for the future, both businesses and investment remain in limbo.

Companies across the UK are frustrated, but most are still concerned about the prospect of a messy and disorderly exit from the EU.

The date may have changed, but the practical questions businesses face remain the same  and the real-world impacts of parliamentary indecision and delay are growing each and every day.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: The blunt truth is that there is still no clear path out of the current political deadlock.

If we are to make progress then politicians need to step up to the plate. It is not enough to say they are against no deal, they must use their votes in Parliament to find a deal that prevents this looming catastrophe.

Once a deal is passed, the Government must then work toward a trade deal that provides for frictionless, tariff-free trade with the EU.Several Eurosceptic Conservatives reacted angrily after Theresa May proposed a new Brexit deal with the promise of a vote on a second referendum.

Tweeting shortly after her speech at PricewaterhouseCoopers in London, Steve Baker, a prominent member of the European Research Group, described the reaction of Brexiteer campaigners and MPs as extremely adverse.

Mr Baker said: Of course, I will vote against this muddled implementation of a failed deal which only adds yet more uncertainty. A truly awful situation.

Our next leader needs to take us out of the EU, and the sooner they start that work, the better it will be, he continued.

The Prime Minister made a speech riddled with inconsistencies as she pledged to muddle the legislation implementing this failed deal by adding more opportunities for uncertainty.  Steve Baker MP FRSA (@SteveBakerHW) May 21, 2019

Our next leader needs to take us out of the EU, and the sooner they start that work, the better it will be.  Steve Baker MP FRSA (@SteveBakerHW) May 21, 2019

ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said the PMs proposals were worse than before and would leave us bound deeply to the EU.

Its time to leave on WTO terms, he said.

Prime Minister Theresa May making a speech in central London on her latest Brexit plans.

Some MPs who voted in favour of the Prime Ministers deal the last time it was put before the Commons indicated that they would not do so on this occasion.

Former London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith tweeted: I supported the PMs rotten deal last time as I felt we could then draw a line and select a new PM to pick up the pieces. But I cannot support this convoluted mess.

I supported the PMs rotten deal last time as I felt we could then draw a line and select a new PM to pick up the pieces.

But I cannot support this convoluted mess. That it takes us towards a rigged referendum between her deal and no Brexit is just grotesque.

The PM must go.  Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) May 21, 2019

That it takes us towards a rigged referendum between her deal and no Brexit is just grotesque. The PM must go.

Similarly, Tory MP Simon Clarke tweeted: I supported the PM at MV3 (meaningful vote three), to try to get us out on 29 March. But this speech from the PM means there is no way I will support the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

I supported the PM at MV3, to try to get us out on 29 March. But this speech from the PM means there is no way I will support the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.  Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) May 21, 2019

Meanwhile, Labour MP Wes Streeting, who backs a second referendum, suggested he too would be unable to back the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

Lots of us have been very clear that the PMs deal can pass on the condition that the people get to decide through a referendum. Thats not what the PM is promising Im afraid. Will look at the detail first, but on that basis its unlikely Ill vote for the Bill at Second Reading.

Lots of us have been very clear that the PMs deal can pass on the condition that the people get to decide through a referendum. Thats not what the PM is promising Im afraid. Will look at the detail first, but on that basis its unlikely Ill vote for the Bill at Second Reading  Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) May 21, 2019

Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that the SNP would not support the PMs plan without a guarantee that it will lead to a second referendum.

The PM is asking MPs to vote for a Bill that takes us out of the EU  in Scotlands case against our will  out of the single market and possibly out of the Customs Union. And with no actual commitment to put the deal to a second referendum. @theSNP will not do that.

2/ in PMs own words, if MPs vote against the Bill, they will be voting to stop Brexit. That is what @theSNP will do because Scotland did not vote for Brexit. #StopBrexit  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 21, 2019

She added: In PMs own words, if MPs vote against the Bill, they will be voting to stop Brexit. That is what @theSNP will do because Scotland did not vote for Brexit. #StopBrexit.

While most of Mrs Mays cabinet members did not react immediately to the speech, there was support for her proposal from International Development Secretary Rory Stewart and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd.

Mr Stewart posted: .@theresamay is right  we need to get Brexit done. The delay and uncertainty is doing real damage to businesses and consumer confidence across the country.

Then - when we have got it over the line - we can move on and talk about the wider issues that really matter to people, while crafting the future of British foreign policy.  Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) May 21, 2019

Then  when we have got it over the line  we can move on and talk about the wider issues that really matter to people, while crafting the future of British foreign policy.

The Prime Minister is doing everything she can to ensure we leave the EU in a way that protects jobs, security and the Union.



I support her and urge colleagues to back the deal.



Once passed business investment and confidence will surge, building on strong national employment.  Amber Rudd (@AmberRuddUK) May 21, 2019

Mrs Rudd tweeted: The Prime Minister is doing everything she can to ensure we leave the EU in a way that protects jobs, security and the Union. I support her and urge colleagues to back the deal. Once passed business investment and confidence will surge, building on strong national employment.A Polish mother who gave birth to sextuplets has visited her babies who doctors say are doing fine.

The four girls and two boys were born prematurely on Monday in the 29th week of pregnancy by cesarean section in Krakow, southern Poland.

Doctor Ryszard Lauterbach at the University Hospital said the babies were born in a condition surprisingly good for sextuplets, but their respiratory, nervous and digestive systems are immature and require medical care.

The sextuplets were a surprise to the family  their mother, 29-year-old Klaudia Marzec, said they were not expecting six but five babies.

We have made some logistical plans at home for five, but now they will need to be changed, Ms Marzec said. Now we just want them to leave hospital in the best condition possible.

They were conceived naturally, the hospital said. Ms Marzec and her partner already have a two-and-a-half-year-old son.

An incubator with one of the sextuplets (AP Photo/Beata Zawrzel) Poland Out

The babies, whose individual birth weights ranged from 1.96 pounds to 2.86 pounds, are in incubators.

Doctors say the little ones can breathe on their own but are likely to remain in hospital for around three months.

Hospital director Marcin Jedrychowski called the operation an extremely difficult one that involved up to 40 doctors and medical personnel.

The surprise sixth girl had a moment of warm physical contact with her mother before a sixth incubator arrived for her, according to Dr Lauterbach.

The boys names are Filip and Tymon and the girls were named Zosia, Kaja, Nela and Malwina.

Their father, Szymon Marzec, said their arrival was a great joy, but we also have plenty of concerns.

We are happy that the kids are in the best hands possible, and all that we can give them now is our love and presence near them.

Only one in about 4.7 billion spontaneous pregnancies leads to sextuplets, the hospital said.Belfasts new Sinn Fein mayor has urged unionists to judge him with an open mind, as he highlighted his family links to the Orange Order and British military.

John Finucane, son of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, also expressed hope that his year in office would not be dominated by the narrative around his fathers controversial killing.

I am very proud to be the son of Pat Finucane, but I think for the people who know me, there is a lot more to me than that, he told the Press Association.

Mr Finucane, himself a well-established solicitor in Belfast, said he would not be found wanting in reaching out to the unionist community  insisting he would meet members of the royal family and attend Orange events if invited.

The 39-year-old father-of-four said his partys long-standing boycott of the Remembrance Sunday commemoration would be again reviewed ahead of November.

John Finucane said he would not be found wanting in reaching out to the unionist community (Liam McBurney/PA)

I am the product of an east Belfast mother who grew up in a middle class unionist area and a west Belfast father who grew up in a Catholic working class area, Mr Finucane, said as he formally began his year in office.

I live and have grown up in north Belfast, I have seen both sides of this city.

I am a republican, I have family members who are unionist, I have family members who are neither of the two, and I think that diversity can only make our city stronger, because certainly I have felt the benefit of that particular upbringing.

I feel very comfortable in my own politics, that it doesnt cause me any discomfort to go into areas, where I have been invited, to go into areas and show that a Sinn Fein mayor is not something to be feared.

Because first and foremost, especially given my own personal background, I know that we need representation that represents everybody, and we cant be partial.

I appreciate that is me setting out my stall at the start of the year, but I ask people to certainly treat me with an open mind, because I am coming at this to very much represent everybody in Belfast, and I think there will be opportunities that present themselves and I dont think I will be found wanting.

Mr Finucane said he had recently discovered that his grandfather had served in the British Navy during the Second World War, and had survived the sinking of an aircraft carrier that he was on, off the coast of Scotland.

I am very cognisant of my own family history, of the fact that many people in Ireland fought in both world wars, he said.

Remembrance as we know it has become controversial because it has extended beyond the second world war.

But for issues like that I will be dealing with them in a very sensitive, in a very appropriate and professional manner, and I dont seek to offend anybody or discredit, certainly, what people fought for in the two world wars.

He said relations on his mothers side were also Orangemen.

My office and my hand will always be extended, especially to the Orange Order, he said.

Certainly I wont be found wanting should a request come in.

Mr Finucane, who is going to take a step back from his legal job for the year, only retaining two high-profile cases, said he understood why he was rarely referenced in public without mention of his fathers murder.

Pat Finucane was gunned down in 1989 in front of his wife and three children, in the family home in north Belfast, by loyalist gunmen who were later found to be colluding with rogue security force members.

Pat Finucane was gunned down in 1989 (PA)

He was the same age as his son is now.

I understand the reality that since I was eight years of age, and shortly after that period my family embarked on a very public campaign to expose the circumstances surrounding my fathers murder, so I am not naive to think that given the fact that campaign has been ongoing for 30 years, that people would not refer to me as the son of Pat Finucane, said the new mayor.

So whatever way people want to describe me is a matter for them, I am comfortable with that.

I dont, and I wont, have my year as mayor dominated by my own past in the way I conduct myself, and it will be for others to write and report on how they feel I am doing in that job.

Mr Finucane has been elevated to the position of mayor only weeks after being elected as a councillor for the first time.

The new Mayor of Belfast City. Sinn Feins @johnfinucane. pic.twitter.com/0H4TEorzkC  Belfast Sinn Fein (@belfastsinnfein) May 21, 2019

He said he hoped his father was proud of his achievement.

When I was speaking with my mother about this she was reminding me that he used to attend city council in the 80s as an observer, as a legal observer, and he was horrified as to how council operated, how it ran, how they treated each other, how they treated people in certain parts of Belfast, and here I am, X amount of years later, as the mayor in a very, very different city council.

I think the progress and significance of that wouldnt be lost on him.

He may well even have went so far as to say he was proud of the role I was taking.

But its certainly an example of how far Belfast has moved on, how committed it is to never going back to the days when places like this council was run in a way that didnt represent a return for everybody.You are here: China

Two critically endangered Asian leopard cats are being trained to behave more like wild cats after being rescued.





The trainers at Yunnan Puer Taiyanghe Forest Zoo are teaching the cats how to find food and how to avoid predators.





Yang Zenan, a zoo trainer, gives them training two hours a day. The training includes teaching them how to find chickens hidden in the grass and branches.





The cats were rescued at Mengnong town of Mojiang county in the province two months ago.





While patrolling a wild forest, forest workers found them weak and alone and then sent them to the rescue center at the zoo.





"The two leopard cats have been here for more than one month. Now they're growing well," said Yang. "After training and exercises, the once timid cats can now climb trees and prey on living animals."





When they gain enough survival ability, the cats will be sent back into the wild.





The temporary shelter of the zoo, established in March 2016, has rescued various species and attempted some wilderness survival training.Charles and Camilla are underpinning a Big Lunch project benefiting six million people a year, one of its organisers has said.

They joined community volunteers and schoolchildren in Lisnaskea in Co Fermanagh who enjoyed a spread of scones and cream and copious cups of tea on long communal tables.

The Big Lunch is a National Lottery-funded project intended to bring people together.

Peter Stewart, a director at the Eden Project educational charity and social enterprise, said it was like the US holiday Thanksgiving, but for neighbours.

Your Royal Highness, forgive me because it is her Royal Highness who in fact in our eyes is the star of the show.

You are a passionate man in underpinning this. You are almost like a good wind under our wings.

The Duchess of Cornwall pets a dog during a community event entitled A Celebration of Community in Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh (Joe Giddens/PA)

Camilla chatted with staff from Fermanaghs Oak Healthy Living Centre during their visit to the Archdale Centre in the lakeland county on Tuesday afternoon.

She loved the caterpillars, kebab-style sticks skewering green grapes with a strawberry on top, those who met her said.

The bananas had red bandana-style decorations on them and were devoured by the youngsters.

Mr Stewart said the National Lottery had funded six million people a year to enjoy a Big Lunch.

It just seems everything we do, it just seems to be more and more challenges for all of us.

It feels sometimes that we are like a fish going the wrong way up the stream  it is really hard.

The challenges that we have are global, national, local, massive.

We think that if we actually got together a bit in terms of creating happier, more resilient, stronger communities, at least we will be better placed to be able to take that on.

The healthy living centre works with people from birth to old age and provides mental health and physical activity programmes as well as encouraging healthy eating.

In an open air area known as the Cornmarket the smell of bacon filled the air.

The Prince of Wales watches Fermanagh black bacon being cooked (Joe Giddens/PA)

Patrick ODoherty, 58, explained the ancient bacon they did in Fermanagh, which he said was the oldest type in Ireland.

The method died out during the 1960s and he resurrected it and named it Fermanagh Black Bacon, based in nearby Enniskillen, from pigs grazing on an island in Lough Erne.

The bacon was originally cooked in hay, immersed in boiling water with herbs and then poached gently.

Mr ODoherty said: The prince, he is a good man with a knife, he cut open the hay and you had to slice it and it is the most beautiful bacon you will ever eat, it is lovely and moist. He really enjoyed it.

Charles was also shown an old trick from the butchery trade which involved knotting a string and pulling it.

Mr ODoherty said: He was very impressed with it. It is not often you get a fist pump from a prince so it was a good days craic. He has a great sense of humour.

The royal couple met a number of well-wishers gathered on the street outside and visited a local shop, while Camilla petted a type of terrier.Screening for heart failure by GPs and follow-up after diagnosis are sub-optimal in the UK, researchers have suggested.

A new study, published in journal PLOS Medicine, reveals important gaps in the medical care received by patients with the condition, particularly among women, old people and those from a low socioeconomic background.

The researchers, from the University of Oxford, said poor record-keeping in primary care and inadequate communication between hospitals and GPs could partly be to blame.

Heart failure is a severe condition and early diagnosis is crucial for doctors to rapidly initiate life-saving medications, lead researcher Dr Nathalie Conrad said.

Our findings suggest out-of-hospital screening for early signs of heart failure and follow-up are sub-optimal, and women and older patients are particularly vulnerable to these shortcomings in current heart failure care.

The Royal College of GPs said heart failure is notoriously difficult to diagnose in the primary care setting and called for better access to tests to help detect the condition early.

The researchers analysed the health records of more than 93,000 people who were diagnosed with heart failure in the UK between 2002 and 2014.

They examined the care patients received from the point of diagnosis to one year later.

Research reveals "gaps" in the care of heart failure patients (Anthony Devlin/ PA)

In more than half (56%) of cases a heart failure diagnosis was first recorded during hospitalisation rather than a doctors appointment, the study found.

The proportion first diagnosed in an outpatient setting dropped from 56% in 2002 to 36% in 2014.

Less than one in five (17%) of patients diagnosed in hospital and discharged alive had their heart failure recorded by their GP in the next 12 months, the research also found.

Meanwhile, doses of key medicines prescribed to patients were also found to be below recommended guidelines in many cases.

These gaps in care were more common in women, people over the age of 75, and deprived populations, the researchers said.

Women were 13% less likely than men of the same age to receive a prescription for two key drugs, which can help manage heart failure, within three months of diagnosis, the study found.

They were also 9% less likely than men of the same age and socioeconomic background to be first diagnosed with heart failure by their GP.

Around 2% of the population in high-income countries are affected by heart failure, which can lead to disability and death.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: GPs understand the importance early diagnosis and are highly-trained to look out for the symptoms of heart disease, but it is notoriously difficult to diagnose in primary care as its early symptoms are often vague and can mimic more common conditions.

GPs need better access to diagnostic tests, so that when we do suspect heart disease, we can swiftly diagnose it, but as this study shows, these are hard to come by in the community and access can be patchy across the country.

Access to appropriate tests would not only ensure that more people with heart failure get the treatment they need, but also that patients who dont have it are spared unnecessary trips to hospital, and instead monitored where theyd prefer  at home, in the community.German authorities on Tuesday handed over to Israel some 5,000 documents kept by a confidant of Franz Kafka, a trove whose plight could have been plucked from one of the authors surreal stories.

The papers returned include a postcard from Kafka from 1910 and personal documents kept by Max Brod, which experts say provide a window into Europes literary and cultural scene in the early 20th century.

They are among some 40,000 documents, including manuscripts, correspondence, notebooks and other writings that once belonged to Brod, which are being brought together again in Israels National Library.

They had ended up in bank vaults in Switzerland and Tel Aviv, a Tel Aviv apartment and in a storage facility in Wiesbaden, Germany, where police found them tucked among forged Russian avant-garde artworks.

I think he (Kafka) would really be amused, said National Library archivist Stefan Litt, who helped identify the papers recovered in Germany.

He couldnt invent by himself a better plot.

Israels ambassador to Germany, Jeremy Issacharoff, right, before the handing over ceremony (Michael Sohn/AP)

After the formal handover of the documents from Germanys Federal Criminal Police at the Israeli ambassadors residence in Berlin, National Library chairman David Blumberg pledged to make the whole collection available to everybody.

Everything will be published, everything will be digitised, so we can share it with the world, he said.

Kafka, a Bohemian Jew from Prague who lived for a while in Berlin, was close friends with Brod, himself an accomplished writer.

Shortly before his untimely death at 40 of tuberculosis in 1924, Kafka bequeathed his writings to Brod, reportedly telling him to burn them all unread.

Instead, Brod published much of the collection, including the novels The Trial, The Castle, and Amerika, helping to posthumously establish Kafka as one of the great authors of the 20th century.

He also brought Kafkaesque into the English language to describe bizarre, illogical or nightmarish situations like the ones Kafka wrote about.

After the Nazis occupied the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in 1938, Brod fled to escape persecution with the entire collection to what was then British-ruled Palestine.

When Brod died, he left his personal secretary Esther Hoffe in charge of his literary estate and instructed her to transfer the Kafka papers to an academic institution.

Instead, she kept the documents for the next four decades and sold some, like the original manuscript of Kafkas The Trial, which fetched 1.8 million US dollars at auction in 1988.

She kept some items in a bank vault in Tel Aviv, some in Switzerland, and others at her apartment in Tel Aviv.

When she died in 2008, the collection went to her two daughters, who fought to keep it but eventually lost a battle in Israels Supreme Court in 2016.

The court sided with the countrys National Library, whose lawyers had argued the Kafka papers were cultural assets that belonged to the Jewish people.

Both daughters have now died, and the documents stored in Israel have already been transferred to the National Librarys care.

The documents held in Switzerland should be on their way soon after the National Library won a court case in Zurich last month.

But that left the documents in Germany, which had been stolen from Hoffes apartment about a decade ago.

They ended up with an Israeli dealer, who tried in 2013 to sell them to the German Literature Archive in Marbach  the same institution that bought The Trial manuscript in 1988.

The German archive instead reported the offer to Israels National Library, which then got authorities involved, Mr Litt said.

The documents resurfaced at the Wiesbaden storage facility used by an international forgery ring that produced and sold forged paintings and was taken down by German authorities that same year, Mr Litt said.

Since then, they have been stored by German authorities as Mr Litt and others sought to confirm their provenance.An eastern black rhinoceros named Kapuki has given birth to a calf at Chicagos Lincoln Park Zoo.

The zoo said Kapuki was pregnant for 15 months before the calf was born on Sunday night.

After 15 months of pregnancy and a relatively quick labor, were excited to announce Kapuki gave birth! Kapukis maternal instincts kicked right in and she has been seen tending to the calf. The next big milestones will be for the calf to stand and begin to nurse. #rhinowatch pic.twitter.com/IffKhuxFN1  Lincoln Park Zoo (@lincolnparkzoo) May 20, 2019

Zoo staff monitored her labour and are watching the rhino and her calf remotely using cameras to give them privacy but are nearby.

The zoo has not named the calf or announced its sex, but officials say details will be announced once available.

The animals will not be visible to the public until further notice, but people can follow along on the zoos social media accounts and at #RhinoWatch on twitter.

Zoo officials say the calf stood up at just 53 minutes old.Jeremy Corbyn has broken fast with members of the north London Muslim community to mark two years since the Finsbury Park mosque attack.

The Labour leader promoted a message of unity as he joined the daughter of victim Makram Ali at a community street iftar meal outside Finsbury Park mosque on Tuesday evening.

It marks the 17th day of Ramadan and the second anniversary of the attack, according to the lunar calendar observed in Islam.

Mr Ali, 51, was killed when Darren Osborne ploughed a hired van into worshippers gathered outside the Muslim Welfare House shortly after evening Ramadan prayers in June 2017.

He died at the scene while 12 worshippers were injured.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during a visit to Finsbury Park Mosque (David Mirzoeff/PA)

Mr Corbyn, who lives nearby, told those gathered over the road from the attack on Tuesday evening that targeting a place of worship was an attack on all of us.

The Labour leader added: I want our children to grow up in a world of diversity of wonder and of beauty, but if they grow up in a world dominated by discrimination and hate, then their lives will be less exciting, their lives will be less imaginative, and above all the collective problems we face cannot be solved.

Those that divide our community dont build houses that people need to live in.

Dont build schools that are children need to learn in.

They dont build hospitals that we all need to be cared in.

Makram Ali died in a terror attack in Finsbury Park (Metropolitan Police/PA)

They dont solve any of those problems, and a world riven with division will not be able to deal with the huge issue that we all face of climate change and the damage we are doing to our natural world.

After addressing hundreds of worshippers, Mr Corbyn sat on the ground with faith leaders and they ate together just after sunset.

He was also joined by Conservative MP Dominic Grieve and Ruzina Akhtar, Mr Alis daughter, who addressed the gathering.

She said: Two years on after the tragic loss of my father, it is still most beautiful to continue to see that the community is able to get together to celebrate events like today.

Communities are only able to stand united because we dont give into these terrorists and racists who set out to divide us.

We need to continue to show that no matter what the situation we will come out stronger and better than before.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to Finsbury Park Mosque (David Mirzoeff/AP)

Also present was Abdirahman Ibrahim, 31, who was clipped by the van and tended to Mr Ali and others injured before helping apprehend the driver, Osborne.

He was on crutches for nearly three months following the attack after his knee was damaged and has been left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and hyper vigilance.

Speaking to media for the first time since the attack two years ago, he said: No matter how much counselling or professionals I go to see regarding my mental health, its always going to remain in the back of my mind what happened that day.

He said of the gathering: Its beautiful to see an event like this happening, however what is worrying is security at a place of worship in modern day Britain, its like a shame on all of us to see that we need security to the outside of mosques.

For the evening event, St Thomass Road was blocked off at both ends by police vans while officers patrolled the feast area close to where the terror attack took place.

Ahead of its start, Finsbury Park Station was temporary closed due to a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity, reopening shortly after.

By the end of the evening, at least two thousand people are expected to join the meal, organised by Muslim Aid, Finsbury Park mosque and the Muslim Welfare House.

Police cordon off an area around Finsbury Park tube station (David Mirzoeff/PA)

Muslim Aid chief executive Jehangir Malik said the world has been devastated over the past few months by the range of horrific incidents designed to sow seeds of insecurity, difference and disconnection.

He said: The Finsbury Park area has a proud tradition of standing together against division and living well together, and this takes continuing work to maintain. So its fantastic to be part of a group of committed people bringing so many together to share a good meal, conversation and community spirit.

Mohammed Kozbar, chairman of Finsbury Park mosque, said he had seen a torrent of Islamophobic incidents over the past few years.

People tried to set fire to the mosque, a pigs head was impaled on the gates outside the building, staff were sent white powder by post and received many abusive phone calls, he said.

He added: Weve been through a very difficult time and very challenging time as a Muslim community in the last few years, when we have seen the rise of Islamophobia and the rise of hate crimes, especially against Muslims.

For us its quite important and its a responsibility on our shoulders to engage more with our wider community and to reach out to our wider community.

So it is a difficult time but its the right time to engage more.Nigel Farage has said the Brexit Party will demand to have places on the EU negotiating team if they come top in the European elections this week.

Speaking at a packed rally in Kensington, west London, Mr Farage said if his party tops the polls, representatives must join the EU negotiating team.

The former Ukip leader also speculated that wins for the Brexit Party could have an impact on the leadership of the two main Westminster parties.

Mr Farage added: We will quickly get rid of the worst prime minister in the history of our nation.

THE RALLY FOR DEMOCRACY https://t.co/JBHUzIbBrb  Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) May 21, 2019

You never know, given the way we are smashing the Labour vote in Wales and the Midlands, a big Brexit win might get rid of Jeremy Corbyn as well.

The Brexit Party is currently topping the polls ahead of Thursdays vote. A seven-day rolling average on Tuesday predicted they will take home 34% of the vote.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Farage also commented on the Electoral Commissions investigation into the partys funding.

Its premises were searched by commission staff on Tuesday.

Mr Farage said: After seven hours, the Electoral Commission have not found a single misdeed by the Brexit Party.

Turning to the 3,000 strong crowd, he continued: Let me make clear to all the conspiracy theorists.

Our money comes from this growing mass movement of people.

He did not address the news of a European Parliament committee investigation into a complaint that he allegedly failed to declare 450,000 in donations to him by prominent Leave campaigner Arron Banks.

Before he took to the stage, the audience also heard from Brexit Party candidate Anne Widdecombe, and former president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus.

Former President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus says Europe needs The Brexit Party to win this Thursday. pic.twitter.com/ppu8ttdNMi  Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) May 21, 2019

Mr Klaus, who greeted the crowd as his dear Brexit friends said the Czech Republic share the same or similar criticisms of the EU to the UK.

The 77-year-old a eurosceptic, who was president of the Eastern European nation from 2003  2013, also described the 2017 referendum as a fatal blow and an historic event that changed Europe.US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will visit Ireland while on a visit to Europe in June, a White House spokesman has said.

Mr Trump and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will hold a bilateral meeting on June 5 in Shannon.

The trip has already been subject to reported controversy over the venue of the talks.

The presidents formal visit follows a working trip to the UK last summer that sparked demonstrations across the country.

Campaigners are again hoping to fly a blimp, depicting the US president as a nappy-wearing baby, over London, after it was hoisted in Parliament Square during protests against the US leaders last trip.

The protesters have been accused by former Tory chief whip Lord Jopling of mindless idiocy.

The visit to Ireland and the UK are part of Mr Trumps wider trip to Europe, which will include events in France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.Theresa May will face hostile MPs as she sets out her latest Brexit deal in the Commons on Wednesday.

Her new 10-point compromise plan has been dismissed by every group she was attempting to woo, including Labour, the DUP and Tory Brexiteers.

The last-ditch attempt to shore up support included offering a vote on whether to hold a second referendum, as well as a choice over the UKs future customs arrangements.

But the deal has been spurned as dead on arrival by Conservative Mark Francois, vice-chairman of the European Research Group (ERG).

Wednesday is also the last day of European election campaigning and Tories are bracing themselves for another electoral slaughter as traditional Conservative voters switch to Nigel Farages Brexit Party in their droves.

While Mrs Mays misery continues, Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable is enjoying the prospect of a long-awaited bounce in his partys fortunes.

He will be campaigning in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyns constituency of Islington, north London, before travelling to Edinburgh and Cambridge, as he urges Remain voters to lend his party their votes.

Meanwhile, Mrs Mays move to appeal to Remainer MPs has seen about 20 Conservatives, who held their noses to back her deal last time, announce they cannot vote for the latest version  including leadership frontrunners Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab.

With great reluctance I backed MV3. Now we are being asked to vote for a customs union and a second referendum. The Bill is directly against our manifesto - and I will not vote for it. We can and must do better - and deliver what the people voted for.  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 21, 2019

Mr Johnson tweeted: With great reluctance I backed MV3. Now we are being asked to vote for a customs union and a second referendum.

The Bill is directly against our manifesto  and I will not vote for it. We can and must do better  and deliver what the people voted for.

Brexiteer Cabinet ministers are understood to be trying to persuade Mrs May to ditch the fourth attempt to pass her deal, warning the vote will end in yet another humiliating defeat.

And the beleaguered prime minister faces a fresh bid to boot her out of Downing Street from the 1922 backbenchers committee, which meets later Wednesday.

Tory MP Nigel Evans, who sits on the 1922 executive, told the Sun: I will be asking my colleagues on the 22 executive tomorrow to agree to a rule change so we can hold an immediate confidence vote if Theresa is not prepared to stand down now.

Mrs May announced her new Brexit deal on Tuesday after a stormy two-hour meeting with her Cabinet in Downing Street, in which some ministers were said to be on the brink of resignation.

She said there was one last chance for MPs to deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum and take the UK out of the European Union, and announced a new Bill would be published in the next few days,

Our new Brexit deal makes a ten-point offer to everyone in Parliament who wants to deliver the result of the referendum.  PM @Theresa_Mayhttps://t.co/VW3EAFMhE0 pic.twitter.com/6M9Ebb9lJ9  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 21, 2019

As well as a vote on a second referendum, MPs will also be offered a choice over the UKs future customs arrangements after talks with Labour collapsed, in part because of the failure to agree on the issue.

They will choose between the Governments existing proposal, which allows the UK to keep an independent trade policy but delivers some of the benefits of a customs union, or a full  but temporary  customs union with the EU which critics warn would leave the UK unable to strike trade deals with countries around the world.

In an appeal to MPs, she said that the biggest problem with Britain today is its politics but with the right Brexit deal we can end this corrosive debate.

Downing Street sources said it had not yet been decided whether MPs would be offered a free vote on whether to require a second referendum to confirm the deal.

But Mrs May left little doubt that she would oppose it, warning that delaying the Brexit process for months more  perhaps indefinitely  risked opening the door to a nightmare future of permanently polarised politics.

In a message to MPs she said: Reject this deal and leaving the EU with a negotiated deal any time soon will be dead in the water.

Mrs May has staked her political future on the deal, with the timetable for her exit from Number 10 due to be decided following the vote on the WAB.

But her hopes of success suffered early blows, with the Democratic Unionist Party, Tory Brexiteers and Labour all lining up to attack the proposals.

Critics pointed out that there was nothing in the Bill which required the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with Brussels to be reopened.

DUP parliamentary leader Nigel Dodds said: We will examine the legislation closely when the Bill is finally published but the fundamental flaws of the draft Withdrawal Agreement treaty itself remain unchanged.

Many of the proposals on the backstop serve as an attempt through domestic law to mitigate a bad deal, whereas the focus should be on getting a better deal.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: We will of course look seriously at the details of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill when it is published.

But we wont back a repackaged version of the same old deal  and its clear that this weak and disintegrating government is unable to deliver on its own commitments.

In a speech to the CBI, Chancellor Philip Hammond said: If we are to have any hope of re-uniting our country and repairing our politics after the divisions of the last three years, we cannot have half the country feeling they have completely won and the other half, that they have completely lost.

Britain needs a Brexit that feels like a compromise, a Brexit that delights no-one, but one that everyone, or nearly everyone, can live with.Plans to strengthen and grow the Scotch whisky industry over the next three decades will be at the heart of the sectors annual conference.

The annual Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) members day is taking place in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

In her speech, SWA chief executive Karen Betts is expected to outline her vision for the industry up to the year 2050.

She will tell the gathering: 2050 isnt far away, particularly for an industry that thinks in decades rather than in years.

So we need to work now, with governments and other partners at home and overseas, to ensure our vision of the future can be realised. A vision in which our industry grows and strengthens globally, with each bottle of Scotch exported continuing to take that unique taste of Scotland, and a unique piece of our heritage, to consumers worldwide.

She will add that by 2050, she expects Scotch whisky to remain the worlds pre-eminent whisky.

Whisky industry figures are gathering in Edinburgh (David Cheskin/PA)

Ms Betts is also expected to say that Scotch whisky is a textbook example of the benefits of free trade.

She will say: It has benefited our businesses, our employees and our consumers. Today, ever-more open markets and ever-fairer trading conditions mean that people all over the world can buy an ever-wider range of Scotch  produced by a large company or a small distillery  at ever-more locally competitive prices.

On the topic of climate change, she will tell delegates that by 2050 the industry will have reduced its reliance on fossil fuels to zero.

In their place, well be using renewable sources of energy, building on the solid foundations we have in place today.

Through continued industry investment in groundbreaking research, innovation and new technologies, we anticipate that many of our distilleries will be completely self-sufficient in their energy use.The Church of Scotland can provide a model of how to debate potentially divisive issues, Nicola Sturgeon will tell senior religious figures.

Addressing the Kirks General Assembly in Edinburgh, the First Minister will praise the Church for its ability to create consensus rather than division in these debates.

She will also credit the Kirk for encouraging co-operation between different faiths.

Ms Sturgeon will say: The Church of Scotland has been at the centre of Scottish public life for generations and helped to re-establish the Scottish Parliament.

The 1989 Assembly endorsed the Claim of Right for Scotland and passed a resolution calling for the creation of a democratically elected assembly.

During that process, the Church facilitated and encouraged dialogue on potentially difficult and divisive issues.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during the opening ceremony of the General Assembly at Assembly Hall, Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)

The manner in which the Assembly conducts itself is a model of how big issues can be debated in a way which builds consensus rather than creating division.

I particularly applaud the encouragement of interfaith co-operation.

At a time when intolerance and bigotry seem to be on the rise in some parts of the world, it is important that the major faiths in Scotland stand together in solidarity.

Major reforms approved by General Assembly #GA2019 https://t.co/5gKuFtzgsA  Church of Scotland (@churchscotland) May 20, 2019

She said issues currently facing Scotland, such as the constitutional future of the country regarding Brexit and independence, arouse strong passions.

The SNP leader will add: Political leaders must attempt to air honest and strongly-held differences while simultaneously seeking common ground and consensus.

That is why I announced the establishment of a citizens assembly on Scotlands future to consider what sort of country we are seeking to build, how we best equip the Scottish Parliament for the future, and how we enable people to make informed choices about the future of the country.

The spirit in which the citizens assembly is being convened is one which I hope will strike a chord with the Church.

Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, Moderator of the General Assembly, said: We are delighted to welcome the First Minister, not least at the 20 years anniversary of the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament in the building where it first met.

We appreciate her interest in engaging with the Church and we very much look forward to hearing her address.

Attending the Assembly gives the First Minister an opportunity to hear about the work under way across the Church and to discuss how together we can help build flourishing communities across Scotland. Flash

Vice-Foreign Minister Le Yucheng urgently summoned a senior official from the embassy of the United States in China on Friday, urging Washington to stop interfering with the affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in any form.







In his meeting with the embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission Robert W. Forden, Le protested against US officials' recent irresponsible remarks and acts about the amendment of extradition laws by the Hong Kong SAR government, according to a statement on the ministry's website.





Noting that Hong Kong belongs to China, Le said, Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs and no external forces are allowed to interfere with them.





He urged the US side to view the amendment in an objective and fair manner, respect the SAR government's legislation process and avoid doing anything that harms the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.





Beijing will take further measures in line with the US moves, Le said.





Also on Friday, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular news conference that China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to the US lawmakers' reintroduction of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, urging them to give up "vain attempts" to create chaos in Hong Kong.





The act would "require the Secretary of State to issue an annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy to justify special treatment afforded to Hong Kong by the US Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992", the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said in a news release.





Since Hong Kong's return, the policies of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy have been effectively implemented, and Hong Kong residents have enjoyed rights and freedoms that are fully guaranteed according to law, Geng said.





"This is an objective fact that anyone without prejudice will acknowledge," he said.





Hong Kong's prosperity and stability is in line with the interests of the US, one of Hong Kong's major trade partners, Geng pointed out.





"Creating chaos in Hong Kong will do the US no good at all," the spokesman said.





Geng urged relevant people on the US side to respect basic facts, give up their "arrogance and bias" as well as their attempts to intervene in Hong Kong, and do more to help China-US mutual trust and cooperation.





Calling Western criticism of Hong Kong's extradition law amendments irresponsible, Geng said China is determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and it doesn't fear any threats or intimidation.





Any attempt to bring disorder to the special administrative region will face objection from all Chinese people, including Hong Kong residents, and fail, he said.The Prime Ministers latest attempt to break the Brexit deadlock has been branded as desperate, dangerous and a gamble too far as Britains national newspapers give their verdicts on her 10-point compromise plan.

The Daily Telegraph is particularly scathing in its assessment of Theresa Mays efforts, and runs with the headline: Desperate, deluded, doomed.

In its leader, the paper calls her plan a sell-out, warning that it could be the PMs most catastrophic U-turn.

After years of insisting that a second referendum is wrong, she told a press conference yesterday that if Remainers want one, they just have to vote for her agreement. One can almost hear the sound of the Conservative vote collapsing across the country, not that it has very far left to fall, it says.

The paper also attacks Mrs May for making the Brexit mess a hundred times worse, and says mainstream politics has fractured as a consequence of (her) inability to lead.

Never has a last-ditch effort to secure a legacy done such damage to a political party, the country and a prime ministers own reputation, it concludes.

Theresa May has set out a 10-point compromise plan in an attempt to break the Brexit impasse (Toby Melville/PA)

The Sun takes a similar tone and says the offer of a vote on a second referendum amounts to political suicide.

Tomorrow's front page: Theresa May faces a new coup after a gamble to force through her Brexit deal by offering Remainers a second referendum backfired spectacularly https://t.co/TFI1RGgdYp pic.twitter.com/HyEJZRw59F  The Sun (@TheSun) May 21, 2019

It criticises her for caving to Labour demands and warns that her plan is a gift to Nigel Farages Brexit Party ahead of the European elections.

We respect that Mrs May, in the dying days of her disastrous rule and with no majority, tried to unite MPs around a compromise. But by tossing baubles at entrenched and utterly opposed sides she has simply alienated them all, it writes.

The Times says the PMs new deal has tried to offer something for everyone but has convinced no one, and describes it as a desperate final roll of the dice that may have served only to hasten her departure.

The paper writes: Mrs Mays problem remains the same as it has always been: that her deal offers no clarity on what the future relationship with the EU would be like, leaving both sides fearing the worst.

Even the Daily Mail  which says it has been the PMs staunchest ally through the Brexit process  is less than convinced by her latest plan.

In its leader, the paper calls the deal at best high risk and at worst a dangerous compromise.

In reality, the chance of her deal succeeding is minuscule, it warns.

Despite praising Mrs May for her admirable dedication, the paper adds: The Mail reluctantly concludes this is a gamble too far.

The Daily Express, which has also supported the PM, predicts she is heading for another crushing defeat.

If you heard a giant crash yesterday afternoon, that was the sound of Theresa May throwing the kitchen sink in her last-ditch efforts to secure a Brexit deal, it writes.Top Trump administration officials have told Congress that recent actions by the US in response to the situation in Iran have deterred attacks on American forces.

After a day of closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said their objective over recent days has been to deter Iran and now they want to prevent further escalation.

Were not about going to war, Mr Shanahan told reporters.

Our biggest focus at this point is to prevent Iranian miscalculation, said Mr Shanahan, flanked by Mr Pompeo, after back-to-back briefings for the House and Senate.

We do not want the situation to escalate.

ActingUS defence secretary Patrick Shanahan (Patrick Semansky/AP)

The officials arrived on Capitol Hill as questions mounted over President Donald Trumps tough talk on Iran and sudden policy shifts in the region.

Sceptical Democrats sought out a second opinion, holding their own briefing with former Obama administration officials, former CIA director John Brennan and Wendy Sherman, an architect of the Iran nuclear deal.

The competing closed-door sessions on Tuesday came after weeks of escalating tensions that raised alarms over a possible military confrontation with Iran.

Mr Trump, veering between bombast and conciliation in his quest to contain Iran, threatened on Monday to meet provocations by Iran with great force, but he also said he was willing to negotiate.

The results of the meetings on Tuesday were mixed, with views settling largely along partisan lines.

Senator Mitt Romney said the action taken by the Trump administration is totally appropriate and sends a message that if you attack our people, there will be a response.

Mr Romney characterised it as defensive in nature and meant to deter Iran from malign actions.

Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego, a veteran of the Iraq War, left the classified House briefing, saying: What I heard in there makes it clear that this administration feels that they do not have to come back and talk to Congress in regards to any action they do in Iran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Capitol Hill in Washington (Patrick Semansky/AP)

Democrats are particularly concerned the Trump administration may try to rely on nearly 20-year-old war authorisations rather than seek fresh approval from Congress for any action.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he told Mr Pompeo and the others their consultation with Congress has been inadequate.

Mr Shananan said he and the others heard that message and vowed to better communicate with lawmakers and the public.

In recent weeks, the US sent an aircraft carrier strike group, four bomber aircraft and other assets to the region, and is moving a Patriot missile battery to an undisclosed country in the area.

The Trump administration has evacuated non-essential personnel from Iraq, amid unspecified threats the administration says are linked to Iran.

Mr Shanahan said the recent US actions in the region were based on credible threats to US forces and interests in the Middle East.

We have deterred attacks based on our repositioning of assets, deterred attacks against American forces, he said.

Top Democrats say Mr Trump escalated problems by abruptly withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal, a complex accord negotiated during the Obama administration to prevent Iran from nuclear weapons production.

I have yet to see any exhibited strategy, said Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer.

Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, said, What Im interested in more right now is what the administrations strategy is  if they have one  to keep us out of war.

Republicans and Mr Trumps allies in Congress said the threats from Iran are real.

Going to the Hill shortly to have a serious discussion with lawmakers about 40 years of unprovoked aggression from the Iranian regime and to explain the prudent steps were taking to deter violence, protect American interests, and support the brave Iranian people.  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 21, 2019

The US military appears to have concluded that Iran was behind the reported attack on May 12 on four commercial vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

A US official said on Monday a probe into the attack was finished and evidence still pointed at Iran, although the official did not provide details.

On Sunday, a rocket landed near the US Embassy in the Green Zone of Iraqs capital of Baghdad, days after non-essential US staff were ordered to evacuate from diplomatic posts in the country. No one was reported injured.

Defence officials said no additional Iranian threats or incidents had emerged in the days since the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier battle group arrived in the Arabian Sea late last week.

Iran, meanwhile, announced that it has quadrupled its uranium-enrichment production capacity.

Officials said it remains set to the limits of a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, making it usable for a power plant but far below what is needed for an atomic weapon.

Tehran long has insisted it does not seek nuclear weapons, although the West fears its programme could allow it to build them.Murtaja Qureiris locked in pre-trial detention in 2014 over Arab Spring protest

Was facing death penalty for leading protesting children when he was aged 10

Court has now sentenced him to 12 years in jail, meaning he won't be executed

He could be freed as soon as 2022 due to time he has served since his arrest

Murtaja Qureiris in an undated photo. Today, at age 18, he is facing the death penalty for taking part in public protests

A Saudi teenager who was facing the death penalty after being arrested aged 13 will not be executed and could be freed within three years, the Arab kingdom has said.

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Murtaja Qureiris, now 18, had been sitting in pre-trial detention since his arrest in 2014 for taking part in the Arab Spring protests three years before.

But he has now been sentenced to 12 years in jail - with time served since his arrest deducted - with an additional four years which was suspended because of his young age, a Saudi official told Reuters.

It follows international outcry from governments and human rights groups at the possibility he might be executed.

The sentence means Qureiris, who comes from the Kingdom's minority Shiite Islam sect, could be free as soon as 2022.

'He will not be executed,' the official added. The sentence is subject to appeal.

Rights groups including Amnesty International reported this month that the Saudi public prosecutor had sought the death penalty for Qureiris for a series of offences, some of which they said date back to when he was just 10 years old.

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Riyadh has come under mounting international scrutiny over its human rights record since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last October and the detention of women's rights activists who are still on trial.

Austria's government said on Wednesday it planned to shut a Saudi-funded centre for religious dialogue in Vienna after parliament urged it to try to prevent Qureiris' possible execution.

In April, the Sunni-ruled kingdom beheaded 37 men for terrorism crimes. The U.N. human rights chief said most of them were Shi'ites who may not have had fair trials and at least three were minors when sentenced.

Crowds gathered outside the party headquarters of the Constitutional Democratic Rally in Tunisia - where the Arab Spring protests first began. Murtaja Qureiris regularly attended similar protests in Saudi Arabia when he was a young boy

Amnesty said in a statement on its website earlier this month that Qureiris was held in solitary confinement upon detention and subjected to beatings and intimidation during his interrogation.

The Saudi authorities deny torture allegations and say they do not have political prisoners.

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The Shiite-majority Eastern Province, where Qureiris is from, became a focal point of unrest in early 2011 with demonstrations calling for an end to discrimination and for reforms in the conservative monarchy.

Saudi Arabia denies any discrimination against Shiites, and has said some protests and attacks by Shiite demonstrators were instigated by Riyadhs arch-rival Tehran, though local activists say this is not true.

Fears of confrontation in the region have risen after attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, which the United States blamed on Iran.

Tehran has denied any role in the strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil.

The Saudi official said Qureiris had manufactured and used Molotov cocktails in a series of attacks against police and a pharmacy in which he also used firearms, after being recruited by a terrorist cell.

The official said another attack in which Qureiris participated had targeted a German diplomatic vehicle in Qatif region in January 2014.

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Nobody was hurt in that incident but the car caught fire.The terror attack in Anantnag on June 12  claimed by al Umar Mujahideen, a terror organisation based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir  has blown to bits all talk of Pakistan finally starting to shut down the jihad factory thriving in that country with state sanction and operating with complete impunity.

An entirely specious argument was being flogged in India that Pakistan needed to be given its due now that "it has begun to take action against India-focused terror groups and freeze their assets". But the Anantnag attack has made it as clear as day that Pakistan has absolutely no intention of turning off the tap of terror. It might regulate it, even reduce the flow of terror, but will not shut the tap, not until it is left with no choice but to do so  and that time is a long way off.

They did it. Again: The Anantnag attack exposed Pakistan's lies on 'a crackdown on terror'. (Photo: Reuters)

The al Umar Mujahideen is led by Mushtaq Zargar  one of the three terrorists released by India following the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft to Kandahar way back in 1999.

Ever since, Zargar aka Latram has been living in Pakistan-controlled territory. Although he was always a bit player in the terrorism that has been fostered on Kashmir, the fact that he is a Kashmiri makes him a useful asset for his Pakistani masters. Whenever things start to get tight for Pakistani jihadist terror groups, the standard operating procedure is to put forward a Kashmiri face and then claim before the world that the violence and terrorism being wreaked in Kashmir is an "indigenous freedom struggle".

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the so-called Kashmiri terror groups, like JKLF and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), to name just two of a menagerie of jihadist outfits operating from inside Pakistan controlled areas of the state, had their backs broken by Indian security forces. At that time, the Pakistan-based groups, like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and smaller groups like Al Badr, did the kinetic operations but allowed HM, etc., to take the credit.

Something similar is happening now.

Surfacing after Kandahar: The Mushtaq Zargar-led al Umar Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the Anantnag attack. (Photo: Aaj Tak)

There is enormous heat on groups like LeT and JeM  any jihadist action by them brings opprobrium on Pakistan. Worse, it severely damages the narrative that Pakistan is trying to peddle on Kashmir  indigenous, freedom struggle, fight against an occupation army, what have you. But turning off the tap of terrorism is also not an option for the Pakistanis. For one, it will mean accepting yet another humiliating defeat at the hands of India, this time in a war of attrition. But, even more importantly, it will mean losing the only leverage Pakistan has on India in Jammu and Kashmir. Once it loses this leverage, Pakistan will have nothing left to either invite the attention of the world on its irredentist 'Kashmir cause' or to try and force India into abandoning Kashmir or even making any territorial concessions to Pakistan to buy peace.

Pakistan must therefore keep the Kashmir pot on the fire.

The endeavour will be to try and calibrate actions in a way that things don't boil over. For the foreseeable future, Pakistan cannot afford a major confrontation with India. This is not just because of its collapsing economy and parlous strategic environment, but also because of an unpredictable and risk-taking person like Narendra Modi calling the shots in India. This is where groups like HM and al Umar Mujahideen come handy.

With LeT and JeM becoming four-letter words, a Kashmiri face gives the Pakistanis plausible deniability  the label is Kashmiri, but the poison is Pakistani. In other words, Latram claims responsibility for an attack even though the attack itself is carried out by Pakistanis belonging to groups like LeT and JeM. The only problem with this strategy is that it isn't fooling anyone anymore. The fact that Latram or the HM chief Syed Salahuddin is based in Pakistan, and plans and directs attacks from Pakistani controlled territory, is enough proof of Pakistan's direct involvement in the export of terrorism into India.

The most interesting dimension of the Anantnag attack is that the Pakistanis are not even trying to hide their fingerprints  surely, the ISI handlers of these terrorists would have known that the moment al Umar claimed responsibility, fingers in India would automatically point to Pakistan. Had they wanted to disassociate themselves from the attack, the responsibility would have been claimed by some obscure organisation existing only on paper. This then brings us to the timing of the Anantnag attack  that it happened on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit couldn't be a coincidence, even less so given that it happened after the big blooper made by someone in the Indian system of seeking a favour from the Pakistanis to allow the Indian PM's plane the right to use Pakistani airspace.

Do not miss the timing: The Anantnag attack happened just around the SCO summit. (Photo: Reuters)

The attack was perhaps prompted by this unseemly and utterly inappropriate request from the Indian side. The real rulers of Pakistan  the men in khaki uniforms  were delivering a message to India, something they always do either before or after an event where the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers are likely to come face to face and perhaps exchange pleasantries or even some words.

The message was to test India by provoking it.

The idea is to see whether India will call off a possible meeting in reaction to a terror attack or will bite the bullet and still go ahead with it.

This is exactly what happened in 2018 when Sushma Swaraj's meeting with her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly was called off at the last minute because of a terror attack. And it has happened plenty of times in the past.

The lesson should be clear for India  stick to the new policy that the Modi government seems to have started forging after the surgical strikes on 2016. The sort of flip-flops that have become characteristic of India's Pakistan policy need to be consigned to the rubbish bin. Even this time, an attempt was made when unnamed officials started handing out certificates of good behaviour to Pakistan on the issue of terrorism. This was a clumsy attempt to create conditions that would make the optics of Modi engaging Imran Khan more palatable to the Indian public. The result of this myopic and mindless effort at diplomacy was the Anantnag attack, through which the Pakistanis were testing the waters.

Modi's rebuff  not using Pakistani airspace and refusing to indulge even in diplomatic niceties with Imran Khan, and making short shrift of the Chinese attempts to intercede on behalf of their concubine state  was the correct response.

No more talks: Narendra Modi's strong rebuffs to Pakistan have to remain consistent. (Photo: Twitter/@MEAIndia)

But things should never be allowed to come to this pass in the future. The Indian policy making establishment should be extremely careful of the messages and signals they send. Any sign of weakness  yes, even the slightest indication of India softening its stand on engaging Pakistan is seen as a sign of weakness and/or loss of stamina on India's part to stay the course  will invariably be exploited by Pakistan and the manifestation of that will be Anantnag-type of attacks. This isn't to say that terrorism will cease if India sticks to a tough approach; only that if there is no letting up from India's side, not just in kinetic operations but also perceptually, Pakistanis will constantly be second-guessing how India will react, and that gives India an advantage, at least at the tactical level.

For the foreseeable future, Pakistan will remain a constant factor in Kashmir. But its nuisance value will be a variable that will depend critically on how India raises the costs and risks for Pakistan. It is this that India must now focus on  rather than indulge in the utterly futile and facile efforts to have a dialogue with the enemy.

Also read: Delimitation of Kashmir Explained: What a plan to re-draw the state's constituencies can meanThe vision of a naya (new) Pakistan, enunciated by Prime Minister Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, faces seemingly insurmountable challenges. The PTI government inherited poor relations with India, continuing conflict along the Af-Pak border, intractable internal security challenges, a failing economy with a huge external debt and a steady souring of relations with the US.

It also faces the possibility of a dent in its relations with China.

By accommodating and promoting the geostrategic interests of China and the United States in Southern Asia over several decades, Pakistan made itself virtually indispensable to both. However, the Trump administration is unwilling to countenance the Pakistan armys doublespeak and has drastically curtailed military aid. And, in a bear hug which the Pakistanis did not see coming, China has entangled the country in a web of debt through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China intends to make CPEC the flagship project of its ambitious belt and road initiative (BRI) for the geopolitical and economic domination of Asia.

Pakistan-China relations and the CPEC

The China-Pakistan relationship  called an all-weather friendship  has been variously described as higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, stronger than steel and sweeter than honey. China has provided nuclear warhead technology and ballistic missiles to Pakistan. The two countries also have a close relationship in jointly manufacturing military hardware, including fighter aircraft and main battle tanks. Pakistans support has been a major factor in Chinas quest for the strategic encirclement of India  the relations between the two have deepened further with the CPEC beginning to take shape, even though apprehensions are emerging regarding the feasibility and likely benefits of the project.

All-weather friendship: Pakistan and China's relations have deepened since the CPEC. But for how long will this last? (Photo: Reuters)

Passing through disputed territory in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the $62 billion CPEC project will link Xingjian Province of China with Gwadar port on the Makran Coast, west of Karachi. However, doubts have been expressed regarding the economic viability of using Gwadar as a warm water port by mainland China. Funds for this ambitious project will be provided by China both through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and by way of direct government-to-government soft loans.

To help China to recover its capital investment in the Gwadar port complex, for example, it will get 91% share of the revenue from the operations of the port and the terminal, and 85% of the revenue generated by the free zone.

Under this arrangement, though the port is expected to handle one million tonnes of cargo annually, the impression in Pakistan is that benefits will accrue mainly to the Chinese  also, there are misgivings within Pakistan regarding the debt trap that the huge investment in CPEC will result in. The Pakistani elite are no doubt watching the disaster that the developments in Hambantota Port and international airport have been for Sri Lanka. (China has taken over de facto possession of the port and the airport at Hambantota as Sri Lanka is unable to repay its debt).

Resentment against CPEC in Balochistan

Balochistan is Pakistans largest province  but has the lowest population (13 million) and is the least developed. The Baloch people never quite accepted the forcible merger of their province with Pakistan soon after independence from the British in 1947. Since then, there have been several uprisings in Balochistan. The current struggle of the Baloch people against Pakistani subjugation dates back to 2005. The ethnic Baloch people say they have been marginalised by the government and deprived of their rights. For over six decades, Pakistan has extensively exploited the rich mineral resources of Balochistan. The government of Pakistan does not pay them any royalty or give them what they consider their due share of the revenues generated from the mines.

Due to the lack of transmission lines, electricity supply to Balochistan is the lowest of all the provinces.

The Baloch Insurgency: The Baloch are in no mood to give up their resources for the enrichment of China. (Photo: Reuters)

China is also extremely concerned about the safety and security of its workers engaged in construction work in the CPEC projects. Accepting responsibility for an attack on construction workers near Gwadar in which 10 labourers died in May 2017, Jeander Baloch, the BLA spokesperson, said in a statement, "This conspiratorial plan (CPEC) is not acceptable to the Baloch people under any circumstances." Baloch independence movements have made it clear several times that they will not abandon their people's future in the name of development projects or even democracy. Chinese workers have also been targeted. Three Chinese workers were injured in an attack in Baluchistan on August 11, 2018.

Though Pakistan is raising a Special Security Division comprising approximately 15,000 personnel to provide security for the CPEC against terrorist attacks, the construction of a dam by the Chinese in Gilgit-Baltistan has shown that eventually PLA soldiers are inducted for this purpose  the presence of PLA personnel in Pakistan in large numbers will further vitiate the security environment in South Asia.

Pressure on Pakistan to act against the Taliban

US and Pakistani interests coincided during the war against communism and Pakistan was invited to join both the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and The Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). Pakistan was instrumental in facilitating the initial approach in Americas policy to open up to China. The US has been a major supplier of modern weapons and military equipment to Pakistan including F-16 fighter aircraft. These were provided ostensibly for counter-insurgency operations and to support the Pakistan army to maintain stability against a Jihadi takeover of the country. In the last decades, military aid was also given to encourage Pakistan to act against the Afghan Taliban.

However, Pakistan failed to act decisively.

Talk to the Hand: Under Donald Trump, US aid to Pakistan has gone from $33 billion in 2002 to $150 million in 2018. (Photo: Reuters)

As had been widely anticipated, President Trump put Pakistan on notice for encouraging terrorist organisations to destabilise neighbouring countries. He blamed Pakistan for harbouring safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Trump told Pakistan that it has much to gain from partnering with the US but also warned the country that it has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists.

The US has provided security assistance worth approximately $33 billion to Pakistan since 2002  in the budget for 2018, this has been reduced to $150 million. Most recently, the US has drastically cut the participation of Pakistani officers in training programmes. Also, the US has warned the IMF not to approve a new bailout package Pakistan as new loans will be used to repay Chinese debt.

Estrangement with the US is likely to further propel Pakistan into Chinese arms. Russia too is waiting in the wings to exploit the emerging situation to its advantage. It has begun to provide military equipment to Pakistan and has even offered to train Pakistani officers to fill the gap created by the restrictions imposed by the Pentagon. Iran, which too is facing tougher US sanctions, has invited Pakistan to join hands for the development of Chabahar Port to provide a new route to Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics  a project in which it has a major stake.

Collective security

In Chinas plans for CPEC and hegemony in Asia, Gwadar is an important foothold that is part of its string of pearls strategy for the Indo-Pacific.

If Gwadar Port is converted into a naval base sometime in the future, it will enable the PLA Navy to maintain a permanent presence in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman  both China and Pakistan view the development of Gwadar Port as a win-win situation.

China's dream: Gwadar Port will enable the PLA Navy to maintain a permanent presence in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. (Photo: Reuters)

However, the new challenge posed by China in the Indo-Pacific is unlikely to go uncontested  the US has renamed the Pacific Command as the Indo-Pacific Command. In November 2017, senior officials of Australia, India, Japan and the US, meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in the Philippines, agreed that a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large. This development led to speculation that the idea of a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (also called the Quad) is being revived after a hiatus of ten years.

Though India does not at present favour a formal security arrangement, the Quads discussions for cooperative security are likely to eventually lead to strategic realignment for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

With its growing investment in infrastructure projects in Pakistan and increase in the number of its citizens on Pakistani soil, China will have a greater stake in regional peace and stability and could, if it so desired, play a positive role to help resolve a future crisis  however, in view of its recent track record in the South China Sea, its handling of the dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and its failure to intervene effectively to curtail North Koreas nuclear ambitions, it is doubtful whether China will actually do so.

Also read: A Very Tight Spot: India faces a huge security challenge with the possibility of a two-front conflictBank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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 2022 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.

Read More Flash

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to face an extradition hearing in February next year to decide whether he should be sent to the U.S., local media reported Friday.





According to British newspaper The Guardian, Emma Arbuthnot, the chief magistrate at Westminster magistrates court, ordered on Friday that a full extradition hearing should begin on Feb. 25, which would last for 5 days.





British Home Secretary Sajid Javid told BBC's Today Program on Thursday that he has signed a U.S. request for the extradition.





Australian-born Assange, 47, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge. He was initially accused of violating the U.S. Espionage Act.





He was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail in May for breaching the Bail Act in Britain after having been expelled from Ecuador's Embassy in London, where he was granted refuge in 2012 while on bail in Britain over sexual assault allegations against him in Sweden.





Assange has said that he does not consent to being extradited to the U.S. over charges related to leaking government secrets.The Hershey Co. engages in the manufacture and market of chocolate and sugar confectionery products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: North America; and International and Other. The North America segment is responsible for the traditional chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery market position of the company, as well as its grocery and snacks market positions, in the United States and Canada. The International and Other segment is the combination of all other operating segments which are not individually material, including those geographic regions where the company operates outside of North America. Its brands include Hershey's, Reese's, and Kisses. The company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 and is headquartered in Hershey, PA.

Read More11 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Hugo Boss in the last twelve months. There are currently 6 hold ratings and 5 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "hold" Hugo Boss stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in BOSS, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

View analyst ratings for Hugo Boss or view top-rated stocks.At Landsec, we strive to connect communities, realise potential and deliver sustainable places. As one of the largest real estate companies in Europe, our A11.8 billion portfolio spans 24 million sq ft (as at 30 September 2020) of well-connected retail, leisure, workspace and residential hubs. From the iconic Piccadilly Lights in the West End and the regeneration of London's Victoria, to the creation of retail destinations at Westgate Oxford and Trinity Leeds, we own and manage some of the most successful and memorable real estate in the UK. We aim to lead our industry in critical long-term issues A- from diversity and community employment, to carbon reduction and climate resilience. We deliver value for our shareholders, great experiences for our customers and positive change for our communities.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. 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Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.Nuveen Intermediate Duration Quality Municipal Term Fund is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests into public fixed income markets of the United States. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies that are operating across diversified sectors. It primarily invests in municipal securities that are exempt from federal income taxes, and seeks to maintain a portfolio with an intermediate effective duration of between 3 and 10 years, including the effects of leverage. The fund invests at least 80% of its managed assets in municipal securities rated investment grade i.e. Baa/BBB or at the time of investment. It employs fundamental analysis, with focus on bottom-up approach to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P Municipal Bond Intermediate Index and a composite index comprising 50% of S&P Municipal Bond Intermediate Index and 50% of the S&P Municipal Bond High Yield Index. Nuveen Intermediate Duration Quality Municipal Term Fund was founded on February 7,2012 and is domiciled in the United States.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Friday for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and a state visit to Tajikistan.





Xi was warmly received by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the airport.





The two heads of state had a cordial talk. Xi thanked Rahmon for meeting him in person at the airport and conveyed to the Tajik government and people sincere greetings on behalf of the Chinese government and people.





As good neighbours, friends and brothers, China and Tajikistan have maintained sound and steady development in relations ever since they forged diplomatic ties 27 years ago, he said.





Xi said he and Rahmon decided to establish the China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017, which has ushered bilateral relations into a new phase of rapid development.





"My visit this time aims to push bilateral ties to an even higher level," he said. "I look forward to having in-depth communication with my old friend President Rahmon, and jointly outlining the beautiful blueprint of China-Tajikistan relations."





He pledged China's willingness to work with Tajikistan to further promote bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields to bring more benefits to both peoples.





The Dushanbe summit bears great significance to the development of the CICA, where all sides will discuss the mechanism's future development and decide on priorities for cooperation, Xi said, praising Tajikistan's efforts in preparing for the event and expressing belief in its success.





Recalling Xi's visit to Tajikistan five years ago, Rahmon extended a warm welcome to the Chinese leader for the state visit and his participation in the CICA summit.





Rahmon wished the visit a complete success and better and faster development of bilateral ties.





Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.There is not enough analysis data for PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III.

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NextInvesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF's stock was trading at $25.82 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, PCY stock has increased by 2.1% and is now trading at $26.35.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Friday, urging the two countries to foster a closer community with a shared future against complicated regional and international situations.







Meeting Khan on the sidelines of the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Xi noted that it has been his third meeting with the Pakistani prime minister in the past eight months.





This, he said, fully demonstrates the high level of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.





He called on the two countries to carry out closer coordination and cooperation.





Stressing that the two sides should well maintain, consolidate, and develop their all-weather partnership and all-dimensional cooperation, Xi said that China and Pakistan should carry out in-depth communication on issues of common concern, so as to make joint efforts to safeguard regional and international security and stability.





China and Pakistan should expand and enrich the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with new focus on areas including industrial parks, agriculture and social welfare, Xi said.





Xi also called on the two countries to take the upgrade of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement as an opportunity to vigorously expand bilateral trade.





China is willing to help Pakistan within its capabilities, Xi said, adding that China supports Pakistan in implementing its national counter-terrorism plan to the end and is ready to help the country strengthen its counter-terrorism capacity.





China also supports Pakistan and India in improving their relations, Xi said.





Noting that China is Pakistan's all-weather strategic cooperative partner, Khan said his country appreciates China's valuable support and assistance and applauds China's active role in promoting international and regional peace and security.





Pakistan, Khan said, is committed to deepening its strategic relationship with China, and will firmly advance the construction of the CPEC, adding that his country will take effective measures to ensure security for the project.



Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF's stock was trading at $46.36 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, VGK stock has increased by 47.2% and is now trading at $68.24.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Area rates of serious crime remain similar or slightly lower than 2017 numbers, according to an annual crime analysis report by Virginia State Police released Friday.

The data reflect offenses reported to the state by individual agencies across Virginia in 2018. According to the report, rates for most types of crime decreased across the state from 2017 to 2018, though reports of forcible sex offenses, motor vehicle theft and drug offenses increased. Crimes against the person  which include assault, rape, murder and other such offenses  occurred roughly every six minutes in 2018, for a total of 89,701 offenses.

Homicides declined from 2017 rates in Central Virginia, according to the report. The Charlottesville Police Department and authorities in Albemarle, Nelson, Buckingham and Orange counties each reported one homicide.

In March, Cardian Eubanks was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2018 shooting death of his estranged fiancee, Amanda Bates. The murder occurred at Bates fathers home in Albemarle.ROANOKE  U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross credited the Trump administrations America-first economic policies for new jobs and low unemployment rates across the country, including Virginia.

While visiting the Roanoke Valley on Friday, he did acknowledge that the benefits have not been evenly distributed in some parts of this region.

The national unemployment rate is 3.6%  the lowest in nearly 50 years. Virginias stands at 2.9%. In some parts of the economically struggling areas of Southwest and Southside, the unemployment rates are 4% to 5%. The Roanoke regions unemployment rate is 2.5%.

What I did notice when I went around last evening was quite a few empty storefronts, so theres obviously lot more repair thats needed, Ross said.

Ross spoke to about 20 business leaders  in sectors including banking, manufacturing and construction  about the new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, which is still awaiting approval from Congress. The discussion portion of the meeting was closed to the media.The photographs initially were shared on Snapchat before being uploaded to Facebook on Feb. 5 by a parent of a Jefferson Forest High School student. Dozens of residents attended meetings of the Bedford County School Board following the incident to express their opinions on how the division should address the issue. Some urged board members and administrators to revise the school divisions dress and conduct code to include a ban on racially offensive images like the Confederate flag. Others opposed the ban, with some wearing clothing that displayed a Confederate flag, and others expressing concerns that a ban would violate the First Amendment rights of students.

"The complaint was about the Confederate flag incident," Braswell said. "But the problem is all over Bedford County."

Bedford County Public Schools spokesman Ryan Edwards said division officials could not comment on the issue.

In response to the incident, division officials recommended changes to the school system's Student Conduct Code for the 2019-20 school year, with an emphasis on the dress code.HOJA BLANCA, Guatemala  From his wooden hut in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, Rodrigo Carrillo can see the product of his life savings: A vast green sea of coffee plants, sprouting red berries like tiny Christmas ornaments.

Those plants once seemed a life-changing investment. Carrillo joined a cooperative that sells beans to Starbucks and several certified fair-trade organizations. In Guatemalas fertile highlands, there was no faster way out of poverty than to supply American coffee drinkers.

But in recent years, the price of coffee has crashed, leaving Carrillo, 48, with a choice to make.

Last month, he pulled out a wrinkled map of the U.S.-Mexico border and pointed to the spot on the edge of Arizona where he plans to cross with his 5-year-old son.

Im leaving in 11 days, he said. Theres no money in coffee anymore.Credit: Brian Bowen Smith311 has released a new song called "What The?!", a track from the band's upcoming album, Voyager. The tune, which finds 311 in "full jam band mode," is available now for digital download.

"This one is super fun to play live with lots of tasty riffs from the mind of [guitarist] Tim Mahoney," says frontman Nick Hexum. "He does some ripping soloing in this one."

"Lyrically, it's a grab-bag of random stream-of-conscience ,mostly from [vocalist/DJ Doug] "SA" [Martinez]," he adds. "It's about navigating life's travails to find the sweet stuff. Looking forward to playing this one under the stars!"

"What The?!" follows the previously released Voyager songs "Don't You Worry," "Good Feeling" and "Crossfire." The whole album arrives July 12.

311 will launch a U.S. tour in support of Voyager alongside Dirty Heads July 2 in Dayton, Ohio.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.(Xinhua photo)

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday accused Iran of being behind the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman one day before, citing a video released by the U.S. military.

Two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday morning, with at least one of them operated by a Japanese company.

"Iran did do it and you know they did do it because you saw the boat," Trump said in an interview with Fox News, referring to the video released by the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM).

"They didn't want the evidence left behind...It was them that did it," Trump noted, adding that "we don't take it lightly."

USCENTCOM released a video late Thursday which it claimed showed Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers (Kokuka Courageous) shortly after the attack.

"At 4:10 p.m. local time an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat approached the M/T Kokuka Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous," USCENTCOM spokesperson Bill Urban said in a statement.

The statement noted that the United States has no interest in a new conflict in the Middle East, while stressing that "the U.S. and our partners in the region will take all necessary measures to defend ourselves and our interests."

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, which Tehran denied.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday responded on his Twitter, saying that the United States immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran was a plan to use sabotage diplomacy to cover up its economic terrorism against Iran.

The attacks came amid Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Iran, which was the first visit made by a Japanese prime minister since Takeo Fukuda in 1978.

The rare visit aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, told Abe on Thursday that it was meaningless to exchange message with Trump, according to Iranian state media.

"While I very much appreciate P.M. Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!" Trump tweeted on Thursday.

Trump on Friday thanked Abe again for his effort to facilitate communication with Iran during their phone conversation, according to a statement issued by the White House.

"Diplomatic efforts by allies are necessary to dial down the tension, but they can't resolve it as long as Washington relies on an all-or-nothing approach," said an article of Foreign Policy, citing Ali Vaez, a senior Iran analyst and the Iran Project director for the International Crisis Group.

"If Iran is behind these attacks, it clearly shows that a U.S. policy relying solely on coercion can backfire," said Vaez.

Over the recent weeks, Washington has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran with a series of sanctions, designations and military threats, trying to press Iran back to negotiations after U.S. exit from the landmark Iran nuclear deal over a year ago.

Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran would not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats or sanction pressures.

In May, four commercial vessels suffered similar sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.In addition to its central function of highlighting commodities and opportunities for trade and investment, the ongoing South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair has proved to be a comprehensive platform for exchanges in many areas.

The expo consists of 14 events covering areas such as government dialogues, economics, education, culture and arts.

On June 10, two days before the opening of the expo, officials from governments of South Asia and regions beyond met in the city of Yuxi in Yunnan province for the second China-South Asia Cooperation Forum to discuss plans for a better future and regional cooperation.

In addition to attendees from China and South Asia, officials from Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region, Europe and Oceania, as well as international organizations, took part in the forum.

They discussed issues relating to trade and investment, poverty, culture and media.

Ruan Chengfa, governor of Yunnan province, delivered a speech saying that Yunnan is a gateway for China-South Asia cooperation because of its connectivity and deep economic and cultural links with the region.

He added Yunnan has deepened and extended cooperation with South Asia in governmental dialogues, trade, investment and culture.

"Since the first forum held in June last year, new achievements have been made in cooperation between Yunnan and South Asian countries," the governor said. He added regional government cooperation will greatly contribute to cooperation at the state government level.

Yunnan is preparing to establish organizations to implement the action plans and agreements reached at the first and second forum, including a secretariat and liaison office.

Other governmental dialogues during the expo include the 2019 Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Corridor Governors Forum on June 10 in Kunming and the 13th Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Regional Cooperation Forum on June 11 in Yuxi.

The 14th China-South Asia Business Forum and the third China-Southeast Asia Business Forum are major forums for business cooperation.

The 14th China-South Asia Business Forum on June 12 in Kunming saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding for building a joint database for business cooperation among trade associations in Yunnan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Bhutan.

Chen Zhou, deputy chief of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, which is one of the sponsors of the forum, said the organization is willing to contribute toward cooperation between China and South Asia.

He called for new measures to tap the potential for trade growth, develop innovative trade patterns in e-commerce and promote international capacity cooperation to allow more South Asian companies to access cost-effective and high-quality Chinese technologies and equipment.

The 14 activities of the South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair also include an educational cooperation forum, the China-South and Southeast Asia Think Tank Forum and an arts week for people-to-people exchanges in the areas of education, culture and arts.

(China Daily 06/15/2019 page6)We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to formI write this article on June 14, the first anniversary of the murder of Shujaat Bukhari. One of Kashmirs most famous journalists, Bukhari was founder of the newspaper Rising Kashmir and passionate campaigner for peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

It is only a few weeks since India re-elected Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, giving his party and alliance a whopping 350+ seats in Parliament. Shujaat would have published a series of articles by this time, urging the Modi administration in its second term to recalibrate its Kashmir strategy.

Prime Minister Modis first term was marked by a rising graph of militancy and counterinsurgency, the fall of the BJP-PDP alliance and the imposition of Presidents rule, controversial issues such as the repeal of Articles 370 and 35 A protecting Kashmirs special status, and the absence of talks with either dissidents such as the Hurriyat Conference or Pakistan.

There have been daily security-militant face-offs since Mr Modis swearing-in as prime minister for the second time. At least two dozen people have died in three weeks, including members of the CRPF, who have become the most vulnerable of the security forces facing insurgency in Kashmir.

We have a new home minister in the second Modi administration, his most trusted colleague Amit Shah.

Shah was home minister in Gujarat when Modi was Chief Minister, and is a known hardliner on Kashmir. His election speeches in Jammu bode ill for any resumption of a peace process, but election speeches do not signify much. Nevertheless, his track record gives no reason to believe that he will handle Kashmir empathetically. The comparison between the periods 2008-13 and 2013-18 is stark. Despite the horrors of 2010, when stoning protests swept the valley and 120 were killed in police response, 2008-13 were years when militancy fell to an all-time low and hopes for a peace process remained strong.

By contrast, militancy has risen sharply over the past few years, and few in the valley believe that a peace process is possible. Most fear that efforts to repeal 370 and 35 A will grow in strength, as will the so-called muscular strategy of the Modi administration, which has thus far been notable only for its ineptitude.

Indeed, a new fear has risen in the valley, prompted by the Jammu BJPs call for further delimitation of constituencies prior to holding the state assembly elections, which are yet to be announced though it is close to a year since Jammu and Kashmir has had an elected government.

The extension of Governors rule for another six months, starting this July, lends credence to fears that the time will be used to gerrymander. In 2002, the states legislative assembly froze the creation of new Constituencies to after 2026.

Overturning the freeze by Governors recommendation may be Constitutionally acceptable, but it would  once again  violate the powers of the Assembly and reinforce communal polarisation between Jammu and the valley.

This is not to say no to further delimitation. When the 2021 Census is held, population increases in the state might make the creation of new constituencies necessary. But a credible Census is only possible if a considerable measure of peace has been restored to the state since a situation of violence leads to distorted reporting, as the 2011 Census indicated.

Militancy in the valley has been fuelled both by the Modi administrations counterinsurgency policy and by floater attempts at political fiat. Previous Union administrations  whether of Vajpayee or Manmohan Singh  accepted that even desirable changes, such as more panchayat powers or extension of SC/ST Constitutional provisions to Jammu and Kashmir, could only be achieved through consensus with members of the state legislature. By contrast, under Mr Modi the latter was imposed by the Governors order.

The one point that emerges loud and clear from the past 19 years of seesaw in Jammu and Kashmir is that peacemaking has to be a priority. The records of the Vajpayee and Singh administrations underline that the one strategy that worked combined political and security reforms. 2004-2009 saw a decline in violence and negotiations for a resolution that most if not all stakeholders could accept, comprising talks with Pakistan as well as the Hurriyat, security reforms such as attempts to include human rights protection in standard operating procedure, restriction of cordon and search operations and a strengthened three-tier security grid, and peace dividend incentives such as cross-LOC trade and travel.

Each of these elements is in tatters today. There are no talks with Pakistan and the Hurriyat are now labeled terrorist supporters. Most of the security reforms directed at winning hearts and minds have been abandoned. The three-tier grid appears to have collapsed back into one. Our security forces, especially the CRPF, are back in the line of fire without adequate protective equipment. Peace dividend incentives have receded into the distant future.

There are a number of steps that the second Modi administration can take to remedy the damage. Despite the kutty diplomacy at Bishkek, Prime Minister Modi could tacitly sanction back-channel exploration of the steps Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is willing to take towards talks. Instead of arresting Hurriyat leaders and reviving 10 and even 15-year old cases against dissidents, Home Minister Shah could empower interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma to sound them out on a peace process.

Instead of a security policy focused solely on killing militants, he could adopt a smart security strategy targeting financial and arms flows to militancy. Instead of turning a blind eye to political provocation by members of their party and supporters, Modi and Shah could oppose calls for repeal of 370 and 35 A, or delimitation under Governors rule.

Most important of all, they could ensure Assembly elections in October-November, ensuring an end to Governors rule.

Will the Prime Minister and his Home Minister take these steps? I would be surprised, but most happily so. So would Shujaat.

(The commentator is a writer and policy analyst. She was a member of the former Group of Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir and author of Paradise at War)Salman Khan being Salman Khan, it surprised no one that he kept taking continuous potshots at Priyanka Chopra for opting out of Bharat at the eleventh hour.

All through his nasty tirade Priyanka kept quiet, not saying a word in retaliation. But now at the wrap-up party for her last Bollywood project The Sky Is Pink she spoke about how she voluntarily chose not to do a big Bollywood blockbuster with songs and dances.

Priyanka Chopra

While she didnt name Bharat it was evident she was talking about that film, and none other. So what emboldened the otherwise-affable peace-be-onto-all Priyanka to take a swipe at Salman?

Friends say the outburst was on the way for a while. Salman unnecessarily kept bringing up her name. This was not the first time that an actor had turned down a role. Kajol had turned down Hichki. Likewise many actors opt out of films they feel isnt working out for them. And everyone moves on.

But Salman kept harping on the matter. And it really annoyed Priyanka as she had done nothing wrong. Now with Bharat under-performing at the boxoffice she can afford to have the last laugh, says a filmmaker friend of Priyanka.Rating:

Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Rahul Bagga, Rajesh Sharma, Zakir Hussain, Evelyn Sharma

Director: Annant Jaaitpaal

Truth has two sides to it: the one that the world knows, and the other, what the world perceives it as. Whosoever believes in his or her truth relies heavily on his or her instincts. Truth, then, is most often meant to be something in accord with fact or reality, or fidelity to an original or standard, and is the opposite of falsehood. But what essentially is the factual reality? That unfortunately varies from person to person, and even from situation to situation.

This weeks underrated release, Kissebaaz, directed by Annant Jaaitpaal, and starring the ever-dependable Pankaj Tripathi has an interesting source material from where stems out a revenge drama about a man who is caught in a messed up situation, but keeps his audience guessing about his own involvement or disentanglement with the disaster that follows. The best part of the film is its writing that  at least for a major part of the 123-minute film  cant let its audience decide if the one whos pretending to help him is truly a good samaritan or someone who cannot be trusted.

Set in Uttar Pradesh, the film is rooted in the narrow confines of the city of Benaras where criminals and politicians thrive, and their nexus is allowed to fix up several people. Obviously, the law enforcers are either hand-in-glove with them or pretend to look the other way when the powers that be have their way.

In the opening scene, we are introduced to a police officer (Mouli Ganguly) who has nabbed a criminal, Chuttan Shukla (Pankaj Tripathi), and is on her way to prison in a police van when Chuttan requests her to stop for a lunch break. On the deserted highway, where theres not a soul in sight, Chuttan flirts with her and jokingly tells her that she has caught the wrong man, and that the real culprit is at large. Curious, she falls for his wily ways and eggs him on to reveal more. Chuttan then goes on to narrate the story of two ambitious politicians, Kripashankar Shukla (Zakir Hussain) and Shukla (Rajesh Sharma), and how their bloodthirsty ambitions turn into a fierce battle of one-upmanship as Shuklas son is shot dead at a political meeting. Chuttan, who happens to be Sharmas brother-in-law, makes both ends against the middle by manipulating one against the other. Every time, he stage-manages  he gets away with his crafty shrewdness as he pretends to be helping them with a unique scheme.

While the police officer is engrossed in Chuttans story, then enters Harsh (Rahul Bagga) in the narration. Harsh, who is picked up by the goons of both the rival groups one by one, and is mistakenly referred to as Ram Lal, pleads innocence, and even begs to be let off since he is engaged to get married to Naina (Anupriya Goenka). Despite his desperate imploring, he is beaten up black and blue as he tries to escape from their clutches.

Is Harsh a victim of a conspiracy? Or is there more to Chuttans story that implicates an innocent man? Is the police officer buying Chuttans story? The film then adds more twists around the two factions associated with different political groups.

To be fair, the film keeps viewers engaged even as several questions emerge that leave you with more questions than any answers. Harshs torture in the hands of both the rival gangs does seem like a diversion and when Harsh starts singing songs with Naina, the film derails completely. Where it falters is its rather tacky handling of a few scenes and some abrupt editing. With the main character Chuttan played by Tripathi keeping everyone guessing about his real motive, you will find a reason to hang on to your seat, but perhaps, Jaaitpaal needs more seasoned deftness to accomplish the ripeness needed for such a story. You do feel that he has bitten off more than he could chew.

Watch it if you must, for Pankaj Tripathi!The saga of on-set injuries continues as after Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and Nani, Naga Shaurya has now met with an injury on the sets of his forthcoming film, Ashwatthama.

While filming an action sequence in Vizag, the actor sustained a major injury to his knee and was rushed immediately to the hospital. Doctors have advised the actor to rest for a month for complete recovery.

Its a serious injury, and we are afraid Shaurya is going to have to follow the doctors advise and rest for a month before resuming shooting, a source close to the unit informed. On that note, director Ramana Teja, and the rest of the unit are returning to Hyderabad for the time being.Actress Tara Alisha Berry, who made her acting debut in Tollywood with films like 100% Love and Money Money More Money in 2011, is now staging a comeback with the web series, Baby on Board, that is being directed by Chuniya of Padesave fame.

I have always looked forward to returning to Telugu, but nothing was materialising. And then, Chuniya maam got in touch and narrated her script to me, and I knew right then this was it, said Tara, who is currently shooting for the web series.

Tara Alisha

The actress will be seen playing an independent woman in the web series. The story is basically about a centered, strong and independent woman, and her life. My portrayal in the plotline is primarily what got me hooked to it, she explained.

Tara has worked in a handful of projects in Hindi, including a web series, and she says that her journey so far has been rewarding. It was wonderful to learn from my co-actors and technicians, said Tara, who is also all set for her Tamil debut opposite Santhanam in A1.Washington: A recent study has suggested some tips and tricks for parents to help their children combat additional stress and peer pressure as they prepare to enter college.

The pressure of getting admission in a good college, shaping your career and being a part of the elite group, colleges can be extremely stressful! As school comes to an end and teenagers gear up to enter college, they may face more stress than ever and parents can help them cope with the transition, stress and anxiety that comes with it.

According to psychologist B. Janet Hibbs, co-author of 'The Stressed Years of Their Lives', parents can help their children prepare for college, reported CBS News. Dr. Hibbs told the news service that one of the reasons behind the stress is that this generation of college students and recent graduates are facing a moment of "historic swerve."

Dating back to 9/11, she said that the teens have been confronted by the war on terror, climate change, along with economic and political uncertainty, which has led them to believe that the world is a more competitive place and they struggle to make their own place in the fast-paced society.

"A third of all graduate students today aren't even working in jobs that require a college degree, which also leads them to a sense of the fear of failure that anytime they step off a linear path, then, kind of their future is ruined. So it heightens that sense of doom and gloom and fear," Hibbs added.

She also said that the increased focus on academics maybe another reason for the stress. Parents and professors want to make sure that students are prepared for higher education but that doesn't mean they are mentally or emotionally ready, so many students will experience even temporary setbacks as "catastrophic."

Hibbs noted that parents play a huge role in helping their children cope with the stress. Hibbs suggested that parents should have an honest conversation with their kids about their time in school. A conversation between parents and children could do wonders for the kids experiencing negative emotions.

She said that they can ask, "How are you coping? What happens when you have a setback? Who do you turn to? What kinds of things are you doing? Do you share? Do you seek help?" However, Hibbs said that parents also need to look inwards.

"Long run I really encourage parents to recognise that part of these very rapid social changes have affected them and they have to manage their own anxiety by not hyper-controlling their children," Hibbs said, adding, "Which is what many parents tend to do because they themselves are fearful for their children's future."The woman was allegedly sexually assaulted after a party yesterday night. (Photo: Representatioanl)

Gurgaon: A Spanish national was allegedly raped by a man in Gurgaon on Friday night, police said. The accused - an assistant manager of a production house - has been arrested.

The woman was allegedly sexually assaulted after a party yesterday night.

She is in India for a year's internship programme with an IT company.

A case has been registered by the police and further investigation in the case is underway.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.Hyderabad: Already reeling from the defection of 12 legislators to the TRS, the Congress received another shock on Saturday when its legislator Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy said the BJP was the only alternative to the TRS in the state.

Speaking to mediapersons in Nalgonda, Mr Rajagopal Reddy said the Congress did not have a future in the state and many leaders were eyeing the BJP. A leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi was needed to fight against the family rule of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, he said.

The Munugodu legislator predicted that the BJP would come in power in the 2023 Assembly polls and in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He said he did not have any intention of joining the BJP.

His statement comes amid reports that BJP senior leader Ram Madhav was in touch with Congress leaders including MPs Komati-reddy Venkat Reddy and A. Revanth Reddy and others to persuade them to join the BJP.

Union minister G. Kishan Reddy supported the statement of Mr Rajagopal Reddy while speaking at a meeting of BJP workers in Kukatpally.

Stating that the Congress MLA had spoken the truth, he said that youths across the country were looking at the BJP and the party is preparing to induct 10 lakh young people.

He said the BJP flag would fly in Telangana in 2023. Several leaders like Mr Reddy are prepared to work with the BJP, he said.

In Nalgonda speaking with mediapersons, Mr Reddy alleged that the 12 Congress legislators had left the party due to the incompetence of the state leadership. He said, It is unfortunate that the state leaders remained spectators when the MLAs were leaving the party.

He said he had hoped that the high command would give the leadership to young leaders after the elections but there were no signs of that happening.Hyderabad: Union minister of state for home G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday faulted Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for not attending the Niti Aayog meeting in Delhi.

Addressing a meeting in Kukatpally, Mr Reddy said the Niti Ayog meeting discussed important issues like optimum utilisation of rainwater and prevention of drought conditions.

He said Mr Rao had always accused the Centre of not having a plan to utilise water resources when more than half of the 70,000 tmc ft available was going waste into the sea.

He reminded that Mr Rao had several times claimed that he had studied for three years the utilisation of water resources nationwide and that he would place his ideas at the appropriate time.

Mr Reddy asked why Mr Rao did not use the Niti Aayog platform to discuss his ideas. Is this the commitment KCR has, Mr Reddy asked.

He alleged that the KCR government had forgotten all about peoples welfare. They are spending money on projects for the commissions and diverting funds for their self interest, he said.External affairs minister S. Jaishankar with President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon at the start of the CICA2019 summit, in Dushanbe on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: A day after India decided to retaliate by raising tariffs on 29 products of the US, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that globalisation is under stress due to new and emerging geo-political and geo-economic faultlines.

Speaking at the Confer-ence on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit at Dushanbe, Tajikistan (Central Asia), he also described terrorism as the gravest threat that we face in Asia today.

This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of terrorism strongly at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, another Central Asian nation.

India has been boosting its ties with Central Asia in a big way. On Friday, India and the SCO Summit host Kyrgyzstan decided to raise (their) bilateral relations to the level of Strategic Partnership.

India had decided to take retaliatory measures on trade against the US after it had decided to hike customs duties on steel and aluminum products from India. The Indian decision to raise tariffs on 29 US products will come into effect from Sunday.

At the CICA Summit in Dushanbe, Mr Jaishan-kar said, Globalisation is under stress due to new and emerging geo-political and geo-economic faultlines. India supports a rule-based order in Asia, as in the rest of the world.

On the menace of terrorism, the minister said, Many CICA members are victims of terrorism and should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated. CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism.

Early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, proposed by India, is today even more essential and we seek your support in this regard, he said.

He added, We confront unavoidable challenges such as terrorism, conflicts, trans-national crimes and maritime threats. There are also issues of sustainable development including the lack of energy security, low intra-regional trade and deficit of connectivity. These must be urgently remedied for our common good.Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the fifth meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog in New Delhi on Saturday. Also seen is Aayog vice-chairperson Rajiv Kumar (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Spelling out his governments Vision 2024 at the Niti Aayogs fifth governing council meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the goal of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging but surely achievable, as he asked states to focus on their core competencies and work towards increasing the GDP right from the district level.

The Aayog also set up a high level committee on agriculture to suggest reforms aimed at benefitting farmers and reviving rural economy.

At the council meeting, the Prime Minister underlined the need for taking effective steps to tackle drought and stressed that Niti Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.

This was the first meeting of the planning body after the BJP-led NDA formed a new government at the Centre. It was attended by senior Union ministers and almost all the Chief Ministers, except Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and K. Chandrasekhar Rao (Telangana). Ms Banerjee had said she would not attend the meeting saying Niti Aayog is a fruitless body as it has no financial powers.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who could attend the meeting due health reasons deputed his finance minister Manpreet Badal.

In his opening remarks, Mr Modi noted that the export sector is an important element in the progress and both the Centre and states should work towards its growth, in order to raise the per capita income. He said a thrust on export promotion at the state level will provide a boost to both income and employment.

Stressing that the focus should be on collective responsibility for achieving short term and long term goals, Mr Modi said the goal to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024, is challenging, but can surely be achieved. The size of Indias economy was estimated at $2.75 trillion at end-March 2019.

On the health front, Mr Modi said tuberculosis should be wiped out by 2025.

Grave concerns were raised by chief ministers of several mineral-rich states over the prevailing slump in mining activities during the meeting.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said that despite amendments in mining laws, no activity was taking place which had badly hit the sector and states.

Several chief ministers of mineral-rich states echoed his views, seeking urgent attention of the Centre on the issue.

Sources aware of developments said that Mr Nath expressed concern over the fact that despite India being a major producer of coal, the dry fuel was being imported.

The chief ministers were informed by Niti Aayog officials that a report of a task force on mining will come out soon and all the concerns would be addressed in it.

Most of the chief ministers unanimously sought greater devolution of funds from the Prime Minister, to which he is learnt to have said that a final call on it will be taken once the report of the 15th Finance Commission arrives.

The chief ministers were also informed that there would be some amendments to the rules related to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) which would give them better financial leeway to combat natural calamities.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said during the meeting that the state was the second highest revenue generating state through income tax in the country after Maharashtra, yet adequate funds were not being provided to it. He reiterated the demand of full statehood for Delhi.Doctors wear bandages on their heads as a sign of protest as they participate in a rally to show solidarity during the strike against an attack on a junior doctor in Kolkata on Saturday. (Photo: AP)

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Indian Medical Association and Telangana Super Speciality Hospitals Association will boycott out-patient and in-patient services on Monday, as part of a nation-wide protest against violence towards medical professionals.

The protest was triggered by the attack on doctors in Kolkata. In Kolkata, the doctors who are spearheading the strike for five days now have refused an offer for talks by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

They demanded that she apologise for saying that the strike was being led by outsiders, implying that it was politically motivated.

TSHA senior member Govind Hari said, We are going to not only boycott out-patient but also in-patient services as it is important that people understand that violence against the medical fraternity is not right. Elective surgeries will be postponed and patients are being informed in advance. There will not be any admissions for elective surgeries the night before which is the norm.

Patients who have already been admitted will be cared for. The hospitals have called patients and postponed all elective surgeries scheduled on Monday to Tuesday.

Dr Sanjiv Singh Yadav, secretary of TS IMA, said, We are not admitting patients and they have been informed that there would be no surgeries on Monday. These are being postponed for Tuesday or will be carried out over the week. It is going to be a total shutdown except for emergencies.

He said that the government must ensure the protection of doctors and the people must understand that they cannot take doctors for granted.

We want the government to implement the legislation and ensure complete protection to doctors, Dr Yadav said.

Hospitals have put up banners that there is a protest and patients must not come on Monday.The pro-poor policy existed and I was merely implementing it in every area of governmental operation. I had no role to play in anything outside government work.

Hyderabad: This is the story of an IAS officer who personally visited villages and ensured that the poorest of the farmers got their due against big landlords. So much so, he got dubbed a naxalite.

Mr Kaki Madhav Rao, who retired as Chief Secretary, says that is the best title of all.

It was just two weeks after my joining as collector of Warangal, between 1972 and 1974, when a small crowd came to my office. They were poor and wearing blood-stained clothes. They were reclaiming very difficult banchrai land (unused government land) on which they had worked for three to four years to bring it to a certain level. With the monsoons approaching, they were transplanting paddy.

A dispute arose when the big people in the village, as Mr Rao calls them, laid claim to the land.

In the argument that ensued, the poor villagers were beaten up.

Recalling the incident of nearly five decades ago, Mr Rao says, I rang up the DSP Jangaon and told him that something serious had happened and that I was bringing the people who had been beaten and he should come to the village directly.

Once at the village, Gerimellapalli, they learnt that the group had indeed struggled on the land. We got the other people arrested and let the villages on the land they had worked on, Mr Rao says.

News of this incident spread: Here was a collector whom they could meet anytime who would render instant justice.

A month later, he sorted out a similar problem in Parakala division. This resulted in people coming in their hundreds every day, because they had so many complaints and nowhere to go.

The issues were almost always about land and harassment by the doras. The poor people would go to the police to complain against the dora, but the police was prepared by the dora. They could go nowhere for redressal, for the tahsildar never saw them, the RDO (revenue divisional officer) never met them, much less a collector, Mr Rao says.

There were so many issues that obviously I could not visit all the places. Depending on the urgency of the issue I would ask the RDO to work on it and told him that I wanted results in a week. They started acting. The result was there and was a real, effective, neutral administrative justice, Mr Rao says.

This was my duty, to protect the citizen. What is needed in administration is not commitment but a neutral sense of justice between right and wrong. Unfortunately it does not happen, he says.

That is why an officer like Madhav Rao becomes a hero.

The pro-poor policy existed and I was merely implementing it in every area of governmental operation. I had no role to play in anything outside government work, Mr Rao says.

While he worked by the book, there were politically-loaded situations but Mr Rao came out of the tight situations smelling of roses.

In those days there was a shortage of fertilisers. The small quantity of fertilisers available was being knocked off by the large farmers. So, I gave in writing that since the fertilisers were limited, it would be distributed village wise, Mr Rao says.

The fertiliser was to be first distributed to farmers of the ST community, then to SCs farmers, BC farmers and lastly to others. By the time ST and SC farmers were covered, the fertilisers were exhausted. So, nobody else got it, Mr Rao recalls.

The political leaders got worried and thought I was going too far. The zilla parishad chairman, a soft-spoken man, told me that the others wanted to discuss the matter and pass a resolution that this order had to be withdrawn.Alappuzha: A woman Civil Police Officer (CPO) with Vallikunnam police here was burnt alive by a policeman at Vallikunnam on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Soumya Pushpakaran, 32, Oopan Muriyil, Thekkemuri, Vallikunnam.

The accused, Ajaz, a traffic police cop with the Aluva police, who suffered 40 per cent burns, was admitted to Medical College Hospital here.

The motive for the crime was not clear though it was said that he was her training inspector at the Police Academy in Thrissur in 2013. Ajaz, 33, is unmarried.

The incident occurred near Naluvila junction at 3.30 pm when Soumya was returning home after attending a camp of Students Police Cadets at Government HSS, Vattakkad. Ajaz, who followed her in a car, knocked her down, hacked her with a knife and set her ablaze with petrol. She died on the spot.

Soumyas husband, Sajeev, is working abroad and they have two children.

Mr C. Rajan Babu, sub-inspector, Vallikunnam, said that Ajaz was a native of Aluva. His arrest was not recorded since he was under treatment.

We are investigating into all angles of the incident. He is under observation, he said.

District police chief K.M. Tomy said that Ajaz, who was living in Kakkanad, Kochi, was on leave for several days.

We were told that he was her training inspector during the training period at Police Academy in Thrissur in 2013. We dont know whether they had got into an affair. These matters will be investigated, he said. Ajaz had joined service in 2010.Kochi: The scare of a second attack of Nipah virus in the state has ended, according to Health Minister K. K. Shylaja.

She told reporters in Kannur on Saturday that though there was no more need for strict surveillance, the observation will continue till mid-July. Plans were afoot to set up a modern virology institute in the state, she said.

During the second attack of the virus, only one positive case was reported and during the incubation period of 21 days, no new cases from over 300 suspects in the contact list were found.

The expert team from National Virology Institute, Pune, has also made it clear that the state is safe and there is no need of concerns over Nipah virus. However, awareness creation is important and training on disease prevention has to be continued. The lab result on the origin of the virus can be known in 10 days as samples from fruit eating bats from the locality of the Nipah patient were being tested at the virology institute, said Dr. Devendra Maurya of the institute.

He also stressed the need to have modern virology laboratories in all medical colleges in the state.

It was on June 3 that a college student from Vadakkekara near North Paravur, admitted to a private hospital here, was tested positive for Nipah virus.

The state health authorities were on their toes to contain the spread of Nipah virus after the index case (first positive case) was reported.

Seventeen people died in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts following a Nipah outbreak in May last year. It was later found that the fruit eating bats caused the virus.

Patients condition improves

The condition of the Nip-ah patient, under treatment in a private hospital here, has improved He has been shifted to the room from ICU.

Meanwhile, all the three virus suspects who were in the isolation ward of Kalamassery medical college were discharged on Saturday. No one is currently admitted in the ward. The National Virology Institute team has collected samples from 141 bats from Aluva and Paravur areas which were sent for testHyderabad: Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh, in addition to 16 other states, have adopted a law against violence against doctors but it is not being implemented.

Besides, doctors are still opting for out-of-court settlements, alleges the Telangana state IMA.

Dr Sanjiv Sing Yadav, secretary, IMA Telangana, said, Implementing the law requires the assistance of the police. Any act of violence against doctors, nurses, or healthcare workers is a punishable offence, and albeit previously non-bailable, the government has declared such offences as bailable. We need strict laws to be implemented by the Central government, and the state must be directed to follow it.

According to the law, offenders can be sentenced to up to three years in prison and levied a penalty of Rs 50,000. In case of damage to medical equipment, offenders are liable to pay for repair or replacement.

While the law is in place, its implementation isnt, doctors alleged. Doctors and hospitals often end up working out a settlement with the offenders instead of booking a case against them, they said.

A senior doctor on condition of anonymity explained, The foremost priority for doctors is to maintain credibility, which they believe is likely to get tarnished if they book cases against offenders, so they opt for out-of-court settlement. The second issue is that most doctors arent willing to fight it out as they find the process tedious. They also frequently find themselves feeling intimidated by the agents and end up giving in. If a proper case is booked, however, then out-of-court settlements will reduce, thereby giving doctors an upper hand in such cases. This calls for a stringent law.

Doctors in small cities have observed there are groups that are constantly looking for deaths which can be blamed on negligence so as to extort money from doctors.

The recent case in Warangal wherein an orthopedic surgeon was accused of behaving indecently with a woman was solved in his favour as CCTV footage proved that no such attempt was made. The woman and her relatives had made up the story to extract money from the surgeon.

Dr Narsinga Reddy, IMA member said, We want the Central government to intervene. Imprisonment needs to be increased  three years is too short.Hyderabad: The Telangana state government was not represented at the Niti Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday, triggering speculation in political circles.

While it was known that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had dropped his plan of attending the Niti Aayog meeting as he was busy with a Cabinet meeting on June 18 and the inaugural of the Kaleshwaram project on June 21, it was expected that he would send a representative at least. In the event, no one was sent from the state government.

The only other state not represented at the meeting was West Bengal.

Mr Raos staying away from the meeting was seen as a sign of his unhappiness with the BJP state leaders attitude towards the TRS government after the Lok Sabha polls.

Congress leaders in private said that it appeared that the BJP was driving a wedge between Mr Rao and AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who are seen as being close to each other.

They pointed out that the Prime Ministers Office had not accepted the request of Mr Rao for an appointment with Mr Modi, but he had met Mr Reddy twice after his re-election. Sources said Mr Rao dropped out after failing to get an appointment with Mr Modi.

An official of the finance department said there would not be any loss caused to the state if it was not represented at the meeting as the Niti Ayog was not a statutory body which the erstwhile Plan-ning Commission was.

The Planning Commis-sion, scrapped in 2014, was empowered to prepare the five-year plans as well as approving the annual Budget of each state with regard to the Plan and non-Plan components.

The official said that with the introduction of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, the borrowing capacity of each state had been linked to its gross state domestic product.

The 15th Finance Commission had powers to recommend to the Centre to grant funds to state governments based on their annual revenue. That is why Mr Rao had given much importance to the the Finance Commis-sion when it visited the state a couple months ago, the official said. The Chief Minister personally made a presentation before the commission about the revenue and progress of the state.State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa updates himself on the days news with Deccan Chronicle, as he takes part in a dharna. (Photo: DC)

Bengaluru: The opposition BJP MPs will urge the Centre to get justice for the victims of IMA financial fraud. Opposition leader, B.S. Yeddyurappa said this when a group of victims of IMA scam met him near Maurya circle where he has been sitting on a dharna on Jindal land allotment issue. He also said that only a CBI probe could get justice to the victims.

"We will urge the Centre to pursue the matter through Enforcement Directorate. The Centre has promulgated an ordinance early this year. But the state government did not act accordingly to arrest the culprits and get justice to the victims," he said.

BJP leaders who are on dharna since Friday will lay siege to CM's home office, Krishna on Sunday, when CM, H.D. Kumaraswamy who is in Delhi, returns.Ayodhya: Amid VIP movements, Ayodhya has been put on high alert soon after intelligence inputs indicated a possible terror attack in the city.

"We have put more force into action. The force has been alerted. Also, intelligence officials in the civil dress have come here. They are checking all hotels, restaurants and railway stations. The police force is vigilant and keeping a track of all the movements," Anil Kumar Sisodia, Superintendent of Police City, told ANI.

This comes ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya on Sunday along with his party MPs.

According to reports, the security has also been heightened keeping in mind the hearing on 2005 Ram Janmabhoomi attack on June 18.NITI Aayog last met on June 17 in the previous year. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Canvassing the vision for India 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set ambitious five trillion dollar economy goal on Saturday.

While proposing the goal at NITI Aayog's fifth governing council meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan, PM Modi said ''it is challenging but achievable''.

''Export sector plays a vital role in boosting income and employment; states should focus on export promotion,'' he added.

Addressing the meet, PM Modi showed optimism for effectively tackling drought situation in newly created Jal Shakti Ministry and said it will ''provide an integrated approach to water''.

This is NITI Aayog's first meeting after PM Modi-led National Democratic Alliance formed the government for the second time in a row.

Agrarian crisis, internal security with a special focus on Maoist-affected areas will be on the agenda. Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors, union ministers and senior officials will be in attendance for the meeting, NDTV reported.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to attend the meeting stating that the NITI Aayog has no financial power to support state plans.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will also skip the meeting as he would be busy inaugurating an irrigation project.

Andhra Pradeshs newly elected Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy met Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday evening to persuade him for granting special status to Andhra.

Reddy said he took an appointment with the Home Minister "to try and prevail on him and to also soften PM's heart on the special category status, what we will definitely be asking for in tomorrow's (Saturday) NITI Aayog meeting."

A similar demand is expected to come from Bihars Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kumar has been demanding this for quite some time now.

Odisha has also sought the demand for special status which the ruling Biju Janata Dal would be raising along with YSRCP and Janata Dal (United).

Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states will share the benefits of the loan-waiver scheme implemented by them in their states.

NITI Aayog last met on June 17 in the previous year.'Earlier, Nizam sugar factory was the largest sugar factory of Asia. Today the reason for its bad state is the corrupt politics since the time of N. Chandrababu Naidu. It was a blunder made by Chandrababu by privatising this unit,' Aravind said. (Photo: ANI)

Hyderabad: BJP MP from Nizamabad, D Aravind, on Friday launched a scathing attack on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, calling him the "most corrupt politician" of the country.

Talking about the Nizam sugar factory, where the Telangana government had recently passed an order for liquidation, Aravind told ANI, "Earlier, Nizam sugar factory was the largest sugar factory of Asia. Today the reason for its bad state is the corrupt politics since the time of N. Chandrababu Naidu. It was a blunder made by Chandrababu by privatising this unit."

"Then after him, Congress came to power. They targeted the factory and tried to bring it back under the government. They neither took it back nor allowed the investor to move forward with the company," he added.

Aravind blamed Rao, popularly known as KCR, for the dire conditions of the Nizam sugar factory.

"KCR had promised to take back the unit under the government within 100 days after he came to power in 2014 elections. But, five years have gone and nothing has happened. His daughter (K Kavitha) contested in the recent elections from Nizamabad constituency and lost. KCR ruined the factory and the condition has gone from bad to worse," he said.

Aravind also said, "They passed a fake government order in 2015 stating that the sugar industry will be run under the cooperative sector with farmers being the part of management. But it did not work out. I protested along with the farmers to bring back the glory of the factory and will continue to do so."

"KCR is the most corrupt politician of this country. His government order was a suicidal one," he added.

Aravind said that families of 35,000 farmers were disappointed with the Telangana Chief Minister.

"Neither it (the order) allowed the private entity to function nor it did not allow the state government to take over. He has let down almost 35,000 families of farmers in the region and this is the reason why no sugarcane farming is visible," he further said.Washington: President Donald Trump is blaming Iran for attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. But he's also hoping that implicit US threats to use force will yield talks with the Islamic Republic as the Pentagon considers beefing up defenses in the Persian Gulf area.

A day after explosions blew holes in two oil tankers just outside Iran's territorial waters, rattling international oil markets, the administration seemed caught between pressure to punish Iran and reassure Washington's Gulf Arab allies without drawing the US closer to war.

Trump said Friday on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" that "Iran did it." And the US military released video it said showed Iran's Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from one of the oil tankers.On Thursday, the two leaders attended the dinner hosted by the Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov but didnt talk to each other. (Photo:File)

Bishkek: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistans Imran Khan exchanged formal pleasantries on Day 2 of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Kyrgyzstans capital city Bishkek, as per the sources, reported NDTV.

The pleasantries were general and exchanged when both the prime ministers were in the Leaders lounge.

The leaders met for the first time amid tensions which surmounted after terror attack in February on security convoy killing 40 CRPF personnel.

On Thursday, the two leaders attended the dinner hosted by the Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov but didnt talk to each other.

In a message directed at Pakistan, PM Modi, on Friday said countries sponsoring, aiding and supporting terrorism must be held accountable. PM Modi was addressing the SCO summit.

During his bilateral meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, PM Modi had reiterated India's stand that Pakistan should take concrete action against terror before talks can resume.

Before PM Modi left for Bishkek, India had ruled out any meeting with Pakistan. India wanted Pakistan to take action against terror groups operating from its soil before dialogues can begin.

Imran Khan and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had written separate letters to their Indian counterparts, ahead of the SCO summit, asking for resumption of bilateral talks. After assuming office too, Imran Khan had written to PM Modi, seeking dialogue on all issues, including Kashmir.Various citizen groups led by freedom fighter H S Doreswamy on Friday staged a protest against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for not clearing encroachment of stormwater drains (SWDs).

Due to the high courts pressure, the Palike cleared the poor peoples houses encroaching the drains without any action plan in 2008. But actor Darshan and former minister Shamanuru Shivashankarappas houses are still not brought down despite being constructed on the SWDs. While the corporation did not issue notices to the poor, it issued notices to influential people, thus helping them to bring stay against the demolition,  he said.

H S Doreswamy, cautioning BBMP Chief N Manjunatha Prasad, said: Lakes are stinking due to contamination. But officials are submitting false information to the court. An intensified protest will be staged if it does not prepare an action plan to clean the lakes and clear the SWDs encroachment, he said.

Reacting to this BBMP Commissioner Manjunatha Prasad said: The lakes in the city are owned by the land revenue department and the Palike only maintains them.

We have proposed to clear 120 encroachments every month and the nursery farm in Chikkalasandra lake will be cleared by tomorrow, he said.Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Saturday called on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to discuss issues relating to farmers' welfare such as the Kisan Kalyan Nidhi Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

A delegation led by Rupani, Gujarat Agriculture Minister R C Faldu, Chief Secretary J N Singh, Chief Principal Secretary to CM K Kailashnathan, Additional Chief Secretary (Agri) Sanjay Prasad and officers of the agriculture department met Tomar, according to an official statement.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Parshottambhai Rupala was also present at the meeting.

The issues on pending claims of interest subvention of crop loan advance by banks of the state and extension of date to purchase of mustard in the Price Support Scheme were also discussed in the meeting, the statement read.

It was decided in the meeting that the last date for purchase of mustard under the Price Support Scheme shall be extended up to June 30.

The government also decided to expedite payment of interest subvention to the cooperative banks and nationalised banks so that farmers do not face any inconvenience, according to the statement.

The discussion also focused on measures being jointly undertaken by the Union and state governments to increase agriculture productivity to improve farmer income as well as on strengthening measures for farmer welfare. PTI DSP ASG DPBIndia has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over its refusal to grant visa to 87 Indian pilgrims who wanted to visit the neighbouring country to observe the death anniversary of fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev, official sources said.

According to Sikhism, the event is also called Shahdi Jor Mela or Shaheedi Purab of Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

The pilgrims, who were denied visa, were part of the official jatha (group), the sources said, adding that restrictive visa was granted to a private group of Indian pilgrims.

The Ministry of External Affairs has registered its strong protest at Pakistan government's refusal to grant visa for official jatha comprising 87 pilgrims on the occasion of Shahidi Jor Mela - Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Martyrdom Day on June 7, the sources said.

The pilgrims visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib on the occasion.

The visa for the pilgrims were sought under a 1974 bilateral protocol on visit to religious shrines.

"The Ministry expressed its concern at the disregard shown by the High Commission of Pakistan on the religious sentiments and devotion of the Indian pilgrims especially by Pakistan unilaterally granting restrictive visa (by rail only) to a private group of Indian pilgrims," said a source.

The MEA called upon Pakistan to immediately grant visa without any restriction, they said.In a significant departure from his party's oft-stated stand, a top BJP leader and a senior Uttar Pradesh minister on Saturday hinted at the enactment of a law to pave the way for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

UP deputy chief minister and former state party president Keshav Prasad Maurya said at a meeting of the monks at Ayodhya that there was no question of allowing construction of mosque anywhere in the temple town.

''The matter is currently in the supreme court... if the matter is not resolved through the court or mediation, then the government will enact law for the construction of the Ram Temple,'' Maurya declared at the gathering.

''I am a Ram Bhakt and also a karsevak...we have formed government at the centre and in the state with your (monks) blessings....your (monks) fight for the Ram Temple will not go to waste,'' he said.

He also claimed that there was an attempt to ''delay'' the proceedings of the Ram Temple case in the apex court.

The participants at the meeting said that the disciples of Lord Rama would not tolerate any more delay in the Temple construction.

The seers, especially those associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have been demanding enactment of a law for the Ram Temple.

At a meeting held in Ayodhya a few days back the monks had also sought a meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi to urge him to intervene to ensure construction of the Ram Temple.

They suggested that a delegation of the monks should meet Modi and ask him how long the Hindu community should wait for Ram Temple construction.

Another meeting of senior religious leaders would be held at Haridwar in Uttarakhand later this month, where the monks could adopt a tough stand on the issue, sources said.Google launched the company's most affordable of phones-- Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL-- at the I/O 2019 event in California in May.

The new Google Android mobiles- 5.7-inch Pixel 3a and the 6.0-inch Pixel 3a XL-- made their way to India in mid-May for Rs 39,999 and Rs 44,999 respectively. I had an opportunity to test the new Pixel 3a and have been using it for a little over a week and here's what I feel about on the phone.

Design, display and build quality:

If you place a Pixel 3a and the original Pixel 3 series, you will have a hard time differentiating them and more so, If looked from the rear-side. The former comes with dual-tone finish with glass enclosure housing single-lens primary camera with LED flash on the top, and the rest of the body has frosted matte finish, which also houses a fingerprint sensor and 'G' brand engraving.

But, once you hold them in the hand, you will notice the difference. Google, for obvious reasons (to cut the costs), has used polycarbonate-based material for the Pixel 3a's shell. It's light and the compact structure offers a good grip to hold on to the phone. And, yes, it is sturdy too.



Pixel 3a back panel; picture credit: KVN Rohot/DH Photo



On the front, Pixel 3a comes thick bezels on the top and the base. It has one front camera in the top left corner and a speaker in the middle. In the upper edge, it houses a 3.5mm audio jack, which is sorely missed in the original flagship phone.

At the bottom, it comes with two stereo speakers at opposite ends with Type-C port in the middle.

On the left side, it comes with single physical SIM slot, but it can be noted that the device supports eSIM similar to Pixel 3, 3 XL, Apple iPhone XS, XR, and XS Max. So, you can still get the option to add the second SIM.

On the right side, it houses a power button and volume rocker. Like the original Pixel 3 series, the mid-range model also supports Active Edge feature, which the user can make use to trigger the Google Assistant. To avoid accidental activation, there is an option to adjust the squeeze sensitivity of the frame.

As far as the display is concerned, it comes with 5.7-inch full HD+ screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. Despite the thick bezels, you will have a good time watching videos thanks to OLED-based screen, which not only offers true black colour tone in the videos and images but also is power efficient. Even if you play HD content, it doesn't drain faster compared to LCD-based phones.

Performance:

Pixel 3a is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 and is backed by 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. For a phone priced around Rs 40,000, its quite a let down to have a mid-range chipset.

Having said that, Pixel 3a (or 3a XL) will perform smoothly under normal day-to-day chores like app launching, web browsing, multi-media texting on WhatsApp or any messenger apps.

However, you cannot count on Pixel 3a with graphics-rich games, as it begins to show lag-ness. And if you happen to start video recording or taking images in dark with Night Sight mode on, the phone tends to get little warmed up.

Truth to be told, the heating wasn't that overwhelming to suggest Pixel 3a gets 'over-heated' when put through its paces.

Pixel 3a scored 1,59,761 on AnTuTu and on Geekbench 4, it managed to get 1616 and 5174 points on single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

One of the perks of being the Google phone is that Pixel 3a is assured to get three major software updates and get four years of monthly security patches. Except for OnePlus and HMD Global Oy (Nokia), other third-party OEMs do not even properly offer two years of software support.

So, Pixel 3a owners can feel safe from future malware threats and also enjoy dessert-flavored software updates longer than other branded phones.

Another notable aspect of the Pixel 3a is the Titan M security chip, where it holds all the sensitive data such as the passwords and the operating system and protect them from spyware.

Also, Google offers unlimited cloud storage for photos taken on the Pixel 3a, so you never have to worry about a shortage of space for installing new apps in the future. The only qualm is that the picture stored is not the original taken by Pixel 3a, but a compressed high-resolution image.

For now, only marquee Pixel 3 series owners have the privilege of storing original quality images in the Google cloud storage.

Camera:

Google's Pixel 3 is one of the best camera phones in the market and the same amazing hardware is incorporated in the lower-priced Pixel 3a. Needless to say, it has no competition in the sub-Rs 50,000 price category.



Google Pixel 3a primary camera sample images; Picture credit: KVN Rohit/DH Photo



The Pixel 3a houses 12.2MP primary sensor on the back with LED flash and it takes stunning pictures in all light conditions period. What I loved the most were the images taken via Portrait and Night Sight modes. As you can see the picture below, the camera has been able to blur the background flawlessly, while retaining minute details of the subject, in this case, the flower and buds. It can be noted that the Pixel 3a takes two images with different level of blurriness and the user can pick the best of the duo and delete the other or retain.



Pixel 3a Portrait mode picture samples with a varying degree of background blur effect; picture credit; KVN Rohit/DH Photo



And in the night sight mode, It's amazing how Pixel 3a, despite the pitch darkness, is still able to reproduce the accurate colour of the vehicle and also absorb every light photons in the apartment complex far away in the background.



Google Pixel 3a sample picture taken with Night Sight mode on; picture credit: KVN Rohit/DH Photo



It's really an incredible feat for a phone with a single-lens camera and the credit has to go to Google's camera software developers. There are rival phones with three and four sensors in the primary camera module, each incorporated for a particular purpose such as the focus on subject, background, in-depth scene detection, and other aspects, yet the quality of the picture, particularly in terms of capturing details, remains a lot to be desired.



Google Pixel 3a sample picture taken with Night Sight mode on; picture credit: KVN Rohit/DH Photo



On the front, Pixel 3a flaunts an 8MP selfie shooter. It is not the same sensor used in the flagship Pixel 3, but it does the job pretty good again thanks to the incredible software.

If you are in the market searching the best camera phone under Rs 40,000, Pixel 3a is your best bet and won't regret one bit.



Google Pixel 3a primary camera sample images; Picture credit: KVN Rohit/DH Photo



Battery:

The Pixel 3a houses a 3,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging capability. During the testing, the Google mid-range phone consistently delivered a full day of battery life under normal usage practices such as browsing web, social media channels, playing videos and games, but would like to remind users, that I consciously did not go overboard with the latter two, as they will drain the battery to the tilt if play longer than an hour each if mobile data is on.

This aspect is subjective, as even the phone with 5000mAh cell, will not last a full day if the user stream videos on multi-media apps with mobile data on unless the contents are viewed offline.

Rest assured, the Pixel 3a will last a whole day under normal usage, with at least 20-25 percent juice left before you decide to hook it to the power source and be done for the night.

Final thoughts:

During the I/0 2019 event, Google said that the Pixel 3a series was targeted for emerging markets. To an extent, Pixel 3a, which costs much less than the flagship Pixel 3 series, fulfills in several aspects such as display, clutter-free pure Android interface, full-day battery, eye-pleasing dual-tone shell, and it has the best camera hardware for a phone not only in its class (Rs 40,000 - Rs 50,000 range), but also better than some mobile models costing over a lakh in India.

But, it fails in one aspect- the Processor. Using under-powered Snapdragon 670 chipset takes a little shine off the Pixel 3a series in terms of appeal for prospective consumers particularly in India, where there are several options such as OnePlus 7 and Oppo Reno 10X Zoom, which house Snapdragon 855 octa-core, Qualcomm's most powerful chipset to date and costs less.

Having said that, the Pixel 3a series will be able to find takers among Android purists and amateur camera enthusiasts. If you are ready to spend a few thousand bucks more, go for the Pixel 3a XL, as it offers a bigger display and longer battery life. (FYI: It comes with 3,700mAh).

If you are extreme user, who like binge watch on multimedia streaming apps and play graphics-intense games, then the original Google Pixel 3 (or 3 XL) will serve you well.

Pros:

Top-notch camera. Best in its class period.

Pure Android experience and guaranteed to get three major software (Android Q, R & S) updates

Google's advanced Titan M security chipset

Day-long battery life

Really good OLED display and visually impressive dual-tone finish of the shell

Active Edge feature to trigger Google Assistant

Cons:

For a phone priced around Rs 40,000, Google could have used better processor such as 675 or 730 or 845 series like Nokia 9 PureView.

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.Souvenirs often turn out to be mundane like refrigerator magnets (which can be bought from your local curio shop), or a T-shirt which declares, I love NY or some other city one might have visited. Sometimes a souvenir, which you may like, may be too heavy to carry back home.

What can a country like Nepal offer as souvenirs, one might wonder. Surprisingly, some of the souvenirs you can pick up are unique to Nepal. I treasure a few of them from my visit to Kathmandu.

Kukri  the Gurkha knife

Kukri  the Gurkha knife, undoubtedly, is the most popular souvenir that tourists buy in Nepal. They are available in various sizes. I brought a medium-sized one and a couple of miniature ones in brass from one of the many antique and curio shops in Thamel. It is also available in the form of a glass bottle filled with branded rum, ideal to be kept in the showcase. I was given to understand that such Kukri-shaped rum bottles are also available in Sikkim. The Kukri, with a long history and tradition, has been known as the Gurkha knife since World War I and II as they are synonymous with the Gurkha. It is a utility knife for the Nepalese people, a national weapon of Nepal, and a souvenir for the tourist.

Nepali topi

When I saw the colourful Nepali topi in a roadside shop, I impulsively bought them. It reminded me of Rajesh Khanna, in a Nepali topi, driving in a jeep in Darjeeling, singing Mere sapno ki rani and serenading Sharmila Tagore travelling in a mini train. Incidentally, Darjeeling has a sizable number of Nepalis.

Nepali topi is made of Dhaka cloth, imported from the capital of Bangladesh. The hand-crafted Dhaka topi, as it is known, has become a part of the Nepalese national dress. Not everyone wears a Nepali topi today except on festive occasions, although it is worn by government officials as a part of the national dress. While strolling through the Durbar Square, I spotted a Nepali looking smart in a topi sitting in front of a temple. I promptly clicked this smiling citizen.

Books

Pilgrim Book House, which also doubles as a publisher with its own imprint, located in the Thamel tourist district of Kathmandu, is popular with tourists. With both new and used books, it specialises in books on Everest, mountaineering, trekking,

Himalayas, Buddhism among others. I went there for a book I have been looking for a long time  My Kind of Kathmandu by Desmond Doig. I did not find it but found another equally interesting book by him  In the Kingdom of the Gods, comprising 60 stories of temples, legends, gods and goddesses of Nepal.

Another interesting book I had heard about and discovered at Pilgrims was Hippie Dharma, by Captain F D Colaabavala, first published in 1974.

It looks at hippie culture in Kathmandu in the 1960s and 70s and after they arrived in Goa.

Incidentally, Dev Anand had made a film, Hare Rama Hare Krishna about hippie culture in which he traces his

truant sister in Kathmandu, a role played by Zeenat Aman. Remember the song Dum maaro dum?

Lokta  handmade paper

Each country has its own handmade paper-making tradition. Lokta paper is handmade artisan paper indigenous to Nepal.

The raw material is a bark of the lokta plant, a woody shrub in coniferous forests of the Himalayas in Nepal.

The paper is made from the fibrous inner bark of this shrub. Hoping to make use of the paper in some way, I bought a few sheets from a shop which displayed them. There are also books made of lokta paper. The paper is said to be durable, long lasting and resistant to tearing. It is therefore used for recording official government records the way we use bond paper.

Rope incense

While walking through Durbar Square, I could smell the rich fragrance emanating from the myriad temples there. This, I discovered was rope incense.

Most shops in Durbar Square sold this incense rope made of herbs found in the high Himalayas. I bought a bundle containing 50 incense ropes, each about 10 centimetres long. Back home, it gave me many days of rich fragrance.PHILADELPHIA  Attorneys representing six former and current employees at Bryn Mawr Bank Corp. have filed civil rights lawsuits in federal court alleging a toxic work environment rife with racism, sexism and other discriminatory behavior.

It was just one denigrating thing after another, said Bryn Mawr attorney Mark Schwartz, who filed the suits with attorney Jason Pearlman. The civil war is over. I guess they just dont know that.

The plaintiffs  Wandrea Russo, Karen Stevens, Alicia McDaniel, Erin Dinger, Michael Sutton and Penny Hughes  each generally allege that the publicly traded corporation, doing business as the Bryn Mawr Trust Co., has allowed a discriminatory atmosphere to thrive that is countenanced and supported by management.

Of the six plaintiffs, only McDaniel continues to work for the bank. The others were dismissed or were allegedly forced to quit after being subjected to the environment alleged in the complaints.

Bryn Mawr Trust disagrees with these allegations and is confident that a judge, jury and other authorities will find that BMT followed all applicable laws, said a spokesperson for the bank Friday. Unlike Mr. Schwartz, who continually tries to litigate in the press, Bryn Mawr Trust will litigate these cases in the appropriate venues  the court system  and we look forward to laying out all the relevant facts.

Schwartz has additionally filed six whistleblower complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleging bank employees are pressured nearly daily to open new and unnecessary accounts for customers, similar to conduct that resulted in hefty fines for Wells Fargo. Schwartz indicated those allegations would be added to the federal suits after going through the process with OSHA.

The lawsuits have been a long time coming, according to Schwartz. He first filed a complaint for Russo with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April 2018 alleging racial, sexual and age discrimination, as well as retaliation, at the hands of her supervisor.

Russo claimed to have been penalized in terms of pay, benefits and promotions, and that employees were not being fully compensated. When she complained to a regional supervisor and representatives of human relations, she said nothing was done.

That was followed by four other EEOC claims from other employees who backed Russos claims and likewise recounted a host of allegedly discriminatory practices against women and people of color at the bank.

Many of the allegations contained in those EEOC complaints are also present in the suits filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, along with additional details of further alleged retaliation.

Included in the new filings are Russos prior allegations that a particular manager routinely made insensitive and racially motivated comments to her and others, including telling a Jamaican man to run! because Jamaicans are supposed to be fast and advising Russo that she should attend a pro-life rally because most aborted babies are from black mothers.

Russo also claims employees are made to work when not on the clock and that white employees are allowed to leave while on schedule, but black employees must stay behind to finish their work. Employees are also routinely asked to begin work as soon as they arrive, resulting in being shorted compensatory time, according to Russo.

Russo additionally claims another white teller was given credit for one of her sales referrals. An assistant manager agreed that the sale should have been credited to Russo, but she says her supervisor later informed her that the sale would be credited to the white teller without explanation.

Russo additionally claims she was targeted for retaliation after bringing these issues to the attention of human relations. The underlying problems were never substantively addressed, according to Russo, and she was temporarily suspended for what Schwartz deemed spurious and unfounded allegations of a security breach.

Russo eventually quit in May 2019 after the bank allegedly failed to protect her from a racist client that had gone on a tirade about black aborted babies and racial genocide, according to the complaint. The bank allegedly indicated it would take a month to terminate the client, but she had not been directed to use another branch because she might want to come back and apologize to Russo.

Schwartz noted that while Russo and others have allegedly not been properly compensated, CEO Frank Leto receives annual compensation of more than $1.7 million.

Where in the world is that board napping that they can justify paying him what hes (getting) and allowing this to go on? Schwartz said. Im appalled. This is how you treat people? Is this just some pyramid that he sits on top of and allows for this racial atmosphere, where people are pushed like crazy to get new accounts and even go to their relatives for accounts?

Stevens says she was singled out and fired after supporting Russos claims. After an interview in which Stevens backed up Russo, she says her hours began earlier and became more rigid, and she was cited for lack of cooperation and being unwilling to learn new skills.

But Stevens says the exact opposite was true  that she consistently asked to be trained for new platforms but was denied the opportunity. Like many of the other plaintiffs, Stevens alleges her pay was shorted, that she was subjected to arbitrary scheduling changes and that her performance has been scrutinized more strenuously than other employees. Stevens was fired last week, according to Schwartz. He said he would file another charge with the EEOC before amending her complaint.

McDaniel says in her complaint that a fellow banker at the Ardmore branch also made numerous inappropriate comments toward her, including that she should step down because her husband should rule the household and black women need to let black men do their job.

McDaniel also alleges this same banker actively attempted to steal new sales credits from her  in an environment where sales were directly tied to continued employment  but the bankers actions were excused by higher ups and HR when reported.

McDaniel was eventually transferred to Media in July 2018 and had her sales quotas increased, according to the complaint. This was detrimental, however, because she no longer had a desk where she could meet clients and believes the move was intended to get her to quit, according to the complaint.

Sutton also alleges that he was retaliated against after supporting Russos and McDaniels claims, validating that the work environment was racially toxic and that some employees were asked to work off the clock. Sutton also witnessed low-income clients being steered to McDaniel while higher-income clients went to the other banker she had issues with, according to the complaint.

Sutton, who previously worked for Wells Fargo, said he recognized the same extreme sales pressures and fraudulent tactics at Bryn Mawr. He also claimed to have issues trying to get hours off to care for his ailing mother, who died in March 2018, and worked through walking pneumonia to avoid written warnings, the complaint says. After his mothers death, Bryn Mawr allegedly suggested the funeral be held on a weekend for the banks convenience.

Hughes claims she was systematically targeted for her appearance since she first arrived at the Wayne branch in 2008, including comments that her nails looked like claws and that her makeup needed to be toned down. An African-American, Hughes said she was at one point directed by Senior Vice President of Regional Banking Stephen Novak to look around the room and mirror yourself after them and take a look at the pictures on the wall. All of the people Novak referenced were Caucasian, according to the complaint.

Hughes also claims she was routinely passed over for positions she applied for and in at least one instance had to train the person hired for a job she had sought. She likewise claims to have had credit taken for clients and services that she originated.

Hughes said she was subjected to additional scrutiny in her daily work, was constantly written up for minor infractions and then insulted in reviews for having a confrontational, negative attitude despite keeping an air of professionalism. Hughes says she was fired in January 2018 without cause after assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation in a fraud investigation.

Dinger claims in her complaint that she was discriminated against for having postpartum depression following the birth of her child in July 2018. Though she was approved for a disability absence through the banks insurer, Dinger says she was notified in January 2019 that she was being fired because her Family Medical Leave Act time had been exhausted and the timing of her return to work was too uncertain.

When Dinger sought to collect Unemployment Compensation, she says the bank retaliated by opposing her application without any basis or legal justification. A UC referee later upheld her eligibility, according to the complaint.

This is not how you treat human beings, but this how Leto treats human beings, because its to his financial benefit, said Schwartz. Its all about the money. This is not your caring community bank.

Each of the plaintiffs is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as fees and costs, along with any other relief the court deems appropriate.

The OSHA complaints, filed by Russo, Stevens, McDaniel, Hughes, Tara White and Patricia R. Real-Loomis, include similar allegations of wage theft and discrimination, but also point to what Schwartz characterizes as an environment of pressure and fear related to cross-selling unwanted products to customers.

The OSHA complaints allege violations of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by failing to exert governance and control over pressure-based sales tactics in an effort to maximize revenue while cutting regulatory corners.

While the bank allegedly has a policy in place that no one gets fired for sales, the complainants contend that those who fail to hit targets are subjected to alternative punishment in the form of being passed over for promotions or by the bank finding some other pretext for termination.

Specifically, complainant has characterized the pressure as being constant, on a daily basis, complete with almost daily email, insisting that employees be engaged with every client they have contact with to cross sell products, according to Stevens complaint. This resulted in bank employees opening accounts that clients dont need or want, where clients and bank employee relatives are begged to open an account so that his or her quota could be met. Fraudulent misrepresentations have been made to clients such as telling a prospective customer that in order to have a checking account, they must have a savings account.

The complaints allege it is common knowledge that one particular employee was praised for his cross-selling results, though other employees knew he could not possibly be hitting the numbers claimed. Those figures were later found to be falsified, according to the complaints.

In addition, the OSHA complaints allege Bryn Mawr Trust issues employees Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry licenses required to handle mortgages without the necessary training required by the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act.

Schwartz said the allegations raise serious questions about the type of bank customers should want to frequent.

The question is, do they want to patronize a place with these kinds of values, thats the bottom line, said Schwartz. Do you want to patronize a place that treats human beings like this?WASHINGTON  In Alabama, where a new law denies abortion to women even in cases of incest or rape, a rapist may still pursue custody rights of a child conceived during his assault.

I'll give you a moment to digest that sentence. It gets worse.

In a recent case, a young woman in Alabama sought help when she said her step-uncle, who raped her when she was 15, was being released from prison after a drug conviction and wanted to share custody with the child who resulted from the alleged rape. Theoretically, he could even gain full custody.

Minnesota is the only other state without a statute terminating parental rights for a person found to have conceived the child by rape or incest. More than half of the 50 states terminate parental rights when there is "clear and convincing evidence" that the child was conceived during rape. And nearly half terminate parental rights only when a rapist is convicted.

But this is problematic, too. An estimated 3 out of 4 rapes go unreported, and the rate is especially high when the rapist is known to the victim or is a family member. An estimated 90 percent of rape victims know the assailant. Last month, Alabama lawmakers considered a bill that addressed ending parental rights in cases of rape that result in conception, but the Legislature removed that language, limiting the law to cases in which people sexually assault their children.

As if sexual assault isn't life-scarring enough, imagine having to engage with one's rapist through a shared-parenting arrangement. On the other hand, there's also the possibility, as some activists suggest, that women might claim rape during custody fights. Marital rape can be a particularly difficult case to make, but precedents do exist. Nothing is as simple as one might hope.

Obviously, we are committed to a presumption of innocence for the accused, but it is inevitable that  especially given the number of unreported rapes  many rapists escape prosecution. Without a police report and a rape kit there may be no way for the mother to prove the assault. In such cases, co-parenting can become a real possibility. And this prospect might incline some pregnant women to seek an end to the pregnancy.

But in Alabama, their options would be limited. Even though the new law is being challenged in court, it's already difficult for many people to get an abortion in the state. In 2014, according to the Guttmacher Institute, 93 percent of counties in Alabama had no clinic that provided abortion.

If Alabama is trying to become the worst state in America for women, its strategy is strong.

In fairness to the unborn, as well as to the strictly pro-life, a child conceived through rape is surely innocent and deserves the same protections as one conceived in holy matrimony. I get that. But rape and incest have long been accepted as extraordinary circumstances under which abortion could largely be tolerated. What kind of people would effectively force a 15-year-old rape victim to have a child by her step-uncle and then face the prospect of shared custody with him?

It isn't a stretch to say that, with its new draconian abortion law and its failure to block parenting rights to rapists, Alabama essentially has installed a medieval system in which women are treated as chattel, notwithstanding the duly elected Gov. Kay Ivey, who signed the bill. Though public stonings haven't (yet) been suggested for disobedient women, we may not be as far removed from such practices as we might pretend to be.This week's news was full of talk about trade war, tariffs, the 2020 presidential Democratic candidates and the protests in Hong Kong.

Wal-Mart and Target were among 600 companies who signed a letter Thursday calling on President Trump to drop the tariffs on China.

The letter says the continuing trade war with China will only hurt families, jobs and the U.S. economy.

Debates about the effectiveness of the tariffs have been ample in recent weeks since Trump threatened tariffs on Mexican imports and the administration announced a $16 billion aid package for farmers that have been most negatively affected by the trade war.

Read more: 'In our opinion: Trump's tariff threats may be what China needs'

Another weekend of protests over the China extradition bill is expected in Hong Kong.

More than 1 million people went to the streets last Sunday to protest the bill that would allow fugitives to be extradited to mainland China. Citizens are protesting against becoming subject to the death penalties of China. Although Hong Kong is part of China, they have operated under "one country, two systems" and are afraid the bill would be a step toward becoming more like mainland China.

This is the largest protest Hong Kong has seen since 1997.

The protest escalated Wednesday when police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and bean-bag rounds at protesters.

Many have pointed out that the massive protest comes almost exactly 30 years after the infamous Tiananmen Square protest in Beijing.

The U.S. blames Iran for the attacks on two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said "these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation and an unacceptable campaign of escalating tension by Iran."

No details were given to explain how officials came to this conclusion, and Pompeo took no questions.

This month will see the first Democratic presidential debate on June 26 and 27.

The DNC announced the qualifiers Thursday.

With no end to the border crisis on the horizon, conversations about children at the border have continued.

The Department of Justice appears to be making plans to go after big tech companies.

Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim clarified some antitrust arguments in a speech Tuesday, namely that if a company makes moves or acquisitions for no other benefit than to harm competition, it may be a violation.

Other stories this week include the record spending and national debt, Trump's lack of climate change discussion and House Democrats making a deal to see Mueller's files on Trump.Cookie banner

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By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.SPANISH FORK  After a childhood spent surrounded by gun violence in South Africa, Erin Thomas is, as she puts it, "anti-gun in a lot of ways."

Its a description seemingly at odds with Thomas newly-acquired permit to carry a concealed firearm.

But with what can feel like an endless cycle of school shootings in the news, Thomas, an assistant principal at two elementary schools in the Alpine School District, has been increasingly forced to consider a frightening question for educators: What would I do if it were my school?

If the unthinkable were to happen, Thomas says, she wants to be able to take action  to be "helpful," rather than helpless.

Thomas and 31 other teachers, principals, and counselors filled a classroom at the Utah County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday for a concealed carry instructional course, part of a comprehensive academy to help educators prepare for potentially violent situations.

An earlier lesson focused on de-escalation techniques. Later in the month, the class will receive hands-on training at a shooting range. Its the first time the sheriffs office has offered such an academy.

As schools around the country contend with how best to prevent and respond to active shooter situations, there's disagreement over whether arming teachers is an effective way to keep students safe. In Utah, where its legal to carry a concealed firearm in the classroom, some educators are weighing the potential risks of bringing a handgun to school with the greater sense of security they believe it could bring.

Jennifer Jacobsen, a 70-year-old physical education teacher at Willowcreek Middle School in Lehi, had never shot a gun as of Wednesday night. She isnt sure whether a concealed carry permit is something that would have crossed her mind 20 years ago when she first began teaching.

"(Now) this is a real issue. Its the world we live in," Jacobsen said. "Im a firm believer that I could be the one. It could be me, and I want to be prepared."

Those in favor of arming teachers say it could allow them to better protect their students in an active shooter situation, especially in rural areas where police may not be able to respond right away. Those opposed say they worry about the safety of students, citing the potential for deadly accidents in the classroom or the possibility that a teacher with limited training unintentionally shoots a student while trying to shoot an attacker.

"Guns dont belong in our classrooms to begin with," said Mary Ann Thompson, head of the Utah chapter of gun control advocacy group Moms Demand Action. "Teachers and staff should be focused on helping our kids learn, not focused on being responsible for stopping an active shooter."

Heidi Matthews, president of the Utah Education Association, said that generally speaking, the UEA is in favor of keeping the areas around schools gun-free.

Rather than devoting energy to arming teachers, Matthews would like to see schools expand mental health resources and focus on building relationships between students and trusted adults.

"School safety is greater impacted by paying attention to individual students and their needs than arming teachers," Matthews said. "And if we only have so many resources, lets put them to use with things that have been statistically shown to make an impact."

The risks of carrying at school  particularly in a classroom of young children prone to hugs and handsiness  give some pause to Kristen Baumgarten, a kindergarten teacher at Orem Elementary School. She doubts she'll ever bring a gun to work, in part because she isnt confident in her ability to handle a weapon in a moment of panic, but she applied for her concealed carry permit this week  just in case.

"Seeing these things (on the news), it really hits home," Baumgarten said. "It makes you more aware. What would I do in that situation?"

Andrea Brinkerhoff says she wouldn't arm herself in her current position as a counselor at Mapleton Elementary School, but she would be open to carrying in a high school. Either way, she believes a familiarity with weapons could benefit her and her students in a dangerous situation.

"It just helps to know what youre up against," Brinkerhoff said, citing as an example, being able to identify different types of guns and their capabilities.

The sheriff's office had initially planned on a class of 20 for its academy but expanded the size due to high demand, Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith said. Still, there was a waiting list to get into the five-day course, which costs $20 and is mostly funded by the Utah County Sheriff's Honorary Colonels.

The Utah County Sheriff's Office isn't the only law enforcement agency to offer firearms training to Utah teachers. The Uintah County Sheriff's Office offered a two-day course for educators last month that similarly included shooting lessons at a gun range and concealed carry instruction. That training was funded by a donation from a local chapter of Safari Club International.

If teachers do choose to arm themselves, Smith says, training them in proper gun safety and shooting techniques could reduce the chances of an accident happening.

"Thats the thing: It is reality," Smith said. "There are teachers carrying guns to school. So for me, it's dealing with the reality.

"Its easy to say, Im going to carry a gun to school because the law says I can, and if something happens I'm going to use it," he continued. "But shooting a gun is something that you need to work at and be confident in, especially if you need to take a shot in a room full of kids."

The Utah County academy doesnt just include firearms training, and some participants have said they have no interest in carrying a gun, Smith said. Roughly half the class signed up for a concealed carry permit; a few others already had permits. Over the course of the month, the educators will also learn self-defense skills and emergency medical techniques.

Jacobsen's colleague McKenzie Wilson, also a P.E. and health teacher at Willowcreek, said she chose to participate in the academy in part because of past experiences at work. Several years ago, she said, a student made a death threat against her. She sent the student to administrators; he was returned to her classroom several minutes later.

"It just feels so real," Wilson said. "I need to know how to protect myself and my students, because it's not coming from higher."

Thomas, like Wilson, Jacobsen and many of their classmates, isnt sure whether shell ever carry a weapon at school, or at all.

"But if I do," Thomas said, "I would like to know how to do it the right way."OGDEN  A Utah man has lost an appeal of his conviction for illegally making and selling more than 1,400 machine-gun converter devices for AR-15-style rifles.

The Standard Examiner reports that Scott Ray Bishop had argued that he was wrongly blocked from offering expert testimony about his converter kit, which he said was for educational purposes only.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that argument on Monday, leaving Bishop to continue serving a nearly three-year prison sentence that began in May 2018. The judges ruled that Bishop damaged his own case by not complying with federal criminal court rules of procedure when he represented himself at trial.

An attorney representing Bishop on appeal did not immediately return a call seeking comment.WOODS CROSS  The Utah Department of Public Safety will now investigate whether a Woods Cross police sergeant broke the law or engaged in racial profiling when he pulled a gun on a 10-year-old black child last week.

The announcement Friday came as welcome news to the family of DJ Hrubes, who have been calling for an independent investigation of the incident since the June 6 encounter, an attorney for the Hrubes family said.

Protesters at a rally outside the Woods Cross police station Friday evening also cheered the development. But some organizers of the rally, representing Black Lives Matter Utah and Utahns Against Police Brutality, said an investigation isn't enough: they want to see the officer fired and systemic changes made to keep a similar incident from happening again.

"I've seen hundreds of investigations, and guess who's never found guilty? The police," Jacob Jensen of Utahns Against Police Brutality told a crowd of over one hundred protesters, who held signs reading "Black Lives Matter," "Implicit Bias Kills" and "You Don't Have To Be Black To Be Outraged."

Woods Cross Police Chief Chad Soffe had originally asked the Davis County Attorney's Office to "review" but not investigate the incident, but apparently changed his mind after Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said his office would only conduct a full criminal investigation into the officer's actions and not a lesser "review" of the incident.

Attorney Heather White, who has been hired to represent the city of Woods Cross, said Friday that the city has now decided to ask the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the sergeant violated department policies, engaged in racial profiling, used excessive force or engaged in any criminal conduct.

The police department came under fire last week after the Hrubes family said an officer searching for potentially armed suspects pointed a gun at 10-year-old DJ's head while the child was playing in a relative's front yard in West Bountiful.

The sergeant was wearing a body camera but did not turn it on when he confronted the child at gunpoint. The police department has publicly defended the officer's actions on the day of the incident, saying he did not violate protocol and did nothing wrong.

Members of the Hrubes family and three passersby who witnessed the encounter have said the police officer pulled up in front of the house, got out of his car, pointed a gun directly at DJ, and told him to get on the ground  an order they say the boy complied with right away.

According to mother Jerri Hrubes, the officer then drove off without explaining his actions to her or her son. She says the officer returned later in the day to apologize to DJ, telling the child, "I am so sorry I pointed my gun at you."

Hrubes told reporters last week that the family is not calling for the officer to be fired; they have only asked for an independent investigation.

White also confirmed Friday that the police department has not interviewed any witnesses to the encounter other than the sergeant himself. Some of the information from witnesses who have spoken to the Deseret News has appeared to conflict with information released by police.

A Woods Cross police lieutenant initially said the sergeant was helping in a search following a high-speed chase when he spotted DJ in the yard and believed he might be involved. The department confirmed that the officer pulled his gun out of his holster and held it at the "low-ready" position, but said he did not point it at the boy's head and did not violate protocol.

The lieutenant also said that DJ, when first told by the officer to get on the ground, ran around to the back of the house and it wasn't until the officer followed him there that he pulled his gun out of his holster, believing the boy might try to run or jump the fence.

In a statement released through White on Wednesday, police said the officer drew his gun after DJ began running toward the officer.

The lieutenant on the day of the incident said that officers were searching for two people: one was described as Hispanic and the race of the other suspect was unknown. On Monday, Soffe said police were looking for two black people. On Wednesday, White said police were told that one of the suspects was Hispanic and the other was black.

Three men driving by in a car who did not know the Hrubes family have told the media that they did not see DJ run, either toward or away from the officer.

Woods Cross police have not interviewed any witnesses to the encounter, including the men in the car, because they "wanted to make sure that there were no possible implications of (the department) trying to manipulate any facts," White said Friday.

She said that the department stopped its own investigation of the incident  which would have included interviewing witnesses  after becoming aware of allegations of misconduct and racial profiling and realizing there would likely need to be an independent investigation.

White said she did not have an exact timeline of when the department halted its own investigation, but "it all happened so quickly that they immediately stopped to make sure there was no bias in witnesses."

The department immediately defended the sergeant's actions, White said, because department leaders did not have any information beyond the sergeant's description of what happened when the media began reporting on the encounter several hours after it occurred.

"They didnt have any information that the officer did anything wrong," White said.

Jerri Hrubes has said she believes her son was targeted because of the color of his skin. "He committed the crime of being a child thats black, in a town where theres not a lot" of black people, she said.

Karra Porter, the attorney for the Hrubes family, said she and the family were pleased to hear about the request for the states broader investigation into racial profiling, use of force, and police department policy.

It sounds like what weve been asking for, Porter said, noting that a narrower criminal investigation by the county attorneys office wouldnt have answered any of our questions. To get an actual investigation, it was appropriate to look to the state.

The rally outside the police station Friday featured speakers from Black Lives Matter Utah, Utahns Against Police Brutality, and Mormon Women for Ethical Government. Mormon Women for Ethical Government has called only for an independent investigation of the incident, not for the firing of the officer.

"Even though the various organizations participating in Friday's event are not all perfectly aligned in their messaging or goals, we feel strongly that we must all come together in a broader call for better accountability for law enforcement officers and agencies," said executive director Diana Bate Hardy in a statement.

Black Lives Matter Utah organizer Lex Scott said after the event that the investigation announced Friday is "definitely  very exciting." However, she added, "they should have done it in the first place."

Along with the officer being fired, Scott said, Black Lives Matter Utah would like to see more race-related training for Utah officers.

Josianne Petit, another organizer with Black Lives Matter Utah, praised rally attendees for raising public awareness of the incident through social media.

"That happened because of you," Petit said. "It got the state talking. It got the national media talking. You are powerful."SALT LAKE CITY  A bill in Congress that would shield banks from federal penalties for serving marijuana-related businesses is gathering support, but a Utah congressman wants to limit the legislation's scope to apply only to medical cannabis.

The Secure and Fair Enforcement  or SAFE  Banking Act is heading for a House vote in coming weeks with 206 co-sponsors. It has the backing of state and banking officials across the country, including Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, Utah State Treasurer David Damschen, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and the Utah Bankers Association. But Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said he supports Utah's recent legalization of medical marijuana, and he's pushing against federal law going beyond that threshold.

He began his efforts Tuesday in a failed attempt to amend a different proposal  a spending bill that would prohibit using federal funds to enforce penalties on financial institutions that serve the cannabis industry in states where the drug is legal. Stewart's failed amendment would have limited protection to banks serving only medical, and not recreational, marijuana businesses.

Supporters of banking protections say growers and distributors are "soft targets" for armed robberies, kidnappings and other crimes as they are forced to run cash-only operations because financial institutions are reluctant to bank their earnings and run afoul of federal law, which classifies cannabis as an illegal Schedule I drug.

But during debate of his amendment in the House Appropriations Committee, Stewart acknowledged he has little sympathy for recreational marijuana businesses exposed to violent crime.

I guess Im just willing to say a company thats selling recreational marijuana to our youth and to others, I dont really care if they have a threat of cash sitting in their basement, if theyre paying their employees in cash, Stewart said. I dont want to make life easier for them. I want to make it more difficult  for them to continue with an enterprise that I think is very harmful to people.

He said the spending bill's language tells illegal drug cartels they now have access to the national financial system and sends the wrong message that encourages a "destructful" habit, especially for youth.

"Why would we want to do that?" he said. "I would encourage the members of the committee to consider the enormous cost and the very negative message we'd be sending by saying, 'If you sell tires, if you sell donuts or if you sell dope, it's all the same to us. Come on down to our bank and open up an account and we'll take care of you.'"

After a bipartisan majority spoke against his amendment, Stewart withdrew it.

"But I think it's a mistake for us to have had this conversation here and not be willing take to take a stand on it," Stewart said, noting the best fix to the banking dilemma is to remove cannabis from the list of illegal Schedule I drugs  although he didn't say he would support that change.

Stewart told the Deseret News he plans to continue to push to limit banking services to entities involved in the production and dispensing of medical marijuana.

The spending bill's provision is intended to be temporary, while the so-called SAFE Banking Act would be a permanent solution. Although the banking act has more than 200 co-sponsors in the House and support from state government and banking associations, its prospects are less certain in the Republican-controlled Senate, where a companion bill awaits a hearing.

Other Republicans in Utah's congressional delegation said they are still studying the issue and haven't taken a position on the SAFE Banking Act. Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, who sits on the Financial Services Committee that advanced the proposal in March to the full House, supports the bill.

I think it's a mistake for us to have had this conversation here and not be willing take to take a stand on it  Utah Rep. Chris Stewart

Marijuana banking has been a problem since the drug first became legal in California in 1996. Last year, it became an issue in Utah after voters legalized medical cannabis and state lawmakers created a regulatory framework where growing, processing and dispensing involves state and local agencies that have long-established bank accounts. The state system takes effect next year.

Obama-era federal guidelines have shielded financial institutions from prosecution and penalties for serving marijuana-related businesses, but those directives are temporary and compliance is time-consuming and costly for the small number of financial institutions that have tried to service the growing marijuana industry.

Operating cash-only is not only a public safety hazard, but also a burden on local and state treasurers who have to process cash tax payments amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, government officials said at a congressional hearing in February.

Damschen, who is also president of the National Association of State Treasurers, which recently urged Congress to resolve the marijuana banking dilemma, declined to comment on Stewart's opposition to the SAFE Banking Act.

Reyes joined 38 attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the act. "Legislation is crucial to providing structure to an array of businesses that are growing exponentially," his spokesman Richard Piatt said Friday, declining to address Stewart's position directly. "This is a matter of public safety and state sovereignty.

In June, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert joined 20 other governors in signing a letter urging Congress to pass a bipartisan marijuana banking bill, according to the website Marijuana Moment.

The American Bankers Association supports the SAFE Banking Act to "clarify many issues for the banking industry, regulators, businesses and consumers."

Howard Headlee, executive director of the Utah Bankers Association, said Stewart has been clear in his position, although it conflicts with that of other states that want to bank all types of cannabis businesses and doesn't have much support in Congress.

For his part, Stewart acknowledged in Tuesday's hearing that he's the "lone man in the wilderness" opposing the current marijuana banking proposals, and pushing for limiting changes to accommodate the situation in his home state. The Utah Legislature passed a resolution this year urging Congress to allow banking for just "legal medical cannabis."

My amendment is supportive of Utahs responsible actions to facilitate medical marijuana for patients, including banking access within the industry, Stewart said in a statement to the Deseret News.WASHINGTON  A holiday that is spreading across the U.S. and beyond, Juneteenth is considered the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

It was originally celebrated on June 19, the day that Union soldiers in 1865 told enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War had ended and they were free.

Celebrations include parades, concerts, and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year, Juneteenth will also feature the first congressional hearing in more than a decade on reparations for slavery.

Here's a look at the holiday and its history:

BEGINNINGS

The celebration started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865.

Laura Smalley, who was freed from a plantation near Bellville, Texas, remembered in a 1941 interview that her former master had gone to fight in the Civil War and came home without telling his slaves what had happened.

"Old master didn't tell, you know, they was free," Smalley said . "I think now they say they worked them, six months after that. Six months. And turn them loose on the 19th of June. That's why, you know, we celebrate that day."

It was June 19, 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his Union troops arrived at Galveston with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

Granger delivered General Order No. 3, which said: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor."

The next year, the now-freed slaves started celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston, and the celebration has continued around the nation and the world since.

WHAT DOES JUNETEENTH MEAN?

The term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day.

According to Dee Evans, national director of communications of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, there will be Juneteenth celebrations in almost every state this year.

Black Texans took the holiday with them as they moved around the country and overseas, Evans said, and what started as a local celebration went international.

Forty-six states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or day of recognition, like Flag Day. Countries like South Korea, Ghana, Israel, Taiwan, France, and the U.S. territory of Guam have held or now hold Juneteenth celebrations.

A resolution recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday passed the Senate last year, but the accompanying resolution has not been approved in the House.

REMEMBERING THE PAST

Juneteenth celebrations used to revolve around the church with speeches and picnics, said Para LaNell Agboga, museum site coordinator at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in Austin, Texas, which has one of the only permanent Juneteenth museum exhibits in the country.

It changed around the 1960s with the civil rights movement, she said.

"It became a little more secular and stretched over more than one day," Agboga said. "It became kind of a time of community gathering ... It's really more huge parties and huge parades and big concerts, but always bringing in freedom. It's all about freedom."

More than 150 cities will have Juneteenth celebrations this year, Evans said.

Each celebration is different, from parades in places like Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and Houston, to concerts in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Denver and Marietta, Georgia, to free genealogy workshops outside of Washington, D.C., to readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Agboga, Evans and others are working to make sure Juneteenth celebrators don't forget why the day exists.

"In 1776 the country was freed from the British, but the people were not all free," Evans said. "June 19, 1865, was actually when the people and the entire country was actually free."

It's also a day to remember the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the United States, especially in these racially and politically charged days, Agboga said.

"Our freedoms are fragile, and it doesn't take much for things to go backward," she said.Apple had banned the Facebook Research app from the App Store in January

IT seems like Facebooks data troubles refuse to go away. After the Pandoras Box that was the Cambridge Analytica scandal was blown open, instances of data breach and privacy lapses on Facebooks part continue to go public. Now, there is a report that a Facebook-owned app syphoned off data of 187,000 users before being pulled by Apple from the App Store.

The app originally named Onavo was responsible for sucking up personal information of 187,000 users. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal demanded Facebook release the number of users whose data was compromised, along with how many of those users were minors. According to TechCrunch, who managed to get a look at the copy of the letter, report that according to Facebook, the Social Media giant collected information on 31,000 users from the U.S., of whom 4,300 were teenagers.

Originally released as the data sucking VPN Onavi, the app was later, rebranded as Facebook Research and released through Apples TestFlight program. Facebook then started paying users to download the app through the TestFlight program. TestFlight is a program no iOS which allows developers to reach out to beta testers for their apps. While up until now the process was fairly normal, where Facebook violated App Store policy was by asking users to install an Enterprise Developer Certificate and a VPN. This combination granted Facebook unrestricted access to everything done on the phone. In exchange, users would receive monetary compensation.

Apple finally banned the app from the App Store in January of this year, but Facebook continued to maintain the app on Googles Play Store, eventually removing it a few months later. We finally know the extent of the breach in privacy enacted by the Facebook Research app. By paying users $20/month, Facebook incentivized its users to give the company access to everything, most likely without even knowing what they were signing up for. This is just another incident in now a long list of infractions by Facebook when it comes to users privacy, and it is unlikely that this would be the last.Tinnies. Takeaway flat-whites. Tasmania. Tesla? Australia is known more for gas-guzzling than sustainable energy. Public-transport-complaining is a national hobby and if youre not heading up the coast or down the coast on holiday then youre not true blue.

Besides: if your eco-friendly Prius breaks down in the middle of the Outback youre in hotter sand than a backpacker who never got round to watching Wolf Creek. Anyone who grew up here will know this. However, many European tourists are shocked that a country so renowned for its natural beauty can be so cavalier about sustainability.

But the truth is Australia was not designed with public transport  let alone sustainability  in mind. And for every dollar Angela Merkel spends on renewable energy, it seems the Australian government spends two on road-building.

There are three reasons for this.

Firstly: many Australian consumers dont care about sustainability as much as the cultural capital their third gen keep cup lends them.

Secondly: as reported by the Australian Financial Review, even while there is a renewable energy boom in other parts of the world, Big infrastructure investors are steering clear of Australias energy sector because of the risks and political uncertainties.

Thirdly: many people have forgotten that, as one surfer recently put it, The real eco-warrior is the one wearing 20-year-old, mass produced boardshorts, not the one wearing the brand new recycled plastic monstrosities, (paraphrased from deep in Swellnets commentary board).

Anyway  while we applaud small businesses like Who Gives A Crap for making their processes eco-friendly and socially responsible, the corporate anxiety around whether consumers really care about sustainability suggests most companies see sustainability as a cash cow rather than a moral responsibility.

Read NextFeatures 

1)

Cyber Sovereignty Rising,

China's Vision of Internet Sovereignty Spreading

,

2)

ICANN Fatally Flawed?

a.Afilias v. ICANN .WEB IRP Update

,

b.

EPDP Meeting June 20 UPDATE

,

3) a.

Trademarkia v. LegalZoom,

b.

CJEU on Geograpnic Terms,

c.

Kaddish.com,

4)

ICYMI,

5)

Most Read

1)

Cyber Sovereignty Rising,

China

a new version of the internet

vision

content curbs

data controls

Cyber Sovereignty

Global Internet Users 3.8B

51%

Googles Chrome Browser Becomes Web Gatekeeper --Google has far-reaching control over how the web works, and who gets to create new ways of accessing it--bloomberg.com.

--Google has far-reaching control over how the web works, and who gets to create new ways of accessing it--bloomberg.com. $20 Phones Could Bring a Billion People Online: about half of humanity doesnt have internet access, and a lot of those people are in Africa. Enter a $20 device with smartphone brains and a five-day battery.

about half of humanity doesnt have internet access, and a lot of those people are in Africa. Enter a $20 device with smartphone brains and a five-day battery. Taiwan 's digital minister on combating disinformation without censorship --cpj.org.

's digital minister on --cpj.org. Telegram says it faced a massive DDoS attack originating from China coinciding with protests in Hong Kong, where organizers used the app to evade surveillance.





2)

ICANN News:

ICANN Fatally Flawed?

enable competition ..." ICANN Articles of Incorporation: "... The Corporation shall operate in a manner consistent with these Articles and its Bylaws for the benefit of the Internet community as a whole, carrying out its activities in conformity with relevant principles of international law and international conventions and applicable local law and through open and transparent processes that..."





not apply its standards, policies, procedures, or practices inequitably or single out any particular party for disparate treatment unless justified by substantial and reasonable cause, such as the promotion of effective competition ." ICANN Bylaws : "ICANN shallapply its standards, policies, procedures, or practices inequitably or single out any particular party for disparate treatmentjustified by substantial and reasonable cause, such as the."





" ICANN was created through an express transfer of powers and authority from the United States

government . While this express transfer included the powers and authority necessary to oversee

the secure and stable operation of the Internet s DNS, the transfer did not include the power,

authority, or expertise to act as a competition regulator by challenging or policing transactions

and conduct that could be deemed anticompetitive ."-- ICANN Board Member and Neustar former employee, Becky Burr , infra, at p. 10, May 31, 2019, in Afilias v. ICANN IRP (emphasis added). --(emphasis added).





Editor's note : if Becky Burr (a/k/a J. Beckwith Burr) is right, the competition provisions in ICANN's articles and bylaws (see above) are essentially meaningless, and ICANN is fatally flawed and should therefore be replaced by the global internet community forthwith , remembering the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division in 2008, but which ICANN disregarded in favor of its own (a/k/a J. Beckwith Burr)thein ICANN's articles and bylaws (see above) are essentially meaningless, andand should therefore be replaced by the, remembering the competition advice that was given to ICANN (via NTIA ) by thein 2008, but whichdisregarded in favor of its own ill-conceived and corrupt new gTLDs program full of anti-competitive provisions.

"Lets face it, the Internet is a utility and so are the corporations who control it ... Technology needs to be regulated." --Alan Patricof, longtime innovator and venture capitalist, April 30, 2019.

a.

Dueling ICANN Board Members & Dueling Expert Witnesses

, Independent Review Process

IRP

ICANN:

b. ICANN EPDP Phase 2





UPDATE EPDP Meeting #7 20 June 2019:

Does EPDP Phase 2 need a course correction?

See

from Zoom June 20 transcript:

See also

re: "

Planned ICANN org Communications to European Data Protection Board Regarding the

Expedited Policy Development Process."





June 13th EPDP





From the EPDP public mail list:

compliance

We have asked in the past whether ICANN has written a record of processing activities, carried out DPIAs, asked for legal advice on related aspects etc.

we have not been provided with any such documentation

would be extremely helpful

review existing documents

existing work products would expedite our work

If there is actually no documentation already

it would be good to get clarity around that

not





UPDATE:





What's ahead?

EPDP meetings

ICANN65

Also note :

EPDP subgroup meeting on potential OCTO [ICANN Office of Chief Technology Officer] Purpose Feasibility of unique contacts to have a uniform anonymized email address, is scheduled on Monday, 17 June at 13:00 UTC for 90 minutes.

EPDP Team input in response to GNSO Council's request re ICANN Board not approving two Phase 1 recommendations.

approving two Phase 1 recommendations. 12 June 2019 Letter from GNSO Chair Keith Drazek to ICANN Board Chair Cherine Chalaby re: Resource Support for Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) Phase 2.

Related

:

Privacy Fix: Search and Destroy Old Email Accounts --an unused email address can be a backdoor to your entire digital life--consumerreports.org.

--an unused email address can be a backdoor to your entire digital life--consumerreports.org. Afnic enhances and simplifies the handling of identity theft complaints --since 2017, Afnic has registered 102 complaints for identity theft by individuals when registering a domain name under the .fr ccTLD .--afnic.fr.

is offering. This newcombines sweepingwith uncompromising. Its calledand its already spreading to other countries around the world. Bloomberg.com video above published June 10, 2019.of world population), Growth Slowing: +6% vs. +7% Y/Y. Future growth in internet users will largely come from Asia Pacific, Africa & Middle East.See also:), 31 May 2019 filing bybelow ICANN CEO June 18, 2019, Letter (pdf) chat transcript (pdf) also gives theof what's going on:"... I wanted to offer a thought that I hope will not be received as negative. A lot of the work that our group is doing cannot only be characterized as the communitys policy work, but it is in fact ICANNs (org). Looking at the cost of becoming compliant, the easiest way to save money is to use synergies.To my knowledge,. To be clear, itfor our group to be able to. Even though if our group might hold different views on certain questions, any. Maybe there are documents in the making, in which case we could build our workplan around potential delivery dates to be able to benefit from such work products., too, and we could try to work so that duplicate efforts of the org and our group can be avoided,so that the org can benefit best from the legal advice we are seeking. Either way, when looking at where the money shall come from, I think it would be fairto consider expenditures as the communitys policy making only, but as part of ICANNs overall compliance activities. I hope this helps."-- Thomas Rickert (ISPCP) (emphasis added).will be atin Marrakech, Morocco, June 25 and June 27Sinn Fein TD for Sligo, Leitrim, North Roscommon and South Donegal Martin Kenny has asked Minister Richard Bruton if the government would go through the process of objecting to a fracking licence being granted to the Tamboran company in Fermanagh.

Speaking in the Dail he said: In the early days of this Dail, we banned fracking, fortunately, Deputy Kenny said, mentioning Deputy Tony McLoughlin and former TD Michael Colreavys work on that issue.

Unfortunately, the jurisdiction extends only to 26 counties. A company that got a licence here previously for hydraulic fracking, Tamboran, has recently applied for an exploration licence in County Fermanagh, for a region extending from Beleek right down to Derrylin.

Until 5 July, there will be an opportunity for a consultation process. It will be appropriate, in the context of our banning fracking in this State because of the associated environmental concerns, for the Minister's department to make an application to the North stating we are opposed to the licensing because it will have detrimental environmental consequences for people living in the region.

In response, the Minister said he would check on the matter with his department.

Speaking afterwards, Deputy Kenny said: I will be keeping an eye on this because the environmental consequences will not recognise any border. This is a serious problem for the people of my constituency and neighbouring areas and this government should do everything possible to protects us from the effects of fracking in Fermanagh.Up to 80 delegates from across Europe were in Donegal this week for the Conference of the Peripheral Maritime Region (CPMR) Political Bureau Meeting which took place in Harveys Point on Thursday.

This meeting of political representatives from across Europe focused on a range of issues including the future of European Territorial Co-operation, the future on Ten-Ts as well as Fisheries and the EMFF for the Post 2020 period.

MAIN PIC: Members of the Conference of the Peripheral Maritime Region (CPMR) Political Bureau with Cllr. Niamh Kennedy, Leas Chathaoirleach, Seamus Neely, Chief Executive Donegal County Council, John McLaughlin, Director of Roads and Transportation and Cllr. John Sheamais OFhearraigh at Harveys Point, Donegal Town where the CPMR Political Bureau meeting was hosted this week.

Donegal County Council has been a member of the CPMR since 1998 working in joint membership with the North West Regional Assembly. The CPMR brings together some 160 regions from 25 states from the European Union and beyond ensuring that the needs and interests of its member regions are taken into account in policies with a high territorial impact focusing mainly on social, economic and territorial cohesion, maritime policies and blue growth and accessibility.

European delegates who took part in the Conference of the Peripheral Maritime Region (CPMR) Political Bureau Meeting which was hosted by Donegal County Council in Harveys Point on Thursday with Leas Chathaoirleach Cllr. Niamh Kennedy and Chief Executive Seamus Neely

Through its extensive network of contacts within the EU institutions and national governments, the CPMR has been an important vehicle for Donegal in helping ensure that the countys interests are taken on board in the formulation of policies that could have a significant impact for the region.

Newly elected Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Nicholas Crossan believes that it was timely for Donegal to host this meeting of the CPMRs political bureau saying we are delighted that Donegal has been chosen as the host location for this meeting of the CPMRs Political Bureau.

"We are entering a period of unprecedented change within the EU with programmes reaching a conclusion and new programmes being developed and introduced. It is imperative that we have an effective mechanism to highlight the needs and interests of our own county and region so that these can be taken on board in the planning of future EU programmes and policies.

The Political Bureau is the main decision maker of the CPMR, meeting twice a year and proposing policy guidelines for the General Assembly. Panel discussions at this weeks meeting covered a number of areas including the future of European Territorial Co-operation, the future on Ten-Ts, Fisheries and the EMFF for the Post 2020 period, Governance of Migration Policy and a strategic plan to anticipate the future direction of the EU.

Cllr. Niamh Kennedy the new CPMR representative from Donegal County Council and the recently elected Leas Chathaoirleach explained that many of the topics discussed were of relevance to Donegal. "The topics tabled for discussion had a direct relevance for Donegal and it is important that we have a strong and effective voice at the table," she said.

"This was a great opportunity for Donegal to showcase what the county has to offer as a place to visit, to do business in and to live in and for delegates to see first-hand the impact that progressive EU programmes and policies can have on people living in a peripheral region such as Donegal.

Many of the delegates flew into Donegal Airport and experienced for themselves the world's most scenic landing and had an opportunity to explore some of Donegals most stunning landscapes including a visit to Sliabh Liag on Friday morning.A goal set in a meeting three years ago will soon pay off in insurance savings for homeowners in the Rehobeth area.

In a recent review, the Rehobeth Fire and Rescue Department lowered its Insurance Service Office score from a Class 5 to a Class 3. Other VFDs in western and southern Houston County also fared well as Hodgesville and Madrid dropped from Class 5 to Class 4.

The ISO evaluates fire departments on several factors every few years in determining the marks  including fire response capabilities, water supply, communications systems available, available equipment, and adequate staffing among others. Insurance companies use the scores to help determine property insurance rates, and lower scores equal better rates.

A previous Eagle article noted Slocombs drop from a Class 5 to a Class 3  like the one Rehobeth is experiencing  generated about $150 to $200 per year in savings for homeowners. Rehobeth Fire Chief Todd Phillips attributed the vast improvement to a few factors  mainly the dedication of the 17 members of the department.An accurate census is also critical for rural Alabamians. Much of the 2020 Census will take place online, but the Census Bureau hasn't been given enough funding to fully test its new online platform. Can it guarantee that our rural neighbors, who have limited access to the internet, will be counted?

Census data also matters to our economy. Federal small business loan programs will be underfunded if there's a low count. New infrastructure improvements are chosen using census data. As phone and internet companies decide where to roll out new high speed technology, they will rely on census data. Hospitals and clinics use census data to choose new locations. A bad census count affects us all negatively.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a national count of everyone in this country. It is a non-partisan issue, a moral issue, an American issue. But it is up to Congress to do the right thing and fully fund the 2020 Census. If the members of Congress ignore or reject their duty, rural families, people without a permanent address, and other hard-to-count Alabamians will be left out  totally ignored. The consequences of this injustice will be dire for the entire state. We are all compromised when progress is deferred. That's why I am calling on Rep. Martha Roby and Sen. Richard Shelby to focus and honorably meet the task before them: fully fund the 2020 Census and reject any untested questions. We need you to make sure everyone counts. Respect the dignity of each of us, and the integrity of the Constitution.We face many challenges when searching for the right people to fill our ranks. Yes, we need infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers, like you see in the movies, but we also need logisticians, nurses, engineers, truck drivers, and IT specialists.

About 50 percent of todays young people admit they know little to nothing about their nations military -- the people who work daily to protect their freedom. They dont understand the depth of the knowledge and technical skills they can learn in 150 different career paths. They dont understand the degrees they can earn or that the benefits and perks often match or surpass those offered by civilian employers.

We see amazing young people in the Dothan and Wiregrass Area who want to serve their communities, and we believe that we are doing them a disservice if we are not encouraging them to explore the military as a potential career path.

The Army invests in its people, often to the benefit of outside organizations. Veterans are more likely to vote, volunteer, and be involved in their communities. They have the maturity and self-discipline private industries are seeking.BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Any attempts to create chaos in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and disrupt its prosperity and stability will certainly be opposed by all the Chinese people and doomed to failure, a spokesperson with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said here Friday.

In response to a question about some members of the U.S. Congress bringing up again an act regarding Hong Kong, spokesperson Geng Shuang said that China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the U.S. making irresponsible remarks about Hong Kong and grossly interfering in China's internal affairs.

"The prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, a major trading partner of the United States, conform to U.S. interests, while its chaos does the U.S. side no good at all," Geng told a press conference.

Geng urged relevant Americans to respect facts, discard prejudice, stop any attempts at interfering in Hong Kong's affairs, abandon delusions of creating chaos in Hong Kong, stop advancing the review of relevant bill, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and do more to facilitate mutual trust and cooperation between China and the United States.

Geng said Hong Kong's affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which brooks no interference by any foreign country.

"Since Hong Kong's return to China, the principles of 'one country, two systems' and 'Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong' with a high degree of autonomy have been earnestly carried out. The entitled rights and freedom of Hong Kong residents have been fully guaranteed according to law. These are facts widely acknowledged by those with an unbiased view."

With an unswerving resolve in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, China is not afraid of any threat or intimidation, the spokesperson said.

"Any attempts to create chaos in Hong Kong and disrupt its prosperity and stability will certainly be opposed by all the Chinese people including Hong Kong compatriots," Geng said. "Such attempts will neither win popular consensus nor succeed."Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more

Its easy to understand why so many retail organizations have moved their infrastructure to the cloud. Cloud-based architecture allows provisioning nearly infinite compute instances on-demand in minutes. There is no need for upfront licensing or infrastructure costs, meaning a faster return on investment can usually be realized.

The most lauded benefits of all, however, are the unmatched agility and scalability of the cloud, given deployments can be fully automated using application programming interfaces, or APIs. This enables retailers to deploy new services or capabilities at equal pace with market demand and quickly expand or shrink their operations.

Overall, cloud technology can provide an invaluable competitive edge and allow retailers to react quickly to ever-changing consumer needs.

Hasty Cloud Implementation Leads to Chronic Challenges

The numerous benefits made possible by cloud technology are real. However, many retail organizations follow a herd mentality because they are afraid of being left behind. They reason that many of their peers and competitors are leveraging cloud-based systems and tapping into their seemingly infinite benefits, so they should as well.

However, the problem with the cloud attaining a cult-like status is that many retailers implement the technology too eagerly. Without thinking through their unique needs and goals, retail organizations quickly experience chronic challenges that compound over time.

For instance, retailers that adopt a single-source public cloud may initially experience the cost, agility and ecosystem benefits such technology can bring. Over time, though, complexities will inevitably arise that not only negate the initial benefits of the public cloud but can also impede business growth, anger customers and damage brand reputation.

Following are four common challenges that many retail organizations face when embracing cloud technology too hastily: 1. Rising Costs: In some cases, cloud services are initially free, and the affordability of the technology can serve as a true lifeline. This is particularly true for startups. However, as a business grows, its going to need to perpetually spin up more server instances.

If long-term growth and scalability arent considered and accounted for, cloud bills can quickly multiple to five or 10 times their initial cost. Complicating matters further, many retailers mistakenly assume the solution to rising cloud costs is simply moving to another or an additional cloud provider, but in doing so, service fees can become even higher and more difficult to effectively manage.

2. Service Incompatibility: The open source landscape has opened up opportunities for retailers to improve customer experience through various frameworks and applications. Some cloud providers may provide their own managed versions of these. However, they are upgraded less frequently compared to the open source releases, leading to lack of availability of the latest features.

The equivalent proprietary services offered by the cloud vendor are often less agile when it comes to adding features to the service. For example, a retailer that wants to take advantage of microservices technology to improve its customer experience is going to require a high-performance, scalable database capable of integrating with a variety of operating system applications. Open source databases often have a leg up compared to the cloud-vendor databases.

3. Vendor Lock-In: Being beholden to one cloud vendor can lead to both inability to leverage groundbreaking technology from other cloud vendors and uncompetitive pricing mechanisms that dont scale along with business growth.

Even more concerning, vendor lock-in can lead to serious data portability problems, and retailers must always be prepared and able to move their data to another cloud vendor.

Consider the recent example of Walmart demanding its technology vendors stop running its applications (which hold sensitive Walmart data) on AWS, given the competition between Amazon and Walmart.

A lack of data portability has the potential to be a major sales roadblock for any organization in the retail industry, especially if any of their customers could be considered Amazon competitors.

4. Operational Complexity: Managing cloud environments isnt for the faint of heart, especially as a business and its infrastructure scales. For instance, any zone or regional failures in public cloud environments can bring down data access, leaving IT teams scrambling in an attempt to recover their instance and assets as quickly as possible.

Compliance headaches can also occur when data isnt in multi-region deployment, and traffic spikes can quickly drive up costs and lead to over-provisioning or the need for operations teams to manually monitor the cluster.

Best Practices for Cloud-Based Retail Systems

For retailers, ensuring that the cloud architecture has low latency and high availability is paramount. Customers dont have a lot of patience and expect responsive online storefronts.

Amazon famously did a calculation showing how a page slowdown of just one second could cost it $1.6 billion. This means that retail organizations must be able to support large traffic spikes while retaining low read latencies during certain times of the week, month or year.

If an e-commerce platform isnt able to manage incoming traffic due to a poorly designed, implemented or managed cloud infrastructure, the site will slow down, inventory and product review lookups will come to a crawl, and the checkout process will bottleneck. As a result, the customer experience suffers, dollars are lost, and the brands reputation gets dinged.

To prevent common cloud challenges from impacting a businesss bottom line, retailers should adhere to the following four best practices: 1. Ensure high availability. The unfortunate reality is that in the cloud, failures are inevitable. When they happen, retailers need to be able to recover quickly and mitigate the severity of the failure.

For business-critical applications in particular, be sure to implement sound geo-distributed deployments architectures. Tolerate node and zone failures automatically with multi-zone and fault-tolerant deployments.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Replicate data across regions to ensure against regional outages. This could involve using additional, different regions or even cloud providers like Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure to mitigate any business impact resulting from AWS failures, for instance.

Be sure to perform region outage fire-drills to ensure well-exercised contingency plans for diverting traffic to other regions when an outage occurs.

2. Ensure low latency. User experience is affected by latency, and it is important to serve requests with a low latency. Retailers must ensure low query latency by keeping data close to the users, which requires geo-replicated deployments with data present in multiple regions.

It is also important to understand the impact of outages and the necessary recovery time. Outages typically cause a temporary increase in latency because user requests have to be served by a datacenter that is farther away.

3. Ensure horizontal scalability. For many retailers, there is much, much more online traffic in the last few months of the year (typically October through December) than the rest of the year.

Spikes in traffic also can occur as a result of various actions, such as a well-placed advertisement. The impact of a traffic spike can be a dramatic increase in the number of simultaneous connections, number of reads, and the number of writes. It is important to ensure that all of them are scalable in the application.

4. Comply with data regulations. With data governance and privacy laws like GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act becoming more prevalent and stringent, ensuring cloud-based data remains within compliance is essential.

Retailers should restrict their data distribution to specific geographies to best comply with data protection laws, as regulations like GDPR mandate that data be stored in particular regions (not leaving the regions boundaries) and deleted whenever the data subject exercises their right to be forgotten.

Multicloud, Globally Distributed Data Architectures

Retailers unbridled enthusiasm for the cloud is admirable, and its also understandable how overwhelming effective cloud management can be. However, the key to successfully reaping the benefits of cloud technology is simple: Dont put all your eggs in one cloud basket.

To support ever-changing infrastructure demands as a business scales and customer demands evolve, prioritize globally distributed data architectures rather than being beholden to one cloud vendor and all the limitations it imposes.

Once used only by technology giants like Facebook and Google, globally distributed data architectures can be applied to any business-critical enterprise applications.

It is also essential to pick the right geo-distribution strategy, depending on the exact microservice  such as retail product catalogs, checkout processes or logistics systems.

By adopting global data distribution, while also establishing contingency plans that ensure low latency, horizontal scalability and compliance with data governance regulations, retailers can confidently defend their most critical business assets against infrastructure failures and realistically take advantage of all the benefits cloud technology has to offer.Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5)(Photo: REUTERS / Athar Hussain)Employees of Pakistan's biggest television station Geo TV attend a protest against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority after the station's license was suspended, in Karachi May 22, 2014. Pakistan's Geo TV said it was ramping up security on Tuesday after it became the object of dozens of blasphemy accusations for playing a song during an interview with an actress.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws have long been viewed as a convenient stick for members from the overwhelming Muslim majority who might bear a grudge against a person from another faith.

This week a leading European Parliament member caused a stir when she called Pakistan's blasphemy laws to be repealed and a safe place found for Christians.

Christians make up about 1.6 percent of Pakistan's population and they live in constant fear of persecution from extremist Islamic groups in that country because of legal strictures under the draconian "blasphemy law," says Marijana Petir.

A Croatian member of the European body, she cited the treatment of imprisoned Asia Bibi when she wrote an article for EP Today, the monthly magazine of the European Parliament.

She wrote, "Asia Bibi, a woman from a small village in the Punjab province of Pakistan, caught international attention when she was charged with blasphemy under Pakistan's regressive Blasphemy Law."

Her only crime said Petir, was that she was a Christian, "and had sipped water from the same vessel as a Muslim woman of her locality, leading to an argument."

A mother of five children, Bibi was to soon realize that this seemingly innocuous incident in June 2009, would change the course of her life.

Though she denied the charge of blasphemy, by November 2010 Asia had been sentenced to death by the District Court in Pakistan. "She remains in custody still, and has appealed against her sentence," noted Petir.

The Croatian politician is known to be a fervent Catholic and she is also a member of the committee on women's rights and gender equality and has been critical of Pakistan's leadership.

"Successive Pakistani governments have allowed radicalized extremist forces to thrive, drastically reducing tolerance within society and depriving minority religious groups the right to live safely and with dignity," she wrote for the European Parliament's own news site.

"School textbooks are replete with content that inculcates religious bias in young minds, thereby preparing a future generation that will be rooted in bigotry and intolerance."At least 24,000 irregular migrants and refugees entered Europe

A total of 30,510 migrants died between 2014 and 2018 while making the treacherous journey to Europe, the UN agency reported in January.

More than 24,000 irregular migrants and refugees reached Europe by sea since the beginning of 2019, the UN migration agency said Friday.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DIED

Of that figure, 555 died at sea, according to a report published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).During the same period last year, nearly 37,000 refugees and migrants were able to travel to Europe, 875 of which drowned in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to IOM Spain representative Ana Dodevska, 8,523 men, women and children arrived in the country since the beginning of 2019, down from 9,315 in the same period last year.

An average of 40 migrants per day entered Spain in the first two weeks of June 2019, much lower than the daily 230 in June 2018, IOM Spain reported.

Greece, on the other hand, received 11,683 in 2019, nearly equal to last years figure of 11,812 arrivals.

Thousands of people lost in the Central Mediterranean crossing have yet to be identified, the IOM said in a separate statement on Friday.

According to the IOMs Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) and Missing Migrants Project, fewer than 5,000 bodies have been recovered among 15,000 fatalities en route to Italy from North Africa since 2014. Net identification rates in Italy and Malta have been in the range of only one in five between 1990 and 2013.Bomb attack killed eight police officers in Kenya

Somali-based al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabaab militants have long carried out similar attacks in Kenya targeting security officers.

Eight police officers patrolling the Kenya-Somali border on Saturday were killed in an apparent al-Shabaab bomb attack along the porous Kenya-Somali border.

EIGHT DEAD

Five officers were also injured in the improvised explosive device (IED) attack in the Konton area of northeastern Kenya.

Confirming the attack to Anadolu Agency, a senior police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media said: "All the police officers were in a car patrolling the border, and the five who were injured have been rushed to Wajir hospital.

The officer added that reinforcements have been sent to the area where the attack happened.Hong Kong: Government suspends bill

Hong Kong has suspended its highly controversial plan to allow extraditions to mainland China, Chief Executive Carrie Lam has announced.

Bowing to large protests, Hong Kongs government on Saturday suspended controversial plans for an extradition law with China, reported local media.

"THE TIME FOR THE LAW TO COME OUT IS NOT YET DEFINITE"

At a press conference, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor acknowledged that her government had done a poor job selling the measure.

"I feel deep sorrow and regret that deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies," Lam was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post. Using the words stop and suspend interchangeably, Lam was not clear when, of if, she would reintroduce the law.

The decision came in the wake of two massive waves of protests last week, one of which ended in violence, leaving as many as 80 Hong Kong residents injured.

Two organizers of the June 9 mass protest, the Civil Human Rights Front and the Confederation of Trade Unions, said they would return to the streets on Sunday.Regime forces killed seven civilians in Idlib

According to the report, 15 people were injured in the airstrikes attacks.

Seven civilians were killed in airstrikes carried out by regime forces and Russia in northern Syrias de-escalation zones, according to the White Helmets civil defense agency on Saturday.

SEVEN CIVILIANS KILLED

The attacks targeted the city of Maarat Al-Numan and the town of Al-Naqeer and Al-Bara in Idlib province as well as Kafr Zita and Al-Ltamenah towns in Hama province.

White Helmets said three civilians were killed in Maarat Al-Numan and four in Al-Bara while a total of 15 people were injured.

Turkey and Russia agreed last September to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression would be expressly prohibited.

The Syrian regime, however, has consistently broken the terms of the ceasefire, launching frequent attacks inside the de-escalation zone.Newly available plug-and-play temperature controllers allow conversion of a standard chest freezer into a controlled-environment chamber in minutes, with no custom modification

A study out of Clemson University has demonstrated that inexpensive, easy-to-use temperature controllers are able to provide reliable set temperatures for the detailed observation of developmental rates in response to different temperature treatments.

Researchers Douglas Bielenberg and Ksenija Gasic engaged a methodical examination of the practical applications of these temperature control devises on cut stems, buds, and seeds.

The results of their study are detailed in the article, "Controlled-temperature Treatments with Low-cost Off-the-shelf Equipment for Bud or Seed Forcing Experiments," published in HortScience.

Inexpensive plug-and-play temperature controllers have recently become available. These allow a chest freezer to be programmed easily to hold a desired set point across a range of biologically relevant temperatures. Installation can be completed in a few minutes using consumer-grade chest freezers.

Characterizing the regulation of plant and seed development by temperature requires controlled exposure of replicate plants (whole or in part) to multiple temperature environments simultaneously. Experiments with seeds or other small plant segments can be performed on a thermal gradient table, which can generate many temperatures at once.

However, experiments involving larger plant parts, such as cut stems, require temperature control of a larger three-dimensional volume, such as an environmental chamber. Inexpensive access to the number of environmental chambers required for this sort of scientific observation is not easily available and can therefore limit the scope of experiments.

However, newly available plug-and-play temperature controllers allow conversion of a standard chest freezer into a controlled-environment chamber in minutes, with no custom modification.

To test the equipment, the researchers subjected an array of identical plant types and seeds to a variety of precise temperatures within an array of identical box freezers (chambers). They tested each chamber's temperature controller, recording internal temperatures at 10-minute intervals, to ensure the integrity of the equipment and the consistency of its output to maintain an exact and controlled environment during a 48-hour period, during which the chambers were not opened.

The effectiveness of the chambers on the effects of temperature on developmental rates was assessed with two biological assays: budbreak progress of peach floral buds warm-forced at different temperatures, and sunflower seed germination. Both budbreak and germination showed a clear temperature-dependent effect on development, with each decrease in temperature slowing development form the previous temperatures.

Understanding the minimum temperature for development is an important realm of knowledge for modeling plant phenology. The relationship between development rate and suboptimal temperatures can be used easily to calculate an estimated base temperature for optimal growth.

These newer inexpensive temperature-controllers will allow horticulturists, agronomists, foresters, and educators to design and perform experiments when multiple controlled-temperature environments are required without access to specialized facilities or skills. Off-the-shelf, easy-to-use components offer the potential to expand greatly the community of researchers who are able to incorporate temperature physiology into their investigations of plant development and phenology, particularly workers outside of traditional research institutions.

###

The complete article is available in the ASHS HortScience journal: https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/54/4/article-p766.xml. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13649-18. Or you may contact Douglas Bielenberg of Clemson University at dbielen@clemson.edu or call him at (864) 656-2328.

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticulture research, education, and application. More information at ashs.org.Developmental disorders are neurologically-based conditions that affect the acquisition of specific skills such as attention, memory, language and social interaction. Although they have a genetic cause, this is often difficult to detect through standard genetic analysis of the parents. The mutation found in the affected child is therefore termed a 'de novo' mutation (DNM).

 Although many new developmental disorders have been identified in recent years, there are many more to be discovered. Identifying them means that we will be able to give an accurate diagnosis to more patients and therefore allow them to have appropriate treatment and care,  Ms Joanna Kaplanis, a PhD student at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK, will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Saturday).

In the largest study to date on developmental delay, the researchers analysed genomic data from over 31,000 parent-child trios obtained from the UK's Deciphering Developmental Disorders Project, GeneDx, a US-based genetic testing company, and Radboud University Medical Centre in The Netherlands. Analysis of these trios yielded more than 45,000 DNMs. They developed an improved method to test for the enrichment (over-representation) of damaging DNMs in individual genes.  We found 307 significantly enriched genes, 49 of which are novel. With all of these genes we were able to explain about 51% of the DNM burden in our dataset. We then modelled different underlying genetic scenarios to get an idea of where the remaining de novo burden lies and how we can go about finding it," says Ms Kaplanis.

About 40% of developmental disorders are caused by DNMs, equivalent to about one birth in every 295 in the UK alone. The prevalence increases with the age of the parents. The disorders usually become apparent during childhood and include such conditions as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability, and Rett syndrome. They may be mild, but in many cases they are severe, and those affected will need lifetime support. However, when they are unidentifiable making a decision on the best care for the affected child is difficult.

Given the size of the dataset, the researchers were not surprised to have been able to identify new genes.  However, we were expecting to be able to explain more of the DNM burden than we did. This means that half of the DNM burden in patients with developmental disorders still remains unexplained,  says Ms Kaplanis.  This fact alone gives us clues about where the remaining burden lies and why we do not yet have the capacity to discover the remaining genes. 

A possible explanation is that the DNMs in the genes as yet undiscovered are less penetrant, i.e. they present symptoms in fewer people.  We may need to adapt our system of gene discovery in order to capture these less penetrant genes,  says Ms Kaplanis.  Incorporating more data from healthy populations may help to try and build a better picture of what they might be. 

The researchers also hope to increase their sample size in order to try to detect ever more genes associated with developmental disorders. However, the identification of 40 new genes already provides valuable information to clinicians and to drug developers.  Returning a genetic diagnosis is important when deciding on the best treatment and care for an individual, as well as providing new drug targets in rare diseases," Ms Kaplanis will conclude.

Chair of the ESHG conference, Professor Joris Veltman, Director of the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, said: "Developmental delay is often caused by new mutations arising during the formation of sperm or eggs. By combining data on new mutations identified in the DNA of more than 30.000 patients, the scientists could implicate a role for 49 new genes in developmental delay. This study shows the power of large-scale international collaboration to advance our understanding of this disorder and improve diagnostics as well as patient management."

###

Abstract no: PL2.4 Discovery and characterisation of 49 novel genetic disorders from analysing de novo mutations in 31,058 parent child trio exomesHaving a child with a developmental disorder can cause parents to worry about the outcome of further pregnancies. In cases where the genetic mutation causing the disorder is not present in either parent it is assumed to be a one-off event with a very small chance of recurrence. But in some families, the risk of having another affected child is as high as 50%. Identifying such high-risk families and providing an accurate assessment of their chances of having a unaffected child is therefore a high priority for clinical geneticists.

At the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Sunday), Dr Ummi Abdullah, a Postdoctoral Researcher in Molecular Genetics at the MRC-Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM), University of Oxford, UK, will present her team's PREGCARE study, which aims to provide healthy couples who have a child affected by a developmental disorder with a personalised pre-conception risk evaluation. This will allow the determination of the likelihood that a future child will also be affected by the same condition (the 'recurrence risk').

 Our focus is on families where the disease-causing mutation has been identified in the affected child but not detected in either parent on routine analysis. These are termed 'de novo' mutations or DNMs, and are estimated to affect around one in 295 live births - 0.34% of all births, or about 3,500 births per year in the UK alone,  says Dr Abdullah.  If the mutation is present in multiple gonadal cells (semen or ova) of the parents, a process termed 'gonadal mosaicism', the risk of an affected child is high .

Currently, most diagnostic genetic services utilise DNA extracted from somatic tissues, for example blood or saliva, where the genetic information is not transmitted to the next generation. Analysis of these tissues alone hinders the obtaining of true recurrence risk estimates for individual families.  This is the situation we set out to remedy,  says Dr Abdullah.

Dr Abdullah will discuss results from the first 20 families to be investigated in PREGCARE. The study stratifies each family into one of seven scenarios that account for the parental origin of the DNM and the developmental time at which the mutation is likely to have occurred. Tissue samples from the mother, father and child are studied. While the researchers detected some mosaicism in these parents, in most cases the DNM was undetectable in their samples. When the mutation has been shown to have originated from the father, this confirms that the risk of recurrence is very low.

 Given our current understanding of mosaicism, we should be able to reassure around three out of every four of these couples that their recurrence risk is negligible,  Dr Abdullah says. The researchers say that the study shows that there is a clear benefit in analysing the fathers' semen sample for a direct recurrence risk estimate for DNMs of proven paternal origin.  Furthermore, we also aim to show the importance of analysing several different somatic tissues of various embryonic origins to identify cases of mosaicism.

 This should also help us establish whether a given somatic tissue may be a good surrogate for gonadal cells. This will be particularly useful for mutations of maternal origin, as clearly the mothers' ova are not readily accessible for such genetic analysis, says Dr Abdullah.

Parents who are themselves healthy, but have already had one or more children with a developmental disorder caused by a defined DNM and who wish to have another child, are invited by their local Clinical Genetics team to participate in the study. Ethical approval to conduct this study in families throughout England has been given, so the investigators hope to recruit many more families.

 I was struck to find out that, while our participants understand that this is a research study and not a diagnostic service, many of them have expressed their intention of waiting for our results before they decide on trying for another child," Dr Abdullah says. "This really reflects the anxieties of parents who have already had a child with a serious disorder."

Because children diagnosed with a disorder caused by a DNM often have severe learning disability, serious developmental disorders or birth defects, it is understandable that their parents are frequently concerned by the risk of another child being affected. This can have important consequences for the couple and can result in instances of voluntary but unwarranted childlessness, poorly-justified use of expensive in vitro fertilisation or prenatal diagnostic procedures, and sometimes the avoidable birth of children with a recurrence of serious genetic disorders.

 The ability to provide personalised estimation of transmission risk prior to conception is likely to impact on family planning decisions, but also more generally on clinical practice. I feel that the PREGCARE approach, although conceptually very simple, represents an important step towards so-called 'precision medicine' and should allow parents to make more informed reproductive decisions and reduce both the financial and psychological/emotional costs associated with a new pregnancy,  Dr Abdullah will conclude.

Chair of the ESHG conference, Professor Joris Veltman, Director of the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, said: "Developmental disorders are often caused by mutations in the DNA that are arising before or during the formation of sperm or eggs. By studying DNA mutations in different samples from parents of a child with a developmental disorder, the researchers aim to provide information about the chance that next pregnancies could result in another affected child. This study shows the importance of genetic studies not only to provide a diagnosis but also to provide relevant information for family planning."

###

Abstract no: C08.2 The PREGCARE study: precision genetic counselling via personalised evaluation of recurrence risk for families with a child affected by a disorder caused by a de novo mutationSickle cell disease (SCD) is a form of anaemia that is inherited when both parents are carriers of a mutation in the haemoglobin gene. Currently, it can only be diagnosed in pregnancy by carrying out an invasive test that has a small risk of miscarriage and is therefore sometimes declined by parents. Now, researchers from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and Viapath Analytics, London, UK, in collaboration with non-invasive healthcare company Nonacus Ltd., Birmingham, UK, have developed a non-invasive prenatal test for the disease, the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics will hear tomorrow (Sunday).

Dr Julia van Campen, research scientist at Guy's and St Thomas', explains:  We have developed a method of testing for SCD using cell-free fetal DNA - DNA from the fetus that circulates in the maternal bloodstream. Although cell-free fetal DNA testing is already available for some disorders, technical difficulties have hampered the development of such a test for SCD, despite it being one of the most commonly requested prenatal tests in the UK. 

In couples who are at risk of having a baby with SCD, each partner carries a mutation in the haemoglobin gene, which means that any fetus has a one in four chance of inheriting both mutations and therefore being affected by SCD. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) of conditions that are inherited in this way is difficult. "The development of a non-invasive prenatal assay for sickle cell disease has been attempted before and, until now, has not been successful,"says Dr van Campen.

The researchers analysed samples from 24 pregnant SCD carriers. Using unique molecular identifiers, a kind of molecular barcode, they were able to reduce errors, and by only analysing smaller fragments they were able to enhance the fetal contribution to the samples. This led to successful diagnosis of the sickle cell status for 21 of the 24 pregnancies, in samples from as early as eight weeks gestation, with three samples giving inconclusive results. Further development and validation of the findings is ongoing.

Worldwide, there are over 300 0001 children born with SCD each year. It is the most common genetic haematological disorder, with millions of people currently affected across the globe. There are about 14 000 people living with SCD in the UK, or one in 4600. Approximately 560 couples at risk of passing on the disease per year are detected through the national antenatal screening programme, which offers carrier testing to pregnant women and if appropriate their partners. Prenatal diagnosis is available to these couples to test whether the fetus has SCD. Previous research has shown that if the option of a non-invasive test were available, more women whose fetus is at risk of sickle cell disease would opt for prenatal testing 2.

 However, many couples are unaware that they are at risk until pregnancy occurs, even though carrier testing and follow-up genetic counselling is available through the UK National Health Service for those who are concerned that they may carry SCD,  says Dr van Campen.  It is important to raise awareness of SCD, which currently is limited. 

Research is ongoing, and before the assay can be introduced into clinical practice it needs to be tested further to be sure that it performs well enough to be used as a diagnostic test.  We also need to work to ensure that it can provide results rapidly enough to give women answers at the right time in their pregnancy, and that it can be performed at a cost that healthcare providers can afford. I am excited that this work has given better results than I had expected, and am hopeful that people will be able to build on this work to make this test available in the near future,"  Dr van Campen will conclude.

Chair of the ESHG conference, Professor Joris Veltman, Director of the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, said: "The development of non-invasive genetic tests that can be safely used during pregnancy is important to identify fetuses with severe disorders. These scientists have developed a novel state-of-the art genomics approach to do this for sickle cell disease in couples at risk. Their first results presented at the ESHG conference indicate that their test is very promising."

###

1Piel et al. Global Burden of Sickle Cell Anaemia in Children under Five, 2010-2050: Modelling Based on Demographics, Excess Mortality, and Interventions https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001484

2Hill, M., Oteng-Ntim, E., Forya, F., Petrou, M., Morris, S., & Chitty, L. S. (2017). Preferences for prenatal diagnosis of sickle-cell disorder: A discrete choice experiment comparing potential service users and health-care providers., Health expectations: an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 20(6), 1289-1295

Abstract no: C08.5 Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell disease by next generation sequencing of cell-free DNAUS $1.25-million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will support new Indigenous Studies and Community Engagement Initiative, to be based in the Faculty of Arts

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a US$1.25-million grant to McGill University, in support of a new Indigenous Studies and Community Engagement Initiative. The Initiative will be implemented over the next five years.

"The Indigenous Studies and Community Engagement Initiative will help establish McGill as an Eastern Canadian hub for Indigenous Education," says Prof. Christopher Manfredi, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). "Thanks to the generosity and vision of the Mellon Foundation, this Initiative will generate new, cross-University synergies and community partnerships, and add strategic capacity in areas where we can have the greatest impact."

The Initiative will be based in the Faculty of Arts. Drawing upon the Faculty's broad and rich expertise across the Humanities and Social Sciences, the Initiative will expand the existing Indigenous Studies minor program to include major and honours programs. A later phase of the Initiative will include a graduate studies program.

"Canada's universities play an important role in our collective relationships with Indigenous communities," says Prof. Antonia Maioni, Dean of the Faculty of Arts. "Because of its interdisciplinary nature, and the breadth of its disciplines, the Faculty of Arts is particularly well positioned to help promote a future of reconciliation and partnership aimed at supporting the flourishing and success of Indigenous students, knowledge and communities."

Prioritizing in-community pedagogies and partnerships

The Initiative's curriculum will be taught by cross-appointed tenure-track academics--as well as scholars from other faculties, particularly Law, Medicine, Education, and Music--who seek to understand Indigenous societies from within, while recognizing and engaging with their constitutive philosophies, histories, epistemologies, identities, practices of political governance, cultures, and languages. The Initiative will prioritize in-community pedagogies and partnerships with educators, administrators, and knowledge keepers. The University plans to deliver approximately half the Initiative's courses off-campus, in Indigenous communities.

In addition to deepening the University's Indigenous Studies undergraduate program, the Mellon Foundation's gift will help McGill to:

support collaborative McGill-community partnerships across disciplines

offer new travel funding to students and faculty doing land-based and in-community research

fund new Indigenous Artist-in-Residence, Elder-in-Residence and Writer-in-Residence programs

create a new annual public lecture series featuring renowned Indigenous scholars and leaders

Building on existing strengths

The Initiative is an important next step in realizing the ambitious goals outlined in the University's Strategic Academic Plan and the Provost's Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education. Recent developments in this area include:

Creating 10 new Indigenous-focused positions across the University, including as the Special Advisor (Indigenous Initiatives) in the Office of the Provost, and two full-time positions in Enrolment Services dedicated to fostering relationships with Indigenous communities, with commensurate budgetary support.

Creating six new, tenure-track faculty positions focusing on Indigenous health and Indigenous education, languages and governance.

Partnering with the Indspire, a national charity that invests in the education of Indigenous people, to provide $500,000 in financial support to Indigenous students over two years.

Creating the Provost's Indigenous Achievement Award, which provides $5,000 each to two incoming students each year, renewable in each subsequent year. By 2022, there will be eight such awards available.

Growing the number of student mentorship programs, including creating the Faculty of Medicine's Indigenous Health Professions Program.

Partnering with the Kahnawa:ke and Listuguj communities to design and implement new Bachelor of Education programs that are delivered entirely in-community.

Signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Vancouver Island University to explore how the two universities can work together to further support research and learning in the areas of Indigenous education and Indigenous studies.

"By building on existing strengths, the new Indigenous Studies and Community Engagement Initiative will create an interdisciplinary nexus for Indigenous scholarship and community-building," says Provost Manfredi. "The Mellon Foundation's support will help the University grow and strengthen productive, respectful and collaborative relations with Indigenous peoples, at both the individual and institutional levels."

###

Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, McGill is a leading Canadian post-secondary institution. It has two campuses, 10 faculties, 12 professional schools, 300 programs of study and almost 41,000 students, including more than 9,700 graduate students. McGill attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,000 international students making up 30% per cent of the student body. Over half of McGill students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 20% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.

Contact:

Cynthia Lee

McGill Media Relations Office

514-398-6754

cynthia.lee@mcgill.ca"Power shift" needed to improve gender balance in energy research, report says

Women still face significant barriers in forging successful and influential careers in UK energy research, a new high-level report has revealed.

A team of experts from the University of Exeter's Energy Policy Group has analysed gender balance within the crucial field of energy research and spoken to female researchers about their experiences of academic life. The study, launched today (14th June 2019), sets out how research funders and universities can ensure female talent and expertise is mobilised in transforming our energy systems.

The report is particularly timely as the UK parliament declares a climate emergency and the government commits to legislate for a 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target. It is clear that energy research needs to harness 100 per cent of available talent in order to meet the challenge of rapidly decarbonising energy systems.

The study revealed that women are still significantly under-represented in energy research and application rates from women are low. It also found that grants applied for and awarded to women tend to be of smaller value, when they do apply female academics are equally and sometimes more likely to be funded than male academics.

The report also highlighted the 'significant drop-off' between the number of female PhD students and funded researchers - meaning the sector loses a substantial pool of potential talent at an early stage.

The research presents four key ways in which funders and universities can work together to improve gender balance: look at the data, fund more women, stimulate career progression for female energy academics, and build on what's already working.

Jess Britton, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and co-author of the report said: "Progress on gender balance in research has been too slow for too long, but we think now is the time to bring together action across funders and universities to ensure that female talent in capitalised on. Taking action across the funding, institutional and systemic issues we identify could drive a real shift in inclusion in the sector".

The new report, commissioned by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) saw the researchers speak to 59 female academics conducting energy research and from various disciplines, institutions and career stages. They also analysed available data on gender and energy research funding.

Crucially, interviews with the researchers unearthed an array of issues that were felt to be holding women back from career progression - including the detrimental impact of part-time work or maternity leave, and inherent institutional and funding bias towards established, male academics.

While the report recognised that since 2017 there has been some progress in the gender balance of Peer Review Panel Members and small increases in awards granted to female researchers, progress has remained slow.

The study suggests that any progress should be accompanied by systemic change within the institutional structures and cultural environment of institutions involved with energy research.

Jim Watson, Director of UKERC added: "This report shows that there is an urgent need to address the poor gender balance within the UK energy research community - particularly with respect to leadership of grants and career progression.

"It not only reveals the extent of the problem with new evidence, but makes a series of practical recommendations should be required reading for funders and universities alike."

The research identified four key ways in which UKRI, other funders and universities can work to improve gender balance. They are:

Look at the data - There remain significant difficulties in accessing meaningful data on gender balance in energy research. Data should be published, used to set targets, monitor progress and provide annual updates. The report also suggested using quantitative and qualitative data to identify key intervention points, speaking to more female energy academics to identify biases and barriers, and continuing to improve gender balance in funding review processes.

Fund more women - the report identified that funding structures can be a barrier, and that both part-time working and career breaks are perceived to slow progress. It suggests that the assessment of part-time working and maternity leave needs to be standardised across funder eligibility criteria and in the review process. It also identified that a lack of diversity of funding types impacts on women, and suggested trialling innovative approaches to allocating funding and supporting early career researchers.

Stimulate career progression for female energy academics - The report highlighted the need to acknowledge and take action on the individualistic, long hours culture of academia and also overhaul existing institutional structures and cultures. Early career stages are often characterised by precarious fixed-term contracts and over reliance on quantitative measures of progress. It also recommended building suitable training, mentoring and support networks to help more women progress and ensure the visibility of female researchers.

Build on what is working - The study recommended identifying key points of engagement to build gender balance: combine specific targeted actions, such as UKRI and university frameworks and targeted funding initiatives, with long-term action on structural issues that promote cultural change in our institutions. It also identified the need to ensure equality of voice - so that female academic voices are heard.

Alison Wall, Deputy Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at EPSRC said: "We welcome this report, its findings and recommendations. Many of the issues raised are ones we recognise more widely in our research community.

"Enhancing diversity and inclusion is one of the priorities in our new Delivery Plan. For example, we plan to make further progress on embedding EDI into the grant application process, developing our peer review processes, provision of further data and increased flexibility in our funding."

A copy of the report and the full list of recommendations can be found here: https://geography.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/schoolofgeography/pdfs/Power_Shift.pdf

###Owners of South Texas legendary King Ranch have entered the fight over a planned oil export terminal about 13 miles off the shore of Padre Island in the Gulf of Mexico.

King Ranch, owned by descendants of Capt. Richard King, is touting a study that maintains its relatively safe to use a buoy-type system to anchor huge tankers in open water while loading them with oil from underwater pipelines.

One of the worlds largest oil traders, Switzerland-based Trafigura Group Ltd, plans to build its Texas Gulf Terminal oil transfer facility in 90-plus feet of water so it it can fully load whats known in the industry as very large crude carriers, or VLCCs.

With a capacity of 2 million barrels, these giant tankers currently only can be partly loaded at the nearby Port of Corpus Christi, where the water is shallower.

King Ranch officials paid for the study, which looked at more than 200 similar maritime oil-loading facilities around the world and concluded theyve operated without any major spills.

King Ranch would profit from if the Trafigura project moves forward. The trader would build a tank farm, pumps, a booster station and two pipelines on King Ranch. The pipelines would pass through the ranch, exit into the environmentally sensitive sea grass beds of the Laguna Madre and cross Padre Island before ending at the terminal.

Port of Corpus Christi officials are opposed to the offshore oil transfer project, citing environmental concerns.

We dont think its ideally located for any potential catastrophe event, Port of Corpus Christi CEO Sean Strawbridge said, noting the planned terminals location near the Padre Island National Seashore. Its the most pristine coastline area in the state of Texas.

The port is supporting a competing onshore terminal to be built on port-owned land on Harbor Island, backed by private equity giant the Carlyle Group. Port officials expect to earn more than $2 billion in a long-term lease with the Carlyle Group-backed venture.

In April, the port began dredging the shipping channel to deepen it to 54 feet from 47 feet. While that wont be deep enough to fully load VLCCs, the Carlyle Group partnership plans to pay for more dredging to deepen the channel by Harbor Island to more than 70 feet  enough to accommodate the huge tankers at its terminal.

For their part, King Ranch officials said the study they commissioned answered their questions about whether the Trafigura offshore terminal would be environmentally sound.

Any infrastructure projects proposed by third parties on King Ranch must withstand long-term scrutiny and meet our standards, President and CEO Robert J. Underbrink said. He said the study demonstrated to King Ranchs satisfaction that the (buoy-type) technology is proven and can be safely deployed in the Coastal Bend.

Strawbridge said the King Ranch has a prominent place in Texas history, but he questioned whether the heirs to the 800,000-acre-plus ranch were doing the right thing in aligning themselves with Trafigura Group.

My concern is that the King Ranch has hitched their wagon to a Swiss company with a spotty record, he said.

The company pleaded guilty in 2006 to federal charges of illegally profiting from the sale of Iraqi crude. An Iraqi oil embargo went into effect after the 1991 Gulf War, except when profits from oil sales paid for food and other essentials for Iraqi citizens.

Trafigura paid $20 million in fines, penalties and forfeiture fees after admitting profits from 2001 oil sales went into its own coffers instead of a United Nations humanitarian program.

Trafigura Group officials didnt respond directly to Strawbridges comments.

A representative for Trafigura-backed Texas Gulf Terminals said in a statement that the new marine facility will help accommodate projected increases in oil exports.

Our proposed Deepwater Port will only handle less than 10 percent of expected growth in U.S. oil production and aims to be part of the solution to ease infrastructure barriers, he said.

The U.S. Maritime Administration and the U.S. Cost Guard must approve the Trafigura project. In February, the Coast Guard put its review on hold while it sought additional information from the firm on the environmental impact of pipeline construction.

Gov. Greg Abbott would have veto power over the project, even if the Maritime Administration and the Coast Guard approve the terminal.

Abbott hasnt staked out his position on the issue, and Abbott spokesman Stephen Chang did not respond to an email or phone call seeking comment.

Randy Diamond covers energy and manufacturing in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read his stories and more local coverage on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | randy.diamond@express-news.netNever underestimate the power of a star-studded sequel.

The second Celebrity Fan Fest more than lived up to its name Saturday, as the pop culture convention lit up the Freeman Coliseum and Expo Halls with comic book movie stars and costumed fans aplenty. Celebrity Fan Fest kicked off Friday and concludes Sunday.

Billed as San Antonios premier comic convention, Celebrity Fan Fest also featured tons of graphic novels and geeky collectibles. Many comic artists showcased their sequential art, while vendors hawked toys ranging from thumb-size Lego Minifigures to foot-tall custom action figures that would do the original G.I. Joe proud.

Of course, the main attraction had to be the celebrities of Celebrity Fan Fest, which looked like a Marvel and DC Comics movie crossover Saturday.

The festival assembled famous faces from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Endgame co-stars Jeremy Renner, best known as the amazing archer Hawkeye, and Anthony Mackie, aka the high-flying Falcon. Other Marvel-related movie stars included Alexandra Shipp, who plays Storm in the latest X-Men movie, Dark Phoenix, and Lee Pace, the villainous Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel.

Meanwhile, Aquaman star Jason Momoa made an even bigger splash with his return to Celebrity Fan Fest, this time with co-stars Amber Heard (Mera), Dolph Lundgren (King Nereus) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Manta). Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg alongside Momoas Aquaman in Justice League, also made his second Celebrity Fan Fest appearance.

Saturday saw hundreds of attendees line up for autographs, photo ops and general breathe-in-a-paper-bag-moments with the various film stars. First-time con-goers Kwinton Estacio, his wife, Wave, and their two daughters Anarah, 10, and Kealani, 7, took a photo with Momoa that was sure to have reminded the star of both his Hawaiian roots and his latest blockbuster.

Kealani dressed up as Aquaman right down to the trident, while her big sis bore the garb of Mera and their dad proudly flexed his own tribal tattoo from his native Hawaii, just like Momoa.

It was awesome, Wave Estacio said. When he saw that Hawaiian tribal tattoo, he knew this is one braddah Hawaiian. With all the handshakes and the shaka (Hawaiian hand sign), we were all good to go.

A scheduled evening cosplay competition was sure to bring out even more dynamically attired attendees, but kids and kids at heart werent the only ones at Celebrity Fan Fest dressed up as memorable characters.

At the Cars as Stars exhibit, which featured more than two dozen famous automobiles from across the pop culture spectrum, Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson rocked the famous khaki jumpsuit from the 1984 film for photos with the Ecto-1 vehicle, complete with a life-size replica of the gross green ghost, Slimer.

Its just part of who we are, Hudson said of the Ghostbusters franchise, which he hopes to revisit for a 2020 sequel. Kids that grew up with it, now their kids are growing up with it. I think it crosses generations.

That family appeal goes as much for Celebrity Fan Fest as for other modern-day pop culture and comic cons.

Produced by PMX Events, this years Celebrity Fan Fest marked its first three-day outing, following its two-day debut in November at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

The extra day of interactive fun no doubt should result in even more fans than last year. PMX President Bob Wills projected 42,000 to 46,000 attendees for this years event.

Rene A. Guzman is a features reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rguzman@express-news.net | Twitter: @reneguzThe State Board of Education on Friday approved two new charter school operators that plan to open San Antonio campuses next year  though the vote on one of them was narrow, marked by sharp debate over charters rapid expansion in Texas largest cities amid an increased willingness of traditional school districts to push back.

The San Antonio Preparatory Charter School survived a veto attempt by a 6-8 vote after opponents criticized its application as painting the Judson Independent School District in a negative light. Charter leaders plan to open a school in that district, near the Woodlake neighborhood.

Judson ISD principals had attended a hearing in Austin on Thursday to argue against the charter before a state board subcommittee that includes member Marisa Perez-Diaz, D-Converse. She voted for a subcommittee recommendation that it be vetoed and opposed the school again in Fridays vote by the full board.

Ive never seen a team larger than that ever come to one of our meetings to give us a different set of facts, Ruben Cortez Jr., a Brownsville Democrat whos served on the state board since 2012, said of the Judson delegation Thursday.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath had approved the applications of five charter operators on Monday. They included San Antonio Prep and The Gathering Place, a school that plans to open for kindergarten through eighth-graders in the Longfellow Middle School area in San Antonio ISD on the near Northwest Side, which the board approved Friday by a 12-2 vote.

Before Fridays closer vote on San Antonio Prep, board member Aicha Davis, a Dallas Democrat, said Judson ISD wont be able to maintain its trend of improvement if some of its students, and the state dollars attached to them, defect to the new charter.

I think it was sad that Judson had to come and defend themselves from negative false information. Davis said. This school is not needed in that area.

San Antonio Prep will accept students from Judson, North East, San Antonio and East Central ISDs. Its application pointed out that two Judson schools, Candlewood Elementary and Kirby Middle, had failed one subcategory of the states academic accountability system and said several Judson schools had low student achievement at best and that the community does not currently provide sufficient quality school choice options for families.

The new charters proposed superintendent is Stephanie Hall Powell, a former assistant principal for the IDEA charter network in San Antonio. A board member of the new charter, Dejah Behnke, is vice president of advancement for Great Hearts Academies, another charter network with local campuses.

The new charter operator is different from the San Antonio Preparatory Academy, which the state closed in 2011 after finding a superintendent had a felony conviction and leaders had mismanaged money.

Addressing the board, Hall Powell said she failed college after her first year and joined the U.S. Air Force, later getting a masters degree in instructional leadership from Concordia University Texas in Austin. Two of her sons attend Masters Elementary in Judson ISD and the third attends Compass Rose, a charter school.

I dont want what happened to me to happen to my sons, nor do I want it to happen to the children of San Antonio, she said.

Her school will serve students from the fifth grade through high school. They will have an extended day, with a higher focus on literacy and math and two core subject teachers: one for English and history and another for math and science.

The applications description of Judsons school quality and lack of choice prompted an outcry from Judson administrators, who told the subcommittee Thursday that the district has no failing schools.

It has an early college high school, state-designated science, technology, engineering and math schools, and career, technical and International Baccalaureate programs, said Milton Rob Fields III, deputy superintendent of administration and operations.

We have more than any charter program could possibly come into the district and provide, Fields said.

The districts chief financial officer, Bill Atkins, said San Antonio Prep will offer the same teacher training through the Region 20 education service center that Judson teachers get. Charters are not bound by certification requirements, however, and San Antonio Preps student-to-teacher ratio will be higher than Judsons, he said.

Last night we were struggling with a deficit, even with the additional funding (from recently enacted leglislation), trying to make sure that we keep all the programs that our kids need, Atkins said. What is their innovation, to have additional tax dollars put in there that our current tax dollars are not providing?

Board member Matt Robinson, a Friendswood Republican, said there are already about 40 charter schools in Bexar County, including some within five miles of San Antonio Preps proposed location.

I think the definition of need has changed over time, Robinson said. The original idea was to have people that come in with new, innovative ideas, teaching approaches, different programs that were not offered in that ISD, and to go into areas that were chronically low performing.

A majority of the state board members are Republicans, and the San Antonio Prep vote was mostly on party lines.

The Gathering Place will focus on daily arts education, including dance, music and visual arts. It will use a balanced literacy model involving phonics instruction, guided reading and writers workshops, and a bilingual program for English learners, said Ryan York, the proposed superintendent, a former administrator of traditional and charter schools in Tennessee and California.

The school is already teaching its project-based learning model to Bexar County teachers, said co-founder Joanna Klekowicz, and is working with a group called SA RISE to strengthen San Antonio ISDs social and emotional learning programs.

Cortez and Georgina C. Perez, an El Paso Democrat whose district runs up to Bexar Countys western border, cast the two votes against The Gathering Place.

A lot of these are in the San Antonio area, where a lot of these charters want to go, Cortez said. Theyre in these urban settings, the Austins, the Houstons.  I dont think this is a time for us to be adding any new charters to our roster.

As enrollment in some Bexar County school districts has plummeted or leveled off after years of steady growth, the superintendents of the two largest, Northeside and North East ISDs, started speaking out last fall about the financial impact of charter school growth.

Perez-Diaz, who works for Edgewood ISD, nevertheless spoke in favor of The Gathering Place as an example of charters that fill a niche not provided elsewhere.

I believe there are very, very valid concerns about the expansion of charters and where that power lies, she said, adding, Theyre incredibly innovative. I think thats where we need to bring the conversation back to.

The state board also approved two new charters Friday for Houston: Elevate Collegiate Charter School and Houston Classical Charter School. The board vetoed Royal Public Schools, which hoped to open in the Austin and Houston areas.

Royal Public Schools would have been run by the former CEO of Harmony Public Schools, a charter network with San Antonio campuses. Harmony often comes under fire for alleged connections to Fethullah Gulen, the exiled Turkish cleric now living in Pennsylvania. The Turkish government complained to the Texas Education Agency that Harmony helped fund an attempted military coup against it in 2016, but the TEA dismissed the complaint.

Alia Malik covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAENA new state law instructs public school districts and charter networks to teach about tolerance, genocide and the Holocaust at every grade level starting this year, through participation in an annual Holocaust Remembrance Week.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 1828 on Tuesday, mandating that schools shall include age appropriate instruction determined by the districts for grades K-12.

Texas now is one of a handful of states with such a law, said commission member Jonathan Gurwitz, calling it a very positive step forward while noting it contains no formal way to convince the states more than 1,000 independent school districts and 700 charter schools to participate.

You cant mandate something that has no funding.  Its going to be difficult to get every school district to comply, Gurwitz said. Some are going to have to come a long way. Its going to have to be a progression.

Since it carries no funding or enforcement mechanism, responsibility for meaningful participation likely will fall on individual superintendents or teachers  but Lisa Barry, a teacher at Alamo Heights Independent School District who helped push for passage of Senate Bill 1828, already knows whats possible.

She has been passionate about teaching the Holocaust for 16 years at three school districts. Barrys fifth-grade reading students at Navarro Independent School District in rural Guadalupe County drew fame for setting a goal in 2007 to collect 6 million pennies to represent the 6 million who lost their lives in the Nazi genocide.

The students eventually accomplished about one-third of it, raising more than $20,000 for charity. To this day, theyll drop off pennies at her classroom or home to thank her for the lesson, Barry said.

She got the idea of advocating for Holocaust education as an antibullying method when she witnessed students harassing a classmate and was reminded of a personal past experience with bullying. If Holocaust literature can show students a way to get through tough times, they can have hope, Barry said, adding, If one kid is helped, if one kid is even impacted, its worth working myself to the bone to do it.

The new law, which was authored by Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, and Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, gives the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission the job of approving the educational material school districts create for the week. Its website offers guidelines for the lessons and resources for teaching the topic.

Related: Holocaust survivor tells students to stand up for whats right

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonian joins Texas genocide commission

The bill states the governor will set a date for the remembrance week. Abbotts office has not yet announced the date but the bills backers think it might fall either in January or April because of other Holocaust remembrance events.

I knew if we tried to attach money to the bill it would probably hurt it, Menendez said at a panel discussion this week at Temple Beth-El sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women and the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio.

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To me, the issue is a no-brainer. Were not forcing something other than, when the governor dictates its Holocaust Remembrance Week, it becomes a public holiday, Menendez said. There are some school districts that will go out of their way and embrace it, and there are some that wont.

Joining Barry at the conference were three other women who lobbied hard for the bill and were celebrating its signing: Sharon Greenwald, Varda Ratner and Ginny Wind, all daughters of Holocaust survivors and the legislations original drafters.

Greenwalds parents, David and Golda Sharff, came to San Antonio in 1949 after both survived Nazi labor camps. Ratners parents, Nathan and Ilona Haendel, spent years in hiding, while Winds mother and grandmother, Ann Levit and Bella Yedwab, survived the Kaiserwald concentration camp and a death march to the Baltic Sea.

The women have had a long, close friendship, Ratner said, and their work on the bill led them to call themselves the four ladies in a car.

The work isnt done, they said.

Were now brainstorming a task force to work alongside the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission in implementing the bill and aiding school districts with educational workshops, Greenwald said.

The bill is only the first step, Barry said. Well continue pressing for this education.

brooke.lamantia@express-news.net | Twitter: @brooke_lamantiaFor decades, the Battleship Texas has rested in the shallow, brackish waters of the Houston Ship Channel, slowly decaying. While tourists marvel at the last surviving dreadnought that fought in two world wars, beneath the surface a system of pumps pushes out water seeping through the ships corroded hull.

Tens of millions in taxpayer dollars have been spent, and several strategies attempted and discarded, to keep the vessel afloat. Now the battleships caretakers are considering a new, bolder strategy: towing the 104-year old vessel hundreds of miles to a dry dock for extensive repairs. This operation would be costly and potentially dangerous, with no guarantee that the ship would endure without needing further renovations.

Every day that goes by, every year that goes by, we have more and more water coming in, more and more water being pumped out, said Bruce Bramlett, the executive director of the Battleship Texas Foundation, the nonprofit that runs the battleship museum. In the end, her days are numbered. If we dont intervene now, the waters gonna win because it always does.

A copy of an engineering proposal obtained by the Houston Chronicle details several options for transporting the ship from its berth adjacent to the San Jacinto Battleground, down the ship channel and into the Gulf of Mexico before eventually berthing at a dry dock, possibly in Louisiana, Mobile, Ala., or Tampa, Fla. After repairs, the ship would be permanently moored at an undetermined site other than the one near the battleground; Galveston is a frequently mentioned option.

The proposal, commissioned by the Battleship Texas Foundation, was prepared by Valkor Energy Services, an oil and gas construction company that specializes in heavy marine transport. In the 21-page study, Valkor outlines several methods for transporting the battleship to a domestic dry dock, involving a combination of pontoons to keep the ship afloat and submersible pumps to prevent the vessel from being inundated on the journey.

Valkor also outlines an international option that would prove even more complicated: towing the ship through the ship channel, anchoring it in the Gulf of Mexico, then transferring the 27,000-ton ship to the deck of a massive semi-submersible ship. The battleship would then be taken to an international shipyard for repairs.

In the proposal, Valkor says it has received interest and price estimates from shipyards in South Korea, Ukraine, and Vietnam. That option is intriguing to Bramlett because of the relatively low cost of labor and steel overseas.

The cost of such a project is unclear. The state Legislature has approved a $35 million appropriation towards the transportation and repair of the battleship, with the understanding that the days of seemingly unlimited public funding are ending.

Bramlett expects the cost to exceed the state appropriation by $10 million to $15 million, if not more. How will he make up the gap?

Same thing we always do  find it, Bramlett said.

Earlier efforts

While the Battleship Texas was considered one of the more formidable vessels of its time, serving admirably during both world wars  including famously shelling the Normandy coast during D-Day  age has not been kind to the ship.

Years of saltwater corrosion laid waste to the ships steel hull. By the 1980s, lower interior areas had taken on water and structural support had failed in some areas. The original caretakers, the Battleship Texas Commission, lacking the funds to maintain the ship in its declining condition, transferred it to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1983.

The state agency raised funds to move the ship from its San Jacinto berth to a dry dock for repairs, collecting $15 million over five years before towing it to a shipyard in Galveston in 1988. After a 14-month refit, the ship transferred to another dry dock facility on Greens Bayou in 1990 for additional maintenance.

But the problems didnt end. Bramlett said the Galveston dry dock only fully repaired 10 percent to 15 percent of the hull, and the ship continued to flood periodically. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were pumped out every day to keep it from sinking or tipping over.

The museum caretakers and the parks and wildlife department eventually came up with a plan to preserve the ship: Build a dry berth at its current location to keep the ship out of water and prevent further corrosion.

The Legislature approved $25 million for this project in 2009, with the Battleship Texas Foundation pledging an additional $4 million. The state signed a $5.7 million contract with AECOM, a multinational engineering firm, in October 2010 to design and develop the plans.

But AECOM determined during its initial surveys that the support structures in many areas of the ship had deteriorated so much that the ship could collapse on itself, even while docked at its wet berth in San Jacinto.

As a result, the parks and wildlife department abandoned the dry berth project and has spent at least $54 million maintaining and repairing the ship since 2009, a spokeswoman said. The work included two phases of critical repairs to engine rooms as well as installing an emergency generator, additional pumps, and fuel storage to help address leaks.

With the recent passage of Senate Bill 1511, parks and wildlife appears to be wiping its hands of any future involvement in maintaining the battleship. The agency would enter into a 99-year agreement with the Battleship Texas Foundation, which would take over day-to-day operations of the ship and pay for its maintenance.

(TPWD) has supplemented the operating costs, leaks, and frankly theyre pragmatic enough to look and say, I dont care who you are, if you lose money long enough, youd be filing bankruptcy and going away,  Bramlett said.

Plans appear Mickey Mouse

Questions have been raised about the feasability of the plans to move and repair ths ship, given its age and condition and the heavy traffic in the Houston Ship Channel.

The proposal from Valkor Energy Services states that the project has received a positive response from Port Authorities, Cost (sic) Guard, and American Bureau of Shipping.

But a spokeswoman said no Port of Houston officials have had any conversations with Valkor or the Battleship Texas Foundation about the project. The spokeswoman said the Coast Guard and Houston Pilots Association would have final approval authority.

Henry de la Garza, a spokesman for the Houston Pilots Association, said the pilots have not been approached about the project. The association would need to see a naval architects report on the structural integrity of the battleship before approving it, de la Garza said.

That would be our concern: that it doesnt sink in the middle of the ship channel and cause all kinds of problems, de la Garza said.

The proposed method of transporting the battleship  with inflatable pontoons attached to the sides acting as its belt and suspenders to keep it buoyant  has drawn some skepticism as well

Miles Williams, a naval architect for the Texas-based Alan C. McClure Associates Inc., said the Valkor studys image of the battleship with inflatable pontoons attached looked Mickey Mouse. The added weight of the pontoons could inflict even more damage to the ships already compromised hull, Williams said.

Bramlett said that any concerns about the method of transporting the ship would be addressed well before it departs its berth. Precautions would include divers aboard the ship to address leakage in the hull, additional pumps, and backup generators, he said.

The operation will be insured against catastrophe, Bramlett said, and if insurers raise any issues with the condition of the ship, they would go back to the drawing board.

If its not doable, it wont move a foot, Bramlett said. But if it doesnt, its long-term survival is bleak.

nick.powell@chron.comThe mother of King Jay Davila, who was found dead in a backpack in January, tearfully asked a judge Friday to prevent a community activist from seeing her surviving children.

Childrens Court Associate Judge Richard Garcia conducted a hearing to receive updates on how the children of Jasmine Gonzales are doing while in temporary placement with Gonzales mother and stepfather.

State Child Protective Services removed Gonzales five children from her care for the time being, but she is allowed to visit them at the agency.

During the proceedings Friday, the court heard allegations that Gonzales was making harassing phone calls to her parents about Jasmine McGill, a community activist who was vetted by CPS and has been assisting the family with resources and finances through her nonprofit, Kings Angels, which was named after Gonzales son in the wake of his death.

On ExpressNews.com: Thats my blood: San Antonio man says his is the father of King Jay

Gonzales confirmed she has told her parents to keep McGill from having contact with her children because the two oldest told her they could not tell their mother certain things, and they were tired of keeping secrets from her.

I asked, I begged, I cried, Gonzales testified under questioning by her attorney, Manuel Rodriguez. I just dont want her around my children.

She also told the court she did not want McGill posting anything about her children on social media. When asked for specifics, Gonzales admitted the information on McGills nonprofit Facebook page is nothing bad, but she wanted it to stop.

Its nobodys concern about where my children are at, or how they are doing, Gonzales testified.

McGill said later that she had to file a police report because she said Gonzales made what she said amounted to terroristic threats.

The judge said he had no jurisdiction over McGill, but ordered no social media posting about the children, especially pictures. He stopped short of ordering that McGill have no contact with the grandparents or the children.

Garcia recommended in-home counseling to deal with some anger issues involving the children, as well as speech therapy; day care for the smaller children, and summer programs for the older ones. He also ordered that the children have pictures of their mother in their rooms, so they could see her everyday.

Regarding phone calls, Garcia took the recommendation of attorney Sally Justice, who represents the children, to ask that the contact be limited to talk of milk exchange for the infant.

I don't have a problem with phone calls, Garcia told Gonzales. But, if you have nothing nice to say, dont call.

Garcia set another hearing for July 2.

King initially was reported missing in January by Gonzales fiance, Christopher Davila. He claimed to be the boys father and was caring for the 8-month-old at the time.

Police said he tried to cover up Kings death by claiming the baby was taken during a car theft. The staged abduction was allegedly carried out with the help of Davilas relatives, police said.

A few days later, Davila led authorities to a shallow grave in a Northeast Side field where he had buried the baby. Davila said the baby died by accident.

Davila faces several charges and remains in jail.

Later, it was revealed that the boys biological father is Martin Gonzales, Jasmine Gonzales estranged husband who is in prison in Northeast Texas.

Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863Allegations of threats emerged at a hearing Friday regarding the siblings of King Jay Davila, a San Antonio baby whose body was found in a backpack and buried in a field in January.

Childrens Court Associate Judge Richard Garcia conducted a hearing to receive updates on how the children of Jasmine Gonzales are doing while in temporary placement with Gonzales mother and step-grandfather.

Gonzales is Kings mother. State Child Protective Services removed her other children from her care for the time being.

During the proceedings Friday, the court heard allegations that Gonzales was making harassing phone calls to her parents about Jasmine McGill, a community activist who has been vetted by CPS and has been assisting the family through her nonprofit, Kings Angels.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

McGill said later that she had to file a police report because Gonzales made terroristic threats.

The organization was formed in the wake of the death of King, who initially was reported missing in January by Gonzales fiance, Christopher Davila. He claimed to be the boys father and was caring for the 8-month-old at the time.

Davila said the baby died by accident. Police said he tried to cover up the death by claiming the baby was taken during a car theft. It turned out to be a fake scheme carried out with the help of Davilas relatives, police said. A few days later, Davila led authorities to a shallow grave in a Northeast Side field where he had buried the baby.

He faces several charges and remains in jail.

Later, it was revealed that the boys father is Martin Gonzales, Jasmine Gonzales estranged husband who is in prison in Northeast Texas.

On ExpressNews.com: Thats my blood: San Antonio man says his is the father of King Jay

Jasmine Gonzales testified Friday that she did not want McGill to have contact with her children, stating that they are being told to keep secrets from their mother. She also said she did not want McGill to post anything on social media about her children.

The judge ordered no social media posting about the children, especially pictures, but did not order McGill to cease contact with them.

I don't have a problem with phone calls, Garcia told Gonzales. But, if you have nothing nice to say, dont call.

Garcia set another hearing for July 2.

This is a developing story.

Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863San Antonio is now a Dementia Friendly City, one of only three in Texas to receive the designation.

An announcement of the designation came Saturday at the ninth annual Geriatric Conference conducted over the weekend at the School of Nursing at UT Health San Antonio.

We are proud to have a hand in bringing the Dementia Friendly designation to San Antonio, along with many strong partners, said Jacqueline M. McGrath, vice dean for faculty excellence in the School of Nursing. As nurse leaders, our mission is to improve health and health care through education, research, practice and community engagement.

San Antonio joins Fort Worth and Tyler in receiving the designation, made by Dementia Friendly America. In San Antonio, the initiative began at a town hall in October with more than 200 people who helped identify concerns in roundtable discussions.

On ExpressNews.com: Researchers at SA conference discuss ways to reduce dementia risk

Communities that are dementia friendly are respectful of individuals living with Alzheimers disease and other types of dementia, emphasizing education and safety for the individuals, their families and caregivers.

In the San Antonio area, the Bexar County Sheriffs Office has collaborated with the School of Nursing to train officers on recognizing signs of dementia and how to approach affected residents and their families.

The Sheriffs Office also has a vehicle sticker program for families living with Alzheimers.

University Health System officials said they, too, are engaged in specialized training.

We are providing training to our acute care nurses that will engage them to recognize signs of dementia and support families while their loved ones are hospitalized, said Tommye Austin, senior vice president and chief nurse executive of University Health System.

In addition, the nursing school, health system and law enforcement agency will work together in conducting research, providing training and education for health care workers, officers and the general public, and sharing information.

The initiative is supported by the city of San Antonio, the local chapter of the Alzheimers Association and other groups.

On ExpressNews.com: Art classes offer help for those with Alzheimers

Senior advocate Doris Griffin said the announcement was welcome news, not only for seniors, but their families.

Its amazing, Griffin said, because the older we get the more apt we are to come down with Alzheimers or even worse.

She said the designation is particularly important because of its focus on getting help to individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

What we have is a lot of research, but not much of a hands-on approach to the issue, Griffin said.

Hispanics are about 1 times more likely to develop dementia, making South Texas and San Antonio particularly vulnerable to the disease, according to the Alzheimers Association.

The association reported that 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimers in 2019, including 200,000 people younger than 65.

Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavisDespite protests from Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and several lawmakers, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law Friday that will allow people without a handgun license to carry pistols in public  openly or concealed  for a week after a disaster is declared if the person has evacuated his or her home.

We experienced one of the worst disasters in Texas history during Harvey, Acevedo tweeted after the bill cleared the Senate last month. This bill wasnt needed then and isnt needed now. This will embolden 20,000+ gang members & will not help LE [law enforcement]. Lets hope it isnt signed.

State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, said he sponsored the legislation so gun owners dont have to leave their firearms behind when they have been evacuated from their homes.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

I dont want someone to feel like they have to leave their firearms back in an unsecured home for a week or longer, and we all know how looting occurs in storms, Phelan said in an interview in March. Entire neighborhoods are empty and these people can just go shopping, and one of the things theyre looking for is firearms.

Existing laws allow gun owners to store them in their vehicles, with some conditions.

Opponents of the bill included state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, who said she is a firm believer in the Second Amendment, but called the bill bad public policy in debate on the Senate floor last month.

Its not solving a problem, its creating a problem, she said.

The bill passed the Texas House on a 91-52 vote and passed the Texas Senate in a 16-15 vote that saw three Republicans side with Democrats against the bill.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the law only applies to evacuees.Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill Friday to increase the penalties for groping in Texas, patching what some lawmakers say is a gap in the states current laws on sexual assault.

Groping was the lowest-level criminal offense in the state penal code, punishable by a $500 fine at most. Experts on sexual assault laws say Texas  which puts groping an adult under the category of assault by offensive contact  was one of six states with such a light penalty.

Two Texas lawmakers, one a Republican and one a Democrat, authored the legislation to raise the maximum penalty for groping to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Our laws are meant to protect and provide justice for all Texas, said state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, who sponsored the bill in the House. When there are gaps in the law, its those real people who fall through them. Thats why Im so proud to close one of those gaps and finally punish groping appropriately in this state.

Senate Bill 194 by state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, elevates groping from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor by creating the crime of indecent assault, which applies to any touching of the breast, buttocks or genitals done with the intent to arouse or gratify the offender.

The new classification should deter future offenders, Perry said.

The $500 fine doesnt seem to be getting peoples attention, so moving it to possible jail time of zero to one years and a $4000 fine will be a pretty effective deterrent, we hope, Perry said in an interview in February. If it isnt, we will come back and readdress the penalty.

For subscribers: How Texas Republicans made their case to women voters this legislative session

Moody attempted to pass similar legislation in 2017, but it failed. This year, the bill received bipartisan support, passing without opposition in both the Texas House and Senate. Three state representatives abstained from voting on the bill last month.Did you notice that Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and U.S. President Donald Trump both claimed victory in the recent tariff standoff?

The prospect of an ugly trade war between Mexico and the United States was never a win-win situation. Yet both sides say they won.

Its absurd. This is all political theater, a pair of Mission Accomplished photo-ops on both sides of the border.

Lopez Obrador riled up supporters in Tijuana, saying that Mexico had triumphed at the negotiating table and emerged with its national dignity intact. Mexico Wins! screamed the headline in one Mexican newspaper, while another said that Mexico had deactivated Trump. Lopez Obrador was cool and condescending, telling the crowd: To President Donald Trump I raise not a closed fist, but an open and honest hand.

Meanwhile, Trump told his supporters via tweet that the tariffs he had threatened to impose against Mexico would be indefinitely suspended because of an agreement with Mexico to stop illegal immigration into the United States.

For its part, Mexico supposedly agreed to send thousands of law enforcement officials to the Mexico-Guatemala border and also agreed to expand its policy of allowing asylum applicants to wait in Mexico while U.S. officials process their claims.

According to press accounts, both concessions were made over the past six months. So they were not a result of the standoff.

Regardless, Mexicos concessions arent worth more than a fistful of pesos. Youll recall that the United States has also, over the years, deployed thousands of law enforcement officials  i.e., Border Patrol agents  to the U.S.-Mexico border, along with thousands of National Guard troops. And it has still been unable to stop the flow of migrants. And whats the point of processing asylum claims in Mexico rather than the United States? It just delays the decision that Americans have to make about whether to take in these folks  or ship them back home.

Furthermore, the White House has an odd definition for what constitutes an agreement. Mexico gave up something, and the United States gave up nothing  except a threat that it could never afford to make good on anyway. Thats not an agreement. Thats a stickup.

To recap, against the advice of his own economic advisers and senators in his own party, Trump targeted, by some measures, our No. 1 trading partner and threatened to impose a 5 percent tariff on all Mexican goods, which was set to increase to 25 percent in four months.

But a tariff isnt an attack on a foreign country. Its a tax on U.S. consumers. So if Trump had followed through  which he insists he still might do if Mexico doesnt keep its promises  the folks who would have paid the consequences live on this side of the border.

It occurs to me that the relationship between Mexicans and Americans is very give-and-take. They give, we take.

Mexicans already clean our homes, cut our lawns, fix our roofs, cook our food, wash our dishes, care for our elderly, wipe our kids noses, build our houses, care for our pets, shop for our groceries, tend to our livestock, pick our crops, make our beds and make our lives easier in countless other ways. If youre living an upper-middle-class lifestyle despite only earning middle-class wages because you can afford housekeepers and nannies at bargain prices, thank the Mexicans. If youre at all comforted by the fact that the Social Security system is bolstered by millions of dollars paid into the system by undocumented immigrants who will never collect what they put in, thats the Mexicans, too.

Still, Trump wants the Mexicans to do even more  and fix our broken immigration system. Americans wrecked it over the last few decades by injecting racism, letting employers off the hook, giving family unification priority over the needs of our labor market and failing to create adequate avenues for people to immigrate legally. So naturally its up to the Mexicans to restore order.

Its bizarre. The same people who used to tell us that we couldnt trust Mexico to control immigration into the United States now assure us that we can trust Mexico to control immigration into the United States.

Its also illogical. Here immigration restrictionists have spent decades insisting that Mexico is inferior, dysfunctional and corrupt. And now were supposed to believe that  even with its flaws  our neighbor can save us from our own destiny.

ruben@rubennavarrette.comIn Alabama, where a new law denies abortion to women even in cases of incest or rape, a rapist may still pursue custody rights of a child conceived during his assault.

Ill give you a moment to digest that sentence. It gets worse.

In a recent case, a young woman in Alabama sought help when she said her step-uncle, who raped her when she was 15, was being released from prison after a drug conviction and wanted to share custody with the child who resulted from the alleged rape. Theoretically, he could even gain full custody.

Minnesota is the only other state without a statute terminating parental rights for a person found to have conceived the child by rape or incest. More than half of the 50 states terminate parental rights when there is clear and convincing evidence that the child was conceived during rape. And nearly half terminate parental rights only when a rapist is convicted.

But this is problematic, too. An estimated 3 out of 4 rapes go unreported, and the rate is especially high when the rapist is known to the victim or is a family member. An estimated 90 percent of rape victims know the assailant. Last month, Alabama lawmakers considered a bill that addressed ending parental rights in cases of rape that result in conception, but the Legislature removed that language, limiting the law to cases in which people sexually assault their children.

As if sexual assault isnt life-scarring enough, imagine having to engage with ones rapist through a shared-parenting arrangement. On the other hand, theres also the possibility, as some activists suggest, that women might claim rape during custody fights. Marital rape can be a particularly difficult case to make, but precedents do exist. Nothing is as simple as one might hope.

Obviously, we are committed to a presumption of innocence for the accused, but it is inevitable that  especially given the number of unreported rapes  many rapists escape prosecution. Without a police report and a rape kit, there may be no way for the mother to prove the assault. In such cases, co-parenting can become a real possibility. And this prospect might incline some pregnant women to seek an end to the pregnancy.

But in Alabama, their options would be limited. Even though the new law is being challenged in court, its already difficult for many people to get an abortion in the state. In 2014, according to the Guttmacher Institute, 93 percent of counties in Alabama had no clinic that provided abortion.

If Alabama is trying to become the worst state in America for women, its strategy is strong.

In fairness to the unborn, as well as to the strictly pro-life, a child conceived through rape is surely innocent and deserves the same protections as one conceived in holy matrimony. I get that. But rape and incest have long been accepted as extraordinary circumstances under which abortion could largely be tolerated. What kind of people would effectively force a 15-year-old rape victim to have a child by her step-uncle and then face the prospect of shared custody with him?

It isnt a stretch to say that with its new draconian abortion law and its failure to block parenting rights to rapists, Alabama essentially has installed a medieval system in which women are treated as chattel, notwithstanding the duly elected Gov. Kay Ivey, who signed the bill.

Though public stonings havent (yet) been suggested for disobedient women, we may not be as far removed from such practices as we might pretend to be.

kathleenparker@washpost.comAdria Airways has filed a complaint against Air Serbia with relevant European institutions over what it sees as illegal state aid provided by the Serbian government to its national carrier. Adria Airways is concerned over the aid the Republic of Serbia has illegally granted to Air Serbia and believes such behaviour to be unlawful as it goes against free market principles, the Slovenian carriers legal representative in Serbia, Dragan Gajin, said. He added that the aid, in the form of unlawful subsidies, which it alleges Air Serbia has benefited from over the past years, are not only contrary to local Serbian laws and regulations but also international obligations the country must adhere to as a signatory to the EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement.





Adrias complaint comes prior to Air Serbia adding an extra 576 seats onto the Slovenian market from August with the launch of its newly subsidised two weekly service between Nis and Ljubljana, complementing its existing twelve weekly flights from Belgrade, which are codeshared by Adria itself. Exactly a year ago, Adria filed a similar claim against Alitalia after it was propped up by the Italian government following Etihad Airways withdrawal from the airline. The matter is still being investigated by the European Commission. The Slovenian carrier itself was subject to an investigation by the Commission several years ago over illegal state aid in a complaint filed by Ryanair. Ultimately, the airline was cleared of wrongdoing. The Slovenian carrier is facing increased competition on its home market as it continues to struggle operationally for a second year in a row. It recently denied claims it tried to blackmail the Slovenian government into providing funds to the company which is 100% privately owned.





In the European Commissions annual progress report for Serbia, which was published last month, the body made no mention of state aid or market distortion in the chapter dedicated to air transport. The Commission had previously investigated Air Serbia in 2014 based on a Lufthansa complaint over the airlines ownership structure. The Commission found that Etihad Airways investment in the Serbian carrier was in line with European Union rules on ownership and effective control of airlines. The ruling coincided with the United States Federal Aviation Administrations findings that effective control at Air Serbia lies with the government and not its part-owner Etihad.





Air Serbia has not publically commented on Adria Airways complaint. The Serbian government had previously said it will continue to support its national carrier, which it believes is in line with EU rules. Last November, the Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabic, said, The government of Serbia will maintain its strong support for Air Serbia. This support will be in line with European Union regulations, as it has been so far, however, no one can prevent us or limit our support for Air Serbia. The airline posted a record sixteen million euro profit in 2017. Those record results were achieved in part due to a significant reduction in expenditures and an increase in revenue. However, the state provided a twenty million euro subsidy, which is half of what the company used to receive from its majority shareholder following its relaunch in late 2013. In April, Serbia's Finance Minister, Sinisa Mali, said the country's national carrier had operated with a profit over the past year and has not been a recipient of state subsidies. "Air Serbia has not been receiving subsidies for the past two years, and that is not down to me or the government but the European Commission which monitors state support", Mr Mali said. Air Serbia's financial results for last year are expected to be made public later this month or in early July by the Serbian Business Registers Agency.FLAGSTAFF  Amidst the sweet-smelling smoke of ponderosa pine, wildland firefighters are laboring to maintain  not extinguish  a wildfire burning in the Coconino National Forest northeast of Flagstaff.

Their work is made more complicated by two factors: unusual volcanic soil and a no-go zone: a decommissioned artillery range the Army suspects contains unexploded ordnance from the 1940s and 50s. On the firefighters 15,000-acre planning map, the zone is marked with a large black circle.

After the lightning-caused Maroon Fire was detected May 16, the U.S. Forest Service decided to control and manage the fire rather than put it out. About 8,600 acres had burned as of this week.

The Forest Service has been letting wildfires burn more often, when humans arent endangered.

We live in a fire adapted ecosystem in northern Arizona, said Aaron Graeser, whos an incident management team commander on the Maroon Fire. Fire is a natural part of the way this ecosystem functions and should function.

For nearly a century, the usual approach has been to suppress fires when they start to protect homes and people. But wildfire is a natural process and necessary for the health of forests.

So this means that for 100 years, youve taken out this essential, energetic ecosystem metabolic process, fundamental to how the forest works. And youve just eliminated it, said Don Falk, a professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Fire suppression has led to an enormous buildup of fuels, Falk said.

That means that there is many times the amount of energy stored on a landscape in the form of woody biomass, he said.

Stands of ponderosa pines where fire is consistently suppressed are much denser than they would be without human intervention. If fire occurs at its natural rate, trees tend to be spaced further apart and often are taller.

The Forest Service predicts the Maroon Fire will burn well into Arizonas monsoon season, which officially begins this weekend and runs through September.

Its about 20 miles east of Flagstaff in an area called the Cinder Basin, which is a unique ecosystem in northern Arizona, Graeser said. Volcanic soils, and its actually got its own designator in the vegetation world. Its called a volcanic woodland, mixed of ponderosa pine, brush, and grass.

The volcanic soil presents unique conditions for wildland fires. Rainwater quickly seeps through the top layer of soil, preventing material that the fire would use as fuel from soaking up water.

Aside from the soil conditions, the Maroon Fire sits inside what Graeser describes as a rain shadow, meaning less rain falls there compared with the surrounding forest. These conditions make for drier woodlands, were wildfires thrive.

All potential hazards are taken into account when fighting wildland fires, and the old Maroon Crater Artillery Range is no exception.

We have a thorough risk management process where we  weigh that, and our direction is to just be as hands off as possible in that area. So I feel comfortable, especially with our leadership, just thinking about all the hazards and mitigating those, said Danny Mauz, lead on fire engine 482 on the Maroon Fire.

Don Muise, primary safety officer for the fire team, knows the dangers presented by the range.

The Maroon Crater Artillery Range was used in the 40s and 50s by National Guard troops from Mesa, Arizona, that came up to Fort Tuthill and Flagstaff during that period of time, and the area covers about 18,000 acres that theyre in, Muise said.

The actual impact zone for artillery shells is mainly the south and west side of Maroon Crater.

The Arizona Bushmasters also used the artillery range after they returned from the jungles of the Pacific following World War II. Although it was only used for a few years, there is a strong probability some shells failed to detonate.

Were approaching this with caution because (the Army has) recently done a study on the area and have found close to 600 or more items that they could have identified as artillery pieces or shrapnel, Muise said. They also found some shells that still had explosive potential.

Muise said the Army checked for explosives about 2 feet beneath the surface, but some shells, such as the 105mms used at the time, could be much deeper than that.

Highly plausible, said Derek Hudgins, a former Army artillery crewman who lives and works in Flagstaff. Id say 95% sure that theres a bunch of the unexploded rounds down there. He estimates artillery shells could be 10 feet down, maybe further. 

Although the soil could protect the ordinance from the flames, the fire team plans to keep a respectful distance for such volatile artifacts of the 20th century buried in the ground.

This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a new multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal.

Posted at fairfieldsuntimes.comby John Aubin | Blue Jays Correspondent | Sat, Jun 15th 8:46am EDT

X-rays on the injured hand of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came back negative for any fractures on Friday according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. (Shi Davidi on Twitter)Editors note: The following was adapted from an article in Choices, a publication of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, written by Diane Charlton, J. Edward Taylor, Stavros Vougioukas, and Zachariah Rutledge.

MILWAUKEE, Wis.  A diminishing farm labor supply puts pressure on the agricultural sector to adopt new technologies for difficult-to-mechanize tasks.

The competitiveness of U.S. agriculture, as well as the welfare of farm workers and the communities in which they live, depends on how we as a society adapt to a new era of farm labor scarcity.

Technologies that were relatively inexpensive to develop and adopt have been in commercial use for many years.

The tightening of the farm labor supply today creates incentives to develop and adopt more challenging  and more expensive  labor-saving solutions.

Technology in orchard

Tree fruits are some of the most labor-intensive crops grown in the United States today, and viable technologies to reduce labor requirements are on the horizon for only a few varieties.

Nearly all fresh-market fruits and vegetables are hand harvested, creating high demand for seasonal labor.

Existing mass-harvesting methods such as trunk or canopy shaking result in unacceptable fruit damage and cannot be used selectively to harvest fruits that do not ripen uniformly.

Canopy and crop load-management operations, like pruning and flower and fruit thinning, are also manual and labor intensive.

These activities require advanced perception and dexterous manipulation capabilities, and they have to be performed reliably in a fast, cost-effective manner.

To address these challenges, engineers from academia and industry are developing intelligent robotic solutions for some of the most labor-intensive tasks.

Commonly, such solutions need to be combined with changes in cultivars and/or horticultural practices.

The up-front costs of adopting robotics in the field will likely be high, and if the robots damage the fruits, the value of the end-product will decline.

These barriers would prevent adoption in markets with low wages and an elastic labor supply, but if the farm labor supply continues to tighten and wages continue to rise, robotics will be a critical step forward in keeping U.S. farms competitive in a global market.

Whats out there

Some examples of intelligent automated systems that have recently become commercially available or are on the horizon include automated lettuce thinners, integrated weed management systems and robotic apple harvesters (not yet commercially available).

Thinning lettuce is very labor intensive, and most lettuce fields in California used to be hand-thinned, typically using a hoe.

Several companies have introduced automated lettuce thinners that use machine vision and a spray system to remove unwanted plants.

Mosqueda et al. (2017) tested four automated thinners and reported that, on average, 2.03 person-hours and 7.31 person-hours per acre were needed to thin the lettuce plots with and without the machine, respectively.

The respective labor costs were estimated at $43.40 and $112.70 per acre, accounting for higher wage rates of equipment operators.

Integrated weed management (IWM) systems are essential for broccoli and lettuce.

A central part of IWM is physical weed removal. Currently, this removal is performed using standard cultivators that remove weeds between rows, followed by labor-intensive manual weeding inside the rows.

The cost of hand weeding ranges from $250 to $450 per hectare.

Recently, robotic cultivators have been commercialized to mechanize intra-row weeding.

These use computer vision to distinguish crop plants from weeds and activate high-speed blades to selectively destroy weeds.

Lati et al. (2016) evaluated a robotic cultivator and reported that it removed 18%-41% more weeds at moderate to high weed densities and reduced hand-weeding times by 20%-45% compared with the standard cultivator.

Other startups

Other innovative robotic systems being developed by startup companies are at a precommercial stage.

For example, an apple-harvesting robot is being developed that uses computer vision to locate the fruits and a vacuum gripper on a robot arm to pick them.

Its developers have tested the robot on V-trellised trees thinned to single fruits inside the robot workspace and pruned to approximately 25 cm wide.

They report picking one apple per second with one robot arm. Given that one typical worker on an orchard platform picks approximately 1 apple per 1.5 seconds, the robotic arm could replace 1.5 pickers, and multifarm harvesters could replace small teams of pickers.

New innovations, new skills. Not only will labor demands decrease in response to technological improvements, but the skills required on-farm also will change.

Farm workers will increasingly include mechanics and engineers. Our educational system  including high schools, community colleges and universities  will have to prepare a generation of workers with the skills to manage new crop technologies.

Informational resources, including high-speed internet, will have to reach into the fields.

Rather than importing low-skilled farm workers, the United States might import agricultural engineers from Mexico, where universities currently produce twice as many engineers per capita as U.S. universities do.

Higher wages

New technologies make farm workers more productive, making it possible for farmers to pay higher wages to a smaller workforce.

Rising wages can benefit farm workers and the communities where they live, but only if workers have the skills that new technologies demand, and if lower-skilled workers can shift their labor from newly mechanized crops and tasks to others that are more difficult to mechanize.

About the authors

Diane Charlton (diane.charlton@montana.edu) is assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont. J. Edward Taylor (jetaylor@ucdavis.edu) is professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, Calif. Stavros Vougioukas (svougioukas@ucdavis.edu) is associate professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, Calif. Zachariah Rutledge (zjrutledge@ucdavis.edu) is Ph.D candidate, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, Calif.COLUMBUS  More than 1,200 acres of forest land adjacent to Shawnee State Forest in southern Ohio will be acquired with a federal partnership grant through the Forest Legacy Program, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry.

The land will become part of Shawnee State Forest and will be near Shawnee State Park and The Nature Conservancys Edge of Appalachia Preserve. 

The purchase  will significantly expand Ohios largest contiguous block of forest land, enhancing biodiversity and providing a mix of recreational opportunities, said ODNR Director Mary Mertz.

Ohios Forest Legacy Program has obtained funding to permanently protect 8,648 acres of forests within Ohio since 2005.

More information can be found at forestry.ohiodnr.gov/legacyprogram.Three new general licences to control wild birds in England have been issued today to help farmers prevent serious damage to livestock and crops.

Defra's recent call for evidence demonstrated a range of impacts that farmers experienced as a result of the revocation of licences GL04, 05 and 06 in April.

This included crow attacks on lambs and ewes during lambing, the risk of predation for eggs and fledglings of birds of conservation concern.

The decision to issue the new licences (GL34, 35, 36) follows information provided to Defra's evidence-gathering exercise.

Concerned farmers explained the impact that Natural Englands withdrawal of its three general licences had on the management of wild birds.

The statutory agency revoked the licences following a legal challenge by conservation group Wild Justice. It concluded that the three licences were unlawful.

After uproar from the rural community, Defra launched the consultation. This closed on Monday 13 May, with over 4,000 responses submitted.

The new licences will be valid until 29 February 2020, and will not apply to European protected sites.

In the meantime, Defra will lead a review of the longer-term general licensing arrangements.

The department intends to launch an initial public consultation by the end of the summer, with further details to be unveiled.

'Scale of concern'

Defra Secretary Michael Gove said there was a 'scale of concern' generated by Natural Englands decision to revoke three general licences.

The three new general licences announced today seek to minimise some of the negative impacts that the withdrawal of the previous licences had.

But this is a temporary way forward and does not cover European protected sites, where the law is more complicated and we continue to engage with stakeholders.

He added: We will shortly set out details of a wider review of general licences, to provide a long term licensing solution which balances the needs of users and wildlife.

Beyond these, Natural England recently issued three general licences GL26, GL28 and GL31 to cover some of the species and purposes covered by the original licences that were revoked.

These remain in place, since they allow for specified activity on European protected sites which are not covered by Defras new licences.

Meanwhile, Wild Justice has launched a fresh legal challenge against general licence GL26.

Defra's new general licences

General licence to kill or take certain species of wild birds to conserve wild birds and flora or fauna (GL34)

Species covered: Carrion Crow, jackdaw, jay, magpie, rook, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, monk parakeet, ring-necked parakeet, sacred ibis and Indian house-crow

General licence to kill or take certain species of wild birds to preserve public health or public safety (GL35)

Species covered: Carrion crow, jackdaw, magpie, feral pigeon, rook, Canada goose and monk parakeet

General licence to kill or take certain species of wild birds to prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters (GL36)

Species covered: Carrion crow, jackdaw, magpie, feral pigeon, rook, woodpigeon, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, monk parakeet and ring-necked parakeetCategory Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-CategoryRaveena Rebuked Cold War Rumours With Shilpa Over Akshay

Back in those days, when the rumours of cold war between Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty became the talk of the town, the Mohra actor, who's known for speaking her mind, rebuked the same and said that she was friends with Shilpa Shetty, even when she was dating her ex-boyfriend, Akshay Kumar.

Here's What Exactly She Had Said..

While speaking to Zoom, Raveena had said, "My engagement with Akshay Kumar broke up much before. What I read in magazines was that after Shilpa, he (Akshay) dated Twinkle (Khanna). So, Shilpa and me were always friends."

She Further Added..

While shushing the rumours of any kind of cold war with Shilpa, Raveena further added, "In fact, we did a movie together 'Pardesi Babu' when she was dating Akshay and we were friends then. Like she was dating him at that time!"

How Raveena & Akshay Started Dating?

Speaking of her affair with Akshay, Raveena was earlier quoted as saying, "Actually, we got friendly during the American shows (read star nights). Rumours of our relationship had started then but they weren't true. We officially started dating after we did a show in Amritsar around February 1995."

Why Akshay & Raveena Didn't Make Their Engagement Public?

According to Raveena Tandon, Akshay Kumar had said that he would marry her the day she finishes her last shoot. Raveena had also revealed that she got engaged to Akshay in a temple. She had further revealed that Akshay Kumar was afraid and he thought that his fan following would be reduced if the news of his engagement got public.

What Followed Next Was A Heartbreak

Post her break-up with Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon went on record saying that she doesn't blame any other woman for the break-up since it was her man who was not loyal.

Coming Back To Raveena & Shilpa

Raveena and Shilpa have often been spotted chilling with each other at events and even though, they had the common 'ex' factor, they never let it hamper their bonding!Kangana Opened Up About Her Infamous Viral Wooden Horse Video

"I know who released that video. Two other actors of the nepotism gang were also learning horse-riding at the same place as me. They practised for one day and got so sore that they didn't return. I was galloping and doing all sorts of stunts. The wooden horse was only used for close-up shots. Just because they cannot ride a horse they got jealous of me and released the video."

The Actress Says People Were Forced To Speak Against Her

"I rode a horse in Rangoon too, it's not new for me. Mishti said she was asked to speak up, but who is making her speak? It's all about ganging up against me. Sonu and I share a personal trainer. Again, situations were manipulated to force people to speak against me."

Kangana Lashes Out At Karan Johar Again

She further added, "Some trade experts were forced to show our film's collections as half of the actual numbers. All the people who pretend that they don't have PRs send the maximum number of mails against others.

One smear campaign was started by Karan Johar's gang against me by paying reviewers. When I talk about it, people think I sound like a loony character, but what option am I left with?"

'Rangoli Says People Have Taken Advantage Of My Absence On Social Media'

"I can't invest so much time on something that doesn't deal with an issue. Rangoli says that people have taken advantage of my absence on social media.

She says that though I have helped people build hospitals and gifted a Rs two-and-half-crore flat to my yoga teacher, nobody knows about these things as I don't talk about it. Sometimes she makes videos of me to share online. I find it funny, but she feels it's important.

'How Do I Become A Person Who Records & Documents Everything?'

She further added, "In my past relationships I never made videos and even that went against me... Today, everything must be proved with photos and videos. How do I become a person who records and documents everything, so no one questions me tomorrow? I can't live like that, it's strange."

The Actress Has This To Say About Her Sister Rangoli Grabbing Headlines With Her Tweets

"When Rangoli was in Mumbai, she wanted her social environment to be pleasant, she has a family and her husband was working in the city at the time. Now, she has no f**ks to give and I like that kind of freedom. I don't sit on her head and tell her what she should say. She is her own person and she has quietly observed all these industry people. Being an ostrich, keeping our eyes shut, has not helped us at all. So now she is completely at it. (laughs)"Rishi Kapoor meets Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane in New York | FilmiBeat

Last year, Rishi Kapoor left all his fans worried when he tweeted about flying down to USA for some medical treatment. While he and his family were quite tight-lipped about his health condition, the actor finally broke his silence when he opened up about his battle with cancer in an interview.

Meanwhile, many B-town celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre and others paid him a visit in New York where he is currently stationed for his treatment.

Recently while speaking with Mumbai Miror, Rishi hinted that he might return to India before his birthday which falls on September 4.

Rishi Kapoor Says He Is Feeling Good "Yes, I am trying to return by August-end, depending on what the doctors at the hospital say. I have recovered well and I am feeling good. Must be 100% fit by the time I am back," Rishi was quoted as saying by the leading daily. The Actor Is Now 100% Cancer-free A source close to the actor revealed that he is regularly visiting the hospital and that he is 100% cancer-free now. Earlier, Rishi Had Opened Up About His Medical Treatment In An Interview "My eighth month of treatment started on May 1 in the US. But God has been kind! I am in remission, meaning now I am cancer-free. I will have to do a bone marrow transplant, which in all probability should take another two months minimum." The Family Support He had further added, "Neetu has stood by me like a rock. Otherwise I am too difficult a person to handle as far as food and drink are concerned. My kids Ranbir and Ridhima have really shouldered my problems."

Aamir Khan Visits Rishi Kapoor In New York, Neetu Kapoor Says, 'He Is A True Superstar'! [PIC]Announcement to be made at The Future of Money: Central Bank Digital Currency Conference in Stockholm

Monerium ehf. has received a license from the Financial Supervisory Authority of Iceland to issue e-money on blockchains through its subsidiary, Monerium EMI ehf. The full license is the world's first e-money license for blockchains issued under EU e-money regulations. The license is passportable within the largest global economic zone, the European Economic Area, and to external jurisdictions subject to regulatory approval and destination country regulations.

Designed as a digital alternative to cash, e-money is a proven framework for digital fiat currency already in use for pre-paid cards and mobile wallets. By issuing e-money on blockchains, Monerium removes the need for intermediaries and provides the ability to automate financial transactions in many sectors, including payments, trade finance, securities settlement, and ecommerce. At the same time, e-money on blockchains extends Satoshi Nakamoto's vision of online peer-to-peer currency transactions to a regulated form of digital fiat currency.

Founded in 2015 by four repeat entrepreneurs with experience from finance and technology, Monerium has received seed investments from ConsenSys, Crowberry Capital, and private investors. Prior to the e-money application, the company founders authored a commissioned report on blockchains and financial services for an European financial institution and developed a pilot for tokenizing fiat currency in collaboration with ConsenSys.

Jon Helgi Egilsson, co-founder, chairman and former chairman of the supervisory board of the Central Bank of Iceland, will announce the license in Stockholm on June 15 at The Future of Money: Central Bank Digital Currency Conference, saying, "Monerium e-money encompasses the benefits of programmable money on blockchain, in addition to being the closest form of central bank money there is based on a proven EU regulatory framework."

"Receiving an e-money license is a major milestone towards achieving our goal of making digital currency accessible, secure, and simple to transact," states Sveinn Valfells, CEO and co-founder. "To support our e-money issuance, we have developed a digital banking platform that is compatible with all leading blockchain protocols and extensible to other clients and financial services. Our platform is based on open standards and designed to support decentralized financial applications."

Monerium is currently entering closed beta with initial customers and partners. The company plans to partner with distributed application developers and blockchain platform providers to make e-money available to consumers and enterprises across borders and protocols.

Together with Monerium CTO and co-founder Gisli Kristjansson, Valfells will announce the closed beta and partnership programs at Copenhagen FinTech Week on June 18th.

About Monerium

Monerium is a financial technology company with the mission of making digital currency accessible, secure, and simple to transact. Using Monerium e-money, individuals and non-financial enterprises can store and send digital currency on blockchains without going through traditional financial institutions. Monerium was founded in 2015 by a team with diverse backgrounds, including central banking, finance, blockchain, and cloud services. The company has raised $2M in funding from ConsenSys, Crowberry Capital, Hof Holdings, and private investors.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190615005010/en/

Contacts:

For media enquiries:

Chris McClure, +1 (580) 448-2841

press@monerium.com(Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc on Friday asked a federal court to quickly halt an alleged illegal slowdown by mechanics' unions that has become 'devastating' to the airline's operations. The world's largest airline by passenger traffic urged the court to order the unions to stop interfering with the airline's operations, three weeks after it had filed a complaint and preliminary injunction motion against them

(Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc on Friday asked a federal court to quickly halt an alleged illegal slowdown by mechanics' unions that has become "devastating" to the airline's operations.

The world's largest airline by passenger traffic urged the court to order the unions to stop interfering with the airline's operations, three weeks after it had filed a complaint and preliminary injunction motion against them.

The unions have "dramatically expanded their illegal slowdown activities and are creating an operational crisis causing significant damage to American, the travelling public and American's employees," the company said in the court filing.

Earlier in May, American Airlines filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas federal court, accusing the mechanics' unions of directing a slowdown aimed at disrupting operations to strengthen their position in labour talks that began in 2015.

The slowdown has resulted in 722 flight cancellations since the company filed the lawsuit, the airline said, adding that the number of affected passengers has increased to 11,000 per day since June 7.

(Reporting by Soundarya J in Bengaluru; Editing by James Emmanuel)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Angela Moon, Sheila Dang and Greg Roumeliotis (Reuters) - Private equity group Apollo Global Management is in talks with satellite TV provider Dish Network to finance a bid for wireless assets that will be divested in the proposed merger between T-Mobile and Sprint Corp, according to two people familiar with the matter. The two U.S

By Angela Moon, Sheila Dang and Greg Roumeliotis

(Reuters) - Private equity group Apollo Global Management is in talks with satellite TV provider Dish Network to finance a bid for wireless assets that will be divested in the proposed merger between T-Mobile and Sprint Corp, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The two U.S. wireless carriers have agreed to sell prepaid brand Boost Mobile to gain regulatory approval for the $26 billion merger. Sources said that Dish is interested in the assets.

The talks between Apollo and Dish demonstrate private equity interest in the wireless business as regulators are pushing to create a viable fourth U.S. wireless competitor, even as the nation's third- and fourth-largest carriers are combining.

Dish and Apollo declined to comment.

There is no certainty that Apollo will participate in Dishs bid, and Apollo may decide to finance another bidder or pass on the opportunity, one of the sources said.

The U.S. Department of Justice has been in discussions with Dish, Altice USA and Charter Communications to purchase wireless assets from the merger to preserve competition in the industry, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department is expected to decide whether to approve the merger as early as next week, a source has told Reuters.

Over the past few weeks, regulators have held discussions with potential bidders about what would constitute a wireless company that could compete with larger carriers Verizon, AT&T and the combined T-Mobile.

Dish has stockpiled wireless spectrum, or airwaves that carry data, and is facing a deadline next year to build a network that fulfils the license requirements or risk losing the license.

The company, controlled by founder Charlie Ergen, met with the Federal Communications Commission on June 11 to discuss the impact of the merger on its plans to enter the wireless market, according to a regulatory filing.

(Reporting by Sheila Dang, Angela Moon in New York; Editing by Kenneth Li and Cynthia Osterman)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Sanjay Raut said the Ram temple will be constructed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

Ayodhya: Ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit here on Sunday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple, his party leader Sanjay Raut said the Ram temple will be constructed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He said Thackeray, who will be joined by 18 newly elected party MPs, is fulfilling the promise he made in November that he would visit again after elections and asserted that his party has "not sought votes in the name of Ram and will not do so in future".

Maharashtra will be going to polls later this year. The visit is being seen as an attempt by the Shiv Sena to put pressure on ally BJP. But Sena has maintained that Thackeray's visit should not be seen through the electoral lens. "Ramlala is not a subject for politics but it is matter of our faith. We have not sought votes in the name of Ram and will not do so in future. When he (Uddhav) visited Ayodhya in November he promised to come again after elections. He is fulfilling his promise," Raut said at a press conference here.

On construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Raut said, "It will be constructed in Modi and Yogi's leadership. The BJP will decide on it. The majority in 2019 is for construction of Ram temple. In Rajya Sabha too we will get majority by 2020." Thackeray, who will be reaching Ayodhya Sunday morning, will offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple, address a press conference and leave later in the evening.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath visited Ayodhya last Friday to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple. His visit, the first after the Lok Sabha election results, was apparently aimed at reiterating support for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site. "It is everybody's wish that Ram Mandir must be constructed," he had said after unveiling a seven-foot Ram statue at a museum in the city.

He also took part in the week-long celebrations to mark the birthday of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. The title suit over the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site is being heard by the Supreme Court. Soon after the BJP got a second term in the Lok Sabha elections, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat had said, "Ram's work has to be done, and Ram's work will get done."This practice is so common that its not even being raised as a discriminatory practice by the Dalits themselves.

Getting a haircut is a routine affair for most men, but its not so for lakhs of Dalit men in hundreds of villages in Gujarat. Since before Independence, Dalit men have been denied a haircut by barbers in villages of Gujarat. Even though this fact is well-known to authorities and social activists, it has remained unchanged despite The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.

This practice is so common that its not even being raised as a discriminatory practice by the Dalits themselves. It was only in mid-2018 that some Dalit youths from Trent village in Mandal block of Ahmedabad district decided to complain to the block panchayat about this form of discrimination. But despite the authorities asking them, the barbers refused to cut the hair of the Dalit youth. In fact, they preferred to close shop instead of cutting the hair of Dalit youth. Since then, four barber shops of Trent village have been closed by the police and the Dalit men from the village continue to get their hair cut in nearby either Viramgam or Mandal, both nearby towns.

A massive study done by Navsarjan Trust of 1,589 villages of Gujarat about various discriminatory practices against Dalits in 2010 revealed that in 73 percent of the villages surveyed, barbers didnt cut the hair of Dalit men. This means that 1,160 villages had this practice in place since before Independence and no amount of social reform has changed the situation.

If this percentage is extrapolated to all the 18,676 villages of Gujarat, the figure comes to 13,633 villages where this practice continues to exist. That is a huge figure and a shameful statistic for Gujarat, where Mahatma Gandhi took up several campaigns to end social boycott and discrimination of Dalits and tribals.

Instead of going down, the cases of atrocities have been increasing in Gujarat. In the last 15 years, cases of atrocities registered in Gujarat have increased by 70 percent and the conviction rate is dismal at below five percent.

In April and May, there have been several conflicts where Dalit grooms  who had decided to ride mares for their marriage processions  have been opposed by upper caste communities. In several villages, upper castes have boycotted the Dalit community or have also thrashed the grooms. Various other aspirations of Dalit youth have also been opposed by upper caste communities, like riding a bike, putting colourful stickers on their bikes, and also sporting stylish haircuts. Many such steps have angered dominant castes who have attacked Dalits on several instances in Gujarat in recent months.

One of the men who was part of the protest at Trent village against the barbers for their refusals to cut Dalit mens hair, Ashok Parmar, 26, said, The barber shops in our village are still closed. The barbers now are cutting the hair of OBCs and other general castes men either in their homes or in his own house. We are forced to get a haircut in neighbhouring towns. We faced massive pressure not just from the other dominant castes in the village but also from our own parents and elders. They didnt want any trouble."

"You have to understand that most Dalits in our village are very poor and are daily wagers. They cant afford to take up a fight with the dominant castes of the village. We, 20-25 Dalit youths, all educated, decided to take up this fight, but it was not easy. However, we decided to not file an official complaint as we are facing tremendous pressure both from other dominant communities and also from our own community leaders and family members."

Kiritbhai Rathod, working in Navrasjan, an NGO working for Dalit rights which also conducted the study of discrimination in 1,589 Gujarat villages in 2010, said, The study might be nine years old but the situation in the villages has remained the same. So many forms of discrimination continue to be practised in the villages in Gujarat. Dalits are not able to draw water from same wells, arent served tea in same vessels in tea stalls, not allowed to sit in chairs in Panchayats, refused entry to religious places or participation in community religious events, etc. There are so many forms of discrimination which continue to be in practice in Gujarat."

About the barber shops which were shut down, Kiritbhai said, After the Dalit young men of Trent village took up the issue, we tried to reason with the panchayat of the village and also appealed to the Sarpanch but he remained adamant. He said, 'Do what you want but the barbers will not cut the hair of Dalit men.' The state government says that caste-based discrimination doesnt exist in Gujarat. Earlier, state governments undertook programmes to abolish discrimination at village level, taluka level etc but now it isnt happening.

Kiritbhai further said, Panchayats should organise events where upper castes and Dalits are encouraged to drink tea together, draw water from the same wells and sit together to study. Such programmes were undertaken earlier but now, the state government is in denial. As far as steps to abolish discrimination are concerned, Kiritbhai felt that the onus is on the dominant castes to take steps in their villages. The Dalits who are being discriminated against are not the people who can end discrimination, it should be done by the Patels, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and other castes, said Kiritbhai.

Jignesh Mevani, a well-known Dalit leader from Gujarat who is also MLA from Vadgam in Gujarat, spoke about the discrimination still existing in the state. He said, Article 17 of the Indian Constitution has abolished untouchability long back and the practice of it is an offence under Protection of Civil Rights Act. But despite this, untouchability is being practised in more than 1,500 villages of Gujarat and there is not a single case where an offence has been registered. When I raised the issue in the Gujarat Assembly, the entire BJP kept silent. They did not give any assurance to put an end to this casteist practice. This shows not just indifference and callousness on the part of the BJP government but it also shows how openly they stand for so called upper caste people.

It remains to be seen if the situation changes in these villages. It is pertinent to remember that hundreds of men and women have gone abroad to study or have immigrated to the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and several other western countries from many villages of Gujarat. Thousands of Patels from Gujarati villages live in the USA and other countries. So, its fair to say that they are aware that caste-based discrimination is against human rights and is definitely something which our society should be ashamed of. Yet this practice continues in Gujarat and the state still claims to be a modern and progressive state in India.Ask the Sheikhs and they will tell you the caste system is very much present in Kashmiri society, and so is untouchability.

Editor's note: This is part of a seven-part series on manual scavenging in India. It examines the practice from a socio-political point of view.

While passing through a neighbourhood once, I overheard some people fighting and calling each other names. The one thing that struck me the most was the frequent use of the term watul. I couldnt resist but to stop and listen to them carefully. None of these people were from the Watal community of Kashmir, but were using the word as an epithet.

In common parlance, Kashmiris use the terms watal khaslat (quality) and watal nasil (lineage) to heap scorn on each other. The word 'watul' is a generic term in Kashmiri language for the Watal community or the Kashmiri scavenging community. Although, they are officially known as Sheikhs, but for the Kashmiri people it seems they will always remain watals or watul.

Generally, Kashmiris do not accept the fact that untouchability or caste system is present their society. The caste system is regarded as part of the Hindu religion. However, ask the Sheikhs and they will tell you the caste system is very much present in Kashmiri society, and so is untouchability. The Sheikhs base their claim on the fact that people from dominant castes like Sayyids, upper caste Sheikhs like Pirs, Shahs and Muftis, the upper caste Greest community (land owners) and even wealthy Nangaars (craftsmen) do not enter their homes or share their food.

Sheikhs often live in ghettos and say those from the upper castes rarely visit. These ghettos are usually called Sheikh Mohalla, Sheikhpura, Mochi Mohalla or Watal basti. So deep is the bias that people openly observe untouchability and caste system in the matters of marriages and food sharing, but deny its existence as it runs contrary to their faith of Islam, which is largely based on the principle of egalitarianism.

No doubt, Sheikhs have been associated with the manual scavenging in the past and even now most of them work as sweepers and cleaners, but that does not prevent them from exploring new opportunities. Sheikhs are enthusiastic about the future of their children while seeking to change the social perception about themselves. They educate their children knowing well that there is a huge competition in the job market and with no reservation for them, like the Scheduled Castes, it is very difficult to find work.

There is, however, a preconceived notion in Kashmiri society that the Sheikhs are meant to 'clean dirt from society'. Ironically, Sheikhs too think that cleaning toilets is their job and no other community is supposed to do it. Sheikhs prefer to socialise with their own. With increasing poverty and job opportunities few and far between, they feel secure with their own and in times of adversity, share resources.

Socio-economically, Sheikhs are equivalent to Dalits. Both communities have suffered discrimination and lag behind other communities when it comes indicators such as finances, jobs, education, standard of living and health. But the one thing that is remarkable about the Sheikh community is their self-confidence and positive attitude.

As far as marriage is concerned, every community in Kashmir prefers to marry their children into upper caste families or with their counterparts. Any marriage to a 'lesser community' is frowned upon (though in recent times the financial status of the family has taken precedence). But the Sheikhs, who marry within their own caste, or their equivalent, have proved to be an exception. In fact, they prefer to keep marriage within the community, citing a deep bias against their community and the fear that their daughters would suffer abuse (the Sheikhs do not allow their women to work as manual scavengers and educate their daughters as they would their sons).

Kashmiris often ignore uncomfortable questions when talking about the Sheikhs. For example, if the Sheikhs are discriminated against on merely the basis of their profession, then why are those who leave their traditional occupation not treated at par with other communities? Why do people hesitate to enter their homes, even those who manage to achieve economic success?

With the focus in the Valley on the ongoing conflict, the Sheikhs and their troubles have been relegated to the background. But these questions must be answered.The Centre has also sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government on steps taken to contain political violence and nab culprits in wake of a spate of 'political' murders and attacks on BJP workers in Bengal.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought an urgent report from the TMC-led West Bengal government on the ongoing strike by junior doctors against the attack on medical intern Paribaha Mukhopadhyay and junior doctor Yash Tekwani at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday.

The Centre has also sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government on steps taken to contain political violence and nab culprits in wake of a spate of 'political' murders and attacks on BJP workers in Bengal. The MHA has pointed out the failure of state law and order machinery under the West Bengal government, reports said.

Pointing out the growing number of incidents of pre-poll, post-poll and poll-related violence in the state from 2016 to 2019, the MHA issued an advisory saying that unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern."

According to the MHA, the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018. More than 700 incidents of political violence have already occurred in 2019. Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place in 2019 till date, Live Mint reported.

The continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019, as evident from the above figures, is indicative of the failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and to inspire a sense of security among the people. Government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal," the advisory read.

It is requested that a report may be sent to this ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence."

This is the second such advisory sent by the Centre to the West Bengal government. Mamata who claimed that there is "no law and order problem in Bengal,"dismissed the earlier advisory issued by the central government on Sunday. The TMC had termed it an "evil ploy to grab power" by the BJP.

Meanwhile, junior doctors on strike across West Bengal turned down Mamata 's invitation for a meeting on Saturday evening at the Secretariat. After they refused to meet her on Friday, the chief minister called for another meeting to resolve the impasse. However, the medicos demanded that Mamata first apologise and come to meet them at the NRS Medical College and Hospital.The incident occurred in Rajgarh district's Dungarpur village in the first week of February.

Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh: A Madhya Pradesh village has ostracised the family of a rape survivor after they failed to perform a "public penance"and because the accused is from a "lower cast".

The panchayat deemed that for 'cleansing' or shuddhi-karan, the family of the survivor needs to organise a bhandara (feast) and serve non-vegetarian food to the village heads (panchs). The family could not afford to comply and were subsequently cut off by the village.

Rajgarh Superintendant of Police Pradeep Sharma confirmed that a rape case was filed against the accused under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. He said a team would be formed to investigate the family's allegation of boycott since the matter involves an entire community. He said the police would act in accordance with the findings of the inquiry committee.

The incident occurred in Rajgarh district's Dungarpur village in the first week of February. Her family filed a police complaint and the accused was arrested eight days later. When the news spread, the village heads concluded that since the news of the rape became public, the girl's family needed to perform a "public penance." They unanimously agreed that a bhandara was the way to go.

The village heads jotted down their diktat on a paper and took the signature of the girl's parents. The letter states that the girl's father agreed to conduct the bhandara of his own accord. Between 150 and 200 villagers, including those from nearby villages, also signed the letter, supporting the decree that the family would face boycott till they organise the feast.

Since then, no one in the village has invited the survivor's family to any social gathering. When the affected family hosted a function, no one turned up. In fact, even the invitation card was not accepted.

Frustrated, the family approached the authorities in Rajgarh district this week and the administration swung into action. Women and Child Development Officer Chandrasena Bhide said she would speak with the superintendent of police and everyone involved in victimising the survivor's family is brought to book.

Apprehending arrest, the village heads are on the run. Bhide said she cant fathom the rationale of such practices. She assured that the government would take strict action.

The survivor's father wondered how he could possibly host a bhandara when he doesn't even have food to eat. He said the bhandara would cost nothing less than Rs 20,000. His wife added that they are labourers and live hand to mouth. The survivor's father complained that villagers don't even let him fetch water. He lamented that the situation is so bad that if they don't get help, his family can't go on.

The author is Rajgarh-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.comDespite Pakistan's request, Modi did not hold any formal meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, Modi exchanged 'usual pleasantries' with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan in the Leaders' Lounge at the SCO Summit.

New Delhi: After concluding his two-day visit to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reached India. During his visit, he held successful bilaterals with China, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan, apart from addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek.

Despite Pakistan's request, Modi did not hold any formal meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, Modi exchanged "usual pleasantries" with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan in the Leaders' Lounge at the SCO Summit. Besides this, the Prime Minister also held a pull-aside meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus on the sidelines of the SCO Summit on Friday, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

He coined the acronym HEALTH during his address at the Summit, which is a template for strengthening cooperation amongst SCO member-states. Expanding on the acronym, he said that the 'H' in HEALTH stands for Healthcare Cooperation, 'E' for Economic Cooperation, 'A' for Alternate Energy, 'L' for Literature and Culture, 'T' for Terrorism free society and 'H' for Humanitarian Cooperation.

Even though India did not hold any official talks with Pakistan  who is also an SCO member  in Bishkek, Modi also jointly inaugurated the India-Kyrgyz Business Forum with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov earlier on Saturday, following which the new strategic partners held a bilateral. He was also accorded a ceremonial welcome by Jeenbekov at the Ala Archa Presidential Palace in the Kyrgyz capital, which formally started off the prime minister's bilateral visit to the Central Asian country.

15 documents were exchanged in various sectors in Modi and Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov's presence at a joint presser which followed the India-Kyrgyz bilateral. India also proposed a 200 million dollar line of credit to Kyrgyzstan during wide-ranging talks with the country on Friday.

Even though Pakistan again showed its eagerness in holding talks to resolve all issues, India maintained its stance that Islamabad needed to create a terror-free atmosphere first  a position which was conveyed to Chinese President Xi Jinping by the prime minister during their bilateral on Thursday.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiralled following the deadly 14 February Pulwama terror attack. New Delhi has remained rooted in its stand, saying that terror and talks with Islamabad cannot go together. China is an all-weather ally of Pakistan.

The next SCO Summit will be hosted by Russia, the MEA confirmed in a special briefing on Friday. India became a full member of the organisation in 2017 in Astana, along with Pakistan.Chinas might is reshaping Indias neighbourhood, raising fears that allies like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan could end up orbiting Beijing.

His words were spoken in the shadow of the gold statue that guards the throne of Bhutans Dragon King. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchucks message for his visitor, Indias External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, was to have no witness but the Buddha. Bhutan remained Indias most loyal ally, the king said. But he warned: there was growing pressure from a new generation to keep the kingdom out of Indias conflicts with China. In future crises, Bhutans support might not be a given.

King Jigmes message  delivered earlier this month during Jaishankars first-ever foreign visit as minister  will, almost certainly, have been on Prime Minister Narendra Modis mind as he begins his second-term effort to engage Beijing.

Chinas economic might is reshaping Indias neighbourhood, raising fears that allies like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan could one day, like Pakistan, end up orbiting Beijing.

The prime ministers meeting with Chinas president Xi Jinping in Bishkek on Thursday comes at a time when the two countries are facing shared challenges. The United States is threatening to overthrow the global trade order on which the Asian powers prosperity has been built, and its confrontation with Iran threatens their energy security.

In theory, this should facilitate building a new kind of bilateral relationship, but mutual suspicion runs deep in both Beijing and New Delhi. Finding a way forward on China, the critical foreign policy task for which Jaishankar has been brought into government, is no small task.

Five years ago, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had pushed forward a policy of staring down China all along its contested borders with India  a posture long advocated by foreign policy hawks. Bared swords, the theory went, were needed to scare the dragon off its Himalayan fastness and nudge it towards making peace on the borders.

In 2014, thus, Indian troops began building border defences and irrigation works on contested territories along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakhs Chumar area. Then, Indian troops dug in to block the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) from building roads, also in Chumar, sparking a small-scale crisis on the eve of President Xis first visit to India.

Things came to head in 2017, with a 10-week standoff on the Doka La plateau, when troops under the command of Brigadier Gambhir Singh  later awarded an Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his leadership  moved into territory claimed by Bhutan to block Chinese road construction.

Even though it won applause at home, the actual results of this new strategy remain contested. In Doka La, for example, China has built bunkers just 80 metres from Indias forward position at Doka La, linked to the PLAs forward base at Yatung by an all-weather road that snakes across the plateau through the pass at Merug La. There are multiple new military structures scattered across the area, including trenches, artillery positions and helicopter landing pads.

India was able to ensure China didnt push its road further south, right up to the Bhutan-India border, but could do nothing to deter PLAs consolidation of its position, and this moreover inside territory claimed by Bhutan.

Perhaps even more important, border negotiations between Doval, Indias special representative, and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, failed to progress. The wider relationship, too, remained mired in disputes on everything ranging from trade to Pakistan.

External affairs ministry insiders say that Jaishankar, as he prepared to leave office in January 2018, was convinced that Dovals strategy had failed. Long a proponent of a nuanced, fluid strategy on China  one that sought incremental gains even in the face of border problems  he now has the opportunity to put his own ideas to the test.

For Indian policy-makers, this much ought to be clear: time is not on New Delhis side. Beijings economic might makes it a critical source of trade and investment for the entire region. From 2014 to 2018 alone, the American Enterprise Institutes data shows, China invested a staggering $22.84 billion in Bangladesh, $8.14 billion in Sri Lanka, $1.7 billion in Maldives, $4.47 billion in Nepal, and $3.34 billion in Myanmar.

This money might come, as Sri Lanka has discovered, accompanied by painful terms and conditions  but cash-strapped developing countries have little choice.

From 1959, when Peoples Liberation Army troops stamped out the last vestiges of Tibetan autonomy, Bhutans elite linked its fate to India, fearing a similar fate. But the children of that elite now study in Hong Kong, Singapore or the West  not in schools at Darjeeling or colleges in New Delhi.

Bhutans business and political leadership see China as more of an opportunity than a threat  as do the elite across South Asia.

New Delhi isnt, of course, without leverage. K Illango, a senior R&AW officer passed over earlier this year for appointment as its chief, stitched together opposition alliances in Sri Lanka and Maldives that were able to defeat pro-Beijing regimes. These were signal victories for India in times where its regional influence has been sorely tested.

Pressure and coercion, though, are no substitute for hard cash  meaning that it is in Indias own interests to not reduce its China policy to a head-to-head clash.

The prime ministers new outreach to China must rest on a clear-eyed understanding of why it behaves in the ways it does. Chinas neighbours see a fire-breathing dragon; the dragon sees the glint of spears and sabres. Chinas aggressive posturing on its peripheries  from the expansion of military bases in the South China seas, to the enabling of North Koreas nuclear programme  is not an outcome imperial ambition, but stems from its fear.

Left a strategic orphan by the Sino-Soviet split of the 1960s, and conditioned by colonial humiliation, Beijing sees the world as a malign entity, where norms are meaningless and power the best argument.

For the past decade, Beijings geostrategic policies have evolved into what could be called an adolescent phase: newly-grown muscles are flexed, but not always with either clarity of purpose or with finesse.

India will have to live with China as it evolves, managing conflict as best as possible, and at once pursuing what opportunity can be had. This isnt perfect strategy, but the alternative is worse.

The wars of the future, the Spanish general Manuel Fernandez Silvestre Patinga prophesied in 1910, will be concluded in one days hard fighting.

Leaders, persuaded by their generals that war could be contained, and its fallout calculated, allowed themselves to be dragged into World War I. Ten million soldiers and seven million civilians gave up their lives by 1918, and millions more in smaller wars that raged until 1923.

Europe, then, looked a lot like Asia now: riding a great wave of prosperity, its markets better-integrated than ever before. Like Asia today, it was also a stage for new, rising powers acquiring military muscle, and old powers pushing back against them.

Modis new outreach to China is about something bigger, then, than just foreign policy: the moves he now makes hold the keys to a continents destiny.It is always strange to visit Jammu and Kashmir because when you are away, you can get carried away by whatever narrative news channels spin, but the reality of the state and its people hits you in the face when you are actually there.

I spent a few days in Srinagar this week, visiting after a couple of years. And now I think it is important to let readers know about the disturbing things happening in Jammu and Kashmir. It is always strange to visit the state because when you are away, you can get carried away by whatever narrative our news channels spin, but the reality of Kashmir and its people hits you in the face when you are actually there.

The first thing that one notices is how little change there is in Srinagar. The vast changes in the landscapes of Indian cities over the past 15 years are absent in the state capital. There are no multiplexes, not one single-cinema hall and no malls. The restaurants look exactly as they did two or three decades ago. Although the traffic has increased, there is very little other visual sign of change or economic progress in Srinagar.

Moreover, as the government frequently cuts mobile internet services in the region, there is no app-based economy in the city either. No Uber, or Ola, or the other services that people have become accustomed to in cities for years.

There are 403 news channels in India but none in Kashmir. The government doesn't allow any local television news due to the fear that it can cause trouble. The weak economy does not allow for much corporate advertising either. This means Kashmiri newspapers are dependent on the advertisements they get from the government in New Delhi, which results in no criticism of their biggest customer in the papers and lack of public sentiment on the front pages.

The day I was leaving Srinagar, a headline in a newspaper read: "Neither azaadi nor autonomy possible, says J&K governor". The governor, Satya Pal Malik, told Kashmir's reporters that he wanted the youth of the state to put down their guns and "join me for dinner". If azaadi and autonomy are already off the table, it's hard to construe what he planned to serve them and why they would want to engage with him in the first place.

The reality is that this government has no idea what to do in Kashmir and is trying to rule over the population through force, not democracy. The presence of paramilitary forces on the streets of Srinagar has become depressingly normal. Uniformed men carrying assault rifles and speaking Tamil, Bengali, Hindi and Punjabi keep watch over local residents.

The number of security personnel dying in Kashmir has risen in the past five years  from 41 in 2015 to 88 in 2016, 83 in 2017 and 95 in 2018. We are not even halfway through 2019 but have already lost 67 soldiers. The air strikes carried out in Balakot in response to the Pulwama attack are believed to have been instrumental for the NDA government in winning the Lok Sabha election. But I wonder how many took a good look at the actual result of all that happened in the state. We seem to be fine with it as long as the killing happens a distance away.

I met 10 reporters in Srinagar the day I landed. As a reporter myself, I was able to freely speak with them about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. They said they no longer needed any specific instruction from the government to not write about certain issues as they instinctively knew what not to report. I have never seen a group of Indian reporters so afraid. At the airport, there was a booth for foreigners to register themselves when they land, which I have noticed in any other state. Foreign reporters are more or less banned from Kashmir. The Centre has taken the foreign channels that the locals prefer, such as Al Jazeera and News TV (owned by the government of Iran), off air.

Kashmiris have been dehumanised for years, not a doing of this government alone. We have been doing what is being done to them for three decades now, but it seems we have learned no lessons yet. We blunder on, happy to sacrifice citizens and soldiers and talk about delusional musings, such as bringing back normalcy, when we are the ones who made things abnormal to being with.Seven people, including four sanitation workers, died in Gujarat's Vadodara while cleaning a septic tank on Friday. They are believed to have suffocated to death while cleaning the septic tank outside a hotel in Dabhoi taluk.

Seven people died in Gujarat's Vadodara while cleaning a septic tank on Friday. They died of suffocation after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning the septic tank outside a hotel in Fartikui village in Dabhoi taluk. The victims include four sanitation workers and three hotel employees.

Hassan Abbas Bhoraniya, the owner of the Darshan Hotel, located 30 kilometres from Vadodara city, has been booked under charges of culpable homicide and causing death due to negligence, The Times of India reported. The case was registered at the Dabhoi Police station. Bhoraniya is absconding at the moment.

"All seven were dead as the pressure of gas was high in the tank. We could bring their bodies out," said Nikunj Azad of the Vadodara Fire and Emergency Services.

The incident took place shortly after midnight, and the bodies of the seven victims were pulled out three hours later, the police said. Their bodies were handed over to the kin after an autopsy.

"When one sanitation worker failed to come out of the manhole, others went inside. All of them died due to asphyxiation," said district collector Kiran Zaveri.

The Gujarat government has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. It said it has directed the police to take strict action against the hotel owner.

The seven victims have been identified as Ashok Harijan (45), Mahesh Harijan (25), Mahesh Patanwadiya (47), Vijay Chaudhary (22), Brijesh Harijan (23), Ajay Vasava (22) and Sahdev Vasava (22). Patanwadiya, Ashok, Brijesh and Mahesh had been called to clean the septic tank, Chaudhary, Sahdev and Ajay were employees of hotel and were assisting the four, according to The Times of India.

Patanwadiya was the first to enter the hotel's septic tank. When he did not come out or respond for a while, Ashok entered the tank, followed by Brijesh and Mahesh. After none of the four came out, the three hotel staff went in to help the sanitation workers, but they, too, lost consciousness, the police said.

Officers added that the Dabhoi municipality and local police were informed after all seven did not respond from inside the septic tank. The municipality, lacking the necessary equipment, sought help from the Vadodara Fire and Emergency Services. After the bodies were taken out of the tank, a suction tank vehicle of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation cleaned the tank.

With inputs from PTIGopipur village has seven hand pumps, installed by the government long ago, but not a single one of them works.

Editor's Note: This summer has taken a toll on large parts of north, north-west and north-central India. As the country witnesses extremely high temperatures ever, here is a look at the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh which has been hit by another drought, and several villages don't even have basic drinking water. This is the fourth in a seven-part series, which explores the situation in Banda, Panna, Damoh, Mahoba and Chitrakoot.

***

Chitrakoot: Youths and men of Gopipur, on the border of Uttar Pradesh in Chitrakoot district, have given up any hope of getting married. One of the worst affected villages in parched Bundelkhand, the water crisis here is so severe that no one wants their daughter married to someone from Gopipur.

A sizeable number of men have already relocated to different cities in search of a better life.

The population of Gopipur village is about 2,000, as per information gleaned from the district administration, which includes around 700 women and 300-odd unmarried men.

No monsoon or wedding here

Arjun Kumar, 38, a daily-wager and wood-monger residing in the village, said he has gone through seven failed attempts so far to find a bride for himself. I have lost all hope of getting married now. In the last 10 years, seven families have come for talks. All of them found me suitable, but the prospect of having their daughter live in a village where there is no water was not acceptable to them. I am growing old by the day and have already crossed the marriageable age. I can only blame God for this situation our village is in, no one else, he added.

Forty-three-year-old Pappu Arhan is in a similar situation and has already quashed his marriage dreams. One of my uncles, too, could not find a bride for himself and died a bachelor. It looks like the same fate awaits me; there wont be a son lighting my funeral pyre, and my brothers will inherit the property, as I wont have wife and children, he said, resigned.

Arhan added that he had approached the district magistrate a few years ago, apprising him about the situation in the village and the consequences of water scarcity the villagers were having to deal with.

Nanki Devi, who has two children of marriageable age, said, Girls dont want to get married to the youths here because they dont want to suffer the water crisis or walk for miles to fetch water for the family. Many of our boys have moved to different places. It is my duty to cook for the family, so I along with the other women here walk to the well to fetch water; but, tell me, why would a new girl want to take on so much pain and hardship for water? Its understandable (that they dont want to marry).

Left high and dry by government

Gopipur village has seven hand pumps, installed by the government long ago, but not a single one of them works owing to the decline in the groundwater level.

The main source of earning a livelihood in this village is selling firewood in the sub-urban areas and villages, while a smaller chunk of the population is involved in extracting musk from deer.

The only source of water in the village is a well, which is located a few kilometres from the village. When this correspondent found the well, it was not a pretty sight  the water was so dirty that it was black in colour and even had a foul smell emanating from it.

Residents claim that the district administration, which is responsible for sending water tankers and ensuring proper supply in the village, has turned a blind eye and is least bothered about their plight.

The main reason tankers do not come to our village is the rough terrain. It is a slightly hilly area, and roads are not suitable for heavy vehicles to drive on; it is the governments job to take into consideration all such factors and come up with a plan, but officials arent paying any attention to this problem. Who knows? If there were good roads, perhaps, we all would have been able to get married without any hurdle... Arhan trailed off.

Officially speaking

The chief development officer of Chitrakoot, Mahendra Kumar, however, said the district administration is regularly sending water tankers to drought-hit areas.

We are sending eight to 10 tankers to every area daily; we are doing our best. I am new here, so I dont know about this marriage problem in the village, but I will take up this issue and see what the administration can do about it, he added.

Pushpendra Bhai, a water conversation activist based in the adjoining Banda district, said, The problem of youths unable to find brides is not confined to Gopipur but spread across Bundelkhand. If this situation doesnt improve, then soon, Bundelkhand will be known as the land of unmarried men. The drought is getting worse day by day, and its social and other impacts are bound to increase further.

According to the 2011 census, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of single women  around 12 million  followed by Maharashtra (6.2 million) and erstwhile Andhra Pradesh (4.7 million); the number of unmarried men across India is 1,33,50,546.

(Author is a Lucknow-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.)Brother of local Congress leader thrashed a woman over a money dispute in Sri Muktsar Sahib district of Punjab, police said on Friday. Muktsar Municipal Corporation councillor Rakesh Chaudhary's brother and his aides dragged the woman out of his house on Buda Gujjar road in the city and had beaten her up with belts and sticks.

Sri Muktsar Sahib: Brother of local Congress leader thrashed a woman over a money dispute in Sri Muktsar Sahib district of Punjab, police said on Friday. Muktsar Municipal Corporation councillor Rakesh Chaudhary's brother and his aides dragged the woman out of his house on Buda Gujjar road in the city and had beaten her up with belts and sticks.

#NewsAlert -- Women dragged out of her home and assaulted by @INCIndia councillor's kin in Punjab. | Mohit Malhotra, @News18India with more details pic.twitter.com/EF318PXWDE  News18 (@CNNnews18) June 15, 2019

The incident came into fore after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The accused and his aides can be seen thrashing and abusing a woman on a road in the video. When another woman comes to her rescue, they start thrashing her too. The victim woman suffered critical injuries and was admitted to a hospital in the district. Police have arrested six people in connection with the matter. "This is an extremely unfortunate incident. We will push for severe punishment for the accused," Senior Superintendent of Police Manjeet Dhesi said.

Accused in the video from Muktsar have been arrested by @PunjabPoliceInd & booked for attempt to murder u/s 307 IPC. No one is above the law and such acts of violence will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/zxZvqJmiQi  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) June 15, 2019

The police said that it will take strict action against the accused and their association with the ruling party will not affect the investigation. Dhesi further said, "The police will treat them as an accused regardless of their political affiliation."The doctors of West Bengal, protesting against the assault on two colleagues at NRS hospital, have sought an unconditional apology from Mamata Banerjee.

The junior doctors on strike across West Bengal have turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation for a meeting on Saturday evening at the Secretariat. After they refused to meet her on Friday, she called for the meeting to resolve the impasse, with the doctors' protest entering the fifth day on Saturday.

However, the doctors turned to down the chief ministers' request to meet her at the secretariat and instead demanded that Mamata should come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital for the meeting.

The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital, have sought an unconditional apology from Mamata and set six conditions for the Bengal government to meet to withdraw their protest.

"We are not going to the Secretariat upon the invitation of the chief minister for the meeting. She will have to come to NRS Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for the comments she made during her visit to SSKM Hospital on Thursday," said Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors. "If she can go to SSKM, she can also come to NRS... or else this agitation will go on."

Junior doctors in Bengal launched their protest after two of their colleagues were attacked by the relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata Monday night.

Meanwhile, reports said Mamata will visit Dr Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, one of the two medical interns injured, at NRS hospital on Saturday.

The chief minister, who visited the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata on Thursday amid slogans of "we want justice", had claimed that outsiders were creating disturbances at West Bengal's medical colleges, and that the ongoing agitation was a conspiracy by the CPM and BJP.

AIIMS doctors' issue 48-hour ultimatum

In Delhi, resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata to accept the demands of the agitating junior medicos, failing which they will begin an indefinite strike.

''We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we will be forced to resort to an indefinite strike,'' the Resident Doctors Association warned.

On Friday, scores of doctors from several government hospitals in Delhi, who could not join the nationwide strike on Friday, protested in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata on Saturday. Doctors at the Centre-run Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital, as well as at Delhi government facilities, such as Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and DDU Hospital, boycotted work and held protests.

A majority of hospitals in Delhi had joined the countrywide agitation in support of the doctors in West Bengal on a call by the India Medical Association (IMA) and various resident doctors' associations. Outpatient departments, routine operation theatre services and ward visits had all been shut down, though emergency services and ICUs were kept functional at these hospitals.

Condemning any form of violence, especially against medical professionals in the country, the IMA, on Friday, launched a four-day nationwide protest and called for a strike on Sunday with the withdrawal of non-essential health services. The apex medical body also wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah over their demands regarding the safety of doctors at hospitals.

With inputs from agenciesRulers with a dictatorial streak such as Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, remain perennially scared of dissenting voices and popular uprising.

Darr ke agey jeet hai (beyond fear, lies victory) is the popular tagline of a soft drink brand. Its also a truism. Overcoming our fears leads to success, and it is as true in the personal sphere as it is in the political. Authoritarian regimes, for instance, operate on fear. They create a climate of dread to suppress voices of dissent, trigger self-censorship, draw obedience and demand allegiance. But dictatorial governments  such as the one that rules West Bengal right now  have an interesting relationship with fear.

While their foundations are based on fear and they work by convincing everyone to be afraid, the regimes themselves are its greatest victims. Dictators, or rulers with a dictatorial streak such as Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, remain perennially scared of dissenting voices and popular uprising. Their hold over power  even within a democratic setup  is incumbent on controlling dissent from reaching a tipping point when society decides that an individuals fight is also its own fight.

When that happens, more and more people cross the anxiety threshold by overcoming their personal fears. Voices from all corners of the society are raised, dissent is unleashed on a mass scale and suddenly, the almighty leader given to bullying behaviour seems small, tepid and shrunken in power.

The Observer, London, in article entitled How Dictators Fall, notes this change in societal calculus where the concerns of a few becomes everyones concern.

And that leads to rebellion of the kind we are seeing unfold over the last five days in the West Bengal.

In the end, however, the success of a rebellion depends on the crossing of a fear barrier by enough people, not simply the small group of dedicated dissidents. A judgment that the risk is worth it and the rebellion might actually succeed.

The protest and strike by junior doctors in West Bengal that has sent the states healthcare system into a coma could be the veritable tipping point that degrades Mamatas ability to rule by fear.

What started as a fightback by junior doctors touched the medical fraternity at large. It soon transcended the geographical boundary of the state to become a national concern. Suddenly, the polity is pushing aside its fear and telling Mamata that we are not afraid of your threats anymore. Even the mainstream national media  that had lionised the Bengal chief minister, overlooked her autocratic ways to dress her up as Prime Minister Narendra Modis competitor  has been going after her.

Over 700 senior government-employed doctors in Bengal have resigned in solidarity with their junior colleagues, resident doctors in AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata following a days strike on Friday and the countrys top medical body, Indian Medical Association (IMA), on Friday criticised Mamatas approach to the protests in Bengal and accused her of escalating the issue instead of solving it.

Even the Calcutta High Court on Friday handed a snub to the Mamata government by refusing to pass any interim order on the strike by junior doctors. According to a report, a division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Suvra Ghosh also directed Bengal government to apprise it of the steps taken following the attack on junior doctors, two of whom suffered serious injuries.

Hemmed in from all sides, the mighty leader who even on Thursday afternoon tried to bully and threaten the striking junior doctors and caregivers and let loose a vituperative volley against them at the SSKM, all of a sudden sounds conciliatory and defensive.

Mamata invited the protesting interns at the state Secretariat for talks, but Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors spearheading the strike, told news agency PTI we are not going to the Secretariat upon the invitation of the chief minister for the meeting. She will have to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for her comments made during her visit to the SSKM Hospital on Thursday.

Along with the unconditional apology from Mamata, the agitating doctors have made ending of their protest conditional on the government meeting their demands, which include, according to media reports, the chief minister paying a hospital visit to the two recuperating doctors injured in the murderous assault at the NRS on Monday, her office releasing a statement condemning the attack on them, documentary evidence of judicial inquiry against the inactivity of the police to provide protection to the doctors at the NRS on Monday night, unconditional withdrawal of all false cases and charges slapped on junior doctors and medical students across Bengal in the wake of their strike, better infrastructure in all health facilities and posting of an armed police personnel.

If this sounds harsh, then a bit of context is in order.

As noted city physician Binayak Sinha wrote for Economic Times, West Bengal has had more than 175 episodes of violence against doctors and other healthcare professionals in the last two years alone. These, as Sinha added, have largely been taken as a professional hazard by the doctors, but Mondays incident, when two truckloads of goons arrived at the NRS hospital following the death of a septuagenarian and unleashed a wave of violence that critically injured two doctors before a mute Kolkata Police contingent, saw an important threshold crossed.

The incident exemplified anew how unsafe the work environment is for doctors and caregivers and how little the administration cares for their plight. Whats more, the Mamata governments inaction in previous cases has emboldened the thuggish elements who now feel that they are above the law.

Sinha wrote: Mamata Banerjee has stated that since the police are regularly beaten up and never protest, junior doctors should follow suit. One can surmise that it is this attitude of the political establishment that has resulted in hooliganism and violence today being treated as normal in every sphere of activity in Bengal. The sacrosanct doctor-patient relationship lies destroyed by this open abetment to a lynch mob mentality by the administration.

If the chief minister  who also handles the states health and home portfolios  had carried out her administrative duties instead of prioritising vote-bank politics, the situation neednt have come to such a pass. But not only did Mamata fail to execute her constitutional duty, she tried to bully the doctors into submission by issuing an ultimatum and threatening to invoke Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). What enraged the striking doctors even more was that she sounded soft on the goons whose attack dented the skull of Paribaha Mukherjee and harsh on the protesters whom she threatened to eject from hostel and labelled outsiders.

Some lackeys of the ruling party have tried to justify Mamatas action by saying that the incident has been politicised by vested interests: the signal is towards the BJP that may stand to gain politically from the controversy. It is worth remembering, however, that if anyone tried to politicise the chain of events that arose from doctors legitimate and apolitical demand of a safe and violence-free work environment, it is the chief minister herself.

She labelled the striking doctors outsiders and even BJP agents.

India Today quoted the Bengal chief minister as saying, This strike is a BJP conspiracy. The protesters are disrupting medical services. This should end at once.

In an extraordinary rant on Thursday, she accused the agitating junior physicians of being BJP voters, as if that in itself is a crime. All of you have voted for the BJP this time. Now you understand who you have voted for Not stopping there, she called all rebelling doctor outsiders.

There is an attempt to create a communal divide but there can be no Hindu-Muslim divide among doctors. The junior doctors who are protesting are outsiders, she thundered amid protests of we want justice. Mamata started her journey as chief minister by labelling any dissenter Maoist. Two terms into her role, she now sees the lotus blooming everywhere. Maybe she has a foresight that we lack.The solution to save the Congress lies in de-commercialising the party and making it a true political entity. The mammothness of such a task is possibly beyond the skills of Rahul and Priyanka.

Ask a worker of either the BJP or the CPM about his ideology. Thats easy. Youll hear words like Hindu, national or pseudo-secularism and so on from the former and Marx bourgeois, neo-colonialism and the like from the latter.

Meet some Congress busybodies and try to find what ideology drives them. Its tough. Its like, as they say, trying to squeeze honey out of mud. You will probably hear them fumble with words like country, people and poverty.

Next, try to find what drives their politics. Thats easy. The answer simply is Congress. Never mind what Congress stands for, even if it does. And it doesnt. For them, the Congress means just two things  its a brand that can sell, though not guaranteed these days, and its USP is the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Besides being a selling point, the dynasty serves another purpose. The absence of an ideology, which died along with Jawaharlal Nehru, meant that only the brand equity and family ownership of the party could stop its leaders from going for each others throats. And the absence of the dynasty could lead to the disappearance of the party itself and, along with it, the very purpose of the politics for Congressmen.

This explains the deafening roar from Congress leaders beseeching Rahul Gandhi to stay on as the party president. Its not because they see him as a beacon of light in their political wilderness. Its certainly not because of their love for him. Its because of their love for themselves. They want to cling to the Congress. And they want Rahul to cling to his post. Without him, they have no party. Without the party, they have no politics, no dreams of red beacons on car roofs and no black lucre that goes with power.

Its easy to see that after Nehru, the Congress reduced itself to being a franchise enterprise like McDonalds or KFC, licensing power-brokers to use the family name, which they see as a low-investment, high-return proposition to procure power. The brand is hugely less popular now, but the hope of some investors for better future lingers on.

For the first time since Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, the comprehensive beating in the Lok Sabha election has raised questions over whether the family will continue to own the party. But now, there are questions about these questions.

Nearly three weeks after it was made known that Rahul intended to resign as the Congress chief and the partys working committee had unanimously rejected it, mum is the word from the dynast. He has apparently almost stopped meeting leaders and, if reports are to be believed, is in London, angry with either the party or himself, or just sulking in general.

Thanksgiving or faultfinding?

Rahul blamed his party leaders for the mess, not himself. That left us wondering whether the family believes the party workers were at least fine. So his sister Priyanaka Gandhi Vadra volunteered to remove that doubt by damning the party cadres, as well.

I will find out the names of workers who didnt work for the party in the elections, she thundered on Thursday, sounding like a teacher warning students that she would find out the names of students who stuck chewing gum on her chair.

Never mind that Priyanka made the speech in Rae Bareli, which elected her mother, at an event meant for thanksgiving, which she duly turned into faultfinding. Listen to her carefully, and you wont miss the tone of ownership, not leadership.

In one swell stroke, she also demolished all hope that she would be the final redeemer of the party, or a female edition of a knight in shining armour, or a true heiress of her very tough grandmother Indira Gandhi, better than even her brother. Listen to her even more carefully, and a suspicion begins to nag  does the fact that she is threatening action against workers mean that she herself, if not Rahul, would like to continue to helm (or own) the party?

Even as this hair-pulling continues over whether Rahul would return to the throne, which he has half-abdicated, and whether there should be a working president or an interim one or some sort of a decision-making body, in the mean time comes a puzzling gem of enlightenment from spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Rahulji was, is and will remain the Congress president, and we have no doubt about it, Surjewala said, without batting an eyelid.

Goonga kathaputalee?

When Indira became prime minister in 1966, leaders who controlled the Congress at that time hoped she would turn into a goongi gudia (a dumb doll). She didnt. She became an Iron Lady. When Rahul took over the Congress in 2017, leaders who surrounded him hoped he would become their goonga kathaputalee (a dumb puppet). He did. Thats when the party began to hit the road to hara-kiri.

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, Rahul may be clean with clean intentions, though the same benefit of doubt cant be extended to his father or grandmother. Whats in question is the ability to lead. In case he, or his sister, or both want to stay in control, what they must know is that saving the Congress from extinction calls for more than reshuffling office-bearers or ordering knee-jerk inquiries whose results are predictable.

The problems are more fundamental. The solution lies in de-commercialising the party and making it a true political entity. The mammothness of such a task is possibly beyond the skills of the brother and sister, and thats something they must straighten out first. Its not the job of the leaders and workers they are blaming. Or they must leave the Congress, leaving it to fight for the little chance it has of surviving without the family.

The author tweets @sprasadindiaReuters

US President Donald Trump met with Apple CEO Tim Cook on Thursday to discuss trade and other hot-button issues facing the tech company as Trump deliberates whether to make good on his threat to hike tariffs on imports from China.

Trump's meeting with Cook was disclosed by daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump during an event that Trump held with governors on skills development.

Cook is a frequent visitor to the White House and has worked with Ivanka Trump on her job training and education initiatives. The president often name-checks Cook as a business leader who has brought jobs and investment back to the United States.

On Thursday, Trump spoke with Cook about "trade, US investment, immigration and privacy," White House spokesman Judd Deere said. A spokesperson for Apple could not be immediately reached for comment.

The meeting comes as Trump weighs whether to go ahead with proposed increases to tariffs in his trade war with China. He has said he will make a decision some time after the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan at the end of June, where he hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump is using tariffs to push Xi to change a host of Chinese trade practices, but negotiations have flagged. Makers of consumer electronics like phones and tablets have escaped the brunt of tariffs to this point but likely would be affected by the next hike.

US authorities are also preparing to probe market power of large technology companies, according to sources. Cook has defended his company, saying it has a moderate share of the market and is not too large.tech2 News Staff

Russian online outlets spread disinformation to sway voters in last months European Union elections, the bloc said on Friday in a report calling for social media firms to take greater action or risk regulation.

The preliminary review of the European Parliament elections said there was evidence that both Russian and European online sources had sought to promote extreme views and polarise debate on divisive issues like migration and religion.

The evidence collected revealed a continued and sustained disinformation activity by Russian sources aiming to suppress turnout and influence voter preferences, the report by the EU executive and its foreign service said.

Moscow has consistently denied it is targeting elections.

The EU report said some 1,000 cases were detected by a dedicated task force, whose staff was more than doubled to sixteen ahead of the vote. The unit monitors and fact-checks foreign news outlets but is not equipped with the tools of an intelligence agency to investigate cyber campaigns.

The 10-page report said there was no proof of a distinct cross-border disinformation campaign from external sources specifically targeting the European elections.

Instead, EU officials cited examples of stories by Russian state-funded media - raising questions about how online content should be evaluated.

Some domestic political sources mimicked the tactics of Russian sources, the report said, and bots and fake accounts were used to amplify these efforts.

Its not necessarily about breaking the law, but it is about attempting to mislead, Europes Security Commissioner Julian King said.

Falling Short

EU leaders will discuss the review at a summit next week. A final report is due later in the year after which EU officials said they will consider further regulation of online platforms.

Despite voluntary steps taken by Facebook, Google and Twitter and other platforms, the review puts pressure on them to go further, including sharing data on their efforts.

In response, Facebook higlighted the steps it has taken into safeguarding the May ballot, such as partnering with local fact-checking organisations and dedicating staff to monitor the vote.

The fight against false news will never be over, Facebook said in a statement. We are making significant investments to remove fake accounts and clickbait and to promote high-quality journalism and news literacy.

Google and Twitter were not immediately available to comment.

The report called on them to develop tools to vet websites hosting ads, ramp up fact-checking and increase transparency by giving researchers access to data and governments information on the malign actors.

It said stricter rules governing paid-for political advertising implemented by Facebook should be improved and rolled out to upcoming national elections across the bloc.tech2 News Staff

Well, Galaxy Fold fans there is some more bad news for the device on the horizon. After it was speculated at the starting of this month that Samsung will most likely be launching the Galaxy Fold in July, a new report has just stated that the launch will not happen in July.

A Samsung official, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to Korean news outlet The Korea Herald, stating clearly that the Galaxy Fold will not make an appearance in July since 'nothing has progressed' since April. Well, that's a bummer.

Earlier Samsung Mobile head DJ Koh had stated that the company had identified the points of weakness for the Galaxy Fold and that it was working on fixing them. At that time, it was speculated that the device would launch in June, but that timeline was later pushed to July and now it appears there will be no fixed launch date for the device anytime soon.

It also appears that folding smartphone technology may not be as ready as companies want consumers to believe. Just yesterday, Huawei also said that it would be pushing the launch date for the Mate X to September and the reason given was that the device required additional testing.Reuters

Huawei is demanding Verizon Communications Inc pay $1 billion to license the rights to patented technology, signaling a potential shift in the embattled Chinese companys strategy for the U.S. market.

A Huawei executive made the demand in a February letter, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the letter on Wednesday. The fee would cover licensing of more than 230 patents.

Verizon spokesman Rich Young declined to comment regarding this specific issue because its a potential legal matter.

However, Young said, These issues are larger than just Verizon. Given the broader geopolitical context, any issue involving Huawei has implications for our entire industry and also raise national and international concerns.

Huawei did not respond to a request for comment.

The following explains why the patent dispute is not unusual and how it could be resolved.

How common is patent licensing?

Patent licensing is very common, particularly in complex industries like telecommunications. As technology has advanced, it has become harder to avoid violating  or infringing  patent rights. There are millions of U.S. patents in force, and a typical smartphone implicates hundreds of thousands of them.

Companies like Apple Inc, Nokia Inc and Qualcomm Inc own many thousands of patents issued by governments around the world.

It is not unusual for these firms to try to make money from their massive patent portfolios. Nokia, for example, routinely brings in more than $1 billion a year from licensing its patents to others.

Large companies like Verizon will try to identify patents they might be violating, said Gaston Kroub, a patent lawyer in New York. But that can be a challenge because so many patents are granted every year, Kroub said.

Sophisticated companies like Verizon understand that they could be approached by licensors of any stripe at any time, Kroub said. The philosophy of wireless carriers and smartphone companies, Kroub said, can be lets deal with these claims as they arrive, because we dont know who will knock on our door next.

Tom Cotter, a professor of patent law at the University of Minnesota, said it was possible Huawei executives believe Verizon has been infringing their U.S. patents for some time but for business reasons waited until now to seek compensation.

Patent owners may not enforce their patents for a period of time, but they can choose do to so whenever they want to, Cotter said. It happens all the time.

What happens if Verizon does not pay?

Huawei may end up going to a U.S. court and suing Verizon for alleged patent infringement.

While some licensing disputes are resolved without lawsuits, litigation is fairly common. Huawei and Samsung Electronics Co recently settled a global legal battle on confidential terms.

A defendant in a patent case typically argues that it does not actually infringe the asserted patents, or that they were mistakenly issued and should be revoked.

In a lawsuit, a patent owner can ask a judge to block sales of infringing products. While such injunctions are rarely granted in the United States, the threat of one can motivate a defendant to settle with the patent owner.

Legal experts said Huawei is likely prepared to go to court.

I dont know how you can make a demand of $1 billion and not be prepared for the answer to be no, at least at first, and for the need to litigate, Kroub said.

Has Huawei been an aggressive enforcer of its patents?

Huawei has long been known for defending itself against U.S. patent infringement claims, rather than bringing them. But that could be changing.

George Koomullil, a patent analyst at Pleasanton, California-based technology company Relecura, said that 10 or 15 years ago Huawei applied for a relatively modest number of patents. But the company has been more aggressive about applying for patents since around 2007, and particularly in recent years, Koomullil said.

Huawei may be more inclined to monetize its U.S. patents now that the U.S. government has limited its ability to sell products in the country, Kroub said.

The National Defense Authorization Act last year placed a broad ban on the use of federal money to purchase products from Huawei, citing national security concerns.

Last month, the Trump administration banned Huawei from buying vital U.S. technology without special approval and effectively barring its equipment from U.S. telecom networks.

Kroub said Huaweis licensing demand could reflect a desperation to come up with ways of generating revenue in the U.S. market, especially considering the traditional ways of offering products and selling things to business is closed to them.

Franklin Turner, a government contracts lawyer at McCarter & English in Washington, said the patent licensing demand may also be a way for Huawei to retaliate against the United States.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio said on Twitter on Thursday that the demand against Verizon was an attempt by (Huawei) to retaliate against the U.S. by setting the stage for baseless, but costly, patent claims.MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Friday that he will present a document at the Group of 20 summit this month that would ask the member nations to take note of the high numbers of migrants fleeing Central America through Mexico. 'We're going to present a document for the group's consideration..

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Friday that he will present a document at the Group of 20 summit this month that would ask the member nations to take note of the high numbers of migrants fleeing Central America through Mexico.

"We're going to present a document for the group's consideration... essentially, asking that they stop shutting their eyes to the crisis that we have in Central America," Ebrard said at a Mexico Senate hearing.

Mexico last week agreed with the United States to enforce tighter migration controls to avert punitive tariffs.

(Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Dave Graham)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Pakistan will hold talks with India on the 'basis of equality' and in a 'dignified manner', and it is up to New Delhi whether to engage with Islamabad to resolve all outstanding issues, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.

Bishkek: Pakistan will hold talks with India on the "basis of equality" and in a "dignified manner", and it is up to New Delhi whether to engage with Islamabad to resolve all outstanding issues, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.

Qureshi, who was in the Kyrgyz capital to attend the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, said this while confirming exchange of pleasantries between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday on the sidelines of the multilateral meeting. "Yes, the meeting did take place, there was a handshake and exchange of pleasantries," Qureshi told Geo News. He accused the Indian government of being in the "election mindset" to keep their "vote bank intact". "Pakistan has said what it had to," Qureshi said.

"So India has to make this decision, we are neither in haste, nor troubled. When India prepares itself, it would find us prepared, but we will hold talks on the basis of equality, in a dignified manner. "Neither we need to run after anyone, nor we need to demonstrate stubbornness. Pakistan's approach is very realistic and well thought-out," Qureshi said when asked to comment on demand by some people that Pakistan should not repeatedly invite India for talks.

He said India had to make a decision whether to hold bilateral talks with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues, and that Pakistan sought the dialogue to be based on equality. "India has not come out of its election mindset and the extreme position they had taken to influence their constituency and to keep their vote bank intact. It is still confined in that," Qureshi said.

The exchange of pleasantries between Khan and Modi came over two weeks after Khan and Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts, pushing for restarting the bilateral talks.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together. Khan had also made a telephone call to Modi on 26 May and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries.

On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district. Amid mounting outrage, the IAF carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan on 26 February. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was later handed over to India.BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- China's relevant government department has started an investigation into FedEx, delivering a notice of inquiry to FedEx China on Friday.

The investigation is about the company's earlier failure to deliver express packages to designated addresses in China.

The relevant government department notified FedEx of the inquiry to uncover the truth in a more in-depth and comprehensive way, Yin Shaocheng, an associate professor with the Capital University of Economics and Business, told Xinhua in an interview.

Inquiry of related parties and on-site inspection are methods used by administrative organs in investigations and evidence collection, Yin said.

When administrative organs conduct investigations or inspections, the party and other persons concerned shall truthfully answer questions and assist in the investigation or inspection and shall not obstruct it, according to China's administrative penalty law.

On June 1, China's relevant government department announced the decision to file a case for investigation of FedEx on suspicion of undermining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese clients.

As a party to the case, FedEx China is obliged to accept inquiry, Yin said.

He said the investigation could use one or multiple inquiries to gather evidence, noting that the scope of the probe could expand if more clues are uncovered.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

In this latest report on Tetrahydrofuran Market the market size is expected to scale up to USD BN by the end of financial year 2025. This report valued the market at USD BN in 2018. After evaluating the various market drivers and market restraints the report expects a % of CAGR across the study period. The report takes a deep dig in the market with detailed analysis on the Revenue, Production, and Capacity from 2013 to 2025.

The report also studies the marketing pricing, trends and extrapolates the growth rate for the next six years. The manufacturers data covered in the report assists in understanding the competitive scenario along with planning the capacity expansion plans.

The latest developments such as the organic and inorganic growth adopted by the key players mentioned in the report, throws light on the strategic planning of the competitors, thus assisting in taking informed decisions.

Ask for free sample report of Tetrahydrofuran market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-3646

First, the report provides a basic overview of the Tetrahydrofuran industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. And development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.



Secondly, the report states the global Tetrahydrofuran market size (volume and value), and the segment markets by regions, types, applications and companies are also discussed.



Third, the Tetrahydrofuran market analysis is provided for major regions including USA, Europe, China and Japan, and other regions can be added. For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies.



Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information. Whats more, the Tetrahydrofuran industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.



Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.

Access Report and Full Table of Contents of @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/3646-tetrahydrofuran-consumption-industry-market-report

Table of Contents-Snapshot

1 Industry Overview of Tetrahydrofuran

1.1 Definition and Specifications of Tetrahydrofuran

1.1.1 Definition of Tetrahydrofuran

1.1.2 Specifications of Tetrahydrofuran

2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Tetrahydrofuran

2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Tetrahydrofuran

2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Tetrahydrofuran

3 3 Global Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales and Sale Price Analysis of Tetrahydrofuran

3.1 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) and Growth Rate of Tetrahydrofuran 2011-2016

3.2 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of Tetrahydrofuran by Regions 2011-2016

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Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/Xiaomi today announced that Holitech Technology which is its key component supplier has inaugurated its first component manufacturing plant in India located in Greater Noida in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The company was invited by Xiaomi back in Q1 2018 to investigate local manufacturing opportunities during its Supplier Investment Summit. Last year Holitech Technology signed an MOU with the state of Andhra Pradesh to start local manufacturing in the city of Tirupati.

Holitech Technology also announced that it will invest about US$200 million over three years in the country and would be manufacturing Compact Camera Modules (CCM), Capacitive Touch Screen module (CTP), Thin Film Transistor (TFT), Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC), and fingerprint module locally.

The plant is spread across 4 factories and spans over 25000 square meters in the city of Greater Noida and will start mass production with a production capacity of over 300 million components per year. It also boasts of class 1000 and class 100 clean room, an industry first, said the company. A cleanroom is a contained space where provisions are made to reduce particulate contamination and control other environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity and pressure.

Holitech Technology in partnership with the government of Uttar Pradesh is also organising a Supplier Investment Summit with Holitech Technology component suppliers on 16th June, 2019 where over 15 of its suppliers are visiting the state of Uttar Pradesh.

It is ready and will be in production within Q3, 2019 and it aims to generate 6000 jobs in three years.

Dr. Dinesh Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh said:

Uttar Pradesh is one of the youngest pioneering states of India. The state has a young entrepreneurial spirit and poses an attractive destination for similar minded companies. Our state of the art infrastructural offerings make Uttar Pradesh an exciting investment opportunity and it is heartening to see Holitech Technology come to the state and initiate a big revolution in the market for local manufacturing.

Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India said:

Xiaomi has witnessed significant growth in the country and we are positive that Holitechs plans for India will herald a new stage of evolution for the electronics manufacturing industry in India. Holitech is a leading global component supplier and with their entry in India, we are positive that a new era of local electronics component manufacturing will begin fostering job creation and encourage the entry of other component manufacturers in India. As a brand dedicated to the cause of Make in India, we are proud to be leading this initiative from the forefront and hope to reinforce our commitment to delivering products with best specs, highest quality and honest pricing in India.

Chenguisheng, CEO, Holitech Technology said:

The phenomenal growth of Xiaomi along with their initiatives to promote local manufacturing has encouraged us to explore component manufacturing for Xiaomi in India. We are pleased to bring several industry firsts to the state of Uttar Pradesh with the manufacturing of camera modules, CTP, TFT, FPC and fingerprint module and propel the growth of component manufacturing in India. We hope to further boost this initiative by setting an example for other component manufacturers, and being a part of Xiaomis growth in India.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

In this latest report on Voltage-Controlled SAW Oscillator(VASO) Market the market size is expected to scale up to USD BN by the end of financial year 2025. This report valued the market at USD BN in 2018. After evaluating the various market drivers and market restraints the report expects a % of CAGR across the study period. The report takes a deep dig in the market with detailed analysis on the Revenue, Production, and Capacity from 2013 to 2025.

The report also studies the marketing pricing, trends and extrapolates the growth rate for the next six years. The manufacturers data covered in the report assists in understanding the competitive scenario along with planning the capacity expansion plans.

The latest developments such as the organic and inorganic growth adopted by the key players mentioned in the report, throws light on the strategic planning of the competitors, thus assisting in taking informed decisions.

Ask for free sample report of Voltage-Controlled SAW Oscillator(VASO) market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-11167

This report studies sales (consumption) of Voltage-Controlled SAW Oscillator(VASO) in Europe market, especially in Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain and Russia, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, covering

Vectron

IDT(Integrated Device Technologies)

Murata

Epson

Crystek

J.R.Merritt Controls



Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Europe into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Voltage-Controlled SAW Oscillator(VASO) in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like

Germany

France

UK

Italy

Spain

Russia



Split by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into

Type I

Type II

Type III

Split by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Voltage-Controlled SAW Oscillator(VASO) in each application, can be divided into

Application 1

Application 2

Application 3

Access Report and Full Table of Contents of @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/11167-europe-voltage-controlled-saw-oscillatorvaso-industry-market-report

Table of Contents - Snapshot

1 Overview

2 Manufacturers, Type and Application

3 Germany (Volume, Value and Sales Price)

4 UK (Volume, Value and Sales Price)

5 France (Volume, Value and Sales Price)

6 Italy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)

7 Russia (Volume, Value and Sales Price)

8 Spain (Volume, Value and Sales Price)

9 Europe Manufacturers Analysis

10 Technology and Development Trend

11 Research Findings and Conclusion

Buy Full Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-11167Stafford County does not post lifeguards at the Historic Port of Falmouth and there are signs in place warning swimmers to swim at their own risk.

Our staff on site monitor parking and are facility attendants, and will radio fire and rescue if assistance is needed, reported Michael Morris, director of Staffords department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. Morris also reported the site has a life ring near the waters edge for public use.

Supervisor Tom Coen represents the George Washington District, which includes the historic port. It has become a popular swimming venue, attracting local and out-of-town visitors.

At community meetings, Falmouth residents have voiced their concerns regarding the increased demand not only placed on the historic ports parking area, but on the already heavily congested Falmouth interchange.

Coen said county officials are looking into solutions.

For this year, its going to stay open for swimming. Were keeping it as it has been, but were looking into what the area will be in the future, said Coen. Public input from residents in the area has indicated a desire to return it to a natural area.We saw this not just in the news that Russian actors had targeted Virginia systems, but also in more mundane ways. Remember the 2017 elections for the House of Delegates when residents of several districts discovered they actually lived in districts other than the one in which they had been voting since the 2011 redistricting? It was a problem known at the local level, to a degree, that had been passed up the chain of command to the board of elections but with little or no reaction.

Then there is the matter of voting methods in the commonwealth. It has only been in recent years that the last of the old, mechanical voting machines was retired, while many localities use the once-touted touchscreen voting method thats now fallen out of favor because of security concerns. Localities now see systems that use paper ballots read by an OCR scanneras the most reliable and secure.

So as Virginia and the nation prepare for the looming 2020 presidential election, we are glad to see recent changes at the state elections board that, we believe, put greater emphasis on both security and training of local election workers.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

In this latest report on Vodka Market the market size is expected to scale up to USD BN by the end of financial year 2025. This report valued the market at USD BN in 2018. After evaluating the various market drivers and market restraints the report expects a % of CAGR across the study period. The report takes a deep dig in the market with detailed analysis on the Revenue, Production, and Capacity from 2013 to 2025.

The report also studies the marketing pricing, trends and extrapolates the growth rate for the next six years. The manufacturers data covered in the report assists in understanding the competitive scenario along with planning the capacity expansion plans.

The latest developments such as the organic and inorganic growth adopted by the key players mentioned in the report, throws light on the strategic planning of the competitors, thus assisting in taking informed decisions.

Ask for free sample report of Vodka market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-6722

Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Vodka in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), covering

North America

Europe

China

Japan

Southeast Asia

India

Global Vodka market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including

Popov

SKYY

Titos Handmade

New Amsterdam

Grand Teton

UV Blue

Deep Eddy

Taaka

Platinum 7X

Burnetts

UV

Nikolai

Western Son Texas

Smirnoff Raspberry

Hangar One

Karkov

Rain Organics

On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into

Poland Vodka

Russia Vodka

Sweden Vodka

On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including

Direct Selling

Distribution Selling

Access Report and Full Table of Contents of @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/6722-vodka-industry-market-report

Table of Contents - Snapshot

1 Industry Overview

2 Global Industry Competition by Manufacturers

3 Global Industry Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)

4 Global Industry Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)

5 Global Industry Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

6 Global Industry Analysis by Application

7 Global Industry Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis

8 Industry Manufacturing Cost Analysis

9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

12 Global Industry Forecast (2018-2025)

13 Research Findings and Conclusion

14 Appendix

Buy Full Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-6722

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is a Global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. is proficient in providing syndicated research Report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.

Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.

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Today

Partly cloudy this evening then windy with a few scattered thunderstorms late. Low 47F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening then windy with a few scattered thunderstorms late. Low 47F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming NNW and increasing to 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

In this latest report on Roofing Underlying Materials Market the market size is expected to scale up to USD BN by the end of financial year 2025. This report valued the market at USD BN in 2018. After evaluating the various market drivers and market restraints the report expects a % of CAGR across the study period. The report takes a deep dig in the market with detailed analysis on the Revenue, Production, and Capacity from 2013 to 2025.

The report also studies the marketing pricing, trends and extrapolates the growth rate for the next six years. The manufacturers data covered in the report assists in understanding the competitive scenario along with planning the capacity expansion plans.

The latest developments such as the organic and inorganic growth adopted by the key players mentioned in the report, throws light on the strategic planning of the competitors, thus assisting in taking informed decisions.

Ask for free sample report of Roofing Underlying Materials market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-32901

This report focuses on the top manufacturers' Roofing Underlying Materials capacity, production, value, price and market share of Roofing Underlying Materials in global market. The following manufacturers are covered in this report:

GAF

DuPont

Carlisle

Soprema Group

Renolit

Sika

CertainTeed

Oriental Yuhong

Owens Corning

TehnoNICOL

Atlas Roofing

Hongyuan Waterproof

Fosroc

CKS

Joaboa Technology

TAMKO Building Products

Bauder

Jianguo Weiye Waterproof

Hangzhou Jinwu

Yuhong Waterproof

Polyglass

Yuwang Group

IKO Industries



Roofing Underlying Materials Breakdown Data by Type

Asphalt-Saturated Felt Roofing Underlying

Modified Asphalt Roofing Underlying

Non-bitumen Synthetic Roofing Underlying



Roofing Underlying Materials Breakdown Data by Application

Residential

Non-Residential



Roofing Underlying Materials Production Breakdown Data by Region

United States

Europe

China

Japan

Other Regions

Access Report and Full Table of Contents of @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/32901-roofing-underlying-materials-industry-market-report

Table of Contents-Snapshot

1 Study Coverage

2 Executive Summary

3 Market Size by Manufacturers

4 Double Winding Transformers Production by Regions

5 Double Winding Transformers Consumption by Regions

6 Market Size by Type

7 Market Size by Application

8 Manufacturers Profiles

9 Production Forecasts

10 Consumption Forecast

11 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis

12 Market Opportunities & Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis

13 Key Findings in the Global Double Winding Transformers Study

14 Appendix

Buy Full Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-32901The Oregon Court of Appeals has reversed a 2016 Linn County District Court decision involving eight property owners on Country Lane west of Sweet Home, who believe their properties came with a lifetime easement to cross the nearby Albany & Eastern Railroad line.

Attorney Tre Kennedy of Lebanon, who represents the railroad, said the appeals court ruled Wednesday that the property owners did not have a prescriptive easement over the railroad property. The court said that the property owners have used the crossing for decades with the railroad's consent, and that such consent can be revoked at any time.

In a prepared statement, the railroad noted it will now resume its efforts to get permits from all landowners who use private road crossings, which it says are required under federal law. The railroad is especially concerned that the property owners show proof of liability insurance.

Landowners affected are Michael and Cindy Martell, John and Elaine Harcrow, Jeffrey and Beverly Kaiser, Joanne Fagan, Ray and Michelle McMullen, Jeremy and Karen Orr, Richard and Jill Hutchins and Laura Mithough.

Their attorney, Dan Armstrong of Heilig Misfeldt & Armstrong in Corvallis, did not return a call from the Democrat-Herald.

The property owners can ask the Oregon Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals ruling.

According to the Court of Appeals' findings:

In 1910, the owner of a large parcel of land deeded it to his son and daughter. The son received the southern part of the parcel and later divided it into eight lots that eventually became the Country Lane neighborhood.

In 1928, the son and daughter sold a strip of land to the railroad that today is the Albany & Eastern.

The daughters deed reserved an easement permitting her to cross the railroad tracks, but the sons deed did not include such as easement and was transferred to the railroad free of all encumbrances.

The Country Lane lots were divided in 1942 and since then, property owners have crossed the railroad tracks. Over the years, the railroad posted crossbuck signs at the crossing, indicating it was a public crossing. Since 1970, the U.S. Department of Transportation has listed the crossing as public.

The Albany & Eastern Railroad acquired the railroad line in 2007 and purchased the land under the rails in 2012. The railroad also began taking inventory of all property owners who cross its lines and found that Country Lane property owners did not have deeded access. The landowners refused to purchase crossing permits or pay an annual crossing maintenance fee.

In the initial court action, the property owners argued that they had a right to use the crossing by prescriptive easement, similar to adverse possession  if someone uses a road or property line for an extended period of time, that road or property line becomes the legal measurement.

The courts have previously ruled that to establish a prescriptive easement, claimants much show that their land use is adverse to the rights of the property owner for 10 contiguous years and that it is inconsistent with the owners use of the property, or it is undertaken not in subordination to the rights of the owner.

The trial court ruled that the presumption of adversity applied and ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.

But the Court of Appeals ruled that the plaintiffs did not prove there was a presumption of adversity.

Without the benefit of the trial courts finding of adversity, and without evidence of actual adversity, defendants prescriptive easement claim fails. The trial court erred in concluding otherwise, the Court of Appeals ruled.

Contact Linn County reporter Alex Paul at 541-812-6114.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A man serving time at the Oregon State Penitentiary for sex crimes pleaded no contest to first-degree sex abuse and attempted first-degree sex abuse in Linn County Circuit Court on Thursday.

Kenneth Eric Hunt, 45, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10.

The prosecution and defense have agreed to a negotiated settlement where he will be sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison, according to court paperwork. Three other sex crime charges are set to be dismissed at sentencing.

The crimes allegedly occurred between January 2010 and August 2013, and the victim was a girl less than 14 years old at the time, according to the charging document.

The Albany Police Department investigated the case, and Hunt first appeared in court on the charges in August.

The state sought an enhanced sentence in the case, where Hunt would get more prison time than typical for the crimes.

As part of the negotiated settlement, Hunt admitted to an enhancement factor  persistent involvement in similar prior offenses, according to court paperwork.

Hunt is currently serving a prison sentence of nearly four years for sex crimes. He pleaded guilty in Linn County Circuit Court in March 2016 to first-degree online corruption of a child and four counts of third-degree sex abuse.

Court paperwork indicates that Hunt was from Doyle, California and the crimes occurred in 2014. In that case, there were two victims, both of them underage females.

Kyle Odegard can be reached at kyle.odegard@lee.net, 541-812-6077 or via Twitter @KyleOdegard.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Carmen McCormack wants to challenge your preconceptions.

McCormack, a painter who is graduating today from Oregon State University with a bachelor of fine arts degree, decided to reinterpret classic works by 18th century French masters for her capstone project.

The works she chose  all by male artists  are highly eroticized representations of Greek myths involving rape, such as Francois Bouchers Leda and the Swan. Bouchers 1741 painting shows Zeus, transformed into a swan, seducing the mortal woman Leda while her handmaiden looks on.

I wanted to reinterpret that as a feminist, as a woman and as a contemporary painter, McCormack said.

In the original (the women) were smiling, which is interesting for a male painter because it reinterprets the story of sexual violence  its not a happy thing.

McCormacks version  a 5-by-7-foot canvas currently hanging in the Fairbanks Gallery on campus  is essentially the same composition, but with some subtle differences. These women, for instance, are not smiling, and Leda has her arm outstretched in front of her as though to ward off the Greek gods advances. The background is dark and chaotic, as though a storm were brewing, and drips of paint have been allowed to run down the canvas like drops of blood.

I wanted to give the impression of something being wrong, McCormack said. I wanted to give the impression of an unsettled, violent universe.

Smaller paintings in the series rework eroticized 18th century representations of other Greek myths, including the stories of Zeus and Callisto, Pan and Syrinx, and Persephone and Hades.

To McCormack, these Renaissance paintings are beautiful  but theyre also troubling in the way they romanticize and even excuse acts of sexual violence against women. And because theyve been accepted into the canon of Western art, these images have been internalized by many generations of men and women.

Somehow Greek myths escaped the churchs censorship of art, so thats where all the eroticism of art went, she said.

I think we need to think critically about what we believe to be great art. I want these paintings to be confrontational, and I want people to think about what our cultural history is derived from.

She took a similar approach with her thesis project. Titled Reappropriation, its a series of oil paintings based on pornographic images of lesbian sex that were originally produced for a male audience.

By its nature its something that shouldnt include men, and its been appropriated, McCormack said.

Its in a sense trying to return these images to the feminist gaze. I think its a powerful fact that Im a gay woman, and if I steal back these images, thats reappropriation.

She starts by making black-and-white printouts of pornographic images, losing some of the visual information of the originals along the way. Using the printouts as a point of reference, she then re-creates the scene using a limited color palette and bold, expressive brushstrokes. The result is erotic and even romantic rather than pornographic.

The pornographic material thats being produced for men is not really indicative of the gay female relationship, she said.

I feel like the reappropriation mainly is a reflection of my lived experience, she added. Im getting some of those feelings out, those frustrations, in paint.

The project seems to be resonating in the regional art scene. One of McCormacks Reappropriation paintings will be going up at Portlands Blackfish Gallery next month.

Eventually McCormack wants to pursue a master of fine arts degree, but shes not in any great hurry.

Ultimately, though, her career plan is simple: I want to be a painter, she said.

Reporter Bennett Hall can be reached at 541-758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @bennetthallgt.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.June 14, 2019

News Release

Press Operations

Release No. NR-154-19

Readout of Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist's Meeting with Djiboutian Minister of Defense Hassan Omar Mohamed Bourhan

Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman provided the following readout:

Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, David L. Norquist met with Djiboutian Minister of Defense Hassan Omar Mohamed Bourhan June 13, following the 5th annual Djiboutian Bi-National Forum, to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Djibouti.

Mr. Norquist expressed the Department of Defense's commitment to coordinating with the Government of Djibouti and other likeminded partners present in-country to ensure safe operations, improve regional security, and maintain Djiboutian sovereignty.

The two leaders discussed the regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa, the African Union Mission in Somalia, and the desire for the Djiboutian military to become a stronger and more capable force. They also discussed the significance and importance of the U.S. military presence in Djibouti to reinforce regional stability and further opportunities for cooperation.

Mr. Norquist thanked Minister Hassan for his commitment to the strategic partnership and his efforts to drive progress toward shared objectives.

https://dod.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1876202/

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Suspicious accidents for oil tankers alarming: Spox

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 14, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said the US accusations regarding oil tankers in the Oman Sea are not only a joke and funny, but alarming and worrisome.

In reaction to the charges made by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Friday, Mousavi said, "The responsibility for the security of the Strait of Hormuz lies with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we showed that we were able to rescue the sailors of the ship as soon as possible."

He added that apparently, for Mr. Pompeo and other US officials, it's so easy to accuse Iran of a suspicious and unfortunate incident for the oil tankers. While the Japanese prime minister is visiting the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reduce tensions, which secret hands seek to influence these efforts in the region and who benefits from it?!

He warned: "Mr. Pumpo! Raising this suspicion not only is not funny and joke, but it is alarming and worrisome. "

Two vessels had a tragic mishap in the Sea of Oman for unknown reasons on Tuesday, but the Iranian navy forces rescued their crew.

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Iran warns US over blame game through 'suspicious' attacks

Iran Press TV

Fri Jun 14, 2019 06:20AM

Iran has warned the US to stop playing a blame game through "suspicious" attacks on oil tankers in the Middle East, describing the American behavior as "worrying".

The stern warning by Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Friday came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offhandedly blamed Tehran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"The suspicious nature of incidents for oil tankers is not a joke. It is not only not funny, but it is also worrying and alarming," Mousavi said in a statement.

The attacks on Thursday morning sent shock waves through the world which was awaiting the news of a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

Pompeo said immediately, "It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the Gulf of Oman today."

"It seems that for Mr Pompeo and other American statesmen, accusing Iran in the suspicious and unfortunate incident for tankers is the most convenient and simplistic job," Mousavi said.

"While Japan's prime minister is meeting with the number one figure of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reduce tensions, which clandestine hands seek to undermine these efforts in the region and who benefit from it?" he added.

The spokesman reminded that Iran was the first country to come to help the ships in distress and save their crew as quick as possible.

"The responsibility for ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz lies with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we have shown that we have been able to help the sailors of the crashed ships and rescue them as quickly as possible."

Earlier on Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif rebuffed Pompeo's allegations, saying they were part of the "sabotage diplomacy" pushed by the "B-Team".

The B-Team is a reference to hawkish US national security adviser John Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In a follow-up Twitter post, Zarif said, "I warned of exactly this scenario a few months ago, not because I'm clairvoyant, but because I recognize where the #B_Team is coming from."

The UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Thursday and discussed the attacks at the request of the United States.

Washington's assessment, however, was not shared by other council members, who noted that there was no clear evidence linking Tehran to the attacks, diplomats said.

The Iranian mission to the UN, meanwhile, rejected the "unfounded" US accusations.

"Neither fabrications and disinformation campaigns nor shamelessly blaming others can change the realities. The US and its regional allies must stop warmongering and put an end to mischievous plots as well as false flag operations in the region."

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Oil-Tanker Attacks A 'Dangerous Escalation' In U.S.-Iran Confrontation, Expert Says

By Frud Bezhan June 14, 2019

Attacks on two commercial oil tankers in the Gulf Of Oman have escalated tensions in the Middle East and raised the prospect of a military confrontation between Iran and the United States. Washington and its allies in the region have blamed Tehran for the blasts on board the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous. The cause of the explosions remains unclear.

The blasts, south of the Strait of Hormuz, followed last month's attacks on vessels off the nearby United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) that Washington also blamed on Tehran. Almost a fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait.

Tensions have escalated since May 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Washington has since reimposed stiff economic sanctions. Tehran has repeatedly warned it would block the Strait of Hormuz if it could not sell its oil because of U.S. sanctions.

RFE/RL spoke with Scott Lucas, an Iran expert at Birmingham University in Britain and editor of the EA World View website, about the attack and its possible repercussions.

RFE/RL: The U.S. military has blamed Iran for the attacks on the tankers. What possible political, economic, and military motivations would Iran have for allegedly targeting the vessels?

Scott Lucas: There is nothing conclusive about Iranian responsibility at this point. When you assess the possible motives behind this attack, we should consider the context.

The background in terms of quasi-military operations would be the attacks on the four ships, including the two Saudi tankers, in the U.A.E. port on May 12. It would include the drone attacks on Saudi pumping stations by Huthi rebels recently. Politically, the context for this would be a much tougher line this week from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who not only rejected mediation by Germany and Japan but did so in very strong terms.

This doesn't mean in any way I think that the Iranians necessarily did it. But there is a possible and plausible scenario under which it could have occurred. It could mean a faction within the Iranian system carried out military operations to say to the Americans and their allies, "Look, if you are going to come after us, we can hurt you."

I'm not saying that's what happened. What I'm saying is that if the Iranians were responsible then what it means is that the supreme leader and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps [IRGC] are expecting American-led attempts at regime change or effectively a surrender of its position in the region and what the Iranians are saying is that they will not tolerate that. They're saying to the Americans, "If you think you can use military force to make us do this, we've got military capabilities as well."

RFE/RL: Does Iran have the military and intelligence capabilities to pull off such an attack?

Lucas: Iran certainly has the capabilities of carrying out such an attack. There's some confusion over whether the ships were hit from a flying object or they were disabled and damaged by limpet mines. The Iranians fought a ground, air, and naval war with Iraq from 1980-88, including in the Persian Gulf and the Strait Of Hormuz. Iran has developed military capabilities against a series of what they would call "regional enemies" like Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Yes, they have the capabilities to attack shipping. We've known that for years. We have just always wondered if Iran would ever take the step to attack shipping. That's the unanswered question we have at this moment.

RFE/RL: U.S. acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen said that "no proxy group in the area has the resources or the skill to act with this level of sophistication." Do Lebanon's Iran-backed Hizballah movement or the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen have such capabilities?

Lucas: This is where the question of the flying object versus the limpet mine takes on significance. We know that the Huthis have carried out attacks on Saudi shipping by using airborne missiles. So we do have a group like the Huthis who have attacked shipping in the area. Why they would want to attack, for example, these ships and what their motives would be is a much different question.

My response here would be to put the Iranian side of the case. The Iranians are saying that the Saudis, the U.A.E., the Israelis, and the Americans all have motive in carrying out a false-flag attack and damaging these tankers and blaming it on the Iranians to set up the pretext for military action or at least more extensive sanctions. The Iranian argument would be that "we are being set up as the fall guy for this."

RFE/RL: The U.S. military released a video on June 13 that it said showed Iran's IRGC removing an unexploded mine from the side of one of the oil tankers. The U.S. military also released photographs showing the apparent mine, which attaches to the side of a ship magnetically, before it was removed later the same day. Does this apparent evidence incriminate Iran or is it inconclusive?

Lucas: I would expect Iran's response to be that the IRGC unit were helping that ship by removing the unexploded mine that had been placed there by someone else. The question will still remain: who placed that mine in the first place? The U.S. will insist that Iran was removing it to cover up its trail. This will become a political battle, amongst many, in the days to come.

RFE/RL: Besides Iran, what other state or nonstate actors could be responsible or would benefit from this attack?

Lucas: Those who would benefit from Iran being found guilty of this would be their rivals in the region -- Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., and Israel. Certainly, U.S. hard-liners would be supported in their case for stronger action against Iran if Tehran was found culpable. But that leads to Iran saying that those parties who benefit set up the attack to justify the maximum-pressure strategy that is being pursued by the Trump administration.

There is no evidence yet that this was a false-flag attack. We also don't have conclusive evidence that Iran is responsible for this. While we await that evidence, and it might never come, this becomes a political choice. Do you believe the Iranians who say they are being set up as the scapegoats or do you believe the Americans and their allies that say Iran is the culprit?

One thing is clear: We now have a resurgence of tension between the U.S., Iran, and other countries that after having retreated from military confrontation last month and with mediation being firmly rejected by Iran, we are back to a dangerous escalation. It doesn't mean that war is on the way, but it does mean the opportunity for the avoidance of war has shrunk.

RFE/RL: What kind of possible responses might we see from the United States and the region?

Lucas: That's a huge question in terms of what responses and how far do they go. Where we were last month was that the Americans were moving a carrier strike force to the Persian Gulf and bombers. And they were going to station bombers in Qatar as a show of its military capability.

Now that was checked because various U.S. agencies got Trump to say, "Let's not go too far." We're at the point where those military forces could be moved back to the region. Do the Americans take the position they did in the late 1980s? Back then they put in military forces to patrol the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. We know that ended very badly, culminating with a U.S. warship shooting down an Iranian civilian plane that killed almost 300 people.

Would the U.S. and Israel go further with a renewal of covert attacks? We know there were attacks on Iran to limit their nuclear program, including assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists and the introduction of computer viruses. Would the U.S. go in and try to cripple Iranian infrastructure like the electricity grid or power stations with cyberwarfare?

On the other hand, what could the Iranians do? The Iranians can carry out asymmetric warfare through allies like Hizballah and the Huthis. Remember, Iran stands accused by European governments of carrying out bomb and assassination plots in recent years. So, there's a whole variety of actions that each side can take. But if they take any of those actions, they're committing themselves to an escalation. And this time, there may not be a way of stepping back from an escalation that does lead to overt military confrontation.

RFE/RL: What is the likelihood of a direct military confrontation between Iran and the United States? In 1988, the United States launched Operation Praying Mantis in the Persian Gulf, attacking and destroying Iranian sea bases, a frigate, and other ships in retaliation for Tehran's use of sea mines during the Iran-Iraq War.

Lucas: I don't think either side goes in thinking, "I want war." We have been here before, as in the late 1980s, when each side was calculating on military steps which were short of war. The problem is that when you take military steps short of war, the other side could respond. You could then respond to their response and then you would have an upward spiral that does end in a widespread conflict.

Let's look at what's happening now. If the Americans put military forces into the Persian Gulf and the Iranians decide to buzz the forces by sending speed boats or by even threatening the use of naval mines, do the Americans then respond with fire upon IRGC forces?

War doesn't occur in a single dramatic moment. It occurs step by step, and that's the risk we are facing now. It's a risk that is now at its highest point since the 1980s of something that escalates into a direct military confrontation.

RFE/RL: Is there still a chance that diplomacy could de-escalate tensions?

Lucas: There's always a chance. We had diplomacy that de-escalated tensions that led to the 2015 nuclear agreement. The point is that on both sides we are getting steps that are rejecting diplomacy. The Americans quite clearly did that by shredding the nuclear agreement. That was their message to Iran. The Iranians have made their latest message very clear by rejecting diplomacy.

Someone has got to step in and says to both sides to pull back from military measures and signals. But the problem is it goes beyond military signals. Iran is demanding a diplomacy that eases U.S. sanctions. The Trump administration is demanding a diplomacy in which Iran has to give up its uranium-enrichment program and to end their activities in the Middle East, whether it's Iran's involvement in Syria's civil war, Yemen's civil war, or Lebanon's Hizballah.

Neither side is going to make concessions at this point. Diplomacy is always possible but at this point diplomacy has a very limited window in terms of what it can do.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/oil-tanker-attacks-a -dangerous-escalation-in-us-iran-confrontation -expert-says/30000049.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Moldova's Democratic Party Government Resigns

By RFE/RL's Moldovan Service June 14, 2019

Moldova's Democratic Party (PDM) says Prime Minister Pavel Filip's government is resigning, signaling that a standoff with an incoming coalition cabinet is coming to an end.

Vladimir Cebotari, vice president of PDM, announced the decision at a news conference in Chisinau on June 14.

He said PDM decided to stand down in an effort to resolve the weeklong political crisis that pitted the party against a coalition between the ACUM pro-EU alliance and the pro-Russian Socialist Party following months of political limbo caused by an inconclusive parliamentary election.

"We are stepping down in order to avoid an escalation that could lead to violence," Cebotari said.

After the February elections resulted in a hung legislature, Moldova's Constitutional Court on June 7 ordered the dissolution of parliament and ordered new elections to be held.

The basis of the ruling was a Moldovan law that requires a government to be formed within three months of the certification of election results.

But on June 8, parliamentary leaders from President Igor Dodon's Socialist Party struck a surprise deal with ACUM.

The new alliance, which controls 61 of the 101 seats in parliament, announced its goal was to remove Filip's government from power.

The alliance accused the court of misinterpreting the constitution and annulling the previous election results after 90 days instead of three months.

It also voted to approve a new government led by one of ACUM's leaders, Maia Sandu.

But the court responded on June 9 by declaring Sandu's government unconstitutional and suspending Dodon, the former leader of the Socialist Party.

Filip then stepped in as interim president, immediately dissolving the parliament and calling for snap elections on September 6.

Critics have said the court is under the thumb of PDM leader Vladimir Plahotniuc, a controversial tycoon who controls numerous businesses and a media empire, and who is accused by some of running Moldova from the shadows.

After both governments claimed power for the past week, PDM said its decision to step down "will partially solve the political gridlock and is now a clear signal that PDM is not clinging to power."

But Cebotari warned that the move "will by no means solve the legal and institutional gridlock."

"Under these circumstances, the task of legally assuming governmental power must be solved by the PSRM-ACUM binomial [coalition]," Cebotari said.

Sandu voiced hope that PDM's decision to concede defeat was "sincere," but she also called for the resignation of the court and the country's prosecutor-general.

"I have a message to the entire world: Moldova is finally free," Sandu said. "And we would like to thank everybody who helped us in these difficult times."

Earlier on June 14, Sandu told RFE/RL that a march by ACUM supporters scheduled for June 16 was not a protest, but a show of "support of democratic processes, a march in support of the recently elected government. This march will be a powerful signal to the [other cabinet] that its time is over."

It was not immediately clear whether the march will proceed after Cebotari's announcement.

The United States, the European Union, and NATO have urged both sides to show restraint.

Brussels did not explicitly endorse the new government but said, "the European Union stands ready to work with the democratically legitimate government."

Meanwhile, Russia welcomed the deal, with President Vladimir Putin saying on June 13 that the Kremlin "will keep supporting President Dodon and his present-day coalition partners."

Putin, apparently targeting Plahotniuc, charged that "power in Moldova" was "actually usurped by oligarchic structures, oligarchs, who forcibly took over all state structures, absolutely everything --- law enforcement, the parliament, etc. In other words, they made money on the Moldovan people and used [the money] to strengthen their personal fortunes and leverage on the state."

However, the support shown for the new coalition by Russia, which still has more than 1,000 troops stationed in Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester, has been received with suspicion by those wary of Moscow's intentions in the former Soviet republic.

Sandu herself admitted that her ACUM bloc's alliance with the pro-Russia Socialists was unusual.

"This is not a natural alliance. There is no question about it, and probably half a year ago nobody would have said that this could happen," she told Reuters.

Plahotniuc made no statement after PDM's resignation and his whereabouts remains unknown.

Moldovan media reported that shortly after Cebotari's announcement, five chartered planes took off from the Chisinau airport. The planes were headed for Moscow, London, and Odesa, the reports said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldovan-filip- cabinet-resigns/29999812.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Window Squeegee Industry 2019 provides a comprehensive ecosystem analysis of the market Qualitative information will discuss the key factors, growth rate opportunities. The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, opportunity, demand, regions, type and application.

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Saudi Press Agency

Friday 1440/10/11 - 2019/06/14

New York, June 14, 2019, SPA -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has confirmed that it and coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen will take urgent and timely measures to deter such the terrorist attack of the Iran-backed Houthi militia on Abha International Airport in Asir province.

This came in a letter sent by the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations Ambassador Abdullah bin Yahya Al-Moallemi, Thursday, to the UN Security Council following the attack.

The Kingdom's representative to UN said that upon the instructions from Saudi Arabia's government, he inform the security council that, on 12 June 2019, a hostile missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militia hit the arrivals lounge at Abha International Airport, in Asir province in southwestern Saudi Arabia, where thousands of civilian passengers from different nationalities cross daily, resulting this attack in injury of 26 civilian passengers, including three women from Yemen, Indian and Saudi nationalities, as well as two Saudi children. The Iran-backed terrorist Houthi group claimed, through its media, the full responsibility for this attack by used a rocket-type cruise.

"The authorities in Saudi Arabia are working to determine the type of shell used in this terrorist attack, which confirms the possession of new and sophisticated weapons by the terrorist militia, and the continued support of the Iranian regime for cross-border terrorism and its continued violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 2140, 2216, 2231, 2451 and 2452 ", Al-Moallemi said.

The Permanent Representative said that Saudi Arabia and the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen will take urgent and timely measures to deter such unspeakable terrorist attacks and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian installations, in addition to holding accountable those responsible for planning and carrying out this terrorist attack in accordance with humanitarian International law and norms.

He called on the Security Council to circulate this letter as an official document of the Council, stressing that a copy of this letter would be sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

-- SPA

02:11 LOCAL TIME 23:11 GMT

0045

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UK Accuses Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps of Attacking Tankers in Gulf of Oman

Sputnik News

21:58 14.06.2019

LONDON (Sputnik) - UK Foreign Office accused on Friday the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"It is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military - the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - attacked the two tankers on 13 June. No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible," it said in a statement.

It also claimed that Iran had previously conducted attacks on oil tankers.

"The Emirati-led investigation of the 12 May attack on four oil tankers near the port of Fujairah concluded that it was conducted by a sophisticated state actor. We are confident that Iran bears responsibility for that attack," the statement said.

The statement also quoted UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt who condemned the attacks.

"Our own assessment leads us to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran. These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region," Hunt said.

On Thursday, two oil tankers, Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair, were hit by explosions in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. The United States accused Iran of attacking the ships without providing any evidence. Tehran refuted the accusations, calling them baseless. Moscow called for an investigation into the incident, urging to avoid making hasty conclusions.

The cause of the incident remains unknown. According to some reports, the tankers were hit by torpedoes. However, there is no official confirmation of such reports. All crew members of the affected vessels were evacuated to Iran. According to the owner of one of the tankers, there were 11 Russians aboard Front Altair, all of them were safe.

 Sputnik

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Sudanese Military Council Confirms Reports About New Coup Attempts

Sputnik News

05:48 14.06.2019

CAIRO (Sputnik)  The Sudanese Transitional Military Council (TMC) has confirmed that it has thwarted several coup attempts which followed the overthrow of former President Omar Bashir.

"Two overthrow attempts have been thwarted. Two groups of military personnel have been arrested," the TMC spokesman, Shams al-Din Kabashi, told a press conference, which was broadcast live on Sudanese TV on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Al Arabiya reported, citing sources, that the TMC had foiled a coup attempt and detained 68 military officers.

The overthrow of Bashir took place in April, following months of anti-government demonstrations. The TMC took over, pledging to hold elections in two years, however, the protests continued, with the opposition calling for power to be immediately transferred to a civilian-led government.

The sides were involved in talks on potential transition. However, in May, the military cracked down on protesters prompting the opposition to withdraw from the negotiations.

 Sputnik

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Gulf of Oman attacks: UK statement

UK Government statement following the attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

14 June 2019

Following our own assessment the UK concludes that:

- It is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military - the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - attacked the two tankers on 13 June. No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible.

- There is recent precedent for attacks by Iran against oil tankers. The Emirati-led investigation of the 12 May attack on four oil tankers near the port of Fujairah concluded that it was conducted by a sophisticated state actor. We are confident that Iran bears responsibility for that attack.

The Foreign Secretary said:

"I condemn yesterday's attacks on two vessels in the Gulf of Oman. Our own assessment leads us to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran. These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region."

"In targeting civilian shipping, international norms have been violated. It is essential that tankers and crews are able to pass through international waters safely. We call on Iran urgently to cease all forms of destabilising activity. The UK remains in close coordination with international partners to find diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions."



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Cameroon Military Delivering Aid to English-Speaking Regions

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka June 14, 2019

Cameroon's military is taking 55 truckloads of humanitarian aid to its English-speaking regions, amid heavy clashes with separatist forces that have killed at least 25 people in the past two weeks.

A crowd of about 200 is gathered in central Yaounde to witness 40 trucks, most of them belonging to the military, depart with humanitarian assistance to the troubled English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions.

Among them is teacher Peter Siwe and his wife and three children, who escaped fighting in the town of Kumbo and have been in Yaounde for over a year. Siwe, who has been jobless, says he thought the food, medical supplies and mattresses were to be distributed in Yaounde.

What Cameroon really needs, he says, is for the government to resolve the crisis so people can return and build their communities.

"For how long will you keep feeding the people?" he asked. "What should be on the spotlight now is resolving the crisis so that people can go back home. They will continue to work their farms, continue to go to the market. I see people who can barely feed now. People who were well to do, people who have been frustrated, but they are ready to go back home."

Forces wanting to separate the English-speaking regions from majority Francophone Cameroon have been fighting the government since 2017.

This week, Cameroon's military reported that clashes had killed at least 11 separatists in the town of Jakiri, six in Wum, four in Nkambe and three in Mamfe. Residents said the casualties were higher than reported by the government and that at least five troops were also killed.

Controversy over military

Peter Saju, traditional ruler of the northwestern village of Misong and spokesperson for people displaced from his village to Yaounde, says he does not have confidence the military  which he accuses of excessive violence  can distribute aid effectively.

"In as much as the state wants to come in with the soldiers, the lacking link is the presence of the chiefs. Chiefs have suffered, some have been killed. Some palaces have been burned, some farms have been taken. We are begging the forces of law and order to look at the cessation of violence. Then dialogue starts," Saju said.

Paul Atanga Nji, Cameroon's minister of territorial administration, insists the soldiers are best equipped to distribute the aid.

"We have military trucks because not only they have to protect the convoys, but they are part of the distribution machine because the military also do distribution in remote areas where we do not have access," Nji said. "This is a clear example that the government has always taken this problem seriously."

Cameroon accuses international NGOs of exaggerating the crisis in the country's two English-speaking regions to give an impression it is not doing enough to solve the crisis.

The United Nations estimates at least 1,800 people have been killed and more than 530,000 displaced since fighting broke out in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions in 2017.

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China slams US for 'crude interference' in Hong Kong

Iran Press TV

Fri Jun 14, 2019 02:09PM

China has denounced as "crude interference" proposed US legislation for the annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy.

US lawmakers on Thursday introduced the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which would require the US secretary of state to issue an annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy.

Under the proposed bill, Hong Kong risks losing certain trade-related privileges with the US that are not enjoyed by mainland China.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang called the introduction of the bill "irresponsible carping and crude interference."

Speaking at a regular media briefing in Beijing, Geng urged the US "to give up its delusions of creating chaos in Hong Kong, stop pushing the proposed bill, and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs."

The development came shortly after days of unrest in Hong Kong over an extradition bill.

Hong Kong's government seeks to have a law passed that allows suspects to be sent for trial to countries not covered by the region's current extradition agreements. Critics say the law could be used to send Beijing's political opponents to mainland China. Proponents say it makes for normal judicial processes that will close loopholes in current laws.

The protests were the most intense and violent on Wednesday, when the government was forced to postpone the second round of the debate on the extradition bill.

US officials have been supporting the protesters.

China summons senior US diplomat

Later on Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry summoned a senior US Embassy official to file stern representations over remarks and actions by the US government regarding Hong Kong.

According to the ministry's statement, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission in Beijing Robert Forden and called on the US not to not take any action that harmed Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

"China will watch the US side's actions and further respond," Le said, without elaborating.

Former British colony Hong Kong was returned to China after about a century in 1997. Its legislative, executive, and judicial bodies are separate from and independent of China, and Beijing only maintains authority in defense, foreign affairs, and constitutional disputes.

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Beijing Sternly Criticizes US Legislation Over Hong Kong Crisis

By Ye Bing June 14, 2019

China summoned a U.S. envoy in Beijing on Friday to protest against remarks by Washington about Hong Kong's controversial extradition bill.

Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Robert Forden, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Beijing, to lodge the protest, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

Le said China did not accept foreign forces meddling in Hong Kong affairs. "China called on the United States ... to immediately stop all interference in Hong Kong's affairs and stop taking action that would affect the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong," the statement said. "China will proceed with its next step based on the action taken by the U.S."

At the same time, China called on the United States not to pass legislation in response to a crisis in Hong Kong over a proposed extradition law.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a news briefing that any plots to bring chaos to Hong Kong would not succeed, after U.S. lawmakers on Thursday proposed legislation that would require the U.S. secretary of state to issue an annual certification of Hong Kong's autonomy to justify special treatment under the U.S. Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992.

Beijing warned the U.S. not to interfere with current situation in Hong Kong, which it considers an internal affair.

About 1 million people took to the streets of Hong Kong in protest of Beijing's increasing interference with the territory's rule of law and autonomy. They have been expressing deep distrust and worries the former British colony's residents have about the communist party's breach of its promise about Hong Kong's high-level autonomy  especially after a series of kidnapping cases believed to have been conducted in Hong Kong and Thailand by mainland police in the past couple of years.

This story originated in VOA's Mandarin Service.

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Iran FM Zarif: US causing insecurity in region

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 14, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referred to his fruitful talks at Shanghai Summit, saying the US unilateral acts are responsible for regional insecurity.

"With Pres. @HassanRouhani at #SCO in Kyrgyzstan. Important multilateral dialogue + fruitful bilateral talks incl. w/ President Xi & President Putin," Zarif wrote in his Twitter account on Friday.

He added: "Unilateral US actionsincl. its #EconomicTerrorism on Iranare solely responsible for insecurity & renewed tension in our region."

Earlier, Zarif in an interview with the London-based Al-Araby TV said the US has waged an economic war against the Iranian people which amounts to economic terrorism.

It means that the US is exerting illegal pressures on the people to reach its political goals, he said.

Nobody negotiates with terrorists, Zarif said.

There is no difference between military and economic wars, the top diplomat said, adding that the main damage will be on the region as in a tense situation anything might occur.

"We have good relations with most of the countries in the region," Zarif added, commenting on Iran's ties with the region, arguing that a couple of countries in the region mistakenly believe in the security provided by the US.

What "we want from the US is to avoid intervening in Iran's relations with other countries or pressing them to breach their obligations", the top Iranian diplomat said in the interview released on Wednesday evening.

9376**2050

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Russian Military Detected 29 Foreign Spy Jets Near Airspace Over Past Week - Reports

Sputnik News

08:38 14.06.2019(updated 08:47 14.06.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Twenty-nine foreign aircraft have been detected while on reconnaissance missions near Russian airspace, a weekly infographic published by the Russian Armed Forces' official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda showed on Friday.

Russian jets have been scrambled 10 times over the past week to intercept foreign planes, according to the material. No foreign planes had illegally crossed into Russian airspace, the infographic also showed.

The reports come after this April the Russian military stated it had detected 20 foreign airplanes while they were carrying out reconnaissance missions near the country's airspace, adding, however, that there had been no cases of trespassing.

Moscow has repeatedly slammed foreign military build-up near Russia's borders, warning that aggressive moves by NATO could provoke an escalation into a full-scale military confrontation. At the same time, the alliance has been justifying its enhanced activities by claiming that Russia poses a security threat to the region.

 Sputnik

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Russia, Syria bomb gathering of Jabhat al-Nusra ringleaders

Iran Press TV

Fri Jun 14, 2019 10:22AM

Syrian and Russian warplanes have jointly carried out precision attacks against the positions of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, in the northwestern province of Idlib.

A gathering of the terrorist group's ringleaders at Taftanaz military airbase in Idlib was pounded three times by Syrian and Russian aircraft on Thursday night as part of a joint operation, Sputnik news agency reported.

The report said the terrorists' hideouts in the southern areas of Khan Shaykhun, Sufuhon, Kafr Nabl, and Hass in the province were also targeted by the warplanes.

The strikes came after the militants refused to honor a full ceasefire agreement brokered between Russia and Turkey late Wednesday with the aim of halting clashes between Syrian forces and militants in the area.

That agreement put on hold a Syrian government offensive to liberate Idlib, where between 10,000 and 15,000 militants are estimated to be holed up.

Militants have persisted in their stay in the zone and refused to leave the area, launching instead numerous attacks on the outposts of the Syrian army and Russian forces.

Russia and Turkey gave sharply conflicting accounts on Thursday of an attack on a Turkish military outpost.

Turkey claimed one of its observation posts in Idlib province had come under deliberate attack from Syrian forces, in which three Turkish soldiers were allegedly wounded.

Moscow said the attack was carried out not by the Syrian troops, but by militants.

Russia says it is Turkey's duty to rein in the armed groups and help separate them from the Takfiri outfits, which form the backbone of the militant presence in Idlib.

Idlib remains the only large area in the hands of anti-Damascus militants after government forces managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all of the Syrian soil under government control.

In recent weeks, Syrian armed forces have been conducting counter-terrorism operations in areas surrounding Idlib.

The Syrian army has warned civilians to leave Idlib amid preparations for a final military campaign to flush terrorists out of the region.

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Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Industry 2019-2024 Report offers thorough insights on major drivers, opportunities, challenges, business trends and their impact on the business. Global N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Market covers characteristics, size, growth, segmentation, regional analyses, competitive aspect, shares and strategies.

Get Sample Copy of this Report at @ https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/1077192

Report Covers Market Segment by Manufacturers:

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Tokyo Chemical

Alfa Aesar

The Objectives of Research Report are:

Key market trends across the business segments, Regions and Countries

To analyze and forecast the Global market size of the N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM), in terms of value.

Overall, the study helps in discovering the size, segmentation & forecasted growth of Market

To strategically profile on the global leading players, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, and supply of Fire Resistant Hydraulic Fluids for stakeholders and market leaders.

Global N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Industry is spread across 115 pages, profiling 05 top companies and supported with tables and figures.

Inquire more or share a questions if any before the purchase on this report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/1077192

N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Market report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. The Industry estimates and examining the impact of the dynamics market Competition, manufacturers, Opportunity, Share, Demand, Growth, Size and Application on Regions and prediction factors within 2019-2024.

Market Segment by Type:

Type I

Type II

Market Segment by Applications:

Application I

Application II

Order a Copy of this Report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/1077192

This report focuses on the N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) in global market 2019 especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This Industry report categorizes based on manufacturers, regions, size, share, demand, type, Growth and application.

The worldwide market for N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly over the next five years, will reach million US$ in 2024, from million US$ in 2019, according to a new study.

Table of Content:-

1 Market Overview

2 Manufacturers Profiles

3 Global N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Competition by Manufacturer (2017-2018)

4 Global N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Market Analysis by Regions

5 North America N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) by Country

6 Europe N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) by Country

7 Asia-Pacific N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) by Country

8 South America N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) by Country

9 Middle East and Africa N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) by Countries

10 Global N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Market Segment by Type

11 Global N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Market Segment by Application

12 N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) Market Forecast (2019-2024)

13 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers

14 Research Findings and Conclusion

15 Appendix

About Us

Orian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.

Contact Us:

Ruwin Mendez

Vice President  Global Sales & Partner Relations

Orian Research Consultants

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Email: info@orianresearch.com

Follow Us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/Turkey Threatens To Retaliate Against Any U.S. Sanctions Over Missile Deal With Russia

June 14, 2019

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Ankara will retaliate against any possible sanctions imposed by Washington over Turkey's deal to buy the S-400 surface-to-air defense missile system from Russia.

In comments to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency on June 14, Cavusoglu said Turkey had a right to decide upon its defense purchases as "an independent and free" country.

Ankara's deal with Russia has damaged relations between the two NATO allies.

The United States says the S-400 missiles are a threat to its F-35 fighter-jet program and has told Turkey it would be banned from buying F-35s over the deal.

Washington has also warned Turkey of possible sanctions if it takes delivery of the Russian missile system.

Cavusoglu said on June 14 that Turkey "has countersteps to take" if Washington imposes sanctions.

Based on reporting by AP and Anadolu

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-threatens-to- retaliate-against-any-us-sanctions-over-missile -deal-with-russia/29999664.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Leuven, Belgium 11 June 2019 - ONCURIOUS NV, a Belgium-based biotech company focusing on the development of innovative oncology treatments, today announces that it has received from Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) a project grant of close to 1 million to support the further pre-clinical development of its pipeline of next generation cancer immunotherapies. Oncurious will do this in close collaboration with VIB Discovery Sciences, steered by the scientific input of the VIB founding labs.

This non-dilutive grant funding will be used to identify a number of multi-specific biologics with distinct modes of action against immunomodulatory targets. These candidates will then be assessed in pre-clinical tumor models, both as monotherapies and in combination with standard of care treatment. The funds will also support the further development of Oncurious, including the recruitment of several scientists.

Patrik De Haes, MD, Executive Chairman of ONCURIOUS NV comments, "We are delighted by the potential of our pipeline of next generation immunotherapies and this project grant will provide us with funding to generate and select the most appropriate candidates to take further into pre-clinical development. We believe that the development of our immunotherapy pipeline, will in time, be an important source of value for Oncurious' shareholders."

Johan Cardoen, PhD, Managing Director of VIB comments, "We are pleased that VLAIO has recognized the compelling science behind our portfolio of next-generation immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. This grant funding will enable Oncurious to hire scientists and conduct a range of experiments designed to provide the data needed to select the most appropriate novel immuno-oncology assets for further development."

- END -

For further information please contact:

Oxurion NV / Oncurious NV

Wouter Piepers

Global Head of Investor Relations & Communications

+32 16 75 13 10 / +32 478 33 56 32

wouter.piepers@oxurion.com



VIB

Sooike Stoops

Expert Press and Public Communication

+32 9 244 66 11 / +32 474 28 92 52

Sooike.Stoops@vib.be EU - Citigate Dewe Rogerson

David Dible/ Sylvie Berrebi

Tel: +44 20 7638 9571

oxurion@citigatedewerogerson.com US - LifeSci Public Relations

Alison Chen

+1646-876-4932

achen@lifescipublicrelations.com





About ONCURIOUS NV

ONCURIOUS NV is a Belgium-based privately held oncology company focused on the development of innovative medicines for the treatment of cancers. The Company is a venture between Oxurion NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR) and VIB, the leading life science research institute in Flanders, Belgium.

Oncurious is focused on developing a portfolio of next generation immuno-oncology assets and targets. The company is also recruiting patients into a Phase I/IIa clinical program with TB-403 for the treatment of medulloblastoma, a rare life-threatening brain tumor that mainly affects children.

About VIB

VIB is a strategic research center in life sciences and biotech. The results of VIB's top research are actively translated into added value for society. VIB unites the expertise of 81 research groups thematically organized into 8 research centers. VIB's technology transfer team proactively translates new biological findings into new economic activities, such as starting up new companies and partnerships with the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Since its foundation in 1996, VIB has created 20 start-up companies. VIB also engages actively in the public debate on biotechnology by developing and disseminating a wide range of science-based information about all aspects of biotechnology. VIB has a close partnership with five Flemish universities - Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Hasselt University. More information: www.vib.be.

About OXURION NV

OXURION NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming treatments to preserve vision in patients with diseases affecting the back of the eye. The company is currently developing a competitive pipeline of disease-modifying drug candidates for diabetic eye disease, a leading cause of blindness of people of working age worldwide.

Oxurion's most advanced drug candidate is THR-317, a PlGF inhibitor for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), which is currently in a Phase 2 study in combination with Lucentis. THR-317 is also being evaluated in a Phase 2 study for the treatment of Idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia Type 1 (MacTel 1). Oxurion has two further pipeline candidates, THR-149, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed for the treatment of DME; and THR-687, a pan-RGD integrin antagonist in development for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and DME. Both THR-149 and THR-687 are in Phase 1 clinical studies.

Oxurion is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol OXUR. More information is available at www.oxurion.com.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

The Dictamnine Market report mentions Industry scope, opportunity, application, segmentation, global demand, development, regions, consumption and supply as well as the export and import figures of the industry during the forecast period from 2019 to 2024.

Get Sample Copy of this Report at @ https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/1077194

Report Covers Market Segment by Manufacturers:

Quality Phytochemicals

Chengdu Herbpurify

Shanghai Longbang

Sichuan Weikeqi

Chengdu Alfa

The Objectives of Research Report are:

Key market trends across the business segments, Regions and Countries

To analyze and forecast the Global market size of the Dictamnine, in terms of value.

Overall, the study helps in discovering the size, segmentation & forecasted growth of Market

To strategically profile on the global leading players, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, and supply of Fire Resistant Hydraulic Fluids for stakeholders and market leaders.

Global Dictamnine Industry is spread across 115 pages, profiling 05 top companies and supported with tables and figures.

Inquire more or share a questions if any before the purchase on this report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/1077194

Dictamnine Market report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. The Industry estimates and examining the impact of the dynamics market Competition, manufacturers, Opportunity, Share, Demand, Growth, Size and Application on Regions and prediction factors within 2019-2024.

Market Segment by Type:

Type I

Type II

Market Segment by Applications:

Application I

Application II

Order a Copy of this Report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/1077194

This report focuses on the Dictamnine in global market 2019 especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This Industry report categorizes based on manufacturers, regions, size, share, demand, type, Growth and application.

The worldwide market for Dictamnine is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly over the next five years, will reach million US$ in 2024, from million US$ in 2019, according to a new study.

Table of Content:-

1 Market Overview

2 Manufacturers Profiles

3 Global Dictamnine Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Competition by Manufacturer (2017-2018)

4 Global Dictamnine Market Analysis by Regions

5 North America Dictamnine by Country

6 Europe Dictamnine by Country

7 Asia-Pacific Dictamnine by Country

8 South America Dictamnine by Country

9 Middle East and Africa Dictamnine by Countries

10 Global Dictamnine Market Segment by Type

11 Global Dictamnine Market Segment by Application

12 Dictamnine Market Forecast (2019-2024)

13 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers

14 Research Findings and Conclusion

15 Appendix

About Us

Orian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.

Contact Us:

Ruwin Mendez

Vice President  Global Sales & Partner Relations

Orian Research Consultants

US +1 (415) 830-3727| UK +44 020 8144-71-27

Email: info@orianresearch.com

Follow Us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday summoned Charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and made solemn representations with the U.S. side over its remarks and actions on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government's amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance.

Noting that Hong Kong is an SAR of China and Hong Kong's affairs are purely China's internal affairs, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said no external forces are allowed to interfere.

China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the erroneous comments and interfering in the amendments of the two ordinances by some high-level officials of the United States, Le said.

"We urge the U.S. side to take a fair and just attitude with regard to the lawful amendments of the ordinances by the Hong Kong SAR government, respect the normal legislative process of the Hong Kong SAR government, immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs in any form, and not take any actions that harm Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," Le said.

China will make further response depending on the actions of the U.S. side, said the vice foreign minister.ZF Friedrichshafen AG has expanded its E-Mobility division with new buildings and locations. On Friday, the technology company opened a new building for administration, R&D, and sales at the divisional headquarters in Schweinfurt. In Pancevo near the Serbian capital of Belgrade, a new plant for electric drives will go into operation next week.

The demand for electric driveline solutions has grown enormously. This is why we have invested heavily in this division, creating attractive employment opportunities and increased production capacity. With electromobility, ZF is paving the way for next generation mobility solutions and contributing to a reduction in worldwide vehicle emissions. Michael Hankel, Member of the Board of Management of ZF with responsibility for areas such as E-Mobility and Corporate Production

Electromobility, Vehicle Motion Control, fully automated driving, and integrated safety are the four technology pillars that support ZFs Next Generation Mobility strategy.

With the new building in Schweinfurt, ZF has created space for around 520 employees. The workspaces are based on ZFs office 3.0 concept, which enables project-based, flexible working and makes it easier for employees to communicate with each other.

The 30-million building is also home to 16 Test Benches and checking facilities that can be used to test electric and hybrid drives and their components.

With more than 9,400 employees, Schweinfurt is one of the biggest ZF sites in the world. ZF is also the biggest employer in the Lower Franconia region. In addition to the E-Mobility division founded in 2016, ZFs Aftermarket division is also run from Schweinfurt.

ZF is also expanding the E-Mobility division and increasing its production capacity at two other sites. Next week, after just a year of construction work, the new Pancevo plant will go into operation.

At the plant, located 14 kilometers northeast of the Serbian capital of Belgrade, ZF will primarily produce electric motors, generators for hybrid and electric drives, transmission selectors, and microswitches. This site is already being expanded to meet the huge demand for these products. Around 1,000 employees are set to work at the site in the future.

Another production location for electric drives is currently under construction in Hangzhou, south of Shanghai, China. This plant is set to go into operation next year.Jack Hannas Wild Countdown

7 a.m. (WXLV)

Jack Hannah pays a visit to some of the worlds most impressive national parks in this rebroadcast. His stops include the Serengeti in Tanzania, Hwange in Zimbabwe, Costa Ricas Tortuguero, the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and more.

Consumer 101

11 a.m. (WXII)

Host Jack Rico heads to the test track in this rebroadcast, to learn how to drive like a pro from a top car tester. He also shares tips for staying safe when using peer-to-peer payment apps, and cleans a kitchen through the eyes of a top scientist.

30 Minute Meals

12:30 p.m. (FOOD NETWORK)

Rachael shows viewers how to prepare curry chicken chili with sriracha in this new episode.

She combines ground chicken with smashed chickpeas and jalapeno for a spicy change from the everyday. Creamy yogurt and zesty lime are also added.

World of X Games



On cross examination, Neal asked Whetsell about that time and being evicted from an apartment before moving into that house. She said she moved because she didn't want to get rid of her dog.

"So you traded your children for a puppy?" Neal asked.

On June 13, 2017, Kaneko testified, DSS tried to get Whetsell to take the children to another house until they could determine whether they were safe with Neal. By the time she agreed to take them to her mother's in Fayetteville, it was after 6 p.m., and DSS had already gotten a court order to take the children into custody, which meant it could not release them into an unlicensed home without a safety check. Whetsell said she didn't know why DSS took the children.

"My belief is that my children were illegally taken," Whetsell testified.

After the children were taken from their home, Neal and Whetsell went to the DSS office, she said, to speak to a supervisor, where they saw Glover and Pulliam again and their cars.Varker said the family wants an explanation for how this happened and why three days passed between when the dog was euthanized and when the family found out.

Smith said he sought out the family to apologize.

I offered what I could do to make it less painful for them, but obviously we cant undo this, Smith said.

About 40 to 50 bite dogs are taken into the shelter each month for quarantine, Smith said. Ten were admitted on Saturday alone.

While there is a separate room to segregate sick dogs from healthy dogs, the bite dogs are put in kennels alongside other dogs due to space constraints.

Like many county shelters, the Davidson County Animal Shelter is stretched thin on resources and kennel space, he said. The shelter has the capacity to hold up to 200 animals at a time.

Smith said that, in the last four years the shelter has been partnered with the county, they have taken in about 20,000 animals.

This is the first time this has ever happened, he said. I dont say that to demean this situation. I just want to note that our error rate is extremely low, and we want to make it even lower.Salem Academy has announced that it is offering admission to enrolled female students from the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro at the same financial agreement the students had with that school, Salem Academy said in a news release Friday.

Earlier this week, American Hebrew Academy announced that it was closing effective immediately because of financial issues.

We were saddened to hear that the American Hebrew Academy has closed, said Carol Killebrew, the head of Salem Academy. AHA was a highly respected partner among the Triad Independent Schools, and Salem Academy is committed to providing a superior education to the girls who had planned to enroll there in the fall."

Killebrew said she has spoken with American Hebrew Academy administrators and told them that Salem Academy is offering admission to their female students.

"Salem Academy looks forward to the opportunities afforded in both the classroom and in extracurricular activities with these remarkable young women joining our community, Killebrew said.

Salem Academy has a diverse student body, Salem Academy said. In 2018-19 school year, students came from 10 countries and nine states."When I was born, they considered me to be slow, retarded. They said that I wouldn't talk, I wouldn't be able to read," Wanton said. "I had a speech impediment. So for a very long time, I thought I couldn't obtain education or a GED."

She also received spiritual counseling while in prison, which Wanton says helped her deal with the "horrendous abuse" that she suffered as a child. "You have to get past that trauma."

In North Carolina, Wanton's aunt encouraged her to move forward.

"She kept saying, 'Don't worry, you're going to get a job. God's going to change everything for you, Sharion, you just got to stay faithful, just keep knocking at the door.'"

A referral from the National Caucus & Center on Black Aging led Wanton to Goodwill's Jobs on the Outside program. She learned how to deal with that intimidating question asked by employers: Have you ever been convicted of a felony?Just when you thought immigration enforcement could not become more divisive or partisan, enter former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. President Donald Trump has appointed Cuccinelli to be the acting head of the Citizenship and Immigration Service  a move the Republican-controlled Senate urged the president last week not to make. Other than Trump senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, I cannot imagine anyone who thinks his selection is a good idea.

Cuccinelli starts fires everywhere he goes. He certainly does not have a reputation as a problem-solver. After his bungled bid for governor of Virginia in 2013, Cuccinelli went on to be a sour presence in Republican circles until Trump began to publicly muse about making him immigration czar this spring.

There are a few reasons for which the usually accommodating Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been so matter-of-fact in his opposition to Cuccinelli. The first of these has to do with process: To have even a small chance at passing any immigration legislation, the executive branch, Republican congressional leaders and, dare I say, a few Democrats will have to move in perfect synchronization and with minimal friction. But minimal friction has never been a term associated with Ken Cuccinelli.According to Byerly, there was no electricity in 18 apartments that were home to 35 people. Hes still not sure why the power failed, but it was restored to many of the units by Friday afternoon.

During subsequent conversations with tenants, Byerly said he discovered that a number of them were living there conditionally under the umbrella of Ready 4 Change and United Youth Care Services  and felt trapped by their circumstances.

Of the 35 displaced tenants, its unclear exactly how many were taking part in the program.

But 17 people had to spend Thursday night in an emergency shelter set up by the Interactive Resource Center, which provides support for the homeless.

Byerly invited Michelle Kennedy, a City Council member and executive director of the resource center, to look over the Georgetown apartments.

In some units, Kennedy said she found signed contracts and other paperwork detailing the programs rules and regulations. Plastered on the wall in one unit: If you are not attending class daily, rent is $350 no exceptions! On another: All clients MUST go to class or get off of the premises during class hours!HONG KONG - Hong Kong's government has suspended, but will not withdraw, a bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China, the territory's chief executive said Saturday, an apparent compromise after days of massive protests that saw violence between police and young demonstrators in the global financial hub.

But protest organizers insisted the government's decision is not enough and said they will go ahead with another planned march on Sunday.

The measure will be halted for the moment to restore calm and order to the city, according to chief executive Carrie Lam, though she said she is not trying to "pacify" protesters.

She continued to stand by the bill - which she said was introduced by her government independently, rather than on the direction of Beijing - insisting it had "laudable" objectives.

"The purpose is very simple: People in Hong Kong want a relatively calm and peaceful environment," she said, adding that she has "no intention" to completely shelve the legislation.

Lam has delayed plans that would allow the territory to extradite fugitives to countries that do not have a formal extradition treaty with Hong Kong - crucially, mainland China. The legislature, which is controlled by a pro-Beijing block, had hoped to pass the bill by July.

Suspending the bill without withdrawing it entirely means "the government can readily put it back into legislative process, into second reading, immediately" and push it through at any time, said Mathew Wong, an assistant professor at the Education University of Hong Kong.

There is no clear timeline on when the legislature will be picked up again.

"The original urgency to pass the bill in this legislative session here is perhaps no longer there," Lam said.

The reversal reflects Lam's increasing isolation in her city, which many fear is descending further into the grip of mainland Chinese rule. Critics worry that the extradition measure would remove a crucial firewall between Hong Kong and mainland China, effectively allowing mainland law to seep into the territory's independent and respected judicial system.

"Her chance of standing for another term is very slim if not over," Wong said. "It looks really bad for her."

Lam's decision to put off the bill for now may be too little and too late for demonstrators who have turned out in record numbers all week to oppose what they call the "evil law."

A small group of protesters continued to stand at footbridge leading to government offices where Lam spoke on Saturday, as they have done for most of the week, demanding a complete withdrawal of the bill.

The footbridge was engulfed with hundreds of posters and messages, obscuring the walls and pillars. Among them: "Carrie Lam, stop lying to Hong Kong people", "We keep fighting!" and "Stop Shooting Students!"

The Civil Human Rights Front, the group that organized last week's demonstration that saw more than 1 million show up in a record turnout for Hong Kong, said it will continue with another march planned for this Sunday, citing Lam's refusal to withdraw the bill or apologize for force used against demonstrators.

Bonnie Leung, one of the group's leaders, urged people to attend the march to show the government that "Hong Kong people will persist."

Lam has insisted that the bill was necessary needed to close a "loophole" in Hong Kong's legal system, prompted by a the murder of a young woman in Taiwan by her boyfriend, a Hong Kong national. The man is currently jailed in Hong Kong, and cannot be extradited to Taiwan. She cited that case again Saturday in refusing to permanently withdraw the bill.

The extradition bill "has very well intended objectives" related to the Taiwan matter and broader "deficiencies in our current regime to deal with mutual legal assistance on criminal matters," Lam said Saturday. "Withdrawing the bill seems to suggest even those two objectives were erroneous in the first place, and I cannot accept that."

Taiwan, however, has said it would not participate in any extradition deal that implies Taiwan is part of China and had not pushed for extradition over the murder case.

The Hong Kong government had continued to defend the legislation earlier in the week, even after the recent protests.

But officials started to back away from that position after demonstrators on Wednesday surrounded the buildings that host Hong Kong's legislature in an attempt to block them from entering and postpone a reading on the bill. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets, setting up an encampment reminiscent of 2014 protests that lasted 79 days, similarly in opposition to Beijing's growing political control.

Wednesday's events came to a head when police took action against protesters by firing 150 canisters of tear gas, rubber bullets and other projectiles. The city's hospital authority said 81 people were injured, including a 15-year old.

On Friday, pro-Beijing lawmakers began speaking out against Lam's plan to rush the bill through despite opposition. The pro-Beijing newspaper Sing Tao Daily reported that Lam on Friday had a meeting with senior Beijing officials in Shenzhen, the Chinese city that borders Hong Kong, followed by a meeting with her city's top officials late that night to discuss the bill.

Lam declined to confirm the details of the meeting, but said the Chinese central government had been informed of her decision to suspend the legislation.

"Since all along, they have taken such an understanding, supportive view to this local exercise, which is entirely within Hong Kong's autonomy to do," she said

"They understand, they have confidence in my judgment and they support me," she said of the Beijing authorities.

Hong Kong's chief executive is not directly elected by the people, but selected from pool of candidates handpicked by Beijing and then voted on by a 1,200-person committee.

The fracas has come at a sensitive time for Chinese President Xi Jinping, forcing him to juggle trouble at home while fighting a trade war with the United States.

President Donald Trump has sharply escalated tension with Beijing in recent weeks by hiking import tariffs on many Chinese goods and banning U.S. technology sales to a major Chinese company, Huawei.

Trump and Xi are preparing to attend the G-20 summit in Japan later this month, with Trump calling for a one-on-one meeting to resolve trade differences. The Chinese haven't publicly committed to a meeting.

The U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong issued a statement saying the suspension of the extraiditon bill was "welcome." Britain's foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, applauded Hong Kong officials for "heeding concerns of the brave citizens who have stood up for their human rights."

Provoking a violent confrontation on the streets of Hong Kong "would be a disastrous outcome for Hong Kong's image as an international city, but also for the image of China when China is facing a hostile international environment," said Ivan Choy, a senior lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Lam"has lost the trust of the Hong Kong people and she may have lost the trust of the Beijing authorities," Choy said.Back in February, Huawei announced its first foldable phone - the Mate X. The device was initially scheduled to arrive by the end of this month but then the whole US trade ban came to spoil the Chinese manufacturers plans. New reports from CNBC and The Wall Street Journal claim that the companys foldable phone is scheduled to arrive in September.

According to a Huawei spokesperson, the Mate X will launch globally with a focus on markets where 5G infrastructure is already deployed. Moreover given Samsungs Galaxy Fold troubles the spokesperson said that the Mate X is going through extensive testing to make sure its truly ready for a mass roll-out. Huawei is also working with mobile carriers and app developers to make sure the device will offer stellar experience out of the box.

The spokesperson also clarified that the US government ban wont affect the Mate Xs ability to run Android and the Google suite of apps as it was announced before the blacklisting. Just yesterday Chinas 3C agency certified the Mate X, meaning Chinese users will be among the first to get access to the phone. The Mate X will be available in Interstellar Blue for the steep asking price of $2,600 (2,299).

Source



Haiti - Politic : The international financial support essential to Haiti, blocked by the opposition





The CARICOM calls for all parties in unsettled situation in Haiti to act responsibly



The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is deeply concerned about the present unsettled situation in its Member State, Haiti. This has been brought about by the long delay in having a new government installed which, in turn, has deprived the administration of much needed resources promised by its international financial and development partners.



The grave deterioration in citizen security and renewed mass demonstrations have once again resulted in violence, loss of Iife and the destruction of property, which is a cause for concern.



CARICOM calls for all parties to act responsibly. The resolution of differences is best achieved in an atmosphere of calm and serenity, through respect for canstitutianal and legislative procedures, law and arder, and due process in an environ ment conducive to open and civil discourse.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27983-haiti-social-new-anti-moise-demonstration-violence-and-vandalism-at-the-rendezvous.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27977-haiti-diplomacy-canada-deeply-concerned-about-the-situation-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27946-haiti-flash-violent-clashes-at-least-2-dead-many-injured-and-extensive-damage.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27857-haiti-flash-a-session-under-high-security-the-senate-ransacked.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27730-haiti-flash-violence-in-the-senate-the-opposition-wins-a-2nd-victory-the-pm-ratification-postponed.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27715-haiti-politic-the-opposition-minority-forces-the-senate-to-postpone-the-ratification-meeting-of-the-pm.html



HL/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - NOTICE : EDH can not repair due to insecurity





The Electricity of Haiti (EDH) apologizes to its subscribers who still have no power. It informs that due to the general climate of insecurity that prevails in the metropolitan area, its technicians are not able to start inspections and repairs especially in areas such as the American Embassy, the Little Brothers and Sisters Hospital, Valeirio Canez who are still not powered despite the efforts because there is always big problem on the grid...



While commending the cooperation of the population, EDH is counting on the patience of its subscribers in these areas and is doing everything possible to ensure that these areas have electricity as quickly as possible.



HL/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - Politic : The 4 senators of the opposition in consultation around the departure of Moise





After 3 failures to install a government, due to the obstruction, violence and vandalism of 4 senators [Evaliere Beauplan (PONT); Antonio Cheramy aka "Don Kato" (VERITE), Ricard Pierre (Piti Dessalin) and Nenel Cassy (Famni Lavalas), the 4 senators of the radical opposition announced Friday in a press conference that they were going to realize a series of meetings, this weekend with several sectors of national life to discuss the situation in the country, the departure of President Jovenel Moise and find a final solution to the crisis.



They announce that they will make public Monday, June 17, a proposal to end the crisis, which they say, will be an alternative after the departure of President Jovenel Moise.



Meanwhile, Moise Jean Charles, the leader of the radical opposition party "Piti Dessalin," said, "We are going to force President Jovenel Moise to leave," stressing that this does not mean resorting to violence... According to our sources, the radical opposition would consider moving its next actions to the Toussaint International Airport in order to disrupt its operation. It is also a question of targeting the diplomatic representations that support the power in place and to paralyze the public administration...



TB/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Criminal felony at Henry Christophe High School

On the night from Thursday to Friday, June 14 unidentified individuals with unknown motives, set fire to the premises of the Lycee Henry Christophe of Trou-du-Nord (Northeast). The administration, the archives containing all the files of the students who will take part in the official examinations and the cafeteria of the high school cafeteria could not be saved from the fire and were completely destroyed.



Nearly 50 vandalized vehicles

On Friday, anti-government radical protesters, several of them in possession of firearms, attacked the premises of Radio Tele Caraibes with stones and burned tires in front of the station. These violent protesters ransacked everything of their way from Alley Chavannes to Avenue Magloire Ammbroise, smashing the windows and windshields of nearly 50 vehicles and set fire to the trestles of several traders at the Salomon market.



Andre Michel doubts the President's mental health

Following the statements of President Jovenel Moise, claiming that he was not corrupt, during the 24th anniversary of the Haitian National Police (PNH) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27973-haiti-flash-jovenel-moses-comes-out-of-his-silence.html Me Andre Michel, spokesman of the movement of the radical opposition known as "Democratic and popular sector" says to have "serious doubts on the mental health of the Head of the State because it turns a deaf ear to the Haitian people while the message sent June 9 was very clear."



Small demonstration around the Palace

Friday on the second day of the event "7 palace turn" the number of protesters was much smaller than Thursday https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27983-haiti-social-new-anti-moise-demonstration-violence-and-vandalism-at-the-rendezvous.html . Some stone throwing on the cars that circulated on the Place du Champ de Mars was found...



The Senate seeks to remain functional

On Friday, at the invitation of Senate Speaker Carl Murat Cantave, several senators took part in an important working session on the strategies to adopt to keep the Senate functional while taking a stand on the crisis the country is going through.



Gary Victor on sale signing in Paris

The Embassy of Haiti in France, taking advantage of the participation of the famous writer, novelist, Haitian screenwriter, Gary Victor at the Festival Etonnants voyageurs in Saint Malo, welcomed the writer in his premises for a sale-signature of his latest book, "Masi".



HL/ HaitiLibre

















By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/06/14

In MBC's current 9:00 weekday evening drama block, two very different strategies are at play. On one end, "Partners for Justice Season 2" is anchored by rough chemistry, as its leads seeks to unravel grisly cases and work together as a team. At the other end, "One Spring Night" shows off sweet chemistry, working more traditionally as a romance.

Advertisement

Both dramas are working off of established ideas. "Partners for Justice Season 2" is, most obviously, working off of the first season of "Partners for Justice". But even more than the shared characters, conceptually the drama is the exact same kind of standardized procedural mystery, so its results are guaranteed.

"One Spring Night", meanwhile, is an obvious spiritual successor to "Pretty Sister Who Buys Me Food", inheriting as it does much of the same cast and crew. While fine distinctions between the two are observable, MBC is clearly aiming for the same kind of audience that was drawn to that drama.

Both "Partners for Justice Season 2" and "One Spring Night" have been doing decently in ratings, with the former comfortably in the 4-6% range and the latter in the 5-7% range. But both dramas are only doing decently. They have no real aspiration to be megahits, as was more often expected of dramas in the past. To dedicated fans of the shows, this is a minor and generally irrelevant problem. However, the question is still begged as to how far MBC can go by just playing it safe.

Written by William Schwartz

___________

"Partners for Justice Season 2" is directed by Noh Do-cheol, written by Jo Won-gi, Min Ji-eun, and features Jung Jae-young, Jung Yoo-mi, Oh Man-seok, No Min-woo, Kang Seung-hyun, Joo Jin-mo-I. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2019/06/03~Now airing, Mon, Tue 20:55 on MBC.

"One Spring Night" is directed by Ahn Pan-seok, written by Kim Eun, and features Han Ji-min, Jung Hae-in, Kim Jun-han, Im Sung-eon, Joo Min-kyung, Song Seung-hwan. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2019/05/22~Now airing, Wed, Thu 20:55 on MBC.A principal in West Virginia has been disciplined for plagiarizing the speech he gave to his schools graduating seniors.

Now-graduated student Abby Smith listened to the speech Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss gave to her graduating class and thought it sounded familiar. After she found the speech online and saw DeMoss had copied actor Ashton Kutchers 2013 Teen Choice Awards speech almost word-for-word, she did what modern teens know to do, she made a video and posted it on Facebook.

Smith created the equivalent of a side-by-side comparison of the two speeches, showing a few seconds of DeMoss speech, followed by the same section in Kutchers speech. This arrangement clearly showed that, aside from a few word-choice changes and addition of personal examples, DeMoss copied not only the format but also ideas, wording, a few personal details and even the style of delivery from Kutcher.

The Associated Press reported May 31 that DeMoss issued a statement denying that he did anything wrong in his May 23 remarks to graduating seniors, beyond using a little bit of formating from Kutchers speech.

DeMoss also commented in an email to AP that me and my family are the only ones being hurt here. My accuser isnt. I love kids and love this school and this will only make me better.

Mmm-hmmm.

The Parkersburg News Central reported Tuesday that DeMoss decided maybe he wasnt a victim after all. So DeMoss delivered a public apology to the Wood County Board of Education, and the board voted 4-1 to suspend DeMoss for five whole days. At the beginning of summer. Which is kind of like giving him an extra vacation week. Then he could go back to work.

Mmm-hmmm.

DeMoss is just lucky this incident played out like real life and not like the movies.

If this had been a movie, Smith wouldnt have had to wait to get her video made and online after the fact. She would have pulled out her smart phone, right there while the act of plagiarism was playing out, found the video of Kutcher delivering the speech and showed the evidence to her two best friends sitting next to her.

Who could believe it without seeing it? I mean really.

Because she couldnt have taken this blatant disregard of ethics and school policy on plagiarism anymore, she would have stood up and held her screen up toward the principal. He would, at first, have thought she was shining a light on him as if he were a rock star, then his face would turn white as he realized what he was seeing and hearing.

His first response would have been to speak louder to drown out the video while subtly signally two PE teachers to remover her to the curb. But do not fear for our heroine.

She would have stood tall, stood her ground, like an electronic-age Norma Rae, while her two friends quickly worked their technologically advanced teenager fingers and magically gotten all the other students phones synced up to Smiths video.

In the rousing climax, one at a time all the kids would stand and confront DeMoss with his own words that were really Kutchers words, blaring back at him right there in living color.

Like in every nightmare of public speaking-gone-wrong, flop-sweat would leak through his suit, and he would cry before bolting from the stage.

In the pre-release movie trailer, the voice-over guy would say: In a world where a trusted authority figure tries to cheat his own schools code of ethics, one determined teen leads a band of her peers to find justice for her graduating class and to prove a link exists between being socially conscious and social-media conscious.



Ashton Kutcher would play the part of the principal, because there is no such thing as too much irony. I would play the school superintendent who got to fire him, because this is a straight-up summer teen movie with a simple plot line and a feel-good ending, not some artsy-nouveau-fartsy movie that ends vaguely with the principal riding a pink elephant in India for no explicable reason at http://www.facebook.com/viewfromthenorth40/.ShareBar

Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length.NC attorney general looking into Opportunity House

In addition to efforts by the areas largest charity to find out whats happening with the Opportunity House, the state attorney general is also looking into the agency that once provided a robust buffet of services for seniors and is now struggling financially.

The attorney generals office confirmed the inquiry, which has been under way since March, as did the attorney for the Opportunity House, Jake A. Snider. After a public records request from the Hendersonville Lightning, the Department of Justice provided the letter it had sent to the Opportunity House and the nonprofit organizations response.

The states review of the Opp House is not unusual and is within the attorney generals power. On a much smaller scale, parts of the inquiry are similar to the review Attorney General Josh Stein made before the sale of Mission Health, the sprawling Asheville-based non-profit health care provider, to HCA, a for-profit hospital chain.

The Henderson County Community Foundation had been trying since February 2018 to ascertain whether the Opportunity House was still operating as a nonprofit. Founded in 1958, the Opp House provided arts, recreation and education and other programming for decades; as recently as 10 years ago it had $258,405 in revenue from grants and membership dues, according to its IRS form 990. Over the past three years or longer, it has offered few services and has attempted to stay afloat by renting space and trying to sell the property.

In December, the foundation filed a lawsuit in Superior Court asking a judge to rule on whether the Opportunity House is lawfully acting as a tax-exempt charity and to authorize a protective trust in the event the Opp House sells its property, which is thought to be worth between $1.5 million and $2 million.

Foundation President McCray Benson says that the foundations intent was, first, to ensure that any organization it distributes money to is fulfilling its mission and acting lawfully as a nonprofit and, second, to protect the foundations interest as the potential receiver of the assets if the organization dissolved, as the Opp House charter called for.

In other developments in the Opportunity House case:

 Superior Court Judge Peter Knight on June 7 denied Sniders motion to dismiss the Community Foundations lawsuit. After the ruling, Snider agreed that his client would answer questions the Community Foundation has posed.

 Knight denied Sniders motion to lift a lis pendens  a notice of pending litigation  on the deed of the agencys real property. Snider said the notice has effectively blocked efforts to sell the property.

 Ken Rhoads, president of the Opportunity House since June 2016, submitted a 28-paragraph affidavit to the court reporting that the organization  after reducing the size of its board to as few as three members  had severed ties with the Community Foundation and removed the reference in its charter that gave the foundation the Opp House assets if the nonprofit dissolved.

 Rhoads also implied that the Opportunity House needs to borrow money to defend itself in court against the Community Foundations aggressive lawsuit and that the lis pendens blocks that from happening. The notice of pending litigation, he said, has chilled all discussions surrounding the sale of the building.

Jennifer T. Harrod, special deputy attorney general, notified the Opportunity House on March 19 that the Community Foundation had sent the Justice Department a copy of its lawsuit and asked us to treat it as a complaint about the Opportunity House. Harrod asked questions about the nonprofits use of charitable funds, the possible use of assets to benefit private individuals and its failure to follow corporate formalities in adding board members or officers.

In a five-page response on April 23, Opportunity House attorney Zachary Kester said that the nonprofit continues to operate according to its charter and bylaws, that it leases space to other entities as allowed by law and that it had steadily started to turn around before the foundations lawsuit. There is no state or federal law or regulation starting that a nonprofit corporation or public charity ceases to operate and function as such simply because it is struggling financially, said Kester, who has since withdrawn as the Opp House attorney. Kester also disputed former board member Jerry Liedls recollection of the board meeting at which Rhoads was elected president, which the Hendersonville Lightning reported on Feb. 27. Liedl must have been mistaken, Kester said, because he was not present at that meeting, which Kester said occurred on June 2, 2016. Rhoads was elected president using the appropriate corporate formalities, Kester added.



Rhoads hired to turn things around

In court on Friday, Snider described Rhoadss actions leading the Opportunity House over the past three years.

The organization was struggling financially and going in a downward direction in 2016 when Ken Rhoads was invited to come in and consult and see what changes needed to be made, Snider said.

Rhoadss plan was to sign up tenants and eventually sell the property so the Opportunity House could use the assets in a more effective manner, Snider said. Up until 2018 it looked like this plan was working  and the organization has been saved as a result.

The Community Foundations complaint, he said, raises questions but makes no allegations of wrongdoing.

Theyre non-specific, he said of the claims. Many of them dont rise to the level of wrongful conduct or misconduct.

If you look at the law as to what a nonprofit is permitted to do, they have the power to sell, convey, or otherwise dispose of any of their property, he said. There are nonprofits all over the state that lease out space (to businesses) to make ends meet.

The law spells out a remedy for complaints about a nonprofit, he said.

Take it up with the attorney general or report it to the IRS if they think its such a problem, he said. Having a question doesnt make a lawsuit. Allegations do.  They want the court to determine if the Opportunity House is still a nonprofit corporation. They dont have the standing to come in here and ask for that.



Clear reason for us to be here

Stephen J. Grabenstein, the Community Foundations attorney, said the law clearly supports a lawsuit like the foundations to resolve uncertainties.

Theres a very clear reason for us to be here, contrary to counsels argument, he said. In fact the state specifically references one of the purposes of a declaratory judgment is to eliminate such uncertainties.

The Community Foundations right to seek relief in court, he said, is proved by the fact that it makes a distribution to the Opportunity House and by the fact that the foundation is bound by law to examine all organizations that receive distributions.

Before it disburses money, the foundation routinely seeks information on an agencys charitable status, program services and financial stability. Not only is that a legal requirement, he said. Thats just common sense. Theyve got an obligation to ensure that the recipients of the distributions are in fact viable ongoing organizations. We have an obligation to ensure that the Opportunity House like any other nonprofit that receives a distribution from the Community Foundation is in fact continuing to carry on as a nonprofit organization.

Snider had argued that the foundations standing would start only if and when the Opportunity House shut down.

True theyve not been dissolved, Grabenstein said. But the fundamental assumption counsel is making is that were operating as a good and viable nonprofit. Thats very much a question in this case.  Its worth noting that were only here because the Opportunity House refused to answer what continues to strike my client and myself as some pretty basic, simple questions.

Is there a controversy between the two parties? I respectfully submit that there is, he said. The Community Foundation questions whether the Opportunity House is operating as a tax-exempt charity, whether it has a lawfully constituted board and whether proceeds from a sale of the property would be used to serve its stated mission. The position of the Opportunity House, Grabenstein said, is: Everybody move along. Theres nothing to see here.  Its none of your business. That is the essence of a controversy, he said.

Judge Knight agreed, denying Sniders motion to dismiss the lawsuit. With the lawsuit surviving, Snider agreed that his client would respond to the foundations pretrial discovery request  which includes 22 questions and 10 requests for documents such as minutes, a list of board members, staff salaries and an accounting of revenue and expenses. Knight agreed to Sniders request to seal the discovery material.

The North Carolina Statutes motion to dismiss standard is favorable to plaintiffs in our state, Snider said outside the courtroom. Although Im disappointed by it, Im not surprised. We intend to comply with whatever the court rules in its order. The argument on the lis pendens was contingent upon our winning the motion to dismiss the claims for resulting and constructive trust. After Knight denied the motion to dismiss, Snider asked the judge to also dismiss his motion to drop the lis pendens notice.

His client has submitted answers the Justice Departments questions, including minutes, who are the board members, things like that.

In his affidavit, Rhoads said while the Community Foundation has no business acting as the local nonprofit self-appointed watchdog  we are happy to continue complying with the Attorney Generals inquiry in all respects.

Grabenstein, the foundation attorney, said he looked forward to the Opportunity Houses cooperation in pretrial discovery.

Obviously (were) pleased with the courts decision today and we hope now that the court made these decisions that Opportunity House would get more forthcoming in exchanging information with us, he said. The foundation notified the attorney general back in January that it had sued the Opportunity House.

Im aware that they made a request for information and I believe some information has been sent to the attorney general, he said. He added that he assumes the probe remains active until he hears otherwise from Jennifer Harrod, the deputy A.G.

Ive not been called by the attorney general and told to stand down, he said. Why would that happen? Well, suppose they answered all the questions they were raising. I suppose she would pick up the phone and say, All your questions have been answered. Ive not received that phone call.A RESTAURANT in Henley could be fined 80,000 after being raided by immigration officers.

The officers were acting on intelligence when they made an unannounced visit to Asiana Spice in Reading Road at about 6pm on May 31.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: Checks identified three Bangladeshi men aged between 32 and 43 who have outstanding immigration applications but no permission to work.

They have been ordered to report regularly to immigration enforcement while their cases are progressed.

A 45-year-old man from Bangladesh who had overstayed his visa has been detained pending his removal from the UK.

Asiana Spice was served a civil penalty referral notice warning that a financial penalty of up to 20,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless the employers can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work. If proof is not provided, this is a potential total of 80,000.

A second restaurant in Henley was visited the same evening but no arrests were made and no further action was taken.

It is the second time in less than a year that Asiana Spice has been raided.

Last July immigration officials visited the premises and checks uncovered six members of staff who had no permission to work in the UK. Four men, all from Bangladesh and aged between 28 and 44, were arrested and were placed in immigration detention pending their removal from the UK. All had overstayed their visas.

Another two Bangladeshi men with ongoing immigration applications, but with no right to work were escorted from the premises and had to report regularly to the Home Office while their cases were dealt with.

At the time the restaurant was served with a referral notice and warned it could face a financial penalty.

Abdus Salam, who manages the restaurant, said the men had not been working for him.

Two had been invited for a Ramadan party and to have dinner and the third had been living at the premises as he didnt have any another accommodation.A man has appeared in court accused of murdering his friend, who was stabbed to death on Dublin's O'Connell Street.

Damien Singleton (28) was remanded in custody charged with murdering Peter Donnelly (39) last Tuesday.

Mr Singleton, of no fixed address but originally from Cork, is also charged with production of a knife.

Cautioned

Det Sgt Brendan Casey told Dublin District Court he arrested him at Store Street Garda Station on Thursday night to charge him with common law murder.

He had explained the reason for his arrest and cautioned him that he was not obliged to say anything.

Mr Singleton made no reply to the caution and Det Sgt Casey was present when he was charged with the two offences by Gda Colleen Doherty.

Gda Doherty read over the wording of each charge sheet and he made no reply to either charge.

He was handed a copy of each charge sheet.

Defence solicitor Tracy Horan said she was not making any bail application.

Bail can only be granted on a murder charge at High Court level.

Ms Horan asked Judge Bryan Smyth to direct medical attention for the accused while he was in custody. He had a severe hand injury and needed surgery the day before yesterday, she said.

Judge Smyth said he presumed Mr Singleton would get the necessary treatment.

He granted free legal aid to the accused after Ms Horan handed in a statement of his financial means and said Mr Singleton was unemployed.

He remanded the acc-used in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on June 18.

The accused, wearing a blue-green top, grey bottoms and runners, and with a plaster cast on his left forearm, did not address the court.

Father-of-one Peter 'Rocky' Donnelly, originally from Kil- kenny, had been living homeless in Dublin.

He was fatally stabbed on O'Connell Street shortly after 1.30am. He was tended at the scene by paramedics before being rushed to the Mater Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.Boris Johnson has claimed it is "perfectly realistic" to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow Britain to leave the EU in October.

In his first broadcast interview of the Tory leadership race, the front-runner agreed to take part in a BBC debate, but suggested he would miss one hosted by Channel 4, amid accusations that he was hiding from the media.

He also denied using cocaine since a "single inconclusive event" more than 30 years ago.

Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4 he was committed to leaving the EU by October 31, and said the Irish backstop problems could be solved by having checks away from the border.

On the TV debates, he said: "My own observation is that, in the past, when you've had loads of candidates, it can be slightly cacophonous, and I think the public have had quite a lot of blue-on-blue action over the last three years."

Braver

It came after he was criticised for a lack of media appearances, with his rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, accusing him of hiding.

Mr Hunt told the BBC: "We can only have that debate if our front-runner in this campaign is a little bit braver in terms of getting out into the media and actually engaging in debates."

Mr Johnson said the "fundamental flaw" in the current Withdrawal Agreement is the Irish backstop, and claimed a solution could be found.

"In the meantime, it's crucial to prepare for no-deal. I don't share the deep pessimism of some people about the consequences of no-deal," he said.

Asked how he would solve the border problem, he said: "Those problems are easily capable of solution, as I think the European Commission has said in the past, with maximum facilitation techniques and, after all, at the moment you already have goods conforming to different standards."Comedian Jo Brand has now apologised for the joke. Photo: PA

Comedian Jo Brand has apologised for making a joke about throwing battery acid over politicians.

Her remarks, on the BBC Radio 4 programme Heresy on Tuesday night, led to public criticism, including from Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, and multiple complaints being made to the UK broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said it was assessing Brand's comment following an allegation of incitement to violence.

Appearing at an event in Henley, Oxfordshire, on the same day, the comedian apologised for making a "crass and ill-judged" joke.

Mistake

However, she reportedly told the audience she did not think that she'd made a "mistake", adding that she had not mentioned Mr Farage.

On Wednesday, the Brexit Party leader, who had a milkshake thrown at him while campaigning in Newcastle, accused Brand of inciting violence.

Commenting again on Twitter, he said: "I am sick to death of overpaid, left-wing, so-called comedians on the BBC who think their view is morally superior.

"Can you imagine the reaction if I had said the same thing as Jo Brand?"

It is believed that the allegation reported to the police was not made by Mr Farage or the Brexit Party.

Ofcom said it had received 65 complaints about the episode of Heresy.

A statement from Scotland Yard said on Thursday: "Police have received an allegation of incitement to violence that was reported to the MPS on 13 June.

"The allegation relates to comments made on a radio programme.

"There have been no arrests and inquiries are ongoing."

A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May called on the BBC to explain why it broadcast Brand's comments, saying that "violence and intimidation should not be normalised".

The BBC said it regretted any offence caused by the radio programme, which was never intended "to encourage or condone violence".The number of patients on a waiting list for a first-time appointment with a hospital consultant has spiralled to a new record of 556,411.

The shocking figures show 106,145 of these patients have been in the queue for more than 18 months.

It means there has been a jump of 40,000 patients on the outpatient list since the end of last year.

Fianna Fail health spokesman Stephen Donnelly branded the queues a "scandal" and a "disgrace".

"The real concern, as ever, is for the long waiters with an even bigger percentage increase, 18pc, in the numbers waiting over 18 months," Mr Donnelly said.

"Some 106,145 have been waiting since at least November 2017."

Figures for May show some improvement in waiting lists for public patients needing surgery.

The surgical waiting list now stands at 68,765 compared to 70,204 in December.

Another 22,113 are waiting for a gastrointestinal scope procedure, up from 18,847.

Health Minister Simon Harris said Budget 2019 had further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) increasing from 55m in 2018 to 75m in 2019.

He said a key element of the plan was the stabilisation of the outpatient waiting list.

The HSE aims to deliver 3.3 million outpatient appointments, of which around a million will be first appointments.

Surgery

The plan also targets that the number of patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment will fall from over 516,000 at the end of 2018 to under 509,000 by the end of 2019.

This takes into account the more than 800,000 new patients who will be added to the outpatient waiting list in 2019, a figure based on trends for the previous two years.

Mr Donnelly said despite the improvement in figures for surgery, some 10,424 were still facing delays of over a year.

He said the NTPF offer of private treatment to public patients waiting longest should kick in earlier. It previously offered treatment after a three-month wait.The city also receives physical and sexual abuse cases. Crawford said the city currently has one active physical elderly abuse case.

I think its been very under-reported, said Crawford, who added that Virginia has been actively increasing efforts to improve the elder abuse awareness and prevention system.

In 2018, the number of financially exploited Virginians climbed 30%, on the heels of a 20% jump the previous year, according to Adult Protective Services in Virginia.

Overall, in state fiscal year 2018, there were 31,436 reports of abuse, up almost 16% from the previous year.

We believe the growth in reports suggest that people recognize signs of adult abuse and are increasingly willing to speak out over concerns about the welfare of a family member, neighbor or friend, said Paige McCleary, director of the Adult Protective Services Division.

Citizens in Bristol, Virginia, contacted the states elder abuse hotline to report 41 cases in 2018. There were 122 reports in Washington County, Virginia.Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Woodie said her heart stopped beating when she first saw it.

Woodie explained that she and some friends dreamed of purchasing a caboose for the town, and she couldnt believe she found what they were looking for.

Woodie had been a part of West Jeffersons caboose committee, which raised $50,000 to purchase and refurbish one.

It was transported by truck across the mountains to North Carolina.

The caboose is now located in our Backstreet Park, where we do concerts during the summer months, West Jefferson Town Manager Brantley Price said this week. The caboose sits in an area where there were once old train tracks.

The town was founded in 1915, when Norfolk and Western came to town, said Becky Carlson, one of the towns residents who assisted with the project. They moved out in 1977 and took the tracks and everything with them. We thought it would be good to have the caboose so that the community could have a way to remember our beginnings. We dont have a Virginia Creeper Trail  but we do have a heritage that started with the railroad coming to town and we want to keep that alive.Update: The Bristol Virginia Police Department reports that Samantha Murray has made contact with her family, and is reportedly OK.

The last known contact with her was by phone on or about May 3. Crawford said police do not know where she may be and are asking anyone with information to call authorities.Hagerstown greets 2022 with Krumpe's Donut Drop

A crowd gathered downtown for the family event, and the large doughnut dropped at 7 p.m.  a little early, in keeping with Hagerstown tradition.Narendra Modi is a prime minister who likes to surprise. He started his previous term in office with his surprising invitation to the Prime Minister of Pakistan to attend his swearing-in. After being elected on a Hindu nationalist ticket, his surprise for the beginning of this term has been his address to the newly elected National Democratic Alliance Member of Parliaments (MPs) in which he admitted that the minorities had long been made to live in fear. He blamed this on vote bank politics and called on his MPs to puncture the myth of fear. To underline his commitment to win the trust of minorities, he added the words sab ka vishwas (everyones trust) to the slogan he coined after the 2014 election, sabka sath, sab ka vikas (together with all, development for all).

Not surprisingly, I have come across plenty of cynical reaction to this commitment to vishwas. I have been told that Modis sudden concern for the minorities is just window dressing, designed by him to counter the international medias hostile reaction to his campaign and victory, and, in particular, the cover on Time magazine describing him as Indias divider in chief. Mind you, Time magazine seems to have changed its view and now regards Modi as the man who has united India. I have argued that there should be reasoned criticism when there is more evidence available to judge Modis intentions rather than Pavlovian cynicism. But putting the blame for the minorities fear on the oppositions vote bank politics is not an encouraging start. The minorities are particularly fearful now because of the hostility to them that marked this election campaign. In a rally in Saharanpur at the beginning of April, setting the tone for the campaign, Modi himself called on the crowd to remember the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and specifically the atyachar (atrocities) committed on their daughters. That was an obvious attempt to revive the allegations of the so called love jihad which provoked so much bitterness between Hindus and Muslims.

Now the minority affairs minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, has followed up on Modis statement by announcing a significant measure to win the trust of minorities by announcing that every year there will be one crore scholarships for them and new training opportunities in subjects like Hindi, English and Maths for madrassa teachers. This has been welcomed by several Muslim organisations.

But there is no sign yet of Modi abandoning a fundamental tactic of his electioneering: arousing fear of the Muslim minority with the aim of creating a Hindu vote. Modi is now so powerful he could bring about this sea change in Indian politics. It could also be argued that as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) man, he should bring it about. A member of RSS once gave me a copy of MS Golwalkars book, A Bunch of Thoughts, telling me, It is one of our foundational texts. Golwalker was the second head of the RSS . In one of his chapters, he spells out what a Hindu Rashtra means to him, and what the place of the minorities would be in it. He maintains that because Hindus recognise the immanence of one supreme power, Hindu Rashtra can stand guarantee to the free and prosperous life of the so-called minorities here, sharing equal opportunities as the proud children of the motherland. Golwalker also believed, He cant be a son of this soil at all who is intolerant of other faiths.

In the end Modi will be judged by his words. A Muslim friend has asked me why, if he wants to establish trust, he has not condemned the attacks on Muslims that have taken place since the election results became known. Will Modi now condemn such incidents more frequently than he did during his last term in office? Will he now rein in his colleagues who are prone to hate speak? When he speaks from the Red Fort on August 15, will there be more welcome surprises for the minorities?

The views expressed are personalOn December 17, 2018, almost exactly a year after we had mobilised a nationwide protest against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, I was notified that the Lok Sabha was debating the Bill with 27 amendments proposed by the government. The debate could hardly be heard over the din, but what was clear was that the governments amendments were passed with barely enough time given to objections raised by opposition party members. This Bill is now pending before the Rajya Sabha, along with the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018  both are a source of serious concern for the transgender community.

At the heart of our disappointment is the Bills contravention of the 2014 Supreme Court National Legal Services Authority (Nalsa) vs Union of India judgment, which upheld the right of transgender persons to self-identify their gender, and directed states to uphold this without mandating any form of bodily transition like surgery or hormonal therapy.

The current Bill, however, mandates that people first apply to their local district magistrate to be recognised as transgender, and that this change must reflect on all identity documents. The application is to be scrutinised by a District Screening Committee that includes local government officials, a psychologist and a single representative of the transgender community. It is preposterous that transgender identity  an identity emerging from the functioning of the brain, not from medically visible morphology  be assessed by someone else.

The Bill creates a two-tier system within the transgender community, where everyone must first apply to the magistrate to be recognised as transgender, and only those who are recognised as such may apply to be recognised as man or woman, the latter contingent upon providing proof of sex reassignment surgery. This means a denial of documents for persons who live and self-identify as men or women (and not as transgender), who may not want or be able to afford surgery, even if hormone therapy has largely changed their appearance.

The Bill represents a failure of the government to listen to our voices despite sustained efforts by the transgender community and our allies. Over the past few years, scores of depositions were submitted and gatherings were held, first targeting the social justice ministry when it drafted the Bill, and then the standing committee of both houses to whom the Bill was referred. The hope now is that the Rajya Sabha, which is expected to debate the Bill in the winter session, will direct a select committee to take on board the standing committees recommendations in light of the NALSA judgment, as well as the excellent provisions of the Private Members Bill proposed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Member of Parliament Tiruchi Siva. This was drafted in consultation with the transgender community, and was passed by the Upper House in 2015.

A key demand missing in the 2018 Bill is that of reservation. Do you know of any transgender people who have been allowed into standard workspaces, or even informal sector jobs such as domestic work, anganwadi work and health work? Transgender people face widespread discrimination when it comes to employment, and must take legal recourse simply to access jobs despite being qualified. For example, Shanavi Ponnusamy, a transwoman and engineer who faced an unprecedented number of job rejections, was finally informed by Air India that they did not have jobs for people of her category. Her case against them for discrimination is now being heard in the Supreme Court.

Many transgender people face pressure to conform to their assigned gender and many are kicked out or run away from home during their early years, with no birth or education certificates. Those who have education certificates but change their appearance and name or gender identity markers on other identification documents find that employers are unwilling to employ them due to incongruent documents. It is in this context that many join traditional hijra occupations of mangti or badhai toli, which society fails to distinguish from begging. Some engage in sex work. The Bill seeks to criminalise enticement to beg, as does the Trafficking Bill with punishments of up to 10 years of jail time, and the communitys concern is that this will enhance the police persecution they already face.

The Bill does not even define or penalise discrimination, while being discriminatory in how it penalises sexual violence against transgender persons with jail time ranging from six months to two years in duration, in comparison to the punishment of seven years to life term for sexual assault on cis-gender women (someone who does not identify as transgender) in the Indian Penal Code.

The future of the transgender community is being held hostage by a poorly drafted bill. We fervently hope the Rajya Sabha will not pass this Bill into law.

Karthik Bittu Kondaiah is associate professor at Ashoka University, and a member of the Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti

The views expressed are personalWhat can go wrong in a bathroom? The soap may get flushed down the toilet. Faucets may drip. The geyser may run out of hot water. A kitchen knife-wielding predator hiding behind the shower curtain was not on that list. Until Hollywood auteur Alfred Hitchock released Pyscho, his last black-and-white feature, on June 16, 1960, and had his heroine, Janet Leigh let out a scream that (even though it was overriden by the four sharp notes in the background score), we can still hear in our heads today.

Leigh would later say she could never look at showers the same way again. No showers, I only take baths, she said.

Since Psycho, generations of filmmakers have used the bathroom as an almost-psychological arena where a person faces his or her vulnerabilities or the crisis of the moment and is overpowered by it. Oddly, it is usually women who cower and die here. (Not many men have been killed in the bath).

British cultural theorist and film critic Peter Wollen, in an essay titled Hybrid plots in Psycho, argued that the murder-in-the-shower scene in Psycho was a realisation of both erotic and threatening overtones that mark any encounter between two strangers. The bathroom, like many semi-enclosed spaces both intimate and public  such as attics, parking lots, basements and lifts  has a hold on our imagination.

The restroom particularly feels hidden away. It is an essential part of a home but never its centre. You enter it to cut yourself off. Once the door closes, you know confinement, privacy, have a reasonable expectation of safety. This is a space with the least risk of invasion. You couldnt possibly be harmed in a toilet. Or could you?

Bath-side murders

Jack Nicholson peering through axed in door in the film 'The Shining', 1980. (Getty Images)

The Shining (1980)

Based on a Stephen King book with the same title, this Stanley Kubrick classic has Jack Nicholson as an overwrought writer who takes over as the caretaker of a remote hotel. Some of the films most unsettling moments occur in various kinds of water closets. A ghostly hotel butler tells the writer to punish his family in one. The famous Heres Johnny dialogue, for which Nicholson bares his gums to flash his trademark wolfish grin, takes place in another. His next move? Axing down the toilet door to get to his wife.

Neve Campbell (as Sidney Prescott) in the slasher film series, Scream.

Scream (1996-2011)

Few actors can pull off the regular American teenager of the 90s as well as Neve Campbell (as Sidney Prescott) did in the slasher film series, Scream. The high-school washroom is the place where she licks private wounds and has one of her many encounters with Ghostface, the masked serial killer with the swingy knife and the whispery voice. Another character who gets the knife-jab in the toilet is Phil Stevens (Scream 2), Sidneys classmate, who takes a loo break during a screening of Stab, a film with a not so subtle title, given that that is how he will meet his end.

Poltergeist (1982)

Martin Cassella (an assistant director of Steven Spielberg), as a ghost spotter.

Poltergeist is both cult (horror) and mainstream. Considered one of the best films of the 80s  it had three Academy nominations -- it delivered a fright in almost every scene. The plot: a malevolent force wreaks havoc on the home of a Californian couple, the Freelings, and their three children. When the freaky occurrences get too much for the family, a team of parapsychologists troop in. They are not spared the bizarre. Martin Cassella (an assistant director of Steven Spielberg), who plays one of the ghost spotters, looks in the washroom mirror and suddenly finds himself peeling his own face off! It was just a trick his mind was playing on him but boy was it effective!.

What lies Beneath (2000)

Michelle Pfeiffer tries to escape from the bath-tub.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford play a happily married couple. And in some ways they are. Ford is a college professor. An affair with a student, however, stretches too long; the good professor bumps her off. The murdered girl leaves scribbles on the bathroom mirror for Pleiffer. Pleiffer holds a seance in the washroom with her friend and realises that all her suspicions were true. When accosted, Ford drops the act, sedates her, places her in the bathtub, and turns on the tap....

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONBollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, who will soon launch the first trailer of Mental Hai Kya, has said she has always been friends with Hrithik Roshans sister Sunaina, adding that she does not want to take advantage of her family dispute. Recently, Kanganas sister Rangoli Chandel claimed Sunaina continues to call both of them to apologise for not supporting them during the face-off with Hrithik.

Speaking with Mumbai Mirror in an interview, Kangana said, It is true that Sunaina and I were always good friends and so was her family. Now they claim differently. Yes, she has been in touch with me, but I dont want to take advantage of her family dispute. Sunaina is still a friend but I will not hit somebody when they are down.

Rangoli had earlier tweeted, Everyone isnt nice to their siblings, Hrithik Roshans sister Sunaina Roshan has been calling and messaging Kangana and me only to apologise that she didnt stand up for her when Hrithik framed her as they were friends.

Also read: Priyanka Chopra gives 5 life lessons as she flaunts sexy, sexy sari again: Have nothing to hide

In a recent interview to Pinkvilla, Sunaina said that her family has not been supporting her and that living with her parents has been a living hell.

She had also dismissed speculation that she is suffering from bipolar disorder while accepting she underwent therapy for alcohol addiction.

In the interview, Kangana also said people are ganging up against her. Asked about Manikarnika co-stars Sonu Sood and Mishti Chakravarty speaking against her, Kangana alleged that situations were manipulated to force people to speak against her. She told the tabloid, Mishti said she was asked to speak up, but who is making her speak? Its all about ganging up against me. Sonu and I share a personal trainer. Again, situations were manipulated to force people to speak against me. Some trade experts were forced to show our films collections as half of the actual numbers. All the people who pretend that they dont have PRs send the maximum number of mails against others. One smear campaign was started by Karan Johars gang against me by paying reviewers. When I talk about it, people think I sound like a loony character, but what option am I left with?

Also read: Rishi Kapoor confirms he is returning to India in August, says I have recovered well and feeling fine

ALSO WATCH | Cannes 2019: Kangana Ranaut stuns in a white Michael Cinco gown

Reacting to allegations that he stepped out of Manikarnika because he was not ready to work with a woman director, Sonu had earlier called the allegations ridiculous and said, The gender of the director is not the issue. Competence is. Lets not confuse the two. Ive worked with Farah Khan whos a competent woman director and Farah and I had a great professional equation and we are still best of friends.

Kangana also talked about another controversy that surrounded her directorial debut. A video showing Kangana on a wooden horse from the sets went viral amidst frequent claims by her team that she had been practising horse riding for the movie. I know who released that video. Two other actors of the nepotism gang were also learning horse-riding at the same place as me. They practised for one day and got so sore that they didnt return. I was galloping and doing all sorts of stunts. The wooden horse was only used for close-up shots. Just because they cannot ride a horse they got jealous of me and released the video. I rode a horse in Rangoon too, its not new for me, she said.

Asked about her sister Rangoli Chandel and her social media presence, the actor said, I dont sit on her head and tell her what she should say. She is her own person and she has quietly observed all these industry people. Being an ostrich, keeping our eyes shut, has not helped us at all. So now she is completely at it.

Kangana also claimed she will never be on social media and explaining her reasons she said, There are so many problematic things in the world and Im a very conscious person, Im very aware. I dont want to be on social media and be bothered about problematic things that social media doesnt provide solutions for. I cant invest so much time on something that doesnt deal with an issue. Rangoli says that people have taken advantage of my absence on the social media. She says that though I have helped people build hospitals and gifted a 2.5 crore flat to my yoga teacher, nobody knows about these things as I dont talk about it. Sometimes she makes videos of me to share online. I find it funny, but she feels its important. In my past relationships I never made videos and even that went against me... Today, everything must be proved with photos and videos. How do I become a person who records and documents everything, so no one questions me tomorrow? I cant live like that, its strange.

Follow @htshowbiz for more267pp,  499; Penguin

The city and the sea have been variously portrayed in literature. They figure as delusory escape routes in Cavafys poem The City, capturing the universal modern human predicament of a no-exit situation in a prison of our own making. In the French Romantic poet Alfred de Vignys La bouteille a la mer, the bottle (city) represents mans desire to transmit ideas, to give them permanence, the sea their mortal transience. HW Longfellows poem, also titled The City and the Sea, had depicted them as sustaining one another through a kind of osmosis. More recently, the choral composer Eric Whitaker turned five short poems by e. e. cummings into a composition titled The City and the Sea, in which the two became metaphors for an alternating canvas of human life and Nature. All these resonate in the novel under review which moves forward through sequences repeatedly captioned The city and The sea.

What happens when your mother fails to return home one night and the passing days bring no news of her? When your father provides little comfort or practical support, wandering aimlessly in and out of the front door? The city poses these troubling questions as a young boy sets out to find his missing mother, wandering through streets and by-lanes he has never seen on a relentless journey where the borderline between the real and the imagined is tenuous and flimsy. He understands what his mother had meant in describing the world outside the home as an intrusive sea, a terrain teeming with human beings, filth, drains and sewage. Meanwhile, in the alternating sequence The sea, a woman in a foreign country (Germany) tries making sense of the alien, deserted seascape she finds herself alone in, and of the conflicting images (snow, possibly abandoned children, even a recent Nobel Laureate) that dance in and out of her vision. The stream of consciousness mode dominates much of the novel, becoming not one voice but many, not always satisfactorily, even tedious at times, before surrendering to a surreal fantasy nearer the end when the two worlds collide in ways one partly anticipates, but with bizarre twists involving mother and son that somewhat redeem the two images and take them to another level.

Sexual violence and abuse, hinted at in the considerable advance praise for the novel, are implicit in the story and the spectre of rape dominates it from the opening lines of The Prologue: My name I cannot tell. There is a law in my land to protect me, to ensure that I am not shamed The lines are a chilling reminder of the young woman gang-raped on a moving Delhi bus in December 2012, who was confined to anonymity as Nirbhaya or the fearless one till her mother decided there was no indignity in revealing her name. Significantly, the word rape remains unmentioned in the novel, a word the protagonist wants to speakout loud but never does though Nirbhaya is a thinly-disguised but ubiquitous presence throughout, a peg on which the novel pretty much hangs.

The young stranger, hardly more than a boy himself though he has a faint fuzz on his upper lip, who inserts himself into the sons story and accompanies him on his search, remains nameless (pretty much, ironically, like a rape victim). When he lowers his guard momentarily it is to say he could be called December  a month marked into our national calendar of shame and an unsubtle intimation of who or what he stands for. Crammed into his bag are crumpled pages of what read like a confession from which disturbingly familiar images spill out: a bus driver urging a group that included December to go on a joy ride and find a woman; a young woman and her male friend who were duped into boarding the bus; the iron rod with which they were attacked; and so on. The story steps out of the pages in magical realism mode as December ushers the boy through shanties and highways, landing up eventually in his village and his home. In a verbal catharsis he now admits what had been insinuated but left unsaid, and points the boy through a curtain as it were, into a region where the city and the sea merge in an unexpected finale.

Author Raj Kamal Jha, who is also Chief Editor, The Indian Express. (Neeraj Priyadarshi)

Sharply detailed throughout, some of the particulars work more satisfactorily than others. Among those that work are the repeated references to what the boys missing mother wore on that fatal day: a cream-coloured shirt with black leggings, a black jacket and a red scarf. Taken together they create a certain image of contemporary Indian womanhood, one that continues to provoke adverse public reactions in those who would perpetuate a mythical stereotype of the Bharatiya Nari. They offer a rebuttal to this stereotype, subtly arguing for a womans freedom to dress how she wants and extending the canvas to a pan-Indian scenario in which women face physical assault daily, irrespective of what they wear. The fact that the mother was a newspaper reporter contains an added nuance, perhaps unintended here as the manuscript was most likely in press before sexual harassment in the media became breaking news.

Read more: Raj Kamal Jha: We journalists are not the stories

Less convincing are the attempts to project December as repentant, and thereby a victim of circumstances  an argument some have put forward with respect to his real-life prototype. One may and should justifiably debate, censure, and condemn the social milieu in which boy-men like December are allowed to grow and how it impacts them but his fictional repentance and transformation, unsubstantiated in real life, calls for more than a willing suspension of disbelief and may need a different kind of book.

Vrinda Nabar is the author of Caste as Woman and a former Chair of English, Mumbai University.Girish Karnad, who died in his sleep in his Bengaluru home last week, was a colossus. Karnad had four careers, and he excelled in each. He was arguably the most influential playwright produced by India since Independence, whose oeuvre was astonishingly wide in its thematic and temporal range. He wrote at least half a dozen great plays; these included the political parable, Tughlak, the social reformist, Taledanda, and the darkly comic satire, Odakalu Bimba. (All were written originally in Kannada, all performed in most of the languages of the Eighth Schedule). He was an outstanding actor  as witness his work in the early films in Hindi of Shyam Benegal, and also in Pattabhirama Reddys Kannada classic, Samskara. He was an accomplished director, making films of major novels by KV Puttappa and SL Bhyrappa. And he was an able administrator, of the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune (where he mentored, among others, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, and Tom Alter), of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in New Delhi, and of the Nehru Centre in London.

I was once travelling from Bengaluru to Mumbai. Karnad was in the same flight, a few rows ahead of me. He had a pen poised over a sheaf of papers as I passed him. When I asked what he was doing, he said he was correcting the proofs of the Marathi translation of his new play. My admiration for Karnad, already very high, rocketed further skywards. A man whose mother tongue was Konkani and who wrote in Kannada and spoke flawless English was apparently entirely comfortable in Marathi too.

But it was not just his mastery of many languages that set Karnad apart from other writers and artists. No one I knew so nobly carried the richness and depth of Indian civilisation in his body, and in his soul  and so utterly unselfconsciously too. In his life and work, he seamlessly blended North and South, the folk and the classical, the demotic and the scholarly. He was equally at ease speaking of the music of Kesarbai Kerkar and of Mohammad Rafi, of the dance of Balasaraswati and of Farah Khan, of the moral philosophy of Basava and of BR Ambedkar. And he could talk with insight about Shakespeare and Philip Larkin as well.

After Gauri Lankesh was murdered in September 2017, it was rumoured that Girish Karnad was the next writer on the terrorist hitlist. So I called Girish one morning and asked if I could see him the same afternoon. He lived an hours drive away, and given his commitments, I would normally have mailed several days in advance to set up a meeting.

Girish welcomed my impulsive call, and asked me to come over. I drove across the desolate city to the Karnads house in JP Nagar. Outside, a man in uniform posted to ostensibly guard the writer was sitting on a chair, asleep. As my car screeched to a halt he woke up, and escorted me inside.

I came intending to talk for perhaps half an hour, but stayed for four hours. We spoke of Gauri Lankesh, of course, but also of other matters  including the trajectory of our own lives. I got Girish to talk of his early days in Dharwad, and he got me to talk of my boyhood in Dehradun. We had both moved from a small town to a great metropolis; he to Mumbai, me to Delhi, before both finding ourselves in Bengaluru, a town when we first knew it and a city when we came to live in it. We spoke of our siblings  he had a musician brother, I a doctor sister  and of other things that normally did not figure in our otherwise literary and intellectual conversations.

When, night having fallen, I got up to leave, Girish walked me outside to my car. The security guard was nowhere to be seen. Girish thanked me for the spontaneous visit which, he said, both his doctor wife, Saras, and he had welcomed. I answered: I suppose it takes the murder of a fellow writer for two writers who live in the same city to seek out one another.

At this stage Karnad himself was quite ill, with a degenerative respiratory disease. The next January he visited Dharwad, on what he knew would be his final visit to the town where he had been raised, studied, and written his first plays. He said I must come with him. I did. I thus had the rare, but also ineffably sad, privilege of being with Girish Karnad on his last trip to his home town, accompanying him up the stairs of the Laxmi Building for his last peep into the offices of his long-time publishers, Manohara Grantha Mala, in Subhas Road, Dharwad.

Karnad had a highly developed social conscience, and a deep love for his country. Yet he never paraded his patriotism. His dignity and his rectitude would not allow it. He had left instructions that, when he died, there would be no state funeral. He knew that sundry politicians would want to come and hover around his body, taking pictures, seeking to cleanse their sins by illegitimate association with someone who was not just the greatest Kannada writer, but the greatest Kannadiga, of his age.

His courage in standing up to fundamentalists has led some to celebrate Karnad as an exemplary activist and public intellectual. This, to my mind, is a mischaracterisation. India has a hundred (and more) writers and intellectuals who speak out and stand up in public. But there was only one Girish Karnad. We should remember him rather as a great playwright and superb actor, and as a profoundly civilised human being, who had forgotten more about Indian culture than the present-day defenders of Bharatiya Sanskriti ever knew.

Ramachandra Guha is the author of Gandhi: The Years That Changed The World

The views expressed are personal

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONThe Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to curtail the role of the Antonov-32 (AN-32) in extreme environments following the June 3 crash in Arunachal Pradesh that led to the deaths of 13 people  the third fatal incident of the Soviet-origin aircraft in India over the last 10 years.

According to three senior IAF officers, who asked not to be named, the AN-32, seen as a workhorse for the force, may be taken off duties that involve flying over mountainous regions and oceans out of safety concerns.

The effort will be to assign most of those tasks to the C295 medium transport aircraft that we are buying. They have higher safety margins, said one of the officials, who is familiar with IAFs modernisation.

A second official said the defence ministry has wrapped up price negotiations for 56 C295 aircraft made by Airbus, and while it is meant to replace the fleet of the vintage medium-sized Avro 748 transport planes, it will also be suitable for demanding roles that the AN-32 currently undertakes.

The $2.5-billion project is likely to come up before the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) for final clearance. Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project, which will also be part of the Make in India initiative in the aerospace sector, the second official said.

Once the contract is awarded, Airbus will supply the first 16 aircraft in flyaway condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by TASL.

After the DACs clearance, the C295 purchase will be sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security for approval. The contract is likely to be awarded by the year-end. While the C295 is a replacement for Avro, it will conduct some of the critical duties currently assigned to AN-32s, said the third IAF official.

The first 16 planes will be supplied in two years, and the deliveries of the 40 locally-assembled ones will be spread over an additional eight years.

The AN-32 is a versatile plane and has served us well. But its too old and even the upgraded variants are nowhere close to new-generation tactical airlifters. The C295s can carry out most of the roles performed by AN-32s. I hope we conclude the C295 deal soon, said Air Chief Marshal Fali Major (retd), a former IAF chief.

The C295 can operate from short, unprepared airstrips and carry out a raft of missions in all-weather conditions.

The June 3 AN-32 crash has put the safety record of the aircraft in the spotlight, especially since the incident now takes the total toll in AN-32 accidents to 55 in 10 years. The plane took off from Jorhat in Assam and was on its way to an advanced landing ground at Mechuka in Arunachal Pradeshs West Siang district when it vanished from the radar screens and slammed into a hillside.

An airborne search team spotted the wreckage on Tuesday, eight days after it disappeared. There were no survivors, IAF confirmed on Thursday.

In July 2016, an AN-32 went down in the Bay of Bengal with 29 people on board. Exactly a decade ago, an AN-32 crashed in West Siang, killing all 13 on board.

The IAF operates a fleet of around 100 AN-32s, more than any other air force in the world. Some of the AN-32s have undergone an upgrade in Ukraine to improve avionics and increase engine lifespan.

Several planes are also being upgraded at an IAF repair facility in Kanpur as part of the same contract. India and Ukraine inked a $400-million deal in 2009 to modernise the planes.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONA 17-year-old boy, a man out on bail and a former call centre employee who lost both his parents in the last eight months were among five people who were shot dead in four separate attacks that took place within a 15-hour period in the Capital on Friday, the police said.

Nearly 20 bullets were fired in these incidents, the last of which was a double murder carried out at a busy traffic junction near the Nand Nagri police station in north-east Delhi on Friday morning.

As of late Friday night, Delhi Police said one minor and one man were held for their involvement in the four shooting cases.

The five murders prompted Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to tweet that it was an extremely serious situation.

He appealed to the Union home minister and the Lieutenant Governor to urgently look into the law and order situation of the national Capital.

The Delhi Police responded to Kejriwals tweet saying all the murders mentioned involved personal enmity. The accused were previously known to their victims and are already arrested in some cases. Overall, heinous crime in 2019 is down by 10.5%. Crime by use of fire arms is down by 5.65%, the official Delhi Police accounted tweeted.

The five murders come in the wake of a spate of recent killings involving guns in New Delhi, including a gang war in west Delhis Dwarka Mor on May 19 where traffic was stopped as three men pumped bullets into their target who was in a car. The attack at Nand Nagri was identical to the May 19 incident: three-four men followed their targets who were in a car before opening fire at a busy traffic junction. This took place at 11:30am.

At 10:30pm on Thursday in west Delhis Vikaspuri, a 35-year-old man, Amit Kochar, was taken by three unidentified men into his car and shot dead outside his house. The same night, two other people were gunned down within a kilometre of each other in outer Delhis Bhalaswa Dairy over a 90-minute period. The first was death was around 9.30pm of a 42-year-old property dealer.

Around 90 minutes later, a 17-year-old boy was shot in his head.The police arrested two men, including an engineer from Nepal, for allegedly conning people on the pretext of selling them insurance policies, in a scam estimated to be at least 50 lakh. The police, on Saturday, said the duo had set up several fake call centres in Delhi and Rajasthan and hired telecallers, who claimed to work for a reputed online insurance aggregator.

The police said the suspects have been identified as Avinash Kumar Jha, an engineer from Nepal, and Mahendra Singh, a native of Rajasthan. Both were staying on rent in Rohini in Delhi.

The police had registered a case under Section 420 of the IPC and Section 66D of the IT Act at the cybercrime police station on April 26.

They were arrested on June 10 from Subhash Nagar in Delhi. They were produced at the district court on June 11 and sent to police custody for three days. On Saturday, they were sent to judicial custody, said the police.

Subhash Boken, spokesperson, city police, said that Jha had hatched the conspiracy when he was working at a private company in 2017, after completing his B Tech from Jaipur.

The scam was brought to the police attention after a representative of the online insurance aggregator, who has an office in Sector 44, gave a written complaint to the police, alleging they had received more than two dozen complaints from customers starting December 2018. The complainants said that they had purchased an insurance policy using their platform, but were yet to receive a receipt. When the company checked its records, it found that it had never sold insurance policies through its portal to the complainants.

In August 2018, Jha and his aide allegedly set up a call centre from a rented accommodation in Tihar village in Delhi, followed by another one. Jha had also set up a call centre in Jhotwara of Jaipur, but shut shop due to lack of customers. At the time of their arrest, only the call centre in Pitampura was in a working condition, while others were shut.

Boken said, The suspects preferred to hire women employees and offered them a profile of telecallers, with a salary of up to 20,000 per month. The staff were told that the call centre had a contract with an online insurance aggregator.

During questioning, the suspects allegedly said that they used to procure database of potential customers from a local search engine. The telecallers then made calls to potential customers and offered insurance policies of several companies at a discount.

After a customer agreed to purchase a policy, a receipt was sent over WhatsApp and email. The callers gave an assurance to the customer that he or she would receive a hard copy within a week. The customer was asked to send money using e-commerce payment systems or via bank accounts, said the police.The moment you drive a little ahead of the Butterfly Park and enter Sector 56, you land up in front of a roadside market selling an array of chic, colourful and whimsical furniture and home decor items. It is, in fact, quite hard for passersby to miss the kilometre-long Banjara Market.

Horizontally spread and somewhat labyrinthic, the market comprises over 50 shops running out of makeshift tents and the broken pavement. Over the last three-four years, the 20-year-old market has become extremely popular among residents looking to decorate their houses in an inexpensive and exquisite manner  all thanks to the rigorous chronicling by video bloggers.

While on the one hand, the market is a smorgasbord of all things needed for interior decorations, on the other, the people who live here and run the market, have their own stories as well. Standing on the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) land, it is home to more than 70 Gadiya Lohars  a nomadic community hailing from Rajasthan. The second or third generation Lohars, whose anscestors left Rajasthans Chittorgarh 15-20 years back, migrated to the Millennium City in search of greener pastures. The move, they say, was the fallout of the dwindling demand for ironwork in Chittor after other communities acquired the skill set.

While most shopkeepers in the area reiterate this story, studies have indicated that the Gadiya Lohars started migrating as early as the invasion of the Mughals and have since led a nomadic life.

Ask any shopkeeper in the market about themselves and most will begin: Hum Maharana Pratap ke vansh se hain (We belong to the royal lineage of Maharana Pratap). They take pride in claiming themselves to be the descendants of the revered Rajput warrior king and their native land Chittorgarh  quite ironic, given most living here havent ever been there.

Women wearing vibrant leheriya, bandhni and paisley motifs and men in cotton paithani kurtas and dhotis start setting up the stalls at 7am in the morning. While the market is officially open till 10pm, Armaan Rajput, a shopkeeper, said, Actually, this is a 24x7 market. We live here; so come whenever you feel like.

Here, trade is robust and bargaining is a language well understood. Every once in a while  at an interval of every one or two months  the men of the community travel to places such as Jodhpur, Moradabad, Neemrana, Sarangpur, Ahmedabad and Barmer to fetch the goods. In rare occasions, when the sales figures arent as high, the gap becomes a little lengthier.

While the men are mostly given the charge of bringing the goods, the women are the ones who understand the pulse of the customers and are sharp sellers. They are, as customers say, are adept at quickly figuring out aesthic tastes and assembling items that grab attention.

Arti Urmani is one such shopkeeper. Amid of voices speaking only of Prataps lineage, Urmani, who lives in the market with her husband and children, declares she is from the land of Padmavati. On an average, all items are 50 per cent lesser than in showrooms. Still, people living in bungalows bargain so much with us.

From chic wooden sushi plates, carved iron wall hangings, tripod stand lights, vintage clocks, chests and trunks (tijoris and sandooks) studded with beautiful stones, Victorian-era candelabras, intricate iron bird cage lamps, glass decor items and a multitude of ceramic and china clay crockery, planters, elegantly framed wall mirrors of various sizes, and a sea of photo frames in various materials, sizes and colours  the market offers everything one needs to do up a house at affordable prices.

A large number of shops also offer delectable wooden furniture, from French corner tables to sprawling beds, bar stools and wine cabinets that bear a distinct colonial touch.

But one needs to have a discerning eye while shopping here. Some of the furniture here are old and refurbished and decor items picked up and stacked indiscriminately so a few may bear defects or cracks in them.

Most customers who are regulars here are aware of this and dont find it to be a deterrent. Harsh Singh and Amrita Deb  a couple who had come to the market to buy items to set up their house in Greater Noida, said, There is no market like this in Noida or Delhi. While there are many interesting furniture markets there, none of them offer such a wide and pleasing variety of decor items at such prices. Moreover, most times, if you find a defect in a piece, they have another of the same kind.

Like Singh and Deb, the market is not just a spot for the city residents but also popular among a lot of residents of Delhi and Noida, primarily owing to the extensive coverage by social media bloggers. While the shopkeepers admit that social media might have led to increase in footfall in the market, many of them are quick to point out that it has also done them a disservice as the rates quoted in social media are unrealistic and extremely low.

They said a myth is being created that one can just get everything at throwaway prices. Dhanno Lohar, a shopkeeper, said, On social media, the rates are made up to be very low. Tell me how can we give away an item worth R4,000 for R1,000?

Pinky Rajput, a shopowner who has been selling items since the inception of the market, echoed the sentiment: We live on the streets to sell the items, but we need to sustain our families as well.

The entire families -- from children to parents -- take turns to look after the shops. In hot summer afternoons, it is not an uncommon sight to see the mother or the fathers resting on a chowpai (a cot) under a tree and their children looking after their shops. Priyanka is one such 11-year-old afternoon vigilante who sings Bollywood songs and deftly bargains with the occasional sunglass-wearing customer on the rates and options. She said she doesnt go to school because her family doesnt have enough money: School jaane ke liye paise lagte hain. Khana banate hain, dukan sambhalte hain  bas (It takes a lot of money to go to school. I cook, take care of the shop).

Her confidence and nonchalance is beyond her age and endearing just like most other children in the area. Ten-year-old Neeti bears the same confidence, but goes to the nearby municipality school, tutors the boys and girls of the market and is quick to recite a poem in Hindi for anyone willing to listen. But both Priyanka and Neeti are well-versed when it comes to the trade and know exactly where their commodities are coming from. They deal with all kinds of customers from all sections of the society.

Over the last couple of years, the market has become a shopping haunt for bureaucrats, expats, young couples setting up new homes, aesthetes, tourists or just enthusiastic shoppers looking for unique and beautiful decor pieces at good prices. While its popularity may be soaring, the authorities had made the Lohars shut the market five months ago to broaden the road. But its not a new phenomenon.

The market dwellers have accepted this reality, and said this happens many times, as the land does not belong to them. The market thus periodically gets removed or pushed back and the shopkeepers set up shop all over again.

Tanya Das, a city resident and frequent visitor to the market, said, The market remained shut for two days around last December. I really liked this place and thought the market was gone. I was elated to see it up and running again.

But unlike the market loyalists, HSVP is troubled with this market coming up on their land. HSVP administrator Chandra Shekhar Khare said, The market has come up on encroached land. This land is allotted for other purpose which is why there are regular drives to push it back. The market is very popular, but its future is uncertain.

For the inhabitants obviously, this is a source of great anguish. One of the first shopkeepers in the market, Udham Singh, said, Aaj yahan, kal chappan, parso Sohna, hum toh kahi bhi ho sakte hain. Humara kya pehchaan. He lamented that there are lakhs of them in the country, but they have no identity and no place to call home. That is where the market gets its name from too.

While a degree of uncertainty and despair hide in the folds of this dynamic market, whats undeniable is its overarching charm that draws enthusiastic shoppers and visitors from different parts of the country.

Mumbai resident and first-time visitor, Taruna Khuranna, said, My parents live in Delhi. I had told them that I have to go to this market. I had seen it online and seen things here that I had not anywhere else.

For another visitor, Vineeta Kushala, the appeal of the market lies in its quaint, chic objects. She said, These little knick knacks that just lift up the aesthics of a home; and you dont find such things anywhere else. Had it not been so hot, I would have spent the entire day here.

There were many who braved the afternoon summer sun with umbrellas in hand and oversized shades to get a good deal, but it is the weekends when the market sees maximum footfall. Musaddi Lohar, a shopowner, said, Its like a carnival here on weekends.

The market is a treasure trove of all things vintage and antique. But what stands out is the distinct curation of goods by the shop owners and their vivid understanding of interior decor and furniture without any formal training. Ask them how they know what goods will sell in the market and how they identify it, pat comes the reply: Our heart knows what people want.

Laced with hope, disillusionment, vibrancy and despair in equal measures, the market and the lives of these nomads are filled with quirky anecdotes and stories. The market itself continues to intrigue and lure customers from far and beyond, cement its reputation as a decor haven, even as the certainty of its existence stays shrouded in ambiguity.A total of 661 US companies and associations have signed a letter to President Donald Trump, urging his administration to abandon tariff hikes and reach a deal with China, a US nationwide anti-tariff campaign said on Thursday.

According to a news release issued by Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, a bipartisan campaign against levies, 520 companies and 141 associations said in the letter that they "remain concerned about the escalation of tit-for-tat tariffs" between the US and China.

"We know firsthand that the additional tariffs will have a significant, negative and long-term impact on American businesses, farmers, families and the US economy," read the letter. "Tariffs are taxes paid directly by US companies."

The letter came as the US Trade Representative Office plans to begin a public hearing on June 17 to solicit public comments on and responses to proposed tariff measures.

US President Donald Trump last month raised tariffs on Chinese imports valued at $200 billion to 25 percent from 10 percent and threatened to impose tariffs on another $300 billion worth of goods. China responded by imposing tariffs totaling $60 billion on US goods.

Tariffs Hurt the Heartland said that combined with the impact of previously implemented tariffs and retaliation, the new tariffs on another $300 billion worth of Chinese imports, if imposed, would result in the loss of more than 2 million US jobs, add more than $2,000 in costs for an average American family of four, and reduce the US GDP by 1 percent.

"We urge your administration to get back to the negotiating table," signatories of the letter told Trump. "An escalated trade war is not in the country's best interest, and both sides will lose."

The ongoing trade dispute with China could tip the US economy into a recession in less than a year, an analyst at investment bank Morgan Stanley believes.

"We could end up in a recession in three quarters," Chetan Ahya, the investment bank's chief economist, said in a research note.

The Duke University Global Business Outlook found that 48.1 percent of US chief financial officers expect the US will be in a recession by the middle of next year or by the end of 2020.

Manufacturing activity slowed in the US, Europe and Asia in May, as the trade dispute between Washington and Beijing continued.

A recession could come just as the US presidential election is heating up and could damage Trump's re-election prospects.

Gao Feng, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said in Beijing that the continuing trade standoff "could cause a recession in the US and global economies".

Christine Lagarde, International Monetary Fund managing director, said the IMF does not now see the threat of a global recession sparked by trade dispute. Instead, she said growth will slow, but the world economy won't slide into a recession.

Usha Haley, the W. Frank Barton Distinguished Chair in International Business and a professor of management at Wichita State University who specializes in China, called talk of a recession sparked by the trade dispute "apocalyptic".

"There might be a recession simply because it's time," Haley told China Daily. "The current strong economy is about 10 years old, and historically, a boom is followed by a downturn. The trade dispute with China creates uncertainty, and that doesn't help because it disrupts long-range planning. The underlying principles of the US economy are OK, but need structural adjustment."

The current economic boom began in June 2009. While US economic fundamentals remain strong, growth is slowing. The economy added 75,000 jobs in May, for the 104th consecutive month of gains, but hiring dipped. Analysts expected companies to add 180,000 jobs last month, but employers hired only 41.6 percent of the anticipated total.As political blood-letting continued in West Bengal with three Trinamool workers being killed in Murshidabad district on Saturday, the Centre has sought a report from the state government on the measures taken to contain political violence, and another on the ongoing strike by doctors, senior officials who did not want to be named said.

In its communication on political violence, the Centre said: Unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern. It also pointed to the growing number of incidents of election-related and political violence and casualties during 2016-2019. The number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018 while 26 people have been killed in 2019 in poll-related issues, the Centre said.

It is requested that a report may be sent to this Ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence, it added.

In the second advisory, the Centre sought a report urgently on the ongoing doctors strike.

The killing of three more persons has taken to 14 the death count since Lok Sabha election results were declared on May 23.

The ruling Trinamool Congress claimed all three workers were party activists who were allegedly shot dead by rival Bharatiya Janata Party cadres. The BJP, however, attributed the killings to infighting in the TMC. Both parties have been locked in battle since the BJP bagged 18 of Bengals 42 Lok Sabha seats in the general elections, restricting the TMC to 22.

The clashes erupted in Halshanapara village, about 230 km to the north of Kolkata.

So far, three persons have been killed in the clash. Senior officers are conducting raids in search of the assailants. A few persons have been detained for questioning, said additional superintendent of police, Lalbagh-Murshidabad, Angshuman Roy. Those killed have been identified as Khairuddin Sheikh (40) and his nephews, Sohel Rana (22) and Rahidul Sheikh (32). The deputy pradhan of Garaimari gram panchayat, Sabbir Sheikh (40), was admitted to hospital with a bullet injury.

Villagers said the sound of gunshots and of hundreds of bombs being hurled could be heard during the clashes. The TMC claimed the killings were in retaliation to the murder of a man before the elections.

On March 18 this year, Altab Sheikh, the official in charge of fishery affairs in the TMC-run Domkal panchayat samiti, was killed. A few persons accused in that murder recently got bail and returned to the village.

Goons backed by the Congress and Left Front killed Altab before the general election. But now they are in the BJP camp. Today, BJP-backed goons killed three of our men after failing to perform well in the Lok Sabha election, alleged Soumik Hossain, the chairman of TMC-run Domkal municipality.

Refuting the TMC allegation, Humayun Kabir, the vice-president of the BJPs Murshidabad (south) unit, said, The murders on Saturday took place as a result of faction fights within the TMC. A CID probe will reveal it.India is unable to secure insurance cover for about 5 million tonnes of crude oil reserves kept in caverns for any exigency, which also include supplies from sanctions-hit Iran. Global reinsurers are unwilling to provide cover fearing adverse action against them for the breach of US sanctions, two persons with direct knowledge of the matter said requesting anonymity.

We are in a quandary, what to do? One option is to ask refiners to use the crude as it is too risky to keep the high-valued and highly volatile commodity without insurance cover. But, why would refiners bear additional costs for evacuation of crude from the underground caverns and transport it to their refineries? one of the persons cited above said.

Indian refiners are reluctant to immediately use the crude oil due to various reasons, including inventory and cost issues, the second official said.

The government-run Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) has created storage facilities in three caverns in Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Padur (near Udupi). The combined storage capacity of these caverns is a little over 5.33 million tonnes (MT), which is enough to meet Indias domestic energy requirements for 9.5 days as per the 2017-18 consumption figure of 206.2 MT, officials said. The consumption grew next year to 211.6 MT.

The quantum of Iranian crude oil present in caverns and the total value of the stored commodity in the three caverns could not be immediately ascertained. The oil ministry offered no comments on this matter. ISPRL did not respond to an email query.

Officials quoted earlier said ISPRL stored Iranian crude oil because it is relatively cheaper and its quality is ideal for Indian refiners. Iran offers its crude oil to India on attractive terms. Reinsurers are hesitating to give insurance cover to the facilities because they also store Iranian crude oil.

Even in 2012-13, reinsurers had refused to provide insurance covers to domestic refineries for processing Iranian crude despite the sanctions, oil sector experts who did not wish to be named said. They had also refused insurance cover to vessels carrying crude oil from Iran during that period, experts said.

Indian general insurance companies provide cover to oil refineries and installations and then reinsure that risk with global reinsurers by paying a premium. Most of the reinsurers are American and European and they take sanctions seriously, experts said.

Sovereign governments may take the risk and act against the US sanctions, but no commercial enterprise would jeopardise its business interests. Reinsurers are no exception, RS Sharma, former chairman of Oil and Natural gas Corporation, said.

Experts said insured amounts of the oil and gas sector are huge, often running into several billions of dollars, which is too big for Indian general insurance companies to take on their books. They are mandated by the regulator to get such risks covered through reinsurance. Indias only reinsurer is GIC Re, but it has limited capacity, experts said.

The Vishakhapatnam cavern has storage capacity of 1.33 MT, Mangaluru (1.5 MT) and Padur (2.5 MT). The government plans to construct two more such storage facilities with total capacity of 6.5 MT at Chandikhol in Odisha (4 MT) and Padur in Karnataka (2.5 MT). As per the consumption pattern of 2017-18, 6.5 MT capacity is sufficient to meet about 12 days of the countrys crude oil requirement.The Indian Air Force on Friday said that the mortal remains of the 13 men killed in the June 3 AN-32 crash and other material evidence will be picked up by helicopters and brought to Jorhat in stages.

The recovery team is braving the treacherous terrain and inclement weather in order to bring back the mortal remains as soon as possible, the IAF said in a statement. The IAFs mountaineers, men from the armys Special Forces and local climbers are at the crash site.

The AN-32 took off from Jorhat in Assam on June 3 and was on its way to an advanced landing ground at Mechuka in Arunachal Pradeshs West Siang district, near the border with China, when it lost contact with ground control. An airborne search team spotted the wreckage of the AN-32 on Tuesday, at a height of 12,000 feet near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts, after eight days of a massive search operation involving a fleet of aircraft and choppers as well as ground forces.

The IAF has flown around 200 sorties towards the AN-32 search and recovery operations and is sparing no efforts in recovering the remains of its personnel for which eight helicopters have been deployed, the IAF said.

Rescue teams on Thursday recovered the Soviet-origin aircrafts all-important cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder or the black box that will help investigators solve the mystery behind the crash.

The 24-metre-long aircraft with a wingspan of about 29 metres was a speck in a treacherous search zone spanning hundreds of square kilometers dotted with towering ridges, thick forests and deep valleys, officials familiar with the search said.

On Thursday, three more local mountaineers joined the rescue mission, Shillong-based IAF spokesman Ratnakar Singh told PTI.

Siang district deputy commissioner Rajeev Takuk said the district administration has extended all possible help to the IAF to retrieve the bodies from the crash site.

(With inputs from PTI)After the firing on Kar Sewaks in Ayodhya in late 1990, the then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav  the hero of 1989 oppositions battle against the Congress that led to the formation of Janata Dal governments at the Centre and in the state  became the most despised leader.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 1991 on the strength of 221 members in undivided Uttar Pradeshs 424-member assembly. Mulayam Yadavs Janata Party had just 34 seats.

By then, Mulayam Yadav had rubbed many in the opposition camp the wrong way. His friends had abandoned him as the slogans of Jai Sri Ram chased him.

Many analysts also wrote his political obituary.

But Mulayam rose again from the ashes he was consigned to and floated the Samajwadi Party in 1992 ending his political isolation after a journey through the Socialist Party, Lok Dal, Lok Dal (A), Janata Party, Janata Dal, Janata Dal (S) and Revolutionary Front since his first election as an MLA in 1967.

Within one year of its formation, his fledgling party formed the government in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in December 1993. However, it collapsed in June 1995.

But his party continued to grow as he picked and dumped partners at will, cultivated friends across political spectrum and grabbed power by mercilessly breaking parties and stitching an alliance with the ideologically incompatible partner Kalyan Singh in August 2003.

At the Centre too, the maverick politician remained influential. He became the balancing factor in central politics by wielding a considerable clout, especially after his party won 36 Lok Sabha seats in 2004.

Also read: If our paths are different: Akhilesh Yadavs first response to Mayawati breakup

In 2017, amid family drama, his son Akhilesh Yadav inherited the party from him but the turbulence did not end.

Now after three successive setbacks in 2014, 2017 and 2019, the Samajwadi Party is facing its toughest existential crisis. And once again, political pundits have been quick to prophesise that the party is going the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) way, which is on the verge of complete annihilation.

It might be too early to go that far. Akhilesh Yadav will have to rebuild the Samajwadi Party from scratch and it isnt going to be easy, not in the face of Hindu consolidation.

Nothing is perishable in politics and socialists are famous for rising from the ashes, says senior socialist leader Vinod Chand Dube. Mulayam had Machiavellian skills and its time for Akhilesh to display his political acumen in raising the party which, in electoral politics, has touched its nadir, he said.

To be sure, the SP is in a much more robust health in 2019 than it was in 1992. But the party will need course correction as the old strategy will not work with the politics of the country changing drastically. Hindus have consolidated to break the traditional caste blocs, Muslims have lost the veto power and the days of identity politics may soon be over.

Interestingly, not only SP, even the BSP was the offshoot of Hindutva politics and are now its casualty.

The temple movement in the early 1990s brought in an era of religious polarisation. It certainly benefited the BJP. But it also helped the SP grow and consolidate its Muslim-Yadav vote bank.

However, the same saffron surge has now become its nemesis.

A senior SP leader, who has stayed on with the party since its inception, said: In the current political scenario, it will take almost a decade to bring the party back to power. It is quite likely the people of the state may give one more term to the BJP in the state as it will adopt all ploys, even start temple construction in Ayodhya, before the 2022 assembly elections. Thats the time when the SP will get yet another opportunity to play a crucial role.

He also recalled how Mulayam remained in the opposition for almost 10 years  from 1993 to 2003  struggling to remain relevant every day, holding protests on every public issue.

He kept the organisational machinery well oiled. Even Akhilesh was groomed in those days of struggle. It is time he returns in his opposition boots to take on the BJP, he said.

He added that the SP-BSP alliance failed in extraordinary circumstances as BJP adopted two-pronged strategy  one, they converted the beneficiaries of PMs flagship schemes into their voters, and second, they succeeded in creating a nationwide perception that the country was safe only under the leadership of Narendra Modi.

In the process, a section of Yadavs and Jatavs also voted for the BJP instead of transferring their votes to their partner. But state assembly elections are different, he said.

Public memory is indeed ephemeral.

Also read: Mulayam questions SP-BSP pact, says some in party bent on destroying it

Mulayam, the politician credited for forewarning his son Akhilesh against committing the two blunders  the alliance with the Congress in 2017 assembly polls and with the BSP in 2019 general elections  had himself allied with both parties in the past.

But he was ruthless when it came to protecting his turf.

In 1990, while Rajiv Gandhi was rushing Narain Dutt Tiwari to Lucknow to withdraw support to his government, Mulayam had woken up the governor at four in the morning to recommend dissolution of the house. Not only the Congress had to cut a sorry figure but his one-upmanship helped him to continue as caretaker chief minister till the 1991 elections.

Many in the SP feel Mayawati used Akhilesh in 2019. She did not transfer votes and unilaterally pulled out of the alliance.

But this is precisely what she did to Akhileshs father in 1995. She had pulled out of the coalition government.

Ironically, a BJP hand was seen then and even now.Large French windows that reach the ceiling, a toilet and shower with round-the-clock water supply, stunning white walls with a fresh coat of paint, fans, lights and cushioned cots  this is no ad for a high-end studio apartment but the facilities inside the 300sqft jail cell at Mumbais Arthur Road prison, where Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya are likely to spend their time if extradited to India.

On Wednesday, just as the UK High Court rejected diamond merchant Nirav Modis bail plea for the fourth time, top jail officials in Mumbai were conducting a final inspection of a fully-equipped cell at Arthur Road jail which would house him.

Nirav Modi is accused of fraud and money-laundering in the Rs14,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) case. He has been in Londons Wandsworth jail since March this year; India has been pushing to bring him back.

A top source in the prisons department told HT a thorough inspection of Cell no. 2 in barrack 12 was done by Deepak Pandey, the Inspector-General, Prisons, and a team of high-ranking prison officials, on Wednesday. The inspection was meant to ensure all boarding and security arrangements in the cell are in place, the official said. Pandey confirmed: Its a fully-equipped, secure prison cell with facilities similar to a studio apartment.

Barrack 12 was recently refurbished. It is the first of two similar blocks. The construction of the other two will begin soon. The cells in these blocks are meant for under-trials only. The new complex falls in the high-security zone of the prison and is away from the main building.

The barrack is ground-plus-one structure, with two cells each on the ground and first floors. Cell no.2 is on the first floor. Peter Mukerjea, accused in the Sheena Bora murder case is in one of the ground-floor cells; Abu Jundal, the 26/11 handler, is reportedly in solitary confinement in the other cell on the first floor.

Each cell is meant to be shared by three inmates, but sources said Cell no. 2 will only house Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallaya  whose extradition case is also in progress in a London court. While each of these cells is meant to be shared by three inmates, we have decided to restrict the number of inmates in Cell no.2 to just Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, the official added.

CCTV cameras have been installed in the cell, not only to watch the inmates 24x7, but to also be used for video-conferencing, if the courts ask for it. Provisions for home food, or jail staple, would be decided by the court, if and when Nirav Modi is repatriated.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONThe Assam government is preparing to construct ten more detention centres in anticipation of the possible requirement to house large number of illegal foreigners as the deadline for the National Register of Citizens finalisation draws close, a senior official said on Friday.

We are sending a detailed project report for ten more detention centres to the Centre shortly for approval, said a top state government official familiar with the development. While the state has six detention centres which run out of district jails, the first exclusive detention centre is under construction in Goalpara in lower Assam at cost of around Rs 460 million and a capacity to hold 3000 persons.

This official said that the sites for the new detention centres have been identified but is awaiting final approval. The number of declared foreigners will go up after the NRC, he added. While there is still no clarity or policy on what is to be done with those who are out of NRC and eventually declared foreigners; this step is to maintain our level of readiness, the official explained the move.

The NRC list is due on July 31, 2019, the deadline set by the Supreme Court. Those whose names do not figure in the list have the option of approaching the foreigners tribunals to prove their Indian citizenship or the tribunal could declare them a foreigner.

The state government is in the process of establishing 200 more foreigners tribunals by September 1 and another 200 in the subsequent three months to deal with NRC appeals and references (the state government will refer those who do not appeal on their own).

The NRC draft published on July 30, 2018, excluded around 4 million people of which around 3.6 million filed claims for inclusion.

Declared foreigners in detention yet to be released more than a month after the SC order

More than a month after the Supreme Court ordered conditional release of declared foreigners who have completed three years in detention, they are yet to be set free as the bureaucracy works to finalise the modalities for their release.

An official of the Assam Polices Border Organisation said they are yet to receive any instructions from the state government for the release. According to this official, there are around 200 persons in detention who have spent three years or more and would be eligible for release.

Ashustosh Agnihotri, the Commissioner and Secretary, Home and Political Department said, the state government has been advised that an order for the release has to come from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). We are sending it to MHA.

On May 10, hearing a public interest litigation on condition of detention centres, the Supreme Court ordered release of detenues who had completed three years on the condition of execution of a bond with two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each and a verifiable address.

The Supreme Court also ordered that biometric information including all ten fingerprints and photos shall be captured and kept in a secured database and the released person must report to the police station every week.

While more than 1,00,000 persons have been declared foreigners by the tribunals, only four have been repatriated since 2013 and more than 900 are in detention and most of the remaining are absconding, according to the state government.

In an affidavit to the Supreme Court earlier, the state government had listed reasons for problems in repatriation and said, mostly such proposals (of repatriation) are pending in respect of declared foreigners that have refused to divulge their biographic details, particularly the country of their origin and the address in the country of their origin.India held off on endorsing Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the joint declaration issued after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek on Friday, a reflection of New Delhis concerns about the ambitious trade and connectivity project.

All other members of the SCO, especially the Central Asian states, have enthusiastically signed on for President Xi Jinpings flagship project. However, India has protested about BRI because a key component  the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)  passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan reaffirm their support for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and praise the results of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (which was held in April 26), the Bishkek Declaration said.

The declaration noted that ongoing work to implement BRI includes efforts to align Eurasian Economic Union projects with those under Chinas initiative.

In his speech at the SCO Summit, PM Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of better connectivity...but said without naming China, that such initiatives must be based on respect for sovereignty, regional integrity, good governance, transparency...and reliability.

Indian officials say CPEC has security implications for the country as it includes highways that could facilitate the rapid movement of Pakistani troops. They also say Beijings regulations for projects under BRI around the world favour Chinese firms and dont provide a level playing field even for Indian firms with global expertise.

India stayed away from both Belt and Road Forums hosted by China. Indias concerns about BRI are expected discussed when Xi and Modi meet at second informal summit in October.The Supreme Court-appointed Ayodhya mediation panel on Saturday held three-hour-long discussions with an All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) delegation.

We were invited by the panel for talks. We communicated to them the AIMPLB stand on the Ayodhya land dispute, said a member of the delegation led by AIMPLB general secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani.

We did not give any written submission to the panel but simply conveyed our views, which were finalised in a meeting of the AIMPLB at Nadwa College in April, said the member, adding the board was in favour of an amicable and peaceful settlement at the earliest.

Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya reiterated that, if required, a law would be enacted for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Maurya was in Ayodhya to attend the closing ceremony of the nine-day birthday celebrations of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.

Maurya said: There are two ways to resolve the Ram Mandir issue. One is through the courts and another is through dialogue between the parties (Hindu and Muslim litigants).

Both the processes are underway, he said. If required, a law will be enacted for construction of Ram temple, he said.

Maurya assured saints the Ram temple issue would be resolved soon. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayees prophecy has come true and the BJP has won more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha. Soon, other issues will also be resolved, he said.Casual touch by a colleague does not constitute offence of outraging modesty of a woman, the Bombay high court said on Saturday while striking down criminal prosecution of a school headmaster for touching the hands of one of his colleagues in class.

The bare act of touching hands of fellow woman-teacher by the headmaster while assuring her that her pending bills will be cleared by him and pleading her not to complaint against him to school trustees would not itself be sufficient to constitute the offence of outraging the modesty of the complainant teacher, said a bench of Justice TV Nalawade and Justice KK Sonawane, striking down criminal prosecution of the headmaster.

The accused was booked by Bembali police station in Osmanabad district under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code after a school teacher accused him of outraging her modesty.

The woman complained that on September 26, 2018, when she was teaching a class, the headmaster came to her and assured her of clearing all her pending medical and leave allowance bills.

She alleged that in front of the entire class, he touched her hands and pleaded her not to lodge complaints against him with the school trustees.

The bench noted that in conversation the applicant touched hands of a fellow teacher and it cannot be termed as deliberate act done for outraging modesty of the complainant, and therefore the act was not sufficient to attract Section 354.Visuals of a murderous attack on a Marxist rebel in Thalassery in Kannur district has left the CPI (M) embarrassed in Kerala, two days after chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had described the attack as an isolated incident.

The CCTV visuals show two men hacking C O T Naseer ruthlessly with swords and beating him with iron pipes while a third person tries to run a motorcycle over him. Naseer who miraculously survived despite more than 20 stab wounds and fractures on both legs, later named CPI(M) legislator A N Shamseer as the prime accused but the police are yet to name him in the first information report.

The Opposition claims there were attempts to hush up the case. This was the third attack on Naseer after he left the party in 2016. Though the party denied any role in the attack all arrested three men were either workers or office-bearers of the CPI (M). The police are looking for three more suspects.

The attack on Naseer, who contested the last general elections as an independent candidate from Vatakakra, took place on May 19, four days before the election results were declared.

CPI(M) candidate P Jayarajan, also former district secretary of Kannur who lost badly in the polls, visited him in the hospital. The party had also deputed a two-member panel to probe the incident. The latest incident shows party leaders have least control over marauding cadres.

The issue also figured prominently in the state assembly on Thursday but chief minister Vijayan brushed it aside as an isolated incident. He also said the police had recorded Naseers statements thrice and he never mentioned the name of the legislator.

But Naseer, who is recuperating in his home, said the police refused to give him a copy of the statement to him and claimed that the repeatedly took the legislators name.

I worked in the party for many years. There are killer squads and they execute rivals once they get the nod. In my case all arrested are from different areas. Shamseer had personal animosity after I raised corruption charges against him, said Naseer. He said he will move the High Court if he failed to get justice from the police.

Due to political pressure officials hands are tied. Politics of violence should end. We need to expose real conspirators, he said.

Naseer, once a prominent face of the CPI(M) from the minority community, was himself an accused in the attack against former chief minister Oommen Chandy in Kannur in 2015. Later he met Chandy and regretted about his involvement in the attack.Cyclone Vayu will change its path again and is likely to hit Kutch on June 17-18, an official of the ministry of earth sciences said on Friday.

The very severe cyclonic storm will also reduce in intensity and turn into a severe cyclonic storm by Saturday morning, a senior India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

The system is moving nearly westwards affecting Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarka districts with wind speed of 50-60 kilometres per hour gusting to 70 kilometres per hour and Gir Somnath and Junagarh districts with wind speed of 30-40 kilometres per hour gusting to 50 kilometres per hour. The wind speed over these districts is very likely to decrease gradually, the Cyclone Warning Division said in its bulletin at 5.30 pm.

The system is very likely to move nearly westwards during next 48 hours and recurve northeastwards thereafter, it added.

Cyclone Vayu will again recurve. It is likely to hit the Kutch coast on June 17-18, ministry of earth sciences secretary M Rajeevan told news agency PTI.

By June 16, Vayu is likely to become a cyclonic storm with an expected wind speed of 80-90 kilometres per hour, he said.

The intensity of the cyclone is likely to reduce and it may hit the coast as a cyclonic storm or a deep depression, Rajeevan added.

He said the Gujarat government has been alerted about the possible recurvature of the cyclonic storm.

Cyclone Vayu was to hit the Gujarat coast on Thursday, but it changed course on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. It skirted the Gujarat coast, affecting Gir, Somnath, Diu, Junagarh and Porbandar.

After it changed its course on Thursday, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said that the teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), that were brought in to provide aide for possible damage, will remain stationed along the coastline for another 48 hours.

As a precautionary measure, the state government has evacuated over two lakh people living along the coast.

Meanwhile, there was no let up in heatwave in northern and eastern India due to deficient pre-monsoon showers and conditions look to remain the same till the weekend when rain is likely in some parts.

The mercury crossed the 45-degree mark at some places in Delhi, which is the only 100% rain-deficient state in the country.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)A man was allegedly found murdered at his residence in Gandhi Nagar area of the national capital, the police said on Saturday.

The deceased identified as 19-year-old Asab used to work at a nearby factory. His dead body was discovered by his roommates when they returned from work, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shahdra, Meghna Yadav.

The injury is a stab in the abdomen, prima facie with a scissor, the senior police official said

A case has been registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant sections of the law.

So far, six people have been killed in five different incidents here since Thursday.

A 42-year-old property dealer and a boy were shot dead in separate incidents in the Bhalswa Dairy area of the national capital.

While in West Delhis Vikaspuri area, Unidentified assailants shot dead a 35-year-old man in and two men were shot dead in Nand Nagari area near the red light.

Separate cases have been registered and investigations are underway in all the cases.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Dont want to invoke Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) Act in the state, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal CM, Mamata: I do not want to invoke Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) Act in the state. I want the junior doctors to resume work as we have accepted all their demands, reports news agency ANI.

Not going to take any stringent action: Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee says, we never arrested a single person. We will not take any police action. Health services cannot continue like this. I am not going to take any stringent action. Let good sense prevail, reports news agency ANI.

Mamata Banerjee: Weve accepted all their demands

West Bengal CM: Weve accepted all their demands. I had sent my ministers, principal secretary to meet the doctors, waited for 5 hours to meet doctors delegations yesterday & today, but they did not come. You have to give respect to the constitutional body, reports news agency ANI.

Mamata appeals to all doctors to resume work

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: I appeal to all doctors to resume work as thousands of people are awaiting medical treatment, reports news agency ANI.

Mamata: Govt committed towards resuming normal medical services at the soonest

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata: State government is committed towards resuming normal medical services at the soonest. The incident on 10th June was unfortunate. We had continuously tried to reach a solution, reports news agency ANI.

Health Minister asks to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors

In his letter, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asks Chief Ministers to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors, medical professionals, reports news agency PTI.

Harsh Vardhan calls for strict action against any person who assaults doctors

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan writes to all Chief Ministers, calls for strict action against any person who assaults doctors,reports news agency PTI.

Mamata Banerjee to visit injured doctor, strikers to boycott meet with CM

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to visit private hospital Saturday afternoon to see a young doctor who is recuperating after an attack at the NRS hospital which sparked a widespread strike by junior doctors which began on Tuesday.

MHA sought report on the ongoing strike from West Bengal government

Sources: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued another advisory to West Bengal state government on the ongoing strike by doctors and sought a report on the matter urgently, reports news agency ANI.

MHA pointed out growing number of incidents of election-related casualties

MHA Sources: Pointing out the growing number of incidents of election related and political violence and casualties over 4 years from 2016 to 2019,Ministry of Home Affairs in an advisory issued to state government said,unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern, reports news agency ANI.

Centre has sought report from West Bengal government on measures taken to contain political violence

MHA Sources: Centre has sought a report from West Bengal government on measures taken to contain political violence and investigate such incidents of violence to bring culprits to book, reports news agency ANI.

Doctors at Northern Railway Central Hospital observe strike

Delhi: Doctors at the Northern Railway Central Hospital observe strike over violence against doctors at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Delhi: Doctors at the Northern Railway Central Hospital observe strike over violence against doctors at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/DD60gmfjvn  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

WBCPCR urges doctors to end strike, claims children dying due to lack of treatment

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Saturday urged the agitating doctors of the state to call off their strike because children are dying for lack of timely critical medical services, reports news agency ANI.

More Delhi doctors join hands to protest as Bengal stir enters Day 5

Scores of doctors from several government hospitals here, who could not join a nationwide stir on June 14, Saturday protested in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata.

Doctors at the Centre-run Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital, and Delhi government facilities such as Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and DDU Hospital, boycotted work and held protests.

Resident doctor at AIIMS, Delhi continues with symbolic protest

Delhi: Resident doctor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences continues with symbolic protest by wearing helmet.

We condemn the incident of violence against doctors in West Bengal: Medical Superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital

VK Tiwari, Medical Superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi: Resident doctors are on strike today. They have suspended work only in OPD and wards, Emergency services are running normally. We condemn the incident of violence against doctors in West Bengal.

VK Tiwari, Medical Superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi: Resident doctors are on strike today. They have suspended work only in OPD and wards, Emergency services are running normally. We condemn the incident of violence against doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/AZaLDJwno7  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

Doctors at many hospitals in Delhi protest on Saturday over West Bengal violence

Scores of doctors from several government hospitals here, who could not join a nationwide stir on June 14, Saturday protested in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata.

Doctors at the Centre-run Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital, and Delhi government facilities such as Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and DDU Hospital, boycotted work and held protests, reports news agency PTI.

Junior doctors of NRS medical and hospital continue their strike

Kolkata: Junior doctors of NRS Medical and Hospital continue their strike for the fifth day over violence against doctors.

Kolkata: Junior doctors of NRS Medical and Hospital continue their strike for the fifth day over violence against doctors. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/FIAlKIFwDR  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

Bengal junior doctors seek unconditional apology from Mamata Banerjee

The junior doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital, had on Friday sought unconditional apology from Mamata Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government in order to withdraw their stir, reports news agency PTI.

If condition worsens we will go on indefinite strike from June 17: Junior doctors association president, AIIMS

Amrinder Singh Malhi, President, RDA (Resident Doctors Association), AIIMS: All resident doctors are back to work but we will continue with symbolic protest by wearing black badges, bandages and helmets. If condition worsens we will go on indefinite strike from June 17.

Amrinder Singh Malhi, President, RDA (Resident Doctors' Association), AIIMS: All resident doctors are back to work but we will continue with symbolic protest by wearing black badges, bandages&helmets. If condition worsens we will go on indefinite strike from June 17. pic.twitter.com/nOxcqPCSsi  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

IMA delegation meets Harsh Vardhan over ongoing strike

Delhi: Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation meets Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over the ongoing strike of doctors in West Bengal.

Delhi: Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation meets Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over the ongoing strike of doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/0GDIcaDHQs  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

Striking junior doctors say they wont attend meeting called by Mamata Banerjee at state secretariat on Saturday evening

Striking junior doctors say they wont attend meeting called by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at state secretariat on Saturday evening, news agency PTI.

Calcutta High Court seeks details of steps taken by govt on doctors strike

A PIL has been filed in Calcutta High Court by Kunal Saha of People for Better Treatment, seeking that the doctors strike in the state be declared illegal. The HC has sought details of what steps had been taken by West Bengal on attack on doctors and the doctors strike, by next Friday. Next hearing to take place next week. : ANI

Calcutta High Court refuses to pass interim order on strike

Calcutta high court has refused to pass interim order on strike by junior doctors in state-run hospitals, and has asked West Bengal government to persuade them to rejoin work, reported news agency PTI.

Mamata Banerjee yesterday invited agitating doctors for meeting

Mamata Banerjee yesterday invited agitating doctors for meeting at state secretariat to resolve impasse, medicos refusd, reports news agency PTI.

At least 100 doctors in government hospitals in Bengal want to resign

As many as 100 doctors in state-run hospitals across West Bengal have written to the authorities expressing their desire to resign from the services. Between Thursday and Friday afternoon as many as 92 doctors -- professors, associate professors, assistant professors and medical officers -- wrote to the authorities expressing their desire to step down.

Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS issue ultimatum to West Bengal government

Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS: We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal government to meet demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to indefinite strike at AIIMS, reports news agency ANI.Striking junior doctors in Bengal turned down chief minister Mamata Banerjees invitation to their representatives for talks behind closed doors on Saturday, effectively dashing hopes of an immediate resolution to the five-day-long heathcare crisis in government hospitals.

The junior doctors had struck work on Tuesday to protest the brutal assault on colleagues on the NRS Medical College and Hospital campus the night before following the death of an octogenarian patient. They have refused to resume work till security is provided in all government hospitals and turned a deaf ear to the chief ministers threats to take action.

Hard pressed to find a way out, Banerjee had invited four representatives of the protesters for talks at the state secretariat at 5 pm in the presence of five prominent doctors of the city. But the striking doctors snubbed the chief minister.

We doubt the objectivity and safety of talks with a handful of our representatives behind closed doors. We want the chief minister to come to NRS (Medical College and Hospital) and hold talks with all of us, a statement issued by NRS doctors after a general body meeting said.

Subsequently, Banerjee held a series of meetings with the junior health minister, chief secretary, health secretary and five veteran doctors. We tried to break the impasse. We failed. We give up, said Abhijit Chowdhury, one of the five doctors who met the CM.

On Saturday, the health department issued a directive for revamping security at all state-run hospitals. Officials aware of developments said the department proposed to deploy private security agencies that will work in coordination with the police. The government will also install alarm systems and increase the number of security cameras at hospitals.

Over the week, the doctors strike that began in Bengal spread across 17 states and Union Territories. Resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital, who boycotted work on Friday, gave Banerjee a 48-hour ultimatum to meet the junior doctors demands, failing which they plan to begin an indefinite strike.

At the same time, doctors in Bengal continued their resignation threat. On Saturday, as many as 40 doctors from Kalyanis JNM Medical College and Hospital and 26 from Midnapore Medical College and Hospital submitted letters to the authorities expressing their desire to resign. So far, over 700 doctors have threatened to put in their papers.

On Saturday afternoon, the police made security bandobast outside the Institute of Neurosciences in south Kolkata where the chief minister was expected to visit Paribaha Mukherjee, the junior doctor assaulted on Monday night. But she did not show up till evening.

Mukherjee is doing well and is out of danger, said P Bardhan, superintendent of the Institute of Neurosciences.

The efforts to break the deadlock began on Saturday morning with Indian Medical Association all-India president Santanu Sen holding a meeting with protesters at NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the agitation since Monday night.

Sen appealed to the strikers to speak to the chief minister. But they got furious after Sen told reporters, Outsiders present in the meeting were trying to derail efforts to resolve the impasse. Even those not involved with the medical profession were present in the general body meeting with junior doctors. They are trying to prolong the anarchy.

Opposition leaders reacted sharply to the failure of the government to resolve the crisis. The doctors defied the chief ministers ultimatum and she has acted obstinately by not visiting them, thereby causing endless trouble to the common people. She should resign, said Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary Rahul Sinha.

Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury tweeted, Common people are selling their valuables and buying expensive private healthcare, while Didi is not going for talks with the doctors. Is she trying to fully privatise Bengals healthcare system?

More deaths at hospitals

A three-day-old baby boy died in Midnapore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) on Saturday, as hundreds of patients continued to face hardships because of the strike. The baby had troubled breathing since his birth on Wednesday but he did not get any treatment due to the doctors agitation, said Mustakin Bibi, the babys grandmother.

Trouble erupted in MMCH after the family members placed the babys lifeless body in front of the agitating junior doctors and blamed them for the death. Policemen from Kotwali police station were called in to control the situation.

MMCH principal Panchanan Kundu said the infant had a problem in the lungs, and denied allegations of lack of treatment.

In Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, Chandnihara Bibi (51) died on Saturday afternoon. We admitted my aunt with severe breathing problems. But the doctors didnt even administer oxygen and saline due to their strike, said Faizur Rahaman, a nephew of Bibi.

After her death, hundreds began agitating but police restored order. The scene at state-run medical colleges did not change much on Satutrday. Outpatients departments were closed and, in some cases, emergency services, too, remained suspended.Nine more children died on Friday in Bihars Muzaffarpur district, which is reeling under an outbreak of brain fever, taking the toll to 63 this month, with officials maintaining the deaths were due to hypoglycemia.

All the victims have fallen prey to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by a very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance, they said.

The children died in two hospitals of Muzaffarpur, one of which was visited by state Health Minister Mangal Pandey during the day.

On Friday, a seven-member team from the Centre examined patients at the SKMCH and prepared a report on the hospitals management of the disease.

The team led by Dr Arun Kumar Singh, national advisor of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, which submitted its report to the director general, health services, on Friday, said resources were not being optimally utilised at the hospital, a state health official privy to the report said.

A copy of the report was also handed over to Sanjay Kumar, the principal secretary, health, in Bihar.

Singh declined to comment. The report also mentioned that doctors were not performing CT (computed tomography) scans as they were not familiar with diagnosis and management protocol for AES, said the official. CT scan is available at the hospital on public-private partnership basis.

Though ventilators  at least six of them  were available in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), they were not being put to use as the doctors were not trained. No trained intensivist was available at the hospital to run the ventilator. Even arterial blood gas (ABG) analysers were not being put to use as doctors did not know precisely when to use them in such cases, the report said.

We are open to supporting and developing capacity of state health personnel. We are even willing to share our functional model of ICU and send our team of experts and paramedics to SKMCH for firefighting and hands-on training of their personnel, said AIIMS-Patna director Dr Prabhat Kumar Singh.

Dr Lokesh Tiwari, associate professor of AIIMS-Patna, is one of the members of the central team.

Since June 1, 178 and 72 children were admitted in SKMCH and Kejriwal hospital respectively with suspected cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) but most of them were found to be victims of hypoglycemia.

The health minister who held a meeting with doctors and officials at the SKMCH said six more ambulances will be available there from Friday and a 100-bed new ward will be made operational soon.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already directed the officials concerned to ensure that preventive measures were taken in the affected districts, though deaths have so far been reported from Muzaffarpur only.

Health Departments Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar had earlier said the disease has affected 222 blocks of 12 districts especially Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran.The central government on Saturday said it supports Hong Kongs decision to suspend the implementation of the extradition bill that would allow people from the special administrative region (SAR) to be sent to the Mainland to be tried in court.

Hong Kongs pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam earlier on Friday suspended the proposed law, which had triggered massive protests, and police retaliation. across the financial hub last week.

In a speech on Saturday afternoon, Lam said: The government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more ... work and listen to different views of society.

We have no intention to set a deadline for this work and promise to report to and consult members of the legislative council panel on security before we decide on the next step forward, she said.

In a statement from the central government, quoted by the official news agency, Xinhua, the central government also condemned violent acts in Hong Kong and supported the former British colonys police.

We note that Chief Executive Carrie Lam of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) announced today that the SAR government decided to suspend work on the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019, the Chinese foreign the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The statement added that Beijing supports, respects and understands the decision.

The Chinese Central Government expresses its support, respect, and understanding for the SAR governments decision and will continue its staunch support for Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the SAR government in governing Hong Kong in accordance with the law and upholding the SARs prosperity and stability with people from all sectors, the statement added.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang reiterated that Hong Kong is Chinas SAR and its affairs are Chinas internal affairs.

I would like to emphasise that Hong Kong is Chinas SAR and its affairs are purely Chinas internal affairs that brook no interference from any country, organisation or individual, he said.

Chinas determination to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests and uphold Hong Kongs prosperity and stability is rock solid, Geng added.

Beijing governs Hong Kong under the one country, two systems model under which the city enjoys many freedoms not available to Mainland citizens including the freedom of the press and to gather.

Critics, however, say those freedoms are gradually being eroded.

Since the return of Hong Kong, the policy of one country, two systems and Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy has been faithfully implemented. The rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents have been fully guaranteed according to law. The facts are there for all to see. Maintaining Hong Kongs prosperity and stability serves not only Chinas interests, but also the interests of all countries across the world, Geng said.In a first, each of the 300,000-odd pilgrims expected to visit the Amarnath Shrine this year will be tracked from the base camp to the shrine and back, using a unique card, even as nearly 45,000 security personnel will be deployed to protect them, a senior home ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.

The annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine begins on July 1.

Each pilgrim will be personally tracked through a unique card. The cards will be given to them when they set out from the base camp and they will have to swipe at five locations leading up to the cave, the officer said, adding, The card readers are being installed on both routes.

The Amarnath Cave can be approached from two routes  Baltal and Pahalgam. The former is 14 km whereas the other route is 42 km long.

The personal trackers will give the exact location of the pilgrim, indicate which part the pilgrims are crossing for the entire route. It will help us track them adding to the security and also help us in crowd management, the official said.

Last year, all vehicles from different states carrying pilgrims were radio-tagged. The radio frequency identification tags of vehicles carrying pilgrims helped the administration map the entire journey  from the moment they entered the state to base camps.

Besides tags and personal trackers, nearly 320 companies of the paramilitary force  each company comprising about 100 policemen  are being deployed to secure the Yatra. In addition, the Jammu and Kashmir Police will also be deploying thousands of men as well. This is the largest ever deployment of security personnel to secure the yatra in recent years.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is alone deploying nearly 150 companies whereas the Border Security Force (BSF) will be deploying about 70 companies.

Besides, the Indian Army will deploy between 3-4 battalions  each comprising about 650-700 soldiers  to secure the mountain ridges along Yatra. Helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) will also be pressed into service.

Security agencies, however, have not flagged any specific threat to the Yatra this year. Like last year, security agencies havent picked up any specific threat to Yatra, but the general threat to security forces remain, a second senior official with the ministry of home affairs (MHA) asking not to be named.

Last year, terrorists had opened fire on security forces at Anantnag but failed to inflict any damage.

In 2017, terrorists had attacked a bus carrying pilgrims  when it violated the route and time restrictions.

As many as 12 pilgrims were killed in the attack.The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite that waxes and wanes and devotees believe the structure symbolises Lord Shiva, the Hindu god. It was discovered by a Muslim shepherd in the 15th century.Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to visit private hospital Saturday afternoon to see a young doctor who is recuperating after an attack at the NRS hospital which sparked a widespread strike by junior doctors which began on Tuesday.

However, there is no official confirmation about the visit. The doctor, Paribaha Mukherjee, who was attacked by relatives of a patient who died Monday evening at the NRS hospital, had suffered head injuries. He was admitted to a private hospital  Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata in the citys Mallik Bazar area. He has since recovered and is now said to be stable, sources said. Another doctor had also been attacked along with Mukherjee.

Striking junior doctors have turned down Mamata Banerjees invitation for a meeting at the state secretariat, which was called to resolve the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

The junior doctors issued a statement after a general body meeting early afternoon saying they will not attend the meeting with the chief minister at the state secretariat at 5 pm.

ALSO WATCH | AIIMS doctors call off strike but issue 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata govt

We dont want a few representatives of ours to hold a meeting behind closed doors, doctors at NRS Hospital said in a statement.

The general body meeting was held after a meeting with the president of the IMA at NRS Medical College and Hospital on Saturday morning.

The doctors have sought unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government to withdraw the stir.

The stir has spread beyond Bengal across 17 states and Union Territories and involved about 100,000 doctors across India, according to reports from various medical associations

Resident doctors of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital, who boycotted work on Friday have given a 48-hour ultimatum to Banerjee to meet the demands of the states agitating doctors, failing which they said they would begin an indefinite strike.With the ongoing strike by junior doctors in Bengal entering the fifth day on Saturday, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today said the state government accepts all their demands and asked them to resume work at the earliest.

We accept all their demands. I had sent my ministers, principal secretary to meet the doctors. They waited for five hours both yesterday and today. However, the doctors did not turn up. You have to give respect to the constitutional body, Banerjee said while addressing the media in Kolkata.

Drawing parallels with other states in the past, the chief minister also reiterated that the Bengal government did not want to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the agitating junior doctors. We did not arrest a single person. We will not take any police action. Health services cannot continue like this. I am not going to take any stringent action. Let good sense prevail, Banerjee said.

Junior doctors across West Bengal are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were brutally attacked and beaten by the relatives of a patient who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The agitation had spread beyond Bengal across 17 states and Union Territories during the week. Resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi had also boycotted work on Friday to express solidarity with their colleagues in Bengal. Support for the agitating doctors had poured in from the medical fraternity across the country.

Over the past two days, as many as 640 doctors in Bengal -- professors, associate professors, assistant professors and medical officers - have written to the authorities saying that they would like to resign from the services.

Earlier on Thursday, the chief minister had also alleged the presence of outsiders triggering angry reactions from the protesting doctors.West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to agitating doctors in the state to rejoin work and the Centre asked her government for a report into the matter, even as striking medical professionals said on Saturday they will continue their protest against attacks on doctors because there was no honest initiative by the chief minister to resolve the matter.

Thousands of doctors are protesting across the country over an incident in which three junior doctors at NRS Medical College in Kolkata were assaulted by the relatives of a patient who died during treatment on Monday.

Hours before Banerjee appeared to soften her stance on Saturday by assuring that the careers of the doctors will not be hampered, the striking junior doctors in West Bengal turned down the CMs proposal for talks at the state secretariat. They demanded that Banerjee hold an open discussion at the hospital and not a closed-door meeting.

We doubt the objectivity and safety of talks with a handful of our representatives behind closed doors. We want the chief minister to come to NRS (Medical College and Hospital) and hold talks with all of us, a joint statement by the agitating doctors said.

Stirs and demonstrations by doctors continued across several states and Union Territories, prompting the ministry of home affairs to issue an advisory to the West Bengal government on the ongoing strike.

The advisory said: This ministry is in receipt of a number of representations from doctors, health care professionals and medical associations from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal. It is requested that a detailed report be sent urgently on the representations and ongoing strike by the doctors.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan called for punitive action against those attacking health care professionals, saying strict action must be taken against anyone who assaults them.

Banerjee responded to the Union ministers remark by saying that health was a state subject. Ask him to look after health care in the country, she said. On the Centres advisory, the CM said: It is a routine affair. They keep sending these. Dont pay too much attention to it.

In Delhi, health care services were hit as doctors from various hospitals including the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, GB Pant Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College went on strike in solidarity with the agitating doctors in West Bengal. Emergency and ICU services, however, remained functional.

The Resident Doctors Association of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) called off its day-long strike but gave the West Bengal CM a 48-hour ultimatum to meet the demands of the protesting doctors in her state.

Doctors in West Bengal and other states took out protest marches and wore black bands and helmets to work. The Indian Medical Association has called for a nationwide strike on Monday, stepping up protests to demand better security at hospitals after the attack on doctors in Kolkata.

On Saturday evening, Banerjee said that the West Bengal government did not invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) even after five days of strike by the junior doctors and appealed to them to immediately rejoin service.

We have the laws, but we do not want to use them.... We are not going to take any stringent action against any of the agitating junior doctors and hamper their career, she said in what can be seen as a climbdown at a news briefing after the agitating doctors refused to visit the secretariat for talks at 5 pm.

The chief minister said that the state government had accepted all the demands of the doctors and was ready to accept more, but she added that they must resume work. On Friday, I waited for the junior doctors for five hours. And today, I cancelled all my programmes for them. You must show some respect to the constitutional body, she said.

Responding to Banerjees remarks, Archisman Bhattacharya, a representative of the agitating junior doctors said: At the press conference, she tried to divert peoples attention from the real issue. We are compelled to continue with the agitation.

Banerjee cited instances of steps taken against doctors in similar situations by other states, adding that the West Bengal government had not taken any tough action against them as she did not want to hamper their careers.

The West Bengal CM was criticised on Friday after saying that those living in her state will have to learn to speak in Bengali. She said that outsiders were instigating the doctors strike.

Among the demands of the protesters are an unconditional apology by the CM, a personal visit by her to the injured doctors, a condemnation of Mondays attack, and a judicial inquiry into alleged police inaction against the assailants.

At least one death, that of a child who could not be admitted to a government hospital, was reported on Friday amid the strike. The family of a three-year-old alleged that he died because of the lack of medical aid on Saturday, but doctors denied the charge.

The CM met five prominent doctors and her office invited four representatives of the doctors from NRS Medical College on Friday to the state secretariat for discussion but the offer was turned down.

On the mass resignation of the doctors across the state, Banerjee said on Saturday that they were not legally tenable. If the junior doctors think I am incapable, they can always talk to the governor or the chief secretary... or the commissioner of police, she said.

West Bengal governor Keshari Nath Tripathi wrote to Banerjee and advised her to take immediate steps to provide security to the doctors and find a solution to the impasse. Banerjee later said she spoke to the governor and apprised him about the steps taken by the state government to break the deadlock.Scores of doctors from several government hospitals here, who could not join a nationwide stir on June 14, Saturday protested in solidarity with their striking colleagues in Kolkata.

Doctors at the Centre-run Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital, and Delhi government facilities such as Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and DDU Hospital, boycotted work and held protests.

On Friday, a majority of hospitals in Delhi had joined the country-wide agitation in support of the doctors in West Bengal, on a call given by the India Medical Association (IMA) and various resident doctors associations (RDAs).

However, many hospitals could not join the protest on June 14 as they had not submitted the 24-hour advance notice to the government as required by protocol. So, they are observing a bandh on Saturday, President of Federation of Residents Doctors Association (FORDA) Sumedh Sandanshiv said.

However, ICUs and emergency wings of these hospitals are functioning, he said.

There was a shutdown of out patient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits, except emergency services at these hospitals of the city, where doctors held their token strike on Saturday.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured allegedly by relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Scores of doctors in Delhi on Friday had held demonstrations, with many seeing patients in emergency wards wearing bandages on forehead or helmets, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity. On Saturday, doctors at several hospitals wore helmets or bandages over forehead while seeing patients. Even though regular services have resumed at AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital and various Delhi government-run facilities, many doctors continued to do work wearing bandages. Condemning any form of violence, especially against medical professionals in the country, the IMA launched a four-day nationwide protest from Friday and called for a strike on June 17 with withdrawal of non-essential health services. The apex medical body also wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over their demands regarding safety of doctors in hospitals. Vardhan on Friday supported the medical fraternitys demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said such crimes should be made non-bailable.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh director general police over brutal assault on a TV journalist allegedly by Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel in Shamli.

The commission has asked the DGP to submit a detailed report within four weeks, including action taken against guilty public servants and status of the FIR registered against them.

In a press statement, the NHRC said the commission had taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a TV journalist in west Uttar Pradeshs Shamli district was assaulted by the SHO of the GRP on the night of June 11. The SHO, along with a constable, was booked and suspended after videos of the attack went viral the next day.

The incident reportedly occurred when group of reporters assembled in the Manipur area where two bogies of a goods train derailed at night. An argument took place between journalists and police personnel. The TV journalist was then thrashed and dragged to the local GRP police station where he was locked up. The victim claimed he was stripped and the SHO urinated in his mouth.

The commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amounted to gross violation of the victims rights. Going by the reported allegations, this kind of cruel and uncivilized act by a public servant is highly disgraceful and cannot be tolerated in a civilised society, he said. Stern action should be taken against the police personnel if found guilty so that such a barbaric act was not repeated by any public servant in future, it said in the statement.

According to media reports carried on June 13, the SHO was seen attacking the journalist in the video clips. The victim reportedly alleged the police personnel attacked him out of vengeance as he had run a story about an encroachment by unauthorized vendors in connivance with GRP personnel last month.

An FIR based on the complaint of the journalist was registered and a departmental inquiry under supervision of the IG Railways was ordered.Senior Shiv Sena leader and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Saturday said if there was no favourable court verdict, peoples power would pave the way for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Raut was in Ayodhya on Saturday to review preparations for the visit of party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday.

We firmly believe that the Supreme Court will give a verdict in favour of the Ram temple. If the verdict is otherwise, then the peoples court is more powerful than the Supreme Court and it will construct the Ram temple, Raut told reporters in Ayodhya on Saturday.

It is only through peoples power that Narendra Modi has become such a powerful prime minister. I am hopeful that before the next Lok Sabha polls, construction of the Ram Mandir will start, he said.

The Shiv Sena leader asserted union home minister Amit Shah would find solutions to the problems related to the Ram temple, Article 370 and Article 35 A. Raut also asserted that there were no differences between the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

Uddhav Thackeray will be in Ayodhya to thank Lord Ram for the partys performance in the Lok Sabha polls. He will also take a pledge for the construction of the Ram temple, Raut said.

The 2019 mandate to the Modi government is for the construction of Ram Mandir, he said. The NDA will have a majority in the Rajya Sabha in 2020. This will also pave the way for the construction of the Ram temple, he said.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be in Ayodhya on Sunday to perform a puja at the makeshift Ram Mandir.

He will be accompanied by his son and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray and 18 MPs of the party. Thackeray will reach Ayodhya on Sunday morning by a chartered plane.

Thackeray was in Ayodhya on November 24, 2018 along with his family and a large number of party leaders and workers. He had attended the Ashirwad Sammelan at the

Lakshman Quila ground organised by saints.

At the time, he had promised to come back to Ayodhya to pay obeisance to Lord Ram after the Lok Sabha polls.

Last week, the Shiv Sena, through an editorial in Saamana, reiterated its goal of constructing a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and said the second term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi would expedite the process.

The Yogi government has accorded the status of state guest to the Shiv Sena chief and party MPs.The Punjab government announced on Saturday that it will send a four-member delegation to Meghalaya following reports that Punjabis living in the northeastern state have been asked to leave by the authorities. Chief minister Amarinder Singh has also written to his counterpart in Meghalaya Conrad Sangma to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to provide protection to the Punjabis.

The four-member delegation will be led by Punjab minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria. MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu and Jasbir Singh Gill along with MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid will be a part of the delegation. DS Mangat, Special Secretary, Planning, has also been directed to accompany the group, an official spokesperson said. They will meet Sangma and other officials in the state, he said.

The directions come amid media reports that the Punjabis settled in Meghalaya have received threats from local terrorist organisations which warned them of dire consequences if they resisted the state governments attempts to evict them.

These reports have naturally caused great concern back in Punjab as these families have been settled in Shillong long before the countrys independence, Amarinder wrote in a letter to Sangma requesting him to initiate urgent measures to instill a sense of security among the Punjabi settlers.

Underlining the sensitivity of the issue, the Punjab chief minister said it was important that the matter be not allowed to acquire a religious or parochial colour.

The development comes after the Meghalaya government had on Thursday submitted its report to the Ministry of Home Affairs assuring the safety of Punjabi settlers in Shillong. An incident of assault in Punjabi Lane area of Shillong in May last year had resulted in group clashes following which it was put under curfew for over a month.

Punjabi Lane is inhabited by people from Punjab, who were brought to Shillong around 200 years ago by the British to work as cleaners and sweepers.Indias move to impose retaliatory tariffs on the United States could worsen the trade-related problems between the two countries because the Trump administration is not in a mood to relent on international trade and may not shy away from a confrontation, according to trade analysts in Washington and New Delhi who asked not to be named.

The trade deficit between India and the US stood at roughly $21.3 billion in Indias favour in 2018. Though some trade between the two countries has increased in recent months, the problem largely hovers around three issues that could have long-term implications, the analysts contended.

The first is the disagreement over medical devices. India, in 2017, put certain cost caps on certain procedural and remedial equipment largely to benefit poorer patients. The most important among the devices was the cap on stents, which affected large US multinationals such as Abbot and Boston Scientific. Indias medical devices market is estimated to be about $5 billion, and one fallout of the cap on priensure ces is the non-availability of drugeluting stents in India. Even as the two sides try to hammer out a deal, this is an issue that could also impact Indias booming medical tourism sector.

Second, on the investment front, Indias recent rules on e-commerce have inconvenienced Us-based firms Walmart and Amazon, which run Indias top two e-commerce marketplaces. Walmart, in 2018, completed a $16 billion acquisition of Flipkart. Indias new e-commerce rules say that online marketplaces must treat all vendors equally by providing the same terms. This effectively stops these companies from forcing sellers to feature products exclusively on their platforms, thereby limiting control over inventory. Its an issues that has become another irritant between the countries.

Third, data localization rules by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) -- all system providers must that the entire data related to payment systems are stored in a system only in India to ensure better monitoring of service operators  have become a point of contention.

In April, the US criticised the norms, describing them as discriminatory and trade-distortive. India has recently promulgated a number of data localisation requirements that would serve as significant barriers to digital trade between the US and India, the US Trade Representatives 2019 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers said. It added that the costs of data-intensive services for suppliers were being raised by forcing the construction of unnecessary, redundant data centres and preventing local firms from taking advantage of the best available global services.

In this backdrop, on June 1, US President Donald Trump issued the presidential proclamation and withdrew preferential duty benefits  Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)  to India.

The trade analysts cited above said that a retaliatory tariffs response by India may be good from a political standpoint, but could inflict long-term damage to trade between the two countries.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONStriking junior doctors turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees invitation for a meeting at the state secretariat, which was called to resolve the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital here, has sought unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government in order to withdraw the stir.

We are not going to the secretariat upon the invitation of the chief minister for the meeting. She will have to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for the comments she made during her visit to the SSKM Hospital on Thursday, Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, told PTI.

If she can go to the SSKM she can also come to the NRS... or else this agitation will go on, he said.

Banerjee, who visited the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday amid slogans of we want justice, had contended that outsiders were creating disturbances in the medical colleges and the ongoing agitation is a conspiracy by the CPI(M) and the BJP.

On Friday night, the agitating junior doctors declined to attend a meeting called by Banerjee at the state secretariat, saying it was a ploy to break their stir.

After the protesting doctors did not turn up on Friday night, Banerjee asked the students to come to Nabanna, the state secretariat, at 5pm on Saturday, senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee along with other senior doctors, who were not part of the agitation, met Banerjee on Friday.

They held a two-hour-long meeting with the chief minister at the secretariat to find a solution to the ongoing problem.

Notably, over 300 senior doctors across various state-run medical college and hospitals resigned from their services in solidarity with their agitating colleagues.

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi last evening invited Banerjee to Raj Bhawan for a meeting to resolve the crisis. Banerjee, however, did not respond.

I tried to contact the chief minister. I called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me up, we will discuss the matter, the governor told reporters after visiting Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, the doctor who was assaulted, at a hospital on Friday night.

Meanwhile, resident doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi have given a 48-hour ultimatum to Banerjee to meet the demands of the agitating doctors, failing which they said they would go on an indefinite strike.

ished from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Terrorism is the gravest threat facing Asia, and all countries should back the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism proposed by India to help combat the menace, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

Addressing the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit in the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe, he said many of the 26 member states of the grouping were victims of terrorism.

Terrorism is the gravest threat that we face in Asia today. Many CICA members are victims of terrorism and it should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated, he said.

CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism. Early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, proposed by India, is today even more essential and we seek your support in this regard, he said.

Jaishankars remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modis address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where he said all countries encouraging, supporting and financing terror must he held responsible for their actions. This was a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan.

In Afghanistan, Jaishankar said, India will continue to back a national peace and reconciliation process that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.

We believe all initiatives and processes must include all sections of Afghan society, including the legitimately elected government, he said.

He said lack of energy security had emerged as a key developmental challenge, and India backs a better dialogue between consumers and producers for a stable energy market. He called on CICA members to join Indias initiative of the International Solar Alliance as developing renewable energy will facilitate security and stability in Asia.

Indias initiative of International Solar Alliance has received overwhelming support; 74 countries have signed the Framework Agreement. Developing renewable energy will be a great contribution to the security and stability of Asia and I invite CICA members who have not joined the Alliance to do so, Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar also said Indias vision of the Indo-Pacific is rooted in the SAGAR or Security and Growth for All in the Region policy.

CICA is a pan-Asia forum for enhancing cooperation and promoting security and stability in Asia. India has been a member of CICA since its inception and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee participated in the groupings first summit in Kazakhstan in 2002.Three months ahead of the state assembly polls, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will expand his cabinet on Sunday. The long pending cabinet reshuffle and expansion is being carried out to accommodate senior politicians from the Opposition, who joined the BJP-Shiv Sena recently and give a chance to aspirants within the parties.

Both, former senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in the assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar who joined BJP and Shiv Sena respectively are likely to get cabinet berths in this rejig.

The cabinet expansion will be held tomorrow. I have held one discussion about it and one final discussion will be done on Saturday, Fadnavis said. The chief minister was speaking to reporters in Delhi, where he was attending the Niti Ayog meeting. He is also expected to hold a discussion with BJP chief Amit Shah to get the final nod for the cabinet reshuffle.

Fadnavis had met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray late on Friday night to discuss the modalities of the expansion. After the meeting he tweeted: Met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree and held a detailed discussion on the cabinet expansion.

The Fadnavis cabinet has 37 ministers  out of which 22 are cabinet ministers and 15 are junior ministers.

Out of the total, the BJP holds 16 cabinet and 7 junior ministerial posts while the Sena has 5 cabinet and 7 junior ministerial posts. Smaller allies, including the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana have one cabinet and one minister of state post respectively.

The chief minister can include up to 43 ministers in his cabinet as per Constitutional norms.

The Shiv Sena is likely to get one cabinet and one minister of state post in this reshuffle. There has been speculation that Shiv Sena was offered the Deputy Chief Ministers post on Friday night but this was turned down by Thackeray to avoid dissidence within the party.

Fadnavis is expected to drop four ministers from his existing cabinet to give other aspirants a chance.

There is a chance that two ministers from Vidarbha and two from Mumbai may get dropped. The two ministers from Mumbai may include Vidya Thakur (minister of state) and state housing minister Prakash Mehta, who is facing allegations and has been probed by the state Lokayukta. The decision on Mehta will be taken by the partys senior leadership in Delhi, said a senior BJP leader, who did not want to be named.

The cabinet has five ministers from Vidarbha and it is likely that two of them including one cabinet and one minister of state will be dropped. Two ministerial aspirants from Vidarbha, Dr Anil Bonde and Sanjay Kute are likely to get a chance in the reshuffle.Trolled on social media for not going ahead with a Samadhi after the defeat of Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Digvijaya Singh as promised, Swami Vairagyanand has submitted an application to the collector of Bhopal seeking permission to immolate himself on Sunday.

In the application submitted through a lawyer on Thursday the Swami stated, While organising a yajna hawan for victory of Digvijaya Singh I had resolved that if Digvijaya Singh faces a defeat I will undertake a Samadhi in a hawankund (holy fire).

I am presently staying at Kamakhyadham and wish to undergo a Samadhi at 2.11 Oclock on June 16 to fulfill my resolve. I am confident that administration will completely cooperate with me to respect to my religious sentiments and accord sanction (to my application) while deciding a place for the same, he said in his application.

Collector Tarun Kumar Pithode said he has written to deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Bhopal that such a permission could not be granted to the applicant and that necessary action be taken for the safety of the applicants life.

Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh lost to BJPs Pragya Thakur by a margin of about 3.60 lakh votes. During the election campaign Swami Vairagyanand predicted Singhs victory and said he would perform a hawan with chillies for his victory.

After Digvijaya Singhs defeat Swami Vairagyanand was trolled on social media for his false prediction and backing out from his resolve.

Another seer, Computer Baba aka Namdev Das Tyagi also performed religious rituals and held a road show in Bhopal, attended the Congress candidate on both occasions.A team of international scientists has, for the first time, collected crucial climate and biodiversity information from near the Everest summit that will tell us how climate change is impacting the worlds highest peak and the entire watershed below, and will help examine long-term implications for the southwest monsoon.

The team also set up the highest weather station in the world at about 8,430 metres above sea level near the Everest summit last month. This will provide weather information from Everest in real-time. Ice cores (sample from a glacier) from the mountain, which will be analysed over the next six months, will reveal the trajectory of climate change impacts, the scientists said, adding that the analysis could help influence global decision-making on dealing with the climate crisis in the coming years.

This two-month expedition between April and June, supported by National Geographic and Rolex, is called Perpetual Planet Extreme Expeditions.

The multidisciplinary team of scientists would have had to queue up at the back of several climbers to reach the summit. So its members decided to set up the weather station near the summit and not at the summit, factoring in the risk of life. Climate scientist Tom Matthews described the experience as frustrating at the National Geographic Explorers Festival on Thursday. We ran into the back of queuewhich both was frustrating if you have queued up for anything you would know. On top of that, we had the knowledge that queuing up is very unsafe for everyone.

Paul Mayewski, distinguished professor at the School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, and lead scientist on the expedition, told HT that the team has already got some initial results from their expedition, with locals giving them details of how dramatically climate change has impacted the mountain. Analysis of the samples will give the first-ever climate information to the world from any region above 6,500 metres above sea level, he added.

Glaciers around Everest have become smaller in a very short period of time. If you look at the climate records you can see that in the last 20 years there has been about a one degree Celsius rise in temperature depending on the elevation, Mayewski said.

Its one thing to say how climate change is impacting us based on models, its another thing to go up there and measure things. In the next few months we will start analysing the samples, we will look at what sort of pollutants are being seen in these glaciers, including lead and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). They are amazing reservoirs of everything that is in the atmosphere. Glaciers dont lie.

The analysis from this expedition will also reveal how monsoon patterns will change in India. Indian scientists have indicated that monsoon is weakening over the years, but this data may give more clues to what time of the year moisture comes in compared to earlier.

When the Arctic Sea ice started to decline in early 2010 onwards, within those five years the eastern Arctic warmed in temperature annually by about five degrees Celsius. It is immense. It tells you something very different is happening. That has a lot to do with where the jet stream [narrow bands of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere] is throughout the year. The jet stream will be a big part of the story in this expedition. Strength and location of the jet stream is critical in understanding the timing of the monsoon. Where do you go to measure the jet stream? You got to be really high up and the highest you can go is the Everest, Mayewski said.

The team says ice cores are like buried weather stations that allow us to go back thousands of years and make plausible projections of how this area will change in years to come.

Tracie Seimon, director, Molecular Laboratory, Wildlife Conservation Society, who is also in the team, discovered a new elevation record for a centipede which is 5,500 metres. She found spiders, arthropods, mammals and saw snow leopard tracks near the summit.

They results from the expedition are likely to appear at the American Geophysical Union meetings after December.

(The reporter is in Washington DC on an invitation from Rolex)The change of guard in Andhra Pradesh has changed the attitude of the Centre in releasing funds to the state for various projects and schemes.

In the last two weeks, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cleared bills to the tune of over 4,200 crore under three heads, thanks to improved relations with Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

On Thursday, the Centre approved the release of 3,000 crore towards reimbursement of funds spent by the state government on the Polavaram irrigation project on river Godavari. The decision followed a fresh representation by Andhra Pradesh special chief secretary, irrigation, Aditya Nath Das, to the Centre.

Since Polavaram has been declared a national project, the Centre has to bear the entire cost of construction. While the state government has spent 11,655 crore on the project till now, the Centre has released 6,726 crore.

Das confirmed that the water resources ministry had approved the release of 3,000 crore towards reimbursement of expenses incurred on the Polavaram project, out of 4922 crore sought by the state government.

The file has been sent to the finance ministry and from there, it would be sent to NABARD [National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development], which will release money to the state government through the Polavaram Project Authority. We are expecting the money at the earliest, he said.

The Centre is also examining the revised project estimates and the state government is hopeful of getting the approval shortly, he said.

Due to strained ties with the previous Telugu Desam Party government headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, the Centre had not been releasing the remaining 4,929 crore to the state, despite repeated reminders.

Things started moving fast after Jaganmohan took over as chief minister. On his first visit to Delhi since, he appealed to the Centre to release all dues to the state.

While approving the release of 3,000 crore immediately, water resources ministry officials said the balance of 1,929 crore would be released once the utilization certificates were submitted.

On Thursday, the Union rural development ministry approved release of another 708.65 crore under the employment guarantee scheme to Andhra Pradesh. In the last week of May, the Centre released 534 crore towards food subsidy for procurement of rice for the mid-day meal scheme and Antyodaya Anna Yojana.

Telugu Desam Party spokesperson Y V Babu Rajendra Prasad claimed, What the Centre is releasing to the state now is based on the bills submitted by the TDP government. It did not release funds then due to political reasons, but is doing it now only because Jagan is cosying up with the BJP.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONSamajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav stepped up pressure on the Yogi Adityanath government by raising the issue of deterioration in law and order, especially the crime against minor girls with Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik.

Former UP CM also handed out a detailed memorandum to Naik, during over half-an-hour discussion, at Raj Bhawan on Saturday morning.

Akhilesh Yadav told the Governor that UP government needed to be woken-up over the law and order issues.

He listed the murder of the first woman chief of the UP Bar Council, rape and murder of minor girls in the past two weeks, murder of SP and BSP leaders after the Lok Sabha polls and alleged framing of SP leader Azam Khan in a fake case to build his case.

After a brief lull post Lok Sabha poll results, Akhilesh Yadav has revived attacks on the Yogi Adityanath government. Earlier this week, Yadav had claimed that the law and order has gone out of hand in UP.

He had said: fear, terror, insecurity is palpable in all sections of the society across the state. Even small girls are not safe in the BJP rule and the government attitude towards gory crimes is insensitive.

The chief minister had reviewed the law and order situation in the state on Thursday and directed senior officers to crack down on criminals and anti-social elements.

Also read: Adityanath reads riot act to officials after spate of heinous crime

Political temperature is likely to rise further before the state holds by polls for 12 seats, to be contested by all major political parties including the BSP. Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are due in 2022Imagine what Indiana Jones would have become had he stuck to the routine  visiting the iconic landmarks, treading the suggested lanes and fattening the family album. But then neither you need to be an archaeology professor nor you have to be committed to a level that every journey is a Last Crusade.

Leaving aside the mainstream locales and choosing the different, even the bizarre, is what it takes to graduate from a tourist to an explorer.

For instance, the wonderful sights of Europe would have enamoured one and all. You might have even waited to get a perfect frame at the places that feature on every must visit itinerary. However, you might want to take inspiration and check out these lesser-known places to make your trip worthwhile Micropia is probably the only zoo dedicated to microorganisms.

PUT THE QUIRK BACK IN QUIRKY

Blame it all on the likes of Downtown Abbey that rekindle the romance with everything English, and make many go searching for that lost world or what is left of it in Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey or elsewhere. Forget that pretentious life that gets paraded on the screen and instead check out the alternatives that bring fun to the equation. London boasts of some weird museums and activities that can make your trip memorable. Not too far from the celebrated British Museum is the Cartoon Museum in Holborn. It has a collection going back to the 18th century. Further ahead in Euston is the Magic Circle Museum, where magicians from all over England have come together and formed a club. Their shows are nothing less than mindblowing. History buffs should not miss Churchill War Rooms, the Old Operating Theatre Museum can definitely revive the 1800s with its surgical demonstrations. Hunterian Museum with its collection of Churchills dentures, an extinct giant sloths teeth should do the trick. There are also London Loo Tours by the way!

WANDERLUSTIN

Amsterdams beautiful historic places such as Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum and the Heineken Experience are among the top attractions and enough to make anyone a fan of the Dutch way of life. The city, however, has more to offer. If uncovering secrets is your thing, then Micropia and the Rijksmuseums escape room adventure should be on your list. While Micropia is worlds only zoo dedicated to microorganisms, Rijksmuseum is an interesting quest that tasks you with recovering sorcerer and alchemist Alessandro Cagliostros stolen formula with clues hidden all around the museum.

BESIDES EATING WAFFLES

Brussels is a archetype o European city boasts of grand a history and good foo . when youre done with the glorious chocolates, waffles and the Grand Place, you must visit the Little Pisser cousins. Manneskin Piss is Brussels landmark, a little naked boy pissing into a fountain. You might find a little girl squatting to pee (Jeanneke Piss) on Impasse de la Fidelite. Go on a giant scavenger hunt  the Brussels comic strip route. Hailed as the capital of comic strips, Brussels has more than 50 comic strip murals by well-known comic artistes.

INFAMOUSLY FAMOUS

If the luck of the Irish has been on your side, you have already ticked off Dublin Castle, the Spire, the Old Library of Trinity College from your list and partied like an Irish at the 14th century Temple Bar. But you arent even close to being Irish till you have drank in a church and visited the Irish Whiskey Museum. On a day when the hangover has been taken care of, you could go clicking the unique doors of Dublin. With most houses built to look alike, painting their doors in different colours was the only way the owners could set the entrances apart. It is now a significant character of the city. And, to see what spectacular means, head to the marvellous Cliffs of Moher, which are a favourite for many film shoots.

SHORTEN VISITS

The Seine, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe define the usual. However, you can short visits to these and unravel the darker secrets of Paris. The Catacombs of Paris were once ancient stone mines. These quarry tunnels existed on the outskirts of the city since the time of the Romans, and came directly under the busy city after it expanded. Though the underground world is vast, a portion at Place Denfert-Rochereau is open to public. Housing skeletal remains of millions of Parisians, the Catacombs were a result of Paris cemeteries becoming overcrowded. It was probably the dire situation of Les Innocents cemetery in the late 18th century that led to priests and police discreetly moving the bones to the tunnels. There are many more interesting stories and some recent happenings that warrant a visit. But this place is surely isnt for the fainthearted.

Follow more stories on Facebook and TwitterThe billionaire French donors who publicly promised flashy donations totaling hundreds of millions to rebuild Notre Dame have not yet paid a penny towards the restoration of the French national monument, according to church and business officials.

Instead, its been mainly American and French citizens, via charitable foundations at Notre Dame, that have footed the bills and paid salaries for the up to 150 workers employed by the cathedral since the April 15 fire that devastated the cathedrals roof and caused its masterpiece spire to collapse. This month they are handing over the first payment for the cathedrals reconstruction of 3.6 million euros ($4 million).

The big donors havent paid. Not a cent, said Andre Finot, senior press official at Notre Dame. They want to know what exactly their money is being spent on and if they agree to it before they hand it over, and not just to pay employees salaries.

Almost $1 billion was promised by some of Frances richest and most powerful families and companies, some of whom sought to outbid each other, in the hours and days after the inferno. It prompted criticism that the donations were as much about the vanity of the donors wishing to be immortalised in the edifices fabled stones than the preservation of church heritage.

Francois Pinault of Artemis, the parent company of Kering that owns Gucci and Saint Laurent, promised 100 million euros, while Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of French energy company Total, said his firm would match that figure. Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury giant LVMH that owns Louis Vuitton and Dior, pledged 200 million euros, as did the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation of the LOreal fortune.

No money has been seen, according to Finot, as the donors wait to see how the reconstruction plans progress and fight it out over contracts. The reality on the ground is that work has been continuing around the clock for weeks and, with no legal financial mechanism in place to pay the workers, the cathedral has been reliant on the charity foundation.

The Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris president, Michel Picaud, estimates that 90% of the donations it has received have come from American donors.

The first check towards the rebuilding, accounting for the first stage of restorations according to Picaud, is currently being transferred by the foundation for a sum of 3.6 million euros. It includes funds from mainly small French donors, collected by the linked Notre-Dame Foundation.

A spokesperson for the Pinault Collection acknowledged that the Pinault family hadnt yet handed over any money, blaming that on a delay in contracts. The LVMH Group and the Arnault family said that it would also be working with the Friends of Notre-Dame and that the payments will be made as the work progresses.

Total has pledged to pay its 100 million euros via the Heritage Foundation, whose Director General Celia Verot, confirmed the multinational company has not paid a penny yet and is waiting to see what the plans are and if they are in line with each companys particular vision before they transfer the money.

While the clean-up and consolidation work currently underway is hugely important, it does not fit that description, said a foundation official,who wished to remain anonymous. It suggests the wealthy donors want their money to go toward long-lasting, immortalising structures and not on ephemeral, but equally vital, cleaning and securing of the site that also still poses a real health risk for Parisians.

The Bettencourt Schueller Foundation said it, too, hasnt handed over the money because it wants to ensure its spent on causes that fit the foundations specific ethos  which supports craftsmanship in art.Joseph Hellers famous war novel is vividly recreated in a new streaming miniseries.

J oseph Hellers Catch-22 is bizarre, polarizing, surrealand undoubtedly one of the greatest war novels of the 20th century. Inspired by its authors own experiences as a B-25 bombardier based on Corsica with the 340th Bomb Group, it tells the tale of Captain John Yossarian, a young soldier vexed by the absurdities of military life. He initially attempts to get himself grounded for psychological reasons. Alas, Yossarian soon encounters Catch-22: anyone who refuses to fly must be sane; therefore he cannot be grounded. So he continues to fly, even as his commander steadily moves the goal posts; gradually, the mission quota rises from 25, to 30, to 35.

Catch-22 was the inspiration for an iconic 1970 feature film, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Alan Arkin. So why try again? As memorable as the original was, its two-hour running time left many aspects of Hellers sprawling novel unexplored. The expanded six-hour Hulu miniseries is an ideal vehicle for fully developing characters, themes, and subplots. Unlike the novel, the miniseries unfolds more or less chronologically. Key plot elements are given a fresh feel, including the evolution of con artist Lieutenant Milo Minderbinders syndicate, which grows from dealing in lamb chops and tomatoes to orchestrating a German air raid on his own base. The performances are exceptional throughout; lead actor Christopher Abbotts Yossarian carries the story, while directors Clooney and Heslov themselves ably portray the close order drill-obsessed General Scheisskopf and morose flight surgeon Doc Daneeka, respectively.

Aircraft enthusiasts might feel a bit shortchanged: while the 1970 feature film mustered 16 flyable B-25s, this new version makes do with only two, filling in gaps in the formations with computer-generated imagery and skillful editing. But Hulus series, made on location in Sardinia, is magnificently shot: the beautiful Mediterranean vistas provide a jarring contrast with the storys recurring dark moments, plus its accompanied by an excellent soundtrack of 1940s music. All told, the series is a worthy small- screen reinterpretation of a classic. 

This story was originally published in the August 2019 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here.Infantrymen ferried into Nazi Germany via glider fought to seize 10 key bridges during Operation Varsity.

ON THE MORNING OF March 24, 1945, an Allied armada of more than 1,500 powered aircraft and 1,300 gliders converged over the central Belgian town of Wavre. The aircraft had departed from 23 airfields in England and France; for their pilots, Wavre served as the command assembly point over which all aircraft formations changed course for their approach to drop zones on the east side of the Rhine River.

Drawn outside by the reverberating sound of droning engines, its residents gazed skyward as the air columns came together in a cloudless blue sky to form the wars largest single-day airborne armada. It was about 9 a.m.; close to 500 British and American fighter escorts, darting about like angry hornets on all flanks, added to the mighty display. Anyone wanting to watch the entire spectacle would have to wait more than three hours for the fleet to pass.

Onlookers were witnessing the voyage of two Allied airborne divisionsthe American 17th and the British 6thon their way into Germany to participate in an operation codenamed Varsity. Following a nine-month campaign that had begun on the beaches of Normandy, the Allies were now on the threshold of kicking in the door to the Third Reich.

But first, they had to cross the Rhine.

Preparation for the crossinggiven the overall code name Plunderhad been so monumental that it was impossible for the enemy not to notice. The stockpiling of bridging equipment, the increasing bombing campaigns, the movement of troops, the Allied airfields in France overcrowded with C-47 transports and olive-drab glidersall had served to put the Germans on high alert. Nazi propaganda broadcasts made it clear that any element of surprise was long gone.

The two airborne divisions were to drop into enemy territory on the east bank of the Rhine, outside the town of Wesel in western Germany. There they were to secure a perimeter some five miles wide to shield the British, Canadian, and American ground troops of Field Marshall Bernard Montgomerys assault river crossing, underway since 10 p.m. the previous evening. The paratroopers were expected to hold their positions for 24 hours until the ground troops swarming across the 400-yard-wide river could arrive and reinforce them.

Meanwhile, the enemy was waiting.



Seen over a glider pilots shoulder, two other gliders are being towed by a single C-47 as they approach the landing zone near Wesel, Germany. (National WWII Glider Pilots Association) Seen over a glider pilots shoulder, two other gliders are being towed by a single C-47 as they approach the landing zone near Wesel, Germany. (National WWII Glider Pilots Association)

THE BRITISH AIRBORNE TROOPS were responsible for the western flank of the perimeter, while the 17th Airborne would land farther east. Leading the American column, in 298 aircraft, were paratroopers of the 507th and 513th Regimental Combat Teams. Their mission was to secure the high ground overlooking the Rhine and establish the perimeters northern boundary.

The paratroopers were followed by 906 gliders being towed to their landing zones. Nearly two-thirds of the boxy, canvas-covered aircraft carried the U.S. 194th Combat Team, which consisted of the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment plus supporting medics, engineers, artillery, and antitank guns. Their destination was Landing Zone S on the eastern edge of the perimeter. The glider-borne infantry, or glider riders, arguably had the most vital task: blocking German counterattacks from the eastern flank by seizing bridges over the Issel River and Issel Canal, north of the Rhine. Several of those bridges could support the weight of armored vehicles; the Allies needed to take them intact so they could use them to break out of the perimeter and continue the offensive into Germany.

Planners had numbered the bridges for easy reference. Starting in Wesel and moving counterclockwise, the bridges over the canal were numbered 1 through 4 and were to be seized by the 194ths 2nd Battalion. Bridges 5 through 10over the riverwere the 1st Battalions goal. The 3rd Battalion, plus supporting artillery and antitank guns, would land after the two assault battalions.

The glidersWaco CG-4Asgave the 194th the advantage of bringing in heavier weapons, and of landing squads intact as fighting elements. In their cargo holds the gliders could carry 13 men, or a jeep and three men, or a 75mm howitzer (or, if positioned just right, an M3 105mm howitzer) along with up to three men. The troopers had packed the gliders to capacity to squeeze as many men and as much materiel into the perimeter as possible. Many of the C-47s were also lugging in two gliders instead of the customary one.

For three hours the gliders had pitched and yawed behind the tow planes as their pilots strained to keep them steady against the turbulence. Despite the pilots efforts, the fully loadedand in some cases, overloadedaircraft were buffeted about in the armadas agitated prop wash. It was exhausting work, with pilots and copilots swapping turns at the controls to reduce fatigue. Many veteran pilots complained it was the worst turbulence theyd ever experienced.

In the back, passengers braced themselves against unpredictable updrafts and downdrafts. Private Jim Lauria had secured a rope along the length of the cargo area to give himself a handhold as he periodically maneuvered around his 75mm howitzer to inspect its tie-downs during the bumpy flight.

Another gun crew hadnt been so diligent, and their M3 105mm howitzer worked itself loose. Staff Sergeant Jimmie Taylor screamed over the racket of the wind slapping at the canvas fuselage to get his crew into action. As the 2,400-pound gun threatened to upset their center of gravity, Taylor and another trooper muscled it back into place. Vomit all over the plywood floor made their work more precarious, as they kept slipping in it.

Just before 10:30 a.m. the first American glider, still under tow, crossed the Rhine. As they passed over, Lieutenant Colonel John Paddock, a passenger and commander of the 17th Airbornes antitank battalion, made a ceremony of tossing an empty champagne bottle into the river as they officially crossed into Nazi Germany. Hed popped the cork earlier, passing the bottle around during their flight. I figured the dice were cast, might as well enjoy ourselves, he later recalled.

Down below, Montgomerys Allied troops darted across the river in their amphibious assault craft. German artillery shattered the waters surface with exploding geysers. Enemy antiaircraft fire, or flak, targeted the Allied aircraft as they approached the river. The Germans heavier gunsthe big 88s and 105sgot the range first. The coal-black clouds of bursting flak drifted past as the gliders were towed relentlessly onward. In their cockpits, the glider pilots could smell the rotten-egg stench of exploding ack-ack shells.

They were six miles from the landing zone; red lights flashed from the C-47 navigators glass domes, signaling to the glider pilots that they were almost there. Stand by.



Below the aerial armada, ground troopshere, ducking from enemy firecross the Rhine River in assault boats. We all tried to crawl under each other because the lead was flying around like hail, one recalled. (National Archives) Below the aerial armada, ground troopshere, ducking from enemy firecross the Rhine River in assault boats. We all tried to crawl under each other because the lead was flying around like hail, one recalled. (National Archives)

SOME DIDNT MAKE IT. The two lead aircraft were shot down a mile short of Landing Zone S; pilots of the towed gliders cut loose to avoid being pulled into the ground. Out of the first 40 tow aircraft, 36 were hit. In the next hour, German gunners would down 10 more C-47s and damage another 140.

As the formation reached the edge of the landing zone, green lights replaced the red standby signal. Release when ready. The first glider pilot did so at 10:36 a.m., sending the tow rope snapping forward and his glider into descent. For the next hour, more gliders did the same roughly once every six seconds.

In one glider, Associated Press reporter Howard S. Cowan had his eyes glued on his pilot. Cowan wanted to cast off as soon as possible; the flak was loud and close. The fabric-covered gliders offered virtually no protection.

After what seemed like hours, the pilot shouted over his shoulder, Going down! With a flick of the release toggle, the glider pitched forward into a steep dive. No longer being towed, the passengers heard the howl of the wind decrease, only to be replaced by the distinct sounds of bursting flak and the rattle of German machine guns. Seconds later, Cowan was startled by the POP-POP of shrapnel puncturing the taut canvas skin of the glider on one side and slicing its way out the other.

Advised the sergeant sitting across from him: Now is when you pray.

Glider pilot George Buckley, who at age 19 was already a veteran of multiple combat operations, said the flak was the heaviest hed seen yet. But the aircraft formations bore straight through it without taking evasive action. He recalled: A C-47 in front of us with one engine out and with flames streaming back over its wing held to a steady course, determined to get its two gliders to the [landing zone].



A day after the landings, an aerial reconnaissance shot of the landing zone (top) shows medical aid tents in place. Operating gliders over enemy territory was a risky proposition. A body lies beside the downed glider below; note the cut fabric on the nose of the craft, where the pilot appears to have sliced himself out. (Both courtesy of James. M. Fenelon) A day after the landings, an aerial reconnaissance shot of the landing zone (top) shows medical aid tents in place. Operating gliders over enemy territory was a risky proposition. A body lies beside the downed glider below; note the cut fabric on the nose of the craft, where the pilot appears to have sliced himself out. (Both courtesy of James. M. Fenelon)

DOWN BELOW, Peter Emmerich, a privateor Kanonierin a three-gun battery of the Luftwaffes 883rd Antiaircraft Battalion, had been finishing his breakfast when the unmistakable rumbling of Allied aircraft filled the sky. There appeared to be no end to the staggered formations; they stretched as far back to the horizon as Emmerich could see. As he stared at the spectacle for a few dread-filled moments, the gunners swiveled their 20mm Flakvierling-38s into action.

The rapid booming of the guns snapped Emmerich back to reality. He followed the trajectory of tracer fire as the rounds chewed through the wing of a C-47, vaporizing its left engine.

The crews hustled. At the gunners command of Laden! they swapped out the empty magazines for four fresh 20-rounders. Emmerichs battery commander liked to stagger types of ammunition for maximum damage: armor-piercing, incendiary, high-explosive. Repeat.

When the gliders released overhead, Emmerichs section chief ordered the gunners to ignore the C-47s: Aim for the gliders!

As the first glider neared Emmerichs position, the gunner gave it a full burst, emptying all four barrels into it. The right side of the glider shattered, losing the wing and rear stabilizer. It crumpled into the ground. So many aircraft were overhead, We did not have to aim anymore, Emmerich recalled, just point our guns in the air and fire. We would have always hit something.

All three guns in the battery were firing at their full rate of 1,000 rounds a minute; soon the surrounding field was littered with heaps of twisted metal-framed gliders on fire. Two dead bodies lay nearby, and the air was heavy with a sick burning smell.

ABOARD THE DESCENDING GLIDERS, squad and platoon leaders leaned between their two pilots to peer out the cockpit windows, scanning the terrain below for landmarks. Smoke from the river assault had drifted over nearby farmland, blanketing everything. As they got lower, ground details emerged. Some leaders, like Lieutenant Frank Dillon, were able to spot his platoons assembly point: a triangular patch of woods bordered by a dirt road. Dillon called out the distance and direction to his men as they braced themselves for a rough landing.

Out of the fog, a power line loomed. The pilot pulled up, but the gliders tail struck the wire, pitching them forward until he could level the craft. The maneuver kept them from crashing but increased their speed, prompting the glider to slam into the ground and skid across the field. Trees ripped off both wings, but the fuselage continued forward, mowing down a row of fence posts before a large tree brought them to a bone-jarring halt. Its trunk creased the cockpit between the two pilots, but neither was injured.

Gliders plunged in from every direction, plowing into the open fields, knocking down telephone poles, bowling through fences, and toppling trees. Germans firing at a glider were often surprised by another landing directly behind them. Several gliders ran over foxholes; in at least one case, a copilot fired his Tommy gun through the nose of his glider, scattering an enemy machine-gun crew as the CG-4A crashed into them.

Small battles erupted across the landing zone as troopers ran from their gliders and the chaos shifted from sky to ground. It was a 360-degree battlefield of barking sergeants, cracking guns, snapping bullets, coughing mortars, and screaming wounded.

Additional waves of gliders brought in more men and heavier firepower: 57mm antitank guns and the howitzers of the 680th and 681st Glider Field Artillery Battalions.

A 680th artillery crew unloaded their M3 105mm howitzer and lugged it out into the field to duel with the enemy guns. They fired first but missed. The German crew didnt. A second group of Americans wheeled their howitzer into position, splattering the enemy battery with flanking fire. This move was enough to take out several of the guns and bag 25 prisoners. The troopers gave better than they got, but their efforts cost them dearly: two battery commanders were killed within 100 yards of each other, as were 17 troopers, with more than 50 wounded in the melee.

Private Jim Laurias 75mm howitzerone of 12 brought in by the 681stwas trapped inside the glider: the aircraft had hit a wire fence on landing, and the collision had fouled the nose so badly the men couldnt open it.

After enlisting the help of some glider riders with wire cutters, Lauria finally extracted the howitzer from the gliders cargo hold. At the same time, one of the troopers spotted muzzle flashes coming from a hayloft, where a German machine gunner was methodically spraying the landing zone. Lauria and crew manhandled the howitzer into alignment and sighted down its tube like it was a rifle. When satisfied, Lauria jerked the lanyard. The 75mm shell whined across the field and flashed into the barn. The explosion lifted the roof off, destroying the hayloft.

In little more than an hour, the gliders had delivered 3,492 troops and 637 tons of cargoincluding 202 jeeps and 78 mortars and artillery piecesinto Landing Zone S. The glider riders struck out toward the 10 bridges over the Issel Canal and River.



German soldiers captured by American paratroopers on March 24, 1945, crouch in an improvised POW enclosure in Wesel. ( Robert Capa  International Center of Photography/Magnum photos) German soldiers captured by American paratroopers on March 24, 1945, crouch in an improvised POW enclosure in Wesel. ( Robert Capa  International Center of Photography/Magnum photos)

Members of 2nd Battalions George Company fought their way across the landing zone, dodging gliders and bullets to attack bridges 1 and 2. Their destination was the far side of the canal, where they were to set up a perimeter and block any German counterattacks.

The troopers went to ground in an open field 600 yards short of Bridge 1. Squads of well-armed Germans had barricaded themselves inside a cluster of industrial buildings, and they quickly pinned down the Americans. Repeated Allied bombings had left the buildings in Wesel little more than shells of heaped bricks, but the defenders made the most of the crumpled urban redoubt. Squads of glider riders scratched forward block by block to reach the bridge.

Two German Mk V Panther tanks clanked toward the Americans, trying to sweep them off their objective. The citys rubble and splintered beams were a tank hunters playground. Private Robert Geist let the first panzer approach within 50 feet before firing a high-explosive rocket from his bazooka into the metal monster. The round impacted with an orange flash and a tremendous shock wave, and Private William Paliwoda took out the second tank from close range as well. The enemys first counterattack ground to a halt.

It didnt take long for German infantryled by two more Panthersto make another attack, this time against the troopers digging in at Bridge 2. The situation was precarious. The glider riders antitank guns werent yet in position, and they were on the verge of being overrun.

In a desperate ends justify the means decision, the troopers prodded several of their POWs up onto the road at gunpoint, using them as human shields. The German attack stalled, allowing one of the antitank crews to wheel their 57mm gun into position.

The German tanks spotted it and cranked their turrets around for a shot. Shells shrieked back and forth in a race for the first hit. The troopers scored first, knocking out one of the 44-ton Panthers. They reloaded and ricocheted a round off the second panzer. The other Panthers muzzle barked, and the round slammed into the antitank gun with a devastating crash, wounding all four crewmembers. The surviving tank and German infantry fell back.

Farther up the 60-foot-wide canal, troopers of 2nd Battalions Fox Company were, by 11:45 a.m., en route to bridges 3 and 4. The company already had two coups to their credit, having separately bagged, within 30 minutes of landing, two regimental command posts and vital intelligence, including maps marked with gun positions surrounding Wesel.

Now, the vast American troop formations cutting across the open terrain proved a tempting target for another Mk V Panther. It opened fire with its main gun from 500 yards. Private Robert Weber unlimbered his bazooka for a Hail Maryat that distance the tank would have been difficult to hit, let alone scratch. But with what would later be considered a miraculous hit, the round either ignited ammunition carelessly stored on the tanks exterior or, if some witnesses are to be believed, arched into an open hatch. Beyond dispute was the result: the tank all but disintegrated, bursting into flames and engulfing the trapped crew in an inferno.

After knocking out several German outposts at bridges 3 and 4, Fox Company captured the overpasses intact. With heaving shovels and flying dirt, they dug defensive positions to fortify their perimeter on the far side.

Farther northwest, along the river at bridges 5 and 6, elements of the 1st Battalion had seized control within 15 minutes of landing. Still, they were having trouble keeping their perimeter securetheyd clear a house only to have it later reoccupied by lone snipers. After chasing them out a few times, the troopers simply blasted away with bazookas to burn the houses down.

The troopers tasked with seizing bridges 7 through 10 found them well-protected by dug-in German infantry armed with prodigious numbers of machine guns and automatic weapons. Particularly stubborn defenders held Bridge 7, firing volley after volley of devastating mortar and artillery barrages.

BY MIDDAY, as more men trickled in, the glider riders entrenched along the canal were strengthening their positions. By then they had secured all of their objectives except Bridge 1, which was still contested by an undaunted German battle group.

To break the Americans hold, German units outside the airborne perimeter needed at least one bridge capable of bearing the weight of armored vehicles. German battle groups prowled the banks across from bridges 1 through 4, probing the glider riders defenses for a weakness.

At 4 p.m. the Germans launched a concerted counterattack against bridges 1, 2, and 3. Determined to keep a route open, they pounded the American positions with showers of mortar and artillery shells. The glider riders dug their foxholes deeper and waited.

Their attached forward observer, Lieutenant Herman Lemberger, moved toward the attack as panzers lurched toward the bridges. Lemberger needed a better view, so he climbed to the top of the canal bank and radioed instructions to British artillery batteries back across the Rhine. One of the panzer crews must have spotted his radio. The bark of their main gun rocked the tank, and Lemberger disappeared in the explosion of a direct hit. But he had sent the coordinates, and the British gunners had the range. They dropped shell after shell into the enemy formation, chopping the attackers to pieces with salvos of high explosive rounds. It was close. One of the panzers clanked within 10 yards of the main line before glider rider Andrew Adams knocked it out with a shattering shot from his bazooka.



Glider riders of the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment prepare to move out. When March 24 came to an end they were still holding strong, but success want assured. (National Archives) Glider riders of the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment prepare to move out. When March 24 came to an end they were still holding strong, but success want assured. (National Archives)

Simultaneously, German infantry attacking Bridge 3 with two Mk IV panzers in the lead threatened to overrun Fox Company. Again, British artillery from the far bank disrupted the attack. The shells splashed viciously into the German columns; their fragments whizzed through the ranks of infantry and sent the tanks scurrying in retreat. The artillery had come to the rescuebut the troopers relief was temporary. It was just a question of time before the Germans would try again. After the dust settled, both George and Fox Companies radioed 2nd Battalions command post to report they had lost contact with their forward squads at bridges 1, 2, and 3.

As the sun dipped below the horizon on that long day and a light mist formed over the canal, the glider riders braced for a sleepless night. They had fought ferociously since landing that morning and had successfully seized their objectives, but their grip on bridges 1, 2, and 3 was tenuous. It would be at least another 10 hours before Allied tanks, crossing the Rhine on barges and pontoon bridges, arrived to reinforce their perimeter. For the 17th Airborne Divisions troopers, March 24, 1945, was almost over, but they would still have to hold the line until relieved. 

This story was originally published in the August 2019 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here.Artichokes are as visually mesmerizing and they are tasty. The artichoke is actually the bud of a thistle plant that can grow three to four feAre you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label.JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.



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NOTE: 10 days of membership and 15 relevant and valuable posts are required in select community forums in order to start a thread in this forum. Non-value posts, added with the sole purpose of increasing your post count, will be deleted and infraction issued.This Friday, a tragic shooting occurred inside of a Costco store in Southern California, CNN reported, and it left one person dead and two others injured. Lt. Jeff Edwards, of Corona police, reported that a man (whose name wasn't immediately released) is now in custody after firing inside the store. The shooting stemmed from an argument that had taken place inside the store, but the relationship among the victims and the alleged gunman is unclear, Edwards said.

The incident is not believed to be a domestic dispute, he also revealed, and police weren't looking for anyone else in connection with the crime, they tweeted. Officers found four people "down" inside the Costco store: the suspect, the decedent and two injured victims, Edwards said. The victim that was murdered was not immediately named either. Among the injured was an off-duty officer from another department, Corona police said in a news release. The alleged gunman and the victims were taken to hospitals, Edwards reported, but the extent of their injuries has not yet been made clear.Hip hop couple Juelz Santana and Kimbella have been in the headlines for money troubles in the past, and Bossip is reporting that they're once again having financial issues. Last year, Santana turned himself in so that he may begin serving out a 27-month sentence. The Dipset member was convicted of boarding a plane in Newark, New Jersey with a loaded weapon.

Just weeks ago, a heavy-pregnant Kimbella shared on social media that she's doing the best she can to hold down the household while her man is away. "I travel to Virginia every other week with my children to see my husband so they can spend quality time with their father," she wrote. "It feels so good to spend those hours with him during our visits, Its not easy but I know that is what Im supposed to do! Its tough not having my husband by my side these past 3 months!! Im staying positive, busy and holding our empire down! Thats ALL I KNOW!"

According to Bossip, the Love & Hip Hop New York couple are being sued for not paying the maintenance fees on their condo for a year. The Courts of Glenpointe Condominium Association has filed a lawsuit against the pair for breach of contract, stating that they now owe $17,303 in back fees that have accumulated from $1,041 per month. The condo is asking for the fees to be paid in full including the late charges, and they also want their lawyer costs covered.

Although Santana purchased the property back in 2005 for $540,000, there have been reports that he's struggled with maintaining the mortgage payments. Court records show that the condo has been in and out of foreclosure. The condominium complex has also been the home of other artists including SWV and the Notorious B.I.G.The five defendants that were accused of horrific slaying of 15-year-old boy Junior Guzman-Feliz have been found guilty on all counts. A Bronx jury convicted all five men on all counts including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree gang assault. Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, who prosecutors said was the one that fatally stabbed him in the neck, is among the five men convicted of Guzman-Feliz' death. Prosecutors said video surveillance revealed Martinez Estrella as the culprit who actually murdered the Guzman-Feliz.

Junior's murder case gained national attention last year after the video footage emerged online. Bronx natives such as Cardi B and Jennifer Lopez called for his justice. His horrifying murder video surfaced online which showed Guzman-Felix getting dragged out of a Bodega before being attacked with a machete. The murder of Guzman-Felix was the case of a mistaken identity. The defendants, who were identified as members of the Trinitarios subset "Los Sures," believed Junior, who police said has no gang ties whatsoever, was a member of a rival gang. Unfortunately, by the time they realized they had the wrong person it was too late.

Following Junior's murder, the NYPD launched a scholarship in his name. Bathgate Ave. and 183rd Street, the corner where he was murdered, was renamed "Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz Way" in February on his mother's birthday.

[Via]It didn't take long for things to get WEIRD on Twitter the moment O.J. Simpson joined the circus. It as appears as though an imposter has duplicated O.J. Simpson's entire profile down to the decibel. To the naked eye, there isn't much that stands between the clone accounts - @TheReaIOJ32. The PSA that sits atop the banner is a carbon copy, as well as the timestamp that comes with it.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1139768234360524800



https://twitter.com/_/status/1139787526997196800



Besides "confessing" to Nicole Brown's murder in so few words, the Twitter imposter also makes allusions to wanting to meet R. Kelly, other women on the prowl, and Kris Jenner, for a second chance at lovemaking. Just last week, Simpson spoke about his newfound reclusiveness in a tell-all conversation with the Associated Press. Before airing the interview, O.J. had gone on the record in stating that he and Kris Jenner were bedfellows in a previous lifetime, as the imposter was quick to point out. If anything, it's worth pointing out the clone job before it festers any longer. The 25th anniversary of Nicole Brown's death is a delicate subject to many, and it would be in everyone's best interest if the Twitter watchdogs took notice, sooner than later.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1139931477213417472



https://twitter.com/_/status/1139934944761917441

Less than a week ago, the trailer for the Seth Rogen-produced "Good Boys" was released, giving fans a glimpse of the upcoming R-rated movie about middle schoolers. Set to hit theatres on August 16th, the comedy will employ the brains behind Superbad, Sausage Party and Neighbors. But it seems as if producing a movie is not enough to occupy the time of the recently glowed-up Actor, director, producer and writer, Seth Rogen, as it now seems as though he's taken up the title of "ashtray connoisseur" as well.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDo66ABgVx



Rogens new hobby is making his own ceramic ashtrays (and vases) and sharing the results with his 6.8 million followers on Instagram. Rogen recently told GQ Theres something thats so therapeutic about it. Its like yoga, if you got a thing at the end. If you were doing yoga and then some object was produced at the end of it.Ever since his brief run as the self-proclaimed King of New York, Tekashi 6ix9ine has been on a downward slope to irrelevancy. His story is truly fascinating as he became one of the most popular musicians in the entire world, only to be dropped back down to nothing in a matter of months. There are many layers to his story, with many of them revolving around the Nine Trey Bloods and his involvement in a federal racketeering scheme. The rainbow-haired rapper is currently facing life in prison and while he waits for his trial to begin, he has just been dealt a minor W in his cards.

As reported by Complex, a lawsuit that was filed against Tekashi 6ix9ine has officially been dismissed. At the height of his popularity, 6ix9ine was set to perform a concert in Washinton D.C. but mere minutes before he was scheduled to hit the stage, he cancelled the show and appeared at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. His no-show earned him a $5.3 million lawsuit with the venue's promoters lawyering up and hoping to come out on top. Because of the complications in 6ix9ine's more serious racketeering case though, the lawsuit has been dismissed and will likely be reissued soon.



Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images

Anton Alexander, one of the men suing the rapper, explained the dismissal to Complex. "Due to the developing news with 69s other major case[, n]ewly discovered facts affect some of our claims so we will be refiling to specifically address the additional facts and related claims," he wrote.

As part of the lawsuit, 6ix9ine's tour rider was revealed to contain one bottle of Balvenie, one bottle of Macallan, two bottles of Hennessey, a 24-pack of Essentia water, and a fruit tray. We will keep you updated on 6ix9ine's legal trouble.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bph6DErnovu

Netflix is back with another anticipated original since dropping off the teaser trailer for its upcoming series The Naked Director. The show will follow the career of controversial filmmaker Tour Muranishi and his plan to revolutionize Japan's adult film industry in the 1980s.

As per Hypebeast, the show synopsis is as follows:

The 10 episode series will chronicle his rise to fame, filled with big ambitions as well as spectacular setbacks in his unflinching attempt to turn Japans porn industry on its head. It will also be a portrait of an ensemble of characters who experience success and failure in Japans bubble era of the 1980s, a time that gave rise to unprecedented splendor and excess.

The series is based off notes Nobuhiro Motohashi took while working with Tour surrounded on his life and career. For years people have been asking me if Id like to direct, but my reply was always only if I find the right project, Takayuki Yamada (who stars as Tour) previously stated of his career moves. Now Ive found a nicer answer: Yamada will be a porn director.

Watch the official clip below and catch the show on Netflix as of August 8th.The 53-foot-long luxury motorboat rises above the convention floor, dwarfing some 500 fishing boats showcased at NRG Center.

The HCB Suenos  listed for $2 million  features four 425-horsepower outboard motors, a touchscreen navigation system, specially-treated leather seats and a 3,500-watt stereo system. Four people can live on board for nearly a week, thanks to a desalination machine that can convert saltwater into fresh water.

These are for the mega-rich, said Chris Crocker, a salesman with Houston-based Texas Sport Fishing, which was showing off the luxury fishing boat. I couldnt afford it, but Id like to sell a couple of them.

Dealers at the Houston Summer Boat Show were eager to sell more expensive yachts, powerboats and center-console fishing boats after the Texas Legislature recently passed a bill that would cap the state sales tax at $18,750 on luxury boats priced $300,000 and more. If Gov. Greg Abbott signs the bill into law, it would take effect Sept. 1.

For buyers of the HCB Suenos, the law would save them more than $105,000 in taxes. Boats in Texas are currently subject to a 6.25 percent state sales tax, plus local sales taxes that could add another 2 percent.

Proponents argue the tax cap would buoy Texas boat industry, which saw affluent Texans flee to Florida to purchase big-ticket boats after the Sunshine State passed a similar sales tax cap nearly a decade ago. A University of Houston-Clear Lake study estimated Texas lost 67 large boat sales each year between 2010 and 2015 because of Floridas tax cap. Marine Max, the nations largest boat dealer, saw about 80 percent of its Texas yacht buyers make their purchases in Florida.

Its a huge benefit to us, Troy Souther, general manager of Marine Max in Seabrook, said of Texas new tax cap. It keeps the boat industry alive and in Texas.

Question of necessity

Critics, however, argue the tax cap is a tax cut for affluent yacht buyers who dont need one.

This, in fact, is just really a tax break for yacht owners, said Dick Lavine, a senior tax analyst for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, an advocacy group based in Austin. If they are buying the yacht, presumably they could afford to pay (the tax).

Although Texas may have lost high-end boat sales to lower-tax states, critics also argue the states marine industry is healthy and does not need a sales tax cap to buttress sales.

Indeed, Texas ranked No. 2 nationally in sales of new powerboats last year, surpassed only by Florida, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Sales have been climbing since the 2008 recession, and last year was the best in a decade, said Ken Lovell, Houston Boat Show president and head of the Boat Traders Association of Metropolitan Houston.

The states dealers sold $1.8 billion worth of new powerboats in 2018, up 9 percent from 2017.

Lovell defended the tax break. Affluent people will benefit, but itll bring business back to blue-collar workers. Itll benefit Texas jobs.

Texas new tax cap on luxury boat sales is estimated to create approximately 600 new jobs and $1.5 million in net tax revenue per year, according to the UH-Clear Lake study from 2016.

Ripple effect

Dealers said a resurgence of luxury boat sales in Texas would lift the entire marine industry, from marinas and fuel docks to boat cleaners and repair shops. Maintaining a high-end boat typically costs at least 1 percent to 2 percent of the boats overall cost, and single luxury boat could support seven to nine jobs, dealers said.

Im all about everyone paying their fair share of taxes, but its about keeping business in Texas, said Jonathan Whitmire, the general manager of Texas Marines Conroe dealership.

Its a jobs bill, not a tax bill, said Kent Little, owner of Kemah-based Little Yacht Sales, which sells boats in Texas and Florida.

Little, who sells about 180 boats annually, including Lagoon catamarans that start at $500,000, said he saw three of his well-heeled Texas clients deliver their luxury boats to Florida, where they would be taxed less. Little said he expects to sell another five to 10 boats a year if the tax cap gets Abbotts signature. Profits on luxury boats typically range between 10 percent and 30 percent, dealers said.

Critics worry about lost tax revenue and its impact on public schools and social services. However, Little said many luxury boat buyers use shell corporations registered in states with no sales taxes to purchase high-end yachts. The sales tax cap encourages buyers to eschew that strategy and pay the one-time $18,750 sales tax, Little said.

Somethings better than nothing, Little said of the tax revenue.

Crocker, the boat dealer selling the HCB Suenos, estimated hes lost about a third of his luxury boat business to Florida over the past decade, which limited his high-end boat sales to those costing about $600,000.

It knocked us on our butts, Crocker said. It took jobs and money out of Texas. All we wanted was to be on an even playing field.

Crocker is now planning to expand his luxury boat business after legislators greenlighted the tax cap. An avid fisherman, he said he hopes to sell two or three HCB Suenos by the end of the weekend. Hes already had 20 interested buyers from as far away as Mexico and Costa Rica.

Its a huge deal for the marine industry in Texas, Crocker said. Its opening up a whole new market.

Denis Kasyanchuk contributed.

paul.takahashi@chron.comCash registers at Target stores are working again after an hourslong outage Saturday afternoon brought checkout lines across the country to a standstill.

The big-box retailer said the outage was "an internal technology issue" and was not caused by a data breach or security-related issue. It was not immediately clear how many of the company's 1,850 U.S. stores were affected, though shoppers reported outages in several states, including Iowa, California, Minnesota and New York. The hashtag #targetdown was trending worldwide on Twitter.

"Our technology team worked quickly to identify and fix the issue," Target spokesman Joe Poulos said in an email. "After an initial but thorough review, we can confirm that . . . no guest information was compromised at any time."

Shoppers posted photos of long lines snaking through stores and said employees were handing out chips, drinks and popcorn. Some cashiers were using handheld devices to manually enter bar codes so customers could check out.

"It was just a sea of very frustrated people," said Brodie Butler, 44, who was next in line for his Starbucks coffee at an Edmond, Oklahoma, store when the registers went out shortly before 2 p.m. Eastern time. "People were throwing their things on the ground or just pushing their carts down the aisle and walking away."

About 3:30 p.m., Butler said the registers came back for about 3 minutes before going down again. As of 4 p.m. Saturday, he said the store's systems were running normally. Butler said he waited those two hours because he wanted to see what would happen.

The big-box retailer experienced a similar systems failure exactly five years ago, when its registers went down for several hours on June 15, 2014.

"Target has identified an issue impacting checkout at some of our U.S. stores,'' spokeswoman Molly Snider said at the time. "The glitch is causing delays at some checkouts, but it is not in any way related to a security issue.''

In 2013, a large-scale data breach at Target affected more than 40 million shoppers who had their names and credit card information stolen during the busy holiday shopping season. The blowback was swift: The retailer posted a $202 million loss and later paid $18.5 million to settle with 47 states and the District of Columbia.

On Saturday, Target executives offered few clues into what had happened. Shoppers said employees across the country sprung into action - they handed out samples of mascara and shampoo in Ohio, fruit snacks in Missouri and strawberry chocolate chip Frappuccinos in Oklahoma.

In Marlton, New Jersey, Target employees offered strawberry lemonade and 5% discounts to those who remained in line. About an hour in, workers told shoppers they would hold their carts for 24 hours if they wanted to come back and pay for their purchases.

Louis Barnes, 18, had stopped in for sunglasses and a Father's Day card in Brentwood, Mo., when he noticed that the lines were abnormally long. He waited 45 minutes before leaving empty-handed.

"The lines were moving very slowly and only because people were leaving," he said.Historically, change comes slowly to Texas barbecue.

Beef brisket, now considered the canonical dish, took 30 years to become a standard menu item for a typical barbecue joint. Until the 1950s, beef shoulder (clod) was the chosen beef dish of Texas barbecue pitmasters and aficionados. By the 1980s, changes in the meat-packing industry as well as consumer tastes allowed brisket to permanently replace shoulder clod on menus.

But as in society as a whole, changes are coming at a faster and more furious pace. It was barely 10 years ago that Snows BBQ in Lexington was named the best in the state by Texas Monthly, ushering in the era of craft barbecue.

And it was only six years ago that Valentinas Tex-Mex BBQ opened in Austin to rave reviews for its creative combination of Central Texas-style barbecue and Tex-Mex cooking traditions, specifically its variety of barbecue-inspired tacos.

In Houston, John and Veronica Avila of El Burro & the Bull restaurant launched their Tex-Mex-inspired barbecue not long after Valentinas, bringing their brand of Smoked Texana to the Bayou City.

Just in the past year, tacos have become a standard item on many Houston barbecue-joint menus. Established spots including Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue, The Pit Room and Killens Barbecue have become known for their smoked-meat-filled tacos.

Love the smell of wood smoke in the morning? Join J.C. Reid, Alison Cook and Greg Morago as they discuss barbecue culture with special guests by subscribing to the Chronicle's BBQ State of Mind podcast on Apple's Podcasts, or visit houstonchronicle.com/ bbqpodcast. See More Collapse

And in the past six months, a band of new pitmasters and pop-ups have made Houston ground zero in the barbecue-taco revolution.

Over a recent weekend, I drove all around Greater Houston sampling tacos from new and established vendors.

The standard brisket taco has morphed from a pile of chopped brisket on a standard-sized tortilla to a single, thick-and-long slice cut from the point of the brisket on a pillowy, over-sized flour tortilla and topped with various accoutrements such as guacamole, red or green salsa and queso fresco.

Jose Palomo of Palomo Pit BBQ pop-up tops his brisket taco with onions, cilantro, queso fresco and an excellent serrano-and-jalapeno salsa verde.

Eddie Ortiz of Eddie Os Texas Barbecue pop-up offers a Tejano taco with thick-sliced brisket, fragrant house-made flour tortillas, guacamole, salsa roja, lime, pickled carrots, jalapeno and onions.

Ortiz serves a Tex-Mex twist on a pulled pork taco, too, with the pork cooked carnitas style, served in corn tortillas with onions, cilantro, salsa verde and lime.

Joseph Quellar of JQs Tex-Mex BBQ also offers a thick-sliced brisket taco on a flour tortilla with pickled red onions and a creamy salsa verde.

Quellar is experimenting with a San Antonio Tex-Mex cult favorite as well  a puffy taco filled with smoked chicken tinga. Shredded, smoked chicken is stewed in a tomato-and-chipotle sauce and stuffed into a corn tortilla thats been flash-fried so that it puffs up and becomes crispy.

Barbacoa (smoked beef cheek), which has a long tradition in Tejano barbecue history, continues to make inroads onto barbecue-joint menus. Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue serves an excellent barbacoa taco as a lunch special every Tuesday, and both Ortiz and Quellar make their own versions of barbacoa tacos.

Certainly many barbecue joints  especially in South Texas  have offered some version of a barbecue taco over the decades. Piling smoked meats including barbacoa, brisket and shredded pork or chicken on a tortilla has a long history in the Lone Star State.

But it is only in the past few years that the tradition has started to evolve at a faster pace with a new generation of Tejano and Tex-Mex-inspired pitmasters bringing their own contributions and innovations to the table. The Tex-Mex barbecue-taco revolution is well underway.

jcreid@jcreidtx.com

twitter.com/jcreidtxShourav Dasari was 14 years old when he and his 16-year-old sister Shobha Dasari began developing their business in the summer of 2017.

Now, the siblings from Spring, along with their parents Usha and Ganesh, are the co-founders of a website that has been gaining popularity in the competitive spelling community  SpellPundit.

The 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. yielded unprecedented results. Not one, but eight spellers were named co-champions after a five-round stalemate.

As it turned out, six of eight co-champs were SpellPundit users, including Sohum Sukhatankar, a 13-year-old Dallas resident who heard about the program from a previous national champion.

Sukhatankar said hes been using SpellPundit for nearly one year to study for competitions. On top of its relative affordability, he appreciates that the website offers a range of learning modules at varying levels of spelling ability.

Its pretty advanced and its very helpful, Sukhatankar said.

The number of co-champions using SpellPundit may point to just how widespread the programs use has become. Sukhatankar said he knows of several fellow competitors who use SpellPundit.

I find it very inspiring that talented spellers like the Dasari family can continue making a legacy in the spelling world even after theyve aged out of the competition, Sukhatankar said.

According to Shourav Dasari, the website has about 1,000 active users.

We definitely expected a fair amount of people to use it, but I dont think we expected it to blow up like it has, Shourav Dasari said.

Watching his sisters success in her fourth-grade spelling bee inspired Shourav Dasari to take up the activity.

After that, we both got motivated to do better in competition, Shourav Dasari said. We started preparing harder and it all kind of went from there. My sister went to the national spelling bee three times and her highest place was 19th. I went to the national spelling bee two times and my highest place was 4th.

Related: When it comes to spelling, it's all in the family

In the process of studying for competitions, the Dasaris compiled an Excel spreadsheet with a comprehensive list of terms, as well as additional information such as definitions and parts of speech.

Shourav and Shobha Dasari continued competing until each aged out of competition upon entering The Woodlands College Park High School, where Shourav Dasari just completed his sophomore year.

After we finished spelling, we knew the list would be really useful for other spellers to use, so we decided to create a website that made it accessible to everyone else, Shourav Dasari said.

Approximately 120,000 words comprise the SpellPundit catalog and are categorized into sets based on factors such as difficulty. The program has two modes  learning and testing. Learning mode lets users study terms and information using a flashcard-like approach. The testing mode challenges spellers to correctly recall and type a word given only the terms related information.

People used to mainly rely on quizzing as the most common study method, Shourav Dasari said. Theyd read a list of words and then someone else  like a parent or sibling  quizzes them on those words. Thats not necessarily the most efficient study method because it requires two people to put in the work.

By interacting with the websites modules at a self-guided pace, Shourav Dasari believes spellers may be able to work through word lists faster than by using some more traditional methods of study.

As Shourav Dasari prepares to enter his junior year of high school, Shobha Dasari will head to Stanford University to study biomedical engineering. Nonetheless, Shourav said the plan is to continue operating the website.

SpellPundit is a family enterprise, he explained. Their mother, Usha Dasari, maintains the website, while their father Ganesh Dasari handles customer support and public relations. Shourav and Shobha Dasari seek out new words and information to keep the website up-to-date.

Being an entrepreneur, Shourav Dasari said, can be rewarding.

All the hours we put in for spelling, making the lists and preparing, I guess its kind of nice that it pays off in a different way, he said. Its fulfilling to be able to give other people access to a really good resource.

mfeuk@hcnonline.comLone Star College names new vice chancellor of student success

After an almost 40-year tenure in Aldine Independent School District, Archie Blanson has been selected to serve as Lone Star Colleges vice chancellor of student success.

Blanson has a background in teaching and administration that hell use in his new duties including oversight of admissions, registration, dual credit, disabilities, enrollment management and other student service activities and partnerships. Hell also be the primary contact for local school districts involved with the college.

LSC Chancellor Steve Head said in a press release that Blanson has a strong sense of commitment to equal opportunity and access for students. Blanson will assume his duties mid-July.

Conroe ISD on list of top employers

Forbes, through a partnership with research company Statista, compiled a list of the top 200 employers in Texas best liked by employees. The list, released earlier this week, ranked Conroe Independent School District as number 134. The district is one of nine school districts across the state that made the cut.

Howard Hughes Corp. presents scholarships

Earlier this month, 12 students who graduated from six area high schools and are attending college this fall received scholarships from the Howard Hughes Corp.

Coming from College Park, Magnolia, Tomball, Willis, The John Cooper School and The Woodlands high schools, these students were first selected by their high school based on academics and extracurricular activities.

The winners include: Dominic Beck, Zach Bouthillette, Corinne Eckert, Ameesha Kulkarni, Logan Lindstrom, Gabby Mussalli, Anna Neidigk, Tyler Oliver, George Salcido, Isaac Shelton, Enrique Valdez and Jessica Young.

College-sponsored Merit Scholarship winners announced

The first wave of more than 4,000 students across the country who won a college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship between $500 and $2,000 annually to support their undergraduate tuition were recently announced. The Woodlands area schools can claim 12 of those winners.

From The Woodlands College Park High School, there were six student winners: Nicole Bealer, who plans to attend the University of Montana; Sithija Manage, who plans to attend Texas A&M University; Lucas Bolinder, who plans to attend the University of Oklahoma; Catherine Burr, who plans to attend Colorado State University; Ankit Chowdhury who plans to attend Texas A&M University; Abby Verzwyvelt, who plans to attend Baylor University.

From The Woodlands High School, three students were selected: Rose Herdejurgen, who plans to attend Vanderbilt University; Rushil Kartala, who plans to attend Texas A&M University; Ahsan Mashruf, who plans to attend the University of Texas at Dallas.

The John Cooper School had three winners: Samyuktha Hari, who plans to attend the University of Southern California; Erin Frankland, who plans to attend Vanderbilt University; Vidyal Pradeepkumar who plans to attend Texas A&M University.

jane.stueckemann@chron.comWASHINGTON  To President Donald Trump, the question of culpability in the explosions that crippled two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman is no question at all. Its probably got essentially Iran written all over it, he declared Friday.

The question is whether the writing is clear to everyone else. For any president, accusing another country of an act of war presents an enormous challenge to overcome skepticism at home and abroad. But for a president known for falsehoods and bombast, the test of credibility appears far more daunting.

For 2 1/2 years in office, Trump has spun out so many misleading or untrue statements about himself, his enemies, his policies, his politics, his family, his personal story, his finances and his interactions with staff that even his own former communications director once said hes a liar, and many Americans long ago concluded that he cannot be trusted.

Fact-checking Trump is a full-time occupation in Washington, and in no other circumstance is faith in a presidents word as vital as in matters of war and peace. The public grew cynical about presidents and intelligence after George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq based on false accusations of weapons of mass destruction, and the doubt spilled over to Barack Obama when he accused Syria of gassing its own people. As Trump confronts Iran, he carries the burden of their history and his own.

The problem is twofold for them, said John E. McLaughlin, a deputy CIA director during the Iraq War. One is people will always rightly question intelligence because its not an exact science. But the most important problem for them is their own credibility and contradictions.

The task is all the more formidable for Trump, who has assailed the reliability of Americas intelligence agencies and even the intelligence chiefs he appointed, suggesting they could not be believed when their conclusions have not fit his worldview.

At one point shortly before taking the oath of office, he compared intelligence agencies to Nazi Germany and ever since has cast doubt on their findings about Russias interference in the 2016 election. This year, he repudiated his intelligence chiefs for their assessments of issues like Iran, declaring that they are wrong and should go back to school. And just this week, he rebuked the CIA for using a brother of North Koreas Kim Jong Un as an informant, saying, I wouldnt let that happen under my auspices.

All of that can raise questions when international tension flares up, like the explosion of the two oil tankers Thursday, a provocation that fueled anxiety about the worlds most important oil shipping route and the prospect of escalation into military conflict. When Trump told Fox News on Friday that Iran did do it, he was asking his country to accept his word.

Trumps credibility is about as solid as a snake oil salesman, said Jen Psaki, who was the White House communications director and top State Department spokeswoman under Obama. That may work for selling his particular brand to his political base, but during serious times, it leaves him without a wealth of goodwill and trust from the public that what he is saying is true even on an issue as serious as Irans complicity in the tanker explosions.

White House officials declined to discuss the presidents credibility on the record Friday, but a senior administration official who asked not to be identified said Trump was not hyping a threat to justify a war. If anything, Trump has made clear since becoming a presidential candidate that he did not favor the sort of military interventionism that characterized Bushs presidency and, to a lesser extent, even Obamas at times.

Indeed, in his telephone interview Friday with Fox News, Trump offered a measured response, avoiding any kinds of threats or discussion of military action. While he condemned the Iranians, he has pointedly not publicly floated the possibility of retaliation, and, in fact, he once again said he was open to talks with Tehran. Im ready when they are, he said.

Still, Trumps strained relationship with the truth has been a defining feature of his presidency. As of June 7, The Washington Posts fact-checker had counted 10,796 false or misleading claims since he took office.

The president dismisses that as so much fake news by journalists who are enemies of the people. Just this week, he told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that he was the truth teller, not reporters. I like the truth, Trump said. You know, Im actually a very honest guy.

But it has taken a toll on his credibility with the public. A Quinnipiac University poll last month found that only 35% of Americans trust Trump to tell the truth about important issues versus 52% who trusted the media more.

When it came to this weeks oil tanker explosions, Trump at first left it to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to point the finger at Iran, and he followed up a day later. To bolster the case, the U.S. military released video footage that U.S. officers said showed an Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boat pulling alongside one of the stricken ships several hours after the first explosion and removing an unexploded limpet mine in broad daylight. That mine is what Trump said had Iran written all over it.

Iran has denied responsibility and suggested that the episode was a false flag operation by the United States to frame it and justify aggression. But Iran has its own credibility issues, and even Trumps critics were generally not rushing to accept Tehrans word.

Look, it could very well have been the Iranians, said Trita Parsi, a scholar at Georgetown University and founder of the National Iranian American Council. I dont think anyone can say theyre innocent.

But Trumps relationship with the truth is so suspect, he said, it argues for stepping back and not drawing conclusions until there is more evidence. With this president, with the country already so divided, even those who support him may not be totally confident that everything hes saying is truthful, said Parsi, author of Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy.

Even supporters of Trumps tougher approach to Iran acknowledge the credibility challenge. Mark Wallace, executive director of United Against Nuclear Iran and a strong critic of Obamas nuclear agreement with Iran that Trump has since renounced, said the government needs to rely on its career professionals to inform the public about Tehrans activities.

The one way of doing that is place the burden of persuasion and validating the facts on the military and intelligence community that at least is more immune to the politically charged atmosphere that we live in, said Wallace, who was a diplomat at the United Nations under Bush. With Iran, Ive been surprised actually that its been relatively depoliticized.

Much of the distrust traces back to Bushs invasion of Iraq and the failure to find the weapons of mass destruction that he and intelligence agencies assured the public were there. McLaughlin acknowledged the damage that did to the public standing of the CIA and other intelligence agencies.

But he said the intelligence community has reformed itself since then. There really has been an enormous effort to take stock of that and use that, he said. And intelligence has been right about an awful lot since then.

The problem with intelligence is its always contentious; its always arguable, McLaughlin added. But at some point you have to settle on a bottom line, and he often doesnt believe in a bottom line on intelligence. So how do you believe what he says?

As he reflected on the moment, he added, Its a pretty dangerous situation I think.

This article originally appeared in The New York TimesA gunshot victim showed up at a Houston Fire Department station in northwest Houston Friday night.

Houston Police say there was a driveby shooting at a nearby apartment complex in the 7000 block of West Gulf Bank at 9:18 p.m. The victim was then driven to HFD Station 4 on West Little York Road, and transported to a nearby hospital in an HFD ambulance.

RELATED: Man arrested after deputy shot during domestic violence call

The caller reported that the gunshot wound was in the chest area, but HPD could not confirm.

Details on the victim and their injuries were unavailable.

STAY INFORMED: Get your Houston breaking news updates, delivered to your inboxMuslim leaders are calling for increased security for mosques across Texas after someone posted a threat toward a Houston mosque in an online chatroom.

The user, who identifyed himself as a 24-year-old, wrote on the 4chan internet forum that he was going to attack the Baitus Samee Mosque in the Northside. When asked why he wanted to attack the mosque, the user responded, Simple, Kebab is like cancer, if you remove it early than [sic] you won't die.Given the woefully erroneous weapons of mass destruction allegation that led to the Iraq war, Americans are right to step back and take a deep breath rather than react rashly to apparent evidence that Iran orchestrated attacks on six oil tankers in the Middle East.

Two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman were crippled by explosions Thursday, forcing both crews to abandon ship. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran, a claim backed up by U.S. military surveillance video purportedly showing the Iranian crew of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard patrol boat removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the stricken tankers so it could not be used as evidence.

Four oil tankers were similarly attacked in May in the Persian Gulf, fueling initial suspicions that Iran was carrying out a plan to disrupt the worlds crude oil supply. It wouldnt be the first time. The Iran-Iraq tanker war during the 1980s dragged on for years, with deadly consequences for this country when 37 crew members of the USS Stark were killed. The frigate was hit by missiles fired by an Iraqi pilot who said he mistakenly thought he was firing at an Iranian tanker.

Today, disruption in global oil markets wouldnt so much hurt the United States, which has doubled its domestic production in recent years, as it would Irans regional enemies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whose oil tankers travel through the Strait of Hormuz.

Nevertheless, the Trump administration has portrayed the attacks as retaliation for the U.S. withdrawal a year ago from the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran. Renewed sanctions have hurt Irans economy, though their effectiveness has been questioned. Meanwhile staunch U.S. allies Britain, Germany and France have cited monitors reports that Iran has followed the rules in urging the United States to re-enter the treaty.

The oil tanker explosions have made that even more unlikely. The administration responded to the four attacks in May by sending the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its accompanying contingent of Navy destroyers, cruisers, and planes to the region. If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran, President Trump tweeted. Never threaten the United States again.

The saber-rattling wasnt as loud Thursday. Pompeo instead said the administration wants to bring Iran back to the negotiating table at the appropriate time.

Thats probably not the advice that national security adviser John Bolton has been whispering in Trumps ear. Boltons penchant for regime change is legendary, but he seems to have fallen into disfavor at the White House ever since his machinations to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro failed miserably.

The rebellion Bolton felt sure would replace Maduro with U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido never materialized, leading Trump to criticize his adviser. If it was up to John, wed be in four wars now, a senior administration official quoted Trump as saying in a meeting.

The administration took its allegation that Iran attacked the oil tankers to the U.N. Security Council, which may be another indication that Boltons star is dimming. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has always been a harsh critic of the world body. To his point though, the Security Council denounced the tanker allegation as inflammatory and part of another Iranophobic disinformation campaign by the United States.

That unsatisfying response doesnt mean war is preferable to diplomacy. It means success is rarely achieved as quickly as you want it to be. Rapprochement with Iran will take time, and patience.

Consider what happened Wednesday when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tried to deliver a note from Trump to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. I do not see Trump as worthy of any message exchange, and I do not have any reply for him, now or in the future, said Khamenei.

Now, Khamenei may be a cleric but hes also a politician, so his reaction was likely calibrated to appease the Iranian public. Nonetheless, his refusal to even read the note from Trump was disappointing. In Great Britain a week ago, Trump told reporters he would like to talk with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Id much rather talk, he said. The only thing is, we cant let them have nuclear weapons.

Americas European allies want the United States to rejoin the effort to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. That goal has become even more elusive with the despicable attacks on oil tankers in gulf waters, but its still possible. Khameneis refusal to read Trumps note doesnt mean the president has to give up on diplomacy. It might mean he needs to find the right intermediary to help him make a deal.

Americans dont want to be drawn into another war that could have been avoided. The president needs to find a way to make sure that doesnt happen.Breaking: A Republican accidentally told the truth about tax cuts.

Almost. At least if you count Texas Rep. Kevin Bradys recent equivocation about whether the GOP tax overhaul will really pay for itself.

Way back in the first year of President Trumps administration, Republicans made a bunch of promises about their tax law, nearly all of which theyve broken at this point.

They promised that the tax cuts would help the middle class more than the rich (false). At one point, they even promised that the rich wouldnt benefit at all (hilariously false). And they promised the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as it was known, would permanently turbocharge economic and wage growth, through turbocharged capital investment (so far, also apparently false).

Finally, there was the promise that, thanks to all that turbocharging, the tax overhaul wouldnt cost Uncle Sam a dime. Some, including Brady, even sometimes claimed the law would increase tax revenue and reduce deficits.

Never mind that every independent forecaster  including the Penn-Wharton Budget Model, Tax Policy Center, Tax Foundation and Wall Street economic analysts  said no, the law would definitely increase deficits. Congress own neutral internal scorekeeper, the Congressional Budget Office, estimated that even after accounting for macroeconomic effects, the tax overhaul would add $1.9 trillion in red ink.

Republicans still swore up and down that their tax plan would be fully paid for.

If I thought that this would exacerbate the deficit, I would not support it, declared the supposed budget hawk Jeb Hensarling, then a Republican congressman from Texas, as the bill was being jammed through in late 2017.

We think we can pay for the entire tax cut through growth over the cycle, echoed Gary Cohn, then Trumps National Economic Council director.

The tax cut has paid for itself already barely through the first calendar year, Cohns successor, Larry Kudlow, incorrectly claimed the following year.

Here we are, about a year and a half post-TCJA, and deficits are ballooning. In fact, the deficit is up nearly 40 percent so far in fiscal 2019 relative to the same period a year earlier.

This is striking precisely because the economy is still expanding, as it has for the past decade. For most of the postwar era, when the economy has grown, deficits have shrunk or even converted into surpluses. Thats because a growing economy usually brings in higher tax revenue and a reduced need for safety-net programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits. Except in times of war, its highly unusual for a growing economy to be met with a growing deficit.

At the recent Peter G. Peterson Foundations annual Fiscal Summit , my colleague Heather Long asked Brady about this departure from trend.

What percent [of the tax cuts] do you think is paid for? she asked.

Rather than repeating his one-time promise of deficit neutrality, he said that it was hard to know how much of the cost of the tax cut would ever be recouped.

Theres going to be a hundred estimates, he said when asked specifically about the CBOs dismal forecasts. He did not acknowledge, of course, that however many independent estimates have been published thus far, not one of them supports the promises his party had made when it passed this law.

He also assured the audience: I dont think anything could have been worse for the deficit than to stick with the old economy and stick with the tax code that was so outdated.

Which is funny, because we know theres at least one tax system worse for the deficit than the tax system we had before: the one Brady helped usher into place.

None of this should be surprising.

We knew Republicans were lying about whether tax cuts would pay for themselves in 2017. Just as they lied about whether they paid for themselves under President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s, or under President George W. Bush during the 2000s, or in Kansas just a few years ago.

Faced with inconvenient budget estimates from independent analysts, Republicans recycle the same playbook: attack the referees, credulously cite the inflated forecasts of their own hacks-for-hire, then act surprised when reality comes up short. Even the same always-wrong experts recur. One, Arthur Laffer, has proved so useful over the past 40 years of budgetary baiting-and-switching that Trump just awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Maybe Brady realizes he kinda-sorta spoke out of turn. But maybe he also knows that his party has yet to face consequences for any of its fiscal failures.

Rampell writes a syndicated column for the Washington Post.It is a great advantage to a president, said the 30th of them, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know he is not a great man. Or, Calvin Coolidge would say today, a great woman.

While todays incumbent advertises himself as an extremely stable genius and those who would replace him promise national transformation, attention should be paid to the granular details of presidential politics, which suggest that a politics of modesty might produce voting changes where they matter, and at least 270 electoral votes for a Democrat.

If the near future resembles the immediate past, which it often does, the Democratic nominee in 2020 will be, as the Republican nominee was in 2016, the person favored by the party faction for whom government is more a practical than an ideological concern. For Republicans in 2016, the faction  non-college whites  felt itself a casualty of an economic dynamism that has most benefited people who admire this faction least.

In 2020, the decisive Democratic faction in the nomination contest is apt to be, as it was in 2016, African-Americans , whose appraisal of government is particularly practical: What will it do regarding health care, employment, schools? For them, packing the Supreme Court, impeaching the president, abolishing the Electoral College and other gesture-promises probably are distractions.

African-Americans were at least 20 percent of the vote in 15 of the 2016 primaries, and in all the primaries combined they gave 76 percent of their votes to Hillary Clinton. This is why Trump did not get a chance to defeat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who narrowly defeated Clinton among white voters in the primaries. These numbers are from the National Journals Josh Kraushaar, who referred to a 2016 Pew survey that found just 27 percent of African-American Democrats identify as liberal, and a plurality describe themselves as moderate. Some of that plurality surely resent the idea of reparations for slavery as a badge of an irremediable damage. And the importance of ensuring robust African-American turnout for Democrats is illustrated by this fact: If in 2004 John Kerry had received as many black votes in Ohio as Barack Obama was to receive in 2008, Kerry would have been the 44th president.

Furthermore, in the 110-day sprint between the end of the Democratic nominating convention in Milwaukee and Election Day, the earliest voting  this is subject to change  begins Sept. 18 in Minnesota and at least one fifth of 2020 voters will probably cast their ballots before Election Day. The decisive voters might be those who crave not transformation but restoration  the recovery of national governance that is neither embarrassing nor exhausting. So, the Democratic Party, the worlds oldest party, which for the first time in its history has won the popular vote in six of seven presidential elections, should be keenly focused on how to subtract states from Donald Trumps 2016 roster, and to do so by carrying more than the 487 counties (out of 3,142) that Clinton carried. Democrats might try to decipher the almost 41-point swing in northeast Iowas inscrutable Howard County, the only U.S. county that voted in a landslide for Obama over Mitt Romney (by 20.9 points) in 2012 and four years later in a landslide for Trump over Clinton (by 20.1 points).

Democrats must make amends with the 402 other counties that voted for Trump after voting for Obama at least once. This will require the Democrats progressive lions to lay down with the Democrats moderate lambs, a spectacle as biblical as it is inimical to progressives pride about their wokeness. They might, however, be encouraged to be more politically ecumenical by remembering this: In 2016, Clinton won cumulatively a million more votes than Obama did in 2012 in New York, Massachusetts and California, but won one million fewer than he received everywhere else.

Everything, however, depends on Democrats jettisoning, before they allow it to influence their selection of a candidate, their self-flattering explanation of 2016. As William Voegeli, senior editor of the Claremont Review of Books, has written: Ascribing the 2016 election to your opponents bigotry makes clear that the problem was not that Democrats didnt do enough to deserve peoples votes, but that the people werent good enough to deserve Democrats governance. ... One imagines that, sooner rather than later, even Democrats will come to suspect that denigrating people until they vote for you lacks a certain strategic plausibility. Sooner than the Milwaukee convention?PALO ALTO, Calif.  It has been almost two decades since Google started to dominate internet search the way Microsoft dominated software for personal computers a generation earlier.

Now computer scientists at Stanford University are warning about the consequences of a race to control what they believe will be the next key consumer technology market  virtual assistants like Amazons Alexa and Google Assistant.

The group at Stanford, led by Monica Lam, a computer systems designer, last month received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant is for an internet service they hope will serve as a Switzerland of sorts for systems that use human language to control computers, smartphones and internet devices in homes and offices.

The researchers biggest concern is that virtual assistants, as they are designed today, could have a far greater impact on consumer information than todays websites and apps. Putting that information in the hands of one big company or a tiny clique, they say, could erase what is left of online privacy.

A monopoly assistant platform has access to data in all our different accounts. They will have more knowledge than Amazon, Facebook and Google combined, Lam said in an interview.

Virtual assistants have access to a broader and more personal range of data than, say, a search engine. A virtual assistant can be like a personal secretary, with access to many of the most intimate details of your life.

Lam is collaborating with a group of Stanford faculty members and students to build a virtual assistant that would allow individuals and corporations to avoid surrendering personal information as well as retain a degree of independence from giant technology companies.

The system from Lams group is called Almond. In a recent paper, they argued for an approach in which virtual assistant software is decentralized and connected by programming standards that will make it possible for consumers to choose where their information is stored and how it is shared.

A first version of the service was released last year, and the Stanford researchers are now trying to build an alliance with larger technology and consumer companies.

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The market for virtual assistants, which do tasks as varied as selecting music or turning on and off thermostats and lights, is booming. Earlier this year Google said that, including Android-based phones, it was nearing installing its Assistant service on 1 billion devices. Amazon said it had sold more than 100 million Echo and related devices.

Virtual assistants have not attracted significant scrutiny from government regulators because the market is still small. But a handful of companies  Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft  are already dominating it.

The Stanford researchers are hoping to gain support by making their software freely available to users of smartphones, computers and consumer appliances.

They are encouraging makers of consumer products to connect their devices to the Almond virtual assistant through a Wikipedia-style service they call Thingpedia. It is a shared database in which any manufacturer or internet service could specify how its product or service would interact with the Almond virtual assistant.

They also hope Almond can leapfrog existing virtual assistant systems in its ability to understand complex language. Virtual assistants are doing a better job of understanding what humans say, but they have made much less progress in understanding what those words mean. Context and nuance are difficult for a machine to understand.

While simple phrases like What is the temperature? or Play a Beatles song are now routinely handled by computer assistants, routine human interactions that require understanding of context or rely on something that was previously spoken are much more challenging.

HANG UP: Regulators give phone companies new tools to fight robocalls

The services now do best in specific domains, like all the questions you might get about controlling your Spotify account.

It has taken years of work to get to this point. Three decades ago, Apple commissioned a group led by computer scientist Alan Kay to create a video showing how in the future humans might interact with computers using spoken language. The video, known as Knowledge Navigator, featured an absent-minded professor who talked with a computing system to perform everyday tasks and academic research.

The demonstration inspired a number of developers, including artificial-intelligence researchers Adam Cheyer and Tom Gruber, who began research on virtual assistants while they were still at SRI International, an independent research laboratory in Menlo Park, California.

In 2010, Apple acquired the startup and then released its technology for the iPhone the following year.

Since then, Siri has faced stiff competition. Last year, Amazon said it had 10,000 employees working on its Alexa service, many of them focusing on improving the ability to understand complex commands.

The Stanford researchers argue that Alexas approach, even with thousands of employees, will never be able to adequately deal with the complexity and variability of human language because it is incredibly labor-intensive and may not extend to more complex conversations.

DALBERT B VILARINO/NYT

Amazon researchers, on the other hand, have said that having access to vast amounts of data will give them a meaningful advantage in developing more sophisticated conversational software.

The Stanford researchers have developed a system named Genie that simplifies the task of training a so-called neural network. They are improving the accuracy of their service by creating test data, some of it generated by humans and the rest by sentences created by special test programs.

While machine accuracy in understanding spoken words is now routinely above 90%, accuracy in understanding complex natural language is substantially lower. A recent paper by the Stanford researchers, which described a significant advance in language understanding, still reached only 62% accuracy on realistic user inputs, actual statements produced by human test subjects in written form.

Gruber, who recently left Apple after heading advanced development there, remains skeptical of any near-term technical breakthrough that will make it possible for virtual assistants to have humanlike understanding.

When you get a question and you dont know what domain its in, then you have this very complicated problem of massive ambiguity, he said.

Lam said the threat to privacy cannot be overstated. For example, she noted that Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas last year installed Amazon Echo devices in rooms.

Once they said that what happens in Las Vegas stays there, she said. Now thats no longer necessarily true. Now it might end up in Seattle.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

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The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for equal dialogue based on mutual respect and adherence to multilateral trade rules in addressing economic and trade problems.

Relevant sides should never readily resort to protectionism and unilateralism, Xi said at the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia held in Tajikistan.I have tried to maintain a philosophy that I am not looking over my shoulder to see what another person is doing. I just have to be able to answer to myself everyday for giving my best to everything I do. If the answer is affirmative, then I feel content  Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif, has often been criticised for choosing roles that adhere to the song and dance genre. But now, the actress seems to be coming out her comfort zone. With the success of Bharat, Kat has managed to impress her critics. Even her performance in Zero was much lauded despite the film bombing at the box-office.

Nevertheless, Katrina says she feels good to have experienced both ups and downs in her career. Praise makes you feel good and criticism pinches; these two things you cannot change, she says. Even the reviews of Namaste London and New York were good for me. So I started thinking why everyone is talking about the reviews now, she reveals.

Adding more about her career trajectory, she says, I think I have come to a reasonable understanding, I feel for films such as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Rajneeti, Ive got good reviews. There were few in between, about three years ago, that didnt do well. We just remember that phase because it was so recent. And thats what it is like in the industry: You will have to continuously deliver. You have the misses, which sticks for a while, then when you are up again that sticks for a while too. You have the best of both worlds.

Bharat stoked controversy after Priyanka Chopra backed out of the film, and Katrina stepped into her shoes at the last minute. When asked that if she feels relief to get critical acclaim despite her replacing an actress as capable as Priyanka, Kat says she doesnt look at what her contemporaries are doing.

I have never thought of it that way until you said it now, she muses. I guess taking that into consideration, its a great validation and its great feedback. But in general, I have tried to maintain a philosophy that I am not looking over my shoulder to see what another person is doing. I just have to be able to answer to myself everyday for giving my best to everything I do. If the answer is affirmative, then, I feel content, she adds.

In fact, Katrina feels quite secure in her career at the moment. My entire focus is so much on what I am doing. Another actor could have another approach to their work, but I only feel secure when I have done my preparation. If I have not done it, then nobody can help me feel secure, and it doesnt matter where I am because I know I am unprepared, says the actress.

She further says that the unpredictable nature of filmmaking is what makes the ride all the more exciting. With films, its hits and misses, and thats the unpredictable nature of the film industry for everyone. Not for me, but for every person. So the unpredictability of movie making and films makes the appreciation much more special.

Her next film Sooryavanshi is no longer coming with Salmans Inshallah. However, the 35-year-old says she doesnt get involved in all those aspects of filmmaking. I genuinely felt that there is room for all films, and I am not the producer of any of the films. I speak when I have the authority to speak; I have no involvement in these films, Kat says, adding that she would definitely speak on films if she was producer.

I dont like to make the comment when there is no involvement, she concludesImperial Valley News Center

Presidential Message on the 244th Birthday of the United States Army

Washington, DC - "As Commander in Chief, I am pleased to join our grateful Nation in celebrating the 244th birthday of the United States Army.

"For nearly two and a half centuries, the United States Army has been synonymous with duty, honor, and discipline. As part of the most elite fighting force the world has ever seen, our soldiers fiercely defend our national security at home and abroad. From the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States Army has been instrumental in ensuring that America remains a shining beacon of hope and freedom around the world.

"Last week, we commemorated the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The United States Armys role was paramount to the success of Operation Overlord on that day and our subsequent victory in the European Theatre of World War II. Seventy-five years later, the men and women of the United States Army continue to fearlessly execute their roles as the guardians of freedom. Today, we commend our brave soldiers, both past and present, for their steadfast resolve, their vigilant defense of the values we hold dear, and their love of country.

"May God watch over all the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families, and may He continue to bless the United States of America."Imperial Valley News Center

Statement from the Press Secretary on the Visit of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada

Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump will welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada to the White House on June 20, 2019. The visit will reaffirm Americas deep partnership with Canada, and allow the two leaders to address opportunities and challenges related to expanding bilateral cooperation.

President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau will discuss the shared economic interests of their countries, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and opportunities to drive more growth and create jobs in both the United States and Canada. The two leaders will also discuss the upcoming G20 Summit, which will take place from June 28 to 29 in Osaka, Japan.Imperial Valley News Center

Poppy Cultivation and Potential Heroin Production Remain at Record-High Levels in Mexico

Washington, DC - The annual United States Government estimate of Mexican Poppy Cultivation and Heroin Production found poppy cultivation in Mexico decreased by 5 percent, from 44,100 hectares in 2017 to 41,800 hectares in 2018. Similarly, potential pure production decreased by 4 percent, from 111 metric tons in 2017 to 106 metric tons in 2018. Potential heroin production remained above 100 metric tons for the second consecutive year. However, ONDCP assesses that this slight decrease was due to record production in 2017.

Mexico continues to be the primary supplier of heroin to the United States; 91 percent of seized heroin examined by the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2017 was determined to have originated in Mexico. Poppy cultivation and heroin production in Mexico continue to threaten the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2017, 47,600 Americans, or 130 people per day, died of opioid involved overdoses and 15,482 of those deaths involved heroin.

President Donald J. Trump is focused on stopping the trafficking of heroin and other dangerous drugs coming from Mexico. He declared a National Emergency on our southern border in part to ensure the safety of the American people from these deadly drugs.This is a story about kindness, good deeds, and great outcomes.

It starts with Rodney Smith Jr., who mows lawns for a living -- and who just got a free first-class trip to Alaska and Hawaii courtesy of Delta Air Lines.

As you might imagine, there's a bit more to the story.

Mowing lawns in 50 states

As Smith told me Friday, this all began in 2015.

He was living in Huntsville, Alabama then, finishing up a computer science degree at Alabama A&M University. He happened to drive by an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn.

Smith pulled over and offered to mow the man's lawn. He was so grateful, Smith said, that he decided to start volunteering to mow lawns for other needy people.

He posted about it on Facebook, and the whole thing took on a life of its own. His amateur effort grew into an organization funded solely by $60,000 a year or so in donations. He's traveled around the country a few times.

This year, he got the idea to mow lawns for veterans in all 50 states.

He ticked 48 states off the list over a little more than a month. But then he ran into two problems: Alaska and Hawaii.

Hey Delta, can you help?

Smith is humble and hard-working. He's also extremely media savvy. His social media posts get a lot of interaction. He got the idea to tweet at Delta and ask for help.

I talked with Delta. A spokesman said they saw Smith's tweet and decided to help out.

As they formulated a response, a summer intern from Huntsville spoke out on his previous efforts, reaffirming their decision.

Here's where I think this becomes interesting. Because a lot of brands get asked for freebies all the time.

Sometimes, they respond -- but it often seems like a calculated response, intended to boost the brand or get some solid public relations out of the deal.

In this case however, Delta's response seems more authentic.

Immediate result: A couple of first class tickets for Smith, that took him from Huntsville to Atlanta, to Anchorage, to Seattle, to Honolulu, and back to Atlanta and Huntsville. Smith tweeted and posted about the whole trip, including the veterans whose lawns he showed up to mow.

Ultimate result: thousands of good media mentions for Delta (I count more than 8,000 in Google News -- make that 8,001 with this one), along with probably millions of people having a fleeting, positive interaction with the airline.

Off to Anchorage,Alaska to mow for our veterans there! I got a chance to meet our pilots, Mr. Johnson & Mr. Kennedy . Mr. Johnson is a Air Force veteran himself. Thank you for your service . Thank you Delta for the first class treatment! pic.twitter.com/CDoSO9w4Sm -- Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) June 10, 2019

The only way to do the math

There are a number of companies right now, all pitching stories and clamoring to become known as the "Uber of lawn care" in the United States.

But it's Smith who manages to get all this attention, and Delta that figures out how to become involved. How does that happen?

There's always a part of me that wants to open a spreadsheet and figure out the cost and the benefit in stories like that. And we can do that, pretty simply.

Let's guesstimate that it cost Delta something like $10,000, in the lost opportunity to sell those first class seats to Anchorage and Honolulu and back. But balance that against the earned media, and it's an insanely positive return on investment.

Except for one thing: I don't get the sense at all that this is really an investment.

I certainly don't think Delta has a room full of people sitting there in Atlanta with spreadsheets doing the math the way I just did it.

The secret this all reveals is that this kind of thing only works is if you don't do the math -- if you've successfully built a culture in which people are empowered to help out with small acts of kindness, and the authenticity comes through.The jury is still out on Elon Musk, as it is for all of us. But it's likely he will one day be remembered as the greatest creative innovator and entrepreneur of our time -- unless, that is, he manages to sabotage his own success.

Weirdly -- and my God, I almost can't believe I'm saying this -- it's not because of his tendency to go off half-cocked, tweeting his way into trouble or doing things like promising to personally review expense reports for thousands of Tesla employees.

Instead, it's because of the small sliver of self-doubt that crept into his remarks last week at Tesla's annual shareholders meeting.

It was subtle. It was easy to miss. But it's the kind of act Musk needs to drop right now.

'It's time you knew...'

The context: a question about the timeline for a pretty amazing Tesla feature that Musk has been promising for a while: "Advanced Summon."

Advance Summon will ultimately let owners tap a button on their phone and have their cars self-navigate through parking lots to meet them. Seriously, that's off the charts.

But, it's an an incredibly complex problem to solve, and someone apparenltly pointed out to Musk that he'd once forth a timeline for "Advanced Summon" under which it should already be available.

That led to a rare Musk demurral and admission: "I'm sometimes a little optimistic about timeframes. It's time you knew."

Yes, it's true. He's a "a little optimistic" sometimes.

But if you're rooting for Tesla, and for Musk himself, it would be a whole hell of a lot better if he didn't admit it to himself.

Elon Musk Inc.

It's easy to forget that Musk wasn't actually the founder of Tesla, as it's so entwined with him personally now.

Buy a Tesla, work for Tesla, or invest in Tesla, and you're basically buying a piece of Musk, working for him, or investing in him. Personally.

Some people think that's a great bet. Others think it's horrible.

Reportedly, Apple wanted to buy Tesla back in 2013. It was willing to pay a 24 percent premium, but only on the condition that it could get rid of Musk.

In other words, it concluded that Tesla was worth $5.5 billion more without Musk than with him. Ouch. And if you're Musk: Too bad Apple, you had your chance.

Because more than many other companies, Musk relies on the cult of his own personality to push performance. There's good reason, to my mind, to bet on him.

I'm not saying it's necessarily going to be a winning bet, but it's not a stupid one.

Eight. Maybe nine.

But if you do bet on Musk, here's what you bet on:

A 17-year-old who left South Africa alone (repeat: alone!) for Canada en route to the United States.

A guy with the confidence to drop out of a Ph.D. program at Stanford after just a matter of days days to focus on entrepreneurship.

A man who has founded or led at least eight companies by my count, maybe nine, depending on whether you count X.com and Paypal as separate companies (Zip2, X.com, PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, SolarCity, OpenAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company).

When we start talking about as "the greatest creative innovator and entrepreneur of our time" has to be held up against Steve Jobs.

But Jobs only founded two companies (Apple and NEXT).

The 'reality distortion field'

Yes, Apple is bigger and more influential today, but when Jobs was Musk's age now, 2004 or so, Apple's market capitalization was under $10 billion. Tesla is at just under $38 billion now.

As long as we're talking about Jobs though, let's talk about what colleagues and employees said was the number-1 key to his success: the "reality distortion field."

In short, his unshakable confidence that despite what everyone else around him said, he could succeed.

There's no room in that paradigm for doubt. There's no room for: "I admit, 'I'm sometimes a little optimistic about timeframes.'"

I don't mean to suggest that these 11 short words are the beginning of the end. But they're the warning sign. And, anyone who cares about Musk, or Tesla, or any of his other ventures should be on the lookout for them.

When the earliest little bits of doubt start to creep in -- the little admission that "Iron Man" is just a man after all, he needs to knock it off.Madonna is famous for her dry sense of humour, but apparently not everyone watching The Graham Norton Show was a fan.

Some viewers have criticised the Queen of Pop for the way she spoke to fellow guest, actor Sir Ian McKellen, on the show, which many believe went downhill after she appeared to forget they had met before.

Sir Ian later joked that this was why Madonna hadnt been invited to his 80th birthday party, while she appeared to mock his title of Sir towards the end of the interview.

There was another awkward moment where Sir Ian misunderstood Madonnas question, What do you do?, to mean she didnt know he was an actor, when in fact she was asking what he does in his new stage show.

Click through the gallery below to see Madonnas greatest songs

Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff Show all 9 1 /9 Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Don't Tell Me" (2000) While the Stetson she appeared in for the Music era of 2000 is just one of many hats worn by Madonna, the message of its best single, Dont Tell Me, is one she has practiced her entire career. I was fairly independent as a child and my colleagues would likely agree Im even more stubborn and wilful as an adult  Madonnas defiant lyrics on this track could certainly have had something to do with that. The twangy guitar loop of this electronic-country-pop number provides one of the most recognisable intros in music, as she instructs the listener: Tell the leaves not to turn/ but dont ever tell me Ill learn, no, no/ Take the black off a crow/ but dont tell me I have to go. Like a Prayer, Vogue and Material Girl might be more iconic among Madonna fans, but for this one, Dont Tell Me eponymises who she is as an artist, and as a person. (Roisin O'Connor) Rex Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Into the Groove" (1984) Although "Into the Groove" isnt technical musical feat like some of Madonnas later dance work, such as the electro masterpiece "Ray of Light", or pretty much anything on the Confessions album, it encompasses Madonnas less filtered earlier work, complete with a signature spoken introduction. All of Madonnas spoken introductions prelude her best work, as if to serve as a siren to dash to the dancefloor before the bassline kicks in. "Into the Groove" is the literal finest example of this: when her vocals pop up over a drum and synth intro (And you can dance/For inspiration/ Come on) I will always want to hit that floor. (Chloe Hubbard) Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Papa Dont Preach" (1986) Hunting around my parents house when I was 10, I found my mums Immaculate Collection VHS, the pastel blue box signalling something exciting. Slotting it into the machine, I waited for a song to finish and a fade to black. More than just a story of a young pregnant woman having to break the news to her protective father, Papa Dont Preach is a coming-of-age story. It felt relevant to me even at that age, contrasting with the numerous songs Id heard telling mens stories. The impossible-not-to-dance-to beat, the catchy lyrics and that feeling of a song capturing the female experience have stayed with me ever since. And its not just me. Put this track on at a wedding and the dance floor will be alight in moments with women shouting the lyrics, dancing like Madonna  feeling empowered. If that doesn't qualify as an iconic song, I dont know what does. (Harriet Hall) REUTERS Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Like a Virgin" (1984) From the minute the unmistakable beat of Like a Virgin begins to play, you cant help but start rocking your head from side to side and tapping your feet in sync with the music in true 1980s fashion. Not only is the song undeniably catchy, but it also epitomises several aspects of Madonnas identity, namely her openness with sexuality and erotica. Some of Madonnas most iconic moments have come from her performances of the track, such as at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1984 when she appeared on stage wearing a white wedding dress. Its playful, upbeat and impossible to resist dancing to. Whats not to love? (Sabrina Barr) REX/Shutterstock Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Like a Prayer" (1989) Is Like a Prayer the favourite Madonna song of every lapsed Catholic out there? Maybe its over speculation, but theres some primal part of my Catholic childhood that cant help but claw to the surface on each listen of the 1989 pop classic. Madonna made no secret of the fact her work was heavily influenced by her own upbringing surrounded by Italian Catholicism and, as she told Rolling Stone in 1989: Once youre a Catholic, youre always a Catholic - in terms of your feelings of guilt and remorse and whether youve sinned or not. But with Like a Prayer, theres a sense of freedom: an intimate, personal rewriting of religion that breaks the taboos of intermixing sex and religion. Add to that, the radical nature of the tracks video making a sincere statement about racism and police brutality - a message often buried by the hysteria surrounding the Vaticans own condemnation of it. (Clarisse Loughrey) Getty Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Vogue" (1990) To strike a pose is to Vogue. So much more than a glitzy disco track, Madonnas Vogue cements its rank as a pop culture phenomenon thanks to the flamboyant New York City subcultures it celebrates. The dance itself originates in 1980s drag culture and Madonnas eponymous track is an homage to the sexual freedom and flagrant theatrics that the routine evokes to this day. With its liberal roots and non-binary rhetoric (it makes no difference if youre black or white, if youre a boy or a girl), Vogue is the ultimate empowerment anthem, fuelled by grandeur, old-school glamour, and an insatiable appetite for fun. Its a corker. (Olivia Petter) ITV/REX/Shutterstock Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Beautiful Stranger" (1999) Madonnas enjoyably psychedelic Beautiful Stranger was the perfect selection as main soundtrack single for Austin Powers sequel The Spy Who Shagged Me. Co-written by William Orbit, the man behind Blurs Coffee and TV as well as All Saints belter Pure Shores, the song draws instrumentally from unexpected places (The Beatles, The Doors) with its drum-free guitar-backed opening verse setting the stage for that roaring chorus: Youre everywhere I go! And everybody knows! Its a flawless slice of late-1990s pop thats as good as anything Madonnas ever recorded. Groovy, baby. (Jacob Stolworthy) Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "La Isla Bonita" (1986) On the very rare (two) occasions Ive done karaoke, it says something that the song Ive picked both times was "La Isla Bonita". Im a sucker for melody  and especially one thats uptempo yet loaded with a melancholic yearning to be on a mysterious tropical island. From the opening Cuban drums, followed by castanets, its the winning blend of Latin rhythms and Spanish guitar with 1980s synths, and the sweetness of Madonnas cooing vocals, that makes La Isla Bonita stand out  and it was the first Spanish-tinged track that Madonna released. Its so distinctive that its impossible to imagine this on Michael Jacksons Bad album, for which the track was initially written. Romantic, evocative and always alluring. (Elisa Bray) Madonna's best songs, according to Independent staff "Material Girl" (1984) While some may criticise Material Girl for being shallow, it is in fact a feminist anthem. Sure, prioritising money and shiny things over personality may not be the best approach when looking for a partner, but theres nothing wrong with appreciating fashion and the finer things in life  it doesnt mean youre frivolous, vain or superficial, as Madonna points out. Because the thing is, some boys may kiss you and some boys may hug you (consensually, one would hope), but if they dont give you proper credit, you really should just walk away. (Rachel Hosie) Rex

They were joined on Nortons red sofa by director Danny Boyle, actors Lily James and Himesh Patel, and Sheryl Crow, who also performed her new single.

See what fans had to say about the appearance, below:

Madonna appeared on the show to discuss her new album, Madame X, which has been praised for its bold, adventurous and occasionally bonkers new sound.

In her review for The Independent, critic Alexandra Pollard observed the range of influences drawn from Madonnas time spent living in Portugal.

Recorded in Lisbon, London, New York and Los Angeles, Madame X is such a cultural melange  Latin trills, Jamaican dancehall instrumentals, African drums, choral masses and disco beats crop up throughout  that it sometimes verges on collapsing in on itself, she wrote. At other times, though, what is thrown at the wall sticks beautifully.

The latest episode of The Graham Norton Show is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.The "Birth of a Genius" exhibition brings together the best of the Picasso Museum Paris. (Photo: AP)

Beijing: The largest Picasso exhibition ever held in China opens on Saturday, featuring more than 100 works, many of them from the artist's early years.

The "Birth of a Genius" exhibition brings together the best of the Picasso Museum Paris, Laurent Le Bon, the museum's president told AFP.

Featured works include paintings, sculptures and drawings, and are accompanied by photos of the young Pablo in Barcelona and Paris. The first Picasso exhibition in China was held in 1983, timed to coincide with a Beijing visit by then French president Francois Mitterrand. Just 33 pieces of art were put on display.

This year's exhibition, which runs until September 1 at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, focuses on the artist's first 30 years. "We have tried to show the great masterpieces like the blue Self Portrait, for example, that hardly ever leave the museum, and display them alongside a more multidisciplinary Picasso," Le Bon said.

The Spanish artist's "blue period" from 1901 to 1904, which focused especially on the poor and marginalised, such as prostitutes and drunks, features prominently in the selected works, added exhibition curator Emilia Philippot.

"These are very political subjects in a way," she said. Transporting all the works to China brought its own challenges. The insurers for the works, which are valued at more than 800 million euros ($900 million) insisted that the pieces travel on seven separate planes, the organisers said.This is a tale of two epidemics. Only one of them is real. The real one is Ebola. Ebola is a virus that kills people. This is a fact. But we fear facts as much as we fear disease. We prefer reassuring falsehoods to facts. And its so easy, you can deny practically anything. All you have to do is add the little word not. Weve had Holocaust denial and climate change denial. Now we have Ebola denial.

The virus, named after the Ebola river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo near where it first appeared in 1976, has an approximately 80 per cent mortality rate. ie not good odds: you have a one-in-five chance of surviving if you get it.

The disease is not just hard to eradicate, it has a habit of triggering a second parallel virus, of the virtual kind, but just as insidious and potentially lethal, a rumour cloud around Ebola, made up of myth, moonshine, conspiracy theories, and paranoia. So the Red Cross finds itself fighting on two fronts, against the real thing and, at the same time, an outbreak of fake news.

Recommended Second patient dies of Ebola in Uganda

Butembo, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, is at the epicentre of the 10th outbreak of Ebola, currently counting 2071 cases. The Red Cross  working alongside the World Health Organisation and Medecins Sans Frontieres  has sent in volunteers to help tackle the disease. But, as is common in these situations, they have run into a wall of misunderstanding, misinformation, and resistance.

The resistance, usually no worse than verbal abuse or a refusal to take advice, can sometimes take the form of violence. One senior epidemiologist has been killed in 2019 and clinics have been attacked. Ironically, the very people trying to treat the illness are perceived as causing it.

So pervasive is this second epidemic, the virus of suspicion and scepticism, that radiates out from the first, that the Red Cross has tried to draw up rumour maps to keep track of it, because one of the facts in this swirling fog of misinformation is that the second one makes the first one worse. The spread of rumour only serves to increase the spread of the disease.

Adam, a volunteer in Bundibugyo, goes door-to-door in hiscommunity (Uganda Red Cross/Aggrey Nyondwa)

Modern medicine is not all about doctors and nurses and pills and potions, its also about information management, which boils down to two things: disseminating scientifically backed facts, and trying to contain the transmission of false beliefs.

Ebola is probably caused by fruit bats (and eating other infected animals) and certainly spread by physical contact with the body fluids of victims. The other epidemic is definitely generated by humans. The word itself, epidemic (from the Greek, epi- upon or against or around, and demos, the people) suggests that we are complicit in the process.

Its mainly spread by word of mouth, says Thuong Nguyen, who is French-Vietnamese and the information management coordinator for the Red Cross. But there is an extensive phone network in DRC, and people use Whatsapp. There are whole groups dedicated to talking about Ebola. False information radiates outwards, relatively unchecked. If youre the fifth person in the chain, or the 50th, its not easy to check your sources. The denser the population, the faster the rumours spread.

Nguyen initiated the rumour mapping project in August 2018. She says the whole point was to get a cool and quantitative take on rumour. We didnt want to start a rumour about the rumours. There are so many rumours already, we didnt want to be part of that. We had to be specific.

The Ebola outbreak wont be over until the population rises up against the response team... Doctors are killing people; Ebola is a business; the virus is made to eliminate the Congolese; there are fake tablets that kill

There is a perfectly practical reason for gathering and collating the information: Red Cross medics need it in order to be able to carry out their operation: to know what people are thinking as well as how they are feeling.

Nguyen emphasises that the majority of people believe that Ebola is real. But she and her team of 880 community engagement volunteers have detected 33,016 separate rumours, observations and beliefs across 17 health zones in DRC. Only 8 per cent of them consist of flat-out denial: the wishful idea that Ebola does not exist.

But there are a lot of more complicated, more conspiratorial versions of denial. Seven per cent of the rumours invoke supernatural theories to do with witchcraft and demons. A much larger proportion of the rumours tend to point the finger of blame at health professionals rather than witches. Another 21 per cent maintain that Ebola is being used to exploit communities for influence or money; 13 per cent express a lack of confidence in medical services, with a suspicion of doctors harming people; and a hardcore of 4 per cent explicitly hold that Ebola is engineered by foreigners with some murderous or malevolent intent.

Ibrahim never went to school but he uses his talent in music and drama to reach even the most educated with Ebola prevention messages (Uganda Red Cross/Aggrey Nyondwa)

The Ebola outbreak wont be over until the population rises up against the response team. This is a real quote (translated from Swahili) coming from someone in the DRC recorded by the Red Cross engagement team. There is a constellation of fanciful ideas: Doctors are killing people; Ebola is a business; the virus is made to eliminate the Congolese; there are fake tablets that kill.



But probably the dominant theme is how to fight back against the spread of Ebola, mainly by attacking the health professionals. Doctors in the field have to worry not only how to protect themselves from the virus but also from the relatives of people who have been victims.



One informant said: We are in the process of determining how to catch some of the doctors and nurses from the response team to inject them with the blood of a vaccinated person and see how their body responds. Another: Everyone who works in the response team will be tracked down.

Ombretta Baggio, 46, the coordinator of community engagement and accountability for the International Red Cross Ebola response, spoke to The Independent from Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the DRC. She reckons that rumour mapping should really be called community feedback. The media tends to over-dramatise. You have to remember, its not all fake news. Rumour is only part of the data. Alongside the rumours there are a lot of reasonable questions to which we try to provide answers.

A healthcare worker carries a baby suspected of being infected with Ebola virus in a hospital in Oicha, North Kivu (Reuters)

But she agrees that there is an epidemic of fear, which is motivating people to do things that are not healthy and that fuel the Ebola epidemic. Baggio points out that the DRC is volatile environment with a complex political dynamic. After a two-decades-long conflict, elections have recently taken place in the region. People fear not just foreigners but anyone from outside their province. They tend to trust their neighbours, and are proportionately suspicious of outsiders.

Baggio says that the great advantage of the rumour mapping project is that we have a very clear picture of what the main concerns are. The principal object of most peoples fear and loathing is the ETC, the Ebola Treatment Centre, dedicated to trying to halt Ebola and often staffed by foreigners or people perceived as foreigners.



The fact that the frontline health professionals have to wear full body suits to protect them against the virus probably doesnt help. They look like aliens who have just landed. It is at one of these treatment centres that a doctor was killed in May by armed militia. The treatment centre is seen as a place where you go to die, Baggio says. Where you are isolated and injected on purpose with a virus. Inevitably, it makes the patient and the family and relatives fearful.

Red Cross volunteers are teaching children about preventing the spread of Ebola (IFRC/Maria Santto)

In terms of treating the illness itself, there is a limited amount of vaccination available in the DRC. We are using an experimental vaccine, says Ombretta. With a high level of success. Its not mass vaccination. The Ministry of Health and WHO work to create a ring around the individual case.



As soon as anyone is identified as having contracted the disease, an emergency response team goes in to vaccinate all the immediate contacts of the victim and then the contacts of those contacts. But not everyone understands or appreciates what they are doing. Some think that they are being injected with the disease, others want to know why only some are being vaccinated and not others.

Noelle leads the conversation on RTR radio in Beni. The station has a million listeners in Northern Kivu, an Ebola hotspot (IFRC/Maria Santto)

Thuong Nguyens priority is what they call Safe and Dignified Burial. Our role is to ensure that when a loved one dies the family and the community doesnt get infected. Local funeral customs here prescribe a process of washing the dead before burial. All of which is normal and reasonable, except in the case of Ebola, since even a corpse can be infectious.

Contact with bodily fluids can be fatal. Nguyen says that a safe team is required to manage the process without incurring further dead bodies. One of the recent developments has been the use of transparent body bags to counteract rumours that body bags were being filled with rocks or dirt while the actual bodies were being spirited away to have their body parts harvested for sale.

There are rumours that body bags were being filled with rocks or dirt while the actual bodies were being spirited away to have their body parts harvested for sale

One of the problems with such an infectious disease as Ebola is that victims can spread the disease inside hospitals. Working with the Ministry of Health and Unicef, the Red Cross helped to set up a system of triage points in front of hospitals, a form of medical customs control to check if youre carrying the disease. Instead of just walking in the front door of the hospital you have to pass through this antichamber to be checked and assessed first. If you show any symptoms youre taken to a different room for further analysis.

Similarly, there are things that can be done to prevent the spread of rumour, the meta-epidemic accompanying Ebola. They call the measures deployed to fight back against viral thinking sensitisation. The Red Cross is, in effect, trying to inoculate the population against rumour, using methods as simple as knocking on doors and explaining or giving seminars in schools. Radio shows, mobile cinemas, and plays performed in rural communities dramatise the problem and its solution.

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Ombretta Baggio adds that the Red Cross has to find compromises that go beyond the bio-medical response. She suggests that the existing Ebola Treatment Centres need to be streamlined and integrated into the existing health network to overcome the fear of the unfamiliar and the unknown. After so much conflict in the country, the Congolese people are used to looking after themselves. They want to own the treatment.

With strict measures of isolation and body disposal in place, Ebola can be contained. But what about the other epidemic? Can that be contained? At the moment we are holding it at bay, says Nguyen. Theyre not winning, but theyre not losing either. The alerts about cases coming from the Congolese themselves have quadrupled from 20 to 80 per cent.

A warehouse in Goma where new transparent bodybags are loaded into a truck for distribution in Beni and Butembo (IFRC/Maria Santto)

Baggio makes the point that its easy to blame the community for spreading lies. In other words, at its crudest, we believe or imply that the Congolese people themselves are responsible for Ebola, or at least for making it worse. But its important not to scapegoat some people for the crime of scapegoating other people. For one thing, there is a rationale for the irrational.



There are conspiracy theories, but there are also actual conspiracies. The subtle Nestle scheme for replacing breast milk in Africa with its products, at the expense of child deaths and illness, is only one among many similarly exploitative plots and plans. Neo-imperialism harks back to actual empires. The DRC, for example, was once the colonial possession of Belgium. King Leopold, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, robbed the country blind in search of rubber and other commodities. People really were being killed and mutilated on a regular basis for commercial gain.

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Rumour is not a war against truth. It thrives and metastasises and proliferates in the cracks and crevices of solid, hardcore information. This is why we have community engagement, says Nguyen, to fill in the gaps, to inform the community of the things that we do know. Facts rather than beliefs.



Shakespeare described rumour as the many-headed monster, so its nothing new. Post-truth has always been with us, but the greater the population and the most extensive the communications networks, the greater the opportunity for rumour to flourish. The meme was originally conceptualised by Richard Dawkins not as a viral image on social media but rather as an idea or behaviour that multiplies and spreads just as genes, or cells do, independently of individual intentions.

And, again, there is a good reason why some ideas spread more than others: they simply have a better narrative. They become, in effect, bestsellers. The story from science, involving  possibly  bats, is less engaging or compelling than a story involving cold-hearted ruthless bad guys from abroad trying to do down the locals. Sound familiar?

It seems like every country around the world is blaming some other country (or some other ethnicity) for their problems. Its always foreigners who are to blame. In the US, its Mexicans and Muslims; in Brexit-infected Britain, its Europe. In India, its Pakistan; in Pakistan, its India. Were all looking for scapegoats. In the DRC, doctors are blamed for injecting people with Ebola; in the US and Europe we have anti-vaxxers, who claim the MMR causes autism and fear the needle more than they fear measles and mumps.

Perhaps there is a biological or cellular basis for the spread of rumour. If we could compare the map of Ebola with the map of the rumour epidemic that is parasitic upon it, we would find them surprisingly similar. Rumour is essentially a public health issue. The fundamental reality of information is that it generates misinformation and disinformation (the more deliberate version we also call fake news). Information doesnt care about truth, it doesnt mind if it is prefixed by mis- or dis-, it only cares about multiplying and propagating. Exactly like a virus. Information is contamination.

Support the British Red Cross Ebola Appeal: www.redcross.org.uk/ebola

Andy Martin teaches at the University of Cambridge and is the author of Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of Make MeWhether its for a holiday abroad or a long day at work, leaving a pet at home can be an upsetting experience for owners. Fortunately, dog-owners wont have to part from their beloved pets today, as Bring Your Dog To Work Day is here.

Its well-known dogs make great companions that can offer friendship, assistance as therapy dogs and as guide dogs, and decreased stress levels. With BYDTWD, they are also given the chance to make great "coworkers".

On Friday 21 June, dog owners will have the chance to bring their pooch to work as part of the annual holiday.

This is the 21st year the holiday has been celebrated in the US, and will be the sixth annual dog-themed holiday in the UK, after it was established in 2014.

The pet-friendly holiday occurs every year on the Friday after US Fathers Day, and benefits pet-lovers as well as pets through charity fundraising.

From what it is to what it raises money for, this is everything you need to know about about Bring Your Dog To Work Day, also known as Take Your Dog To Work Day.

When is it and what is it?

This year, BYDTW is marked around the world on 21 June.

University wellbeing dogs Show all 5 1 /5 University wellbeing dogs University wellbeing dogs Middlesex University is using dogs to help students with exam stress MiddlesexUni University wellbeing dogs Middlesex University is using dogs to help students with exam stress MiddlesexUni University wellbeing dogs Middlesex University is using dogs to help students with exam stress MiddlesexUni University wellbeing dogs Middlesex University is using dogs to help students with exam stress MiddlesexUni University wellbeing dogs Middlesex University is using dogs to help students with exam stress MiddlesexUni

As the name suggests, the holiday is celebrated by bringing dogs into the office, however, it is about much more than being able to spend quality time with your furry friends.

In the US, the holiday was started by Pet Sitters International (PSI), a database for professional pet sitters and dog walkers where dog owners can search free-of-charge for available pet sitters, in 1999 in the hopes that people without pets would see the bonds co-workers had with theirs and be encouraged to adopt a dog.

In addition to benefiting dogs without homes, the charity initiative also helps make a difference to the welfare of dogs in the UK and animals around the world.

What charities does the day raise money for?

In the UK, the holiday is intended to raise money for All Dogs Matter, an organisation that rescues and re-homes more than 400 dogs every year in London. It also aims to raise money for Animals Asia, an international charity devoted to ending the practise of bear bile farming, as well as improving the welfare of dogs and cats in China and Vietnam.

In the US, participants are encouraged to donate to an animal charity of their choice.

How do you take part?

Registration is not required for the holiday, which means you can simply bring your dog to work on 21 June, as long as you have the permission of your office and your boss. It is advised to read your company's policy regarding pets in the workplace.

For dog-lovers in the UK, donating and uploading a picture of your pooch at work to the Dog with a Job Hall of Fame enters you into a raffle where you may win a dog-themed gift from event sponsors.

The holiday takes place on 21 June (Stock)

The winner will be announced on 28 June.

You can also share photos of your canine "colleagues" on social media with the hashtags #TakeYourDogToWorkDay or #TYDTWD.

What are the other benefits of participating?

In addition to helping animals, studies have shown the presence of pets can help reduce a persons stress levels at work.

Employees who bring their dogs also reported higher levels of job satisfaction and had a more positive perception of their employer.

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Discussing the importance of having pets in the workplace, Chanda Leary-Coutu, director of consumer experience for Wellness Natural Pet Food, said: Not only are there proven benefits to having pets at work, like lowered blood pressure, lessened anxiety and increased physical activity, but it also helps attract and retain employees, especially among millennial workers.

The benefits of having pets in the office has even prompted some companies to implement pet-friendly initiatives year-round.

For example, at Amazons office in Seattle, Washington, more than 6,000 dog employees show up for work each day alongside their owners.

What should you know before bringing your dog to work?

If your company does participate in the holiday, there are a few things to consider before bringing in your pooch.

First, confirming your office space is safe for a dog is integral - which means ensuring there are no exposed wires or other dangerous appliances for them to chew on.

Also remember to bring along a water bowl, snacks, toys and anything else your dog needs to have a successful day at the office.

As a general rule, the American Kennel Club says adult dogs need about one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day.

And don't forget to be mindful of your dog's bathroom needs while at work.

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You can donate to the animal charities here or learn more about the holiday in the US here and the UK here.Theres barely a month to go until schools break up and the great summer holiday getaway begins. But with Britons spending upwards of two months salary on their trips, the stakes are high.

So where do you stand if your plans hit a bump in the road through no fault of your own?

Car trouble

Break down on the way to the airport or get stuck in a motorway traffic jam and you might think its game over if you miss your flight or the start of your cruise.

But check your travel policy for missed departure, cover which typically pays out from 250 up to 1,500 to cover the cost of reaching your destination.

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However, you will need to prove any incident was genuine. Small print in Co-ops travel policy says if you claim due to a breakdown, your vehicle must be properly serviced and maintained and if traffic jams are an issue, Direct Line will want proof the incident was severe enough to be reported on a recognised motor-association website, news bulletin, or in the press.

Flight delays

If your flights delayed or cancelled you can claim compensation under EU rules, specifically rule number 261/2004.

To have ground for a claim, your flight must be departing from an EU airport (whatever the airline) or you must be on an EU airline that lands at an EU airport, and these rules also extend to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Providing any delay is the airlines fault, compensation kicks in once your flight arrives more than three hours late. You can claim from about 110 up to 520 from the airline, depending on the distance and delay.

The easy way to check if youre due compensation and how to claim is via Which?

Lost luggage

Getting you and your luggage to your destination airport is your airlines responsibility so if your bags dont come out on the carousel, you can claim from the airline.

Most missing bags are traced and returned to their owners within a couple of days, says Emma Coulthurst from holiday comparison site TravelSupermarket. But in the meantime, some airlines will cover the cost of basic essentials like toiletries and a change of clothes.

Always report missing bags to the airline help desk and fill in a property irregularity report. Check the airlines rules on buying essentials, before going shopping, and keep all your receipts.

Travel policies usually cover the cost of buying essentials once bags have been missing for 12 hours, however this can range from just 10 up to about 200.

Once luggage is missing for 21 days, its classed as lost and you can make a claim from the airline for compensation under the Montreal Convention, says Coulthurst. This is up to around 1,000, although travel insurance limits may be higher, typically up to 2,000.

Bad weather

Forget trying to claim for a lack of sun, but if your Caribbean beach resort is damaged by a hurricane, and you booked a package through a travel operator, any costs for moving to alternative accommodation or flying home early will be covered under the Atol scheme.

If you booked flights and accommodation separately, you can recover costs on your travel policy as Avivas John Franklin explains: We cover costs for additional accommodation and transport so you can continue your trip if youre forced to move due to avalanche, earthquake, explosion, fire, flood, landslide, storm or tsunami.

Cancelling your trip

You hope it will never happen, but there may be times when you suddenly need to cancel your trip, say if a close relative dies.

In this case, the cost of your holiday can be reclaimed under the cancellation section of your travel policy, minus any excess. Policy limits vary, so when taking cover, always check the maximum limit is sufficient to cover the cost of your holiday.

Insurers have their own rules when it comes to which family relationships are covered in these circumstances. A parent or sibling tends to be covered as a close relative, says Coulthurst. But you will usually find that grandparents, aunts or cousins are not included.

If youre facing this situation without travel insurance, then youre at the mercy of your airline or holiday company. Some may agree to rearrange your trip as a gesture of goodwill, but theyre not obliged to do so.

Your holiday company goes bust

Booking a flight-based holiday means you automatically get Atol protection. This means your money back if the holiday company goes bust before you go, and covers the cost of finishing your trip if theres problem while youre away.

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Always look for the Atol logo and licence number before booking, and double check any accreditation is genuine, as there are lots of fake websites and dodgy holiday companies out there which cost us 7m last year according to Action Fraud. You can check a companys Atol details are genuine through the Civil Aviation Authority.

If you book flights yourself and the airline goes bust, you can claim the cost of the tickets from your credit or debit card company. If the cost is more than 100, you can ask your credit card company to stump up under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. And if you paid by debit card, (or under 100 on your credit card), use the chargeback scheme and ask your bank or card company to reverse the transaction.

Meanwhile, find out how to keep your money safe on holiday.Listening to the radio the other morning, I was trying to imagine the faces of the advisers to Sir Philip Green and his Arcadia fashion retailing group. For months now, Green has maintained an extremely low profile  by his standards, anyway. He hasnt been seen in Britain this year; hes hardly photographed, and if he is, hes not posing but someone has grabbed a picture of him near his home in Monaco.

Press interventions have been kept to a minimum  a guarded quote here, another one there. But nothing much, no big interviews, not anything remotely incendiary. He wont have been staying away from journalists, of course. If I know Green, and I had many dealings with him down the years, he will still have been contacting those people he likes to chat with, and believes he can trust.

Its in his DNA, he wont be forced away. He likes to believe he can handle his own public relations, can manage his reputation, that he has such strong contacts with the media, with reporters and editors, that he can get his messages across.Smells from pregnant and recently pregnant women may increase mens interest in their babies, a new study suggests.

The research links the smell given off by new mothers to the length of time male participants want to look at babies faces.

We found preliminary evidence that exposure to post-pregnancy body odours did significantly increase effort expended to view infants faces, the scientists, from Newcastle University and the University of Stirling, said.

For the study a group of 91 men, aged 19-44, were recruited by researchers and told to sniff odour samples repeatedly over a total of 10 minutes.

Some of the odours were collected from five women, aged between 27 and 33 years old, who gave birth during the research period.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. 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The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. 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The women provided two pairs of odour samples on three separate occasions; during early pregnancy, late pregnancy and after they had given birth.

The men took an online questionnaire both before and after exposure to the smells, which also included those from non-pregnant women.

The male participants were told to press keys to shorten or lengthen the time they wanted to look at images of men, women and babies faces.

Scientists found the post-pregnancy odours led to a marginally significant effect in the mens responses to images of baby faces.

Participants who had been exposed to the post-pregnancy smells spent longer looking at the babies than men who were not.

It is possible that the smells given off by pregnant women may make their partners more engaged fathers.

Our findings can be seen as providing the first evidence that brief exposure to post-pregnancy females body odour is sufficient to induce psychological and behavioural changes related to infant care, the authors of the study said.

We found that brief exposure to post-partum odours significantly increased the regard value of infant faces.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The odour samples were collected from the women using cotton pads sewn into t-shirts which participants wore over 24 hours.

Five non-pregnant women, aged 24-29, also provided samples using the same method.

The studys authors include Caroline Allen from Newcastle University and Craig Roberts, a professor at the University of Stirling.

Their findings are linked to previous studies which show that fathers who look after young children experience a drop in testosterone levels.

The teams research is published in the journal Physiology & Behavior.Asiya Gul Iram and her daughters have lived in Britain for more than a decade, but they rarely leave their home. The three of them sleep in the same bedroom despite having one each. They are all bright, educated women with ambitions, but since 2015 they have lived in fear of being sent to a life of oppression  because of an accusation Asiya vehemently denies.

My life stopped when I got that letter, says the 48-year-old, describing the moment she was accused by the Home Office of cheating in an English language test she had completed three years before. I didnt cheat. I did nothing wrong. How can they accuse me for something I havent done?

The Pakistani national moved to the UK on a student visa with her husband and daughters, Saba and Shifa Ikram, aged 26 and 30, in 2007. Her relationship with her husband was volatile  she had already attempted to escape from him twice while in Pakistan because he and his relatives wanted their daughters to marry much older men in the family. But when he agreed they could move to Britain, Asiya hoped it was a chance to start anew.

She began her studies in business administration, commuting from their home in West Drayton to central London. Saba, then 14, started studying for her GCSEs at Rosedale College in Hayes and Shifa, then 18, started working as a shop assistant, while their father got a job working at Morrisons. The family lived a moderately happy life. According to Asiya, her husband would occasionally, spurred by pressure from his relatives in Pakistan, speak of them going back and marrying their daughters into the family. She didnt like the idea, but she knew that as long as they were settled with studies and work in the UK, it wasnt something she had to worry about too much.

Saba, Asiya and Shifa live in fear of being deported by the Home Office (Saba Ikram)

Everything changed in January 2015, when Asiya  who was at that point on the brink of completing her Bachelors degree in accountancy  became one of thousands of international students accused of cheating in the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), which she had taken in 2012. Given no proper right to challenge the decision, they were subsequently told they had no right to stay in the UK.

The Home Office was last month accused by the National Audit Office (NAO) of failing to ensure innocent people were not wrongly targeted in the operation, which saw more than 2,400 students removed from the country. The department has come under increasing pressure to allow those accused to retake the test to prove their innocence.

With no proper opportunity to challenge the decision and no in-country right of appeal, Asiya felt hopeless. Meanwhile, Asiya said she believed her husband saw this as an opportunity to fulfil his relatives wishes and go back to Pakistan.

He said OK, your visa is finished, you cheated, so now lets go back, she remembers. He said we are going back to Pakistan and now the daughters are old enough to get married. I said we couldnt go back, their lives would be ruined. He started beating me, beating my daughters. We called the police and he left the house. After that we had no hope.

Her husband left, and she later discovered he had returned to Pakistan, where he apparently made allegations of adultery against her. Asiya and her daughters decided they had no option but to apply for asylum. But with limited finances, they were unable to afford a lawyer and represented themselves. Their asylum claim was refused in March 2017, with the judge accepting the Home Office claim that Asiya was a resourceful, well-qualified and well-educated woman who would be able to fend for herself in Pakistan. They subsequently submitted a human rights application, which was refused on the same grounds in July 2018.

A month later, Saba and Shifa were detained while reporting to the Home Office. They were taken into a room without their mother, and Asiya waited in the waiting room from 10am until 4pm not knowing what had happened to them. Meanwhile, her daughters were being interrogated, handcuffed and transported to a removal centre.

Crying at the memory, Saba, 26, says: They put handcuffs on me and my sister. I just wanted to scream. Its not nice when you see this happening to someone you love. They said take off your shoes, I want to see what you are hiding. They were treating us like criminals.

The sisters were served a letter stating they were liable for removal. Saba and Shifa were taken to Harmondsworth immigration removal centre, where they were informed they would be removed to Pakistan in a matter of days. They said our flight had been booked for Tuesday. I just wanted to hit my head against the wall, says Saba. I just wanted answers. They hadnt told us. At night-time I started having suicidal thoughts and they wouldnt give me my medication. It was hell.

They were released after seven days. But, with no resolution to their case, the three women are now living in fear that they will be detained again  and that this time they could be sent back to Pakistan.

Since they detained my daughters, we are really afraid of the Home Office, says Asiya. Every month when we go to report, we feel terrified. When we enter the Home Office building, we start shivering. We always think this could be our last time. I cannot sleep properly. When something fell in the corridor the other night we were all so scared. We were crying. We thought maybe the Home Office had come to our door. Even when the postman posts a letter the noise scares us.

Recommended International students wrongly kicked out over cheating speak out

Their MP, shadow chancellor John McDonnell, recently wrote to immigration minister Caroline Nokes for the second time to request that Asiya be given the opportunity to take a fresh English test in order to give her the chance to clear her name. But he is yet to receive a response. The Labour MP said: Following the TOEIC scandal, they have been left for years with no resolution to their case with devastating consequences.

The family also has the support of Migrant Voice, a charity that has been campaigning since 2017 alongside many of the students affected. Nazek Ramadan, director of the charity, said: There are countless other parents like Asiya, and young people like Saba and Shifa who have been denied a dignified life and a hopeful future by the governments accusation  one made on the basis of worthless evidence and one they were denied the right to challenge. For this family, that false accusation is threatening their fundamental right to a safe existence.

Sajid Javid, the home secretary, has said he is sympathetic to this issue and has promised twice in the last two months to make a statement on the governments next steps  but campaigners and those affected are still waiting.

When asked about Asiya and her daughters cases, a Home Office spokesperson said: All applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with the immigration rules. As legal proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

 Why is the Home Office getting so many immigration decisions wrong?

Unable to study, work or claim benefits, Asiya and her daughters are currently relying on the charity of local friends who help them with their rent, bills and groceries. She trembles as she reflects, with teary eyes, on how things changed after she was accused.

I was studying properly, I was going to the college regularly. I passed my first-year exam. I did the test myself, she says with determination. And on top of that, the label of cheater is really hurtful. I was thinking by 2015 I would be finished my bachelors degree and I would go for a masters. I was hoping to go into banking. But all of my dreams got shattered by this false accusation.

Its completely taken away my independence. I wanted to be a strong woman, to support my daughters and protect them from my family, to keep them here safe. And I was trusting the UK government that they would believe us, that they would give me a fair chance to prove myself. But they havent. And Im losing my hope.The sister of Jo Cox has said any resolve for calmer, kinder politics in the wake of the Labour MP's assassination has been forgotten.

Kim Leadbeater, whose sister was murdered in her Batley and Spen constituency by extreme right-wing terrorist Thomas Mair on 16 June 2016, said the language of politics has become even more brutal and toxic.

Speaking on the eve of the third anniversary of the Labour MP's death, Ms Leadbeater said: Personal insults and vicious verbal abuse are in danger of been normalised.

Candidates, MPs and others in public life are subject to intimidation and physical attacks so regularly it has almost become commonplace.

I worry that we have learnt nothing from what happened to Jo, and I would hate any other family to have to go through what we have been through, and continue to go through, every day.

Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes and candles are placed by a picture of slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London AFP Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Tributes to Labour Party MP Jo Cox are placed on her houseboat in Wapping in London REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures The Union flag at half-mast on top of Portcullis House in London after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (2R) and deputy leader Tom Watson (L) light candles as they attend a vigil to slain Labour MP Jo Cox in Parliament square in London AFP/Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and deputy leader Tom Watson (rear) arrive to leave tributes at Parliament Square PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People leave St Peter's Church after a vigil in memory of Jo Cox REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Flowers left at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminste, following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People react as they look at tributes left for Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A man writes a message at Parliament Square PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People stop to look at tributes left at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A woman arrives to lay flowers at a statue to Joseph Priestly in Birstall near to the scene where Labour MP Jo Cox was shot AFP/Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Tributes at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A woman places candles in tribute to Labour Party MP Jo Cox REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A member of the public signs a memorial for British MP Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London EPA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People sign messages of condolence for MP Jo Cox during a vigil in Parliament Square in London Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Flags at half mast outside Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street outside her constituency advice surgery in Birstall PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People arrive in Market Square with floral tributes after the death of Jo Co Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes are placed in Market Square next to the statue of Joseph Priestley following the death of Jo Cox Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes are brought to the scene after the death of Jo Cox Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A police officer carries bunches of flowers at the scene of the shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox in Birstall REUTERS

She added: Everybody agreed that we needed a calmer, kinder politics where we treat each other with respect and where violence or the threat of violence had no place.

Today it feels like all that has been forgotten and the language of politics has become even more brutal and toxic.

In recent months, right-wing politicians have been pelted with milkshakes while MPs including Remain-supporting Anna Soubry have been on the receiving end of insults outside Parliament.

Since the death of mother-of-two Ms Cox, two annual Great Get Together events have been held in her memory.

A third is due to be held next weekend.

PALeo Varadkar has said removing the Irish border backstop from the UKs EU Withdrawal Agreement would be effectively the same as a no-deal Brexit.

The Irish premier added it was alarming that Conservative leadership candidates have proposed changes to the policy which safeguards against a hard border.

Boris Johnson, the frontrunner in the race to replace Theresa May as prime minister, is among those who have suggested ditching the backstop in favour of unspecified alternative arrangements.

But the EU has insisted the Withdrawal Agreement  including the backstop  is not up for renegotiation.

Mr Varadkar told RTE: "To me no backstop is effectively the same as no deal because what the backstop is is ... a legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard border emerge again.

If we don't have that, that is no deal."

Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA

The Democratic Unionist Party, which has supported Ms May's government in Westminster, has insisted it would not back any EU withdrawal deal which includes a backstop with no time limit.

But Mr Varadkar said: "The difficulties we have with a time limit is effectively you are saying there will or could be a hard border once that time limit expires. That isn't a backstop.

"What we are open to, and always have been open to, is alternative arrangements that perhaps could avoid a hard border, through procedures and technologies and so on.

"What we expect  and I don't think it's unreasonable  we want to see that fleshed out, we want to see it exist, it demonstrated before we are willing to give up the backstop."

The Taoisearch added: "What people are saying is 'give up the backstop' - which we know will work legally and operationally - in return for something that doesn't yet exist but might exist in the future.

"I can't do that to the border communities."

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Mr Johnson has claimed it is "perfectly realistic" to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow the UK to leave the EU in October.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World At One programme, he described the backstop as the "fundamental flaw" in the agreement.

He added: "Those problems are easily capable of solution, as I think the [European] Commission has said in the past, with maximum facilitation techniques and, after all, at the moment you already have goods conforming to different standards."Conservative leadership contender Dominic Raab has hit out at rival Boris Johnson, claiming the party did not need a leader so easily caricatured as being part of the privileged elite.

The former Brexit secretary made the comments as the race to become Britains next prime minister became increasingly bitter, ahead of a further round of voting among Tory MPs knocking out at least one rival.

It also comes as the candidates  with the exception of Mr Johnson  prepare for their first televised debate tomorrow on Channel 4, with the broadcaster expected to present viewers with an empty podium for the ex-foreign secretary.

Mocking the decision of the frontrunner to duck the debate on Sunday, Mr Raab told The Daily Telegraph: Everyone is going to have to demonstrate that they have not just the vision but the nerve and mettle to deal with the EU and with a minority government.

If youre not up for the TV debates and the test that provides, people will argue its a barometer for what would happen if you get the job.

If you cant take the heat of the TV studios, what chance of taking the heat of the negotiating chamber in Brussels?

Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Show all 3 1 /3 Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Boris Johnson - 157 votes PA Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Michael Gove - 61 votes Getty Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Jeremy Hunt - 59 votes PA

Mr Raab, who needs to add to his first-round tally of 27 votes to continue after the second round, also criticised Mr Johnsons plans to cut taxes for around 3 million higher earners, by raising the 40p threshold from 50,000 to 80,000.

And he pitted his own personal background against Mr Johnsons, contrasting his grammar-school education and upbringing as the son of a refugee with an ex-public school rival like the Old Etonian Mr Johnson.

He said: Are we going to be in a better position to do that with a candidate who isnt so easily caricatured as being from the privileged elite, with the son of a refugee, a grammar-school boy who is offering tax cuts to most of those people on 15,000 as opposed to people on 50,000 and above?

Frontrunner Mr Johnson will miss the Channel 4 debate on Sunday (EPA)

What is the impact of that in a tight marginal race? Its about energy and youth and also having a vision, but its also about the practical electoral reality of who is going to better-placed to win in seats where Conservatives ask: are they really on our side?

Mr Raabs remarks followed the decision of Matt Hancock, the health secretary, to drop out of the race after trailing in the first round of voting on Thursday with just 20 backers.

He declined to reveal which of the surviving candidates  Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, Rory Stewart and Mr Johnson  he would support.

Mr Hancock will mull things over in the coming days, The Independent was told, amid suggestions he will back Mr Javid as another moderniser.

The home secretarys camp strongly denied rumours he will drop out as b******s, insisting he was just nine MPs short of the 33 votes required to clear the second round of voting on Tuesday.

One source close to Mr Javid also sniped that Mr Hunt, the foreign secretary, appeared to be losing enthusiasm, as the rivalry to take on Mr Johnson in the second phase of voting, among Tory members, intensified.Contenders to be Britains next prime minister have lined up to dismiss calls for an unchallenged coronation of Boris Johnson, as the Tory leadership race turned increasingly bitter ahead of a second round of voting.

It comes as all six of the candidates vying for the keys to No 10 appeared on stage at a hustings session hosted by the National Conservative Convention  an event originally scheduled for a vote of confidence in Theresa May.

Reports had suggested senior party figures were hoping to avoid weeks of blue on blue attacks, and instead were drawing up plans for the other candidates to withdraw after the former foreign secretary gained an overwhelming win the first ballot of MPs.

This would result in Mr Johnsons name alone being put forward to a confirmatory vote of members, essentially making his election as Tory leader a formality.

But the home secretary Sajid Javid, the foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, the former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and the international development secretary Rory Stewart all strongly condemned the plan.

Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Show all 3 1 /3 Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Boris Johnson - 157 votes PA Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Michael Gove - 61 votes Getty Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Jeremy Hunt - 59 votes PA

In his pitch to Tory members, Mr Javid said a coronation of Mr Johnson should be avoided as he joked that worked well last time  in reference to the 2016 leadership contest when Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the final two, resulting in Ms May being crowned leader.

The party and the country deserve a good choice, Mr Javid told reporters outside the hustings event. There needs to be a proper process thats followed through. Lets give the opportunity to the members to have their say.

Mr Stewart echoed his cabinet colleagues remarks, saying: The members of the Conservative Party who are wise, sensible, experienced people, deserve to have a choice.

We should have learned from the last time round that coronations are not the way to do democratic politics.

Mr Raab also insisted on the need for proper scrutiny in the contest, claiming the longer the process goes, the more the underdog gets their shot. Mr Johnson had avoided reporters as his Range Rover pulled up at a side door at the London hotel where the event was being held.

On Saturday, the former London mayor also faced fresh mockery for his decision not to participate in a televised debated hosted by Channel 4 tomorrow evening. The broadcaster intends to present viewers with an empty podium for the former foreign secretary.

If you cant take the heat of the TV studios what chance of taking the heat of the negotiating chamber in Brussels?, his rival Mr Raab told The Daily Telegraph.

Jeremy Hunt-backer Amber Rudd, who stood in for Ms May in the 2017 general election televised debates, also joked: If Boris doesnt want to do Sunday, Im very much available to step in for him.

The remaining six candidates in the Conservative leadership contest, clockwise from top left: Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt and Rory Stewart (AFP)

Mr Johnson has agreed to appear in the second debate on Tuesday  hosted by the BBC  after at least one contender is eliminated in a second round of voting by MPs earlier that day. Voting will continue until Thursday at the latest, when just two final candidates remain.

Five of the six candidates, who have pledged to remove or alter the Irish backstop in further round of negotiations with the EU, were also dealt a fresh blow at the weekend as the Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said removing the insurance policy would be represent the same threat as a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking to the Irish broadcaster RTE radio, Mr Varadkar said: To me no backstop is effectively the same as no deal, because the backstop is a legally operable guarantee that we will never see a hard Brexit. If we dont have that, that is no deal.This issue has created a furore in the opposition camp with the BJP alleging that the government would get kickback after the finalization of the deal. (Photo: ANI)

Bangalore: BJP Karnataka chief BS Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders staged a protest against Jindal South West (JSW) Steel land deal, on Saturday.

"The decision has already been taken to sell the JSW land and everybody knows their intention behind this deal. We will continue with the dharna today and tomorrow as well," he told ANI.

Another party leader, Shoba Karandlaje, MP, said the state government was not at all bothered about farmer's problem. Karnataka was facing severe drought problem but the government was not even releasing the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (HDRF) funds from central government, she said.

She also added that the state government has decided to give approximately 3,000 acres of land to JSW which is a rich iron ore field but they have not done anything for the poor farmers.

The Karnataka Cabinet recently decided to execute the absolute sale of land to JSW Steel, which is based out of Vijayanagar in Ballari district in the state.

According to the decision, the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel would be converted into a permanent sale in accordance with the initial agreement.

This issue has created a furore in the opposition camp with the BJP alleging that the government would get kickback after the finalization of the deal.Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner made as much as $135m (107m) last year while working as aides to Donald Trump, financial disclosures released by the White House have revealed.

Ms Trump's stake in her family's Washington DC hotel made her $3.95m (3.1m). Down the street from the Oval Office, it is currently at the centre of two federal lawsuits claiming Trump is violating the constitutions ban on foreign government payments to the president.

A personal business selling handbags, shoes and accessories, generated at least $1m (794,000) in revenue for Ms Trump in 2018.

The US president's daughter was also given a $263,500 (209,212) book advance for Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success, which was published in 2017 and which a New York Times review called witlessly derivative.

Her husband Mr Kushner took in hundreds of thousands of dollars from his holdings of New York City apartments. He also owns a stake in the real estate investment firm Cadre worth at least $25m (19.8m).

In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home Show all 13 1 /13 In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The front of the house Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The lobby Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The house exterior Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The patio Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The bedroom Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living area Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The Living Room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The kitchen Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The bathroom Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The hall Zillow

The historic Puck Building in the Soho neighbourhood of Manhattan, owned by the Kushner family, generated as much as $6m (4.7m)in rent. A former warehouse-turned-luxury-apartment building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn brought in more than $350,000 (277,900) in sale proceeds and rent.

Former and current tenants in the building filed a lawsuit against Kushner Companies, alleging it used noisy, dusty construction to make living conditions unbearable in an effort to push them out so their apartments could be sold. The company has said the suit is without merit.

Cadre has also drawn conflict-of-interest questions. It launched a fund to take advantage of large tax breaks by investing in downtrodden areas. It has also received $90m (71m) in foreign funding from an opaque offshore vehicle since Mr Kushner entered the White House.

The disclosures were released by the White House and filed with the US Office of Government Ethics.

Last month John Kelly, the presidents former chief of staff, said the Presidents family was an influence that frequently needed to be dealt with.

Mr Kelly said in an interview with Bloomberg Television's, The David Rubenstein Show, that he had been forced to remove some very disruptive officials to staff a president the way I think a president should be staffed.

He also said he was taken aback by the intense personal ambition some staffers displayed.The Trump administration cannot block pregnant, undocumented teenagers held in government custody from getting abortions, a federal appeals court has ruled.

The court concluded that it was rejecting the governments position that its denial of abortion access can be squared with Supreme Court precedent.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) initially brought the case on behalf of a 17-year-old girl from Central America held in a government-funded shelter in Texas.

In October 2017, then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh refused to let the girl have an abortion, even though she was 15 weeks pregnant and had already obtained judicial bypass pursuant to state law. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed Mr Kavanaughs decision, allowing the girl to terminate her pregnancy.

The government's Office of Refugee Resettlement in 2017 had adopted a policy of refusing to facilitate abortions for teens in its custody who had crossed the border illegally.

Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Show all 23 1 /23 Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Pro-life activists pray on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller looks on as Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights speaks to the media outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions An abortion rights activist holds placards outside of the US Supreme Court before the Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important ruling on the divisive issue in a generation. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Texas abortion provider Amy Hagstrom-Miller wipes a tear as she walks down the steps of the United States Supreme Court with Nancy Northup, President of The Center for Reproductive Rights on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, celebrate on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activist Morgan Hopkins of Boston, celebrates on the steps of the United States Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down one of the nation's toughest restrictions on abortion, a Texas law that women's groups said would have forced more than three-quarters of the state's clinics to close. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of a ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists embrace after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Pro-choice activist, Alissa Manzoeillo, of Washington, D.C. waits for rulings in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. A ruling is expected in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, a Texas case the places restrictions on abortion clinics, as well as rulings in the former Virginia Governor's corruption case and a gun rights case. Pete Marovich/Getty Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists cheer after the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, outside of the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. In a case with far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States, the court ruled 5-3 to strike down measures which activists say have forced more than half of Texas's abortion clinics to close. Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images Supreme Court strikes down abortion restrictions Abortion rights activists hold placards outside of the US Supreme Court ahead of an expected ruling on abortion clinic restrictions on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. AFP/Getty Images

In its 81-page ruling on Friday, the court noted that under the policy, the former director of the office, E Scott Lloyd, had to review individual abortion requests and had never approved one, including when the pregnancy resulted from rape.

Even when one teen obtained private funding and transportation for the abortion, the director refused to let her leave the shelter to undergo the procedure.

That is not a refusal to fund an abortion; it is a refusal to allow it, the court said in an unsigned opinion joined by Judges Sri Srinivasan and Robert Wilkins.

Brigitte Amiri, the ACLU attorney who argued the case, said dozens of young women have benefited because of the injunction the court upheld Friday that protects access.

Ms Amiri's colleagues receive one to three calls each week, she said, from teens in shelters seeking information about abortion services.

It's a tremendous relief that the government will continue to be prohibited from blocking access to critical care for unaccompanied minors, she said.

A Justice Department spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

In 2018, almost 50,000 unaccompanied minors were referred to the refugee resettlement office, and each year the office has several hundred pregnant minors in its custody.

The case attracted significant attention with its explosive mix of abortion and immigration policies, and because of the previous involvement of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh while he was on the DC Circuit.

Last March, a federal judge in Washington, issued a nationwide order that prevented the government from interfering with access to abortion services.

Justice Department lawyers had asked the appeals court to reverse the order, saying the government should not have to facilitate the termination of life through abortion".

The court rejected the government's argument that the teenagers could always voluntarily return to their home countries to terminate their pregnancies in part because the teenagers would need sign off from the US government.

Voluntary departure, then, is not a freely available escape hatch from a government veto on abortion. It is instead a second government veto, the court ruled on Friday.

In addition, the court noted that the teenagers were unlikely to be able to obtain abortions in their home countries because most minors in custody come from Honduras, Guatemala or El Salvador. Abortion is criminalised in all three countries, the court said.

The government lawyers also asked the appeals court for leeway to consider the circumstances of each individual teen in custody instead of allowing the case to move forward as an official class or group of litigants.

In his dissent, Judge Laurence H Silberman said the class certified by the court is much too broad; it should not include pregnant minors who do not wish an abortion.

Those challenging the policy contend that all pregnant minors  whether or not they want an abortion  are really aligned with the class representatives because the relevant constitutional right in their view is the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion, Mr Silberman wrote.

I think that confuses a political slogan with a constitutional right.

The Trump administration's policy departed from that of the Obama administration, which did not block migrants in US custody from having abortions at their own expense.

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Justice Kavanaugh was on an earlier panel of appeals court judges reviewing the case when it first reached the DC Circuit. The case was repeatedly cited during his nomination battle by abortion rights advocates as evidence that Mr Kavanaugh would allow more restrictions on abortion than the justice he replaced, Anthony Kennedy.

When the case initially was on appeal before the full court in October 2017, Mr Kavanaugh's colleagues reversed his order that would have delayed a teen's access to abortion services. Judges Srinivasan and Wilkins voted with the majority to allow immediate access. Mr Kavanaugh dissented.

The Washington PostFor almost 15 years, Pramila Jayapal was an activist and organiser, working to change the system from the outside.

Now she is part of that system, seeking to secure what would represent one of the most seismic shifts in American society. The US is the only nation in the developed world without universal healthcare; a bill she introduced in February would change that, and provide care for all Americans via Medicare, a national insurance programme established in 1966 but which is currently only available, in the main, to those aged 65 and older (younger people with certain disabilities and people with end-stage renal disease also qualify).

Polls indicate considerable public support for her plan. But she faces massive, organised opposition from the private healthcare industry, which is lobbying to stop her bill and retain its profits, as well as conservatives who claim she is trying to bring so-called socialised medicine to a system that has long been permitted to run wild.

We have a system that is designed around profit instead of patient care, she tells The Independent in her congressional office in Seattle. We have a system that has been cobbled together, but its controlled and driven by for-profit industries  and that means it doesnt function for regular Americans.

Jayapal was only elected to congress in 2016, the first Indian-American woman to join the House of Representatives, but has quickly emerged as one of its most high-profile progressives. She co-chairs the Democratic Partys progressive caucus, which has around 100 members, supports the impeachment of Donald Trump, and acts as something of a mentor to progressives elected even more recently, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar.

The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty

Americas private healthcare system is notoriously vast, expensive and inefficient. Around $3.5 trillion (2.8 trillion) is spent every year on a network of private hospitals supported by insurance policies, only some of which are provided by employers. For all of this money, 30 per cent of which is spent on administrative costs, results are patchy. For decades, for instance, the USs infant mortality rate was higher than that of Cuba. Campaigners say 30 million Americans have no insurance whatsoever, and a further 40 million cannot afford the co-pays and deductibles, those elements people have to pay even if they have insurance.

Jayapal says Teddy Roosevelt first talked of universal healthcare in 1912  for which he was called a socialist. A bill to introduce such a scheme was first introduced in the house by John Conyers in 2003, while Bernie Sanders, who made Medicare for All part of his presidential campaign in 2016, introduced a bill in the Senate in 2017, with an updated version this spring. Jayapal, 53, says her bill is more comprehensive, because it includes items such as long-term nursing coverage, which Sanders does not.

Under her plan, Americans would receive care from a single, government-run scheme that covered all costs and did not require them to contribute co-pays. As Vox put it, it would include hospital visits, primary care, medical devices, lab services, maternity care and prescription drugs. It would also stretch to include optician and dental benefits. Somewhat controversially, it would prevent employers from offering separate schemes that compete with the government-run plan. People could still choose whatever hospital or doctor they wished to make use of. It would also include provision to help people employed by private insurance firms who lose their jobs in the transition to a single-payer system.

Polls show a majority of Americans, perhaps up to 71 per cent, support the idea, especially if it did not involve higher taxes or waiting times, and guaranteed health insurance as a right. If the scheme called for higher taxes, support falls to 37 per cent, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in January.

While Jayapals legislation does not yet include a specific funding proposal, Sanders proposal has been estimated to cost $32 trillion over 10 years. He has outlined a way to pay for that with progressive tax increases, including a marginal tax rate of up to 70 per cent on those making above $10m a year. She says a white paper costing the legislation will likely be released when it is introduced on the floor of the house.

Jayapal says public opinion has shifted in her favour, a move she credits to the passage of Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA), his landmark 2010 overhaul of the healthcare system that ensured at least 20 million additional people had health insurance, and the stunning momentum of Sanders 2016 presidential run.

People started to change the way they thought about healthcare in their life. It became a right and not a privilege, she says. In addition, when the Republicans started stripping healthcare away, it set up this contrast.

She faces a huge fight. A coalition of health industry players and lobbyists, calling itself the Partnership for Americas Health Care Future, is utilising vast sums to persuade people Jayapals plan would lead to longer waiting times to see a doctor, increase taxes and reduce individual choice. The group spent $143m in 2018 on adverts attacking Medicare for All, adverts Sanders said were a deceptive effort by special interests that continue to reap hundreds of billions of dollars from the status quo.

Meanwhile, the Coalition Against Socialised Medicine, a network of conservative groups, has come together to oppose what it claims, without providing evidence, are policies that have failed in Europe.

A member of the house judiciary committee, Jayapal supports impeaching the president (Reuters)

It is critical to Americas patients, taxpayers and economy that members of congress stand up to prevent the further government takeover of Americas healthcare markets and join us in our efforts to defeat these radical proposals, Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, said this month.

Asked how she intends to defeat such powerful opposition, Jayapal says she is relying on people power.

They have tens of millions of dollars. We are never going to be able to put in the money these pharmaceutical companies and drugs companies and for-profit insurance companies are putting in, she says.

But we have people And the thing is, everybody has a healthcare story. You know, one in five families cannot afford prescriptions, families sit at their kitchen tables cutting their prescription drugs in half. People are using GoFundMe as their major insurance plan.

Jayapal, whose family moved to the US when she was 16, is a member of the house judiciary committee, and has called for the impeachment of the president. The Democratic-controlled committees desire to launch such proceedings, something backed by many progressives, has so far been held back by Nancy Pelosi, who believes impeachment would distract from the 2020 election and energise Trumps supporters. Many think Pelosi, the 79-year-old house speaker, who last week said she would like to see the president in prison after he leaves office, is out of touch and failing in her constitutional duties.

 Trump jokes that Australia has better healthcare than the US

Jayapal says she does not share that perspective. Not everybody is where I am. More and more people are coming to that same conclusion, but its her job to corral the whole caucus, she says. If you look carefully at her language, it has changed substantially. Even last week it changed. She has called him a criminal. She has said he has committed crimes.

In 2016, Jayapal endorsed Sanders for president, and he backed her house run. She refuses to discuss whether the Vermont senator would have defeated Trump had he been the Democratic candidate, or if Hillary Clinton erred tactically by failing to name him her vice-presidential running mate.

This cycle she has not yet backed a candidate, but says she has been impressed by the consistent boldness of Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. She says Kamala Harris and Jay Inslee have also been leading the field in their own platforms. Asked if it was not ridiculous the partys two leading candidates to replace 73-year-old Trump, were 77-year-old Sanders and Joe Biden, who is 76, she says she is frustrated women rarely get the same attention as men when they run for office.

In what may have been an attack on Biden, who is among only a few 2020 candidates to have accepted campaign money from large, corporate donors and who has been criticised over policy positions out touch with many progressives, she says she wants a candidate who is going to take on the deep inequity and inequality that exists in America today on every single level.

And its got to be someone who can stand up to the special interests and cant be beholden to the same interests were in today, she adds.

Asked the chances of Trump being re-elected, she says she was among those who thought he could win in 2016 because racism and sexism and xenophobia and homophobia are very potent organising tools.

Part of why I have always thought organising is so important is because in the end you have to change the electorate ... you have to change the people who vote, she says.

Anyone who thinks were going to win in 2020 either in the house, the Senate or the presidency, by only appealing to the swing voters, is missing the point of the 2016 and 2018 elections.

She says Obama had been able to put together a coalition of supporters by appealing to young people, people of colour and women, many whom had never voted before. She says it remains to be seen if the Democrats 2020 presidential candidate can do that.

We have to focus on a bold candidate who can mobilise, inspire and call forward people who have not traditionally been in the electorate, and people willing take on the status quo, she says.

We have the worst inequality in this country since the 1920s. Three people in the United States of America  two of whom live in my state  have the same wealth as 160 million Americans. We have got to take that on, because that is what led to Trumpism. Trumpism didnt just come with Trump.Three major pharmaceutical companies have brought a lawsuit against the Trump administration in response to the presidents recent mandate that they must disclose the pricing of their drugs in television advertisements.

Under the new policy, which is set to take effect this summer, drug manufacturers with medications that are priced at more than $35 (28) for a one-months supply with Medicare or Medicaid coverage will have to disclose the pricing in TV adverts.

It serves as an attempt to dissuade companies from inflating the cost of drugs as paid by insurers, and thereby bring down patients out-of-pocket expenses. It came as the price of drugs like insulin rose prohibitively, with some US citizens driving to Canada to obtain it.

However, the new rule would force companies to advertise the so-called list prices they charge to insurers, rather than the out-of-pocket figures paid by patients.

Amgen, Merck, and Eli Lilly were joined by the Association of National Advertisers in their lawsuit.

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Their complaint states the final rule purports to further that objective [of bringing down prices] but will instead frustrate it  by misleading patients about their out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs in a manner that even the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) admits may confuse and intimidate patients.

The policy, due to take effect in July, mandates an approach that fails to account for differences among insurance, treatments, and patients themselves, the companies said.

They added: Far from promoting transparency and improved decision-making, therefore, the rule would instead force pharmaceutical companies to mislead tens of millions of Americans about the price they would actually pay for important medicines that might improve their health or even save their lives.

The lawsuit further alleged that HHS had exceeded its authority and that the companies first amendment rights had been violated.

Alex Azar, the health secretary, said last month when the administration announced the final rule: Patients have a right to know, and if youre ashamed of your drug prices, change your drug prices. Its that simple.

He added: Patients who are struggling with high drug costs are in that position because of the high list prices that drug companies set. Making those prices more transparent is a significant step in President Trumps efforts to reform our prescription drug markets and put patients in charge of their own healthcare.

The policy change followed Mr Trumps 2018 American Patients First initiative to bring down drug prices through competition, negotiation and incentives.

In a statement, HHS said: Patients deserve more transparency, and this administration is committed to delivering it.This past week, two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman were crippled with explosions that have set the region on edge and sparked concerns that the United States and Iran could soon engage in a bloody war with massive international ramifications.

With little information made public, the Trump administration has begun making the case for a potential conflict, blaming Iran and pointing to a grainy video as proof of its culpability. In response, Iran has pushed back, saying the American accusation that it is involved in the gulf incidents is not only not funny ... but alarming and worrisome. And, throughout it all, international leaders have been mobilised to try and quell the rising drumbeat of war.

Meanwhile, worlds away from the Middle East, congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been framing her presidential candidacy on avoiding this type of sabre rattling. While some of her better-known Democratic rivals have focused on healthcare or climate change as the number one concern, the army veteran has instead cited nuclear war and US regime-change policy as the number one threat to the the country she hopes to lead.

That position has pit the Hawaiian against a foreign policy orthodoxy that has reigned supreme in Washington for decades  and is not making her friends among an elite that benefits from an annual defence budget that tops over $700bn (560bn).

I think you need to look at the foreign policy establishment in Washington who I am directly addressing, and speaking the truth about the kinds of policies theyve been advocating for decades, influencing administrations from both parties, Gabbard told The Independent in an interview.

So, by speaking the truth about these issues, I think they see it as a direct threat to the line thats been sold to the American people for far too long.

The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty

If Gabbard has a chance at taking on that foreign policy establishment in any meaningful way, she has her work cut out.

The congresswoman, who was once hailed as a rising star in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party  the same one who some viewed as perhaps the face of future Democratic politics just years ago when she became one of the first members of congress to endorse Vermont senator Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential run  has seen something of a fall from grace in the eyes of many political observers.

While she has qualified for the upcoming Democratic debates in Miami, she trails far behind the frontrunners in the race with less than a half a per cent of support in aggregates of national polls.

And, since joining the race early this year, Gabbard has faced down a barrage of negative press on a variety of fronts, especially related to LGBT+ rights and foreign policy.

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Almost immediately after announcing her candidacy in January, Gabbards campaign was hit with stories attacking her for her past positions opposing gay marriage and in apparent support of conversion therapy  positions that run far afoul of mainstream Democratic politics du jour, and that yielded an expression of regret from the candidate. She also noted that she has pushed for LGBT+ protections while in congress.

But some of her biggest obstacles have come with regard to foreign policy, and challenging the line on war she says has been sold to the American people by their government.

For instance, she has been attacked for expressing scepticism about the American governments claims that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons in April 2017, and has refused to label that world leader a war criminal. When it comes to Russia, she has been labelled a puppet of Vladimir Putin, with some pointing to her support from pro-Russian individuals as proof (a claim she has dismissed as baseless). And she has courted the support of Hindu nationalist groups that support Indias ruling class during her political career, sparking more media furore that has forced her to note that she doesnt support every policy of theirs.

In spite of those criticisms, she has stayed the course and maintained her position calling for an end to American regime-change wars.

I served in a war in Iraq  a war that was launched based on lies, and a war that was launched without evidence. And so the American people were duped, Gabbard said earlier this year during a CNN town hall meeting, explaining why she hasnt jumped to label Assad a war criminal. So as a soldier, as an American, as a member of congress, it is my duty and my responsibility to exercise scepticism any time anyone tries to send our service members into harms way or use our military to go in and start a new war.

 Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard defends meeting with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad

During a recent visit to New York City, Gabbard made the case for her candidacy to a crowded hall of supporters who had lined up early, forming a queue that stretched down a Manhattan block and around the corner.

Many of those queueing said they are drawn to Gabbard for her foreign policy message, and said the other issues dont concern them much. One supporter at the front of the line said she isnt deterred by some of her previous controversial positions on things like gay marriage, and thinks her evolution shows shes human.

I want a president whose life experience has shaped their beliefs, said the supporter, 56-year-old Eileen Tepper of the Bronx.

Once the doors opened, and before the marquee speaker commanded their attention, supporters found respite from the hot sun outside as campaign videos were projected onto white walls.

In the clips, Gabbard described the myriad other policies fuelling her campaign. She promised healthcare reforms to make sure that every American is insured. She described water as a fundamental, if not elemental human right.

And then, the videos focused on the meat of Gabbards pitch: the Trump administrations positioning on Iran. She warned of outright war, and of the new cold war. The mere mention of national security adviser John Bolton  the George Bush-era war hawk who helped make the case for an Iraq war predicated on weapons of mass destruction that were never found  elicited raucous boos.

Gabbard later emphasised to those supporters that she hopes to stop American regime-change wars because she had already served in one, and that it is US taxpayer money that pays for those wasteful, counterproductive wars.

She described a dire international situation, in which she said military conflicts are bringing the world closer and closer to nuclear war. She said that the US needs a wake-up call that drives us to action.

Gabbard then described the events of 13 January 2018, when millions of phones buzzed in Hawaii with the following message: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

The message sent the state into a panic, with residents scrambling for shelter. Students sprinted across college campuses looking for a place to hide from the incoming missile. A father lowered his daughter into a storm drain hoping that could save her.

The alert was a false alarm, but Gabbard said it illustrated how fragile American safety can be. She said it also showed that American foreign policy leaders are working without regard to what would happen if foreign provocation  say, between the US and Iran over oil tankers, leading to the military involvement of nuclear powers like Russia  led to the bomb being dropped.

The situation were in exists because our leaders have failed us in the most offensive and dangerous way, Gabbard said, noting the alert system exists, but not fallout shelters.

And, she described doom: There is no shelter to be found that would protect us not only from the immediate blast of a nuclear bomb, but the nuclear fallout that comes after that, and the nuclear winter that occurs as a result that kills all living things.Hong Kongs chief executive Carrie Lam has indefinitely postponed a proposed law allowing extraditions to mainland China that sparked widespread protests on the island.

The unpopular bill would be suspended, she told a press conference on Saturday, adding that she wanted to restore public order following a week of violent demonstrations.

Critics of the extradition bill, which covers Hong Kongs seven million residents, foreign and Chinese nationals living or travelling in the city, claimed it threatened the rule of law that underpins Hong Kongs international status.

Around 1 million people, according to protest organisers, marched through Hong Kong to oppose the bill earlier this week. Protests that continued over recent days were met with tear gas and rubber bullets from police, piling heavy pressure on Ms Lam to change course.

Ms Lam said the citys legislature would stop all work on the bill and next steps would be decided after consultation. The embattled leader said the government would keep an open mind and she would adopt a sincere and humble attitude in accepting criticism over her handling of the issue.

Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Show all 40 1 /40 Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A reported two million people took to the streets to protest against a controversial extradition law in Hong Kong on June 16 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters part to allow an ambulance to pass through during a protest on June 16 that reportedly attracted two million people AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester pays tribute to a man who died after falling from a scaffolding during the protests against against the extradition law proposal on June 17 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Following the demonstration, protesters cleared rubbish from the roads where a reported two million people had marched AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters part to allow buses to pass through during a protest on June 16 that reportedly attracted two million people Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A riot police officer strikes at protesters during a protest against the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 12 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A police officer fires tear gas at protesters during a protest against the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 12 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters scatter as police fire tear gas during a protest against the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 12 Pauline Leung via Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters carry a banner opposing the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 16 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester holds a picture of an injured man who later died after falling from a scaffolding during the protests against against the extradition law proposal on June 17 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters run after police fire tear gas during a protest against the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 12 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester rests after facing water cannons fired by police during a protest against the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 12 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Police officers use a water canon on a lone protestor near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 12 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters gather outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 12 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester waves a British flag outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 12 Getty Images Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters leap over barricades as they occupy roads by the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 12 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Some protesters run after police fire tear gas during a protest against the extradition law proposal outside the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on June 12 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Police officers use pepper spray against protesters during clashes after a rally against the extradition law proposal on June 10 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester sits down in front of riot police during a protest against the extradition law proposal on June 12 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters sit in a demonstration following violence in the previous day of protests on June 13 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters barricade themselves in an area outside the Hong Kong Legislative Council during clashes with police after a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A bloody-faced police officer is led away by a colleague after clashing with protesters in a rally against the extradition law proposal on June 10 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters march through Hong Kong in opposition to the extradition law proposal on June 9 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester sits in front of a riot police line during clashes between protesters and police following a protest in Hong Kong in opposition to the extradition law proposal on June 10 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters march through Hong Kong in opposition to the extradition law proposal on June 9 EPA Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester lifts a barricade while a police officer charges in with his baton during clashes after a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester is arrested during a clash after a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters hold pictures of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 9 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester wave a Union Flag in front of police officers during a protest against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters gather outside the Hong Kong Legislative Council during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester is grabbed by a policeman as he crosses the police line during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters gather outside the Hong Kong Legislative Council during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 AFP/Getty Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester shouts next to police officers during a protest during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters march through Hong Kong in opposition to the extradition law proposal on June 9 AP Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest during a rally against the extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 10 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week Protesters gather in a park in Hong Kong opposition to the extradition law proposal on June 9 Reuters Hong Kong: Extradition law protests continue into second week A protester sits by ramshackle barriers after clashes between protesters and police following a protest in Hong Kong in opposition to the extradition law proposal on June 10 AP

Government support for the extradition bill began to waver on Friday with several pro-Beijing politicians and a senior advisor to Ms Lam saying discussion of the bill should be shelved for the time being.

The territorys chief executive had claimed the extradition law was necessary to prevent criminals using Hong Kong as a place to hide and that human rights would still be protected by the citys court, which will decide on the extraditions on a case-by-case basis.

Backing down from efforts to drive the bill through the citys legislature appeared unthinkable only last week as Ms Lam remained defiant about the laws passage.

Under pressure chief executive Carrie Lam announced the climb down on Saturday (AFP/Getty Images)

Beyond the public outcry, the extradition bill had spooked some of Hong Kongs tycoons into starting to move their personal wealth offshore, according to financial advisers, bankers and lawyers in the city.

Senior police officers also said Ms Lams refusal to heed public opinion was sowing resentment in the force, which was already battered by accusations of police brutality during the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests.

Prior to Ms Lams announcement, Michael Tien, a member of Hong Kongs legislature and a deputy to Chinas national parliament, said he supported a suspension of the bill without a timetable but also insisted total withdrawal of the bill was unlikely.

 What is actually going on in Hong Kong?

The amendment is supported by the central government, so I think a withdrawal would send a political message that the central government is wrong. This would not happen under one country, two systems, he said, referring to the model under which Hong Kong enjoys a form of autonomy from China.

A leader of the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), Jimmy Sham, called on Ms Lam to withdraw the bill entirely and to apologise for the use of potentially deadly force by police in clashes earlier this week. The group said a demonstration planned for Sunday would go ahead.

Activist at mass protest in downtown Hong Kong on Wednesday June 12, 2019 (Getty)

Critics, including leading lawyers and rights groups, note that Chinas justice system is controlled by the Communist Party, and marked by torture and forced confessions, arbitrary detention and poor access to lawyers.

Last Sundays protest in the former British colony was the biggest political demonstration since its return to Chinese rule in 1997, when the one country, two systems agreement was established to guarantee Hong Kongs special autonomy  including freedom of assembly, free press and independent judiciary.

Many accuse China of extensive meddling since then, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with elections and of being behind the disappearance of five Hong Kong-based booksellers, starting in 2015, who specialised in works critical of Chinese leaders.

Steve Tsang, a London-based political scientist, said Ms Lam had caused President Xi Jinping major embarrassment at a time that is not helpful for him given trade tensions with the United States, and ahead of a possible meeting with Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Japan later this month. Xi is not a leader who tolerates failures of officials, Mr Tsang said.

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang expressed support for Ms Lam, saying that the Chinese government expresses respect and understanding for the decision. He said: Maintaining Hong Kongs prosperity and stability is not only in Chinas interest, but also in the interests of all countries in the world.

Beijing has denied that it has overreached in Hong Kong.

Additional reporting by ReutersAn emotional Amanda Knox has accused the media of portraying her as guilty of Meredith Kerchers murder, despite a court clearing her of the crime in 2015.

The 31-year-old wept while speaking in Italy, on a panel at a conference on criminal justice.

Ms Knox, said the press had portrayed her as a cunning, psychopathic, dirty, drugged-up whore who was guilty until proven otherwise.

The prosecutors and the media created a story and a version of me that suited that story, on which people could attach all their fantasies, fears and moral judgments... the dirty, psychopathic man-eater Foxy Knoxy, she said.

Kercher, a British exchange student, was found dead by police in the flat she shared with Ms Knox in Perugia, Italy, on 2 November 2007.

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Ms Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, her then-boyfriend and an Italian citizen, were found guilty of murder and sexual assault in 2009.

But two years later the pair had their convictions quashed following an appeal and were released.

The US exchange student spent four years in prison before leaving Italy after the 2011 acquittal.

A hearing held in January 2014 reconvicted Ms Knox, before Italys supreme court definitively cleared her in 2015.

Rudy Guede was eventually convicted of sexually assaulting and stabbing Kercher to death in 2008. He is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence for the students murder.

Ms Knoxs appearance in Modena for the festival marks her first return to Italy since 2011.

Im returning to Italy as a free woman, she wrote in an Instagram post published before her speech.

Ms Knox currently hosts The Truth about True Crime, a podcast series for Sundance TV.

The murder of Kercher, who was a student at the University of Leeds, has attracted significant media attention since 2007.

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Ms Knox published a memoir about her experience in 2013 and a documentary and film have also been made.

The Kercher familys lawyer reacted with dismay to Knoxs return to Italy.

Inviting [Knox] to a technical panel on justice was a mistake, Francesco Maresca said, branding the appearance inappropriate.

Lawyers for both parties should have been involved, he added.

Additional reporting by agenciesIran has summoned the British ambassador to Tehran after the UK blamed the country for an attack on two oil tankers.

Jeremy Hunt, the UKs foreign secretary, said on Friday that Iran was responsible for the 13 June attack on the vessels, which left one tanker ablaze in the Gulf of Oman.

During the meeting...Iran strongly condemned the unfounded allegations and criticised Britains unacceptable stance regarding the attacks, the semi-official Students News Agency ISNA reported.

The ambassador was asked for an explanation and correction, ISNA reported.

The head of the Arab League earlier called on Iran to be careful and reverse course after the attack stoked interstate tensions in the Middle East.

Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Show all 17 1 /17 Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iran claims that in this picture released by Iran state TV, their surface-to-air missile is seen as it shoots down a US surveillance drone EPA Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures This photo shows US RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned surveillance drone. A drone of this model was shot down by Iran on Thursday 21 June AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures An oil tanker is on fire after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13. The US has blamed Iran for the attack Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iran claims that in this picture released by Iran state TV, debris from the downed US drone is seen after it was recovered from Iranian waters AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures US President Trump holds up a signed executive order to increase sanctions on Iran on 24 June AP Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iranian President Rouhani stated in a televised address that the White House is "afflicted by mental retardation" following the increase in sanctions on 25 June EPA Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures An Iranian navy boat tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iran claims that in this picture released by Iran state TV, debris from the downed US drone is seen after it was recovered from Iranian waters AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures A screenshot from a video released by the US Department of Defense that the US claims to show Iranian removing an unexploded limpet mine form the hull of the Japan-owned ship that was attacked in the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures An item reportedly found on the Japan-owned oil tanker that was attacked on June 13 in the Gulf of Oman AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures A handout photograph from the US Department of Defense shows a composite material that the US claim was left behind on the hull of the Japan-owned oil tanker following the removal of an unexploded limpet mine Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures A view from the cabin of an Iranian navy boat as it tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack EPA Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Release by US government A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The picture suggests that the ship is 'likely' to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Release by US government A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The pictures suggests that the ship is 'likely' to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack EPA

The US has blamed Iran for the fire, which occurred near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has denied all involvement in the incident.

We believe that responsibilities need to be clearly defined, said Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Arab Leagues Secretary-General.

The facts will be revealed, I am sure, its only a matter of time.

My call to my Iranian  and I call them Iranian brothers: Be careful and reverse course because youre pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no one would be safe if it happens.

We believe that the truth needs to be clearly established in relation to these attacks, he added.

Mr Aboul Gheit was speaking in New York on Friday, after meeting with Antonio Guterres, the UNs Secretary General.

As conflicting reports over the cause of the fire emerged, Mr Guterres called for an independent investigation into the alleged attack.

We believe it is very important to avoid, at all costs, a major confrontation in the Gulf, he said.

The UNs intervention came as the leaders of Iran and the US exchanged angry public statements over the alleged attack.

The Pentagon released a video showing what it said were Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the tankers.

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Iran did do it, Donald Trump said on Friday, while calling into Fox & Friends, a television show.

He labelled Iran a nation of terror, which had been exposed by the US video, during the segment.

The Japanese owner of one of the two tankers, the Kokuka Courageous, said crew members had seen flying objects attacking the ship, appearing to contradict the US account.

Hassan Rouhani, Irans president, said on Friday that the US was using all opportunities for radicalising the situation, which undermines the stability not only in our region but in the whole world.

The White House has increased scrutiny of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in recent months, taking the rare step of classifying a foreign government entity as a terror group.

Additional reporting by agenciesHours after the stunning attacks on two supertankers heading out of the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, the US military released grainy video purporting to show members of Irans naval forces removing an object they described as a mine from the hull one of the ships.

President Donald Trump, speaking on Fox News on Friday morning, claimed the video was proof Iran was behind the attacks. Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat, Mr Trump said on Fox and Friends during an appearance that coincided with his 73rd birthday. I guess they didnt know that we have things that we could detect in the dark.

The video, which showed an event that reportedly took place in broad daylight at four in the afternoon, proved nothing. And if the Iranians had managed to attach an explosive device to the side of the boat it would raise almost as many disturbing questions as if it were a false flag operation meant to lure the US into a war.Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian charity worker jailed in Iran, has begun a fresh hunger strike in protest against her imprisonment, her husband has said.

The dual national and mother-of-one has been detained for the past three years after being accused of spying  a charge she strongly denies  and sentenced to five years in jail.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe last carried out a hunger strike in January in protest against being refused access to medical care.

On Saturday her husband Richard Ratcliffe said he had received a phone call from his wife in prison. She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water) to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment.

This is something she had been threatening for a while. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed (her daughter) Gabriellas fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something  to mark to both governments  that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures 2018 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe hugs her daughter Gabriella, in Iran after she was allowed to leave the Iranian prison, she is being held in, for three days. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested during a holiday with her toddler daughter in April 2016. Iranian authorities accuse her of plotting against the government. Her family denies this, saying says she was in Iran to visit family. Free Nazanin Campaign/AP Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella. Nazanin is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow Iran's government. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures June 2016 Richard Ratcliffe's daughter Gabriella had her British passport confiscated and was stranded in Iran with her grandparents after her mother Nazanin was jailed. He left left a giant birthday card on the doorstep of the Iranian embassy in central London to mark her second birthday in June 2016. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Nazanin has spent some of her prison sentence in solitary confinement. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella. Family Handout Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures July 2016 Richard Ratcliffe delivering a letter of petition with his mother Barbara Ratcliffe and MP Tulip Siddiq, to 10, Downing Street on the 100th day of her detention, on July 12, 2016. Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Supporters of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe held a vigil outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark her 707 days in captivity. Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures January 2017 Richard Ratcliffe holds a '#Free Nazanin' sign and candle during a vigil for for wife on January 16, 2017. The vigil, being held outside the Iranian Embassy in London marks one year since the Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and other US-Iranian dual-nationals were released from prison in Iran. Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Nazanin with her daughter Gabriella before they were detained by Iranian authorities. Change.org Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures September 2017 Gabriella, who is three-years-old in this picture, has now spent two years away from her mother. Richard Ratcliffe Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures November 2017 Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson meets with Richard Ratcliffe over Nazanin's case. They meet just days after Johnson told a parliamentary committee that she was in Iran "training journalists". WPA Pool/Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures November 2017 Actor Emma Thompson braved pneumonia to support Richard Ratcliffe in leading demonstrators before a march in support of Nazanin in November. Reuters Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures November 2017 Richard Ratcliffe after the march said: 'It is profoundly moving to see so many people here.' REUTERS Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures November 2017 A picture of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe shown on Iranian state TV as part of a report that made fresh allegations against her. They said she had been recruiting for banned broadcast services, as well as 'opposition cyber teams'. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures December 2017 Iranian president Hassan Rouhani greets British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson at the presidential office in Tehran, Iran. Johnson visited Tehran to discuss the fate of detained Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. EPA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her daughter Gabriella. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures December 2017 Photos of Richard Ratcliffe and his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on display at their home in north London. Mr Ratcliffe said he believed there was "still a chance" she may be released from an Iranian prison in time for a dream Christmas together. Unfortunately that didn't happen. PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures February 2018 Richard Ratcliffe delivers a petition and a letter addressed to the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to demand her release, at the Iranian Embassy in London on February 21, 2018. He also left support letters for his spouse in the country's embassy, amid a visit by a deputy foreign minister. AFP/Getty Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures August 2018 Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt meeting Richard Ratcliffe. Hunt has pledged to do everything possible to secure the release of a charity worker jailed in Iran Jeremy Hunt/PA Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe  in pictures August 2018 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe hugs her daughter Gabriella, in Iran after she was allowed to leave the Iranian prison, she is being held in, for three days. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested during a holiday with her toddler daughter in April 2016. Iranian authorities accuse her of plotting against the government. Her family denies this, saying says she was in Iran to visit family. PA

Today she sounded nervous, but calm. Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it, Mr Ratcliffe added.

He said he would begin a continual vigil outside the Iranian Embassy in London from midday today, and also pledged he would not eat until his wife ended her hunger strike in Iran.

Mr Ratcliffe explained: We were planning a small event in front of the Iranian Embassy to mark Gabriellas birthday  I remember marking her second birthday there while we didnt even know where Nazanin was, and now here we are marking her fifth.

Given Nazanins decision, later today I will also begin a continual vigil in front of the Iranian Embassy, perhaps occasionally joined by friends and family.

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, outside the Iranian embassy earlier this year (PA)

During this vigil I will also not eat, and will continue this fast until such time as her hunger strike ends. I vowed last time that if she ever went on hunger strike again, we would not leave her to go through this ordeal alone.

Kate Allen, Amnesty International UKs director, said she would be visiting Mr Radcliffe today and described the situation as truly heartbreaking.

She said: Nazanin has already been through so much, while her tireless husband Richard has strained every sinew to get Nazanin out of jail and back to the UK where she belongs.

Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, unfairly jailed after a sham trial and subjected to all manner of torments  including months in solitary conferment and endless game-playing over whether she would receive vital medical care.

Its shocking that its come to this, and we and countless people across the county fervently hope the Iranian authorities will now finally do the right thing and release Nazanin.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he spent time discussing the case with Mr Ratcliffe on Saturday. Following the hunger strike announcement he called on Iran to DO THE RIGHT THING  LET THIS INNOCENT WOMAN HOME in a tweet.

Mr Hunt granted Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection in March, but Tehran refuses to acknowledge her dual nationality.

Hopes she could be released as part of a prisoner swap were dashed in April when Iran backed away from reports of a possible deal. Mr Hunt said it was unfortunate that the Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif somewhat retracted his offer, after appearing to suggest she could be released.

In December, the British-Iranian charity worker completed her 1,000th day in detention.Meanwhile,mourners gathered at the house of Lieutenant Mohit Garg, who was the pilot of AN-32 aircraft. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been in constant touch with the families of the 13 air warriors who lost their lives in the ill-fated AN-32 crash in the mountainous region of Arunachal Pradesh over 10 days ago constantly updating them about the operation to retrieve the mortal remains from the crash site.

Defence Public Relation Officer (PRO) in Tezpur, Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande, said, "Cheetah and ALH Helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves. At present, there are low clouds associated with rain in the area. IAF is making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors."

"Early this morning the rescue efforts got hampered due to inclement weather in the area," he added.

Meanwhile,mourners gathered at the house of Lieutenant Mohit Garg, who was the pilot of AN-32 aircraft.

Garg's father said, "We were informed about the missing AN-32 aircraft. After that, we were informed that my son has died in the crash. His body will reach here in two days time and all other relatives have gathered here to share the grief."

"My son got married about 11 months ago. His wife works as a bank manager in Jalandhar. My son was commissioned as a pilot five years ago."

The AN-32 transport aircraft of the Air Force went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam's Jorhat. The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper. The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo at an elevation of 12,000 feet.Ireland's goods exports rose sharply in April, including a 10pc gain to the UK, as the rush to beat Brexit boosted trade across the Irish Sea.

Yesterday's report by the CSO found export trade booming as Ireland's trade surplus - the gap between the value of exports versus imports - surged to 23bn in the first four months of 2019, 27pc higher than a year ago.

"It's an incredible performance for Ireland, particularly when you consider that the international backdrop has become trickier," said Philip O'Sullivan, chief economist at Investec in Dublin.

"These figures must reflect precautionary stock-building on the client side and by producers here, given that people are nervous about a hard Brexit," he said. "Events in Westminster and Washington do have the power to shift the needle, but this is a really bright start to the year."

Goods worth more than 12.5bn were exported globally, 14pc more than in April 2018 and 13pc more than in March 2019. Exports over the first four months of 2019 totalled 50.5bn, 13pc higher than in January-April 2018.

April goods exports to the United Kingdom - recipients of 9pc of all Irish exports - rose to 1.13bn, 10pc higher that in April 2018, led by increased sales of fuels and chemicals.

Imports of goods rose to 7bn in April, 6pc higher than April 2018 and 2pc higher than the previous month, with particular gains in petroleum, aircraft and other transport equipment.

Goods imports from the UK remained lively, growing by 8pc to 1.5bn - and representing 22pc of all such imports to Ireland.

The UK remains Ireland's top source for imports. The second-place United States sent Ireland 1.24bn in goods, up 24pc from April 2018.A Beyond Meat Burger is seen on display at a store in Port Washington, New York, U.S., June 3, 2019. Picture taken June 3, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

In a bid to directly compete with ground beef and pork sausage, Beyond Meat Inc bills itself the world's first plant-based burger sold in the meat case of U.S. grocery stores.

But interviews with nine U.S. grocery chains show that retailers are still figuring out Beyond Meat's best fit in their shopping aisles - and it may be closer to the vegan section than the refrigerated meat department so desired by Beyond Meat.

The stakes are high in the battle over supermarket real estate, as upstart Beyond Meat seeks to quickly carve out its place in the meat section in the face of pushback from meat producers before more plant-based rivals from Impossible Foods and Nestle SA hit the market.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc, which owns some 150 stores in 19 states, told Reuters it places Beyond Meat in a refrigerated section with other alternative proteins like tofu, and not the meat case, to avoid confusion among shoppers, its co-president, Kemper Isely, said.

At the 35 Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lover's Markets across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the Washington D.C. area, Beyond Meat products are sold both in the dairy and meat section.

"Sales in both spaces have been great and customers generally view this as a new food category," said Stephen Corradini, chief merchandising officer at KB US Holdings Inc, the investment firm owning the stores.

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Other retail chains across the United States, including Town & Country Markets Inc in the Pacific Northwest, New York-based Morton Williams Supermarkets and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in the Midwest, echoed Corradini, saying they see high demand among customers regardless of where Beyond Meat products are placed.

Beyond Meat and its new meatless burger rivals are counting on going head to head with meat inside stores. They avoid terms such as vegan or vegetarian, and request stores do not place their products in the supermarket vegan aisle where non-meat eaters traditionally buy tofu, tempeh and other plant-based alternatives.

Marketing its burger as one designed to look, cook and taste like traditional ground beef, Beyond Meat targets mainstream consumers who want to reduce their meat consumption amid growing concerns over health risks, animal welfare and environmental hazards of industrial animal farming.

"Find it in the meat aisle," the company's website says of its sausages and burger patties, which are made of yellow pea protein, coconut and canola oil.

Beyond Meat declined to comment ahead of its first earnings report scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

The company has warned in regulatory filings that changes to retail placement could hamper growth by failing to attract new customers and effectively compete with animal-based protein. Analysts consider Beyond Meat's strategic placement a "strong advantage" over competitors and a differentiating factor in reaching the broadest possible U.S. market which they estimate to be $100 billion by 2035.

Investors are bullish on the business model, boosting Beyond Meat's valuation to more than $6 billion from $1.5 billion when it went public on May 2, even though the California-based company said it may never turn a profit.

But while Beyond Meat requests stores sell its products next to real meat, there are no contractual obligations on product placement, according to interviews with nine retail chains. Some grocers, such as The Fresh Market Inc, which operates some 160 stores across 22 states, place Beyond Meat in the freezer with other veggie burgers or even the dairy section as they evaluate sales and decide on a long-term placement strategy.

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"The freezer section is our initial go-to destination as our guests otherwise wouldn't intuitively know where to find the product," said Dwight Richmond, Fresh Market's director of grocery.

Kroger Co, Target Corp, Amazon.com Inc's Whole Foods, Walmart Inc, Ahold Delhaize, Shop Rite, Stater Brothers and Wegmans, which all sell Beyond Meat, did not respond or declined to comment on their placement strategy.

Sean Saenz, senior director of meat and seafood operations at Gelson's, which owns 28 stores across Southern California, said the retailer did not see strong sales when it initially placed Beyond Meat in the freezer.

Since moving the burger out of the freezer, Beyond Meat sales are up 60 percent, Saenz said, while sales in the overall vegan section grew 20 percent.

"We're still heavily weighted on probably 60 to 70 percent of the Beyond Meat being sold from the vegan location," Saenz said, calling purchases out of the fresh meat case "more of an impulse buy."

"I don't think it will ever be as big as meat, but it's definitely adding growing sales which is something every retailer is looking for," he said.

CONSUMER CONFUSION?

The fresh meat case is one of the most restricted areas in a supermarket because space is limited and perishable items need to be chilled, according to Rick Stein, vice president of fresh foods at the Food Marketing Institute, the retail trade association.

He sees retailers carving out space for plant-based meat alternatives in the packaged meat section, next to bacon, sausages and ham, a placement aimed at adding sales.

The move has drawn the ire of the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, which wants the meat case reserved exclusively for real meat and says the new products create confusion and erode the trust consumers place in the meat case.

"These plant-based companies are riding on the coattails of the beef industry, which has spent decades building up a healthy brand consumers trust," said Lia Biondo, USCA's director of policy and outreach.

COMPETITION COMING

The debate is about to get more noisy as Beyond Meat, which began selling its burger patties to retailers about three years ago, begins to face more plant-based competitors in stores.

"Competition over placement is clearly heating up as everyone vies for a spot in the meat case," said Phil Lempert, an expert on retail food trends who advises companies on food branding and consumer behavior.

Canadian packaged meat producer Maple Leaf Foods Inc , which sells plant-based meat alternatives such as vegan ground beef under its LightLife brand, expects its products in the meat case of U.S. retailers by this summer.

Impossible Foods, which has so far focused on supplying restaurants, plans to sell its Impossible Burger in supermarkets' meat cases by the end of the year.

Nestle, the world's biggest packaged foods group, seeks to sell a pea-based veggie patty called Awesome Burger under its U.S. plant-based Sweet Earth brand. Kelly Swette, who founded Sweet Earth in 2012 together with her husband, told Reuters in an interview Wednesday that Awesome Burger will be available in supermarkets and restaurants in September or October.

Tyson Foods Inc, the largest U.S. meat processor, is also working on its own line of alternative protein products after it sold its stake in Beyond Meat in April.

John Beretta, group vice president for meat and seafood merchandising at Albertsons Companies Inc, which owns Safeway Inc, Lucky and Randalls stores, said the meat case will change based on consumer demand, with plant-based items potentially replacing some meat products.

"We're at a point where plant-based meats have become a segment of their own, and by the end of the year we'll have a section solely dedicated to these products inside the meat department," said Beretta.Members of a Leitrim community have taken matters into their own hands, taking a stand against Coillte, who they feel have no consideration for their local area.

Just outside Manorhamilton, in Glenboy, there is a stand-off of sorts currently in place.

Local farmer Brian O'Hagan felt compelled to prevent Coillte from carrying out tree-felling, as he and many other locals feel that the work being carried is out destroying the area.

Brian blocked the road in recent weeks with a digger in order to prevent Coillte from being able to bring their machinery and vehicles into the plantation at Glenboy where they propose to cut down trees and plant new ones.

The first issue, Mr. O'Hagan says, is the method used by Coillte. "They're leaving the countryside in a mess," he told The Sligo Champion.

He says that because the site is on a slope, residue from the tree-felling process would run down to the river which flows underneath.

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That river runs into the Bonet River which goes straight into Lough Gill. There was a similar project undertaken around three years ago, when Brian says the area was left in terrible condition afterwards, and a large volume of residue slid into the river.

"No matter what Coillte do there will be a run off into the river there with that slope. It's the method that they use and the damage that it is going to do that is one of the issues."

There are concerns among locals that the large number of wildlife active at the plantation site will be impacted by the work,

"I don't feel as though a proper wildlife survey was done." An active badger den is clearly visible at the plantation site. There have been sightings of a hen harrier in the area too. A group of concerned members of the public visited the site on Sunday to see what could potentially be damaged as a result of any work.

"We also discovered a monster of a nest on Sunday and there was a birdwatching expert with us who said that the nest belongs to a sparrow hawk," Brian said.

"There is plenty of evidence of activity at the site. There has been plenty of sightings of red squirrels there, and they were nearly extinct a few years ago."

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They have been left angered by what they claim is Coillte's defiance.

"We feel that Coillte are taking nothing into consideration. There has been no consultation with the local community whatsoever.

"They just rock up and get to work. They bring their big machinery and work around the clock so that they can come in and out as quickly as possible without anyone noticing them."

The roads are another concern: "If it goes ahead it could destroy the roads too. The site that Coillte are working on actually goes through the Leitrim Way, that will destroy it for any of the cyclists or walkers who come through here."

There is no work currently taking place, with contractors leaving to undertake another job. But, locals say they are on alert for the workers' imminent return.

The trees set to be planted are Sitka Spruce, which Brian and many others feel are not suitable. They say a native species would be better suited.

"The trees being planted are of no benefit to anyone. I'd have no problem if they came and felled 50% of the trees for timber and planted back a more useful tree. We've been ignored and things have gone totally out of control. It's time we stood up and made a stand."

Coillte response

Coillte has defended its tree-felling operation in Glenboy, Manorhamilton, following complaints from the local community.

In response to a query from The Sligo Champion, Coillte said: There are over 21,000 private forest owners in Ireland who will look to fell and replant their forests as the trees reach commercial maturity, Coillte is just one of these owners. Forestry in Ireland can make a major contribution to our national efforts in combatting climate change and the Coillte forest estate welcomes over 18 million visitors to our forests every year.

The tree felling planned for Glenboy is a fully licensed operation. Licences to fell trees are issued by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine who carry out a range of environmental and landscape analyses to ensure that the tree felling is appropriate to the local area and will not impact on the environment.

Coillte also carry out a range of environmental assessments for tree felling operations, both at the planning stage and also during the felling operation itself.

After a clear fell Coilltes Establishment Team will quickly assess the site for replanting and, generally, within a year the site cultivation will be completed for replanting.

It generally takes two to three years for the forest to green up and the rotation (forest cycle) to begin again. The opening up of new areas through clear felling and subsequent replanting adds to the biodiversity of the forest, creating new habitats for mammals, birds and insects and deadwood is often left on site to promote insect diversity.

Young vigorous forests are also excellent carbon sinks soaking up carbon dioxide  a greenhouse gas. Coillte is committed to sustainable forest management and maintaining a sustainable yield of timber.

The statement went on to say that Coillte ensure that rivers or waters are not impacted by tree-felling operations, despite claims from Glenboy locals that residue can find its way into the river.

Coillte routinely fell trees and replant them every day right across Ireland. Forest operations are planned carefully by Coillte and licenced by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine to ensure there is no impact from the forest operation to receiving waters.

Coilltes forest operations are externally and independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsing Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) International Forest Management Standards as being fully sustainable and have maintained this certification since 2001. Coillte monitor our forest operations routinely to ensure there is no impact to water quality.

Coillte said that they do all in their power to protect wildlife and their habitats during operations, although locals in Glenboy community feel as though not enough care has been taken to protect the wildlife.

Coillte respect and work with nature across all of our forests. More than 20% of all our lands (over 90,000 hectares) are managed primarily to protect wildlife and sensitive habitats and promote biodiversity.

Some examples of these areas in County Leitrim are Largy and Benbo forests, Lough Rynn and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Boleybrack upland mountain habitats. In our productive forests we take care to identify and protect important features of biodiversity during our forest operations. Since 2001, Coillte have employed local freelance independent ecologists to identify important areas for nature and wildlife on our estate and work with us to develop plans to protect and care for these areas.

While Brian OHagan and many others feel that the trees being planted are not suitable for the area, Coillte say they will help support local jobs.

Coillte replant our forests with a range of species both native and introduced. The trees that will be replanted at Glenboy are being planted for commercial purposes to support local jobs while also sequestering large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In other areas where nature conservation and biodiversity management is the primary objective

Coillte plant native broadleaf tree species.There are many questions surrounding the new electronic tagging rules, which came into effect on June 1. Ciaran Moran answers them

Currently, all sheep are required to be identified electronically with a full EID tag/bolus set.

However, an exception is made for lambs slaughtered in Ireland before reaching the age of 12 months. These lambs can be identified with a single conventional tag.

All sheep destined for export, regardless of their age, must currently be identified with a full EID tag set/electronic bolus set. This position will not change under the new rules.

Under the new rules, from June 1 2019, all sheep must be identified electronically.

From June 1 2019, lambs aged under 12 months, moving directly to slaughter from the holding of their birth must, at a minimum, be identified with a single yellow electronic tag in the lamb's right ear.

Expand Close The full set: A full EID tag set comprises one yellow electronic tag inserted in the sheeps right ear and a corresponding yellow conventional tag, with the same unique ID number, in the animals left ear / Facebook

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Whatsapp The full set: A full EID tag set comprises one yellow electronic tag inserted in the sheeps right ear and a corresponding yellow conventional tag, with the same unique ID number, in the animals left ear





When will the new rules on sheep identification come into effect?

The new sheep identification rules will be introduced in two stages:

(i) With effect from October 1 2018, all National Sheep Identification System (NSIS) approved tag suppliers will generally only sell two tag types:

a. single electronic slaughter tags; and

b. electronic tag sets or electronic bolus sets.

(ii) With effect from June 1 2019 all sheep moving off any holding must be identified electronically. Depending on the circumstances of their movement, they will require either:

a. a single yellow electronic slaughter tag, or

b. a yellow electronic tag set or an electronic bolus set.





What is a full EID tag set made up of?

A full EID tag set comprises one yellow electronic tag inserted in the sheep's right ear and a corresponding yellow conventional tag, with the same unique ID number, in the animal's left ear.





What if my sheep loses the conventional element of its full EID tag set?

You can order a replacement conventional tag matching the number of the EID tag in the sheep's right ear; or remove the remaining EID tag and insert a new full EID set in the sheep's ears.

What tags do I use on lambs born prior to June 1 2019?

These lambs must be identified with a full electronic tag set or bolus set prior to onward movement or before reaching 12 months of age, whichever is the earlier date.

Lambs born on your holding in 2018 or 2019 that are not intended to be moved from there before June 1 2019 should be identified electronically (with a single electronic tag in the right ear if it is intended to move the lambs directly to slaughter before reaching 12 months of age, or alternatively, with a full EID tag/bolus set).





What tags must I use for a lamb moving to a slaughter plant via another farm or a mart?

Now, all sheep moving other than directly to slaughter from the holding of the animal's birth must be identified with a full EID tag set or a full electronic bolus set.





What are Central Points of Recording?

Central Points of Recording (CPRs) are typically marts and slaughter plants approved by the Department of Agriculture.

The CPR will subsequently provide the farmer with a printed list of the tag numbers of all sheep presented in a specific batch, for their records.





I am moving my sheep to an approved CPR - what do I need to do?

As well as the sheep dispatch document, you simply need to record the total number of sheep in the batch, in the relevant box. All other parts of the dispatch document must be completed as normal.

All sheep presented at a CPR will be scanned there and the CPR will subsequently provide the presenting keeper with a list of presented tag numbers (LPT) in respect of each batch.





How will I know which dispatch document to associate with the CPR list?

The Department will issue each registered sheep flock keeper with a new book of dispatch documents prior to June 1 2019. Each of the new dispatch documents will be allocated an individual barcoded serial number linked to a specific herd number. The list provided by the CPR will record the serial number of the dispatch document associated with it.





What happens if a tag doesn't scan at an approved CPR?

CPRs will be required to make provision for these manually.





How does the once-off EID tag subsidy work?

The once-off electronic (EID) tag subsidy will apply to the first eligible order for electronic sheep tags placed by a keeper between October 1 2018 and September 30 2019. A subsidy of 1 will be applied to each electronic tag purchased, with a maximum of 100 payable per farmer.

For example, a farmer purchasing 100 electronic tags of any type in his/her first eligible order will receive a 100 subsidy payment and a farmer purchasing 55 tags will be paid 55. Farmers purchasing in excess of 100 tags will be limited to a total subsidy of 100.

For administration purposes, the minimum subsidy payable will be 10 (based on the purchase of a minimum of 10 electronic tags).

All active sheep flock keepers registered with the Department are eligible.

However where keepers have already exceeded the maximum payment threshold under that scheme, they will not be eligible for additional payment under the EID tag scheme.





If I have old conventional tags left over on June 1 2019, can I continue to use them?

No - from June 1 2019, only EID tags may be used to identify sheep on movement, regardless of where they are moving to.

Lambs under 12 months of age moving directly to slaughter must be identified with a single yellow electronic tag and all other sheep must be identified with a full yellow EID tag set or a bolus set.

There are no circumstances under which sheep can move with a single conventional tag, with effect from June 1 2019.Lending through Linked Finance to Irish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has passed 100m.

The peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform aims to double headcount with the creation of an additional 25 jobs next year.

Having taken almost five years to reach its first 50m in lending, it has passed the 100m mark in just over 12 months.

CEO Niall Dorrian said his business is now seen as an attractive source of funds for SMEs. "Our ability to deliver quick decisions through a simple, user-friendly application process has already proven extremely popular with business owners," he said.

Launched by Peter O'Mahony in 2013, with the aim of using technology to connect SMEs looking for finance with individuals willing to lend to them, the platform has now provided more than 2,160 loans to businesses across the country and in every sector.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe welcomed the news, describing the availability of credit as "a key consideration for all businesses".

"I am aware of the role peer-to-peer lending is playing in broadening competition in the SME finance market.

"I congratulate the team at Linked Finance for hitting the milestone of 100m of lending and for helping over 2,100 Irish companies with capital to fund their growth," Mr Donohoe said.

Meanwhile, the company said the arrival of open banking initiatives related to EU Directive PSD2, will allow it to further simplify its application and approval process.

It expects to be able to make credit decisions within an hour by the end of the year.It's 9pm in the Industrialist, a cafe pub in Shenzhen.

A couple of middle-aged westerners are messing with guitars in the corner. They're trying rock ensembles but struggling with vocals.

"The Beatles?" I ask, approaching.

Before they can object, I belt out a volley of McCartney to their strumming.

Expand Close Joe Kelly, a Donegal expat who is now Huawei's vice president for corporate communications / Facebook

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It takes. Within a few minutes, we're properly jamming: a makeshift expat band drinking weak imported beer in a cranny of the world's fastest growing city and the nexus of China's economic boom.

We're not bad. A raucous rendition of 'Hey Jude' brings the bar's Chinese drinkers to their feet in chorus.

"You've a good voice, man," says the bass player, a fifty-something Australian with a shaved head.

From a snatch of overheard conversation earlier, I know he has some role in Huawei, the controversial telecoms company I'm in China to look into.

What I don't know is that he is Paul Scanlan, the tech giant's chief technology officer, one of the firm's most senior minds and someone who likely has the answers to everything that I, as well as half the western world, am curious about.

Is this meeting pure coincidence? Serendipity? Or something else?

Expand Close The Huawei facility in Shenzhen is made up of 12 sections or towns, each styled after a famous European landmark / Facebook

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Whatever it is, we agree to meet the next morning in his office for a formal interview.

And then it's back to business. He starts the chord for a verse of 'Let It Be'.

Of all the bars in all the world.

    

There can scarcely be a more controversial company in the world right now than Huawei. Facebook and Google may be the betes noires of the media. Twitter may be home to cranks, snowflakes and nazis.

But Huawei is the only one caught in a new Cold War between East and West.

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For the uninitiated, Huawei is a giant telecoms firm that specialises in two things: making phone network equipment for operators (like Eir and Vodafone) and manufacturing smartphones.

It's the phones that most of us recognise it for. Huawei is now the second biggest smartphone maker in the world, ahead of the iPhone and just behind Samsung. About 200,000 Irish people use one of its mobile phones, from budget models to universally praised flagships like the P30 Pro.

But its success as an equipment supplier for phone networks is the thing that has the world's eyes squarely on it.

Huawei has quickly risen to become the world's most advanced supplier. That means that operators around the world are flocking to it for the technology to roll out new, faster '5G' mobile networks.

And that is becoming controversial.

No Chinese company has ever become this competitive. No Chinese firm has ever established itself as a bedrock of critical technology in so many western countries before.

In Huawei's case, its great success now brings fear and suspicion in certain quarters. The US government, in particular, has spent two years ratcheting up rhetoric against Huawei, arguing that Chinese companies cannot be totally separated from the Chinese government, itself a source of unease for many westerners.

Basing critical mobile phone networks on Chinese technology, they say, inevitably means a security risk.

Expand Close The Chinese delegation that visited Shannon in 1980 was led by Jiang Zemin, who would later become President of China / Facebook

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A worst case scenario, they argue, is that the Chinese government could order the company - either publicly or privately - to give them a 'backdoor' listening facility. Or it could mandate some sort of secret 'kill switch' to disable critical communications infrastructure at a sensitive moment, such as during a cyber attack.

Scanlan will tell me, over two hours of coffee, technical illustrations and chalkboard network schematics, that this is nonsense. He will say Huawei doesn't actually have the capability for such control, especially when it is operators (like Eir or Vodafone) who have most of the switches. He will point to all the countries in Europe and beyond who don't share the US government's view of things.

And he will echo suggestions from other Huawei executives, as well as several analysts, that the company is simply caught in the crossfire of a much larger, much more complex geopolitical standoff between the two great economic powers of the world.

This synopsis will be one I hear a lot in the Chinese headquarters, from one of founder Ren Zhengfei's aides to Donegal ex-pat Joe Kelly, now Huawei's vice president for corporate communications.

But when your main accuser is the US president and some of the US intelligence community's top brass, it's a hard one to shake.

And it is taking a toll.

Two months ago, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order banning companies from doing business with Huawei. It has rocked the tech world. Huawei runs on Google's Android system and is also dependent on apps like Facebook, as well as US-made chips, for much of its smartphone business.

If the ban stays in place, most analysts predict that it will have a devastating effect on Huawei's smartphone business everywhere outside China. But it also threatens a new technological arms race: China's president, Xi Jinping, has already called on the country's citizens to prepare for a new "long march", echoing Chairman Mao's famous movement 80 years ago.

Since Trump's ban was announced, a growing list of pivotal US companies have felt compelled to add themselves to America's do-not-trade-with-Huawei list. These include Facebook, chip-maker Qualcomm and others.

Huawei is now seen as a fuse by economists and defence analysts, who are warning about what Bloomberg calls "a superpower slugfest for mastery of the global economy".

    

Shenzhen has a very different flavour of communism to the one I grew up reading about. There are Mercedes, Teslas and Porsches everywhere. Starbucks, Apple Stores and McDonalds line the streets.

Local developers build apartment or office blocks, most of which are over 40 stories in height, and become millionaires.

The average wage in Huawei's R&D campus, I'm told by an executive there, is $75,000. (There is some dispute over this figure.)

But it needs to be. Property prices in Shenzhen have gone through the roof. A two-bedroomed apartment near one of the business centres can cost well over 400,000.

Childcare costs hundreds per month in cash.

If this is communism, it's one that Johnny Ronan would be comfortable with.

The story of Shenzhen itself has an unlikely connection to Ireland. In 1980, the area was just a coastal fishing village. Then a Chinese delegation flew to Shannon to find out more about how special trade zones work. They returned to China and started building Shenzhen. 40 years later, it is a booming metropolis of 20m people, adding around 1m per year.

The Chinese government has a loose plan to connect Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau in a giant bay area metropolis that might have 50m people.

    

In the middle of this boom sits Huawei.

Few western journalists get to see the inside of the world's most controversial tech company. But as I walk around the inner sanctum of Huawei's different campuses, I'm a little disoriented. It's not what I was expecting.

Forget every image you might have of a Chinese tech facility. Forget notions of thousands of workers bent over production lines while cross-looking supervisors with clipboards watch their every move. Forget the bland, grey factory buildings. Forget the low wages. Forget the sea of bicycles.

They may still exist in other parts of this Asian giant, with its 1.4bn people.

But Huawei's headquarters - like Shenzhen - is nothing like this.

It's nothing like anything I've ever seen.

It resembles a cross between Google's Californian headquarters and Disneyland; Las Vegas without the vulgarity.

Imagine if Intel, Facebook and Snapchat decided to build a joint campus on the outskirts of Blanchardstown. But instead of ordinary shiny tech buildings, they decided to pick European castles and well-known French, Italian and German historical landmarks as the buildings.

Now multiply that by two. And imagine it's perched next to a city that itself resembles some sort of fusion between Dubai and Hong Kong. Except it's three times the size and keeps adding a million new people every year.

This is what I'm thinking as I walk in between labs at the company's new research and development campus, just north of Shenzhen.

Ten square kilometres in size, the facility is made up of 12 sections or 'towns', each styled after a famous European site. There's Verona, Versailles and Bruges, each with their own landmark castle, villa or building in the style of the original citadels, some 7,000km away.

Walking around it in the 30-degree humidity of a June day is slightly surreal.

The purpose of this novelty campus is, I'm told, to make the 38,000 engineers and scientists here feel more creative and relaxed and inspired.

It's taken to quirky extremes. Crossing a bridge over the lake dividing the campus, you can hear what sounds like ducks or geese. Closer inspection of the shoreline reveals the 'birds' to be audio speakers placed at the side of the lake to give the impression that there are ducks or geese as you stare at the teutonic towers.

It's a bit of Westworld amid the Westphalia.

But it's not until I get to the actual production line, a car ride away, that I see the real robots.

Now I'm on the factory floor where Huawei's P30, the phone that has seen it become the fastest-growing major handset manufacturer in the world, is physically put together.

The production line produces a finished 900 phone every 28 seconds.

    

I can't tweet or Whatsapp or Instagram any of this.

Not because I'm honouring a corporate condition of visiting the facilities. But because I technically can't.

Other than the size of the skyscrapers, the first thing you notice when crossing the border from Hong Kong is the blank phone screen. The 'great firewall of China' blocks Google, Facebook, Twitter and hundreds of other commonly-used information sites.

And it's effective. My normally-reliable tech tools for getting around such firewalls, such as a 'virtual private network', don't work.

For a visiting westerner, it is irritating. For locals, it may mean something a little more controlling.

While I am in Shenzhen, the 30th anniversary of a student protest in Tiananmen Square event is being remembered. But not in China. As I look through local newspapers or watch TV bulletins, I cannot find a single mention of the episode which cost hundreds, if not more, of lives.

At a cafe in Shenzhen, I ask a local group of people, who all look under 30, about it. Only one has even heard of the protest 30 years ago. And that was from a movie she saw online through a (banned) virtual private network internet connection.

I prod the group a bit more about it. But none of them even seem curious or interested. History is a bit boring, one tells me.

Shenzhen is one of the most liberal parts of the country. Yet what westerners regard as one of the most significant historical events in China over the last 50 years appears to have been airbrushed out of consciousness.

The young men and women I'm chatting with are not apparatchiks, either. They are modern-looking kids in jeans, t-shirts and runners with laptops open on cafe tables. They ride electric bikes and scooters or drive European cars. They say they live in comfortable, well-equipped - if small - city apartments.

As for the lack of Google or Whatsapp, the Chinese have their own apps and social media. Baidu is for search and maps, while WeChat is an all-in-one substitute for Whatsapp, Apple Pay and Stripe. (WeChat is a survival tool in China: there's almost no day-to-day expense you can't pay for with it. At one point, I can't get a taxi on a bustling street because they're all set up for mobile payments instead of cash.)

    

It's tempting to ask Huawei's chief technical officer, the man I jammed to Beatles songs with the night before in a bar, about all of this. Paul Scanlan has been there 11 years.

But I'm in his office to ask about the company itself.

The questions I have are mostly the ones everyone in the west is asking. Does Huawei have the capability to 'switch off', or otherwise interrupt, any element of a western 5G mobile network remotely from its headquarters? Are there any so-called backdoors that it can exploit?

"I've been here 11 years and there is no backdoor," he says.

"If any of what you're suggesting were to be real, the company would cease to exist. No-one would use us anymore."

That's the short version of our conversation. A much longer version is filled with technical discussions about 4G, 5G, gateways, routers, radios, 'core' kit and operators. These are illustrated through graphs, chalk-drawn schematics and overlays.

What is scheduled for 30 minutes becomes 60 minutes. Then 90 minutes. Then two hours.

I'll say this: Scanlan makes a technically articulate case as to why the accusations against Huawei seem tenuous.

Two weeks ago, Donald Trump underlined that sense of tenuousness, hinting that Huawei's security risk status might be improved if a separate trade agreement was reached with China.

Scanlan points out that in the countries that Huawei does have established networks, there is transparency and trust. This applies even in steadfast allies of the US, such as the UK, where GCHQ intelligence has given Huawei a benign seal of approval.

"No-one provides transparency for source code like Huawei," says Scanlan. "We're the only company who is open to that degree."

Across town later on, another western Huawei executive will frame it for me in even more direct terms.

"We're not a cyber security threat to anybody," says Joe Kelly, a Donegal expat who has risen to become Huawei's vice president for corporate communications.

"More than three billion people use our technology around the world. If Huawei was doing something bad, somebody would definitely collect evidence. But there is no evidence. In 32 years in business there have been no cyber security incidents, never a backdoor found, even though everyone is constantly checking our technology."

    

Can we take this as read for Ireland?

Back home, national telecoms operators have had a decent relationship with Huawei. Eir recently signed the Chinese firm for its upcoming 5G mobile network. Three Ireland, the country's second largest mobile operator may yet do so, although insiders say that it has been slightly unsettled by the recent international controversy around Huawei.

Otherwise, Huawei works with Siro and Imagine.

Relations with the government have also been good.

This is partially because Huawei has established commercial and research bases in Ireland employing over 170 people and spending over 30m on research and development here.

Company executives say that they were therefore a little surprised when Taoiseach Leo Varadkar appeared to agree with President Trump that the government "shared US concerns" about the company during the US leader's visit here 10 days ago.

The discomfort, however, was smoothed over when Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney later rowed back on Varadkar's remarks, with government sources putting the remark down to a throwaway comment intended to curry favour with Trump in the moment.

There are domestic critics. The outspoken founder of telecoms firm Rivada Networks (and occasional political activist) Declan Ganley is a frequent dissenter from European calm over Huawei.

"In a cyberwar, if you wanted to take down the electrical grid in a city like New York, all you'd have to do is get everybody's air conditioning turned up by two degrees on a hot day," he recently told this newspaper. Ganley added that Chinese companies may not ultimately be able to resist domestic pressure from the Chinese government. Asked about this, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei recently told the BBC that he would shut the company down rather than obey such a mandate from Chinese authorities.

    

Ultimately, Irish - or even EU - approval of Huawei's technology won't solve its immediate problems.

Its network business is set to survive around the world but it is badly caught in the middle of a trade war. It may lose key supplier relationships with Google and other tech giants as a result.

Everyone I talk to in the company's Chinese labs and headquarters puts a brave face on this. The tech giant "has been planning" for something like it, I'm repeatedly told.

Such plans will become clearer in the coming months, they add, hinting at a major announcement to come in the Autumn - possibly either a re-orientation of its phone interface (away from Google) or a new plan of "self-reliance" for its chips and other components.

Luckily, I am sitting across from the person most likely to know about such an event.

I ask Paul Scanlan directly: what are we going to see? When are we going to see it?

Scanlan smiles but isn't about to give anything away. He has already spent a few unscheduled hours explaining to a Beatles-singing Irish tech journalist how the world's most talked-about tech company does its business.

But he has to return to dealing with all of it in real time. Things are moving quickly. Chess pieces are racing across the geopolitical and technocratic boards.

My nine-day Chinese visa, too, is an issue. Like my singing voice, it is just about up.Robin Robertson with the cover of his novel The Long Take (Niall McDiarmid/Man Booker Prize/PA)

A Scottish poet has won the 2019 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.

Robin Robertson becomes the first Scot and first poet to win the 25,000 award in its 10-year history for his book The Long Take.

Set in the great American cities after the Second World War, the book features a combination of verse and prose likened to that of Sir Walter Scott by the judges.

Upon accepting his award, Robertson, originally from the north-east coast but now living in London, said he had started as a poet and then moved into narrative fiction by accident.

He added The Long Take itself  which was longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize  also started as a poem but became something longer.

(Robin) Robertson shows us things wed rather not see and asks us to face things wed rather not faceWalter Scott Prize judges

The judges said: The prize is always hard-fought and this year was no exception, but this novel exerted a very particular magnetic force, drawing us back again and again, each time marvelling anew.

The Long Take recounts the inner journey of Canadian veteran Joe Walker as he travels from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco attempting to rebuild his life after living through the horrors of war in Europe.

In poetry of the utmost beauty, Robin Robertson interweaves themes from the great age of black and white films, the destruction of communities as cities destroy the old to build the new, the horrors of McCarthyism and the terrible psychological wounds left by war.

Robertson shows us things wed rather not see and asks us to face things wed rather not face.

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But with the pulsing narrative drive of classic film noir, the vision of a poet, and the craft of a novelist, The Long Take courageously and magnificently boosts the Walter Scott Prize into its next decade.

Congratulations, Robin Robertson, winner of the 10th #WalterScottPrize for Historical Fiction for THE LONG TAKE (@picadorbooks) pic.twitter.com/TNH5l3Y53X  Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction (@waltscottprize) June 15, 2019

Other titles on the 2019 shortlist were A Long Way From Home by Peter Carey, After The Party by Cressida Connolly, The Western Wind by Samantha Harvey, Now We Shall Be Entirely Free by Andrew Miller, and Warlight by Michael Ondaatje.

The judges added: Its 10 years since the spectacular inauguration of the Walter Scott Prize, with Hilary Mantels Wolf Hall our first winner.

The prize was founded both to acknowledge the part historical fiction plays in our literary landscape and to broaden and deepen the meaning of the term historical fiction itself.

Since then, many of the finest writers in English have explored historical themes in increasingly original ways, making the task of choosing a winner ever more difficult.

It seems right that in our 10th anniversary year we should celebrate this originality by awarding the prize to a novel written in compelling narrative verse.According to one plan, a new political party should be started in an alliance with the BJP in the assembly elections.

Hyderabad: Senior Telangana Congress leaders are despondent about their political future. There is no talk of rejuvenating the party or reflecting on why it has done so badly. Instead, they are searching for alternatives. They have come to the conclusion that the party cannot regain its past glory and cannot defeat the TRS in the next assembly polls.

Heated discussions are going on among senior leaders of the Congress about their future. Some are thinking of following Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra who broke away in 1998 and 1999 respectively from the Congress to form their own regional parties  the Telangana Rajiv Congress or Telangana Congress party. But the problem is that there is no strong leader like Mamata Banerjee or Sharad Pawar to lead the party.

A senior Congress BC leader, who is close to the partys high command, said, If the situation continues like this there is no hope for the Congress. I have to leave the Congress and float a new party in the name of Rajiv Gandhi BC Congress party.

According to one plan, a new political party should be started in an alliance with the BJP in the assembly elections.

The BJP is also making efforts to emerge as the alternative to the TRS in Telangana. A senior Congress leader said that the BJP has no problem with finance but it has no strong leaders and cadre across the state except in some areas. He said that the BJP alone cannot fight the TRS in the Assembly elections, but if they float a regional party along with the BJP, they can give a good fight to the TRS.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Komatireddy Venkata Reddy says there is no need to worry about the future of the Congress party. He told this newspaper that once the high command reorganises the Pradesh Congress Commi-ttee, it will pick up.

Interestingly, Mr Komatireddys brother and Munugodu MLA, Raja Gopal Reddy, is trying hard to get the TPCC post in place of present chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.

Throwing ideological co-mmitments to the winds, some Congress leaders are planning to join the BJP which requires strong leaders to emerge as an alternative to the ruling TRS.

A senior Congress leader who is thinking of jumping ship said, If I join the BJP I will definitely get an assembly ticket. Modi hava may continue in the next elections also. BJP can spend whatever money is required in the elections. If I continue in the Congress, getting a ticket will be difficult, and if I get the ticket I have to spend money from my pocket.'I am not a teacher, but an awakener," wrote the poet Robert Frost. It's a description that encapsulates Dr Pamela O'Malley, a Dublin-born educator and political activist who took on the Francoist authorities to campaign for social justice in her adopted country of Spain.

She was described by her friend Seamus Heaney as "a noble fighter for democracy", and her contribution to Spanish society was honoured earlier this year when a street was named after her in Madrid.

O'Malley - who married the man on whom the disreputable main protagonist of The Ginger Man was based - is featured in a new exhibition at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. 'Irish Educators Abroad: Building Something Wonderful' is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Many of those featured are nuns and clergymen, an indication of the inextricable link between education and the Christian churches up to the second half of the 20th century.

Dr Angela Byrne, the historian-in-residence at EPIC, who did the research for the exhibition, says the nuns and priests played a "vital role" in "establishing education in far-flung locations around the British Empire and in places where the Irish diaspora was strong".

These include Sr Gabriel Hogan, who founded the first Catholic school for the deaf in New South Wales in Australia, and Sr Julia McGroarty, who founded one of the first women's colleges in the USA, as well as schools for immigrant and African American children. "Prior to the late 20th century the picture of Irish people working in education is in large part one associated with religious orders," says Byrne.

She highlights the effect of the marriage ban introduced in 1932, which required female primary school teachers to resign on marriage, saying: "That targeted women in the workplace in a profession that was female-dominated. A woman who wanted to have a career in teaching had a much better opportunity if she was in religious life than she had if she remained in a civic role."

O'Malley stands out among all these pious people. A bohemian and a radical, she challenged the sexual mores of the conservative Ireland she left behind and the even more conservative mores of Francoist Spain, where she got involved with the underground communist resistance.

She was arrested several times by the Spanish authorities for her political activism. Even while she was imprisoned for possession and distribution of communist propaganda, she managed to put her vocation to good use by teaching some of her fellow inmates to read and write.

While championing a more equal society and education for all, she taught for 34 years at Madrid's British School.

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Born in Dublin in 1929, O'Malley was raised in Limerick and saw Spain for the first time in 1947 when her father sent her, along with her brother George, to visit the family's sherry suppliers. According to the Dictionary of Irish Biography, she was struck then by the fact that Spain was an even more puritanical place than Ireland at the time.

At UCD she was drawn towards literary and bohemian circles. She was a friend of the writers Kate O'Brien and Brendan Behan. She fell madly in love with an American divorce, Gainor Crist, but was unable to marry him in the Ireland of the 1950s, so she took the daring decision to openly cohabit with him.

Crist was the model for JP Donleavy's "brawling, boozing, hooring" hero Sebastian Dangerfield in his 1955 novel The Ginger Man. The couple moved to London in '52 and then on to Barcelona in '54 before settling in Madrid following their marriage in Gibraltar.

She ramped up her political activism. In the '60s she became a founder member of the education branch of the then illegal workers' commission, an underground trade union movement.

Her fervent belief in equal access to education was mirrored by her second cousin, Fianna Fail Minister for Education Donogh O'Malley, whose introduction of free second-level education in Ireland in 1966 had far-reaching consequences for economic development, social mobility and cultural change in this country.

In 2004, Pamela O'Malley was made president of the Asamblea de Cooperacion Por la Paz, promoting anti-racism and building schools in developing countries. Her contribution was recognised with awards from two Spanish ministries. Her doctoral thesis focused on educational movements under Franco was published as 'Education Reform in Democratic Spain' in 1995.

But her influence went wider than her work in education. She hosted regular gatherings at her apartment for intellectuals, writers and bohemians to meet and exchange ideas. Following her death in 2006, Madrid-based Irish poet John Liddy wrote in a tribute in the Sunday Independent that Pamela "packed many lives into one and lived each with such intensity".

Another poet who came within her sphere of influence was Heaney, who described her as a "noble fighter for democracy" and an "amicable, intellectually springy, intoxicatingly companionable Irishwoman, capable of banter and laughter but equally capable of passionate argument and advocacy". Heaney had learned of the eruption of the Troubles in 1969 while he was in Madrid with O'Malley, learning about artists in the Prado Museum. A manuscript of Heaney's poem 'Summer 1969' was one of O'Malley's prized possessions.

In Ireland, she is being celebrated as one of the most influential Irish educators abroad in the late 20th century; and earlier this year, Madrid Council named a thoroughfare Calle Pamela O'Malley.

Liddy said, "The people who walk this street, now and for generations to come, will look up and see Pamela's name on a sign. They may even explore further and learn how she dedicated her life to (Madrid's) people through educational, humanistic and political activism."Huge hike: Martin Mulligan with his wife at his service station in Athlone. Photo: Kevin McNulty

The owner of a family-run convenience store says that in his 40 years of business he has never seen anything as bad as Ireland's current insurance crisis.

Martin Mulligan, who also runs a petrol station and post office in Athlone, Co Westmeath, recently had his insurance premium hiked by 428pc.

He was notified by his insurance broker 10 days before the premium was up for renewal that it had increased from 7,000 to 30,000.

Mr Mulligan says there are a couple of personal injury claims pending against his store and now fears his business is heading down a "black hole".

"We are entirely at the mercy of non-controllable claims lodged against us," he told the Irish Independent.

Spurious

"Even where we feel certain claims are spurious, they are still used by the insurer as a basis for increasing premia over time.

"We run a post office, convenience store and filling station and we just don't make that kind of money to cover these crazy insurance costs.

"If we don't get solutions quick, I fear for the future of our business and many across rural Ireland."

The father of three is head of the National Federation of Retailers - an organisation that represents 15,000 retailers throughout Ireland.

He accused the Government of having a laissez-faire attitude towards the behaviour of the insurance industry and legal profession - an attitude that is "killing businesses".

"The leaders of the main political parties tell you 'thank you for your email' but they're not doing anything to address the issue," he said.

"It's sad to see rural Ireland and businesses being decimated. "We're very quick to copy the United Kingdom on things like sugar tax but when it comes to introducing positive changes for small businesses and lower awards of minor injuries, that's a different story altogether."A jury in the trial of two boys accused of murdering Ana Kriegel has been sent home for the weekend and told to avoid any media coverage of the case.

The jury will resume its deliberations on Monday at 10am having so far deliberated for over seven hours.

On Friday, the jury requested to see videos of Boy B's interviews with gardai.

Those videos and a laptop on which to play them was provided to the jurors.

The jury returned to court just before 3pm yesterday when the judge sent them home for the weekend.

The jurors asked the judge if they could be provided with a larger screen for watching the videos on Monday.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott said he would address that.

Judge McDermott warned jurors not to speak to anyone about the trial.

He also told them to ignore any media coverage about the trial over the weekend, saying it was of no relevance to them.

The two accused, who were aged 13 at the time, have pleaded not guilty before the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 14-year-old Ana Kriegel at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road in Lucan on May 14, 2018.

The first accused, known as Boy A, has also denied a charge of aggravated sexual assault.

The jury was sent out to consider its verdict on Wednesday. So far, it has been deliberating for seven hours and 15 minutes.

Ana was last seen by her father leaving her home in the company of Boy B, around 5pm on the day she disappeared, and heading towards the park.

It is the prosecution's case that Boy B "lured" Ana to the derelict house and watched as the other boy sexually assaulted and murdered her.

In his closing speech to the jury, prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC said there was an "overwhelming forensic case" against Boy A.

He said the evidence in relation to Boy A pointed in only one way - he was at the scene, he was there when Ana was bleeding, his DNA was on her neck and his semen was on her top.

The case against Boy B was different, and relied on "what came out of his own mouth" in his interviews with gardai, Mr Grehan added.

In his closing, Patrick Gageby SC, for Boy A, asked the jury to consider if there was "any solid or real evidence" of his client's intention to kill or his intention to kill Ana Kriegel.

In his closing speech, Damien Colgan SC, for Boy B, said the prosecution case was the two boys planned this together and Boy B collected Ana and brought her to Boy A who then did "untold things" to her.

However, Mr Colgan said this theory did not hold water. There was "no plan" and Boy B had "no knowledge", he said.Junior Cert pupils would have been grateful for just a little escapism in their German exam.

"There was a section about where we go on holiday and what are our plans for the weekend," said Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) subject representative Pamela Conway, from Skerries Community College, north Co Dublin.

"That should have been really accessible and there was even a question about the last day of school."

But some Junior Cert students said there was a "sticky question" on the listening section.

Meanwhile, students who had studied Julius Caesar and the 'Iliad' wouldn't have been disappointed by "fair" papers in Junior Cert Latin and Classical Studies, according to one teacher.

Jim O'Dea, from Rathdown School in Glenageary, Co Dublin, said both were well balanced.

The only small criticism from Mr O'Dea was that the "background for some of the passages for translation (in the ordinary exam) would not be as familiar as the passages at higher level".

Mr O'Dea said Latin was: "A very fair and balanced paper. Well prepared candidates will have had a good opportunity to display their skills."The number of public patients on waiting lists for a first-time appointment with a hospital consultant has spiralled to a new record of 556,411.

The shocking figures show 106,145 of these patients have been in the queue for more than 18 months.

It means there has been a jump of 40,000 more patients on the outpatient list since the end of last year.

Fianna Fail health spokesman Stephen Donnelly branded the queues a "scandal" and a "disgrace".

He warned: "The real concern as ever is for the long waiters, with an even bigger percentage increase (18pc) in the numbers waiting over 18 months. Some 106,145 have been waiting since at least November 2017."

Figures for May show some improvement in waiting lists for public patients needing surgery. The surgical waiting list now stands at 68,765 compared to 70,204 in December.

Another 22,113 are waiting for a gastrointestinal scope procedure, up from 18,847 at the end of last year.

Health Minister Simon Harris said the Government had further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase Fund increasing from 55m in 2018 to 75m in 2019.

He said a key element of the plan is the stabilisation of the outpatient waiting list.

Under the plan, the HSE aims to deliver 3.3 million outpatient appointments, of which approximately a million will be first appointments.

The plan also includes a target that the number of patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment will fall from more than 516,000 at the end of 2018 to less than 509,000 by the end of 2019.

This target takes into account more than 800,000 new patients who will be added to the outpatient waiting list in 2019, a figure that is based on trends for the previous two years, he added.

Mr Donnelly said despite the improvement in figures for surgery, some 10,424 are still facing delays of over a year.Almost one in 10 hospital consultants is treating more fee-paying patients than they should, according to a new report.

Doctors in Cork University Hospital, where 53 consultants breached limits, and the nearby Mercy Hospital, in which 30 specialists were non-compliant, top the list.

Overall, around 236 of 2,443 hospital consultants are not obeying their private-patient quota.

The HSE report said that, in the main, the breaches are "outside the control" of the doctors.

Under their contract the doctors, who are allowed to treat private patients, should not exceed limits of 20pc or 30pc.

However, the report said some of the reason for the infringement of limits is that they are faced with a higher volume of private patients who are coming through A&E and have to be admitted.

Liam Woods, the HSE's head of acute hospitals, said in some specialties the "demographics of emergency admissions" are beyond the control of the consultant who is on call and asked to treat them.

In other cases, the breaches are linked to the nature of the service they provide.

The report also looked at work plans and found 2pc of the doctors were not compliant.

These work plans for the treatment of public patients may also fail to proceed as they should because a doctor does not have the access to enough beds or operating theatre time.

Mr Woods said that as the reporting process becomes embedded over the coming months, more "robust data and reasons for non-compliance will emerge".

The report found the breaches related to private work in public hospitals.

It found no evidence of non-compliance in the case of consultants who are allowed to treat fee-paying patients in private hospitals also.

Under Slaintecare, it is proposed to phase out private practice in public hospitals and a report on how this will be done is currently under consideration.

It will mean that the work contract with hospital consultants, who can treat public and private patients, would have to be re-negotiated.

It was confirmed this week that the new 1.7bn National Children's Hospital will have a section with its own internal entrance to eight private consultation rooms.

The private section also includes a reception area, a breastfeeding room, a play area and utility rooms.

A spokeswoman for Children's Health Ireland said the new hospital is obliged to provide the private facilities as part of the consultants contract. Private outpatient clinics may be held on the public hospital campus, but these clinics must be done outside the hours the consultant is contracted to treat public patients.Police fear there may be further victims of a suspected rapist and murderer operating using the gay dating app Grindr.

Officers are appealing for information after the body of Adrian Murphy (43), who was from Co Kilkenny, was found at a block of flats in Battersea, south-west London, on June 4.

Tests failed to establish the exact cause of his death, but police say property had been stolen from the premises.

Investigating officers believe he was lured to the flat after chatting with a stranger on Grindr.

A 24-year-old man and a teenage girl were arrested in connection with the suspicious death of Mr Murphy, which police say is linked to an earlier alleged rape.

Police fear that there may be more victims and issued a warning to users of the social media dating app.

Their inquiries have linked Mr Murphy's death to an earlier allegation of rape at an address in Walthamstow, north-east London, on May 30.

In that case, a 40-year-old became unconscious after he was allegedly drugged by a man he met on a social networking site and invited to his flat. He was found later that day by a friend and taken to Whipps Cross Hospital, London but has since been discharged.

His flat had been ransacked and the London Metropolitan Police have said property including laptops, mobile phones and cash were stolen.

Grindr is a massively popular dating app for gay men. As of 2018, it reached 196 countries and has 3.6 million users online on a daily basis.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Pack, from the London Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "We have linked these two incidents through our suspects and our inquiries continue to establish the exact circumstances.

"We know the victim in the Walthamstow incident met the male suspect through a social networking site and we are investigating whether there is a similar connection in Mr Murphy's death.

"Both incidents happened over a short period of time and thorough inquiries have led us to make these prompt arrests. However, there is a possibility other offences may have been committed before May 30.

"Has anything similar happened to you, or someone you know? A meeting arranged online that has led to intoxication, robbery and possibly sexual assault? Please have the confidence to approach my team so we can investigate what happened to you. You can also contact third-party organisations such as the charity Galop. You will be taken seriously and treated with sensitivity."

A post-mortem examination at St George's Hospital in London on June 6 failed to determine Mr Murphy's exact cause of death.

Friends posted heartfelt tributes on social media. "Adrian was one of the most beautiful humans you could have ever come across... he was the life and soul of every party. He was kind and gentle and would do everything to help someone," said one.

A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, rape and theft on Wednesday. He has since been bailed to attend a police station at a later date.

A 17-year-old girl was arrested earlier that day on suspicion of murder and theft and has since been released under investigation.Gardai investigate the discovery of a woman's body in Kilbree, Westport, Co Mayo

Forensics at scene where woman's body found in Co. Mayo. Photo: Mark Condren

Gardai have arrested a man in his 40s after a mother of three was found dead in a house in Westport, Co Mayo.

It is understood gardai were called to the scene in Kilbree, a short distance from the town, around 10am yesterday.

The woman, named locally as Valerie Kilroy (41), was the mother of three young children. The 46-year-old man arrested in connection with the incident was last night being held at Castlebar garda station. Gardai said they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.

Last night the body remained at the scene, which was being preserved pending an examination by the State pathologist. A Garda spokeswoman said the woman's family had been notified.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who can assist with the investigation to contact Castlebar garda station on 094 9038200, or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666111.

Westport councillor Christy Hyland told the Irish Independent he was stunned by the tragedy. "All I can say at this time is that my thoughts and prayers go to this woman during this very sad time," he said.

Mr Hyland said the local community is reeling from this unprecedented incident in the area.

The community is absolutely in shock and numbed by this tragedy, he said.

Weve never seen anything like this and this is a very close knit community, he added.Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has apologised to a former member of the force who was threatened with dismissal from the gardai for having a baby out of wedlock in the 1980s.

Majella Moynihan broke her silence today about being investigated by gardai after she became pregnant by another garda recruit in 1984.

In a statement tonight, Commissioner Harris said: "On behalf of An Garda Siochana, I fully apologise to former Garda Majella Moynihan for the manner in which she was treated and the subsequent lifelong impact this had on her."

In February 1985, Majella was the unnamed subject, and one of the eventual victims, of what was considered to be a scandal of the time.

Her story hit the front pages of Irelands newspapers when she was threatened with dismissal from An Garda Siochana for having pre-marital sex with another garda, and for having given birth to a baby outside of wedlock.

The subsequent story remained untold for three and a half decades, until an RTE documentary aired on Saturday revealing how she was pressurised into giving up her baby.

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Majella began her dream job as a Garda in September 1983, in Store Street Garda Station. In April of that year, while attending the Garda Training College, in Templemore, County Tipperary, she reunited with fellow Garda Recruit who she had previously met at the Garda Club.

After reinitiating a relationship with him, Majella became pregnant in August of the same year.

She sought the help of the Well Woman Clinic who eventually put her in touch with CURA, a crisis pregnancy agency, run by the Catholic Church.

The then 22-years-old described on RTEs Documentary on One, how she felt pressure from all around her to give up her child.

Cura in Dublin arranged for me to go to a family in Galway and in April 84, I took the bus to Galway, she recalled.

The pressure came from every angle to adopt. It came from the Gardai, it came from Cura and it also came from the social worker.

She kept saying, you know you cant give your child what youd like to give him. Youre 21 years of age, itd be better if we took him and he went to a good family. I still didnt know what I was going to do.

As the result of an internal Garda investigation for breach of discipline, Majella was asked to provide a full statement regarding her relationship with the Recruit Garda, the times she had sexual intercourse with him, her pregnancy, the birth of their baby and her intention to have the baby adopted.

Majella was charged with two counts under the 1971 Garda Siochana Regulations, Conduct prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit on the Force.

Her breaches of regulation entailed being an unmarried female member of An Garda Siochana who associated with the unmarried male Recruit, having sexual intercourse with said Recruit Garda resulting in her pregnancy.

She was also in breach for giving birth to a child outside wedlock.

As a result of the external pressures, and the rick of her losing her job, Majella left her son behind in Galway Regional Hospital where he was born. Upon returning to the hospital, she was refused access to her child.

On the 31st of May, at two minutes past five, I gave birth to a beautiful boy, she said.

I left the hospital on the 1st of June and I left my son behind. I walked out of that hospital in a trance, I didnt know who I was, what I was. I remember getting into the back of the car and going back to the family house and all I wanted was my child.

The next day I went into the hospital and he was in the nursery and I asked the nurse could I hold him and she said no. I remember staring into the nursery, just wanting to grab him and run. I didnt know where I was going to run. That pain is still like it was yesterday. It was the worst day of my life.

Majellas son, who she named David, was initially sent to a foster home. Majella visited him for the last time eight weeks after his birth when after case had been transferred from Cura to an Adoption Society in the West of Ireland.

When David was 14-months-old, on July 30, 1984, he was placed with his adoptive parents.

At this stage, Majella said, she had informed me that they had a family that was going to take David.

Now, in the state of mind that I was in, I was in no way capable of making a decision about the long-term of my childs welfare. I was absolutely distraught.

Although Majellas son David had already been placed with his adoptive parents, Majella still had until the end of 1984 to make up her mind before finalising the adoption. From September 1984 the internal Garda investigation against Majella for breach of discipline intensified.

Eventually, having agreed to the adoption of her child, the Archbishop of Dublin intervened, advising the Garda Commissioner at the time that if Majella was convicted, it would encourage other female Gardai to go to the UK for abortions.

It was decided that Majella would not be dismissed from An Garda Siochana but the Cork woman was made aware that, without this intervention, she would have been sacked.

In 1994, Majella began a relationship with another Garda, Sergeant Martin Peelo. Three years into their relationship she found out that she was pregnant again.

Majella ensured that her second pregnancy would be different. In May 1997, she gave birth to her second son, Stephen, and afterwards married Martin.

Though Stephens birth was a joyous occasion, it did bring up emotions relating to Davids birth and Majella said that she felt guilty that David could not come into the world in the same manner as Stephen.

The voice I heard was If it happened you again youre sacked and I thought Over my dead body, she said.

By goodness, yell not do anything to me. Went off anyway and the little buster was born anyway in May of 97 and when I gave birth to Stephen it awakened the whole of Davids birth again and the difference oh my God.

Martin was there holding my hand, the excitement, oh my God, the excitement was just unbelievable and yet I was feeling guilty because I felt so happy that I was giving birth.

Majella remained in Store Street for a total of 15 years, but her mental health began to deteriorate. Traumatised by the loss of her child and by the treatment she had received within the Force, in 1998, she eventually sought early retirement.

In 2017, Majella was finally reunited with David after a social worker informed her that he wanted to meet. Now almost 35 years after his birth, she is finally content in her life. She does however seek an apology for what she and her family went through.

I knew 35 years ago what they did was wrong. I know today what they did was wrong. Yes, I want an apology, she said.

Im so happy in my life today, I have a beautiful son 21 years of age, my other son is 34 years of age. I never thought, ever in my life, that I would have contentment. I think for Ireland in the 1980s, in the middle 1980s, that its an appalling infliction on any female to have been charged with giving birth and charged with having intercourse.

Two of the most beautiful things in the world, and yet I was charged with them and today I know that what they did was totally wrong and that I am very lucky to be the strong person that I am to have come out of it.New Delhi: Human Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has expressed his strong displeasure at absenteeism during an introductory meeting of heads of centrally funded institutions.

The meeting, which was held on Friday at the Constitution Club here, was attended by the directors of IIT and IIIT from all over the country.

Over eight chiefs of institutions had skipped the meeting for various reasons.

Pokhriyal said he has taken note of it and gave a strong warning to not repeat absenteeism in the future. The representatives of the IIIT gave various reasons for not being able to attend the meeting by their directors.

However, the minister refused to accept any excuses and asked his officials to note down the names of directors and institutions absent in the meeting.

Pokhriayal also said that such important meetings cannot be taken lightly.

"It is not good to skip such meetings. They are the leaders of their institutions. If they look tense, tired and full of stress, it affects their team as well. They have to serve the country and take it to new heights," he said.

The directors were meeting the HRD Minister for the first time in the introductory meeting and their work was reviewed along with the 100-day plan.

The Union Minister assured the heads of the institutes that they would be provided full assistance in solving the problems they face for ensuring a smooth run of the institutions.The scene of the light aircraft crash in Belan, Co Kildare

Two friends have died following a horrific air crash in which their small plane crashed into a remote field.

An investigation is under way into the fatal incident near Athy, Co Kildare, on Thursday evening which claimed the lives of James Price (70) and Aidan Rowsome (58).

The two men, who were both pilots, were the only passengers on board the single-engine BRM NG5 aircraft when it failed to return to Kilrush airfield.

The aircraft had departed from the runway at around 7pm, and was due to land at the same airfield later that evening.

However, the families of both men became concerned when they failed to return home.

Gardai were alerted at around 1am yesterday and a major emergency response was launched involving the Marine Co-ordination Centre, the Irish Coast Guard and Air Traffic Control (ATC).

A location for the plane's last known position was identified by ATC controllers, which recorded the aircraft as being near the Belan area of Athy, Co Kildare, at around 7.20pm on Thursday evening.

A ground search involving gardai was carried out while the Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116, was also dispatched.

The aeroplane's wreckage was found at around 4.30am along with the two deceased.

Rescuers said there was no debris at the scene or any immediate indication why the craft crashed.

"It looked like the craft just literally dropped out of the sky like a stone," one said.

Plane enthusiasts Mr Price, from Ballinteer, Co Dublin, and Mr Rowsome, from Kildare town, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A senior source said that it is too early to speculate on the cause of the crash and that a lengthy investigation would be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU).

It is understood that as of yet no witnesses have come forward and investigators may have to rely primarily on the wreckage itself to establish the cause of the fatal crash.

The aircraft has been described as "very new and very modern". The former owner of the aircraft, a UK national, last night told the Irish Independent he was "very shocked" when he heard the plane had crashed, as it didn't have any problems when he owned it.

He had sold the aircraft to a Dublin man earlier this year and believed it was to be used by a group.

He also said agents for the manufacturers of the light aircraft contacted him yesterday to inform him of the accident.

Speaking at the scene, Kildare Superintendent Martin Walker said that the bodies of both men had been moved to Naas General Hospital where a post mortem was due to be carried out yesterday afternoon.

"When emergency personal arrived at the scene, two males, one in their 70s and one in their 50s, were pronounced dead," Supt Walker said.

"The AAIU have primacy on this investigation and we are here to assist and preserve the scene until they have finished their enquiries."

AAIU Inspector Howard Hughes said the investigation must be "careful and methodical" to avoid the risk of spoiling potential evidence.

"What we do now is a field investigation, following that we recover the wreckage, which is the process that is going on now, to our facility in Gormanstown where we will determine what further steps need to be taken in terms of examining the aircraft's structure, the engine, the engine components," he said.

The Irish Aviation Authority has said that it is supporting the AAIU investigation and offered its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. It refused to comment on the incident, due to it being an ongoing investigation.

Local Fine Gael Councillor Ivan Keatley claimed that one of the men involved in the crash was a flight instructor but that news was still "filtering through."

"I know they are not locals to the area, one is from Kildare town and the other is from Dublin," he said.Waterford Airport got almost 20m in funding from the State in the decade leading up to the suspension of commercial flights.

Taxpayers were routinely subsidising passengers' flights by upwards of 60 per journey before flights were grounded in 2016.

A year later, Transport Minister Shane Ross told the Dail his department would not be in a position to even "consider further Exchequer support for Waterford until air services are resumed".

However, he has now signed off on a controversial 5m investment for a new runway at the facility.

As revealed in yesterday's Irish Independent, the move comes after lobbying from his Independent Alliance colleague John Halligan.

It goes against the advice of senior officials in a number of Government departments, including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Government experts believe they should focus on maintaining services in Kerry, Ireland West (Knock) and Donegal rather than investing in a fourth regional airport.

Those three airports received more than 8.8m in separate annual grant funding this week.

The 5m for Waterford Airport is to be used to extend its runway so that it would be able to accommodate commercial passenger aircraft such as Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s.

Another 2m of taxpayers' money will be handed over by Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford county councils. The remaining 5m to fund the runway extension must come from private investors. At one stage the airport did boast flights to Spain, France and Britain - but business declined substantially from a peak of 144,000 passengers in 2008.

In 2012, this figure dropped to 77,000 and by the time flights were suspended in 2016 it had dropped to just 13,500.

Efforts to develop routes to Luton, Birmingham and Manchester in 2017 failed.

Mr Ross said yesterday that if he refused the cash injection now, it would "obviously be signing the death knell of Waterford Airport".

Opportunity

The Department of Public Expenditure told Mr Ross it would give "no new money", meaning he would have to find the funds from his existing budget.

Officials argued there was an "opportunity cost" associated with diverting 5m to an airport which caters only for a coastguard helicopter and private jets.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last night: "I absolutely support the decision in Government to grant 5m to Waterford Airport. You have to bear in mind that Waterford Airport has to stay open, it's a coast guard base. A couple of years ago, we looked at moving it to Cork which wasn't viable.

"It hasn't been open to commercial flights for a couple of years, but this investment project has the potential to make this airport profitable and viable."

Mr Halligan told the Irish Independent the investment was justified on the grounds that local businesses were fully behind it. Among the companies understood to be involved in raising the additional 5m are Glanbia, Coolmore Stud and Dawn Meats.I love you with all my heart: Philomena Lynott with a photo of her late son, Thin Lizzy star Phil Lynott. Photo: Colin Keegan/Collins

Philomena Lynott wrote a heartbreaking letter to her late rock star son Phil last year in which she said "my whole life changed when you passed on".

"It will not be long before I can see you, and give you a big kick in the bum for breaking my heart," she wrote in the letter for a book in aid of Our Lady's Hospice.

Thin Lizzy fans have been mourning the death of Ms Lynott (88) last Wednesday.

She will be reposing at Staffords Funeral Home, Strand Road, Portmarnock, tomorrow.

The Dubliner was among the well-known names who contributed a personal letter to lost loved ones.

In her letter to her famous son, she said: "I have started to write to you many times before, but my tears just keep dropping on the page and smudging it. I have so much to tell you, I wish I could phone you. I do miss hearing your voice.

"You know I love you with all my heart. No one will ever know how much you meant to me. I had thought that your death was a waste, and a destruction. I'm only beginning to learn that your life was a gift.

"Then the postman started bringing me letters from all around the world, from fans who were heartbroken at losing you. I have kept all the letters and answered them all by hand.

"They told me how your music inspires them."

She contributed the letter to 'Without You - Living With Loss', compiled by Orlaith Carmody, published by Ballpoint Press last year, with proceeds going to Our Lady's Hospice & Care Services in Harold's Cross and Blackrock.I have a friend who, when he is very hungry, goes into a restaurant and pretends that he is waiting for someone to join him as a justification for ordering an unseemly amount of food. He's prepared to suffer the ignominy of the staff and other customers thinking that he's been stood up rather than order too little.

He was on my mind last week when I visited Chimac, the new Korean fried chicken restaurant on Dublin's Aungier Street. The name Chimac comes from the words for fried chicken and beer ('chi' short for 'chicken' and 'mac' from 'makeju') which the website describes as a national obsession in Korea. It was a miserable wet Tuesday afternoon and I hadn't been able to persuade anyone to come and join me so was dining solo - something that I don't mind per se, but when I'm working it necessitates ordering more food than appropriate for one so that I can give a fuller picture as to what's on offer. I have found on occasion that other people (customers, staff) can have opinions verging on the judgemental about this. Sometimes I get looks.

I'd heard about the queues since Chimac opened a few days before and seen on their social media channels that they had run out of chicken more than once, so I was one of the first in the door when the restaurant opened at 5pm. (Its regular opening hours are from 12.30pm until 9.30/10.30pm depending on the day of the week).

I ordered enough food for two, planning to eat half of each dish. The people at the next table understandably thought that I was incredibly greedy, which was embarrassing. Guess I need to grow a thicker skin.

So, what did I eat? Well, there was the KimCheese - a twice-fried, 18-hour-brined free-range chicken breast sandwich in a potato flour bun with ssamjang (a spiced Korean dipping paste) and cheddar cheese sauce, kimchi spring onion and gochujang (fermented red chilli sauce) mayonnaise. Sweet, savoury and rather delicious, although if I'm quibbling I'd have liked a little more kimchi punch. Korean Hot wings were vibrant, flavoursome, with great texture and a little side of crunchy pickled daikon radish, while skin-on house fries were as good as I've encountered anywhere recently, and way better than most. A cucumber salad in a spiced nutty dressing had a fine kick to it; I could eat a lot of this. In fact, I could eat a lot of Chimac's food, full stop.

When I spoke to co-owner Sofie Rooney, she told me that she and her partner, Garret Fitzgerald, first became fixated on fried chicken when they visited Seoul for a wedding. They returned last November and traversed the city on foot eating different versions of the dish as many as five times a day.

"Everyone does it their own way," she explained, "so there is no such thing as an 'authentic' [a controversial word in food these days] version. There are lots of different sauces and combinations, some even use olive oil to fry. In Korea, it's a national pastime to try as many different ones as possible."

Sofie and Garret were part of the opening team for Bunsen and have experience working in everything from food to branding to brewing, which sounds to me like the perfect recipe for a home-grown mini-chain. The decision to use Irish free-range chicken, sourced from Manor Farm in Co Cavan, is commendable. "We don't eat non-free-range chicken at home," says Sofie, "so we didn't want to serve it to our customers."

My bill came to 24.65 for easily enough food for two - unfortunately I wasn't able to bring the leftovers home as Chimac were still waiting for compostable take-away containers to be delivered. Hopefully they have since arrived, along with the promised Teddy's ice-cream sandwiches which will be Chimac's sole dessert option. I'll be back soon, hopefully with some friends (I do have some), to try more of the options and the frose (frozen rose) that sounds exactly what I'll be wanting to drink when the sun shines, or perhaps some of the rotating selection of craft beers.

The rating

9/10 food

8/10 ambience

10/10 value

27/30

ON A BUDGET

The Classic Sammie is 8.50.

ON A BLOW OUT

Double burgers, fries and ice-cream sandwiches for two will cost 41.70 before drinks or service.

THE HIGH POINT

Chimac uses free-range chicken and still manages to be uber-affordable. Why can't others?

THE LOW POINT

The sniggers from the table next to mine when they saw the amount of food that I'd ordered.Istanbul offers a blend of Asian and European cultures, and a shot-of long-haul exoticism, just 4.5 hours away from Dublin.

Though Istanbul is a sprawling city, the big hitters are all contained in a relatively small area. Start your day at the Sultanahmet Camii, to use its Turkish name - synonymous with the skyline of Istanbul, the mosque got its moniker for the blue tiles that line the striking interior. Bear in mind that you'll need to take off your shoes, and women must cover their hair with a scarf.

How: bluemosque.co; free.

11am: Hagia Sophia

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Take your time wandering around the corner to Hagia Sophia, stopping for a fresh pomegranate juice (2) from one of the stalls along the way. The walk into this domed cathedral-turned-mosque is awe-inspiring - the light spills in from high windows, casting a dusty stream across the weathered ceiling. Walk up the seemingly endless stone staircase for the best views, and don't miss the Ottoman sultan tombs.

How: ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr; entry costs 9pp.

1pm: Meatball mania

Sometimes, the best kinds of restaurants are the ones that do just one thing, but do it right. At Tarihi Sultanahmet Koftecisi, that thing is meatballs. And boy, are they good - succulent, slightly charred and best with a smear of the spicy red pepper sauce in a torn chunk of warm flatbread. Try a slab of the sticky halva if you're in the mood for something sweet.

How: sultanahmetkoftesi.com.

4pm: Grand Bazaar

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Take a deep breath and weave your way through the vortex that is the Grand Bazaar. One of the oldest (and largest) covered markets in the world, this is where you'll find all the souvenirs you could ask for, from Turkish delight to giant woven rugs. But in the middle of it all is a dreamily peaceful little book market, Sahaflar Carss, where cats sunbathe in amongst piles of books.

How: Beyazit tram stop is outside the bazaar.

8pm: River cruise

The Bosphorus runs through the city, dividing the Asian and European sides. Head out on the water and you'll take in all of the city's skyline in one fell swoop. Some of the cruises can be a little tacky, but set off with Istanbul Cruises and you'll sail in style on a swish yacht with a slap-up meal to boot.

How: cruiseistanbul.com; from 45.

10pm: Rooftop bar

Head up for a nightcap with a view at Murver, where you can pitch up with a cocktail on their breezy terrace, overlooking the Topkap Palace. They have a good selection of Turkish wines too ( glasses start from around 5).

How: murverrestaurant.com.

Where to sleep

Fancy sleeping amongst history? The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet is located in a former prison, with neoclassical features and a great location, just steps away from Hagia Sophia.

How: From 200; fourseasons.com/istanbul.

Three to try

The experience

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You'll feel as fresh as a daisy after a Turkish bath at Cagaloglu Hamam (cagalogluhamami.com.tr; from 50). Start by unwinding in the sauna, before being led to a marble platform where you're scrubbed and massaged under a wave of bubbles - all in an incredible domed room that dates back over 300 years.

The walk

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Take a wander out to the district of Beyoglu, where you can amble between teahouses, boutiques and sweet shops. Don't miss a trip to Inci Pastanesi - this patisserie was established by a man who claimed to invent the profiterole, and here they come swathed in thick lashings of silky chocolate sauce...

The activity

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A trip to the Topkap Palace (topkapisarayi.gov.tr; 9) could easily steal hours of your time. Between the various courts, palace kitchens and the Imperial Treasury bursting with ancient weaponry, you'll find yourself transfixed. Don't miss the lookout point from the back, either - you get a great view of the city.

Don't miss

In its heyday, the Hippodrome was the setting for chariot races in what was Constantinople. Nowadays, you'll find fragments of the third century in the form of obelisks and the remnants of a giant serpent statue.

Get there

Fly to Istanbul's brand new airport with Turkish Airlines, from 325 economy or 1,035 in business (turkishairlines.com). You need to apply for an e-visa (18) prior to travel - see evisa.gov.tr. Nicola travelled as a guest of Turkish Airlines.What makes a gripping piece of travel writing? Is it a delicious turn of phrase, airtight research, or an ability to transport the reader?

It's all of the above, and more - something that was reaffirmed for me as I sifted through the entries for this year's Immrama School Travel Writers Competition. Good travel writing also needs a voice, and to make us care.

I was one of several judges of the competition, associated with the Immrama Festival of Travel Writing. It saw second level students submit 'Letters to Home', and primary level students' shorter 'Postcards to Home'. Entries could describe real or imagined journeys, and almost 500 were received from schools across the island.

At first, I was wary. Reading a stack of travel pieces is draining enough when they're written by adults... what would happen with kids? Well, a lot, as it turns out.

For me, engaging travel writing doesn't try to squash everything in, "do" a place, or load itself down with dates and cultural detail. It locates us, and it speaks. It could involve a single scene, or a painterly impression. It should evoke sights, but also sounds, smells and tastes. It sips cliches like "bustling markets" and "azure oceans" for heartfelt, personal reactions to a journey, place or person. I love writing that is relatable and sucks you in... something increasingly difficult to do in this noisy world.

The three winners here have voices. They made us judges care. And today we publish them, in a grown-up magazine, with minimal edits. Enjoy the trip.

Czech it out!

Category: Secondary Schools (Junior)

Winner: Eadaoin Drumgoole (13)

School: St Louis Secondary School, Dundalk

Teacher: Deirdre Smith

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Ahoj Celia!

No, I didn't learn to speak Czech on my trip to Prague. But I did, however (accidentally) learn that it is far too easy to spend 87 Korunas - 3.50 - in Captain Candy. What? I love the fudge

Terminal 2 is the best, with its sleek, modern architecture, the food court that makes you ravenous even if you've eaten a Man-Vs-Food worthy breakfast, and the shops that just beg you to buy their top-of-the-range comfort memory foam neck pillows. My holiday started as most would. The lead-up thrill, the frenzy of "MAM, TELL ME YOU HAVE MY PASSPORT!" and finally, the sibling squabble for the best seat on flight EI0644 - the window seat. I won :D.

Immediately, I noticed the trams in Prague. Everywhere. Nothing like the fear of being run over to kickstart your holiday. The Airbnb owner, Adriano, led us to Stepanska, the place we were to stay, down a dark alley with a restaurant called The Titanic next door. That comforted me a little.

Our apartment was on the top floor, with a heart-stopping view of the concert hall. After a quick dinner of the-cheapest-bread-we-could-find-a-la-water, we slept. Let me just say, chimney cakes are life-changing. I have never tried anything quite like one, and probably never will again. They taste like apple that's been brewing in cinnamon juice and the sweet tears of Jesus. Then, to top it all off, a stream of piping hot chocolate is poured down the centre to form the masterpiece known as a trdelnik. That's a mouthful. But trust me you want a mouthful of this!

Afterwards, we happily (now not hungrily) made our way towards Old Town square to watch the 600-year-old astronomical clock strike on the hour. There are so many additional clocks on the original clock that I honestly couldn't tell which clock was on the actual time. A raucous 'BONG' cleared that up for me. Tiny little apostle figurines danced around the clock face to a little tune of, you guessed it, more bongs. Skeletons rang their bells (don't question it) and everyone cheered.

The next morning, my family and I finally decided to take a tram. Where to? No idea. Why? Just for fun. Hotel? Trivago. I thought I would hate careening around corners at a speed that probably wasn't legal, but it was thrilling. The people on the tram were pleasant and didn't look at me strangely with my grubby old hat that I appropriated from Dad.

The mystery tram adventure led to Prague Castle, with an insanely beautifully decorated gothic style cathedral in the courtyard - St Vitus Cathedral. The guards looked like little dolls as they patrolled the grounds. On the way back, we stopped for one last trdlenik and a traditional bratwurst - or street meat, as I call it. Delicious!

I really hope you can visit Prague someday, because it's seriously the most fascinating city I've ever visited!

- Buy a trdlenik, Eadaoin

A letter home

Category: Primary Schools (5th & 6th class)

Winner: Aisling Brennan (12)

School: St John of Gods NS, Waterford

Teacher: Clare Sheane

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Dearest Grandma,

This postcard is coming to you from Brazil, South America!! Yesterday, my travelling companions and I kayaked along the Amazon river. We passed through deep caves filled with various sizes of bats, their soft wings silently fluttering above our heads and we were thrown down fast flowing rapids and waterfalls. It was so exciting. We marvelled at animals of every size, colour and shape - all the hues of the rainbow!! What an experience!

Tomorrow, we plan to travel west and hike towards Guayaquil to experience the incredible wildlife and scenery you have always told me about when you first landed in Brazil yourself many years ago! We have stayed here eight days now, though it feels like months. We will have to say goodbye to this wonderful culture in less than a week, but these priceless memories will never leave me, just as they have never left you. I've taken lots of pictures and have kept a diary of our escapades so far - just as you said.

I wish you were here with us, Grandma. Everything here reminds me of stories told late at night, around your blazing fire, of laughter and of all your adventures. I know you have always dreamed of returning to this paradise and I have tried to do this for you. Reliving your adventure makes me feel closer to you every day. Thank you for always encouraging me to follow my dreams and achieve my goals. Thank you for being my inspiration and guide throughout my life. You're such an amazing Grandma!

- Lots of Love, your granddaughter, Aisling

Snails for dinner

Category: Secondary Schools (Senior)

Winner: Jessica Enright (16)

School: Scoil Mhuire Greenhill, Carrick-on-Suir

Teacher: Alison Duffy

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Dear Gemma,

I'm writing to you as I sip a frothy latte on one of the many sun-drenched terraces of Paris. Are you jealous yet? Although, I remember you telling me that you hate coffee.

Anyway, I have quite the story to tell you. God, I can feel myself blushing scarlet even thinking about it. Picture this. I stumbled into the first Parisienne restaurant that I caught sight of to satiate the ferocious growling in my stomach. In hindsight, I probably should have realised my mistake as soon as I passed through the gilded doors. But here I am. Waiters with tiny pointed moustaches waltz around, flutes of champagne balanced precariously on gleaming silver trays. Men wearing too much hair oil and thousand dollar suits laugh raucously and puff on big cigars. I'm instantly overwhelmed by the stench of perfume so strong it stings my nostrils when I take a breath. I hear the sharp, tapping sound of stiletto heels attached to long, slender legs as ladies who belong on the front pages of magazines drift by. Rail-thin women, clad from head to toe in designer clothing and diamonds, sport perfectly manicured nails and glossy blow-dried locks that rest in smooth waves just above their shoulders.

I shove my faux-leather purse inside my coat as the maitre d' directs me to a table. He looks me briefly up and down, taking in my cheap and cheerful clothing before smirking to himself and sashaying away. I'm feeling fairly embarrassed at this stage, as I see people at the tables beside me giggling behind their hands as they appraise my ancient sneakers. But this is nothing compared with what's to come. By now, I've been handed a menu and a drop of perspiration is beginning to bead on the nape of my neck as I catch a glimpse of the extortionate prices. A petite woman wearing eyeliner that probably cost more than my entire outfit watches me speculatively, her lips pursed in a mocking smile as she appraises the panicked look on my face. Another waiter appears out of thin air beside me, nattering away in heavily accented English about his recommendations, all costing three figures.

My panic doubles when I peer more closely at the menu and notice that there are no English translations. Gemma, you know how hopeless I am at French. So, I just order the first thing that pops into my head - Escargots. Stop. I can just see you giggling right now. Remember my face when Tom spilled ketchup on my brand new white blouse? Well, that's what I looked like when I was served a huge plate of snails. You know how fussy I am, I couldn't face even trying one. I had to leave the restaurant a hundred euro poorer and just as hungry as I'd been walking in! Anyway, I don't want to keep you. I'm sure you've got better things to do than read about me being my usual silly self.

Say hello to Mam for me!

- Lots of love, Jessica

What is Immrama?

The Immrama Festival of Travel Writing takes place June 12-16 in Lismore, Co Waterford. Named for an old Irish word for 'journey', it has been running since 2003 and drawn names as diverse as Pico Iyer, Dervla Murphy and Michael Palin to this small, Co Waterford village. This year's headliners include Sara Outen and Neil Oliver.

Judges of the 2019 Schools Travel Writing Competition:

Pol O Conghaile, Travel Editor, Irish Independent

Stephen Kavanagh, Former CEO, Aer Lingus

Debbie Byrne, Managing Director, An Post Retail

Vickie Stephenson, Former Director, CX EMEA Airbnb

Phil Cottier, CEO, The CX Collection

This year's Immrama Schools Travel Writing Competition was sponsored by Aer Lingus and the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford.

The winners and their teachers will be awarded their prizes at this year's festival in Lismore today, Saturday, June 15.

For tickets and events information, visit lismore-immrama.com.'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." The old biblical aside suggests a cautionary note when tempted towards a rush to judgement. And so it is with tales of drug-taking, deceit and deception abounding about the Westminster parliament.

The battle to succeed Theresa May is a classic example of the 'dark arts' running amok in a viciously divided party.

The glittering prize could hardly be more golden - a chance to overnight become leader of the Conservatives and also prime minister.

Michael Gove, who in a previous life suggested the British army rather than the Good Friday Agreement should sort out Northern Ireland, found that snorting cocaine in his youth came back to haunt him.

Knowing all was to be revealed in an upcoming book, he orchestrated a classic pre-emptive strike. He admitted to his failings and pleaded forgiveness on the basis of a grovelling apology.

But he was on a sticky wicket when charged with galloping hypocrisy.

How could he justify his behaviour when at the same time he was calling for draconian jail sentences for drug dealers? His is a classic dilemma for those cocooned in middle-class privilege. It was argued his drug use - however indirectly - contributed to the cycle of violence and death among pushers and dealers in the criminal underworld. The whole debacle left him on the back foot.

Brexit has, of course, dominated this Tory leadership contest. Who is for a hard, medium or soft option? From an Irish perspective, we can but quietly cheer from the sidelines for anybody close to the middle ground. Jeremy Hunt is the front-runner on this ticket. The slightly maverick contender Rory Stewart would be an even better bet from our perspective, given his unequivocal determination to keep the extremists at bay. But he was never going to make it to the top job.

And so one thing has led to another. Boris Johnson, master of the flippant, and so often untrue, one-liner, found his time had finally come. Barring what will surely be a bizarre act of self-destruction, he looks certain to get the keys to 10 Downing Street. His handlers this time out are obviously paranoid he will stray off-script. Saying the wrong thing, in the wrong way, at the wrong time, could wreck his chances of wearing the crown.

Sheer good luck has played its part in his rise to the top. But in fairness, this is vital for all trying to climb any greasy pole. More showman than politician, he has the charlatan-type qualities to make him, at least for some, a man of the moment.

His mission statement is a peculiar mix of dogmatism and vagueness. But will he really risk widespread job losses by allowing the UK crash out of the EU without any kind of exit deal? Will he refuse to pay billions of euro as part of a legitimate and legal debt London owes Brussels? Most of all, will he carry out his threat to effectively 'close down' parliament for a time, simply because not enough MPs back his high-risk plans?

Despite all the bluff and bluster Johnson uses to woo support, there is also evidence of moderate and cautious instincts. However, once in the prime minister's chair he could find the momentum of events are outside his control. Theresa May discovered this to be the case as she finally succumbed to defeat; hemmed in on all sides, she simply ran out of wriggle room.

Meanwhile, the backstop will once again be centre stage. As was always the case, all the options for any Irish government - determined to avoid a hard Border in the interests of peace - are problematic. And a no-deal exit from the EU by a Johnson-led regime will present a host of challenges. But that does not minimise the right of Dublin and Brussels to stand firm and fight their own corner as they see fit.

What is going to happen in the next few crucial months? The truth is nobody knows - and that includes the man who is surely prime minister in waiting. Might he have the ingenuity to orchestrate a backstop face-saving fudge, which will still protect core Irish interests and settle nerves all round?

Powerbrokers in Brussels, London, and Dublin play for ever higher stakes. They are ensnared in a kind of Russian roulette.

We could have serious casualties before summer's end.Boris, no deal, backstop and Brussels. Brexit was never simple - but now the puzzles become more entangled by the hour.

But here are four things we can say with some certainty about a very uncertain situation:

1. Boris: Barring some extraordinary and unforeseen development, Boris 'Brexit-at-all-costs' Johnson will be the next UK prime minister. He is the 1/5 odds-on favourite.

There will be more elimination votes by the 313 party MPs up to next Saturday. Then two candidates go on the ballot for the Conservative Party's 160,000 members, who have a month to make up their minds and post their vote back to HQ for a result on July 22.

Johnson is the membership darling. Members are 71pc male, 44pc aged over 65, 97pc white, with the vast majority living in the south-east of England. Research showed three out of four members favoured a no-deal Brexit over staying in the EU.

Johnson as prime minister increases the risk of no deal - but does not make it inevitable. There are even intriguing theories that Johnson could "do an Ian Paisley" and, once installed as leader, work to push through Theresa May's Brexit deal. For now that's only a theory, be it ever so intriguing. It hangs mainly on Johnson once having voted for Theresa May's ill-starred deal and wanting to defuse Brexit.

2. No deal: Unless something changes between now and October 31, a no-deal outcome is precisely what will happen by default.

Johnson as new prime minister would seek a re-opening of the Brexit deal done by Mrs May on November 25, which failed to get the necessary UK ratification on three separate occasions. The EU insists there will be no re-opening of the deal.

Three ways of stopping an automatic no-deal look like long-shots: the UK could unilaterally withdraw its Article 50 EU leaving procedure, but hell will freeze over first; extend Brexit beyond October 31, but Johnson has insisted this is not an option - some EU states would not be in favour either and an extension requires unanimity; Westminster could finally back May's deal, but it has failed to do that three times already.

Ironically, the one unifying factor in Brexit votes in the UK parliament was a great majority against a no-deal outcome. But procedurally this has no status. Efforts on Wednesday by the Labour Party at Westminster to initiate a draft law prohibiting a no-deal outcome failed. There may be other resolutions which would have more political force.

The UK parliament's forceful speaker, John 'Ordah, Ordah' Bercow, has already insisted MPs must have a strong say on this issue. But the easy way out for prime minister Johnson from pesky MPs' interference would be to say Brussels are not negotiating.

3. Brussels: The EU itself is now in flux, with all the key jobs up for grabs.

When Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joins his counterparts at a summit next Thursday all the talk will be about who gets those jobs, with Brexit relegated to a sidebar via a progress report.

There will be much posh horse-trading around four big posts: a replacement for Jean-Claude Juncker as Commission president; for Donald Tusk as Council president; for Federica Mogherini as foreign affairs representative; and for Mario Draghi as Central Bank president.

This high-stakes jockeying for these jobs is compounded by the installation of a newly elected European Parliament on July 2. The parliament does not have a clear majority and is already at loggerheads with EU government leaders.

Some EU leaders, notably France's President Macron, want to undo a "lead candidate" system which allowed the MEPs a key say in picking Juncker as Commission president in 2014. All of these things must be played out and compromises reached in tough multi-level talks which could take weeks if not months.

This, and the chaotic politics in London, will further delay things. It all further shortens the time left between now and the looming Halloween Brexit deadline which could become our nightmare.

4. Backstop: A no-deal Brexit means all bets are off, including - much to Ireland's dismay - the backstop. Agreed first in December 2017 between the EU and the UK, it provides for a fall-back to avoid a Border in Ireland if there is no long-term EU-UK agreement on future trade arrangements.

In the surreal world of Brexit politics in the UK, the backstop gradually became the big bogey man. This was largely because the arrangement, extended to the entire UK, led critics to say it would keep the country tied to the EU indefinitely.

That view compounded the belligerence of the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up the Conservatives' minority government. The DUP insists Northern Ireland must leave the EU on the same terms as England, Scotland and Wales.

No deal means Border controls between north and south. The only questions are where and how. A least intrusive control regime, avoiding a return of Border posts, would require UK co-operation. That could be hard to get amid acrimony.For many, the nickname 'Prudent Paschal' would have been taken as a slight. It suggests a boring person who is slow to reach for their wallet.

But when that person is the finance minister in a country recently ravaged by recession, it's a compliment.

Paschal Donohoe was more than comfortable with his public image as a shrewd and cautious operator.

But events of recent months have caused the halo to slip and, according to his colleagues, the minister is visibly feeling the heat.

Pressure has been mounting from a variety of sources. The United Nations accused the Government of facilitating the "financialisation of housing". Cost overruns at the National Children's Hospital have proved impossible to defend. The broadband debate became all about money rather than internet speeds.

Small businesses are outraged about the slow pace of reform in the insurance sector.

Demands for pay increases in the public sector are continuously growing.

Brexit sits like a threatening cloud on the horizon of even the sunniest day.

And this week the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) warned the Government's medium-term projections for the public finances are "not credible".

It would be easy for the minister to think that the walls are closing in around him.

The Irish Independent spoke to a variety of his colleagues over recent days who said the normally chipper minister was under strain.

"You can just tell. It's been one thing after another," a minister said.

The Opposition is keen to exploit any whiff of weakness from the Government's central defender.

Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen said the idea that Fine Gael was a safe pair of hands with the economy now had "mythical status". "It is delusional for Donohoe to claim that there is any control over Government spending at the moment."

Cowen, who will be negotiating this year's Budget with the minister under Confidence and Supply, said he "has to stop lecturing about financial prudence and start controlling the overspending that is being allowed happen in a few government departments".

Donohoe's predecessor in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), Brendan Howlin, is even more scathing.

He believes Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was "foolish" to remarry Finance and DPER.

"There are good reasons why we need a separate government department dedicated to keeping an eye on public spending across all departments, which Paschal Donohoe has clearly failed to do," he says.

The minister's woes are far from infinite though. A spokesperson said this Government's stewardship of the economy "means that there are now more people at work than ever before, we have an unemployment rate of just 4.4pc, and the books have been balanced for the first time in a decade".

"Wages are steadily rising, inequality is falling and we are investing in the homes, schools and health services our people need for an improved standard of living."

But Fine Gael is losing control of the narrative. Before he became Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar had a reputation as a straight-talker.

Bit by bit, Micheal Martin has managed to turn 'straight-talking' into the 'spin'.

Fianna Fail is now trying to do something similar to Donohoe's credibility. It wants to transform 'Prudent Paschal' into 'Delusional' or 'Dangerous Donohoe'.

Those close to the minister can see the problem but they are struggling to stem the tide.

The week started with IFAC's report. By Wednesday, we heard the children's hospital could need yet another bailout costing "tens of millions".

And as the weekend drew in, radio shows were debating why 5m was being given to an airport with no commercial flights.

After Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Donohoe called the media to the courtyard in Government Buildings to argue his case.

He noted that the European Commission - the gatekeeper for the fiscal rules - judged his budgets to be sensible.

The Government, he noted, has doubled capital expenditure in order to address infrastructural issues in housing, transport and other areas.

And while IFAC warned we are now overly reliant on corporation tax income, Donohoe was ahead of them in commissioning a report on the topic.

He landed one strong punch: "It's worth emphasis that when Fianna Fail talks about not wanting to repeat the mistakes of the past, it's its past it is referring to."

Everything that happens in Leinster House at the minute occurs with one eye on a general election. As Fine Gael's director of organisation, Donohoe knows this better than most. He is inundated with demands from TDs who want to beef up their local credentials.

Sources say he sometimes feels Taoiseach Leo Varadkar doesn't fully appreciate the efforts he makes to keep everybody happy and the books balanced.

Labour leader Howlin claims the Government has been "blase" about IFAC's criticism. "There is more than just echoes of the Celtic Tiger period in all of this," he said.

But sources close to the minister say he genuinely worries about their reports.

The Department looks at the health of the economy using a theory of 'the four Cs': current expenditure, capital spending, credit, and competency.

Current expenditure is growing at a slower rate than the economy, which the minister says is a solid approach.

There are problems in the area of capital. The sums just don't add up at the minute and the minister will have to either inject more cash or curtail projects in the near future.

Credit, which played a major role in the last bust, is under control. But even that has consequences, as the Government is getting blamed for young couples who can't get mortgages.

We're definitely in a boom but it's no party for Paschal.The Tory leadership contest introduces us to the term 'vanity candidates' - MPs with less chance of winning than Larry the Downing Street cat, but whose promotion chances are boosted by inclusion on the ballot.

Some of these hopefuls are indulging in hard Brexit chest-thumping as a way of building support. Their rhetoric suggests scorched earth policies such as suspending parliament to ram through a no-deal Brexit, although civil wars have been fought with less provocation.

Why do we care here in Ireland? We have skin in the game. These Macho Me-Men promise to convert the backstop into a temporary measure if they succeed to the British premiership. Failing that, they threaten that the UK will leave the EU without an agreement and Ireland will suffer collateral damage.

Every one of the six would-be prime ministers left in the race knows the EU won't budge. Lacking the firepower to force renegotiation (although you wouldn't put it past some of them to send a battleship to dock near Calais), the strategy is to pressurise Ireland to cave in. We waive our objections to a time-limited backstop - problem solved. At least from their perspective.

The impact on Ireland is irrelevant to them because we're nothing more than a pawn in their gameplay with the EU. This is divide and conquer. The Irish Government needs to continue what it's doing and avoid rising to the bait.

Boris Johnson is streaking ahead of his rivals and is almost guaranteed to be prime minister within weeks. Neither a sex nor a corruption scandal, just supposing any were to emerge, will derail him - they'd only enhance his credentials with supporters. Their view is he may be flaky, self-regarding and inclined to sail close to the wind - but at least he's fun. And he gives Johnny Foreigner what for.

Power politics rather than international co-operation is in Mr Johnson's DNA, which appeals to British notions of empire. Consequently, the election is turning into a coronation as opposed to a contest. However, the former foreign secretary is a fire-starter - this will not end well. The only gleam of light lies in his ability to do 180-degree turns without missing a beat.

He has a difficult relationship with plain facts. His preference is for fact-light, fact with a twist, fact peppered with unfact and, best of all, fact-free. Sooner or later, this habit will trip him up but not before he reaches Number 10.

The prevailing narrative is that everyone else is unreasonable because hard Brexiteers cannot have what they want, with the Irish being particularly awkward.

It's a line supported by the DUP. The party's chief whip, Jeffrey Donaldson, was in Dublin on the same day as the first round of Tory voting, promoting the message that all would be well if only the intransigent Irish would see sense and compromise.

Speaking at the Institute of International and European Affairs on Thursday, his tone was moderate but his message hard-line. There was a "seismic problem" with the backstop and the Irish Government was driving the UK towards a no-deal Brexit, he claimed.

This is an assertion that doesn't withstand scrutiny but it's interesting that he travelled to Dublin to promote it. Perhaps he hoped to influence public opinion in the Republic. At least the DUP knew better than to let loose its Brexit spokesperson, Sammy Wilson, prone to muttering about the EU being determined to deliver a punishment beating to Britain.

A border around the Irish Sea would be a "fundamental breach" of constitutional arrangements underpinned by the Good Friday and St Andrew's Agreements, according to Mr Donaldson. But he did not address the reality that Brexit is an even greater violation.

Theresa May accepted the common sense of a sea border, allowing for regulatory alignment on the island, until the DUP vetoed it. "The red line is blood red," said Arlene Foster. But like it or not, and we know the DUP doesn't, compromise is needed and that's a sea border. Not a wobbly backstop which Britain can choose unilaterally to exit.

Meanwhile, Tory in-fighting and electioneering continues to delay engagement with the October 31 deadline, even as they insist there'll be no further extension. Europe has always split the Tories and was the graveyard of several Conservative prime ministers. So no change there. Nothing constructive can be expected until after they vote in a new leader - who will find himself in precisely the same position as Mrs May, without a majority in the House of Commons.

Inevitably, the new prime minister will be Mr Johnson, a man who doesn't answer questions or do detail if he can possibly avoid it - quizzing him is like trying to nail lemonade to the wall. If in doubt, he promises what he can't deliver - which is misrepresentation. Tory grandee John Major had this to say a few days ago when asked if the next prime minister could implement Brexit by Halloween. "Those people who are suggesting that it can be done have their fingers crossed behind their back, whistling gently into the wind and hoping for some miracle where it might be possible."

But who knows how Mr Johnson will behave when he actually has power? On the face of it, Tony Blair appeared to be a more serious politician but it's doubtful that even Mr Johnson would ever do anything as stupid as bounce his country into the second Iraq war. He is viewed as the hardest candidate for Jeremy Corbyn to beat in a general election: polls show Mr Johnson would win a majority large enough to do business. Mind you, polls can be wrong.

Give him a majority and he'll toss the DUP overboard. The party expects this, of course, ever alert for a sell-out Lundy (the governor who fled immediately before the Siege of Derry, a totemic episode in Ulster Protestantism).

Failing a majority, Mr Johnson nevertheless has the DUP to fall back on. The party doesn't trust him but Nigel Dodds et al will keep him in office (or whoever wins the leadership battle) rather than trigger an election because that represents too much risk. The DUP isn't yet ready to stop being the tail that wags the bulldog. Indeed, it's not impossible that a DUP MP might end up in the UK cabinet.

So, either a sea border or no deal are the most likely scenarios. Mr Johnson's strategy is to put pressure on the Irish Government over the backstop, meanwhile peddling a 'they need us more than we need them' fantasy about the EU-UK relationship. He is not well-placed to win concessions after a career devoted to whipping up anti-EU sentiment and, in any case, the EU doesn't believe he'd stand by any new deal he signed.

Meanwhile, Labour's position is to wait for the deluge and offer itself as a lifeboat. There's vanity in that too, of course - a lot of it about.'I appeal to all doctors to resume work as thousands of people are awaiting medical treatment', Mamata said. (Photo: ANI)

Kolkata: Following days of protest by doctors in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee on Saturday agreed to accept demands and asked them to return to work.

''I appeal to all doctors to resume work as thousands of people are awaiting medical treatment'', Mamata said.

Expressing her disappointment over doctors not turning up at the meeting, Mamata said: ''I had sent my ministers, principal secretary to meet the doctors, I cancelled all programmes and waited for junior doctors to turn up at meeting. One must show respect to constitutional body''.

''Even after five days of strike by junior doctors, we have not invoked ESMA Act or taken any action against them'', Mamata added.

Chief Minister also assured doctors of not taking any stringent action.

''We never arrested a single person. We will not take any police action. Health services cannot continue like this. I am not going to take any stringent action. Let good sense prevail'', Mamata said.

On the mass resignation of the doctors across the state, Banerjee said it was not legally tenable. "If the junior doctors think I am incapable, they can always talk to the governor or the chief secretary... or the commissioner of police," she said.

The central government had sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the ongoing medical strike that has affected the medical services in the state.

Earlier, striking junior doctors turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation for a meeting at the state secretariat, which was called to resolved the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital, had on Friday sought an unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government in order to withdraw their stir.

"She will have to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for her comments made during her visit to the SSKM Hospital on Thursday," Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, told PTI.

"If she can go to the SSKM she can also come to the NRS... or else this agitation will go on," Dutta said.

Banerjee, who visited the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday amid slogans of "we want justice", had contended that outsiders were creating disturbances in the medical colleges and the ongoing agitation is a conspiracy by the CPI(M) and the BJP.

Meanwhile, Medical practitioners at AIIMS Delhi on Saturday called off their protest and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to fulfil the demands.

In their ultimatum, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at AIIMS stated that if the demands are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at the Delhi hospital.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation earlier in the day met Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to discuss the issue.The next phase of the nationwide geographical survey of Ireland has taken off over eastern and south eastern counties of Ireland, including County Wicklow.

The Tellus Survey programme has been surveying across Ireland over the last eight years and has recently finished flying over counties Limerick, Tipperary and west Cork.

The programme aims to have 75 per cent of Ireland mapped by 2020, with the resulting data having the potential to deliver positive economic, environmental and agricultural benefits by enhancing our understanding of the local environment, soil management, and the natural resource potential of the surveyed areas.

A low-flying aircraft equipped with state-of the-art instruments has taken to the skies over counties Wicklow, Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford until autumn 2019, weather permitting.

Dr James Hodgson, Senior Geologist and Project Manager for Tellus, said: 'The Tellus Survey is an important project which continues to provide us with significant data that will offer us valuable insights about the geophysical makeup of Ireland. As we start this new phase, I want to thank the local communities in counties Limerick, Tipperary and west Cork for their support while we surveyed these areas over the last few months.

'I am pleased to see the Tellus Survey programme launch into a new phase, gathering data across the east and south east of Ireland and we look forward to keeping the public informed as the survey progresses.'

The survey aircraft is a white, twin propeller plane (as pictured), which is easily identified by its red tail and black stripe as well as the word 'SURVEY' and registration number C-GSGF written across both sides of the plane.

Due to the low-flying altitude of the survey aircraft, anyone concerned about sensitive livestock is encouraged to contact the Tellus Freephone Information Line on 1800 45 55 65.

The Tellus team will be happy to provide information on upcoming flight plans.Josh Byrne from New Court School in Bray and Rebecca Canavan from Wicklow Youthreach were among those to receive recognition of their talents in a national photography competition.

Over 1,800 Irish students let their creative skills shine following a call for entries into Mental Health Ireland's art and photography competition.

The theme of the competition was 'Five Ways to Wellbeing' which are; be active; connect; take notice; keep learning; and give.

This year, Mental Health Ireland was delighted to open up the competition to more students around Ireland, including Youth Reach, Special Education, and Post Primary schools.

Josh was awarded second place for his photography entry, while Rebecca Canavan was highly commended for her photography piece.

Martin Rogan, CEO Mental Health Ireland said, 'The growing number of entries to this year's Art and Photography competition is a reflection of the growing awareness of mental health and well-being from the young people of Ireland.

'The competition offers students the space to express their own thoughts and understanding of mental health as well as their hopes for the future of mental health for themselves and for those around them. The theme, "Five Ways to Wellbeing", empowers students to educate themselves and their peers on how to put simple steps into action every day to feel good and to function well.

'The calibre of work this year, as always, was very high. This year, we were delighted to keep inclusiveness at the heart of the competition by inviting new categories including Youth Reach and Special Education students. As a result, we were able to open up the scope of creativity, and showcase more talent than ever before.'

The exhibition and award ceremony took place in St Patrick's Cathedral.

Mental Health Ireland had the support of esteemed artist Lisa Butterly in selecting the winning entries for Art and support from Rosaleen Heavin for Photography.

Last year's National Winners Jonathon O'Keeffe (Art) and Marcus Prouse (Photography) were also invited to attend the event.

Mental Health Ireland is now calling out to students, teachers and parents to get in touch about next year's competition, which is open for entries this September.

For queries and information on the 2020 Art and Photography competition, contact info@mentalhealthireland.ieYoung adults in Bray have been focussing all of their energies on their exams over the past week, with the Leaving Cert the last challenge in their secondary school career.

On the second afternoon of this year's leaving, many of them were in school preparing ahead of English Paper Two, most keeping their fingers crossed that Plath would come up.

'I'm just one exam in at this stage,' said Jordan Smith at St Kilian's Community School. 'English Paper One went well, but you never know. Hopefully the composing went well for me, that's a 100 marker.'

He was a little nervous about the next paper. 'I'm panicking now for paper two this afternoon because we don't know what poet's coming up.'

Dylan Bermingham had engineering earlier on Thursday morning. 'It wasn't too bad,' he said. 'You're guaranteed that some stuff will come up, and you have 50 per cent done already from the project and the practical. So your mind is a bit more at rest having so much of it finished.'

He wasn't alone in hoping that Plath would come up on the afternoon English paper.

Jason King had also done the engineering paper. 'It was pretty good,' said Jason. 'It's one of my stronger subjects so I'm hoping for a good grade in it. Pretty much all my CAO options are related to engineering so I'll hopefully go on to do that.'

He was cool, calm and collected about the afternoon exam. 'Well there's nothing more I can do now! I have to just go in and do what I can.'

Kerry Kane was happy with English Paper One, and hoping the poets she likes would come up in paper two. Geography was one of the subjects she was looking forward to. 'We've done our projects for that,' she said. 'It's a good way to work, doing coursework throughout the two years - it's a bit much having just one big exam at the end,' said Kerry. 'It's a lot of pressure, whereas with the likes of languages you've done your orals so there's that little bit of stress lifted off.' She said that she felt the pressure mounting at the start of sixth year. 'But I've gotten used to it now.'

Luke Windsor had completed engineering on Thursday morning, and English Paper One the previous day. 'They were both fairly nice papers in terms of the questions that came up,' he said. 'Paper one is a nice way to start the exams - it's not as stressful, you don't have to know everything. 'It's the poets that will get me in the end. In terms of Shakespeare I'm grand, and comparative is grand.' He is confident about Design and Communications Graphics, with a project worth 40 per cent already done, and a little nervous about Physics which can be very intensive.

Max Cwiertniak took a punt, which we now know was successful, and studied only Plath for the poetry section of English Paper Two.

'It only makes sense for her to come up!' said Max, an hour or so before the start of the exam. 'I said global warming would come up in paper one and it did. Plath is coming up! Especially with all the talk about depression and anxiety for the last two years... if they don't bring her up they're missing out. And so am I. You have to take risks,' he said. Max hopes to do sport and science management at WIT.

Music runs in Amber Kenna's family, and while it's one of her best subjects, she would prefer to go on to study nursing.

'I've been getting on well so far,' said Amber. 'I'm more at east than what the teachers really make it out to be.

'I had English Paper One yesterday and was happy with it. I'm hoping for a good poet and a good Macbeth question today. I've been doing after school study so trying to do as much as I can.

'With this afternoon, it's the fear of the unknown. But when I get in there and have a look through I'll be grand. I'll stay in for the whole duration too - after all those years there's no rush.'

'The Leaving Cert is stressful but I think we're all kind of prepared,' said Heather Barker at Loreto. She said that while you might feel as though you know nothing, once you go into the exam and start writing you realise 'it's there at the back of your head'.

Heather felt prepared for that afternoon's English exam. I haven't looked as much at some things like Macbeth and looked a lot at others, but I think it will be fine,' she said.

Art is Sarah Byrne's best subject, and the majority of the work was already done. 'It's generally the art history that brings people down so it's a bit nerve-racking.' On how she had done in her first exam, Sarah said 'it definitely could have been worse'.

Susie Armstrong was looking after her notes on Bishop. 'We're all praying that either her or Plath will come up,' she said.

'I do like English. It's a really fascinating subject. It can be hard but it's nice that it's their art and we're learning from their perspective.'

'I'm not worried at all,' said Grace Brown, who is 'taking it as it comes'.

'No-one's going to know you for points, they're going to know you for the person that you are,' said Grace. 'I know what I know and I'm relaxed about it. Geography would be my best subject, I love geography and have 20 per cent of it done already.'

'I'm getting on well, I just wish I had more sleep!' said Moreblessing Chigwedere. 'There's so much anticipation and waiting for it to be over that you don't sleep all that well. I'll be so happy when it's finished.'

For next yea, she's been looking into politics, philosophy and sociology. 'That's what I'm really interested in. But I still have 13 days after to decide.'

Mahaam Rashid said she was as prepared as she could be for the second English paper.

'There's not much more you can learn in one day so we'll just do our best. Biology and Economics I'd be more confident about. Economics is my last exam and I've 8 days between them to study. Then I can't wait to enjoy the summer.' She would like to study law and politics or history and politics in UCD.

Leah Poveda has been doing a lot better than she expected. 'I was really worried yesterday when I first sat down. Now it just feels like any other exam, it feels like 4th or 5th year exams. This day next week I'll be done and looking forward to that,' said Leah.

'I wasn't confident about Home-Ec up until I did the paper. I was going to drop and I'm glad I did the higher.

'There was a practical element also - cooking four dishes. That was worth 20 per cent so that's in the bag anyway. Leah would like to go on to study midwifery in DIT.

Ava Condaudap said that English Paper One was manageable. 'It was quite a general collection of comprehensions, it wasn't really focusing on anything that's topical necessarily so I thought it was easy to tackle straight on. English Paper Two should be a bit harder but hopefully the poets we want will come up. I've focussed on Bishop, Plath and Kennelly, they're my favourite three.'

'I think the anticipation for the exams is so much worse than the actual exams, once you get started,' said Beth Callaly.

'Yesterday's English paper was nice and a good way to start the exams.

'The essay titles were really nice. I'm hoping Kennelly comes up today. I love biology and economics and I'm looking forward to those.'

Emma Stubbs said that the Home-Ec exam was difficult. 'They kind of changed the layout of some of the questions so it was a bit tough. I'm worried about French but everything else should be fine.

Aoife Stack said that with both English and Home-Ec on the first day, students definitely needed the two-hour break for the recovery of sore writing hands.

'You have to know the material for this exam so I've been studying,' she said.

Lauren Hannon said that English is her favourite subject and she thinks she did well on the first paper.

She hasn't been stressed over the past couple of years, and was looking forward to maths.

'I'm excited to get it over and done with now,' said Niamh Byrne.

'I was nervous but it was better when I got started . Business is my favourite subject and would be one of my choices for next year.'

Grainne Dowling was happy to have two exams done already, the first English paper and Home-Ec.

'Home-Ec was probably my favourite even though yesterday's paper was quite difficult. I'm a little bit nervous about the Irish papers. It is probably one of my favourite subjects but it can just be very hard.'A trio of intrepid adventurers from the Rebel County have tested their levels of fitness and stamina, taking on Ireland's most gruelling mountain challenge in aid of charity.

While most of us were relaxing over the recent May bank-holiday weekend James McCarthy from Mallow, Ben Shorten from Cill na Martra and Daniel Coughlan from Cork city were among a 22-strong team from Grafton Merchandising that conquered the gruelling 'Four Peaks Challenge'.

The ultimate hill-walking adventure, in involved climbing the highest mountain in each of Ireland's four provinces over a single weekend.

The trek kicked off with their first obstacle, the 2,796 ft Slieve Donard in County Down, followed by a brisk clamber up the 3,039 ft Lugnaquilla in Wicklow.

Next up was Carrauntoohill in Kerry (at 3,414 ft Ireland highest peak) before finally the team finally returned back down to ground level after conquering the 2,688 ft Mweelrea in County Mayo.

Over the course of the four-day challenge, the team scaled a combined height of 11,927 ft, with the aim of raising 40,000 for the homeless charity Focus Ireland; The Children's Medical and Research Foundation (CMRF) Crumlin; suicide awareness and prevention charity Pieta House; and Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

As it turned out the team smashed that target by some considerable distance, raising almost 68,500, which will be divided up between the four chosen charities.

Speaking after the event, Ben said that the few months of intensive training prior to taking on the challenge had stood the team in good stead.

"The Four Peaks challenge was an amazing experience. Seeing people's generosity was brilliant. Every single person I asked donated towards our cause and I'd like to say a massive thank you to all who supported me and the team," said Ben.

"I am delighted we raised almost 30,000 more than our target; it's a really big achievement and for a great cause."Changes announced to the Fair Deal scheme that will 'even up the playing field' for business and farming applicants have been welcomed by Cork East Fianna Fail TD Kevin O'Keeffe.

Last August the Government committed to implementing changes to the scheme recommended in a 2015 review undertaken by the Department of Health, which said that consideration should be given to the capping of nursing home costs against the value of a farm of business.

It deemed as "reasonable" the widely held view that the rules of the scheme placed a significant burden on farming families.

Under the existing scheme elderly people are eligible to receive funding from the HSE's Nursing Homes Support (Fail Deal) Scheme, to help fund their long term care.

Applicants must contribute up to 80% of their assessable income and 7.5% of the value of the value of their assets per year, which in the case of property can be collected from their estate after they die.

However, it had been claimed the scheme actively discriminated against farmers and small business holders who have to pay a capital sum, based on a percentage of the value of their farm or business, against nursing home care. While individuals with family homes only pay the percentage charge for a period of three years, farmers and business owners continue to be liable every year for the duration of their care.

The authors of the report acknowledged the current rules created what they described as "real difficulties" in certain circumstances.

"At present both the income generated and the capital value are used as a basis for contributions. The resultant dilution of equity in the capital asset, particularly in circumstances where the three year cap does not apply, can cause real difficulties for farming and other families," read the report.

"Further consideration will be given to the application of the asset-based contribution to family farms or other family businesses where the relevant asset generates a household's income, and where the asset would in the normal course pass on to the next generation as a primary income source," it said.

This week Health Minister Harris announced the Government had approved an amendment intended to change the treatment of family farms and businesses under Fair Deal.

"I am pleased that Government has approved this General Scheme of a Bill, which stands to positively affect family farms and business owners who are in, or are going into, nursing care home," said Minister Harris.

"This will make a substantial difference and finally remove the discrimination many of them face under the existing law," he added.

Minister Harris said his department would commence the process of pre-legislative scrutiny and engage with the Attorney General in preparing the legislation for publication.

While it is not yet known how long this process will take, Deputy O'Keeffe said it was "at long last" a welcome step down the road in evening up the playing field for those from the farming and business communities when applying for Fair Deal.

"It is great to see them being treated in line with all other applicants towards the cost of care in a nursing home. Financial support is very important for those who require long-term nursing home care and any additional support will make a big difference for all those involved," he said.The former Meelin-based county councillor Timmy Collins raised a few eyebrows last October when he revealed to The Corkman that he would not be seeking re-election to the authority at May's local elections.

During his distinguished service on the authority Mr Collins earned the respect of his council colleagues and endeared himself to the voting public with his ready wit and dogged determination to, in his own words, "get things done."

Last Friday night council colleagues, friends and family gathered at the Community Hall in Meelin for Mr Collins' retirement bash and to wish him well in all his future endeavours.

"Tonight is about trying to pay back to the people who supported me do wonderfully over the years. My own family, those who went out canvassing for me and, of course, the people who voted for me. No matter how well you run a campaign, it is no good if the people don't vote for you," he said.

Although a relatively latecomer to the council, Cllr Collins had been an active member of the Fine Gael party since 1976 before being co-opted onto the authority's Kanturk Electoral Area in 2002 after Gerard Murphy was elected to Dail Eireann.

After narrowly losing his seat two years later, Cllr Collins left Fine Gael and ran as an independent in the 2009 locals, topping the Kanturk poll with 3,343 first preference votes and becoming the first independent councillor to be elected in Kanturk.

"Working with my colleagues in Cork County Council was brilliant. We were lucky as Independents that we had the balance of power, which in turn paved the way for me to become the first person from Duhallow to serve as Deputy County Mayor," said Mr Collins.

He spoke fondly of his time on the council, even waxing lyrical about the numerous late night phone calls he often received. "I remember getting phone calls at 11pm at night. However, there's no such thing as a real emergency except for a water leak, that has to be addressed immediately. But other than that people were very good and I helped everybody as best I could," said Mr Collins.

He said that, overall, his time on the council was a "hugely positive experience" and he was proud of his ten-years service, in particular his stint as Deputy Mayor.

"You can't be successful at that unless you have colleagues from all sides who work with you. People might be of the opinion that we go into the chamber and start fighting - we don't. That sort of conflict no longer exists at the meetings, even though we debate issues, we all respect each other," said Mr Collins.

"I supported everybody if I thought it was a motion that was worth supporting and that would be the case with other councillors as well. God rest the late Dan Joe Fitzgerald, he helped me an awful lot when I went in first; in return, I mentored young people coming in until they found their feet," he added.

Mr Collins said he was humbled when his colleagues held a party at Annabella House to mark his final northern division meeting.

"I really appreciated that, it was brilliant. What they did that day was unbelievable," he said. While Mr Collins admitted he would miss sitting on the council, the public have not quite seen the back of him yet.

"I'm still serving on four committees at IRD Duhallow, that's for the good of the local community and I will continue to do that," he promised.Hopes that the Cork County Mayor's chain might be heading to North Cork this year have been dashed after a Fianna Fail councillor from Clonakilty was last Friday appointed to the office for the next 12 months.

An agreement between Fianna Fail, Independent and Labour councillors meant that Christopher O'Sullivan beat off the challenge of Fermoy's Noel McCarthy (FG) for the office by 27 votes to 21, with seven councillors abstaining from the vote.

The pact means that the chain of office will alternate between Fianna Fail and the Independents for the five-year duration of the Council, with Mary Linehan Foley (Ind) in line to become County Mayor next time around.

The chain of office will travel to West Cork for the following two years, with Bandon's Gillian Coughlan (FF) and Bantry's Danny Collins (Ind) taking over the reins.

However, the chain of office will then head north, with veteran Fianna Fail councillor Frank O'Flynn from Glanworth set to wear it for the final year of the council term.

There was some good news for the mid-Cork area at County Hall last Friday, with Independent councillor Martin Coughlan from Macroom being elected Deputy Mayor, after defeating Cork East's Anthony Barry (FG) also by 21 votes to 21.

A law graduate, 37-year-old Mayor O'Sullivan was co-opted onto Cork County Council in 2007 following the election of his father, Christy, to Dail Eireann.

The fourth member of his family to follow a career in politics, Cllr O'Sullivan was subsequently re-elected to the authority in 2009 and 2014.

This year he topped the poll in the Skibbereen West Cork electoral area and was elected on the first count with more than 2,700 first preference votes.

Speaking after taking over the office, Mayor O'Sullivan, an avid bird watcher and wildlife enthusiast, said climate change and environmental issues would be very high on his agenda for the next 12 months.

"I consider this to be an opportune time to promote a number of initiatives including changes to our fleet with hybrid and electric vehicles and installing refilling stations across our county," he said.

Mayor O'Sullivan said the significance of the role was not lost on him and pledged to market Cork, avail of new opportunities and continue the Council's proud record of supporting and engaging with communities across the county.

"I am also conscious of delivering on a number of issues key issues such as housing and roads and will continue to advance steps already taken to date," he said.

"I am going to put on the Cork County jersey and be a Mayor for the entire county. I am most looking forward to this position and will endeavour to serve the people of Cork with commitment and dedication," he pledged.

Cllr Coughlan, a former Labour councillor who lost his seat on the authority in 2014 after serving for 10 years on the council, decided to run as an Independent in May's local elections.

Cllr Coughlan, who also served for a decade on Macroom Town Council, including a stint as the Mayor Macroom, said being elected Deputy Mayor was a "fantastic honour" for him.

"One issue that I feel particularly strongly about was the abolition of town councils and the impact this has had on the areas formerly covered by them and the rate payers there. In my role as Deputy Mayor I will be advocating for the return of town councils," he said.Gardai have forwarded a file to the DPP following the death on a 16 year old schoolgirl after she was struck by a car as she was crossing the road on New Year's Eve, an inquest has been told.

Roisin Mae O'Donovan from Ivy Circle, Muskerry Estate, Ballincollig was fatally injured when she was struck by a car while crossing the Main Street in Ballincollig at around 7.45pm on New Year's Eve.

Ms O'Donovan, a Transition Year student at Ballincollig Community School, was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where she underwent treatment but she died the following day, New Year's Day.

Last week at Cork Coroner's Court, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave evidence of her autopsy and told the inquest that Ms O'Donovan died from severe brain injury following a road traffic collision.

Sgt Fergus Twomey told the court that gardai had forwarded a file to the DPP and he applied for an adjournment under Section 25 of the Coroner's Act in the event of a decision being taken to initiate criminal proceedings.

Cork City Coroner, Philip Comyn granted the adjournment application and adjourned the matter for mention until September 5th next when gardai will in a position to provide further information on whether criminal proceedings have begun.

A granddaughter of well-known Ballincollig construction industry official Jimmy Carroll, Roisin's death was the first fatal casualty of 2019 and cast a pall over the New Year celebrations in Ballincollig, where locals were shocked by her tragic death.The Presentation Centre in Enniscorthy was awash with colour and buzzing with excitement recently when it played to Africa Day.

The annual event attracted a big crowd to the venue and was a celebration of different aspects of African culture and heritage.

Members of the local African community were in attendance along with people from around the county with direct links to the country.

The event featured music, dance and fashion and there was a range of activities for children.

The cultural and creative heritage of the continent was also the focus of attention with a language exchange, poetry and music playing a bit part of the proceedings.

There was an Ethiopian coffee making ceremony that also attracted a lot of attention.

There is a strong African community in the south east and that was one of the reasons why the Africa Day initiative began last year.

A spokesperson for the organisers commented on the event to this newspaper and expressed delight at how it went.

The initiative was organised by Wexford County Council in conjunction with Wexford Local Development.

'Funding for the event was supported by Irish Aid through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,' said the spokesperson.

Among the guests in attendance was Rashid Seghrouchni, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Morocco.

He joined people of African descent and members of the local community in for what turned out to be a great celebration of culture.

Irish Aid, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has been the driving force behind Africa Day celebrations throughout Ireland since 2006 and in particular it has forged strong relationships with countries like Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia.

'The local authority was delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural tapestry that the many diverse communities from Africa bring to Co Wexford,' said the spokesperson for the organising committee.

'We had an opportunity to taste and sample all that is great from Africa with our neighbours and friends with a wonderful display of music, dance and food,' she added.

She said Africa Day is an important date on the local calendar as it gives everyone the opportunity to 'take stock of the contribution that people make in our society' through sport, economic development, culture, art and community initiatives.

Africa Day also provides an opportunity for an inter-agency collaboration approach between Enniscorthy Municipal District, Wexford Local Development and the African community.

The organisers thanked everyone who contributed to the event and in doing so helped make it a great success.The contest to see who will replace Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party began in earnest this week, and in keeping with the surreal tone of British politics these days, the race has started with a bang.

Boris Johnson may be the bookies' favourite to take over at No 10, but it is environment secretary Michael Gove who made all the headlines over the weekend, after he admitted to taking cocaine on several occasions more than 20 years ago when he worked as a journalist.

Naturally, this bombshell of a revelation has resulted in widespread calls for him to step down from the contest. Gove has been labelled a hypocrite by many, after a 20-year-old column resurfaced over the weekend where he urged tougher action against cocaine use shortly before he hosted a party at his London home where guests where apparently openly taking the drug.

This is where things start to get a little complicated, and it is possible to feel a considerable amount of sympathy for Gove - words I never imagined I would write.

When David Cameron was running for the leadership of the Tories, he maintained the line that politicians are entitled to a private life before entering politics.

Now we have members of the British press slating a former colleague for preaching one thing but practising something entirely different. This is a delicious irony, the British press lecturing a public figure on hypocrisy. Has Fleet Street in England suddenly been populated by angels with no chequered pasts of their own? I think not.

Surely Cameron is right (something else I never thought I would write) when he said politicians are entitled to a private past. If you were to delve into the past behaviour of our esteemed 158 deputies in Leinster House, chances are you would dig up some Class A dirt on many of them. But so what? Does it really matter that an elected representative did something stupid or illegal in a past life if they have learnt the errors of their ways and have moved on?

Michael Gove should not be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, but cocaine use from two decades ago is not the reason why. It is not as if he admitted to doing a line of cocaine before going into a cabinet meeting at Downing Street - although given the chaos of Theresa May's government it may have explained a lot.

Gove has proven himself to be a politician of questionable standards, and has attracted controversy for much of his political life. He has been embroiled in an expenses scandal, has repeatedly dodged Freedom of Information requests regarding the use of private email accounts for official use, he made an inappropriate joke about Harvey Weinstein, he sanctioned three 'creationist' schools as education secretary and in 2016 he famously said that Britain has had quite enough of 'experts' who were warning about the dangers of Brexit.

His 'experts' jibe really took the biscuit - it was the modern day equivalent of the famous Monty Python sketch where a grumpy John Cleese asks what the bloody hell have the Romans ever done for us?

Gove now finds himself in a situation where questions are being asked about his ability to travel to the United States, given his cocaine revelations. Critics are asking if he failed to declare that he had used illegal drugs in the past when applying for a travel visa for the United States.

This is the flea-ridden state British politics finds itself in. A front-runner for Prime Minister having to assure the British public that he won't be put back on a plane the next time he tries to enter the United States. This is all just an unnecessary sideshow. Instead of being quizzed about how he will steer the UK through the Brexit quagmire, he is apologising for something that happened long before he entered political life.

And all the while, Boris Johnson is quietly rubbing his hands with glee, which is a truly terrifying prospect for Ireland. For obvious reasons, this Tory leadership contest will have massive implications for us, and will be compulsive viewing over the next few months. Hold onto your hats, it is going to be a bumpy ride.It is expected that Vadra will try to get a sense of Congress' organisational conditions on the ground and figure out where the party lacks in the state. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: With an aim to strengthen the Congress in view of the 2022 UP Assembly elections, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has decided to meet ground-level workers from eastern Uttar Pradesh two days a week in New Delhi.

Vadra, who is in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, will be interacting with ordinary Congress party workers between 10 am to 1 pm every Tuesday and Thursday.

The party workers could meet Vadra without any formal appointment. She will also visit the state in order to connect with the grassroots-level workers and a blueprint of the visit is being worked upon.

It is expected that Vadra will try to get a sense of Congress' organisational conditions on the ground and figure out where the party lacks in the state.

According to a source in the party, two such meetings have already taken place.

On Thursday, Vadra accompanied her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to her maiden visit to Raebareli after winning in the Lok Sabha elections.

During the visit, she came down heavily at the party workers for not working in favour of the party in the general elections. The Congress leader has also told the party workers to be ready for the fight ahead.

Vadra said that she will find out the name of workers who did not work in favour of the party in the Lok Sabha elections. "You all know about those who worked religiously and I will find out about those who did not work for the party in the elections," she had said.

Vadra had campaigned vigorously in favour of Congress candidates in UP, especially in Raebareli and Amethi but the party lost all the seats in UP with Raebareli being the only exception.

Even Congress President Rahul Gandhi could not save his seat Amethi which he had been representing since 2004.

After the Lok Sabha debacle, Vadra faces an uphill task to strengthen the party cadre in the state in view of the upcoming bypoll and the Assembly elections due in 2022.

Congress suffered a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections by winning a paltry 52 seats.To be fair to the Government and the civil service, they managed to pull off quite the balancing act last week as they dealt with Donald Trump's flying visit to his Clare golf resort.

One imagines that for most world leaders finding out that President Trump is planning a visit is akin to receiving a unwanted wedding invite from an unpleasant colleague.

Sure, it's nice that they thought of you but you're less than keen on giving up your weekend - and handing over a fist-full of cash - to spend time with them outside work.

Still, for the sake of appearances - and office politics - you take the financial hit; dust off your best suit; head for the ceremony and just hope there are no unsavoury scenes.

That's just what Leo Varadkar and his Government did last week and, all credit to them, they managed to steer the country - and its reputation - though President Trump's potentially awkward visit in relatively painless fashion.

The Trump family's visit was handled in a mature, responsible and civil manner that showed suitable respect for the office of the President of the United States. Unlike previous Presidential visits, there was no forelock tugging and doffing of caps.

Aside from the Trump children's Doonbeg pub crawl, we were also largely spared the usual paddywhackery - like the typical images of a grovelling minister awkwardly forcing a hurley into the hand's of a world leader - that normally accompany such visits.

Instead President Trump was greeted in a pleasant and polite but professional manner. His office and status were treated with the respect they warrant and he was let go about his business in Clare.

He seems to have left Ireland with a positive view of our influential little nation.

Given his notorious stance on immigrants - and the precarious situation of thousands of undocumented Irish in the US - and opposition to US firms investing overseas, can that be a bad thing?

There has also been massive criticism of the cost of keeping President Trump safe during his visit.

Yes, the operation will have cost millions but would Ireland really want to go down in history as the first foreign nation that failed to prevent an assassination attempt on a US President?

Meanwhile, there has also been an enormous amount of opprobrium directed at the people of Doonbeg who opened their doors to President Trump and his family.

Love him or hate him, surely any reasonable person can accept that President Trump's resort has done untold good for the area.

Across the country Irish towns and villages are dying. Scores of locals in Doonbeg told the international press that without Trump's resort their village would be a ghost town, its community torn asunder by unemployment and emigration. Is it any wonder they would welcome their benefactor with open arms?

Many of them argued he has done more for their area than their own Government. You may not agree but you have to accept they have a point.

If their father's business had helped keep your loved ones in Ireland you might just have a pint with Eric Don Jnr too.Two sisters from Enniscorthy town have successfully completed a gruelling three-day trek challenge in Kerry to raise money for Debra Ireland, a charity that works with people affected by butterfly skin.

Helen Thompson and Paula O'Shaughnessy, whose maiden name is Walsh, are from Duffry Hill.

They were among those who took part in the recent Debra Ireland Kerry Challenge which saw them spend three days trekking through the beautiful Dingle Peninsula.

Debra Ireland supports people living with EB (epidermolysis bullosa) which is often referred to as 'butterfly skin'.

A rare and incredibly painful genetic condition it causes the skin layers and internal body linings to blister and wound at the slightest touch.

Helen and Paula were among 120 participants from all over Ireland who participated in the event.

The challenge is open to everyone from seasoned runners to first time amblers and the sisters were delighted to give their support to the charity.

They said it was good to get the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people affected by EB.

In the event teams and individuals can walk or run between 10km and 25km a day over two or three days in the beautiful but rugged terrain of the Dingle Peninsula.

All profits raised from the event will go directly to the charity which supports around 300 people in Ireland living with EB.

Debra Ireland provides day-to-day help and support for EB patients and their families and it also funds research programmes to find better treatments and ultimately possible cures for the condition and how it affects people.

There are currently no treatments or cure for EB.The broad consensus of students in Enniscorthy who spoke to this newspaper about this year's leaving certificate exams was that, so far, the tests are going according to plan.

In St Mary's CBS the students expressed satisfaction with how both the leaving and junior certificate exams are going.

In particular the students were happy with how the English paper went on Thursday afternoon, although, some were complaining about aching arms after writing non-stop for three hours and twenty minutes.

Principal, John Ryan, also commented on the exams and said: 'They were particularly pleased with the poets who came up for them. Yeats, Kenneally, Bishop and Platt were among the favoured poets they had prepared.'

One of the students, Declan Cullen, also expressed satisfaction at how the geography paper went: 'It went very well, nice paper, couldn't have asked for better'.

The leaving certificate pupils in Colaiste Bride also expressed satisfaction with how the exams were progressing.

Amy Long, from Ballyhogue, said the English exam went according to plan: 'Everyone was looking for Platt and she came up so that was good.'

Aine O'Neill, from Tomnalossett, and Lauren Sinnott, from Oulart, also said the exams were going good 'so far'.

However, they did say there were issues with the structure of the Home Economics paper which was unlike the model they had worked on for six months.

Sinead Reck, from Oylegate, also commented on the Home Economics paper and said: 'The layout was completely different.'

Lauren agreed and commented: 'We were hoping for certain things to come up but they didn't.'

Sinead also commented that the geography and maths exams should not be on the same day.

Chloe Kavanagh, from Oylegate, said: 'You spend six months preparing certain things and then it's completely different.'

For Aoife O'Brien, from Glenbrien, things were going according to plan.

'Everything has been ok for so far, so that's good,' she said.

'Geography was easier than I expected so that was also good,' she added.

'A lot of the questions were predicted so that helps a lot too.'

Tanya McVeigh, from Bree, was also happy with how the exams were going, when we visited on Friday.

'Everything has been good so far,' she said.

'I was dreading geography but it turned out to be really good.'

Students in FCJ Bunclody also expressed satisfaction with the geography exam and said it was 'a much more manageable paper than the mocks'.

They were also happy with the English Paper 2 and the engineering exam which they said: 'Didn't throw up any real surprises'.Mumford & Sons will play two open-air shows at Malahide Castle on Friday and Saturday as a series of summer concerts at the beautiful Fingal venue continues.

The Gentlemen of The Road production features special guests Dermot Kennedy, Wild Youth and Norway's enchanting AURORA.

In November 2018, Mumford & Sons released their acclaimed fourth album, Delta. Debuting at number 1 in the US for the third time in the row, it's a record that marries a more experimental sound with that vast sky-scraping jubilance that has made the band such a massive deal right across the world.

Gentlemen of the Road is an endeavour of Mumford & Sons which produces community-minded touring Festivals. With a commitment to giving back to the causes the band are close to, Gentlemen of the Road & its Fund will be supporting global charities, local programs, urgent needs, and will always do what it can to protect the planet.

Having already taken GOTR around the globe with weekend Stopovers in England, Ireland, the US and Australia, each and every event puts due prominence on the town or city they arrive in, ensuring the local community are as involved with its planning as they want to be, and offering a spotlight on the locality.

Comhaltas Craobh na Mara

Next Monday at the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre you can enjoy Comhaltas Craobh na Mara. Craobh Na Mara is the North Fingal Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.Comhlatas Ceoltoiri Eireann is a non profit organisation promoting Irish traditional music and culture.

Craobh Na Mara opened its doors in January 2017 and has grown from strength to strength. The Branch is home to some of Fingal's up and coming trad musicians. The Branch offers classes in whistle, flute, banjo, guitar, fiddle, harp, button accordion and bodhran. There are also three ceili bands.

The Branch hosts regular sessions and participates in community events. The end of year concert is a celebration of all the great work during the year.

The students are delighted to have the opportunity to play in the Seamus Ennis Arts Centre again. The very talented teachers will also perform on the night. Ta suil againn go mbaineann sibh sult as an oiche.

Ticket booking and further information from www.craobhnamaracce.com or facebook @ North Fingal Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

On Sunday, it is the turn of Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds to take to the stage at Malahide Castle along special guests Doves, Blossoms, DMA's and Inhaler.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released a brand new single - 'Black Star Dancing'. The single, which is produced by Noel, is taken from the EP of the same name - available digitally and on 12" vinyl to pre-order now - released on 14 June, two days before the band's headline show at Malahide Castle on 16 June.

Noel says of the single: 'It manages to combine the influences of David Bowie, INXS, U2, Queen, Indeep AND ZZ Top. I might have been watching too much Top Of The Pops recently.Artists, Joanna Hopkins, Fiona McDonald, Mark Clare and Mary Conroy with locals from the peninsula

A unique public art project is to take place in Portrane.

Fingal County Council's Arts Office, gathered with colleagues in Dublin City, Wexford and The Arts Council on the Burrow Beach, Portrane beach last week to announce the four artists chosen for a unique public art project.

These artists will, for the next few months, collaborate with biodiversity specialists along Ireland's east coast, creating an artistic response to the influences of climate change and its effects on the biodiversity.

Fingal County Council, Wexford County Council and Dublin City Council came together and put out a call for artists interested in exploring this area of art and ecology to apply to be part of a new environmental residency programme entitled An Urgent Enquiry.

The artists chosen for these significant residencies were announced as Mary Conroy & Joanna Hopkins, for Fingal, and Mark Clare Wexford, & Fiona McDonald(Dublin City) This opportunity enables them to reside for three months in each county to explore the biodiversity of each area and the effects of climate change, through research, interactions with environmental specialists, scientists and advisors, relating to the artists interest and engaging with local communities with support from the local authority Arts & Biodiversity Offices.

They will work closely with the Biodiversity Officers Hans Visser (Fingal County Council), Lorraine Bull (Dublin City Council) and Niamh Lennon (Wexford County Council)

Artistic outcomes of each residency will be presented publicly in each local authority in Autumn 2019 .

The project is funded through the Arts Council's Invitation to Collaboration scheme.

Mary Conroy and Joanna Hopkins are collaborating visual artists with a shared interest in the environment, science and memory. The essential element both artists would like to explore for their residency in Portrane is the theory of 'Environmental Generational Amnesia'.They will be based at Lynders Mobile Home Park, Portrane.Matthew Nolan who competed in the Senior Piano category is the winner of the Malahide Young Musician of the Year. Matthew lives in Malahide and attends Belvedere College in the city. He is pictured with event sponsor Dublin Airport Community Liaison Manager Maura Cassidy and event organiser Derek Keogh

Two young Fingal musicians from Malahide and Swords have been recognised for their musical prowess, talent and dexterity, by being crowned Young Musician of the Year 2019 for their respective towns.

The Malahide Young Musician of the Year is open to all young people who live, go to school in, or attend music lessons in the Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy areas.

Participants compete in various categories including Brass, Pianoforte, String, Vocal, Woodwind and other instruments.

The winners of each category then compete for the overall title, which is awarded with a 200 bursary and the daa Perpetual Cup.

Matthew Nolan, who lives in Malahide and attends Belvedere College in Dublin City Centre was the winner of this year's Malahide competition, competing in the Senior Piano category.

The Swords Young Musician celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, and the competition is open to young people who live in the Swords Electoral Area.

This year's event took place in the Carnegie Court Hotel in Swords, where the winners from seventeen music categories competed for the coveted title.

Oldtown resident Lauren Smyth, a fifth-year student in the Dominican College on Griffith Avenue, was crowned Swords Young Musician of the Year 2019, performing in the Under 18 Violin category.

Dublin Airport has been a long-standing sponsor of both events since their inception, and continued to support the competitions this year.

The Malahide competition is one of the longest standing sponsorship relationships Dublin Airport has with a community event in Fingal since the beginning of the competition in 1981.

Speaking about the airport's long association with both competitions, Dublin Airport's Community Liaison Manager Maura Cassidy said: 'We are very proud of our long-standing and ongoing contribution to our local communities and these two wonderful events in particular.'

She added: ' 'It was a pleasure to experience first-hand how talented our neighbouring musicians are. I want to congratulate all those who took part, especially the winners Matthew and Lauren.'

'We are eager to engage with as many organisations and community projects as possible, and I urge all groups working to strengthen our local areas to visit our website and find more information on the Community Fund', Ms Cassidy concluded.Two motorcycle enthusiasts from Loughshinny and Skerries are set to embark on a gruelling round trip of Ireland with fellow bikers later this month, in order to raise vital funds for a charity very much close to their hearts.

Aidan McNally, Keith Costello - a Skerries roadracing champion - and fifty other bikers will set out on the 1,700 km run from June 21 to June 23 to raise funds for the CRY Ireland clinic in Tallaght Hospital, which provides services and screenings for 'Cardiac Risk in the Youth.'

The clinic holds particular significance to Aidan, whose son Darragh was lost to Sudden Adult Death syndrome in 2011.

Now in its second year, the fundraising event will see riders travel from Dublin to Cork, Kerry to Mayo, Sligo to Belfast and back to Dublin, with every stop in between, in what Aidan says is now the biggest motorcycle charity event in Ireland.

Speaking in the run-up to the event, Aidan explained where the idea for 'Pulit's Lap 2019' came from, and his own experience with CRY:

'The run was originally to honour our friend 'Pulit', who was from Skerries also, and who was a well known name around Fingal. He died in his late forties after a massive heart attack in his kitchen in 2016, and to do something for his children at Christmas, Keith headed off in 2017 and said he'd do a lap of Ireland within twenty four hours, and call it 'Pulit's Lap.'

'Come 2017, we had set up this thing called '2 Wheels 4 You', the idea being 'we'll ride our motorbikes for you'. Keith was very fond of my son Darragh, and he said what if we do it for CRY and raise awareness for sudden death? So we put it out on the internet, for a charity lap of Ireland.

'Here we are on the third year of 'Pulit's Lap', and last year we were able to raise 4,500 for CRY. The clinic were delighted with the funds raised. They thought they were only going to get the 30 registration fee, so they were delighted.'

Such has been the success of the charity run, riders from as far as field as the US and Canada will take part in this year's run, with 'Pulit's Lap' even attracting sponsorship from some of the leading motorcycle dealerships in Ireland.

Explaining the work of CRY, Aidan said: 'I found them when my son Darragh died, and they wanted to screen the parents and all related to see if the genetic makeup could be found as to why the death might have occurred.

'This is the work that they do, not only in the screening and looking for the genetic causes of these sudden deaths, but carrying out research into how to bring a stop to it. The screenings do save lives, because other people who have had a sudden death in their family have been screened and they found the genetic connection, and now for the sake of taking one pill a day, the other child is not going to die.'

The work of CRY, Aidan explained, also extends to offering support and counselling to those bereaved by sudden death. The clinic operates solely on fundraising, so that it's through charities like Aidan's and Keith's that they're able to carry out their work.

Aidan said there's no fundraising target for this year's event, except to exceed last year's figure. 'We have no expectations', he said, 'except to appeal to those involved to raise as much as they can for CRY.'

Anyone wishing to donate to 'Pulit's Lap' to support the great work of CRY can find the local lads Gofundme campaign online at 'Pulit's Lap 2019.'Donabate Portrane Community Council has questioned plans for a six month temporary road closure of Hearse Road, Donabate as proposed by Fingal County Council.

The local authority has proposed road closure every Sunday to Thursday evening from 10pm to 6am, from Monday July 1 to Friday December 20 next.

The community council said it believes the closure - to facilitate the installation of water pipes by Irish Water - could be 'altered and improved', and has suggested 'modifications' to the planned closure measures.

Stating it 'fully supports infrastructural improvement measures', the community council said it was nevertheless 'anxious' to ensure this was not 'highly disruptive to the community', and expressed disappointment there was no prior consultation before plans were drawn up.

It was further stated by the community council that the notice period was 'in no way adequate' to provide for the submission of 'appropriate and considered responses.'

A spokesperson said: 'We suggest alternative closing times of 12.30am to 5.30am...particularly as a number of buses are due to run on Hearse Road and would be impacted by the closure.

'There are six bus-stops affected by this, serving many remote dwellings along the Hearse Road.'

The spokesperson said a closure notice published in newspapers recently made 'no reference' to the imposition of a stop-and-go solution between 8pm and 10pm on evenings where there is a closure.

This, they said, emerged only through representations from local councillors, and added that the effect of such a measure would be to 'compound the difficulties already arising from the closure itself.'

A bus service provider affected by the proposed closure on Hearse Road was contacted 'out of courtesy', the spokesperson for the community council said, to advise the provider of these works 'in case they needed time to plan accordingly.'

The community council said it was 'dismayed' to learn the company concerned was advised of these works 'about a month ago', while the local community was not afforded 'anywhere near the same level of prior notice, consultation, or simple courtesy.'

'There is no justification in or excusing of this style of approach in dealing with a whole community that will be badly affected by a prolonged set of works like these', the spokesperson concluded.A wildlife conservationist from Swords has reported to The Fingal Independent on her tireless work in protecting wild elephants in Malawi, and of her ongoing fight against the scourge of ivory poachers in the African country.

Lynn Clifford, who works with conservation organisation Wildlife Action Group, gave an update on her continued work in protecting wildlife in Malawi, and of the struggles and successes the organisation has seen so far this year.

She said: 'Malawi has been blessed with long rains which started in November 2018, and have just ended last month. The forest is lush, and as we head towards the end of May, rivers and streams are flowing at full capacity and our wildlife population is enjoying the availability of water and food.

'At the end of March, we unfortunately found a dead elephant that had been poached by a snare poacher. Three suspects have been subsequently arrested and prosecuted. Not a great end to the first quarter of the year, but we continue to try and limit such tragic events happening.

'On a positive front, we were awarded several new funding streams during the month of April. This vital funding will help strengthen law enforcement across the reserve, enhance human-elephant co-existence and strengthen community development. All proceeds are paramount to the ongoing efforts to protect the wildlife, their habitat and the goals of the project.'

Lynn added: 'In late 2018, to further promote human-elephant coexistence through keeping wildlife within the forest, and reducing illegal activities through controlling the number of people entering the forest, we extended the solar powered electric fence for 15 km on the western side of Thurma. This was made possible with funding from the African Elephant Fund, and we are extremely grateful for this support.'

Lynn reported that the illegal activity of charcoal burning, which results in deforestation, was brought under control by the Wildlife Action Group in 2017. Building of the electric fence and a camp in 2018 allowed the area to be further secured.

The measures resulted in regrowth of the forest, and with the presence of a large river and some marsh areas, the area is reverting back into 'a perfect haven for wildlife.'

Lynn said: 'Only weeks after the fence was erected, we had our first reports of elephants visiting the new camp. Since then, we are delighted to say that we have many sightings of different herds in that area. The good rains have assisted us, and this side of the forest is growing fast. The human elephant conflict in this area has reduced by one hundred percent. And, with the additional security and rehabilitation of the forest, these giants have reclaimed their place.'

Sadly, Lynn also reported the tragic death of ranger Geoffrey Umali, a 'born leader' with anti-poaching training, whose presence on the team will be greatly missed.

Lynn's work with Wildlife Action Group continues in protecting Africa's wild elephants and preserving natural habitats for the animals to live and thrive. An admirable achievement for this dedicated Swords wildlife conservationist.Bengaluru: Although the rebels within the party continue to meet and plot the downfall of the party with insiders saying that disgruntled leader Ramesh Jarkiholi met with B.C. Patil of the Congress and V. Srinivasprasad of the BJP on Friday, Congress loyalists who are miffed at missing the bus once again this Cabinet expansion have decided that they will not up the ante for now.

The Congress MLAs who had hoped to get a berth, have decided not to stake a claim for a ministership for the moment and have left it to the party high command to take a decision on their inclusion, in a future reshuffle. There is no point in creating a noise about the issue as the state leadership is closed to any appeals. It's better to remain silent as many in the party are not ready to stand up for us, their fel ow legislators, said a senior party legislator. According to him, everyone was aware that it was former CM Siddaramaiah, who was bent on the induction of the two independent MLAs, R Shankar and Nagesh into the Cabinet so that he could appear like a saviour of the government. But he has done this at the cost of senior Congress legislators, which could prove costly for him in the coming months. Today, Mr Siddaramaiah may have the upper hand in party but things can change. He has created a rift in the Congress between the original leaders and the newcomers, which took a toll on the party in the recently Lok Sabha polls, the MLA said.

While the honest Congressmen who were denied a ministerial position have chosen to remain silent, they have not cried off from seeking an audience with Congress president Rahul Gandhi to bring him up to speed on the Karnataka unit and how Mr Siddaramaiah and AICC general secretary in-charge of the state's affairs, K C Venugopal, were keeping him in the dark, the insider asserted. Had Mr Siddaramaiah taken every leader into confidence, the party would have won at least eight to 10 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, the legislator contended.Recently elected to Fingal County Council as the first Green Party councillor for the Swords ward, Ian Carey is set to bring the party's green agenda to the growing town, and if what he says is true, he has the support of the people behind him.

Surpassing even the Green Party's own expectations in the recent local elections, the triumphant Green candidate now represents Swords on the local council, and Cllr Carey intends to use his experience and position to further the party agenda.

Here, Cllr Carey speaks of his recent election win, the issues that were being raised on the doorsteps during the campaign, and some of the plans he envisions for Swords over the next five years.

He says: 'I'm thrilled, I'm really happy to represent the area, and I think that Swords needs a Green voice, especially now it's going through expansion and I'm happy to fulfil that role. I think the scale of the support was a surprise, but I would've been hopeful of getting a seat, given the positivity I was getting at the door. I think the scale of it did surprise me a bit, and I was really delighted to have our message resonate with the public.

'The first council meeting is this Friday (June 7); my understanding was that we'd be up and running for last Friday, but I haven't actually got any official notification about a swearing in or anything like that. Maybe that would become clear to me this week as I get in contact with the council a bit more and find out what the procedures are and that kind of stuff. I want to have a good audit of where the county is in relation to climate change, and then see what way I can impact that to make sure we're doing our best in relation to that, and the second part of that is to look at biodiversity and make sure that I've got a clear understanding of where the council is going in relation to those two big issues.

'Fingal has an opportunity ahead of it because of the plans to develop the area, so we have a really good opportunity to develop a really low carbon community that other places don't have, and also with the beginnings of investment in infrastructure like the Metrolink and BusConnects, it's a good time to look at how we move around the town and Fingal more broadly, and make sure we're prepared for the next one hundred years, and not just the next twenty years.'

Ian believes the success of the Green Party in the local elections was due to both extensive media coverage of environmental issues and a shift in the 'mood' of the general public. On a local level, he says, people were more willing to vote for a party which addressed green issues. The Green Party, he points out, 'stood for something very clear', which he says is why people gravitated towards voting for the party.

Secondary to this, he says, a number of local issues were being raised on the doorsteps which he hadn't campaigned on originally, such as crime and garda provision 'or lack thereof.' These were big issues in certain areas, he explains, which he then formed new policies around. This was 'a two-way process', where he would bring along his own ideas then gain insight into issues affecting people locally. He was, he says, 'doing as much listening as I was talking', gaining greater understanding of what was going on in the town.

Admitting his knowledge of crime in Swords is 'largely anecdotal', Ian says the issue was raised regularly on the doors during campaigning. This was evident, he says, from 'the first house you knock in.' Residents were relaying accounts of burglaries, car thefts and other crimes, while complaining about the response time of gardai. He says he wants to look into the problem further to determine if anything can be done to help the community tackle the problem, or if there are any initiatives that can be put in place to help gardai in their efforts. The gardai, he says, 'do a great job', but can be under resourced, impacting on their ability to police 'in the way people would expect.'

Other issues were being raised too, as he says: 'Everybody talks about transport, with transport into the city being a major thing, and a concern that Metrolink would never happen, so that's an issue that's a problem for people, and then also housing was coming up. I know these two are national level issues, but they're very meaningful for the people in Swords. I was obviously working with the Green Party and developing some of the policies in these areas as well, and things that Fingal could do better with housing and planning and things, so I suppose they would be kind of the major issues.

'There's also a growing problem of congestion in the town, so people having to leave kids to school in their cars because the way the roads are designed, and it's kind of adding to morning congestion. And some neighbourhood roads that would've been very easy to cross before, like the Rathbeale Road, are becoming so busy that getting from place to place is getting hard, or getting out of your estate in the morning is difficult. Then there's obviously chronic problems in some parts, where in Ridgewood people are spending more than twenty minutes in traffic to even get out of their own estate because.'

Ian, who lives in Coolquay, is originally from Pinegrove in Swords, where he lives with his wife and two young children. Currently working as Communications Manager with the Green Party, he has a strong environmental background, having worked with the Brussels-based European Environmental Bureau, one of the largest environmental NGOs in Europe, and the Irish Environmental Network in Dublin. Prior to these roles, he worked as a journalist with the Irish Daily Mail.

On why he became involved in politics, he says: 'Having worked as an advocate for environmental groups and campaigns, I kind of became more and more convinced that if you wanted to effect change, you needed to get into politics. I don't know how many meetings I went to where I'd be explaining issues to policy makers who really weren't fully aware of the environmental issues that might have been their brief, and I kind of realised that to make the change that I wanted to see, was to be in the position of those people, so that's why I wanted to get involved. The Green Party met exactly with my priorities of being an environmentalist - literally, there is no other party that actually has the kind of policies around environmental protection and climate change that I would genuinely support, so that was an easy decision for me really.'

Of the specific environmental issues facing Swords, he says: 'One big issue in Swords is the dumping in the valley, and that's something I'd be majorly interested in dealing with. There's kind of a chronic problem there, and I think it comes back to lack of enforcement over the years. Some parts of the valley are just being used for dumping of domestic waste, and I know the council would have come in and cleared out major areas, but I think that it's happening at such a rate that they're not being able to deal with it. So I think I'm going to be working with a few people around the town who are interested in this, like Tidy Towns and others, and anybody that has an interest to make sure that more is done to keep that area clean.

'It could be an incredible amenity for the town if it's managed correctly and invested in properly, and it is also an incredible nature hot spot that needs to be protected too. It's connected to a European site through the river, so if dumping or waste is going into that river, it would eventually go down to a European protected site in the estuary, and the council need to do a lot more to make sure that's not happening, because there are European and legal obligations there. So that would be a key concern for me.'

Of his plans for the next five years, he says: 'I think doing what I can to help develop the town to be more future proof and able to cope with climate change, and to make sure that people who are living in houses that are not suitable are getting the kind of support from the council to retrofit. Also, to develop a better transport system, and in the town, a better connection into the city, then lastly, protecting nature within the town and giving people access to nature that they should have.'Cruinniuna nOg Ambassadors, Sarah Fitzgerald (15) from Kinsale, Ben de Barra (13), left, from Skerries and Adam Cunningham (14) from Athenry present their credentials to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD and Minister for Culture,Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD at Government Buildings (Pic: Mark Stedman)

A flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme's commitment to enable the creativity of every child and young person Cruinniu na nOg will see over 700 free events nationwide on Saturday, June 15, including here in Fingal, with hundreds of opportunities for children and young people to fire up their imaginations and take part in creative activities hosted in every local authority area.

Ben de Barra from Skerries has been chose as one of three 'creative ambassadors' for the Cruinniu na nOg.

Thse are the first Ambassadors to be appointed to the initiative, all three share a passion for creativity and already have a roll call of creative achievements to their name.

Now in its second year, Cruinniu na nOg celebrates and encourages participation by children and young people in creative activities in their local neighbourhoods and communities.

Cruinniu na nOg Ambassador Ben de Barra said: 'I have always loved films and I had lots of stories I wanted to tell so it felt totally natural for me to start making my own films. It's a really creative and fun way to bring your ideas, your surroundings and your imagination to life. So many of my creative heroes are Irish film makers - especially Jim Sheridan and Kristen Sheridan. Cruinniu na nOg could be the spark that ignites the next generation of Irish film-makers so I would encourage everyone to participate on June 15.'A father-of-one from Swords who was caught with over 4,000 images and videos of child pornography almost seven years ago has walked free from court with a fully suspended sentence.

Michal Wojciak (36) of Ridgewood Grove, Swords, Dublin, came forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a signed plea of guilty from the District Court. He admitted possession of the child pornography at his former home in Sandyford on September 19, 2012. He has no previous convictions.

Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced Wojciak to two years in prison, but suspended this sentence in its entirety due to mitigating factors including his cooperation with gardai, his remorse and the administrative delay in dealing with the offence.

The judge also noted that Wojciak had not come to garda attention since and that both a probation report and a psychologist's report had assessed him as being at low risk of re-offending.

At an earlier sentence hearing, Detective Garda Suzanne Carlos told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that gardai secured 'an address of interest' following peer-to-peer software monitoring in which the downloading of a number of images was 'flagged'.

During the later search of Wojciak's apartment, two laptops, two external hard drives and a CD were seized. The items were not forensically analysed until August 2016 during which 681 videos and 3,873 images of child pornography were discovered.

Det Gda Carlos confirmed that the images and videos consisted of pre-teen girls and teenage girls engaged in various sexual activity, including interactions with adults and also depicted girls of the same age exposing their genitals.

One video lasting 24 minutes showed a pre-teen girl masturbating, while another video, of a similar duration, showed an under-age girl engaging in sexual activity with a man.

Det Gda Carlos said the laptops were used to download the files which Wojciak then transferred to external hard drives.

Wojciak made full admissions, although he initially denied that he had "actively looked for child pornography".

Det Gda Carlos told Mr Collins that Wojciak had neither emailed nor shared any of the images and videos.

She said the delay in having the confiscated items analysed was due to 'a major resource issue' within the unit at the time but confirmed that when she took over the case in late 2017, Wojciak came voluntarily to the garda station the following January.

Det Gda Carlos agreed with Vincent Heneghan SC, defending, that his client was 'quite frank' with gardai, that he treated the officers with respect and 'offered up' anything that was asked of him.

He told gardai in January 2018'"a lot of stuff happened in the last five years.... I regret what I did, what I did was wrong and I have to take the consequences'.

Det Gda Carlos agreed that Tusla became involved when she learned that Wojciak had a child but she confirmed that if that agency had any 'major concernns' about the man's relationship with his child or other children, she would have heard about it by now.

Mr Heneghan told Judge Quinn that his client accepted that it was a 'horrible offence; for which he had 'expressed his shame and remorse'.

He said Wojciak acknowledged that the images were 'deeply disturbing' but submitted that he was not a threat to children or his own child, or Tusla would have raised concerns.

Mr Heneghan said Wojciak lost his job in 2018 as a result of this case.

Judge Quinn ordered Wojciak to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years and to remain under the supervision of the Probation Services during this time.

Wojciak was also ordered to continue to engage in a sex offenders' treatment programme, to take part in any offence and victim-focused work as directed, and not to have any contact, direct or indirect, with any child under the age of 18, except in the presence of the parent or guardian of the child.All's fair in love and the war for TV ratings in director Nisha Ganatra's spiky comedy of modern manners, which provides Dame Emma Thompson with a plum role as a veteran talk show host who has grown complacent and lost touch with her viewers.

It's a lip-smacking delight to see the two-time Oscar winner in full comic flow, tossing out polished one-liners or rejecting one male staff member's request for a pay rise following the birth of his second child because it represents 'the classic sexist argument for the advancement of men in the workplace'.

Scripted with a deft touch by co-star Mindy Kaling, Late Night takes aim at gender equality and diversity in the workplace and occasionally draws blood from well-placed barbs at the expense of the mainstream media's obsession with beauty and youth.

Some aspects of the writing are undernourished - one romantic subplot blossoms with almost no on-screen propagation and the emotional fallout of marital betrayal is too neatly contained.

However, chemistry between the lead actors fizzes and there is a delightful rapport between Thompson and John Lithgow as the host's scholarly husband, whose brilliant mind is being unravelled by Parkinson's disease.

For almost 30 years, Katherine Newbury (Thompson) has presided over an award-winning talk show that has tried to take the higher cultural ground.

Unfortunately, ratings have plummeted and network president Caroline Morton (Amy Ryan) takes the decision to replace Katherine with edgy stand-up comedian Daniel Tennant (Ike Barinholtz).

Faced with the sobering reality of relinquishing her crown at the end of the current season, Katherine vows to reverse the show's fortunes.

'There aren't any women on the staff because you hate women,' observes long-suffering producer Brad (Denis O'Hare) so Katherine orders him to hastily address the imbalance.

Molly Patel (Kaling), an efficiency expert at a chemical plant in Pennsylvania with no writing experience beyond her own stand-up material, is in the right place at the right time.

She joins an all-white male writers' room led by Tom Campbell (Reid Scott), who pens Katherine's opening monologue.

Fellow writers dismiss Molly as a token hire but colleague Charlie Fain (Hugh Dancy) is more open-minded.

'Just because I was lucky enough to get this job doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to lose it,' beams Molly, who encourages Katherine to mine personal experience to reconfigure the public's perception.

Late Night is a sparkling showcase for an ensemble cast led by the luminous Thompson and Kaling, which practises what it preaches by utilising talented women behind and in front of the camera, including editor Eleanor Infante and composer Lesley Barber.

Laughter and heartwarming sentiment are keenly balanced, tipping slightly in favour of the latter as the hard-fought battle to save Katherine's show and reputation reaches a predictably crowd-pleasing resolution.The late Ned Wheeler pictured at a Former Players lunch in Croke Park in September 2014 where he was among the recipients of the first GPA Lifetime Achievement Awards

Rowe Street Church was packed to overflowing on Monday afternoon for the funeral Mass of former Wexford hurling legend and gentleman of stature Ned Wheeler of Fisher's Row who sadly passed away last Friday at the age of 87.

The Faythe Harriers man was a key member of the memorable Wexford team that won All-Ireland Hurling finals in 1955, 1956 and 1960. He played at centre forward or midfield in a side that boasted greats such as Nicky and Bobby Rackard, Art Foley and Nick O' Donnell.

A native of Laois, he spent his early years in Kilkenny before settling in Wexford town in his teens. He is survived by his beloved wife Kathleen; his children Ann, Marie, Catherine and Ursula; his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and his extended family and friends.

A private cremation ceremony took place in Dublin on Monday following a simple Requiem Mass in Rowe Street Church which was celebrated by Fr. James Cullen with Monsignor Joe McGrath representing the Bishop of Ferns, Denis Brennan.

Fr. Cullen spoke about Mr. Wheeler as a great family man who had immense pride in his local area where he helped to develop a beautiful green bank space many years ago, and continued to tend it and mow the grass until shortly before he died.

Former hurlers of the 1950's and 1960's from Dublin, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford and Cork travelled to Wexford for the funeral which was also attended by many past Wexford hurlers down through the decades.

The coffin of the legendary sportsman, kind neighbour and gentle giant of the community was draped in the old purple and gold Wexford jersey as it was was carried from the church.

In later years, Ned was a member of 'The Corner', a group men and women who attend the leisure centre in the Ferrycarrig Hotel where he joined the gym about 22 years ago, after it first opened.

He would join his friends in 'the Corner' for an hour-long chat after weightlifting, holding court about five mornings a week, analysing GAA performances with fellow members including Liam Griffin, Tom Butler, Mick Kinsella and Garry McCauley.

When the news came last Friday morning that he had died, Garry McCauley took out his tin whistle and played 'Kelly of Killanne', as he had done for Ned in hospital in Waterford a few days earlier.

The mnager, Lena Lena, left an untouched cup of coffee in the place where he had sat with his friends for over 20 years.A group from Malawi at one of the events in the Heritage Park, with Conor Fox, Christa Roth of the Malawi Food Fair and Aidan Fitzpatrick, Irish Aid

A Nobel laureate, a MacArthur Genius, a globally renowned inventor and a senior energy specialist working at the World Bank were just some of the delegates who travelled from across the globe to Wexford for the 'Pathways to Clean Cooking' conference which took place in town over three days.

The idea behind the conference was to examine recent advances in cleaner cooking in order to drive Ireland's agenda on global health and climate change. The World Health Organisation estimates that 4.3 million people every year die prematurely from illnesses linked to household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels.

Exposure to household smoke from burning wood, charcoal, coal and kerosene is the top killer of children worldwide. It leads to diseases like childhood pneumonia, pulmonary disorders, heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. Switching to cleaner cooking fuels or adopting advanced combustion cook stoves that burn biomass more cleanly and efficiently, can improve the health and livelihoods of the world's most vulnerable communities.

This year's conference was organised by Rosslare native Conor Fox, founder of Hestian - a company that promotes cleaner cooking technologies and practices in the developing world. Hestian has reached over half a million homes across Southern Africa with cleaner cooking stoves.

'It is important that we play a role and take responsibility in making cleaner cooking accessible to everybody,' he said. 'Open fires and inefficient stoves cause a range of harmful impacts and present a major health risk in developing countries. Cleaner technologies and practices can greatly help families meet their energy needs and benefit entire communities.'

Among the other speakers at the three day conference, which took place between the National Opera House and the Irish National Heritage Park, were Nobel Prize laureate Dr Omar Masera from Argentina, MacArthur Genius Dr Tami Bond and renowned inventor Dr Priya Karve from India. It was said to have been a fascinating event, culminating in a civic reception, overseen by Deputy Mayor of Wexford George Lawlor who was delighted to welcome the visitors to the town.An Post CEO David McRedmond, Candice Kinsella, sixth class student Jamie Kinsella (12), President of the Irish National Teachers Organisation Feargal Brougham, Gorey Educate Together teacher Lizzie Nolan and Denis Kinsella

An Post and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation presented national education awards in the Sceal Eile creative writing competition, including one primary school winner, sixth class student Jamie Kinsella (12), who is from Gorey and attends Gorey Educate Together NS.

'Jamie is a really hard working student, she's an all rounder and although she's academic and sporty, she is also really kind,' said Jamie's teacher, Lizzie Nolan.

'We have some students who have special needs, and Jamie always works really well with them and goes out of her way to include them,' she said.

'With over 30,000 children taking part in the Sceal Eile competition it is a huge achievement for her, her school and her family,' said Caralee-Ann Kavanagh, branch manager at Gorey Post Office.

An Post has been running this schools' competition for over 35 years and children from every community in Ireland can take part.

'Jamie has done Gorey and Wexford very proud and we congratulate her great success,' said Caralee-Ann Kavanagh.

This year's competition asked students to twist the tale of their favourite book, as a fun way to promote literacy and learning for Irish students.

Jamie was learning about World War II in school and Jamie took it upon herself to read John Boyne's The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas.

For her entry to the competition, Jamie decided to rewrite the story from another perspective, this time of Jewish boy Shmuel instead of German boy, Bruno.

'Instead of an alternative ending, she wrote a series of diary entries writing about how he met Bruno and how things were going to be positive. On the last page she wrote 'this was the final diary entry of Shmuel', it was so powerful,' said Lizzie.

Lizzie said that she sees writing and creating playing a huge role in Jamie's future.

'She's very creative, and she'll happily sit with her copy for hours and write when given the time,' she said.

At the moment, Gorey Educate Together NS have sixth class students creating picture books for junior infant classes and Lizzie said that Jamie loves taking part in this.Lorraine ODwyer (centre), author of the new book A Hidden and Sometimes Horrible (hi)story of Gorey pictured with Jacinta Fortune and Karen ORaw at Gorey Visitors Centre

A new Gorey town historical and social guide book, entitled 'Gorey: A hidden and sometimes horrible (hi)story of Gorey', which focuses on hidden local stories of the 400 year old town, was launched at Gorey Visitors Centre.

The book is compiled and written by local tour guide, Lorraine O'Dwyer, and in 16 short chapters, it tells the story of Gorey and includes photographs and maps, highlighting the key moments in Gorey's history.

It also focused on how this history is still alive and well, and can be seen today.

'The book gives more of a slower ramble tour than a walking tour, with less focus on historical events and more on the stories of the town,' said author Lorraine O'Dwyer.

'You start seeing the layers of history that surround us all the time, the different incarnations that each building has had over the centuries,' she said.

It details the story of the Market House, The Railway hotel (now McGovern's pub) and the story of the railway, the 1798 rebellion and Gorey's gruesome connection, the famine and the Gorey workhouse and much more, such as a once-off visit from writer Jonathan Swift.

Some photographs included in the book were taken by Lorraine, but she also sourced some from the National Photographic Archive.

Lorraine has been working on the private tour company Gallivanting Tours as a guide for about three years now, and calls herself a folklorist, having been immersed in local storytelling knowledge since she was a young girl.

'It's all down to my parents in Courtown, Liam O'Dwyer and Anne Dunbarr, When I was growing up they restored old Victorian and Georgian houses, our family holidays were spent looking at antiques and going to auctions, it's hard not to have the interest in our family,' said Lorraine.

'But Gorey has always fascinated me because it's very unusual, it didn't grow organically, it was planned. You have structured streets where you can clearly see the old Victorian and Georgian elements as well as those that came later. You can see the labourers cottages as well as the grander houses on the Main street, it's kind of like a city condensed into a very small town,' she said.

Karen O'Neill, manager of Gorey Visitors Centre was on hand to officially launch the book, and she described it as an 'eye-opener'.

'Having done the tour, you look very differently at the town and see things you wouldn't have seen before. We get a lot of tourists here that want history, they'd like to be able to look around a gallery but now with the book, we're going to be able to use the street as a gallery,' said Karen.

The book, supported by Ireland's Ancient East is now on sale in the Gorey Visitors Centre for 10 and there are around 100 copies available at the centre.Sharing the love,first year students at Gorey Community School who took part in CPR training joined together to display the hand signal of a happy and healthy heart

At the CPR workshop at Gorey Community School were year head Aoife Counihan, CPR trainer Arlette Bradley, Malach Cathcart, Daniel Vintila, Eva Casey, Sophia Church, school principal Michael Finn, Daniels Abols, Creanna MacNamee, CPR trainer Caroline Kennedy and deputy principal Linda McEvoy

First year students at Gorey Community School came together to learn more about the practise of CPR, before finishing up their studies for the summer holidays.

'As part of our school's wellness programme, students and their teachers learned about revival. It was a great achievement for them all to have done it,' said Deputy Principal of Gorey Community School, Stella Kehoe.

Staff at Gorey Community School, Ms Arlette Brady, who is an SNA and teacher Caroline Kennedy were on hand to help students as they are both fully trained in CPR and facilitated the learning.

'Our school is very fortunate to have two trained facilitators on site, and now every first year student has received training,' said Stella.

Next on the agenda for Gorey Community School is to roll out the Irish Heart Foundation's CPR for Schools programme, which aims to include the whole student and staff body.

The programme itself teaches students to perform hands-only CPR, operate an AED machine and know exactly what to do in an incident of choking.

Leading the way, these first years are now fully equipped to act in an emergency situation, whether at home or in school or at any time of emergency.

At a teachers' workshop, the Irish Heart Foundation's team uses a train the trainer approach which equips teachers with the skills to teach CPR to their students and other staff which gives schools ownership and flexibility to run CPR training at their own convenience.

This is due to be rolled out after the summer holidays, where teachers will take a leading role.

The CPR 4 Schools is a programme for post primary schools supported by Bank of Ireland, and is free to all participating schools.The work of the acclaimed Wexford-American writer Flannery O'Connor will be featured at this year's Write By The Sea literary festival in Kilmore Quay.

Two of the biggest American champions of the deceased writer, Bill Dawers and Dr Amanda Konkle from the faculty of Georgia Southern University in Savannah, will contribute to the festival programme over the weekend of September 27 to 29.

O'Connor's great-grandfather Patrick O'Connor emigrated from his native County Wexford to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1851, and joined the growing Wexford diaspora in Savannah, Georgia. He became prominent in industrial manufacturing, and in the city's Irish-American cultural organisations.

Mary Flannery O'Connor was born in 1925 in Savannah to parents Edward and Regina, both of whom had Irish roots. An only child, she attended the prestigious University of Iowa Writer's Workshop where her skills as a writer earned her a publishing contract. She is still revered as a brilliant short story writer and essayist, and her two novels, 'Wise Blood' (1952) and 'The Violent Bear It Away' (1971), have been described as containing 'more poetry than a dozen poetry books. She died in 1964.

'Although Flannery wrote her novels in the Fifties, her themes of fanaticism and religious extremism are more prominent in the headlines than ever,' said festival chairperson Lucy Moore.

'She is arguably one of Wexford's most under-appreciated literary success stories at home, so I hope the contribution of our friends from Georgia will help draw more attention to this wonderful novelist and essayist.'

Bill Dawers is Chair of the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home in Savannah's Historic District. In addition to attracting literary pilgrims from across the globe for tours, the house hosts events that deepen the public's understanding of the writer.

Dr Konkle is the author of the recently-published 'Some Kind of Mirror: Creating Marilyn Monroe'. Her academic articles have appeared in such journals as Feminist Encounters and the Quarterly Review of Film and Video.Artist Agnes Molaney with some of her work

Gorey School of Art director, Paul Carter, with artist Saoirse Hughes beside her work, Supensio. Also pictured are Chloe Redmond, Lee Sinnott, Dorota Cielecka and Ciara Kinsell

The Dark and the Light by Rita Ann Burke, pictured with her wife, Mitzie Murphy

More than 60 students of Gorey School of Art displayed their work at an end-of-year exhibition which impressed hundreds of visitors.

The talented students spent the past year preparing portfolios for a range of degree courses in Ireland and abroad and were supported by a specialised team of tutors.

About 400 people attended the opening night, with family and friends invited along to view a huge display of student artwork, including paintings, drawings, sculpture, print through animation, model making, photography and documentary filmmaking.

The students included school leavers and mature students, a mix which makes for a diverse learning environment in the school.

Students at Gorey School of Art have access to the unique Periphery Space and bespoke cinema facilities in the building.

The popular school operates as a centre of excellence, offering internationally recognised QQI qualifications.

It has a 100% placement record for students making college applications with most graduating students gaining 600/600 marks in their portfolio college assessments.

Gorey School of Art has grown enormously in recent years and now houses North Wexford's top art gallery and a state-of-the-art 4K Dolby Vision art house cinema where students have the opportunity to experience international exhibitions and films screenings during their time on the various courses.

Through a massive development in facilities, unmatched by most PLC centres in Ireland, the students receive the best possible start on their journey into the booming creative industries.

The closing date for online course applications for the coming academic year is August 18 with registration and and interview day taking place on August 19. Among the courses available are portfolio preparation, advanced portfolio preparation, documentary filmmaking and photography and art writing.A lot of tide has ebbed and flowed in the Portmagee Channel, situated between mainland Portmagee and the southern side of Valentia Island, since the Portmagee Regatta took place in its waters in 1987.

Thirty-two years on, and the seine boat race of that regatta was recalled with much joy, celebration, nostalgia, reminiscence and talk of times past at a very memorable occasion, complemented by a video of the occasion in the Ring Lyne Bar and Restaurant of Chapeltown on Friday, May 31.

Five boats participated, representing Valentia, Cahersiveen, Cnuicin, Rinn Rua-Ballinskelligs and Over-the-Water. Valentia won the race in dramatic circumstances and the reason for such a reunion was that it was one of the last all-Valentia crews to win or take part in a seine boat race.

The race commenced from the Valentia Bridge, with the boats not having travelled too far beyond the starting shot when a foul occurred between Valentia and Cnuicin to give us the most dramatic subsequent event of the race.

The foul resulted in a broken oar dowel of the third oar rowed by Patrick Morley and Nealie Lyne, rendering their oar idle. What followed was a sight to behold for patrons and tourists alike of the Ring Lyne as they watched the video in fascination.

Valentia, now with one oar rendered useless, naturally fell behind. However, Patrick Morley gallantly held the idle oar over his shoulders as his comrade on the oar, Nealie Lyne, frantically tried to remove the stub of the broken dowel and replace it anew as the boat stayed in the race.

Fascinating viewing.

Finally, though a fair amount of time was lost, he succeeded, and the crew once more commenced with six oars to a big cheer in the Ring Lyne.

But the determined islanders had a lot of water to make up and were up against it.

Gradually, ever so gradually, they pulled their way back into contention. And approaching the first buoy were in the thick of it with the leading boats.

The islanders were now going very well and actually rounded the first buoy in the lead, closely pursued by the Liberator, Cahersiveen.

The race for home westwards towards the Valentia Bridge was on, and it looked for a while as if the Liberator would overtake Valentia once more.

However, with the animated Valentia Cox, Paddy Jack O'Sullivan, sensing victory, standing in the stern and urging his men on, clad in a white shirt with two outstretched arms and clenched fists, the islanders pulled away.

The video commentator Christy Riordan of Cahersiveen uttered: "'They are approaching the crowd on the Valentia Bridge, which they so often crossed, leading by six, seven lengths, maybe more.''

Valentia safely rounded the buoy westwards beyond the bridge and faced the short return distance back to the bridge to take the final shot of victory and be greeted by a dam-burst of delirious cheering and joy from the many islanders looking down from the Bridge.

It was a wonderful moment in time to savour for the crew, and Paddy Jack's finest hour as a Valentia seine boat cox in front of their own people.

A herculean struggle for second place ensued with John 'Cap' and Cnuicin really pressing up on Mike Murt and the Liberator, but the Cahersiveen crew held on by half a length to finish second.

Time, of course, keeps on changing, and nothing stands still. The coxes of that far off year, Mike 'Murt' O'Connell (The Liberator), John 'Cap' Murphy (Cnuicin), Paddy Jack O'Sullivan (Valentia) and Jack Davy O'Connell (Rinn Rua-Ballinskelligs) have all passed to their eternal reward.

The only surviving cox is Johnny Keating of the Over-The-Water boat. Portmagee regatta committee members interviewed afterwards in the video - John Morley, Deo O'Connell, Johnny Moriarty and John Devane - have also passed on. God rest them all.

After the showing of the video in the Ring Lyne, Micheal Lyne made a special presentation to Patrick Morley in view of his unique oar-lofting endeavours in the race.

It was great to see Patrick, who is well on the way to recovery from serious illness, attending on the night.

The festivities continued, and in celebration of that event of all those years ago, Micheal Lyne rendered two recitations; Seanie Murphy gave two songs; Eileen Mort O'Sullivan sang, GG O'Sullivan also. Dermot Walsh lifted the roof with bagpipe tunes.

It all made for fascinating viewing for English and German tourists present, who were busy with their camera-phones and delighted in an affair of such native flavour.

The Valentia crew of 1987 was: Paddy Jack O'Sullivan (RIP), John O'Sullivan, Seamus Lynch (Stroke); Kevin Curran, Seamus O'Connor (Fifth Oar); Seanie Murphy, Micheal Lyne (Fourth Oar); Patrick Morley, Nealie Lyne (Third Oar); Dermot Walsh, Patrick Lyne (Second oar); GG O'Sullivan, Gerard Burns (Bow Oar).

Footnote: GG O'Sullivan is the only current away-based crew member, being domiciled in Dublin since the '70s.

All the rest currently reside in Valentia.

John O'Sullivan, head of the stroke oar, was the youngest crew member, with Micheal Lyne being the most senior.

Many remarked on the amount of people present that day on the Valentia Bridge.

God be with the days.

Obituaries

Rina Janssen

On Sunday, May 26, the death occurred of Rina Janssen of Ballingeary, County Cork, who passed away unexpectedly while out walking with friends in the neighbourhood of her village. Rina was the eldest of her Dutch family of seven.

She will be missed by her five brothers, Theo, Wim, Harrie, Bert and Jos; sister, Anke; Hugh; Bria; Sora; Felix; Kumud; extended family; relatives; neighbours; and many friends. She also resided in Valentia. Solas na bhFlaitheas di.

Leo Murphy

On Thursday, May 30, Leo Murphy of Portmagee -who resided in Corobeg, Valentia in latter years - passed away peacefully in the presence of his family.

Leo, who was 66, battled illness very bravely and resiliently for many years to live a life as normal as possible. He was a decent man and a good and obliging friend - even while not in great health - to his neighbours and those he encountered in everyday life. He was also very much a man for banter and general craic on the social scene. He worked as a farmer and fisherman and also spent time in England and Dublin.

A true born-and-bred son of 'The Ferry' who passed away too young, Leo was laid to rest in the graveyard of Portmagee village after Requiem Mass in nearby St Patrick's Church.

Mass was celebrated by FrPatsy Lynch. He will be very sadly missed. Sincere condolences are extended to his wife, Nora; children, Michael, Leona, Karen and Stephen; brothers, Denis, Patie James and Vincent; sisters, Bridgie, Mary Margaret and Noreen; sisters-in-law; brother-in-law; cousins; nieces; nephews; neighbours; and friends.Solas siorai do.

Maureen O'Sullivan

On Saturday, June 5, the death occurred of Maureen O'Sullivan (nee Clifford) of Clahane, Cahersiven, who was predeceased by her husband, Owen. Sincere sympathy to her son, Johnny, and his wife, Noreen; her daughters - Mary and partner Kevin, and Christine and husband Jim - sisters, Teresa and Bridie; grandchildren, Rebecca, Sean, Stacey, Cathal, Niall, Amy, Caroline and Brian; nieces; nephews; relatives; neighbours; and friends.

Go ndeana Dia trocaire uirthi.Young riders Dylan Browne McMonagle and Sam Ewing meeting up on the beach before the first race of the day. Photo by Domnick Walsh

Horse racing returned to the golden sands of Ballybunion on Saturday following an absence of fifteen years, and while the prevailing mood afterwards was one of amazement that it had taken so long, the good news is the races are scheduled to take place again in 2020.

Saturday's occasion kick-started Ballybunion's summer season and but for a brief shower before the opening race, sunshine and a cool Atlantic breeze set the tone for an enjoyable afternoon.

It made for a wonderful sight to see large crowds lining the beach. Spectators even overlooked the tide-dependant race action from the surrounding cliff tops on what was a great family day out. The star jockeys of tomorrow were on show and it was Cork native Daniel King who made headlines with a memorable four timer. Welsh jockey Ed Vaughan had a double; Dylan Browne McMonagle stretched his lead in the jockeys' title with a win, while Sam Ewing was also off the mark.

The occasion is thanks to the vision of Ballybunion Race Committee, who met back in December with the aim of bringing racing back to the popular seaside town. The committee contacted the Horse & Pony Association of Ireland, who were delighted for Ballybunion to host the meeting. Pat Kenny also did great work behind the scenes.

"It was great to have it back. We just felt there is such huge excitement surrounding beach racing that we wanted to see it return. Entries were high and all races were full," said John Farrell, Chairman of Ballybunion Race Committee.

"There is a lot of planning and it's the volunteers on the day that make it happen. "Our hope is to make it an annual event and we want to thank all our generous sponsors, Kerry County Council and the Red Cross, who have also been good to us," John said.A Listowel publican was fined 200 for allowing people on her premises more than three hours after closing time one night.

Marina Cahill, The Tankers Bar, 8 Upper William Street, pleaded guilty to the offence at Listowel District Court on Thursday before Judge David Waters.

Gardai explained that they had carried out an inspection of the premises at 3.47 am on September 1 of last year, finding more than 15 people present.

They explained that closing time on the night had been at 12.30am, with a drinking-up time of half-an-hour until 1am.

Solicitor Pat Enright told the Court that it was a case of 'friends and relations' still being present.

He said that his client was 'extremely nervous' over the case coming before the Court and that the Tanker's Bar was 'generally a well-run premises'.

Judge David Waters imposed a conviction and fine of 200 for the offence.St Kieran's GAA Club is appealing to cyclists of all and any ability to sign on for the return of the fundraising cycle on Sunday, June 23, at 9.30am sharp.

The organisers have outlined a 56 kilometer route which, they feel, will be suitable for all cyclists as it is mainly level with no serious climbs along its course.

"We're looking for the support from all the St Kieran's community and beyond as this is our only major fundraising undertaking," said event spokesman, Jackie Brosnan.

"As a district team and drawn from several clubs, St Kieran's doesn't enjoy the benefits of gate receipts from matches and this makes it quite difficult to keep the club going.

"Without the help, generosity and support of the communities in the club's area the task would prove impossible.

There will be two food stop along the route of the cycle and with tea, coffee and refreshments available at the finish.

The cost per adult is: 20 and 10 for those under 16 years of age and members of the latter age group will have to be accompanied by an adult.

The morning of the cycle will open with registration at 8am at the starting point at Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club grounds on the Limerick Road. Helmets are mandatory.

"What better way to spend a Sunday morning?" asked Jackie Brosnan in conclusion.Ireland's Tidiest Town is suffering badly as a key section of the national road network through Listowel deteriorates fast while urgent calls for its repair appear to fall on deaf ears. Roadworks got underway this week to resurface the four kilometres of the N69 between Finuge Cross and Mountcoal, at a cost of 1.6 million.

But many in Listowel say the section of the N69 between College Cross and the town boundary at Caherdown should also now be underway.

They've been calling for its repair for years, but the TII in its wisdom decided the rural section was a priority over the urban. "The section to Caherdown should have been announced for funding at the same time, and should be underway now as well," Fianna Fail Councillor Jimmy Moloney said.

"It's in a brutal state and it has to be prioritised by the TII now."

The urgent calls come on the same day as Nationwide visited Listowel to film the Tidiest Town for a forthcoming broadcast. "This is one of the main arteries into Ireland's Tidiest Town, servicing town traffic, local residents, schools, sportsfields and petrol stations. We're just sick and tired of having to fight for years for every last bit of road repairs needed," Cllr Moloney said.

The Council, meanwhile, has advised motorists to expect delays over the eight-weeks of repairs at Mountcoal.Leaving Cert is a time of year associated for time immemorial with scorching hot weather, but this year students have been greeted each day with more temperate temperatures to calm their fact-fevered brains.

At Good Counsel College Fergus Stafford was all smiles after his English Paper I. Having just exited the exam hall, he was happy with how it went and with having the experience of a similarly structured mocks exam paper under his belt. The Adamstown student said: 'It was what I expected; there weren't any big surprises. I did an essay on places and wrote about places that mean a lot to me, including Adamstown. I got everything done on time and some of what we did was covered in the mocks.'

James Whelan from Clongeen said he was feeling alright heading into the college that morning. Of his exam, he said: 'It was a nice paper; I'd say it will be marked harder as a result.'

Mullinavat man Tom Ryan was hoping his poetic descriptive essay would go down well with the teacher correcting his paper. Having overcome some nerves heading in to the exam hall, he said the paper 'wasn't too bad', adding that he enjoyed writing the essay. Chris O'Keeffe from Thomastown enjoyed writing a short story but, like many students across the country, was thrown for a loop by the comprehensive question that involved a question relating to texts they studied, which normally would exclusively be included in English Paper II. Ciaran English from Newbawn said the questions suited him. 'I did the speech. I am good at arguing so that persuasive style suited me. It was on the theme that we're a self-obsessed generation so I wrote about social media and how people are so selfish.'

At St Mary's school Aoife White said she was happy enough with how her paper went, especially the speech dissertation, adding that the comprehensive question was challenging.

Sonka Schreiberova was in flying form going in to the exam hall and said she was happy with her exam. Roisin Leahy from The Rower got over her nerves and settled once she got writing. Her essay took in everything from social media use to plastic surgery and global warming.

Kennedy College student Christian Burnett has been taking the exams in his stride.

Having gotten over some first-day jitters, he said the exams have thrown up nothing unexpected so far.

'The night before the exams I got into bed but got no sleep. It was 4 a.m. and I was still awake and I was just wanting the exam to be over, but when I opened the paper it wasn't as bad as I thought. Once you see what you have to do it's grand. Especially with English when it's all about your opinions and beliefs. It's about triggering your imagination and beliefs on certain topics.'

Christian picked the speech and argued against the theme that teenagers are selfish, making the point that teenagers are self-conscious instead due to social media and advertising stereotypes that, he said, are affecting teenagers' mental health.

Ramsgrange Community School student Mairead O'Brien from Ballycullane has a philosophical, relaxed attitude towards the exams, saying the work has been done and it's just about getting the words on the pages.

She said she has found some of the exams challenging, especially English Paper II, having found the first paper easier, along with Geography.

She said there is a great school spirit. 'We are all just helping each other.'The pupils and staff of Scoil Naomh Aine in Rathgarogue were thrilled to have a visit from the Coast Guard helicopter 117 and the ground crew of the Fethard RNLI.

The school focused on the Green Flag theme over recent months, paying particular attention to the marine and the environment.

Acting principal Elaine O'Connor said; 'We were very interested in hearing about different Irish groups working in this area. Earlier in the year, we had a visit from the RNLI lifeboat crews and we heard about all their work and safety messages about being in the water helping others that may be in distress in a water environment.'

The ground crew of Fethard RNLI came to visit the school early on the morning of May 23 to set up the area for the visit. At 9.30 a.m., with all the children safely on the school playground the helicopter circled the school before landing in the field next to the school.

'We were delighted that Barry Murphy was so kind as to allow us the use of his field for the visit. The children were so excited and overwhelmed by the sheer size and noise from the helicopter.' The Rescue 117 crew spent over an hour with the pupils, telling them about their the work, the aircraft and answering the many, many questions from the children.

'It was a hugely informative visit and the crew were fantastic making for an amazing experience for all involved. Their exit was just as exciting as the arrival as they demonstrated to us how the winch lift worked by lifting some of the crew from the ground. Having done a few circular moves in the air, the helicopter took off to the waves and smiles of the thrilled children from Scoil Naomh Aine. It was a memorable visit, one that the children and staff will never forget. On the day the children dressed up as their heroes in honour of the work of the Coast Guard helicopter crews.'

Each child brought in a donation, which will be given to the New Ross, River Search and Rescue.Businesses, schools and community groups in New Ross have to come on board to help make the town autism friendly over the coming 12 months.

Sinn Fein election candidate Marie Doyle made the application to AsIAm for New Ross to become an autism friendly town earlier this year, having received support from Molloy's Supervalu. Marie said she got the idea having came across countless families and individuals in the district who were in some way affected by autism. 'I heard about it when it first was announced a few years ago and then I got information on it,' the social care worker said.

She said this initiative will require the involvement of local businesses and community groups in New Ross to work together.

Marie said: 'The meeting at the Kennedy Boutique Hotel was such a success. So many people from all different aspects of the New Ross community attended, including teachers, businesspeople and parents of children with autism.'

Among the speakers were Mag Furness of Cottage Autism Network, Peter McHugh (of the New Ross Children with Special Needs Facebook page), Anne Keenan of Cumas New Ross and Erica Fagan from AsIAM.

Marie said there are percentage targets for each category of business, for example 15 per cent for retail. 'Each town needs to reach a minimum of these percentages in each category.'

A further information meeting will be held in mid-June when the committee will start contacting businesses to support the initiative.

Marie said only Clonakilty in Co Cork has obtained autism friendly status, saying this is a great opportunity for New Ross to lead from the front in creating an autism friendly space for people of all ages.

She said everything from transport to schools will be involved over the coming year. 'At the meeting people came forward and said they wanted to be on the committee. Now we're going to have to get out there and meet with all of the business and all of the community groups. This will be a project that involves huge community effort, however many people in the community are excited about it,' Marie said.

She thanked the Kennedy Boutique Hotel who kindly offered complimentary use of their function room with refreshments for the meeting. If anyone has any queries in regards to this initiative they can contact Marie on 086-3598107.Common drugs used to treat heartburn and ulcers are being inappropriately prescribed to patients undergoing surgery and in general practice, according to two new studies by Irish doctors.

Medical researchers from Wexford General Hospital found that 70% of patients were prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPI's) which prevent gastrointestinal bleeding, without clinical justification.

A survey of 89 surgical patients in the hospital, showed that 73% of them were on PPI therapy but in only 30% of these cases was the prescription in line with recommended use.

Although the inappropriate use rate of 70% was high, the lead author of the report, Dr. Lauren O'Connell from the Department of General Surgery in Wexford General Hospital, said it was 'in line' with other similar studies.

She described the over use of PPI's in both community and acute hospital settings as 'significant' and called for the ongoing education of non-consultant hospital doctors, with regard to appropriate use.

A similar study, by two GPs, on the use of PPIs at a medical centre in Drogheda, found they were prescribed without clear indication in 40% of cases. The drug type accounted for 20% of all prescriptions issued over a four-week period. The two studies, which were published in the Irish Medical Journal, coincide with publication of a US study warning that the long-term use of PPIs, even in low doses, is associated with an increased risk of premature death.

Researchers from Washington University showed evidence of links between PPIs and the risk of developing fatal conditions like heart disease and stomach cancer.

Dr O'Connell said PPIs have revolutionised the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, but the prescribing rates are continuing to increase out of proportion to the known prevalence of such conditions.

PPIs accounted for 7% of all prescriptions under the General Medical Scheme in 2016, with current expenditure estimated at over 40m per year. The most common PPI used in Wexford General Hospital is esomeprazole - otherwise known under the brand name Nexium - which is prescribed to 72.3% of patients, even though the HSE recommends lansoparazole.

Dr. O'Connell maintains that the recommendation is primarily mainly on cost, as there is a price differential of 16.72 per pack between the two drugs.Egypt's national airline EgyptAir received on Saturday its third Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner as part of a massive $6 billion deal to acquire aircraft from different companies, all arriving in June and July.

According to a statement, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company Ahmed Adel said that the new plane will be used for flights to Paris starting 18 June.

"This will provide EgyptAir with a competitive advantage in operating this line, as this type of aircraft offers a wide range of technology, comfort and luxury," Adel said.

The 787-9 Dreamliner can seat up to 309 passengers, divided into 30 Diamond Super-Full-Flat Bed in business class and 279 in economy class, according to the statement.

The aircraft is part of a $6 billion upgrade plan by the national carrier to acquire 45 new planes from different companies, in what Egyptair described as the biggest-ever deal made by the company.

The deal includes buying six new Dreamliners, the first two of which arrived this spring.

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A Nobel laureate, a MacArthur Genius, a globally renowned inventor and a senior energy specialist working at the World Bank were just some of the delegates who travelled from across the globe to Wexford for the 'Pathways to Clean Cooking' conference which took place in town over three days.

The idea behind the conference was to examine recent advances in cleaner cooking in order to drive Ireland's agenda on global health and climate change. The World Health Organisation estimates that 4.3 million people every year die prematurely from illnesses linked to household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels. Exposure to household smoke from burning wood, charcoal, coal and kerosene is the top killer of children worldwide. It leads to diseases like childhood pneumonia, pulmonary disorders, heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. Switching to cleaner cooking fuels or adopting advanced combustion cook stoves that burn biomass more cleanly and efficiently, can improve the health and livelihoods of the world's most vulnerable communities.

This year's conference was organised by Rosslare native Conor Fox, founder of Hestian - a company that promotes cleaner cooking technologies and practices in the developing world. Hestian has reached over half a million homes across Southern Africa with cleaner cooking stoves.

'It is important that we play a role and take responsibility in making cleaner cooking accessible to everybody,' he said. 'Open fires and inefficient stoves cause a range of harmful impacts and present a major health risk in developing countries. Cleaner technologies and practices can greatly help families meet their energy needs and benefit entire communities.'

Among the other speakers at the three day conference, which took place between the National Opera House and the Irish National Heritage Park, were Nobel Prize laureate Dr Omar Masera from Argentina, MacArthur Genius Dr Tami Bond and renowned inventor Dr Priya Karve from India. It was said to have been a fascinating event, culminating in a civic reception, overseen by Deputy Mayor of Wexford George Lawlor who was delighted to welcome the visitors to the town.Campile was a hive of activity for a day of celebrations marking 100 years of Shelburne Co-op in the village.

Over the century the co-op overcame a WWII bombing with the tragic loss of life of staff, the economic uncertainty of wartime Ireland and a massive fire at the start of the harvest season in the 1950s which nearly spelled disaster.

Along with the changing face of the Irish agriculture scene, it moved from once trading in rabbits and poultry to becoming a modern-day commercial enterprise with a strong turnover through the innovative actions of its staff and farmers. At the celebration day, Glanbia Group managing director Siobhan Talbot paid tribute to the work of the current staff and those that had gone before as the vision of the founding farmers in setting up the co-op in 1919 was marked. There was a party mood as the BEAT FM Fleet provided the music, while children enjoyed face painting, art competitions and treats such as the popular Avonmore Mooju drinks. An evening barbecue was held, with Wexford strawberries and Avonmore summer cream among the tasty offerings. With the GAA season heating up, there were visits from players on the Wexford GAA teams which are sponsored by GAIN Animal Nutrition.

The day was a chance for the people of Campile to reminisce over the years gone by with the unveiling of a new book on the centenary of the Shelburne Co-operative compiled by former employee and local historian Michael Walsh for the occasion. The book paints a picture of the difficult era in which the Co-op was set up as it shows determination to give farmers a better price for their produce after the price of grain and livestock had plummeted following the end of World War I. It spurred farmers to band together to create the Co-op in 1919 to service the vast area stretching from the Hook to the White Mountain.

However, there were many notable occasions throughout the century as the 1930s saw the Co-op blossom. The rise of the Co-op saw the installation of a seed cleaning plant by a German firm, growth in staff numbers and it became an agent for most of the leading brands of agricultural machinery. During WWII, it faced the same travails as all businesses as the war brought difficulties including a shortage of fertilisers, animal feeds and coal. It was in August 1940 that the reality of the war was really brought home when a German plane dropped four bombs on the Co-op.

Tragically, three female members of staff - Kathleen Hurley, Kitty Kent and Mary Ellen Kent - lost their lives. The Co-op went on to overcome a fire at the start of the harvest season in the early 1950s that nearly spelled disaster for it. However, it resulted in the installation of a new, clean, modern plant. The staff at the co-op helped bring about its evolution over the decades as it expanded and grew into the facility that stands on the site today.

Ms Talbot said the book charts the ups and downs of the company over the years and gives a good glimpse into agricultural life in Ireland down through the decades.

Among those in attendance at the celebrations were Glanbia Ireland's Jim Bergin; Glanbia group chairman Martin Keane; Glanbia board member, Wexford farmer Eamon Power; members of the Wexford senior hurling team; farmers and staff members, both past and present.

Eamon Power said the centenary marked a momentous occasion for everyone in Campile. 'When the Co-op opened in 1919 the turnover was 3,000, it shows the innovative and industrious committee that were able to set it on its path to what it is today,' he said.

Another piece of Campile history occurred on the day when the ribbon was cut to officially open the refurbished and re-branded Campile Allcare Pharmacy. Former pharmacy worker Mary Jo Kent (nee Foley) was in attendance on what she described as an emotional and great day. Mary's father Jimmy and brothers Jim and Mick worked at the Co-op, as did her husband Tom, for 42 years. She worked there for 38 years and returned to her old post behind the counter - if only for a few minutes - to mark the occasion.

'People were coming up to me and recalled me serving them years ago. I had a serious operation a year and five months ago so it was a big deal (for me). I started work there when I was 14. You earned very little; a few shillings, that's all. It was the mainstay for work for teenagers then as very few of us went to secondary school. We started work at 7.50 a.m. and finished at 5.50 p.m. When we finished we said the rosary before going home; they were different times.'

She said the new pharmacy is beautiful, adding that she loved the day, saying it gave people a chance to meet up. 'I met a lot of people I wouldn't have met for a long time,' Mary Jo said.It is that time of year again - The Wild Atlantic Sea Shanty Festival returns for the 10th year.

To mark the milestone, this year promises to be the best one yet.

The official launch of the festival took place in the Sligo Bay RNLI Lifeboat Station this week ahead of Shanty weekend which runs from June 14, 15 and 16.

Rosses Point is the venue for Sea Shanty songs, maritime culture, heritage and water events which enrich the festival.

On the Sunday there will be a special emphasis on family with a 'Pirate Day' taking place all day.

A 'Pirate Parade' takes place at 2pm from the Rosses Point Pier to Harry's along with a pirate theatre event and a carnival which includes fortune telling and face painting.

Shanty groups from across the globe will descend on Rosses Point and bring with them their folk songs from the sea.

Details of the music each day and times can be found in the official companion programme which is available in the tourist office, the Radisson Blu and Harry's, Austies and the Driftwood.

No shanty festival would be complete without water events.

The 'Go As You Please' rowing and running race, the Maugherow Cup, the rowing race, Duck Race, Channel Cup Swim and Round Oyster Sailing race all take place on Saturday and Sunday.

Times are tide dependent and are subject to change so please consult a committee member.

Chairman of the festival, Hugh O'Neill is looking forward to this year's events.

He said: "The festival continues to go from strength to strength and a great deal of gratitude is owed to those whose ideas and dedication led to the introduction of what is now considered one of the premier maritime festivals in Ireland and on the international shanty circuit.

"We have a fantastic array of events programmed over the weekend to keep everyone busy and entertained."

The Wild Atlantic Sea Shanty festival in Rosses Point supports the work of the RNLI. Sligo Bay is one of the newest lifeboat stations in Ireland.

Operating an inshore B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat it provides search and rescue cover for the area between Downpatrick Head and Inismurray Island.

This station is classed as a discover station.

Rosses Point is Sligo's maritime village. For generations its men and women have ploughed the seas in the service of the Merchant Navy and our festival celebrates this rich heritage. For its size and from its sailors, Rosses Point has produced a great number of Master Mariners - the tradition of seafaring continue.

For those unfamiliar with sea shanties, in the days of sail and the tall ships, songs (Shanties) were employed to keep rhythm amongst the crew in the back breaking and tremendously physical work of hoisting and lowering sails, changing ships course, weighing the anchor or simply pumping for hours to keep the ships afloat.

The shanties tell stories of life onboard, ports visited, fun times ashore and the challenges of a life at sea. Other sea songs developed (Forebitters), which were sung by sailors aboard, not during the hard work but in their times off, these too tell rich stories of life at sea.Since its inception in 2015, Sligo Global Kitchen (SGK) - an art and food project funded by the Community Foundation for Ireland in partnership with The Model - has garnered a reputation not only as a key player in community integration, but also as a unique and inclusive dining experience.

In preparing and serving delicious cuisine from around the world to friends, family and newcomers alike, Sligo Global Kitchen events welcome everyone in the community, especially those living in direct provision to come together to share a meal.

Building on their popularity and success, The Model is now supporting SGK in the development of an exciting new initiative, the 'Sligo Global Kitchen Supper Club'.

This initiative will see local chef Brid Torrades working with nine members of Sligo Global Kitchen to enhance their skills and expertise.

"In the future, the goal will be to hopefully open a business", said Shorai Mpande, who is (along with Sidonie Siwe Leunde) one of the original members of SGK.

Essential skills like barista training, customer service, budgeting, food preparation and presentation, sales and marketing will aid that dream in becoming a reality.

Last month, cooks Catherine Kabiyona, Mabel Chah, Bouchta Kharchach, Arle Bell Gallardo, Kathleen Mangwanya, Rosemary Chilufiya, Elvis Lyon, Sidonie Siwe Leunde and Shorai Mpande debuted some of their newly required skill set at the opening of The Model's new contemporary art exhibition, 'Richard Bolhuis; Underground Bliss.'

The opening required a colossal amount of work from Sligo Global Kitchen, who catered for nearly 80 guests at what was the initiative's pilot evening.

The menu was designed to showcase the diversity of flavours and cultures that the members of Sligo Supper Club can serve up.

As an appetizer, guests were treated to crispy fried plantain followed by a starter of Pasta alla Norma, a typical Sicilian dish.

The main course consisted of an aromatic Cameroonian peanut stew served with roasted vegetables, Moroccan hot rice salad and an SGK classic, jollof rice.

Dessert was a delicious and deceptively simple dish of home-made banana ice cream, sponge cake and fresh fruit salad.

One of the key factors that differentiates the Supper Club from other Sligo Global Kitchen events is the way in which food is served.

SGK endeavours to serve as much of the community as possible so serving the cuisine buffet-style makes perfect sense. The Supper Clubs, on the other hand, will cater for smaller gatherings restaurant style.

Sligo Global Kitchen's pilot supper club event last month presented a challenge that Sligo Global rose to beautifully. "It was very different," said Sidonie, "it was very professional. We are used to serving our food buffet style. In this event, we served starters, a main course and dessert."

Catering for the opening also allowed members of the Sligo Global Kitchen group to tease out teething problems which are inevitably part and parcel of the creation of any new initiative.

"The rice was not the usual rice we use," said Sidonie, "the quality was different and we had to make the jollof rice completely vegetarian. We didn't even use chicken stock!"

Although there may have been self-criticism from the cooks themselves, the dinner guests were more than happy with the meal.

"The stew was very tasty and the dessert was refreshing," said Dean Foley. "It was all great," said fellow diner Sean Claney. With their debut catering event such a success, it looks like the sky is the limit for SGK's new Supper Club initiative.

The next SGK event to mark in your calendar is the Shanty Festival, 14th - 16th June, followed by Parkfest 7th July, to mark the opening event for Cairde Arts Festival 2019 and Beltra Country Market, also in July.

To find out more about Sligo Global Kitchen's supper clubs and other events, keep an eye on Sligo Global Kitchen's Facebook page and themodel.ie for details. As places are limited, advance booking for the supper club is advised to avoid disappointment.

Sligo Global Kitchen is an initiative of The Model in partnership with asylum seekers, refugees and Sligo's new communities.

It is funded by The Model and the Community Foundation for Ireland.A 39-year-old man has been found guilty of the theft of 41,892 from Bank of Ireland in Sligo over two dates in October 2017.

After a six-day trial, a jury of eight men and four women unanimously found Austin O'Malley of 7, St Bridget's Terrace guilty on all six counts of theft that between October 26th and October 27th, 2017 he stole a total of 41,892 from Bank of Ireland, Stephen St, Sligo. The jury took just over two hours to find O'Malley guilty on all six charges. After the s verdict defence barrister Mr Joe Barnes applied for a Probation Report and said his client had no previous convictions.

The matter was adjourned for sentencing to November 21st next and it was heard a Victim Impact Statement from Bank of Ireland would be prepared.

Evidence in the case heard that after setting up a business account for his plant and agricultural machinery sales business in May 2017, O'Malley requested an online transfer of 39,000 (41,200) to another machinery company on October 25th.

The court heard evidence that as this payment system is different to online banking, the transaction does not update an account in real time and before it could be registered to O'Malley's account he made several withdrawals from his business account clearing the account and putting it into 611 of an overdraft.

When the online payment was processed days later for 41,200 this in turn put the account 41,815 overdrawn. The trial heard the bank are still at a loss of this amount.

O'Malley had made lodgements to his business account between October 23rd and October 25th leaving a balance of 41,308.13 on October 25th, before requesting the sterling transfer online.

Evidence during the six-day trial heard that after the online request at 5.19pm on October 25th, O'Malley went into Bank of Ireland on Stephen St and took out two 10,000 amounts and 5,000 at the cashier's desk during three seperate transactions. O'Malley then made another withdrawal at an ATM in Bank of Ireland in Manorhamilton of 1,300 and purchased a 14,292.98 sterling draft from the business account again on the same date

On 27th October he withdrew 750 from the account at Bank of Ireland in Ballymote, and a further 550 on the same date from Bank of Ireland on Stephen St. First prosecution witness, Senior Business Specialist with Bank of Ireland, Gavin Laws, told the court he met with O'Malley on 17th May 2017 to discuss the setting up of a business account Eireann Plant and Sales Ltd and O'Malley was buying and selling commercial agriculture machinery in Northern Ireland and the UK and suggested an online payment system called FX Pay, used to decrease exchange rates. He was put in touch with Regional Treasury Manager James Clarke in relation to the system.

O'Malley was issued with a lodgement card and visa debit card for the business account and the court was told there was no overdraft facility on the account. Mr Clarke met with O'Malley in late September and was given a demo of the online payment system.

Mr Laws told the court he was made aware of an issue on 16th November, 2017 that O'Malley's business account was overdrawn by approximately 40,000.

Mr Laws said he attempted to make contact with O'Malley via mobile phone and he did not answer. He followed this up with a text correspondence in which he asked O'Malley to contact him 'ASAP'.

O'Malley told Mr Laws and another bank official, Mary King from Business Collections that it was not convenient to talk on a number of occasion as he was with a customer, or at the doctor, but said he was expecting a payment and was 'sorting things at the moment'

Mr Laws urged him to call him 'before the bank go ballistic'Text correspondence continued until November 22nd at which point all contact ceased.Laws explained that the online payment facility used by O'Malley, called FX Pay, allowed people to complete transactions like 'any other platform' and locks in payments in order to reduce exchange rates, and to pay money directly to suppliers.

Emails between banking officials were outlined to the court in which an employee, Derval Maguire, enquired from the payments section as to why a payment from an account which didn't have sufficient funds was processed and other payments are cancelled when there is insufficient funds.

The trial heard a response detailed that the payment was processed as there had been 41,000 in the account at the time of the FX pay request.

When this was put to banking analyst Mr Tom Caldwell he explained that because the request was made by O'Malley at 5.19pm if was then 'queued' for the following day.

He told the court this payment 'would never be processed until the following working day' at 5.30pm, meaning October 26th.

The analyst said FX Pay was not the same as online banking in terms of instant updates. Questioned as to how people would know this, Mr Caldwell said FX Pay customers would be aware of this.

He explained that the payment was processed on 26th October at 5.30pm and when 'the computer ran' there were no funds, and that it didn't apply to the account until 2nd November, at which point there were no funds available, but the transfer was still 'processed for value'.

Detailing a garda interview from 9th April, 2018, Garda Terry Farrelly outlined that O'Malley said there was a limit on his card and that was the reason he carried out a number of transactions between 26th and 27th of October.

O'Malley said he recalled taking money out from an ATM on 27th October and said this was to buy a car. He said the car cost 12,500 and he sold it on for 13,500, using the profit to pay bills.

When asked if he realised he had overdrawn his business account by approximately 42,000, O'Malley said, 'I had a deal done for 42,000, it was meant to be in my account on 25th October'.

O'Malley told he garda that he 'did his transfer' to OD Plant Sales [the FX Pay transfer] and when he could withdraw cash from the ATM in Manorhamilton the following day he presumed 42,000 had been lodged from 'a fella in Cookstown'. He added that it was a time later before he knew the 'deal fell through'.

Defending barrister, Mr Joe Barnes BL, instructed by McGovern and Walsh Solicitors, cross examined Bank of Ireland analyst Mr Tom Caldwell.

Mr Caldwell had given evidence in relation to analysing O'Malley's banking transactions over the three day period in October 2017 and referred to them as being 'suspicious'.

Bank transactions from a Bank of Ireland account in Enniskillen belonging to O'Malley were introduced during the trial, which showed various sterling amounts being lodged and withdrawn in quick succession at the beginning of 2017.

Among many transactions on this account outlined to the court was a lodgement of 41,600 and on the following day a transfer for 41,510 outwards was applied to the account.

Mr Barnes outlined transactions to the Bank of Ireland analyst and put it to him that if he analysed this bank account he would have seen that these types of transactions were 'usual patterns of trading' for O'Malley.

On re-cross examination by State prosecutor Ms Dara Foynes, instructed by State solicitor Elisa McHugh, Ms Foynes went through various transactions of O'Malley's Enniskillen account, including another lodgement of 100,000 on 3rd February, 2017, followed by an outgoing of 99,510 two days later.

Ms Foynes commented, 'No sooner is it in, but it is out'.

The court heard O'Malley's business account was set up on 17th May 2017, but no activity took place on the account until 23rd October.Coillte has defended its tree-felling operation in Glenboy, Manorhamilton, following complaints from the local community.

In response to a query from The Sligo Champion, Coillte said: "There are over 21,000 private forest owners in Ireland who will look to fell and replant their forests as the trees reach commercial maturity, Coillte is just one of these owners. Forestry in Ireland can make a major contribution to our national efforts in combatting climate change and the Coillte forest estate welcomes over 18 million visitors to our forests every year.

"The tree felling planned for Glenboy is a fully licensed operation. Licences to fell trees are issued by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine who carry out a range of environmental and landscape analyses to ensure that the tree felling is appropriate to the local area and will not impact on the environment.

"Coillte also carry out a range of environmental assessments for tree felling operations, both at the planning stage and also during the felling operation itself.

"After a clear fell Coillte's Establishment Team will quickly assess the site for replanting and, generally, within a year the site cultivation will be completed for replanting.

"It generally takes two to three years for the forest to "green up" and the rotation (forest cycle) to begin again. The opening up of new areas through clear felling and subsequent replanting adds to the biodiversity of the forest, creating new habitats for mammals, birds and insects and deadwood is often left on site to promote insect diversity.

"Young vigorous forests are also excellent carbon sinks soaking up carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas. Coillte is committed to sustainable forest management and maintaining a sustainable yield of timber."

The statement went on to say that Coillte ensure that rivers or waters are not impacted by tree-felling operations, despite claims from Glenboy locals that residue can find its way into the river.

"Coillte routinely fell trees and replant them every day right across Ireland. Forest operations are planned carefully by Coillte and licenced by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine to ensure there is no impact from the forest operation to receiving waters.

"Coillte's forest operations are externally and independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsing Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) International Forest Management Standards as being fully sustainable and have maintained this certification since 2001. Coillte monitor our forest operations routinely to ensure there is no impact to water quality."

Coillte said that they do all in their power to protect wildlife and their habitats during operations, although locals in Glenboy community feel as though not enough care has been taken to protect the wildlife.

"Coillte respect and work with nature across all of our forests. More than 20% of all our lands (over 90,000 hectares) are managed primarily to protect wildlife and sensitive habitats and promote biodiversity.

"Some examples of these areas in County Leitrim are Largy and Benbo forests, Lough Rynn and the Sliabh an Iarainn and Boleybrack upland mountain habitats. In our productive forests we take care to identify and protect important features of biodiversity during our forest operations. Since 2001, Coillte have employed local freelance independent ecologists to identify important areas for nature and wildlife on our estate and work with us to develop plans to protect and care for these areas."

While Brian O'Hagan and many others feel that the trees being planted are not suitable for the area, Coillte say they will help support local jobs.

"Coillte replant our forests with a range of species both native and introduced. The trees that will be replanted at Glenboy are being planted for commercial purposes to support local jobs while also sequestering large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In other areas where nature conservation and biodiversity management is the primary objective Coillte plant native broadleaf tree species."As IT Sligo's new Yeats Academy of Arts, Design & Architecture was launched last week by The Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O'Connor T.D., there was more good news as the Minister revealed that additional funding of 960,000 had been awarded to IT Sligo for the craft apprenticeship programmes.

The creative hub will be a centre of excellence for the development of arts, design & architecture for the region and further afield.

Officially launching the new Yeats Academy, the Minister said: "We think of Joyce's Dublin, Kavanagh's Monaghan, Heaney's Derry and Yeats's Sligo.

"So I'm really pleased to formally launch the Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture. May it be wonderful and may it be a successful catalyst for imagination and creativity."

The new Academy offers six distinctive programmes across the disciplines of Arts, Design and Architecture and aims to become a creative centre of excellence along the Wild Atlantic Way, building on its reputation in architecture, design, art, literature, music and theatre, enabling more students to nurture and grow in the northwest.

Speaking at the launch, President of IT Sligo, Dr Brendan McCormack, thanked the Minister for her continued support and outlined the importance of the initiative to the region; "This is also a seminal moment for the creative industries in the north west.

"We recognise that, while many come to the north-west for the nature, the quality of life and the inspiration of the people, they cannot always stay for economic reasons. We want this new creative hub to provide support to the creatives in the region.

"The doors of the Yeats Academy will be open to creative collaborations, to visiting performers, to artists in residents, ensuring that our students have an opportunity to learn from the creative practitioners and that they, in turn have a place to come for inspiration and support."

IT Sligo has been delivering courses in the arts since 1972 and has helped artists across the region to develop their skills and master their craft.

The institute has several award winning lecturers across all disciplines and is one of the only colleges in the west to offer architecture courses recognised by both the Royal Institute of Irish and British architects.

Head of Faculty of Engineering & Design, Una Parsons said it was "a great day for creativity in the Northwest and for IT Sligo."

She added: "We have a vision for the Yeats Academy; It will be a catalyst for creativity, providing accessible learning experiences across creative disciplines and will seek to make a lasting contribution, locally and globally."

The new academy will be housed in the buildings designed by the renowned architect Joseph Downes in the 1930's beside the campus, which recently received funding of 13.7 million in capital investment from the Higher Education Authority, to create a suitable centre for the new Yeats Academy, accommodating all disciplines of the arts, design and architecture courses, under one roof.

The Minister also revealed the awarding of funding for craft apprenticeship programmes.

Apprenticeship is a programme of structured education and training which formally combines and alternates learning in the workplace with learning in an education and training institution. IT Sligo offers training in three trade apprenticeships, one in Tool Making, one Carpentry and Joinery and one in Electrical Instrumentation.

President of IT Sligo, Dr Brendan McCormack, welcomed the announcement by Minister Mary Mitchell O'Conner; "This is a significant announcement by the Minister and shows the commitment by the government to invest in apprenticeship programmes which are growing in popularity at IT Sligo and across the country, enabling students to "Earn & Learn" simultaneously."

The Yeats Academy will also be offering a new suite of Master's as part of a new initiative by IT Sligo.A 19-year-old man who robbed a post office with his friend because of drug debt has received a three-year suspended prison sentence.

Sean Lynch of 57, Knocknaganny Park and friend Jack Gorevan (19) of 5, Brookgrove, Farmhill, Strandhill Rd pleaded guilty last February to robbing Maugheraboy Post Office on 12th June, 2018.

Gorevan was represented by Mr Keith O'Grady BL instructed by McGovern Walsh Solicitors while Mr Peter Daly BL appeared on behalf of Lynch also instructed by McGovern Walsh Solicitors.

At last week's sentencing at Sligo Circuit Court, Judge Frances Comerford noted that during the robbery of the post office 'knives were waved at staff and they were put under fear'.

Lynch and Gorevan robbed 395 from the post office, a payment belonging to a customer.

Judge Comerford acknowledged that the men resorted to the hastily planned robbery as they were 'under pressure because of drug debt' and their families were 'under threat'.

CCTV footage shown previously to the court showed the men, aged 18 at the time, run into the post office dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.

Lynch, who was on bail at the time, jumped on top of the counter trying to get over the screen, while Gorevan came to the second counter wielding a knife.

An eye witness account from a man collecting money at the time recalled shouting, 'Open the register, don't touch anything'.

The court was told post office worker Rosemary Keaveney pressed the panic button as did post mistress Anne Kelly.

Ms Keaveney squeezed a bottle of water in the face of one of the men. Before the men left they grabbed 395 euro on the counter belonging to the customer.

Both men were apprehended seperately nearby a short time later and neither resisted arrest.

Judge Comerford noted that the lives of both post office employees had been 'adversely affected' and they experienced loss of confidence following the robbery.

The Judge acknowledged that Lynch had a 'difficult youth' but added that many people struggle in life but manage to 'get on'.

He mentioned Lynch had began drinking at eleven years old and consuming drugs at 14. Referring to threats to Lynch's family, Judge Comerford said, 'Taking drugs put themselves at risk and risk to families'.

Judge Comerford said the experience must have been 'terrifying' for the post office employees and though no physical contact was made with them, the robbery did involve weapons.

Recalling mitigating evidence, the Judge noted the early guilty plea and that Lynch felt guilt and shame for the offence and it was indicated in a Probation Report that there would be a fear that a custodial prison sentence could turn Lynch into a 'hardened criminal'.

"This is a cross roads occasion," said Judge Comerford, who sentenced Lynch to three years in prison suspended for a period of three years, on the provision that Lynch is under the supervision of the Probation Service for two years, attends the service on a weekly basis, completes relevant courses and complies with instructions from the service in order to address substance abuse.

"He's getting a chance to deal with critical issues. I have qualms he will not be able to take this chance, if he doesn't, he will find himself in prison"

In relation to Gorevan, the court had previously heard that during garda questioning Gorevan said if he could 'roll back the clock' he wouldn't touch a drug in his life.

It heard Gorevan struggled with addiction from a very young age.

Taking into consideration that Gorevan was facing a possible further charge, Judge Comerford proposed to put sentencing for this matter back in order to seek further information on the other pending matter.

The Judge remanded Gorevan in custody to 19th November next for sentencing. A Governor's report was directed, along with an up-to-date Probation Report.

Concluding matters, Judge Comerford commented that he hoped he would only be dealing with Gorevan and not Lynch at the next court date.The latest litter survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows that Sligo town is Clean but has fallen from 6th to 20th spot in its ranking of 40 towns and cities.

The survey also revealed that Ireland's principal tourist towns and cities are cleaner than ever as the peak season for visitors approaches.

Kilkenny topped the rankings, with Ballymun in Dublin City a litter blackspot at the foot of the table.

The An Taisce report stated:

"Sligo failed to match last year's stellar performance but was clean.

"It was let down by the Train Station and Bus Station - both presented poorly and were heavily littered.

"Seven out of the ten sites surveyed in Sligo town got the top litter grade - examples included the residential areas of Springhill Court and Treacy Avenue. Quayside Shopping Centre was excellent in terms of presentation and litter."

The result will be seen as particularly disappointing as the tourist season gets underway in earnest and also after the significant efforts by the local Tidy Towns Committee and the County Council in recent years .

The Chairman of Sligo Tidy Towns has expressed his disappointment at the latest IBAL report.

Peter Tiernan said that despite getting a grade "A" rating for 7 out of 10 areas inspected, the town was let down by the Train Station and the Bus Station, who each got "C" ratings.

Both were described as "heavily littered and neglected". Planted areas were overgrown, and the impression was of a heavily littered environment.

All the business and residential areas inspected got an "A" rating. Mr Tiernan said that with the imminent Tidy Towns Awards inspection, he will be in contact with both transport organisations "to get their premises in order."

Neither areas are the responsibility of Sligo Tidy Towns or Sligo County Council, he pointed out.The 3rd area which was found to have some litter was the N59 Sligo-Ballina connecting road which received a "B" rating. This area is well outside the town limits, he said.Ryan Tubridy said he is truly 'grateful' for the support he receives from fans when he goes on tour with his RTE Radio One show.

The RTE star visited Sligo on Monday and Tuesday, broadcasting his show live from Stephen Street car park on Tuesday morning, day two of his Wild Atlantic Way trip.

Following his show, the broadcaster stayed around for almost 30 minutes meeting locals, signing autographs and taking photos with fans.

He told The Sligo Champion: "I wouldn't let someone go until they've had their picture.

"In Donegal yesterday it started to get into monsoon season and still they waited. It's really gratifying and really heartening.

"I'm thoroughly grateful. If people weren't there, or listening or watching it would be nothing.

"I'm a very lucky person. And I get to meet all these babies. I love babies!"

Tubridy (pictured with Ultan McNasser) and his team began the 'Tubs on the Wild Atlantic Way' tour in Donegal Town on Monday last before moving on to Sligo Town on Tuesday. He went from there to Ennistymon Co Clare on Wednesday before finishing up in Inis Mor.

"I have had a wonderful time," he reflected. "I was foraging for wild plants at one stage yesterday.

"I was learning how dogs mind sheep with Martin and his family from Wild Atlantic Sheepdogs.

"As much as the activities were enjoyable the people who brought us on the various adventures have been really good. We've had fun and we had dinner in Hooked.

"For research purposes we had to have a pint of Guinness in The Snug where I met all the locals and the owners.

"Then The Blind Tiger who were minding us for a cocktail. It's a really funky mix in this town of sort of old man pub and trendy young things pub, funky restaurants, great sense of literature and history.

"We were speaking about Bram Stoker this morning, WB Yeats. I just get the sense that Sligo is thriving."

He's a regular visitor to Sligo for work purposes, most recently visiting Strandhill in 2016.

"We've done shows from Strandhill and Rosses Point but we decided to move into town because sometimes the ton gets bypassed by people like us who decide to blow in and blow out so we decided to blow in and rest our laurels for the day and the night. It's been gorgeous, we have loved it."

Getting out and about, meeting people from around the country is a nice change of scenery for Tubridy.

"I adore meeting people. I was going to say I could talk for Ireland but I nearly do talk for Ireland, for a living. I do really enjoy it, getting out of the cocoon.

"You're talking about Ireland all the time on the radio and to know Ireland you have to visit it, to do it.

"There's a great sense of place. It's the conversations with the people you meet on the street or the tour guides or the journalists from the paper who have things to say. It's intriguing."

His next step after the Sligo visit was a trip to county Clare, where he was hoping he might bump into another important visitor to the county.

"We're off to Clare to see if we can hunt down the President of the United States. Donald Trump is in town so that will be interesting.

"I've got Tubridy's in Doonbeg, there's a pub and I'd like to go and visit my cousins but am I going to be allowed? It's a very interesting time. We're going to Inis Mor then."A fundraising table quiz was held in Tutty's Bar in support of the upcoming Hollywood Fair.

There was plenty of support for the table quiz as local residents eagerly look forward to the return of the festival after a break in 2018. This year's Hollywood Fair takes place on Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11. The pre-1950s rural heritage theme of the fair has proven a huge hit with everyone and organisers are asking everyone to embrace the spirit of the occasion by dressing up in pre-1950s attire.

On the Saturday Bishop Eamonn Walsh will co-celebrate an old-style Latin Mass in St. Kevin's Church at 6 p.m. with local clergy. A slow-bicycle race and a dramatic re-enactment of the flooding of the Poulaphouca Lake will also take place.

A huge turnout is expected for Sunday, August 11 with numerous exhibitions of traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, stone cutting and butter making.There has been a fall of 13 per cent in the number of new cars registered in Wicklow in 2019 compared to last year. Statistics from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) record a total of 1,643 new car registrations in the county in the first five months of this year.

There were 255 fewer registrations up to May 2019 than the 1,898 new car registrations recorded in the same period for 2018. Nationally, new car registrations for the first five months of 2019 have dropped to 79,343 from 85,868 in 2018.

There has also been a substantial increase in the electric cars registered in the county this year. According to the SIMI, 78 new electric car registrations have been recorded in Wicklow up from 25 for the same period last year. Registrations of petrol electric and petrol/plug-in electric hybrid also increased. Local figures match the national trend as the number of new electric vehicles registered in the first five months of 2019 (1,902) has already surpassed the total registrations in 2018 of 1,233.

In May, a total of 107 cars were registered for the first time in Wicklow. Meanwhile, new car registrations across the country were up 4.7 per cent to 6,341 from 6,055 in May last year. Nationally, the number of imported used cars registered in May has also saw an increase to 9,346 from 8,978. For the year to date, imports are 3 per cent (45,062) ahead of 2018 (43,739).

SIMI Director General Brian Cooke said "Registrations for the month of May, both cars and light commercial vehicles, showed an improvement on May of last year, although the increase in numerical terms was relatively small. However, sales overall year to date have been disappointing with both business and consumer Brexit related uncertainty contributing to dampened demand for new vehicles. As we move into June the Industry is now focused on preparations for the start of the July 192 registration period. This will see a variety of strong offers to consumers across all brands, and in this environment, consumers will have a wide choice of cars to choose from at a really competitive price."

The top selling car brand in county Wicklow so far this year is Hyundai. The South Korean carmaker is the third best-selling brand nationally behind Volkswagen and Toyota. The top five car models in Ireland for 2019 so far are the Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tuscon, the Toyota Corolla, the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Skoda Octavia.Kilmacanogue girl Ella Hammond (10) will tackle the Wicklow Way in order to help children, with donations going to the Make-A-Wish foundation.

At the end of June Ella will do two stages of the route, covering 30 kilometres in two days. 'I always wanted to do a fundraiser and I am so happy that I get to do this,' she said. Her mum Michelle will accompany her, with plenty of support at home from dad Aidan and sister Jessica.

'As a child, I think it's so important to make sure every child has one good day to remember when things are tough,' she said.

Make -A -Wish grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Since 1992 over 2,400 wishes to brave children across Ireland have been granted, including 211 wishes granted in 2018. Make A Wish does not receive government funding and relies on people like Ella to raise money.

She has already raised over 600, and is grateful to Kilmacanogue National School for allowing her to do a summer t-shirt day.

Her cubs have also done a collection to support the fund, as has Aidan - he is donating a percentage of client fees from his business Bikefitting Ireland to Make-A-Wish.

A spokesman for Make-A-Wish paid a visit to the cubs last week to make a presentation about the work done by the foundation. The cubs have also been doing regular walks to earn a badge, so Ella should have no problems tackling the terrain.

'She can't wait for the walk,' said Michelle. 'The excitement is off the charts!'

To make a donation, look up Ella's Wicklow Way Challenge on everydayhero.com.Soccer Football - Copa America Brazil 2019 - Group A - Brazil v Bolivia - Morumbi Stadium, Sao Paulo, Brazil - June 14, 2019 Brazil's Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

Philippe Coutinho scored a quickfire double as hosts Brazil kicked off their Copa America campaign with a 3-0 victory over Bolivia.

The Selecao opened the tournament in Sao Paulo and were able to overcome the loss of injured star man Neymar to claim their 100th Copa victory.

Brazil had the first effort on goal and were dominating proceedings, but the back of the net proved elusive in the first half.

Roberto Firmino and Thiago Silva provided the best chances from corners but it needed a penalty to break the deadlock five minutes after the break.

Richarlison's strike from inside the area hit the arm of Jusino and, after a VAR review, Coutinho converted from the spot.

The ex-Liverpool man then doubled the lead with a header just three minutes later.

Bolivia were increasingly over-run and had no way back when substitute Everton Soares fired into the far corner in the 85th minute to wrap up the comfortable victory.

Brazil have won the Copa America on all of the four previous occasions they have been hosts - the last time in 1989.

Tite's team face Venezuela on Wednesday for the second of their group stage matches, while Bolivia will play Peru on Tuesday.Since Sunday, people have been analysing the cohabiting habits of 46-year-old Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband of seven months, Brad Falchuk (he of Glee fame).

In a recent interview, Paltrow admitted that she and her new hubby only spend four nights a week together. The remaining three nights see Brad stay with his two children from a previous marriage. Speaking of their blended relationship, Paltrow burbled: Oh, all my married friends say that the way we live sounds ideal and we shouldnt change a thing. Indeed, there is a lot to love about this kind of lifestyle.

Theres a reason why that I want you to be the man our children spend their weekends with meme took off. True, no one goes into marriage wanting a divorce, but there are some perks to living apart (mainly childcare), and thats just the tip of the proverbial.

While Gwynnie may have been at the forefront of her one-woman consciously uncoupling movement of 2014, she is not the first person to think outside the box when it comes to cohabiting.

 WINGING IT

Ever wondered what David and Victoria Beckhams secret is? Space, and seemingly lots of it. It was reported some years ago that even when the pair are in their countryside home in Oxfordshire, they can be worlds apart. The house has been designed with separate his and hers wings.

The random insider speaking via US Weekly added: I think they quite like having somewhat separate lives. When youve been married that long, some regular distance does you both good!

It wont surprise anyone to learn that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were also wing fans throughout their marriage, before their 2016 split. Another source spilling to US Weekly said at the time: Angelina basically had her own wing and he had his. Almost mandatory when you have six kids between you.

 LOVE SHACK

Expand Close Julia Roberts met Danny Moder on the set of her 2000 film The Mexican (Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Julia Roberts met Danny Moder on the set of her 2000 film The Mexican (Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP)

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Being something of a hipster, a nearby house doesnt cut it for Julia Roberts husband of 17 years, Danny Moder. When he fancies a change of scene from their additional $9million house across the road from the family home, Moder also has a swanky surf shack in nearby Little Dume, Malibu.

According to In Touch Magazine, Roberts forked out $3.9m to give Moder his own incredible surf spot in a bid to stop him from going away on extended surf trips.

 THE BOY NEXT DOOR

When you think of a celebrity couple in neighbouring homes, the names that widely springs to mind are actress Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton. Of living in a conjoined house in Londons Belsize Park, Helena previously admitted: Tim does snore, and thats an element. Weve tried lots of remedies that dont work. He has a deviated septum and doesnt want an operation.

It may not have just been the snoring that became an issue. Perhaps his choice of decor was a bridge too far. Helena added: My house looks like something out of Beatrix Potter, but if you go over to his house, youre in a totally different place. Hes got slimeballs and Oompa-Loompas lying around, and skeletons and weird alien lights.

Still, their unconventional set-up seemed to work for the pair, with Helena also saying: We see as much of each other as any couple, but our relationship is enhanced by knowing we have our personal space to retreat to. The pair separated back in 2014, after 13 years together.

Another couple who purportedly enjoy being neighbours are Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. It was reported in 2016 that they purchased adjacent townhomes, as separate living areas were crucial to the survival of their relationship. In short, Ferris Bueller is wildly untidy, while SJP continues to channel her inner Carrie, maintaining a meticulously organised dressing room suite for her clothes. All is not lost, however, as the couple  whove been together for over two decades  have dinner together and if the moods right theyll have a sleepover.

 KEEPING UP WITH KIMYE

Expand Close Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West attend the Travis Scott Astroworld Tour at The Forum on December 19, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Forum Photos via Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West attend the Travis Scott Astroworld Tour at The Forum on December 19, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Forum Photos via Getty Images)

They may be so intertwined that their names have managed to meld together, but the same cant be said of their living arrangements. Fans of Keeping Up With the Kardashians will know that Kanye recently said hes resettling in his old home of Chicago.

Speaking of the move, Yeezy made the announcement last September (before informing his wife, by all accounts) at an OpenMike night hosted by Chance the Rapper. Speaking to those assembled (and a camera crew), he said: Ive got to let you all know, Im moving back to Chicago, and Im never leaving again!

Asked about the declaration, and whether she and their kids would be moving too, 38-year-old Kim clarified: He told me on that clip. So, I found out with everyone else... I think it would be fun every once in a while. And I would love to spend more time in Chicago, its his home, its what made him and I definitely want to spend more time there but... it would be hard.

Indeed it would, especially as his late mothers house is a one and a half bedroom home.

 Wonderwall

Expand Close US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump speak to the press as they make their way to board Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on October 15, 2018. - Trump is heading to Florida after Hurricane Michael devastated the state. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump speak to the press as they make their way to board Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on October 15, 2018. - Trump is heading to Florida after Hurricane Michael devastated the state. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP)

Apologies, but everyone is well aware that the current POTUS loves a good wall, and seemingly (assuming the rumours are true) one has done wonders for his enduring relationship with First Lady, Melania.

One of the many former White House officials divulged to the New York Times that FLOTUS allegedly maintains a separate bedroom from her husband. This reportedly extends to separate hotel rooms when theyre on the go in different countries.

Well, it makes sense, doesnt it, with all the high-profile meetings The Donald has with world leaders, presumably at unsociable hours.

While many have questioned the couples closeness, Melanias communications director Stephanie Grisham sent an email to The New York Times saying FLOTUS is merely staying true to the independent woman that she is. This should be celebrated, not criticized. Her priorities remain her family, her personal health and her role as First Lady.

Indeed. Many of us would love to have the option of separate hotel rooms or even solo homes. Unfortunately, most mere mortals are barely able to afford the one place to live, nevermind multiple abodes.

Anyway, one could question if youre even a proper couple if you havent continuously seen each other in various states of disarray, warts and all as it were.

To put it another way, if you cant handle the heat, get out of the relationship.Amanda Knox has accused the media of depicting her as guilty over the murder of British student Meredith Kercher despite her proven innocence.

The American former exchange student has returned to Italy for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 over the killing of her British roommate in Perugia in 2007.

Speaking in Italian at a panel discussion in Modena entitled titled Trial By Media, Ms Knox said she was portrayed on the global scene as cunning, psychopath, drugged, whore, guilty.

She broke down as she said the media had invented a false and baseless story, which fuelled peoples fantasies.

Ms Knoxs 2011 acquittal was part of a long legal process before she was definitively cleared of killing Ms Kercher in 2015 by Italys highest court.Cracks appeared yesterday in the support base for a proposed Hong Kong law to allow extraditions to China, while opponents of the bill said they would stage more demonstrations after hundreds of thousands took to the streets.

The extradition bill, which will cover Hong Kong residents and foreign and Chinese nationals living or traveling in the city, has many concerned it may threaten the rule of law that underpins Hong Kong's international financial status.

Opposition to the bill triggered the former British colony's biggest political demonstration since its return to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" deal. The agreement guarantees Hong Kong's special autonomy, including freedom of assembly, free press and independent judiciary.

China has been accused of extensive meddling since, including obstruction of democratic reforms, interference with elections and of being behind the disappearance of five Hong Kong-based booksellers who specialised in works critical of Chinese leaders.

The extradition bill has so spooked some in Hong Kong that some of the territory's tycoons have started moving personal wealth offshore.

A key adviser to Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, Executive Council member Bernard Chan, told Cable TV: "I definitely say that right now it's not possible, at a time when there are such intense divisions, to keep discussing this issue. The difficulty is very high."

Organisers have urged people to take to the streets tomorrow and protesters have applied for a permit to gather on Monday. (Reuters)WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told a British court yesterday that "175 years of my life is effectively at stake" as a judge ruled he would face a full extradition hearing in early 2020.

At a largely procedural hearing, Assange appeared via video link from Belmarsh, a maximum-security prison on the outskirts of London.

Assange sported a shaggy white beard and wore a blue sweatshirt and black-framed glasses. He looked tired. His lawyers said he was receiving medical care at the prison.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot at the Westminster Magistrates' Court said the full extradition hearing to decide whether Assange should be sent to the United States to stand trial for espionage will take place in February next year. A handful of protesters outside the court held banners that read "Hands off Assange, Don't Shoot the Messenger" and "1984 is so yesterday".

Ben Brendan, the lawyer representing the US government in the extradition request, said the case is "related to one of the largest compromises of confidential information in the history of the United States".

One of Assange's lawyers, Mark Summer, said the extradition "represents an outrageous and full-frontal assault on journalistic rights."

Assange is under investigation in the United States for his role in the disclosure of a trove of secret military and diplomatic cables. He is also accused of conspiring to hack into a US Defence Department computer.

In a previous hearing, Assange made it clear he would not willingly surrender to US authorities.

The Australian is currently serving a 50-week jail sentence at Belmarsh for jumping bail when he fled to the Ecuadoran embassy in 2012. His lawyers said yesterday he has no access to a computer or email and that court documents are sent to him by mail.

Legal analysts said Assange would normally be eligible for an early, structured release after serving half his sentence. But they said this does not apply in this case because of the extradition request.

Earlier this week, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid signed a formal extradition request from the US. He told the BBC it was now a decision for the British courts.

"We've got a legitimate extradition request, so I've signed it, but the final decision is now with the courts," said Javid.

Assange was initially charged with one count of conspiring with a US Army intelligence analyst now known as Chelsea Manning to break into a government computer. Last month, US prosecutors announced 17 new charges, under the Espionage Act, for his role in the publication of hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents. ( The Washington Post)Focus of attention: A person dressed as a chicken stands outside as Boris Johnson leaves his home on Thursday. Photo: AP

Conservative Party leadership race front-runner Boris Johnson has claimed it is "perfectly realistic" to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement to allow Britain to leave the European Union in October.

In his first broadcast interview of the contest, he agreed to take part in a BBC debate on Tuesday - but suggested he would miss one hosted by Channel 4 tomorrow - amid accusations that he was hiding from the media.

He also denied using cocaine since a "single inconclusive event" more than 30 years ago.

The former foreign secretary told BBC Radio 4's 'World At One' programme that he was committed to leaving the EU by October 31 and said the controversial Irish backstop problems could be solved by having checks away from the Border.

"There is a clear way that the now effectively defunct Withdrawal Agreement can be disaggregated - the good bits of it can be taken out," he said.

On the televised debates, he said it was "important that we have a sensible grown-up debate".

"My own observation is that, in the past, when you've had loads of candidates, it can be slightly cacophonous, and I think the public have had quite a lot of blue-on-blue action, frankly, over the last three years."

Mr Johnson had been under fire from critics for his refusal to give interviews or go before the cameras.

His rivals Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, and Rory Stewart had issued a joint statement to compel the favourite in the race to take part in a televised debate before the next vote on Tuesday.

Foreign Secretary Mr Hunt accused Mr Johnson of hiding from the media and preventing a wider debate in the party.

He told the BBC: "We can only have that debate if our front-runner in this campaign is a little bit braver in terms of getting out into the media and actually engaging in debates. Engaging in the TV debates."

Mr Hunt, who said he would take part in TV debates, added: "What would Churchill say if someone who wants to be prime minister of the United Kingdom is hiding away from the media, not taking part in these big occasions?"

Earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock withdrew from the Tory leadership race as candidates seek a way to defeat Mr Johnson.

Mr Hancock, who secured 20 votes in the first ballot of the contest on Thursday, said the party is looking for a candidate for the "unique circumstances that exist now".

He tweeted: "I have decided to withdraw from the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. I will now look for the best way to advance the values we fought for."

Candidates need to secure 33 votes in the second ballot on Tuesday in order to continue in the contest.

In his campaign, on the issue of Brexit, Mr Hancock vowed to go to Brussels to broker a time limit to the controversial Irish backstop and said MPs would block a no-deal exit.

It is thought that UK Home Secretary Mr Javid - who secured 23 votes in the ballot on Thursday - may seek Mr Hancock's backing.

Mr Johnson was the clear winner in the first ballot with 114 votes - 71 votes ahead of his nearest rival, Mr Hunt. However, Mr Hancock came sixth.

He said he was "hugely grateful" for the support he had received throughout the campaign and that he was "proud of the way we managed to set the agenda".

"I ran as the candidate of the future, but the party is understandably looking for a candidate for the unique circumstances we face right now," he said.

It came after the chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum made a comparison between Mr Johnson and Adolf Hitler.

Mohammed Amin said he would quit the Tory Party after many years as a member if Mr Johnson was elected leader.

Mr Amin told BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme: "I am not prepared to be a member of a party that chooses him as its leader. I would resign after 36 years."

Asked about Mr Johnson's popularity with grassroots members of the party, Mr Amin said: "There are many horrible people who have been popular. Popularity is not the test.

"The test is, is this person sufficiently moral to be prime minister, and I believe he fails that test."

Mr Amin added: "A lot of Germans thought that Hitler was the right man for them."

Told that was a shocking comparison, Mr Amin said: "Yes. I am not saying Boris Johnson wants to send people to the gas chamber, clearly he doesn't. He's a buffoon.

"But he, as far as I'm concerned, has insufficient concern about the nature of truth for me to ever be a member of a party that he leads."The plight of the Conservatives has been laid bare as a fresh Westminster election poll shows the party in a humiliating fourth position - trailing Nigel Farage's Brexit Party.

The survey, suggesting many Tory MPs are at risk of losing their seats in a snap election, comes as the party's leadership contest rages on, with six candidates remaining in the race to replace Theresa May in Downing Street.

The poll by YouGov also shows Labour behind the Liberal Democrats, with the unashamedly pro-EU party continuing to enjoy a boost in the wake of its successful set of results at the European elections.

According to the research by YouGov, the Brexit Party is ahead of Westminster's established political parties on 26pc while the Liberal Democrats enjoy 22pc of the vote share.

Labour, which is calling for a general election, is trailing behind in third place, as the Conservative Party is in a humiliating fourth position for a second time, with just 17pc of voters opting for the party.

Asked which party they would vote for if there were to be a general election, 8pc of respondents said they would cast their ballot for the Green Party, while Change UK has just 1pc support.

It comes after predictions of a Margaret Thatcher-style landslide for the Tories under Boris Johnson - the frontrunner in the contest - prompted a row among polling experts.

Mr Johnson, alongside his five rivals, will appear on the BBC's live debate on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Vince Cable, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, welcomed his party's newest recruit, Chuka Umunna, who recently left Change UK - a party he had joined after defecting from Labour earlier this year.

Mr Cable revealed during a press conference that he was "having conversations" with other independent MPs about joining the Liberal Democrats.

"He joins alongside 20,000 people across the country just this month, demonstrating clearly that the Liberal Democrats are the biggest, clearest and most formidable force in the liberal centre-ground of British politics today." ( Independent News Service)Amanda Knox, who has returned to Italy for the first time since being cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

AMANDA Knox has accused the media of depicting her as guilty over the murder of British student Meredith Kercher despite her proven innocence.

The American former exchange student has returned to Italy for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 over the killing of her British roommate in Perugia in 2007.

Speaking in Italian at a panel discussion in Modena entitled titled Trial By Media, Ms Knox said she was portrayed "on the global scene as cunning, psychopath, drugged, whore, guilty".

She broke down as she said the media had invented a "false and baseless story, which fuelled people's fantasies".

Ms Knox's 2011 acquittal was part of a long legal process before she was definitively cleared of killing Ms Kercher in 2015 by Italy's highest court.Amanda Knox has accused the media of building a false narrative around her during her murder trial and appeals process, depicting her as guilty even though she was eventually acquitted.

The American former exchange student who became the focus of a murder case returned to Italy this week for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 in the slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Ms Knox took the stage Saturday at an Italian panel discussion at the Criminal Justice Festival in Modena, entitled Trial by Media.

Speaking in Italian, she said she was depicted on the global scene as cunning, psychopath, drug-addicted, whore  guilty.

I am not a monster, I simply am AmandaAmanda Knox

Ms Knox wept as she said the media labelled her Foxy Knoxy and invented a false and baseless story, which fuelled peoples fantasies and talked to their fears.

Her 2011 acquittal was part of a long legal process with multiple flip-flop rulings before she was definitively acquitted in 2015 by Italys highest court.

She said she returned to Italy despite the fact she was afraid of being molested, derided, framed, that new accusations will be directed against me for telling my truth.

Expand Close Amanda Knox gets emotional as she speaks at the panel discussion (Antonio Calanni/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Amanda Knox gets emotional as she speaks at the panel discussion (Antonio Calanni/PA)

Ms Knox also criticised Italian prosecutors, who described a scenario made up of orgies and sex toys during her first trial, even though that version of the story was toned down in the appeal.

She acknowledged despite her final acquittal: I remain a controversial figure in the public opinion, especially here in Italy.

Ms Knox had been accused with her Italian boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivorian-born Rudy Guede of killing Ms Kercher on November 1 2007 in the university town of Perugia.

After multiple rulings, Italys highest court definitively acquitted Ms Knox and Mr Sollecito in 2015.

Guede is still serving a 16-year sentence.

Expand Close Amanda Knox, whose image is projected on a giant screen, sits as she attends the Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena (Antonio Calanni/AP) / Facebook

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During her speech, which was followed by a standing ovation, Ms Knox recalled Perugia prosecutor Giuliano Mignini as the one who accused her in his search for justice.

One day Id like to meet the real Mignini and I hope that when he comes, he will also see that I am not a monster, I simply am Amanda, she said.

On Friday, the lawyer for Kerchers family described Knoxs invitation to speak at the Criminal Justice Festival as inappropriate.

Inviting her to a technical panel on justice was a mistake, Francesco Maresca told The Associated Press, adding lawyers for both parts should have been involved.Donald Trump called Iran "a nation of terror" yesterday after accusing the country of being behind attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

The US military released a grainy video it said proved Tehran was behind Thursday's attack and allegedly showed Iranian forces trying to remove an unexploded mine from the side of one vessel.

"They didn't want the evidence left behind," said Mr Trump, who gave no indication the US planned to retaliate. "They are a nation of terror and they've changed a lot since I became president." Iran has denied responsibility.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UK had no reason not to believe the US assessment, but warned that Iran and Washington were in danger of stumbling into an unwanted war.

"At the moment, both sides in this dispute think the other side doesn't want war. The risk you have is that then they do something provocative that leads to catastrophic consequences that weren't intended," he said.

However, the Japanese owner of the Kokuka Courageous - one of the vessels attacked - contradicted the US claims and said he believed the ship was attacked by "a flying object" rather than a mine or a torpedo.

Yukaka Katada, president of the operating company, did not say whether he believed Iran was responsible.

The attacks came just a month after four other oil tankers were sabotaged in the same area.

Speaking on Fox News, Mr Trump was repeatedly asked how the US was going to respond and replied merely: "We'll see." He repeated his hope that Iran would agree to return to the negotiating table to thrash out a tougher version of the 2015 deal limiting its nuclear ambitions. "I'm ready when they are," he said.

Iran has repeatedly said it will not negotiate until the US lifts crippling sanctions that have devastated its economy ever since the US abandoned the landmark nuclear deal in May 2018.

"We will not negotiate with the United States," said Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader. "No free nation would ever accept negotiations under pressure."

All 23 crew members of Norway's Front Altair tanker were rescued by Revolutionary Guard forces and taken to the southern Iranian port of Jask.

Iranian state media released video footage of the mainly Russian crew, saying they were being treated well.

The US Navy meanwhile rescued 21 crew members from the Kokuka Courageous and later took them back to the ship so they could help tow it to port.

The video released by the US military appeared to show a small Iranian patrol boat pulling alongside it and removing an unexploded limpet mine several hours after the attack. The US said the Iranians were trying to dispose of evidence of their involvement. "It's not a great video, and you can't see much detail... but it looks like what the US says it is," said Richard Meade, the editor of Lloyd's List, a shipping intelligence agency. ( Daily Telegraph, London)The Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit leads the first mass in a side chapel, two months after a devastating fire engulfed the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral (Karine Perret/AP)

Notre Dame Cathedral has held its first Mass since the devastating April 15 blaze, although only 30 people were allowed to attend and the archbishop had to wear a hard hat as he stood among the burnt wood debris.

Exactly two months after a fire engulfed the landmark Gothic building in Paris, the service was celebrated by Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit on Saturday in a chapel behind the choir, a place confirmed by construction experts as safe.

French Culture Minister Franck Riester said this week that the cathedral remains in a fragile state, especially its vaulted ceiling, which is still at risk of collapsing.

For security reasons, only about 30 people  mainly priests, canons and church employees  were admitted inside the cathedral for the service.

Mr Aupetit and others wore construction workers helmets. Some of the workers rebuilding the church were also invited.

Other worshippers could watch the Mass live on a Catholic TV station.

Footage showed some burnt wood still in the church but a famous statue of the Virgin and Child appeared intact behind wooden construction planks.

The annual Dedication Mass commemorated the cathedrals consecration as a place of worship.

This cathedral is a place of worship, it is its very own and unique purpose, Mr Aupetit said.

Today it's a small but a true victory against the disaster we have hadFather Pierre Vivares

One French priest called the service a true happiness, full of hope.

We will rebuild this cathedral, Father Pierre Vivares said.

It will take time of course  a lot of money, lot of time, lot of work  but we will succeed.

Today its a small but a true victory against the disaster we have had.

It is still unclear when the cathedral will reopen to the public.

French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal of rebuilding it in just five years, which many experts consider unrealistic.

In the meantime, the French parliament is debating amendments to a new law that would create a public body to expedite the restoration of the cathedral and circumvent some of Frances complex labour laws.An oil tanker on fire in the Sea of Oman (ISNA/AP)

Crew members of the Norwegian-owned oil tanker that was attacked in the Gulf of Oman have landed in Dubai after two days in Iran.

Associated Press journalists saw the crew members of the MT Front Altair after their Iran Air flight from Bandar Abbas, Iran, landed in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

The Front Altair caught fire in the attack on Thursday, sending a thick cloud of black smoke visible even by satellite from space.

Expand Close Mariners from the MT Front Altair arrive at Dubai International Airport (Jon Gambrell/AP) / Facebook

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The US has blamed Iran for the attack, saying it suspects another limpet mine attack on oil tankers by Iran.

Tehran has denied being involved and accused the US of promoting an Iranophobic campaign against it.

The suspected attacks occurred at dawn Thursday about 25 miles off the southern coast of Iran.

The Front Altair, loaded with naphtha from the United Arab Emirates, radioed for help as its cargo of flammable chemicals caught fire.

Expand Close USS Bainbridge crew members provide aid to mariners on the Kokuka Courageous (US Navy/AP) / Facebook

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The Kokuka Courageous, carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, called for help a short time later.

The US Navy sent the USS Bainbridge, which picked up 21 mariners from the Kokuka Courageous.

Its crew members stayed overnight on the destroyer, returning to their vessel on Friday to help in it being towed.

Iran ended up taking the 23 mariners from the Front Altair.

They initially ended up in the port city of Jask before being taken to Bandar Abbas.

Its crew comprised 11 Russian, 11 Filipinos and one Georgian.

Expand Close The Kokuka Courageous, one of two oil tankers targeted in the Gulf of Oman, was taken to the United Arab Emirates eastern coast on Saturday (Jon Gambrell/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Kokuka Courageous, one of two oil tankers targeted in the Gulf of Oman, was taken to the United Arab Emirates eastern coast on Saturday (Jon Gambrell/AP)

On Saturday, the Kokuka Courageous arrived off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE.

That was the site of a similar suspected limpet mine attack in May on four other oil tankers.

Tensions have risen as Iran appears poised to break the nuclear deal, which US President Donald Trump withdrew from last year.

In the deal, Tehran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions.

Now, Iran is threatening to resume enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels if European nations do not offer it new terms to the deal by July 7.

Already, Iran says it quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium.

Expand Close A false-colour image from the European Commissions Sentinel-2 satellite shows the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair ablaze with smoke rising from it in the Gulf of Oman (European Commission/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A false-colour image from the European Commissions Sentinel-2 satellite shows the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair ablaze with smoke rising from it in the Gulf of Oman (European Commission/AP)

Meanwhile, US sanctions have cut off opportunities for Iran to trade its excess uranium and heavy water abroad, putting Tehran on course to violate terms of the nuclear deal regardless.

In May, the US rushed an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the region in response to what it said were threats from Iran.

Iran previously used mines against oil tankers in 1987 and 1988 in the Tanker War when the US Navy escorted ships through the region.

The price of a barrel of benchmark Brent crude spiked as much as 4% immediately after the attack on Thursday, showing how critical the region remains to the global economy.Actor Dia Mirza and several other stars attended the special screening of her web series 'Kaafir' on Friday. In the series, Dia Mirza will be seen playing the role of a Pakistani woman.

Agencies

This is Dia's first stint with web and she seems visibly excited. During an interactive session with the press, Mirza spoke about the hurdles and challenges she faced while shooting for the series. Dia was quoted in an agency report as saying:

"I was really excited about the new project and more than that I was happy that the series was initially to filmed in Kashmir. But unfortunately due to the 'Pulwama problems' we just couldn't shoot there. We were denied shooting permission in Kashmir. Then we had to begin shooting in Himachal which is also known as mini Kashmir and which is near the Tibet border. So we shot in Sangla and Kalpa villages."

The story, written by Bhavani Iyer, breaks the stereotypes and mentality of the people regarding cast and religion. The actor revealed she was also questioned on playing the character of a Pakistani woman. She adds,

"The storyline of the web series addresses the prejudices that people hold. When people come to me and asks if I fear playing the character of a Pakistani woman amid tensions between our neighboring country, I would say that the series is something which will hammer the mentality of the people against such preconceived notions."

The web-series is now streaming on Zee5 and also stars Uri actor Mohit Raina. The series is directed by Sonam Nair.Acing the concept of work-life balance, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan are real couple goals! Both being actors, have a busy schedule but they still manage to fit in Taimur perfectly and their dreamy vacations are aspirational.

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Taking some time off from their busy life in Mumbai, the couple flew off to London with son Taimur Ali Khan. The couple was in Tuscany for sometime and the pictures that flooded the internet were perfect. And now, Karisma Kapoor too has joined this trip, along with her two kids Kiaan and Samira.

For all those who were missing Taimur on their social media timeline, looks like you won't have to wait any longer. Aunt Karisma has captured a few candid moments from the vacay. Have a look at the pictures.

On the work front, Kareena will be shooting for her next film Angrezi Medium, along with Irrfan Khan and Radhika Madan. She will be playing the role of a policewoman in Angrezi Medium, which is a sequel to the 2017 film Hindi Medium. Talking about her role, Kareena had spoken to IANS and said,

"Oh God, I am super excited for this film. I have worked with all the Khans - Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir and Saif. But for me, it is an honour and privilege to work with Irrfan Khan."She kick-started the #MeToo movement in India but her battle with justice has been a long fight. After Nana Patekar was given a clean-chit, Tanushree Dutta confirmed that she was neither shocked, nor surprised.

And now, in a closure report filed by the Mumbai Police has accused actress Tanushree Dutta of filing a false case after the film producer asked her to pay compensation for walking out of the film and cancelling the days shoot.

Dutta had to shoot an item number in the film Horn OK Pleassss in March 2008 and later, in an FIR, registered at Oshiwara police station last October, Dutta had claimed that the song was originally supposed to feature only her.

However, she was shocked when she saw Nana Patekar forcefully adding himself in the song. She had even alleged that on March 26, 2008, Patekar touched her inappropriately on the pretext of teaching her steps.

During the investigation, police claimed that they could not find any proof to support Duttas claims. Police also claimed that when witnesses were called for their statement, none of them agreed to Tanushree's claims and said that they never saw Nana Patekar touching her inappropriately.

The report, accessed by India Today went on to state that Tanushrees complaint seems malicious and fake, and could have been filed to seek revenge. The police also said that no evidence of an incident of sexual harassment was found.

Her fathers complaint mentions that Dutta did not like a scene in the film and asked Acharya to change it. When he refused, she left the set along with her parents and manager, but their car was attacked by MNS party workers and supporters of Patekar at the exit. Nowhere does the FIR, registered at Goregaon police station, mention that Patekar molested Dutta, states the closure report.

Tanushree Dutta had reacted to Patekar getting a clean-chit and talking to Bombay Times, she called it disgusting and added,

Nana Patekar has been trying to get a clean chit for a while now, and I find this verdict disgusting. I have said it earlier that witnesses in this case have been threatened and pressured so that they do not record their statements with the police. Thus, out of 10 witnesses, only one-and-a-half statements have been recorded."In the nine years since its launch, one fact stands strong: Instagram has changed the way we travel. Stunning destinations, cheap flights and the rise of budget-friendly hotels have opened up the world to millennials, and in a way our parents could only dream of.

Earlier, we would flick through travel magazines or brochures to discover new places or search endlessly online for deals that would suit the pocket.

Now, thanks to the geo-tagging feature on social media, we know the physical location of every cool restaurant, beautiful hotel property and aesthetically-pleasing tourist spot with just one tap.

According to a survey by Expedia, 30 per cent of the bookings made on the portal are influenced or inspired by social media and a destinations photo potential is an important aspect of that.

Unsplash

However, saying Instagram is also ruining travel for some us, won't exactly be untrue.

Once a nice place gets discovered by social media influencers, celebrities or just plain ol' regular folk like most of us, all the photos, each with a detailed caption of its own, lands up on Instagram. And over time, that corner of the world is transformed in to a tourist destination.

Overrun by tourists the place either gets ruined forever or is shut down to prevent further damage.

If you think this cycle is short, think again. All you need for a protected site to be ruined is one trending hashtag.

For instance, when Justin Bieber shot his music video 'Ill Show You' in 2015 in Icelands Fjarargljufur canyon, its fair to assume that he didnt intend to accelerate the beautiful locations demise. But the canyon, which is east of Reykjavik, is now closing due to an unmanageable amount of foot traffic from increased visitors.

While the location was a known attraction in its own right circa pre-Bieber, the head of the countrys environment agency said that the rush of international visitors grew from 50% to 80% between 2016 and 2018.

Unsplash

Conservationists are now worried that photographers or average social media users who geotag precise locations especially in some parts of Africa, are putting some of the wildlife and ecosystems at risk.

As a result, visitors are encouraged to not use geotagging.

This is a quintessentially 21st century photo pic.twitter.com/rXvB12xMm6  the musk stick appreciator (@flashman) 5 May 2014

In November 2018, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board in their annual campaign encouraged visitors to tag responsibly using a geotag for the region rather than specific locations within the park. It was an attempt to reduce overtourism.

The campaign indicated that the landscape was under threat from visitors drawn by the beautiful vistas showcased on Instagram. Down under in Australia, a national park had to install a five-foot fence in its natural premises to prevent visitors from climbing on rocks in their attempt to take an insta worthy shot.

The Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board

What is fuelling our obsession to capture insta-worthy shots and blast them to our followers? The answer is fairly simple.

Sharing travel photos is okay but sharing the same photos on Instagram acquires a whole new meaning, and that's NOT okay.

Average social media users are feeling the pressure to visit the hottest destinations that their favorite influencers and celebrities have visited and replicate the same aesthetically pleasing pictures in return for validation in the form of likes and followers. For most millennial travelers, the quest for the most insta-worthy shot ranks higher than exploring the city they are visiting.

Unsplash

Traditionally, travel was about curiosity, the need to get away, a way to come back home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and most importantly, an exploration of the self.

Now, travel has been reduced to fitting in and imitating what everyone else is doing.

In this age of 'if it's not on Instagram, did it even happen?' what concerns me the most is that if you go for a vacation and choose not to put pictures online, your friends or family might not believe that you went at all.

When a small Canadian seed farm in Ontario invited visitors to come visit its sunflower fields last summer, the result was a bombarding of 7,000 visitors seeking the perfect Instagram shot before a backdrop of gorgeous yellow flowers. This resulted in a man-made disaster for the farm and its immediate surroundings.

Just eight days after inviting visitors, the farm authorities asked people to leave, and take their selfie sticks with them. We are farmers, the farmer told The New York Times. We dont want to be famous.

Unsplash

It really doesnt need to be this way, though. We can visit these wonders of the world, take photos without causing damage or disrespect. Before blindly taking photos, its important to educate yourself about local cultures, traditions and customs. If you are unsure about what to wear, ask. If you are unsure about capturing something, ask again. Always travel with one awareness: no selfie or picture is worthy of compromising the natural environment.

Also while you are there, please dont miss out on taking the view in because you cant enjoy the moment staring at a picture on your phone.Dr. Kafeel Khan the pediatrician who had been in the center of a controversy in 2017 over the death of 63 children in the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur has hit out at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for not supporting him.

Dr. Khan who was initially hailed a hero for saving dozens of children by arranging oxygen cylinders was later sacked and jailed by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh blaming him for the deaths, despite him being the junior most doctor.

Dr Kafeel Khan/ Facebook

Ever since he was granted bail in April 2018 after spending eight months behind the bars, Dr. Khan has been fighting to get his suspension revoked and his dues cleared.

Now amid the ongoing Kolkata doctors protest where the IMA has come out in support of the doctors and has called for nationwide doctors strike, Dr. Khan in a letter to IMA has questioned the organization's silence on his issue.

Dr Kafeel Khan/ Facebook

Later in a tweet, he reminded IMA that he had been running from pillar to post for over two years now to get his suspension revoked and clear his dues.

Dear @IMAIndiaOrg

I have been running from pillar to post for over 2 yrs now

Inspit of high & supreme court order neither @myogiadityanath paying my dues nor revoking my suspension

Plz issue a statement for me too.

I am also from your fraternity. I also have a family to feed pic.twitter.com/A217RtyAhK  Dr kafeel khan (@drkafeelkhan) June 15, 2019

Stating that he is also a part of the fraternity and have a family to feed, Dr. Khan urged IMA to issue a statement for him too.

Speaking to Indiatimes, Dr Khan said he has written multiple letter to the IMA, but has not heard anything back from the organization.

"I had written to IMA in the December and January too. But I have not received any reply. All I want to say is that I too have to make a living and feed my family. I should also get the support of IMA" he said.

He also said that he will file a contempt case against the Yogi government in the Supreme Court if they fail to carry out the apex court's order to reinstate and compensate him.

AFP/ FILE

Dr. Khan who was the then in-charge of the pediatrics department was initially hailed a hero when more than 60 children, mostly infants, died at the hospital allegedly due to disruption in oxygen supply.

Replying to an RTI filed by him the UP government, in its response, accepted "there was a shortage of liquid oxygen for 54 hours in BRD medical college on August 10, 11, 12, 2017 and Dr. Kafeel Khan indeed arranged jumbo oxygen cylinders to save dying kids".'Metro Man' E Sreedharan Requests PM Modi Not To Agree To Delhi Govt's Free Ride Scheme For Women

'Metro Man' as he is fondly called, former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to agree to the proposal as it would set an 'alarming precedence'. Opposing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's proposed free travel scheme for women in the Delhi Metro trains, he said the 'disease' will spread fast to all other metros in the country, making them dependent on state government for subsidies. Read more.

Here are other top news of the day:

1. Tragedy Strikes As Four Sanitation Workers, Three Others Suffocate To Death While Cleaning Vadodara Hotel Sewer

Our refusal to treat sanitation workers with dignity has once again claimed more lives as seven persons, including four sanitation workers, died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning sewer of a hotel in Vadodara district of Gujarat. Read more.

2. Minor Rape Victim Declared Outcast In MP Because Family Didn't Host A Non-Veg 'Purification' Party

In yet another such case a 'panchayat' in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district has allegedly declared the family of a minor rape victim as an outcast after they failed to host a non-veg fest for the community to purify her. Read more.

3. Tamil Nadu Wants A New Road To Ooty To Attract Tourists But At The Expense Of 61 Acres Of Forest

Hill station of Ooty is arguably one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu. The 'Queen of Hills' saw around 10.5 lakh visitors in April and May, at least 53,000 more than last year. Now the Tamil Nadu government wants to attract more visitors to the hill station by building a new road which they say will reduce the traffic on the two existing roads.

Read more.

4. In A First, Traffic Policemen In Chhattisgarh Could Be Wearing Air Conditioned Helmets Soon

We all get stuck in traffic on a daily basis and end up criticising the traffic police personnel for not handling it properly. No matter how much the heat is, traffic policement try to do their best in easing the traffic flow. Keeping this struggle in mind and a first-of-its-kind initiative, Chhattisgarh Police has decided to use indigenously developed 'air conditioned' helmets for traffic cops and other field officers. Read more.

5. Here's How An IIT-Kanpur Alumnus Is Using AI To Improve The Lives Of Shrimp And Fish Farmers

Over the years it has been established that better scientific farming methods and use of technology are beneficial for both farmers and the environment. This is exactly what Rajamanohar Somasundaram has been doing for the past few years. Somasundaram an IIT-Kanpur alumnus and serial entrepreneur is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help aqua farmers to improve their products and thus lives. Read more.Despite having no legal standing kangaroo courts, often referred to as panchayats, have been running a parallel judicial system in many parts of India, especially in rural areas.

They have been known to 'settle' everything from local land disputes to murders often with bizarre punishments.

In yet another such case a 'panchayat' in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district has allegedly declared the family of a minor rape victim as an outcast after they failed to host a non-veg fest for the community to purify her.

The incident came to light after the girl's father approached police against panchayat accusing them of ostracizing the family.

MP: Father of a 17-yr-old rape survivor alleges that village Panchayat in Rajgarh Dist declared them an outcast after he failed to follow its diktat to organise a community feast that would 'purify' her, says, "Until feast is organised we won't be included in the cast & village." pic.twitter.com/bTrcj0pt3a  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

According to the family, the 17-year-old girl was raped by a youth from the same village in January. Even though the accused was arrested and sent to jail, the victim's family was ostracised.

Madhya Pradesh: Police says, "The incident occurred in January. The father of the girl complained that the Panchyat had declared them outcast until they organise a feast with non-veg food. Police has questioned the villagers, nothing of the sort has come to fore, probe underway" pic.twitter.com/VxIUlZSKm7  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

However last month the panchayat offered to accepted back only if they offer a non-vegetarian feast to the entire community.In a tragic incident, a 30-year-old postgraduate medical student committed suicide after he was harassed and allegedly denied leave to attend his sister's wedding.

Dr. Omkar, a native of Dharwad in Karnataka was found dead hanging from the ceiling fan in his hostel room on Thursday night. He was a student of pediatrics at PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana.

According to police, Omkar used the dupatta he had bought as a gift his sister on her wedding which took place a couple of days ago.

Even though Omkar has not left any suicide note behind, his family and colleagues said he was upset after Dr. Geeta Gathwala, head of the department of pediatrics denied him leave to attend his sister's wedding.

They also alleged that Omkar was undergoing treatment for depression after being constantly harassed by Dr. Gathwala.

Following the death of Omkar, other PG student and junior doctors at PGIMS have protested and gone on a strike demanding termination of Dr. Gathwal and seeking Rs 1 crore compensation to the family of the deceased.

Taking note of the protests, Dr. Gathwal has been placed under suspension and an FIR registered against her.Our refusal to treat sanitation workers with dignity has once again claimed more lives as seven persons, including four sanitation workers, died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning sewer of a hotel in Vadodara district of Gujarat.

The incident happened on Saturday shortly after midnight at Darshan Hotel in Fartikui village of Dabhoi tehsil, around 30 kms from Vadodara city.

bccl/representational image

"The sanitation workers had been roped in to clean the sewer. When one worker failed to come out of the manhole, others went inside to check, but all of them died of asphyxiation," in-charge district collector Kiran Zaveri told PTI.

"We rushed to the site soon after learning about the incident and teams of the fire brigade from Vadodara Municipal Corporation and Dabhoi civic body launched rescue work. They took out the bodies of the deceased after three hours of efforts," he added.

Due to inhalation of toxic fumes inside the manhole, the workers fell unconscious and died, police said.

bccl/representational image

After the post-mortem, the bodies were handed over to the kin of the deceased.

The owner of the hotel, Hassan Abbas Ismail Boraniya, is absconding.

bccl/representational image

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

Earlier this week Manhar Valjibhai Zala, chairperson, National Commission for Safai Karamcharis had said that around 801 sanitation workers have died while cleaning sewers in the country since 1993.

Most of these deaths were caused due to the inhalation of toxic gas as the sanitation workers are given little to no protective gears including masks and gloves.Mona Lisa has the most famous smile in the world. It's had artists and researchers pouring over it for decades, and even had a movie titled on it.

The thing is, that smile may not be authentic at all, based on new research. And it might have even been the artist's intention.

Reuters

Three neuroscientists, including Luca Marsili of the University of Cincinnati, have been studying Mona Lisa's smile to find out the truth behind it. They've discovered that, rather than implying she had some kind of secret, the smile is actually a forced expression and Leonardo da Vinci deliberately portrayed her that way.

"Our results indicate that happiness is expressed only on the left side," the authors wrote in a new paper. "According to some influential theories of emotion neuropsychology, we here interpreted the Mona Lisa asymmetric smile as a non-genuine smile, also thought to occur when the subject lies."

With Lucia Ricciardi from St George's University of London and Matteo Bologna from the Sapienza University in Rome, Marsili studied the iconic smile using the "chimeric face" technique. They cut Mona Lisa's smile exactly in half, and placed each piece alongside a mirror image of itself. They then asked 42 people to judge which of the six basic emotions each side expressed.

Proving Mona Lisa's smile is forced

Thirty nine of the participants said the left half of the smile indicated happiness, while none could say the same of the right. In fact, 35 of them felt that they understood the right side smile to indicate disgust or sadness, or was just neutral.

The researchers also pointed out that the painting's smile depicts no upper-face muscle activation. This is called a Duchenne smile, where the cheeks rise and the eyes crinkle, and it's considered a sincere smile. By contrast, Mona Lisa has neither of those.

According to the authors, that means Mona Lisa's smile "reflects a non-genuine emotion and is thought to occur when the subject lies." Which is understandable really, given that no one could find it easy posing with a smile for hours on end while sitting for a portrait.

University of Cincinnati/St. Georges University of London

"We know that Leonardo was a master of 'sfumato'-the technique of shading which is used to demonstrate expression," Ricciardi said. "He deliberately raised her left lip, as if to paint a smirk. He would have known that curving the lip on both sides and adding folds around the eyes would have shown a genuine smile, and he had this knowledge hundreds of years before Duchenne's work in the 1800s."

So the question then is, why did da Vinci deliberately give his subject a forced smile? Well, we still have no idea. "While the Mona Lisa smile continues to attract attention of its observers," the researchers wrote, "the true message it conveys remains elusive and many unsolved mysteries remain to be elucidated, perhaps via the knowledge of emotion neuropsychology."Some of us have studied Sanskrit till class 8, but how many of us actually remember it? Sanskrit is a difficult language to learn and this could be one of the reasons that this rich language of India is not heard very often these days.

But this cab driver just reminded us of the beauty of this language and trust us, youll feel good after listening to him. Speaking each and every word so fluently, the cabbie definitely won everybodys heart on the internet.

The 45-second clip features the cab driver from Bengaluru conversing with a passenger in fluent Sanskrit. The video has been posted by a Twitter user Girish Bharadwaja.

In the video, the passenger can be seen asking Tumhara naam kya hai?

The cabbie tells his name, but it is unclear in the video. The passenger then asks him Tum Sanskrit kab se jante ho? to which he replies that he had studied the language in a meditation house in Raja Rajaswa Sheher when he was young.

Later the passenger asks, Do you talk in Sanskrit or any other language also? and the cabbie replies that he only speaks Sanskrit and it has been 10 years since hes been talking in this language. The next question that the passenger asks, is the question probably everyone watching the video wants to ask the cabbie - Is Sanskrit an easy language? to which he replies Mujhe Sanskrit bahut aasan lagti hai.

At last, the passenger asks how many books he has read in Sanskrit and the cabbie says that he has read quite a few, like the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and all the Dharma Granths.

Watch the video here:

Sanskrit speaking cab driver in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/2Kc5tRrnzU  Girish Bharadwaja (@Girishvhp) June 11, 2019

He left the Internet pretty much impressed as the video was retweeted for over 2,911 times and got 71.7k views.

1.

Nice conversation...

How fluent ....nice  PRASANN KULKARNI (@imprasann1) June 12, 2019

2.

Wow...

I thought I had forgotten the language which I learnt in school for 5 years

I could understand the conversation!!!  Anil P Joseph (@Anil4Joseph) June 12, 2019

3.

how I wish to learn to speak in fluent Sanskrit.  Meenakshi Sharan (@meenakshisharan) June 12, 2019

4.

5.

How proud I am of You dear friend Cab driver ji ! You inspire me !  dr.bharatbhardwaj (@Vrishnivansh) June 12, 2019

6.

7.

Suddenly I got a business idea ,, but I don't have money ,, so sharing this if anyone else can - start a chain of spoken Sanskrit class es and promote it in every platform then see rise of Sanskrit..  Bunty_KKR (@bunty345896) June 12, 2019

8.

Beautiful.

Just beautiful..  Jony Bravo (@Marwadi_gujju) June 12, 2019

9.

10.

Awesome    Balachandar Balakrishnan (@BalachandarBa18) June 12, 2019

While it is great to learn languages from all over the world, it is unfortunate that a language so rich from our own country has ended up being ignored.

A Sanskrit newspaper - the humble daily named Sudharma is all set to celebrate its golden jubilee next year and what is sad is that despite having been around for almost five decades, not many people know about it.

According to a New Indian Express report, Pandit Varadaraja Iyengar - a Sanskrit scholar - had started his printing business in 1945. Sudhrama, an A3 size, two-page, five-column newspaper, had everything - from government gazettes to question papers in Sanskrit. The paper's main aim was to popularize the language.

It is because of people like him that we are connected to our roots. No matter in what part of world we stay in, we should always remember what our country has taught us and where we belong to.In a heartbreaking incident, a six-year-old migrant child from India died of heat stroke, after her mother left her with other migrants to go in search of water, a medical examiner and US Border Patrol said.

The girl named Gurupreet Kaur was found by the US Border Patrol west of Lukeville, Arizona where temperatures reached as high as 42 degrees Celsius, U.S. Border Patrol and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) told Reuters.

Sadly, she died before celebrating her 7th birthday which was approaching soon.

AFP

This is not the first fatality of a migrant child this year in Arizonas southern deserts. Kaur is the second child to have died. Notably, there has been a surge in the number of migrant families, chiefly from Central America, crossing the US-Mexico border for the purpose of seeking asylum.

As per a report in Reuters, the number of Indian nationals crossing into the US and Mexico are increasing. Kaur and her mother were part of a group of five Indian nationals who were dropped off by smugglers in a remote border area, 27 kilometres west of Lukeville in Arizona state, at 10 am on Tuesday.

After walking some way, the girls mother and another woman went in search of water leaving her daughter with some other migrants. "Once they went to look for water they never saw them again," said U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavilbaso.

The mother and the other woman wandered in the desert and were found by a Border Patrol agent who tracked their footprints, after 22 hours of their drop off.

AFP

The mother didnt speak English and communicated through sign language that she had left behind her daughter and two other migrants. Four hours later, Border Patrol agents found the body of the deceased girl 1.6 km from the border.

The Border Patrol blamed the death of the six-year-old on the smugglers for abandoning women and children in the desert. "This is a senseless death driven by cartels who are profiting from putting lives at risk," Tucson Chief Patrol Agent Roy Villareal said in a statement.

Agents tracked the other migrants who were with Kaur from their footprints.Sixty is the new 45, 80 is the new 60, and 100 is  well, really dang old. But even centenarians know that once you stop learning, you star...Veteran actor Ejike Asiegnus wife has come under massive heat following her post on relationships and cheating.

According to the Oge, women can actually stop their husbands from cheating by how they dress in the house.

Sharing the photo of a barely clad woman on social media, Oge said

If every house wife should start dressing like this at home there wouldnt be so much story about cheating.stop tieing APC wrapper for your chest #showoff #sexy #wife

However, her thoughts on this issue are not being accepted by Nigerian women who have taken to her social media page to school her. According to these women, a man would cheat regardless of how his partner dresses in their home.

Read the comments below;President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday told Nigerians he would soon end banditry, kidnappings, and insurgency in the country.

Speaking while delivering his address at the fourth convocation of the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina state, the president, who was represented by Hafiz Abubakar, former deputy governor of Kano state, said the era of banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency in Nigeria will end soon.

I want to reassure the people of Katsina State and indeed all the other states of the federation that the climate of fear being orchestrated by bandits, kidnappers, and insurgents would soon come to an end, he said.

We are bent on subduing the situation and creating the environment for lawful citizens to go about their legitimate businesses without fear or molestation.

The war against bandits and kidnappers involves a lot of covert operations that are not easily accessible to the citizens. But I want to assure you that we are winning the war and by the grace of God, not in the far future. 

Speaking on the running cost of universities, he said: Research, critical thinking, moral dispositions, discoveries, and inventions should find natural habitats in our universities, as they do in several other universities in the world.

Universities are supposed to be strong drivers of the countrys development initiatives for sustainable development.

It is not heart-warming that in our over 58 years of independence, Nigerian universities are slow in discoveries and inventions.Controversial journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has reacted to the attack on the veteran rapper, Ruggedman by alleged fans of the rapper, Naira Marley, who was released from prison, barely 24 hours before the attack.

Ruggedman and Naira Marley clashed verbally on social media over their positions on the raging internet fraud issue, before Naira Marley was eventually arrested.

Rumours have continued to go around that Ruggedman instigated the arrest of the young artist and as a result, the veteran rapper has been on the receiving end of a serious backlash from Marlians.

Naira Marley was eventually released yesterday and a few hours later, news broke out that Ruggedman had been attacked by four men alleged to be Naira Marleys fans in London.

Also Read: Actor Gideon Okeke and wife expecting their first child together

Reacting to the controversy, Kemi Olunloyo made it know that violence is not the answer to anything.

Read her post below:Senate President Ahmad Lawan has assured Nigerians that the era of the slow passage of the nations budget by the national assembly has come to an end.

The Senate president said that the passage will henceforth occur within three months of its submission by the executive.

The Senate president said this while fielding questions from state house correspondents after he joined President Muhammadu Buhari to perform Fridays Jumaat prayer at the Aso Rock mosque, Abuja.

Well, this is a crucial thing that worries everyone, every Nigerian wants to see the national assembly pass the budget in good time and what we have in mind weve campaigned with that and its something both of us in the national assembly have bought into  that well pass the budget within three months by the grace of God, he said.

But I want to say here that it takes two sides of government to pass the budget in good time. I am sure that the executive side of the government would like to present the budget before the national assembly in good time  in September or early October.

By the grace of God, we in the national assembly will ensure that we carry out the budget defence and do the remaining parts of the processes and before we leave for Christmas break, the budget would have been passed and Mr President would have the budget before him to assent.

According to Lawan, both the national assembly and the executive have to create a window for budget defence only, a dedicated period and time-frame- say a month of which only budget defence will be carried out in the national assembly.

It is our desire in the national assembly that every minister, every chief executive officer of every agency comes to the national assembly and defence the budget of his agency or her agency before going out of the country, he said.

That window is going to be available within the one month but that is the only window that is going to be available.

After that for example, every minister or head of the agency who did not come to defend the budget of that institution, we will go ahead to work on such a budget appropriately.

I believe that nobody would take pleasure in wasting the time of this administration, he added.

We are in a hurry, we are thirsty to perform, we want to support Mr President, we want to see Mr President achieve those legacies dreams that he has and we are going to work full course and full time to ensure that we give him the maximum support that he requires.Veteran rapper, Ruggedman is in for a rough ride as he continues to receive death threat from alleged fans of the embattled rapper, Naira Marley.

The Veteran rapper was attacked by four men alleged to be Marlians in London a few hours after Naira Marley was released from EFCCs custody.

The drama continues as Ruggedman has received another threat from a Marlian in South Africa barely 24 hours after the UK attack.

Also Read: Facebook User Narrates How Daughter Hooked Her Mother Up With Same Man She Dated

The fan warned that if Ruggedy baba enters South Africa, that will be the end of his life.

See the post below:FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2017, file photo Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson talks to reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York. Read more

President Donald Trump on Friday said he asked the chief executive of Lockheed Martin to keep open the Sikorsky helicopter facility near Coatesville, Chester County, that the company recently announced would be closed by the end of the year.

Just spoke to Marillyn Hewson, CEO of @LockheedMartin, about continuing operations for the @Sikorsky in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. She will be taking it under advisement and be making a decision soon... the president tweeted at 6:37 p.m.

  While Pennsylvania is BOOMING, I dont want there to be even a little glitch in Coatesville  every job counts. I want Lockhead to BOOM along with it! he wrote in a follow-up.

Less than an hour earlier, Lockheed tweeted a statement from Hewson that said the president had called her on Friday to discuss the pending closure of our Coatesville PA operation. We had an open and constructive conversation and I agreed to explore additional options for keeping the facility open.

Lockheed spokesperson Callie D. Ferrari confirmed the statement.

Earlier this month, the company announced that it plans to close the plant by the end of this year. The firm has 465 employees in its 24-acre campus at 110 Stewart-Huston Dr. The site has three buildings, two of which are leased and a third, called the Heliplex, will be put up for sale, the company has said.

In a letter to U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D., Pa.), who represents the district, Sikorsky boss Dan Schultz said this month that the company didnt have enough orders to keep Coatesville open, so it would shut down later this year when it finished six replacement helicopters for the Marine One choppers currently in use by the president.

Six additional presidential helicopters were to be made at Lockheed Martins Sikorsky plant in Connecticut.

Houlahan had asked the company to reconsider, and introduced a bill that could slow down the helicopters production by requiring the Army to study the shutdowns impact on U.S. defense production before fully funding the work, as if to force the company to keep Coatesville open a while longer. UPDATE 6/15: Houlahan said her proposal got unanimous support from the House Armed Services Committee in a Thursday vote.

I am glad that President Trump joined our fight late (Friday) and, despite our many disagreements, stand ready for him to work with us on protecting Pennsylvania jobs, Houlahan said in a statement Saturday.

Schultz, in his response to the congresswomans earlier letter, said the Coatesville closing would have no effect on suppliers or helicopter availability because resources are already committed to other projects.

But Houlahan, Chester County Chamber of Commerce president Guy Ciarrocchi, and other Chester County leaders said they were actively looking for alternative jobs Lockheed Martin might perform at the plant and other possible operators for the facility, which was expanded using Pennsylvania state aid.

(UPDATE 6/15:) Rep. Houlahan was able to secure a meeting with a senior leadership team member from Sikorsky" to talk about plans for Sikorskys Heliplex at the Coatesville site, the companys timetable for its proposed shutdown, and employee transition support, Michelle Kichline, elected chairman of the Chester County Commissioners and a Republican, added in a statement Saturday. That meeting is scheduled for July 1.

Besides putting hundreds out of work, elected officials worry a shutdown would cut tax collections for the Coatesville Area School District, and for Sadsbury Township, where the plant is located. Ripples of the pending Sikorsky closure will affect related businesses and organizations in the Coatesville area, especially Sadsbury Township where the site is located

Sadsbury Township will be directly impacted through an earned income tax as well as an Emergency Medical Services fee, the reduction of which, according to Dave Reynolds, could even impact the funding of further law enforcement support for the township, said county commissioner Terence Farrell in a statement.

Chester County is the wealthiest -- based on income per capita -- of Pennsylvanias 67 counties, and parts of the Great Valley and U.S. 1 corridors have retained their old industrial base, where investors have continued to modernize factories and warehouses.

Kichline in her statement noted the countys unemployment rate, 2.6 percent, is the lowest in Pennsylvania; if the plant closes, she expects other area employers will want to recruit Sikorskys skilled staff. "We really want Sikorsky employees to stay in their homes and neighborhoods, and wont stop working on their behalf until every affected Sikorsky employee has a job in Chester County, she added.

Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article.Tango cofounder Drew Lakatos hoists the trophy as winner of the Extreme Tech Challenge on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island in April. Read more

Its not something youre likely to see often: a founder of a start-up not yet profitable, in fact only just beginning to generate revenue, sunning and funning around Sir Richard Bransons private tropical paradise in the British Virgin Islands.

But thats where Drew Lakatos, of Fort Washington-based Tango, was for a week in April, sailing on a catamaran, getting up close and personal with lemurs, and zip-lining to see flamingos.

The motivation for his time on Necker Island, however, was serious business  a worldwide competition for start-ups that the Montgomery County company out to prevent hip fractures in the elderly actually won.

Its incredible to be recognized on a global level for something that was really generated in my basement five years ago, said Lakatos, 48, who lives in Allentown.

That something is a high-tech inflatable belt equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth to relay fall alerts by text or email to caregivers. It contains motion-sensing technology to assess when a serious hip-imperiling fall is imminent so that the air bag is deployed in time.

The same week Lakatos was vying for top honors at Extreme Tech Challenge, a competition by a nonprofit devoted to promoting education and science, the team back home was launching the commercial version of the Tango belt. Because it is being marketed as a safety/protection device, it required no FDA approval.

Genesis HealthCare, headquartered in Kennett Square and one of the largest U.S. post-acute-care providers, is currently Tangos biggest customer, said R. Scott Jones, the start-ups CEO.

Within weeks, the belt, which sells for $1,000 and is available for lease  and currently under evaluation by two large insurers in anticipation of eventual reimbursement  had its first save." That was an 87-year-old woman who got out of bed in the middle of the night in a skilled nursing facility and fell on the way to the bathroom.

She fell in what we call the classic hip-fracture fall ... the body coming down on your hip like an anvil, said Wamis Singhatat, Tangos chief technology officer and vice president of product development. The belt detected the fall [and inflated]. She really, truly got up unscathed.

Having such product affirmation within a month of its commercial release was even better than winning the Extreme Tech Challenge, all due respect to Sir Richard Branson, Singhatat said.

Thats why were doing what were doing  making hip fractures a preventable condition, he said.

About 300,000 people a year in the United States are rehabbing from hip fractures, an additional 1.2 million from hip and knee replacement, Lakatos said. He considers Tangos U.S. market opportunity $7 billion when also taking into account people at high risk of falling because of medications theyre taking or medical episodes they experience, as well as those diagnosed with gait disability.

Its main competitors are overseas: Hip-Hope Technologies of Israel, Helite of France, and Wolk Co. of the Netherlands. Lakatos said Tango has substantive issued patents that protect the U.S. market for us," including applicability beyond hip protection, and strong patent filings outside the country.

The Inquirer reported in March 2018 that Lakatos, a serial entrepreneur, got inspired to help prevent hip fractures in 2006 when his wife, a trauma physician assistant, had to leave a Christmas party at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne to treat an 80-year-old woman who had fallen down stairs at home, hit her head, and broke her hip. The patient did not survive, and Lakatos learned at that party from trauma surgeon Robert Buckman that many of his cases were elderly people dying from falls.

Six years later, Lakatos and Buckman, the inventor of Tangos smart-belt technology, cofounded the company, then called ActiveProtective Technologies Inc.  an engineers term ... because we are a group of nerdy engineers, Singhatat said.

The new name, Tango, suggests aging gracefully, Singhatat said. It debuted with a new website, tangobelt.com, the same day the Extreme Tech Challenge finals began on Necker Island.

Last fall, Tango had been among 1,000 companies to enter the contest, which recognizes products making a social impact. The group was ultimately whittled down to 10 companies that pitched to a panel of judges at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Three were invited to compete on Necker Island in April. Along with Tango, they were Elevian, a Harvard spin-out developing new medicines to combat age-related diseases, and LynQ, developers of long-range tracking devices.

The finalists spent a few days networking with corporate executives and investors who later judged their 10-minute pitches, including Jason Illian, managing director at Koch Disruptive Technologies, and Shaun Cooley, a vice president and chief technology officer at Cisco. In addition to market size and profitability, the judges considered the potential of each company for affecting the human population, Cooley said.

Tangos impact may likely affect life expectancy" by preventing hip fractures, which are often life-threatening in the elderly, Lakatos said in a recent interview. The data collected from the belts also offer enormous potential, including monitoring the efficacy of rehabilitation processes, which also could affect reimbursement for care facilities, said Jones, who joined Tango a year ago after 35 years in health care, some of that time running multiple billion-dollar companies involved in senior care.

With no U.S.-based competition and a robust patent portfolio, this has the potential to be a billion-dollar company, Jones said.

Having raised more than $10 million in its early years for research and development, Tango plans to seek an additional $10 million to $20 million within the year to help build the company to the size needed to meet expected demand, he said.

While the victory on Necker Island did not come with any prize money  just a solid glass trophy resembling a cresting wave  Jones suggested the competition had other value to Tango.

It builds confidence in our product, he said.

Added Singhatat: We are still in active conversations with the folks involved with the contest regarding investment. Thats all I can share at this point.In another violent start to a weekend in Philadelphia, 10 people were shot  one fatally  in nine separate incidents Saturday.

According to police, the violence began with a double shooting at 12:50 a.m. on the 400 block of South Street in Queen Village. There, two men, 21 and 22, each were shot once in the left leg and transported to Jefferson University Hospital in stable condition.

At 1:25 a.m., police said, a 30-year-old man was shot in the left side on the unit block of North 39th Street in University City. He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania by a private vehicle, then transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was in stable condition.

At 2:21 a.m., police said, another 30-year-old man was shot twice  in the left shoulder and upper back  on the 3000 block of West Clearfield Street in North Philadelphia during an attempted robbery. He was taken to Temple University Hospital in stable condition.

Two hours later, on the 2700 block of Frankford Avenue in Kensington, a 28-year-old woman was shot in the buttocks. Police said she was taken to Temple in stable condition.

At 5:12 a.m., a 26-year-old man was shot once in the left finger while leaving a party on the 5800 block of Hoffman Street in South Philadelphia. He was transported to Mercy Philadelphia Hospital by private car, where he was in stable condition, police said.

At 1:30 p.m. in North Philadelphia, a 40-year-old woman was shot in the head inside the CBM Deli on the 2200 block of Ridge Avenue, police said. She was pronounced dead at Hahnemann University Hospital at 2 p.m.

At 3:52 p.m. on the 900 block of 22d Street, a 20-year-old man was shot once in the lower right leg. He was transported to Jefferson Hospital. Police reported he was in stable condition. At the same time a 21-year-old male was shot once in the chest. He was transported to PResbyterian Hospital , where he was placed in stable condition, according to police. A firearm was recovered from the scene.

At 7 p.m. police responded to a shooting incident on the 2100 block of Granite St., where a man was shot four times  once in the elbow, twice in the right hip, and once in the left lower back  while sitting in a vehicle. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition.

No arrests were reported in any of the incidents.Though there are sketchy plans for a George Romero museum someday in his adopted home of Pittsburgh, a place where everyone could appreciate and celebrate the work of the horror pioneer, you neednt wait for the brick-and-mortar version.

Theres a Romero museum of sorts in theaters right now. Its called The Dead Dont Die (it opened Friday), written, directed and very intentionally curated by Jim Jarmusch, whose movie is a dryly comic homage to Romero and his classic Night of the Living Dead, half a century old, but as persistently alive as any of its re-animated characters.

The Dead Dont Die is made in the spirit of Night of the Living Dead, and its full of Easter eggs (hows that for a resurrection reference) for devotees of the 1968 classic, which Jarmusch credits with inventing the modern zombie movie, and expanding the possibilities of horror movies in general, giving them fuller access to the realm of social commentary.

For me, Romero is the post-modern zombie master because he made them something else. In the old days, the zombies were like a voodoo thing, where you could take over someone and they would do your bidding, and it was a control thing. With Romero  no control. And also, he did a very interesting thing, which is that the zombies are both the monster, but they are us. They come from within society. They are not Godzilla, you know? They are us, Jarmusch said.

He highlights that point in The Dead Dont Die, set in a small Pennsylvania town (IDd as somewhere in the vicinity of Evans City, where Romero shot, which is about a half-hours drive from Pittsburgh), policed by an avuncular sheriff (Bill Murray) who is stoic in the face of the outbreak, and often pauses to identify the undead by name (I know those kids), as they stagger down the street, past the same diners and motels they frequented when traditionally alive.

The folksy, small-town atmosphere in The Dead Dont Die  Romero by way of Thornton Wilder  emphasizes a point that Romero first made in 1968. In making the zombies locals, he blurred the line between us and them, protagonist and antagonist.

One of the things that Romero accomplished with Night of the Living Dead, and even more so with his increasingly ambitious series over the course of his career, was that he really drew attention to the fact that the zombies are us. Not some monster, but a reflection of ourselves, said Adam Lowenstein, professor of English and Film at the University of Pittsburgh, which recently obtained an extensive collection of what it describes as personal and professional materials from George Romero that span the past 50 years or more. It ranges from screenplays (both produced and unproduced) along with script notes, props, promotional materials and video (both test shots and produced footage)."

The university is already processing the collection and will make the material available soon for scholarly research. There is very preliminary discussion of a formal museum, but more definitively, a multimedia exhibit is expected to open in 2020, to take the measure of Romeros work and influence. Pitt also plans on opening a Horror Studies Center, with the Romero Collection as its centerpiece.

Which was seismic, Lowenstein said.

I think [Night of the Living Dead] is a major accomplishment, because part of what makes horror work is the idea that a monster is other than us, and threatening to us, and something to be afraid of thats outside of who we are. What Romero did with his treatment of the zombie was bringing that horror much closer to home, said Lowenstein, echoing Jarmusch. We see in his movie that we really have much more to fear from each other, than from the supernatural. Obviously, you see that quite clearly at the conclusion of Night of the Living Dead, with the metaphorical lynching that ends the film, where the [black] protagonist is killed not by the zombies, but by the rescuers.

Jarmusch makes a nod to that famous ending in The Dead Dont Die, staging a scene in a farmhouse (intentionally selected to resemble the farmhouse in Night of the Living Dead) in which a racially tinged encounter goes a different way.

Its one of many embedded tributes to Romero, who died in 2017, that are buried in the movie.

There are all kinds of little details for the Romero nerds. The exact same 68 Pontiac, for instance. Also, you hear the phrase Kill the head a lot, and thats from the original. We have the [Pittsburgh-area] place names, the fact that all the information is coming through TV and radio. We even called our company Image Eleven, after [Romeros] Image Ten, and imitated their logo. With permission! Jarmusch said. Also, there are some Mountain Dew references, which was a big Romero thing. He was into Mountain Dew and cigarettes. Tremendous drugs of choice.

Jarmusch is also an admirer of the Romero method of making movies. Both men are true independents  Jarmusch brand and track record give him access to bigger budgets, but he wont make a movie without a guarantee of final cut.

Working outside the corporate system as an independent comes with financial constraints, he said, but it also affords a filmmaker freedom. No studio, he said, was likely to make a movie with a black lead in 1968, certainly not a movie that ended with such a rueful, anti-commercial conclusion. Jarmusch, taking a cue from Romero, made Isaach de Bankole his lead in The Limits of Control.

Jarmusch also likes to work with a tight circle of friends and frequent collaborators, and that, too, is a habit shared by Romero, Lowenstein said.

One of the things Ive learned is how much he approached the making of his films as a community building endeavor. By casting friends and acquaintances and children of people he knew, rather than saying, Im going after the biggest star I can get, to help make the movie work financially. The films are about community, and the act of making them was an act community, Lowenstein said.

Pitt plans to celebrate the Romero Collection with activities this fall. Also in October, Fathom Events will release a restored version of Night of the Living Dead in theaters. The restored version was recently added to the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.

That is a status the film merits, said Jarmusch. He became newly impressed with Living Deads genius while making The Dead Dont Die and was struck by weird undercurrent of sympathy that he felt for the zombies, which sits so uneasily with the existential need of the living to destroy them.

The zombies are also victims, because they didnt choose to be re-animated. They usually come back because it was some screwed-up things humans did, said the director, whose own plague in Dont Die commences when polar fracking tilts the earths axis, prompting the corpses to claw their way out of their graves, and head down Main Street.

They can be used really easily for a metaphor for some kind of social or environmental ill, and thats a big reason why they have become so popular and adaptable, said Jarmusch, who said he is a particular fan of the Korean zombies-on-a-bullet-train movie Busan.

Romero himself was a big fan of Shaun of the Dead, but he wasnt enamored of every zombie iteration.

Its no secret that he didnt care for the fast-moving zombie, Lowenstein said.

The endlessly terrifying, amusing and malleable zombie that Romero created will be around as long as movies are made, Jarmusch predicts.

I like genre movies because I like to do my own take on things, and I think a lot of artists do. Its like Sam Peckinpah said [of genre films]: Its a frame, within which you are completely free.Defenseman Andrew MacDonald, shown diving to deflect a puck, and the Flyers are parting ways after parts of six seasons. Read more

In an expected move, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher announced Saturday that the team was parting ways with veteran defenseman Andrew MacDonald.

MacDonald, who will turn 33 on Sept. 7, played parts of six seasons with the Flyers but fell victim to a youth movement on the back end  and the fact they could use more cap space to improve the team this summer.

The Flyers placed him on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating the remaining season on his six-year, $30 million contract.

Its expected that MacDonald wont be claimed and the Flyers will buy out the last year of his deal. The buyout is spread over two years and is two times the length of the remaining year on the contract.

It was a difficult decision and it was solely cap-related, said Fletcher, who called MacDonald a consummate professional. "We asked a lot of Andrew. And by that, I mean he played the left side, the right side. Hed [sometimes] be a healthy scratch and then we took him back in the lineup. We asked him to play with young players and mentor them and bring stability to our back end.

Per CapFriendly.com, the Flyers will have a $1.17 cap hit for MacDonald this season, and a $1.92 million cap hit in 2020-21. He would have had a $5 million cap hit this season if he remained.

The $3.83 million cap-hit reduction this season can be used in the free-agent market.

We wanted to maximize our cap flexibility, said Fletcher, who is trying to sign center Kevin Hayes before he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

On Friday, the Flyers added to their cap by acquiring Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen ($5.75 million cap hit) for Radko Gudas ($3.35 million)  and agreeing to pay about $1 million of Gudas salary.

MacDonald had no goals, nine assists and a minus-5 rating in 47 games last season.

Hes just a quality person and a guy who played a very effective two-way game for our team, Fletcher said, but we are in a cap world and we made that tough decision today to try and reallocate some of those dollars to maximize our chance to stay in the hunt on some players over the next couple weeks.

Fletcher said he was continuing to look at every option on defense, but I will say that with the move [Friday], it allows us to slot players in their proper places.

He said he envisioned Phil Myers taking Gudas spot as a third-pairing defenseman next season.

Fletcher was asked if he felt he still needed to add a first-pairing defenseman in the offseason.

Theyre not easy to find, he said. Certainly if we can find a guy who can play in our top four that we have the ability to acquire, well look at it.

"I will say that we have some really top-end defensemen here who have the potential to grow into that role. If youre looking at Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim, and Philippe Myers has shown upside. Shayne Gostisbehere is a young man that has been very effective in his young career so far, and by bringing in Matt Niskanen, we feel we have some quality defensemen.

Added Fletcher: Youre always looking to upgrade if you can, and whether we can acquire that player is unknown.

Winnipegs Jacob Trouba, a pending restricted restricted free agent, is on the trade market. If Fletcher can put together the right package  which might include dealing the teams first-round draft pick (No. 11 overall)  many feel he would fit perfectly alongside Provorov on the Flyers top pairing.

Trouba, 25, shoots right-handed, and he had a career-best 50 points last season.

Breakaways

Fletcher said he has had constructive dialogue with Hayes representatives and well see how it plays out. So far, its been a positive process. ... After a slow start last season, Niskanens strong second half makes Fletcher optimistic. He said Niskanen would have been the Flyers best defenseman in the second half or right up there."Former PA Governor, Ed Rendell, speaks on a panel at the CATO Institute in Washington D.C., during an event titled "Harm Reduction: Shifting from a War on Drugs to a War on Drug-Related Deaths", Thursday, March 21, 2019. Rendell discussed his time as Philadelphia Mayor, his work in enacting Prevention Point, and his hopes in starting safe injection sites in the city. Read more

Former Gov. Ed Rendell says he believes the federal government has better things to do than sue a nonprofit aiming to open a supervised injection site in Philadelphia, which he sees as a live-saving measure to stem the tide of deaths during the citys opioid crisis.

In an interview with The Inquirer, Rendell responded to U.S. Attorney William McSwains recent filing in the lawsuit against Safehouse, the supervised injection site nonprofit of which Rendell is a board member. He said McSwain was taking his remarks on the subject out of context.

McSwain cited a Cato Institute speech that Rendell gave this year, where Rendell said he knew supervised injection sites  where people in addiction can use drugs under medical supervision, be revived if they overdose, and access treatment  were against the law.

McSwain has argued that the law in question is a federal statute known as the crack house statute, which makes it a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison to knowingly open or maintain any place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, or using controlled substances. He said he believed Rendell had admitted at the Cato Institute that Safehouse has no case.

But at the Cato conference, Rendell noted, he said he didnt believe the authors of the crack house statute intended to make a place like Safehouse illegal  because it will not possess or distribute drugs  and added that legislative intent is an important part of the nonprofits case.

Do we really want to put those people in jail? [Medical personnel] volunteering their time? he said at the conference.

Rendell expressed a similar sentiment in Reason magazine this week.

The senators and congressmen who developed the crack house statute never in a million years thought about volunteer medical personnel standing by while someone injects themselves, ready to  reverse the effects of the overdose, he said in that interview. Do you think they thought for a minute that that activity should be criminal?

Speaking with The Inquirer, Rendell said the heart of his argument" for supervised injection sites is that prosecutors can use their discretion when choosing which cases to try. Thats what happened when, as Philadelphia mayor at the height of the AIDS crisis, he decided to permit advocates to hand out clean hypodermic needles. State authorities had threatened arrests, but no one was prosecuted.

The U.S. attorney could do Philadelphia a tremendous favor by prosecuting every case where a convicted felon is found in possession of a firearm, he said. Which is a better use of the U.S. attorneys time and resources: Trying convicted felons, or arresting medical personnel who make sure someone who shoots up doesnt die of an overdose?

He also rankled at McSwains characterization of Safehouses religious freedom argument as too broad. The group has said that saving lives in the overdose crisis is an exercise of its members Judeo-Christian beliefs.

Its odd that a representative of a Trump administration would say that using religion as justification was overly broad, when the Trump administration supports using religion as a reason to not sell someone a wedding cake, Rendell said.The beaches were crowded for a sunny and warm start to the Memorial Day Weekend, in Ocean City, Saturday, May 26, 2018. Read more

Back by popular demand: Our annual summer series, Shore.

Reporters Amy S. Rosenberg, Tommy Rowan, and Jason Nark are returning to the Jersey Shore for a third season to regale readers with stories that remind us why a trip to the Shore is a family experience.

During summer 2017, we caught a ride to the coast and documented the Shoobies, Locals & Moments #downaShore. Last summer, we chronicled the rites of a Jersey Shore summer.

This year, were focusing on the theme of families, and we will be exploring the ways families reinvent themselves at the shore, and how the people you see every year become more than your beach buddies.

Were celebrating the people you see every year, and the places you look forward to visiting every summer. Expect stories about a matriarchs role at a beach house, as well as a look at a childs first amusement ride at the Shore and a teenagers last park outing with their family.

Whether youre a shoobie, a lifelong local, or an expat seeking a blast from the past, we hope you will enjoy reading about the scenes that encapsulate a summer at the Shore.

 READ MORE: From beach spreading to Great White fever to the sandboni, catch up on Shore stories

Speak up

For the rest of the summer, were expecting to hear your feedback on family life at the Shore. Readers can comment on our Shore Series page, and we encourage you to join our summer tour on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat using the hashtag #downaShore.

And, of course, follow along as we tell stories from across the Shore points. The first installment of Season 3: Buying back the house will land online June 20 and appear in the Sunday Inquirer on June 23.

The remaining stories will publish each week online  and each Sunday in print  up to Labor Day weekend.

Shore Guide

And if youre looking for dinner recommendations, day-trip ideas, or driving tips, you can find those and more in our comprehensive summer Shore Guide.Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo Co., the Japanese company operating one of two oil tankers attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, shows a photo of the attacked oil tanker during a news conference Friday, June 14, 2019, in Tokyo. Read more

The Trump administration intensified its effort Friday to demonstrate Iran's culpability in a spate of damaging oil tanker attacks, as dueling accusations from Washington and Tehran heightened concerns about military conflict.

American officials said newly released intelligence, including a grainy video, illustrated Tehran's role in twin explosions Thursday that crippled Japanese- and Norwegian-owned ships in the Gulf of Oman.

But European nations appealed to all sides to de-escalate, as statements by the owner of one of the targeted ships appeared to challenge the U.S. account that Iranian naval boats had employed limpet mines.

President Donald Trump insisted that video released by U.S. Central Command that appeared to show unidentified people in a small boat removing something from the side of a tanker  which officials said was an unexploded mine  was proof that Iran had carried out the attacks.

"Well, Iran did do it," he told Fox News. "And you know they did it because you saw the boat."

Depicting Iran as a "nation of terror," the president's remarks underscored the urgency that has characterized his administration's approach to a country it has identified as its primary adversary in the Middle East.

U.S. officials say Thursday's attacks, like a similar incident off the United Arab Emirates in May, was part of an attempt by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to hobble energy commerce as the United States moves to shut off Tehran's ability to sell oil on international markets.

Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran  [without] a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence," accusing the Trump White House of "economic terrorism" and "sabotage diplomacy."

The escalating rhetoric on both sides has alarmed allied nations and generated concerns among Democratic lawmakers who fear that the administration, led by national security adviser John Bolton, known for his hawkish views on Iran, could allow a conflict to erupt.

Military officials have scrambled to reinforce a presence in the Middle East, which they had reduced in an attempt to refocus on China and Russia, while also voicing concern about the potential for conflict with a well-armed and unpredictable rival.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that the impetus behind the attacks on the Japanese ship Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian Front Altair was the administration's "maximum pressure campaign" of sanctions, which is intended to get Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program and its support of militia groups in the region.

"This is a way station to a wider conflict breaking out between Iran and the United States," said Ali Vaez, senior Iran analyst and Iran project director for the International Crisis Group. "If Iran was behind it, it is very clear the maximum pressure policy of the Trump administration is rendering Iran more aggressive, not less."

A day after the attacks, numerous questions remained about what occurred and how the administration will respond.

Yutaka Katada, president of the Kokuka Sangyo shipping firm that owns one of the targeted tankers, told reporters Friday in Tokyo: "The crew are saying it was hit with a flying object. They say something came flying toward them, then there was an explosion, then there was a hole in the vessel. Then some crew witnessed a second shot."

Katada added: "To put a bomb on the side is not something we are thinking. If it's between an explosion and a penetrating bullet, I have a feeling it is a penetrating bullet. If it was an explosion, there would be damage in different places, but this is just an assumption or a guess."

He said he did not believe that the tanker was struck "because it was Japanese," as that would have been difficult for an attacker to determine.

The Courageous was targeted as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran.

"When the shell hit, it was above the water surface by quite a lot," Katada said. "Because of that, there is no doubt that it wasn't a torpedo."

He said the ship's crew saw an Iranian military ship in the vicinity Thursday night Japan time, Reuters news agency reported.

The White House said Trump and Abe spoke Friday about "the circumstances surrounding the attacks," and that the president thanked the Japanese leader "for his effort to facilitate communication with Iran."

Following the attacks, the USS Bainbridge, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer that was in the area, took on board 21 crew members from the ship. According to U.S. officials, the crew of the Front Altair boarded Iranian naval vessels after initially being rescued by another ship.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said that "responsibility for the security of the Strait of Hormuz lies with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

"We showed that we were able to rescue the sailors of the ship as soon as possible," Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The accusation against Iran, he said, is "not only not funny  but alarming and worrisome."

As part of its effort to make its case about the attacks, U.S. officials showed reporters photographs of the Kokuka Courageous with what the Navy identified as a suspected magnetic mine attached to its hull.

One official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity because many elements of the investigation remain secret, said the unexploded device was probably applied by hand from an Iranian fast boat. It is thought to be the same kind of weapon used to blow a hole elsewhere in the tanker and to damage the Front Altair, two officials said.

The officials said the type and timing of the attacks bear Iranian hallmarks. But U.S. officials could not yet say with certainty where the mines were manufactured or exactly how they were laid.

"There's not too many ways in which this can be done," one official said. "Very few that don't involve an individual physically placing it on the ship."

Before the attacks, Iranian forces fired a surface-to-air missile at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone in the area of the attacks, but they missed, a defense official said Friday. Several days earlier, Yemeni Houthi militants shot down another Reaper in the Red Sea. Those allegations were first reported by CNN.

U.S. officials said several nations are discussing how to respond. One option may be to provide military escorts for commercial tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz, one official said, although no decision has been made.

The attacks underscored the vulnerability of commerce in a strategic waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes. It connects energy supplies from Arab nations in the gulf, as well as Iran, to consumers around the globe.

Oil prices rose by as much as 4.5% on Thursday before easing back. On Friday, the price of the Brent benchmark crude oil used internationally closed at $62.06 a barrel, up 1.2% but still below Thursday's peak. The price of the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate grade of crude oil closed Friday at $52.51 a barrel, up 0.44%.

Trump, in another instance of his binary messaging on foreign affairs, appeared in his remarks to Fox to leave the door open to negotiations with Tehran while criticizing its leadership.

"They've been told in very strong terms  we want to get them back to the table if they want to get back," he said. "I'm in no rush."

Officials said the Trump administration was attempting to broaden the international consensus on finding Iran responsible for the recent attacks. That is likely to be a challenge given European nations' ongoing commitment to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal backed by President Barack Obama and their criticism of the Trump administration's more hostile policy.

Germany's government on Friday called for an investigation into the "extraordinarily worrying" incident, but said it had no information on who carried out the attacks, the Associated Press reported.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman also expressed concern and called for restraint on all sides.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes that "all sides can jointly safeguard navigational safety in the relevant waters," news agencies reported.

"Nobody wants to see war in the gulf," he said. "That is not in anyone's interest."

The Washington Posts William Branigin, John Hudson, Steve Mufson, Karoun Demirjian, Anne Gearan, Carol Morello, and Akiko Kashiwagi contributed to this article.Two Juneteenth festivals, one held by the City of Camden on June 15 and one by a city activist on June 30, will take place in Farnham Park. Read more

For more than a decade, Camden has held one Juneteenth celebration, headed by a longtime activist and backed by the city.

Now, because of political tension and miscommunication, there will be two events: One Saturday at Farnham Park hosted by the city, and a second  also at Farnham but on June 30  organized by Mangaliso Davis, who claims the city excluded him from planning sessions because of his criticisms of Camdens Democratic Party machine. Davis over the years has advocated for improving the citys schools and reducing poverty and crime rates.

The city says Davis did not attend planning meetings. Davis contends the city did not invite him to meetings. He began planning his own festival in March.

Its something youve been doing, and then suddenly you cant do it, Davis said of the citys 2019 Juneteenth festival. Whats that all about? Like I said, its politics, and its racism.

In years past, Davis worked with Camden County or the city, along with a variety of sponsors, vendors, and community members, to coordinate the program. Juneteenth, an annual festival celebrated across the nation, recognizes the end of slavery in the United States.

For the last two years, Davis said, the city contributed nearly $3,000 annually, which helped finance the activities and performances.

Davis said Mayor Frank Moran told him this year that 2019s festival would be better." Davis then requested that the mayors office reach out to him with information about planning. That never happened, according to Davis.

Thats not true, said city spokesperson Vincent Basara.

He said the city did invite him to participate. Basara said the city began to plan without Davis only because he refused to attend meetings.

Thats a lie, Davis countered.

Members of groups such as the African American Heritage Advisory Board, the Camden County Historical Society, and City Council have assisted with the planning.

Mayor Frank Moran has placed emphasis on celebrating all of the diverse cultures here in Camden, Basara wrote in an email to The Inquirer. We expect Saturdays Juneteenth celebration to be even bigger than last years event. Its an excellent opportunity to highlight Camdens amazing African American community.

Davis and his cosponsors, which include the Camden branch of the NAACP, First Refuge Church, and the Unity Community Center, will continue to organize their event.

Davis said his nonprofit agency, the African American Commission, has for years been integral to the festival.

And despite their differences, Davis and the city seem to agree on at least one point: Confusion has fogged Juneteenth organizers understanding of the nonprofits role in planning the festival. Both Davis and the city parties acknowledge the festivals organizers have struggled to differentiate between Daviss nonprofit and the African American Advisory Board, which is associated directly with City Hall to raise awareness of African Americans contributions to Camden.

Davis said he has seen an outpouring of support for his Juneteenth celebration and criticism of the citys Saturday event.

This is the mayors way of taking our celebration and making it into an arts and crafts event, the Rev. Levi Combs III wrote in a June 1 Facebook post. This sacred day is about learning and giving back to our people and the heritage it employs. Until this event is planned and programmed for Us by Us, I can not and will not support this political desecration of our peoples celebration.

Keith Benson, president of the Camden Education Association, said he personally does not view the rift between Davis and the city as race-related but added he understands why others may take that position.

I choose to believe, he started to say. Benson then paused and said, I hope that its just politics.

Sheilah Greene, community liaison of the Camden County Historical Society, has been helping the city plan for the Juneteenth festival.

She said she has admired Davis for years, adding that the feud between the activist and the city is separate from what the festival is about: history.

It keeps growing into something that it doesnt have to be, Greene said of the controversy. Right now it feels like an unnecessary divide. We got enough problems going on in Camden. We dont need this. We really dont.David Campli was first allowed to ride his bike into Malvern at age 11. He and buddies from his neighborhood, just over the borough line, would pedal into town, buy candy from one mom-and-pop store and a drink from another, and stay out until dinnertime, recalled Campli, now 58.

There certainly wasnt as much hustle and bustle," he said of downtown Malvern in the 1970s. "Now, its a destination for restaurants  and thats awesome.

Campli, owner of Campli Photography and president of the Malvern Business and Professional Association, is referring to the recent influx of dining options, punctuated last month by the unveiling of Delaware County-based Brick & Brews largest and most expensive endeavor yet.

Brick & Brew already had restaurants in Havertown and Media, marketing director Marcus Dent said. When company officials went looking for a third location, they thought about Phoenixville, Doylestown, and Kennett Square, he said, and then came across a nondescript office building on King Street, Malverns main drag.

The business community, the momentum, in Malvern was on a positive trajectory, Dent said, and we felt like it was a good time to step into that.

Over nine months, he said, they tore the building down to the studs and spent $1.5 million crafting it into a 5,000-square-foot restaurant, bar, and deck.

Its the latest addition to this Chester County borough with working-class roots, a place once known for a Hires root beer plant and condensed milk factory, and its intersection of railroads. Over the last five years, new restaurants and apartments have moved in, bringing fresh energy to the town of 3,000.

The upscale Restaurant Alba, often called one of the suburbs best, transitioned from BYO to full-service, adding a wine bar. Christophers and the Malvern Buttery moved in on the ground floor of a 190-unit apartment complex, Eastside Flats, which opened in 2013. Anthonys Pizza & Italian Restaurant, a Malvern mainstay for more than 25 years, expanded.

The new Brick & Brew has especially excited suburbanites, drawing large crowds even on typically sleepy quiet weekends when folks flock to the New Jersey Shore.

Many residents, officials, and business owners say they welcome the change despite concerns about parking, traffic, and home affordability. Others bemoan a loss of small-town charm and say they believe the area has been overdeveloped.

In his three years as borough manager, Christopher Bashore said, hes seen substantial growth with new businesses and homes, a growth he thinks was kick-started by Eastside Flats, which a spokesperson for the complex said is 94 percent occupied.

People are attracted, Bashore said, to the areas high property values, good public schools, walkable downtown, and SEPTA train station, which provides access to the Main Line and Center City.

Malvern is a great community, Bashore said. People take a lot of pride in living here and being from here.

Lynne Frederick, 52, grew up near Harrisburg, but shes been attached to Malvern since she drove through in 1992, looking for apartments the old-fashioned way.

We were like, This is the greatest little town,' she said. It struck me as a Charles Dickens kind of town.

Shes lived in and around the borough ever since, she said, and now chairs the Malvern Historical Commission. Her beloved Dickens town now looks very different, she said.

When Eastside Flats was built in 2012, no one really wanted it, she said. But the businesses wanted it.

All in all, she said, the redevelopment has been positive.

From his cozy wood-paneled pub, the Flying Pig Saloon, Steve Iacobucci has watched the borough change. A connoisseur of craft beer before it was trendy, Iacobucci said locals fell in love with his place soon after it opened in 1999.

In two decades, he said, the Pig hasnt changed much. Inside, Christmas lights still stay up all year, and patrons continue to donate pig decorations, meant to match the buildings original flying pig-adorned weather vane, the inspiration behind the name.

Outside the pub, however, the town looks much different than it did 20 years ago, Iacobucci said, with fewer antique shops and more restaurants. But he thinks there isnt much more room for growth given that King Street doesnt have wall-to-wall storefronts like some other boroughs.

I dont think its ever going to be like a Wayne or a Phoenixville, Iacobucci said. I think were reaching a saturation point at this time.

Christopher Todd, owner of Christophers restaurant, said he was drawn to Malvern because it reminded him of Wayne 20 years ago," around when he opened his original location on North Wayne Avenue.

Hes found success in Malvern, too, even more so since Brick & Brew opened across the street. After Brick & Brews borough debut, he said, his restaurant logged its most lucrative three weekends since opening nearly six years ago.

In any town, the more restaurants you have, the more people come, he said, noting Christophers has served many diners who didnt want to wait for a table at Brick & Brew.

The new addition has prompted even longtime business owners to up their game, sometimes by doing something as simple as sprucing up their signs, Todd said. The whole town has been refreshed.

Rachel Gallegos, 38, a Philadelphia attorney, moved with her young family from Chestnut Hill to Malvern in 2016, attracted by the boroughs walkability and the Great Valley School District.

Shes come to love the diversity of restaurant choices in the borough. Shes eaten at Brick & Brew twice, she said, but also enjoys meeting friends at the Pig." She likes that juxtaposition of old and new in the downtown strip.

It doesnt feel like a pushing out of the old businesses, she said.

Vicki Sharpless, 61, agreed that the two can coexist.

In my mind, its either grow and change or die, she said. Id rather see it grow and change.

She understands the nostalgia that many of her fellow lifelong residents feel. She, too, loves to reminiscence about playing with the other kids in town  everyone knew everyone back then  and eating at Mary Wilsons luncheonette.

But Sharpless said she saw the town lose some of its vibrancy in the 1980s and 1990s. Shes happy to have seen it become lively again. Not only are the restaurants appealing, she added, but so are places like Scoops & Smiles Ice Cream & Water Ice, a happening place on warm nights.

The only downsides to the growth, she said, are more traffic and a decrease in affordable housing.

Unfortunately, my children cant afford to live in the borough, she said. Thats understandable  but thats also a little sad.Portugals stamp duty implications on the liquidation of trusts

Portugal has not ratified the Hague Convention regarding the recognition of foreign trusts, and it is not expected to do so either in the near future.

Portuguese law, as a rule, does not provide for the settlement of trusts, with the exception of offshore trustsin the Madeira Free Trade Zone. As a civil law country, certain legal instruments rooted in common law, including trusts, are not regulated by the Portuguese legal system.

In light of the above, foreign trusts are subject to the general Portuguese Civil Code regulations on private international matters. Under these rules, a trust must be interpreted as a bilateral agreement from which mutual obligations arise for the parties involved (the settlor and the trustee).

Foreign trusts exist as arrangements, although are generally unknown and lacking civil legislation to specifically and comprehensively deal with them. Analysis of the applicable legal framework must take into account the main features of the trust, including the parties obligations and the effects over the trust assets.

It was only in 2015 that most regulations on the tax treatment of income generated through fiduciary structures were introduced in the Portuguese legal and tax framework under the Personal Income Tax Reform (Law No. 82-E/2014, of December 31).

Tax treatment on liquidation

One of those regulations applies to values allocated on liquidation, revocation, and termination of fiduciary structures to taxpayers (other than those that have incorporated them, i.e. non-settlors).

It sets out that such values are not subject to Personal Income Tax, but rather fall within the scope of Portuguese Stamp Duty. Hence, values allocated upon liquidation, revocation, and termination of fiduciary structures to non-settlor Portuguese resident taxpayers are considered gratuitous transfers subject to Stamp Duty in Portugal at a 10% rate (increased to 10.8% for real estate assets located in Portugal).

However, because of the territorial scope of Stamp Duty, the tax only applies if the assets are deemed to be located in Portugal, specifically to:

Rights over movable assets or real estate in Portugal; Shareholdings where the entity has its head office, place of effective management, or permanent establishment (PE) in Portugal (provided the purchaser also has its domicile in Portugal); and Monetary values deposited at credit institutions with their head office, place of effective management, or PE in Portugal, or, in case of non-deposited monetary values, the transferor has is domicile, head office, place of effective management or PE in Portugal.

Stamp duty territorial scope considerations

Accordingly, distribution of assets resulting from the liquidation of a fiduciary structure to its beneficiaries will only trigger Portuguese Stamp Duty if the assets are deemed to be located in Portugal, pursuant to the aforementioned criteria.

Otherwise, there will be no territoriality for Stamp Duty purposes on a direct allocation of the assets to a Portuguese tax resident beneficiary.

The territorial scope of Stamp Duty described above comes from the general rules of the Stamp Duty Code (no specific territorial rule was introduced regarding the termination of fiduciary structures).

In other words, when we say that there will be no territoriality for Stamp Duty purposes(if the assets are not deemed to be located in Portugal), we believe that this is the correct interpretation of the applicable rules.

According to the recent binding rulings issued by the Portuguese tax authorities addressing cases of distribution of assets on the liquidation of fiduciary structures, the Portuguese tax authorities fortunately take the same view (i.e. no Stamp Duty is due on the distribution of non-Portuguese located assets to a Portuguese tax resident beneficiary (that is not a settlor) as a result of the liquidation.

In fact, Portuguese tax authorities clearly state that assets distributed in the context of liquidating fiduciary structures to a Portuguese tax resident beneficiary are only subject to Stamp Duty in Portugal provided the objective, subjective and territorial scope of Portuguese Stamp Duty is verified.

Structuring a liquidation

Notwithstanding the current binding rulings of the Portuguese tax authorities, one must proceed with caution. Liquidating a fiduciary structure with a Portuguese tax resident beneficiary must be properly structured to mitigate the possibility of being scrutinised by the Portuguese tax authorities and ultimately triggering Stamp Duty.

In particular, two issues must be considered when structuring:

The documentation supporting the liquidation of a fiduciary structure must undoubtedly prove that the asset allocation aims at terminating the fiduciary structure; and The fiduciary structure must be totally terminated (partial liquidation or termination is not advisable).

Overall, liquidating fiduciary structures with assets allocated to a non-settlor may be an interesting planning route, especially for individuals considering a change of tax residence to Portugal to take advantage of the tax incentives of our Non-Habitual Tax Resident Regime, as well as for those already in Portugal wishing to restructure their wealth at the lowest tax rate possible.

Diogo Ortigao Ramos Marta Duarte Silva

This article was written by Diogo Ortigao Ramos and Marta Duarte Silva of Cuatrecasas Portugal.

Email: dortigaoramos@cuatrecasas.com

Email: marta.duartedasilva@cuatrecasas.com

Tel: +351 355 38 00

Website: https://www.cuatrecasas.com/





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Share this articleAfter five months on the ground, Irelands first charity-funded air ambulance is finally set for take-off  with a promise of delivering pre-hospital emergency care within 20 minutes to those in need.

The breakthrough agreement between the HSE and Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) will allow paramedics to bring medical equipment equivalent to that of a hospital emergency room to the scene of life-threatening incidents.

John Kearney, the driving force behind the project and director of ICRR, said they are delighted the project finally has approval to get airborne  all they need now is a definitive date.

The sooner this vital service is live, the sooner a life will be saved and grief will be spared, he said.

The helicopter spent five months in a hangar in Rathcoole, Co Cork, pending sign-off on a service level agreement, at a cost of tens of thousands per month, with its pilots travelling to the UK to maintain their flying hours.

Great to see that finally the HSE have signed a contract with Irish Community Rapid Response . This will provide Air Ambulance cover for Munster. I met John Kearney and his team in Kinsale last September and I have been campaigning for this development sense. pic.twitter.com/G2z6Jw2jJQ  Tim Lombard (@voteTimLombard) June 14, 2019

The charity is funding the leasing and operation of the aircraft, and the Department of Health will provide the paramedic personnel on board. ICRR has spent more than 50,000 on paramedic training and almost 400,000 developing an airbase in Rathcoole.

Mr Kearney said the next big thing they need is public support to keep it here.

ICRR is a charity and in the contract we have committed to fundraising 2m annually to pay for the helicopter, the pilots, the airbase, and the fuel, he said.

That is why this is a community air ambulance. To keep this service in the air, we will be reliant on the publics long-term support, and I am confident that this can be achieved.

The Irish Community Rapid Response air ambulance base at Rathcoole aerodrome near Millstreet in Co Cork. Air ambulance crew helmets still in plastic wrapping, as the charity awaits HSE clearance to go live.

Mr Kearney said they are hopeful a new helipad due for construction at Cork University Hospital would go ahead shortly. A planning application was lodged last November but planners sought additional information.

The air ambulance is expected to respond to up to 500 calls per year, and bring the population of a 10,000 square mile area within 20 minutes of critical medical care.

Examples of incidents which it expects to respond to include airlifting seriously ill patients from remote areas or accident scenes to hospital, as well as transporting stroke and heart attack patients.

Health Minister Simon Harris said he is delighted that a new aeromedical service in the south will commence shortly.

Martin Dunne, director of the National Ambulance Service, said the new service would assist with the enhancement of patient care delivery in the south of Ireland.The EUs top court has said Ireland should be subject to large daily fines, already amounting to almost 4m, for failing to comply with EU legislation that might have prevented landslides caused by the construction of a wind farm in 2003.

A legal opinion issued by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has proposed that the State should be handed a daily fine of 1,000 for every day since its earlier ruling on July 3, 2008, until it achieves compliance with EU environmental legislation on assessing the impact of the development of a wind farm at Derrybrien in south Galway. Such a fine, if confirmed by the full ruling of the CJEU later this year, would result in a figure of 3,998,000 to date.

The opinion by a CJEU advocate general Givoanni Pitruzzella also recommended that the Government should face a daily fine of 10,000 until it meets its obligations following the full ruling in the present case.

The European Commission brought the legal proceedings against Ireland over its alleged failure to comply with the judgment in relation to the Derrybrien wind farm, which was the location of a 2km landslide on October 16, 2003.

Tonnes of peat were dislodged from an area under development for the project and polluted the Owendalulleegh River, resulting in the death of 50,000 fish and causing lasting damage to fish spawning beds.

The CJEU subsequently ruled that Ireland had failed to fulfil its obligations as an EU member state by not carrying out any assessment of a project likely to have significant effects on the environment prior to the granting of planning.

The Government claimed the courts were likely to block any attempt by it to force the operator of the Derrybrien wind farm to submit a substitute consent process and that a remedial environmental impact assessment, sought by the European Commission, could only be obtained with the voluntary co-operation of the wind farm operator. It claimed the delays in adopting measures to implement the 2008 ruling were also due to the complexity of the underlying legal issues.

Mr Pitruzzella disagreed that the issue raised such legal complexities as to justify a virtual stalemate for more than 10 years. He claimed that not only had no environmental impact assessment been carried out on the wind farm over the past decade, but Ireland took no concrete measures to obtain such a report. He said all explanations put forward by the Government for the delay had to be rejected.

Saying the non-compliance was at a most serious level and its duration excessive, Mr Pitruzzella said Ireland had never disputed the fact that the landslide was caused by construction work on the wind farm. Therefore, he said it could not be ruled out that a prior assessment of the environmental effects might have prevented the damage.

At the time, Derrybrien was the biggest ever wind farm in the Republic and one of Europes largest, with 70 turbines. Its construction required the removal of large areas of forest and extraction of peat up to a depth of 5.5 metres.

Last year a commission spokesman said the site could still benefit from mitigation and remediation measures which could be identified by an environmental impact assessment.

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government said it had been in regular communication with Brussels on the issue and remained committed to ensuring that an appropriate environmental review of the wind farm took place.A HIV prevention strategy using a highly effective drug will be launched in the autumn.

Health Minister Simon Harris and Health Promotion Minister Catherine Byrne say they are committed to implementing the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has advised Mr Harris that a national PrEP programme would be safe, effective, and cost-saving.

Hiqa published a health technology assessment recommending the PrEP programme for people at substantial risk of acquiring HIV by sexual transmission.

The authoritys director of health technology assessment and deputy chief executive, Dr Mairin Ryan, said HIV remained a significant public health concern.

There were 492 diagnoses of HIV notified in Ireland in 2017. Just over half of all notifications were in men who have sex with men, said Dr Ryan.

Mr Harris said they wanted to reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses in Ireland, and increasing the availability of PrEP would help them to do that.

This report not only confirms that PrEP can help to prevent HIV amongst those who are high risk, but it also shows how a PrEP programme could save money, he said.

PrEP is the most recent development in HIV prevention and involves people who are HIV negative taking a daily pill to help prevent infection.

However, it is important that people taking part in a PrEP programme receive advice on taking the medication appropriately and undergo frequent HIV testing.

Dr Ryan said there would need to be a significant investment in public sexual health services for a national PrEP programme to ensure a safe, sustainable, and equitable service.

The primary barriers to introducing a PrEP programme in public STI clinics in Ireland relate to staffing and infrastructural issues, she pointed out.

A PrEP programme will cost 1.5m in the first year and 5.4m over five years. Hiqa estimated that a break even point would be reached by year 14.

Meanwhile, HIV Ireland has welcomed the Governments commitment to join the international Fast-Track Cities initiative to reduce HIV infections.

Additional funding of 450,000 will be spent on community-based HIV testing and outreach services as well as public campaigns on stigma reduction and promotion of the new PrEP programme.

HIV Ireland executive director, Niall Mulligan, said HIV is a major health issue in Ireland with a provisional figure of 528 new cases reported last year.A Limerick man received a priceless gift from the US secret service after he told them how much he loved President Donald Trump.

Martin Doyle, 28, is a huge fan of Trump, and was lucky enough to meet two members of his security team who spent time drinking in the Limerick bar where he works.

I was working the Monday and there were lots of Americans around the town.

You could tell they were not ordinary Americans on holiday. I could tell they were involved in some capacity with the Trump visit, said Martin, who plays with the Downtown Dixieland Band. I told them how much I was a fan of Donald Trump, that I was going to Doonbeg.

Martin did journey to the Clare village hoping get a word with President Trump himself.

Wearing a sweater bearing the line: Donald Trump, finally someone with balls, and draped in an American flag, he was spotted by the presidents son Eric Trump, who was taking in pubs in Doonbeg with

alongside his brother Don Jr.

The minute he saw the jumper and saw what it said, he pointed over at me, and said theres a great man there, come over and shake my hand, Martin said.

I asked him to give my regards to his father. I am a big fan of his.

Martin was pictured by a Reuters photographer, and quoted in media across the world.

Back behind the bar the next day, the US secret service, having remembered him from earlier in the week, returned to give Martin a unique money holder, which has the official presidential seal, and is engraved with the autograph of Mr Trump.

It was special. Im not going to use it. I might frame it. Its something I will treasure, he said.

Asked why he is a fan of President Trump, Martin said: I was always a fan of Donald Trump. I loved the way everything was always bigger and better. It was always his persona. He was voted in as a disruptor, and thats what he did.

He disrupted the mainstream politics of America and thats what people wanted.

He wasnt a politician, he doesnt speak like a politician.

He ran on certain policies, and hes trying his level best to implement these policies.

Hes one of the few politicians who I have seen in my lifetime who is being hammered in the media and by the left, and is still winning.

Martin believes the money-holder is relatively rare, given it has the presidential seal and Trumps autograph on it.

British journalist Piers Morgan, a long-time friend of the president, was given the same item following an interview he conducted for British television.An Garda Siochana has said there were 91 findings of "neglect of duty" against gardai last year.

Details released under the Freedom of Information show 118 officers were found to have committed breaches of discipline in 2018.



By ABC News, June 12, 2019





South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg walked silently by the White House to attend civil rights leader Rev. William Barbers Moral Witness Wednesday an interfaith event held near the White House.





Barber is the latest African American faith-based leader Buttigieg has met with this month in his continued efforts to gain traction in the African American community. The candidate has acknowledged that he is having a tough time connecting with black voters despite outreach efforts, op-eds, radio and television appearances and speeches to predominantly black audiences.se of 17% in the number of hate crimes reported to the FBI during the Trump presidency.Latest waiting list figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show that they continued to climb this month, reaching 558,484 last week.

There were 556,411 people waiting for an outpatient appointment with a consultant at the end of May, but the list increased by a 2,073 a week later.

At the end of April, there were 551,965 people waiting, with 4,446 added to the list last month.

Patient advocate, Stephen McMahon, said the outpatient waiting list needed to be addressed immediately.

Mr McMahon, who is chairman and co-founder of the Irish Patients Association, said he was gravely concerned about the matter.

The number of patients waiting more than 12 months had almost trebled over the last three years. This is a frightening trend and a serious patient safety issue, said Mr McMahon.

A patients right to timely access to care, the avoidance of unnecessary pain and suffering, and to be treated with dignity are being denied.

Fianna Fails health spokesman, Stephen Donnelly, said there had been an increase of 40,000 in the number of people waiting for an outpatient appointment since the end of last year.

Mr Donnelly recalled that Simon Harris, the health minister, said he hoped to stabilise outpatient waiting lists this year. He didnt say what this meant but I doubt that anyone could define it as an increase of almost 8% in five months.

The real concern was for people waiting a long period, the long waiterswhere there was an even bigger percentage increase 18% over the past 18 months.

Some 106,145 have been waiting since at least November 2017, said Mr Donnelly.

The words scandal or disgrace can be overused in politics, but I think they are the only words we can use in this situation. We have to keep in mind too that when these people finally see a consultant they may also have to wait a long time for any necessary treatment.

According to the NTPF figures, 106,145 people are waiting for more than a year and a half for an outpatient appointment.

However, the number of patients waiting for inpatient or day case treatment fell slightly, from 70,295 to 68,765.

There was also a fall of 107 in the number of patients waiting for a gastrointestinal test over the last two months  from 22,220 to 22,113.

The NTPF points out that 1,363 of the 27,928 waiting 15 to 18 months for an outpatient appointment have an appointment date within the next six weeks.

Also, 4,610 of the 106,145 waiting over 18 months have an appointment date within the next six weeks.The two men who died in a plane crash in Co. Kildare on Thursday night have been named.

70-year-old James Price and 58-year-old Aidan Rowsome were killed after their small plane came down in a remote field at Belan near Athy.

The remains of the wreckage have now been removed to the Air Accident Investigation Units facility in Gormanston, Co. Meath, and will be further examined today.

Air accident investigators have said heavy rainfall has not helped their efforts to discover the cause of the aircraft crash in County Kildare on Thursday night.

The wreckage was located by the Rescue 116 helicopter at around 4.30am yesterday morning, three hours after the alarm was raised.

Speaking from the scene, lead investigator Howard Hughes, said there was no distress signal from the plane, but a radio transponder code led rescuers to the crash-site.

Mr Hughes said: "I immediately contacted Dublin Air Traffic Control where they commenced a playback of the ATC tapes for a timeframe when it was assumed the aircraft might have been airborne.

"The trace only lasted for about one minute, it is what is known as a 7,000 conspicuity transponder squawk that the pilot had put on and it showed the position of the aircraft briefly in this area.

Superintendent Martin Walker (right) along with Howard Hughes (centre) and John Owens, of the Air Accident Investigation Unit, speak to the media near the scene in Belan, Moone, in Co. Kildare. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

"Indications are there was no communication from the aircraft, nor would the pilot have been obliged to have done so.

"Kilrush airfield is situated in airspace where they do not have to make radio contact with any of the major air traffic control units around Ireland - so our understanding at this stage is there was no communication."The Inspector of Prisons said it is repeating recommendations on the deaths of vulnerable inmates over and over again, but that prison authorities do not appear to be taking steps to prevent such fatalities recurring.

In a hard-hitting attack, the new inspector said the failure of the Irish Prison Service (IPS) to enforce recommendations in successive death in custody reports meant they were not receiving sufficient attention.

Inspector Patricia Gilheaney said there should be zero tolerance of cases where there is a failure to carry out the required observations of vulnerable inmates and that appropriate disciplinary action should be taken.

Responding, the IPS said the director general Caron McCaffrey was concerned at the points raised, and that an action plan was in place to resolve all of the inspectors recommendations.

Ms Gilheaney made her comments in a foreword to an inspection report conducted by acting inspector Helen Casey.

Ms Casey, a principal officer in the watchdog, examined the case of the death of a 31-year-old inmate in Limerick Prison (identified only as Prisoner G) after he was found with a ligature around his neck in his cell on May 6, 2017.

Key points in Ms Caseys report reveal:

It was Prisoner Gs first time in jail, and he had only been in custody for nine days;

He was on remand in custody waiting to face charges at the time of his death;

Prisoner G was on special observation  meaning checks by staff every 15 minutes;

An examination of CCTV by a chief officer in the prison, on behalf of the inspector, found that five prison officers checked on the inmate, but that the time variation between checks varied from 28 minutes to 2.54 hours;

He should have been checked 39 times, but the Chief Officer found only nine checks were conducted;

While the chief officer had initially saved the CCTV footage and supplied a written report to the inspector, the footage could not be located by IT staff at IPS headquarters, HQ and it may have been accidentally deleted.

The inspectors report said: There was no explanation provided by the five officers as to why the cell checks were not every 15 minutes. The report said the prison governor stated that staff were unable to conduct 15-minute checks due to other operational demands on the night, including an incident for over two hours.

Ms Gilheaney said that over the past six years the office had identified a failure to adhere to special observations, including in the case of Prisoner G.

It is clear the controls in place were inadequate, she said.

It is noted that similar recommendations have been made in death in custody reports over and over again and therefore it leads me to conclude that they have not been receiving sufficient attention.

She said the failure to record and/or retain CCTV footage should be considered a very serious matter.

She said it was of serious concern that the opportunity to prevent recurrence of similar deaths does not appear to be sufficiently addressed.

The IPS said the inspector had raised a number of points which are of concern to the director general, who had put in place an action plan to resolve all of the recommendations.

It said the measures would ensure compliance with the 15-minute requirement and guidelines on disciplinary sanctions would be published internally in the coming days.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust said the failure of the IPS to secure evidence was of particularly grave concern.Waterford Council has granted planning permission for a combined 30mw solar farm in the Comeragh region of the county.

Dublin-based BNRG Renewables, operating as BNRGN Mothel Ltd, plans to construct the farm on 35- and 12-acre sites in the townlands of Curraghduff and Mothel respectively.

The company proposes to export the generated electricity to the national grid via a new 110kv substation close to an existing overhead powerline that bisects the two sites.

An application for this structure has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala with a decision expected in September.

Planning for the solar panels was granted subject to 22 conditions.

These include a 25-year operation period, the omission of some panels at the Curraghduff site that are located adjacent to a dwelling, and an instruction that transformers, inverters, and fencing be of a dark colour.

The conditions also forbid artificial lighting without prior permission and the installation of CCTV.

BNRGN Mothel claims the development will provide enough power for approximately 7,200 homes and eliminate 12,900 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifespan.

The permission comes despite 56 submissions from residents opposed to the development.

Objectors say they do not oppose renewable energy but would favour community rather than corporate ownership.

Concerns were raised in regard to the proximity of electromagnetic waves, water run-off from panels, glint and glare, the effect on wildlife, and construction traffic upheaval.Dateline Federalism, Democracy and the 2020 Elections

This week, Dateline and guests discuss the 2020 elections, ethnic parties and the NLD.

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Free and fair elections are instrumental for the progress of Myanmars democratic transition to continue. There is just one year until the next general elections are held in 2020. It is fair to say that Myanmar has the largest number of political parties among ASEAN nations. Currently, there are 98 registered parties and it is expected that more than 100 parties will be registered to compete in the 2020 election. We can roughly divide these parties into three groups: the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD); ethnic and democracy parties; and the (military-backed) Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and its allies. Well find out the electoral strategies of ethnic and democracy parties. U Sai Leik, general secretary of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and Ko Aung Moe Zaw, chairman of the Democratic Party for a New Society, will join me to discuss this. Im The Irrawaddys English editor, Kyaw Zwa Moe.

As I have said, Myanmar has the largest number of political parties in Southeast Asia. There were over 90 political parties in the 1990 election, and there were 93 parties in 2015. And there are nearly 100 parties now. In Thailand, there are just over 70 parties. In Indonesia, the number is much smaller, just around 15. And the same is true in the case of the Philippines. So, it seems it is quite a challenge to win an election here. Ko Aung Moe Zaw, how have you prepared to ensure victory in 2020 election?

Aung Moe Zaw: We need to secure a position in the Parliament to have a say regarding our beliefs and to represent the people on certain issues, but we are unlikely to win many seats. As of now, we have to prepare with a focus on potential constituencies where we are likely to win.

Secondly, as everyone knows, the ruling party is very strong. So strong that the voices of democratic parties, democratic forces and progressive people can in no way influence them. The ruling party is in a position to decide whether or not to listen to those voices. We need a position in the Parliament to criticize and/or make suggestions about the actions of the ruling party. Our party alone cant do this.

We have allies with whom we have worked for a long time, especially ethnic parties that are more popular than us in their respective [ethnic] states and regions. If we can form an election coalition with ethnic parties that have a genuine desire for democracy and federalism, we hope we will be able to adjust to a certain extent the political situation of the country today. And we have to engage in dialogue with our allies to prepare for that.

KZM: With how many ethnic parties do you think a partnership will be viable?

AMZ: They have worked with us for many years, we have trust in them. The United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) and its members, those parties have consistently supported the cause of democracy. I think there are 15 parties [in the UNA].

KZM: The SNLD is one of them. U Sai Leikas Ko Aung Moe Zaw suggested, in the political history of our country, single parties have dominated. The USDP won the majority in the 2010 general election, which was, however, not recognized as free and fair. And the NLD won the 2015 general election. What is the strategy of your party for the 2020 election to amplify the voices of ethnic parties and foster diversity?

Sai Leik: After the 1990 election it took 20 years for us to see another election, in 2010. How much progress did we see during that period? Though there were promises of change, there has been little progress to date. And the 2015 election was not a meaningful one because the government has not been able to perform the way that people had wished to see. Their performance regarding transparency, responsibility and accountability is unsatisfactory. As there is no properly-functioning government or parliament, the prospects for peacewhich the whole nation desireslook dim. So, instead of approaching the election with the sole focus of securing power, if we approach it from the perspective of building the Union and [fostering] political dialogue, I hope then we will be able to make a move.

The electoral system practice now is first-past-the post (FPTP), which deprives ethnicities the right of representation. For example, in a town where only two ethnic groups reside, [a representative] of one group wins [the election] with 51 percent [of the vote], the other group that gets 49 percent [of the vote] loses. This means that second group cant be represented in either the Parliament or the [local] government.

We need to think about how to amend this. Only when the existing electoral system is amendedbefore the 2020 electionwill it be able to achieve peace, which all we desire. I think the current winner take all system is not a practical approach to the internal peace process.

KZM: The current system FPTP is based on the 2008 Constitution, and I think it would be difficult to amend it. Have you considered a coalition for the 2020 election given the current situation?

SL: Yes, we have considered it and agree with it. Now the NLD is in power, and we dont know yet which party will be in power next time. But then, since the time of the Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League, there have only been two major choices. In Shan we call it the black buffalo and the red buffalo. You choose either black or red, so ethnicities were deprived of their rights to express their voices. Similarly, there are only two choices: the red [the NLD] and the green [the USDP]. So ethnic groups are still losing their voice. Even if according to the 2008 Constitution, for example in Rakhine State, the RNDP [Rakhine Nationalities Development Party], which represents the majority of Arakanese people, won the election and wanted to appoint the chief minister, it couldnt. It wants to form the [Rakhine State] government, but cant. The 2008 Constitution doesnt state that the winning party has to appoint ministers from its party members. It can approach politically and engage in dialogue to share power [with ethnic parties]. If the ruling party and the opposition take these into consideration together with ethnic parties, the election will be more pleasant, I think.

KZM: The ruling NLD party said it is working toward democracy and federalism. The USDP is formed by ex-generals of the military, and it has around 26 allies. It is fair to say that they are quite strong. There are right-wing parties based on nationalism. And, there are parties like your DPNS and ethnic parties that are working toward democracy and federalism. Lets say it is complicated. What percent of seats does your party and your allies need to win in order to have a say in the Parliament?

AMZ: The SNLD has 17 seats in Parliament, and there might be other UNA members that have seats. There may be around 30 seats in total. If they work collectively on policy matters, they will be able to push a lot, I think. If they get around 50 seats, or up to 70 seats, in the 2020 election, their voices have to be heeded no matter which party comes to power. As for our party, we dont expect much. We can only expect four or five seats. It is simply not enough to push for changes. If we cooperate well with those allies, perhaps we will be able to get more than 50 seats [into a coalition]. The SNLD has the potential to win the entire Shan State. It has a high potential of winning the entire Shan State. Together, we may win more seats in the Union Parliament. I think we will have a certain degree of say if we can secure around 60 seats collectively. The most important thing is to remain united.

KZM: If people vote for other parties, the NLD will get fewer votes. If the USDP get more votes under such circumstances, I mean if there is vote splitting, how will this affect the democratic transition of our country? What would happen if their USDP, their allied parties and the military could secure over 50 percent of votes and form the government?

AMZ: I dont think that will happen. I think people of the country are quite clear about the situation. Today, there might be a lot of frustration with the NLD, and I am sure the NLD will receive fewer votes in ethnic areas. But that will not be the case for the NLD in Bamar-majority areas, as far as Ive studied. Again, public opinion on the USDP and the Tatmadaw has not changed, so I think the NLD remains the popular choice, though it may not be as popular as it was in the past. I think the scenario Ko Kyaw Zwa suggests is unlikely.

KZM: So you think the NLD will still win enough votes to form the government in 2020?

AMZ: Yes, I think so. I dont think the opposition will win the election.

KZM: In Rakhine State, though the ANP (Arakan National Party) won the majority of seats [in the local legislature], chief ministers are directly appointed by the President, according to the Constitution. So, the President can choose anyone he likes. U Sai Leik, you talked about negotiating the appointment of chief ministers [by local ethnic parties in ethnic states]. If ethnic parties win more votes, as Ko Aung Moe Zaw has said, the [ruling] partyeither the NLD or any other that comes to power in 2020has to listen carefully and engage in negotiations. How much has the SNLD prepared in Shan State in that regard, and will the party compete beyond Shan State?

SL: In eastern Shan State, though the NLD won the election, it is not as favored as the USDP is there. And we ethnic parties cant penetrate into that area.

KZM: So, the USDP has influence over there?

SL: Yes, because there are armed groups operating under the control of the Tatmadaw, like the BGF (Border Guard Force) and peoples militias. They are very influential with locals. Besides, they can spend money. Meanwhile, local people have limited political awareness. This gives an advantage to the USDP. People voted for it either under the persuasion or the coercion of those armed groups. But the situation may change, along with some degree of political openness. On the other hand, there are people who are frustrated with the performance of the NLD. However, this will not lead to a dynamic in which the NLD will have to step down. As Ko Aung Moe Zaw suggested, they may not win a landslide victory, but they will win enough to form the government. We will uncover the activities of the USDP, point out shortcomings of the NLD and we will rely on the young voters who will turn 18 and can cast votes in 2020. We are starting to mobilize in Shan, Kachin, Kayah and other states, focusing on those who might vote for us based on ethnic identity even if they still dont understand all party policy.

KZM: The NLD was an ally of parties like the SNLD, which opposed the military regime and a have strong desire for democracy and federalism. But many say the NLD has not acted that warmly toward those parties and has not engaged and cooperated much with them after winning the election in 2015.

SL: While we were in opposition, we worked closely. To an extent, it could be described as an alliance. But some say the NLD has turned its back on us after it became the government.

KZM: Is it true?

SL: We dont want to accuse them of that much, but it is true that the relationship has not been as warm as it was. The NLD government said its goal is to build a democratic, federal state. What all ethnicities want is a federal, democratic country. Of course, democracy is important. And federalism is equally important. Without federalism, ethnic people will not be satisfied with democracy alone. This is exactly where the gap comes. I believed that the NLD would take a lead role in amending the 2008 Constitution. It only took steps three years after it took office. It is too late. Suppose the NLD is elected again, and if it cant prove that it would initiate federalism this time, this will create a greater distance between it and the ethnic people. In our approach to end the civil war, we need to reestablish the culture of party politics. If the government has an attitude that it need not to care about other parties and other ethnic groups, it will be more difficult to achieve peace in the long run. Only when we can establish a culture of party-to-party engagement, along with parallel consideration for the election, will we be able to establish a genuine, federal state. And this is the answer to reducing the gap between the NLD and the ethnic groups.

KZM: Elections were held recently in Thailand. There are over 70 political parties there. Prayut was elected Prime Minister again mainly because of the Constitution. In Myanmar, military leaders seem to believe the Tatmadaw needs to be involved in the countrys politics. It is enshrined in the Constitution. So, do you see any scenario similar to that of Thailand?

SL: It may be. But regarding a constitutional amendment, I would like to point out one thing. Many people think that constitutional reform is a legal problem, but I dont think so. It is a political problem. If we approach it politically, the Tatmadaw must accept that it will have to reduce its role and give up its 25 percent of seats in the Parliament one day. Talking about plans to build a federal country and spur development without that is like building a castle in the sky.

KZM: The last free and fair election was held in 1960. The next election that was free and fair took place 30 years later, in 1990, but its results were not recognized. To some extent, the 2015 election was the first free and fair one since 1960. Will the 2020 election become the second one? Will Myanmar politics improve after 2020?

AMZ: The 2020 election should be fair to a certain extent. Then, electoral democracy will move a step further, but the fate of our country will not depend on this election alone. There are problems with the constitution and the peace process, and there are monopolies in our markets, among other problems. So, the Tatmadaw is very important. The Tatmadaw should clearly understand its role and take responsibility and act with dignity. What certain is that as long as the Tatmadaw is still involved in the countrys politics, it would be difficult for our democracy to move forward. The Tatmadaw needs to understand this. I think it understands. And it needs to retreat from politics as quickly as possible.

KZM: Thank you for your contributions!Industrial security intelligence provider Dragos has issued a warning about a threat group it has baptised Xenotime, which it says has expanded its field of operations from the oil and gas industry to now also target electricity utilities in the US.

A blog post issued by the company, which is headed by former NSA hacker Robert M. Lee, said it had identified this shift in behaviour in February and that the change of tactics had been in evidence since late 2018.

The Xenotime group was claimed to be behind an attack in August 2017 on an oil facility owned by Saudi Arabia's Aramco; the attack was outlined by another security firm, FireEye, in December that year without naming the company or the country.

The malware used was named Triton by FireEye because it attacks a safety system known as Triconex which is made by Germany's Schneider Electric and used globally. Triton is built to interact with Triconex Safety Instrumented System controllers and prevents emergency shutdown of such systems.

FireEye said in April this year that it had encountered a second instance of Triton being used, but again did not specify where or what the target was. But FireEye, which has a reputation for not backing away from attribution, hasin the past that Triton is linked to a Russian Government-owned research institute.

The Dragos blog post was backed up by a report in EENews which said that the North American Electric Reliability Corporation had spoken to the firm in March this year in an alert sent to a select group.

The alert is claimed to have said that Xenotime had been hitting American electricity utilities with "reconnaissance and potential initial access operations" since late 2018. Its source was not provided, but was evident.

Dragos claimed to have identified "a persistent pattern of activity attempting to gather information and enumerate network resources associated with US and Asia-Pacific electric utilities" in the course of working with its clients in various regions.

Thus far, there have been only one case globally where a successful attack has been carried on public utilities, this being on the electricity grid in Ukraine which has been claimed to have been carried out by Russian groups.

Numerous other claims of so-called "cyber attacks" on various utilities have been filed by various websites but have been debunked, many of them by the group Cyber Squirrel, which keeps track of such incidents and does not balk from publishing the truth.

While the Dragos post was for the most part sober, the company did not hesitate to use it to try and drum up more business, writing "Dragos Platform customers have detections for XENOTIME, as the product receives these and other threat behaviour detection updates regularly".

It also advised businesses to "consider using an ICS-specific detection capability like the Dragos Platform".

Independent researchers have, in the past, dismissed attempts to dial up the fear index based on such attempts as those detailed by Dragos, with one telling iTWire that such probes were "meant to demonstrate capabilities, while offering no real threat to the distributed US energy grid".

Commenting on the threat, Renaud Deraison, the chief technology officer and co-founder of security firm Tenable, said: "The latest reports that Xenotime is targeting electric utilities in the US and Asia-Pacific region should come as no surprise, but certainly warrants concern.

"The ongoing threats to operational technology and critical infrastructure are no longer theoretical, they have become our new reality. This is, in part, due to the convergence of IT and OT which has connected once-isolated OT systems to the outside world, exposing them to a variety of potential attacks. While reports indicate these latest attacks didnt result in a successful intrusion, this should be a stark wake up call for organisations everywhere."

Deraison pointed out that an independent study, conducted by the Ponemon Institute on behalf of Tenable, had found that 90% of organisations reliant on OT systems had experienced at least one damaging cyber attack over the past two years and 62% had two or more.

"These attacks resulted in data breaches and/or significant disruption and downtime to business operations, plants and operational equipment," he said.

"The convergence of these two worlds has left OT in the purview and responsibility of CISOs. This means the IT and OT silos must be broken down and replaced with a single pane of glass to identify where organisations are exposed and to what extent. This is an important step in reducing the chances of mission- and safety-critical systems being compromised or taken offline."Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly visited the under-construction Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza on Saturday, where he was accompanied by Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Anany.

El-Anany said that the project has nearly been finalised, with the building almost entirely completed and the roadways on the plateau over 90 percent built.

The GEM complex is located on an area of approximately 500,000 square metres adjacent to the Pyramids of Giza. It is one of the largest museums in the world displaying the heritage of a single civilisation.

Up to 47,952 artefacts have been transferred to the GEM ahead of its inauguration in 2020.

According to statements by the general supervisor of the GEM project, Atef Moftah, around 44,569 antiquities have been restored and are set to be displayed at the museum.

The construction of the museum began in 2006 with funding from the Japanese government.

The government of Japan loaned Egypt $450 million for the project, but the total cost of the museum is expected to reach $1 billion, El-Anany said in earlier press statements.

The museum will contain over 100,000 artefacts, reflecting Egypt's past from prehistory through to the Greek and Roman periods.

One of its main attractions, the hall of Tutankhamun, which will display the boy-kings belongings, is 95 percent complete, according to Moftah.

Madbouly also inspected Khufus Solar Boat Museum on the Giza Plateau, which is home to the pharaohs first boat.

The second boat, which is deemed one of the biggest of its kind in the world, is undergoing restoration with a 10 million grant from the Japanese government.

Both boats are planned to be transferred to the GEM.

Egypt hopes the new museum will contribute to boosting an already improving tourism industry.

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Q: How did the tradition of celebrating Fathers Day begin?

M.D.

Answer: Were running this answer one day early as a gentle reminder to people who need to go grab a Fathers Day gift or make a reservation before its too late.

Fathers Day, which is Sunday, traces its beginning to the adoration of one woman for her father, who raised six young children after his wifes death.

William Jackson Smart was a Civil War veteran. His daughter, Sonora Louise Smart Dodd, got the idea of a day to honor fathers after hearing a Mothers Day sermon. She approached ministers and civic groups in Spokane, Wash., with the idea.

The celebration was supposed to take place on the first Sunday in June 1910, which was her fathers birthday. But ministers asked for more time in planning their sermons, and the third Sunday in June was the next best date.

But as with every holidays beginnings, there are controversies."Everything they have done in the town of Kernersville has been of the highest standard of quality," Hatling said, noting that Parks is part of the Parks Chevrolet family that has had a long presence in the town.

Hatling said that neither Parks nor other developers in the town have embarked on projects involving affordable housing.

"The average house in Kernersville being built is over $220,000," Hatling said. "It escalates existing home prices."

The mayor of Winston-Salem has written to Woods at HAWS two times this spring to express opposition to the plan to sell Crystal Towers.

In both letters, Joines said that the city can't support the sale because it would reduce the amount of affordable housing downtown.

"We have challenged the housing authority to use the proceeds of the sale to figure out a way to put affordable housing units back in the central city," Joines said. "They are working on a plan now to show us how they would do that."To evaluate whether you are fifth or not, you have to apply the staff here to the top supplement schedules, Martin said. They can identify the supplement schedules that have the highest average supplement, but they may not end up being the highest average when you apply the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools staff.

He said that once the school district determines the amount it wants to spend on supplements it needs to figure out if it wants to restructure its steps, which is the equivalent of the various years of experience, so that it rewards experience or inexperience.

In other words, are we trying to attract new people or are we trying to hang on to the older, more experienced people? Martin said.

He said the starkest difference in terms of school districts he is aware of is between Guilford County Schools and WS/FCS.

He said that Guilford County Schools pays a much higher supplement the first 15 years. Then from year 15 up to year 30, WS/FCS pays a higher supplement.

So if youre a teacher who wants to make your most money, you go work 15 years in Guilford then come over to Forsyth and work 15 years, Martin said.Amusingly, Tillis camp has since struck back at his challenger by accusing him of having questioned Trumps commitment to conservatism in the past. Now their primary contest is about who is more unflaggingly loyal to Trump.

Amash, by the way, was also one of only 13 House Republicans who opposed Trumps national emergency. Unlike Tillis, however, he hasnt backtracked.

Earlier this week, Amash resigned from the Freedom Caucus, a group he helped create, after it held an informal vote to disagree with his views about Trump. Notably, the Freedom Caucus was originally founded to support the principles of limited government and the Constitution and the rule of law.

Yet, as Jonathan Chait points out, Amashs ouster shows the degree to which the group has proven supportive of Trumps authoritarian power plays, and indeed, that questioning them is to disqualify yourself from membership in the group altogether.My favorite part about this job is getting to meet people who want to help, but they dont really know how, and watching them learn and grow. I also like how its not just a small group of people, the whole community helps and gets involved, Chandler said.

Speaking of getting the community involved, World Relief gets groups of volunteers to do service projects. For example, a group goes to their warehouse and organizes donations of clothing, furniture and household items that will be given to refugees. We were trying to think of a way to make it a powerful and worthwhile experience for them, Chandler stated. So at every station, they would talk to them about where the donations would be going and why it was important. While they organized kitchen supplies, for instance, they would remind the volunteers that all of the supplies would be going into someones home, where people cook, eat and hang out. They want to encourage them to think that theyre helping people who might have been starving, or not had a fridge to keep their food in before. This shows that even small acts like these are helpful.

Anyone who wants to help can help.Third, Bidens capitulation refocused the national spotlight on abortion extremism in the Democratic Party. After Alabama passed the most restrictive abortion law in the country, Democrats thought they had the upper hand in painting Republicans as abortion extremists. But now the focus is back on Democrats and their insistence on taxpayer-funded abortion-on-demand up to the moment of birth. In New York, Democrats just lit up the Freedom Tower to celebrate the passage of a new law that removes most restrictions on abortion, even in the third trimester, and in Illinois, the legislature just voted to repeal the states Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. As a senator, Biden consistently voted against late-term abortions. Will he cave on that as well?

Democrats dont seem to understand that most Americans  including many who identify as pro-choice  dont see abortion as something to celebrate but as a necessary evil that should be allowed only in some limited circumstances. A Marist-Knights of Columbus poll found that just 13% say abortion should be available at any time during a pregnancy, while 80% say it should be allowed only during the first trimester; in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother; or not allowed at all. And a new NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll finds that a 38% plurality believes life begins at conception, while a 75% supermajority says it begins at the point of viability at the very latest. A majority of Americans support restrictions on abortion and oppose federal funding.KEARNEY  A $15,000 grant to Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity from First National Bank will support low-income housing construction.

The impact of this grant is huge, said Jim McKenzie, a member of the Kearney Habitat fundraising committee. It takes 30 roof trusses for each home, so we can purchase all of those for two homes. We need 85 pieces of Sheetrock per home, and we can purchase those for the same two homes.

The two exterior doors for those two homes can also be purchased from this grant. That totals about $13,500, he added. The cost to install all of this will be zero, thanks to the work of the future homeowners and hundreds of volunteers.

McKenzie said the remaining $1,500 from the First National grant  10 percent  will go to Habitat for Humanity International to build or rehabilitate homes in third world countries.

The funding is through the First National Bank of Omaha Community Development Grant program, which supports community development activities in communities served by the bank.A rugged life

Life was rugged and ragged for Charles. He built a 12-by-14 foot dugout on the side of a hill and furnished it with a bed, a table and a cookstove. He planted corn by plowing, then poking a hole in the ground with a stick, dropping in the seed, and covering it up.

The first year he arrived, central Nebraska was stifled by drought, so after planting, he went to Valley, in eastern Nebraska, to do farm work. He earned 75 cents a day.

When he got back, he discovered that the rains had returned during the summer. He had a good crop of corn, but his dugout was flooded. Hed built it at the edge of a draw. His trunk was floating, High said.

In the winter of 1880, his brother in Illinois sent him two horses via rail. He had no money to buy a team, High said.

Charles walked 40 miles to Kearney to get the horses, but one died before he got home.

When that horse died, that was a hard blow. A neighbor offered him a cow, so he trained the cow to pull the plow with the other horse, High said. Around here, settlers were mostly Swedes, and neighbors helped neighbors out.KEARNEY  Darlyne Dodge, 93, of Kearney died Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at Mother Hull Home.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at OBrien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services with Josh Bennison officiating. The family requests casual attire. Burial will be later in North Dakota.



Darlyne Marie Dodge was born Dec. 10, 1925, to Vern and Hattie (Krubeck) Schrade in Stutsman County, N.D.

Darlyne received her education at Kensal, N.D., and graduated from high school in 1944. She then attended Central Dakota Commercial College in Jamestown, N.D., where she was awarded a War Emergency Diploma and was employed at James River Bank.

On Dec. 29, 1945, she married Pfc. Neal Dodge. Darlyne joined him at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Having never traveled far, this was a new and challenging experience for her. She worked on the base office where last payments were made to soldiers being discharged.

After returning to Jamestown, Darlyne worked at Walshs Market, North Dakota State Hospital and then at Jamestown Hospital as an accounting clerk. The couple were blessed with two daughters: Lynda and Connie.One late August night in 1968, we headed down an eerie dirt road at 10 p.m. searching for a lakeside lodge where we had reservations. We kids thought it was great fun, but my mother grumbled. Charles, she said to my father. Why are we always late?

Three years later, bound for California, we again started late. The world was asleep by the time we pulled into our little lodge in New Salem, Ill., that first night. Ditto for the second night in Wichita, Kan.

A few nights later, we arrived at Mesa Verde National Park at 11 p.m. and, in the dark, started up a swirling, curving 20-mile road that crawled up that mesa. It took an hour to get to the top.

A few days later, we were late again as we drove to Zion National Park, where we had reservations. As the full moon rose like a gentle balloon through the mountains, my mother began to sing When the Moon Comes Over the Mountains.

Heading home across South Dakota two weeks later, we were late again. Very late. Wed stopped at Mount Rushmore and were going to Wall, S.D., for supper. We bypassed the famous Wall Drug and ate at the Cactus Cafe instead. Wed just placed our orders when my mother saw a mouse scampering through stacks of clean dishes. We left.Just about every state has some facilities on one or the other list. For example, there are 34 homes from California on the candidate list, 17 in Indiana, six in North Dakota, five in South Dakota and six in Kentucky.

Facilities listed as participants are supposed to get more frequent inspections and government oversight than other homes, which are inspected every 12-15 months by state inspectors working on behalf of the federal government.

A facility on the candidate list may move into the participant column if conditions in the home warrant more oversight but only if space allows. In 2013 CMS reduced the number of the participants from 152 to 62 because the agency didnt have enough budget and staff to cover more. The number of facilities has increased a bit since then.

The names on the participant list are public, but as the senators point out in their report, CMS doesnt make it easy to identify them. On the CMS website these problematic facilities are not given star ratings as are most other facilities. Instead they are designated with a small yellow triangle that looks like a caution traffic sign.

The senators concluded this designation is not readily transparent or easily understood among would-be residents and their families.A dog that bit a 4-year-old Kenosha boy Monday has been declared vicious by the Kenosha County Division of Health and must be removed from the city within 10 days.

A county employee hand-delivered the notice to the dogs owner Friday. The notice states that based on the severity of the incident and that the bite was unprovoked, Cato shall be declared a vicious animal per city ordinance.

Under the order, the dog must be removed from the city within 10 days of the order. If the dog isnt removed from the city the dog may be impounded and destroyed by the city or its agent at the expense of the owner.

The owner has the right to appeal the decision to the Common Council.

The dogs owner, AnneMarie Achambeault, said she received the notice Friday. She has yet to show proof that the dog, a pit bull, is vaccinated for rabies. She said she told the division of health she would have the dog put into a bite quarantine, but said for now he is staying with another person outside the city.

Asked when she would take the dog to a veterinarian for the quarantine she said, via a social media message, as soon as I pick him up. Only reason he ever left is I was scared for his life. Wanted him safe till I know he wasnt gonna be killed.

Cato bit a 4-year-old boy Monday while Achambeault and her boyfriend were visiting the boys family at the boys home on Seventh Avenue. Achambeault tied the dog to the familys front porch. As the boy walked by to go up the homes stairs he stopped to pet the dog, which bit him in the face. The boy had serious injuries, requiring surgery at Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin. According to his father Paul Kiely, his son Colin will need additional plastic surgery to repair the injuries to his face.

After the boy was injured, Achambeault initially responded to the Kielys messages asking for proof the Cato was vaccinated. But after messaging that the dog had his vaccine, she did not follow through with paperwork and for several days Kenosha Police and the Department of Health were unable to reach her. She responded to the Health Department Thursday afternoon after Kiely took his concerns public.

Achambeault took to social media to accuse the 4-year-old of hitting the dog, prompting the bite. But a security video from the home shows the child petting the dog before the bite.

Kiely said he was glad the Department of Health was taking the issue seriously. Hes keeping me in the loop, he said of the department employee working on the case.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Weekends for many families may consist of spending time at the local laundromat. The average family can spend about two hours per week at the laundromat. Oftentimes for young children, boredom can set in pretty fast from the time it takes to wash and dry a couple loads of clothes.

Many who are engaged in bridging the gap in literacy see this out of school time as a prime opportunity to encourage reading among children by providing books to local laundromats.

Organizations like the Chicago Public Library have taken this initiative even further by providing story time for young children at a few local laundromats. In New York, the Clinton Foundation is looking to put family-friendly spaces for kids under the age of 7 in about 600 laundromats by the year 2020.

Research has shown that students who are failing to read at grade level by the time they enter fourth grade will face more educational challenges throughout school and will be at a higher risk of dropping out of school.

Programs here in Kenosha, like Youth As Resources (YAR), have decided to join the laundromat literacy initiative to get more books in the hands of children. Janaki Rawal, the 2018-19 President of the Youth As Resources Program stated, Our goal is to aid Kenosha County in its Literacy ambition. As it is known, the ability to read and write is a valuable and mandatory skill required in the 21st Century.

The Youth As Resources Program worked alongside Mrs. Meyers Education Services of Racine to obtain over 100 books to donate to three local laundromats in Kenosha. The United Way of Kenosha is supporting this effort by providing rugs and chairs to make these reading spaces more inviting to children.

Tara Panasewicz, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenosha United Way of Kenosha jumped at the opportunity to support YAR with this initiative, United Way of Kenosha County is proud to support Youth As Resources Little Laundromat Library initiative which will give low-income children access to books. Literacy is a focus point for us, so being able to support an initiative where children can become engaged with reading is very exciting. The Laundromat is a place parents and children visit frequently so using it as an outreach point is perfect to engage families. Our hope is that Little Laundromat Libraries will catch on and YAR can scale this across the County.

According to the Urban Education Journal, some libraries have had decreased funding, which results in limited hours and curtailed services that they can provide. Providing another resource for children and their families can only be positive to build a stronger literacy foundation.

Research has found that children in laundromats with literacy resources engaged in 30 times more literacy activities  such as talking with their families, singing songs, drawing, and reading books  than children in laundromats without those resources.

These efforts in Kenosha look to have an impact on literacy by providing resources that foster reading during out of school time for children.

To find out more about programs through UW-Extension and various opportunities, browse our website at https://kenosha.uwex.edu/youth-development/

Vickie LeFlore is positive youth development educator for Kenosha County UW-Extension

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0JUNCTION CITY, Ore. -- The Oregon Legislature recently passed a bill requiring Oregonians to pay a a permit fee if they are taking canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and other non-motor crafts out on public waters.

Currently, Oregon requires people to purchase an invasive species permit, which is used to protect the water. This permit is only needed for crafts 10 feet or longer. The implementation of the new water access permit would eliminate the invasive species permit.

The new bill was passed last Tuesday, but Gov. Kate Brown has yet to finalize it.

If it passes, the price would increase from $7 to $17 a year.

Andrew Seago, a boater out at Orchard Point Park, said the change makes him not want to purchase the new permit at all.

"It's out of place, and I feel like I won't buy it. I'll take my canoe. I'll take my paddle boat. I won't pay money for such an increase without having my input."

But some residents see it as as an advantage.

"It just makes people aware, keeps our parks safe and keeps our parks avaliable for use," says Karen Freytag, a canoer.

Water sport particpants 14-years-old and younger will not be required to purchase the new permit. The money from the new regulation will be going back to to water projects and parks around Oregon.

If the bill is passed, the new regulations will go into effect in 2020.

For more information, click here.SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- The remains of a World War II veteran were identified with DNA from a Springfield woman after he'd been missing for 77 years.

Diane Corwin said she was only 3 years old when her uncle, Cread Shuey, left for war.

She says he lied about his age and joined the US Army when he was 17. He would never see his 18th birthday.

Sergeant Shuey was a soldier in the 60th coast artillery regiment serving in the Philippines when Japanese forces invaded the coast and thousands were forced to surrender.

After Shuey was captured he became part of the inhumane Bataan Death March, where he was forced to walk over 60 miles without water or food. He eventually died from malaria and dysentery.

Shuey's family never heard from him again, and his remains were never identified.

That began to change two years ago when Corwin said the United States Department of Defense requested a hair sample. At the time she didn't know why, but she said she could not have guessed what it would reveal.

The military had unidentified remains and they suspected they were Shuey.

Through testing they were able to match the remains of Shuey who died as a prisoner of war 77 years ago to her DNA.

She said she's not even sure how they found her or knew to contact her, but she's glad they did.

"I know my grandmother was devastated when he was missing," Corwin said. "She had written to the army many times numerous times wanting his body brought home."

And now after 77 years, he is home

Sgt. Cread Shuey was laid to rest at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in his hometown of Marana, Arizona, near Tucson.

At the memorial, Corwin said her uncle was awarded many honors, including the purple heart

"The full honor guard was there. They did the 21 gun salute -- full honor for one man, we were just blown away," said Corwin.

She said she is blessed to have this closure, not only for her, but her grandmother as well who never knew what happened to her only son.

"We can finally say he's been brought home and he's probably with (my grandmother)," she continued.EUGENE, Ore. -- A push to ban Styrofoam to go containers failed in Oregon.

Two Democrats joined Republicans to vote down the measure in the state Senate. Lawmakers said the ban stifled technological innovation.

Some cities in Oregon have already passed similar laws about Styrofoam. Maine recently became the first state to ban it.1 of 2

Google Photos will stop syncing to Drive on July 10



Google Photos and Drive will not sync automatically starting from July 10, 2019, which means the photos and videos from a users Drive will not automatically show in Photos and vice versa. The company put out a blog post explaining the move was aimed at simplifying the experience across Drive and Photos.



Weve heard feedback that the connection between these services is confusing, so next month, were making some changes to simplify the experience across Drive and Photos, Google said in a post. Users should note that their existing media that is synced with the two services will remain unchanged.



However, any new photos or videos that a user saves in Drive after July 10 will not be synced with Photos automatically. Google will also add a new Upload from Drive feature to Photos to let users manually choose photos and videos from Drive to import into Photos. Shared media can be uploaded as well. Read More...

Editor's Note: Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news stories and expert opinions that moved the precious metals and financial markets. Sign up here!

While on the surface it seems that gold prices finished rather flat in trading today. The actual truth is that gold gained moderately as buyers bid the precious yellow metal higher, however extreme dollar strength dwarfed those gains. Spot or physical gold closed today at $1341.10, which is a net decline of $0.80 on the day.

However, on closer inspection we can see that bullish market sentiment resulted in traders bidding gold prices higher by $6.45, with dollar strength contributing a decline of $7.25. This according to the KGX (Kitco gold index).

Gold futures also had a similar scenario play out. The most active August contract is currently fixed at $1345.30 which is a net increase of $1.60 (+0.12%) on the day. The U.S. dollar index gained almost 0.6%. Simple math reveals that golds fractionally higher close today occurred after factoring in over half a percent decrease based on an increased value in the U.S. dollar.

The current economic and geopolitical environment which has been a primary catalyst moving gold prices higher still remain firmly intact, and if anything, are becoming more pronounced. The trade war between the United States and China is no closer to resolution as it was a month ago.

Both presidents of China and the United States ready themselves to meet at the G-20 meeting at the end of this month in Osaka Japan. While it is widely accepted that it will not be the leaders who are able to resolve the complex issues in our trade dispute but rather set the tone which will guide the negotiating teams following their meeting. The chasm between the two ideologies continues to widen and key issues continue to be locked in a stalemate.

The recent activity in the Gulf of Oman in which two oil tankers were brutally attacked will certainly add fuel to the fire of geopolitical uncertainty and turmoil. If in fact it was Iran that sanctioned this attack the real question will become whether or not the United States will take military action, and if they do what will be the extent of a measured response.

On a technical basis todays intraday high is extremely significant and represents a new level of major resistance. The fact that gold prices were able to match the recent yearly high at $1361 is impressive, however the caveat is that once that price point was hit selling pressure entered the market quickly eroding the recent gains and moving prices back to $1345. Which means that the record closing price of this year at $1347 is still intact and unchallenged.

For those who would like more information, simply use this link.

Wishing you as always, good trading,Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Cloudy with snow. Low near 20F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow. Low near 20F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches.Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Snow likely. Low near 20F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected..

Tonight

Snow likely. Low near 20F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected.Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Rain and snow this evening turning to all snow overnight. Low 21F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches..

Tonight

Rain and snow this evening turning to all snow overnight. Low 21F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches.The Egyptian embassy in Azerbaijan is scheduled to hold a press conference - with Minister Al-Mashat present - to announce the reoperation of Azerbaijan National Airlines charter flights from Baku to Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh

Egypts Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat headed on Saturday to Azerbaijan to participate in the 110th session of the Executive Board of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which will take place from 16 to 18 June in the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

Minister Al-Mashat stressed the importance of this visit in developing Egypts tourism industry and enhancing cooperation between the ministry and international bodies and institutions, including the UNWTO, which plays a major role in serving the world tourism sector and enhancing tourism cooperation between member countries.

According to the statement by the Ministry of Tourism, Al-Mashat will also participate as a keynote speaker in a panel discussion entitled Protecting Our Heritage: Social, Cultural and Environmental Sustainability, which aims to explore ways to promote the tourism industry and achieve sustainable development goals, as well as discuss the role of the UNWTO, governments and the private sector in this field.

The panel will also discuss policies that engage local communities as well as initiatives to promote social integration and gender equality in tourism.

The Egyptian embassy in Azerbaijan is scheduled to hold a press conference in the presence of Al-Mashat and Egypts ambassador in Azerbaijan Adel Ibrahim, with the participation of Azerbaijani media to officially announce the reoperation of Azerbaijan National Airlines (AZAL) charter flights from Baku to Cairo and the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh starting 8 and 18 July, respectively.

Egypt is a member of the Executive Council of the UNWTO, which consists of 35 countries.

Egypt hosted the UNWTOs meetings of the Middle East Regional Commission in May 2018 at Sharm El-Sheikh and March 2019 in Cairo.

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's met with the secretary-general of the UNWTO Zurab Pololikashvili in Cairo last March. The head of the organisation presented the Egyptian president with the UNWTOs shield in recognition of his efforts to boost tourism through the launch of the structural reform programme to develop the sector.

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. ,  2022-    -  ,      .            ,     . "       ,    ! ,  2022-    -  ,      ",    ...WILLIAMS BAY  After a nearly two-year recovery from a motorcycle accident, Laura Washer says she will not return as Williams Bay's police chief.

Attorneys for the village and for Washer are negotiating for her to receive duty disability retirement.

Washer said she has removed personal items from her former office at the police department, and she does not plan to return to duty.

Although she has recovered significantly from the motorcycle accident, her doctors will not clear her for police patrol work. And village officials, she said, will not allow her to return as police chief unless she can perform patrol work, too.

Theyve had the option to change that," she said, "and theyve chosen not to."

Washer was badly injured Aug. 9, 2017, in a motorcycle accident in Green Bay while returning from a police chief's conference. After 22 months of recovery and rehabilitation, she now walks with a cane.

She has said she could perform all of her police chief's duties except helping with patrol calls.

Village President Bill Duncan declined to comment on Washer's status with the village.

Duncan said the village board probably could begin looking for a new chief now, but officials will wait until after Washers disability retirement is settled.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.New Delhi, June 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been deeply humbled when Presidents of two nations- Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan personally held an umbrella for him. Usually, it is the security staff who are normally carry out such tasks. In the first incident, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kyrgyzstans Bishkek on a two-day visit, he was given a ceremonial welcome by the Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

During the welcome, it started raining following which the President was seen holding an umbrella for the PM Modi. The Prime Minister was in Kyrgyzstan to attend the summit of eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Presidents of Sri Lanka & Kyrgyzstan hold umbrella for PM Modi: See Pics

Different places, same special gestures: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov hold the umbrella themselves instead of security staff and walk with PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/lUKVxcWCpw  Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) June 14, 2019

A similar scene was witnessed in Sri Lanka, when Narendra Modi, on this stopover, was accorded a ceremonial welcome by President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo. In a photograph shared by Prasar Bharati News Services on Twitter, Sirisena is seen holding an umbrella and providing cover to himself and Modi. The gesture, however, left the Prime Minister untouched.

The Prime Minister held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping that strategic communication had improved between India and China which has led to resolution of some long-pending issues including declaring JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. According to reports, Modi also hoped that there will be a significant uptake in India's exports to China due to ease in regulatory processes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 15, 2019 03:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Good morning, and welcome to the L.A. Times Book Club newsletter.

We caught up with bestselling author Susan Orlean ahead of her June 25 visit with the Los Angeles Times Book Club to ask about her current books, binges and guilty pleasures.

Heres what she said:

Reading: Barbarian Days by William Finnegan and The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell

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Watching: Chernobyl and Narcos

Listening to: Living Mirage by the Head and the Heart.

Following: @M_Crouton (just a wee cow leading his best life) and @legroff (author Lauren Groff).

Working on: Adapting The Library Book for television.

Planning: A trip to a literary festival in Bali in October.

Enjoying as a guilty pleasure: Page Six.

Challenged by: Deadlines.

Recalling as the craziest thing you did to get a story: Traveled to bullfights all around Spain chasing down a female matador for an interview.

Cant do without: Chocolate, music, dogs.

Join us

The Los Angeles Times Book Club welcomes Susan Orlean to the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre on June 25. Shell be in conversation with Times Deputy Managing Editor Julia Turner about The Library Book.

Good news: Tickets are still available here.

Last Saturdays book club newsletter contained a garbled ticket link. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience.

More readers are checking out e-books and audiobooks without setting foot in the library. (Chris Morris / For The Times)

Did you know?

L.A. Library patrons borrowed 4 million e-books, audiobooks and other electronic materials last year, surpassing the New York Library to claim the No. 2 spot of any U.S. Library system.

Read our story to learn how you can Read for Free Using Library Apps.

Book talk

Join the new L.A. Times Book Club Facebook Group to share your thoughts and compare notes with fellow book lovers. Tell us what you think about The Library Book and what else you are reading this summer.

And please share your suggestions for books we should read together. You can reach me at donna.wares@latimes.com. And on Twitter: @donnawares

Thank you for reading this newsletter from the Los Angeles Times.

Invite family, friends and colleagues to sign up here.

Not a subscriber? Get unlimited digital access to latimes.com. Subscribe here.Once again, Jane Krakowski faces winding down a beloved show. In this case, Netflixs Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt completed its final season this year, though its due to come back next year with a one-off interactive special.

I dont think it ever gets easier, to be honest with you, and Ive even actually done it with these same people, with these same creators, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, she said during an interview with writer Yvonne Villarreal at the the Times video studio.

Id say at least 80% of our crew is all the same from 30 Rock to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. And it wasnt any easier. I felt I was lucky enough for lightning to strike twice, that I got to work with that same group of people twice. The probability gets harder and harder for it to happen a third time, so to me it felt even a little bit, maybe more final.

WATCH: 2019 Emmy Contenders video chats 

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On Kimmy, Krakowskis Jacqueline White struggled through a series of ill-fated romantic entanglements before finding apparently real love with a rival talent agent with a secret. Typical of Jacqueline, though, she took an odd route to the destination. In a weird competitive moment, she and the suave, arrogant Eli Rubin (Zachary Quinto) find themselves in a battle of wills: doing wall squats while having a conversation, refusing to be the first to stand upright.

That was one of the true times when I had trouble getting through the scene because Zachary had to leave [the scene] in that position, she said of Eli having to inch his way all the way out of the room with his legs bent and his back pressed against the wall. The studio is very large on that set. So committed, amazing.

I was sore the next day; I couldnt really walk downstairs 

It was good fun, we actually laughed a lot through that one. His clicking  Eli turns out to be blind, using tongue clicks as an echolocation device  you know, the whole twist of the revelation of his disability is just so hilarious to me and of course what Jacqueline needed to find real love because she wasnt being judged on what she looked like: it was who she was and her talent at something.

That someone loved her for who she was inside was actually a meaningful twist, considering her characters controversial roots (blond, blue-eyed Jacqueline had transformed herself physically in hatred of her Native American heritage).

I think Jacqueline spent so much of her time and so much of her life trying to be something else, from being Native American to thinking the only way she could make it is to be blond and white and having a rich husband. So I personally found it touching for her as well because it made her a much fuller person and she finally got what she was looking for, even though it came in an unexpected package, said Krakowski.

It helped the sadness of the series ending to know that the upcoming special was a possibility: Im happy that we are going to get that opportunity to reprise these characters and all get to play together again.

To see the entire interview, click on the video below.The dance floor inside the Music Center flowed with bodies swinging their hips, bronzed arms gliding, feet shuffling across the floor. Turntables whirled with the sounds of cumbia, bachata, corrido and nortena.

The jams on that rainy quincenera-themed night back in February were eclectic and historic. One minute, Madonnas Into the Groove blasted through the speakers. The next, Caballo Dorados No Rompas Mi Corazon (a Spanish-language version of Billy Ray Cyrus Achy Breaky Heart) bounced off the walls.

For the record: An earlier version of this article identified Austin, Texas, as Claudia Saenzs hometown. Saenz lived in Austin, but it is not her hometown.

Members of the nonbinary and gender-nonconforming womens DJ collective Chulita Vinyl Club, a national organization of record collectors and turntable enthusiasts with a Los Angeles chapter, took turns behind the decks.

For some, it was their first time stepping foot into the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the home of Los Angeles Opera.

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These kinds of spaces, in a way, are not meant for us, said Rosi Martinez, 25, founder of CVCs L.A. chapter. Its where people with money come. Were working-class people. This isnt an everyday thing, you know?

Since launching the local chapter in 2016, Martinez and the six other chulitas (which means cuties in Spanish) have infiltrated spaces they say have historically ignored or overlooked women and people of color.

Though female DJs are not new or all that novel, their numbers are growing in the male-dominated industry. But CVCs personal and musical identities make them unique. For them, DJing is more than spinning vinyl. Its political. Its how they connect with their roots and ensure that their cultures persist and stay relevant.

A lot of us coming from the Latinx diaspora, a lot of our history has been robbed, but music has always been something that is a form of resistance that weve been able to connect with, said Martinez. Most of us are from migrant families, and what they were able to bring with them was music ... and thats something we all kind of have a connection with.

1 / 8 Nancy Sanchez, right, performs at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 8 DJ Karina Ramirez from the Chulita Vinyl Club transitions between songs at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 8 Oscar Montoya walks Samantha Weissert through Spanish Aqui Presents Quince Car Wash at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 8 Samantha Weissert goes thru the Quince Car Wash, put on by Spanish Aqui Presents at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 8 Tony Rodriguez, left, Raiza Licea, Oscar Montoya and Carlos Santos from the group Spanish Aqui Presents at the Quince Car Wash at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 8 Alice Bag, right, performs at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 8 Karina Ramirez, a DJ with Chulita Vinyl Club, at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 8 A woman dances to the music from DJs with the Chulita Vinyl Club at Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours Quinceanera Reimagined at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

For local chulita Andrea Gutierrez, 30, that sentiment rings true in more ways than one. Born in Mexico, Gutierrez moved to the U.S. as a child and hasnt visited home for more than 20 years because shes undocumented.

I was totally disconnected to my culture, she said.

But since joining CVC, she has met countless others with similar experiences and has reconnected with her motherland through vinyl. A lot of the music that we play, a lot of it reminds me of home and the family that Im not able to see.

The connection between music and identity is echoed in a slogan often imprinted on records from Latin America: El Disco Es Cultura, or The Disc Is Culture. Since the dawning of CVC, that message has defined the crew even as other chapters emerged.

Claudia Saenz, 30, first envisioned CVC in 2014 while living in Austin, Texas. But when she did, she wasnt trying to spark a movement.

I started collecting [records], and I knew there were women DJs out there, but I felt there was a need for a platform for vinyl-loving girls that wanted to DJ or that wanted to learn, she said.

So Saenz, who now lives in San Jose, reached out to other women of color who she knew were collectors. What she didnt expect to find was the sheer number who felt as she did.

What started with three members in the Texas capital eventually expanded into other cities thanks to Saenzs social media calls. A San Antonio chapter formed and soon was followed by another in the Rio Grande Valley. When word got out in California, chapters popped up in the Bay Area, Santa Ana, San Diego and, of course, Los Angeles.

And here, in the short time since the local crews awakening, theyve built a loyal following and have made the DJ culture more inclusive and conscious. On Sunday at La Cita Bar in downtown L.A., theyll celebrate three years as a chapter at their monthly residency at the club.

Theyre so welcoming and they cultivate the environment that theyre in, said Yesika Salgado, 34, who was among the attendees at the recent Music Center event.

She thinks the local chulitas events are welcoming because theyre interactive with the crowds. When one chulita is at the turntables, the other members are on the dance floor supporting one another and having fun. Theyre also mindful of the music they play, doing their best not to play songs with sexist or misogynistic lyrics.

Dancers mingle at a recent Chulita Vinyl Club performance.. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

As a woman, that makes me more willing to go to a party where its all women DJs, said Salgado. Because of them, Ive looked for other all-women DJ groups in other cities because that environment is just always going to be friendlier for women.

As the years have rolled on, CVC is no longer in Saenzs hands. Its members across the country have taken hold of their own destinies. A lot of the girls that have been with Chulita Vinyl Club for three, four-plus years, have already graduated ... theyre not novices at DJing, said Saenz.

Her goal now is to keep the movement sustainable by hosting workshops for new and future generations of chulitas, classes that cover everything from spinning vinyl to being your own entrepreneur.

I want to keep this going because its brought so much joy to so many people inside and outside of CVC. Its been a really amazing journey, Saenz said.

For local crew member Lizbeth Rosales, 29, her vision of L.A.s chapter doesnt veer too far from Saenzs.

Id like to continue to build each other up and continue to bring visibility, Rosales said. She thinks its really important for people who dont feel represented in mainstream media to feel inspired to spin records and to freely dance in safe spaces.

Inside museums, cultural centers, art galleries, local bars and events like Demon Dayz and the Red Bull Music Festival, the crew of seven chulitas spin the tunes of their heritage and continue the tradition.

For Martinez, that means connecting via music with friends  and lots of love.In June 2017, a married mother of four experiencing severe pelvic pain went to see a UCLA gynecologist. Dr. James Mason Heaps, she alleged, improperly touched her genitals, fondled her breast and buttock and made sexual remarks during the exam. She reported the conduct to UCLA in December of that year.

Once notified, UCLA officials could have immediately removed Heaps from campus or restricted his practice to protect the public while investigating the allegations, as allowed under University of California guidelines. They could have warned the campus community  which federal law requires if university officials decide someone accused of sexual assault is a safety threat. They could have encouraged other potential victims to step forward.

UCLA officials did none of these things before announcing Heaps retirement last June without telling the public they found he had violated UC policies on sexual misconduct. He strongly denies all allegations of wrongdoing.

UCLAs actions have come under scrutiny since officials announced criminal charges against Heaps on Monday. Interviews and documents reviewed by The Times raise new questions about how UCLA handled the case at a time when the UC system touts itself as a national leader in establishing strong sexual misconduct policies being more sensitive to victims and responsive to complaints.

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Allowed to continue his practice, Heaps saw another patient in February 2018, two months after the initial complaint. She too alleged sexual misconduct, saying Heaps improperly put his fingers in her vagina. UCLA, contacted by the patients attorney this year, agreed to a settlement that the university says it will disclose in further detail in coming weeks.

This week, at least 22 other women have stepped forward alleging that Heaps sexually assaulted them while practicing at UCLA. The university also discovered two other complaints about Heaps while it was investigating the 2017 allegation.

In addition, about 75 people have contacted UCLA about Heaps since the university announced that Los Angeles prosecutors have charged the doctor with sexual battery in the two university cases. About half complained about inappropriate conduct by Heaps or possibly other physicians, UCLAs communication and other issues; a quarter supported the doctor; and the rest had other questions, said Rhonda Curry, spokeswoman for UCLA Health.

Heaps has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges of sexual battery during his treatment of two patients at a university facility. His attorney, Tracy Green, said Heaps was a respected, talented and thorough gynecological oncologist whose treatment was always medically necessary and done with respect for patients.

Everything was done for a medical reason, Green said. She called the allegations baseless and said Heaps would fight them.

Heaps and the UC regents also face two civil lawsuits filed this week by women treated in 2017, who are each identified as Jane Doe.

One lawsuit, which alleges that a female medical chaperone in the room witnessed the horrific encounter between Doe and Heaps but remained silent, includes allegations of sexual battery, emotional distress, gender discrimination, negligent supervision and failure to warn the public and properly train and educate UC staff on sexual misconduct. That lawsuit, filed Tuesday, involves the woman with pelvic pain.

The second lawsuit, filed Friday, involves a college student who was 18 at the time of her July 2017 appointment with Heaps. She alleges he sexually touched her genitals, made vulgar comments about her body and asked embarrassing and medically unnecessary questions about her sex life.

Attorney John Manly said 21 women have contacted him this week with complaints about Heaps. This is a clear case of a cover-up, Manly said. UCLA only made it public when they knew he was being slapped in handcuffs.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said in an interview this week that the university properly followed UC sexual misconduct policies and reported the complaints to the state medical board and law enforcement but did not act as promptly or as efficiently as I think we should have.

Block said UCLA did not disclose the allegations of sexual misconduct in announcing Heaps retirement last June because the university was still investigating them.

We really wanted to know the full facts before we were to make that kind of announcement, he said. Quite frankly, I take responsibility here. We should have done a better job communicating with patients more quickly.

Block has apologized to patients for harm caused. He has created an independent committee to review the universitys handling of complaints against Heaps and how to improve sexual misconduct procedures in clinical settings.

Jennifer McGrath, an attorney representing both Jane Does, alleged that Heaps celebrity as a high-profile gynecologist whose practice generated millions of dollars to UCLA may have played a role in the way he was treated. Last year, Heaps earned more than $1 million, far outstripping the 629 other UC employees in the same job category of Health Sciences Clinical Professor Series (the next highest-paid employee, at UC San Francisco, earned about $477,000). Heaps was listed by the Hollywood Reporter in 2015 as one of the top gynecologists and obstetricians in Los Angeles.

We allege that James Heaps used his position of power and authority to abuse multiple women, and UCLA used its institutional authority to try to sweep his misconduct under the rug, McGrath said.

Curry, the UCLA spokeswoman, said his stature was absolutely not the reason for UCLAs handling of the case.

She said UCLA launched a Title IX investigation into Heaps on Dec. 22, 2017, two days after the woman who was treated in June 2017 made her complaint. In May 2018, the Title IX office referred the case to medical staff to assess whether Heaps treatment was medically appropriate.

In September, after Heaps retired, the external peer review by Greeley Co. found that he had acted inappropriately in touching the patients buttocks and asking about her genital piercings. Greeley did not interview Heaps.

But UCLA never completed the Title IX investigation and therefore never informed patients of any findings or sanctions. The independent committee will investigate why that happened, Curry said. The committee also will look into why UCLA failed to report the 2017 complaint in a timely fashion to federal authorities and whether doing so was required under the Clery Act, she said.

In fact, the reason that UCLA officials informed Heaps in April 2018 that they would not reappoint him was not because of the 2017 complaint, she said, but because of an unrelated financial issue and violation of UC sexual misconduct policies.

Other issues raised include UCLAs promptness in responding to the complaints. Brett Sokolow, president of the Assn. of Title IX Administrators, said universities usually can consult medical experts and gain a consensus within 24 hours as to whether a physicians treatment was outside the range of standard practice. UCLA took six months to place Heaps on leave and nine months before determining his treatment was inappropriate.

If universities keep accused physicians in place, Sokolow said, they should consider imposing safety measures, such as restricting or monitoring the doctors practice or redirecting patients. Curry said UCLA placed no restrictions on Heaps until putting him on leave in June 2018. Nor did the university make any attempt to encourage other potential victims to step forward, another best practice, until this week. UCLA has created a webpage with information about the Heaps case, which includes a hotline for complaints at (888) 961-9273.

Sokolow also questioned UCLAs failure to complete its Title IX investigation and allowing a doctor to retire without disclosing the reason why.

To allow someone to resign in a situation like that probably shows more coddling of faculty and an employee of an institution than most institutions do at this point, he said.

He added that at least half a dozen universities have been hit with complaints of sexual misconduct by staff physicians in the last 60 to 90 days as high-profile cases at USC and Michigan State University have raised awareness about the line between acceptable and inappropriate medical exams.

What had previously been very quiet is now much better known as a trend with more and more people coming forward, he said.

Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.When Raul Ruiz took to the podium last year at Self-Help Graphics for a history symposium, many in the packed house were at first perplexed.

The longtime reporter, activist and professor was there to talk about his role in the Chicano moratorium, the 1970 antiwar march in East Los Angeles that ended with law enforcement indiscriminately assaulting protesters and killing Los Angeles Times columnist Ruben Salazar. Ruizs gripping photo of a sheriffs deputy firing a tear-gas canister into the bar that Salazar had ducked into to escape the violence had run on the front page of The Times and became one of the most iconic images of the Chicano movement.

But many of the veteranos (elder activists) at the Self-Help Graphics event hadnt seen Ruiz in years. College students in attendance had read about him only in history books. And the general public had no idea who Raul was, said symposium co-organizer Carlos Montes.

The confusion ended as soon as soon as Ruiz spoke. Everyone was just fixated, Montes said. He was just real.

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Ruiz died Thursday in his sleep, friends said. He was 78.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: A witness is still suspicious about Ruben Salazars death 

The son of a railroad worker, Ruiz was born in El Paso before moving to South Los Angeles as a teen. After working at a draftsman in Orange County, Ruiz enrolled at Cal State L.A. to major in engineering but quickly found himself on academic probation.

His life changed after he took classes on Latin American history taught by Tim Harding. The professor challenged Ruiz to dive into Chicano history, giving him a copy of North From Mexico, a 1949 book by Carey McWilliams considered the first serious study of Mexicans in the United States.

The tome, Ruiz told a biographer decades later, made me understand that men and women  not only by knowing themselves but also by reacting to their social conditions  make history.

The political awakening came just as the Chicano movement began to bubble up in Los Angeles and the Southwest. While pursuing a masters at Cal State L.A., Ruiz helped found two underground newspapers, Inside Eastside and Chicano Student News, that criticized police brutality, apathetic school administrators and the mainstream medias stereotypical depiction of Mexican Americans.

Original copies of Inside Eastside and Chicano Student News, newspapers that Raul Ruiz helped found and edited in the late 1960s. (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times)

Making no pretense of objectivity, Ruiz simultaneously reported on and helped to organize el movimiento, even getting arrested for everything from sit-ins at Los Angeles school board meetings to disrupting a Christmas Eve midnight Mass at St. Basil Church led by Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, whom Ruiz and others accused of slighting poor Mexican Catholics.

He always had a camera, he always was asking questions, said Montes, a longtime activist. All the major things of that era, he was there.

Eventually, Ruiz became co-editor of La Raza, a pioneering Chicano newspaper that documented Mexican American life across the country until it folded in 1977. The publication ran Ruizs photo of Salazars purported killer on its cover under the headline in English and Spanish, The Murder of Ruben Salazar.

He let the Times reprint and syndicate the shot worldwide to expose what he called a farce of an investigation into the columnists death. A coroners inquest jury asked him to testify during a public hearing, but their open skepticism about Ruizs eyewitness account infuriated him.

The Sept. 4, 1970, front page of the Los Angeles Times with coverage of the death of columnist Ruben Salazar, including Raul Ruizs photo. (Los Angeles Times)

You are questioning my integrity, but of course I expect that, he told them. Because I am a Mexicano.

His advocacy eventually brought Ruiz to La Raza Unida Party, a political party created by activists who felt the Democratic Party ignored Chicanos. He ran under the partys banner in 1971 for a state Assembly seat that analysts predicted would easily go to Richard Alatorre, then a rising star. Ruiz earned 7% of the vote, enough for Alatorres Republican opponent to pull off a stunning upset  angering the Eastside political machine.

Ruiz was unapologetic. He told the media he hoped his race would inspire activists to never let a Democrat have an easy election in a Chicano district again.

While he reported and protested, Ruiz also taught in the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at Cal State Northridge; he retired in 2015 after 45 years.

He created a pathway for my generation to follow and grow the discipline, says Denise Sandoval, who first met Ruiz as a graduate student at CSUN in the early 1990s and eventually became a colleague. I will remember those moments I stopped and looked into his classroom while he was teaching so I could just listen for a few moments.

Though Ruiz never formally returned to journalism after La Raza, Los Angeles reporters frequently leaned on him for a good quote on anything Chicano. He even got into musical productions in his final years, producing sold-out shows at the Ford Amphitheater that highlighted Mexican legends such as Juan Gabriel and Jose Alfredo Jimenez.

But even then, Ruiz couldnt resist politics. Last year, according to Montes, he spoke harshly about President Trump, which didnt sit well with some in the crowd.

He didnt apologize, Montes said. He told it like it was. He didnt hold back. He stood his ground.

gustavo.arellano@latimes.com

Twitter: @GustavoArellanoBeto ORourke took a path somewhat less traveled on Friday, meeting with a small group representing a community of slave descendants in South Carolina as he strives to make connections with the black voters who will play a dominant role in next years Southern presidential primaries.

In a Baptist church in Beaufort, the Democratic presidential candidate and former Texas congressman met with leaders of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, a culture of coastal slave descendants whose separation from the mainland allowed them to retain much of their African heritage, including a unique dialect and skills such as cast-net fishing and basket weaving.

ORourke, addressing questions on topics including healthcare, housing affordability and education, acknowledged what he identified as his own struggle with not knowing enough about the history of slavery in the United States and its ongoing ramifications.

White Americans do not know this story, ORourke said, noting that until a tour of the churchs grounds, he hadnt known antislavery activist Harriet Tubman had lived in the area.

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ORourke has addressed issues concerning white privilege before, telling a crowd at a historically black college in South Carolina earlier this year that he might not know their struggles but wanted to try to help them.

In Iowa, he said he didnt think being a white man in a historically diverse field of candidates put him at a disadvantage because his sex and race have given him inherent advantages for years.

On Friday, asked if he supported reparations, ORourke said that he did, though he still supports the creation of a commission to further study the issue and how to ameliorate it.

The answer is yes. We must repair this country from its very founding, kidnapping peoples from West Africa, bringing them here in bondage to literally build the wealth of the United States, he said. The path there, though, has to come through learning and telling this American story with everyone. Then, I think, we define what reparations look like.

The stop was the first of 10 events ORourke has planned in the state over the next three days, centered on an appearance at a forum in Charleston on Saturday sponsored by the Black Economic Alliance.

Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., and Sens. Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren are also slated to speak at the event. South Carolina is home to the first Southern primary, and most of its Democratic primary electorate is nonwhite.By Sammy Stein Evan Parker has been a fixture on the UK jazz scene for many years. His original delivery makes him distinctive, an...Over the last several years, California lawmakers have come to grips with how the increasingly pricey fines and penalties theyve imposed for minor traffic and parking offenses can lead to financial ruin for low-income drivers. A ticket priced high enough to change the behavior of a more affluent person may simply be unaffordable for someone living paycheck to paycheck, and failing to pay the fine could cost such a person her license, her car, her job and even her freedom.

Thats beginning to change. In 2017, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that prohibits courts from suspending drivers licenses for failing to pay a traffic fine. Another new law requires cities to offer payment plans and to waive late fees for low-income drivers with unpaid parking tickets before asking the state Department of Motor Vehicles to put a hold on their vehicle registration.

Now, Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) wants to go even further. His proposal, Assembly Bill 516, would repeal cities authority to tow vehicles for having multiple unpaid parking tickets or long out-of-date registrations, or for being parked in the same spot for 72 hours.

Chiu, along with legal aid groups, argues that towing a poor persons car for unpaid debt is as good as confiscating their car. In Los Angeles, it costs at least $300 to retrieve a vehicle, with the fee increasing each day the car spends in the impound yard. Plus, owners have to pay their outstanding tickets or registration fees before they can get their car back. The bill can be so high that some people never retrieve their vehicle, leaving it to be sold by the company that towed or impounded it, often for a fraction of the debt owed.

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Towing isnt the only enforcement tool for unpaid tickets, but its a powerful deterrent to those who willfully ignore the law.

In other words, towing poor peoples cars can leave them unable to get to work or take their kids to school. A car is often the key to financial stability, and can even serve as a home of last resort. (More than 16,000 people are living in their cars in L.A. County, according to a recent report.) So there is clearly a need to address towing as part of the larger effort to develop a more just and equitable system of resolving minor traffic and parking violations.

But in its current form, AB 516 isnt the right solution. Its a blanket prohibition on towing cars for nonpayment. Theres no differentiation between folks who truly cannot afford to pay their parking tickets or vehicle registration fees and scofflaws who choose not to pay them. Towing isnt the only enforcement tool for unpaid tickets  cities could still seek to garnish wages or put a hold on tax refunds  but its a powerful deterrent to those who willfully ignore the law.

The bill would also prohibit local governments from towing vehicles that are left for days on their streets. The limits on how long cars can be parked are designed to deter people from hogging parking spots and to help officials distinguish parked cars from abandoned ones. Supporters of the bill argue that since enforcement is complaint-driven, these limits have a disproportionate effect on low-income people who have older, junkier cars or RVs that are more likely to spur complaints.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

That may be true but, again, removing cities authority to tow any cars parked for 72 hours or more would let everyone off the hook, including such parking abusers as auto body shops that store junked cars curbside and travelers who leave their cars in neighborhoods near an airport to avoid parking fees. It would make it harder for cities to maintain the public right of way for the common good.

The goal behind AB 516 is a good one. California has created a system of exorbitant fees and penalties for minor traffic and parking violations that puts low-income drivers in a deep hole when they make a mistake. Its patently unfair that a poor person could lose his or her vehicle because he or she couldnt pay a handful of parking tickets or move their car in time to avoid a tow.

But the solution to the injustice isnt to throw out the rules. The answer is to make the system more fair by offering low-income drivers payment plans for vehicle registration fees and parking tickets, and more humane by waiving fines when its clear that the penalties will push struggling people deeper into poverty.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookThe Trump White House is a bit like Shakespeare summer camp: not enough substantial parts for the girls. The female roles at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. are for craven ladies-in-waiting who are allotted very little moral agency, let alone opportunities for heroics. They subvert their ambitions to their overlords; they lie, in short.

Yes, theres a Lady Macbeth, portrayed in Trumpworld as a waxen blond sleepwalker, a ghostly daughter-wife whose veins are certifiably free of the milk of human kindness. (Ivankas understudy, the creepy Melania, has skipped so many rehearsals shes been written off.)

A shrewd, unholy trinity has settled for lesser roles: the liar-handmaidens Hope Hicks, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway. The president, according to Michael Wolffs latest book, Siege, likes to see these three in a cat fight, in which each undermines the others as she competes to lie most robustly on his behalf.

Trump has often treated Sarah Huckabee Sanders as if she were the possession of her father, Mike Huckabee, on loan to him as a scullery maid.

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The melancholic former White House Communications Director Hicks, choleric counselor Conway and splenetic Press Secretary Sanders arent just complicit in the presidents depravity. They have managed to advance it.

But the advantage this trio has over Lady Ivanka is that they can leave.

Indeed, Hicks swept out of the White House last year shortly after admitting to the Senate Intelligence Committee that she lied for Trump. Wolff writes that Hicks is still a regular anonymous source for reporters, to whom she slags off Conway and Sanders.

Hicks departure also came not long after the president had reportedly blamed her for botching the cover-up of Rob Porters gross ineligibility for his position as a presidential aide. Porter, youll remember, had been kept on after his bosses saw photographic evidence that he was a domestic abuser. He was also Hicks boyfriend.

In that case, Hicks didnt spin the truth well enough for Trumps taste. It was an uncharacteristic lapse. The Mueller report was plenty impressed by her knack for justice-obstruction, citing her attempt to bury grave misdeeds by Donald J. Trump Jr.

The lavishly tressed obstructress has now agreed to testify again, this time in a closed-door session before the House Judiciary Committee next week. Maddeningly, its hard to imagine anything House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) might learn from Hicks testimony that would convince her to begin a much-needed impeachment inquiry into the president.

On Thursday, Sanders announced she was following Hicks out the door. Sanders is known for her never-ending mendacity and her near-religious devotion to Trump, who, according to Wolff, calls her the Huckabee Girl.

Indeed, Trump has often treated Sanders as if she were the possession of her father, Mike Huckabee, on loan to him as a scullery maid. Scullery for Trump includes, above all, mendacity. Sanders is featured in the Mueller report for her slip of the tongue  the claim that countless FBI agents disliked former FBI Director James B. Comey.

Not only was this fabrication part of Sanders tireless effort to make it seem as though Trump is a normal law-and-order Republican (and not a carnie thug with well-documented contempt for the whole FBI), but it was also an effort to obfuscate Trumps reason for firing Comey. We all know it: to kill the Russia investigation.

Sanders seems to have seen two options in working for the president. She could affirmatively lie for him or flatly refuse to take questions, which would violate Americas first principles. Lying, even when its your job, carries risks. So nearly 100 days ago, Sanders shut down the White Houses daily press briefings. Since then shes passed her time Instagramming it up in Japan and England, appearing on Fox News and jousting with reporters on her way in and out of the White House.

Conway, counselor to the president, hasnt left yet, but the Office of Special Counsel (not the Mueller group; a different special counsel) devoutly wishes she were gone. Her flagrant violations of the Hatch Act, which limits political activity by government workers, finally drew the watchdog agencys attention, which recommended Trump fire Conway as a repeat offender.

But just as Trump on Wednesday dismissed the FBI director as wrong to demand he report attempted foreign election interference, he is insisting the U.S. special counsel, his appointee, is wrong about Conway. Shes staying put.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

Maybe Trump cant bear to lose the last of the ladies who are willing to grind their legacies to dust lying for him. (Theres a big roster of the no longer willing that includes deputy national security advisor K.T. McFarland, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, professional wrestling impresario turned head of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and communications official Omarosa Manigault Newman.)

Why Conway doesnt make the leap on her own is something of a mystery. According to Wolffs book, she and her Trump-critic husband, George T. Conway III, are of one mind about Trump  they hate him. Georges open contempt for the president, according to Wolff, lets Kellyanne survive in their well-to-do anti-Trump neighborhood in Washington, where she is seen, despite her pronouncements on the White House lawn, as more an administration mole than a loyalist. An unconventionally cast Iago?

Certainly the female part that most needs a star turn in Washington also comes from Othello  Emilia, Desdemonas maid, because she has this line: You told a lie, an odious, damned lie!/Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie!

For heavens sake, Nancy Pelosi, this is your cue.

Follow @page88 on Twitter

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand FacebookTo the editor: The reasons Americans cant talk politics with one another anymore were displayed prominently in Jonathan Katzs well-meaning op-ed piece, Call immigrant detention centers what they really are: concentration camps.

There should be, as Katz notes, mass outrage at a system that separates children from their parents and brutally holds detainees in isolation cells. The question becomes how to best engage the public. This is where Katzs approach fails: He further alienates those in the center and on the right with his concentration camp hyperbole.

Although the term concentration camp is technically correct, the smoke created by the term obscures whats going on. Regardless of which type of concentration camp is being discussed, the vast majority will reflexively equate concentration camp with ghastly images of Nazi death camps.

Rhetoric like concentration camp serves only to polarize and inflame passions on both sides. Using concentration camp will add gasoline to liberals anti-Trump flames, cause conservatives to rally around Trump, and force those in the shrinking political center to choose a side. As for much-needed consensus and compromise on immigration, language like this makes it all but impossible. How can liberals compromise with Nazis? And how can conservatives compromise with those who think they are Nazis?

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Katz is correct when he writes, With constant, unrelenting attention, it is possible we might alleviate the plight of the people inside, and stop the crisis from getting worse. Stopping the crisis and reaching a compromise is certainly desirable, but it wont happen if inflammatory terms like concentration camp are allowed to leak into the vernacular. Lets stick with immigrant detention centers and follow Katzs advice to give this story the unrelenting attention it deserves.

Steven Youngblood, Parkville, Mo.

The writer is director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University in Missouri, where he is an associate professor.

..

To the editor: Im not balking at Katzs misuse of the term concentration camp  Im outraged by it.

At Nazi concentration camps, inmates were starved, beaten, not provided with clothes or bathing facilities, made to stand for hours on end for inspections in all weather conditions, and shot for the tiniest infraction or a sadistic guards amusement.

None of those are happening in the camps at the border. The primary problem in those camps is that theres not enough room for the too many people who have, of their own free choice, crossed our border.

If the immigrants dont like the conditions, they can just stay home or seek asylum elsewhere.

Aviva Williams, Burbank

..

To the editor: I was struck by the similarity between the photo with Katzs article and those from Nazi Germany.

The picture shows detainees marching single file past the fences that have held them in with oil tanker rail cars nearby. Where are the guard houses, searchlights and cattle cars?

We Americans once prided ourselves on our values, beliefs, laws and tolerance. Is this who we want to be?

Carol A. Wiley, Palm Desert

..

To the editor: How can an intelligent person like Katz have the temerity to compare detention centers near the U.S.-Mexico border to Nazi concentration camps? Did the Jews, gypsies and other undesirables voluntarily flock to the German border for a free shower?

The real story that Id like to read is how 11,000 unaccompanied minors from Central America managed to cross the border and be apprehended in the month of May alone.

Len Linton, Thousand Oaks

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookTo the editor: One of the obvious dangers of an administration that lies and misrepresents as a matter of course is that we have no reason to believe the leaders even in a real crisis.

So when Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo quickly blames Iran for explosions on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, I do not believe him.

Are we to believe Iran instigated attacks on a Japanese vessel while the prime minister of Japan was visiting Iran to defuse tensions? The owner of the Japanese tanker has subsequently disputed U.S. accounts of the attacks. What a surprise.

This administration seems hellbent on starting a war with Iran. The president has previously shown a disdain for further wars, but he is so incompetent and so malleable that I wouldnt put it past him to start a war if he thought it would be good for a change in the news cycle.

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I do hope that good people at the Pentagon are principled and strong enough to push back on the administration before we go down a path we will inevitably regret.

Marc Chasman, Sherman Oaks

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookGood morning. Im Paul Thornton, and it is Saturday, June 15, 2019. Lets take a look back at the week in Opinion.

Weve bungled the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles  on that much, everyone can agree. But exactly how weve gotten this escalating problem so horribly wrong is a matter of fierce debate, partly because affluent homeowners would rather not have a shelter open in their neighborhood, but more importantly because much of what you probably know the causes of homelessness is false.

As the L.A. Times letters editor, Ive seen this play out in reader submissions that purport to offer simple solutions to this problem, namely reopening the states shuttered psychiatric hospitals (because we all know homeless people ended up unsheltered because of mental illness) and boosting addiction treatment programs (because we all know homeless people are drunks). Often, these two facts are offered as arguments against opening shelters or building housing  because unless we address these root causes first, the thinking goes, whats the point?

Problem is, most individuals who experience homelessness dont end up that way because of mental health issues or addiction. The crisis in Los Angeles County  where nearly 59,000 residents are homeless  is truly the product of Californias housing crisis, where wages have failed to keep up with rents rising ever higher because of inadequate supply. The L.A. Times editorial board explains in a myth-busting piece:

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Go ahead, consider a vacancy tax  but build more affordable housing too. The city wants to study whether it should impose a fee on housing units that remain uninhabited, a policy with which Vancouver, Canada, has had success. Its worth pursuing, if only for the benefit of City Hall knowing how many homes are vacant and why they remain so. But this should not be in lieu of building new affordable housing, says the editorial board. L.A. Times

Want to buy a home in L.A.? Youll need to save  for 43 years. In San Francisco, its 40 years. When a 30-year-old decides she wants to buy a home and realizes it wont be possible until shes 73, Californias housing crisis starts to feel a lot like generational warfare. The Atlantic

Jon Stewart was back on TV, showing us all how outrage is supposed to work. To anyone whos followed Stewart closely, it might not be surprising that the part-comedian, part-pundit testified to a congressional committee on guaranteed healthcare for the Sept. 11, 2001, first responders. But watching him argue with wit and righteous anger, it was hard not think, Man, we could use a guy like Jon Stewart now. L.A. Times

Sarah Huckabee Sanders says shes leaving the White House. Can we believe her? She crossed the line between crass political spin  something all White House press secretaries do  and blatant lying, damaging American democracy in the process. Since Sanders and her predecessor Sean Spicer all but destroyed the press secretary position, President Trump could be forgiven for leaving the post vacant. L.A. Times

Summer camp? Send your offspring to Burning Man Camp instead. Counselors at the (satirical) Los Feliz Daycare have put together the perfect post-solstice getaway for your toddlers who, just like Burning Man attendees, love to rip off their clothes, refuse to sleep and explore their surroundings with wide-eyed wonder. L.A. Times

Reach me: paul.thornton@latimes.comAfter three years of scandal over Russias interference in Americas 2016 election, President Trump drew a storm of criticism for saying he would not tell the FBI if a foreign country offered him dirt on an opponent.

Even after Trump backed off Friday and said he would indeed notify law enforcement, his maneuvering still raised questions about whats legal and whats not when it comes to foreign influence in U.S. elections.

What exactly did Trump say?

In an ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether his son Donald Trump Jr. should have contacted the FBI after receiving an email promising incriminating information from the Russian government about Trumps 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton.

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Give me a break  life doesnt work that way, the president said.

Theres nothing wrong with listening, Trump added.

Reminded by Stephanopoulos that FBI Director Christopher Wray has urged anyone in similar situations to notify the FBI, Trump snapped, The FBI director is wrong.

Trump backtracked Friday after fellow Republicans warned he was inviting Russian meddling in the 2020 election. Id report it to law enforcement, absolutely, he told Fox News.

What does the law say?

The federal law on attempts by foreigners to influence U.S. elections is fairly straightforward.

It is unlawful for a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a federal, state or local election.

Its also illegal for a campaign to solicit, accept or receive anything of value from a foreigner.

That applies not just to money, but also to such things as donated furniture, said Justin Levitt, a law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. The definition of a thing of value can be open to interpretation, however.

Foreigners can volunteer for a campaign, for instance, but cant be paid, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Ellen L. Weintraub, a Democrat who chairs the FEC, issued a statement Thursday, saying, Let me make something 100% clear to the American public and anyone running for public office: It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election.

I would not have thought that I needed to say this. pic.twitter.com/T743CsXq79  Ellen L Weintraub (@EllenLWeintraub) June 13, 2019

Does receiving dirt on an opponent count?

Daniel P. Tokaji, a law professor at Ohio State University, said he did not believe so.

My view is that an in-kind contribution has to have some determinate economic value, he said.

Brad Smith, a law professor at Capital University in Ohio and a former FEC chairman, agreed, saying that conversations with foreign nationals are not unlawful. But if those talks involve a foreign government agent going out and spending money to compile information on a candidates behalf, it could be, he said.

Trump again claims he would consider foreign help for his campaign 

In his report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III found that opposition research  on which campaigns often spend substantial sums  could be construed as a thing of value covered by the foreign donation ban.

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images)

Trump told ABC that if you talk honestly to congressmen, they all do it, they always have. And thats the way it is.

Levitt, of Loyola Law School, said the presidents admission opens the door to foreign governments interfering in future elections, starting with next years presidential race.

This is far less about what happened and far more about real concern about what the president is seeking, and what other entities will do going forward, he said.

Is everybody else really doing it?

Not according to members of Congress.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) told CNN, I have not met a congressman, Democrat or Republican, whos said that theyve ever done this.

On Wednesday, New Jersey Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski introduced the Anti-Collusion Act, which would require individuals running for office to report offers of assistance from foreign powers.

Have campaigns gone to the FBI in the past?

During the interview, Stephanopoulos brought up the example of Al Gores campaign receiving a debate prep book stolen from the campaign of George W. Bush, his opponent in the 2000 presidential election. The Gore campaign turned the materials over to the FBI.

But the situation isnt comparable, Trump replied. Smith, the former Republican FEC chairman, agreed.

If you get a confidential document, that you know has been either stolen or leaked in violation of confidentiality privileges, I could see that being a very different reaction, Smith said.

Nonetheless, Smith found Trumps remarks troubling.

I think its legitimate for Americans to be concerned that the president is perhaps too cavalier about foreign sources, he said.

Was it legal for Trump and his aides to welcome Russian help in 2016?

In 2016, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, his campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump Jr. met with Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in New York. Theyd been promised derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, though nothing useful emerged from the meeting.

Bob Bauer, White House counsel to President Obama, wrote last year that the conditions of the meeting suggested there was a violation of federal campaign laws.

Donald Trump Jr. (Zach Gibson / EPA/Shutterstock)

The Russians did not merely offer information, plucked from the sky: In the first place, they had to have procured it, and gathering the material likely meant spending money, he wrote in a 2018 post. Both the material they proposed to provide and the expenses associated with creating and arranging to deliver it raise the serious question of in-kind contributions to the campaign.

Mueller weighed whether to charge Trump Jr., Kushner and Manafort with violating the ban on foreign contributions. He ultimately declined to bring charges because investigators did not find enough evidence to show the men had knowingly and willfully taken information from a foreigner, and they could not establish its value.Fountain Valley will loan a developer $6.4 million interest-free to build a 50-unit affordable-housing complex along Harbor Boulevard.

The City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday night to loan Related Cos. of California the money to buy a privately owned 2-acre site at 16790 Harbor. The parcel is currently a fenced parking lot adjacent to an auto mechanic shop.

Construction could begin in late 2020 or early 2021, said City Manager Rob Houston, who described the city as a silent partner in the deal.

If the developer defaults or its plans are unsuccessful, the city will take the deed to the property. Related Cos. has 60 years to pay back the loan.

Related did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday.

The state requires cities to plan for lower-income housing using money from a locally administered low and moderate housing asset fund. Fountain Valley has about $12 million in its fund, feathered by the 2017 sale of four city-owned acres on Warner Avenue at Newhope Street. The Warner land was supposed to be used for affordable housing but hit a snag because of legal constraints on the propertys title, leading the city to look elsewhere.

The Southern California Assn. of Governments determined that Fountain Valley needs 358 new housing units for all income levels built between 2014 and 2021. Of those, 207 must be for people with extremely low, very low, low and moderate incomes. Low income in Orange County is defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as 80% of the area median income of $84,450 for a family of four or $58,450 for a single person living alone.

At of the end of 2017, no units had been built in the extremely low to low range, and only a handful of new accessory dwelling units, or granny flats  apartments attached to or within existing single-family homes and considered a type of affordable housing  came online in 2018, city staff said.

All of the Related projects residents will be in the extremely low to low income range, with extremely low being 30% of the area median income and very low at 59.5%. Eight of the units will be supportive housing to keep recently homeless people from going back to the streets.

Celeste Brady, the citys affordable-housing legal consultant, told the council the city risks legal action by housing advocates if the city doesnt satisfy its state guidelines.One more step remains in a local artists years-long battle to build an artist work/live space in Laguna Canyon, and its up to the Laguna Beach City Council.

The council Tuesday is expected to uphold an April 3 decision by the Planning Commission that would allow sculptor Louis Longi to build his project  an artists community of two two-story buildings with 28 housing units, six art studios and gallery space.

Controversial artist work/live project inches forward in Laguna Beach after Planning Commission keeps city permit alive 

Friends of the Canyon, a local group opposed to large-scale development in Laguna Canyon, appealed the Planning Commissions decision to the council.

Longi said in an interview Friday that the project is moving forward and he hopes to break ground this summer.

Over the last couple of years, Ive been saying Im going to build next year, next year, next year, Longi said. Now Im talking about breaking ground next month, next month, next month.  That feels good.

The municipal code allows two years after a city permits effective date to begin construction on a project. The Planning Commission can approve a two-year extension and then a one-year extension after that, for a total of five years before the permit runs out.

Longis permit was approved in 2014 and the city granted two extensions that expired in April this year. Longi had requested the extensions while his project was tied up in battles with Friends of the Canyon at two Coastal Commission hearings and in multiple lawsuits.

Longis lawyer Jeffrey Harlan argued  and the Planning Commission agreed  that the permit should have been effective once the California Coastal Commission approved a coastal development permit on Aug. 9, 2017. A developer cant begin the building process without all permits in hand, so the city and coastal development permits should have the same effective date, Harlan said.

If Longis city permit took effect at the time of the coastal development permit, it would still be within its initial two-year period.

Friends of the Canyon lawyer Julie Hamilton said at the Planning Commissions April meeting that Longi was at fault for the years of delays by not following proper procedures. She said the time limit on city permits is necessary because changes to a project can alter the original intent of a permit. She said Longis project has changed enough in the past five years that the citys permit should no longer apply.

The City Council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 505 Forest Ave.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.Mere days after it was first hoisted, the rainbow flag flown at the OC Fair & Event Center was stolen.

The theft occurred Tuesday, according to a statement issued Friday afternoon, and was reported to the Orange County Sheriffs Department.

The flag has since been replaced and additional security measures are now in place at the state-owned fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, according to spokeswoman Terry Moore.

The rainbow flag  a symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer, or LGBTQ, community  was raised for the first time at the fairgrounds on June 8 following a May 23 Fair Board vote. The banner will fly year-round at the property.

We are extremely disappointed that this offensive act occurred because it goes against the message of community and inclusion that we believe in, Fair Board Chairman Robert Ruiz said in a statement. The OCFEC board supports every community and promotes a safe and welcoming environment for all at our fairgrounds.

Sheriffs spokeswoman Carrie Braun said Friday that the investigation is continuing.

When you see a rainbow flag flying, the sense of safety that that gives you and the sense of welcomeness that that gives you  for a community that can otherwise be invisible, [it] is very, very important, Fair Board member Andreas Meyer said last month.

Along with the fairgrounds, the cities of Costa Mesa and Laguna Beach have approved displaying the flag at their respective city halls from Harvey Milk Day on May 22 through June, which is LGBT Pride Month.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.Phillip Richardson was in Northern California for a funeral when he received an unexpected message from his son, who was standing in disbelief on the familys Costa Mesa driveway.

Their 1940s-era three-bedroom bungalow on East 19th Street was boarded up and fenced off. A 20-foot sailboat and four motor vehicles, including a Volkswagen van painted the ugliest metallic brown imaginable, were missing.

The VW once carried the Richardson children to school. Now it was gone, leaving Michael distraught.

How do we get our stuff back, Dad? he asked.

Dont worry about it, his father assured. Well get our stuff back.

Sometime after that afternoon in December 2013, Richardson, a paralegal, looked himself up in the Orange County Superior Court database. What he uncovered surprised him, he says.

Months earlier, the city of Costa Mesa had filed a civil complaint against him and his deceased wife, Julie. The city made a series of code enforcement allegations  illegal storage of items in public view, overgrown vegetation, a substandard roof  about the house at 276 E. 19th St.

City officials argued in court that the property was infested with bees and rats, abandoned and left to deteriorate. Overgrown vegetation created a fire hazard, they said, and the refrigerator contained spoiled food.

Four vehicles were towed by a court-appointed receiver after Phillip Richardsons Costa Mesa house was taken over by the receiver. (Courtesy of California Receivership Group)

The home displayed signs of severe hoarding, according to a city court filing.

The house was red-tagged that summer. Officials declared it a public health and safety problem.

The home had been a target for City Hall since the late 1990s. Over some 20 years, Richardson and city attorneys have jousted over code enforcement disputes, amassing thousands of pages in legal filings and hundreds of hours worth of legal bills.

The Richardsons had owned the home since the 1970s, but following Julies death in 2000, Phillip moved to a place nearby in about 2004. He and his children maintained 276 E. 19th as their legal address and kept most of their possessions there. The children also lived in the house for periods of time until 2013.

When the city filed its suit, Richardson says, his property was being used for storage. Sometimes his adult children stopped by to pick up mail and feed the cats.

Though Richardson disputes it, Costa Mesas lawyers claimed in court that they tried to contact him in 2012 and 2013 about the code problems but never heard back. So they went to court without him.

On Dec. 18, 2013, apparently unbeknownst to the family and a few days before Michael contacted his father, the court appointed California Receivership Group to take over the property. The Los Angeles firm towed the motor vehicles to Santa Ana. Its unclear what happened to the boat. The next month, without Richardsons knowledge, a crew cleared out the home.

A court-appointed receiver placed a storage bin on Richardsons property and placed items cleared out from his house in the bin. Richardson, however, says about $300,000 worth of items, some of them personal, that were in the house were never recovered or placed in the bin. (Courtesy of California Receivership Group)

California Receiverships president, Mark Adams, reported in court that his team placed personal property found in the house into an onsite storage container.

Richardson, however, claims the vehicles, boat and $300,000 worth of personal effects remain missing. They ranged from the valuable to the sentimental: tools, wedding photos, baby books, family videos, china, five diamond rings, antique weapons, sailing trophies, an uncut $2 bill, stamp and coin collections, audio tapes with an oral history from grandparents, Julies ashes.

Days after his son told him their old house was fenced and boarded, Richardson saw it for himself.

The state of his little Eastside homestead infuriated him. Compelled by the urges of his younger self, he considered ripping through the chain-link fence, toppling the barrier, tearing down the boards, tromping back into his castle and reclaiming it from the meddlesome grasp of government.

But that wasnt his style anymore.

Richardson realized he needed a long-term strategy  a legal one. He surmised the civil case would become just another chapter in his saga, one he likely would win, as in previous fights with the city.

Whoever stood in his way, they were going to pay for it, he vowed.

How it started: Trash and a Dodge pickup

By Richardsons account, his code enforcement troubles started with a $35 infraction and worsened each year.

It began one day when a code enforcement officer asked if his Dodge pickup was operational. She cited a code that permitted authorities to remove inoperable cars.

The officer had been bothering him for some time, Richardson said. Her latest inquiry set him off.

Listen, Richardson recalled saying, I have a mother. I dont need another one. Get lost.

The officer walked onto his property, according to Richardson, who told her to leave. She didnt.

Richardson revved his truck and backed it within 18 inches of her car. She sped away, he said.

I shouldnt have done it, Richardson said. It was childish. I admit that.

Phillip Richardson's house at 276 E. 19th St. in Costa Mesa was the target of years of code-enforcement disputes with City Hall. It escalated in 2013, when the old farmhouse was boarded up and fenced off. (Courtesy of Phillip Richardson)

Continually strained relations with City Hall followed.

City officials issued citations for overgrown foliage and trash on his lawn, though Richardson said the trash was just old newspapers.

Instead of paying the fines, he asked for a hearing in Costa Mesa kangaroo court. The case was forwarded to Orange County Superior Court.

For Richardson, the whole thing was government overreach, spearheaded by a code enforcement bully.

I dont believe in bullies, he said.

::

In Chapter 2, Richardson describes a history of fighting local government and a childhood rooted in moral codes.

In Chapter 3, the fight between Richardson and City Hall over his Eastside home starts to ramp up.

In Chapter 4, Richardson fights his criminal conviction while facing a new courtroom adversary, who has challenges of his own.

In Chapter 5, the city begins its fourth effort on the Richardson home since 2001 and moves in on his property.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZintAfter a year off amid the pandemic, the Rose Parade is scheduled to return to the streets of Pasadena on Saturday, Jan. 1. The road back has been tangled by the resurgent COVID-19 outbreak and fierce December storms, but the event still had the green light as of Friday.The Orange County district attorneys office has seized the petitions in the unsuccessful recall effort against Newport Beach City Councilman Scott Peotter over concerns about potential irregularities, the city said Friday.

The DAs office served a search warrant to take the petitions from the Orange County registrar of voters office in Santa Ana, according to an email that Newport Beach City Clerk Leilani Brown sent to the City Council, city manager and city attorney.

The search warrant was served under seal and we have not received a copy of the search warrant, Brown wrote. I am in contact with the DAs office and hope to receive more information next week.

Further details, such as specific allegations or the date the warrant was served, were unavailable.

Brown said she received word of the seizure from the registrars office. Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley referred questions to the DAs office.

District attorneys spokeswoman Michelle Van Der Linden said she cant comment on the case unless charges are filed.

California election code makes petition circulators criminally liable for false or forged petition signatures.

Phil Greer, a recall proponent and lawyer for the Committee to Recall Scott Peotter, which organized the petition drive, said Friday that he doesnt believe anyone on the committee was implicated in the irregularities. Fellow recall organizer Susan Skinner said she believed a third-party circulator may have forged signatures.

Peotter said he found out about the DAs investigation when the rest of the council did Friday.

The registrar announced in December that the recall group fell short of forcing a special recall election. The committee submitted 10,696 signatures in October. The county threw out 2,357 as invalid. That left 8,339 valid signatures, 106 shy of the needed 8,445, representing 15% of the citys registered voters.

Recall proponents initially said they would seek another round of verifications. But they said this week that they would not further challenge the examination of the petitions after several proponents inspected rejected signatures and said they appeared to be disqualified appropriately.

Recall supporters cited several issues of policy and civility in seeking Peotters removal, including his support of the now-scuttled Museum House high-rise condominium project. The group also said he insulted residents and colleagues and made poor financial decisions for the city, such as his August vote  along with four other council members  to decline the citys share of state gas tax revenue in protest of the tax.

Peotter has said the recall effort targeted him for being politically incorrect.

He is up for reelection in November.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHDHello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we continue to wind down the Santa Anita meeting.

Its only a week after the end of the Triple Crown season, but we have a couple of good races that are worth looking at, one for older horses and one for 3-year-olds.

There is the Grade 2 $600,000 Stephen Foster, under the lights at Churchill Downs on Saturday night. The lightly raced Gift Box is the 3-1 favorite. The 6-year-old horse finished second last out in the Gold Cup to Vino Rosso by -length. The Stephen Foster is 1 1/8 miles.

And, there is the return of Maximum Security in Sundays Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth. When last we saw Maximum Security, he was being led away from the winners circle at the Kentucky Derby after being disqualified for interference.

Since then, his name has been in more lawsuits than your favorite personal injury attorney. His name is more famous than the eventual winner of the Kentucky Derby, Country House. Truth be told, if Flavien Prat wasnt his jockey, I might have erased his name from my mind.

And then there is Omaha Beach, who was the Kentucky Derby favorite until he had to scratch because of an entrapped epiglottis. He has recovered more slowly than thought and was just recently returned to Southern California. Hes scheduled to go in the Haskell, but since he hasnt resumed training, anything is possible.

The feature on Friday was a $77,000 allowance for horses going a mile on the turf. Higher Power, making his first start on the grass, held on through the stretch to win by half-a-length.

We purchased him out of a sale in March and his previous trainer, Mike Stidham, said that he thought hed like the grass, winning trainer John Sadler told Mike Willman of Santa Anita.

 Irad Ortiz Jr. rode him in the Gold Cup and he said he thought a mile and one eighth would probably be better for him. We wanted to try the grass and it looks like the change in surface suited him well.

Santa Anita has a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m. The interesting thing to look at are the advance scratches, which may or may not have come from the super-panel that is looking to determine if a horse is at risk.

There are five horses that were scratched by Friday afternoon. First race: Finallygotabentley (trainer- Derek Meredith ); Third: Suprema ( Keith Desormeaux ); Sixth: Thalia ( Phil DAmato ); Seventh: Mason Dixon ( Doug ONeill ); Ninth: Clever One ( Paddy Gallagher ). Not saying these horses were ruled off by the panel, just that they were scratched on Friday for Saturdays races.

Apparently, there are no announcements of which horses did not pass the scrutiny of the super panel. Hope Im wrong but I couldnt find one. So much for transparency when the sport never needed it more.

The feature is eighth race, the $100,000 Thors Echo Handicap for Cal-breds going six furlongs. The favorite, at 9-5, is Desert Law for trainer Carla Gaines and jockey Rafael Bejarano . He is four-for-14 lifetime and won an allowance two back.

Coil Me Home is second favorite at 2-1 for Richard Baltas and Van Dyke. He is two-for-nine lifetime. It is the first stakes race for either horse.

Charmingslews jockey Mike Smith has one ride today on this 15-1 morning line horse from trainer Neil French . Old-school horseplayers should play the connections alone. Automatically, I am intrigued seeing this tandem and this price. The horse bobbled at the start in April under Smith at this distance and still won going gate-to-wire and then was sixth last out off a seven-week break. Second start off the layoff and races protected Saturday in this allowance race where we have been seeing some big prices of late. The five post is also the second-place post at this distance on turf. This is a great betting race.

Fridays result: Capture the Sea was as live as they come and despite being mugged at the start by the favorite, who veered into everyone, ran fifth. Two jockey objections were for naught and the result was left unchanged. Watch this horse next out with an un-interfered trip.

He was well regarded in two starts as a 2-year-old last year and looks fit for first 2019 outing based on solo gate drills of 12.2 and 18.1 at 220 and 350 yards respectively. In last sixth-place Golden State Million trial outing eight months ago, he broke poorly while getting bumped at the start when sixth vs. talented Apollitical Pence, winner of this years Heritage Place Futurity. Drivven, the 6-5 morning-line favorite, looks like a trial maiden based on three consecutive runnerup tries.

Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Cant beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you dont like it, then youre probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up . Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com . You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa .

Santa Anita Charts Results for Friday, June 14. Copyright 2019 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 29th day of a 41-day meet. Cloudy & Firm

FIRST RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $67,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $20,000. Time 23.84 47.36 1:11.31 1:23.55 1:36.16

Pgm Horse Wt PP St    Str Fin Jockey $1 6 Lostintranzlation 125 6 2 11 1 11 12 11 Franco 2.90 3 Opus Won 120 3 4 3 42 3 2hd 21 Prat 1.30 2 Sedamar 120 2 5 41 3hd 21 31 3 Mn Garcia 2.20 1 Emmy and I 116 1 3 21 21 41 525 4 Diaz, Jr. 23.10 4 Marjorie E 125 4 1 54 57 58 4hd 5 Fuentes 24.90 5 Fantasy Heat 118 5 6 6 6 6 6 dnf Talamo 8.10

6 LOSTINTRANZLATION 7.80 3.60 2.40 3 OPUS WON 2.80 2.10 2 SEDAMAR 2.10

$2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.60 $1 EXACTA (6-3) $7.50 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (6-3-2-1) $4.82 50-CENT TRIFECTA (6-3-2) $7.20

WinnerLostintranzlation Ch.m.5 by Lucky Pulpit out of Granny Got Game, by Stormy Atlantic. Bred by Lilley Ranch (CA). Trainer: Richard Baltas. Owner: Hesz, Aaron, Hendrickson, Denis and McClanahan, Jerry. Mutuel Pool $148,939 Roulette Pool $109 Exacta Pool $68,571 Superfecta Pool $28,645 Trifecta Pool $42,290. Scratchednone.

LOSTINTRANZLATION had speed four wide then angled in, set the pace inside, shook off the bid of a rival into the second turn to inch away, kicked clear and held under urging. OPUS WON stalked the pace outside a rival, went three deep on the second turn and into the stretch and continued willingly late. SEDAMAR saved ground stalking the winner, came out a bit leaving the second turn and into the stretch, was between foes while drifting in a bit in deep stretch and held third. EMMY AND I came a bit off the rail leaving the first turn to stalk the pace, bid outside the winner on the backstretch, fell back some between foes on the second turn, continued outside a rival into the stretch and was outfinished for the show. MARJORIE E chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail, found the fence into the second turn, remained inside on that turn and through the stretch and was outfinished for a minor share. FANTASY HEAT angled in and saved ground off the pace, dropped back into and on the second turn, was pulled up into the stretch and walked off.

SECOND RACE. 4 Furlongs. Purse: $65,000. Maiden Special Weight. 2 year olds. Time 22.76 47.44 54.12

Pgm Horse Wt PP St  Str Fin Jockey $1 6 Next Flight 115 6 4 1hd 1hd 1nk Velez 5.80 7 Bam Bam Again 122 7 6 65 4 2 Franco 15.30 4 Cheap Cheap Cheap 119 4 5 2hd 21 31 Gutierrez 2.80 2 Hot Socks 115 2 3 4hd 5hd 41 Diaz, Jr. 43.60 5 Square Deal 122 5 7 5 610 5hd Prat 0.70 8 Zinzan 122 8 1 31 3hd 610 Arroyo, Jr. 13.30 3 With Due Cause 122 3 8 8 73 79 Payeras 20.30 1 Margo With a T 119 1 2 72 8 8 Linares 100.40

6 NEXT FLIGHT 13.60 6.20 4.00 7 BAM BAM AGAIN 12.00 6.00 4 CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP 3.60

$2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (6-6) $57.40 $1 EXACTA (6-7) $56.20 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (6-7-4-2) $232.31 50-CENT TRIFECTA (6-7-4) $100.55 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (6-7-4-2-5) Carryover $2,486

WinnerNext Flight B.g.2 by Boisterous out of Flight Service, by Henny Hughes. Bred by Gary Barber (CA). Trainer: Steven Miyadi. Owner: Gary Barber. Mutuel Pool $154,523 Roulette Pool $54 Daily Double Pool $32,059 Exacta Pool $107,475 Superfecta Pool $64,919 Trifecta Pool $76,273 X-5 Super High Five Pool $3,257. ScratchedCal's Gem.

NEXT FLIGHT had good early speed and dueled between horses, fought back outside a rival in the final furlong and held on gamely under left handed urging between foes late. BAM BAM AGAIN pulled between horses early then stalked three deep, came four wide into the stretch and finished willingly three deep on the line. CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP dueled inside, came a bit off the rail in the stretch, fought back inside the winner through the final furlong and also continued gamely to the end. HOT SOCKS between horses early, saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside in the stretch and was outfinished. SQUARE DEAL three deep early, stalked between horses, came out into the stretch, drifted in some in the final furlong and lacked the needed rally. ZINZAN four wide early, dueled three deep to the stretch and weakened some in the final furlong. WITH DUE CAUSE broke inward and slowly, settled just off the rail, went outside a rival into the stretch and was not a threat. MARGO WITH A T broke alertly and had brief speed inside, dropped back and saved ground thereafter and gave way.

THIRD RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $77,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $80,000. Time 23.78 47.39 1:10.99 1:22.74 1:34.63

Pgm Horse Wt PP St    Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Higher Power 123 1 4 1 1 1 11 1 Van Dyke 2.20 2 Ritzy A. P. 125 2 3 21 21 2hd 33 2nk Prat 5.70 6 Souter 125 6 2 33 31 32 2hd 31 Arroyo, Jr. 3.50 5 Blended Citizen 125 5 5 51 51 51 51 42 Bejarano 7.30 4 Double Touch 125 4 1 42 41 41 4 5 Quinonez 17.60 3 Liam the Charmer 125 3 6 6 6 6 6 6 Fuentes 1.90

1 HIGHER POWER 6.40 4.20 2.60 2 RITZY A. P. 6.00 3.60 6 SOUTER (GB) 3.20

$2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $4.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (6-1) $72.60 $1 EXACTA (1-2) $16.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (1-2-6-5) $17.44 50-CENT TRIFECTA (1-2-6) $29.65

WinnerHigher Power B.c.4 by Medaglia d'Oro out of Alternate, by Seattle Slew. Bred by Pin Oak Stud, LLC (KY). Trainer: John W. Sadler. Owner: Hronis Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $196,330 Roulette Pool $127 Daily Double Pool $17,357 Exacta Pool $98,563 Superfecta Pool $30,567 Trifecta Pool $51,966. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (6-6-1) paid $58.30. Pick Three Pool $39,595.

HIGHER POWER had good early speed and set a pressured pace inside, inched away a bit off the rail in upper stretch, drifted in some past midstretch and held on gamely under urging. RITZY A. P. pressed the pace outside the winner then between horses leaving the second turn, continued off the rail in midstretch and came back on between foes late. SOUTER (GB) angled in and stalked a bit off the rail then outside a rival into the second turn, bid three deep leaving that turn and also came on outside the top pair late. BLENDED CITIZEN angled in and chased inside then just off the rail, came out some in the stretch and was outfinished. DOUBLE TOUCH (GB) was angled to the inside and saved ground chasing the pace, cut the corner into the stretch, continued inside and lacked the needed rally. LIAM THE CHARMER settled off the pace inside, saved ground to the stretch, came out some in midstretch and did not rally.

FOURTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $65,000. Maiden Special Weight. 3 year olds and up. Time 21.83 45.14 1:10.93 1:17.65

Pgm Horse Wt PP St   Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Big Barrel 118 4 1 31 3hd 12 13 Diaz, Jr. 5.80 5 Melbo 120 5 3 1hd 1hd 22 23 Quinonez 46.60 2 Play Money 120 2 6 5hd 4 32 31 Talamo 8.70 1 Sidepocket Action 125 1 4 4hd 6 4 46 Espinoza 7.00 7 Satchel Paige 120 6 5 6 51 6 57 Pereira 0.90 3 Delta Forum 120 3 2 21 21 5 6 Prat 2.60

4 BIG BARREL 13.60 7.40 6.40 5 MELBO 30.60 30.40 2 PLAY MONEY 9.40

$2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-4) $48.20 $1 EXACTA (4-5) $160.00 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-5-2-1) $364.51 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-5-2) $448.65

WinnerBig Barrel B.g.4 by Surf Cat out of Brickyard Helen, by Southern Image. Bred by Alfred Pais (CA). Trainer: Leonard Powell. Owner: Alfred Pais. Mutuel Pool $206,548 Roulette Pool $129 Daily Double Pool $21,338 Exacta Pool $100,688 Superfecta Pool $57,346 Trifecta Pool $72,757. ScratchedNorthrndancrsghost. 50-Cent Pick Three (6-1-4) paid $116.80. Pick Three Pool $17,374.

BIG BARREL stalked off the rail then between foes a half mile out, continued a bit off the fence on the turn, bid three deep into the stretch to gain the lead in upper stretch, kicked clear under urging, drifted in late and proved best. MELBO had good early speed and dueled outside a rival, fought back off the rail into the stretch, drifted to the inside in upper stretch and was clearly second best. PLAY MONEY stalked between horses on the backstretch and three deep between foes on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and held third. SIDEPOCKET ACTION sent inside early, saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked a rally. SATCHEL PAIGE stalked three deep then four wide leaving the backstretch and on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. DELTA FORUM angled in and dueled inside, fought back on the turn, dropped back into the stretch, came out past midstretch and gave way.

FIFTH RACE. 5 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $67,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $80,000. Time 21.68 44.93 56.93

Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/16 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 7 Yes I Am Free 124 7 1 22 1hd 1 1ns Arroyo, Jr. 2.30 6 Carnivorous 124 6 6 3hd 4 21 2 Gutierrez 1.60 8 Unbridled's Skye 124 8 3 51 52 41 3 Gryder 5.70 5 Strictly Biz 124 5 9 9 9 8hd 4 Talamo 4.50 3 Capture the Sea 124 3 7 7hd 71 6hd 5nk Maldonado 18.90 1 Asano 122 1 2 41 31 3 62 Desormeaux 22.60 9 Roger That 124 9 4 6 82 9 72 Pereira 29.00 2 Toothless Wonder 124 2 5 81 6hd 71 86 Roman 22.10 4 Royal Song 124 4 8 1hd 21 5 9 Harvey 85.50

7 YES I AM FREE 6.60 3.00 2.60 6 CARNIVOROUS 3.00 2.40 8 UNBRIDLED'S SKYE 3.20

$2 ROULETTE (RED) $5.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-7) $43.80 $1 EXACTA (7-6) $9.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-6-8-5) $7.89 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-6-8-5-3) $475.50 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-6-8) $11.65

WinnerYes I Am Free Ch.c.3 by Uncaptured out of Yes It's Valid, by Yes It's True. Bred by Sherry R. Mansfield & Kenneth H. Davis (FL). Trainer: Steven Miyadi. Owner: Gary Barber. Mutuel Pool $310,326 Roulette Pool $140 Daily Double Pool $23,866 Exacta Pool $200,524 Superfecta Pool $110,892 Super High Five Pool $6,338 Trifecta Pool $139,244. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (1-4-7) paid $45.85. Pick Three Pool $52,456. 50-Cent Pick Four (6-1-4-7) 192 tickets with 4 correct paid $485.25. Pick Four Pool $121,831. 50-Cent Pick Five (6-6-1-4-7) 196 tickets with 5 correct paid $1,572.95. Pick Five Pool $357,416.

YES I AM FREE had speed off the rail then angled in and dueled outside a rival, took a short lead leaving the turn, inched away into the stretch, drifted out some in midstretch, fought back off the rail under urging in the final furlong and held on gamely. CARNIVOROUS three wide early, stalked outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch, drifted in some then bid outside the winner in midstretch and continued gamely but could not get by. UNBRIDLED'S SKYE chased off the rail then a bit off the fence, angled in on the turn, split horses in the stretch then finished willingly inside. STRICTLY BIZ broke a bit slowly and was squeezed back, settled off the rail then three deep into and out of the turn and found his best stride late. CAPTURE THE SEA steadied between horses early, stalked between foes then outside a rival into the stretch, came out some in midstretch and went between rivals late. ASANO saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, was in tight off heels when boxed in passing the eighth pole, angled in and could not quite summon the needed late kick. ROGER THAT (GB) stalked the pace three deep on the backstretch and turn, came three wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. TOOTHLESS WONDER in a bit tight between horses early, saved ground chasing the pace, was in a bit tight again along the rail in midstretch then got through but did not rally. ROYAL SONG sent between horses early then came in midway on the backstretch, dueled inside, fought back on the turn, came a bit off the rail in midstretch and weakened. Claims of foul by the rider of CAPTURE THE SEA against the winner for alleged interference on the backstretch and by the rider of ASANO against the runner-up for alleged interference in midstretch were not allowed by the stewards, who ruled the videotape failed to substantiate either claim.

SIXTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $74,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $80,000. Time 22.01 44.75 1:10.25 1:17.03

Pgm Horse Wt PP St   Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Blameitonthelaw 123 1 3 4 4 4 12 Van Dyke 7.00 4 Calexman 123 3 2 21 21 1hd 2nk Franco 2.20 6 Hot Sean 123 4 4 34 34 3hd 37 Pedroza 1.40 3 Mr Vargas 123 2 1 1hd 1hd 2hd 4 Talamo 1.80

1 BLAMEITONTHELAW 16.00 4.80 4 CALEXMAN 3.40 6 HOT SEAN

$2 DAILY DOUBLE (7-1) $65.80 $1 EXACTA (1-4) $15.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (1-4-6-3) $3.68 50-CENT TRIFECTA (1-4-6) $13.30

WinnerBlameitonthelaw B.h.6 by Blame out of Letter of the Law, by Stormy Atlantic. Bred by Northern Bloodstock Inc (KY). Trainer: Ronald W. Ellis. Owner: Doubledown Stables, Inc.. Mutuel Pool $147,587 Daily Double Pool $23,006 Exacta Pool $57,852 Superfecta Pool $12,393 Trifecta Pool $23,980. ScratchedHorse Greedy, Lombo, The Hardest Way. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-7-1) paid $82.60. Pick Three Pool $29,773.

BLAMEITONTHELAW saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch, bid four wide in midstretch, took the lead under a crack of the whip past the eighth pole, drifted in some and won clear under steady handling and a hold late. CALEXMAN had speed between foes then dueled outside a rival, took a slim advantage between horses in midstretch, drifted out some and held second. HOT SEAN stalked off the rail, bid three deep into the stretch and between foes in midstretch, also drifted out some and was edged for the place. MR VARGAS angled in and dueled inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch and in midstretch and weakened in the final furlong.

SEVENTH RACE. 5 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $69,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500. Time 21.78 44.44 56.21

Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/16 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 5 Kentan Road 116 5 1 11 12 14 11 Velez 3.50 7 Gypsy Blu 125 7 4 5 51 2hd 2hd Arroyo, Jr. 2.40 3 Rocky Policy 125 3 2 41 4 42 32 Talamo 3.90 4 Littlefirefighter 123 4 3 3 21 3hd 4 Bejarano 10.90 1 Moon Kitty 125 1 5 6hd 6hd 5hd 5 Roman 6.30 2 Love and Peace 123 2 7 7 7 6 63 Prat 3.60 6 Watch Me Burn 118 6 6 2hd 3hd 7 7 Delgadillo 29.30

5 KENTAN ROAD 9.00 3.80 2.60 7 GYPSY BLU 3.80 2.40 3 ROCKY POLICY 3.00

$2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $3.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-5) $68.80 $1 EXACTA (5-7) $16.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (5-7-3-4) $20.10 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (5-7-3-4-1) $377.70 50-CENT TRIFECTA (5-7-3) $28.40

WinnerKentan Road B.m.5 by Into Mischief out of Western Rush, by West by West. Bred by Keith Abrahams (KY). Trainer: John W. Sadler. Owner: Keith Abrahams. Mutuel Pool $234,361 Roulette Pool $149 Daily Double Pool $27,091 Exacta Pool $113,188 Superfecta Pool $50,731 Super High Five Pool $5,197 Trifecta Pool $78,703. ClaimedMoon Kitty by David A Bernsen LLC and Miami Shores Racing, LLC. Trainer: John Sadler. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (7-1-5) paid $74.85. Pick Three Pool $31,761.

KENTAN ROAD sped to the early lead, angled in and set all the pace inside, opened up on the turn and again in the stretch held under left handed urging. GYPSY BLU three wide early, chased outside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and edged a foe for the place. ROCKY POLICY saved ground stalking the pace, came out in upper stretch, split horses in midstretch and was edged for second. LITTLEFIREFIGHTER stalked between horses then angled in on the turn, cut the corner into the stretch and lacked a rally. MOON KITTY saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. LOVE AND PEACE (FR) settled outside a rival chasing the pace, came out leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch and did not rally. WATCH ME BURN stalked three deep then outside a rival, continued between horses leaving the turn and into the stretch and weakened.

EIGHTH RACE. 1 Mile. Purse: $32,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $25,000. Time 23.36 47.28 1:13.23 1:27.47 1:42.62

Pgm Horse Wt PP St    Str Fin Jockey $1 6 Zillinda 125 5 2 35 310 24 12 12 Pereira 0.70 7 Reds Sacred Appeal 120 6 7 7 7 51 4 2 Roman 44.70 3 Girl Can Partie 113 3 4 53 52 42 58 31 Diaz, Jr. 20.60 1 Cat's Desire 118 1 3 11 11 1hd 26 43 Velez 11.90 4 Thanks 120 4 1 22 2hd 36 3hd 59 Cedillo 2.60 8 Info's Treasure 120 7 6 4 4hd 66 620 6 Franco 9.00 2 Cuyahoga Falls 120 2 5 61 6hd 7 7 dnf Arroyo, Jr. 10.50

6 ZILLINDA 3.40 2.40 2.10 7 REDS SACRED APPEAL 21.80 8.80 3 GIRL CAN PARTIE 5.40

$2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (5-6) $16.60 $1 EXACTA (6-7) $37.30 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (6-7-3-1) $173.18 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (6-7-3-1-4) $5,911.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (6-7-3) $217.85 $2 CONSOLATION DOUBLE (5-5) $7.40

WinnerZillinda Ch.m.5 by Cyclotron out of Zilla, by Stormy Atlantic. Bred by Bruce Headley & Simon Yu (CA). Trainer: Bruce Headley. Owner: Headley, Bruce and Matson Racing. Mutuel Pool $224,242 Roulette Pool $194 Daily Double Pool $75,644 Exacta Pool $126,730 Superfecta Pool $76,692 Super High Five Pool $15,490 Trifecta Pool $89,798. ScratchedLucky Brite Eye. 50-Cent Pick Three (1-5-6) paid $27.20. Pick Three Pool $69,025. 50-Cent Pick Four (7-1-5-5/6) 2295 tickets with 4 correct paid $134.60. Pick Four Pool $404,833. 50-Cent Pick Five (4-7-1-5-5/6) 198 tickets with 5 correct paid $719.60. Pick Five Pool $186,728. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (1-4-7-1-5-5/6) 53 tickets with 6 correct paid $1,476.30. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $147,155. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $1,194,986. 50-Cent Consolation Pick Three (1-5-5) paid $11.55.

ZILLINDA stalked off the rail then outside a rival leaving the backstretch, bid alongside the pacesetter leaving the second turn, took the lead into the stretch, kicked clear under urging and proved best. REDS SACRED APPEAL settled outside a rival then inside on the second turn, advanced along the rail in the stretch, went around the pacesetter in deep stretch and edged a foe for the place. GIRL CAN PARTIE chased between horses then inside, came out into the stretch and was edged for second. CAT'S DESIRE sped to the early lead, inched away leaving the first turn and set the pace inside, fought back leaving the second turn and into the stretch, was not a match for the winner thereafter and weakened late. THANKS pulled her way along to press the pace outside a rival then stalked a bit off the rail, fell back on the second turn and weakened. INFO'S TREASURE three deep early, settled outside a rival chasing the pace, continued off the rail into the stretch and had little left for the drive. CUYAHOGA FALLS saved ground chasing the pace, dropped back into and on the second turn, gave way and was pulled up in the stretch but walked off.Israeli warplanes flying over Lebanon fired missiles toward areas near the Syrian capital of Damascus late Tuesday, hitting an arms depot and wounding three soldiers, Syrian state media reported, saying that most of the missiles were shot down by air defense units.

An unnamed military official was quoted on TV identifying the warplanes as Israeli. Lebanons state-run National News Agency earlier reported that Israeli warplanes were flying at low altitude over parts of southern Lebanon.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said Israeli airstrikes targeted three positions south of Damascus that are arms depots for Lebanons militant Hezbollah group and Iranian forces.

The reported attack near Damascus is the first since President Trump announced last week that the U.S. will withdraw all of its 2,000 forces in Syria, a move that will leave control of the oil-rich eastern third of Syria up for grabs.

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Following Trumps announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would continue to act against Irans attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, and to the extent necessary, we will even expand our actions there.

Nearly an hour after the attacks began, Damascus residents could still hear the air defense units firing toward targets in the air.

The aggression is still ongoing, said a presenter on state TV, which interrupted its programs to air patriotic songs.

Later an unnamed military official was quoted as saying that Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles before reaching their targets and the aggression damaged an arms depot and wounded three soldiers. The report added that the Israeli warplanes fired the missiles from Lebanese airspace.

Israels military spokesmans unit did not confirm the raids, but said in a statement that an aerial defense system was activated against an anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria. No damage or injuries were reported by the Israeli military.

Israel is widely believed to have been behind a series of airstrikes in the past that mainly targeted Iranian and Hezbollah forces fighting alongside the government in Syria. Tuesdays attack is the first since a missile assault on the southern outskirts of Damascus on Nov. 29.

Russia announced it had delivered an S-300 air defense system to Syria in October. That followed the Sept. 17 downing of a Russian reconnaissance plane by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike, a friendly-fire incident that stoked regional tensions.-A Nigerian man cried out after seeing a strange looking water fountain caused by flood at a junction in Benin

-Some internet users expressed that there was nothing mysterious about the fountain as it is simply normal

-A lady expressed that the junction has always been like that and has also claimed lives

A video is currently making the rounds online that shows the moment a passerby recorded a strange looking water fountain caused by a heavy flood.

In the video, a background voice which appeared to be that of the Nigerian man who was making the recording while driving pass the gory scene, could be heard crying out to whoever cared to listen.

He also disclosed that the incident was taking place somewhere around the Ewa road junction in Benic city, Edo state.

READ ALSO: Our cemetery flooded, stinks - Lagos residents lament

According to him, what he was witnessing could be likened to a scene that should only be feasible in a dam. He liked the water fountain to the popular Kanji Dam in Naija state.

Watch the video below:

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app

Some social media users who found the video disturbing also expressed their dissatisfaction, with a couple of users suggesting that there was nothing mysterious about the flood and it is simply a case of obstruction.

See comments below:

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badmanphilosophy: What's mysterious about this! Always want to relate anything unusual to evil. It burst up like that due to the pressure of the current.

lobatanpictures: How's that mysterious? Obviously there's an obstruction there.

efficacy_1: It is simple, this is flood fine. Therein, there is an obstruction at that point that causes that overtopped or overflowing... Simple carting away of the debris and increase in the height if that culvert would avert all this.

A particular Instagram user identified as @ogees_unique_collections expressed that the place is close to her fathers house. She said that particular spot has always been flooded like that and they have also lost some friends to it.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

Her comment read thus:"This place is close my fathers house in Benin, it has always be like this since my primary school days ,we even lost some friends them .Lord have mercy."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in its 2019 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), disclosed that about 600 local government areas are under threat of flood. The agency noted that 74 local government areas are highly probable to experience flooding and 400 LGAs are probable to experience flooding.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better

Kogi Flood Sacks Residents from Their Homes | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ngThe body of a boater missing since June 4 at Lake Nockamixon in Bucks County has been recovered, Pennsylvania State Police said.

The remains of Gregory Paul Nacios, 43, were recovered Friday from the lake in the area of the spillway, according to state police at Dublin.

The lake is part of Nockamixon State Park in Haycock Township. Public records show Nacios lived in Montgomery County.

The cause of death will be determined after further testing, police said.

"There are no signs of foul play with the disappearance and death of Gregory Nacios and there is no known danger to the general public regarding this incident," police said in a news release.

Two kayakers had reported seeing a man inside Nacios' boat, then reported seeing the boat unattended in the area of the spillway.

State police offered thanks for assisting in the search and recovery effort, including the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Ottsville Volunteer Fire Co., Pennsylvania Search and Rescue, Haycock Volunteer Fire Co., Point Pleasant Volunteer Fire Co. Dive Team, Upper Black Eddy Fire Co., Delaware Valley Volunteer Fire Co., Plumsteadville Volunteer Fire Co., Springtown Volunteer Fire Co., and Dublin Volunteer Fire Co.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.The results looked promising.

Cornell University researchers last October visited an apple orchard in Berks County, to check out reports of a potential new ally in the fight against the spotted lanternfly that is threatening agriculture in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

It was clear anywhere you walked, youd see dozens of lanternflies killed by Beauveria on the ground, and then youd see cadavers all over the trees killed by Batkoa, Eric Clifton, a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell and professor of entomology, says in the New York State universitys Cornell Chronicle.

Batkoa major and Beauveria bassiana are two unrelated fungi that have been decimating spotted lanternfly populations outside Reading, according to the article. In a research paper by Clifton and co-author Ann Hajek, they reported finding just one ant, one stonefly and a beetle killed by Beauveria and no other insects killed by Batkoa in the area.

Back at the lab, the researchers used genetic techniques to identify the two fungi, the Cornell Chronicle reported in April. They found that 97% of lanternflies on tree trunks were killed by B. major, while on the ground 51% of cadavers were killed by B. bassiana and the rest by B. major.

The two native fungal pathogens kill insect hosts in similar ways, through surface contact, according to the Chronicle article. More is known about Beauvaria bassiana, a soil fungus that has been heavily researched, than Batkoa major. B. bassiana is also being studied for its potential to kill and control mosquitoes that spread malaria.

Commercial formulations of Beauveria bassiana are available for purchase, according to the Penn State Extension that offers guidance on all things agricultural and ecological in Pennsylvania. However -- and this is a big however -- no trials on these products have been completed to date to show how useful they may be in the fight against the spotted lanternfly, says Amy Korman, extension educator for Lehigh and Northampton counties.

"The research community will continue to look at options for biological control, especially with this recent finding," Korman wrote in an email. "I expect more work to begin on this shortly. Bottom line is that it would be premature to make such a recommendation without data to back it up."

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in a listing of research into the spotted lanternfly acknowledges the Cornell study.

But fungal pathogens have yet to make it into the departments recommendations on what can be done to combat the lanternfly: Spotted Lanternfly can be controlled with a combination of physical removal of life stages and host trees, as well as pesticide applications, state agriculture officials say. The department also links to a Spotted Lanternfly Management for Homeowners guide from the Penn State Extension.

The potential for fungi to cut into lanternfly populations would offer an alternative to people not interested in using pesticides that can also kill beneficial insects, points out April Micci, a Ph.D. candidate in plant biology at Rutgers University who earned her associate's degree at Northampton Community College and her bachelor's from Moravian College.

The finding is important because these naturally occurring pathogens could be used to develop methods for more environmentally friendly control of this damaging invader, Hajek says in the Cornell Chronicle.

Native to parts of Asia, the spotted lanternfly was first found in the United States in fall 2014, in Berks County. Pennsylvania instituted a quarantine now covering 14 counties across southeastern Pennsylvania, including the Lehigh Valley; it restricts the movement of certain materials outside the quarantine zone without a permit. Last year, the pest showed up in New Jersey, leading to a quarantine in Warren, Hunterdon and Mercer counties.

This insect has the potential to greatly impact agricultural crops such as grapes, hops and hardwoods, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says, noting its potential to cut into the quality of life for people living in heavily infested areas.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Easton Arts Academy Elementary Charter School teachers packed the school board meeting Thursday to tell the board what makes their jobs special.

They also asked the board to back away from changes that erode the schools mission  in particular, a plan to add an extra hour to the end of the school work day.

The teachers said they were told theyll be expected to work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. rather than 3:30 p.m. The extra time is supposed to help teachers bulk up on staff development.

First-grade teacher Julie Hamilton said shes a member of the 6:30 club, meaning she often chooses to stay late to grade papers or otherwise dedicate herself to her classes. Sometimes she and her colleagues cant afford to stay late, though.

Theres a lot we do for the kids that we dont get compensated for, she said. A lot of us do have second jobs, children with activities. That is going to be a burden for some of us.

The school has an arts-based curriculum, meaning many teachers put in their own time at showcases and performances at night or on weekends, according to John Andreadis. He teaches theater to kindergarteners, first- and second-graders. He said requiring him to stay in school an extra hour will detract from his ability to organize and attend performances.

It will ultimately negatively affect the students here and thats where my concern comes from, he said.

The board was poised to vote to add a seventh summer staff development day on Aug. 12. Six are already scheduled. Board members Sharon Jermany and Frank Pologruto couldnt agree, so a decision was put off for a future meeting.

Jermany suggested teachers should be compensated for the extra day, either with more money, time off or some other consideration. Pologruto disagreed.

You dont have to compensate school days every time you ask them to do something to support the organization. Because where does that end? he asked.

About 20 people, mostly teachers, attended the special board meeting set up to hire part-time summer help.

A handful of the teachers spoke. Some shared success stories. Teacher Tracy Hammond read a series of thank-you letters from her students.

Arts coordinator Felicia Stone spoke of sacrifices she made to work at an arts-based school. She helped organize field trips and 18 performances. The demands for extra time could drive away teachers, who already receive lower wages than their public school counterparts.

We have a staff that truly cares about the mission of the school. Is it worth tearing that apart? she asked.

Special education teachers Alyssa Vanin and Patti Walters said they want to build on some of the successes they had this past year. Special education teacher Jamie Reagan said the school needs to rethink how it handles some children with serious behavior problems. She suggested more support, maybe peer educators or maybe an emotional support class.

I have encountered many difficult situations, unsafe situations that have been thrown at me. I have been punched. Threatened. And the kids need support, Reagan said.

Board President Michelle Zattoni thanked the teachers for sharing their thoughts.

We really appreciate hearing these stories, hearing your questions, your concerns. They mean a lot to us, she said. She said the teachers need to alert their immediate supervisors and then Chief Executive Officer Joanna Hughes if they have problems or concerns. They should come to the school board as a last resort, she said.

Mistrust of the administration may have driven the teachers to the school board meeting, however. The school just parted ways with Chief Administrative Officer Shawn Ferrara. Some teachers told lehighvalleylive.com earlier this year they were bullied by Ferrara. They said his style contributed to the 40% turnover rate during the schools first year in 2017-18. The school lost three principals in its two-year history and is searching for its fourth.

Teacher Shannon Crowe said morale at the school is very low.

Theres no secret there is a huge divide between administration and teachers right now, she said.

Crowe said teachers feel like were always being watched and question whether or not we have a job coming back for next year. Its not a good, happy feeling to start out summer with.

The charter school at 30 N. Fourth St. in Easton houses children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Its funded with local tax dollars but operates independently from the public school system. Charter schools were set up so educators can experiment with new ways to reach children.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.A prison officer who was beaten by a prisoner whom he tried to aid in Midlands Prison, has received a contribution from the court poorbox to pay for his medical bills.

Prison Officer Killian Looney suffered cuts, a black eye and tissue damage in the incident.

The defendent Hughie Donoghue was brought before Portlaoise District Court last Thursday, June 6 to face charges.

Mr Donoghue participated via videolink from prison.

Garda Sgt JJ Kirby gave evidence of the incident which occurred last September 8 at 6pm in the Midlands Prison.

Killian Looney entered Mr Donoghue's prison cell in Midlands Prison, after becoming concerned for the health of the prisoner.

The prisoner had appeared unresponsive.

He was struck a number of times on the head and face. He suffered cuts, a black eye and tissue damage, he said.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the assault and had written a letter of apology.

Aged 22, he has 46 previous convictions, the first at age 13 when he got seven years for a robbery. Other convictions included ones for burglaries, threats to kill and an assault.

Defence, Ms Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client claimed that he had taken tablets, and had apologised straight after the assault.

It was not necessary for Mr Donoghue to be taken out of prison. He made a statement in prison, she said.

He fully accepts he was responsible. He said he had taken tablets. He woke to a number of people in his cell he didnt know. He reacted, I suspect suffering from paranoia. It was dark but Id say in light or dark that would have been his reaction, the solicitor said.

Ms Fitzpatrick said that the assault resulted in Mr Donoghue being limited to one call a week and being placed in his cell from 4pm to 9.30am.

He is 22, he has amassed a number of convictions in his young life. He has a son with his partner. He did the junior and leaving cert in prison. He hopes on release to lead a regular life in Sligo, Ms Fitzpatrick said.

She asked that if another sentence was imposed for the assault, that it wont be extended enormously.

Mr Donoghue spoke via camera to Judge Catherine Staines.

Id like to say sorry to Killian for assaulting him. We get on well. If I could go back I wouldnt have done it. He supported me, he got me a job, he said.

Mr Looney who submitted a victim impact statement, is seeking compensation from the Criminal Injuries Board, the court was told.

Judge Staines said that the prison officer had been concerned and was trying to help the prisoner.

Unfortunately he overreacted and assaulted him very badly. It is a serious offence to assault anybody, especially a prison officer, she said.

The Judge went on to note several reasons for any leniency in her decision.

However, I know he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. I know that he has ADHD and is bipolar, with a very difficult upbringing. He appears to show genuine remorse, and the apology is accepted by Mr Looney, of whom Mr Donoghue speaks very highly, she said.

Judge Staines then imposed an eight month sentence in Midlands Prison. She backdated it to the time of the offence, which meant Mr Donoghues release date will not be extended. She directed that the officer be given 1,000 from the court poorbox to pay for A&E and physio costs.

The prisoner thanked the Judge and Mr Looney via the videolink.A Portlaoise teenager who assaulted Gardai and damaged a patrol car, has been given probation.

Jordan Mallon of 6 Meehan Court, Portlaoise, was charged with three counts of assault, obstructing gardai, criminal damage at Meehan Court and at Portlaoise Garda Station.

Mr Mallon who turns 20 this month, came before Judge Catherine Staines in Portlaoise District Court last week for judgement.

In an earlier hearing, it was stated that on January 1 2018, gardai Roy Cooper and Erica Sweetman had attended a domestic disturbance involving Mr Mallon and his father. Garda Cooper was hit on the forehead, headbutted, kicked and punched. The accused threatened to rape Garda Sweetman and her family, repeatedly spitting on her.

He spat and kicked the inside of a patrol car and urinated on the floor of the garda station. Sgt Kirby had said the gardai were deeply traumatised by the incident.

Judge Staines had read a victim impact report, probation reports and letters supporting the accused. She said she would have considered prison, but for his difficult upbringing.

His mother is a drug addict, his father was in prison. He did his junior cert and did extraordinarily well. He is in Cherry Orchard equine centre. A letter from Youthreach in Tallaght speaks highly of him. He seems a Jekyll and Hyde.

His behavior on the night was appalling, and extremely frightening, especially for Garda Sweetman, she said.

Mr Mallon had 760 in compensation for damage to the Garda car and station.

The judge directed that Gda Cooper also be given 500, Gda Martin Rinn 500, and Gda Sweetman 1,000.

To Gda Sweetman, I think it unlikely any of these threats will be carried out. He has no recollection, there was no real intention there, she said.

Mr Mallon got 12 months probation and must attend all appointments, continue Youthreach, drug testing, and anger management classes.

Take this chance now. You have a nice girlfriend. Stay away from drugs, Judge Staines said.No timeline is available for the opening of the historic Jigginstown Castle, outside Naas, to the public.

The Office of Public Works is engaged in a long term project to stabilise and consolidate the physical fabric of the building and to preserve as much of the building fabric as is physically possible.

While local councillors are keen to see the site developed as a visitor centre, it has emerged that there is a problem with access to do some of the work following the creation of a new access off the ring road.

There have been calls for the site to take on a similar role to the Irish Emigration Museum.

Brigid Loughlin, Kildare County Councils Heritage Officer, says the OPW is now keen to get back on site and previous delays in progressing the work were due to a shortage of funds.

Completed in 1637, at a cost of six thousand pounds, Jigginstown Castle was the brainchild of then Lord Deputy of Ireland Thomas Wentworth, who was executed in London in 1641.

It was built was built with the intention of becoming a royal palace prior to Wentworth being charged with treason.

Jigginstown Castle was never lived in and fell into decay. The castle is almost 100 metres long and has a series of cellars. The building has a first floor and two corridors.

The OPW has been carrying out work there since 2001 when the first stage of and archaeological was carried out that summer.If its good enough for the O Dempseys, its good enough for you!

Read also: See more Kildare stories

Killeigh and Geashill were the headquarters of ancient Offaly and were ruled by the OConnors explained auctioneer Matt Dunne.

Under these were various sub-chiefs, notably the ODunnes and the ODempseys. The area we now call Offaly did not exist before the English invasion of Ireland.

Present-day County Offaly was created by an English Decree and was known as the Kings County. The name Kings County was changed to County Offaly after Ireland gained its independence. The ancient Kingdom of Offaly did not have Tullamore within it at any time.

The O Dempsey clan were big land owners in the area and it is reported that the road way which runs through this farm continued onto O Dempseys castle and it is on this land that Lord O Dempsey trained his horses. He considered this land some of the best in his enormous estate. The soil has a high clay content and full of nutrients renowned for fattening.

Mr Dunne is bringing this farm at Ballykean, Geashill comprising of 55 acres of excellent arable land and a derelict cottage to public auction in The Heritage Hotel, Killenard, Portarlington, on Thursday June 27 at 3pm. Two of the fields were reseeded last year and the rest is in permanent pasture. The land has extensive road frontage (ideal for once off housing subject to PP), well sheltered and well fenced. ESB and mains water throughout the farm.

If this land was considered some of the best by the former Chief of Clanmalier well you cant get a higher recommendation than that, said Mr Dunne.

The farm is being offered for sale in 1 or more lots with a guide price of 10,000 per acre.

Geashill is two miles away, Tullamore 8 miles, and Portarlington 6 miles. For further information call Matt Dunne on (057) 8623349.Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

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Support our mission and join our community now.Leitrim County Council is seeking an urgent meeting with their counterparts in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and both the council and individual councillors will also be making submissions in a bid to stop the latest bid by a UK company to secure a Petroleum Licence.

Tamboran Resources (UK) Ltd lodged an application for a licence with Northern Irelands Department for the Economy in May.

Cllr Mary Bohan raised the issue at last Friday's first meeting of the new council noting that there was only a very short time for submissions to be made on the application.

We need to make a strong submission (by July 5) objecting to this and I also propose that we write to our Minister for Environment and ask the Irish government to lodge an objection as well, she said.

This (licence) is affecting areas right along the (Leitrim's) border and if it goes through they may as well be drilling in Dowra and Manorhamilton.

This is very concerning. As a council we put a ban on fracking in the County Development Plan, and Love Leitrim with the support of other groups, we achieved a total ban, but now we have this situation where Tamboran are again applying for a licence in Northern Ireland. This would be an absolute disaster for our county and our country.

Her proposals were seconded by Cllr Padraig Fallon who also proposed that individual councillors and members of the public also be encouraged to make submissions on the licence to the NI Department for the Economy.

He said a delegation of councillors from Leitrim should also seek to meet with counterparts in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council as a matter of extreme urgency.

Cllr Sean McDermott added his support to the proposals stating that there are two lakes straddling the border and whatever takes place in Northern Ireland will impact here.

Cllr Des Guckian also backed the proposals noting fracking and the pollution associated with it knows no borders, adding the Shannon rises in Co Fermanagh too, this will be felt all the way down to Limerick.

Cllr Gerry Dolan agreed adding that we have to act now while Cllr Felim Gurn said the potential devastation fracking will cause, environmentally and for the tourism industry, is unacceptable.

Sinn Fein to make submission on application

Sligo-Leitrim TD, Martin Kenny, said his party will be drafting a submission on Tamboran's application for a licence and he will be making his own submission.

The fact this application is being made in an area of such historical and environmental significance, is appalling, he said. There is a very real fear that fracking is once again rearing its ugly head and we have to work together, across all parties and on both sides of the border, to see that fracking is stopped for good on this island, said the Sligo-Leitrim Deputy.

To make a submission

Members of the public can email submissions on the licence application to minerals@economy-ni.gov.uk and more information is available on www.economy-ni.gov.uk about the application and how to make a submission.Info

Das Haus der Geschichte zahlt zu den drei meistbesuchten Museen Deutschlands. Seit seiner Eroffnung vor 25 Jahren registrierte es fast 20 Millionen Besuche. Die Sammlung des Hauses umfasst etwa eine Million Objekte, von denen rund 7 000 in der chronologischen Dauerausstellung zur deutschen Nachkriegsgeschichte zu sehen sind. Daruber hinaus zeigte das Museum bislang 140 Wechselausstellungen zu aktuellen Themen wie etwa dem deutsch-amerikanischen Verhaltnis oder Muslimen in Deutschland. Initiator des Hauses der Geschichte war der fruhere Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl (1930-2017), der das Museum nach knapp funfjahriger Bauzeit am 14. Juni 1994 eroffnete. Das Bonner Museum ist Teil der Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

Finanziert wird sie vollstandig aus dem Etat der Kulturstaatsministerin  in diesem Jahr mit rund 25,3 Millionen Euro. Neben dem Standort Bonn betreibt die Stiftung auch das Zeitgeschichtliche Forum in Leipzig, den Tranenpalast sowie das Museum in der Kulturbrauerei in Berlin.

Auerdem betreut sie in Bonn die Besucherfuhrungen fur das Palais Schaumburg, den sogenannten Kanzlerbungalow und das ehemalige Kanzlerburo sowie die Auenstelle des Bundesrates.What time do you get up?

I get up at 7.00 or 7.30 every day to get the dogs out for a walk before I head to the chocolate factory to start at 9.00!

What is your normal breakfast?

I have to confess that I am partial to granola (which I should make myself but never have enough time) and I will put into that some berries and homemade yoghurt which my husband makes and sometimes Ill grate some of our 99% cocoa solids bar onto the bowl for a little extra kick!

Do you go for a walk or to the gym before/after the office?

I walk my two dogs, sisters Puca and Casidhe, every day before work as theres usually not enough time in the evening after work and they are always waiting outside the door in the morning so I can never skip the walk as they would be so disappointed!

How many cups of coffee/tea would you drink a day?

I usually limit myself to four cups in the day, three before lunch and one extra decaf at about 9 in the evening. Occasionally, Ill be tempted to have an extra cup in the morning if we are testing out some new bar recipes which we developing!

What is normal lunch - do you have a favourite place?

I try very hard to eat a veggie only lunch, even though I am not a vegetarian, as this light lunch suits my working day and its always nice to have dinner with the family to look forward to when I get home in the evening!

Do you have you have many meetings during the day?

I have several meetings a week with new customers looking to stock our range of chocolate bars or with tour guides planning a visit to our chocolate factory in East Clare. And every Friday is crazy busy too, when we try to make all of our deliveries to our Limerick Chocolate shop and to our other shops in Doolin and Dingle. However I do seem to spend a lot of time answering emails and managing our social media platforms and website as well.

What time do you finish up at?

The chocolate factory closes at 6pm but I usually finish the day at 6.30 to 7 which gives me a last minute to finish up some paperwork and importantly make a list of all of the jobs we have to do the next day.

Do you watch much television?

I do watch some TV, mostly in the evenings for history or science documentaries or the evening news on RTE. I am a bit more of a radio fan and would get most of my news from the morning news and current affairs programmes.

Do you read the newspapers?

I have to confess I stopped reading newspapers a good few years ago as I found I never had enough time to get through all the pages. I will catch up on stuff on Twitter or listen to radio news and current affairs!

What do you do to relax?

I would be an avid reader and spend far too much money on ebooks and audiobooks, and I like to get in some yoga practice too as its very good for settling the anxieties of the day!

Are you able to leave the office behind?

I can manage to finish thinking about the chocolate factory most days but I do two nights a week at home on paperwork just to keep up with the load!

What is a perfect work day?

The perfect work day for me is actually hard to pinpoint as most of my days are different. But I do love Saturdays in the Milk Market as you get a chance to meet up with our Limerick customers who are very loyal to the Limerick Chocolate Shop and its a really great feeling when I can just pop their usual in a bag before they even ask for it.

Do you ever lose the cool and if so what would make you annoyed?

Trying to get through to any service provider on the phone and you get into a long call centre queue before you even speak to a human being is very frustrating. I do stop myself from shouting down the phone as this usually only makes the situation worse!LIMERICK-based author Donal Ryans acclaimed novel The Thing About December has been adapted into theatre, with its world premiere taking place this weekend.

The original adaptation of Ryans novel is by Jarlath Tivnan in collaboration with Andrew Flynn, who also directs.

Tense and complex, the play captures the loneliness of the outcast, the pain of being an orphan at any age, and the terrible consequences of parochial greed.

Ryan, who lectures in Creative Writing in University of Limerick, said: The Thing About December is very precious to me, and Im glad its in the hands of Andrew and Jarlath and Decadent Theatre Company, theatre-makers with a stellar record of bringing stories to life onstage with empathy, passion and verve.

The Thing About December is set in rural Tipperary at the turn of the 21st century as the Celtic Tiger begins to roar.

Johnsey Cunliffe, a simple, naive only child in his twenties, grieves the death of his much-loved parents.

Harassed by local bullies and excluded by his peers, Johnseys isolation worsens when his inherited farm is re-zoned and becomes valuable.

The clouds gather as a local conglomerate connive to tempt him into giving up his familys land, while Johnsey, the unlikeliest of heroes, tries to hold on to those things dearest to him.

The cast of The Thing About December includes Patricia Bohan; Tara Finn; Maeve Fitzgerald; Ruairi Heading as Johnsey; Ann Marie Horan; Ger Howard; Frankie McCafferty; Mary McHugh; John Olohan; Patrick Ryan; Peter Shine and Jarlath Tivnan.

Donal Ryan is the author of four best-selling novels and a short story collection. He was nominated for the Man Booker Prize in 2013 for his debut novel, The Spinning Heart, and again in 2018 for From A Low and Quiet Sea.

His many awards include the European Union Prize for Literature, the Guardian First Book Award, and three Irish Book Awards.

Preview performances of The Thing About December in Town Hall Theatre in Galway are on June 13-15, continuing through to June 22.

See www.tht.ie to book.A COUPLE who attacked and robbed a retired soldier at a laneway in Limerick city centre after luring him from a hotel where he was socialising have received lengthy prison sentences.

Fintan Lynch, 42, and Christine OGrady, 30, both of Parnell Place, Limerick, had each pleaded guilty to a robbery charge relating to an incident which happened at Hunts Lane, off Dominick Street, shortly before 9pm on February 22, 2018.

During a sentencing hearing earlier this year, Detective Garda Shane Ryan said the then 75-year-old victim was attending a function at a city hotel when he went outside having received a phone call from OGrady.

He told Limerick Circuit Court that both Ms OGrady and the victim then walked to the laneway where Mr Lynch attacked the victim from behind  knocking him to the ground.

A knife was held to his neck and he sustained a cut under his left arm when he was struck with the knife.

Det Garda Ryan told John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, the culprits took the victims wallet which contained around 200 before fleeing from the laneway.

Extensive CCTV was obtained and the movements of the culprits were tracked around the time of the incident.

The mobile phone used to phone the pensioner was also recovered at OGradys home.

In a victim impact statement, the victims daughter said he became withdrawn and very quiet following the incident and stopped going out.

It took a lot out of him, he was just not himself, she said.

Barristers representing each of the defendants said their clients wished to apologise for their actions on the night.

Both, the court was told, have previous convictions and suffer from addiction issues.

Jack Nicholas BL said Mr Lynch is now taking a different approach in life and is making efforts to address his addiction issues.

Eimear Carey BL said Ms OGrady  a mother of two  is doing well in prison and that she is now drug free and looking well.

Imposing sentence last week, Judge Tom ODonnell noted the motive for the attack was to get funds to feed a serious (drug) habit.

He said the pre-meditated nature of the attack and the level of violence perpetrated was an aggravating factor.

He said the pensioner was a vulnerable individual who had suffered significant psychological fallout as a result of what happened.

While the victim has recovered physically, he noted his independence has been seriously undermined since the attack.

It was a very serious assault of a vulnerable person, he said adding he had to impose a custodial sentence.

Each of the defendants was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended.

Both sentences were backdated to March 29, 2018  the date they both first entered custody.A BURGLAR who claimed to be a special forces garda when he broke into a teachers bedroom at Glenstal Abbey has been jailed for two and-a-half years.

Damien Hackett, 35, of Ros Fearna, Murroe, had pleaded guilty to a number of charges including assault, burglary and possession of weapons relating to the incident which happened in the early hours of May 27, 2017.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of impersonating a garda on the same date.

Limerick Circuit Court was told after the alarm was raised the defendant was restrained by monks and other staff at Glenstal Abbey pending the arrival of gardai.

Giving evidence during a sentencing hearing, Garda Mark Dunlea said Mr Hackett entered the room of an Australian student at around 2.45am and stole his phone from a bedside locker.

After leaving the bedroom, he then entered the apartment of a teacher who was living on the campus.

When confronted by the teacher, the defendant claimed he was a special forces garda and after pushing against the teacher he picked up a chair and fired it at him.

The teacher was not injured but some damage was caused to a wall.

Garda Dunlea told Lily Buckley BL, instructed by State Solicitor Aidan Judge, the defendant was restrained a short time later after he was found hiding under a bush.

Judge Tom ODonnell was told the defendant had been drinking heavily and that he resisted arrest following the arrival of gardai.

The defendant initially denied any wrongdoing telling gardai that he had entered by a gap in the wall and was lamping with a hunting dog on the grounds of Glenstal Abbey.

Pat Barriscale BL said his client, who suffers from mental health issues, made admissions following his arrest and that he accepts his behaviour was out of order.

Mr Barriscale said that all of the stolen property was recovered and he submitted that the offence was out of character for Mr Hackett.

Imposing sentence, Judge Tom ODonnell said the case was possibly one of the most bizzare, he had come across during his time on the bench.

He said his previous convictions were an aggravating factor which he had to consider. However, he noted the father-of-three has issues with alcohol and that he was not in a good place around the time of burglary.

He imposed a number of concurrent prison sentences totalling two and-a-half years.

Judge ODonnell refused an application to place a stay on his order.A POLISH man who was operating a sophisticated growhouse at his home has been jailed for three years.

Bartlemiej Konoieczko, 35, had pleaded guilty to a number of charges relating to the discovery of two dozen plants on September 14, 2016.

Detective Garda Declan OHalloran of the divisional drugs unit told Limerick Circuit Court that 24 mature cannabis plants were found when gardai searched the defendants semi-detached home at Castlewell, Courtbrack Avenue, Dock Road during an intelligence-led operation shortly before 5pm.

The plants, he said, had been growing for around eight weeks and the cannabis seized had a potential street value of around 19,200.

Two upstairs bedrooms at the house had been converted and each of the rooms was equipped with growing tents, hydroponic filtration systems and lighting. Holes had been drilled in walls and the house adapted to facilitate the growing of the plants.

It was a sophisticated set up, said the detective, who added that engineers from ESB Networks were quite impressed with the way the electricity supply had been diverted to bypass the main meter.

The defendant was a cannabis user at the time and told gardai he had learned how to grow the plants on the internet. Gardai dispute his claim that he was growing the plants to supply friends and believe he was engaged in a commercial enterprise.

Judge Tom ODonnell said a considerable amount of effort, expense and time had been put into setting up the grow house and that the amount of drugs seized was not insignificant in the order of things.

He imposed a three year prison sentence.Buc-ees Deputy General Counsel Tracy Richardson was told there was no way he could win a trademark infringement against competitor Choke Canyon.

Buc-ees co-founder Don Wasek provided Richardson a coffee cup featuring a grinning green alligator wearing a hat inside a yellow circle, which seemed far too similar to the famous Buc-ees beaver branding.

Anything we can do? Wasek asked.

Against the advice of intellectual property experts, Richardson filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit claiming that Choke Canyon was simply trying to confuse customers that their store had a connection to Buc-ees.

I dont think anybody gave me a chance of winning this case, said Richardson, who recently won the 2019 Business Litigation of the Year Award from the Association of Corporate Counsels Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook. They probably knew that I knew nothing about federal trademark law.

For seven-days last year, Richardson did battle in federal court in Houston. Expert witnesses testified. Owners of the two companies took the witness stand. Internal Choke Canyon documents were introduced as evidence. Even a couple customers of both stores swore under oath that they thought Choke Canyon, because of its logo and other marketing and product efforts, was part of Buc-ees.

This case is not about an alligator versus a beaver, Richardson told jurors. It is about an intent to deceive and confuse. There are two dissimilarities and 12 similarities in the two logos.

The jury ruled in favor of Buc-ee's. Choke Canyon conceded, paying Buc-ees a couple million dollars.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Buc-ee's wins federal court trademark fight against competitor Choke Canyon

Most importantly, they had to forfeit their logo and change their signs, which is all we wanted to begin with, he said.

Very few corporate in-house counsel take cases to trial anymore. Buc-ees and Richardson are the exception.

In fact, Buc-ees executives proudly point out that Richardson is not afraid to go to trial and that he has never lost a case.

I hired Tracy because he has a wealth of trial experience, Buc-ees General Counsel Jeff Nadalo told The Texas Lawbook. Hes tried 30 jury trials and hes won all 30. We go out of our way to let opposing counsel know that we are willing to go all the way to trial.

Richardson was born in Linden, Texas. His father was a sergeant in the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1966 when his soldiers suddenly found themselves surrounded by the Viet Cong. Richardsons father took point and battled in hand-to-hand combat, killing two of the enemy before he was defeated.

The most important event in my life was my fathers death, he said. I was two. Before he was killed, he wrote letters home to me saying that he was fighting to give me a better life.

I always ask myself, would my dad be proud? he said.

Richardson said his dad, who received the Silver Star, was a real rebel when he was young. In high school, the boy sitting next to his father in class threw an eraser and hit the teacher.

The teacher accused my dad and they got into an argument and my dad punched the teacher, he said. As crazy as it sounds, the other student later became a judge in East Texas and sworn me in as an attorney in 1989.

During middle school, Richardson worked for two years as a page in in the Arkansas State Senate.

My desk was right next to the lieutenant governor, and he would have me take bills over to the state attorney general to review, he said. He would always tell me a joke to tell the attorney general, and I always would.

The Arkansas attorney general at the time was Bill Clinton.

That experience got me interested in law and I never really changed my mind about doing anything different after that, he said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Superior Energy's associate general counsel started suing when he was just 19

Richardson went to college at Texas A&M and then graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1989.

His first big trial came about a year after he started practicing law. It was an auto collision trial in Tyler and $20,000 was at stake.

During the trial, the plaintiffs attorney forgot to move to introduce some key evidence into the court record.

The lawyer started talking during closing argument about the evidence he had failed to introduce and I objected, he said. The judge agreed and kept it out.

The plaintiff made another mistake that Richardson seized on. The plaintiff had a scheduling conflict and wasnt actually present during closing arguments.

I told the jury that she obviously wasnt too interested in the case or she would have been there for closing arguments, he said.

The jury deliberated for two hours and ruled in favor of Richardsons client.

Richardson, who is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan, practiced for 13 years at Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard in Beaumont.

In the fall of 2013, he noticed an advertisement in the Texas Bar Journal about an opening in the legal department at Buc-ee's. Richardson and 600 other lawyers applied.

I saw it as a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor and help build the business and be part of its identity, he said. But I also liked the position because it allowed me to still be a practicing trial lawyer, which is very unique for an in-house counsel position.

Richardson said he and his buddies would stop by Buc-ees on their way hunting. His favorite items: coconut pie in a cup, chocolate malt balls and cinnamon corn snack puffs.

Ive had every type of matter hit my desk - slip-and-fall cases, intellectual property and employment disputes, water rights issues, contract disputes and 18-wheeler issues, he said. Since Ive been at Buc-ees, Ive learned something new just about every day.

Richardson and Nadalo agree that the Choke Canyon case was very important to Buc-ees protecting its intellectual property.

This was a great courtroom victory for Buc-ees and its because Tracy did an amazing job, Nadalo said. Throughout the trial, Tracy broke down the complex issues in the case for the jury, presenting them in a unique fashion with PowerPoint and testimony.

Tracy does a terrific job of connecting with the jury and telling a story and explaining a complex business or legal issue in a way that everyone can understand and appreciate, Nadalo said. He deserves to be the business litigator of the year.

For a longer version of this article, please visit TexasLawbook.net.Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit will visit Sudan on Sunday where he will meet with head of the Transitional Military Council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan and representatives of political powers and movements in the country.

The visit reflects Aboul Gheits keenness to follow up on developments in Sudan and is in line with the ALs wish see full security and stability in its member states, AL spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said in press statements on Saturday.

During the visit, the AL secretary-general will assert the importance of Sudanese parties committing to a peaceful course that achieves democratic political transition, the spokesman added.

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Night sky phenomenon : Luminous night clouds visible in the region

Bonn In the next while, night clouds will be gleaming over Bonn and the region. How these clouds originate and when they are to be seen: An overview.

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Every year around the summer solstice, a rare phenomenon occurs in the sky. Bright silvery blue clouds can then be seen in the night sky. As meteorologist Andreas Machalica of the weather portal wetter.com explains, these clouds arise at more than 80 kilometer height. This is the coldest part of the earth's atmosphere, the so-called mesopause.

The temperatures there are currently around minus 120 degrees, according to Machalica. The low humidity freezes to ice crystals and clouds form. When the sun is between six and 16 degrees below the horizon, these ice crystals are illuminated, while the rest of the sky is dark.

According to Machalica, the luminous night clouds are best visible between 50 and 60 degrees latitude. Roughly speaking, this is the area between Frankfurt and Oslo in Norway. The phenomena occur more and more frequently in recent years. Possible reasons are climate change and the increased methane concentration in the mesopause. However, the clouds have not yet been sufficiently researched.

The phenomenon should also be visible in Bonn. As the Bonn meteorologist Karsten Brandt from the weather portal donnerwetter.de explains, the clouds occur in the months of June and July. They are composed of volcanic material and meteorite dust. In June and July the circulation is therefore particularly favorable and the sun is optimally placed to illuminate these clouds (stands optimally around these clouds to radiate.

Often the clouds are confused with cirrostratus clouds. But these clouds are located lower. "The best place to observe the clouds is in the Siebengebirge, on the Petersberg, at the Ennertsportplatz, in Nierderholtorf or in the Eifel. Wherever there is as little ambient light as possible and the places are shielded from light," says Brandt. "But you shouldn't be deceived by photos circulating on the net. There the clouds usually appear very bright. In reality, however, they gleam only weakly.

The perfect time for observation is one to two hours before sunrise or after sunset. "Between 10 om and midnight or starting from 3 am the chances are good. Then the sun is about ten degrees below the horizon," recommends Karsten Brandt.Along with finding classes and new friends, an incoming UTSA freshman is sifting through overnight internet celebrity that's making him a popular face around campus long before the first day of school.

"Good morning y'all" has been the repeated and upbeat message across Twitter, putting millions, including stars like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rob Kardashian, in a brighter mood. The voice and energetic personality behind it is that of Nicolas Cuadra, a recent Reagan High School graduate who is now about to start college at UTSA.

Early in his final semester at Reagan, the 18-year-old started every school day with an energetic "Good morning, y'all" to the entire room, regardless of who was listening or half-asleep still.

READ ALSO: S.A. friends become internet sensations for epic video of funny morning hype-up routine

Cuadra's friend, Gabe Monterrubio, appreciated the positivity so much he started recording each time entry into the economics class. Neither the video man or the star expected the clip to have the reach it has had.

"I doubt people would care that much about some kid saying, 'good morning,'" Cuadra said he told Monterrubio.

Nevertheless, Monterrubio kept the camera rolling throughout the semester and on June 5, he released the entire compilation, saying "Only thing I'll miss about high school."

After multiple versions of Monterrubio's original video was shared, it was clear the world was enamored by the enthusiasm.

RELATED: San Antonio's UTSA love story that started at H-E-B ends up on 'Good Morning America'

"And a fine morning to you too, sir," Gordon-Levitt replied to the video, while Kardashian said he was "crying."

While Cuadra is feeling a little starstruck by the attention, he is being treated as a local celebrity in his own right on campus and the semester is still weeks from starting. More viral videos show other Roadrunners excitedly spotting Cuadra during orientation. He has amassed his own fanbase of people wanting to know more about him, including if he's single (he is not).

"It's a little weird that so many people know who I am already before starting college, but it's pretty cool since I love meeting new people," he said. "So many people knew who I was when I went to orientation and it was cool to see how big the video really is and it's going to be a lot of fun to see who recognizes me when school starts."

The attention is also translating online, where Cuadra's modest Instagram and Twitter following has grown to nearly 40,000 and 30,000 respectively.

Cuadra's girlfriend saw the opportunity for a small merchandise launch and now he has his own line of t-shirts and stickers featuring his signature phrase.

READ ALSO: 9-year-old girl in viral Jiu-Jitsu video is San Antonio's own pint-size powerhouse

Monterrubio, who said he knew the video would go viral, just not to the extent that it has, is just happy to see his friend's genuine personality spreading far beyond their economics classroom.

"He has to be the most positive upbeat person I've ever met, just a really kindhearted kid," he said. "It's really exciting that we were able to share Nico's addictive personality with the world."

Will Cuadra carry on his cheerful morning tradition? He said "maybe," once he gets acquainted with his new classmates.

Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkyeLaredo police unveiled on Friday the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, a specialized computer network in the United States. This technology contains digital images of recovered pieces of ballistic evidence.

NIBIN is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States, according to police. Authorities said NIBN now has a residence with the Laredo Police Department in cooperation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said he has been working with the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill since 2017 to secure language and funding for a NIBIN machine at the southwest border.

With the help of the federal funding, Laredo has now joined the NIBIN network. Laredo is one of 175 cities nationwide to have this technology, according to Cuellar.

READ MORE: 26-year-old Laredo attorney is following in AOC's footsteps

In the past, it would take six to eight months before we would get the information back. Now, well be able to do it in 12 to 24 hours. Now Laredo will serve state, federal and local (authorities), Webb County and five surrounding counties, Cuellar said.

Laredo Police Chief Claudio Trevino Jr. said this equipment gives investigators another tool and another lead to follow to solve crimes involving firearms. Last year, police recorded upwards of 360 cases involving a firearm.

These are serious crimes that are being committed in our community, and were going to be able to work them faster and work those leads to make those arrests, Trevino said.

Police said this equipment has the potential to help the department clear multiple cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney-in-Charge Homero Ramirez said the office works closely with LPD and other law enforcement to target individuals that should not have firearms, such as illegal immigrants and felons.

LPD officers are working within the ATF as task force officers. This doubles the manpower on the investigative side, according to Ramirez.

READ MORE: PD identifies man found dead under McPherson bridge

That will provide us means of finding the individual, maybe even the firearm, so that we can do a comprehensive prosecution. The individual will be prosecuted for all the events that we can prove he committed, Ramirez said.

Officer Ruben Camarillo, a patrolman assigned to the Forensic Identification Services, said the NIBIN is a different tool that helps the department solve cases that might go unsolved. He underwent weeklong training to master the NIBIN.

It has helped us in the cases that sometimes go  not unsolved, but very hard to follow up. When you have people just shooting up in the air.  It helps us keep track on all of these cases where people are shooting up. Now, we have a log, he said.

Criminals may wear gloves or somehow cover their fingerprints but they cannot tamper with weapons, Camarillo said.

Anywhere where a firearm is recovered, were going to test fire with it and put it into the system, because the more you put in into the system, the more you get out of it, he said.Laredo College is in talks with an electric scooter company about allowing students and others to use them on campus.

We let them know that by the end of the month, they can provide us with a proposal and we will review it and consult with them again and see if its a benefit investment, said Rodney Rodriguez, LC Executive Director of Strategic and External Initiatives.

Laredo City Council approved a six-month pilot program with Blue Duck Scooters to allow dockless electric scooters to operate within city limits. Rodriguez said the company asked Laredo College to consider allowing the scooters on both the Ft. McIntosh and south campus. He also said the college would want designated areas for the scooters to ensure everyone is safe.

According to the companys rental agreement, scooters must be used in bike lanes or sidewalks if the bike lanes are unavailable. Users must also be 18 years or older, and they can not ride on creekways, trails and in plazas or parks.

READ MORE: This ex-LISD cafeteria is now a luxury bed & breakfast

One of the things discussed was availability of scooters for our students to get around campus, he said. Right now, we have preliminary discussions with the company. We requested a map of both campuses for them to identify what areas will be safe for our students and community members.

Individuals use the scooters by unlocking a scooter, which costs a dollar, through the Blue Duck app where they register their card information. The ride fee is 25 cents a minute, and users must lock the scooter once they are finished.

Dockless scooters do not have designated docking stations but have regulations where they cannot be left on private property, in a locked area or any other non-public or inaccessible space, according to the companys rental agreement.

Besides quick mobility, Rodriguez said the company offers work opportunities for the students, such as picking up and maintaining the scooters. He said students in the technical programs can practice their skills.

READ MORE: 26-year-old Laredo attorney is following in AOC's footsteps

Because of the makeup of the scooter, it would be beneficial for them to have these students to be able to work for them and problem solve and do repairs as needed, he said. Laredo College is a progressive and innovative institution, and we welcome these types of transportation modes.

Dockless electric scooters are being used in multiple cities, such as Austin, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.Albany was the launching pad to global fame and Hollywood stars for impoverished Irish farmer's son Patrick Peyton. As a teenager in 1920s Ireland, he was rejected for the priesthood and as a missionary to Africa because he lacked a high school education and literacy deemed necessary for either post. When he came to America in 1928, his education was sidelined for years when he was stricken with tuberculosis.

Against all odds, Peyton managed to graduate from the University of Notre Dame in 1941, then came to Albany as chaplain to the Brothers of the Holy Cross Brothers of the Vincentian Institute. He hosted a radio show with guests who included Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Stewart, Maureen O'Hara, Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby and Jack Benny. Even President Harry Truman made a guest appearance.

Today, his Albany admirers have gone online to urge the Vatican to make Peyton a saint. And Albany's Irish American Heritage Museum at 370 Broadway is hosting an exhibit exploring Peyton's complex and fascinating life.

"During WWII, he urged listeners to pray for peace and guests would pray the rosary with him," museum director Elizabeth Stack said. "He eventually made films about the life of Jesus, and educational films teaching children how to pray the rosary. When he began traveling the world, his rallies would draw thousands."

A Hollywood marketing wizard gave Father Peyton a winning slogan: "The Family That Prays Together Stays Together."

He also had a show called "Family Theater" that used genres from soap opera to science fiction to make points about the value of faith.

"It can safely be said that no series offered more Hollywood personalities in the same span of time," wrote John Dunning in his book "On the Air" (1998), which lists Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Shirley Temple, Jack Benny and Robert Mitchum as guests.

More Information If you go When: Open Wednesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday noon-4 p.m. Where: The Irish American History Museum, 370 Broadway, Albany Information: 518-427-1916 See More Collapse

Peyton took his family-that-prays message all over Europe, South America and Asia, sometimes traveling at the Central Intelligence Agency's expense to preach the power of prayer as a weapon in the fight against communism.

A recent Irish TV documentary, "Guns and Rosaries," explored the relationship between the priest and the agency. It detailed a White House meeting in the 1950s hosted by then-Vice President Richard Nixon with Peyton where the cleric discussed how his rosary crusade could battle communism in Latin America with CIA financial aid.

"In 1959 the CIA began to secretly fund Father Peyton's Family Rosary Crusade there, paying for advertising, promotion and events," the Irish Times reported in an article about the film. "Brazil became a particular focus, especially after Brazilian generals approached the U.S. seeking backing for a military coup."

Peyton's 1963-64 rallies in Rio and Sao Paulo drew over 1.5 million each. The Brazilian military staged a 1964 coup. But what impact his message had on politics is still debated by historians. And as Stack observes, it was not unusual for Cold Warriors and religious leaders to see themselves as natural allies in the fight against communism.

In 1965, Pope Paul VI told Peyton not to accept further funding from the CIA, according to Cold War historians. Peyton's rallies remained wildly successful. He went on to make religious movies with Hollywood stars and polished production values.

The Peyton exhibit runs through June. Wednesday at the museum, Theologian Laetitia F. Rhatigan, an expert in the study of Mary's role in religious life, will share her view that Peyton's message gained popularity partly due to its underlying theme of female empowerment.

Rhatigan was mission director of the Albany Diocese's Family Rosary Office. She sees in Peyton's celebration of family prayer a great respect for the power of Catholic women in their homes, churches and communities.

Peyton died peacefully in 1992, too early for the world to see what he could have done with the Internet and social media.

lyedwards@timesunion.com  518-454-5403A woman recently landed behind bars for harassing her ex-husband and his girlfriend, according to an arrest affidavit.

Stephanie Ramos Rodriguez, 33, was arrested on May 27 and served with a warrant charging her with harassment. Webb County Jail records show she is out on bond.

Laredo police responded to a harassment report on April 3 in the 4500 block of McClelland Avenue. A 29-year-old male stated he was being harassed by his ex-wife, who was identified as Ramos Rodriguez. His girlfriend stated that Ramos Rodriguez was also harassing her.

She believed that on April 2, Ramos Rodriguez used a Facebook account with the name of Crystal Salas to send her a mugshot of her boyfriend when he was arrested for domestic violence. She further stated the messages contained negative comments warning her about her boyfriend.

READ MORE: PD identifies man found dead under McPherson bridge

In other messages, Ramos Rodriguez made reference to his ex-husband losing his house to foreclosure, being in debt, not caring for his children and being a wife batterer.

The girlfriend did not respond to the messages and blocked Crystal Salas.

She added that on April 3, she was at work at the Laredo Medical Center intensive care unit when she received a call from someone requesting to specifically speak to her. She found it odd. She suspected it was Ramos Rodriguez and forwarded the call to her boyfriend, who also works at the LMC ICU.

The boyfriend confirmed Ramos Rodriguez was the one calling, according to court documents.

But Ramos Rodriguez continued calling the LMC ICU asking to speak to her ex-husbands girlfriend. Ramos Rodriguez stopped calling when an LMC supervisor told her they would call police.

Ramos Rodriguez then allegedly posted on her Facebook photos of her and her boyfriend. In the post, Ramos Rodriguez allegedly called the girlfriend a home wrecker, states the affidavit.

READ MORE: LPD identifies woman who died in crash

On April 10, an investigator tried reaching out to Ramos Rodriguez to no avail. The detective called her at her place of employment, Laredo Border Region, but she did not answer, according to court documents. The investigator left a voicemail. Police made several attempts to reach her.

On May 1, she called and left a voicemail for the detective saying that her attorney would answer any questions. The attorney told police her client, Ramos Rodriguez, was going through a messy divorce after her ex-husband was having a love affair with a younger woman.

The attorney added he made it public via Facebook. The attorney stated she was aware Ramos Rodriguez was trying to contact her ex-husband because he stopped making mortgage payments on their home, stopped paying the bills and was not providing for his children.

Authorities presented their findings to an assistant district attorney, who approved the issuance of an arrest warrant for Ramos Rodriguez.When Palestinian Abdelhaleem Ashqar asked U.S. immigration officials here to reschedule a visit to their office earlier this month, noting he was recovering from knee surgery and that it was a Muslim holiday, his request was turned down.

But "we understand that it is the last day of Ramadan," an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official at the agency's headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, emailed Ashqar's lawyer, Patrick Taurel. Ashqar would "be in and out quickly," the agent said, and ICE merely needed additional paperwork related to postponement of his 16-year-old deportation order, which was under appeal.

When his worried family called Taurel that morning to say that Ashqar, 60, had been handcuffed at the ICE office, another senior officer told the lawyer by telephone that restraints were standard protocol to take him to a "secure" part of the facility to complete their business, and that Ashqar would be back at his northern Virginia home in no time.

Even as more assurances were made over the next few hours, however, Ashqar was long gone. Just moments after being led away from his wife and son, he had been hustled out a separate door and driven by ICE agents, with a police escort, to Manassas Regional Airport. Shackled and in pain, by his own later account, he was helped up the stairs of a small executive jet that immediately took off for Israel and landed some 11 hours later in Tel Aviv.

Ashqar is far from the only immigrant to say he or she was deceived by U.S. agents and taken into custody during a previously scheduled ICE "check-in" or court appointment. Reports of such surprise arrests have increased under President Donald Trump, with ICE under pressure to demonstrate increasing numbers of deportations.

But his story is unusual in several ways. Among them are the nexus between Ashqar's case and the tumultuous politics of the Middle East; a years-old charge related to support for a terrorist organization, of which he was acquitted; and the apparent eagerness of ICE to spare no expense to be rid of him, more than 20 years after he was found to have overstayed a student visa issued in the 1980s.

Even more rare - and adding to the expense - ICE brought him back from Israel, although it immediately sent him to a detention facility.

But on Friday, after 10 days of frantic legal appeals and media reports here and in Israel, the agency agreed to conditionally release him while legal arguments against his removal are heard.

The first step toward that atypical outcome came on June 4, the day of Ashqar's deportation. After a two-hour late-night telephone conference with Justice Department lawyers to hear an appeal by Ashqar's attorneys, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, of Virginia's Eastern District, concluded he had no jurisdiction over ICE's ability to carry out removal orders. But Ellis prohibited ICE from turning Ashqar over to "any entity or person associated with the Israeli government."

ICE agents accompanying Ashqar learned of the ruling as they landed in Tel Aviv on the morning of June 5, Israeli time. For the next 28 hours, they and their only passenger sat in the plane, parked on the airport tarmac, as they conferred with Washington, watched movies and contemplated their options.

ICE officers, said agency spokeswoman Justine M. Whelan, "ensured complete compliance with the judge's orders throughout the removal," and on June 6, they headed back to Manassas without ever setting foot in Israel.

Ashqar, still shackled, was taken that night to the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Va., while his lawyers argued he should not be deported at all - and certainly not to Israel, where he said he feared detention and torture.

"It is difficult to characterize ICE's outrageous conduct as anything other than a conspiracy to deprive a man of his right to seek protection from torture," Taurel said in an interview as the case moved to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. On Thursday, the court denied his motion to stay Ashqar's removal.

Although Ashqar's deportation order rests only on a visa overstay, a senior Trump administration official, familiar with the case but not authorized to speak about it publicly, said concerns remained about possible ties to Hamas, the Gaza group that both Israel and the United States have designated a terrorist entity. The official did not specify the concerns.

Despite Ashqar's stated fear of Israel - where he says security agents detained and brutalized him as a youth for participating in protests - Israeli officials said there are no charges there against him and that they have no interest even in interrogating him. According to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of a desire to steer clear of involvement in what they see as an internal U.S. controversy, Israel was only doing a favor for Washington when it agreed in August to a U.S. request to allow him to pass through the country on his way to the West Bank.

The officials said Israel has allowed about 20 other such transfers of Palestinian deportees in recent years, with only one condition - it will not accept anyone who has expressed a fear of torture.

That, of course, was precisely the fear expressed by Ashqar in his appeal for reconsideration of his asylum claim. He additionally fears being taken to the West Bank, he said in a telephone interview from detention Wednesday, because he has repeatedly and publicly criticized President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian removals are always a challenge, the senior Trump administration official said. But in addition to any concern over Ashqar himself, the official said, the administration wants to send a message that no one can "game the system" by using endless legal appeals to forestall deportation. ICE, the official said, is determined to execute removal orders, no matter how old they are.

One of the problems of deporting a man like Ashqar is that he, like many Palestinians, is stateless. When he was born on the West Bank, it was part of Jordan. Israel has occupied it since the 1967 war and Jordan, in 1988, relinquished administrative control over its citizens - including issuing them passports.

Ashqar initially came to the United States in 1989 on a Fulbright scholarship. When his student visa expired after several extensions, he stayed. In 1998, he was briefly jailed for civil contempt, after refusing to testify to a federal grand jury in New York seeking evidence against fellow Palestinians.

In 2003, after his petition for asylum was denied, an immigration judge ordered his removal. Asked where he wanted to go, Ashqar said Jordan, a country that had refused to renew his now-expired passport but agreed to allow him to enter. He had already arranged for a new teaching job at a university in the United Arab Emirates. When he waived his right to a hearing and agreed to depart this country voluntarily, the judge allowed him 60 days to wind up his affairs.

But just days after that ruling, he was handed a new grand jury subpoena - this one in the Southern District of Illinois, where prominent Palestinians were being investigated for providing support to charities allegedly linked to terrorist organizations, including Hamas.

Again, Ashqar refused to testify. "They did not simply ask me about Hamas," he said. "They asked me about many people who were involved in the Palestinian cause . . . including a number of imams" and "many pro-Palestinian organizations. I stated that I believed that answering these questions would violate my religious, political, and personal beliefs; that the Israeli government would use my statements to persecute and torture me; and that my answers would be used against my friends and relatives."

Charged with civil contempt, he was first sent to jail, then to house arrest. Over the next year, the charge was changed to criminal contempt, and an obstruction charge was added. In August 2004, he and another defendant in the case were also charged with a racketeering conspiracy related to the Holy Land investigation.

In the telephone interview, Ashqar said that evidence against him in court dated from the early 1990s and concerned his assistance in transferring money to a Gaza university that, because of Gaza's nonstate status, did not have an adequate banking system.

He remained under house arrest until his 2006 trial, which included testimony by Israeli security agents in a closed courtroom. In February 2007, both defendants were acquitted of the Hamas-related charges. But Ashqar was convicted of contempt and obstruction for his refusal to testify before the grand jury nearly four years earlier.

He was sentenced to more than 11 years. When he was released from a Virginia prison on June 13, 2017, Ashqar was immediately transferred to ICE custody on the basis of the 2003 removal order. There was no more job on offer in the U.A.E., and Jordan now refused to accept him.

Officials from the government of Jordan, which in 2018 unilaterally terminated its agreement to accept any Palestinian deportees from the United States, according to ICE, did not respond to requests for comment.

After 18 months, ICE conditionally released Ashqar in December while he and the U.S. government tried to find a home for him and his family in another country.

On the morning of his June 4 ICE appointment, Ashqar, his wife and son drove to the Fairfax office dressed for a later visit to their mosque to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It was the first such holiday they had celebrated together in more than a decade, and they took a smiling family selfie in the car.

- - -

The Washington Post's Nick Miroff contributed to this report.Ivory poaching increased in Botswana during a time when the country was praised for protecting the world's biggest African elephant population with some of the toughest measures to protect the animals.

Some of those measures have now been dropped. Botswana suspended a shoot-to-kill policy and removed military-grade weapons from its anti-poaching units in May last year, weeks after President Mokgweetsi Masisi assumed office.

The release of a study by Botswana-based Elephant Without Borders published Thursday that says poaching is on the rise comes weeks after the government lifted a trophy hunting ban on wildlife because it says too many elephants roam in water-rich areas where people grow crops, posing a threat to farmers. While the measure has been praised by local residents, conservationists and safari operators are worried it'll hurt Botswana's reputation as a safe haven for the animals. Tourism accounts for a fifth of the nation's economy.

Even though Botswana's elephant population is stable, evidence collected from extensive aerial surveys in 2018 suggests that poaching on the scale of hundreds of elephants per year has been occurring in the north of the country since 2017 and possibly earlier, according to the study published in the journal Current Biology. Botswana has an elephant population of about 130,000.

The group found 156 elephants killed in 2018 for their tusks, and it estimates that at least 385 were poached from July 2017 through 2018. Between 2014 and 2018, the numbers of "fresh and recent carcasses" are estimated to have increased almost sixfold.

Elephant Without Borders focused the study on the north of the country, which has more than 90% of the population of the animals. The size of the population was found to have decreased in five poaching hotspots. Fresh or recent carcasses of which the skulls are chopped with an ax to remove the ivory tusks or that are covered with brush are usually clear indications of poaching, it said.

In Africa tens of thousands of elephants are killed illegally every year, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Populations in East Africa were decimated in the 1970s and 1980s.

The nonprofit conservation organization found itself at the center of controversy last year after the BBC cited it in a story about a spike in poaching in Botswana. While the organization had regularly briefed the government about its findings before the BBC report was published, the government immediately issued a strong denial, saying it was a "hoax," and accusing the organization of trying to influence the hunting ban debate. Elephants Without Borders has denied the allegations.

Masisi has promoted a national debate to rally approval for the lifting of the hunting ban and joined other southern African nations to lobby the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to allow for the sale of ivory stockpiles.WASHINGTON - Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich. has never been afraid to go it alone. The self-styled libertarian regularly votes "present" if he feels legislation is misguided.

Last week, following many months of disenchantment with the group, Amash resigned from the House Freedom Caucus after being one of the founding members of the rabble-rousing group of conservatives that upended GOP politics for more than four years.

And Wednesday, Amash was the only Republican to support a committee vote that held Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress over the administration's refusal to turn over documents related to the 2020 Census.

The fifth-term lawmaker, part of the historic tea party-fueled class of 2010, does not view things any differently from his first years in Congress. He hasn't changed. It's that others have changed as the parties switched power in the White House and Congress, he says.

"People assume there's some kind of strategy, like I'm behind the scenes trying to work with the Democrats on some of this stuff. I'm just a principled person who follows the Constitution, and I'm doing what I believe," he said Thursday in an interview outside the Capitol after the House wrapped up votes for the week.

Now, after becoming the only Republican in Congress to support President Donald Trump's impeachment, Amash heads into a lonely reelection battle in which the president and his family are signaling their support for a primary challenger. He traded insults with Donald Trump Jr. after the president's son tweeted that he heard "Michigan is beautiful during primary season."

"I love it especially later in the summer," the lawmaker tweeted back at Trump Jr., a reference to Michigan's congressional primary, which will be held in August 2020.

Amash is not the sort of lawmaker who will galvanize other Republicans to join forces with him in a new anti-Trump movement. He takes his own look at things and finds his own path toward decisions.

In a span of 24 hours, Amash supported one set of contempt charges against Trump administration officials, over the refusal to release documents about the addition of a citizenship question in the next census, but opposed another contempt vote. In that instance, the House voted to empower Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, to go to court to enforce subpoenas against Barr and others - a move that Amash believed was delegating too much power to congressional leaders.

Amash could play a critical role in today's politics if he is willing to stand and fight for his reelection as an anti-Trump Republican. Others have challenged the president on his willingness to defend white nationalists or on what seemed to some to be his effort to impede the special counsel investigation into his 2016 campaign and possible ties to Russian actors.

But those fierce GOP critics have left the stage. John McCain, R-Ariz., died in August, and Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., retired from the Senate rather than run in what would have been hotly contested Republican primaries.

Amash has already filed for reelection, something that he does immediately after winning every two years. After declaring that Trump should be impeached on obstruction of justice charges, he returned home to a standing ovation at a town hall.

Still, in his philosophical way, he would not commit to running. "Anything is possible in life. What am I going to say? Anything is possible in life," he said, then becoming upset when another reporter joked that Amash was leaving the door open to retirement. "I'm not saying that. Not saying that. That would be a mischaracterization of my position, but anything is possible in life. I don't rule things out."

Amash focuses first on process and whether there is an open, fair, deliberative effort on crafting legislation. He faults the Freedom Caucus as forgetting that its original causes were about forcing GOP leadership to allow more amendment votes and to move legislation through committees, not cobbling bills together in the speaker's office and holding votes with little time for rank-and-file lawmakers to review them.

Instead, he says, the Freedom Caucus has become almost entirely about defending Trump.

"Well, I haven't been attending meetings for a while, so I think people understood that I had some differences over the direction that was taken," Amash said. "I think just the overall focus has shifted from a process-oriented caucus where we are trying to make sure that all the members are heard, to a caucus that is more about defending the administration."

He is adamant that he remains on good personal terms with those conservatives. "I have good relationships with lots of people. Republican leadership have never liked me. That's not surprising. That hasn't changed. It's not like they don't like me more now," he said.

Democrats know that Amash has not had a political conversion. They are not knocking on his door trying to get support for their initiatives. However, on constitutional issues related to Trump, his door is open.

Amash said he has been talking to Democrats on the Oversight Committee about their investigations into "the emoluments issue" related to Trump's business benefiting as foreign governments pay for officials to stay at his hotels, and other benefits accruing to his family-run corporations.

Amash still wears a pin for the Liberty Caucus, which was a small group of mostly conservatives devoted to issues concerning freedom. But the group has not had a meeting since Walter Jones , R-N.C., became ill and then died in February. Several members of the caucus left Congress, among them Mark Sanford, R-S.C., who lost his primary last summer after being a fierce Trump critic.

"We've talked about maybe getting back together, but it's hard to say who would be a member at this point," Amash said.

On Thursday, during votes, Amash took his usual position on the center aisle of the House. A few feet away, the leaders of the Freedom Caucus chatted. He spent most of the time talking to a pair of younger Democrats, Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Katie Porter , D-Calif.

Nothing had changed. He was in the same position he had always been, just everyone else had moved.

"I've sat there since my first year in Congress, so what's happened is now there are more Democrats," he said. "So, naturally, there's just not enough space. They come over to our space, it's inevitable."Former Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, of Midland, defended his prosecution of the Flint water crisis case after his successor threw out its findings this week, including five convictions, and pledged to start from scratch.

The office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said a "fearless" team was now on the case and implied that the Schuette-directed investigation of one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in U.S. history consisted of sloppy work. Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud, who took control of the investigation in January after the election of a new attorney general, said "all available evidence was not pursued" by the previous team of prosecutors.

Schuette disagreed with characterizations that have painted a picture of incomplete work and political motives. He posted several tweets defending his office and spoke out on Detroit-based WJR radio.

He said there were three major investigations in his tenure as attorney general  the prosecution of abuses by clergy in the Catholic Church, the probe of Michigan State University's Dr. Larry Nassar and the Flint water crisis case.

"In each one of these we approached in a thorough and professional way with experienced lawyers who had trial court experience," he said on WJR. "It's not about who the governor is. ... You do it by the book."

He also referred to another interview on WJR with Andy Arena, the former head of the FBI office in Detroit, who worked on the Flint investigation. Arena said the new Democratic attorney general was painting an untrue picture of his work.

"Politics don't enter into my life. ... I don't let that enter into what I do as an investigator," he said on WJR. "At no time during the investigation did (Schuette) ever tell us to do or not to do anything based on politics.

"For people who say politics drove this, that's B.S. ... You don't target people, you don't target groups," Arena said. "Don't trash my reputation. ... This isn't my first rodeo."

Officials took possession this week of "millions of documents and hundreds of new electronic devices, significantly expanding the scope of our investigation," Hammoud and Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement that was reported by the Associated Press.

The efforts "have produced the most comprehensive body of evidence to date related to the Flint water crisis," they said, putting investigators "in the best possible position to find the answers the citizens of Flint deserve."

Arena said the idea that his probe "didn't look at 20 million documents, that's absurd."

He said modern police work involves computer-assisted searches that look for key words in documents to sort through millions of pages of information, often in electronic form. He pointed to his record of investigating major criminal cases, including crime families and terrorism cases, in Michigan and New York.

Hammoud said she would not speak to reporters until after a June 28 town hall-style meeting with Flint residents.

"Justice delayed is not always justice denied," Nessel said in a statement.A Longford man who carried out an unprovoked assault on another man in broad daylight last year has been told he must pay 500 in compensation to his victim.

Dylan Meade (24) 15 Cuirt An Oir, Killashee Street, Longford was in attendance at last weeks District Court sitting to face a Section 3 assault charge on Michael Purcell at Market Square, Longford on August 27 2018.

He was also charged with the unlawful possession of cannabis at Apartment 15 Cuirt An Oir, Athlone Road, Longford on November 8 2018.

Mr Meade pleaded guilty to both offences with his solicitor John Quinn keen to stress the very small amount of drugs his client had been found in possession of on the date in question.

The court was also afforded the chance to hear from the victim in the case, Michael Miley Purcell.

He said he had been walking up from discount store Mr Price on the day when he heard his name being called out.

After noticing the accused with another young lad, Mr Purcell said as he continued walking he sustained a punch into the side of his head from behind.

In falling to the ground, Mr Purcell said he was struck on his legs while on the ground and his t-shirt was also ripped off in the altercation.

He told Judge Hughes he couldnt recall what was said to him by his aggressors, adding that as he pulled himself up off the floor both Mr Meade and his accomplice fled in the direction from which they came.

Mr Purcell, a full time carer for his wife said he only knew of Mr Meade from passing him on the street and declined to go into any details as to what may have led to the incident.

He said, despite the attack, he was not fearful to walk down the streets of Longford town.

In accepting jurisdiction in the case, Judge Hughes offered Mr Quinn a chance to offer up mitigation as to Mr Meades actions.

He said his client wished to publicly apologise to Mr Purcell.

He (Mr Meade) doesnt have money in court today, but if you give him two months to raise 250 would you be willing to accept that amount? Mr Quinn asked Mr Purcell.

It was an offer which drew a terse reaction from Judge Hughes, who snapped: Would you accept 2500?

He (Mr Meade) has enough money for drugs...what you offered this man is an insult?

The court heard that the amount of drugs found on Mr Meade was of a limited nature.

During those discussions, a daughter of Mr Purcell addressed the court and like Judge Hughes, agreed the 250 offer made to her father was insufficient.

It was unprovoked and occurred in the middle of the street, she said.

It should be more than 250. I think they should be able to take the consequences for what he done.

Mr Meade, who until that point, had kept his counsel, maintained he did not take drugs and suffered from insomnia.

He also insisted the cannabis recovered had been lying in a grinder for two weeks, adding he was only in receipt of around 100 a week and supported his two children.

Judge Hughes was not for turning however and said he would be demanding 500 from Mr Meade.

It was an unprovoked assault in broad daylight, he said.

The clothes were ripped off him and he was kicked on the ground.

The case was adjourned until a sitting of Longford District Court on September 3 2019.Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: June 15 2019

A man pried open a second story window at Painters Restaurant, located at 416 S. Country Road.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are seeking the publics help to locate the person who burglarized a Brookhaven business in April.

A man pried open a second story window at Painters Restaurant, located at 416 S. Country Road, on April 12 at approximately 3 a.m. The man stole a toiletry bag, worth approximately $20.Before the city helps The Landmark Group build senior apartments on the former American of Martinsville factory site, it first should fix alleged problems at its Martinsville Lofts apartment complex, tenants and at least one city council member are saying.

Shuna Ingram, who has lived in Martinsville Lofts for seven years, is taking the lead among tenants in getting issues addressed. Written complaints she has made to the management company since January 2018 have not been heeded, she said.

Landmark began taking actions on improvements to the building just days after Ingram spoke about the situation on Tuesday at a meeting of the Martinsville City Council.

We talked about it beforehand, and there wasnt much excitement from anyone in city hall to help these people, Martinsville City Council Member Danny Turner said in a telephone interview the day after that meeting.

We are in a situation where Landmark wants to build and wants the citys assistance to ease the way, Turner said. Its our job to help folks that want to be helped. I have no problem leaning on Landmark to take care of its current apartment building while a second potential apartment building is in the works.

Martinsville Lofts is a complex of 60 units at 900 Rives Road in a refurbished building that once was the Martinsville Novelty Corp. This complex is one of about 60 Landmark owns and manages across nine Southern states, including 11 in Virginia. Landmarks website says it manages more than 4,000 units.

Ingram held a meeting for residents on June 1. Turner and about half a dozen tenants attended. Tenants at the meeting talked about being sick often and mold in the building, Ingram and Turner said. Some molds are toxic and can cause serious respiratory ailments.

Problems Ingram described to city council included overgrown landscape plants, blocked parking, junked cars on the property, repairs not made and standing water inside buildings after rains.

Vehicles have been broken into, and security cameras on the property do not record, she said. The main entry doors key code was disabled. A common area alarm rings for entire weekends, and no one can turn it off.

She said she pays $7,000 a year (in rent) and we cant get the grass mowed or bulbs replaced in the common areas, she said.

We want them to maintain the property before they consider other property in the city, Ingram said.

Ingram said she is otherwise healthy but has had respiratory problems during the past two years, including three times with pneumonia, which she attributes to mold in the building.

The eviction process was started on her for a supposed failure to pay rent, even though she had proof of payment, she said. Later, she said, she learned from other tenants that the complexs rent payment box had been stolen, and instead of working to resolve the matter, the company just started evictions on the tenants who said they had put payments into that box.

She said she left work early one day for a scheduled appointment with Landmark management to present proof of payment, but no one from Landmark showed up.

Opportunities to act

City Attorney Eric Monday said at the meeting that some of her complaints fall under the citys rental inspection ordinance, such as structural, mold, water leaks, overgrown landscaping and old cars. Other matters would be civil cases.

City Inspector Kris Bridges said during the meeting that, according to the Virginia Landlord Tenant act, a tenant has to notify the landlord of complaints in writing, after which the city can do inspections and cite violations as they exist.

If the landlord does not repair the problems, the city can take the company to court. Tenants still would be required to pay rent, but, if allowed by the court, they could pay rent to an escrow account rather than to the landlord, while the case is pending.

Ingram asked if the tenants could act together, and Bridges replied that each tenant would have to act independently.

There was some talk about other agencies through which tenants should make complaints, including the Virginia Development Housing Authority, which oversees the Section 8 subsidy program. Bridges said all complaints by Section 8 tenants (which Ingram is not) have to go through VDHA first, which has a lot more authority than the city.

He told Ingram that she had to notify the city in writing, and she said she already had notified city inspector Mark Price, and she would forward to Bridges the emails she had sent to Price.

After the meeting, Ingram provided the Bulletin with copies of emails among her, city officials and the property management company.

An email dated March 7 from Tammy Davis, a city permits technician, confirms receipt of photographs of alleged damages in the apartments building and wrote that she would forward the pictures to the citys building official.

Landmarks response

Terra Fullerton, a Landmark regional property manager based in Charlotte, N.C., was at the city council meeting. After the meeting, she gave her contact information and that of Andrew Hudson of Landmark Group. Calls from the Bulletin to both of them in the following days were not answered, and messages drew no response.

When asked just after the city council meeting had concluded what the official protocol was for notifying management about problems in the apartments, Fullerton said she did not know and would have to look it up.

An email from Bridges that Ingram provided to the Bulletin stated that city inspector Price had received Ingrams email of May 20 about the problems, but the city inspectors had been busy with other things plus were told Ingram would be moving out, so the city did not move forward with investigations of your issues specifically.

Bridges email stated that Landmark is addressing the issues identified and that he had pointed out to the company the EPAs guidelines for mold and his expectations of them in dealing with mold.

Ingram also provided to the Bulletin a copy of an email from City Manager Leon Towarnicki that states that Landmark is attempting to be responsive to the mold concerns and that the best course of action would be to wait for results of the related testing.

Notices to residents

On Wednesday, the day after the city council meeting, the Lofts management distributed papers to tenants: a Mold and Mildew Addendum; a notice of a residents meeting at 6 p.m. June 27; a contact sheet listing names and contact information of three managers with 336 area codes and one local telephone number for a community manager, with TBD listed in that name column.

Ingram said she is concerned that the Mold and Mildew Addendum seems to put the responsibility for mold and mildew on tenants. The document lists 12 situations that residents must report to management. They include visible or suspected mold, plant watering overflows, loose, missing or falling grout or caulk and leaky faucets, plumbing, pet urine accidents.

If tenants do not report those conditions, Resident(s) can be held responsible for property damage to the dwelling and any health problems that may result, the addendum states.

Another notice by Landmark, dated Friday, states that a residents meeting, facilitated by Landmark COO Blair Maas and Fullerton, would be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

A notice by Landmark to tenants dated Wednesday states the company plans to have a new manager in place by the end of the month; a 100% unit inspection was just completed and work orders will be created for any issues found in an apartment; and a new landscaping company should be hired by the end of the month.

Work to the buildings exterior, including masonry repairs, exterior painting and awning repairs and replacements is planned, the letter states. The letter also specifies that tenants who need work done to an apartment must fill out a work order that is available in the leasing office.

$42,000 and no action

Tenant Natasha Jones forwarded to the Bulletin an email she had sent to Lofts management in December, requesting repairs to, or replacement of, a refrigerator, stove, cracked tiles in kitchen and bathroom and replacement of rippled carpet infested with bedbugs, none of which has been addressed to date, she wrote by text.

If you think about it, I have paid well over $42,000 to your company to live here, so why shouldnt I get the repairs requested and new appliances? she wrote to the company in December.

Jones stated by text message on Friday that the roof has been leaking on and off since she has lived there, and electronics and furniture have been damaged by water.

Now they are starting to address the issue of the mold/mildew that are on my walls and bathroom floor, Jones wrote.

Turner: We should take this seriously

Thursday a landscaping crew on the grounds of the complex was trimming bushes, shrubs and ornamental grasses.

Friday morning a shrill alarm was sounding on the first floor. It had gone off all night, said Ingram, who captured the sound in video on her phone and shared it. Just imagine how the tenants feel on the first floor, she said.

The least the city could do is advocate on their behalf, Turner said of the tenants. I was shocked as I went around to city offices and their reactions werent as I thought they should be.

When somebody says mold, we should take that seriously.

The complaints have been made for a couple of years and not corrected. City officials say, Its the first time Ive heard of it, but its not the first time Ive heard of it, he said.

Holly Kozelsky is a writer for the Martinsville Bulletin; contact her at 276-638-8801 ext. 243.

Holly Kozelsky is a writer for the Martinsville Bulletin; contact her at 276-638-8801 ext. 243.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A woman, who arrived at the security checkpoint in a wheelchair at Logan Airport, tried to sneak four knives onto a plane destined for Paris on Wednesday, according to Transportation Security Administration.

The woman, a native of London, placed her knee brace on the conveyor belt, TSA said. It caught the attention of an officer, who observed knife-like items on the X-Ray monitor.

When the officers asked the woman what was inside the knee brace, she laughed, TSA said. Upon further inspection, TSA uncovered four table knives in what it called an artfully concealed manner.

This is a good example of what a fine job our TSA officers do, TSAs federal security director for Massachusetts Robert Allison said in a statement. The officer staffing the X-ray machine spotted something unusual and it turned out that he was spot-on. The TSA officer who pulled out the knives showed them to the woman and she laughed, but I can assure you that trying to artfully conceal any sort of weapon in an effort to get it onto an airplane is no laughing matter.

The knives were confiscated by Massachusetts State Police and the woman was denied boarding her flight to Paris.Franklin police are issuing a warning to parents after a student was allegedly approached by a man in a vehicle Friday.

The towns police department said a Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School student was walking on Oak Street when a man in a vehicle approached her and motioned for her to come to the car. A neighbor who saw the situation called the girl over and the incident was reported to police.

Authorities said there have been several reports of similar activity in Franklin and other surrounding towns, but descriptions of the suspects and vehicles are not consistent.

At this time we cannot say with any degree of certainty that these incidents are related other than they all involve school age children, the department said in a statement.

Franklin police said the department is encouraging parents to talk with their children about what to do if approached by strangers, and to practice safe strategies such as always having a friend with them or moving with groups of people they know.Some folks simply cant bring themselves to imagine retirement.

Tom and Lynne Fournier of Feeding Hills already have at least three plans.

For winter, Tom said, we have a condominium in Myrtle Beach (South Carolina). For summer, we have a cabin on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain. And their RV will be a vehicle in which they can explore America, taking circuitous routes between their retirement properties.

For the past 35 years, the Fournier family spent part of each summer at Cape Ann Camp Site, a 230-site campground terraced into a wooded hillside overlooking a tidal basin behind Wingarsheek Beach, Gloucester. Owned and operated by the Matz family of Gloucester, the campground was opened in 1949.

Look at this view, Tom said last month as he sipped his morning coffee and gestured toward a stretch of the Annisquam River and its broad marsh off Ipswich Bay.

Thomas L. Fournier is soon to be 60 and intends to retire in August after 33 years with Amtrak in Springfield. Hes a trainmaster, responsible for keeping trains running on time between St. Albans, Vermont, and New Haven, Connecticut.

He was born in Bristol, Connecticut, and lived in Enfield where he worked in tobacco fields, then at an Enfield company that manufactured rubber gloves. He came to Agawam when he was still a kid and considers Feeding Hills his hometown.

Lynne M. Fournier, 58, was brought to West Springfield when her family left Brockton when she was 6 or 7 years old, she recalled. She worked in Springfield for an Electrolux dealer and has spent the past 35 years at Lego Systems in Enfield, where she is a procurement manager.

After she and Tom married, they settled in the Sixteen Acres section of Springfield; theyve lived in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam since 1996.

Tom is a commanding presence, a man of imposing stature with a hearty laugh. Hes a bit reticent; his responses are succinct but fairly loaded with good humor. Lynne is petite with a ready smile and is  by comparison  loquacious.

As campers, the Fourniers think of themselves as weekend warriors, Tom said. They started camping in tents and Tom recalled improving their comfort level with the addition of an air mattress. But then, he said, they grew weary of waking up on the ground, anyway, because the air mattress deflated overnight. They found it annoying at the time but, today, it is a fond memory of their early camping adventures.

Camping, Lynne said, is a wonderful way to bring up children. After sons Paul T. (now 29) and Timothy (TJ, now 24) arrived, the Fourniers decided camping was a way to escape evolving technology and ensure their sons experienced the outdoors. She recalls the boys playing at nearby Wingarsheek Beach and digging clams in the mud flats at low tide just across the street from the campground and making clam chowder for supper. The boys now live in Agawam and Bethel, Vermont.

The Fourniers first RV was a pop-up trailer, which had the features of a tent but kept them off the ground. Then came a succession of travel trailers and, now, a 26-foot-long fifth-wheel.

RV adventures have taken them through much of the northeastern United States and into Canada. We traveled with RV friends, Tom said, usually within about 500 miles of home for weekend and vacation trips.

Nine years ago, the family was enlarged with the adoption of Daisy, a Lab-mix adopted through Good Dog Rescue. Daisy, Lynne said, has been a great addition to our family and absolutely loves her camping adventures.

Lynne finds camping therapeutic. A defining moment in my life was losing my father suddenly at age 50. This changed my outlook in so many ways as it taught me to enjoy each day as you never know what tomorrow will bring. ... My father always loved the water. We had a 19-foot cabin cruiser that we went out on almost every weekend. We would anchor near an island and my siblings and I would camp on the island while my parents slept on the boat. We had so many adventures on the little boat that I wanted to make sure I could share experiences like that with my kids.

She said camping has always been an escape for us. Dealing with demands of full-time jobs and raising a family can be pretty intense. Tom and I always thank God for putting friends in our lives that enjoyed camping as much as we do.

She recalled a camping trip to Lake George, New York, for the towns winter carnival one February. They were in their pop-up camper and had to clear their site of about three feet of snow. ... Our small group of campers were the only ones there ... so we had the entire lodge to ourselves to enjoy the fireplace after a long day of playing in the snow.

Asked what advice she might share with those considering RVing, Lynne said, Camping is a wonderful family adventure. We have met so many amazing people along our camping journey that have become lifetime friends. It has kept us very close to our sons and we cant wait for a time we can share camping with future grandchildren. Our camping friends are our family and we have shared so much together.

The Fourniers bucket list includes crossing the country to visit all the national parks when we are both retired, Lynne said. We have talked about this for many years.

Norm Roy, a retired copy editor for The Republican, lives and travels in a motorhome. He is eager to hear from readers about their own travel adventures. His email address is: lollygaggeratlarge@gmail.comAs arguments in the murder trial of Erika Murray drew to a close, one could be forgiven for thinking the prosecution and defense were describing different people.

Murray, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Hodgens said, was a serial liar who deliberately left her younger children to suffer in squalor while ensuring that her favored older children received necessary care.

It all points to this idea of the two worlds that Erika Murray created. For [her youngest daughters,] there were obvious hazards in that home. Dangers. Children abandoned in that darkness," Hodgens said.

Defense attorney Keith Halpern sketched a contradictory picture -- one of a woman overwhelmed by her circumstances, living in fear of abandonment by her emotionally abusive husband, who was not capable of understanding just how bad her and her childrens living conditions had become.

It wasnt a decision she made to ignore the risks and jeopardize the health of her children," Halpern said. "She didnt see anything else other than getting through the day and keeping the secrets.

In August 2014, Murrays neighbor Betsy Brown entered the home after her son and Murrays son called for her. They had been inside the home, and could not get the infant and toddler there to stop crying.

Brown was shocked, she testified at trial. While she knew Murrays son and oldest daughter, she had no idea that young children lived in the house -- or that on that day they had been left alone for hours as Murray ran errands. She entered the home and found Murrays two youngest daughters crying and dirty in a darkened second floor bedroom.

Brown called police, and the state Department of Children and Families took custody of both those young children and Murrays older son and daughter later that day.

Murrays home was infested with insects, with floors covered in trash and dirty diapers. Feces coated walls and floors. And when state police searched the home about two weeks later, they found the decomposed remains of three infants in upstairs closets.

Murray told investigators that she had kept the truth about her younger children secret from the rest of her family, fearful that her husband Raymond Rivera would leave her if she had any more babies. When the surviving children could not longer be completely hidden, she claimed she was babysitting them for another woman. And, after initially lying to police about their existence, she said two of the three dead infants had been stillborn while one had died days after delivery.

Murray was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of assault and battery on a child causing substantial bodily injury, two counts of reckless endangerment of a child and two counts of cruelty to animals. One of the two murder counts was dropped Tuesday by Judge Janet Kenton-Walker, who ruled there was only evidence that one of the babies found dead had been born alive.

Judge Kenton-Walker found Murray not guilty on one of the murder counts earlier this week, ruling that the prosecution had not offered evidence that more than one of the infants found dead was born alive. Murray elected to have a bench trial, meaning that Kenton-Walker, rather than a jury, will decide the verdict.

Halpern argued that prosecutors had not proved that any of the babies were killed. No specific cause of death could be established from the decomposed remains, and there was not evidence that she either caused the childs death by neglect or by failing to call 911 when she saw it was in distress, he said.

When you look inside the house of squalor, you dont find evidence of a murder. You find suffering, and fear, and abuse, and mental illness, and terrible isolation," Halpern said. And you find innocent kids who were hurt  not out of meanness, not with any intent to cause harm to anyone, not with any meaningful comprehension of the harm being caused.

Hodgens countered, saying that Murrays police interview showed otherwise. While speaking to detectives after her arrest, Murray said that she found one infant blue and did not call for help or try to resuscitate the baby.

And he argued that she was conscious of her actions, saying she had criticized her son for allowing her neighbor to discover what was going on in the house.

"Did Erika Murray know what she was doing? Did she appreciate the risks? Id suggest that if you look at what she said to [her son[ on that day, you have the answer. She said, how could you do this to me? Hodgens said. She knew.

Halpern disputed the prosecutions interpretation of the police interview, saying that Murray was enormously suggestible and may have been talking about finding the baby dead -- not finding it in need of medical care.

The prosecution and defense also sparred over the animal cruelty, reckless endangerment and assault and battery charges.

Kenton-Walker has not yet scheduled the verdict.Three men were arrested in Fall River following an incident where a 60-year-old man was allegedly beaten by motorcyclists on June 4.

Anbiorix Torres, 20, of 1A Rolling Green Drive, Angel Luciano, 21, of 364 Tecumseh St. and Jose Luis Gervacio, 25, of 38 Garfield St., all from Fall River, were arrested about one week after the assault on Brayton Avenue.

According to The Herald News, Torres was arrested at his apartment around 1:10 p.m. on Wednesday and was arraigned in Fall River District Court on Thursday.

Torres faces 23 charges according to a statement from Fall River Chief of Police Albert Dupere, including assault and battery on a person over the age of 60 causing injury, heroin trafficking and 14 felony gun offenses.

Luciano faces five charges, including assault and battery on a police officer. The Herald News reported he was arrested on Wednesday and arraigned in Fall River District Court on Thursday.

Gervacio was arraigned on nine charges, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a police officer. Gervacio was arrested at his apartment around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, according to The Herald News.

Off-duty Fall River Police Sgt. Steven Burt observed around 8 p.m. on June 4 a group of motorcycles and a car in what appeared to be a motor vehicle accident by a Walmart, according to the police statement.

Burt got out of his vehicle to see if there were any injuries when he saw an older male on one knee attempting to stand up and a group of motorcyclists surrounding the male kicking and punching him. According to the police report, Burt identified himself as a police officer, but the assault on the older male continued.

One motorcyclist allegedly attempted to flee the scene on a white motorcycle and was grabbed by Burt, knocking him and the motorcycle to the ground before the male started to fight Burt, according to the statement. Another unidentified male got involved and punched the officer in the leg, face and ribs.

While Burt was engaged with the two unidentified males, he witnessed another male running toward the 60-year-old man before pistol-whipping the victim in the head. The firearm was described as a black four or five-inch, 1911 style pistol.

Once Burt disengaged with the two males, he headed to the other male involved with the 60-year-old victim, but all of the males got on their motorcycles and fled the area, according to the statement. The victim also left the area, police said.

The victim later confirmed he was diagnosed with a subdural brain hemorrhage at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.

Following the incident, the Fall River Police Departments Special Operations Division and Major Crimes Division detectives began looking into the assault, attempting to locate the victim, witnesses and any evidence to identify suspects.

Cell phone, surveillance footage and social media videos were located and reviewed, revealing Luciano and Torres as suspects in the assault. According to the police chiefs statement, Luciano has strong ties with several violent street gangs.

Investigators learned Luciano and Torres had recently purchased street bikes to transport narcotics and that Torres stored the bikes at a facility in Fall River, according to the statement.

A confidential informant revealed the name of Gervacio as the third individual involved in the assault, according to the statement.

Special Operations Division Officer Matt Mendes requested search warrants for Torres, Luciano and Gervacio and their properties, which were executed on June 13, according to the statement from Dupere.

Upon searching Torres residence, 1,162 grams of suspected heroin, a 9mm pistol and ammunition were seized. A search warrant executed for the storage facility on Lawton Street where the street bikes were stored resulted in the seizing of two loaded pistols, a loaded .223 caliber short barrel assault rifle, a motorcycle and helmet. Torres was taken into custody at his residence, according to the statement.

Luciano was reportedly taken into custody without incident at the storage facility when he arrived on his motorcycle. The motorcycle and his helmet were seized.

Gervacio was taken into custody without incident at his residence. A search warrant was executed and his motorcycle was seized from a shed in his yard, according to the police statement.Nine suspects allegedly involved in the attempted murder of former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz have been ordered to remain jailed for at least a year while awaiting trial in the Dominican Republic.

CNN reported that the alleged gunman and eight other suspects who were charged in the shooting of Ortiz at a nightclub in Santo Domingo were ordered held by a judge Friday. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reported that a 10th suspect has turned himself in to authorities.

Authorities now have two days to bring him before the court, according to Jose Martinez  a lawyer for Dominican variety show producer Joel Lopez, who was also injured in the attack.

The nine suspects, which include eight men and one woman, were reportedly rushed to court Thursday night in a police pickup truck to face charges.

Dominican authorities reportedly said the suspects were offered about 400,000 Dominican pesos, or roughly $7,800 to shoot Ortiz, a native of the Dominican Republic.

Authorities told reporters that one of the suspects, Rolfy Ferreyra, confessed to the shooting. The alleged gunman and at least one other suspect are reportedly wanted for crimes in the United States.

A grand jury indicted Rolfi Ferreira-Cruz, a 25-year-old from Reading, Pennsylvania, in connection with two armed robberies in New Jersey in 2017, the Associated Press reports. New Jersey prosecutors reportedly said this week that the man still wanted in connection with those robberies is the suspected shooter in the Ortiz shooting, though they did not address the different name spellings.

A prosecutor in Pennsylvania has said another suspect in the shooting could be the same man wanted on attempted murder charges for the homicide of a man in Reading, Pennsylvania in April 2018, according to reports.

Speaking to reporters from behind bars, the alleged gunman claimed on Friday that Ortiz was not his intended target, the Globe reported. Relatives of some of the suspects have also insisted that their family members were not involved or were small players in some one elses scheme.

Authorities said the plan to release further details about the motive and a complete narrative of the incident next week.

Ortiz, who was shot in the back, remains at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was flown after hours of surgery in the Dominican Republic earlier this week. His wife Tiffany and daughter Alexandria have shared statements thanking the public for the outpouring of support.Nearly 100 people gathered at Pulaski Park Northampton Saturday to throw their support behind impeaching President Donald Trump as soon as possible.

In coordination with a National Day of Action, sponsored by political action organizations Move On, By the People and Indivisible Northampton, demonstrators cheered calls from activists and elected federal and state officials to push the impeachment process forward.

Trump has left us in a crisis, Indivisible Northampton organizer Debby Pastrich-Klemer said. It is time to move.

And apparently more and more Americans agree. Since Special prosecutor Robert Mueller released his report of an investigation into the interference in the 2016 election by Russian operatives, and actions taken by President Donald Trump to undermine that investigation, polls show more and more Americans agree with impeachment.

But, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been reticent to start the process. Second Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern said while Pelosi is not calling for immediate impeachment, she is taking steps that could end there eventually.

She is empowering other oversight committees who have the responsibility to build a case and request more information from the administration. I think that is an acceptable thing to do, he said.

McGovern himself has filed a resolution to start a formal impeachment inquiry, the first step in the process.

I have already filed and passed a resolution to allow committee chains to go to court to sue to force the administration to comply with subpoenas for information. The administration has to come forward with information, he said.

Look, some want to wait longer, some want more information, more evidence. For me, I am at that point I feel it is appropriate to call for a formal impeachment inquiry, McGovern said. If we turn a blind eye to him Ignoring Congress we are setting a terrible precedent.

State Senator Jo Comerford agreed with McGovern. She has filed a resolution calling on the states federal delegation to support impeachment. Comerford said representatives in state government have a responsibility to make their constituents concern known.

I see this as an enormous push from the grass roots, she said. Ther5e are at least seven points that would merit beginning impeachment. If my constituents push me, I have to push up from my state position.WARE  Town Manager Stuart Beckley has asked the Select Board to approve a $10,000 transfer from the towns unemployment compensation account for this fiscal year to pay legal bills.

The board is scheduled to act on Beckleys request at Tuesdays meeting.

The town spent $47,739 in fiscal 2018 for legal services. In May 2018, town meeting voters appropriated $80,000 for the fiscal year that ends on June 30.

The manager recommended at last months town meeting appropriating $90,000 to cover legal expenses for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, a 12.5% hike, which was approved.

Beckleys $10,000 transfer request to fund additional legal costs is among $107,350 in transfer requests, including five other items for the current fiscal year.

Appropriations are usually voted on at town meeting. But in a letter to selectmen, Beckley cited a state law that allows transfers made in the last two months of a fiscal year and approved by the finance committee.

In February, Ware Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe was placed on paid administrative leave by the selectmen and Beckley. The town hired a private attorney from Connecticut for an investigation.

Coulombe has not returned to work, and the town has not said how much the Connecticut attorney has been paid for the work. Officials have remained mum on what the investigation may have uncovered.

Beckley said Friday that the town has spent $7,500 so far on the investigation.

The June 18 Ware selectmens meeting is at 7 p.m. at town hall.A Holyoke High School teacher has been barred from their classroom following alleged inappropriate communications with a student, Western Mass News reports.

Judy Taylor, spokeswoman for the school department, said the teacher at the high schools North Campus on Beech Street was sent home before classes began Friday morning. She said the teacher will not be returning to the school, according to the TV station.

Taylor declined to describe the type of communications or the content. She said the name of the teacher will not be released.

The incident has been referred to appropriate authorities, Taylor said.Boston Red Sox prospect Durbin Feltman hurled another 2 scoreless and hitless innings for Double-A Portland on Friday. He allowed two walks and stuck two. He earned his third save in the Sea Dogs 3-1 win over Akron.

Feltman  who many thought heading into 2019 would earn a fairly swift promotion to Boston  has struggled with command issues. He has a 4.62 ERA in 21 outings (25 1/3 innings) this season.

The 100th-overall selection in the 2018 draft has held the opposition to a .174 batting average. But he has walked 19 and struck out 24.

The righty has pitched better lately. Feltman has allowed only two earned runs in his past 12 outings (16.1 inning) since May 8. He has walked 10, struck out 15 and allowed eight hits during the stretch.

Bryan Mata dominates again

Red Sox right-handed prospect Bryan Mata pitched 6 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks wile striking out five in High-A Salems 1-0 win over Frederick on Friday.

The 20-year-old Mata, who spent some time on the IL with a shoulder strain, has a 1.56 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and .171 batting average against in eight starts. He has 41 strikeouts and 14 walks in 40 1/3 innings.

Northcut, Jimenez both go 3-for-4

Nick Northcut  a 2018 11th-round draft pick out of William Mason High in Ohio  went 3-for-4 with three doubles, three RBIs and one run to help Short Season Lowell win its opener 6-3 over Connecticut.

Northcut is a talented third baseman who just turned 20 on Thursday.

Gilberto Jimenez also went 3-for-4 for Lowell. The Red Sox signed Jimenez as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in August 2017. He turns 19 on July 8.

SoxProspects.com ranks Jimenez the No. 16 prospect in the system and Northcut No. 17.BALTIMORE  The Baltimore Orioles honored David Ortiz, who is recovering from a gunshot wound, with a photo montage on the Jumbotron at Camden Yards.

The montage here Friday showed multiple photos from Ortizs career and ended with a message: The Orioles wish David Ortiz a speedy recovery.

The tribute received a loud applause from the crowd. The Red Sox and Orioles are playing the first game of their three-game series.

A message for David ... pic.twitter.com/Pvg6tu9RVj  Guerin Austin (@guerinaustin) June 14, 2019

Ortiz was shot in the lower back as he sat at an outdoor table at Dial Bar and Lounge in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Hes recovering at Mass. General Hospital. Ortizs wife Tiffany Ortiz wrote in a statement Wednesday, her husband will remain in the ICU for the coming days, but he is making good progress towards recovery.An 85-year-old woman was seriously injured after being hit by a minivan in Pittsfield Friday night, police said.

The Pittsfield Police Department said the elderly woman, of Lenox, was crossing South Street when she was struck by a 2011 Toyota Sienna around 9:36 p.m. The minivan was being driven by 53-year-old Linda Limoges of Manchester, Vermont, according to authorities.

The victim, who is not being identified until family members can be notified, was treated at the scene and brought to Berkshire Medical Center with serious injuries.

The accident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call police 413-448-9700 ext. 596.Update: This story has been changed to reflect the events sponsors.

------------------------------------

The Worcester-based Love Your Labels campaign and Redemption Rock Brewing Co. have partnered to host a Drag Queen Story Time this Sunday.

The event, which runs from noon to 1 p.m., will feature two drag queens reading affirming, inclusive stories to children and their families with the goal of creating a safe and supportive environment. It will be the second time a Drag Queen Story Time has been held in the city and the first partnership between the organizations.

The first event was held by the Worcester Public Library in December.

We wanted to do it on Fathers Day, which is on Sunday, because we recognize that everyones family looks different, everyone has a different dynamic to their family, and while it is Fathers Day, we want to encourage people to bring your family, whatever that means to you, Love Your Labels Founder Joshua Croke said. Its just creating a space for support and love and inclusion and community, so we're really excited to host it on a day that is representing family."

Love Your Labels is a Worcester-based campaign is a movement aimed at embracing labels, eliminating stereotypes and empowering individuals.

Croke said although the library faced some serious backlash on social media after posting about the first Drag Queen Story Time in December, the hateful comments did not deter the organizations from hosting another event.

There was a good amount of hate speech, there were photos and stories and records shared of the queens that read to the children in ways that was really defamation of those peoples identities, and I think it speaks to the challenges queer people face, Croke said. In this country weve made a lot of amazing strides, but theres still a long way to go.

Much of it, Croke said, stems from fear and a lack of understanding about what drag performance really is.

Drag represents a complex expression of gender roles, and the queens that read during story time events are far from the sexualized stereotypes some envision when they think of drag, Croke said.

By doing Drag Queen Story Time, its exposing young people to a performance art that is challenging conventions of gender and also opening up dialogue for families and communities to have, they said. Its really building safe spaces where kids are not only exposed to different types of identities while they navigate their own, but also a place where they can ask questions.

Growing up as a queer person, Croke said they didnt have the terminology to describe who they were or what they were feeling. Croke said the event aims to help young people and their families navigate and explore their identities in a supportive, affirming way.

So often you grow up as a queer person and you dont see yourself represented in stories, they said. Its always the prince and the princess, its always the traditional gender roles of what a boy is like and what a girl is like, so to read stories to kids at such a young age who dont fit into those traditional bubbles of what identities mean, its exposing kids to something I never even fathomed when I was that age.

Sundays event is free and open to the public, and Croke said the organizations hope to continue the series in the future.

Redemption Rock Brewing Co. is located at 333 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester.CALGARY, Alberta, June 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Fraser Institute today released its annual rankings of Alberta high schools and elementary schools, allowing parents to compare the academic performance of schools across the province.



The Report Cards offer parents information they cant easily get anywhere else, about how their childs school performs and how it compares to other schools in Alberta, said Angela MacLeod, a senior policy analyst at the Fraser Institute.

This year, the Report Card on Albertas Elementary Schools ranks 852 public, Catholic, independent and charter schools based on eight academic indicators derived from provincewide test results.

Contrary to common misconceptions, the data suggest every school can improve regardless of type, location and student characteristics.

For example, Balwin School, a public school in Edmonton, is the fastest-improving elementary school in the province (rising from a score of zero out of 10 in 2014 to 4.5 in 2018) despite a 42.2 per cent English-as-a-second-language (ESL) population and 25.5 per cent of students with special needs.

This years Report Card on Albertas Secondary Schools ranks 262 public, independent, Catholic and charter schools based on nine academic indicators generated from Grade 12 provincewide testing, grade-to-grade transition and graduation rates.

Again, all schools are capable of improvement no matter the situation.

For example, Forest Lawn High School, a public school in Calgary, rose from 3.3 out of 10 in 2014 to 3.7 in 2018. Not a huge leap, but improvement nonetheless, despite a 25.5 per cent ESL population and 22.3 per cent of students with special needs (the highest specials needs percentage among improving high schools).

We often hear excuses in Alberta that schools cant improve academic performance because of the communities and students they serve, but the evidence suggests otherwise, MacLeod said.

For the complete results on all ranked schools and to compare the performance of different schools, visit www.compareschoolrankings.org .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Angela MacLeod

Senior Policy Analyst, Fraser Institute

(403) 216-7175 ext. 427

angela.macleod@fraserinstitute.org

Mark Hasiuk

(604) 688-0221 ext. 517

mark.hasiuk@fraserinstitute.org

Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter | Like us on FacebookRole Of Church In Conflict & Nation Building In South Sudan.

"The Church has been able to provide individual and group counselling to IDPs and refugees within South Sudan and the neighbouring countries respectively."

By Rev Deng Bol

The Church has played a significant role in managing the recent phase of conflict which broke out in 2013 in South Sudan. Here are some of the activities the Church has been able to do:

1) Protection of Civilians: Apart from the UNMISS Protection of Civilians (POC) sites, the other place where civilians run to, when there is armed conflict in South Sudan, is the Church, even though they know the Pastor does not have a machine gun. This has happened in many parts of South Sudan including Juba, Wau, Malakal, Bor etc.

Apart from Bor and Bentiu, where civilians were killed in a Church and Mosque respectively, civilians who ran to Churches in other parts of the country have largely been safe.

In 2017, the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) Diocese of Wau hosted over 5000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) at Good Shepard Cathedral Compound in Wau town. The IDPs were displaced by the conflict between Government soldiers and opposition forces allied to former 1st Vice President Dr Riek Machar in Southern part of Wau.

2) Provision of Emergency Relief: Through contributions from members, her international partners or through it's Relief and Development wings supported by International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), the Church has been able to provide Relief Assistant to vulnerable communities within the Church premises, IDPs and refugee camps and even in the villages.

In Wau, we provided Relief for the IDPs for 15 days while NGOs were still carrying out an assessment of how many IDPs were there, how many were males and how many were females, how many were children. They were also busy assessing the number of boys and girls displaced, the number of women raped, what caused the displacement etc.

And even when the NGOs eventually started providing relief to the IDPs, we still continued supporting the most vulnerable groups among the IDPs. These included lactating mothers, expecting mothers, orphans and children who had been separated from their parents by the fighting, plus the elderly and people with disabilities.

3) Trauma Healing Counselling: The Church has been able to provide individual and group counselling to IDPs and refugees within South Sudan and the neighbouring countries respectively. In Wau, we were able to provide an individualized counselling and a group counselling as well as preaching messages of live and hope from the word of God in the evening when the IDPs were settled back in their places. We also organized trauma healing workshops and many other stress reduction activities.

4) Reconciliation: The church has been working for reconciliation and peaceful co-existence among the IDPs, the refugees and all our communities through Neutral forums/dialogue. In Wau, there was a very high tension between members of the Luo community and the Dinka community in the camp. But together with the Chiefs from the two communities, led by the Paramount Chief William Deng Kuol, we were able to reconcile the two communities and they were able to live together peacefully in the camp till today.

5) Advocacy: The Church has been able to advocate on behalf of IDPs and Refugees and all vulnerable communities internally and externally to ensure that their rights are protected, their voices are heard and actions are taken by the relevant authorities to alleviate their suffering.

In The Gospel according to St Luke 4:18-19, Jesus proclaimed his Mission statement as follows: 18: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free. 19: to proclaim the year of the Lords favour.

It is therefore the responsibility of the Church to continue with this mission as agent of Christ. God bless South Sudan.by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, June 14, 2019

Health apps, wearable devices like Fitbits and genetic testing kits would be subject to new privacy regulations, under a bill proposed Friday by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

The proposed Protecting Personal Health Data Act would task the secretary of Health and Human Services with crafting regulations to boost the privacy of health data.

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 already requires health care providers, including doctors and hospitals, to protect consumers' privacy. But the senators suggest that HIPAA -- which predates social media, apps and devices like Fitbits -- hasn't kept up with technology.

The lawmakers point to recent reports about data sharing by health apps, including a Washington Postarticle stating that the pregnancy tracking app Ovia sold data to employers.

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Ovia reportedly said it complies with HIPAA, and that it anonymizes and aggregates the data before sharing it with employers. But privacy experts told the Post that people could be re-identified if Ovia data was cross-referenced with other information.

The journal JAMA Network Open also recently reported that many health apps transmitted data to Facebook or Google, without making disclosures to consumers.

New technologies have made it easier for people to monitor their own health, but health tracking apps and home DNA testing kits have also given companies access to personal, private data with limited oversight, stated Klobuchar, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president. This legislation will protect consumers personal health data by requiring that regulations be issued by the federal agencies that have the expertise to keep up with advances in technology.With the opioid crisis in the spotlight, scientists are searching for new ways to tackle pain. One group has turned its attention to a lethal toxin that occurs naturally in some marine creatures. The latest study in rats provides encouraging results. Share on Pinterest A number of marine animals contain tetrodotoxin, including the blue-ringed octopus. Opioids are a range of drugs that act on opioid receptors to quickly relieve pain. Although they are effective and safe when people use them correctly, they are highly addictive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States in 2017, two-thirds of drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. In the same year, 47,000 people died due to opioid overdoses, and prescription opioids played a role in 36% of these deaths. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2017, 1.7 million people in the U.S. had substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers. The statistics above underline the urgent need for a nonaddictive but still effective replacement for opioids. Dr. Daniel Kohane, Ph.D., recently led a study by a group of researchers from Boston Childrens Hospital in Massachusetts who believe that they might have found the solution in a lethal ocean-derived toxin. The scientists published their most recent findings in the journal Nature Communications .

Tetrodotoxin on trial Several different sea creatures, including pufferfish and blue-ringed octopuses, contain tetrodotoxin. This toxin blocks sodium channels, preventing nerves from carrying impulses. Following ingestion, it can cause symptoms that include headaches, vomiting, and a tingling sensation in the tongue and lips. If a person consumes enough of it, it can lead to respiratory arrest and death. Tetrodotoxin is roughly 1,200 times more toxic than cyanide, which, perhaps, makes it an unlikely candidate to treat acute pain. Dr. Kohane has been interested in the therapeutic potential of this toxic compound for some time. Medical News Today recently asked him why tetrodotoxin interested him, and he said: Tetrodotoxin and compounds like it are very potent local anesthetics. Also, unlike conventional local anesthetics, they dont cause seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, and tissue (nerve and muscle) injury. Dr. Kohane had already demonstrated in an earlier study that tetrodotoxin produces anesthesia. The problem, however, is the chemicals potent toxicity. In small amounts, pain relief is significant, but in higher quantities, it is lethal. Dr. Kohane has attempted to limit the compounds toxicity while maintaining its potent analgesia. For instance, in a previous study , his team packaged tetrodotoxin within a lipid membrane. On the surface of the membrane, they added molecules called sonosensitizers that are sensitive to sound. Then, they implanted the tiny sacs under the skin of rats. Next, using ultrasound, they triggered the toxins release in small doses, relieving pain and minimizing toxicity. In another study , Dr. Kohane and his team combined two nerve-blocking agents: tetrodotoxin and capsaicin (the chemical that gives chili peppers their punch). They found that the two compounds enhanced each others effect, blocking nerve conduction more than the sum of using the two drugs separately.

Removing a toxins teeth Despite his earlier work, as it stands, tetrodotoxins toxicity limits its use in humans. A lesson we learned is that with our previous delivery systems, the drug can leak out too quickly, leading to systemic toxicity, says Dr. Kohane. Dr. Kohane, however, is persistent. In his most recent study in an animal model, he and his team fused tetrodotoxin to a polymer backbone. The body can only break down the bonds that hold the backbone to the drug gradually, releasing the toxin slowly. In this system, we gave an amount of tetrodotoxin intravenously that would be enough to kill a rat several times over if given in the unbound state, and the animals didnt even seem to notice it. Lead author Dr. Daniel Kohane, Ph.D. With his colleagues, Chao Zhao, Ph.D., and Andong Liu, Ph.D., Dr. Kohane trialed a range of polymers to achieve the longest-lasting nerve block with minimal levels of toxicity. As Zhao explains, We can modulate the polymer composition to control the release rate.Medical reversal is a term that defines instances in which new and improved clinical trials show that current medical practices are ineffective or misguided. New research reveals that there are currently almost 400 medical reversals. Share on Pinterest A new meta-analysis finds that almost 400 medical practices may not be effective. Medical reversals occur when new clinical research shows that a certain medical practice does not, in fact, work or it does more harm than good.



These new studies are superior to their predecessors because of things like better controls, better study design, or larger sample size. Medical reversals often concern medications but they can also affect surgical procedures. For instance, more than a decade ago, researchers and healthcare professionals realized that stenting procedures did not work for renal artery stenosis and that routine stenting should not be used to treat stable coronary disease. Now, a new meta-analysis of 3,000 studies identifies almost 400 cases of medical reversals. The review appears in the journal eLife. Diana Herrera-Perez, a research assistant at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), in Portland, is the lead author of the new analysis.

Analysis finds 396 medical reversals Referring to well-known endeavors to assess the validity of clinical practices, such as the Cochrane reviews, Herrera-Perez says, We wanted to build on these and other efforts to provide a larger and more comprehensive list for clinicians and researchers to guide practice as they care for patients more effectively and economically. To do so, she and colleagues examined over 3,000 randomized controlled trials published in three prestigious medical journals over the last 15 years: The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), The Lancet, and The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The analysis discovered 396 medical reversals: 154 of them in JAMA, 129 in NEJM, and 113 in The Lancet. Researchers carried out most of these studies (92%) in high-income countries, while 8% were performed in low- or middle-income countries, including China, India, Malaysia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Most of the medical reversals occurred in the fields of cardiovascular disease (20%), public health and preventive medicine (12%), and critical care (11%). Specifically, the most common interventions involved medications (33%), procedures (20%), vitamins and supplements (13%), devices (9%), and system interventions (8%).Guanfacine, under the brand name Intuniv, and Adderall are prescription drugs that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Both drugs help treat the disorder, which people commonly refer to as ADHD, but they work in different ways. In the case of Adderall, it is a stimulant. Conversely, guanfacine is a nonstimulant. In this respect, they are taken in different ways and may have different side effects. The best option for each person depends on their specific symptoms, needs, and personal preferences. People usually use guanfacine only if stimulant medications are not appropriate. This article discusses the differences, side effects, and dosages for guanfacine and Adderall.

What are they? Share on Pinterest Guanfacine and Adderall are medications that treat ADHD symptoms. Guanfacine and Adderall are two medications that treat ADHD and several other conditions. Adderall is the brand name for a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts. Intuniv is the brand name for guanfacine. Both drugs are also available in generic forms. Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant. Doctors usually use stimulants to treat ADHD in children and adults. Stimulants work by making it easier for nerve receptors in the brain to communicate, which can help control impulsivity as well as regulate attention and behavior. Adderall takes effect relatively quickly. Adderall XR, a long-acting form of Adderall, is slower and lasts for longer. Doctors may prescribe Adderall for conditions other than ADHD, such as the sleep disorder narcolepsy. Other stimulant ADHD medications include: methylphenidate (Ritalin, Biphentin, Concerta)

lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)

dexmethylphenidate (Focalin) Guanfacine Unlike Adderall, guanfacine is a nonstimulant. It is a central alpha agonist. Guanfacine increases and adjusts the number of neurotransmitters in the brain, which can help increase attention span and reduce impulsivity. Guanfacine impacts nerve receptors in the brain less directly than Adderall, meaning it takes longer to take effect. People taking guanfacine must keep track of their results while they are taking the medication to make sure they are meeting their treatment goals. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), children aged 617 years of age can use guanfacine, and it may be most effective in children aged 12 years and under. Tenex, another form of guanfacine, can help treat low blood pressure in people of all ages. Other nonstimulant ADHD medications are: atomoxetine (Strattera)

Clonidine (Kapvay)

Which is best? Doctors will usually prescribe stimulants as the first-line treatment for ADHD. They may prescribe a nonstimulant, such as guanfacine, if the person cannot take stimulants, does not tolerate them well, or finds they are not effective. Each person responds differently to ADHD medication, and it is not always possible to know which type is most appropriate before trying them. Effectiveness Both guanfacine and Adderall are effective in treating ADHD. The Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) estimate that 7080% of children have fewer ADHD symptoms when taking fast-acting stimulants, such as Adderall. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Intuniv reduced ADHD symptoms in children aged 617 in three well-controlled clinical trials that lasted up to 8 weeks. Action While Intuniv is typically slower to act than Adderall, its effects can last much longer, up to 24 hours. Adderall XR lasts longer than Adderall. Abuse potential Unlike Adderall, guanfacine use does not carry a high risk of abuse or dependence. Adverse effects and warnings People who are concerned about specific side effects or interactions with pre-existing medication can use these to help decide which drug is better for them. The following sections discuss side effects and interactions.

Drug interactions Adderall can interact with the following medications: antidepressants

serotonergic drugs

tramadol

antihistamines

hypertension drugs

haloperidol

phenobarbital

proton pump inhibitors Intuniv can interact with the following medications: CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as ketoconazole and fluconazole

CYP3A4 inducers, such as rifampin and efavirenz

Can you take both? Doctors can prescribe Intuniv as an adjunctive therapy alongside stimulant medication.

Dosage A doctor will often gradually adjust someones dosage until they find one that does not cause many side effects. Adderall is available in both immediate-release (Adderall) and extended-release (Adderall XR) forms: Adderall is available in tablets of 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, and 30 milligrams (mg).

Adderall XR is available in capsules of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mg. Intuniv is available in extended-release tablets of 1, 2, 3, and 4 mg.

How to take them Guanfacine and Adderall must be taken in quite specific ways, as follows: Adderall Share on Pinterest Some people take Adderall early in the morning with food. People usually take Adderall and Adderall XR once or twice daily with or without food, usually in the early morning and early afternoon. Swallow Adderall tablets whole, without crushing or dividing them.

Swallow Adderall XR capsules whole or open and sprinkle them on food. If someone misses a dose of Adderall, they should take their medication as soon as possible, unless it is after 5 p.m. as stimulants may make it difficult to sleep. If someone misses a dose of Adderall XR, they should not take the missed dose after 2 p.m. as it may interfere with sleep. Guanfacine People usually take guanfacine once or twice daily, with or without food, ideally at the same time each day. Taking guanfacine with a high-fat meal may increase how much the body absorbs the drug, which may increase its effects. If someone misses a dose of guanfacine, they should take the missed dose, as soon as possible, unless it is close to their next dose. A person must never take more of ADHD medications than prescribed or share medications with anyone else.

Complications Misuse of stimulants may lead to serious adverse heart events and sudden death. Stimulants also carry the risk of addiction and emotional or physical dependence, especially if someone has taken them for a long time. People taking Adderall or guanfacine should avoid using illegal drugs or drinking alcohol because doing so can reduce the benefits of their medication and increase adverse side effects. Some side effects associated with guanfacine can make people less alert.

Pregnancy Researchers know little about the risks of using stimulants during pregnancy. However, stimulant abuse during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, neonatal withdrawal symptoms, and premature birth. No well-controlled studies have looked at the impact of guanfacine on pregnancy, though it seems able to pass into breast milk. Stimulants such as Adderall have been shown to concentrate in breast milk and can harm a child.ELKTON  Born in 1935, Donald Weiss, of Elkton, has lived nearly seven decades in the town he calls "home."

At one time, he was the town's only barber. It was the perfect job to know everybody. In addition, he belonged to numerous organizations in the area, which allowed him to understand the workings of Elkton and the community.

Weiss took time out of his active retirement to discuss growing up in the 1930s, being part of the U.S. Army, traveling across the U.S. and Europe, and being involved with his home town.

Weiss was born in Oliver Township, one of five children born to Anna and Simon Weiss. Within a few years, the family moved to Linkvillle. When he was 10 years old, the family moved permanently to Elkton.

"We moved to Elkton on April 14, 1945," he said.

His father was a farmer, although he did not own land. He owned farm implements and worked for other farmers in the area. Simon drove a car in the early part of his life, but after an accident in the 1920s, he never ventured behind the wheel again.

Weiss said the Elkton Box Plant was a large manufacturer of wooden boxes, employing about 250 workers. His dad was an all-around handyman, and he was hired to work at the plant.

"Dad was a beer drinker," Weiss said. "He was allowed to bring four bottles of beer to work every day. I don't know if anyone else was allowed to do that."

Elkton was a thriving community. Beside the box plant, it had two busy elevators and they had two tile plants. Weiss actually worked at one of them, Elkton Concrete Products, for four to five years. The town also boasted a standard distribution center, selling gas, kerosene, and oil.

He continued listing things he remembered as a child and young adult.

"We had two places that made homemade ice cream," he said. "Cones were 5 cents apiece. We also had a pickle plant. I remember the big, big vats that held about 1,000 gallons of pickles."

Weiss was never one to just sit around. During his childhood and teen years, he worked numerous jobs in the area.

"My first job was at Elkton Recreation," he said. "It was a bowling alley, and I sat pins for 7 or 8 cents per game. I also had a paper route."

He sold shoes and he took an apprenticeship repairing shoes. He worked at a local store selling paint and plumbing supplies. And, if that was not enough, he worked as a projectionist at the Star Theatre.

He graduated from the Elkton High School in 1953.

The world was in turmoil after World War II, and he decided he would probably be drafted. Instead, he volunteered for the draft, became part of the U.S. Army, and took basic training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri. He received advanced training at Fort Ord, California.

As luck would have it, he was sent to Germany. In those days, it was a 10-day boat trip to Europe. He spent two years in the Army, nearly all of it in Germany. Not one to sit around, he spent much of his leave time and weekends traveling around Europe.

"I visited 10 to 12 countries when I was over there," he said. "I went to Paris three times."

After service, Weiss returned home. The barber business was big back in the 1950s, and he decided to go to barber college. Unfortunately, the colleges in Michigan were full.

Fate turned in his favor, and he was accepted to a barber college in Florida, and he attended under the G.I. Bill. In hindsight, going down south may have been one of the best things he ever did.

Not only did he get a barber license, he met one of the sweetest little girls of his life. Delores was from Pennsylvania, but she was there working as a registered nurse in Florida. The couple fell in love, and they were soon married.

Within a very short time, they moved back to Elkton, and they have lived there since 1963. The couple has two children  Donald Jr. and Debra  and two grandchildren.

As soon as he arrived back in Huron County, Weiss went into the barbering business with David Beaver. Beaver died within a couple months, and Weiss took over the shop. Initially, business was good. Unfortunately, the Beatles Era came along in the mid-1960s, and haircuts fell out of style.

Things got tough.

"I can remember sitting in the shop and having only one customer all day," Weiss explained.

Fortunately, the trend turned and the business got much better in a couple years.

Deloris worked part time at Scheurer Hospital. Later, she worked as the Elkton Elementary School nurse, and she retired after 30 years from Lakers. Weiss also retired in 2012. Considering his time in Florida and Elkton, he cut hair for over half a century.

But the barber shop was not his only connection to the community. He noted there are numerous good organizations in the area, and he was part of several. As a youth, he was very active in the Boy Scouts. In fact, he earned the Boy Scout of the Year for Huron County in 1948. When he returned from the Army, he served on the Boy Scout Board.

He and his wife also became very involved with St. John Episcopal Church on Sand Point, and have been members for 55 years.

"I'm an usher and a greeter," he said. "My wife is the secretary of our church."

With his military service, he was eligible to join the VFW Post 6013. He can't remember how long he has been a member of the local chamber of commerce, but it has been "a lot of years."

He is proud the chamber of commerce promotes Elkton in a variety of ways.

"We put on bingo, drawings, and dinners," he said. "We've had a lot of good, dedicated working with the Chamber."

He has been a member of the Elkton Historical Society for the past 15 years. His involvement dates much further back than those 15 years. Before it became a society, it was a group of locals trying to retain the town's history.

"I helped bring the old log cabin into Elkton back in the 1970s," he said.

His involvement with the local Lions Club dates back to the early 1960s.

"I was approached by the Lions Club to join their club," Weiss said. "I joined in 1963, and I've been a member ever since. I've had perfect attendance in 54 out of the 56 years that I've been a member."

Over the years, he has been the president, vice president and a director. He has received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest honor a Lions Club Member can earn. The club now has 30 to 35 members, and most are active members.

One of the most fascinating fundraisers the club has ever had currently is under way. They are actively collecting pull tabs from soda cans, and Weiss has been the project's chair person. The last batch of pull tabs have been collected for the past six years.

At present, he estimates they have more than 1,300 pounds of tabs ready to sell for cash. He doesn't know how many pull tabs that includes.

"We have 1,300 to 1,400 pounds of tabs. There are 1,500 tabs per pound," he explained. "Do the math."

After they are sold, the funds will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House.

"I've got to give a lot of credit to (local resident) Lois Hewett," he said. "She is not a Lions Club member, but she has a heart for those in need."

Weiss said she has collected the vast majority of tabs for this fundraiser.

He explained that Lois collects cans along the road and takes off the tabs. She also goes to the local party store and takes the tabs off many, many returned pop cans.

"She has done this for years," Weiss said.

Weiss feels Elkton is a great place to live in Huron County. It's not as large as it was when he was a kid, but it still is a fine place to reside.

"This is still a great place to live and raise a family," he said. "We have a good fire department and ambulance service. It's a friendly town. It's the town with a smile, and that smile is on our water tower."

When asked what he plans for the future, he said, he has traveled considerably during his lifetime. He has been all over Europe and in 48 states in the U.S. He feels much of his traveling is over.

"We make a trip to the casino about once a week," he said. "We relax and eat, but we don't gamble much. I just had my pacemaker updated about two months ago."

"I plan to keep living as long as I can," he added.ABC/Fred WatkinsAnother Friday, another bout of music to shift through and stream. This week brings new offerings from Common, Gucci Mane and a snippet of a forthcoming record from Cassie.

For his latest effort, "HER Love," Common reflects on the past 25 years of hip-hop as he pays homage to the genre which has shaped him into much of who he is today. The track boasts a guest appearance from Daniel Caesar and Dwele, as well as unreleased production from the late J. Dilla.

The veteran rapper also dropped off an accompanying visual, in which he name checks the likes of Nipsey Hussle, Young Thug, Cardi B and many more. "HER Love" is the latest single off of Common's new LP Let Love Have the Last Word, which shares its title with the memoir he released last month.

It's a meeting of the minds on Gucci's newest record, "Backwards," which features Meek Mill. The single was dropped off with little to no notice, as it premiered exclusively on Ebro Darden's Beats 1 Radio show on Thursday.

According to Guwop, "Backwards" was one of the easiest songs he's ever produced due to his chemistry and shared experiences with Meek.

"It's one of the most organic records you can ever make. We made this in a penthouse in Miami...Just in my house, just vibing," Gucci told Darden. "So I feel like this, you can't get more natural than this, man."

In addition to the new record, the Atlanta phenom also shared that his forthcoming album, Delusions of Grandeur, would be seeing the light of the day in the next few weeks.

As for Cassie, the mom-to-be has dropped off a teaser of her newest single "Moments." No word yet on when the track is set to be released.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Saudi Arabia said on Saturday there must be a quick response to the threat to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence, the energy ministry tweeted, two days after attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"There must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat of energy supply, market stability and consumer confidence, which are posed by recent terrorist acts in both the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf, against the major global energy supply chains," Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih was quoted as saying.

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HURON COUNTY  Michigan Sugar Co. still tops the list as Huron County's largest employer.

According to the Huron County Economic Development Corporation's (EDC) 2019 Industrial/Retail/Service Directory, Michigan Sugar in Sebewaing employs 550 people. A further breakdown shows the company employs 93 full-time, 157 part-time, and 300 seasonal workers.

Second overall to Michigan Sugar, and also in the industrial category, is Tower Automotive, with 482 employees, all full-time. Huron Casting was third in the industrial category, with 390 full-time employees.

Scheurer Hospital came in as the leading service/retail employer, with 412 employees  285 full-time, 47 part-time, 10 seasonal and 70 casual.

McLaren Thumb Region is the second largest service/retail employer with 356 employees. Wal-Mart was third in the category, with 255 employees  177 full-time, 75 part-time and three seasonal.

As far as industrial locations, Pigeon holds the top spot with 10. Bad Axe has seven, Harbor Beach six, and Ubly five.

According to EDC Executive Director Carl Osentoski, it's been pretty consistent over the past year as far as local labor trends. He said the need for manufacturing help has continued to trend upward.

"Many manufacturers are looking to fill certain positions," he said. "I know everyone is looking for staffing and they have positions open."

Another factor many area employers have been watching over time is the retiring Baby Boomer generation. It has become difficult to replace those workers with new help.

"It's an issue I think across the board, because it's a demographic issue," Osentoski said.HURON COUNTY  Immigrants come to this county seeking the promise of the American Dream. It is the promise where if you work hard enough at what you love, you can make it.

One local family, the Zwemmers, who moved to this county from the Netherlands, managed to do that and become a local staple in the process.

The Zwemmer family is made of parents Jake and Saskia Zwemmer and kids Frank, Marie, Ruud, Carmen, and Paul. They moved 20 years ago from the town of Dronten, Netherlands, located near the capital city of Amsterdam.

The Netherlands is one of Europes main dairy producers, trailing only Germany, France Poland, Italy and the United Kingdom in number of dairy cows, with 1.5 million in 2018.

Jake and Saskia were always looking for new opportunities to expand their livelihoods. The American dream always appealing to them, as the United States was known as the "land of opportunity."

One visit to America and everything seemed to fall into place and the Zwemmers were hooked, Carmen Zwemmer described it.

The family settled on Michigan since it is surrounded on all sides with plentiful fresh water lakes. They also met a progressive group of crop growers known as Allied Farm Enterprises that seemed to click perfectly with the Zwemmers for a future they were both trying to create. This assured the Zwemmer's could focus on what they loved to do and continue what they were good at, which was taking care of cows. The two still work together after 20 years.

The Zwemmers now run three dairy farms in Huron County, Zwemmer Dairy and Z-Fresh Dairy, both in Elkton, and Z Star Dairy in Caseville. They also run Roto-Z Dairy and the JSZ Land Company, both in Snover.

Cows are fascinating animals in that they can take many byproducts that can't be used for much else, Carmen said, such as sugar beet pulp, soy hulls, or even cereal byproducts to create milk. Milk is natures most wholesome drink, and the Zwemmers take pride in making sure cows are happy and comfortable to produce a quality product with the help of a great team of people.

Jake thinks of himself as a cowaholic, and he has passed his passion for dairy on to his children. Saskia is the backbone of the family and is able to keep everything organized with the help of her right hand woman, Megan Schlund, the controller.

Three of the four children are involved with the family business, as Carmen and Paul recently came home after finishing their college education to join Ryan Hooper, the main manager of the three operations, in hopes to continue the family legacy.

But like other dairy farms in the state, the Zwemmers have had to deal the issues of oversupply and lower prices. Americans are drinking less milk than in decades past, and surplus dairy supplies are not being sold.

Michigan had 13% of its dairy farms close in 2018. Though Huron County has the most dairy cows of any county in the state, its farmers are still feeling the pinch of it.

Dairy farming is not all fun and games as we look back over a trying time in the dairy industry at this time because of the increase in volume of milk and decrease in consumption leads to depleted milk prices for the product. Carmen said. We all work hard 365 days a year to produce. As we continue on our journey we remind ourselves that all that we have we owe to udders.HARTFORD  Five new conditions were accepted for treatment to the states growing medical marijuana program at a recent Board of Physicians meeting.

The conditions added for treatment under the program, which now has more than 33,000 patients and 1,111 prescribing physicians, are: Interstitial cystitis (for adults only); Intractable Neuropathic pain that is unresponsive to standard patients (for adults and patients under 18); Medial arcuate ligament syndrome (recommended for adults); Tourette syndrome (recommended for adults and for patients under 18 who have failed standard medical treatment); and, Vulvodynia and vulvar burning (recommended for adults).

The five conditions will be added to the Medical Marijuana Programs regulations, and are ultimately subject to approval by the Regulations Review Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly.

Chronic pain was not added to the list of treatable conditions. Instead, a decision on adding it to the list was tabled for a future meeting.

The decision to hold off on adding adding chronic pain was made by the board despite a pitch to add it by Brian Essenter, a medical marijuana counselor.

Essenter told the board there were a number of other states that allow chronic pain as a treatable condition.

Whether or not its a certifiable condition, we are treating patients for this condition, Essenter told the board.

Essenter added that with the cracking down on opioid prescriptions in the state because of the overdose epidemic that has plagued Connecticut, patients suffering from chronic pain are looking for alternatives.

He said other states have been successful in weaning patients off opioid prescriptions with medical marijuana.

This is not about a desire to get high but a desire to improve quality of life, Essenter said.

Board members said the issue with adding chronic pain as a condition is that its definition needs to be narrowed.

We have to be careful to not make it extremely broad, said Dr. Jonathan Kost. He and others on the board said they felt more time needed to be spent figuring out whether specific conditions could be tied to the chronic pain category.

The follow up meeting regarding chronic pain will be announced once it is scheduled.

At that meeting officials will further discuss the potential addition of chronic pain and whether that condition should be narrowed before being added to the program, but no further public testimony period will be accepted.

I want to thank the brave members of the public who testified at todays meeting and the Board of Physicians for their thoughtful discussion, and deliberation, said Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull.

Our program relies on the advice and guidance we receive from the medical community including the Board, Seagull said. Im pleased with how our program has grown to support well over 30,000 patients with severe debilitating conditions in the state, all while keeping the integrity of this truly medical program in mind.

While efforts to legalize recreational marijuana in the state have stalled in the legislature the past few years, the Medical Marijuana Program has grown significantly in Connecticut over that same period, treating over 30 conditions.

Recently the state approved nine new dispensaries in New Haven, Westport, Stamford, Torrington, Meriden, Groton, Newington, Mansfield, and Windham to meet growing demand.

The new facilities, two of which have opened in Meriden and Mansfield, will join the nine others already in operation across the state.

Seagull said one of the primary goals of opening the additional locations is to ensure that every patient who requires medical marijuana does not have to travel too far to be accommodated.WASHINGTON - Few who have followed his career in politics will be surprised that U.S. Rep. Jim Himes far outpaces Connecticut House delegation members in finances, ringing up as much as $10.2 million in assets, according to his financial disclosure form filed Friday.

Himes spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs before joining a housing-related non-profit for six years _ and then beating Republican incumbent Chris Shays for the House seat representing Connecticuts 4th Congressional District.

His congressionally mandated 2018 financial disclosure report shows assets ranging between $10.2 million and $2.7 million. The form requires lawmakers to state assets, liabilities and income in dollar ranges rather precise numbers.

Himes was one of 435 House members required to submit the form.

It shows his income from various investment accounts ranging between $268,000 and $81,609. Some of the accounts are tax-deferred but others yield dividends, interest, capital gains or a combination of them.

Congressional rules do not require lawmakers to list their residences as assets, nor their salaries or those of spouses.

Liabilities are between $265,000 and $110,000. The largest one is the mortgage on the familys Cos Cob home, listed at between $100,001 and $250,000. Himes also carries between $10,000 and $15,000 in American Express credit card debt.

Freshman Rep. Jahana Hayes requested and received a 90-day extension on her disclosure. Her chief of staff, Joe Dunn, said there was no specific reason for the request. She had not completed it in time so she filed for an extension, Dunn said in an email.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro has between $5.3 million and $1.1 million in assets, much of it linked to her husband Stan Greenbergs work as a leading Democratic pollster and strategist. But she also lists two mortgages on their Washington D.C. home, totaling between $1 million and $500,002.

DeLauro also lists positions on 20 non-profit organizations, including the Italian American Historical Society of Connecticut, The Perry House in Stratford, and the Cancer Schmancer Movement.WASHINGTON - Peruse the list of 62 or so House Democrats supporting impeachment of President Donald Trump and you wont find a single member of the five-member all-Democrat delegation from Connecticut. Heck, none of them have even bothered to respond to a New York Times survey question on the subject (as of midday Friday).

But that doesnt mean there isnt ferment. Rep. Jim Himes said on MSNBC that even though hes counseled caution and prudence in the past, my patience is wearing very, very thin.

There is the presidents statement on Id want to hear dirt served up by a foreign adversary, and scoffing at the notion of first going to the FBI, Himes noted. Theres Trump confidante Kellyanne Conway accused of violations of the Hatch Act for criticizing Democratic opponents while on government time, he added.

Impeachment is the biggest weapon that the Congress has at its disposal, Himes said. So Ive always been on the side of saying hey, let's be careful, lets be prudent, lets make sure that we have the people with us, which I think is where (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi is.

But hes getting closer and closer to the edge, even though as a proclaimed centrist and former chair of the middle-ground New Democrat Coalition he has counseled caution and prudence.

Im not making any predictions here, but if the barrage of Trumps alleged infractions of legal and political norms keeps up, neutral territory for House Democrats may start to shrink. Then it will be time for Connecticut Dems to decide (to quote the old labor hymn), which side are you on?

=================

Connecticuts sleeping giant is finally awake and back open for business after a year-long doze. Sleeping Giant State Park State reopened on Friday, a year after getting slammed by a tornado whipping around 100-mph-plus winds.

The damage denuded tree tops and scattered branches and trunks like matchsticks. The park closed while workers cleared and fixed the damage to trails and park facilities, thanks in part to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro was quick to claim credit for the FEMA end of the repair bill.

When natural disasters strike, the federal government has a key role to play in making communities and families whole, DeLauro said in a statement. That is why I was proud to work with my colleagues in Congress and state officials to ensure FEMA funded this relief following last years tornadoes.

DeLauro said she also managed to insert language into an appropriations bill reminding the agency it has authority to provide federal assistance for personal debris removal following natural disasters.

Connecticut residents who found huge tree trunks and other detritus on their property after the tornado found FEMA unwilling to foot any of the bill to haul it away.

Interesting that legislation would be directed at reminding a government entity of anything.

Did it direct FEMA employees to put alarms on their cell phones, and penalize them if they hit snooze? One wonders.MILFORD  No customers were inside when I walked into a shop on the Boston Post Road marked Your CBD Store that looked, from the outside, like any other retail outlet.

Its the first Connecticut location for a Florida-based company, Sunflora, selling the white-hot product under the SunMed brand with nearly 400 stores open or about to open in 31 states, all in the last couple of years.

The Milford owners hope to open five stores this year along the Connecticut shoreline, including one in Fairfield and one in East Lyme  and more after that. Other owners have Your CBD Store locations about to open in Deep River, Glastonbury and Southington.

Thats a highly ambitious plan for independent store owners, even as franchises, or affiliates, as these stores are designated because, so far, they havent paid franchise fees.

I figured despite the popularity of CBD, the it elixir these days  the non-psychoactive ingredient in hemp, a cousin of marijuana  Connecticut would adopt the trend slowly, as usual.

In fact, Clayton Percy, general manager and chief operating officer of the Milford group, says business has been brisk from the start, even before the June 26 grand opening. Quickly after I arrived at midday on a Wednesday, the place started to fill up. Percy and Briana Dias, an employee who knows a lot about CBD, fielded buyers curious shoppers.

My husband has really bad arthritis, Kathy Augustitus, a nurse from Seymour, who has tried a few things already, such as turmeric. What can CBD do?

The answer from Percy wasnt simple. CBD is in clinical tests all over the nation, including studies in Connecticut, but without approval yet from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, sellers cant make medical claims.

It would be a miracle compound if it had even one-tenth of the positive health effects people ascribe to it, from relieving general pain to shrinking malignant tumors. Your CBD Store favors education and a healing environment rather than a hard sell.

The place looks less like a high-volume, mall-style retailer and more like a holistic education center, which in some ways it is  with a couch, the companys lotus flower mandala icon on the walls, plants, printed testimonials and artful displays. It has a room set up for classes and consultations.

Talking with Augustitus, Percy explains the endocannabinoid system in which nerve-based receptors throughout the body react to CBD and related compounds.

Across the room at the same moment, Dias delivers a

similar narrative to another customer. Its just keeping your body functioning as it should, she says. Every body has its own endocannabinoid rhythm.

Tinctures are one of our best sellers, Percy tells a customer, as Dias talks about serving amounts. Theyre careful not to say the words dose or dosage because this isnt an approved drug, just as many doctors who suggest CBD to their patients, or certify patients for marijuana, are careful not to call it a prescription.

Two women, obviously friends, greet each other in the store with hugs. What are you getting? one asks.

Im getting some oil for my fibromyalgia, the other responds nonchalantly, as they talk about their kids.

CBD retail lives in a frontier world of exploration. As legalized pot spreads to more states, industrial hemp production  including CBD manufacture  is growing as well. Connecticut is behind, but passed a law this year launching a program through the state Department of Agriculture, even as the General Assembly failed to muster the votes for legalized adult retail marijuana sales.

But unlike marijuana, the selling of CBD products is neither limited nor regulated in most states, including Connecticut, now that federal restrictions are lifted.

The result is both a hot trend and a confusing market. Retailers including vape stores, gas station convenience outlets and high-end grocers offer CBD oils, potions, creams, honey, tinctures and all manner of other forms of the stuff, with little or no regulation as to whats actually in it.

Percy, a young father whose fiancee, Jillian, comes in with their toddler during my visit (she works there part-time) was with a marketing company before he opened the Your CBD Store in Milford, where the family lives.

Milford, home of two of the states 12 medicinal marijuana dispensaries, is fast becoming a CBD mecca as well. Not far away, at the Connecticut Post Mall, another CBD store  marked simply CBD Oil  opened recently. Its more of a traditional store, with loaded shelves.

That mall store has a large sign labeled health benefits of CBD oil, listing fight cancer, anxiety relief, anti-seizure, diabetes prevention, anti-acne and five other claims.

Does it really do all that? No one should make the claims. An entire sub-industry of hopeful researchers is rising up to cement CBDs place in the medical panoply. THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is also the subject of extensive research even as states add to the list of conditions eligible for pot treatment  five new conditions this month in Connecticut, for example.

Percy must constantly work to keep CBD apart from cannabis in his customers minds: You dont need a medical card to come in. Anything that we carry here has no THC in it, I hear him say over the phone.

While the scientific jury is out, an aging generation of baby-boomers is willing to spend a the bucks  maybe $100 a month for daily use, more or less, depending on a lot of factors. Young people come in as well, such as the Yale medical school student who had researched the SunMed brand and drove to the Milford store to buy products in hope of better sleep and more effective studying.

For Your CBD Store, the selling point is a natural extraction method using carbon dioxide rather than solvents; a nationwide brand based on products from farms Sunflora owns; batch-by-batch testing by independent labs, as we see with retail marijuana; and plenty of hand-holding in the stores, a big plus for the over-55 crowd.

Augustitus, the nurse from Seymour, leaves without a purchase for her husband, saying, Im going to talk to him today before I buy it.

Thats fine with Percy. On Friday, a dentist who had recommended the product for patients came in for some himself. Its all part of the launch of the high end of an industry and no one can say exactly where it will be in a few years.

Our business model is unmatched because were creating a space for education first, he said on Friday. As long as we do it the right way and we treat our customers well, like any other business well be around a long time.

dhaar@hearstmediact.comNORWALK  The man suspected of sexually assaulting and slaying a middle-school girl in September 1986 has been returned to Norwalk and is being held in the police lockup on $5 million bond.

Marc Karun was arrested and charged Wednesday in Stetson, Maine, with murder with special circumstances and first-degree kidnapping in the slaying of 11-year-old Kathleen Flynn. Her body was found on the grounds of Ponus Ridge Middle School the morning after she did not return home from school. His arrest followed a three-decade investigation.Isaak Olson was two months from graduating in 2014 when he disclosed that his fiancee had given birth several months earlier...The U.S. Army will soon have a new top enlisted man, known by his peers as a stickler for standards and a seasoned combat leader who will make sure soldiers are ready for the next war.

In mid-August, Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston, the current command sergeant major for Army Forces Command, will take over as the new sergeant major of the Army. He will replace Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel Dailey, who has held the position since January 2015.

As a career artilleryman, Grinston brings with him more than three decades of experience spanning the 1991 Gulf War, peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is known for being a strict enforcer of Army standards, ranging from uniform rules to tactical skills, according to fellow Army command sergeants major.

Related content:

"He wants it done right," First U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims told Military.com. "He's a stickler for the standards to make sure we are training correctly to prepare our soldiers for war."

Retired Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston agreed that Grinston has a passion for standards but said that it is a trait that all good sergeants major embrace.

"I like to think that all of us, when you get to that level, you understand the thread between standards and discipline in a unit," Preston, now vice president for Noncommissioned Officer & Soldier Programs at the Association of the United States Army, told Military.com.

This dedication to discipline served Grinston well when he was a first sergeant leading soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, through the dangerous streets of Bayji, Iraq in 2004.

On April 9, 2004, an enemy ambush killed two of his staff sergeants instantly and wounded three other soldiers, one of whom who would die later. Under heavy enemy fire, Grinston set off a smoke grenade to signal the rest of his platoon forward and then ordered suppressive fire on the enemy position so casualties could be evacuated, according to a June 14, 2005, Stars and Stripes story.

Later that day, Grinston would organize a larger force for a counterattack that resulted in a six-hour gunfight. The Stripes story describes how he exposed himself to enemy fire numerous times during the fierce fight.

Grinston's heroism that day earned him one of the two Bronze Stars with valor devices he was awarded during that deployment.

"It's huge credibility ... it really says a lot about his character," Preston said. "The experience of having ... what it takes to prepare a unit to deploy, to go into combat operations and, of course, what it takes to recover a unit coming back. I think that is extremely valuable, a sergeant major of the Army going into that position."

U.S. Army Forces Commands Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Grinston applies camouflage face paint at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on May 22, 2018. He has been chosen as the next sergeant major of the Army. Sgt. Steven Lopez/Army

Sims said he has gotten to know Grinston from crossing paths with him during his 30-year Army career. He remembers Grinston as being one of the top noncommissioned officers in units like the 1st Infantry Division.

He related an anecdote about how Grinston, the I Corps command sergeant major at the time, reached out when Sims was picked to be command sergeant major for the 101st Airborne Division in July 2016.

"When I got selected for the 101st, he actually called me, and he mentored me," Sims said, recalling that it was unusual, since the 101st falls under XVIII Airborne Corps.

"He was the only corps sergeant major, besides my own, that called me and talked to me about being a division sergeant major. ... He said, 'This is what I did. ... Maybe if you look at leader development this way ... look at getting after problems in the barracks or training cycle or how can the division sergeant major have an impact in making those things better.'"

Retired Sgt. Maj. Richard Young first met Grinston when he became the 1st Infantry Division command sergeant major about six years ago.

After retiring from a 31-year career in the Army in 2001, Young and his wife Betsy made a habit of sponsoring senior enlisted leaders who came to Fort Riley, Kansas.

Before long, the two artillerymen became friends and remain so to this day.

"He leads from the front," Young said of Grinston, whom he calls "Tony."

"To me, the key to leadership is you care about the soldiers you lead. You are not worried about your next promotion. You are worried about your soldiers and their families and their quality of life," he said. "And if you do all [those] things, everything else will fall into place. And that was Tony; he cared about the soldiers that he led at every level."

Soldiers will be able to expect fairness from Grinston as the new SMA, Young said.

"You can't have two sets of standards, one for the soldiers you like and one for the soldiers you are frustrated with," Young said. "He will tell the soldiers, as he visits different units, 'This is the way it is.' He will deal from the side of right."

U.S. Army Forces Commands Command Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Grinston speaks to Soldiers of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on May 22, 2018. Sgt. Steven Lopez/Army

Sims also described Grinston as a warrior.

"What's great about Sergeant Major Grinston is he can do the same thing soldiers can do," he said. "He's physically fit. He's tactically sound, and he's mentally stable. ... He can get down to the level of a soldier talk at the solder level, then five minutes later he can be talking to Congress ... or his counterpart, the chief of staff of our Army."

Preston said he never served with Grinston but got to know him when he rose to more senior-level jobs, such as his current role as the CSM for FORSCOM.

"I knew all the senior sergeants major out there that interviewed and competed for the [SMA] position, and I would say that Grinston is the right choice coming in," Preston said, describing how Grinston's current job has given him experience dealing with soldiers in the active-duty, National Guard and Reserve components.

"When you go into that position up there as sergeant major of the Army, it's really about representing all of the Army. ... You represent all soldiers across all three components of the Army," he said. "He has walked the ground with soldiers from the Army National Guard down on the border. He has walked the ground with soldiers in the Army Reserve as part of civil affairs teams in Africa or Europe. And of course, he has been out there with all the regular Army units that are deploying all over the world."

To Preston, one of the biggest challenges Grinston will face as SMA will be staying connected with soldiers and understanding how the continued demand for soldiers and units to regularly deploy affects them.

"The demand for land forces is going to continue to be there, and I think it is going to continue to grow," Preston said.

Grinston will have to "get out there and travel to understand the missions on the ground and the impact that those missions are having on the units that are deploying and doing the job," he added.

As SMA, Grinston will have to make sure he knows how the decisions being made in the Pentagon on training and equipping forces affect soldiers at the unit level, Preston said.

"He is really the eyes and ears for the chief of staff and the secretary of the Army," he explained. "It's important for him to be their eyes so they can see and understand the impact of those decisions out there in the field."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.comThe Twins have signed Cuban right-hander Yennier Cano with a signing bonus of $750K, per Francys Romero of Las Mayores (

via Twitter)

. MLB.coms Dan Hayes

adds

that the Twins do not figure Cano into their immediate plans, despite being slightly older for a development project at 25-years-old. Solid numbers in Cuba make him a worthwhile flyer, but low K-rates may give pause to his viability as a major league contributor. Cano slotted in at #2 on MLB.coms 2018 list of top international prospects , which mark his top pitch as a 70-grade heater.



The right-hander has shown a fastball that hovers in the 94-96 mph range with some sink. He also features an above average slider, split fastball and changeup, a pitch he did not throw often in Cuba. He also throws an average curve.

Cano has been a reliever in Cuba and figures to target a similar role with the Twins.The Rockies have released veteran left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, Thomas Harding of MLB.com relays (Andersen Pickard of MLB Daily Dish first reported the news). De La Rosa had been with the club since it signed him to a minor league pact April 5, his 38th birthday, though an oblique injury prevented him from taking the mound.

This unceremoniously ends De La Rosas second go-around as a member of the Colorado organization, with which he has spent the majority of his career. The Rockies first acquired De La Rosa from the Royals in a 2008 trade, and he went on to become one of the most successful starters in franchise history. From 2008-16, an 1,141 1/3-inning span, De La Rosa overcame hitter-friendly Coors Field to post a 4.35 ERA/4.24 FIP with 7.77 K/9, 3.79 BB/9 and a 48.1 percent groundball rate.

After his first Rockies stint ended, De La Rosa joined the Diamondbacks in 2017, lasting one-plus season in Arizonas bullpen before the team released him last August. De La Rosa quickly caught on with the Cubs and pitched well in relief with them, though his performance didnt persuade Chicago or any other team to give him a guaranteed deal last offseason. Between the D-backs and Cubs over the previous two years, he combined for a 3.77 ERA/4.47 FIP with typical strikeout, walk and groundball numbers (7.71 K/9, 4.02 BB/9, 48.2 GB%).MUSKEGON, MI  Over two nights of competition, all 24 Miss Michigan candidates showed off their skills as the audience cheered them on.

From singing to dancing and twirling batons into the air, the candidates wowed the crowd with their talents.

On Thursday evening, the preliminary talent award, worth $500, went to Miss Sunrise Side Caitlin Borke, 23, of Kalamazoo, who gave a performance of opera aria Donde lieta usci while wearing a strapless gray evening gown.

Miss Oakland County Vivian Zhong, 22, of Northville, took the preliminary talent award Friday evening. Zhong gave a classical piano performance while wearing a flowing red gown took home the preliminary talent award on Friday evening.

Saturday evening, candidates will be narrowed down to the top 12 before Miss Michigan 2018 Emily Sioma will crown Miss Michigan 2019.

Miss Michigan contestants compete for scholarship money, including $12,000 to the winner, $5,000 to the runner-up, $4,000 to second runner-up, $3,000 to third runner-up, $2,000 to fourth runner-up and $1,500 each to the other seven semi-finalists. Miss Michigan 2019 will also earn the chance to compete for the Miss America title.

The 2019 Miss Michigan program finals begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at the Frauenthal, 425 W. Western Ave. in Muskegon. Muskegons historic Frauenthal Center has been home to the pageant since 1951. Michigan has crowned a winner and sent her to the Miss America pageant every year since 1939.

View photos from night 1 of the Miss Michigan Scholarship Program 2019.

View photos from night 2 of the Miss Michigan Scholarship Program 2019.BERKLEY, MI -- A Southeast Michigan congressman has joined a growing number of Democrats supporting impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

Rep. Andy Levin, of Democrat from Bloomfield Township north of Detroit, announced his support for an impeachment inquiry on Saturday, June 15.

Levin, representing Michigans 9th Congressional District, wrote about his support on Twitter but also was expected to speak about it during a town hall gathering Saturday in Berkley.

So far, more than 60 House Democrats are calling for impeachment proceedings to begin.

His attitude towards foreign interference in our election process, the very heartbeat of our democracy, chills me to the bone, from his invitation to Vladimir Putin to meddle during 2016 to his comments this week about the 2020 election.  Rep. Andy Levin (@RepAndyLevin) June 15, 2019

Levin, in his Twitter feed, talked about Trumps refusal to share information about his taxes, his alleged intertwining of his business dealings and governance, as well as the Mueller report.

As the Mueller Report makes clear, on 10 or more occasions the President did obstruct justice or sought to obstruct justice, including by firing or attempting to fire people who were investigating him, he wrote.

Levin said he planned to work with the House Democratic Caucus to try to get an impeachment inquiry started.TECUMSEH, MI - One day after the resignation of Interim Superintendent Ryan Rhoades and the release of an investigative report into his conduct, Tecumseh Public Schools Board President Tim Simpson admitted some of the boards shortcomings in a tumultuous six months since taking office.

Clad in matching orange I Heart TPS T-shirts, board members sat silently as Simpson read a statement extending an olive branch to the community during a special meeting Friday, June 14.

The statement came a day after Rhoades suggested in his resignation letter that the community petition Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to take control over the embattled district, dissolve its board of education and replace its entire administration.

The special board meeting was held to accept Rhoades resignation.

Nothing could prepare us for the storm weve encountered, Simpson said. We knew there was a serious divide among teachers, parents, businesses and members of the community, but we were not aware of its widespread impact.

Simpson was contrite in his message, asking community members to join the board in trying to find common ground as the district once again begins the search for a new, full-time superintendent.

After going through five superintendents in the first five months since a completely new school board took office, Simpson said conducting a formal search for a full-time superintendent was probably the right move, in contrast with the speedy hiring of Rhoades.

We were not prepared to address these situations effectively, he said. In retrospect, we should have been more patient. For that, we sincerely apologize. We are learning. Along the way, we may make more mistakes, but we promise to always keep our students at the focal point with their interest at the center.

With Rhoades resignation, Interim Superintendent Greg Lewis will retain his position until a new superintendent is selected. TPS will consider proposals for a search firm at its next meeting on June 24, Simpson said. TPS has received a proposal from the Michigan Association of School Boards and also contacted the Michigan Leadership Institute for a proposal, with plans to entertain a third offer.

The more calculated search process, which could take 14 weeks to complete, comes in stark contrast to the boards decision to award Rhoades a one-year contract as interim superintendent in March, despite being employed as the districts technology director for a only few months.

The board voted at the time to suspend a rule that requires a superintendent to have experience as a teacher, building administrator and central office administrator.

We dont want to rush it, Simpson said about the search process. We want to make sure we do this right.

Simpson also responded to a the investigative report released Thursday, which found that Rhoades did not violate the districts anti-harrassment policy. The report did, however, conclude Rhoades behaved unprofessionally and retaliated against an employee who spoke against him during a contentious board meeting.

Rhoades was described by investigator Mark Paliszewski of Recon Management Group, LLC as having a very aggressive management style," while some witnesses described his conduct as abusive," contributing to a tense atmosphere.

Simpson denied allegations raised by Rhoades during the investigation that he gave the superintendent marching orders to target employees for termination, to delete emails subject to Freedom of Information Act requests and that he threatened Rhoades job if his orders were not followed.

I did express my opinion on matters of the district just as any board member should do, Simpson said. Board members are elected to express their opinions to the superintendent and work together as a board to issue directives in open meetings.

On the accusation he suggested deleting emails, Simpson explained that Rhoades released his resume to someone who filed a FOIA for it, while also giving the resume to someone who didnt submit a request for it to post on social media.

I gave Mr. Rhoades my opinion that this looked bad to the district by giving his resume to someone that did not do a FOIA request and that it could appear that he was favoring some people over others, Simpson said.

Simpson added that while Rhoades was on paid leave, the districts attorney found an email that Rhoades said did not exist. Once this was discovered, Simpson said the board voted to reverse a decision on a FOIA appeal that was denied by the board and release the email to the person that submitted request.

In his resignation letter, Rhoades criticized the investigation process as flawed and based on circumstantial, he said, she said evidence.

Little to no evidence was collected, documented emails ignored, and the entire report was based on the opinion of one individual who conducted the interviews, Rhoades wrote. What is more concerning is that the school district attorney had access to the report, before it was released to the entire school board, to suggest editing. How is that not a conflict of interest?

Paliszewskis investigation ultimately cleared Simpson of any wrongdoing.

I could not find sufficient evidence supporting (Rhoades') claims against Mr. Simpson, Paliszewski concluded. It is (Rhoades') word against Mr. Simpsons word, and (Rhoades) did not raise his concerns contemporaneously.FLINT TWP, MI -- One person died and one was injured in an early-morning shooting in Flint Township.

Officers with the Flint Township Police Department were dispatched around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, June 15 to the 3000 block of West Pasadena Avenue for a reported shooting in the parking lot.

A preliminary investigation has revealed a 23-year-old Flint woman had been shot in the parking lot. She was transported in a personally-owned vehicle to a local hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. Her name has not been released.

It was learned during the course of the investigation that a 42-year-old Flint man had also been shot in the parking lot, police said.

He was taken to a local hospital in a personally-owned vehicle, treated for minor injuries, and later discharged.

Its believed there are multiple suspects in connection with the shooting incident, police said. The incident remains under investigation.

Members of the Michigan State Police-Flint Post, Michigan State Police Bridgeport Crime Lab, City of Flint Police Department and Mount Morris Township Police Department assisted Flint Township police.

Flint Township police are asking anyone from the public with information to help identify those who may have been involved in the fatal shooting.

Any witnesses or those having information about the incident may contact Flint Township Police Detective Lacey Lopez at 810-600-3250 or report a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Flint & Genesee County by calling 1-800-422-JAIL (5245), on the P3Tips app, or online at P3Tips.com.

Videos, photos, and audio can be submitted via the Crime Stoppers app or website.GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, MI -- A 17-year-old Georgetown Township girl died following a two-vehicle crash in the Jenison area late Friday, police said.

The teen has been identified as Sydney Carfine.

Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said she was driving a Saturn south on 18th Avenue when she failed to stop for a flashing red light at Chicago Drive.

The Saturn collided with a westbound GMC Sierra with two occupants.

Carfine was critically injured in the crash and taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. She died at the hospital, police said.

The GMC struck the Saturn in the drivers side door and it then was pushed into a power pole in the Chicago Drive median.

Police said the occupants of the GMC, a 52-year-old Texas man who was driving and a 28-year-old Texas man as a passenger, were taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

Police closed the westbound lanes of Chicago Drive to investigate the crash.UPDATE:

FLINT, MI - A shooting at a Flint apartment complex has resulted in the death of a man.

The afternoon of Friday, June 14, police responded to the reported shooting within Richfield Court Apartments, 3901 N. Averill Ave. Police soon located a 56-year-old man suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

The victim was transported to Hurley Medical Center, where staff pronounced him deceased.

Police are not releasing the victims name pending next of kin notification.

No arrests have been made and police have no suspects.

The investigation is ongoing, with police asking anyone with pertinent information to call MSP Detective Trooper Stacey Moore via CrimeStoppers at 1-800-773-2587. Callers can remain anonymous.After a Chinese company was found manufacturing circuit boards for the F-35 jet, the UK Ministry of Defense insisted there is nothing to worry about, rendering the fuss over omnipresent Beijing spies increasingly silly.

Exception PCB, a Chinese-owned company based in Gloucestershire, England, manufactures the circuit boards that control the engines, lighting, fuel and navigation systems of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the most expensive weapons system ever made. While the UKs Ministry of Defense insists the company is an established supplier to the defense industry and presents no risk, months of flogging the China-spying narrative have done their job, and UK media and politicians are up in arms over this shocking revelation.

We have been completely and utterly naive about the role of China and it is only now that people are beginning to wake up, former Tory defense minister Sir Gerald Howarth told the Telegraph, expressing concern about Chinese involvement in a classified defense program.

I think its breathtaking, Tory MP and army reservist Bob Seely told SkyNews. Its not a question of: Is this bad? But its a question of: how bad is it?

Also on rt.com Mnuchin confirms Trump could use 'security threat' Huawei as bargaining chip in trade war

Exception PCB was bought by Shenzhen Fastprint in 2013, has never concealed its Chinese ownership and has also worked on the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet and the Apache attack helicopter, among other sensitive programs. A director from the company told SkyNews there are clear firewalls in place between the Exception and its Chinese owners, that the company only produces bare circuit boards, and that no additional electronic information is supplied. But Lockheed Martin didnt seem so sure, informing Sky that like all components of the F-35, the circuit boards are inspected repeatedly at each stage of manufacture.

Exception PCB has no visibility or access to any sensitive program information and there is limited to no risk associated with their minimal role in the program, Lockheed said, adding that they had alternate sources of supply to draw from should Exception PCB be determined an unapproved source in the future.

This isnt the first time the US military has concealed Chinese involvement in the F-35s supply chain. In 2014, the Pentagon sought multiple waivers to a ban on using Chinese-built components in its efforts to keep the cost-overrun-plagued program on schedule. Suppliers Northrop Grumman and Honeywell both were permitted to use Chinese-made magnets in the planes radar system and landing gears as the Pentagon feared further delays to the project would cut into foreign orders needed to finance it, ultimately triggering an investigation by the Government Accountability Office over whether the mistake was made knowingly and willfully.

Also on rt.com Speed, performance, privacy & pain: But Pentagon says F-35 issues have acceptable workarounds

The nonchalance with which both US and UK defense ministries have made use of Chinese parts should raise questions about the Huawei spying panic, if nothing else. The US has banned Huawei from doing business with American telecom companies and has made a concerted effort to have Huawei and other Chinese tech firms blacklisted throughout Europe, to the point of threatening to freeze the UK out of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network over merely the suggestion that the Chinese company might be allowed to bid on a peripheral component of the countrys 5G network. Germany, too, has been threatened with curtailment of intelligence-sharing over worries that Huawei tech is riddled with backdoors to the Chinese government.

Another Chinese firm making their top-secret military equipment, however, is just fine. This is because the US is not actually worried about the security risks of Huawei equipment at all, according to Huawei chief security officer John Suffolk, who has offered US officials the opportunity to test its equipment in whatever way they need to confirm the absence of the dreaded backdoors. Instead, its competition they fear - both in technological development and in control of global communications networks. As Suffolk has pointed out more than once, its US technology that has been weaponized to surveil the entire world. And it doesnt take kindly to competitors.

Also on rt.com Pompeo woos India with secure 5G, arms sales & nuke project after recent tensions

Like this story? Share it with a friend!Tehran will continue to renege on some commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal because it cant become the only party to the milestone accord, the Iranian president has said.

Iran keeps sticking with the nuclear deal, even though the US pulled out of it and imposed unlawful sanctions backed by other parties, Hassan Rouhani said at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Tajikistan.

However, the Islamic Republic cannot become the only country still remaining in the deal, he warned. If other world powers sit idle and do nothing to save the nuclear accord, Iran will keep scaling back its commitments.

Last year, Washington sided with Israel in calling the agreement the worst deal ever, and refused to honor its part of the bargain. The US has since re-imposed sweeping sanctions that had been lifted from Iran under the terms of the deal, and is currently seeking to cripple Tehrans oil exports.

In May of this year, on the anniversary of the US withdrawal from the deal, Rouhani announced that Tehran will be gradually stop implementing the accord, giving other parties 60 days to negotiate a reversal of US actions. At the time, he also accused European signatories of failing to oppose Washingtons attempts to isolate Iran.

The nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was negotiated by six world powers and offered Iran reprieve from international and unilateral sanctions in exchange for voluntarily restricting its nuclear program. The document was signed by Iran, China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the US and the EU.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!The US-India defense ties will be put at risk should New Delhi purchase Russian S-400 air defense systems, a senior American diplomat warned, noting that India should think very carefully about making such strategic choices.

At a certain point, a strategic choice has to be made about partnerships and a strategic choice about what weapons systems and platforms a country is going to adopt, Alice Wells, US principal deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia, said this week at the hearings on US interests in South Asia and the budget for the fiscal year 2020.

Indias procurement of the S-400s effectively could limit Indias ability to increase our own interoperability, she said, explaining that Washington has serious concerns about the implications of the $5 billion deal signed with Russia in October on India-US defense ties.

There is no blanket waiver, or a country waiver when it comes to S-400.

Washington wants to capture Indias arms market, the diplomat told House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee for Asia, noting that US is now willing to sell equipment that previous administrations had refused to consider.

Also on rt.com India's quest for military upgrade: Modi's big geopolitical challenge for years to come

Under the Trump administration, we've been very clear that we're ready to help meet Indias defense needs and we are seeking a very different kind of defense partnership building on the 'Major Defense Partner' designation that India has received from Congress, she said.

Also on rt.com India may slap retaliatory tariffs on American goods ahead of Pompeos visit next week

Securing new military deals is one of Secretary of State Mike Pompeos top priorities when he heads to India later this month, amid high trade tensions between both countries. Earlier this week, Pompeo said that Lockheed Martins F-21 and Boeings F/A-18 fighter offerings will be on the table. There had even been speculations that the US could offer the South Asian nation its fifth generation F-35 jets if only New Delhi would scrap its S-400 purchase.

Also on rt.com Nobody can give ultimatum to Turkey: Ankaras FM rejects US demand to drop S-400 deal with Russia

The Trump administration is engaged in a global offensive trying to force countries, most notably India and Turkey, out of their defense deals with Moscow. Both Ankara and New Delhi have repeatedly slammed the American coercive diplomacy, stressing that Washington has no right to dictate its terms to sovereign nations when it comes to matters of national security.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Homebrew Finds makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, or omissions in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. To use Homebrew Finds you must be 21 years or older.North Adams Planners Want Permitting for Church 'NOMADS'

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The Planning Board has told New Hope United Methodist Church on State Street that it must apply for a special permit to allow RVs to park on its property.

Recreational vehicles apparently showed up last summer and parked behind the church at 192 State St., the former Carr Hardware location. The church has asked to amend its agreement to allow the temporary housing of two to four RVs for the Methodists who are doing three-week volunteer sessions.

"The organization is part of the United Methodist Church's larger organization," the Rev. Dan Randall told the board on Monday. "Because of the weather up here ... it would only be in the southern months of either July or August.

"And because they come from elsewhere, and they have someplace to go, they would never stay more than three weeks, that would always be, so it's not going to be turned into an RV park throughout the year."

The "Nomads On a Mission Active in Divine Service" had been noted last year when they showed up to do some work at the church building during its renovation.

"We internally had some discussion about that, and how that should proceed," Building Inspector William Meranti said. "We this year found that they were there again in the spring. It was a discussion with one church member about not doing that until we got to this."

He said the real issue is that though they are a function of the church, they're not exempt from "reasonable regulation."

"That's why we're here," he said. "And I think that quite possibly the Zoning Board may need to be notified to a level also because it is not a zone that would allow a campground."

The building and health departments' concerns were the disposition of waste and gray water and electricity. The church had, Meranti noted, installed hookups on the back of the building to accommodate the RVs' electrical needs.

Planners questioned the legality of the RVs and their impact on the neighborhood, particularly in terms of noise.

"I'm uncomfortable having this as part of an amendment to the existing of Planning Board agreements because we're not going to go back out to abuttors to let them know," said Planner Brian Miksic. "I personally think that this should be a new application so that we can have a public hearing on it, as opposed to this.

"And I also think there's too many questions as to whether legally we can allow this."

Chairman Michael Leary also thought the church should go the Zoning Board of Appeals to determine whether it would require a variance.

Meranti asked what should be done with the RVs already there -- this was the second group so far this year. Randall said this group of NOMADS were supposed to leave by June 20. Leary said, with no objection from the planners, that the current group could stay until then but no further RVs would be allowed until the church had the permitting in hand.

The planners voted unanimously that New Hope should file a new special permit application so a public hearing could be held a the next Planning Board meeting.

Two empty spaces in the downtown will be used as popup art galleries over the summer.

The Redevelopment Authority on Monday gave the OK for Robert Giardini to move into 70 Main St., the former Radio Shack in the L-shaped mall and the Planning Board approved Marilyn Cavallari to open at 28 Holden St., the former Bark 'N Cat.

Both artists anticipate being open at least through the summer months of June, July and August, with the possibility of staying open through the fall.

Giardini said he would be exhibiting a dozen different artists, about half photographers like himself and the rest painters and print makers. These pieces would be for sale and he had received permission from the North Adams Historical Society to use about 40 of its images. These would be made into posters.

"So I might be selling some images of North Adams," he said. He also plans to have a monitor showing the works in the window.

Giardini was approved for hours of 11 to 7 Tuesday through Sunday but expects to open mainly Thursday through Sunday. He is planning on being open for two months but could go four, depending on the situation.

Marilyn Cavallari, too, is planning for a summer run through August but has an option to go into December, she said.

"It's a popup gallery, it's the fourth one now that I've opened up in different places," she told the board. "It's affordable art, and it is local art and local artists."

She also will be open from 11-7 Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday by appointment. She also offered a images of the signage, rack card and what the simple interior of Gallery 28 will look like.

Planners also approved Arthur "AJ" Thibert and Adrien Bertoli to open a motorcycle accessory shop at 48 Ashland St., with Miksic abstaining from discussion and voting.

Thibert is the owner of Lick's Cycles, a well-known custom motorcycle shop in Clarksburg. Glenn Maloney, co-owner of 48 Ashland with Miksic, said Thibert was looking to expand on his 17-year business by opening a boutique shop in North Adams.

"[He's] coming to North Adams to expand the scope of the business into accessories and clothing and a place to also offer some of the things that they make in the shop," Maloney said.

In other business, the board approved two changes of ownership: Aaron Christopher for Empire Cutz located at 100 River St. and Serdar Gursey added to the ownership (and change of corporate name) of Bella Roma Pizza at 117 Main St. Neither business anticipates any other changes at this time.

 The board asked Building Inspector William Meranti to begin enforcement against Walmart on Curran Highway for continued violation of its landscaping conditions. Planners have complained previously about the multinational's failure to maintain its landscaping along the highway that has resulted in overgrowth and dead plants. The store's manager has been called in before about the conditions and the board voted to ask him in again.

 Landscaping plans for the 861 State Road farmhouse, part of the Tourists inn property, were approved. Project manager Eric Kerns said an 8-foot fence had been installed "to make Stop & Shop disappear" across the street and "to create this kind of illusion from the south that you're just looking at the mountains." An extra panel angled in will also be installed to deflect westbound traffic headlights from the back area.Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal is going to be questioned by the income tax department in relation with an alleged case of tax invasion, sources have revealed to The Economic Times. This happens to be the first time Goyal is summoned for alleged irregularities in the company.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

The assessment wing earlier received the investigation report with records of irregularities that had taken place between Jet and its group companies in Dubai allegedly to evade taxes worth Rs 650 crore, sources revealed to the paper.

Jet reportedly paid commissions to its general sales agent in the gulf country every year. Goyal will be asked to provide an explanation for the said payments.

Such payments cannot be considered as allowable expenses as, according to the report, those are allegedly in excess of the Income Tax Acts permissible business transactions.

The survey was conducted at the time when Jet Airways was delaying the announcement of its June quarter result, an income tax official told ET.

These are excessive payments made with the intent to divert funds abroad, so as to evade taxes.

The assessment wing is now carrying out the inquiry, and based on the findings, had summoned Goyal to explain the case, another person said.

The investigation was completed in February after the investigation team had seized documents at Jets Mumbai offices in September 2018.

When a report of irregularities emerged in February, Jet Airways clarified to ET that such transactions were part of duly audited and published financials.

Jet Airways reiterates that it has always complied with all regulatory and corporate governance requirements, as required by law, with respect to the transactions entered into with related parties, it said at the time.

Regarding the latest update, the company has declined to comment.File image

The goal of making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024 is "challenging, but achievable" with the concerted efforts of states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the fifth meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council here June 15.

The meeting is being attended by all chief ministers, except Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana), and senior union ministers.

Modi, according to an official release, stressed that NITI Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, SabkaVishwas".

Recalling the recent general elections as the world's largest democratic exercise, the prime minister said that it is now time for everyone to work for the development of India.

He spoke of a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence.

The goal to make India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging but can surely be achieved and stressed that the states should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level.

Amid several parts of the country facing drought-like situation, Modi called for effective steps to tackle it by adopting 'per-drop, more-crop' strategy.

He said that the newly created Jal Shakti Ministry will help provide an integrated approach to water and states can also integrate various efforts towards water conservation and management.The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 is likely to be tabled in the Parliament once the session begins on June 17. The bill that has been pending approval for almost three years may finally see the light of the day in the current session once it is reintroduced. However, insurance companies are pinning hopes on changes in the unlimited liability provision.

As per the current structure of the bill, an insurance company has no fixed liability for third party motor insurance. This means that, if a person is hit by a vehicle and dies, his/her family can claim any amount from the insurance company. Third party motor insurance is mandatory for all vehicles running on Indian roads.

An earlier version of the bill capped the liability at Rs 10 lakh. However, after strong protests from the transport lobby, this proposal was dropped.

Insurance companies have justified the need for a limited liability third-party motor cover, saying that there is a fixed compensation for air and train. The compensation for death in a rail accident is Rs 8 lakh while, in case of an air accident, it is determined by the special drawing rights.

Road accidents have no such compensation limits. Thousands of cases are pending in courts and are heard in Lok Adalats. These pertain to the quantum of compensation payable due to death in a motor accident.

There is also a complaint from the industry that there is an annual increase in the average compensation pay-out by 15-20 percent. On the other hand, the insurers' view is that the permitted motor third party premium hikes every year is not commensurate with the increase in the claims paid.

Insurance companies have suggested that each motor TP product should have two components, limited liability and unlimited liability. Limited liability policies would have a fixed limit of Rs 15-20 lakh payable if death occurs.

This will mean that the individual, who is responsible for a death during a road accident, is liable to pay any compensation amount over and above the limited liability of the insurer.

However, if an individual gets an unlimited liability TP cover, the insurance company will pay the entire compensation in case of death. This policy will be priced significantly higher than a limited liability cover.

At a time when general insurers are struggling with the high underwriting losses in the motor TP segment, it will be crucial to watch as to what shape the bill will finally take.

Customers' liabilities will go up if a cap is placed. But, insurers stand to benefit.High cost of inventory storage, low frequency of customers and the need for specialised logistics have made the online furniture market a difficult segment to ace.

After a euphoria of the initial four-five years, the investors can be seen getting wary of the segment or atleast they've holed up themselves into a wait and watch mode.

With the entry of global giant IKEA in the Indian market, the funding environment for the struggling players is only going to get skewed because of which companies such as Urban Ladder have started focusing on generating profits instead of immediate fund raise to chase growth.

Even Pepperfry which reported to be in talks to raise another round of funding is targeting to turn profitable in the next 15 months.

Early this year, Urban Ladder laid off around 100 employees in order to cut costs following a failed attempt to raise fund.

So what went wrong in this once promising sector?

In 2011-12, when the e-commerce segment was picking up, besides horizontals, furniture was one of the early categories to have been born.

While Pepperfry was founded in 2011, Urban Ladder and Fab Furnish debuted in 2012.

Founders had realised that furniture was a highly unorganised category. It largely consisted of mom-and-pop stores. There was a lack of assortment and hence online furniture retailer sounded like an interesting concept since they could offer a very wide range of furniture after displaying it on their platform.

However the biggest challenge was fulfilment because most of the furniture is bulky and some of them also require installation.

Setting up of specialised fulfilment led to significant direct operational cost overheads for these companies. They had to build the whole supply chain to ensure right quality and availability.

The second issue was that it was largely like a customised category and the fulfilment couldnt be made upfront. Unlike segments such as fashion or electronics where goods can easily be delivered in 2-3 days, the time taken here used to get extended to 2-4 weeks on many occasions. This took away the entire value preposition that is in the e-commerce space for these companies.

It was then, that many of them decided to go offline.

While Pepperfry still remained an early mover with the launch of its experience stores in 2014, Urban Ladder moved into this domain only by 2016.

Even as the industry was trying to discover the right model, Rocket Internet-backed Fabfurnish died an unfortunate death followed by a failed strategy of its promoter in India and stiff competition from rivals.

Rocket Internet was soon looking for buyers for its portfolio companies which included Foodpanda and Jabong besides Fabfurnish.

Fabfurnish got acquired by Kishore Biyani-led Future Group in April 2016 and eventually got shut.

By this time, Pepperfry had already raised $100 million from investors such as Goldman Sachs Zodius Technology Fund while Urban Ladder had raised $50 million from Sequoia Capital and TR Capital.

Meanwhile another startup Livspace which is relatively in a vertical - home interior and renovation - started to gather pace. Founded in 2014, the company started attracting investors, early on.

In 2014, it raised a Series A funding from Helion Venture Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners last December which was soon followed by $8 million Series B round, the next year.

Given the niche segment, it further went on attracting investors such as TPG Growth, Goldman Sachs. Early this year, it also raised money from Ingka Group, the franchise partner of US-based furniture giant IKEA.

Before this investment, the Swedish furniture giant IKEA also opened its first store in India in 2018. Its entry into the India market ensured that the investors had to go into the shell.

Interestingly, just before IKEAs store launch in August, Pepperfry managed to raise $37 million from State Street Global Advisors talking its total fund raise to around $200 million which kept it in a healthy shape.

Urban Ladder too had raised $12 million. But the plan was to raise more money in future. The company was targeting $40 million fund raise.

However, the market changed in the next few months. The investors became jittery and an immediate fund raise seemed impossible.

The lay-off of around 100 employees, early this year was a strong move by Urban Ladder to sustain the market. It has also postponed its fund raising plans and is targeting profitability.

The company now plans to become EBIDTA positive in the next couple of months.

The whole point was that we understood that it is going to be tougher to raise (fund). So we got to a point where we dont need to raise, atleast for the next year or so, Rajiv Srivastava, co-founder of Urban Ladder told Moneycontrol in an interaction.

If we are able to show the profitability story which we should in the next 2-3 months then may be closer to Diwali, we will again go back to the market but as of now we don't need funds, he added.

While Pepperfry declined to comment for this story, in a previous interaction with Moneycontrol, Ambareesh Murthy, founder and chief executive officer of the company had said that Pepperfry was targeting to achieve profitability in the next 12-15 months.

According to data from startup tracker Tracxn, the online furniture segment has so far raised around $450 million so far, of which $120 million was raised by Urban Ladder and $200 million by Pepperfry.

Srivastava told Moneycontrol that of the total money raised atleast 30-35% was spent on marketing.

So was it a bad move to spend such a huge amount in a category which had low frequency customers?

You have to understand where the macro environment is, in a particular way. Now if you just go back, during 2014-2016, there was just a lot of companies vying for investors dollars. There was a lot of money in the market at that time. If you said you are not going to grow then also you will be left behind because your competitor will come, Srivastava said.

Now again in the hindsight it is easier to say that maybe we shouldn't have gone so gung-ho, spending that amount of money on marketing and stuff, he added.

Given so many challenges associated with the loose furniture category, companies such as Livspace with an alternative business model are seen inching towards a growth trajectory. The company offers entire interior designing driven by technology.

Pure loose furniture, may be the marketplace model, will be there for some of the categories but it is not very scalable. It is not going to become a massive segment and organised retailers like IKEA are going to be competitive over there, said Karan Sharma, co-head of the digital and technology vertical for Avendus.

Avendus advised Livspace for the Ingka-IKEA deal.

Will this make it further difficult for companies such as Urban Ladder and Pepperfry to raise next round of funding?

Difficult to comment on a company's fund raising options. However, investor sentiment has been a bit subdued in pure play furniture retail. Higher marketing costs and lower repeats is a challenge. It's important to have high post marketing contribution in the first transaction itself. Also, there could be some open questions around potential exit options. We find the tech led home interiors space to address the above aspects with defensible moats, said Sharma.

However investors seem to be having a different view.

Many feel that the market is still highly unorganised. The marketplaces do not have much competition with IKEA currently as much they do have with the Kirti Nagar and Ali Road markets.

While we are getting used to these newer brands but if you look at the overall market, a significant market is still going to the local furniture markets in every city. A lot of this is still unorganised. The real competition is how this unorganised market starts getting organised and more branded stuff, said an investor requesting anonymity since he has a stake in a furniture startup.

Urban Ladder has also claimed that their Hyderabad business saw no impact even after the launch of IKEAs first store in the city.

The challenge is to see how these companies are able to offer consumers products that are better in terms of design as well as price points, the investor said adding that it is too early to say that we have written off the sector.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 15 announced the formation of a high-powered committee that would work on structural reforms in agriculture.

The committee, which will also include some state chief ministers, will take a holistic approach on the subject, including allied activities, an official statement said.

In his closing remarks at the NITI Aayog's fifth governing council meeting, the prime minister also asked the newly constituted Island Development Department under the Home Ministry to work on the development of about 1,300 islands that are a part of India. He asked the littoral states to take initiative with regard to the islands contiguous to their coastline.

Talking about the two new ministries  Jal Shakti and Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, the Prime Minister said India needs to take up necessary measures to solve its water problems.

The Prime Minister asked the states to review the progress of Aspirational Districts from time to time. He asked states to identify 20 percent most backward blocks as Aspirational Blocks.

In order to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024, the prime minister said that states should aim to increase their economy by 2-2.5 times, which would lead to an increase in the common man's purchasing power.

The Prime Minister said that the mining sector can provide significant employment opportunities... (and) that bottlenecks in operationalisation of mines continue to exist in several States... the NITI Aayog is working on these issues, the statement said.

All Chief Ministers attended the meet except those of West Bengal, Telangana and Punjab.The official advisory organisation on natural World Heritage has recommended putting the Sundarbans on a list of natural sites in danger as Bangladesh has continued implementing a coal-fired power plant project near the forest, a media report said on Saturday.

The World Heritage Committee of 21 governments is scheduled to decide on the recommendations by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its annual meeting in Azerbaijan from June 30 to July 10, the bdnews24.com reported.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.

It is adjacent to the border of India's Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987.

The recommendation came after the UNESCO in July, 2017, withdrew a plan to inscribe the Sundarbans in the list of heritage sites in danger by 2018 in case of the failure to meet the mission's recommendations.

A reactive monitoring mission, jointly conducted by the Centre and IUCN in March 2016, made detailed recommendations including the necessity of a strategic environmental assessment for the south-west region of the country.

After the mission, the World Heritage Committee had called for the Rampal power plant project to be cancelled and relocated.

The Bangladesh government had been allowed until December 2018 at the time to report on the conservation of the world's largest mangrove forest to the World Heritage Centre, the website reported.

The committee had welcomed Bangladesh's decision to carry out the assessment into the potential impact of a coal-based thermal plant at Rampal on the Sundarbans, besides the decisions to scrap the plant's second phase and also the Orion power plant.

It cited severe threats from the coal-fired power plants and numerous industrial activities in close proximity, the report said.

However, despite the call for relocation of the project, its construction has continued without any assessment of its impact on the Sundarbans' World Heritage values, the Union said.

Two additional coal-fired power plants are being constructed on the Payra River, which flows into the same bay as the Sundarbans, the website reported the IUCN as saying.

Over 150 industrial projects are also active upstream of the site, and their associated shipping and dredging activities further threaten its hydrological and ecological dynamics, it said.

The hydrological systems, which drive this dynamics, are very large in scale and vulnerable to upstream impacts, the report said.Resident doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, who boycotted work on June 14 in protest against attacks on their colleagues in Kolkata, have now given a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to meet the demands of the state's agitating doctors, failing which they said they would go on indefinite strike. Members of the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA), who resumed work on June 15, said that if the demands of the West Bengal doctors are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike.

"We condemn the hostile and unapologetic attitude of the government of West Bengal. Our protest at AIIMS, New Delhi continues until justice is meted out.

"According to the decision taken in a general body meeting held on June 14, RDA issues an ultimatum of 48 hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need," the AIIMS RDA said in a statement.

They expressed their gratitude to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for his prompt and proactive steps to resolve the impasse.

"We sincerely hope that he will address this matter of utmost importance with the urgency that it merits," they said.

Safdarjung Hospital RDA president Parakash Thakur also echoed a similar stand on the matter.

The doctors, however, will continue to wear helmets and bandages at work as a sign of protest.

The 48-hour ultimatum by AIIMS doctors comes days after Mamata Banerjee gave a four-hour ultimatum to the striking doctors in her state to withdraw their strike or vacate hostels.

To express solidarity with the doctors who are agitating against an attack on their colleagues in West Bengal, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a strike on June 17.

The IMA has also decided to continue their protest on Saturday and Sunday condemning the continued suffering of the resident doctors and repeated occurrence of harassments, it said.

These protests will include wearing black badges, dharnas, peace marches. IMA has also requested the support from all associations of the fraternity to join the agitation.

The apex body of doctors in the country also renewed its demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said that the law should provide a minimum sentence of seven-year jail to violators.

Vardhan on Friday supported the medical fraternity's demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said such crimes should be made non-bailable.

Scores of doctors in Delhi Friday held demonstrations, with many seeing patients in emergency wards wearing bandages on forehead or helmets, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity.File image

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray late Friday night to discuss the proposed cabinet expansion in the state.

In the last few days, both Fadnavis and finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar have said the ministry will be expanded.

In a tweet, Fadnavis said, "I met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshri and discussed in detail cabinet expansion."

Earlier in the day, when asked about a cabinet expansion, Thackeray had said, "I don't know when the cabinet expansion is happening. I don't have a 'panchang' (almanac)."

There is speculation in political circles that the expansion could take place on June 16, a day before the three-week monsoon session of the state legislature begins.

Fadnavis earlier met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan.

Currently, there are 37 ministers including the chief minister, and Fadnavis can accommodate another five.

A vacancy was created due to the death of BJP leader Pandurang Fundkar, then agriculture minister, in 2018. The portfolio is now being handled by revenue minister Chandrakant Patil.

Deepak Sawant, then health minister, resigned earlier this year and the department is being looked after by Eknath Shinde, who is also the PWD minister.

Parliamentary Affairs and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Pune. His portfolios are being shared by Education Minister Vinod Tawde and Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal.

While the BJP has 16 cabinet ministers and seven ministers of state (MoS), its main all Shiv Sena has five cabinet ministers and only one MoS.

Smaller allies have one cabinet and MoS post each.File image

A day before the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi, four chief ministers of Congress-ruled states met over dinner and discussed key issues that they will raise at the meet. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath hosted the dinner at his residence where Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry Chief Minister Narayansamy were present. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh could not make it for the dinner.

The chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states are expected to raise key farmers issues and also share the benefits of the loan waiver scheme implemented by them at the Niti Aayog meeting, sources said.

Apart from the issues the Congress chief ministers will raise at the meeting, the sources said at the dinner the leaders also discussed the situation arising out of the Lok Sabha poll debacle and party president Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will Saturday chair the fifth meeting of the Niti Aayog's Governing Council which will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain water harvesting and preparedness for Kharif crops.

Niti Aayog to hold first Governing Council meet under Modi 2.0 on June 15: Here's all you need to know

The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security related issues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said.

The meeting, to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, several Union ministers and senior government officials.

This will be the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government.Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought central assistance to the state reeling under severe drought due to 45 per cent shortfall in the rainfall.

Before the Lok Sabha polls, the state government in its memorandum to the Centre had sought financial assistance of Rs 2,064 crore to provide relief to farmers hit by drought during the rabi season.

Kumaraswamy also requested Modi to ensure the pending funds under MNREGA scheme are released at the earliest besides sharing the state government's success in implementing the farm loan waiver, an official statement said.

In the meeting, the Karnataka chief minister informed Modi that the state was facing drought this year too because of 45 per cent shortfall in rainfall. "The CM requested the prime minister to come forward to help the state in this situation," the statement added.

Kumaraswamy also raised the matter of pending funds of Rs 1,500 crore to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme and requested the Centre to release this amount at the earliest.

Karnataka has declared drought in 156 taluks in 30 districts. As many as 107 taluks are facing severe drought, while 49 taluks have moderate drought. About 20.40 lakh hectare farmland has been affected due to the drought in the state. Crop loss is estimated in 19.46 lakh hectare, according to the state government.

The state had faced drought during the kharif season of 2018-19 crop year (July-June).The Maharashtra cabinet will be expanded on June 16 and a final meeting on the ministers to be inducted will be held later Saturday night, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in Delhi.

Raj Bhavan sources said the swearing-in ceremony will held at 11am on Sunday, a day before the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, the last before Assembly polls later this year, begins.

"I have had one meeting (on cabinet expansion) and the final meeting will be held tonight," the Maharashta CM said.

In the last few days, both Fadnavis and finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had given enough indications about a cabinet expansion.

Earlier, Friday night, Fadnavis had met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and discussed about the ministers to be inducted in his cabinet.

"I met shiv sena president uddhav thackeray at his residence Matoshri and discussed in detail cabinet expansion," Fadnavis had tweeted late Friday night.

The Republican Party of India (Athawale) Saturday announced that its leader Avinash Mahatekar will be inducted into the Fadnavis government in Sunday's expansion.

Currently, there are 37 ministers including the chief minister, and Fadnavis can accommodate another five.

A vacancy was created in 2018 when BJP's Pandurang Fundkar died, the then agriculture minister. The portfolio is now being handled by revenue minister Chandrakant Patil.

Deepak Sawant, then health minister, resigned earlier this year and the department is being looked after by Eknath Shinde, who is also the PWD minister.

Parliamentary Affairs and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Pune. His portfolios are being shared by Education Minister Vinod Tawde and Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal.

While the BJP has 16 cabinet ministers and seven ministers of state (MoS), its main all Shiv Sena has five cabinet ministers and only one MoS.

Smaller allies have one cabinet and MoS post each.With an aim to strengthen the Congress in view of the 2022 UP Assembly elections, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has decided to meet ground-level workers from eastern Uttar Pradesh two days a week in New Delhi.

Priyanka, who is in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, will be interacting with ordinary Congress party workers between 10 am to 1 pm every Tuesday and Thursday. The party workers could meet Priyanka without any formal appointment.

She will also visit the state in order to connect with the grassroots-level workers and a blueprint of the visit is being worked upon.

It is expected that Priyanka will try to get a sense of Congress' organisational conditions on the ground and figure out where the party lacks in the state.

According to a source in the party, two such meetings have already taken place.

On June 13, Priyanka accompanied her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to her maiden visit to Raebareli after winning in the Lok Sabha elections.

During the visit, she came down heavily at the party workers for not working in favour of the party in the general elections. The Congress leader has also told the party workers to be ready for the fight ahead.

Priyanka said that she will find out the name of workers who did not work in favour of the party in the Lok Sabha elections. "You all know about those who worked religiously and I will find out about those who did not work for the party in the elections," she had said.

Priyanka had campaigned vigorously in favour of Congress candidates in UP, especially in Raebareli and Amethi but the party lost all the seats in UP with Raebareli being the only exception. Even Congress President Rahul Gandhi could not save his seat Amethi which he had been representing since 2004.

After the Lok Sabha debacle, Priyanka faces an uphill task to strengthen the party cadre in the state in view of the upcoming bypoll and the Assembly elections due in 2022.

Congress suffered a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections by winning a paltry 52 seats.Terrorism poses the "gravest threat" to the people in Asia and terrorists and their victims must never be equated, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on June 15, as he sought support for India's proposal for a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism.

Addressing the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit in the Tajik capital, Jaishankar said that the CICA members are the victims of terrorism.

Terrorism is the gravest threat that we face in Asia today. Many CICA members are victims of terrorism and should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated," he said.

"CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism. Early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, proposed by India, is today even more essential and we seek your support on it," he said.

Currently, the negotiations of the Comprehensive Terrorism Convention are deadlocked because of differences over the definition of terrorism.

Jaishankar's statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, lashed out at countries "sponsoring, aiding and funding" terrorism and said that such states must be held accountable, in a veiled reference to Pakistan.

The CICA is a pan-Asia forum for enhancing cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

India supports a peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, he said.

"All initiatives and processes must include all sections of Afghan society, including the legitimately elected government," he said.

The recent India-Central Asia 5 Ministerial dialogue is a very positive development that can only enhance further cooperations and stability across the regions, he said.

"Regional connectivity initiatives that are inclusive, sustainable, transparent and respect the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity can boost trade and play a pivotal role in bringing prosperity and development to the region.

"India for its part will always support these such regional connectivity initiatives," the minister said.

The lack of energy security has emerged as another key developmental challenge, he said, adding that India has supported a better dialogue between consumers and producers for a stable energy market and for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.

"India's initiative of International Solar Alliance has received overwhelming support; 74 countries have signed the Framework Agreement. Developing renewable energy will be a great contribution to the security and stability of Asia and I invite CICA members who have not joined the Alliance to do so," Jaishankar said.

Sharing India's vision for a more secure and prosperous Asia as well as its concerns, Jaishankar said that the 21st century is being hailed as the Asian century and CICA can surely play a useful role in promoting peace, security and development in Asia.

"The India-Central Asia 5 dialogue format is big positive for cooperation and stability across regions.

"India's vision of the Indo-Pacific is rooted in advocacy of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). It is in sync with the theme of this Summit 'Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region'," Jaishankar added.

The world has been witnessing far-reaching geo-strategic changes, which have also impacted the peace and security in Asia, he said.

Globalisation is under stress due to new and emerging geo-political and geo-economic faultlines, he said.

"India supports a rule-based order in Asia, as in the rest of the world. But we confront unavoidable challenges such as terrorism, conflicts, trans-national crimes and maritime threats.

"There are also issues of sustainable development including the lack of energy security, low intra-regional trade and deficit of connectivity. These must be urgently remedied for our common good," Jaishankar said.

India is confident that the CICA would continue to evolve into a balanced, open and inclusive framework for Asian countries to interact and cooperate in addressing multi-faceted challenges, acting in accordance with the common vision for a more secure and prosperous Asia, he added.

The new External Affairs Minister arrived here on Friday for the 5th CICA Summit.

The theme of the summit is "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region".

The Summit will adopt a declaration covering issues of cooperation within CICA.

During the Summit, the CICA leaders are likely to deliberate on the existing and emerging issues of common concern and underline implementation of confidence building measures for developing Asia into a prosperous, secure and peaceful region.

India is a member of the CICA since its inception and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had participated in the first CICA Summit held in 2002 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

India has been actively participating in various activities conducted under the aegis of CICA.

Ahead of the Summit, Jaishankar was welcomed by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

"An important Central Asian partner. EAM @DrSJaishankar welcomed by President of Tajikistan @EmomaliRahmon at the start of the #CICA2019 summit. CICA leaders will discuss collective strategies to deal with challenges facing the Asian continent," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.I struggle to see my M.E. as real, in spite of the symptoms. It was so good to hear others share their experiences at SNP MP Carol Monaghans M.E. group in Glasgow.

I went to a Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ( M.E.) group meeting recently. It was run by a lovely SNP MP named Carol Monaghan. Not only is she an MP, but she also has a BSc (Honours) in Laser Physics!

Monaghan is noted for her work in getting M.E recognised in the House of Commons. She invited all M.E. sufferers and their Carers (via social media) to her office in Glasgow to discuss peoples experiences with M.E.

My partner and I arrived half an hour early so we thought it would just be us, the MP and our lattes. However, more people arrived and kept arriving and kept arriving until there were upwards of thirty people in a relatively small office. It was very interesting and a lot of nice people had come along, but I was also mildly terrified. Mostly because in new situations Im always mildly terrified. But my anxiety was also rearing up because I found it so strange to hear people talking about my illness in such serious terms.

I started this blog because I wanted to be completely honest. I dont want to offend people. These are my personal thoughts and neuroses, and please dont think Im negating anyone elses life and experience when I say it felt truly strange to have a whole room of people talking about my illness as if it was a real thing. Because, as I have discussed before, I really struggle to accept my illness as real.

I dont know if my self-punishing perception is a coping mechanism or a self-esteem thing, but it is what it is. To this day, I see M.E. as a failure on my part. If I just tried harder, pushed myself more, I would somehow be cured. So, when people came into the M.E. group with wheelchairs and walking sticks  people like me, living their lives with M.E.  it all felt increasingly real.

Whether it was the heat from the crowded room or the discussion, I started feeling sick and faint and had to step outside for fresh air. Being at this group had reminded me why I stopped reading up on my illness or participating on support forums. I felt that all that focus on my M.E. was making me feel worse and I was inclined to wallow in my poor health a bit more. I know, of course, that this isnt everybodys experience. Recognition and awareness of M.E. is so important, for so many reasons  and because even some people like myself who have it struggle to accept it as a reality. Countless people are helped by support groups, either digital ones or groups where you engage in the archaic practice of meeting face to face.

Part of me always thinks of a House MD episode where the characters were discussing a patient and how this patients chronic lifelong illness might have been a misdiagnosis. And House says: shes already built her personality around it (the illness). This throwaway line filled me with fear, because sometimes I do feel like a walking, talking illness. I test myself, trying to go whole days without mentioning it (nine times out of ten I fail).

Despite my personal struggles with M.E. acceptance, it was nice to talk to people in the group. We ended up talking about our mental health and how that affects our illness. Some people had tried CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and found it helped to alleviate symptoms. As one of my new friends pointed out, the very idea that CBT might help to alleviate M.E. symptoms was cause for anxiety. In moment of fear we can find ourselves wondering: Is this all in my head?

When you suffer from an invisible illness, one of the many difficulties involved is that you can get used to feeling defensive. Because people cant see your illness, they question whether the illness is legit, or you if you are somehow, for some reason, just exaggerating. Up to a point, I can understand their reaction. Generally, human psychology works so that we all tend to question things we cant see, and fear things we dont understand.

But, as someone with M.E., I go through quite a lot of fear. I, and others like me, dont need the fear and doubt of others to cope with on top of the pressure were already putting onto ourselves. I, like many others, am struggling with doubt, and questioning to what extent, if any, I control my illness. Am I making hell out of heaven? Am I able to make heaven out of hell?

In order to live with and work with any illness, you constantly feel the need to have a positive mindset, and I think even in this modern age we still do not fully appreciate the power of the brain. If we take just a couple of examples, its currently thought that conditions like IBS and alopecia are aggravated by anxiety, if not caused by it. People accept that when youre feeling run down, stressed and overworked you are far more likely to develop a cold or bug. You are getting concrete physical symptoms and conditions related to your mental anguish.

So why do we still have so much trouble as a society in viewing mental illness in the same way as physical illness? We collectively need to understand that the two are not only connected, but symbiotic in nature. Depression, anxiety, physical illnesses they all deserve the same understanding, sympathy and care.

As a new friend from the support group pointed out, painkillers dont target the specific part of the body in pain. They target the brain.

It reminded me of The Baby-Sitters Club movie (where my 90s babies at?): The brain, the brain, the centre of the chain! The brain, the brain, the centre of the chain!

Im still working through all this. I suspect that, for those of us with M.E., that journey never stops. Yes, maybe M.E. is to some extent in my head, in the sense that it may be a physical condition brought on by mental stress to some degree. Maybe thats how it is for me. And yet, someone else may have M.E. and the cause of their illness may be different.

Theres so much more still to learn about M.E. More research is needed. The one thing I think you can say for sure is that, whatever the root of the illness is  whether its mental, physical or both  the physical debilitating nature of M.E. is very real, and everyone you meet who has M.E. is filled with courage and doubt in their journey of coming to terms with their condition. So many of us struggle endlessly with doubt, and we dont need to be struggling with anyone elses doubt as well.

Several bills that would have delayed the need for new voting systems for numerous counties have gone nowhere in the state legislature.

And on Thursday, it looked as if the North Carolina State Board of Elections would move forward with decertifying certain voting systems, including the one Burke County uses, and force those counties to buy new machines in the upcoming fiscal year. New voting machines for Burke County have previously been estimated at a cost of more than $800,000.

But by late Thursday afternoon, the State Board of Elections decided to postpone a decision on whether to certify three new voting systems for use in elections.

The five-member state board voted unanimously to require each vendor, by noon on June 21, to disclose any owners or shareholders with a 5 percent or greater interest or share in the company, any subsidiary companies and the vendors parent company, according to a release from the board.RALEIGH  I have devoted most of my life to building, inhabiting and sometimes leading organizations devoted to advancing the cause of freedom. But what I mean by that term may be quite different than what you mean.

Even if the context is limited only to political matters, most people would agree that freedom is an essential public value  and then proceed to disagree about what public policies are required to protect or expand it.

The roots of such disagreements run deep. In his seminal work Albions Seed, the historian David Hackett Fischer describes four waves of settlement, emanating from four different regions of the British Isles, that helped shape the history and politics of the North American colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries. Each of the four folkways, as Fischer put it, contained its own conception of freedom.

For the Puritans who settled New England from East Anglia and the Netherlands, the organizing principle was ordered liberty. You were free if you were part of a free, self-governing community. Public liberty, as the concept was also called, was thought to be consistent with close restraints upon individuals, Fischer explained.Lorain County Democratic Party Executive Committee Chairman Anthony Giardini has a valid point that the selection of former Lorain mayor Joseph F. Koziura made sense for him to return to that role, even if its only for six months.

After Lorain City Democrats chose Koziura over Council President Joel Arredondo and Councilwoman at-Large Mary Springowski on June 9 at Rosewood Place in Lorain, Giardini said a majority of the precinct captains who voted  20 of 39  felt Koziuras past experience as mayor made him the right person to once again occupy the seventh-floor office at City Hall.

Koziura served as Lorain mayor from 1996-99.

And Koziura is not going to need time to learn the job, because he knows the job.

Koziura, 72, is serving the remaining months of former Mayor Chase Ritenauers term.

Ritenauer stepped down May 31 to work for waste hauler Republic Services in Chicago.

To their credit, Arredondo, who served as interim mayor for a week, and Springowski could have handled the job as well.

Both are seasoned elected officials who are hands on and know the ins and outs of Lorain.

After all, they help craft the legislation for the International City.

As for the process in selecting the mayor, Arredondo said the precinct committee captains did their job.

Although he wanted to remain the mayor, he said the captains chose the candidate they felt was best at this time.

Arredondo humbly accepted his defeat and vowed he will support Koziura.

Now, the Lorain City Democratic Party will meet at 6 p.m. June 25 to select Koziuras replacement as council at-large and who will appear on the November ballot as mayor against Republican attorney Jessie Tower.

Lorain attorney Jack Bradley and retired union leader Jerry Donovan have announced they are seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor.

So far, the only announced candidate for the seat Koziura vacated is current Lorain City Schools Board of Education Vice President Tony Dimacchia, who came in second for an at-large seat in the May primary election.

As for Koziura, who served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1985 to 1995 and then from 2001 to 2010, said he is looking forward to serving as mayor.

Koziura, who has devoted 48 years to public service, has a lot on his plate.

Hes now presiding over the streetscape project on Broadway and several water and sewer projects.

Probably the biggest task he will have is searching for a new police chief as current Chief Cel Rivera announced May 31 that he is stepping down at years end.

Koziura said its an exciting time for the city of Lorain, and hes right.

There is the revitalization of downtown.

Cleveland-based real estate developer Radhika Reddy, founder of Ariel Ventures LLC, is renovating and expanding the Broadway Building with more than 50 hotel rooms and a convention center with offices, several restaurants have opened and others plan to set up shop, the Lorain Palace Theater has a lot of shows, the Rockin on the River summer weekly concert series is thriving and there are many festivals and events in all of Lorain.

Koziura said he only decided to put his name in for the mayoral appointment June 5 when he started getting calls from people requesting he seek the job.

That was a day after a legal opinion from Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will on a state law barring those who appeared on a primary ballot for one position from appearing on a general election ballot for a different position.

The law eliminated five of the six potential hopefuls for Ritenauers position on the November ballot.

The last man standing, former state Rep. Dan Ramos, suspended his campaign June 7 saying the appointment process a circus and an unkempt one at that.

Koziura said Lorain precinct captains called him and told him stories of being threatened by individuals who wanted to control the June 9 vote.

He decided just to go for it.

And in a couple of days, he put it all together.

Koziura said he didnt contact the local press because he felt that would bring out the opponents of his candidacy in force.

Like a true politician, Koziura went to work and convinced people he was the logical choice for mayor.

They agreed.

But the process has raised eyebrows and led to conspiracy theories and tales of shadowy backroom deals to make their way onto social media.

Some have even said Koziura was the one who requested the legal opinion that led to the candidate purge.

But, he said he doesnt put stock in such rumblings and added it wasnt planned.

Paul Adams, chair of the Lorain City Democratic Party, also said the selection process went by the law.

The precinct captains made their choice and Koziura is the mayor for the next six months.

And it does make sense.

Editors note: This story was edited at 9:35 a.m., Aug. 15, to correct the spelling of a candidates name.The bill, overwhelmingly passed in May by parliament, has been seen as a huge step forward for thousands of children born in Iran to Afghan fathers who cannot enjoy full social rights

Iran's Guardian Council said Saturday it sent a bill that would allow Iranian mothers married to foreigners to confer citizenship on their children back to parliament, citing "security" concerns.

In a statement on its website, the council said it did not have an issue with the spirit of the bill, but rather the absence of any clauses allowing authorities to address "security" issues potentially arising from the activities of foreign fathers.

The council -- made up of clerics and jurists -- was also concerned that the bill planned to automatically grant residence permits to foreign fathers, when in the council's view the government must retain discretion to refuse, MP Tayebeh Siavoshi told the semi-official ISNA news agency.

The bill, overwhelmingly passed in May by parliament, has been seen as a huge step forward for thousands of children born in Iran to Afghan fathers who cannot enjoy full social rights.

Iran is one of seven countries worldwide that "do not allow mothers to confer their citizenship on their children with no or very limited exceptions," according to a 2019 report by the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR).

The next step is for parliament to review the bill and amend it, ahead of further discussion by the Guardian Council.

Parliament's powers are limited compared to other institutions.

Lawmaking is vetted by the Guardian Council, which has the authority to interpret the constitution and check laws' compliance with sharia.

According to Iranian officials, the Islamic republic is home to some three million Afghan immigrants, many of whom are married to Iranian women and have children.

"Thousands of children were left out in the cold... with this law things would have cleared up for them," said sociologist Mohammad Reza Jalaeipour in an interview with official news agency IRNA.

"Some of them can't have driving licenses, some of them can't have social security," he added.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online

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CHIP Training & Consulting CTC Mohmand Jobs 2019

Latest CHIP Training & Consulting Pvt Ltd NGO Posts Mohmand 2022 CHIP Training & Consulting Private Limited CTC District Mohmand, Pakistan is seeking for the services from experienced candidates for the posts of Union Council Communication Support Officer.

How to Apply on CHIP Training & Consulting Pvt Ltd Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted.EDWARDSVILLE  Ben Tolly, superintendent of the Gateway Conference of the Free Methodist Church of Southern Illinois and Missouri, partnered with Culvers in Edwardsville and a Methodist church in Jerseyville to feed about 50 National Guard troops, first responders and volunteers Thursday who have helped with flood relief efforts along the Illinois River.

Kelly Cobb, who owns the local Culvers restaurant, is friends with Tolly via Mens Ministries International. Cobb said it took his employees about four hours to prepare the food then Tollys daughter, Winter, delivered the items to Jerseyville at the New Life Free Methodist Church.Elvis Kwashie has written his name ...Update at 2:15 p.m.: CAL Fire reports that crews have stopped the forward rate of spread of a grass at a quarter acre. The fire broke out just before 2 p.m. at the intersection of Sims Road and Highway 120 in the Chinese Camp area. at a quarter acre. All incoming resources have been called off and all aircraft are heading back to the Columbia Airbase. CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff tells Clarke Broadcasting that no structures were threatened and what sparked the blaze is under investigation. Crews will remain on scene mopping up for the next hour.

Original post at 2 p.m.: Chinese Camp, CA  Ground and air resources are heading to a report of a vegetation fire in the Chinese Camp area of Tuolumne County. CAL Fire relays it is a grass fire in the vicinity of Sims Road and Highway 120 near the Yosemite Junction. No details yet on size or rate of spread or whether any structures are threatened. We will have updates as soon as new information comes into the newsroom.

HWY 120 at Sims Road intersection, Chinese Camp loading map - please wait...

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 more informationNote: This is a Just a Taste review, which the Express-News does soon after a restaurant or bar opens to give our first impressions.

CIBOLO  Some of the San Antonio areas best new restaurant work isnt happening in San Antonio. Its happening just to the northeast in Cibolo, first with Kindling Texas Kitchen and now with the new Makos on the Creek, which opened Wednesday.

Theres still a touch of San Antonio at Makos from chef Halston Connella, a veteran of restaurants like Cured, Il Sogno, Maxs Wine Dive and Brigid. He had just a few weeks to put the menu in place at Makos, brought in by owners Dave and Jacquie Peterson to fill a last-minute void in the kitchen.

That menu is a fresh, creative take on American surf-and-turf cooking, with crowd-pleasing openers like handcut frites and queso fundido leading to entrees like Shiner Bock mussels, grilled steaks, handmade pasta and blackened quail, with a range of unexpected spice and vegetable components.

The Petersons put the same energy into Makos design, starting with a dramatic front room that draws the eye to a faux ivy logo wall then sends it up to a ceiling of distressed wood towering over tasteful gray walls with accents like a button-plush velvet banquette in peacock blue and understated wooden tables with iron bases.

Its a proper giftbox showcase for food that thinks outside the box.

On ExpressNews.com: Review: Reborn Rebelle now San Antonios finest seafood restaurant

On the menu: The bar got things rolling with a sweet-tart fusion of Seersucker Southern-Style Gin and creme de violette called Consume Before Flight ($12) from a list of nine cocktails that supplements a craft draft beer wall and a smart, affordable wine list.

French fries ($6) are a good barometer for kitchen craft, and these came handcut and double-fried in a paper cone with three dipping sauces, the best of them a swirl of Gouda cheese and ranch. Grilled Spanish octopus signaled that real craft was on the way, with curled tentacles charred to the right firm texture and an orchestrated dress of sliced chorizo, smooth cannellini bean puree, chimichurri and dots of saffron lemon sauce ($14).

That same tart green chimichurri brought style to a rib-eye steak that could have powered through on size alone, a bone-in, 16-ounce chop seared to a uniform mahogany glow with a heart cooked to my fussy rare-plus. Plated with spicy breaded papas bravas and grilled broccolini with a shower of queso fresco, the steak was a stunning value at $35.

Where the steak brought muscle, a pan-seared halibut ($26) brought finesse, an opalescent block of fish with a light toast over couscous in a charred tomato broth that almost evoked curry but pulled back just enough.

On ExpressNews.com: Review: Student chefs excel at Savor in the Pearl

Although it was the least outspoken entree, Thai fried chicken ($16) said the most about Connellas career arc, evoking the dish he once executed at Brigid and Francis Bogside, brought back to life with effortless crunch and dry spice with jasmine rice and honey-sambal sauce.

Already I have an insiders tip about dessert: Get the ice cream sandwich flight. It comes with three of them, built on big housebaked cookies: chocolate chip, white chocolate blueberry and snickerdoodle. Thats six big cookies, with cinnamon, coffee and vanilla ice creams for just $10.

With clean lines, creative food, the sounds of cocktail shakers and the swirl of well-staffed dining rooms, Makos on the Creek could be part of any city that cares about food. It just happens to be in Cibolo.

Location: 169 Buffalo Place, Cibolo, 830-730-5630, makostx.com

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Monday; 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday (note: Closed Monday, June 17)

Mike Sutter is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalkingNEW YORK  Keith Raniere told top NXIVM disciples that some small children are "perfectly happy" having sexual experiences with adults and that it is "society" that considers it abuse, according to a video shown Friday at his trial.

Raniere, 58, also dictated curriculum in NXIVM teachings that asserted women have reported an "unexpected experience of freedom which occurs during rape."

The man known as "Vanguard" confidently asserted that standards that define abuse  and sexual abuse of children  vary greatly depending on where and when one lived. He noted various ages of consent to sex, which in New York is 17.

"In some states, it's 17, in other parts of the world it's 12," an unshaven Raniere, clad in a black jacket, told a group of acolytes including actress Allison Mack, a top member of his secret "master/slave" club within NXIVM.

"What's abuse in one area is not abuse in another. And what is it really?" Raniere asked. "Is the person a child or is the person adult-like? Does the person have a certain type of cognition, morality to make such a choice?"

Raniere's remarks on video, played during the testimony of FBI agent Michael Weginer, represent the final piece of evidence that prosecutors presented at the NXIVM's co-founder's trial in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.

The defendant's comments about pedophilia and rape could make for a powerful exclamation point in a case in which prosecutors have painted Raniere as a narcissistic conman and sexual predator.

Raniere pontificated in the video-chat exchange that many people who "scream abuse" do not understand what they're talking about. He suggested that just because standards classify something as abuse does not mean it is is abuse.

"So they abuse abuse," he said.

Raniere authoritatively spoke on the topic of sex abuse.

"Often when you counsel people who were, say, children of what you call abuse ... some little children are perfectly happy with it," Raniere said, "until they find out what happened later in life and then it's more society that abuses them than actually parents because in societies in the past, like in Rome or whatever, the standards were extremely different. But we're not in Rome and we should know that."

Prosecutors and witnesses allege the self-help guru had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old Mexican girl and kept pornographic images of her in a townhouse on Hale Drive in the Knox Woods development in Halfmoon.

During cross-examination, Raniere attorney Marc Agnifilo noted in his questioning that comments about rape and sex abuse were a minuscule part of NXIVM's overall curriculum.

Earlier Friday, Judge Nicholas Garaufis scheduled closing arguments for Monday, which will mark the start of the trial's seventh week.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Moira Penza also played a video of NXIVM president Nancy Salzman speaking at a meeting at the former Apropos restaurant on Halfmoon. On the video, Salzman parroted what Raniere had previously said. Salzman made the remarks during a meeting of Jness, a women's group within NXIVM.

Salzman, who pleaded guilty in March to federal offenses connected to the federal investigation of NXIVM, suggested that the blame in cases of child sex abuse should, in some cases, be something NXIVM students "have to think out for themselves.

Penza showed literature from NXIVM described as "The Human Experience."

"If someone comes from a country where adults orally stimulate children and they find out, according to American culture they have been abused. Have they? Who did the abusing?" the literature asked.

"The abuser is our culture. Our society," it answered.

Raniere is charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor and conspiracy. The racketeering charges include underlying alleged acts of possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation of a child, extortion, identity theft and fraud.

In addition to the the video, Penza showed jurors a copy of Raniere's biography from NXIVM's now-shuttered website. It described Raniere as a star student and three-subject major at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy.

The prosecutor then showed copies of Raniere's grades which showed he had a 2.26 grade point average (a C student) who failed general physiology, quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, was placed on probation and faced academic dismissal in 1988.A judge increased bail for Bryan Hoover, who is accused of setting his pregnant girlfriend on fire.

Prosecutors sought to raise Hoovers bail from $40,000 to at least $175,000. The judge decided on $85,000, but added conditions should Hoover bond out.A fatal wreck overnight on the West Side resulted in four arrests, three critical injuries and one death, according to San Antonio police.

About 3 a.m., a vehicle with four people was stopped at a light at the intersection of Commercial Avenue and S.W. Military Drive when police say a pickup truck traveling at a high rate of speed rear-ended the stopped vehicle.Its hard to imagine a more challenging first term for Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Lets tick through some of the big political moments over his first two years in office. Nirenberg rescued the citys floundering Tricentennial celebration, providing meaningful direction and fundraising to a signature event that had lost its focus.

He campaigned hard against proposed charter changes from the fire union in the fall election, losing on two of the three propositions. But he won on Proposition A, which would have reduced the signature threshold for referendums on almost every aspect of city government, even zoning cases. It would have been chaos.

City Manager Sheryl Sculley retired after the charter change election. Her departure came after voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition B, which caps the pay and tenure of future city managers. It did not apply to Sculley, but it sure was about her 13 years in the job and her $475,000 salary. Nirenberg had heard these community concerns, but he stuck with her.

The common thread here is that Nirenberg was reactive, not proactive. He rescued the Tricentennial, but only after the headline band for the big kickoff was (sigh) REO Speedwagon.

He admirably argued against the charter changes as bad policy and politics, but the propositions might have been avoided if he had taken steps early in his term to resolve the underlying contract dispute with the fire union (the city could have dropped its evergreen clause lawsuit).

He heard the public complaints about Sculleys perceived imperiousness and high compensation, but he didnt want to rock the boat, and then it sunk.

You can see this reactive/passive thread in decisions to not bid on hosting the Republican National Convention, refusing to include Chick-fil-A in an airport vendor contract, and even the slowness in addressing community concern about development near the iconic Hays Street Bridge.

Again and again, it seemed as though events were always beyond the mayors control, even those $18,000 drapes that somehow ended up in his office. The best he could do was scramble to either patch things up after the fact or soften the potential blow.

That was the story of his first term, but it need not be the story of his second term. In eking out a win over challenger Greg Brockhouse, Nirenberg didnt earn a mandate, just a much-needed reset.

He gets a second shot to resolve the long-standing contract dispute with the firefighters, or at least to show the public he did his best to find a resolution. At long last, he can bring ConnectSA, his transit plan, to voters. He can move forward with the citys Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and he can be outspoken about gentrification, growth, affordable housing and immigration.

In short, he can be a proactive mayor who sells his vision for San Antonio to voters and digs into community issues. He can set the agenda instead of being set by the agendas of others.

What was most striking about this mayoral race was that it was ever close. Brockhouse is a savvy operator, but he was a deeply flawed challenger, dogged by credible allegations of domestic violence that he never fully explained and sandbagged by his deep ties to the public safety unions. And in the other corner was Nirenberg: youthful, charming, bright and earnest. An incumbent who takes policy seriously. A politician who is accessible and forward thinking and reflective.

And yet the enthusiasm gap in this election was palpable. Something was off. The passivity of his first term was only magnified by these larger slow-moving plans. Can the mayor get his mojo back? Can he fulfill the promise voters saw in him when he was first elected?

No doubt, Nirenberg will face challenges on ConnectSA and the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Selling these plans to voters will be a heavy lift, and some will say he lacks a mandate for such big policies and ideas. But big ideas are what got him here, and now he has two more years and a chance to reclaim the story.

His second term doesnt have to be as hard as his first.

jbrodesky@express-news.netCourtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach California is a special location; the fine-sand beach a draw to the surfable waters beyond, a pier that is a perfect vantage point to watch the sun set into the Pacific and a vibe unlike much of Southern California. The mild weather, approachable city and friendly demeanor of residents all converge on a wonderful familiarity in Orange County. Situated in this idyllic city is Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, with its own access to the beach playground, a resort for both business and leisure guests alike.

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Unlike many conference hotels that feel sterile and unapproachable, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach has a communal and village-like feel. A courtyard with fountains and shopping outlets a congregation spot for families and conference attendees alike, several places to catch a quick bite before heading into a breakout session or a more leisurely lunch complete with a Mai Tai at Petes Sunset Grille. Forgot something? Hop in to the Surf City Grocers for staples, a coffee shop and bottles of Californian wine. Browsing from one store to another, staying on property the entire visit is not entirely out of the question.

While home to 517 guest rooms on property, the hotel doesnt feel crowded. The bright, coastal feel is a perfect place to stay in California, with balconies and upgraded private fire pits and a Presidential Beach House Suite available for those looking for an extremely elevated stay. Regency Club Level lounge access is available as well for services throughout the day.

The Pacific Waters Spa is a welcome retreat affording a large lounge area complete with whirlpool, oversized sauna and steam room and co-ed outdoor relaxation areas. The 20,000 square foot spa is in the style of a Spanish estate, the entrance burrowed amongst pools full of colorful coy and manicured landscaping, a sense of calm upon a welcoming arrival almost instantaneous. I enjoyed a Pacific Massage, which incorporates hot stones and a Swedish-style massage. CBD massage treatments, gemstone aromatherapy, Biologique facials and vichy treatments are also available.

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Half the fun of being in SoCal is being outdoors, so the private beach access from Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach is something to take advantage of. The walkable/bikeable/runable beachwalk is a thoroughfare to easily explore the area or dipping your toes in the ocean is a great way to experience the coastline and see all of Huntington Beach from shore. I usually shy away from yoga experiences, but the Toes in the Sand instructor led a wonderful flow on the beach which was appropriate for all experience levels and a moving practice on the sand allowing an inner stillness while listening to the waves crashing steps from our beach towels.

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

After the sun sets into the Pacific (and some nights are breathtakingly beautiful with a perfect California sunset) the beach takes on a new life. While the firepits on Huntington Beach are public, they are on a first-come-first-served basis with popular spots being snagged as early as 4 am during summer months. Bypass this altogether with the Hyatt Regency Evening Beach Bonfire Package. Complete with firewood, beach chairs, blankets, hot chocolate and the makings for smores, the $225+ package is a perfect way to have a private and no-fuss evening under the stars with your toes in the sand. The service is available from 6:30-9:30 pm nightly.

While the hotel has many dining options, one to not be missed and the flagship is Watertable. With chic farmhouse decor and a Southern California menu, the approachable luxury space boasts artfully crafted seasonal offerings. Unique cocktails, appetizers and entrees pepper menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-dinner. Everything from scratch sauces to house-butchered meats and organic ingredients make an already elevated meal skyrocket to culinary excellence.

Whether enjoying the property for a conference or lounging by the pool overlooking the ocean on a vacation, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach is an experience to enjoy in Southern California. The beautiful rooms, extensive property offerings and prime location a true standout. For rates and reservations, visit www.hyatt.com

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Watertable Restaurant is the centerpiece of the culinary scene at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

The bar at the hotel is a popular nightlife hangout

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Delicious food found at Watertable

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Laid back atmosphere at Pete's Sunset Grille

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Craft cocktails found at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

A short walk from the pier, California sunsets are somethign to beholdThe most bracing pieces are sometimes the least defensible.

So it is with Sohrab Ahmaris fusillade in the religious journal First Things against my National Review colleague David French that has occasioned a cataract of conservative commentary.

Ahmaris piece is part of the post-liberal ferment among a coterie of mostly Catholic writers on the right. A Catholic convert who has written a widely praised memoir, From Fire, By Water, he argues that conservatives should give up on defending a neutral public square and instead impose our order and our orthodoxy.

This would seem a fierce rallying cry in the culture war, but really  like the denunciations of the American political order from a smattering of Catholic writers  comes from a place of despair that, if acted on, would promise only futility.

The animating insight of the post-liberal writers and their allies seems to be: We are losing the culture war so badly that the only option left is to impose our values on everyone else. How will they do that? Good question! Well get back to you after we are done savaging our allies.

To simplify, Ahmaris prescription is fighting harder, being less civil, caring less about individual liberty and focusing energy on politics instead of culture toward the end of socially conservative government impositions. He also expresses suspicion of evangelicals (French is one) for being naturally inclined to oppose authority (for instance, national churches).

This hardly sounds like a winning formula. Ahmari says he was shocked into his current radical posture by the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation fight.

Imagine, though, if conservatives had argued for Kavanaugh on the basis that decency doesnt matter to us much anymore  so we dont care about the truth of the allegations against him  and furthermore, we expect him to impose his Christian (or more specifically, Catholic) values on the country. We would have lost in a rout.

Kavanaugh won the day by appealing to reason, fair play and the presumption of innocence  in other words, things that the most disillusioned Catholic conservatives perhaps consider a suckers game, yet still have purchase with the American public.

Needless to say, America is not a country ripe for the imposition of Catholic traditionalism. Among other things, conservative Catholics arent operating from a position of strength. Overall, about 20 percent of the U.S. population is Catholic, and only about 37 percent of Catholics are Republicans. About half arent particularly conservative on abortion or gay marriage.

Ahmari appears to envision politics, and government action, as an escape from culture and excoriates French for the emphasis he puts on cultural transformation. But politics isnt a magic wand. In a liberal democracy, it depends on public sentiment, which is decisively shaped by culture.

Ahmari, strangely, pours scorn on the idea that we need religious conversions. Obviously, though, the religious landscape of the country matters greatly. The growth of evangelicals  while the Catholic Church has been losing numbers  provides a crucial cultural and political backstop for social conservatives.

A top priority of the cultural right has been getting President Donald Trump to appoint constitutionalist judges. This is right and proper. Besides its intrinsic value, as a practical matter, the Constitution is the strongest protection that believers have.

Lets assume everyone on the right agreed for some reason to strip the First Amendment out of the Constitution. Would this free religious conservatives to steamroll and suppress our opponents, or the other way around? Almost certainly, the latter.

All that said, theres much I agree with Ahmari about.

Theres obviously cause for great alarm in the culture war, which has unquestionably entered a new, more treacherous phase.

We need to realize that America suffers, not just from a swollen state, but from a toxic individualism, people detached from family, church and community, and thus from larger meaning.

Finally, we need to hang together and, if we cant muster decency when fighting our adversaries, at least show some when disagreeing with allies.

comments.lowry@nationalreview.comBexar Countys district court judges are unnecessarily hampering justice in a dispute over city judges handling bail hearings.

Before we turn our attention to this unbecoming moment for the Bexar County judiciary, lets focus on the accomplishments of city magistration.

Before Bexar County contracted with the city of San Antonio to handle magistration  thats when charges are filed and bond is set  it was exceedingly difficult to provide representation to defendants at their bail hearings.

Bexars district court criminal judges did allow some representation at bail hearings, but with caveats. A defendant could not already have an attorney or an existing bond. But even with this order (and a parallel one from the misdemeanor courts), county magistrates often made it difficult for representation at bail hearings to happen. Perhaps the most glaring example of this is the case of Jack Michael Ule, a homeless man with schizophrenia, who died in jail in April.

A public defender should have represented Ule at his bail hearing and beyond. Instead, the county magistrate moved so quickly that by the time the public defender had determined Ule was eligible for representation, a private attorney had been appointed and Ule was jailed on a $500 bond.

This type of tragic dynamic changed when city magistrates took over all bail hearings for the county this spring. The citys policy goal is to have all bail hearings be contested. Having a prosecutor and a public defender present brings a measure of fairness to an important moment.

The second accomplishment: City magistrates are ordering evaluations of all defendants with identified mental health issues. This is crucial. Prior to this change, county magistrates presided over bond hearings in two cases where mentally ill defendants ultimately died in jail: Ule, who died in jail in April, and Janice Dotson-Stephens, who died in jail in December. Both had schizophrenia, were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass and were jailed on nominal bonds.

So its not like the county was getting this right before it contracted with the city to handle bail hearings in April. In these two instances, the county got it tragically wrong.

Still, resistance to the city judges and the presence of the Bexar County Public Defenders Office at all bail hearings has led to this inglorious moment, one punctuated by Judge Lori Valenzuelas brief refusal to accept legal filings from attorneys hired by a defendant. Why? Because a city magistrate had presided over the defendants bail hearing and imposed conditions. She claimed she lacked jurisdiction.

The matter has been resolved, but good grief. City judges handled all bail hearings for years until 2007, when county magistrates took over. City judges again began handling bail hearings for city arrests in November. This was because the county opened the new Justice Intake and Assessment Center, but the city did not join the county at the new building. The city continued to hold bail hearings at the Frank D. Wing Municipal Court building.

And in April, city magistrates sent district and county court-at-law judges a letter stating that judges with the county could add, amend or remove bond conditions ordered by a City Judge after initial magistration.

Nevertheless, district judges have requested a return to county magistration. A recent memo from Ron Rangel, the administrative judge for the district courts, to County Manager David Smith, outlines a number of complaints. We cant speak to the merits of these complaints, but many appear reflective of the failure of the city and county to partner at the Justice Intake and Assessment Center, not the competency or work ethic of city judges.

In the end, it does not matter to the public whether city or county judges oversee bail hearings. But the policies those judges follow do have tremendous consequences  and the citys judges have espoused the right policies.

As for the countys judges, they have repeatedly ducked bail reform for people accused of misdemeanor, nonviolent offenses. They have been resistant and openly hostile to the expansion of the public defenders office. They have not guaranteed contested bail hearings for all defendants.

If Bexar Countys judges want to oversee bail hearings again, then they should propose meaningful reforms to County Commissioners. Short of this, everyone should get used to city judges overseeing contested bail hearings for the foreseeable future.To stop the surge of asylum-seekers coming to the United States from Central American countries, President Donald Trump toyed with the idea of having American consumers and businesses pay billions more for goods from Mexico. Yes, tariffs on other countries goods are essentially a tax on Americans.

Now, in what the president says is total victory, Mexico has agreed to measures intended to restrict Central American migration through that country to avoid those tariffs. And the president is threatening to reprise tariffs if these measures dont work.

Trump had threatened to hit Mexico  the U.S. and Texas top trading partner  with a 5 percent tariff, increasing to 25 percent by Oct. 1.

But tariffs to bully another nation on immigration was a horrible idea in the first place and still will be if reprised.

The United States already has an agreement with Mexico, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is supposed to block trade wars, essentially what the president threatened. The tariff threat demonstrates to the world that the United States cannot be trusted to bargain in good faith. And the president has just set a bad precedent in using trade tariffs to try to bring a country to its knees on an entirely different issue  immigration. That may not even be legal.

The deal with Mexico seems to have two central features: Mexican national guard troops at the Guatemalan border and allowing U.S. asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting the conclusion of their process. If these sound familiar, its because they expand on what had been agreed to months ago. There will be more checkpoints, detentions and deportations as well.

But the president is also citing an additional secret deal, apparently referring to an agreement for Mexico to consider another measure  regional asylum realignment. But that wont kick in unless negotiated separately and if currently agreed to measures dont work. This would involve allowing the U.S. to return asylum-seekers to those countries through which they transit  Guatemalans to Mexico, Hondurans and Salvadorans to Guatemala, Cubans and Haitians to Panama, and people from outside the continent to Brazil.

Mexico has resisted this, and that likely will not change.

The president is angry that Central Americans are traveling through Mexico to reach the U.S. But he is ignoring some important details. Asylum-seekers have a legal right to seek admission in the United States. Theyve been presenting themselves at the border to do just that. Yes, the volume presents a humanitarian crisis. So, deal with that with more judges and other resources.

And the Mexican government has already been doing much to reduce the flow of asylum-seekers heading north. More than 436,000 people from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were deported from Mexico between January 2015 and September, the Washington Post has reported. Through April of this year, Mexico had deported 37,000 migrants. And now that the United States is forcing asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico, the Mexican government is housing and sheltering them. So its not like the Mexican government hasnt been doing anything.

In any case, tariffs  if reprised  are a blunt cudgel that would only inflict pain on American consumers. A 5 percent increase on the $346.5 billion in goods from Mexico to the U.S. last year would have cost consumers and businesses $17 billion.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers correctly expressed their opposition to tariffs. Texas lawmakers, in particular, were outspoken. This is because as the nations top exporter, Texas has the most to lose from a trade war with Mexico.

What the countries these people are fleeing need is something akin to the Marshall Plan, in which the United States invested billions in Western Europe after World War II to rebuild those states and usher in prosperity and peace. But Trump has pushed to cut off all foreign aid to the so-called Northern Triangle countries. When the concern is death or sexual assault by gangs in San Salvador, a tariff on goods from Mexico is immaterial. Asylum-seekers likely still will risk traversing Mexico even if it is cracking down on their transit.

And there is this inconvenient truth. Though it is doing what it can, Mexico has problems arguably of U.S. making, or featuring a large U.S. role, that limit its ability to crack down on migrants. Mexico is battling lawlessness of its own  violent cartels whose business wouldnt be so profitable if it werent for an immense U.S. appetite for drugs. And trafficking in U.S. guns allows the murderous rampage being inflicted on Mexican law enforcement and other Mexicans.

There are many moving parts in the surge of Central Americans to the United States. Tariffs offer the wrong solution.A MIDDLE-SABI-BASED police officer was fatally stabbed by a suspect he had arrested over an undisclosed offence at Chibuwe Business Centre in Chipinge on Thursday.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Lloyd Mahovhana (33) had been lawfully arrested for committing an offence when he stabbed to death one Constable Kadeya.

The suspect had no reason whatsoever to resist and, in the process, attack the police detail who was performing his constitutional duties, Nyathi said.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges members of the public to co-operate and allow the law to take its course whenever one commits an offence.

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsPRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has revealed that neighbouring South Africa imposed unacceptable conditions for Zimbabwe to join the Rand Monetary Union.

In a live interview with a State controlled radio station Friday, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had sought to adopt the South African Rand as its currency in December 2008 after the local dollar collapsed.

Responding to a question on why Zimbabwe has not adopted the Rand given the economic and in particular currency problems the country is facing, Mnangagwa said government has unsuccessfully tried this in the past.

In 2008 after the local dollar collapsed the former administration (led by former President Robert Mugabe) that I was part of set up a committee of five. I was part of that committee and we decided to approach South Africa with a view to join the Rand Monetary Union.

We were given a check-list of conditions to meet. Some of them were unacceptable, said Mnangagwa.

South Africas Reserve Bank wanted to know our GDP and other things that we did not agree with, even any other would not have. This was because they would have had to print the requite value of currency for circulation in Zimbabwe.

The Zanu PF leader said government then realised it could get around this process by passing local legislation legalising the use of international currencies without necessarily designating them as local currency.

So we crafted a law and as we speak if the Rand, US Dollar, British Pound and the Euro among other currencies were placed in a basket and they are legal tender as we speak.

So if anyone wants even to pay their employees using the Rand, they are free to do so. There is no need for people to cry for an official adoption, said Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa insisted Zimbabwe will have to come up with its own currency in future.

But we will have to follow steps in order to make sure all fundamentals are in place and create a firm foundation that will sustain that currency.

When we introduced the RTGS, it was a plan to deal with the economic problems at that time. I cannot say the steps we will take because they would have to be announced officially following the right procedures. But we will have a currency at some point, the President said.

Early this year, government designated the local surrogate currency bond note as legal tender rechristening it RTGS Dollar. However, the currencys value has been tumbling forcing prices of basic commodities to shoot through the roof.

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsFORMER Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, who on Tuesday was appointed the new Secretary for the Commissariat in Zanu-PF, says one of his immediate plans is to convince urbanites to join Zanu-PF.

Matemadanda also said a lot of big names in the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa have told him they want to rejoin Zanu-PF.

I am pleased that a lot of big names are saying they want to come back home, which is the Zanu- PF party. You know, most of those people in opposition political parties were once Zanu-PF card-carrying members. We will definitely release the names at the right time.

They want it to remain a secret until they are re-admitted into the party. Some are even from the opposition MDC party, Matemadanda said in an interview carried by the Herald.

For several years now, the ruling party has been playing second fiddle in urban elections. Matemadanda said he has a plan and will go on the ground to explain to urbanites and convince them to join Zanu-PF.

He dismissed fears that this could be viewed as infiltration.

Said Matemadanda: We are going to open up with caution because some people might think that it is time to infiltrate, but we want people to understand that Zanu-PF is a mass party and every person is welcome to join it and also participate in its programmes. I am not going to be an official commissar who will be driving around. I am going to be walking and engaging with vendors and kombi operators so that we discuss the problems they are facing and come up with solutions.

I want to give everyone an opportunity to say what they want. My main focus is to have the people in all urban areas understand Zanu-PF so that they make an informed decision.

In Africa, Zimbabwean have the highest literacy rate, but most of our professionals were trained to be workers instead of entrepreneurs. That is why most of our educated professionals like doctors go on strike. They dont want to think outside the box. These educated people want a revolutionary world, but in my opinion they need to be helped on how to get extra money.

How can we have a political leader who thinks that the solutions of solving problems in his country are in America and the opposition leaders need to understand that we have to be Zimbabweans and we have to understand our history?

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsThe Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC, a subsidiary of State-owned power utility Zesa, has said that power load shedding will be eased this weekend.

The power utility announced earlier this week that it was implementing stage 2 of the load shedding schedule due to a technical fault at the Hwange Thermal Power Plant that had resulted in the loss of significant generation capacity.

Responding to a complaint by Harare lawyer, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere that power was restored at 10:45 pm on Friday and cut off again at 5 am on Saturday, ZETDC said:

Today there will be a significant relief to load shedding Advocate.

https://twitter.com/ZetdcOfficial/status/1139800151084687360

Businesses and individuals have complained that the load shedding is resulting in higher cost of doing business.

In a statement ZETDC said:

ZETDC has started restoring Hwange. One of the small units is now on the grid producing about 80MW tomorrow (Saturday) morning one of the big Units producing 160MW also goes on stream. Thats enough power to power the whole of Bulawayo!!

Last month, energy minister Fortune Chasi warned that Kariba Dam water levels have fallen to critical levels, and will be even worse after 12 weeks.

The Zambezi River Authority which manages the Kariba water on behalf of the Zimbabwe and Zambia governments, has also limited its allocation for the Zambian neighbour.

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Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsJerri-Lynn here. This Real News Network interview with Rob Wallace of the Agroecology and Rural Economics Research Corps discusses whats caused the current outbreak of African swine flu  the largest animal epidemic in history  which is currently rampaging throughout China and other parts of Asia. Pork prices have shot up 40% globally. This epidemic is just one pressure on food prices; others include Indias drought and the US midwest floods (which Lambert has posted about here and here).

GREG WILPERT: Its The Real News Network and Im Greg Wilpert in Baltimore.

What some are calling the largest animal disease outbreak in history is currently ravaging pig farms in China and in other Asian countries. The disease is known as African Swine Fever and has a similar effect on pigs as Ebola has on humans, causing massive internal hemorrhaging and very high death rate. So far, over one million pigs in China have been culledslaughtered, that isto stop the spread of the disease. However, China has over 440 million pigs, half of the worlds total pig population, and experts estimate that up to 200 million pigs will have to be killed this year alone to slow down the spread of the disease.

African Swine Fever does not affect humans, but it is bound to have a devastating effect on food security in Asia, which depends on pork for much of its meat consumption. In Vietnam, for example, 75 percent of meat consumption is pork. Already, pork prices have risen by as much as forty percent globally. The disease has been spreading slowly since the 1970s; first in Africa, then in Europe, and most recently in Asia, where it has turned into an epidemic.

Joining me now to discuss the causes, consequences, and solutions to African Swine Fever is Rob Wallace. Rob is a public health phylogeographer at the Agroecology and Rural Economics Research Corps in Minnesota. Hes the author of Big Farms Make Big Flu. Thanks for joining us today, Rob.

ROB WALLACE: Hello. I would say it was a pleasure to be here, but I think when Real News audience sees me, they know that some terrible disease has happened out there somewhere.

GREG WILPERT: Right. So one of the big problems in containing the African Swine Fever is that it is dormant for up to two weeks and that a tiny amount of the virus can cause infection. In other words, it is extremely contagious. As I mentioned, it does not infect humans, but what are the dangers for humans of this outbreak?

ROB WALLACE: Well, you did touch on the economic issue, but I would actually roll that back in terms of what the dangers might be for humans. Currently there isnt any evidence that humans are adversely infected or become sick, but I assure you that thousands of farmers and meat processors and cleanup crews are being exposed to the virus, and some of them are probably undergoing active infection although theyre not getting sick. The danger, of course, iswithout being an alarmist about itdespite the fact that presently humans arent being affected, theres always the possibility that pathogens can evolve and an active infection can go virulent. And we then have the possibility that a strain might evolve the capacity to go human to human. So on a biological level, on a virology level, on an epidemiological level, presently humans are not at danger, but I would not take that as a given.

As far as the economics go, of course, the numbers you quoted in terms of how many hogs are being killed has a tremendous impact on the farmers in terms of the production. And of course, one of the dangers of all this is that industrial producers like to point their fingers on smallholders and backyard producers as being the cause because they are not engaging the biosecurity necessary to keep the African Swine Fever virus from spreading. The problem, of course, is that at that present, its the industrial production, in my view, thats really just driving the spread of the virus. I mean, as you mentioned, its capacity to hide out and its infectiousness makes it an issue when you pack in hundreds of hog in a barn. In fact, some of the strains actually hang out and in cured meat for 300 days and in frozen carcasses for as long as 15 years. So this isnt something that were going to be able to just waive out.

GREG WILPERT: So youd started talking about what some of the causes are. Im wondering if you could say a little bit more about that. I mean, you mentioned the industrial farming. Whats the connection between industrial farming and an outbreak like this?

ROB WALLACE: Well, we should take a step back, because most pathogens dont emerge immediately in industrial production. They have humble beginnings, as it were. African Swine Fever began in sub-Saharan Africa as a wild pathogen that transmitted between warthog and local soft ticks. And then, as far as scientific literature shows, by the 1920s it began to spill over into domestic hog production. In the 1950s, it got its way up into the Iberian Peninsula, in Portugal and Spain, where it circulated for about 30 years before it was quashed. I was in 2007, however, that the virus emerged in a way that exploded across Eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics. And then, by 2018, it popped over into China. But the important thing to understand is that pathogens go through these changes in terms of their success in relationship to the opportunities that theyre provided.

So when you have industrial production of hog that are pretty much genetically the same, genetic monocultures, you mash them all in together in the thousands not only in particular barns, but across all regionsthat permits the pathogens that are virulent, that are very deadly and would normally just burn out because they kill their host too fast and they cant get into the next host. Well, if they get into a barn that has hundreds of hog that way, they can burn right through and continue to reproduce and transmit from barn to barn. So industrial production has been shown to be very good in terms of hosting virulent strains of pathogens, not only African Swine Fever, but swine influenza and other viruses and bacteria.

GREG WILPERT: Now, as you mentioned, previous outbreaks of African Swine Feverparticularly in Spain and Portugal, which began in the 1950s and 60stook over 30 years to get under control. And some experts that Ive read said that it was handled by increasing biosecurity through the creation of large hog farms and using antibiotics and careful monitoring. Now, some are saying that this is the strategy that China ought to deploy. Now, clearly that would contradict or that would not be exactly the recommendation I would see from what youve been saying so far. So what would you say would be the solution for how one ought to deal with this problem?

ROB WALLACE: Well, the problem is that in agriculture, its so focused on the social reproduction of capital rather than the production of food. Thats kind of the offshoot of all this. And so, its a lot of focus on protecting the economic model at any cost, including blaming parties that have nothing to do withor very little to do withthe actual emergencies and global spread of this pathogen. I mean, smallholder farmers dont have the capacity to export their haul from country to country. And since the 1960s, youve had an explosion in terms of the exports of hog from country to country and the number of hogs that are produced.

And so, this goes arm in armor hoof in hoofwith the emergence of multiple new strains of deadly diseases. So if youre actually interested in controlling this, you basically have to change your model of food production in such a way that you dont offer the opportunity for these pathogens to be selected for and to spread. So I would basically say you have to end agribusiness as we know it. At this point, any disease or outbreak that happens, they just externalize the costs to everybody else. So governments, consumers, smallholders, the livestock themselves, local environments always end up paying the cost in terms of these outbreaks in such a way that allows the actual source of the deadly diseases to continue on as a mode of production.

So in essence, its not producing so many hog, devolve back into smallholders who produce most of the worlds food as it is, genetically diversifying your hog breeds in such a way that when you do have an outbreak it cant spread so easily from place to place. And also, you should allow your hog to reproduce on site so that if there are hogs that do survive, they can pass on their immunity to the next generation. And thats completely contrary to the present industrial model, in which if a hog does survive, it cant produce. All breeding is done offshore at the grandparent level for morphological characteristics, not so much for disease control. And so, if you want to select a mode of production that produces the worst disease possible, that would be the present industrial model.

GREG WILPERT: OK. Were going to leave it there for now. I was speaking to Rob Wallace of the Agroecology and Rural Economics Research Corps. Thanks again, Rob, for having joined us today.

ROB WALLACE: Its been my pleasure. Thank you.

GREG WILPERT: And thank you for joining The Real News Network.Trump says his UK visit was the most fun Queen had in 25 years NY Post. Indeed.

Darwins Finches Are In Danger Because a Parasite Is Changing Their Mating Song Vice (see the website of the Galapagos Conservation Trust for background and context: DARWINS FINCHES)

A deadly deer disease is spreading. Could it strike people, too? WaPo

Pope backs carbon pricing to stem global warming and appeals to deniers Reuters

Dad of girl excluded for ear piercing that stops migraines glues himself to school Metro UK

Africas Lost Kingdoms New York Review of Books

Are You Virtue Signaling? NYT (martha r)

World Cup matches are getting washed out  but Britain is actually in the midst of a drought The Conversation

Syraqistan

Imperial Collapse Watch

The Self-Destruction of American Power Foreign Affairs. Fareed Zakaria in the house organ of the Council on Foreign Relations.

China?

India

Julian Assange

This Assange Supporter Excoriating The Press Is The Best Thing Youll Watch All Day Caitlin Johnstone

Big Brother IS Watching You Watch

Waste Watch

So much plastic is being made that recycling has no impact TreeHugger A simple online solution that could end plastic pollution BBC Alas, there are no magical solutions that would allow us to continue spewing out plastic; drastic reduction in waste is also necessary: now!

Class Warfare

2020

Brexit

737 MAX

Trump Transition

Health Care

Antidote du Jour (via). Jerri-Lynn here: Dont know which is the more invasive bird species, this Asian export, or the European starling. Ive seen them on each continent Ive visited (all expect Antartica).

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here(Natural News) Chinese researchers debuted a new photocatalytic disinfectant for eliminating pathogenic microorganisms in water. Made from incredibly thin sheets of graphitic carbon nitride and powered by light instead of electricity, the new disinfectant offered an environment-friendly approach to water purification.

In trials, it reportedly purified samples of heavily-contaminated water in just half an hour. It also killed nearly all of the microorganisms in the examples, including E. coli. The combination of speed and efficiency met Chinas standards for safe potable water.

Earlier photocatalytic disinfectants use metals to achieve their antimicrobial effects. However, they also generate secondary pollution and leave heavy metal ions in the water.

In comparison, the Chinese-developed disinfectant achieved fast and efficient water purification without producing any new pollutants or residues. It was poised to serve as an eco-friendly alternative to metal-based photocatalysts.

Beijings Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Jiangsus Yangzhou University (YZU) provided support to the researchers. They published their findings in the science journal Chem.

One of the senior authors of the studys paper is Dan Wang, a researcher at the CAS Institute of Process Engineering (IPE). Wang explained that the widespread adoption of photocatalytic disinfection technology would greatly improve diminishing supplies of clean water and global energy. (Related: Is there arsenic in your water? A new report claims domestic well water could be poisoning 2 million people.)

Carbon-based photocatalysts are cleaner but also less efficient than metal-based ones

Conventional water purification techniques use chlorine, ozone, or ultraviolet light to kill microbes in the water. Meanwhile, photocatalytic disinfection uses catalysts, substances that encourage specific chemical reactions.

Catalysts used in water purification produce reactive oxygen species that are lethal for microorganisms. But they require energy to trigger these chemical reactions. Earlier techniques passed an electric current through the water for the disinfectant. More recently, photocatalysts can convert photons into the energy they need to generate reactive oxygen.

Non-metallic catalysts can purify water without producing by-products that harm the environment. However, these greener catalysts also suffer from lower efficiencies compared to their metal-based counterparts.

Carbon-based catalysts also have this problem. Carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, and other catalysts cannot generate enough reactive oxygen to kill pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, they cannot be used to treat water.

New photocatalyst purifies water safely, quickly, and cleanly

In response, the Chinese researchers designed a carbon-based catalyst that circumvented these drawbacks. They selected graphitic carbon nitride  a two-dimensional material that produced reactive oxygen species when hit by light  as their material.

They manufactured nanosheets of graphitic carbon nitride that measured just one atom in thickness. The thin shape maximized the surface area of the catalyst, which, in turn, increased the number of reactions and the amount of reactive oxygen.

The new catalyst generated hydrogen peroxide. The reactive oxygen species triggered oxidative stress in the cell walls of bacteria and disrupted the chemical structures of the microbes, a lethal combination against E. coli and other pathogens.

The scale-up for both the catalysts and the device is not difficult, Wang remarked. The construction of this material is completely metal-free, and one of the key components, the plastic bag, is commercialized, which makes it easy to obtain.

He and his colleagues at the CAS-IPE and YZU plan to refine their new carbon-based photocatalytic disinfectant until it is deemed ready for commercial release. They want to increase the photon-absorbing capability of graphitic carbon nitride, come up with antibacterial fibers to increase its effectiveness at killing bacteria in water, and streamline the process of preparing the nanosheets.

Purification needs other devices for removing heavy-metal ions, adjusting pH, and removing residue, Wang concluded. We need to combine our system with others to meet water-purification requirements.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Cell.com(Natural News) Are you a funny guy or gal whod love the opportunity to travel to space? If so, then the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wants to hear from you.

The federal space agency is reportedly looking for a jokester to accompany astronauts on a mission to Mars thats set to take place sometime in the 2030s, the purpose being to help keep morale high on the planned, two-year journey.

According to an anthropologist from University of Florida, having a class clown on long space missions like this one is essential for defusing tension and building social bridges.

These are people that have the ability to pull everyone together, bridge gaps when tensions appear and really boost morale, Jeffrey Johnson, whos working with NASA to find the best candidates for this job, is quoted as saying.

When youre living with others in a confined space for a long period of time, such as on a mission to Mars, tensions are likely to fray.

Having practical jokers accompany long-term workers in Antarctica has already proven successful

Johnson came up with the idea after studying long-term workers in Antarctica, another isolated group that he found did all-around better when a joker was present to lighten the mood.

These roles are informal, Johnson says. They emerge within the group. But the interesting thing is that if you have the right combination the group does very well. And if you dont, the group does very badly.

This is especially true out in space, where communication delays back to earth can be up to 20 minutes long, not to mention the fact that living in space is much different than living on earth  including the fact that theres little-to-no access to proper health care in space.

Its vital you have somebody who can help everyone get along, so they can do their jobs and get there and back safely, Johnson contends. Its mission critical.

If youre a scientist and engineer who believes youre capable of functioning well in isolation far away from earth for years on end, get in touch with NASA

Johnson made the case for having a class clown on space missions during the recent annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, entitled: Building a Winning Team for Missions to Mars.

In Johnsons view, groups and teams, regardless of whether or not theyre in space, always work better when they have somebody who takes on the role of class clown.

We can all think of the person at work who fulfills this role, who makes us laugh and makes the job more enjoyable, he says. People like being around them.

But its not enough to just be funny, Johnson says. The right candidate, at least for NASAs purposes, will also need to be a proper scientist and engineer, and someone whos capable of passing a rigorous training regimen.

Its also important for the right candidate to be comfortable living in isolation, far away from earth for years on end with just a few other people. In other words, socialites who cant live without earthly comforts and who always need to be around other people need not apply.

There are people who are loving and laughable and jovial and endearing, and therefore bring people together. But others who are cruel, says Johnson.

When I worked at the South Pole station there was lots of cruel behaviour. Theres a difference between button pushing and being funny. Its better to become a mascot  get taken in by the group and loved.

For more news about whats going on in space these days, be sure to check out Space.news.

You can also learn more about the future of space tourism at SpaceTourism.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Futurism.com

NaturalNews.comShoppers were escorted Friday out of a Costco in Corona and streets were blocked off surrounding the warehouse after witnesses reported a shooting.

Corona police said in a Tweet that a shooting incident at the Costco, at 480 N. McKinley St., has been stabilized and that there was no threat to the community, but they did not immediately release any further details.

"We will release more information as we work to confirm the facts," the department said in the tweet.

Aerial footage showed armed officers checking cars in the parking lot and what shoppers being led outside.

A video provided by a shopper showed several people inside the store hiding behind a meat case as screaming could be heard. At one point, a police officer could be seen inside.Concord police arrested a 23-year-old man Monday and charged him with threatening to kill indiscriminately people of the Jewish faith.

Police, along with the FBI, found out about Ross Anthony Farcas plot through a tip from someone who saw him post threats on a popular gaming website.

According to the charging documents, Farca had a fascination with Hitler and a hatred for people of the Jewish faith. Hes been on the Concord police and FBIs radar as a possible terrorist.

Neighbors said that theyve been concerned with Farcas behavior for many years and that they believe he had a propensity for violence and theyre glad hes behind bars.

When officers searched the Concord home he lives in with his mother, they found an assault rifle with 13 magazines, a 3-foot sword, camouflage clothing, ammunition and books about Hitler Youth and Nazi life.

Authorities say Farca was planning a Poway Synagogue-type shooting but he preferred to wear a Nazi uniform. Police say in one of his posts he referred to the Christchurch mosque shooter as a hero.

Farca remains in the county jail in Martinez on a $125,000 bail.What to Know This is the second time the San Francisco Dungeon, a spooky tourist experience with live actors, has brought in rats for a special event

Ratical Rodent Rescue supplies the trained pet rats, many of them rescued from local shelters

Though pet rats are considered quite clean, the health department requires they stay separated from food and drink

In a dimly lit basement room on Fisherman's Wharf, well-fed rats are scurrying around, their hairless tails trailing behind them as they pick up and eat individual pieces of breakfast cereal and glance around with their beady eyes.

In almost all cases, this would be cause for a San Francisco business to get an untimely visit from the city's health department. But for four nights at the San Francisco Dungeon, these rats are the main attraction  and the health department says it's A-OK.

"These are not wild rats," explained Jennifer Paz, who runs Vallejo-based Ratical Rodent Rescue. "You can't just go start picking up a wild rat and be like, 'Here, take this treat from me!'"

Though genetically identical, the rats scampering around and climbing up visitors' arms are called "fancy rats"  the kind that are bred by humans and kept as pets. These rats in particular, Paz said, are trained to be docile and friendly for animal education events like this one.

"They're smart and they do tricks, and you can train 'em and you can do all kinds of stuff with 'em," she said, laughing and nuzzling a furry brown rat that stayed perched on her shoulder throughout our interview.

The San Francisco Dungeon is a live-actor tourist experience that explores the dark, seedy side of the City by the Bay during the gold rush years. Two years ago, the Dungeon hosted a weekend pop-up "rat cafe," complete with coffee and pastries, that sold out in 45 minutes. The Rat Bar is version 2.0, now with a liquor license, extended evening hours and a signature cocktail dubbed the "ama-rat-to sour." It's garnished with a startlingly realistic rat's tail (though we have it on good authority it's not actually from a rat).

"Nobody wants to mix food and rats and drinks," explained Dungeon marketing director Jennifer Edwards in the dimly-lit room decorated with faux rat skeletons and wood shavings.

That's why the rats are downstairs and the drinks are upstairs, she said  with clearly-marked hand sanitizing stations in between.

Rats are polarizing creatures: adorable to some, positively repulsive to others.

"When humans have had to deal with wild rats, it's always in a negative light," Paz explained. "They're always stealing their food or destroying something in their house."

Rats have a reputation for being able to chew through just about anything  wood, electrical wires, even glass  but the pet variety is often content to chew on a single Cheerio.

"They're perfect little donuts for their little hands," Paz said.

Ratical Rodent Rescue has over 150 domesticated rats available for adoption  animals Paz said make great pets despite their all-too-short lifespan of 2 to 3 years. And just like the rats themselves, the pop-up Rat Bar is also short-lived: It's only around through Saturday, June 15.The White House was looking to shake things up when it designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization. It worked, NBC News reports.

American terrorists killed in bombing, read a headline in Irans official Fars news agency, referring to an attack in Afghanistan that killed three U.S. servicemen. Iranian lawmakers dressed in military uniforms chanted "Death to America" during an open session of Parliament on Tuesday. And according to the countrys Mehr news agency, Parliament passed an emergency bill requesting that countries that arrest U.S troops should hand them over to Iran to face trial as terrorists.

Richard Nephew, a former director for Iran at the National Security Council who served as a member of the team who negotiated the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement  from which President Donald Trump has since withdrawn  said Trump's decision to designate the Guard as terrorists would most likely make American operations in the region much more complicated.

Trump called the designation an unprecedented step that recognizes the reality that Iran is not only a state sponsor of terrorism, but that the IRGC actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism as a tool of statecraft.Laurel Austin documented her son Jeremys first dosing of chlorine dioxide on YouTube. In the 30-second video, Jeremy, 27, sits at a kitchen table as his mother narrates his mood. Then his arms seem to involuntarily twist around one another and he screams into his forearm before taking a bite of a banana, NBC News reports.

Heres to hoping and praying, she says.

Austin, 51, is a photographer in Lenexa, Kansas, and a mother of six, four of whom are adults with autism. For the last year, according to her social media posts and documents from a police investigation, Laurel Austin has been giving two of her adult sons, Jeremy and Joshua, chlorine dioxide. The Food and Drug Administration warns the solution amounts to industrial bleach, and doctors say it can cause irreparable harm when ingested, including damage to the digestive system and kidneys.

Since January, when Bradley Austin learned that his ex-wife was using chlorine dioxide on their sons, hes been trying to stop her. But the local police, the states division of adult protective services and a medical doctor treating Jeremy have all declined to intervene. A police spokesman said there wasnt enough evidence that chlorine dioxide was dangerous. A caseworker with the Kansas Adult Protective Services told police that she didnt see the situation as serious enough for the state to take action.

The Austins case illustrates the ways in which online health misinformation can become so pervasive that it begins to sway not only those on the fringe who are seeking alternate treatments and explanations but also authorities.Several Chicago nursing centers accused of Medicare fraud will pay nearly $10 million back to the U.S. government.

The now-shuttered therapy provider, Quality Therapy and Consultation Inc. of Orland Park, and its owner, Frances Parise, allegedly worked with four Chicago nursing homes and billed federal health insurers for services they never performed, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.

The nursing homes include Lakeshore Healthcare in Rogers Park, which settled for $2.7 million; Balmoral Home at 2055 W. Balmoral Ave., which settled for $1.7 million; Ridgeview Rehab, of Rogers Park, which settled for $1 million; and Carlton at the Lake, Inc., at 725 W. Montrose Ave., which settled for $3.6 million.

The companies allegedly lied about the level of care patients would need in order to maximize Medicare benefits, prosecutors said. The providers also allegedly scheduled and claimed additional therapy regardless of the patients needs.

The settlements closed a case that began as a federal whistleblower lawsuit in 2014, prosecutors said. The whistleblower, Katherine Verhulst, worked as an occupational therapist with Quality Therapy and Consultation, and will receive a $1.9 million cut of the recovered money, PR Newswire reported.

Parise agreed to pay $160,000 and to be excluded from participating in federal health programs for five years, prosecutors said. The settlements resolved charges that the facilities violated the False Claims Act by overbilling federal health insurers.

Carlton Skilled Nursing Facility, LLC, the new owner of the Carlton at the Lakes building on Montrose Avenue, said in a statement that it was not a party to the settlement.

[T]he investigation and settlement by the prior operator of our facility has no impact on our operations or the well-being of our residents, Carlton Skilled Regional Director of Operations Etan Bleichman said in the statement.At least 28 people were shot, six fatally, across Chicago over the weekend, including a teen who was shot to death in the city's Englewood neighborhood.

Shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, Austin Rogers, 15, was standing in the street in the 2300 block of West 68th Street when he was struck by gunfire in the back, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiners office.

He was pronounced dead at Comer Childrens Hospital, authorities said.

The latest fatal shooting took place early Monday morning in the city's Lake View neighborhood on the North Side.

A 30-year-old man was shot and killed while riding in an SUV just before 2:30 a.m. in the 2900 block of North Broadway, authorities said. According to police, a man in a white Dodge Magnum fired shots at the vehicle, striking the victim in the head and shoulder.

The man was pronounced dead at Saint Joseph Hospital, police said.

Minutes before, there was an argument in the parking lot of a retail store in the 3200 block of North Sheffield Avenue, police said. There, the male in the Dodge displayed a weapon at the SUV. The driver of the SUV fled, and the male followed in the Dodge.

No one is in custody as Area North detectives investigate.

At least four people were fatally shot on Sunday alone, authorities said.

Just before 11:30 p.m., a 25-year-old man was found shot in the chest while in the driver's seat of an upside down vehicle in the 7900 block of South Luella, police said. The car appeared to have crashed into multiple parked cars before stopping, according to authorities. The man was taken to University of Chicago Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Just after 10 p.m., two people were shot, one of them fatally, in an alley in the 6400 block of South Talman. Police said a 39-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the back and was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he later died, authorities said. A second man, 43 years old, was shot in the leg and also transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center. His condition was later stabilized, police said.

Another person was shot early Sunday in the Calumet Heights neighborhood.

A 34-year-old man was on the sidewalk outside a nightclub about 2:39 a.m. in the 8900 block of South Stony Island Avenue when someone in a passing black Chevrolet Malibu opened fire, police said.

The man was hit multiple times and was pronounced on the scene, police said. Witnesses have been uncooperative with investigators.

Nearly two hours earlier, a woman was shot to death in Little Village on the Southwest Side.

Corina Avila, 27, was a passenger in a vehicle traveling about 12:54 a.m. near the 2600 block of South St. Louis Avenue when someone unleashed gunfire, striking her in the head, police and the medical examiners office said.

The female driver drove about a mile away to a home in the 4100 block of West 25th Street where paramedics responded, authorities said. Avila was pronounced on the scene.

The driver told officers she didnt know where the shots came from, police said.

At least 14 other people have been hurt in shootings since 2 p.m. Friday. The weekend ends at 5 a.m. Monday.

Three people were killed and 36 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago last weekend.

Here are the rest of the weekends shootings:

Friday:

In the 8200 block of South Cottage Grove at approximately 3:20 p.m., a 46-year-old man heard a verbal altercation outside, and then an unidentified man entered the building and began firing shots, striking the victim in the face. The man, who also suffered a graze wound to the right side of his body, is in stable condition at the University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.





Around 4 p.m., two men were shot in the 200 block of North Leamington, police said. Circumstances surrounding the shooting weren't immediately released, but authorities said a 25-year-old man was shot in the lower legt leg and taken to West Suburban Hospital in stable condition. A 24-year-old man suffered gunshot wounds to the body and was listed in critical condition.





A man was shot multiple times as he sat in a vehicle in the Ravenswood neighborhood on the North Side. About 8 p.m., in the 4600 block of North Leavitt Avenue, a vehicle pulled up from behind and at least one person inside unleashed gunfire, police said. The bullets entered the back of his vehicle and struck the 31-year-old twice in the shoulder. He drove off and took himself to Swedish Covenant Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

At approximately 9:32 p.m., an 18-year-old man was walking in the 2700 block of North Avers when he was shot in the ankle, according to police. The man was taken to Illinois Masonic, where he was listed in good condition.

In the 7500 block of South Union at approximately 11:15 p.m., a 33-year-old man was walking when he heard shots and felt pain in his leg, police said. The man, who was shot twice in the incident, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he is listed in good condition.

Saturday:

A 35-year-old man was walking in the 3500 block of West Belmont just after midnight when a man in a dark-colored pick-up truck fired shots at him, striking him in the hip. The man was taken to Stroger, where his condition later stabilized.

At approximately 2 a.m. a 30-year-old man was walking when he was shot in the abdomen in the 5600 block of West Addison, police said. He refused to give further information to police about where he was shot or when, and is being treated at Illinois Masonic.





Three people, including a teen, were wounded in a triple shooting Saturday in Chatham on the South Side. A 24-year-old woman was sitting in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle about 2:34 a.m. in the 7500 block of South Calumet Avenue, police said. She and the other passengers were talking to people standing outside of the vehicle when someone opened fire. The woman was hit in the head along with a 16-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man, police said. The teen was struck in the arm, back and knee while the man was shot in the back. The vehicle the woman was in drove off and stopped a few blocks away in the 7900 block of South Vincennes Avenue in Gresham where emergency crews were called, police said. All three were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where their conditions were stabilized, police said.





A 25-year-old man was shot while driving around 3:45 a.m. in the 2300 block of North Cicero, police said. The man told police he heard shots and felt pain, then realized he had been shot in the leg. Authorities said the man told them he didn't know where the shots came from, but pulled into a gas station in the 2800 block of North Cicero where he was then transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in good condition.





Just after 8 p.m., a 24-year-old man was shot while working on his car in the 2400 block of South Central Park, police said. The man told police he heard gunshots and saw the muzzle flash of a weapon near an alley on the street. Three people fled the scene on foot and the man working on his car was shot in the lower left leg, police said. He took himself to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was listed in good condition.

A 31-year-old man was walking about 10:47 p.m. in the 7600 block of South Eggleston Avenue when someone in a passing black sedan opened fire, police said. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with a gunshot wounds to his legs, police said. His condition was stabilized.

Sunday:High waves on Lake Michigan provided quite a spectacle on Thursday in the Chicagoland area, and one of the driving forces behind that show of force is record-high water levels on the lake.

According to the National Weather Service, Lake Michigans water level is at an average of 581.7 feet, which is more than four feet higher than normal and 13 inches higher than it was at this time in 2018.

That level is a new record for the month of June, the NWS said, and is even higher than the near-record level that it reached in the month of May.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, water levels are at their highest mark in over 20 years, over two feet higher than the average peak in the summers of 2012 and 2013.

To put it in perspective, there are nearly 10 trillion additional gallons of water in Lake Michigan as a result of the higher water levels.

According to the Weather Service, major winter snowfalls and high amounts of rain during the spring have contributed to the higher water levels. Lake Superior and Lake Erie both hit record levels in the month of May, with Lake Erie recording its highest ever water level, flooding beaches in southeastern Michigan and in New York.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told The Washington Post water levels on the Great Lakes could see additional rises over the month of June.

Residents can track water levels on the Great Lakes on the NOAA water level database.Taking the stage Saturday at an Italian conference on justice, Amanda Knox accused the media of having built a false narrative around her during her yearslong murder trial and appeals process, depicting her as guilty even though she was eventually acquitted.

The former exchange student from the United States who became the focus of a sensational murder case returned to Italy this week for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 in the slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Knox, speaking in Italian on a panel discussion at the Criminal Justice Festival in Modena titled "Trial by media," said she was depicted "on the global scene as cunning, psychopath, drug-addicted, whore. Guilty."

Speaking through tears, she said the media that labelled her "Foxy Knoxy" invented a "false and baseless story, which fueled people's fantasies and talked to their fears."

Knox's 2011 acquittal was part of a long legal process that saw multiple flip-flop rulings before she was definitively acquitted in 2015 by Italy's highest court.

Knox said she came back to Italy despite the fact that she was afraid of being "molested, derided, framed, that new accusations will be directed against me for telling my truth."

She also criticized Italian prosecutors, who described a scenario made up of "orgies and sex toys" during her first trial, even though that version of the story was toned down in the appeal.

Knox acknowledged that despite her final acquittal "I remain a controversial figure in the public opinion, especially here in Italy."

She had been accused with her Italian boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivorian-born Rudy Guede of killing Kercher on Nov. 1, 2007, in the university town of Perugia. After multiple rulings, Italy's highest court definitively acquitted Knox and Sollecito in 2015. Guede is still serving a 16-year sentence.

During her speech, which was followed by a standing ovation, Knox recalled Perugia prosecutor Giuliano Mignini as the one who accused her in his search for justice.

"One day I'd like to meet the real Mignini, and I hope that when he comes, he will also see that I am not a monster, I simply am Amanda," Knox said.

On Friday, the lawyer for Kercher's family described Knox's invitation to speak at the Criminal Justice Festival as "inappropriate."

"Inviting her to a technical panel on justice was a mistake," Francesco Maresca told The Associated Press, adding that "lawyers for both parts should have been involved."A Maine man accused of raping and strangling an 11-year-old girl in 1986 has been brought back to Connecticut to face murder and kidnapping charges.

Fifty-three-year-old Marc Karun agreed not to fight extradition during a court appearance in Bangor, Maine, on Friday and was brought back to Norwalk, Connecticut, later in the day to be booked into jail.

Karun was processed on charges including murder with special circumstances and kidnapping and is being held on $5 million bond at Norwalk Police Department.

He's expected to be arraigned Monday at Norwalk Superior Court.

Kathleen Flynn was killed on Sept. 23, 1986, while walking home from her school in Norwalk.

An arrest warrant says that although DNA testing on Karun came back either negative or inconclusive, Kathleen was killed in a similar fashion to four other attacks on females of which Karun was convicted.

Messages were left for Karun's lawyers on Friday.All along Main Street in Middletown rainbow flags are proudly displayed. It's all in preparation for the city's first ever pride parade and festival on Saturday.

"It's important to remember that the LGBTQ+ community lived in the shadows, in many places still lives in the shadows, and this is an open and inclusive event. This is a welcoming community. We're very proud to host the event tomorrow," Middletown Mayor Dan Drew said Friday.

The parade kicks off at 2 p.m. with hundreds of marchers traveling from St. Johns Square to the South Green, and businesses along the route are taking part. At Forbidden City Bistro, they've got pride flags up and a special cocktail menu just for the day.

"The exciting thing is more fun, more friends," said Forbidden City Bistro Owner Eric Leong.

Following the parade, there's a festival on the South Green with music, performers, vendors and food trucks. Thousands are expected to attend.

"We're expecting a huge crowd all day long. I'm sure all the businesses here are pretty excited about that, and it's going to be a great day," said La Boca Mexican Restaurant Director of Operations Murph Murphy.

To keep the party going all night long, La Boca Mexican Restaurant is hosting the after party.

"We're having the official after party. We have five drag queens coming, we've got go-go dancers, a DJ," said Murphy.

Businesses say there is a lot of excitement around Saturday's event-packed day.

"I'm hoping for a lot of acceptance and love across the entire street. I would expect no less. Middletown is a very inclusive town. Everybody's looking forward to it, a lot of positive energy going on," said Murphy.

Anyone in the area on Saturday should be prepared for road closures. Main Street will be shut down from Union Street to St. John's Square, and Washington will be closed from High Street to deKoven Drive starting at 1pm.

For more information on the events as well as parking, click here.

NBC Connecticut is a proud partner of the Middletown Pride Parade.Its been nearly a week Donald Wassell has tackled the Farmington River for his favorite fish.

Came down here, I saw the sign posted and I said just forget it, Wassell said.

The advisories are still posted from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection warning people not to eat fish caught in the Farmington River near Poquonock Avenue south toward the Connecticut River.

On Sunday, DEEP warned that a firefighting foam that contains a chemical called PFAS was found in the river after it was released from a hangar at Bradley International Airport.

Its really unfortunate that we cant go fishing down here and take the fish out, Chris Jamilkowski said.

Officials from DEEP told NBC Connecticut that testing and evaluations from the river continue. Photos show the boom DEEP put in place to catch the foam, which it said contained most of the discharge and that dredging is not on the table.

But environmental advocates are now calling for state lawmakers to take action. We urge Connecticut officials to move quickly to prevent further harm to the river and all of the states precious water resources by taking common sense steps to safeguard the public and the environment from PFAS contamination, Executive Director of the Farmington River Watershed Association Bill Dornbos said.

I wont do it again, I will not do it again, Wassell said.

For fisherman like Wassell, it's what could be in the water that will keep him away from here for good.

A spokesperson for the Connecticut Airport Authority, which runs Bradley International Airport said the firefighting foam containing PFAS is mandated by the FAA.

In a statement, they said in part, We are undergoing a thorough review of all tenant facilities and we are reiterating the importance of these containment measurements with a requirement that all CAA tenants take steps to ensure that such release does not occur in the future.Nearly 1,500 former ITT Tech students in Texas with open loans will receive $13 million in debt relief as part of a 43-state class action lawsuit worth nearly $170 million.

Former students with open, active loans held by the CUSO, ITT Tech's parent company, will no longer be required to make any payments and the debts will be canceled according to a multistate settlement agreement announced Friday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office.

Paxton's office said, "that under the threat of litigation, CUSO agreed to forego collection of outstanding loans, supply credit reporting agencies with information to update students' credit information and cease doing business."

CUSO agrees to "discharge and cancel all outstanding balances of all Affected State Consumers' Loan accounts, including their associated fees, charges, and interest." CUSO has also agreed to notify, within 30 days, all affected consumers and consumer reporting agencies as to the status of the loans.

The University of North Texass Frisco campus and several other local colleges are inviting former ITT students to come and check them out this week to see if they can transfer after their school closed.

Paxton said the school's parent company, Student CU Connect CUSO, LLC, offered students temporary credit to cover the gap between federal student aid and the cost of tuition. Unlike federal aid, ITT's credit was due back the following academic year and if it wasn't paid the school threatened to pull students out of class or expel them, "in order to coerce students into accepting high-interest loans from CUSO."

Paxton's office said neither ITT Tech or CUSO made students aware of the true cost of temporary credit repayment until it was converted into a loan and that CUSO loan defaults were projected to exceed 90 percent due to high costs and lack of success ITT graduates had getting jobs with their earned degree.

"Students who attended ITT Tech are burdened with unpayable debts they received while pursuing an honest education. This college and loan program have failed them tremendously," Paxton said. "I am proud of my office for holding CUSO accountable for their abusive loan practices and aiding students who were pressured into signing a loan without knowledge of the full cost or deadlines."

The group that accredited ITT found that the chain, which was among the biggest for-profit chains in the nation, failed to meet several basic standards and was unlikely to comply in the future. On Aug. 25, 2016, the Department of Education announced a ban on enrolling students at the school using federal loans.

North Texas ITT Tech students sound off on their frustration and shock about the sudden closure of their school and the fact they appear to have wasted tens of thousands of dollars pursuing a degree.

Later that year, without the access to federal student aid, ITT Tech declared bankruptcy and shut down more than 130 campuses in 38 states. The closure left students unable to finish their degrees and on the hook for outstanding debts. At the time, they had enrolled roughly 45,000 students and reported $850 million in revenue.

In Texas, that included 10 campuses in Arlington, Austin, DeSoto, Houston (3), Richardson, San Antonio (2) and Waco.



View a copy of the settlement below.The Dallas Police Department is investigating 41 murders in May alone. For one Grand Prairie mother, this is a problem that transcends city limits. She lost her own son to gun violence and says this needs to stop.

The intersection of Lakeview and Hardy in Grand Prairie is no ordinary place for Jenny Morgan.

"This is where he was murdered, so it's just kind of like his spot, you know?," said Morgan.

It's where her son, 21-year-old JePatrick Morgan-Wright took his last breath.

He was shot and killed on this corner in 2016.

It's why the last couple of months have been especially hard.

"It makes me so sad. It makes me sick. Every time you turn on the news. It's not even shocking anymore," she said.

There have been 93 murders in Dallas this year so far.

Each time there's another story, name or face, Morgan says it triggers strong emotions.

"It backs me up to that day," she says. "It makes me think another family, another mother whose heart is going to be torn up."

She's joined local groups and shows up for prayer vigils, but believes real power is in larger numbers.

"I think people need to get involved. Don't wait until it happens to you before you start caring."

She doesn't want more mothers in her shoes  missing a son.

Or to feel the pain of a having a granddaughter who will never meet her father.

"That's just one thing that I just wish I could see."

Chief Renee Hall says the department has identified eight key areas throughout Dallas where residents can expect to see an increase in patrol.Tucked amid the townhouses of Upper Kirby in Houston, the plain brick building draws little attention. Its lawn is neat, its stairs swept. Occasionally, hissing erupts inside. But that's to be expected. All the residents are cats.

The Houston Chronicle reports the home with the four-legged occupants and chic Houston ZIP code belongs to Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue, a pet adoption nonprofit. Because the group believes that cats are happiest in human environments, nearly every detail of its facilities -- from daybeds to bookshelves to paintings on the walls -- would fit inside a tasteful human home.

It's an unusual bit of real estate by any measure. The owner, former Houstonian Patti Thomas, lives in Ghana. Her best friend, an expert cat rescuer, leads a clutch of volunteers in Houston who run a showroom where fostered cats are presented to would-be adopters. And at key moments every day, a select few volunteers tend to the nearby house of cats. Snubbed by adopters for their quirks or ailments, the dozen or so cats in this building will likely never find homes.

Which is why Thomas gave them hers.

Inside Thomas' old home, clean floorboards gleam in the sun. A TV screens "Hogan's Heroes." And every bookshelf bears a snoozing cat.

"Cats are 3D," one volunteer explains. "Dogs and cats both like to move horizontally, but cats also elevate."

He points to a giant artificial tree trunk, where an orange tabby sleeps on one bough.

"This is Newman," the volunteer says. "And this," he adds, motioning toward a sleek Bengal cat whose paw touches Newman's back, "is Princess. She's in love."

What kind of person, with real estate worth more than $600,000, gives it up to cats? Someone unsuccessful at friendship or love; someone blind to all the humans who are hungry and homeless. That profile would be wrong.

Raised in Illinois farm country, Patti Thomas, 71, is tall and talkative, with the air of a pioneer woman able to vanquish any obstacle on the trail. In a sense, she has.

As a student at the University of Chicago in the 1960s, she met Len Thomas, her future husband, and followed him to the Peace Corps in Ghana. After heading to New York and New Orleans to complete their studies, they returned to Ghana, where Len worked as a physician in a hospital and Patti did doctoral research in parasitology. There, they adopted their first pet, a fierce street kitten that caught flies between its paws. Finally returning to New Orleans, the couple happily raised two children and continued their social service work.

Then in 2005, just before Hurricane Katrina descended, Len was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Fleeing to Houston, the family found shelter with Cambodian refugees whom they had sponsored years before. When Len died, Thomas' daughter, then earning a statistics doctorate at Rice University, persuaded her bereft mother to buy a small vintage building near the campus. Thomas soon was smitten with the new home. "I will never give this place to developers," she said.

Soon Thomas discovered another neighborhood attraction: a wildly energetic woman named Brenda Fraley. A ringer for actress Julianne Moore, Fraley was a former Los Angeles marketing executive with a passion for rescuing greyhounds. In 2001, after moving with her husband to Houston, Fraley noticed that their elegant new neighborhood seemed to be swarming with feral cats. So she set to work trapping, neutering and hauling the animals to adoption shows. Her new friend Thomas tagged along.

But cats, to be relaxed and most adoptable, need comfort, not the confines of a pet store. A humane adoption center, Fraley thought, should look like a house. In 2010, she rented her own space to show cats. With paint, soft sofas and endless mopping, it looked -- and smelled -- like a human home.

Thomas, meanwhile, had returned to Ghana and community work. But she still owned her old home, plus a nearby rental property. Finances secure, she offered Fraley her now-empty former home as a way station for hard-to-place cats. When it was clear no adopters were pending for many of them, Thomas made a decision. She gave her home to the cats. To ward off animal dumpers, the friends kept the address confidential.

Then, in 2015, Thomas went further: She gave Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue her rental property as a permanent showroom, with Fraley as manager. While both properties remained legally in Thomas' name -- and still looked like human habitations -- they were now, almost wholly, occupied by cats.

"Best thing I've ever done," Thomas says. "Somebody might say if I'm going to donate a house, why not to Habitat for Humanity or something? But destitute or homeless humans have more agency to solve their own problems than cats do."

In a perfect world, neutering, spaying, vaccinating and returning feral cats to the streets would empty most shelters. But in Texas, more unwanted animals are killed than in any other state, according to Best Friends Utah, the nation's biggest no-kill animal sanctuary.

In light of this trend, the gentle spaces that Thomas and Fraley offer for abandoned cats are unusual, if not groundbreaking, in Texas, says Holly Sizemore, the program director for Best Friends Utah. While other shelters offer communal cat rooms and cafe-shelter partnerships, Sizemore says, the group's spaces in Houston may be the only ones specifically designed so cats and humans feel at home. Thomas estimates the nonprofit has found homes for 1,500 cats since it started in 2010.

Like the house of cats, the adoption center looks nothing like a shelter. Instead of institutional paint and easy-wash floors, it's color-coordinated in a '50s-style teal and brown, complete with matching throw rugs. A leather couch faces a fireplace; a basket of cat magazines stands nearby. In the kitchen, a turquoise coffee machine shares counter space with an immense, crouching tuxedo cat named Millie. On the walls preposterous portraits depict cats in Elizabethan garb. The air is fresh and redolent of lavender thanks to constant cleaning by volunteers.

Thomas' investment in these spaces strikes a chord for Rice business professor Duane Windsor, who studies heroism. "This is a person the literature would identify as a `moral leader,"' he says. "By providing a home for less-adoptable cats, she's championing animals. By creating an innovative marketplace to connect adopters with cats, she's helping people and animals. Because humans are better off with a pet."

On a recent late afternoon in Thomas' old house, Pumpkin, a marmalade tabby, peers outside the window. She likes to roll voluptuously on a daybed when a certain volunteer approaches, and then when he tries to pet her, nip at him. The cat can't help it.

Under a cocoa-colored blanket on the sofa, a bump slides slowly, finally emerging as a tuxedo cat that darts under the couch. It's Bailey, nearly always hiding.

Near the roof of the cat tree is Princess, the one the volunteer said is in love. That would be with Newman. She shrinks from people, but taps Newman on the shoulder. He ignores her; he prefers humans. But due to his occasional habit of peeing on pants legs, Newman, too, may find his love unrequited.

None of these cats, it is plain, qualifies as a perfect human companion. Then again, not many humans qualify either. In Thomas' house, however, perfection is not required. The residents are welcome to savor the sunlight, smooth floors and "Hogan's Heroes," just as they are. With help from a human well acquainted with loss, displacement and love, here it's enough to just be a cat.Embattled attorney Michael Avenatti Friday fired back at attorney Dan Callahn, who is suing him on behalf of a paraplegic man who claims Avenatti bilked him out of a $4 million settlement by pointing out Callahan settled an insider trading dispute with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On Friday, Avenatti tweeted, "Meet Daniel Callahan -- the attorney with close ties to Trump who filed a bogus lawsuit against me yesterday and then held a press conference in which he attacked my ethics. You can't make this stuff up."

Avenatti included a link in his tweet to a Feb. 8 document detailing the SEC settlement with Callahan, a Dana Point resident who has offices in Santa Ana.

The SEC alleged that Callahan, who was an "outside legal counsel to Monster Beverage Corporation" acted on inside information about a "nearly finalized" deal for a partnership between Monster and Coca-Cola.

"On June 30, 2014, one week after a due diligence call in which his law firm participated, Callahan directed the purchase of a total of 850 shares of Monster common stock in two accounts he controlled on the basis of material, nonpublic information about the pending deal," the SEC reported.

On Aug. 14, 2014, the partnership deal was announced, increasing Monster's stock price by 30%, so as a result "Callahan made profits totally $19,386.97," according to the SEC.

As part of the settlement, Callahan agreed to give up the $19,386.97 with interest of $3,291.62 and pay a penalty.

Callahan fired back at Avenatti, saying, "Only an unethical attorney who stole almost $4 million from a paraplegic client and under federal indictment for doing so would try to spin his way out of a lawsuit. You can't make this up."

In an email to City News Service, Avenatti responded, "I, unlike Dan Callahan, haven't been found guilty of anything."

Callahan is representing former Avenatti client Geoffrey Johnson, who won a $4 million settlement from Los Angeles County related to injuries he sustained while in custody in Los Angeles County Jail that left him wheelchair bound.

Callahan's lawsuit alleges Avenatti and others in his former law firm cheated Johnson out of his settlement, but Avenatti argued that Johnson agreed to all aspects of the payments made to him and that his firm paid for Johnson's medical and living expenses for years.

Avenatti gained notoriety last year when he challenged a nondisclosure agreement his former client adult actress Stormy Daniels signed to keep quiet about an alleged affair with President Donald Trump. Avenatti, who has also been charged with embezzling a book fee from Daniels in New York City, has hired his attorney in California, Dean Steward, to also represent him on that case in New York federal court.The Assembly and the Senate of California recently approved a budget that will finance the second year of tuition in community colleges to low-income students in the state.

The budget expands a fund created by AB 19, which provides one year of free tuition at a community college as of 2018. The budget of almost $48 million dollars will allow the financing of a second year of free studies for all students enrolled for the first time full time.

"The budget we give to the governor today is a great victory for aspiring college students in California," said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, who represents District 53 comprised of the cities of Los Angeles, Huntington Park and Vernon.

"The exorbitant cost of higher education will continue to deepen the income inequality that many Californians are experiencing today, unless we do something about it, this is our opportunity to open the doors to new opportunities for countless students, and I am grateful to my colleagues in the Senate and the Assembly to see it through. "

The budget is awaiting signature by Governor Gavin Newsom to come into force.

In addition to this budget, the California Assembly passed Bill AB 2. Another bill passed this year is AB 2, which would allow institutions to offer exemptions to the full-time study rule for some students with disabilities.

AB 2 will be presented to the Senate Education Committee in the coming weeks for consideration.What to Know Free razor shaves, tapered haircuts and fades, beard trims, and more

Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16

Pop-up locations in Anaheim, Carson, Simi Valley, and Rancho Cucamonga

Southern California Honda Dealers are making sure dads are gifted more than silly socks and work ties.

The Helpful Honda Pop-Up Barber Shops are pampering dads all Fathers Day weekend. Lucky dads will be treated to free straight razor shaves, tapered haircuts and fades, a beard trim, or whatever they need most from master barbers.

Find the closest pop-up nearest you:

Saturday, June 15, 2019

11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Anaheim): Food4Less, 1616 West Katella Ave. Anaheim, CA 92802

2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Carson): SouthBay Pavilion, 20700 S Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746

Sunday, June 16, 2019

11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Simi Valley): Ronald Reagan Library & Museum, 40 Presidential Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93065.

12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Rancho Cucamonga): Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, 8408 Rochester Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Now in its 11th year, the Southern California Honda Dealer's Helpful Campaign aims to bring random acts of helpfulness to unsuspecting residents all over region. Also, until the 4th of July, The Helpful Honda Campaign will randomly provide free gas to residents, give free ice cream to kids of all ages, and do other random community enriching acts of kindness.Drivers using the Moreno Valley (60) Freeway between Beaumont and Moreno Valley next week should be prepared for nightly delays as crews set up safety barriers for a two-year expansion project along a 4.5-mile stretch of the freeway.

According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission, the California Highway Patrol will be conducting intermittent traffic breaks between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday to Friday.

The breaks, lasting up to 10 minutes at a time, are expected to occur hourly east of Gilman Springs Road and west of Jack Rabbit Trail, RCTC officials said.

Road workers will be erecting barriers along the shoulders and center divider. Drivers who want to avoid delays should consider using Interstate 10 for alternate east-west travel, according to the RCTC.

Motorists should watch for workers and equipment, allow extra travel time, follow the reduced 55 mph speed limit, and note that traffic fines will be doubled in construction area,'' according to an agency statement.

The $106 million State Route 60 Truck Lanes Project, overseen by Skanska USA, is slated to continue until the end of 2021 and will entail installing specially designated truck lanes for safety and to reduce congestion through a sparsely populated area known as the Badlands, marked by steep hills and no freeway frontage roads.

A single collision on either side of the narrow four-lane segment has been known to tie up traffic for hours, forcing the CHP to divert motorists back into Beaumont or Moreno Valley, depending on which way they're headed.

In addition to adding a truck lane on each side of the freeway, crews will flatten several of the most curvy road sections to improve motorists' visibility, and will widen freeway shoulders to 12 feet along the outside lanes, and 11 feet on the inside lanes, adjacent to the center divider.

The contract further calls for construction of 23 wildlife crossings beneath the corridor, as well as fencing on either side to prevent animals from straying into traffic.

In the coming months, one westbound lane will be shut down for an extended duration, leaving only a single lane of travel in that direction during the project, which is being funded through Measure A county sales taxes, as well as grants from state and federal sources, according to RCTC.

More information is available at rctc.org/60trucklanes.

View my Flipboard Magazine.A class of fourth-graders at Wallingford Elementary School in Delaware County persuaded the owner of one of the biggest pizzeria chains in the United States to change his straw policy.

The students wrote essays to Jim Ilaria, the CEO of UNO Pizzeria & Grill, in hopes of getting him to update his business's straw practices.

Within weeks, Ilaria responded by changing UNOs policy for giving out straws with drinks at its more than 100 restaurants to "on-demand only."

Susan Knight, the students' teacher at Wallington, said she was "ridiculously proud" of her fourth graders' accomplishment.

"I would say Im overwhelmed and I tear up at times because not only what they have done, but weve needed some pretty special adult help along the way," she said.

On Friday, Ilaria visited the class  complete with an UNO-style pizza party  to celebrate their efforts to bring a positive environmental change.

"Small kids can make big changes to their world," Ilaria said. "They know that they can change the world and thats whats important."

He added, "My franchise thought it was the right thing to do for the environment. Our franchise partners got behind this right away."

The Wallingford kids didn't just change the straw policy at UNO.

They also wrote essays to a local restaurant called Rubys Diner, which changed its policy within a week.

Last month, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a proclamation making June 1 "Skip the Straw Day" in Pennsylvania.

Years of plastic use, like straws, bags, and cups have led researchers to estimate that 90% of all seabirds and sea turtle species have ingested pieces of plastic, according to a report in the World Wildlife Magazine. Within a decade, the magazine has reported there could be a pound of plastic in the ocean for every three pounds of fish.Iran's deputy foreign minister met a top EU diplomat on Saturday to discuss the future of the troubled nuclear deal, state media said, amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The meeting in Tehran between Abbas Araghchi and Helga Schmid, deputy to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, focused on the 2015 nuclear deal while also touching upon "regional and international issues", according to IRNA news agency.

The talks follow attacks Thursday on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman that the United States has blamed on Iran, despite Tehran's denials.

US-Iran strains have escalated since President Donald Trump withdrew last year from the landmark nuclear deal which Iran signed with world powers.

The European Union is an ardent backer of the deal and has pledged to support Tehran in the face of crippling US sanctions, but Iranian officials have voiced frustration at the lack of concrete steps taken so far.

Tehran has given the remaining partners of the deal until July to make good on their pledges, or warned it will step back from its key nuclear commitments.

Schmid's stop in Tehran follows visits last week by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The latter was in the Iranian capital when the tanker attacks happened, with explosions hitting a Japanese-owned vessel and a Norwegian-operated one.

The incident near the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway which is vital to the world's oil supply, has raised fears of conflict erupting in the region.

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changed wedding rules Monday in hopes of preventing family members who aren't church members from feeling excluded.

Couples who get married in civil ceremonies will no longer have to wait one year to do a temple wedding ceremony that only members in good standing can attend, the faith said in a news release.

Church leaders said it will allow "families to come together in love and unity," but doesn't lessen the temple ceremony the faith believes seals the couple for eternity.

Religious scholar Matthew Bowman said the old wedding rule was designed to encourage couples to get married in a temple and have a reception or "ring ceremony" afterward, but sometimes created heartache for families with mixed religious affiliations.

Church convert Aubri Alvarez said her mother cried on the steps of the Albuquerque temple while she and her husband went through the wedding ceremony inside. Alvarez, 19, said the reception after her wedding last year "softened the blow," but it was painful for her evangelical parents not to be able to participate in their only daughter's wedding.

"My parents also love God and are very nice people and they couldn't see their daughter get married," Alvarez said. "This change will help a lot of people who are not born into the church. You really had to choose between the church and your family."

The modification signals the latest change under the leadership of church President Russell M. Nelson, who has made a host of changes since taking over in January 2018. The 94-year-old former surgeon recently rescinded rules banning baptisms for children of gay parents and branding same-sex couples apostates subject to excommunication.

He has also launched a campaign calling on people to stop using the shorthand names "Mormon" and "LDS," severed the faith's ties with the Boy Scouts of America after a century, shortened Sunday worship by an hour and revised a sacred temple ceremony to give women a more prominent role.

At the heart of issue with weddings is a requirement that only members following the rules of the faith who are approved for "temple recommend" cards can worship inside temples.

Church leaders don't disclose how many members have these permissions, but it's believed to be less than half, said Bowman, an associate professor of history at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

That means even some mostly Latter-day Saint families were left with family members who can't attend the temple ceremonies. The receptions, "or ring ceremonies," that occur afterward aren't supposed to resemble a wedding, leaving those left out of the temple feeling like they missed the most important moment, Bowman said.

"There were feelings of exclusion, feelings of separations of families," Bowman said. "Many people experience sadness because that."

Bowman predicted that more church members will have a civil ceremony first with more of the trappings of a traditional American wedding, such as the bride walking down the aisle and an exchange of vows. Those traditions were not part of the "ring ceremonies," he said.

Church leaders said Monday they still want the civil ceremonies to be "simple and dignified" to keep the focus on the temple ceremony.

The rule change will mostly impact people in the United States and Canada because church members in many foreign countries are already required by law to get married civilly first before a temple ceremony, the faith said.A person was arrested Friday night after trying to get onto the White House grounds near the historic Treasury Building, the U.S. Secret Service said, as reported by NBC News.

The trespassing attempt occurred about 9:10 p.m., the service said in a statement.

"An individual attempted to cross a security barrier on the northwest side of the Treasury Building fence along Pennsylvania Avenue," the Secret Service said. "The subject was immediately apprehended by Secret Service personnel and taken into custody."President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he believes special counsel Robert Mueller's report should be released to the public, even as he disparaged its very existence as "ridiculous."

"Let it come out, let people see it," Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Wednesday for a trip to Ohio. "Let's see whether or not it's legit."

Mueller is expected to present a report to the Justice Department any day now outlining the findings of his nearly two-year investigation into Russian election meddling, possible collusion with Trump campaign officials and possible obstruction of justice by Trump.

Mueller is required to produce a confidential report that at a minimum explains decisions about who was and was not prosecuted. Attorney General William Barr is then expected to produce his own report for Congress and has said he wants to make public as much of Mueller's findings as he can under the law.

Trump said he was personally looking forward to reading the findings, even as he scorned the fact that Mueller was empowered to write the report in the first place.

"I just won one of the greatest elections of all time in the history of this country. ... And now I have somebody writing a report that never got a vote?" Trump said. "It's called the Mueller report. So explain that because my voters don't get it. And I don't get it."

Trump went on to mischaracterize the effort, saying "it's sort of interesting that a man out of the blue just writes a report."

The House voted unanimously last week for a resolution calling for any report in Mueller's investigation to be made public. It was a symbolic action designed to pressure Barr into releasing as much information as possible.

Trump and his outside attorneys have worked for months now to undermine Mueller and cast doubt on his eventually findings. Trump continued that effort Wednesday, calling Mueller "conflicted" and criticizing the lawyers who have worked on the case.

Though Mueller's office has said nothing publicly about the timing of a report, several prosecutors detailed to Mueller's team have left in recent months, suggesting the investigation is winding down.

Trump, for his part, said he had no idea when the report would be released, but maintained his innocence, saying there was "no collusion" and "no obstruction. There was no nothing."

"With all of that being said," he added, "I look forward to seeing the report."What to Know Nearly 200 dogs rescued from a former award-winning breeder's property are recovering well, and some will be available for adoption soon

None of the dogs had life-threatening conditions or had to be taken to emergency hospitals, but it appeared they had been kept in cages

A man who co-owns the kennel where the dogs were found called it 'a hobby turned bad'

Nearly 200 dogs that were rescued from a former award-winning breeder's property are recovering well, and some will be available for adoption as soon as Saturday, according to a veterinarian facility.

The dogs were removed from a property in western New Jersey on Tuesday because of concerns about their treatment.

None of the dogs had life-threatening conditions or had to be taken to emergency animal hospitals, but it appeared they had been kept in cages, said Nora Parker, spokeswoman for the St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center. She said some had skin or fur conditions that needed immediate treatment.

"Thankfully we aren't finding anything that isn't treatable, or that is life-threatening," she said.

Martin Strozeski, a former Westminster Dog Show winning breeder who co-owns the kennel where the dogs were found, told The New York Times the kennel had fallen on hard times.

He said he and his business partner "couldn't give (the dogs) away," calling the kennel "a hobby turned bad."

A total of 188 were brought to the St. Hubert's facility in Madison, outside New York City.

The animal center had about 40 or 50 dogs on-site at the time, and the Morris County emergency management office set up climate-controlled tents in the center's parking lot to accommodate the new arrivals and provide space for medical exams.

Most of the dogs are Parson Russell terriers, a slightly larger version of Jack Russell terriers, Parker said. More than 100 of the dogs already have been transferred to other shelters to be readied for adoption. Some went to the Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, Massachusetts, which sent personnel to New Jersey earlier in the week to offer assistance.

Hunterdon County prosecutors were continuing to investigate, and no charges had been filed by Friday afternoon.

"This was obviously a breeder at one time," Parker said. "Things were obviously out of control here. We don't know what was going on behind the scenes. Until they finish investigating, we just don't know what went wrong, that it got to 188 dogs."The Democratic National Committee has announced the 20 candidates that have qualified for the party's first presidential debates later this month, and NBC News released which groups of 10 will be appearing on the two nights.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who has recently dominated national and many early state polls, will face off in the second night against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has also been polling near the top of the field. Among the others joinging them are Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

The first night will see Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts square off against Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke and others. Here is the full list:

June 26: Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.

Getty Images

June 27: Sen. Kamala Harris, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, author Marianne Williamson, Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado.



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Democratic Party officials had promised to ensure that top tier and lagging candidates are spread roughly evenly over the two nights. But the second night features more of candidates toward the top of the polls at this stage of the campaign.

The only major candidates out of the two dozen Democratic hopefuls were Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. They failed to meet the polling or grassroots fundraising measures required to get a debate spot. Two lesser-known candidates, former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska and Miramar, Florida, Mayor Wayne Messam, also missed the cutoff, announced Thursday.

Bennet and de Blasio, who recently had been on the bubble, both made the debate based on polling measures.

Whos Running for President in 2020?

The race for the 2020 presidential election is underway, and the field of Democratic candidates is packed. Those who have announced presidential bids include a vice president, senators, House members and three mayors. As for the GOP, a single Republican has announced his bid to challenge President Donald Trump for the party nomination: former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who ran for vice president (and lost) in 2016 on the Libertarian party ticket.

Click the photos to learn more

The campaign's opening debates in Miami will offer a prime opportunity for many White House hopefuls to reshape a race defined in recent weeks by Biden's domination.

The debate night assignments, released by NBC News Friday, will determine the debate strategies for many campaigns. Candidates will have to decide whether to go after front-runners such as Biden, challenge others in the pack or stand out by remaining above the fray. They must also decide how much to focus on President Donald Trump.

Some candidates have criticized the debate-qualifying rules that the party chairman, Tom Perez, set this year. The polling and fundraising thresholds will remain the same for the July debates over two nights in Detroit .

Bullock's campaign insists he has reached a party benchmark of a minimum 1 percent in at least three polls by approved organizations. But party officials say Bullock is wrongly counting a Washington Post-ABC poll from February.

He said Thursday that he was "certainly disappointed" by the DNC's decision.

"But the greater point really is also that I'm the only one in the field that's actually won in a Trump state, and we need to win back some of the places we've lost," he said on MSNBC.

NBC News is collecting questions from viewers, some of which will be read during the debates. Submit yours here:

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The polling and fundraising marks will double for the third and fourth debates in September and October. Candidates will have to meet both marks instead of one or the other. That means 2 percent in the approved polls and a donor list of at least 130,000 unique contributors.

Hickenlooper questioned some of the rules during a campaign stop Thursday before the DNC announcement, but said candidates have little choice other than to meet them.

"Fighting with the DNC is a little like fighting with the weather," he said. "You can rage against the storm, but you will not have great effect. I think the rules are the rules."

Associated Press writers Brian Slodysko and Matt Volz contributed to this report.What to Know Two teens died from an apparent lightning strike in a western Pennsylvania's Mammoth Park.

Strong thunderstorms had moved through the area around the time, bringing a cluster of lightning strikes to the area around the park.

Westmoreland Coroner Kenneth Bacha says bystanders started CPR, followed by park police, but they were unable to revive the victims.

Authorities say two teenagers killed by lightning in a park in Pennsylvania were found below a large splintered tree.

Westmoreland County's coroner says 18-year-old Brendan McGowan, of North Huntingdon, and 19-year-old Kaitlyn Rosensteel, of Donoroa, died Thursday afternoon at Mammoth Park near Kecksburg.

Coroner Kenneth Bacha says bystanders started CPR, followed by park police, but they were unable to revive the victims.

Strong thunderstorms had moved through the area around the time, bringing a cluster of lightning strikes to the area around the park. The strike occurred on a peninsula that juts out into a 24-acre lake.

Mammoth Park is about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.The Camden County Police Department's long-serving police chief will be retiring at the end of August, the county announced Friday.

Chief Scott Thomson will depart after 25 years of working with the city and county. Beginning his career as a police officer in Avalon, New Jersey, in 1992, Thomson climbed the ranks and became City of Camden Police chief in 2008 and Camden County Police chief in 2013, leading the department through its transition from city to county control.

"The opportunity to serve the community alongside some of the noblest public servants in our vocation has been an extraordinary honor, one which truly humbles me," the chief said in a statement. "I could not be prouder of the tremendous work, risks taken and sacrifices made by my officers and their families every single day."

Crime rates in Camden fell every year since the beginning of Thomson's tenure as county police chief. He "changed the culture of law enforcement in Camden" and was named in the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing on several occasions, county spokesman Dan Keashen said.

Thomson was elected president of the Police Executive Research Forum and led the international organization of more than 3,000 police executives for four years, "addressing the most challenging community and safety issues in the country," Keashen said.

Police Executive Research Forum Executive Director Chuck Wexler praised the chief's work in a statement.

"Today, Camden is a different place than it was 10 years ago," Wexler said. "Scott's success was constructed through his laser like focus on building trust, engaging the community and having a real dialogue with residents. He proved that Camden could be a different place and didn't have to be a violent city."

Thomson plans to continue to work with Camden nonprofits once he retires.

"I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life in hopes of continuing to be of service to others and the community, it's in my DNA," he said."It's a tale as old as time: the idea where AI [artificial intelligence] has become self-aware and sucked mankind into this new digital landscape ... and Diane Coffee saves the day," Shaun Fleming told me over the phone earlier this week.

"It's like 'Tomb Raider' meets 'Tron' meets 'The Matrix,'" he added.

On his new album, "Internet Arms," Fleming aimed for something more electronic sounding, which begat the content -- i.e., "writing about a dystopian tech-driven future" -- and that begat more of the sound, forming a kind of loop, according to him.

For Fleming, the stage name Diane Coffee isn't so much an alter-ego as it is "an amplified, magnified piece of [his] own being -- the child-like energy that comes forward when performance is close at hand."

As such, Fleming and Coffee are, in many ways, "one and the same."

"Let's say you're a shy reserved kid, but you get this buzz that runs through you when you go to a concert -- you're screaming at the top of your lungs.... That feeling is what Diane Coffee is," Fleming said.

That said, as an accomplished voice actor with plenty of Disney television and video game credits to his name, performance and character acting have been some of the more formative aspects of his life.

"I've always been a performer. That all comes from the same place. In a way, that was Diane Coffee before the name came out. That's why there are several different sounding voices on a record -- I really like to play with the sounds I can create with my voice. I learned that through my voice work with Disney and things like that, and my theater background is always injected into my live stage shows," Fleming explained.

Before Diane Coffee, Fleming drummed for Foxygen -- Sam France (vocals), Jonathan Rado (multi-instrumentalist) and Fleming all having grown up together at the edge of Los Angeles County in Agoura Hills.

That partnership brought Fleming to New York, where he was living "in like Rado's spare closet." On a tour stop in Bloomington, Indiana, where Foxygen's label Jagjaguwar is located, Fleming met his wife and creative partner, Melinda Danielson.

"She had a spot she had just purchased, and I wasn't fitting in in New York.... Big city living isn't necessarily for me," Fleming said.

"Bloomington is like a cultural oasis," he added.

To date, Fleming has released three studio albums, including "Internet Arms," in addition to landing a feature on Run the Jewels' second studio album.

"I met them through mutual acquaintances. El-P approached me and told me he really liked the way I layered my vocals. He wanted to work with me on a project, and I found out later it was gonna be the "Run the Jewels 2" record. It was really relaxing and super easy," Fleming said.

Diane Coffee headlines Casbah on Saturday, June 15. Get tickets here.

Rutger Ansley Rosenborg is an editor and digital marketer at NBC's SoundDiego. Find out more here.YOU'VE DIPPED A TOE... in the Pacific Ocean, and maybe the Atlantic, too. Your feet might have met the water in the Rio Grande, and the Mississippi, and all of the Great Lakes, and several other H2O-famous spots. But it isn't as likely that your tootsies have touched the wet stuff found within the Neptune Pool or Roman Pool at Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Why? Because these particularly posh swimming holes are not open to the visitors who call upon William Randolph Hearst's out-sized abode for tours. Meaning that slipping out of your sandals and going for a quick dip is very much verboten, and something that is Definitely Not Done. But things do change, and for those people who've had "swim at the Hearst Castle Neptune or Roman Pool" on their ultimate daydream list, the time is again nigh to buy a ticket. For word comes from...

THE FOUNDATION AT HEARST CASTLE... that both pools will be available, on select nights, to those who buy tickets, for swimming. Good to know? It isn't a both-pools-on-one-night kind of thing; the indoor Roman Pool Swim is scheduled for certain evenings, as is the outdoor Neptune Pool Swim, so you'll need to choose if your bucket-list budget only allows for one (a challenging task, for sure). Secondly? Tickets go on sale on July 1 for select nights available in July, August, September, and October, so set your alarm, calendar, and alerts, for only a limited number of spots are available.

[NATL-LA] Hearst Castle: History on the California Coast

THIRD? Your big swim day will include other special treats, like "Central California's finest wines and craft beers," plus bites, plus a screening of the film "Building the Dream." And fourth? This is open to members, so becoming a foundation member is your next step, if you're not. Consider this a fantastic way to support one of the Golden State's most magnificent architectural treasures. And, your memory is correct: The Neptune Pool did open to swimmers, for a night, in 2018. If you missed that chance, it looks as if it is splashing back your way.

ALL OF THE DETAILS? Right here, San Simeon splashers. It's certainly bucket-list-y, and direct from the "once-in-a-lifetime files." But if you've longed to dip a toe in one or both of this spectacular swimming holes, that moment has come.To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories in San Diego County, each Saturday we'll revisit five stories from the previous week and capsulize them in this digest with the most recent updates.

1. 3 San Diego Stores Violate Pet Retail Ban, Humane Society Says

The San Diego Humane Society's (SDHS) law enforcement team conducted a sweep of local pet stores on Wednesday and found violations of California's AB 485 at three locations: Broadway Puppies in Escondido, Bark Avenue in Escondido and Pup & Pets in Santee. Officials said they found the stores with pets that did not have proof they were obtained from a local shelter. See the video.

Three pet stores received citations in Countywide sweep by Humane Society. NBC 7's Melissa Adan has more.

2. Coming Soon: Traffic Alerts That Project Onto Your Dashboard

One company is working to bring the messages seen on signs along California's highways right into your dashboard. Coders and designers say the technology will work with models of smar cars already in development by other companies.

The company, Wanco Inc., is developing technology that will be compatible with smart cars.

3. Why You Should Dig Deeper Than Online Reviews When Finding a New Doctor

NBC 7 Investigates reviewed the ratings, reviews and information available on more than a dozen local physicians on social media sites and compared it with licensing and physician profile information available on the Medical Board of Californias (MBC) website. Read about what we uncovered.

NBC 7's Mari Payton explains why you should go further than Yelp or Google to find reviews of your next doctor.

4. Last Pour for Gordon Biersch in Mission Valley

Bad news for beer lovers: Gordon Biersch Brewery in Mission Valley will close its doors next month. The CEO of Gordon Bierschs parent company, CraftWorks Holdings, said that the influx in local competition forced him to close the doors at the Mission Valley location. It was a decision he says was anything but easy.

5. Spring Valley Landlord Accused of Trading Sex for Discounts on Rent

Trading sexual favors for discounts on rent, all under the threat of eviction, are just some of the sexual harassment allegations against a Spring Valley landlord. NBC 7 talked to two women who told very similar stories saying they thought an apartment complex owner had answered their prayers. But the Department of Justice said the man was no hero, but rather a predator sexually exploiting his female tenants for almost 15 years.

NBC 7's Jackie Crea spoke to two former tenants who shared stories of similar experiences.The House on Friday passed a $19 billion disaster aid bill that would deliver long-sought relief to farmers, victims of hurricanes and floods, and rebuild southern military bases, as Democrats try to dislodge the legislation from a Senate logjam over aid to hurricane-slammed Puerto Rico.

The measure passed by a 257-150 vote over the opposition of most Republicans, who said it should also include the Trump administration's $4.5 billion request for stepped up humanitarian aid and law enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border, which is facing a wave of migrants fleeing violence in Central America.

The House had passed an earlier $14 billion version of the measure in January, but the legislation has been held up in the Senate amid a fight between President Donald Trump and Democrats over aid to Puerto Rico. Trump is feuding with Democratic officials on the island and falsely claims that Puerto Rico has already received $91 billion in aid.

Trump took to Twitter on Thursday to urge Republicans to vote against the bill.

"House Republicans should not vote for the BAD DEMOCRAT Disaster Supplemental Bill which hurts our States, Farmers & Border Security," Trump tweeted. "We want to do much better than this. All sides keep working and send a good BILL for immediate signing!"

Only 34 Republicans broke with Trump to support the bill, and he cheered the "Great Republican vote" after the measure passed. His tweet continued: "We will now work out a bipartisan solution that gets relief for our great States and Farmers. Thank you to all. Get me a Bill that I can quickly sign!"

Disaster aid measures are usually among the few reliably bipartisan pieces of legislation left in an increasingly partisan Washington. But the pending measure faces several obstacles in addition to the battle over Puerto Rico, including an attempt by powerful Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., to boost Army Corps of Engineers harbor dredging efforts, of which the Port of Mobile in his state would be a major beneficiary. Shelby's relationship with White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney also appears strained.

Since the House measure originally passed, Midwestern floods have added billions of dollars to the government's roster of disaster needs, while a rising wave of Central American migrants seeking refuge from violence in their countries is requiring additional billions of dollars to house and care for thousands of migrants.

"The bill languished for months in the Senate over assistance for Puerto Rico. And as it sat there, floods battered the Midwest and tornadoes swept the South," said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. "This legislation attempts to meet the needs of all of America's disaster-stricken communities  whether in Puerto Rico or the Midwest, California or the Carolinas."

Republicans on Thursday delivered a new offer to Democrats in hopes of finally breaking the legislation free, adding money for Puerto Rico and flooded Midwestern states. Lawmakers had hoped to have the legislation enacted into law by now but are now eying Memorial Day as an informal deadline.

"I've spoken to the president. I've spoken to the leader on the Senate side. I believe we can solve this all by next week," said top House Republican Kevin McCarthy of California. "Let's do this together. Let's show America that when it comes to a time of need that we all put partisanship aside."

Democrats regard the offer in a positive light.

"The Republicans are finally starting to realize they can't leave Puerto Rico behind, and that's a step in the right direction," said a spokesman for top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York. "Conversations continue."

The White House and some Republicans want to add Trump's border request to the measure.

"We should provide much needed relief to communities recovering from hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes. But we cannot turn our backs on a border crisis that is growing worse by the day," said top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger of Texas. "Law enforcement and humanitarian relief organizations are being pushed to the limit, and we must act now."

Democrats have resisted the idea of merging the border and disaster measures, saying that would delay the aid measure and complicate its passage.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., however, said in a brief interview that "there may be some pieces" of Trump's border request that could be added to the disaster aid measure in endgame negotiations. "We'll see."

Friday's measure originally added $3 billion to the earlier House bill to help Midwest states such as Iowa and Nebraska recover from this spring's floods  but then was successfully amended on the floor numerous times by lawmakers in both parties, who added $1.9 billion to the measure, chiefly to rebuild military bases in Nebraska and Florida and deliver more flood aid for the Midwest.

The measure also would extend the federal flood insurance program through September to give lawmakers more time to renew the program, which enjoys broad bipartisan support. The additional time would give the House and Senate banking panels time to develop a longer-term extension of the program.For sale: waterfront property with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean. Waves erode beach regularly. Flooding gets worse every year. Saltwater damage to lawn.

Asking price: anyone's guess.

Some research suggests rising sea levels and flooding brought by global warming are harming coastal property values. But other climate scientists note shortcomings in the studies, and real estate experts say they simply haven't seen any ebb in demand for coastal homes.

So how much homeowners and communities should worry -- and how much they should invest in remedies -- remains an open question.

Nancy Meehan, 71, is considering putting her coastal condo in Salisbury up for sale this year, but she worries buyers will be turned off by the winter storms that churn the seas beside the summer resort town. Her home has been largely spared in the nearly 20 years she's lived there, she said, but the flooding appears to be worsening along roads and lower properties.

"All my life savings is in my home," Meehan said of the four-bedroom, two-bathroom condo, which she bought for $135,000. "I can't lose that equity."

Nearby, Denis Champagne can't be sure that rising seas are hurting his waterfront home's value. The three-story, four-bedroom home has views of a scenic marsh, has been renovated and is blocks from the ocean -- yet was assessed at only around $420,000.

"Do I feel that it should be worth more than that?" Champagne said recently in his sun-soaked living room. "I mean, I'm biased, but where can you find this for that price -- anywhere?"

A drop in home values could shatter a community like Salisbury, which relies almost exclusively on beachfront real estate taxes to fund schools, police and other basic services, researchers warn. And, they say, families could face financial ruin if they've been banking on their home's value to help foot the bill for pricey college tuitions or even retirement.

"People are looking at losing tens of thousands of dollars of relative value on their homes," said Jeremy Porter, a data scientist for the First Street Foundation, an advocacy group that seeks to raise awareness about sea level rise. "Not everyone can sustain that."

Still, home prices in coastal cities have been rising faster than those of their landlocked counterparts since 2010, according to data provided by the National Association of Realtors.

And waterfront homes are still generally more expensive than their peers just one block inland, said Lawrence Yun, the association's chief economist.

"The price differential is still there," he said. "Consumers are clearly mindful that these climate change impacts could be within the window of a 30-year mortgage, but their current behavior still implies that to have a view of the ocean is more desirable."

A nationwide study by the First Street Foundation suggests climate change concerns have caused nearly $16 billion in lost appreciation of property values along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast since 2005.

The study singles out Salisbury as the hardest-hit community in Massachusetts. Coastal homes there would be worth $200,000 to $300,000 more if not for frequent tidal flooding and powerful coastal storms, the study suggests. Champagne's property, for example, would be worth about $123,000 more, according to Flood iQ , a property database the group has developed.

In another recent study , researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder's School of Business found coastal properties most exposed to sea level rise sold, on average, for 7 percent less than equivalent properties the same distance from shore but not as threatened by the sea.

And in Florida's Miami-Dade County, higher-elevation properties are appreciating faster than lower ones as companies and deep-pocketed buyers increasingly consider climate change risks, a study in the publication Environmental Research Letters found last year.

The three studies are laudable because they attempt to quantify what the insurance industry and federal government had long suspected: that climate change is having tangible harm on home values, said S. Jeffress Williams, a scientist emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, who wasn't involved with any of the research.

But Williams and other researchers note the First Street Foundation study uses sea-level rise predictions from the Army Corps of Engineers that are more dire than figures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which usually provides the go-to numbers for such studies.

The other two studies largely rely on data from Florida, which is so low and highly developed that in many ways it is an outlier, unaffiliated researchers point out. They also focus only on single-family homes, leaving out huge numbers of condos, high-rises and other multi-family properties.

In Salisbury, real estate broker Thomas Saab insists something is happening with home prices but is not sure whether climate change is behind it.

Two clients in the otherwise strong real estate market, he said, were recently forced to lower their asking prices by tens of thousands of dollars when prospective buyers voiced concerns about storm damage and risks.

"Do I worry prices are coming down? Sure," Saab said. "Fewer buyers are willing to take the risk. People don't want to live through nor'easter after nor'easter with no protection."

He argues there's a simple solution: Invest in sturdy seawalls as Hampton Beach, the lively resort town just over the border in New Hampshire, did generations ago.

"We can overcome any kind of rising seas if you just let us protect our properties," Saab said. "Who cares about the climate change? You build a seawall and this whole discussion goes away."Baytown, Texas, police say a woman who was shot and killed by a police officer after she used his stun gun on him was not pregnant.

In a video captured Monday night in the Houston suburb, Pamela Turner can be heard yelling "I'm pregnant" at the officer during a struggle in which the officer was stunned in the groin with his own weapon before he opened fire.



Baytown Lt. Steve Dorris said the department has confirmed the 44-year-old Turner was not pregnant. Dorris didn't elaborate on how police learned she was not pregnant. Autopsy results have not been released.



Police have not released the officer's name, but say he is an 11-year veteran of the department who was trying to arrest Turner on outstanding warrants.



Investigators are trying to contact whoever took the video.

The shooting happened late Monday in Baytown, about 25 miles east of Houston. Dorris said the officer was patrolling an apartment complex and attempted to arrest the woman, whom the officer had previously dealt with, because he knew she had outstanding warrants.

In the video, the woman is heard saying "You're actually harassing me" and "I'm actually walking to my house." The woman is on the ground and appears to reach toward the officer when she seems to be heard saying "I'm pregnant." Moments later he fires five shots, killing her.

Family told NBC's Houston affiliate KPRC that the woman had two children, both in their 20s.

Dorris said the officer did not suffer serious injuries.

"It's a tragic event for everybody involved," Dorris said. "Of course, our hearts go out to the family of the deceased as well as our officer."

"We never want to have to resort to this. We never want things to get to this point, where an officer has to take somebody's life," he added.

Video of the fatal incident was recorded on Snapchat and went viral on social media. Dorris said police were aware of the video circulating on social media and that investigators want to talk to the person who took the video, because he or she was a witness to the shooting.

Taylin Innis, a neighbor of the victim, told NBC News she heard the gunshots was surprised to learn that someone was killed at her apartment complex.

"They mustve had a couple of words. Things went a whole different way, and he shot her, and I really feel for the family and I hope they get some type of justice," Innis said. "I just pray for them honestly because life is short nowadays."Four Democrats vying for their party's presidential nomination honed in on the economic concerns of the black community during a forum Saturday in South Carolina, a state where nonwhite voters will play a major role in next year's primary election.

Appearing on stage one at a time, Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke all stressed the need to increase access to capital for black business owners as part of a broader effort to address wealth inequality.

Warren expounded on what she's called her tax on "ultra-millionaires," which she says would fund her education proposals, including student debt cancellation for many and additional funding for historically black colleges and universities.

"It's about building opportunity," Warren said at the forum sponsored by the Black Economic Alliance, noting that she feels her plan would be met with support even from some Republicans. "They understand that this economy is badly broken."

Warren opened her remarks in Charleston with a moment of remembrance for the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shooting, four years ago this weekend, in which nine black churchgoers were killed during Bible study.

Buttigieg focused on increasing the number of federal government contracts awarded to black-owned businesses, saying this would provide a major boost.

Asked what he would do to increase his outreach to black voters  an area where Buttigieg has acknowledged he has work to do  he said he's making an effort to get to know them.

"We have to have an authentic encounter with people," Buttigieg said, noting that events like the forum were a piece of that agenda.

O'Rourke said he would push for more affordable housing options, giving a nod to Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin's efforts in the state capital.

"We're going to complement extraordinary local leadership with federal resources and funding," he said.

The last to address the group and the only black candidate at the forum, Booker said he wants as president to address inequalities in all sectors of America, although "poverty is disproportionately impacting communities of color."

Noting, as he often does, that he lives in a low-income community himself, Booker said he's more in tune with people struggling with issues like skyrocketing rents.

"This isn't just about African American communities," Booker said.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Bernie Sanders of Vermont sent videos outlining some of their plans for addressing economic issues pertinent to the black community.

Before the forum, O'Rourke, Booker and Buttigieg spent time with striking McDonald's workers in the Charleston area who want the company to allow its employees to organize. A $15 national minimum wage has become a popular Democratic campaign promise, but the party itself is split over putting it in place.

Ahead of the candidates' appearances, Tony Coles, co-chairman of the Black Economic Alliance, said the group chose South Carolina because of its prominent position on the presidential primary calendar. The state, where the majority of Democratic primary voters are non-white, holds the first balloting with a largely black electorate.

In the 2018 midterms, Coles said, the alliance spent $3.8 million on efforts to increase black voter registration and turnout.A man drowned in a pool in a McLean, Virginia home that houses recovering addicts, police in Fairfax County said.

The Fairfax County Police Department said they were called to Oxford House, in the 1100 block of Pine Hill Road in the Northern Virginia suburb, after receiving reports of a drowning around 3 p.m. Saturday.

There they found an adult male who lived in a home on the block, dead.

Police said there was no evidence of foul play and the investigation is ongoing.

#BREAKING Man drowns in a backyard pool in McLean. Working to get more details. @FairfaxCountyPD on scene. No foul play suspected. Latest at 6. pic.twitter.com/rMKZiWnZL1  Darcy Spencer (@darcyspencer) June 15, 2019

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates on this developing story.Police arrested three suspects in the burglary of a Maryland gun store in which one suspect was shot and killed by police, authorities said.

Police received a 911 call about 2:30 a.m. Thursday and rushed to the parking lot of United Gun Shop on Randolph Road near Parklawn Drive in Rockville, Maryland.

Thieves rammed a stolen car into a storefront window and stole a number of guns, police said.

As a responding officer left his vehicle to approach an SUV parked in front of the store, the SUV accelerated and struck his cruiser, police said. The officer then fired his gun.

The suspects' vehicle was damaged, but the group continued to flee on Randolph Road, police said. They drove a few blocks before the vehicle broke down.

Four of the suspects ran away, police said. Officers found 17-year-old Marquis Weems in the car with a gunshot wound. Life-saving efforts failed, and Weems was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday, police announced the arrests of 17-year-old Brandon Allen Jackson, who is charged as an adult; 21-year-old Terrance Massey Jr.; and a 15-year-old, who is charged as juvenile.

All four suspects are from Anne Arundel County.

The burglary was linked to a similar crime at Fox's Firearms in Howard County Wednesday, police said. Thieves drove a stolen vehicle through the front of the store and stole guns.

Police are trying to find the fifth suspect, who should be considered armed and dangerous. They are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest or an indictment. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

Authorities have recovered 17 guns but believe 10 stolen firearms from United Gun Shop are still missing.

Weems was charged with possession of a handgun two years ago after taking a loaded handgun to Annapolis High School.

The officer who fired his weapon, a 20-year police veteran, is on administrative leave as the case is reviewed.A Virginia town councilman is under fire, accused of defacing a public proclamation that was to go to the descendants of a man who was lynched.

The president of the Loudoun County NAACP called for Leesburg Councilman Thomas Dunn's resignation after he wrote a message on a Juneteenth proclamation rather than signing it.

The Leesburg Town Council passed a resolution proclaiming June 19-20 as Juneteenth and urging residents to recognize "this celebration in African-American history." Juneteenth celebrates slavery's end in the U.S.

The resolution also recognizes lynchings that occurred in Virginia, including one in Leesburg.

Dunn didn't sign the proclamation, instead writing a statement in his signature line.

The statement read,  Juneteenth is a celebration, lynchings are not, Pastor Michelle Thomas said.

Thomas, the Loudoun County NAACP president, said Dunn's remark is a clear insult.

Leesburg Town Council member Tom Dunn must resign from his elected position effective immediately, Councilman Ron Campbell said.

Dunn told news outlets he won't resign and criticized groups for refusing to accept differing opinions.

He released a statement saying, Juneteenth is a celebration of the freedom of slavery by Texas and should not be diminished by bringing in other issues, while important, are not to be celebrated but observed such as lynchings.

Were not celebrating the lynching, Thomas said. Were celebrating the person.

Dunn has written statements on his signature line on proclamations related to gay rights and gun violence.

It keeps happening, and if we let the subtle stuff go, the big stuff moves in, Loudoun County NAACP Vice President Amanda Tandy said.New Hampshire Fish and Game officials say two people have died in two days while hiking trails in New Hampshire's White Mountains, while a third hiker rescued survived.

News releases from the agency say two people were rescued while attempting to climb Mount Washington on Thursday.

The first, 63-year-old Sandra Lee of Mount Tabor, New Jersey, suffered an unknown medical condition on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Hours later, 80-year-old James Clark of Dublin, Ohio, was found immobile in the fetal position with signs of hypothermia. He was treated at a hospital for what authorities say were non-life-threatening injuries.

On Friday, 69-year-old William Whittenaur of Lancaster, New Hampshire, suffered a medical emergency and died on the Blue Trail, part of a system leading to Mt. Cabot in Shelburne.Portland Maine is seeking solutions to a major influx of asylum seekers.

This week, more than 150 people have arrived in the city seeking relief from political persecution in their home countries.

An emergency shelter has been set up in Portlands Exposition Center and Friday afternoon, Portland officials briefed Maine Governor Janet Mills on how they were handling the situation.

"We had 157 people stay at the shelter, we have currently processed through our intake, 227 people in total," said city manager, Jon Jennings. "Things are still very fluid on the ground."

Most of the asylum seekers fled the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.

They arrived in the United States via the southern border with Mexico.

In addition to Jennings, Portland city staff and city councilors, panelists at Fridays meeting included heads of Maine state agencies like its Center for Disease Control and the Maine Emergency Management Agency, which is supplying cots at the Expo.

Jason Owens, the chief U.S. Border Patrol agent for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Maine told the group all the asylum seekers will have to wait for a judge to validate their asylum claims.

They will not be deported but will have to find somewhere to stay on their own until their court appearance.

Portland leaders say the maximum capacity of asylum seekers they can house with public resources right now is 450.

The city of South Portland has stepped in to help with asylum seekers that are already here.

Governor Mills urged other communities to assist as well saying the influx is , "not just an issue Portland is going to deal with alone. We're all in this together."

Portland has already collected $200,000 in donations to help pay for items the asylum seekers may need during their stays.

Jennings said large companies and non-profits including Hannaford, Preble Street, Unum, Mercy Hospital and Maine Medical Center have all stepped in to provide meals, fresh linen and other items to the asylees.

The city says it now has enough food to give them three meals every day for "several weeks," according to Jennings.

But when the influx will stop and who will pay for these needs long-term remains a question.

As some in the meeting pointed out, the crisis is at least partially, a federal one that needs to be resolved at a higher level than Portlands city government.

"Make no mistake about it, the only way that this ends for everybody is for that crisis on the border to end," said Chief Agent Owens. "There has to be a change in policy and process."U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is working with other Democratic members of Congress to push legislation aimed at making it easier and less expensive to obtain birth control pills.

The legislation would require insurance companies to cover any oral contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The pills would be available over-the counter without the need for a prescription.

Supporters say the bill would expand access to affordable birth control while maintaining the FDA's authority to determine the safety of drugs.

Pressley said the change would affirm a person's right to make decisions about their body and if and when to start a family.

Among the bill's other Democratic supporters are Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island.It's looking more likely that the shooting of David Ortiz wasn't an isolated act but rather a premeditated plan to murder the Boston Red Sox legend.

Authorities in the Dominican Republic are investigating whether two suspects in the case -- Jose Eduardo Ciprian Lebron and Carlos Rafael Alvarez -- hatched the plot to kill Ortiz from prison, the Boston Globe reported Friday morning.

Per the Globe, authorities are looking into whether Lebron, who's serving time for separate murder charges, played a role in organizing the $7,800 payout sent to the alleged attackers to kill Ortiz.

Police also claim they have evidence that Alvarez, currently on a 20-year sentence for aggravated robbery, contacted some of the suspects arrested in the shooting, per Alvarez's lawyer.

The complicated case already has implicated 10 suspects -- including alleged gunman Rolfi Ferreras Cruz -- who were presented in court Thursday and were indicted Friday in connection with the shooting of Ortiz in the Dominican on Sunday night.

Police believe four additional suspects, including the boss of a criminal organization in Reading, Pa., are still at large as they try to determine who ordered the killing of one of the most popular figures in the Dominican.

Ortiz, meanwhile, remains in recovery at Massachusetts General Hospital after two surgeries to repair liver and kidney damage.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.President Donald Trump has made a disaster declaration for Vermont's Bennington, Essex, Orange, Rutland, Washington and Windsor counties for flooding in April.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott says a preliminary assessment by the Federal Emergency Management Agency identified more than $2 million in eligible public infrastructure damage, more than double the minimum for a disaster declaration.

Heavy rains and snowmelt caused flooding that led to road closures, some evacuations and a rescue from a flooded parking lot.

The disaster declaration allows municipalities to receive 75% federal reimbursement for storm response and recovery.

Scott said the federal assistance will help municipalities rebuild roads and other infrastructure without experiencing a "long-term financial strain.''Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan visited a border city in Texas on Saturday and said he intends to accelerate planning to secure the border and bolster the administration's ability to accomplish that without the Pentagon's continuous help.

He also offered assurances to perhaps two dozen Border Patrol agents and other officials at the McAllen Border Patrol Station that the Pentagon would not withdraw its military support prematurely.

"We're not going to leave until the border is secure," he said, adding, "This isn't about identifying a problem. It's about fixing a problem more quickly."

Shanahan told Congress this past week that there are 4,364 military troops on the border, including active-duty and National Guard. They are erecting barriers, providing logistics and transportation service and other activities in support of Customs and Border Protection. The troops are prohibited from performing law enforcement duties. Troops have been deployed on the border since last October and are committed to being there through September.

While flying to Texas, he dismissed any suggestion that active-duty forces will extend their mission for the long haul. "It will not be indefinite," he told reporters traveling with him.

Shanahan also said he has instructed a two-star Army general, Ricky Waddell, to develop a plan soon that will answer this question: "How do we get more badges back to the border?"  a reference to ensuring Homeland Security Department is fully capable of securing the border, its core mission.

Shortfalls in personnel and other resources have prompted DHS to periodically ask for the military's help on the U.S.-Mexico border, without a plan for how to fix the underlying resource problems.

"What we want is for DHS to be effective and stand alone," Shanahan said, with the Pentagon always available to help in an emergency, as it has in the past.

DHS on Friday submitted another request for Pentagon assistance, defense officials said Saturday. That request, which has not previously been disclosed, is for shelter for detained migrants, and would include tents to be set up but not secured by an undetermined number of military troops, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning.

Shanahan announced on Friday that he was transferring $1.5 billion from numerous defense projects, including $604 million originally intended for use in support of Afghan security forces, to a Pentagon counterdrug fund that will help finance construction of barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border. That is in addition to $1 billion the Pentagon transferred for wall construction in March.

Shanahan has supported the use of active-duty troops, in addition to the National Guard, to bolster CPB efforts to handle surging numbers of Central American migrants seeking to cross the border. But recently he has hinted at impatience with the lack of a long-term strategy for ensuring border security.

In congressional testimony May 1, Shanahan said he and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have been considering the question of how long the military will be needed at the border and how best it can support that need.

"The question he and I are trying to answer," Shanahan said, "is, how long will we be at the border." He added, "We really need to get back to our primary missions and continue to generate readiness" to undertake conventional military operations.

On May 3, Shanahan told reporters that the border crisis had developed more quickly than anyone had anticipated, putting extra pressure on DHS.

"I don't think anybody thought it would be this bad, the situation would deteriorate like it has, and that distress would be as high on those front-line (DHS) employees," he said.

Many Democrats have questioned the use of active-duty troops on the border.

"The longer the Southwest border mission continues, the line of demarcation starts to blur in terms of where we're drawing a line saying this is not a military responsibility, this is law enforcement, immigration, internal security responsibility," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said at a recent hearing.

As a prelude to the trip, the White House on Thursday announced that Trump intends to nominate Shanahan as defense secretary, ending months of speculation about Pentagon leadership. He has served in an interim capacity since Jan. 1, an unprecedented period of uncertainty at the helm of the Pentagon.

Trump elevated him from deputy secretary to replace Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned in December.

The White House has never explained why it took Trump so long to decide to nominate Shanahan, a former Boeing Co. executive. Trump himself has said he likes to keep Cabinet members in an acting status because gives him more flexibility, although it also frustrates the Senate's efforts to exercise its constitutional role of providing advice and consent.

In March, the Defense Department's inspector general investigated accusations that Shanahan had shown favoritism toward Boeing during his time as deputy defense secretary, while disparaging Boeing competitors. The investigation appeared to stall his nomination, but the internal watchdog wrapped up the inquiry in April and cleared Shanahan of any wrongdoing.Just in time for the July 4th holiday, Stamfords Avon Theatre is hosting its annual screening of the summer classic Jaws on Wednesday, July 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Click here for tickets and more information.

Based on Peter Benchleys best-selling novel, Steven Spielbergs 1975 shark saga set the standard for the new Hollywood popcorn blockbuster while frightening millions of moviegoers out of the water, the theater noted in a news release.

The films early action takes place over the Fourth of July weekend, as vacationing city folk swarm the beach. When the giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers on Amity Island, a fictional New England summer resort town, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) decides to hunt it down with the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw).

Sign up to get events, interviews with artists and more delivered to your inbox for free.

Benchley himself can be seen in a cameo in the film as the news reporter who addresses the camera on the beach. Benchley had previously worked as a news reporter for the Washington Post before writing Jaws.

And, according to writer Carl Gottlieb, the iconic line Youre gonna need a bigger boat was not scripted, but was ad-libbed by Scheider.

The 124-minute film is rated PG. $13; $10 students, seniors; members $8; Carte Blanche members free. 203-967-3660.Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Snow along with gusty winds at times. High 6F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low -7F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.HARTFORD  The state Supreme Court, ruling the states top criminologist had given false testimony, ordered a new trial for two men who have served more than 30 years in prison for a New Milford murder they claim they didnt commit.

Shawn Henning and Ralph Birch have steadfastly maintained their innocence in the 1985 murder of 65-year-old Everett Carr, claiming their conviction was the result of false testimony by state criminologist Henry Lee regarding bloody towels found at the crime scene.

While a civil appeals judge later rejected Birchs and Hennings claims, on Friday the states highest court ruled they should get a new trial.

We agree with the petitioner that, contrary to the determination of the habeas court, he is entitled to a new trial due to the states failure to alert the trial court and the petitioner that Lees testimony was incorrect, and, therefore, we reverse the judgment of the habeas court, the appeals court ruled.

We are so delighted and ecstatic, said Hennings lawyer, James Cousins. Justice has prevailed.

He said that neither Henning nor Birch had anything to do with the murder, and points they raised showing their innocence were reiterated in the Supreme Courts decision.

Craig A. Raabe, the other attorney representing Henning also applauded the decision.

Shawn Henning was wrongly imprisoned for nearly 30 years on the false and misleading testimony of Henry Lee, said Cousins co-counsel Craig Raabe. It has taken 30 years to correct this injustice and we are very pleased with the courts thoughtful decision.

States Attorney David Shepack could not be reached for comment.

In 1985, Carr was murdered in what appeared to be a home burglary.

At the time Henning and Birch, 17 and 18 years old respectively, were troubled youth living in a stolen car and burgling homes in the New Milford area.

The two teens were taken in as suspects and while they confessed to stealing the car and to committing four other area burglaries, they steadfastly insisted they were not involved with the Carr murder.

The victim, clad only in an undershirt and underwear, was lying in a pool of blood. Blood spatter and smears covered the walls around him, almost to the ceiling.

An autopsy later revealed the victim had sustained about 27 stab wounds, a severed jugular vein and blunt force trauma to the head.

While none of the victims blood was found on either Birch or Henning, or in the car they drove, the prosecutor argued the men cleaned up after the murder based on Lees testimony.

During his testimony, Lee relied on certain photographs of the crime scene. One photograph was of two towels hanging next to the sink in an upstairs bathroom.

Although the towels had not been tested for the presence of blood Lee testified that they had, in fact, been so tested, stating that a [s]mear of blood was found on[one of] the towel[s] and that this smear was [a]na-lyzed and shows blood.

The men were tried separately and convicted of Carrs murder in 1989. Henning was sentenced to 50 years and Birch, 55 years in prison.

The state proffered two theories, one of which the respondent now concedes was predicated on Lees incorrect testimony. If the jury had known that Lees testimony about finding blood on the bathroom towel was incorrect,that knowledge might well have caused it to question the reliability of his other testimony. If that had occurred, the states entire case against the petitioner could very well have collapsed, the Supreme Court ruled.RIDGEFIELD  Some people come into our lives and drift out, without making much difference. Others have a profound impact, are never forgotten  and even inspire a movie.

For Nick Freeman, 22, of Ridgefield, one who mattered was Bill Bellion  his former manager at Squashs Office Supply on Main Street in Ridgefield.

Working at Squashs for four years was truly an unforgettable experience, said Freeman. Bill felt like a second father to me. He never had children, but me and two other co-workers, celebrated Fathers Day one year with him and got him a card. His appreciation and care for us as more than his employees is something I can never forget.

Those fond memories and Bellions recent passing inspired Freeman, a senior at New York University, to write Help Wanted, a short film for his senior thesis project in Advanced Narrative Workshop.

I hope it will be a fitting tribute for one of the kindest, goodhearted people Ive ever known. I tried to incorporate his unique brand of humor and wide emotional range into the writing, said Freeman, who will earn a B.F.A. in film and television in December.

To complete the film, he teamed up with his best friend of 10 years, Dion White, 22, of Ridgefield, a senior at Western Connecticut State University.

Its always been a dream of ours to work together on a project, said White who will earn a B.A. in media production in December. Nick always used to make music videos for his brother, which I was involved in. This inspired me to use the knowledge I already had and expand it further in my college studies.

White added: I thank Dr. Barone in Westconns media department for the development of my craft.

Freeman praises Whites production skills. Its incredible to work with Dion on this film because its very personal for both of us. Were so happy to be shooting in our hometown and bringing this dream full circle.

Help Wanted is a 15-minute dark comedy.

Its about a lonely store manager who comes into his second life after discovering the therapeutic wonder of ASMR [Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response] soap carving. ASMR is a type of therapy based in sound. Scientists have no idea what it is or how it works, but it exists. Its an extremely strange phenomenon, said Freeman.

I heard about ASMR years ago through friends, but was inspired to incorporate it into the film after looking over the shoulder of a classmate who was watching ASMR soap carving videos in class. I found it both incredibly strange and very mesmerizing.

Freemans objective is to create a world that captures the spirit of the store and his former boss.

An office supply store seems ordinary. My goal is to heighten this seemingly normal experience and create something surreal and unexpected, he said.

Although White never worked at Squashs, Bellion was an important part of his high school experience.

Id frequently go there and talk to Bill. He was an exceptional person. He was truly the face of Squashs and everyone in town knew and loved him, White said.

The film has two starring leads, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Douglas McGrath, and writer-humorist, Patricia Marx.

I met Doug and Patty when we began working on a mockumentary web series together last year. I was blown away by their quick wit and comedic sense, Freeman said.

Both McGrath and Marx are known for their comedic writing for Saturday Night Live in the 1980s. McGrath has written and directed film and theater while Marx writes for The New Yorker.

Doug is absolutely hilarious and can convey a broad emotional range. I couldnt be more excited about having him, Freeman said.

The cast and crew will be filming at Squashs Office Supply in June.

The town has been a huge help to us. Were hoping to get even more support, making it a true Ridgefield production, said White.

Freeman has high expectations for the film.

I want this film to be sad, strange, funny and beautiful, he said.

Freeman credits his professor, Katherine Lindberg, for being a tremendous help in developing the project. Shes made her course incredibly challenging and gratifying, he said.

Freemans classmate, Bre Kelly, 21, a senior at NYU, is assisting White with production.

This fall, Freeman and White plan on hosting a screening of the film at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, N.Y., and theyll submit it to film festivals.

And more filmmaking is planned. Freeman plans on pursuing a career in the film industry.

I hope to start out by finding any kind of work, whether it be editing, shooting or directing. My more realistic dream is to start out by shooting or directing music videos, said Freeman.

He is currently a videographer at Universal Music Group, shooting and editing music videos and behind-the-scenes pieces for artists.

White will also pursue a career in the industry. Im planning on starting my own production company one day where I can work with the people I love and love what I do.

Freeman and White are raising money through Indiegogo.com(www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-wanted-a-dark-comedy-nyu-short-film) and reaching out independently.The Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT will host a community dinner June 27 at 6 p.m. at St. Johns Episcopal Church in New Milford.

This dinner is planned to be part of a regular series of dinners.

In these busy times it can be difficult to put a meal on the table, to find time to spend with your loved ones or to get to know new people, said Executive Director Dawn Hammacott. With the community dinners, we do the prep, cooking and clean-up while guests enjoy time with their family, friends and neighbors.

The dinner menu will include roasted chicken, German potato salad, grilled summer vegetables, cole slaw, watermelon, cookies and lemonade.

The cost is $15 per adult and $7.50 per child 12 and under.

Individuals can also donate funds for a community fund which will supply dinner tickets to those who could not otherwise afford to attend.

A Community Dinner should be open to all and Community Fund ticket purchases will make that possible, said Hammacott.

Tickets can be purchased at www.communityculinaryschool.org or by calling 203-512-5791.

The Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT provides job and life skills training to unemployed and underemployed adults.

The schools next 12-week session will begin Sept. 9.

To enroll, email culinaryschool@sbcglobal.net or visit www.communityculinaryschool.org.Internationally acclaimed poet Susan Kinsolving will lead a reading and signing of her recently released book, Peripheral Vision, June 23 at 2 p.m. in Washington.

The event, which is open to the public, will be held at Gunn Memorial Library on Wykeham Road.

Peripheral Vision, Kinsolvings fourth book of poems, explores the world from many points of view. She takes her readers to England, Hollywood, Wyoming, France, and Chile.

As a guest poet and lecturer, Kinsolving has performed at numerous venues, including Harvard, Columbia and Yale University, as well as Bad Robot in Santa Monica and Bread Loaf in Vermont.

Books will be available to purchase and be signed, courtesy of Hickory Stick Bookshop.

Kinsolvings previous books are The White Eyelash and Dailies & Rushes, a finalist for The National Book Critics Circle Award, and Among Flowers.

Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies.

She has received critical acclaim from The New York Times, The New Yorker, Poetry, Kirkus Reviews, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair and Publishers Weekly.

Kinsolving has taught at seminars and schools across the country. As a guest poet and lecturer, she has appeared in many venues, nationally and internationally.

She has received residential poetry fellowships from France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland, New York, Illinois and Wyoming.

She is poet in residence at Hotchkiss School.

For more information and RSVP, call 860-868-7586.A talk and visual presentation, New England Geology: Ice Ages, Plate Collisions, Earthquakes & Climate Change, will be held June 22 at 11 a.m. at Gunn Memorial Library in Washington.

Geologist Dr. James Lawford Anderson will be the guest speaker for the program sponsored by the Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust at the Wykeham Road library.Summer solstice community yoga, 108 sun salutations, will be held June 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Village Green in New Milford.

A rain date of June 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. is planned for the event co-sponsored by ah Yoga & Wellness Center, Larry Schmitt Thai Yoga, Elora Allen Yoga and Quiet Spruce Wellness.With the redevelopment of the Central Virginia Training Center a top priority for area officials, a plan is in the works to seek money for tearing down a majority of the nearly 100 buildings on the Madison Heights campus.

Amherst County Administrator Dean Rodgers informed the board of supervisors at its June 4 meeting of a strategy among local officials and the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance to ask state lawmakers for $20 million during the next three years to cover costs of demolition for the majority of buildings on the roughly 350-acre campus.

Thats a huge ask, Rodgers said.

One company calculated the demolition at $50 million to $100 million to remove more than 90 structures, he said.

CVTC, which dates back to 1911, is a state-run center for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. The facility is slated to close in June 2020 as part of an agreement between the state and the U.S. Department of Justice to move residents into community-based settings.

Meanwhile, area officials are gearing up to market the property for redevelopment to bring jobs to the region. Amherst County supervisors and the countys economic development authority each have committed $50,000 toward securing a GO Virginia grant. The Central Virginia Planning District Commission also recently opted to contribute $150,000 toward completing the local match to a $250,000 grant, if awarded, for a redevelopment plan.

CVTC is set to be declared excess property next summer and will go into the hands of the Virginia Department of General Services, which will seek a buyer, according to Rodgers. Supervisor Claudia Tucker asked if any of the structures proposed for demolition have historical significance.

Rodgers noted CVTCs history as a host site for eugenics many decades ago, which resulted in some residents being sterilized. In reference to the historical aspect, he added: It may not be pleasant significance.

Horizon Behavioral Health, a Lynchburg-based organization that provides a range of community services, is pursuing a lease with the state for a handful of buildings in good condition. The alliance will create a steering committee as the redevelopment plan for the majority of the campus moves forward, Rodgers said.

We need money for demolition, regardless of any planning, he said to supervisors.

Supervisor David Pugh said the county is not in any position to contribute to tearing down structures at CVTC.

We cant get involved in a $50 million to $100 million gig here, he said.

Rodgers said the countys best means to have some control over the CVTC site is through zoning and creating an overlay district for guiding future use. The countys goal is to generate tax revenue.

Bottom line for us, having the [redevelopment] plan and having a zoning plan in place is how we will control it, Rodgers said.

Reach Justin Faulconer at (434) 385-5551.

Reach Justin Faulconer at (434) 385-5551.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Thumbs up to the organizers, staff and volunteers at the Lynchburg Freedom School, which will open its doors Monday on the campus of Randolph College. Its been a long time in planning and preparation, but finally the dream of many is about to become a reality.

The Freedom School movement has its roots in the civil rights movement when many Southern states barred African-American children from public schools in the fight against desegregation. Many public school divisions in Virginia, for example, closed their doors rather than integrate. Freedom schools began as a free alternative school for those black children whose education was cut short by racist politicians fighting to keep schools segregated by race. The modern Freedom Schools, operated through a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., model themselves on the original schools, recreating them as summer programs to encourage literacy and student empowerment.

In Lynchburg, The Listening, a local nonprofit, has partnered with Randolph to open a Freedom School here. Its been months in planning, and it all comes down to Monday morning. According to director Rox Cruz, all 50 spots in the inaugural Freedom School have been filled with rising sixth- through ninth-graders in local schools. And the costs? All covered by donations from folks in the community, grants and other sources. The curriculum will include everything from local history and the history of the civil rights movement to reading and conflict resolution.

Freedom Schools can be found in communities across the nation, but in Virginia, the only other program is in Norfolk. To learn more about the program, visit The Listening website, welcometothelistening.org/freedom-schools.

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Thumbs up to the folks at The Sodexo Culinary Internship Program at Liberty University for hosting culinary students from high schools throughout Central Virginia for a week of intensive training in the industry.

Eight juniors and seniors from culinary arts programs at four local high schools spent the week working with professionals in the Sodexo kitchens at Liberty University, where Sodexo provides food services. The program is in its third year.

Students had to submit an application and resumes to Sodexo officials and undergo an interview before starting the program, another element recreating a real-life job experience.

Whats even greater for the participants is what happens after the program ends. Yes, theyll receive a certificate of completion, but even more important, the students will be eligible to apply for full-time positions with Sodexo.

Congratulations to all involved!(Newser)  Jurors in Washington state on Friday heard about the mysterious final days of a young Canadian couple killed in 1987as well as the novel method authorities used to finally make an arrest three decades later, the AP reports. William Earl Talbott II was arrested last year and charged with aggravated murder, after authorities said they used genetic genealogy to identify him as the person who left his DNA on the clothing of one of the victims. The practice involves identifying suspects by entering crime-scene DNA profiles into public databases that people have used for years to fill out their family trees. Opening statements began with a prosecutor describing how 18-year-old Tanya Van Cuylenborg and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jay Cook, left British Columbia for what was supposed to be an overnight trip to Seattle in November 1987.

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When they didn't return, their families began a frantic search for them, including renting a plane to try to spot the copper-colored Ford van they had been driving. About a week later, Van Cuylenborg's body was found down an embankment in rural Skagit County, north of Seattle. She had been shot in the back of the head. Hunters found Cook dead two days later, beaten and strangled, in brush near a bridge over the Snoqualmie River in Monroeabout 60 miles from where his girlfriend was discovered. Detectives investigated hundreds of leads for decades, then used a DNA lab and concluded that the killer was a male child of William and Patricia Talbott. William Talbott II, now 56, was their only son. He was 24 at the time of the killings and lived near where Cook's body was found. (DNA evidence has also led to an arrest in the 1987 killing of a soldier.)(Newser)  A suburban Denver man has been arrested in the unsolved slaying of a soldier in Colorado 32 years ago after DNA evidence was used to create an image of what a suspect might look like, authorities said Friday. Civilian and Army investigators arrested Michael Whyte of Thornton in the 1987 strangulation death of Darlene Krashoc, 20, a soldier stationed at Fort Carson outside Colorado Springs. Whyte, 58, was arrested at his home Thursday on suspicion of first-degree murder, per the AP. Krashoc's body was found behind a Colorado Springs restaurant on March 17, 1987. Investigators said she'd gone to a nightclub the previous evening with other soldiers from her unit, a maintenance company. She was last seen leaving the club between midnight and 1am, and police found her body during a routine patrol.

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Investigators said they believe her body had been moved to a spot behind the restaurant, but they didn't say where she was killed. Authorities said they reopened the investigation twice before, in 2004 and 2011, and found male DNA on several pieces of evidence. The Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory reanalyzed the DNA in 2016, and it was sent to a private company that specializes in using DNA to create images of what someone might look like. The company made two composites, one showing the person at about age 25 and another at about 50 to 55. Police said the process, called phenotyping, uses DNA to predict traits such as ancestry, hair and eye color, and face shape. Authorities made at least one of the pictures public in 2017, but they haven't said if that generated a tip that led to Whyte's arrestonly that DNA led them to him. The images haven't been made public. (Read more cold cases stories.)(Newser)  A former Arkansas state senator was found dead of a gunshot wound at her Randolph County home last week, and now police have a suspect in custody, per CBS News. Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, 48, of Pocahontas has been arrested, with criminal charges still to come. A release from Arkansas State Police notes that authorities plan on keeping mum on further details until they're "confident it will not [compromise] the integrity of the criminal case." Although police haven't yet revealed what relationship may have existed between Collins-Smith and O'Donnell, Heavy.com suggests O'Donnell may have done campaigning in the past for Collins-Smith.

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And a statement from Collins-Smith's family cited by KATV does indeed indicate the two women knew each other. "We are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime," the statement read. CNN notes Collins-Smith's death doesn't seem to be related to the death of another former state senator, Jonathan Nichols of Oklahoma, who was found shot to death in his home on June 5, the day after Collins-Smith was killed. (Read more Arkansas stories.)(Newser)  "I had no business being in a movie like that." So says Julia Roberts about the original Pretty Womanthen titled 3000a film that apparently went from dark-and-art to Hollywood rom-com before anyone yelled "action!" Roberts tells the story in a Variety Actors on Actors interview with Patricia Arquette, who herself auditioned for the original part. The 3000 project "was really dark and the ending was really heavy," says Arquette. "It really read like a dark gritty art movie." Roberts recalls reading in the 3000 script that someone threw her character from a car, "threw the money on top of her, as memory serves, and just drove away leaving her in some dirty alley." Roberts got the part but seemed to lose it when the project went to Disney.

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"And I went, went to Disney?" she says. "Are they gonna animate it? How does this become a Disney movie?" New director Garry Marshall still met with Roberts "because he's a great human being" and "felt it would only be fair to meet me, since I had this job for three days and lost it." And we all know how that turned out. "I couldn't do it then, I couldn't do it now," says Roberts of the original version. "Thank god it fell apart." Roberts also touches on whether her salaries broke a glass ceiling, saying "it never felt like pressure" and she considered the big bucks "ridiculous, but I'll be part of this party," per People. She also shrugs off the notion of being "America's sweetheart": "I am very unemotional about stuff like that," she says, per Today. "I don't feel that I have to live up to something." (Read more Hollywood stories.)(Newser)  New Jersey police responding to a call from cops in a neighboring state say they found a 46-year-old man with a loaded firearm and dozens of rounds of ammo outside an elementary school, putting the school in lockdown. ABC News reports on the incident that took place Thursday afternoon, when Delaware State Police alerted local cops that Thomas J. Wilkie was on his way to Tamaques Elementary School, per the Westfield Police Department. When police converged on the scene, they came across Wilkie hunkered down in an SUV, with a .45-caliber handgun filled with hollow-pointed bullets, per a statement from the Union County Prosecutor's Office. The Delaware man also had two more clips and 130 additional rounds of ammo in the trunk, cops say.

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Wilkie's father, George, tells NJ.com that he thinks his son may have gone to the school to see a current or former girlfriend. "I have no idea exactly what went down because we have not been contacted by the police up there," George Wilkie says. NBC New York, meanwhile, says Wilkie may have gone to the school "because of a relationship gone bad with a faculty member," citing info from a senior law enforcement official. School officials tell the New York Times it has an active-shooter plan in place and regularly conducts drills. Wilkie was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, fourth-degree possession of hollow-point bullets, and fourth-degree trespassing on school grounds. He'll next appear in court on Wednesday and could see five to 10 years behind bars on the weapons charge if convicted. (Read more New Jersey stories.)(Newser)  An argument at a Southern California Costco turned deadly Friday evening, with a suspect now in custody. The AP reports one person was killed as a result of the altercation, while a release from the Corona Police Department notes three others were injured from the gunfire, including an off-duty officer from another agency. CNN reports one of the injured was the gunman himself, and Corona PD Lt. Jeff Edwards says other people were hurt during the terror-driven stampede of shoppers trying to escape the store. The conditions of those hurt aren't yet known, and police aren't releasing the identity of the deceased person until the next of kin has been notified.

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Witnesses tell KCAL, via the AP, that a man with a Mohawk was seen in a tiff with someone near the frozen-foods section when he pulled out a firearm and got off at least six shots. Edwards notes the person killed was one of those involved in the argument. "I heard pop, pop, pop," one witness tells KABC, while a couple shopping for barbecue supplies tells KTLA they and other shoppers had trouble getting out of the store's emergency exits. "It's not very fun when you're scared and you're running for your life, and you're trying to open a door that says 'emergency' and they don't open," Rochelle Flores says, adding she hurt her hand trying to pry the door open. Her companion notes they had to find their way to the front entrance to get out instead. (Read more shooting stories.)(Newser)  The owner of an oil tanker attacked near the Strait of Hormuz is pushing back against the US version of events, NBC News reports. The president of the company that owns the Kokuka Courageous, one of two tankers targeted Thursday in a politically charged incident, says the Japanese vessel was almost certainly hit by something above water level. "We received reports that something flew towards the ship," says Yutaka Katada, head of Kokaku Sangyo Co. "The place where the projectile landed was significantly higher than the water level, so we are absolutely sure that this wasnt a torpedo. I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship."

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That appears to contradict video released by the US military showing Iranian forces taking an unexploded mine off one of the two tankers, per CBS News. Katada went so far as to call a reported mine attack "false," but did say crew members saw a nearby Iranian naval ship at some point during the attack. He also said there were two strikes, one near the engine room and another on the starboard side close to the rear. Washington is yet to respond, and owners of the other tanker, Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair, haven't said what hit their vessel. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iran for the attacks, and Iran has denied it. (Iran just released a US resident it had held for four years.)(Newser)  If Russia is plunged into darkness one day, Washington may well be behind itor so US officials are telling the New York Times. In a strategic shift, the US military's Cyber Command is planting malware in Russia's electrical grid to offset the threat that Russia can do the same to America. The FBI and Homeland Security have warned for years that Moscow has planted malware in US power plants, water supplies, and gas and oil pipelines. Now, with President Trump and Congress giving Cyber Command more leeway, it's game on. The US "has gotten far, far more aggressive over the past year," says a top intelligence officer on condition of anonymity. "We are doing things at a scale that we never contemplated a few years ago."

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The story dates back to the Obama era, when Russian hackers increasingly breached the Pentagon and US electric utilities. President Obama slow-walked a response until Russia upped the ante by turning off the power for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians for a few hours in 2015: "That was the crossing of the Rubicon," says a security expert. Obama responded by increasing US hacking into Russiahow much is still not publicand a 2018 military authorization bill approved by Congress allowed "clandestine military activity" in cyberspace without the president's OK, per CNET. Meet the new military standoff: "It's 21st-century gunboat diplomacy," saw a law professor in Texas. "We used to park ships within sight of the shore. Now, perhaps, we get access to key systems like the electric grid." (Read more cybersecurity stories.)(Newser)  Sen. Susan Collins is raising media eyebrows with her opposition to one of President Trump's federal judicial nominations, the Washington Post reports. The Maine Republican said Friday she won't back federal nominee Matthew Kacsmaryk, who has severely criticized gay and transgender people, as a district judge in the Northern District of Texas. Kacsmaryk "has dismissed proponents of reproductive choice as 'sexual revolutionaries,' and disdainfully criticized the legal foundations of Roe v. Wade," says Collins. "Such extreme statements reflect poorly on Mr. Kacsmaryks temperament and suggest an inability to respect precedent and to apply the law fairly and impartially."

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Not everything about Kacsmaryk would make Collins' head spinhe has, after all, referred to Supreme Court decisions as "superprecedent" and won an award for protecting national security while serving as assistant US attorney for the Northern District of Texas, from 2008 to 2013. But he has also called transgenderism "a mental disorder" and referred to Catechism in slamming gay acts as "intrinsically disordered." Such opinions inspired a letter from 75 LGBT and allied groups to Congress opposing Kacsmaryk. His nomination will likely withstand Collins' opposition, per the Post, but it's notable after she faced fierce criticism last year for helping confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. A vote to end a filibuster of Kacsmaryk is slated for Tuesday, per CNN. (Read more judicial nominations stories.)(Newser)  An off-duty Los Angeles police officer discharged his firearm during a Costco shootout Friday evening that killed one person and injured three others, the AP reports. It was not immediately clear whether the unidentified officer was the only person who fired shots inside the Southern California store Friday night or if another person also opened fire or had a weapon. Corona Police officer Tobias Kouroubacalis said Saturday he could not confirm if there was more than one shooter and said no one was in custody following the shooting that prompted a stampede of frightened shoppers to flee the store east of Los Angeles and seek cover inside. Witnesses said they saw a man with a Mohawk haircut arguing with someone near a freezer section when shots rang out at least six times.

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The man involved in the argument was killed, Corona police Lt. Jeff Edwards says. The injured officer was treated for minor injuries and released from a hospital. Corona police did not disclose details of what led to the shooting but witnesses said there was an altercation. Shoppers and employees described terror and chaos when shots rang out shortly before 8 p.m. Friday and police swarmed the store. Shrieks from inside the store were heard on video recorded by shopper Nikki Tate, who had stopped by with her daughter to pick up steaks and lobsters for Father's Day. Tate said Saturday she was by the meat section when she heard "about six or seven shots." In the video, her daughter says, "Mommy, we need to go."

(Read more shooting stories.)Sorry!

This content is not available in your regionNew Delhi:

Hondas new compact electric vehicle Honda e has been finally revealed as some details have poured out over the internet giving an idea of its specifications. The upcoming car is available for order but the deliveries will begin in 2020.

Honda e will arrive in 50:50 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity and the elements of the suspension components are forged aluminium which reduces weight and benefit performance and efficiency.

The upcoming electric car will sport a 35.5 kWh, liquid-cooled battery which may have a range of 200 km. The company also claims that the car can be charged up to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes with Rapid-charging technology.

The battery pack is water-cooled to maintain an optimum thermal state which results in maximum efficiency of the battery and charge state.

Kohei Hitomi, Project Manager of Honda e explained why the battery of the car was kept small and said, We believe the range is sufficient for this segment of car, said Hitomi. Some potential customers might not be satisfied, but when you think about bigger range and a bigger battery, it has drawbacks in terms of packaging. Its a balance.

The battery of Honda e is quite smaller than Kia e-Niro and BMW i3 which is 454 km and 310 km respectively.

Honda has already received more than 31,000 expressions of interest as of now and it could be trend setter in the segment.

Hitomi said it is important the car is affordable but he added: A low price is not always a guarantee of success. When you look at Apple products, they are not cheap, but everyone wants to have them because of their added value. We believe it is the same for the electric vehicle.New Delhi:

JEECUP 2019: Joint Entrance Examination Council, Uttar Pradesh (JEECUP) has released the JEECUP 2019 Answer Key today i.e. June 15, 2019. The candidates who have appeared for the examination can get the access of the answer key on the official website of the council i.e. jeecup.nic.in. The candidates must note that the council has not only released the answer key but response sheet as well. For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the direct link through which the candidates can get the access of the answer sheet.

CLICK HERE FOR JEECUP Answer Key

The council has released the answer key and response sheet of JEECUP 2019 and the same is to be available until June 17, 2019. In this article, we have also mentioned the steps through which the candidates can download the JEECUP 2019 Answer Key:

Step 1: The candidates need to visit the official website of the council first i.e. jeecup.nic.in.

Step 2: On the homepage, they will find the direct link for the answer key and the response sheet.

Step 3: The candidates need to click on the link to get the answer key and they will have to enter the roll number and question booklet number in the portal.

Step 4: On submitting the details, the answer key will appear on the screen which the candidates should save for future.

The candidates should know that the result of JEECUP 2019 will be declared on June 20. The result will also be made available on the official website of the council.New Delhi:

In wake of the Arunachal Pradesh crash, the Indian Air Force is likely to take the AN-32s off duty for crucial missions, a latest media report said on Saturday. The Hindustan Times report said that the decision to stop using the twin-engine planes may become a reality soon due to safety concerns. The Arunachal Pradesh crash that killed all 13 onboard is third such incident involving the AN-32. This means that the Russian-origin planes wont be deployed in missions that involve flying over hilly regions or seas. Instead, the Indian Air Force may now use C295 aircraft for operations, the HT report said while quoting an official.

The report also mentions that the air force is actively looking to phase out the vintage AN-32s with the Airbus aircraft. It would cost the IAF around $2.5 billion to buy 56 C295 aircraft from the Airbus.

The Airbus C295 is a new generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment. It is robust and reliable but also highly versatile in terms of the number of different missions it can perform, says the official website of the defence manufacturing giant.

The C295 conducts multi-role operations worldwide under all weather conditions. It is fully certified and routinely operates day and night in combat missions in all weather extremes, from desert to maritime environments, from extremely hot to extremely cold temperatures, the site says while listing out C295 features.

The wreckage of the IAF aircraft was found Tuesday in Lipo locality of Arunachal Pradesh, the IAF said on Tuesday. The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft lost contact on the afternoon of June 3 after taking off from Jorhat in Assam for Menchuka advanced landing ground near the border with China. The wreckage of the aircraft has been located in an area called Lipo, the IAF said.

The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Menchuka advanced landing ground near the border with China on June 3 when it lost contact with ground staff at 1 pm, within 33 minutes of taking off. The IAF launched a massive operation after the aircraft went missing but the search was badly hit due to poor weather conditions.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday raked up the issue of full statehood to Delhi at the NITI Aayog meeting here and also sought the Centre's cooperation in the AAP government's project for natural storage of water in the Yamuna flood plains.

"Delhi be given the status of full statehood, which has been promised since decades but denied by successive central governments," the chief minister was quoted as saying in the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party had made the full statehood issue its poll plank in the recent Lok Sabha election, saying it has been unable to carry out its schemes effectively in Delhi due to the Centre's interference.

"Delhi government wants Centre's cooperation in its mega-project for natural storage of water in the Yamuna flood plains. Important studies, including from IIT Delhi, show in case this is done, water storage during a single Monsoon will be sufficient to end water shortage in Delhi for two years," the chief minister said.

Kejriwal also lamented that Delhi was not getting its share in central taxes.

"According to 14th Finance Commission, states get 42 per cent share in central taxes. whereas Delhi gets a paltry Rs 325 crore," the chief minister said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

As the doctors agitation entered the fifth day on Saturday, the stand-off between the West Bengal government and the doctors continued with the striking junior doctors of NRS Medical College and Hospital turning down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation for a meeting at Nabanna, the state secretariat. The junior doctors demand that the chief minister should come to NRS hospital for the meeting.

In the meantime, Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet Dr Paribaha Mukhopadhya, the medico injured in violence at NRS Medical College. There is heavy police deployment at the hospital. According to the reports, the doctors treating Paribaha Mukhopadhyay will brief Mamata Banerjee about the junior doctor's health condition.

The striking doctors are getting support from their fellow colleagues across the nation. The attack happened on Monday at the NRS Medical College and Hospital after a 75-year-old patient passed away and his family members reached the hospital around 11 pm and clashed with the junior doctors on duty, alleging medical negligence.

Earlier in the day, doctors at AIIMS Delhi and Safdarjung Hospital called off their strikes, but gave a 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee to meet the demands of the protesting doctors in Kolkata.

The agitating doctors, who have demanded Banerjee's unconditional apology, has set six conditions for the state government to withdraw their four-day-long stir that disrupted healthcare services across West Bengal.

"We want unconditional apology of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the manner in which she had addressed us at the SSKM Hospital yesterday. She should not have said what she had," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, Dr Arindam Dutta, said.

Listing the six conditions, the agitators said the chief minister will have to visit the injured doctors at the hospital and her office should release a statement condemning the attack on them.

"We also want immediate intervention of the chief minister. Documentary evidence of judicial enquiry against the inactivity of the police to provide protection to the doctors at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital on Monday night should also be provided," he said.

Two junior doctors were assaulted on Monday night by family members of a patient who died in the NRS Hospital.

They also demanded unconditional withdrawal of all "false cases and charges" which were imposed on junior doctors and medical students across West Bengal in the wake of their strike.

Earlier, Banerjee has invited four representatives of the doctors for talks at Nabanna. West Bengal Medical Education Department director, Dr Pradip Kumar Mitra, had conveyed Banerjees to the doctors at NRS Medical College & Hospital.

Following which the doctors held a discussion and decided not to go at Nabanna for talks.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi said he called up Banerjee to discuss the issue of junior doctors' strike but got no response from her.

Tripathi paid a visit to injured junior doctor Paribaha Mukhopadhyay at the hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

"I have tried to contact the chief minister. I have called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me, we will discuss the matter," he told reporters after visiting Mukhopadhyay at the hospital.

Mukhopadhyay is one of the two junior doctors attacked by relatives of a patient, who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital on Monday night, triggering the ongoing agitation by medicos across the state.

The Governor had met representatives of the doctors on Thursday.

In the wake of protests by the medical fraternity in support of agitating doctors in Kolkata, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has also urged Banerjee not to make this sensitive matter a "prestige issue" and to ensure an "amicable end" to the stir.

In a letter to Banerjee, the Union minister urged her to ensure an "amicable end" to the protests and provide a secure working environment for doctors.

He also appealed to the agitating doctors, particularly in West Bengal, to hold symbolic protests and resume work so that patients do not suffer.

"Strike is certainly not the best way to protest. Patients should not be deprived of immediate and emergency healthcare facilities," the Union health minister said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set formalise the much-anticipated Cabinet expansion with an oath-taking ceremony at Raj Bhawan in Mumbai tomorrow. According to sources, the ceremony will take place at around 11 am. The officials have already started to the preparations for the impending ceremony. Sources told News Nation that four leaders will take oath as ministers. These include two leaders from Shiv Sena. Others are Republican Party of Indias Avinash Mahatekar and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who left the Congress and joined BJP recently.

It is still not known as to who are these two Shiv Sena leaders who will take oath tomorrow. Though Shiv Sena has not said anything, there is a strong buzz that Uddhav Thackerays son Aaditya will take oath as Devendra Fadnavis deputy.

The development comes a day after the Shiv Sena chief and the Chief Minister met to work out on Cabinet expansion details. After meeting Uddhav Thackeray, Devendra Fadnavis tweeted, "I met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshri and discussed in the cabinet expansion in detail." At present, there are 37 ministers including Devendra Fadnavis in the Maharashtra cabinet. Five more can be accommodated.

Another important addition to Maharashtra cabinet is Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Former Maharashtra Congress leader, he resigned as MLA and submitted his resignation to Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha recently. At the time of his resignation, speculation was rife that he will join the Fadnavis government. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patils son Sujay Vikhe Patil had also left joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Meanwhile, saffron allies BJP and Shiv Sena will share equal number of seats in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, a senior BJP leader has said. Earlier this month, Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said the two parties would contest 135 seats each in the 288-member House, and leave 18 seats for other allies.

"Both Amit Shah and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had given a word that BJP and Shiv Sena will fight the assembly polls together. Our party doesn't go back on its word," Patil said.

"We have 122 sitting MLAs and eight independents are supporting the BJP, whereas the Shiv Sena has 63 sitting MLAs. We will get only five additional seats," he said.

Fadnavis is the natural choice of the people, of the BJP as well as that of the Shiv Sena, he said, adding, the chief minister has balanced relations with Shiv Sena very well. "He has good equations with Uddhav Thackeray."

"When 'Saamana' (Sena mouthpiece) wrote critical editorials, he would tell the party not to make their criticism public in the newspaper, but express it internally," Patil said.

In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls, the saffron parties together won 41 of the 48 seats. While the BJP secured 23 of the 25 seats it contested, the Sena managed victory in 18 of the 23 seats it fought.

Assembly elections in Maharashtra is scheduled to be held between September and October this year.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Amid continuing political violence in the state of West Bengal, the Home Ministry has sought a report from the state government on measures taken to contain such incidences. Confirming the report, Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Saturday took to Twitter and wrote, aCentre has sought a report from West Bengal Govt on measures taken to contain political violence and investigate such incidents of violence to bring culprits to book.a

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued another advisory to West Bengal state government on the ongoing strike by doctors and sought a report on the matter urgently. a Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) June 15, 2019

Centre has sought a report from West Bengal Govt on measures taken to contain political violence&investigate such incidents of violence to bring culprits to book. a Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) June 15, 2019

Earlier, the Centre government had issued an advisory to the West Bengal government to contain the political violence in the state. According to the report, the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1035 in 2018. Nearly 800 incidents have already taken place in 2019. "Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place in 2019 till date," sources said.

"The continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019, as evident from the above figures, is indicative of the failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state," the advisory read.

"A report may be sent to this Ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence," it added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday that the West Bengal government had not invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) even after five days of strike by the junior doctors and appealed to them to immediately rejoin service.

"We have the laws, but we do not want to use them.... We are not going to take any stringent action against any of the agitating junior doctors and hamper their career," she said at a news conference after the agitating doctors did not turn up for a meeting at 5 pm.

Under the ESMA, employees in a long list of "essential services" like post, railway, airport and port operations are prohibited from going on strike. Banerjee cited instances of steps taken against doctors in similar situation by other states, adding that the West Bengal government had not taken any tough action against them as she does not want to hamper their careers.

The chief minister said the state government had accepted all the demands of the doctors and was ready to accept more, but she added that they must resume work.

Also Read: Over 300 doctors resign in West Bengal, demand unconditional apology from CM Mamata Banerjee

"On Friday, I waited for the junior doctors for five hours. And today, I cancelled all my programmes for them. You must show some respect to the constitutional body," she said.

On the mass resignation of the doctors across the state, Banerjee said it was not legally tenable. "If the junior doctors think I am incapable, they can always talk to the governor or the chief secretary... or the commissioner of police," she said.

The agitating doctors had earlier turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday, and instead asked her to visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse.

Here are the highlights from Mamata Banerjee's press conference:

18.42: Mamata Banerjee slams Union Health Minister, asks him to worry about rest of the country

18.40: Central government should send advisory to UP government first. How many encounters have taken place in UP after Yogi Adityanath came to power: Mamata Banerjee.

18.39: I appreciate those who are willing to work, says Mamata Banerjee.

18.36: I don't want to spoil the careers of the Doctors, therefore, we are not taking any action: Mamata Banerjee.

18.24: I have accepted most of their (Doctors') demand: Mamata Banerjee.

18.23: Inspite of having all the powers, government is not taking any stringent action against the Doctors': Mamata Banerjee.

18.23: My government is not targetting doctors: Mamata Banerjee

18.22: We've accepted all their demands. I had sent my ministers, principal secretary to meet the doctors, waited for 5 hours to meet doctors delegations yesterday & today, but they did not come. You have to give respect to the constitutional body.

18.22: Cancelled all engagements to meet protesting doctors: Mamata Banerjee

18.21: I appeal to all doctors to resume work as thousands of people are awaiting medical treatment: Mamata Banerjee.

18.20: Government sensitive to doctors' demands: Mamata Banerjee

18.18: My government has taken all actions against the attackers: Mamata

18.16: BJP governments invoked ESMA to threaten doctors: Mamata Banerjee

18.16: State govt is committed towards resuming normal medical services at the soonest. The incident on 10th June was unfortunate. We had continuously tried to reach a solution: Mamata Banerjee

18.15: I am open for talks, have called the students many times, but the refused: Mamata Banerjee

18.15: My government haven't taken any action against the Doctors: Mamata Banerjee.

18.11: State is fully committed to take necessary steps. State has taken the decision to bear all the expenses of medical treatment of the junior doctor who is admitted at a private hospital: Mamata Banerjee.

18.09: The Doctors' abused, pushed me at the agitation venue. But the government restrained from taking any action: Mamata Banerjee.

18.07: I had appealed to the Doctors' to return to their work, but they denied: Mamata Banerjee.

18.06: Mamata Banerjee hold press conference on Doctors' agitation.

18.05: JIPMER doctors in Puducherry to boycott work on June 17.

18.02: Five senior and eminent Kolkata doctors, acting as mediators, were also present.

18.01: Earlier today, Mamta banerjee met the MOS Health and Family welfare Chadrima Bhattachrya and Chief Secretary.

Agitating doctors turned down the invite for a closed-door meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday, raising apprehension about their security, and instead asked her to visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse. They said no representative of the agitating doctors would be attending the meeting called by Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday evening. "We feel highly insecure and apprehensive regarding our representatives' meeting with the chief minister behind closed doors. That is why we are not sending any representatives to the Chief Minister's Office to attend the meeting," said a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors after holding a governing body meeting.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Delhi after concluding his two-day visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan where he participated in the SCO Summit 2019. TheA Telangana Cabinet is likely to see an expansionA after June 19.A On 5 policemen shot dead in Jharkhand's Saraikela district on Friday, the Kolhan DIG, K Dwivedi said, "We've inspected the spot. Prima facie it seems that maoists ambushed and attacked them. 2 officers and 3 jawans died, driver returned safely. Jawans had retaliated & Maoists were reportedly injured. A search operation is on.

Here are all the latest news of the day:

9.00 pm:A

NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant after the 5th meeting of the Governing Council in Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister especially mentioned that the Forest Act needs a few changes. MP, Goa and many other states said that production in the mining sector has been at a decline. pic.twitter.com/WKVEhieVda a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

8.30 pm:A NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant after the 5th meeting of the Governing Council in Delhi: States had a request that govt of India should review guidelines of State Disaster Response Fund, and we will be doing it in cooperation with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture

8.00 pm:A

Telangana: Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa reviewed the Combined Graduation Parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal today. 152 cadets were awarded Presidentas Commission as they passed through the portals of Academy parade ground. pic.twitter.com/Njubr8QpGz a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

7.20 pm: AN 32 Aircraft rescue update: The rescue team of 17 IAF, Army Special Force and civilian members present at the crash site. The rescue operations are being curtailed due to incessant rains and heavy clouding.A No helicopter could fly today due to bad weather.

7.15 pm:A Election Commission: By-elections to be held for six vacant seats of Bihar, Odisha and Gujarat on 5th July 2019.

7.00 pm:A Manab Bandyopadhyay, Press Secretary to Governor of West Bengal, Keshari Nath Tripathi: Governor, today, wrote to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to doctors, & quick investigation of the incidents of assault on doctors.

6:30 pm:A I do not want to invoke Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) Act in the state. I want the junior doctors to resume work as we have accepted all their demands: Mamata

5:50 pm:A A new Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) has been constituted by Ministry of Home Affairs, recently with Addl. DGP CID J&K, as its Chairman besides representatives from IB, NIA, CBI, CBIC, CBDT & ED as its members:A Sources

5:35 pm:A A A man who was arrested under POCSO Act died after he jumped off the 6th floor of Dindoshi Sessions Court, Mumbai in an attempt to flee, earlier today.

4.57 pm:A External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met Vice President of Vietnam Mme. Aang Tha Ngac Thanh, in Tajikistan's Dushanbe.

4.48 pm: India Meteorological Department: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Vayu lay centred at 1530 hrs IST today, about 335 km west-southwest of Porbandar (Gujarat) and is currently moving away from the coast.

4.43 pm:A Health Minister of Bihar, Mangal Pandey on outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in state: We are trying everything & anything that can save children's lives, everything is being made available from medicines to doctors. We have even called a doctor and nurses from AIIMS,Patna

4.26 pm:A

PM at NITI Aayog meeting: Union Government's commitment to double incomes of farmers by 2022 requires focus on fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, fruits&vegetables. Benefits of PM-KISAN-KisanSammanNidhi-&other farmer centric schemes should reach beneficiaries within time pic.twitter.com/4qXH0jhRuc a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

4.24 pm:A Woman thrashed by brother of Congress Councillor Rakesh Chaudhary & his aides case: All the six accused in the case have been sent to 2-day police remand.

4.20 pm:A PM Modi at the 5th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog in Delhi: Export sector vital for boosting income and employment; States should focus on export promotion. Newly created Jal Shakti Ministry will help provide integrated approach to water.

4.15 pm:A

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the 5th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog in Delhi. Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee & Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh are not present at the meeting. pic.twitter.com/CjOfaHVcpP a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

4.10 pm:A Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, today.

4.05 pm:A People facing acute water crisis in Chennai after borewells go dry in the city. Locals have installed hand-pumps near Marina Beach to extract groundwater.

3.58 pm:A

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the 5th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog. pic.twitter.com/99JGEEZwiX a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

3.50 pm:A Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur held Pre-Budget Consultation Meeting with trade unions today in connection with the forthcoming General Budget 2019-20.

2.30 pm:A Officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence have seized 944.7 kg Cannabis from a lorry in Hyderabad outskirts.

1.15 pm:A Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, V Muraleedharan, met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today to discuss the progress of ongoing road and infrastructure projects in the state.

1 pm:A The police have arrested a man for kidnapping and murdering a CA first year student in Shakarpur on Saturday.

12.26 pm:A Vinayak Bhaurao Raut has been appointed as the group leader of Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha. Shiv Sena has a strength of 18 members in 17th Lok Sabha.

12.10 pm:A Senior Republican Party of India leader, Avinash Mahtekar to take oath as A minister in Maharashtra government's cabinet expansion tomorrow.

12 pm:A Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy met Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi, earlier today.

11.10 am:A London court sets Julian Assange extradition hearing for February 2020.

11 am:A Trinamool Congress workers Khairuddin SheikhA and Sohel Rana died after bomb was hurled at their house last night in Murshidabad. Milan Sheikh, Khairuddin's son says, "We were sleeping,suddenly our house was bombed. They shot my father. Few days back my uncle was also killed. Congress is behind this."

10.20 am:A Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation meets Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over the ongoing strike of doctors in West Bengal.

9 am:A Coimbatore ISIS module case: Three terror suspects have been sent to judicial custody till June 28 by a Magistrate Court.

8.10 am:A Doctor from Karnataka pursuing MD at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences commits suicide after being denied leave for his sister's wedding, by HOD. Doctors have gone on strike in protest in Haryana.

8.05 am:A Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS have issued an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal Govt to meet demands of the striking doctors there, failing which they would be forced to resort to indefinite strike at AIIMS.

8 am: The seath toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) rises to 66 (55 at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and 11 at Kejriwal Hospital) in Muzaffarpur.

7. 10 am:A Kolhan DIG Kuldeep Dwivedi on 5 policemen shot dead in Saraikela dist y'day: We'll also make efforts to ensure that such incidents don't occur again. Weapons of the security forces were also looted, 3 INSAS rifles and 2 pistols were looted.

Kolhan DIG Kuldeep Dwivedi on 5 policemen shot dead in Saraikela dist y'day: We'll also make efforts to ensure that such incidents don't occur again. Weapons of the security forces were also looted, 3 INSAS rifles and 2 pistols were looted. #Jharkhand https://t.co/TEXgpk4Zwq a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

6.57 am:A A fire broke out in a pesticide factory and spread to an adjacent factory in Mohkampur industrial area on Saturday morning. As many as nine fire tenders are present at the spot. Fire fighting operations are underway.A





For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

With healthcare facilities in West Bengal being crippled because of the doctorsa protest against the Mamata Banerjee government failing to meet their demands, the resident doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the West Bengal chief minister on Saturday to accept the demands of the agitating junior doctors failing which they will be forced to go on an indefinite strike.

''We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal Government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike,'' the Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS was quoted as saying by ANI.

The protesting doctors have found immense support from their colleagues across the country. A delegation from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) met Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over the ongoing strike of doctors in West Bengal, on Saturday.

Delhi: Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation meets Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over the ongoing strike of doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/0GDIcaDHQs a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

The agitating doctors, who have demanded Banerjee's unconditional apology, has set six conditions for the state government to withdraw their four-day-long stir that disrupted healthcare services across West Bengal.

"We want unconditional apology of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the manner in which she had addressed us at the SSKM Hospital yesterday. She should not have said what she had," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, Dr Arindam Dutta, said.

Listing the six conditions, the agitators said the chief minister will have to visit the injured doctors at the hospital and her office should release a statement condemning the attack on them.

"We also want immediate intervention of the chief minister. Documentary evidence of judicial enquiry against the inactivity of the police to provide protection to the doctors at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital on Monday night should also be provided," he said.

Two junior doctors were assaulted on Monday night by family members of a patient who died in the NRS Hospital.

They also demanded unconditional withdrawal of all "false cases and charges" which were imposed on junior doctors and medical students across West Bengal in the wake of their strike.

Earlier, Banerjee has invited four representatives of the doctors for talks at Nabanna.A West Bengal Medical Education Department director, Dr Pradip Kumar Mitra, had conveyed Banerjeeas to the doctors at NRS Medical College & Hospital.

Following which the doctors held a discussion and decided not to go at Nabanna for talks.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi said he called up Banerjee to discuss the issue of junior doctors' strike but got no response from her.

Tripathi paid a visit to injured junior doctor Paribaha Mukhopadhyay at the hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

"I have tried to contact the chief minister. I have called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me, we will discuss the matter," he told reporters after visiting Mukhopadhyay at the hospital.

Mukhopadhyay is one of the two junior doctors attacked by relatives of a patient, who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital on Monday night, triggering the ongoing agitation by medicos across the state.

The Governor had met representatives of the doctors on Thursday.

In the wake of protests by the medical fraternity in support of agitating doctors in Kolkata, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has also urged Banerjee not to make this sensitive matter a "prestige issue" and to ensure an "amicable end" to the stir.

In a letter to Banerjee, the Union minister urged her to ensure an "amicable end" to the protests and provide a secure working environment for doctors.

He also appealed to the agitating doctors, particularly in West Bengal, to hold symbolic protests and resume work so that patients do not suffer.

"Strike is certainly not the best way to protest. Patients should not be deprived of immediate and emergency healthcare facilities," the Union health minister said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The fifth meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council is underway at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the national capital on Saturday. In his opening remarks at the fifth meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that goal to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024, is challenging, but achievable, with the concerted efforts of states.

"States should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level," the PM added.

PM at the 5th meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog: NITI Aayog has key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas, SabkaVishwas. Goal to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024, is challenging, but achievable, with the concerted efforts of states pic.twitter.com/LMNcVHRMlW a ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

Noting that the export sector is an important element in the progress of developing countries, he said both the Centre and the States should work towards growth in exports, in order to raise per capita incomes. PM Modi said there is immense untapped export potential in several States, including the North Eastern States. He said a thrust on export promotion at the State level will provide a boost to both income and employment.

The Prime Minister also said that empowerment, and ease of living, have to be provided to each and every Indian. He said the goals that have been set for the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, should be accomplished by October 2nd, and work should begin in earnest towards the goals for 2022, the 75th anniversary of independence.

Welcoming the Governor of J&K, Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and other delegates, the Prime Minister reiterated that NITI Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas, SabkaVishwas.A

Recalling the recent General Elections as the world's largest democratic exercise, the Prime Minister said that it is now time for everyone to work for the development of India. He spoke of a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence etc.

This is is the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government. Among others attending the meet are Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajnath Singh.

The council, the apex body of NITI Aayog, includes all chief ministers, lieutenant governors of union territories, several union ministers and senior government officials.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aditya Nath are among the heads of states attending the meeting.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, has refused to attend the meeting, saying it is "fruitless" as NITI Aayog has no financial powers to support state plans. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao may skip the NITI Aayog meeting because of the meetings which he is holding with officials of various departments. Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh is also not present at the meeting.

The Governing Council reviews the action taken on the agenda items of the previous meeting and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities.

The first meeting the Governing Council was held on February 8, 2015, at which the Prime Minister laid down the key mandates of NITI Aayog such as fostering cooperative federalism and addressing national issues through active participation of the states.

The second meeting on July 15, 2015 reviewed the progress made by the three sub-groups of chief ministers and the two task forces.

In the third meeting on April 23, 2017, Modi had pitched for conducting simultaneous elections of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies and shifting to a January-December fiscal year.

The fourth meeting of the council on June 17, 2018 deliberated upon measures taken to double farmers' income and the progress of the government's flagship schemes.

With PTI Inputs

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The strengthened and tactical diplomacy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led centre has led India to be on the top. Donat believe this? Right from Masood Azharas designation as global terrorist to making world understand the difference between agood terrorisma and abad terrorisma, it was a great success for India and the credit goes to PM Modi and cabinet ministers and also diplomats. In the meantime, PM Modi and his team successfully developed good relations with the international community as well.

Not only on the diplomatic front but PM Modi has developed friendly relations with the heads of several nations. Recently, we saw the presidents of two nations personally holding an umbrella for PM Modi instead of security staff who usually are seen carrying them for world leaders. Well, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been left humbled by the kind acts of the two presidents.

As soon as PM Modi arrives in Bishkek for the SCO summit, he was extended a ceremonial welcome by the Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov when the rains came down. Photographs from the event showed Jeenbekov holding an umbrella for the PM.

The same instance happened on last Sunday when PM Modi was being accorded a ceremonial welcome by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo. When the skies opened up, Sirisena was seen holding an umbrella and providing cover to himself and Modi. As per sources, the gesture of both the Presidents has reportedly left Modi deeply touched.

aDifferent places, same special gestures: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov hold the umbrella themselves instead of security staff and walk with PM Modi,a tweeted Prasar Bharati News Services.

Take a look:

Different places, same special gestures: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov hold the umbrella themselves instead of security staff and walk with PM Modi. pic.twitter.com/lUKVxcWCpw a Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) June 14, 2019

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Intelligence agencies issued a terror alert for Uttar Pradeshs temple town Ayodhya on Saturday. The sources said that attackers may try to enter the state via Nepal. Buses, railway stations and other public places have been put on high alert following the specific input. "We have put more force into action. The force has been alerted. Also, intelligence officials in the civil dress have come here (Ayodhya). They are checking all hotels, restaurants and railway stations. The police force is vigilant and keeping a track of all the movements," Anil Kumar Sisodia, Superintendent of Police City, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The New Indian Express reported that the Union Home Ministry have also been apprised of the current situation. The intel report mentions sustained efforts made by terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba to set up a base in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Lashkar has been trying to induct people from Faizabad and Gorakhpur, the report said. The terror alert comes ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackerays visit to Ayodhya. In addition to this, the verdict in 2005 Ayodhya terror attack case is scheduled on June 18. In June 2005, five militants had been gunned down and four Kashmiri militants were arrested in the case.

Thackeray will visit Ayodhya with 18 newly elected party MPs on Sunday, making a fresh pitch for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site there. Thackeray will offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple at the site. This will be Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya after the Lok Sabha results last month. He had visited Ayodhya in November last year.

The Shiv Sena had earlier announced that Thackeray and the newly elected MPs would visit Ayodhya before the beginning of the Parliament session on Monday. However, the party's state unit chief Anil Singh said the visit should not been seen from the electoral lens and it was "a matter of devotion and faith". Maharashtra will be going to the polls later in the year.

(With agency inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Days after reprimanding Congress workers for not giving their best in the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections which led to a humiliating defeat of the grand old party in the state, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has decided to meet party workers three-four times in a week.

According to reports, Priyanka a considered Congressa last trump card - will hold these meetings at Rahul Gandhi's residence every Tuesday and Thursday between 10 am and 1 pm.

"After the 2019 Lok Sabha election results, Priyanka Gandhi has started meeting party leaders and workers at her residence here," a senior Congress was quoted as saying by IANS.

According to the report, the Congress General Secretary, who is in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, has met over 150 workers in the past two weeks at her as well as brother and party chief Rahul Gandhi's residence.

Earlier on Wednesday, Priyanka came down heavily on the workers for not working hard to ensure partyas victory in the state.

"I did not want to deliver any speech here but since I have been made to speak, let me speak the truth. The truth is that this election was won with the help of Sonia Gandhi and the people of Raebareli," a visibly upset Priyanka said at a thanksgiving rally after UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi won the election from here.

Priyanka also said that she will find out the name of workers who did not work in favour of the party in the recently concluded General Elections.

"You all know about those who worked religiously and I will find out about those who did not work for the party in the elections," the Congress leader.

Priyanka, who was appointed party General Secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh on January 23 and given charge of 41 Lok Sabha seats of the state, had campaigned extensively in 26 constituencies during the elections.

However, the Congress lost even Amethi a the home turf of party president Rahul Gandhi.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.London:

Dog owners take note! Your furry friend may be get affected by your stress, as scientists have found that pooches mirror humans stress level. Researchers at Linkoping University in Sweden have examined how stress levels in dogs are influenced by lifestyle factors and by the people that the dogs live with.

They determined stress levels over several months by measuring the concentration of a stress hormone, cortisol, in a few centimetres of hair from the dog and from its owner.

We found that the levels of long-term cortisol in the dog and its owner were synchronised, such that owners with high cortisol levels have dogs with high cortisol levels, while owners with low cortisol levels have dogs with low levels, said Ann-Sofie Sundman from Linkoping University.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, examined 25 border collies and 33 Shetland sheepdogs, all of them owned by women.

The owners and the dogs provided hair samples on two occasions separated by a few months.

Since physical activity can increase cortisol levels, the researcher also wanted to compare companion dogs with dogs that competed in obedience or agility. The physical activity levels of the dogs were therefore recorded for a week using an activity collar.

Previous research has shown that levels of short-term cortisol in saliva rise in a synchronous manner in both the dog and its owner when they compete together.

The new study, in contrast, found that physical activity in dogs does not affect the long-term cortisol in their hair. On the other hand, the stress level of competing dogs seems to be linked more strongly with that of the owner.

The scientists speculate that this may be associated with a higher degree of active interaction between the owner and the dog when they train and compete together.

The dog owners were also asked to complete two validated questionnaires related to their own and their dogs personality.

The result suggests that the match between an owner and a dog affects the dogs stress level.

Further studies are, however, needed before we can draw any conclusions about the cause of the correlation. The researchers are now planning to study other breeds.New Delhi:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has discovered a dune in the shape of Starfleet --- the famous logo from Star Trek --- on Mars, a new picture from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) showed. The University of Arizona, which operates the MRO HiRISE camera, said: Enterprising viewers will make the discovery that these features look conspicuously like a famous logo You'd be right, but it's only a coincidence.

The spotting of the logo can be paralleled to the face on Mars phenomenon. This could be a fluke occurrence caused by the movement of wind, lava, and other natural forces that sculpt the landscape of the Red Planet.

The dune feature is located in , a large plain within the Hellas impact basin in the southern hemisphere of Mars. An interaction of dunes, lava and wind formed the chevron shape visible in the picture, according to the statement. MRO has photographed many other chevrons on Mars, so we're guessing this is not the first time it spotted one shaped like a "Star Trek" logo, the Space.com reported.

Scientists working with the HiRISE instrument have spent years studying the features they see in Mars images, and they think they have a good sense of how this particular shape came to be. The story starts with crescent-shaped sand dunes where wind and surface interacted.

The statement from the University further explains: However, since they are still just dunes, and the winds do keep blowing, the sand piles wither away, leaving behind what looks like footprints in the lava plain.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

It was last month when Xiaomi launched the K series in China and had vowed to introduce the two smartphones i.e. Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro in India. The smartphone-maker is already promoting the Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro as the aFlagship Killer 2.0a. And now, Xiaomi India has officially confirmed that the Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro will launch in the country in some weeks from now.

It is to be noted that both Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro will be a direct competitor of popular OnePlus 7, which is one of the highest selling smartphone companies in India. Few weeks ahead of the official launch, Xiaomi India teases Redmi K20 series and claims that both the phones will be faster than one can imagine.

Take a look:

Some celebrations are short-lived. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/NitBxGxOVA a Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) June 14, 2019

In the latest teaser, Xiaomi India said, "Somebody jus+ announced the world's fastest phone... Oh really? Hold my AnTuTu.."

Redmi K20, Redmi K20 Pro Specifications

Both the handsets will come with 6.39-inch Full HD display with 19:5:9 aspect ratio with no notch present on the screen. The Redmi K20 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 while the Pro variant runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 855.

The Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro feature triple camera setup at the back with one being a 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor coupled with 13 MP and 8 MP camera lens. For selfies, it has a 20 MP pop out camera with AI technology.

The smartphones are fuelled by a 4000mAh battery with fast-charging technology. Weibing has claimed that these phones can be charge 58 % in just 30 minutes and complete charge in 74 minutes. These handsets also can be a good option as it has Game Turbo 2.0 for gaming purposes.

Importantly, the Xiaomi has already launched several smartphones under Redmi brand in India this year including the Redmi Note 7, the Redmi Note 7 Pro, the Redmi 7, the Redmi Go, the Redmi Y3, among others.Dubai:

Mysterious attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz this week show how one of the world's crucial chokepoints for global energy supplies can be easily targeted, 30 years after the US Navy and Iran were entangled in a similarly shadowy conflict called the "Tanker War." While the current tensions are nowhere near the damage done then, it underscores how dangerous the situation is and how explosive it can become.

The so-called "Tanker War" involved American naval ships escorting reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf and the strait after Iranian mines damaged vessels in the region. It culminated in a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran, and also saw America accidentally shoot down an Iranian passenger jet, killing 290 people.

US estimates suggest Iran attacked over 160 ships in the late 1980s confrontation. "We need to remember that some 30% of the world's crude oil passes through the straits," said Paolo d'Amico, the chairman of the oil tanker association INTERTANKO.

"If the waters are becoming unsafe, the supply to the entire Western world could be at risk." So far, six oil tankers have been damaged in suspected limpet mine attacks, explosives that can be magnetically stuck to the side of a ship.

The first attack happened May 12 off the coast of the Emirati port city of Fujairah and targeted four tankers. Thursday's apparent attack damaged two other tankers. The US has blamed Iran for both incidents, offering a video on Friday it said showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces spirit away one mine stuck to a tanker that didn't explode in Thursday's assault.

For its part, Iran denies being involved and calls the allegations part of America's "Iranophobic campaign" against it. Meanwhile, the owner of the tanker Kokuka Courageous said its sailors saw "flying objects" before the attack, suggesting it wasn't damaged by mines and contradicting the US military. Confusion pervaded the start of the "Tanker War" as well.

That conflict grew out of the bloody eight-year war between Iraq and Iran in the 1980s, which began when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Iran. The war killed 1 million people. The US supported Saddam by providing intelligence, weaponry and other aid. Iraq first targeted Iran's shipping and by 1984 attacked Kharg Island, a crucial oil-tanker-loading terminal for Iran. Its air force also attacked ships in the Persian Gulf.

After the Kharg attack, Iran began a concerted campaign to attack shipping in the region. Iraq ultimately would attack over 280 vessels to Iran's 168, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. The Iran's mining campaign began in earnest in 1987. At night, the Revolutionary Guard would drop mines from vessels disguised as traditional dhows, which ferry cargo around the waters of the Persian Gulf.

As attacks targeted Kuwaiti oil tankers, the US ultimately stepped in to protect them. The Soviet Union also volunteered. While mines represented a small number of the attacks, their psychological impact grew. They also allowed Iran to attack its foes without having to take direct responsibility.

The mines were described as "God's angels that descend and do what is necessary," by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who would later become president of Iran. Analysts say use of naval mines and bombs is a trend that continues today.

"Iran's strategy at sea particularly is based on disruption," said Dave DesRoches, a professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in Washington. "They know they can't dominate. They have to disrupt." Ultimately, the US tied Iran to the mining when it captured the Ajr, an Iranian ship loaded with mines in 1987. When the USS Samuel B Roberts struck a mine and nearly sank the next year, the Navy matched it to those seized from the Ajr.

The attack on the Roberts sparked a daylong naval battle between Iran and the US, known as Operation Praying Mantis. American forces attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels. Several months later, tragedy struck. The USS Vincennes, after chasing Guard vessels into Iranian territorial waters, mistook an Iran Air commercial jetliner for an Iranian F-14, shooting it down and killing all 290 people onboard.

Thirty years later, events of the "Tanker War" still resonate in Iran. A recent billboard put up in Tehran's Vali-e-Asr Square shows U.S. and Israeli ships afire and sinking, with captions in English, Farsi, Arabic and Hebrew reading: "We Drowned Them All."

While the billboard is meant to show support for the Palestinians - it prominently features Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque - it came just days after the Fujairah attack. Around this time as well, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave an address to university students, who gave him a portrait of Nader Mahdavi, a Revolutionary Guard soldier killed in a U.S. attack amid the "Tanker War." "The supreme leader asked whose picture it was and I replied, 'Mahdavi,'" the semi-official ANA news agency quoted the student who gave the portrait to Khamenei as saying. "The supreme leader smiled and said, 'Excellent, very timely.'"

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Washington:

The US is ready to help India's defence needs with the latest technologies and equipment, but New Delhi purchasing long-range S-400 missile defence system from Russia would limit cooperation, the Trump administration has cautioned. The statement came weeks after an identical warning from a senior State Department official who had said that New Delhi's deal to procure the lethal missile system from Moscow will have "serious implications" on India-US defence ties.

The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 for the system. India and Russia signed a USD 5 billion S-400 air defence system deal in October last year after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Senior State Department official (South and Central Asian Affairs) Alice G Wells told House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee for Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation on Thursday that the US now does more military exercises with India than any other country. "Under the Trump administration, we've been very clear that we're ready to help meet India's defence needs and we are seeking a very different kind of defence partnership building on the 'Major Defence Partner' designation that India has received from Congress," Wells said.

She was replying to the Congressional sub-committee on India buying S-400 from Russia and how to make India-US ties as robust and as meaningful as possible. Just a few weeks ago, India, the United States, the Philippines and Japan did a sail by in the South China Sea, she said.

"In both our bilateral, trilateral, quadrilateral formats, we're working together in ways that we didn't even conceive of 10 years ago. And so we'd like all aspects of our military relationship to catch up to this new partnership," Wells said. Noting that India has a historical dependence on Russian arms, she said what causes concern with the S-400 is that it effectively could limit India's ability "to increase our own interoperability".

At a certain point, she argued, a strategic choice has to be made by India about partnerships and a strategic choice about what weapon systems and platforms it is going to adopt. "It is the case that 10 years ago we did not offer the range of military equipment to India that we're prepared to offer today. We're very much engaged in a conversation with India over how we can broaden our defence relationship," Wells said in response to a question.

Signing of COMCASA agreement between the two countries, she said, was a key step forward which allows for the classified sharing of information, which is one of the basic foundational agreements that foster military interoperability. "So we're making significant strides forward in our military relationship," she said.

"There is no a blanket waiver or country waiver when it comes to an S-400. We have serious concern about a possible S-400 purchase (by India) and we're continuing our conversations on what the United States or other defence providers could assist India," Wells said. Over the last 10 years, she said India-US defence trade has increased from zero to USD 18 billion, as New Delhi has started to diversify its weapons sources.

"We expect continued progress and expanding that defence relationship. But it's still the case that about 65 or 70 per cent of India's military hardware is Russian origin," she said. And when Russian President Putin visited India last October, there were additional announcements of big ticket military items that were potentially under consideration, she said.

Responding to another question, Wells alleged that India has the highest tariff barriers of a G-20 country. "Historically it has been a protected market. So, our failure to negotiate an agreement over the course of the last year and a half led to the decision to suspend the GSP benefits," she said.

However, GSP or asking India to stop purchasing oil from Iran is unlikely to push India into the China camp, she said when asked about it from a lawmaker. "I don't think so. We are India's largest and best market. Twenty per cent of India's goods come here. There is Indian Foreign Direct Investment in the US. There's a huge interest by US firms in India. As Prime Minister Modi begins his second term. he's preoccupied with job creation and attracting Foreign Direct Investment is going to be a key part of that strategy.

"Properly conducted trade can be a huge strength to the relationship and that's certainly our focus as we begin our engagement with Prime Minister Modi in his second term as how do we fix this part of the relationship," Wells added.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Washington:

Top Democratic US presidential contender Joe Biden expressed support Friday for protesters engaged in Hong Kongs deepest political unrest in two decades, warning China that the world is watching. The international finance hub was rocked this week by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to Beijing, with the semi-autonomous islands embattled leader facing mounting pressure to abandon a deeply unpopular plan to allow extraditions to China.

The extraordinary bravery shown by hundreds of thousands in Hong Kong, marching for the civil liberties & autonomy promised by China is inspiring, tweeted the former US vice president, who is the leading Democrat in the race to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020.

And the world is watching, Biden added. All of us must stand in support of democratic principles and freedom.

The veteran Democrat weighed in with his comments two days after Trump offered a cautious response to what he said were massive demonstrations, saying he hoped protesters could work it out with China. On Wednesday, as opposition to the extradition bill grew within an unusually wide cross section of residents, tens of thousands of protesters in Hong Kong were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

The following day, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington sought to reaffirm US commitment to democracy and human rights in Hong Kong, introducing a measure that would also threaten to remove the territorys status as a US special trading partner.

Beijing on Friday denounced what it called violent interference by US lawmakers, who are critical of what they see as a worsening human rights environment in Hong Kong.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.The Kingdoms Ministry of Finance and National Economy yesterday said that the strong economic growth results in the first quarter of 2019 reflect the governments commitment to balancing fiscal consolidation efforts with economic development. Bahrains economy recorded a year-on-year real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 2.7 percent in Q1 2019 compared with the same period in 2018.

Non-oil sector real GDP growth reached 1.5pc, with large contributions from the hotels and restaurants sector, which recorded the fastest growth in all sectors of 8pc, followed by the financial corporations and construction sectors, which expanded by 3.5pc and 2.9pc respectively.

The oil sectors real GDP grew by 9.2pc, driven by the increase in crude oil production rates of 7.8pc. The ministry noted that the largest non-oil sector contributor to Bahrains GDP is the financial corporations sector, contributing around 16.8pc. The manufacturing sector comes second with a contribution to GDP of 14.1pc, followed by government services sector at 12.7pc, the transportation and communications sector at 7.6pc, and the construction sector with a contribution to GDP of 7.4pc.

The ministry highlighted the expansion of the Kingdoms tourism sector. Bahrain attracted 3.2 million inbound tourists in the first quarter of 2019, an increase of 3.1pc over the same period last year, while the number of international arrivals entering the country reached 3.5 million, an increase of 3.1pc over the same period last year.

Hotel occupancy rates at five-star hotels reached 53pc in Q1 2019 compared to 50pc in the same period last year while occupancy rates at the Kingdoms four-star hotels reached 46pc compared to 42pc during the same period last year. Financial sector performance data also continues to improve. Money supply (M3) increased significantly, reaching BD13.2 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2019  a 6.5pc increase.The first phase of the national campaign for early screening of colon cancer has been given the go-ahead. Supreme Council for Health (SCH) President Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa launched the campaign at the Avenues Bahrain, in the presence of senior officials from the Ministry of Health.

The King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) is carrying out the national campaign for early screening of colon cancer in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and with partnership National Non-communicable Diseases Control Committee. Addressing the event, he said that colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world and the second most common type of cancer in the Kingdom.

He stressed the importance of the national campaign for early screening of colon cancer which aims at increasing the chances of recovery and reducing the financial costs of treating patients before they spread cancer. Under the first phase, 5,000 Bahraini people from the Governorate of Muharraq will undergo early screening of colon cancer.

Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa thanked the King Hamad University Hospital, the Ministry of Health, Bahrain Oncology Centre and the National Non-communicable Diseases Control Committee for their co-operation with the private sector. Muharraq Governor Salman bin Hindi hailed Bahrains advanced medical services, commending the efforts being exerted by the King Hamad University Hospital and the Ministry of Health.The High Appeals Court has ordered for a forensic doctor to be arrested after failing to attend before the court in several hearings to give evidence in the trial of two men convicted of murdering a police officer. The case was adjourned until June 19, 2019, to cross-examine the doctor.

Two Bahrainis are implicated in a bomb blast that killed an officer and injured five others. Mohammed Ramadan Hussein, a 31-year-old former corporal at Bahrain International Airport, and Hussein Moussa Mohammed, a 27-year-old former hotel employee, were sentenced to death after being found guilty of premeditated murder, attempted murder, detonating and possessing an explosive device, participating in an illegal gathering and possessing Molotov cocktails. Seven other men embroiled in the case were sent to six years behind bars each.

All the defendants were standing trial for their role in the murder of policeman Abdulwaheed Sayyed Mohammed Al Balooshi, 29, who suffered fatal chest injuries in an explosion in Dair on February 14, 2014, which was the third anniversary of the unrest. Their case is now being heard at the Cassation Court, though the defense has filed an urgent request to suspend the death penalty against the duo. But it was met with rejection, as the court continues to hear the case.

Originally, twelve men were tried in connection with this case. However, the other five defendants remain at large and were condemned in absentia. Four of them had earlier received six years in jail, while their fifth accomplice, namely Mohammed Maki Ali was given life in prison. Those who were given six years in jail each was also fined BD1,000 each for participating in an illegal gathering and possessing firebombs but were cleared of other charges.Representatives Council Speaker Fawzia Zainal has called for an emergent international stance regarding the recurrent terrorist attacks on tankers in the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. She pointed out that the repercussions of those criminal acts affect the whole world.

The speaker underlined the key role of the international parliamentary community in preserving security and stability and fighting all forms of terrorism. She called on friendly and allied countries to multiply efforts and step up measures to counter the terrorist threats, pointing out the need for the UN Security Council meeting on co-operation between the UN and the Arab League to yield practical results to deter the Iranian terrorism and curb the ongoing escalation.

The speaker described the terrorist attack on the oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as a dangerous escalation, which requires a swift action to face the recurrent terrorist incidents perpetrated by Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen. She affirmed the unified stance of the Kingdom and brotherly countries against Irans terrorism, pointing out keenness on regional peace despite Irans hostile policies to foment tensions in the region.

The Shura Council yesterday condemned the attacks in strongest terms. It denounced the attack, which threatens regional security and stability, endangers the safety of maritime navigation and subverts sustained efforts to achieve international peace. These terrorist attacks, which target vital oil facilities, have become repeated and organized, it said, urging all countries to stand united, assume the responsibility of international security and peace and take required measures to protect international maritime navigation.According to a German Media website,Deutsche Welle, Bahrain ranks 5th among Arab nations in suicide rates.

Quoting World Health Organization (WHO), the website revealed the top five nations in the Arab world with the highest suicide rates.

While Yemen topped the ranks, Sudan was a close second followed by Djibouti and then with Qatar standing fourth.

Nearly 13 suicides were officially reported since the beginning of 2019 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, urging authorities to make efforts to reduce the incidents.Vietnams homegrown carmaker VinFast will deliver its first cars on June 17, the company said yesterday as it showcased a factory in one of Asias fastest growing economies. VinFast said it will supply a domestic market that is rapidly expanding thanks to a mushrooming middle class with a growing appetite for cars -- though it will face stiff competition from well-established players like Toyota and Ford.

It is seeking to tap into national pride with vehicles that include sedan and SUV models, along with e-scooters and even electric buses. In less than 72 hours, the first Vietnamese branded cars will officially be driven on the streets of Vietnam, said Vingroup director general Nguyen Viet Quanghe. Quang -- speaking at the sprawling factory in Haiphong where rows of red, white and grey cars were being assembled -- said the company has received orders for 10,000 cars and tens of thousands of e-scooters.

Vietnams Prime Minister said he hoped the vehicles would help Vietnam become a household name -- alongside auto-making heavyweights Japan and Germany. Vietnamese are able to do what the world can, Nguyen Xuan Phuc said. GDP growth hit 7.1 per cent last year, and the World Bank says annual growth is expected to reach 6.6pc later this year. Vietnam currently assembles foreign-branded cars for a growing domestic market: auto sales are up 22 percent year-on-year over the past five months, according to Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The cradle-to-grave Vingroup empire includes housing, resorts, farms, schools, hospitals, shopping malls and smartphones. CEO Vuong is worth an estimated $7.7 billion, according to Forbes.UK leadership race frontrunner Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he would never raise the white flag of surrender and plead for a further delay of Brexit if no EU deal was ready by October 31. The former foreign minister also said he would replace the controversial backstop solution for keeping the Irish border open after Brexit with advanced technological checks along the new EU frontier.

He also bowed to growing political pressure and agreed to debate the other Conservative Party contenders to replace outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May on BBC television Tuesday evening. The field of hopefuls to take on one of the most challenging political assignments in Europe narrowed to six on Friday after Health Secretary Matt Hancock withdrew. But the odds-on favourite is Johnson -- a figurehead of the 2016 referendum that triggered the laborious process of extricating Britain from the European Union after nearly 50 years. Johnson said London could finally get what it wanted once it made abundantly clear to Brussels that it could walk away without a deal.

Weve got to be out by October 31, Johnson told BBC radio in one of his most extensive public interviews since May resigned last month. Unless we show fortitude and determination, I dont think we will carry conviction in Brussels about the deal we want to do.

Yet he appeared to keep the door open -- if only slightly -- when pressed if he would follow the lead of his main rivals and postpone Brexit briefly if a compromise seemed imminent. I think it would be absolutely bizarre to signal at this stage that the UK government was willing once again to run the white flag and delay yet again, he said.

Prepare for no-deal

After having to twice ask the EU to push back the withdrawal date so that the sides could avoid breaking up without a plan for what comes next. The foot-dragging prompted frustrated Britons on both sides of the Brexit divide to punish the two big parties in European elections last month.

Johnson said his Conservatives and the main opposition Labour faced an existential threat from populist Nigel Farages Brexit Party and the pro-EU Liberal Democrats. But the solution he aired for resolving the Brexit crisis was one Brussels has repeatedly rejected in the past. Johnson said the nagging issue of keeping EU member Irelands border free-flowing with the British province of Northern Ireland -- the so-called backstop -- should only be tackled after Brexit takes effect on October 31.

Johnson also insisted that the other 27 EU leaders would -- when pressed by him -- drop their past resistence and agree to technological checks conducted away from the border itself. EU officials argue that the sides currently lack the equipment and IT support needed to handle such vast volumes of trade without physical checks.

Bunker mentality

Johnson collected more votes than his three nearest rivals in the first ballot held by the 313 Conservative lawmakers in the lower House of Commons on Thursday. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunts second-place finish saw him secure 43 votes and the temporary lead among the more moderate challengers for the top government job.

Environment minister Michael Gove picked up 37 and remains the only other contender to have enough support to make the cut when lawmakers vote again Tuesday. Johnson dismissed growing criticism of his past refusal to speak to reporters and said he was ready to debate everyone left standing after Tuesdays vote. I think in the past when youve had loads of candidates it can be slightly cacophonous, he said. His opponents had challenged him to join them on stage Sunday during the first scheduled TV debate. Gove said on Monday that Britain needed a leader who did not hide in their bunker.

The partys 160,000 grassroots members will pick their new leader among two finalists chosen by parliamentarians in upcoming votes. The winner will assume Mays job in the week beginning July 22.The Maldives Saturday called for international help to rehabilitate up to 160 of its nationals languishing in Syrian detention camps after the defeat of the Islamic State group.

Speaker Mohamed Nasheed said the Maldives kept a close tab on citizens who had joined the militant group, but that the island nation was not ready to accept them back without an internationally supervised reintegration programme.

Visiting neighbouring Sri Lanka where 258 people were killed in jihadi attacks recently, Nasheed said the question of foreign IS fighters in Syria should be addressed as a global issue.

As many as 160 Maldivians are thought to be held in detention camps after the fall of IS in March.

"We do not know the situation they have gone through. We don't have the capacity to rehabilitate these people to the extent that they will not have a further impact on society," Nasheed said.

"I think the international community should join together and decide what we should do to the returnees. Hopefully, there is an international arrangement where they are first received, not necessarily to their countries of origin or nationality."

He said the Maldives was concerned about the 30 to 40 children said to be of Maldivian parents now living in detention camps in Syria, but insisted that there should be international involvement to screen the parents.

"I don't think we should say they can come back in the first flight they can catch," he added.

Nasheed said the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims was keeping a close watch on any attempt to radicalise its population, which is known to practise a liberal form of Islam -- and relies heavily on luxury tourism.

More than two thirds of the Maldivian parliament was spending a three-day holiday in Sri Lanka, to demonstrate it was safe for foreigners to visit the island after the deadly Easter Sunday attacks, Nasheed said.

In a chilling warning of the impact of terrorism on tourism, Sri Lanka's thriving tourism sector is projected to lose at least $1.5 billion revenue this year with a 30 percent slump in the number of holidaymakers visiting the island.

Nasheed and his legislators were staying at the luxury Cinnamon Grand -- one of the three hotels hit by a local jihadi group which pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi -- to show Sri Lanka was still a safe tourist destination.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Sri Lanka last week, the first world leader to visit the island after the Easter attacks.

Sri Lankan authorities say they have arrested all those who were involved in the April 21 attacks that also hit three Christian churches.

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The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) hosted at its premises yesterday an Indian business delegation led by Trade Advisor of Global Network Anmol Modi. Business opportunities in tourism, food, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing among other sectors were discussed.

Modi called on Bahraini business owners to venture in the growing market of Goa and exploit business opportunities. Modi extended an invitation to the business community here to attend Vibrant Goa, a global expo and summit from 17 to 19 October. Speaking at the event, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abdulla Al Sada, voiced pride in the vigorous Bahrain-India business cooperation.

Dr Al Sada stressed on augmenting trade between both countries while reinstating the chambers readiness to streamline all endeavours to bolster the national economyDANBURY  A motorcycle crash on Interstate 84 in Danbury on Friday injured the driver, according to an accident information summary released by Connecticut State Police on Saturday afternoon.

The motorcyclist, a Pennsylvania man, was traveling west on I-84 near Exit 7 when he swerved to avoid the vehicle in front of him, according to the police report. The driver then lost control of his vehicle which veered into the median where it struck the metal beam guardrail.Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

Frank Borres, owner of Bridgeport based companies Fellowship Films and Borres Productions, has been nominated for 2 New England Emmys by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Boston Chapter.

He has been nominated for Best Director Live for his short film Choices, as well as Best Writer Program for his documentary John Soto: A Business Life, according to a news release.Former Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson has joined Twitter.

What could go wrong?

The Bills No. 2 all-time running back announced he was joining the social media site early on Saturday morning with a brief video and the caption, Coming Soon!!!

In it, Simpson shares that he will be sharing his thoughts and opinions on just about everything.

Hey Twitter world. This is yours truly. Coming soon to Twitter, youll get to read all my thoughts and opinions on just about everything, Simpson says. Now theres a lot of fake O.J. accounts out there, so this one, @TheRealOJ32 is the only official one. So, it should be a lot of fun. I got a little getting even to do. This should be fun. So God Bless, take care."

Simpsons debut on Twitter comes days after the 25th anniversary of the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson, his ex-wife, and Ronald Goldman.

The 72-year-old has slowly started to embrace the spotlight after serving nine years in a Nevada prison for armed robbery. Over one year ago, Simpson did a sit-down interview with Tim Graham. More recently, Simpson talked with the Associated Press.

Simpson told the AP that life is fine and added that he is now in a place where he doesnt focus on negatives.

My family and I have moved on to what we call the no negative zone. We focus on the positives.'"

Focusing on the positives may become a challenge for Simpson on Twitter based on some of the responses he has received to his early morning tweet.I recall a story about a farmer, whose property was situated along the Atlantic Coast. And he needed help to work the land.

Continuously, the farmer advertised for farm workers. Far and wide, he searched. But the people who saw the help wanted ad were reluctant to take employment in that area. Fear gripped the prospective employees, for dangerous storms often raged across the Atlantic. The unpredictable weather patterns and conditions of those storms frequently would cause devastation to the crops and buildings in that area.

Although the farmer interviewed countless applicants, the farmer just couldnt find anyone who would work in that unstable ground. Thoroughly discouraged, the farmer was almost ready to give up his search.

Then, the following day, a humble, middle-aged man approached the farmer. With good-natured laughter, the man asked the farmer, Are you still looking for help? Raising his eyes in disbelief, the farmer turned to the humble man and questioned, Do you want to work night and day along the Atlantic Coast?

The mans eyes glowed, as he commented, I can sleep when the wind blows. Impressed with the idea that the humble man wanted the position, yet a bit baffled by his answer, the farmer hired him.

Working from morning to evening, the humble man was happy in his job. Methodical in his work, the farmer was extremely satisfied with his new hire.

Suddenly, one night, massive storm clouds began to unleash torrents of rain. The wind howled. And the farmer rushed down the rain-swept walkway to the humble mans sleeping quarters. The farmer scurried in; and curled up on a sofa, the humble man was resting comfortably.

Panicking, the farmer cried aloud, The storm! Lets tie things down before its too late, and they blow away! But, calmly, the humble man whispered, Sir, remember I told you that I can sleep when the wind blows.

Enraged, the farmer hurried back outside to prepare for the rest of the massive storm to hit. However, the farmer found that the farm animals were safe in the barn. The chickens were protected in the coop. And everything was out of harms way. Tightly secured and already tied down, nothing could blow away in the severe storm.

Finally, it occurred to the farmer what the humble man meant, when he said he can sleep when the wind blows. So, the farmer went back to his home. He returned to bed to sleep comfortably while the wind blew.

If the storms of life come against you and when the unexpected wind blows, you, too, can sleep. See each new day as a gift. With God as your shield, you have nothing to fear.

 Is something robbing you of your peace of mind? See each new day as a gift. God is not limited by your situation. Hes all-powerful and greater than anything that comes against you. So, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

 Have you experienced an unfair circumstance through no fault of your own? See each new day as a gift. God will not only make it up to you, He will cause all things to work to your benefit and give you double in return. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. (Isaiah 61:7)

 Do you have a dream in your heart that has not yet happened? See each new day as a gift. God is guiding you and repositioning you as you enter into a new place of blessings. Hence, Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:5)

God has so many ways to bless you, to help you and to heal you. Thus, dont allow your mind to become weighed down with anxiety. You could be a few days away from your breakthroughs.

When you awaken, remind yourself that God is with you. He is in your midst, and He wont forsake you. If you are tempted to worry about a situation, pray as if every one of your prayers has been answered, recalling the Scripture, Ask and ye shall receive (John 16:24). For the instant you pray, the good for which you yearn, like a rivers current, will start flowing on its way toward you. Later and all through the day, say with confidence, God is by my side, Its not too late for me to fulfill my dreams, With God, I have the strength for any task, and Thank you, God, for the many opportunities you have for me. Then, move forward, helping others and giving your best effort in all that you do. For in Gods time, in His mighty way, He will work out good in your life, and will perfect what concerns you, bringing you the desired results. (Psalm 138:8)

A while ago, I was in another city for a trade show for my product line. I walked over to the reception desk in the large building, and the security guard politely asked for my name. I told him and handed the guard my business card. Next, he looked down at his guest list and saw my name. Only then was I allowed to go onto the elevator up to the show, because my name was written down on the list.

In the same way, your name is engraved on the palm of Gods Hand (Isaiah 49:16), and that image cannot be wiped off or removed. It stands written there forever. So you can sleep when the wind blows through your life, because God knows your name and He looks on you with love. With Him, you have a solid foundation behind you and an incredible future before you.

Today, allow serenity to rule in your heart. Be settled and stay in a place of peace. Leave the future in Gods capable Hands. And youll live the purposeful, joyful, peaceful life that God has planned for you.

Email Catherine Galasso-Vigorito at cgv@anewyouworldwide.com. To order a copy of her new book, The Open Window, 8 Weeks to Creating an Extraordinary Life, visit www.anewyouworldwide.com or bookstores nationwide. Like me on Facebook!ALBANY  Kevin Karr-McGraw and Sean McGraw always wanted kids. But like many gay men, they had grown up thinking it just wasn't possible.

"It's almost like you have to grieve the loss of something you never had," said Kevin, 31. "You grieve the loss of a big family, of all the cousins getting together to play, of not being able to give your parents grandkids."

But as they grew up and time marched on, as they met and fell in love, got married and bought a house in the Capital Region, the couple became determined to start a family. They scrimped and saved for five years, working two jobs each and logging 60 to 70 hours a week.

Finally, in 2014, they began to research their options and were shocked to learn that New York was one of just three states nationwide that banned gestational surrogacy  their only real option if they wanted to have biological children.

"I was extremely surprised, because New York is such a progressive state," Kevin said.

Undeterred, they realized they'd have to go out of state to find a surrogate. So with the help of the organization Men Having Babies, they connected with a fertility clinic in California and a surrogacy organization in Texas, where they were able to find a surrogate and successfully transplant two embryos made from donor eggs and their own sperm.

In April 2017, their twins were born  a boy and a girl.

"Since the kids were born, I've become a better person," Kevin said. "I've become more kind, more compassionate, more loving. I get to look at the world through my kids' eyes, and it's amazing because they don't see all the hate in the world. All they see is love."

In the past few weeks, a campaign led by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to legalize gestational surrogacy in New York has gathered momentum and controversy, putting LGBTQ and infertility groups at odds with women's rights leaders such as Gloria Steinem and human rights groups who contend the practice is unethical and exploitative.

The bill, known as the Child-Parent Security Act, passed the state Senate on Wednesday but faces an uphill battle in the Assembly, where several veteran female lawmakers remain firmly opposed. Cuomo is pushing to get it passed in the final days of the legislative session (slated to end Wednesday), along with another bill that would outlaw the "gay/trans panic" legal defense.

"You have an LGBTQ couple or you have an infertile woman or couple who can't make a child and want to bring a child into this world," the governor said last week in a Capitol news conference. "They want to have a family. They want to share that love. They want to love another individual. Why wouldn't you let them do it? Why wouldn't you help them do it?"

The controversy over surrogacy in the U.S. dates to the 1980s case of Baby M, a pseudonym given to an infant whose custody came into dispute after a woman named Mary Beth Whitehead agreed to carry a child for an infertile couple in New Jersey. She used her own eggs and the intended father's sperm. But when the baby was born, she changed her mind and decided she wanted to keep the child  setting off a firestorm of debate over the legal definition of parenthood.

Courts ultimately granted custody to the father and visitation rights to Whitehead, but the state Supreme Court argued that no contract could alter a biological mother's inherent rights to her own child. In 1992, Gov. Mario Cuomo signed into law a bill that explicitly outlawed surrogacy and held all surrogacy contracts in which money was exchanged void and unenforceable.

But medical advances have recently reopened the debate, as traditional surrogacy has been supplanted by gestational surrogacy, in which the child is conceived by in vitro fertilization and has no biological link to the surrogate, whose sole link to the child is carrying it to term.

States that had banned surrogacy began overturning those laws and putting safeguards in place designed to protect all parties involved. Surrogacy clinics also implemented stricter screening, requiring candidates to undergo a psychological evaluation and be financially secure to ensure they weren't putting their lives at risk out of economic desperation.

But economic exploitation and health risks continue to be a major concern among opponents, who argue that no woman can truly consent to the dangers posed by surrogacy when a financial motive is involved.

"To ask someone to become pregnant on someone else's behalf is to ask her to put herself at real risk," said Wendy Chavkin, professor emerita at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "The women are deciding to undergo these risks while being incentivized by large sums of money."

The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat who with his husband had two children via surrogacy in California, and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Westchester. They argue that New York's law would go further than any other when it comes to safeguarding surrogates, intended parents and children.

Among its protections is a "Surrogate's Bill of Rights," which establishes the surrogate's right to make all health decisions, to terminate the pregnancy at her sole discretion, to obtain independent legal counsel, to receive quality medical care and health insurance, all of which would be paid for by the intended parents, with care extending for six months after birth. It also establishes her right to counseling and life insurance.

It would also require the state Department of Health to put forth regulations ensuring that potential surrogates and egg donors in the state have been fully informed of any and all medical risks.

And the bill does not pertain only to surrogacy arrangements. Current state laws on parentage rely primarily on biology rather than intention, meaning sperm and egg donors can legally claim parentage or even be held liable for child support of any children that result from their donation. The bill would clarify parental rights in these and other cases of assisted reproduction.

"The market exists  it just exists for people in different states. And many New Yorkers take advantage of the market in different states and even, frankly, different countries," Hoylman said at a Senate hearing he organized on the topic last month. "So my counterpoint is, let's have the best laws in the country and the best regulations that protect all parties, because surrogacy is happening whether we approve of the market model or not."

Many supporters ultimately favor the bill for the compassion and hope it extends to infertile women and LGBTQ couples. Cuomo this week called it the "natural extension" of marriage equality.

But even those who support LGBTQ rights say they're uncomfortable with the idea of commodifying wombs and exchanging money for babies.

"Are children goods like any others? Were I to suggest that the legal complexities of surrogacy would vanish if we just legalized the sale of children, you would recoil  as would I," said Yasmine Ergas, director of gender and public policy specialization at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Surrogacy arrangements can cost intended parents anywhere from $60,000 to $150,000, though there are cases that fall outside that range on both the high and low ends. Citing those costs, some contend the commercial surrogacy market exists to benefit the privileged and wealthy.

Kevin Karr-McGraw couldn't disagree more.

He and Sean, he says, are by no means wealthy. They simply wanted children badly enough that they were willing to work hard and save, he said. All told, they spent around $125,000, not counting financial assistance they received from Men Having Babies. They also paid for multiple cross-country trips to attend doctors' and other appointments.

He said any woman who is willing to sacrifice nine months of her life to provide another with a baby deserves compensation for her time and effort.

On Tuesday, Kevin joined other advocates at the Capitol to share his experience with surrogacy and to let others know the positive impact it had on his own family.

"There's a lot of negative perceptions that surrogates do this just for the money, but I want people to know that's not the case," he said. "They are doing this for a good cause, because they see that this is about love and family."Accountability  what is it? Perhaps a simple definition is the obligation and willingness to accept responsibility for ones actions.

But how is someone held accountable for what they do, when their actions cause harm? Most often there are laws that govern how someone is held accountable for their actions. Note: the harm does not have to be physical in nature. Currently, Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy are proposing legislation to repeal a law that gives gun manufacturers protection from liability lawsuits. Basically the senators, and others, want gun manufacturers to be responsible for the actions caused by others that use their guns in a crime.

This article is not about gun rights, self-protection, etc. However, I use what the senators are proposing to ask this question: How are we, the citizens of Connecticut, protected against the irresponsible actions of our legislators in Hartford? Since the mid 1960s the Democratic Party held the majority in Hartford. Think about how they repeatedly raided and took money from the transportation fund only to apply the money elsewhere and, they were not held accountable for this. Perhaps if this money was left alone and applied to our roads and bridges, they would not be in the condition they currently are.

Think about how irresponsible legislators are when trying to pass a budget that has so many pet projects in it. So many times we hear legislators say, They have our best interest in mind when they clearly dont. Legislators are not held accountable for their misgivings as they pass or deny legislation from year to year, and they know this.

Just look at what happened when the legislators deregulated electricity. We were told that it was going to lower our electric bill by increasing competition for the electrical generation portion of our monthly bill, so what happened to that?

Some will say voting is how we hold these people accountable. To that answer, I say no. Why? All too often voters are tied to a particular party, and despite the fact that a person knows their party is wrong on a piece of proposed legislation, they will vote along the party lines to pass or deny the legislation.

On the issues of tolls, why not put it to an actual vote for the legal voting citizens of Connecticut? If the voters truly want it, so be it. If they dont, then be accountable to the voters and start running the state in a more responsible manner as you then respect, not ignore, the voters wishes.

Time has come for actual legislation that holds elected legislators accountable for their actions. If they know that they can be held libel in a civil court for their actions as an elected official in passing legislation, then maybe, just maybe they will be more accountable for what they do.

Dennis N. Silvestri lives in New Haven.Police have arrested and charged a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a woman in Camden.

Ramike Medina-Brown, 23, of Camden, was arrested in New York City shortly after midnight this morning by officers from the U.S. Marshals Task Force in New York.

Medina-Brown is being charged with first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and hindering apprehension, according to the Camden County Prosecutors Office.

Prosecutors did not immediately reveal how they determined Medina-Brown was a suspect in the case or his connection to the victim.

On May 25, police responded to a report of an unconscious woman at a home on the 2800 block of Wayne Avenue.

Upon arrival police found Eileen Brown, 53, suffering from multiple stab wounds, and she was pronounced dead.

Medina-Brown is being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility until his pretrial detention hearing.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.Does New Jersey really need four tiny towns all called Wildwood? If you ask one of the mayors on this seaside island, hell give you a direct answer. Merge them.

During a Borough Commissioners meeting earlier in June, West Wildwood Mayor Christopher Fox said he would be in favor of West Wildwood, along with the nearby municipalities of North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, merging with the city of Wildwood to create one municipality.

The state of New Jersey in the last couple of years is pushing for any town less than 5,000 people is supposed to merge with the nearest, closest town that has more than 5,000, which means this whole island should be merging with the city of Wildwood as we speak, Fox said. That is what the state law says. Has that been discussed? Yes, it has been discussed. It comes down to do the other towns want to do it, and do they feel the need to merge. I am 100 percent for it.

According to the Rutgers New Jersey Data Book, in 2018, West Wildwood had a population of 603 people, the fewest number of residents on the island. Wildwood had the most residents (5,325), followed by North Wildwood (4,041) and Wildwood Crest (3,270). And about 200 people live in a section of the island known as Diamond Beach, but it is part of Lower Township.

The other municipalities in the borough have shared service agreements involving courts, tax assessors, and other local government positions and services with each other, due to their proximity with each other. Three of the municipalities also utilize the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA).

In 2018, West Wildwood had shared service agreements with Wildwood to use the citys EMS service, municipal court, police dispatch, and emergency broadcast notification services. Another cog in a merger would be the relationship Fox had with Wildwood, serving as the citys administrator before being fired in May.

After Foxs statement during the meeting last week, there was an audible mixture of approval and dislike among the crowd gathered in the room. A couple of the people in the packed meeting room yelled out if a merger were to happen, they would rather merge with North Wildwood as opposed to Wildwood.

Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano said there have been conversations with West Wildwood about a possible merger, but nothing has moved forward.

In the grand scheme of everything, absolutely it should happen, Troiano said. They are a third of a square mile. We handle their fire, ambulance, court systems. We have a lot of shared services with them. I think their public works department has three guys. You cant get to West Wildwood unless you go through Wildwood.

The Wildwood mayor added he would like to see the island come together as one, but does not think he would see it in his lifetime.

Ive always been a proponent of one government because I think one government is all we need, but unfortunately home rule and peoples attitudes towards each other sort of prevent a lot of this, Troiano said.

It would make sense to have one government and it would certainly reduce the cost of government drastically, but it is very difficult.

North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello said while it is a compliment to be told some residents would want to merge with the city, he questions if a merger would benefit the residents of North Wildwood.

One of the difficult things about merging if you are a mayor or resident of North Wildwood is that we have the lowest average property taxes of any beach town in the state of New Jersey, Rosenello said. It is very difficult to come up with a good enough reason as to why we should chance that standing with a merger. It is really hard to come up with how you are going to make it better with a merger.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera said the idea to have a unified Wildwood would have worked better before the towns on the island were formed  which happened in 1885, 1895, 1910, and 1920  but to orchestrate a merger now would be challenging.

It sounds good on paper, and if it were done at the same time, it makes sense, Cabrera said. But now, since we are so far into it, with details such as pensions, health benefits, infrastructure, development, and zoning, it would be hard to tackle.

Cabrera said he believes Wildwood Crest residents would not approve of a merger given the residents are happy with the way the borough is run and the stability in terms of taxation. The mayor believes a merger would jeopardize everything.

Right now, every community has their own personality, priorities, and issues that they are dealing with, the Wildwood Crest mayor added. We have good plans in place, and our residents have come to appreciate a certain quality of life. If you were to merge or consolidate that, I think there would be a risk of issues, with quality of life being one of them.

The idea of consolidating municipalities in the state is not a new idea. In 1968, the New Jersey County and Municipal Government Study Commission were tasked to find ways the state could run more efficiently.

New Jersey is in desperate need of a better allocation of the fiscal and government responsibilities for the planning, financing, and performance of the functions and services provided by its local government system  especially those of area-wide or regional scope, the commission wrote in its first findings.

Four years later in 1972, the commission wrote about the state law for municipalities to decide on town mergers.

To reiterate, the decision whether to consolidate or not is a local decision. This is not only a matter of judgment; it is a matter of law, the commission stated. Although municipalities legally are creatures of the State, the Legislature has provided that a majority favorable referendum vote is necessary in each municipality affected in order to accomplish a consolidation.

Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.Update, 5:30 p.m.: Target says registers are back online in all stores. The retailer attributed the temporary outage to an internal technology issue that lasted for approximately two hours.

After an initial but thorough review, we can confirm that this was not a data breach or security-related issue, and no guest information was compromised at any time, Target said in a statement. We appreciate all of our store team members who worked quickly to assist guests and thank everyone involved for their patience.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Earlier: Saturday might be one of the most popular times to go shopping, but at Target stores in New Jersey and across the country, customers found themselves stalled at the checkout line, and not because of the crowds.

Cash registers were down Saturday at Target stores nationwide, leaving shoppers in a lurch after they had filled their carts with necessities and other would-be purchases.

An employee at the Target in Jersey City confirmed that all registers were down at Target locations across the country. Other Target employees tweeted that the registers were down across the globe.

Later, just after 3 p.m., Targets Twitter account posted a message about the registers being down, but did not provide a reason.

Were aware that guests are currently unable to make purchases at Target stores," the tweet said. Our teams are troubleshooting now and we apologize for the inconvenience. We will provide an update as soon as possible.

Were aware that guests are currently unable to make purchases at Target stores. Our teams are troubleshooting now and we apologize for the inconvenience. We will provide an update as soon as possible.  Target (@Target) June 15, 2019

NJ Advance Media reached out to Targets public relations representatives about what caused the problem with the registers, but did not hear back as of Saturday afternoon.

On social media, the hashtag #targetdown tracked the ensuing frustrations and chaos, while At Target and All Target trended nationwide.

So. Many. Abandoned. Carts. Think of all the perishables they have to trash. #targetdown pic.twitter.com/TspY136EA5  Nancy Yang (@n_yang) June 15, 2019

Memes and lighthearted tweets flourished as shoppers noted that one of Americas largest retail chains had become inaccessible at one of the most inconvenient times: the day before Fathers Day.

Some of those who had procrastinated buying gifts for their dads made last-minute plans to bring their dollars to other retailers.

The time is 14:52. The global system at Target has been down for 40 minutes. People have divided into tribes: men hunting, women gathering. Insanity running rampant. Frappuccino supplies running low. Clearance sections decimated. Will humanity survive? #targetdown pic.twitter.com/5l8u4VxBZu  stephanie anderson (@Steph_IRL) June 15, 2019

#Targetdown When it's the day before Father's Day and you have procrastinated and you're at Target and the registers are all down pic.twitter.com/m4elzSvHWG  Max Powers (@MaxPowers44) June 15, 2019

Theres only one person who can save Target right now #targetdown pic.twitter.com/U9dGWNNkXc  Puma (@jasonapuma_) June 15, 2019

I wonder if you could say it was a "targeted" attack. #targetdown pic.twitter.com/Y1aMicC8VH  heryeaa (RT PINNED) (@heryeaa) June 15, 2019

So yall really just standing in long lines at Target going on near a hour now? Because I would just...I dunno...leave?#targetdown pic.twitter.com/2KwFr9Nyvw  Jamille (@Jamille_H) June 15, 2019

And I looked and the angel of the lord broke the first scroll, and the hosts of heaven blew their trumpets, and first horse of the apocalypse shut down all the target registers nationwide.

-Revelations 2:7 #Targetdown  Blake MacKenzie (@BlakeMacKenzie) June 15, 2019

Me knowing that natural selection isnt gonna get me today because Im not stupid enough to wait in those lines #targetdown  pic.twitter.com/N4BY73gTju  Jorge Jacinto (@JJEXIDLIFE) June 15, 2019

Heh, all target registers nationwide are currently down and Ive never been more grateful to no longer be a manager at target #targetdown pic.twitter.com/LfrzOwxhrA  Raquel Sidie-Wagner (@Quels612) June 15, 2019

Never thought I would see the day... that people left Target and went to Walmart #targetdown pic.twitter.com/EgcfZ7va9t  AshlyPashlee (@AshlyPashlee) June 15, 2019

Target employees and shoppers alike shared also shared scenes from inside the stores (and related memes), where some customers reported waiting up to an hour to see if the registers would become functional again and others made the decision to abandon their carts, food and all.

The resulting scenario caused carts full of paper towels, household necessities and food to glut checkout lines.

Some shoppers made earnest pleas for customers to be patient with Target employees.

#targetdown #targetgeddon Im officially live-streaming the apocalypse ... my theory is that a UFO is approaching and is blocking the target server signal, stay posted pic.twitter.com/YOUG4Z5cmF  dori-jo  (@roamingturkey) June 15, 2019

Employees handing out chips, tweeted Hunter Sowards, an anchor for KTRE News in Texas, sharing a video from inside a store. Starbucks handing out drinks. Customers offering their baskets to strangers trying to hold all of their items. Sometimes the most uncomfortable situations can actually bring out the best of human nature.

Craziest shift ever, tweeted a Target employee named Marschelle.

Terrible video but had to share. Employees handing out chips. Starbucks handing out drinks. Customers offering their baskets to strangers trying to hold all of their items. Sometimes the most uncomfortable situations can actually bring out the best of human nature. #targetdown pic.twitter.com/iI3owraDoX  Hunter Sowards (@huntersowards3) June 15, 2019

Just left target after patiently waiting for an hour or so. Every single person working there is amazing & I honestly feel for them. I just had to take the L. If youre still there, please be patient with these guys. They are doing their best! #targetdown pic.twitter.com/yBcEYL4Jsx  Elizabeth Matthews (@momof2boys79) June 15, 2019

This is how you bring America to a standstill. Every single register at the Richfield @target is down  pic.twitter.com/DsT5fv5QNS  Nancy Yang (@n_yang) June 15, 2019

i am literally walking around handing out drinks to guests right now #targetdown pic.twitter.com/aQiddTOMtk  logan (@hnylf) June 15, 2019

Anyone who has ever worked in retail feels for Target employees today #Targetdown pic.twitter.com/tf9pe8uAOd  Terri Miller (@ticklet) June 15, 2019

Clocking into work knowing the systems down, still gotta make this bread #targetdown pic.twitter.com/cAvoihD3Hj  Sar-Bear (@Smol_Fanatic08) June 15, 2019

When youre on break while all of Targets registers are down #targetdown pic.twitter.com/fGpebyPMhd  allie humenay (@Allie29allie) June 15, 2019

Manager: The registers are down can you stay to hand out gift cards and put items on hold?



Me going back to punch out: #targetdown pic.twitter.com/xeDgBMMy8C  Fany  (@Goldnmint) June 15, 2019

targets registers might be down but I got a lot of knitting done :) shout out to all the employees for handling it so well #targetdown pic.twitter.com/8gasSrmvxV  lambda lesbian (@destroyeroftroy) June 15, 2019

please be nice to the target employees! do not just leave your cart there if you decide to leave. the employees will have to put all of your items back. please, please remain calm and remember to be kind!! #targetdown https://t.co/IIFUBANMpN  kari (@karihallll) June 15, 2019

A HUGE THANK YOU to the couple who stayed with my cart while I traded out my perishable and frozen foods while we waited in line during #targetdown It's slow since the registers don't recognize the items in the 1st scan, & they have to type the prices in each time. pic.twitter.com/C7o6nG9yxb  Jill Robinson (@daysbradypats) June 15, 2019

When youre working in the back and dont have to deal with the madness #targetdown pic.twitter.com/Ko2CsDFeDN  Roy Tapia (@rtapia24) June 15, 2019

When you come to work and all the systems are down... #targetdown pic.twitter.com/bTQWmC2qtR  Lizzy  (@yzzil_martinez) June 15, 2019

Witnessing the great target outage of 2019. Of course wed be here for this. #targetdown pic.twitter.com/RF7IUdGi4b  Pammy Boulas (@panagiotab16) June 15, 2019

Me enjoying all the free Starbucks at target #targetdown pic.twitter.com/j41w7cM1SW  pezzie (@oofpezz) June 15, 2019

Apparently the system being down had some reevaluating the true necessity of their purchases, because you know what they say about going to Target for just one thing.

The funny thing about Target being down are the amount of people realizing that they don't need half of what they were gonna buy here. I've been in line for like 45 minutes and so many people have said "wait I didn't come here to buy this" #targetdown  katie  (@katie5er) June 15, 2019

Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.President Moon Jae-in and Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven arrive at the Grand Hotel in Saltsjobaden on the outskirts of Stockholm, June 15. AP-Yonhap





Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, third left, and Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, second left, and President Moon Jae-in, second right, attend a summit at the Grand Hotel in Saltsjobaden outside Stockholm, June 15. AP-Yonhap



The leaders of South Korea and Sweden agreed Saturday to level up their countries' partnerships, especially in response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister Stefan Lofven also exchanged views on how to promote inclusive growth, including welfare and gender equality, and labor-management relations, according to Cheong Wa Dae



The two made the agreements at a summit held in Saltsjobaden, a suburb of Stockholm, on the last day of Moon's state visit to Sweden.



In 1938, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and the Swedish Employers Association signed a landmark treaty in the town, the Saltsjobaden Agreement, which became a model for labor-management negotiations.





President Moon Jae-in and Sweden's King Carl Gustaf during a press meeting at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, June 14. AP-Yonhap







The leaders agreed to broaden South Korea-Sweden partnerships in various fields such as small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, science and technology, and climate and the environment.



To that end, the Korea Startup Center will open in Stockholm next year, which will "serve as a center for cooperation between startups in the two nations," the presidential office said.



Moon also introduced his administration's efforts for a "fair society with no discrimination" and had discussions on the matter with the prime minister.



Sweden is arguably a leading nation when it comes to having an inclusive society.





President Moon Jae-in gives a speech at the Sweden-Korea Business Summit in Stockholm, June 14. AP-Yonhap"City of Girls

By Elizabeth Gilbert

(Riverhead Books, 470 pp, $28)

Its almost embarrassing to adore a book as much as I do City of Girls.

On the first page of Elizabeth Gilberts latest deeply satisfying novel, she writes: I cant be the only ancient woman still tottering around New York City, absolutely refusing to abandon either her life or her real estate.

And so, I was hooked and happy to face an eight-hour flight. While others groaned about delays, I happily turned pages.

Gilbert, of Frenchtown, creates a character for the ages in Vivian Morris, the sort of wise woman of taste we would all benefit from knowing. Well ahead of her time, Vivian was disaffected by her parents traditional plans for her.

Born in 1920, her parents sent her to stay with an aunt in Manhattan after Vassar did not want her returning, despite being a wealthy legacy student. She was a bit feckless but determined to flee her small town and stuffy parents.

Her aunt, a generous bohemian, owned a dilapidated building in Hell's Kitchen. There, the last gasps of vaudeville played out on a sagging stage. And Vivian's real education began as she befriended showgirls.

In this long volume, Vivian, now 89, reflects on her life. Shes telling her story to Angela, a minor character. It isnt until the end that their connection is made clear. Angela matters, but she matters most as the person Vivian to whom relays her life.

By page five, I not only want to know Vivian, I want to be her. Shes still a bit naive when she arrives in New York, but is only too happy to learn about sex and the legendary NYC nightlife. Vivian possesses a true talent; shes an excellent seamstress and can disassemble ruined old frocks and fashion them into exquisite costumes and dresses.

Vivian learned from the best master seamstress, her grandmother, a tall, passionate, aging coquette with dyed mahogany hair who moved through life in a plume of perfume and gossip, and who dressed like a circus show.

Her skill with a needle gave Vivian entree to New York, informed her way of looking at the world and eventually led to a business designing and sewing wedding gowns. Along the way, Vivian took many, many lovers, and was embroiled in a scandal that sent her returning briefly to her parents.

A long novel that's a quick read, this introduces us to characters bound to linger in our memories.

Vivian relies on her brother, the golden child who dropped out of Princeton to enlist in the Navy, to spirit her out of the city and back home. He had to convince another sailor to drive them. And that driver, eventually, becomes an important part of Vivians life.

The day she returns home, in the wake of a scandal that would still make the news, Vivians parents do not probe. She explains why to Angela (remember her? Shes the intended recipient of this story; were just onlookers). You need to understand that we have only one central rule of engagement, and here it is: This matter must never be spoken of again.

We WASPs can apply that rule to anything  from a moment of awkwardness at the dinner table to a relatives suicide.

Asking no further questions is the song of my people.

Vivian, though, was never meant for a life in the suburbs or the sacrifices of motherhood. And so, she returned to New York, where she was meant to be. Drawn to flashy, colorful women, Vivian and Marjorie, an immigrant, running her parents fabrics store, become friends then business partners.

In City of Girls, Gilbert relays a history lesson about New York City during wartime working in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She gives us a character who is vain, yet self-aware, who had much handed to her but worked extremely hard.

She and her chorine friends drank hard and caroused with all their might. And its here that Gilbert, who creates a nuanced woman, shines. Her scenes about sex are magnificent. All too often writers takes on sex read as if theyre from 14-year-old boys, unsure of how a womans body works.

Instead, Gilbert writes knowingly and gracefully about sex. Vivians deflowering  a most perfunctory and disappointing romp with a boring veterinarian  is comical in its mannered precision. Vivian finally has her first orgasm, a sensation occurring here that I didnt even know could occur.

In keeping with presenting an accurate history for her fictional characters, Gilbert reminds us that birth control was illegal for unmarried women in the 40s.

As Vivian made her rounds of nightclubs and men, she held true to not sleeping with married men. She was a stalwart friend and a loving niece to her aunt and her aunt's partner. Her aunt had a husband, a handsome California screenwriter and bon vivant, but she loved and lived with her lesbian partner.

As with the best fiction, Vivians adventures and relationships are plausible. Unique to Gilberts character, though, is Vivians elan and her self-awareness, and how she represents feminism forged in those who stepped up during World War II.

Elizabeth Gilbert tells the story of an 89-year-old woman who harbors few regrets on a wild youth.

Decades after first befriending a chorine, a very tough Bronx girl who had been abused and tossed out of her parents home, and who suffered far more in the scandal than Vivian had, Vivian espies her on a TV commercial. They had been the best of friends, yet it had to end badly.

Scandal or no scandal, I believe that our friendship was always destined to have been momentary  a collision of two vain young girls who intersected at the zenith of their beauty and the nadir of their intelligence, and who had blatantly used each other to acquire status and turn mens heads. Thats all it had ever been, really, and that was perfect. Thats all it had ever needed to be. Id found deeper and richer female friendships later on in life, and I hoped that Celia had, too.

That paragraph sums up some of this novels magic. A clear-eyed woman not living on regrets, and can reflect on a life well lived.

Gilbert shot to fame writing about women living well. Admittedly, I may be the only person who did not read Eat Pray Love (I made the mistake of seeing the movie), and so did not fall to her monumental talent until The Signature of All Things. That was another long book about another long-lived and interesting woman. Anyone who can make the world of moss fascinating has my attention.

Then, came Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear a heartfelt and excellent book brimming with advice. City of Girls is special in its own right, and Vivian imparts plenty of sage advice. I plan to push this on anyone who asks (and likely on those who dont), though unlike most all of my books, I am not parting with this copy.Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo is set to host a prank show for Netflix, Deadline reports.

Matarazzo, 16, will head up eight episodes of the series Prank Encounters," which is slated to premiere later this year.

The actor, who is from Little Egg Harbor Township (he recently showed off some photos from junior prom at Pinelands Regional High School in Tuckerton), also serves as an executive producer of the new show.

In the hidden-camera series, two strangers are told that theyre starting their first day at a job, but then everything seems to fall apart.

Matarazzo plays Dustin Henderson in the Duffer Brothers Stranger Things, the hit Netflix series that debuted in 2016 and returns for a third season on July 4.

He also has a band with his sister Sabrina and other fellow Pinelands Regional students and alumni called Work in Progress, which is touring this summer. The band will perform alongside acts like the Dave Matthews Band, the Lumineers and Dropkick Murphys at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park on Sept. 21 and 22.

Matarazzo also devotes his time to advocacy relating to the genetic disorder cleidocranial dysplasia, which affects teeth and bones and is a condition both he and his Stranger Things character have. He helped to launch the nonprofit foundation CCD Smiles, which assists families in paying the dental bills of children with CCD.

After the Duffer Brothers wrote it into the show, it gave me a platform to bring awareness about CCD to other people who have it and may not have been able to talk about it much," Matarazzo told Inside Jersey in 2017. "Thats a great feeling.

Matarazzo recently appeared in a hybrid promotion of Stranger Things and a retro revival of New Coke, a soft drink that was a famous failure in the 1980s.

Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.David Broadnax didnt think hed ever receive such an honor, but the 94-year-old veteran from Paramus always had hope.

Walter Jasterzebski, 92, of Teaneck, thought somebody was kidding on the phone until his daughter, Gail Pierro, explained the news that surprised Broadnax.

Then theres Lester Bornstein, 94, of West Orange. He was simply thrilled to know that he was eligible for the same military distinction they all deserved.

The three World War II veterans received Frances Legion of Honor, a medal thanking them for their bravery when they were among allied forces liberating France from German occupation.

It happened Friday at the Jewish Community Center MetoWest in West Orange when Anne-Claire Legendre, the consul general of France of New York, talked about their valor and the historical relationship between France and the United States that dates back to the American Revolution.

Your bravery, this willingness to sacrifice your lives to preserve the values of liberty and democracy, deserve our highest consideration and our deepest respect," Legendre told the men and their families. It is essential that we not forget that we owe our right to live freely today to you, and the hundreds of thousands of men and women who didnt make it back from the battlefields."

David Broadnax, left, Lester Bornstein, center, and Walter Jasterzebski, wear France's Legion of Honor medal. They received it for their World War II service in the liberation of France from German occupation. (Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

She pinned each of them with a medal, the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, after highlighting their compelling service and sacrifice.

Jasterzebski, a Navy seaman who operated anti-air craft guns, doesnt talk much about the 1944 Normandy invasion in France and fighting in Okinawa, Japan in 1945. But Legendre said he was 17 years old on the USS Ellyson, a naval ship involved in missions across the Atlantic that broke Nazi blockades near the United Kingdom. The operation, Legendre said, turned the tide of war and helped allied forces prevail and liberate France.

Thank you very much," said Jasterzebski, who worked for the Ford Motor Company. You made my day."

When he stood to be pinned, Jasterzebski opened up little more, recalling how men drowned, that it was awful. We lost a lot of good people," he said.

They were young like him.

Bornstein was an 18-year-old rifleman in the Armys Company B 168th Engineer Combat Battalion, which carried out a series of combat engineering duties at Normandy in Ardennes, and in Central Europe and the Rhineland. The squadron, Legendre said, stopped German forces across Europe and protected allied forces when it cleared land mines, opened routes, built bridges, trenches and shelters.

So many people sacrificed their life on D-Day to rid this world of tyranny and we owe a lot to them," said Bornstein, who was overseas 19 months. I want people to know that there are people who sacrificed, who are lying in graves in Normandy and all over Europe. We should not forget them."

Anne-Claire Legendre, the consul general of France of New York, speaks about the bravery of three New Jersey veterans when they fought during World War II to liberate France from German occupation. She presented them with France's Legion of Honor at the Jewish Community Center MetoWest in West Orange (Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

We should not forget you, sir, or your wife, Marilyn, to whom youve been married to for 71 years. Fridays ceremony happened to be her birthday, but shes grateful that he survived.

It amazes me that he came back alive," she said. He was so near death the whole time."

Bornstein, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, also served in Korea. When he returned home, Bornstein graduated from Boston University with a Bachelors of Science degree and with a masters of public health from Yale University in 1955. He worked in hospital administration, retiring as president of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in 1996.

Broadnax worked in the medical field, too, becoming a physician and a cardiologist after serving two years in the Army with the 646 Transportation Platoon.

Legendre said his unit played a critical role transporting soldiers and supplies to overwhelm the enemy when it landed in Normandy in 1944. Drafted at 19, Broadnax was a company clerk and platoon sergeant, who said he was in charge of 80 men. During his service, he was involved in missions in several locations, including Cherbourg, Le Havre and Marseille in France.

Broadnax keeps that part of his life in the past, mostly because hes not sure if people want to hear about it.

Its to let people know what kind of service we gave in order to keep America free," Broadnax said.

After his discharge, he took advantage of that hard fought liberty. He was a physician for 47 years at Hackensack Medical Center after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hunter College and Master of Science degree in microbiology from Fordham University. He serves on the Oversight Board of the Bergen County Improvement Authority and the board of trustees at the Logan Family Life Center, a Hackensack non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance social services and educational programs.

To receive the French honor, veterans have to apply and prove they fought on French soil. And, they must still be alive, so that the Consul General can present them with the honor.

Bornstein said a Battle of the Bulge military organization that he belongs to told him about his eligibility. Friends of Broadnax and Jasterzebski gave it shot, not knowing what to expect.

This is the icing on the cake," said Luke Gervase of Closter, who got the ball rolling for Jasterzebski.

The vets deserve all of this stuff. I hope it continues."

Walter Jasterzebski, left, and Lester Bornstein shake hands at a ceremony in which they were honored for their World War II service when they were among allied forces in the liberation of France from Germany occupation. Bornstein's wife, Marilyn, is in the middle. (Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

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Barry Carter may be reached at bcarter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip?Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.The proclamation covered just about everything Daisy Johnson has done in 50 years at NJ Transit and its predecessor, the Public Service Coordinated Transport Company.

Johnson counted tickets and transfers in that department when she started in 1969, fresh off the bus from Rembert South Carolina, a tiny rural town outside of Sumter.

She was only 17, but Johnson, now 67, moved around to payroll clerk before taking jobs later as a senior clerk in the revenue department. That title followed her to revenue and accounts payable departments and now shes the principal bookkeeper in finance.

I am continually impressed by the dedication and loyalty of our employees," said NJ Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett. Daisy Johnson is the epitome of these core values that our employees hold."

In each position she excelled, but the proclamation Johnson received Tuesday from the board of directors for her 50th year doesnt capture an important womens issue she challenged with the company.

When Johnson was 23 years old, said she won a maternity arbitration case against Transport of New Jersey, another variation of NJ Transit. The litigation, she said, ensured women would receive maternity leave after she was denied and fired.

I was so mad, I could spit," said Johnson, an Irvington resident.

Kevin Corbett, executive director of NJ Transit, gives Daisy Johnson a proclamation for 50 years of service at the at the agency. (Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

But she said the late Justine (Tina) Lucas, a shop steward for Local 819 Amalgamated Transit Union, stood by her side the day she was let go. So did Pat Tully, another union representative, whom Johnson praises for support in the discrimination case that the union successfully filed.

Johnson said she was reinstated with back pay, but was concerned about what would happen when she returned to work. Her intuition was valid. Jobs she applied for were not available.

They would overlook me, but that was okay, because I won the case and I felt good about that."

Standing up for her rights, she said, wasnt daunting, having grown up in the segregated south.

Thats when I realized you had to fight for everything," Johnson said.

Growing up on a farm with a strict father led to some of that conviction and toughness. He had Johnson, as young as age 6, along with her six siblings, working in the field. Shed pick tomatoes and beans, then shell them when she wasnt helping her mother in the kitchen. At some point, following behind her brothers, she learned how to drive a tractor and a car before migrating north to New Jersey a day after getting her high school diploma.

The early days on the job, she said, were pleasant, until the maternity issue surfaced. She hung in there and dealt with supervisors who were not sympathetic to her childcare needs.

Johnson had two sons to raise. John, 41, is now a doctor and Derrick beat the odds having Cerebral Palsy and multiple developmental disabilities. Doctors only gave Derrick, who is non-verbal, one year to live.

Hes now 38.

In heartfelt remarks about his mother, John told NJ Transit board members that Derrick had a purpose. His mother saw that.

Its fitting that my mom has been in this business 50 years, helping people reach their destinations," he said. She helped Derrick reach his.

John Johnson speaks about his mother, Daisy Johnson, who was honored for 50 years of service by the NJ Transit board of directors. (Barry Carter | NJ Advance Media)(Barry Carter NJ | Advance Media)

Finding suitable care for him, though, was difficult while trying to work. When she did, the school bus would be late picking him up, causing her to be constantly tardy until an understanding supervisor took time to find out why.

Instead of a reprimand, Johnson said she was allowed more time to get to work and life on the job has been great ever since.

Shes just a thrill to be around," said Michael Cort, deputy controller in the finance department, who has been her supervisor for four years.

Shes reliable, does a great job and never complains. Because of her mood, Cort said the office is upbeat and she has a contagious laugh that makes anyone want to know what happened.

Im just blessed to have her in the department," he said.

Johnson, despite her early troubles, said she never thought about leaving the company, even after she went on strike six months with employees in the 1970s for benefits.

The agency and its workers became her family, she said, supporting her through difficult days of divorce. Theyd listen to her when she talked about challenges the disabled face. NJ Transit offered the stability she needed to raise her family and navigate life.

She earned that proclamation this week, and the applause that came with it, too. Theres no timetable on how much longer shell work. Dont try to guess, either.

He son, John, said it best.

She has a lot more people to help out."

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Barry Carter may be reached at bcarter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip?Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.The woman found dead in her Plainsboro apartment Monday evening did not regularly go home for lunch.

But Carolyn Byington did midday Monday, drawn there for some reason, and was apparently attacked once she entered her apartment in the Hunters Glen complex, two sources familiar with the investigation told NJ Advance Media.

Police officers later found the lifeless 26-year-old with her personal belongings, and her apartment with no forced entry, the sources said.

Her lunch break and failure to return to work is why her coworkers at Engine USs Princeton office in nearby West Windsor called police to check on her, the sources said.

The reason Byington went home is one theory being pursued by investigators from the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office, who on Friday said there would be no public statements.

The office has not reported any arrests or charges in the investigation, and no suspected motive.

The office has said very little since announcing her death Tuesday, only reporting it was a homicide, but not saying how exactly a medical examiner arrived at that ruling.

The Middlesex County Medical Examiners Office declined to make public a cause of death, referring inquiries back to the prosecutors office.

Neighbors reported to investigators that they heard faint screams and the sound of moving furniture from Byingtons apartment at lunchtime Monday, but authorities have not commented on that.

Neighbors who spoke to NJ Advance Media on Thursday described Byington as quiet.

Byington, who grew up in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards, graduated from Ridge High School, and was a 2015 graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where she was a double major in international affairs and anthropology and sociology.

Shed been working at Engine since February of 2016, according to her LinkedIn page.

Carolyn Byington's 2010-2011 Ridge High School Yearbook photo.courtesy image

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.WASHINGTON  Donald Trumps Justice Department says the president can keep his tax returns secret, and Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. is calling on the federal courts to reject 33 pages of pablum.

Pascrell, D-9th Dist., said the next step should be a lawsuit against Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee.

The law is on the side of the people, not Trump, Pascrell said. Thirty-three pages of pablum later from political hack lawyers in Barrs world wont change that. In short order, I hope and expect we can move forward to file suit and enforce the law and subpoena seeking this critical information.

Pascrell, who has served in the House of Representatives since 1997, has led the fight on Capitol Hill to obtain Trumps returns, and first called for a lawsuit when Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin refused to release the documents last month.

Hose Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., had requested the returns under a 1924 law giving him the right to do so. But Trumps Justice Department said the president didnt have to comply because the request served no legitimate legislative purpose, even while acknowledging the law contained no such provisions.

While the Executive Branch should accord due deference and respect to congressional requests, the executive need not treat the committees assertion of the legitimacy of its purpose as unquestionable, the department said. The president stands at the head of a coequal branch of government, and he is separately accountable to the people for the faithful performance of his responsibilities."

The Justice Department issued its decision late Friday, a traditional time for government officials to make announcements they dont want to attract attention to.

Pascrell said the timing of the decision says all there is about what they think of its merits.

Trump is the first president in more than four decades to refuse to make his tax returns public.

In a March Quinnipiac University Poll, almost two-thirds of U.S. voters, 64 percent, said Trump should release his tax returns, while just 29 percent said he shouldnt. By 57 percent to 38 percent, they said Congress should investigate if Trump did not comply.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.All flights in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport have been halted because of an airport emergency, according to the airports official Twitter feed.

The flights were put on hold at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, shortly after a United Airlines passenger plane landed and skidded off the left side of a runway and part of its main landing gear got stuck in a grassy area, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA said the plane, which had arrived from Denver International Airport, will be towed off the airfield after passengers leave the aircraft. The passengers will then be bussed to the airport terminal.

No injuries were reported to the FAA, the agency said in a statement issued on its Twitter page, adding that agency officials are on their way to their airport to investigate the incident.

UPDATE (3:10 p.m.): Flights at Newark Airport have resumed, according to airport officials, who noted delays are expected to continue. The airport is recommending that passengers contact their carrier for flight information.

UPDATE (3:30 p.m.): United Airlines has issued a statement confirming that Flight 627, traveling from Denver to Newark, experienced multiple flat tires upon landing in Newark. The plane became disabled after landing, the airline said.

For those on the flight, we arranged transport for passengers from the aircraft to the airport terminal and paramedics were on site as a precaution. Were in close touch with the FAA and airport authorities and are working expeditiously to safely remove the disabled aircraft so that operations at the airport can return to normal, the airline said.

United said 166 passengers were aboard the flight and noted: No customers needed to be taken to the hospital and those who had minor injuries refused medical attention.

Due to an airport emergency there are currently no arrivals nor departures from Newark Airport.Please check with your carrier before coming to the airport [97]  Newark Liberty Airport (@EWRairport) June 15, 2019

According to FlightAware, a website that tracks airport delays across the nation, all inbound flights to Newark airport are being held at their origin until 3 p.m. Saturday, and outbound flights are delayed by an average of 40 minutes, as of 2 p.m.

Update: At 2:45 p.m., FlightAware was reporting departure delays ranging from 90 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. As of 3:15 p.m., the website said departure delays were growing as long as 2 hours, and inbound flights have been delayed at their origin an average of 4 hours, 28 minutes.

United Airlines flight #UA627 (operated by a Boeing 757-200) reportedly performed a hard landing at Newark Airport, resulting in fuselage damage https://t.co/HENxApVmLa pic.twitter.com/eY3DAvkSc4  International Flight Network (@FlightIntl) June 15, 2019

A spokesman for the Port Authority said the agency does not yet have a specific time for when flights at Newark will resume. He declined to provide additional details about the incident that prompted the airport shutdown.

FAA Statement on United Airlines Flight 627: pic.twitter.com/ORl3Phss06  The FAA (@FAANews) June 15, 2019

According to @FlightIntl a Boeing 757-200 of United Airlines flight #UA627 reportedly performed a hard landing at Newark Airport, resulting in fuselage damage. #Newark is now closed and flights get diverted to LGA and JFK. No words of damage or if any casualties pic.twitter.com/VC1nN3XkdE  Nico Maounis (@nicomaounis) June 15, 2019

NJ Advance Media staff writer Taylor Tiamoyo Harris contributed to this report. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Dear Annie: I lived with my husband for 50 years. We met spontaneously, and I moved in with him soon afterward. He was different from the norm. He was smart, always outgoing and had many great friends. I fell deeply in love. We got married after a few years together and began to build our careers in businesses, where we both became respected and successful in our fields. Over those years, we also partied excessively, and hung out with people who would eventually end up in prison. We moved beyond our youthful acts and raised a family. But he never stopped bragging about his earlier, danger-filled exploits to anyone and everyone. And his stories have grown to new exaggerated versions or downright lies.

I also painfully discovered that he considers himself a ladies' man, and has been secretly wining and dining other women. As much as I worked to make our lives better and make myself more attractive, I became more and more depressed. I felt I wasn't good enough. I confronted him several times about all of these issues and nothing ever improved.

Through an "aha" moment and research, I came to discover that I married a sociopath. I have been trying to fix someone who cannot be fixed. He ignores my attempts to improve our relationship because he doesn't care. He's not wired for it. I am finally working through all of this through therapy, particularly mindfulness meditation. I feel like a new person. I'm writing this because the symptoms have been there all along, and I was too busy, tired or ashamed to deal with it until now. I wish more information had been available to me earlier in my life about the prospects for a loving relationship with a sociopath. I found that he may often say and do the right things, but it is all an act and short-lived. With no regrets, I am now moving on with the second half of my time on this earth! I am happier and really enjoy life. -- Breathing Free

Dear Breathing: And I am so happy for you. I appreciate your sharing your story here so that it might be a light for someone who's in the dark, as you were.

Dear Annie: I was a little disappointed by your advice to "Bent But Not Broken in Missouri" who started her letter: "My husband and I moved to another state following our retirements a few years ago. We moved to a resort town six hours away from my brother Billy and his wife, Patty." The writer continued to complain that family was not coming to see them or visit them with any frequency.

I agree with your advice that she should focus on her friends and not on her family, but she also must see the fingers pointed back at herself. If you choose to move six hours away after retirement, you should assume you'll be making frequent trips back "home," if you intend to stay in touch with your relatives there. Your relatives aren't required to suddenly plan vacations around you simply because you and yours decide to move to a new location after retirement.

I suggest that before those who move away become upset with relatives who stayed home, they start making plans to return to their roots to keep the relationships intact and not expect visits to their new locale in return. -- Goes Both Ways

Dear Goes Both Ways: You make a fair point, and you invoke a favorite aphorism of mine, "When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you." Thanks for offering another perspective.

"Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie" is out now! Annie Lane's debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COMA Newark man was sentenced Friday to 24 years in state prison for a deadly shooting in Roselle that stemmed from an argument over an insulting post on Facebook.

Nathaniel Price, 28, must serve 85 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole, according to the Union County Prosecutors Office.

Police on Jan. 21, 2017 found Tyquan Johnson shot several times in the drivers seat of a vehicle in the 1000 block of Rivington Street, Union County Assistant Prosecutor Armando Suarez said. The 21-year-old shooting victim died later that day.

Union County Homicide Task Force investigators discovered the killing came after a long-running feud and physical altercation involving more than a dozen people, triggered by the social media post that Price believed insulted his relative, according to officials.

The utter and complete senselessness of this crime cannot be overstated, said Suarez, who prosecuted the case. He [Johnson] had his entire life ahead of him, and it was lostover mere words.

Price surrendered to police three days after the shooting, according to authorities. Investigators recovered his DNA from the gun used in the shooting. He pleaded guilty in May to first-degree aggravated manslaughter and weapons offenses.

At sentencing before Union County Superior Court Judge Lisa Miralles Walsh, Price declined to speak.

Family members described Johnson, a Newark Liberty International Airport employee, as a hard worker who was not even directly involved with the social media-fueled dust up.

I dont understand why you took my son away from us, Johnsons mother told Price at a hearing, according to an account from the prosecutors office. But I would have taken those bullets for him.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newslettersMembers of Lower Cape May Regional High Schools class of 2019 received their diplomas during the schools commencement Friday evening.

The ceremony, which was less than an hour long, took place on Steven Steger Field under a blue sky dotted with white clouds. An occasional gust of wind brought smiles and laughter to the graduates as they held onto their caps; a few lost their battle with the wind and quickly retrieved their caps from the ground.

Class of 2019 secretary Maryam Nsar, a native of Egypt, gave the welcoming address, noting how inclusive the community made her feel despite everyones differences. Class president Ella Souder also addressed her fellow classmates.

Following the awarding of diplomas and a speech by Kayleigh Unruh, the 193 graduates sang the schools alma mater and gathered at the fence to toss their caps into the air.

BUY THESE PHOTOS

Are you one of the people pictured at this graduation? Want to buy the photo and keep it forever? Click on the photo gallery above and look for the blue Buy image link after the caption to purchase the picture: Click on it, and youll have the ability to order prints in a variety of sizes, or products like magnets, keychains, coffee mugs and more.

Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Lori on Instagram at @photog_lori and Twitter @photoglori. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.



By Kwak Yeon-soo







S-Oil said Thursday its board of directors has approved the appointment of Hussain A. Al-Qahtani as its new CEO. Al-Qahtani began his term on June 13.







S-Oil said the new CEO is the "best-suited" person as he has accumulated deep expertise, vast experience and leadership skills over about 30 years in the refining and petrochemical industry.







Al-Qahtani served previously as the president of Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery Company (SASREF). Before that, he was the director of the domestic joint ventures management department at Saudi Aramco.







With his 29-year career at Saudi Aramco and SASREF, he has nurtured expertise and leadership skills necessary for playing a key role in areas of refinery production, engineering and maintenance.







A joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Shell, two of the world's biggest oil and gas companies, SASREF is one of the largest refineries in Saudi Arabia located in the heart of Jubail Industrial City.







As manager of Yanbu Refinery and head of Process Engineering & Control Systems, Al-Qahtani earned recognition for his capabilities in technology transfer, R&D and facility planning to optimize operations.







The Saudi national received a bachelor's degree at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals and attended the executive program at IMD Business School.







"He is best suited to drive high performance and strategic growth of S-Oil at a time when the company is penetrating deeper into the petrochemical business and preparing for the new age of energy conversion," S-Oil said in a statement.

A student was arrested Friday morning after he attacked the principal of the Union School in Rutherford with a folding knife during a graduation rehearsal, police said.

Principal Kurt Schweitzer was leading the Union School eighth grade class graduation rehearsal in the Washington School gymnasium around 9:30 a.m. when the unidentified 14-year-old male student ran across the gym and proceeded to thrust the knife, striking the chest of the principal several times, according to a release from the Rutherford Police.

It was unclear if the principal was actually stabbed by the student and police could not immediately be reached to clarify.

The student then turned around, dropped the knife and placed his hands in the air, police said.

A teacher grabbed the knife and walked the student outside, where Rutherford Police Officer Michael Merli arrested him, officials said.

No one else was attacked during the incident and the student and principal were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The student was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

Police said they although they were confident that there no remaining threats to any student or staff, that they would have a presence at the schools graduation which was scheduled for June 19.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.The final full moon of the spring season will soon be shining in the night sky, and it carries a nickname that sounds both sweet and colorful. It is known as the June strawberry moon, but dont expect this celestial body to give off a fruity-red tint.

This full moon will look just like any ordinary moon that is lit up during its biggest phase. That means it will appear golden-orange when its close to the horizon and white when its higher in the sky. At least in our part of the world.

Astronomy experts at NASA say the June full moon could give off a reddish tint when it starts rising in northern regions of Europe, because the closer we get to the summer solstice  the official start of summer  the lower the moon appears in the sky. And the moon will be hanging very low in that part of the world.

Particularly for Europes higher latitudes, the full moon nearest the summer solstice shines through more atmosphere than at other times of the year, NASA explains. This can give the full moon a reddish or rose color  for much the same reasons that a rising or setting sun appears red.

The full strawberry moon" will be rising in the sky on Monday, June 17. It will look nearly full on the night of Sunday, June 16, and will be totally full on Monday night.Photo illustration by Aneta Esz | Pixabay

What time will the June moon be full?

The June strawberry moon will officially be at its fullest phase at 4:31 a.m. on Monday, June 17, on the East coast of the United States, so sky watchers will have a chance to see it at its best both Sunday night and Monday night. The moon will also look nearly full on Tuesday.

The moon will start rising in the eastern sky over New York City, Newark and Atlantic City at about 7:55 p.m. on Sunday, about 8:50 p.m. on Monday and about 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Observers in Philadelphia will be able to see the moon start rising in the eastern sky at 7:58 p.m. on Sunday, 8:57 p.m. on Monday and 9:49 p.m. on Tuesday.

For the moon-rise time in your city, check this schedule on TimeAndDate.com.

Why is it called the strawberry moon?

The most popular nickname of the June full moon comes from the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries in northeastern North America, NASA says, noting this nickname has been used by virtually every Algonquin tribe in the United States.

The strawberry moon" nickname originated from the June strawberry harvest season.Pasja1000 | Pixabay

Other nicknames for the June full moon?

Just like most monthly moon nicknames, the June full moon has a few other monikers. In Europe, some people call it the rose moon  for reasons explained above  and some cultures call it the hot moon because it usually arrives when the summer heat starts ramping up.

Other people, according to HLNtv.com, refer to the June full moon as the honey moon or the mead moon, not because June is a popular month for weddings but because its position is low in the sky (in our hemisphere at least) and the earths atmosphere can give it a warm tint.

When does summer start?

The summer season of 2019 officially arrives on Friday, June 21, in the northern half of our planet. That date is when the summer solstice occurs  the moment when the earths north pole is at its maximum tilt toward the sun, and the sun reaches its highest point in the sky all year, causing more light to reach the northern hemisphere.

Folks in the weather world, such as meteorologists and climatologists, consider the first day of summer to be June 1, based on temperature patterns.

The full strawberry moon" will be rising in the sky on Monday, June 17. It will look nearly full on the night of Sunday, June 16, and will be totally full on Monday night.Angelica Spinola Masy | Pixabay

When is the next full moon?

The first full moon of the summer season will be shining on the night of July 16, 2019.

The July full moon is commonly known as the full buck moon, referring to the growing antlers of male deer in July, according to the Farmers Almanac. Its other nicknames include the thunder moon and the hay moon.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Questions remained a day after authorities say a Delaware man was arrested outside a Westfield elementary school with a loaded gun and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

Thomas J. Wilkie, 46, of Bear, was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, fourth-degree possession of hollow-point bullets, and fourth-degree trespassing on school grounds, the Union County Prosecutors Office announced Friday.

Acting on information from authorities in New Castle County, Delaware, police on Thursday went to Tamaques Elementary School, the prosecutors office said. Officers found Wilkie in his SUV parked in the schools parking lot holding a .45-caliber handgun.

Authorities said they also discovered two more loaded clips of ammunition on Wilkie and 130 additional rounds in his truck.

As the case unfolds, here is what we know about the investigation so far:

Wilkie may have been looking for someone who works at the school.

Thomas J. Wilkies father, George, told NJ Advance Media his son may have been at the school to find a current or former girlfriend.

Were hoping that he will have an opportunity to call here and well get a chance to talk with him and see whats going on," George Wilkie said outside his Delaware home.

Thomas Wilkie lived at a home in Bear since his divorce, but his father said he didnt think his son was reacting to the break-up of his marriage.

The divorce was a couple of years back and everybody moved on, George Wilkie said.

A law enforcement source told NBC New York that Wilkie went inside the school building looking for a woman who he had a relationship with who worked there. He was unarmed when he went inside and went back to his car when he couldnt find her, a source told NBC.

Wilkies father described his son as unemployed and facing medical issues.

Wilkies father, George, said he was mystified at what could have led his son to travel to Westfield with a gun and rounds of ammunition.

He has some issues, some medical issues that weve been working with. This is kind of off the wall, George said of his sons arrest. I dont know what would drive it, but it is what it is. I just have to wait and see what they say is going to happen and when things are going to take place. Were just going by what we hear on the news ourselves.

Im not even sure when he bought this gun that hes alleged to have. Its something that Ive never seen, he added.

Residents expressed relief after the arrest, but were left with questions.

Police said the arrest and a search of the school occurred after classes were dismissed for the day.

Police canines were brought in for a final, precautionary sweep, but there is currently no evidence to suggest any threat to the community, Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said in a statement.

Residents interviewed Friday outside the school said they were pleased with how officials responded to the incident, but were left uneasy about the allegations.

Union County authorities say Delaware police alerted them to Wilkie.

The New Castle County Police Department alerted New Jersey authorities that Wilkie was headed to Tamaques Elementary School and may be armed, the prosecutors office said.

Wilkies hometown of Bear is in New Castle County, though it remained unclear what was reported to police to prompt them to alert Westfield authorities.

Spokespeople for New Castle County police did not respond to messages Friday.

A tip from Wilkies brother reportedly sparked the investigation.

Police in Delaware were alerted that Wilkie was possibly unstable by his brother, according to NBC New York. Wilkie called his brother from the school, leading his sibling to inform Delaware police of his concerns.

Wilkies father, George, also confirmed his brother called police.Manchester Police are investigating a crash that left one person in critical condition after a car reportedly ran a red light and collided with a school bus.

Police responded to the accident scene shortly after 9 a.m. on Friday.

So far in their investigation, police believe a man driving a 2015 Toyota Corolla was traveling north on Lacey Road and ran a red light, prompting a crash with the 2016 Ford school bus that was traveling east on County Route 530.

The Toyota spun halfway around, hitting a curb, and the school bus also hit a curb.

Police said the driver of the Toyota, 91-year-old John Keenan of Whiting, was wearing a seatbelt and had to be pulled out of his car by the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department.

He was then transported by medevac helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment of serious life-threatening injuries, according to police. He was last listed in critical condition.

Both the driver of the school bus, Kim Barnes-Porter, 64, of Whiting, and her passenger, Dennis Dandorph, 79, also of Whiting, were wearing their seatbelts and sustained minor injuries, police said. Both were taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River by ambulance for treatment of their injuries.

The school bus is owned by Hartnett Transit Service of Lakewood.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.By Christopher Binetti

I am a pro-life Catholic Democrat. Technically, I am an independent, but I have always felt myself in my soul to be a Democrat. However, Bidens reversal on the Hyde Amendment, which protects people like me from contributing to funding abortions against our conscience, has made me wonder if I have a place in the Democratic Party.

In normal times, I would consider joining the Republican Party or at least threatening to vote for their candidate. But these are not normal times. President Donald Trump is not even really pro-life and I disagree with him on almost everything else he stands for.

In sum, I might be a man without a party and that thought scares me. Before Bidens reversal on protections for conscientious objectors to abortion, which is what the Hyde Amendment is, I clearly had a candidate and party. After his reversal, I cannot support Bidens candidacy and am increasingly concerned about my place in the Democratic Party.

Obviously, political pressure convinced Biden to switch his position, then pressure switched him back and then pressure switched him for a third time in a month. Thus, political pressure can switch Biden back to supporting the Hyde Amendment, or at least creating exemptions for conscientious objectors. Biden seems to be weak and I worry about his integrity, even if he switches position back to protecting people like me from the dangerous choice that he has threatened us with currently.

If I ever make enough money to not get a full refund of my federal taxes and as an adjunct professor, that could be awhile, I would have to choose between either paying the tax or not paying it. If I pay, I will be supporting a practice, abortion, that I believe in my bones to be evil. The practice, the act is evil, but I am not saying that the people involved are evil. I would be complicit in spreading a grave evil. However, if I do not pay my taxes, I will be a criminal under the law and will potentially jailed for tax evasion. In essence, Biden supports criminalizing conscience in support of what I view to be evil incarnate.

Many Catholics Democrats and independents feel betrayed by Biden, who claims to be a devout catholic. No devout Catholic would do this, except due to weakness of will. Both pro-life and moderate pro-choice Catholics have been verbally attacked and stigmatized by the Democratic Party lately. The Covington Catholic High School kids were verbally attacked for their faith on the day of their famous incident and the media ignored the religiously-motivated abuse they received from a rival Christian group while trying to exercise their constitutional right to protest against abortion.

The Catholic Church is scrutinized more than other Christian sects in Democratic states and many Catholics feel pressure to convert out of their religion to something the government favors more, like Episcopalianism, which the media and government have long favored.

However, there is still hope for Catholics. Becoming an unrepresented constituency in a polarized political environment would be nightmare, but it does not have to be that way. There are three things that we can do to change the current scenario and we should do all three at the same time, but ultimately there is only one goal: getting the Democratic Party to represent Catholics, both pro-choice and pro-life, better.

First, Catholics should work to convince Howard Schultz to run for president as an independent with a pro-Catholic and pro-Hyde Amendment platform. Having a moderate who can attract non-progressive liberals to his cause will threaten the Democrats enough to force them, and Biden to moderate and welcome us back.

Also, we need to work with the Biden campaign to get him to welcome us back, including a principled compromise that would allow for conscience exemptions from abortion funding, if we cannot convince him to support the Hyde Amendment.

Third, Catholic Democrats and independents need to organize ourselves like other identity-based constituency groups do within the Democratic Party to push for our issues and particularly, to push for open primaries that would benefit us. In sum, there is hope but we have to get organized.

Christopher Binetti, Ph.D, is a political scientist, political theorist, adjunct professor of Political Science and History at Middlesex County College and a proud Italian American Catholic.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we intend to prove it. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the weeks events, with prompts from Tom Moran, editorial page editor of The Star-Ledger.

Q. President Trump said Wednesday that he would accept help from Russia during an election if he was offered incriminating information on a political opponent and would not feel obliged to tell the FBI. What do you make of that, and will it have any political impact?

DuHaime  He should not do that. We simply should not allow or encourage a foreign power to influence our elections. For all our political differences, we are Americans first and should settle our differences among ourselves at the ballot box. Secondly, campaign finance rules are clear. A campaign cannot accept financial contributions or anything of value from a foreign citizen. And that doesnt just apply to Russia or China. It means a campaign cant accept five bucks from a well-meaning Canadian or British citizen either. Opposition research has financial value and cannot be accepted.

Roginsky  Let's be clear: The president is admitting that he will violate the law, if given the opportunity. As Mike pointed out, opposition research is a thing of value and a federal campaign may not accept either a direct or an in-kind contribution from a foreign citizen -- never mind a foreign government. But what I find most astonishing is not that this president would accept Vladimir Putin's help to harm his fellow Americans. It is that virtually every single prominent Republican is complicit in this malignant, unpatriotic behavior by refusing to speak out against the president on this matter.

Q. Gov. Phil Murphy challenged legislative leaders to allow a vote on his proposal to increase the tax on incomes over $1 million, and Senate President Steve Sweeney immediately refused. If a vote were allowed, would the measure pass?

DuHaime  I dont think so. For all the attempts to paint financially successful people as greedy and not doing their fair share, most legislators knows thats not true. The top 1 percent in New Jersey pay 37 percent of the income taxes. And legislators know raising taxes on anyone right now is bad public policy and will keep job creators from coming here.

Roginsky No, it would not pass. It's simple math: No Republican would vote for it and there are too many Democrats opposed to it for this measure to gain a majority. The Senate president and the Assembly speaker are not in the habit of posting legislation that they know will fail.

Q. After the Legislature threatened to override Murphys veto of a bill forcing disclosure of dark money donors, the governor folded. Now there is talk of extending the corporate tax incentive program when it expires in two weeks, and overriding Murphys almost certain veto. Where does this end? Has the governor lost control of the agenda?

DuHaime  I hope the leaders of our state figure out some way to keep the incentives going, and it looks like the only way will be a veto override. All the talk about higher taxes, elimination of incentives and a task force that is putting significant legal costs on to companies that moved here will chill anyone else thinking of coming.

Roginsky The governor just signaled that the prospect of an override is so repugnant to him that he may do anything to avoid it going forward. I am bewildered that his advisors did not think two moves ahead on the chess board before urging him to veto this dark money legislation. It's never good to tip your hand and even worse when the political situation is as toxic as it is these days.

Q. Gov. Murphy released his energy master plan that seeks to aggressively reduce use of fossil fuels, including natural gas, a significant reversal of Gov. Chris Christies policies. Thats a popular cause in New Jersey, but the plan offers no estimate of the costs. How will this play out?

DuHaime  Energy and the environment is a policy area where I have some business experience and knowledge. Gov. Murphys goal to move New Jersey toward cleaner energy is a good one, but right now renewables generate only 5% of the states electricity. We will not get to his clean energy goals by 2050 without natural gas, which is the largest supplier of electricity in the state. Too many are pushing him to strangle all fossil fuels out of our state, which would be a huge mistake at this point. Natural gas is cheap, clean and domestic, which has allowed energy prices to drop and the air to be cleaner, since natural gas has replaced coal in New Jersey. I also worry about the much higher costs of renewables and what that will mean to the average homeowner if we dont use natural gas as a bridge to a cleaner energy future. The governors goals are really good. We just have to make sure we dont revert to burning coal because we moved without the proper thought.

Roginsky The governor was very vocal from the earliest days of his campaign about moving toward a clean energy economy, so I commend him for working towards keeping that promise. But I would also echo Mike's point that New Jersey is, first and foremost, a very fiscally sensitive state. Voters love progressive policies but are at a breaking point when it comes to paying one more dime to live here. Let me stress that the governor's goals are very laudable but he needs to level with his constituents about what it takes to achieve them.

Q. Essex County earns money by holding ICE detainees in its jail, and a report last week detailed horrifying conditions there: Rotting food, strip searches, overuse of solitary confinement, and it goes on. Keep in mind, these objections come from ICE, an agency not known for its sensitivity to human rights. At some point, will Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo pay a political price for this?

DuHaime  Thats a bit of a pot shot at the men and women who work in ICE. I dont believe DiVincenzo will pay any political price for this. His constituents will expect that he will fix these problems, and after having been re-elected by such an overwhelming margin, it seems that they have confidence in him to address whatever comes his way.

Roginsky I'm old enough to remember when Essex County was politically competitive, with Republicans controlling the county executive seat and seats on the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Compare that to what has happened to the county politically under DiVincenzo's watch. He was reelected with astronomical margins and Democrats control every county-wide and district-level seat in Essex. Voters obviously trust DiVincenzo to address their concerns.

Q. President Trump is claiming executive privilege to block Congress from investigating his drive to amend the Census so that it includes a question on citizenship status, which most experts say would lead to an undercount in states with large immigrant populations like New Jersey. Lower court judges have found that this was a partisan attempt to gain advantage. How do you see this playing out?

DuHaime  At first, I did not think this would be a huge deal politically. The citizenship question changed under President Truman and again under President Obama. I thought people would see it as fair to at least have a public discussion about this. However, it has been painted as blatantly political, mostly because some of the advocates have acted in such a political manner.

Roginsky Whether it is disenfranchising minorities through ridiculous voter ID laws or through gerrymandering GOP-leaning seats by undercounting minorities in the census, leaders in the Republican Party have determined that the surest way for Republicans to win is to cheat.

DuHaime  The Democrats are not pure on this subject. When it is in their interest and they have the power, the Democrats gerrymander quite well. I have watched Democrats with my own eyes cheat in elections. I have seen a person vote dozens of times under different names. I have seen fraudulent voters. I have seen boxes of absentee ballots found two days after the polls close. I have seen physical voter intimidation, all by Democrats. I am unafraid to speak up when I think Republicans are wrong to disenfranchise people, but lets not pretend Democrats are angels on this front.

Roginsky  Theres a vast difference between one or two bad apples and a major political party dedicated to disenfranchising whole populations that it fears are not aligned with them politically. My advice to Republicans would be to start treating African Americans and Latinos with respect. Maybe then they might vote for you, so that you dont have to work overtime to prevent them from voting at all.Our governor is famous for his cliches. Heres one that applies to the events in Trenton on Thursday:

If a tree falls in the forest and theres no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?

The tree in question was the rally of unionized public employees held outside the Statehouse. The purpose was to get legislators to support Gov. Phil Murphys call for increasing by 1.78 percent the tax on those making more than $1 million a year.

The 2,000 or so people who showed up seemed to be having a good time. But did anyone who mattered hear the speeches?

Not the guy who matters most. Thats Senate President Steve Sweeney.

I wish I could have made it, he told me later that day in a tone that made it clear he wished no such thing.

Sweeney also told me that the battle of the budget is all but over.

Traditionally that battle goes till June 30, the deadline for passing the budget bill for the next fiscal year. If the governor hasnt signed a budget into law by then, the state government has to shut down July 1 and close state parks such as Island Beach State Park.

Thats not well-received by those heading to the beach, as Chris Christie learned a few years ago.

Sweeney said he and his fellow Democrat, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, want to avoid a last-minute showdown by passing a budget early.

Were working toward the 20th, he told me. Were gonna send him a budget.

Thats this coming Thursday. And when that budget lands on Murphys desk Friday, he will see that it does not include a tax hike, Sweeney said.

Were not doing it, he said. If we fix the stuff Ive been talking about and then you have a problem, then you can talk about what else you can do. But just to talk about raising taxes without fixing anything is not acceptable.

The stuff Sweeney has been talking about is a plan to address the $230 billion in long-term liabilities the state faces for pensions, employee health benefits and bonded indebtedness.

Sweeney is pushing a 27-point Path to Progress that would, among other things, move new hires into 401(k)-type plans and streamline health-care costs by moving employees from a Platinum to a Gold plan.

Some of the participants at that rally were holding signs deriding that plan as the Path to Poverty. But Sweeney said that without such reforms the state will need more and more revenue.

Whats next in tax increases? he asked. If this year you got your millionaires tax, then next year youre gonna raise the sales tax and then what? Ill fight for the taxpayers. Bring it on.

Murphy has few weapons in that fight. The governor could spend those 10 final days of this fiscal year trying to force a tax hike by using his veto pen to take out the pet programs of key legislators. But thats not going to be popular with Democrats.

Theres a lot of things the Democrats care about, so if we add money to NJ Transit, are they gonna take it out? Sweeney asked. Are they gonna take out extraordinary special education aid?

Some of those targets could be popular with Republicans as well. Here we come to an often-overlooked accomplishment of our governor.

In Washington, the Democrats and Republicans may be fighting like cats and dogs  if I may employ another cliche. But in Trenton theyre often united  against Murphy.

Typical are the views of a Republican state senator I saw in the halls Thursday. Steve Oroho of Sussex County is a financial planner in private life. As a member of the Budget Committee, he agrees with the other senator named Steve on the need for reforms to cut the long-term costs.

Everybody in an honest conversation knows those problems have to be addressed, Oroho said.

Oroho said he wont vote for the budget bill as a whole because it shortchanges his district on school funding. But once that budget passes, the battle lines change.

Lets say Murphy tries a retaliatory sort of thing, said Oroho.

At that point, he said, Sweeney and Coughlin would need some Republican votes to provide the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. Depending on the issue, Republicans might support an override, he said.

If it comes down to do you want a budget with a tax increase or a budget with no tax increase, I say with no tax increase absolutely, said Oroho.

This week will be a busy one in the Budget Committee, Oroho said. But if all goes according to plan, the legislators will be done with the budget by Friday.

As for the governor, the applicable cliche is the one about the guy who has painted himself into a corner.We wont call it the Summer of Hell. That was supposed to happen back in 2017, and even then, the displacement of 70 trains from Penn Station to Hoboken provided to be less hellish than predicted.

But the summer of annoyance is coming for NJ Transit customers, who will be displaced from Penn Station New York because of track work being done by landlord Amtrak starting Monday June 17.

This summers track work stands to send an estimated 5,000 riders to Hoboken, most from the Montclair-Boonton line.

PATH and NY Waterway ferries are not cross-honoring NJ Transit rail tickets. That means commuters will need to buy PATH or ferry tickets, a task officials said passengers should do before Monday morning.

Whats happening?

Amtrak officials said the $30 million project happens between Friday, June 28, and Monday, Sept. 2. Amtrak is rebuilding a track interlocking in the east end of Penn Station, and tracks 14 and 15.

At 12 weeks, NJ Transit will have the longest service disruption -- Amtrak and the the Long Island Rail Road plan to reduce service for just nine weeks. Since summer 2017, Amtrak spent an estimated $150 million for three summers, and work in the winter and spring.

Through Sept. 6, the track work will displace 10 rush hour trains from Penn Station New York to Hoboken. Four of those are Montclair-Boonton Line trains and one is a North Jersey Coast Line train that will go to Hoboken during each rush hour.

Also moved to Hoboken are five peak hour MidTown Direct trains for reverse commutes, three in the morning and two in the afternoon that normally depart from or end at Penn Station.

NJ TRANSIT is committed to helping our customers navigate their commute through historic Hoboken Terminal during the Amtrak Penn Station repairs and renewal project. Remember to follow our tips for a better trip! Watch the video for travel tips. https://t.co/Cnbxv7R2SG pic.twitter.com/KavcbgyhW1  NJ TRANSIT (@NJTRANSIT) June 13, 2019

How is this different from summer 2017?

Montclair-Boonton Line riders can transfer to a PATH train or a NY Waterway ferry at Hoboken Terminal to travel to New York. North Jersey Coast Line riders who use train 3216 in the morning can transfer to a Northeast Corridor line train in Newark Penn Station, before it goes to Hoboken.

The big difference this summer is NJ Transit is providing a rail fare discount to compensate for a PATH or ferry ride. However, PATH wont cross-honor NJ Transit tickets as was done in 2017, commuters will have to buy PATH Smartlink cards or Metro cards.

To avoid a crush at ticket machines on Monday morning, PATH officials recommend buying fare cards now. A Smartlink card costs $5, but provides a per ride discount from the full $2.75 fare. Its also a tap and go card, which is faster than using a Metrocard.

Will it be a squish on PATH?

PATH officials said they expect 5,000 more NJ Transit riders will ride that rail system to and from Manhattan during the summer service reduction. Thats less than the 15,000 displaced in 2017, but it will have an effect on a system some commuters say is overcrowded now.

Learn to love the boat.

The ferry could be a displaced commuters best friend this summer, but there are some hacks to learn to make your bus to ferry to train connection in the evening. Download the NY Waterway app now. Dont wait until Monday morning. Youll need to create an account.

NY Waterway has free shuttle buses running on several set routes to and from the West 39th street ferry terminal in Manhattan. The trick is to build enough time in your schedule to allow time to catch the bus, get to the ferry terminal and on the boat, to Hoboken Terminal, which in ferry speak is also called Hoboken south.

Heres some Ferry 101.

Rush hour shuttle buses run between 6:10 and 10:10 a.m., and 3:30 to 7:10 p.m. Off peak buses run on a different schedule. They stop at any MTA bus stop, you flag down the bus the same way you hail a NYC taxi.

The NY Waterway app has a real-time GPS based bus locator to help you find one of its Manhattan shuttle buses. It shows you the bus location on a map.

The quickest way to check the ferry schedule is to use the apps route map. Tapping a start and end point gives you the schedule for several ferries. You might consider doing a test ride to get an idea of the travel time for the shuttle bus and ferry to Hoboken terminal.

This summer, #NJTransit commuters have endured train cancellations, delays and a giant collective headache that some are calling "Summer of Hell, pt. 2." @CommutingLarry of @njdotcom, who joined us to talk about why. Listen: https://t.co/jYmEskI88R  Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 13, 2018

Your pain gets you a discount.

Riders who buy Montclair-Boonton line monthly passes and other tickets to New York will get a discount, intended to offset the extra cost of PATH or ferry fare.

Commuters also can buy a discounted combination rail and ferry pass in stations, at ticket vending machines or through the My Tix app. Monthly passes are now on sale.

Riders who buy Montclair-Boonton line tickets can purchase $2.75 discounted round trip ferry tickets at a special window in Hoboken Terminal by showing their train ticket for that line. One-way tickets are only valid until Sept. 30.

NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett recommended buying round-trip discounted ferry tickets because the agency doesnt have a ticket agent in ferry terminals.

What about the bus?

NJ Transit plans to add service on Routes 324, 191 and 192, which travel along the Montclair-Boonton line to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal. DeCamp buses will not cross-honor NJ Transit rail tickets.

It will cost you time.

Naturally, this will take a bite out of your time. Riders should plan to spend an extra 20 to 30 minutes traveling each way, primarily to make connections with other transportation modes. NJ Transit officials are talking to their counterparts at PATH about more frequent departure times from Hoboken.

Got questions?

Your first stop should be the NJ Transit website. There is an entire section devoted to the summer service change, Corbett said. Riders also can ask NJ Transits social media team, he said.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.The father of the Delaware man arrested outside a Westfield school Thursday, who police say had a handgun and more than 100 bullets, said his son may have traveled there to see a former or current girlfriend. He also said another of his sons called police Thursday about the brother.

Thomas J. Wilkies father, George, answered the door at the familys home on a quiet residential street of single family homes in Bear, Delaware, on Friday afternoon.

Thomas has lived at the house since his divorce a few years ago, the father said.

I have no idea exactly what went down because we have not been contacted by the police up there, he said, referring to New Jersey authorities.

Westfield police arrested Wilkie, 46, at the Tamaques School at about 4 p.m. after getting a tip from New Castle County, Delaware, police, who were looking for him. He was holding a .45-caliber handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets, and had two more loaded magazines of ammunition in his possession, while 130 additional rounds were in the vehicles trunk, police said earlier Thursday.

George Wilkie doesnt believe the incident is at all related to his divorce.

The divorce was a couple of years back and everybody moved on, he said.

Im not sure who he was going up to visit, George said, though he has heard it could have been a girlfriend or ex-girlfriend.

NBC New York, citing a senior law enforcement source, reported Friday that Thomas Wilkie targeted the school because of a relationship gone bad with a faculty member.

NBC reported that Wilkie actually entered the school -- without a gun -- and called the woman, who was apparently not at the school at the time, but told him she would return. He then called his brother, who called police, NBC reported.

George confirmed that Thomas brother, Chad, contacted New Castle County, Delaware, police trying to find out where he was. That led to county police contacting Westfield police.

George said his son Thomas isnt a gun enthusiast.

Im not even sure when he bought this gun that hes alleged to have. Its something that Ive never seen.

Thomas Wilkie is currently unemployed, but previously worked as a truck driver.

He has some issues, some medical issues that weve been working with," George Wilkie said.

"This is kind of off the wall, he said of his sons arrest. I dont know what would drive it, but it is what it is. I just have to wait and see what they say is going to happen and when things are going to take place. Were just going by what we hear on the news ourselves.

George declined to comment further on his son and the arrest until he learns more from police.

Were hoping that he will have an opportunity to call here and well get a chance to talk with him and see whats going on," he said.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.The French legation, circa 1900.



By Robert Neff



In 1889, Korea was anything but "The Land of the Morning Calm," especially among members of the small Western community.



Vicious rumors were spread among the American missionary women that the German consul-general, Ferdinand Krien, had been engaged in wild orgies in the German consulate.



He became a pariah of the community and, out of desperation and anger, lodged a complaint of slander with the American legation.



A subsequent investigation revealed the origin of the rumor was not the American missionary women but Eugenie Waeber, the wife of the Russian representative to Korea, Carl von Waeber, who apparently did not like Krien.



There were other problems. In June, a Korean employee of the French legation was caught peeking over the wall into the women's chambers of a nobleman's estate.



It was a serious mistake, for the nobleman was a Mr. So, whom the American Minister to Korea, Hugh A. Dinsmore, described as being "highly connected, belonging to one of the most influential families in Korea."



This act of voyeurism was strictly forbidden and So promptly had the offender arrested and severely beaten.



When Collin de Plancy, the French Commissaire, learned of his employee's situation, he immediately dispatched the legation's Korean soldiers to So's residence, where they released the employee and arrested the nobleman.



So was then conveyed to the French legation where Plancy chastised and berated him for his arrogance before releasing him  undoubtedly shaken, outraged and embarrassed.



The Korean government was furious at the actions of the French representative and demanded that the servant be turned over so he could be further punished. Plancy steadfastly refused.



He stressed the inviolability of the legation's grounds and its staff. It was, he argued, his prerogative as to whether the servant was punished and to what degree. Plancy wrote up a note of protest to the Korean President of Foreign Affairs and asked his fellow foreign representatives to sign the note, thus presenting a unified front.



Dinsmore, a devoted Christian and "cool-headed lawyer," refused to sign as the nature of the crime was a very serious offense in Korea. He further chastised Plancy for using the Korean soldiers in the manner he had. Dinsmore claimed that the soldiers were there as a courtesy to protect the legation and the consuls, not to be used as Plancy's personal police force.



Plancy's fury then turned on Dinsmore and he accused him of meddling in French-Korean affairs. Dinsmore denied he had interfered but admitted he had provided the Korean government with passages from a tome of international law in hopes that the incident could be concluded in an amicably way.



The incident was resolved by the end of the month, with Plancy retaining jurisdiction of his servant, the President of Korean Foreign Affairs stepping down and Dinsmore gaining Plancy's long-lasting resentment.



The American legation had its own problems. There were accusations of mail being stolen and access to the confidential archives being granted to unauthorized individuals who  allegedly  used the information to write unflattering articles in the English-language newspapers in China and Japan. The most serious, however, involved Dinsmore and his staff, which we will examine tomorrow.

A 26-year-old woman died after her car veered off L.A. 43 and hit a tree Saturday morning (June 15) in St. Helena Parish, said Louisiana State Police.

Changela Knox of Greensburg was driving northbound when her 2015 Honda Accord ran off the right side of the roadway around 4:30 a.m., police said in a release. The car then swerved to the left, crossing two lanes of the highway and off the left side of the road. Her car continued into the tree line, before it crashed into a large tree, police said.

Troopers were notified of the scene near Guy Road around 9:45 a.m., nearly seven hours after the crash. Emergency responders pronounced Knox, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, dead at the scene.

Toxicology tests are pending to determine if impairment was a factor in the fatal crash, police said.HANNIBAL, Mo.  In the spring of 1993, a succession of heavy rainstorms produced a bulge of water in the Mississippis narrow bends between Illinois and Missouri. Rainfall was more than seven times above normal for late spring in the Midwest. Flood stage records were broken. More than 1,000 flood warnings were issued across the region.

And right here is where it breached, said Jonathan Remo, a geography professor at Southern Illinois University, standing on a levee across the river from Mark Twains hometown. The water had all this energy. It was overtopped, which allowed all the Mississippi River water to wash in and scour (the levee), and it created a lake behind it.

The Great Flood of 1993 burst over levees in nine states, killing more than 30 people and causing an estimated $15 billion in damage. Parts of Hannibal were underwater for 174 days.

After the flood, some communities retreated, abandoning buildings and moving to higher ground. But most places stuck with levees.

The levee under Remos feet grew higher. It got so big, in fact, that it now violates federal laws. The Sny Island Levee Drainage District became infamous for openly flouting federal regulations with its rebuilt levee. It stands three feet higher than it should, and has sparked something of a levee arms race with nearby levee districts.

A recent corps analysis found that 40 percent of the levees on a 205-mile stretch of the river that includes the Sny district are higher than federal rules allow.

Every levee manager around there is saying, Hey, were getting all this extra water so now we need to raise our levels, said Olivia Dorothy, a Mississippi River management expert with American Rivers. Theyve all adopted this strategy. For them, the only solution is raising levees.

This doubling down on levees doesnt just fly in the face of federal rules. Scientists say levees are making floods on the Mississippi more frequent and more severe in recent decades.

The levees constrict the river, and that constriction has resulted in increased water levels and flood levels, Remo said.

Levees have walled off floodplains that once allowed the river to spread across five or six miles. As the passageway gets tighter, water levels increase.

Another factor is climate change. Rising temperatures have contributed to a 20 percent increase in annual rainfall in the Midwest over the past century. Thats led to heavy downpours putting more water into the river.

Last year, environmental scientist Samuel Munoz concluded a 500-year history of Mississippi flooding, as told through tree rings and soil samples. He found that flooding increased dramatically over the past 150 years, and two-thirds of the flood risk was due to levees and other river engineering.

All these changes weve made seem to have significantly heightened the probability of getting a really big flood, said Munoz, a professor at Northeastern University.

The idea that levees could increase flooding is not new. In 1852, a federal flood risk study warned the Mississippi was becoming more and more confinedand therefore compelled to rise higher and flow faster.

The studys author, engineer Charles Ellet Jr., was prophetic in his conclusion: The future floods throughout the length and breadth of the delta, and along the great streams (flowing into) the Mississippi are destined to rise higher and higher.

Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Ellets opinion was ignored after the corps issued competing studies that backed levees. In 1927, the worst flood in U.S. history cemented the levees as the preferred response to flood risk.

Known as the Great Mississippi Flood, the disaster submerged an area nearly the size of West Virginia, killing more than 250 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more. It prompted the federalization of flood control along the Mississippi and empowered the corps to begin building a vast levee system that was, in some areas, eight times higher than the standard at the time.

The Sny district and other levee managers are leading another growth spurt, albeit without the corps approval.

The Sny Island districts managers say their taller levees have performed well during recent floods. But outside their 54 miles of protection, flooding has worsened. Water that doesnt flood the mostly agricultural Sny district is pushed downstream and toward the more populous Missouri side of the river, putting communities like Hannibal in danger. In response, Hannibals leaders are considering a bigger floodwall.

Nancy Guytons family has farmed in Pike County, Missouri, south of Hannibal, for at least four generations. She says the Sny district is breaking a tradition of not pushing problems downriver. Pike farmers took their licks, absorbing the blows the river dealt and then worked doubly hard to bounce back.

Even now, my husband doesnt like to sandbag because he knows someone else is going to get the water, Guyton said. Hes a very nice man. But there are some people that are in this totally for themselves.

Guyton wants the corps and other federal agencies to do something about unauthorized levees. So far, the only response has been to declare the Sny district ineligible for federal funding. That means the corps wont give the district money to repair its levees after a flood.

Sny district officials didnt respond to requests for comment. The districts superintendent, Mike Reed, said publicly last year that federal money isnt needed. The district is making a calculated decision that weighs the penalties of violating federal rules against the risk of devastating floods.

He told National Public Radio that the district draws strong financial support from the property owners it serves, and that support has paid off. The district has prevented nearly $1 billion in flood damage over the past 17 years, according to Reed.

So it works, he told NPR in last year. Its difficult, its hard work  but its what you have to do.

The Sny and other levee districts are lobbying to weaken corps authority over setting levee heights. The trend of ignoring levee rules or possibly altering them should be a concern for every community on the river, Dorothy said.

If a group of landowners have the funding to strengthen or raise a levee, should they be allowed to get away with it? she said. For folks down the river, are they going to be S.O.L.? The answer is yeah, until they also come up with the money to raise their levees. Its a never-ending war.

Next: Living with water -- For some river cities, there are only 2 choices: adapt or move.

This series was made possible in part by a fellowship from the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources.

Tristan Baurick covers Louisianas coastal environment for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: tbaurick@nola.com  Twitter: @tristanbaurick  Facebook: Tristan Baurick and Louisiana Coastal Watch.Nine teachers brought yoga mats to the Green Hills Area Education Agency on Thursday, ready to learn how to use yoga and meditation in the classroom.

Yoga is a recent addition offered by Green Hills, a two-day course that gives each participant a renewal credit for their teaching license or a graduate credit.

During the course, instructor Amy Jenkins demonstrated breathing and yoga techniques. Teachers use the meditation and yoga techniques in classrooms, reveal the purpose of the activity and have the children act independently.

Its all evidence-based preferences, said Val Giegerich, a positive behavioral interventions and support coordinator for Green Hills.

Dawn Witt, a special education teacher at Nodaway Valley Community School in Greenfield, said the class will benefit her students. Shes already taught them breathing techniques, but this course taught her more variety and difference in techniques.

This course taught us to breathe in and out through the nose to calm down, rather than breathing in through the nose and out of the mouth, Witt said. Ive heard good things about the class and the instructor made me feel more comfortable.

Jenkins was a music teacher for 10 years before transitioning as a yoga instructor for Challenge to Change Inc. Since then, she has been teaching yoga to adults for two years and children for one year.

The majority of yoga instructors in Challenge to Change are former teachers. This adds a different dimension to their instruction style, Jenkins said.

More research has emerged showing that yoga and mindfulness have a lot of benefits on confidence levels in children, teaching them love and training themselves to bring their mind back to the present, Jenkins said.

Yoga has helped me be more efficient, a better person, more tolerant, and the best version of me I can be and it really empowered me both personally and professionally, Giegerich said.

The next Green Hills AEA yoga course will be held in July in Red Oak. The annual Learning Supports Symposium at Riverside High School in Carson, open to families and community members, is on Aug. 4 and 5.WASHINGTON  Several Midlands Republicans said Thursday that they would refuse dirt on political opponents offered by foreign governments.

Thats in contrast to President Donald Trump, who said in an ABC interview this week that he would listen to such information.

I wouldnt do it, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told reporters. I wouldnt accept material like that.

When one reporter noted that Trump had implied members of Congress do accept such information, Ernst quickly insisted: No we dont. Lets stop there  no we dont.

Democrats have blasted the presidents comments as tantamount to inviting  from the Oval Office  foreign powers to meddle in U.S. elections a la Russia in 2016.

But Republicans tended to have less to say about the matter and offered more muted criticisms of the president.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, pushed back on the criticism of Trump, saying he didnt hear equal outrage when Hillary Clintons campaign paid for dirt on Trump that was gathered by a foreign national.

And one Midlands lawmaker offered a full-throated defense of Trump: Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

King questioned why any politician would fail to at least examine information offered before deciding whether to contact the FBI.

He added, I dont get a lot of communication on campaigns from foreign countries.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., did say that it was foolish for President Trump to make the comments.

Its not wise to meet with a foreign power and talk about political opponents, Bacon said. I think its not necessarily illegal but its not wise.

Bacon said he would not sit down with a foreign country that way and referenced the Democrats competing to face him this cycle.

You wont see me meeting with the Russians talking about Ann Ashford or Kara (Eastman) or whomever, Bacon said.

Asked about Trumps comments, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., paused for 10 seconds as he considered his response.

First of all, we shouldnt be looking for dirt on one another, Fortenberry said. No. 2 is, the heightened awareness of meddling in elections makes us all need to be more aware of where information is coming from.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., pressed Attorney General William Barr last month to clarify what is and is not allowed in interactions between campaigns and foreign governments.

Through a spokesman, Sasse declined to comment Thursday about Trumps latest statements.

Neither Sen. Deb Fischer nor Rep. Adrian Smith, both Nebraska Republicans, had immediate comment.Possible rain and warmer weather will be the story in Council Bluffs today.

The forecast is calling for a 40% chance of rain in the afternoon. Partly sunny conditions are also expected, which will push temperatures into the mid-80s.

The upcoming forecast from the National Weather Service in Valley, Nebraska:

Today: A 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Light and variable wind becoming northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Calm wind. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. North wind 3 to 6 mph.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

Monday night: A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.

Tuesday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75.

Wednesday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Thursday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.

Friday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. "Everything depends on the Americans, whether they pursue dialogue and negotiations or offense, restraint and containment or other action. Whatever the U.S. chooses, China is ready to address what the future holds." Yonhap



By Bai Yunfei



Chinese media think that China and the U.S. should cooperate with each other instead of having a trade war.



"Fair competition and win-win cooperation are supposed to be a fundamental reality of the international community," the People's Daily said. "The development of a country is a natural historical trend that will never be stifled and suppressed by any power.



"For China and the U.S., two big countries in the world, cooperation is the only right choice, because it is not only beneficial to the two states and their peoples, but also has great influence over peace and prosperity of the world."



However, the People's Daily said the U.S. started the trade war under the excuse that it is losing in its trade with China, but keep silent about the huge profits it has gained from the relationship.



The U.S. government suddenly announced a list of tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods before a new round of high-level China-U.S. economic and trade talks. Meanwhile, Chinese companies including Huawei, Hikvision and China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) are becoming increasingly popular in international markets for advanced technologies and high-quality products. But, obviously, American companies have stopped selling products to some Chinese companies and American consumers are being kept away from these products.



Xinhua news agency reported that by scapegoating China for its trade imbalance and even some of its domestic economic issues, the United States is attempting to squeeze an unequal trade deal out of China, using measures such as tariff hikes and targeting its tech companies.



Moreover, Chinese media have presented their own views regarding several issues. For example, The Economic Daily of China argued that what the Americans claim as their Chinese counterparts being "fickle" at times is a way of negotiating business by exchanging opinions and reaching an agreement during which, quite naturally, there ought to be some disagreement from both sides as well as some repetitive discussions on several critical issues. They also claimed that pointing the finger at the Chinese delegates for "being fickle" undermines the necessity of such negotiation to begin with, and that the U.S. also shifts its side of the argument, being as "fickle" as their Chinese counterparts.



As to the question, "Is American-Chinese trade fair," Chinese media perceive that both sides gain substantial benefits from bilateral trade. The Economic Daily argued that the trade imbalance only indicates that there is a difference in trading volumes and does not represent neither the surplus nor deficit.



First of all, the U.S. limits the export of high-tech products for mass consumption, so no matter how much China wants to import them, Americans do not accommodate the foreign demands. This is one of the factors that contributed to the American trade deficit to China.



Second, in terms of production, the U.S. is dominant in the area of the global industrial cycle and the value cycle, whereas China occupies a lesser position. Hence, Chinese corporations earn the manufacturing costs exclusively whereas the American corporations take a bigger chunk of the surplus from designing, part supply and marketing, among other stages of goods production. Also, in terms of consumption, the Chinese products were purchased by American families due to their reasonable price and ultimately enriched American consumer markets, greatly benefitting American consumers.



Lastly, according to the latest data, the American and Chinese economies have been integrated greatly in the past 40 years and interdependency has also been increased throughout. In 2018, the bilateral trade volume of goods reached more than $630 billion and two-directional investments have recorded more than $240 billion. The sales of American enterprises in China have reached $700 billion while their revenue recorded more than $50 billion.



When it comes to intellectual property (IP), The Economic Daily argued that America is tarnishing China's reputation by depicting it as an "IP thief" to lead the negotiation its way.



On April 4, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that Americans are losing $300 billion to China due to its IP thefts in bilateral trade. This claim did not have any official or factual ground. Also, "justice and willingness" is the basic principle in any market economy. Any transactions willfully made are justifiable actions of trade. Joint ventures are based on contracts that are both voluntary and willful and sharing human resources, strategies and technologies is normal business behavior. However, the U.S. is calling such behavior "forced technological implant."



Moreover, China is already the biggest owner of IP rights. Figures presented by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) at the end of 2018 showed China is the world No. 1 in patent applications in areas ranging from trademarks to designs, among others, recording 44 percent. Currently, the number of Chinese patent applications is twice that of America's.



Chinese media asserted that the U.S.-China trade dispute is unavoidable and should be dealt with reason and time.



China's CCTV emphasized several factors via an op-ed, saying the U.S. has increased its tariffs on Chinese exports  that amount to $200 billion  from 10 percent to 25 percent and is threatening to increase tariffs on the remaining $325 billion of Chinese exports to the identical degree.



The U.S. is pressuring China and the latter is being forced to comply. To the American attitude of toughness and moderateness, China has already declared its intention to "talk whole-heartedly, if we were to talk and to fight fiercely if we were to fight." Hence, China intends to resolve the issue through negotiations and is willing to accept any deal as long as it is a sincere one. However, China will confront America should it choose a trade war.



This op-ed analyzed that, under the current situation, the Chinese economy is to be pressured due to the high tariffs but not beyond the boundary of state control. The national consumption contribution to growth of gross domestic production (GDP) amounts to 76.2 percent and the contribution of dependence on exports to GDP growth is reduced to 17.9 percent. This signifies that domestic consumption will be a strong pillar for China to react to the uncertainty imposed by external factors.



By April, the U.S.-China bilateral trade volume had decreased to 11.2 percent  Chinese exports to the U.S. reduced by 4.8 percent while American exports to China reduced by 26.8 percent. The figures demonstrate that the likelihood of product substitution when it comes to American exports to China is greater than the other way around. Also, for the past four months, the proportion of Chinese exports to the U.S. in overall Chinese exports has decreased, recording 11.5 percent.



On the other hand, trade volumes between China and its other major trading partners, including the European Union and ASEAN countries, are increasing rapidly. Trade volumes between China and Belt and Road Initiative participant countries (or relevant states) increased by 9.1 percent. This trend demonstrates that China's international trade partners are increasingly diversifying and the Chinese capability for risk management is also expanding. Even if the U.S. decides to increase tariffs on all Chinese goods, China is capable of adjusting the international market trend and redistributing the goods meant for American exports.



The CCTV op-ed also affirmed that the most important thing was for China to keep doing what it has to do well and highlighted that qualitative and advanced growth of the Chinese economy should be pursued with persistent reforms and greater openness.



The Chinese people have had varying challenges throughout the country's 5000-year history. The "rebirth of Chinese people" that China is aiming for also obviously entails some difficulties. Now, everything depends on the Americans, whether they pursue dialogue and negotiations or offense, restraint and containment or other action. Whatever the U.S. chooses, China is ready to address what the future holds.





Bai Yunfei is a Korean correspondent to The Economic Daily of China. Song Min-ju, a researcher at the Global Security Cooperation Center, translated the article.

Jun 15, 2019 KRR

Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma starrer Sui Dhaaga - Made in India has been selected in the competition category at the Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week.

A film about finding love and respect through self-reliance, it narrates the story of an innocent village couple Mauji and Mamta, who dream big to start their own business together.

The film also brought together National Award-winning producer-director combo of Maneesh Sharma and Sharat Katariya after their hit film Dum Laga Ke Haisha'.

The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week begins on Saturday.

Click the Movie button below for more info:

Sui Dhaaga

Varun Dhawan PicturesAn 18-year-old Nebraska man was killed in a wreck on Interstate 80 Friday west of Sutherland.

According to the Nebraska State Patrol, the truck Sidney Fiske, 18, was driving rear-ended a stopped semitrailer at milemarker 155, three miles west of the Sutherland exit about 4 p.m.

The spokesperson at the Nebraska State Patrol said that Fiskes drivers license listed Henry as his hometown. The accident is still under investigation.In a recent weekly update, I explained some of the things I managed to get passed into law this past session. This week, I want to talk about some of the things I helped stop from becoming law. Things a senator opposes are just as important as the things they support. This shows the people whether the senators values and core beliefs align with the majority of the district.

I have watched this Legislature change people. They say one thing to get elected, and then end up doing another once they are here. It is as common as it is despicable, so I want people to know that I am the same person they elected.

I helped oppose a bill that would have taken Second Amendment rights away from Nebraskans based on hearsay accusations and without due process of law. I was strongly against two bills that would have made it a crime of child abuse to provide Christian counseling to a child relating to same-sex attraction. I helped stop a bill that would have redefined the terms of traditional marriage in Nebraska law.HANOI, VietnamAuthorities have seized 7.5 tons of elephant ivory and pangolin scales in one of Vietnams biggest wildlife trafficking cases.

The 3.5 tons of ivory and 4 tons of pangolin scales were found Wednesday in barrels when customs officers checked a shipping container arriving at northern Hai Phong port, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

The steel barrels containing the ivory and scales were mixed with ones containing tar to conceal the trafficked animal parts from customs authorities.

The freight was addressed to a logistics company in Hai Phong city, but the news website said no one had claimed ownership of the shipment. No details were available on its origin.

Police began a criminal investigation on Friday.

Poaching and trading of ivory tusks and pangolins carry penalties of up to 5 years in jail in Vietnam. However, the Southeast Asian country is also a common destination for trafficked wildlife parts and a transit point for ivory and other trafficked materials to China.

The pangolin is said to be the most widely trafficked mammal in the world. Its scales are made of keratin and are ground up to use in traditional medicines.

Medicine Demand is Depleting Asian Elephant Population

Asian elephants in Burma are being poached at an alarming rateall to meet soaring demand for the animals skin in China, where its considered a potent traditional medicine.

Elephant skins? Give me four hours, and Ill get you anything from the hunters in the jungle, a shopkeeper at a pharmacy in Kyaikto, a town in southeastern Burma (also known as Myanmar), according to a Sept. 11 article in the English-language newspaper The Myanmar Times.

The plight of Asian elephants, listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is detailed in an April report published by Elephant Family, a U.K.-based NGO that is dedicated to the protection of the animals. The NGO conducted a field investigation in Burma and China to compile the report.

Elephant skin is a traditional Chinese medicine ingredient thats considered to have high therapeutic potency. According to the Chinese search engine Baidu, elephant skin can be used as a cure for gastritis and ulcers, and can facilitate skin and muscle regrowth. According to the report, elephant skin can also be shaped into beads to make bracelets and necklaces.

The number of Asian elephant carcasses found in the wild in Burma reveals a disturbing trend since 2012, according to the report. Before 2012, the average number of dead elephants found was less than 10 annually; however, the number jumped to 26 in 2013, followed by 61 in 2016.

Coinciding with the alarming increase of dead elephants have been the growing discussion on Chinese social media about the availability of Asian elephant skin. Its typically sold online in three different forms: skin pieces, powder, and beads, according to the report. In 2018, elephant skin products were spotted by Elephant Family investigators at local markets in three Chinese provincesYunnan in southwestern China, and Fujian and Guangdong in southeastern China.

In Burma, the average price for elephant skin pieces is 660 yuan (about $96) per kilogram (2.2 pounds). The same skin pieces are sold for an average of 1,800 yuan (about $262) in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong.

The sales of elephant skin products arent limited to just social media. Chinese pharmaceutical companies also advertise medicine containing Asian elephant skin, which is sold legally sinceChinas State Forestry Administration has issued licenses for the manufacture and sales of such pharmaceutical products, according to the report.

Nicholas Cox, conservation director of the World Wildlife Funds Burma office, warned, If it becomes difficult [to kill elephants in Burma], then they [the poachers] will go somewhere else, according to The Myanmar Times.

According to the report, the estimated population of Asian elephants is 30,000 to 50,000, either living in the wild or bred under captivity in 13 different countries, including Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and India.

A search on Chinese online wholesale marketplace 1688.com, which is operated by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, revealed many online store vendors peddling beads made of elephant skin.

In August, Chinas state-run media The Paper reported that in Mong La, a town in northern Burma, there are many Chinese traders who engage in the illicitsale of elephant skins.

Epoch Times reporter Frank Fang and Reuters contributed to this article.You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person.



Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else.Winans instructed me to move my fly by stripping line in quick bursts, causing the streamer to dart through the water like a live baitfish. He also warned that I would have set the hook at even the slightest hint of a bite, because smallmouth bass strikes can be quite subtle on sub-surface flies.

In other words, I was going to have to work.

As I tried my best to make accurate casts to slack water along the river bank, the advantages of the drift boat versus a motorized craft or wading were immediately apparent. Using oars to constantly re-position the boat, Winans was able to keep me in a good casting position while I read the water and waited for a strike.

Im a bit of a die-hard, non-motor guy, Winans said of his preference for drift boats. Its more organic, and its a great tactic for fishing. It gives you the element of surprise.

The first two hours of the float passed by without much action, as Winans predicted it would. With the bass reluctant to come out of their hiding places to feed, I was left to marvel at the scenery in the park.Despite a slow start caused by icy conditions, cargo shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 8.3 million tons through the end of May, which is on par with last year.

Tonnage moving on the (Saint Lawrence) Seaway is running at about the same level as this time last year," U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. Deputy Administrator Craig Middlebrook said. "Shipments of project cargo are particularly noteworthy, and a number of U.S. Great Lakes ports are reporting an outlook for continued movement of these high-value cargoes such as windmill components, cranes and heavy machinery.

Cargo to inland ports on the Great Lakes, like the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor in Porter County, has been way up in recent years.

If the May pace continues, we should be able to build on the 17 percent Seaway cargo growth accumulated over the past two years, said Bruce Burrows, president of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. U.S. Great Lakes ports are also reporting an acceleration in business. Two key growth areas are increased domestic and imported road salt and iron ore volumes due to domestic demand for steel production and exports of iron ore pellets from Minnesota to international locations like China.Five years ago, Wilson was living in an East Chicago apartment building. The victim and her mother lived in a separate unit above him. He had gotten to know them and even had written holiday cards to them.

The victim said her mother had left for work and she was alone in her bedroom watching television about 2 a.m. March 4, 2014, when she heard a knock on her door and assumed her mother had returned home.

Instead, she found a man wearing a ski mask and gloves and armed with a knife. She said he pushed her on her bed, ordered her to undress.

She said he held the knife to her throat as he assaulted her and then ordered her to wash her body to destroy evidence of his crime.

He left her apartment, only to return moments later, leaving a handwritten note warning her not to tell anyone what had happened.

Prosecutors said she recognized Wilson as her assailant from his voice and handwriting. Police matched Wilsons DNA to evidence at the crime scene.

A jury in August 2014 found Wilson guilty of 10 counts of deviate sexual conduct, burglary, armed battery, sexual battery and confinement. He also was judged to be a habitual offender.HESSVILLE  Don't let the old Hansen library's boarded-up windows fool you  much work is being done inside the Great Depression-era library as project leaders transform the once-dilapidated building into a community resource center and veterans museum.

Amy Radolak, president of the Hessville Commerce & Community Creative (HC3), said tens-of-thousands-of-dollars have been donated to the cause  either through free labor, supplies or construction and historical expertise  since HC3 purchased the property from the city for $10 nearly two years ago.

The library branch, one of three designed by local architect L. Cosby Bernard, largely sat vacant for more than a decade but is now being turned into a community hub for the Hessville neighborhood.

The project has hit some snags, including a five-month stall earlier this year due to an interior wall structure being compromised. Now that it's fixed, the neighborhood organization has moved forward with drywall, interior and exterior painting, floor tiling and heating and air unit repairs. The roof was torn down and a new one installed last year, free of charge, by the Local Roofers 26 Union. Starting next week, a bridge will be rehabbed along U.S. 41 in Schererville.

 Beginning in mid-July, U.S. 41 in Schererville will be resurfaced between Sauzer Place and the Canadian National railroad bridge.

 Slated for 2020-21, U.S. 41 in St. John will be widened from 96th Avenue and U.S. 231. A center turn lane will be added. The town of St. John is taking care of widening between 96th and 93rd avenues. INDOT has already approved the towns permit for the work, which includes adding turn lanes.

 Starting in 2022, U.S. 41 in Cedar Lake, between U.S. 231 and 135th Place, will be widened, with a center turning lane added. Deitchley said this project completes the U.S. 41 corridor widening.

 A 2020 resurfacing project involves Indiana 55 between U.S. 30 and Ridge Road. Also, at Ind. 55 and 57th Avenue in Merrillville, a turn lane will be added. A roundabout will be coming to Ind. 55 and 73rd Avenue in Merrillville in 2022.

Elsewhere, Chyung reviewed the recently completed session of the Indiana Legislature. Key budget items, the state representative said, include support for the proposed South Shore double-track project between Gary and Michigan City; funding for public education; and the move of Majestic Star Casino I and II to the interstate in Gary and possibly to Terre Haute.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.I think he will remember this," Kraus said. "His family will certainly help him and remind him of where that quilt is at. This is a very kind act and it think its important he was recognized.

Seeley said she was happy the family was able to coax her father out to the funeral home. Since the surprise ceremony, Popp has told his family that he thinks the quilt is beautiful and that he was happy to see old friends.

"It was nice seeing the smiles on his face when he saw people he hadn't seen in a while, and the smiles on their face when they got to see him," Seeley said. "It was especially fun when he shared his stories and little remarks that made everyone chuckle and laugh. He was the same old Pops that we all know and love."

Though his hearing isnt the best and it might take him a little longer to move around, Popp isnt slowing down any time soon.

Lets see if I make it to 95, Popp said with his Quilt of Valor in hand.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Supporters of a ban on confidential settlements say they allow harassers and abusers to prey on others who have no warning. But someone who has been assaulted or harassed may want to keep the details private, or they might be willing to do so if it helps them get a meaningful settlement, something that could help them move on. And a harasser may not be willing to settle if he knows the deal may become public.

In some states where bills were seriously considered, bar associations and business groups have lobbied against them. The California Chamber of Commerce opposed the bill that was eventually passed in that state, saying it would force companies to go to trial to preserve their public image.

The New Jersey State Bar Association was a vocal opponent of the bill there.

Its not popular for any business, or bar association for that matter, to take what could be perceived as a stand against a sex harassment or sexual assault victim, said Christine A. Amalfe, a former trustee of the state bar who helped draft its position on the bill.

Nonetheless, she said, this law in New Jersey appears to be a bit of an overreaction to what MeToo was really about. Ms. Amalfe said that New Jerseys new law will hurt victims because defendants will be more likely to fight allegations in court if they know the accusations could become public anyway.

Nondisclosure agreements are common in the legal world and in business, where entrepreneurs make workers sign them to protect ideas and corporate plans. Celebrities use them with employees in an effort to maintain some privacy. An N.D.A. cannot stop a victim from cooperating with a police investigation, but generally, once a deal is reached, that is where the talking stops.

The legislative proposals around the country have been targeted at the use of N.D.A.'s in cases of sexual misconduct. So far, most of the bills that have passed have placed restrictions on these agreements, without banning or neutralizing them.In the latest defeat for organized labor in the South, workers at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee rejected an effort to form a union this week.

Of the roughly 1,600 workers who voted, 833 opposed the unionization effort, according to results released late Friday. The United Automobile Workers has been trying to organize the factory, in Chattanooga, for years, recording a narrow defeat in 2014.

Our employees have spoken, the plants chief executive, Frank Fischer, said in a statement. We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with elected officials and business leaders in Tennessee.

Labor leaders have long focused on the South, which they consider important to securing victories for workers around the country. But despite sustained organizing efforts across the region  including at a Nissan plant in Mississippi, a Toyota plant in Kentucky and a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama  the union has repeatedly failed to get a foothold with a foreign car manufacturer there.In their second year of government service, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner reported income from their companies and investments of as much as $135 million, according to their annual financial disclosure reports made public on Friday.

All told, the couples real estate holdings and other investments were worth as much as $786 million, down slightly from 2017. Their total annual income was between $29 million and $135 million, a range that was lower than what they reported in 2017.

Mr. Kushners partial ownership of his family-run real estate business, Kushner Companies, has drawn criticism from ethics experts, particularly as the firm has solicited investments from foreign sources, including in the Middle East, where Mr. Kushner is a top White House liaison.

Although Mr. Kushner held on to the bulk of his stake in the company, which he once ran, he sold some of his assets to a trust controlled by his mother.SATURDAY PUZZLE  Solvers familiar with Ryan McCarty know that he has a futuristic bent, a knack for neologisms. We have him to thank for the debuts of dank memes, brogrammer and anti-vaxxers, to name a few. But still, I like him: Everything is done in good humor, and there are always plenty of references to the good old days, like 39A, among the dystopian entries.

I thought this was as difficult a solve as you can tackle in one sitting, a perfect workout for a Saturday. But I got slowed and then stumped by one error I made in the northeast corner.

Tricky Clues

Im sure people got tripped up elsewhere, but my main sticking point was garnet rather than CLARET RED, to which my future self said to my past self, Well, duh, read the clue. I mean, Wine-colored is pretty straightforward, in retrospect. Those four bad letters made that whole corner inscrutable because the other clues were so tricky. I was delighted by the clue for PARADE though, and found the general flow of the grid to be pretty fun.

28A: Id never heard of this term, which is used mainly by the Australian media in a country where a lot of alarming climate news originates. Like its red counterpart, GREEN TAPE refers to bureaucracy, but in this case it pertains to all that onerous regulation that tries to slow humanitys relentless growth. Pretty juxtaposition here with BLUE MOON, I thought, crossing CLARET RED as well.On April 14, 1988, the U.S.S. Samuel B. Roberts, a frigate, hit an Iranian naval mine while sailing in the Persian Gulf. The explosion injured 10 of her crew and nearly sank the ship. Four days later, the U.S. Navy destroyed half the Iranian fleet in a matter of hours. Iran did not molest the Navy or international shipping for many years thereafter.

Now thats changed. Irans piratical regime is back yet again to its piratical ways.

Or so it seems, based on a detailed timeline of Thursdays attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman provided by the U.S. Central Command, including a surveillance video of one of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps patrol boats removing an unexploded limpet mine from the hull of one of the damaged tankers.

The Iranians categorically deny responsibility. And the Trump administration has credibility issues, to put it mildly, which is one reason why electing a compulsive prevaricator to the presidency is dangerous to national security.

In this case, however, the evidence against Iran is compelling. CentComs account notes that a U.S. aircraft observed an IRGC Hendijan class patrol boat and multiple IRGC fast attack craft/fast inshore attack craft (FAC/FIAC) in the vicinity of the M/T Altair, one of the damaged tankers. The Iranian boats are familiar to the U.S. Navy after decades of observing them at close range. And staging deniable attacks that fall just below the threshold of open warfare on the U.S. is an Iranian specialty.While the president has said he wants to extricate America from foreign wars, he also ordered a carrier group into the Persian Gulf last month, and he has sometimes raised the possibility of military action.

Mr. Trump continues to rely for advice on leading hawks, the national security adviser, John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who on Thursday went beyond the tanker incidents to accuse Iran of several other attacks without offering proof.

At the same time, Mr. Trump has dangled the possibility of talks with the Iranians , and, however inept his international deal-making has previously proved to be, that approach is far preferable to the escalation apparently favored by some of his advisers. But he seems to be backing away from that course. It is too soon to even think about making a deal, he wrote in a tweet on Thursday.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was, if anything, more adamant about not even talking. When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, who was visiting Tehran when the tankers were attacked, presented a message from Mr. Trump, the ayatollah, according to Iranian state media, responded, I do not see Trump as worthy of any message exchange, and I do not have any reply for him, now or in future.

It may be too soon for a deal, but it is not too soon to chart a course out of this turbulence.

Once American and allied intelligence agencies thoroughly investigate the tanker attacks, the data should be presented to the United Nations Security Council. It may be necessary for the United States and its partners to reflag and escort oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, as happened in 1987 and 1988, during the Iran-Iraq war.

Dialogue between the Trump administration and Iranian government would be wise, though Iran may prove unwilling to talk unless sanctions are eased and the United States rejoins the nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, attacks against civilian shipping in one of the worlds most vital international waterways, which sent crude oil prices up more than 3 percent on Thursday, have to stop. Every new provocation will make it harder to avoid a new regional cataclysm.By what strange process this achievement of Holbrookes has been belittled  a review of Packers book in The New Republic speaks of the liberal legend, of how he had solved the riddle of the Balkan Peninsula  is a conundrum that says much about our times. This is an age of cynicism, of limited hope, of valueless posturing, in which American interventionism is ridiculed.

Holbrooke, raised on postwar optimism at the apogee of American power, perceived the world otherwise. The optimism extended into my generation. We saw the Berlin Wall fall about halfway through our lives and understood with visceral certainty how American values, resolutely defended, advance liberty, not least for about 100 million central Europeans.

This was no liberal legend. It was liberal conviction based on the experience of Americas steady shaping of a more stable world. The NATO bombing that led to Bosnian peace was successful interventionism. It saved countless lives; it also salvaged humanity in the sense that it was a belated response to the Serb-run concentration camps for Bosnian Muslims  a horror grasped by Holbrooke when he encountered brutalized survivors in 1992. Holbrooke always wanted to see for himself, a conspicuous virtue.

Interventionisms moral core is not some disposable adjunct. Its inextricable from the idea, now atrophied, of an improvable world in which certain inalienable rights exist and certain forms of evil  those bestial camps  must be confronted. Thats the American idea. The Iraq war showed its fallibility but not its worthlessness. Holbrooke, as Packer writes, believed that power brought responsibilities, and if we failed to face them the worlds suffering would worsen.

Holbrooke could be a pompous, self-serving, ruthless, insinuating ass. He bumped an old couple, survivors of the Holocaust, off the official American bus to Auschwitz on the 50th anniversary of the liberation to secure a place for himself  what else do you need to know? He was a cheapskate . He slept with his best friends wife. He was dismissive of colleagues. He was an absent father  Daddy all gone, says his younger son, Anthony  and a man of scattered cruelties. I introduced him to my ex-wife seven times; she did not matter to him and was therefore invisible. He barreled through life intent on becoming secretary of state, never turning his otherwise lucid gaze inward; and so he made the enemies who would frustrate that devouring, ultimately blinding and life-curtailing, ambition.How has this case affected Somali-Americans there?

In the weeks following the trial, parents were pulling their kids out of some after-school programs for fear that they would be secretly recorded and convicted. Thats how traumatized the community was after learning how law enforcement planted informants among them in order to collect sufficient evidence for conviction against the teenage boys.



The case also caused division within the community, as some maintained the convicted teenagers were entrapped into leaving the country, while others like Yusuf acknowledged that their children were radicalized and advocated for actions against extremism.

The atmosphere was like a war zone, Yusuf told me. That is ironic, given how this is a community made up of refugees who fled a civil war, and are now witnessing how their adopted country is waging war on their American-born children.

Image Eunice Lau is a Singaporean filmmaker based in New York. Credit... Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Why is the Abdurahman familys story important to know?

Their story is a microcosm of how Americas war on terror has impacted American Muslims. Not only has it empowered the legal system to over-criminalize those found guilty of supporting terrorist organizations, but it also has fueled the clarion call of the extremists who are luring young minds to their ideology.

In his quest to find out how he son was radicalized, Yusuf said he faced hostility from fellow Somalis who wanted to shut down the uncomfortable questions he is asking. I was accused of bringing shame into my community when I tried to raise awareness and spoke up against the bad interpretation of Islam, he said.

It is important for Americans to know that the first casualties of this conflict are often Muslims who do not subscribe to extreme ideology, and in failing to discern between Muslims like Yusuf and the fundamentalists who carry out human rights abuses in the name of Islam, we have contributed to their vulnerability and marginalization.

What challenges did you face? Did your outsider status help you?

I relate to subjects as people and draw on our commonality, rather than differences to understand universal truths. Though I am not Somali, I also experienced confusion over my hyphenated identity, like Zacharia. The willingness to listen, and being mindful of the trust placed in me to tell the story is more important in my view.WASHINGTON  As someone who fancies himself an aviation expert  he did once have his own airline, after all  President Trump indulged his interest this week in a number of ways.

He ordered an F-35, a (very loud) $80 million fighter jet, to fly over the White House during the visit of the president of Poland. He stood on the South Lawn watching the landing of a pricey new VH-92 helicopter, which is referred to as Marine One when he is aboard. And in maybe his most satisfying moments of the week, he detailed his plans to give Air Force One  perhaps the most famous plane in the world  a new paint job.

I like the concept of red, white and blue, Mr. Trump said in an interview with Fox & Friends on Friday, describing the makeover he envisions for the plane, a specially fitted Boeing 747 with iconic cyan and white coloring. The baby blue doesnt fit with us.

For other presidents, all of this would have amounted to a few too many aeronautical activities to stuff into a week packed with mounting aggression toward Iran, tariff threats and a head-of-state visit. Not for this one. In fact, its hard not to think that this sort of sky-toy-packed schedule is closer to what Mr. Trump, with his peculiar fixation with all things aviation, originally envisioned for his presidency.The problem is twofold for them, said John E. McLaughlin, a deputy C.I.A. director during the Iraq war. One is people will always rightly question intelligence because its not an exact science. But the most important problem for them is their own credibility and contradictions.

The task is all the more formidable for Mr. Trump, who himself has assailed the reliability of Americas intelligence agencies and even the intelligence chiefs he appointed, suggesting they could not be believed when their conclusions have not fit his worldview.

At one point shortly before taking the oath of office, he compared intelligence agencies to Nazi Germany and ever since has cast doubt on their findings about Russias interference in the 2016 election. This year, he repudiated his intelligence chiefs for their assessments of issues like Iran, declaring that they are wrong and should go back to school. And just this week, he rebuked the C.I.A. for using a brother of North Koreas Kim Jong-un as an informant, saying, I wouldnt let that happen under my auspices.

All of that can raise questions when international tension flares up, like the explosion of the two oil tankers on Thursday, a provocation that fueled anxiety about the worlds most important oil shipping route and the prospect of escalation into military conflict. When Mr. Trump told Fox News on Friday that Iran did do it, he was asking his country to accept his word.

Trumps credibility is about as solid as a snake oil salesman, said Jen Psaki, who was the White House communications director and top State Department spokeswoman under Mr. Obama. That may work for selling his particular brand to his political base, but during serious times, it leaves him without a wealth of good will and trust from the public that what he is saying is true even on an issue as serious as Irans complicity in the tanker explosions.MEXICO CITY  Thousands of Mexican National Guard members and other security forces are being deployed to the nations southern border with Guatemala this weekend, as the Mexican government seeks to make good on a deal struck with President Trump to reduce illegal migration.

The mobilization, which government officials say is a cornerstone of the deal with Washington that staved off potentially crushing tariffs, is expected to be complete by Tuesday. But the operation has been halting at best.

The new force had not been scheduled to begin formal operations around the country until the end of this month. A lot of effort has been made to accelerate the pace, Mexicos foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, acknowledged on Friday.

And critics are worried that rushing the new Guard force into service, and into a job that was never meant to be its focus, could come at a great cost  for migrants and for Mexico.Welcome to the weekend. It was a week of news about vaccinations and ship attacks. But now its time to slow down, breathe and catch up with some great journalism you may have missed.Whats on TV

THE HATE U GIVE (2018) 8 p.m. on HBO; stream on HBO platforms. For Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), code switching is part of her daily routine. During the day, she attends a college prep school that is predominantly white and rich. But in the evening, she goes home to her mostly poor, black neighborhood. Her ability to balance these opposing worlds falls apart when a white police officer kills her childhood best friend. George Tillman Jr. directed the film, which is based on a novel of the same name by Angie Thomas. In the New York Times review, Aisha Harris wrote: Ms. Stenberg strikingly embodies Starrs dichotomies  self-doubt and bouts of confidence; introversion and outspokenness  but the films driving plot is Khalils death and how it pushes Starr to come into her own as an activist.

MURDER AND JUSTICE: THE CASE OF MARTHA MOXLEY 7 p.m. on Oxygen. This three-part docuseries tells the story of Martha Moxley, a 15-year-old girl who was murdered on her front lawn in Greenwich, Conn. The investigation was stalled for over two decades until Michael Skakel, her neighbor at the time and a relative of the Kennedy family, was arrested. Skakel was sentenced to 20 years to life, but was released in 2013 after serving 11 years when a judge ruled Skakel did not have a competent defense. Laura Coates, a legal analyst and host of the series, breaks down what happened, going through evidence and interviewing people involved in the investigation. The series also explores how money, connections and the media impacted the case.As subtitles go, the one Laurence Scott chose for his new book, Picnic Comma Lightning, is certainly on the ambitious side: The Experience of Reality in the Twenty-First Century. Scotts hard-to-categorize, essayistic investigation of reality and technology is literary, cultural and deeply personal. The literary side is reflected in his title, which is taken from Humbert Humberts terse description of the cause of his mothers death in Lolita: (picnic, lightning). The personal involves the deaths of Scotts own parents: his mother in 2010, when he was 30, and his father in 2012. Scott is interested in the ways social media and other technologies change our understanding of what is public and private. Its a capacious book, moving freely from Walter Benjamin to the TV soap Dynasty; from the metaphysics of Marie Kondo to Heideggers consideration of the question What is a thing? Below, Scott talks about Brexit, influencers, how our feelings have become big business and more.

When did you first get the idea to write this book?

In 2015, Id just written The Four-Dimensional Human. In that book, I was trying to explore the new pleasures, anxieties and etiquette of inhabiting the fourth dimension: the internet and social media. I wanted to broaden that and look at how technologies blur the boundary between our private and public lives in new ways.

As I write in the book, my parents died in impolite succession. What I noticed when I thought about digital life was that death really calls into question what a real person is. The dead often feel very present and real to us. I wanted to see if the experience of personal bereavement could help illuminate larger cultural shifts in our sense of reality and the reality of other people.

I didnt want to write a book that gives a plan for living happily in the digital age. I have almost no suggestions for that. I just wanted to communicate how this new world feels to me, and hopefully readers would recognize some of those feelings in themselves: I find this weird; do you find this weird?The villains of this book are Xi and Vladimir V. Putin, who have enough power and ambition to undermine the entire global liberal order. Repeatedly quoting from the Cold War strategist George F. Kennan, Diamond advocates a military buildup to thwart Russian or Chinese aggression. Unless American and European democracies get their acts together, he warns darkly, the European Union and NATO might collapse, a Greater Russian Empire could rise as the heir to the Soviet Union and China would threaten the freedom of democracies across Asia  all resulting in depths of oppression and aggression that we have not seen since the end of World War II. I like a worst-case scenario as much as the next fatalist, but this passage underplays what Diamond writes sensibly elsewhere about how dictatorships misjudge, overreach and provoke blowback.

Diamond sounds klaxons that China seeks hegemony over all of Asia and the Pacific and aims to dominate world politics in this century  assertions that even some hawkish China experts would dispute. No doubt China is a fast-rising military and economic power, beefing up its naval forces, reviving nationalistic quarrels with Japan, staking expansive claims and brazenly building artificial islands in the South China Sea. But while Russia recently invaded Georgia and Ukraine, some Chinese elites seem more cautious: China hasnt fought a real war since 1979. An actual Chinese drive for hegemony over Asia would spark major confrontations with Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan and other regional powerhouses, as well as the United States. Diamond needs to argue harder for his hard line.

For Diamond, the United States remains, as Bill Clinton proclaimed in his second Inaugural Address in 1997, the worlds indispensable nation. He properly highlights how the United States contributed to democratization in numerous countries. Yet Ill Winds does not dwell on how the United States has blighted its democratic credibility, gliding past a darker history that could reappear during future contests against China or Russia: how the Cold War drove Washingtons support for vicious anti-Communist governments in Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, Argentina, Iran and elsewhere.

Today Trump fawns over Putin, Kim Jong-un, Mohammed bin Salman and other thugs, driven less by realpolitik necessity than by personal affinity. After just one year of Trumps presidency, a Gallup poll found that the median approval of American leadership across 134 countries had cratered to just 30 percent  four points below that of George W. Bush in his last year, which priced in the Iraq war. If the universal principles of liberal democracy are going to be revived, that will require not just American renewal under a less squalid president, but the leadership of a multitude of free republics spanning India, Japan, Germany, South Korea, France, Britain and South Africa.

Whether in Taiwan, Mongolia or Ghana, people like their rulers to be lawful, accountable and disposable. Dictatorships will always have to fear their people as they get richer and better educated; tyrannical regimes can always splinter; and courageous opposition leaders will always rise up (though not, it would seem, in the Republican Party). Before dying of cancer in Chinese state captivity, Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel laureate and democracy activist, wrote that although people must still deal with tyranny and the suffering that it causes, they can respond to hate with love, to prejudice with tolerance, to arrogance with humility, to degradation with dignity and to violence with reason.Susannah Hunnewell, publisher of The Paris Review and a prominent member of its literary circles for three decades, died on Saturday in Manhattan. She was 52.

Her husband, Antonio F. Weiss, said the cause was cancer.

Ms. Hunnewell joined the magazine as an editorial intern in the late-1980s, when it was run out of an 8-by-14-foot office in the Upper East Side brownstone of its co-founder and editor George Plimpton.

She remained associated with the magazine for the next 30 years, including a transformative and sometimes turbulent period after Mr. Plimptons death at 76 in 2003.

During that time the magazine redesigned its pages, broadened its scope and, in 2018, installed a woman as its top editor, after one of Mr. Plimptons male successors resigned amid accusations of sexual misconduct toward female employees and writers.Not since Harold and Kumar went to White Castle has there been such an insatiable hunger for burgers  but not for just any patty.

The popularity of the Impossible Burger, a plant-based creation that has created a sizzle, even among circumspect carnivores, has disrupted the supply chain of two major national chains, White Castle and Red Robin.

The feeding frenzy comes after Burger King debuted the Impossible Whopper at 300 locations across the United States this spring and plans to roll it out at all 7,200 of its domestic restaurants by the end of the year.

Impossible Foods, a Redwood City, Calif., company that makes the patties from genetically engineered, soy-based heme protein, said that it was not playing favorites and that it was ramping up production of the burgers. It uses more than 400 distributors and does not sell its burgers directly to restaurants and retailers, according to the company .MUMBAI, India  India announced late Saturday that it would raise tariffs on 28 categories of imports from the United States, the latest escalation in what has been a slow-motion trade fight between the two countries.

The increased tariffs, on $1.4 billion of goods, went into effect Sunday morning in India and cover almonds, walnuts, apples and finished metal items, among other products.

Unlike other trade battles that President Trump has waged, such as the increasingly bitter feud with China, the conflict with India threatens far less economic pain to either country.Alix Christine Maud Raspe and Erik Daniel Gray were married June 15 at the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert in Dorset, Vt. The ceremony was led by the grooms father, the Rev. Dr. James H. Gray, a United Church of Christ minister and the pastor there.

Mrs. Gray, 26, who is keeping her name professionally, is a classical harpist. She is an associate harpist of the Columbus Symphony in Ohio, and on the faculty of Note-Worthy Experiences in Sudbury, Mass. She also teaches privately in the Boston area. In 2018, she performed in the orchestra version of Tommy, the rock opera with Roger Daltrey of the Who, at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. She graduated cum laude from N.Y.U., and received a masters degree in harp performance from New England Conservatory.

She is the daughter of Adele Raso Raspe and Herman H. Raspe of Greenwich, Conn.

Mr. Gray, 28, is pursuing a masters degree in marriage and family therapy at the University of New Hampshire. Until 2014, he was the human research coordinator at Dana-Farber Institute in Boston. He graduated cum laude from Drew University.

He is a son of Esther A. Gray and the Rev. Gray of Dorset, Vt.

The families of the bride and groom have houses on either side of their church in Dorset. Ms. Raspe didnt grow up there, but it had been her familys weekend home away from Greenwich and she didnt meet her Dorset neighbor until her high school spring break in 2011. She was conducting personal interviews with college-age students, including Mr. Gray and his two older brothers, for a high school psychology internship.This Fathers Day, Im not sure if I should call my dad. I had the same misgivings a few days ago when it was his birthday. He turned 87. Its not what you think. I have a wonderful father and weve had no falling out. But I anticipate that the phone calls will be more distressing to him than heartwarming.

See, my father has dementia, and this year its gotten much worse. He cant get dressed without supervision, can no longer make his beloved Turkish coffee, cannot recognize that a tissue paper is a tissue paper and sometimes, when he wakes at night, cant find his way back to his bed. Hes walked out of the house several times and gotten lost (the police helped bring him back).

Like all dementia sufferers, he has moments of lucidity but when the cloudiness hits, Im not sure he knows who he is. Im not sure he knows who I am. When I ask him, he says: Of course. You are my habibti (my love). And I think I see a flicker of recognition in his eyes. But I cant say for sure.

I thought that I was an evil anomaly in my hesitation to contact my father. But then I read about a survey by the Alzheimers Society that found that over 40 percent of respondents said it was pointless to keep in touch with loved ones who could no longer recognize them.I believe that we cannot withdraw this bill, or else society will say that this bill was groundless, Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs chief executive , said at a news conference on Saturday.

In many ways Saturdays announcement might be viewed as a small victory for Mrs. Lams opposition. A draft bill that would allow citizens and foreign residents and even visitors to be extradited to mainland China has been suspended, indefinitely. But Mrs. Lam stopped short of withdrawing the bill. If she hoped that a delay would allow people to cool off and move on, that is wishful thinking.

Protesters said they will not accept anything less than withdrawal of the bill . On Sunday, hundreds of thousands  and by some estimates, 2 million  were back in the streets; authorities were so stunned that Mrs. Lam issued an unexpected apology for her handling of this episode. For Hong Kong, this battle, more than the protests that have come before, feels like a last stand .

For 79 days in 2014, thousands of protesters set up camp in Hong Kongs main thoroughfares. The mood of Occupy Central was often sober, but sometimes idyllic , as the mostly young activists took up space, protested, and shared their hopes for free elections. Then came the police and the arrests.A Vietnamese border guard opened fire on his colleagues on Saturday, injuring at least two before holing himself up in his border post, in a rare case of gun violence in the communist country.

Civilians are banned from owning guns in Vietnam, a one-party state where a vast police force and army are among the few officials with access to weapons.

On Saturday a border guard in southern Long An province in the Mekong Delta opened fire at his post, hurting at least two people, according to the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

The shooter remained armed and locked himself inside the Binh Hiep post -- near the Cambodian border -- as police evacuated the area, according to state media.

"The scene is very chaotic... functional forces are negotiating with the person inside (the station)," local official Nguyen Van Vu was quoted as saying in state-run news site VnExpress.

The shooter was identified as second lieutenant Ta Quang Dat, according to VNA.

Some media reported he had attempted suicide.

A local official told AFP "authorities were working at the scene", without providing further details and requesting anonymity.

Dangerous crimes are extremely uncommon in Vietnam, though in recent years a small number of high-profile incidents have chilled the country.

In 2016 a forest ranger shot and killed two provincial officials in northern Yen Bai province before turning the gun on himself.

And last year, a pipe bomb tore through a police station in southern Ho Chi Minh City, which officials later said was a politically motivated crime carried out by "terrorists".

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When a dictator falls to popular wrath, it is often the case that his cabal lies low until the field is clear again. It may be the generals or the secret police or the family; they will renounce their fallen leader to appease the protesters, but as soon as it is feasible they reimpose authoritarian rule. This is what the generals are trying to do in Sudan, and this is what American officials there to mediate a peaceful transition to democratic rule should endeavor to prevent.

The Sudanese who took to the streets in December, initially to protest rising food prices, were jubilant when the military finally ousted Omar Hassan al-Bashir in April, ending his three-decade reign of kleptocracy and terror. But they were aware of what had happened in neighboring Egypt, where the military came back to power after the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011. So when the Sudanese generals announced that a Transitional Military Council had been formed to wield power until elections could be held, the protesters stayed put outside army headquarters, demanding that civilians be put in charge of the transition.

When weeks of tense talks between protest leaders and the generals finally collapsed, the army cracked down. A paramilitary unit with roots in the fearsome janjaweed, the militia s accused of genocide in Darfur, waded into the protesters camp on June 3, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. Many bodies were dumped into the Nile to conceal the death toll. The dispersed protest leaders then called a general strike.

The sides backed off this week , evidently in response to diplomatic efforts by American envoys. On Tuesday, protest leaders called off the strikes and agreed to resume talks with the military council. Then on Thursday, a spokesman for the military council acknowledged that the military had ordered the violent dispersal of the sit-in in Khartoum, but we regret that some mistakes happened. The spokesman still blamed the protesters for the breakdown in talks, and reiterated that a majority of the members of the transitional council should be military men.CERES, Calif.  Last weekend, 3,000 miles west of the marble edifices of the nations capital, Cindy Quezada, the field research leader for the San Joaquin Valley Census Research Project , was wending her way past false-eyelash vendors, mountains of chiles and peanuts, bright jumbles of farm-worker bandannas and triumphal displays of booty-lifting jeans. She and a colleague, Jorge San Juan, were at El Rematito, a popular flea market, to talk with fellow immigrants about their willingness to participate in el censo  the 2020 census.

Only a few days later, on Wednesday, President Trump blocked the release of documents about that census. His administration has added a question about citizenship to it, and the House Oversight Committee wants to know why. Democrats believe that the move is an attempt to frighten immigrants into avoiding the census  and indeed, it could lead to an estimated 6.5 million people not being counted. That could cause states with big immigrant populations like California to lose House seats and money for everything from infrastructure to food stamps. A challenge to it has gone all the way to the Supreme Court, and a decision is expected any day now.

El Rematito flea market is presumably little-traveled by Supreme Court justices. But they might want to give it a try. Because if anywhere in America will be harmed by the 2020 census, it is here in the San Joaquin Valley, where about half of the 4.2 million people are Hispanic.

Ms. Quezada, who has a Ph.D. in biology, left El Salvador with her family in the 1980s and became an American citizen in her early 20s. She worked for the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development in Egypt before logging 9,338 miles for the census research project . She has an upbeat, easygoing manner that puts people at ease. Since last fall, she and her team have had conversations and held focus groups in 31 communities with some of the countrys most overlooked and vulnerable people  the so-called hard to count. They hope to harness what theyve learned to devise better strategies for census outreach.But was it the red-meat conservative song many fans made it out to be? Haggard could be ambivalent about it. In a 1970 interview in Rolling Stone, he was blunt about the counterculture protesters: I dont like their views on life, their filth, their visible self-disrespect. But he also said he wrote the song as a satire, and in later years he said that hed been dumb as a rock when he wrote it.

Haggards ambivalence was emblematic of how many people felt at the time: sometimes hawkish, sometimes dovish. And the best music of the era struck notes not only of strident patriotism but of lamentation about the human cost of war. There was Loretta Lynns Dear Uncle Sam; Jimmy Webbs Galveston, popularized by Glen Campbell; and Green, Green Grass of Home, a haunting, fatalistic ballad told, its revealed in the final verse, by an inmate facing execution. For soldiers who themselves felt under a kind of death sentence, the song spoke volumes.

Or take Johnny Cash, whose complicated views on the war were fairly representative of his fellow country stars. Neither a ferocious hawk nor a reflexive dove, Cash toured East Asia for the U.S.O. But he harbored doubts about the war, and in Singin in Viet Nam Talkin Blues, he sang about that little trip into living hell/And if I ever go back over there anymore/Hope theres none of our boys there for me to sing for.WASHINGTON  It is very disorienting when those who are supposed to be our highest moral exemplars have no morals  not even of the alley-cat variety.

During the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, it was stunning to see wide swaths of clergymen, responsible for teaching children right from wrong, perverting right and wrong.

Now it is shocking to see an American president with a twisted sense of right and wrong. In yet another Nureyev leap into the absurd, Donald Trump went from no-collusion to pro-collusion, as Susan Glasser put it in The New Yorker, saying that he would welcome foreign governments peddling dirt on his political rivals. Why bother to alert the F.B.I. if you are getting good oppo?

I have seen a lot of politicians lie  even ones I swore never would. I have watched other Republican leaders play on white fears and choke off checks and balances. Its tough to match Dick Cheney for putting yourself above the law.In light of its damaging effects, several Christian leaders have recently suggested a more gracious sexual ethic. Joshua Harris, best known for his 1997 manifesto, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, in which he argued for a model of courtship supervised by parents, with no kissing before the wedding day, publicly apologized to people who were misdirected or unhelpfully influenced by his teachings. His thinking on sex and dating has changed significantly in the past 20 years, he wrote. He admitted that much of what he taught was not actually scriptural. The Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, a Lutheran pastor in Denver, has proposed a sexual reformation in light of purity cultures traumatic effects. In Shameless, Pastor Bolz-Weber writes, It is time for us to grab some matches and haul our antiquated and harmful ideas about sex and bodies and gender into the yard, burn it and start over. She proposes a sexual ethic grounded in the goodness of bodies and of sexual expression based in consent, mutuality and care.

I am 34, unmarried and a committed Christian, and have, over time, not held to the purity standards I inherited from my faith community. One would think that Pastor Bolz-Webers shame-free ethic would be a tall glass of water for a grace-parched soul. Instead, I find myself left with a sense of loss. For amid the horrible teachings about womens bodies and Gods anger over an exposed bra strap, the proponents of purity  or the best of them at least  were trying to offer us the gift of sex within marriage. As Christianity teaches that marriage is not simply a legal bind but a spiritual covenant, so married sex is a bodily expression that two people will be for each other, through all seasons.

As I continue to date with hopes of meeting a partner, I yearn for guidance on how to integrate faith and sexuality in ways that honor more than my own desires in a given moment. Here, the Christian teaching on sacramentality is helpful. All creation, including human bodies, by grace reveals deeper spiritual truth. In other words, matter matters. So when a person engages another person sexually, Christians would say, its not just bodies enacting natural evolutionary urges but also an encounter with another soul. To reassert this truth feels embarrassingly retrograde and precious by todays standards. But even the nonreligious attest that in sex, something more is happening, however shrouded that more might be.

This is why a sexual ethic centered on consent, which is what those of us whove lost purity culture are left with, feels flimsy. To be sure, consent is a nonnegotiable baseline, one that Christian communities overlook. (I never once heard about consent in youth group.) But two people can consent to something thats nonetheless damaging or selfish. Consent crucially protects against sexual assault and other forms of coercion. But it doesnt necessarily protect against people using one another in quieter ways. I long for more robust categories of right and wrong besides consent  a baseline, but only that  and more than a general reminder not to be a jerk. I can get that from Dan Savage, but I also want to know what Jesus thinks.

Purity culture as it was taught to my generation hurt many people and kept them from knowing the loving, merciful God at the heart of Christian faith. Unfortunately, many churches still promote some version of purity culture, even as others have tried to disentangle it from the sexism and shame of its earlier iterations. Purity culture as it was modeled for evangelical teenagers in the 1990s is not the future of Christian sexual ethics. But neither is the progressive Christian approach that simply baptizes casual sex in the name of self-expression and divorces sex from covenant faithfulness and self-sacrificial love.But his work is primarily driven by his working-class upbringing in Los Angeles. I airbrush a lot in my paintings, he said, a process he calls really labor intensive. The same machine is used to paint lowrider cars, which are a cultural marker for Chicanos in Los Angeles. Mr. Ayala hopes this overlap makes his work accessible to people who share his background.

For a long time, art like Mr. Ayalas or Mr. Esparzas was rarely seen in galleries and museums, more often incubated by Chicanx or Latinx organizations, said E. Carmen Ramos, the deputy chief curator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Major art museums in the United States did not invest in acquiring works by Chicanx and Latinx artists, and we see that when we look at the underrepresentation of these artists in permanent collections.

Eduardo Diaz, the director of the Smithsonian Latino Center, said that in part, the issue is the perception of Latinx art as a fringe interest. I start with the notion that Latino art is American art, he said.

Mr. Diaz noted some progress, especially over the last decade, as the Smithsonian and other institutions have begun to hire curators of color. He credits Ms. Ramos with increasing the Latinx art collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum by 62 percent, with several hundred pieces. In 2021, the first gallery of Latinx art established by the Smithsonian will open at the National Museum of American History. Similar investments are being made elsewhere: The Dallas Museum of Art, for instance, established a million dollar fund to acquire Latin American art and will hire a dedicated curator.

In the meantime, Latinx creators have been commemorating their history by including cultural artifacts and references.I found the envelope at 3 a.m.

It was wedged into my mailbox at school, a packet the size of a large book. I didnt normally check my mail after a late night editing The Alligator, the University of Florida student newspaper, but for some reason I made the detour.

I pulled out the envelope and flipped it over. There was my name in my mothers perfect calligraphy. Oh my God, I said out loud. She actually sent it.

Inside might be the most I would ever know about my father.

I had been asking about him since elementary school. Back then my mother, single and a second-grade teacher in the Miami-Dade public schools, answered my questions about him in the same way she had announced her pregnancy to her students: The doctors helped me. I wanted a child very much.

It wasnt until I was 10 that she told me the whole story. At the age of 32, she said, she had gone to the South Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine. She looked through the list of sperm donors and, after a week, chose a musician. Then, as now, sperm banks had their own specific requirements for donors, but most accepted less than one percent of applicants. There were height minimums  at least 5 feet 10 inches tall for white men  preferences for four-year college degrees and, in some cases, I.Q. requirements.Whatever the precise cause, the slowdown shows up in the data. Mark Zandi and colleagues at Moodys Analytics concluded that aging over the past 15 years reduced productivity in the United States by 0.25 percent to 0.7 percent per year.

Other researchers suggest that an older, smaller labor force can also account for the sluggish rate of business start-ups. Roughly half of American companies are at least 11 years old, up from less than one-third in the late 1980s. For all the hype about Silicon Valleys explosive entrepreneurship, there are fewer young companies entering the marketplace now than there were a generation ago. Hugo Hopenhayn of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues argue that this is caused in large part by a declining labor supply.

As big, old companies come to dominate the marketplace, their increasing market power could mute their incentive to innovate. Mr. Hopenhayn and others have found that larger firms share less of their revenues with their workers, trimming workers share of national income.

The declining supply of workers may not even be the most intense headwind unleashed by our aging population. The most worrying feature of our time, instead, may be older workers high rate of savings and low rate of spending, as they build nest eggs to support themselves through what is likely to be a long retirement. Over the past 20 years or so, this thriftiness has helped pushed interest rates  the price of money  down to near zero , making it hard for the Federal Reserve to cut rates further to stimulate the economy when needed.

More immigration might help address some of the shortcomings of our aging labor force. Yet in the current political environment, the odds that the United States will open the door to more foreign workers look, to put it mildly, slim.

Tax breaks, child subsidies, paid leave and other regulations have had some modest success in increasing fertility rates in countries like France, Canada and Sweden. But there is scant evidence that policy could slow aging significantly by encouraging Americans to have more children.

One great paradox of this predicament is that robots could help address some of these problems, replacing workers that age out of their productive lives.Rates

Standard doubles begin at 116 euros, or about $131.

The Basics

The Hotel Maison Saint Louis is the second hotel from the Marseille hotelier Loic Fauchille, who formerly worked for Groupe Accor, the large French hotel company. With tourism growing rapidly in Marseille, Mr. Fauchille saw a market for affordable lodgings with a dose of local character in the heart of the city, beyond whats available from international hotel chains. The Maison Saint Louis is simple but offers comfortable accommodations for people who might prefer to spend their travel budget on restaurants and museums. Since this demographic includes friends traveling together and families, the Maison Saint Louis offers an innovative variety of room types , including a Familiale 3, a Familiale 4 and a Familiale 6.

The Location

Just off La Canebiere, Marseilles Broadway, the Hotel Maison Saint Louis is a five-minute walk from Le Vieux Port and is very well-served by the R.T.M., Marseilles transit system, with a trolley station just out the door in the Cours Saint Louis and a Metro station and buses up the block. Next door to the hotel, Maison Empereur , founded in 1827 and Frances oldest hardware store, has been in the same family for six generations and spans three shops that offer a trove of traditional hard-to-find mostly French-made housewares, hardware and accessories. The hotel is also located just at the beginning of the lively rue dAubagne, which is lined with restaurants, bars, cafes, African hairdressers, Lebanese bakeries and shops selling North African spices and groceries  the Noailles quarter is locally known as the ventre (belly) of Marseille.A Tennessee pastor who is also a detective said in a sermon this month that people who were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender were freaks and worthy of death, comments that have prompted prosecutors to review cases he has investigated.

In the sermon, delivered on June 2, the pastor, Grayson Fritts, also called for the government to send a riot team to a Pride parade scheduled for June 22 in Knoxville. He said L.G.B.T. people should be arrested, tried, and if convicted, executed.

Thats the problem with law enforcement nowadays, he said in a video of the sermon posted by The Tennessee Holler. They are chasing around cookie thieves, when the real animals are on floats rolling down Gay Street.

Mr. Fritts is a pastor at All Scripture Baptist Church, which makes its stance on homosexuality known on its website: A person will only burn in their lust toward the same gender if they have been given over to a reprobate or rejected mind. God said homosexuality should be punished with the death penalty, as set forth in Leviticus 20:13. No homosexual will be allowed to attend or join All Scripture Baptist Church.Were trying something new in our 2020 presidential campaign coverage.

Every Saturday morning, were publishing This Week in the 2020 Race, bringing you the key moments  from speeches and surprises among the candidates to new policies and polls that are influencing the campaign.

Its a quick way to follow the presidential campaign and the sprawling field of 23 Democratic candidates. Trust us, we know how hard it is to keep up.

The debate lineups take shapeUnder one proposal, the administration would broaden the range of public assistance programs  such as Medicaid, food stamps and housing vouchers  used to determine whether immigrants seeking to become legal residents would be public charges on the country. That would effectively expand the programs that some immigrants may seek to avoid as they erase themselves from government assistance. Administration officials said the change would promote immigrant self-sufficiency and protect finite resources.

Another rule would evict undocumented immigrants and their families  even family members in the country legally  from public housing, including 55,000 children. And the administrations decision to ask on the 2020 census whether respondents are citizens stands to skew official poverty rates, the single most important data point for federal education funding, by depressing the response of immigrants  documented and undocumented. The Supreme Court will rule this month on the legality of the census question.

Trump administration officials say these proposals will give policymakers a better sense of the countrys population while preserving scarce resources for people living here legally. But schools are in a squeeze: By Supreme Court decree, they have no choice but to educate children, regardless of their immigration status.

In a Supreme Court filing protesting the Census Bureaus new citizenship question, the Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of the nations largest urban school districts, noted: It would be ironic indeed, if the bureau was not required to count noncitizen children when this court has held that public school districts, including council members, are constitutionally compelled to educate those same children.

Michael Casserly, the executive director of the council, said the cumulative effect of the administrations immigration policies would be extensive.michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today: A Times investigation reveals that the United States is actively infiltrating Russias electric power grid. David Sanger on what that means for the future of cyber warfare. Its Tuesday, June 18.

david sanger

So what happened in 2008 was the Russians did something pretty brilliant. They dropped a bunch of USB keys  you know, the kind you might get at a convention or maybe thats given to you at a hotel  in parking lots around American bases in the Middle East. People would pick these things up, bring them into work, and, believe it or not, put them in their computers at work.

michael barbaro

Jeez.

archived recording Somebody got away with the most serious breach of Defense Department computer networks ever.

david sanger

And what happened was those keys essentially put some malware into computers that got the Russians inside something called SIPRNet.

archived recording The drive contained malicious coding that spread through classified files and stole information.

david sanger

The official name is the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, but the main thing to know is its the Pentagons secret network.

archived recording We didnt think that was possible because its completely separate from the internet.

david sanger

And suddenly, they were able to drain out of the Pentagon some of its most secret communications, all because somebody picked up a USB and stuck it in their machines. And one day, a woman named Debbie Plunkett came into the office at the N.S.A. Remember, this was just ahead of President Obamas election. And she discovered this breach, and basically she said, weve got to get them out. And this started a massive effort secretly inside the N.S.A. to clean out the Department of Defenses systems. In fact, after a while, people began using superglue to seal the USB ports on Pentagon computers 

michael barbaro

Wow.

david sanger

 so that no idiot would go pick up a USB from someplace and put it in. It was a low-tech solution, Michael, but it worked.

michael barbaro

So beyond supergluing the USB ports on computers inside the Defense Department, what is the response from the U.S. to this incursion?

david sanger

The response was near-panic. I mean, think about what had happened just in that year or two. The Chinese had gotten inside Lockheed Martin and stolen many of the designs for the F-35, the most expensive fighter jet that youve ever paid for. And thats why the Chinese today are producing what looks like an F-35, although its a lot cheaper than ours. The United States was launching its own big, sophisticated cyber operation against Irans nuclear enrichment plant at Natanz. And the Russians, of course, were coming inside the Pentagon. And everybody realized, this is now not just a big intelligence problem. This is a big military problem, and we dont have a military unit of size and sophistication to deal with it. And that was the birth of what is now United States Cyber Command.

michael barbaro

So what does this newly established Cyber Command do about Russia, the culprit of this really damaging attack on the Pentagon?

david sanger

Initially, Michael, not much. U.S. Cyber Command was just getting organized. It didnt have many troops. It didnt have much expertise. It was based at Fort Meade, but it was highly dependent on its next-door neighbor, the National Security Agency, for most of its capability to look inside networks, much less attack back. So they spent years sort of watching the Russians and building their forces, building cyber sort of expeditionary teams that they could put out with American Army units and Navy units and the Air Force and others. But the big concern was what do you do in time of warfare when the Russians or the Chinese or some other adversary might do more than just get into your communications networks? They might go in to try to change data, like supposing they altered the targeting on a missile. Supposing they just got into the medical database and changed the blood type of every soldier and sailor, you can imagine the havoc that they would bring about. So the question was how would you find them, how would you counter them, and then, whats the right retaliation? Whats the deterrent to keep them from doing that? Of course while the U.S. was having this debate, there were some real attacks happening.

archived recording 1 The White House is considering a response to the crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures. archived recording 2 Federal officials are pointing right at the source. They say the attack was launched from inside North Korea.

david sanger

The North Koreans went into Sony because they didnt like a bad movie called The Interview, and they took out 70 percent of Sony Pictures Entertainments computer systems.

archived recording 1 It raises huge questions about vulnerability and national security. archived recording 2 They call this new kind of attack cyber extortion.

david sanger

And suddenly the Obama administration had a debate. What do we do in retaliation? Well, the answer was they put a few sanctions on the North Koreans, and they cut off their internet access through China for a day or two, but not much. And then, of course, the Chinese came in, and they stole 22 million security files from the Office of Personnel Management. Thats the office that does security reviews for everybody applying for a clearance.

archived recording O.P.M. did not specifically say what information the hackers got their hands on, but it could include everything from names to Social Security numbers.

david sanger

So suddenly the Chinese had all this information about 7 percent of the U.S. population, a very elite 7 percent.

archived recording 1 Weve learned the breach goes back 30 years to 1985 and affects nearly every government agency. archived recording 2 One of the largest thefts of U.S. government data ever.

david sanger

And no one knew what to go do in response other than try to negotiate some agreement about not stealing intellectual property with the Chinese. But all this was very frustrating inside Cyber Command and inside the N.S.A., because the number of attacks on the United States was expanding like mad. It reached its high point, really, in 2016, when the election attacks happened from Russia. And it wasnt just the election system they were into, because at the same time that the Obama White House was beginning to understand what was happening as the Russians got into the registration systems in Illinois and Arizona and all that, they were getting this other stream of intelligence about much more aggressive attacks on nuclear power plants, on regular power plants. The Russians got into a communications system in a nuclear power plant thats in Kansas that caused all kinds of disruption. And suddenly we were beginning to see warnings coming out of the Department of Homeland Security and the F.B.I., saying, hey, every utility in America  not just the power companies, but people who ran gas pipelines and water systems and all that, had to be on the lookout for malware, and that could cripple you. Its not that the Russians had used that to go turn off the lights yet. They hadnt, at least in the United States, but that they were prepared to do so.

michael barbaro

So David, youve described a series of cyberattacks against the U.S. by its adversaries that are escalating in their brazenness. So why does it seem that this Cyber Command, which was created specifically to defend the U.S. against these kinds of attacks, isnt doing very much about it?

david sanger

Well, for a couple of reasons. First, the primary defense for the United States is supposed to come from the Department of Homeland Security. The Pentagon was only supposed to get into this game when the attacks became so severe that they threatened the viability of the United States. The second reason is that Cyber Command didnt really have the authorities to do much more than defend the Pentagon. Thats what its legal authority was. And there was this great frustration, because everybody inside Cyber Command and the N.S.A. and many others realized that no foreign adversary was paying much of a price for attacking the United States. But then this remarkable moment came, because President Trump ended up nominating 

archived recording The meeting will come to order. The committee meets today to 

david sanger

 Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone.

archived recording  consider the nomination of Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone to be commander of the U.S. Cyber Command and director 

david sanger

He was nominated as the new head of the United States Cyber Command and the director of the N.S.A. One person holds both jobs.

archived recording Thats quite a bit of stuff there.

david sanger

And he came up in March of 2018 for his confirmation hearing, and he is asked by Senator Dan Sullivan from Alaska 

archived recording (dan sullivan) What do you think our adversaries think right now? If you do a cyberattack on America, whats going to happen to them?

david sanger

So what do you think our adversaries think about us right now?

archived recording (paul nakasone) They do not think that much will happen to them. archived recording (dan sullivan) They dont fear us. archived recording (paul nakasone) They dont fear us. archived recording (dan sullivan) So is that good?

david sanger

And his answer was essentially not much.

archived recording (paul nakasone) It is not good, Senator. archived recording (dan sullivan) So will you 

michael barbaro

And what did he propose to do about that?

david sanger

Well, he didnt say this in public, but what he had been proposing for years was a concept really drawn from American Special Forces, which is defend forward. Dont wait to get attacked. You know, the Special Forces has learned in the war on terror that if youre going to stop a terror attack in Times Square, you better go hit the living room in Pakistan where its being planned. And Nakasone sort of had the same concept, which is the United States has to have what he called persistent presence in foreign computer networks around the world, because if you arent already buried inside that network, you were never going to see an attack coming, and you wouldnt have any way to retaliate.

michael barbaro

In other words, you have to go on the offense to really be on the defense.

david sanger

And you have to live in your adversaries networks. You have to be inside their computers before they attack you, not after. And he was confirmed, and that began a real new era for how Cyber Command went on the offense.

michael barbaro

Well be right back. So David, youve spent the past few months trying to understand what it means for the Trump administration to go on the offense when it comes to cyber. What exactly have you found?

david sanger

Well, the first thing I found was that the Trump administration and Congress enabled Cyber Command to go on the offense much more aggressively than they had been before. In August of 2018, President Trump signed a long-awaited executive order. It was called National Security Presidential Memorandum 13. Its contents are still classified, but essentially it allows the Cyber Command to go ahead and conduct all kinds of operations inside foreign networks without going back to the president for prior approval. Our computer networks around the country were under such a constant barrage of attacks that Cyber Command needed much more freedom to be able to get inside those foreign networks and begin to combat it and that it couldnt be going to the White House every time it wanted to do this, just the way the Navy doesnt go to the White House every time it wants to go run a group of destroyers down through the South China Sea or go do patrolling along the DMZ in South Korea.

michael barbaro

In other words, its an acknowledgment that cyber is such an active place that the president could spend his entire day signing off on every decision that needed to be made.

david sanger

Thats right, and Congress authorized Cyber Command to do even more. It basically said these kind of operations in cyberspace are part of traditional military activity, and youre authorized to go ahead and do them the same way that you would do ordinary patrols.

michael barbaro

And so what does this newly empowered Cyber Command do with this authority?

david sanger

Well, the first thing it did was go after those units in Russia that were responsible for a lot of the election-hacking. They shut down the Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg, which, of course, had designed many of those Facebook ads and other social media ads, for a couple of days right around the midterm elections. They went after the G.R.U., the Russian military intelligence unit that had been responsible for breaking into the D.N.C. and then making public much of that data. They sent text messages to individual Russian officers and hackers saying, we know who you are. We know where you live. We know your phone number, and if you mess with us, youre going to pay a price. So a lot of that action to counter the election malfeasance was made public. What wasnt made public was a parallel effort to go inside the Russian power grid, to put some code in places where the Russians would see it as a warning, but put other code in places where the Russians wouldnt see it, in case the U.S. ever needed to act against Russias utilities as the Russians were putting malware in our systems.

michael barbaro

So the U.S. now has the ability to interfere with the Russian power grid in the same way that Russia can already interfere with the U.S. power grid.

david sanger

Thats right. The U.S. wanted to get deep inside the Russian systems, this time not just for surveillance but to be able to place malware there, basically ticking time bombs or what you might think of as digital landmines that they could set off if we got into a broader conflict with the Russians.

michael barbaro

David, how significant is it that the U.S. took this step of basically infiltrating Russias electric grid?

david sanger

Oh, I think its a big step, Michael, but its also a pretty risky one. So classic deterrence theory would tell you, do like in the nuclear age, right? If they can hit you, show them you can hit them back. But I think the Russians have some doubts that wed really be willing to pull the plug. They know that were limited by all kinds of legal and ethical considerations and that unplugging a country, except in the midst of a war, would cause a lot of civilian deaths. The people who are most vulnerable if you unplug the grid are people in hospitals or nursing homes. So thered be a great reluctance to cause civilian casualties.

michael barbaro

But wouldnt that presumption be true on both sides?

david sanger

It might be, but one of the remarkable things about cyber is how well you can go hide the causes of a cyberattack. Most cyber is used in short-of-war conflicts, not full-scale war, but instead this quiet war of attrition where countries are trying to seek advantage or gain power by manipulating the data in your financial systems or making A.T.M.s unavailable or turning off the power in certain parts of the city, but maybe not in others. So its pretty subtle. And the Russians are really smart. They do not want to trigger a general military conflict between the U.S. and Russia. Most other countries dont either. So they want to use their cyber capability in the most subtle way possible.

michael barbaro

David, given that, as you just said, the battlefield is much more subtle when it comes to cyber than traditional warfare, but the consequences just as significant, at what point does Cyber Command, do all these officials with these new powers granted by the Trump administration, at what point do they need to seek the approval of the president and of Congress to conduct these operations, like entering the Russian electrical grid, in the way that they would for traditional warfare?

david sanger

Its a fascinating question, because if you look at the law, and from what weve heard about the presidential order, they have the authority to do this themselves. Now the law does require them every quarter to bring their congressional overseers up to date with what theyre doing. So theyd have to report what theyre doing in the grid maybe after the fact, but theyd have to report it. The big question that we were trying to answer is did anybody go to the president to tell them that we were conducting this traditional military activity inside the Russian grid?

michael barbaro

And what did you find?

david sanger

What we found was a lot of people saying to us, we dont think the president knows very much about it. He may have been told generally that of course were doing cyber operations, but theres a great reluctance inside the intelligence community and certainly inside the U.S. military about what they tell the president about operations against Russia. And thats because every time the president hears the words Russia and cyber, his mind immediately goes to the charge that the Russians put him in office or somehow were responsible for his election because of what they did in 2016, and that sets him off. So weve seen time and time again that people sort of avoid the topic.

michael barbaro

So its quite possible that the president learned about this operation to get inside the Russian electrical grid from your reporting.

david sanger

We think thats possible. He issued two tweets the night that it came out, on Saturday night. The first suggested that publishing it was perhaps an act of treason.

michael barbaro

He called you a traitor, basically.

david sanger

Yes. And then in the second tweet he said, and its all wrong.

michael barbaro

David, the treason charge seems worth asking you about. Did the people you talked to inside the U.S. military, Cyber Command, the intelligence community, did they discourage you from reporting on any of this?

david sanger

They didnt. They refused to comment on the specifics that we had found about the U.S. operation. But you know, weve been doing this for a long time, and were accustomed to going to the government and saying, here are the facts were going to lay out. And if you have any national security objections to our publishing this, let us know now before we print, and well make some judgments about whether to hold back some details. And over the years I have held back details, including about some American cyber operations, when the government made the case that the adversary didnt know about it. But in this case, they came back and said, we have no national security objections.

michael barbaro

In fact, it may be that people in the Trump administration, perhaps not the president himself but those around him, may have wanted you to report this.

david sanger

Or certainly they didnt see a downside to it. Theres this great scene at the end of Dr. Strangelove when theyve been building this huge nuclear gadget and theyre keeping it a deep secret, and the whole premise of the end of the movie is if you dont tell them about the gadget, what good is it? So we have sort of the same problem in cyber.

michael barbaro

David, from everything youve explained, the U.S. goal here is deterrence, and it reluctantly entered a more aggressive phase in its approach to cyber with the goal of preventing our adversaries from attacking us. But at what point does a strategy of deterrence inevitably lead to an arms race, where you have to keep up with your enemies and their approach to cyber, and on and on it goes, until eventually, were in a deeper phase of cyber conflict?

david sanger

Michael, were deeply into that arms race already. Were building up new weapons. Everybody else is building up new weapons, but theres a lot of discussion these days about whether you should have something akin to a digital Geneva Convention. The real Geneva Conventions protect civilians from being gassed, tortured or starved. In the digital Geneva Convention, you might say there are some systems that are so critical to civilian life that we have to protect them  power grids because they power hospitals and nursing homes. You might say that election systems should be off limits. You might say that emergency communication systems, communications to ambulances or the police or the fire department, are off limits. And these all seem like pretty attractive ideas, and a lot of countries have signed on to them, although not the United States so far. And one reason, I think, is that many in the U.S., inside the government, believe we have a big advantage and that we dont want to give that advantage up and deprive a future president of the United States of the ability to use one of these weapons that weve spent billions of dollars developing. They might want to be able to go to a president and say, you know, it would be better to manipulate the results in this election than end up with another Nicolas Maduro, the dictator in Venezuela, or it might be better to be able to go into the central bank of this country and drain a dictators bank account or keep a terrorist organization from being able to spend any money. So if were going to be able to do those things, we probably wouldnt want to sign up to an agreement that prohibits them. And thats the big argument we need to have as a country, which is what cyber capability are we willing to give up in order to begin to set some norms of behavior that were hoping other countries will adhere to as well?

michael barbaro

David, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

david sanger

Thank you, Michael.

michael barbaro

On Monday afternoon, a spokesman for Russian president Vladimir Putin said that Russia was confident it could repel U.S. attempts to hack into its electrical grid but warned that such attacks could eventually escalate into a cyberwar with the U.S. Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today.

[chanting]

michael barbaro

On Monday, the Chinese government expressed strong support for Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, after days of massive protests against her by hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents. But the support from China could ultimately backfire by reinforcing protesters fears that Lam is acting on Chinas behalf. The protests began after Lam pushed for a law that would allow Hong Kong residents to be prosecuted in China, a plan she has since suspended in response to the protests. And 

archived recording [SPEAKING FARSI]

michael barbaroBut many parents, watching their children sit idle for two months, are furious. They now believe they were sold a bill of goods by a government that made a promise it couldnt keep. If sidelined children slip behind in their studies, some adults and students say, then free school comes at too high a cost.

Im not happy with this system, Jennifer Newornu said as her sister sashayed out the door to class while she stayed in bed. I stay home for too long. Its actually boring. And not helpful.

But the government is unwavering in its support of the new system, saying it delivers adequate education to more children. Before the program, 67 percent of children who attended elementary went on to secondary school. But since the launch of the new program, it climbed to 83 percent in 2018, according to the ministry of education.

In Ghana, elementary and middle school has been free and compulsory since 1995, with a 90 percent enrollment rate. But high school, though government-run, required tuition.

Government boarding schools cost about $289 per school year, day school about $120, according to government data. These are significant costs in a country where the average annual per capita income is about $1,900, according to the World Bank.

The program has only been implemented so far in high schools with high demand, but the government expects more to be added as enrollment increases. Sixty percent of public high schools in Ghana are boarding schools, which are included in the free tuition program.NAIROBI  A car bomb exploded on Saturday at a checkpoint near the Somali Parliament, killing at least eight people and injuring 16 others, medical and police officials said.

We have confirmed eight people killed and 16 others wounded in the blast, according to a statement issued by Aamin Ambulance, a privately-owned medical transportation service.

A separate blast from a roadside bomb in Mogadishu hit a police vehicle patrolling near Kenyas border with Somalia on Saturday, killing several of the 11 officers inside, a police spokesman, Charles Owino, said.

The toll from that attack was not immediately clear, he said.

Another blast, at a busy junction leading to the airport of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and known as K4, did not cause any casualties after it was intercepted by security services.KHARTOUM, Sudan  The ousted president of Sudan, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, will soon appear in court to face charges of corruption and possessing foreign currency, the countrys acting prosecutor general said Saturday.

Corruption cases have also been opened against 41 other former officials, the prosecutor, Alwaleed Sayed Ahmed, said at a news conference in Khartoum. He said Mr. al-Bashir would be referred for trial at the hearing after a one-week period for objections expires.

A court appearance by Mr. al-Bashir might ease continued speculation about his fate among many Sudanese. He has not been seen in public since he was toppled by his own generals on April 11, following months of tumultuous protests led by young Sudanese frustrated with his 30-year rule.

Generals said Mr. al-Bashir was initially put under house arrest at his residence in the military headquarters and was later transferred to the notorious Kober prison, on the north bank of the Nile, where for years he detained his own enemies.SANTIAGO, Chile  Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the auxiliary bishop of Santiago just 24 days after the pontiff appointed him to the post, and weeks after the bishop made comments about the lack of women at the Last Supper.

The pope appointed the bishop, Carlos Eugenio Irarrazabal, in an effort to rebuild the Roman Catholic Churchs credibility after a pervasive sexual abuse scandal that exposed hundreds of allegations now being investigated by Chilean criminal prosecutors.

More than 30 Chilean bishops offered their resignations in 2018 after a report ordered by Francis detailed a culture of abuse and cover-ups in Chiles church. The 2,300-page document accused church leaders of failing to investigate credible allegations  even destroying documents to conceal them  and transferring priests accused of abuses to other parishes.

The Archdiocese of Santiago did not specify the reasons for Bishop Irarrazabals departure, but said on Friday that the pope had accepted his resignation in favor of unity and for the good of the church. The bishop could not be reached for comment.HONG KONG  Backing down after days of huge street protests, Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, said on Saturday that she would indefinitely suspend a bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China.

It was a remarkable reversal for Mrs. Lam, the leader installed by Beijing in 2017, who had vowed to ensure the bills approval and tried to get it passed on an unusually short timetable, even as hundreds of thousands demonstrated against it this past week.

But she made it clear that the bill was being delayed, not withdrawn outright, as protesters have demanded.

I believe that we cannot withdraw this bill, or else society will say that this bill was groundless, Mrs. Lam said at a news conference.HONG KONG  Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, has a very loyal majority in the territorys legislature. She has the complete backing of the Chinese government. She has a huge bureaucracy ready to push her agenda.

Yet on Saturday, she was forced to suspend indefinitely her monthslong effort to win passage of a bill that would have allowed her government to extradite criminal suspects to mainland China, Taiwan and elsewhere. Mrs. Lams decision represented the biggest single retreat on a political issue by China since Xi Jinping became the countrys top leader in 2012.

Huge crowds of demonstrators had taken to Hong Kongs streets in increasingly violent protests. Local business leaders had turned against Mrs. Lam. And even Beijing officials were starting to question her judgment in picking a fight on an issue that they regard as a distraction from their real priority: the passage of stringent national security legislation in Hong Kong.

[Update: Protestors return to Hong Kong streets, rejecting Carrie Lams apology.]

The risk for the Hong Kong government is that the public, particularly the young, may develop the impression that the only way to stop unwanted policy initiatives is through violent protests. With each successive major issue since Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997, the level of violence at protests has risen before the government has relented and changed course.HONG KONG  When Hong Kongs chief executive, Carrie Lam, said on Saturday that she was suspending an unpopular bill to allow extraditions to mainland China, she expressed hope that her action would restore peace and order in the city, which has been convulsed by demonstrations.

But for most of the bills opponents, Mrs. Lams promise to indefinitely postpone the legislation was insufficient, signaling that the fight was not over for the embattled leader and foreshadowing more upheaval in the semiautonomous territory, where many still fear the bill could extend Chinas reach.

Even as Mrs. Lam spoke on Saturday, new calls were being issued for a peaceful demonstration on Sunday. The previous Sunday, more than a million people, according to protest leaders, from the young to the old, filled up Hong Kongs streets in one of the citys largest demonstrations ever.

[Update: Protestors return to Hong Kong streets, rejecting Carrie Lams apology.]

The Civil Human Rights Front is very disappointed and angry about what she has said, because we demanded the withdrawal of the bill, not a suspension, said Bonnie Leung, the spokeswoman for the rights group.BERLIN  Two German gynecologists have been fined by a Berlin judge for promoting abortion services on their website, running afoul of a Nazi-era law that makes it a crime to advertise the procedure in detail.

The law, known as 219a, was revised this year to allow doctors to state whether they offered abortions, but language that is considered to go beyond simply listing the service was still forbidden.

The ruling on Friday is the first time that a fine was handed down since the law  which was largely ignored for years  was changed. Anti-abortion activists had brought the case to the public prosecutor, according to local news reports.

Abortion is legal in Germany through the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy.

The two physicians, Bettina Gaber and Verena Weyer, who run a joint practice in Steglitz, an upscale neighborhood in West Berlin, were fined a total of 2,000 euros, about $2,250. The public prosecutor had sought a fine of 7,500. The maximum sentence is two years in prison.PARIS  Priests in robes and hard hats worshiped Saturday at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in the first Mass there since the French treasure was devastated by fire in April.

The priests were joined by a handful of workers and other worshipers, also in hard hats. The group was limited to about 30 for security reasons, and the solemn ceremony in Paris was shown live by a Catholic channel via YouTube.

The Mass was held in the Chapel of the Virgin, just off the choir. Visible as the camera panned across were a pile of charred timbers, all that remains of the attics interlocking wooden beams, and great gaping holes in the vault, caused in part by the spires fall.

Notre-Dames reconstruction is underway, though officials say the edifice is still being shored up. About 150 people now work at the site.PEZINOK, Slovakia  Zuzana Caputova had been battling to close a toxic landfill in her hometown, Pezinok, in Slovakia for years when she learned that the wife of her closest colleague had been stricken with an aggressive form of cancer. That same week, her godfather was told that he, too, had cancer.

Part of my personal motivation to get involved in this case is that I was scared of cancer, she said. And suddenly, in this week, the first week of June 2006, these two roles  the personal and professional  came together.

That experience convinced Ms. Caputova that what counted most was doing her best to win the case and not to worry about the result, which she could not control. She did eventually win it before the European Court of Justice in 2013, and says she now plans to bring that same attitude to her new job.

On Saturday, Ms. Caputova, a 45-year-old lawyer and political neophyte who has never held state office, became the first woman sworn in as president of Slovakia.For a year, Mr. Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani seemed to hold Irans hard-line factions at bay. They asserted that it was better to stay within the limits of the nuclear accord  even if the United States was in violation of its own commitments to suspend sanctions  than to incite a crisis.

The Europeans appeared to side with Iran, declaring publicly that Mr. Trump was making a huge mistake by abandoning an agreement that, at least for the next dozen years or so, would keep Iran from producing the fuel for a nuclear weapon.

In an interview in New York in late April, Mr. Zarif said that he was fighting a back-channel bureaucratic struggle in Iran to preserve the agreement every day. He ended with a suggestion for the Trump administration: Rather than look for new ways to maximize pain, try showing some respect.

Last month, it became clear that Mr. Rouhani and Mr. Zarif, often denounced at home for being too cozy with the United States, were losing that internal argument.

Under pressure to explain why a deal that he promised would help lift economic sanctions had only resulted in even harsher ones, Mr. Rouhani announced that Iran would begin to edge out of the nuclear restrictions, loosening different elements of them every 60 days unless the Europeans found a way to make up for the American-imposed penalties.

While a slow move rather than a drastic one, it also signaled a new moment of confrontation between Iran and the West and a moment for the Revolutionary Guards  designated as a terrorist organization by Mr. Pompeo over the objections of the Pentagon  to flex its muscles.

Does the Iranian government want this sort of stuff now? No, said Sir John Jenkins, a former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia with deep experience in the region. But the Revolutionary Guards, which profits greatly from black-market trade that thrives in times of sanctions and sees a chance to embarrass Mr. Rouhani, might have an incentive to keep people rattled.Her daughter has been missing and presumed dead for more than a year.

But Martha Hollis is at peace. Shes not afraid of the man she accuses of killing Camisha Hollis.

So after watching Marvin Young appear in court Friday for the first time facing a first-degree murder charge, she calmly and directly asked Young to tell authorities where Camishas body is so the family can have a proper burial.

Marvin, I wish you would just come and tell the truth of what you did with Camisha, Martha Hollis said outside the Douglas County Jail. Youre already forgiven, I forgave you. So just let us know what you did with Camisha for the sake of your own children. And to take the pressure off (your) own heart.

Martha Hollis thinks that Young, who until Friday had been charged only with three counts of intentional child abuse since Camisha Hollis disappearance, may now be more willing to speak. Young was Camishas boyfriend, and the couple had three daughters together.

Martha Hollis said she would be open to a plea bargain if Young would tell authorities where they could find Camisha Hollis body.This months event includes night hours to offer relief from summer heat: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The event is $10 per day at the gate or $20 for the weekend. Children 12 and younger will be admitted for free. Parking is free.

We are really excited to be back home at Sycamore Farms, Junkstock founder Sara Alexander said. We are so proud of our small but mighty team of helpers and volunteers who have been able to help restore some magic back to the farm. We cant wait to celebrate our homecoming.

The event will feature hot air balloons, a vintage Ferris wheel and 130 vendors. For a full list of vendors, bands, food trucks and kids activities, visit junkstock.com.

Manager of Fremont Walmart honored for store's work during flood

The Walmart in Fremont, Nebraska, and its manager, Carrie Hungerford, have been awarded the prestigious Sam M. Walton Entrepreneur Award by the national chain.

Hungerford accepted the award on the store's behalf in June at Walmarts shareholders meeting. It was given to her by the Walton family.Legislation isnt answer to abortion

Recently, several states passed legislation limiting abortion. As a mother/baby nurse for over 30 years, Ive seen many things. Im pro-life, but legislation is not the answer to the abortion issue.

We need to stop thinking of abortion as a womens issue. Its a human issue. Men need to step up and take responsibility for their role in unwanted pregnancies. We are shocked when a teenage girl kills her newborn. Instead of asking if she received prenatal care and education, or if she had any support, we immediately vilify her. Im not excusing her act, but we need to look at the root of the problem.

We need to stop turning our backs on women who are struggling to decide what to do. How can they work and take care of their child? How can they continue their education? Formula and diapers are costly. Who will help them? Its understandable why some pregnant women see abortion as their only option.

We, as a society, need to address the issue in a multifaceted way. Men need to step up. Society needs to do its part and look at the underlying issues such as child care, flexible work options, more support and better education.Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label.Gold and Silver, Precious Metals: T-Minus 3 Seconds To Liftoff!

We take great pride in our research teams ability to make accurate predictions and calls in the markets. In addition to the many predictions and calls weve made over the past few years, our Gold prediction from October 2018 continues to astound many industry professionals. We receive emails from people asking how we were able to make such an incredible call in Gold 6 to 8 months before these price moves? We politely tell these people that our research team and our proprietary predictive modeling tools assist us in finding and making these incredible predictions. The simple answer is it takes hard work, specialized tools and a lot of skill and research.

Please take a minute to review some of our research from January 2019 that highlighted this incredible prediction for Gold and the supporting, more recent, research posts suggesting Silver is the real sleeper trade.

January 28, 2019: MULTI YEAR BREAKOUT IN METALS

June 7, 2019: ADL PREDICTIVE MODELING SUGGESTS A BIG MOVE IN SILVER :

June 2, 2019: IS SILVER THE SLEEPER RALLY SETUP OF A LIFETIME?

Today, we are highlighting what we believe is the momentum impulse move in Gold that will become the catalyst for the future move in Gold & Silver throughout the rest of this year and likely all of 2020. The key element to launch Gold and Silver beyond current resistance levels is bound by two factors and could be boosted by a third. The first two factors are fear and greed.

Investors are continually searching for suitable investments with healthy returns and moderate risk. As we have learned from the past, capital will flow into any investment, even instruments that include incredible long term risk factors, when the opportunity exists for gains and risk is mitigated. The current upside price move in Gold is just such an event.

The recent news items add additional fuel to the Precious Metals rally because they foster increased fear related to the global economy and potential military action or increased uncertainty. This fear translates into the action of protect my investments that may be exposed to greater risk and find an investment that reduces this risk and provides for greater returns/gains. That is the question Gold investors are asking themselves all over the world right now.

The booster fuel, which would drive Gold and Silver into another galaxy is the US Dollar. If the US Dollar were to weaken, even by 4% to 7%, while a global uncertainty event continued to unfold, we believe this valuation pressure would push Gold and Silver well above our current expectations.

When we think about the current environment for precious metals, one has to understand that fear and greed dont have to be tangible or overwhelming. This process is almost like a perpetual motion machine. Once the process gets started where investors pile into Gold because of the fear and greed factors, the price of gold rises. Because the price of gold rises, traders start to pay closer attention to what is happening in gold and the greed factor starts to increase. Once they are convinced this is a bigger opportunity and their fear levels are still valid, the conclusion is I dont want to miss this move in Gold, so Ill get it now  before the big move happens.

It is as simple as that. And this is why we are saying T-Minus Three Seconds before the big breakout move really takes shape. That is our way of saying, it could happen any day now. The breakout move and the momentum base appear to be ready to go.

This Gold daily chart highlights the recent upward price move and shows just how quickly price can rally. This resulted in a $75 price rally (+6%) in a matter of 10+ days. Imagine what that will look like after Gold breaks above $1650 on the fear/greed move.

This Gold Weekly chart highlights what we expect to be the first upside leg  the move to $1450. After that, we expect a brief pause in the rally (possibly 7 to 21+ days), then another big move higher where the price will rally above $1650. That bigger move should solidify the focus of global investors and, much like the big move in Bitcoin, should attract a large number of investors not wanting to miss the rest of the upside move.

Silver is what we are calling the sleeper trade for precious metals bugs. Sure, Gold has all the action right now because it is the leading metal to offset this fear/greed factor. Silver always lags behind gold because it is the little brother to the bigger players in gold. As our research has shown, when the move begins, Silver is actually a better trade than Gold because it will likely increase in price by a factor of 1.4 to 1.8 compared to the rally in gold prices.

We believe the next move in Silver will target $18 to $20. These price levels below $15 are a gift for anyone willing to take the trade.

This Monthly Silver chart shows what we believe will be the upside price waves as silver advances past $22. Read the research posts, above, again to learn more about our more detailed expectations. It is all right there for you to see and understand.

T-Minus Three And Counting. We believe this setup is about to break to the upside and there is not much time left to see prices near these levels. Below $1400 in gold and below $15 in silver are about to end. When this really does begin to lift off as weve been predicting, we may never see these price levels again. Well, at least in the foreseeable future.

CONCLUSION AND UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

Its been an incredible year and a half for many reasons. We and our Subscribers portfolios are up over 91%. We called forecasted each and every move in gold 8 months before it all unfolded right down to the week for the low/bottom.

This May we said it was a sell in May set up and we profited from the rally leading into May and traded and inverse ETF to profit from the correction. We then profited from the safe haven money flow into the utility sector which rallied while the stock market fell. And to top it off we shorted the vix spike for a quick 25% gain during a time when everyone else was panicking.

So what does this all this mean? It means we have a good pulse on the major markets and can profit during times when most others cant.

I can tell you that huge moves are about to start unfolding not only in metals, or stocks but globally and some of these super cycles are going to last years. These super cycles starting to take place will go into 2020 and beyond which we lay out in our new book/guide: 2020 Cycles  The Greatest Opportunity Of Your Lifetime

I am going to give away and ship out silver rounds to anyone who wants to trade and invest with me for the next 1-2 years through my Wealth Trading Newsletter. You can upgrade to this longer-term subscription or if you are new, join one of these two plans listed below, and you will receive:

1-Year Subscription Gets One 1oz Silver Round FREE (Could be worth hundreds of dollars)

2-Year Subscription Gets TWO 1oz Silver Rounds FREE (Could be worth a lot in the future)

I only have 27 silver rounds Im giving away so upgrade or join now before its too late!

SUBSCRIBE TO MY TRADE ALERTS TO GET YOUR FREE SILVER!

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.



But wait! The assumption is that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (Ill call him Andrew, for short) wanted the Democrats to control the State Senate. After all, Andrew can point to a whole bunch of progressive legislation that has passed on his watch since the Senate went to the Democrats. And yet there is something that is more than mildly disquieting about the fact that the governor seems to regard the Senate Democrats as the enemy. That is perplexing since he, too, is a Democrat. But he just cant stop.

So whats really going on here? Does Andrew REALLY want the Democrats in the Senate? He says he does. He says that he campaigned for them after eyebrows were raised about him helping the Republicans. He couldnt have that. So the brilliant tactician seems to want it both ways. He wants the credit for electing the Senate but he also wants, in the words of a good dog trainer, to bring those Democrats to heel. He treats them much like he treated the Republicans when they were in the majority. Its a beautiful thing. For example, there is some reason to believe that HE doesnt want legalized recreational marijuana but the Senate Dems are getting the blame.

I have been privileged to interview the governor on a regular basis for quite a few months now. I didnt ask for that honor  he reached out to WAMC, the public radio station that I head. He shows up quite often, announced by his senior advisor Rich Azzopardi who was once my student on the Legislative Gazette newspaper. Andrew regularly makes news when we speak, which is great for the radio station. Inevitably he will say something about the inability of the Senate Democrats to get things done. Take the issue of rent control. Clearly Andrew didnt want the Democrats to go too far but he blamed the Senate Dems for their inability to act.

He recently made quite a bit of news around the state in response to a question I posed as the session reached its natural apex. If they didnt get all their business done to his satisfaction, I wondered, why didnt he keep them in Albany? He certainly has the power to do so. He answered that he just might.

We all know that like his father before him, Andrew had a productive relationship with the Republicans in the Senate when they were in power. If something that the Cuomos may or may not have wanted got stalled, they could blame the nasty old Republicans. Of course, the only real reason the Republicans stayed in power was because of the evil gerrymander whereby they would draw districts in which they couldnt lose, that is until there were just too many Democrats and too many people who hated the guts of the current occupant of the White House. On the other hand, as Andrew brings disrepute to the Senate Democrats, he risks losing the majority back to the Republicans in the next redistricting. After all, he keeps pointing out how conservative so many of the newly elected Democrats in what were formerly Republican districts have to be. That has to have the Senate Democrats quite worried. Its almost as if he was digging the earth out from beneath the Democrats feet.

Its not that the Democrats havent made mistakes, they have. When they do, as in the case of losing all those Amazon jobs, Cuomo rubs their noses in their mess. They have been really lousy about fighting back, sort of like the poor kid who has to face the schoolyard bully day after day and is scared to do anything about it. Frankly, their efforts to counter the governor have been pathetic. They are truly between a rock and a hard place.

Put another way, I wouldnt want to be them.7th Pay Commission: What Finance Minister was told about pay hike

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 15: The Union Budget 2019 would be a much awaited one for the Central Government employees who are expecting some good news on the 7th Pay Commission.

The new Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman was bridged about the issue after she took over. There have been deliberations, but the question is will there sops for the CG employees in July.

Sources tell Oneindia that the possibility of some big news on the issue is bleak. The first priority would be to get the Indian economy on track which hit a 5 year low growth of 6.8 per cent in 2018-19.

The source however added that the issue would not be completely ignored. The government is considering an increase in order to boost spending, which in turn would help the economy grow. This as one of the main issues that was put forth by the expenditure committee during its meeting with the Finance Minister.

7th Pay Commission: 5 fold increase in incentives, RBI rate cut signal good news soon

Another indication is the recent decision of the Reserve Bank of India, which announced a rate cut. This could be another indication for the CG employees that some good news is on the way.

The source further went on to add that the issue relating to the Dearness Allowance is also being looked into. The CG employees have been demanding a four per cent increase in their DA. If this is awarded that the same would go up to 16 per cent and this would be the biggest increase since the recommendations of the pay panel were implemented.

The 7th Pay Commission had recommended a hike in basic minimum pay of Rs 18,000. The CG employees have been demanding that the same be hiked to Rs 26,000.Bengal impasse continues as protesting doctors reject Mamata's call for talks

India

oi-Deepika S

Kolkata, June 15: On the fifth day of the doctors' protest in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she accepts all valid demands of the protesting doctors and requested them to return to work. However, agitating doctors turned down Banerjee's offer for talks at the state secretariat saying they fear about their security and rejected her appeal to end their stir.

Addressing the reporters Mamata said, "We are not going to take any strict action against the doctors".

"I wanted to speak to the agitating doctors the very next day. They refused to speak to me. I was humiliated but never spoke of this before," Banerjee said.

Urging the doctors to resume duty, Banerjee said the ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) won't be invoked against the protesting doctors. She also said the government is taking necessary steps to prevents incidents of violence against the doctors.

Centre seeks separate reports from WB govt on political violence, doctors' strike

"We have already adhered to all legitimate demands and are open to any other additional demands that may be there... We want an amicable solution to this problem," Banerjee said. She said the administration is showing patience in the situation.

The agitating doctors turned down her request saying there was no honest effort on her part to break the deadlock.

"We are eagerly waiting to start our duty, but from the Chief Minister's side there is no such honest initiative to find a solution (of the ongoing problem)," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors told reporters.

Meanwhile, the central government has asked for a report from the state, sources said on Saturday.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also wrote to all chief ministers, calling for strict action against anybody who assaults doctors. The strike, triggered by an attack on two junior doctors by a patient's family on Monday, has spilled over to other states.AIIMS issues 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata govt, threatens indefinite strike if demands not met

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 15: The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal finds itself cornered from all sides as on June 15, with striking junior doctors in the state first rejecting her offer on Friday to meet her at the state secretariat Nabanna and now AIIMS issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to her.

The Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) on Saturday issued a statement that read, "We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal Govt to meet demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS."

[Mamata Banerjee invites striking doctors for talks today after Calcutta HC push]

Earlier on Friday, striking junior doctors rejected a proposal from West Bengal Chief Minister for talks at the state secretariat Nabanna, another meeting has been scheduled with them at 5 pm on Saturday at the same venue.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday also called for a nationwide strike on June 17, while demanding safe working conditions for doctors. The IMA also launched a three-day pan-India protest, beginning Friday to express solidarity with the junior doctors agitating against the assault of their colleague in Kolkata.WBJEE 2022 registrations to begin today: Here is how to apply

Centre seeks separate reports from WB govt on political violence, doctors' strike

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, June 15: The Centre on Saturday sought separate reports from the West Bengal government on political violence in the state which has claimed 160 lives in the past four years, and on the ongoing doctors' strike, officials said.

A report has been sought from the West Bengal government on measures taken to contain political violence in the state and investigate such incidents so as to bring culprits to book, a home ministry official said.

Another detailed report has been sought from the West Bengal government on the ongoing strike by the doctors which has crippled medical services in the state, the official said.

Mamata Banerjee invites striking doctors for talks today after Calcutta HC push

Meanwhile, citing the growing number of incidents of election-related political violence and casualties over four years from 2016 to 2019, the MHA in an advisory issued to the state government said the unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern.

There have been a number of clashes between TMC and BJP workers post the Lok Sabha polls where the saffron party managed to win 18 of the 42 seats four less than the ruling party.

Both political parties have since then indulged in a bitter war of words and accused each other of orchestrating violence against their workers.BMC polls: Fadnavis visits Raj Thackeray at his new house, triggers speculation

Did NCP chief Sharad Pawar had secret meeting with Amit Shah, Fadnavis? Here's the truth

Mamata, Pawar want to keep Congress at bay: Devendra Fadnavis

Crucial Cabinet expansion in the offing in Maharashtra

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Mumbai, June 15: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on late Friday night to discuss the proposed cabinet expansion in the state.

In the last few days, both Fadnavis and finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar have said the ministry will be expanded.

In a tweet, Fadnavis said, "I met shiv sena president uddhav thackeray at his residence Matoshri and discussed in detail cabinet expansion."

Earlier in the day, when asked about a cabinet expansion, Thackeray had said, "I don't know when the cabinet expansion is happening. I don't have a 'panchang' (almanac)."

There is speculation in political circles that the expansion could take place on Sunday, a day before the three week monsoon session of the state legislature begins.

Fadnavis earlier met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan.

Amit Shah holds meeting with leaders of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand

Currently, there are 37 ministers including the chief minister, and Fadnavis can accommodate another five.

A vacancy was created due to the death of BJP leader Pandurang Fundkar, then agriculture minister, in 2018. The portfolio is now being handled by revenue minister Chandrakant Patil.

Deepak Sawant, then health minister, resigned earlier this year and the department is being looked after by Eknath Shinde, who is also the PWD minister.

Parliamentary Affairs and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Pune. His portfolios are being shared by Education Minister Vinod Tawde and Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal.

While the BJP has 16 cabinet ministers and seven ministers of state (MoS), its main all Shiv Sena has five cabinet ministers and only one MoS.

Smaller allies have one cabinet and MoS post each.Former Andhra CM denied VIP access to aircraft; frisked in Vijayawada airport

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Vijayawada, June 15: Less than a month after failing to retain the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's post in the Assembly Elections, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu was on Friday denied VIP access to the aircraft and had to undergo frisking at Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram.

Naidu was also denied VIP access to the aircraft and had to travel in the bus along with common passengers.

A security guard was seen frisking Naidu at the security entrance.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief was also not allowed to reach the aircraft in VIP vehicle.

The incident drew strong reaction from TDP, which alleged that BJP and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) were resorting to witch-hunting.

Coming days will be tumultuous for Chandrababu Naidu

TDP leader and former state Home Minister Chinna Rajappa said the attitude of authorities was not only insulting but they also compromised on Naidu's security as he enjoys "Z plus' category security.

Naidu was one of the early supporters of Narendra Modi and backed him in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. The TDP had later joined the NDA government at the Centre. However, Naidu walked out of the NDA in 2018 owing to differences with the top BJP leadership over his demand for special status for AP.'Jungle-raj' prevailing in UP, Akhilesh asks state govt to wake up

India

oi-PTI

Lucknow, June 15: Alleging that "jungle-raj" was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav met Governor Ram Naik on Saturday over state's law and order and asked him to "wake up" the Yogi Adityanath government as he used to do during the SP regime. "The Governor used to intervene on law and order earlier (during SP regime).

It was said that there were only Yadav officers... Now there is hardly any Yadav SP or DM. We have requested him (Governor) to wake up the government and give direction to control the prevailing 'jungle-raj'," the SP chief told reporters after meeting the Governor. He, along with senior party leader Ahmad Hasan, gave a memorandum to the Governor and sought his intervention to check deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

On spurt of crime against women across the state, Yadav said, "Criminals, who should have been in jail are roaming freely and committing crime. Whatever is going on in BJP regime against daughters and women has never happened in the state". "The incidents against women are going on regularly and increasing every day.

This is shameful and the government is sitting idle," he said. On the recent law and order review meeting of Chief Minister Adityanath with senior officers, Yadav said, "While the meeting was being held, criminals had a field day in the state. There is no fear of police among the criminals".

Mulayam launches fresh efforts to unite clan

"The bar council chairperson is being murdered in her chamber. There is murder in jail... How is this happening? The state government is responsible," he said. Uttar Pradesh Bar Council president Darvesh Singh was allegedly shot dead on Agra court premises on Wednesday by a lawyer who then tried to kill himself.

Yadav said he also pointed out "deliberate" action of administration against senior party leader Azam Khan in Rampur. "I have informed the Governor about the administrative action on false and fabricated cases to suppress him (Khan) and party leadership," he added.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 14:51 [IST]Millions participated in the general strike in Brazil on 14 June, with demonstrations in 380 cities across the country. The strike had been called to reject the proposed counter-reform of the pension system by the Bolsonaro government, but also reflected opposition to education cuts, which had already brought millions onto the streets on 15 and 30 May.

The Bolsonaro government, already riddled with internal contradictions and rapidly losing support, was hit by revelations published this week of collusion between the judge and the prosecution in the trial against former president Lula. The judge involved was then awarded the Ministry of Justice by Bolsonaro. Far from being faced with the prospect of fascism, the government could be brought down by the mass movement, but for that to happen, more than a one-day general strike is required.

The general strike had been originally called by the trade union confederations on 1 May and was part of a very weak strategy centred around putting pressure on the members of parliament not to approve the law, rather than to defeat it with sustained mass pressure on the streets. The decision by the Bolsonaro government to introduce cuts in universities budgets and the provocative way in which it was done provoked a tsunami of indignation on the national day of strike in the education sector on 15 June, when 2 million participated in demonstrations against the government across the country. The movement of the students and teachers provided the necessary momentum for the general strike. A further national day of demonstrations, called on 30 May by the National Union of Students, saw hundreds of thousands march again against education cuts.

Meanwhile, the attempt by government supporters to call counter-demonstrations in defence of Bolsonaro on 26 May was a complete flop. In Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, they barely managed to gather 10,000 each. On 15 May, anti-government protesters brought 250,000 to the streets of Sao Paulo and 400,000 in Rio. Not only were the 26 May demonstrations smaller, but their mood was not one of enthusiasm but rather of being on the defensive and in shock at the militancy shown by the youth on 15 May. The 26 May demonstrations had the aim of strengthening the government and Bolsonaro personally, in an attempt to appeal to the people directly above the heads of the parties and the parliament. They failed. The stage was set for the general strike.

According to the CUT trade union confederation, about 45 million workers participated in strike action. The strike was particularly strong in the education and the public sector, but also amongst bank workers, oil workers at Petrobras, public transport workers in the main cities, etc. In the industrial heartland of the Sao Paulo ABC, the metal workers union announced that over 98 percent of workers had struck, paralysing the main assembly plants of Volks and Mercedes and the auto-parts sector. 10 out of the countrys 12 refineries were paralysed, with workers not replacing their colleagues at the end of the night shift. The underground and bus services were either partially or completely paralysed in the main cities, despite the fact that there had been some court decisions banning some sections from going out on strike. The governor of Sao Paulo, Joao Doria, threatened to sack underground workers if they went on strike.

During the day, there were demonstrations and rallies outside the main workplaces as well as pickets. In the afternoon, hundreds of thousands came onto the streets in over 300 demonstrations across the whole country, including 50,000 in Sao Paulo, the same number in Porto Alegre and 100,000 in Rio de Janeiro, according to the organisers. The mood was very militant and the slogan Fora Bolsonaro (Bolsonaro Out!) caught on, despite attempts by the leaders of the left and the trade unions to limit themselves to demand the resignation of Justice Minister Moro. The demonstrations could have been bigger had it not been for the role played by the trade union leaders, which did their best to prevent militant demonstrations in the streets. The CUTs president Vagner Freitas openly called on workers to stay home as part of the general strike.

Masses react against attacks

Florianopolis / Image: fair use

The strike was preceded by revelations published by The Intercept of improper conduct by the judge and state prosecutors during the trial of PT leader for corruption, with the aim of preventing him, first from being a candidate in the presidential election when he was first in the opinion polls; and then from giving any public interviews from jail, which could have influenced the election result.

This is a major scandal, which puts into question not only the validity of Lulas trial, in which he was sentenced to jail for corruption without any evidence, but also questions the legitimacy of the presidential election itself. Had Lula been allowed to stand, it is likely that he would have gone on to win the presidency. Furthermore, the scandal affects Judge Moro, who presided over the trial against Lula and was then rewarded with the Ministry of Justice in Bolsonaros government, as well as being promised a seat in the Supreme Court. The latest revelations in this scandal show how Judge Moro, who was supposed to be neutral and impartial, told the prosecution to issue a press statement to rebut the arguments of Lulas defence team. Despite the fact that he is still the most-popular member of the government, the number of people who have a positive opinion of him has fallen sharply from 60 to 50 percent over these recent leaks, adding to the ailments of the Bolsonaro government, which has just seen another of its ministers being sacked.

The pensions counter-reform is a major part of the anti-working class offensive, which the ruling class needs to implement and is being spearheaded by ultra-liberal Finance Minister Paulo Guedes. If implemented, it would be a major setback, increasing the retirement age for both men and women, as well as increasing the necessary contributions. It would have a particularly negative impact on public sector workers. The counter-reform has become very unpopular, including amongst many who voted for Bolsonaro. Furthermore, it faces a number of important hurdles in its parliamentary procedure before it can be approved. Let us remember that Bolsonaros party does not command a majority in the lower house, which despite being dominated by bourgeois parties, is not to keen to bear the responsibility for such a brutal attack.

Curitiba / Image: Fora Bolsonaro

The congressional committee report on the pensions proposal included a number of minor concessions, for instance regarding the basic state pension, the pension system for workers in rural areas and for teachers, etc. More importantly, the committee report removes two of the central points in Guedes' proposal: the move to individual private savings accounts and the removal of the constitutional character of pensions (which would make further attacks easier to approve). The idea behind this move by the centre bourgeois parties in parliament is to make some minor amendments to Guedes plan in order to bring the PT governors from the north-eastern states on board in accepting the basic principle of the need for a reform of the pension system. These governors, from the PT and the PCdoB, had issued a letter asking to be included in the negotiations of the pensions reform. According to some calculations, the congressional plan would reduce the amount of cuts involved from R$1.2 billion to just R$850 million. Nevertheless, the central aspects of the counter-reform remain, increasing the retirement age, as well as the amount of contributions workers will have to pay. The manoeuvre by Congress was also aimed at dividing the workers and weakening the impact of the general strike. Guedes reacted angrily to these proposals and threatened to resign if his original plan was not approved. The pension counter-reform law is supposed to be put to a final vote before the parliamentary recess at the end of July.

Bolsonaro government weakening

The Bolsonaro government is riddled with all sorts of internal splits and divisions, with at least three major factions fighting each other publicly. The struggle against education cuts and the attacks on pensions have provoked a steep decline in its popularity. Those who think that the government is bad or very bad have increased from 22.5 percent in February to 37.4 percent now, while those who think the government is good or excellent have declined from 38.7 percent to 30.4 percent.

ATLAS poll for El Pais Brasil

Any hope that an economic recovery would prop up Bolsonaro has quickly evaporated. Figures for the first quarter of 2019 reveal an economic contraction of -0.2 percent, the first one since the end of the recession in 2016. As well as the international slowdown hitting Brazils extractive sector (-6.3 percent), the countrys car industry has been hit by the recession in neighbouring Argentina. Overall, industry fell by 2 percent in the first quarter. Unemployment has barely decreased and remains at 12.7 percent (30 percent amongst the youth), a total of over 13 million unemployed.

All indicators are down. Capitalists are no longer happy with the government, which is proving unable to move fast in implementing the policies the ruling class demands and risks provoking a social explosion on the lines of the 2013 June days. A survey of money managers, economists and traders carried out by XP Investimentos showed how approval of the Bolsonaro government had fallen to 14 percent in May, from a high of 86 percent in January, while those rating it as bad or awful had risen to 43 percent, from 1 percent!

At a certain point, if Bolsonaro becomes too unpopular and is unable to implement the programme the capitalists need, they might consider the option of replacing him with the more moderate and reasonable figure of his vice-president Hamilton Mourao, from the governments military wing.

Faced with such a weak and divided government it would be perfectly feasible to defeat the pensions counter-reform and also bring the government down. That would require a fighting leadership, which neither the leaders of the left organisations nor those of the trade unions are providing.

Fora Bolsonaro!

The general strike on showed the willingness to struggle by workers and the youth. If they had a leadership up to the task, the Bolsonaro government would be counting its days / Image: Fora Bolsonaro

They were in shock when Bolsonaro won the second round of the presidential election, an outcome they were unable to understand. The leaders of the PT and the CUT reacted by raising a hue and cry about fascism having come to power. This was completely false and only served to cover their own cowardice in organising the struggle against the government. Bolsonaros government is reactionary and he is a dangerous, far-right demagogue with Bonapartist aspirations. But what we have in Brazil is not fascism, which would imply a reactionary government able to mobilise mass support amongst the petty bourgeoisie in order to physically suppress the workers organisations. On the contrary, what we have seen on 15 and 30 May, and above all yesterday during the general strike, is a powerful mobilisation of the working class and the youth and Bolsonaros failure to counter it with a mass movement on the streets on 26 May.

From this wrong political appraisal, the leaders of the PT and the CUT draw the conclusion that the situation is bad, Bolsonaro has mass support and therefore the slogan Bolsonaro Out is out of order. In this they are joined, unfortunately, by the leaders of the PSOL and the majority of the ultra-left sects. While the PT and CUT leaders argue that Bolsonaro was democratically elected (!!) and should be allowed to finish his term of office, the ultra-left sectarians argue that the slogan is premature and pointedly refuse to raise it. Both reformists and ultra-lefts are united in their lack of confidence in the working class.

Leaders of 10 different parties met on 20 May in an attempt to organise a cross-party front against Bolsonaro. The meeting included bourgeois parties, as well as representatives from the PT, PCdoB and PSOL. As is always the case in these popular fronts, the programme was watered down so much as to mean almost nothing. There was no agreement in opposing the pensions counter-reform, which the bourgeois parties support. The demand therefore was dropped from the common front. There was no agreement on a basic, simple, democratic demand "Lula Livre", so this was dropped.

One thing they all agreed on was... to reject the slogan "Fora Bolsonaro". This was also the line coming from Lula, who is still in jail. The arguments are surreal. Some say that the slogan could be interpreted as a slogan in favour of Vice-President Mourao! Others argue that there should be legal grounds for demanding the impeachment of Bolsonaro, but the mass demonstrations in the streets don't want to impeach him, they want to overthrow him!

At the meeting, PT leader Haddad insisted that the opposition agreement should be broadened in order to get the support of the centre and the "liberal centre-right". The leader of the PCdoB parliamentary group was very pleased with the meeting and said that "we must fight against sectarianism in Brazilian politics"! At a separate meeting of left parties, involving the PT, PSB, PCdoB, PDT and PSOL on 22 May, they agreed not to raise the demand Fora Bolsonaro, despite the pressure coming from the 15 May demonstrations.

The comrades of the Esquerda Marxista (Brazilian section of the International Marxist Tendency) have intervened since the beginning of the movement raising precisely the idea that the government can be defeated by a mass united movement of the working class. This idea can be summarised in the slogan Fora Bolsonaro. Defeating Bolsonaro, they argue correctly, would require not just a 24-hour general strike, but the preparation of indefinite strike action with the aim not only of defeating the pension counter-reform but of bringing down the government.

The general strike on 14 June showed the willingness to struggle by workers and the youth. If they had a leadership up to the task, the Bolsonaro government would be counting its days.K'taka CM meets PM Modi; seeks central assistance to tackle drought

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, June 15: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought central assistance to the state reeling under severe drought due to 45 per cent shortfall in the rainfall.

Before the Lok Sabha polls, the state government in its memorandum to the Centre had sought a financial assistance of Rs 2,064 crore to provide relief to farmers hit by drought during the rabi season.

Kumaraswamy also requested Modi to ensure the pending funds under MNREGA scheme are released at the earliest besides sharing the state government's success in implementing the farm loan waiver, an official statement said.

Weather today: Monsoon to cover entire Kerala, Karnataka in next 24-48 hours

In the meeting, the Karnataka chief minister informed Modi that the state was facing drought this year too because of 45 per cent shortfall in rainfall. "The CM requested the prime minister to come forward to help the state in this situation," the statement added. Kumaraswamy also raised the matter of pending funds of Rs 1,500 crore to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme and requested the Centre to release this amount at the earliest. Karnataka has declared drought in 156 taluks in 30 districts.

As many as 107 taluks are facing severe drought, while 49 taluks have moderate drought. About 20.40 lakh hectare farm land has been affected due to the drought in the state. Crop loss is estimated in 19.46 lakh hectare, according to the state government. The state had faced drought during the kharif season of 2018-19 crop year (July-June).

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 16:31 [IST]Kolkata hospital violence: Is politics being played?

India

oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi

New Delhi, June 15: The strained relation between doctors and patients has once again come to fore with the incident of West Bengal.

The junior doctors of West Bengal have been on strike since Tuesday in protest against the brutal assault on two colleagues in Nilratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital on Monday night by family members of an octogenarian patient, Mohammed Shahid, who passed away. According to the reports, the names of the injured interns are: Dr Paribaha Mukherjee and Dr. Yash Tekwani.

After the incident, doctors across the country have expressed solidarity with their West Bengal counterparts. Reports say that doctors from many states have boycotted their duty.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has declared nationwide protest against the incident on Monday. The striking doctors have also demanded an apology from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Proving medical negligence mammoth task

During a visit to a state-run hospital in Kolkata, Ms Banerjee warned doctors who won't return to work. Doctors who don't return to work must leave the hostel, she said. "They are outsiders. The government will not support them in any way," she said. "I condemn doctors who have gone on strike. Policemen die in line of duty but the police don't go on a strike," she added. She has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India- Marsist (CPI-M) of engineering the strike and playing "Hindu-Muslim politics".

A delegation of Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, United Resident & Doctors Association of India (URDA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), on Friday met Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who condemned the attack on doctors and assured them to provide a safe working environment.

He also said that "I appeal to West Bengal CM to not make this an issue of prestige. She gave the doctors an ultimatum, as a result they got angry and went on strike."

Later, he wrote a letter to Mamata Banerjee and urged her to ensure an amicable end to the agitation and provide a secure working environment to the doctors.

Meanwhile, a deep analysis of the incident related reports shows that efforts are on to politicise it.

The Quint termed a WhatsApp message as false that claimed that one of the injured intern doctors Dr Paribaha Mukherjee has died.

"When we tried looking for the news, we found out that the same message was been spread on Twitter which multiple users claiming that the intern doctor has passed away," said Quint report.

Striking doctors refuse to meet Mamata, demand unconditional apology

A source in Kolkata also tells OneIndia that the atmosphere of the city is vitiated over the incident.

"The Hindu and Muslim localities are clearly divided over the issue. The Hindus, particularly non-Bengalis, are of the opinion that Mamata Banerjee admonished striking doctors because the assaulters were Muslims. On the other hand, the Muslims believe that the BJP and its allied organisations are trying to turn a doctor-patient issue into a Hindu and Muslim one," says the source.

A political analyst is of the opinion that since Hindu doctors were attacked by Muslims, therefore it's like a political gift for the BJP, which is eyeing to dethrone Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the next Assembly elections.

"The reaction and posture of Mamata Banerjee over the incident has provided more ammunition to the BJP. She should have appealed to the doctors and warned the public not to take law into their own hands. But, she only threatened the doctors. No one would believe that politically astute Mamata was not addressing Muslim vote bank. What Dr Harsh Vardhan has said about her conduct is what the BJP is going exploit for its benefit. ," says the analyst.

It's notable that the BJP has won 18 seats in West Bengal in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, which has left Mamata Banerjee sulking.

Both BJP and ruling Trinamool Congress are at loggerheads and there are many incidents wherein the BJP workers are killed. The BJP has always blamed the Trinamool Congress for the killings.Maharashtra woman held captive for 16 months, raped and forced to bear child by couple

Man drowns wife in river for refusing to have sex with tantrik

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Aligarh, June 15: A 32-year-old woman was allegedly drowned in a river by her husband for refusing to have sex with a tantrik (occultist).

The incident came to light on Thursday. The woman's husband and the occultist have been nabbed by police.

Police said the crime was witnessed by the victim's teenage son, who screamed for help when the woman's husband, Maanpal, was executing his plan.

[Teenager accidentally kills self while posing with pistol for TikTok clip]

The victim's brother alleged that the accused had warned his son that he would meet the same fate if he tried to rescue his mother.

Police said the crime was witnessed by the victim's teenage son, who screamed for help when the woman's husband, Maanpal, was executing his plan.

SSP Akash Kulhari said the victim's brother, Rajesh Kumar, in a complaint to the Dadon police station, said his panic-stricken sister had called him two days ago, urging him to intervene.

Initially, the matter appeared to have been resolved amicably but on Thursday the events took another twist when Maanpal persuaded her wife to accompany him to a nearby river and pushed her into it, he told police.

After executing the plan, Maanpal and the tantrik, identified as Santdas Durga Das, swam across the river, fleeing to neighbouring Badaun district.

"On receiving the complaint, police managed to nab the duo. Police also retrieved the body from the river,"Kulhari said.

He added that Santdas Durga Das had a criminal record. Last year, a large quantity of heroin was recovered from him in a police raid, he said.

(with PTI inputs)Int'l travellers who test COVID positive at the airport will not be allowed to go to their destinations

Who is Firhad Hakim? Know Kolkata's New Mayor Age, Education, Family and Other Details

Proving medical negligence mammoth task

India

oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi

New Delhi, June 15: The violence in Nilratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has highlighted issue of medical negligence.

The family members of an octogenarian patient, Mohammed Shahid, seriously injured two intern doctors on Monday night alleging that Shahid had died due to doctors' negligence.

This is not the first incident wherein realtives of patients have attacked the doctors.

According to legal experts, kin of patients indulge in violence as they are generally not aware about their rights as consumers and legal meaning of medical negligence.

Striking doctors refuse to meet Mamata, demand unconditional apology

Negligence is the breach of a legal duty to care. It means carelessness in a matter in which the law mandates carefulness. A breach of this duty gives a patient the right to initiate action against negligence.

Doctors in India may be held liable for their services individually or vicariously unless they come within the exceptions specified in the case of Indian Medical Association vs V P Santha. One of the exceptions is that doctors are not liable for their services individually or vicariously if they do not charge fees. Thus free treatment at a non-government hospital, governmental hospital, health centre, dispensary or nursing home would not be considered a "service" as defined in Section 2 (1) (0) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

The patients have the right to file case under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The courts have given a number of decisions on what constitutes negligence and what is required to prove it.

In the case of the State of Haryana vs Smt Santra, the Supreme Court held that every doctor "has a duty to act with a reasonable degree of care and skill".

In the case of Dr Laxman Balkrishna Joshi vs Dr Trimbak Bapu Godbole, the Supreme Court held that if a doctor has adopted a practice that is considered "proper" by a reasonable body of medical professionals who are skilled in that particular field, he or she will not be held negligent only because something went wrong.

In some situations, the complainant can invoke the principle "the thing speaks for itself". In certain circumstances no proof of negligence is required beyond the accident itself.

Doctors' protest intensifies: 24-hour strike on Monday, 3.5 lakh medicos to join

The principle comes into operation only when there is proof that the occurrence was unexpected, that the accident could not have happened without negligence and lapses on the part of the doctor, and that the circumstances conclusively show that the doctor and not any other person was negligent.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission applied this principle in Dr Janak Kantimathi Nathan vs Murlidhar Eknath Masane.

Moreover, a doctor cannot be held criminally responsible for a patient's death unless it is shown that she/ he was negligent or incompetent, with such disregard for the life and safety of his patient that it amounted to a crime against the State.

The epitome is that it's not an easy task to hold a doctor responsible for death of a patient due to negligence.

The legal experts say that the law requires a higher standard of evidence than otherwise, to support an allegation of negligence against a doctor. In cases of medical negligence the patient must establish her/ his claim against the doctor by citing the best evidence available in medical science and by presenting expert opinion.How a noose is knotted: What it takes to be a hangman

Pune rape, murder case: Convicts move Bombay HC challenging mercy plea

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Pune, June 15: Two convicts in 2007 Jyoti Chaudhary rape and murder case has moved the Bombay High Court challenging the rejection of their mercy petition by the President.

The execution of Purshottam Borate and Pradeep Kokade is scheduled for June 24. A petition moved by them through lawyer Yug Chaudhary sought commutation of their death penalty.

At 10 pm, on November 1, 2007, Jyoti Kumari Choudhary, 22, was on her way to work, on the last day of her notice period at Wipro BPO.

2006 Malegaon blast case: Bombay HC grants bail to four accused

Purshottam Borate, then 26, the company cab driver, who was on cab duty arrived to pick Jyoti up with his friend Pradeep Yashwant Kokade, then 20 years old. They drove to a secluded spot near Gahunje village where they raped and murdered her.

Post committing the crime, the duo proceeded to pick another employee up, stating they were delayed due to a punctured tyre. Her boyfriend had heard her ask the driver why he had stopped the car after which the phone was disconnected and was unreachable. Next day, her body was found at Gahunje village. She was raped and strangulated to death.

The duo were arrested the very next day.

The Pune court had convicted the duo in March 2012 and were sentenced to death. The sentence was later upheald by the Bombay high court, followed by the Supreme court in 2015. The President rejected the mercy petition filed by the duo in April 2016.

Payal Tadvi suicide case: HC grants four-day custody of accused to CB for specific time each day

Jyoti Kumari, who was from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, was a science graduate from the University of Pune. She was staying with her sister and brother-in-law in Panchavati area of Pashan and had joined a call centre as an associate in December 2006.Here is why BJP and Jagan Reddy are wooing each other

Request you to soften PMs heart on special status: Jagan tells Shah

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, June 15: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him to "soften PM's heart" on the issue of granting special category status to the Rs 2.58 lakh crore debt-ridden state.

Reddy also said he would raise the demand in the first meeting of the governing council of the NITI Aayog, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saturday. "I met Home Minister to try and prevail upon him and also soften PM's heart on special category status," Reddy told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Shah.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief also urged the Centre to fulfil all commitments made under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. Reddy, just before swearing in as chief minister, had met both Modi and Shah on the special category status issue. He had said his party could only request the BJP-led central government and not "demand or command".

"Today, we might not get it (special category status). We have to be at somebody's mercy but I will remind him (Modi) again and again and someday things will change," Reddy had told the media after his first meeting with Modi.

Here is why BJP and Jagan Reddy are wooing each other

Asked if the post of deputy speaker in Lok Sabha was offered to YSRCP, Reddy said, "Please don't speculate on all these things. First of all, there is no offer. We have not asked and we have not spoken. And neither any such proposal has come from any quarter. As of now, there is no conversation or talk on that."

YSRCP won 22 parliamentary seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections and also swept the assembly polls. The party's parliamentary board meeting is likely to be held on Saturday.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 6:23 [IST]Rs 100 crore fraud case: Court to hear Monty Chadha's second bail plea on Monday

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, June 15: A Delhi Court on Saturday deferred hearing in the bail plea filed by Wave Group Vice Chairman Monty Chadha, son of late liquor baron Ponty Chadha, in connection with a cheating case against him.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Gaurav Rao adjourned the matter for hearing on June 17 after Chadha's leading senior counsel failed to appear before the court citing personal reasons.

Earlier on Thursday, Metropolitan Magistrate Paras Dala rejected Chadha's bail plea and sent him to 14-days judicial custody.

Monty was booked by the Economic Offence Wing of Delhi Police in January, 2018 in a cheating case over allegations of duping the investors of over Rs 100 crore in a real estate project at NH24.

Woman who alleged rape called man 529 times before informing police

In the FIR registered against the promoters of the company, including Monty Chadha in January 2018 that was lodged by complainants K Ramesh, Kaveri Ramesh and 19 others, Wave Group has been charged with inflicting "suffering for 11 years...with no visible end to the abuse in sight".

The FIR was filed against the promoters including Monty Chadha, Harmandeep Singh Kandhari, Rajinder Singh Chadha, Gurjit Singh Kocher, Kritika Gupta and other officials under IPC sections 420, 406, 469, 468, 471 and 1208.SIMI link to ISIS: Why Kerala, Tamil Nadu have become ticking time bombs

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, June 15: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) made a significant arrest in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu Islamic case when it arrested Sheikh Hidayathullah.

During the course of the investigation, it was learnt that he was subscribed to the ideologies of both the ISIS as well as the Students Islamic Movement of India.

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has warned several times that an outfit such as the SIMI cannot be written off. Their ideology especially in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are intact and it is due to this, the radicalisation process goes on unabated.

When it comes to the SIMI, the danger lies in the fact that it is deeply infested in several states and works along with other radical groups. The group is known to be very active in states such as Kerala and West Bengal, where it has partnered with several radical groups.

TN man Sheikh Hidayathullah linked to ISIS-SIMI arrested

The Ministry of Home Affairs says that if the activities of the SIMI do not continue to be curbed, it would take the opportunity to continue with its subversive activities and also re-organise its absconding members.

As per the assessment done by the intelligence agencies, the outfit continues to pose a high threat to national security. Moreover in the recent past, the SIMI has re-surfaced especially in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. All the above mentioned states had informed the Union Home Ministry about the activities of the outfit. They have also cited the convictions of Safdar Nagori and Abu Faisal, who are top operatives of the outfit. In Kerala, the SIMI poses a major threat. It is closely associated with the PFI and has been involved in several radical activities.

Recently the role of the SIMI was also found in the double murder case at Bharuch in Gujarat. The police learnt that the SIMI along with some members of the underworld were tasked with killing Hindu leaders in a bid to create communal tension. An incident in Yavatmal, Maharashtra also made an attempt to kick start a wave of communal incidents. In this incident, an alleged member of the SIMI at the behest of a religious preacher had stabbed a constable protesting the beef ban in the state.

Two modules, one modus operandi: NIA on ISIS modules in TN, Kerala

In the ISIS related raids that were conducted in Tamil Nadu, it was also learnt that some of the accused persons and their associates were in touch with Zahran Hashim and his associates, over social media, with the intention of furthering the objectives of ISIS/ Daish in India.

On June 12, the NIA had conducted searches at seven locations in Coimbatore and seized incriminating material and documents from the homes and offices of the accused persons.

Accused persons were questioned regarding the incriminating materials recovered during searches and the content of their social media accounts. Based on the facts revealed hitherto regarding the pro-ISIS activities of accused Shiek Hidayathullah, 38 years, a resident of Coimbatore was arrested. It was found that he was associated with the ISIS and also the Students Islamic Movement of India.Underground fire in Mohammadi range forests in UP triggers panic

India

oi-PTI

Lucknow, June 15: An underground fire in Mohammadi range forests of Uttar Pradesh left scores of neighbouring villagers panicked and puzzled. Smoke was seen gushing out through the cracks in the ground and at some places land had turned into embers, said residents of Bela Pahara and Muda Galib villages in South Kheri forest division.

72-year-old Hukum Singh of Muda Galib said he has never been witness to such a scene. He feared that the fire may damage his crops. Another villager, Bhai Lal (75), termed the scene as a natural miracle, which he had never heard of or seen earlier. Some villagers also mistook it as a volcanic incident. Soon after the incident was reported, officials rushed to the spot.

"The incident is a natural phenomenon in which fire broke out in underground humus layer," Vikas Dubey, Tehsildar of Mohammadi, told PTI. "The land where the underground fire incident took place has been lying barren for several decades and dry leaves, twigs and branches from nearby jungles accumulated there and formed the underground humus layer," he said. He also spoke to local villagers who said that a few days back, they had burnt fire on the land. He said "the overground fire was put out but it unknowingly caught the humus layers which resulted in smoke emission from the cracks".

Punjab: Fire breaks out at 3 garment factories in Ludhiana

Divisional Forest Officer of South Kheri, Sameer Kumar, said, "Forest officials were rushed to dig up trenches around the affected land to prevent its spread of the fire to the nearby forest." Terming it 'swamp pit fire', field director Dudhwa Ramesh Kumar Pandey said, "Swampy lands often develop underground holes in which organic matters accumulated and scorching heat sometimes result in such underground fire."Maharashtra woman held captive for 16 months, raped and forced to bear child by couple

Woman police officer hacked, burnt alive near her home in Kerala

India

oi-Deepika S

Alappuzha, June 15: A woman civil police officer in Kerala's Alappuzha died after she was set ablaze by a man at Kanjipuzha near Vallikunnam in Alappuzha on Saturday.

The victim has been identified as 32-year-old Soumya Pushkaran. She is survived by her husband and three children. The reason for the attack is yet to be ascertained.

The incident reportedly took place when Pushkaran was on her way home after attending a Student Police Cadet camp near Vallikunnam village.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 20:48 [IST]Khashoggi was killed with US backing, says Iran President Rouhani

Will continue to sell oil, Iran says on the day US sanctions get reimposed

Two days after quitting from post via Instagram post, Iranian foreign minister rejoins work

US is the real 'leader of world terrorism': Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

Iran blames US for global instability

International

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Bishkek, June 15: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Friday the United States present a serious threat to global and regional stability as tensions soar in the Gulf.

"The US government over the last two years, violating all the international structures and rules and using its economic, financial and military resources, has taken an aggressive approach and presents a serious risk to stability in the region and the world," Rouhani said, in translated comments.

He was speaking at a meeting in Bishkek of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation -- a Eurasian security alliance that includes China, India and Russia.

Rouhani criticised the US for withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, saying Washington is forcing other parties and countries to breach a UN Security Council resolution on normalising trade contacts with Tehran.

US is the real 'leader of world terrorism': Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

He called on the other participants in the deal to "carry out their obligations as soon as possible" so Tehran can develop its economic interests under the deal.

Rouhani did not refer to the situation in the Gulf where the US has accused Iran of being behind attacks on two tankers.

Iran on Friday dismissed the US charges as "baseless".

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 11:19 [IST]A look at the top 21 images of PM Modi from 2021

Not even a pull aside, the message Modi conveyed to Imran Khan

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Bishkek, June 15: There have been several reports of the pleasantries exchanged by the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan during the SCO summit at Bishkek.

The pleasantries between Narendra Modi and Imran Khan were exchanged at the Leaders' Lounge at the venue of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

Official sources tell OneIndia that there was however no meeting between Modi and Khan. Not even a pull aside, just pleasantries the source informed.

The source further added that India is firm that it will not talk unless and until Pakistan takes concrete action against the terrorists and terror factories. This has been our consistent stand and will it would remain that way, the official also added.

SCO summit: Nations must combat terror together, says PM Modi

It is also learnt that Khan congratulated Modi on his election victory during their first face-to-face interaction.

Both Modi and Khan were here to attend the annual summit of the SCO.

The exchange of pleasantries came over two weeks after Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts, pushing for restarting the bilateral talks.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together. Khan had also made a telephone call to Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries.

On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

SCO summit: PM Modi, Iranian Prez Rouhani unable to meet due to scheduling issues

Following the phone call and letter by Khan to Prime Minister Modi after his re-election for a second term, there were speculation that both may have a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit here.

Modi arrived here in the Kyrgyz capital on Thursday on a two-day visit to attend the annual summit of the SCO. He held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

He also held talks with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov on Friday during a bilateral visit during which the two countries upgraded their relations to strategic partnership level.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 6:10 [IST]Why is the ISI chief against the release of his photos and videos

Pakistan wants talks on equal terms, says ball in India's court

International

oi-PTI

Islamabad, June 15: Pakistan will hold talks with India on the "basis of equality" and in a "dignified manner", and it is up to New Delhi whether to engage with Islamabad to resolve all outstanding issues, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.

Qureshi, who was in Bishkek to attend the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or SCO Summit, said this while confirming the exchange of pleasantries between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Bishkek on Friday on the sidelines of the multilateral meeting.

"Yes, the meeting did take place, there was a handshake and exchange of pleasantries," Qureshi told Pakistan's Geo News. He accused the Indian government of being in the "election mindset".

"Pakistan has said what it had to," Qureshi said.

"So India has to make this decision, we are neither in haste, nor troubled. When India prepares itself, it would find us prepared, but we will hold talks on the basis of equality, and in a dignified manner," he said.

"Neither we need to run after anyone, nor we need to demonstrate stubbornness. Pakistan's approach is very realistic and well thought-out," Qureshi claimed.

He said India had to make a decision whether to hold bilateral talks with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues or not.

Not even a pull aside, the message Modi conveyed to Imran Khan

"India has not come out of its election mindset and the extreme position they had taken to influence their constituency and to keep their vote bank intact. It is still confined in that," Qureshi alleged.

The exchange of pleasantries between Imran Khan and Narendra Modi came over two weeks after Khan and Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts seeking to restart talks between the two nations.

However, India has reiterated that "talks and terror" cannot go together, and that Pakistan must take concrete and permanent action against terrorists and terror groups which carry our cross-border terror against India.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group. Since then, India has maintained that "talks and terror cannot go together."

At the SCO summit PM Modi has emphasised that creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group killed more than 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

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Story first published: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 16:24 [IST]Ocean Freight Forwarding Market is Booming Worldwide | DB Schenker Logistics, GEODIS, Panalpina, DSV

Ocean Freight Forwarding Market

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A latest survey on Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Market is conducted covering various organizations of the industry from different geographies to come up with 100+ page report. The study is a perfect mix of qualitative and quantitative information highlighting key market developments, challenges that industry and competition is facing along with gap analysis and new opportunity available and may trend in Ocean Freight Forwarding market. The report bridges the historical data from 2013 to 2018 and forecasted till 2025*. Some are the key & emerging players that are part of coverage and have being profiled are Kuehne + Nagel, DHL Group, DB Schenker Logistics, GEODIS, Panalpina, DSV, Bollore Logistics, Expeditors, Nippon Express, CEVA Logistics, Pantos Logistics, Agility Logistics, Hellmann, Damco, KWE, Hitachi Transport, Sankyu, Kerry Logistics, Logwin, C.H.Robinson & Yusen Logistics.Click to get Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Research Sample PDF Copy Here @:Analyst at HTF MI have classified and compiled the research data for both perspective i.e. Qualitative and Quantitative.Quantitative Data:Market Data breakdown by key geographies, Type & Application/End-users Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Revenue & Growth Rate by Type [, Full Container Load (FCL), Less-than container load (LCL) & Others] (Historical & Forecast) Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Revenue & Growth Rate by Application [Agricultural, Automotive, Beverage, Electronic & Other] (Historical & Forecast) Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Revenue & Growth Rate by Each Region Specified (Historical & Forecast) Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Volume & Growth Rate by Each Region Specified, Application & Type (Historical & Forecast) Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Revenue, Volume & Y-O-Y Growth Rate by Players (Base Year)Qualitative Data:It would include chapters specific to market dynamics and the influencing factors affecting or driving the growth of the market. To list few names of sections involved are Industry Overview Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Growth Drivers Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Trend Restraints Opportunities in Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Market Entropy** [Special Designed to highlight Market Aggressiveness] PESTEL Analysis Porters Five Forces Model Patent & Trademark Analysis** [Licenses & Approvals by Players & Duration of Market Life Cycle] Competitive Landscape (SWOT Analysis by Players/Manufacturers) Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Development and Insights etc. [Covers Product/Service Launch, Innovation etc] Investment & Project Feasibility Study** Regulatory Framework** May vary depending upon availability and feasibility of data with respect to Industry targetedDetailed competitive landscape is Covered to highlight important parameters that players are gaining along with the product/service evolution % Market Share, Revenue for each profiled company [Kuehne + Nagel, DHL Group, DB Schenker Logistics, GEODIS, Panalpina, DSV, Bollore Logistics, Expeditors, Nippon Express, CEVA Logistics, Pantos Logistics, Agility Logistics, Hellmann, Damco, KWE, Hitachi Transport, Sankyu, Kerry Logistics, Logwin, C.H.Robinson & Yusen Logistics] Consumption, Capacity & Production by Players Business overview and Product/Service classification Swot Analysis Product/Service Landscape [Product/Service Mix with a comparative analysis] Recent Developments (Technology, Expansion, Manufacturing, R&D, Product Launch etc)Enquire for customization in Report @Important Features that are under offering & key highlights of the Ocean Freight Forwarding market report:1) What Market data breakdown/segmentation does basic version of this report covers in addition to players?Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Product Types In-Depth: Full Container Load (FCL), Less-than container load (LCL) & OthersGlobal Ocean Freight Forwarding Major Applications/End users: Agricultural, Automotive, Beverage, Electronic & OtherGeographical Analysis: United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America2) What all companies are currently profiled in the report?Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the the report "Kuehne + Nagel, DHL Group, DB Schenker Logistics, GEODIS, Panalpina, DSV, Bollore Logistics, Expeditors, Nippon Express, CEVA Logistics, Pantos Logistics, Agility Logistics, Hellmann, Damco, KWE, Hitachi Transport, Sankyu, Kerry Logistics, Logwin, C.H.Robinson & Yusen Logistics"** List of companies mentioned may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger etc.3) Can we add or profiled new company as per our need?Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey.** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Upto 3 players can be added at no added cost.Buy Full Copy Global Ocean Freight Forwarding Report 2018 @4) What all regional segmentation covered? Can specific country of interest be added?Currently, research report gives special attention and focus on following regions:United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America** One country of specific interest can be included at no added cost. For inclusion of more regional segment quote may vary.5) Can inclusion of additional Segmentation / Market breakdown is possible?Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be shared with our research before giving final confirmation to client.** Depending upon the requirement the deliverable time and quote will vary.To comprehend Global Ocean Freight Forwarding market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Ocean Freight Forwarding market is analyzed across major global regions. HTF MI also provides customized specific regional and country-level reports for the following areas. North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico. South & Central America: Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa. Europe: UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Russia. Asia-Pacific: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia.Browse for Full Report at @:Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report.Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.Contact US :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comConnect with us atAbout Author:HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Financial Cloud Market to Witness Massive Growth| Key Players: Alibaba, Fujitsu, Google,IBM,Jack Henry & Associates,Microsoft,Oracle

Financial Cloud Market

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 117 pages on title 'Global Financial Cloud Market Report 2019 with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America Country (United States, Canada)South America,Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea),Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy),Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC) and important players such as Alibaba,AWS,Eze Castle Integration, Fujitsu, Google,IBM (Red Hat),Jack Henry & Associates,Microsoft,Oracle,Rackspace,VMware,Tecent,JDCloud.Request a sample report @SummaryGlobal Financial Cloud Market Report 2019Full Report: 2350 USDMulti License (Section): 4700 USDSection Price: As belowPage: 115Chart and Figure: 124Contact: sales@htfmarketreport.comPhone: +1 (206) 317 1218With the slowdown in world economic growth, the Financial Cloud industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Financial Cloud market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 15 from XXX million $ in 2014 to XXX million $ in 2018, analysts believe that in the next few years, Financial Cloud market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2023, The market size of the Financial Cloud will reach XXX million $.This Report covers the manufacturers data, including: shipment, price, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better. This report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size, volume and value, as well as price data.Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size, both volume and value. Also cover different industries clients information, which is very important for the manufacturers. If you need more information, please contact BisReportSection 1: FreeDefinitionSection (2 3): 1200 USDManufacturer DetailAlibabaAWSEze Castle IntegrationFujitsuGoogleIBM (Red Hat)Jack Henry & AssociatesMicrosoftOracleRackspaceVMwareTecentJDCloudSection 4: 900 USDRegion SegmentationNorth America Country (United States, Canada)South AmericaAsia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Section (5 6 7): 500 USDProduct Type SegmentationSaaSIaaSPaaSIndustry SegmentationBankSecurities CompanyInsurance CompanyChannel (Direct Sales, Distributor) SegmentationSection 8: 400 USDTrend (2018-2023)Section 9: 300 USDProduct Type DetailSection 10: 700 USDDownstream ConsumerSection 11: 200 USDCost StructureSection 12: 500 USDConclusionMake an enquiry before buying this Report @Table of ContentsSection 1 Financial Cloud Product DefinitionSection 2 Global Financial Cloud Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview2.1 Global Manufacturer Financial Cloud Shipments2.2 Global Manufacturer Financial Cloud Business Revenue2.3 Global Financial Cloud Market OverviewSection 3 Manufacturer Financial Cloud Business Introduction3.1 Alibaba Financial Cloud Business Introduction3.1.1 Alibaba Financial Cloud Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20183.1.2 Alibaba Financial Cloud Business Distribution by Region3.1.3 Alibaba Interview Record3.1.4 Alibaba Financial Cloud Business Profile3.1.5 Alibaba Financial Cloud Product Specification3.2 AWS Financial Cloud Business Introduction3.2.1 AWS Financial Cloud Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20183.2.2 AWS Financial Cloud Business Distribution by Region3.2.3 Interview Record3.2.4 AWS Financial Cloud Business Overview3.2.5 AWS Financial Cloud Product Specification3.3 Eze Castle Integration Financial Cloud Business Introduction3.3.1 Eze Castle Integration Financial Cloud Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20183.3.2 Eze Castle Integration Financial Cloud Business Distribution by Region3.3.3 Interview Record3.3.4 Eze Castle Integration Financial Cloud Business Overview3.3.5 Eze Castle Integration Financial Cloud Product Specification3.4 Fujitsu Financial Cloud Business Introduction3.5 Google Financial Cloud Business Introduction3.6 IBM (Red Hat) Financial Cloud Business IntroductionSection 4 Global Financial Cloud Market Segmentation (Region Level)4.1 North America Country4.1.1 United States Financial Cloud Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20184.1.2 Canada Financial Cloud Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20184.2 South America Country4.2.1 South America Financial Cloud Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20184.3 Asia Country4.3.1 China Financial Cloud Market Size and PriceView Detailed Table of Content @Buy this report @Contact US :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comAbout Author:HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.On any given day, more than 4,000 people pass through the library at California State University-Los Angeles.

On April 11, one of them had measles. The building has only one entrance, which means that anyone who entered or exited the library within two hours of that persons visit potentially was exposed to one of the most contagious diseases on Earth.

Its the stuff of public health nightmares: Everyone at the library between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. that day had to be identified, warned and possibly quarantined. Measles is so contagious that up to 90% of people close to an infected person who are not protected by a vaccine or previous case of the disease will become infected. But how could the university figure out who had been in the library during that time frame? And which of those people were vulnerable to infection?

Rooting out answers to such questions is the job of the public health detectives who work at health departments across the country.

In 2000, the United States declared the measles eradicated, thanks to widespread use of vaccines. But the virulent disease is back, with more than 1,000 cases confirmed nationwide this year through June 3  the greatest number since 1992. For every thousand cases, 1 to 3 people with measles will die, even with the best of care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So public health departments are redirecting scarce resources to try to control the spread.

Using basic techniques in place for over 100 years, public health investigators work to control an outbreak before it balloons. Such investigations have evolved with new technologies but remain among the best defenses against infectious disease outbreaks  and among the great untold costs of an epidemic.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which has confirmed 566 measles cases since September, has spent more than $2.3 million on related investigations. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health estimates spending as much as $2,000 to track down each contact of a confirmed patient  and it has made hundreds of such efforts in recent months.

Public health departments across the country have had their budgets tightened in a sustained fashion over the past 15 years, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University. There are no public health departments that are like firemen playing pinochle and waiting for an outbreak. They have other things to do, and they have to put aside those tasks to deal with an outbreak.

A poster released by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is seen as experts answer questions regarding the measles response and the quarantine orders in Los Angeles Friday, April 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)AP

At Cal State LA, public health officials visited the library and tried to figure out exactly where the infected student had gone  the photocopy area, for example  to determine who might have been exposed. They worked with the school to identify which library employees were present. They scoured library records to find anyone who had checked out books or logged onto a library computer during the specified time period.

But they realized they were missing others who may have come in to browse, work or eat at a library cafe. So, school officials sent out emails and posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to ask anyone who may have been at the library to come forward.

Working together, Cal State and county health officials came up with a list of 1,094 people who were exposed; all were required to present proof they had been vaccinated or had immunity.

At one point during the investigation, 887 people were under a blanket quarantine order from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health until they could establish their immunity status.

Public health departments regularly employ this sort of shoe-leather detective work to track and control outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases and foodborne illnesses like salmonella. But there is a palpable sense of frustration that sets the measles apart: It is easily preventable.

We shouldnt have to be using these ancient techniques. We should have everybody immunized, said Dr. Alan Melnick, director of public health in Clark County, Wash., which logged 71 measles cases during a two-month outbreak that ended in February. Thats what keeps me up at night. If we stop vaccinating, we can turn the clock back to the Middle Ages.

In the course of Clark Countys outbreak, 237 people spent 19,071 hours doing outreach, investigation and monitoring the health of people exposed, at a cost of more than $864,000. They investigated 53 exposure sites, including 15 schools and the arena where the Portland Trail Blazers play just across the state line in Oregon.

All this work meant delays in other programs, including restaurant health inspections and a home-visit program for high-risk pregnant women and infants.

Just because the measles outbreak is going on, it doesnt mean other communicable diseases are taking a holiday, Melnick said.

Timeline of how the Clark County measles outbreak spread.Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

There was a time public health officials wouldnt have bothered. Before the late 19th century, officials were busy trying to control diseases like typhoid, cholera and smallpox, which had much higher death rates than measles, said Graham Mooney, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University who studies the history of medicine. But as other infectious diseases declined, officials focused more intently on measles.

By the early 20th century, schools began noting which students had already had the measles, and who might be vulnerable. When a child fell ill, he might be sent home with a card to be signed by a physician before he could return. A school medical inspector often would visit the home to make sure the child remained isolated.

During an epidemic involving thousands of cases, officials placed warnings in newspapers and later on the radio, describing likely symptoms and asking parents to keep sick children at home. Now its Twitter; before, it would have been The Baltimore Sun or the Chicago Tribune or the L.A. Times. But the actual information may not have changed, said Mooney.

Today, public health departments almost invariably learn of a measles case through a health care provider. Measles is a reportable disease, which means that any provider who suspects a case has to warn local health officials. Someone from the department visits the patient to conduct an interview and determine precisely where they might have gone while contagious. For the measles, thats four days before the rash appears, and four days after, for a total of nine days.

The interviews are rigorous. We have to assess their hangouts, their friends, their hobbies, which grocery store do they go to, do they take Lyft or Uber? explained L.A. County public health nurse Adarsh Almalvez.

For most people, its hard to remember everywhere they went days earlier. Some patients are reluctant to share details. Almalvez said she starts by building a rapport, asking them about their favorite foods and where they get their hair cut. She said its crucial to get the patients cooperation.

She looks for clues around the house that could tell her who else might be living there. Extra pairs of shoes in the hallway, for example, might indicate other residents. If shes interviewing a woman and finds the toilet seat up, she knows a man likely has been there as well.

The goal is to come away with a list of all possible contacts and locations the patient visited while contagious. The results can read like a bizarrely intimate window into one persons day. L.A. County recently published a patients itinerary in April; in one enviable day, that patient visited Peets Coffee, Fratelli Cafe, TART restaurant, The Grove, the Los Angeles Farmers Market, Whole Foods and the La Brea Tar Pits.

Public health officials visit each site to gather more information. They reach out to ride-sharing services to locate drivers and other passengers who might have been in the same car during the infectious period. At restaurants, employees are easily identified, but customers can be hard to find. Officials dont routinely look at surveillance video or track down people through credit card receipts. Instead, they mainly rely on news releases and social media to spread the word. They also look to schools and businesses to do outreach.

This can be a lot of work, especially for medical clinics where a measles patient initially sought care. During a 2017 outbreak, Childrens Minnesota, a hospital system in the Twin Cities, spent $300,000 on their emergency response. Part of that was tracking down everyone in the waiting room within two hours of a measles patient.

Patsy Stinchfield, who directs the Childrens Minnesotas infection prevention and control program, has worked on three measles outbreaks, in 1989, 2011 and 2017. She said the work has gotten more efficient because of electronic health records and the states electronic vaccination registry. With the click of a few buttons, investigators can determine who was in the waiting room with a measles patient, and which people were unvaccinated.

Still, Stinchfield said, measles outbreaks remain a source of great frustration. If we can get people to use the [measles] vaccine, we wont have to spend all these health care dollars, all of this time and energy on follow-up, she said. And we wont have to have all these miserable, sick children.

Jenny Gold: jgold@kff.org, @JennyAGoldEDITORS NOTE: A correction has been appended below.

A former Disney executive was sentenced Friday to nearly seven years in prison for sexually abusing a girl in Portland a decade ago, when the girl was 7 years old.

Michael Laney, 73, will serve 81 months for four counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Judge Benjamin Souede had previously acquitted Laney of three counts of first-degree rape and three counts of first-degree sex abuse.

Laneys attorneys, Stephen Houze and Jacob Houze, on Thursday asked the court to postpone enforcing any part of his sentence that would send him into custody while Laney appealed part of the sentence. In a supporting statement, Jacob Houze said the claims against Laney were contradictory and inconsistent, and that there was no physical evidence.

The character of the evidence is just stories, and the strength of those stories is exceedingly low, Houze wrote in a statement.

Laneys attorneys also cited some of Laneys personal circumstances, noting that he is the caretaker for his wife, who has Parkinsons disease.

Sentencing Mr. Laney to any amount of incarceration, much less an actuarial true life sentence, disproportionately impacts him more than a defendant without those personal characteristics, they said in a statement.

Laneys wifes doctor, Blain Crandell, submitted a letter on Laneys behalf, saying his wife could be expected to suffer serious consequences to her health and well-being without an in-home caregiver, a role her husband had been filling.

In a response to Houzes statement, Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Charles Mickley called the claims peculiarly offensive and insulting.

"Defendant wholly ignores the compelling evidence of his guilt presented at trial, including the evidence of his longstanding sexual interest in children, Mickley wrote.

Laney was also sentenced to 120 months of post-prison supervision, minus time served, and was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine.

Court documents state that Laney is a resident of Bainbridge Island, Washington.

CORRECTION: This story was updated to reflect the correct prison sentence length.

Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.Can a judge send a convicted white-collar felon back to prison for not fulfilling his multimillion-dollar restitution and halting his monthly payments?

Thats the question before a federal judge in Oregon in whats the first case of its kind to be pursued by federal prosecutors in the state.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen L. Bickers says Michael L. Myatt, a Beaverton fund manager who was convicted of fraud, was ordered at sentencing to pay $1.7 million in restitution with interest. He now owes more than $3 million. He stopped making his monthly payments of $8,000 in March 2018, despite his substantial resources, she said.

Defendants willful failure to pay restitution despite possessing the apparent means to do so compels his re-sentencing to additional imprisonment in order to address his own misconduct as well as to deter other defendants from engaging in similar behavior, Bickers wrote to the court.

Myatts defense lawyers called the governments stance unlawful and unprecedented.

They argue it would amount to double jeopardy, punishing their 57-year-old client twice when hes already served a 15-month prison term and completed supervised release for a fraud he committed more than a decade ago.

He has a reasonable expectation of finality, defense lawyer Ronald H. Hoevet argued.

If the government seeks to pursue any action, it should be through a civil, not criminal, sanction, Hoevet said.

Myatt pleaded guilty in 1999 to one count each of mail fraud and making false statements.

The mail fraud charge stems from Myatts companies, Berkshire International Hedge Fund II and PragmaCapital Corp. He told investors they were earning money when in fact he was losing it and diverting money for his own use, according to the government. He misled investors about more than $1 million missing from their accounts. When sentenced, the judge also ordered Myatt to pay $1.7 million, with interest, in restitution to victims of his crime.

Myatt has paid about $400,000, but stopped his monthly payments about a year ago.

Myatt doesnt contest the outstanding money judgment, his lawyers said.

But he does challenge the governments claim that he can be sent back to prison or held in contempt for violating a payment schedule that was never adopted by the court, and instead set by a probation officer.

Hes not refused to pay restitution. Hes paid restitution for 17 years, Hoevet told the court.

Bickers countered that double jeopardy doesnt apply until a defendants sentence is completed, citing 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case law. Myatt is mistaken that his criminal sentence has been completed when his restitution obligation is still unmet.

He has a duty to comply with the courts order as part of his criminal sentence, Bickers says.

Its very common for defendants to stop paying restitution or not pay the full amount ordered, and lawyers in the asset recovery division of the U.S. attorneys office dedicate much of their time to trying to recover the money through continued court follow-up or civil actions.

This case is unique, prosecutors contend, because of Myatts willful intention to halt payments, despite his substantial resources, including two homes, two cars and his record of high-end purchases.

Bickers presented to the court detailed information gathered about Myatts current company, two cars and two homes he owns, his and his wifes financial status and their credit card purchases.

Myatt is now the chair of a leadership development and consulting company called N2Growth, LLC, which he founded in 2006 and is based in King of Prussia, Pa., according to investigator Michael McLaren from the U.S. Attorneys Financial Litigation Unit, known as FLU.

Myatt and his wife primarily live in Wayne, Pa., but also own a seven-bedroom home in Newberg.

Myatt has used his N2Growth business accounts for his own personal benefit, collecting $468,696.51 in 2016 and $246,237.46 in 2017, MacLaren wrote in a court declaration.

His wife, who works for N2Growth, grosses about $216,684 a year, her salary having increased considerably over the past few years, while her husbands income has not, according to MacLaren.

In June 2018, the government attempted to liquidate Myatts 401(K) account with a balance of about $136,000, but couldnt since he hasnt received any funds from it and cant collect until his age 59.5.

Myatt, in a deposition, said in May 2016: So, you know, I pay six figures in taxes every year trying to build a business, to create jobs, and to create opportunity, and to create an engine to pay back restitution. I'm not opposed to paying a fair share. I'm not opposed to trying to pay a reasonable amount. I am opposed to anything that would put the business at jeopardy, that would actually hurt everybody involved; you know, employees, family, and investors.

Legal observers say that while re-sentencing of a defendant for intentionally not paying restitution is legally authorized by federal law, its unusual and rarely pursued.

U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon, who heard argument in the case this week, got to the crux of the matter: I presume the government wants Mr. Myatt to pay his restitution obligation.

The judge said he wanted to hold an evidentiary hearing that would focus on whether Myatt had the ability to pay his restitution, and whether the $8,000 a month schedule of payments was fair.

Simon said the government had the right to ask for Myatt to be re-sentenced if it can show hes voluntarily choosing not to pay. But before sending Myatt back to prison, Simon said he wanted to make sure we dot our is and cross our ts.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.The Oregon Department of Justice objects to a federal judge vacating Frank Gables sentence for the 1989 killing of the Oregon prisons chief, but wont object to Gables release from state custody under certain conditions as the state appeals an order to retry Gable for the crime, its lawyers wrote in a new court filing Friday.

Dismissing Gables aggravated murder conviction and life sentence without the possibility of parole would go beyond the scope of Gables habeas corpus petition, which was a request to review the lawfulness of Gables imprisonment, not his sentence or conviction, the state Justice Department lawyers argue.

Yet they concede in a footnote that some courts have assumed that a federal judge considering such a petition does have the authority to throw out a state courts conviction, yet contend that step shouldnt be taken until the state is given a reasonable time to correct any constitutional problem.

Gable, now 59, has served nearly 30 years in prison since he was convicted of murder for the 1989 stabbing death of Oregon prison chief Michael Francke, 42.

In a stunning ruling in April, U.S. Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta found that the state judge in the Gable case was wrong to exclude another mans confession to the crime from the trial and that Gables defense lawyers at the time should have asserted Gables federal due process rights in light of that error. Acosta ordered Gable be released or retried within 90 days of his order.

Acosta also found Gables lawyers had made a showing of "actual innocence'' based on new and old information, including a slew of witnesses in the case who have now recanted their testimony and a record of improper interrogation and flawed polygraphs used to question the witnesses and shape their statements to police.

The state is appealing Acostas ruling and has urged the judge to place a hold on his order for a new trial.

Gables lawyers have argued for Gables release, pending the states appeal, and asked that Acosta dismiss Gables murder conviction. They want Gable to be released from the state prison in Lansing, Kansas where hes now being held and allowed to live with his wife in Kansas under federal supervision stemming from an unrelated 1991 conviction in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Gables lawyers want the time that Gable has served in state custody to be credited toward the eight year and nine month federal sentence he received for the firearms offense, which was to run consecutive to his state sentence.

But state Justice Department lawyers say the state corrections department wont re-compute Gables time served, and the federal Bureau of Prisons wont allow Gables state sentence to be credited towards his federal sentence, until after the appeal is settled and only if Gables state sentence is vacated.

If Acosta orders Gables release from state custody, hell be transferred to the U.S. Marshals Service and then likely would have to start serving his nearly 9-year federal sentence, Oregons assistant attorney generals contend.

The state lawyers submitted an email from Nicholas S. Bolduc, senior attorney for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, who said Gable would have to start serving his federal sentence if released from state custody, until the appeal is heard and a final ruling is made regarding his state sentence.

If the position of the federal prisons bureau changes, the state would not object to Gables release to federal supervision under additional conditions, the state Justice Department lawyers also wrote to the court.

The extra conditions they want are: electronic monitoring if a federal officer thinks its necessary; restrictions on travel to the state hes released to and a prohibition that he not be allowed to obtain or use a passport; that he have no contact with any of the witnesses from the murder trial; that he surrender to either the U.S. Marshals Service or Oregon law enforcement if the state prevails in its appeal and he must return to state custody; or that he surrender if the state loses the appeal and needs to retry him in Marion County Circuit Court.

Acosta has set a hearing for argument on the motion for Gables release for June 26, if both sides cant come to an agreement.

Patrick Francke, Michael Franckes older brother who never believed Gable was responsible for his brothers death, said hes perplexed by the states stance and continues to urge that Gable be released.

"There is no sin in admitting a mistake; the sin is in refusing to admit the mistake. We have said before; justice delayed is justice denied. Frank should not spend another minute behind bars,'' Patrick Francke said in a statement.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.With graduation season in the rearview, Portland-area students are either looking forward to a three-month break or their first year of (near) total independence as they either begin their freshman year of college or enter the workforce.

But even though the kids have left the buildings, the wheels are still turning as budgets firm up and teachers and administrators move around.

Here are this weeks education stories from Portland and beyond:

From the inbox  or the school board meeting minutes:

Franklin High Schools new mascot is now officially the Lightning.

As school officials discussed the process of dropping the Quakers moniker and adopting the communitys choice of replacement, board member Scott BailBailey said, Its really a striking one.

But he didnt stop there.

Bailey also said he got really charged up listening to school officials and students speak about the name changes and said the board would agree to the name change with thunderous applause. The change was initiated by a 2015 complaint from a parent who said the Quaker name was an offensive appropriation of a religious faith and must be changed.

From around Portland:

Students in Oregons largest school district have long lobbied for a climate curriculum promised to them since 2016. Next year, theyll get their wish as the school board approved a budget that provides $145,000 to begin researching the curriculum this fall, then implement it by the 2020-21 school year. The New York Times featured the effort this week. Check out the bottom of this post for links to our previous coverage.

Were a little late on this next item, but figured it was worth highlighting even if it should have been included in this months first education roundup:

An adult video store that opened to outrage among parents at a North Portland middle school in 2003 quietly shuttered earlier this year. Pat Lanagan, owner of the Fat Cobra on North Interstate Avenue, said business had been on the decline for years. He told The Portland Mercurys Andrew Jaknowski that a tax hike under the Trump administration was the final nail in the coffin. Lanagan contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome after a disk replacement surgery in December 2018, he told the alt-weekly. The store was situated just across the street from the school

And around Oregon:

U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., is calling for the resignation of the federal Bureau of Indian Education director over the agencys management of the Chemawa Indian School in Salem. This comes weeks after Tony Dearman was grilled by a congressional committee on Capitol Hill. OPBs Rob Manning has the story.

OPBs Elizabeth Miller also has a two-part story on how the Corbett School District, where half of the student population is made up of families taking advantage of the states so-called open enrollment law, which sunsets July 1, plans on adopting a charter to mitigate its losses.

Portlanders have consistently renewed a five-year property tax levy to fund its public schools. But its not the state standard. In fact, Eugene and Portland are among a handful of cities that routinely vote to raise their own taxes to support schools. The Register-Guards Jordyn Brown reports.

From The Oregonian/OregonLive:

These are the top 20 Oregon PERS recipients as of Jan. 1, 2019

Portland high school student will compete in Jeopardy! Teen Tournament

School worker quits after telling students theyre lucky the werent picking cotton

$12 million accounting error, soaring public pension costs but Beaverton schools in dire straits

3 Oregon school employees sue their union for not letting them drop out

Madison baseball celebrates rich tradition with all-generations reunion

Portland State considers cutting tuition increases from 11% to 4.9%

They missed the Starlight, but Canby High marching band plays an even bigger stage at Grand Floral parade

Madras High boosts graduation rates for Native American students (via The Bend Bulletin)

Japanese exchange student speaks out about Washington high schools mushroom cloud logo (via The Tri-City Herald)

From other Portland-area media:

Reynolds High student honored for brave cancer battle (The Gresham Outlook)

Head of the class: Oregons top 25 districts for teachers (Portland Business Journal)

And heres our previous coverage on the student climate movement in Portland:

Hundreds of Portland students stage school walk-out, join international climate protests

In their words: Students sound off on Portland climate rally

Students press Portland school board to adopt climate curriculum promised 3 years ago

Portland school board approves $694 million budget: 5 things to knowAssociation of Trust and Management Companies (ATMC) and Global Finance Mauritius (GFM) hosted a panel discussion around Budget 2019-20s key measures for the financial services sector on the 14 June 2019 at the Hennessy Park Hotel, Ebene.

Sponsored by Bank One, the event welcomed over a hundred key stakeholders from the financial services sector, covering banks, management companies, accounting firms, law firms and institutional investors, amongst others.

Mr Vinod Bussawah, CEO, ATMC, opened the budget briefing event by welcoming the audience to the first edition of the joint budget briefing by the GFM and the ATMC. He observed that the pre-electoral Budget was a shower of social measures that seek to put Mauritius more firmly on the path of becoming a high income country which embraces sustainable development. He went on to note that the budget highlights five main measures to strengthen the Mauritius International Financial Centre, and opened the floor to Mr Maheshwar Doorgakant, President of ATMC and Managing Director of Apex Fund Services (Mauritius) Ltd, to shed more light on the key measures and how the IFC can take advantage of the opportunities opened by them.

Noting that this is the first of many joint initiatives by the GFM and ATMC, Mr Maheshwar Doorgakant introduced the panel, represented by financial services stalwarts such as Mr Pierre Dinan, FCA, an independent consultant and noted economist; Mr Gary Gowrea, Head of Structuring and Advisory, IQEQ; Mr Kamal Hawabhay, Managing Director, Global Wealth Management Services Ltd, and Mr Ben Lim, CEO, Intercontinental Trust Ltd.

Challenging macro-economic context

Providing an introduction to the budget against the wider macro-economic context, Mr Dinan noted the challenging global economic environment in which the Finance Minister has presented the budget. We have an economy that is terribly open to the world, he observed sombrely, adding that the reduced global growth rates by the IMF, the trade war between US and China, and the challenges posed by Brexit are all significant factors that will affect our export market.

He also highlighted the complex situation confronting the domestic market, where mature Mauritian industries such as sugarcane, textiles, construction and global businesses are facing numerous challenges, compounded by significant modifications to the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with India.

As a silver lining, Mr Dinan noted that the international reserves are comfortable, representing 11.2 months of import cover.

Moreover, our public debt, while sizeable, is made up largely of local currency and not foreign exchange. Hence, the servicing of that debt will not have too much of a deleterious effect on our forex reserves, he noted.

He ended on the cautionary note that where there is plenty of debate around the quantity of GDP growth, whether it be 3.9% or 4%, there should be more discussion around the quality thereof. The economy must grow on the back of value added industries, especially newer ones, which follow in the footsteps of the economic diversification that has been the hallmark of the island economy throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Developing new products

In context of the new framework for fund administration and fund management, Mr Ben Lim noted that we must develop new products in line with jurisdictions such as Seychelles and Cayman Islands, which boast thousands of funds located in their shores. In this context, a positive measure in the current budget is the umbrella licence for wealth management, which actively promotes the development of new products in the private banking and wealth management space.

He also observed that the attractive tax regime to promote the development of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) is a very good thing to enlarge the investment ecosystem and allow people both within and outside Mauritius to get access and exposure to property on the island. However, he emphasised the importance of ensuring a flexible product that allows investment in different real estate asset classes.

Especially on the mortgage side, it is important that we take this aspect into account and allow the banking sector to participate in drafting the law, to arrive at an REIT product that is very attractive to investors, he added.

He noted that the new trading platform by the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) for medium-sized enterprises is a welcome measure as companies that do not fit into the current set-up are encouraged to raise capital, go into the market for liquidity and add substance to the SEM.

Streamlining of regulations

At this point, Mr Doorgakant raised the importance of the business facilitation bill and queried if it is good enough for Mauritius.

On this count, Mr Kamal Hawabhay praised the move to set up a single-window system at the FSC to allow for submission of documents for financial services and global business applications. He also mentioned that while he had hoped the budget would have more measures to encourage banks to lend to global businesses, especially those in Africa, he would welcome a banking insight on how effective the special VAT exemption on income derived by banks from Global Business Companies would be in this regard.

To this question, Mr Carl Chirwa, Head of International Banking at Bank One, noted that ,We need to unpack the measure of special VAT exemption on income derived by banks from global businesses to see how we can take advantage of it. We know that this measure is structured to help Mauritian banks catch all the FDI that flows into Africa. However, big banks are present in the continent and Mauritius banks might not be able to compete on size. But what I can confirm is that we are not going to let size come in the way  we are going to do smart things in smart countries.

Mr Lim noted that we are already significantly well poised on ease of doing business, and these changes will improve the flow of information between us and other African countries.

Partial Exemption Regime

On the tax front, Mr Gary Gowrea emphasised that the budget has much to offer, however, at the outset, it was important to develop the global business sector as a value added sector without tax exemption being an overriding consideration.

He also cautioned that while we have a tick from the OECD on the partial exemption regime, the concern is more from the EU. The overriding question by the EU is how do you ensure that businesses carry out core economic activities in Mauritius and satisfy substance requirements. For this, he noted that the IT Act will now be amended to bring such requirements under it, instead of under the Financial Services Act. He stated, People and premises are the cornerstone of substance requirements. While the EU says that we can outsource activity, but the issue is the multiple outsourcing of activities.

He also commented on Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) rules and reiterated that the government would have no difficulty in implementing this rule because here on the island, investment structures are investing in active companies.

Missing measures and budgetary gaps

Needless to say, while the budget has much to offer all stakeholders, there are certain items that remain on the wish list.

On this front, Mr Dinan queried the budgets twin failures to take into account the immense potential of the 2.5 million square kilometres of maritime space as well as the need to upskill local talent to avoid overdependence on immigrants.

Mr Hawabhay queried the lack of extension of the partial exemption regime to FinTech, noting that while the budget gives a preponderance of tax holidays to several sectors, FinTech is a prominent exception. As one of the emerging industries that is being eyed as a potential diversification avenue for the Mauritian economy, he cautioned that we must not lose sight of the importance of developing this sector.

In closing, he warned that we must show respect to the financial services sector and resist the temptation to pay only lip service to it.

In conclusion

In the Q&A session, important concerns were raised around the potential prospect of EU putting pressure on Mauritius to do away with selling residency rights in return for bringing in high-value investments; the short-term nature of macro-economic measures such as using Bank of Mauritius reserves to pay off the public debt as well as the need to comply with more stringent substance requirements by the EU.

Following the insightful panel discussion, Mr Ravneet Chowdhury, CEO, Bank One, presented tokens of appreciation to all the panellists.

Finally, Mr Samade Jhummun, CEO, GFM, delivered the closing remarks, thanking Bank One and ATMC for extending their support to the event. On a closing note, he mentioned that Budget 2019-20 has much to offer for all key stakeholders in the financial services sector.

Be it in the form of diversifying our product offerings, streamlining legislations to improve ease of doing business, or strengthening the regulatory framework, the Budget has decisive measures to offer on all fronts, he stated.

At the heart of all budgetary measures pertaining to the financial services sector lies the firm intent to ably build upon last years Blueprint for the sector to guide our path to continued growth and success, he concluded.

Jac Daniel Jean Claude Le Roy Redacteur en chef, web journaliste, video monteur, SFPJ niveau 1 en journalisme, pere de la video et du Online news pour les actualites a Maurice et membre du Media Trust ( 2019  2021) et (2021  2023). See author's posts

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ITT Tech had campuses in Portland and Salem. It closed its doors in 2016 -- part of a wave of for-profit college failures. Critics, including federal and state regulators and many students, claimed the company charged excessive tuitions for low-quality instruction and degrees that were worth very little in their post-graduation job hunts.

Former ITT students have an easier time obtaining employment when they remove ITT from their resumes entirely, claimed a group of students who intervened in the companys bankruptcy case in 2017.

The actual settlement is with Student CU Connect, or the CUSO, which financed approximately $189 million in student loans to ITT students between 2009 and 2011. The justice department alleged CUSO offered students Temporary Credit upon enrollment. The credit covered the gap in tuition between federal student aid and the full cost of the education.

Students were expected to repay the temporary credit before their next academic year. The vast majority -- about 90 percent -- students failed to do so.

Their balances will be reduced to zero, said Kate Campbell, the justice department attorney who led the case for Oregon.

Like many of the largest for-profit colleges, ITT relied on a steady flow of federal student loan money to survive. The company called it quits just weeks after the U.S. Department of Education cut ITT off.

These pressure tactics to get students to accept high-interest loans, and then to require them to repay the loans with an impossibly short turnaround, were nothing short of unconscionable, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said. Going to college should not require incurring unreasonable debt. Oregon students and their families deserve better.

CUSO agreed to forego collection of the outstanding loans, Campbell said. It will also cease doing business.

The CUSOs loan servicer will send notices to borrowers about the cancelled debt and ensure cancellation of automatic payments. The settlement also requires CUSO to supply credit reporting agencies with information to update credit profiles of the borrowers.

The former ITT students will receive notices containing relevant information and a contact phone number and webpage.Its a bit of a leap to go from playing a charming computer hacker working with a team of reformed crooks to portraying a crusading assistant district attorney. But if anybody knows its an actors job to be versatile, its Aldis Hodge, who has been in show business since he was three years old.

Hodge, who costarred in the Portland-filmed series Leverage for five seasons and also starred in Underground, the critically praised drama about escaped slaves and abolitionists in the pre-Civil War years, is returning to TV screens in City on a Hill, an ambitious new drama that premieres on Showtime Sunday, June 16.

Set during the early 1990s in Boston, the series focuses on a time when the city was wracked by racism and corruption coming from the law enforcement agencies that were supposed to enforce justice.

Kevin Bacon costars as a longtime FBI agent, Jackie Rohr, who has plenty of experience with corruption himself. Nevertheless, Rohr joins forces with Decourcy Ward (Hodge), an assistant district attorney who wants to shake up the Boston criminal justice system.

Executive producers include Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and TV veteran Tom Fontana (Homicide: Life on the Street), whos also the showrunner.

Talking about his character during a panel discussion of City on a Hill at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Hodge said Ward is very much dedicated to the idea of justice, but he realizes he may have to get his hands dirty to do the job. So, its, like, how many battles do you want to lose to win the war?

And Ive talked to some real DAs, and to a degree, thats the reality, Hodge said. Sometimes, youve got to give up a little bit. Sometimes youve got to get your hands a little musty just to go in, but you still fight to maintain your solvency and who you are, the truth of who you are.

Kevin Bacon as Jackie Rohr and Aldis Hodge as Decourcy Ward in the new Showtime series, "City on a Hill." (Photo Credit: Claire Folger/Showtime)

After the panel, Hodge reflected on the contrast between his recent, serious roles and the escapist appeal of Leverage. That series, which filmed all but its first season in Portland, took a generally light-hearted approach to stories about a team (played by Timothy Hutton, Gina Bellman, Hodge, Christian Kane and Beth Riesgraf) who used their less-than-law-abiding skills to help underdog good guys being exploited by fat cat bad guys.

Though Leverage was canceled by TNT, the series still has a devoted fan base, who watch it in reruns.

Its insane to me, Hodge said of the lasting appeal of Leverage.

I mean, its 2019, we stopped filming seven years ago, in 2012, Hodge said. People still love that show. Ive never been a part of an experience like that, where people still hold on to it, they are still asking for the next season, seven years later.

With a laugh, Hodge said, Im like, 'Ive been on two, three, four different shows in that time, and youre talking about Leverage.

Thats OK with him, Hodge added. I love it. The fandom is insane.

Leverage keeps getting new fans, he said. The show is airing in markets that are seeing us for the first time, all across the globe. For them, its fresh. But it is a little sad, every now and then, having to tell a fan that, sorry, you realize were done, and were not coming back.

Disappointed fans will say, Well, just give us a movie! Hodge said, with a smile. I wish we could give you a movie. Im all for it.

The Leverage devotion, Hodge said, is something unlike Ive ever experienced before. But Im really grateful for it.

City on a Hill premieres the first of its 10 hour-long episodes at 9 p.m., Sunday, June 16 on Showtime.

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.A rally calling for an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump will take place Saturday morning at Terry Schrunk Plaza in downtown Portland.

The #ImpeachTrump rally will feature Oregon Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer, according to the events Facebook page. Its set to begin at 10:30 a.m., with speakers starting at 11 a.m.

An impeachment inquiry is the best way for Congress to continue to investigate Trump's crimes, misconduct and abuse of power, the event details read.

Blumenauer is one of two Oregon representatives who have stood in support of an impeachment inquiry against Trump, according to the New York Times.

In all, more than 60 House Democrats and one House Republican support an impeachment inquiry, according to the Times.

Kayse Jama, director of Unite Oregon, a non-profit and intercultural movement for justice, is scheduled to speak at the event as well.

#ImpeachTrump rallies are taking place across the United States tomorrow in more than 100 cities, according to the rallys website. In Oregon alone, rallies are planned in Portland, Bend, Astoria, Eugene and several other cities, as well as in Vancouver, Washington.

Portlands rally is being organized by Indivisible Oregon, Nasty Women Get (expletive) Done PDX, and Stand On Every Corner PDX.

Supporters of President Trump plan a peaceful counter-protest. The right-wing group Patriot Prayer posted a link to the event on its Facebook page Thursday calling on supporters to show up at the pro-impeachment rallies.

"Get out your flags and your MAGA hats and show them some peaceful opposition, the Patriot Prayer post read.

-- Peter Talbot

ptalbot@oregonian.com

503-221-5772; @petejtalbot

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.Limits on campaign donations in one of Americas biggest money states will have to wait for another legislative session.

A bill that last week cleared the Oregon House with several loopholes intact is not advancing in the state Senate, according to Sen. Jeff Golden, chairman of the Senate Campaign Finance Committee.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are moving ahead with a measure asking voters to amend Oregons constitution by authorizing the creation of campaign finance restrictions.

The Senate Rules Committee, led by Democratic Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, is scheduled to hold a work session Monday on Senate Joint Resolution 18 along with two other campaign-related bills.

Sending the resolution to voters is significant, said Dan Meek, a Portland attorney who has worked for years to establish campaign limits. That is a victory for campaign finance reform.

The death of House Bill 2714, which would set specific dollar caps in anticipation of the constitutional measures passage, gives lawmakers more time to find agreement before SJR 18 goes to voters in November 2020. The Legislature meets again in February.

HB 2714, sponsored by Rep. Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, passed the House 35-23 on a largely party-line vote with most Republicans opposed. It would cap contributions to House and Senate candidates at $1,000 and $1,500, and statewide candidates at $2,800. (For general election candidates the limits would effectively be twice as high, with a donor able to give once in the primary and again in the general election.)

Some bill critics said the restrictions werent tight enough to curtail the influence of campaign money. One Republican lawmaker said the bill went too far, curbing the ability of candidates to effectively campaign.

Burdick couldnt immediately be reached for comment, but Rayfield and Golden confirmed the limits bill was dead.

I am excited we got as far as we did," Rayfield said. "I do believe theres room for improvement on the base bill. Im going to work my darndest to make sure we have an absolutely solid bill in February that will hopefully have the votes.

Today, Oregon is one of just five states with no limits at all on campaign contributions, fueling an arms race that makes state elections some of the nations costliest. The 2018 governors race broke records, with Democrat Kate Brown and Republican Knute Buehler raising nearly $40 million. But even competitive races for two-year House seats can cost $1 million.

The Oregonian/OregonLives series Polluted by Money series showed that on a per capita basis, corporate interests gave more money to Oregon lawmakers over a decade than in any state in the country.

The investigation found the outsize influence of corporate money has helped limit environmental protections in a state that once aimed to be an environmental pioneer.

Golden ran on a platform of getting money out of state politics. He said the newsroom investigation was clearly a factor in getting us here. But with the end of session nearing and several major bills yet to be voted upon, he said legislation to set clear limits was too important to be rushed.

Golden said he wanted to see Oregon adopt a simple, understandable campaign finance system with limits low enough to encourage more public participation in government. The bill shouldnt include the word unlimited anywhere, he said.

HB 2714 contained at least one big loophole that could still allow vast sums of money to flow to candidates. Donors would just have to get a little more creative. The legislation would allow federal candidates to give unlimited amounts to political party committees, which in turn could give unlimited amounts to a candidate.

Though donations to federal candidates are limited to $2,800 per election, anyone can file to run as a federal candidate.

Attorney Dan Meek, who authored campaign finance initiatives adopted by sweeping majorities of Portland and Multnomah County voters, had estimated that under HB 2714 a wealthy individual could still route as much as $400,000 to a single candidate by funneling small amounts through numerous intermediate state and federal political committees.

Dan Meek, a lawyer and campaign finance reform advocate, created this diagram to describe for lawmakers how contribution limits would work under House Bill 2714.

Politicos like to say, My votes not for sale, and thats great, Golden said. But its hard for Oregonians to believe that six-figure checks dont distract you from weighing your decision against the greater public good.

He said lawmakers would revisit limits in next years short session.

Im not too concerned about coming back eight months from now, Golden said. People arent going to forget your article and the factors at play in the next eight months.

HB 2714 explicitly would have killed off standards that voters approved in 2006 with Measure 47, which confined donors to giving $100 to legislative candidates and $500 for statewide races. The 2006 law is on the books but currently unenforceable, thanks to a decades-old state court ruling that says Oregons constitution doesnt permit limits on political money.

To see the difference that contribution limits would make in Oregon, try out The Oregonian/OregonLives calculator. It simulates how much 2018 legislative campaigns would receive under various scenarios.

 Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657; @robwdavis

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka.

Thursday, June 13

11:17 p.m.  Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Ingersoll Township.

11:17 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to the City of Midland in reference to a breaking-and-entering that occurred in Lincoln Township. A 45-year-old Sanford woman said that her rental property was recently broken into and she believes that her ex-tenant, a 38-year-old Jerome Township woman, was responsible. Nothing was taken from the residence. The 45-year-old did not wish to pursue charges, nor have the suspect spoken with  she only wanted the incident documented.

7:39 p.m.  Officers performed a warrant arrest on East Grove Street.

7:02 p.m.  Officers responded to a hit-and-run crash in the 900 block of Joe Mann Boulevard.

7:01 p.m.  Officers responded to a crash causing property damage in the area of Eastlawn Drive and Waldo Avenue.

5:31 p.m.  A deputy responded to a single-vehicle crash in Ingersoll Township.

3:55 p.m.  A deputy responded to a car-deer crash in Geneva Township.

3:52 p.m.  Officers responded to a property damage accident in the area of Waldo Avenue and East Patrick Road.

12:04 p.m.  Deputies responded to a single-vehicle traffic crash in Edenville Township. The at-fault driver was issued a citation for violation of basic speed law causing an accident.

11:52 a.m.  Officers responded to a vehicle crash on private property in the 1500 block of South Saginaw Road.

11:32 a.m.  Animal Control was dispatched to Warren Township in reference to a dog that was found. The dog was taken to the Humane Society of Midland County, with the owner information unknown at this time.

11:21 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to Stark Road north of Bombay Road in Hope Township regarding a deceased deer in the roadway. The deer was removed from the road.

4:46 a.m.  Officers responded to a crash resulting in property damage in the area of North Saginaw Road and Perrine Road.

1:45 a.m.  The Sheriff's Office is investigating a hit-and-run after a deputy passed a vehicle dragging it's front bumper in Ingersoll Township. The vehicle turned down a side road and the occupants of the vehicle ran away on foot. The deputy impounded the vehicle.

1:20 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Mills Township trailer in reference to a burn complaint. A 55-year-old Mills Township man and his 40-year-old wife reported that their 54-year-old neighbor was burning trash. Upon the deputy's arrival, the husband and wife thought they heard one of their car doors shut, causing them to look outside and see the fire. The deputy also answered questions from the complainants regarding the Personal Protection Order process. The deputy made contact with the 54-year-old male neighbor, who denied going on the complaints' property or opening their car door. The man did admit to burning trash. The deputy talked to him about what type of items he could burn and what type he could not. The deputy also answered several questions related to counseling and substance abuse counseling for the man and provided him with telephone numbers.

12:02 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a residence in Greendale Township in reference to a domestic assault. Deputies discovered the assault was between a 24-year-old man and his 53-year-old father and caused minor injuries. The father was placed under arrest and transported to the Midland County Jail without incident. A report of the incident was completed and turned over to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

Wednesday, June 12

11:13 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township trailer park in reference to a report that a man was trying to run over a woman with a car. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with a 19-year-old male witness who said the man was not trying to run over the woman, but was following her in his car while the two were arguing.

11:05 p.m.  Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Mount Haley Township.

11 p.m.  A deputy responded to the emergency room for a report of a dog bite.

10:13 p.m.  A 30-year-old woman reported an unknown red car pulled up to her mailbox and may have taken mail out of it. The car left eastbound on Gordonville Road. The caller had no idea who it was nor who would want her mail. She said there was nothing of importance inside the mailbox. The caller wasn't worried about the incident and just wanted to get it documented in case other residents have similar incidents happen.

10:03 p.m.  Officers responded to a car-deer crash on westbound US-10 near the Sturgeon Avenue overpass.

6:28 p.m. A deputy made contact with a Lincoln Township man who reported a salesman came to his residence that day and was very pushy in his sales attempt. Eventually the salesman left. The complainant was worried the man was casing his residence. The deputy attempted to contact the salesman, who left a business card, but received no response.

7:41 p.m.  Officers responded to a report of criminal sexual conduct in the 6100 block of Sequoia Lane.The African Development Bank on the 14th June 2019concluded its Annual Meetings, amid growing consensus that regional integration is imperative to a new phase in African prosperity.

Around 2,000 delegates gathered in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to discuss ways to fast-track regional integration after the milestone African Continental Free Area (AfCFTA) was endorsed earlier this year.

We have had an excellent exchange with all of our shareholders. They were extremely impressed by the work achieved by the Bank, particularly in terms of regional integration, said African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina at the closing press conference of the Meetings.

Our AAA rating is preserved and protected  Look at our income. Its sky-high.

The theme for the Malabo Meetings was Regional Integration for Africas Economic Prosperity. Cesar Mba Abogo, the countrys Minister of Finance, said the Annual Meetings had allowed its country to showcase its opportunities.

This has been a great moment for us. It fits in with our development plan and our investment needs. This is a country that is open for business and open to everyone. We are extremely happy to showcase what we have to the world, he said.

During the Meetings, the Board of Governors discussed the Banks performance, outlook and a proposed General Capital Increase (GCI). Adesina welcomed the solid support from the Banks shareholders, who gave the go-ahead for further discussions around a GCI. Responding to a question on the Banks support to fragile nations, Adesina said: Every dollar that the Bank spent in GCI led to $17 of benefit to low-income countries. So the GCI not just for rich countries, it lifts everybody up.

Adesina said the Banks transition facility continued to assist countries emerging from conflict, while its investments played a strategic role in helping countries that find themselves in the triangle of disaster  unemployment, poverty and environmental degradation.

The four-day Annual Meetings were attended by ministers, government officials, African Union representatives, development partners and civil society leaders, who gathered to deliberate on the continents development agenda.

The next Annual Meetings will be held in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, in May.

Jac Daniel Jean Claude Le Roy Redacteur en chef, web journaliste, video monteur, SFPJ niveau 1 en journalisme, pere de la video et du Online news pour les actualites a Maurice et membre du Media Trust ( 2019  2021) et (2021  2023). See author's posts

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The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network hosted a mobile food pantry at Trinity Lutheran Church on Jefferson Avenue in Midland on Thursday, May 30. In addition to hosting the event, the congregation also funded the free food give-away.

Seventy-seven volunteers served 185 families (573 individuals) with 17,350 pounds of food purchased from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. The food included fresh produce (oranges and chopped carrots), boxed and canned foods, frozen pizza and meat, milk and other beverages, pastries and breads. The Network is also very grateful to the many donors of food, money and time throughout the year to the Network's mission of "always food in every home."

Midland County residents in (financial) need of food and personal care items during the year may call the Network number of 486-9393 to leave a name and phone number. The sixth MFP of 2019 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 19, at Blessed Sacrament Church on the corner of Swede and Ashman roads in Midland. Thanks again to the members of Trinity Lutheran Church for its generous partnership in this mission.

SALLY ANN SUTTON

Midland County EFPNMental health issues disrupt family life, the workplace, school and the community. The Mental Health Services and Gaps committee of the Midland County Health and Human Services Council is working to increase awareness of the services that are available for persons with a mental illness. The committee also wants to reduce the stigma often attached to mental illness that can deter a person from stepping forward to seek help.

There are many forms of mental illness including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression. If treated properly with the right medications and therapies, a person can often successfully navigate life. If untreated, a person might have difficulties holding a job, staying in school, and maintaining a relationship. Two worse case scenarios are behaviors that lead to incarceration and sometimes, harm to one's self, including suicide.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.Gaborone, Botswana (PANA) - Botswanas national airliner Embraer E170 has been licensed and integrated into service, after a brief suspension, an official source told PANA here SaturdayKhartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The Sudanese government officially announced here Saturday deposed president Omar Bashir will be brought to a court of law next week on charges of corruption and illegal possession of foreign currenciesKhartoum, Sudan (PANA)- Sudan and Eritrea have agreed to open the common borders for free movement of people and goods, with Eritrean president stressing that no one should intervene into Sudans domestic questions and how they are to be resolvedNiamey, Niger (PANA) - Technical and financial partners (TFPs) pledged on Friday to provide support to Niger to accelerate the implementation of its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector Program (PROSEHA) 2016- 2030, officials said in a statement reaching PANA hereDon't travel with bed bugs

As travel season begins, be sure not to bring bed bugs with you from your vacation destination. Bed bugs can be found anywhere from campsites to five-star hotels, said Candy Mannes, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association. Some people transport bed bugs with them back to their homes without knowing it, she said. To reduce the risk of these hitchhiking pests, the pest management association recommends inspecting a hotel room before unpacking, including pulling back bed sheets and inspecting mattress seams. After returning home, vacuum and inspect suitcases before bringing them into your home. If you think you may have brought bed bugs with you, seek professional pest control assistance.

Mindfulness helps health

Mindfulness can help people to stay healthy, said Julie Potiker, author of "Life Falls Apart but You Don't Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos." When you are working out or going for a walk, open up all your senses to fully experience your movement and your environment. You will appreciate your body and your surroundings, which will result in a more complete experience. Eat and drink slowly and savor the tastes and aromas, which generally results in eating less. When you are frustrated, acknowledge your frustrations and remind yourself that you are smart and resilient.

AMA supports LGBTQ community

Fatal attacks against transgender people prompted the American Medical Association, at its annual meeting in Chicago, to adopt a plan to bring national attention to violence against the transgender community. Fatal anti-transgender violence in the United States is on the rise and most victims have been black transgender women, said Dr. S. Bobby Mukkamala, an AMA board member. The AMA plan calls for forming partnerships with other organizations to educate the public about these hate crimes, advocating for consistent collection and reporting of data on hate crimes, advocating for stronger law enforcement policies regarding interactions with transgender individuals and increasing access to mental health treatment.

Contact Paul Swiech at (309) 820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech

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Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.NORMAL  It will be sometime next week before fire investigators determine the origin and cause of a house fire that claimed the life of a 76-year-old woman.

Judith Dawson was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, shortly after firefighters pulled her from her burning home at 1313 Baugh Drive.

Normal Fire spokesman Matt Swaney told The Pantagraph on Saturday it would be next week before a determination on cause and origin would be made.

Dawson, who lived alone, likely died from carbon monoxide intoxication after breathing in smoke and soot, McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder previously said.

The fire was reported about 3:30 p.m. by a neighbor and a passerby who saw smoke pouring out of the one-story brick home. Arriving firefighters found flames coming from a window at the back of the house.Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Central Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Harsh Vardhan jointly inaugurated the two-day East India Climate Change conclave at Gyan Bhawan in Patna.

Officials from Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh are participating in the conclave to discuss the impact of climate change in their region and ways to minimize their effects.

While Harsh Vardhan touted the accomplishments of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Center, Kumar gave himself full marks for initiating steps to tackle impact of climate change in his own state.

"Eastern India is prone to natural disasters like floods, drought, and earthquakes and these problems have further been aggravated by dramatic change in climate in the recent years. India, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, is going to present a plan to counter climate change that would be a model for the rest of the world. We are also way ahead of the schedule in keeping our promises that we had made during the Paris Climate Accord in 2015," the Union Minister said adding India would reach its goal of producing clean energy by the end of 2022.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in his address, touted his administration's success in reversing the process of deforestation in the state and turning it around with more green space in the state than ever before.

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi highlighted Bihar's commitment towards moving from fossil-fuel based energy to producing solar energy in the state's power plants.

"Initially, the power plants to be set up in Pirpainti in Bhagalpur and Kaira in Lakhisarai were slated to be coal-based but we have made modifications in it so they are solar based and not based on fossil fuels," Modi said adding the two plants were expected to be in operation by 2022 with each one producing 350MW of electricity to be consumed in the state

The two-day conclave is organized by the Bihar Environment and Forests Department in association Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI), and Action on Climate.HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  A man who told a grand jury investigating child sex abuse that he had victimized 16 to 18 people, but who couldn't be prosecuted because the cases were too old, is now seeking to keep his name and any other identifying information from being made public.

Details of the 2018 investigation and the man's testimony were disclosed this week when the state Supreme Court unsealed documents in the dispute over the grand jury's yet-to-be-released report, with any information that could identify the man blacked out.

The judge who supervised the grand jury in Franklin County, near the Maryland border, had said the report should be public.

But the admitted serial abuser appealed to the state's highest court. His lawyers say that allowing him to be identified now would effectively be an end run around the state's statute of limitations, which the judge said is shielding him from prosecution.

The grand jury investigation began a year ago with a single victim seeking justice for wrongs committed against him decades ago, but others later came forward, including four adult men who were teenagers when, they said, they were victimized about 40 years ago, Common Pleas Judge Carol Van Horn wrote in one of the newly unsealed documents.

"Here we have an admission from the unindicted person who is protected by the statute of limitations from criminal prosecution after he was afforded all the protections of due process," the judge said in ordering the report's release.

Furthermore, she noted, the man who was the subject of the investigation "estimated the number of victims of his abuse to be 16 to 18" and chose not to have a lawyer with him when he testified.

Jurors, she said, felt compelled to issue the report and provide counseling resources, "given the reference to the number of victims by all who testified."

The man's lawyer Brian Platt declined to comment Thursday.

Franklin County District Attorney Matthew Fogal, who wants the Supreme Court to uphold the judge's findings that the report be public, also declined to comment, citing grand jury confidentiality.

His lawyers have some recent precedent on their side in seeking to shield the man's identity.

Late last year, the states high court granted a request by 11 Roman Catholic clerics to keep their names out of a separate investigative grand jury report into sexual abuse of children by priests. In a 6-1 ruling, the justice said keeping secret the names of the 11 priests was, at that point, the only way to protect the priests constitutional right to reputation.A middle school graduation practice in Rutherford, N.J. turned violent when a 14-year-old student allegedly stabbed his principal.

According to ABC 7, an eighth-grader at Washington School was taken into custody on Friday morning.

Union School principal Principal Kurt Schweitzer was leading a graduation rehearsal at around 9:30 a.m. June 14 when police say the student ran across the gym and thrusted a folding knife several times, striking the principals chest.

Authorities say the suspect then turned around, dropped the knife and placed his hands in the air." At that point they said a teacher grabbed the weapon and walked the student outside. The juvenile was then taken into custody.

Both the principal and student were treated by Rutherford Ambulance Corps for non-life-threatening wounds, police said.

This morning at Washington School a student attacked a school principal. The juvenile was taken into custody by RPD. No one is in danger, no students were hurt. It is an ongoing investigation. Press release to follow.  Rutherford Police (@RutherfordPDNJ) June 14, 2019

No one is in danger, no students were hurt, police wrote on the departments Facebook page.

The student has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two weapon possession charges, a police statement said.

Police said they are not concerned about any more threats but plan to be present at Wednesdays graduation ceremony.

READ MORE:A teenager in Edmund, Oklahoma, is blaming drug-induced hallucinations for the reason he slammed a baby in a car seat in a store parking lot.

According to News 4 in Oklahoma, the teenager was captured on video beating on moving cars at the Crest Foods grocery store before slamming the car seat.

The news site said a 911 caller said, "He literally just picked up the car seat and threw it with the baby in it. You could hear the baby screaming.

Reports from several media sources said the baby had abrasions to the neck and head but was doing OK.

Witnesses also reported to police seeing the suspect engaged in other erratic behavior including trying to bend a parking sign in half, exposing himself and flipping off people. They told police the 17-year-old then stripped off his clothing and ran through on-coming traffic into a nearby neighborhood.

According to Koko News ABC 5, the suspect said he had smoked marijuana and it had been laced either with acid or PCP. He was taken to a nearby medical center to be checked out.

Police said the teen faces complaints of aggravated assault and battery, a misdemeanor count of assault on a police officer, indecent exposure, public intoxication and malicious injury or destruction of property.

READ MORE:Residents around Carlisles Memorial Park celebrate Juneteenth with music, food and a historical walking lecture on the African-American graveyard still buried under a section of the park.

Juneteenth, or a contraction of the words june and nineteenth commemorate June 19, 1865, the day when word reach Texas at the end of the Civil War that slavery was abolished.

In 2019 Juneteenth is observed in 45 states.Pennsylvania hunting licenses for the 2019-20 hunting seasons go on sale Monday, June 17, and back this year, with each license purchased is the complimentary, printed Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest of rules, regulations and information.

For the past 2 years, the digest was provided for free online, with hunters able to download a digital copy to print on their own, while a print edition cost $6.

While the commission noted that many hunters have grown accustomed to getting the information online for free, the additional charge for a print copy caused considerable grumbling among some segments of hunters.

General hunting licenses and furtaker licenses each continue to cost $20.90 for Pennsylvania residents and $101.90 for nonresidents.

Also new this year, 2 new elk hunting seasons  a September archery season and a January season for antlerless elk  have been added to the general season in November, all with licenses awarded through lottery.

Hunters can apply for a chance to take part in any of the three seasons, or all of them, but a separate application is needed for each. There is an $11.90 application fee for each season, meaning it costs $35.70 to apply for all three.

A total 142 elk licenses  32 for antlered elk - have been allocated for 2019-20: 15 for the archery season, 98 for the general season and 29 for the January season.

The deadline to apply for an elk license is July 31.

The application period for doe hunting licenses begins Monday, July 8.

Here are the hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for 2019-20:

Squirrel - Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and mentored youth  October 5-19 (6 daily, 18 in possession limit after first day). October 19-November 29; December 16-24 and December 26-February 29 (6 daily, 18 possession).

Ruffed grouse  October 19November 29 and December 16-24 (2 daily, 6 possession).

Rabbit - Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license  October 5-October19 (4 daily, 12 possession). October 19-November 29, December 16-24 and December 26-February 29 (4 daily, 12 possession).

Pheasant - Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license  October 12-19 (2 daily, 6 in possession). Male pheasants only in WMUs 4E and 5A. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas. October 26-November 29, December 16-24 and December 26-February 29 (2 daily, 6 in possession). Male pheasants only in WMUs 4E and 5A. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas.

Bobwhite quail  October 19-November 29, December 16-24 and December 26-February 29 (8 daily, 24 possession).

Hare (snowshoe rabbit) - December 26-January 1 (1 daily, 3 possession).

Woodchuck (groundhog) - No closed season, except on Sundays and during the regular firearms deer seasons. No limit.

Crow - July 5-April 12, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.

Starling - No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer season. No limit.

English sparrow - No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer season. No limit.

Wild turkey (male or female) - WMU 1B  November 2-November 9; WMU 2B (shotgun and bow and arrow)  November 2-22 and November 28-29; WMUs 1A, 2A, 4A and 4B,  November 2-November 9 and November 28 and 29; WMUs 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E  November 2-16 and November 28 and 29; WMU 2C  November 2-November 22 and November 28 and 29; WMU 5A  November 7-9; WMU 5B  November 5-7; WMUs 5C and 5D  closed.

Spring turkey (bearded birds only) - Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored youth  April 25, 2020. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.

Spring turkey (bearded birds only) - May 2-30, 2020. Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may be only taken by someone with a valid special wild turkey license.) From May 2-16, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 18-30, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

Black Bear  archery (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) - September 21-November 29. Archery (WMU 5B)  October 5-November 16. Archery (statewide)  October 28-November 9. Muzzleloader (statewide)  October 19-26. Special firearms (statewide)  October 24-26. November 23-27. In WMUs 1B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A - November 30-December 7. In WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D - November 30-December 14. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

Elk  archery - September 14-28. November 4-9. November 11-16. Antlerless only - January 4-11, 2020

Deer  archery (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D) - September 21- November 29 and December 26-January 25, 2020. Archery (statewide)  October 5-November 16 and December 26-January 20. In WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D - November 30-December 14. Antlered only in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B - November 30-December 6. In WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A and 5B - December 7-14. Antlerless special firearms (statewide) - October24-26. Antlerless muzzleloader (statewide) - October19-26. Flintlock (statewide) - December 26-January 20. Flintlock (WMUs 2B, 5C, 5D) - December 26-January 25. Antlerless extended regular firearms Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties) - December 26-January 25.

Coyote  Hunting - No closed season. Trapping  October 27-February 23. Cable Restraint  December 26-February 23. Unlimited.

Fox  October 27-February 23. Cable Restraint  December 26-February 23. Unlimited.

Raccoon  Hunting - October26-February 22. Trapping  October 27-February 23. Unlimited.

Opossum  Hunting  No closed season, except Sundays. Trapping  October 27-February 23, Unlimited.

Striped skunk  Hunting  No closed season, except Sundays. Trapping  October 27-February 23. Unlimited.

Weasel  Hunting  No closed season, except Sundays. Trapping  October 27-February 23. Unlimited.

Bobcat  In WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E. Hunting - January 11-February 5. Trapping  December 21- January 12. One per license year.

Porcupine  Hunting - October12-February 1, 2020. (3 daily, season limit of 10).

Mink  Trapping - November 23-January 12. Unlimited.

Muskrat  Trapping  November 23-January 12. Unlimited.

Beaver  Trapping  December 26-March 31. Limits vary by WMU.

Fisher  Trapping - In WMUs 1B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E, December 21-January 5. One fisher per license year.

River otter  Trapping  In WMUs 3C and 3D, February 15-22, 2020. One river otter per license year.

Waterfowl and migratory gamebird seasons will be set in accordance with federal regulations at a later date.

No open season on other wild birds or mammals.WASHINGTON (AP)  A holiday that is spreading across the U.S. and beyond, Juneteenth is considered the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

It was originally celebrated on June 19, the day that Union soldiers in 1865 told enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War had ended and they were free.

Celebrations include parades, concerts, and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year, Juneteenth will also feature the first congressional hearing in more than a decade on reparations for slavery.

Here's a look at the holiday and its history:

BEGINNINGS

The celebration started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865.

Laura Smalley, who was freed from a plantation near Bellville, Texas, remembered in a 1941 interview that her former master had gone to fight in the Civil War and came home without telling his slaves what had happened.

"Old master didn't tell, you know, they was free," Smalley said . "I think now they say they worked them, six months after that. Six months. And turn them loose on the 19th of June. That's why, you know, we celebrate that day."

It was June 19, 1865 when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his Union troops arrived at Galveston with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were free.

Granger delivered General Order No. 3, which said: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor."

The next year, the now-freed slaves started celebrating Juneteenth in Galveston, and the celebration has continued around the nation and the world since.

FILE - In this June 19, 2018, file photo, Zebiyan Fields, 11, at center, drums alongside more than 20 kids at the front of the Juneteenth parade in Flint, Mich. Juneteenth celebration started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP, File)AP

WHAT DOES JUNETEENTH MEAN?

The term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day.

According to Dee Evans, national director of communications of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, there will be Juneteenth celebrations in almost every state this year.

Black Texans took the holiday with them as they moved around the country and overseas, Evans said, and what started as a local celebration went international.

Forty-six states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or day of recognition, like Flag Day. Countries like South Korea, Ghana, Israel, Taiwan, France, and the U.S. territory of Guam have held or now hold Juneteenth celebrations.

A resolution recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday passed the Senate last year, but the accompanying resolution has not been approved in the House.

FILE - In this June 19, 2017, file photo, T.J. with the Bandan Koro African Dance Ensemble leads children dancing during a Juneteenth celebration at Fair Park in Dallas. Juneteenth celebration started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)AP

REMEMBERING THE PAST

Juneteenth celebrations used to revolve around the church with speeches and picnics, said Para LaNell Agboga, museum site coordinator at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in Austin, Texas, which has one of the only permanent Juneteenth museum exhibits in the country.

It changed around the 1960s with the civil rights movement, she said.

It became a little more secular and stretched over more than one day, Agboga said. It became kind of a time of community gathering. ... Its really more huge parties and huge parades and big concerts, but always bringing in freedom. Its all about freedom.

More than 150 cities will have Juneteenth celebrations this year, Evans said.

In central Pa., Dickinson College will hold a Juneteenth luncheon examining the colleges ties to the rise and fall of slavery. Proceeds benefit Hope Station in Carlisle.

Each celebration is different, from parades in places like Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and Houston, to concerts in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Denver and Marietta, Georgia, to free genealogy workshops outside of Washington, D.C., to readings of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Agboga, Evans and others are working to make sure Juneteenth celebrators don't forget why the day exists.

"In 1776 the country was freed from the British, but the people were not all free," Evans said. "June 19, 1865, was actually when the people and the entire country was actually free."

It's also a day to remember the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the United States, especially in these racially and politically charged days, Agboga said.

"Our freedoms are fragile, and it doesn't take much for things to go backward," she said.

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, The Associated PressUpdate: Atomic Dog owner Donald Hoffman said hes hopeful of opening Mela Kitchen in Gettysburg by mid- to late July.

For anyone who has driven to Cashtown, Adams County, to experience one of the regions best winery views, you might want to get out there another time or two this summer.

That former Hauser Estate Winery perch will be disappearing by the end of September or October, says Donald Hoffman, the beverage producers owner since late December 2018.

The entire operation is moving to the former Gettysburg Village Stadium 10 Theatre near The Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg. It closed suddenly Jan. 29, announcing on Facebook that the theatre is closed permanently, until further notice," according to a story in the Gettysburg Times.

In early May, Hoffmans team sent out a release announcing that the former winery and cidery, now called Atomic Dog Home of Jacks Hard Cider, would be moving the entire operation to the site in Mount Joy Township. Hoffman remains the president and CEO of EXCEL Services Corporation in Rockville, Maryland, which provides specialized professional nuclear engineering services to nuclear owners and operations in the United States and internationally. He founded the firm in 1985.

A lot has happened in the almost six months since he purchased the business for $1.2 million, which remains in the current tasting room under a lease agreement. Meanwhile, its tasting room in downtown Gettysburg has closed.

Hoffman said last week hes hopeful that construction at this building hes now leasing will begin by early July and that the new home for Atomic Dog will open by the end of September or first week of October. When that happens, the tasting room at Cashtown and its panoramic view that stretches as far as the outer reaches of the Gettysburg battlefield would be vacated, with Hauser Family Farms continuing to own the building and property.

Its not, Hoffman said, the way he thought it would work out but he was resigned to what was taking place.

The desire was to stay at Cashtown to continue leverage that beautiful outdoor and indoor view across the valley, but we were unable to come to a reasonable solution related to either leasing or purchasing the property, he said. It was my initial preference to expand it and stay there. I had planned to pave the road, extend the deck, rebuild out the tasting room and expand it, to add buildings on the bottom of the cellar and many other things to improve and enhance it. [I wanted to] extend our productivity area because this was a relatively small area for the ideas we currently have about how we can expand our production of a quality cider.

With the current canning line and space limitations, he added, there was only so much they could do with their space at the Cashtown site. So we knew we had to expand there or we had to expand someplace else. So thats what we are doing. Were expanding somewhere else. We are not opposed to potentially also staying there, but I just dont know about how the owners feel about the potential of that.

Several calls this week to a family member were unreturned. A longtime employee who answered the phone this week at the cidery/winery said she wasnt aware of any plans for the building after it becomes empty.

What will greet visitors to the new home will be a 36,000-square-foot building that for 12 years drew thousands to its 10 theaters. One theater will remain as a unique event room, he said, noting that the operation will continue to welcome events such as weddings and corporate meetings as it did for years in Cashtown. In addition to enhancing and improving their cider productivity, Hoffman said the buildings setup will allow visitors to see the cider and wine as its being made.

It also will feature what he called a state-of-the-art kitchen and restaurant with a sophisticated menu. Seating for meals, he said, will be available inside and outside. While Hoffman was not ready to announce the name of the executive chef from that area who has been hired to oversee the restaurant, he did talk a bit about why he decided to add this component.

At Cashtown what we discovered is that people like to drink their cider along with being able to eat, and they also liked to do it outside. So what we are doing is offering is all of these things, he said. What were going to be offering is not only excellent food but at an excellent price in a very timely manner, so people can stop in for lunch or dinner or for hanging out late at night. I think well be offering something very impressive, something that doesnt exist in Gettysburg like this now.

He also said hes optimistic that before the year ends he will be purchasing an adjacent 22-acre plot that he can transform into an area that will benefit local residents in general and Pennsylvanias cider community specifically. He envisions that property as a place that can host events such as the annual Cider Fest, which is scheduled to be held on the Hauser Family Farm property next weekend, and the Hard Cider Run 5K, which took place in April, among others. Bottom line, he said, it will be provide another way to utilize this business to serve and give back to the Gettysburg community.

Theres no question that the emphasis since Hoffman bought the place has centered on rejuvenating the Jacks Hard Cider brand, which began being distributed regionally in 2011 and continued to expand up until a year or so ago when overall management issues caused some regression. Hoffman said he wants to promote the health benefits of a product thats made from central Pennsylvania apples (We are creating our website to promote the health aspects of not only our cider but our food.) and plans to add four new brands as early as later this summer to the ones that already exist.

We will continue to sell our cider not only retail there at Atomic Dog Home of Jacks Hard Cider, but also we are currently renegotiating with a number of distributors and have expanded back into the original 14 states where we were selling our cider and are expanding to other states, even as we speak, he said.

A shot from above the former Hauser Estate winery tasting room and the view that awaited visitors. (Glasswork Media Arts)

Wine has been made and sold at Hauser Estate since it opened on Aug. 1, 2008. Seattle-bred and Cornell-educated Michelle Oakes was the original winemaker, and veteran Stephen Rigby would work there in the cellar for several years beginning in 2013 before leaving the winery for a new job in North Carolina, where he had come from.

But the wines profile was largely a notch or two below the cider and the venue in terms of importance. Hoffman said hes planning to make five house wines that only will be sold at the new location.

All in all, he noted that a lot has happened in the past few months, with more plans to announce as the arrangements are confirmed. So far, so good, he said.

In five short months, I have taken it from where it was to where its going, working closely with a number of committed, capable and dedicated folks that stuck through the bankruptcy period from June of 2018 to December of 2018, he said. Im working with them to enhance and improve what Jacks could have been and should have been had it had the cooperation of the owners.

So what Im trying to bring is rational and sensible and quick decision-making in the best interests of not only the cider itself and the company that owns it but also in the sense of the community, which is going to have the pleasure of partaking of it.

That includes, he said, being a good community citizen that supports the important things in Mount Joy [Township] and Gettysburg, where we provide a real service and a unique experience for dining and cider tasting.

---

Other regional winery stories

Showing off the vineyard and wines at New Jerseys Alba Vineyard

Top Maryland producers gather to taste their best in dry wines

Naylor winery, vineyard purchased by York County neighbor Allegro

Perry County winery adds ciders, a couple new food items, to tasting room menu

Armstrong Valley Winery adds Blackberry Merlot, Fired Up to growing list of wines

Lancaster Countys Grandview Vineyard: Heres whats ahead for Year 6Huso Mehmedovic was initially worried when Cumberland County Judge Albert H. Masland called out his name, singling him out in a crowded room in the Old Cumberland County Courthouse.

Mehmedovic, a Bosnia native, had just been named a United States citizen at a Friday nationalization ceremony. He wasnt expecting anything else.

But the judges wife, Debbie, also was in attendance. And Debbie Masland, a French teacher at Carlisle Area High School, had taught Mehmedovic when he was only 12 years old.

At the time, Debbie Masland was teaching English as a second language, which was why Mehmedovic was in her class.

He was in one of my first groups, she said, remembering Mehmedovic as a good student.

And on Friday, she had the evidence to prove it. For years, she held onto papers that Mehmedovic  now an adult, living in Cumberland County and working as a diesel technician  wrote when he was in her class.

After the nationalization ceremony, she handed him a folder filled with his old work, including a paper he wrote explaining why he wanted to be an FBI agent.

Both Mehmedovic and his former teacher had a laugh about that one.

Debbie Masland said shed saved other students work, too. Most of those students were from her first few years teaching Engilsh as a second language, she said.

They were the ones that meant the most to me, she said.

Mehmedovics mother moved him and his siblings to the United States when he was only a child. On Friday, Mehmedovic explained that the move came shortly after the Bosnian War.

She just wanted a better life for her family, Mehmedovic said, explaining that several of his siblings had already naturalized.

He remembered the first months after his move to Carlisle.

I was sort of cooped up inside, he said.

In Bosnia, hed been an active child, spending a lot of time on the farm, and he missed the open space.

But eventually, he found his footing, leading to his choice to remain in the United States and in Central Pennsylvania.

There, on Friday, he was one of 44 people from 29 different countries to become American citizens.NEW ORLEANS (AP)  A Tennessee woman faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the stabbing death of a Pennsylvania jeweler in New Orleans.

The New Orleans District Attorney's Office says 25-year-old Magen Hall was indicted Thursday. Hall's name also appears as Megan Hall on some court records.

She faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted as charged in the death of 62-year-old Patrick Murphy. His body was found March 1 by a housekeeper at a hotel in the Treme neighborhood. The prosecutors news release says video showed Murphy and Hall arriving at the hotel at 2:10 am. Hall exited the room at 3:42 a.m.

Halls lawyer said in court March 28 his client did not set out to harm Murphy.

Hall was arrested March 3 and jailed with bond set at $750,000. Hall also faces an armed robbery charge. She hasnt entered a plea.

According to the Times-Picayune: Two hotel guests, staying in an adjacent room, told police they heard a man and woman arguing loudly around 3:30 a.m., followed by sounds of a struggle that lasted about two minutes. Hall was arrested March 3 and booked into Orleans Parish jail. She is still in jail, in lieu of a $750,000 bond set for the murder charge, jail records show.

She numerous prior convictions for prostitution in Louisiana and Texas, the Morning Call of Allentown reported after Murphys death.

Murphy Jewelers was founded in Pottsville and has additional locations in Tilden Township, near Hamburg, and Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County.

A manager at one of the stores told the Morning Call in March that Murphy had been on vacation with his wife in New Orleans before his death.As near as I can tell, Trump has one redeeming feature: on his watch our economy is up. However, I dont have one more dollar in my pocket for this. At the end of 2018, I lost all of my years gain in my 403(b) due to the tariff threat with China.

What we have is a perfect example of a Faustian Dilemma where you get one good thing you want but at a cost beyond calculation, expectation, and anyones acceptance.

Yes, Trumps election brought most of this economic growth, but everything that came with it has elevated Trump to the status of worst president since Andrew Jackson. In broad strokes Trump has:

Alienated every ally we have  no exceptions. When Trump mentioned his successful foreign policies at the UN, the delegates laughed out loud. Cozied-up to two of our most aggressive enemies  Russia and North Korea. He is so chummy with Putin his attitude has been labeled treasonous. Security agencies call Trumps actions wittingly or unwittingly aiding our enemy. He believed Putin is innocent because Putin said, he didnt do it. No one with an IQ above 80 actually believes this. To the Republican Party I ask, Do you seriously want to support a president that gullible, naive and gutless? Initiated trade wars and tariffs against the advice, or in some cases, knowledge of his economic advisors and even the Republican leadership.

Trump has earned the title of Forrest because he cant or wont think anything through, and he wont listen to his advisors.

His operates under the camouflage of Putting America First. This actually means cooperating with countries (instead of bullying), seeking fair compromise (instead of zero-sum, I-win, you-lose), realizing our gain often works best when others profit, and so on.

If Trump really wants to put America first, he should resign. His supporters must now realize the job is vastly beyond his abilities and comprehension. Obviously, he will need help resigning.

Ray A. Moyer, South Hanover TownshipCommunity: the word is often heard in discussions about all kinds of things. I keep thinking about the line from the movie The Princess Bride that goes, you keep on using that word. I dont think it means what you think it means.

So I looked it up:

community /kmyoonde/

noun

1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

"the scientific community"

synonyms: group, section, body, company, set, circle, clique, coterie, ring, band, faction.

2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.

the sense of community that organized religion can provide

To my mind, community is a collective group of people. Both definitions apply often to the same group of people. My community is the people that I spend my daily life among. Not my neighborhood. I have met people from my neighborhood in Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. I have only met a few of my adjacent neighbors in my actual neighborhood. My community is not the location of my house. My community is the people in whom I have invested my interest, caring and service.

For the past 17 years, I have been a music teacher in Harrisburg School District, and I have invested myself heavily in the local community. I have poured heart and soul into the service of educating its children without much thought to looking for a job elsewhere. In my music classrooms, I have seen children grow into adults and come back with their children, as staff, and even as teachers. Playing their instruments has taken them to places that they never knew existed.

They have discovered a place to belong in finding their love of music, and reasons to come to school, with new motivations to succeed. I have a connection to this community. I serve a need here which goes way beyond a job, and make no mistaketeaching ANYWHERE is more than just a job its a vocation. So this is my place in the community and I have no desire to abandon my community.

My community is the children of Harrisburg with their diversity of culture and need and talent. My community is their parents, who do and/or dont provide the support because they cant or wont. The parents who need support, themselves.

My community is my colleagues who pour the same devotion into their service with professionalism, expertise and perseverance. My community is the people who also take time out of their busy lives to take an interest in such mundane events as school board meetings because education is the most important issue in our society.

And so it is with this sense of community that I am writing this essay today . . . in a situation of crisis and urgency as my community faces state takeover.

I am constantly working in support of the educational community that comprises the Harrisburg School District. And while the prospect of state takeover is scary in its uncertainty, and perhaps unjust in its seizure of control from local people, I find myself thinking that after 17 years of fighting for making things right in this community, I am willing to work with ANYONE who shares that goal and has what it takes to make it a reality . . . anyone who can and will make this school district work for its students in equity with any good district will have my support.

We need leadership that makes systems work and supports the people who input into those systems. We need equitable resources to our peers in other locales who have the benefit of so much more than our kids do.

We need smart people who are as dedicated to the success of these kids as we are to listen to us and work with us so we can all pull together and lift everything up.

So I will continue to stand with my community through uncertainty and turmoil. They are not where my house stands, but they are where I live my life -- as it is for so many other Harrisburg Education Association educators.

Christine Robbins is secretary of the Harrisburg Education Association. She has been been a music teacher in Harrisburg since 2002.2.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Trump thanked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for obstructing election security legislation and the Russia investigation.

Trump Thanks Mitch McConnell For The Russia Cover-Up

Trump tweeted:

Thank you @senatemajldr Mitch McConnell for understanding the Democrats game of not playing it straight on the ridiculous Witch Hunt Hoax in the Senate. Cryin Chuck will never stop. Did Senator @MarkWarner ever report speaking to a Russian!?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2019

Trump has finally gotten around to watching McConnells interview on Fox News:

McConnell said, They just cant let it go, Laura. I said weeks ago. Case closed. Weve got the Mueller Report. The only objective evaluation that will be conducted. Nobody has any confidence that the Democratic House is going to engage in any kind of appropriate oversight. The case is closed. Why dont we move on and solve the border crisis and prove the Presidents USMCA, the new trade deal with Mexico and Canada. We have work to doWell, he gets picked out every day over every different aspect of it, but the fundamental point is theyre trying to keep the 2016 election alive and the investigation alive, when the American people have heard enough, they got the Mueller Report. They would like for us to do some business. I would ask the Democrats in the house this. Is there anything youre willing to do other than harass the President for the next two years? Anything at all.

Trump and McConnell both take money from Russia

Mitch McConnell is not an innocent defender of this president. His a Trump comrade in dirty Russian cash. It isnt a coincidence that McConnell got a $200 million investment from a Russian oligarch after he blocked Democrats from reimposing sanctions. It has also been reported that McConnell and his wife Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao are illegally making money from Russia. Mitch McConnell covered for Russian election interference in 2016, and in some ways, his ties to Russia are more visible than Trumps.

McConnell is Trumps firewall in the Senate, and the reason the 2020 election wont be as secure as it could be, and the president can continue to hide his Russia crimes.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook2.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Former State Department spokesman Marie Harf said on Saturday that Donald Trumps rhetoric toward Iran in recent weeks is eerily similar to what we heard in the run-up to the Iraq war.

In an interview that aired on MSNBC, Harf said that the Trump administration is perpetuating a cycle of escalation that she says could end very badly.

It sends chills down my spine, she said. The rhetoric I have seen coming out of the Trump administration over the past month feels so much like the lead up to the war in Iraq.

Video:

No, we do not have to go to war with Iran, former State Department official says. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/xEY0fpzD7x  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) June 15, 2019

The former State Department official said:

The truth is, no, we do not have to go to war with Iran today. It sends chills down my spine, too. The rhetoric I have seen coming out of the Trump administration over the past month feels so much like the lead up to the war in Iraq. Theyre cherry picking intelligence, theyre upping what they consider to be the threat. And, look, there is a real threat. I dont want to downplay that. But what worries me the most, Alex, is that something like this happens, or the Iranians do something else that is a provocation and we get locked in this cycle of escalation where John Bolton  dont forget John Bolton is still there  Mike Pompeo push President Trump so he feels like he cant back down and then were in this cycle of escalation that, quite frankly, could end very badly. There is no reason to go war with Iran today. We can counter them in many, many other ways. The Trump administration doesnt seem to have a strategy to do that and that is scary to me.

Trump is pushing America to another unnecessary war

As MSNBCs Rachel Maddow reported this week, the Trump administration has been quickly blaming Iran for a series of recent attacks  including oil tanker attacks  in the Middle East.

The only problem is that the administration hasnt really presented evidence to support their claims. In some instances, as Maddow pointed out, other foreign actors have already taken credit for attacks the White House is now blaming on Iran.

None of this is to say that Iran is not a threat to the United States. Its clear that they are and have been. But what has changed now is that this administration appears eager to start another Iraq-style war in the Middle East.

Donald Trump campaigned on the idea that America should not get involved in any other needless military conflict in the Middle East. Its an idea the most Americans agree with after seemingly endless conflict in that region of the world.

Now, as Trumps presidency crumbles under the weight of scandal and incompetence, he is marching the United States toward another unnecessary war.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter4.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

House Democrats are preparing to change the decades-old rule that bars the Department of Justice from indicting a sitting president.

According to The Hill, Democrats are considering a package of legislation that would crack down on election interference and prohibit candidates from accepting foreign help, as Trump signaled this week that he is open to doing.

The report notes that some Democrats want to go further by repealing the DOJ guideline that stops a lawless president like Trump from facing criminal indictment.

More from The Hill:

[S]ome lawmakers want to press further, eying legislation to nullify the DOJs long-standing determination that presidents cannot be charged with federal crimes while they remain in office. Its definitely on the menu, said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), a member of the Oversight and Reform Committee. Im in favor of expanding enforcement tools and accountability tools, and thats definitely one of them. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, is also signaling his support. While hes not been involved in talks about specific proposals, Jeffries said, it strikes me as a reasonable thing to consider. Its fair to say that one of the options we should consider is revisiting that Department of Justice rule so you dont have a rogue and lawless president immunized from criminal prosecution, he said.

Presidents shouldnt be above the law

Donald Trump has acted lawlessly over the past two years, and political gridlock in Congress combined with the DOJs inability to indict a sitting president has largely helped him get away with it.

With William Barr acting as a loyal Trump lapdog in his post at the Department of Justice and Republicans in Congress turning the other way, that has further emboldened this president to continue trampling over the rule of law.

In other words, Trump has shown that this decades-old guideline barring criminal presidents from being indicted most definitely needs to be revised.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter348 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

In the early moments of the American republic, the nations sovereignty and security presented no small worry to the founders. In the 1790s, independence was in its fragile infancy, a nascent experiment threatened by the former mother country; and the French Revolution created anxiety those violent passions would spill overseas, inspiring more upheaval in the still roiling republic.

Not unlike our own moment, many worried about foreign powers seducing the nation and also about the vulnerability of citizens to deceit and manipulation undermining democracy from within the nation.

American novels of this moment certainly reflect this anxiety. Take Susanna Rowsons best-selling 1790s novel Charlotte Temple, featuring virtuous and properly-raised young female protagonist Charlotte falling prey to the seductions of the rake Montraville (a British solider with a French name!), leading to her tragic ruin. Or William Hill Browns novel The Power of Sympathy (1789), featuring a woman overpowered by her passions and seduced unwittingly into an incestuous relationship. Charles Brockden Browns 1798 novel Wieland tells the tale of a man, in the throes of religious enthusiasm, who kills his own family, guided by a voice he believes to be God, which may be the work of a mysterious ventriloquist character.

These novels served as cautionary tales for readers in the early republic. They articulated anxieties about citizens wherewithal to govern themselves in their own interests with rational self-sufficiency; to not let their passions overwhelm their interests; and to listen with careful and critical discernment to the many voices of authority and cultural persuasion seeking to influence them, so as not to fall prey to tragic seduction.

Indeed, the political moment was novel. The nation was founding a new government on Enlightenment principles of reason, rooting authority not in an all-powerful ruler but in the people, banking on peoples ability to think and act rationally in their own self-interest and on their virtue, their willingness and ability to serve the public good ahead of private avarice. Could the peoples virtue, these novels asked, withstand the seductions of those preying on them and undermining their interests? Would their virtue align with reason?

We could ask these questions in our digital culture in which bombards us with fake news and alternative facts, at times the work of bots from abroad, acting as ventriloquists throwing their voices into the heart of American culture and politics.

Enlightenment thinking believed in the power of education to provide people with rational self-sufficiency so they could think critically for themselves on their own authority, reason through situations, assess information, and detect their self-interest and the interest of the nation as a whole. The proposal, indeed, was for a new form of government. While the word govern in the seventeenth century was basically synonymous with rule, in the eighteenth century it came to mean steer, guide, regulate, and, above all, educate.

Would education and peoples rational self-sufficiency be a strong enough basis for democracy?

The answer was a matter of controversy. Thomas Jefferson believed, of course, in the power of education. John Adams, on the other hand, feared that human reason and human conscience are not a match for human passion, human imagination and human enthusiasm.

These questions and worries assert themselves with no less relevance today. The difference is that in the 1790s, chief politicians and leaders were asking those questions, committed to the project of educating the populace to protect democratic sovereignty and national security. Now, it seems our own President, the White House, and the Department of Justice that is intent on obfuscation and deceit, resisting transparency in its refusal to hand over information, declaring fact-based journalism and scientific reporting to be fake, and outright misrepresenting reality to the American peopletake William Barrs now well-documented misrepresentations of the Mueller report and the ongoing tally of Trumps prodigious lying.

But we do find evidence of hope in answering our founders question affirmativelythat education and rational self-sufficiency can be the basis for democracy, for creating the critical citizenry democracy requires.

Finland has sought to secure its democracy and protect itself from Russian intervention in precisely this way. Sharing an 832-mile border with Russia, Finland has fought off Russian propaganda attacks since it declared independence from Russian 101 years ago. It has increased efforts in the digital age, especially after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, revamping its education system to emphasize critical thinking and developing a widespread initiative to educate residents, journalists, students, and politicians to recognize fake news and counter false information intended to sow division.

Ironically, as Eliza Mackintosh has reported for CNN, Finland invited American experts to help them design the initiative. And Finlands President Sauli Niinisto, Mackntosh reports, called on every Finn to take responsibility for the fight against false information as social media assaults ramped up in 2015.

The initiative was not undertaken in the educational system, narrowly speaking. The effort was to educate the population as a whole, so classes are offered, for example, at adult education centers, where one can take a seminar on how to know if one has been trolled by a Russian army and learn how to detect manipulated videos, false profiles, and so forth.

As chief communications officer for the prime ministers office Jussi Toivanen says, Its not just a government problem, the whole society has been targeted. We are doing our part, but its everyones task to protect the Finnish democracy. The first line of defense is the kindergarten teacher.

According to Mackintosh, this initiative, which is one layer of a multi-pronged, cross-sector approach the country is taking to prepare citizens of all ages for the complex digital landscape of today . . . appears to be working, and now other countries are looking to Finland as an example of how to win the war on misinformation.

Maybe the U.S. will follow suit. Then again, in Finland it started with the President, whereas here the deception begins with the President.

Nonetheless, there is hope in knowing a devotion to public education and critical thinking can prove effective in the fight for democracy.4.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

South Bend mayor and 2020 Democratic hopeful Pete Buttigieg said on Saturday that if hes elected president, he will restore the Department of Justice to its pre-Trump state as an entity that defends the rule of law, not acts as an extension of the Oval Office.

In an interview with CNNs Jake Tapper, Buttigieg said that if hes president, he will ensure that the Justice Department is completely separate from the president, particularly decisions related to criminal prosecution.

The less this has to do with the president, the better, he said. I believe that the rule of law will catch up with this president. It doesnt require the Oval Office putting any kind of thumb on the scale.

Video:

.@PeteButtigieg tells @jaketapper that his Department of Justice would be empowered to reach its own conclusions and the prosecutorial process should have nothing to do with politics.

For the full #CNNSOTU interview, tune in tomorrow at 9am/ 12pm ET. pic.twitter.com/vaGi2ZPI4x  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 15, 2019

Buttigieg said:

My Justice Department will be empowered to reach its own conclusions. Two things are true and clear: 1. Nobody is above the law; and 2. The prosecutorial process should have nothing to do with politics. The less this has to do with the president, the better. Right now we have a president who seems to think that the president can just dictate what the DOJ is going to do, call for political opponents to be jailed. I believe that the rule of law will catch up to this president. It doesnt require the Oval Office putting any kind of thumb on the scale. I trust the DOJ to reach the right determinations, at least the DOJ that I would appoint and set up. And the less that has to do with directives coming out of the White House, the better.  I think we can maintain these two principles  that nobody is above the law and that prosecution decisions should have nothing to do with politics and should come from the DOJ itself, not from the Oval.

Democrats promise to restore the rule of law

Pete Buttigiegs commitment to stay out of the decisions made by his Justice Department is a slight contrast with those recently made by one of his competitors, Sen. Kamala Harris.

In an interview with NPR, Harris said her Justice Department would have no choice but to pursue criminal charges against a former president Donald Trump.

While Jake Tapper framed this as a point of conflict between Buttigieg and Harris, the two candidates seem to be saying the same thing in different ways: that the president should not be above the law, and that the Department of Justice should be able to pursue criminal charges if there is ample evidence to support them.

In the case of Trump, we already know that there is ample evidence of criminal conduct, particularly as it relates to obstruction of justice. Hundreds of former DOJ officials have said that he would have faced criminal indictment if he werent the president.

In his recent press conference, Robert Mueller essentially said that the reason Trump was not indicted was because of an outdated DOJ guideline.

Ultimately, one thing is clear: Under any of the Democratic candidates currently running for president, the Department of Justice will be motivated by defending the rule of law, not Oval Office politics.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and TwitterCharleston, SC (29403)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.As calls for radical health reform grow louder, many on the right, in the center and in the health care industry are arguing that proposals like "Medicare for All" would cause economic ruin, decimating a sector that represents nearly 20 percent of our economy.

While exploring a presidential run, former Starbucks chief Howard Schultz called Medicare for All "not American," adding, "What industry are we going to abolish next  the coffee industry?" He said that it would "wipe out the insurance industry."

A fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute wrote that it would "carpet bomb the industry." David Wichmann, the chief executive of UnitedHealth Group, warned that it "would surely have a severe impact on the economy and jobs."

Its true: Any significant reform would require major realignment of the health care sector, which is now the biggest employer in at least a dozen states. Most hospitals and specialists would probably lose money. Some, like the middlemen who negotiate drug prices, could be eliminated. That would mean job losses in the millions.

Though it will be economically painful, the point is to streamline for patients a Kafka-esque health care system that makes money for industry through irrational practices. After all, shouldnt the primary goal of a health care system be delivering efficient care at a reasonable price, not rewarding shareholders or buttressing the economy?

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In 2012, Harvard economists Katherine Baicker and Amitabh Chandra warned against "treating the health care system like a (wildly inefficient) jobs program." They were rightly worried that the health care system was the primary engine of recovery from the Great Recession. And yet the revelation that the health care sector added more jobs last year than any other in the economy was greeted by many as good news.

Industry lobbyists

Its not surprising that those involved in the business of medicine have joined forces in a lobbying and media campaign, the Partnership for Americas Health Care Future, to ward off transformational reform, particularly Medicare for All. But fed-up voters seem ready to upend an industry that saps their finances, wastes their time and doesnt deliver particularly good care. Few people would mourn the end of $35 million annual compensation packages for insurance executives or the downsizing of companies that have raised insulin prices to 10 times what they are in Canada  though they might miss hospitals valet parking and private rooms.

Well over half of Americans already say they have a favorable view of Medicare for All. Though approval falls off when confronted with details such as higher taxes, it is clear that the electorate is searching for something big. Change could come in many guises: for example, some form of Medicare expansion, government negotiations on drug prices or enhancing the power of the Affordable Care Act. The more fundamental the reform, the more severe the economic effect.

The first casualties of a Medicare for All plan, said Dr. Kevin Schulman, a physician-economist at Stanford, would be the "intermediaries that add to cost, not quality." For example, the armies of administrators, coders, billers and claims negotiators who make good middle-class salaries and have often spent years in school learning these skills. There would be far less need for drug and device sales representatives who ply their trade office to office and hospital to hospital in a single-payer system, or one in which prices are set at a national level.

Some geographic areas would be hit particularly hard. A single hospital system is by far the biggest employer in many post-manufacturing cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Hospitals and hospital corporations make up the top six employers in Boston and two of the top three in Nashville. Hartford is known as the insurance capital of the world. Where would New Jersey be if drugmakers took a big hit, or Minnesota if device makers vastly shrank their workforce? (That may be why some Democratic representatives and senators from these left-leaning states have been quiet or inconsistent on Medicare expansion.)

Stanford researchers estimate that 5,000 community hospitals would lose more than $151 billion under a Medicare for All plan; that would translate into the loss of 860,000 to 1.5 million jobs. A Navigant study found that a typical midsize, nonprofit hospital system would have a net revenue loss of 22%.

Greater need for some workers

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Robert Pollin, an economist at the Political Economy Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, is frustrated not just by the doomsday predictions but also by how proponents of Medicare for All tend to gloss over the jobs issue.

"Every proponent of Medicare for All  including myself  has to recognize that the biggest source of cost-saving is layoffs," he said. He has calculated that Medicare for All would result in job losses (mostly among administrators) "somewhere in the range of 2 million"  about half on the insurers side and half employed in hospitals and doctors offices to argue with the former. Supporters of Medicare for All, he said, have to think about a "just transition" and "what it might look like."

Of course, if more people get health insurance under an expanded Medicare, there will be a greater need for some workers  like nurse practitioners and physician assistants. And there is a large unmet labor need in caring for an aging population. The latter are mostly low-wage jobs, however, and neither compensates for the losses.

Pollin suggests that a transition to Medicare for All should be accompanied by a plan to give those made redundant up to three years of salary and help in retraining for another profession.

Despite the short-term suffering caused by any fundamental shift in our health care delivery system, reform would ultimately redirect resources in ways that are good for the economy, many experts say.

"Im sympathetic to the impact that changes will have on specific markets and employment  we can measure that," Schulman said. "What we cant quantify is the effect that high health care costs have had on non-health care industries."

The expense of paying for employees health care has depressed wages and entrepreneurship, he said. He described a textile manufacturer that moved more than 1,000 jobs out of the country because it couldnt afford to pay for insurance for its workers. Such decisions have become common in recent years.

"Yes, these are painful transitions," said Baicker, who is now the dean of the University of Chicagos Harris School of Public Policy. "But the answer is not to freeze the sectors where we are for all time. When agriculture improved and became more productive, no one said everyone had to stay farmers."

ADVERTISEMENTCruise lines are offering modified itineraries and refunds to passengers who had bought tickets on Cuba cruises as a result of the U.S. government ban on cruise ships, which went into effect Wednesday. About 800,000 reservations are expected to be affected by the policy change, according to the trade industry group Cruise Lines International Association.

Cruise lines have the legal right to change itineraries from planned ports of call under the contract that every passenger signs (whether you remember doing so or not), according to Erica Silverstein, senior editor at Cruise Critic.

If you are booked on a Cuba cruise, you should contact your cruise line or travel agent to explore your options. Before you make that call, think about what alternatives you are willing to accept.

"Knowing whether youre happy to cruise to another warm Caribbean destination, or, if removing Cuba from the itinerary is a deal breaker gives you a head start as the cruise lines announce a plan," Silverstein wrote in an email Wednesday.

Heres what some cruise lines are offering passengers who are holding tickets on Cuba cruises.

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Royal Caribbean International was the first to announce that its Wednesday and Thursday itineraries would no longer stop in Cuba. Anyone who had planned to sail to Cuba this year aboard Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas may keep their date and sail to alternative Caribbean ports, and receive a 50 percent refund; or cancel for a full refund.

The cruise line also is working on alternate itineraries for 2020 sailings.

Carnival Corp.s statement Wednesday said it "will no longer be permitted to sail to Cuba effective immediately." The company, which owns several lines, said the new policy affects Carnival and Holland America as well as Seabourn, which was scheduled to begin sailing to Cuba in November.

Carnival is reaching out to passengers who have already booked a Cuba cruise with these options for trips through the end of July: Cancel and receive a full refund; or stay on the scheduled cruise with a modified itinerary and receive $100 per person onboard credit; or move to another cruise and receive a $50 onboard credit.

Norwegian Cruise Line also informed passengers that it has ended all ports of call to Havana and will need to modify cruise itineraries because of the "unexpected, last-minute change" in U.S. policy, a statement said.

If you were hoping your travel insurance would cover a cancellation on your cruise, you may be disappointed.

"Unfortunately, a change in cruise or tour group itinerary is not a covered reason to cancel a trip under a travel insurance policy," Jenna Hummer of Squaremouth wrote in an email Wednesday. "As long as the ship or tour is scheduled to move forward with the voyage, travel insurance will not cover a traveler to cancel their trip."

The only exception is cancel-for-any-reason insurance, which allows travelers to claim up to 75 percent of their trip costs if they decide not to go at least two to three days before the trips start. However, to be eligible for the coverage, travelers need to have bought a policy within 21 days of their first trip payment and insure the entire cost of the trip.

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The Trump administration Tuesday announced new regulations on Cuba travel that included an end to people-to-people group tours, also known as cultural and educational tours, and cruise visits.ABILENE, Kan.  They still like Ike in Abilene.

And why not? He executed the military plan that turned the tide of World War II in Europe, stopped Hitler and ultimately brought the war in that theater to an end. He did it by getting big-ego military leaders to work together by subjugating his own, by believing in his troops, by being willing to take all of the blame if it failed and none of the credit if it worked.

That he was the driving force behind the biggest invasion modern generations have known is made more stunning by knowing his hardscrabble story began not in Kansas but in Texas and ended not in Kansas but in Pennsylvania.

But Abilene is where Eisenhowers story is laid out for anyone to see and, as the 75th anniversary of D-day has recently passed, to remember.

Dwight David Eisenhower was born Oct. 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas, but father David and mother Ida soon moved the family to Abilene, a rowdy town once known as the end point for long-horn cattle drives. Its hard to believe now as you drive Abilenes quiet streets dotted with stately Victorian homes, but one town marshal is said to have killed 50 miscreants. His name: Wild Bill Hickok.

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Abilene had calmed down considerably by the time the Eisenhowers moved here, but there was still plenty of mischief for six rascally boys who grew up on what was considered the wrong side of the tracks. (Fifth son Paul died of diphtheria at 10 months.)

"Bruises and emergencies were normal in a household of six boys who were convinced that they could outwit such small considerations as the law of gravity," Eisenhower wrote in "At Ease: Stories I Tell My Friends."

The family eventually settled into a permanent home in Abilene in 1898, and it is that house that visitors can walk through on a visit there.

Starring role

David and Ida were religious, their leanings influenced by a Pennsylvania branch of the Mennonites, and Bible readings were a constant in daily life. So was cooking; Ida was said to have made 27 loaves of bread a week to feed her young brood and taught each of the boys to cook and sew.

Education was prized. Both parents had graduated from college (a rarity in those days, rarer still for a woman), but because they were poor, the brothers often worked to support another brother who was in college.

Dwight, a good student and a better athlete, learned from his pal Edward "Swede" Hazlett that attending a service academy meant a free university education. He set his sights on the U.S. Naval Academy but was too old for admission; he turned instead to West Point.

Suddenly, a young man from a pacifist family and no military tradition was headed to New York to join a group of men who would graduate in 1915. They became known as "the class the stars fell on." Fifty-nine of the 164 achieved the rank of general.

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The early story of Eisenhower comes to life at the family home, but the rest of Eisenhowers story will be told in a slightly different way when the $10-million redo of the museum is unveiled at the end of July. The work was to have been completed before June 6, the 75th anniversary of D-day, but the 35-day partial government shutdown that ended Jan. 25 put an end to that.

But not to the desire to tell the story of Ike and Mamie Eisenhower, the vivacious young woman from Denver whom Eisenhower wed in 1916. In many ways, they completed each other  he the serious student of the military, she the ideal hostess, wife and mother. "Without Mamie," said curator William Snyder, "there is no Ike."

But with Ike overseas during the war, Mamie was anxious, as revealed in their mostly affectionate, occasionally strained letters. She was aware of the rumors about Kay Summersby, Ikes British driver and secretary. Tension was understandably heightened when their son John, also a West Point graduate, wound up in war-torn Europe, writes Stephen E. Ambrose in "Eisenhower: Soldier and President." (Their first son, Doud Dwight, born in 1921, died of diphtheria at age 3.)

Nothing less than full victory

Eisenhower had trained for the role he eventually was given  supreme commander of the Allied expeditionary force  all of his adult life. He missed battlefield action in World War I and was convinced he would never advance beyond the rank of lieutenant colonel.

In the end, his training and skills qualified him for the post, but it may have been his temperament that put him at the command fore. His job was to win the war; his unseen job was to get the leaders of American, British and Canadian forces to control their egos, quit squabbling and execute the plan that would break Germanys back.

Allied commanders, including Ike, sat around a 19th century table to draw and redraw the invasion plan. This Sheraton table will soon be on display again  this time with all its leaves  in the museum, surrounded by 10 of the original 12 Chippendale chairs. (One of the chairs is in a museum in Europe, and the other is with a family member.)

To appreciate the plotting and planning for the invasion of Normandy, France, consider the numbers that crossed the English Channel: 12,000 or more aircraft, 6,500 oceangoing craft, more than 150,000 troops and 200,000 vehicles. And that was just the beginning of a fight that took nearly a year to complete.

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To appreciate Eisenhower, consider what he wrote. His order of the day, delivered to all fighting forces before the invasion, said this, in part: "I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!

"Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

This expression of absolute faith in his warriors masked a million worries. The other note he kept in his pocket, to be delivered in case the invasion failed, did not: "Our landings in Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold, and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."

The presidential library and museum ended up in Abilene because a veterans museum was planned near the boyhood home. When Eisenhower became president in 1952, it became a practical matter to place a presidential library and museum here.

An unexpected choice, perhaps, but the right one. This is where Eisenhower, a Republican, announced his run for a presidency that would last eight years, six with a Congress controlled by Democrats; grapple with a changing postwar America, the Cold War and civil rights. His message is immutable: Work and study hard. Play hard. Be fair. Have faith. Keep your eye on a greater goal. Service before self.

"Theres no ego, theres no agenda," Snyder said of Ike. "He was humble enough to talk about, We did so much for the country  and it wasnt I did; it was We did. It was always we unless he had to take responsibility, and then its I."

WHAT TO DO

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, 200 S.E. 4th St., Abilene, Kan.; (877) 746-44453, dwightdeisenhower.com . Open 8 a.m.-5:45 p.m. daily in June and July; 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m. daily August-May. Adults, $12; retired military and age 62 and older, $9; children 6-15, $3; active duty military, free.

WHERE TO STAY

Abilenes Victorian Inn, 830 N.W. Third St., Abilene, Kan.; (785) 263-7774, abilenesvictorianinn.com . Six rooms and suites (all upstairs) in a house that dates to the late 1880s. Doubles from $79, plus tax.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 110 E. Lafayette Drive, Abilene, Kan.; (785) 263-4049, bit.ly/HolidayAbilene . Clean, comfortable and, best of all, across from the Brookville Hotels chicken. Doubles from $109.

WHERE TO EAT

Brookville Hotel, 105 E. Lafayette, Abilene, Kan.; (785) 263-2244, brookvillehotel.com . The other reason to come to Abilene. It does one thing and does it well: fried chicken with all the fixings (cole slaw made with whipping cream, potatoes, gravy, creamed corn, biscuits and ice cream). $16.95 adults; children 4-14, $9; children younger than 4 eat free. Open for dinner Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; open for lunch and dinner Saturdays and Sundays. Call for hours.

Ikes Place Bar & Grill, 100 N.W. 14th St., Abilene, Kan.; (785) 200-6278, ikesplacegrill.com . Burgers, tacos (from $3.59) and sandwiches, salads, and pastas. Main dishes from $9.99.

M&R Grill, 1720 N. Buckeye Ave., Abilene, Kan.; (785) 263-9819, bit.ly/MRgrillabilene . Basic but hearty and friendly cafe where neighbors remark on how good it is to see one another. Salads, burgers and main dishes (I liked the taco salad) from $8.99.

TO LEARN MORE

Visit Abilene, abilenecityhall.comVietnam is getting into the car business with its own brand.

Real-estate conglomerate Vingroup JSCs auto unit VinFast marked the rollout of its first vehicles from its assembly line on Friday, embodying the aspirations of the fast-developing countrys government to build a modern manufacturing sector.

"This makes a great contribution to the national economy," Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in a speech during a ceremony at VinFasts complex of six automated factories constructed in 21 months in the northern port city of Haiphong. "It affirms the Communist Partys policy that the private sector is a very important driver of the economy. I want VinFast to go to the regional and global markets."

VinFast, which will start delivering cars to customers Monday, wants to be the first Vietnamese company to succeed at challenging foreign competitors such as Toyota Motor Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. in one of the worlds fastest-growing economies. Xuan Kien Automobile, known as Vinaxuki, failed to win over brand-conscious Vietnamese with its local car models before folding in 2015.

The first VinFast rollout, a hatchback named Fadil, is initially priced at 394.5 million dong ($16,900). Vingroup said in 2017 it planned to invest up to $3.5 billion in its auto business. The company will also produce a sedan, sport utility vehicle and electric motorbikes.

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The new automaker, though, faces challenges in Vietnams aspirational culture.

"Product quality is a concern" among consumers, said Truc Pham, a senior analyst at ACB Securities JSC in Ho Chi Minh City. "Vietnamese people favor foreign brands for high-value products. It will take years for customers to accept a new local brand."

VinFast plans to make 250,000 vehicles during a first stage of operations, with projected production increasing to 500,000 vehicles a year by 2025. Last year, the company said it expects to begin exports in mid-2020.

The company said it received 10,000 vehicle pre-orders a year ago. Vietnamese purchased 119,497 new vehicles in the first five months of the year, an 18 percent jump from the year-earlier period, according to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The vehicles arent completely made in Vietnam. The Fadil uses the chassis of the Karl Rocks model by PSA Groups Opel. The sedan and SUV are built on frames from BMW AG, designed by Italian design house Pininfarina and have components engineered by Magna Steyr. Jim Deluca, the former vice president of global manufacturing for General Motors Co., was hired as VinFasts chief executive officer.A pair of area home builders agree: Buyers are looking for something beyond just the typical single-family home in the housing market.

"Higher density is what were trying to do," said Mike Paradise, president of Bigelow Homes in Rochester. "Itll address some of the segments of our need."

That means everything from more townhomes to more apartments. Todays home buyers are not all looking for the same product, Paradise said, which means builders need to provide a variety of housing options.

It used to be that people would buy a home big enough to raise a family in, then stay in that house until they were wheeled out. However, Paradise said, todays buyers are looking for a home that fits the immediate needs of their current stage of life.

"The home that used to cover that whole gamut doesnt work anymore," he said.

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That diversity brings challenges to the home builder market.

"It used to be that people got out of college, theyd get a job and get a house," Paradise said. "Today, we dont have the product for them."

Kevin Sternberg, a member of the Rochester Area Builders board and co-owner of Countryside Homes LLC , said part of the problem is that people arent as sold on the idea of living in that single-family American dream house.

"A lot of these millennials, they dont want a house and all the things that come with a home," he said. Rather than worry about mowing a lawn each weekend, theyd rather escape to the Twin Cities.

This move away from single-family homes has brought a boom in townhome building, Sternberg said. The reasons are many. In addition to the convenience of town homes  no lawn mowing, minimal shoveling  theres also a much lower cost.

Townhomes have less land, less materials, and their cheaper costs are attractive to home buyers who want to own but dont want some of the hassles that come with a big house and a big yard.

Paradise said answer to the housing crunch in Southeast Minnesota is not as simple as building a couple of thousand apartment units because people want to start small and grow into bigger housing as their needs grow rather than just buy one house and stay there.

As workers move into Rochester, they want an apartment or a townhouse. But as they get married and have children, they want a house. Finally, after becoming empty-nesters, people want to move back to a smaller home.

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"Do we have a healthy housing market to let them continue to grow in the community?" Paradise said. "The answer is no."

The answer, he said, is not to build one, large 400-unit apartment complex. Instead, builders need to develop 20 different 20-unit projects of all different types. "We need housing diversity in our community," Paradise said.

This means a better partnership between public and private entities. Cities need to work with developers when it comes to zoning to allow mixed housing in the same area.

"Why do the single-family homes get the best lots and the best neighborhoods?" he said. "Why cant people in apartments live in nice areas?"

Of course, none of this answers the question for smaller cities where the need for apartments or townhomes is real, but the city cant support 100 units.

Buffy Beranek, executive director for Southeast Minnesota Multi-County Housing Redevelopment Authority , said the price of housing in Rochester is sending both buyers and renters looking for less expensive options in surrounding communities.

"In Rochester, you can build this big complex," she said. "You cant build this big complex in Wabasha."

That, she said, is where government and builders need to work together to meet the needs of smaller communities across the region.

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"You need to do 12 units in Wabasha, 24 in Plainview," she said. "The question is, how are you going to finance these separately."WASHINGTON  When Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee last month signed a law creating a new health plan alternative for Washington state residents, many accounts proclaimed Washington to be the first state with a "public option."

But the term is difficult to define  even the word "public" is slippery in the context of health care.

"Public option means the government being more prescriptive," said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, a managing director at Manatt Health, which provides consulting and legal services in health care. "Theres more of the state weighing in."

In general, when policymakers use the term "public option," they mean a health plan with significant government control. That might mean programs created and operated by government, as Medicare and Medicaid originally were, or programs largely under government control but run by private entities.

Public option is a "squishy term," said JoAnn Volk, a research professor at Georgetown Universitys Center on Health Insurance Reforms. "It does mean different things to different people, depending on your goals and assumptions."

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Whatever form it takes, proponents of a public option believe it would provide consumers with health insurance that is more affordable.

Jason McGill, a health policy adviser to Inslee who helped craft the law, noted that the term "public" in health care has already become muddied in recent years. Medicare Advantage plans  all-inclusive Medicare plans  are offered by commercial insurance carriers, and states contract with insurance companies to run their Medicaid managed care plans

"They are government plans," McGill said, "but they are run by insurance companies."

Washington state wont be operating its own health plan. Instead, it will contract with a private carrier  or several  to oversee its public option, which will be on the health insurance exchange alongside commercial plans.

The Washington state plan also will have another layer of rules that officials think will lower premiums. Most notably, the public option plan would set a cap on reimbursement rates paid to providers.

The term "public option" emerged a decade ago during the debate over the Affordable Care Act, when Democrats proposed including a government-run insurance option alongside privately run insurance on the exchanges. But the version of the ACA that President Barack Obama eventually signed did not include it.

Interest in the idea endured, however.

In 2017 and 2018, the cost of private plans on the exchanges soared in many parts of the country, prompting at least 15 states to reconsider a public option through a so-called Medicaid buy-in.

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Under this idea, states would use the infrastructure and purchasing power of their Medicaid agencies to create state-sponsored plans that would be cheaper than commercial products.

Nevada lawmakers passed a public option plan that would have allowed consumers who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid to buy into their states plan. But then-Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican, vetoed it, saying it might disrupt an already fragile market.

The breakthrough on the public option finally came last month in Washington when Inslee, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, signed the public option into law.

Premiums in Washington have increased by more than half over the past two years, but McGill said that wasnt the only impetus for the law.

Only 61 percent of Washingtonians who buy insurance on the marketplace qualify for federal aid in the form of premium tax subsidies. That compares with 87 percent nationally.

Under the law, Washington must contract with at least one private carrier to begin offering a public option in the year 2021. Under the contract, the carrier would have to meet state requirements related to transparency, administrative costs and purchasing that do not apply to other carriers.

McGill said the goal is to keep premiums for the public option at least 10 percent lower than what commercial carriers charged the previous year. To do that, the state will limit reimbursement rates to no more than 160 percent of what Medicare pays. Originally, the legislature set the mark at 100 percent, but lawmakers realized that providers wouldnt accept so little.

"A provider should jump at 160 percent," McGill said. "We hope providers think thats a fair rate."

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The law would also limit out-of-pocket expenses for deductibles and copayments.

The bill passed largely along party lines, with Republicans arguing against the creation of another government program.

The additional requirements, and particularly the ceiling on the reimbursement rate, goes a long way toward explaining what the "public" means in "public option," said Brooks-LaSure of Manatt Health.ALBERT LEA  No criminal charges will be filed against officers who shot and killed a man in Albert Lea earlier this year, Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said Friday.

Joseph Alan Roberts, 27, died from multiple gunshot wounds in January and three Albert Lea police officers were involved in the shooting, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The BCA in January said Lt. Darin Palmer and Officer Jesus Cantu discharged their firearms and Officer Jason Taylor deployed a Taser and a chemical irritant.

Ostrem said the use of deadly force by Lt. Palmer and Officer Cantu was necessary to protect themselves.

"To bring charges against a police officer for using deadly force, the state must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers use of deadly force was not justified," he said in a news release. "The Olmsted County Attorneys Office concluded that evidence does not support bringing criminal charges against two law enforcement officials involved in the fatal shooting."

On Jan. 3, law enforcement was dispatched to a house where Roberts was allegedly engaged in disorderly conduct.

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According to squad video and Ostrems investigation, the officers chased and then tried to subdue Roberts with pepper spray and a Taser. When Roberts came toward Cantu swinging a large knife, Cantu discharged his weapon, but Roberts didnt stop, Ostrem said. Palmer then fired his gun at Roberts, who fell to the ground.

"Squad video collected during the investigation corroborates the accounts of the officers involved," Ostrem said.Those Americans who fear for the future of American democracy should be inspired by the massive pro-democracy demonstrations occurring this week in Hong Kong.

More than 1 million citizens  1 out of 7 residents  flooded the downtown Sunday to protest the Hong Kong governments effort to push through a bill permitting extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China. It was the biggest protest since similar numbers flooded Hong Kong streets in support of the student revolt that was crushed in Tiananmen Square 30 years ago.

And the current protests, with police attacking demonstrators, will continue if the Hong Kong government insists on pushing this bill through.

No wonder. This extradition plan would gut the deal by which Britain returned its Hong Kong colony to China in 1997. That pact guaranteed that for 50 years Hong Kong would have a high degree of autonomy, under a plan known as "one country, two systems." In effect, Hong Kong could maintain its own independent legal system, freedom of assembly, and free speech  all in stark contrast to China.

The pending bill would effectively allow Hong Kong dissidents, journalists, or anyone who displeased Beijing, to be sent for trial in China on trumped-up charges (with Hong Kong judges under Beijing pressure to approve the transfer). And that, say demonstrators, means the death of Hong Kong.

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"Rule of law ... is the thing you cannot go without for Hong Kong to survive," said the dean of the territorys democracy activists, prominent lawyer Martin Lee, on a visit to the United States last month.

What is so inspiring about the Hong Kong protests is the outpouring of ordinary people, families, the elderly, rich and poor, in an effort to protect the rule of law  a concept we Americans take for granted. The demonstrators persist even though they face an overpowering Beijing regime determined to shrink Hong Kongs freedoms.

Yet they will not give up. Says Human Rights Watch Hong Kong expert Minky Worden: "The Hong Kong people have a full understanding of what is at stake."

Hong Kongs rule of law has been under threat for many years, a threat that has intensified under Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Consider this: In 2016, I met with 20-year-old democracy activist Joshua Wong, who as a young high school student was a key leader of the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, where young people occupied the streets for 79 days to protest Chinas refusal to allow fully free elections for chief executive of Hong Kong. Ultimately, the protests failed  and Wong is now serving a belated jail term imposed for his activities in 2014.

However, I also met with 24-year-old Nathan Law, who, with other young activists, turned to electoral politics after the Umbrella Revolution failed. These Hong Kong crusaders  including Law and five other activists younger than 40  won seats to Hong Kongs Legislative Council. Pro-democracy forces gained sufficient seats in 2016 to block Beijings manipulations.

Since then, however, six young opposition lawmakers, including Law, have been disqualified under Beijings pressure  supposedly because they failed to take their oaths of office properly.

Law told me then he knew what he was up against. But, he said: "You continue not because you see the hope, but so that you can see the hope. I am not blindly optimistic. Everything we do gains a little bit for the future. I am not afraid of being defeated as long as we have the courage to continue the war."

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If that isnt inspiration for those who sometimes lose heart at democracys difficulties in America, I dont know what would be.

Certainly it is reason for Congress to speak out against the attack on the rule of law in Hong Kong. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo surely knows there are practical reasons for Washington to be concerned.

If the trade war between China and the United States worsens, the Hong Kong extradition dragnet could sweep up a U.S. businessman (or academic or journalist) as a hostage. This threat is why the American Chamber of Commerce warned that a new extradition agreement would damage the citys reputation as a "security haven for international business." It will surely endanger Hong Kongs value as a major economic asset for China and a safe base for Americans doing business with China.

And it will further threaten those brave Hong Kong democracy activists who have refused, against all odds, to give up their fight.Thumbs up to Soldiers Field track plan

Initial plans to pave the running track at Soldiers Field with asphalt met with resistance from local runners. Rather than push ahead anyway, Rochester city officials wisely held off on their plans and waited for the Save the Track citizens group to offer an alternative.

As a result, the track will be paved with a more comfortable running surface, and in turn, the Save the Track group will help fund upkeep of the track.

That qualifies as a win-win for everyone involved. Credit goes to city officials who took into consideration input from the community. It preserves a valuable resource in the hart of the city.

Now, the hope is we'll see more people make use of the track when all work is completed next summer.

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Thumbs down to winter driving

It's getting closer, whether we like it or not. This week's dusting of snow is a reminder that with November comes the need to refresh ourselves on safe winter driving practices.

First and foremost, of course, is to reduce your speed on icy and snowy roads. Along with that, increase the distance between your vehicle and the one you're following. Accelerate and decelerate gradually. Make sure your windshield wipers are in good working order, and that your windshield washer reservoir is full.

All of this is second-nature to most Minnesotans, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded that winter driving is as much an art as it is a science.

By the way, don't forget to familiarize yourself with Rochester's new even-odd street parking plan for winter.

Thumbs up to Minnesota's ACT scores

Minnesota students have maintained their best-in-nation average score on the ACT college entrance exam -- at least among those states where the majority of graduating seniors take the test.

Minnesota's graduating seniors achieved an average score of 21.4, a slight improvement from last year's average score of 21.3, according to results released this week. By comparison, the national average is 20.7.

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In most states, a majority of students take the SAT college entrance test. In the Upper Midwest, though, the ACT is more popular. Wisconsin's average score was 20.3 and North Dakota's was 19.9

While improvement should always be a goal, Minnesota's schools are obviously doing a good job of preparing graduates for college success.Lets not mince words. The year 2022 will look more like 2021 than 2019 - the year before the novel coronavirus took over the world. And grant Read moreEditor's note: The Guam Daily Post interviewed several individuals over the past several weeks about homelessness on Guam. This is the second in a series that looks at the undercurrents that tear some people away from their families and the community, and tosses them onto the pavement.

PQ "Is it better to keep the children with the parents because they are being looked after, even though its not the best circumstances? Is that more stable than removing a child and putting them in the child welfare system?"  Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio

Homelessness on Guam The Guam Daily Post conducted interviews with several individuals about homelessness on Guam. This series looks at the undercurrents that tear

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Nearly half  42%  of the homeless population on Guam is under the age of 18. Sixteen percent of those minors are under the age of 5. The report found that 242 children under the age of 10 were homeless.

Angelina Cruz, chairwoman of the Guam Homeless Coalition, said the coalition always prioritizes children when they are found to be homeless. Cruz said homelessness in and of itself does not constitute neglect on the part of the parents or caregivers.

But the situations you put your children in do, she said.

Cruz said that for example, if parents sleep in a car with their children but are otherwise caring for them and providing the basic necessities, the parents may not be found to be putting their children at risk, according to Child Protective Services.

However, if the parents are sleeping with their children in front of a building where intoxicated adults are staying, the parents could be found to be putting their children at risk.

When we do our outreaches, if we find any child that seems to be in imminent threat of harm, then we make those referrals to CPS and they will go out. They have removed some children from their parents custody when they are not being compliant, Cruz said.

Cruz, who also represents the Guam Department of Education in the coalition, said GDOE must abide by the McKinney-Vento Act. The act mandates that homeless children receive transportation to and from school and be allowed to register for classes, even if they are missing certain required documents such as proof of residence.

Homeless children also receive free meals and are automatically eligible for the Head Start program, which promotes school readiness for children under 5.

Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, who said he is working to address the issue of homelessness on island, is particularly concerned about children who don't have a house or are living in inadequate housing.

Homeless kids are prime for victimization, Tenorio said.

Im still struggling with that. Is it better to keep the children with the parents because they are being looked after, even though its not the best circumstances? Is that more stable than removing a child and putting them in the child welfare system? And we know that we dont have enough placements for kids. Even foster kids  there is not a lot of placements for them, Tenorio said. If the parents want to be homeless, is that the kids fault?

Asylum-seekers

Those coming to Guam seeking asylum are another group that can fall into the homeless category.

Diana Calvo, executive director of Catholic Social Service, said that in the past, asylum-seekers came from China, Burma or Korea. There has always been a group, she said.

In recent years, she said, there has been an increase in asylum-seekers from Russia.

Its not like they come here to freeload off the system  thats not what we are seeing. A lot of these individuals really are professionals. They have a professional occupation, Calvo said.

She said many have saved up money to come to Guam, but that money can run out and leave them facing a life on the streets.

Two or three years ago, individuals were able to get their asylum applications processed much more quickly. But with the election of President Donald Trump and his stance on immigration  and particularly with illegal immigration  its taking longer. "So thats whats actually contributing to a lot of the challenges, Calvo said.

She said that before their asylum pleas are acted upon, asylum-seekers may be given authorization to work so that they are able to support themselves. But now, a process that might have taken six months can stretch out to more than a year, she said.

And those seeking asylum might face a barrier to entry into programs that provide shelter, Cruz said.

Asylum-seekers must demonstrate they are able to support themselves.

So if they are seeking the services of homeless shelters, what does that mean for them and will that affect their petition for asylum? Cruz said.

I dont think we understand the extent of it yet, Tenorio said on the issue of asylum-seekers facing homelessness. I think we need to spend some time probing into it.For some people in this part of Pennsylvania, the fight for fair school funding evokes the same emotions regarding legislators as the late-night pay raise did in 2005.

Disbelief. Disgust. Outrage.

The difference this time is geography. The pay raise was an affront to every citizen in every legislative district, as lawmakers voted themselves raises while the states economy and infrastructure crumbled.

In contrast, the imbalance in school funding hurts most the districts in southeastern Pennsylvania with higher population, lower income and higher percentages of minorities. The rural, mostly white districts of central and western regions would actually lose money if education funding was given out according to the Fair Funding Formula adopted in 2016.

The current system that distributes just 10 percent of the states school funding according to the formula gives Pennsylvania the distinction as the state with the greatest funding inequity between rich and poor districts.

Research has also shown that even in districts where income is not a factor, districts with more students of color receive less money. That fact has led to the end education apartheid protest.

The outrage born in this region is getting louder and gaining voices. The statewide faith-based activist group POWER and the NAACP are joining local school districts in protest of underfunding. POWER was the organizing force this week for a rally that sent 1,000 people to Harrisburg, filling the Capitol rotunda, waving signs and singing, Whose Side are You On?

Meanwhile, legislative leaders were attending to other business. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, who has the power to get legislation to the floor for a vote  or not  pushed through a bill this week to devote more money to scholarships for private and religious schools.

The Turzai bill would expand the existing $110 million Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to raise the income level for qualifying families to $95,000 and add an additional $100 million into the program.

The bill passed the state Senate Tuesday, a month after it passed the House. Wolf said Wednesday he would veto it because it is at odds with public school needs.

Wednesdays rally was to support House Bill 961, which would require 100 percent of state funds for education be distributed according to the Fair Funding Formula. Sponsor Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia, spoke at the rally. The bill has 61 co-sponsors from both parties but is unlikely to get to the floor before this legislative session ends in two weeks because it is widely recognized as having little benefit to the districts where Turzai and other Republican leaders depend on votes.

Into this mixed bag of priorities came busloads organized by POWER. The largest contingent  three busloads  came from Pottstown schools, where Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez has been a tireless voice for fair funding.

Pottstown parent and school board candidate Laura Johnson was among the speakers, pointing to the injustice that touches 52 percent of students statewide, all of them in the racially diverse, poor districts of southeastern Pennsylvania. She spoke about Pottstown:

Pottstowns schools are underfunded by over 13 million dollars every year. That is almost 4,000 dollars per student, she said. Our caring and committed teachers are underpaid. Programs have been cut. Our students lack the supports and opportunities they need. Additionally, our economically hurting town has one of the highest tax burdens in the entire state.

Johnson then challenged lawmakers: If you are a lawmaker, your job is to ask what is morally and ethically right and use your power to help make it a reality. To hide from what you know is right in the name of political impossibility is to fail to do your job. It is time for our political leaders to find the will and the courage to correct this injustice. It is time to end the racial bias in education funding. It is time to pass HB961 to bring 100 percent fair funding to Pennsylvania schools.

We could not have said it better. Its time to do the right thing for all children in Pennsylvania.Bernie Sanders seems to me to embody the trouble with socialism. In his cranky attitude and crabby visage he gives expressive form to the spirit driving the thing. He takes the vast wealth produced by the citizens of the United States as a given. He wants at it with no apparent attention to the destructive effects of the socialist imperative.

This week he purported to restate his manifesto (text here, video below). The Wall Street Journals James Freeman anticipated the speech in his column The Marx brother, drawing on Edward-Isaac Doveres Atlantic preview As Bernie Sanders leans into socialism, his rivals laugh. The Atlantics Yascha Mounk offered a worthy critique in Sanderss Speech About Socialism Was Deeply Unserious.

This mornings Wall Street Journal provides the useful editorial Defining socialism down. The editors spot the dog(s) that didnt bark:

Mr. Sanders pitches Medicare for All as an income transfer program. Take from billionaires like Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and give to everyone else. But there arent enough Bezoses to finance government health care for everyone, so Bernie will eventually have to go after the middle class. This did not show up in his Introduction to Socialism lecture.

As striking was his failure even to mention some of the worlds leading exemplars of socialism. Venezuela and Cuba made no appearance. Youd think a candidate pitching democratic socialism would at least want to distance himself politically from those socialist failuresif only as self-protection.

The oversight was especially notable because Mr. Sanders went out of his way to label American capitalists like Mr. Bezos (and of course) Donald Trump as oligarchs and authoritarians. Most of Venezuelas wealth is generated from petrodollars and skimmed off by President Nicolas Maduro, his cronies and top government brass. Why not condemn them as oligarchs who dont represent socialism?

Mr. Sanders also left out any comparisons to the Nordic European states, which he has praised in the past. Perhaps this is because his endorsement has caused journalists and others to point out that Sweden isnt all that socialist anymore. Swedens corporate tax rate is 21.4%close to the U.S. rate of 21% that Mr. Sanders calls an abomination and wants to raise.

Sweden has no inheritance tax, while Mr. Sanders wants government to tax just about everything you have at death. Or perhaps Mr. Sanders doesnt want voters to figure out that Sweden, like most European cradle-to-grave welfare states, imposes a 25% VAT that soaks the middle class.

Like other universal government-run health care systems, Sweden rations care. But at least people can utilize private care if they choose. Mr. Sanders recently said there would be no exceptions for Americans to his Medicare for All plan. Sweden also offers universal school vouchers, which may be why its students outperform those in the U.S. Mr. Sanders wants to ban charter schools and force kids into union-run public schools.It does so in this editorial. The Posts editorial stance informs its front page story about Irans attacks. The headline in the paper edition reads Trump steps up blame of Iran. A subheading states Dueling accusations raise fears of military conflict.

Of course, Trump is stepping up the blame of Iran. He now has video evidence that Iran is responsible for attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf. Thats the real story here, not the dueling accusations angle, which posits a moral equivalence between the U.S. and Iran.

At the Washington Post, though, every story must center around an anti-Trump spin. Thats true even when the story involves outright aggression by Americas enemies.

The Posts claim that Trump bears any responsibility for Irans attacks because of his hostile posture towards the regime is based on nothing more than hatred of the president. At a certain point in his presidency, Barack Obama had imposed crippling sanctions on Iran. If Iran had responded by attacking ships in the Persian Gulf, would the Post have blamed Obama? Of course not.

It wont do to respond that Obama was always willing to negotiate with Iran. Trump too has said he wants to talk with the regime. Iran has ruled out such negotiations, as the Post editorial acknowledges.

The most interesting question here is what Iran hopes to gain from its aggression in the Persian Gulf. The Post doesnt address that question. Doing so would be beside the point for an organ focused singlemindedly on attacking Trump.

I have no answer to the question. However, the attacks may be an attempt to save face by a regime in trouble.

JOHN adds: It is extraordinary that, given a choice between the vicious, terrorist-sponsoring mullahs of Iran and the President of the United States, the Washington Post is on the side of the mullahs, even when they launch life-threatening attacks against tankers owned by American allies. President Trump is right when he says that outlets like the Post are purveying fake news, and also when he says that such fake news outlets are enemies of the American people. This strikes me as a crystal-clear instance.I wondered on Thursday whether Oberlin would learn its lesson from the $33 million defamation verdict against the college, and explained why the answer was almost certainly No. You can strike almost. Today the New York Times reports that Oberlins president has confirmed that they are determined not to learn anything from the verdict:

In an email to the Oberlin community on Friday, Carmen Twillie Ambar, the college president, said that the case was far from over, and that none of this will sway us from our core values.

Good to know that Oberlins core values now apparently include total disregard for the truth (though that should not be a big surprise, since the core teaching of Oberlins curriculum is that truth is subjective, so those students were merely liberating that bottle of wine back in 2016), and callous indifference to its students defaming an innocent small business.

The Times reminds us:

Oberlin tried to distance itself from the protesters in court papers, saying it should not be held responsible for their actions. It blamed the store for bringing its problems on itself. Gibson bakerys archaic chase-and-detain policy regarding suspected shoplifters was the catalyst for the protests, the college said. The guilt or innocence of the students is irrelevant to both the root cause of the protests and this litigation.

So chasing down thieves is considered an archaic policy? Suggestion to an enterprising Oberlin student: decline to make your tuition payment, because tuition is an archaic policy, and college education is a fundamental human right now.A veteran Yoruba actor, Fasasi Olabankewin, is dead.

The deceased, who was famously known as Dagunro, died in Osogbo on Thursday after a brief illness.

An actor, Adekola Tijani, broke the news on Instagram.

The actor will be buried in Osogbo on Thursday.

Some of his most recent movies include Kakaki Leku, Ikilo Agba, and Inubibi, released in 2008, 2008 and 2007 respectively.

The late actor, who began acting in Primary 5, celebrated his 50th year on stage on April 26, 2015 at the Blue Roof, LTV 8, Agindigbi, Ikeja, Lagos. It was a well-attended event.

His two sons, Kazeem Iyanda Olabankewin and Jamiu Olabankewin, are also theatre arts practitioners.

The deceased is the seventh Yoruba movie actor who has died in 2019 and the 16th in the Nollywood industry.Last week, advocates of local government autonomy must have felt demoralised when news filtered in that local council chairpersons in Osun State were scheduled to visit Dubai. The sad reality is in the details.

A leaked memo shared across social media platforms showed that the 68 council chairmen were approved to travel to Dubai for a 10-day workshop principally to be groomed on the international best practices in the area of Local Government Administration as it is being practised in the Advanced Democracies Worldwide.

If you survive the unfortunate phrasing of that line explaining the motive of the trip, you may not have enough energy to question the (il)logicality of the jamboree. The violent contradiction becomes heart-shattering even when you realise that Osun is by far one of the most pauperised states in the country, bent under the crush of mountainous debt.

In any case, few days after the leaked memo generated outrage online, Governor Oyetola directed that the trip be suspended. Again, one would have to immerse oneself in the culture of official any-how-ness that is the directive principle of state policy in Nigeria to rationalise the fact that a governor would have to direct officials in charge of another tier of government in a supposed federal system before sanity prevails.

But thats even beside the point. There is a more fundamental concern that borders on optics and timing.

First, Osun state is without doubt the worst hit in the fresh wave of robbery and kidnapping ravaging the Southwest region. There are reports of people kidnapped in different parts of the state, who regained their freedom after paying hefty ransom. While it is important to be wary of alarmists who concoct all sorts on social media to fan the ember of hatred and division, it will also amount to sheer hypocrisy to carry on as though all is well in the reion. Clearly, the signs are ominous.

But like the larger Yoruba politico-intellectual elite, these Dubai-obsessed council chairmen have largely responded to the criminality in the state and the region with equally criminal silence; theyve not articulated any meaningful strategy on how best to tackle the menace. For reasons that are chiefly of political expediency, they have failed to acknowledge that the development indeed constitutes an existential threat within the state. Rather, theyve at best played the ostrich.

Of course, to acknowledge that there is insecurity is to question the competence of and perhaps offend President Muhammadu Buhari. To offend Mr Buhari is to offend, by extension, their partys National Leader, of whom they are an obsequious appendage. It could even be worse because at the heart of the crisis and the criminally conspiratorial silence that trails it is politics of identity. This, it must be pointed out, is largely compounded by the optics of presidential insouciance. Yet (in)security, particularly the variant we speak of in this context, is largely a grassroots concern.

So what does this suspended trip to Dubai represent in all of this? Escapism. Anyone who has studied the psychology of the Nigerian ruling elite well enough would understand that uniquely Nigerian brand of governance by escapism. It is evident in how, when we get estimated darkness in place of electricity, the Nigerian official responds by importing generator; when schools become slaughter slabs, he chauffeurs his kids to Ivy League schools abroad; when road becomes death trap, he purchases a private jet, pronto. Escapism-thats the ruling elites multipurpose solution to all forms of societal dysfunction in Nigeria.

And so beyond the issue of poverty, beyond Osuns meagre resources, beyond its mountainous debt and scary overheads, that this trip to Dubai could even be conceived ab initio is perhaps the most symbolic testimony to Osun hegemons mendacity. Again, it is perhaps their ingenious response to the security threat ravaging their domain; their own way of running away from kidnappers.

But SATIRE SATURDAY would still defend that decision: the LG Chairmen should be encouraged to go ahead with their trip. First, the trip may be the latest vehicle of demystifying some notions in the politics of the west. For one, these officials are often quick to refer to themselves as progressives and others as conservatives. What then is the core of progressivism if it isnt to plan a well-intentioned trip to the Emirates amidst excruciating poverty, tear-inducing illiteracy and widespread insecurity in a heavily indebted state?

Again, the most vociferous campaign against the trip is premised on the huge cost involved. Now, making that the core of an argument pushed out to kill a nobel intention like this Dubai trip is at best pointless, and at worst, lazy. Those against the trip say that the cost of air travel and accommodation is too high. Again thats symptomatic of lazy thinking and this trip is too important to be reduced to such one-way thinking. The crux of the matter is that with critical thinking, air fare is no issue here because from Osogbo, via Ivory Coast (where there are numerous Osun indigenes, especially from Ejigbo), our LG chairmen can access Dubai by road. More importantly, this could be a golden opportunity to make our elected officials go through what we gp through, feel our pain and perhaps, make better decisions afterwards. I will explain.

From Ivory Coast, getting to Burkina Faso by road is no big deal and from there, our LG chairmen could move through the sea to Morocco, then Libya, then Spain, then Italy, and, from there, they could find their way to the United Arab Emirates and ultimately Dubai, through the sea and desert. That way, they would have spent far less on travelling and made a nonsense of this argument that the airfare for the trip is too expensive. They would only spend more time but then, before next year, they would have returned.

But more importantly, they would also have learnt a serious lesson that may impact on their performamnce when they return. Without doubt, the trip would offer them firsthand experience of what poor Osun indigenes and other Nigerians who brave the odds to seek greener pasture in Europe/UAE by road and sea and desert go through, chiefly because of governments incompetence, failures and its numerous insensitive decisions.

And talking of insensitive decisions in the midst of poverty and insecurity, is there any better example than this proposed multi-million naira Dubai trip?

_________________________________

Oladeinde tweets via @Ola_deindePrimary healthcare centres in Niger State are acutely in need of doctors and midwives, thereby putting the few secondary and tertiary institutions in the state under severe pressure.

The situation stifles any plan by the state towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) if not addressed. Providing adequate access to care for the entire population of the state will require enough professional hands, especially in the hinterlands.

To drive UHC and reduce out-of-pocket spending for health, the government in Niger  Nigerias largest state with the highest number of hard-to-reach communities  flagged off a Contributory Health Scheme.

Named Nicare, the scheme was signed into law last December. With a takeoff fund of N100 million, the government said it has designed a model and enrolment has been ongoing. What is remaining is for the insured to start getting services which are billed to commence next month.

Hurdles

But one of the many hurdles the scheme is bound to face is a dearth of health personnel to deliver services. The population of the state stands at approximately six million, but the health workforce is barely over 6,000, according to data from the Niger State Healthcare Development Agency (NSHDA).

This means roughly one health worker per 1000 population  far below the four or five per 1000 required for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Worst still, there is a severe internal brain drain. While the majority of doctors in the state work in a few urban areas, health facilities in the rural communities  mostly far-flung because of the large land mass  are largely staffed by retired nurses, community health workers, and on-and-off NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) doctors with little clinical experience.

A visit to several facilities and interactions with players in the health sector of the state last month during a local study tour by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), puts a face to the gravity of the situation.

Abubakar Bello, the governor of the state, while receiving the NIPSS delegation had alluded to the challenge of unequal distribution of human resources.

Sharing an encounter (a year ago), the governor explained how health workers at the General Hospital in Minna, the states capital, are overworked by patients who throng the facility from far-to-reach hinterlands.

Last year, I visited the general hospital, and the doctor there was overwhelmed. I arrived at about 10 p.m. and found that he has been working since 4 p.m. and even at that time; he still had about 40 patients to attend to. I looked into his eyes, and I can (could) tell that this man is tired, the governor said.

Brain Drain

Mustapha Jibril, the Niger health commissioner, said hospitals in the cities are overstretched because of internal brain drain.

In the health sector, the phrase is used to describe the migration of health workers from rural to urban areas, where they believe there are more opportunities.

While primary healthcare facilities in the hinterlands remain dogged with multiple challenges  especially acute shortage of professional hands  the few secondary and tertiary care centres in the cities are overwhelmed and overstretched by patients who flock them daily from different parts of the state.

He said health workers prefer working in urban areas. He explained the governments plan on tackling the challenge.

On human resources, we are trying to come with various policies that will enable us to send people to rural areas and make them stay there, he said. Health workers we are recruiting for those places have to sign an agreement that they will not leave or request for transfer over some time or they will be relieved of the jobs.

We also make sure the people we picked are from the localities. We are doing specialised recruitment whereby people recruited will get specific allowances and are also paid dislocation allowances different from what others get. This will serve as an incentive to make them stay, he added.

Nothing has Changed

Even though the governor was disturbed after that (2018) encounter at the general hospital and after employing about 300 doctors, caregivers in the facility are still short of hands to cater for the flock of patients as seen when the reporter visited.

Eight-month-pregnant Fatima Yusuf has no qualms travelling 25 kilometres from her home in Paiko town to the General Hospital for antenatal care. The facility was flooded by hundreds of pregnant women, but Mrs Yusuf, a student nurse, said she prefers waiting in long queues than visiting the health facility in her rural Paiko town.

Her reasons: there are no doctors and enough midwives even at the comprehensive PHC in Paiko.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that achieving 80 per cent coverage rate for skilled birth attendance and child immunisation  two basic primary healthcare targets  requires at least an average of two to five healthcare professionals  physicians, nurses, and midwives  per 1,000 residents.

But many PHCs in Niger are facing critical shortages, forcing pregnant women to abandon them for the General Hospital in Minna and the situation has completely overstretched the workforce of the facility which originally is meant to provide secondary care.

The major problem is that pregnant women come from far-flung areas because the PHCs are not working, said Mrs Yusuf. Though deliveries used to be free here, the facility had to ask us to pay N5,000 to dissuade those coming from far places, but as you can see, that is not working. They just need to employ more staff.

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Juliet Abdullahi, a midwife at the antenatal clinic, said they work from morning till 7:30 p.m. and sometimes without shifts.

The facility has about 120 midwives who handle over 450 deliveries per month, said Gambo Mohammed, the head nurse.

The structure of healthcare delivery in Niger had been altered by an unequal distribution of manpower which Aminu Magaji, the Chief Medical Director of the general hospital, said will disrupt any model of health insurance and scuttle the progress of UHC.

Mr Magaji explained that the facility was only meant to take referrals of complicated cases from PHCs but now bears the brunt of primary health delivery.

We are overwhelmed, he said. This hospital is meant for the 30 per cent of the states population living in the city, but a chunk of the 70 per cent who reside in rural areas turn up here.

He said any plan to drive Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the state should be driven by providing adequate manpower for PHCs.

You cant leave PHCs who are supposed to take care of 70 per cent of the population without doctors.

He described as grave, the rate of out-of-pocket spending for health in the state, saying only 20 per cent of the population, who are federal civil servants are currently covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

For Niger to achieve UHC, Mr Magaji said the government needs to rework a sustainable model for the mandatory state health insurance scheme that will cover over 80 per cent of the population who spend out-of-pocket for health.

Out-of-pocket spending is worse in the PHCs.

Niger has about 16, 788 settlements and about 4, 700 of them are in hard to reach areas, according to Mr Jibril, the health commissioner.

The commissioner said the government is focusing on revitalising our PHC system as part of the integrated network of care because, through PHCs, we will be able to reach out to the 70 per cent of our population living in rural areas including hard to reach communities.

Even without a dearth of health workers, most of the 1, 350 PHCs in Niger state are dysfunctional, according to the State Primary Health Care Board (SPHCB).

Mr Jibril said the PHCs had been abandoned for more than four decades until the government came in on the PHC Under One Roof policy.

Under the policy, Mr Jibril said one focal PHC in each of the 274 wards in the states was revitalised for a start to provide basic primary services and care for enrollees when the state contributory health scheme commences.

Shortages in the Model PHCs

But a visit at three of the focal PHCs proved otherwise. None of them has a permanent doctor or an ambulance for referrals.

The model PHC in Paiko, which takes referrals from at least 15 smaller health clinics and posts in Paikoro local government only have three professional nurses.

The facility needs at least eight midwives to match the 50 patients it treats daily from the 9500 residents of Paiko town said Hadiza Mizare, the PHC board director of the local government.

Mrs Mizare said the facility is hoping the government will send a youth corper doctor soon. She said, apart from getting referrals, the PHC also refer critical cases to the general hospital in Minna, but the challenge is that there are no referral vehicles.

Another comprehensive PHC in Beji is also arranging for an NYSC doctor as they have none.

The health workers said the facility does not have an adequate power supply to preserve immunisation products.

Here, the families of the patient will provide the vehicle for movement when the need for referrals arises.

Ripple Effect

The acute shortage of doctors and midwives is forcing many pregnant women who cannot afford bigger hospitals to rely on unprofessional hands and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs)  a situation Mr Bello, the governor decried, saying the state is losing a lot of people during deliveries and the numbers are not encouraging.

With one in every ten children born in Niger dying at birth, the maternal mortality rate stands at 352 per 100, 000, according to data from the NSHDA.

The community health workers at the Memorial PHC in Chanchaga Local Government of Minna said many pregnant women even prefer TBAs.

A health worker in the facility said we do give them (pregnant women) advice that they should stop delivering babies at home because its very dangerous.

There was this scenario that happened, the child of a patient died in her womb because her mother-in-law had insisted that she deliver at home. This resulted in prolonged labour and the baby died before they brought her here.

We have (had) to struggle to bring out the dead baby and save the mother.

Knotty Problem

The PHC problem in Niger is similar to that of many other states in Nigeria.

In an attempt to solve the problem, President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2017 flagged-off a scheme to revitalise about 10,000 PHCs across the country.

The aim was to ensure that minor ailments are treated locally, instead of being referred to bigger hospitals.

But more than a year after the plan was kicked off, PREMIUM TIMES investigation found that very little work had been done.

Prior to the time, a previous investigation by this medium, about 10 months after the plan was flagged-off, mirrored how health workers in rural PHCs are overworked due to acute understaffing.

PHCs are bedevilled with multiple challenges despite billions allotted to them over the years especially due to mismanagement.

The federal government is not directly and constitutionally responsible for primary and secondary care, according to the health minister, Isaac Adewole.

An analysis by civil society organization BudgIT shows that nearly half of the states are struggling to pay workers salaries and fulfil election promises such as roads construction and job creation, issues that are absorbing the attention of many governors more than improving the quality of health centres that already exist.

Besides, there is an element of misplaced priority. While thousands of PHCs lie unused, the government continues to build more across the country without any serious plan for equipping and staffing them.

Only about 20 per cent of the 30,000 PHCs in the country are functional, a survey by a nongovernmental body, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), said.

Last year, American businessman and co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, during a visit, described Nigerias Primary healthcare system as broken.

In May, Mr Adewole admitted that the collapse of primary and secondary healthcare has put teaching hospitals in the country under tremendous pressure, blaming the situation on poor funding by state governments.

Meanwhile, in Niger State, the poor state of PHCs have expectedly affected the output of both secondary and tertiary institutions who are now mostly reduced to glorified PHCs, says Abdullahi Usman, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre in Bida.

Mr Usman decried the situation, saying most secondary and tertiary institutions now have a PHC unit. Even institutions such as road safety do not even know the difference between PHC, secondary and tertiary care institutions.

He said the situation encourages out-of-pocket spending.

People sell properties before they can travel out of their settlements to the hospitals in the urban areas which are usually costly due to out-of-pocket spending.

This to me is where we should focus our attention on if we really want to achieve Universal Health Coverage in Niger state.

The NIPPS local study tour of Niger states health sector was coordinated by NIPSS in collaboration with the Development Research and Project Centre (DRPC) through PACFAH@Scale.The controversial Malabu scandal took a dramatic turn Wednesday in Italy as defendants of oil giant Eni said they will not appear in court to give evidence on charges filed against them.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the exception is former Eni manager, Vincenzo Armanna, who accused his fellow managers of seeking to obtain kickbacks.

They have all denied wrongdoing, according to anti-corruption campaigners monitoring the trials in Milan, Italy.

The Wednesday session also saw Peter Cameron, a tax consultant for Shell, taken to task on his experts report sanctifying the heavily criticised 2011 agreements on OPL 245.

Backstory

The Malabu scandal involved the transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete.

From accounts controlled by Mr Etete, about half the money ($520 million) went to accounts of companies controlled by Aliyu Abubakar, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA oil.

Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Jonathan administration as well of officials of Shell and ENI.

The transaction was authorised in 2011 by Mr Jonathan through some of his cabinet ministers and the money was payment for OPL 245, one of Nigerias richest oil blocks.

Although Shell and ENI initially claimed they did not know the money would end up with Mr Etete and his cronies, evidence has shown that claim to be false.

Shell, Eni, Mr Etete, Mr Aliyu and several officials of the oil firms are being prosecuted in Italy for their roles in the scandal.

Rigorous session

On Wednesday, Olanrewaju Suraj of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, who was at the Milan court, said that the prosecutors and counsel to the Nigerian government performed excellently.

When asked whether the 2011 contract was a Production Sharing Agreement or Production Sharing Contract. Mr Cameron reportedly said that he wasnt part of the negotiation. Again, when asked if there was an exemption in Capital Gain Tax Law of Nigeria by the prosecutor, the expert replied that the question was not relevant. But after the presiding judge reportedly protested and demanded an answer, he admitted that he did not know.

Mr Cameron, who described capital gain tax exemption as complex, said his understanding was that in Nigeria, tax authority could in future look at contracts and review tax conditions and extract due tax not paid.

Mr Suraj added that although that was Mr Camerons position, it is not the position of the law. OECD guidelines on taxes and business (are) very clear on taxes administration and governance; tax incentives should be provided with tax laws, he tweeted. Not violation and or avoidance of tax laws in business countries like Nigeria.

Mr Cameron reportedly admitted that he is not an expert on Nigerian tax law but was only contracted to present an expert report in support of tax clauses in a contract with Nigeria.

When asked if the government could not have achieved the same benefits and responsibilities at no cost from the onset of the PSA, the tax expert said: it is complicated.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that he was also queried on his assertion that there is no material difference between the 2012 PSA and other Production Sharing Contracts, PSCs.

At the end of the session, Mr Suraj said he was impressed by the performance of Nigerian government counsels because they destroyed the foundation of arguments and assertions of a professor expert with decades of consultancy with Worldbank.

Although the Nigerian government is not a direct party in the trial, the government was approved by the court to have a counsel during the proceedings.

In Nigeria, trial is being stalled because Nigerias anti-graft agency said principal suspects have been on the run. They include Mr Aliyu; Mohammed Adoke, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice; and Mr Etete.

They are being prosecuted alongside Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company, and ENI, as well as Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, Rocky Top Resource Ltd, Imperial Union Ltd, Novel Properties & Dev. Co. Ltd, Group Construction Ltd, and Megatech Engineering Ltd.

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Mr Jonathan, whose government brokered the deal in 2011, is not facing trial over the case.

In a recent interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Adoke, who played a major role in the negotiation and signing of the 2011 agreement, claimed that he did no wrong.In this second, and concluding part of his interview with a select group of journalists, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, speaks on allegations of bias against the government in tackling herdsmen/farmers clashes, insecurity in the North-West region, the re-election of President Muhammadu and what Nigerians should expect in the next four years.

There are concerns in some quarters of alleged lethargy by the federal government in addressing the challenge of banditry in the North West; some accused the government of taking sides with Fulani in some of these conflicts.

I think for anybody to accuse this government of being lethargic in dealing with herders-farmers conflict is quite unfair because we have been very decisive. The categorisation of the Fulani as herdsmen is improper. I am a herdsman but not a Fulani. So, particularly in the northern part of the country, saying all herdsmen are Fulani is a lie. We are all herdsmen, we are all farmers; some are arable farmers, some are herdsmen and all these farming in the agricultural sense is one. One is animal husbandry, the other one is arable farming or crops which are all farming and I think the dimension of conflicts in this country often time comes with different interpretations.

The farmers-herdsmen conflict is not new. It has been with us. The communities were more intact. They did not have a lot of extraneous influences. They have a defined pattern in resolving their conflicts in a particular location.

If the herdsman allows his animals go into a farmers plot and there is destruction, the local community use to sit down; there will be an assessment of the level of destruction, then the herdsman will be asked to pay. If unfortunately, the farmer kills an animal that belongs to a Fulani man or herdsman, then the community will sit and establish the justification for that action and if theres no justification you will be asked to pay. So, we have a communal way of resolving a conflict.

Ranches and reserves have been in existence. In Adamawa, where I come from, there are several reserves established by law dating back to the days of Northern Nigerian with defined cattle routes. Abuja is a cattle route defined and gazetted in the laws of Northern Nigeria and similarly in several parts of this country. There is a major contention going on now, and partly economic with the growth in our population; with the growth in urbanisation, we have taken some of those reserves and turned them into residential areas. We have a belt across those cattle routes because there is a traditional pattern of movement that was established over the years.

You see, we do so many things in this country not minding the consequences that will confront us in the future. We have built across those cattle routes with urbanisation. We have taken the grazing reserves and apportioned them among elite farmers. We have fenced over the places, and these animals will have to feed and would have to get to a source of water. And this is a seasonal movement thats why they are called nomads. We have nomadic fishermen. We have nomadic herdsmen. In the early part of the 70s, the military thought it fit to build nomadic schools.

There is a commission for nomadic education. Most of us do not think that is important. People move across a certain area at a certain time, so we needed to establish schools that will go along with them. We did that and even set up a commission but we did not look at the economic aspect that is now rearing its head. There is a competition over land, over control of resources. So much has happened as a result of climate change that were not even factored into the whole thing, but thats the dynamics to it. So, for anybody to say that the Government has been lethargic in dealing with that crisis is totally being unfair.

I would say we are doing our best, we are making provisions. States that have given out some portion of their land for the creation of ranches, the government is going to help them to ensure that those ranches are created. All over the world, thats how most countries have transited from being nomads. The American cowboys in the U.S. were nomads, moving from one place to the other but today grazing in the U.S. is restricted to a ranch. Thats what has happened all over the world. I dont think that the Nigerian situation should be any different. We must move along that direction. Government is doing the best it can to ensure at least that those issues are mitigated. And there is a lot of mediation going on and some relative calm already coming into it.

In the North West, it is not the application of military force that will resolve that issue. It is deep because you wont believe it that there is no cattle to rustle in the North West because virtually all the cattle are inside the forests; they have all been rustled from the Fulani men and they are inside the forests like bandits. So, the Fulani man is left without any cattle and he is being hunted. The conflict in the North West is deep and it will require the collective effort of the government and the people to be able to deal with it and that is why I was saying that if we are not careful it will surface as an insurgency because it is deep and it will be worse than the Boko Haram. It deals with the livelihood of the people. The people that used to live in those forests have all been uprooted, the bandits have rustled all the cattle and taken them into the forest. So, there must be a systematic way of dealing with that conflict. It requires the inputs of the traditional rulers, of religious leaders, community leaders to confront that particular conflict. So, its a complex situation and I know that government is decisive in putting apparatus in place to deal with it.

PT: There are routine conflicts between heads of agencies and their boards, how does your office manage some of these conflicts?

Mustapha: When I came into office, most boards were already constituted. I had the responsibility of releasing the list of board members and chairmen. We partnered with the Bureau for Civil Service Reforms and other regional agencies to organise retreats for the board members and the management. There is the perception of a politician that has just been given a position as a member or chairman of a board; sometimes you come with a sense of entitlement. So we decided that we needed to put everybody in their rightful compartment and the retreats were meant to acquaint chairmen and board members with their responsibilities The first is to formulate policies in terms of day-day management of the organisation that is vested in the management team. Often time it is the managing director or a DG. We had a lot of skirmishes here and there and we have tried as much as possible to resolve them by asking them to go back to the notes that they took during the retreats which clearly defines the two arms of the same organisation. We have issued several circulars, even before I came to office as SGF, with clear demarcation between the functions of the board and the functions of management. So, we have tried as much as possible and often times the office of the permanent secretary, general services, is involved in the mediation. Sometimes the unions also bring their own and complicate the issues. But by and large, we have tried as much as possible to resolve those issues and where any issue is such that we cannot resolve, we seek for direction from the President on how to resolve it.

PT: There are many agencies that your government has left without boards, and even substantive heads, in some cases. What is the cause of this?

Mustapha: I cant really remember just at a glance how many agencies dont have boards. When we came, we constituted several boards. There are boards that have agencies that must go through a system  you have to seek Senate screening and confirmation. If none is in place, you can be rest assured that they are in the pipeline now and we will have them in place as quickly as possible. But with regards to where you have offices that are occupied on acting appointment, it is very clear that at the end of the expiration of the office of a chief executive and he leaves, my instruction is that he hands over to the most senior director in that establishment. We have a few; not many that have that kind of situation. Government is yet to constitute that board or to appoint a substantive head but in the meantime, it is allowed that a director can act and take hold of that office until an appointment is done in that regards.

But I dont know outright of anywhere before the expiration of office that we have not appointed somebody. It takes time to get all the boards put in place at the same time because you have to search for competent people, you have to do due diligence; seek security clearance, before you make presentation to the President so you dont end up with a somebody that will not meet up with eligibility qualification to become a CEO. Sometimes it takes up to some few months before you clear all those things. But by and large, where we still have someone in acting capacity, you can be rest assured we are working towards getting qualified people to fill those offices.

PT: What was your reaction to the electoral victory of President Buhari? Was it something you anticipated?

Mustapha: It was a thrill because it was a hard-earned victory. We worked very hard for it. In 2015, I was his director, contact and mobilisation, so I know the amount of work that was put in then. We had certain assurances because of how well he had done in the last three and half years leading to the last general election. We were confident that he was going to win. I was pleasantly surprised that he won with a much larger margin this time than in 2015. That gives me the satisfaction that the people of this country are quite happy and thrilled about his leadership style, his integrity, sincerity of purpose. He is a man that has no other agenda but the pursuit of better things for the good people of Nigeria. I am happy that he was re-elected. It is a thing of joy for us.

PT: How do you keep pace with demands of your office?

Mustapha: I remember when I assumed duty on 1st of November 2017, I told them that I didnt come to this job with any special skills of my own but the only thing that I believed brought and sustained me where I was coming from and by extension to where I am is by the grace and favour of God upon my life. I felt that no special skill will be able to sustain me in this office except if I trust in God and ask for enablement on a daily basis as to how to operate.

I have been in this office a year and half and I have not changed a single staff. The people I met in this office are still the same people I work with. The driver I met driving the former SGF is still the same driving me. I come with a leadership skill that if you are ready to work, you can work easily with me. For more than one year, I have not changed the secretaries and security staffs I met in the office, even the directors and permanent secretaries except for the new ones that were brought. I have not requested for anybody to be changed because I believe in the ability of every Nigerian to put in his/her best if the enabling environment is created.

They have performed tremendously well and that is why they can cope with my work ethics because it is simple; I am here to work, so if I stay until 2 am I dont see any reason they cannot stay. They are much younger than me so I dont see a reason why they cant except for staffs that are housewives that I allow to go at about 8 or 9 PM so they can attend to their families. For anybody that has a privilege out of 180 million of Nigeria to serve as Secretary to the Government, it is such an honour and privilege; not because you are qualified and not for any other reason but probably because like I said, the favour of God upon my life is what drove me to this office using the instrumentality of the hands of the president to select me from among the lot of people that are eminently qualified to occupy this office. So I see it as an honour and trust which is the way I applied myself in this office. I work any time of the day, any time of the week, anytime that there is anything to do I just have resolved in my heart to give it the best.

PT: What are the challenges for you serving as head of governments administration?

Mustapha: None that is insurmountable. The truth about it is that in every working place, you come across challenges. Probably the speed at which you want to move might not be the speed that is allowed by the system. You know we have a bureaucratic system that helps, which is not bad because it puts checks and balances to enable you to use your discretion well. Most of the government activities are done based on the information that is available to you. But if you do not seek for the information, which sometimes takes time, you will not get the information. And whatever decision you decide to take may not be the right decision, it will be decision-based on facts or information that are not available to you. So sometimes I get a little bit constrained, sometimes a little bit frustrated, but I have learned to be a process man. The truth is that the Nigeria project is a very complex project and because of the complexity of the Nigeria project, sometimes it brings to bear on what you can and cannot do in office. That I do not consider a challenge because that is the only way you can build a nation, by going through the intractable problems that confront the country and finding a solution. That is the job I have been given to do and I am gladly doing it.

PT: What would you say are your major achievements as the SGF?

When I came on board, I noticed that there was so much I needed to do to create synergy, to create coordination with my colleagues in council, with the ministries and agencies. I can tell you that to a large extent we have succeeded in doing that. Also, to help the government track its policies and programmes, last year I had the courtesy of launching a compendium of about 1,042 pages of council memos initiated by this administration from the assumption of office in 2015 all the way to December 2017. How did I do it? I got the President to authorise that for the first month to three months of 2019 every cabinet member will do a presentation of what hes been able to do since his appointment as a minister. All the cabinet ministers, including myself, had to do a physical presentation of the policies that were initiated by the ministries, the contracts that were approved by the cabinet and the programmes that were executed in order to give details and at the end of the exercise we saw where we were.

It was like a mid-term report and the compilation of what this government has been able to achieve, how much money is expended, what was the status of the projects, what was outstanding, and what were the challenges. That for me was a big sense of satisfaction of some of the things that we were able to achieve and because of that, Im able to look at plans to see how the government was moving. In the history of this country, in one week we held three Federal Executive Council meetings last week as we were coming to the end of the tenure. I got the President to approve Wednesday which is our statutory day, Thursday and Monday and within that process, we considered well over a hundred memos and sealed up the first stage of the President in a grand way.

I find that quite satisfying that I was able to drive my colleagues in that way and achieve the kind of end we were able to achieve. I believe that most of the ministers that will be leaving the cabinet like the President said in his speech that they should be proud of themselves because of what we have been able to achieve. Never in the history of this nation has any Federal Executive Council been able to achieve within a short period of time what we were able to achieve in the last week. It was so amazing and I believe that these are some of the things I give myself a pat on the back. And the general thrill is the seamless transmission of information and document in coordinating government activities and as much as possible, creating a very favourable atmosphere of work between ourselves and the National Assembly and these are some of the things I will look back on and say probably I could have done it better but I did my best. And I think I can appreciate some of the achievements and the response that we get.

PT: What should Nigerians expect in this new tenure of President Buhari?

I can tell you that I am one Nigerian that is very optimistic and full of expectations that as President Muhammadu Buhari takes the oath of office, looking into the future, there are great things that will come to the people of Nigeria. I know that his focus will remain solidly on the three things that he had promised because we have not gotten over all the issues. He is going to concentrate on that and probably drive it even much harder so by the time he leaves in 2023 there will be legacies that you say because of what he did, this has become sustainable as a future and as a hallmark of our nation.

I am confident, really expectant, that as our resources improve in the area of revenue generation, rise in the crude prices, making more money available, the tax net expanded to bring in more resources, I believe that we will be able to deliver substantially on some of the promises that he has made and I am very confident that the people of Nigeria will not regret their actions of giving him a second mandate.

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A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Babayo Gamawa, has passed away.

His spokesperson, Isa Gadau, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that Mr Gamawa died on Friday night in Bauchi, after a brief illness.

He complained of slight stomach ache and was taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, where he was admitted and later passed away.

I am now heading to his house, Mr Gadau said.

It would be recalled that Mr Gamawa defected to the ruling APC prior to the 2019 general elections.

Born on February 2, 1966, he attended the University of Jos, where he obtained a National Certificate in Purchasing and Supply.

He had served as the Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly and later Deputy Governor following the impeachment of the then Deputy Governor, late Mohammed Gadi.

In 2011, he was elected senator under the platform of the PDP in the 7th National Assembly; where he served as the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation and a member of the Land Transport Committee.

He left behind four wives, 16 children and aged mother.

His burial arrangement is yet to be announced by his family.

(NAN)The Council of Legal Education has said that 850 students of the Nigerian Law School passed the Bar Final Resit Examinations conducted in April.

The council made this known in a statement signed by the Director-General of the School, Isah Ciroma, on Friday in Abuja.

The council said that a total of 1,680 participated in the examinations.

Mr Corona said that while 850 of the students were successful, 34 had conditional pass marks and 724 others failed the examinations.

The council while translating the results, further explained that only 50.60 per cent made the examinations, 2.02 per cent conditional pass and 43.10 per cent failed the examinations.

The council also said that the Call to Bar ceremony for the successful candidates would hold on July 9 in Abuja.

(NAN)President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerian universities to intensify efforts at making discoveries and inventions that can assist the development of the country.

Mr Buhari made the call on Saturday in Dutsinma, Katsina State, in his address at the fourth convocation of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA).

The president, represented by Hafiz Abubakar, a professor, the former Deputy Governor of Kano State, said part of the speech would serve as a wake-up call to the nations universities.

Research, critical thinking, moral dispositions, discoveries and inventions should find natural habitats in our universities, as they do in several other universities in the world.

Universities are supposed to be strong drivers of the countrys development initiatives for sustainable development, he said.

He challenged the universities for being slow in aspects of discoveries and inventions.

It is not heart-warming that in our over 58 years of independence, Nigerian universities are slow in discoveries and inventions, he said.

He, however, said that his administration would continue to do everything possible to improve structures and facilities in the institutions and to enhance learning by training the required manpower through various interventions like TETFUND.

Mr Buhari also urged FUDMA to partner with Sokoto River Basin Development Authority to produce improved agricultural varieties and give the required scientific and extension support to the local farmers.

He said this would enhance the farmers productivity and economic viability.

In his remarks, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Adamu Baba-Kutigi, a professor, said 430 students were graduating from the institution for the 2017/2018 session.

According to him, the university, whose vision is to be among the top-ranking universities in the world, has seven faculties that run about 40 programmes.

He said the institution had established microfinance bank, university farm, printing press, and a shopping mall to enhance its internally generated revenue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prizes were given to some students for their excellent performances.

(NAN)The founding chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, has faulted opposition to a new regulation restricting management of funds meant for Nigerian local governments.

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) had, in May, announced a ban on transactions on State/Local Governments Joint Account and limiting cash withdrawal on local governments accounts to N500,000 per day.

The directive, which the agency said, is part of new financial control regimes it is evolving, was immediately opposed by Nigerian governors.

Two attempts to secure a court order to stop the implementation of the regulation have not succeeded as high courts in Uyo and Abuja both declined to restrict the agency.

Speaking on Friday while delivering a convocation lecture at the 4th convocation ceremony of Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Mr Ribadu backed the new directive.

These are important things happening to us and we should not allow a few to say no. On my way here I received a text which said my own local government, Yola South, has not had N500,000 in its account since 2002 until this month when N129 million was paid directly to it, he said.

He described the action as a positive way of ensuring probity, accountability, and development at the local level.

If the financial sector is porous and prone to abuse, in form of unregulated cash transaction, we cannot be free from our current challenges, including the menace of kidnapping and sundry crimes. Opposition of moves to regulate our public accounts are therefore misinformed and largely self-centred, he said.

Mr Ribadu added that in tackling corruption the most important step is taking charge of financial activities.

It is by tightening the control of the banking and non-banking financial sectors that anti-money laundering regimes can be effectively applied, and breaches detected. This is possible through transparency infrastructures that bring everything under vigilance and control.

Mr Ribadu said corruption must be made a difficult crime by coming up with measures that ensure transparency.

One of such early ideas in taking control of the financial sector was the idea of the Bank Verification Number (BVN). The concept of BVN is to enable transparent banking by making all banking customers identifiable across platforms using one number. This is a global best practice under the concept of Know Your Customer, a transparency measure intended to profile real persons behind transactions, and eliminate secrecy.

Cut in cash transactions and biometric identification of bank users, he said, will aid anti-money laundering measures and make it easier to apply sanctions.

This idea of transparent banking makes the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) from around the world work with ease in flagging suspected illicit movement of funds whether by drug cartels, terrorists or public officers.

The role of the FIU, as an intelligence agency, is to alert those concerned about such movements of money and work with law enforcement agencies to track source and destination of such funds for sanctions.

With such effective oversight and implementation of control measures, like what the. NFIU is trying to do now, incidences of corruption and insecurity can be greatly curtailed, he stated.

The former EFCC chairman said Nigeria also needs to tighten transparency requirements in the management of the countrys resources.

In this regard, and specific to Nigeria, is extractive industry transparencyhow do we make sure every bit of our natural resource is protected, processed without being stolen, and the proceeds accounted for without any leakage? The second, which is the flip side of the first one, is ensuring judicious use of that money through open-contracting and transparent governance, he said.Ruggedman A Nigerian artiste,, has said he was doing fine after being attacked at a restaurant in London, according to him and a series of social media posts.

Ruggedman was said to be dinning at 805 Restaurant, said to be popular amongst Nigerians in the English capital, when a hoodlum charged violently at him. It was not immediately clear the specific time the incident occurred, but Ruggedman first posted it online around 1:00 a.m. Saturday.

A video posted on Ruggedmans Twitter handle showed how the violence unfolded. Some persons were seen carrying the restaurants furniture and slamming them on Ruggedman.

A voice in the background repeatedly urged the attackers, said to be four, to leave him, but this did not appear to have much impact throughout the less than one-minute video.

Ruggedman later posted a video saying he was doing fine and commending the police for swift intervention. He did not appear hospitalised in the video.

was arrested last month in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Although details of the confrontation were still sketchy, netizens had already linked it to Naira Marley fans. Naira Marley, a Nigerian hip-hop artiste,in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC said in court filings that Naira Marley was involved in Internet fraud, and presented laptops and order tools allegedly seized from the musician.

conditions and was released on Friday. He strongly denied all allegations, saying he had borrowed the laptop from a friend shortly before he was arrested with it. The Federal High Court in Lagos granted him bail, and he only met theon Friday.

Ruggedman had condemned Naira Marley shortly after the younger artiste released a music video that many said glorified Internet fraudsters  Yahoo Boys. Ruggeddman said Naira Marley should channel his talent towards reining in the excesses of politicians who have been stealing public funds, rather than encouraging the youth to take the inglorious road of online fraud.

Ruggedman later apologised to Naira Marley after the musician was arrested and charged, saying he was only warning him as a junior colleague and did not know the matter would escalate so quickly and seriously.

Why Ruggedman was attacked on the night that Naira Marley was released was yet unclear, and Naira Marley did not appear to have issued comments about the matter, which had spread to Nigerian social media overnight.

Ruggedman was amongst Nigerian musicians famous for advancing local hip-hop genre in the 2000s, but he had spent his recent months campaigning against police brutality of citizens.Nasarawa, in North-Central Nigeria, has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in Nigeria. Africas most populous country currently has 13.2 million out-of-school children, the highest rate anywhere on earth, according to the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

The rate  about 47 per cent  means that one in every five children is out of school.

Most of these children are in Nigerias North East states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, where Boko Haram activities have disrupted academic activities for a decade now. Other states and regions are also seriously affected, and one of them is Nasarawa in the North central region.

Nasarawa, next door to the federal capital, Abuja, has a significant percentage of out-of-school children. And one factor that has not helped reverse this problem, analysts say, is the poor state of school facilities in the state.

An examination by PREMIUM TIMES of public schools in Nasarawa State has shown many schools are unsuitable for learning despite the huge amount of money the state says it has spent in the sector in recent years. Fifteen schools examined by this newspaper were in a poor state, posing risks to pupils and teachers.

The first part of our reporting showed the poor state of educational facilities despite the huge funding.

An estimated N18 billion has been allocated to education in Nasarawa State in the last 14 years. Unfortunately, some schools in the state have little to show for this huge investment in the sector.

This second part of our investigation shows how more schools provide a contrasting picture of this irony.

Akwanga Pilot Primary School  TAAL model

This school, like many others we visited across the state, has broken classrooms and walls, and most of its pupils sit on the ground to learn.

A senior teacher, who thanked the government for revamping the school, told PREMIUM TIMES that the school is overpopulated with no commensurate educational facilities. The official spoke on anonymity as civil servants are not allowed to speak to the media.

We have about 1,984 pupils. The enrolment keeps on improving every day. All the classes are with no chairs. The little we have are not in good conditions. We dont have an updated library. We want (Nasarawa) government to look into this and help us out of this messy situation, the teacher said.

But teachers also blamed some of the pupils for the poor state of the school, saying they vandalised the few properties the school had.

Pupils sitting on the floor in Akwanga Pilot Primary School

Most of the students here are rascals. They break desks and furniture (in connivance with their parents), remove the iron and sell it, a teacher said.

We have organized PTA meetings with parents to sensitize them on why they should refrain their kids from such criminal act; but they wont just stop.

The attacks happen mostly at nights, the teacher said.

But there seems to be hope as there is an ongoing renovation of a big classroom. The structure was one of the model schools constructed by the Nasarawa government, but was poorly executed before. Luckily, the government is renovating it now.

We are optimistic, after the completion, things may change and if properly equipped, our problem will be half solved, the teacher stated.

Ibrahim Barde Nursery and Primary School, Keffi

Ibrahim Barde Nursery and Primary School, Keffi

The Ibrahim Barde Nursery and Primary School, Keffi, sits in a pitiable condition. One can easily tell the pupils are unhappy and unmotivated by the poor state of infrastructure in their school.

Most pupils in this school sit clustered in an overcrowded classroom, surrounded by planks and other harmful objects.

A teacher in the school admitted that the pupils were used to the unconducive environment, stating that there was nothing teachers and the school authorities could do.

One of the classrooms with desks and chairs that are damaged

The only new building in the Ibrahim Barde Nursery and Primary School was built two years ago. Other classes were constructed haphazardly with wood and roofing sheets, making them unsuitable and unsafe for pupils and their teachers.

Most pupils sit on bare floor to learn because of the lack of chairs and desks.

The school was originally built by the community before it was later handed over to the state government. There is no staff room in the compound and so the teachers are forced to sit outside the classroom block to hold meetings and prepare for the days lessons.

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Most pupils sit on bare floor to learn because of the lack of chairs and desks

Also, like most of the public schools included in this report, the Ibrahim Barde Nursery and Primary School, Keffi, has no urinary, no toilet, and no source of drinking water.

Kofar Hausa Primary School

Keffi, next door to Abuja, has its own share of dilapidated schools, unkempt structures and a whole lot of dirty stories.

The head teacher in Kofar Hausa Primary school, Keffi, refused to grant this reporter audience due to orders from above,. But the challenges were clear.

Kofar Hausa Primary School

When all observations were conveyed to the head teacher, he advised that they be forwarded to the Nasarawa Universal Basic Education Board.

Dunama Primary School

Many students expressed their displeasure over the current state of things, but they appeared optimistic that this will end as soon as an ongoing renovation is complete.

Dunama Primary School

One of the teachers registered happiness over the new building, noting that they hope the building will come with the provision of furniture and instructional materials to make teaching and learning better.

Ongoing renovation

Ongoing renovation Ongoing renovation

Unguwan Wajen Lalle Primary School, Lafia

In Lafia, the state capital, there was not difference. Classrooms here also are broken and have no seats. When asked why the students were writing exams whilst sitting on the floor, a teacher laughed and said they were used to this unpleasant situation.

Unguwan Wajen Lalle Primary School, Lafia 3

Lafia East Pilot Science Primary School

In Lafia East Pilot Science Primary School, several pupils in Primary 5 sat on the floor in a single classroom, as the teacher writes exam questions on the chalkboard.

Lafia East Pilot Science Primary School

Teachers there said they had complained several times to the relevant authorities and could only hope the government comes to their aid soon.

Lafia East Pilot Science Primary School

Williams Pilot Primary School

The Williams Pilot Primary School suffers from challenges similar to other schools in the area. They include decayed infrastructure, battered classrooms, inadequate teachers and classrooms, a lack of functional laboratories, libraries and no furniture.

One teacher said when there was no intervention from the government, we cant sit back and watch things get bad, we had to raise about N100,000 to fix the roofs.

Williams Pilot Primary School

We have a library here, a rare facility in most public primary schools around here but its disheartening that not only has the library become an eyesore, the small hall, with leaky roof and broken furniture, has now been neglected and abandoned for years. It is full of outdated books that cannot withstand the 21st century educational demands, the teacher said.

PREMIUM TIMES learned the last time the school received new books from the government was over 10 years ago.

The school, which caters for more than nine villages in the area, has a pupil population of about 2000 pupils and only about 23 teaching staff.

Nurudeen Primary School

Nurudeen Primary School, founded in 1971, is also grappling with the challenge of inadequate classrooms.

Nurudeen Primary School

About four classroom blocks have no roof, furniture and appear as though they will collapse soon. Recently, the teachers were forced to evacuate pupils from the buildings to avoid a disaster.

Nurudeen Primary School

Salary Paid in Percentages

In addition to the terrible state of school buildings in parts of Nasarawa State, teachers for years were not paid promptly. Teachers disclosed that the state government paid salaries in percentages over the last four years.

We have been subjected to penury, suffering and teaching. Since 2015, we just started collecting full salary in October 2018, while the last 4 years, we have been living on salaries hovering around 40%-50%, said a teacher who asked not to be named.

Education Commissioner, SUBEB Chairman Keep Mum

Several calls to the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board Chairman, Mohammed DanAsumi, were ignored and several messages sent to his known line were not replied.

A development activist and the chief executive officer of Connected Development, Hamzat Lawal, said: First off, Ill declare a national state of emergency on education. No nation is better off than its educational system.

He called for the institutionalisation of free education from primary to tertiary level. This, he said, would give room for a wider coverage of students attending schools.

We need to review our curriculum such that it would give room for skill acquisition for students while schooling, he said.

Mr. Lawal added that by making skill acquisition a part of the Nigerian school curriculum, the government would be addressing the challenge of joblessness after school a contributory factor to the high rate of illiteracy in the country.

He went on to highlight the need to improve the infrastructure of our schools, noting that improving the facilities would be beneficial for the students and country alike.

This investigation is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative JournalismThe Kano State Police Command said on Friday that the ban on all forms of rallies, processions, demonstration or assembly in the state was still in force.

This was contained in a statement by the commands Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna, issued to journalists in Kano.

He said that the command found it necessary to reissue the order, to prevent any breach of the peace.

The order is aimed at preventing and averting any threat, breach of the peace or break down of law and order in the face of various security challenges in the State.

This is to assure a lasting peace and unity in the State. Any person or group of persons found engaging in any unlawful assembly will be arrested and prosecuted in a court of law.

NAN recalls that the command had on June 8 banned rallies, demonstrations, processions or assemblies in the state until further notice.

The order was issued following the tension generated over a query issued to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, over alleged misappropriation of N3.4 billion by the Emirate Council.

(NAN)A 40-year-old man, Femi Oguntumi, was on Friday found hanging to a ceiling fan in his room at Dakata Quarters Kano.

Mr Oguntumi was a staff of Karish College in Kawaji area of Kano and there has been no indication yet as to what led to the incident.

However, the police say they have launched a discreet investigation to determine whether it was suicide or not.

Abdullahi Haruna, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kano state, said in a statement on Saturday in Kano that the police received information on the incident at about 8:15 p.m on Friday.

He said that the body of the deceased was discovered hanged with a rope tied to a ceiling fan in his room in what looked like a suicide.

On reaching the scene of the incident the police found his lifeless body and was rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano where he was confirmed dead.

The corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the said hospital.

Mr Haruna added that Police Commissioner Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered that discrete investigation be carried out to find out the cause of the unfortunate incident.

(NAN)The Kaduna State government has spoken about its opposition to the new ASD Jumaat Mosque in the state capital

Kaduna businessman, Sani Dauda, popularly known as ASD, built the mosque in his house. The mosque began operations two weeks ago.

However, the development control department of the state blocked worshipers from holding Jumaat prayer in the mosque on Friday.

Authorities said the developer violated the building plan approved for the property.

Kaduna Government explains

A government spokesperson told PREMIUM TIMES the police were only there to provide security as usual but not to intimidate any worshipper as reported in social media pages.

The developer applied to KASUPDA (state development agency) with a building plan requesting to build a mosque that will be used for daily prayers in his house, the official said. The permit was granted but after everything, it was discovered that the mosque was actually built for Jumaat prayers which was not what was applied for.

Considering the tight location of the area, a proposal for a Jumaat mosque will surely not be granted but he goes ahead to build a mosque. And also his attention was called by the KASUPDA to stop work but (he) insisted and went ahead.

Visit to Mosque

The building was sealed on Saturday when a PREMIUM TIMES reporter visited the location at Yakubu Avenue, Unguwar Rimi GRA.

Also, the effort made to talk to officials of the mosque was unsuccessful as none was willing to speak on the matter.

smart

A worshiper, who did not give his name, confirmed that people were not turned back when they came for daily prayers.

The police never turned back anybody, they are always there to provide security around that vicinity, he said.

Kaduna Religious Bill scales through

The development came about a week after the Kaduna State House of Assembly passed the Religious Preaching Regulation bill. The legislation will become a law when signed by the governor.

The new law substitutes a similar law enacted in 1984 by the state.

The state government had in 2016 argued that the bill was meant to regulate religious preaching in order to promote religious harmony and peaceful coexistence and not to stifle religious freedom.

It provides for the establishment of an Interfaith Regulatory Council at the state level and committees at local government levels responsible for screening and issuing licenses to preachers.

The councils will have two representatives each of Christian and Islamic bodies, among other members.

EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect new information provided by a Kaduna government official that no decision has been made by the administration to demolish the mosque.The Nigerian Army said on Saturday it has begun proceedings to court-martial 14 officers and soldiers accused of murder, kidnapping, and desertion, among other criminal offences.

Inaugurating the court proceedings in Port Harcourt, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Jamil Sarham said the suspects were officers and soldiers of the division.

Mr Sarham, a major-general, said the General Court Martial was convened in compliance to Section 131 of the Armed Forces Act guiding the professional conduct of the nations military.

The offences for which the accused persons are being tried range from murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, desertion.

Others are offences in relation to public and service property, disobedience to standing orders and conducts to the prejudice to service discipline.

All the offences are punishable under the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, he said.

The GOC said the army has zero tolerance to indiscipline, adding that it would never shield any personnel, no matter how highly placed from the law.

He said the armed forces hold personnel in high esteem, and as such, would not put personnel on trial unless the matter was thoroughly investigated.

According to him, the trial was not only aimed at prosecuting the suspects but to discourage others from indulging in criminality.

To this end, each accused person was thoroughly investigated to ensure that an innocent person is not wrongly tried and punished.

The headquarters 6 division has painstakingly selected credible officers with in-depth knowledge and outstanding experience of military law and duties as members of the court-martial to ensure fair hearing and justice.

Mr Sarham urged the seven-man court-martial panel led by its President, Bassey Etuk, a brigadier-general, to ensure that the accused persons are given a fair trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused personnel are made up of three officers and 11 soldiers, including a major, two captains, two staff sergeants, and one sergeant, among other ranks.

(NAN)The management of the Port Harcourt Mall has commiserated with victims of the gas explosion at the mall on June 12, 2019, saying it had scaled up its emergency response personnel.

In a statement Saturday, the management said it had undertaken an extensive analysis of the situation alongside other agencies of government and assured its customers that the mall is safe.

The gas outburst happened in the evening of June 12, 2019, as a Safety Conscious organization, we have hitherto trained all our security personnel on managing emergencies, said the statement signed by Chioma Okorie, the mall manager.

Our internal firefighting team were able to curtail the situation within 20 minutes. Simultaneously, mall staff evacuated everyone from the mall, and all those injured were taken to the hospital immediately, and are currently recuperating, we wish them swift recovery.

At least five people were injured after the explosion which occurred in the kitchen section of the mall, which shares a perimetre fence with the Rivers State Government House.

The police had earlier ruled out the possibilities of the incident being a terrorist attack.

Ms Okorie said the commitment of their management and staff had kept the mall from such emergencies in the last five years in which it had been in operation.

As an organization, we will want to reiterate that the mall is installed with the best safety measure and our safety equipment are top-notch because the safety of all of our tenants and shoppers is of utmost importance to us.The management of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, says it has begun investigations into allegation of sexual misconduct involving one of its lecturers, O.O Aduwo.

Bode Olofinmuagun the Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs of the institution. in a statement on Saturday, said the university had also queried the lecturer concerned.

The attention of the management of Ekiti State University has been drawn to a video that has gone viral on an alleged sex scandal involving one of our lecturers, the statement said.

The video allegedly fingered one Dr O. O. Aduwo of the Department of Accounting as the culprit and query has been issued to the accused lecturer, to state his own side of the story.

The official said the school will not condone such acts.

And as such, it issued query to the concerned lecturer to defend himself of the allegation as a first step in the spirit of due process.

Thereafter, a panel of investigation will be constituted to get to the root of the matter, while the findings of the panel will be made public.

The general public is hereby assured that management will continue to be transparent and will not allow such a matter that could smear its good image to be swept under the carpet.

The lecturer was allegedly caught a couple of days ago, trying to sleep with of one of his students, (name withheld), as a condition to pass her examinations.

(NAN)A midnight fire on Friday consumed Orita-Aperin market in Ibadan, Oyo State, destroying goods worth millions of naira.

The incident comes a couple of week after a similar occurrence at Onipepeye bridge, along Lagos/Ibadan expressway, where some people were burnt to death.

The market leader, Abiodun Hammed, in an interview, said the cause of the incident was yet to be known.

The fire started by 12 midnight on Friday, and we immediately called on Oyo State Fire Service but unfortunately, when they got here, the nozzle of their truck was not functioning, so we had to resolve to self-help by putting out the fire ourselves, or else, the loss would have been more than this, he said.

Mr Hammed noted that most of the owners of the shops affected by the fire just bought goods.

The official appealed to the Oyo State government to come to their aid.

One of the victims, whose shop was also affected by the fire, Latifat Adegbola, appealed to the Oyo State government to assist them financially explaining that the cash she used to buy the affected goods was a loan.

All my goods have been consumed by fire and the remaining ones are useless. We are calling on the state government to come to our aid so that we can survive, she said.

Another, Mariam Oladepo, said she lost goods worth N100,000 to the inferno. She said she can no longer feed her family.OCEAN CITY  About 300 Ocean City High School graduates will hear from the states highest education official when they receive their diplomas Monday.

Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet will be the keynote speaker at this years commencement ceremony.

Repollet is the chief executive school officer of New Jersey and oversees all schools and colleges/universities. He also serves as secretary to the state Board of Education, where he first met Ocean City senior Nora Faverzani, the statewide student representative to the board.

Faverzani, who is graduating as one of the top three students and president of the class of 2019, invited Repollet to the district earlier this year, where he was impressed with all the island high school was doing.

+7 Education Commissioner Repollet visits Ocean City High School OCEAN CITY  Impressed with state Board of Education student representative Nora Faverzani a

We are honored to have Dr. Repollet address our graduates and school community at our graduation ceremony, said Superintendent Kathleen Taylor. Throughout the school year, our students, staff and administration have been privileged to host the commissioner, and we are humbled that he has chosen our district to share his perspectives on the future of education and celebrate the students accomplishments.I insured many nursing homes over the years and the biggest issue in the majority of them is inadequate round-the-clock staffing, which leads to patient neglect and/or injury.

Amanda Bonner

Watchdog: Thousands of cases of abuse and neglect in nursing facilities unreported despite federal rules

Cars travel too fast on the connector. Speed limit is 35 but not uncommon for speeds to be 50-60 plus. Almost everyone is in a hurry to lose their money or get eaten by greenheads.

Bob Carpenter

Two injured in crash on Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector

Now we need one for NJ voters to push when the bill for our property taxes arrives.

Winnie Jensen

Gov. Murphy signs hotel panic button bill in Atlantic City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.



TEL AVIV, Israel, June 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Credorax, the NextGen merchant acquiring bank providing cross-border processing for ecommerce and omni-channel payments, announced today its launch of its Smart 3D Secure solution in partnership with digital payment expert and leading software company Netcetera. This Smart 3D Secure solution was built in-house by Credorax on top of Netcetera's advanced 3D Secure core technology, which is EMVCo certified and compliant with major EMV 3D Secure scheme programs. Credorax has implemented the Necetera solution into its payment processing gateway and added an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based optimization engine that analyses each transaction in real-time for the best business results. This early-market offering will assist merchants with their compliance requirements to card schemes and European regulations in the most seamless way possible, ensuring high acceptance rates.

"New mandated processing requirements can be seen as a burden, but they can also drive innovation. In this instance, it inspired us to develop a solution for optimized usage of 3D Secure, facilitating frictionless customer authentication and smooth customer experiences," said Moshe Selfin, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Credorax. "We are excited to partner with Netcetera to launch this NextGen solution, which offers our merchants the added advantage of compliancy to the Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements in the upcoming Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2)."

While confusion still surrounds PSD2 in Europe and the transition to the new 3D Secure 2.0 protocol going into effect this year, Credorax's Smart 3D Secure ensures that companies fully comply with the PSD2 requirements for Strong Consumer Authentication. It also comes with compelling business benefits, helping merchants improve conversions, optimise their checkout process, reduce fraud, and stay protected from fraudulent chargeback liability. Using Netcetera's core technology, Credorax's new Smart 3D Secure offers secure user authentication, supporting 3D Secure protocols 1 and 2, as well as a fully comprehensive mobile application SDK. In addition, Cerdorax's 3D Secure Adviser is an AI-based flexible decision layer that analyses each transaction in real time and decides on the best 3D Secure routing, including risk assessment and exemption management.

"We are excited to build on our strong relationship with Credorax, a company that understands the evolutionary loops in tech and regulation and can react quickly to best serve their customers," said Andrej Vckovski, CEO of Netcetera. "We are proud to provide the technology on which Credorax has built this industry-leading seamless and flexible solution, to guide merchants through regulatory complexities, and pave the way for a future of compliant and optimised global payments."

"Building on industry-leading Netcetera 3D Secure technology, Credorax adds its cutting-edge technological expertise and AI capabilities, giving merchants and payment service providers further advantage in the ever-competitive online commerce market," says Moshe Selfin.

Credorax provides merchants the necessary tools to win customers and drive growth, and its Smart 3D Secure is its latest innovation to leverage artificial intelligence to combat fraud and increase transaction approvals without requiring any additional integration beyond Credorax's payment API. Additionally, Credorax also offers consulting services for merchants who want to make better decisions, driven by data insights and 3D Secure and PSD2 expertise.

To celebrate the launch of their Smart 3D Secure, Credorax will be hosting a joint Happy Hour with Netcetera on June 3, during Money 20/20 Europe in Amsterdam.

About Credorax:

Credorax is a licensed NextGen merchant acquiring bank providing cross-border processing for ecommerce and omni-channel payments. Our core gateway technology, SourceTM, has been developed in-house to provide a streamlined payments experience so smart, that merchants can reach their full business potential simply by better managing their payments. Credorax merchants process in over 120 currencies, accept a wide range of alternative payment methods, and get paid in their currency of choice. Our merchants also enjoy best-in-class approval rate optimisation, advanced fraud protection, business intelligence and a host of other value-added services and products adding up to a payments experience unlike any other.

About Netcetera:

As a leading Swiss software company, Netcetera supports its customers worldwide with trend-setting products and custom software. They cover the entire IT service lifecycle, from strategy to implementation and operation. The balanced combination of cutting-edge technology and proven standards ensures investment security, from large-scale projects to innovative start-ups. As payment expert and market leader in 3-D Secure, they offer innovative digital payment solutions for 3-D Secure, mobile contactless payment, digital wallets, risk-based and convenient authentication or digital banking apps.

The company's 500 employees have one common goal: to help its customers reach their digital business targets. Founded in 1996, Netcetera is a holding company with headquarters in Zurich. They are located in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Macedonia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Press Contact

Marisa Rijpkema

Senior Marketing Manager

[email protected]

SOURCE CredoraxGroup A Strep (GAS) pharyngitis is an infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, responsible for 20% to 30% of sore throats in children between 5 and 15 years old. Transmission occurs by direct contact with a person suffering from Strep A pharyngitis. Crowded spaces increase the risk of spreading the disease, such as schools, childcare facilities, or among family members. The use of antibiotics is recommended to reduce the symptoms and future complications on the patient and to reduce the likelihood of spreading it in the community. Traditional bacteriology culture is the gold standard, when testing for Group A Streptococcus because of its sensitivity compared to rapid antigen testing, and its lower cost compared to molecular testing. CHROMagar recently developed a new formulation of its COLOREX chromogenic media for the detection of Group A Strep to improve and simplify traditional culture methods. Alverno Laboratories recently validated the new COLOREX chromogenic media in combination with COPAN's PhenoMATRIX for the digital pre-assessing and pre-sorting of throat cultures for GAS.

COPAN's Chromogenic Detection Module (CDM) is part of the PhenoMATRIX Suite to accurately detect and differentiate organisms on chromogenic agar for fast pre-assessment. "A very exciting proposal for laboratories that receive a large volume of GAS samples from pharyngeal swabs is to be able to automate and streamline the processing of throat cultures with WASPLab and to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) to this unique chromogenic media with excellent specificity to pre-sort and segregate presumptive positives. 'Never Touch a Negative Plate Again' is not just our motto, it is the core to our development philosophy," stated Norman Sharples, CEO, COPAN Diagnostics, Inc.

"Introducing our new chromogenic formulation in COLOREX Strep A with automation is a powerful example of how it can improve a high throughput test with an easy to read color differentiation of GAS colonies (in orange to red) from bacteria in the complex throat flora. At CHROMagar, we are celebrating our 40th anniversary as the inventors of chromogenic media, and we continue to innovate and develop formulations that facilitate the detection of key clinical pathogens for better patient therapies," concluded Alberto Lerner, President and General Manager, CHROMagar.

The results of this interesting evaluation will be presented during the 2019 ASM Microbe in San Francisco on Sunday, June 23 as a poster titled "Digital Detection and the use of Artificial Intelligence to Detect Group A Streptococcus using a Chromogenic Agar."

About COPAN

With a reputation for innovation, COPAN is the leading manufacturer of collection and transport systems in the world. COPAN's collaborative approach to pre-analytics has resulted in Flocked Swabs, ESwab, UTM Universal Transport Medium, and laboratory automation, WASP and WASPLab. COPAN carries a range of microbial sampling products, inoculation loops, and pipettes. For more information, visit www.copanusa.com.

SOURCE COPAN

Related Links

http://www.copanusa.com

ZAFUL's 5th birthday in LA

Before its online 5th anniversary, ZAFUL held a warm-up pool party ahead of time in local LA with major influencers live broadcasting in front of the global audience. As of today, ZAFUL has reached social exposure of 10 million, comprised of close to 500k fan engagement on influencers' social channels, paving the atmosphere to the online anniversary carnival.

Big influencers like Nikki Blackketter, with close to 2 million followers, joined ZAFUL's pool party and shared her party moment during the party. All fashionistas got a cosy afternoon sharing their fashion tips for swimwear and the experience as an influencer. For brand ambassadors, having a face-to-face lunch enabled them to discuss more branding ideas and get to know ZAFUL's core values and brand spirits. "Thanks to ZAFUL, I can learn so much more from branding campaign practice. I am very thrilled to join such event and fashion is definitely my career direction after graduation." One of the brand ambassador commented.

Influencer Marketing goes multi-dimensional

Since last year, ZAFUL has been working on influencer collaboration to have a revolutionary system to support influencer campaign. In 2018, ZAFUL has initiated many infrastructure projects to enhance the foundation of influencer management system. So far, ZAFUL has received considerable positive feedback from both the audience and influencers during the last 2 off-line influencer campaign.

"Regarding influencers now, we have gone from virtual world to the reality world where consumers can get closer to their favourite influencers and brand, and consistently keep themselves relevant. Meanwhile, the brand can also maintain adhesive relationship with influencers," Branding Director Lilac Luo said.

In the next half year of 2019, ZAFUL is planning to carry out more co-branding activities. It may expand the original partner range to more possibilities The collaboration model can be various and flexible to create unique, interesting as well as productive partnership.

About ZAFUL

Founded in 2014, ZAFUL is devoted to providing trendy and cost-efficient fashion-related products for the younger generation worldwide. In 2019, ZAFUL was ranked 23rd in Top 50 China Export Brands by BrandZ, the world's largest brand equity database. So far, ZAFUL has acquired 10 million registered users online with 18 million monthly active users on average, covering consumers in over 180 countries. ZAFUL's vision is to become the leader in online fast fashion.

www.zaful.com

SOURCE ZAFULNEW ORLEANS, June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: AMRX).

For many years, the Company, (formerly Impax Laboratories Inc.), which develops, manufactures, and markets bioequivalent, generic, pharmaceutical products, has been embroiled in investigations and litigation by state and federal authorities and relating to claims that it colluded with other competitor companies in a price-fixing scheme resulting in exponential price increases of certain products.

The Company has been sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material information to shareholders, violating federal securities laws, which is ongoing. Recently, the Company was among those sued in a wide-ranging lawsuit brought by 44 state attorneys general alleging an illegal conspiracy to inflate prices of more than 100 generic drugs, sometimes by more than 1,000%, and stifle competition.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Amneal's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Amneal's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Amneal shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-amrx/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

[email protected]

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com

NEW ORLEANS, June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF).

On May 24, 2019, KrebsOnSecurity reported the discovery of a massive data leak involving the Company that may have allowed unauthorized access to more than 885 million records related to mortgage deals going back to 2003 including "bank account numbers and statements, mortgage and tax records, Social Security numbers, wire transaction receipts, and drivers license images." The Company later confirmed its knowledge of a "design defect in one of its production applications that made possible unauthorized access to customer data."

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether First American's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to First American's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of First American shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-faf/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

[email protected]

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com

The severity of E. coli infections vary among people and often include several symptoms, including severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. People usually develop symptoms and get sick 3-4 days after ingesting the germ, and most recover within a week. In some cases, individuals may develop a serious illness called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS, which can result in kidney failure, stroke, and even death). Young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women and those who are immunocompromised are more susceptible to foodborne illness. If you feel ill or are at all concerned about an illness, please contact your physician.

Approximately 4,620 cases of impacted Pillsbury Best 5 lb. Bread Flour were distributed to a limited number of retailers and distributors across the following 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

The affected product has the following UPC codes, lot codes and Best-If-Used-By dates:

Item Name UPC Item Code Lot Code Use-By Date QTY (Eight-Count Case) Pillsbury Best Bread Flour 0 5150020031 5 8 342 JUN 08 2020 4,080 Pillsbury Best Bread Flour 0 5150020031 5 8 343 JUN 09 2020 540

All products with other Best-If-Used-By Dates and Lot Codes are not affected by this recall. Best-If-Used-By Dates can be found on the side of the package below the Nutrition Facts Panel.

If you have the affected product in your home or business, do not consume it. Please discard it immediately or return it to the retail location it was purchased from for a refund. This voluntary recall is being made with the full knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

At Hometown Food Company, nothing is more important than the safety and integrity of our products. There have been no reports of any illnesses associated with this product and this recall has been issued out of an abundance of caution. Hometown Food Company has been informed by ADM Milling Co., that certain wheat used to make these two lots of Pillsbury Best 5 lb. Bread Flour has been linked to E. coli illnesses associated with other flour products produced at the ADM mill in Buffalo. Please visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website for more information on this illness outbreak. To date, no illnesses associated with Pillsbury Best Bread Flour have been reported.

Flour is made from wheat, which is a raw product that is minimally processed. Flour is not a ready-to-eat product. It is an ingredient for baked, fried and cooked recipes, and these heating processes, along with proper handling, ensure the safety of consuming flour. All surfaces and utensils should be properly cleaned after contact with flour or uncooked dough or batter. Consumers should wash their hands after handling flour or uncooked dough or batter. Consumers should not eat uncooked dough or batter made with raw flour.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this recall may cause, and are offering replacement coupons for your product. Please call our toll-free 800 number (1-866-219-9333), which will be staffed daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. CDT. We remain committed to producing the high-quality products synonymous with the Pillsbury name since 1869.

SOURCE Hometown Food CompanyTAIPEI, Taiwan, June 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation officially launched TalentNXT -- it's the future talent development blueprint -- to meet the Foundation's vision to provide talents for future society. As a start, the NXTEducator program was developed in cooperation with HundrED, a Finnish-based not-for-profit organization. The program focuses on Chinese speaking K12 Educators from around the world and aims to discover innovative education cases that allow educators to shine on a global platform. NXTEducator will be accepting applications until June 30th, 2019, with the shortlist being announced before October 30th, 2019.

For details, please visit http://www.saylingwen.org/eng/NXTEducator.

Teresa Lin, CEO of Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation, expressed that "Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation has dedicated itself in developing talents to meet societal needs for over a decade. Targeting TalentNXT Junior (K12), TalentNXT Fresh (university students and graduates), and TalentNXT Pro (Professionals), we have developed many cultivation plans and events. With extensive experiences gained from previous years, we officially announced TalentNXT and have started co-working with global organizations, beginning with K12-related programs. Back in 2015, we defined the six indicators required for talents of the future society: FIT+HUG, and integrated them into all our talent programs. NXTEducator, our latest program, will focus on attracting educators capable of cultivating talents for future society."

The six indicators of 'FIT+HUG' is based on results derived from academic research, service industry trend analysis, talent value prospective study, and years of experience in planning and executing educational activities. FIT stands for " F riendly by nature", " I nnovative with diversity", and " T echnology-aware" while HUG represents " H uman-centric approach", " U niting multiple domains", and " G lobal view with local act".

Teresa Lin further explained that "the Foundation has had numerous collaborations with global educational organizations. This year, we especially invited HundrED, the Finnish innovative educational organization, to co-organize the NXTEducator program to share and inspire innovation in education worldwide. With this global program we aim to identify practical innovations which can cultivate 'FIT+HUG' talents through K-12 education not only locally but also globally."

Lasse Leponiemi, Executive Director of HundrED, pointed out that "The major issues current students will have to work on in the future will be large and complex, which require creative approaches to connecting divergent ideas across indicators. With societal transformation, it is pertinent to discover an innovative educational method with an employability focus future talents. We are very honored to collaborate with the Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation; they have spent many years in talent cultivation development. This is a historical moment for us, marking our first step in discovering educational innovation case highlights in the Chinese speaking sector."

NXTEducator is only the first TalentNXT program. The Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation will launch other related plans aim to discover more 'FIT+HUG' future educators and cultivate talents who can overcome diverse challenges in the near future.

About Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation

The Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation's mission is to promote lifelong learning and develop talent whilst utilizing innovative technology to fulfil industrial value. The Foundation's programs consist of four key elements: embedding Chinese cultural value in primary and secondary education, enhancing career readiness in tertiary education level students, enabling cross-domain learning in the society, promoting service science and service innovation. In order to achieve its vision to provide talents for future society.

Website: http://www.saylingwen.org/eng

About HundrED

HundrED is a Finnish-based not-for-profit organization which discovers, researches and shares inspiring innovations in K12 education. Their goal is to help improve education and foster a movement through encouraging valuable, impactful & scalable innovations to spread, mindful of context, across the world. Since 2016, HundrED has been conducting rigorous research to seek and select 100 inspiring innovations of that year, annually. All of the insights and selected innovations are documented, packaged and shared with educators around the world to easily implement, with free support.

Website: https://hundred.org

SOURCE Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation

Related Links

http://www.saylingwen.org

HOUSTON and PARIS, June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Groupe Chevrillon, a family-owned company investing in high potential industry and services sector companies in order to transform them into national and world leaders, has taken a 25% equity stake in the US wine & Spirits brand building company BCI.

Created in 2015 by Nathalie Bonnete and drink industry veteran Jean-Francois Bonnete, BCI has established itself in a very short time as an exciting and successful importer and representative of iconic and high potential spirit brands in the US market: such as Barbancourt Rums, Bache-Gabrielsen Cognac, Trois Rivieres Rhums Agricoles, Gabriel Boudier Liqueurs & Gin, Coquerel Calvados, New Grove Rums, Normindia Gin, Boomsma Genevers & Bitters as well as Marquis de Montesquiou Armagnac. The company also has a joint venture with established French wine company Badet Clement producing and commercializing the fast-growing French wine brand "Liberation de Paris."

Cyrille Chevrillon created the Groupe Chevrillon in 1992 after a career in New York and London in large U.S. financial institutions such as JP Morgan and Salomon Brothers.

In recent years, the Groupe Chevrillon has notably contributed to the transformation of Dugas into the leading French specialized distributor and brand building partner of premium rums and spirits. The Group is also the majority shareholder of the top-shelf rum production company BBS (Trois Rivieres, La Mauny, Duquesne brands) since 2012. In the past, Groupe Chevrillon created CPI Industries, building a former small-scale industrial base located in France into a global leader in printing, allowed the conversion of the insurance company Albingia, a former branch of AXA, into an independent business specializing in industrial risks, with unparalleled financial health and took part to the development of Picard Surgeles into a leader on the frozen food retailing market.

Cyrille Chevrillon of Chevrillon Group said: "We are excited to be entering the capital structure of BCI and partnering with Jean-Francois Bonnete. We have already had the opportunity to lead successful companies in the spirit industry to market leader positions and we look forward to doing the same and establish BCI as a leader in the US wine & spirits importing and brand building industry."

Jean-Francois Bonnete, CEO of BCI, said: "We're incredibly honored and excited to welcome the Groupe Chevrillon in our family. We have strong ambitions for the future for BCI and we now have a great partner who will bring tremendous added value, knowledge and support in order to achieve those goals. We look forward to the years to come."

For additional information on the Groupe Chevrillon, please visit www.groupechevrillon.com and for more information on BCI, please visit www.bonnete.com.

About Groupe Chevrillon:

The Groupe Chevrillon is a family-owned company which invests in industrial and service companies, new or existing, with the aim of turning them into national or global leaders. The Groupe Chevrillon is equally owned by the Chevrillon family and the Besancon-Trebouta family  founder of Laboratoires Delagrange now incorporated into the Sanofi group, of which the family is a shareholder.

About BCI:

BCI is a specialty wine and spirits brand builder that combines French care and acumen for craft with American sensibility and market experience. With expertise in developing, importing and expanding new and existing premium, prestige and luxury wines and spirits in the US market, BCI's services include category analytics, brand positioning, commercial launches, strategic management, trade relations, marketing, program planning, and tactical activation. The company's diverse portfolio includes: Trois Rivieres Rhums Agricoles AOC de la Martinique, Bache-Gabrielsen Cognac, Barbancourt Rhums, Gabriel Boudier Liqueurs and Gin, New Grove Rums, Calvados Coquerel Calvados, Normindia Gin, Boomsma Genevers & Bitters, Badet Clement Liberation de Paris wines, Chateau de Malle Grand Cru Classe 1855, Chateau Pessan and Chateau Bonnete.

For any information please contact: Nathalie Bonnete - (713) 969 9962 - [email protected]

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Logo BCI

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Logo Groupe Chevrillon

Logo Groupe Chevrillon

SOURCE BCI

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SAN ANTONIO, June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Whataburger announced today that BDT Capital Partners, LLC, a merchant bank that advises and invests in family and founder-led companies, has agreed to acquire through its affiliated funds a majority interest in Whataburger.

Together, BDT and the Whataburger team will begin exploring expansion plans  while staying true to the brand it has been over the past 69 years.

Whataburger Restaurants LLC

The company also announced an internal leadership realignment to position the brand for long-term growth and success. Most notably, the company named several new internal promotions, including a president, chief operating officer and chief restaurant operating officer.

Whataburger headquarters will remain in San Antonio.

BDT Capital Partners will partner with tenured Whataburger leadership team to expand the brand.

BDT Capital Partners, a merchant bank specializing in family and founder-led companies, through its affiliated funds has agreed to acquire a majority interest in Whataburger.

The company will remain headquartered in San Antonio and be led by a team of key Whataburger executives with more than 150 years of combined experience with the brand.

and be led by a team of key Whataburger executives with more than 150 years of combined experience with the brand. Whataburger's strong commitment to its customers and communities will not waver; the company will remain dedicated to making a meaningful impact on their local communities.

Whataburger's President/CEO Preston Atkinson and Board Chairman Tom Dobson will maintain seats on the company's board of directors and retire from the day-to-day operations of the company, elevating Ed Nelson to President and several tenured leaders to the core leadership team.

and Board Chairman will maintain seats on the company's board of directors and retire from the day-to-day operations of the company, elevating to President and several tenured leaders to the core leadership team. The Dobson Family, who founded the company, will hold a minority ownership position.

New partnership poises the brand for long-term growth

"Whataburger has grown significantly over the years. And, in order to keep satisfying our customers, we've been exploring different options to expand the brand and introduce it to new audiences. We've gone through this process purposefully and diligently because we wanted to find a partner who honors our values, culture and 69-year legacy of family tradition," said Whataburger President/CEO Preston Atkinson.

"We're excited about the partnership with BDT because they respect and admire the brand we've built," Atkinson continued. "They want to preserve it while they help us continue growing a sustainable, competitive business over a long period of time. They don't plan to change our recipe for success."

BDT will be key in providing strategic vision and long-term growth capital to the tenured Whataburger leadership team.

"Whataburger is an iconic brand and extraordinary company with an important legacy of family ownership, loyal customers, valuable community involvement, dedicated and talented employees, and a highly experienced management team," said Tiffany Hagge, Managing Director of BDT Capital Partners. "We look forward to a long-term partnership with the Whataburger team, continuing their commitment to serving high-quality, great-tasting food at a value and delivering a superior customer experience. We are excited to support Whataburger as they continue to innovate and pursue accelerated growth in existing and new markets. This investment is a perfect example of BDT's business model  to partner and invest alongside exceptional family businesses, with strong cultures, deep community ties and loyal customers."

Morgan Stanley and Ernst & Young (EY) acted as transaction advisors and Jackson Walker acted as legal advisor to Whataburger. Norton Rose Fulbright acted as legal advisor to BDT Capital Partners. Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. will provide the committed financing to support the transaction. Closing of the transaction is expected later this summer and is subject to customary regulatory and other conditions. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Tenured Whataburger core leadership team at the helm

Current Whataburger President/CEO Preston Atkinson and Board Chair Tom Dobson also elevated several leaders within the company. Whataburger's leadership team holds more than 150 years of combined experience growing the Whataburger brand, and for that reason, all positions named were internal promotions.

"As the brand embarks on a growth and expansion plan, we decided the time was right to promote new leadership to carry the company forward," said Atkinson. "This leadership team has the right combination of Whataburger core values, strategic vision and people-centered leadership to take us into the future."

Effective July 1, Whataburger's executive leadership team will include:

Ed Nelson, currently serving as chief financial officer and controller, will be promoted to president.

Nelson joined Whataburger in 2004 as controller for the company. Since 2008, Nelson has been at the helm of Whataburger's financial department as chief financial officer, overseeing all finance, accounting, treasury and business risk and reporting operations for 828 restaurants across 10 states. He holds both a bachelor's and master's degree from Clemson University.

Leonard Mazzocco, currently serving as vice president of business operations, will take on the role of senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Mazzocco joined Whataburger in 1999 as the operations services director and has since guided efforts in brand management, marketing, human resources, supply chain, shared services and product development. He was promoted to his current role in 2014, where he has led strategic planning. Mazzocco is a graduate of Creighton University.

Rob Rodriguez, currently serving as senior vice president of restaurants, will assume the role of senior vice president and chief restaurant operating officer.

A 30-year restaurant industry veteran, Rodriguez is an experienced multi-unit leader with a track record of delivering exceptional customer service. Under his guidance, his teams have successfully piloted new models used in concept revitalization, opened and expanded new restaurant markets, and surpassed sales forecasts. Rodriguez joined Whataburger in 2006 as a director of operations and was named a senior vice president in 2014.

James Turcotte, currently senior vice president of the real estate segment, will continue in his role and be promoted to chief development officer.

Turcotte began his Whataburger career in 1998 as a director in the real estate division. He then took on the role of group director followed by vice president of franchise development. In 2004, Turcotte was named vice president of property and facilities to oversee new construction, enhancement and property management functions. Turcotte is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Mike Sobel, currently vice president of retail, will be promoted to senior vice president of retail.

Sobel joined Whataburger in 2011 as the company's group director for supply chain solutions, before assuming his current role in 2014. Sobel brings almost 35 years of experience in supply chain, quality assurance and product development experience in the restaurant industry.

Michael Gibbs, currently senior vice president and general counsel, will continue his role as general counsel and will be promoted to executive vice president.

Gibbs joined Whataburger in 2005 as the company's first ever in-house general counsel. Prior to joining Whataburger, he practiced corporate law and served as vice president and general counsel for a Detroit-based restaurant chain. He holds bachelor's degrees in biology and economics from Ripon College, as well as an MBA from Emory University, and a law degree from Wayne State University.

Other members of Whataburger's highly tenured leadership team include:

Mark Brown , Divisional Vice President, Restaurant Operations

, Divisional Vice President, Restaurant Operations Pam Cox , Vice President, Human Resources and Brand Communications

, Vice President, Human Resources and Brand Communications Joel Griffiths , Group Vice President, Restaurant Operations

, Group Vice President, Restaurant Operations Sylvester Johnson , Chief Accounting Officer

, Chief Accounting Officer Jeff North , Divisional Vice President, Restaurant Segment Support

, Divisional Vice President, Restaurant Segment Support Bobby Pemelton , Divisional Vice President, Restaurant Operations

, Divisional Vice President, Restaurant Operations Rich Scheffler , Vice President, Marketing and Innovation

, Vice President, Marketing and Innovation Joe Shannon , Vice President and Chief Information Officer

, Vice President and Chief Information Officer Rory Sheppard , Vice President, Strategy and Services

Atkinson and Dobson will hold seats on the Whataburger board of directors to provide ongoing guidance and ensure a smooth transition.

The Dobsons have built more than a burger chain. Whataburger is a place that feels like home to 43,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. It's a brand built on pride, care and love. It's a place people count on in their communities.

This leadership realignment will allow Atkinson and Dobson to step aside and focus on operating Las Aguilas, a diversified investment company established by the Dobson family in 2011 which is focused on real estate and philanthropy.

While this has been a difficult and emotional decision for the family, Tom, Lynne and Hugh Dobson believe BDT Capital is the right partner to take Whataburger into the future.

"This is both exciting and bittersweet for the Dobson family. Whataburger has been the heart and soul of our family legacy for nearly 70 years, but we feel really good about the partnership with BDT," said Tom Dobson. "They have a track record of success with businesses as special as ours that want to grow, while preserving culture and family history. They are trusted advisors and partners who have worked closely with other family businesses and they have a tremendous reputation for doing the right thing."

"More than anything, we're beyond grateful for our 43,000 Whataburger Family Members who work in our restaurants 24/7," Dobson continued. "And to our Whataburger fans: You're part of our family. And as we grow, we know our Whataburger team will continue to make you proud."

About Whataburger

Whataburger has focused on its fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Dobson gave his restaurant a name he hoped to hear customers say every time they took a bite of his made-to-order burgers: "What a burger!" Within the first week, people lined up around the block for his 25 cent, 100 percent beef burgers served on five-inch buns. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with 828 locations in 10 states with sales of more than $2 billion annually.

Check out the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat. Stay updated on the latest Whataburger news on our digital newsroom and be sure to customize all your Whataburger cravings with online ordering at Whataburger.com or by using our mobile app available on the App Store or Google Play.

About BDT Capital Partners

BDT Capital Partners provides family and founder-led businesses with long-term, differentiated capital. The firm has raised more than $15 billion across its investment funds and has created and manages an additional $4.7 billion of co-investments from its global limited partner investor base. The firm's affiliate, BDT & Company, is a merchant bank that works with family and founder-led businesses to pursue their strategic and financial objectives. BDT & Company provides solutions-based advice and access to a world-class network of business owners and leaders.

Media Contacts:

Whataburger

Jenny Gregorcyk

512-344-2037

[email protected]

BDT Capital Partners

Jennifer Dunne

312-660-7314

[email protected]

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SOURCE Whataburger Restaurants LLC

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Patriots in the hunt for third gold ball Coming off a 2020 season in which they went 1-5, the 2021 Mission Veterans Patriots football team may have caught some people by surprise by winning seven of their eight District 16-5A Div. II games and claiming a share of the district title. But while there isNew Delhi, June 15 : Concerned about the water crisis in rural areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a personal letter to 'Gram Pradhans'(village chiefs) requesting them to conserve rainwater during the forthcoming monsoon.

The letters, signed by the PM, have been hand-delivered to the pradhans through respective District Magistrates and Collectors in the districts.

In several rural belts, the PM's letter has become a talking point among villagers. For instance, in Eastern UP's Sonbhadra, located near PM's constituency in Varanasi, the PM's letter has been delivered to 637 village chiefs wherein he has requested the Pradhans (Sarpanch) that they should make personal efforts to encourage villagers to initiate the process of conserving rainwater this season.

Written in Hindi with a personal touch, the PM says in his letter, "Dear Sarpanchji, Namaskar. I hope that you and all my brothers and sisters of the panchayat would be in the best of health. The rainy season is about to begin. We are grateful to God that we have been blessed by enough rainwater. We should make all efforts and arrangement to conserve this blessing (water)."

The PM has made a special request to the Pradhans in his one-page letter that they should convene a meeting of the gram sabha (village assembly) wherein his message should be read out. "It is requested that a discussion should be held in the village on how to conserve water. I have faith in all of you that adequate arrangements would be made to save every drop of rainwater," the letter adds.

The PM has also suggested construction of check dams and ponds where proper harvesting of rainwater can be done. In Amroha district of UP, DM Umesh Mishra ensured that PM's letter was hand-delivered to all 601 Pradhans. The DM has already laid out a plan to dig 775 ponds in rural areas and work on 500 has already started. Amroha, once a part of Moradabad, is considered one of the most fertile districts in UP, usually having enough rainfall every year.

Sources said that during the important meeting of the NITI Aayog Council on June 15, the PM would underline the need for rainwater harvesting to tackle the water crisis affecting the rural areas in the major part of the country. On the PM's instructions, the newly constituted Ministry of Jal Shakti recently held an inter-state meeting of ministers of all the states to review the water crisis in the country.New Delhi, June 15 : After launching its biggest crackdown on railway ticket agents and touts, the Special Intelligence Branch of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is now probing the role of insiders involved in the racket which runs into several crores.

The RPF has sought details from the commercial department of the railways about the real-time data of e-tickets. However, the crucial data is yet to be shared with the investigating agency.

Sources said that once the data relating to the booking of e-tickets and payment channels of various ticket agents across the country are made available, a clearer picture of the nationwide 'Tatkal' ticket racket will emerge.

When asked about the involvement of insiders, or lower staff in the racket, the Director General RPF, Arun Kumar, said: "It's a matter of investigation. I cannot share any details at this stage."

Sources said Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has appreciated RPF's investigation, called Operation Thunder, into the ticket fraud. The Minister has given the go-ahead to initiate action if any insider is involved in the racket.

The RPF rounded up more than 405 touts from raids conducted in 205 cities and towns relating to the booking of Tatkal Seva and e-ticketing. During the course of investigation, it was discovered that most of the ticket agents and touts use specific software to fraudulently book e-tickets under Tatkal Seva.

The tickets are later sold to passengers at high rates. The RPF and its intelligence branch were gathering evidence related to ticket frauds for the past few months.

Sources in the RPF said a software, 'ANMS/Red Mirchi', has been seized from Kota, Rajasthan, which was being used to hack into the Tatkal facility offered by the IRCTC, which is now being rectified.

According to an official of the RPF, 387 user IDs under which these tickets were booked frequently have been blacklisted and the tickets have been deactivated. RPF has also instructed all zonal railways to continue such raids in their areas to mount pressure on the touts.Kathmandu, June 15 : Many schools across Nepal have made it mandatory for students to learn Mandarin lured by the Chinese government's offer to cover salaries of teachers who teach the language, a media report said on Saturday.

Principals and staff of at least 10 renowned private schools told The Himalayan Times that Mandarin was a compulsory subject in their institutions.

Many more private schools in Pokhara, Dhulikhel and other parts of the country have also made Mandarin compulsory for students, according to Shiv Raj Pant, board of trustee, founder and chairman of LRI School.

"Schools are allowed to teach foreign languages, but they cannot make those subjects mandatory for students," said Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai, information officer at the Curriculum Development Centre, a government body which designs school-level academic curriculum.

"If a subject has to be made compulsory, it is us who take the decisions, not the schools."

Schools that spoke to The Himalayan Times were aware of this rule, but they have simply overlooked it, as they are getting Mandarin teachers for free.

"We introduced Mandarin as a compulsory subject two years ago after the Chinese Embassy agreed to provide teachers free of cost," said Kuldip Neupane, principal at United School.

Other schools also confirmed that salaries of Mandarin teachers were being paid by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.

"We only need to provide stipend to Chinese teachers to cover their accommodation and food costs," said Hari Dahal, principal of Apex Life School.

"We know children should be allowed to make choices. So, if there are volunteers who wish to teach Japanese and German, we will always welcome them," Khyam Nath Timsina, principal of Shuvatara School said.Mumbai, June 15 : Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharmas "Sui Dhaaga - Made in India" has been selected in the competition category at the Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week.

A film about finding love and respect through self-reliance, it narrated the story of an innocent village couple Mauji and Mamta who dream big to start their own business together.

Image Source: Cine Photos Bollywood movie Sui Dhaaga new still, starring Anushka Sharma

"Sui Dhaaga - Made in India" also brought together National Award-winning producer-director combo of Maneesh Sharma and Sharat Katariya after their hit film "Dum Laga Ke Haisha".

Producer Maneesh Sharma said in a statement: "The story of 'Sui Dhaaga - Made in India' is a special salute to the inherent entrepreneurial spirit of local artisans in India. An engaging tale about self-reliance seen through a young couple's determination against all odds, we believe this very human theme has universal appeal across the globe.

Image Source: Cine Photos Bollywood movie Sui Dhaaga new still, starring Varun Dhawan

"I eagerly look forward to the audience response at a platform as prestigious as The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week."

The actors of the film too are ecstatic with this announcement.

Varun said the movie was made with a lot of heart and is a story about a working-class man who fights for self-respect.

"I'm hoping the film will win hearts in this festival as well and they will like our made in India film," he added.

Image Source: Cine Photos Bollywood movie Sui Dhaaga new still, starring Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma

Anushka described it as "an incredible story of human triumph".

"I'm certain that its universal storyline has the potential to appeal to audiences across the globe. It is quite special that our film has been selected in the competition category at The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week, which indicates that power of good content can cut across language and cultures."

Image Source: Cine Photos Sui Dhaaga movie new images download

The Shanghai International Film Festival The Belt and Road Film Week begins on Saturday.

-- With inputs from IANSMumbai, June 15 : Actress Dia Mirza, who plays a Pakistani character in her maiden web series "Kaafir", says prejudice needs to be eradicated from the society.

In the show, which goes live on ZEE5 from Saturday, Dia essays a young Pakistani mother who comes to India under a strange series of circumstances and is unable to go back home. The show revolves around the relationship between the woman, who is accused of militancy, and a journalist-turned-lawyer (Mohit Raina) who makes her justice his sole objective.

On her decision to play a Pakistani character, Dia said here: "This show is trying to address prejudices that we have in our society. When people ask me, 'Weren't you afraid of playing a Pakistani character in the show?' I say that I feel that our show is trying to question that fear and we are trying to remove that fear from people's mind.

"I feel really happy to be part of this show which talks about humanity and I hope that people will appreciate our effort. There is a problem all over the world that we see people from unfortunate lenses which include lenses of culture, country and caste and I feel these are very unfortunate ways to view humanity. We shouldn't be prejudiced against people because of religion, caste or place that they belong to.

"That is precisely what 'Kaafir' addresses and I hope after watching this show, people will get their answers."

As an actor, she said, getting to work on a show like this -- a true story -- is a "once in lifetime opportunity".

Her second web series will be directed by Nikkhil Advani.

"It's a historical drama and co-incidentally it is written by Bhavani Iyer who has also scripted 'Kaafir'," she said.New Delhi, June 15 : Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday met Congress Chief Ministers and discussed issues to be taken up at the meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog later in the day.

The meeting, held at the party office, was attended by the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh (Kamal Nath), Rajasthan (Ashok Gehlot), Puducherry (V. Narayansamy), Chhattisgarh (Bhupesh Baghel) and Karanataka (H.D. Kumaraswamy).

"They discussed the proposed agenda and issues of the states ruled by the Congress and its allies to be taken up at today's meeting," a Congress leader said.

Party leaders said that Manmohan Singh also talked about the amendments required in the Forest Act, so that a change can be brought in the lives of tribals.

The former prime minister stressed on the necessary action for improvement of agriculture and the rejuvenation of rivers. The group also discussed the policy required to bring investment in Maoist-affected or tribal areas areas, instead of exploiting natural resources.

The Niti Aayog meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Moscow, June 15 : The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the attack against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and called for refraining from making hasty accusations.

"We strongly condemn the attacks that occurred, whoever was behind their organization," the Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"We consider it necessary to refrain from hasty conclusions. Blaming anyone for involvement in these incidents before the completion of a thorough and impartial international investigation is unacceptable," it was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The Ministry expressed its concern over the tension in the Gulf of Oman and over the evidence of the US "artificially whipping them up" due to its "Iranian-phobia" policy.

It reiterated that it saw no alternative to establishing a dialogue in order to prevent further degradation of the situation in the region, the report said.

On Thursday, two oil tankers -- Front Altair, owned by shipping company Frontline Ltd. that is controlled by Norwegian-born magnate John Fredriksen, and the Panamanian-flagged Kokuka Courageous -- were reportedly hit by unknown attackers in the Gulf of Oman.

The crew of the tankers of 44, including 11 Russian nationals, were transferred to the Iranian port city of Jask.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for the attack.

"This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication," Pompeo said, according to an official transcript.Seoul, June 15 : South Korean tech giant Samsung has further extended the launch of its much awaited foldable smartphone Galaxy Fold beyond July.

The smartphone was originally set to release on April 26, but the manufacturer indefinitely delayed the device after multiple review units experienced display issues.

Following the defects that came to light, several brands across the US including AT&T, Best Buy along with Samsung itself cancelled pre-orders for the foldable phone, The Verge reported late on Friday.

In May, DJ Koh, Samsung's CEO promised that "we will not be too late", in terms of launch timing.

Later, Samsung representatives have also repeatedly mentioned that the company would announce a new release date for the phone "in the coming weeks", the report added.

Launched earlier this year, the first ever foldable smartphone features a 7.30-inch touchscreen primary display and a 4.60-inch secondary display.

The device is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor along with 12GB RAM and 512GB internal storage.

There are also two batteries on the inside of the device which together fuels the phone with a 4,380 mAh battery back-up.Lucknow, June 15 : Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav met Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Saturday and handed over a memorandum about the deteriorating law and order situation, farmers plight and the governments apathy towards issues related to the common man.

The SP chief, accompanied by senior party leader Ahmad Hasan, sought the Governor's intervention and said that the situation in the state was turning volatile and immediate steps must be taken to ease the same.

He said that murders were taking place inside jails and in court premises which was a matter of concern.

Later, talking to reporters, Yadav said that criminals were having a free run in Uttar Pradesh while the Chief Minister was busy with meetings. He said crimes against children and women were escalating and the government is not taking the necessary action.

This was Yadav's first visit to Raj Bhavan after he relinquished office in March 2017.

Reacting to the SP chief's allegations, BJP General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said: "Akhilesh Yadav should first go through the list of incidents of crime in his tenure before commenting on the present situation. The law and order situation was worst in the SP regime and we have ensured a definite improvement in the law and order situation".San Francisco, June 15 : Nearly 400 current and former police officers read and contribute to Facebook groups that promote a range of extremist ideologies including Islamophobia and racism, according to a new investigation by non-profit news organisation Reveal.

These officers work in jails and schools and airports, on boats and trains and in patrol cars and many of them also contribute to groups such as "White Lives Matter" and "DEATH TO ISLAM UNDERCOVER", said Reveal, which is run by the US Center for Investigative Reporting.

While some of these groups trade in anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant memes, some are openly Islamophobic, while others are misogynistic or anti-government militia groups.

The investigation identified 150 officers involved with violent anti-government groups such as the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters, said the report on Friday.

After the findings, more than 50 departments launched internal investigations. Some departments said that they would examine the past conduct of officers to see if their online activity influenced their policing in real life.

At least one officer has already been fired for violating department policies, the report said.

"Most of the hateful Facebook groups these cops frequent are closed, meaning only members are allowed to see content posted by other members," said the report.

The investigation revealed that one guard at the Angola prison in Louisiana, Geoffery Crosby, was a member of 56 extremist groups, including 45 Confederate groups and one called "BAN THE NAACP" while a detective at the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston, James "J.T." Thomas, was a member of the closed Facebook group "The White Privilege Club."

Biased views like those expressed in these Facebook groups inevitably influence an individual's decision-making process, according to Peter Simi, Associate Professor of Sociology at Chapman University.

"The perceptions we have about the world at large drive the decisions we make," Simi, who has studied extremist groups for more than 20 years, was quoted as saying.

"To think that people could completely separate these extremist right-wing views from their actions just isn't consistent with what we know about the decision-making process," Simi added.Vadodara, June 15 : As many as seven persons were asphyxiated to death in the wee hours of Saturday while cleaning the septic tank of a highway hotel in central Gujarat's Vadodara district.

The police said the incident occurred much after midnight at Darshan Hotel in Fartikui village of Dabhoi tehsil, some 30 km from Vadodara city. Those killed included four sanitation workers and three employees of the hotel.

The police told reporters that 47-year-old Mahesh Patanwadiya was the first to go inside the septic tank. Others outside got worried when he did not come out for some time despite being called by them. Ashok Harijan, 45, then entered to look for Mahesh, followed by 23-year-old Brijesh Harijan and Mahesh Harijan, 25.

When the four sanitation workers didn't come out, the three employees of the hotel, Vijay Chaudhary, Sahadev Vasava and Ajay Vasava, all 22 years old, went inside and reportedly fell unconscious and later died after inhaling toxic fumes.

Their bodies were pulled out after three hours of effort by fire brigade staff of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation who had to go there since the Dabhoi Municipality did not have the equipment to rescue the seven people inside.

An offence of negligence has been registered against the owner of the hotel, Hassan Abbas Bhoraniya, who was arrested in the morning.

The sanitation workers hailed from the nearby Thuvavi village.

The state government has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. In an official press release, the government stated that it had asked the police to initiate tough action against the hotel owner.Lucknow, June 15 : In what could be a major embarrassment for the Lucknow Police, as many as 305 policemen, including 155 traffic personnel, were booked for traffic violations in a day-long campaign in Lucknow on Friday.

Most of these men and women in uniform were of constable and sub-inspector rank, and all were prosecuted for riding two- wheelers without helmets. The day-long drive that began in the morning and continued till late evening also penalised another 3,117 motorists and bikers for various traffic violations.

Lucknow SSP Kalanidhi Naithani said: "Policemen should lead by example. Hence, we decided to conduct the drive also at Police Lines, where many were caught without helmets. We are going to make sure that cops do not get away simply because they are cops."

Naithani added that this would be a sustained drive and not just a one-day affair.

A total of Rs 1.38 lakh was collected as fine on the first day.

"During the first few days, we will focus on people riding two-wheelers without helmets. Next, motorists without seat belts will be brought to book," said ASP (traffic) Purnendu Singh.

He said that 574 vehicles had been identified for being repeat offenders, having violated traffic rules four times or more.

"We have initiated the process to suspend registration of such vehicles," the ASP said.

Singh added that they had identified certain areas in the city where commuters would not be allowed to enter without a helmet. Multi-level parking lots will also not allow entry of bikers without helmets.New York, June 15 : The discovery of the body of a seven-year-old Indian girl in a treacherous desert area in the state of Arizona has put the spotlight on rising illegal immigrants from India trying to cross into the US through Mexico.

The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) said on Friday that about 9,000 Indians were caught entering the US illegally last year, a dramatic increase from the 3,162 in 2017.

The CBP's statement comes after the girl's body was discovered on Thursday near the Lukeville and Quitobaquito Springs in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument biosphere reserve, a forbidding landscape in the dry and arid Arizona state.

The CBP said the girl died while she and four others, including an Indian woman and her eight-year-old daughter, were dropped off near the Mexico-US border by "human smugglers who ordered the group to cross (into the US) in the dangerous and austere location".

A temperature of 42 degrees Celsius was recorded on Thursday in that area.

The CBP said that on Thursday its agents had encountered two Indian women who told them that three others in the group had become separated from them and a search was started for them. The body was found during the search and recovered by the local sheriff's department.

Later that day, the agents found footprints indicating the other two, the mother and daughter, had crossed back into Mexico and authorities there began to look for them.

However, the two returned to the US side of the border and surrendered to CPB agents and were hospitalised.

Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate General in San Francisco is trying to help the victim's family.

A consul, Sumati Rao, told IANS in an e-mailed statement on Friday: "The Consulate is deeply distressed with the sad loss of a young life. We are in touch with the CBP officials on the situation. We have also reached out to the family and offered assistance."

None of them has been identified and officials did not disclose if the dead child was related to any of the others in the group.

In 2018, about 260 people reportedly died while crossing illegally from Mexico, most of them due to the harsh environment with long stretches of desert along the border.

The body of another illegal immigrant with Indian connection was found last September in Texas.

The person's body had documents showing travel from India, according to reports.

President Donald Trump's administration has been trying to contain an upsurge of illegal immigration mostly by Central Americans on the Mexican border. Last month, the CPB detained 144,200 illegal immigrants, the most for a single month in 13 years.

In a growing trend, many of those trying to illegally enter the US are bringing along children in hopes that they would get lenient treatment and early release from detention while their case - usually an appeal for asylum - is processed.

Human smugglers, known locally as "coyotes", often leave illegal immigrants in desert or other inhospitable environments or keep them hostages to demand more payments or traffic them.

Vowing to fight the coyotes, Trump said in February: "My administration has made the fight against human trafficking one of our highest priorities."

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)New Delhi, June 15 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her counterparts from Telangana K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Punjab Amarinder Singh will not attend the first meeting of the Niti Aayog governing council, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Banerjee and Rao had also skipped the MOdi's swearing-ceremony on May 23.

A vocal critic of the Modi government, Banerjee refused to attend the Niti Aayog meet saying that it was "fruitless' as the body had "no financial powers".

In a three-page letter written to Modi, she said it was "useless" to attend the meet as the agenda had been fixed by the Centre without consulting the states.

Chandrashekhar Rao is learnt to be busy with preparations for the launch of an irrigation project.

Amarinder Singh, who also skipped a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, would also give the Niti Aayog meet a miss, due to poor health.

This is the first meeting of the Niti Aayog after the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) landslide victory in the general elections and will be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

According to a statement issued by the Niti Aayog, issues like rain-water harvesting, drought situation and relief measures, transforming aspirational districts as well as security-related issues with a specific focus on left wing extremism-hit districts are expected to be discussed at the meeting.New Delhi, June 15 : The Centre on Saturday sought a report from the West Bengal government on the measures it took to contain political violence in the state and the steps it took to bring the culprits to book.

Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also issued an advisory to the West Bengal government, expressing "deep concern" over the unabated violence in the state over the years.

The MHA said the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018, with 773 incidents already being reported till date in 2019.

"Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place till date in 2019," the MHA said.

The advisory stated that "the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019, as evident from the above figures, is indicative of the failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and to inspire a sense of security among the people."

"The Government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal. It is requested that a report may be sent to this Ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence," the MHA advisory added.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had on June 13 held a meeting with the leaders of the major political parties in the state over the issue of post-poll violence and to create a situation where peace and harmony prevailed.

The move came days after Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised them of the situation in West Bengal.New Delhi, June 15 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday and requested the central government to approve the proposals for several drinking water projects and the timely release of funds for the centrally-sponsored schemes.

According to an official release, Gehlot met Sitharaman to discuss various financial issues related to Rajasthan ahead of the Niti Aayog meeting.

During his meeting with Sitharaman, Gehlot said that as per the past practice the states' share in the central taxes should be released to the respective states on the first date of the month.

Gehlot said that as this practice had been changed since the past few years, the states were facing financial issues. The states have to make payments towards salaries and pension on the first date, which becomes very difficult.

Gehlot also requested the Finance Minister that proposals for seven drinking water projects costing Rs 5,473 crore should be approved at the earliest.

He asked for approval for the proposal for external financial aid for Phase 3 of the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal Project costing Rs 1,450 crore. This project would provide drinking water to 2014 villages and five towns of Jodhpur, Barmer and Pali districts till the year 2051.

Gehlot also apprised Sitharaman that Rajasthan had several drinking water projects lined up with the help of the Japanese aid agency JICA.

"These proposals are pending with Union ministries of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Urban Development," he said, adding that several villages of Jhunjhunu and Barmer districts would be benefited from these projects worth Rs 2,918 crores.

Gehlot also said that another scheme worth Rs 1,104 crore for Phase 2 of the Bisalpur project to provide drinking water to Jaipur city was also awaiting the centre's clearance and sought Sitharaman's support for these projects.

The Rajasthan Chief Minister asked the Union Minister to support the state's loan waiver scheme to help the farmers of Rajasthan recover from their indebtedness.

He informed Sitharaman that 24 lakh farmers affiliated to cooperative banks had been given the benefit of loan waiver in Rajasthan and the state had to bear a burden of Rs 15,679 crore for it.

The state also planned to waive off crop loans from nationalised banks, scheduled commercial banks and rural regional banks up to Rs 2 lakh per farmer, Gehlot added.

As these financial institutions are under the control of the Finance Minister, the Centre should help the state in having a one-time settlement with the banks for loan waiver, he demanded.New Delhi, June 15 : Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has, here on Saturday, called for punitive action against those who assault healthcare professionals by stating that "strict action must be taken against any one who assaults them."

The Union Health Minister has asked law enforcement agencies to ensure that doctors and clinical establishments discharge their duties professionally without any fear of violence.

In a letter to Chief Ministers, Vardhan cited recommendations of an inter-ministerial committee in 2017 that suggested the state governments to enact legislation to protect doctors and healthcare professionals.

He also forwarded them the draft of the Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act, 2017, provided by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

"In case, a state already has a legislation, it should enforce the IPC/Cr.PC provisions with vigour," the Minister said in the letter.

Expressing concern over recent acts of violence against doctors in different parts of the country, Vardhan said they had led to strike by doctors, gravely affecting the healthcare services.

The Minister said doctors were an important pillar of the society and often worked under stressful and difficult conditions. "Our doctors rank among the best in the world and work for long hours under stressful conditions, grappling with a huge load of patients. It's the duty of state to ensure their safety and security," he said.Kathmandu, June 15 : Three Indian labourers were killed and three others injured when a part of an under-construction building collapsed in Nepal's Dang district on Saturday, officials said.

Chief of the Dang District Administration Govinda Prasad Rijal told Xinhua news agency the part of the under-construction Samrat Cement Factory collapsed at 1 a.m. The deceased Indians were from Jharkhand, officials said.

Those injured were rushed to local hospitals.

Remanta Dhakal, factory's General Manager, said the accident occurred when the labourers were working to set up the sixth floor of the building.Mumbai, June 15 : The world of showbiz is brimming with superheroes, but for a slew of television actors, their dads are their real superheroes.

On the occasion of Father's Day, which falls on June 16, celebrities from the Hindi television industry shared their thoughts:

Faisal Khan (Chandragupta Maurya in 'Chandragupta Maurya'):

Image Source: https://twitter.com/faisalkofficial

My father has been my biggest pillar of support in my life and is one person I have looked up to for everything. Coming from a middle-class family, I never felt deprived of anything as my father always fulfilled my needs and never let me feel otherwise. My dad has always been a provider and the backbone of our family. I still remember the days when he used to drive a rickshaw to earn for our family and now he does it for fun. It makes me so happy that my father is proud of me and it is because of his hard work and support that I have reached where I am today.

Reem Shaikh (Kalyani in 'Tujhse Hai Raabta'):

Image Source: https://www.instagram.com/reem_sameer8/

"My father has been a constant support through my entire journey and has encouraged me to chase my dreams. He is my best friend who is always guiding and helping me make the right choices and to do the right thing. I am more than thankful for him because he is a blessing in my life. He is the first person I want to share things with and seek advice from.

Ashnoor Kaur (Mini in 'Patiala Babes'):

Image Source: IANS Mumbai: Actress Ashnoor Kaur at the red carpet of ITA Awards in Mumbai on Nov 5, 2017.

More than a father, he is like a brother to me. We are best of friends and are really open to each other and that's the reason, I am comfortable sharing everything with him. Out of all the beautiful moments that I have shared with my father, my favourite moment was hearing from him that the day I was born, he was so happy and elated that he hosted a huge celebration with close family and friends. Hearing this really made me feel special as at a time when people used to be sad with the birth of a daughter in the house, my father broke the norm and was the happiest father in the world.

Sehban Azim (Malhar Rane in 'Tujhse Hai Raabta':

Image Source: IANS Mumbai: Actor Sehban Azim at the launch of his upcoming television show "Tujhse Hai Raabta" in Mumbai on Aug 28, 2018.

"A father always makes infinite sacrifices for his children and I have always aspired to be like my father someday. There are a lot of things that I do and follow in life which I have borrowed and grasped from my dad and there's a lot more that I intend to imbibe from him. My father is my superhero and will always be.

Reyhna Pandit (Mohini in 'Manmohini'):

Image Source: IANS News Reyhna Malhotra

My father is my hero and I owe everything that I am today to him. He is the pillar of strength for our family and doesn't even let the slightest problem reach us. My dad always maintains a positive mindset and I have picked that from him. I am blessed to have him as my rock and am hoping to take him on a holiday around my birthday and spend some quality time with him."

Eisha Singh (Zara in 'Ishq Subhan Allah'): "When I was 5 years old and my dad used to come back from office, I used to quickly run and hide and wait for him to find me. I used to put out my hand and he used to come running and embrace me in his arms. I will never forget those moments. My father is my superhero and I feel Father's Day is the perfect day to thank him for all his sacrifices and unconditional love. I know that his guiding hand will always be on my shoulder and no matter what, his confidence in me will help me face any situation bravely.

Sneha Wagh (Mura in 'Chandragupta Maurya'):

Image Source: IANS Actress Sneha Wagh.

My father is a very humble and simple man. He passed the same traits to me for which I am very thankful to him. When I entered this industry and people started recognising me, he always suggested me to stay grounded and humble with everyone and never forget the hurdles that I have faced and how I started my journey.

-- With inputs from IANSKolkata, June 15 : West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the doctors and to take the medicos into confidence.

In his letter, the Governor also expressed his sadness over Banerjee's "non-responsive" stand to his efforts to initiate talks with the Chief Minister.

"The Governor today (Saturday) wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to the doctors and to take them into confidence about the firm and credible assurance of arrangements for their security as well as quick investigation of the incidents of assault on them so that suitable atmosphere is generated to enable the doctors to resume their duties," a press release issued by the Raj Bhavan said.

Protesting against the brutal attack on two junior doctors by the family members of a deceased patient at the NRS Medical College and Hospital on Monday night, doctors across the state have stopped work at the outpatient departments (OPDs) in most government hospitals in the state since Wednesday.

Health services in West Bengal's state-run hospitals remained partially disrupted on Saturday as the 'cease work' called by the agitating junior doctors continued for the fifth day.

Tripathi mentioned that he had written a letter to Banerjee on Friday in which he mentioned "the grievances and demands of the doctors and their willingness to resume duties upon the redressal of their grievances".

Tripathi said, "While assuring the associations that I will send their representations to the state government, which is the appropriate authority to look into their demands, I appealed them to resume duty.

"I had suggested in my letter to you (Banerjee) to meet the doctors and assure adequate security to them and also look into their grievances. I understand that no meeting with the agitating doctors has been held by till now."

The Governor also requested to be kept informed about the actions taken in this regard.

When asked about the letter sent by the Governor to her, Banerjee said, "You please leave it to us. It is between the Governor and me. I have spoken to him and he is convinced."Mumbai, June 15 : Uniform procedures to track defaults along with increased disclosures on liquidity factors will aid credit rating agencies to provide grater insights into companies, industry insiders said.

Such measures, as prescribed by SEBI, are deemed significant, as in recent cases CRAs have somewhat failed to recognise defaults by the NBFC sector. A

The securities market regulator in its latest guidelines has mandated 'Standard Operating Procedure' for timely recognition of default, 'Probability of Default' and 'Computation of Cumulative Default Rates' for the industry.

"The guidelines prescribe uniform benchmarks for default rate for each rating category. At a later date, these benchmarks may be evaluated vis-a-vis actual default rates of a CRA," T.N. Arun Kumar, Executive Director, Care Ratings told IANS.

"CRAs would have to fine-tune their rating methodologies in case of deviation from benchmarks. The guidelines also prescribe disclosure of many aspects of the credit so that investors are better informed."

SEBI has introduced the "Probability of Default" (PD) benchmarks which will enable investors to discern the performance of a CRA vis-A-vis a standardised scale.

The CRAs have been mandated to prepare and disclose standardised and uniform PD benchmarks in consultation with SEBI for each rating category for the period of "one year, two-year and three-year cumulative default rates, both for short-run and long-run."

On its part, CRISIL said: "We believe these will provide greater insights into the ratings of the companies and also help all stakeholders to evaluate performance of CRAs on the basis of a more robust methodology."

"The initiative to ask CRAs to put out the standard operating procedures for monitoring and recognising defaults is a welcome step which may remove the current inconsistencies across CRAs and hence reflect true default status."

According to ICRA: "SEBI's enhanced disclosure guidelines for rating agencies are a positive step for the industry as a whole and beneficial to all debt market stakeholders."New Delhi/Bengaluru, June 15 : Karnataka on Saturday sought extension of the Compensation Act beyond 2022 to bridge the revenue gap likely to arise out of a shortfall in the collection of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"The Compensation Act should be extended beyond 2022 in case the revenue gap is not bridged by then to compensate our state, as envisaged in the Act," Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said at the fifth meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog in New Delhi.

As the GST regime has taken over the state's resource mobilisation efforts, the chief Minister said revenue shortfall would adversely impact developmental and other infrastructural projects across the state as well as the committed expenditure of the state government.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Chairman of Niti Aayog, attended by its members and chief ministers from across the country.

Addressing the council, the Chief Minister said though trends showed that the State GST (SGST) component of the GST has been on the rise, the revenue gap was being bridged by the assured compensation till 2022.

"As our state will have limited scope to mobilise additional revenue beyond 2022, there would be a steep fall in our revenues by the end of fiscal 2022-23, as compared to protected revenue till fiscal 2021-22 due to the constitutionally guaranteed compensation," Kumaraswamy pointed out.

Noting that the southern state would face a financial crunch after 2022 once the compensation ended, Kumaraswamy said it was time to devise a mechanism to overcome erosion of the state's tax base since the GST was being implemented with effect from July 1, 2017.

"The state's revenues under the GST have not risen to our expectations despite our best efforts to bridge the gap and overcome the challenges faced in implementing it, he said.

The state has taken steps to track non-filers and bill traders, data-analytic led enforcement and vigilance to detect suppression.

"Capacity building programmes to tax officers, awareness to stakeholders and other measures have, however, had a positive impact in enhancement of revenue when compared to the previous fiscal," added the Chief Minister.Kolkata, June 15 : Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday again appealed to the agitating junior doctors in the state to end their strike, assuring them that her government would not invoke ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) against them.

She said the state government is working to find a "peaceful solution" to the problem, and that it is ready to consider demands put forward by the doctors for their security inside hospitals.

"I have already appealed to everyone related to the medical fraternity to end the impasse for the sake of the ailing patients. I would again appeal to the junior doctors to end the agitation. We are always open to discussion," Banerjee said at the state secretariat, Nabanna.

"Yesterday (Friday) I had waited for taks with the junior doctors for nearly five hours, but they did not arrive. They told senior doctors that they would come today. So I along with my team of administrators waited for them. But they have not come today either. I would appeal everyone to join the work," she said.

Citing examples of several states such as Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu which had invoked ESMA to break the doctors' movement, Banerjee promised her government would not initiate any such administrative steps.

"So many states already used this Act because the profession of doctors is considered noble. Our government, too, has the provision. But we want to deal with the issue in a humanitarian and democratic way. So, we have neither invoked ESMA nor cancelled anybody's registration, or arrested anybody," she said.

When asked whether she would go to the NRS Medical College and Hospital, the epicentre of the doctor's movement, as per the demand of the agitators, Banerjee refused to answer.

"I will not tell you whether I will go somewhere or not. I think the state secretariat is the best place to hold a meeting with government officials in a democratic manner. I had gone to SSKM Hospital that day and waited for three hours, but no one came to talk to me," she said.

"One should respect institutions... when the government is calling them to hold a discussion, they continue to refuse... I wanted to talk to them over phone after the incident, but they refused to talk. Senior government officials also went to talk and asked them to come, but they refused," she alleged, adding all actions have been taken by the state administration.

Banerjee said a few "outsiders" with vested interest are trying to provoke the junior doctors and urged them not to fall in that trap.

"Some outsiders are trying to provoke. They are making one-sided comments. We have accepted all their demands and have taken all the necessary action. Please join the work because the patients are suffering. A number of children have died in the last few days," she added.New Delhi, June 15 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday emphasised on taking strong initiatives for reviving the rural economy in the country.

During the fifth meeting of NITI Aayog here, Baghel said that his state's newly- implemented scheme, 'Narwa, Garuwa, Ghurwa, Baadi' (rivulets, livestocks, domestic dump, farms), has the potential to lead the path to revival of the rural economy.

He said that the scheme will also play a significant role in achieving the target of doubling farmers' income.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Union ministers and chief ministers of several states.

Elaborating on the scheme, 'Narwa, Garuwa, Ghurwa, Baadi' Baghel said, the programme has been launched keeping in mind development of local resources, rival of farm-based rural economy and comprehensive environment conservation.

He said issues such as environmental balance, pollution, climate change, depleting underground water level, nourishment of livestock and organic farming are topics of global concern.

Referring to aspirational district programme in the state, he said 44 per cent of the state is covered with forest and percentage of forest in eight aspirational districts out of 10 has large forest areas therefore it has becomes very difficult to provide facilities such as water, electricity, road and irrigation to the tribals of these districts.

The Chief Minister also demanded 100 per cent financial assistance and grants for making arrangement of solar water pumps in these areas, sanction for generation of solar power on commercial scale in degraded forest areas, setting up of industries based on small forest products on forest land, exemption in forest area for setting up of small irrigation plants through solar pumps and for grant of forest produces and food processing for tribal unemployed youths.

Baghel said "there was a need to formulate strategies and coordinated policies at national level to tackle LWE (left wing extremism) menace in the country and affected states should have collective role in it so that coordinated steps should be taken fight against the violence".

He also demanded revision of surrender and rehabilitation policy for Maoists.

He said, "Maoist leaders of central committee level often surrender after 25 to 35 years of involvement in violence activities and due to current policy they escape legal action."

He said the state could prevent local unemployed youths of maoist affected regions from being misguided only by providing sufficient economic support and multidimensional development work and employment opportunities.Hyderabad, June 15 : Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa on Saturday said the Indian Air Force was trying to ascertain the cause of the recent crash of AN-32 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh that killed 13 people.

He said the IAF would also take steps to ensure such accidents do not recur. He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy, Dundigal on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The aircraft went missing on June 3, after taking off from Jorhat in Assam. Its wreckage was found by the rescue team on Tuesday at a height of 12,000 feet near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts. All 13 persons onboard were killed.

The IAF Chief said they recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. "We will analyse it and go into details to find out what happened and how we make sure that it does not happen again," he said.

Dhanoa said that the terrain in Aruncahal is difficult to fly. "The terrain there is very treacherous and most of the time it is cloudy," he said and pointed that there have been many accidents involving not just IAF aircraft but also others.

Earlier, the Air Chief Marshal reviewed the parade and conferred the aPresident's Commission' on behalf of the President of India to 152 graduating flight cadets who completed their basic and professional training.

The flight cadets including 24 women graduated as Flying Officers to join the elite cadre of the IAF.

Dhanoa, an alumnus of the Academy, said he was here 41 years ago and did a lot of flying as a cadet and also as an instructor.

Dhanoa, who is also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, said it was a matter of great pride to review the parade and welcome fine men and women into the Indian Air Force as military leaders and aviators.

He exhorted the cadets to uphold the core IAF values of mission, integrity and excellence.

Gajulapalli Navin Kumar Reddy of Andhra Pradesh received the President Plaque along with Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for outstanding performance in pilots' course.

Navin Reddy, the only son of Subedar of Indian Army, G. Pulla Reddy, said he chose IAF as he liked the speed of the fighter aircraft. "The thrill always keeps me motivated. Everyone won't get this chance. I have put in a lot of hard work to reach here," said Navin Reddy, who hails from Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Parents of the graduating trainees and various military and civilian officials witnessed the colourful march past.New Delhi, June 15 : The incidents of terrorist activities have come down in Jammu and Kashmir as the people of the state are not giving shelter to militants, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said here on Saturday.

Addressing the 5th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, Malik said time has come to focus on development of the state. He also gave a Powerpoint Presentation and figures about terror activities.

"Terrorism has shrunk in the Valley and the situation has improved a lot," NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar quoted Malik as saying.

Kumar said the Governor put across his points strongly in the meeting and presented figures to prove as to how terrorism has shrunk in the state.

"As the situation has improved, now we need to focus on state's development. We also need to focus on agricultural products," he said.

The Governor claimed that the administration was getting information about terrorists and their activities by locals and that they are not offering shelter to those involved in militant activities.

Kumar said that Home Minister Amit Shah assured the states facing the menace of terrorism and Maoism that the Centre stands behind them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the the states the Ministry of Home Affairs will coordinate with all affected states to decisively end Maoism and drive the agenda of development in the affected regions.

Shah said steadfast implementation of National Policy and Action Plan started in 2015 has resulted in significant success in combating the Maoists problem. The Centre and states have collaborated in the endeavor, he added.

He said the geographical area of influence of Leftwing extremism has shrunk and the number of perpetrators of violence has declined significantly.New Delhi, June 15 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said the state government was focusing on moving towards a high Ease of Living Index for the people of the state after systematically ushering in a new era of corruption-free governance.

The Chief Minister was speaking during the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Haryana has become kerosen-free and open defecatio-free, it moved from 14th to the third rank in the Ease of Doing Business and removed the blot of female foeticide.

Congratulating the Prime Minister for the reconstitution of the NITI Aayog, he said that it is a hub of innovation and knowledge for the states to learn from each other and to replicate the successes and good practices of others.

Elaborating on the steps taken by the government, Khattar said being both a leading agrarian and industrial state, the state has focused on managing and regenerating water sources in a sustainable manner.

He said the government set up Haryana Pond and Waste Water Management Authority in 2017 for development, protection, rejuvenation, conservation, construction and management of all the ponds in the state.

The authority has developed a pond data management software to monitor progress of rejuvenation and development works on over 14,000 water bodies -- ancient and teh new.

Of these, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority is working on revival of more than 500 water bodies through rainwater harvesting.

A comprehensive drainage plan and 'zero drain out system' has also been taken up for Gurugram.

The plan includes creation of water harvesting structures, pondage areas, channelization of creeks and construction of recharge wells.

The Chief Minister said under the scheme 'Other Interventions under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana -- Per Drop More Crop', 881 structures have been created and 13,656 hectares have benefitted in 10 districts of the state.New Delhi, June 15 : Hitting back at the Trump administration for withdrawing trade privileges for certain Indian goods, the Indian government on Saturday raised custom duty on various items, including walnut and apples, exported from the US.

In a late evening notification, the Union Finance Ministry said that the decision was taken in public interest.

The higher custom duty would be applicable from June 16.

In response to the US refusal to exempt Indian steel and aluminimum from higher tariffs, India had last year announced to slam import duty as high as 120 per cent on over dozen items. It, however, deferred the decision in the wake of ongoing trade talks in the hope that the trade issues will be resolved bilaterally.

But India has finally retaliated to the US move, prompted by withdrwal of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) benefits a few weeks back.

Industry estimates have pegged the additional burden on US items exported to India at $290 million.

Last year, India's trade surplus for merchandise goods with the US was almost $18-19 billion.

India's firm action against US has come days before Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is to meet his American counterpart Mike Pompeo.It is a privilege to be recognized by Microsoft for our work with Financial Services clientsespecially with asset and wealth management firms, hedge funds, private equity firms, insurance companies, and investment banking advisorsto achieve digital transformation leveraging the Microsoft platform

AKA Enterprise Solutions, a Gold Microsoft Dynamics Partner and Cloud Consultancy, today announced it has been named a 2019 Microsoft Financial Services Partner of the Year finalist. The company was chosen from more than 2,900 entrants across 115 countries worldwide for providing outstanding solutions and services to Financial Services customers, and was recognized for demonstrating thought leadership as well as industry knowledge and expertise.

It is a privilege to be recognized by Microsoft for our work with Financial Services clients especially with asset and wealth management firms, hedge funds, private equity firms, insurance companies, and investment banking advisorsto achieve digital transformation leveraging the Microsoft platform, said Alan Kahn, Co-CEO of AKA Enterprise Solutions. This recognition confirms our commitment to the industry and that we are delivering on a corporate aspiration to create evangelist customers.

Its an honor to recognize finalists and winners of the Microsoft 2019 Partner of the Year Awards, said Gavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner, Microsoft Corp. These companies are successfully leading their industries, building intelligent solutions, addressing complex business challenges and making more possible for customers around the world. Im honored to congratulate each winner and finalist.

The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards recognize Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered exceptional Microsoft-based solutions during the past year. For more information Microsofts Partner Awards, visit https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/inspire/awards.

About AKA Enterprise Solutions

For more than 25 years, AKA Enterprise Solutions has been dedicated to making it easier organizations to do business and innovate their way to greatness by using technology to simplify processes and reduce risks. Specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365, Cloud Services Business Process Consulting, and Custom Application Development, AKA combines industry and technical experience, proven methodologies, and world-class consulting to help clients achieve their goals. The company has achieved Microsoft Gold Competency in five key areas, including Gold Cloud Platform and Gold Cloud Business Applications. Gold Partners are among the top 1% of Microsoft Partners worldwide. AKA is headquartered in New York, NY, with resources located throughout the U.S. To learn more, visit https://www.akaes.comSince June is National Family Reunification Month, KVC celebrates families who safely reunified after their children were in foster care. On June 15, our KVC Kansas team is hosting a unique event in Olathe, KS called the Parent Expo. This event is designed for families who may benefit from social services and community resources.

All families go through tough times. When parents face adversity and toxic stress due to traumatic experiences, poverty, untreated mental health needs and lack of a support network, they may be unable to care for their children. In some cases, a court decision is made to remove the children from the home and place them with a relative, familiar caregiver or foster family while they receive support from caring professionals.

What is National Family Reunification Month?

June is National Family Reunification Month, and KVC Health Systems and its local teams celebrate those families that have worked hard to overcome obstacles, resolve conflicts and learn healthy skills in order for their children to safely return home from foster care. We also recognize the child welfare and mental health professionals, including hundreds of people who are part of the KVC team in five states, who support families in the process to safely reunify.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway shared that this years theme is exploring foster care as a support to families, rather than a substitute for parents. While foster care and adoption are often needed, the first goal of child welfare is safely preventing foster care or reunifying families  in other words, keeping kids in their own families whenever safely possible.

How You Can Help Families Working Toward Reunification

If you care about families in your community who face serious challenges, we invite you to show your support during June and all year long. Relatives, neighbors, friends and community members can help families tremendously in these ways:



Offer transportation to visitations, court hearings, mental health appointments, etc.

Provide snacks and activities for birth parents to take to visits

Offer to prepare a meal for the family

Provide mentoring and simply serve as a friend

Offer words of encouragement or lend a listening ear

Allow the parent(s) to feel connected through community gatherings to let them know they are not alone

Become a foster parent to provide direct support to children and families who are experiencing foster care

When a family is able to bring their children safely home from foster care, celebrate the family with a welcome home basket, meal or gathering.

KVC Focuses on Keeping Kids in Families

Last year, KVC strengthened 7,036 families involved in the child welfare system with in-home therapy and skill-building, care coordination and other critical support. Of those:

6,429 families (with 12,233 children!) never had to experience their children entering foster care, due to successful prevention services.

607 families were able to safely bring their children home from foster care.

Nationally, about half of children (49%) who leave foster care each year are safely reunited with their birth families. It is our goal to help children achieve a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible when reunification can occur. If reintegration with the childs birth family is not possible, we then seek a loving adoptive family.

Read Some Heartwarming Family Reunification Stories

Check out some of the successful family reunification stories we have been honored to be a part of:

On June 15, our KVC Kansas team is hosting a unique event in Olathe, KS called the Parent Expo. This event is designed for families who may benefit from social services and community resources. Families who attend will learn about the child welfare system so they can advocate for their familys needs, connect with community resources and learn about access to health care. They'll also receive tips on resume writing, interviewing for jobs, budgeting, parenting and peer-to-peer support. Lunch is provided. Well be featuring a bounce house and other kids activities. More information here: KVC Kansas Parent Expo.

Learn more about our in-home family services which include family preservation, family reunification, family therapy, skill-building and more at https://www.kvc.org/services/in-home-therapy/. If you want to directly support families facing serious challenges, consider joining the KVC team! Visit http://www.kvc.org/careers. Were hiring for critical roles serving children and families in Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska and West Virginia.Select certified pre-owned Volkswagen vehicles available for Summer Sales Event

Findlay Volkswagen is a new and pre-owned dealership located in Henderson, Nevada. The dealership is currently offering financial help to qualified buyers when they purchase select vehicles. Qualified buyers will receive up to $500 off their first months payment when they purchase select certified pre-owned Volkswagen vehicles.

This deal is part of the Volkswagen Summer Sales Event and allows buyers to take a vacation from their first monthly payment. In order to qualify for this deal, buyers are subject to credit approval and must finance through Volkswagen Credit.

This offer is only available on select certified pre-owned Volkswagen models that are at the Findlay Volkswagen Dealership. This excludes all 3.0L TDI models. This offer may not be combined with the College Grad Program and may not be redeemed for cash.

The certified pre-owned inventory at the Findlay Volkswagen dealership is made up of vehicles ranging from 2012 to 2018 and is made up of sedans, SUVs and wagons for shoppers to choose from. This special offer for up to $500 off the first monthly payment of a certified pre-owned Volkswagen is available until September 2, 2019.

Findlay Volkswagen is located at 983 Auto Show Drive in Henderson. The dealerships certified pre-owned inventory can be found by visiting the website (http://www.findlayvw.com) and clicking on the Certified Volkswagen link. Questions can be directed by calling 888-843-0173.Garage Door Services & Repair Inc. is famous for offering garage door services in and around Houston. The company has successfully cemented their place in this industry with their garage door repair Houston services and the prices they quote are pretty cheap. These are the two most important factors that have led the garage door service Houston to make a permanent mark for itself. The garage door installation Houston furnishes an extensive range of services and next in line is the garage door repair service. This can really give the company an upper hand as far as its competitors are concerned.

A few officials from the management came together at a recent press conference to reveal some details about the inclusion of a new service. A senior manager of Garage Door Services & Repair Inc. relayed that the company has always focused on a fast and accurate service for the people residing in and around Houston. He also stated that the overhead garage door Houston takes great pride in its crew who have received intensive training to render the best possible service.

Garage Door Services & Repair Inc. would like to thank all our clients for imposing their faith on us. Our company deals in servicing openers, cables, tracks, springs, and remotes as well. Our garage door repair Houston TX technicians will help in installing a brand new set of doors for our clients or the key components of any garage door system. We have always guaranteed customer satisfaction every time and luckily, all the feedbacks have been positive. Now, we have come up with garage door sensors repair services and with this we aim to target a wider client base. If our customers have any problem with the photoelectric eyes, we will be treating that as urgent and our team of specialists will be at their doorstep within a matter of time, the marketing head conveyed.

Thomas Wang, the co-founder was heard saying, Its never safe to try closing the door in case the sensors are damaged or not functioning the way it should. For any assistance and service, we request our clients not to hesitate in giving us a call. We will be happy to make an urgent garage doors sensors replacement.

About the Company

Garage Doors Services & Repair Inc. is a major local garage door service provider in Houston, TX.

To know more, visit: https://www.gds-repair.com/

Full Address: 4660 Beechnut St. Houston, TX 77096

Phone: (713)730-2797

Email Address: tomgdrsrepair(at)gmail(dot)comStudycat With over ten million users worldwide, partnerships with leading global education firms and a 52 episode series of TV clips launching on China's Canton Cartoon Network, Studycat is experiencing rapid growth at a pivotal time in edtech.

Global edtech firm Studycat today welcomes investor Johan Leven as chairman of its board ahead of its founder speaking at EdTechXEurope in London on June 18th.

Johan Leven is currently a founding partner at Quintus Partners, an investment firm based in Asia and the United States. Prior to Quintus Partners, Leven enjoyed a 19-year career at Goldman Sachs, including as partner in charge of mergers and acquisitions for Asia Ex-Japan and in other leadership roles. After Goldman Sachs, he led the build-out of Barclays' client coverage organisation in the Asia Pacific region.

The appointment comes as Studycat expands its edtech offering and further develops its market share. With over ten million users worldwide, partnerships with leading global education firms such as Discovery Kids and Findaway and a 52-episode series of television clips launching on Chinas Canton Cartoon Network, Studycat is experiencing rapid growth at a pivotal time in edtech.

Johan Leven said: Im fortunate to have the opportunity to take on this new role at an exciting time in the development of the global edtech industry. Improving language learning outcomes for children across the world is a worthy aim and it is very rewarding to help the company realise this ambition. Studycats strong content creation and game development skills, rooted in its deep educational experience, make it ideally placed to expand its offering and I look forward to contributing to its continued growth.

Mark Pemberton, co-founder of Studycat, said: We are privileged to confirm Johan as Chairman of the Studycat board. The growth of our tech-based connected learning approach, with a combination of traditional and new and innovative techniques for learning, is creating better outcomes for young learners. Johans appointment will strengthen our ability to benefit children, parents, schools and teachers across our global markets as we work to ensure that millions more can access our language learning solutions.

Founded in 1999, Studycat is a global leader in childrens language education, empowering millions of kids around the world to enjoy learning a foreign language with innovative learning applications that connect homes and schools. The companys consumer solutions help children learn languages effectively, achieving superior outcomes by using a blended approach of online and offline games and exercises.

Connect with Studycat:

Twitter @Study_cat

Facebook @Studycat.net

LinkedIn

Notes to editors:



Studycat is an app-based solution that teaches languages to young learners.

Studycat began in 1999 when the three founders decided to make language learning more fun and engaging for children and opened a school.

Built on the premise that students learn most effectively through play, Studycat has more than 10 million users worldwide and is one of Apples top-rated education apps.

Studycats products connect children, parents, and teachers, empowering them to share the joy of learning together while achieving superior results.

For more information, visit http://www.studycat.com or contact:

Rachel Womack, rachel.womack(at)mangomarketing(dot)com / 020 3904 8677

Victoria Cameron, victoria.cameron(at)mangomarketing(dot)com / 020 3714 3397MTN Prime (https://mtnprime.com), established in 2016, has hired Chef Aaron Busch to head up changes to their kitchen and menu. The most notable change is the transformation to a scratch kitchen, meaning that all of MTN Primes pastas, beef stocks, and other core ingredients will be made in-house. Their philosophy has always been to use locally-sourced ingredients as much as possible, and this move to a scratch kitchen is the natural progression. They have also brought a butcher in-house to decrease the prices of many of their cuts of meat and allow them to render the whole animal.

The menu as a whole is more progressive. Busch has honed in on the offerings that fit MTN Prime while diversifying the menu through the variety that will be available as the fish and produce are switched out as a result of shifting availability. Regarding the changes that have been made to the MTN Prime menu, Busch said, Fine dining doesnt have to have the stigma of being expensive. This new menu is going to be taste effective and cost effective.

Busch began his cooking career in North Carolina over a decade ago and has spent the last 8 years working in Miami at the Fontainebleau Hotel, Bird & Bone, and other restaurants. He has experience working in a variety of cuisines, including the classic French, Thai, and Korean. He pools all of his experience into the updated menu at MTN Prime.

MTN Primes changes primarily include:



Refining the lunch menu to include a wider variety of options.

Utilizing the new scratch kitchen processes to reduce prices.

MTN Prime has also launched a new website to increase their online presence. The website highlights their beautiful food and showcases the changes to the menu.

About Frozen Fire: Frozen Fire is a digital marketing and video production firm with locations in Dallas, TX and Idaho Springs, CO. They act as MTN Primes marketing firm and have designed and developed MTN Primes new website. Their services include marketing, video production, website design, and website development.DCMEA logo "DCMEA will provide professional growth opportunities, ...foster public support for music in schools, offer quality musical experiences for students, ... and develop and maintain productive working relationships with other professional organizations.

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) proudly announces the new federated music education association relaunched in the nations capital, the DC Music Education Association (DCMEA). Since January 2019, a small group of volunteers has met virtually and in person to strategize, review bylaws and a mission statement, and elect officers. The next in-person meeting will be held June 19, in conjunction with the NAfME National Leadership Assembly, taking place at the Washington Hilton June 17-21. Learn more about DCMEA at washingtondcmea.org.

This is an exciting time for NAfME and the future of music education, said Mike Blakeslee, NAfME Executive Director and CEO. As we are well into the new millennium, and both our student populations and the direction of music education are changing, it is critical that NAfME keep pace with all students needs and the new opportunities in the ever-growing discipline of music education, while also upholding the updated music standards in giving direction to promoting the understanding and making of music by all. This relaunch of the DCMEA chapter with fresh voices and new ideas to meet the music education needs of all Washington, DC, students is a significant step toward that goal.

As the new president of DCMEA, I am dedicated to our goal of advocating for and advancing music education across Washington, D.C., added DCMEA President Joshua Krohn. DCMEA will also provide professional growth opportunities, encourage interaction among music education professionals, foster public support for music in schools, offer quality musical experiences for students, cultivate a universal appreciation of and lifetime involvement in music, and develop and maintain productive working relationships with other professional organizations.

Joshua Krohn has been an elementary music specialist, band and choral director, elementary music clinician, professional developer, and private music instructor. Over the last sixteen years he has led full-scale Broadway-style musicals, before-school orchestras, choirs, wind ensembles, guitar ensembles, recorder ensembles, theater clubs, and after-school tutoring for thousands of Washington, DC, Public Schools (DCPS) elementary students. Since 2009 Krohn has led close to 60 music professional development sessions both locally and nationally. By 2010 Krohn was leading more than 110 DCPS music teachers in quarterly professional developments. Since 2012, he has been nominated for D.C. Teacher of the Year five times, and since 2014, he has been nominated for the National LifeChanger of the Year award three times. Krohn has also been twice nominated for a Grammy Music Educator Award. In 2016 Krohn was a District Course Chair for DCPS music as well as one of the A.C.E. Fellows for Music in DCPS. Krohn has also educated students with mild cognitive impairments through severe cognitive impairments, students with learning and emotional disabilities, and students in urban settings, and has led professional development sessions based on teaching special learners.

The DCMEA President-Elect is Christopher Steele, the Upper Campus music teacher at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School in Northwest DC since 2017. He holds a Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Therapy from Howard University. He is a low-brass freelance musician (Tenor Trombone, Bass Trombone, Euphonium) in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland, areas performing in symphonic, musical theater, and commercial music styles. Steele is an active performer with the Heritage Trombone Ensemble and the Slide Artist Trombone Quartet. He taught private trombone lessons in the DC area for five years while a student at Howard University. He is an active arranger and clinician for middle school, high school, and collegiate band programs. Steele has performed with musical greats including Gloria Estefan, Tony Bennet, Lady Gaga, McCoy Tyner, Dr. Billy Taylor, and Hubert Laws, among others. He is currently pursuing a second Masters degree in Wind Conducting from Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Benita Gladney is the Immediate Past President of DCMEA. Gladney is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at Howard University. She earned her D.M.A. degree at the University of Georgia and holds a Master of Music Education degree from Howard University and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Gladney has more than ten years of teaching experience in high school band programs and elementary general music, primarily in Atlanta and Chicago Public Schools. As a band director, her performing groups consistently received superior ratings in music festivals. Along with her teaching duties, she has served as an adjudicator for both concert and jazz band festivals. In 2010, Gladney established a band program at Moi Girls High School in Eldoret, Kenya. Kenya Play It has provided more than 30 wind band instruments to the school. Since band instruments are uncommon in Kenya, she travels every summer to the school to teach instrumental music lessons. Thanks to her efforts, this project has provided these Kenyan students with an opportunity to learn to play a band instrument in a school setting. Gladneys primary research interests include music improvisation, urban music education, and music teacher preparation.

DCMEA Treasurer Chad Harris has spent 15 years creating dynamic and engaging music lessons for his students. He has taught in Florida, Alabama, and South Korea, and now teaches elementary music at Stanton Elementary School in Southeast Washington, DC. Harriss DC performing groups have participated in music festivals at the Kennedy Centers Millennial and Family stages, where their performances have received the superior rating. Additionally, Harris has received two Teacher of the Year awards while teaching in Florida and Alabama. In DC, Harris currently serves as the Teacher Selection Ambassador for Music, conducting all job interviews for incoming music teachers. During his first year in DC, he was awarded the very selective Capital Commitment Fellowship and was given a seat on the DC Chancellors Teachers Cabinet. Harris was also placed on the music curriculum writing team, and his lessons are now in the DC music curriculum.

DCMEA Secretary Gilette Brown has been a music educator for more than 15 years. A proud graduate of the world-renowned Boys/Girls Choir of Harlem, Brown earned her BA in music education from The University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a masters degree in Educational Leadership from George Mason University. She currently teaches at Savoy Elementary school where she has piloted various music initiatives including: Savoy Glee Club, annual musicals, and partnerships with various performing arts programs. Brown is a true advocate of partnerships through music education, including Kennedy Center DC Collaborative Partnerships and Washington Performing Arts program that allow students to connect through field trips, on-site residencies and various learning opportunities. Brown believes that music educators can play a significant role in student achievement.

Washington, DC, music educators are encouraged to join colleagues on June 19 at the Washington Hilton to discuss DCMEA next steps, including professional development opportunities and events. Music educators may RSVP by sending an email to Elizabeth Lasko, NAfME Director of Membership and Marketing Communications, at ElizabethL(at)nafme(dot)org.

June 19 is also the annual NAfME Hill Day. Music educators from around the country will participate in meetings with members of Congress to advocate for provision and funding for music education. DC music educators are encouraged to join advocacy training in the morning and visit Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton after the training (the DCMEA meeting will take place in the afternoon). Music educators who plan to participate in the Capitol Hill visit must notify Thomas Stefaniak at NAfME (ThomasS(at)nafme(dot)org) for scheduling arrangements.

National Association for Music Education, among the worlds largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers. The Association has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century. With more than 60,000 members teaching millions of students nationwide, the organization is the national voice of music education in the United States.

Follow NAfME on Twitter (twitter.com/nafme) and on Facebook (facebook.com/nafme). For additional information, contact Catherina Hurlburt at catherinah(at)nafme(dot)org or 571-323-3395.Worldwide Business with kathy ireland is pleased to announce an exclusive interview with Sean Prescott, CEO of Unity Investment to discuss new developments in crypto-mining.

Founded in 2017, the company delivers high-performance crypto-mining solutions and infrastructures to customers and clients. There is a lot of misconception about crypto-mining, says Prescott. Its all about validating transactions. There are decentralized machines all over the world that makes sure you get that transaction. This creates a totally different investment structure than what people are used to. We make things very easy to navigate and understand how your transactions work. Our system is designed to transfer money right into your account when receiving dividends.

We take away all the technical difficulties that result from running a huge mining facility. People can benefit from this by opening an account on their website. You can have your tokens and currencies with the company, and can check rewards getting paid out. This is an elegant solution for those who are interested in cryptocurrency but dont want to jump all the way in. This is a new and revolutionary concept that can change the way people do business.

Cryptocurrency and mining continue to dominate the financial space, says J.L. Haber, Vice President of Programming for Worldwide Business. Its amazing what is going on under the radar. More people and companies need to know about what Unity Investment is doing to help create opportunities that may have not ordinarily been there.

For more information about Unity Investment, visit unityinvestment.ch and tune in to Fox Business Network as sponsored content on Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 5:00pm EST and Bloomberg International on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 7:30pm GMT and Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 10:30am D.F. and 3:00pm HKT.

About Worldwide Business with kathy ireland

Worldwide Business with kathy ireland is a weekly half-hour show featuring global executives sharing their business insights and framing the opportunities shaping their industries. Hosted by a business mogul, Kathy Ireland interviews some of the brightest minds in business today. The show broadcasts on Fox Business Network as part of their sponsored content line up and globally on Bloomberg International.

Worldwide Business with kathy ireland extends beyond the weekly on-air program with digital content delivered on various video platforms and across social media. Visit http://www.tvwwb.com for detailed airing schedules or check local listings.There have been millions of pages written about what racism is and who is a racist, but there have been fewer pages devoted to the concept of organizing around antiracism. Now Ibram X. Kendi, a historian at American University, has produced a major work that defines and refines the concept of antiracism using a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses, history, critical theory, science, ethics, and the law.

In How to Be an Antiracist (One World, Aug.), Kendi offers a multipronged examination of antiracism layered within an introspective account of his own life story, which in turn provides a vital blueprint and schematic for the prospect of creating a just society. The book is the long-awaited sequel to Kendis critically acclaimed 2016 work, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which was awarded the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction. (Kendi was then 34, making him the youngest author to win the award.) Stamped is an unblinkered analysis of race, which is described by the author as a fluid and formidable social construct that permeates even those who fight against it, such as abolitionists and liberals, who may also hold racist views. The book is a compelling and comprehensive survey of 500 years of racist ideology that has taken root in the United States, expressed through an examination of the lives of such key historical figures as W.E.B. Du Bois, William Lloyd Garrison, Thomas Jefferson, Cotton Mather, and Angela Davis, whose thought Kendi considers the closest to his antiracist ideal.

How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi says, has its origins in discussions about Stamped during and after speaking engagements. People would constantly say, Tell me how I can be antiracist,  Kendi recalls. The more the question came up, the more I realized that I had another book on my hands.

How to Be an Antiracist is a primer on the concept that defines, analyzes, and deconstructs structural racism via the adoption of antiracist ideologies and practices. Kendi opens each chapter with a capsule definition of terms. He defines racists as those who are supporting a racist policy through their actions or inaction or supporting a racist idea, while antiracists are those who are supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing an antiracist idea.

Racist ideas, Kendi explains, do not come from ignorance or hate but from a need to justify destructive racist social and economic policy, such as the impact of capitalism on black communities. To love capitalism is to end up loving racism; to love racism is to end up loving capitalism, he notes. The conjoining twins are two sides of the same destructive body.

Kendis analysis of racism is also laced with passages about his own lifesimilar to autobiographical passages in the works of the authors he examined in Stamped. Kendi says that The Souls of Black Folk and The Autobiography of Malcolm X are antecedents to his approach. [Malcolm X] was so self-critical and self-reflective, which I think allowed people to open up to his story and his development, he adds. Thats one of the things that inspired me: how self-critical he was. For my book to be effective, I had to be willing to critique myself to my core.

In one poignant reflection from his book, Kendi recalls a searing, Booker T. Washingtonstyle pull yourself up by the bootstraps speech he delivered during a speaking competition when he was a high school student. It was full of the kinds of admonitions religious and political conservatives love to hear. The speech chastised black youth who dont value education, who climb the high tree of pregnancy, or believe that its okay not to think. Kendi says the speech embodied ideas he would later attack through the clarifying lens of antiracism.

The process of me writing the book was also a process of me remembering and reflecting on my own personal journey, Kendi says. I realized that in that speech in particular I had consumed antiblack racist ideas. And thousands of people who were also black were applauding me. Most Americansincluding black Americansdenigrate poor black people, the black queer community, and black culture. Or, on the flip side, when black people say that white people are devils and aliensI understand the historical context of how and when black people started making that case. It was in the late 60s, when racist Americans were calling black [political] activists racist.

These activists responded, Kendi explains, by claiming they couldnt be racist because they didnt have power. He adds, They were, of course, trying to seize power. Their case was made in a political discourse, and it was deeply reactionary.

Kendi grew up in humble circumstances in Queens as a hip-hop loving kid with intellectual promise. His intellectual evolution began at Florida A&M University, a historically black college, where he received a BA in journalism in 2004. Then at Temple University, where he earned an MA and PhD in African-American studies under Ama Mazama, and studied with Molefi Asante (founder of the department's doctoral studies program), and began to study the concept of Afrocentrismthe study of world history from the perspective African people and their historyas an intellectual discipline.

When you study with Asante, you absorb and develop an appreciation of African culture worldwide, Kendi says. And you understand the black experience from the perspective of black people. That was very critical. At Temple, you saw people who were prolific, and who were constantly engaged in intellectual struggle.

Kendi went on to teach at the State University of New Yorks campuses at Oneonta and Albany and then at the University of Florida before heading to American University in 2017. His first book, 2012s The Black Campus Movement: Black Students and the Racial Reconstitution of Higher Education, 19651972, is a history of black students on black and white campuses nationally, detailing their impact on making colleges and universities more diverse in their curriculum and admissions.

Kendis unsentimental approach to problems of race would steel him for the ordeal of writing How to Be an Antiracist while undergoing treatment after a diagnosis of stage IV colon cancer. When you are facing death, you look around and think about what you want to do before you die, he says. Near the top of my list was finishing this book. I realized it could have been my last contribution to the world.

Fortunately, the threat of cancer has passed with treatment, and Kendis latest book will not be his last. He currently writes op-ed pieces for The Atlantic which have also appeared in the New York Times and the Guardian. He is also the founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University in Washington, D.C., a nonprofit that, according to its website, produces research supporting the innovation and enactment of antiracist public policies at the local, state, and national level.

Kendi embraces the role of public intellectual but takes pains to define the position broadly. I admire students who have the greatest desire to know and to crave knowledge, he says. Thats what makes one an intellectualits not having a college degree or a PhD; its not knowing a lot of information. A person from an environment with no resources can still have a tremendous desire to know and can still be more of an intellectual than someone who is surrounded by books.

Rallying around the concept of antiracism is more about doing than it is about being, Kendi says. No one becomes racist or antiracist, he adds. Its not who you are; its what youre doing at the moment. Thats why so many refuse to accept being called racistbecause they think its a fixed conception. But its not fixed: humans are deeply complex and contradictory. We have the capacity to changeand to be antiracist.

Eugene Holley Jr. is a freelance writer who contributes often to Publishers Weekly.

Correction: Kendi's age, details about the African American Studies program at Temple, and details about Kendi's op-ed writing were incorrect in an earlier version of this story.This year, Childrens Institute is going to Pittsburgh, and American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher is already predicting that the seventh annual kids conference will be the best one yet. He points to the spirited input and participation from many indie booksellers.

The 2019 conference is also on track to have higher attendance and more programming than its predecessors, with 28 educational sessions. This could be the year in which the institute reaches maximum attendance for the first time. Though it remains to be seen whether there will be growing pains, as there often are for seven-year-olds, by the beginning of June, 328 people had registered for the June 2628 conference, which will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel PittsburghGreen Treeup from slightly more than 275 people in 2018. The conference can accommodate very few more attendees before it is full. And the number of educational offerings is also up, with a 100% expansion over the past two years, according to ABA senior strategy officer Dan Cullen.

From the earliest days of Childrens Institute, ABA has experimented with bringing booksellers to cities that are holding library shows or book conventions, including overlapping with the American Library Associations annual June meeting more than once. This year, rather than colocate with the ALA, Childrens Institute will begin the day after ALA ends in Washington, D.C. Clearly, the decision to move the venue 240 miles northwest of the nations capital has not affected bookseller attendance. Author attendance is also high, with more than 65 participating writers and illustrators at signings and on educational panels. Keynotes include talks by actor and activist Alyssa Milano, National Book Award and Printz-winner Elizabeth Acevedo, and bookstore owner Ann Patchett, the bestselling adult author and newly minted childrens author.

Author Maggie Stiefvater, whose latest novel, Call Down the Hawk (Scholastic Press), is due in the fall, will be a featured guest judge at the welcome reception and opening night costume party with backlist characters, which was introduced last year to great success. Other Scholastic authors will be participating in the presss annual after-party on The Power of Story. Glory Edim, founder of the Brooklyn-based book club Well-Read Black Girl and editor of an anthology of the same name published by Ballantine, will give a workshop on Friday. ABA is partnering with Edim to bring book club meetings to indie stores across the nation and amplify diverse voices and support emerging writers of color. One programming track throughout the three-day conference is focused specifically on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Other conference highlights, Teicher says, include an Indies Introduce breakfast, a rep picks lunch presentation, and the first ABA Town Hall at a Childrens Institute. The opening day will feature both a full-day and half-day bookstore tour; a full-day Events University, led by booksellers experienced in bookstore event management; and the first Quidditch match at any institute. The local team, the Steel City Quidditch Club, will assist novice players, and brooms will be provided.

In addition to the educational offerings, Teicher notes that booksellers will find more opportunities to share success stories, insights, and their commitment for expanding a diverse community of young readers. He adds, This years event is nothing if not well-rounded.

The institute will close on a local note with a screening of Wont You Be My Neighbor?, the acclaimed documentary about Pittsburgh native son Fred Rogers.Novels Approach

A pair of debut novelists who are well-known in other formats make their marks on our hardcover fiction list.

At #6, On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous is by Ocean Vuong, author of the T.S. Eliot Prizewinning poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds. Our review called his first novel a haunting meditation on loss, love, and the limits of human connection.

Kristen Arnetts Mostly Dead Things, #17, is a dark and original debut, our review said, and Arnett is a keenly skillful author with imagination and insight to spare. Shes also Literary Hubs library columnist, a popular tweeter, and the author of the 2017 story collection Felt in the Jaw.

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

In the Club

The new release Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok, a thoughtful thriller [that] explores the Chinese immigrant experience in New York and Amsterdam, per our review, debuts at #13 in hardcover fiction. It was a Today Read with Jenna (Bush Hager) pick and also the June selection from Belletrist, helmed by Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss.

Sarah Haywoods debut, The Cactus, which our review called hilarious and endearing, pubbed in 2018 and has sold about 1,300 copies in hardcover. The trade paper reprint landed in May, and the week after Reese Witherspoon chose it as her June book club pick, it moved about five times as many copies as the hardcover has since its release. It debuts at #19 on our trade paperback list.

Siege and Desist

Michael Wolff follows Fire and Fury, the fifth-bestselling book of 2018, with Siege, a caustic narrative of the second year of Donald Trumps presidency, our review said. Wolffs gossipy account relies, he admits, on not-unimpeachable sources with axes to grind, especially former Trump adviser and right-wing provocateur Steve Bannon, who is quoted so much that he is virtually a coauthor. It debuts at #4 in hardcover nonfiction, with 18K print copies sold. Fire and Fury, whose early demand exceeded supply, sold more than 31K print copies in its first two days and another 197K in its first full week.

New & Notable

City of Girls

Elizabeth Gilbert

#3 Hardcover Fiction, #5 overall

The Eat Pray Love authors first novel since 2013s The Signature of All Things is a beguiling tale of an innocent young woman discovering the excitements and pleasures of 1940 New York City, our starred review said.

The Rest of the Story

Sarah Dessen

#3 Childrens Fiction

Dessen explores her signature themes of family and romance in this layered contemporary novel, our review said, her first since leaving longtime publisher Viking for HarperCollinss Balzer + Bray imprint.

Naturally Tan

Tan France

#6 Hardcover Nonfiction

This feisty and affecting memoir, as our review deemed it, is the second of 2019 from a Queer Eye star, after Marchs Karamo by Karamo Brown. September brings Antoni in the Kitchen, a cookbook by Antoni Porowski, and Over the Top, Jonathan Van Nesss memoir.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units 1 Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens Putnam 47,813 2 Oh, the Places Youll Go! Dr. Seuss Random House 33,562 3 Unfreedom of the Press Mark R. Levin Threshold 30,437 4 Unsolved Patterson/Ellis Little, Brown 25,293 5 City of Girls Elizabeth Gilbert Riverhead 23,912 6 Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid Jeff Kinney Amulet 23,417 7 The Mueller Report  Scribner 22,304 8 Stay Sexy & Dont Get Murdered Kilgariff/Hardstark Forge 21,186 9 The Pioneers David McCullough Simon & Schuster 19,522 10 Shadow Warrior Christine Feehan Berkley 18,242

All unit sales per NPD BookScan except where noted.After Elliott Advisors made a $6.50-per-share bid on June 7 to buy Barnes & Noble, other prospective buyers had until 11:59 p.m. on June 13 to put forward alternative offers. Reports surfaced last week that Readerlink was working on a counteroffer, but no new bids were received before the deadline, meaning that Elliott is officially the owner-in-waiting of Americas largest bookstore chain.

Any successful counteroffer would have required the new buyer to pay a $4 million fee to Elliott, and while it is technically still possible for another offer to be made, the breakup fee has risen to $17 million. A B&N spokesperson said that since the retailer received no new bids, it will work toward completing the purchase by Elliott, which is expected sometime in the third quarter.

The B&N deal with Elliott received a largely positive response from publishers, with big and small companies alike expressing relief that the chain had found a buyer with the resources to put it on firmer financial footing. Publishers were encouraged the most by the news that James Daunta bookseller who revived the fortunes of the U.K. bookstore chain Waterstoneswill take over as CEO of B&N once the deal is completed. Elliott bought Waterstones in April 2018.

Nobody was benefiting from the recent struggles of Barnes & Noble: not other bookstores nor publishers, and least of all authors, readers, and the culture of reading in this country, said Michael Reynolds, publisher of Europa Editions. Something needed to happen, and I think this particular something is a positive development. James Daunt has proven to be an outstanding executive for Waterstones and, most importantly, a real bookseller. If he can turn things around for the company while remaining true to the idea of Barnes being a bookstore chain, much as he has done at Waterstones, authors and readers will be well served.

In an interview with PW, Daunt said that his priority with B&N is not to cut costs but to find a way to arrest the decline in sales and return the company to growth. The key, he said, will be investment. Elliott expects, at some point, to sell Barnes & Noble for a lot more than they bought it for, Daunt noted. But they also know that they will only do that if [B&N] can make the business shinier, bigger, and better. To do that, they will need to share some of their treasure with us. The simple fact is that B&N needs money: people want to shop in places that look modern, clean, and inviting. The B&N stores look tired and need a little botox.

The financial aspect of Elliotts interest in B&N troubles some publishers. While Melville House publisher Dennis Johnson knows and likes Daunt (He was the first bookseller in the U.K. to carry Melville House books, Johnson said), he has some concerns about how Daunt turned around Waterstones and about Elliott.

The thing is, the new-ish Waterstones seems to have embraced, more than ever, the bestseller model, and thats a partnership with the big houses, Johnson said. I dont think its a smart modelyou can see what its done to B&N, which has embraced it so rigidly its become a death grip. And its certainly not a model thats friendly to indies and others publishing something other than the homogenous.

Johnson added that he would be more hopeful about a B&N turnaround if Daunt was calling the shots himself. The last experience I had with a hedge fund was when hedge-fund-owned Perseus took over our distributor at the time, Consortium, he said. It was an unmitigated disaster.

But like all publishers, Johnson is glad that B&N will survive. Another 650 bookstores disappearing from the landscape would be profoundly bad news for the culture, he added. Kids need to see books all over the place. I just hope they get to see our books, too.The last time PW spoke with comics impresario and former Marvel publisher Bill Jemas, he was overseeing Double Take Comics, an interesting, wildly unconventional, and ultimately short-lived comics publishing startup funded by video game developer Take Two Interactive Software. Now Jemas is back, this time as CEO and publisher of Artists Writers & Artisans, a new comics venture, and hes brought James Murdoch (yes, that Murdoch), Lightspeed Venture Partners, and a combined $10 million in investments along with him.

In the wake of the continuing mass popularity of superhero movies, AWA is looking to license its comics series and characters for movies, games, TV series, and other media ventures that are far more lucrative than publishing print comics. It has recruited many of the best-known creators in comics (as well as some prominent newcomers) to create a line of blockbusterlike comics series predominately focused on action and adventure.

AWA is offering authors a hybrid business model. Like conventional comics publishers such as DC and Marvel, AWAs stories and characters are company owned, and the creators are independent contractors who work for hire. But to attract creators, the company will offer its writers and artists a financial stake in rights sales: 20% of the revenue from media licensing deals for a series goes to the creative team behind it. This kind of hybrid work-for-hire deal isnt totally unusual for superstar comics creators (a category that includes many but not all of AWAs creators), but it isnt in most comics publishers basic contracts.

Joining Jemas in this new venture are AWA chief creative officer Axel Alonso, a former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, and AWA chairman Jonathan Miller, former chief digital officer at Rupert Murdochs News Corp.which brings us to AWAs investors.

AWA, Jemas confirmed, has been funded by $5 million from Lupa Systemsa holding company established by James Murdoch, Ruperts sonand another $5 million from venture capital firm Lightspeed. Jemas said AWA also has $2.5 million in additional commitments. The investments, coupled with AWAs forthcoming comics, which include both standalone series and an interconnected superhero universe, makes the house look a bit like a farm team for Hollywood studios.

AWA has about 50 artists working on a list of roughly 30 comics, with the first likely to be released in 2020. The forthcoming list offers action/adventure, horror, paranormal thrillers, and eccentric superheroes. AWA also has an editorial advisory board that boasts creators such as Garth Ennis, Reginald Hudlin, and J. Michael Straczynski.

Forthcoming titles include Savior by writer Ales Kot and artist Robert Sammelin, a series about a homeschooled superhero with godlike powers; Devils Highway by writer Benjamin Percy, with art by Brent Schoonover, the story of a female veteran and trucker who discovers that her father has been murdered; and Year Zero by Percy, with artist Ramon Rosanas, in which a Japanese hit man, a Mexican street kid, an Afghan military aide, a scientist, and a Midwestern incel survivalist learn to cope with each other in a world devastated by the latest zombie apocalypse.

Jemas and Alonso acknowledge an interest in working with Hollywood but are adamant that AWA is focused on good storytelling that will be entertaining whether it takes the form of comics series, feature films, or TV series. As a publisher I see all those things, Jemas said. You look for things that will spread because the storytelling DNA is so good. We want to be the best comic book publisher we can be and a studio that can create content for everybody.

The launch of AWA is aimed at the direct market (comics shops), though Jemas said all its series will be collected for the book market. Book trade distribution is still to be determined.

AWA looks a bit like an old-school comics publishera focus on periodical comic books, (modified) work-for-hire contracts, and licensingthough updated for a new comics market that demands a variety of genres and diverse characters (and creators), as well as an eye on Hollywood. Its among a host of new and restructured comics housesamong them Ahoy Comics, Street Noise Books, TKO Studios, and the post-merger incarnation of Lion Forge and Oni Presslooking to create different kinds of comics for a rapidly changing North American comics market.

Jemas and Alonso also invoked the importance of diversityracial and genderand cultural trends. Alonso, who is Mexican-American, cited works focused on hip-hop developed during his years at Marvel and earlier when he was with DC. He described Preachera violent, indie-style comics series (now a TV series) by Ennis and Steve Dillon, which he published at Vertigoas a spaghetti western and cited the acclaimed Muslim-American heroine of Ms. Marvel, a comics series developed when he oversaw Marvel.

Yes we pilfer from movies, Alonso said. Were part of a continuum and a dialogue about comics culture. Comics should say something about the world we live in. If we hit the right notes, well find readers.The Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (GLLI) is a project aimed at promoting international literature and translations in libraries. Our goal is to raise the visibility of books beyond the traditional Anglophone space in libraries, says founder Rachel Hildenbrandt, who established the organization two years ago. Libraries are the last truly democratic space in American life and by helping librarians locate, program, and feature books in translation, they can serve their own multilingual, multiethnic communities.

Hildenbrandt works as a translator from German to English and is married to a librarian; she joined the American Library Association last year as an associate member and will, for the second time, host a table at the ALA Annual Conference, which will be held in Washington, D.C., later this month.

Several publishers will display translated titles at the GLLI booth, including Amazon Crossing, Archipelago, Catalyst, Deep Vellum, Europa Editions, and Restless Books. In addition, GLLI will participate in education sessions, including one on immigrant, refugee, and exile authors.

We are keen to promote literary translations, but at the same time, we are eager to discover and promote translations that appeal to a general readershipthe type of book that a book club would want to read, Hildebrandt says. Accordingly, she has focused her efforts on getting attention for young adult literature and launched a GLLI Translated YA Book Prize last year.

The inaugural award was won by the first two volumes of My Brothers Husband (Pantheon), by Japanese author Gengoroh Tagame, translated from the Japanese by Anne Ishii. The prize will be presented at a ceremony at the ALA conference, where three other titles will be acknowledged as honor books: La Bastarda (Feminist Press) by Trifonia Melibea Obono, translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel; Piglettes (Pushkin Childrens), written and translated from the French by Clementine Beauvais; and Wonderful Feels Like This (Flatiron) by Sara Lovestam, translated from the Swedish by Laura A. Wideburg. The prize is honorary and carries no monetary award at present.

Hildenbrandt says that she would like to develop a searchable database of titles of translated literature for librarians and expand into webinars on topics ranging from catalogue development to how to host a book club in a foreign language. I have gotten calls from librarians looking for books in Russian or Spanish, for example, so I know there is a need, she says.

GLLI is already winning fans among publishers. I dont know a single librarian who is against the idea of including more international literature in their library systems, says Michael Reynolds, editor-in-chief of Europa Editions. So, I feel it is up to us, publishers of international literature, to do a better job of making library systems aware of what we publish. The GLLI is working in this direction and making terrific strides.Nick Lemann acknowledged that he stumbled onto the format that would become the signature look for books published by Columbia Global Reports, which earlier this month released its 20th title since launching with its first list five years ago. Based out of Columbia University and directed by Lemann, dean emeritus of the Columbia Journalism School, the press publishes books that, on average, run 150 pages and come in a 5-by-7.5 trim size.

With his background at the journalism school, Lemann created CGR with the aim of publishing books that could deliver information in a timely way and also garner attention from book buyers. Im really happy with the unified format and length, he said.

But CGR would not have enjoyed the success it has without the writers it has attracted. Lemann believes that the length of the presss books, its quick turnaround time (about one year from contract to pub date), and its willingness to allow authors to address complex issues in an accessible way have been attractive to a certain type of writer. Among those who have written for CGR are John Judis, David Kaye, Bethany McLean, and Tim Wu. Wus new book for CGR, The Curse of Bigness, was praised by MSNBC anchor Chris Hughes as the best primer on the topic of antitrust. Released last November, Curse is already CGRs second-bestselling title, having sold more than 16,000 copies. The presss top seller is Judiss The Populist Explosion, which was published a month before Donald Trump was elected president. Though the book didnt predict a Trump win, it did analyze the forces that made the victories of Trump and other populists possible.

Lemann noted that Populist, which has sold 36,000 copies, is a great example of the type of book CGR wants to doa book that looks around the corner for the next big issue. Lemann does not want to publish the types of stories that appear on CNN and in the New York Times. We dont want to be repetitive, he said. There are lots of important stories being ignored.

Though CGR has given a platform to some heavy hitters (many of whom are journalists), Lemann said that the hardest part of running CGR has been finding writers. His preference is to assign topics to writers, and those assignments can be labor intensive and require lots of original reporting. That is not something everyone wants to do, he said.

Lemann said that every week, he and editor Jimmy So have conversations about the topics that they want to cover. When they hit on an idea and find a writer, they spend time with the author to come up with a mutually agreeable approach. The two books set for release later this year are New Kings of the World: Dispatches from Bollywood, Dizi, and K-Pop by Fatima Bhutto, which CGR describes as a vivid look at the global popular culture emerging from the East and challenging Americas soft power dominance, and State of War: MS-13 and El Salvadors World of Violence, for which author William Wheeler traveled to El Salvador to report on the gangs that are terrorizing the countrys people and analyzed the U.S. policies that have backfired there.

Lemann doesnt see CGR breaking away from its current six-books-per-year model anytime soon. That approach, he observed, lets the small CGR team, which also includes publisher Camille McDuffie, devote their full attention to each title. CGRs books, which are distributed by PGW, have started to be adopted in some courses, but consumer sales have been the presss greatest source of revenue. To deepen its ties with independent booksellers, CGR just launched a Making Sense of the World, One Short Read at a Time promotion, which highlights 10 of the presss titles and offers indies $20 in display co-op. The campaign runs through August 15.

In addition to sales (including rights sales), CGR relies on support from Columbia and foundation grants. And Lemann said that though he doubts we will break even on sales alone in my lifetime, he believes it is important to be in the marketplace to get a sense of how its books are being received.While much of the country awaits a Harriet Tubman makeover for the $20 bill, publishers are stepping up with revamped reissues of works by major women authors. Heres a selection.

Ace

Ursula K. Le Guins Hugo and Nebula Awardwinning The Left Hand of Darkness turned 50 in March, an occasion her publisher marked with an anniversary edition released that month. It features a new foreword by David Mitchell, a new afterword by Charlie Jane Anders, and an updated cover by Jim Tierney that Berkley art/design director Adam Auerbach says speaks directly to its themes. The new design illustrates the balance of light and shadow, so important to the religions were introduced to in the book, he says. Light and dark can be seen as two parts of a whole, or as clashing opposites.

Grove Atlantic

The publisher recently completed its repackaging of Kathy Ackers catalogue, finishing off in March with 1982s Great Expectations. The books sport matching pop artinspired jackets and new introductions by contemporary authors who champion her importance, including Alexandra Kleeman, Chris Kraus, and Eileen Miles.

Grove Atlantic also has a single backlist title by Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad, a 2005 novella that was part of a myth-based series copublished with Canongate. In order to bring the novellas look more in line with Atwoods current work, such as The Testaments, the forthcoming sequel to The Handmaids Tale, a refreshed jacket will debut in August.

Judy Hottensen, associate publisher of Grove Atlantic, got the unexpected opportunity to show the new cover to Atwood in person, thanks to a chance encounter in an elevator at Winter Institute. Fortunately, Hottensen says, She liked it.

HMH

The Street by Ann Petry, initially published in 1946, is widely acknowledged to be the first novel by an African-American woman to sell more than a million copies. HMH had planned to release a 75th-anniversary edition in 2021, says senior v-p and publisher Bruce Nichols, but then, in November 2018, An American Marriage author Tayari Jones wrote about The Street in the New York Times.

We made six translation sales just based on that piece, Nichols says. We decided to move up the new edition. That update will release in January 2020, with a new cover and an introduction from Jones.

The publisher is also giving a fresh, cohesive look to its Virginia Woolf catalogue, riffing on the original cover art by Woolfs sister Vanessa Bell. HMHs covers hadnt been changed since the movie tie-in edition of The Hours, Michael Cunninghams Woolf-inspired novel, released in 2002. So far Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, A Room of Ones Own, and Orlando have new covers, with The Waves, Three Guineas, Between the Acts, and Moments of Being planned for 2020.

The copyright is coming up and we want to give the whole line a new look before it expires, Nichols says. We want these [editions] to be the ones people think of first.

HMH is also starting an audio arm in the fall and looking at backlist titles with audio rights that are available or that can be reverted. An early pick is Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories, which is also getting a cover refresh and an introduction by Lauren Groff for a new edition due out in September.

Riverhead

Mary Piphers Reviving Ophelia, an influential work on adolescent girls, has a 25th-anniversary edition coming out in June. Pipher and Sara Gilliam, her daughter, have revised and expanded the book to reflect the impact of social media and new issues of isolation.

Jake Morrissey, editor at Riverhead, says just as the book showed the pitfalls faced by girls in the 1990s, this iteration will help many of those girls deal with the challenges they now face as mothers.

Octavia Butler

The fact that Butlers rights are scattered across several publishers is largely due to challenging sales early in her career, says Merrilee Heifetz, senior agent at Writers House and Butlers agent for the last 18 years of her life. Heifetz was named as literary executor in her will and works closely with Butlers estate and the various rights holders to manage her brand.

Grand Central gave its paperback edition of 1993s The Parable of the Sower a cover makeover in April; the sequel, 1998s The Parable of the Talents, gets its turn in August. A new hardcover boxed set arrives from Seven Stories in October. Open Road holds most of Butlers e-book rights.

Her work is possibly even more relevant today, says Beth de Guzman, v-p, digital and paperback publisher, at Grand Central. A new generation of authors revere her. Sower features a cover blurb from John Green, a foreword by N.K. Jemisin, and a line touting Butler as a MacArthur genius.

The Seven Stories boxed set, says Dan Simon, one of Butlers editors, is aimed at existing fans looking for a keepsake or gift edition.

New projects proliferate: The graphic novel adaptation of 1979s Kindred, by Damian Duffy and John Jennings (Abrams ComicArts, 2017), won an Eisner Award, and the same team returns for January 2020s adaptation of The Parable of the Sower. Viola Davis is working with Amazon Studios on a series based on 1980s Wild Seed, and Ava DuVernay is working on a TV adaptation of 1987s Dawn. Heifetz said that rights to Kindred have also been sold and a TV production is in development.

Raising Butlers profile in this way has been an effort years in the making by Heifetz and Butlers estate. How does it feel to see her work get all this renewed attention?

Its bittersweet, Heifetz says. She wanted to be a bestseller, and when the Kindred graphic novel came out and hit #1 [on the New York Times hardcover graphic books list], that would have made her so happy. The fact that sales of her work continue to increase as more readers find her books would have pleased her enormously. I only wish she could be here to see it.

Return to the main feature.In Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenkos picture book The Paper Bag Princess, the feisty royal of the title not only rescues the prince from the dragon, rather than the other way around, but then rejects him when he proves superficial and pursues a solo happily ever after. The story, says Katie Hearn, editorial director at Annick Press, feels as contemporary as when Annick published it in 1980.

This truly was one of the first feminist picture books, Hearn says, adding that she grew up with Munschs stories. The message of standing up for yourself applies to everyone.

Print unit sales for various formats top 650,000 according to BookScan, whose records date to 2004. The publisher refreshed the cover in 2018 as part of its Classic Munsch push, which highlights the authors work from the 1980s and 90s. Winter 2020 brings the release of a 40th-anniversary edition of The Paper Bag Princess, with new material from longtime fans Chelsea Clinton and Francesca Segal.

Princess is among a handful of backlist titles PW looked at for this article, all of which show how an evergreen theme can give a childrens book staying power.

Life Lessons

At Candlewick, 1994s Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram celebrates another timeless topic: the love between parent and child. The 2008 board book edition has moved 2.4 million copies per BookScan, and according to the publisher, 43 million copies across all formats have been sold in 53 languages. A 50th anniversary slipcased edition, packaged with a limited edition print, is set to release in October.

Furthering the books reach, Candlewick has partnered with United Through Reading, a nonprofit that connects U.S. military families through long-distance story times. In 2020, the publisher will make its largest donation of books to date for deployed servicemembers to read aloud and record for their children back home, with a focus on Guess How Much I Love You; the publisher also will donate books to expecting military parents.

Free Spirit Publishing, founded in 1983 to address a need for books aimed at social and emotional development, sees its most consistent backlist sellers as tied directly to that mission. In 2018, it released the third edition of LGBTQ, a handbook for teens by Kelly Huegel Madrone originally published in 2003 as GLBTQ. As queer culture has evolved, the book has adapted with it. The most recent iteration includes current LGBTQ terminology and updated understandings of gender identity and sexual identity, as well as advice on coming out, confronting prejudice, and getting support.

The author felt it was a good time to expand the trans and nonbinary content, says Alison Behnke, senior editor at Free Spirit. Shes wonderful at recognizing that these kids have challenges, but they can also live happy lives.

Free Spirits bestselling title is 2000s Hands Are Not for Hitting, written by psychologist Martine Agassi and illustrated by Marieka Heinlen, intended to help young children learn to manage anger and strong feelings without violence. The 2002 board book edition, according to the publisher, has sold 690,000 copies.

American Psychological Associations Magination Press is another publisher whose backlist addresses perennially timely topics. What to Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner and Bonnie Matthews (2005), a workbook for children ages six to 12, has sold 392,000 print copies, according to BookScan. Its keeping the lights on, says Kristine Enderle, Maginations editorial director, whose internal figures put the book at 700,000 copies worldwide and 17 printings.

Another backlist staple, the 2000 picture book A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes and Cary Pillo, has sold 89,000 print copies since 2004, per BookScan, and tends to see an uptick after large traumatic events. In the book, a raccoon named Sherman sees an unspecified but upsetting incident and gets support from a counselor. Enderle credits the books gentle approach and the fact it doesnt name a specific trauma. Its widely applicable, she says, so its a useful tool for caregivers, parents, librarians, and therapists.

Return to the main feature.WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Purdue University and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) jointly announced plans Friday (June 14) to establish a Center for Secured Microelectronics Ecosystem aimed at ensuring a secure supply of semiconductor chips and related tools all the way from the foundry to the packaged system.

TSMC, located in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, is the worlds largest semiconductor contract manufacturer, and Purdue University officials reached an agreement in Washington, D.C., during the Select USA Conference.

The center, to be located at the Purdue University West Lafayette campus in collaboration with Purdue Research Foundation, will perform research to ensure a secure ecosystem for the manufacture of microelectronics systems.

Semiconductors will continue to be the enabling backbone for technological and economic growth in the 21st century, propelling advancements in the internet of things, autonomous transportation, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and many other applications, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said. We are pleased that TSMC and Purdue University took their partnership to the next level at SelectUSA  a platform for leading global semiconductor manufacturers to continue expanding and investing in the United States. Under President Trumps leadership, the administration will continue doing all it can to grow and equip our highly skilled workforce, maintain our competitive investment and regulatory environment, and support world-class American research universities.

Purdue University is ranked 12th among worldwide universities granted U.S. utility patents for 2018 in the annual rankings put out by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.

This agreement solidifies a vital global partnership for Purdue and enables our leading researchers to further advance their discoveries in microelectronics, Purdue University President Mitch Daniels said. TSMCs commitment is only the beginning of what we believe will be an internationally significant initiative.

The Purdue School of Electrical and Computer Engineering has about 10 faculty members currently collaborating with TSMC at various levels of research.

TSMC is pleased to have this opportunity to support Purdues world-class technology research, said H.S. Philip Wong, vice president of corporate research at TSMC. As everyones trusted foundry, TSMC believes it would be beneficial to contribute to the development of a secure electronics ecosystem.

The Purdue School of Electrical and Computer Engineering will lead the research and development in conjunction with TSMC.

We are truly excited about this opportunity to significantly broaden and deepen the important partnership with TSMC. We anticipate the new center will begin operations at the beginning of the new academic year. At the start, we will focus on developing a secure microelectronics ecosystem, said Mung Chiang, Purdues John A. Edwardson Dean of the Purdue College of Engineering. We also anticipate that the partnership will grow in the next couple of years to include multiple U.S. universities.

In February, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported that the global semiconductor industry posted sales of $468.8 billion in 2018, the industrys highest-ever annual total, and an increase of 13.7 percent compared with the previous year.

This industry is one of the most important for our global economy and security, said Chad Pittman, vice president of the Purdue Research Foundation National Security and Defense Program Office and Government Relations. The strengths in research and development of Purdue and TSMC will help support and advance this critical industry on multiple levels and help secure the ever-advancing microelectronics technology.

The agreement also allows TSMC to help facilitate access to multi-project wafer shuttle runs to test the effectiveness of the proposed research and to assign representatives on the advisory board of the center to mentor specific projects.

About TSMC

Established in 1987 and headquartered in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, TSMC pioneered the pure-play foundry business model by focusing solely on manufacturing customers products. By choosing not to design, manufacture or market any semiconductor products under its own name, the company ensures that it never competes directly with its customers. Today, TSMC is the worlds largest semiconductor foundry, manufacturing 9,920 different products using 258 distinct technologies for 465 different customers in 2017.

About Purdue Research Foundation

The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires property; protects Purdue's intellectual property; and promotes entrepreneurial activities on behalf of Purdue. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park and Purdue Technology Centers. The foundation received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

Writer: Cynthia Sequin, 765-588-3340, casequin@prf.org

Sources:

Mung Chiang, 765-494-5346, chiang@purdue.edu

Chad Pittman, capittman@prf.org

Elizabeth Sun, TSMC acting spokesperson and senior director, TSMC Corporate Communications Division, +886-3-5682085, elizabeth_sun@tsmc.com

S. Department of Commerce, Office of Public Affairs, 202-482-4883MERIDEN  Focus and determination helped Laura Mendez finish top in her class at Wilcox Technical High School, despite her fathers absence and financial concerns.

I really thought that class ranks were in the movies, Mendez said. I found out in sophomore year I was second in my class. That motivated me a lot toward working hard. It pushed me to be better.

Mendez is the valedictorian for the Class of 2019, which graduates on Monday.

Mendez, who studied for a medical technician certification, will be attending UConn on a full tuition scholarship and hopes to become a pediatric neurosurgeon.

Support from her church, family, friends and teachers helped her get through the difficulty of realizing her father, an illegal immigrant who went to Mexico to bury a relative, could not return to the U.S. when she was 15.

He makes sure I stay in touch, Mendez said. He kind of pushes me to do good in school even though hes not here.

Since learning in her sophomore year that she was second in the class, Laura Mendez has checked her student ranking every month. Last year, she got a job at Walgreens but quit in February to concentrate on her schoolwork.

She is one of the hardest working students Ive had, said Peg Sonntag who had Mendez in her early college experience courses in history and civil law. She is quiet and deliberate. She was the plaintiff in our mock trial, so she has this acting ability too. She pushes herself to succeed.

A former Washington Middle School student, Mendez chose Wilcox after consulting with her mother. They knew the school was good, and would enable her to have a good job while she attends college.

Working in retail helped Mendez learn more about herself and define her career choice. The oldest of two siblings, and another on the way, children will always be a big part of her life and career.

Mendezs work experience taught me how to manage work and school, she said, a skill she will need in college. Mendez expects to work during her four years at Storrs and into medical school.

Mendez only knew one person when she arrived at Wilcox, a cousin who helped her find her way around. Shes also grateful to the guidance counselors who showed her the opportunities available for high-achievers. After a few years, she made more friends who supported her.

They kept me motivated and encouraged, she said. I dont want high school to end. A lot of friends are going to different places. Its kind of scary. I will miss my teachers. I feel like they helped me be a better student.

Mendez accepted UConns offer over others because it meant her mother would not have to borrow large sums on her behalf.

Thats a weight lifted off her shoulder, Mendez said. She wanted me to go where I wanted to go.

Attending UConn is daunting but she said the diversity at Wilcox prepared her to meet a wide range of students.

Im nervous, but going to UConn is like going to another Wilcox, she said. Ill be ready.

This summer, she hopes to find a job at a daycare center, get her license and visit her father in Mexico, if not this year, then next year.

She has a big heart, Sonntag said. In some ways shes a leader. But she doesnt do it by standing out in front. Shes someone who builds teams.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @CconnbizArvato Systems has named Kurt Krinke as vice president of sales, Broadcast Solutions North America.





Krinke joined the company in 2017 as senior director of US sales. He was responsible for formulating sales and business development strategies to drive growth through direct sales and multi-tier channels. Prior to that, Krinke was a director of sales for Avid Technology, where he spent 14 years.Krike takes responsibility for the entire North American-based sales team across the US and Canada and is part of the companys ongoing executive shuffle Under Kurts leadership, the US team has achieved impressive growth in the last 18 months, said Holger Noske, VP, Broadcast Solutions, Arvato Systems . Kurt has built a great team and executed a focused strategy, we see strong momentum growing across all of North America.Arvato Systems is perfectly positioned to provide the best solutions to the industry with our Video Production Management Suite of products, said Krinke. Im proud of what weve achieved so far, and Im honoured to lead the team as we continue this exciting growth.Krinke holds a bachelors degree in Radio, TV, Film from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a Masters degree in Broadcast Management from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

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We're sorry, this article is not currently availableMERIDEN  The citys first medical marijuana dispensary says it has been welcomed with open arms by the community and city government.

Through the whole process of (dealing with different city departments), its been phenomenal. You expect to get problems and we didnt. Especially with this kind of an industry, you always expect problems, said Mary Morgan, manager of Willow Brook Wellness, 1371 E. Main St.

Willow Brook Wellness, which opened in April, was among nine new dispensaries approved in December for the state Department of Consumer Protections medical marijuana program. With the latest approvals, Connecticuts marijuana program will have 18 dispensaries and four growing facilities.

One of the growing facilities, CT Pharmaceutical Solutions, recently obtained local approval to move its operation from a 20,000-square-foot facility in Portland to a 170,000-square-foot facility on Research Parkway. If the relocation is given approval by the state, Meriden would become the only municipality with both a dispensary and growing facility approved by DCP.

While some municipalities, including Wallingford, have taken a stance against allowing medical marijuana dispensaries because marijuana is currently illegal under federal law, other communities are embracing the new industry.

We really have not had a single negative experience with anyone in the city. Its very different in other towns, Morgan said.

City Planner Renata Bertotti said she considers the growing facility an example of new age manufacturing that can fill buildings left vacant by traditional manufacturing.

I find this type of use to be sort of the cutting-edge production that were seeing now, Bertotti said earlier this year. Industrial uses are changing and the old style industrial types of things that we all think about are on their way out.

Morgan, who previously managed another dispensary in Connecticut before leaving to open her own, said the dispensary in Meriden fills a need in the area.

When you look at a map of the state and you map where all the other dispensaries are, there were certain areas that were just underserviced -- Middletown, Meriden, she said. Theres nothing here. Most of our patients who had been in the program have had to drive 35 to 40 minutes each way.

The majority of patients the dispensary has seen since opening have been from Meriden, Middletown, and other bordering communities.

Patients are just ecstatic that we are here because they dont have to travel distances for their medication that they need, said Morgans partner, Lead Dispensary Kirstin Ruck, a Meriden native now living in Wethersfield.

Morgan declined to say how many patients the dispensary is seeing, saying the information is proprietary  but added theyve been pleased with the numbers. Patients must have one of about 30 debilitating conditions to qualify for the program and be recommended by a doctor.

Morgan, a pharmacist for over 30 years, got into the medical marijuana industry in 2014.

You have much more one-on-one contact with patients in this versus behind a traditional pharmacy counter, Morgan said.

When new patients arrive, a pharmacist meets with them to go over symptoms to determine the best form of cannabis.

Products sold at dispensaries are broken down into one of four categories  topical products, like cream or lotion, that are absorbed through the skin; flower or oil products that are heated and inhaled; capsules, tablets or edibles that are absorbed in the stomach; and sublingual products, like droplets or dissolvable strips, that can be absorbed in the mouth.

Cannabis used in the products is grown at the states four growers, which Morgan said typically grow one large mother plant and take cuttings from that plant and make other plants.

The manufacturers take a very meticulous approach to growing, measuring every detail through the growth process.

They record everything. Theyre very, very scientific, she said.

Once the plants are harvested, theyre sent to one of a few labs in Connecticut that test for different psychoactive compounds called cannabinoids.

Different strains contain differing amounts of cannabinoids and are prescribed accordingly, Morgan said. A strain with a high content of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which causes a sense of euphoria, is commonly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, while CBD, or cannabidiol, does not create a high but has been shown to be effective in treating symptoms like seizures and pain.

The dispensary on East Main Street follows strict security guidelines set forth by the state. No one is allowed to enter the dispensary area unless they are a patient with a card for the program.

The dispensary currently employs three pharmacists, including Morgan and Ruck, along with six technicians. The dispensary will add staff down the road as needed, Morgan said.

Itll be hopefully soon, but well see, Morgan said. Well see how it goes, and what the (patient) numbers pan out to be.

mzabierek@record-journal.com

203-317-2279

Twitter: @MatthewZabierekOfficers from Delano PD and TCSO deputies tracked a vehicle suspected of being involved in a drive-by shooting to this Best Western in Delano early Friday morning, where an officer involved shooting ensued, killing one suspect and injuring another.Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Boosting slowing economy, creating jobs, fiscal management and scaling up private

investment were some of the major concerns flagged by economists, as Nirmala Sitharaman met them in her pre-Budget consultation on Friday.

The fiscal management and boosting employment were flagged by most of the economists. There was demand for independent fiscal policy committee. The economists also suggested taking some of the key reforms forward, including simplification of GST and amendment of Insolvency and bankruptcy code, a source from the finance ministry said.

Apart from that, there were many sector-specific suggestions ranging from Make in India to Exim policy for Agriculture to creating separate framework for NBFC sector.

Economists who attended the meeting include Rathin Roy, Arvind Virmani, S. Mahendra Dev, Shekhar Shah, DG, National Council of Applied Economic Research; Rakesh Mohan, Nitin Desai, Economist; Surjit S. Bhalla, Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, among others.

Former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Virmani said cross-border ease of doing business has not improved and corporate tax reforms need to be undertaken. Simplification of GST and labour reforms can help attract investment, he said.

The meeting was also attended by Rajiv Kumar, vice-chairman, NITI Aayog and the budget team of the ministry, which include all senior officials from the concerned departments. The minister also held meeting with the stakeholders from Social Sector groups.

Better health and education Infrastructure and increasing outlays on social security scheme like pension scheme were some of the demands of the sector from the budget.

The finance minister assured them that the government is committed to improving the educational standards, skilling the youth, enhancing job opportunities, reducing disease burden, empowering women and improving human development in order to have an inclusive development.

Sector-specific

Make in India, Exim policy for Agriculture, a separate framework for NBFC sector were some of the sector-specific demands from the economists when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam met them in her pre-Budget consultation on Friday.'Awareness should be raised; protocols and procedures, and reporting mechanisms must be put in place to protect both men and women in the workplace,' notes Jael Silliman.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

With the advent of #MeToo, sexual harassment and workplace assault, a form of violence against women, exploded in the public domain.

It has exposed just how rampant sexual harassment is and the invisible and debilitating impacts on survivors.

Like domestic violence survivors, '#MeToo' survivors have demonstrated that sexual harassment and assault cuts across class, professions ethnic and geographic lines -- and, to date, that perpetrators commit these crimes with impunity.

The '#MeToo' movement reminds me of the unfolding of the movement to name and stop domestic violence that was initiated in the early eighties in the USA.

It brought public attention to this hidden abuse located in the privacy of the home that remains the most dangerous place for women and girls.

As domestic violence was so widespread and global in dimension it resonated across the world.

Today, preventing violence against women has been defined far more broadly to cover many forms of violence.

There are national and international instruments in place to address domestic violence such as safe homes for victims as well as significant though not sufficient funds to address the issue.

Yet it persists as the culture of violence and misogyny is deep rooted.

'#MeToo' has unfolded largely through social media.

Visible and often powerful women have named abusers and called out perpetrators.

In India, too, powerful women have exposed powerful men of sexual harassment and assault, and in some instances their reports have toppled the abusers.

A few women have faced backlash, where the accused has filed criminal and defamation charges, and other women have been warned of retaliation.

Already men accused are being rehabilitated.

While professional women in India have been at the forefront of '#MeToo', issues of sexual harassment cut across society and workplaces.

Sexual abuse is rampant in factories where sexual harassment is normalised and poorly addressed.

This is despite the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (2013), where any company with over 10 people is required to have an internal complaints committee, an external chairman and workers representatives whose names are publicised in the factory.

The committee is obliged to meet monthly for workers to voice their concerns.

While this law is on the books, in many cases committees have never been established.

Within the informal sector it is widely known that sexual abuse is extensive with domestic workers being particularly vulnerable.

Much work needs to be done in this intimate/private working space.

'#MeToo' is critical for making sexual harassment visible and bringing perpetrators to book.

It is the right moment to ensure that the current laws are implemented and mechanisms put in place to address sexual harassment in the workplace as calling out harassers through social media has pitfalls.

For one, it often does not give the accused the right to explain or defend their action and furthermore, while there are degrees of sexual harassment, (none of them in anyway acceptable), all perpetrators are lumped together without necessary differentiation and nuance.

'#MeToo' has and can be used to accuse and topple perpetrators for political reasons and personal gain.

Women cannot only be seen as victims in the complex interplay between men and women.

There are already some disturbing responses to '#MeToo'.

In the globally riveting public accusation of Justice Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford, Ms Ford courageously testified about the fear and violence she experienced as a young girl at his hands.

She was cast as a pawn of the Democrats, doing a 'hit job' at their bidding.

There was a clear political message -- if Justice Kavanaugh could be accused, then no man in America was safe! Republicans rejoiced in Kavanaugh's confirmation and the hearing rejuvenated their base.

Many women, too, waved off her accusations with 'Boys will be boys'.

Meanwhile, Ms Ford's life is in danger.

A recent Bloomberg article quoted a wealth advisor saying that in Wall Street, just hiring a woman is described as 'an unknown risk'.

'What if she took something he said the wrong way?'

This minimises the serious problem of sexual harassment at the workplace and ironically will cost women jobs, mentoring and promotions especially where there are not enough women in senior enough positions to play these roles.

'#MeToo' may make men more careful of their sexual innuendoes and off-colour jokes in the workplace for fear of reprisal.

Awareness should be raised; protocols and procedures, and reporting mechanisms must be put in place to protect both men and women in the workplace.

This is the first step but insufficient for when women have had the courage to report sexual abuse, especially relating to men in power, their complaints have been shrugged off or their silence ensured.

The loneliness and fear of the women pressing for change cannot be underestimated.

Male-dominated boards and complicit women (selected for being so) make it harder to pursue justice using company mechanisms, policies and procedures alone.

Women in senior positions of companies and support structures for whistle-blowers are also essential to create safe workspaces.

Safety in the workplace needs to be pursued for vulnerable and working class women.

The #MeToo movement has initiated the first step in a longer process.

Jael Silliman is an author, scholar, and women's right activist. She lives in New York City and Kolkata.'Since the government will not hold any significant stake in the airline this time, such restrictions are not required anymore.'

Arindam Majumder reports.

The government is planning to liberalise the terms and conditions for the sale of State-owned carrier Air India.

The changes would allow a potential buyer to go for a stake sale of the airline immediately after acquiring it.

The revised norms would also enable merger or reverse merger of Air India with any existing business of the buyer.

At least a 95% stake of Air India will be up for sale while retaining 5% for the employee stock option.

This is the first time the government will relax rules for strategic divestment, meant to prevent asset stripping.

The rules were framed to safeguard the government following the divestment of Centaur Hotel, Mumbai, where the Comptroller and Auditor General had pointed out irregularities in the sale process.

The relaxation of the rules was proposed by transaction advisor EY as multiple entities during the last sale process in 2017 had objected saying it restricted the bidder from raising capital from the market and developing synergy with existing business.

According to senior government officials involved in the sale process, there will be no restriction on change in shareholding by the selected bidder.

Even in case the bidder is a consortium of multiple entities, it would be allowed to do a share sale. This will allow the new owner to raise capital by way of share sale.

Last time, the government had made it mandatory for a selected bidder to lock in its entire shareholding in Air India for a period of three years.

Such restrictions on change in shareholding were also applicable when a particular investment was through a special purpose vehicle.

"Any entity which is willing to buy and turn around Air Indias operations will have to do a significant capital infusion immediately. Raising debt will not be easy as Air India is a loss-making company. Hence, the company should be allowed to offload shares and raise capital for this purpose," a senior government official involved in the sale process said.

The bidders will also be allowed to do sale and leaseback transaction of Air India's aircraft to raise capital.

Out of 138 aircraft (69 Airbus and 69 Boeing) in Air India's fleet, around 62% are owned by the airline.

With sale and leaseback transactions, the new owner will also be able to raise capital.

"A substantial amount of the existing debt will be passed on to the bidders. The annual interest outgo on this debt will come to around Rs 2,000 crore. Raising capital to run Air India's operations will be significant for the new owner," the official said.

A clause enabling bidders to merge and reverse merge Air India with their current business would help a potential suitor like Tata Sons, which has two airline companies -- Vistara and Air Asia India.

An entity can also use reverse merger to offset Air India's losses for future tax benefits

Earlier, it was made mandatory for a bidder to operate Air India at arm's length from its other business till the time there was government shareholding in the company.

The government had put a 76% stake of Air India on sale in 2018, but it had failed to generate any interest from buyers. A no-show had forced the government to call off the sale.

Prospective bidders had termed onerous conditions and the 24% government holding among the primary reasons for lack of interest.

"Since the government will not hold any significant stake in the airline this time, such restrictions are not required anymore. The new owner should be given full freedom on how to run the business," a source in the know said.The commerce department has said that earnings through the new tax will equal the losses faced by Indian industry after the US tariffs on steel and aluminium.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump has refused to budge on higher tariffs announced by America.

The government, after dragging its feet for almost a year, has decided to increase tariffs on 29 high-value US agricultural and industrial imports by up to 50 per cent. This will take effect on June 16.

Originally slated to be clamped on August 4 last year, the tariffs were deferred eight times. But now several government sources have confirmed this is part of a retaliatory measure against the Trump administration, despite the customs authorities officially not terming it as such.

The move comes after Washington, DC, paid no heed to New Delhis request to exempt India from the higher tariffs announced by the US on steel imports by 25 per cent and aluminium imports by 10 per cent.

The commerce department has informed the finance and external affairs ministries of the move and an official notification will be issued by Saturday, a senior government source said.

Washington, DC, has been apprised of the move, which is expected to rake in about $235 million.

High-stake products

The commerce department has said that earnings through the new tax will equal the losses faced by Indian industry after the US tariffs on steel and aluminium.

While only a small fraction of India's aluminum and steel exports reach US shores, New Delhi is miffed because the US did not accede to its request even as Mexico and Canada received a waiver.

The list of products considered for duty increase has 18 iron and steel items, which is seemingly a reply to US President Donald Trumps tariff hikes in the sector.

However, the government had dropped motorcycles above 800cc from the list. Despite India importing bikes worth only about $10 million in the category in 2017-18, Trump has continued to use a company (Harley Davidson) manufacturing such motorcycles as an instrument to attack India on market access issues.

However, in terms of real import value based on the last financial years trade, agricultural commodities such as apples and almonds will be hit.

The US is the largest exporter to India of both items and US exporters of chickpeas, lentils, walnuts, and artemia (brine shrimps) may find contracts getting cancelled owing to higher import duties on these products.

Back and forth

In his recent visit to India, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said India was only the 13th largest export market for America due to its overtly restrictive market access barriers. The US, on the other hand, is Indias largest export market, accounting for 20 per cent of all shipments. India continued deferring the tariffs, hoping to strike a joint trade package offering an optimum level of duty reduction in certain categories.

As a result, India had offered to reduce tariffs on telecom network equipment and medical devices, but currently, such plans are dead in the water, senior officials said.

The latest deferment on May 16 was allowed by the government after the US assured India its benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences would not be cut until the elections were over.

This assurance was given on the condition that India would not put retaliatory tariffs. Senior industry leaders said the list had several items that the government had earlier pushed importers to source from countries other than the US.The flight seemed crammed with groups of friends from Delhi and Mumbai.

They spoke in the accented English of the privileged, threw abuse about freely, and talked loudly throughout the one-and-a-half-hour flight.

While the excited group kept up their chatter, another quieter group went about its business with just as much efficiency, says Kishore Singh.

There are now two daily flights from New Delhi to Bikaner. Before that, one would have to board a train from a station called Sarai Rohilla somewhere in the vicinity of Karol Bagh.

Since most of the snobbish New Delhi is unaware of Sarai Rohilla, it used to cause my friends no little mirth every time I told them I was off to visit my parents. Especially since, on a junket, we had once asked a bunch of them along. At the time, the train used to take 12 hours on a metre-gauge track, and the bogies would lurch over sand banks.

It was like being on a roller-coaster which, if you have motion sickness, can be a tad uncomfortable.

As a result, I had taken to driving from Delhi to Bikaner, but since our vacations coincided with either Jat or Gujjar agitations in the state, highways were often blocked.

Since then, of course, the metre-gauge tracks have been replaced by broad-gauge ones, and the train now takes a mere eight hours -- but the flight, of course, is more convenient.

The first time I flew to Bikaner -- the defence airport is at considerable distance from the city -- there were no cabs to be had. Fortunately, a passenger on the flight recognised me and gave me a ride into town.

I took to taking flights even though tickets were unreasonably priced, perhaps because the flight was always full on the sector. The passengers seemed to comprise of businessmen carrying samples, or hoteliers returning from meetings in the capital.

Only occasional tourists seemed to be on board. Mostly, though, I would encounter groups of jabbering baraatis -- Bikaner, with its palaces, has emerged a favourite venue for destination weddings.

I was glad to learn there is now a second flight, and though it seems to have done nothing to ease the prices, it was as packed as before. But the passenger profile seems to have changed.

There were more foreign tourists on board, but for most part the flight seemed crammed with groups of friends from Delhi and Mumbai en route to Bikaner for the Holi weekend.

They spoke in the accented English of the privileged, threw abuse about freely, and talked loudly throughout the one-and-a-half-hour flight about design, fashion, architecture, travel to other exotic destinations, and food.

It seemed that in Bikaner they were going to check out the jewellery stores, had meetings with local suppliers, and wanted to stock up their boutiques, or redesign their Alibag houses, or carry samples for buying houses. They were meeting textile printers and kaarigars who inlay silver into wooden furniture.

They were all looking forward to lal maas, but it appeared they had also been promised teetar and khargosh on the table. It didn't seem to bother them that the killing and consumption of partridge and hare is banned in the state.

While the excited group kept up their chatter, another quieter group went about its business with just as much efficiency.

A bunch of Marwari ladies popped open dabbas of parathas, green chilli pickles, raw onions and a variety of chutneys that they passed around with the flair of society hostesses. They were polite to their co-passengers as well.

Thanks to them, I did not have to eat the unappetising sandwich that Air India serves on the route.Middle age is the boot stamping on our face, says Shougat Dasgupta.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

We are moving to a new flat.

The movers are descending, clearing our detritus -- the astonishing amount of accumulated stuff -- and depositing it a few hundred metres down the road in our new place.

Since school, my wife and I have moved (mostly separately) to the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, back to the United States and again to India.

So moving from Block A to Block C in our present Delhi neighbourhood should be a doddle.

Except a chasm yawns between my twenties, when moving countries with a duffel bag stuffed with books seemed par for the course, and my forties, when moving down the road is a life choice freighted with anxiety.

When we moved here, we had a six-month-old daughter.

Now, as we prepare to leave, our daughter is five and we have an 18-month-old son.

Of late, his breathing ragged in the fetid Delhi air, my son has been lapsing in and out of illness.

It has made for several sleepless nights, my son trying to sleep on my chest while I cycle through another identikit film from the Taken franchise, in which a near-geriatric Liam Neeson eliminates enough Albanians to populate a small city.

Actually, I lie.

Of late, I haven't been watching Taken 14: When Grandpa Loses It or the Bourne Whateveracy, or sports.

What I've been doing is obsessively scrolling through furniture Web sites.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, as the world sleeps, I awake, my son drooling on my neck, my brow icy with sweat -- curtains or chiks?

Can you own a marble coffee table if you're not Al Pacino in Scarface?

I set up elaborate living room plans, complete with representational imagery, to show my wife in the morning.

I bookmark dining chairs and sofa designs to show our carpenter.

Who have I become?

In the morning, I pounce on my wife.

I show her a bewildering array of images.

What do you think about that?

Wouldn't that go perfectly with this?

Won't this colour just pop?

"No," she says. "Veto."

I am seized with rage.

"Why can't you spend more than 30 seconds on this stuff?" I scream.

"Are you above soft furnishings?"

"Too important to pick out fabric?"

She raises an eyebrow.

"Who have you become?"

Middle age is the boot stamping on our face.

Kieran Setiya, a philosophy professor at MIT, has written about midlife crisis, the wall we hit when we confront the dread prospect that it's downhill from here until we die, that we will be repeating the same few actions with little reprieve until the final act.

It is, of course, a first world problem, an affliction of the comfortable.

Options, Setiya argues wisely, are over-rated.

Still, despite the consolations of philosophy, you can't avoid midlife terror.

That feeling at four in the morning when you find yourself weeping at the lyrics of a Phil Collins song, your 25-year-old self staring across the chasm at you with undisguised contempt.

For me, moving house has been a forced reckoning with who I now am.

A man, in his 40s, so self-satisfied and complacent, that he spends hours thinking about the furniture with which he should fill his apartment.

A man in his 40s, so self-satisfied and complacent, that the accumulation of stuff means something, says something about who he is and his station.

You recede behind the facts of your life -- your job, your books, your car, your furniture, your shrinking hairline, your jutting stomach, your kids, your wife.

Somewhere within these adumbrations is you, fuzzy, in soft focus like Robin Williams playing a literally out-of-focus actor in Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry.

Lachrymose, puffy, pathetic -- I imagine offering a representational image of myself to my wife one morning.

"No," she says. "Veto."

Snap out of it, I hear you say, spilling your cornflakes perhaps in exasperation.

And you're right.

My wife has been on a KonMari-inspired warpath, mostly focused on our bookshelves.

I feel a sudden surge of resistance.

I will defend the no longer useful, the musty pages of books that once had something urgent to say, ideas now slack with age.

This is personal. "I will not be put out to pasture," I say to her.

"Will not be made redundant in my soon to be occupied new flat."

I still matter."

She feels my forehead for fever.

Then, eyebrow raised, she asks again, "Who have you become?"'Unknown' location advertisement spends were nearly 74% higher than the next biggest spender, Uttar Pradesh.

Sachin P Mampatta and Neha Alawadhi report.

Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

The world's biggest social media platform had an aberration in its spending data on the 2019 general election.

A break-up of the data spends by location showed that the biggest spends originated from a location classified as 'unknown'.

This was followed by other places such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Delhi.

Further clarification was sought by Business Standard on the data, through an e-mail sent to Facebook. The data was subsequently removed, and an e-mailed statement said there had been a problem in its systems.

'We recently learned of a bug in India's Ad Library Report, which was causing an error. The bug has now been fixed,' said the company statement, suggesting that the location data was erroneously uploaded with an 'unknown location'.

Experts say more transparency is required from social media and other digital giants.

It has been difficult to gauge spends in campaigns, with virtually no figures that can be arrived at on amounts spent in a rally or other political events.

It is even harder in the digital world, pointed out Jagdeep S Chhokar, one of the founders of Association for Democratic Reforms.

"Social media is more elusive. You don't know who is doing what and for whom. Nobody knows except those who actually spent the money. It is possible it is someone who is sitting in Timbuktu," he said.

Social media firms have an incentive against transparency, he said, especially if it is regarding a source of revenue that could dry up if full disclosure is required.

Their regulation is also difficult, considering their global scale.

Regulation of political parties, requiring them to ensure greater transparency on spends may be easier to implement, according to him.

S Yesudas, co-founder and managing director at Y&A Transformation, a company involved in digital consultancy and marketing, said there have been other transparency debates, such as social media giants and making public their correspondence with the Election Commission under the Right to Information (Act.

"Section 11 of the RTI Act makes the public information officer the final authority on such matters even if the third-party has objected to public disclosures," Yesudas said.

"The above, however, are areas where these companies have to work in absolute transparency and in the interest of each specific country they operate in and not for any other interests," he added.

Facebook had begun to make disclosures on its political advertisements after allegations of foreign interference in the 2016 US presidential elections.

Similar allegations had been made about the UK, and its public referendum on whether to leave the EU, which also happened in 2016.

The earlier data, since removed, but of which Business Standard has retained a copy, showed that 'unknown' location advertisement spends were nearly 74% higher than the next biggest spender, Uttar Pradesh, where advertisers spent Rs 2.2 crore, compared to the 'unknown location' spends of Rs 3.9 crore.

This is for the 90-day period ending on May 22.

Total Facebook spends on politics and issues of national importance since February were at Rs 28.2 crore.Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday said the state government is doing its best to save children, as the death toll due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Muzaffarpur mounted to 73.

IMAGE: A child showing symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome being treated at a hospital in Muzaffarpur. Photograph: PTI Photo

Pandey said doctors and nurses are being called in from Patna for additional help. "We are trying everything and anything that can save children's lives. Everything is being made available from medicines to doctors. We have even called doctors and nurses from AIIMS in Patna," he said. "There is a protocol regarding what kind of medicines and facilities should be given and we are doing the same. We are monitoring things regularly and trying to save our children."

Recalling the situation that prevailed five years ago, Pandey said a team that was formed to ascertain the cause of this disease concluded that sleeping empty stomach at night, dehydration due to humidity and eating lychee on empty stomach were some of the causes of Encephalitis.

"Our government has tried to spread awareness which will be beneficial as well. Advertisement in newspapers, radio jingles, pamphlets and mic announcements are going to spread awareness regarding the disease. Health ministry is also working on it," he said.

On being asked about spread of ASE in Gorakhpur last year, he said, "From Gorakhpur to Muzaffarpur region, this disease had spread last year and the Union government had worked on this and we will continue to fight it now."

"This incident in Muzaffarpur is very saddening and we also feel bad when children of our nation die like this. Not the whole district is affected but a large part is suffering from it," he added.

From January 1, 2019, to till now, 220 children were admitted in Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur due to AES, out of which 62 lost their lives.

As per the data of SKMCH hospital, 235 children were admitted out of which 89 died; in 2013 - 90 children were admitted out of which 35 died; in 2014 - 334 children were admitted out of which 117 died; in 2015 - 37 children were admitted out of which 15 died; in 2016 - 31 children were admitted out of which 6 died; in 2017 - 44 children were admitted out of which 18 died; and in 2018 - 43 children were admitted out of which 12 died.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Union ministry for home affairs, Nityanand Rai, visited Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital to review the situation after the outbreak of AES.

Encephalitis is a viral disease, which causes mild flu-like symptoms such as high fever, convulsions and headaches and has been claiming lives in the district for the past few weeks.Will DMK send former PM to the Rajya Sabha next month?

Archis Mohan reports.

On Friday evening, for the first time in 28 years, former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh's name ceased to be part of the list of members of the Rajya Sabha on its Web site, and was included in the list of former members of Parliament.

With the Congress lacking the numbers in the Assam legislature to ensure his re-election, 86-year-old Dr Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Dr Singh, then finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao government, had debuted in the House on October 1, 1991, from Assam and represented the state for five consecutive terms. He was the leader of the House during his 10 years as PM, and leader of the Opposition from 1998 to 2004.

The former PM would now need to wait for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, an ally of the Congress, to send him to the Rajya Sabha next month or until the next biennial elections in the Upper House in April 2020 when 54 MPs retire.

Five Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu retire in July. The DMK, along with its allies, has the strength in the state legislature to get at least three elected to the Rajya Sabha. It has promised one seat to MDMK chief Vaiko.

However, sources said the DMK and the Congress have not had any discussions on the issue.

The Congress could also hope to send Dr Singh to the Upper House from Gujarat if elections to fill the two vacancies from the state take place together.

The vacancies are on account of two Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat, Amit Anilchandra Shah and Smriti Zubin Irani, being elected to the Lok Sabha. Shah has debuted in the Lok Sabha from Gandhinagar while Irani is the Lok Sabha member from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress's numbers in the Gujarat assembly would ensure the party wins one of the two seats, the other going to the BJP, if elections to the two seats are held jointly.Striking junior doctors turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation for a meeting at the state secretariat, which was called to resolve the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

IMAGE: Resident doctors medical staff march and protest against the violence with doctors in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo

The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital here, has sought unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government in order to withdraw the stir.

"We are not going to the secretariat upon the invitation of the chief minister for the meeting. She will have to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for the comments she made during her visit to the SSKM Hospital on Thursday," said Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors.

"If she can go to the SSKM she can also come to the NRS... or else this agitation will go on," he said.

Banerjee, who visited the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday amid slogans of "we want justice", had contended that outsiders were creating disturbances in the medical colleges and the ongoing agitation is a conspiracy by the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

On Friday night, the agitating junior doctors declined to attend a meeting called by Banerjee at the state secretariat, saying it was a ploy to break their stir.

After the protesting doctors did not turn up on Friday night, Banerjee asked the students to come to Nabanna, the state secretariat, at 5pm on Saturday, senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee along with other senior doctors, who were not part of the agitation, met Banerjee on Friday.

They held a two-hour-long meeting with the chief minister at the secretariat to find a solution to the ongoing problem.

Notably, over 300 senior doctors across various state-run medical college and hospitals resigned from their services in solidarity with their agitating colleagues.

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Friday evening invited Banerjee to Raj Bhawan for a meeting to resolve the crisis. Banerjee, however, did not respond.

"I tried to contact the chief minister. I called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me up, we will discuss the matter," the governor told reporters after visiting Paribaha Mukhopadhyay, the doctor who was assaulted, at a hospital on Friday night.

Meanwhile, resident doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi have given a 48-hour ultimatum to Banerjee to meet the demands of the agitating doctors, failing which they said they would go on an indefinite strike.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Fresh from a landslide mandate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on collective responsibility for achieving short and long-term goals for the country, with the focus on bottom-up approach by working on unique strengths at the district level to boost employment and income.

The goal to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging, but can surely be achieved. States should recognise their core competencies, and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level, said Modi in his opening remark at the fifth governing council meeting of NITI Aayog held at the cultural centre of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

ALSO READ | Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy meets PM Modi to seek funds in tackling drought

Making a case for structural agrarian reforms, the PM stressed on enhancing corporate investment and market support for farmers. Incidentally, NITI Aayog had listed out amendments in Essential Commodities Act, Agricultural Produces Marketing Cooperatives (APMC) Act. Bihar and Kerala CMs Nitish Kumar and Pinarayi Vijayan respectively, however, argued against regulations of Mandis, saying their states have abolished all such entities.

Making a strong pitch against Left Wing Extremism (LWE), PM said that many aspirational districts are affected by Naxal violence. Battle against Naxal violence is now in a decisive phase. Violence will be dealt with firmly, even as development proceeds in a fast-paced and balanced manner, he added. Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath in his speech called for the creation of branches of anti-Naxal police units with the involvement of locals.

Improving governance in LWE areas, along with continuous efforts for better rail/road communication, education, telecommunication, skill development opportunities, healthcare and other services, were discussed, said a senior official.

No central schemes

Even while the BJP credited flagship schemes for its massive Lok Sabha mandate, NDA ally and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan made a forceful argument at the Niti Aayog governing council meeting that the centrally sponsored schemes should be discontinued as they were putting massive burden on the states which have to bear 40% of the costs.Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

WATERBURY  A Connecticut State Police trooper rescued a reportedly distraught teen who was on the Interstate 84 interchange in the city, according to WTNH New 8.

State police Sgt. Ryan Hennessey stopped traffic and ran across the highway to the 16-year-old girl, who had reportedly told her friends that she intended to harm herself, the news station reported.Contributed photo

LITCHFIELD  A group of 25 graduates from EdAdvances Foothills Adult Education Programs were recognized at the June 11 ceremony held at EdAdvances headquarters in Litchfield.

A total of 17 Adult High School Credit and four National External Diploma Program diplomas were presented by EdAdvance, along with four GED diplomas from the state of Connecticut.By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A thirty-year-old software engineer committed suicide by hanging himself at his house in Hebbal on Thursday.

The deceased is Gopu Das from Kerala.

In a suicide note, he said he was depressed as he did not have any children despite being married for five years. Das had left the note saying that he was leaving his wife forever and hoped she lived happily. He also said that no one should do what he did.

Das fell in love with one of his colleagues and married her. They had been living in a rented house in V Nagenahalli for the past nine years.

The police said the incident took place in the early morning when his wife for work. Das did not go to work that day. People from his office tried to reach him over the phone but they couldn't. They called his wife and asked her to check on him.

On returning home, she saw his body hanging from the ceiling. The Hebbal police sent the body for postmortem.Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam on Saturday announced the suspension of her government's bid to change the city's extradition law to allow renditions to mainland China, but organizers of recent mass protests said the concession was unacceptable, and that a demonstration planned for Sunday would go ahead.



"After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more explanation work and listen to different views of society," Lam told a news conference on Saturday.



"The [Legislative] Council will halt its work in relation to the bill until our work in communication, explanation and listening to opinions is completed. We have no intention to set a deadline for this work," she said.



However, Lam stopped short of complete withdrawal of the bill, and continued to justify police use of rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray as a necessary means to restore "order."



The Civil Human Rights Front, which organized a million-strong peaceful protest against the proposed legal amendment last Sunday, said Lam's concession was unacceptable.



"The world was shocked by the fact that Hong Kong's police fired on its people," the group said in a response on its Facebook page. "Today, Carrie Lam's response was that it was a natural part of law enforcement. "



"Withdrawal, not suspension! See you tomorrow in Victoria Park!" it said, in a reference to the starting point for Sunday's march.



The post called for a complete withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, a retraction of the government's description of protesters as "rioters," the pursuit of those responsible for police brutality, and for Lam's resignation.



Too little, too late



The group's position was echoed by pro-democracy lawmakers.



"Democrats in Hong Kong simply cannot accept this suspension, because a suspension is temporary," Claudia Mo, convenor of the pro-democracy camp in the Legislative Council (LegCo), told government broadcaster RTHK.



"The pain is still there; you are just delaying the pain," Mo said, calling Lam's concession "too little, too late."



"If she stays on, we stay on," Mo said in reference to Wednesday's surrounding of LegCo by protesters that sparked police violence and forced the legislature to shut down for two days.



Mo also called on the government to stop calling the mass protest a "riot."



"It was not a riot in any sense," she said.



Hong Kong police said they would facilitate "a safe and orderly public event" on Sunday.



"Police appeal to the event participants to remain calm, be considerate and co-operative, as well as to express their views in a peaceful manner," the government said in a news release about traffic arrangements for Sunday's march.



'Taiwan no excuse'



In her announcement, Lam said that the original urgency behind the extradition amendments had now been lost, because Taiwan officials had repeatedly said that their democratic government wouldn't follow any extradition process that resulted from them.



The inability of Hong Kong to extradite one of its residents to Taiwan to face trial for murder had been a key plank of Lam's justification for the renditions law.



But Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu hit out at Lam on Twitter, calling her attempt to use Taiwan as an excuse for the extradition plan "shameful."



"Im deeply upset by the assault on freedom & #HumanRights in #HongKong," Wu wrote in a signed tweet on the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official account.



"Chief Executive Carrie Lam must listen to the people & take full responsibility," Wu said. "Blaming #Taiwan is immoral, shameful & unacceptable. Embrace democracy & stand on the right side of history!"



Police condemned



Wednesday's protests by tens of thousands of people led to the postponement of a LegCo debate on the bill's second reading, and the widespread condemnation of police for their use of tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray, and beatings in their bid to disperse the crowds.



An estimated 1.03 million people took to the streets of Hong Kong last Sunday in a mass demonstration against the amendments, but Lam at that time merely reiterated her determination to get the proposed amendments to the extradition law through the legislature.



Critics fear the amendments could pose a huge threat to Hong Kong's way of life, which was supposed to have been protected under the "one country, two systems" framework under which the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997.



The move also sparked widespread concern that the city could lose its status as a separate legal jurisdiction and trading entity, and that journalists, visitors, rights activists, dissidents, democratic politicians, and the business community could all be targeted for actions deemed illegal by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



Reported by RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.Five villagers were injured in fighting between ethnic Arakan Army soldiers and government troops in Rakhine state on Thursday, with a military spokesperson later saying government forces had detained 25 villagers for suspected links to the AA.



The fighting near Yward Haung Daw village in Mrauk-U township flared up at around 4:00 p.m., local sources said. Each side meanwhile denied responsibility for the shooting.



Speaking to RFA on Friday, Myanmar military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said that Arakan Army soldiers had attacked a military convoy with explosives on Thursday.



Our troops fired back in response, but we fired in the opposite direction from the village, he said, adding that government soldiers were not to blame for injuries sustained by villagers during the battle.



Khine Thukha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, meanwhile said that AA soldiers had not engaged with government troops at all on Thursday.



There was no fighting with us in the area yesterday. As far as we have learned from the villagers, the Myanmar military intentionally fired into the village. Its possible that they just created a fake battle, as they have done before, he said.



'We had to hide'



Also speaking to RFA, a Buddhist monk at Mrauk-Us Myo Oo Gaung monastery, said that government troops had begun shooting after claiming they heard gunfire nearby.



A couple of military vehicles from the Myanmar army came our way, he said. A soldier jumped off near the shop where we were sitting and told others that he had heard gunfire, and the soldiers began shooting toward where they said the gunfire was heard. We had to hide nearby for our safety.



The shooting lasted about 20 minutes, and I dont know if it was actually a fight between two sides, he said.



Among those wounded in the shooting was a nine-year-old boy who was taken with the others to the Mrauk-U township hospital, sources said. None had injuries that were described as life-threatening.



Twenty-five villagers aged between 20 and 30 were detained by government troops outside Mrauk-Us Kyauk Saebyin village on Thursday evening, Zaw Min Tun said, adding that none had come from villages in the area.



Based on our initial questioning, they are most likely members of the AA, and legal proceedings against them are now under way, he said.



Growing hardship



Meanwhile, villagers and other sources said that ongoing fighting in Rakhine is causing hardship to the local population, with fields going untilled and many residents fleeing their homes for fear of being killed or injured in the clashes.



The people of Rakhine are being displaced, and are now living in fear because of the fighting, Maung Sein Hla, a Mrauk-U township resident said, adding that he has now taken in a family frightened away by fighting in a nearby village.



They are taking shelter with me because they are too scared to live in their own home, he said. Now the rainy season has started, and they are missing all their regular work on the farm.



Reinforcements for government forces are meanwhile arriving in the area every day, Buddhist monk Ashin Thabarwa Nadi said.



Today, as I returned from the Aung Myat Lay village refugee camp to the Pauktawbyin refugee camp, I saw military troops camping in every village along the way. Some troops are even stationed in the monasteries.



They are occupying religious buildings, which I think must be a violation of international agreements with regard to wartime. I think that the Burmese military is doing this on purpose to hurt the Rakhine people, he said.



Reported by Thet Su Aung and Khin Khin Ei for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung and Nandar Chann. Written in English by Richard Finney.A British-Iranian charity worker who is being held at Tehrans notorious Evin prison on sedition charges has begun another hunger strike in protest at her detention.



Forty-year-old Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was refusing food as she marked her daughter's fifth birthday, her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said in a statement on June 15.



"She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water) -- to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment," he said, adding that he plans to fast outside the Iranian Embassy in London as part of the protest.



Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested by Iranian authorities in April 2016 as she was trying to board a plane to leave the country after taking their infant daughter to visit her family there. The couples daughter, Gabriella, is living with Zaghari-Ratcliffes parents in Iran.



She was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly trying to topple the Iranian government.



"This is something she had been threatening for a while, Ratcliffe said. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed Gabriella's fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something -- to mark to both governments -- that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long.



"Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it," Ratcliffe said. "I do not know the response from the Iranian authorities."



Zaghari-Ratcliffe is a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the media group's philanthropic arm. She denies all of the charges brought against her by Iranian officials.



She previously went on hunger strike in January.



In May, the British government changed its travel advice for British-Iranian dual nationals -- warning them against all travel to Iran and citing Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case.

Based on reporting by The Guardian and AFPThe Iraqi military says three mortar shells have hit an Iraqi Air Force base just north of Baghdad where U.S. soldiers are training Iraqi forces.



In a statement, Iraqs military said the shelling early on June 15 ignited a small fire at Balad Air Base but did not result in any casualties.



The attack occurred amid rising tension in the Middle East between the United States and Iran, which intensified on June 13 after suspected Iranian attacks on two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has denied involvement.



The crisis is rooted in the U.S. withdrawal last year from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.



Washington subsequently reimposed sanctions on Iran and has been pressuring other countries, including U.S. allies, to join the renewed sanctions.

Based on reporting by AP and ReutersBy Express News Service

BENGALURU: Alleging that there is no scope for a fair investigation by state police under the guidance of the Karnataka government, as IMA managing director Mohammed Mansoor Khan is close to ministers and police officers in the state, an investor moved the Karnataka High Court seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He wanted the state to hand over the complaint he registered before the Commercial Street police to the CBI.

Since several IPS officers, police officials and ministers of the Karnataka government are protecting Khan, managing director and chief executive officer of IMAIP and IMA Jewellers, the petitioner may not be able to get any justice from the complaint now registered, and it, therefore, requires to be investigated by the central agency, said the writ petition.

The petition was filed by Mohammed Sirajuddin, 65, a resident of Chickpet in Bengaluru. He stated that he had invested Rs 10 lakh with IMAIP and IMA Jewels. When advocate G R Mohan, representing Sirajuddin, requested an urgent hearing on Friday, Justice Alok Aradhe said the matter will be heard on Monday.

The petitioner stated that he came to know on June 12, 2019, that Khan was absconding and his whereabouts were not known. He lodged a complaint with Commercial Street Police Station on June 13, listing cheating and criminal breach of trust.

He also alleged that Khan was allowed to escape from Bengaluru with the help of various VIPs, and even after a week, the CCB and Commercial Street Police are not in a position to secure his presence and are only receiving complaints mechanically.

Accusing the Assistant Commissioner, Bengaluru North, of not taking action against IMA through a public notice was issued and alleged that this inaction led to people being cheated of more than Rs 10,000 crore.

The petitioner mentioned that the Assistant Commissioner had issued the notice, dated November 16, 2018, against IMA and its group of companies about the collection of money from the public and diverting the funds to its directors, thereby defaulting in repayment of the depositors money.CHISINAU  Stronger ties with the European Union and bringing to justice those who abused power, including a controversial tycoon, are top priorities of Moldovas new government.

Prime Minister Maia Sandu made the comments on June 15 after the first meeting of her coalition cabinet. It convened a day after the caretaker government declared defeat, ending a political crisis in one of Europes poorest countries.

Sandu's government comprises her pro-European ACUM group and the pro-Russia Socialist Party, which joined forces after months of political deadlock that followed an inconclusive parliamentary election in February.

But the former ruling Democratic Party (PDM) claimed the government was formed after a postelection deadline and therefore illegal.

The Democratic Party, however, conceded defeat on June 14. Vladimir Cebotari, vice president of the PDM, said the party was stepping down to avoid an escalation which could lead to violence.

On June 15, the PDM said its leader, oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, had temporarily left Moldova.

Sandu accused Plahotniuc and his associates of crime and corruption.

"The heads of the mafia group that usurped power and terrorized the citizens of Moldova for years have left the country," she said. "We want to assure you that...all of those responsible, including Plahotniuc, will be brought back to Moldova and held accountable for all the abuse they participated in."

In Washington, the U.S. State Department on June 14 welcomed the PDMs decision to withdraw, urging restraint during a transition period and promising that Washington "remains committed" to supporting "a more prosperous and democratic future" for Moldova.

One of the poorest countries in Europe, Moldova has been plagued by corruption and political turmoil since it won independence after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Sandu said improving ties with the EU are her government's priority -- Moldova's accession bid has stalled over the slow pace of reform -- but that Moldova is also open to boosting economic and trade cooperation with Russia.

"The government program states clearly that association with the EU is the basis of our activity," said Sandu, announcing a visit soon by a delegation from Brussels. "You are going to see very soon concrete steps, progress in improving our relations with the EU."

With reporting by RFE/RLs Moldovan Service, AP, and AFPIranians have found a new platform to fuel fresh debate over one of their society's most sensitive topics: the so-called hijab laws that oblige women to cover their bodies and hair in conservative Islamic fashion.



Reactions have come fast and furious since a Tehrani driver for the country's largest Uber-like ride-sharing enterprise, Snapp, refused to drive a woman to her destination because she allegedly disrespected the dress code.



The dispute has led to some calls for a boycott.



The incident first came to light via Twitter, when the customer complained that the Snapp driver dropped her off in the middle of a highway during a storm for "bad hijab."



The customer reportedly posted the driver's information online and suggested that Snapp had apologized to her and had even vowed to take action against the driver.



But Snapp publicly sided with the driver following criticism by hard-liners.



The woman, who tweeted under the name @poouyeh, has deleted the tweets in question and issued an apology to the driver, Snapp, and "all those whose feelings were hurt" by the incident, sparking concern that she was somehow forced to recant.





Meanwhile, in a June 9 statement, Snapp said the driver would be commended for observing the company's rules, which, it said, clearly state the "obligation to observe the Hijab."





Under Islamic laws enforced in Iran since the 1979 revolution, women are required to cover their hair and body in public and avoid tight-fitting clothing. The dress restrictions prompted immediate anger and protest four decades ago, but have remained in place.

More recently, women have increasingly pushed the boundaries by wearing small scarves or tight coats while exposing much of their hair. Some have removed their scarves while driving or otherwise in public to protest the laws.



Some self-professed customers have vowed to stop using Snapp's services over what they describe as the company's disregard for customers' rights or its endangerment of women. Others accused Snapp of "complacency" and groveling before authorities by praising the driver.





"To protest this lawlessness, I deleted the Snapp [application] from my cell phone," journalist and documentary filmmaker Fatemeh Jamalpour tweeted.

"You have to know that your cars are not the morality police," Jamalpour added, in a reference to the feared enforcers of conservative culture, attaching the hashtag #Boycott_Snapp.



The Snapp driver, Saeed Abed, appeared earlier this week on state-controlled television to give his version of the incident. He said he had fulfilled his religious duty by warning his customer to cover up.

He also said that he had told the customer that he could face police action for transporting an unveiled woman. He said he is a retiree who drives for Snapp to make ends meet.



"I told her to fix her scarf and I cited the police as a reason, apart from the fact that promoting virtue and preventing vice was an issue for me. But she told me in a very impolite manner that I should mind my own business and keep driving," Abed said.



The two argued, he said, and the woman got out of his car.



Reports suggesting that authorities had summoned the woman for questioning have not been independently confirmed, and she did not appear in the TV report.

But it quoted an "expert" suggesting that she had violated Iranian law by posting the driver's personal information online. The same expert said the driver had acted within the framework of Iranian law and in line with Islamic principles.



Abed has been praised by hard-liners, including the commander of the aerospace force of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Speaking to journalists on June 10, Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili referred to Abed as "our dear brother driver" and said that his action represented a "valuable achievement" in enforcing the Islamic principles of virtue and preventing vice.



The ultra-hard-line Kayhan daily reported that a documentary was already in the works about Abed's actions.



Meanwhile, deputy police chief Ayoub Soleimani said drivers of ride-sharing companies should warn their passengers over their hijab.



"The car owners are legally responsible.... Therefore drivers should not allow their passengers to break the law, including by removing their hijab," he said.Tajikistan and China have signed 18 agreements to bolster bilateral ties. The documents were signed on June 15 in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. The agreements signed included documents on investment, agriculture, joint business ventures, and fighting terrorism. According to the Chinese ambassador to Tajikistan, Liu Bin, China is currently Tajikistan's biggest investor and its third-largest trading partner. Earlier, Xi took part in a summit of the 27-member regional grouping called the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.Tajikistan and China have signed 18 agreements to bolster bilateral ties.

The documents were signed on June 15 in Dushanbe after talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

Xi was in the Tajik capital not only for bilateral talks but to attend a summit of Asian leaders.

The agreements signed included documents on investment, agriculture, joint business ventures, and fighting terrorism.

The Chinese ambassador to Tajikistan, Liu Bin, earlier said that bilateral trade between Tajikistan and China in 2018 amounted to $1.5 billion.

According to the Chinese ambassador, China is currently Tajikistan's biggest investor and its third-largest trading partner.

Earlier, Xi took part in the summit of the 27-member regional grouping called the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

Besides the presidents of Tajikistan and China, the June 15 summit was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and India, who had all gathered a day earlier in neighboring Kyrgyzstan for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

With reporting by Xinhuanet.comActing U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan says Washington is focused on building international support and making contingency plans should the situation deteriorate following attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman that the United States blames on Iran.



"When you look at the situation -- a Norwegian ship, a Japanese ship, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. -- 15 percent of the world's oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz," Shanahan told reporters on June 14, referring to the two most recent attacks on shipping in the region.



"So we obviously need to make contingency plans should the situation deteriorate. We also need to broaden our [international] support for this international situation," he added.



President Donald Trump earlier in the day accused Iran of carrying out the June 13 attacks against the two oil tankers.



"Iran did it," Trump said on the Fox News Channel. He added that Iran's culpability had been "exposed" and suggested "very tough" U.S. sanctions.



That followed comments a day earlier by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said the U.S. government had assessed that Iran is responsible for the attacks.



The U.S. military on June 13 also released video showing what it said was a crew from an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) patrol boat removing what appeared to be an unexploded mine from the side of one of the ships after the attack.

Iran has denied any connection with the attacks and said the video proved nothing.



Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, on June 14 called Washingtons allegations "alarming," saying that "accusing Iran for such a suspicious and unfortunate incident is the simplest and the most convenient way for Pompeo and other U.S. officials."



China, the European Union, and some other nations have urged restraint on all sides.



While some allies, including Germany, have said it remains unclear who is responsible for the attacks, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said no other state or nonstate actor could have been responsible.



"Our own assessment leads us to conclude that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran. These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilizing Iranian behavior and pose a serious danger to the region," Hunt said.



Shiite Muslim Irans archrival, Sunni-led Saudi Arabia, has also accused Iran of being behind the attack.



Meanwhile, the head of the Arab League called on Iran to "be careful and reverse course."



"My call to my Iranian -- and I call them Iranian -- brothers: Be careful and reverse course because you're pushing everybody toward a confrontation that no one would be safe if it happens," Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said, while acknowledging that uncertainty remains regarding responsibility for the tanker attacks.



In looking to build consensus, U.S. acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen on June 13 called upon on the UN Security Council to confront the "clear threat" posed by Tehran in the region.



The attacks "demonstrate the clear threat that Iran poses to international peace and security," Cohen told reporters following the closed-door Security Council meeting.



Shanahan said the Pentagon's role would include sharing intelligence, as it did by publicly releasing the video.



"The more information that we can declassify, the more information we can share, we will. And that's our intent," Shanahan said.



The latest incident comes a month after attacks on four tankers off the coast of the nearby United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) increased tensions between Tehran and Washington and U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf.



The U.A.E. said initial findings of its investigation pointed to the likelihood that a "state actor" was behind the bombings, but did not specifically name Iran.



Trump, along with his tough words, has also held out the possibility of talks with Tehran.



"They've been told in very strong terms we want to get them back to the table," he said.



Trump in May 2018 withdrew the United States from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with six world powers, saying the terms were not tough enough and that Tehran had not lived up to the spirit of the pact by supporting extremist violence in the region  something Iran has denied.



Trump has reimposed sanctions against Tehran that had been eased under the nuclear deal and has especially targeted Irans banking and all-important energy sector.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the Ukrainian port of Mariupol to take part in activities to mark the fifth year of the city being liberated from Russia-backed separatists.

Sitting on the shores of the Sea of Azov, Mariupol lies about 20 kilometers from the front line of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where some 13,000 people have died since April 2014, a month after Russia seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula.

Zelenskiy attended joint military exercises and was on hand for the opening of a demining center.

"We must now thoroughly redistribute the maximum of our attention to the Donbas," Zelenskiy said, referring to the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk under separatist control.

"This is our land, our territory, and we want people from the other side, in the temporarily occupied territories, to see that Ukraine is flourishing here," he said.

After the official part of the visit, Zelenskiy visited the city center, took selfies with people, and even ran through a park fountain with children.

Earlier, thousands of people attended a military parade in Mariupol to mark five years of being free from separatist control.

"The lesson for Donbas is that when Russian forces leave, peace begins," Kurt Volker, U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, tweeted on June 14.

In 2015, rocket strikes hit a residential area of Mariupol, killing 30 people and wounding more than a hundred.

With reporting by UNIAN, AFP, and InterfaxExpress News Service

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the two sensational murder cases of Kannada litterateur M M Kalburgi and editor-activist Gauri Lankesh may soon get a critical piece of evidence-the contraband 7.65 mm pistol used in the murders.

The pistol was reportedly dismantled and thrown in Vasai Creek, an environmentally sensitive zone on the Mumbai-Nashik highway-by Sharad Kalaskar, the alleged shooter of rationalist Prof Narendra Dabholkar in Pune, on the alleged advice of Sanatan Sansthas counsel Sanjeev Punalekar.

An SIT official said that to retrieve the weapon, which could be crucial evidence, machinery from a Netherlands-based private company in Mumbai will be roped in. The machinery will be used for dredging, probing and filtering, he said.

Since the mangroves are protected, it will require permission from various agencies like the Forest and Environment Department and the Public Works Department. We are awaiting approvals from these agencies. We hope to start work before monsoon arrives as the weapon is indigenous and could erode quickly, destroying the evidence, a senior SIT official told The New Indian Express. Once the retrieval starts, it is expected to take anywhere between four and 10 days.

In October 2018, Kalaskar, who is also accused number 16 in the Gauri murder case, had shown the SIT the spot from where he had thrown the pistol along with three other country made pistols after dismantling them.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the Dabholkar assassination case, has sent a request to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF) for permission to search the spot in Vasai Creek, where Kalaskar had reportedly thrown four country-made pistols of 7.65mm after dismantling them.

Kalaskar reportedly told the CBI that when he met Punalekar in his office in Mumbai in June 2018 and told him about his role in the Dabholkar murder, Punalekar told him to destroy the weapons used in the murders of Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh.

Kalaskar threw the four pistols after dismantling them from a bridge in Thane Creek on August 23, 2018, when he was returning to Nalasopara from Pune, the CBI lawyer had told the Pune court.

Kalaskar, a sympathiser of Sanatan Sanstha, was arrested that month by the Maharashatra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in the Nalasopara arms haul case.

He is an accused in the Gauri, Kalburgi and Kolhapur-based Communist leader Govind Pansare murder cases as well.

He had reportedly ferried Kalburgis killer Ganesh Miskin on a motorcycle to the scholars house in Dharwad, where Miskin had shot Kalburgi dead inside his house on August 30, 2015.Called the Terraton Initiative (a teraton is a trillion tons), the company forecasts that the initiative to sign up 3,000 farmers globally with more than 1 million acres in 2019.

David Perry, the companys chief executive, says he has lined up a group of buyers who will purchase carbon credits, from nonprofits to consumer-focused food companies who could claim their products are not merely carbon neutral, but carbon negative. Farmers will be given training and tools to institute what are known as regenerative practices. Indigo scientists will test soil samples for carbon content and farmers will be paid accordingly.

Its completely outcome-based. We dont really care how you get there. Theres no requirement to be big or small, organic or conventional.

At the core is the idea that plants breathe, and through the process of photosynthesis turn carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into sugars that become leaves, stems and roots. When a plant dies, decay brings organic material, a component of which is large carbon-based molecules called humic acids, into the soil and binds them to the soils molecules. Thus the carbon is captured underground. The healthier and more fertile the soil, the more carbon it can store.Semi driver dozes off outside Puerto Morelos

Puerto Morelos, Q.R.  A fully loaded semi ended his route by crashing into a tree in the central ridge of the Cancun-Merida highway outside Puerto Morelos Friday morning.

According to federal authorities, the driver of the unit fell asleep. The accident occurred at kilometer 247 of the highway when the trailer, which was coming from Mexico City, crashed before reaching its destination in Cancun.

Federal Police reported that the trailer belongs to the company Atosa. The driver dozed off but when he woke, saw another vehicle in front of him. In an attempt to avoid that vehicle, the semi driver swerved. His unit left the roadway and ended up in the trees.

Police were not far behind on the highway when they came upon the accident. Green Angels were also on site tending to the driver who reportedly suffered only superficial scrapes.By Dick Robers

Robers is a retired executive and consultant and has served on the boards of several nonprofits. He also is former chairman and member of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.

According to the University of Virginia publication ResearchUVA the total research expenditures for the year 2016 at the University of Virginia was $397,458,000 and at Virginia Tech it was $521,773,000. Of these amounts of funding Federal research expenditures were $210,980,000 at UVA and $195,859,000 at Virginia Tech. These are the research dollars spent on an annual basis at just two of Virginias fifteen 4-year-public colleges. Of course, there are also federal research dollars given private colleges in Virginia.

How could these dollars be related to economic development in rural and Southwest Virginia?

If the State of Virginia would require that 25% of all federal research funding given to Virginia colleges be used on research projects located at college branches located in rural and Southwest Virginia it would help the economies in these areas prosper.

Twenty five percent of just the federal research dollars given to UVa and Tech would result in over $100 million dollars that could be allocated to these rural areas on an annual basis. Twenty five percent of all research dollars would result in over $225,000,000 being allocated to these areas annually based on the 2016 expenditures for research at these universities.

Since these are dollars that are being spent in any case it would not add to the tax burden of the residents of Virginia.

Private research funders could be given incentives if they would be willing to locate their research in branch colleges located in these areas of the State.

Some faculty might object to having to live in these areas at a distance from the main campuses but that would be a requirement of receiving the funding. It would certainly be a job creator for local residence and the students from these areas. These projects might also offer co-op opportunities for the students attending these branch universities thus enabling students to better afford tuition.

Also in some cases branch universities become stand-alone universities such as George Mason University that was at one time a part of the University of Virginia.

Another benefit of taking this approach would be the any spin-off companies created by this research would possibly open facilities in these areas since a trained work force would be available. Look at the start-up companies in Blacksburg related to the research being done at Virginia Tech and at how many former students they have hired.

An example of what could happen is the Smart Road project at Virginia Tech. This project is reported to be doing about $50,000,000 a year in research. This project could have just as easily been built in far Southwest Virginia.

Some examples of possible research projects would be experimental solar and wind farms, Drone-testing fields, and experimental agricultural farms. Certainly many other types of projects will develop as new ideas are explored.

This is just one idea of how the State of Virginia might improve the economic outlook of rural Virginia and therefore the economy of the entire state.To say that Joe Morrissey is colorful is to do an injustice to Crayola. Morrissey is somewhat beyond colorful.

Where shall we begin to describe the candidate who on Tuesday upset a Democratic incumbent to become the party nominee in the state Senate district that runs from Richmond to Petersburg to the rural areas beyond?

Shall we begin with his time as Richmonds commonwealths attorney in 1991, when he slugged a defense attorney? Or, as Morrissey described it: I punched his lights out. He had to be taught some manners. Since then, Morrissey has styled himself, proudly and rather accurately, as Fighting Joe.

Should we mention how in 1999 he got into a fight with a contractor  another actual fist fight  and how a jury awarded the contractor $1 million (a sum later reduced to $390,000)?

How about the fact that Morrissey now has had his law license revoked not just once but twice? Hes now appealing the most recent revocation.

Of course, no recitation of Morrisseys career would be complete without mentioning how he got elected to the House of Delegates and then was forced to resign after being convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. That minor, by the way, was his 17-year-old receptionist and lover  who is now his wife and mother of his children. We should also mention how he ran again for the seat and got elected while still behind bars.

Whats the standard for withstanding a scandal? Donald Trump said he could stand in the middle of 5th Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and get away with it  something he thankfully hasnt tried. Edwin Edwards, the scandal-plagued governor of Louisiana, once bragged: The only way I can lose this election is if Im caught in bed with either a dead girl or a live boy. He wasnt caught with either, but he did win that election and another before finally getting convicted of less interesting offenses. In any case, Fighting Joe is back. On Tuesday, he upset state Sen. Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg, and rather easily, too. He took just under 56% of the vote. Most astonishingly, he took just under 72% of the vote in Petersburg. This is remarkable for two reasons. First, Petersburg is Dances hometown  a city where she was mayor before entering the General Assembly. Shes been winning elections there since 1992. Second, Morrissey is white and Petersburg is 78% African-American. How in the world did Morrissey pull this off? Before we answer that, lets pose another question: Why does any of this matter to us? Its a heavily Democratic district, but does it really matter to us in this part of the state which Democrat sits in that seat?

There are two reasons why we should care.

First, Virginia Republicans will try to make us care. They cling to precarious majorities in both the House of Delegates and state Senate  majorities that are very much in jeopardy in Novembers elections. Now they have another argument to use in their favor: Do you really want a party in charge that includes Joe Morrissey in the majority? Republicans thought they had a trifecta to talk about with Gov. Ralph Northam (blackface), Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (allegations of sexual assault) and Attorney General Mark Herring (more blackface). Now they have a quadfecta! (Yes, there really is such a word. If you spent more time at the off-track betting parlor in Vinton, youd know this). Even if you didnt know Morrissey before this, Republicans will helpfully remind you this fall. No need to thank them; thank the Democratic primary voters who made this possible. Republicans are positively gleeful at the prospect of linking every Democratic candidate for the state Senate to Fighting Joe  or, more likely, Contributing to the Deliquency of a Minor Joe.

Theres another reason,we should care about Morrisseys election  and make no mistake, hell win easily over an independent in the fall, so hes as good as elected. That reason is a bit more high-minded, not a phrase often found in conjunction with Morrissey. That reason is this: Morrissey might, just might, be another advocate for doing something about the sorry physical state of many schools in rural Virginia. And not just rural Virginia.

Morrissey spent an interesting amount of his campaign complaining about dilapidated schools in his district. As he said in a letter to the editor to the Richmond Free Press last year: Lets be honest: We have two school systems in Richmond. One is a private, mostly white student body attending modern, clean facilities providing the educational opportunities. The second is a public system, where a 90 percent minority and mostly poor student body attends the most decrepit, non-maintained, obsolete facilities in Virginia.

Its not unusual for a candidate, especially a Democratic one, to bemoan such conditions. In his inaugural address, even the low-key Gov. Ralph Northam decried crumbling schools. What is unusual is for a politician to actually try to do something about it. For that, we must turn to a Republican  state Sen. Bill Stanley of Franklin County, who spent much of last year talking up a proposed $3 billion statewide bond issue. If it had come to pass, it would have been the most significant state action on school facilities since 1950. But it did not. The Senate Finance Committee dispatched Stanleys proposal in about three minutes  and a vote of 14-2 against. One of those who voted against the proposal was Dance, even though her district covered localities that have 26 schools built before 1950, more than in the district of any other senator on the panel. At the time, we called her vote the most inexplicable of all, especially given how poor much of her district is. Perhaps on Tuesday her constituents agreed.

Now, maybe Morrissey will forget all this once he takes office. If so, he would not be the first politician to do so. Maybe he will turn out to be completely ineffectual. Once again, he would not be the first politician to attain that status. But maybe theres a chance he turns out to be the one thing this issue so far has lacked  a Democratic advocate representing an urban district to match the Republican advocate representing a rural district.

Morrissey certainly isnt the ideal champion, but you know what they say about how beggars cant be choosers. Well take what we can get, and right now all those people whose kids really do attend crumbling schools might have one more champion than they had before.Madhumitha Viswanath By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Ever since the fishing ban came into force two months ago, R Ramesh, a fisherman, manages to make only Rs 200 a day from catching fish in shallow waters. This hardly suffices to run a family of five. Adding to his woes is the expense of water. We have to pay the lorry driver, so each pot of water costs Rs 1. It may appear as a small amount, but for people like me who have a meagre income, its a struggle to shell out Rs 150 a month for water alone. Even ten pots of water isnt sufficient, said Ramesh, a resident of Jeevarathinam Road in Kasimedu.

Politics at play

In most pockets of north Chennai, interference of members from political parties to reap personal gains makes sure that water doesnt reach all end consumers like Ramesh. Express visit to Kasimedu, Royapuram, Tondiarpet and Ennore confirmed this. This is one of the primary reasons that everyone does not get their share of water, though Metro Water has been supplying water through tankers on alternate days to north Chennai.

As a result, residents shell out Rs 1-Rs 2 for a pot of water though Metro Water provides water free of cost. Desperate times call for desperate measures and most locals are ready to go to any lengths to get water. Hence, they succumb to such politics. Members of political parties reroute the water to restaurants and other establishments favouring them. Also, the money we pay for water finally reaches their pockets. They have made an essential resource like water, a commodity, said a member from the fisherman wing of Tamil Manila Katchi on condition of anonymity.

Also, as a majority of residents from the three zones  Tondiarpet, Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar  cannot use groundwater or have pipe water connections, they are forced to rely only on tanker supply. Their dependence is exploited by people with political backing who use water as a medium to gain popularity among people for votes. Though peoples woes are genuine, some elements incite them to protest for their own gains. That is why during a water shortage, a number of protests, sit-ins happen in north Chennai. If we complain to a local member of a party, he will make sure we get water. But, this will last only for a few days. Our troubles are used to get political mileage, said a resident of VOC Nagar in Kasimedu.

But on the whole, at the ground level it was apparent that Metro Water has been regularly providing residents of north Chennai with water on alternate days. This is a luxury when compared to the current situation in the rest of the city said locals. Only for the past month, tankers sometimes come once in two days. Otherwise, they are reliable. The only problem is we dont know if tankers will come in the day or at night. But it is a huge relief that poor families like us still get water even when the affluent get tankers once in three weeks, said Saroja, a resident of Kasipuram B Block.

An unsolved issue

Sewage-laced water filled from handpumps still remains an unsolved issue, ignored by officials. For close to two years, the entire Kasimedu and parts of Tondiarpet have been getting black-coloured water, smelling of faeces, from their handpumps. Even during normal times we struggle to get water. With a drought, that too in summer, every drop is precious. But buckets of water go waste because of mixing of sewage. We have staged a number of protests, complained to all officials, but this problem hasnt been resolved yet, said Manimegalai, another resident.

Locals said that this problem started with the laying of Metro Rail lines from AG-DMS to Washermenpet. Because of this, sewer and water pipes have been damaged leading to mixing of both, they added. We cant use groundwater as it is very salty. Water from the handpumps gives us skin allergies even if we touch it. Hence, we have to manage with five pots of water for two days in a house of four people, said Arulselvi, a resident.

Fishing ban a bane

As a majority of residents are fishermen by profession, the two-month ban on fishing since April has cut off the only source of income for the families. On the other hand, most havent received an assistance of Rs 5,000 from the government yet. Hence, cost of water becomes a bigger price to pay.

Only 20-odd fishermen get this money in a single day as there are very few e-Sevai centres in each zone. In both, Tondiarpet and Royapuram, there are only four or five. Also because of elections, we couldnt claim this money till the code of conduct was lifted. What is the point of getting help after we start fishing?asked Ramesh, who has borrowed a loan of Rs 50,000 to pay his childrens school fees.

Prabhakaran, another fisherman said this amount was too less to manage a family of four for two months, especially during a water crisis. Even after the ban is lifted, it will take a months time for business to pick up. With the little money we have, we cannot afford to buy can water also. The government should increase the aid amount, he added.An off-duty LAPD officer fatally shot a man and wounded two others Friday night at a Costco store in Corona after the officer was assaulted while holding his young child, authorities said.

The attack on the officer, which was called unprovoked, resulted in him firing his weapon, striking the suspected assailant and two of his family members, said Officer Tobias Kouroubacalis, a spokesman for the Corona Police Department. The deceased man was identified as Kenneth French, 32, of Riverside, authorities said.

His two relatives were transported to hospitals, where they were listed in critical condition, Kouroubacalis said.

The officers gun was the only weapon involved in the incident, he said.

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The officer, who has not been identified, suffered minor injuries in the confrontation and was taken to a hospital and then discharged, said Officer Greg Kraft of the Los Angeles Police Department. The officer is assigned to the LAPDs Southwest Division.

The LAPD later issued a statement saying it had initiated an administrative investigation and is working with the Corona Police Department to learn more about the incident.

Corona police responded to a report of gunshots about 7:45 p.m. and entered the Costco in the 400 block of North McKinley Street to find several people injured, authorities said. The two adults with gunshot wounds were taken to hospitals.

Corona police Lt. Jeff Edwards said Friday night that two men were in an argument when one pulled out a weapon and fatally shot the other man. Initially, police said they had detained the shooter inside the store and then taken him to a hospital after he said he was injured.

But police later said that no one was in custody and that there had not been an arrest in the case.

On Saturday evening, police revealed more details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting. Kouroubacalis, the Corona officer, said that the off-duty LAPD officer was shopping at Costco with his family when he was attacked without provocation. He said the officer was holding his child at the time but that the child was not injured during the incident.

Kouroubacalis said the investigation was ongoing and that no other details were available.

The shooting occurred in the crowded retail store filled with families, prompting panic among shoppers, many of whom left personal belongings behind as they fled for the exits. Television footage showed several ambulances and law enforcement officers on the scene.

A few shoppers hid with employees in a refrigerated food locker as the chaos erupted, witnesses said.

Will Lungo, 45, of Corona said he and his wife were near the produce and alcohol sections when he heard gunshots.

I thought maybe someone dropped a bottle of wine, but then I kept hearing shots, Lungo told the Riverside Press-Enterprise. An employee came in and helped us out through the emergency exit.

(Los Angeles Times)

As is standard procedure, the Corona Police Department is working closely with the Riverside County district attorneys office in the investigation of the shooting.

Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting is asked to contact Corona Police Lt. Robert Newman at (951) 817-5788.

Meanwhile, police collected the belongings of shoppers who fled the scene, and those items can be retrieved by contacting Costco at (951) 279-1190.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.

tony.barboza@latimes.com

@tonybarbozaThe U.S. government expressed deep concerns to the U.N. about a reported trip by the U.N. counterterrorism chief to the restive Xinjiang region in Chinas far west.

Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, in a phone call Friday with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, called the visit highly inappropriate in view of the unprecedented repression campaign underway in Xinjiang against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslims.

The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov, the undersecretary-general of the U.N. counterterrorism office, is in China at the countrys invitation, but didnt provide any details.

More specific information will be released in time, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily briefing.

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China has faced international criticism over internment camps in Xinjiang that hold an estimated 1 million members of the Uighur and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups.

Chinese officials describe the camps as vocational training centers and say they are necessary to curb religious extremism.

Sullivan told Guterres that Beijing continues to paint its repressive campaign against Uighurs and other Muslims as legitimate counterterrorism efforts when it is not, and that Voronkovs trip puts the U.N.'s reputation and credibility at risk.

Geng has previously said the U.S. accusations are fabricated lies and that the United States should not interfere in Chinas internal affairs.

Human Rights Watch criticized the United Nations for sending a counterterrorism official instead of a human rights expert, saying it risks deflecting attention from what it called a massive government rights violation against the Turkic Muslim population.

Chen Xu, Chinas new ambassador in Geneva, told reporters Thursday that China had invited U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to visit the camps in Xinjiang to see for herself.

U.N. spokeswoman Marta Hurtado confirmed Bachelet had met Chen and that her office is continuing to negotiate full access for any trip to China.

Geng said China would welcome a visit but added, we will never allow people with political purposes to interfere in Chinas internal affairs and damage Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity with their visit to Xinjiang.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Dozens of riot police stood guard at Perus northern border on Saturday, hours after new entry measures requiring Venezuelan migrants to hold a passport and humanitarian visa took effect.

More than 9,000 Venezuelans entered the country with just their national ID cards on Friday, the highest number ever recorded by Peruvian immigration authorities.

Perus Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio told the radio station RPP on Saturday that the mandatory humanitarian visa for migrants was a beneficial measure that would help Venezuelans obtain permission to work legally for 183 days.

He said that some exceptions would still be allowed for minors who only have birth certificates and are in transit to Peru to meet up with their parents, adults in transit to meet their families, adults in extremely vulnerable positions and the elderly.

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He also acknowledged that securing a passport in Venezuela is difficult, but said that the majority already enter with such a document.

According to Peruvian authorities, more than 820,000 Venezuelans have settled in Peru since 2016 of which 270,000 have sought refugee status.

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra has said the new entry requirements will make immigration safer and more orderly and that the large influx of Venezuelan immigrants was making it harder for Peruvians to find jobs.

But human rights groups in the country have criticized the move, describing it as an attempt to lessen the numbers of needy people who are entering.

Stephania Robles and her five-year-old son were two of the last migrants to come into the Andean country with just their IDs on Saturday.

"(I came) to look for a better life, my husband is in Peru in the city of Trujillo. My sisters are in Lima, the 30-year-old said.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.The family of a former Arkansas state senator who was found dead outside of her home says they are sickened and upset by the thought that one of her friends could have been involved in her killing.

Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of 48-year-old Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, of Pocahontas, in connection with the killing of 57-year-old Linda Collins, whose body was found June 4 outside her home in Pocahontas, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.

It was not clear where ODonnell was being held on Saturday, but jail records in Randolph County, where Pocahontas is located, do not list her as an inmate. In neighboring Lawrence County, a woman who answered the phone but declined to give her name said Saturday that were not going to release any of that information when asked about ODonnell. The woman referred questions to Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Yates and jail administrator Debbie Burleson, who didnt immediately reply to phone messages seeking comment.

State police spokesman Bill Sadler said in an email Saturday that no additional information is expected until Monday or Tuesday.

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Authorities havent said why they suspect ODonnell had a role in Collins killing. At a news conference Friday night, Randolph County Sheriff Kevin Bell said the investigation was at a critical juncture and no further information will be released at this time until we are confident it will not compromise the integrity of the criminal investigation.

Phone calls Saturday to numbers listed as ODonnells rang unanswered or messages werent returned.

Police said criminal charges are pending, but didnt say what the charges may be or whether they were seeking any other possible suspects in the death of Collins, who went by Collins-Smith when she was in the Legislature.

There is a probable cause hearing on Monday in regards to Becky ODonnell, Collins former communications director, Ken Yang, said Saturday. He said the family has had no contact with police since being informed of ODonnells arrest.

Collins family issued a statement through Yang in which they said they are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda, would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime. The family is very confident that the Randolph County Sheriffs Department and the Arkansas State Police will continue to work diligently to bring justice to this case.

Yang said Collins and ODonnell, who goes by Becky, were friends.

Becky had worked to help Linda in her last Senate election, in which Collins was defeated in a re-election bid. I had met her (ODonnell) a couple of times, but only in passing.

Collins funeral was held Saturday morning in Pocahontas and was followed by a private burial service attended only by family, Yang said.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.About 100 protesters gathered outside a police agency in northern Utah to demand an officer who pulled his gun on a 10-year-old child last week be fired.

The crowd carried Black Lives Matter signs Friday evening and others protesting the incident, including one that said Hey Cops! Dont pull guns at our kids.

The officers actions drew criticism after Jerri Hrubes said the white police officer pulled his gun on her son, DJ, who is black, while he was playing on his grandmothers front lawn June 6 in a state where African Americans make up just 1.4% of the population, according to U.S. Census figures.

Black Lives Matter in Utah founder Lex Scott said her group was inspired to organize the protest after learning the officer would stay on the job.

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I do believe it was a hate crime, Scott said. That child was targeted because of his skin color.

Woods Cross Police Chief Chad Soffe said last Monday that officials dont intend to fire the unidentified officer. He said the officer used good judgment and mistook the boy for a potential suspect during a pursuit of armed suspects.

We want to learn from this, we dont want people to be traumatized by our efforts to protect the community, Soffe said.

Hrubes has said her son had no toys or objects in his hands. The officer told DJ to put his hands in the air and get on the ground and told him not to ask questions. After Jerri Hrubes confronted the officer, he got in his car and left, she said.

Soffe said the officer was part of a group chasing suspects after authorities received reports of a shooting and were told the suspects were black, Hispanic or Polynesian, he said.

Scotts group was joined Friday evening by members of other civil rights advocacy groups, including, Utahns Against Police Brutality and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, though the latter group has not demanded that the officer be fired.

Heather White, an attorney working with the police department, said Friday that the Utah Department of Public Safety will investigate the Woods Cross police officer and evaluate whether he acted with racial bias or unnecessary force and whether any crimes were committed.

Protesters called for more police officer accountability and better training for how to deescalate situations and identify bias.

A lawyer working with Hrubes said the mother is pleased that the state will investigate. But Scott and another protester said they are concerned the investigation wont be fair.

Ive seen hundreds of investigations, and guess whos never found guilty? The police, Jacob Jensen of Utahns Against Police Brutality told the crowd.

Scott said police tend to investigate themselves and find themselves innocent. Its a conflict of interest. Its not OK.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Members of the Connecticut Army National Guard are coming home from deployment just in time for Fathers Day.

Officials say about ten members of the Connecticut Army National Guards 192nd Engineer Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company are returning Saturday to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.

The 40-soldier unit based in Stratford was deployed throughout Southwest Asia, primarily in Afghanistan and Kuwait.

Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, the Adjutant General and commanding officer of the Connecticut National Guard, says they are thrilled the members will be able to spend Fathers Day with their own families.

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Other members of the unit returned from deployment earlier this week and more are expected to return home through July.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.OMJASVIN M D By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: From poor infrastructure to increasing working hours of canteen staff, problems are aplenty at Amma Unavagams. While lack of adequate funding has been a major issue for one of the most popular projects launched by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, regular customers are slowly shying away from the outlets due to lack of variety in the menu. Express takes a look at the state of Amma Canteens across Tamil Nadu...

The fishermen of Tsunami Quarters in Ennore were regular customers at the Amma Unavagam in Chennai Corporations Ward 3 of Zone 1 since it was set up two years ago. But, of late, they prefer to eat at other food stalls. I only come here when I have absolutely no money. Otherwise, I go to the nearby stalls as they provide chutney and kuruma which the Amma Unavagam doesnt, said R Devarajan, a fisherman.

It is complaints such as this that have affected the patronage of Amma Unavagams across the State, although the canteens remain vital to certain segments. With idlis available for Rs 1, chapatis for Rs 1.50 and rice varieties for Rs 3, the canteens are beloved by students, labourers, the poor and homeless  groups late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had in mind when she created the scheme in 2013.

While 200 canteens were set up initially, now there are 407 across the State now. The popularity of the Amma Unavagams was such that the project was replicated in Karnataka as Indira Canteens. While the project was seen as a welfare initiative and never intended to make profits, its sales have been declining. According to the 2019-20 Tamil Nadu Budget, the income from Amma Canteens for 2017-18 was Rs 30.46 crore. In 2018-19 it decreased to Rs 27.05 crore. The income estimate for 2019-20 is

Rs 29.40 crore.

The entrance of an Amma Canteen in Madurai |

DEBADATTA MALLICK, express

Take the six-year-old canteen in Burma Nagar in Chennais Zone 1. A member of the Self Help Group (SHG) there said six years ago, daily sales ranged from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. Today, we make Rs 900 at breakfast, about Rs 550 for lunch and Rs 600 in the evening to make a total of Rs 2,000 In four years, a number of idlis sold per day has fallen from 1,500 to 650 she said.

Decline across the State

This decline in patronage can be seen in other cities as well. Every day we sell 1,200 idlis and 250 plates of sambar and curd rice. Earlier we sold around 300 plates of the rice varieties. There has been a marginal dip in sales, says a worker in the Jan Bazaar Amma Canteen in Tiruchy.

The SHG members who run the canteens said a failure to upgrade their menu and poor maintenance had led to a fall in patronage. However, official responses indicate that changes in menu have been put off and cuts in food stock made to reduce losses. Ironically this has left the project hamstrung. Cuts in food stock purchases seem to have been made across the board, affecting even canteens which enjoy good patronage such as the Amma Unavagam functioning out of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital premises. This particular canteen is the most popular of the 12 in Coimbatore district with 1,250 idlis getting sold out in hours.

Patients or visitors who come a bit late are forced to leave hungry and some chide us for not preparing more food to meet the demand, said a worker who did not wish to be named. The staff at the canteen said they were allowed to take only 50kg of rice per day for cooking breakfast and lunch.

Infrastructural woes

Infrastructural woes are also a concern. Staff said customers stopped coming as fans dont run and tables arent replaced. The 2019-20 budget allocated for maintenance costs is Rs 12.7 crore, Rs 2 crore more than in the previous years revised estimate. Express visited several canteens in Chennai and found many infrastructure issues.

It has been three months since the exhaust fans stopped working. We are not able to stand in the kitchen to make chapatis, said an SHG member at a Zone 1 canteen, adding that the 12 members had pooled their own money to repair the fan, in the hope that they would be reimbursed later.

In Zone 5, an Amma Canteen in Choolai had no tables. In the same canteen, the roof was broken and taps werent working. Funds are insufficient. The salary for 12 staff is about Rs 1.1 lakh while our canteen hardly makes Rs 50,000 a month, said an SHG member in Ennore.

These issues affected customers perception of the canteens. In Madurai, Latha, a housewife at Ramarayar Mandapam where there is a canteen said, The canteens must be maintained properly. Unfortunately, the appearance of the canteen is such that it makes people hesitant to enter into it.

Old menus

Express spoke to SHG members working at the canteens in Madurai, Coimbatore, Chennai and Tiruchy. All were united in the view that a change in menu would improve sales. Many of our regulars say they want a change. How long can anyone eat the same food? The government needs to update the menu, said a worker at an Amma Unavagam near the railway junction in Tiruchy.

Customers agreed. P Krishna Kumar, an auto driver in Flower Market in Coimbatore said, I am a regular customer of this canteen. Though the food is priced at nominal rates, as a customer I would like to have a variety of food. Senior officials in Coimbatore, however, said, Any change of food menu must come from the top.

In my opinion, the present menu is enough. Adding more items to the menu will cause wastage, said Raj Kannu, who is in charge of the Amma Canteen at the Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital.

This appears to be a key concern of officials  how to fund the scheme while keeping costs low. It has been difficult to manage funding. We are using common funds to run the canteen, said a senior official in Ponmalai Municipal Corporation.According to an estimate from one zonal office in Tiruchy, which runs two canteens, the average cost was around Rs 3 lakh a month, while revenue was around Rs 1 lakh.

Stagnant wages, longer shifts

SHG members have been forced to face the brunt of the revenue problem, many said. When thecanteens were opened the daily wage was set at Rs 300 in Chennai. Six years later, there has been no hike, they said. As the jobs are not permanent, the SHG members complained they had no job security. The Chennai corporation has also been trimming the staff. For every zone, we have just been cutting two workers. We have no plans to cut stafff at the moment, said an official.

Shift timings too have changed. One year ago, they cut the number of shifts from three to two. We start at 5 am now and go till 1 pm. This has made it difficult for us to get our children ready for school, said the SHG member in Burma Nagar. In Coimbatore, the shifts are from 4am to 10am and 9am to 4pm, forcing the women to travel to work in the wee hours. Their wages are only Rs 250 per day.

We are not happy with this low paid job but still we continue doing it as a service to the people, lamented an SHG member in Coimbatore.

Still loved by regulars

Despite all the problems plaguing the Amma Canteens, they still have their regular customers. For K Rajivi, an ITI student in Madurai, the Amma Canteen is where he can be assured of a hearty breakfast at low prices.

For the last two years I have regularly been having my breakfast here. The quality has never dipped. All I spend is Rs 4 for breakfast. Is there any other place in the city, where I can have food for the same cost? asked Maghendran, a college student in Tiruchy.

Affection for Jaya

Although the canteens are bleeding, the way it has empowered women has left the workers with a special affection for Jayalalithaa. If she was there, she would have surely upgraded the menu and would have taken care of us, said an SHG member in Ennore.

(With inputs from: Deepak Sathish in Coimbatore, Baranidharan C in Erode, Vinodh Arulappan in Madurai and Jayakumar Madala in Tiruchy)A woman has been accused of disturbing a sea turtle nest in Florida.

Miami Beach police officers on Saturday arrested 41-year-old Yaqun Lu. She is facing a felony charge of molesting marine turtles or eggs.

An arrest report says officers witnessed Lu using a wooden stick to jab at a nest as she was stomping around the nesting area.

The nest was in an area closed off from the public by sticks and yellow tape.

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Officers say the eggs werent damaged.

Lu is a Chinese citizen who listed a Hudsonville, Michigan, address. The report says the Chinese consulate in Houston was notified about the arrest. Online records showed no attorney listed for her.

Sea turtles are protected by federal law, and Florida laws make it illegal to harm them or their offspring.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday observed that Kochi is one of the most congested cities in the state which requires proper and sufficient attention from the public authorities for improvement and development of infrastructure.



Justice Shaji P Chaly made the observation while directing the state government to complete the project to widen the Pulleppady-Thammanam road in a year with the aid and assistance of all the stakeholders, including the Kochi Corporation and the GCDA. The court directed the state government to convene a meeting of all stakeholders within two months to raise funds and finalise the schedule to complete the project.

The court issued the order on a petition filed by Dr Priyarenjini S, consultant neurologist, Kadavanthra, seeking a directive to complete the road widening. Though sufficient fund was collected from the public, the government failed to implement the project. It was included in the District Flagship Infrastructures Projects having an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.

The court observed that the state government and all other stakeholders interested in the development of Kochi city ought to have taken emergent steps to complete the project included by the state government in the District Flagship Infrastructures Projects in 2015. In fact, the government had started to collect `1 as additional tax on the sale of petrol and diesel to raise fund for the projects. Having collected the money, the state government should have made every effort to implement the project at a faster pace. The court criticised the government for its decision to drop the project. The court said that having raised the funds for the project, the government is not at liberty to back out from the project. It is still in force. The state government is duty bound to discharge the duties and obligations undertaken by it, treating it as a promise given by the government to the public.

The court pointed out that many people had surrendered their valuable properties and the work was carried out partly. Therefore, the governments attempt to resile from the activity is nothing but a clog on the fair public administration, thereby rendering the inaction to execute the promise as illegal. It was nothing short of criminal breach of promise.

The court said it is one of the roads through which traffic congestion can be avoided in the city. Many residents had cooperated with the implementation of the project by surrendering valuable lands in the prime location of Kochi city, free of cost. The district administration informed the court that altogether 94 persons had surrendered their land free of cost, and the extent so surrendered was 1.1934 hectares. The administration had obtained `10 crore from the government in November 2016.I do this for the privilege to help the less fortunate, Smith said. This is my first year participating. I have worked for Honda for 20 years.

On Thursday, Manna House served breakfast to 59 individuals and 83 lunches, said Daphine Tedder, executive director of Manna House.

It varies every day, she said.

In 2018, Manna House served 43,714 meals and helped 619 families through its food pantry.

Tedder said the Manna House has been feeding the communitys needy for 32 years. It is a nonprofit that feeds the homeless, elderly and temporarily unemployed. It provides two meals a day, five days a week. Breakfast is served from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch is served from 11 a.m. until the foof runs out.

Meals are prepared by staff cooks and volunteers. The Manna House food pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 10:45 a.m.

Tedder has been at the Manna House for 20 years. She said she once worked for Honda.

Tedder said the organization is always in need of funds and volunteers. She said Manna House relies mostly on donations from individuals, civic groups, churches and businesses.HEMINGWAY, S.C.  The Hemingway Town Council decided Thursday to hold the swearing-in of the new mayor and council members at a special council meeting on Tuesday.

There was a 48-hour period when the results of last Tuesdays special election could be protested. But a representative of the Williamsburg County Voter Registration Office told the Morning News Friday that no one had protested.

The swearing-in will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the new town hall building.

John Michael Collins was elected mayor and Solomon Lewis and Bennett Cox were elected to the council.

At a meeting on Thursday, the council approved a resolution to authorize the acceptance of certain loan assistance money from the South Carolina Water Quality Revolving Fund Authority. The resolution also authorizes the mayor to execute the loan assistance agreement between the town and the South Carolina Water Quality Revolving Fund Authority. Ken Laster, Hemingway public works director, said the resolution is for a new well and to correct the consent order for TMI (a chemical).She is ready to compete again for the state title.

I loved it, she said of her first try for the title. It was a lot of work, but definitely a rewarding experience.

She said there are no least favorite parts of the competition. Every part has some learning aspect to it, she said. Im not excited for the lack of sleep Im going to get, but I always surprise myself.

Villa is a recent high school graduate from Summerville High School. She plans to attend Trident Technical College and major in business administration and political science. She is the daughter of Ryane and Adam Osborne. She has a younger sister and brother.

Moore, from Myrtle Beach, is going to the state pageant in Columbia to bring awareness to her platform, which is Hope for the Arts. Hope for the Arts is a nonprofit organization that she funded about a year ago to reach out to young artists to let them know that their dreams are encouraged despite their circumstances.

I spend the year funding for the Hope for the Arts scholarship, she said.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Alleging the negligence of hospital management for the death of a 53-year-old man, kin staged a protest outside a private hospital here on Friday.

According to Krishna Lanka SI Ramesh, the deceased was identified as Yesu Ratnam, a daily wage worker at Kondapalli.

He said that Yesu Ratnam had undergone tests for having a blockage in his heart valve at a medical camp organised by the private hospital last month. He was asked to get admitted in the hospital and undergo a surgery, which he obliged on May 29. After conducting all the tests, Ratnam underwent the surgery which the doctors declared it a success and was later discharged from the hospital. On Wednesday night, Ratnam died of a massive cardiac arrest.

Medical negligence

Ratnam underwent the surgery which the doctors declared it a success and was later discharged from the hospital. On Wednesday night, Ratnam died of a massive cardiac arrest.A Sharadhaa By

Express News Service

Defining love is not as simple as consulting a dictionary. For any human being, love continues to be a mystery, as it is a feeling that can never be expressed in certainty. Even the dictionary has several synonyms, ranging from intimacy or affection, to weakness or pure sexual attraction. Chandrus title card rolls with scenes of some of the best romantic Kannada films, only to tell the audience as to what to look forward to.

In Upendras latest movie, I Love You, Santhosh Narayan (played by Upendra) is a business tycoon married to Sonu (Sonu Gowda). The couple has a daughter. In one of the strange twists that fate loves to throw our way, he meets his first love Dharmika (Rachita Ram), who asks him to book a hotel room and keep it private. Santhoshs friends goad him to make it a memorable night and settle dues of his past. The two meet up and through their conversation, the audience is taken into a flashback of their hey days.

The narration runs back and forth and in the flashback, Dharmika, as a college student, is doing a PhD on love and for her thesis, she feels Santhosh is the right person to study. A popular senior in college, Santhosh was commonly known as LD and Dharmika calls him Santhu. To help with her thesis, Dharmika believes she has to study love while Santhosh puts across a more practical explanation of the current status of love by highlighting physical attraction, which according to him, is a must. Dharmika, on the other hand, argues that love is divine. While Santhosh believes in the more contemporary version, we see him fall in love with Dharmika unknowingly. But things dont work out and they part ways.

Whether Santhu will get back to his first love and will Dharmika accept him is the story of the few hours that they spend talking. I Love You, as a film, acts as a reality check on life and love in todays practical world. Having said that, love always triumphs in the end.

The story is not new and had been told way back by Dr Rajkumar, Manjula and Kalpana in Eradu Kanasu (Two Dreams), which released in 1974. The film, directed by duo Dorai and S Bhagwan, was based on a novel where the hero, despite being in love with a girl, is forced to marry somebody else. How he still broods over his first love and finds it difficult to get along with his wedded wife makes the story. The film was remade in Telugu too.

However, for the Upendra starrer, director R Chandru gives the story a modern makeover, explaining the current approach to love. The director falls back on familiar territory and has come up with a very basic story that has predictable consequences. A love story, that filmmakers across the world have been peddling since time immemorial, interestingly, has a cast that makes this film work.

The director could not have found a better actor than Upendra to talk on love. The actor pulls off both roles, a college student and a business tycoon, with elan and class. A gentle reminder that he is an expert on acting as well as love, a popular theme for the actors directorial ventures. Upendras signature style gives a classic touch to this romantic drama, while making it youthful as well. Of course, his dialogues and dance moves keeps the audience connected to the storyline.

Refreshingly, I Love You is a film that gives equal importance to the heroine and Rachita Ram equally shines through with a meaty role. As Dharmika, she, and Upendra, bring the script to life and the two share good on-screen chemistry. Even though Sonu Gowda shares less screen space, she manages to make her presence felt. Her character gives us a slice of life as something that can never fade away.

Music for I Love You is scored by Kiran Thotambyle, Indra K M, and Aria Dakshinand, where every song blends into the story. However, in case of the much talked-about track Maatanaadi Maayavade, the backdrop to the seductive song is to the point and situational. Sugnaans cinematography style is noticeable in parts, especially the greenbelt. The DOP comes up with a pleasing picturisation, even with the highlighting of certain brands in the backdrop.

The film ends with the husband walking in to meet his wife, armed with a bunch of red roses and a solitaire ring. He places this on his wifes hand and says I Love You. This scene has the audience, including many Upendra fans, erupt into cheer.

Director R Chandru

Cast Upendra, Rachita Ram and Sonu GowdaBy PTI

LUCKNOW: Alleging that "jungle-raj" was prevailing in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav met Governor Ram Naik on Saturday over state's law and order and asked him to "wake up" the Yogi Adityanath government as he used to do during the SP regime.

"The Governor used to intervene on law and order earlier (during SP regime). It was said that there were only Yadav officers... Now there is hardly any Yadav SP or DM. We have requested him (Governor) to wake up the government and give direction to control the prevailing 'jungle-raj'," the SP chief told reporters after meeting the Governor.

He, along with senior party leader Ahmad Hasan, gave a memorandum to the Governor and sought his intervention to check deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

On spurt of crime against women across the state, Yadav said, "Criminals, who should have been in jail are roaming freely and committing crime. Whatever is going on in BJP regime against daughters and women has never happened in the state".

"The incidents against women are going on regularly and increasing every day. This is shameful and the government is sitting idle," he said.

On the recent law and order review meeting of Chief Minister Adityanath with senior officers, Yadav said, "While the meeting was being held, criminals had

a field day in the state. There is no fear of police among the criminals".

"The bar council chairperson is being murdered in her chamber. There is murder in jail... How is this happening? The state government is responsible," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Bar Council president Darvesh Singh was allegedly shot dead on Agra court premises on Wednesday by a lawyer who then tried to kill himself.

Yadav said he also pointed out "deliberate" action of administration against senior party leader Azam Khan in Rampur.

"I have informed the Governor about the administrative action on false and fabricated cases to suppress him (Khan) and party leadership," he added.Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge John Laettner engaged in misconduct on numerous occasions over the past decade, making inappropriate comments to women and increasing a defendants bail without a hearing, a three-judge panel said in a report released Friday.

The panel was appointed by the Commission on Judicial Performance, an independent state agency that formally filed nine charges against Laettner in September, accusing him of willful misconduct and other ethics violations. Among the accusations were that he told a public defender her parents didnt spank her enough as a child and that he abused his authority by offering defendants a 25 percent off sentence if they pleaded guilty.

Three California judges  Justice M. Kathleen Butz of the Third District Court of Appeal and Superior Court Judges Douglas Hatchimonji of Orange County and Russell Hom of Sacramento County  were appointed to the panel. They considered the testimony of 60 witnesses and hundreds of pages of evidence.

The panel at least partially upheld six of the nine counts, and found that Laettner committed willful misconduct  the highest violation  on three involving release from jail or and attempting to influence attorneys not to file challenges against him. Laettner was found to have committed prejudicial misconduct, a lesser violation, for many of the statements toward or about womens appearances.

The three judges did not find clear and convincing evidence of wrongdoing for three of the counts, including allegations of offering defendants an abridged sentence if they pleaded out.

Judge Laettner failed to remain continually conscious, as all judges must be, of his position and crossed the boundary between permissible and impermissible conduct, the panel wrote.

Their findings will be forwarded to the Commission on Judicial Performance, which will decide what, if any, punishment will be meted out. Discipline could range from private or public admonishment, an order of counseling or training, or removal from the bench.

Rebecca Brackman, deputy public defender with the Contra Costa Public Defenders Association, said the findings are an overwhelming rebuke of Judge Laettners actions.

This sends a clear signal that judges need to uphold our community values of fairness, equity, and basic dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, and background, she continued in a statement.

Laettners attorneys did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Laettner has admitted to some inappropriate remarks and denied others.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Laettner in 2006 after he served more than 20 years as a prosecutor in Tulare County and with the U.S. attorneys office in Oakland.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In closing arguments before the panel in April, Laettners attorney, James Murphy, acknowledged that his client did some things that are wrong, but said none rose to the level of willful misconduct.

Laettners attorneys said the charges against the judge were the result of a smear campaign, orchestrated by public defenders who disagreed with his bail decisions.

It is clear that we got here because the public defenders office from Contra Costa County was out to get Judge Laettner, Murphy said at the April 26 hearing. Their testimony, he said, should be viewed with a certain degree of suspicion.

Brackman said public defenders were pleased that the panel paid no heed to the claim of a smear campaign.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidyFor once, President Trump finds himself guilty of telling the truth.

I think you might want to listen. There isnt anything wrong with listening, if somebody called from a country, Norway, (and said), We have information on your opponent  oh, I think Id want to hear it, Trump told ABC News George Stephanopoulos last week.

No politician will admit it publicly, but Id bet they would all say yes to a chance to look at any dirt dug up on their opponent from any source, foreign or domestic. I know I would have been tempted.

At the very least, theyre going to have someone from outside the campaign, a hired gun, look at it so there are no fingerprints leading back to them.

Then, once they see what they have, theyre going to decide whether to call in the FBI  after leaking the dirt to the media, of course, assuming its true.

The curiosity of what the dirt may be is just too great a temptation.

Lets be honest: If someone came to you with a hot inside stock tip, you might not act on it. But you would listen.

You would not say, Hold on, Ive got to call the Securities and Exchange Commission.

And that is what Trump was saying.

Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub released a statement Thursday saying, Let me make something 100% clear. ... It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept, or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election.

The presidents statement probably couldnt be construed as an admission of illegality in the Trump campaigns turning of a blind eye to Russias 2016 efforts to pump up his candidacy and knock down Hillary Clintons. There are technical questions about what constitutes a thing of value in a campaign.

But unfortunately for Trump, the public doesnt make such fine distinctions. Total exoneration on collusion? Not exactly.

Google this: The National Association of Minority Contractors was in the Bay Area for its annual convention last week. The contractors had hoped to hold the event in San Francisco, but with rooms in the city going for $600 or more a night, they had the good sense to book a hotel in Redwood City instead.

As an added plus, Google hosted a reception for the contractors at its Redwood City campus.

Hosting the minority builders was a good public relations move by the tech giant, and one that took me on my first tour of the Google world.

Its a big place  for sheer sprawl, the Redwood City campus rivals Google headquarters in Mountain View. The workforce looked more diverse than I expected, and the place has more security than the Pentagon.

And they have more food and more varieties of flavored water than a Whole Foods store. All for free.

Pass the pineapple water.

Rossmoor muscle: Believe it or not, the biggest dues-paying Democratic club in the state is at the retirement community of Rossmoor in Walnut Creek. Its phone banking and Twitter operations have helped party candidates in races all across the country.

And the members never have to leave their gated community.

On my annual visit the other day, I was asked, What is the most practical combination for Democratic national ticket?

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, I answered. In that order.

Who would be the next most practical?

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Biden and Sanders. Biden brings in the old vote. Bernie brings the young ones.

Who would be the most exotic?

Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg.

It would easily make for the best reality show casting.

Clean fun: The other morning the tourism folks hosted a sweep the streets campaign.

They must have had 300 people with brooms start out at the Ferry Building plaza and sweep all the way up Market Street to the Tenderloin.

It was a great gesture but ultimately a short-lived one, because the people who mess up the streets outnumbered those who tried to clean them up by about 4-1.

Supreme situation: Former top Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarrett made a great presentation at the womens conference hosted by Mayor London Breed at the Moscone Center on Friday.

The highlight came when Jarrett was asked whether she was interested in being on the Supreme Court.

Thats flattering. But no, I havent practiced law since 1991, Jarrett said.

At which point someone shouted, Neither did (Brett) Kavanaugh!

Want to sound off? Email: wbrown@sfchronicle.comGoogle Street View

Santa Clara software company MapR Technologies, which had previously set plans to lay off 122 employees and close its headquarters, said in a letter filed with the state of California Thursday that it had signed a letter of intent with a potential buyer and is postponing its planned shutdown.

The buyer is currently engaged in due diligence of the companys business, Cindy Arthur, MapR vice president of human resources, wrote in the letter to the California Employment Development Department. Due diligence is the process of examining a business financials and evaluating employees that is customary in acquisitions.A new documentary about stem cell therapy is being questioned by some of those who appear in it  prominent cellular scientists who say they werent aware of who was backing the project when they agreed to participate.

The 10-part series is set to launch online Monday. The filmmakers said they may delay the premiere because some people interviewed for the project no longer want to be involved, after learning that the movie was funded in part by for-profit stem cell providers who are under federal investigation. Some scientists said they fear the documentary may promote what they consider junk science.

A five-minute trailer for The Healthcare Revolution is online at the website www.healthcarerev.org, where a surprisingly deep lineup of expert sources in stem cells is listed along with the institutions they represent.

Among the scientists named is Dr. Maria Millan, head of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the states stem cell funding agency. Also named are three consumer stem cell providers who have been sued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop their operations; one of them lost her case this month.

A statement at the top of the documentary website says that more than 80 doctors and scientists in the series discuss how the stem cell technology that is said to be 10, 20 years down the road is actually here  NOW! Below it appear logos for several major academic institutions, including Stanford School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

In fact, many of the scientists listed on the website have said repeatedly that stem cell therapies are still years away from being ready for patients. They have said that the hundreds of providers treating patients at for-profit clinics are selling snake oil products that are worthless and potentially unsafe. No stem cell therapy currently sold at for-profit clinics has been approved by the FDA.

I am a stalwart and outspoken critic of unapproved stem cell therapies. I dont belong in their company, said Jeanne Loring, a professor emeritus at Scripps Research in La Jolla (San Diego County). She asked the filmmakers to remove her from the documentary after visiting the website, and they agreed to cut her out, she said.

Im fine with how I was portrayed in it, said Loring, who was sent an advance copy of the episode she was in. But Id never endorse this sort of thing, and its implicit endorsement just being part of it.

The documentary was conceived in July, said Sara Sheehan, who made the series with her husband Bobby Sheehan. The pair, based in New York City, have produced and directed several documentaries and commercial projects together.

Sara Sheehan said the series was financed by a private group of investors but declined to name individuals. Dr. Mark Berman of Beverly Hills, founder of one of the countrys largest for-profit stem cell clinic networks, said he and his partner, Dr. Elliot Lander, helped with some financing. Their company, Cell Surgical Network, sent an email to patients last week promoting the documentary.

We have a wonderful docuseries coming out. Its a whole production, not just about us, Berman said in an interview. Its going to enlighten people.

Berman and Lander are currently in a legal dispute with the FDA, which has requested an injunction that would force them to stop selling stem cell therapies; their case is still under consideration. A clinic in Florida, U.S. Stem Cell, lost a similar case this month. Though the chief science officer of U.S. Stem Cell is listed on the documentary website as an expert source, its not clear if the company helped finance the project.

Sara Sheehan said she began sending out advisory emails Friday to people interviewed for the documentary, letting them know that it would be released Monday. She said she was surprised to hear back from some who were alarmed by the website and who else was involved with the project.

People arent sure they want to be on the same web page as the for-profit providers, Sheehan said. Im hearing a lot of that.

She added that she would remove anyone from the film who wanted out. She said her crew was clear when they approached people for interviews that it was for a consumer-oriented film that tried to give a full picture of the regenerative medicine landscape.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

This is a very complex and very layered field, she said. There are some really committed scientists who are working within the confines theyre used to, and there are some people who are doing work with their hearts in the right place. And lets face it, there are bad actors. We tried to give it a very balanced overview.

Kevin McCormack, a spokesman for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state stem cell agency in Oakland, said CIRM agreed to participate in the documentary because it would give it an opportunity to promote the rigorous science it supports and warn against fly-by-night consumer clinics.

He said he didnt know who was financing the documentary at the time CIRM signed on.

We knew they were going to be talking to all these other players  some of them reputable scientists and some of them running clinics we wouldnt necessarily go near, McCormack said. We just felt that as one of the bigger players in this field, our voice should be part of it.

Dr. Evan Snyder, another scientist listed on the documentary website, said that learning who had paid for the project and reading some of the language used to describe it gives me a bad taste in my mouth. The promotional material is overly enthusiastic and does not reflect his opinions nor most of his colleagues, he said.

Its a little embarrassing, actually, said Snyder, director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla (San Diego County). On the other hand, thoughtful, conservative scientists need to go on the record about this stuff.

A previous version of this story misstated where Sara and Bobby Sheehan are based. The story has been altered to reflect this change.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ErinAlldayBeing a governor isnt what it used to be, at least not in presidential politics.

Three Western executives are learning that the hard way in a crowded Democratic scramble dominated by former Vice President Joe Biden and a gaggle of nationally known senators.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a late entry into the field of two dozen, failed to qualify for Democrats first debates later this month. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper will be among the 20 candidates spread across two debate nights in Miami, but both men linger at 1 percent in most national and early state polls, looking up at a leaderboard showing Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts trying to catch Biden.

When you think of a governor, you think of a competent manager, and voters dont want a competent manager, said Bill Richardson, a former Democratic governor of New Mexico who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008. They want excitement and inspiration and electability.

Indeed, Bidens pitch leans on the notion that hes the best shot to defeat President Trump. Sanders, a democratic socialist, represents a sweeping ideological shift, as does the unabashedly liberal Warren. She and Harris also would be historic, with either being the first woman to win the presidency.

Bidens next closest competitors are a pair of young politicians arguing for generational change: former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke, 47, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 37, of South Bend, Ind. Neither has held statewide office, but each outpaces Bullock, Hickenlooper and Inslee in fundraising and polling.

That groups jockeying so far has swallowed the governors efforts: Inslees emphasis on climate change and his liberal record in Washington; Bullocks case as a Democrat who can win over more conservative areas; and Hickenloopers successful terms in a battleground state.

From Jimmy Carters inauguration in 1977 until George W. Bush left office in 2009, four out of five presidents were former governors: Carter in Georgia, Ronald Reagan in California, Bill Clinton in Arkansas and Bush in Texas. The lone exception was Bushs father, George H.W. Bush, who ascended from the vice presidents office under Reagan.

But the last two winners have rewritten the rules of presidential resumes. Former President Barack Obama was the junior senator from Illinois when he was elected in 2008. Trump hadnt held public office at all.

Nicholas Riccardi and Bill Barrow are Associated Press writers.By ANI

KOLKATA: As defiant striking doctors skipped a meeting with her for the second day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday extended an olive branch to them by promising not to invoke the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and appealed to them to resume work immediately.

"For the sake of humanity, I do not want to invoke the ESMA Act in the state. I want the junior doctors to resume work as we have accepted all their demands. Thousands of people are awaiting medical treatment," she a press conference as the strike by doctors continued for the fifth day.

Banerjee said that the state government will bear all medical expenses for the treatment of the two junior doctors, who were assaulted in a Kolkata hospital that triggered the strike.

ALSO READ | Mamata Banerjee accuses 'some parties' of spreading disinformation

"The state government is fully committed to taking the necessary steps. We have taken the decision to bear all the expenses of medical treatment of the junior doctor who is admitted at a private hospital," the TMC supremo said.

Banerjee asserted that she had cancelled all official engagements just to meet the agitating doctors but they did not meet her.

"I had sent my ministers, Principal Secretary to meet the doctors. We waited for five hours to meet doctors delegations yesterday and today, but they did not come. You have to give respect to the Constitutional body," she added.

Terming the June 10 incident as "unfortunate", the TMC supremo said that her government did not arrest a single doctor and promised that no stringent action will be taken.

"We never arrested a single person. We will not take any police action. Health services cannot continue like this. I am not going to take any stringent action. Let good sense prevail. We want a peaceful resolution to the issue," Banerjee said.

"The state government is committed to resuming normal medical services at the soonest. The incident on 10th June was unfortunate. We had continuously tried to reach a solution," she added.

ALSO READ | Governor advises CM Mamata Banerjee to take to medicos into confidence

The ongoing strike by the medical practitioners entered its fifth day in West Bengal. Both the junior and senior doctors are on strike from the past five days after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured over an issue of alleged negligence at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Monday.

On Friday, doctors of several hospitals across the country such as AIIMS of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana went on a strike in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for them.

The Centre has sought a report from the state government on measures taken to resolve the ongoing strike by doctors.

"This Ministry is in receipt of a number of representations from doctors, health care professionals and medical associations from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal. It is requested that a detailed report be sent urgently on the representations and the ongoing strike by the doctors," a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had written a letter to Banerjee urging her to "personally intervene" to resolve the woes of agitating doctors in the state.

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) urged the doctors to call off their strike, saying that children are dying for lack of timely critical medical services.Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRI NAGAR: Signalling a softening of the partys stand on the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution, senior state BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said the saffron party was ready for a debate on Articles 370 and 35A within and outside the state.

Talking to this newspaper, Gupta said there can be a debate on Articles 370 and 35A, which grant special status to J&K and special privileges to the residents of the state.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Kashmir in December 2013, had said there should be a debate on the continuity of Article 370.

He had said if people benefit by Article 370, then it should be continued. But, if people feel it is to their disadvantage, then it should be removed, the former deputy CM said.

If it leads to an increase in incidents of terrorism and unemployment, then there is no benefit of the law. There will be a debate and people will be taken into confidence before taking any decision on Article 370, the BJP leader said.

Before the parliamentary elections, PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other party leaders had said that if BJP comes back to power, the special status granted to J&K would be withdrawn for full integration of the state with Union of India.

Articles 370 and 35A had emerged as a focal point for elections in Kashmir, with the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying they were entering the fray to defend the special status of the state.By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Saturday sought separate reports from the West Bengal government on the ongoing doctors' strike and on political violence in the state, which has claimed 160 lives in the past four years, officials said.

In an advisory, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told the West Bengal government that the continued trend of political violence from 2016 through 2019 is an indicative of the "failure" on the part of the law-enforcement machinery of the state in maintaining the rule of law and inspire a sense of security among the people."The government of India is seriously concerned over the prevalent situation in West Bengal," it said.

ALSO READ| Bengal doctors stir: 'Dont make it prestige issue,' Harsh Vardhan urges Mamata

The "unabated violence over the years is evidently a matter of deep concern", the Centre said, pointing out the growing number of incidents of election-related and political violence and casualties during 2016-2019.

The MHA said that according to reports it received, the number of incidents of political violence in West Bengal increased from 509 in 2016 to 1,035 in 2018.As many as 773 incidents have already occurred in 2019 till date.

Correspondingly, the death toll rose from 36 in 2016 to 96 in 2018 while 26 deaths have already taken place in 2019 till date, according to the MHA. "It is requested that a report may be sent to this Ministry on the steps taken by the state government and its law enforcement machinery to investigate the incidents of violence to bring the culprits to book as also the measures taken to contain and curb violence," the MHA's advisory to the Trinamool Congress government said.

ALSO READ | Striking doctors seek apology from Mamata, set six conditions to withdraw stir

In another advisory to the West Bengal government, the MHA sought a report urgently on the ongoing strike by the doctors. In this advisory, the MHA said it has received a number of representations from doctors, healthcare professionals and medical associations from different parts of the country for their safety and security in view of the ongoing strike by doctors in West Bengal. "It is requested that a detailed report be sent urgently on the representations and ongoing strike by the doctors," it said.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked by the relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Over 300 medicos across various state-run medical college and hospitals in West Bengal have resigned from their services. Doctors from the nation have expressed solidarity with their agitating colleagues.This spring, Bay Area housing prices flattened out for two months in a row. After years of heady, month-over-month price appreciations and rental spikes, this rare break created an opportunity for price-exhausted communities to take a closer look at the trends of our local housing crisis.

Sadly, those trends are as grim as they ever were.

On Thursday, Curbed SF released the results of its compilation of five years worth of reported median rents in San Francisco from five rental platforms. It found that San Franciscos median rent on all of them reached its highest-ever height at some point in 2019.

On Zumper, a platform that also tracks national rents, the most recent median rent in San Francisco  $3,700 a month for a one-bedroom apartment in June  is the highest its ever recorded for any city in the country.

The results varied for each site, and no single source represents a full picture of San Franciscos market rental prices.

Still, the overall trend was both clear and stark: Rent has never been higher in San Francisco, and its going to take a lot more than a couple of months of flat prices for the Bay Area to dig out of this historic housing crisis.

Its going to take courage, vision and a keen understanding of how the region reconfigures its balance between housing and jobs.

On the latter, there are deep concerns brewing in San Jose after a new economic analysis this week showed that Googles proposed expansion in downtown San Jose could cost that citys renters an additional $235 million in higher rents every year without a significant increase in both affordable and market-rate housing production.

The analysis, conducted by Beacon Economics on behalf of a San Jose nonprofit, Working Partnerships USA, found that Google and San Jose would need to subsidize 5,284 affordable housing units and help produce 12,450 market-rate units to prevent these dramatic rent hikes.

What adds to the depressing nature of this report is the fact that San Jose voters recently rejected a $450 million affordable-housing bond.

City officials have said that San Jose provided housing for the rest of the region while other cities, particularly on the Peninsula, attracted corporate campuses without building their fair share of homes. This claim has merit.

Unfortunately, we now need every city in the region to focus on home-building, and there are still too few that are willing to do so.

For this weeks example, we need look no further than Berkeley.

UC Berkeley has been trying to build two new buildings for classrooms and housing on its campus. In exchange for this perfectly sensible and badly needed project, it was sued by a neighborhood group on Wednesday.

The groups contentions read like a Greatest Hits NIMBY compilation: neighborhood character, supposed California Environmental Quality Act violations, the terror of increased trash and noise.

But the unoriginality of their gripes shouldnt detract from the very real problems this behavior has brought to the Bay Area  this crisis affects us all, and no local governments are fighting hard enough to make a difference for their increasingly stressed residents.

Small wonder the last two months of flat prices havent felt like a reprieve.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.SACRAMENTO  California is on the verge of spending $1.5 million to study what it would take to significantly reduce emissions from vehicles  including phasing out new gasoline-powered cars  after a San Francisco legislator used a budget maneuver to bring the idea back from the dead.

For two years, Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting has unsuccessfully pushed bills that would clear the way for the state to end the sale of new cars that emit greenhouse gases by 2040. The bills have never even received committee hearings, due to opposition from moderate Democrats.

But Ting found another route in the states new budget, which lawmakers passed Thursday, thanks to a little-debated $1.5 million appropriation. It helped that Ting was vice chairman of the conference committee that negotiated a budget deal among the Assembly, Senate and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The money, a nugget tucked into the overall $215 billion budget, would fund a study to identify strategies to significantly reduce emissions from vehicles and to achieve carbon neutrality in the sector.

If Newsom doesnt blue-pencil the idea out of the spending plan, state Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Jared Blumenfeld will work with state agencies to conduct the study. The budget doesnt give a deadline for them to issue a report.

Its similar to the plan Ting proposed with AB40, his most recently sidelined bill to require the state to come up with a strategy for phasing out gas-powered cars.

Its actually embarrassing that California still hasnt taken action, Ting said, noting that countries including China, France and Britain have plans to promote the use of electric cars and other vehicles that dont emit greenhouse gases. If you want clean air, you need clean cars.

The study would look at how the state can reduce emissions from passenger cars and consider other steps to try to combat climate change, such as changing land-use planning and increasing transit ridership.

While the study is similar to the one outlined in Tings AB40, it doesnt include the specific 2040 timeline for phasing out gas-powered cars.

Transportation accounts for about 39% of greenhouse gas emissions in California, and the vast majority of that comes from passenger cars, according to the California Air Resources Board.

Ting says the state will never reduce emissions unless the car market swiftly shifts to electric-powered vehicles. He suggests the state can spur that transition by requiring accelerated building code changes and directing public money toward installation of electric-vehicle chargers and construction of zero-emission fueling stations.

He is not proposing that the state outlaw existing gas-powered cars or prevent people who move to California from bringing them across the border.

Last year, Ting introduced his Clean Cars 2040 Act, a sweeping bill to require every new passenger car sold in California to be a zero-emission vehicle within a little more than two decades. After that bill died, he came back with a more modest proposal this session. AB40 would have required the state to develop a strategy to get to the 2040 goal, without putting the ban into law.

Assemblyman Jim Frazier, D-Discovery Bay, who chairs the Transportation Committee, and other moderate Democrats had angered environmentalists by preventing AB40 from coming before the panel, which effectively blocked its advancement.

Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California, which supported the bill, cheered Thursdays vote to fund a study in the budget, saying the state must move faster to combat air pollution and climate change.

It was absolutely ridiculous that (AB40) couldnt get a fair hearing, she said. Were up against a deadline, if you believe what the science says. We need to act quickly.

Ting said that although hes happy the state is likely to study a move toward cleaner cars, bolder action is needed: I dont think having a report is the victory.

Frazier has said AB40 was held because the Sierra Club California refused to compromise on a few words of the bills language, which he didnt specify. He has suggested a national plan on electric cars is needed.

It doesnt make sense to push Californians into vehicles that cant be driven across state lines because the infrastructure isnt there, Frazier wrote in an editorial for the online news site CALmatters.

Frazier declined to comment after the budget vote.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardinerWASHINGTON  Kamala Harris has unveiled an ambitious set of policies as part of her presidential campaign that have a common theme: going it alone.

The California senator is proposing action on long-held Democratic values  legalizing undocumented immigrants, combatting gun violence and ensuring women are paid the same as men for equal work.

But unlike many of her competitors, Harris would tackle those priorities with a novel set of executive actions that would require nothing from Congress.

The approach reflects a growing disillusionment with Washingtons ability to legislate, a realism about Democrats electoral prospects, and an appetite for action among voters.

But leaning on executive action also carries risks that have deterred past Democrats from embracing it so thoroughly. Such actions can be tied up for years in litigation and lay a road map for a future president to undo the work.

Former President Barack Obama initially downplayed his ability to change laws in encouraging Congress to act, telling a Univision interviewer in fall 2010, Im president, not king. But Republicans took the House that year and began blocking most of his policies  leading Obama to unveil a We Cant Wait executive action agenda headed into his re-election campaign.

President Trump has also sought to achieve much of his agenda through executive action, but often has been thwarted by the courts.

Harris, for her part, says she is looking for big changes she can make immediately.

Her latest proposal centers on undocumented immigrants. She announced that as president, she would reinstate and expand Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, an executive action that granted work permits and protection from deportation to young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. Trump has tried to end DACA, but has been blocked by federal courts.

Harris said she would also extend protections to undocumented parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents and other law-abiding immigrants with strong community ties.

Obamas program offered no way for protected undocumented immigrants to pursue becoming a citizen. Democrats have advocated legislation to do so, including the 2-decade-old Dream Act that gave the name Dreamers to those affected by the policy. The bill has never made it to a presidents desk.

Harris proposal would accomplish some of that goal without Congress help, pushing regulations to remove barriers to applying for citizenship for DACA recipients. Her campaign estimates the plan would give 2 million immigrants a path to citizenship and protect up to 6 million from deportation. DACA protected fewer than 1 million in its five years in full force.

Its not the first time Harris, a former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, has embraced executive authority in her campaign. She has targeted presidential power for her policies on gun control and equal pay, other areas where Congress has a long record of stalemate.

The majority of my career Ive spent in the executive branch, so exercising executive power is something that I do and Im used to, Harris told The Chronicle. But on issues like this one, theres also the reality that a day in the life of these Dreamers, especially the DACA recipients, is a very long time. And until theres any movement in terms of legislation, action needs to be taken.

On guns, Harris proposed regulations to expand the types of arms sellers who would be required to conduct background checks of purchasers, closing the gun-show loophole that advocates have failed to persuade Republicans in Congress to eliminate. She also said her Justice Department would take gun manufacturers and dealers that break the law to court. She pledged the actions if Congress fails to pass gun control legislation in her first 100 days.

Harris also turned to what Obama referred to as the presidential pen strategy as part of her proposal to equalize disparities in salaries between men and women. Although part of the policy would require legislation, her campaign said she wouldnt wait for Congress to act and would make federal contracts contingent on companies paying employees equally for equal work.

Harris has staked these proposals on the presidents powers in a way that contrasts with other candidates.

Many of her 2020 competitors, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, tout ideas that would reshape America to benefit workers over corporations and would require Congress to pass legislation. Former Vice President Joe Biden faced a raft of criticism from the left for saying his vision of bipartisanship was not dead, and that Republicans would work with his administration.

Democratic veterans say Harris approach reflects a realization that even if her party takes Congress next year, any Senate majority will be narrow and that bipartisan action in Washington is increasingly rare.

And with a field that is competing to put out policy plans, Harris approach could be a way to convince voters that she can actually turn her ideas into action, they say.

One reason why having a policy agenda that is heavy on executive action is important is it answers a very important question, which is: How are you going to get this done? said Dan Pfeiffer, a former Obama communications director. This is a question that has bedeviled a lot of candidates.

Tom Jawetz, vice president of immigration policy at the progressive Center for American Progress Action Fund and a former House counsel, said Harris time as a legislator may have taught her that executive action is the way to go.

Harris is a seasoned legislator who understands the lay of the land in Congress today, Jawetz said. I think shes right to be sure that the agenda for the American people is not held hostage by inaction in the Senate.

But the approach has downsides. Much of Obamas legacy, lacking the force of congressional action, has been undone by Trump. Both Obama and Trump were stymied by litigation, including on DACA.

Pfeiffer and another veteran of the Obama administration, former Labor and Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu, agreed that legislation is generally preferable to executive action. But they also think candidates should be skeptical of what Congress can accomplish.

It is a smart political strategy. It shows decisiveness, it allows you to act quickly, Lu said. The truth is, and Trump has learned this, the appearance of action is almost as important as action itself. I think if you were to ask Trumps base about some of the steps he has taken, many of them would say he has already done these things, notwithstanding the fact that many of them are stuck in litigation.

Harris, for her part, said she was not deterred by the fact that executive actions can be undone.

There is actually a strong amount of bipartisan support in this building to move it forward through legislation, Harris said. But we need to do something immediately, and thats the point of the executive action.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopanIt has been almost two decades since Google started to dominate internet search the way Microsoft dominated software for personal computers a generation earlier.

Now computer scientists at Stanford are warning about the consequences of a race to control what they believe will be the next key consumer technology market  virtual assistants like Amazons Alexa and Google Assistant.

The group at Stanford, led by Monica Lam, a computer systems designer, last month received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant is for an internet service they hope will serve as a Switzerland of sorts for systems that use human language to control computers, smartphones and internet devices in homes and offices.

The researchers biggest concern is that virtual assistants, as they are designed today, could have a far greater impact on consumer information than todays websites and apps. Putting that information in the hands of one big company or a tiny clique, they say, could erase what is left of online privacy.

A monopoly assistant platform has access to data in all our different accounts. They will have more knowledge than Amazon, Facebook and Google combined, Lam said in an interview.

Virtual assistants have access to a broader and more personal range of data than, say, a search engine. A virtual assistant can be like a personal secretary, with access to many of the most intimate details of your life.

Lam is collaborating with a group of Stanford faculty members and students to build a virtual assistant that would allow individuals and corporations to avoid surrendering personal information as well as retain a degree of independence from giant technology companies.

The system from Lams group is called Almond. In a recent paper, they argued for an approach in which virtual assistant software is decentralized and connected by programming standards that will make it possible for consumers to choose where their information is stored and how it is shared.

A first version of the service was released last year, and the Stanford researchers are now trying to build an alliance with larger technology and consumer companies.

The market for virtual assistants, which do tasks as varied as selecting music or turning on and off thermostats and lights, is booming. This year Google said that, including Android phones, it is nearing installing its Assistant service on 1 billion devices. Amazon said it had sold more than 100 million Echo and related devices.

Virtual assistants have not attracted significant scrutiny from government regulators because the market is still small. But a handful of companies  Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft  are already dominating it.

The Stanford researchers are hoping to gain support by making their software freely available to users of smartphones, computers and consumer appliances.

They are encouraging makers of consumer products to connect their devices to the Almond virtual assistant through a Wikipedia-style service they call Thingpedia. It is a shared database in which any manufacturer or internet service could specify how its product or service would interact with the Almond virtual assistant.

They also hope Almond can leapfrog existing virtual assistant systems in its ability to understand complex language. Virtual assistants are doing a better job of understanding what humans say, but they have made much less progress in understanding what those words mean. Context and nuance are difficult for a machine to understand.

While simple phrases like What is the temperature? or Play a Beatles song are now routinely handled by computer assistants, routine human interactions that require understanding of context or rely on something that was previously spoken are much more challenging.

The services now do best in specific domains, like all the questions you might get about controlling your Spotify account.

It has taken years of work to get to this point. Three decades ago, Apple commissioned a group led by computer scientist Alan Kay to create a video showing how in the future humans might interact with computers using spoken language. The video, known as Knowledge Navigator, featured an absent-minded professor who talked with a computing system to perform everyday tasks and academic research.

The demonstration inspired a number of developers, including artificial-intelligence researchers Adam Cheyer and Tom Gruber, who began research on virtual assistants while they were still at SRI International in Menlo Park.

In 2010, Apple acquired the startup and then released its technology for the iPhone the following year.

Since then, Siri has faced stiff competition. Last year, Amazon said it had 10,000 employees working on its Alexa service, many focusing on improving the ability to understand complex commands.

The researchers argue that Alexas approach, even with thousands of employees, will never be able to adequately deal with the complexity and variability of human language because it is incredibly labor-intensive and may not extend to more complex conversations.

Amazon researchers, on the other hand, have said that having access to vast amounts of data will give them a meaningful advantage.

The Stanford researchers have developed a system named Genie that simplifies the task of training a so-called neural network. They are improving the accuracy of their service by creating test data, some of it generated by humans and the rest by sentences created by special test programs.

While machine accuracy in understanding spoken words is now routinely above 90%, accuracy in understanding complex natural language is substantially lower. A recent paper by the Stanford researchers, which described a significant advance in language understanding, still reached only 62% accuracy on realistic user inputs, actual statements produced by human test subjects in written form.

Gruber, who recently left Apple after heading advanced development there, remains skeptical of any near-term technical breakthrough that will make it possible for virtual assistants to have humanlike understanding.

When you get a question and you dont know what domain its in, then you have this very complicated problem of massive ambiguity, he said.

Lam said the threat to privacy cannot be overstated. For example, she noted that Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas last year installed Amazon Echo devices in rooms.

Once they said that what happens in Las Vegas stays there, she said. Now thats no longer necessarily true. Now it might end up in Seattle.

John Markoff is a New York Times writer.New state-based accounts that let disabled people work and save money without risking the loss of government aid are slowly catching on. But advocates say millions more people with disabilities could be taking advantage of the accounts.

California, 40 other states and the District of Columbia now offer the accounts, which first became available in 2016. The tax-free accounts, known as Able accounts, are named after the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, the 2014 law that created them.

The accounts are modeled somewhat after 529 college savings accounts and let people with disabilities save for future needs and current expenses, including education, housing and transportation, without having the money disqualify them for need-based federal benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income. Advocates have heralded the accounts as a boon that could lift many people with disabilities out of poverty.

But just a tiny fraction of people eligible for the accounts are using them so far.

More than 40,000 Able accounts were open by the end of March, with combined balances of about $225 million, said Michael Morris, executive director of the National Disability Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group. But the institute estimates that as many as 8 million people are eligible under current rules, which limit the accounts to people who became disabled before age 26. (The number who are eligible will swell to about 14 million if Congress approves a proposal to expand access.)

The growth in accounts is well below whats needed to keep fees affordable for participants and keep the Able program viable, according to an analysis in May from the National Association of State Treasurers.

The analysis estimated that about 450,000 funded accounts were needed by mid-2021 for most programs to approach self-sustainability. It recommended critically important changes to make the program more robust, including expanding the pool of eligible participants.

In a separate statement a year ago, the group declared: Able programs are not in jeopardy.

Part of the challenge in fostering more growth is that Able accounts have nuanced rules, and states have limited budgets to promote the accounts, said JJ Hanley, director of the Illinois Able program. When people do hear about the accounts, she said, they are often skeptical that opening one truly wont jeopardize their benefits.

The disability community has to be convinced its real, Hanley said.

Advocates also said some government agencies were slow to embrace Able. It wasnt until April, more than four years after the law was passed, that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development published a formal notice stating that money in Able accounts doesnt affect eligibility for housing assistance.

The National Council on Disability, an agency that advises the rest of the federal government on disability policy, sent letters late last year to several agencies, including HUD and the Social Security Administration, urging them to redouble their efforts. The letter noted that while there may be many reasons for slow adoption of Able accounts, anecdotally we know that some families have been given incorrect or confusing information about whether or not participation in Able could threaten their receipt of other critical federal benefits.

The council directed agencies to make sure that their employees are accurately explaining Able to people who could benefit from the accounts.

A HUD spokesman, Brian Sullivan, said in an email Thursday that he couldnt comment on why it had taken several years to deliver the Able guidance. He did not immediately provide examples of efforts the agency is undertaking to improve communications about the accounts.

A Social Security Administration spokesman said he was unable to offer an immediate comment. According to the councils letter, representatives of the SSA had offered several ideas at a meeting last fall for educating its customers about the accounts, including posting information on its website and promoting Able in its state offices.

Many people with disabilities struggle financially and rely on federal aid, and the new accounts aim to give them more flexibility. A disabled person generally cant have more than $2,000 in savings or other assets to qualify for Medicaid health coverage or Supplemental Security Income, which helps low-income disabled people. Many disabled people anxiously track their account balances, Hanley said, to make sure the balance doesnt exceed the cap and set off a suspension of benefits.

Money saved in an Able account, however, doesnt count toward that total. So a disabled person can save for future needs or use the money for current disability-related costs, like health care, housing, transportation, education and training, without losing government help.

The peace of mind to not have to worry about the $2,000 cap is wonderful, Hanley said.

Morris described the accounts as an extraordinary opportunity. He cited as an example a disabled person who uses a battery-operated wheelchair. Some government benefits cover the cost of the chair, he said, but not repairs. An Able account allows people to set aside funds to fix a chair when needed or to save for a backup chair.

Denise Gehringer, an ambassador for the disability institute, said her 23-year-old son, Jacob, who has Down syndrome, was the first person to open an Able account under Nebraskas program. The account has allowed the family to set aside money for his care and helped him buy a specially adapted bicycle, which he hopes eventually to use as transportation to work.

Its a great tool, Gehringer said of the account.

While Able programs offer investments like mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, most also offer traditional interest-bearing savings accounts and checking accounts with debit cards that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. That gives people who are uncomfortable with putting their money at risk in the market a choice of more conservative options, said Rob Percival, a senior vice president with Ascensus, which administers Able accounts in 20 states and D.C.

One drawback of Able accounts is that after the account owners death, the state may seek reimbursement from the accounts to cover the cost of Medicaid payments.

In case it matters, most people dont have to open an account through the state where they live. Most states open their Able programs to nonresidents. Some states offer contributors a state income tax break, however, so using your home states program may make sense. (There is no federal income tax deduction for contributions to Able accounts.)

Meanwhile, the Able Age Adjustment Act, introduced in March, would raise the age threshold for the onset of a persons disability to 46 from 26.

Raising the cutoff age would allow people who became disabled at older ages, including accident victims, wounded veterans and others, to open the accounts.

Ann Carrns is a New York Times writer.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In a bid to improve rural tourism in the country, the Ministry of Rural Development will send three to five officials to attend a training programme organised by the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and The Pacific (CIDRAP) at Kuala Lumpur in September.

The training programme is aimed at increasing rural tourism through homestay development. Among the Asian countries, Malaysia boasts of the best homestay experience for tourists.

Through homestay development, the development of related and allied enterprises such as tour packages, snack production and handicraft-related businesses improve, CIDRAP said in a letter to the rural development ministry.

The training modules will consist of interactive sessions, theme presentations and officials of different countries will share their experiences.PROVIDENCE, R.I.  A helicopter pilot who heads a military command in Guam says shes humbled by her selection to be the first female leader of the U.S. Naval War College and looks forward to serving.

Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield was named as the 57th president Friday, with Navy Secretary Richard Spencer calling her a historic choice.

Chatfield said in a statement Saturday that it has been an honor working with the service members and civilians at Joint Region Marianas, and a privilege working with Guams governor and community. She said she is looking forward to her new role with war college students in Rhode Island.

Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harley was removed as the colleges president Monday after the Associated Press reported he was under investigation and more than a year after the initial complaint was filed.

Spencer was at the post-graduate institution in Newport on Friday for graduation. About 550 students crossed the stage, and about 1,000 students graduated from the distance learning program. Spencer challenged them to be innovative and act with urgency.

Shortly afterward, he released the announcement about the schools new leadership.

Chatfield served as commander of a provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan in 2008 and as an assistant professor of political science at the United States Air Force Academy from 2001 to 2004. She assumed command in Guam, of Joint Region Marianas, in January 2017.

She is the embodiment of the type of warrior-scholar we need now to lead this storied institution as it educates our next generation of leaders, Spencer said in the statement.

The AP reported Harley was under investigation for allegedly spending excessively, abusing his hiring authority and otherwise behaving inappropriately, including keeping a margarita machine in his office.

Richardson said that though the investigation into Harley isnt yet complete, he felt he had enough information to warrant removing Harley this week.

A small group of college employees filed an anonymous complaint about Harley in April 2018 with the Navys office of the inspector general.

Harley downplayed the complaints in a campuswide email, saying that they were from a few individuals and that all his decisions were within his authority.

Jennifer McDermott is an Associated Press writer.EL PASO, Texas  The Trump administration is facing growing complaints from migrants about severe overcrowding, meager food and other hardships at border holding centers, with some people at an encampment in El Paso being forced to sleep on the bare ground during dust storms.

The Border Network for Human Rights issued a report Friday based on dozens of testimonials of immigrants over the past month and a half, providing a snapshot of cramped conditions and prolonged stays in detention amid a record surge of migrant families coming into the U.S. from Central America.

The report comes a day after an advocate described finding a teenage mother cradling a premature baby inside a Border Patrol processing center in Texas. The advocate said the baby should have been in a hospital, not a facility where adults are kept in large fenced-in sections that critics describe as cages.

The state of human rights in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands is grave and is only getting worse, the immigrant rights group said in its report. People are dying because of what is happening.

Five immigrant children have died since late last year after being detained by the Border Patrol, including a flu-stricken teenager who was found dead in a facility migrants refer to as the icebox because of the temperatures inside.

Customs and Border Protection responded to the complaints by saying: Allegations are not facts. If there is an issue it is best to contact CBP directly. In many cases the matter can be resolved immediately.

The agency also cited its response to a critical inspector generals report last month, in which it said the government is devoted to treating migrants in its custody with the utmost dignity and respect.

The Trump administration has blamed the worsening crisis on inaction by Congress.

Many of the complaints center on El Paso, where the inspector general found severe overcrowding inside a processing center.

With indoor facilities overcrowded, the Border Patrol has kept some immigrants outside and in tents near a bridge in El Paso with nothing but a Mylar foil blanket. Others have been kept in an empty parking lot. A professor who visited two weeks ago said it resembled a human dog pound.

Cedar Attanasio is an Associated Press writer.WASHINGTON  A federal appeals court in Washington ruled against a Trump administration policy it described as a blanket ban preventing immigrant teens in government custody from getting abortions, and it kept in place an order blocking the policy.

The policy, which dates to 2017, prohibited shelters from facilitating abortions for children held in government shelters after entering the country illegally. The policy has not been in force since March 2018, when a judge blocked it, writing that the government couldnt implement a policy that strips minors of the right to make their own reproductive choices. On Friday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld that judges ruling.

We are unanimous in rejecting the governments position that its denial of abortion access can be squared with Supreme Court precedent, the opinion says. The Supreme Court first announced the right to an abortion in its 1973 Roe vs. Wade case, and subsequent rulings have upheld it.

The opinion for the panel of judges  Sri Srinivasan, Robert Wilkins and Laurence Silberman  was unsigned. Beyond that agreement, however, Silberman wrote a dissent to explain why he wouldnt have allowed the case to go forward as a class action. And he argued in support of giving officials a limited window to transfer a minor out of government custody to the care of a sponsor, where the child could then obtain an abortion without the governments assistance. Srinivasan and Wilkins were appointed by President Barack Obama and Silberman by President Ronald Reagan.

The Trump administration could now ask the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to hear the case. It could also appeal to the Supreme Court. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh likely wouldnt take part in the case. Thats because he ruled on the case at an earlier stage as a judge on the D.C. Circuit, where he made the argument Silberman repeated about transferring a minor to a sponsors care. That would leave eight justices, four liberals and four conservatives, to rule on the case.

The case against the administrations policy was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented several pregnant minors who were seeking abortions. In those instances, teens who sought abortions were ultimately able to obtain them. And since the judges order in 2018 blocking the policy, other minors in government custody who have sought abortions have been able to get them.

The Trump administrations cruel policy of blocking young immigrant women in federal custody from accessing abortion was a blatant abuse of power, said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, in a statement after the ruling.

Jessica Gresko is an Associated Press writer.CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  Workers at Volkswagens plant in Chattanooga voted against forming a factory-wide union, handing a setback to the United Auto Workers efforts to gain a foothold among foreign auto facilities in the South.

The vote of hourly workers began Wednesday and concluded Friday night. Preliminary results show 833 employees voted against representation and 776 voted for it, the German automaker said in a statement. VW said about 93% of the roughly 1,700 eligible employees voted.

Our employees have spoken, Frank Fischer, president and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said in the statement.

He said results are pending certification by the National Labor Relations Board and legal review. Fischer said the company looks forward to continuing our close cooperation with elected officials and business leaders in Tennessee.

Volkswagen has union representation at all of its other major plants worldwide.

A win in Chattanooga would have offered the United Auto Workers its first fully organized, foreign-owned auto assembly plant in the traditionally anti-union South. UAW officials have questioned why Chattanooga should differ from Volkswagens other union-represented plants worldwide, or the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., with 3,000 UAW-represented workers.

UAW organizing director Tracy Romero said she was proud of the pro-union voters at the plant.

The company ran a brutal campaign of fear and misinformation, Romero said in a statement, adding that the automaker tried to make workers afraid of losing the plant and suffer other repercussions.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn and other top Republicans urged a no vote, saying a union could cause economic harm. Blackburn said attempts to unionize would harm workers, adding, We dont need union bosses in Detroit telling Tennessee whats best for our workers.

The UAW wont stop trying to organize assembly plants in the South owned by international automakers, said Kristin Dziczek, vice president of labor, industry and economics at the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank.

Its never the end, she said before the vote. Win or lose, its hard to organize.

A big Volkswagen project is now looming for Chattanooga: An $800 million expansion for electric vehicle production beginning in 2022.A 34-year-old registered sex offender in Nebraska is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl after he paid for the girl's Lyft nearly 200-mile ride to his house, according to authorities.



Nicholas Avery met the Kansas girl through social media and lured her to his home, paying for her ride across state lines, investigators said.

Authorities said the driver picked the girl up in Shawnee County, Kansas and drove her to Avery's home in Bellevue, Nebraska.

Once she arrived, she was sexually assaulted multiple times, according to authorities.

"It is shocking for a young child, a 13-year-old to get into a stranger's vehicle in the middle of the night and transported for hours to another state," said Lt. Andy Jashinske, with Bellevue police.

The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office officials said they are investigating whether or not the driver should face charges.

These allegations are deeply disturbing and our hearts go out to the victim and her family," said Lauren Alexander, a Lyft spokesperson, in a statement. "Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and as soon as we learned about what happened, we disabled the passenger account used to request the ride.

"Unaccompanied minors are not permitted on the platform and we have reached out to the driver to reiterate this policy. We have also been in touch with law enforcement and stand ready to assist with their investigation," Alexander added.

Avery is charged with first degree sexual assault of a child and is being held in Sarpy County jail without bond.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Four Congress chief ministers and Karnataka's HD Kumaraswamy met former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday to discuss issues of their respective states, especially those related to farmers and tribals, to be taken up at the NITI Aayog meeting.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Puducherry' V Narayansamy held a meeting with Singh at the Congress headquarters here.

ALSO READ| Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy meets PM Modi to seek funds in tackling drought

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also joined the meeting later. Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is heading a coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka. They discussed the proposed agenda and issues of their respective states to be taken up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the NITI Aayog meeting, sources said.

Among the issues discussed were injecting life back in water bodies, fresh efforts needed from the Centre in the agricultural sector and amendment in the Forest Act to bring about change and prosperity in the lives of the tribals. Baghel, Kumaraswamy and Narayansamy also separately called on the prime minister on Saturday.

On Friday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Nath had hosted a dinner at his residence where Gehlot, Baghel and Narayansamy were present. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh could not make it for the dinner and is likely to skip the NITI Aayog meeting.

The chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states are expected to raise key farmers issues and also share the benefits of the loan waiver scheme implemented by them at the NITI Aayog meeting, sources said. The fifth meeting of the NITI Aayog's Governing Council will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain water harvesting and preparedness for kharif crops.

ALSO READ| Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel urges PM Modi to resolve pending issues related to tribals and poor

The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security related issues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said.

This is the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government, which is being attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, Union ministers and senior government officials.By PTI

PATNA: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will visit Muzaffarpur on Sunday to take stock and review the situation following the death of 67 children this month.

The 67 children died due to hypoglycemia in two hospitals here -- the state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and the Kejriwal Hospital which is run by a trust, officials said.

"While the Centre is extending all support to Bihar for the containment and management of the recent surge of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, I shall be going to Muzaffarpur tomorrow to take stock and review the situation at the site with the state government," Vardhan, said as per the release issued by PIB.

READ | Suspected outbreak of encephalitis claims lives many children in Patna this year

During his visit, the Union Health minister will interact with the multi-disciplinary teams deployed there and address the state level review meeting, it said.

Vardhan said that the Union Health ministry is constantly monitoring the situation and supporting the state's health authorities in managing the AES/JE cases.

"The continued round-the-clock presence of the Central and state teams in the affected areas and preventive actions taken by them have instilled confidence among the public.

We will soon be able to contain the rise in AES/JE cases," Vardhan added.

The Union Minister, who met Bihar's Health minister Mangal Pandey twice recently, discussed the reported rise in cases of AES from Muzaffarpur and JE from Gaya in Bihar, and public health measures for their containment.

"I shall discuss the management measures being recommended by the high level expert team of the Centre, and support that can be extended through National Health Mission (NHM) for health systems strengthening, and other Ministries of the Central government including the Ministry of Women and Child Development as part of the immediate and long term measures", he stated.

A Central government team of experts had visited Muzaffarpur on Wednesday last.By IANS

SRINAGAR: Four youth, arrested from the Uri sector of the Line of Control (LOC) while trying to cross over into Pakistan-administered Kashmir, were handed back to their families on Saturday after counselling, an official said.

They were held by the security forces on Friday as they were heading to obtain arms training as newly-recruited militants.

Addressing a joint army-police press conference in Baramulla town, Brig. Girish Kalia said that security forces had got information about the youth "who were going to join the path of violence after being misguided by local militants and their accomplices".

"Moving swiftly, the army and the police apprehended them along the LoC in Uri sector. After proper counselling, these youth were handed over to their respective families," he said.

Baramulla's Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Qayoom was also present at the media conference.The registers at Target suffered a "systems issue" on Saturday, creating chaos at stores across the country.

Social media users began sharing pictures and videos of incredibly long check-out lines, with some reporting it took 20 minutes for cashiers to check out a single customer.

"It's not the super bowl, but the nationwide target outage does have that certain big event vibe," one Twitter user tweeted with a video of incredibly long lines behind the registers.

Adriane Ahnstedt, who was shopping at a Target in Richmond, said "it was taking 15 to 20 minutes per guest to check out."

"I think the staff did a really nice job and I appreciated the fact that they were mindful of my time and told me I could put my stuff on hold and come back later," she said. "The line was worse than I have ever seen it at Christmas."

Other customers reported that Target employees gave people standing in line free food from Starbucks.

Target confirmed in a tweet at 11:23 that the registers were experiencing a "systems issue."

"We are aware of a systems issue in store and are working as quickly as possible to get this fixed," the chain tweeted. "Thank you for your patience!"

The issue was resolved later in the day and things returned to normal.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting

Start receiving breaking news emails on floods, wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.By PTI

GURDASPUR(PUNJAB): Gurdaspur MP and Bollywood actor Sunny Deol on Saturday reviewed the progress of work on the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak here. He posted his pictures of reviewing the work at Kartarpur corridor on his Twitter handle.

The 59-year-old BJP MP visited the Kartarpur corridor site for the first time after winning the Lok Sabha polls. He was accompanied by officials of the district administration, BSF personnel and others at Dera Baba Nanak here, but stayed there for just half-an-hour, officials said.

In May, Deol had offered prayers at the Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak before starting his poll campaign. The construction of Kartarpur corridor on the Indian side is expected to be complete by September 30. The Kartarpur Corridor links Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Narowal with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur.

Today, met teams at Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor to review progress of corridor work. pic.twitter.com/bvJHOcPR8L  Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) June 15, 2019

The corridor will provide a visa-free access to Sikhs from India to their holiest Shrine located inside Pakistan. It will be open to pilgrims in November to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Meanwhile, Punjab Cooperation Minister and Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa asked Deol to arrange adequate funds for infrastructure projects and special programmes in towns and cities associated with Guru Nanak Dev.

Taking potshots at the BJP MP, Randhawa said, "He (Deol) has no political vision. He could have invited local MLAs here to know what they want from the Centre.

Deol had defeated Congress' candidate Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes in the Lok Sabha polls. Earlier this month, the newly elected MP faced wrath of the people in Gurdaspur after he posted a video of his vacation in Kaza on Instagram.OAKLAND (BCN)



A judge on Thursday denied a prosecutor's request to take an Oakland man accused of impersonating a police officer three times in the past month into custody, instead allowing him to go free on $5,000 bail, according to court records.



Sergio Taylor, 20, who has a previous conviction for impersonating an officer, was charged on June 5 with two misdemeanor counts of impersonating a police officer for incidents in San Leandro on June 1 and Berkeley on May 12.



But when Taylor was arraigned on June 5 Alameda County Superior Court Judge Armando Cuellar released him on $30,000 bail when he was arraigned later on June 5 in Dublin.



Last Sunday, four days after he was released, Taylor allegedly impersonated an officer again in Oakland.



Officer Gregory Palomo saw Taylor attempt to conduct a traffic stop on a citizen's vehicle last Sunday by using a forward-facing blue-and-red flashing light on his 2013 charcoal gray Chevrolet Impala, Oakland police Officer Ryan Goodfellow wrote in a probable cause statement.



The citizen's vehicle yielded to Taylor's car but when Palomo made a U-turn to try to contact Taylor the suspect fled onto the freeway and Palomo was unable to catch up to him, Goodfellow said.



In a separate filing, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office filed a third misdemeanor impersonating an officer count against Taylor on Tuesday for the incident in Oakland.



A $20,000 arrest warranted was issued for Taylor and authorities later arrested him again and he was arraigned on the new charge at a hearing at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland on Thursday.



Court records indicate that Alameda County prosecutor Jason Quinn asked that Taylor be remanded into custody but Superior Court Judge Margaret Fukioka denied his motion and instead allowed him to be freed on $5,000 bail.



Taylor was scheduled to return to court on Friday to enter pleas in both of his cases.



San Leandro police officers who were assigned to patrol their city's annual Cherry Festival arrested him on June 1 after they saw him wearing a K-9 unit police-style uniform with a duty belt, a Glock semi-automatic pistol replica, ammunition, a Taser stun gun and a German Shepherd dog, authorities said.



Authorities said officers recognized Taylor from an alert Berkeley police sent out to regional law enforcement agencies about his involvement in a May 12 incident at Kip's Bar & Grill at 2439 Durant Ave. in their city.



Berkeley police said that in the incident in their city Taylor was wearing an imitation police uniform and waved a gun at people during efforts to clear the bar after a large fight.



Berkeley officers discovered that Taylor was prohibited from having a Taser or firearm because he had been convicted and put on 3 years' probation in Alameda County following a December 2017 arrest in San Leandro.



In that case, Taylor impersonated a uniformed federal law enforcement officer while buying a used motorcycle from a man and paid with a fraudulent $10,000 check, according to court records.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.CONCORD (BCN)



Police in Concord have arrested a man in connection with several crimes related to possession of an illegal assault rifle and for threatening comments the man reportedly made in the chat room of an online gaming platform.



Ross Farca, 23, of Concord, was arrested and ultimately charged by the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office with making criminal threats, possession of an illegal assault rifle and manufacturing an assault rifle, according to the Concord Police Department.



Last weekend, the FBI relayed a cyber-tip to police in Concord about threatening comments made in an online chat room that consisted of threats against Jewish people, threats to commit a mass shooting at a synagogue and threats to shoot at law enforcement. Police said the suspect also claimed to possess an assault rifle.





There were no specific threats locations included in the threats, according to police.



The FBI's initial investigation determined the threatening posts originated from an address in Concord, and detectives with the Concord Police Department were able to identify Farca as a suspect in the case.By Angela Hill



You'd have a hard time finding a better stage for a play about incarceration than Alcatraz.



The former federal prison turned tourist attraction and occasional art gallery will serve as the perfect backdrop for this weekend's exclusive performances - already sold out - of "The Box," a dramatic look at the effects of solitary confinement.



It was written and directed by Sarah Shourd, who knows firsthand about such effects. She and two companions languished more than a year in solitary confinement in an Iranian prison, captured after crossing the border during a hiking trip in 2009.



"The Box" first debuted in 2016 at Z Space in San Francisco, yet this is not just a replay of that play.



Shourd has rewritten and streamlined it specifically for this venue, with a different message for a different audience. It's also part of an ongoing project of exhibitions and programs on Alcatraz called "Future IDs," led by artist Gregory Sale, addressing criminal justice reform.



"This is overall a very different artistic endeavor," said the Oakland-based journalist, playwright and activist who spent the last year at Stanford on a JSK Fellowship. "The original play was geared more toward people who didn't understand the impact of incarceration, and specifically solitary confinement, has on individuals and society. It was to show people, in a very visceral way, that solitary is torture," she said.



And indeed, there has been progress. Since 2013, when about 30,000 prisoners statewide went on a well-publicized hunger strike to protest the excessive use of solitary confinement, more than 1,600 prisoners have been transferred from solitary back to the general population. And California now has a limit of a two-year stay in solitary.



Still, the United Nations recommends no more than 14 days of solitary confinement. In 2011, a U.N. report warned that solitary can amount to "torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment" when used indefinitely.



Sarah Shroud's retooled version of "The Box" will be performed June 14 and 15 in Alcatraz's New Industries Building.



Shourd experienced all of the above when she, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were captured, arrested and imprisoned in Iran. She spent 410 days in solitary confinement until the United States negotiated her release in 2010. She was free, but suffered severe post-traumatic stress disorder.



She didn't leave it there, however. In a partly therapeutic effort, Shourd began corresponding with inmates at various penitentiaries in the U.S., men who'd spent hard time in "the hole" and could relate to her trauma. The interviews became a journalistic project, examining the overuse of solitary confinement in American detention centers.



She then merged this collection of stories with her own, placing nine characters - two guards, an inmate's daughter and six prisoners, each with complex lives and crimes - in a fictional U.S. penitentiary in the original Z Space version of "The Box."



For this retooled version, set to be performed June 14 and 15, it's only four characters, played by Carlos Aguirre, Lawrence Radecker, Jordan Don and Dameion Brown. Brown is a former inmate himself.



"It's been amazing working with him," Shourd said of Brown. He brings his real life experience to it, which empowers the other actors and brought us all together really quickly.



And rather than the elaborate, multilevel stage set of "cells" at the previous showing, the play will be performed in Alcatraz's New Industries Building, which is now largely used as a gallery space. The cells will be designated by taped-off areas on the concrete floor. The actors must remain in those confines.



"The Box" is produced by the Pulitzer Center, Toni Rembe and Arthur Rock; and presented by the Stanford Graphic Novel Project, the Success Center, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.



It also marks the debut of a new graphic novel, "Flying Kites: A Story of the 2013 California Prisoners Hunger Strike," co-created by Shourd and classmates in the Stanford project.



For more information on "The Box," visit www.sarahshourd.com. And to learn more about "Future IDs at Alcatraz," go to www.parksconservancy.org/our-work/future-ids-alcatraz.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Thousands of women were welcomed Friday by San Francisco Mayor London Breed to a summit of women leaders from several industries, including finance, health and politics.



The summit, titled "Be Invincible" aimed to provide a platform for discussions on how women can improve their well-being, network with other organizations and get career advice.



Breed told attendees that Friday's summit was "about finding our strength. It's about putting forward our best selves. It's also about the process of lifting one another up."



High-profile speakers were on hand during the summit.



Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama and author of "Finding My Voice," participated in a question-and-answer session with Kate Kendall, a LGBTQ advocate and campaign manager for Take Back the Court, a nonprofit that seeks to change the structure of the U.S. Supreme Court by expanding the number of justices.



Jarrett spoke on a number of topics, including her career as a lawyer in her 20s and early 30s. She had mapped out a 10-year plan for herself that included finding what type of law she was passionate about, getting married and having a child.



She said it was difficult trying to be a perfect lawyer, wife and mother.



"I thought if I was just smarter, if I were better organized, more efficient, if I slept fewer hours, that maybe this wouldn't be all so hard," Jarrett said. "What I didn't realize is that I was number one, making it harder on myself."



After speaking to a friend about becoming a public servant, Jarrett joined city government in Chicago, and learned more about herself.



"I began listening to the quiet voice inside of me and that's what enabled me to take that leap of faith to swerve outside of my comfort zone and that 10-year plan. That's when the adventure began," she said.



Jarrett added, "So, swerve ladies, swerve."



During a question and answer session with Breed, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, addressed several topics, including equal pay for women and reproductive rights of women.



Breed asked Pelosi about current debates on women's reproductive health, following legislation by a number of states to limit a woman's right to get an abortion.



"People just decide that they think that a woman doesn't have the good judgment to determine the size and timing of her family, or if she even wants to have one. They have to pay a price at the polls for thinking that," Pelosi said.



Pelosi left this advice for the audience, "Best advice I've ever got for running for office is be yourself. Don't let anyone else diminish who you are and what you bring to the table."





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought central assistance to the state reeling under severe drought due to 45 per cent shortfall in the rainfall.

Before the Lok Sabha polls, the state government in its memorandum to the Centre had sought a financial assistance of Rs 2,064 crore to provide relief to farmers hit by drought during the rabi season.

ALSO READ| NITI Aayog meet: Four Congress CMs, Kumaraswamy consult Manmohan over farmers and tribals issues

Kumaraswamy also requested Modi to ensure the pending funds under MNREGA scheme are released at the earliest besides sharing the state government's success in implementing the farm loan waiver, an official statement said.

In the meeting, the Karnataka chief minister informed Modi that the state was facing drought this year too because of 45 per cent shortfall in rainfall. "The CM requested the prime minister to come forward to help the state in this situation," the statement added.

Kumaraswamy also raised the matter of pending funds of Rs 1,500 crore to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme and requested the Centre to release this amount at the earliest.

ALSO READ| Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel urges PM Modi to resolve pending issues related to tribals and poor

Karnataka has declared drought in 156 taluks in 30 districts. As many as 107 taluks are facing severe drought, while 49 taluks have moderate drought. About 20.40 lakh hectare farm land has been affected due to the drought in the state.

Crop loss is estimated in 19.46 lakh hectare, according to the state government. The state had faced drought during the kharif season of 2018-19 crop year (July-June).By PTI

KOLKATA: With striking junior doctors refusing to meet her tonight, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday invited them again to meet her Saturday evening to end the impasse in government hospitals.

The doctors, who struck work for the fourth day Friday, refused to meet the chief minister, demanding an unconditional apology from her.

They also put up six conditions for withdrawal of their stir.

"We want an unconditional apology from Chief Minister Banerjee for the manner in which she addressed us at the SSKM Hospital yesterday. She should not have said what she said. She should come to the NRS Hospital to meet us," said Dr Arindam Dutta, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors.

After her visit to the state-run SSKM Hospital Thursday, Banerjee had alleged some outsiders had entered the medical colleges to create disturbances.

She had also dubbed the agitation as a handiwork of the CPI(M) and the BJP.

She had also asked the agitating junior doctors across the state to resume work by 2 pm, failing which she had threatened them with disciplinary actions.

The doctors had defied her warning.

State Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, meanwhile, said he had called up Banerjee to discuss the issue of doctors' strike but got no response from her.

"I tried to contact the chief minister. I called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me up, we will discuss the matter," he told reporters after visiting injured junior doctor Paribaha Mukhopadhyay at the hospital.

Mukhopadhyay is one of the two junior doctors attacked by the relatives of a patient, who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital here Monday night.

The attack on the doctors triggered the ongoing state-wide stir by medicos.

Banerjee, however, held a two-hour-long meeting with senior doctors, who were not part of the strike, and invited the agitating doctors for talks at the secretariat Nabanna tonight.

After the protesting doctors refused to meet the chief minister, dubbing the invitation as a ploy to derail their stir, she invited them yet again to meet her at 5 pm Saturday at Nabanna.

ALSO READ | Bengal doctors stir: 'Dont make it prestige issue,' Harsh Vardhan urges Mamata

Informing about the chief minister's second invitation, senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said, "We hope some junior doctors will turn up."

The agitating doctors earlier stipulated six conditions for breaking the logjam.

Chief Minister Banerjee must visit the injured doctors at the hospital and issue a statement condemning the attack on them.

Seeking immediate intervention of the chief minister, the doctors also demanded a judicial probe into the police inaction in providing security to doctors at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital against attack on Monday night.

"We demand documentary evidence and details of the action taken against those who attacked us," said Dutta.

The agitators also demanded unconditional withdrawal of all "false cases and charges" imposed on junior doctors and medical students across West Bengal for going on strike.

They also sought improvement of security infrastructure in all health facilities and posting of armed police personnel to shield them from any attack while on duty.

Over 200 senior doctors of various government hospitals across the state resigned from their services to show solidarity with agitators.

In his resignation letter, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine director, Dr P Kundu, said entire medical fraternity of the state fully support the agitation by the doctors of NRS Medical College and Hospital and other government hospitals against the "brutal" attack on medicos during duty.

As the medical fraternity from Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and other states began to rally behind their West Bengal colleagues, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan urged Banerjee not to make the "sensitive matter" a "prestige issue" and ensure an "amicable end" to the stir.

Several prominent personalities like filmmaker Aparna Sen, rights activist Binayak Sen, thespian Kaushik Sen, film director Kamaleshwar Mukherjee and musician Debojyoti Mishra along with many senior doctors, visited the agitators at the NRS Medical College and Hospital to register their support to the agitating doctors.

They later participated in a rally holding placards with a message "No more violence, enough is enough".

The Calcutta High Court, meanwhile, refused to pass any interim order on the strike.

Many relatives of the TMC leaders too backed the doctors stir.

They include Banerjee's nephew Abesh Banerjee, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim's daughter Shabba and son of TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.By PTI

PANAJI: A man held at Goa airport by security agencies on Thursday with multiple identity cards and suspicious video and audio clips will be interrogated by the National Investigation Agency, a senior state police official said Saturday.

The 30-year-old man was held by the Central Industrial Security Force from Goa Airport, which is located inside a Navy base, at around 10:30am on Thursday while he was taking photographs and behaving in a suspicious manner, an official said.

He was then handed over to Dabolim police who found PAN, Aadhaar and Voter cards in the name of Khurhsid Alam and a driving licence issued in West Bengal in the name of Shaikh Imran, the official said. "The Intelligence Bureau had interrogated him and will question him again in detail. NIA personnel will also be coming to Goa to probe the accused," Inspector Ravindra Desai of Dabolim police station told PTI.

Police officials, on condition of anonymity, said the man is being probed for gold smuggling as 21 used airline boarding passes from places like Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, as well as 11 bus tickets of Bangladesh, a SIM card from that country, a train ticket from Kolkata to Jammu and two ATM cards under different names have been found on him.

A senior CISF official had earlier said the man's mobile phone had images of gold items and audio clips related to cash transactions.By Express News Service

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Throwing its weight behind doctors in West Bengal who are agitating against the attack on their colleagues, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday launched a four-day nationwide protest.

Condemning any form of violence especially against medical professionals in the country, the doctors body said the protest will continue on Saturday and Sunday, which will include wearing black badges, organising sit-ins and taking out peace marches.

They also called for a nation-wide withdrawal of non-essential services on June 17.

The doctors body has also written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealing him to bring in a central law to check violence against health care workers in hospitals.

Over 480 senior doctors from several state-run hospitals in West Bengal, including heads of departments of medical colleges, resigned on Friday over the violence at NRS Medical College and Hospital.

The agitating doctors have demanded an unconditional apology from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and also set six conditions for the state government to withdraw their four-day-long stir.

Doctors in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Kerala protested in solidarity with the doctors in West Bengal on Friday.

Meanwhile, Mamata invited the striking doctors for a meeting at the Secretariat but the latter declined the offer saying it is a ploy to break their stir.

DOCTORS DEMANDS

Mamata Banerjee must condemn attack on doctors

Form an inquiry committee

Give written assurance and implementation of security cover at hospitals

Bengal CM should withdraw her statement labelling junior doctors as outsiders

Didis diktat: Speak bangla When in WB

Kolkata: Targeting outsiders, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said those living in the state will have to learn to speak in BengaliBy Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The ruling NDA at the Centre may face a renewed attempt by some states for special category status during deliberations in the fifth Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog on Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The officials are anticipating that the chief ministers in their speeches would veer away from the fixed agenda of the meeting and stress on issues specific to their states. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar chief ministers  Naveen Patnaik, Jagan Mohan Reddy and Nitish Kumar, respectively  may argue cases for their states to seek differential Central funding.

Patnaik has already argued that Odisha should be given the status of a special focus state on account of it facing regular episodes of cyclones.

Reddy is also likely to reiterate the demand for the special category status for Andhra. His rival and former CM N Chandrababu Naidu had snapped ties with the NDA on the issue of special category status.

ALSO READ | Congress CMs meet at Kamal Nath's residence, discuss party's poor Lok Sabha show

While the Centre had assured the status during the process of bifurcation of the state, the NDA government stayed away from fulfilling the promise on the ground that the 14th Finance Commission had done away with such classifications to be granted to any additional state. Incidentally, the 15th Finance Commission report is likely later this year, which may revisit the issue.

Bihar chief minister, who is apparently miffed with the BJP on the formation of the council of ministers, is also likely to argue for better funding pattern for the backward state.

Besides, the governing council meeting may also see the Centre making a strong pitch for the convergence of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and agriculture in a bid to cut down on the rising farm input cost.

CMs to raise specific issue

Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar, in their speeches, are expected to veer away from the fixed agenda of the meeting and stress on their state-specific issues while arguing their casesHONG KONG  Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam sought to quell public anger Saturday by shelving an unpopular extradition bill that has highlighted apprehension about relations with mainland China, but opponents of the measure said it was not enough.

Activists said they were still planning a mass protest for Sunday, a week after hundreds of thousands marched to demand Lam drop the legislation, which many fear would undermine freedoms enjoyed by the former British colony but not elsewhere in China.

The battle over the proposal to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance to allow some suspects to face trial in mainland Chinese courts has evolved into Hong Kongs most severe political test since the Communist Party-ruled mainland took control in 1997 with a promise not to interfere with the citys civil liberties and courts.

Critics said Lam should withdraw the plan for good, resign and apologize for police use of potentially lethal force during clashes with protesters on Wednesday.

Democrats in Hong Kong simply cannot accept this suspension decision, said lawmaker Claudia Mo. Because the suspension is temporary. The pain is still there.

The decision was too little, too late, she said.

Lam has said the legislation is needed if Hong Kong to uphold justice, meet its international obligations and not become a magnet for fugitives.

China has been excluded from Hong Kongs extradition agreements because of concerns over its judicial independence and human rights record.

Speaking to reporters after announcing her decision Saturday, Lam sidestepped questions over whether she should quit. She insisted she was not withdrawing the proposed amendment but said she was suspending the bill indefinitely.

Beijing-appointed Lam said she had the central governments backing for her decision to yield to the protests. A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said Saturday that the Chinese government expresses support, respect and understanding for Lams decision.

Elaine Kurtenbach and Christopher Bodeen are Associated Press writers.PARIS  The billionaire French donors who publicly proclaimed they would give hundreds of millions to rebuild Notre Dame have not yet paid a penny toward the restoration of the French national monument, according to church and business officials.

Instead, its mainly American and French individuals, via Notre Dame charitable foundations, that are behind the first donations paying the bills and salaries for up to 150 workers employed by the cathedral since the April 15 fire that devastated its roof and caused its masterpiece spire to collapse. This month they are handing over the first private payment for the cathedrals reconstruction of 3.6 million euros ($4 million).

The big donors havent paid. Not a cent, said Andre Finot, senior press official at Notre Dame. They want to know what exactly their money is being spent on and if they agree to it before they hand it over, and not just to pay employees salaries.

Almost $1 billion was promised by some of Frances richest and most powerful families and companies, some of whom sought to outbid each other, in the hours and days after the inferno. It prompted criticism that the donations were as much about the vanity of the donors wishing to be immortalized in the edifices fabled stones than the preservation of Frances church heritage.

Francois Pinault of Artemis, the parent company of Kering that owns Gucci and Saint Laurent, promised 100 million euros ($112 million), while Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of French energy company Total, said his firm would match that figure. Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury giant LVMH that owns Louis Vuitton and Dior, pledged 200 million euros ($224 million), as did the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation of the LOreal fortune.

None of that money has been seen, according to Finot, as the donors wait to see how the reconstruction plans progress and fight it out over contracts.

The reality on the ground at Notre Dame is that work has been continuing around the clock for weeks and the cathedral has had to rely partly on the charity foundations to fund the first phase of reconstruction.

The Friends of Notre Dame de Paris was founded in 2017, and its president, Michel Picaud, estimates that 90% of the donations it has received have come from American donors. Indeed, Picaud just returned from a fundraising trip in New York.

Americans are very generous toward Notre Dame and the monument is very loved in America. Six out of our 11 board members are residents in the U.S., Picaud said.

The French parliament is debating amendments to a new law that would create a public body to expedite the restoration of the cathedral and circumvent some of the countrys famously complex labor laws.

Thomas Adamson is an Associated Press writer.We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This includes cookies from third party social media websites and ad networks. Such third party cookies may track your use on Sharedots sites for better rendering. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Sharedots website. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn moreMS Santhanam By

In the Hollywood movie Avatar, humans attempt to exploit the mineral wealth of Pandora in the face of stiff resistance from the local humanoid tribe Navi. The invading humans were lured by the abundance of the wonder mineral unobtanium, a superconductor at room temperature. In Avatar, as in other science fiction works, imagination takes precedence over reality as superconductors at ambient room temperatures are not known yet. Scientists have been searching for real minerals similar to the fictitious unobtanium for over a century without much success. Such superconductors will revolutionise many facets of our livesfrom power distribution and transportation to medical diagnosis. Unsurprisingly, when two scientists at Bengalurus Indian Institute of Science announced last year that they had achieved superconductivity at room temperature, the news was an instant sensation. After some false starts and debates about its validity, it was reportedly confirmed again recently after extended experimentation.

The drama surrounding this news from Bengaluru is not unusual. The history of the search for superconductors at room temperature is replete with serendipity, false alarms and Nobel prizes. Long before superconductors, there were standard conductors or wires that carry electricity thanks to Michael Faradays work. In 1831, Faraday demonstrated a method to generate electricity by moving a magnet through coils of copper wire. The apocryphal story goes that the then British Chancellor of the Exchequer William Gladstone witnessed the demonstration and asked him what the practical value of his invention was. To this, Faraday replied, One day, Sir, you might tax it. To this day, not only is electricity taxed, but the basic principles of power generation have remained unchanged.

By the 1880s, when the first commercial power generation started in the US, the basic physics of electricity and magnetism was well understood. When current flows through metallic conductors, the atoms in the conductor tend to resist the current flow. Resistance was thought to be unavoidable then. At the turn of the 20th century, a veritable race was underway to realise extremely low temperatures in the laboratory. In 1908, the Dutch physicist Kamerlingh Onnes turned Helium gas into its liquid form and attained a temperature of -271.6C. This is far colder than any place on earth and only slightly above the lowest possible temperature called absolute zero. When he cooled mercury down to such low temperatures, quite unexpectedly, mercury lost all resistance to current flow. A terse entry in his lab notebook on 11 April 1911, kwik nagenoeg nul (Mercury nearly zero), heralded the superconductivity era and Onnes was bestowed the Physics Nobel in 1913.

Two decades later, two German scientists discovered that magnetic fields are expelled from the material when superconductivity sets in. The combination of zero resistance and no magnetic field is a spectacular and counterintuitive physical effect. The biggest drawback was superconductivity could be maintained only at impossibly low temperatures using expensive liquid Helium. For practical purposes, superconductivity must work at room temperatures like the fictional material unobtainium. For more than a century now, scientists have been chasing this Holy Graila material that would superconduct at room temperature and pressure. The Bengaluru-based scientists claim to have achieved precisely this at 13C using a gold-silver nanostructure mixture.

For a scientist, as Sherlock Holmes would say, there is a mystery about this which stimulates the imagination. The mechanism of superconductivity, shrouded in mystery, was partially unravelled in the 1950s by John Bardeen, Leon Cooper and John Schrieffer (BCS) and fetched them the Nobel in 1972. They showed how quantum effects at sufficiently low temperatures created expressways within materials through which electrons travelled without encountering any resistance. In the next few decades, imagination, science and serendipity led to superconductors at higher temperatures that did not fit the BCS template. Significant advances using ceramic materials during 1986-87 pushed the superconducting temperatures to as high as -183C, well within the regime of the cheaper liquid Nitrogen. The 1987 Physics Nobel honoured this pioneering work.

Through all these developments, room-temperature superconductivity still remained elusive though its practical consequences were well appreciated. Power distribution grids would be far more efficient than they are and we can achieve nearly zero transmission losses. MRI scanners routinely used in hospitals for imaging could become better and cheaper. Perhaps the biggest eye-popping change will be transportation powered by superconducting magnets. In 2015, Japan tested its maglev train that levitates a few cm above the track (remember Avatars floating mountains) while moving forward at speeds of 600 km/hour. The first commercial service between Tokyo and Nagoya is expected to start in 2027. A room-temperature superconductor will make maglev tech economically attractive and a preferred transportation mode of the future.

If the superconductivity observed by the Bengaluru group is sustained by due scientific process of peer review and independent trials in other laboratories, it might rank alongside the significant discoveries made in India. And there will be technological spin-offs. Sadly, the stunning visuals of floating mountains seen in Avatar might not look magical. Science fiction will not be fiction anymore.

M S Santhanam

Physicist and a professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune

Email: santh@iiserpune.ac.inCITY HALL -- The State Assembly passed legislation from Assemblyman Michael Cusicks (D-Mid Island) legislation this week that will require neighboring landowners to be notified if development is being proposed in protected wetlands.

This legislation is a very simple adjustment to current law to ensure residents on Staten Island and throughout New York State are aware of development that could impact their properties and quality of life, Cusick said.

The bill would direct the state Department of Environmental Conservation to keep neighbors up to date on the status of permit applications and allow for public comment.

The legislation is now on its way to the Senate for approval where it is being sponsored by Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island).

MALLIOTAKIS TO HOST FREE CPR TRAININGS SATURDAY

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn) plans to host two free CPR training classes on Friday at the New Dorp Moravian Church.

One class will run from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and the second will run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Everyday lives are saved by people who know CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Unfortunately, even in the best situations paramedics can take up to 10 minutes before they are able to get to someone, which is why it is important we help equip our community with these skills. I encourage residents to take advantage of this free class that can potentially save the life of a loved one, Malliotakis said, who offers the classes annually with The Heart Society.

This class is free and open to the public. Those interested in going should call Malliotakis office at 718-987-0197 or email clarityd@nyassembly.gov.

U.S. HOUSE PASSES REP. ROSES NON-PROFIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM

The U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation this week which is being co-led by Representative Max Rose that would authorize the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides funding for security enhancements to nonprofit organizations and religions institutions at high risk of terrorist attacks.

Everyone should be able to pray in peace, yet our religious institutions have been targeted by individuals bent on destroying everything that makes this country great, said Rose who chairs the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism .Religious institutions are pillars of our communities and beacons for unity and peaceand Congress has an obligation to help ensure their safety. This grant program provides critical support for our synagogues, mosques, churches and nonprofits that have unfortunately seen horrible hate, violence, and threats of terrorism. I look forward to working with faith and community leaders throughout Staten Island and South Brooklyn to make sure they get the support and resources they need.

BORELLI AND LITERARY TRUST VISITS P.S. 4 TO PROMOTE READING RESCUE INITIATIVE

Councilman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore) and the Literary Trust recently visited students at P.S. 4 to promote the organizations campaign Reading Rescue and to announce the new program will be coming to the school next year through funding from Council Member Borelli.

Reading Rescue is a professional development program which trains school staff on how to deliver effective instruction with the goal of accelerating the literacy skills of students that may be struggling in the classroom. The program provides students with daily one-on-one training in half-hour sessions.

Those who know me know how much I love reading and value its importance. It is not only an essential part of every students academic career, but it is also a significant life skill to possess, said Borelli. I firmly believe in the core values of Literary Trust and Reading Rescue because research shows the consequences students face if they display low literacy levels early on. My hope is that one day, all of our children are proficient beyond the standard level.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The U.S. Postal Service and elected officials are working to bring parcel boxes to buildings operated by the New York City Housing Authority.

That effort is part of a broader push to improve NYCHA tenants experiences when they send and receive mail, but there have been obstacles.

Following a meeting with postal officials in Brooklyn, Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) wrote Interim NYCHA Chairwoman Kathryn Garcia to ask why the beleaguered housing authority did not take the postal service up on its offer to install the parcel boxes in buildings across the city free of charge to NYCHA.

Weve heard clearly and repeatedly from NYCHA residents that receiving packages is an absolute nightmare, Rose said.

We all depend on packages for everyday items and necessities, from medications to household goods, but due to a lack of safe delivery options at NYCHA complexes, far too often residents are forced to trek out to the post office to receive their packages. So to hear that the USPS offered to rectify this situation at no cost to NYCHA yet was completely ignored is truly mind boggling.

In addition to Rose the letter was signed by multiple Staten Island and Brooklyn officials, including State Sens. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) and Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn).

A spokesman for NYCHA said the authority received the letter, and is working with elected officials to find solutions for the residents.

A spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service said parcel boxes had been installed in some NYCHA buildings in different parts of the city, and that installation difficulties usually result from individual building staff rather than the authority as a whole.

Councilwoman Debi Rose also recently worked with UPS to bring lockers operated by the company to housing developments on the North Shore after complaints from residents of the Richmond Terrace Houses, and the Park Hill Development in Clifton, which is not operated by NYCHA.

According to Roses office, the councilwoman met with UPS representatives on April 15 to discuss accessibility and safety concerns.

At a time when ordering merchandise online  including everyday household goods  is becoming more convenient, economical and common, it is not acceptable that some residents in housing complexes are not receiving their deliveries in an efficient manner, Rose said in a statement.

When I heard these complaints, I brought UPS to the table to identify possible short- and long-term solutions.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Former colleagues and Island officials are mourning the loss of Michael Caddy, a New York City police officer who fatally shot himself Friday afternoon.

Michael Caddy, 29, joined the NYPD six years ago and was stationed at the 121st Precinct where he was a domestic violence officer.

Caddy, shot himself in car right behind the precinct on Friday.

The young officer was getting divorced, his lawyer told the Daily News.

He was getting divorced, so he wasnt happy, Brian Perskin said of Caddy. He was pretty stressed out. But this is totally unexpected."

His death put a glaring spotlight on recent suicides among police officers.

Police drape a white tarp over a vehicle where a police officer shot himself behind the 121st Precinct in Graniteville on Friday, June 14, 2019. (Staten Island Advance/Joseph Ostapiuk)

Shortly after his death, many dedicated their thought to Caddy.

Tonight the 121 Precinct family grieves ... The NYPD grieves ... Please keep my men and women in your prayers, the 121 Precinct wrote on Twitter on Friday night. We experienced a tragedy ... but we are resilient. We will not surrender. God Bless the 121 Precinct and the NYPD.

Rep. Max Rose shared his condolences on social media as well.

My heart goes out to this fallen hero and their loved ones, Rose wrote. Keeping the entire NYPD family in my prayers.

Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon described NYPD officers as every day heroes and offered his prayer to Caddys family and loved ones.

The men and women who don the uniform of the @NYPDnews are everyday heroes. Tragedy struck the ranks of @NYPDstatenIslnd this afternoon, and the thoughts and prayers of the entire Richmond County DAs office are with the Officers family & loved ones. pic.twitter.com/xmz17swfKb  Michael E. McMahon (@StatenIslandDA) June 15, 2019

SPATE OF SUICIDES

Caddy was the third officer to commit suicide in only nine days, a tragic trend NYPD Commissioner James ONeill described as a mental health crisis."

The NYPD and the law enforcement profession as a whole absolutely must take action to combat the crisis," ONeill said. This cannot be allowed to continue."

Cops spend so much of their days assisting others, ONeill said, But before we can help the people we serve, it is imperative that we first help ourselves.

According to public records, Caddy graduated from Monsignor Farrell in 2007 and was active in spreading awareness to kids in school.

At the beginning of the year, Caddy visited PS 69 in New Springville to kick off the Too Good for Drugs program, which focuses on providing students with the tools to understand and combat the drug epidemic on Staten Island.To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!On March 4, 2019, US President Donald Trump, in a letter to the US Congress, expressed his willingness to withdraw from India the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which allows India to export some types of goods at zero or very low tariffs. President Trump said, I have determined that India has not assured the US that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets. Accordingly, it is appropriate to terminate Indias designation as a beneficiary, developing country effective June 5, 2019. Similarly, President Trump decided to withdraw this facility from Turkey, and the decision was implemented on May 17, 2019.

What is GSP?

The United States offers GSP benefits to many developing countries. It is worth noting that under this provision, many Indian goods were allowed to be imported into the US with zero or nominal tariffs. Though only $5.6 billion worth of exports from India are covered by GSP, its said that India was the biggest beneficiary of GSP. This facility was available for items such as textiles, leather goods, engineering goods and gems and jewellery.

India exported $54.5 billion worth of goods to the US in 2018, but the total value of exports affected by GSP withdrawal is hardly $5.6 billion. Significantly, the savings amounted to hardly $190 million of import tariffs. The US has been trying to discourage imports from India for some time by various means. The latest step is withdrawal of GSP.

Indias soft stand

While the US has been raising tariffs for nearly a year, Indias response has been more or less soft. It is notable that whenever a country raises tariffs on imports from another country, the affected country generally retaliates by raising tariffs on imports from the other country. But unfortunately, India has remained soft towards the US and despite having decided to raise tariffs, has been postponing the implementation time and again. This attitude of India has been encouraging the other country to become even more aggressive.

Indias latest postponement of retaliatory tariffs against the US was done on May 16, for one month, until June 2019. Perhaps the government of India believes that the US may rethink its decision to curb imports from India. The US has a deficit of hardly $21.3 billion with India, whereas with China it has nearly $566 billion of deficit. Despite this fact, the attitude of the US administration towards India raises doubts about Indo-US friendship.

Trump mocking Indias efforts at infrastructure development in Afghanistan while not being strict with Pakistan raises doubts about US intentions. Perhaps the US thinks that Pakistan may prove to be helpful in withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan. For obvious reasons Pakistan, which is going through a serious economic crisis, is enjoying indirect help from the US.

Why is the US annoyed?

Its well known that the US always strives to serve the interests of its companies and accordingly pressures the governments of other countries. There are many US companies working in India whose activities are not in tune with Indian interests. Some time ago, the US pressed the Indian government to change its patent law and allow American companies to re-patent their medicines even after the expiry of the patent period. When the Indian government cracked down on the e-commerce company Amazon and strictly enforced its e-commerce policy, the US government demanded a change in this policy. This is amazing because President Trump himself is a strong critic of Amazon.

When the US trade deficit with China is 25 times higher than its trade deficit with India, it is surprising that it is pressing India while trying to forge a trade deal with China. The US wants India to reduce its import duty on information technology products. In February last year, India had raised the import duty on these products from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. The US will not get any advantage if India tweaks its tariffs, rather China will be a bigger beneficiary as Chinese mobile phones will start coming to India in more quantities than ever before. The Indian leadership needs to deal strictly with the US, because Washingtons attitude reflects bullying more than protection of its economic interests.

The US should not forget that India is important for its economic and strategic interests. The fast-developing Indian economy is good for the American economy. Oil and gas are a major component of US exports to India, valued at $4.5 billion, and likely to grow further. India will also be buying 300 Boeing aircraft from the US in the next seven years, at a total cost of $39 billion. Apart from this, a number of defence deals with the US are also in the pipeline. Therefore, in the coming years, the US deficit with India could turn into a surplus.

US must collaborate with India

The US must understand that while it is pressing India to protect its interests, India also needs to fulfil its needs. America can better protect its interests in collaboration with India. For the Indian government, protection and promotion of employment in India, and protection of public health and its industries is the first priority.

So whether it is a matter of tightening the screws on Amazon and Wal-Mart, or increasing import duties for the protection of Indias electronics and telecoms industry, the US needs to understand the concerns of India and change its attitude. If that does not happen, India will have to act to protect its interests. The wrong attitude of the US may prove more harmful to it.As Huawei Technologies comes under unrelenting pressure from the Trump administration, the Chinese telecom giant has one advantage that the US can't undermine: a vast, global portfolio of patents on critical technology.

Huawei holds 56,492 active patents on telecommunications, networking and other high-tech inventions worldwide, according to Anaqua's AcclaimIP. And it's stepping up pursuit of royalties and licensing fees as its access to international markets and suppliers is being restricted.

Huawei is ready to use its patents as a weapon to fight bans in markets such as the US and Australia. Credit:AP

The company is in protracted licensing talks with phone-services provider Verizon Communications and is in a dispute with chipmaker Qualcomm over the value of patents. Huawei also lodged claims against Harris Corp. after the defense contractor sued it last year alleging infringement of patents for networking and cloud security.

"Patents are, at their basic level, weapons of economic warfare," said Brad Hulbert, a patent lawyer with McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff in Chicago. "They're being hurt by the sanctions that the Trump Administration imposed and saying 'You have hurt us and our ability to sell, and we can hurt back.' It's saber-rattling."US stocks ended nominally lower on Friday as investors awaited next week's Federal Reserve meeting for signs of imminent rate cuts, while the US-Iran confrontation in the Gulf of Oman added to geopolitical uncertainty, sending oil prices higher.

Lingering worries over the US-China trade war also weighed on investor sentiment. Weak China data and a warning of a broad slowdown in chip demand from chipmaker Broadcom were the latest signs of fallouts from the tariffs both countries have imposed.

Wall Street is awaiting the Fed's interest rate decision next week. Credit:Bloomberg

The upcoming Fed meeting, on Tuesday and Wednesday, was seen as pivotal for Wall Street, with stocks primed for a selloff if the Fed fails to take an even more dovish tilt after policymakers' comments raised expectations for a rate cut in recent weeks.

"There's a lack of information to trade and the magnitude of the importance of the Fed next week can't be overstated, so you don't want to put any position on in front of something that has the potential to be such big news," said Brian Battle, director of trading at Performance Trust Capital Partners in ChicagoIn Netflix's latest hit rom-com Always Be My Maybe, Keanu Reeves appears like an icon, a slow-mo walk-in in a black suit, middle-part flapping. Playing himself, he greets his on-screen girlfriend, played by comedian Ali Wong, with a hilarious spoof of his aloof, esoteric persona.

"I've missed your heart. I've missed your light. I've missed your soul. I've missed your spirit," he tells her with a passionate embrace. Minutes later he's choke-holding her ex-boyfriend, who dared question his knowledge of "Chinese dignitaries".

Keanu Reeves is having a moment. Credit:Invision

The magnificent cameo, along with a string of recent viral stories indulging the Keanu mystique, have seen the star suddenly locked in the public consciousness, a McConaissance of sorts despite the fact he never really went away. Not so much a rediscovery  he has made three John Wick films in the past five years, after all  but a real-time collective embrace, lest such a cinematic treasure be taken for granted.

A New Yorker profile, titled "Keanu Reeves is too good for this world", got the feelings rolling, describing the actor as "an unlikely antidote to everything wrong with the news cycle". It used as its starting point a recent viral moment on Stephen Colbert's late show where the host, jokingly, asked Keanu what happens when we die. Instead of an off-hand quip, the actor rattled viewers with some unexpected earnestness. "I know that the ones who love us will miss us," he said.Social media 'influencer' Tiare Simonis channelled Kim Kardashian circa 2014 in a daring white bodysuit that gave fellow partygoers an eyeful of the split fabric across her rear.

Stars step out for Sunny film

As Sydney Film Festival draws to a close, Standing Up For Sunny had its world premiere at the State Theatre on Wednesday night. In the audience were cast and crew of the Aussie rom-com that stars former Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte, Philippa Northeast, Steve Vidler and Jamie Hilton.

US actor Mitte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at three years of age and has become an advocate for challenging disability stereotypes.

RJ Mitte in Standing Up For Sunny Credit:Jeremy Piper

It was a busy evening for Northeast and her actor partner Sam Reid who stars in the Foxtel series Lambs Of God. The couple walked back to back red carpets to support each other's projects at the Film Festival.

IN: St.Oddity's cruelty-free faux fur bagShe is Hollywood's star of the moment and you only have to look at the magazine stands in your local supermarket to see "our" Margot Robbie's ascent to the top of the showbiz tree is complete.

Margot Robbie has well and truly climbed the Hollywood ladder. Credit:Jason Merritt

Of course it's not all glamour shoots for Robbie, who complained to US Vogue she hated being described as a "bombshell", while a 2016 feature in Vanity Fair caused an national outcry here when her homeland was described as a nation of "throwbacks".

Now the team behind US fact checking website Gossip Cop have gotten onto the Robbie case, and their advice to you dear reader is simple: don't believe everything you read about Australia's shiniest star.

In an attempt to sort the fact from the fiction, Gossip Cop released an audit of Robbie's appearances in a variety of magazines around the world.It's a shame that so many people's spirituality is tainted by other people's expectations. I'm blessed that I had so much room to grow up and I never felt suppressed by my faith, but I rebelled against culture, and in my community those things were intertwined. I married a man who I felt was on the same page as me, faith-wise. He was another rebel  he prayed and believed, but at the same time he was covered in religious tattoos. We loved our faith but we were also so expressive of ourselves as individuals. Loading I could never have imagined that he would leave me, but he did, three days before Christmas. I was three months pregnant. I had this perception that my community was going to judge me, but it was the exact opposite  they smothered me. When I got divorced, I was more heartbroken that I couldn't marry in the church if I wasn't granted an annulment, but I am now detached from that outcome. There is no guilt associated with being a divorced single mum  I do believe wholeheartedly that I lived my marriage vows, but that he chose to leave.

Religious persecution exists, and Christians in many parts of the world suffer for their faith. But I feel the same anger when I think of Christchurch. No one has a right to storm a house of worship and slaughter those inside. There have been times in my life where I've had to second-guess saying I was a Catholic, like when I worked in online publishing. I was challenged by the idea of seeing women as flesh when I know they are so much more. Hearing about the extent of the sex-abuse scandals in the Church was soul-crushing. It is heartbreaking that someone who is supposed to represent Christ would get it so wrong. I know it's not a problem exclusive to the Catholic Church, but we dealt with it far too slowly. A friend of mine  one I've had since childhood  is now a priest. I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision for him to make in this climate, but it was his calling and I deeply respect that. Great priests have been there at pivotal moments in my life  in my youth as chaplains, in my marriage. I had a brilliant priest counsel me when my marriage broke down. I only hope that my son will grow up to recognise the importance of spiritual leaders."

Rivka Ray is an Orthodox Jew. 'There's connection and love' Rivka Ray, 49, is an Orthodox Jew who didn't know she was Jewish until after she came to Australia as a child. "I was born in the Ukraine, in the former Soviet Union, and came to Australia in 1979, just before my 10th birthday. We settled straight into Bondi. Coming from a Third World country to a prosperous country with an established Jewish community was quite jarring, like landing on a different planet. I didn't have the language so it was quite a culture shock. The community was warm, welcoming and absorbed us straight away.

In Soviet Russia, they did everything to erase the practice of Judaism so I didn't even know I was Jewish. My parents spoke Yiddish, but apart from that they didn't know much about the faith  there was a real threat to life and jobs if they were discovered. My parents' first act here was to put us in private Jewish school. Whatever I learnt at school was all I had; I didn't have a connection to it through the home, which was really pivotal. But I always identified in a tribal way about being Jewish. A Jew is a Jew, whether they practise or not  there's a sense of connection, fraternity and love. I was in my mid-20s when I reclaimed my Judaism, after doing a fashion and textile degree and really contemplating my identity. I educated myself. I put a lot of effort and when I had children, I didn't want them to start from square one to figure out who they were. My kids have been nurtured in a very traditional, orthodox Jewish home. They learn directly from the original texts. They speak and learn in classical Hebrew. They learn from the source as opposed to learning about it. [The Israeli state] is not controversial to me. Israel is the land of the Jews. We are the children of Israel. I don't agree to give any part of Israel away; it's not mine to give.

Persecution of Jews is nothing new. My parents-in-law were both Holocaust survivors. So we have first-hand experience, an internal consciousness that we are disliked. But it should never prevent us from being who we are. That we are still here is a testament to the fact that we have never succumbed to threats and violence. It's not something that would prevent me living overtly as a Jewish person." 'My faith grounds me' Imaan Joshi, 45, is a GP who converted to Islam as a university student in 1995. Imaan Joshi converted to Islam as a university student. "I was raised Hindu, but my faith didn't resonate with me. My parents were appalled and very opposed to my conversion, which made life difficult.

I moved from India to Australia alone to study medicine. I worked all week, so I had a very minimal social life and friends. I was regularly accosted by Salafi types, who harassed me about the colour of my scarf and so on. I had no one to defend me. My faith lapsed somewhat in the late 1990s. Then 9/11 happened. I was in Tamworth and pretty much the only Hijabi in town. My parents were terrified for me, but strangers would come up to me and say, 'Welcome to our town, we support you.' That helped solidify it for me again. I found the Muslims in Sydney pretty regressed in many ways. They were clique-y and not very welcoming of people who'd converted [for reasons other than marriage]. I really leaned on my faith during my unhappy marriage. Leaders told me to be patient, and when I became a single mum, I found out how few friends I really had. There was minimal support from the community. That time was immensely lonely, especially with regards to my faith, because there was nothing else holding me to it. It didn't help that most of my friends and colleagues are not Muslim. They encouraged me to date and have casual sex. They couldn't understand why I'd want to remain celibate. When I feel like I'm missing out, I remind myself that it is a choice I'm making. I can turn away, but at what cost?During that raid, Argos officers seized a large quantity of child pornography stored on a number of electronic devices. Examination of the material revealed it had likely originated in the Philippines, prompting a referral to members of the Australian Federal Polices Manila post and local PNP officers, who launched their own investigation. At the Cordova raid, Filipino authorities took the four children living at the property into protective custody, arrested their mother and seized a number of items, including a hard drive, a black Canon camera, and the photograph of the Filipina girl - one of the twins - and the man. The question now for investigators: who was he?

'Its quite insidious' Matthias Wolfgang Baden. Matthias Wolfgang Baden knew the writing was on the wall. For almost five years the 58-year-old electrical engineer had been in regular text and video communication with two Filipina girls. It was a relationship facilitated by the girls' mother. The language used and the videos shared with the children were sordid, illicit and disturbing, and he knew it. I'm just some old man in love with little girls and someday I will get found and locked up in jail :(" he wrote in March 2016 to one of his victims, who was then just 10 years old.

Six months later Baden would be in police custody, charged with a number of offences including the possession of child exploitation material and the persistent sexual abuse of two children. Loading In May this year Baden was sentenced to a maximum of 11 years and four months in prison, with a non-parole period of seven years and four months, after pleading guilty to his offences at the end of last year. It is the second time Baden has landed behind bars, after he was sentenced to a minimum of two years in a South Australian jail in 1992 for having unlawful sexual intercourse with his 13-year-old stepdaughter. The 58-year-old from Tregear, in western Sydney, was arrested at his home in September 2016 after AFP investigators successfully identified him as the man in the photograph found in Cordova only five days earlier.

He had been targeted for using the video-communication platform Skype to maintain an ongoing relationship with two children over a period of almost five years, commencing when they were aged two and seven. Using web-based chat and live-stream video, Baden maintained contact with the children, as facilitated by their mother, conducting conversations involving highly sexualised content. Between 2012 and 2016 he paid the childrens mother more than $26,000 in various instalments. Ive been in the team for about four years and weve had at least six or seven matters of this nature, says federal agent Nicole Whelan, of the AFP's Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team. Incredibly poor and very vulnerable is the classic profile of the family so often on the other side of such an arrangement, in which young children are sexually exploited online in exchange for money from a foreign customer, a practice now defined by authorities as live distance child abuse. Investigators say the scale of live distance abuse is difficult to quantify, and the crime itself is increasingly difficult to prosecute because video footage from real-time streaming apps such as Skype or Viber is not screen captured or stored.

Like in the case of Baden, the nature of the application he was using was such we didnt actually manage to obtain much of the video, says Whelan, adding that investigators were able obtain chat records from which they could deduce what the children were likely doing on screen. A photograph taken of Matthias Baden's premises. The victims of Australian offenders are most commonly located in south-east Asia, with a predominant number of offenders targeting the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Offenders in the region most likely originate from Australia or the United States, followed by Canada and the UK, however local investigators also report cases involving offenders from Germany, France and Brazil. Its quite insidious, because it involves a real emotional drive in the request for money ... alongside the abuse, says Whelan, of Baden's victims, who would routinely use affectionate nicknames, such as Daddy in their communication. So while victims are engaging in a sexualised chat or video one day, on the next day there will be a request for money because I need food, I need school books, I need vaccination shots for rabies   those were the sorts of requests the victims would make to get some more money in.

Badens relationship with the family began around 2010, when he travelled from Sydney to stay with them after meeting them while working in the region as an electrical engineer. He only ever physically met the Filipino family twice, in 2010 and 2012; the rest of their relationship was conducted online. The Australian investigators Detective Superintendent Richard Stanford is one of approximately 33 AFP liaison officers posted in 30 countries around the world. From his Australian embassy office in Manila, Stanford is the officer in charge of all operations in the Philippines, where he works with local law enforcement to target transactional crime with an Australian and Filipino component, representing the AFP as well as state and territory police.

While the unit deals with all crime types, including homicide, money laundering and drugs, he says 70 per cent of his time is spent on child protection operations. The scale of it is extraordinary. The more we investigate and undertake operations here that cause offenders to be arrested and child victims to be rescued from harm's way, the more our understanding of this crime type increases. He says Australian government initiatives to restrict the travel of convicted child sex offenders has had a positive impact on child sex tourism in the region, with 170 Australians registered on the Australian National Child Offender Register being refused entry and turned back from Manila International Airport in 2018 alone. The Australian Federal Police headquarters in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Other initiatives are working towards seizing the passports of such offenders entirely, meaning they can never leave Australia. That prohibits people from coming to engage in contact offending, but it means now that these people will resort to sitting in their homes and accessing live streaming.

Stanford was the first port of call for Queensland Police in 2015, following the Argos raid. When Queensland police obtained evidence of a particular Filipino facilitator acting in the crime, we received that intelligence and engaged the national police. On-the-ground investigations with local law enforcement then led to the raid of the childrens home, the arrest of their mother, and the subsequent identification of Baden in the photograph discovered in the property. Stanford describes Baden, an Australian citizen who originally hails from Germany, as a classic example of a perpetrator in Australia engaging with a facilitator in the Philippines, sending money over a period to pay for the live streaming of child sexual abuse. The interesting thing in this crime type is the offender ... sees themselves as the director of their own movies, in communication with a facilitator, [directing victims] to perform this particular act for their own gratification, he says.

While there are no standard arrangements, in most cases a short act streamed over a webcam could cost a foreign offender as little as $100 to $150. But for law enforcement, simply identifying that such money transfers are being made is half the battle. Funds sent by remittance agents are hidden amongst millions of legitimate monthly transfers of money from overseas foreign workers to support their families back in the Philippines. So the detection of those payment is incredibly hard, but we have some success with AUSTRAC [the Australian financial crime watchdog],"says Stanford. Loading In February this year, law enforcement agencies in the Philippines, United Kingdom, and Australia came together to launch the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Centre. The initiative is the first international centre entirely focused on the growing number of Filipino children who are targeted for online sexual exploitation. Within its first 30 days the centre received 33 referrals of cases of suspected child exploitation, all of which will be referred to geographically distinct law enforcement units who will seek search warrants, go through front doors and hopefully rescue children, Stanford says.

In Australia the AFP works closely with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation to target the online sexual exploitation of children at home and abroad. Established in July 2018, the ACCCE does not perform an investigative function, but rather provides research and specialist capability" to support the AFP and state and territory police in their investigations, says AFP manager of child protection, Commander Justine Gough. Under the ACCCE, a range of prevention initiatives are currently being developed to prevent the online sexual exploitation of children ... and to develop an agreed national view toward a range of initiatives, such as victim identification, she says. Since its inception, 72 children have been removed from harm by the AFP; 46 children internationally, and 26 children domestically. In partnership with the Australian Institute of Criminology the ACCCE is currently conducting research into the motivations behind exploiting children.City of Sydney councillor Kerryn Phelps is spearheading an effort to stop the police taking too many parking spaces in one of the city's busiest suburbs.

Residents and businesses in Surry Hills accuse the officers who work out of the city's Sydney Police Centre in Surry Hills of being "bad neighbours" for parking their vehicles in civilian spots despite having huge amounts of dedicated parking.

City of Sydney councillor Kerryn Phelps says council has mismanaged parking in Surry Hills. Credit:James Alcock

The police are parking their vehicles in paid parking areas, loading zones and dedicated car-share spaces, rather than using their large, secure, outdoor off-street car park, an underground parking garage, or the long stretches of police-only on-street parking on Riley Street and two sides of Goulburn Street.

Dr Phelps, whose nearby medical practice on Bourke St is affected by the police presence, is calling for a "comprehensive study" of parking in Surry Hills, including community consultation. She intends to ask questions about the issue at the next city council meeting on June 24.A 58-year-old convicted child sex offender will spend at least seven years and four months behind bars for using Skype to conduct a sexual "live distance" relationship with two young children in the Philippines, while paying their mother more than $26,000 for the arrangement.

Matthias Wolfgang Baden, of Tregear in Sydney's west, described himself as "some old man in love with little girls," over four and a half years of online chat and video communication with two Filipina sisters, who were aged two and seven when the abuse began.

A photograph taken inside Matthias Baden's home.

He was sentenced to a non-parole period of seven years and four months in the Campbelltown District Court last month by Judge Nicole Noman SC, after pleading guilty last year to a range of offences including procuring a child for sex and and engaging in sexual activity with child under 16 outside Australia.

Baden's arrest at his home in September 2016 was the culmination of a cross-border investigation that combined the efforts of the Queensland Police specialist child abuse task force Argos, the Australian Federal Police Manila post and the Philippine National Police.Chennai and its expanding suburbs are one of the thirstiest troughs among the areas that have been reeling under the worst water crisis this year. The city had boasted of 60 water bodies in 1893 that have since shrunk or even disappeared to the extent that the number today is just 28.

The city has consistently been wilting under the pressure of concretisation with rapid landfills and siphoning off of wetlands and marshlands. The December 2015 deluge had sent sharp warning signals, only to be forgotten soon after. The floods receded and the concretisation of the city came back with more high-rises promising amenities like swimming pools and private jacuzzis.

Chennai depends solely on the whims of the monsoons. The groundwater has severely been depleted thanks to overdrawing of metro water tankers. The monstrous tanker tubes sink into Veeranam, Red Hills, Chembarambakkam and Sholavaram lakes and the Poondi reservoir. They also draw water from desalination plants at Nemmeli and Minjur. These sources are the lifeline for the 10.3 million people of this city.

Today, the city residents, especially the less privileged ones, are thirsty, and very angry. The only colour that dots parched city roads are the long line of colourful plastic pots fiercely guarded by protesting residents waiting for their quota of rationed water. Their demand is simple: regular water supply. Is it too much to ask?

But the conversation on conservation is triggered only when there is a crisis. Once a drizzle dilutes the summer heat, we conveniently forget about it.

It needs to be drilled into the psyche that access to running tap water is a privilege that cannot be abused.

In case of an external regulation, instead of a routine water tax, it will be a good idea to install water meters in houses. This will involve costs and logistics, but will pave the way for the sharing of the most precious resource, at least a fraction of it, if not equitably. Denial of water is a human rights issue, after all."Their very preliminary view was it might have something to do with construction of the building next door," he said. Loading "That building's not yet occupied. The rail engineers said that everything to do with the rail line is safe and so are the nearby unit blocks. It's just that one building." Mr Hoenig said the building was not in danger of collapse and engineers were monitoring the cracks. "It's not like the Opal Tower, which is relatively new and has defects," he said. "This building's been there for 12 years; there's obviously been some kind of event [that's caused the damage]."

In a notice to residents on Thursday, Strata Choice said that the planned installation of temporary building propping in the carpark to help fix "a slip joint defect" had been brought forward. "This is in response to an ongoing and persistent cracking and structural deformation observed within the primary support structure and the facade masonry," the strata notice said. "This deterioration has been rapid, hence expedited propping was deemed a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants." Residents evacuating the building on Friday night after receiving a letter from the building manager saying they had until 9pm to vacate the complex. Credit:Ben Rushton The notice said the propping was designed to support the building and to halt any further deterioration, but warned residents could need to evacuate at short notice for an indefinite period.

But a second notice issued on Friday evening said that residents of most units would need to evacuate the building by 9pm that night. That was because an engineer raised concerns for residents' safety following an inspection of "cracking in the transfer slab beams supporting the primary building corner" that afternoon. "It has been determined that there will be a partial evacuation of the building, pending further monitoring of the transfer beams over the course of the next week," the notice said. "This will determine if the building is safe for reoccupation." Fabiano Dos Santos who volunteers for an animal rescue group had one dog and seven cats in his apartment when he was forced to leave.

It is very frustrating because I own the apartment and we just bought it three months ago, Mr Dos Santos said. Fabian Dos Santos said the lack of communication had left him frustrated. Credit:Brook Mitchell We were aware when we bought the place some work had to be done but nothing of this scale. He said he was allowed to move his car on Friday night during the evacuation but was stopped by police when he tried to get back up to his apartment. Marek Makowski, who has lived in the building for the past six years, was told it would be at least a week before he could return home. He has moved in with friends in North Sydney temporarily.

"They don't give us a date - it could be longer. They've barricaded the street and there are security guards outside the building so we can't get in." He said the "whole building has had troubles for the past couple of years". "Why did it happen in the first place? People should be held accountable." Loading The government has been criticised for refusing to say when and how it would act on urgent recommendations to lift the standards of residential construction after the Opal Tower debacle. NSW Better Regulation Minister Minister Kevin Anderson said on Saturday that any building that was evacuated should be "treated seriously and assessed based on its individual circumstances".The practice of maths tutoring has come under scrutiny.

The importance of mathematics is as much under the microscope as it has ever been in Australia, as governments push for a greater engagement with the subject and its related disciplines.

But as Jordan Baker reports today, one thread of Australia's pursuit of maths excellence is failing to produce the desired results. Experts, most prominently Sydney maths teaching "superstar" Eddie Woo, are warning against poor standards in maths tutoring. They contend that the industry's emphasis on outdated concepts of speed and rote learning will hamper students once they reach university. Mr Woo decries tuition styles "which are frankly just pumping out an industrial model of education". The Australian Tutoring Association agrees, with chief executive Mohan Dhall expressing his "absolutely dismay" at the lack of real-world applicability most tutors provide.

In the past decade maths tutoring has gone from a niche element of education to a multimillion-dollar industry, offering parents and their sometimes recalcitrant offspring a rails run in selective school exams or a boost in their NAPLAN performance.

It is time the spotlight was shone on this industry, and few can shine as bright a light as Mr Woo. The Cherrybrook Technology High School maths teachers hosts a YouTube channel with more than 600,000 subscribers, making him also one of the foremost proponents of numeracy learning. Last month Mr Woo wrote in The Sydney Morning Herald: "Society urgently needs to shift its view of mathematics. It's time for everyone to regard numeracy with the same kind of importance as literacy  namely, essential to navigating and succeeding in our modern world."A legal bunfight between members of Melbourne's anarchist community could cost them their prized clubhouse in Melbourne's inner north.

Sandwiched between two multimillion dollar apartment buildings in Northcote, the diminutive and dishevelled storefront of the Melbourne Anarchist Club has been a beacon of resistance for 30 years.

Melbourne Anarchist Club members protest outside the clubhouse during an open for inspection on Saturday afternoon. Credit:Joe Armao

But what was once a bastion of anti-capitalism is now listed on real estate websites, boasting sky high potential and a $750,000 price tag for the St Georges Road property.

A legal dispute began last year when a small number of members were allegedly expelled from the club.Former ABC journalist Kerry O'Brien says the federal government should not "faff around" with a proposed parliamentary inquiry into press freedom, and should instead move to urgently update national security laws to improve protections for journalists and whistleblowers.

Amid concerns about national security legislation in the wake of recent Australian Federal Police raids on media outlets, the Australia-based Alliance for Journalists' Freedom is similarly calling on the Morrison government to skip an inquiry, with alliance director Peter Greste arguing "we know what the problem is".

Labor is pushing for a parliamentary inquiry that looks at the balance between national security laws and media freedoms, describing it as an "essential step", while the Coalition is still considering its position.

Walkley Foundation chair and veteran journalist Kerry O'Brien is urging the government to better protect press freedom and whistleblowers. Credit:Jacky Ghossein

Greste, who was arrested and jailed in Egypt in 2013 while on an Al Jazeera assignment, said the government should set up a taskforce within weeks to work on changes to Australia's national security legislation. He said it should include legal and media professionals as well as academics.Former Greens leader Bob Brown is undeterred in his campaign to stop the Adani coal mine in central Queensland, warning "we will make this international" at a protest in Canberra.

Queensland's environment department on Thursday signed off on the company's plan to manage groundwater on and around its Galilee Basin mine site  the final approval the company needs to begin construction.

Former Greens leader Bob Brown speaks during a 'Stop Adani' vigil outside the High Commission of India in Canberra on Saturday. Credit:AAP

But this hasn't halted the "Stop Adani" protests, with some 200 campaigners holding a vigil outside of the Indian High Commission on Saturday.

Dr Brown and his anti-Adani convoy to Queensland have been partly blamed for Labor's poor election showing in the region, with locals viewing the protest as the south telling the north what to do.Richie McPhillips, living at the epicentre of the Brexit crisis, has a new worry - Boris Johnson.

The favourite to succeed Theresa May as British prime minister, Johnson said again last week that he was prepared to lead the nation out of the European Union without a deal if necessary, taking a harder line than most of his rivals. For McPhillips, that could mean a return to checkpoints and unrest along the Irish border that runs close to his home.

Boris Johnson speaks at the official launch of his leadership campaign on Wednesday. Credit:AP

"Boris is a danger to the border," said McPhillips, 61, who lives in Lisnaskea in Northern Ireland and voted against Brexit. "He would not bring any stability to the British political system."

The question of keeping the Irish border invisible has shaped the entire Brexit negotiation process, with the so-called backstop ultimately costing May her premiership. Johnson wants to renegotiate that part of the deal, which was designed to keep the frontier free of customs officers, police or soldiers.London: European authorities blamed Russian groups for disinformation campaigns designed to depress turnout and sway public opinion in last month's European Union elections.

The face of European politics is changing. Credit:Bloomberg

The official accounting underscored how Russian interference has not abated and that Facebook and other tech platforms remain vulnerable to meddling.

The preliminary review by the European Commission and the bloc's foreign policy and security arm found that Russian-linked groups and other nonstate actors had worked to undermine credibility in the European Union through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Officials said new regulations might be needed to force internet platforms to do more to stop the spread of deliberately false information.Geneva: Thousands of women staged "purple" strike protests across Switzerland against the country's "scandalous" gender pay gap after a study found they earn a fifth less than their male counterparts.

People gather to protest in support of women during a nationwide women's strike in Zurich, Switzerland. Credit:AP

Despite its reputation as an affluent and progressive Western economy, Switzerland is falling behind many counterparts on pay parity, rights groups and unions have said.

While the country has one of Europe's highest proportions of women in the workforce, on average they earn 20 per cent less than men. For men and women with equal qualifications, the gap remains nearly eight per cent, according to government statistics.

Organisers called upon women to eschew jobs and housework for the day on Friday in protest - an unusual occurrence in a country where work stoppages are extremely rare. Those who were unable to take a full day off work, were urged to leave by 3.24pm. "After that [time], women work for free," said Anne Fritz, a representative of USS, an umbrella group for 16 unions.Tokyo: The owner of a Japanese tanker attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday has offered a different account of the nature of the attack than that provided by the United States.

Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, said the Filipino crew of the Kokuka Courageous thought their vessel had been hit by flying objects rather than a mine.

Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, the Japanese company operating one of two oil tankers attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. Credit:AP

The incident in the Gulf of Oman has compounded the already simmering hostilities in whats possibly the worlds most pivotal maritime corridor.

"The crew are saying it was hit with a flying object. They say something came flying towards them, then there was an explosion, then there was a hole in the vessel," he told reporters. "Then some crew witnessed a second shot."The state Senate was expected to pass the bill later Thursday, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a three-term Democrat, has said he would sign the measure, arguing that religious freedom does not trump public health concerns. The current measles outbreak has spread to 28 states, with more than 1000 cases in total, the highest number since 1992, when more than 2000 cases were recorded. Highly contagious, measles can have serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. A measles outbreak in 2015 in California led that state to revoke non-medical exemptions. But lawmakers there are now considering tightening those restrictions and forcing parents to seek medical exemptions from the state Department of Public Health, instead of doctors. The proposal gained attention this week when actress Jessica Biel met with California lawmakers to lobby against the measure; she said in an Instagram post on Thursday that she supported vaccinations but believed that families should have the "right to make educated medical decisions for their children alongside their physicians".

Once a commonplace disease for millions of children each year, measles was declared eliminated in 2000 after several decades of widespread vaccination. But the current outbreak has alarmed both state and national health officials, as well as medical advocates. On Thursday, for example, the American Medical Association announced it would step up its efforts to "incentivise states to eliminate non-medical exemptions". The association also said it would support state bills allowing minors to ask for vaccinations even if their parents refuse, which is the subject of another bill pending in New York. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at a news conference in April at the Williamsburg branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, where a measles outbreak occurred. Credit:New York Times The immunisation bill considered on Thursday would eliminate an exemption for any parent or guardian who holds "genuine and sincere religious beliefs" against immunisation. During the 2017-18 school year, 26,217 students in public, private and parochial schools, child care centres, nursery schools and pre-kindergarten programs in New York state had religious exemptions, according to the state's Department of Health. On Thursday, the health department reiterated that "immunisations give children the best protection from serious childhood diseases and are safe and effective", but officials also seemed cognisant of ongoing scepticism in some quarters.

"The New York State Department of Health will continue our extensive public outreach campaign to educate people on the facts about vaccinations and to counter misinformation that has fuelled this outbreak," said Jill Montag, a department spokeswoman. Donna Mosley with her grandson, who has not been vaccinated against measles, outside the Sister Clara Muhammad Elementary School and mosque in the Harlem area of New York. Credit:New York Times State Senator Brad Hoylman, the sponsor of the bill in that chamber, cast the bill as an effort to fight debunked online theories about vaccines causing autism and other harmful side effects. "There is a public health crisis underway, and New York is the epicentre," said Hoylman, a Democrat. "And numbers continue to grow because well-intentioned parents are being misinformed by anti-vax conspiracy theorists. And it's part of the state's responsibility to make sure everyone is safe in schools and day care centres." In another moment of legislative drama, the bill was nearly derailed by the Assembly health committee on Thursday, passing only after a member, Democrat Nader Sayegh, changed his vote to yes to break a tie and to allow the bill to proceed. Sayegh voted no on the bill once it proceeded to the floor but said he believed "the public and the Assembly at large deserves an opportunity to vote on this matter".

Heastie had attended the committee meeting to help usher the bill to the floor, in an indication of how close the vote was expected to be. As Assembly health committee members entered their meeting on the bill on Thursday morning, activists chanted, "Please vote no!" and held handmade placards reading "Protect 1st Amendment: God's Watching". Opponents then crowded into the meeting itself, some carrying newborns and small children. Several opponents cried when the measure passed out of committee. At the committee hearing, the bill's sponsor, Democratic assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, argued that California's actions had helped boost vaccination rates there and have helped fend off future outbreaks of the measles, which can be fatal in rare cases. "Vaccinations have saved countless millions of lives," he said. Later, as opponents of the bill filled the Assembly gallery, several lawmakers described wrestling with a complicated decision, pitting parental prerogative and public health.

Republican assemblyman Michael Montesano saw the issue in starker terms, calling it "an attack on people's First Amendment rights." He added: "It's still the individual parent, who is raising this child, that has the fundamental right to decide what happens with their child in all facets of their life." A nine-year-old rolls up her sleeve for a vaccination at a clinic in Portland, Oregon, in February. Credit:New York Times Others cast their votes in personal terms. Kenneth Zebrowski, an assemblyman from Rockland County, noted that his county had 266 confirmed cases, with more than a dozen hospitalisations. He also noted his one-year-old daughter had to accelerate her vaccinations because of the outbreak there. "Our job is not just to react to epidemics," Zebrowski said. "Our job as legislators is to prevent epidemics." Dinowitz seconded this, stressing that his bill was not simply a reaction to the current outbreak, noting that he first introduced it in 2015.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Describing Special Category Status (SCS) as a lifeline for the state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy raised the issue of the issue of the coveted SCS to the State and explained its importance in the 5th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Saturday.

Addressing the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister explained the sorry economic state of Andhra Pradesh, which he said is burdened under heavy debts and lacks employment opportunities.

Stating that his government has inherited a near-empty treasury, Jagan, explained why Special Status is vital for the state. At the time of the state bifurcation, in the Rajya Sabha, Special Category Status was promised to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. The same was even assured in the previous election manifesto of BJP, he recalled.

Supporting his argument, he presented the copy of the UPA government's cabinet meeting decision giving the Special Status to Andhra Pradesh. He also submitted the letter of the then Planning Commission member and member of the 14th Finance Commission Abhijit Sen explaining that Special Category Status was not scraped.

Jagan said as against the estimates of the 14th Finance Commission that the revenue deficit of AP would be 22,113 crores between 2015 and 2020, the revenue deficit in the last five years was Rs 66,362 crore. On the other hand for the same period neighbouring Telangana has revenue surplus of Rs 1.18 lakh crore, he pointed out.

He said in the financial year 2015-16, the per capita income of Telangana stood at Rs 14,414, while it was just Rs 8,397 in Andhra Pradesh. He further pointed out that Hyderabad is economically developed while none of the cities in Andhra Pradesh are economically developed.

Drawing the attention of the meeting to the fact that Andhra Pradesh was having a debt burden of Rs 97,000 crore at the time of bifurcation in 2014, which increased to Rs 2.58 lakh crore in 2018-19, which is forcing the government to pay Rs 20,000 crore as interest and Rs 20,000 crore as principal for clearing the debt.

Stating that Andhra Pradesh is an agro-based economy, which is bereft of industrialization, the Chief Minister said Special Status once implemented will help the state get investments, incentives, concessions and certain exemptions like income tax. "Per capita grant to special category states is Rs 5,573 crore whereas Andhra Pradesh received only Rs 3,428 crore," he pointed out.

He emphasised the state needs super speicality hopsitals, five star hotels, manufacturing industries, high -value service industries such as IT, premier institutions of higher education and research to transform the economic architecture of the state, which is only possible with SCS.

In Andhra Pradesh, where due to decreasing job opportunities, youth from the state are migrating and the unemployment is increasing, hence it is imperative that the Union Government of India give special status to the state, he said.

Jagan also urged the Centre to come to the rescue of farmers in the state, who have been facing problems for years now. He raised the issues of minimum support price, Central Governments help to education and health sectors, housing for poor among others on the occasion. He also explained about the reforms taken up by the State Government.

Jagan, who arrived in New Delhi on Friday, on the same day has met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and pitched for the Special Status to the State. On the occasion, he reiterated that until it is achieved, he will be raising the issue of Special Status to the state on every occasion and at every forum.United Nations: The United States and other western countries have objected to a visit by the United Nations counterterrorism chief to China's remote Xinjiang, where UN experts say some one million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims are held in detention centres.

A police officer is seen through a train window in Turpan, Xinjiang, last year. Credit:Bloomberg

Vladimir Voronkov, a veteran Russian diplomat who heads the UN Counterterrorism Office, is in China at the invitation of Beijing and is due to visit Xinjiang's capital Urumqi, according to an email sent by his office to countries that raised concerns.

Western states are worried Voronkov's visit will validate China's justification for the centres, diplomats from the United States and several other countries, including Britain, also complained.

The UNs topmost counterterrorism official is putting at risk the UNs reputation and credibility on counterterrorism and human rights by lending credence to these false claims, the US State Department statement said.PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice, Cornelius De Weever is urging youngsters between the ages of 18-23 to attend the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard information and recruitment day on Saturday, June 22, 2019, at the substation located on Airport Road #2 in Simpson Bay.

This is a great opportunity for our young men and women who may have an interest in joining the Coast Guard to attend the recruitment drive, and gets a firsthand look at what working with the Coast Guard entails, said Minister De Weever.

During the recruitment drive, there will be on the spot recruitment, information about the Coast Guard, viewing and tour of the boats and equipment. This is open to Dutch passport holders between the ages of 18-23 years.Murrells Inlet woman released on bail after being charged in connection to her husband's deathMembers of NASA's Mars 2020 rover team take a moment after attaching the robots remote sensing mast on June 5, 2019, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

NASA's next Mars rover is really starting to come together.

Engineers at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, have installed the headlike mast on the Mars 2020 rover , which is scheduled to launch toward the Red Planet in July of next year.

The robot also now has a suspension system and a set of wheels, both of which were put on Thursday (June 13). The suspension system is permanent, but the wheels will eventually come off; they'll be replaced by the flight models after Mars 2020 makes it to Florida, JPL officials told Space.com via email. (The rover will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, on Florida's Space Coast.)

Related: NASA's Mars Rover 2020 Mission in Pictures (Gallery)

Technicians work on NASA's 2020 Mars rover at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, on June 14, 2019. In this image, which is a screenshot from NASA's "Seeing 2020" livestream, the rover's first set of wheels is clearly visible. These wheels will be replaced by the flight models after the rover makes it to its Florida launch site. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Engineers attached the instrument-packed mast on June 5 in a JPL clean room.

"Full integration of the mast  a process that includes installation of science instrument sensors, electrical wiring and checkout  continued into the following week, concluding on June 11," NASA officials wrote in a statement today (June 14).

You can watch NASA engineers build the Mars 2020 rover live here, courtesy of JPL.

The 7-foot-tall (2.2 meters) mast will travel to the Red Planet stowed flat against the car-size rover's body. The mast will be raised after Mars 2020 touches down inside Jezero Crater in February 2021.

Jezero hosted a river delta in the ancient past. Mars 2020 will characterize the geology of the area, hunt for evidence of long-dead Red Planet life and perform a variety of other science work. The six-wheeled robot will also collect and cache samples for future return to Earth, though no retrieval mission is on NASA's books as of yet.

Mars 2020 will also test a variety of new exploration technologies. For example, a tiny helicopter will travel with the rover, to help assess the reconnaissance potential of rotorcraft. And one of Mars 2020's instruments will generate oxygen from the Red Planet's thin, carbon dioxide-dominated air  technology that would obviously be useful for future human pioneers.Update, June 24 at 9:20 p.m. EDT: SpaceX has announced they are now targeting a 2:30 a.m. EDT (0630 GMT) launch time, three hours into their original launch window.

To help protect satellites in space, NASA is exposing a small spacecraft to a whole lot of space radiation .

NASA's Space Environment Testbeds (SET) mission is currently scheduled to launch on June 24 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket as part of a technology-testing mission dubbed Space Test Program-2 (STP-2). SET aims to study space weather , which refers to the weather conditions within the solar system, and how radiation affects spacecraft, in order to build better-equipped ones for future space exploration.

"You don't want to launch something that can't withstand the environment," Nicola Fox, director of NASAs Heliophysics Division, said during a media call held on June 7. "These particular missions will help us look at the right kind of material and the best possible technology that we can do in space."

Related: SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket: By the Numbers

Radiation is one of the main hazards threatening space missions. Energetic particles emitted by the sun or found in deep space can damage both the software and hardware of spacecraft over time.

SET is one of three experiments on the the Demonstration and Science Experiments

spacecraft (known as DSX), a U.S. Air Force spacecraft that itself is one of 24 differnt payloads launching on SpaceX's STP-2 mission. It will aim for the gap between Earth's radiation belts, which are known as the Van Allen belts . The gap, which scientists call the slot region, is full of radiation trapped by the planet's magnetic field  especially during a magnetic storm . These storms occur when there is a change in the magnetic field either from solar winds or the sun's magnetic field connecting with that of Earth's.

"There haven't been too many measurements to tell us how bad things get in the slot region," Michael Xapsos, from the SET Project Scientist Team, said in a statement . "That's why we're going there."

Using the information collected by SET on space weather in that area, NASA hopes to build not only better-protected spacecraft but more efficient ones as well.

"We want to make sure we have the right design margin," said Fox. "It's very expensive to put kilograms on space  God knows, you don't have to launch a battleship if all you need is a dinghy."

Visit Space.com on Monday, June 24, for complete coverage of the STP-2 mission.Optimization

Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should?

Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools.By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Indian Medical Association (IMA) AP Chapter has given a call for suspension of outpatient services in hospitals across the State on Monday.

The call for suspension of non-emergency services was given to extend solidarity with West Bengal doctors who have been on the agitation path after a few doctors were attacked by an angry mob on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Bhubaneswar doctors stage protest in solidarity with their Kolkata counterparts

As per the call given by IMA national wing, the doctors and medicos staged protests across the State sporting black badges on Friday.

Addressing a press conference here, IMA Vijayawada president Dr TV Ramana Murthy said, We strongly condemn the attacks that took place in Kolkata.

ALSO READ: Health services hit at major Delhi hospitals as city doctors extend solidarity to Bengal counterparts

In 2008, the then Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh YS Rajasekar Reddy brought out an Act for prevention of violence against doctors.

Now, that the Act is not being implemented effectively, we request Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to ensure proper implementation of the Act, so that the doctors can work in a safe and stress-free environment.

He further said that they are going to protest by suspending all the non-emergency medical services in all hospitals across the State on Monday.

On Friday, we staged protests sporting black badges. We wrote emails to President, Prime Minister and other officials demanding justice. We will intensify the protest, if the government failed to fulfil our demands.Brewing Conflict Protests in Hong Kong Unlikely to Yield Results

Resistance to a planned extradition law has enlivened the opposition in Hong Kong after several years of placidity. But the danger of confrontation with Beijing is real and neither side seems ready for compromise.Paris, June 15, 2019 (SPS)- A rally was organized Thursday afternoon in Paris to denounce the violations of human rights in Western Sahara under the Moroccan occupation, claiming the release of Sahrawi political prisoners.



With the support of French deputy Jean Paul Lecoq, about fifty Sahrawi people gathered at Human Rights Square at some cables length away from the embassy of Morocco in France.



Organized by the platform for the solidarity with the Sahrawi people, a French non-governmental organization, the demonstrators demanded in their sit-in the release of the Sahrawi political prisoners in the Moroccan jails, while underlining that the only alternative to the conflict of Western Sahara is the independence of this territory, under the Moroccan occupation for more than 40 years.



After the sit-in, the demonstrators marched until about the headquarters of the Moroccan embassy raising the same slogans.



Every day, the Sahrawi population of the occupied territories and of Southern Morocco is victim of a new cycle of serious human rights violations by the Moroccan occupation forces under a military siege and media blockade: arbitrary arrests, forced movements, torture, hindrances to the activities of Sahrawi associations, assassinations, underlined the initiators of this demonstration. (SPS)



062/SPS/APSSTAMFORD  Hours after being released by the police on multiple charges, a Stamford man was arrested for a second time.

On Thursday morning at about 3:30 a.m., Quentin Hough, 35, of Hope Street, was charged with assault, disorderly conduct, risk of injury to a child, threatening and criminal mischief.

Houghs ex-girlfriend and the mother of his young daughter told police that Hough was supposed to be babysitting while she took a trip to Mexico with her new boyfriend from Yonkers, New York. On her way to the airport, she realized she did not have her passport and turned around to pick it up.

But when she got back home to her apartment on Hope Street and found the passport, Hough tried to grab the document from her, according to a police report of the incident, and began chasing her and throwing rocks. By the time police arrived, Hough had threatened to kill the woman and hurt the new boyfriend.

When police got there, Hough was on his back in the living room with blood around him on the floor and a wound to the back of his head that took staples to close. The boyfriend, Ashley Dickens, was bleeding profusely from a cut on the left side of his neck that took 11 stitches to sew up.

Both men were arrested and charged with second-degree assault.

Just a short time after Hough was released on a promise to appear in court after being arraigned at the Stamford courthouse and told not to return to his exs apartment again, a call from the same Hope Street address came in to 911 at 1:15 p.m. Thursday.

The woman at the center of the incident said Hough returned to her home and had a knife in his hand and was slashing the tires of her boyfriends car, Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said.

Hough was arrested again and charged with criminal trespass, criminal mischief, carrying a dangerous weapon and violating his conditions of release. He was held in lieu of a $50,000 court-appearance bond.

At his arraignment on the charges, rather than release him, Judge Gary White looked at the circumstances of his arrest and decided to up the bond to $75,000. Unable to make the bond, Hough was taken to Bridgeport Correctional Center.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.comBy Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Change of government in Andhra Pradesh has delayed the return of Vizag youth trapped in Malyasia.

The youth, cheated by an agent promising jobs, were rescued by Malaysia Telugu Expats Association following a report published in TNIE.

After they were rescued, M Venku Naidu, M Mahesh, M Sriniu and M Girish, all from Rajam in Butchaiahpeta mandal, were provided accommodation in an apartment at Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur.

The association also rescued three more persons, including agent Dhana Sekhar, trapped in Malaysia. Later, they were shifted to Indian High Commission shelter at Kuala Lumpur.

So as to pave way for their return to India, the association has arranged white passports for them as their original passports were allegedly destroyed by their employer.

However, the release of grants by APNRT Society for facilitating their return got delayed as its director resigned after the YSRC government romped to power in AP.

Otherwise, the youth would have been in their home town now, Malaysia Telugu Expats Association media coordinator B Madan Mohan told TNIE over phone.

Had there been two more days time ahead of general election results, funds would have been released by the APNRT Society.

Following the change of government, APNRT Director Rajasekhar has resigned and now his incumbent has to take a decision regarding release of grants for the youth, Madan said.M ost people flock to the beach when they visit Tulum, where there's no shortage of chic boutique hotels. Casa Pueblo, located in the heart of Downtown Tulum, however, offers a stylish alternative for travellers wishing to explore beyond the partying and sun worshipping that goes down at the beachfront.

Owned by Derek Klein, the man behind the popular Gitano restaurant and bar on the beach road, the achingly cool hacienda-style hotel is one of Tulum's most recent launches, having opened in 2018.

Located several kilometres from the beach itself, the hotel makes a fantastic base for exploring the local cenotes (swimming holes) - it's just under a 15 minutes cycle ride from Gran Cenote - which, with their crystal clear waters, are the best way to cool off when the sea is plagued with sargassum seaweed (it was during our visit).

Style

Set on the main road of Pueblo, the property instantly stands out from the neighbouring shops and brunch spots thanks to its striking brutalist facade and tropical plants. Music plays out from lively nearby bars, while nomads pootle around on bikes in the street. The trendy Tulum Arts Club sits on the opposite side of the road.

Having sold his share in Gitano, Klein says with Casa he wanted to offer a more authentic Mexican experience, "I felt as though the scene on the beach strip had lost a bit of its magic," he says.

The common areas at Casa Pueblo

Inside it's boho-chic, with its abundant lush greenery, local ceramics, textiles and tiles. Two resident dogs wander lazily around the lobby, adding to the chilled out vibe.

There are 16 bright and spacious rooms set around a stunning atrium. The decor is minimal but luxurious, each room features plastered walls and floor-to-ceiling windows fitted with slatted wooden shutters, making the space extremely 'grammable. Beds are fitted with eco-friendly memory foam matresses and linen bedding by Parachute Home.

Bedroom at Casa Pueblo

En suite bathrooms feature polished concrete sinks, walk-in rain showers and glass bottled products from Mexican apothecary brand, LoredAna. There's no mini-bar or fridge, however, which would make a nice addition.

Lovely's, the onsite restaurant, serves up great pizza. Guests can sip on watermelon margaritas at the bar, while digital nomads tap away on laptops, making use of the superfast WiFi.

Breakfast isn't included in the room rate, though there are brunch dishes and great coffee on the menu if you wish to opt in.

The pool area at Casa Pueblo

The 40-foot, emerald salt water pool surrounded by retro yellow parasols and wooden sun loungers (which aren't the comfiest but look the part) is the perfect spot for a refreshing morning dip. The hotel also boasts a rooftop from where guests are can watch the sunset over a mezcal or two.F ourteen arrests have been made after 12 hours of violence in south London which saw two teenagers killed within minutes of each other and another three men stabbed in a separate attack.

Three men were later stabbed in a fight in Clapham, which took place in the early hours on Saturday morning.

Metropolitan Police say fourteen people have been arrested in connection with the three incidents.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was "sickened" following the deaths of the two teenage boys.

Emergency services were called to Deeside Road in Wandsworth, south-west London, at 4.42pm on Friday where the first victim - believed to be in his late teens - was found stabbed.

Police officers near to the scene in Deeside Road in Wandsworth / PA

The victim died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified, with a post-mortem examination due to be held.

Six males were later arrested and taken to separate west London police stations for questioning.

Marina Paget, 22, who lives in the area, said: "I walked past at 2.30pm and I didn't see anything, but when I came back from work at 5.30pm it was all going on.

"I walked past I saw what looked like the body on the floor covered in a bag and there were 50 people around, loads of people, two or three ambulances."

Just a few minutes later at 4.54pm, armed police were called to Hartville Road in Plumstead, to reports of a shooting.

The victim, also believed to be in his late teens, was found with critical injuries.

The London Ambulance and the London Air Ambulance attended, but the teenager died at the scene a short while later.

Police officers near to the scene in Deeside Road in Wandsworth / PA

The victim has yet to be formally identified and police were working to notify his next of kin.

Three men and a woman were later arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to separate south London police stations for questioning.

At around 3.22am on Saturday, police were called to Bedford Road in Clapham following reports of a fight.

Three men were found with stab and slash injuries. The condition of two of the men is unknown, while the third has injuries which are not life-threatening or life-changing.

Four men were arrested in connection with the incident - two for violent disorder, one accused of carrying a bladed instrument and another for possession of a Taser - and have been taken into custody at a south London police station.

A police cordon on Bedford Road in Clapham, where three men were found suffering stab and slash injuries / PA

Mr Khan said: "I am sickened to hear that two young lives have been ended within minutes of each other in Wandsworth and Greenwich.

"Our overstretched police are working around the clock to keep Londoners safe. They need our support to end this scourge of violence.

"Anybody who has information about what happened either in Wandsworth or Greenwich should do the right thing and call the police."

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan said the suspected murder on Deeside Road was "heartbreaking" and "absolutely tragic".

"My heart goes out to the family of this victim after this absolutely tragic incident," she wrote on Twitter.

"I spoke at length with people on the Aboyne Estate tonight, anyone with concerns can contact me - I'm here to listen.A man has been charged after a mother was stabbed while pushing her three-year-old son in a pram in north London.

Nursery worker Christel Stainfield-Bruce, 36, said a man demanded her phone after asking her for directions as she walked home in Islington.

When she refused she was stabbed in the thigh before the attacker fled the scene.

Mrs Stainfield-Bruce was rushed to a trauma unit for treatment after the incident last Friday, and later discharged.A man was stabbed in the chest in Edmonton amid a spate of violence in the capital.

The victim, in his mid-40s, was knifed in North Square at 3.30pm on Saturday, hours after another man was killed in east London.

He was rushed to hospital where his condition is critical but stable.

It was the fifth violent incident in 24 hours after a teen was stabbed in Wandsworth minutes before another was shot in Plumstead on Friday.

Three men were also stabbed during a fight near Clapham North tube station on Saturday morning.

A Police spokeswoman said: Police were called by London Ambulance Service at 15:30hrs on Saturday, 15 June, to reports of an injured man at North Square, N9.

Police, LAS and Londons Air Ambulance attended.

At the scene a male, aged mid-40s, had suffered a stab wound to the chest.

He was taken to a north London hospital where his condition is critical but stable.

Officers from Enfield investigate. At this early stage there have been no arrests.A man in his 30s has been fatally stabbed in east London.

Police were called to the scene on Alton Street, Tower Hamlets, just before 2pm on Saturday.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, near Langdon Park DLR station in Poplar.

Enquiries are underway to notify next of kin and post mortem will be scheduled in due course.

Police said there have been no arrests and officers retain an open mind as to motive.

It added that homicide detectives were investigating the death.

A police tent at the scene in Tower Hamlets / PA

The death was the third in 24 hours after two men were killed within minutes of each other on Friday.

In a statement, police said: "Bearing down on violent crime on the streets of London continues to be a top priority for the Met.

"Teams across the city are working tirelessly - day and night  to identify and pursue offenders, help bring perpetrators to justice, take weapons off the street, support victims, engage and reassure the public, and keep our communities safe.

"However, the police cannot solve this problem alone. The police, our partners and the public must work together to deal with knife crime and prevent further lives being lost.

"Communities have a vital role to play in tackling violent crime. We want to hear from anyone who may have information about people who may carry knives or firearms, or who are involved in organised drug crime and violence.

"This information could save lives in the future. If you arent comfortable speaking directly to the police, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers. They do not ask your name or trace your call."

President Donald Trump reacted to the spate of violence by retweeting a post by Katie Hopkins, adding: "London needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster - will only get worse!"

A 18-year-old man died after being stabbed in Wandsworth, minutes before another teenager was shot dead in Plumstead.

The first teenager was found critically injured at Deeside Road, Wandsworth, at 4.42pm on Friday and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

In a second incident, armed police were called to reports of a shooting on Hartville Road, Plumstead, at 4.54pm, where a 19-year-old was found with critical injuries and later died.

There were also another three men stabbed during a fight close to Clapham North tube station on Saturday morning.H undreds of people marched through London to demand justice over the Grenfell Tower tragedy, a day after commemorations to mark the two-year anniversary of the disaster.

Members of the Justice for Grenfell group, as well as firefighters, survivors and victims' families, took part in a solidarity march through Westminster.

People dressed in green held up signs demanding justice and changes to building regulations as they paused outside Downing Street and the Home Office where the Department of Housing is based.

The blaze, which killed 72 people, was Britains worst residential fire since the Second World War and left families and a community torn apart.

Some of the victims' families and 177 survivors of the fire have launched legal action in the US against the manufacturers of some of the materials used in the buildings refurbishment.

The tragedy happened when flames from a fourth-floor flat spread to the outside of the tower and engulfed it in minutes because the building was covered in combustible cladding.

Members of the Justice for Grenfell group march down Whitehall. / Getty Images

It remains the subject of an ongoing public inquiry and a vast criminal investigation. Thousands of people, including residents, emergency workers, developers and housing chiefs, have already been interviewed or given statements.

Phase One of the inquiry has looked at the fire itself while next year's Phase Two will look to determine the causes.

Firefighters and members of the public listen to a speech during a protest outside Downing Street. / Getty Images

Todays march followed commemorations on Friday marking the second anniversary.

Just before 1am on Friday, Kensington Palace and Downing Street were among the landmarks to be bathed in green light  the colour of Grenfell campaign for justice  to mark the moment the blaze began on June 14, 2017.

At Grenfell Tower itself, hundreds of people lit candles, while bunches of green and white balloons were released into the sky following a 72-second silence, as onlookers shed tears.

Jeremy Corbyn and Stormzy joined the silent walk to remember the victims.C ontenders for the Tory crown have been laying out their pitches to Conservative members as part of a hustings for the party grassroots.

Six hopefuls remain in the race to succeed Theresa May after Health Secretary Matt Hancock withdrew from the contest on Friday.

They were all invited to attend the event in central London, which was organised by the National Conservative Convention, representing the party grassroots.

Rory Stewart speaking to reporters as he arrives at the hustings. / PA

Home Secretary Mr Javid was greeted by a heckler as he arrived at the Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel.

A passerby on a bicycle shouted "People's Vote Home Secretary" and "we've been lied to" as Mr Javid stepped out of his chauffeur-driven car.

Mr Javid told reporters it was "clear" Boris Johnson would be one of the final two leadership candidates but he was happy to be in the running.

His pitch to Tory members inside the hustings was his party must "deliver on Brexit", an insider said.

Mr Javid said it was important to win back people who have "turned off" the Conservative Party, and made the point it has not won a majority for 25 years.

The party must also reach out to young people and disaffected Labour voters, he added.

As he arrived, Mr Hunt took the opportunity to criticise Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's stance on whether Iran was responsible for oil tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman.

In a brief interview, the Foreign Secretary said: "We actually have video evidence that shows what the Iranians have been doing.

"For Jeremy Corbyn it's all America's fault. And this is the same man by the way who refused to condemn Putin after the Salisbury Novichok attacks.

"I'm afraid this shows that Labour is in the grip of virulent anti-Americanism that will be incredibly dangerous for our country if they ever took control."

Taking questions as he left the hustings, Mr Raab said: "I'm just getting started. I'm the candidate I think can be most trusted to deliver on Brexit.

"We've got to get Brexit done to deliver a fairer deal for workers, a fairer society and unite the aspirational working middle classes of this country. That's how we get out of this rut."

Mr Gove, the final leadership hopeful to leave the hustings, said it was a "wonderful audience" which asked "critical questions about the future of our country".

"It was a pleasure to be able to talk to the backbone of our party," he said, before he was driven away from the hotel.

Mr Johnson, the clear frontrunner in the contest, did not take questions as he arrived and left the hustings.F oreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has hit back at Jeremy Corbyn after the Labour leader accused the Government of fuelling conflict with Iran.

Mr Corbyn said Britain should not be stoking a military escalation in the Gulf without "credible evidence" that Iran was behind the attacks on two oil tankers which dramatically heightened tensions in the region.

In response, Mr Hunt - who has said it was "almost certain" Tehran was behind the attacks - accused him of persistently failing to stand up for British interests and British allies.

"Pathetic and predictable," he tweeted.

"From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests?"

It is the second time in the past few weeks that tankers appear to have been attacked in the region and comes amid escalating tension between Iran and the United States.

Mr Corbyn tweeted on Friday: "Britain should act to ease tensions in the Gulf, not fuel a military escalation that began with US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement.

"Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the government's rhetoric will only increase the threat of war."

The crude oil tanker Front Altair on fire in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday / EPA

Mr Corbyn's comments were echoed by shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who said US hardliners such as national security adviser John Bolton were trying to engineer regime change in Iran.

"These are extremely dangerous developments and we really have to pause and think about where we are going next," she told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

"The idea that we are going to get enmeshed in another war is really something we need to think about very carefully. What we do not want is British forces being drawn into a conflict of that size.

"We have got to give up on this idea that if the United States decides to go into war - especially one engineered by the likes of John Bolton and the neo-cons - we have to stop and say there are times when we just don't follow."

TODO: define component type brightcove

On Friday, the US released footage said to show an unexploded mine being removed from one of the tankers by Iranian special forces.

The military said the video proved Iran was behind Thursday's attacks on the Norwegian and Japanese tankers.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said "no other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible" for the incident.

But Iranian president Hassan Rouhani accused the US of "carrying out an aggressive policy and posing a serious threat to regional stability".

The Foreign Office said "no other state or non-state actor could have been responsible". / AFP/Getty Images

Tehran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, earlier said the US "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".

On Friday, US president Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran "did do it".

"I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it. And you saw the boat at night trying to take the mine off and successfully took the mine off the boat, and that was exposed," he said.

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The price of oil rocketed on Thursday amid fears of disruption to one of the world's most important tanker routes as a result of instability in the region.

The suspected attacks came after four commercial ships were "subjected to sabotage operations" in the Arabian Gulf in May.

The FCO said a UAE-led investigation concluded that they were conducted by "a sophisticated state actor".A British holidaymaker claims he was thrown off a plane by police in Turkey after informing cabin crew he had a potentially deadly nut allergy.

Josh Silver, 25, boarded the flight home from Antalya to Gatwick after his first holiday with his girlfriend, when he alerted staff he was seriously allergic to nuts.

The events manager said he was told he would have to leave the plane since it was against airline policy to fly someone with his requirements.

When he refused, explaining he had told the airline of his allergy before travelling and was deemed safe to fly, he claims he was threatened" before being escorted off the plane by four police officers.

He was then taken to a Turkish Airlines sales desk, where he said he was told he could be placed on a later flight, but would have to get a new ticket  at his own expense.

Josh said he told the airline numerous times about his allergy, both before and after his Turkish holiday. / Josh Silver

Mr Silver, from Waltham Abbey, Essex, told the Standard: To not only be told you cant fly home for something youve already flagged to officials numerous times, and then be told that actually you can fly but will need to pay all over again, is just beyond belief.

If they had said all this before I left the UK, then maybe I could understand. But they let me fly out, knowing about my allergy, then turned around saying I cant go back home.

Mr Silver suffers from a severe nut allergy, but it is not airborne, meaning he will not suffer an anaphylactic reaction unless he consumes a product containing nuts.

He claimed that he had informed the airline of this before the flights to and from Turkey, explaining he had medication with him which his girlfriend was trained to administer.

They said it was not a problem and even offered to make a note on their system for my flight home, so I thought I was in safe hands, he said.

Still, I wanted to warn the cabin crew when we got on the plane home, just in case I had any issues on board, so they'd know what they were dealing with.

The 25-year-old said he was sat in his seat, preparing for take off, when an aggressive flight attendant told him he would have to leave the plane.

When he explained he had travelled with the airline the week before, she allegedly responded: This flight will not be taking you home.

A number of ground control staff boarded the plane when Mr Silver and his partner Flavia refused to leave, and attempted to forcibly "remove him," he said.

It was horrendous  completely uncalled for, and left myself and my partner extremely upset and embarrassed, he said.

I kept telling the staff that my allergy was not airborne and I was happy to simply not eat or drink anything on-board, but they just wouldnt accept it.

Once they got the police involved, we admitted defeat and were escorted off.

When they told us we could fly with them if we bought a new ticket, having kept us at the police station, I thought it was a joke.

Mr Silver said he then decided to pay for a flight home with a different airline without telling them of his allergy, in case they took the same discriminative stance and refused to fly us home.

Turkish Airlines states on its website that allergy sufferers should: be sure that you inform us of any allergies you may have for your in-flight meal. But it makes no mention of further policies surrounding the treatment of allergy sufferers.

There are still so many issues for people with allergies trying to travel, on so many different airlines said Mr Silver.

Lots of people have already come forward to me to say theyd suffered numerous problems on flights over the years.

There is no blanket policy against serving nut products on planes  each sets its own guidelines. However, Mr Silver and many others are calling for a blanket ban on life-threatening allergens.

I am shocked at the discrimination I experienced just because of a medical condition, and what I dont understand is why planes dont just ban nut products all together?"

Mr Silver has submitted a letter of complaint to Turkish Airlines and is awaiting a response.T wo boats carrying 40 migrants including children have been intercepted in the Channel, according to the Home Office.

The boats were stopped by Border Force vessels off the coast of St Margaret's Bay, Kent, on Saturday morning.

A Home Office spokeswoman said the migrants told officials they were from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.

They were medically assessed and will now be interviewed by immigration officers.

Charlie Elphicke, the MP for Dover, urged action to "prevent a summer of chaos in the English Channel".

The Home Office spokeswoman said: "Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.

"It is an established principle that those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and since January more than 35 people who arrived illegally in the UK in small boats have been returned to Europe."

Two cutters have been returned from overseas since the Home Secretary declared a major incident in December and a joint action plan was also agreed with France.

Mr Elphicke said "more migrants have arrived so far this year than arrived in the whole of last year" and described the situation as a "crisis".

"The Home Office needs to regain control of our borders and seek a proper agreement with the French to stop these people leaving the French coast," he said.

"This is not just about border security. We've got to stop vulnerable people being exploited by criminal trafficking gangs.

"And protect life - these are overcrowded boats with men, women & children aboard.Chetana Belagere By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Just when the day they had been waiting for was upon them, their dreams were shattered to bits.

About 200 tribal families, originally from Samastipur in Bihar, were eagerly looking forward to June 5 when they would have struck it rich.

The money they had raised after selling their land in Bihar, a total of about Rs 90 lakh, which was invested as Fixed Deposit with IMA Jewels, was to mature that day.

They watched a movie, had a feast the previous day and slept dreaming of buying land in Bagalur and leading a happy life. Little did they know that the owner of the company, the man they trusted, had by then made all plans to flee the country and they would be counted amongst the thousands of investors whose lives are now doomed.

We are a tribal community from Bihar. After the drought in Bihar in 2014, we sold our land and came to Bengaluru with some cash. We bought land near Thanisandra and were living there, but real estate people threatened us and forced us to sell our land here too. We were termed as Hakki-Pikki tribes, 35-year-old Vicky Dev says, narrating their ordeal.

Interrupting him in a loud voice, 42-year-old Munidevi said, I lost Rs 20 lakh. Every penny I invested was my hard-earned money. With great difficulty, we had saved that money. I have nine children of whom six are daughters. I have a heart disease. My relative has cancer. Where do we go now?

After selling their land in Thanisandra, these tribals deposited all that money in IMA Jewels on the advice of some Muslim friends in the area. Some money was deposited for monthly interest and the rest in Fixed Deposit for five years. As per the scheme, they got 3% interest per month.

IMA scam: Families left devastated

We were getting Rs 30,000 per month for Rs 10 lakh investment and we were told we will get Rs 40 lakh for our investment of Rs 20 lakh after five years, explained Deepak, gaping in the dark not knowing what to do.



Hoping that every investment of theirs will bring more money, the families kept reinvesting almost the entire interest amount they earned.

On June 5, we went to the shop and asked for our money. We were told that due to demonetisation they cannot give us cash and that we would get it to our accounts, explained Vicky.

Every day, they kept going to the shop and to the bank and coming back disappointed. On June 10, they were devastated when they learnt Mohammed Mansoor had gone missing.

The families here even had their relatives from Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai deposit money with IMA Jewels.

The tribal families, which make a living by collecting honey from apartment complexes, houses, offices, highrises, etc., are now struggling to make a living.

We have huge families. I have 7 children and all are young girls. They went to an English medium school nearby. Now, how do we send them a school? Some of us even contemplated suicide, said Neena.



They have now lodged complaints and are waiting for their friends and relatives to come from other states to do so.

Investors Bear The BruntT he RAF has been drafted in to help after hundreds of homes were evacuated following major flooding in Lincolnshire.

Residents in 580 properties were told to leave their homes after water levels in the River Steeping in Wainfleet became dangerously high.

RAF Chinooks dropped 270 tonnes of ballast to shore up the flood defences after the town saw more than two month of rain in just two days.

Locals could be evacuated for 48 hours after the downpour, with Lincolnshire Police advising them to take the flooding seriously.

The town had more than two months of rain in just two days / PA

A rest centre has been set up in Skegness for those affected.

The Environment Agency said it will continue to work with emergency services in the area over the weekend on measures to tackle the flooding.

One homeowner Jean Hart said she has lost everything after her home was flooded during heavy showers.

A Chinook helicopter flies over Wainfleet, Lincolnshire / EPA

She watched on in horror as her house became submerged in water, ruining all her possessions.

She told the Metro: "The whole of the bottom of our house is completely gone. Everythings floating including our beds. We recently renovated the whole of the first floor, but now everything we own is in foul water at the moment."

Dozens of flood alerts and warnings remain in place, mainly in the Midlands and north-east of England.

Meteorologist Helen Roberts said rain will move eastwards across the country throughout Saturday, adding that Wainfleet should escape the worst of it.

An RAF Chinook helicopter delivers personnel to the edge of the River Steeping where it burst its banks near Wainfleet / PA

She said: "It will still be unsettled with further showers, but not the persistent rain that we saw earlier in the week, and we should have some warmer temperatures too."

While wet conditions are forecast across the UK, rainfall will not be as heavy and persistent as earlier in the week.

The RAF dropped 270 tonnes of ballast in Wainfleet / EPA

Sunday will see a similar mix of sunshine and showers - and temperatures could rise to 21C in the south-east of the country, she added.A manda Knox broke down in tears at a criminal justice festival in Italy as she revealed she "fears more charges" over the death of British student Meredith Kercher.

The American former exchange student has returned to Italy for the first time since 2015 when she was cleared of killing her British roommate in Perugia in 2007.

Speaking in Italian at a panel discussion in Modena titled Trial By Media on Saturday, Ms Knox said worries that she will face further accusations over her role in the student's death, despite her proven innocence.

She also accused the media of depicting her as guilty over the murder and portraying her as "cunning, psychopath, drugged, whore, guilty".

Amanda Knox broke down as she spoke at the Criminal Justice Festival in Italy on Saturday. / EPA

She broke down in tears as she said the media had invented a "false and baseless story, which fuelled people's fantasies".

I'm afraid today, now, I'm afraid of being harassed, mocked, stuck and I'm afraid that new accusations will be addressed to me just because I come here to say my version of the facts. But above all, I fear I will lack the courage, she said.

Three people have been accused of murdering Meredith Kercher

I know that despite my acquittal issued by the Court of Cassation, I remain a controversial figure in the presence of public opinion, above all and especially here in Italy."

A lot of people think I'm crazy to come here. I was told that I was not safe, that I will be attacked in the streets, that I will be falsely accused and sent back to prison and that even if I return to Seattle, it will have been all in vain, it will not have been useful to anything.

Amanda Knox accused the media of portraying her as guilty even though she was acquitted. / EPA

Ms Knox spent four years in an Italian prison over the killing of Ms Kercher. She and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito were later cleared.

She has since released a memoir, been the subject of a Netflix documentary and becoming a public advocate for wrongfully imprisoned inmates.

Ms Kerchers familys lawyer described Ms Knoxs invitation to the festival as inappropriate.

Meredith Kercher's family's lawyer said it was "inappropriate" Amanda Knox had attended the conference. / EPA

Francesco Maresca told the Guardian: 'All these insistences and appearances are only ever done to keep the attention on herself.

'The murder is a tragic memory for the Kercher family, they lost their daughter and sister in such a terrible way. It's also an injustice for them as they still don't know the full truth.H ong Kong has said it will halt work on a proposed extradition bill following mass protests and violence.

Chief executive Carrie Lam said she had taken the decision in response to widespread public unhappiness over the measure, which would enable authorities to send some suspects to stand trial in mainland China.

Announcing the move at a press conference, she said debate and work on the bill would be suspended indefinitely and that the next steps would be decided after consultations with various parties.

Many in the former British colony worried that the move would further erode cherished legal protections and freedoms promised by Beijing when it took control in 1997.

Chief executive Carrie Lam announcing that Hong Kong would delay a controversial China extradition bill / Getty Images

It had sparked growing outrage in the business, diplomatic and legal communities.

Another mass protest over the issue had been planned for Sunday.

Ms Lam told a news conference: "After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more explanation work and listen to different views of society."

Hong Kong extradition bill protests - In pictures 1 /72 Hong Kong extradition bill protests - In pictures Protesters face off with police on a blocked road next to the Legislative Council in Hong Kong EPA Protesters push a barrier into position in Hong Kong on Monday, July 1 AP Police officers with riot shields form a barricade on Lung Wo road outside the Convention and Exhibition Centre before the annual flag raising ceremony AFP/Getty Images Protesters and police face off at Harcourt Road outside the government headquarters after the annual flag raising ceremony AFP/Getty Images Protesters try to push a metal cart through a closed entrance at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on July 1, 2019 on the 22nd anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China AFP/Getty Images Police stand guard with shields as protesters gather outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Police stand guard as protesters gather at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong EPA Police officers fire a tear gas during demonstrations on Wednesday Reuters A protester sits at the middle of Harcourt Road in Hong Kong after a protest against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Protesters run after police fired tear gas during the rally AFP/Getty Images Protesters face off with police officers outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Riot police stand guard after a protest against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Police officers fire tear gas during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Demonstrators occupy a street the night after the protest AFP/Getty Images Protesters react to a cloud of tear gas near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Riot police fire tear gas to protesters outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters drag barricades to fortify their occupied area in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A police offer throws tear gas during clashes with protesters AFP/Getty Images Protesters shelter under umbrellas during a downpour as they occupy roads near the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Police officers use a water canon on a lone protester near the government headquarters AFP/Getty Images A protester reacts to tear gas during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Protesters clash with riot police during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill, near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong Reuters Police fire tear gas at protesters during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Police officer fires tear gas at protesters during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Protesters sit around barricades during a rally against an extradition bill outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong EPA Police fire tear gas at protesters during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill, near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong Reuters Protesters wrap themselves with cellophane wrap during a rally against an extradition bill outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China EPA Clashes: police officers confronting protesters at the central government complex Getty Images A police officer sprays pepper spray at protesters near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters react to tear gas during a large protest near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters react to tear gas during a massive protest near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters occupy a road during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Protesters carry barricades as they march toward the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters run away from tear gas fired by police during a massive demonstration outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP A protester reacts to a tear gas during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Protesters react to a tear gas during a demonstration against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Protesters retreat after police fired tear gas during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Taiwanese people gather to support AP A protester holds a flower as she sits in front of policemen in anti-riot gear standing guard outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters occupy two main highways near the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Ring of steel: a demonstrator being dragged away outside the parliament AP Protesters occupy the roads near the Legislative Council and government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Protesters and members of the media react after police fired tear gas during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Protesters gather outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters occupy the roads near the Legislative Council and government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images Protesters gather outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Protesters occupy a main road during a rally against amendments to an extradition bill near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong EPA Police officers use a water canon on a lone protester near the government headquarters in Hong Kong AFP/Getty Images A protester waves a British flag near the government headquarters during a rally against the extradition bill Getty Images Protestors gather near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong AP Demonstrators protest against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters Demonstrators remove metal barricades during a protest against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong i Reuters Protesters holding umbrellas rally outside the entrance to the Legislative Council building as they demonstrate against a proposed extradition bill in Hong Kong Reuters

She said there was no deadline, effectively suspending the process indefinitely.

The United States Consulate in Hong Kong welcomed a decision on Saturday.

The significant climbdown came after more than a million of Hong Kong residents took to the streets in demonstrations earlier this week.

Protests turned violent on Wednesday, as campaigners were met with tear gas and rubber bullets from the police, plunging the city into turmoil.

Hong Kong protests: Police fire tear gas as extradition rally escalates

About 80 people were injured in the clashes, including 22 police officers.

The standoff was Hong Kong's most severe political crisis since the Communist Party-ruled mainland took control with a promise not to interfere with the city's civil liberties and courts.

The violence added to pressure on Ms Lam to back down, amid calls from both outside and within her government.I ncarcerated charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has begun a fresh hunger strike in prison, her husband said today.

Richard Ratcliffe, who said her demand from the move was for unconditional release, said he would also conduct his own hunger strike to coincide with his wife's protest.

He plans to start the "open-ended" strike during a vigil outside the Iranian Embassy in London today.

He said the pair had decided to take joint action if nothing had changed by their daughter Gabriella's fifth birthday.

Mr Ratcliffe said: "Today I received a phone call from Nazanin in prison. She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water) to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, holding her daughter Gabriella. / PA

"This is something she had been threatening for a while. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed Gabriella's fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something - to mark to both governments - that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long.

"Today she sounded nervous, but calm. Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it."

Mr Ratcliffe said he will begin a continual vigil outside the Iranian Embassy from midday on Saturday.

He said: "We were planning a small event in front of the Iranian Embassy to mark Gabriella's birthday - I remember marking her second birthday there while we didn't even know where Nazanin was, and now here we are marking her fifth.

Richard Ratcliffe will join his wife in the hunger strike. / EPA

"Given Nazanin's decision, later today I will also begin a continual vigil in front of the Iranian Embassy, perhaps occasionally joined by friends and family.

"During this vigil I will also not eat, and will continue this fast until such time as her hunger strike ends.

"I vowed last time that if she ever went on hunger strike again, we would not leave her to go through this ordeal alone."

In an interview with Sky News, Mr Ratcliffe said this strike is a bit more "open ended" than her previous two.

"I'm hoping its not going to last weeks and weeks and weeks," he said.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella. / PA

He added that while his wife's physical health had been assessed as relatively fine - lumps in her breasts were benign and neck problems could be treated with physiotherapy - her mental health was "really bad".

"The doctor said she should be hospitalised immediately, which hasn't yet happened," he said.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested on April 3 2016 at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport as she prepared to board a plane with Gabriella back to the UK after visiting relatives.

The 40-year-old is serving a five-year sentence in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt granted Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection in March, but Tehran refuses to acknowledge her dual nationality.

Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said the decision to go on another hunger strike was a "truly heartbreaking situation".

"Nazanin has already been through so much, while her tireless husband Richard has strained every sinew to get Nazanin out of jail and back to the UK where she belongs," she said.

"Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, unfairly jailed after a sham trial and subjected to all manner of torments - including months in solitary confinement and endless game-playing over whether she would receive vital medical care.N otre Dame Cathedral has held its first Mass exactly two months after it was ravaged by a huge blaze.

Archbishop Michel Aupetit donned a hard-hat for the service in the cathedral, which lost its roof and spire to the inferno.

The service, which was attended by 30 priests, canons and church employees, took place in a chapel behind the choir, a place confirmed by construction experts as safe.

Some of the workers rebuilding the church were also invited.

Priests donned hard hats for the service on Saturday / REUTERS

French Culture Minister Franck Riester said this week the cathedral remains in a "fragile" state, especially its vaulted ceiling, which is still at risk of collapsing.

Other worshippers could watch the Mass live on a Catholic TV station. The video showed some burnt wood still in the church but a famous statue of the Virgin and Child appeared intact behind wooden construction planks.

The annual Dedication Mass commemorated the cathedral's consecration as a place of worship.

The archbishop said: This cathedral is a place of worship, it is its very own and unique purpose.

Debris inside Notre Dame cathedral after the devastating blaze / AP

One French priest called the service "a true happiness, full of hope."

Father Pierre Vivares added: "We will rebuild this cathedral. It will take time of course - a lot of money, lot of time, lot of work - but we will succeed.

"Today it's a small but a true victory against the disaster we have had."

It is still unclear when the cathedral will reopen to the public.

Notre Dame Cathedral fire - In pictures 1 /64 Notre Dame Cathedral fire - In pictures Aerial image if Notre-Dame Cathedral fire AP An image taken from a television screen shows an aerial view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral engulfed in flames. AFP/Getty Images The steeple of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames AFP/Getty Images Smoke rises around the alter in front of the cross inside the Notre-Dame Cathedral AFP/Getty Images A man watches the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral burn AFP/Getty Images People kneel on the pavement as they pray outside watching flames engulf Notre Dame Cathedral AFP/Getty Images Security forces evacuate artifacts from inside the Notre Dame cathedral Franck Riester Security forces evacuate artifacts from inside the Notre Dame cathedral Franck Riester Notre Dame cathedral burning in Paris AP Seen from across the Seine River, smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris AFP/Getty Images General view of the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral after a massive fire in Paris EPA French President Emmanuel Macron (C) speaks with firemen as they fight against a fire burning the roof of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris EPA Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris AFP/Getty Images Flames on the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images The cathedral entrance shows smoke rising around the alter in front of the cross inside Reuters People pray as Notre Dame cathedral burns in Paris AP The Notre Dame cathedral spire collapses EPA Flames as a fire engulfs the world famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images Smoke and flames billows into the sky as the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images Flames on the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris EPA Smoke billows into the sky as a fire rips through the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images The gothic cathedral attracks millions of tourists every year AFP/Getty Images Smoke billows from the Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire broke out Reuters Bright orange flames lick the air during a fire at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images People kneel on the pavement as they pray and sing while flames engulf Notre Dame AFP/Getty Images Smoke billows as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral Reuters A fire fighter uses a hose as Notre Dame cathedral is burning in Paris AP Smoke billows across Paris following the Notre Dame fire Reuters Firefighters tackle the blaze as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns. AP General view of the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral after a massive fire in Paris EPA French President Emmanuel Macron (C) and his wife Brigitte Macron (R) pay a visit to firemen fighting against a fire burning the roof of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, France EPA A statue of Saint John is removed from the spire of Notre Dame cathedral by a crane before restoration work last week Reuters Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral AFP/Getty Images Flames are doused through the scaffolding erected on the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral AFP/Getty Images Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images Firefighters douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images People react as they watch flames engulf the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral AFP/Getty Images A firefighter uses a hose to douse flames and smoke billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris AFP/Getty Images Firefighter douse flames billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images People look at smoke and flames rising during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral AFP/Getty Images Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral AFP/Getty Images People stand on the banks of the Seine river as they look at a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral AFP/Getty Images The steeple collapses as smoke and flames engulf the Notre-Dame Cathedral AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images Paris Fire brigade members are seen at an entrance that looks into the Notre Dame Cathedral Reuters Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris AFP/Getty Images The steeple engulfed in flames collapsing as the roof of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral burns AFP/Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal of rebuilding it in just five years, which many experts consider unrealistic.

He is determined to have it ready in time for the 2024 Olympics, which will be held in the French capital.

Investigators believe the fire was an accident, possibly linked to overdue renovation work.

One billion euros was raised to fund the restoration, smashing through the milestone just two days after the fire.B efore we get on board with Yacht Rock, lets test the idea to see if its seaworthy.

As a concept, its slippery. It exists on the edge of parody. Aficionados of the genre seem to be aware that there is something funny, almost confessional, about expressing a fondness for it.

For Katie Puckrik, a presenter known for her sass and verve on The Word - a Nineties music show that burned brightly in the firmament of yoof broadcasting - it seems to be an ironic delight, though Puckrik is doubtless sincere in her irony (just kidding).

BBC/IWC Media/Ben Whalley

What is Yacht? As described here, it was a Seventies thing, stretching into the Eighties. It was, says Puckrik, sunny, escapist music. It was a balm, it was a promise. Yacht was the music of Mens Lib, which  it says here  was something that happened after feminism, when emotional men started to appear, often with moustaches, sometimes in waistcoats, occasionally in brown trousers. Yacht was a place where men could be sensitive, Puckrik observes.

Can you hear it? Its timeless, Puckrik says. Its like medicine for the soul. It promises joy and it promises escape  And at the same time it lets you lose yourself. Its kind of irresistible.

Can you see what it is yet? Well, possibly not. It would be cruel to suggest that Puckriks documentary is a parody of rock documentaries just because it employs serious cultural critics, such as Professor Sarah Churchwell, to question the veracity of the American Dream in the context of a discussion of the music of The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. But thats how it feels. People started to point out that it [the American Dream] had definitely never been true for people who were not white men, says Churchwell, amid clips of Nixon, Vietnam, the energy crisis of the Seventies, all that s***.

How does this relate to Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts? Theres nothing about any Yacht Rock record that has any cultural relevance, says Dylan Jones, a magazine editor.

Heres the thing. Yacht Rock didnt exist when the records that comprise its canon were being recorded. The concept appears to have been dreamed up by actor/writer JD Ryznar for his online series fictionalising the lives of soft rockers such as Hall & Oates. It was a joke. It still is. But as is the way of these things, the joke was embraced by the artists who were its punchlines, and the Yacht concept provides a guiltless way of enjoying music that escaped critical acclaim despite its success.

Theres nothing wrong with that. Critics have a way of missing the point, so the mid-Seventies are seen as the era of punk, when disco and reggae were of equal, or greater, significance. Should Yacht take its place at the top table? Its popularity is not in doubt. Its advocacy of technique over expression, of harmonic atmosphere over passion, of adult navel-gazing over youthful vigour, is worthy of stylistic analysis. But even Yachts advocates seem unclear about whether to praise or bury the genre.iStock (CHARLESTON, S.C.) -- Monday marks the fourth anniversary of the shooting at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Nine black people were shot dead at a bible study by a racist gunman hoping to start a race war.



After the terrible tragedy, some of the victim's family members tried to apply their faith quickly in extraordinary ways, according the church's pastor Rev. Eric Manning, who told ABC News that he saw the strength in families right after the shooting.



During the shooters bond hearing which occurred days after the shooting, a family member told the shooter she forgave him.



"We have not seen that level of forgiveness so quickly. Usually, of course, it takes some people some time, and I said before some members of Mother Emmanuel have not even gotten there yet, Manning told ABC News in an exclusive interview.



Manning, as well as those affected by two other mass shootings at American houses of worship, sat down with ABC News while they were in the nation's capital.



At a briefing last month, an FBI counterterrorism official said the bureau is seeing an increase in "people who advocate for the supremacy of the white race." Since the Pittsburgh shooting, where the gunman allegedly shouted anti-Semitic threats as he killed worshipers, the bureau has seen a 30% increase involving these types of cases. The FBI tracks hate crimes, and religion is one of the primary categories. People of faith were targeted in nearly 21% of cases in 2017, according to the FBI.



These leaders came to Washington, D.C., to speak at the National Cathedral with religious leaders in the city about how to prepare their own congregations for a targeted attack and how to rebuild afterward. The event was organized by the city's Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.



Allan Hausman, the vice president of the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 people were killed in October 2018, told ABC News that "people are scared right now" and every similar shooting reopens old wounds.



"It essentially just opens the wounds again. It's really, really hard to see your folks almost reliving the entire event right when they were getting to a point where they were beginning to learn how to deal with it," he said.



Sadly, these congregations still receive threats frequently and felt the need to beef up security in their houses of worship.



Frank Pomeroy, the pastor at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, said their congregation constantly gets threats from conspiracy theorists who personally attack him and say the shooting was an effort to take away guns. Some even theorize about his daughter Annabelle, one of 26 churchgoers who were killed in November 2017.



"I have been told by some that Annabel never existed. And by some [that] I've human trafficked her away," Pomeroy said.



Some threats allegedly came from Jodie Mann and Robert Ussery, who prosecutors say go by the names Conspiracy Granny and Side Thorn. Both are now facing federal gun charges and county trespassing charges.



The threats have led to a financial cost, Manning said, "So it comes out of our tithing offerings and as part of the operating costs of the church."



"We have security protocol that details what to do when we receive emails that are threatening," Manning continued.



But with all the pain and challenges, the worship leaders have been struck by the resilience of their congregations.



"How do you heal? You watch others that inspire you. I watch Jenni, who had her 18-month-old baby in her arms and lost her and her husband, and I see she gets up every day," Frank Pomeroy's wife, Sherri Pomeroy, said.



"How can I disappoint Jenni and not get up and heal? I can just honor those that have gone ahead by walking in their footsteps," she said.



And through that forgiveness comes hope.



"If we stop spreading hope, then we let evil win," Sherri Pomeroy said.



"If you choose hope and mercy and grace over pessimism and hate and divisiveness," Frank Pomeroy added, "you're going to heal and you're going to be able to move forward."



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.By Express News Service

MADIKERI: A school teacher, who was waiting for a school bus at Balele bus stop in South Kodagu, was shot dead by an alleged stalker on Friday morning. The stalker later shot himself to death, a few feet away from the bus stop. The incident took place around 8.15 am close to the Balele police substation.

The victim, Aadengada Asha Kaveramma (45), a widow who was a teacher at Gonikoppal Lions School, was shot by Machimada Jagadeesh (55) on her right arm and head from 20 feet away from a coffee estate.

The killer used a single-barrel gun, and the victim died on the spot.

Jagadeesh later pulled the trigger on himself, sustaining injuries in the neck. He died on the spot as well. People found Asha lying in a pool of blood, and tried to shift her to a hospital, but she had died by then.

Ponnampet police rushed to spot and during a search operation for the killer, they found the dead body of Jagadeesh lying 20 feet away from the murder spot.

Asha had lost her husband nearly two years back and is survived by two daughters, who are pursuing their studies in Bengaluru. Jagadeesh had lost his wife two years back and is survived by a daughter.

It is said that Jagadeesh had been stalking Asha for a long time. When Asha ignored him, he had morphed her photo and included them in a porn film.

A complaint in this regard had been registered by Asha at Ponnampet police station earlier and Jagadeesh was in custody for nearly a month.

Following this, Jagadeesh allegedly misbehaved with Ashas maid and a second case was registered against him recently at Ponnampet police station.

Following these police interrogations and arrests, Jagadeesh is said to have sworn openly to kill Asha. After this, CCTVs were installed at Ashas house. Police confirmed that a Jamma registered single-barrel gun was used in the crime.The kids arrived with their dads Friday morning at the YMCAs Kinderkamp for Donuts with Dad.

We did Muffins with Mom for Mothers Day so now we are doing Donuts with Dad for Fathers Day, YMCA Child Care Director Valerie Smith said.

The campers made gifts for their dads, answered a fun questionnaire about their dads, made them a card, and brought them to camp Friday for a special day with their kids.

Seven-year-old Brin Kuntz gave a thumbs up to her dad because its going to be fun to have dad here, she said.

I think its great, Thad Kuntz said as he ate doughnuts with Brin and 3-year-old Kiley Kuntz. Spending time with them like this makes it more fun for Fathers Day. Being a father is the best job in the world.

The fathers spent time eating doughnuts, reading the questionnaire, getting tattooed and tattooing their kids, while spending time about an hour Friday morning at Kinderkamp.

Kindercamp is for kids 3 years old and older, Smith said. It is a half-day program and runs all summer long.My dad left this world long ago, and much too soon, but my memories of him shine clear and bright and true. I think of him often, especially on Fathers Day.

I picture him fishing. Smokin and jokin. Telling stories. Making me laugh. In all those memories, his laugh is the same old chuckle. His eyes are still as blue as the lakes he loved to fish. And the thought of him still lights me up like the little girl who lay awake at night listening for him to come home from second shift at the mill.

When I was a child, I felt sure the sun rose and set in my daddys eyes. My mother did not share that feeling. Maybe she did the night they ran off to get married. She was 15, he was 25. They divorced when I was 2.

I lived with my mother, but often spent weekends and holidays with my dad on his parents farm in the mountains of North Carolina. Most of the year, we were 40 miles apart. Yet he remained an everpresent and reassuring light in my life.

That is love. You dont need to be together to feel it, to know its true. Love doesnt end when loved ones are apart. It stays with one and follows the other over space and time and even over death, never letting go.As the citys flag ordinance receives national attention, Statesville City Council will hold a public hearing on increasing the limit on flag sizes.

Gander RV, formerly Camping World, on Morland Drive, flies a 40-by-80 foot flag off I-77. The citys ordinance limits flags to 25 by 40 feet.

Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis brought Statesvilles and 11 other cities ordinances keeping the company from flying giant flags to the nations attention by tweeting to the 1.3 million followers he had at the time in 2017.

When the city filed a complaint against Camping World for refusing to follow an ordinance in May, America became aware of Statesville yet again. Gander Outdoors, also owned by Lemonis, started a petition on change.org supporting Gander RVs flag. It had more than 300,000 signatures as of Friday.

Now council is considering changing the ordinance.Anil S By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The topic of prisoners human rights has always been a contentious one. Even as frequent outcries are heard to ensure their rights, 17 prisoners sentenced to capital punishment have been languishing in the three central prisons - at Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Viyyur - for long, one of whom has been here for 10 years.

All the three central prisons of Kerala are overcrowded, with one of them now functioning at 186% of its sanctioned capacity, says information obtained under the Right To Information Act. While the Thiruvananthapuram Central Prison and Correctional Home has a capacity of 727, it has more than double the capacity accommodated here - 1,355.

Similarly, the Viyyur prison has 822 inmates, against a sanctioned strength of 520. The Kannur Central prison can accommodate a maximum of 840 prisoners, while as on April 1, the number of prisoners here is 981, says the information collected by M K Haridas of The Proper Channel.

As per the info, the Poojappura Central Jail has a total of 9 prisoners sentenced to death. One of them, now aged 51, was given the punishment in 2009. The remaining, most of them now in their late 30s or mid-40s, have been awaiting death for at least a couple of years.

In Kannur jail, there are three prisoners - one of them aged 51 and two others 54 now - waiting for the death awarded in 2013, 2012 and 2015. In Viyyur jail, there are five prisoners who were sentenced to capital punishment. One of them was given death sentence at the age of 23 in 2017. Though there have been debates and demands opposing capital punishment, the prisoners human rights are often neglected, Haridas says.

Going to bed and waking up with menacing thoughts of impending death would be painful for anyone. Wouldnt that fall under the purview of human rights? Shouldnt the common principle of justice delayed is justice denied be applicable to these prisoners too, who have been waiting for death for long, asks Haridas.

However former jail DGP Alexander Jacob begs to differ. Capital punishment is awarded only in the rarest of the rare cases, wherein pre-meditated murder has been proved. Of around 335-350 murders that are reported every year, only very few are awarded capital punishment.

Seeking exemption for them before the judicial process is completed would not be appropriate, he said.

As per the Supreme Court directive, exemptions are given to those who have been serving sentence for over 20 years. We should let the judicial process reach completion, what with appeals before the SC, mercy petitions before the President and so on. Its inappropriate to talk about their human rights, even before the judicial process is over, he said.Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (26)Chairman of the Romanian Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu has delivered a speech on bicameralism to the 20th meeting of the Association of European Senates (AES) in Paris in which here he mentioned some major developments in bicameralism in Europe.

The meeting takes place June 13-15, discussing "Bicameralism: an asset for democracy."The debates highlighted a shared vision of the upper chambers of the European parliaments that the senates play a key role in the operation of a political system based on the principle of checks and balances, with Parliament in the middle as the main guarantor of democracy.According to a press statement released by the Romanian Senate, Tariceanu in his speech mentioned some milestones in the development of bicameralism in Europe, highlighting the contribution of the upper chambers - with similar or asymmetric powers in relation to a lower chamber - in fulfilling their legislative duties and exercising control over governmental activity.Tariceanu emphasised the historical role of bicameralism in transforming and modernising the Romanian society, showing that, after the communist period, bicameralism rediscovered its forms of action, contributing significantly to the process of democratic consolidation of the society.He also referenced the revision of the Romanian Constitution in 2003, when the powers of the two chambers of the Romanian Parliament were differentiated, creating the necessary premises for reinforcing the role of the senate in the lawmaking process.In particular, this year's AES meeting agenda also included a section for dialogue with African countries with bicameral parliamentary systems, where invited to attend were the senate chairs of Algeria, Morocco, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria , Namibia, the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.Tariceanu highlighted the traditional friendly co-operation relationships between Romania and the African countries, the contribution of Romanian specialists to the democratic stabilisation and economic and social progress in various countries on the African continent, and the importance of successfully completing negotiations over a new agreement partnership between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the implementation of the new Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs.He also mentioned Romania's interest in deepening co-operation with African countries, including at parliamentary level, mentioning to the point the Romanian Senate hosting this year at Parliament Palace in Bucharest, as part of the parliamentary dimension of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council the 53rd Session of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly and the 37th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.On the side-lines of the meeting, Tariceanu had a bilateral meeting with Stanislaw Karczewski, chairman of the Polish Senate.The two chairs reviewed the main aspects of the bilateral relationships between Romania and Poland with an emphasis on the important role parliamentary diplomacy plays in diversifying them. Also discussed were the future of Europe, and regional co-operation, including the B9 parliamentary dimension. The two dignitaries also exchanged views on the recent political developments in Ukraine and Moldova.The Romanian Senate retinue included Cristian-Sorin Dumitrescu, chairman of the Romanian Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee.The meeting was thought to continue the exchange of views at the level of senate leaders and the advancement of new multilateral co-operation proposals, both among the AES member states and with partner countries outside the European area.Established in 2000, the ASE brings together the presidents of the upper chambers of parliaments from 16 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UK, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain) and Luxembourg ?s State Council, as an observer.The association aims to: develop relations between its members; promote bicameralism within the framework of parliamentary democracy; strengthen European identity and awareness. ASE meetings usually take place annually in one of the member states.The Senate of Romania is a founding member of the ASE and hosted two ASE meetings, in 2007 and in 2018.Romania's President Klaus Iohannis welcomes the latest political developments on Friday in Moldova that are likely to contribute to settling the crisis and to a peaceful transition of power.

According to the Presidential Administration, these developments took place amidst a visit to Chisinau, Moldova, on Friday by presidential advisor on foreign policy Bogdan Aurescu.The schedule included a coordinating meeting with the US Ambassador in Chisinau Dereck Hogan as well as meetings with the political forces and actors involved in the ongoing Moldovan crisis: the leaders of the ACUM Bloc, Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase; leaders of the Democratic Party Vladimir Plahotniuc And Pavel Filip; leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) Zinaida Greceanii, and Moldova's President Igor Dodon.According to the Presidential Administration, discussed at these meetings was the political context generated by the Moldovan crisis."During the talks, presidential advisor Bogdan Aurescu strongly reiterated Romania's call for calm, restraint and the need for all political forces to act responsibly to ensure the stability of the Republic of Moldova. This appeal was also made in the context of the preparation for a great march in downtown Chisinau on Sunday, June 16. All political players have expressed their commitment to not allowing the deterioration of the public peace in the Republic of Moldova or the country's destabilisation. "Aurescu is also quoted as urging for political dialogue for the swift settlement of the political crisis in a peaceful way, in accordance with the values and principles of the European Union, including the rule of law.He also underscored the crucial importance of Moldova continuing on a European path, implementing its association agreement with the EU and continuing its reforms related to getting closer to the European Union."The presidential advisor on foreign policy underscored the importance of continuing the Strategic Partnership for European Integration of the Republic of Moldova and of co-operation projects with Romania, including especially strategic interconnection projects. At the same time, presidential advisor Bogdan Aurescu underscored the for the Republic of Moldova to stick to its position on the settlement of the Transnistria case by respecting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognised borders and its pro-European vector, as well as the importance of consolidating the language, culture and history that is at the basis of the special relationship with the Republic of Moldova."According to the official statement, all the attendees thanked Romania and President Klaus Iohannis for Romania's position of June 11 on the political situation in Moldova, as well as for the letter sent by Iohannis to European institutions on June 12."In Aurescu's conversation with the President of the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Igor Dodon, Dodon voiced wish to support and continue Moldova's bilateral Strategic Partnership with Romania, which is the main trade partner of the Republic of Moldova, and the European path of the Republic of Moldova, including the implementation of the association agreement with the European Union. He also pointed to the need to finalise the energy interconnection projects with Romania as soon as possible"The official retinue headed by Aurescu also included: Dan Neculaescu, senior official for relations with EU's Eastern Neighbourhood and global multilateral relations with Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Daniel Ionita, ambassador of Romania to Moldova."The Democratic Party (PD) of Moldova decided on Friday to transfer power to a government sworn-in by the ACUM-PSRM majority in order to unblock the political situation in the country and to avoid the escalation of the situation and violence," Vladimir Cebotari, vice-president of PD, said after a meeting of the PD's National Political Council, according to Deschide.md and the National newspaper of Chisinau.US Attorney General William Barr is scheduled to meet European Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova in Bucharest, on Tuesday, according to a schedule released by the European Commission.

Barr, Jourova, European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos, and European Commissioner for Security Julian King, will be attending a restricted EU-US meeting at justice and home affairs ministerial level to be held in Bucharest on Wednesday.According to the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, the meeting aims to deepen dialogue with the transatlantic partner on current affairs that have an impact on EU-US co-operation, such as cross-border access to electronic evidence and various aspects of judicial co-operation, including extradition and mutual legal assistance. In a wider context of the fight against terrorism, legislative or non-legislative possibilities will be explored to combat radicalisation and hate speech.ST. LOUIS  City aldermen on Friday gave preliminary approval to zoning rules for medical marijuana facilities, deciding against imposing a buffer zone separating them from elementary and high schools, churches and day cares.

The state law approved by Missouri voters last year sets a 1,000-foot distance requirement regarding such locations but allows local governments to waive it.

St. Louis zoning officials recommended doing just that because they say the citys high density would make it very difficult to find any sites meeting the 1,000-foot standard.

It would be pretty hard to do anything anywhere, the ordinances sponsor, Alderman Jack Coatar, D-7th Ward, said in an interview. Youd be very limited.

The measure instead allows dispensaries selling marijuana products in city commercial districts if selected by state health officials, who will decide which applications will be accepted.It was a very aggressive application, McKenna said.

In January, the lack of bridges targeted for work in St. Charles County triggered outcry from the countys two state senators, Republicans Bob Onder of Lake Saint Louis and Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring.

Eigel said he took his concerns to Parson in hopes of addressing the absence of work in one of the states most populous counties.

In making his pitch for the brige plan, Parson said the list of projects was not politically driven, because they were chosen by regional planning boards and then approved by the state Highways and Transportation Commission.

After the first round of 40 bridges get underway, others the St. Louis region expected to be replaced include the $2.7 million replacement of a bridge over Happy Sac Creek in Franklin County and a $4.4 million replacement project at the intersection of Valley Dell Drive and Gravois Road in Jefferson County.

Also on tap for work are the North Broadway bridge over Interstate 44 in St. Louis and the replacement of the Missouri Highway 47 bridge over Interstate 44 in St. Clair in Franklin County.

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.By IANS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After one positive case and over 300 suspects, the scare of the second attack of Nipah virus in Kerala is over, state health minister KK Shailaja told the media on Saturday.

"Even though the Nipah scare is over and there is no need for complete surveillance, the situation will be under observation till the middle of next month," Shailaja said.

On June 3, a 23-year-old college student, admitted to a private hospital in Ernakulam, tested positive for Nipah virus. Since then, the health authorities in the state have been on their toes to prevent the virus from spreading. And after almost two weeks, Shailaja finally gave the signal that the scare was over.

After 12 deaths were reported last year in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts following a Nipah outbreak, experts had collected samples from bats. Now, fruit bats have been identified as the carriers of the deadly virus.

The health department is now conducting studies to find out the reasons behind the second Nipah outbreak.Yet for as much as this is the story of a particular crime, the movie is also the story of an ongoing crime. Meaning Americas long history of using dark-skinned men as its all-purpose other, the rapacious beast lurking at every dark corner, hiding in every dark heart. If he is real, maybe America is not so bad.

But without him, how do you justify slavery? Or lynching? Or mass incarceration? How do you justify Trayvon and Tamir? Without him, how do you go on thinking of yourself as a people righteous and good?

So the beast is necessary. And if a given black man chooses not to play that role, insists on trying to live as a good person in a free country, it may not matter. The role may be imposed on him anyway. And therell be nothing he can do about it.

Thats the deeper story DuVernay tells. She makes us watch, breaks our hearts, as the boys discover this part theyve been tapped to play. With moist, frightened eyes, they look to their parents for answers, because when youre a kid, you trust mom or dad to make the wrong thing right. But one by one, in a shifting of eyes or a pursing of lips, moms and dads are forced to stand impotent before children, to confess that for this, they have no answers.It was soon noted that after American troops withdrew from combat in Iraq (2011) and Afghanistan (2014) there were still a lot of non-combat deaths in the combat zone. There were still some combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan but the combat casualties were very low and statistically, there was more of getting killed because of accidents or diseases. Outside the combat zones, the rate of accidental deaths for troops did not change. But when you look at the history of military fatalities during peacetime, you will note that the rate of such deaths has come way down since the Vietnam War of the 1960s. The reduction in these non-combat losses was gradual and the result of new technology as well as new procedures for how troops operated (on and off duty). These changes accelerated in the 1990s and especially after 2001. More tech and more solutions for ancient killers of wounded troops.

Meanwhile, the public paid more attention to more newsworthy fatalities. During the first three years of the 2003 Iraq War, 21 soldiers were killed accidentally by other soldiers. That's about one percent of all deaths, which is two-thirds the rate of the Vietnam War. These "accidental homicides" occur when troops fire their weapons or set off explosives by accident. This happens a lot in combat. While the rate of such deaths is lower than the 1.5 percent of the Vietnam War, the army and marines continue to seek ways to make the dangerous business of working with weapons day and night, less dangerous. After 2003 the army came up with a novel idea. They began issuing rifles, and blank ammo, to new recruits three days after they started basic training. Moreover, the troops took these weapons with them everywhere. Just as they would when they got to Iraq or Afghanistan.

In the past, troops, of course, had their weapons with them when in a combat zone. But when not in a combat zone, troops rarely handled their weapons. The rifles and such were locked safely away in the "arms room," and, for most troops, only taken out every week or so for cleaning, and once or twice a year for a trip to the rifle range. Combat troops would take their weapons out of the arms room when they trained, but the rifles and machine-guns still spent most of their time locked up in the arms room. After 2003 recruits spent their first three months in the army carrying around an M-16, and ammunition. The ammo was special training rounds, or blanks. These contained propellant, but no bullet. If one is fired, it sounds close enough to the real thing. If someone is really close (a few inches/40-70cm) to the barrel when the blank fires it can cause blast injury that can take an eye out, burst an eardrum and so on. The blanks were deadly enough to have the desired effect on the troops.

Initially, each company of trainees would experience several accidental rifle firings a day. But after a few weeks, you might go several days without one. In combat zones, the troops tend to become casual about all those rifles, pistols and explosives (especially hand grenades). Accidental firings are rather common, but most do not result in death (or even wounds.) Grenades and other explosives were another matter.

During Vietnam, Korea and World War II, for every hundred "accidental homicides," there were about 110 cases of "accidental self-destruction" in which a soldier is killed by mishandling a weapon, often a grenade. But by 2005, the U.S. Army had lowered these accident rates by over a third compared to previous wars. It was believed that having an all-volunteer force would contribute to a lower rate, but it turned out it was more a matter of training and experience. So now, when troops come out of their basic training, they already have several months of experience living with weapons every day. NCOs have noticed the difference, that the new guys are more at ease, and more safety conscious, with their weapons when they arrive in a combat zone.

The policy of having basic training recruits (basically civilians) carry around rifles and blank ammo days after they began training could have been done over half a century earlier because the circumstances for accidents were present since World War I. Even before the Vietnam War there were situations, like South Korea in the early 1960s, where there was a real threat of North Korean raiders (suicide commandos) who were sent to the south, usually via small subs that delivered the commandos at night via a remote beach on the east coast just below the border/DMZ. These raids occurred often enough for some special precautions to be taken. Units that went out into the countryside for several days of field exercises each month were issued real ammo and grenades, just in case. Naturally, this led to the accidental firing of weapons, especially when convoys moved through rural areas where the northern commandos liked to operate. Troops had rifles and pistols that were loaded (magazines with live rounds). Turned out the most accident-prone weapons were the M-60 machine-guns even combat support units (especially engineer and artillery) were issued. When a convoy moved out for a long road trip the large trucks (2.5 and 5 ton) with open (canvas covers removed) cargo beds, had a soldier standing right behind the driver's cab (which was often enclosed) with a loaded M60 belt-fed 7.62mm machine-gun. These troops rarely fired these machine-guns but knew how to load, fire and clean them. Commanders soon learned that machine-guns, used this way by inexperienced (to machine-guns) troops often led to accidents. When loading (putting the ammo belt into the machine-gun) the weapon and cocking it users were rudely reminded that if proper procedure was not followed you could fire off a round or two by accident. Troops with these machine-guns also had to be careful while the truck was bouncing around while traveling on unpaved roads (the usual type found in rural South Korea in the early 1960s) and that could cause accidental firing. Fortunately, in these situations, the accidentally fired rounds exited a machine-gun barrel that was usually pointed upwards and no damage was done, except for the shooter who got yelled at by some combat experienced sergeant who had warned the machinegun operators to be careful. Some kinds of careful you only learn by experience.

There were also problems with the hand grenades these troops were issued. This was noted by a senior officer and World War II veteran who, while driving by a unit preparing for one of these field-exercises, noted some troops, with their rifles slung over their shoulders, casually playing catch with a hand grenade. Shortly after that the troops going out on field exercise were ordered to keep the grenades in ammo boxes and not carry them on their webbing. Not long after that the enemy commando alert was declared over and the troops went back to going on field exercises carrying blanks. These commando alerts, and occasional attacks, continued throughout the 1960s and although the real combat was a regular occurrence in Vietnam the troops in South Korea received combat training after they arrived and reminders that near the DMZ it was still occasionally a war zone and that caused these troops to pay attention to the weapons handling tips they were given.

Accidental self-destruction was more common in Vietnam during the 1960s, so much so that there was a separate category for it in casualty reports (along with vehicle and other fatal accidents). Some of these accidental self-destruction incidents were bizarre, none more so than the many incidents were army aviation officers (usually young helicopter pilots) came off duty after flying in and out of combat zones in the UH-1 and AH-1 helicopters. This was very stressful work and, as the army pilots liked to remind their air force colleagues, army pilots flew low and without parachutes. These pilots were also armed, usually with a loaded .45 caliber (11.4mm) automatic pistol. Helicopters were often brought down by enemy fire or prevented from taking off because the chopper had been hit. The pilots were then armed ground troops, often in the middle of a firefight and drew their pistols and moved away from the helicopter before the fuel ignited. Some of these pilots kept a loaded M16 with them in the cockpit, but most trained with and depended on the pistol. The pilots often went straight to the officers club after coming off the flight line and the debrief, to get a few drinks to take the edge off. This sometimes led to quick draw contests, using their loaded pistols. The safety switches were supposed to be engaged when the pistol was in the holster but sometimes it wasnt. In any event, there were a lot of pistol accidents and some accidental self-destruction deaths due to that. There were bans on carrying loaded weapons into the officers club which curbed some of the mayhem but some of these officers had booze back at their quarters and the accidental self-destruction continued to occur.

Alcoholic beverages were a traditional stress reliever in combat zones and it wasnt until the 1990s that the army got the nerve to order boozed banned in the combat zone. This was not popular, but one of the persuasive arguments was the booze was banned on navy ships before World War I and while it hurt morale it did reduce the accident rate. The booze ban was first applied during Balkan peacekeeping missions in the 1990s and it worked. After 2001 that booze ban continued and a replacement stress reliever was discovered as well; violent video games. Yes, that sounds counterintuitive to civilians and even some army psychologists. But studies were conducted and it found that play a violent FPS (First Person Shooter) video game after returning from a violent combat patrol, did soothe the nerves, and kept you sober and safe from accidental self-destruction.

The role of alcohol in accidental deaths among military personnel was long recognized. Even in Vietnam, the first marine units to enter Vietnam saw no action right away and one commander noted that, because his marines had no access to their private vehicles and much less access to alcohol in Vietnam, initially the casualty rate for marines units was lower in Vietnam than back home. That did not last but it also emphasized the role of fast cars, booze and young troops in causing non-combat losses. In Iraq and Afghanistan, where fast driving in urban areas became an accepted tactic for avoiding roadside bombs and ambushes, the army soon implemented special training for that sort of fast and furious driving to make it safer for drivers and passengers. Safety measures for vehicles were also improved, especially since troops often traveled with seatbelts off to allow quick exit if they were halted and under fire. Vehicles were also modified to make it easier for troops in a damaged, from a crash or explosion, to quickly push out a windshield and exit.

Military vehicles, and aircraft were also designed to handle accidents so that passengers had a better chance of survival. The UH-60 helicopter, which replaced the Vietnam era UH-1 in the 1980s, was deliberately designed to be more crash safe for crew and passengers when there was a hard landing. Combat aircraft, in general, became safer to operate. This was particularly important for jets that operated off aircraft carriers. These aircraft become much less deadly (for pilots) in the decades after their widespread first use in the 1950s. Landing on a carrier at night (a night trap) was still a stressful experience but is something went wrong it was less likely to be a fatal one.

The cumulative effect of all these changes was not dramatic. But if you looked at annual data for non-combat deaths only every tenth year, the change is obvious and over the last half-century has been enormous. But troops and journalists never noted the stark difference. As the old saying goes, in the news business good news isnt news.By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The Centre is committed to developing Odisha as an international hub for steel sectors ancillary industries, Union Minister for Petroleum and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan said after his meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at New Delhi on Friday.

Stating that he had a cordial meeting with the Union Minister, the Chief Minister said the discussion was on how to take up further employment generation, development and welfare measures with mutual programmes of the Centre and the State for the benefit of people of Odisha. Met Hon. Chief Minister Odisha, Shri @Naveen_Odisha and discussed ways to work together to usher in economic and industrial development and generate employment opportunities to bring all round prosperity for the people of Odisha, Pradhan said in a tweet.

In a separate tweet, the Union Minister said during the meeting, he discussed the ways to enhance Odishas footprints further in the steel sector. Steel will have a large influence in rejuvenating the economy of Odisha.

The Centre is committed to developing Odisha as a global hub of ancillary industries in the steel sector. Shri @Naveen_Odisha has assured all co-operation in this regard. I am sure the State Government will support Prime Minister Narendra Modis initiatives and work in collaboration for the holistic development of Odisha, he said.

The Union Minister also handed over a cheque of Rs three crore, contributed by SAIL for relief and restoration work in the aftermath of cyclone Fani, to the Chief Minister.

The development assumes significance in the wake of the presence of major steel producers in the State, including like Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL).

Out of the 300 million tonne steel production targeted by the steel policy, 100 million tonnes will be produced in Odisha, he said.

The State Government is also keen on making Odisha a preferred destination for ancillary and downstream manufacturers in the steel sector.

Earlier, the Government held talks with about 70 downstream steel companies and invited them to invest in the State, while assuring them smooth paperwork.

While taking the charge of the ministry on May 31, 2019, Pradhan, who belongs to Odisha, had said it will remain a priority sector for the Government.

I have been given the duty to look after the steel sector by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which I will fulfil with responsibility. Steel is a strong pillar of development. We have to take this pillar to new heights, Pradhan had said.

The two leaders also discussed the progress of restoration and reconstruction work in the areas affected by Fani.Kathy Fathers is all wound up and calling in a ten-year-old promise she says was made to her by the Tauranga City Council.

Its not too early, says the peeved retiree of Pillans Point as she contemplates yet another winter standing in the rain at her local bus stop.

I have been banging on about it, bugging the council with absolutely no joy. What Kathy has been banging and bugging about is the lack of just one covered bus shelter within cooee of her Roderick Street home unit. After 32 years in the neighbourhood, she is fed up waiting in the rain for a bus.

Especially when you are headed to the bus stop and the bus is disappearing round the corner and the timetable and the app are both telling you its not even due yet. Kathy says you can be standing in the rain waiting for 20 minutes. As I did the other day. I have even given up and walked home because I am so wet and suddenly your important business in town is unimportant.

Anyhow, Kathy went to the Tauranga City Council ten or 12 years ago. They told me they were getting some new shelters in and they promised me one. But when they arrived they were installed in Bethlehem and everywhere else. She was miffed now, as well as cold and wet. They promised but didnt deliver.

Kathy would appreciate a bus shelter at any one of three bus stops in proximity to her home. She doesnt mind which - Goods or Milton Roads or outside Countdown in Bureta Road - just so she can drive her car to the bus stop and climb on the 72 which loops around Otumoetai before heading into town.

Not worried about coming home because the heavens can dump on me and I will have a nice hot shower when I get home. But you dont want to arrive in town with things to do and a wet hide.

The council doesnt prioritise particular areas to get bus shelters, says traffic safety and planning specialist Wayne Thompson. Its budget allows for five to eight shelters a year.

Generally when we receive requests for shelters, we consult property owners for approval to place the shelter outside their residence. If they dont they look at sites when there is already approval.

But heres the rub for Kathy. Theres a bloody bus shelter sitting there rotting, says Kathy. Its the Vale Street shelter which was whipped out and placed behind a fenced encircling Mike Greer Homes proposed residential development next to Countdown. Every time I walk past that shelter I get really pissed off. Its been there for a year. And the feisty 76-year-old says she will shut up and go away if that shelter was installed at any of her three nominated sites. Lug it up the hill, set it in concrete and I will do the rest  I will find someone to wash it, sand it and paint it. I would get it done.

In March, Kathy Fathers got an email saying sorry, the shelter was earmarked for another school bus. And thats been confirmed by council. She was getting pretty wound up about council officers sitting in the warm and dry and not seeming to care about her being cold and wet at the bus stop.

I am not being selfish, the bus shelter would be for a lot of people including schoolkids who have to wait under a tree in the rain for their bus.

In response to further inquiries, Kathy says she was told no-one wanted a bus shelter outside their property. I suggested tongue-in-cheek they re-route the 72 past my place and put the bus shelter there. I would look after it, grow some roses over it. Then she took up the challenge and went door-to-door. I found a guy whose property had a big front hedge. He wouldnt have minded at all. They would have had to move the bus stop a few metres  not a big job. But still nothing.

The TCC also has a contract with an Auckland company to install 10 shelters a year on arterial routes only as they require expose for their advertising panels. Any shelters made redundant from these sites are re-allocated.

But not the shelter in Vale Street it seems.

The probably think I am a trouble-maker. I just want something done properly for the community. And no, I dont want a seat at the bus stop. Because if we get a seat we wont get a shelters. And a seat doesnt help in the rain.The Otumoetai College student is one of the many young people in Tauranga who have taken part in national mentoring programme Project K.

Before Project K I was one to keep to myself, and I never really spoke up. My teachers would get pissed off with me because I was so quiet.

Throughout Project K, I didnt really see a change in myself, but looking back at it my confidence level has gone up so much, says Amie.

Project K mentor Lynette Gillies worked alongside Amie for almost a year.

She noticed a drastic increase in Amies confidence levels as Project K progressed.

Amie was super shy and wasnt confident in a lot of ways at the start of the programme. Over time she just transformed into this super confident, well rounded young women.

In 2017, Amie received the Excellence Award for Project K in New Zealand. When receiving this award, she delivered a speech to dignitaries at Government House in Auckland.

Before Project K I remember having big panic attacks before doing speeches. The fact I was able to speak about myself in front of hundreds of people at the Government House was really cool.

Lynette says that seeing Amie speak at Government House inspired her to continue mentoring for Project K.

She just spoke so beautifully and confidently, and that was what nailed it for me to keep on with the mentoring work, says Lynette.

Amie says it was just like having an adult best friend.

She was always there for me and such a supportive influence. I would talk to her about everything going on in my life.

Speaking to her gave me the confidence to speak to other adults as well.

Amie believes that Project K has mobilised her to do things she previously wouldnt have been comfortable doing.

I am performing in my school production at the moment, and I would have never done that three years ago. But I get up on stage now, and do my absolute best.

Im travelling to Germany in six weeks, and I will be flying on my own. Im so ready to get out there. Thanks to Project K, I have full confidence in my ability to engage with the culture.

Project K is a 14-month programme designed for Year 10 students. The aim of Project K is to arm rangatahi with a belief in their own ability to complete tasks and achieve goals.

Lynettes husband, Dave Gillies has mentored three different students over the past five years.

He emphasises how rewarding it is to witness the growth and development of students as the year progresses.

Dave and Lynette both meet up with their students each week and keep in touch through technology in between time.

While some may think that is too much of a commitment, Dave says he doesnt question the time spent.

Why not do it if you can spare that bit of time, especially if you know you can make a difference.

At the end of the day, its an hour a week. I think most of us can afford an hour a week, says Dave.

In the past, Daves Project K commitments extended to dropping his student off at work at 5.30am which resulted in the young boy being able to buy his own computer and BMX bike.

Dave and Lynette both highlight the importance of leading by example, pointing out that it is the natural thing for them to do.

We actually care, and we want to make a difference. Its good that other people see us doing it, and it might encourage them to give mentoring a go in the future, says Lynette.

Amie challenges all students selected for Project K to embrace the opportunity.

Challenge yourself, but it will definitely make you a better person. Its helped me so much.From 9am  5.30pm, the 2019 national show for patched and pointed cats, hosted by Patches & Pointed Inc. will be an opportunity for cat lovers to come and see top cats from around the country.

The theme for this years show is Rocking it with the Cool Cats, with many varieties of cats, from longhaired and shorthaired being judged.

A winning cat from a previous show

Its a one ring show, but with multiple judging options. The international judging panel is made up of Kit Fung from Hong Kong, Lyn Sherer from Memphis Tennessee, Veikko Saarela from Finland, Robbie Walker from Brisbane, and David Scadden from Rotorua.

Kit Fung has worked for the Hong Kong Police Force for 24 years. He is a CFA All breed judge with 12 years experience in breeding American Shorthair, has owned three National Winners and over 20 ID Divisional Winners. He also owned the only Longhair Manx in Asia. He is used to handling some other breeds included Persian, Exotic, Maine Coon, Ragdoll, American Curl, British Shorthair, Oriental Longhair.

Photo: Winning cat from a previous show/Patched & Pointed Inc website

After breeding and showing for 10 years, Lynne Sherer became a TICA Judge in 1986. She has been breeding and showing Maine Coons since 1976.

Robbie entered the cat fancy in 1997, breeding Scottish Folds and British Shorthairs under the prefix Glencairn and later Duart. He gained his Group 4 licence with QFA Inc. in 2010. Currently Robbie is the Honorary Council Steward of the Cat Section with the Royal Brisbane Show and also the Chief Steward for the Sydney Royal Easter, and since 2012 has taken an active involvement with running four ACF National shows.

Veikko Saarela has been a Longhair Judge with FIFE since 1994 extending his license to All Breeds in 2012. He is still actively breeding Persians and Exotics and has bred many National Winners and Scandinavian Winner cats. He has officiated as a judge in 10 World Cat Shows and 5 Scandinavian Winner shows.

Photo: Winning cat from a previous show/Patched & Pointed Inc website

David Scadden retired from the breeding game after breeding Birmans since 1985. His other great love are Bengals, which he and his wife Jacqui originally imported into the country in 1996 and bred successfully for a number of years.

We have a number of desexed Birmans, Bengals and a Maine Coon to keep us well and truly occupied, says David in his judges profile. I started judging in 1992 and reached the status of All Breeds in 2005, learning a great deal about all aspects of felines along the way.

I really enjoy judging and try to talk to and educate the spectators as much as possible on the various breeds. I feel that a cat show has to be entertaining and informative. I enjoy meeting fellow cat fanciers from around NZ and other parts of the world.

Photo: Winning cat from a previous show/Patched & Pointed Inc website

The judging sections in todays show are entire cats, entire kittens, neuter/spay cats and neuter/spay kittens, companions and domestics.

Each judge will award a Top 10 Longhair and Top 10 Shorthair, then the judge will select Top 15 All Breeds. The judging panel will then decide the Supreme Pedigree Exhibit National Show 2019 winner, and the Supreme Domestic or Companion Exhibit National Show 2019 winner.

The organisers of the show encourage cat exhibitors coming to Tauranga to book accommodation in Cat Friendly Motels, listing them on their website.

Photo: Winning cat from a previous show/Patched & Pointed Inc website

Patches & Pointed Inc are a small club that specialises in broken coloured cats of all breeds and are an affiliate club of the NZ Cat Fancy Inc.

Patches & Pointed was founded in 1999 by Chris Lowe and Brenda Ward who had a vision of setting up a specialised club specifically for patched and pointed cats. In the early days, the show was only for these cats, but as time went on it was agreed to open up the shows so all cats could be shown at the show, while retaining a special supreme prize that Patched & Pointed cats only were eligible to enter. This has become a closely contested section amongst the broken coloured cats.

The show is sponsored by Royal Canin, Cat Evolution, Odorex, Petplan, Newflands, Catfence NZ, Quality Presentations, Classic Cuisine, PrintPro, Pet Travel NZ, and Tauranga, Papamoa Village, Katikati, Te Puna Vets.

The public are invited to rock it with the cool cats at the Tauranga Racecourse in Greerton from 9am- 5.30pm. Check their website for more information www.patchesandpointedinc.co.nz

Photo: Winning cat from a previous show/Patched & Pointed Inc websiteWhen Labour was in Opposition, they were ferocious about the urgency of this issue and the need to set up a register, as well as investing in research and data collection, says Maggie.

Yet at the Health estimates hearing this week it was very apparent the Minister had very little idea and had delegated the issue to a junior Minister outside Cabinet, while Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield stepped in and could not offer any new information.

Dr Clark claims there is urgency on the issue but this is not apparent. More than a year and a half since taking office this Government is not fulfilling the lofty promises it made and mesh groups are describing the attitude as a kick in the guts.

Surgical mesh is a medical device that is used when repairing weakened structures with the aim of providing additional support. It can be absorbable or non-absorbable. Non-absorbable mesh will remain in the body indefinitely so should be considered a permanent implant.

Surgical mesh is widely used for hernia repair. It is also used in urogynaecological surgery, including in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Surgical mesh was previously used for repair of pelvic organ prolapse  POP - but since regulatory action was taken in December 2017 no surgical mesh products have been supplied for POP in New Zealand.

While many people who have mesh inserted experience no complications, a number do. Some experience complications immediately after their operation, while for others they develop years later. Complications may range from mild to debilitating and can have physical impacts and affect an individuals quality of life.

On November 29 2018, the Ministry of Health opened a survey to hear from those impacted by surgical mesh whether they would be like the opportunity to tell their story, and if so, how they could be supported to do so. This survey closed on January 18 2019 with 423 submissions received.

All the Minister seems to have done is write letters to the DHBs asking for their co-operation in compiling information at a local level," says Maggie. "Even the easiest step to take, which would be to establish a code for surgical mesh products, has not been implemented.

The numbers stack up as well, with a Deloitte study last year showing the benefits would far outweigh the cost.

National has committed to setting up a comprehensive retrospective register of all women and men who have surgical mesh implanted and the brand of mesh used in these operations. Australia, England and Scotland have already implemented this measure so theres no reason for New Zealand to be falling behind.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Government talk about wellbeing, but if thats the case then this should be a matter of urgency for those women and men suffering from the effects of failed mesh surgeries.

The Ministry of Health website provides information for those who have had surgical mesh implanted: If you have implanted surgical mesh and it causes pain, or you have concerns, contact the surgeon who implanted the mesh. Alternatively, you can contact your GP if you would like to be referred to another specialist in the use of surgical mesh.

Consumers and health professionals are urged to report any adverse events experienced in relation to the use of surgical mesh to Medsafe. Further information, including reporting forms, is available on the Medsafe websiteOn Friday night more than 20 Bay of Plenty teams of actors, writers, and film makers launched themselves into 48 hours of furious film-making.

The Vista Foundation 48Hours is New Zealands largest guerrilla film-making competition, with teams all over NZ competing to make the best short film in just 24 hours.

The BOP launch event, hosted by Bay of Plenty Film, was held at Ignition in Grey St, Tauranga with teams gathering from 6.30pm on Friday June 14. Once health and safety and general filming instructions were completed, the countdown to the 7pm start time began.

Vista Foundation 48Hours city manager Annie Lawler giving the film makers last minute instructions before the 7pm Friday start time.

At 7pm, each team is given a film genre and a list of required elements that they must include in their films. Final entries must be submitted by 7pm on June 16.

For 2019, the genres given out to film makers are the gross out or cringe comedy, the opposites attract movie, the secret identity movie, the wrong place/wrong time movie, the holiday movie, the coming-of-age movie, the buddy movie, the science fiction movie, the musical or dance movie, the time travel movie, the generation gap movie, the nature run amok movie, and the real time movie.

The required sound, action, technical and physical elements are laughter, a double take, an overhead shot and wind.

For the ultra competitors, their film must be split screen and must have a break the 4th wall moment.

Vista Foundation 48Hours city manager Annie Lawler also chose 'Bringing the Feels' as a special award category for the Bay of Plenty.

Each team was given a pack of V drink to keep their energy levels up over the weekend.

City manager for the Bay of Plenty 48Hours Film Annie Lawler with Ostara O Cinnseala from Nutty Mosquitos 

Vista Foundation 48Hours offered free entries for seven lucky community groups across the country and homeschool networks, primary, intermediate and high schools get a special two for one deal. In the Bay of Plenty, Team Candyfloss Clouds Productions from Te Puke won a free entry into the competition.

Alison Titulaer

Last year, Alison Titulaer from Coromandel took out the competition for the Bay of Plenty Region with the musical genre with her film Manawa Bay. She won the top award at a red carpet event held at Rialto Cinemas in Tauranga. She also won Best Female Director at the national finals.

This year, she has been announced as one of the judges.

The 48Hours is an amazing opportunity to throw yourself into the madness and have a finished short film at the end of the weekend, says Alison.

Its a great way to cut your teeth as a film-maker, and the perfect place to make mistakes and try something risky. Give it a go! Youve got nothing to lose, except sleep.

We had such a great time making our film last year. We were a brand new team, so it was awesome for all of us collaborating with people weve never worked with before, and as a result some of us have worked on projects together since.

Its great to be connected with Bay of Plenty Film and other filmmakers in the area too.

Winning Best female Director at the national finals was such an honour, and surprise having never directed in the 48 Hours before. The whole experience certainly gave me more confidence and practice.

I couldnt have done it without the whole team, especially our DP James for making the film look beautiful  he just missed out on winning Best Cinematographer at the national finals too!

Team Dont Eat Poptarts off the Sidewalk - Amy Dixon, Amy Mindham, Hollie Murray and Jasmin Murray

CEO of Bay of Plenty Film Anton Steel says having Vista Foundation 48Hours in the Bay of Plenty brings a whole new community of filmmakers together.

Bay of Plenty Film is excited both to host this event in the region and also see the great films that get cooked up over the weekend.

The competition was open to the public and teams could enter even if they have never made a film before.

The Bay of Plenty teams will be busy filming all weekend and ensuring their films are completed and submitted by 7pm on Sunday evening.

To follow updates on winners and learn more about the finals go to www.48hours.co.nz

If you are keen to be linked to a team, contact local Vista Foundation 48Hours city manager Annie Lawler at annie@filmonaday.com

Story time on Friday night with Team Rip7ide (front to back) Andy Quinlan, Janine Westraadt, Nate Horrell, Aaron Torkil, Alexander Hallam, Suzanne Hodge and Henry Leckie-Hodge

Early morning on set with Team Rip7ide- Andy Quinlan, Aaron Torkil, Nate Horrell and Henry Leckie-Hodge

Team Rip7ide filming on Tauranga waterfront

Team Rip7ide

Getting 'that' shot - Team Rip7ideThe winning ticket was sold at Whitcoulls The Base in Hamilton.

The $10.2 million prize is made up of $10 million from Powerball First Division and $250,000 from Lotto First Division.

This is the second time in less than a month that Powerball has been struck, following an Auckland MyLotto player who won $9.2 million in late May.

Three other Lotto players from Auckland, Cambridge and Waitara will also be celebrating after winning $250,000 each with Lotto First Division last night. The winning Lotto tickets were sold at Chartwell Food Centre & Lotto in Auckland, New World Cambridge in Cambridge and Impulse Snacks & Lotto in Waitara.

Meanwhile, a lucky Strike player from Auckland won $800,000 on Saturday night. The winning Strike ticket was sold at Berrymans in Auckland.

It will be a weekend to remember for eight Lotto players from around the country after each winning $33,325 with Lotto Second Division in Saturday's live Lotto draw.

The winning Second Division tickets were sold at the following stores:

Whitcoulls Albany Mall - Auckland, Whanga Book  Whangamata, Countdown Rotorua  Rotorua, MyLotto  Waikato, Caltex Upper Hutt - Upper Hutt, Oxford Fresh Choice  Oxford, Bishopdale New World  Christchurch, and Waimate New World  Waimate.

Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above winning stores should write their name on the back of their ticket and check it immediately in-store at any Lotto shop, online at MyLotto.co.nz or through the Lotto NZ App.

Players can phone Lotto NZ on 0800 695 6886 if they want to enquire about the best way to claim a prize.

Powerball First Division wins in 2019:The first round of judging took place on Wednesday, with 16 volunteer judges assigned a sector to assess based on the overall attractiveness of the site, experience-enhancing interactive elements, recognisable branding and signage, and a clear focus on customer service.

At the end of the round, they designated a number of finalists for each precinct. Two senior managers from principal partner, Xero, had the daunting task of judging the finalists on Thursday. As well as sponsoring the awards, the Xero judges were required to assess the sites use of innovation, education, technology, sustainability and, of course, the Fieldays theme.

The Fieldays 2019 Supreme Site Award and Best Agribusiness Indoor Site Award were won by the AgResearch team, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Scion, and ESR

The Fieldays 2019 Supreme Site Award, and Best Agribusiness Indoor Site Award, were won by four different organisations operating under Crown Research Institutes. A completely unique winner for this years category, the impressive site was shared by the AgResearch team, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Scion, and ESR.

David Natzke, Key Accounts and Sales Manager and coordinator of the Site Awards stated that, Where this site really excelled was the way in which they perfectly integrated with this years overarching theme of Cultivating Value.

The judges were able to see a direct connection to the theme with the sites clean, bright, and interactive design which attracted visitors of all ages to learn a little more about the research the institutes conduct.

This year, the Agribusiness Outdoor Site Award was separated into three categories based on the size of the exhibitor sites.

Best Agribusiness Outdoor small site - Lely Dairy New Zealand

Lely Dairy New Zealand Ltd were the lucky recipients of the Best Agribusiness Outdoor Site Award (Small), whos on-brand, bright red site design secured them the win.

Best Agribusiness Outdoor medium site - Waikato Milking Systems

The Best Agribusiness Outdoor Site Award (Medium) was awarded to Waikato Milking Systems, recognised for their tidy site.

Best Agribusiness Outdoor large site - Ballance Agri-Nutrients

Meanwhile, the Best Agribusiness Outdoor Site Award (Large) was won by Ballance Agri-Nutrients, whose site felt more like a playground for farmers.

Best Heavy Equipment Precinct Site Award - Gough CAT

Gough CAT and John Deere Ltd were awarded the Best Heavy Equipment Precinct Site Award and Best Tractor and Machinery Site Award, respectively.

Best Tractor and Machinery Site - John Deere Ltd

Best Motor Vehicle Precinct - Volkswagen New Zealand

While over in the Motor Vehicle Precinct, the judges undoubtedly struggled to select the winning site, with the likes of Hyundai, Isuzu Utes New Zealand and Toyota all vying for the coveted award. However, it was fan-favourite Volkswagen New Zealand that stole the show with its twinkling lights, vintage Beetle display, and stunning architectural design.

Best Rural Area - NZ Tiny Homes

The deserving winner of the Best Rural Area Site Award was NZ Tiny Homes, with their site drawing visitors in to drool over their tiny-yet-innovative designs.

Best Food Vendor - The Local

And finally, the cheers of The Local team were heard site-wide when they discovered they were the recipient of the Best Food Vendor Site for the second year running.

The newest category introduced this year was the Contribution to Sustainability Award. InStep representatives covertly judged which site made the greatest effort to not only practise sustainability in the creation of their site, but to also involve visitors in their vision. The Contribution to Sustainability Award was presented to Zespri International Ltd, whos site featured the popular blender bikes which involved visitors in creating their own smoothie masterpieces through the power of simple pedalling. The Zespri International Ltd team were absolutely stoked to be the inaugural winners of the new award and hope to see other exhibitors jumping on board in the coming years.

Zespri's blender bikes. Photo: Zespri Facebook pageBy Express News Service

CHENNAI: Faced with stiff opposition from various quarters, Southern Railway on Friday withdrew an earlier circular mandating that the communication between Station Masters and Divisional Control Office be only in English or Hindi. The circular wanted the usage of regional language to be avoided to prevent a situation where either side does not understand what is being said.

The issue, which has sprung up on the heels of protests against the proposed three language policy in school education, saw regional political parties raising their voice against imposition of Hindi. Major parties such as DMK, PMK and MDMK condemned the move to avoid Tamil in departmental communication. Forcing not to speak in Tamil, but in Hindi is not only imposition of language but linguistic chauvinism, said MK Stalin.

PMK chief S Ramadoss claimed there were many north Indians employed with Southern Railway and they must take the effort to learn Tamil.

According to media reports, the order was sent out after a collision between two trains was narrowly averted following a misunderstanding among officials speaking different languages.The deadline for filing to run in the Nov. 5 general election has past and theres a candidate for every local race except one: the West Wytheville School Board seat currently held by local pastor Alan Wilder, who is not running for re-election.

Local election officials said its rare to not have a candidate for a race. School Superintendent Scott Jefferies agreed. In an email, he said that he contacted an attorney with the Virginia School Board Association, who said its actually not that uncommon and it has happened in other localities.

So what happens now?

According to Jefferies, the election will occur and the results of any write-in votes will stand. However, if the write-in candidate declines to take office, he or she will resign and the school board will appoint a new member after advertising for and interviewing candidates.

Other local races will not be so complicated with only candidates in three local races facing opposition. This year there are 12 local races, including four races each for the Board of Supervisors and the School Board and four to elect constitutional officers. Soil and Water Conservation Director for the Big Walker District will also be on the ballot.SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A viral video of a forceful traffic arrest during a loud music investigation has ignited more than anger in Syracuse.

Syracuse residents feel like they are being ignored, said Twiggy Billue, president of the Syracuse chapter of the National Action Network. You can follow the rules and lodge complaints, she said, but officers are not held accountable.

Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner wants residents to know hes listening.

Buckner spoke about community policing Saturday during NANs meeting at the Fountain of Life Church on South Avenue. The meeting came a day after the police department released the departments updated use- of-force policy and announced internal investigators had finished reviewing the arrest of Shaolin Moore, whose May 31 arrest sparked anger and a protest in Syracuse.

Buckner and Mayor Ben Walsh plan to announce the results of the investigation Monday.

Billue said she and NAN are angry about Moores arrest. The video is upsetting, she said, and triggering for many people. And if the police department expects the community to help solve crimes, she said, the community needs change and the ability to trust officers.

But Billue urged the community work with the police department and Walshs administration.

We must use this opportunity to unify, to agree to disagree and then move forward," she said.

Buckner told the more than 20 people who attended the meeting that the investigation into Moores arrest would be discussed Monday. He then explained what the department is doing to try to improve the communitys trust in the police department.

Along with interacting more with teenagers and children in Syracuse, Buckner said, the department is aiming to be more transparent. Releasing the departments use of force policies, body camera policy and traffic stop policy were the first step, he said.

When you have the latitude to take liberty and life, you need to be scrutinized, he said.

More documents will be made public when the departments website is updated, Buckner said. And to make it less intimidating for residents to file complaints, Buckner said the department is also looking to move internal affairs from the Public Safety Building to another location in the city.

Buckner made three requests to the community: Be patient, stay resilient and help diversify the police department with new recruits.

You know what Im up against, the chief said. Dont expect me to fix anything in six months that youve been watching for 30 years.

At the end of his talk, those in the audience gave the chief a standing ovation.

Not all Syracuse activists are happy with the police chief.

On Friday, the Syracuse chapter of the NAACP released a statement accusing the city of ignoring the organizations request to share evidence related to Moores arrest with the NAACP and other human rights organizations.

Linda Brown-Robinson, NAACP president, said her organization is suspicious of how the police department has acted since the controversial arrest -- including the arrest of Yamil Osorio, the man who filmed Moores arrest.

Mayor Walsh and Chief Buckner, we need to get this right, Brown-Robinson said. "Lets focus on what happened on May 31 and get to the bottom of why the Syracuse police engaged in a violent takedown of a young black male for what appears to be a minor traffic violation.The Hangar Theatre of Ithaca opens its 45th Mainstage summer season with a frothy, feminist farce directed by Morgan Gould and written in the spirit of English Restoration Comedy, which is sometimes referred to as Comedy of Manners. In the case of this farcical parody, perhaps the term Comedy of Ill Manners might be more appropriate.

Considering this play, Or, What She Will by Liz Duffy Adams, armed with a title that seems to defy the customary and accepted order of words, rendering the title puzzling rather than helpful, we are led into one night in the confusing world of a real-life protagonist and supposed first professional female playwright, Aphra Behn (1640-1689), expertly and energetically played by Emily Kunkel.

Kunkel is pure joy to watch as she romps about the three-quarter round, floor-level Hangar stage, having entered from half-way up a section of the audience and launches into at least a 10-minute monologue, breaking the sacred fourth wall, to toy with the audience and shower us with information about what we are about to witness on the stage. The segment is easily one of the highlights of the production.

The action then begins with an imprisoned Aphra Behn, supposedly incarcerated for writing plays that were banned by the Puritan authorities for some 18 years prior to the beginning of the Restoration Era. Dramatic representations were somehow considered profane at that time, necessitating secreted performances, if any at all.

The three-actor ensemble is further bolstered by the energy and multi-faceted talents of Ashley N. Hildreth and Austin Jones who each play three other characters (Nell Gwynne, Maria, jailor and King Charles II, William Scott, Lady Davenant, respectively) who appear, amazingly, in quick-change time, through two onstage doors, in addition to a large closet that serves as a prison cell door. Even a farce set in the 17th century needs to have portals for surprising entrances and exits!

Hildreths Nell Gwynne, a muse of sorts, is physically engaging with a smiling presence couched in fluid movement, while Jones characters, presiding in extravagant, sartorial splendor, continually beg the question, Howd he change so fast?!

Luciana Stecconis attractive, single-set design functions perfectly for the central focus of Behns encounters with the numerous characters, while Suzanne Chesneys period costume designs work nicely as juxtaposed, comic counterpoints to the plays modern language.

I found the most interesting aspects of the play to be Adams fresh choices to comingle the familiar British farce formula, nicely seasoned with contemporary language (much of it adult), with real historical characters utilizing self-deprecating commentary.

The Details

What: Or, What She Will

Where: Hangar Theatre, Taughannock Blvd. (Route 89) Ithaca, NY

When Seen: Opening Night, Friday, June 14, 2019

Attendance: Near Capacity

Length: Approximately 90 minutes; no intermission

Family Guide: OK for high school-age, fast-paced dialogue peppered with adult language and references

Runs Through: June 22

Information and Tickets: 607-273-2787 and hangartheatre.org.The Syracuse City School District is not allowed to send leftovers home with students, due to state law. But for several years, the district has adopted a small-scale but creative, scalable approach to minimizing waste: sharing tables.

This is how it works: Every student gets a lunch. If he or she doesnt want a part of the lunch, such as milk, the student can drop off the milk on a designated table in the lunchroom. Another student who wants a second milk, for example, can then pick up the milk on the designated table, also called a sharing table, and drink it.

In schools, restaurants and offices, there are a number of ways to freeze and distribute leftover food to address food injustice. Schools across the country are launching innovative ways to combat food waste and tackle student hunger, including an Indiana elementary school that now sends food home with needy children rather than throw it in the trash.

Our toasted cheese sandwiches are made with whole grain bread and a blend of mozzarella and American cheeses to reduce sodium!  @SyracuseSchools #HealthyStudentsHealthyNation pic.twitter.com/HlEnMi4yyl  SCSD Food (@SCSD_Food) September 21, 2018

But in New York state, schools are not allowed to send home leftovers with students. What they are allowed to do is share what may otherwise go to waste.

I grew up here, so its easy to ignore the poverty and hunger issues, said Rachel Murphy, the director of food and nutrition services for the Syracuse City School District. Children are hungry. Food is a basic human need, and were trying not to be wasteful with it.

Most Syracuse students are eligible for a free or reduced-cost lunch under federal poverty standards. The sharing tables are where students can place items such as milk, pretzels and apples to minimize food waste in the district.

In the United States, nearly 13 percent of children ages 5 to 18 in families live in poverty, according to census data. Many students rely on free or reduced-cost lunch at school to fill up for class and after-school activities. But after lunch, their access to food could be limited, Murphy said. This program seeks to fill that gap.

During the school year, the Syracuse City School District provides more than 11,000 breakfasts, 15,500 lunches and 7,000 after-school snacks daily.

Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. How excess food is handled could reduce the areas carbon footprint and help address hunger in New York.

Shannon Cook, a lunch manager at Nottingham High School, said a student approached her last month with a question: Can I take home food with me and give it to homeless people?

Nothing is stopping the student from doing that act of kindness on his own, Cook said. But the district cant donate leftovers to the homeless population on a large scale, which is why sharing tables can be important.

Cook said shes seen students place peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bananas, oranges and tangerines on the table against a wall in Nottinghams lunch room. In minutes, other students come by to grab an extra bite to eat food that may otherwise have ended up in the trash bin.

Its a great program for students to have something to do with food they dont want, Cook said.Brian Shapiro is the New York state director for the Humane Society of the United States.

By Brian Shapiro | Special to Syracuse.com

The New York Legislature should pass A.6298/S.4234, which aims to end the cruel cycle between puppy mills and pet stores.

Jak is a white and tan mixed breed mutt who spends his days lounging on beds, cuddling and soaking in affection from his family. He has the typical dogs life, yet Jak and countless other companion animals purchased from New York pet stores are part of a larger, darker industry that prioritizes profit before animal welfare concerns and the best interests of consumers.

For the first eight weeks of his life, Jak lived in a cramped and filthy cage at a rural Missouri puppy mill with 100 other endlessly barking dogs. Jak was taken from his mother, who remained at the property to produce more and more puppies. He was trucked to New York City and presented to pet store shoppers as being a healthy purebred Coton de Tulear. After an undercover shopper bought him, she found that neither claim was true. Jak was sick with giardia, kennel cough, colitis and an ear infection. Two DNA tests revealed that the purebred puppy was actually a mixed breed dog.

Jak was fortunate to find a family who was able to accept him in such a condition and who could provide the veterinary care he needed. To the puppy mill and pet store industries that churned him out, he was just another product sold in one of New Yorks pet stores.

The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs recently filed suit against the pet store Jak was purchased from, the Chelsea Kennel Club, for selling hundreds of unhealthy, puppy mill bred dogs to unsuspecting consumers. This suit followed a Humane Society of the United States investigation that documented misleading sales tactics and puppy mistreatment.

Sensible legislation aimed at ending the cycle of cruelty and deception has been introduced in Albany by Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal and State Sen. Michael Gianaris. Bill A.6298/S.4234 would prohibit the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in New York pet stores and allow them to showcase animals for adoption. The legislation has significant support from the states animal shelter and rescue community, as well as from pet lovers and animal advocates.

Retailers selling mill-raised animals are operating under an outdated and socially unacceptable business model. The relatively small number of pet stores in the state still selling puppies can change their business model to a more humane one, focusing on the sale of pet food and products. In the booming $72 billion pet industry, puppy sales account for a mere 2% of sales. Consumers determined to purchase a purebred puppy would still be able to do so from a responsible breeder who sells directly to the public.

The New York bill also addresses a shortcoming at the federal level. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has failed to adequately regulate puppy mills and large-scale breeding facilities, often ignoring violations and pulling back from enforcing laws aimed at protecting these animals. They allow these businesses to be relicensed each year without penalty. Given the USDAs increasingly lax enforcement and oversight of the pet mill industry, states have legitimate reason to act independently to uphold consumer interests and the welfare of companion animals. New York could become the third state in the nation, following California and Maryland, to pass legislation taking aim at the inhumane pet mill industry.

For Jak and the 2 million puppies like him produced by the puppy mill industry each year, the hundreds of thousands of breeding dogs trapped in cages and the consumers suffering the heartbreak and financial cost of a sick and unsocialized pet store puppy, the state Legislature should move to pass bill A.6298/S.4234 this session.WASHINGTON - The Justice Department on Friday released its legal rationale for refusing to provide President Donald Trump's tax returns to Congress, arguing that House Democrats want to make the documents public, which "is not a legitimate legislative purpose."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had refused to hand the documents over early last month, writing in a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., that the committee's demand was "unprecedented" and could "have lasting consequences for all taxpayers." After getting legal advice from the Justice Department, Mnuchin said he had determined the request should be refused.

A spokesperson for the Ways and Means Committee said Friday evening that officials were reviewing the opinion.

Legal analysts have said Mnuchin's move would be highly unusual, and some House Democrats have said they expected to take legal action to get a court to intervene. A confidential IRS legal memo obtained by The Washington Post says tax returns must be given to Congress - unless the president were to assert executive privilege, which he has not done in this instance.

The fight over the president's tax records is one of several ongoing battles between congressional Democrats and the White House over access to documents and witnesses, matters that seem destined to end up in court.

"The Chairman's request that Treasury turn over the President's tax returns, for the apparent purpose of making them public, amounted to an unprecedented use of the Committee's authority and raised a serious risk of abuse," Assistant Attorney General Steven Engel wrote in a 33-page memo dated Thursday. "Congress could not constitutionally confer upon itself the right to compel a disclosure by the Executive Branch of confidential information that does not serve a legitimate legislative purpose."

Engel said the executive branch "should accord due deference and respect to congressional requests," it does not need to treat congressional demands "as unquestionable."

The president, Engel wrote, stands at the head of a co-equal branch of government, and he is separately accountable to the people for the faithful performance of his responsibilities. Treasury thus had the responsibility to confirm for itself that the Chairmans request serves a legitimate legislative end.On graduation day, Nataly Buhr delivered a valedictorian speech straight out of a high school movie.

The teenager stood on June 6 in front of 500 classmates at San Ysidro High School in San Diego, their loved ones, teachers, staff and administrators. With such an audience, the possibilities of what could come out of Buhrs mouth seemed endless.

Of course, a betting person would likely have put money on your typical farewell to high school and all the trials and triumphs that come with that great, teeming theater of teenage life. And thats how Buhr started.

She thanked her family and favorite teachers for helping her make it through the jungle that is high school.

Then the teenager turned her speech into a roast.

To my counselor, thanks for teaching me to fend for myself, Buhr said, hardly changing her tone of voice. You were always unavailable to my parents and I, despite appointments. Only in these past few weeks, with the awards ceremonies and graduation coming up, did you begin making your appearance.

Might I note, she continued, you expressed to me your joy in knowing that one of your students was valedictorian when you had absolutely no role in my achievements.

Her peers looked ruffled and confused, looking around at each other with jaws dropped. Was this really happening? Was the straight-A student really kicking butt and taking names?

Buhr wasnt done. She went after office staff, who she said taught her to be resourceful with their negligence. She claimed they failed to inform her of scholarships until a day before they were due, and that school staff made it difficult for her to obtain a work permit despite her taking all the right steps.

Then Buhr ended by dropping her biggest verbal bomb.

To the teacher who was regularly intoxicated during class this year, thank you for using yourself as an example to teach students about the dangers of alcoholism, she said. Being escorted by police out of school left a lasting impression.

Buhrs classmates gasped, applauded and cheered for the unforgettable end to their high school experience.

School administrators were not so thrilled.

Her doing that was a surprise, said Manuel Rubio, a spokesman for the Sweetwater Union High School District, adding that the speech she gave was not the one that she submitted for approval.

It took several moments before administrators and the audience realized what she was doing, giving staff little chance to stop her from delivering her message, he said.

We thought it was inappropriate, Rubio said. She didnt raise any of her concerns prior to her speech. It takes away from the experiences of everybody else that day who worked really hard.

Rubio added that Buhr made her speech all about herself, instead of focusing on the accomplishments of the San Ysidro High School staff, who help the majority Latino graduates go to top schools in the state.

Buhr herself will be attending the University of California, San Diego, he said.

Rubio could not comment about the teacher that Buhr claimed was frequently intoxicated, but said that her statements about the teacher being escorted out of class by police were inaccurate.

Still, Buhr seemed satisfied with her speech, and ended on a more traditional note as her classmates roared in approval: Thank you class of 2019 and congratulations.By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Expressing solidarity with the doctors assaulted in West Bengal, hundreds of doctors from various government doctors associations, along with Indian Medical Association, conducted dharna in hospitals across the State submitted memorandum to the district Collectors, on Friday.

Private doctors and government doctors in the State also attended work wearing black badges. Meanwhile, over 300 medical students, and senior doctors from government medical colleges, participated in the dharna held at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital here.

Speaking to Express, Dr S Kanagasabapathy, State President, Indian Medical Association, said, Our main demand is that the Central government should enact the Central Hospital Protection Act in the Parliament to protect the hospitals and the doctors. We submitted the memorandum to the district collectors. We also will send the same to the Prime Minister and Home Ministers office by post.ninjatalli Distinguished - BHPian



Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,884 Thanked: 8,143 Times

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Athigiri - Kemmangundi - Hebbe falls - Athigiri



Ironically none of us spoke Kannada, but the locals in Chikmagalur were quite fluent in Tamil due to a large number of Tamilian workers in the plantations so I became the un-official translator



























We crashed for the night early; no ACs were required; we had to use blankets to just manage the fan (lol). Woke up early for another walk/run around the estates; before we headed out to Kemmangundi. The ride up the mountain to the falls is even better; with cemented roads and amazing sights while weaving through coffee estates.











One can reach the falls via three means; hiking a route of ~10 kms with a paid guide; take the government jeep, or take your own 4x4 vehicle. The route is completely offroad route through the Bhadra wildlife reserve.



Charges are nominal

- 250 inr per hour (not 100% sure) for the guide

- 400 inr per person or 3200 inr per jeep

- a nominal amount for your own vehicle (I didn't enquire on this)



Since we were the first to arrive, we waited for a while to see if anyone else joined us, but being a weekday, the traffic was minimal. After a short wait, we decided to go ahead and paid the full jeep fee.











The ride is a very bumpy one for ~40 minutes before we are dropped off about a km away from the falls. The walk is adjacent to the flowing water before the falls are revealed to us.



Monkeys are omnipresent throughout the area and one can hear several bird calls all around the place. Even without any rains over the last 36 hours, the falls had a decent amount of water flow. There is a nice pool at the base to relax into; while the adventurous ones can choose to climb up under the falls on the right side. We did that exactly























We had the falls completely to us for a while before a group of middle-aged (40+) guys joined us. While they were happy to just lounge in the pool, unfortunately, these guys also came with food (chicken) and liquor (scotch) and were happily drinking and eating right next to the waterfall. That's when we decided to call it a day and decided to head back.



We mentioned this to the driver/government fella but he just nodded his head and said nothing. Unfortunately, it seemed like this was the norm as I also noticed several empty plates and a few plastics lying in a pile a little away from the falls. Having come from similar sized waterfalls with strict rules enforced in Laos and Thailand, it was a real pity that we don't enforce such rules in our country.



About 2 hours later we reached back to our homestay, packed up and had a short brunch at the nearby cafe before heading back to Bangalore. The filter coffee was so good that I bought half a kilo of his coffee right there





A final pic before we head out The original plan was to reach by early noon and head to the falls immediately. However basis our late start and leisurely riding, we decided to take it easy and spend the evening around the coffee estates all around us. A few walks through the plantations followed by a long coffee + snacks break at a nearby cafe made it for a pleasant evening. The rain gods decided to play hide and seek with us through the day; starting with a few drizzles at times and then disappearing completely. The cafe owner informed us that we had got a lucky break; it had rained hard a few days back and similar rains were expected soon by Wednesday!Ironically none of us spoke Kannada, but the locals in Chikmagalur were quite fluent in Tamil due to a large number of Tamilian workers in the plantations so I became the un-official translatorWe crashed for the night early; no ACs were required; we had to use blankets to just manage the fan (). Woke up early for another walk/run around the estates; before we headed out to Kemmangundi. The ride up the mountain to the falls is even better; with cemented roads and amazing sights while weaving through coffee estates.One can reach the falls via three means; hiking a route of ~10 kms with a paid guide; take the government jeep, or take your own 4x4 vehicle. The route is completely offroad route through the Bhadra wildlife reserve.Charges are nominal- 250 inr per hour () for the guide- 400 inr per person or 3200 inr per jeep- a nominal amount for your own vehicle (Since we were the first to arrive, we waited for a while to see if anyone else joined us, but being a weekday, the traffic was minimal. After a short wait, we decided to go ahead and paid the full jeep fee.The ride is a very bumpy one for ~40 minutes before we are dropped off about a km away from the falls. The walk is adjacent to the flowing water before the falls are revealed to us.Monkeys are omnipresent throughout the area and one can hear several bird calls all around the place. Even without any rains over the last 36 hours, the falls had a decent amount of water flow. There is a nice pool at the base to relax into; while the adventurous ones can choose to climb up under the falls on the right side. We did that exactlyWe had the falls completely to us for a while before a group of middle-aged () guys joined us. While they were happy to just lounge in the pool, unfortunately, these guys also came with food () and liquor () and were happily drinking and eating right next to the waterfall. That's when we decided to call it a day and decided to head back.We mentioned this to the driver/government fella but he just nodded his head and said nothing. Unfortunately, it seemed like this was the norm as I also noticed several empty plates and a few plastics lying in a pile a little away from the falls. Having come from similar sized waterfalls with strict rules enforced in Laos and Thailand, it was a real pity that we don't enforce such rules in our country.About 2 hours later we reached back to our homestay, packed up and had a short brunch at the nearby cafe before heading back to Bangalore. The filter coffee was so good that I bought half a kilo of his coffee right there Last edited by ninjatalli : 14th June 2019 at 11:00 .Everywhere you look these days, voice is becoming the dominant enablement medium. Whether in a car, at home, in the office, or anywhere else, voice is connecting us with the technologies we use every day.

Juniper estimates that more than 3.25 billion voice-enabled devices are in circulation today, driving voice-driven commerce to more than $80 billion by 2023. Companies across industries  both incumbents and startups  are recognizing it and are developing voice-enabled applications to enable better and more efficient processes for businesses and consumers alike. According to PwC and CB insights, venture capital funding of AI companies reached a record $9.3 billion, underscoring the momentum the speech-enablement and AI markets are gaining.

Of course, much of the hype has been driven, first, by Apples Siri, followed by Amazons Alexa, Microsofts Cortana, Google Assistant, and now Samsungs Bixby. These are only the tip of the iceberg, but they have helped give validity to the AI market and created the demand for massive AI innovation.

Much of the growth can be attributed to advances in accuracy. If the voice recognition engines didnt work, they wouldnt be useful. Today, most major platforms are well above 90% accuracy ratings, making them much more enticing to users. In fact, 32% of American adults say they use voice search for the fun of it  a figure that jumps to 51% for teenagers, who will soon be entering the workforce and 55% of whom already use voice search on a daily basis.

What does it mean? comScore predicts that voice will be used for half of all searches by next year, and Gartner goes even further, saying that 30% of all searches will be done without even a screen.

For businesses looking to engage their customers in the most efficient and desirable way, that means they had better get their AI development hats on quickly.

To address that issue, Adam Cheyer, co-founder of both Siri and Bixby, will be in Los Angeles tomorrow, June 15, to talk not only about Samsungs Bixby Developer program, but how AI can be used with existing APIs and services to build rich conversational experiences for users.

Its all about the experience, and Cheyers engagement at the Bixby Developer Session will let attendees experience firsthand, in an immersive, hands-on training environment, how new capabilities for voice interaction will help create new levels of interactive engagement for more than 500 million users through Bixby.

Details of tomorrows event:

Date: Saturday, June 15, 2020

Time: 9:00am-6:30pm

Location: Cross Campus, 29 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, California 90401

If youre on the East Coast, there will be a Bixby Developer Session in New York next weekend, Saturday, June 22. Details here.

The Future of Work Expo will take place February 12-14, 2020, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, featuring three days of discussion about how AI, chatbots, and automation are enabling businesses to reinvent themselves and become more agile and customer-centric.

Edited by Erik LinaskBy PTI

COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani Saturday said a meeting had been convened tomorrow with hotel owners in Chennai in the wake of the acute water scarcity.

Accusing opposition parties of politicising the water issue, the Minister told reporters here that teams had been formed to tackle the situation across the state.

He further said the meeting with hotel owners to be presided over by the Chief Secretary would discuss the water issue threadbare.

Replying to questions on the issue of water scarcity in the state, the minister said the government was supplying an additional 2,400 Million Litres Daily (MLD) drinking water, which was more than the amount supplied in previous years.

Velumani said Chennai was facing a serious drought condition due to 62 per cent lesser rains compared to 2017 and added as against 450 MLD of water supplied during that period, the government was now supplying 520 MLD.

Besides, as against that 13 TMC water from Andhra Pradesh, the State received only 6.40 TMC, he said.

Water is being supplied through 9,100 lorries daily to Chennai and also to panchayat, municipality and town panchayat areas by lorries, he said.By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: On the third day of IS Coimbatore module case investigation, National Investigation Agency (NIA) summoned four persons, who are reportedly believed to be IS sympathisers.

Of them, three appeared at Kochi NIA office and one at the Race Course office in Coimbatore branch office, the officials said.

Apart from this, on Friday the NIA arrested one of the suspect, who was booked on Wednesday.

A team of NIA sleuths took five persons for questioning from the surroundings of Ukkadam on Thursday evening, based on the confession of one of the suspects arrested earlier. Of them, one was released after questioning and the others were summoned.

According to official sources, the NIA conducted raids at seven locations belonging to six peoples and later arrested Mohammed Azarudeen (32) on Wednesday. Though others  Akram Sindhaa (26), Y Shiek Hidayathullah (38) M Abubacker (29), A Sadham Hussain (26), and Ibrahim @ Shahin Shah (28)  were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, they were not arrested on that day. On Thursday, Azharudheen was produced before the NIA special court in Kochi.

On Friday, based on the information received about Hidayathullahs pro-IS activities, he was arrested. Scrutiny of documents that were seized from his house revealed that he was associated with a proscribed terrorist organisation, Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as well, the NIA said in a release.

He will be produced before the Special Court for NIA Cases at Ernakulam and his custody would be sought, the release added.An 18-year-old man has been shot in the arm at a Surfers Paradise hotel on the Gold Coast.

Police were called to the corner of Cavill Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway about 10.45pm on Saturday.

Police suspect the man was shot from a neighbouring unit while he was standing on the balcony.

The man who sustained the gunshot wound to his left upper arm was taken to the Gold Coast University Hospital.

No one else was injured.A pedestrian is fighting for life in hospital after he was struck by a vehicle on the Gold Coast.

Police were called to Bermuda Street at Burleigh Waters about 8.30pm on Friday after the 23-year-old was trying to cross the street with another man but was hit by a Holden Caprice.

Police are investigating after a pedestrian was hit at Burleigh Waters.

The driver of the sedan stopped and helped until emergency services arrived.

The pedestrian from Currumbin Waters was taken to the Gold Coast University Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.Even atheists have a moral compass What Barney Zwartz surmises may or may not be true and accurate. Let's face it, can any one group of people all be tarred with the one brush? However, what Christians tend to do, is to look upon and make judgments of us without faith, that we are a bunch of out-of-control, immoral, ill-disciplined individuals with little or no compass to direct us between right and wrong. As Richard Dawkins once wrote, you can have a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist all around a dinner table and they will all show one another respect and courtesy for having faith. Heaven forbid (excuse the deliberate faux pas), that an atheist should sit at that same table for he (or she), would probably not be welcomed and certainly not respected. As a person without any belief in a mystical higher being, I have always been intrigued and fascinated speaking to those that do "believe" as I ultimately want to know what they feel that that they are lacking as humans, that they can rely on some bearded guy in a cloud to help compensate them for?

Sadly, and rather disappointingly, such interest in my personal decision to feel that I can navigate my way through life without such a fallback as "God", is not explored. Antony Bennett, Bar Beach, NSW FORUM Politics and principle In relation to the article "First goes transparency, then watch freedom die" (9/6), I would add truth and justice. The article highlights the many invidious and gross manipulation of truths for political opportunism. The Sunday Age editorial ends with, "The debate has been needlessly foisted upon the nation because of politics, not principle". While the editorial is discussing the issue of religious freedom in Australia, there are so many other issues where politics overrides principle, eg, national security, people seeking asylum, climate emergency, whistle-blowing.

Judith Morrison, Mt Waverley Cut to the chase The report of a "worrying deterioration of standards" among plastic surgeons ("Ego over ethics: surgeons on notice", 9/6) is concerning. From what appears to have been their long-standing business model, the ethical standards of an appreciable number seem not to have been acceptable in the first place. Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills Missing the point

Whether or not Charlie Teo overcharges for treating patients with life-threatening brain tumours misses the main point: surgery for cancer has never been evaluated in a properly run, randomised controlled trial to see if it increases survival or reduces mortality. Surgery to remove a tumour clearly can extend life for months if a tumour is threatening life by obstructing the bowel or pressing on the brain. But all the evidence points to cancer being a systemic disease with tumours being late-stage symptoms. So this does not mean the cancer has been removed by thesurgery. The problem of excessive costs with cancer treatment starts with patients being wrongly told that treatment might "save their life". Don Benjamin, Research Director, Cancer Information & Support Society, NSW Keep to facts

While Wendy Squires (Comment, 9/6) is right that tolerance of others with whom you do not agree is a virtue, I am not sure that can be applied to the wilfully ignorant and the ill-informed. However, when the world is facing seemingly insurmountable problems  global warming and economic inequity  it is facts and critical thinking applied to these facts that is fundamental. Since the federal election there has been all sorts of talk about so-called elites being out of touch with the battlers. While this may be so in a financial sense, it cannot be allowed to be used as a means of ignoring the highly educated, those who tend to take a long-term view of national problems and call out the lack of action of governments to deal with these problems. With Donald Trump as US president, and now an advertising man as our PM, it is clear that feelings and impressions are outranking reasoned arguments and use of facts in delineating political choices. It is the task of the education system and the mainstream media to move the national conversation from untested beliefs and feelings to serious arguments tested by rational methods. Greg Bailey, St Andrews Let's stick together

Wendy Squires' delightfully self-chiding call (9/6) could also apply to many of us, especially when we meet climate change deniers. So, in general, instead of exploding, insulting and fighting back, let's try listening and working together to achieve a safer, healthier world for all life. Barbara Fraser, Burwood Look to Gough Good oppositions fashion good governments. Jim Chalmers needs an apprenticeship in opposition so he may as well drop his whinges that "Opposition is a horrible endeavour" and "We are not here to be a good opposition. We want to run the joint." ("Labor values have not changed: Chalmers", 9/6). Labor has traditionally provided strong opposition and strong opposition is the hallmark of democracy. For a start, Labor needs policies on climate change and tax. Chalmers should look to Gough Whitlam's example. Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell

Joy of the moment It's possible that at certain moments, the bond between Indigenous players exceeds their competitiveness. Well done Sydney Stack and Eddie Betts for enjoying a special moment. That brief moment would not affect the next moment they are required to put in for their respective teams. Eddie Betts' spectacular goals are a joy. Sydney Stack showed sportsmanship and a special bond. More please. Mark Biss, Camberwell

Lump to the throat Surely the most poignant moment of Bob Hawke's memorial was the video filmed in 1989 where Hawke, with his beautiful young granddaughter, warned of the catastrophe of climate change. Thirty years later our current PM sat in the front row of the memorial presumably with a lump of coal in his pocket. Phil Alexander, Eltham RSL's priorities In relation to the article "RSL turns down vacant Memorial Hall into veterans' hub" (9/6), at its meeting on May 28, the RSL state executive considered the expression of interest (EOI) document issued by the City of Yarra. This document had not been available at the previous meeting in March.

The brief for the EOI indicated that the property needed significant works and that the cost was likely to be substantial. A report from a consultant engineer commissioned by the City of Yarra stated there were fundamental structural issues, involving the floor, walls and roof. Also asbestos should be removed. "Rectification works that are described in this report will be slow and difficult and ultimately costly." The EOI document stated thatfunding of up to $7 million would be required to complete the project. The state executive, noting the financial risks involved and the time needed for the project to be undertaken, decided that an investment of this magnitude could be better applied to a range of new veterans' services delivered from existing facilities owned and operated by RSL Victoria currently or, in the alternative, a modern facility leased or bought that was already fit for purpose. Rob Webster, State President, RSL Robo-debt madness

I sympathise with young people who are caught up in the divisive robo-debts (The Age, 12/6). My daughter is working overseas so I was included as her nominee when she received two invoices from the Department of Human Services, with no warning, in July 2018. I was told it was up to me to provide bank statements and work payslips in order to seek a review. I collected all the data and presented it to Centrelink in August and that is when the process of grinding into the ground started. My daughter had one outstanding invoice garnished by the Tax Office and was also threatened with not being allowed to depart Australia if she did not pay the outstanding debt. But most irritatingly, since lodging the data, it has been followed up on seven occasions, the most recent being last week, and I was told the review had not started. If I do not follow up and ask for an extension, it triggers a robo-debt invoice because the department's staff only have the authority to extend for two months. After 10 months, I am still waiting for a review. The department's directive appears to be: robo-debt students are guilty, stall the process until they fold. Paul Norman, Ascot Vale Leave it to union It is a poor state of affairs to see the leaders of both major political parties in lockstep denying democratic and legal rights to an elected head of a union. I have seen and heard political "hacks" from both parties do and say things that are far worse that what John Setka has supposedly said, and still stay in Parliament.

This hunting down by political interests of a union official is so obviously a hatchet job that it is embarrassing. You expect such from the Coalition, but Anthony Albanese should be ashamed. I do not agree or condone most things that Setka does or says but I believe that if he hasn't broken the law then, as a democratically elected official, the only ones that should sanction him are the union's members. Jim Barnden, Richmond An annoying man Is it dishonest, deceptive, patronising, a half-truth or ignorant for Josh Frydenberg to declare that the "labour market remains strong" when it has just been announced that our jobless rate is among the worst in the OECD. It's certainly annoying. Brendan O'Farrell, BrunswickA young country football player has died after being struck by a car on Sunday morning, the driver believed to be one of his teammates.

Two men were arrested in relation to the incident but have since been released.

Jordan Purcell was an avid member of the Rebels, the local team in the town of Alexandra, located 130 kilometres north-east of Melbourne.

Mount Duneed man Jordan Purcell died following a fatal hit-run in Alexandra.

It is believed the 20-year-old was walking down Hall Street to a friend's house after a football event just after midnight when he was side-swiped by a car containing other players.Two men have been charged over a series of phone attacks against Victoria Police.

The denial of service-style attacks in October involved a large number of automated cold calls aimed at tying up police lines, interrupting incoming and outgoing calls.

The men are accused of trying to tie up police phone lines by bombarding them with automated calls.

The 28-year-old alleged organiser of the attacks was arrested during a joint federal and state police raid at Bendigo early on Friday.

He is charged with five offences including sabotage, unauthorised access to computer data, and dishonestly obtaining or dealing with personal financial information.Welcome momentum is building for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament as part of proper recognition of the first Australians, who have been custodians of this land for 60,000 years, the longest known civilisation on the planet. Making this change would not of itself redress one of our nations worst blots, the gulf between the situation of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people and that of the rest of the population. However, it is an important step because there is consensus that the disparities in health, education, rates of child abuse, alcohol and drug misuse, income, employment, life expectancy and incarceration wont be solved until Indigenous Australians are central to creating the requisite policies. Credit: To its credit, the business community is swinging behind the recommendation for such an advisory body, put forward by the Uluru convention for a Makarrata (treaty) Commission in 2017. BHP chief executive Andrew Mackenzie recently wrote: It is critical we maintain the momentum and advocate for a referendum to enshrine a First Nations voice to the Australian Parliament in the constitution as a meaningful step towards reconciliation.

A movement of the people, he said, has emerged to back the Uluru Statement from the Hearts call for Indigenous Australians to have greater ability to influence their situations. Dozens of other businesses, investment banks, law and accountancy firms and superannuation funds are advocating an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Loading The Coalition government, which was last year too quick to dismiss the notion as an unacceptable third chamber of Federal Parliament, is now also indicating an openness to this proposal, realising it would be akin to various other statutory consultative authorities including the Productivity Commission, the Australian Law Reform Commission, the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Auditor-General, all of which simply create reports to assist legislators make informed, effective laws. Any such change needs bipartisan support, which has been made easier by the final report, delivered last year, of the bipartisan parliamentary committee on constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians  it declared there should be no concerns about an advisory body. Some of the greatest reforms in modern Australia were the result of consensus between Parliament, business and community representatives. The opening of the Australian economy via competition, unfettered trade, a floating currency and an independent central bank was led the by the ALP governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, backed by the Coalition.Australias electronic spy agency is understood to be opposed to taking on the expanded, domestic role mooted by the Morrison government, while the controversial proposal has been met with extreme caution by the Labor Party and the Greens.

The Morrison government has confirmed a role for the Australian Signals Directorate to carry out

"offensive" cyber operations against domestic criminal targets remains a consideration, even in the wake of the political firestorm that erupted after a police raid on a journalist's home to investigate a leak of the top secret proposal to enhance the directorate's powers.

But The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age believe the strong view from within the ASD is that the organisation should focus on foreign targets.

It is understood the push to use the ASD's cyber and intelligence powers against domestic criminal networks is coming from Peter Dutton's Home Affairs Department.Four mental health programs will share $400,000 in federal funding for suicide prevention, including one for refugees which could extend to those in offshore detention.

Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the funding during his speech to the Victorian Liberal state council on Saturday at Moonee Valley Racecourse.

Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the suicide prevention funding at the Victorian Liberal Party state council on Saturday. Credit:Chris Hopkins

"There's not a person in this room, who through themselves, or their families, or their community hasn't been affected by mental health, or the tragedy of suicide. This is a national tragedy," Mr Hunt told the gathering of party faithful.

The four research projects will receive up to $100,000 to contribute to the evidence-base in suicide prevention and ultimately reduce the number of people lost to suicide each year.By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday described Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) as a cash cow for TRS honchos whenever they needed money.

Speaking to media persons here, he said that the motive of the TRS leaders behind taking up the project was to line their pockets rather than building an asset that would help farmers in the State.

Vikramarka said when the project was conceived during Congress regime, its estimate was only Rs 38,000 crore and after the advent of the TRS government, in the name of changing of design, the estimate had been jacked up to nearly Rs 1 lakh crore.

He said the original project, had it been commissioned, would have to provide irrigation facility to 14 lakh acres but now even after spending up to Rs 50,000 crore, is not in a position to provide water even for one acre.

Rank corruption

As there was rank corruption in the execution of Kaleshwaram project, the TRS leaders were trying to gag the opposition through admitting Congress MLAS into their ranks.

For the inauguration of the first phase of the project, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, without inviting stakeholders, was extending a warm welcome to his Maharashtra and AP counterparts.

The Telangana chief minister did not keep his word of providing the detailed project report of Kaleshwaram to all the MLAs.

The CLP leader cautioned AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to bear in mind that Chandrasekhar Rao had changed the designs of Pranahita Chevella, which was the dream project of late YS Rajasekhar Reddy by contending that its designs were wrong.

If Jagan Mohan Reddy attends the inaugural ceremony, he would be endorsing the argument that his fathers designs were wrong, Vikramarka said.

The CLP leader also asked Congress Legislator P Sabita Indra Reddy, who had recently joined the TRS, on whether the pink party had given her any assurance to that Kaleshwaram project would provide water to Chevella for which she had even taken out a padayatra in the past.By IANS

TOKYO: G20 energy and environment ministers gathered in Japan on Saturday for talks likely to focus on energy security concerns following the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, as well as environmental issues.

ALSO READ: Countries must have sovereign right to use data for welfare of people: Goyal at G20 meet

The two-day meeting began in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa after Thursday's attacks, which the US blames on Iran, heightened Middle East tensions and sent crude oil prices surging, reports Kyodo News Agency.

"The situation over energy and climate change issues among G-20 members vary and it is not easy to unite one message concerning those issues," Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said in his opening remarks.

The US and Iran have been cranking up the rhetoric over the attacks on the two tankers, one of which was operated by a Tokyo-based company, near the strategically important sea lane.

For Japan, the stability of the Middle East is of vital importance as the resource-poor country is dependent on the region for most of its oil supply.

The attacks took place when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was visiting Tehran in a bid to ease the growing tension between Iran and the US.

Also on the agenda of Saturday's meet was ways to utilize clean energy sources such as hydrogen, as well as efforts to reduce plastic waste in the ocean.

About 300 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced every year, of which 8 million tonnes end up in the world's oceans, according to the UN Environment Programme.

The G-20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the US and the European Union.He comes in every Sunday and comes in to the sanctuary to see if the puppet stage is set up, Jane Colbert said. If its not, he wonders where they are, so we have to tell him that they wouldnt wake up; theyre just sleeping today.

Even among the older crowd, the Colberts skits offer an opportunity to learn and smile, First Christian member Michael Bozardt said.

Im an adult that enjoys the puppets as much as the kids do  maybe more, Bozardt said. They bring back sound messages of what its like to be a Christian, what the Bible teachings are and how we should behave. And thats always a good message for any age.

Outside of their usual gig in First Christians sanctuary, the puppets have made an appearance at Carriage Inn senior living community and performed for a local Cub Scout chapter that meets at the church. The Colberts next show will be Sunday, during First Christians worship service at 10:45 a.m.

As part of a church that has been in Bryan for more than 150 years, Jane Colbert said showing the puppets overcome personal challenges is just one creative way to share their message with the community.

If we have problems, theres usually an answer through Gods providence, Jane Colbert said. The answer may not be what we expect or how we want it, but God is in control, and things work together for good.Square dancing is most often done on a dance floor and with a designated caller to shout out dance patterns and instructions to the couples on the floor.

The beauty of square dancing is, once you walk through the doors into the dance, everything else from the day melts away, because you have to pay attention to what the caller is saying, Carolyn Smith said.

Twyla Woody, an assistant festival chairperson, said that one square dancer with the federation had dancers perform at her daughters funeral, as she and her daughter both loved the activity so much and the community were a big part of their lives.

Even when you get to the point you cant square dance, youre still a part of the club, she said. ... Youre kind of always part of that friendship group.

Her husband, Charles Woody, also a chairman for the festival, explained that people who join in with their events feel welcomed and accepted.Ysve Balverde is eyeing a career in medicine some day, but she also believes having computer knowledge will only help in her future aspirations.

The fact that this is a growing field  that electronics and technology are growing  I feel like its necessary for [my] future to have a basic knowledge of computers, the 16-year-old from Katy said.

Before this week, she knew nothing about coding, but after attending the ninth biannual TEEX Cyber Innovation Camp in College Station, she has understanding of Python programming language and knows how to work various instruments with the Raspberry Pi computer.

She and her project partner for the week  Veronica Riley, 13, of Caldwell  developed a motion-sensitive camera to be used in teens bedrooms to detect the presence of parents. Before camp, Balverde said she couldnt imagine creating something like this.

Its shown me different areas [of technology]; not just using your phone, but looking at whats behind your phone, and how to modify and make different, she said. ... Making something out of smaller pieces is just so amazing. Ive even learned you can make your own Alexa from Amazon Echo.They see climate change and gun violence as existential crises to be confronted head-on, not wedge issues to be carefully messaged to hunters and coal miners in swing states. If it was up to these progressives, Trump wont even be on the ballot come 2020, because he already will have been impeached and convicted.

Democrats know they can run to the left of Bill Clinton and win. Barack Obama proved it. What is less certain is how far to the left of Obama can they go and still win  but progressives would like to find out.

Many Democrats are running not on Obamacare but Medicare for all. Some would abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement; most would go further than Obama did in liberalizing immigration laws. The price tag of the Green New Deal makes Obamas stimulus program look miserly.

Yet the objective wont be to emphasize Bidens commonalities with Obama, who still is beloved by most progressives. It will be to tie him to the Clintons centrist politics, which increasingly are rejected by the Democratic base and failed in the last election.By PTI

BISHKEK: Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday offered Beijing's support for Pakistan and India to improve their strained relations during his meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan here, China's state-run media reported.

Xi's remarks comes a day after his meeting with Narendra Modi on Thursday during which the Prime Minister made it amply clear that dialogue with Pakistan is not possible without Islamabad giving up terrorism.

During their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, Xi told Khan that China "supports Pakistan and India in improving their relations", state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan during his talks with President Xi and said India expects "concrete action" by Islamabad to create an atmosphere "free of terror" for the resumption of dialogue.

Modi did not meet Khan on the sidelines of the SCO summit, spurning Pakistan Prime Minister's suggestion for a bilateral meeting in Bishkek.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.

Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district.

ALSO READ | PM Modi, Imran Khan exchange pleasantries at SCO Summit in Bishkek

Post-Pulwama attack, China made efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan.

President XI rushed Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to Islamabad to discuss the Indo-Pak tensions.

During his talks with Khan, Xi also offered China's support for Pakistan in counterterrorism efforts.

China is willing to help Pakistan within its capabilities, Xi said, adding that China supports Pakistan in implementing its national counter-terrorism plan to the end and is ready to help the country strengthen its counter-terrorism capacity.

Stressing that the two sides should well maintain, consolidate, and develop their all-weather partnership and all-dimensional cooperation, Xi said that China and Pakistan should carry out in-depth communication on issues of common concern, so as to make joint efforts to safeguard regional and international security and stability.

The two sides should expand and enrich the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with new focus on areas including industrial parks, agriculture and social welfare, Xi said, referring to the multi-billion dollar project which is part of his ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

President Xi also called on the two countries to take the upgrade of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement as an opportunity to vigorously expand bilateral trade.

He also urged the two countries to foster a closer community with a shared future against complicated regional and international situations.

Xi noted that it has been his third meeting with the Pakistani prime minister in the past eight months.

This, he said, fully demonstrates the high level of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

He called on the two countries to carry out closer coordination and cooperation.

Pakistan, Khan said, is committed to deepening its strategic relationship with China, and will firmly advance the construction of the CPEC.

He added that his country will take effective measures to ensure security for the project.11-Year-Old Americas Got Talent Violinist and Cancer Survivor Gets Golden Buzzer

Simon Cowell pushed the golden buzzer on Americas Got Talent for an 11-year-old violin player, sending him straight through to the live rounds.

Tyler Butler-Figueroa, from Raleigh, North Carolina wowed the audience and judges with a version of Kelly Clarksons 2012 hit song Stronger (What Doesnt Kill You), earning himself a standing ovation and a teary response from judge Gabrielle Union.

Wow wow wow, Cowell said on June 11 following his stunning performance.

Child violinist Tyler Butler-Figueroa (Americas Got Talent) interview: I never thought I would get the Golden Buzzer [WATCH] https://t.co/Hd7cJhII5t pic.twitter.com/iZvgeWhGM7  Gold Derby (@GoldDerby) 13 June 2019

On stage, Butler-Figueroa revealed he picked up the hobby when he was seven-and-a-half-years-old, because he was being picked on at school.

When asked by judge Julianne Hough why he was being bullied, the boy gave a heartbreaking response which moved the audience.

Its because I had cancer. I almost died, Butler-Figueroa responded.

I cant breathe. Im crying so hard. Tyler, I hope we get the chance to perform together one day! I started playing violin when I was a kid too! Its the first instrument that introduced me to being a part of music and not just listening. #loveyou  https://t.co/J1Kx8GWJcp  Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) 12 June 2019

His mother explained backstage that Butler-Figueroa was diagnosed with leukemia when he was just four-and-a-half-years-old, and described the emotions she felt the day she found out.

One day we were out to dinner, and we said, Something doesnt look right with Tyler. He turned kind of pale, she said.

Her son was quickly rushed to hospital, where blood tests showed he had cancer.

It was the worst day of my life, his mother said.

The 11-year-old told judges he was bullied by classmates when his hair began to fall out as he started his chemotherapy treatments.

At times, the boy said he didnt even want to attend class.

When I lost my hair, I was really sad and embarrassed at the same time to go to school.

They used to make fun of me and laugh at me because I was different, he explained.

He explained how children at his school would tell each other to stay away from him, spreading rumors that he was contagious.

But his outlook on life changed when he started his violin classes, his mother said.

Once he started that class, it was like a sunshine, his mother explained. He was full of energy, happy. I was like, Oh my God, I got my son back! she said.

Butler-Figueroa told the judges playing the instrument helps him to maintain a positive mindset.

When I play the violin, it helps me forget about all the bad stuff, he said. I just didnt want to be the kid with cancer, so now Im the kid who plays the violin.

The boy stunned the judges with the solo on his violin, which featured a depiction of an orange ribbona symbol used to raise awareness about leukemia.

Cowell praised his performance, reminding the 11-year-old that bullies usually pick on others out of jealousy.

Most people are bullied because theyre better than the people who bully them, he said.

I think you have such an amazing talent, such a personality, and I would like to say something, on your behalf, to the bullies, Cowell said, before reaching over to push his golden buzzer.

Butler-Figueroas mother jumped out of excitement and her son ran to her side backstage to hug her before making their way to the golden confetti-filled stage with Cowell.

Youre a winner right? Cowell asked Tyler, who has been in remission for four years. Can I shake your hand? Enjoy every moment of this.

I was confident that I would get a yes to go to the next level, but I never thought I would get the golden buzzer. Simon was telling me to not let bullies stop me from what Im doing in life, the boy said in a video posted by Americas Got Talent after his performance.

When the gold was falling, it just felt like it was in slow motion, he added. It just feels like a dream come true.4-Year-Old Goes Missing From Home in Philadelphia, Police Seek Public Help

A 4-year-old went missing from his home in Philadelphia on June 14 and the police are seeking public help to find him.

Philadelphia Police Department said in a message on Twitter that 4-year-old Juan Benacio was last seen at 2:00 p.m. on Friday at his home at 6700 Castor Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia.

Missing Child Juan Benacio. 4 years old, 41 60 lbs. Last seen 6/14/19 at approximately 2:00 p.m. at his home at 6700 Castor Ave. The child was last wearing a blue shirt and brown pants, Police said in the Tweet.

ABC6 reports that the child lives with his father and both of them recently migrated from Guatemala.

Please call North East Detectives at 215-686-3153 with info, police said.

Missing Child Juan Benacio. 4 years old, 41 60 lbs. Last seen 6/14/19 at approximately 2:00pm at his home at 6700 Castor Ave. The child was last wearing a blue shirt and brown pants. Please call North East Detectives at 215-686-3153 with info. pic.twitter.com/vG8gUX9d3A  PPD Missing Persons (@PPDMissing) June 15, 2019

Link to Trafficking

While most missing persons are found, runaway children are vulnerable to exploitation, particularly sex trafficking.

Traffickers, as well as buyers, strategically prey upon runaway children because of their mental, physical, and financial vulnerability, according to the 2009 National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: Americas Prostituted Children (pdf).

The stark reality is that the supply is never-ending  I mean, that little girl who started as a runaway on the streets in Washington state and ended up on the streets of Miami Beach as a prostitute is way too typical, said Andrew Oosterbaan, then-chief of the Justice Departments Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, according to the report. There is an endless supplyand it is almost surreal to have these words leave my mouthendless supply of victims. But thats the stark reality.

The victims view running away as a way to escape an environment that they cannot control, the report said. It is not a coincidence that the average age of a runaway falls squarely within the age range a child is recruited into prostitution, as the victimized child who flees from home often lands straight in the welcoming arms of a trafficker posing as protector and caretaker.

The most at-risk group are runaways from the social services system, such as foster care, group homes, or government facilities, Lowery said.

Petr Svab contributed to this report.6-Year-Old Who Survived Throat Slash Inflicted by Mom Collapses, Dies Months Later

A 6-year-old boy who had his throat slashed ear to ear by his mother in April has died after collapsing in his Bronx, New York, school.

The child was standing in the lunch line on the morning of Friday, June 14 when he collapsed. He was rushed to the Lincoln hospital and declared dead, PIX11 reported. The boys name has not been released.

Im heartbroken by this tragic loss of a student, and my thoughts are with the family and school community, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said via PIX11.

Carranza said Port Morris School will be have guidance counselors available to support students for as long as is needed. He also said the school is cooperating with city agencies as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the childs death.

Bronx Boy 6 Slashed In Throat By Mother Shanice Martin In April, Dies Suddenly At School https://t.co/Qg0xye1sRg pic.twitter.com/SDWElnr4H0  Siglov Freudivan (@DerangedRadio) June 14, 2019

The boy and his 2-year-old sister were attacked by their mother, Shanice Martin, 24, in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx, New York, on April 27. Martin used a razor to slash the childrens throat from ear to ear, ABC13 reported.

Martin walked to a police precinct after the stabbing and told officers there what she had done, the news site reported.

The children were taken to a hospital, treated, and released. Reports at the time said they were expected to survive.

Martin was charged with assault, child abandonment, endangering the welfare of a child, and weapon possession.

She used to take medicine in the past, Martins brother Travone Lango at the time told NY Daily News. She never used to act like that. She was probably under a lot of pressure. She wouldnt tell us anything about her life, Lango, 20, said. She doesnt tell us anything so we wouldnt know. She never called us for help. She was a good mom, but I guess she was going through something, said Lango. Thats not something that you do to your kids. I dont care whats going on with you, you can ask for help. She just took it upon herself to do what she wanted to do and its not good. Martin was taken to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation and is currently awaiting trial. Her mother had been taking care of her two children. Father Charged With Murder of 4-Year-Old Son In Los Angeles, a 24-year-old man has been charged with murdering his 4-year-old son, who died on June 6, after paramedics found him in a critical condition in his home. Hirwin Calderon-Ordonez faces one felony count each of murder and assault on a child causing death, according to a statement from the LA County District Attorneys Office. Justin Sontay-Oxlaj, 4, was allegedly beaten to death by his father on June 6, the prosecutor said. According to the district attorney, Calderon-Ordonezs bail was set at $2 million. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years to life in a state prison, if found guilty. The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, Juvenile Division. The boys parents had moved into the home on the 1600 block of East 47th Street a few days before authorities were called to the property in the early hours of June 6, according to ABC7. They found the boy in critical condition with signs of physical trauma, and transported him to a hospital, where he later died. According to KTLA, when first responders arrived the boy was not breathing. The Epoch Times reporter Simon Veazey contributed to this report.Activists Call for Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam to Resign After She Suspends Extradition Bill

Opponents of the controversial extradition bill that sparked mass protests in Hong Kong have called for the citys Chief Executive Carrie Lam to scrap the bill entirely and resign, after she announced the proposed legislation would be suspended indefinitely on June 15.

Lam, in a news conference, said the bill would be halted with no deadline to bring it backeffectively suspending the process indefinitely.

After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days, I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more explanation work and listen to different views of society, Lam told a news conference.

The announcement came after a nearly one-week long standoff between the people of Hong Kong and the government, with nearly 1.03 million taking to the streets on June 9 to oppose the bill that would allow people to be extradited to mainland China for trial.

Three days later, tens of thousands of protesters swarmed the area outside the citys legislature where the bill was due to be debated before the scene descended into chaos as some protesters attempted to break the police line. Local police used pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and bean bags in an attempt to remove protestors from the streets. At least 81 people were injured.

Critics, however, were not satisfied with Lams announcement, and have called for her to completely withdraw the bill, step down, and apologize for the excessive amount of force used by police during the clashes on June 12.

Democrats in Hong Kong simply cannot accept this suspension decision, said lawmaker Claudia Mo and member of the pro-democratic camp, which has opposed bill. Because the suspension is temporary. The pain is still there.

Carrie Lam has lost all credibility among Hong Kong people. She must step down, Mo added.

Pan Democrat legislator, Kenneth Leung, said the decision was too little, too late and demanded Lam to step down.

Hong Kong people have been lied to so many times, said Bonny Leung, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, one of the groups that has helped organize the demonstrations.

The group urged people to continue to attend the scheduled protest in Victoria Park on June 16.

It also condemned the Hong Kong governments labeling of protesters as rioters and called for the release of all 11 protesters who have been arrested.

The group added that it would continue calling for the three suspensions: boycotting classes, not going to work, and shutting down businesses until the bill is withdrawn.

Refusal to Step Down

Speaking to reporters after announcing her decision Saturday, Lam sidestepped questions over whether she should quit.

When a reporter pointedly asked Lam why she would not step down after the massive public protests and police violence, Lam responded: I have been a public servant for nearly 40 years. I take it as my pride, and I still have a lot of work for Hong Kong that I hope to do.

She also insisted on not withdrawing the proposed amendment and defended the polices use of force, saying the response was reasonable and natural.

Lam also said the decision to suspend was made by her, and not Beijing, although the Chinese regimes central government supports her decision.

Earlier in the week, Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, told the BBC that the Chinese regime gave no instructions to the Hong Kong government regarding the bill, an indication, analysts say, that the regime was attempting to distance itself from the controversy.

The Chinese government office in charge of Hong Kong affairs expressed support, respect, and understanding of Lams decision to suspend the bill.

Steve Tsang, a political scientist at SOAS University of London told Reuters that Beijing had most likely ordered Lam to postpone the bill.

They would have indicated to Carrie  that this just has to end. She didnt understand what she was doing, he said.

I think Carrie Lams days are numbered  Beijing cannot afford to sack her right away, because that would be an indication of weakness.

Since Hong Kongs reversion to Chinese rule in 1997, the city has been governed under a policy known as one country, two systems which guarantees it special autonomy and freedoms, including freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary.

Critics, however, say this promise has gone unfulfilled, citing a long list of developments that have eroded the citys independence and legal protections, signaling the Chinese regimes growing encroachment.

Recent incidents include refusing to renew a visa for British national and Financial Times editor Victor Mallet, democracy activists being jailed, and opposition lawmakers being disqualified from public office.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.Animal Shelter Accidentally Puts Down Family Dog After Mix-Up

A mother and her three children were left devastated when they went to the animal shelter to look in on their beloved family dog only to discover he had been accidentally put down due to a paperwork mix-up.

The Varker family had left their 16-month-old Australian cattle dog, Blaze, at the animal shelter in North Carolina for 10 days of quarantine after it had bitten a family member, causing a minor injury.

But when Rhea Varker arrived at the Davidson County Animal Shelter on June 11 to check in on Blaze, staff couldnt find him.

They first go back to his kennel and take a picture and come back out and show me the dog, and its not my dog, Varker told WXII 12. My documentation that I filled out with animal control was there with the dog that they showed a picture of.

Varker was asked to search the kennels herself for Blaze before staff told her the devastating news.

An Australian blue cattle dog in Longreach, Australia on on March 25, 2011. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The director comes out and pulls me to the side and explains to me that they accidentally euthanized my dog on Saturday, she said. The blame was left on the cleaning crew that comes in and cleans kennels basically stating that they just put the dog in the wrong spot.

My 8-year-old is my middle child, hes very tender-hearted, very much a dog lover, animal lover of all kinds. Hes the one that it affected the most. He broke down and sobbed.

Her husband Joey Varker told Fox 8, We were offered any dog at the animal shelter. We were also offered $300 by the county manager, which I think is kind of insulting.

An Australian cattle dog is pictured in this file photo. (Pixabay)

They told us they were sorry and along with offering us another dog, they came up with the amount that we paid for the dog that he would offer us, Varker said.

His wife told WXII that they cant simply replace Blaze. Like they can offer us $10,000, thats not going to bring our dog back. Thats not going to make our kids any less sad.

The county manager, Jeb Hanner, told Fox 8 it was the first time something like this had happened.

Davidson County, North Carolina. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

Normally theres a process they go through. They get taken in, a picture made and all of that. And this was in between that stage, so we are taking extra precautions to double check that going in so that this doesnt happen again, Hanner said.

Blaze had bitten one of the childrens cousins last month, reported Fox. He could not be quarantined at home because they could not find his vaccine paperwork. They said he was due for a rabies shot, so he had to be sent to the shelter.

Assistant County Manager Casey Smith described the situation as just a mishap with the paperwork, according to WXII 12.

We only have two people there on the weekend, and a lot of animals that come in and the paperwork got crisscrossed, and an accident happened, Smith said.

Out of 5,000 animals the animal shelter gets in a year times about four years since the county took the shelter back over since the UAC incident years ago were probably talking 20,000 animals, and this is the first time this has ever happened, Smith said.People walk past placards against a controversial extradition law proposal pasted on a wall near the Legislative Council Complex in Hong Kong on June 14, 2019. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)

China Summons US Envoy in Protest After US Officials Criticized Hong Kong Extradition Bill

China urgently summoned a senior U.S. envoy in Beijing in a formal protest after several U.S. lawmakers condemned Hong Kongs controversial extradition bill.

In a statement dated on June 14, vice foreign minister Le Yucheng said that he summoned U.S. diplomat Robert Forden to express Chinas strong opposition over the recent irresponsible remarks and actions from the United States.

Hong Kong is Chinas Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs is strictly Chinese domestic affairs and no external forces should be allowed to interfere, Le said through the statement, adding that the Chinese government was extremely dissatisfied.

These remarks are consistent with the Chinese regimes past propaganda portraying the United States as a meddling power whenever locals in Hong Kong or Taiwan protest Chinas sovereignty claims over those regions.

Les remarks came after a bipartisan group of U.S. legislators re-introduced legislation that would require the United States to review whether or not to continue giving special trading privileges to Hong Kong. The lawmakers said that the bill is meant to safeguard the basic human rights of Hong Kong people against Beijings growing influence over the citys affairs.

Under the legislation, the U.S. secretary of state would need to issue an annual certification to assess whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from mainland China.

It also follows remarks made by the Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom in a June 12 interview with BBC, saying that the Beijing regime gave no instructions to the Hong Kong government regarding the Hong Kong bill. This has led commentators to suggest that Beijing was forcing the citys top leader Carrie Lam to take full responsibility for the fallout after Hong Kong police fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and bean bags at tens of thousands of unarmed protesters who called for the bill to be scrapped.

A World Watching

Britain handed back control of Hong Kong to China in 1997 on the condition that the region will preserve the autonomy and freedoms that it had enjoyed in the past.

The proposed bill, which would allow the Chinese regime to transfer any wanted person to mainland China for trial, has sparked concerns over the possible erosion of the citys autonomy, prompting a record number of some 1 million peoplenearly one in every seven of the Hong Kong populationto march on the streets. Opponents of the bill say that given Chinas disregard for rule of law, the bill could allow critics of the authoritarian regime to be extradited on trumped-up charges.

Americas strength has been and always will be in our values. We cannot stand idly by as the rights of the people of Hong Kong are trampled on by China, said Ben Cardin (D-MD), one of the four senators who proposed the bill, in a June 13 statement.

The United States must use all of our diplomatic tools to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong in the face of this latest effort by Beijing to censor them and infringe upon their basic rights and freedoms, said Bob Menendez (D-NJ), another co-signer of the bill.

Their support for the Hong Kong protesters have been joined by Chris Patten, the former and final British governor of the territory before the handover. He said that the outpouring of opposition in Hong Kong shows that locals are determined to defend their rights of freedom and the reputation of Hong Kong as an international commercial hub.

The government in Hong Kong and its masters in Beijing should realize how much damage will be done to Hong Kong if it continues to think it can brazen things out, turning to tear gas and rubber bullets to get its way, Patten wrote in an op-ed in The Guardian published on June 14.

 It will be enormously damaging if Hong Kong is viewed commercially as no different from any other city in China, he further said.

All of us must stand in support of democratic principles and freedom, former U.S. vice president Joe Biden wrote on Twitter on June 14.

The extraordinary bravery shown by hundreds of thousands in Hong Kong, marching for the civil liberties & autonomy promised by China is inspiring. And the world is watching, Biden said.Chinese Detained for Spreading Online Rumors About Huawei

Chinese police have detained two men and reprimanded another for spreading online rumors about the Chinese tech giant Huawei, Chinese state-run media Xinhua reported on June 13.

The move follows a fresh wave of internet crackdowns in May targeting foreign media websites and domestic social media accounts, as well as increased domestic sensitivity surrounding Huawei after the United States placed it on a trade blacklist that banned it from acquiring components and technology from U.S. firms without government approval.

Huawei has close ties with the Chinese regime; it has gained domestic business and overseas markets through state support. Beijing has also described it as a national champion.

The rumors that got those Chinese in trouble claimed that a number of Huawei employees, including some of its high-ranking management officials, had been arrested in China for spying on behalf of the United States.

The news circulated widely and was extensively discussed among users on WeChat, Chinas most-used messaging platform.

Chinese authorities tracked down the inventor of the story, a man surnamed Wu, and another man who exaggerated it and spread it further, surnamed Li, who were arrested and punished with 10 days of detention, according to Xinhua.

A third man was reprimanded by police for forwarding the story to other chatrooms on WeChat.

Police had acted after Huawei filed a complaint about the rumors, Xinhua reported.

The punishment of the three men also followed an internet crackdown that coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989, when Chinese authorities opened fire to suppress pro-democracy protests. Blogs and social media accounts with mentions of sensitive topics were shut down. Meanwhile, foreign media beyond Beijings control, such as the Washington Post and The Guardian, were blocked from being accessed.Detention Officer Shot in the Head by 16-Year-Old Stepdaughter

On the afternoon of June 12 at approximately 3:30 pm, off-duty Spalding County Detention Officer Amanda Moore, 34, was shot as she lay sleeping inside her home on Etheridge Mill Road in Spalding County, Georgia.

1224 Ethridge Mill Rd. Griffin, Georgia. (Google)

Moore is said to have been shot in the head by her 16-year-old stepdaughter following what appears to be a domestic dispute reported FOX5.

Moores 11-year-old son, who was home at the time of the shooting, rushed to a neighbors house for help.

The neighborwho happened to be a nurseaccompanied the child back to the residence and began working on Moore while the neighbors husband called 911.

They are a married couple, said Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix. He is a firefighter and she is a nurse, so as he called 911 and described the suspect who was walking down the street, they both went to the house to find Amanda and rendered aid. Im certain their actions are the reason [why she is] still alive today and has a chance to live.

After authorities arrived, Moore was airlifted to the Atlanta Medical Center, where she remains in the care of hospital staff, and in the company of family, friends, and coworkers.

She is in pretty grave condition. We got updated a little while ago. She is alive, she has suffered a couple of strokes this morning and she is in very bad condition, said Sheriff Dix, Her father, Sergeant Martin, is a deputy here, too. The two of them had lunch together just three hours before the shooting happened. Its just heartbreaking to watch her grow up and work so hard to get where she is now. She was getting ready to go to Mandate training to be on the streets as one of my deputies.

Following the incident, police arrested Moores 16-year-old stepdaughter, who, prior to being apprehended by authorities, was said to have been walking calmly down the street.

She was very calm and she didnt put up a fight. She didnt say anythingjust very stoic, said the sheriff. She didnt have the gun. She had left that at the house. After we arrested her, I started getting calls that I needed to get to the deputys house.

He also mentioned that Moorewho, according to a Facebook post from the Spalding County Sheriffs Office, was sworn in as a detention officer by the Sheriff On Jan. 22started at the sheriffs office as a clerk and learned the ropes until she could become a detention officer and was looking forward to getting more training.

The Sheriff went on to say, This is a difficult time for everyone involved, and we are asking for prayers of healing and strength for this family in the coming days.

Scores of responses were sent to a Facebook post from 13WMAZ relaying the request from the Sheriffs Office for prayers of healing and strength for Amanda Moores family.

This is so sad, said one person. A step parent can go above and beyond but the first thing they do that kid doesnt like, they catch it. So unfair. My prayers are with her for healing and strength.

Sounds like the step daughter needs to be in the detention center, said another Prayers for speedy and full recovery.

Life waisted at 16, another person wrote. Wow. She dont even know what she is about to face.The headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is seen in Washington on Aug. 22, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

DNC Announces 20 Presidential Candidates in First Democratic Debate, 3 Did Not Qualify

The Democratic National Committee announced on Thursday the 20 presidential candidates who are qualified to participate in the first Democratic debates, which will be held in Miami, Florida.

Here are the participants in alphabetical order:

Colorado Senator Michael Bennet

Former Vice President Joe Biden

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

Former Maryland Representative John Delaney

Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

California Senator Kamala Harris

Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper

Washington Governor Jay Inslee

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar

Former Texas Representative Beto ORourke

Ohio Representative Tim Ryan

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders

California Representative Eric Swalwell

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren

Writer and spiritual guru Marianne Williamson

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang

The 20 Democratic Candidates Who Qualified for the First Presidential Debates

Candidates who qualified for these debates received at least 1 percent in three polls, or received donations from 65,000 supporters, including at least 200 donors in each of 20 states.

The Democrats who will be omitted from the debates are Montana Governor Steve Bullock, Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam; and Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton.

Bullock has been the most vocal critic of the system. He was one of the final candidates to enter the race after formally launching his presidential campaign in May.

He waited until after Montanas legislature completed its session. But that gave him less time to build support in the polls or raise money.

I had a job to do, and if it ultimately ever came down to choosing between getting Medicare reauthorized, getting 100,000 Montanans healthcare versus getting in earlier just to try to bump up on yet another poll, Id make that same choice time and time again, Bullock said on MSNBC after the list was finalized.

In another interview with NBC News, Bullock made it clear that he felt penalized for doing his job as governor.

The debates, which will be held over two nights on June 26 and June 27, offer an expansive Democratic vista in which Americans will get to hear each candidate and allow candidates who have trailed in opinion polls the opportunity to make an impact with voters.

The 20 candidates will be randomly divided between the two nights in a way that ensures top-qualifiers will be distributed evenly between both debates. The lineup for each night will be determined in New York.

In most election cycles, the list of candidates would not get much attention, but the large number of presidential hopefuls has the publics attention. This historically large group of 23 candidates forced the Democratic Party to establish rules to limit participation and make the debates more manageable, forcing those trailing in the polls to make a last minute dash.

The debate will be broadcast prime time on NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo and be streamed online for free on a variety of digital and social platforms.

Reuters contributed to this report.In many parts of the world, people are free to express their opinions without any fear of repercussions. However, things could turn out very differently if one were to express his or her views in China.

In September 2015, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) launched a social media campaign called #expressionNOToppression to highlight the ongoing human rights issues that are occurring around the world. Two years later in 2017, Rubio relaunched the campaign to bring attention to the political prisoners detained all over the world.

By political prisoners, Rubio meant those who are imprisoned under totalitarian dictatorships in countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and China. Rubio hoped that his campaign would serve as a voice for the voiceless.

In July 2017, Rubio brought up the case of a Russian human rights activist, Ildar Dadin, who was imprisoned for participating in an unauthorized assemblyan assembly that was exercising his right to freedom of expression, Rubio wrote on his Twitter account.

In addition to his campaign, Rubio also spoke about human rights issues in China concerning two Chinese lawyers. The two lawyers, Jiang Tianyong and Tang Jingling, were disbarred by the Chinese regime due to their advocacy on human rights, such as representing dissidents, advocating for blind rights activist Chen Guangcheng and human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, Falun Gong practitioners, and other human rights cases.

Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Jiang Tianyong (The Epoch Times)

Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng (Transcending Fear)

Falun Gong practitioners are heavily persecuted in China.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient Chinese spiritual discipline that consists of moral teachings and gentle exercises. Since its introduction to the public in 1992, more than 100 million people around the world have taken up the practice. However in China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was extremely terrified when it saw the growth of Falun Gongs popularity within just a few years.

Falun Gong practitioners gathered at Union Square, New York, on May 11, 2017, to practice the exercises as part of the celebration for the 18th Falun Dafa Day. (Minghui)

As a result, a brutal persecution that was launched in July 1999 has resulted in the arrest, torture, illegal detainment, and other human rights abuses of tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Rubio told the Senate floor that Tang was convicted in January 2016 for inciting subversion of state power and subsequently sentenced to five years in prison. He added that this was not the first time that Tang was detained. In May 2014, Tang participated in a nonviolent disobedience movement seeking legal and social reform in China and was detained for picking quarrels and provoking troubles.

Just imagine that: picking quarrels and provoking troubles is a crime in China, Rubio remarked.

Rubios concerns on human rights abuses in China was not surprising as he is the chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC).

The senators worries are not only restricted to looking out for overseas political prisoners.

Closer to home, Rubio and U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.), co-chairman of the CECC, wrote a joint letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Oct. 10, 2018, and sought for an investigation into the intimidation and threats against the Uyghur, Tibetan, and Chinese diaspora communities living in the United States.

On the same day, the CECC also issued its 2018 annual report that highlighted the human rights situation in China.

Chinas authoritarianism at home directly threatens our freedoms as well as our most deeply held values and national interests, according to the report in its Executive Summary.

At the release of the 2018 Annual Report of the Commission, Smith said: this report shines a light on the Chinese governments failures to abide by universal standards; shines a light on the cases of tortured and abused political prisoners. Even by the Chinese Communist Partys low standards, this year has been audaciously repressive.

In addition to the annual report, a Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act was unveiled by Senators Rubio and Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), reported Sunshine State News.

The situation in Xinjiang and Chinas treatment of its Uighur minority is beyond abhorrent and shines a light of Chinas surveillance state tactics that threaten basic human dignity, Rubio explained.

He added that due to the number of Uyghur Muslims who are unjustly imprisoned and forced into labor camps, there is a need for a clear and consistent approach to China.

Rubio, Smith, and Menendez are not the only ones stepping forward to criticize the Chinese regime for the persecution of religious minorities on its citizens.

A dozen more senators such as David Perdue (R-G.A.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Tim Kaine (D-V.A.) have spoken out against the human rights abuses in China, and have condemned the Chinese Communist Party for its actions.

Purdue said: From burning Bibles and demolishing Christian churches to the mass internment of hundreds of thousands of Uighur Muslims, the Chinese government is inflicting terror on its own people.

The United States must condemn these egregious human rights abuses. I urge my colleagues to work alongside President Trump and Secretary Pompeo to hold them accountable.

President Trump declared Jan. 16, 2019, to be National Religious Freedom Day and called upon the nation to protect the heritage of religious liberty both at home and around the world.

The right to religious freedom is innate to the dignity of every human person and is foundational to the pursuit of truth, he said.

Efforts to circumscribe religious freedomor to separate it from adjoining civil liberties, like property rights or free speechare on the rise.By PTI

DUSHANBE: Terrorism poses the "gravest threat" to the people in Asia and terrorists and their victims must never be equated, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Saturday.

Addressing the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit in the Tajik capital, Jaishankar said that the CICA members are the victims of terrorism.

"Terrorism is the gravest threat we face in Asia. CICA members are its victims and so it should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated," he tweeted.

Terrorism is the gravest threat we face in Asia. CICA members are its victims and so it should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated.#CICA2019  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 15, 2019

His statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, lashed out at countries "sponsoring, aiding and funding" terrorism and said that such states must be held accountable, in a veiled reference to Pakistan.

The CICA is a pan-Asia forum for enhancing cooperation and promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

Ahead of the Summit, Jaishankar was welcomed by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

"An important Central Asian partner. EAM @DrSJaishankar welcomed by President of Tajikistan @EmomaliRahmon at the start of the #CICA2019 summit. CICA leaders will discuss collective strategies to deal with challenges facing the Asian continent," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

An important Central Asian partner



EAM @DrSJaishankar welcomed by President of Tajikistan @EmomaliRahmon at the start of the #CICA2019 summit. CICA leaders will discuss collective strategies to deal with challenges facing the Asian continent. #IndiaTajikistan @IndEmbDushanbe pic.twitter.com/9xY1lsTybk  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 15, 2019

Jaishankar said the CICA has always shown a strong commitment to combat terrorism and extremism and adopt a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism.

"Early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT), proposed by India, is today even more essential and we seek your support in this regard," he said.

India supports a peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, he said.

"All initiatives and processes must include all sections of Afghan society, including the legitimately elected government," he said.

EAM @DrSJaishankar spoke at #CICA2019 summit in #Dushanbe. Outlined Indias vision for a more secure and prosperous Asia. pic.twitter.com/QUMEemB0Uy  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 15, 2019

The recent India-Central Asia 5 Ministerial dialogue is a very positive development that can only enhance further cooperations and stability across the regions, he said.

"Regional connectivity initiatives that are inclusive, sustainable, transparent and respect the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity can boost trade and play a pivotal role in bringing prosperity and development to the region.

"India for its part will always support these such regional connectivity initiatives," the minister said.

The lack of energy security has emerged as another key developmental challenge, he said, adding that India has supported a better dialogue between consumers and producers for a stable energy market and for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.

"India's initiative of International Solar Alliance has received overwhelming support; 74 countries have signed the Framework Agreement.

Developing renewable energy will be a great contribution to the security and stability of Asia and I invite CICA members who have not joined the Alliance to do so," Jaishankar said.

Sharing India's vision for a more secure and prosperous Asia as well as its concerns, Jaishankar said that the 21st century is being hailed as the Asian century and CICA can surely play a useful role in promoting peace, security and development in Asia.

EAM @DrSJaishankar with leaders from across the world at the #CICA2019 Summit in #Dushanbe. Also present Presidents of China, Russia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iran, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, VP of Vietnam, Afghan CEO, Amir of Qatar and others. pic.twitter.com/ArpoNWIzxE  India in Tajikistan (@IndEmbDushanbe) June 15, 2019

"The India-Central Asia 5 dialogue format is big positive for cooperation and stability across regions."

"India's vision of the Indo-Pacific is rooted in advocacy of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). It is in sync with the theme of this Summit 'Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region'," Jaishankar added.

The world has been witnessing far-reaching geo-strategic changes, which have also impacted the peace and security in Asia, he said.

Globalisation is under stress due to new and emerging geo-political and geo-economic faultlines, he said.

"India supports a rule-based order in Asia, as in the rest of the world. But we confront unavoidable challenges such as terrorism, conflicts, trans-national crimes and maritime threats."

"There are also issues of sustainable development including the lack of energy security, low intra-regional trade and deficit of connectivity. These must be urgently remedied for our common good," Jaishankar said.

India is confident that the CICA would continue to evolve into a balanced, open and inclusive framework for Asian countries to interact and cooperate in addressing multi-faceted challenges, acting in accordance with the common vision for a more secure and prosperous Asia, he added.

The new External Affairs Minister arrived here on Friday for the 5th CICA Summit.

The theme of the summit is "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region".

The Summit will adopt a declaration covering issues of cooperation within CICA.

During the Summit, the CICA leaders are likely to deliberate on the existing and emerging issues of common concern and underline implementation of confidence building measures for developing Asia into a prosperous, secure and peaceful region.

India is a member of the CICA since its inception and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had participated in the first CICA Summit held in 2002 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

India has been actively participating in various activities conducted under the aegis of CICA.Father Shoots Daughter 6 Times and Kills Her in Front of Her Baby Over Petty Argument

A father shot his 38-year-old daughter six times, including twice in the head over a petty argument over a baby gate on June 10.

Lila Wilson was killed just a few feet away from her 1-year-old child by her father, Wendell Wilson, reported the Q13 Fox.

Wilson, 68 was charged with first-degree murder by the King County Prosecuting Attorneys. He waived his Miranda rights and admitted to killing his daughter.

I went and got my gun and I shot her, Wilson told investigators, according to Q13 Fox.

Dad executed daughter during petty argument about baby gate, prosecutors say https://t.co/ucGfz3WAqg pic.twitter.com/YmFjlmWD14  #Q13FOX (@Q13FOX) June 14, 2019

Before shooting Lila, Wilson called his ex-wife and Lilas adoptive mother and told her that he was going to kill Lila. A few minutes later when she called him, he said, I shot her, I killed her.

Wilson has not been involved in any crime previously but prosecutors said: His willingness to resort to lethal violence to settle a trivial dispute demonstrates the grave risk he presents to the community.

His bail was set at $2 million by the judge and his next court appearance is scheduled for later during this month.

Wendell Wilson is facing murder charges over allegedly shooting his daughter dead June 10, with her 13-month-old son just feet away, in Renton, Washington.https://t.co/m8mS5GevPs  KFOX14 News (@KFOX14) June 14, 2019

Its A Sad Day: Father Kills Daughter After Mistaking Her for an Intruder

A South Carolina father shot his daughter dead as she entered the familys house, officials said.

Nadeja Jermainequa Pressley, 23, was preparing to enter the familys house in Greenville around 1:15 a.m. on May 19 when her father shot her through the door, Greenville County Sheriffs Office Lt. Jimmy Bolt said in a press release obtained by the Greenville News.

Bolt said the Violent Crimes Unit has opened an investigation into the case.

He told Fox Carolina that when deputies arrived Pressleys father told them he thought she was an intruder trying to break into the house.

After shooting her the father went outside and discovered who it really was.

Neighbor Regina Harvey told WYFF that she heard two gunshots around 1 a.m. on Sunday.

I  went out on the porch and I seen police everywhere, everywhere. Thats just a sad feeling, she said.

Melvin Grover, a member of St. Luke Holiness Church, which sits near the house, commented on the death as well.

Its a sad day today, and its a tragic moment that happened in the neighborhood, and we are so heartbroken about it, he said.

It wasnt clear whether Pressleys father, who has not been identified publicly, would face criminal charges in the shooting.

A handgun in its case in a file photo. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Domestic Violence

Psychology Today says that domestic violence is bad both for the battered and the batterer and that it is impo0rtant to combat abusive behavior.

Domestic violence can be physical or psychological, and it can affect anyone of any age, gender, race, or sexual orientation. It may include behaviors meant to scare, physically harm, or control a partner, said a post on Psychology Today, adding that 38 million American women are victims of domestic violence.

Such a kind of violence has a long-lasting impact on the victims who suffer from anxiety, depression and lack of self-worth.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (pdf), 20 people in the country experience violence by an intimate partner every minute and that produces more than 10 million victims of domestic abuse in the country annually.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Sanctuary Cities

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill banning sanctuary cities in the state on June 15. The bill-signing ceremony took place in Okaloosa County.

Earlier this year, I made a promise that we would ban sanctuary cities in Florida and today we are delivering on that promise, DeSantis announced on Twitter.

I am proud to sign the bill presented to me by the FL Legislature to uphold the rule of law and ensure that our communities are safe.

Earlier this year, I made a promise that we would ban sanctuary cities in Florida and today we are delivering on that promise. I am proud to sign the bill presented to me by the FL Legislature to uphold the rule of law and ensure that our communities are safe. pic.twitter.com/xKQDOPRBHx  Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 14, 2019

DeSantis, a Republican, had made the ban a promise during his campaign for governor last year.

The bill requires state entities, local governmental entities, and law enforcement agencies to use their best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law.

It also prohibits restrictions from entities and agencies on taking certain actions with respect to information regarding a persons immigration status.

Public safety is paramount and local law enforcement agencies can and should work with the federal government to ensure that accountability and justice are one in our state, a DeSantis spokeswoman told the Orlando Sentinel in an email on June 13.

The bill (SB-168) had passed the House in a 69-47 vote on April 24, and the Senate in a 22-18 vote on April 26.

Among the differences between the two chambers bills are penalties for violating the policy: The House includes fines for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and the Senate doesnt.

Republican Sen. Joe Gruters, the state GOP chairman who introduced the bill, had earlier said it re-establishes the rule of law.

He said the bill only targets the worst of the worst and would only affect illegal immigrants whove been arrested and are the subject of a federal detainer.

Sanctuary cities are areas that have enacted measures to prevent local officials from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.

Sen. Tom Lee (R) said sanctuary city policies are an insult for those who enter the United States legally.

Were a nation of laws, and I think allowing porous borders that have people coming over here in defiance to our laws is somewhat of an abomination to all the people who have come here legally, Lee said, according to the Herald-Tribune.

Trump on Sanctuary Cities

President Donald Trump is a firm critic of sanctuary cities. He had earlier said that he was considering a plan to transport illegal immigrants who are apprehended after illegally crossing the southwest border exclusively to sanctuary cities.

President Donald Trump walks out of the Oval Office to speak with reporters at the White House on June 11, 2019. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

He said the move would make those who support sanctuary zones very happy.

Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only, Trump wrote on Twitter.

The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policyso this should make them very happy!

Eight states and hundreds of cities across the United States are recognized as sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.

The Trump administration proposed a new rule in April that would prevent illegal immigrants from being granted public housing financial assistance, and ensure that U.S. citizens are first in line to review housing subsidies.

Bowen Xiao and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Former Campaign Staffer Arrested in Connection With Ex-Arkansas State Senators Death: Reports

Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the shooting death of former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins-Smith, according to reports.

Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, 48, is currently being held in police custody, while criminal charges are pending, reported Fox 16.

Arkansas State Police have not released any details about the arrests and it is not clear whether they are seeking any further suspects in the case.

Collins-Smith, 57, was found shot dead and wrapped up in a blanket inside of her home in Randolph County on June 4, KAIT reported. At the time, her former press secretary, Ken Yang, told KATV that neighbors reportedly heard gunshots a day or two before the body was found.

Authorities have not released the connection between ODonnell and Collins-Smith but, according to Yang, ODonnell had worked on the former state senators most recent campaign and the pair were friends, reported KTHV-TV.

Police said the investigation is currently ongoing and they would not release further details in order to not comprise the integrity of the case.

Collins-Smiths family has released a statement in reaction to the arrest.

This evening, our family received news that an arrest was made in connection to the ongoing investigation. We are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda, would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime. The family is confident that the Randolph County Sheriffs Department and the Arkansas State Police will continue to work diligently to bring justice to this case. We would like to thank everyone for the continued prayers and thoughts for our family during this difficult time, the statement said.

Collins-Smith, who was a Democrat who later changed to the Republican party, served in the state House of Representatives from 2010 before becoming a state senator. She was defeated in the 2018 election.

According to her official website, Collins-Smith was a businesswoman, an entrepreneur, and a community leader.

She is a tireless advocate for conservative principles and traditional values. She believes in limited government, lower taxes, and ending burdensome regulations. She stands for a childs right to life from conception, for religious freedom, for our Second Amendment rights, for individual liberty, and for greater personal responsibility, it states.

She is a lifetime member of the NRA and founding member of the Friends of the NRA in Hardy. Linda grew up in the rural Arkansas Ozarks. She knows what it is like to carry water from the spring and cut her own firewood. Her background taught her the value of hard work, and the blessing of living in a land where everyone, from the poor country girl to the inner city street kid, had the opportunity to achieve their dreams through industry and determination. She has dedicated herself to the cause of restoring those opportunities to our children and grandchildren.

Second Former State Senator Found Shot Dead

Former Republican state Sen. Jonathan Nichols, 53, was found shot dead in his home in Norman, Oklahoma, just a day after Collins-Smiths body was discovered, reported The Oklahoman, citing police sources.

Authorities said Nichols was found after police responded to a property at the 3900 block of Annalane Drive around 8:44 p.m. on June 5. They are now working with the Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office to determine the cause of death, reported NY Daily News.

Nichols was elected as a senator from 2000 to 2012. He was serving as a policy adviser to House Speaker Charles McCall when he died.

I am shocked and incredibly saddened to learn that Jonathan has passed away, McCall said in a statement to The Oklahoman. He was a valuable member of my staff and a friend. Jonathan was a very proud man, but he served humbly.Former President of Chinese Intermediate Court Sacked for Corruption

An official responsible for judicial oversight in a southern Chinese city has recently been sacked, the latest high-ranking official to be ousted under Chinese leader Xi Jinpings sweeping anti-corruption campaign.

Liu Shuguang, former Chinese Communist Party Secretary at Shaoguan Intermediate Peoples Court and its former president, has been placed under investigation on charges of violating Party discipline and laws, the Guangdong provincial branch of the Partys anti-corruption agency announced on May 31. The turn-of-phrase is an oft-used euphemism for corruption.

Liu had a nearly two-decade stint in the judicial system in Shaoguan and Qingyuan cities of the coastal Guangdong Province. He retired in 2016 at the age of 61.

The brief statement by the Commission for Disciplinary Inspection did not go into detail about the misdeeds that Liu had committed.

Human Rights Abuses

According to Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website dedicated to documenting first-hand accounts of the persecution of the banned spiritual practice Falun Gong, Liu was directly involved in human rights crimes.

Falun Gong, introduced in 1992, is a spiritual discipline that combines gentle, meditative exercises and moral teachings based on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. By 1999, it had garnered a following of up to 100 million, according to state estimates at the time. The Chinese Communist Party then saw it as a threat to its rule, and in July 1999, then-Party leader Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide persecution, rounding up adherents and throwing them into detention facilities and prisons, where they are often tortured in an effort to coerce them into giving up their faith.

Liu had carried out his role in the persecution since 1999 through the judicial system. While he oversaw the intermediate court, as well as lower courts, Falun Gong practitioners were given harsh prison sentences for adhering to their faith, according to Minghui accounts.

At least eight practitioners were handed sentences of up to eight years under Lius watch, according to Minghui records.

In 2005, then-Guangdong Gov. Huang Huahua deemed Shaoguan City a key region to implement the persecution, a policy that Liu ardently followed through, according to Minghui.

In one example, the lawyer representing two Falun Gong practitioners at the Qujiang District Court in Shaoguan was not allowed to speak in court in defense of his clients, nor was he allowed to submit his written statement. The lawyer was eventually escorted out of the court by four security officers.

Under Lius jurisdiction, Liang Huizhen, a mother of two, was arrested at least five times during 2001 and 2005 and spent five years in prison, according to a 2012 Minghui report.

Huang also established a local branch of the 610 Office, a Gestapo-like police force created expressly for carrying out the suppression of Falun Gong.

Huang has been named by the U.S.-based nonprofit World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) as a perpetrator of human rights abuses.

Calling for an End

At least 94 practitioners in Guangdong Province, and 4,313 in total, has died due to the persecution, according to Minghui records. The website noted, however, that the true numbers are likely much higher, as information from China has to filter through a labyrinth of coverup and censorship from the Chinese communist regimemaking it difficult to gauge the true scope of the persecution.

Many U.S. officials and international organizations have since called for an end to the human rights abuses and for the totalitarian regime to recognize the religious freedom of its citizens.

We are now two decades in. And the extent, the level, the volume, the types of persecutionits horrific. It should shake us all to our core, said Tina Mufford, deputy director of research and policy at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in a recent interview with Epoch Media Group affiliate NTD.

The international committee cant ignore whats happening, said Nadine Maenza, a commissioner at the same organization, an independent federal body that advises the U.S. government and Congress on religious freedom issues.A man is seen on a beach in the Dominican Republic in a file photo. (Erika Santelices/AFP/Getty Images)

I Cant Even Explain How Sick I Was: 47 People Got Ill During One Trip to Dominican Republic

Nearly half of the people on a large group trip to the Dominican Republic got sick after drinking alcohol from a bar at the pool at the resort, said a travel agent who was on the trip and was among those who fell ill.

The latest report on sickness in the country comes after the 11th suspicious death in the last 12 months was reported.

Dana Flowers, an Oklahoma-based travel agent, said that he and 113 others traveled to the country in April and checked into the Hotel Riu Palace Macao in Punta Cana.

Things went well for several days before people started to get sick.

SCARY: Dozens of people from OKC, Tulsa & around the country say they got extremely ill after a trip to the Dominican Republic in April. Were talking to a local travel agent who went on the trip with the group of 114. Hear what he believes could have caused it at 5. @OKCFOX pic.twitter.com/4uy9OjV0Md  Erika Stanish (@Erika_Stanish) June 14, 2019

Lost 14 pounds during that time and was really sick, he told KFOR. I cant even explain how sick I was.

Of the people on the trip, 47 got sick. Many were confined to their rooms.

It wasnt just any kind of normal sickness. It was putting them down and in their room for two-three days at a time. Some people were even longer than that, Flowers told KOKH. Flowers himself remained ill for 19 days.

I thought I was going to pass out in the bathroom, just because the cramps were so bad, added Kimberly Ridlen, who was also on the trip and got sick.

Ridlen said she got better before getting sick again.

About a week later, after I was home again, which was a Friday morning around one in the morning, I got hit with it again and had really, really severe cramping and diarrhea with bloody stools, Ridlen said.

You may have seen recent reports of the mysterious deaths and illnesses of American tourists in the Dominican Republic. https://t.co/cf5iMlwPIy  KFOR (@kfor) June 15, 2019

Tests later showed that some of the people had salmonella while others did not.

The cause of the sickness remained a mystery but Flowers said everyone who became ill had one thing in common.

Drank at the swim-up pool bar or swam at the swim-up pool, Flowers told KFOR.

A frozen drink from the blender that Dana said they were wash rinsing out, not drying out. So, we dont know if that water was filtered at the pool, Ridlen added to KOKH.

While no one died from their group, at least one has remained sick until the present day.

We feel very fortunate that nobody has died and it wasnt any worse than it has been but there are still a few people, at least one, that has been sick from that time on until now, Flowers said.

The case of one of the sickened group members, Sarah Ciancio, was so severe that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched an investigation.

It lasted four days for me. My sister-in-law had it for more than two weeks, Ciancio said.

Local Oklahomans fall ill during recent trip to Dominican Republic. https://t.co/cMpaTwVbUb  Patrina Adger (@KOCOPatrina) June 15, 2019

Oklahoma Teens Heading Home

Teenagers who recently graduated from Deer Creek High School in Oklahoma went to the Dominican Republic but were heading home after just two days there because they got sick.

Bennet Hill said he and his friends enjoyed the beach on the day of arrival but that seven of them got violently ill after dinner the next night.

I just woke up, and my stomach was cramping and I was sweating, Bennet told KOCO. I was freezing.

The teens were rushed to a hospital.

Weve been hooked up to IVs since we first got here with antibiotics, just getting hydrated, he said. Anti-nausea medicine, all this stuff because we were just so dehydrated.I Would Suggest Other Islands: Travel Agents Warn Against Trips to Dominican Republic

Some travel agents are advising people not to go to the Dominican Republic because of the rash of sicknesses and deaths there in the past 12 months.

Eleven American tourists have died in the Caribbean country since June 2018 in suspicious circumstances, while others became violently ill but survived. Counterfeit alcohol is being eyed as the cause of the deaths and sicknesses.

While some travel agents are remaining upbeat about the Dominican Republic, others are saying travelers should think twice before going there in light of the incidents.

I would suggest other islands, Bella Pierre, a group travel manager for Atlas Cruises and Tours in Florida, told WPEC.

I would definitely advise against going to the properties having the deaths, she added.

A man is seen on a beach in the Dominican Republic in a file photo. (Erika Santelices/AFP/Getty Images)

The country has hired a crisis management team to deal with the fallout from the incidents and Pierre said officials there would be working hard to resolve the issues since the country relies so much on tourism.

Dana Flowers, an Oklahoma-based travel agent who went to the country on a trip in April and got sick, was also among those suggesting that people shouldnt go.

I will not be going back to the Dominican any time soon, he told KFOR. I personally have no desire to go back to Punta Cana. Ive been there twice. The first time was fantastic. This time, not so much, Flowers added to KOKH.

Tina Higgins, a travel agent in Louisiana, said that she understands why some clients dont want to go to the Dominican Republic but said some parts of the country are safe, noting that the U.S. State Department travel advisory, a level 2, is the same level as other popular spots.

The Dominican has been and still is at a level two, Higgins told KPLC. Other countries that are at that same level are the United Kingdom, Mexico, Jamaica, we travel to those. But you have to be smart and know where you are.

The beach at Hotel Riu Palace Jamaica in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Sept. 7, 2017. (Annie Wu/The Epoch Times)

And other agents said people could still go to the Caribbean country.

I wouldnt tell people not to travel there anymore. I feel like this is not a good reflection of the Dominican people, New York-based Gina Libretti-Costa told CBS.

Some spots are safe, she said, while advising travelers buy travel insurance and do research on where theyre going before they book trips.

Andrea Wallace, owner of Escape With Us Vacations, advised people to be cautious when they travel.

Certainly check the seals of your bottles, she told KARE 11. You can always open the doors and the windows to get some fresh air, and always use the same caution as you would when traveling anywhere.

Investigative police collect evidence at the site where former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz was shot the previous night inside the Dial Bar and Lounge in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on June 10, 2019. (Luis Gomez/AP Photo)

While she suggested traveling to some parts of the Dominican Republic are safe, there are a number of other options.

If you do have a concern, thats absolutely OK, said Wallace. We can find you someplace else thats absolutely awesome.

The negative perception of the country could continue for a long time, another travel agent said.

I know many agents have posted on Facebook groups that their clients have been bombarding them with questions and concerns, so I do think this [will] have a similar impact as the tainted alcohol did in Mexico, Jennifer Doncsecz, president of VIP Vacations in Pennsylvania, told Travel Weekly.

She herself downplayed the spate of deaths and illnesses, saying the State Department hasnt issued any new warnings. She said anyone who wanted to change trips to another country would be accommodated.Amanda Knox gets emotional as she speaks at a Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena, Italy, on June 15, 2019. (Antonio Calanni/AP Photo)

Knox Accuses Media of Having Built False Story Around Her

ROMETaking the stage Saturday at an Italian conference on justice, Amanda Knox accused the media of having built a false narrative around her during her yearslong murder trial and appeals process, depicting her as guilty even though she was eventually acquitted.

The former exchange student from the United States who became the focus of a sensational murder case returned to Italy this week for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 in the slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Knox, speaking in Italian on a panel discussion at the Criminal Justice Festival in Modena titled Trial by media, said she was depicted on the global scene as cunning, psychopath, drug-addicted, whore. Guilty.

Amanda Knox speaks at a Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena, Italy, on June 15, 2019. (Antonio Calanni/AP Photo)

Amanda Knox returns to Italy for first time since being acquitted of roommates murder https://t.co/8jA033jXEs pic.twitter.com/MUrM4t1fJP  TIME (@TIME) June 13, 2019

Speaking through tears, she said the media that labelled her Foxy Knoxy invented a false and baseless story, which fueled peoples fantasies and talked to their fears.

Amanda Knox gets emotional as she speaks at a Criminal Justice Festival at the University of Modena, Italy, on June 15, 2019. (Antonio Calanni/AP Photo)

Knoxs 2011 acquittal was part of a long legal process that saw multiple flip-flop rulings before she was definitively acquitted in 2015 by Italys highest court.

Knox said she came back to Italy despite the fact that she was afraid of being molested, derided, framed, that new accusations will be directed against me for telling my truth.

She also criticized Italian prosecutors, who described a scenario made up of orgies and sex toys during her first trial, even though that version of the story was toned down in the appeal.

Amanda Knox on Saturday accused the media of having created a false narrative around her, depicting her as guilty despite her proven innocence. (June 15)

Knox acknowledged that despite her final acquittal I remain a controversial figure in the public opinion, especially here in Italy.

She had been accused with her Italian boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivorian-born Rudy Guede of killing Kercher on Nov. 1, 2007, in the university town of Perugia. After multiple rulings, Italys highest court definitively acquitted Knox and Sollecito in 2015. Guede is still serving a 16-year sentence.

During her speech, which was followed by a standing ovation, Knox recalled Perugia prosecutor Giuliano Mignini as the one who accused her in his search for justice.

One day Id like to meet the real Mignini, and I hope that when he comes, he will also see that I am not a monster, I simply am Amanda, Knox said.

On Friday, the lawyer for Kerchers family described Knoxs invitation to speak at the Criminal Justice Festival as inappropriate.

Amanda Knox: Kercher family label her return to Italy inappropriate https://t.co/jYVxxYFUlY  The Guardian (@guardian) June 13, 2019

Inviting her to a technical panel on justice was a mistake, Francesco Maresca told The Associated Press, adding that lawyers for both parts should have been involved.

By Giada ZampanoHong Kong Leader Suspends Extradition Bill, Opponents Want Full Withdrawal

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam has suspended the proposed extradition law indefinitely.

In a press conference on June 15, Lam told reporters that the decision was made with consideration of the public sentiment against the bill.

Earlier on June 14, an insider close to the Hong Kong government had told The Epoch Times that Lam was likely to make a decision to suspend the bill on Saturday.

Press Conference

Lam said that it was a necessary measure to restore order in the former British colony as a responsible government.

We have to maintain law and order on the one hand and evaluate the situation for the greatest interest of Hong Kong including restoring calmness in society as soon as possible and avoiding any more injuries to law enforcement officers and citizens, Lam said during the conference.

After repeated internal deliberations over the last two days I now announce that the government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise and restart our communication with all sectors of society, Lam continued, adding that they will halt the bill and have no intention to set a deadline to bring it back.

The proposed bill had seen a week-long stand-off between Hong Kong masses and the government, with nearly 1.03 million people taking to the streets to oppose the bill. Some pro-Beijing officials in recent days also advised her to back down so as to avoid undermining their chances in the 2020 election.

Asked during a reporter Q&A after the press conference whether Beijing had any influence over her decision to suspend the bill, Lam said in Cantonese that it was her decision, made with the support of Beijing.

A police officer fire teargas during a protest in Hong Kong, on June 12, 2019. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

On June 12, at least 81 people, including several reporters, were injured as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd at the Legislative Council (LegCo) in protest of the bill. In light of the public protests, the planned debates were cancelled for three days in a row.

When a reporter pointedly asked Lam why she would not step down after such public protests and police violence, Lam responded: I have been a public servant for nearly 40 years. I take it as my pride, and I still have a lot of work for Hong Kong that I hope to do.

She also clarified that legislative debates on the bill would not return to the full LegCo body for a second reading.

The Civil Human Rights Front, a pro-democracy group, had scheduled for a mass protest on Sunday to stop the extradition bill. The group had not indicated that it will call off the original plan.

The uncertain suspension of passing the law was made possible only by the blood shed by Hong Kong protesters, the group said in the latest statement, with the capitalized words: We want withdrawal only. They urged people from different political circles to stand together on the issue and stop the extradition bill completely.

Earlier Signs

Local media reported that Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam would meet with pro-Beijing legislators on June 15 noon to possibly discuss postponing the controversial extradition bill.

This followed multiple officials expressing their support to delay the bill in recent days.

Pro-Beijing legislator Michael Tien said that the use of force by police on June 12 to disperse protesters who opposed the bill could bring unfavorable consequences to his party in the upcoming elections in 2020.

I dont understand why [Lam] is still so adamant about it  How do we govern if the pro-establishment camp loses our majority? Tien told reporters at the Legislative Council on June 14, the Hong Kong Free Press reported.

Reaction

In a press conference held in response to Chief Executive Carrie Lams decision to postpone the extradition bill, pan-democratic group Civil Human Rights Front condemned Lam for refusing to completely withdraw the bill and apologize for the police use of force in dispersing protesters, which led to more than 80 people sustaining injuries.

The group, which organized last weeks march that brought more than one million Hong Kongers to the streets to oppose the bill, said they would continue to call for the bills full withdrawal and urged all citizens to join another march it has planned for tomorrow.

It also condemned the Hong Kong governments labeling of protesters as rioters and called for the release of all 11 protesters who have been arrested.

It would also continue calling for the three suspensions: boycotting classes, not going to work, and shutting down businesses, until the bill is withdrawn.A Uniformed Secret Service police officer stands outside the White House in Washington, on Sept. 22, 2014. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Man Arrested After Trying to Jump White House Fence: Secret Service

A man was arrested for allegedly trying to jump a security fence outside the White House and assaulting a police officer late June 14.

Secret Service said they arrested the man after 9 p.m. on the northwest side of the Treasury Building on Pennsylvania Avenue, reported ABC News.

The subject was immediately apprehended by Secret Service personnel and taken into custody, a Secret Service spokesperson told the news broadcaster in a statement. They added that the incident did not affect White House security operations.

The law enforcement agency said the man, who has not been identified, has been charged with assault on a police officer and unlawful entry.

This comes after Secret Service announced last week that construction to raise the security fence at the White House to 13-feet with wider and stronger pickets would begin in due course, reported the Associated Press. The current fence stands at 6-feet, 6 inches tall.

The construction project will cost about $64 million and improve security around the White House. The decision to build a taller fence was due to a series of security breaches, where people tried to illegally gain access to the White House by scaling its fences.

In September 2014, a Texas man carrying a knife made it into the White House after scaling the fence. This prompted security to place a second barrier made of metal bike racks in front of the current fence to prevent potential jumpers.

Similarly, Secret Service said they arrested a person for scaling and jumping the bike rack security barrier in 2017.

An individual attempted to jump the bike rack security barrier along the @WhiteHouse North Fence Line. Immediately taken into custody, the tweet said at the time.

An individual attempted to jump the bike rack security barrier along the @WhiteHouse North Fence Line. Immediately taken into custody.  U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) November 19, 2017

President Donald Trump was inside the White House at the time of the incident, reported UPI.

Man Sets Himself on Fire Near White House

Late last month, a Maryland man set himself on fire on a lawn about a mile away from the White House. He suffered burns to 85 percent of his body and later died in the hospital on May 29.

The man has been identified as 33-year-old Arnav Gupta, reported the Associated Press, citing authorities.

At approximately 12:20 p.m. a man lit himself on fire on the Ellipse near 15th and Constitution Ave., Secret Service personnel are on scene assisting @NatlParkService and @usparkpolicepio in rendering first aid.  U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) May 29, 2019

The Daily Mail reported Gupta stood upright for some time before authorities could reach him. He claimed that he was wearing a protective suit, which would have possibly prolonged the shocking spectacle that was caught on camera by witnesses.

Eyewitnesses could be heard screaming and sirens were heard moments later as law enforcement officials arrived on the scene.

Something Going Down at the Ellipse near the White House https://t.co/DSD8bywrmd pic.twitter.com/KxfXkt6y16  PoPville (@PoPville) May 29, 2019

There was a suspicious package on fire near him which was also extinguished, according to TMZ.

Gupta had been reported missing by his family around the time that he was seen setting himself on fire at Ellipse Park.

Montgomery County, Maryland, police said earlier Wednesday that investigators were searching for Gupta and were concerned for his welfare. They said he was last seen alive that morning when he left his Bethesda-area home.

Park police spokesman Sgt. Eduardo Delgado said Washington police are now handling the investigation.

The deceased mans motive for the deadly stunt is unclear.

Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders talks to reporters after being interviewed on FOX News outside the White House April 29, 2019 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Mike Huckabee Discusses Daughter Sarah Sanderss Plans After White House Departure

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, the father of White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, said in a recent interview that he thinks his daughter would make a great candidate and terrific office-holder if she decides to take a political route after stepping down from her current role.

Huckabee appeared on Foxs Americas Newsroom to talk about Sanderss decision to leave the White House at the end of the month and discuss her possible future plans.

President Trump has treated her with the highest level of respect and kindness, Huckabee said during the interview on June 14, where he said he was proud of Sanders for serving the president admirably, loyally. and faithfully.

She is incredibly loyal to him and indeed grateful for the experience of a lifetime. Just last week I was going through and getting some Chick-fil-A and she was dining with Queen Elizabeth and the next day having lunch with Prince Charles, Huckabee said, referring to the presidents state visit in the UK.

What a life she has been able to enjoy, he continued. She loves this president and will always be grateful for the way that she treated him and for the extraordinary experience that she has been able to have.

Trump announced on June 13 that Sanders would be leaving the administration at the end of the month and return home to Arkansas.

She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansasshe would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done! Trump wrote.

.She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas  she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019

During an emotional farewell speech on June 13, Sanders said the opportunity to take on the role of press secretary had been an honor of a lifetime, Fox News reported.

This has been the honor of a lifetime, the opportunity of a lifetime. I couldnt be prouder to have had the opportunity to serve my country and particularly to work for this President. He has accomplished so much in these two and a half years, and its truly been something I will treasure forever, she said.

Its one of the greatest jobs I could ever have. Ive loved every minute. Even the hard minutes, I have loved it. I love the President. I love the team that Ive had the opportunity to work for. The president is surrounded by some of the most incredible and most talented people you could ever imagine. And its truly the most special experience.

President Donald Trump hugs White House press secretary Sarah Sanders as he pauses from speaking about second chance hiring to publicly thank the outgoing press secretary in the East Room of the White House in Washington on June 13, 2019. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)

She also added that the only thing better than serving in the Trump administration was being a mother.

Trump described Sanders as a warrior, which was echoed by Huckabee on June 14, and he expressed appreciation for her outstanding job.

I have three amazing kids, and Im going to spend a little more time with them. And, in the meantime, Im going to continue to be one of the most outspoken and loyal supporters of the president and his agenda, she said.

During the June 14 interview, Huckabee said he was not sure what Sanderss next steps are but said his daughter would likely spend the next few months readjusting to life outside the nations capitol.

She wants to decompress, spend time with her kids and enjoy the summer away from it, he said. She will start looking to the future. She hasnt made specific plans. I dont know if she will run for office, but if she does she will be a great candidate and terrific office-holder whatever it might be.

White House Looking at Candidates

During an interview with Fox & Friends on June 14, Trump said hes looking at a number of potential candidates to replace Sanders.

I have a lot of people that want it, he said during an interview on Fox & Friends.

Trump named several people, including Stephanie Grisham, director of communications for First Lady Melania Trump, who he said was terrific.

He also said that he likes Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director, but added that he should stay in his current role as a political consultant.

Two sources told Fin Gomez of CBS, formerly of Fox News, that interviews could begin next week and that Grisham was a strong candidate.

Stephanie Grisham is well-respected by the first couple and has impressed the president, according to the sources. Grisham was among the staff who worked on the presidents 2016 campaign, Gomez noted.

Other possible replacements included Tony Sayegh, who was spokesman for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Steve Cortes, a pro-Trump CNN contributor, and Hogan Gidley, Sanderss deputy press secretary, Gomez reported.

NTD reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.Mnuchins Withholding of Trump Tax Returns Doesnt Violate Law, DOJ Says

The U.S. Department of Justice asserted in a legal opinion released June 14 that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchins refusal to hand over President Donald Trumps tax returns to Congress was not in violation of the law.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) had issued a subpoena demanding the administration turn over six years of Trumps returns. But last month, Mnuchin refused to comply with the subpoena, saying that the request lacks a legitimate legislative purpose as Supreme Court precedent requires, and that the Justice Department is not authorized to disclose the requested returns and return information.

The Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel in its 33-page legal opinion (pdf) said that because the confidentiality of tax returns is protected under the law, Mnuchin did not violate the law in refusing the subpoena.

The legal opinion stated that federal law protecting [the] confidentiality of tax returns [had] prohibited the Department of the Treasury from complying with a request by the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee for the presidents tax returns.

It also added that Neal had wanted to make the presidents tax returns public and because of that plan, the request was actually not to carry out a legitimate legislative function.

The Chairmans request that Treasury turn over the Presidents tax returns, for the apparent purpose of making them public, amounted to an unprecedented use of the Committees authority and raised a serious risk of abuse, the opinion said.

Assistant Attorney General Steven Engel, who heads the Office of Legal Counsel, wrote in the opinion: While the Executive Branch should accord due deference and respect to congressional requests, Treasury was not obliged to accept the committees stated purpose without question, and based on all the facts and circumstances, we agreed that the committee lacked a legitimate legislative purpose for its request.

The legal opinion supports the position already taken by the Treasury Department.

Neal said last month that he didnt plan to hold Mnuchin in contempt. Instead, he said the committee may pursue a legal fight to force the Treasury Department to turn over the documents.

Legal Issues

Neals request is one of a battery of efforts by Democrats targeting Trump that they initiated after gaining control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. Trump refers to these efforts as presidential harassment.

Taxpayers are entitled to keep their tax returns private. Neals committee is empowered to request tax returns, but the law requires the committee to cite a valid legislative purpose.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 4, 2019. (Yuri Gripas via Reuters)

In response to Neals initial request for the presidents tax returns, Trumps personal attorney, William Consovoy, had argued against the release, writing that the request fails to provide a legitimate purpose, is driven by an intent to score political points, and sets a dangerous precedent for the privacy rights of both politicians and private citizens alike.

Ways and Means has no legitimate committee purpose for requesting the presidents tax returns or return information, Consovoy wrote in a letter to the legal counsel of the Treasury Department.

His request is a transparent effort by one political party to harass an official from the other party because they dislike his politics and speech.

Earlier in April, Trump retweeted video footage that shows Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) saying in an interview, Theres no law that says they have to be public, referring to Trumps tax returns.

Rep. @Jim_Jordan on President Trumps tax returns: Theres no law that says they have to be public. Watch full #Newsmakers interview tonight at 10pm ET on C-SPAN https://t.co/RVEwl0ICJF pic.twitter.com/0UMZGGm8qP  CSPAN (@cspan) April 5, 2019

In early April, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told Fox News that the issue of Trumps tax returns has drawn partisan anger from the Democrats, in response to a question about if the party will succeed in obtaining the sitting presidents finances. Mulvaney described the renewed efforts from Democrats as a political stunt.

Mick Mulvaney at a White House press briefing in Washington on March 22, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

They know that they are not going to get this, they just want the attention on the issue because they dont want to talk to us about policy, he said. [Trump] could always allow people to see it. Thats not whats happening here. The Democrats are demanding that the IRS turn over the documents. That is not going to happen, and they know it. This is a political stunt.

President Donald Trump walks toward journalists as he departs the White House in Washington on May 20, 2019. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump didnt entirely rule out the possibility of providing six years worth of his tax returns. Speaking to reporters at the White House on April 3, he said: Is that all? Usually, its 10 years.

So I guess theyre giving up, he added.

Trump has said that he will not release his tax returns while they are under audit by the IRS.

Were under audit, despite what people said, and were working that outIm always under audit, it seems, but Ive been under audit for many years, because the numbers are big, and I guess when you have a name, youre audited. But until such time as Im not under audit, I would not be inclined to do that [release tax returns], Trump said April 3.

Ivan Pentchoukov, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.Nobody Knows What Happened: Sheriffs Deputy Dies After Being Found With Significant Head Injuries

A sheriffs deputy was found severely wounded in Texas on June 14 and later died from the wounds.

The officer, later identified as Tarrant County deputy Keith Shepherd, was found with significant injuries to his head, Fort Worth police Sgt. Chris Daniels said at a press conference.

The Fort Worth Police Department was alerted around 9:30 p.m. that the deputy was wounded at a parking lot in downtown Fort Worth. Officers arrived at the scene within minutes and the deputy was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.

He was found in his vehicle, with blood outside the vehicle and inside the vehicle and nobody knows what happened there, Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn told reporters.

Breaking: Tarrant County Sheriffs Deputy down in downtown Fort Worth near Taylor Street; officers walking up and down the street, taping off the area #FOX4 #KDFW pic.twitter.com/cb0AKDNCD8  Macy Jenkins (@MacyJJenkins) June 15, 2019

#BREAKING : The Tarrant County Sheriffs Deputy shot in downtown Fort Worth has died, according to the Sheriff. pic.twitter.com/z0sPecvatL  Alex Rozier (@RozierReports) June 15, 2019

Officials said they couldnt divulge information about the investigation into the shooting.

Were confident that it will unravel soon, Waybourn said. He said the area was likely not in danger.

The parking lot is near a sheriffs building, Waybourn said. Officials have not identified a suspect as of yet.

He praised the fallen deputy.

He had a great reputation at Tarrant County Sheriffs Office. He was a strong leader, he was loved, he was a great husband, and a good father, Waybourn said.

Sheriff Waybourn says deputy was found in his personal vehicle during his lunch break #FOX4 #KDFW pic.twitter.com/vECfKcDPEo  Macy Jenkins (@MacyJJenkins) June 15, 2019

No suspect has been identified, and the sheriff said he doesnt think theres a danger to the community.

Weve just got to follow the facts until we understand what happened, Waybourn said.https://t.co/qvvtY3eZBw #FortWorth #DFW  Luke, Texas Ranker  (@lukeranker) June 15, 2019

Deputy Shot in the Head at Jack in the Box Dies in Hospital

The California sheriffs deputy who was shot while waiting for food at the counter of a Jack in the Box restaurant has died in hospital.

Los Angeles County deputy Joseph Gilbert Solano was dressed in civilian clothes without any sign of his job on June 10 when he was approached by a young man in the restaurant who then shot Solano in the head.

The gunman, who was not wearing a mask, ran out of the establishment, which was located in Alhambra. Officials expressed confusion as to the motivation of the shooting.

There is no audio in the video, so we dont know if words were exchanged, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Capt. Kent Wegener said, reported the Pasadena Star-News. He was off-duty in civilian clothes. There was nothing that would indicate that he was a law enforcement officer. He wasnt wearing uniform pants. He wasnt wearing uniform shoes. He did not have a holster or identification exposed. He was off-duty.

A suspect was arrested on June 10 and identified as Rhett McKenzie Nelson, a 30-year-old from Saint George, Utah. Officers located Nelson after getting a tip from a family member of the suspect.

Investigators believe there is a possibility Nelson may have carried out other crimes since entering California, the department said on Wednesday.

In an update, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said that Solano had died from his injuries.

The entire LASD Family has been shaken by the tragic news regarding the senseless and cowardly murder of Deputy Joseph Gilbert Solano. With a heavy heart, and surrounded by Deputy Solanos loved ones, I had to do the hardest thing I have ever had to doannounce the passing of one of my deputies, he said in a statement, according to CBSLA.

Villanueva added: Since the heinous act, I have spent a significant amount of time with Josephs family at the hospital, where medical professionals tirelessly worked around the clock to try to save his life. I was able to see firsthand the tremendous impact Deputy Solano had on his family, friends and partners throughout the department. I shared in their grief, and struggled with the realization that in the painful days ahead, no amount of comfort could ever fill the void left in our hearts. Deputy Solano was known as a kindhearted and generous family man, a provider for his mother, and an exemplary father to his children. We are a better department because of his selfless service.A Paris-bound flight from Indianapolis was diverted to Detroit after just 40 minutes due to an unruly passenger who began to act erratically, vomited, and struck a flight attendant.

According to media reports, Ian Robert James Morin, 21, of Indiana, was arrested on the evening of June 13 after the Delta 500 flight was diverted from Charles de Gaulle airport to Detroit Metro airport.

Security personnel on board restrained Morin until the plane had landed, said a spokesperson for Detroit Metro airport, according to the Indy Star.

The flight from Indianapolis in the United States to Paris, France. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

Several passengers also helped restrain Morin until he was put into flex-cuffs, said the Star, citing a federal complaint filed the following day.

Morin hit one of the flight attendants with an open hand to the left side of her throat near her carotid artery, the complaint said, according to WXYZ. Morin continued to yell and attempted to hit the flight attendant again. During the altercation, Morin threw up on the aircraft.

A Delta Airlines plane at Schiphol airport on Aug. 7, 2013. (Marcel AntonisseE/AFP/Getty Images)

According to WTHR, Delta issued the following statement: We apologize for the delay and inconvenience of our customers on Flight 500, Indianapolis to Paris. As a matter of safety, the flight was diverted to Detroit to remove an unruly passenger. The remaining customers were put in hotels overnight and Continue to Charles de Gaulle airport this morning. They will land about 14 hours past their scheduled arrival.

Detroit Metro airport. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

Morin was charged in a federal court with interfering with flight crew members and attendants, reported Detroit News.

The crime carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. He was released on $10,000 unsecured bond.

Strange Diversions

Although it is rare for flights to be diverted or turned around, unruly passengers are a common cause, especially if they require restraint by the flight crew.

In 2017, a passenger turned violent when crew tried to stop him opening the door 45 minutes into a flight from Seattle to Beijing.

The crew reportedly had to resort to violence to defend themselves and bring the situation under control after the passenger punched flight crew and passengers who came to their aid.

A passenger on the flightwhich had to be turned aroundtold KIRO 7 News: They broke two bottles of wine on his head. I tried to choke him and he just threw me off like a rag doll.

Flights have been diverted or turned back for other bizarre reasons too.

In December last year, the pilot of a Southwest passenger airplane was forced to make a U-turn back to Seattle airport after a human heart was discovered to have been accidentally left on board.

The plane had earlier flown from Sacramento to Seattle, according to The Seattle Times, where the heart was supposed to be unloaded for delivery to a local hospital on Dec. 9.

But it wasnt unloaded, staying aboard the plane that now became an evening flight to Dallas.

The plane got over 500 miles before the pilot turned back for the airport with the express purpose of returning the heart, with other passengers in tow, so that it could reach the hospital in time.

Other flights have been turned around because passengers have somehow left children and babies behind at the airport.

In November 2017, a flight from Iran to Bali was diverted when a passenger became unruly on discovering, mid-flight, that her husband was having an affair.

According to reports, the woman had already been drinking before she boarded the flight from Iran to Bali on Nov. 5. When her husband fell asleep, she managed to unlock his phone and uncovered evidence that he had been cheating.

The Hindustan Times said Indian security officials confirmed that the flight had been diverted to Chennai in India to offload a drunk Iranian woman.

She had flown into a rage after unlocking her husbands phone by pressing his thumb against the screen as he slept. The pilot requested permission to divert and land at Chennai as she refused to settle down and cooperate with the flight crew.Protesters Ask Thailand to Free Volunteer Who Broadcast Uncensored News to China

WASHINGTONA press conference and rally held Friday in front of the Royal Thai Embassy called on Thailand to free a volunteer from Taiwan who had helped a U.S.-based radio network deliver uncensored news and information to China.

The Sound of Hope Radio Network (SOH) organized the event to protest the detention of Chiang Yung-Shin. Chiang, a Taiwanese national, had helped SOH by leasing a house in Thailand used for its shortwave radio broadcast into China. SOH had previously staged a protest concerning Chiangs detention in front of the Embassy in February.

According to SOHs press release, Chiang is a top executive of a Taiwanese company in Thailand. The house leased for the shortwave site was raided by Thai police in Aug. 2018, and Chiang was arrested on Nov. 22. Police in Thailand told SOH both actions were taken under the pressure from the Chinese Communist regime.

Constant Censorship

Frank Lee, spokesman of SOH, said at the rally, Giving in to the pressure from Beijing to suppress a free press is not good for Thailand and its people. Mr. Chiang is a volunteer who helped SOH, and he didnt do this for his own gain. Lee urged the Thai government to free Mr. Chiang so that he can return to his wife and two children in Taiwan.

SOH reiterated a previous statement that broadcasting uncensored information using shortwave equipment to totalitarian countries is an international norm that brings no harm by any means to Thailand. The Chinese Communist regime constantly censors news on its human rights violations and religious persecution, as well as objective news reports from around the world.

During the rally, Lee delivered a letter from SOH President Allen Zeng urging Thailand to free Chiang. He said the embassy officials accepted the letter.

In the letter Zeng said he was aware The Thailand police action was influenced by the Chinese governmentthe Chinese Embassy is directly behind the case. Over the last 20 years the Chinese government has tried in every way to mute all voices that could expose their crimes. They have arrested journalists, threatened or bought out people, unleashed lies through their media, and in this case in Thailand, shut down this shortwave radio.

Rally organizer Frank Lee prepares to deliver a letter to the Thai Embassy from Sound of Hope president Alan Zheng asking Thailand to release SOH volunteer Chiang Yung-Shin, in Washington on June 14, 2019. (Joan Chang/The Epoch Times)

A Voice from China

Chunmei Ma, a lady from China who was rescued by the United Nations Refugee Agency a few years ago, spoke at the rally. Because she is a Falun Gong practitioner, she was put into labor camps two times and kidnapped four times while she was in China. She said the torture and abuse she suffered at the hands of the Chinese Communist regime brought her near to death. Finally, Ma escaped to Thailand and sought asylum with the U.N. Refugee Agency there.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has persecuted the spiritual practice of Falun Gong since 1999. It fears the large number of people who practice Falun Gong, and the appeal of its traditional moral teachings.

I hold a deep appreciation for Thailand and its people. Thailand is a country with democracy and religious belief. I know the government and people there are very compassionate, Ma said, I know the Thailand government was very reluctant to do it. I appeal to the Thai government and people: dont believe in lies made by the CCP.

At the critical turning point of our age, I hope the Thai government could recognize the nature of the CCP, keep away from it, and do not work with it. Uplift justice, and free Mr. Chiang. If so, your good deed will bring happiness and honor to you, your family, and your country.

SOH is based in San Francisco. It serves Chinese Americans in over ten cities in the States and has provided shortwave radio service to China since 2004.

Traveled to Join Rally

Pat Smiles, who lives in Middletown, New York and is an editor for an online news site, traveled to D.C. only to join the protest and rally.

What happened to Mr. Chiang is unfair, and its the CCP being a bully. This is a man doing a good deed who was persecuted unfairly. The Thai government is letting China influence them to do wrong things. If we as a body of concerned citizens dont stand up and say something, its just not rightAmerican people need to know this and what the CCP has done to the free world, Smiles said.

The Chinese regime should know the free world will not bow to their bullying.

Mr. Trump is the first president to stand up to China, Smiles said. Unlike previous administrations who were held back by the economic gains from China, the Trump administration is not tip toeing in its policy to China. What Trump does helps not only Americans but the Chinese people too. He has also shocked the CCP.From the archives: This story was last updated in May 2019.

In Oliver Twist, Charles Dickenss classic novel of a poor young boy making his way on the mean streets of London, the boys are given a simple bowl of porridge every day in the poorhouse. Their terrible hunger is symbolized by little Oliver approaching the master and saying timidly, Please sir, I want some more.

This classic scene seems to have played out with a very special rescue dog named, you guessed it, Oliver, in Memphis, Tennessee. This Oliver was in just as dire straits as the London street kid he shares a name with. Rescued from a backyard and taken in by Memphis Animal Services, the citys public animal shelter, Oliver had heartworm and was very hungry.

However, it did seem like Oliver had had some humans taking care of him at one point, since he was great at doing tricks, responding to commands, and being especially playful and cute when he thought it might earn him some tasty rewards.

As Katie Pemberton, a staff member of the shelter, told The Dodo, Oliver knew how to win the hearts of his human companions and fill his belly before he arrived. He sat immediately for me before I even showed him I had any treats. While at the shelter, Oliver was given a metal food bowl that quite literally became his best friend!

Whether Oliver started carrying the bowl to make sure no other dogs could get at it or because a previous owner had taught him to do it as a trick, it definitely worked. When one of the supervisors passed by and saw him sitting with it in his mouth, with very sweet and sad eyes, she caved. As Pemberton said, his cute trick was very effective because she gave him more food!

After that, the dog and his bowl became inseparable. When they moved him from the intake area into a more permanent kennel, he brought the bowl with him. The shelter staff fell in love with the smart dog and his quirky habit, and posted pictures of him on their Facebook feed, which went viral.

Unfortunately, Oliver didnt mix well with other dogs, possibly because of prior trauma (hence keeping his bowl close by at all times). This meant that he couldnt be adopted by someone who already had other pets. He needed a special place to lay his head. As one friend of the shelter posted on Facebook, Yall, OLIVER IS ON THE URGENT LIST!! He doesnt have much time left to find a family WHERE HE WONT HAVE TO SHARE HIS BOWL.

After spending a while at the shelter without being adopted, Oliver was slated to be euthanized as no one had stepped up to offer him a home. Thankfully, the thousands of people who saw pictures of him asking please, sir, I want some more with his trusty food bowl resulted in the emergency message being shared 9,000 times with their friends. Some loving owners stepped forward and said they would take him  and of course, his bowl.

Watch the video:

Video courtesy of oliverandhisbowlSisters Took Wrong Person off Life Support Thinking It Was Their Brother

Two Chicago sisters signed papers to take a person off life support they thought was their brother, before they realized that their brother was actually alive.

Brenda Bennett-Johnson and her sister, Rosie Brooks, were told by authorities that the man they were visiting at the intensive care unit at Chicagos Mercy Hospital and Medical Center on May 13 was their brother, Alfonso Bennett, according to WBBN in Chicago.

They kept saying CPD [Chicago Police Department] identified this person as our brother, Bennett-Johnson told the news station.

But upon arriving at the hospital both women could not identify the man, who had arrived at the ICU as John Doe, as Alfonso.

Brooks said that hospital staff told them the man was badly beaten and that he was found naked without any identification on April 29.

The man was hooked onto a ventilator, and he was going in and out of consciousness. His face had been beaten beyond recognition. He only responded to commands but never opened his eyes, the sisters recalled to WBBM.

As his condition began to deteriorate, the sisters made the difficult decision to sign papers giving permission for him to be taken off the ventilator, and for doctors to perform a tracheotomy. The man soon died.

Both sisters had not been in touch with their brother for years.

Bennett-Johnson told the news station that a nurse said that the man had been identified via mugshots. Police did not use fingerprints to identify him due to budget cuts, the nurse reportedly told them.

You dont identify a person through a mugshot versus fingerprints, Bennett-Johnson said. Fingerprints carry everything.

To say that we currently have questions is an understatement. We have detectives looking into every aspect of this incident  from the incident response to the circumstances leading to the hospitalization and the notification of family members. Details to follow as we learn more. https://t.co/OUGp0CRPVI  Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) June 13, 2019

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told CNN that witnesses informed police the name of the man who had been found beaten up on April 29 was Elijah Bennett.

He was taken to the hospital and put on life support for a week. In that time, no family members sought after him, so the hospital called police for assistance in identifying him, Guglielmi said.

The name Elijah Bennett showed no match on the database, Guglielmi explained to CNN. The other person that comes up is Alfonso Bennett. So the officer gave the picture to the hospital so they could make a positive ID with the family.

So when the man, mistakenly identified as Alfonso, passed away, the sisters proceeded to make funeral arrangements, even purchasing a casket.

But they stopped planning for their so-called brothers funeral when one of their other sisters called to tell them that Alfonso had just walked through her front door.

She called my sister Yolanda to say, Its a miracle! Its a miracle! Brooks said, according to WBBM.

Brenda! Brenda! Its Alfonso! Its Alfonso! I said, Youre kidding! I could have almost had a heart attack, Bennett-Johnson said.

Then the realization set in that theyd made a major decision to take a stranger off life support.

Its sad that it happened like that. If it was our brother and we had to go through that, that would have been a different thing, Bennett-Johnson said to WBBM. We made all kinds of decisions on someone that wasnt our family.

A Mercy spokesperson in a statement to WBBM said that The family did identify this patient as their brother. CNN was informed by a spokesperson from the hospital that privacy laws prevent them from sharing further details.

The man who had been taken off life support was later confirmed as not Alfonso Bennett through fingerprints. His identity has not been released, and police are now seeking his family.

To say that we currently have questions is an understatement, Guglielmi wrote on Twitter.

We have detectives looking into every aspect of this incidentfrom the incident response to the circumstances leading to the hospitalization and the notification of family members. Details to follow as we learn more.Son of Woman Who Died in the Dominican Republic Says He Was Pressured to Cremate, Embalm Body

The son of an American tourist who died while on vacation in the Dominican Republic claims authorities in that country are stonewalling his attempts to seek answers about his mothers death.

William Cox, 25, said along with refusing to perform toxicology tests, they are also pressuring him to cremate or embalm his mothers body before its return to the United States.

Leyla Cox of New York, traveled to the Punta Cana resort, Excellence resort, on a solo trip to celebrate her 53rd birthday. She was supposed to return home on June 12 but suddenly died in her hotel room on June 10, a day after her birthday.

Dominican authorities have listed her cause of death as a heart attack but have not released any further details surrounding the circumstances of her death, reported Fox News.

The 25-year-old told Fox news that Dominican authorities have stonewalled him while he pressed them for toxicology tests and information about his mothers death. He said U.S. Embassy officials in Santo Domingo are talking to the authorities on his behalf and are relaying information to him on a daily basis.

They put me against a wall, William said during the interview. The Dominicans said that I had to sign papers giving them permission to take her to a funeral home, and if I didnt do that in four hours, they were going to consider her a Jane Doe. They said I had to give them permission to cremate her or embalm her, or I would never get my mother back.

If they classified my mother as a Jane Doe, they told me I would be forfeiting the body. I will never receive a death certificate. I will never receive my mothers remains.  They did conduct an autopsy, but they will not tell me what it says, he added.

In a previous interview with Staten Island Advance, he said his mother would have wished to be cremated. But he added that his family would have wished for a toxicology report to be performed as well.

William said authorities have resisted performing toxicology tests because they say their machines are broken.

The U.S. Embassy communicated that to me and said that they dont know when the machines will be fixed, the 25-year-old said.

I just feel like the Dominicans are covering their own tracks by getting rid of the evidence and evidence is my own mother. I never thought another country would do this to me.

Williams mother is among the 11 known Americans to have died in the Carribean nation since June 2018 under suspicious circumstances. Previous reports indicate that most of the tourists who have died were of good health and their ages ranged between 41 and 67.

A number of the other recent deaths and severe illnesses occurred after the tourists had drunk something from the mini fridge in the hotel room. Authorities have listed heart attacks as a cause of death for several of the recent deaths.

Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told The New York Times that the symptoms described in reports, which include vomiting blood and bleeding, prior to the deaths are consistent with poisoning.

Its rare for travelers to die of unknown causes like this, and to have a high number of them in a relatively short period of time is alarming, shocking, sad, Dr. Inglesby said. Its something that investigators should be able to get to the bottom of.

He said without a toxicology report, however, it is difficult to establish exactly how they died.

I have a right to be suspicious, William previously told Staten Island Advance.

He said he does not know whether his mother had a drink from the minibar or in another part of the resort, reported Fox News.

William said he had asked whether Dominican authorities were able to give him a tube of his mothers blood along with her ashes so that his family could get her blood tested in the United States. But he said he was refused.

Its been very hard for me emotionally, William told the news broadcaster. What the Dominican Republic is making me do is help them cover up their own mistakes. I believe if my mother had not been in the Dominican Republic, or even if she had been anywhere else in the world, she would still be alive today.

Dominican Republics tourism minister, Francisco Javier Garcia, told The New York Times that the recent cases are isolated incidents.

These are situations that can occur in any country, in any hotel in the world, Garcia told the newspaper. Its regrettable but sometimes it happens.

The U.S. Embassy said in a statement on June 11 that the FBI is helping with toxicology analysis on the recent cases, at the request of the Dominican Republic. The results could take up to 30 days.

Simon Veasey contributed to this report.Gina Shakespeare is a film and television producer from New Zealand. Over the past 15 years, she has produced and directed hundreds of hours of content, including TV commercials, programs, and corporate video for a wide variety of clientele; and has authored 3 short films. She is currently the producer and host of "Declassified," an investigative news program by The Epoch Times.Police are lit by flashing lights as they stand in formation while the casket of slain New York City Police officer Randolph Holder is carried from the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York following his funeral service in the Queens borough of N.Y.C., on Oct. 28, 2015. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters/File Photo)

Third NYPD Officer Reportedly Dies by Suicide in 9 Days

A New York police officer reportedly killed himself on Friday, June 15. The officer, who is currently unidentified, is the third officer to have died by suspected suicide over the past nine days, according to local reports.

The NYPD officer reportedly shot himself on Staten Island, according to CBS New York. Police sources told the station that he was found in a locked car behind the 121st Precinct. He was found on Wilcox Street in the Graniteville section of the island, NBC New York reported.

The deceased officer is a 29-year-old man who had been with the department for six years, police said.

The off-duty officer who found him called 911 immediately.

Following the third reported suicide death, NYPD Commissioner James ONeill told NBC New York the situation was a mental health crisis.

Before we can help the people we serve, it is imperative that we first help ourselves, ONeills statement read, according to the news outlet. There is no shame in seeking assistance from the many resources available, both inside and outside the department.

We must take care of each other. We must address this issuenowbecause it will not go away on its own. We must speak out. And we must end this crisis, together.

Two NYPD Suicides Last Week: Reports

Just last week, two NYPD officers reportedly committed suicide within 24 hours.

Joe Calabrese, 58, died on June 6. The veteran New York City Police Department detectives body was found near bushes in Plumb Beach, Brooklyn.

I am shocked and shattered beyond belief, said Michael Palladino, president of the Detectives Endowment Association. Joseph Calabrese was a dedicated detective, union official, husband and father. He was the salt of the earth, he said.

Calabrese was last heard from at around 2 a.m. after leaving Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park. His wife had undergone a medical procedure, the New York Post reported.

Prior to the discovery of his body, his car was found by another NYPD detective on the Belt Parkway in Sheepshead Bay at around 3 a.m., according to NBC New York.

He had been with the department for 37 years.

Read More Veteran NYPD Detective Joe Calabrese Found Dead: Reports

On the day prior, June 5, Steven Silks, NYPD deputy chief of Queens North, was found in his patrol car in civilian clothes with a gun next to him, according to Officer.com.

He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital, but he couldnt be revived, according to the report.

Silks had served the police department for nearly 39 years, and was just weeks away from mandatory retirement.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Dep. Chief Steve Silks (XO-PBQN) passed away yesterday after nearly 40 yrs of dedicated service, NYPD Queens North wrote on Twitter.

He was a one-of-a-kind, well-accomplished individual & an amazing storyteller. Steve will be missed by so many throughout the NYPD & NYC.

I am speechless, Roy Richter, who is head of the Captains Endowment Association, told the New York Daily News. Steve was an incredibly dedicated and great guy. He was great at what he does. This is a terrible loss.

Deputy Chief Steve Silks was a friend & a great cop dedicated to service for 38 years. As we mourn his tragic loss, know YOURE NEVER ALONE  no matter your rank or time on the job. Dont hesitate to ask for help. Share this video to provide options for assistance. #StopSuicide pic.twitter.com/yXeSWLVxQ5  Chief Terence Monahan (@NYPDChiefofDept) June 6, 2019

NYPD Commissioner ONeill last week urged cops to seek help.

To the cops here today, I need you to know that help is available to you, ONeill said on June 6, the New York Post reported. Help is here, you are never alone. What seems unbearable today will be more manageable tomorrow.

According to preliminary data from Blue H.E.L.P., a non-profit organization run by current and retired officers, suicides by police officers have exceeded all line-of-duty deaths combined for three years in a row. In 2018, officer-suicides surpassed line-of-duty deaths by 9 percent.

Suicide Hotlines

If you are in an emergency in the United States or Canada, please call 911. You can phone the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1 800 273 8255. Youth can call the Kids Help Phone on 1800 668 6868.

In Australia, the suicide prevention telephone hotline at Lifeline is 13 11 14. You can also visit the Lifeline website at lifeline.org.au. Youth can contact the Kids Helpline by phoning 1800 551 800 or visiting headspace.org.au/yarn-safe

If you are in an emergency in India, call Befrienders IndiaNational Association at +91 33 2474 4704.President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an event about expanding health coverage options for small businesses and workers in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on June 14, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Hits Biden For Switching Longheld Views: He Has Recalibrated on Everything

President Donald Trump criticized former Vice President Joe Biden over his reversal of longheld views, including on taxpayer funding for abortions.

He has recalibrated on everything, Trump told former Bill Clinton adviser George Stephanopoulos during an interview with the ABC host.

Everything hes says hes taken back two weeks later because hes getting slammed by the Left. And hes stuck with this stuff. Hes really stuck with it, the president added.

Biden, the frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic ticket, said recently that he now supports using taxpayer money to fund abortions, reversing a position he had held since 1976 when he voted for the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits using the money for most abortions.

On June 6, Biden told a crowd at a Democratic Party fundraiser in Atlanta that he had changed his mind and would no longer support the Hyde Amendment because of laws passed against some forms of abortions in states such as Alabama and Georgia.

Former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks to a crowd at a Democratic National Committee event at Flourish in Atlanta, Georgia on June 6, 2019. (Dustin Chambers/Getty Images)

If I believe healthcare is a right, as I do, I can longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someones zip code, Biden said.

In the ABC interview, Trump also continued his attacks over Bidens alleged strength, saying: He wanted to be the tough guy. Hes not a tough guy, hes a weak guy.

Trump on June 11 called Biden a loser, noting the longtime politicians two failed presidential runs.

It looks like hes failing, it looks like his friends from the left are going to overtake him pretty soon, he added.

President Donald Trump walks out of the Oval Office to speak with reporters at the White House on June 11, 2019. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Id rather run against, I think, Biden than anybody. I think hes the weakest mentally and I think Joe is weak mentally. The others have much more energy. I call him 1 percent Joe because until Obama came along he didnt do very well.

Biden has kept up the back-and-forth, sparking the war of words while in Iowa earlier in the week with repeated attacks against Trump in a speech that leaked hours before he delivered it on the same day.

Biden accused Trump of causing turmoil for farmers with his tariffs on China.

In the speech, Biden reversed himself on another key issue: the extent to which China represents competition for America. Biden said recently that China was not competition and said there was no danger in the country overtaking America as the worlds largest economy but in the speech declared: We are in a competition with China and We need to get tough with China.

The ABC interview is slated to air on Sunday and the left-leaning network has been releasing portions of it online since Friday. After some parts were released, Biden released a video of his own attacking Trump for saying hed listen when foreign governments came to him with information.

Donald Trump doesnt think it matters if candidates for presidency accept damaging information on their opponents from foreign governments, Biden said I believe hes dead wrong.

Biden has not addressed how the Obama administration accepted information from foreign governments about the Trump campaign.Trump Says He Supports Ban on Burning American Flag

President Donald Trump said that he supports an amendment that would ban the burning of American flags.

All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer! Trump wrote on Twitter on June 15.

Daines (R-Mont.) recently proposed a constitutional amendment that would prohibit burning the flag, as the nation celebrated Flag Day.

Our United States flag is a timeless symbol of liberty that tells the story of America, the story of our enduring pursuit of freedom, Daines said in a press release on June 14. Remembering the sacrifices of all who carried its colors into battle, our nation should always render the flag the honor and dignity it is due.

All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019

Today, #FlagDay, I introduced a Constitutional amendment w/ @SenKevinCramer to ban the desecration of the American Flag. The American Flag is a symbol of freedom  and it should always be protected.   Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) June 14, 2019

Daines, who shared Trumps missive in support of his move, has introduced an amendment for three consecutive years and said that his latest effort is a reintroduction of the same amendment.

A number of veterans groups, such as the American Legion of Montana and the Department of Montana Veterans of Foreign Wars, support the amendment, his office said.

When he first introduced the amendment, the groups also issued statements of support.

It is long past time that the flag of the United States be protected from desecration, The American Legion of Montana applauds Senator Daines effort to protect the flag, the American Legion of Montana said.

The U.S. flag should be protected by the U.S. Constitution in the name of all veterans that gave their lives to protect it, the group added.

In 2018, Daines released a list of 50 offensive acts against the flag since 2014, including the burning of a flag at a Texas cemetery on Memorial Day in 2018 and a group that ripped a flag and tried to burn it in Michigan earlier that year.

Originally co-sponsored by a number of Republican U.S. senators, the reintroduction was co-sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)

A flag worth dying for is a flag worth protecting, Cramer said in a statement.

Joined @SteveDaines on #FlagDay in introducing a Constitutional amendment to prohibit the desecration of the United States flag. A flag worth dying for is a flag worth protecting.  pic.twitter.com/4NjedOSjDK  Sen. Kevin Cramer (@SenKevinCramer) June 14, 2019

While we should always be mindful of First Amendment rights, the American flag signifies the founding principles that countless men and women have given their lives to preserve, he added.

Adding a Constitutional amendment to protect this symbol of freedom and liberty is not an attack on another Constitutional amendment; rather, it is an affirmation of the unifying principles our nation stands for.

An amendment to the constitution is difficult to pass. A proposed amendment must garner a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. The latter process hasnt been used to successfully pass an amendment.

If Congress passes a proposed amendment, its forwarded to the National Archives and Records Administration, which publishes it in a slip law format and sends it to the states. Governors of the states then submit the amendment to their state legislatures or call for a convention. If 38 or more states pass the amendment, it becomes part of the Constitution.Vet Shares Photo of Burned Paws With a Warning to Dog Owners on Hot Pavements

A veterinary hospital shared a photograph of the burned paw pads of a very stoic golden Labrador together with a warning for dog owners to be careful of hot pavements as the summer heats up.

Olaf had walked over a mile along a local trail near Spokane, Washington, before his owners realized his pads were burned, according to the Medical Lake Veterinary Hospital in a post on social media.

Even then he wasnt whining or limping! wrote the clinic on Facebook. He is one tough cookie (and exceptionally sweet cookie).

According to many vets, like Olaf, some dogs just keep going when their pads are burning, and wont want to stop a much-loved walk to complainmeaning the onus is on the owners to be vigilant about hot surfaces.

A good rule of thumb is if the pavement is too hot for your hand, its too hot for your dogs pads, wrote the clinic.

The clinics photographs show Olafs burned paw pads, and later shots of his feet wrapped in blue bandages.

They didnt notice he had bloody paw prints for a mile, said Dr. Heather OBannon, a veterinarian at Medical Lake Veterinary Hospital, warning that pads dont heel fast, according to KXLY.

Obviously he didnt want to stop his walk, he didnt want to let his owners know, said OBannon.

She said that the best solution is to walk dogs in the morning or evening. Or at least walk them on the grass if they need to go for a walk during the day, but avoid pavement at all costs.

Sidewalks can be much hotter than the air temperature, reaching over 150 degrees on exceptionally hot days, while the temperature of asphalt can reach even higher.

Pets paws can burn after just five minutes of touching a surface at 120 degrees, according to Fulton Homes.

For a surface at 140 degrees, that burn time is reduced to one minute. For surfaces over 150 degrees, blistering and burning can occur rapidly.

If its 100 degrees outside, that is too hot to be walking your dog on the pavement or the sidewalk, Ross Trumble, a spokesman for Fulton Homes, told Arizona Central.

Some veterinary clinics and shelters in hotter states, such as Arizona, give away shoes for free during the summer months.

Dog shoes offer some protection from the heat in the summer, and also from rough terrain.

Dr. Ian Flowers, a veterinarian with Fulton County Animal Services and Lifeline Animal Project, told 11Alive, Some dogs will just keep going and then by the time you start noticing them doing something abnormal, itll be too late.

Symptoms of burned paw pads to watch out for include sloughing of the skin, redness, irritation, and blisters, according to Flowers.

The surface does matter, he said. Obviously, your darker pavements are going to heat a lot more than the lighter ones.

Hot Cars Deadly in 10 Minutes

But while burned pads can take months to heal and leave dogs in great discomfort, the greatest danger in hot temperatures comes from being left in a car.

Even with the windows down, those temperatures in the car can soar to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or more within minutes, Dr. Courtney Howard with Banfield Pet Hospital told ABC4. These conditions can be fatal to a pet within 10 minutes.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Hendi Yogi Prabowo (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019

We are now halfway through 2019 and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has already arrested several high-ranking officials for their alleged involvement in various corruption cases. A judge in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, was nabbed for allegedly accepting bribes in connection with forging a document. Earlier, the regent of Talaud, North Sulawesi, was arrested during a sting operation for allegedly soliciting bribes from contractors.

According to the KPKs Anticorruption Clearing House (ACCH), 64 percent of the 887 major corruption cases the KPK investigated from 2004-2018 involved bribery. An easy way to detect corruption is to look at the lifestyle of a suspect to see if he or she could be enjoying illegal proceeds.

For example, the Talaud regent, Sri Wahyumi Maria Manalip, was known for her love of expensive jewelry, branded bags, watches and other luxury items. According to the KPK, she once asked for a Hermes bag that no other female regent owned as a bribe.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 08:37 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c903f5 1 Editorial jakarta,urbanization,anies-baswedan,#Jakarta,#Editorial,workers Free

Unlike his predecessors, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has opted to welcome newcomers who arrived in the capital city during the recent reverse exodus of Idul Fitri holidaymakers. Everyone is welcome to Jakarta, he said.

Gone is Operasi Yustisia, a decades-old crackdown on newcomers that saw Jakartas public order and population agency officers raid bus terminals, train stations and densely populated neighborhoods. Those who did not carry Jakarta ID cards were at risk of being jailed for three months or fined Rp 5 million, according to a 2001 bylaw on population administration.

The operation was conducted discriminately, with the city only targeting low-skilled workers and low-income people. Those who arrived at the airport were exempt from the operation even though, like other newcomers, they came to realize their Jakarta dreams.

Operasi Yutisia was a waste of money, because it was not effective in addressing Jakartas long-standing population problem. Besides, it blatantly violated citizens constitutional rights to social mobility and better welfare. The Constitution also protects citizens from discriminatory practices.

When it came to tackling the issue of urbanization, the operation was flawed, if not paradoxical.

Jakarta was a melting pot to start with. The city was built by native and non-native Jakartans. In fact, Jakarta natives are now the minority of the citys population of 10 million. Without urbanization, Jakarta would not have grown as fast as it has. Indonesian leaders since Sukarno have encouraged urbanization to support industrialization.

The United Nations Habitat meeting in Quito in 2016 was themed urbanization as the key to development, to acknowledge the contributions of those who left their villages for jobs in cities.

Operasi Yustisia came under constant criticism from rights groups as it was intended to remove those who were considered a burden to the administration. Therefore, the question for Anies is whether his administration is ready to provide jobs, housing, health care and education to low-skilled workers and their families.

Jakarta and other cities should remain open to all Indonesian citizens. People, even the low-skilled ones, do not come to Jakarta with the intention of burdening the city. Social mobility is natural because Jakarta, despite regional autonomy, remains a place to make money. Besides, the city needs low-skilled labor to pick up its garbage, sweep its streets and clean its gutters  jobs that most Jakartans are reluctant to take.

It would be unfair if the city enjoyed their services but refused to address their welfare.

True, an excess of urbanization has increased the unemployment rate and created more densely populated neighborhoods, resulting in more conflicts over Jakartas limited resources and space. However, these are the effects that Jakarta must live with should it hope to continue to develop.

Jakarta must embrace urbanization, viewing it not as the citys source of vices but as its source of economic growth and development. It must be thus responsible for those marginalized by the system. Sustainable development goals mandate that no one is left behind.

So welcome to Jakarta!Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Erin Cook (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 08:59 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c90cbb 3 Opinion Indonesia-Australia,bilateral-relations,people-to-people,diplomacy,young-generation Free

Young Australians and Indonesians are taking up the bilateral cause and becoming the greatest champions of deeper, more meaningful engagement between our neighboring countries.

Indonesias millennial cohort receives far more media attention than any other generation in the archipelago. With a staggering 63.4 million Indonesians aged between 20 and 35 years, thats hardly surprising.

For youth action in the Indonesia-Australia relationship, its a blessing. Australias population is far smaller and, amidst the competition for influence in Southeast Asia, Indonesias gaze does not often turn south towards Australia.

If we look at the bigger picture, there is also a significant cohort of emerging Indonesian leaders. An estimated 49 million Indonesians are currently aged between 10 and 19-years old. Engaging a portion of this generation to genuinely participate in the bilateral relationship will ensure the long-term robustness of youth action and involvement in this space.

In practice, this means moving beyond tertiary engagement towards high schools, with a focus on people-to-people relations, language skills and cultural engagement.

Programs like the BRIDGE School Partnerships, now in its 11th year, are an extraordinary example. The BRIDGE Program educates and trains teachers, and engages students through a range of online and in person activities.

This program expands beyond Indonesia-Australia into the Asia Pacific and is a model for intercultural education training across the region.

In Australia, we now have the first generation entirely educated following a reorientation of the regional order, with an increased emphasis on the importance of Asia-Australia relations.

For young Australian leaders today, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) defined the era and forced a new reality.

The Asian Century former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has spruiked for decades has fully matured for todays young Australians. While this has, thus far, focused on East and occasionally South Asia, the reorientation of Australias focus towards Jakarta rather than London or Washington is inherently obvious for young Australians after a period book-ended by the GFC and Brexit.

Young people from both countries today benefit from the hard work of our predecessors. Neither Indonesian nor Australian millennials should need to be convinced of the potential in the relationship. However, support is still needed to reap the benefits from self-motivated youth action.

Government-led initiatives are increasingly important in supporting future young leaders. In this respect, the Australian government leads.

The strength of these programs is that they benefit both Australians and Indonesians: young Australians have a seemingly always-expanding array of options to study or gain professional experience in Indonesia through the New Colombo program, while Indonesias best and brightest students are eligible for the Australia Awards, supporting further study in Australia.

These opportunities are not just important at the individual level, but as the years go on and the alumni circle grows it will become even clearer that graduates and participants are far more invested in the bilateral relationship than their nonparticipating peers.

But there is still room for deepening that connection and utilizing these programs  particularly the New Colombo Plan  to secure the most benefits possible.

While the New Colombo Plan mobility program enjoys a sound uptake among undergraduate students in outbound mobility experiences, current restrictions in the mobility grant guidelines prevent students from staying in-country for a second period.

This is a significant gap in the current model as students who are in-country, engaged and seeking to develop their breadth of knowledge on Indonesia are required to return home, just at the tipping point where they could delve deeper into the relationship and to forging their own unique youth leadership networks.

For truly transformative youth action, long-term investment is needed over successive generations.

Government-led programs and initiatives shouldnt be, and arent, the only venue for youth action in the bilateral relationship. In many ways, more informal networks  such as the Australia-Indonesia Youth Association or alumni groups through the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS)  are the greatest show of strength among young Australians and Indonesians.

Last years devastating earthquakes in Lombok and then Palu, Central Sulawesi, demonstrated how quickly these networks can transform into bodies of action and take on leadership roles.

Young Indonesians who created their own social enterprises and foundations were able to lean on their Australian counterparts for emergency funding, by-passing complicated bureaucracy in Indonesia and moving faster than Australian-based organizations.

Another notable grassroots bilateral youth organization is the Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth (CAUSINDY) which provides a platform for emerging leaders to create stronger bilateral relations. CAUSINDY differentiates itself in the Indonesia-Australia bilateral relations space by delivering an annual conference to bring together young professionals from Australia and Indonesia across a number of industries.

CAUSINDY also provides seed funding to successful CAUSINDY community projects which foster ties between young, emerging Australian and Indonesian leaders. An important, ongoing benefit of CAUSINDY lies in the engagement of its extensive alumni community.

These alumni, many of whom hold influential positions in their respective fields, are equipped with trusted networks which can be leveraged to foster stronger community, business and government cooperation.

These people-to-people connections are often discussed as secondary to traditional diplomacy and trade links, but the elevation of these networks and institutional backing where appropriate is essential to improving the bilateral relationship in the future.

Oft-repeated Lowy Institute survey results show a deep misunderstanding between the broader populations in Australia and Indonesia, but youth action is where the transformation begins.

The promotion of people-to-people links enhances intercultural understanding, and successively encourages diplomatic and trade links to the benefit of both countries.

***

The writer is a Jakarta-based freelance journalist. She was part of the Australian delegation to CAUSINDY 2019.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Charlotte Plantive (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Sat, June 15, 2019 07:03 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c8e47e 2 Science & Tech united-states,DNA,genetics,Canada,crime Free

A truck driver implicated by his DNA and family tree in a double murder more than 30 years after the crime will face trial this week in the first case using a revolutionary investigative technique.

Supporters and critics alike of "genetic genealogy" -- the technique used to identify the suspected "Golden State Killer" by making DNA matches with his distant relatives -- have followed the case of William Talbott II, who will appear in court starting this week in Seattle.

The trucker is accused of killing two young Canadians, Jay Cook, 20, and his girlfriend Tanya Van Cuylenborg, 18, in 1987. Cook was suffocated to death, with a pack of cigarettes stuffed into his throat, and Van Cuylenborg died of a gunshot wound to the head.

After decades of unsuccessful searching, Seattle police finally arrested Talbott in May 2018, although he had not raised suspicions until then. "If it hadn't been for genetic genealogy, we wouldn't be standing here today," said Snohomish County detective Jim Scharf, who led the investigation.

Genetic genealogy first made headlines a month prior to Talbott's arrest after it was used to find the suspected "Golden State Killer", who is blamed for 12 murders and more than 50 rapes dating back to the mid-1970s.

In both cases -- as well as at least 70 other cases that have been solved since -- DNA found at crime scenes was compared to the database at GEDmatch, a free genealogy website.

The website allows users to post DNA test results and then generates a list of people with similar genomes, enabling users to find distant relatives.

Read also: Decoding of hair color genes could aid cancer research

Two cousins

For the two Canadians, private biotechnology laboratory Parabon Nanolabs analyzed sperm found on Tanya Van Cuylenborg's clothing and entered the resulting genetic profile in the GEDmatch system.

The search produced two of the suspect's cousins. One of Parabon's genealogical experts rebuilt the family trees back several generations and isolated a common relative: William Talbott.

Police officers put Talbott under surveillance and were able to retrieve a cup he threw away. When they tested his DNA, it matched what they had found on Van Cuylenborg's clothing.

Since his arrest, the 56-year-old has maintained that he is innocent.

"My life's been on hold for greater than a year now for a crime that I did not commit," he said last Friday at a preliminary hearing before the Snohomish county court.

In court documents, his defense lawyers have contested the reliability of the genetic profile produced using DNA found at the crime scene, but they have not requested Parabon to testify on the genetic genealogy process.

"As I understand it, the defense and prosecution agreed to allow the detective to testify about how the lead was generated because the lead generation process is not an issue for the defense," Parabon vice president Paula Armentrout told AFP.

Read also: Scared your DNA is exposed? Then share it, scientists suggest

'Undercover'

Genetic genealogy has drawn criticism from the legal community over the absence of regulation for the investigative technique, which poses a problem for protecting personal data.

"There are not only few rules about which crimes to investigate, but also unclear remedies in the case of mistakes, the discovery of embarrassing or intrusive information, or misuse of information," said Elizabeth Joh, a professor at the UC Davis School of Law in California, in an op-ed published Thursday in The New York Times.

"When you consent to genetic sleuthing, you are also exposing your siblings, parents, cousins, relatives you've never met and even future generations of your family," she added, suggesting that police officers be required to obtain "a warrant" for such investigations in the future.

Faced with mounting criticism, GEDmatch changed its conditions of use: users must now give permission before police can use their personal data.

"We changed it because it was the right thing to do," said GEDmatch founder Curtis Rogers.

Only 75,000 people have given police the go-ahead thus far, compared to the million profiles law enforcement had before, which, according to a study, allowed them to identify nearly half the United States population.

The new database is too narrow to be of any use to new investigations.

But theoretically, nothing prevents officers from using genealogy sites without revealing their true motives, UC Irvine law professor David Kaye pointed out. "There is already a lot of undercover investigation and courts have accepted a certain amount of deception," he said.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Shim Woo-hyun (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Seoul, South Korea  Sat, June 15, 2019 13:16 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c98181 2 Art & Culture ASEAN,ASEAN-Cultural-Festival,Seoul,Kim-jun-su Free

The ASEAN-Korea Center, an intergovernmental organization, has kicked off ASEAN Week 2019 in Seoul.



The ASEAN-Korea Center Secretary-General Lee Hyuk, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Thai Ambassador Singtong Lapisatepun joined the opening ceremony held Friday at Seoul Plaza and delivered congratulatory remarks.

Seoul Mayor Park has pledged to strengthen ties with major cities of the 10 ASEAN member countries.



First lady Kim Jung-sook, who is on an overseas trip with President Moon Jae-in, also delivered a video message, in which she welcomed the visitors to the event.



Since its launch in 2017, the Moon administration has stressed the importance of elevating the relationship with ASEAN nations.

The nations are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. In total, the population of the ASEAN reaches 640 million, with their combined domestic product reaching $2.7 trillion.

Following the keynote speeches and the video was the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival, which featured cultural performances by groups from the 10 ASEAN member states, as well as ones by K-pop idols Kim Jun-su and The One.

From Friday through Sunday, special events and exhibitions will be held at Seoul Plaza to raise public awareness of ASEAN cultures and tourism ahead of the ASEAN-South Korea Commemorative Summit scheduled for November this year in Busan.



The three-day event includes cultural performances, design exhibitions and tourism booths to promote ASEAN cultures to the Korean public. The three main events, among many, are the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival on Friday, the ASEAN Fashion Festival on Saturday and ASEAN Travel Talk on Sunday.



In the meantime, tourism booths representing each ASEAN country will be installed at Seoul Plaza, and the countries national tourism bodies will hold promotional events and provide information on notable tourist destinations in cooperation with their respective embassies. And visitors who buy raffle tickets could win round-trip air tickets to the Philippines or Brunei Darussalam.



The center invited the citizens of Seoul and anyone with an interest in the ASEAN region to take part in the event where they can experience ASEAN in all dimensions, from art to fashion, lifestyle, tourism and food, the ASEAN-Korea Center Secretary-General Lee Hyuk previously said in a press release.

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This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta PostShare this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Berlin, Germany  Sat, June 15, 2019 11:02 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c9337d 2 People Berlin,Jewish,Museum,Twitter,social-media,Peter-Schaefer Free

The director of Berlin's Jewish Museum resigned on Friday amid controversy over a tweet sent linking to an article that criticised the German parliament for passing legislation against the BDS movement, which demands a boycott of Israel.

Professor Peter Schaefer proposed his resignation "to avoid further damage" to the Jewish Museum, a statement on its website said.

It was accepted, the statement added, but no specific reason for his departure was given.

The German parliament last month condemned the BDS movement -- which stands for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions -- as anti-Semitic.

Lawmakers said the group uses anti-Semitic methods to promote its political goals -- a claim firmly rejected by the movement, which calls for a cultural boycott of Israel over its policies towards Palestinians.

BDS recently called for artists to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest held in Tel Aviv last month.

"'Don't buy' stickers of the BDS movement on Israeli products remind one of inevitable associations with the Nazi call 'Don't buy from Jews', and other corresponding graffiti on facades and shop windows," said the non-binding resolution in parliament.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the resolution on Twitter as an "important decision".

- 'Out of control' -

Schaefer, director of the museum since September 2014, had recently had his contract extended to stay in post until August 2020, according to the museum.

Schaefer came under pressure after a tweet was sent by the museum encouraging people to read an article by Jewish scholars that criticized the parliamentary resolution.

In an interview with Der Spiegel on Wednesday, Schaefer defended the tweet as a "contribution to the discussion" but acknowledged the wording used was unfortunate.

Reacting to the tweet, the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, criticized the museum as seeming to be "totally out of control".

A museum statement on Friday said Schaefer "today proposed his resignation to the chairman of the board of the foundation and Culture Minister Monika Grutters to avoid further harm to the Jewish Museum Berlin".

The spokeswoman for the museum that wrote the tweet was also dismissed for violating the neutrality rule of a publicly funded institution, the daily Suddeutsche Zeitung reported on Friday.

The museum has been repeatedly criticized by Israel for its "anti-Israeli stance", according to the German media.

In March, Schaefer sparked uproar by welcoming the head of the cultural affairs department at the Iranian Embassy in Berlin, Seyed Ali, to his house to discuss a possible display of archival photos of Iranian Jews, reported Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Issues related to anti-Semitism and Israel remain extremely sensitive in Germany, which has a culture of atonement over atrocities committed during World War II

Anti-Semitic crimes rose by 20 percent in Germany last year, according to interior ministry data which blamed nine out of 10 cases on the extreme right.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 10:23 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c91f64 4 Parents baby,travel,airplane,parents,parenting Free

Bringing babies while traveling on an airplane can pose quite a challenge. Preparation is key, especially if you are new at the task.

Below are some tips that may come in handy for parents planning to fly with their babies in tow, as compiled by kompas.com.

1. Don't wait until the last minute

Parents or guardians should consider booking plane tickets at least one month prior to travel time. Each airline has its own policy regarding babies as passengers, as well as ticket prices, hence you will need as much time as possible to review all of the related regulations.

Booking tickets earlier will also allow you to request facilities for babies, such as bassinet. Some carriers even provide special food for two-year-olds or above, however, you will need to make a prior reservation.

2. Smart scheduling

The most convenient travel time when bringing a baby is during their sleep time. For instance, consider booking a short-distance flight during the day (when they take their nap), or a long-distance one during the night.

3. Sit at the front

When you're bringing a baby, sitting in the front row in front of a bulkhead near the alley is recommended. Aside from the lower noise and wider gap between seats, such a place will also ease your trip when entering and exiting the plane, as well as bringing the child to the toilet or simply standing up while carrying them when they feel bored.

Read also: Four ways parents can help kids and teens get a better night's sleep

4. Bring a special bag for the baby

Other than diapers, milk and food, you should also fill the bag with their favorite toys, wet wipes and change of clothes.

5. Pick the right clothing

The cabin of the plane can get very cold, hence, ensure the baby wears warm clothes that are also easy to take off in case you want to change their diaper or clothes or if they suddenly feel too hot.

6. How to lessen ear pain

Ear pain happens not only to babies but adults as well due to the change in pressure. Consider feeding them with baby biscuits or milk or breastfeeding them exactly as the plane takes off or as it descends to land.

7. Travel with another adult

Another adult will be able to help you take care of the baby, especially when you need to go to the toilet or take a break during a long-haul flight.

8. Be friendly

It's not a crime to bring a baby when traveling by plane. However, it is recommended to be friendly to other passengers, even perhaps introduce your child to them, just in case your child gets cranky and annoys other travelers. (vit/kes)

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Linkedin Ben Simon (Agence France-Presse) Geneva, Switzerland  Sat, June 15, 2019 19:13 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca3ef4 2 Health WHO,ebola,virus,health,disease Free

The World Health Organization said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not qualify as an international threat, despite the spread of the virus to neighboring Uganda carried by an infected family.

The closely-watched decision followed advice from WHO's emergency committee, which only meets to review the world's most severe outbreaks.

The head of the UN health agency Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is in DRC reviewing the Ebola response, said he accepted the committee's advice.

"Although the outbreak does not at this time pose a global health threat, I want to emphasize that for the affected families and communities, this outbreak is very much an emergency," Tedros told reporters.

He also appealed for more funds to combat the ongoing Ebola flare-up, which has recorded more than 2,000 cases, including over 1,400 deaths since it emerged in eastern DRC in August.

Friday's emergency committee meeting was prompted by confirmation this week of Ebola deaths in a western Uganda region that borders DRC.

- Rare declaration -

The WHO panel has used the label "public health emergency of international concern" only four times previously.

Those included the H1N1, or swine flu, pandemic of 2009, the spread of poliovirus in 2014, the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016 and the surge of the Zika virus in 2016.

This is the third time the WHO panel has considered -- but held off -- making the emergency call for this DRC outbreak, which has been concentrated in the restive provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.

The head of the committee, Preben Aavitsland, told reporters in Geneva that current Ebola crisis was "an extraordinary event, with risk of international spread, (but) the ongoing response would not be enhanced" by an emergency declaration.

Read also: Why the world needs more than one Ebola vaccine

- Uganda cases confirmed -

The Uganda cases stem from a Congolese woman, married to a Ugandan, who traveled with her mother, three children and their nanny to DRC to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola.

WHO said 12 members of the family who attended the burial in Congo were placed in isolation in the DRC, but six "escaped and crossed over to Uganda" on June 9.

The next day, a five-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in Bwera, a border town, vomiting blood before he died. Tests confirmed he had Ebola and the family was placed in an isolation ward.

His three-year-old brother was also confirmed to have Ebola, as was their grandmother, who died late Wednesday.

Speaking from western Uganda's Kasese district, a senior Red Cross official told AFP that "the biggest challenge" was ensuring robust monitoring along the porous border with DRC.

"People are continuing to come into the country and not passing through the areas where screening is taking place because screening has been instituted along certain points of entry but not all the points," said Josephine Okwera, the director of health and social services for the Ugandan Red Cross.

- Restive region -

Health officials had initially hoped that they could contain the outbreak with help from a new vaccine, which has now been given to more than 130,000 people in DRC.

But chronic violence and militia activity in the affected eastern DRC provinces, as well as hostility to medical teams among some in the region have hampered the response.

WHO has also accused political leaders in Ituri and North Kivu of manipulating the Ebola issue to turn people against health workers.

Ebola spreads among humans through close contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected person.

The current outbreak is the worst on record after an epidemic that struck mainly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone between 2014-2016, leaving more than 11,300 people dead.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 23:23 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca60cf 4 Health night-owl,sleeping,health,study,well-being Free

Scientists in the United Kingdom and Australia have revealed that tweaking sleeping habits may cause a shift in body clocks and result in improved well-being, as reported by the BBC.

The scientists studied the routines of night owls, or people who are habitually active during the night. Suggestions for improved well-being included consistent bed times, caffeine avoidance and increased exposure to morning sunlight.

Although obvious, their approach could make a difference, according to the researchers.

The body clock, also known as the rhythm that follows the rising and setting of the sun, operates differently for each person, with some running later than others (night owls).

Morning-led larks are people who wake up early but face difficulties staying up in the evening, whereas night owls prefer to stay active in the evening and later.

Most night owls struggle with a nine-to-five lifestyle, in which they need to be awake hours before their bodies are ready. One study even found that being a night owl may be linked to poor health.

In the studies, scientists gave a set of instructions to 21 extreme night owls  people who go to bed on average at 2:30 a.m. and wake up after 10 a.m.

The instructions included waking up two to three hours earlier than usual as well as getting sunlight, eating breakfast and exercising in the morning, banishing coffee after 3 p.m., going to sleep two to three hours earlier than usual and trying to limit the amount of light in the evening  and maintaining that sleep and wake course every day.

Read also: Morning lark? Night owl? Blame it on your genes, study says

The analysis by researchers from the University of Birmingham, the University of Surrey and Monash University showed that after three weeks, the body clocks had shifted. Participants were able to wake up two hours earlier.

According to Debra Skene from the University of Surrey, night owls can adjust their body clocks as well as improve their well-being (both mentally and physically) by establishing simple routines.

"Insufficient levels of sleep and circadian [body clock] misalignment can disrupt many bodily processes, putting us at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, Skene claimed.

Sunlight is one of the main cues for syncing body clocks. Thus, it is recommended to expose ones body to the sun throughout the day and less in the evening.

Despite these findings, scientists have not figured out if a change of habits would cause potential responses and/or side effects.

"What isn't obvious is, when you have these extreme night owls, can you do anything about that? Andrew Bagshaw from the University of Birmingham told the BBC.

"These are relatively simple things anyone can do that makes an impact, and that to me is surprising. Being able to take a decent chunk of the population and help them feel better without a particularly onerous intervention is quite important.

A change in body clocks requires time and effort. It is considered important for one to commit to these simple routines to sync ones sleeping patterns, improve ones well-being and properly handle the potential responses that may occur throughout the process. (vit/wng)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019

The food and beverage industry is now working toward making changes that benefit the environment, with restaurants reducing the amount of food waste and getting rewarded for their efforts as a result.

At Senayan City Mall in Central Jakarta, donut shop and cafe Krispy Kreme is adhering to the stores tight policy on significantly reducing the amount of food waste.

A maximum 1.5 percent waste is allowed with our leftover donuts, Christian, 28, assistant manager of the Krispy Kreme branch, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019

When discussing the sensitive issue of domestic violence, seeking the advice of an illegal organization might seem inadvisable, however, it appears someone in the Jakarta administration did not get the memo.

The Jakarta Womens Empowerment, Family Planning and Child Protection Agency (PPAPP) had planned to hold a meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss the content of a poster campaign designed to prevent violence against women and children.

But what should have been a positive event led to public outcry after invitations to some questionable representatives went viral on social media.

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Today

Rain. Much colder. High 38F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with snow showers. Areas of freezing rain possible. Low 21F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 80%. About one inch of snow expected.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Hendi Yogi Prabowo (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Sat, June 15 2019

We are now halfway through 2019 and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has already arrested several high-ranking officials for their alleged involvement in various corruption cases. A judge in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, was nabbed for allegedly accepting bribes in connection with forging a document. Earlier, the regent of Talaud, North Sulawesi, was arrested during a sting operation for allegedly soliciting bribes from contractors.

According to the KPKs Anticorruption Clearing House (ACCH), 64 percent of the 887 major corruption cases the KPK investigated from 2004-2018 involved bribery. An easy way to detect corruption is to look at the lifestyle of a suspect to see if he or she could be enjoying illegal proceeds.

For example, the Talaud regent, Sri Wahyumi Maria Manalip, was known for her love of expensive jewelry, branded bags, watches and other luxury items. According to the KPK, she once asked for a Hermes bag that no other female regent owned as a bribe.

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Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 18:20 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca1950 1 National waste-management,medical-waste,hazardous-and-toxic-waste,Forestry-and-Environment-Ministry,karawang Free

The Environment and Forestry Ministry has handed a case pertaining to the illegal dumping of hazardous medical waste in Karawang regency, West Java, by province-owned company PT JM to the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) and the Karawang District Court.

The ministry found in 2017 that the medical waste management company had illegally dumped 1,000 tons of waste on its own piece of land for two years and another 457 tons at a regular hazardous waste landfill, instead of in cold storage.

The ministrys director for criminal law enforcement, Yazid Nurhuda, said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Saturday that analysis results showed that the waste contained dangerous microbes that could cause respiratory and lung diseases.

"That's why the perpetrator of this environmental crime has to be given the most severe punishment, because not only did it pollute the environment, they also put peoples health in danger," he said in a statement.

Investigators from the ministry submitted a list of suspects and evidence to prosecutors on Thursday.

The ministry accused the company of violating Health Ministerial Regulation No. 7/2019 on hospital environments health, which stipulates that mounds of sharp objects, infectious and pathological medical waste must be destroyed or burned within 48 hours.

Officials from the Environment and Forestry Ministry examine a pile of suspected hazardous medical waste in Karawang, West Java, in this undated photo. (Courtesy of Forestry and Environment Ministry/-)

PT JM collects and manages hazardous waste, especially medical waste from hospitals, across West and Central Java, as well as Greater Jakarta. The company has received a permit from the ministry to operate an incinerator to destroy the hazardous waste.

The companys incinerator reportedly did not have the capacity to manage the waste as regulated.

PT JM officials involved could face up to 10 years imprisonment for violating Law No. 32/2009 on environmental protection and management.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 17:01 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c9fc84 4 City drugs,Drugs-trafficking,North-Jakarta-Police,North-Jakarta,police,raids,drug-raids Free

The Jakarta Police raided the house of a suspected drug dealer, identified as HS, in Kampung Bahari, North Jakarta, on Saturday, during which they confiscated crystal methamphetamine and more than 1,000 ecstasy pills.

The raid came after HS arrest in Cilandak, South Jakarta, for carrying 10 ecstasy pills and 2.4 grams of crystal meth, said Adj. Sr. Comr. Dony Alexander from the Jakarta Polices Criminal Investigation Directorate.

Officers found some 1,300 ecstasy pills and 5 grams of crystal meth during the operation, he added.

HS had told police that she was only a courier for a drug dealer who kept thousands of ecstasy pills in a house in North Jakarta.

The suspect works for a bigger dealer, Dony said as quoted by kompas.com on Saturday.

He added that the drug unit had formed a special team to conduct the raid as Kampung Bahari was notorious for its drug-dealing activities.

HS could be charged under the 2009 law on narcotics.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019

Calls have emerged for the screening of Islamic preachers, amid rising concerns about the spread of extremist messages, which have included condemning a mosque for its supposed antireligious design.

Fed up with such hate speech, fourth-year law school student Visa Rizkyka Zakaria, 21, said that she had made the case for preacher certification in a college paper in the hopes that more serious efforts would be made to regulate ustad (preachers).

Ustad are public figures who have a strong influence on people, so we should make sure that they have moderate views and are tolerant while also being free from any political interests, Visa said on Wednesday.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 13:30 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873c98576 4 National setya-novanto,GunungSindurPrison,sukamiskin Free

The Law and Human Rights Ministry has moved graft convict Setya Novanto from Sukamiskin prison in Bandung, West Java, to Gunung Sindur prison after a photo showed him hanging out freely with his wife in West Bandung on Friday.

The former House of Representatives speaker was transferred to Gunung Sindur prison in Bogor, also West Java, at 9:30 p.m. on Friday.



Setya had left his cell on Wednesday for medical treatment at Santosa Hospital, Bandung, and returned on Friday at around 7 p.m. but was then seen relaxing at a shopping center in Padalarang.



In the photo, Setya was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and black trousers.



We immediately questioned him as he arrived. We immediately moved him, and the questioning will continue there," Liberty Sitinjak, head of the West Java Law and Human Rights Agency, said on Friday night, as quoted by kompas.com.



Gunung Sindur prison, he added, was the right place for Setya, as it had tighter security, since most of the inmates there were terrorism convicts or former drug dealers.



It is clear enough that [Setya] was breaking the rules before he returned from the hospital. He did not go straight to the prison and tricked our security staff," Liberty added.



Liberty said he would investigate the incident further and assess the staff watching Setya at the time.



"We will try to figure out immediately how this happened, he said.



On April 24, 2018, the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced Setya to 15 years in prison for his role in a graft case. He was declared guilty of rigging the Rp 5.9 trillion (US$410 million) e-ID project, reportedly causing Rp 2.3 trillion in state losses.



Five months after the sentence, the Indonesian Ombudsman discovered that Setya enjoyed special treatment at Sukamiskin prison, including a cell that was more spacious than the others.



Setyas room is wider and better, twice as wide as others, Ombudsman Indonesia head Ninik Rahayu said in September as quoted by Tempo. (ggq)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 18:25 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca2595 4 Destinations glamping,camping,bandung,bogor,sukabumi,West-Java,travel,outdoor-activities Free

In recent years, Indonesia has seen a rise in the popularity of glamping, a portmanteau of glamorous and camping.

Several resorts, tourist attractions and campsites offer remarkably complete facilities for nights outdoors, as reported by kompas.com.

Here are five glamping sites located in West Java. Do note that prices for these facilities fluctuate heavily over the year, so call in for inquiries ahead of time.

1. Rancabali Lake Side Ciwidey

At Rancabali Lake Side, Ciwidey, South Bandung, tourists can experience an overnight stay among a sea of tea trees along with a view that overlooks the Situ Patenggang Lake.

There, visitors can choose between different glamping locations such as the Lakeside Tent, Family Tent or the Dome Camping Ground Family Adventure tent. Each location offers a different experience to tailor your stay according to your tastes.

Aside from camping, visitors can enjoy other activities including boat rides on Situ Patenggang, enjoying a hot spring in Kawah Rengganis, or dining at Phinisi Resto, which is shaped like a boat.

The Family Tent can accommodate between eight and 10 people and costs Rp 2,760,000 (US$193.28) per tent on weekdays. On weekends there is a 15 percent price increase and on weekends during high season there is a 20 percent price increase.

The Dome Camping Ground Family Adventure Tent can accommodate from four to five people, and costs Rp 1,200,000 per tent.

2. Glamping Tanakita Situ Gunung, Sukabumi

Glamping Tanakita is located near Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, West Java. Visitors can head in the general direction of Situ Gunung, Sukabumi in West Java to find this location.

At Tanakita, visitors can experience glamping with complete facilities while enjoying the view of Sukabumi and Bogor from the campsite.

Aside from camping, visitors can enjoy others activities such as trekking, high rope, walking to the waterfall, exploring the nearby village and more.

To enjoy glamping at Tanakita, visitors are charged Rp 550,000 per night, which includes three daily meals throughout the duration of your stay, trekking with a guide to the waterfall and access to the flying fox.

Read also: Latest trend in family travel: Gramping

3. Glamping Gunung Geulis, Bogor

Another glamping location you could try is Glamping Gunung Gerulis, Bogor, West Java, making the location relatively close to Jakarta.

Glamping Gunung Geulis Campsite (GGC) offers visitors a choice between camping closer to nature or at a campsite, with choices between dome tents, semi-permanent tents with a built-in toilet, or permanent lodging.

Gunung Geulis Campsite is located between Gede-Pangrago National Park and Halimun-Salak National Park. There, visitors can enjoy other activities such as biking, swimming, paintball, river rafting and many others.

For the Halimun Tent option with a dome tent accommodating four people, visitors are charged Rp 285,000 per person per night. This price includes three daily meals and snacks.

4. Trizara Resort Indonesia, Lembang, Bandung

At Trizara Resort, visitors can expect a luxurious experience under the stars. Trizara has 47 tents ready to accommodate couples or families.

Visitors can enjoy activities like off-road rides, paintball, flying fox, hiking, ATV biking and more.

For a stay at Trizara, prices start at Rp 1.2 million per room per night for the Zana tent that accommodates two people. The price includes facilities such as WiFi, sunrise yoga, showers, hot water and breakfast.

Other types offer a range of prices, such as the Netra tent that costs Rp 1.6 million per room per night, or Nasika and Svada at Rp 1.8 million per room per night.

5. Maribaya Glamping Tent, Lembang

This glamping location, situated on Bandungs Jl. Maribaya, can be ordered through travel agents online.

Like a hotel, Maribaya Glamping Tent provides four star accommodation complete with hot water and even a hot tub. They offer a service for barbeque areas, childrens playgrounds and restaurants.

The price per night for one tent accommodating two people is Rp 2,450,000. Maribaya Glamping Tent also provide rooms for families. (ayr/wng)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Gisela Swaragita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, June 15, 2019 20:09 931 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873ca51cc 1 News UPNVJ,YouTube,YouTubers,university,social-media,Education,higher-education Free

National Development University Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ) took the internet by storm this week after announcing that YouTubers who have at least 10,000 subscribers may enroll at the university through a special admissions scheme.

Instagram account @infomasukptn, which is dedicated to sharing admissions information from Indonesian universities, shared a post on Wednesday about UPNVJs jalur prestasi (achievement path) program, which is both for YouTubers and students with sporting achievements in high school or were part of their schools student council for at least a year, as well as hafiz (someone who has memorized the Quran).

The post has gained more than 26,000 likes as of Friday evening.

UPNVJ rector Erna Hernawati confirmed that the university had added YouTubers to its jalur prestasi program this year.

We think YouTube is a great media to convey positive messages effectively to society, Erna told The Jakarta Post on Friday. We want those accepted in the university to convey positive messages and influence society for the better.

However, Erna said that YouTubers who want to apply through the special admissions scheme would be screened by a committee to ensure their channels only publish positive content.

We will not accept those uploading provocative content. We will also test the applicants skills by requiring them to make a two-to three-minute video on campus. So, if you have 10,000 subscribers, you are not automatically admitted, she said.

A similar test will be given to hafiz and athletes applying for the scheme, she said.

Those who pass would then have to take a computer-based written test (UTBK) to measure their academic knowledge.

So, admission is based on a combination of their skills and the UTBK, Erna said.

The special admission scheme, which is open for registration from July 12 to 21 at the UPNVJs official website, only applies to five of the universities departments.

[The scheme] does not apply to the medical and pharmaceutical department, she said. (asw)14 hours ago

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These stocks disappointed investors but still have trends on their side Theres no doubt that growth investors have not been disappointed with the market performance over the last two years.

Read ArticleDoctors orders: Phuket Hospitals forced to reveal how much they charge for medicines

PHUKET: All hospitals across Phuket have until June 30 to submit full lists of which medicines they provide to patients  and the prices they charge for them  under the governments drive to stem rampant overcharging by private hospitals throughout the country.

healtheconomicstourism

By The Phuket News

Saturday 15 June 2019, 09:00AM

Hospitals will have to reveal how much they bought medicines for, and how much they are selling them for. Photo: Kendal James

Under the new law, brought into effect on May 29, all hospitals must publicly disclose the drugs provided, the manufacturer, the drugs brand names, how much the hospital purchased the drugs for and how much they are selling them for, confirmed Sasiphimon Mongkon, Chief of the Phuket Provincial office of the Ministry of Commerce, which has been tasked with implementing the new regulation.

The new law is being implemented through the Department of Internal Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce following the order by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha last week.

That order came after the government recognised surveys that reported that some private hospitals in Thailand were found to be charging their patients from 300% up to 16,000% higher than the recommended prices, Deputy Government Spokesman Lt Gen Werachon Sukondhapatipak revealed last Sunday (June 9). (See story here.)

Notices informing private hospitals in Phuket of the new legal requirement were dispatched this week, Ms Sasiphimon explained to The Phuket News.

The initial order was issued by the Department of Internal Trade on May 29, Ms Sasiphimon said. (See official notice posted on DIT website, here.)

Every hospital must comply, even government hospitals, she added.

Each hospital must inform us which drugs on the list of 30,103 drugs on the Thai Medicine Terminology list that the hospital provides. Previously, private hospitals were required to display the prices of only 10% of them, mainly those widely used in emergency cases, Ms Sasiphimon noted.

We received the order from the Department of Internal Trade in Bangkok on June 5. Drug prices must be disclosed by every hospital in Phuket so that consumers can make better-informed decisions before deciding to receive treatment, she explained.

Under the order issued by DIT Director-General Whichai Phochanakij and Acting Minister of Commerce Chutima Bunyapraphasara on June 5, hospitals have 45 days from the date of the order  that is, until July 20  to display the price lists of drugs either on its website or via QR codes.

Those who do not comply will be subjected to a fine of up to B10,000 and/or up to one year in prison.

For prescriptions, private hospitals are required to first provide the pricing and brand name details to all emergency patients immediately, and to all types of patients at a later stage.

The prescriptions must give both trade and scientific names of the medicines. Failure to comply with the rule results in a five-year jail term and/or a fine of up to B100,000.

All private and government hospitals including Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Siriroj International Hospital, Dibuk Hospital, Phuket Provincial Hospital and Vachira Phuket Hospital must display the price lists of the drugs they provide, Ms Sasiphimon said.

People have right to check the prices and details of the drugs and services provided before hospital staff provide treatment, she added.

Currently our goal is to collect the information (about the drugs provided), which must be sent to the Department of Internal Trade in Bangkok, Ms Sasiphimon explained.

The Department of Internal Trade will show standard information [about drugs provided] on its website, so it is available to the public, she said.

After June 30, we will go to inspect every hospital in Phuket to make sure that every hospital is publicly showing the cost of the drugs and services. It can be on a website, a QR code made available for the public to scan in a public area of the hospital or a poster or listed on paper or a brochure  but it must be there for the public to see, she said.

It is the hospitals responsibility to display this information. Every hospital must disclosure its prices by law. If any hospital does not, it will be fined, Ms Sasiphimon warned.

The problem of high prices being charged is present in Phuket, Ms Sasiphimon confirmed.

We have received complaints that some private hospital charge very high prices for standard medicines, she said.

This has been a problem in Phuket, and there is nothing that sick people can do about it. They have to pay the prices, she added.

The Phuket News has yet to receive a reply from any of the hospitals contacted about what steps were being taken to comply with the new law, and whether the prices of any drugs or services provided by the hospital will be affected.Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.Watertown resident looks back on the changes seen in her 105 yearsBoeing Co. is coming to this years Paris Air Show with some hard choices that will go far in determining who comes out on top in the jetliner duopoly it shares with Airbus SE.

Reeling from the grounding of its most important aircraft, the 737 Max, in the wake of two deadly crashes, Boeing needs to reconsider its timeline and strategy for new models. Piling on pressure is Airbuss likely unveiling of a long-range variant of its A321 model, potentially siphoning off more business from its U.S. rival in the increasingly important market for mid-range planes.

The cat-and-mouse game over jets to be rolled out during the next decade is one of the top issues for Boeing chief executive officer Dennis Muilenburg as he meets customers and faces the public at the industrys biggest gathering, which kicks off Monday on an airfield north of Paris.

His choices: spend big on a so-called midmarket airplane, or NMA, to stanch customer defections to the A321. Or plow that $15 billion (U.S.) or so into the 737s successor  a scenario that has gained considerable urgency now that the Max grounding is in its fourth month and some customers are considering dropping their orders outright.

If Boeing doesnt strike just the right balance, Airbus has a clear path to 60 per cent market share for the next 10 to 15 years, said Henri Courpron, chair and founder of Plane View Partners and a former executive in the aircraft-leasing business. Airbus is sitting pretty and waiting to see Boeing show its hand.

The dynamic is reminiscent of a showdown in 2011, when Airbus upset the balance of power by pulling in a massive order from American Airlines, a longtime Boeing customer, thanks to a new-engine option on its single-aisle planes. That shocked Boeing into responding with the 737 Max, the model that is now at the heart of the deep crisis buffeting the company.

The European plane maker last year gained control of the A220, the most technologically advanced aircraft in the segment, from struggling Bombardier Inc. Boeing recently countered by forming an commercial-aircraft joint venture with Embraer SA.

Boeing wouldnt discuss its plans for the NMA or an eventual 737 replacement.

I feel very confident in the Max family of aircraft, Muilenburg said May 29, when asked about a future single-aisle plane. So we have not changed our expectations on the longevity of that line. But well continue to keep an eye on those more distance future product opportunities, as well.

Airbus declined to comment on its plans for any product announcements at the show, the first time that new CEO Guillaume Faury will oversee the action.

American, Indias IndiGo, JetBlue Airways and aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman have all expressed interest in the proposed A321XLR, the new model Airbus is studying to clip sales from Boeings proposed mid-range jet. The latest A321 would be available by 2023 or 2024, a year ahead of the NMA, with the range to cruise between, say, Central Europe and the middle of the U.S.

Airbus already leads in the lucrative sales of the narrow-body planes that form the backbone of most fleets and are favoured by budget carriers. Falling further behind would threaten Boeings ability to command price discounts from suppliers in an industry driven by volume. And its dominance of wide-body jet orders would be eroded if Airbuss sales team took full advantage of their growing customer base, said aerospace consultant Richard Aboulafia.

He even sees a scenario in which the historic relationship between the two duopolists is reversed, where air transport is identified with Airbus, and Boeing is seen as this second player, said Aboulafia, a vice president at the Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia.

None of Boeings options is easy. The plane maker has spent years searching for digital production advances that could bring its planned twin-aisle design closer to a single-aisle jets costs. While abandoning that effort for a 737 replacement might seem like the right thing to do given the Max backlash, moving too soon could be financially ruinous, turning a trickle of cancelled Max orders into a flood.

I think that would be a big mistake, said Adam Pilarski, senior vice president with Avitas, and a former chief economist and director of strategic planning with Douglas Aircraft Co. Im not saying you dont need it  the answer is you do. But do the NMA first, learn from it.

The Boeing NMA would slot into the space left open by its aging 757 and 767 jetliners. Dubbed the 797 by analysts, the plane would also be the only all-new aircraft in an industry that has relied in recent years on upgrading existing air frames, like the A320 family or the 777X, a bigger, more powerful version of Boeings popular long-range jet.

But could Boeing afford two all-new jets? Such decisions are on hold for now, as the company focuses on convincing regulators and the flying public that the Max is safe.

The mounting Max-related bills are staggering: from storing 500-plus planes to the 73 lawsuits, and counting, filed against Boeing so far for the Lion Air crash in October and a fatal Ethiopian Airlines accident in March.

Almost every aspect of the Max crisis is complicated by the jets significance to Boeing. Prior to the crashes, the 737 was on track to generate about one-third of Boeings 2019 operating profit, according to George Ferguson, analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. The companys 4,550 unfilled Max orders would keep its factory busy years into the future.

Boeing still stands by both the Max and its previous goal of rolling out the NMA family by 2025 to span the gap between single-and twin-aisle aircraft. The Chicago-based plane maker is thought to have about 1,000 engineers already working on the NMA, with another experienced corps at the ready through its deal with Embraer. Boeing has yet to finalize a decision on whether to build the NMA, and no announcement is expected until after the Max is flying again.

Potential buyers of the NMA, from Qatar Airways to Delta Air Lines Inc., remain interested in an all-new design specifically tailored to 5,000 nautical mile flying. Even Neeleman, a potential XLR launch customer, said last month the Boeing plane would fit very well with what were doing.

Given that the two aircraft manufacturers are bound together in a global duopoly, Boeing may be able to change the dynamics to its advantage. Should it decide to go with the NMA but design it in a way that it can also replace the Max, that may turn the tables and put pressure on Airbus to respond.

These guys leapfrog each other, Neeleman said. They take what the other guy had and try to better it.

Read more about:VANCOUVER - A former Liberal environment minister is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus cabinet to reject the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, arguing there is no economic basis for the project.

David Anderson, who served 10 years in the cabinets of prime ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, sent letters to six members of Trudeaus cabinet this week asking them to dismiss the pipeline proposal.

There is no credible evidence to suggest that Asia is likely to be a reliable or a significant market for Alberta bitumen, Anderson wrote in the letter dated June 11.

Cabinet is expected to announce its decision on the expansion of the Alberta-to-B.C. pipeline by Tuesday. Given that Trudeaus government bought the pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion, its widely anticipated to give it the green light.

Anderson holds a law degree and served eight of his 10 years in cabinet as the senior federal minister for British Columbia. While he was environment minister in 2002, Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. He is now an honorary director of West Coast Environmental Law and has previously spoken out against the Trans Mountain project.

His letter doesnt focus on the climate and environmental impacts of the expansion. Instead, he took aim at the economic argument for the project, which he described as the perceived need for a pipeline connection with tidewater in order to sell Alberta bitumen in Asian markets, where, so it is claimed, it would find new purchasers.

With respect, you and other government ministers have yet to provide evidence in support of that hope, he wrote.

Anderson wrote that Asian refineries have better supply options than Alberta. Compared with conventional light and medium crude oil from Nigeria and the Middle East, Alberta bitumen is expensive to produce, hard to handle and provides no security of supply advantages, he said.

Further, he said despite access to tidewater through unused pipeline capacity in the existing system and through American Gulf of Mexico ports, Albertas bitumen has not found or developed any significant offshore market in Asia or anywhere else.

Why? Because buyers are few and far between. That remains the situation today, and there is little to suggest it will change in the future. Building a new pipeline will not change the market.

Canadas two major competitors are Venezuela and Mexico and theyve faced the same low demand and low prices that have eroded the value of Alberta bitumen, he added.

Anderson said in an interview that he sent the letter because he is a Liberal and felt the government needed to be reminded that it had not made a business case for the project. He said no one had responded.

Youd think the people who own the pipeline, the Canadian taxpayers, should be informed of what their asset is likely to bring in, he said.

Trans Mountain Corp. has said the expansion will inject $7.4 billion into Canadas economy, boost federal and provincial tax coffers by $46.7 billion and increase revenues for producers by $73.5 billion over 20 years.

Trevor Tombe, an associate economics professor at the University of Calgary, said its true that Alberta bitumen is more difficult to refine but thats reflected in the cheaper price.

Producers in Alberta are confident there will be demand and have made contractual commitments to ship through the expanded pipeline, he said. Further, he said all forecasts, including the National Energy Boards assessment, predict increased oil production in the province.

The only question around the economics of the pipeline that matters is will there be barrels shipped in it, not where those barrels go. That will potentially even change from one year to the next, he said, adding the United States and British Columbia are other possible markets.

An often-cited argument for the expansion is that Albertas prices are lower because it can only currently access U.S. markets. But Tombe argued the issue isnt that America is exercising market power, its that Alberta is using high-cost transportation options including rail and truck.

It is cheaper to ship by pipe than by rail. Full stop, Tombe said.

The largest single demand source for heavy crude remains the United States, but the fastest-growing market is Asia, said Kevin Birn, a North America crude oil market analyst at IHS Markit.

People sometimes refer to Asia as code for China, but the continent is an immense market containing India, Japan, Korea and others and its looking for a variety of crude, both in terms of quality and geographic source, he said.

Refineries can be reconfigured to process different oil types but its hard to justify doing so for Alberta crude if they cant get it on a consistent basis, he added.

In the absence of having meaningful export capacity, there is no market for Canadian crude. But if there is meaningful export capacity, there is a market for Canadian crude.

 Follow @ellekane on Twitter.VAUGHAN, ONT.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is committed to issuing a formal apology to Italian Canadians mistreated in the country during the Second World War.

We have to face the dark chapter in our countrys history, he said Friday. Italian Canadians have lived with these memories for many years and deserve closure.

Trudeau made the announcement in Vaughan, Ont., at an event celebrating Italian heritage month.

He said during the war, Italian Canadian families and businesses struggled and no one was held responsible.

It was a time when their patriotism was questioned and their lives thrown into chaos. During the Second World War, hundreds of Italian Canadians were interned, said Trudeau.

He did not say when the formal apology would be issued, but said it would offer closure to the community.

Trudeau also announced that the federal government would be opening a permanent trade centre in Milan, Italy.

Trudeau did not provide further details, but he said the centre will ensure that the future is bright between Canada and Italy.

Read more about:SUDBURY, ONT.Provincial police say two people are dead after a head-on collision in Sudbury, Ont., Friday night.

It happened on Highway 17 in the citys south side, and police say both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

There were no passengers in either vehicle, and police arent identifying the victims because their next of kin have not been notified.

They say a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway was closed for several hours while police investigated, but it has since reopened.Quebec Premier Francois Legault is holding firm on his plan to scrap thousands of pending immigration applications, meaning 18,000 people would have to restart the application process from scratch.

Legaults statement came shortly before the Coalition Avenir Quebec governments immigration reform bill was expected to pass on Saturday, despite pleas from the opposition.

The old (selection) criteria do not meet the needs of the labour market, Legault said, speaking with reporters ahead of a rare weekend session of the National Assembly to fast-track Bill 9.

Everything that had to be said has been said, he added, stressing employers concerns over a labour shortage.

The legislation would give the immigration minister more authority over who receives permanent residency in Quebec. It would also allow the government to cancel roughly 18,000 immigration applications, some from people who waited in limbo for years as their files languished in the old system.

Those affected would have to submit another application under a new system, known as Arrima, put in place by the former Liberal government last September. Along with the applicants families, the total number of people affected by the legislation amounts to roughly 50,000.

The three opposition parties sought to derail the legislative session Saturday, but the Speaker rejected arguments that a motion introduced by Coalition party house leader Simon Jolin-Barrette does not respect the spirit of 2009 reforms stipulating a parliamentary gag order can target only one bill.

Before breaking for the summer, the legislature is slated to sit through the weekend to debate both Bill 9 and Bill 21, a controversial secularism bill that would ban public servants including teachers, police officers, Crown prosecutors and prison guards from wearing religious symbols on the job.

The legislative mechanism of closure allows the government to end debate and use its majority to force a vote.

Liberal immigration critic Dominique Anglade said that, since filing Bill 9 in February, the government has provided no credible explanation to eliminate the 18,000 applications. She denounced the gag order as an outgrowth of the stubbornness of Legault and Jolin-Barrette, who serves as both immigration minister and house leader.

The Parti Quebecois and Quebec Solidaire said the applications of the 3,700 immigration candidates who have already settled in Quebec should be given priority under the new rules.

During question period in the House, Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson Manon Masse implored the premier to show humanity and compassion for the immigration candidates. Quebec Solidaire MNA Andres Fontecilla begged the government to perform a last gesture of humanity.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the partys other co-spokesperson, said the government had moved more swiftly than its predecessors to enact a gag order.

Contrary to the claims of the government, there was no obstruction, there was no blockage, there was no sneering, but an authoritarian coup-de-force, he said in a scrum before the start of the weekend session.

Read more about:OTTAWAThe Telegraph-Journal in New Brunswick has been named the winner of the 2018 Michener Award, which honours excellence in public service journalism.

The Saint John-based newspaper was nominated for an 18-month investigation that exposed problems with New Brunswicks ambulance service. The newspaper uncovered a severe shortage of paramedics that left ambulances sitting empty, leaving some people in emergency situations to be transported in regular vehicles.

The finalists for the award included the Toronto Star and two of its sister papers, the Waterloo Region Record and St. Catharines Standard, as well as CBC and APTN.

Gov. Gen. Julie Payette presented the award to the winner Friday at a ceremony at Rideau Hall. The Michener Award was founded in 1970 by former governor general Roland Michener.

The Toronto Star, CBC News and Radio-Canada received a joint nod for their collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that shone a light on lax approval, regulation and oversight of the countrys medical-device industry. They revealed that medical devices continued to be implanted into Canadians years after they were pulled from the market elsewhere due to health risks. The investigation also found that federal data showed at least 1,400 Canadian deaths since 2008 have been linked to medical devices.

The Waterloo Region Record was nominated for Greg Mercers months-long investigation of the health problems inflicted on workers by the once-important rubber industry in Kitchener, Ont.

The St. Catharines Standard earned its nomination for reporter Grant LaFleches yearlong investigation that led to more than 50 stories on a conspiracy behind the hiring of the top bureaucrat in Ontarios Niagara region.

CBC TV News was nominated for an investigation by the program The Fifth Estate into long-standing claims by Transport Canada that school buses are safer without seatbelts, contrary to the departments own conclusion that they would have prevented numerous deaths and thousands of injuries.

APTN and CBC North earned a joint nomination after they exposed failures in the child-welfare system that led to physical abuse and neglect of Indigenous teens. The reporting led to a public apology by the Yukon government for its failure to protect the youths as well as corrective actions.

With files from Star staff

Read more about:ST. JOHNS, N.L.Police in Newfoundland are warning the public that a convicted sex offender is considered a risk to the community after serving a federal sentence for violent crimes against young women and girls.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says in a news release that Dennis Murphy is living in the Paradise area near St. Johns, N.L., after completing a federal sentence in New Brunswick.

The police force says there are reasonable grounds to fear Murphy might commit another sexual offence and the advisory is part of the RNCs duty to inform the public.

The release says Murphy has committed offences against vulnerable females under the age of 18 by supplying them with drugs and alcohol.

Murphys court-ordered conditions of release include a curfew of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and a ban on contact with people under 18.

The RNC says citizens should take precautionary measures if they spot Murphy  described as a white man in his late 50s, with an average build and balding grey hair  but vigilante actions will not be tolerated.MOGADISHU, Somalia - A pair of explosions rocked Somalias capital and left 11 people dead, the countrys police chief said Saturday, as the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

Another 25 people were wounded, Gen. Bashir Abdi Mohamed told reporters in Mogadishu. He said the first car bomb went off near a security checkpoint for the presidential palace and was responsible for nine deaths.

The second car bomb killed the driver and his accomplice near a checkpoint on the road to the heavily fortified airport, he said.

Al-Shabab, which often targets the capital, said the blasts were meant to strike the first line of security checkpoints for the airport and palace. The airport is home to a number of diplomatic offices. The palace is a frequent al-Shabab target.

I was at a short distance from the blast and I saw several people dead including two women, a passenger and two men, some of whom were elderly, witness Hussein Mohamed told the AP. This is really very terrible.

Al-Shabab was responsible for the horrific truck bombing in Mogadishu in October 2017 that killed more than 500 people in one of the worlds deadliest extremist attacks since 9-11 .

The United States military has dramatically increased the number of airstrikes against al-Shabab in the past couple of years, seeking to limit the territory the group controls in central and southern Somalia and make it more difficult for fighters to circulate.

In a report to the United Nations Security Council circulated last month, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres noted an increase in security operations and a large number of airstrikes targeting al-Shabab training bases and assembly points that were deemed to have degraded its operating capability and freedom of movement.

They have also led, however, to increased al-Shabab movement into urban centres, in particular Mogadishu, where their forces are less likely to be targeted from the air, he said.

Guterres added that Somalia is making progress toward building a functioning state after three decades of civil war, extremist attacks and famine but that insecurity, political instability and corruption remain major challenges.

The multinational African Union force in Somalia continues to gradually withdraw personnel in preparation for Somali government forces to assume responsibility for the countrys security. Those forces, however, have been described by U.S. military officials and others as not yet ready for the job.

___

Associated Press video journalist Mohamed Sheikh Nor in Mogadishu contributed.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_AfricaSANTIAGO, Chile - Chiles mining minister says one Bolivian has been rescued and another has died in a mine collapse in the northern Antofagasta region. The fate of a third is still unknown.

Mining minister Baldo Prokurica said on Twitter Saturday: After 37 hours of intense work, the rescue of one of the miners trapped in Directorio 8 Mine of #Tocopilla is confirmed. Unfortunately one of the 3 miners is dead and a third is still missing. We will not give up until we find him.

Prokurica told the media that rescued miner Leonardo Condori is in good condition and was taken to a hospital.

The men were trapped deep underground Thursday when the Directorio 8 mine collapsed some 900 miles (1,500 kilometres) north of the Chilean capital of Santiago.BOGOTA - Major European nations are considering imposing sanctions on Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro and several top officials for their recent crackdown on political opponents, although divisions remain over the timing of any action for fear of derailing a negotiated exit to the countrys crisis, The Associated Press has learned.

The financial and travel restrictions are being mulled by a core group of five nations  U.K., France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands  before being proposed to the European Council, said diplomats and members of the Venezuelan opposition with knowledge of the plan.

A total of five sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly.

While Maduro is among a dozen officials who could be hit with sanctions, no final decision has been made, two people said. The group still needs to breach internal divisions before making a formal proposal to the EUs executive branch.

Greater consensus exists for punishing top members of the armed forces and judiciary who have been instrumental in the arrest of allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido, including Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino, whose family is believed to live in Spain. Also on the list is Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez, a top Maduro aide and envoy to talks with the opposition sponsored by Norway, and Jorge Marquez, who is head of the powerful communications regulator which was responsible for pulling the plug on Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 and Britains BBC earlier this year.

Steady progress is being made on building a solid legal case for the restrictions, but the main obstacle is the uncertain impact it could have on a mediation effort by Norway between representatives of Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, the sources added.

Our priority is not to impose new sanctions. But neither is it to relax pressure on members of the Venezuelan government, said a Spanish foreign ministry official. The primary focus at the moment is the dialogue in Norway.

After two rounds of meetings in Norway, the opposition had not agreed by Saturday to a third round scheduled to begin next week in Barbados, three diplomats told AP. Guaido, who has been recognized as Venezuelas interim president by more than 50 countries, including most EU members, has pledged not to return to the negotiating table until Maduro is ready to call early presidential elections.

The Swedish government also confirmed Friday that it hosted talks this week between major powers with interests in Venezuela. The talks in Stockholm were not attended by either side in the Venezuelan power struggle but did include diplomats from Russia  Maduros main financial and military backer  as well as Enrique Iglesias, the new EU envoy for Venezuela.

Almost two years ago, the Trump administration added Maduro to its sanctions list of now more than 100 Venezuelan officials and insiders whose U.S. assets are frozen and who are barred from doing business with Americans.

But the EU has been slower than the U.S. and Canada to confront Maduro, fearing it could wreck the possibility of a negotiated solution to the political stalemate that has exacerbated misery in a country where more than 4 million people  almost 15% of the population  has migrated in search of work and food abroad. The EUs cautious approach has drawn criticism from members of Venezuelas opposition, which believe it gives oxygen to Maduros government.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has repeatedly denounced sanctions by the U.S. and EU as an illegal violation of the countrys sovereignty. But under the logic of such actions, he said such tools should be used against Guaido because he had promoted violence.

One factor now influencing the EUs consideration of sanctions is the Venezuelan governments recent political crackdown  in which the deputy head of the opposition-controlled congress was arrested. Another 18 lawmakers have been stripped of their parliamentary immunity from prosecution.

Maduro has argued that the crackdown was focused on lawmakers who backed a failed April 30 military uprising which Guaido says was an attempt to restore Venezuelas democracy.

The EU, which is trying to pave the way for free and fair elections while guaranteeing the delivery of humanitarian aid into the country through the International Contact Group, has not ruled out sanctions in its public statements. Any EU sanctions would require the support of all 28 of the blocs members, four of whom  Italy, Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus  dont recognize Guaido as Venezuelas rightful leader. Britain has been the strongest advocate for sanctions.

The political timing of the sanctions is important and thats what makes any consensus difficult at the moment, a top European Union diplomat said. But that could change very quickly if the Oslo talks fail or if new arrests take place in Venezuela.

In addition to an arms embargo and export ban on police riot gear since 2017, the European Council has already frozen the assets of 18 people and banned them from travelling to the blocs territory. Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello are among those who have previously been sanctioned, but until now the EU has refrained from targeting Maduro himself.

The opposition is trying to persuade the EU to adopt the new sanctions to pressure Maduro to agree to a fair and transparent presidential election overseen by international observers. It argues that U.S. sanctions were instrumental in forcing several insiders to switch loyalties and support the military uprising.

Underscoring that strategy, Lilian Tintori, the wife of prominent Venezuelan opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez, on Friday met with Spains foreign minister and called on the country and the EU to tighten restrictions and increase pressure on the cruel dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro.

___

Parra reported from Madrid.MANILA, Philippines - China has acknowledged its fishing vessel hit a Filipino boat in the disputed South China Sea in an incident that prompted an outcry in the Philippines but denies the collision was intentional.

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest after Filipino fishermen said a Chinese vessel rammed their anchored boat on Sunday night then abandoned them as the boat sank in the Reed Bank. Philippine officials strongly condemned the reported Chinese action.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila said late Friday that the Chinese vessel accidentally hit the Filipino boat as it tried to manoeuvr while being besieged by several Filipino boats. It said the Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipinos but was afraid of being besieged by other boats.

There is no such thing as hit-and-run, the Chinese Embassy said in a statement, citing the result of a preliminary investigation.

Its the most serious incident so far in the disputed waters involving fishermen from the two Asian neighbours whose ties have flourished under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in 2016.

The territorial conflicts, which also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, have long been feared as a potential flashpoint in Asia. Tensions escalated in recent years after China transformed seven disputed reefs into man-made islands, which can serve as forward military outposts and intimidate rival claimants in the strategic waterway. The U.S. has accused China of militarizing the region and has carried out freedom of navigation patrols to challenge Beijings sweeping claims.

Duterte has come under criticism for his silence on the incident although his spokesman, Salvador Panelo, described the abandonment of the 22 Filipino fishermen after their boat sank as uncivilized as it is outrageous.

Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the Chinese governments explanation was a flimsy attempt at a coverup to shield the involved Chinese crew from any accountability and shift the blame and responsibility to our distressed fisherfolk.

If there were seven to eight Filipino fishing boats besieging the Chinese fishing vessel, Hontiveros asked why it was a Vietnamese fishing boat that rescued all the 22 Filipinos, as the Philippine military reported.

Hontiveros renewed her call for Duterte to downgrade diplomatic relations with China by recalling the Philippine ambassador in Beijing to strengthen Manilas effort to seek justice and defend its sovereignty.

Philippine Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, who has done extensive studies on the South China Sea conflicts, said it was the first time that a Chinese vessel has rammed a Philippine fishing boat in the disputed waters in a quantum escalation of Chinas aggressive acts. He said it could be the start of a more aggressive campaign to discourage the Philippine presence in an offshore region believed to be rich in undersea gas and oil deposits.

Chinese vessels have rammed Vietnamese fishing boats in another South China Sea region, the Paracel Islands, for years, Carpio said.

The Filipino fishermen, who were brought back home by the Philippine navy, told reporters the Chinese vessel turned around after hitting them and turned lights on, apparently to check on their sinking boat, then left.

If the Vietnamese were not there, we would have all died, Filipino boat skipper Junel Insigne told ABS-CBN TV network.LONDON - The British government has ordered a review of hospital food after five patients died in a listeria outbreak linked to sandwiches and salads.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Saturday he wants a radical new approach to the food served in hospitals.

Officials have linked the outbreak to food from the Good Food Chain, which supplies dozens of U.K. hospitals, and to a meat supplier for the company.

Three of the patients died at hospitals in Manchester and Liverpool in northwest England. The other two locations have not been identified.

Public Health England says no deaths have been reported since the affected products were withdrawn in late May.

Listeria is a bacteria that usually causes mild illness in healthy people, but can be fatal to those with weakened immune systems.MADRID - A conservative has been sworn in as the new mayor of Madrid in the first major political shift enabled by the far-rights gains in last months Spanish local and regional elections.

The Popular Partys Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida replaces the far-left administration led by former judge Manuela Carmena. He will govern Madrid in coalition with the centre-right Citizens party and with the backing of Voxs national-populists.

Reliance on Vox for post-electoral pacts is earning Citizens strong criticism from within its own ranks and even from French President Emmanuel Macron.

In Barcelona, far-left mayor Ada Colau is set to be re-elected later Saturday, with the help of the Socialists and of a group led by former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who has refused to work with Vox.BERLIN - Germanys Central Council of Jews is welcoming the resignation of the director of Berlins Jewish Museum amid accusations he promoted views critical of Israel.

Council President Andreas Schuster told dpa news agency Saturday Peter Schaefers resignation was appropriate, especially at a time when the museum is in the process of opening a new permanent exhibition and a childrens museum.

He says it is an important step in order to prevent further damage to the institution.

Schaefer resigned Friday after a museum tweet encouraged followers to read an article that urged German lawmakers not to sign a resolution denouncing as anti-Semitic the Palestinian-led boycott against Israel.

Separately, Israel objected earlier this year to an exhibition on Jerusalem, which it argued presented a one-sided Palestinian view.LONDON - A British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran for more than three years has begun a hunger strike to protest her detention, her husband said Saturday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has told judicial officials she will refuse food but will drink water until she is granted unconditional release, her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said.

Ratcliffe said he would hold a vigil outside Irans London embassy, and would fast in support of his wife.

Ratcliffe said his wife had vowed that if we passed (daughter) Gabriellas fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something  to mark to both governments that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who worked for the charity arm of news agency Thomson Reuters, was detained at Tehran airport in April 2016 on charges of plotting against the Iranian government. Her family denies the allegations.

High-level diplomatic attempts to secure her release have so far failed. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt granted 40-year-old Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection in March, but Iranian officials refuse to recognize her dual nationality.

The hunger strike comes amid heightened tensions between the West and Iran, which the U.S. and U.K. blame for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman this week. Iran denies involvement.ROME - Taking the stage Saturday at an Italian conference on justice, Amanda Knox accused the media of having built a false narrative around her during her yearslong murder trial and appeals process, depicting her as guilty even though she was eventually acquitted.

The former exchange student from the United States who became the focus of a sensational murder case returned to Italy this week for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 in the slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Knox, speaking in Italian on a panel discussion at the Criminal Justice Festival in Modena titled Trial by media, said she was depicted on the global scene as cunning, psychopath, drug-addicted, whore. Guilty.

Speaking through tears, she said the media that labelled her Foxy Knoxy invented a false and baseless story, which fueled peoples fantasies and talked to their fears.

Knoxs 2011 acquittal was part of a long legal process that saw multiple flip-flop rulings before she was definitively acquitted in 2015 by Italys highest court.

Knox said she came back to Italy despite the fact that she was afraid of being molested, derided, framed, that new accusations will be directed against me for telling my truth.

She also criticized Italian prosecutors, who described a scenario made up of orgies and sex toys during her first trial, even though that version of the story was toned down in the appeal.

Knox acknowledged that despite her final acquittal I remain a controversial figure in the public opinion, especially here in Italy.

She had been accused with her Italian boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivorian-born Rudy Guede of killing Kercher on Nov. 1, 2007, in the university town of Perugia. After multiple rulings, Italys highest court definitively acquitted Knox and Sollecito in 2015. Guede is still serving a 16-year sentence.

During her speech, which was followed by a standing ovation, Knox recalled Perugia prosecutor Giuliano Mignini as the one who accused her in his search for justice.

One day Id like to meet the real Mignini, and I hope that when he comes, he will also see that I am not a monster, I simply am Amanda, Knox said.

On Friday, the lawyer for Kerchers family described Knoxs invitation to speak at the Criminal Justice Festival as inappropriate.

Inviting her to a technical panel on justice was a mistake, Francesco Maresca told The Associated Press, adding that lawyers for both parts should have been involved.DALLAS - A federal judge is ordering unions that represent American Airlines mechanics not to interfere in the airlines operations.

The judges order Friday came after American asked for a temporary restraining order to end what it considers an illegal work slowdown by mechanics that is causing delayed and cancelled flights.

Judge John McBryde in Fort Worth, Texas, says a temporary restraining order is warranted because American is likely to win on its claim that the Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers are violating federal labour law.

The dispute at American is similar to a recent fight at Southwest Airlines, which also went to court against its own workers before both sides agreed on a new contract earlier this year.PEORIA, Ill. - The Latest from the trial of a former University of Illinois doctoral student charged with slaying a visiting scholar from China (all times local):

5:45 p.m.

Prosecutors have played a secret audio recording at the trial of a former University of Illinois doctoral student charged with slaying a visiting scholar from China in which he describes how he killed her and how hard she fought back.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports jurors Friday listened to the recording of Brendt Christensen made by his girlfriend when she wore a wire for the FBI. It was during a campus vigil on June 29, 2017, for the missing scholar, Yingying Zhang.

Christensen is heard saying hes been eager to tell someone he killed the 26-year-old weeks before. He describes how he choked and beat her, and describes her as valiant in how she resisted.

Prosecutors say Christensen had fantasized about killing someone for months. Hes heard on the recording referring to Zhangs killing as his legacy.

___

1:30 p.m.

Jurors in the trial of a former University of Illinois doctoral student accused of killing a visiting scholar from China are watching video of the suspect explaining to an FBI agent that the woman looked panicky when he spotted her and offered her a ride.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports that jurors on Friday watched Brendt Christensen tell an FBI agent that he wasnt in a good mood on the June 2017 day when he spotted 26-year-old Yingying Zhang as he drove near the Champaign-Urbana campus.

Zhangs body has never been found, but prosecutors contend Christensen kidnapped, raped and beat Zhang to death and decapitated her. His trial is in federal court.

Defence attorneys seeking to spare him a possible death sentence have told jurors that he killed Zhang.

___

Information from: The News-Gazette, http://www.news-gazette.comALEXANDRIA, Va. - A northern Virginia man whose deportation to Israel was reversed last week is home again.

Immigration attorney Patrick Taurel says Abdelhaleem Ashqar was home in Alexandria on Friday following his release from a detention centre in Bowling Green, Virginia.

The 60-year-old recently served 11 years in prison for refusing to testify to a grand jury investigating the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Last week, a judges order forced immigration authorities to return him from Israel before he got off the plane. Ashqar fears he would be tortured in Israel.

Taurel said hes trying to get government attorneys to allow Ashqar to relocate to a country where he feels safe.

In 2005, Ashqar ran to succeed Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian National Authority. He finished fourth out of seven.LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The family of a former Arkansas state senator who was found dead outside of her home says it is sickened and upset by the thought that one of her friends could have been involved in her death.

Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of 48-year-old Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, of Pocahontas, in connection with the killing of 57-year-old Linda Collins.

Collins family said in a statement released late Friday that they are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda, would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime.

Police say criminal charges are pending and didnt say whether they were seeking any other suspects in the death of Collins , who went by Collins-Smith when she was in the Legislature. Her body was found June 4 outside her home in Pocahontas, about 130 miles (210 kilometres) northeast of Little Rock.

Collins funeral is Saturday.COLUMBUS, Ohio - The sea of shifting soybean kernels had risen to Jay Butterfields knees inside a tall grain bin on his Ohio farm.

I knew I was in trouble then, the 70-year-old said. Because its just like being in quicksand or cement.

Sometimes a job becomes so routine and familiar that carelessness creeps in. Thats the way it happened on Butterfields 116-acre (47-hectare) farm north of Cincinnati.

Soybeans that came out of the field last November were damp, didnt dry well and werent flowing smoothly out of an opening in the bottom of the 30-foot- (9-meter-) tall, corrugated steel bin. Just before 4 p.m. on May 30, Butterfield scaled the ladder on the outside and climbed down into the shadowy bin with a length of plastic pipe to break up the damp clumps. He wore no harness or safety equipment. He had done the same thing without incident the previous day and on other days.

You think its not going to happen to you, said the second-generation farmer.

Butterfield climbed down and stood on top of the hard legumes, poking and breaking them up to better facilitate the flow. He was near the bottom of the bin when he got stuck. Then the crop that was piled up around the sides started to shift.

The beans went out from under my feet and sucked them down that fast, he said. Then they started rolling on top of me.

Butterfield had multiple problems. He was close enough to the bins bottom to put his foot on the rotating auger, which helps sweep out the beans and threatened to suck him down into it. The machinery stripped the leather off one of his steel-toed boots and ripped the lace out.

He hollered to his brother-in-law Eddie Demaree for help. By the time the first rescue squad arrived, Butterfield was buried up to his chest with his arms in the air.

Within about 10 minutes, he was covered up to his chin.

Despite the warnings, a couple dozen people, give or take, die from being buried in grain every year in the U.S. Butterfields friend Charlie Groh died in a corn bin in 2013 in a neighbouring township. Butterfield readily acknowledges he should have known better.

Such accidents are so common that grain entrapment has a lengthy Wikipedia page. A study from Purdue University noted that 2010 was a particularly hazardous year for grain bin accidents, with 59 entrapments and 26 deaths. Last year, 30 grain entrapments were documented, with half the victims dying. Males under 18 are especially susceptible.

It happens so often, in fact, that fire departments in farming regions undergo special training and acquire equipment just for these situations. One such crew, comprised of members of the Reily Township volunteer fire department, was near Butterfields farm.

We got them on the road immediately, said Steve Miller, the Ross Township fire chief who headed the overall rescue effort.

Before long there were no fewer than 52 rescue personnel from a dozen agencies on the scene.

Ross Township firefighter-paramedic Ron Stenger is a technical rescue specialist trained in helping get people out of enclosed spaces. He was the first one in. A rope was dropped that then was tied around Butterfields arms. He was given oxygen. Rescuers sprinkled water inside to keep the dust down and lessen the risk of combustion.

Butterfield started wondering about the squad having to pull him out by his arms and how that would probably hurt a great deal. His chest was being squeezed, and he was breathing the dust generated by the crop.

Loved ones were trying to keep his wife Genevra, who has had some health problems, up at the house, so she would stay calm. But she saw the hubbub and came down anyway. The yard filled with others who arrived to watch.

Reily Township brought the key materials for rescue: panels to create a tube inside the bin. Rescuers lowered the panels inside and assembled the tube around Butterfield to keep him from being squeezed any more or buried by the beans.

Once that was put together, getting the still wet soybeans out was slow going. A rescue auger kept clogging. A vacuum truck, which arrived with a police escort, came to suck them out. Two holes were cut in the side of the bin and people grabbed shovels and went to work.

I knew as soon as I got that wall around me that I had a chance, Butterfield said. For two hours I thought I was a dead man.

At about 7 p.m., three hours after the effort began, Butterfield was brought out through one of the holes in the side. He was helicoptered to a Cincinnati hospital as a precaution but was released the next day without any serious complaints.

That evening some of his farmer friends worked until midnight shovelling his soybeans into a truck to get them to market.

Im a very lucky man, he said.LAS VEGAS - Officials at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas say the museum has outgrown its space east of the Las Vegas Strip and is looking for a new location to expand its nuclear testing exhibits.

The museum opened in 2005 and became affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution in 2011. It chronicles the development of atomic weapons and Nevadas history hosting above-ground tests for the weapons for decades.

The museums education director Jordan McGee told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the museum has been in the same location for 15 years. She did not have details on where the museum might move.

The museums displays include radiation detectors, a simulator for an atmospheric test blast and pop culture memorabilia from the atomic age.BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota plans to ask the Trump administration to intervene in a dispute over Washington states new safety restrictions on oil shipped by rail.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem told The Bismarck Tribune he plans to petition the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to tell Washington state that it doesnt have the authority to require crude shipped by rail through Washington to have more of its volatile gases removed than North Dakota requires.

Washington passed the requirement to reduce the chances of massive explosions during derailments.

North Dakota officials say the Washington state requirement essentially bans crude-by-rail traffic to refineries throughout the Pacific Northwest and is a potential blow to North Dakotas energy industry.

Stenehjems office is also working on a federal lawsuit against Washington alleging that the requirement violates interstate commerce law.

Tara Lee, a spokeswoman for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, says the issue should be settled in court, not via press release.FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Charlie 5 had no plans to move that hot June morning. The 9-foot-long Burmese python was comfortably nestled in a muddy hollow, well-hidden in a thicket of saw grass and alligator flag in Big Cypress National Preserve.

His tracking device gave him away. He didnt like it, but he had visitors.

There he is, said Austin Fitzgerald, a biological science technician with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), bending down within 18 inches of the steamy muck. I can just barely see his head.

Using two snake hooks, Fitzgerald and Jillian Josimovich, a biologist with the USGS invasive species science branch, persuaded the reluctant snake to come out of hiding.

Its hard to read a snakes body language, but Charlie 5  writhing to free himself  clearly wished he had never met Fitzgerald and Josimovich.

___

Invasive species

The uninvited denizens of South Floridas wildlands, woodlands, marshlands and swamplands have left an indelible  and possibly irreversible  mark on the ecosystem.

First identified in Everglades National Park in 2000, the Southeast Asian apex predator quickly put a stranglehold on Floridas wildlife.

To a python, Floridas rich biodiversity of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians is a veritable smorgasbord of delicacies. According to the USGS, a 2012 study in Everglades National Park revealed pythons have contributed to these population declines:

 99.3% fewer raccoons

 98.9% fewer opossums

 87.5% fewer bobcats

Foxes and marsh and cottontail rabbits have effectively disappeared, the study says.

As pythons eat their way across the Sunshine States landscape, there is strong evidence Floridas bird, native snake and iconic alligator populations are also suffering.

What predators the python doesnt eat are losing the competition for food, including bobcats and panthers. The hunters are simply too large and too efficient. They are at home in warm, wet, watery climates and can swim, burrow and climb trees.

About the only thing they cant do is fly.

Researchers even believe pythons have swum across the open saltwater of Florida Bay from the Everglades to islands in the Florida Keys.

___

Radio telemetry

A fundamental problem in keeping up with the pythons assault on Florida is the snakes ability to remain out of sight, said Matthew McCollister, a resource manager with the National Park Service based at Big Cypress National Preserve in Ochopee.

The tools that exist today are not sufficient to locate pythons, he said. We have got to invest in developing and improving tools.

The key is finding and removing breeding females, he said.

A clever approach underway in Southwest Florida since 2013 has been helping scientists keep tabs on snakes. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has been working with various groups  the USGS, National Park Service, James Madison University, zoos in Naples and Miami and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  to develop and assess new ways to curb pythons proliferation.

When males are discovered crossing a road or slithering along a canal dike, they are caught and taken to a Zoo Miami lab where veterinarian Frank Ridgely, donating his time and facilities, surgically inserts a radio transmitter.

The pythons are released back into the wild to act as spies, hence their nickname Judas snakes. During the December-through-April breeding season, the males lead researchers to the females.

The radio transmitter allows you to follow it wherever it goes, Josimovich said. It emits a pulsating beep. We can go to our animal and potentially remove several other individuals found in breeding populations called breeding balls.

___

Breeding balls

Breeding balls sometimes have five or six males in close proximity preparing to mate with a single female.

Charlie 5, for example, led the team to two breeding balls and two female removals in 2019. McCollister hopes he does even better next season.

In the last two seasons, the Judas snake method has enabled Big Cypress staff to remove 17 pythons  out of an estimated tens of thousands living there. One was the largest ever captured there: a 17.5-foot, 141-pound female bearing 73 developing eggs. McCollister confirmed that Kilo 5 was the male snake which located her.

In the last six years, the Conservancy and its partners have cleared more than 500 pythons from a 55-square-mile area in Collier County.

But Big Cypress vastness works against it. The preserve was set aside from developers in 1974, but its 729,000 acres makes it larger than Rhode Island. Not only are the pythons scattered far and wide, theyve dug in to hard-to-reach places.

Snakes fitted with transmitters can be spot-checked by aircraft; however, finding them on foot is another story. It often requires a difficult, lengthy hike in high heat under a blazing sun, sometimes walking through swamp water, dealing with mosquitoes and challenging weather. Some places are simply too remote for field staff to reach.

With only two improved roads and a few dozen trails suitable for off-road vehicles, Big Cypress inaccessibility requires any work with pythons be done on foot. Everglades National Park, on the southeast border, is nearly twice as large, 1.5 million acres, and has even fewer roads and trails.

The Everglades is very difficult to get into, and so is Big Cypress, McCollister said. You cant go check on every snake using a helicopter. You cant attract them. Its really challenging.

___

Promising results

Charlie 5s inconspicuous spot was somewhere on Windmill Prairie, about 8 miles north of Monument Lake Campground  more than a miles hike through thick underbrush.

By summers end, that spot will be under 2 feet of standing water, the heat will be insufferable and the mosquitoes will be thick enough to choke a cow.

But the promising Judas snake program is worth the effort, McCollister said.

We have learned a lot from them while locating breeding events, he said. We started the season with only six animals and have grown it to 13, while removing six females.

The snakes are humanely euthanized, he said.

Radio telemetry is a doorway to more technological advancements in removing pythons, but it has a big drawback: Cost in manpower and resources. And transmitters for each snake run about $250 each.

Similar work done in Everglades National Park a few years ago, Josimovich said, put cost estimates around $11,000 per snake mainly due to the need to use helicopters to track them.

We are trying to figure out what are the best ways to improve detection, he said. We still have so much to learn about their basic biology and being able to tap into their physiology and reproductive biology. We want to be able to exploit what is really critically valuable, but we are taking small steps.

McCollister said he is hopeful that state, federal and private partners working on a variety of methods eventually will be successful  whether that means eradicating or just controlling the pythons.

FWC is leading an effort to create an Interagency Python Management Plan, he said. Were doing what we should do, but were behind the 8 ball.

Charlie 5 will help. Fitzgerald and Josimovich drew a blood sample and swabbed his mouth and scaly skin for DNA. They examined his incision where his radio transmitter, about the size of AAA battery, had been inserted.

Then he slinked back into the thick brush. Whether he knew it or not, the non-native Charlie 5 has been a valuable asset to native wildlife. They rely on him to help slow his species invasion.

___

Information from: The Stuart (Fla.) News, http://www.tcpalm.comWOODS CROSS, Utah - About 100 protesters gathered outside a police agency in northern Utah to demand an officer who pulled his gun on a 10-year-old child last week be fired.

The crowd carried Black Lives Matter signs Friday evening and others protesting the incident, including one that said Hey Cops! Dont pull guns at our kids.

The officers actions drew criticism after Jerri Hrubes said the white police officer pulled his gun on her son, DJ, who is black, while he was playing on his grandmothers front lawn June 6 in a state where African Americans make up just 1.4% of the population, according to U.S. Census figures.

Black Lives Matter in Utah founder Lex Scott said her group was inspired to organize the protest after learning the officer would stay on the job.

I do believe it was a hate crime, Scott said. That child was targeted because of his skin colour.

Woods Cross Police Chief Chad Soffe said last Monday that officials dont intend to fire the unidentified officer. He said the officer used good judgment and mistook the boy for a potential suspect during a pursuit of armed suspects.

We want to learn from this, we dont want people to be traumatized by our efforts to protect the community, Soffe said.

Hrubes has said her son had no toys or objects in his hands. The officer told DJ to put his hands in the air and get on the ground and told him not to ask questions. After Jerri Hrubes confronted the officer, he got in his car and left, she said.

Soffe said the officer was part of a group chasing suspects after authorities received reports of a shooting and were told the suspects were black, Hispanic or Polynesian, he said.

Scotts group was joined Friday evening by members of other civil rights advocacy groups, including, Utahns Against Police Brutality and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, though the latter group has not demanded that the officer be fired.

Heather White, an attorney working with the police department, said Friday that the Utah Department of Public Safety will investigate the Woods Cross police officer and evaluate whether he acted with racial bias or unnecessary force and whether any crimes were committed.

Protesters called for more police officer accountability and better training for how to deescalate situations and identify bias.

A lawyer working with Hrubes said the mother is pleased that the state will investigate. But Scott and another protester said they are concerned the investigation wont be fair.

Ive seen hundreds of investigations, and guess whos never found guilty? The police, Jacob Jensen of Utahns Against Police Brutality told the crowd.

Scott said police tend to investigate themselves and find themselves innocent. Its a conflict of interest. Its not OK.NEW YORK - Police were searching Saturday for a retired medical school professor and AIDS researcher from North Carolina who went missing during a marathon swimming race down New Yorks Hudson River.

Authorities say Dr. Charles van der Horst, 67, was reported missing just after 3 p.m. Friday near the George Washington Bridge. Police say a man who was watching from the river bank saw van der Horst disappear and called 911.

The New York City Police Department resumed searching for van der Horst on Saturday after suspending the search late Friday.

Van der Horst was taking part in a multi-stage 120-mile (193-kilometre) race down the Hudson called the 8 Bridges Race. Organizers cancelled Saturdays seventh and final stage of the race.

New York Open Water, the organization that runs the race, said in a statement, Our thoughts are first and foremost with the Van Der Horst family and we ask that all respect their wish for privacy as they mourn this tragic loss.

The group said safety protocols were in place and police were escorting the swimmers.

Van der Horst retired from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill medical school, where his career encompassed clinical medicine, teaching and research. He has served as a consultant helping to implement AIDS treatment and prevention programs in South Africa and as a volunteer physician at a free clinic in Raleigh.

Van der Horst was among more than 900 people arrested at a 2013 demonstration against a North Carolina law that prohibited transgender people from using the public restroom of their choice, the News and Observer reported .

A friend of van der Horst, author Tim Tyson, remembered the arrests Saturday in a public post on Facebook, saying they landed us in the same police van and some other places where our souls proudly touched.

Tyson said many people loved van der Horst for his sweet spirit, his pride in and love for his family, his deep and energetic love of humanity, his well-informed devotion to the common good, his kindness to everyone around him, his zesty embrace of life, his hilarious sense of humour and the absurd, and his unassuming and unflagging willingness to make sacrifices for his most deeply help moral values.

Van der Horst wrote about participating in previous swimming races down the Hudson in a column that appeared in the newspaper last year.

Racing 15 miles in the Hudson River beneath the cliffs of West Point, dwarfed by an oil tanker with its propellers moving whump, whump, whump like some whale in heat, brought perspective as to the vastness of nature, van der Horst wrote.

He wrote that when the waves tossed him like a piece of flotsam he embraced the calm knowledge that I could ride them out despite my primal fears of the immense crushing power.COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A crowd has gathered at the George H.W. Bush presidential centre at Texas A&M University as part of a birthday celebration for the 41st president and his wife Barbara.

Members of the Bush family gathered Saturday to lay a wreath at the couples gravesite. George Bush enjoyed skydiving and 12 of the couples grandchildren were scheduled to skydive later along with military veterans.

Bushs birthday was June 12, 1924, and his wifes was June 8, 1925. Barbara Bush died in April 2018 and George Bush died Nov. 30.

Saturdays gathering followed an event Wednesday when friends and family of the former president recalled his prolific letter writing and marked the first day of issue for a U.S. Postal Service stamp honouring him.CORONA, Calif. - The Latest on a shooting inside a Southern California Costco store (all times local):

8 p.m.

The Corona Police Department says a fatal shooting inside a Costco Wholesale warehouse store Friday night took place after a 32-year-old man attacked an off-duty police officer.

The department says in a statement that Kenneth French of Riverside assaulted the Los Angeles Police Department officer while he was holding his young child. The statement goes on to say that the officer fired his gun, hitting French and two of Frenchs relatives. The department says French was killed. The relatives are in critical conditions at hospitals.

The department says the officer, whose identity is being withheld, was treated and released at a nearby hospital, and the officers child was not injured.

Corona is about 50 miles (81 kilometres) east of downtown Los Angeles.

___

12 p.m.

Southern California police say the off-duty Los Angeles police officer who was injured during a shooting inside a Costco warehouse store discharged his firearm inside the store.

Police from the city of Corona where the shooting happened said they could not confirm Saturday if more than one person had opened fire inside the store in the shooting that left one person dead and three wounded.

Corona Police Officer Tobias Kouroubacalis said no one was in custody Saturday. Officials have not identified the officer, the person who was killed and the wounded.

Los Angeles Police Officer Greg Kraft said Saturday that the officer was treated for minor injuries and released from a hospital.

Kraft said the department has started an investigation, which is normal in incidents involving off-duty officers. He said he did not know details of what happened inside the store.

Corona is about 50 miles (81 kilometres) east of downtown Los Angeles.

___

9:55 a.m.

An off-duty Los Angeles police officer who was injured in a deadly shooting inside a Costco Wholesale store has been treated for minor injuries and released from a hospital.

Los Angeles police Officer Greg Kraft said Saturday he did not know the nature of the officers injury.

The shooting occurred Friday night at a Costco store in Corona, about 50 miles (81 kilometres) east of downtown Los Angeles.

Corona Police Lt. Jeff Edwards says the suspect was arguing with someone when he pulled out a gun and killed the man. Police detained the suspect, who told officers he had been injured and was taken to a hospital. It was not clear how the suspect was injured.

A third person was also taken to a hospital with injuries. Names of the injured and suspect were not released by Corona police.

Police are holding numerous purses, cellphones, backpacks and other personal items left behind by panicked shoppers.

___

9:05 a.m.

Southern California police say a shooting inside a Costco Wholesale store Friday night left one person dead and three people wounded.

The suspect was taken into custody by police in Corona, about 50 miles (80.5 kilometres) east of downtown Los Angeles.

Those injured, which includes an off-duty officer from another agency, were transported to local hospitals in unknown conditions.

Lt. Jeff Edwards says the gunman was arguing with someone when he pulled out a gun and killed the man.

Witnesses described terror and chaos as several shots rang out. Shoppers and employees hid in a refrigerated room or stampeded outside.

Police say the alleged gunman claimed to be injured and was taken to a hospital.

___

10:30 p.m., Friday

Police say a shooting inside a Southern California Costco store has killed one person and wounded two others and the suspect is in custody.

The shooter opened fire Friday night at the store in Corona, about 50 miles (80.5 kilometres) east of downtown Los Angeles.

Lt. Jeff Edwards says the gunman was arguing with someone when he pulled a gun and killed the man. Two other people were wounded.

Witnesses described terror and chaos as several shots rang out. Shoppers and employees hid in a refrigerated room or stampeded outside.

Police say the alleged gunman was taken into custody, claimed to be injured and was taken to a hospital.

The conditions of the wounded werent immediately released.

___

9:00 p.m., Friday

Witnesses say a shooting at a Costco store southeast of Los Angeles sparked a stampede and left several people injured.

Police swarmed the Costco Friday night and several ambulances were also parked outside the store in the city of Corona, about 50 miles (80.5 kilometres) east of downtown Los Angeles.

Witnesses told KCAL-TV that a man with a Mohawk haircut was arguing with a woman with a child inside the store when about eight shots rang out.

One witness says shoppers began stampeding toward exits and he saw three people on stretchers who appeared to have minor injuries.

Its unclear whether any of the injured were shot.

KCAL-TV reported more than 100 people were outside the store. Video also showed a police officer with a gun at the ready checking parked cars.DOVER, N.H. - Bill Weld jokes about not kissing the back of a childs head because he doesnt want to be accused, like Joe Biden, of making people uncomfortable. He tells voters they wouldnt know how obese Americans truly are until they go to county fairs, where those overalls are working overtime. And he believes his opponents policies are trending in the direction of Adolf Hitler.

For now, Weld is the most prominent Republican in revolt, mounting a primary challenge to President Donald Trump.

But in places like New Hampshire, where theres a healthy contingent of Republicans uneasy with Trump, Weld is still a hard sell. As hes toured the state in recent months, the 73-year-olds eccentricities have left Republicans and independents who are cold on the president scratching their head.

(Im) still looking for my white knight, said Fergus Cullen, a former state Republican Party chairman who opposes Trump.

To say Weld, a former governor of Massachusetts, faces an uphill battle would be a dramatic understatement.

The long odds are why other Republicans who have criticized Trump, including Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, havent jumped at overtures to challenge a president who remains popular inside his party.

I dont know how successful the campaign is going to be, but I admire him for being willing to step up, Hogan said.

The people who see Weld speak want to like him, or at least like him more than the man in the White House. But hes still a novelty rather than a viable contender, they say.

Its an exercise in futility, said Wayne Chick, a longtime GOP supporter who says hes sick and tired of Trumps negative rhetoric.

Those loyal to Trump dont spare him their scorn.

Its just going to be a joke, said Dan Chicoine, a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran. Hes not going anyplace.

The heart of Welds campaign depends on New Hampshire because of the ability of independents to vote in the GOP primary. Still, he has fewer resources in New Hampshire than even the longshot Democratic contenders.

As of late May, Weld estimated that only eight staffers work for his campaign. He says his job is to raise money, appear on national TV and campaign in New Hampshire and a handful of other states.

I dont need 25 people as an entourage to do what Im doing these days, Weld said.

He tries to comfort voters by telling stories of his 1990s tenure as governor of Massachusetts. He speaks less about running in the election that sent his opponent to the White House in the first place.

Weld doesnt regret his involvement in the 2016 race as former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnsons running mate on the Libertarian presidential ticket and dismisses any blame for Trump getting elected.

Johnson, who has ruled out running for president again in 2020, doesnt begrudge his former running mates presidential run and return to the GOP.

Hey, by proxy I get to debate Trump through Weld, Johnson said.

Welds sporadic New Hampshire campaign has taken him to a house party of fewer than 30 people where he rested his weight on a creaky banister as his wife gently prodded him from the back of the room about topics he may be forgetting. And its taken him in front of baseball fans where he turned a troubling shade of red shaking hands outside a minor league game.

But the voters Weld needs, the independents who he thinks give him a path to victory, arent going to see him speak. Theyre watching the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates instead.

Mary Tanzer, a 60-year-old doctor and independent voter, voted for Kasich in the 2016 GOP primary and isnt moved by Welds attempt.

Im not really crazy about him, she said, leaving a Democratic event. If I thought there was a chance (Weld) could win, I would probably vote in the Republican primary and vote against Donald Trump.

Former small-business owner Jay Buckley, 66, has held out hope for Kasich, the man he voted for in the 2016 GOP primary. He voted for Hillary Clinton over Trump in the general election and spent a recent Sunday watching Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro speak.

Im not crazy about Bill Weld, Buckley said. I wish somebody really good would challenge Trump.ABBOTSFORD, B.C.When I was growing up, we did not celebrate Fathers Day or Mothers Day in my family. My parents were immigrants from England, and they viewed these days as faux American holidays.

But last year, Fathers Day was infused with new meaning for me. On that day, my mother, sister and I commenced a 48-hour bedside vigil for my father.

Last spring, around the time of my parents 61st anniversary at the beginning of May, my father started complaining about a sore back. He visited his family doctor a couple of times and the hospital emergency room once, but the doctors couldnt identify the source of the problem. He was told to take Tylenol as needed. When the pain worsened, he was given stronger painkillers.

On Monday, June 11, six days before Fathers Day, my father could barely stand because he was in so much pain. My mother called an ambulance, and by the end of the day the doctors had diagnosed him with metastatic liver cancer. On Tuesday, he had a biopsy in order to better assess his condition.

Although my father was heavily medicated, he was completely lucid at this time. As a retired biology professor, he fully understood his medical situation.

On Wednesday, before the results of the biopsy were known, my father spoke to a social worker and clearly expressed his desire to have medical assistance in dying. The hospital administration was notified of my fathers request.

On Thursday, a very kind and compassionate doctor discussed the legal and medical process of assisted dying with my father. He clearly met the criteria for assisted dying: His death was reasonably imminent, and he was completely cogent. On Friday, he requested assisted dying in writing on the proper legal forms, duly witnessed by two nurses.

Under the law for assisted dying, he would have to be assessed by a second doctor. There is also a 10-day waiting period from the time of the formal request before the procedure can be performed, although this waiting period can be reduced if a patient is about to die or lose their capacity to consent.

Two days later, on Fathers Day, my mother and I went to pick some flowers for him. Irises. His favourites. When we got to the hospital, he was very weak but he recognized us and loved the flowers. Then he asked us to leave. Like a wounded animal, he wanted to slink away to a secluded spot to die alone.

We of course had no intention of leaving him alone, but I was very concerned about his rapidly deteriorating condition. I did not want him to slip unconscious and thereby forfeit his right to assisted dying. I immediately spoke to his nurse and asked her to find the doctor for us.

When the doctor finally came into the room, my father was extremely weak but still lucid. However, because it was a Sunday, there was no one in my fathers little hospital who could assist him in dying.

My mother, sister and I spent the night by his side taking turns holding his hand. By Monday morning, it was too late. He was no longer lucid. He was not in a position to request assisted dying.

All we could do was sit by his side, hold his hand and whisper in his ear as the nurses injected him with increasing doses of morphine. His breathing appeared to stop a number of times, and we would all express our love for him and say our goodbyes, but after 10, 15 or even 20 seconds, he would gasp again and keep going.

We spent another night at his bedside. In the morning, the nurses attempted to make him more comfortable. As they rolled him from one side to the other, he cried feebly but audibly: Help. It was the last word he ever said. He died later that morning with his eyes open, gazing at my mother, the love of his life.

My father did not die on Fathers Day, but he should have. He was clearly dying, he was clearly lucid that day and he had clearly expressed his wish for assisted dying to the appropriate authorities  but he was not able to exercise his right to assisted dying because of the bureaucratic and plodding nature of the rules and the very limited conditions under which the procedure can be legally administered.

Instead of dying quickly, painlessly and peacefully, he was forced to endure 48 hours of agony. Its time we re-examine this system, with an eye toward making sure we put compassion and dignity ahead of rigid regulations.

As far as I am concerned, my father died on Fathers Day. That was the day he slipped away from us. So for me Fathers Day is no longer a faux holiday. It is a day to commemorate a truly wonderful dad.

Malcolm Telford lived the last years of his life happily in a quaint town nestled along the shores of Lake Ontario. Hamish Telford lives in Abbotsford, B.C.

Read more about:Canadas so-called Free Willy bill was finally passed by Parliament this past week. And finally is the operative word.

Bill S-203, introduced by now-retired Liberal Sen. Wilfred Moore, took four long years from start to finish to clear Parliament  even though it should not have been the slightest bit controversial.

It will ban the importation of whales and dolphins into Canada, as well as breeding them here for the purpose of putting these creatures on display to do tricks for tourists.

Thats surely something everyone can agree on. Marineland in Niagara Falls is the only facility in the country that still believes its OK to keep such intelligent mammals penned up in pools.

If not for some Conservative senators who used every procedural tactic imaginable to stall it in the Upper Chamber for more than three years, the bill would have been quickly passed.

Still, the bigger problem isnt partisanship. Canada already had a reputation for dragging its feet on animal rights long before Bill S-203 was introduced back in 2015. While the Free Willy bill passed by the skin of its teeth on Monday, too many other attempts to strengthen protections for animals have been left to die on the order paper or are defeated in the House of Commons.

Consider, for example, three other bills aimed at curbing cruelty to animals that have been introduced since the last election. One was defeated and the other two are destined to die when the House rises on June 21.

Whats at play? Partisanship is only part of it. Intense lobbying efforts by powerful foes of any animal rights bills comes into play. And then theres sheer ignorance on the part of some MPs and senators.

For example, the Senate held up a bill by Conservative Sen. Carolyn Stewart Olsen, known as S-214, aimed at banning cruel and often unnecessary animal tests in the development of cosmetics, for three long years, although it too should not have been controversial.

Indeed, many leading cosmetic brands  such as the Body Shop, which backed the bill  already ban animal testing. Nor is the notion of banning the sale of animal-tested cosmetics new. Its been in place in the European Union since 2013.

So why did the Senate stall it?

Three years ago, when Stewart Olsen was asked that question by the Stars Thomas Walkom, she ventured that some legislators believe anything benefiting non-humans represents the thin edge of a wedge that must be countered lest it lead to rampant veganism.

If that sounds strange, consider the opposition to Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smiths Bill C-246, the Modernizing Animal Protection Act.

It would have, among other things, banned the importation and sale of dog and cat fur and strengthened existing laws against animal cruelty by defining bestiality and prohibiting the training and breeding animals for fighting.

So how did such a bill end up being defeated in the House only months after it was introduced?

It didnt help that there was opposition from both sides of the House from MPs who had over-the-top reactions along the lines that Stewart Olsen described. Conservative MP Robert Sopuck, for example, actually claimed it would threaten  all animal use in Canada, while Liberal David de Burgh added, I do not believe tens of thousands of my constituents should risk prison for feeding their families.

Then theres Bill S-238, introduced in 2017 by Conservative Sen. Michael MacDonald. It would have banned the importation of shark fins, used to make a soup sold in some Asian restaurants. (Erskine-Smiths bill also would have banned this.)

The practice of finning sharks, after all, has been illegal in Canadian waters since 1994. And for good reason: it involves cutting the fins off living sharks and then throwing them back into the ocean. Unable to swim, the sharks sink to the bottom and die of suffocation or are killed by predators.

Still, the sale and importation of shark fins remains legal.

Thats despite the fact that at least 17 Canadian municipalities have banned the sale of shark fins and related products. (Toronto voted to do so in 2011, but an Ontario Superior Court Judge overturned the ban.)

Yet even this bill is not likely to make it through this session of Parliament.

Animal rights groups, the Green party and others cheered this week when the Free Willy bill finally became law. And it received widespread favourable coverage for Canada in international media.

But the disappointing reality is that our Parliament is too often the place where attempts to improve animal welfare go to die. MPs and Senators from all parties should vow to do much better after the next election.OTTAWAAfter the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1992, Bob Rae got booed by thousands of rowdy fans during the teams championship celebration. So when the Jays clinched the title again the following year, Ontarios NDP premier went back with a plan.

At that point, I was not the most revered figure in public life, Rae recalled over the phone on Friday.

I was reflecting on what to do, because Id been invited by the team to come, like all the politicians, Rae said. I have a very good friend He says, Get your kids to make a sign.

Rae brought it with him to the SkyDome that October day in 1993, and when the time came for him to stand and wave as an attending dignitary, he heard those familiar boos bubbling up from the crowd in the stadium. Then he held up the sign and  wouldnt you know it  the boos morphed into hoots and hollers of approval.

The sign said: No speech today. Hooray for the Jays.

Rae chuckled at the memory. Id managed to figure out a way to get people to cheer, he said.

Politicians may want to take heed of that feat, as the nation is once again gripped in the collective exuberance of a momentous victory. The Toronto Raptors won the NBA championship for the first time in franchise history Thursday night.

Throughout the playoffs, politicians of all stripes have made shows of support for the Raptors. Some have worn jerseys on Parliament Hill, while Toronto Mayor John Tory cant seem to take off his gold and black Raptor claw blazer.

Even more had climbed aboard the bandwagon online. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer have posted photos of themselves watching games with their families. After Thursdays championship-clinching Game 6, dozens of MPs posted messages of congratulations, their tweets adorned with requisite hashtags like #WeTheNorth and #WeTheChamps.

But while many would expect their political leaders  as representatives of the people and figureheads of our communities  to champion the champions in the public arena, theres also a risk that, in doing so, politicians open themselves up to ridicule or criticism that theyre trying to latch onto the euphoria for their own gain.

Its littered with foolishness and embarrassment, said Moshe Lander, a professor at Concordia University. They want to be of the people, with the people, and the fact is theyre just not.

Melanie Richer, the federal NDPs director of communications, said there are risks when sending your party leader to a major sporting event or celebration. She remembers the 2015 election, when NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair attended a Jays game during the teams playoff run. It was one of the games they lost with a prominent politician in attendance, leading to the half-serious superstitious talk of a politicians curse.

Current NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, however, has deep roots in the Toronto area, and is a bona fide Raptors fan, Richer said. A friend invited him to join him for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when the Raptors buried the Milwaukee Bucks and advanced to the championship round. The team also asked him to attend Mondays victory parade in Toronto, and Singh plans to be there in the special guest section along the route, Richer said.

Jagmeet is well known, so were always mindful about sending him places and taking away from whats happening, she said. But something like the parade... thats a great moment to just celebrate with people, this super-cool win.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford seemed to make a similar case Friday when he told Citytv that he wants to join the celebration but would avoid taking part in the parade on Monday because This is all about the Raptors. Scheer, the federal Tory leader, also plans to watch the parade but wont try to march in it, his office said Friday.

Meanwhile, speculation is whirling about whether the Raptors will take part in the ritual of visiting the White House as this years NBA champions. Under President Donald Trump, some athletes have refused to take part in the American tradition, but for Canadas NBA squad theres the added question of whether theyll even be invited since they hail from a city outside the U.S.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson posted on social media Friday that the Raptors should just come to Canadas capital instead.

Forget the White House for a victory lap, Watson wrote. Come to Ottawa and Parliament Hill so Canada can congratulate you!

Trudeaus office would not confirm Friday whether the prime minister will invite the Raptors, but earlier this week, one of his spokespeople said they would be honoured to do so.

Having been through all this before, Rae said his advice for todays political leaders would be to steer clear of the celebrations unless absolutely required.

The important thing for politicians to remember at these occasions is its not about them, he said. Its about the team.

Read more:

You finally got yours. NBA players congratulate Raptors on social media

Someone gave Torontos mayor a claw-print Raptors blazer. Now he cant take it off

Throwback Thursday: One million people pack downtown Toronto to revel in Blue Jays big win

Read more about:OTTAWA Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads to Washington next week with a key aim: to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump it is in Americas own interests to stand up for the release of two Canadians jailed on security allegations in China.

Trudeau travels to Washington Wednesday evening with a to-do list that includes nailing down the timing for the ratification of the new NAFTA deal, preventing U.S. tariffs on Canadian uranium exports, and easing U.S. barriers to Canadian softwood lumber, according to senior government officials.

But most urgent is the need to persuade Trump to personally take up with Chinese President Xi Jinping the fight for the release of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor.

According to top officials who spoke to the Star, the prime minister is looking to have frank positive discussions with Trump about Chinas threats to Canada, seen as retaliation for Canadas co-operation with an American extradition request seeking the arrest of a Huawei executive who passed through Vancouver last December.

It was Trudeau who asked for the bilateral meeting with Trump ahead of G20 meetings in Japan in two weeks.

Trudeau privately believes Trump will understand arguments that Washington needs to stand up for its allies, especially small loyal ones like Canada because Beijing is looking to divide American-led alliances as it vies to undermine or supplant the U.S as a leading superpower.

Read more:

Opinion | David Olive: China needs to pay a heavy price for its treatment of Canadians

Blindfolds, sleep deprivation and interrogations could be the new daily life of two Canadians missing in China, says a man who lived it

China formally arrested Canadians detained for months following Huawei CFOs arrest in December

In essence, Trudeaus pitch to Trump is that he cannot allow China to believe America is so weak it is prepared to abandon its allies.

What on earth do you think China thinks, if you wont even stand up for Canada of all countries? is the way it was described to the Star.

The day-and-a-half trip is being billed as a low-key working visit.

Trump and the Canadian prime minister  who recently hosted Trumps Vice-President Mike Pence in Ottawa  are expected to meet at the Oval Office.

Their talk may carry over into a luncheon, and the prime minister may seek to meet with Congressional leaders to determine the prospects for a summertime ratification of the new North American free trade pact.

The Trudeau government says it wants to ratify the new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement in tandem with its other partners. But it may have to recall Parliament in early August to do so because MPs are set to leave next week for the summer recess. And there are no signs that Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, who are pressing for improvements on labour and environmental protections, will allow the deal to come to a vote soon.

So the stakes, even for a low-key meeting are high.

Although they have met at other international summits, Trump and Trudeau have not had a full bilateral face-to-face discussion since last years disastrous G7 encounter in Charlevoix.

That meeting started well but exploded in a flurry of Trump tweet-insults aimed at Trudeau over NAFTA renegotiations.

The chill that set in on Canada-U.S. relations thawed slightly at a NATO summit the following July, according to a senior Canadian official, and Trudeau has privately downplayed tensions.

But with the fate of two Canadians jailed on security allegations in China, two others on death row, and Chinese restrictions on Canadian canola, pork, beef exports  all widely seen as retaliation for the RCMP arrest last fall of Meng Wanzhou, Trudeau is keen to press Trump to take up Canadas cause in any face-to-face meeting in Japan that the U.S. President takes with Chinas leader, Xi Jinping.

David Mulroney, a former Canadian ambassador in Beijing, suggests this is a real and serious approach that the Canadian prime minister can make.

Over the past decade, Mulroney says, there have been very persistent efforts by China to influence core U.S. allies or at least render them ambivalent at a time when the U.S. might seek their support.

Thats something the Americans should pay attention to, said Mulroney. There is a U.S. angle for pushing back against China too; you dont want to see your allies disaffected, you dont want to see your allies split away from you, you want to prevent that from happening.

How he (Trump) does this remains to be seen, acknowledged Mulroney.

But I think the first job is to ensure that the Americans see its in their interests to see these Canadians go free and its in their interests to see hostage diplomacy eliminated as a tool that China can use to intimidate countries, in particular countries that are close allies of the United States.

Another former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said however that in order for it to be successful, Trump would have to be forceful in his overtures to China, threaten consequences if they dont stop harassing Canadians, and they dont free the two Canadians, but Im not sure that hes displayed in the past a sense of magnanimity or generosity towards Canada.

Read more about:VANCOUVERA former Liberal environment minister is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus cabinet to reject the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, arguing there is no economic basis for the project.

David Anderson, who served 10 years in the cabinets of prime ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, sent letters to six members of Trudeaus cabinet this week asking them to dismiss the pipeline proposal.

There is no credible evidence to suggest that Asia is likely to be a reliable or a significant market for Alberta bitumen, Anderson wrote in the letter dated June 11.

Cabinet is expected to announce its decision on the expansion of the Alberta-to-B.C. pipeline by Tuesday. Given that Trudeaus government bought the pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion, its widely anticipated to give it the green light.

Anderson holds a law degree and served eight of his 10 years in cabinet as the senior federal minister for British Columbia. While he was environment minister in 2002, Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. He is now an honorary director of West Coast Environmental Law and has previously spoken out against the Trans Mountain project.

His letter doesnt focus on the climate and environmental impacts of the expansion. Instead, he took aim at the economic argument for the project, which he described as the perceived need for a pipeline connection with tidewater in order to sell Alberta bitumen in Asian markets, where, so it is claimed, it would find new purchasers.

Read more:

The Trans Mountain pipeline projects day of reckoning is near. Heres what you need to know

Vancouverites review Albertas $1.1 million Trans Mountain ad campaign: It will be destroying the environment

Meet the self-described sinister seniors taking a stand against Trans Mountain  and going to jail for it

With respect, you and other government ministers have yet to provide evidence in support of that hope, he wrote.

Anderson wrote that Asian refineries have better supply options than Alberta. Compared with conventional light and medium crude oil from Nigeria and the Middle East, Alberta bitumen is expensive to produce, hard to handle and provides no security of supply advantages, he said.

Further, he said despite access to tidewater through unused pipeline capacity in the existing system and through American Gulf of Mexico ports, Albertas bitumen has not found or developed any significant offshore market in Asia or anywhere else.

Why? Because buyers are few and far between. That remains the situation today, and there is little to suggest it will change in the future. Building a new pipeline will not change the market.

Canadas two major competitors are Venezuela and Mexico and theyve faced the same low demand and low prices that have eroded the value of Alberta bitumen, he added.

Anderson said in an interview that he sent the letter because he is a Liberal and felt the government needed to be reminded that it had not made a business case for the project. He said no one had responded.

Youd think the people who own the pipeline, the Canadian taxpayers, should be informed of what their asset is likely to bring in, he said.

Trans Mountain Corp. has said the expansion will inject $7.4 billion into Canadas economy, boost federal and provincial tax coffers by $46.7 billion and increase revenues for producers by $73.5 billion over 20 years.

Trevor Tombe, an associate economics professor at the University of Calgary, said its true that Alberta bitumen is more difficult to refine but thats reflected in the cheaper price.

Producers in Alberta are confident there will be demand and have made contractual commitments to ship through the expanded pipeline, he said. Further, he said all forecasts, including the National Energy Boards assessment, predict increased oil production in the province.

The only question around the economics of the pipeline that matters is will there be barrels shipped in it, not where those barrels go. That will potentially even change from one year to the next, he said, adding the United States and British Columbia are other possible markets.

An often-cited argument for the expansion is that Albertas prices are lower because it can only currently access U.S. markets. But Tombe argued the issue isnt that America is exercising market power, its that Alberta is using high-cost transportation options including rail and truck.

It is cheaper to ship by pipe than by rail. Full stop, Tombe said.

The largest single demand source for heavy crude remains the United States, but the fastest-growing market is Asia, said Kevin Birn, a North America crude oil market analyst at IHS Markit.

People sometimes refer to Asia as code for China, but the continent is an immense market containing India, Japan, Korea and others and its looking for a variety of crude, both in terms of quality and geographic source, he said.

Refineries can be reconfigured to process different oil types but its hard to justify doing so for Alberta crude if they cant get it on a consistent basis, he added.

In the absence of having meaningful export capacity, there is no market for Canadian crude. But if there is meaningful export capacity, there is a market for Canadian crude.

Read more about:If you're looking to escape to the tropics, head to San Juan, Puerto Rico, the destination with the top spot on the New York Times' list of places to visit in 2019. The island's capital and largest city faces the Atlantic Ocean, and it has plenty to offer. Plan to visit both the Isla Verde resort strip, known for its bars, nightclubs and casinos and Old San Juan, which features colorful Spanish colonial buildings, cobble-stoned streets and 16th-century landmarks. There are also the Paseo de la Princesa bayside promenade, a number of imposing fortresses and the close proximity to El Yunque National Forest, all of which are worth visiting.

Using travel site Skyscanner, weve sifted through the cheapest flights between Houston and San Juan in the next few months, including some top-rated hotel options and highly reviewed local attractions. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Cheapest San Juan flights

Currently, the cheapest flights between Houston and San Juan are if you leave on Aug. 11 and return from Puerto Rico on Aug. 17. Delta currently has roundtrip, nonstop tickets for $259.

There are also deals to be had later in August. If you fly out of Houston on Aug. 12 and return from San Juan on Aug. 15, United can get you there and back for $438 roundtrip.

Top San Juan hotels

To plan your accommodations, here are some of San Juans top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Hotel El Convento (100 Cristo St. Old, San Juan)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Hotel El Convento. The hotel has a 4.9-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $280.

This boutique hotel is located in the historical district, near the Museo del Nino's, San Juan Cathedral and the Puerta de San Juan.

The Marriott San Juan Resort & Stellaris Casino (1309 Ashford Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.7-star rated The Marriott San Juan Resort & Stellaris Casino, which has rooms for $261/night.

This beachfront resort is close to the Plaza del Mercado and Condado Beach.

The La Concha Resort: A Renaissance Hotel (1077 Ashford Ave.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

A third option is The La Concha Resort: A Renaissance Hotel. The 4.6-star hotel has rooms for $209/night.

Top picks for dining and drinking

San Juan has plenty of top-notch dining options. Here are a few of the most popular, according to Skyscanner.

Santaella (219 Calle Canals)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking for a local favorite, head to Santaella, which has an average of five stars out of 10 reviews on Skyscanner.

"Santaella celebrates the roots of the island and incorporates techniques, flavors and fusions from around the world into its food," wrote puertorico-rentals.com.

El Jibarito (280 Calle Sol)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is El Jibarito, with 4.9 stars from 12 reviews.

"This is San Juan dining at its best," wrote visitor Aaron.

Marmalade Restaurant & Wine Bar (317 Calle Fortaleza)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, there's the Marmalade Restaurant & Wine Bar. It has 4.8 stars from 19 reviews.

"You have to try the white bean soup. It is truly amazing!" wrote Jani.

What to see and do in San Juan

Not sure what to do in San Juan, besides eat and drink? Here are two recommendations, provided by Skyscanner.

Old San Juan (San Juan)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

First up is Old San Juan. It has 4.9 stars from 152 reviews.

"There's a lot to do here. I highly recommend coming here if you're interested in learning about history, local food, museums and much more!" wrote Sofia.

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (501 Calle Norzagaray)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The Castillo San Felipe del Morro is another popular destination, with 4.7 stars from 123 reviews.

Constructed in 1540, this six-story fort hides a warren of prison cells, barracks and hallways, and was attacked on many occasions by both English and Dutch forces. It is listed in the National Historic Register.

This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Members of the largest state employee union would receive 11.5 percent pay increases over the next four years if members approve a proposed new contract with the state.

In addition, members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees will receive a one-time stipend of up to $2,500 that will go into effect when the contract is ratified, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by The State Journal-Register.

As part of the tentative agreement, AFSCME members will pay more for health insurance, but they are being told the increases are substantially lower than the increases that were being sought by former Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The union also said the agreement strengthens restrictions on mandatory overtime and maintains current provisions about subcontracting. Rauner wanted to increase the use of outsourcing of state work.

State negotiators and AFSCME reached a tentative agreement on a new contract in late May. The union hasnt had a contract with the state since June 30, 2015. The tentative agreement would be in effect until June 30, 2023.

The deal does not provide an immediate pay raise. Instead, union members will get a stipend of $2,500 if the contract is ratified. The stipend is prorated by 25 percent from the time the last contract expired. An employee who worked all four years would get the full $2,500. One who only worked for three of the last four years would get 75 percent of that amount and so on.

The first general raise of 1.5 percent would go into effect Jan. 1, 2020. Another 2.1 percent would go into effect July 1, 2020.

On July 1, 2021 another 3.95 percent raise will take effect. A final increase of 3.95 percent happens July 1, 2022. Compounded, the raises amount to 11.98 percent over the life of the contract.

Workers will pay more for health insurance costs, both for premiums and co-payments. The state offers multiple health insurance plans and under the AFSCME contract workers with higher incomes pay more for insurance than those with lower incomes.

In materials distributed to employees, the union said premiums will increase by a composite of $13 a month for employee coverage and $18 a month for dependent coverage starting on Jan. 1, 2020. They will increase each year by the same amount for the life of the contract.

It is the first increase in premiums or out of pocket health costs in four years. Insurance costs were not increased during the contract standoff with Rauner. AFSCME said Rauner was seeking premium increases of 120 percent and other changes that would have put Illinois state health insurance benefits near the bottom of those in any state.

AFSCME declined to comment about the contract details. The Pritzker administration stuck by a statement it issued when the tentative agreement was reached that the proposed contract will be accommodated in the budget and that it is consistent with my long-term plans to stabilize Illinois finances.

AFSCMEs 40,000 members are being told of the contracts details in a series of meetings being held around the state. The final ratification votes will be held by June 21.Two men were given prison terms for smuggling endangered European eels.

Customs officials found 30kg of European eels in the check-in suitcases of a local man and an Austrian man at the airport on December 1, 2018.

They arrived from Lisbon, Portugal, via Moscow, Russia.

The 60-year-old traveller was convicted at the District Court on June 11 and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, while the 24-year-old local man was convicted today and was sentenced to six months behind bars.

European eels are listed in Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora, and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals & Plants Ordinance in Hong Kong.

Anyone importing, exporting or possessing endangered species specimens not in accordance with the ordinance is liable to a $10 million fine and 10 years imprisonment.

Call 1823 or click here to enquire about endangered species control or to report suspected irregularities.Illinois largest state employee union is poised to keep its workers among the highest-paid state employees in the nation  with wages surpassing the average private-sector employee in the state  under the terms of a pending four-year contract deal.

The AFSCME Council 31 union never came to terms on a new contract with former Gov. Bruce Rauner, as it fought with the Rauner administration over issues in the courts after a request for an impasse declaration. The union endorsed Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the 2018 election. That endorsement could soon pay off, according to details from the four-year contract.

Leaked contract details obtained by The Center Square Illinois show state employees in the AFSCME bargaining unit would get 11.5% more in pay raises over four years. Union members would have to contribute more to the cost of their health care plans. This would be the unions first contract in four years. Union officials didnt immediately return messages seeking comment Friday.

Illinois Policy Institute staff attorney Mailee Smith said the total cost of the contract was not yet known. However, she said any savings from the proposed increase in state employee contributions to their healthcare costs would be offset by a proposed $2,500 stipend for each employee, depending on tenure.

The estimated savings of $29 million that those slightly increased contributions will save, thats completely wiped out by the $2,500 stipend, which will cost taxpayers $95 million, Smith said.

A summary of the contract showed the health insurance increases for employees are between $13 to $18 per month, and increase each year by the same amount for the life of the contract.

Union employees would get a 1.5% pay raise in the first year and a 2.1% increase in the second year. Employees would get 3.95% raises in the final two years of the contract, leading into the 2022 election for governor.

Smith said the contract the union is set to ratify with a governor it endorsed showed more of the same in Illinois.

The playing field in Illinois is rigged against the taxpayers in favor of the unions when it comes to contract negotiations, Smith said.

The Institute said Bureau of Economic Analysis data showed Illinois state workers earn on average more than $90,000. When benefits, including pensions, are included, total compensation for state workers was more than $30,000 higher than the average private sector workers total compensation.

Illinois state workers make 18% more in total annual compensation than the average state worker nationwide. Illinois ranked second highest in terms of average wages and salaries per state employee, the Institute said.

The contract would bring back full funding for the Upward Mobility Program, which pays for some higher education costs for eligible employees.

Theres also a prohibition of the employer providing any information pertaining to bargaining unit employees to any third-party entity unless required to do so by law.

Dental premiums would increase by $1 a month in the last three years of the contract. Retirees with at least 20 years of service wouldnt pay premiums for health care coverage.

The contract outline said there was no weakening of limits on privatization, no reduction in overtime pay, no reductions in holiday pay, no diminishment of existing layoff protections, and no weakening of seniority as a factor in promotions.

Maternity and paternity leave would increase to 10 weeks with pay.

If both parents are employees of the state, they will now each be entitled to the full leave, which can be taken either consecutive or concurrently, instead of having to split one paid leave, making Illinois a leader in family-friendly policies, according to the outline.

I urge you to vote to ratify this agreement as your Bargaining Committee has unanimously recommended, AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch wrote in the outline.

AFSCME unit members with voting authority could ratify the deal within the next few weeks.Hong Kong Observatory Director Shun Chi-ming has been elected co-Vice-President of the Commission for Weather, Climate, Water & Related Environmental Services & Applications.

He was elected to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) post at the 18th World Meteorological Congress being held in Geneva, Switzerland.

The commission is one of the two new ones established by the WMO, as part of its governance reform, to consolidate the existing eight technical commissions.

It contributes to the development and implementation of globally harmonised weather, climate, water, ocean and environment-related services and applications, to enable informed decision-making and realisation of socio-economic benefits by all user communities and society as a whole.

Mr Chun said it was a great honour to serve as the commission's co-Vice-President.

Having actively participated in the work of the WMO in the past two decades, I look forward to making further contributions to the WMO through my service to the new commission.

He added that he looked forward to devoting his best efforts to further strengthen Hong Kongs co-operation with the WMO to enhance meteorological services provision for the benefit of Hong Kong and the international community.

Mr Shun served as Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology President from 2010 to 2018, the first Asian to take up this WMO position.The spectacular alpine region of the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland has proved the inspiration behind many timeless poems, novels and even films.

Two and a half hours from Zurich airport by train, the Bernese Oberland has, for centuries, spurred writers from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, JRR Tolkien and Lord Byron to Johann Goethe and Ian Fleming to reach for their pens and rhapsodise about the most breathtaking mountainous area on the continent.

Here are the top 10 places in the Bernese Oberland that have inspired the literary greats. Miss them at your peril!

1. The Reichenbach Falls

Perhaps the most celebrated literary location in the Alps, the Reichenbach Falls in the Hasli Valley is where Conan Doyle set the climactic struggle between the world-famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his arch nemesis, Professor James Moriarty.

The dramatic fight saw them both plunge into the ferocious waterfall to a (seemingly) certain death. Much to Dr Watsons shock, Holmes miraculously reappeared in London three years later.

Standing at the top of the awe-inspiring 250-metre-high waterfall, it is very easy to see how it fired up the authors imagination. If you fell into what Watson memorably described as the dreadful cauldron, there would be no chance of you coming back.

The Reichenbach Falls is now a site of pilgrimage for Sherlock fans from every corner of the globe. Every year the Sherlock Holmes Society meets in full period costume on 4 May, the day Sherlock died, to commemorate their hero.

2. Meiringen

In 1891 Conan Doyle spent several days at the Hotel des Alpes in Meiringen, which commands a fabulous view of the waterfall. It is here that he found his inspiration for the climactic scene of The Final Problem, which was published two years later.

In the story, Holmes and Watson spend the night before his death in the Englischer Hof Hotel in Meiringen. Holmess presence in the pretty Alpine village  which also claims to be the place where the egg-based dessert, meringue, was invented  has been memorialised with a pub called the Sherlock Lounge, a statue of the great sleuth, a type of fondue (!) and only the second Sherlock Holmes Museum in the world (after the one in Baker Street in London.) The museum in Meiringen is notable for its exact reconstruction of Holmes and Watsons sitting room.

3. The Lauterbrunnen Valley

Tolkien visited the astonishing Lauterbrunnen Valley in 1911. With its sheer cliff walls and 72 thunderous waterfalls, it possesses a compelling, primal beauty.

Many people imagine that Tolkien was inspired by New Zealand, which provided such a splendid backdrop in Peter Jacksons films, but in fact he utilised the Alps as the basis for his fictional Middle Earth.

It is no surprise that the author employed the ethereal Lauterbrunnen Valley as the model for the heavenly Rivendell, the home of Elrond and his council, in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

4. The Jungfrau Mountain Range

The three mighty peaks overlooking Lauterbrunnen Valley inspired Tolkien for his creation of the epic 4000-metre-high mountains above Khazad-dum, the dwarf colony in The Lord of the Rings.

In the book, the Silberhorn is referred to as Silvertine or Celebdil, the Rottalhorn is called Caradhras and the magnificent Jungfrau is named Fanuidhol or Cloudyhead, as its summit is shrouded in clouds.

When he departed the region, Tolkien wrote that, I left the view of Jungfrau with deep regret. The peaks also feature in JK Rowlings 2018 Harry Potter prequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (a name taken from a nearby Swiss Alpine village.)

5. The Jungfrau Railway

During the summer of 1911, Tolkien also witnessed the construction of the astounding Jungfrau Railway. He saw the workers drilling an incredible 7 km tunnel through the north face of the Eiger and the neighbouring mountain, Moench.

The Jungfraujoch, the terminus at the summit, sits at 3454 m above sea level and is the highest train station in Europe. Tolkien transposed the amazing construction of the Jungfrau Railway to the interlaced tunnels of the Mines of Moria in The Lord of the Rings.

6. Piz Gloria

One of the most famous James Bond villains lairs is the Piz Gloria at the top of the Schilthorn mountain in Muerren. This is Ernst Blofelds Alpine hideaway in the book and film of On Her Majestys Secret Service.

Also read: Piz Gloria and James Bond

007 (played by George Lazenby, in his only outing in the role) goes undercover and infiltrates the allergy clinic which is a front for Blofeleds HQ. However, Bonds cover is blown when he is caught seducing women!

The building was only half finished when it was spotted by the movies location scouts, and the producers paid for it to be completed so they could use it in the film. Standing at nearly 3000 metres above sea level, the Piz Gloria is now one of the worlds highest revolving restaurants, and features a permanent 007 exhibition.

What do the staff at the Piz Gloria say to you when you arrive? We have been expecting you, Mr Rampton.

7. Lauterbrunnen Village

The village of Lauterbrunnen was also the location for many celebrated scenes from the 1969 Bond movie, including sequences involving a stock car race, an ice rink, a telephone box and a railway station.

The village also inspired the visiting Byron to write the poem, Manfred: No eyes but mine now drink this sight of loveliness; I should be sole in the sweet solitude, and with the spirit of the place divide.

8. The Staubbach Falls

Lauterbrunnen village is the site of The Staubbach Falls as well. Falling from some 300 metres, this dazzling cataract is the highest free flowing waterfall in Switzerland. In the summer, warm winds agitate the waters so that they swirl in all directions. These sunlit droplets give the waterfall its name, as the word Staub means dust in German.

Goethe came to the waterfall in 1779 and was so moved that he wrote a poem, Gesang der Geister ueber den Wassern (Spirit Song About the Waters), that made it world-famous.

A classic of German culture, the poem acted like an 18th-century Instagram post and drew visitors from all over the globe. The poem is now inscribed on a stone at the foot of the waterfall.

9. Grosse Scheidegg

Goethe also wrote memorably about Grosse Scheidegg, a majestic mountain pass reachable via a long track uphill from Grindelwald.

The poet came to the Jungfrau region in 1779 to escape from romantic woes back in Germany. He spent four weeks trekking in the area and particularly loved Grosse Scheidegg. He wrote a lot about the fearsome peaks that tower above it, the Wetterhorn and the Schreckhorn.

The latter translates as Terror Mountain, which sounds about right! In addition, Goethe waxed lyrical about the nearby Eiger, also the location of a rather less highbrow work of art, the 1975 movie, The Eiger Sanction starring Clint Eastwood.

10. Hotel Rosenlaui

Goethe got about a bit in the Bernese Oberland. He also stayed at the renowned Hotel Rosenlaui, right by the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge. This remote hotel a few miles outside Meiringen has over the past two and a half centuries also played host to an array of other literary greats, including Conan Doyle, Tolstoy, Mark Twain and Friedrich Nietzsche.

In The Final Problem, Holmes and Watson reserve rooms there (although, sadly, Holmes never gets to enjoy its charms). Hotel Rosenlaui is a gorgeous Belle Epoque establishment with more than a hint of Hotel Grand Budapest about it.

Set in a far-flung location in the smallest village in Switzerland, it is the perfect place for a digital detox with no phone signal, wifi or running water in the rooms. It is that very tranquillity which appealed to Tolstoy, who stayed there while recovering from the trauma of witnessing a man being guillotined in Paris.

Fact File:

FLY: Swiss Airlines fly from London to Zurich from 51 per person. For more information, visit swiss.com or call 0345 601 0956.

From Zurich airport, its a 2.5 hour train journey to Lauterbrunnen. For more information, visit www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk or call Switzerland Travel Centre on 00800 100 200 30.

STAY: Hotel Rosenlaui 387, Bern 3860. Room rates start at CHF 125 per person per night and include the evening meal and bus ticket. Visit www.rosenlaui.ch

MORE INFO: visit My Switzerland



[...]

One thing Reid did throw his support behind that is now bearing a lot of fruit is the military's investigation of UFOs.



By Joe Schoenmann

KNPR

6-12-19

[...]

In 2007 while he was Senate majority leader, Reid, secured $22 million with bipartisan support for the study of military sightings of UFOs.... He believes Russia and China are both investigating UFOs, which is one of the reasons he secured the money to start the U.S.'s program.Neil Woodford's fall from grace has been dramatic. Just five years ago, the forthright fund manager set up Woodford Investment Management after leaving Invesco to slaps on the back all round.

Now, some of his closest allies in the industry are keen to distance themselves. St James's Place and Omnis have fired him from running their funds, and Hargreaves Lansdown has pulled 45million of its clients' money from his Income Focus Fund.

The sorry saga should be a warning to savers who have simply ploughed their money into a well-known manager's fund, without looking too deeply and without diversifying to spread their risks.

If you spread your savings around different managers then you will not lose everything if one goes bad

That even goes for other big names out there. Alongside Neil Woodford, Britain's best-known fund managers are probably Terry Smith of Fundsmith and Nick Train of Lindsell Train.

Can investors be sure they won't also turn out to have feet of clay?

The answer, sadly, is no. Any manager, however well they have done in the past, can go through a bad patch or even crash and burn. Fortunately, there are some simple protective measures.

First, research the fund and the manager's strategy. If you are not comfortable or don't understand, steer clear. And never put all your eggs in one basket.

If you spread your savings around different managers then you will not lose everything if one goes bad. And be sceptical  never just invest because someone is lauded.

One of the problems with Woodford was that, arguably, his flagship Equity Income did not do what it said on the tin.

Normally, an equity income fund would have holdings mainly in large quoted companies.

But Woodford had invested a large chunk of savers' money in unquoted companies, which aren't listed on a stock market, and so don't have shares that can be easily traded.

He had also bought huge stakes in relatively small firms  he owns 47 per cent of mattress company Eve Sleep, for example.

This makes them difficult to sell, as he would have to find a buyer for his massive stake.

Woodford might say he had explained to investors through his blogs and videos that he was taking more of an interest in unquoted and smaller stocks. But not all investors may have realised this.

Ryan Hughes, head of active portfolios at AJ Bell, says: 'Woodford was pretty up-front about what the plan was for the Equity Income Fund.

'The bigger issue was that people bought the name above the door, not what was underneath the bonnet.'

The lesson for investors is to check if a fund is actually doing what you think  don't assume.

So what of other big names?

Terry Smith's Fundsmith Equity Fund has a big following. It launched in 2010 and has turned a 1,000 investment into 4,520. Nick Train's Lindsell Train Investment Trust has turned 1,000 into 20,500 since 2001.

But a stellar track record does not mean a manager is immune to losses. Train this week said that 'it would not at all be a surprise if [our] portfolio that had performed well embarked on a period of poor performance'.

At Invesco, Woodford was lauded for his golden touch. His strategy before he left was to concentrate on large companies, where he had 75 per cent of his fund, and dabble in smaller, riskier companies.

That changed dramatically. Fast-forward six years, and only 4 per cent of Woodford Equity Income is in those large and mega-cap firms. The lesson for investors is to keep an eye on what the manager is actually doing.

Those like Smith and Train are loved for their reliability. They have methods they stick to  and it should be easy to spot when they deviate.

'Smith has a big document on his website that explains how he thinks and invests. Before anyone invests they should read it,' says Hughes.

Popular Shares - Saga It has been a pretty gloomy run for retirement firm Saga and its army of 180,000 retail investors. Floated for 2.1billion in 2014, it has failed to wow investors and is now worth just 414million. Shares have tanked from a launch price of 185p to 36.93p  a brutal 80 per cent drop. Chief executive Lance Batchelor paid the price and is stepping down in January. But look behind the terrible headlines and the 391million debt pile and there could be a good business here. Saga's over-50s market is made up of affluent people, and it is launching a new membership scheme. Next month it takes delivery of a new cruise ship, along with a second vessel in 2020. Cruising is expected to grow by 22.5 per cent over the next five years according to data firm Mintel, much faster than the overall holiday market. In insurance, Saga has introduced a pioneering policy where prices stay the same for three years, meaning loyal customers are not ripped off. As the firm has said, there will be a short, sharp hit to profits but in the long run it could be a popular driver of business. So with shares now so low and new blood poised to take charge, this could just be the right time to buy in.

'He will exclude sectors  airlines, financials, biotech, loads of little miners  so it's easy to spot if he's doing something he said he wouldn't.'

Train likes high-quality stocks which generate large amounts of cash, pay a growing stream of dividends and show potential to adapt to a changing market.

If he started putting money in risky start-ups, red lights should start flashing.

There are other, lesser-known fund managers, says Hughes. 'Francis Brooke at Troy Trojan Income is a star manager, in terms of how he operates and the way he really sticks to his principles of investing in defensive businesses that generate cash flow,' he says.

James Anderson at Baillie Gifford's Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust is another. But most of all, Hughes recommends engaging with fund managers. 'I would always urge investors to ask them questions,' he says.Chinese stockbroker Huatai Securities is to list shares in London in a milestone for the City.

Huatai is raising up to 1.3billion by selling stock in Britain, becoming the first company from mainland China to do so.

Based in Nanjing, Huatai is one of the biggest brokerages in the country.

Chinese stockbroker Huatai Securities is to list shares in London

Its global depositary receipts  a foreign-company alternative to shares  will cost $20.50 apiece on the London market, towards the lower end of the $20 to $24.50 range it had set.

Huatai will sell up to 82.4million of the global depositary receipts, nearly 10 per cent of the company.

It listed in China in 2010, and will be the first Chinese firm to take advantage of the Shanghai-London Stock Connect scheme.

This is designed to allow Chinese companies to raise money in London and give British companies the chance to sell shares in China.

City leaders hope it will allow them to strengthen lucrative ties with the Asian nation.

Huatai makes its London debut on Monday, which will coincide with Britain and China holding the next round of their economic and financial dialogue.

A Chinese delegation led by vice-premier Hu Chunhua will arrive in London at the beginning of the week.The London Metal Exchange has called time on drinking at work as it seeks to enter the modern age.

Traders at the world's biggest marketplace for industrial metals have been banned from drinking alcohol during office hours.

The 142-year-old exchange is one of the last places where noisy face-to-face trading occurs.

Thirsty work: Traders at the London Metal Exchange, the world's biggest marketplace for industrial metals, have been banned from drinking alcohol during office hours

But it is trying to reform its brash, male-dominated culture after metals trader Gerald Group hosted an event in Mayfair's Playboy Club.

LME members have a reputation for daytime boozing, but the exchange launched its first code of conduct in April, and appointed ex-banker Gay Huey Evans as its first female chairman in May.

Traders, who hold auctions on a ring of red sofas and help set global prices for metals like copper and aluminium, will now have to stay sober all through the working day.

A spokesman said: 'The LME appreciates the high standards upheld by its members, and has formalised the general position that ring-based personnel should not consume any alcohol prior to conducting business.'Elastic NV engages in the provision of open source search and analytics engine services. It offers Elastic Stack, a set of software products that ingest and store data from various sources and formats, as well as perform search, analysis, and visualization. The firms Elastic Stack product comprises Elasticsearch, a distributed, real-time search and analytics engine, and data store for various types of data, including textual, numerical, geospatial, structured, and unstructured; Kibana, a user interface, management, and configuration interface for the Elastic Stack; Beats, a single-purpose data shippers for sending data from edge machines to Elasticsearch or Logstash; and Logstash, a data processing pipeline for ingesting data into Elasticsearch or other storage systems. It also provides software solutions on the Elastic Stack that address cases, including app search, site search, enterprise search, logging, metrics, application performance management, business analytics, and security analytics. Its products are used by individual developers and organizations of a range of industries. The company was founded by Shay Banon, Uri Boness, Steven Schuurman, and Simon Willnauer on Februar

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PAXAR INDONESIA, PAXAR (CHINA) LTD., PAXAR B.V., PAXAR BANGLADESH LIMITED, PAXAR CANADA CORPORATION, PAXAR CORPORATION, PAXAR DE EL SALVADOR S. A. DE C. V., PAXAR DE GUATEMALA S. A., PAXAR DE MEXICO S. A. DE C. V., PAXAR DO BRASIL LTDA, PAXAR FAR EAST LIMITED, PAXAR PACKAGING (GUANGZHOU) LTD., PAXAR PAKISTAN (PRIVATE) LIMITED, PLYMOUTH YONGLE TAPE (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD, PT AVERY DENNISON INDONESIA, PT AVERY DENNISON PACKAGING INDONESIA, RVL AMERICAS S DE R.L. DE C.V., RVL CENTRAL AMERICA S. A., RVL PACKAGING FAR EAST LIMITED, RVL Packaging Inc., RVL SERVICE S. DE R. L. DE C. V., Rinke Etiketten GmbH, SECURITY PRINTING DIVISION INC., SKILLFIELD INVESTMENTS LIMITED, Stimsonite Corp, TIGER EIGHT GROUP LIMITED, WORLDWIDE RISK INSURANCE INC., YONGLE TAPE LTD, and Yongle Tape Co.Banco Santander, S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides various retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large companies worldwide. It offers demand and time deposits, and current and savings accounts; mortgages, consumer finance, syndicated corporate loans, structured financing, cash management, export and agency finance, trade and working capital solutions, and corporate finance; and insurance products. The company also provides cash, asset, and wealth management; and private banking services. In addition, it is involved in the corporate banking; treasury, risk hedging, foreign trade, confirming, custody, and investment banking activities. The company operates through a network of 11,236 branches. The company was formerly known as Banco Santander Central Hispano S.A. and changed its name to Banco Santander, S.A. in June 2007. Banco Santander, S.A. was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

Read MoreSirius is a property company listed on the main market and premium segment of the London Stock Exchange and the main board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. It is a leading operator of branded business parks providing conventional space and flexible workspace in Germany. The Company's core strategy is the acquisition of business parks at attractive yields, the integration of these business parks into its network of sites under the Company's own name as well as offering a range of branded products within those sites, and the reconfiguration and upgrade of existing and vacant space to appeal to the local market, through intensive asset management and investment. The Company's strategy aims to deliver attractive returns for shareholders by increasing rental income and improving cost recoveries and capital values, as well as by enhancing those returns through financing its assets on favourable terms. Once sites are mature and net income and values have been optimised, the Company may take the opportunity to refinance the sites to release capital for investment in new sites or consider the disposal of sites in order to recycle equity into assets which present greater opportunity for the asset management skills of the Company's team.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.UNITED NATIONS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- China supports the planned withdrawal of the UN-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in June 2020, said an envoy on Friday.

China welcomes the UNAMID strategic assessment report of the UN secretary-general and the African Union Commission chairperson, which indicates that the overall security situation in Darfur is stable, and suggests that the drawdown should continue, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"We hope that the (Security) Council members attach importance to the recommendations in the report and, on the basis of respecting the will of the Sudanese government, make proper arrangements for the future mandate of UNAMID to make sure that the mission will complete its planned withdrawal in 2020."

China commends the contributions by UNAMID to maintaining peace and stability in Darfur and supports the extension of its mandate, he told the Security Council.

The current UNAMID mandate expires on June 30, 2019, and the Security Council is scheduled to extend it on June 27.

With the joint efforts of Sudan, UNAMID, and international partners, the situation in Darfur has improved substantially in recent years, said Wu.

Since the second half of 2018, when UNAMID began to implement the transition plan through gradual reconfiguration and drawdown, the situation in Darfur has continued to be stable, he said. "This fully demonstrates that the Sudanese government has the capacity to assume its responsibility to maintain peace and security in Darfur on its own."

He asked the international community to continue to provide assistance to Darfur through bilateral and multilateral channels so as to consolidate the results achieved and to advance peace and reconstruction in the region.SCHENECTADY  Walgreens could soon soon be opening up a second store in the city.

The pharmaceutical chain wants to convert a vacant store front at Sheridan Plaza on the city's north side into a 3,257-square foot store with a drive-through, according to plans submitted to the Schenectady Development Office.

The documents indicate that the retail store hours would be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and have two or three employees per shift.

Over the years, the small plaza at 1322 Gerling St. down the street from Ellis Hospital, which once featured a small Price Chopper and a CVS store, has struggled to attract an anchor store. Part of the challenge is that it is not located on a major road.

Among the current tenants on the roughly five-acre lot include Trustco bank, a liquor store, laundromat, and the U.S. Department of Veteran's Administration primary care center.

Online real estate information indicates the plaza, which was constructed in 1954, has about 200 total parking spaces.

In 2006, Price Chopper closed its 20,000-square foot store and CVS Pharmacy did the same in 2015.

Meantime, across town, the Stewart's Shops on State Street in Woodlawn has proposed to tear down its existing store and build a bigger 3,696-square foot convenience store with four self-serve gas pumps, according to the application on file with the city.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Business hours would be 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The paperwork indicates that the Saratoga Springs-based family owned company has already purchased the dance studio next door to the business at 1773 State St. and is under contract to purchase 7 Corlaer Ave., a two-lot property. The lot between the dance studio and the house is zoned commercial.

"We're not knocking down the house and there's no variances," she said Erica Komoroske, a spokeswoman for Stewart's, adding the new establishment will have a larger footprint.

Construction is expected to get under way in the summer of 2020, she said.

Komoroske said in the past few years Stewart's has spent upwards of $50 million investing in their shops in New York and Vermont and building new ones.

Both the Stewart's and Walgreens applications, which are seeking final site plan approval, are scheduled to be considered Wednesday by Schenectady Planning Commission members.

The other Walgreens in Schenectady is on Eastern Avenue near McClellan Street.EDUCATION

EXCELSIOR COLLEGE

Scott Dolan was named dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Dolan joined in 2014 as the director of assessment and program evaluation and previously served as associate dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

FINANCIAL

RONDOUT SAVINGS BANK

Evan Rothfuss transferred to the Commercial Lending Team. Rothfuss joined five years ago and previously worked on the Credit Underwriting Team.

HEALTH CARE

MANATT, PHELPS & PHILLIPS LLP

Meghan McNamara joined as a partner in the Albany office. McNamara has experience representing health and behavioral health providers in a variety of complex regulatory issues, guiding clients through New York's rapidly changing health care delivery system.

PROFESSIONS

CHA CONSULTING INC.

Jessica Chambers joined as manager of design technology integration. Chambers has 15 years of experience in managing and executing design integration, project management and business operations, including team management and service offering expansion.

David Hartmann joined as an engineering technician designer. Hartmann, who has worked in the electrical, mechanical and construction fields for more than 12 years, provides electrical and security design assistance.

Kathryn Mix joined the Mechanical Group as an assistant engineer. Mix provides engineering support on projects requiring state of the art mechanical systems, utilizing her familiarity with developing statewide databases, optimizing R&D activities and employing lean design principles for Six Sigma.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Nadia Alvarez joined as a recruiter in the Colonie office. Alvarez is a talent acquisition professional with six years of experience recruiting professionals in the manufacturing, industrial and IT industries.

Saarthak Narsipur joined as assistant engineer. A certified LEED Green Associate, Narsipur is responsible for providing mechanical and energy engineering support.

Aunkita Ghosh joined as an organizational development and engagement specialist in the Human Resources Department. Ghosh has five years of experience implementing and managing employee development and engagement programs.

Mark Montoro joined the Industry & Energy Group as an assistant engineer. Montoro previously interned as an engineering technician.

 Jennifer PattersonThere are lots of good things about "The Dead Don't Die," and you could put all of it in a pile and set it on fire, because none of it matters. It's a dead movie walking. You could say it's a zombie movie that is, itself, a zombie movie.

Jim Jarmusch is at the stage of his career that everyone wants to be in a Jim Jarmusch movie, and so they're all in "The Dead Don't Die," such that the casting is a constant source of (mild) pleasure. So is the sense of humor. There are real laughs here, but not enough to compensate for a movie that is entirely without vitality. The pace is beyond slow. Time stands still, even as the zombies keep coming.

"The Dead Don't Die" is more like a series of knowing gestures than an attempt to tell a story or make a point. There's an obvious environmental message here, but one so obvious that it must be tongue-in-cheek: Fracking has thrown Earth off its axis, causing a number of anomalies: Batteries don't recharge and the sun never goes down, which is bad. And worse, much worse, the dead wake up and start clawing their way out of their graves.

This is a familiar idea within zombie movies, the notion that they are a sign of cultural weakness. Zombies aren't just an unfortunate thing that sometimes happens, but an unfortunate thing that societies somehow deserve, usually due to acquisitiveness. In this movie, the living dead arrive with an affinity for their previous addictions, such as caffeine and white wine. But they're willing to devour anything, because that's what zombies do. They're mindless, and they want stuff.

Bill Murray and Adam Driver play a pair of small town policemen, and the interaction between Murray and Driver is the best thing in the movie. Their deadpan comic styles suit the movie's tone. At one point, they come across disgustingly half-eaten bodies inside a diner, and everyone speculates that wild animals did it. But Driver isn't buying it. "I'm thinking zombies," he says, so matter-of-factly that the line is the movie's best laugh.

Tilda Swinton plays a spooky mortician, who is handy with a sword; Steve Buscemi is a lot of fun in his few scenes as a nasty farmer; and Chloe Sevigny is appropriately whiny and terrified as the town's other police officer. Others turn up  Carol Kane, Iggy Popp, Rosie Perez, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Tom Waits  and everyone does their job. But long before midway, it becomes clear that the people on screen are having more fun than the audience.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

There's a laziness about "Dead Don't Die," as if it were made in the expectation that the concept alone could carry it. There are in-jokes and references to other horror movies, as though the film were making fun of itself. But in the absence of some self to make fun of  something substantive at the movie's core  these jokes and references don't seem like amusing transgressions against the normal rules of storyteller. Rather, they're like consolations prizes for the movie's having nothing else to offer.

Indeed, it's hard to figure out why this film was even made, beyond the fact that it could be made, that there was a loose idea and talented people willing to join in the fun. It's neither serious nor funny enough, and it adds nothing to Jarmusch's reputation. If anything, it might hurt it retroactively.ALBANY  An appeal by the man convicted in a 2014 high-speed crash that killed two in Guilderland has fallen short.

Tyler Pascuzzi tried to appeal his conviction by arguing there wasn't enough evidence to prove he was the driver in the crash that July 4, according to court documents filed with the state Supreme Court Appellate Division.

Authorities say Pascuzzi, 26 at the time, of Coxsackie, was driving drunk when he took his Volkswagen R23 up to 150 mph on the state Thruway and crashed, killing Alicia Tamboia, 24, of Dutchess County and Cody Veverka, 23, of Cairo.

In early 2017, Pascuzzi was found guilty after a jury trial of the manslaughter counts and one count of aggravated vehicular homicide.

At his 2017 sentencing in Albany, Veverka's parents, Bill and Patty, called it "unforgivable" that Pascuzzi's defense team would suggest their 23-year-old son was driving.

"You've devastated two families," state Supreme Court Judge Thomas Breslin said before sentencing Pascuzzi to 8 to 25 years in prison. "You chose to get hammered and you chose to drive while hammered," the judge said. "You were propelling that car like a rocket ship at 150 mph. ... A severe sentence is the only sentence."

The court document retelling parts of the trial testimony, describes the force of the collision:

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"The Volkswagen first struck a green Honda in the rear, sending it off the road, and then struck the rear of a tractor trailer with such force that the Volkswagen was severed into two halves between the front and back seats. The Volkswagen's rear half crossed the median and the center guide rail and came to rest on the eastbound side of the highway, while the front half continued to travel westward until it entered the median and struck the westbound side of the center guide rail."

Both victims suffered horrific, fatal injuries upon impact.

Two hours after the crash, Pascuzzi's blood alcohol level registered 0.18 percent, according to an Albany County District Attorney's office statement about the rejection of the appeal Thursday. The legal limit is 0.08 percent.

District Attorney David Soares noted the Appellate Division rejected Pascuzzi's assertions in full and denied his appeal unanimously.New York

Members of the Trinitarios gang were hunting for enemies in the Bronx last summer when they found a 15-year-old boy on his phone and walking alone.

Mistaking him for member of a rival set, the gang chased the boy, Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, for blocks in the Belmont section of the Bronx, prosecutors said. The desperate teenager tried to hide inside of a bodega, but the gang members dragged him from the store and stabbed him to death as security cameras recorded the gruesome scene.

Nearly a year after Lesandro was killed, a jury found five of the men guilty of murder and related charges Friday, capping five weeks of testimony that provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Trinitarios, a highly organized and brutally violent Dominican gang.

The jury of 11 women and a man took only a day to decide the fates of the defendants  Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, 25, Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, 25, Jose Muniz, 23, Manuel Rivera, 19, and Elvin Garcia, 25.

The panel found all five of guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree gang assault. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole on the murder conviction. Seven others are still awaiting trial.

The murder of Lesandro, who went by the nickname Junior, was well documented on videotape from security cameras and the cellphones of witnesses, providing prosecutors with hard proof to support their case.

But some of the most powerful evidence came from two gang members involved in the attack who testified for the prosecution in return for lenient sentences: Kevin Alvarez, 20, and Michael Reyes, 20.

Alvarez and Reyes described how their subsets of the Trinitarios terrorized rivals, including a Trinitarios splinter group called Sunset. They said their subsets, called Los Sures and Bad Boys, abided by a strict code of conduct and took orders from a leader named Diego Suero, whom the members called "Santa Claus."

It was Suero who had sent them out on June 20, 2018, armed with machetes and knives, to search for members of Sunset to attack, the two cooperating witnesses said.

That order came during a bloody feud within the Trinitarios that had pitted Sunset, which is based in Brooklyn, against Suero's two Bronx sets, the witnesses said. At least 10 people had been injured in June in a series of street battles.

Reyes said the conflict started when two Sunset members joined the Bad Boys, angering a Sunset member who had gone to prison for a crime the two members had committed.

Members of the Bronx sets also wanted revenge because a Sunset member had shot one of the Bad Boys in the face, Alvarez said. The night before Lesandro was killed, a large fight had erupted between the gangs, he said.

Suero had warned his members to carry a weapon at all times and said if they saw a rival member to "do whatever possible to hurt the Sunset member," Alvarez said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Lesandro had bruising, scratches and small puncture wounds on his body, according to autopsy photos. But it was Martinez Estrella who delivered the fatal blow when he shoved a large knife into the side of Lesandro's neck, penetrating 4.5 inches and cutting his jugular vein, a medical examiner testified.

Defense lawyers for the four other defendants said in their closing arguments that the order from Suero had only been to injure a Sunset member, not to kill someone. They attempted to cast blame on Martinez Estrella for Lesandro's death.

They also argued their clients were pretending to stab Lesandro because gang leaders were watching the assault. If they did not participate, the lawyers said, they would have been disciplined.

But Morgan Dolan, the lead prosecutor, countered that "weapons like knives and machetes kill" and the gang members "went in knowing that."

After the attack, the gang returned to Suero's home, Alvarez and Reyes said. There, leaders passed around cellphone pictures of various Sunset members and asked the returning "soldiers" to identify the person they stabbed.

Alvarez testified that Lesandro was not in the photos.

"I didn't see the person who had just finished getting stabbed there," Alvarez said, choking back tears. "I didn't see the kid."ALBANY  The nostalgia kicked in as Tracy Van Hattum stood across the street watching 74 Hurlbut St. be torn down.

"My first job was in the bakery there. I have a lot of great memories there," she said. "But wow, was it an eyesore. I'm happy it's finally coming down."

The building, which housed many businesses over the years including the popular Carosello Bakery, was demolished Friday afternoon after city officials learned that the back wall had begun to collapse.

"The fire department got called to the building (Thursday) for the rear wall collapsing," said Richard LaJoy, the director for the city's Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance. "There was a big, gaping hole."

Officials decided the single-story building, which is 60 feet across and 100 feet deep, needed to be demolished immediately.

Residents said no one had occupied the building for a few years. LaJoy said the Albany County Land Bank had taken ownership.

While the building had also housed businesses such as Roman Jewels and Pie Hole, the most beloved was almost certainly Carosello Bakery, which residents said occupied the location for at least 30 years.

"It was the only place you could get freshly baked goods in the area at the time," said Dave Van Hattum, a longtime resident in the neighborhood. "I remember going to it in the '70s."

He recalled people lining up down the street to buy bread and pastries from the bakery, which was owned by Armando Macchina, who died in 1999, and his wife Tina.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"This was a booming place," Van Hattum said. "You couldn't find a parking spot."

Tracy Van Hattum, his daughter, remembered the long lines from a different perspective: bakery employee, beginning at age 15. She also recalled stocking the shelves with rum cakes, fruit cakes and Italian cookies.

She said while she loved working there, the building had been poorly maintained after the last tenant moved out. It became a blight on the neighborhood.

"I never thought I would live to see the day this thing would come down," Tracy Van Hattum said. "But here it finally is."ALBANY  Real estate developers are slamming a slew of tenant protections that passed the Legislature Friday, predicting the new laws will impede the Capital Region's economic development.

An omnibus package, signed into law by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, includes a number of statewide provisions, including making it more difficult to evict a tenant, restricting rent increases for mobile homes, and prohibiting landlords from charging excessive security deposits.

It also allows upstate municipalities to opt in to a New York City-style rent regulation system that applies to buildings larger than six units that were built before 1974.

Local real estate developer Jesse Holland, president of Sunrise Management & Consulting, said the new regulations effectively allow tenants to live rent-free for prolonged periods of time, lower property values, and result in fewer housing opportunities for low-income New Yorkers.

"You are changing the entire income and expense model, you are changing how things work," Holland said. "The Capital Region in particular has spent a tremendous amount of time and energy to get development in (Albany). This affects the banks; this affects everybody. We are not only providers of housing, we are employers."

The laws require landlords to give tenants several months notice before an eviction for non-payment, and enable judges to "stay" an eviction up to a year if it will cause "hardship," such as adversely affecting the tenant's childcare arrangements or health.

If tenants are difficult to evict, landlords will have no choice but to reject applicants with lower income or poor credit, Holland said.

New York City's rent regulations were scheduled to expire on Saturday, so the Legislature renewed the existing measures and added new provisions to address the city's growing affordability crisis and to retain its rent-regulated housing stock.

It was a victorious moment for downstate tenants, who for decades have complained of landlord harassment, neglect and abuse of policies that enabled real estate companies to raise rents on apartments to recoup capital investment. The real estate lobby has spent millions to fight the reforms and until Democrats seized control of the state Senate, wielded immense influence at the Capitol.

The decision to include protections for upstate tenants is controversial in the Capital Region among some local elected officials and business leaders who have worked to lure investors and get rid of dilapidated homes.

To participate in the rent regulation program  called the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 (ETPA)  cities, towns and villages would have to conduct a study and demonstrate that there is a housing crisis, which is defined by a vacancy rate below 5 percent.

Upstate cities and towns experiencing rapid gentrification have signaled an interest in participating in the program.

But some developers are wary of any potential market controls. Holland, whose company owns and manages roughly 1,500 rental units in the region, said they are discussing whether to pull out of new developments and invest in other states.

"Our real estate isn't portable, but our money is," he said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Sen. George Amedore, a Republican whose district includes parts of Albany, slammed the bill for going beyond New York City's rent laws, arguing that upstate simply does not have a housing crisis.

"You could have done it right, but you failed," Amedore said. The rent regulations are "not doing much except allowing someone who makes maybe seven figures to have access to a stabilized unit."

Advocates at the United Tenants of Albany, who testified at a hearing in Albany last month that the city courts see 5,000 eviction cases a year, hailed the protections as a victory for thousands of tenants living in the city.

"We get a lot of people in our office who are facing eviction for no cause," UTA court advocate Laura Felts said. "They are going to have more notice, they are going to have more opportunity to try and stabilize their situation."

Notably, the legislation imposes steeper penalties on landlords for retaliatory evictions, making it a misdemeanor offense carrying a penalty of between $1,000 and $10,000 per violation.

It also allows tenants to claim that an eviction was retaliatory if the tenant complained about quality-of-life issues to a landlord or management company. Previously, tenants were required to demonstrate in housing court that they had reported any code violations to a municipal agency prior to receiving an eviction notice.

Assemblyman John McDonald, D-Cohoes, who has criticized previous iterations of the legislation, said giving someone notice before an eviction for non-payment is appropriate.

"Giving people three, four months to figure it out, that's not unreasonable," McDonald said. "I don't think this decimates the market. It does realign the rules of engagement. ... Is it a difference? Does it tilt a little bit more in favor of the tenant? Yes, it does."Washington

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's accusation on Thursday that Iran was behind an attack on two oil tankers forces President Donald Trump to confront a choice he has avoided until now: whether to make good on his threat that Tehran would "suffer greatly" if U.S. interests were imperiled.

For weeks, Trump has weaved on the issue, by turns ordering a carrier group last month to head to the Persian Gulf and then distancing himself from the hawkish views of his national security adviser, John Bolton. Last week, the president said he was open to negotiating with Iranian leaders the way he has negotiated with North Korea. And on Thursday, with images of black smoke rising from a tanker hit with a mine, Trump seemed to reverse course, posting on Twitter that "it is too soon to even think about making a deal," adding, "They are not ready, and neither are we!"

His equivocation reflects divisions in his administration, which has never come to an agreement on a comprehensive strategy to deal with Iran  especially after it shattered the unity of key U.S. allies, who had joined with the Obama administration to force Tehran into the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump subsequently abandoned.

Now, operating largely without allies, he faces an Iran that is escalating nuclear production and retaliating for sanctions the White House has reimposed without a diplomatic path in sight to steer the two longtime adversaries away from confrontation.

"If the Iranians were responsible for the attacks on shipping in the gulf, it is reckless and dangerous," said William J. Burns, a former deputy secretary of state who opened the negotiations with Iran during the Obama administration.

"Sadly, that is also at least partly a predictable consequence of an American coercive diplomacy strategy that so far is all coercion and no diplomacy," Burns said. "The risk is that hard-liners in both Tehran and Washington become mutual enablers, going up a very unsteady escalatory ladder."

While the administration tries to find the line between deterrence and provocation, the Iranians appear to be struggling with the same problem. Rouhani did not announced a total nuclear breakout last month, but step-by-step moves to enlarge the country's stockpile of reactor grade  not bomb grade  nuclear fuel. And Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not directly confronted American or Saudi or United Arab Emirates forces in the gulf.

"Iran's supreme leader has to carefully calibrate his response to Trump's maximum pressure campaign," said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, referring to Khamenei. "If he responds insufficiently, he risks losing face. If he responds excessively, he risks losing his head."

Two months ago, Pompeo declared the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, and announced sanctions on the businesses that have been among its major sources of revenue. When intelligence agencies picked up threats in early May, the aircraft carrier Lincoln was directed to steam toward the oil lanes that Iran could threaten.

That is when a debate broke out in the Defense Department. U.S. commanders in the region, led by the new head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, called for an increase of nearly 20,000 troops in the region, officials said. Some top military brass, including Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged caution, fearing that Iran would see that increase as provocative  and perhaps a sign that, despite denials, the Trump administration's real goal was regime change.

In the end, the president ordered about 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to increase the protection of U.S. forces already based there.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Those tensions were echoed Thursday morning in the secure meeting room at the Pentagon, called the Tank, where Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Dunford and other senior administration national security officials gathered in a previously scheduled meeting to discuss threats in the Middle East as well as U.S. troop levels in the region.

Shanahan, treading carefully because his formal nomination to be defense secretary has not yet been sent to the Senate, had pared back McKenzie's request because he feared Trump might reject it. But since then, Central Command has modified its request for more air and naval forces to protect U.S. forces in the region and to deter an Iranian attack, two U.S. officials said.

Preparing for Thursday's meeting, Shanahan and Dunford were ready to make the case that Trump had told the Pentagon to reduce U.S. forces and involvement in the current wars in Middle East, and avoid direct confrontation with Iran, one senior administration official said.

The policy choices advocated by Pompeo and Bolton are having the opposite effect, the official said.

It was unclear how the rapidly unfolding news from the gulf on Thursday altered the tenor of the meeting, but one senior military official said afterward that attacks on the tankers represented a clear escalation in the simmering crisis.

Pompeo offered no evidence publicly that Iran was responsible  even though officials said that the United States has video of an Iranian patrol boat brazenly removing an unexploded mine from the hull of one of the tankers  but that did not stop him from stating an unambiguous conclusion.Alex Baackes is the 29-year-old Menands native behind Alex in Wanderland, a travel blog she officially launched in 2011. She's turned the blog into her business, gaining sponsors and throngs of readers along the way. We did an email Q&A with her in April.

Growing up in the Albany area, did your family go on a lot of vacations?

We were lucky to take regular trips, however we mostly stuck to a familiar trio of destinations: Florida and Illinois, where we visited my parents' families, and Martha's Vineyard, which was our "happy place." And it still is! My mom bought a gingerbread cottage in Oak Bluffs a few years ago, and I make it a goal to spend a chunk of every summer there.

The first trip you ever blogged about, to Southeast Asia, what spurred that actual trip? And why decide to blog that specific experience?

I think I was born with the itch to travel! While I didn't grow up traveling in the way I do now, I was raised with a sense of wonder about the world. I went to the local Montessori school, and the highlight of my year was preparing my presentation for the annual International Nights! My mom was a member of the board of the Albany Symphony Orchestra, and musicians from around the country and the world frequently crashed with us, bringing with them tales of music and adventure. And through our church in Schenectady, our family once "adopted" a family of refugees from Bosnia who had resettled in the region, who we helped ease into life in America. Those are just a few examples; even without stamping a passport I was surrounded by the idea that there was a big, wonderful world out there. My parents raised me to be curious, not fearful, about it.

I was in high school when I discovered my first travel blog, called Thirteen Months  it was a few simple pages, more of a diary than the slick sites you see today. I remember showing it wide-eyed to my mom and just absolutely marveling at the idea that these people had taken a whole thirteen months off their jobs to travel! I read every word they'd written. I think that was my first exposure to the idea that some people traveled in a way that was different than a week-long vacation, and I was hooked from there. When I finally created my own adventure, it was only natural I wanted to share it in the same way.

Looking at where you've traveled, there've certainly been concentrations in where you've gone. (Southeast Asia, parts of South America, north Africa, etc.) Why is that? And what's the next geographic area you want to conquer?

Well, I tend to be drawn to warm and ocean-side destinations first and foremost! I've been known to joke that I was born at the wrong latitude  I'm forever a beach bum and a sun seeker. Latin America and Southeast Asia have certainly captured my heart and I have loved exploring them thoroughly over the years.

I have checked out more and more of Europe slowly over the years  Iceland, Greece and Malta are a few favorites  but it doesn't captivate me in quite the same way.

Africa is the next big continent that I feel calling me  loudly!

Generally, how is Alex in Wanderland  and you  doing financially?

I feel blessed that I'm able to make a full time living off blogging and have been for many years.

One of your goals, you said, is to curate a small number of dedicated sponsors  have you accomplished that?

I have! Right now I have long-term ambassadorships with PADI, the world's largest dive organization, and KIND Snacks, the healthy food company, and generally work with one or two other brands per month to promote their products and services via branded content.

I also generate income from display ads (ads that you see while reading my blog), from affiliate marketing (links where I receive a percentage of the purchase, at no cost to the consumer), from destination marketing (working with destinations to promote them via sponsored trips), from my ebook sales (I wrote a detailed guide to the island in Thailand I lived on), from speaking engagements (I speak at several conferences a year, and am currently packing to keynote at the Women's Travel Summit in Portland, Maine) and from my retreat sales (in 2018 I launched a series of women's retreats.)

How has it felt to develop your own business?

I love being my own boss and the freedom that can entail. That said, it has its sacrifices. For all the flexibility you enjoy, you give up a lot of security. For all the autonomy you get, there's rarely anyone as invested as you to bounce ideas off. And at least in an industry as young as this one, I must constantly, constantly adapt. The ways I generate revenue today are completely different than they were five years ago.

How do you prepare when you travel to a new destination? Several of your posts have discussed the amount of prep you do, so could you boil it down?

It really depends on the trip! Sometimes I have things mapped out to the moment  I know what I'm doing every day, where I'm going, and what I'm wearing. Often if I'm on assignment I travel like this. I have a goal.

Other times, often when I'm traveling for me  which is also of course work, in a way, since it's creating organic, unsponsored content for my blog, which would wither away without that  I kind of run out of time or energy before a trip and I just show up. I remember boarding a plane to Nicaragua once while frantically trying to book a place to stay that night on my phone before take off. It was an incredible trip!

I'm usually torn somewhere between the two  I like to have some spontaneity and ability to linger a little longer when a certain place steals my heart, but I also like to stay in great accommodation, whether that's a funky boutique hotel or a buzzy design hostel or a perfect little Airbnb. And those places tend to book up in advance.

You also connect with family, friends and others to stay with them while traveling: Has that pool of people grown since you started Alex in Wanderland?

Absolutely. I love connecting with my friends and family and since I'm not really around for a regular Sunday brunch, going to visit for longer stays is a great way to see different parts of the country and the world. Right now, I have friends that have moved to Boise and Atlanta, and I'm dying to visit them and explore two new cities  and enjoy some serious quality time together.

The longer you travel, the more open doors you will have around the world! I've crashed on couches and in guest rooms everywhere from Tel Aviv to Antigua, and it always leads to a richer experience of the place through the eyes of my host.

How has social media affected what you do? Both in how you conduct Alex in Wanderland, and in competition? Seems like everyone is trying to be a brand in something on some platform these days.

Instagram and Pinterest, which didn't exist when I began blogging, have become a huge part of my business. Pinterest, I can't seem to engage in, so I hire an assistant who creates pins and manages that account for me, as it can be a huge traffic source. Instagram, I do enjoy, and so I mostly manage my account myself and it has become another way to generate income with product-based content now that I am traveling less. Blog commenting is down across the board  users prefer to engage on Instagram or Facebook instead. So again, I had to adapt to that.

Instagram and Instagram stories has also become a very powerful way to connect with my audience. I love using Instagram to be silly sometimes, and show that side of myself; and to be serious sometimes, and share a thought that might not be fleshed out to a full blog post but is worth sharing nonetheless.

Semi-related: With Uber/Lyft, Airbnb and more of those travel-aid apps, has that affected how you navigate a city/country?

Absolutely! I use Uber and Lyft wherever available  I'm a typical millennial in that I love to do everything via my smartphone. I also am a big fan of Airbnb, though I do try to be conscious about using it in communities where it can be infringing on affordable housing for the people who live there. I used to Airbnb out my apartment in Thailand when I was traveling  and I like to rent from people who are using it in a similar way.

You've started curating events! i.e. your Wander Women Retreats. How did that come about? What has the response been from those who've attended?

Launching Wander Women Retreats has been such an exciting development in my career. I realized that chasing page views and seeking constant brand partnerships (I like the execution, not the pitching!) was draining me.

The idea of creating something as tangible and special as a curated group travel experience for like-minded women just seemed like a dream come true. Rather than hit a million page views a month, I could bring fifty readers a year on four incredible trips. And so Wander Women Retreats was born. I started out in 2018 with a dive and yoga retreat in Koh Tao, Thailand, and a yoga and photography retreat in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Both sold out, as did the Red Sea dive and yoga retreat I recently announced for 2019 in Egypt. I love taking destinations that might seem inaccessible to some women and creating an experience that puts it in reach.

In 2019 I also am partnering with some amazing people here in the Capital Region. I recently teamed up with Jessica Lubin of Good Karma Studio in Albany, to offer aerial art and yoga retreats in St. Pete, Florida this July, and the Dominican Republic in December. We are so thrilled to be collaborating.

You've worked as a photographer and a photographers assistant, and graduated in a fine arts degree (From Pratt, correct? Based on one of the photos...). Before being bit by the travel bug, what were your career plans, and how much did photography factor into them?

I graduated with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. There, I studied everything from advertising to web design. Before pursuing my blogging career, I worked and interned in photography and graphic design, both of which have been incredible tools as I've developed the Alex in Wanderland brand.

Photography has allowed me to connect with local businesses now that I'm resettled here in the Capital Region, as well. I've done social media photography projects with Jaclyn Chorwat at Smooth Reflections and Ashley Austin at Urbane Brows  it was a really fun way to connect with other local business owners, and we've become friends!

You recently had a longer stint back in the Capital Region, and a lot to say about it. Your end-of-March post delved into some deep, sometimes sad items, including your mom's brain cancer diagnosis. A few questions on that: How is your mom, and how are you? And what is it like being a long-term traveler and staying connected to family abroad?

Thank you for asking. My mom is currently somewhat stable, though hers is an aggressive and terminal diagnosis. Upon her diagnosis in July of 2018, I moved home from Thailand to spend time with her and as she rapidly deteriorated, become her full time caretaker. I took a hiatus from work and travel for three months in the fall to help us get into a routine, start treatment, find home health care, and generally get settled into this radically changed reality.

I have written occasionally about this journey on both my blog and on social media and have been stunned by how many reach out to me about their similar paths. Becoming a caretaker to an ailing parent is something that a huge percentage of the population will go through at some point, on some level, and yet it's an experience that can feel stunningly lonely. People are relieved to connect with someone who is struggling with the same issues they are.

On a lighter note: Since it had been several months since you'd been in the Capital Region, and since you're often out of the area, I assume you've found the region to change a bit in terms of its offerings. (It certainly did for me post-college and coming back here to work.) What has surprised you the most? And did you have a favorite spot you discovered?

I am loving rediscovering the Capital Region through the eyes of a traveler! I'm constantly impressed by how much there is going on here every month. In the last six months I've seen National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry speak at Proctors, Instagram commedian Girl With No Job at The Egg, and incredible cirque performers at the Palace. And that's just performances!

From cooking classes to yoga workshops to museum tours, you could essentially do something new every night of the week, if you wanted to. I'm consulting with Discover Albany on an influencer marketing program, and I love checking their calendar at the beginning of the month to see what's going on.

Next up on my Capital Region bucket list is the Capital Craft Beverage Trail, and tackling as many local hiking trails as possible now that the weather is turning brighter!

It's been 10 years since you started blogging, and 8 since Alex in Wanderland began. For our readers and future travelers, what is the one piece of advice you would give on how to make the most of a trip abroad?

Trust that the good judgment and instincts that keep you safe at home will do the same on the road. Remind yourself that the majority of people in the world are good. And then go.[June 14, 2019] Massachusetts High Technology Council Holds 2019 Annual Meeting

BURLINGTON, Mass., June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Before an audience of 200 technology and civic leaders at Boston's Seaport Hotel, the Massachusetts High Technology Council honored University of Massachusetts at Lowell Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney with its Ray Stata Leadership and Innovation Award, and hosted Governor Charlie Baker and Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy, III at its 2019 Annual Meeting on June 10. The Council's annual meeting is the Commonwealth's premier forum for leaders from business, government, and academia to convene, collaborate and advance initiatives that drive research, innovation, and the region's technology economy. Moloney, a national leader in innovation in higher education, was appointed Chancellor by the UMass Board of Trustees in 2015 and is the first woman to lead the university since its founding in 1894. Moloney was an early proponent of integrating entrepreneurial lessons and opportunities throughout campus life, and she was a pioneer in web-based learning and continuing education. The Stata Award was created by the Council in 2017 and is awarded from time to time to a technology leader who is currently active in Massachusetts and exhibits the key leadership qualities and commitment to philanthropy and civic engagement possessed and demonstrated by Massachusetts technology pioneer Ray Stata, the founder of Analog Devices and a co-founder of the High Tech Council. "It is an honor to be presented with the Ray Stata Leadership and Innovation Award. At UMass Lowell, we work every day to find ways to partner with industry. These collaborations provide hands-on learning opportunities for our students through co-ops and internships and enhance our faculty's research efforts. I know Ray Stata was an early and vocal champion of this united approach to lift up the Commonwealth and I am thankful to him and the Massachusetts High Technology Council for their continued advocacy and friendship," said UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, noting that inaugural Stata Award winner and outgoing Council Chairman Aron Ain, CEO of Kronos, Incorporated is one of the university's closest industry partners. Outgoing Council Chairman Ain noted that over the past 10 years, the Commonwealth has experienced a rarely-seen explosion of capital investment, wealth creation, and employment growth and encouraged attendees to join the Council in a concerted effort to further enhance the competitiveness of the Commonwealth's economic climate and expand its positive impacts on Massachusetts. Ain was the inaugural recipient of the Stata Award in 2017. "Working together, we will continue to move Massachusetts forward," said Ain. "As I pass the Council Chairmanship into the very able hands of Udit Batra, our focus remains the same: catalyzing growth and continuing to create economic opportunity and improving the quality of life for all Massachusetts citizens through research, advocacy and collaboration, specifically including impactful partnerships between private enterprise and the public sector." Incoming Council Chairman Udit Batra, Member of the Executive Board, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and CEO of the Life Science business, MilliporeSigma, and Council President Chris Anderson praised Ain for his leadership and recognized several key accomplishments the Council's members were able to achieve during his tenure including:



Leading the successful legal strategy to prevent an unconstitutional income tax proposal from advancing;

Adding a State Fiscal Stability Index to MATTERS, the Council's 50-state competitiveness dashboard, to dynamically measure and assess the Commonwealth's comparative and absolute fiscal stability; and

Launching the Council's Women in Leadership Initiative for the Next Generation to leverage proven best practices to advance women into leadership roles throughout the Council's community of employers. Anderson urged the leaders of the Commonwealth's private economy to unite and collaborate with public officials to leverage the Commonwealth's advantages and economic momentum while avoiding complacency and policy missteps. "With a private economy whose strength is the envy of the nation," said Anderson, "now is the time to accelerate our economic momentum and capitalize on our advantages. We can avoid the negative fiscal and competitive consequences suffered by other states that have pursued misguided policies. Together, we will seek to strengthen and protect the conditions for investment, employment growth and a highly-ranked quality of life in Massachusetts."

Meeting attendees enjoyed remarks from Governor Charlie Baker and a keynote address from Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy, III. The Governor recognized the Council's history of impact and current leadership on key issues. "For forty-two years, the Massachusetts High Tech Council has played an integral role advocating for the tech-based private economy and catalyzing public-private collaborations in ways that help enhance Massachusetts' economic competitiveness and expand opportunities for our citizens." said Governor Baker. "We look forward to the Council's leadership and guidance to ensure Massachusetts remains one of the most competitive states in the country, including through Council initiatives focused on improving the Commonwealth's transportation system, continuing to secure our fiscal health and stability, and advancing women in leadership roles throughout our innovation economy." Congressman Kennedy renewed his call for a moral capitalism. "Building a moral capitalism requires a private sector willing to be a force for good. Few industries are better positioned to rise to that challenge than our Commonwealth's tech sector. By working together with the Massachusetts High Tech Council, we can unlock an economy that is measured not just by how much it produces, but how broadly it empowers." Anderson also recognized the support of the 2019 Annual Meeting's Presenting Sponsors Eloxx Pharmaceuticals and Oasis Systems and Stata Award Presenting Sponsor MKS Instruments. In addition to electing Batra as Chairman, Council members elected Robert Reynolds, CEO of Putnam Investments as Vice Chairman and reelected Christopher Anderson as Council President; Jim Boyer (Executive Professor, Northeastern University) as Treasurer and Mike Kendall (Partner, Goodwin Procter) as Secretary. Members also elected Jane Steinmetz, Boston Office Managing Partner for EY to the Council's Executive Committee, re-elected 32 incumbent directors and elected the following 4 new directors at the Annual Meeting: Sam King , Chief Executive Officer, Veracode

Douglas P. Robbins , Air Force Group Vice President, The MITRE Corporation

Navjot Singh , Boston Office Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company

Corey Thomas , President and CEO, Rapid7, Inc. About the Massachusetts High Technology Council  www.mhtc.org The Massachusetts High Technology Council, Inc. is an organization of CEOs and senior executives representing technology companies, professional services firms, and research institutions who are dedicated to creating and sustaining conditions that support investment, job growth and improved quality of life in Massachusetts. Our members are growth-oriented, knowledgeintensive employers and institutions that develop, deliver and depend on technology products, services and innovations to advance their organizational objectivesa definition which covers just about all business enterprises in Massachusetts today. The Council advocates for the high technology economy in Massachusetts by providing members with opportunities to connect with peers, and by facilitating cooperative relationships and results-focused strategies among senior leaders from industry, finance, academia and government. Our mission is simple: to help make Massachusetts the world's most attractive place in which to live and work, and in which to create, operate, and grow high technology businesses. Founded in 1977, the Council has consistently led the development and implementation of strategies that impact the most important state, local and federal policy issues facing technology-focused organizations. The Council's lean-by-design staffing model ensures we are focused on policy issues that are most critical to CEOs and senior executives. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/massachusetts-high-technology-council-holds-2019-annual-meeting-300868048.html SOURCE Massachusetts High Technology Council

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][June 14, 2019] Digital Realty Announces Expiration of Tender Offer for Any and All of Digital Realty Trust, L.P.'s Outstanding 3.400% Notes Due 2020 and 5.250% Notes Due 2021

SAN FRANCISCO, June 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: DLR) ("Digital Realty") announced today the expiration of the previously announced cash tender offer ("the Offer") by Digital Realty Trust, L.P. ("the Issuer"), its operating partnership subsidiary, for any and all of its outstanding 3.400% notes due 2020 (CUSIP No. 25389JAN6, "the 2020 Notes") and any and all of its outstanding 5.250% notes due 2021 (CUSIP No. 25389JAJ5, "the 2021 Notes," and together with the 2020 Notes, "the Notes"). The Offer expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Friday, June 14, 2019 ("the Expiration Date"). As of the expiration of the Offer, $445,863,000 or 89.17% of the $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2020 Notes and $283,405,000 or 70.85% of the $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Notes had been validly tendered and not withdrawn in the Offer. The Issuer accepted for purchase all the Notes validly tendered and delivered (and not validly withdrawn) in the Offer at or prior to the Expiration Date. Payment for the Notes purchased pursuant to the Offer is intended to be made on June 17, 2019 ("the Settlement Date") or June 19, 2019 ("the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date"), as applicable. The consideration to be paid under the Offer will be $1,013.38 per $1,000 principal amount of 2020 Notes and $1,044.01 per $1,000 principal amount of 2021 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the Settlement Date or Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable. The total Offer consideration of $754,708,957.22, including accrued and unpaid interest, will be funded from a portion of the net proceeds from the previously announced issuance and sale by the Issuer of its U.S. dollar-denominated 3.600% Notes due 2029. The Offer was made pursuant to the Issuer's Offer to Purchase dated June 10, 2019 and Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as Dealer Manager for the Offer. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation to buy any of the Notes nor is it a solicitation for acceptance of the Offer. The Issuer intends to redeem all the Notes that have not been tendered in the Offer and the anticipated redemption date will be July 17, 2019. About Digital Realty

Digital Realty supports the data center, colocation and interconnection strategies of more than 2,000 firms across its secure, network-rich portfolio of data centers located throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. Digital Realty's clients incude domestic and international companies of all sizes, ranging from cloud and information technology services, communications and social networking to financial services, manufacturing, energy, healthcare and consumer products.



For Additional Information

Andrew P. Power

Chief Financial Officer

Digital Realty

(415) 738-6500 Investor Relations

John J. Stewart

Digital Realty

(415) 738-6500

[email protected]

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the following: the competitive environment in which we operate; reduced demand for data centers or decreases in information technology spending; decreased rental rates, increased operating costs or increased vacancy rates; increased competition or available supply of data center space; the suitability of our data centers and data center infrastructure, delays or disruptions in connectivity or availability of power, or failures or breaches of our physical and information security infrastructure or services; our dependence upon significant customers, bankruptcy or insolvency of a major customer or a significant number of smaller customers, or defaults on or non-renewal of leases by customers; breaches of our obligations or restrictions under our contracts with our customers; our inability to successfully develop and lease new properties and development space, and delays or unexpected costs in development of properties; the impact of current global and local economic, credit and market conditions; our inability to retain data center space that we lease or sublease from third parties; difficulties managing an international business and acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions and unfamiliar metropolitan areas; our failure to realize the intended benefits from, or disruptions to our plans and operations or unknown or contingent liabilities related to, our recent acquisitions; our failure to successfully integrate and operate acquired or developed properties or businesses; difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; risks related to joint venture investments, including as a result of our lack of control of such investments; risks associated with using debt to fund our business activities, including re-financing and interest rate risks, our failure to repay debt when due, adverse changes in our credit ratings or our breach of covenants or other terms contained in our loan facilities and agreements; our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing, and our dependence on external sources of capital; financial market fluctuations and changes in foreign currency exchange rates; adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to, including risks relating to decreasing real estate valuations and impairment charges and goodwill and other intangible asset impairment charges; our inability to manage our growth effectively; losses in excess of our insurance coverage; environmental liabilities and risks related to natural disasters; the expected operating performance of recent acquisitions and descriptions relating to these expectations; our inability to comply with rules and regulations applicable to our company; our failure to maintain our status as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; our operating partnership's failure to qualify as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes; restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities; changes in local, state, federal and international laws and regulations, including related to taxation, real estate and zoning laws, and increases in real property tax rates; changes in the business or financial condition of us or our business; our ability to deliver high-quality properties and services, to attract and retain qualified personnel and to attract and retain customers; and the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues or litigation that may affect us. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-realty-announces-expiration-of-tender-offer-for-any-and-all-of-digital-realty-trust-lps-outstanding-3-400-notes-due-2020-and-5-250-notes-due-2021--300868070.html SOURCE Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]



THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC party yesterday dismissed threats by Zanu PF youths to counter their demonstrations, saying the ruling party had no mandate to stop their constitutional right to protest.





Zanu PF youths on Thursday threatened to block the opposition partys planned protests over the rising cost of living. This came at a time the opposition has threatened to call for protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration.





These youths have got blood on their hands, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume. He alleged that there were some Zanu PF youths who took part in a clampdown against opposition members and ordinary citizens after the January demonstration, but many of them were let free.





It is constitutional to hold an anti-government demonstration anywhere in the world and it is dangerous to create a quasi-group of people who threaten to deal with other people. It is dangerous for the State to keep quiet and not deal with those people, Mafume said.





The State must deal with those people thoroughly and stop them from making statements which are likely to inflame the situation. They have no right to police anyone or to stop anyone from doing a demonstration against the government.





Mafume said if Zanu PF youths wanted to stand in solidarity with the government, then they could demonstrate in support of the government, but not to interfere with their plans.





MDC youth leader Obey Sithole dared the Zanu PF youths, claiming they had no capacity to stop them.





I have come across their claims, but let me categorically state that it is misplaced and misleading for one to think they can stop an idea whose time has come. Zanu PF has no locus standi to stop a peoples demonstration, let alone speak about it, he said.





We are definitely unmoved by such threats. We will not betray the people of Zimbabwe; we shall continue pursuing our path to power until freedom comes.





Meanwhile, Sithole was yesterday summoned by the Zimbabwe Republic Polices Law and Order Section for interrogation after he recently gave Mnangagwas government until month-end to resolve the ongoing socio-economic and political crises facing the country or face mass demonstrations.





Our leader has been summoned by the ZRP. He will report at Harare Central Police Station today (yesterday) in company of his lawyers, said MDC youth assembly

spokesperson Stephen Sarkozy Chuma. He was reportedly warned and released without charge.



National Speaker Presents Affordable Housing Vision For Kansas City Area Local leaders cannot rely solely on facts and figures to energize the community around solving the affordable housing problem, a national community-building expert told a Johnson County audience this week. "Data's important, but it doesn't win the day," said Tiffany Manuel, president and CEO of TheCaseMade.

An issue that's bigger than election chatter, the affordable housing fight is really about changing the way that people think about living space and arguing for local governments to secure it as a basic human right. Read more:RAYTOWN, Mo. - A woman was shot and killed in the Sarah Colman-Livengood Park overnight, and at least three houses and a park building were hit by gunfire. Officers were called to the scene at 5901 Lane just before 12:30 Saturday morning, regarding a house that was hit by gunfire.HAMILTON  A dead body was found in the lake area of Hamilton Lakes Drive about 5:10 p.m. Friday, police said.

An unidentified black male between the ages of 30 and 40 was partially submerged in the water and found dead at the scene, according to the Hamilton Police Division, who said there was no indication of foul play in the incident.

A Hamilton Lakes Drive resident discovered the body and notified police for assistance.

The deceased male was partially clothed. Authorities did not immediately know his identity, but he appears to be between 30 and 40. He was transported to the Middlesex County Medical Examiners Office to determine the exact cause of death, police announced Friday in a news release.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident or the identity of this male is asked to contact Detective Christopher Pullen of the Hamilton Police Division Criminal Investigations Section at (609) 581-4080 or via email at cpullen@hamiltonpd.org. The public may also contact the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at (609) 581-4008.Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High -14F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low -24F. Winds light and variable.editorial@tribune.com

NEW DELHI: Indias exports grew by 3.93% to $30 billion in May on account of healthy growth in sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals and engineering, according to a Commerce Ministry data released on Friday. Imports too rose by 4.31% to $45.35 billion, widening the trade deficit to $15.36 billion in May. The deficit, the difference between exports and imports, was $14.62 billion in May 2018. Oil imports rose by 8.23% to $12.44 billion and non-oil imports expanded by 2.9% to $32.91 billion during the month under review. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 14

The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association unit of Fatehgarh Sahib, on a call of the PCMSA, observed a strike and strongly condemned the brutal attack on Dr Paribaha Mukherjee of the NRS Medical College and Hospital and subsequent attacks on medicos in Kolkata.

Unit president Dr Satnam Banga said they stand in solidarity with the protesting doctors. Together in arms, president of the District Pharmacist Union Sandeep Singh, Nursing president Harneet Kaur and Class 4 president Jasbir Singh demanded strict law against assault on healthcare workers.

PCMSA state general secretary Dr Gagandeep Shergill said the association had pledged to carry out an extensive study across all hospitals and medical colleges in Punjab to collect the data regarding various aspects of this evil problem - assault on healthcare givers - and will provide the data to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister and demand a solution to a logical conclusion.

He demanded security from the Punjab Police at all district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals across the state.  OCeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 14

Members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), PGIMER, today took out a peaceful march and held a non-violent protest from 8 am to 12 noon without compromising on emergency patient services in light of the recent events of barbaric violence against resident doctors in West Bengal.

The protesters flayed the insensitive statements by the West Bengal Government and careless and inhumane attitude of the West Bengal administration.

We are thankful to the faculty for supporting us in our cause. Being aware of our responsibilities, we had the limited duration of our protest to only 4 hours and had ensured the functioning of ICUs and emergencies. However, if the situation in West Bengal worsens, we will not hesitate to take further stringent measures, said association president Dr Uttam Thakur.

We will also like to highlight that such incidents of violence are not isolated and have occurred time and time again in various parts of the country, he said. Despite the presence of laws, which mandate the arrest of perpetrators of violence under non-bailable sections, little or no action has ever been taken. We demand stringent implementation of the provisions of the act and that the perpetrators of violence are brought to justice immediately, he said.

IDA observes black day

Taking part in the nationwide protest against the horrifying act at the NRS Medical College, Kolkata, the Indian Dental Association (IDA) Chandigarh branch, observed a black day. The IDA, Chandigarh, condemned the incident and came out in support of the doctors and hospitals demanding a Central Act against violence on doctors. All members and office-bearers wore black badges. Oral Health Sciences Centre, PGIMER, also stood up in their support and the resident doctors were on strike from 9 am to 12 noon.

Dr Gautam Munjal, president, IDA Chandigarh, said the Chandigarh State Branch stands with the doctors at the NRS Medical College at this time of distress.

Faculty Assn lends support

The Faculty Association (FA), PGIMER, strongly condemned the recent incident at Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, where two interns were brutally assaulted by relatives of a patient.

The association also urged the Government of West Bengal to take strong action against the culprits. We feel safety and security of doctors and other healthcare workers are absolutely essential requirement in order to ensure timely patient care and a good learning environment for students, said the association.

The association, while extending support and solidarity to the ARD, PGIMER, and other fellow colleagues throughout the country, performed their regular duties wearing black badges on Friday as a mark of protest to the graveness of the situation and will continue the same.

We urge the Central and state governments and the Director, PGIMER, to make standard operating procedures for ensuring safety and security measures of workforce at the PGI and other medical institutions, they said.

4,804 attended to at OPDs in PGIMER

In a statement, the PGIMER authorities stated that 4,804 patients were attended to at the OPDs on Friday and 34 elective surgeries were performed out of 99 posted. However, all emergency services, including ICUs and operation theatres, functioned normally.Pamela Philipose

Pamela Philipose

Senior Journalist

IRONICALLY, at a time when the Indian media has never been more subservient to power and never more assiduous about being faithful to the script dictated by the State, attacks on journalists in the country have registered a sharp uptick. It is also ironic that the self-confidence that should have come with handsome electoral victories  such as the one Adityanath achieved in UP in 2017  has only made our chief ministers less, not more, tolerant towards media independence.

The attacks come from a range of actors and straddle a broad spectrum  from trolling and dismissal, to censorship and the ultimate censorship of murder. Journalists have been called blackmailers, anti-nationalists, presstitutes, and some months ago an actor-turned-politician of Tamil Nadu had, in a Facebook post, made the scurrilous remark that women journalists could not become reporters or anchors unless they sleep with top bosses.

The pattern is striking and three aspects of it need highlighting. First, the attempt is made to squeeze out any vestige of independence and debase the profession to such an extent that public perception is built that journalists are a degenerate lot. This, in turn, creates the conditions under which they can be assaulted with no questions being asked. An occasional video, such as the recent one that exposed an SHO and a constable thrashing a television journalist in Shamli, UP  he was treated in despicable ways thereafter according to his testimony, jailed, stripped, beaten, and urinated upon  may provide a glimpse of the extent of such assaults, but in most instances, cameras and phones are confiscated and all visible evidence destroyed by the assaulters.

The second aspect is the creation of a deliberate scenario of intimidation. Journalists have been run over while commuting, have had petrol bombs hurled at their homes, or found themselves homeless because the landlord had been intimidated into throwing them out. Many have been the recipients of threats. They have been told that information, such as where their children went to school, is known; or, in some instances, warned that they would meet the same fate as Gauri Lankesh  the intrepid Bengaluru-based editor and journalist who was murdered in her home after she had just returned from work. Even complaints to the police have never brought any real measure of protection. Sandeep Sharma of Bhind, MP, was investigating the nexus between the local sand mining mafia and the police for a local television channel. In July 2017, he wrote a detailed letter to the DSP, expressing fears for his life. By the next March, he had been crushed to death by a mining dumper, with the case being registered as an accident.

Linked to intimidation is a third aspect  the ongoing construction of the republic of fear. So strong is the patina of fear over journalists that they are driven to clamp the manacles of self-censorship upon themselves, if only for their self-preservation. Fear is most present when speaking about truth that is living yet  in Faiz Ahmed Faizs deathless words. When your face is morphed on to that of a pornstar and your phone number and residential address is made to circulate on social media; when you are targeted by paramilitary forces wielding pellet guns; when the police in plainclothes knock at your door at night and spirit you away in a car, you are left alone to wrestle with a racing heart. Not many have tried to define this fear as Ravish Kumar has done in his recent book, The Free Voice: Fear can be real. It can also be imaginary; the factor which creates and controls imaginary fears is very real. So speaking out will never be easy.When you speak, you must first challenge yourself.To speak, you must persevere; it isnt a single act done in a moment or without effort. You strain your entire being from within.

We are collectively responsible for allowing this shooting of the messenger in the plain light of day. There is a story, incidentally, behind the phrase, and it is told by Plutarch, the Graeco-Roman historian. Grave news reached the king of Armenia, Tigranes, that his enemy was advancing upon his kingdom. So riled was he on receiving this information that he ordered the messenger who had brought the news to be put to death. By this one step, he had signalled to his courtiers how incapable he was of being able to handle the truth, and nobody among them could summon the courage to advise him on the true state of his vulnerabilities, preferring to flatter him instead as the invincible one. A day soon came when his enemys armies were at his door, and that was the end of poor Tigranes.

What comes through in this story is not just the vulnerability of messengers, as a tribe, but of their importance. We are right to be cynical about the integrity of some journalists, or about the corporate capture of many media institutions, but this should not lead us to dismiss the crucial role journalism has to play in a country that claims democratic credentials.

The public inertia with which every attack on a journalist is met is profoundly disturbing. This, after all, is not just an issue to be left to journalistic bodies and professionals. Should journalists not have the right to safety and security in the course of their normal work? A silence reigns over this issue  not even those in the media seem interested in the question. Media owners, in their anxiety to control the cost of operations, have ended up compromising the safety and economic security of their employees. Shouldnt we, as a country, recognise the special protections that journalists require and consider legislating on the issue? Should we not speak out forcibly when journalists are intimidated, wounded, killed or trolled?

It is the silence of good people that has allowed this degeneration to set in. Indian journalism is being killed, one attack at a time.Lt-Gen Harwant Singh

Lt-Gen Harwant Singh

Former Deputy Chief of Army Staff

PAKISTAN'S Prime Minister, Imran Khan, in keeping with the prevailing sentiments in the country, called upon India to resolve the Kashmir problem, including that of Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek. Of the three issues raised by Imran Khan, the easiest to tackle is the Siachen Glacier.

India's stand on the issue has been that the present ground position of the opposing troops be marked and maps and agreements drawn. Also, that these maps and agreements are honoured and no violation of the positions thus marked takes place. Pakistan should have no problem in agreeing to this fair proposal. Subsequently, the issue can be taken forward. As for the remaining issues, it may be possible to find a workable solution for the Sir Creek. The third issue concerns Kashmir, which can definitely be put off for the time being and tackled at a later date.

What Pakistan needs to know is that within the Kashmir Valley, realisation is gaining ground that nothing is to be gained from Pakistan. Equally and gradually, it is dawning on the Kashmiris that a fate similar to that of PoK and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would await them were they to join that country. Also, the type and extent of financial assistance that have flowed into J&K from India is unlikely to come from Pakistan. In fact, the existing financial condition of Pakistan indicates it has nothing to offer and it is actually the financial state of J&K that runs the risk of being exploited.

Unfortunately, India's negative response to Imran Khan's call for talks appears to be linked to the surgical strikes and action at Balakot, where perhaps a wrong impression appears to have emerged that the best way to deal with Pakistan is the muscular policy. In the BJP's perception, this policy against Pakistan substantially contributed to the success in the parliamentary elections though the surgical strikes resulted in an increase in cross-border firing and added casualties of Indian soldiers and civilians. In the case of Balakot, Pakistan declared it to be a complete misfire. Thus, no retaliation to it has so far come up.

Imran Khan telephoned the Indian Prime Minister and congratulated him on his landslide victory in the parliamentary elections. Even so, no invitation to attend the inaugural function was extended to him while a large number of other foreign dignitaries were invited for the ceremony by the Modi government. Not accepting Pakistan's offer to open the airspace 'specifically' for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fly to Bishkek points to a policy of continued confrontation with that country.

India's stance that talks and terrorism cannot go hand in hand runs counter to the very idea of reconciliation. After all, we have lived, all these years, with the Indus Water Treaty, where terrorism and even wars have coexisted with it. In any case, adopting such a stance by India runs counter to its earlier actions where Pakistan's PM was invited for the inauguration ceremony of the Modi government in 2014 and PM Modi making an unscheduled visit to the Pak PM's residence at Lahore. All this time, cross-border terrorism was in full swing.

There have been palpable indications that Imran Khan is moving in the direction of dealing with terrorists operating in Pakistan and tackling the spread of radicalisation in the country. Pakistan has travelled so far down the path of terrorism that this tap cannot be shut all too suddenly, nor that easily.

Perhaps Imran Khan wishes to bring a new narrative to the table, so why not test him out. This stance of no talks till cross-border terrorism ends is not likely to work and the reconciliatory approach presently being adopted by the Pakistan Prime Minister may get frustrated and the military could regain its previous say in the country's policy in dealing with India.

If Pakistan is prepared to initiate talks for peace, then it would be apparent that the military in that country is taking a backseat. Equally, closing of the terrorist tap in Pakistan could take some time and it would be worthwhile to bear with that wait, while we need to keep our guard in place.

The very fact that Imran Khan is willing to extend this hand of friendship does indicate that there is some realisation within Pakistan that this confrontation is doing a greater damage to it than to India. There appears to be awareness in Pakistan that the policy of promoting terrorism, both in Afghanistan and against India, has done it greater damage and led the country down the path of fundamentalism and radicalisation of society. The eventual fallout has been the spread of poverty and financial bankruptcy of the country.

It is perhaps an opportune moment to grasp the hand being extended by Imran Khan for better relations between the two countries. A graduated realisation appears to be dawning on Pakistan that China is merely interested in its own game plan against India and using it as a proxy, driving it into more and more debt. India need not rule out the genuineness of Imran Khan's friendly offer for talks between Pakistan and India. We need to give peace a chance. There is little logic or diplomatic finesse in India's insistence on no talks till cross-border terror ends.laxmi@tribune.com

IT is a sign of immense flux in the world of diplomacy that a fortnight before PM Modi and Chinese President met at Bishkek on Thursday, senior officials of India, US, Australia and Japan held a security dialogue to checkmate Beijings trade and security expansion in the Asia Pacific. This is multipolarity in action, with India attempting to position itself as a swing state  seeking equal opportunities from competing poles in global politics. New Delhis reservation with the US and its European allies is only their past record of apathy towards India during the Cold War. But much more hard work is required to understand and work with China because of the accumulated mistrust and discord over six decades.

Modi and Xi have ample opportunities to convert the 25-minute Bishkek interaction into something substantial as they will meet four times later this year. Bishkek showed the two leaders were looking beyond the immediate and the tactical. They frequently evoked the need to raise their expectations from the relationship and have set high store on their second informal, sans aides, interaction in India later this year. Their directions to speed up the border talks are also driven by the broader context of Sino-Indian ties. That the frequent meetings have brought some results is evident from the setting up of a Bank of China branch which India had held up on security grounds and the Chinese reluctance to the blacklisting of Masood Azhar.

Though Xi said China and India need not distrust each other and asked New Delhi to participate in the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) corridor, Modis challenge will be to maintain an even keel in the relationship. India has to resist getting sucked into projects to which it has principled opposition while it attempts to modernise its military, increase trade, and resolve the border dispute. Modis foreign policy is based on the assumption that India can avoid secondary damage while playing between and playing off two rival blocks. The coming weeks when Modi meets Trump and Pompeo, followed by detailed interactions with Vladimir Putin and Xi will decide how Indias swing state status works over the next five years of the Modi government.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 14

Services at the local PGIMS were affected on Friday as resident doctors went on strike following suicide by an MD (paediatrics) student on Thursday night.

Alleging that Dr Omkar had committed suicide as he was denied leave to attend his sisters wedding, postgraduate students and resident doctors vandalised the residence of Dr Geeta Gathwala, head of the department of paediatrics.

She was placed under suspension till further orders and an FIR registered against her. In a text message to the Director, she stated that she was emotionally drained and unwell.

Postgraduate students and resident doctors alleged that they were being harassed by Dr Gathwala. The body was found hanging from the ceiling of his hostel room with a dupatta. No suicide note was found.

Vice-Chancellor OP Kalra said Dr Omkar was undergoing treatment for depression and had attempted suicide earlier. Faculty members have collected Rs1.5 lakh for transportation of the body to his home in Karnataka, he added.editorial@tribune.com

New Delhi, June 14

A mobile phone was found in the prison cell of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala during inspection by the Tihar Jail authorities, officials said on Friday.

According to Rajkumar, Additional Inspector General of Tihar, inspection was conducted on Thursday and a mobile phone, a charger, a tobacco pouch and a wire were recovered from the prison cell.

Chautalas fellow inmate Ramesh claimed that the items belonged to him, the officials said. The mobile phone was handed over to the special cell of the Delhi Police to trace the calls made from the phone, they said.

Chautala had been serving a 10-year sentence in following conviction in a teachers recruitment scam case. He returned to Tihar on Wednesday after a 21-day furlough.  PTI

Ex-IAS officer Dhalia is INLD state chief

Chandigarh: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om Prakash Chautala has appointed Birbal Dass Dhalia, a retired IAS officer, state president of the party. Previous state president Ashok Arora had resigned after the worst-ever performance of the party in the LS poll. TNSeditorial@tribune.com

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 14

The pilot project of the state government to introduce English medium from Class-I will be expanded to close to 3,000 schools from 2019-20.

Last year, the project was launched in 238 schools but this year it will be implemented in 2,978 schools; 25 schools in all 119 blocks in urban areas of the state.

English medium from Class-I is a part of bagless school initiative of the education department. The introduction of English medium has increased the acceptance of bagless schools, said Additional Chief Secretary, School Education, PK Das.

He added, The idea is to increase the communication skills of the students in English. But it will not help in rural schools as later it could create problems in understanding the subjects. We want to promote the concept in urban primary schools. The urban parents can support the initiative.

In the bagless schools, the students of Class-I and Class-II participate in extra-curricular activities such as games, painting and drawing. We want that students shouldnt carry bags till Class-III. Such schools will reduce the burden of books, said Das.

The schools selection process criteria will include separate teachers for each class and a full staff as a lot of activity has to be done. There will be provision for pigeonhole for students to keep their books before leaving for home. A PC and TV are required in such schools along with furniture for students and for joint activity. An amount of Rs 70,000 per school is required, said Das.

This year, the education department has proposed a budget of Rs 37.48 crore for the bagless schools project before the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Communication skills

The idea is to increase the communication skills of the students in English. We want to promote the concept in urban primary schools. The urban parents can support the initiative.  PK Das, Additional Chief Secretary, School Educationeditorial@tribune.com

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 14

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that a wife could not be said to be vitiating her matrimonial homes atmosphere through aggressive behaviour and sad mood. The assertion by a Division Bench came in a matrimonial dispute case, where the husband was seeking a divorce after claiming, among other things, that his wife right from the next day of marriage started quarrelling with him and his parents.

The Bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain and Justice Harnaresh Singh Gill asserted there was ordinary wear and tear of married life, which happened in day-to-day existence. Mere aggressive behaviour and sadness of mood of wife does not mean that the wife is spoiling the atmosphere of her matrimonial home, the Bench added.

The husband had assailed the judgment and decree dated April 3 passed by Narnaul District Judge, vide which his divorce petition was dismissed. Quoting an apex court judgment, the Bench asserted the concept of cruelty differed from person to person, depending upon his or her upbringing, level of sensitivity, financial position, social status, customs, traditions, religious beliefs, value system, and educational, family and cultural background.

As such, it was essential for the party claiming relief to prove that a particular conduct or behaviour had resulted in cruelty to him or her. The aggrieved party was, rather, required to make a specific case that the conduct of the spouse had caused cruelty to him or her. It was for the court to weigh the gravity of alleged cruelty and it was to be seen whether the conduct was such that a reasonable person would not tolerate.

Referring to the case in hand, the Bench said cogent evidence had not been placed on record to establish that the respondent wifes behaviour was uncalled for. Pointing at the allegations of adultery, the Bench added that as a matter of fact it could not be considered without making the alleged adulterer a party in accordance with the Rule 10 of Hindu Marriage (Punjab) Rules, 1956. Rather unsubstantiated and uncorroborated testimony associating the respondent wife with adulterer has caused mental cruelty to her, the Bench said.

Nuptial knots could not be allowed to be broken on these types of unfounded allegations of cruelty - physical or mental, the Bench asserted.

It also took notice of the fact that the wife had allegedly left matrimonial home in May, 2015, and the petition was filed in February, 2016. As such, the statutory period of two years had not expired on the date of divorce petitions filing. Thus, the present divorce petition had rightly been rejected on this count by the court below, it added while dismissing the appeal.singhking99@yahoo.com

Dr Ritambhara Bhalla

Yoga is an ancient scientific system of physical and mental practices. It remains significant even in modern times. From lifestyle problems to natural processes like pregnancy, yoga is beneficial. Many of us erroneously believe that stretching or exercising during pregnancy should be avoided. However, prenatal yoga through simple asanas and breathing and relaxation methods help to alleviate pain during labour and promote a natural birth.

Benefits during and after pregnancy

Yoga can help you prepare your body and mind for labour and the birthing process. It is an effective way to keep your body active and supple during and after pregnancy.

Benefits during pregnancy

Prenatal yoga offers many benefits to expectant mothers and developing babies. Research has shown that prenatal yoga can alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, build up strength, enhance sleep, augment flexibility and bolster muscles vital for childbirth. In addition to these benefits, it can also help in minimising nausea, headaches, breathlessness, etc. Most significantly, prenatal yoga can substantially lowers the risk of premature labour, hypertension and intrauterine growth restriction.

Benefits of prenatal yoga

Breathing: Yoga can help you tailor your breathing to do a range of activities. Yoga prepares you for labour, helping you breathe consciously, relaxing your muscles and channelling your pain through paced pranayamas.

Pelvic floor strengthening: The pelvic floor is a canopy of muscles that line the pelvis. This muscular band plays a critical role within the female reproductive system, supporting a baby all the way through pregnancy. Pregnancy can cause a strain on the pelvic floor, weakening its muscles as the foetus grows. A weak pelvic floor could lead to urinary incontinence, constipation, irritable bowels, reduced libido, painful intercourse, abdominal pain and uterine prolapse. In light of these factors, it is important that these muscles be fortified through scaled exercises during pregnancy. With yoga, this is possible.

Posture: The centre of gravity shifts as pregnancy advances. Luckily, your back and abdominal muscles have you covered, balancing each other out to hold you upright. Sometimes, weak abdominal muscles can cause unnecessary strain on the lumbar region, giving rise to aches and pains. Pregnancy unwittingly expands these abdominal muscles. The chakraasana is a wonderful asana to bolster your abdomen and deepen your core. Prenatal yoga exercises can also pave the way for you to regain your pre-pregnancy body after childbirth.

Feet: As a result of the postural shift that often occurs during pregnancy, the feet are left to support an inordinate amount of weight. The natural movement of the feet may be hampered as a result, leading to swelling, cramping, pain, varicose veins and weight gain. Prenatal yoga can help prevent these problems.

Hips: Much of the baby weight that you gain during pregnancy can hinder your flexibility. Through yoga, you can regain much of your lost flexibility, creating a cushion for the muscles and bones that fringe your hips.

Yoga helps you in dealing with the common problems like morning sickness and mood swings and ensuring smoother and easier delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. So, if you want to make your pregnancy and childbirth a peaceful and easy journey, you must go for a prenatal yoga class during and after your pregnancy. Look for a prenatal yoga program where you are comfortable with the activities, style, and the yoga class environment. Always remember doing Lamaze which is a simple breathing yoga techniques, it always encourages you to be active throughout your pregnancy and increases your sense of wellbeing.

All yoga exercises should be started pre-pregnancy so as to have the best result during pregnancy. Do not start exercise for the first time in the first trimester except the breathing exercises.

Some easy prenatal asanas

Marjaryasana & bitilasana (cat and cow pose): It strengthens the spine and eases back pain.

Virbhadrasana (warrior pose): It is good for entire body. It works the back, chest and hip muscles.

It is a great pose for strengthening lower body as well.

Trikonasana (triangle pose): It eases pregnancy-related digestive disorders. It is better to start this asana 20 weeks and beyond.

Utkatasana (chair pose): It helps in strengthening hips and thighs.

Titli asana (butterfly pose): It is good for perineal muscle strength.

Vajrasan (thunderbolt pose): It helps to improve digestion and prevents constipation.

Tadasan (palm tree pose): It is good for relaxation and helps to loosen the spine.

Prasarita balasana (wide knee child's pose): It helps in relieving belly weight.

Poses to avoid

Over-stretching

Twists especially around the belly

Jumps

Weight lifting

Fast breathing

Inversions

Backbending

Abdominal work

 The writer is a gynaecologist and obstetrician, Cloudnine group of hospitals, Chandigarheditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 14

Solan-based Shoolini University, which has retained its rank among the top 150 universities for three consecutive years and ranked among top 30 private engineering institutes of India by ELETS Rankings 2019, is striving for inclusion among 200 top universities in the world by 2022.

The university is making preparations for competing with top 200 universities in the world, Vice Chancellor Prof PK Khosla said while addressing media persons here. Presently, none of the Indian universities in the state or private sector was among top 200 universities in the world and Shoolini University is determined to achieve this feet, he added.

The university is concentrating on research, patenting and placement and has so far registered 325 patents and achieved nearly 100 per cent placements in several disciplines, Prof Khosla said adding that the average packages offered range between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 6 lakh per annum.

Prof Khosla said that the universitys management programme, which has been ranked 65th in the country as per NIRF rankings done by Union Human Resources Ministry, has already recorded 100 per cent placements while in pharmacy the university ranked at 39thplace and has already achieved 92 per cent placements.

The placements in M.Sc (Chemistry) and CSE was 100 per cent while it was 85 per cent in engineering  88 per cent in B. Tech (Mech), 90 per cent in B. Tech (Civil) and 75 per cent in B. Tech (Electrical and Electronics). Referring to initiatives taken by the university, he said that MoUs had been signed with about 250 universities worldwide. Over 50 students are currently studying in universities abroad as part of the student exchange programme. At present a substantial number of foreign students are studying in Shoolini University. Many students studying abroad are able to bag fully funded post doctorate scholarships for further studies.

He said the university has made rapid strides in the field of research adding, We are among the top five institutions in the sphere of citation research along with IIT Ropar, IIT Indore, JSS Pune and ISSER, Pune.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 14

On the first death anniversary of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, assassinated this day last year, it was strongly felt that the authorities had failed to identify his killers and find their motive behind the killing.

Views on the life and death of Shujaat Bukhari, Editor of Srinagar-based English daily, Rising Kashmir, who was shot dead outside his office on June 14 last year, were expressed on the occasion of the commemoration day function held here today.

The event, organised by Kashmir Media House, publishers of the English daily and its sister publications, was held at the Tagore hall in the city. Senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan was the chief guest, while Saeed Naqvi, was the guest of honour on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Siddharth Varadarajan said while broad facts of Shujaats killing were known, the authorities were not in a position to inform us about who were the assassins and what was the motive behind his killing. This, he said, was unlike in the case of Gauri Lankesh, an Editor from Bengaluru, who was killed on September 5, 2017, in whose case the police investigated and identified the killers within a year.

Shujaat was also a great believer in the necessity and possibility of peace and used his experience as a journalist to contribute in some way for just and honourable and lasting peace in the valley, Varadarajan said.

Varadarajan and Saeed Naqvi recalled their association with Bukhari as a journalist, who was not only known in Kashmir but also across the country and abroad.

The family members of Shujaat, including his father, Prof Rafiuddin Bukhari, Basharat Bukhari, Shujaats wife, Dr Tehmeena and son, Tamheed and the staff of Kashmir Media House were among those present on the occasion among a gathering of journalists, writers and prominent citizens.

Meanwhile, A group of seven to 10 journalists protested outside the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, demanding stern action against the culprits involved in killing Bukhari. Later, they were taken into preventive custody by the police.editorial@tribune.com

New Delhi, June 14

A Delhi court on Friday sent Kashmiri separatists Shabir Shah, Asiya Andrabi and Masarat Alam Bhat, arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a terror funding case, to judicial custody till July 12.

The case relates to alleged terror funding in the Valley and involves Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind based in Pakistan.

Special Judge Rakesh Syal sent the trio to custody after the NIA did not seek any further custodial interrogation, advocate MS Khan, appearing for the accused, said. The NIA had arrested the three separatists on July 4 during in-chamber proceedings in the court and the agency was granted 10-day custody of the trio.

Shah and Andrabi were already in custody in separate cases, while Alam was earlier brought from Jammu and Kashmir on transit remand where he was lodged in jail for alleged terror activities.

The NIA had filed a chargesheet in January 2018 against Saeed, another terror mastermind Syed Salahuddin and 10 Kashmiri separatists in a case of alleged terror funding and secessionist activities in the Valley.

While Shah was in judicial custody in a decade-old money laundering case for alleged terror financing, Andrabi was in jail in a case of allegedly waging war against the country and delivering hate speeches.

According to the NIA, Shah had received Rs 10 lakh from hawala operator Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watal, a co-accused in the case.

Besides, the money was also sent to the banned outfit Dukhtaraan-e-Milat of which Andrabi was the chief, the NIA had said.

The case in which the accused were arrested on July 4 relates to alleged conspiracy to wage war against the government (Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code) by carrying out terrorist and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The probe agency has chargesheeted 12 persons, including Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.

Other offences for which the accused were chargesheeted include those punishable under Sections 120-B of the IPC (criminal conspiracy) and various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.  PTI

Chargesheet filed in 2018editorial@tribune.com

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 14

Amid conflicting reports about the move on Article 35-A, the government is mulling implementing some recommendations of the Wadhawa Committee to mitigate the plight of West Pakistani Refugees (WPRs)  struggling since 1947 to get basic human rights.

As the BJP had reiterated its promise to solve problems of WPRs during the recently held Lok Sabha elections, implementing recommendations of the Wadhwa panel would resolve problems of these refugees once and for all, without waiting for the courts verdict on Article 35-A.

Sources said during a meeting with representatives of the Union Government, leaders of WPRs had suggested implementing some suggestions of the panel. Governments representatives have assured implementation of some recommendations of the panel to solve our problems to some extent, a refugee leader said.

Headed by the then Financial Commissioner (Revenue) GD Wadhwa, a committee was constituted in May 2006 to look into the problems of 1947, 1965 and 1971 refugees from the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and West Pakistan. The panel had submitted its report to the government on November 29, 2008, but the document is gathering dust for the last nearly 11 years.

Although the panels report was never made public, it is believed that the committee had recommended citizenship rights for WPRs, a majority of them Dalits and OBCs, besides giving them voting rights for assembly, urban local bodies and panchayat elections.

Successive governments in the state, including previous coalition regime in which BJP was equal partner, have repeatedly stated that recommendations were under considerations.

Notably, for the last 11 years, successive state governments are taking guidance from the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs on the report of the Wadhwa panel.

A joint parliamentary committee, including 10 members from the Rajya Sabha, had also recommended implementation of the reports of the panel in 2015.

Who are West Pakistani Refugees

Victims of the 1947 holocaust, these displaced people from Pakistani Punjab  majority of them Dalits and OBCs  are being treated as unwanted and wronged by the successive governments and no effort has been made to solve their issues

As many as 19,960 refugee families are living in 137 hamlets, mostly along the Pakistan border, in plains of Jammu province. Many of the refugees have been living in sub-human conditions in mud house without water and power supplies

Their demandseditorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Anantnag, June 14

Two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed on Friday morning in a gunfight with security forces in Sangam area of Awantipora.

The slain militants have been identified as Irfan Ahmad Digu alias Abu Zarar, a resident of Nayina in Litter area of Pulwama district, and Tasadduk Amin Shah, a resident of Kadlabal locality in Pampore of Pulwama district.

Irfan, as per police records, had been active among Lashkar ranks since last year, and has been involved in planning and executing some attacks, while Tasadduk had joined the outfit recently. He has been found involved in the killing of a civilian in Pantha Chowk area near Pampore on June 3, a senior police official said.

The gunfight took place in Bandena village near Sangam around 9.00 am.

An operation was initiated following inputs regarding presence of militants in the area. As the cordon was being laid, the militants opened fire from a house, the police official said. The firing was retaliated to and the militants were killed in the exchange of fire.

Local sources said the house where the militants were holed up caught fire, forcing them to come out. They were gunned down as soon as they ventured out of the house, sources said.

The authorities, meanwhile, snapped internet services in Pulwama and Anantnag districts soon after the gunfight erupted.ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

New Delhi, June 14

Opposing the AAP governments proposed free travel scheme for women in Delhi Metro trains, its former chief E Sreedharan has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to agree to the proposal as it would set an alarming precedence.

In a letter to the PM, Sreedharan, popularly called Metro Man, said if the Delhi government is so keen to help women commuters, it can pay the cost of their travel directly to them rather than making travel free.

The former Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chief said when the first section of the Delhi Metro was to be opened in 2002, he had taken a firm decision that no one would be given travel concession.

Even the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had bought a ticket to travel to the station from where the Metro section was inaugurated, he said. I would very earnestly request you sir not to agree to the Delhi governments proposal.

Earlier this month, the Arvind Kejriwal government said it would make commute for women in public buses and Metro trains free.

The DMRC is a joint venture of the Centre and Delhi government, and one shareholder cannot take a unilateral decision to give concession and push the Metro into inefficiency and bankruptcy, Sreedharan said.  PTIamansharma@tribunemail.com

Muscat, June 15

Ten Indian crew members of a dhow, which was sinking in Omani waters due to some technical problem in the engines, have been rescued off the port city of Dhalkut, according to the Indian Embassy here.

An unfortunate incident of drowning of a dhow with Indian crew happened in Omani waters today morning. Due to swift action of Omani authorities, 10 persons were rescued and only one is missing, the Indian Embassy in Muscat tweeted.

The Indian Embassy is extending full assistance to the survivors and will help them in repatriation.

We deeply appreciate the timely support extended by Omani authorities in saving lives of Indian nationals, it said.

The Royal Oman Sea Vessel Sadah, in coordination with the Maritime Security Center, carried out a rescue operation at a distance of 4 nautical miles from the port of Dhalkut in Dhofar governorate, Oman News Agency said.

The dhow was slowly filling with water, the agency said.  PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 14

The Bombay High Court today granted bail to four persons accused in the 2006 Malegaon blast case stating that it had no reasonable grounds to believe that the accusations against them were prima facie true.

From the evidence and material available on record, it is not possible to conclude that there are reasonable grounds for believing that accusations against the appellants are prima facie true, Judges IA Mahanty and AM Badar observed while granting bail to Dhan Singh, Lokesh Sharma, Manohar Narwaria and Rajendra Chaudhary.

The court also observed that it had to keep in mind that nine other accused in the case had to be discharged despite the evidence gathered against them by the investigation agencies.

The court set a bail bond of Rs 50,000 each for the applicants. They have also been asked to attend the special court hearing the matter daily. The four were arrested in 2013 and have been in jail since. Their bail pleas were rejected by the special court in 2016 after which they moved the Bombay High Court.

The nine who were discharged in the case belonged to the minority community and were arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police. The National Investigating Agency, which took over the probe, concluded that the blasts at a mosque in Malegaon were carried out by members of the majority community and arrested the four.

The court also relied on the chargesheet filed by the ATS, according to which those who were initially arrested had held several meetings to carry out terror activities in Malegaon and incite the Muslim community into rioting.

While applying for bail, the four had sought the discharge of the nine persons who were originally accused in the case. The four petitioners also cited forensic reports prepared by the ATS and the CBI, which allegedly showed that the nine persons discharged earlier had explosives like RDX in their possession.

No grounds to believe accusations true

From the evidence available on record, it is not possible to conclude that there are reasonable grounds for believing that accusations against the appellants are prima facie true.  Bombay HCkavishakohli@gmail.com

New Delhi, June 15

Resident doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, who boycotted work on Friday in protest against attacks on their colleagues in Kolkata, have now given a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to meet the demands of the state's agitating doctors, failing which they said they would go on indefinite strike.

Members of the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA), who resumed work on Saturday, said that if the demands of the West Bengal doctors are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike.

"We condemn the hostile and unapologetic attitude of the government of West Bengal. Our protest at AIIMS, New Delhi continues until justice is meted out.

"According to the decision taken in a general body meeting held on June 14, RDA issues an ultimatum of 48 hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need," the AIIMS RDA said in a statement.

They expressed their gratitude to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for his prompt and proactive steps to resolve the impasse.

"We sincerely hope that he will address this matter of utmost importance with the urgency that it merits," they said.

Safdarjung Hospital RDA president Parakash Thakur also echoed a similar stand on the matter.

The doctors, however, will continue to wear helmets and bandages at work as a sign of protest .

The 48-hour ultimatum by AIIMS doctors comes days after Mamata Banerjee gave a four-hour ultimatum to the striking doctors in her state to withdraw their strike or vacate hostels.

To express solidarity with the doctors who are agitating against an attack on their colleagues in West Bengal, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a strike on June 17.

The IMA has also decided to continue their protest on Saturday and Sunday condemning the continued suffering of the resident doctors and repeated occurrence of harassments, it said.

These protests will include wearing black badges, dharnas, peace marches. IMA has also requested the support from all associations of the fraternity to join the agitation.

The apex body of doctors in the country also renewed its demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said that the law should provide a minimum sentence of seven-year jail to violators.

Vardhan on Friday supported the medical fraternity's demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said such crimes should be made non-bailable.

Scores of doctors in Delhi Friday held demonstrations, with many seeing patients in emergency wards wearing bandages on forehead or helmets, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity. PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

BJPs Bihar ally JD-U is unlikely to support the NDA government on the contentious triple talaq Bill in its current form.

The Nitish Kumar-led JD-U is of the opinion that any view should not be imposed on Muslims without wide consultations. In fact, the party, which has chosen to remain out of the Narendra Modi government 2.0, apparently due to disagreements over portfolios, today reiterated its long-held stance on the Uniform Civil Code, another poll plank of the saffron party that it has been pursuing for years.

The JD-U reiterates its previous stand on Uniform Civil Code. Ours is a nation based on a delicate balance in respect of laws and governing principles for different religions and ethnic groups. We must not impose any view without obtaining substantive consultations, senior leader KC Tyagi was quoted as saying.

The BJPs attempt to push the triple talaq Bill was blocked in its first term due to lack of numbers in the Rajya Sabha. While it enjoys a brute majority in the Lok Sabha, it will still need support from non-NDA parties in the Upper House.

Sources in the BJP said it was clear that their Bihar ally was following the path best for its politics and vote bank given that elections are due in the state next year.editorial@tribune.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

The government has called a meeting of political party leaders on Sunday to discuss the agenda for the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha starting June 17 until July 26.

Top on the government priority is the anti-triple talaq Bill that criminalises the related practice of divorcing Muslim women. The Bill prescribes a punishment of three years for a Muslim man practising triple talaq and says the accused can get bail only from the magistrate before the trial starts, provided his wife concurs.

Opposition parties led by the Congress have objected to a jail term in the law and are also seeking state compensation for the deserted wife and her children. The law, at present, tasks the husband to provide maintenance for the wife and the children.

Earlier, the Bill had failed the Rajya Sabha test and the government had to bring an ordinance this February to prevent it from lapsing. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights) on Marriage Second Ordinance 2019 will be replaced with an Act which the Union Cabinet cleared this week.

In the upcoming session, the government will bring this Act replacing the triple talaq ordinance amid apprehensions of a confrontation with the Opposition. The Congress has said it has some objections to the Bill in its present form. The Congress wants the bail provisions for the accused under the Act eased, besides an assured maintenance for the Muslim woman in question.

The Parliament session starts June 17 with oath-taking ceremony of new MPs on June 17 and 18, followed by Lok Sabha Speakers election on June 19 and the Presidents address to a joint sitting of the two Houses on June 20. The Economic Survey will be laid on July 4 and the full budget on July 5.

Jagan meets Shah for AP special status

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him to soften PM's heart on the issue of granting special category status to the Rs 2.58 lakh crore debt-ridden state. Reddy said he would raise the demand at the NITI Aayog meeting, to be chaired by PM Modi, on Saturday. AgenciesROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Bishkek, June 14

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lashed out at countries sponsoring, aiding and funding terrorism and told top leaders at the SCO Summit that such states must be held accountable, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, whose premier Imran Khan was among the audience.

Also read: India declines to endorse Chinas BRI at SCO meet

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here, Modi also called for a global conference to combat the scourge of terrorism.

India advocates a terrorism-free society, he said.

To combat the menace of terrorism, countries will have to come out of their narrow purview to unite against it, Modi said in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan PM Imran Khan and Iran President Hassan Rouhani, among others.

Countries sponsoring, aiding and funding terrorism must be held accountable, he said.

Prime Minister Modi also called on the SCO member states to cooperate under the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) against terrorism. A peaceful, united, safe and prosperous Afghanistan is vital for the stability and security in the SCO, he said. We are happy that a further roadmap has been prepared at the SCO Afghanistan Contact Group.

The SCO is a China-led eight-member economic and security bloc with India and Pakistan being admitted to the grouping in 2017.  PTI

Modi, Imran exchange greetings

Bishkek: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan exchanged pleasantries on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here when the two met in the Leaders Lounge, sources said. This is the first such interaction between the two PMs amid the chill in the bilateral ties triggered by the Pulwama attack in February. IANS

Visas denied to Sikh pilgrims, India protests

New Delhi: India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over its refusal to grant visa to 87 Indian pilgrims who wanted to visit the neighbouring country to observe the death anniversary of fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev, official sources said. They were part of the official jatha (group), sources said, adding that restrictive visa was granted to a private group of Indian pilgrims. TNSeditorial@tribune.com

Kanchrapara (WB), June 14

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today insisted that those living in West Bengal would have to learn to speak Bengali as she accused the BJP of targeting Bengalis and minorities to replicate the Gujarat model to capture power in the state.

She said she would never allow the BJP to turn West Bengal into Gujarat, the home state of PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, and asserted that we will never allow Bengalis to become homeless in Bengal.

Banerjee said, We have to bring Bangla (language) forward. When we go to Delhi, we speak in Hindi; when we go to Punjab, we have to speak in Punjabi. I do it. When I go to Tamil Nadu, I dont know the Tamil language, but I know a few words. So, in the same way, if you are coming to Bengal you have to speak in Bengali... We will not allow that people will come from outside and beat up Bengalis.

The TMC supremo was addressing a rally in Kanchrapara in North 24 Paraganas district. The area is the home turf of BJP leader Mukul Roy, a friend-turned-foe of the TMC president. Roys son Subhrangshu is the MLA from the Bijpur constituency and has recently switched over to the BJP from the TMC.

In Naihati, Kakinara, Barrackpore, houses of Bengalis have been ransacked. We will not tolerate this. Our party cadres didnt ransack houses of non-Bengalis here. We are against this sort of violence, she said.

Just because they have won a few seats by programming EVMs doesnt mean that you can beat up Bengalis and minorities in the state. We will not tolerate this. The police will take action against hooligans. If someone is living in Bengal, he or she has to speak in Bengali, she said.

In the fiercely fought Lok Sabha election, the BJP won 18 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, only four less than the TMCs 22.

Banerjee said, I have nothing against non-Bengalis living in Bengal. But BJP is trying to create a Bengali and non-Bengali divide. I would urge them not to test our patience. We will never allow Bengalis to become homeless in Bengal.

On the doctors strike, she reiterated her statement that some outsiders were involved in instigating the doctors and were behind the protest. Banerjee said she had seen some outsiders inside the SSKM Hospital premises raising slogans against the government. I had rightly said yesterday that there were outsiders involved in yesterdays incident. I had seen some outsiders raising slogans there, Banerjee said referring to her visit to SSKM Hospital on Thursday.

Banerjee had set a 2 pm-deadline for the striking doctors to resume work on Thursday, which they defied and continued with the stir. Before ending her speech, Banerjee reiterated her slogans of Jai Bangla and Jai Hind to counter the BJPs slogan of Jai Shri Ram.  PTIeditorial@tribune.com

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

India once again refrained from endorsing Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek on Friday.

The development comes against the backdrop of Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider joining the BRIs Bangladesh China India Myanmar (BCIM) corridor. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhales briefing did not mention the offer, but a Chinese rendering of the meeting between the two leaders mentioned that Xi called for Indias participation in the BCIM project.

The SCO, which goes strictly by consensus, had to make an exception due to the opposing views of India and China on the BRI. As a result, the joint communique which was released at the end of the SCO summit contained a sentence where all its members barring India reaffirmed their support for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and praised the results of its second marquee event held recently in Beijing.

India opposes the BRI on several grounds, including its disregard for sovereignty concerns in the case of the Pakistan China Economic Corridor which runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well as opaqueness in its strategic goal and terms of financing. However, for the first time, China has directly asked India to join a portion of BRI on its eastern flank which has no sovereignty issues attached to it.

The SCO summit also saw a toning down of its criticism of the US. The previous SCO summit in China has described the US attitude to world trade rules as unconstructive and futile while a preparatory meeting before todays summit had talked of joint resistance against American trade highhandedness.

The final communique opted for the more sober formulation of further improving the architecture of global economic governance, and deepening cooperation for the development of trade, economic and investment cooperation by strengthening the multilateral trading system based on WTO rules and regulations and through opposition to the fragmentation of global trade and trade protectionism in all its forms.

The SCO summit was again unable to finalise the setting up of the SCO Development Foundation and the SCO Development Bank.rchopra@tribunemail.com

Bishkek, June 15

Pakistan will hold talks with India on the basis of equality and in a dignified manner, and it is up to New Delhi whether to engage with Islamabad to resolve all outstanding issues, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.

Qureshi, who was in the Kyrgyz capital to attend the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, said this while confirming exchange of pleasantaries between Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi here on Friday on the sidelines of the multilateral meeting.

Yes, the meeting did take place, there was a handshake and exchange of pleasantries, Qureshi told Geo News.

He accused the Indian government of being in the election mindset to keep their vote bank intact.

Pakistan has said what it had to, Qureshi said.

So India has to make this decision, we are neither in haste, nor troubled. When India prepares itself, it would find us prepared, but we will hold talks on the basis of equality, in a dignified manner.

Neither we need to run after anyone, nor do we need to demonstrate stubbornness. Pakistans approach is very realistic and well thought-out, Qureshi said when asked to comment on demand by some people that Pakistan should not repeatedly invite India for talks.

He said India had to make a decision whether to hold bilateral talks with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues, and that Pakistan sought the dialogue to be based on equality.

India has not come out of its election mindset and the extreme position they had taken to influence their constituency and to keep their vote bank intact. It is still confined in that, Qureshi said.

The exchange of pleasantries between Khan and Modi came over two weeks after Khan and Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts, pushing for restarting the bilateral talks.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since the attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.

Khan had also made a telephone call to Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries.

On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmirs Pulwama district.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. The next day, the Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was later handed over to India. PTImonicakchauhan@gmail.com

New Delhi, June 15

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the goal of making India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024 is challenging but surely achievable, as he asked states to focus on their core competencies and work towards increasing the GDP right from the district level.

Addressing the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, Modi also announced setting up a high-powered committee comprising some chief ministers and union ministers on structural reforms in agriculture.

The meeting which held in a very positive atmosphere was attended by senior union ministers and almost all the chief ministers, except for Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana).

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh could not attend the meeting due to health reasons. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur too could not attend the meeting as he was in Germany.

Banerjee had earlier said she would not attend the meeting saying Niti Aayog is a fruitless body as it has no financial powers. Rao did not come as he was busy with preparations for the launch of the ambitious Rs 80,000 crore Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project that would end water woes in the state.

After the meeting, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar told reporters that composition and terms of reference about the high-powered committee on agriculture reforms would be announced in the next few days. The committee, he added, would be submitting its report in two-three months.

On the absence of the Bengal chief minister, Kumar said it is regrettable that she did not come as her contribution to the meeting would have been helpful.

In his inaugural address, the prime minister also underlined the need for taking effective steps to tackle drought in various parts of the country.

According to an official release, Modi recalled the recent General Elections as the worlds largest democratic exercise and said it is now time for everyone to work for the development of India. He spoke of a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence.

The prime minister said that everyone has a common goal of achieving a New India by 2022. He described Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and PM Awaas Yojana as illustrations of what the Centre and the states can accomplish together.

Stressing that the focus should be on collective responsibility for achieving short-term and long-term goals, Modi said the goal to make India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024, is challenging, but can surely be achieved.

The size of Indias economy was estimated at USD 2.75 trillion at end-March 2019.

States, he added, should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising GDP targets right from the district level.

He also stressed on increasing exports from the country.

PM calls for steps to tackle drought

Amid drought-like situation in several parts of the country, Modi called for effective steps to tackle drought and emphasised that per-drop, more-crop strategy should be promoted.

India has faced deficit monsoon rains for the last five years and water management has become a major issue.

The release further said Modi reiterated the Union Governments commitment to double incomes of farmers by 2022. To achieve this, he said there should be a focus on fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, fruits and vegetables.

He said that the benefits of PM-KISAN  Kisan Samman Nidhi - and other farmer-centric schemes should reach the intended beneficiaries well within time.

Noting that there is a need for structural reform in agriculture, Modi spoke of the need to boost corporate investment, strengthen logistics, and provide ample market support. He said the food processing sector should grow at a faster pace than foodgrain production.

Referring to the left-wing extremism, Modi said the battle against Naxal violence is now in a decisive phase.

He said violence will be dealt with firmly, even as development proceeds in a fast-paced and balanced manner, the release said quoting the prime minister.

The Prime Minister urged those states who have not implemented PMJAY under Ayushman Bharat, so far, to come onboard this scheme at the earliest. He said health and wellness should be the focal point of every decision.

While welcoming the participants, Modi said Niti Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.

The Centre has embarked upon a major policy initiative for rapid transformation of 115 districts which are lagging on specific development parameters.

Giving further details about the meeting, the Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman said the stress was on boosting the agriculture sector and many of the states suggested a review of the agricultural produce market committees and norms related to essential commodities law.

He also said the issue related to Jammu and Kashmir too came up for discussion and Governor Satya Pal Malik informed the gathering that there was a marked improvement in the law and order situation in the state.

On the Left-wing extremism, Kumar said that Home Minister Amit Shah talked about improvement in situation citing data.

The problem of Naxalism was being contained because there has been better coordination and information sharing among affected states.

Kumar said several states made many suggestions regarding the forthcoming Union Budget. He said the suggestions would help in budget making.

He also said devolution of funds from the Centre to states has almost doubled to Rs 41 lakh crore in the past four years.  PTIROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

It will be an emotional remembrance to fallen soldiers of the Kargil conflict with Pakistan. Troops from three battalions  or paltans, as they are called colloquially  will conduct expeditions on the same peaks on which their paltans had fought under impossible conditions to drive out Pakistani troops exactly 20 years ago.

Nuclear- armed neighbours India and Pakistan had fought the war in May-July 1999 along the 168-km Himalayan ridgeline that forms the Mushkoh-Drass-Kargil-Batalik-Turtuk axis of the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K.

Sources said three important battles have been selected and troops from three paltans will pay their tributes, which includes troops climbing to the top.

In 1999, the enemy was firing at Indian troops as they climbed to the top.

The battle at Tololing, the fight to capture Point 4875 (now known as Batra top) and battle of Khalubar will see troops of 2 Rajputana Rifles, 13 JAKRIF and 1/9 Gorkha Rifles, respectively, do the honours.

At Point 4875, the 13 JAKRIF will be joined in by Vishal Batra, the identical twin of Capt Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra, who led the assault. Capt Batra died on July 7 and the expedition will reach the top the same day. Vishal Batra is in a senior position at a private bank.

GL Batra, the father of the twins, told over phone: Yes, Vishal will be going there.

Sources said the Leh-based 14 Corps Commander, Lt Gen YK Joshi, who was commanding 13 JAKRIF during the Kargil conflict, is expected to join the expedition. A treacherous ridgeline in the Batalik sector, Khalubar saw a major battle with 1/11 Gorkha Rifles leading the fight. Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey led the final assault and was, like Capt Batra, awarded PVC.

At Tololing, seen as a turning point in the Kargil War, 18 Grenadiers had set the stage for assaults and 2 Rajputana Rifles achieved the victory against overwhelming odds. Tololing, a dominant position overlooking the Srinagar-Leh Highway (NH-1D), was so strategic that after it was conquered, it was only a matter of six days for Indian troops to notch up a string of successes by evicting well-entrenched intruders in four nearby outposts.

Major Vivek Gupta, Major Rajesh Adhikari, Naik Digendra Kumar were awarded Maha Vir Chakra, Indias second highest military honour.

Emotional remembrance to martyrs

Troops of 2 Rajputana Rifles will scale Tololing peak, 13 JAKRIF will climb Point 4875 (now known as Batra top), while 1/9 Gorkha Rifles will reach Khalubar summiteditorial@tribune.com

Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, June 14

Courts have been a useful ally of the Shillong Sikhs as they fight against constant attempts made to drive them away.

The Gora Line Sweepers Colony at Shillongs Laitumkhra area is as old as the Punjabi Lane settlement of Dalit Sikhs. Like the Punjabi Lane residents, the ancestors of the Gora Line families also came with the early British colonialists as sanitation workers.

They also settled down in the area after an arrangement was made with the local tribal chief. But unlike the Punjabi Lane Sikhs, their Gora Line counterparts are not threatened with eviction.

Punjabi Lane, being close to the citys commercial hub Police Bazaar, is worth a fortune and this could be the main reason for the trouble faced by the Sikhs living there. However, Sikhs of the Gora Line colony too are not free from tension.

We live in fear. It is our constant companion. We know that if clashes break out in Punjabi Lane, we will also become targets. Moreover, being Sikhs, we can be identified easily, says Akash Singh, a resident of the Gora Line Sweepers Colony.

Sometime back, fire had broken out at the Gora Line colony leading to destruction of some houses. When the residents tried to rebuild the houses, government tried to put up obstacles and refused to restore the electric connections. The residents went to court and got a ruling in their favour. The court took note of the electricity bills sent in the name of individual households that turned out to be a very crucial evidence in our favour, said Kirpal Singh, a resident.

Similarly, the Punjabi Lane residents too got the court on its side in times of trouble. The series of court victories point out which side has got a just case. But the ethnicity-driven politics of the north-eastern region is not known for paying heed to anything in favour of outsiders.

Legal helpROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

Protests over Tuesdays assault on junior doctors in West Bengal spread across the country today with health services being disrupted and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan appealing to medical professionals to return to work.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) launched an agitation in solidarity with the Bengal doctors and announced a nationwide strike on Monday, demanding a central law on safety of medical professionals at workplaces and against hospital violence.

IMA president Ramesh Datta said non-essential services would remain suspended as part of the Monday strike but casualty, emergency, and trauma services would remain available. After doctors took to mass resignations in West Bengal today following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees allegations of political motive behind the agitation, Vardhan urged the CM not to stand on ego. The Bengal doctors are demanding Banerjees unconditional apology after she served them an ultimatum to return to work by today.

Vardhan, after meeting Resident Doctors Associations of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, United Resident and Doctors Association of India (URDA) and Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), here, said he would write to Banerjee and other CMs to ensure safety for doctors and would also discuss the matter with the Home Minister.

Vardhan, while ruing the threatening tone Banerjee used for protesting doctors, said instead of assuaging the feelings of protesting doctors, she threatened them back.

Their anger is natural. Today IMA, Delhi Medical Association and other resident doctors bodies have given a call to disrupt medical services. The situation is bad. I am against strikes by doctors but I do agree that a safe work environment for medical professionals is a non-negotiable. To this end, I promise to speak with the Home Minister about what can be done and also to states to ensure doctors safety, Vardhan said.

The IMA cited past instances of assaults on doctors to say they will not take their agitation back until the Centre promised a law to ensure doctor safety, besides guaranteeing security in hospitals and medical colleges.

The law against hospital violence is a must. Already 19 states have laws on safety for doctors but there should be a Central law which is binding on every state. It has become routine for patients families to assault doctors when they want. Doctors cannot work in such a threatening environment, IMAs Datta said.

Doctors across India held demonstrations and absented themselves from work to express solidarity with their Bengal counterparts. In Bengal, 13 major government hospitals were badly affected.

In Delhi, too, private OPDs in major hospitals remained closed and patients suffered.

Bengal saw mass resignations by around 300 doctors from hospitals in Kolkata, Darjeeling, North 24 Parganas and Burdwan. They have demanded an unconditional apology from the CM to end their strike, which entered its fourth day today with no end in sight.

The Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare also expressed solidarity with the protesters, asking Mamata Banerjee to listen to the grievances of the agitating professionals.

The protests were triggered on Tuesday after the family whose relative died assaulted two junior doctors at NRS Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal.

Ministers appeal

Their anger is natural. But doctors should resort to other simple and symbolic ways to protest. Patients should not be deprived of immediate and emergency facilities. I appeal to doctors to return to work.  Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union health ministeramansharma@tribunemail.com

Hyderabad, June 15

The Indian Air Force would ascertain the cause of the recent crash of an AN-32 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh and take steps to ensure that such incidents do not recur, IAF chief B S Dhanoa said Saturday.

His comments came days after the wreckage of the aircraft was found in a remote area in Arunachal Pradesh, more than a week after it went missing with 13 people on board.

We have recovered the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder...We will go into the detail (to ascertain) as to what happened and how do we make sure that it does not happen again, he told reporters on the sidelines of the Combined Graduation Parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal near here.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the way we fly, the terrain is very treacherous and most of the time, it is cloudy...When you are flying in that terrain, in that cloudy weather, there have been many, many, not only Air Force, even otherwise, Pawan Hans and all, lot of accidents, because of controlled flight into terrain, he claimed.

Noting that there were procedures to make sure such accidents do not recur, he said, .. need to review what happened and we dont have such an accident again.

The Russian-origin aircraft went missing in the afternoon of June 3, after 33 minutes it took off from Jorhat in Assam for Menchuka in Arunachal Pradesh.

After eight days of a massive search operation, the wreckage of the plane was spotted by an IAF chopper on Tuesday at a height of 12,000 feet near Gatte village on the border of Siang and Shi-Yomi districts. All 13 on board the aircraft died.

During his address at the Air Force Academy, Dhanoa said the institution has always been close to his heart since he graduated from there 41 years ago.

Earlier, the IAF chief also reviewed the Combined Graduation Parade at the Academy.

He exhorted the cadets to have high professional competence and be a good leader of men at the same time.

A total of 152 flight cadets, including 24 women, graduated as Flying Officers of the IAF. The flight cadets, who were commissioned, include a woman, named Anjali, in fighter branch.  PTIshriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Chandigarh, June 15

Urging Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to ensure steps to protect Punjabi settlers, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has decided to send a four-member delegation to resolve the settlers' issues.

The delegation, to be headed by Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, would meet the Chief Minister and others in Meghalaya, an official spokesperson said here on Saturday. Ravneet Singh Bittu and Jasbir Singh Gill, both MPs, and Kuldeep Singh Vaid, an MLA, will be other members of the team.

Planning Special Secretary D.S. Mangat has been asked to accompany the team and the Chief Secretary co-ordinate the visit.

The move comes amid reports that Paunjabi settlers have received threats from local terrorist organisations, warning them of dire consequences if they resisted the state government's attempts to evict them.

"These reports have caused concern in Punjab as these families have been residing in Shillong since pre-independence days," said Singh in a letter to Sangma, requesting steps to instil a sense of security among the settlers.

Underlining the sensitivity of the issue, the Punjab Chief Minister stressed the need for careful and amicable resolution of issues. It was important to prevent it from acquiring a religious or parochial colour, he added.

In the letter, he also referred to last year's visit to Meghalaya by a delegation headed by the Punjab Cooperation Minister. The delegation had met settlers as well as the state government officials and was assured due measures to prevent the displacement of Punjabi families.  IANSshriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Gurdaspur, June 15

Gurdaspur MP and Bollywood actor Sunny Deol on Saturday reviewed the progress of work on the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak here.

He posted his pictures of reviewing the work at Kartarpur corridor on his Twitter handle.

The 59-year-old BJP MP visited the Kartarpur corridor site for the first time after winning the Lok Sabha polls.

Today, met teams at Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor to review progress of corridor work. pic.twitter.com/bvJHOcPR8L  Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) 15 June 2019

He was accompanied by officials of the district administration, BSF personnel and others at Dera Baba Nanak here, but stayed there for just half-an-hour, officials said.

In May, Deol had offered prayers at the Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak before starting his poll campaign.

The construction of Kartarpur corridor on the Indian side is expected to be complete by September 30.

The Kartarpur Corridor links Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Narowal with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur. The corridor will provide a visa-free access to Sikhs from India to their holiest Shrine located inside Pakistan.

It will be open to pilgrims in November to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Meanwhile, Punjab Cooperation Minister and Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa asked Deol to arrange adequate funds for infrastructure projects and special programmes in towns and cities associated with Guru Nanak Dev.

Taking potshots at the BJP MP, Randhawa said, "He (Deol) has no political vision. He could have invited local MLAs here to know what they want from the Centre."

Deol had defeated Congress' candidate Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes in the Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier this month, the newly elected MP faced wrath of the people in Gurdaspur after he posted a video of his vacation in Kaza on Instagram.  PTIrchopra@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 15

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday claimed that the Union Home Ministry had asked the SIT to investigate afresh a case against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath for his alleged involvement in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

The SIT was constituted to investigate the closed cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Sirsa alleged that Kamal Naths name was deliberately not mentioned in the FIR registered on November 1, 1984 for the killing of two Sikhs at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib.

He said the DSGMC had approached the SIT for an FIR against Kamal Nath but due to technical reasons it was not lodged. Now, the Home Ministry had given the permission for registering the FIR against Kamal Nath, Sirsa claimed, adding that senior journalist Sanjay Suri and retired DSGMC employee Mukhtiar Singh could be witnesses in the case.

Both were ready to be witness that Kamal Nath was there at the gate of the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib when the mob had killed two Sikhs, Sirsa said.editorial@tribune.com

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 14

Learning no lessons from the past incidents, the state government has failed to act against the factories and commercial units lacking fire safety arrangements.

The two hosiery units where a massive fire broke out on Friday had not even obtained any fire safety certificate and had no safety arrangements in place, said an official of the Punjab Fire Services.

As per a report released by the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) two years ago, just 2 per cent of the industries, commercial, educational and other institutes running in the city have obtained fire safety certificates. Also, factory fires account for about 70 per cent of the total fire incidents reported in the city every year. However, the fire safety audit of factories, including hosiery units, many of which are located in narrow streets, has never been done.

After a fire in a plastic manufacturing factory in 2017, in which 16 persons, including nine fire fighters, were killed, the MC authorities had announced to carry out a survey to check the fire safety arrangements in various buildings. But the staff of the fire wing and the MC inspected a few hospitals and commercial buildings and ignored the industrial units completely.

CM fails to keep his word

In November 2017 when a plastic manufacturing factory collapsed, firefighters were seen using wet sacks on body and scarves on head to protect themselves. Following the incident, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had announced to provide uniforms to the firefighters, but has failed to do so to date.

Around four years ago, firefighters had demanded imported suits from the then government, but to no avail. Four firefighters had sustained severe burns while five others suffered minor injuries when they were making an attempt to douse the flames at a factory in May 2017. However, they are still forced to work without the safety gear and eye protectors.

It is hard to breathe due to poisonous smoke inside the buildings under fire. So, we have to go out for a few seconds to breathe and then return to work. We often face irritation in eyes and on skin in the absence of safety gear. Small burns are very common, said a fireman.

Besides, the equipment, including hydraulic ladders and advanced cutters, are still unavailable. They are often seen breaking walls with hammer to drive the smoke out of the building in the absence of required machines.

In May 2015, a major fire had spread into three factories at Dal Bazaar located in the narrow streets of old Ludhiana city. The fire tenders could not enter the narrow streets of Dal Bazaar. Thus, it took over two days to control the fire in the absence of the required equipment.

Requirementseditorial@tribune.com

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Attari, June 14

Around 130 pilgrims, who were supposed to cross over to Pakistan for observing the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, had to return from the Attari Shyam Singh railway station in the evening for want of permission from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

While possessing valid visa, the dejected lot of pilgrims had arrived at the station early this morning from different parts of Punjab and other states.

A special train from Pakistan that the pilgrims were supposed to board had arrived on the Wagah track, but was not allowed to enter Attari. As the formalities could not be done, it returned.

Raising anti-government slogans, the agitated pilgrims complained of lack of communication between the Railways and MEA. The pilgrims also lamented poor arrangements at the Attari railway station.

Braving the heat, Rajdeep Singh, a pilgrim, said the Attari station did not justify being called an international platform.

We have been here since 7 am. There was no adequate facility for drinking water or toilets. We understand that the Indian government has issues with Pakistan, but why should the sangat be punished, he said.

However, the railway authorities showed helplessness. They said the pilgrims, who waited outside the station in the heat, could be allowed inside for the customs and immigration process only after an official nod was received.

Had we received approval from the ministry, we would have taken no time to clear the formalities, said ML Rai, Station Officer at the Attari station.

Pilgrims said Pakistan had issued them visa on June 4 and the visa was valid from June 14 to 23.

Bhai Mardana Yaadgari Kirtan Darbar Society (Ferozepur) chief Harpal Singh Bhullar said it happened earlier too. The governments of both sides should not settle their political scores at the cost of disrupting religious functions, he said.

SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said, The Pakistan authorities denial to us was condemnable, but the Indian authorities not allowing the Sikh devotees to go to Pakistan is equally deplorable.editorial@tribune.com

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 14

Doctors observed a Black Day on Friday and held a protest march here to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in Kolkata.

Demanding a safe working environment, over 200 MBBS students  along with junior and senior resident doctors of Government Rajindra Hospital  tied a black cloth on their arms and heads as a mark of protest. They saidthe incidents of assault on medical professionals were on the rise, but nothing concrete had been done so far.

Demanding more security at hospitals, doctors said a safe and secure work environment was a basic requirement for caregivers to provide medical care to patients.

Condemning fatal attack, Dr DS Bhullar of the Punjab State Dental and Medical Teacher Association said, There is no secure environment for the practitioners and, therefore, assaults on them are increasing day by day. If it continues like this, medical aspirants may start losing interest in this profession.

They demanded that the state should deploy more police at the emergency ward of government hospitals to avoid any untoward incident.

The Punjab medicos, in a memorandum submitted to the Patiala Civil Surgeon, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure that no such attacks happen. Demanding stricter laws with exemplary punishment to the perpetrators, Punjab doctors demanded robust Acts on violence against medical professionals.

In a protest held at District Hospital in Fatehgarh Sahib, unit chief Dr Satnam Banga said they stand in solidarity with protesting doctors.shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Chandigarh, June 15

To prepare a comprehensive master plan for the conservation and management of water resources to tackle declining ground water in Punjab, Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria on Saturday met a three-member team of experts from Israel in Amritsar.

The experts team along with senior officers of the Water Resources Department had earlier visited various parts of the state to assess the present situation and the challenges being faced by the state in dealing with the water sector.

During their three-day visit, the team of experts got an overview of the existing water resources and infrastructure in the state.

The experts team of International Special Projects Coordinator of Mekorot Diego Berger, Project Manager Niv Pintow, Water Engineer of Mekorot for North district Tomer Malol discussed ways and means with the minister to deal with the grave problem of deteriorating water resources in the state.

The team apprised Sarkaria that they will submit six reports'Study in current situation of water sector', 'Water based economy regulations', 'Projections of the water resources', 'Projection of water demand', 'Alternative water supply schemes', 'Economic analysis and master plan summary and recommendations' for Punjab.

The national water company of Israel, Mekorot, and the Punjab government had signed an agreement in April after the visit of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to Israel in October 2018.

As per the agreement, the recommendations of Mekorot would be submitted in 18 months.

The final report of the master plan is expected in October 2020, a spokesperson for the state government told IANS.  IANSeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh will not be attending the NITI Aayog meeting in the capital on Saturday. He also skipped a dinner hosted by his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Kamal Nath in New Delhi on Friday.

Capt Amarinder is learnt to have taken ill although he was scheduled to attend the Aayog meeting.

The Chief Minister has reportedly designated Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal to represent the state.

Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh was the only CM of Congress-ruled states who was absent from the dinner hosted by Kamal Nath.

Rajasthan CMAshok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy attended the dinner. The Congress leaders discussed the situation arising out of the LS poll debacle and party president Rahul Gandhis offer to resign.

Writes to Meghalaya CM on sikhs safety

Amid the ongoing issue of Punjabi settlers in Shillong, CM Capt Amarinder Singh has written to his Meghalaya counterpart to protect Punjabis there

Capt in a letter to Sangma Conrad said he must ensure proper protection of Punjabi settlers there

He is also sending a state government delegation to meet the Meghalaya CM and the Punjabi families there

Cong CMs want Rahul to stay as party Chiefsinghking99@yahoo.com

Swati Rai

Many amateur and professional artists were introduced to the landscapes of China and India, thanks to the maritime engagements of the East India Company and then the British Empire. Some artists took the plunge in search of wealth, while others were driven by the spirit of adventure and scientific exploration.

Prominent among these travelling landscape artists were Thomas Daniell (1749-1840) and William Daniel (1769-1840), the uncle-nephew duo. They travelled extensively in India between 1786 and 1793, recreating topographical scenery of the land, commissioned by the seafaring Europeans. On their return to Britain, they produced many paintings, drawings and prints based on the sketches they had made while travelling. The aquatints, collectively christened as the Oriental Scenery, showed the colonial Indian architecture and landscape of that time as never before.

The artists started their Indian sojourn from Calcutta, and reached Delhi via the Gangetic Plain. Then, they moved up into the hills of Garhwal, back to Kolkata via Lucknow, and then to Madras, and finally to Bombay to explore the rock cut temples of western India. They comprehensively captured the terrain of India of that time  barren lands, mountains, forests hills, rivers and even waterfalls such as the Dhuah Kund, boulders of Sultanganj, grand architectural monuments, mosques, tombs and temples, and everyday village life.

These aquatints were issued in pairs, between March 1795 and December 1808. In an exhibition titled Oriental Scenery: Aquatints of India by Thomas Daniell and William Daniell, curated by art historian Giles Tillotson, 144 prints are currently on display at Drishyakala, a collaboration between the Archaeological survey of India (ASI) and Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), Barrack No.4, at the iconic Red Fort in New Delhi.

There were many other artists who travelled to India before the Daniell duo; the most prominent being William Hodges. So how is the duos vision of the topography different from that of Hodges? Nicholas Lambourn, Senior Director, Head of Department, Topographical Pictures at Christies, sheds light on the differentiator. Hodges painted a rather romantic, almost mystical view of the East, of India. He travelled at a time when India was a sort of private, barely-seen, dominion of the East India Company. Whereas, the Daniells came at a time when India was becoming a possession of the Crown. Their art reflects that they were topographical artists, and they literally measured the landscape, walking around with a perambulator. They started their paintings by making tracings and camera obscuras of the mosques and temples. So their work is a literal, topographical representation, he said.

The aesthetic is quite different from that of Hodges, who was more a theatrical painter. The Daniells vision of the landscape is more prosaic and objective. They dont impose themselves on their legacy. It is a literal record of India as it was then  of some great architectural sites and landscapes.

As far as art collectors are concerned, Lambourn considers it a lively market, catering mainly to the 20th century art. But he believes theres no reason why new collectors shouldnt be made aware of the 18th century art. Itinerant artists in the18th century, as also before and after that, made a living from travelling. Some were part of official expeditions or voyages that set off from Europe. Others were employed with the British establishments in other capacities. Though there are many others artists who travelled to India after the Daniells, but none could match their artistic ambitions. The scale and the precision of their artistic vision of India remain unmatched to date.laxmi@tribune.com

MOSCOW, June 14 (PTI, AP & Reuter)The Soviet Government today moved another step forward in its effort to secure border settlement with China by inviting that country for talks without preconditions in Moscow. It assured China that if it wanted to normalise relations with the Soviet Union road for this is open. The Note running into more than 3,000 words informed China of the appointment of a plenipotentiary to head the Soviet side at the proposed talks  Deputy Minister P.I. Zyryanov  and left the exact date of the meeting to be decided through diplomatic channels. Mr. Zyryanov is a Colonel-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Border Guards. The Note did not give his military rank or his command. Mr. Zyryanov also headed the Soviet team at the abortive 1964 talks. It told the Chinese that the Kremlin expects the Chinese Government to inform it shortly whether the above proposals on the dates and place for the continuation of the consultations are acceptable to it.ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Shriniwas Joshi

THE past weekend in Shimla was dedicated to literature and the prominent players in it were a Delhi-based organization Ojas Centre for Art and Readership Development (OCARD), Language, Art and Culture Department and HP Academy of Arts, Language and Culture.

The activities started with International Book Festival at the Gaiety complex. It became international because Mongolia and Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina had also introduced their books here. There were more than 25 publishers displaying more than 1,50,000 titles, but each was repeating the same words, which I had been hearing for the past so many years: There is almost no sale here.

There is no doubt that Shimla has little reading habit. I am repeating the words here of a prominent bookseller. When I asked him to suggest me a good book that I could gift to a teacher on her birthday, he told me that he would definitely recommend a book, but advised me to gift an umbrella, too! I was stunned. He took me out of the shock by adding that an umbrella would, at least, be opened some day. The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, who inaugurated the book festival, urged the youth to develop reading habit. Everybody, including teachers, say that. And, sorry to say, most of the teachers themselves hardly read books other than those prescribed in the syllabus. Today a reader; tomorrow a leader is a good slogan on the walls of the school or college. I purchased two books Divine Heads by BR Sharma and Approach to Conservation and Restoration-Specific Focus on Cultural Heritage of Shimla by Saumaya Sharma from the fair. I had the first glimpse of both and found them to my taste.

The second activity was to honour Meenakshi F Paul for her contribution to literature. She writes both in English and Hindi. She has 10 books to her credit, but she is known for her excellent translation of stories from Himachal. Her latest is the translation of SR Harnots stories Cats Talk. If Rudyard Kipling could spread Shimla to the land beyond seven seas, Meenakshi could make a foreigner read about the stories written in Himachal. She praised the litterateurs of Himachal and bracketed them with the best in India. She said she did not consider writing as art for arts sake, but saw it attached to sensitivity; sensitivity of the downtrodden, sensitivity of the marginalised and sensitivity of the vulnerable. She said the translators were till recently considered untouchables in the literary field, but had earned reputation now and the present award bestowed on her was an example of that. She asked why a Himachali student should read about muffin or pastry or brownie, when he could understand a siddu, patande and ainchli easily. She said a student already struggling with a foreign language had to struggle with the contents, too, hence, translation. She is known for writing for women empowerment and so concluded her short but sweet address by quoting from one of her poems  Kishto mein khudkushi karti hai aurat (a woman commits suicide in instalments). Earlier, Dr Kul Rajiv Pant and Dr Nilima Kanwar read their papers in honour of Meenakshi. Pant used a word in Hindi mast raho for Meenakshi, for which I find no synonym in English, the nearest being intoxicated. This became the word of the evening. Whosoever came to the dais speaking about Meenakshi used this word. Meenakshi F Paul is actually a mast woman. She has the knack of making the surrounding jovial by her chitchat.

Rakesh Gupta, Director of OCARD, elaborated on the mast qualities of Meenakshi and then praised the people of the town and said he had been organising literary functions in cities other than Shimla, but nowhere had he received such cooperation and support as here. He said Meenakshi was the third litterateur to have received the OCARD award. Atma Ranjan and Meenakshi Chaudhry were the earlier recipients.

The award was conferred on Dr Meenakshi F Paul by Himachal Pradesh University Vice-Chancellor Professor Sikandar Kumar. He has grey head on green shoulders. He said: In the past 70 years, India had raced ahead in the field of development, but had gone out of track in human values and morality. He said Indians looked good from the exterior, but had gone hollow from inside. He said today, there were 5 crore depressed people in India and about 3 crore suffering from anxiety disorder, which was why in the happiness index, Indians had dropped from 122 out of 155 countries in 2017 to 133 in 2018. The saving grace is writers like Meenakshi F Paul, who write to mitigate the distances between the genders, vulnerable and the poor. He expected more meaningful literature from her pen and winded up his address by telling Meenakshi to stay mast.

Tailpiece

There are only two forms of writers in England, the unread and the unreadable.  Oscar Wilde

Poor reading habit

Shimlaites have poor reading habit. I am repeating the words here of a prominent bookseller. When I asked him to suggest me a good book that I could gift to a teacher on her birthday, he told me that he would definitely recommend a book but advised me to gift an umbrella too. I was stunned. He took me out of the shock by adding that an umbrella would, at least, be opened some day.uttara@tribuneindia.com

Colombo, June 15

The Maldives on Saturday called for international help to rehabilitate up to 160 of its nationals languishing in Syrian detention camps after the defeat of the Islamic State group.

Speaker Mohamed Nasheed said the Maldives kept a close tab on citizens who had joined the militant group, but that the island nation was not ready to accept them back without an internationally supervised reintegration programme.

Visiting neighbouring Sri Lanka where 258 people were killed in jihadi attacks recently, Nasheed said the question of foreign Islamic State fighters in Syria should be addressed as a global issue.

As many as 160 Maldivians are thought to be held in detention camps after the fall of Islamic State in March.

We do not know the situation they have gone through. We dont have the capacity to rehabilitate these people to the extent that they will not have a further impact on society, Nasheed said. I think the international community should join together and decide what we should do to the returnees. Hopefully, there is an international arrangement where they are first received, not necessarily to their countries of origin or nationality.

He said the Maldives was concerned about the 30 to 40 children said to be of Maldivian parents now living in detention camps in Syria, but insisted that there should be international involvement to screen the parents.

I dont think we should say they can come back in the first flight they can catch, he added.

Nasheed said the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims was keeping a close watch on any attempt to radicalise its population, which is known to practise a liberal form of Islamand relies heavily on luxury tourism.

More than two thirds of the Maldivian parliament was spending a three-day holiday in Sri Lanka, to demonstrate it was safe for foreigners to visit the island after the deadly Easter Sunday attacks, Nasheed said.

In a chilling warning of the impact of terrorism on tourism, Sri Lankas thriving tourism sector is projected to lose at least $1.5 billion revenue this year with a 30 per cent slump in the number of holidaymakers visiting the island.

Nasheed and his legislators were staying at the luxury Cinnamon Grandone of the three hotels hit by a local jihadi group which pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadito show Sri Lanka was still a safe tourist destination.

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Sri Lanka last week, the first world leader to visit the island after the Easter attacks.

Sri Lankan authorities say they have arrested all those who were involved in the April 21 attacks that also hit three Christian churches. AFPuttara@tribuneindia.com

DUBAI, June 15

Saudi Arabia called for swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies, after the United States blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route that have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region.

Thursday's tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman exacerbated the antagonistic fallout from similar blasts in May that crippled four vessels. Washington, already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear programme, has blamed Tehran.

Iran has denied any role in the strikes on the tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit route for oil from Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, and other Gulf producers.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said "there must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat" to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence after the attacks in the Gulf area, the Saudi Energy Ministry reported on Twitter.

The US military released a video on Thursday, saying it showed Iran's Revolutionary Guards were behind the explosions that damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous.

"Iran did do it and you know they did it because you saw the boat," US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday.

The United States has tightened sanctions on Iran since Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear pact between Tehran and global powers last year. Washington's stated aim is to drive Iranian oil exports, the mainstay of its economy, to zero.

Tehran has said that if its oil exports were halted, it could block the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel of water separating Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the oil consumed globally passes.

Energy security

Oil prices have climbed 3.4 per cent since Thursday's attacks. Ship insurers said insurance costs for ships sailing through the Middle East have jumped by at least 10 per cent.

"The kingdom is committed to ensuring stability of global oil markets," the Saudi energy minister said in Japan at a meeting of energy ministers from the G20 group of nations.

Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said ministers agreed on the need to "work together to deal with the recent incidents from (an) energy security point of view". Trump, who pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal under which world powers agreed to ease international sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear work, said any move to close the Strait of Hormuz would not last long.

He also said he was open to holding talks with Iran, although Tehran said it had no plans to negotiate with the United States unless it reversed a decision on the nuclear deal.

Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in a war. But this has done little to assuage concerns that the arch foes could stumble into conflict.

A US official told Reuters a surface-to-air missile was fired from Iranian territory on Thursday morning at a US drone that was near Front Altair following the attack on the tanker.

The missile did not hit the drone, the official said.

US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the United States was "planning various contingencies" when asked if more military forces would be sent to the area, but added that the focus was on building an international consensus.

"We also need to broaden our support for this international situation," he told reporters.

Restraint

As well as blaming Iran for the tanker attacks, Washington has also said Tehran was behind May 14 drone strikes on two Saudi oil-pumping stations. Tehran has denied all those charges.

Britain has backed the United States in blaming Iran for the tanker attacks, saying no other state or non-state actor could have been responsible.

But others have urged caution. Germany said the video was not enough to prove Iran's role, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation to determine responsibility.

China and the European Union called for restraint.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani renewed Iran's threat to continue scaling back compliance with the nuclear deal unless other signatories to the pact show "positive signals".

He did not specify what Iran wanted in his comments to a meeting of Asian leaders in Tajikistan.

France and other European signatories to the nuclear deal, have said they wanted to save the accord, but many of their companies have cancelled deals with Tehran, under pressure from the United States. ReutersTWO men have been ordered to pay $20,000 in fines after they stole 82 ducks from their emploThe year 2021 was a paradox of certainties and uncertainties for Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed the rest of the world. And so perhaps was the year before.

One certainty was that the Covid-19 pandemic had highlighted and emphasised the vulnerabilities of human existence, our own susceptibilities as a civilised and technology-driven world, and the fragilities and weaknesses of the international institutions and super-power nations entrusted to be the Superman against human suffering.Disaster recovery centers to assist those seeking weather disaster-related assistance opened Friday in Sand Springs and Fort Gibson.

Manned by state and federal agencies, the centers provide services for those suffering losses in recent weeks from flooding, tornadoes and high straight winds.

Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management will be on site to answer questions and help with applications.

The centers are at the Case Community Center, 1050 W. Wekiwa Road, Sand Springs, and Fort Gibson High School, 500 S. Ross St., Fort Gibson.

Also, 2nd District Congressman Markwayne Mullin and representatives from the U.S. and Oklahoma Departments of Agriculture, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Oklahoma Emergency Management Agency will meet with farmers at 9 a.m. Monday at the Spiro Community Center, 19400 AES Road.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Now, the justices will hear arguments Monday that Hoskin and Warner violated the Election Code in a similar fashion.

Attorney Deborah Reed filed each challenge on behalf of Lay and Frailey. She argues Hoskin and Warner used a shell game to violate election law that requires disclosure of the recipients of campaign expenditures providing the goods and services. Cherokee Future provided campaign consulting, not advertising, polling, food or venues.

In other words, did the Hoskin and Warner campaigns pay those the providers of signs, t-shirts, direct mail, labor, postage, and food from its campaign accounts? Reed wrote. If those campaign expenditures were paid from the bank account of Cherokee Future, then the Hoskin and Warner campaigns violated the requirement to pay every expenditure from campaign funds.

Attorney Carly Griffith Hotvedt, representing Hoskin and Warner, contends that a Supreme Court hearing on the matter would undermine the constitutional duties of the Election Commission.One veteran, Bill Caldwell, was quick to let Hern know that he was a Democrat, to which the Republican congressman responded, Im sorry.

Hern was sure to thank the 97-year-old World War II veteran for his service as the two laughed and talked on Caldwells way out.

I think that for historical purposes, if they can go back and make some revelations listening to these guys, maybe they can get some insight, said Dean Day, Caldwells son-in-law, who brought him to record his account.

Tammy Hern thinks the project is incredibly important, especially because there are not very many left from some conflicts, she said.

The congressmans wife spent her day visiting with veterans while they waited their turn to record their stories.

When Kevin was sworn in in D.C., we met a lady at the Library of Congress, and she was telling us about this project, Tammy Hern said. Immediately, I knew that this would be something that Tulsa would greatly benefit from.

Although talking about their experiences might be difficult for some veterans, Tammy Hern thinks that it is important to remember their stories.Congratulations to Pamela Fry, who was named the next president of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa on Friday.

On July 1, President Howard Barnett will take emeritus status and continue working on legislative issues and fundraising for the school.

Fry has an impressive vita that seems well suited to the job. She has been the OSU-Tulsa provost and vice president for the past three years and previously held several senior positions at OSUs Stillwater campus. She has taught, published and presented broadly in the tradition of true academics. She has spent her entire professional career in Oklahoma, earned degrees at OSU and the University of Oklahoma and, at one time, was a graduate student at the University Center at Tulsa, OSU-Tulsas ancestor institution.

In her new role, Fry faces a true challenge: making OSU-Tulsa relevant to the citys future.

OSU says its Tulsa campus enrollment for the most recent semester was 2,210. Some 1,403 of those are also taking classes in Tulsa and Stillwater. Those arent the kind of numbers to meet the higher education needs of Tulsas economy.The suspense is over, the winner has been crowned As Olympic cyclist Nicholas was named as tRepresentatives of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine have handed over demining and other equipment to Ukrainian authorities.

The presentation entitled Humanitarian Mine Action: OSCEs Help to Mitigate Conflict Effects for People was attended by Henrik Villadsen, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Marek Varga, Deputy Head of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship Task Force, and representatives of the Ministry for the Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, the Defense Ministry and the State Emergency Service.

Ukraines Defense Ministry and State Emergency Service received metal detectors and protective equipment. The Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs was provided with computers and other items that would enable it to carry out mine risk education efforts and use IMSMA.

The equipment and policy development support is part of a project implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with financial support from Global Affairs Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Slovak Republic, the Kingdom of Norway, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Mykola Balan as commander of the National Guard of Ukraine.

The relevant decree was posted on the website of the head of state on Friday.

To appoint Mykola Balan as commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, reads the decree.

This document was preceded by the decrees on relieving Balan of his duties as commander of the National Guard and dismissing him from the post of deputy commander of the National Guard.

In addition, Volodymyr Kondratiuk was appointed first deputy commander of the National Guard of Ukraine. Ruslan Dziuba and Yuriy Lebed were appointed deputy commanders of the National Guard of Ukraine.

ishPresident of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with families of Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait in November 2018, the press service of the head of state has reported.

During the meeting on June 14, the president stressed that he kept the situation under control. He also recalled the decision of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on this matter.

"We are confident that the steps we are taking now will enable us to return the sailors home in the near future," Zelensky said.

The parties raised the issue of supporting the families of sailors, in particular, the provision of housing.

They also discussed the draft law that envisages granting captured sailors the status of combatants. The president stressed that the incapability of the current Verkhovna Rada made the adoption of that document at the current stage impossible. He expressed confidence that the bill would be considered by MPs of the Parliament of a new convocation.

As Ukrinform reported, on May 25, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered Russia to immediately release Ukrainian military ships and return them to the custody of Ukraine and to immediately release 24 captured sailors.

On November 25, 2018, Russian border guards fired on and seized three Ukrainian Navy ships, the Berdyansk, the Nikopol, and the Yani Kapu, heading from Odesa to Mariupol, near the Kerch Strait. In addition, their crewmembers, 24 Ukrainian sailors, were captured. Three of them were wounded.

A Russian-controlled court in the occupied Crimea arrested all the detained Ukrainian sailors on charges of alleged illegal border crossing. They are held in a remand prison in Moscow now.

ishEditor's note: Li Haidong, professor of the Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU). The article reflects the expert's opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

In recent years, the world has generally enjoyed stability, though with disruptions. The trends of anti-globalization and populism have greatly impacted the regional and global order.

Some major powers, in an attempt to maintain hegemony, unravel the close security ties and interdependence among most countries by consolidating its own alliances.

This old security concept and its practice have split the whole world and will continue to divide it, bringing serious damage to international peace. The world is in dire need of a healthy and constructive approach to security, calling for a new security framework different.

The mobile and dynamic Asia provides a broad stage for people to develop and practice a new security concept and framework. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) have provided specific institutional frameworks for Asian countries to implement the new security concept.

Their development has also vividly demonstrated the regional stability brought about by the new security concept in Asia. In summary, the new Asian security concept includes the following core elements.

hinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L, front) and other leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries and observer states, as well as representatives of regional and international bodies, head for group photos during the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, June 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

First of all, regional security and national security should be shored up by cooperation and partnership rather than confrontation and alliance. The SCO and CICA mechanisms are not military alliances; they do not target specific major powers, showcase or reinforce their own strength for geopolitical competition among big countries.

On the contrary, both the SCO and CICA are cooperative security systems. They play their own security roles by resolving regional disputes through close cooperation among member states, reflecting the new Asian security concept featuring "partnership and non-alignment."

Secondly, it emphasizes the equality of all members in the security system and insists on inclusiveness based on the principle of security indivisibility of all countries.

The SCO and CICA mechanisms are inclusive, ensuring all member states are truly equal. By contrast, among operational security organizations in Eurasia, the West-dominated ones have seen the most cases of large countries taking the lead while small countries following orders.

The U.S.-led alliances emphasize the homogeneity (or consistency) of the ideology, political system or values of member countries. This is an exclusive security concept based on the principle of security divisibility, which excludes countries with different values from the West, the inevitable result of which is confrontation among countries or conflicts among countries of different systems.

The security indivisibility and inclusiveness embodied by the SCO and CICA are far greater than that of most regional security organizations with operational capabilities. Countries with different civilizations, different stages of development, and different levels of national strength, different ideologies and political systems have joined the SCO and CICA, addressing and resolving a diverse range of security issues among member countries. This is an important feature of the new Asian security concept.

Street scenery in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. /CGTN Photo

Thirdly, the new Asian security concept emphasizes the openness of the security system and the comprehensiveness of security issues it addresses. Both the SCO and CICA adhere to the principle of openness, making them more attractive and influential in the process of security building in Asia.

Such openness enables the SCO and CICA to maintain dynamic interaction with countries outside. The openness of this security framework also ensures that the SCO and CICA can meet different levels of security needs of Asian countries, thus maintaining its long-term vitality and universal attraction.

The new Asian security concept emphasizes the comprehensiveness of security. Different from the military-centered "hard security" concept of Western countries, the new Asian security concept values the importance of comprehensive security.

It not only addresses direct traditional security threats such as terrorism, separatism and extremism, but also deals with non-conventional security issues such as nuclear proliferation, transnational crime, drug trafficking, and the common challenge of climate change.

This new security concept will maximize cooperation and promote mutual reliance among countries on the issue of security.

It's safe to say that putting the new Asian security concept into practice will provide a strong security guarantee for the lasting stability and prosperity in Asia, and ultimately forge a bright prospect for the Asian community of a shared future.The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

Letters to the editor

Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Ihor Sagach as ambassador of Ukraine to Sweden.

The relevant decree was published on the website of the head of state.

"To dismiss Ihor Sagach from the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Sweden," the document says.

Sagach was appointed Ukraine's ambassador to Sweden in March 2015.

ishUkraine and the United States discussed prospects of security cooperation and the issue of increasing pressure on Russia with a view to the speedy release of Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait in November 2018.

The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States reported this on its Facebook page following a meeting with United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia Laura Cooper.

"The issues of the current state and further development of security cooperation prospects between Ukraine and the United States, cooperation to ensure energy security, as well as the situation in the Azov and Black Seas were discussed. The importance of increasing pressure on Russia with a view to the speedy release of the Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait on November 25, 2018 was noted," the embassy said in a statement.

The parties also noted the importance of strengthening the U.S. security support for Ukraine and the need to send noticeable political signals indicating that the U.S. remains committed to Ukraine against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression.

In turn, the U.S. side assured that it would provide the necessary support so that Ukraine had the opportunity to protect itself from external threats both on land and at sea.

ishA Venezuelan family waiting to enter Peru from Ecuador at the border point near Tumbes on June 14, 2019.  UNHCR/Helene Caux

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has sent extra teams to the border between Peru and Ecuador to support the authorities to deal with an unprecedented number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants entering Peru.

Peruvian authorities announced new visa requirements for Venezuelans starting on Saturday 15 June. On Friday, over 8,000 Venezuelans crossed the border at Tumbes, the largest number ever recorded on a single day. Of them, 4,700 lodged asylum claims in Peru, also an unprecedented number.

In total, Peru has received over 280,000 asylum applications by Venezuelan citizens and given temporary residence permits to over 390,000. The total number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in the country is estimated at some 800,000.

People are arriving in a more and more vulnerable situation, said Federico Agusti, UNHCRs Representative in Peru. Some have been walking for 30 or 40 days through various countries in the region. We see people suffering from malnutrition or dehydration and people with medical problems. There are more and more families with children.

Peruvian authorities at the border are working 24 hours a day to process the arrivals. UNHCR and its partners are also working around the clock on the ground, providing humanitarian and health assistance, information and legal support to refugees and migrants on both sides of the border.

Perus new visa requirements for Venezuelans are also having an impact on Ecuadors northern border with Colombia, through which 8,380 Venezuelans entered yesterday, according to the authorities. UNHCR and its partners are also present there providing much needed humanitarian assistance and protection and supporting the Ecuadorian government and civil society.

UNHCR calls on the international community to step up its support to countries like Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, that have been receiving the vast majority of the 4 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela, most of whom are in need of humanitarian assistance.

For more information on this topic, please contact:Ukraine allowed to export eggs to North Macedonia

14:58, 15.06.19 1742

The country's regulator has approved veterinary certificates for the said shipments.The relevant plenary session is expected to start at 10:00 Kyiv time on Tuesday.

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine on June 18 plans to continue hearings in the case to determine constitutionality of the presidential decree on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament.

Read alsoUkraine's Constitutional Court to consider motion re parliament dissolution as urgent  source

That is according to the June 18-20 draft agenda of the court sessions published on the Constitutional Court's website.

In particular, the relevant plenary session of the Chamber of the Constitutional Court is to begin at 10:00 Kyiv time on June 18. It is planned to consider a motion tabled by 62 Ukrainian lawmakers on the constitutionality of a presidential decree on the early termination of the powers of the Verkhovna Rada (at the closed-door part of the plenary hearings).

As UNIAN reported earlier, on May 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on early termination of powers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the appointment of early elections for July 21.

On May 24, MPs from the Popular Front faction filed a motion with the Constitutional Court, requesting that the judges declare the decree on Parliament dissolution unconstitutional.

On June 11, the Grand Chamber of the Constitutional Court began hearings in the case on the constitutionality of the presidential decree.Each enemy provocation had an adequate response.

Russia's hybrid military forces in the past 24 hours mounted 24 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action.

Read alsoKlimkin explains why Russia hinders separation of forces in Donbas

"Russian proxy forces 24 times attacked Ukrainian positions, including six times using weapons proscribed by the Minsk Agreements," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update published on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on June 15, 2019.

The enemy opened fire from 122mm artillery systems, 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms.

Under attack were Ukrainian positions near the towns of Maryinka, Popasna and Krasnohorivka, as well as the villages of Pavlopil, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, Pyshchevyk, Taramchuk, Shyrokyne, Pivdenne, Novhorodske, Zolote-4, and Stanytsia Luhanska.

Each enemy attack received an adequate response, the weapons that are not banned by the Minsk agreements were used, the press center said.

According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, one enemy troop was killed.

"Since Saturday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions four times," the report said.No Ukrainian army casualties have been reported from the start of the day.

Russia-led forces mounted eight attacks on the Ukrainian army's positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on June 15.

Read alsoJFO: One Ukrainian soldier wounded in Donbas amid 24 enemy attacks in past day

"Russian occupation forces attacked Ukrainian positions, using 120mm and 82mm mortars proscribed by the Minsk Agreements, as well as grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an evening update on Saturday.

The attacks were reported both in the Skhid (East) and the Pivnich (North) sectors, the report said.

In particular, Russian-occupation forces fired at Ukrainian positions near the towns of Avdiyivka and Krasnohorivka, as well as the villages of Lebedynske, Novotroyitske, and Stanytsia Luhanska.

"There have been no Ukrainian army casualties. Information on the enemy's losses is being clarified. To hostile provocations, Joint Forces units gave an adequate response," the press center added.The April 15 blaze caused the roof and spire of the architectural masterpiece to collapse, triggering a worldwide outpouring of sadness as well as the multi-million-euro pledges for reconstruction work.

A small congregation wearing hard hats will attend mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, the first service to be held since fire devastated the Gothic landmark two months ago.

Church leaders are keen to show life goes on at the cathedral as donations to help rebuild it trickle in. Less than 10% of the EUR 850 million pledged by billionaires, business leaders and others has been received so far, the French government said, as reported by Reuters.

Read alsoNotre Dame Cathedral: Spire collapses in huge fire  media (Photo, video)

Saturday's mass, which commemorates the cathedra's consecration as a place of worship, is due to be held at 16:00 GMT in a side-chapel, with attendance limited to about 30 people who will wear the protective headgear for safety reasons.

"It is a nice symbol. A very small group of people will attend and one can understand why as there are still major safety issues," Culture Minister Franck Riester told Europe 1 radio.

He told France 2 television on Friday the cathedral was still "in a fragile state, namely the vault, which has not yet been secured. It can still collapse."

The April 15 blaze caused the roof and spire of the architectural masterpiece to collapse, triggering a worldwide outpouring of sadness as well as the multi-million-euro pledges for reconstruction work.

Among the high-profile people who promised to donate to the rebuilding effort were luxury goods tycoons Bernard Arnault and Francois-Henri Pinault.

"There could be people who promised to donate then in the end did not," Riester said, without giving further details. "But more importantly, and this is normal, the donations will be paid as restoration work progresses."

French President Emmanuel Macron has set a target of five years for restoring the cathedral, though Riester was more cautious.

"The president was right to give a target, an ambition. But obviously what matters in the end is the quality of the work," he said. "So it does not mean that work will be totally finished in exactly five years."

The archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit will lead Saturday's service, which will be broadcast live on a religious TV channel.A Japanese firm has shelved an advertising campaign intended to promote gender equity at home after its #beWHITE hashtag sparked concern about racial sensitivities.

Kao, which manufactures everything from detergent to make-up, launched the campaign playing on common Japanese terminology labelling firms that overwork and mistreat employees "black" and those that treat workers well "white".

It launched the #beWHITE project on Tuesday as part of marketing efforts for a detergent, urging an equitable distribution of chores at home.

"We wanted to call for people to join hands and share household chores to make 'white households' when it comes to chores... But the English-language phrase 'be white' has many possibilities (of interpretation) and lacked consideration," Kao spokesman Yoshiki Aoyama told AFP.

Kao decided to halt the campaign because employees raised a question about whether it was insensitive, Aoyama said.In raids conducted on Wednesday, Kanagawa Prefectural Police seized more than 200 marijuana plants in raids of three locations that are believed to be a part of the same cultivation ring, reports Fuji News Network (June 13).

Police arrested Hirokazu Yoshida, a 49-year-old company employee, after finding 161 marijuana plants on one floor of a building in Chigasaki City. Officers also seized 11 dried plants.

Yoshida was sent to prosecutors on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana for the money-making purposes on Friday.

Officers also seized 45 marijuana plants from a residence in Hiratsuka City. The raid resulted in three other arrests.

In Odawara City, police raided a warehouse and seized 28 marijuana plants. Officers accused Hiroki Tanaka, 42, and his wife, Yuki, also 42, of possessing marijuana and kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs.

Police launched an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip about the ring last December. The seized contraband has estimated value of 23.4 million yen, police said.

Officers also seized various equipment used in the cultivation, including lighting and pots.

aIt seems that they were quite skilled in marijuana cultivation,a a representative of the police was quoted by the Sankei Shimbun (June 13).That gold on your ring finger is stellar - and not just in a complimentary way.

In a finding that may overthrow our understanding of where Earth's heavy elements such as gold and platinum come from, new research by a University of Guelph physicist suggests that most of them were spewed from a largely overlooked kind of star explosion far away in space and time from our planet.

Some 80 percent of the heavy elements in the universe likely formed in collapsars, a rare but heavy element-rich form of a supernova explosion from the gravitational collapse of old, massive stars typically 30 times as weighty as our sun, said physics professor Daniel Siegel.

That finding overturns the widely held belief that these elements mostly come from collisions between neutron stars or between a neutron star and a black hole, said Siegel.

His paper co-authored with Columbia University colleagues appears today in the journal Nature.

Using supercomputers, the trio simulated the dynamics of collapsars or old stars whose gravity causes them to implode and form black holes.

Under their model, massive, rapidly spinning collapsars eject heavy elements whose amounts and distribution are "astonishingly similar to what we observe in our solar system," said Siegel. He joined U of G this month and is also appointed to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, in Waterloo, Ont.

Most of the elements found in nature were created in nuclear reactions in stars and ultimately expelled in huge stellar explosions.

Heavy elements found on Earth and elsewhere in the universe from long-ago explosions range from gold and platinum to uranium and plutonium used in nuclear reactors, to more exotic chemical elements such as neodymium found in consumer items such as electronics.

Until now, scientists thought that these elements were cooked up mostly in stellar smashups involving neutron stars or black holes, as in a collision of two neutron stars observed by Earth-bound detectors that made headlines in 2017.

Ironically, said Siegel, his team began working to understand the physics of that merger before their simulations pointed toward collapsars as a heavy element birth chamber. "Our research on neutron star mergers has led us to believe that the birth of black holes in a very different type of stellar explosion might produce even more gold than neutron star mergers."

What collapsars lack in frequency, they make up for in generation of heavy elements, said Siegel. Collapsars also produce intense flashes of gamma rays.

"Eighty percent of these heavy elements we see should come from collapsars. Collapsars are fairly rare in occurrences of supernovae, even more, rare than neutron star mergers - but the amount of material that they eject into space is much higher than that from neutron star mergers."

The team now hopes to see its theoretical model validated by observations. Siegel said infrared instruments such as those on the James Webb Space Telescope, set for launch in 2021, should be able to detect telltale radiation pointing to heavy elements from a collapsar in a far-distant galaxy.

"That would be a clear signature," he said, adding that astronomers might also detect evidence of collapsars by looking at amounts and distribution of heavy element s in other stars across our Milky Way galaxy.

Siegel said this research may yield clues about how our galaxy began.

"Trying to nail down where heavy elements come from may help us understand how the galaxy was chemically assembled and how the galaxy formed. This may actually help solve some big questions in cosmology as heavy elements are a nice tracer."

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Dmitri Mendeleev's creation of the periodic table of the chemical elements. Since then, scientists have added many more elements to the periodic table, a staple of science textbooks and classrooms worldwide.

Referring to the Russian chemist, Siegel said, "We know many more elements that he didn't. What's fascinating and surprising is that, after 150 years of studying the fundamental building blocks of nature, we still don't quite understand how the universe creates a big fraction of the elements in the periodic table."Oil prices retreated Friday on fresh weak demand growth concerns, having spiked the previous day following attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman

London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jun, 2019 ) : Oil prices retreated Friday on fresh weak demand growth concerns, having spiked the previous day following attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman

Global stock markets meanwhile fell on geopolitical fears, uncertainty over the China-US trade row and the gloomy outlook for the global economy, traders said.

In midday deals, London's Brent North Sea crude oil for August delivery dipped 10 cents to $61.21 per barrel.

New York's West Texas Intermediate for July delivery dropped 25 cents to $52.03.

Prices had spiked by more than four percent at one stage on Thursdayas tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman -- in a major global shipping lane -- flashedonto traders' screens.An elephant trampled to death a 67-year-old farmer in northeastern Botswana on Friday, media reported Saturday citing local police

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2019) An elephant trampled to death a 67-year-old farmer in northeastern Botswana on Friday, media reported Saturday citing local police

The incident took place at the ranch near the village of Dukwi, which is some 330 miles northwest of the country's capital of Gaborone, assistant superintendent Azhani Mokokomani told Xinhua news agency.

The victim began shooting at the elephant that strayed into his farm, thereby angering the animal, according to the police officer.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

TBILISI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2019) The Georgian police have detained over 20 counterprotesters rallying against the LGBT demonstration in central Tbilisi, local media reported, citing the country's Interior Ministry.

On Friday, the Georgian patriarchate called on the government to prevent LGBT rallies planned to be held from June 18-24 in the country's capital. The organizers of the rallies responded by calling on their supporters to protest against the patriarchate's statement by staging a rally outside the government building on Friday.

Their opponents organized a simultaneous counterprotest. Dozens of patrol police units have been dispatched to the rallies site.

The Interpressnews agency reported, citing the Interior Ministry, that the official information about those detained will be released on Saturday.

There have been no reports about what violations have been committed by those detained.

The Interior Ministry said late on Friday that eight people had been detained during the counterprotest.Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the nation's government hosted a meeting in Stockholm on Friday in a bid to find a "democratic" way out of the Venezuela crisis

STOCKHOLM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th June, 2019) Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the nation's government hosted a meeting in Stockholm on Friday in a bid to find a "democratic" way out of the Venezuela crisis.

"The meeting in Stockholm was convened in the spirit of our commitment to a peaceful and democratic solution to the Venezuelan crisis," she tweeted.

There was little detail on who was present or what was discussed.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement that some key international actors had attended. They voiced support for ongoing efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering in Venezuela.

Venezuela has been impoverished by years of US sanctions and falling oil prices. Tensions flared in January after Juan Guaido, the leader of the opposition-controlled parliament, declared himself president, challenging Nicolas Maduro, who is backed by Russia, China, Turkey and several other countries.Iran's supreme leader told Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday that it was pointless to reply to a message he had brought to Tehran from U.S. President Donald Trump, as a peacemaking visit was overshadowed by attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

The attacks were the latest incident in a confrontation between the United States and Iran after weeks of tightening U.S. sanctions and a war of words.

One of the tankers was Japanese. Iran's foreign minister tweeted that it was "suspicious" that the attacks took place during Abe's visit to Tehran.

Trump said that he appreciated the recent visit by Abe to Iran to meet Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, but that he believed it is "too soon to even think about" the United States making a deal with Tehran.

"They are not ready, and neither are we!" Trump said in a tweet.

Japan was one of the main buyers of Iranian oil until last month, when Washington ordered all countries to halt all Iranian oil imports or face sanctions of their own. Abe, who had discussed Iran with Trump last month, brought a message from the U.S. president, but Khamenei rebuffed it.

"I do not see Trump as worthy of any message exchange, and I do not have any reply for him, now or in future," Iranian state media quoted Khamenei as telling the Japanese premier.

U.S. allies in Europe and Asia have repeatedly expressed concern that tension between the United States and Iran could escalate into an armed conflict. Abe warned on Wednesday of unintended clashes in the Middle East, after meeting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

A year after the United States abandoned an agreement between Iran and world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program in return for lifting sanctions, confrontation between the two foes has reached a new pitch.Religious leaders from Hong Kong visit the Vatican and receive Pope Francis blessing, as they strive to improve interreligious relations.

By Devin Watkins

The leaders of 6 religions in Hong Kong are in Rome this week to mark the 40th anniversary of an organization dedicated to improving interreligious ties.

Pope Francis met the Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong briefly on the sidelines of his Wednesday General Audience. He told them: Upon all of you I invoke joy and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you!

Vatican Radio caught up with members of the Colloquium on Thursday during their visit to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Listen to our report

Anglican Reverend Peter Koon represents Hong Kongs Protestant Christian community. He believes the trip will help improve the harmonious relationship among the citys religions.

This is the first time our six religions in Hong Kong have the opportunity to come to visit the Holy See, and this is indeed a very special trip.

These 6 religions are Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

Facing Hong Kong issues

Cardinal John Tong Hon, the Apostolic Administrator of Hong Kong, is accompanying the delegation on their visit to the Eternal City.

During these 40 years, we have had an official gathering twice a year, the Cardinal said. We also have many gatherings [to discuss] particular issues that affect the 7.4 million people living in Hong Kong.

Kay-wai Ha, who goes by his Muslim name, Ali, said the Colloquium seeks to spread the news of peace and harmony in Hong Kong, on a religious basis.

The group also seeks to promote peace in the city. But, as Mr. Ha pointed out, Anything that is not agreeable with any religion, we dont go ahead.

Seeking harmony

Sik Kuan-yun, President of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, delved deeper into the role harmony plays in interreligious dialogue.

As human beings, we have to rely on one another in order to survive and be well, and we have to accommodate one another so that we can thrive, he said. If we are in harmony in our thoughts, we wont fight one another.

Mr. Sik offered a helpful illustration: We dont have to be weavers to have clothes to wear. We dont have to be farmers to have food to eat.

Commonalities among differences

Confucianism, said Dr. Tong Yun-kai, brings a unique and helpful doctrine to interreligious dialogue.

Respect differences, and seek commonalities, he said, is the goal of the 40-year-old Colloquium. In this regard, Dr. Tong believes the group has been successful.

Last night on June 13, two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated record producer, DJ, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Steve Aoki, celebrated the official worldwide premiere of his new Viva Vision light and sound show at Fremont Street Experience (Photo credit: Black Raven Films)

Photo credit: Black Raven Films

During the event, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman welcomed guests alongside President and CEO of Fremont Street Experience Patrick Hughes, who thanked the City of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Conventions and Visitors Authority and their property partners for their hard work and dedication to exceeding all expectations with the first phase of the $32 million renovation to the iconic Viva Vision screen in Downtown Las Vegas.

Photo credit: Black Raven Films

Shortly after, Steve Aoki made his grand entrance and flew high above the crowd on the SlotZilla zipline to Main Street Stage while excited spectators watched from below.

Photo credit: Black Raven Films

Following the daring display, Fremont Street Experience gave visitors a first glimpse of the upgraded canopy and unveiled the captivating, six-minute musical montage featuring Aokis top hits Delirious, Azukita and Waste It On Me. Later, partygoers went wild as the electro house trailblazer took over the turntables and delivered a high-powered set, hyping up fans with his signature sounds and undeniable onstage aura.

Renovations to the city-owned Viva Vision canopy, which will be completed for the unveiling on New Years Eve 2019, are being done in sections to ensure visitors can enjoy the light shows throughout the entire process. Steve Aokis free light and sound show will run seven days a week and rotate with existing shows from artists such as The Chainsmokers, Green Day, Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Tiesto and more.

Pictured: Marlon Brandos Harley Davidson Sold for $179,200, the auctions Top Selling Item.

Knight Rider 2008 Ford Mustang GT K.I.T.T. Sold for $51,200

Vivien Leighs Gone with the Wind Bedframe Sold for $51,200

Slashs MTV Moonman Award Sold for $40,625

John Belushis Blues Brothers Hat Sold for $28,125

Marilyn Monroes How to Marry a Millionaire Bathrobe Sold for $28,800

Christopher Reeves Superman Tunic Sold for $28,800

Shirley Temples Academy Award Ensemble Sold for $28,125

Steve McQueens Silver King Hendee & Nelson Bicycle Sold for $25,000

Never Before Seen Photographs and Negatives from The Wizard of Oz Sold for a Stunning $25,000-Fifty Times Its Original Estimate!

Juliens Auctions, the world-record breaking auction house, held its two-day marquee Hollywood auction event, LEGENDS June 13-14, 2019 at The Standard Oil Building in Beverly Hills in front of a buzzing crowd of collectors and fans bidding live on the floor, online and on the phone across the globe.

The top selling item of the event was Marlon Brandos owned 1969 Harley Davidson which sold for $179,200 nearly three times its original starting estimate of $60,000. The black Harley-Davidson FLH Electra-Glide motorcycle purchased by Brando in 1970 has 13,859 miles. Another iconic Hollywood vehicle that revved up the auction block was the sale of a 2008 Ford Mustang GT K.I.T.T. from the Knight Rider NBC TV movie which sold for $51,200. Another top auction highlight owned by another iconic Hollywood driver came from the King of Cool Steve McQueen and his circa 1890s black Hendee & Nelson Manufacturing Company bicycle that sold for $25,000. The bike was the predecessor to what became The Indian Motorcycle Company and included a hand-painted plaque that reads Steve McQueen on both sides.

One of Hollywoods greatest screen goddesses of all time and pop culture icon- Marilyn Monroe- dazzled the auction block once again with a selection of some of her most famous signature looks, jewelry and ephemera including her bathrobe worn in one of her most famous roles as Pola Debevoise in How to Marry a Millionaire (20th Century, 1953) that sold for $28,800; a cast of Monroes hand and foot prints alongside the prints of her Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (20th Century, 1953) co-star Jane Russell immortalized at Graumans Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on June 26, 1953 that sold for $25,600 more than double its original starting estimate of $10,000; Monroes personal copy of the revised final script for Somethings Got To Give (20th Century, 1962) that sold for $12,800; her pair of rhinestone ear clips with three strands of teardrop-shaped rhinestones which sold for $28,125; her two piece period costume worn in one of her earliest roles in the film Ticket to Tomahawk (20th Century, 1962) that sold for $22,400; a Rudi Gernreich Design for Walter Bass black chiffon overblouse with dolman sleeves and elastic waistband that sold for $19,200 and more.

Several spectacular items from the 1930s Golden Age of Hollywood turned the auction stage to gold including the sale of illusionist Harry Houdinis iron cuffs and three keys from 1937. Houdinis iconic props framed in a shadowbox with a signed letter from Houdinis brother and illusionist Theodore Hardeen, performed magic on the auction stage today with a winning bid of $25,600 (original starting estimate of $8,000).

Another auction highlight circa 1930s was the sale of Shirley Temples ensemble worn to the 7th Academy Awards on February 27, 1935 which sold for $28,125 (original estimate: $5,000). Temple wore the peach silk chiffon sleeveless dress with pleated skirt, together with a baby pink cropped short-sleeve jacket, when she received a special Academy Award that year for her work in Bright Eyes (Fox, 1934).

A circa 1860s antique used bedpost seen in Scarlett OHaras (played by Vivien Leigh) Atlanta bedroom in the sweeping 1939 MGM Hollywood blockbuster and considered one of the greatest movies of all time-Gone with the Wind-sold for an epic $51,200 five times its original starting estimate: $10,000.

But the auctions most stunning moment came from the other greatest movie of all time- the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. A set of never before seen negatives and original print black and white photographs taken on the 1939 movie set including the films star Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale at the Wicked Witch of the Wests front door and the actress at her vanity table sold for an astounding $25,000 fifty times its original estimate of $500! Other lots containing never before seen negatives and photographs from the film sold well over its original estimate including: two lots depicting Garland and the main cast, Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion, Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow, and Jack Haley as The Tin Man and crew members on the set of the grand arched hallway of the Royal Palace of Oz that each sold for $14,080 (estimate: $400  $700); a collection depicting crew members standing next to film equipment on the set and the pelt of Bert Lahr flying through a window that sold for $12,800 (estimate: $400  $600); images depicting the four main actors -Garland as Dorothy Gale, Lahr as The Cowardly Lion, Bolger as The Scarecrow, and Haley as The Tin Man  skipping down the Yellow Brick Road and more which sold for $10,240 (estimate: $300-$500).

An array of personal and unique items from the Beverly Hills estate that Perla Hudson and legendary Guns NRoses guitarist Slash shared during their fourteen-year marriage as well as memorabilia related to Slashs career and style rocked the Legends auction stage. The top selling item was an MTV Music Video Award Moonman trophy, presented in 1987-1988 to Slash for Best New Artist in a Video for Guns N Roses Welcome to the Jungle which sold for $40,625 well over its original estimate $12,000-$15,000. Other top highlights included a bronze and leather upholstered Tally Ho chair, or spanking bench, designed by Mark Brazier-Jones bought at the Kiki De Montparnasse boutique that sold for $15,360; a J Hats black felt top hat signed with drawings by Slash in silver marker which sold for $5,625; a custom Slash ventriloquist dummy which sold for $5,120 (estimate: $2,000-$2,500) and more.

Other auction highlights included: a black fedora hat worn by John Belushi in his role as Joliet Jake Blues in The Blues Brothers (Universal, 1980) which sold for an astounding $28,125 fourteen times its original starting estimate $2,000; Hugh Jackmans Wolverine claws worn in X-Men: The Last Stand (20th Century Fox, 2006) that sold for $23,040; a blue Superman tunic worn by Christopher Reeves in Superman (Warner Bros., 1978) that sold for $28,800 (original estimate: $10,000-$15,000); Playboy first issues of Marilyn Monroe on the cover including one signed by publisher Hugh M. Hefner (sold for $20,480) and another rare Page 3 copy that sold for $16,000; a group of approximately 930 lobby cards, ranging in date from the 1930s to the 1980s, most from the original run of the films which sold for $25,600; a custom made MGM studio spotlight produced by Mole-Richardson Inc. in Hollywood, California that sold for $10,240 well over its original starting estimate of $800; a Buster Keaton Acier pocket watch; Richard LeParmentiers original screenplay from Star Wars in his portrayal of Admiral Motti; a copy of The Amazing Spider-Man #1 signed by Stan Lee and much more.AEON's first supplier conference aimed to enhance Vietnamese goods' access to the Japnaese retailer's global supply chains

On June 12, in Hanoi, AEON Co., Ltd, AEON Vietnam Co., Ltd., and AEON TOPVALU Vietnam Co., Ltd. organised the annual AEON supplier conference for the first time with the aim of promoting the export of Vietnamese goods to Japan, receiving the attendance of representatives of authorities from Vietnam and Japan, and 142 valued domestic and foreign suppliers.

In the framework of the conference, AEON Co. Ltd. and AEON Vietnam Co., Ltd. shared their business policy, philosophy, and product development strategy to pursue the target of constantly improving the quality of products and services not only satisfying local customers but also matching with international exporting standards.

During the past years, AEON has been making efforts to contribute to the local industries, thus the export from Vietnam to AEON's worldwide network increased in the fiscal year of 2018 with the total export turnover of $240 million. The figure is expected to reach $500 million in the 2020 fiscal year and $1 billion in the 2025 fiscal year, said Shibata Eiji, chief merchandising and logistics officer at AEON Co., Ltd.

The target for the 2025 fiscal year is feasible because the export turnover of numerous products, especially TOPVALU-branded products, have been soaring in recent years. Notably, in the 2018 fiscal year, the company's export turnover from zipper roller baggage was $6.7 million, up 147 per cent on-year. Besides, the dress shirts of VIETTIEN Garment are expected to reach $2 million, up 213 per cent on-year  and these are only examples, said Shibata Eiji.

AEON expects to increase the export from Vietnam to AEON of the world to $1 billion in the fiscal year 2025.

After a conference section, the suppliers attended a seminar where AEON TOPVALU Japan and AEON TOPVALU Vietnam shared AEON Group's policies and requirements on product development with specific criteria for the three key lines of food-line, soft-line, and hard-line to respond to rising domestic and export standards.

Through its activities of strengthening collaboration with suppliers, AEON Group endeavours to satisfy customers while contributing to Vietnam's economic growth and the sustainable development of the local community.

According to Nishitohge Yasuo, chief executive officer of ASEAN Business at AEON Co., Ltd., as of the end of 2018, Aeon Vietnam had a partner network of 2,625 local suppliers, 52 per cent of whom are in the food line, 27 per cent are the soft-line (fashion, products for children) and 21 per cent are in the hardline (electronics, home appliances, and household goods).

Regarding the sales composition in 2018, 81 per cent of sales came from local products, 14 per cent from imported products.

In the future, along with increasing co-operation with local partners, AEON Vietnam will try to modernise the supply chain from logistics, information technology, and QC management, said Nishitohge Yasuo.

AEON has built its private brand TOPVALU with high standards and strict quality management procedures from planning to production and distribution. TOPVALU has become one of the popular and reliable private brands in Japan with more than 6,000 products. In Vietnam, more than 100 TOPVALU products have been imported directly from Japan and Malaysia and are sold at AEON Vietnam General Merchandise Stores and Supermarkets. In addition, 2018 is the first year TOPVALU products have been developed and produced by AEON TOPVALU Vietnam Co., Ltd. in collaboration with Vietnamese enterprises.

AEON is one of the largest retailers in Japan with a history of over 250 years. It has established and operated business in Japan, and other Asian countries. In Vietnam, AEON has launched four large shopping malls nationwide. It has planned to open more and more shopping malls in the upcoming 10 years in response to the growing customer demand in Vietnam, particularly in retail.The aerial view of Bayer Group headquarters

We are making good progress on integrating the acquired agriculture business and are now starting to implement a series of measures to drive transparency and sustainability across our business, Werner Baumann, chairman of the Board of Managementof Bayer AG, said on Friday.

We will continue to advance our standards, driven by our commitment to a better life for this generation and the many generations to come, he noted.

These measures aim to address the questions and concerns Bayer has heard about its role in agriculture in the year following its acquisition of Monsanto.

Innovation will cut the ecological footprint of Bayers agricultural portfolio. With its solutions, the company will reduce its environmental impact by 30 per cent by 2030.

Bayer aims to achieve this by developing new technologies, scaling down crop protection volumes, and enabling more precise application.

This will help to restore and retain biodiversity, combat climate change, and make the most efficient use of natural resources.

The company will measure the progress by comparing the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) against the current market standards.

The EIQ was established in the 1990s by Cornell University (US) and relates product volume to toxicity and therefore represents a more meaningful measure system than volume only.

Bayer will seek to continuously improve the EIQ of its crop solutions by investing in world-class innovation for seeds and traits, digital farming, biological solutions, and new low-residue and reduced rate application products.

Bayer will seek to continuously improve the EIQ of its crop solutions by investing in world-class innovation for seeds and traits, digital farming, biological solutions, and new low-residue and reduced rate application products.

Furthermore, the company will invite global experts and stakeholders to participate in the Bayer Sustainability Council to bolster company-wide efforts.

While glyphosate will continue to play an important role in agriculture and in Bayers portfolio, the company is committed to offering more choices for growers and will invest approximately 5 billion ($5.6 billion) in additional methods to combat weeds over the next decade.

This R&D investment will go towards improving the understanding of resistance mechanisms, discovering and developing new modes of action, further developing tailored Integrated Weed Management solutions, and developing more precise recommendations through digital farming tools.

In addition, partnerships with weed scientists around the world will be enhanced to help the company develop customised solutions for farmers at the local level.

As transparency is Bayers foundation, since 2017 Bayer began releasing all of its safety-related Crop Science studies online for anyone to see.

Since then, it has released hundreds of studies for nearly 30 compounds, including all 107 company-owned glyphosate studies.

Going forward, the company will pilot a programme inviting scientists, journalists, and NGO representatives to participate through its scientific preparation for the upcoming EU glyphosate re-registration process, which will start later this year.

On top of that, the company will apply consistent safety standards to its products. Since 2012, Bayer has stopped selling all products that were considered acute toxicity class 1 by the World Health Organization.

The company announced on Friday that it will only sell crop protection products in developing countries that meet both the safety standards of the target market and the safety standards of the majority of countries with well-developed programmes to regulate crop protection products.

In the coming months, the company will evolve its engagement policies that ground all of its interactions with scientists, journalists, regulators and the political sphere in transparency, integrity and respect.The amazing vista of Phu Quoc Island

Remote destination

At the turn of the 21st century, Phu Quoc Island  blessed with stunning beaches and an attractive year-round climate  was an underdeveloped tropical island with minimal tourism. Even then, however, many tourism observers believed it had the potential to one day compete with the likes of Bali and Phuket.

The island would develop rather slowly for the next 10 years and remained associated with simple beachside pleasures such as eating fresh seafood, snorkelling or just flopping around on an otherwise empty beach. Most visitors stayed for just two days before flying back to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi  the island had no direct flights from overseas.

Roads in and out of Duong Dong, the capital of Phu Quoc, were mostly made of red clay and full of pot holes  the first clue for visitors that tourism in Phu Quoc tourism had yet to reach its potential. All around the island, there were very few high-end beach resorts and five-star hotels, and in general, tourist infrastructure and services were not of a high enough level to attract domestic and international visitors. In 2010, the island welcomed only 239,000 visitors. Opening in 2012, a new Phu Quoc International Airport would help boost arrivals. In 2015, 850,000 tourists came to the "Pearl Island", a significant jump against 2010, but still far below expectations.

Over the past three years, however, the island has started to see explosive growth. Nowadays, more visitors come in one a single month than during the whole of 2010. For example, nearly 340,000 visitors came to Phu Quoc in June 2018, and over 407,000 visitors in July 2018.

According to the Master Plan for Phu Quoc Island of Kien Giang Province, the island was forecasted to welcome approximately 2-3 million tourists annually by 2020. However, by late 2017 Phu Quoc had surpassed the milestone of three million visitors in one calendar year.

A strategic vision takes hold

Much of this success can be attributed to the fact that Phu Quoc had started to attract more strategic investors who were directing major investment into tourism infrastructure and services on the island.

In fact, thanks to one five-star resort in particular, the island has already become a leading destination for luxury holidays for billionaires and A-list celebrities across Asia. Named the World's Leading Luxury Island Resort & Villas 2018 after opening in 2016, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, designed by the King of exotic luxury resorts Bill Bensley, is on par with what luxury tourists would encounter in the worlds most exclusive destinations.

Located on the southern cape of Phu Quoc, the utterly unique JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay has been lauded for its fantastic design, superlative services, and heavenly setting. After it opened, the whole island was once again being tipped to become one of Southeast Asias leading beach destinations.

The island has also received a huge profile boost thanks to the on-the water villas at Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort which is situated right at the tip of Ong Doi Cape launched in April 2018. The state-of-the-art amusement complex, Sun World Hon Thom Nature Park, has also helped to put Phu Quoc on the map, especially because of how you get there  by taking a breathtaking ride on the worlds longest over-the-sea cable car, which officially opened on February 2018.

In the future, many more ambitious projects such as Sun Premier Village Kem Beach Resort, Sun Premier Village The Eden Bay, or Sun Premier Village Primavera will soon be put into operation, paving the way for Vietnams largest island to finally establish itself as one of the worlds leading destinations for luxury travel, and compete with the likes of Phuket or Bali, perhaps even the Maldives.

A successful formula for tourism growth

According to the Kien Giang Tourism Department, in 2018 Phu Quoc welcomed more than 4 million tourists, a growth of 36 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. At the end of 2019, the island is expected to post record numbers again. Investors are certainly banking on the island to continue this exponential growth.

By the end of 2018, a total of 248 tourism projects have been granted investment licenses on the island with total capital of VND335.448 trillion ($14.58 billion). The major resort projects have contributed to developing Phu Quoc into a large and modern centre of tourism, achieving a year-on-year growth of some 36 per cent.

The opening of JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay coincided with a surge in international tourist arrivals to the island. It is expected that when a series of billion-dollar projects are completed, Phu Quoc will meet the target of receiving 5 million tourists per year, said Le Cong Nang, head of the Marketing and Communications Department of Vietrantour Tourism Company.

Nguyen Van Tuan, former director general of teh Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is in full agreement with this analysis and projection. The most prominent factor behind these accomplishments has been the large-scale projects and high-quality, attractive tourism products that have drawn investment from strategic investors and top tourism businesses such as Sun Group and Vingroup, he said. Consequently, these investment projects have contributed to improve infrastructure and accommodation units, and create luxury tourism products that can gradually contribute to shaping the image and brand of Vietnamese tourism as well as increasing the attractiveness of tourist destinations.

With this successful formula working its magic, and more major high-end developments in the pipeline, Phu Quoc finally looks set to fulfil its destiny as one of the worlds most attractive destinations.Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and general director of Samsung Vietnam Choi Joo-ho hold talks yesterday.-VNA/VNS Photo

During a meeting in Ha Noi with general director of Samsung Vietnam Choi Joo-ho, PM Phuc said he hoped the group would continue studying and producing new-generation technological products to catch up with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as assist Viet Nam in building its e-government - a field of its strength.

He also asked Samsung to continue offering practical help in workforce training and technological transfers to Vietnamese firms in the supporting industry, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises, making it easier for them to provide spare parts for the group.

The PM also asked Samsung to call on major Republic of Koreas firms to invest in Viet Nam.

Choi reported a plan to build a Samsung Vietnam research and development centre as suggested by the PM during his previous meeting with the group.

Once operational, the centre would accommodate 2,000-3,000 people and become the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, he said, adding it would focus on training the software workforce and other fields such as 5G, artificial intelligence and big data.

Hailing the significance of the centre, the host directed Ha Nois Peoples Committee to offer all possible support to the project.

The PM also asked Samsung to increase its investment in the country to US$20 billion from $17.4 billion at present.TikTok launches #HelloVietnam tourism promotion programme

On June 13, TikTok, the short-form mobile platform co-operated with Tourism Review of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) to launch the #HelloVietnam programme to promote Vietnams image via short-form mobile content. VTVCab will be a partner accompanying the programme.

At the launching ceremony, TikTok signed a strategic co-operation agreement with the Tourism Review. Accordingly, the two parties will promote and develop content on tourism in Vietnam on the TikTok platform. Besides, they will implement tourism promotion strategies at potential markets like Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Australia.

According to the plan, every two months the parties will implement a promotion programme for a city or province in order to introduce its tourism products to domestic and foreign travellers. The first programme  HelloDanang  will be organised on June 15, 2019 with the theme Discovering Danang in 24 hours.

Having 12 million users in Vietnam alone and over one billion downloads around the world, TikTok wants to take advantage of technology as a tool to honour the beauty of Vietnam. #HelloVietnam is also a part of the global travel campaign under which #TikTokTravel across 100 countries and regions to inspire users to capture and share their travel moments, which was kicked off on June 7.

The Tourism Review will co-operate with member authorities of the VNAT to implement programmes in cities and provinces. TikTok will also open and maintain the Vietnam Tourism account on its platform.

The public-private co-operation is expected to create a breakthrough for Vietnams tourism. The organising board also hopes to receive support from tourism authorities in cities and provinces.

Each month, TikTok will pick a city in Vietnam to show its 1 billion global users

Vietnam is considered an amazing and attractive destination. With the aim of supporting the promotion of Vietnams tourism, apart from operating the Vietnam Tourism account on its platform, TikTok will also take advantage of the technology and functions of its short-form mobile platform to implement promotion programmes. TikTok hopes that via this programme it will inspire young people, stimulating their creativity and spreading images of Vietnam in the community, while simultaneously making TikTok an interesting and useful short-form mobile platform for people, said Nguyen Lam Thanh, head of public policy at TikTok Vietnam.

The #TikTokTravel campaign brings together the best of TikTok  it features a global in-app challenge, a theme song Summer incubated from TikTok Spotlight, an innovative musician programme to discover and support independent and unsigned artists, as well as a new product feature, an easy-to-use Photo Template tool that allows users to stitch together still images into a rolling video.

Tourism boards from cities and countries including Los Angeles, Dubai, Seoul, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia are joining TikTok during the campaign period, with a few launching in-app activities including: #ThisisJapan, #VisitSeoul, #ThisisDubai, #HelloDanang, #ColorfulMedan, and #ExperiencePenang.

Stefan Heinrich, marketing director at TikTok US, said, "TikTok's global reach enables people from any region to share their favourite local gems in creative and unique ways. Through real-life videos, our community is proud to share what makes their part of the world special, whether they're captured in nature, food, cultural events, or sights and sounds."

TikTok is the world's leading destination for short-form mobile videos. Its mission is to capture and present the world's creativity, knowledge, and moments that matter in everyday life. TikTok empowers everyone to be a creator directly from their smartphones, and is committed to building a community by encouraging users to share their passion and express creativity through videos.The event, which attracted the participation of Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, the French Ambassador to Vietnam, as well as Vietnamese and French health experts, focused on the control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The event also emphasised the importance of the Ngay Dau Tien project in realising the target of having 95 per cent of grass-roots healthcare centres doing management, prevention, and treatment of some NCDs before 2025 in line with Resolution No.20-NQ/TW.

Over the past years, Vietnam and French medical co-operation has been growing stronger. And the Vietnam-France medical journey is one among the countries deep co-operation activities, helping Vietnamese doctors update medical information and increase knowledge. This is also a chance for the two sides to share experience and update information about NCD diagnosis and treatment, said Tien.

According to Tien, together with rapid economic growth, Vietnam is facing a big burden from diseases, including NCDs and communicable diseases. NCDs make up around 70 per cent of Vietnams disease burden and cause 77 per cent of total deaths in the country.

To prevent and control NCDs in general, as well as heart disease and diabetes in particular, the Vietnamese government has launched the Vietnam Health Programme with 11 solutions. Moreover, the ministry is also focusing primary healthcare at grass-roots health centres, while renewing financial mechanism so as to achieve the target of universal health coverage.

During the event, medical experts of the two sides shared their experience and knowledge about reasons for and how to prevent hypertension, obesity, and diabetes among the locals, and other medical issues of mutual concerns.

In the upcoming time, the bilateral medical co-operation will focus on training, preventive healthcare, experience sharing, and creating opportunities for French firms to expand to and in Vietnam.

Multidimensional medical forum on respiratory diseases The multidimensional medical forum has recently taken place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to discuss the strategy of Comprehensive healthcare of respiratory diseases ...

Commitment to better healthcare British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca, has recently announced a stellar $220 million investment in Vietnam. Nitin Kapoor, company president of AstraZeneca in Vietnam, shared with VIRs ...Vietnam will import LNG

LNG is becoming a trend in Southeast Asia. Thailand was the first Southeast Asian country to import LNG fuel in 2011, reaching 3.95 million tonnes in 2017, up 30 per cent from the previous year. Malaysia's LNG imports increased by 40 per cent to 1.8 million tonnes. Indonesia and the Philippines, which used to be LNG exporters, will begin importing from the early 2020s, according to Nikkei.

Nguyen The Huu, director of the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERVAV) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), also stated at the Vietnam Wind Power 2019 conference that Vietnam might need to import LNG to meet its increasing energy demand in the near future.

Electricity demand in Vietnam has been increasing by about 10 per cent per year, putting great pressure on the electricity industry to ensure a stable supply for economic development and peoples living.

The proportion of electricity consumption by industries has increased. Before 2010, about 50 per cent of electricity consumption was for residential activities and 30 per cent for the industry.

However, at present, 50 per cent of the electricity output is reserved for industry and 30 per cent for residential use. This shows that electricity is majorly used for production and economic activities.

The proportion of hydropower in the previous years was a major part of the energy mix, but this proportion has not increased in recent years.

In Vietnam, according to Vu Dao Minh from the Oil and Gas Exploitation Department of Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), the domestic gas output is about 10 billion cubic metres a year and this is expected to be maintained until 2020. However, from 2020 onwards, existing gas reserves will decline, affecting the country's ability to ensure gas supply for consumers.

In addition to declining gas production, the development of new gas fields faces difficulties such as high levels of impurities (CO2, H2S), reserves at deep water locations, offshore, or at sensitive areas. These factors affect the cost of exploitation, collection, and processing, as well as affect the price of gas.

According to forecasts of imported LNG, the southeast region will start importing LNG from 2020, with an output of about 0.6 million tonnes and increasing by about 1 million tonnes when Nhon Trach 3 and 4 power plants go into operation.

After 2025, the demand for importing LNG will increase sharply to 5 million tonnes per year in 2025, 11 million tonnes in 2030, and 13.9 million tonnes in 2035.

The Northern region will also start to import LNG from 2025 onwards to supplygas for consumers in Thai Binh and neighbouring areas in the north.

According to Nikkei Asian Review, Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) revealed plans to build the first LNG import station with PetroVietnam to diversify energy sources as well as combat electricity shortages in Vietnam.

Currently, Petrolimex will focus on building an LNG storage station in Khanh Hoa province. Recipient facilities will sit next to a petroleum depot. LNG will be supplied to a gas-powered power plant built nearby by Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).

The plant is expected to begin operation in the late 2020s and will provide about 6,000MW of energy. However, the total investment, including storage and power plants, will cost about $3.6 billion.Prime minister visiting Vinfast factory

The factory is based on an area of 500,000 square metres of the complexs total area of 335 hectares in Dinh Vu-Cat Hai Industrial Park and is equipped with modern technology. In it first phase, the factory will have a capacity of 250,000 cars per year, which the next phase will double when it comes online in 2025. That means 38 Vinfast cars will be churned out every hour.

Almost a third of the plant site has been set aside for potential supporting industry partners seeking to put up their own plants. VinFast targets using 60 per cent local parts in its cars and 100 per cent for electric motorbikes.

It will deliver the first Fadil cars to customers starting from June 17. The Fadil is a small urban crossover utility vehicle (CUV) which will come in six colours. Its sedans and SUVs will be delivered from the end of July.

The inauguration ceremony of the VinFast factory

Praising the efforts of the first Vietnamese brand, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that building the Vinfast factory in only 600 days is an amazing achievement. "The success of VinFast today is a feat for the entire Vietnamese automobile industry, helping the country reach the global level and affirming that the private sector is an important driving force," said the PM.

About 21 months ago, the name VinFast could not even be found on Wikipedia. Starting from zero, there are more than 8.8 million results on Google today. Newspapers, analysts, and the online community are all talking about VinFast, he added.

The prime minister sitting on a Vinfast car

Deputy chairman and CEO of Vingroup Nguyen Viet Quang said that in 21 months the company launched a line of electric motorcycles and three car models, including a sedan, and an SUV.

The company is still working at a fast clip, and is currently designing 12 new models of cars and electric scooters to release this year and the next.

Within such a short time frame, VinFast has established new records in the worlds automobile industry, Quang said.

Quang said VinFast had also established a new feat in the automotive market by taking 10,000 orders before having released a vehicle.

CEO of VinFast James DeLuca said Vietnam was moving in the right direction, making the right conditions for the high sales growth of cars.

He said the countrys GDP per capita was increasing along with the living standards of most households, creating conditions for more people to start buying cars.

Vietnams car ownership rate is now extremely low at just 23 cars per 1,000 people. There is a huge opportunity for the domestic automobile industry to grow, according to DeLuca.

VinFast will soon hand over its first cars, beating its own schedule by about two months. VinFasts Fadil cars will be handed over from June 17 this year, while the Lux A2.0 and Lux SA2.0 will be delivered starting at the end of July.

VinFast leaders receiving merits from the prime minister

Milestones during 21 months of building VinFast

September 2017: Ground-breaking ceremony of the complex in Dinh Vu-Cat Hai;

October 2017: Released the designs of its upcoming models;

October 2018: Showcased two cars at the Paris Motor Show 2018;

November 2018: Inaugurated the electronic bike manufacturing factory and launched VinFast Klara motorbikes;

March 2019: Held the successful trial manufacturing of Lux SA2.0 and sent cars to be tested overseas;

June 2019: Inaugurated the VinFast factory.Editor's note: We want you to know what's happening, why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team:ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.

The Guatemala connection

VOA EXCLUSIVE: The U.S. is trying to broker a deal with the Central American country that would block asylum-seekers transiting through from later petitioning for asylum in Mexico or the U.S. It's another U.S. attempt to curb the arrivals of unauthorized border crossers in the southwest. Even if the U.S. can secure an agreement, Guatemela  which bridges El Salvador and Honduras to North America and is a source for many northbound migrants itself  also has a spotty human rights record, triggering questions about the legality and feasiblity of such a deal. U.S. President Donald Trump was vague on details of a supposed migration deal with Mexico this past week, too. He says the mystery is on purpose.

Stay or go?

Uganda hosts Africa's largest refugee population  1.25 million people, with two-thirds having fled conflict in South Sudan. A peace deal last year raised hopes for some South Sudanese that they could soon return home; but, the fragile peace has discouraged many from leaving Uganda's refugee camps, despite struggles for adequate aid. Watch Halima Athumani's report from Adjumani, Uganda.

Fallout from the shake-up

Leadership at U.S. immigration and border agencies turned over in recent months, after a slew of resignations and removals from office. Now, Trump has put conservative politician and lawyer Ken Cuccinelli at the head of the country's Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Ocean crossings, border crossings

U.S. border agents detained hundreds of migrants from several African countries who crossed from Mexico without authorization in recent weeks. The groups, largely comprised of families with young children, hail primarily from Angola, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

From the feds

 Two federal agencies asked for $4.5 billion in "emergency funding" this past week to handle the increase in border crossers in the southwestern U.S.

 Border agents found the body of a young girl  believed to be from India  in a remote wildness area of Arizona this week, on a day when temperatures topped 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit). She had been traveling with three adult women and two other children when the group split, two of the older travelers told agents.

For nearly five decades, the United States was the top choice for Indian students and professionals wanting to migrate. But as Washington puts in place more restrictive immigration policies, tens of thousands of young Indians are heading to Canada, which has opened its doors to immigrants.Sudans ruling military has acknowledged that security forces committed violations when they moved in to disperse a protest sit-in camp outside the military headquarters in Khartoum last week.

The spokesman of the ruling military council, Gen. Shams Eddin Kabashi, told reporters at a news conference late Thursday that an investigation was underway and that several military officers were held in custody for alleged deviation from the action plan set by military leaders.

Kabashi did not elaborate on the violations beyond describing them as painful and outrageous.

Over 100 people were killed in the capital and across Sudan in a sweeping crackdown last week, according to protest organizers. Protesters also said more than 40 bodies were pulled from the Nile River in Khartoum and taken away by security forces.

We feel sorry for what happened, said Kabashi. We will show no leniency and we will hold accountable anyone, regardless of their rank, if proven to have committed violations.

Sudan's Opposition and Military to Resume Talks

Which side  civilians or the military  will have a majority in a new, transitional ruling council until elections in 2022 is still in dispute

The dispersal of the sit-in was an alarming turn in the standoff between the protesters and the military, which removed President Omar al-Bashir from power in April after a months-long popular uprising against his 30-year rule.

Rights groups expressed alarm over the violence.

On Thursday, U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten expressed grave concern over reports of mass rapes of protesters and female medical personnel by security forces and militias.

U.N. experts on Wednesday said they were concerned Sudan is sliding into a human rights abyss in the aftermath of the security forces deadly clampdown. The experts, appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council, called for an independent investigation into violations against peaceful protesters in Sudan.

Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition of political groups representing protesters, insists on an international investigation  a demand Kabahi strongly rejected.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch urged the Sudanese military to restore access to the internet, which has been blocked since the start of the clampdown.

Separately, Kabahi dismissed the death toll announced by the Sudanese Doctors Central Committee, a group associated with the protesters, as misleading and incendiary.

The group had said 108 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded. The military-controlled health ministry later put the death toll at 61.Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday held a meeting with several opposition parties as part of his ongoing efforts to engage different stakeholders in the country in a dialogue, to help address some of the countrys pressing problems, including the devastated economy.

Mnangagwa launched the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) last month, comprising mostly leaders of the 22 opposition parties that contested in the July 30th election.

Mnangagwa was declared the winner of that election by the Constitutional Court, following a challenge by the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, which disputed the outcome.

The MDC led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, which is still challenging Mnangagwas legitimacy, has refused to partake in the ongoing dialogue.

A major challenge to Mnangagwas presidency since taking over power from longtime leader President Robert Mugabe, who resigned under pressure from the military in 2017, has been the economy, which has been compounded by the fact that the country lacks its own currency, and has been depending on the U.S. dollar and other currencies.

Addressing those gathered at POLAD, Mnangagwa reiterated an earlier promise that Zimbabwe will soon have its own currency.

It is more critical that we have our own currency, said Mnangagwa. The creation of wealth, infrastructure, we have in the country will determine the level of the supply of money in the country. So it is necessary that we have our own currency.

Mnangagwa said the currency, once introduced, will essentially put an end to the multiple currencies currently in use in the country for most transactions, as everyone will then have to convert their foreign currency to local money, at a bank or exchange bureau, to do any transaction.

Zimbabwe has not had its own currency since 2009.

The US dollar cannot anymore transact in the country, declared Mnangagwa. If you go to the UK, with your US dollar, or you go to Zambia, or you go to South Africa nearby, with your US dollar or your Euro, you cannot transact in any hotel, or in any restaurant, or in a shop. You go to the bank and they change the money and youll be given the rand, then you transact. You go to London, you change it and youre given a pound to transact. You go to Zambia, you have to go and change and youll be given a kwacha, and then you transact. So all the money that is in the shops or elsewhere, will not work until it goes through the bank to be changed into the local currency to do transactions, said Mnangagwa.

A consequence of the lack of a steady currency has been erratic prices on basic commodities driven by an irregular exchange rate between the local currency known as Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and the US dollars.

Shortages of both the local and foreign currencies have driven up prices of basically all necessities, including fuel and a variety of food stuffs like bread, sugar, cooking oil and mealie meal, used to make the staple, sadza.

While many blame Mnangagwas government for failing to tame prices and penalize those who hike prices unfairly, arguing that it is within the government power to put a stop to the malpractice, Mnangagwa and his administration have distanced themselves from those hiking prices, and have even accused businesses and vendors who hike prices of taking advantage of the system.

Honestly, a packet of sugar in a store, you wake up in the morning and the price has increased, what happened? It would be better if the prices increase, then you also increase the prices for workers (salary), then theyll be no complaints, therell no complaints because they will be having buying power. And you find that some companies and shops, saying they want US dollars, but the same company, the same employer, has never paid his workers in US dollars...but he demands payment in US dollars.

Among the opposition groups that attended the POLAD was the MDC led by Dr. Thokozani Khupe. The partys vice president, Obert Gutu, said they have welcomed the call to dialogue, simply to help improve lives for the common people, not to endorse the government of President Mnangagwa.

Gutu said a monitoring and evaluation committee has been set up to hold the president accountable to any agreement reached at POLAD.

We have said that by us being here, we have not come to just say what pleases the government, said Gutu. We are not looking for jobs, we are not even looking for a power sharing arrangement. We are simply looking to improve the situation for the people of Zimbabwe.

Spokesperson Jacob Mafume of the MDC led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa, however, reiterated with his partys position that there will be no dialogue until Mnangagwa accepts their stance that he is not the legitimate leader of the country, despite the outcome of the Constitutional Court.

We are waiting and saying that the discussion we will hold must start with (President) Mnangagwa as president of Zanu, (Advocate Nelson) Chamisa as the peoples president. Once Mnangagwa agrees to meet with Chamisa, then well organize how this discussion will proceed, and discuss issues of legitimacy and the economy and international relations, said Mafume.

Mafume, who also criticized the governments use of national resources to host POLAD, said another condition for the party to hold talks with Mnangagwa, is the selection of a neutral arbitrator or mediator, to sit in on the discussions.The World Health Organization decided on Friday not to declare an international public health emergency over the Ebola outbreak, despite its recent spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Uganda.

The WHOs emergency committee described the outbreak as an extraordinary event of deep concern, but said it does not yet meet the criteria to be designated an international emergency.

The panel has only used the label "public health emergency of international concern" four times since the committee was formed in 2005. Those included the swine flu pandemic of 2009, the spread of poliovirus in 2014, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa that begin in 2014, and the Zika virus in 2016.

The designation usually triggers more funding and political awareness about the situation.

The current Ebola outbreak in DRC has killed more than 1,400 people since it emerged last year in August. This week the virus spread to Uganda and there are worries the outbreak, which is also close to the borders of Rwanda and South Sudan, could spread to further countries.

The acting chair of the WHO emergency committee, Preben Aavitsland, said Friday that as long as the outbreaks continues in Congo, there will be a risk of spread to neighboring countries. However, he said, the risk of spread to countries outside the region remains low."

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Friday he accepted the panels advice. Tedros, who is in DRC to review the Ebola response, told reporters that "although the outbreak does not at this time pose a global health emergency, I want to emphasize that this outbreak is very much an emergency" for those who are affected by the disease.Class acts

Two students and a recent graduate of the Auto Collision and Management Technology program at Texas State Technical College have been nationally honored for their academic work.

Jennifer Watson, of Moody, and Edward Hernandez, of Killeen, are U.S. military veterans who received 3M Hire Our Heroes tool grants valued at $4,500 each. Hernandez also received a $2,000 scholarship from the 3M Hire Our Heroes fund.

Hernandez is studying in TSTCs refinishing specialization program. He said receiving the tools is a relief. Hernandez came to TSTC because he always wanted to learn how to paint vehicles.

Watson was a helicopter mechanic in the Army and worked at DynCorp (now DynCorp International) before coming to TSTC.

Samuel Patterson, of Waxahachie, graduated from TSTCs Auto Collision and Management Technology program in April.

He received a Sears VoTech tool grant, which includes an industry-size toolbox.Local efforts in Waskom are no different. City officials said they included exceptions for rape and incest, and cases where the mother's life is at risk, to force a reckoning with the procedure of abortion itself, preventing a judgment based only on the absence of exceptions.

Lobbying for the ordinance was led by Right to Life of East Texas, whose director, Mark Lee Dickson, celebrated the unanimous vote in posts on Facebook.

He quoted from the measure, which states that "the Supreme Court erred in Roe v. Wade when it said that pregnant women have a constitutional right to abort their pre-born children." It further describes the 1973 opinion as a "lawless and illegitimate act of judicial usurpation, which violates the Tenth Amendment by trampling the reserved powers of the States, and denies the people of each State a Republican Form of Government by imposing abortion policy through judicial decree."

Dickson, who is a pastor at the Baptist Sovereign Love Church in Longview, added his interpretation of the measure, saying it meant that all organizations that provide abortions or assist others in obtaining the procedure "are now declared to be criminal organizations in Waskom, Texas."Denise Payne Bowles

March 16, 1955 - June 7, 2019

Services for Denise Bowles will be June 17, 2019 at Broecker Funeral Home with a visitation from 9:00AM and Celebration of Life service starting at 10:00AM.

Denise Bowles passed away Friday, June 7, 2019 at 64 years of age.

Born to Dennis and Doris Payne in 1955, Denise lived all over the country with her parents and sister. From an early age, Denise's love of education became apparent. As a child, she looked forward to school each day and couldn't wait to return home to teach the day's lessons to her younger sister.

Denise met her husband, Gary Bowles, at Southwest Church of Christ in Austin, Texas her senior year of high school and the two married in 1976. Together they raised two daughters. Denise was a loving mother who cherished time with her family. No matter what sport, activity, or competition her girls participated in, Denise could be found in the stands cheering them on. She was also a grandmother to two young grandchildren. Though her time with them was brief, she showered them with enough love for a lifetime.Chris Kinlaw, 51, of Waco, and a former City of Waco Police Department Commander, went to be with the Lord, Wednesday, June 12, 2019. Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Sunday, June 16, at Lake Shore Funeral Home. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 17, at Lake Shore Funeral Home. Burial will follow at China Spring Cemetery.In our politics as in our daily lives, we live on a spectrum of forgiveness so wide that its hard to stretch the meaning of the word to cover it all. On one end is the effortless absolution we offer those we love  forgiving what your toddler spills or your partner forgets, the featherweight lapses that barely test grace. Somewhere in the middle are the minor lifts of mercy needed to let go of grievances against friends and colleagues.

This musculature lies beneath the skin of our daily interactions; practice makes us stronger, while we know the deadening weight of holding a grudge. But how do the mechanics of forgiveness apply to this polarized moment in our political life? It is hard to forgive our opponents for anything  but what about our friends? Why do so many Republicans forgive President Donald Trump his every trespass, while Democrats forgive none by those from their own team? As they survey an ever-growing array of aspirants, it seems that the more choices Democrats have, the less charitable their judgments. Elizabeth Warren cracked open a beer? How contrived. Joe Biden? Too fond of compromise. Plus, Anita Hill. John Hickenloopers take on the Green New Deal? Too yellow. Prosecutor Kamala Harris? Didnt authorize gender reassignment surgery for transgender prisoners, though she says she fought for their rights privately. As critics of the left have often observed, a party that exalts tolerance can be mighty intolerant.WAHOO  A Weston man has died as the result of a two-vehicle crash on Highway 92 late Friday evening.

According to the Saunders County Sheriffs Office, John Berggren, 71, of rural Weston died as a result of the crash that took place about 8:46 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 92 and County Road 25.

Witness, as well as the preliminary investigation, indicate a pickup driving by Berggren was coming off of County Road 25 and was struck broadside by a semi-trailer driven by Robert Reardon, 44, of rural Genoa. Reardon was eastbound on Highway 92.

The sheriffs office reported that live-saving efforts were attempted, but Berggren was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other occupants in the pickup.

Reardon and a passenger in his vehicle were transported to Saunders Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries.

The Nebraska State Patrol, Wahoo Fire and Rescue, Weston Rescue and Prague Fire and Rescue all assisted at the scene.Family members mourn 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson who was fatally shot in 2018 as she walked to an ice cream truck. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Rosalind Page, a nurse and mother to four daughters, spends her days scouring websites for names and photos of women and girls lost to violence.Euphoria (HBO at 9) Zendaya stars as a high schooler experimenting with sex and drugs. Based on the Israeli series of the same name. See Hank Stuevers review on Page C1.The quarantines, which were first reported by CNN, come as the Trump administration has struggled to manage an ongoing influx of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, where immigration authorities have apprehended nearly 600,000 people since October. ICE agents have apprehended another 34,500 people in the interior of the United States, according to official government statistics. The agency says it is currently holding about 52,560 people in detention facilities across the country, 5,000 more than it forecast in its 2019 budget.To see Stella and our other Pat Pals, visit Heloise.com and click on Pet of the Week. Do you have a funny and furry friend? Please mail or email your photo (if you want the mailed photo returned, let us know). Include your pets name, age, breed, etc. We hope to include all pets  even exotics! Send your pet photo to Heloise/Pets, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Or you can email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.I have come to a crossroad in my professional journey and believe that it is time for me to make a transition, said Murphy, a Northern Virginia native. As I think about the ebb and flow of changes that have occurred over the past 10 years, the progress we have made for children has been most rewarding. Each year we offer new opportunities to allow children to flourish, grow and reach for new heights of success.Every textbook we looked at had bias of one sort or another, depending on what group was looking at it. Thats the issue in social science and especially in history, when we have multiple lenses through which people are looking at this history, Coggins said. Its become an issue now that our community is so diverse.Prosecutors said Delgado-Escobar is a member and associate of the Langley Park Salvatrucha clique of MS-13, an international criminal gang that was founded in Los Angeles, and had worked with other members to extract weekly extortion payments since 2013.The man, who was identified as Richfield Chang, 37, of Southeast Washington, was pronounced dead shortly after the shooting, and the woman was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said. Both victims were shot multiple times.Prosecutors said Delgado-Escobar is a member and associate of the Langley Park Salvatrucha clique of MS-13, an international criminal gang that was founded in Los Angeles, and had worked with other members to extract weekly extortion payments since 2013. The payouts were described as rent for operating in areas controlled by the gang, prosecutors said.At 2:35 a.m. Thursday, four thieves rammed an SUV into the United Gun Shop in the Rockville-North Bethesda area of Montgomery, triggering a 911 call. A getaway car with what police had said was a fifth person was in the parking lot. A patrol officer arrived four minutes later, according to authorities, and spotted the getaway car accelerating toward him.I hope the disabled people who learn about this are more apt to fight for the services they deserve and not take no for an answer, she said. I hope everyone else, disabled and not, is willing to support us in this and pass the microphone. We need health care as much as or more than anyone else. The stakes are high for us.Virginia began issuing a new drivers license last fall to bring the state into compliance. So far, the commonwealth has issued more than 390,000 Real IDs, as it works to replace as many as 2.7 million licenses before October 2020. Virginia officials say that anyone whose license does not expire until after October 2020 and wants to get the Real ID can go to any DMV, whenever it is convenient. If it is not time to renew (you can renew up to one year before the expiration of your credential), you can request a replacement drivers license or identification card and get your Real ID at that time.While some transportation advocates say that adding roads wont ease congestion in the long term, Backmon emphasized that the project includes 10-foot-wide pathways on each side of Route 7 for cyclists and pedestrians. The pathways will also link to local trails to create a more robust network. Ultimately, users will have more options for how they will travel along the corridor, officials said.A British court has set a date early next year for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face a U.S. extradition attempt over his role in revealing classified government and military information.

The judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday set a full extradition hearing for Feb. 25, 2020. It is expected to last about five days. Interim hearings are expected in July and October.

Assange, who has been suffering from ill health in prison, appeared in court via video link. He appeared to be tired and showed signs of a possible hand tremor. He was again sporting a gray-white beard after having shaved it off before his last court appearance.

Ben Brandon, a British lawyer representing the U.S. government, told a hearing that the case "related to one of the largest compromises of confidential information in the history of the United States."

U.S. officials are seeking to prosecute Assange under the Espionage Act, blaming him for directing WikiLeaks' publication of a huge trove of secret documents that disclosed the names of people who provided confidential information to American and coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A turning point came last month after Mr. Xi abruptly retreated from a tentative agreement resolving the trade dispute. Mr. Trump reacted not just by moving to expand tariffs on Chinese goods but also by restricting sales by U.S. companies to Huawei, Chinas telecommunications champion. There are legitimate concerns about Huaweis connections to the Chinese government, and a good argument for excluding its products from sensitive communications networks in the United States and its allies  though U.S. agencies have yet to back up their warnings with clear evidence. But Mr. Trumps measure threatens to destroy the company, or else force it to develop its own versions of chips and operating systems it now obtains from the West. If the ban is fully enacted and China retaliates against U.S. tech companies, as it has threatened to do, the decoupling of the two countries tech supply chains, as well as other parts of their economies, could begin in earnest.Meanwhile, a panel of appeals court judges in New York has gone silent in a related matter. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, an Epstein friend and confidante, is battling to keep details of her settlement with an Epstein accuser sealed from public view. In a March hearing at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, Judge Jose A. Cabranes openly scoffed at Maxwells attorney as he argued for secrecy. Yet here we are on the cusp of summer, and the court has not been heard from. When will a ray of sunshine pierce the cloud of money?WHITE HOUSE counselor Kellyanne Conway is well-versed in long-standing ethics law that bars federal employees from engaging in partisan politics while on the job. Restrictions of the Hatch Act have been spelled out to her in formal training, individual conversations and multiple written communications by the Office of White House Counsel. She simply doesnt care that she violates the law. Blah, blah, blah. . . . Let me know when the jail sentence starts, she quipped to a reporter. Even worse than her breathtaking arrogance is that the president she works for  and on whose behalf she regularly and belligerently violates the Hatch Act  cares even less about the rules.The June 10 Metro article about the fight against a Rockwool plant by what Im convinced is a majority of Jefferson County citizens, In W.Va., a fight over a factory, quoted former county economic development director Nicholas Diehl twice. He was wrong on both counts. Mr. Diehl said Jefferson County needs Danish insulation manufacturer Rockwool like Crystal City needs Amazon. Criticize Amazon for whatever, but its not going to burn almost 100 tons of coal a day right across the road from an elementary school.We simply loved to tell stories, to fry the gizzard, to laugh until it hurt. The father-daughter comedy was relatively benign, but add my older brother to the mix, and we became lethal. Humor is a form of aggression, after all, but we were mean without malice. If it appeared that our quips were becoming more hurtful than clever, our father would take a deep drag from his cigarette and, with a slight pucker of disapproval, begin wiping the countertops. This was our signal to hit pause and visit the loo, straighten the pictures on the wall or freshen our beverage.To me, that is not someone that can be impartial to millions of people in this country who are LGBTQ. That type of demonstrated bias is not he was representing someone or he was taken out of context. This is his worldview. This is his bias. He has not shied away from it, said Kristine Lucius, executive vice president for policy and governmental affairs at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, which has organized a campaign against Kacsmaryks nomination.It is ironic that the U.S. who unlawfully withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action now calls Iran to come back to negotiations and diplomacy, a statement from Irans mission to the United Nations said, using the nuclear deals formal title. The U.S. economic war and terrorism against the Iranian people as well as its massive military presence in the region have been and continue to be the main sources of insecurity and instability in the wider Persian Gulf region and the most significant threat to its peace and security.At the forum, four candidates  former congressman Beto ORourke of Texas, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)  outlined competing visions for how to shrink the glaring wealth gap. They spoke, too, about the disparities in economic opportunity, which makes it harder for African Americans to secure business loans, complete college or attain many of the things that make upward mobility possible.People in Pompeii had running water. They had cranes, pumps and shockingly modern streets. That ingenuity is on display at Pompeii: The Immortal City. At the Science Museum of Virginia through Sept. 3, the Richmond exhibition focuses on the science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills of the Romans and what the trapped-in-time city reveals about a long-past age of innovation.Alexa, Caden and other protesters interviewed by The Washington Post say they remain undeterred and will continue to show up at demonstrations. They have masks and goggles prepared, they say, both as a shield against police tactics such as the use of pepper spray and to avoid potential facial-recognition and other surveillance software.But officials started to back away from that position after demonstrators on Wednesday surrounded the buildings that host Hong Kongs legislature in an attempt to block them from entering and to postpone a reading of the bill. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets, setting up an encampment reminiscent of 2014 protests that lasted 79 days, similarly in opposition to Beijings growing political control.As soon as Tuesday, senators could maneuver to block up to 22 arms deals, most of them benefiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, that the administration last month invoked emergency authority to complete, over congressional objections. It is unlikely, however, that all 22 disapproval resolutions will receive a vote on the floor  not least because another potential vehicle for thwarting the move is due for consideration.Despite Ashqars stated fear of Israel  where he says security agents detained and brutalized him as a youth for participating in protests  Israeli officials said there are no charges there against him and that they have no interest even in interrogating him. According to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of a desire to steer clear of involvement in what they see as an internal U.S. controversy, Israel was only doing a favor for Washington when it agreed in August to a U.S. request to allow him to pass through the country on his way to the West Bank. Ashqar believes that he would also be in danger on the West Bank, whose officials he has publicly criticized.The reality is that Guatemalans are undecided about who to vote for, she said. I think the majority of candidates running for office are doing so for personal gain. The people who really have the countrys interest at heart are very few.A Mandurah woman has been left shaken after an Ola driver allegedly suggested they "stop by his house" in exchange for a free ride to Perth.

The woman ordered a trip from the suburb of Greenfields to nearby Mandurah train station on the popular ride sharing app just after 2.30pm on Thursday.

As she got inside the vehicle, the woman said the driver asked if she was going to Perth to which she answered that she was.

A Mandurah woman claims an Ola driver offered to "stop at his house" in exchange for a free ride.

The driver then offered to take her to Perth himself but when she said she couldn't afford the trip, he offered "to stop at his house" as payment before dropping her off in the city.Nothing has gone to cabinet. A government spokesman would say only that the government's position had "not changed since statements were made on this matter last year". The discussions have been widely cast as a plan to use ASD to spy on Australians, though officials have been adamant this was never remotely part of the proposal. Rather they wanted to discuss ways that ASD could work more closely with the Department of Home Affairs, which has responsibility for cyber policy, to disrupt online criminals and protect critical networks. It may not constitute spying but it would still be a substantial change in the kind of authority the ASD currently has and would provoke controversy if the government went ahead.

But it also recognises certain new realities about the kind of threats Australia faces. Cyber attacks by highly skilled hackers have become almost a routine thing against Australian institutions, and all kinds of criminals are increasingly using cyber means to do their work. Loading The confusion around spying seems to stem from the fact that the collection of overseas communications signals forms a large part of the ASD's job, much like the United States' National Security Agency, which is frequently portrayed in Hollywood and television as a great vacuum cleaner sucking up the world's electronic communications. That is an intelligence-gathering role - spying. But it has a distinct and different role, which is cyber protection. That includes defending Australian networks and carrying out offensive cyber operations. It is these functions that are under discussion, not signals collection.

The most pressing issue, insiders say, is the defence of critical infrastructure. It is now a widely held view within the government and among outside experts that power grids, banks, telcos and even hospitals are highly vulnerable targets. As one close observer put it: "I don't think people have any idea how vulnerable we are and what limited capacity we have to respond." An attack on critical infrastructure could be used by a foreign adversary to coerce and intimidate Australia. The first shots of a war will almost certainly come in the form of electrons and bytes. But it's the below-war layer of activity that has people worried. Countries such as Russia and China have come to excel at what is often called "grey zone" military activity, the kind of stuff that is menacing or even damaging but doesn't quite reach the threshold of demanding retaliation.

Russian hackers froze part of Ukraine's power grid two days before Christmas in 2015, leaving more than 200,000 people without electricity. Moscow-backed cyber operators have also reportedly penetrated hundreds of US power grids, apparently to conduct reconnaissance of the networks. Loading Australia has been attacked in several highly publicised incidents recently: on the Parliament, the major political parties and the Australian National University, twice. The latest theft of 19 years' worth of student and staff data from the ANU has left national security insiders aghast. In a speech to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra on Thursday, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said: "More and more frequently, malevolent cyber activity is threatening our security and economic wellbeing." Defence Force chief Angus Campbell said in a speech at the same conference that authoritarian states were better than democracies at "political warfare", including cyber attacks, because they tended to see the world as a never-ending struggle rather than having the clear delineation between war and peace that democracies prefer.

"Western societies are often open, diverse, organic and liberal. They're the way we want them to be. In other words, unfortunately, exposed," Campbell said. Loading An argument being put in Canberra is that the kind of defences needed to repel sophisticated state-backed hackers from critical infrastructure properly reside with the government, not with the private-sector operators of the power grid or telco. Just as you wouldn't let a private company own tanks or ballistic missiles, nor would you want it having the suite of capabilities held by ASD. ASD currently advises companies and institutions such as universities. The question is whether it should be more directly involved.

"To defend a network, you have to be on the network," one security source says. "You don't want to be mapping and planning the defence of a network during a major attack. You want to be lawfully on the network before a 9/11-style attack occurs." In a speech in November at Perth's Edith Cowan University, the powerful head of the Home Affairs Department, Mike Pezzullo, said: "We cannot, and will not, wait for a catastrophic cyber incident before we act to prevent future attacks." Home Affairs Department head Mike Pezzullo: "We cannot, and will not, wait for a catastrophic cyber incident before we act to prevent future attacks." Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The more controversial aspect of the proposal would be the authorising of the ASD to carry out "disruptions" of networks hosted within Australia as well as those overseas. The argument being made there is that some criminal networks such as child exploitation, drug or terrorist gangs, will be spread over computers and servers hosted both in Australia and offshore. The distinction is no longer entirely clear in an age of cloud computing, encryption, virtual private networks and proxy servers that enable users to hide their location and identity.

This network-level disruption could crash systems hosting child exploitation material, or prevent terrorists from publishing recruitment propaganda. Loading The flaw in the argument, some critics say, is that, irrespective of technological challenges, crime in Australia must be tackled by law enforcement. Police should gather evidence, make an arrest and brief prosecutors. A former head of ASD, Ian McKenzie, used this argument when he spoke out against such proposals last year. He said Australian authorities should not be disrupting systems used by people in Australia who hadn't been convicted of anything. Fergus Hanson, who heads the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's international cyber policy centre, similarly disagreed with using the agency for domestic disruption.

"ASD should be exclusively focused on foreign threats," he says. But he says the critical network protection idea is worth considering, though any change to the law would require carefully thought-through safeguards. It would need to make certain that having authority to be inside a company's network to defend it against foreign adversaries did not extend to domestic surveillance. ASD director-general Mike Burgess has made enormous strides in telling the public more about what his traditionally secretive organisation does. It's understood that much of the discussion between officials has revolved around how to ensure any new powers are strictly circumscribed and with appropriate safeguards, including warrants and oversight by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. In a speech to the Lowy Institute in March, ASD director-general Mike Burgess - who has made enormous strides in telling the public more about what his traditionally secretive organisation does - described how every offensive cyber operation against foreign targets was "proportionate", "subject to rigorous oversight" and strictly within the law.The Nigerian army says it has begun proceedings to court-martial 14 officers and soldiers accused of murder, kidnapping, desertion, am...





The Nigerian army says it has begun proceedings to court-martial 14 officers and soldiers accused of murder, kidnapping, desertion, among other criminal offences.





said the suspects were officers and soldiers of the division. Inaugurating the court proceedings in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital on Saturday, Jamil Sarham, general officer commanding (GOC) army 6 division, Port Harcourt,said the suspects were officers and soldiers of the division.





Sarham, a major-general, said the general court martial was convened in compliance to section 131 of the armed forces act, guiding the professional conduct of the nations military.





The offences for which the accused persons are being tried range from murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, desertion, he said.





Others are offences in relation to public and service property, disobedience to standing orders and conducts to the prejudice to service discipline.





All the offences are punishable under the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.





The GOC said the army has zero tolerance to indiscipline, adding that it would never shield any personnel, no matter how highly placed from the law.





He said the armed forces hold personnel in high esteem, and as such, would not put personnel on trial unless the matter was thoroughly investigated.





According to him, the trial was not only aimed at prosecuting the suspects but to discourage others from indulging in criminality.





To this end, each accused person was thoroughly investigated to ensure that an innocent person is not wrongly tried and punished, he said.





The headquarters 6 division has painstakingly selected credible officers with in-depth knowledge and outstanding experience of military law and duties as members of the court-martial to ensure fair hearing and justice.





Sarham urged the seven-man court-martial panel led by Bassey Etuk, a brigadier-general, to ensure that the accused persons are given a fair trial.



At least seven of the senators who were inaugurated on Tuesday are standing trial for corruption. Five of them are former governors. A...





At least seven of the senators who were inaugurated on Tuesday are standing trial for corruption. Five of them are former governors. Although members of the national assembly had once pushed for immunity against prosecution of lawmakers, the legislative houses power and privileges act only shield them from litigation in respect of word spoken or written at plenary.





In 2018, Joshua Dariye, a former governor of Plateau state who at the time was a serving senator, was sentenced to jail over diversion of funds, and even Bukola Saraki, then the senate president was put in the dock over alleged false assets declaration.





Here, we take a look at these former governors, now senators whose days at the court could make them miss plenary.





DANJUMA GOJE

The former governor of Gombe state, who aspired to lead the current senate, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N25 billion money laundering.

He pulled out of the race of the senate presidency few days to the national assembly elections and the case was subsequently handed over to the office of the attorney-general of the federation.





Goje was reelected senator representing Gombe central under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).





ORJI UZOR KALU

The former governor of Abia has been standing trial for at least 12 years. The EFCC filed a N7.65 billion fraud charge against him. In April, a court of appeal had upheld the dismissal of the no-case submission filed by the senator now representing Abia north.





In 2016, Kalu who served his two terms as governor under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the ruling APC.





IBRAHIM SHEKARAU

Shekarau was arraigned by the EFCC on six counts bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million. A former governor of Kano, he contested the presidential election in 2011.





He was elected under the platform of the APC to represent Kano central in 2019. Shekarau was governor of Kano between 2003 and 2011.





ABDULLAHI ADAMU

In 2010, the former governor of Nasarawa state was arrested by the EFCC over alleged fraudulent award of contracts and stealing of public funds estimated at N15 billion.





He has been standing trial since then. Adamu, however, had argued that the court had struck out his case in 2016.





Elected under the platform of the APC, Adamu is senator representing Nasarawa west. He governed Nasarawa between 1999 and 2007





GABREL SUSWAM

The former governor of Benue state is standing trial over alleged N3.1billion fraud. In 2018, a federal high court admitted evidence against him.





He was elected senator representing Benue north-east under the platform of the PDP.To the editor:

Forced school regionalization, despite being pushed by the majority party in Hartford, was defeated this month in large part because of one person  Rep. Gail Lavielle.

When the first vaguely worded bills appeared in Hartford, it was Gail who alerted the Wilton communality to the threat to our schools and our town. When citizens gathered at Trackside on a frigid January night it was Gail who told the crowd what was happening and what could be done to stop it.

Hands Off Our Schools was a spontaneous grassroots response to her call to action. The group grew to a statewide movement with more than 10,000 members writing letters, organizing rallies, and delivering testimony at the State House.

At every point in the fight Gail gave us valuable insight into how the legislative process works, who to contact, and how to frame our arguments for maximum impact.

Because of her years of experience in Hartford, her natural skepticism of political partisans, and her network of contacts throughout the state, Gail was able to rally concerned citizens in towns all across Connecticut and stop what had looked like a fait accompli. We own Gail Lavielle an enormous debt of gratitude.

Philip Murphy

Wilton

Special thanks for new library

To the editor:

I am writing today on behalf of the Westport Library Board of Trustees, staff and volunteers to invite you all to join us as we celebrate the librarys grand reopening on Sunday, June 23.

The day will kick off at 11 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the steps of the new Jesup Green entrance before we welcome the community in to explore and experience the new space and its possibilities.

For the past two years, we have been in the process of completing this sweeping renovation of the 1986 library facility, bringing it into the 21st century with increased flexibility, improved accessibility, more functionality, outstanding collections of materials and, hopefully, more fun!

A project of this magnitude does not happen in a vacuum or without the help of countless organizations and individuals.

There are far too many to list in this letter, but I would like to give special thanks to the Library Board of Trustees, Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe, the Westport Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, RTM, the Town Planning and Zoning Committee and the Police and Fire Departments.

Our gratitude also goes to the librarys Cornerstone Society and all library donors, including the Connecticut State Library, the State of Connecticut and volunteers who have given their time, talent and treasure to this project.

In addition, I would like to thank our many community partners who opened their doors to allow us to continue to offer our services and programs to the public during this transition: Westport Downtown Merchants Association, the YMCA, the Suzuki Music School, Christ and Holy Trinity Church, Saugatuck Congregational Church, Westport Town Hall, the Westport Womans Club, The Conservative Synagogue, Beit Chaverim, Temple Israel, Earthplace, the Westport Police Department, the Greens Farms Congregational Church, the Westport Historical Society and Westport Center for Senior Activities.

Finally, I would like to thank the wonderful community of Westport at-large. By constructing in-place these past two years and keeping the library and its services accessible and connected to you, we have been honored to learn many important lessons on what you hope to see, do and experience at your Library.

We are grateful to have gathered such important feedback and experienced such infectious enthusiasm for this beloved town institution. This is truly your Library  your blank slate  to explore and use in countless ways we cant even begin to imagine.

I speak for myself and the entire team here at the library when I say how excited we are for this new chapter. We sincerely hope you will be inspired by and proud of what we have done.

We cant wait to share it all with you on the 23rd!

Bill Harmer

Executive Director

The Westport LibraryAn ambulance conveying medical equipment was attacked at the boundary between Ondo and Edo states on Friday. It was gathered that ...





An ambulance conveying medical equipment was attacked at the boundary between Ondo and Edo states on Friday.





It was gathered that some medical officials were inside the ambulance, a white Toyota Hiace bus, when it was attacked.





A source said the ambulance was conveying drugs used in treating lassa fever patients to an undisclosed location, when the attackers struck.





The team was traveling in the bus (ambulance) to deliver the medical equipment meant to fight the Lassa Fever when the gunmen struck on Benin road, the source said.





A policeman with his uniform stained with blood

They ambushed, and attacked the medical team and later shot at the security personnel in the vehicle as I was told, they kidnapped those in the ambulance.





Femi Joseph, spokesman of the Ondo police command, could not be reached as of the time this report was filed. His telephone line was out of reach.





Ondo is among the states where the government is tackling insecurity.





how suspected kidnappers targeted his convoy. Earlier in the week, Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor, narratedhow suspected kidnappers targeted his convoy.



News Premium

Im not at a grave. Im able to go and see him. Im very grateful for thatOpenly gay Nigerian man took to his Twitter handle to recount how he was almost arrested by SARS officers who found text exchanges bet...





Openly gay Nigerian man took to his Twitter handle to recount how he was almost arrested by SARS officers who found text exchanges between him and his boyfriend on his phone.





Read his tweets to see how the incident ended below....



Senator Dino Melaye took to his instagram page to mock the newly elected Deputy Senate President, Senator Omo-Agege, whom he referred ...





Senator Dino Melaye took to his instagram page to mock the newly elected Deputy Senate President, Senator Omo-Agege, whom he referred to as a mace thief.





Dino shared a funny photo which had a funny description that matched his claim.





See his post below;









Recall that Delta Central Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, had emerged Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate. Mr Omo-Agege is still enmeshed in an allegation of aiding the invasion of the Senate chamber in 2018.





He was alleged to have led thugs to the chamber to steal the mace. Police say they found the mace at the Abuja City Gate a day after it was stolen. Even though a Senate committee prescribed sanctions, Mr Omo-Agege has not been punished for the offence.Stu Clark, a class of 1976 University of Manitoba commerce grad, has made another huge gift to the Asper School of Business.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stu Clark, a class of 1976 University of Manitoba commerce grad, has made another huge gift to the Asper School of Business.

Clark, who made his fortune in the Alberta oil industry, has donated $10 million to the U of Ms Asper School of Business graduate school, upping his total contributions to the school to just shy of $20 million.

Clarks generous gift  he refers to it as an investment  pushes the U of Ms Front and Centre capital campaign to $352 million. Its goal is $500 million and John Kearsey, the U of Ms vice-president of external relations, said the school could be in a position to wrap up the campaign next year. The campaign had originally sought to source $150 million from the provincial government, but those discussions have now been put on pause with the expected election blackout period.

The Asper School already has the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship and it will now also have the Stu Clark Graduate School.

Clarks ongoing patronage of the school likely makes him the second-largest contributor to the campaign  next to the $30-million donation from the Rady family  which is the largest philanthropic campaign in the history of the province.

Clark was a partner in an Alberta oil and gas exploration company that was sold in the late 90s, making a huge return. Since then he has been active in Alberta, helping to start several other enterprises.

With the help of his advocacy, all students at the Asper School will take at least a half-credit course in entrepreneurship starting this September, which is fitting, given Clarks staunch support for the subject.

"In my own experience, I found my passion for entrepreneurship after I graduated," Clark said in an interview. "I had to learn at the school of hard knocks later. What better opportunity for students to learn something about starting and running a business than in the formal university setting. It should be a core course in my mind."

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Gady Jacoby, the dean of the Asper School, said Clarks latest donation is going to provide resources to significantly move the school ahead. The additional capital has already allowed the school to hire a full-time person from the careers development centre, specializing in the placement of students who have completed graduate studies.

He said the additional funds will mean more scholarships, more graduate fellowships and more faculty hires, as well as the development of new masters programs in supply chain logistics, business analytics and innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Asper School is developing a name for research in the area of behavioural management, and has plans to hold an annual international conference on the field of study.

Jacoby said support from people like Clark makes the kind of resources available that are crucial to the facultys long-term success.

"This is really an investment," Jacoby said. "Stu is investing in our school. In terms of our reputation among scholars and our research reputation, over the next 10 years the Asper School is going to be a very different place globally."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.caSam Amadi, former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), says the privatisation of the power sector was de...





Sam Amadi, former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), says the privatisation of the power sector was designed to fail.





In a series of tweets, Amadi said the privatisation process could not produce the desired results because the power assets were sold to investors who lacked the financial and technical capacity.





The sector was privatised after the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in November 2013, as private investors took over distribution and generation firms to ensure adequate, regular and stable supply of electricity to the consumer at a reasonable cost.





The power sector was designed to fail. We failed to corporatise and commercialize before privatizing; we privatize senselessly without paying attention to context and corporate governance and regulatory regime; we sold to investors who lacked capacity, he said.

We had conducted three tariff hike before December 2015. Did any of these hikes resulting in any significant improvement in revenue or service quality? No. Why because the problem of the sector is not mainly tariff.





Amadi argued that the challenges in the sector go beyond tariff increase, as such move would force manufacturers off the grid.





Cost reflective is important. but excessive tariff hike is problematic because it cannot be collected and in a country with poor supply the propensity to pay is low, he said.





When NERC conducted Fit and Proper test on all the preferred bidders, only one (or none) has the requisite financial and technical competence to effectively manage the network. I took the report to the VEEPEE to argue that none of these firms are fit. VEEPEE was alarmed and set up a committee with BPE, MOP and NERC.





We later discovered that BPE amended the TOR to reduce the threshold or financial and technical capabilities. The World Bank doubted that we could sell the discos. We surprised the World Bank and we rejoiced but we did not know we sold to straw-men.



At Red River Colleges Notre Dame Campus on Friday, International Trade Diversification Minister and Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr said the federal governments plan to invest $100 million in Western Economic Diversification Canada will accelerate Western Canadas growth, productivity and competitiveness.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At Red River Colleges Notre Dame Campus on Friday, International Trade Diversification Minister and Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr said the federal governments plan to invest $100 million in Western Economic Diversification Canada will accelerate Western Canadas growth, productivity and competitiveness.

With funds allocated from the 2019 federal budget, the Western Canada Growth Strategy aims to diversify economic sectors, seize global opportunities in trade, strengthen education and improve livability for communities.

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Echoing the colleges applied learning and research roots, the strategy looks to prioritize educational initiatives that connect academic skills with practical experience. Derek Kochenash, the dean of the Skilled Trades and Technology Centre, said the training done in the campuss newest building is for Manitobas most in-demand industries.

"Across the college, were moving ahead of the curve to build a highly skilled workforce who will walk into their careers prepared to get the job done and who have the technological and human skills they need to become leaders in their chosen fields. Its this kind of training that will help propel innovation across Canadas economic sectors," Kochenash said.

Carr said the investment will benefit both the economy and future generations.

"Its important because this is an investment in Western Canada in the really important areas of diversification, of skills development, in trade and community and our economy is working well," Carr said.

"And this is the right opportunity for us to invest in it so we can prepare for the next generation of students who are here at Red River College."

nadya.pankiw@freepress.mb.caUncertainty over a Boeing jet and apprehension about the global economy hover over the aircraft industry as it prepares for next week's Paris Air Show.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/6/2019 (932 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this June 20, 2017, file photo Boeing planes displayed at Paris Air Show, in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France. Uncertainty over a Boeing jet and apprehension about the global economy hover over the aircraft industry as it prepares for next week's Paris Air Show. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

Uncertainty over a Boeing jet and apprehension about the global economy hover over the aircraft industry as it prepares for next week's Paris Air Show.

That show and its alternating-years companion, the Farnborough International Airshow near London, are usually upbeat celebrations of the latest and greatest in aviation technology. In recent boom years, they have become a stage for huge aircraft orders.

This year, however, the mood could be different.

The Boeing 737 Max has been grounded worldwide for three months after new flight software played a role in two deadly plane crashes. There is no clear date for when it might fly again.

There are other troubling signs for the industry. After several years of surging growth, passenger traffic in March grew at the weakest rate in nine years, although April was slightly better. The chief of the International Air Transport Association, a global airline trade group, blamed a slowing global economy and damage from tariffs and trade fights.

Air cargo shipments  considered a leading economic indicator  fell 4.7% in April, continuing a slump that began in January and could dent demand for air freighters.

And airlines have committed to buy so many planes that Boeing now has a backlog of 5,500 orders and Airbus has 7,200  far higher than usual. Airlines might not have much appetite for more.

"There is a lot to be concerned about," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with Teal Group. "It might make for kind of a grim Paris."

Heading into the show, Boeing and Airbus have reported much weaker orders this year. Boeing received no orders in May after getting just one in April. Deliveries of completed jets tumbled 56% last month as it stopped shipping new Max jets. Airbus saw an increase in deliveries, but it reported just one new order last month.

Airlines have placed so many orders for the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family already that analysts expect few new sales for those so-called narrowbody planes during the air show.

Credit Suisse analysts predicted that no airline will order any more Max jets until the grounding is lifted.

"I do believe that that aircraft will get back in the air and commercially minded airlines will buy it, but just not next week," said Samuel Engel, a senior executive at the airline and aircraft-finance consultant ICF. He said public doubt and fear about flying on the plane is too great right now but  and this is a view widely shared in the industry  will diminish over time.

With so many of its airline customers and suppliers at the air show, Boeing will be under pressure to provide an update on the Max's expected return to flying, and how quickly after that Boeing can increase production. The company cut Max production in mid-April from a rate of 52 planes a month to 42.

The Max, the newest version of Boeing's bestselling plane, is critical to the company's future. The Max was a direct response to Airbus' fuel-efficient A320neo. Airbus has taken 6,500 orders for various neo models, outpacing the Max with its nearly 5,000 orders.

Boeing has struggled to get a handle on the Max controversy. Its fix for software implicated in crashes that killed 346 people has taken months longer than expected, and it is unclear how long it will take the Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators to approve Boeing's work.

The acting head of the FAA has faulted the company for not telling regulators for more than year that a safety indicator in the Max cockpit didn't work. Pilots were furious that the company didn't tell them about the new software on the plane.

Boeing's public-relations strategy has been "measured and passed through lawyers," said Engel, who believes its leaders need to be more forthcoming. "Information that seemed to be important to the discussion came from outside Boeing. The company should be putting that information out there ahead of bloggers."

The company plans to hold briefings on the Max and its business strategy during the air show. "The air show is an important event for us to meet with customers, partners and suppliers and engage with them on our path forward on the 737 MAX and reinforce our unrelenting commitment to safety," Boeing spokesman Peter Pedraza said in a statement.

Airbus executives said the Max crashes didn't affect their own strategy for the air show.

"What has happened with the Max ... doesn't change the way to talk to customers," Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said.

Press coverage of the air shows often boils down to who logs the most sales, Boeing or Airbus.

"Airbus tends to stockpile or hold on to orders to announce at the air show, so I would certainly expect more activity out of Airbus than Boeing" in Paris, said Ken Herbert, an aerospace analyst for Canaccord Genuity. "I don't think that will surprise anybody, considering the Max and everything else."

Herbert said if Boeing can just make "a decent to good showing" in orders for its bigger "widebody" planes, the 777 and 787, the event will be deemed a success for the Chicago-based company.

There is widespread expectation in aviation circles that Airbus will use the air show to officially launch a new plane, the A321XLR, a long-range version of its popular A320 family, which could set off several plot twists in the competition between Boeing and Airbus.

American Airlines is considering the plane as a replacement for its fleet of aging Boeing 757 jets, according to Bloomberg. A spokeswoman for American declined to comment.

If a U.S. airline like American  the biggest carrier in the world  steps forward as an early buyer of a plane from Boeing's European rival, it will make a big splash.

Airbus executives strongly hinted on Friday that they will unveil the A321XLR next week, but they wouldn't comment on American or other potential customers.

An Airbus announcement about a new plane could send ripples into the board room at Boeing headquarters. Boeing is considering whether to build a new jet  the concept is dubbed New Midsize Airplane, or NMA  that would be close in size to the A321XLR. It would fill a gap in the Boeing lineup between the smaller 737 and the larger 777 and 787.

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Some analysts believe that if American orders the A321XLR, it will give Boeing more incentive to push ahead with the NMA rather than surrender a portion of the market to Airbus.

The long boom for aircraft manufacturers has already lasted longer than expected. The Paris show could tell whether airlines are optimistic enough about the economy and travel demand to keep buying, even though new orders so far in 2019 have been anemic.

"If people are going to trot out orders, it's here," Aboulafia said. But, he added, "We are in year 15 of a seven-year cycle."

___

AP Staff Writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

David Koenig can be reached at http://twitter.com/airlinewriterCLEVELAND - In a story June 13 about a $33 million jury award in a lawsuit against Oberlin College, The Associated Press reported erroneously that David Gibson and his son, Allyn, received punitive damages. It was David Gibson's father, also named Allyn Gibson, who was part of the award. The story also erroneously reported an $11 million award for compensatory damages was made June 12. It was June 7.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/6/2019 (933 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2017 file photo, pedestrians pass the storefront of Gibson's Food Mart & Bakery in Oberlin, Ohio. A jury has awarded $11 million to a father and son who claimed Ohio's Oberlin College and an administrator hurt their business and libeled them during a dispute that triggered protests and allegations of racism following a shoplifting incident. (AP Photo/Dake Kang, File)

CLEVELAND - In a story June 13 about a $33 million jury award in a lawsuit against Oberlin College, The Associated Press reported erroneously that David Gibson and his son, Allyn, received punitive damages. It was David Gibson's father, also named Allyn Gibson, who was part of the award. The story also erroneously reported an $11 million award for compensatory damages was made June 12. It was June 7.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Market awarded $44M in racism dispute with Oberlin College

Owners of a market accused of racism have been awarded more than $44 million in a lawsuit claiming Oberlin College hurt their business and libeled them

By MARK GILLISPIE

Associated Press

Owners of a market in a famously liberal town were awarded $44 million in damages this week in their lawsuit claiming Oberlin College hurt their business and libeled them in a case some observers said embodied racial hypersensitivity and political correctness run amok.

A jury in Lorain County awarded David Gibson, his father, Allyn Gibson, and Gibson's Bakery, of Oberlin, $33 million in punitive damages Thursday. That comes on top of an award a week earlier of $11 million in compensatory damages.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you have spoken," Oberlin College attorney Rachelle Zidar told the jury Thursday before the larger award was announced, according to the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. "You have sent a profound message. We have heard you. Believe me when I say, 'Colleges across the country have heard you.'"

Oberlin College spokesman Scott Wargo declined to comment after the award was announced.

Problems between the Gibsons, their once-beloved bakery and the college began in November 2016 after David Gibson's son, who is also named Allyn and is white, confronted a black Oberlin student who had shoplifted wine. Two other black students joined in and assaulted Gibson, police said.

The day after the arrests, hundreds of students protested outside the bakery. Members of Oberlin College's student senate published a resolution saying Gibson's had "a history of racial profiling and discriminatory treatment."

When news of the protests spread online, bikers and counterprotesters soon converged on the town to jeer students and make purchases from Gibson's. Conservatives derided the students on social media as coddled "snowflakes" with a mob mentality, while students attacked the store as a symbol of systemic racism.

The Gibsons sued Oberlin and the dean of students in November 2017, accusing faculty members of encouraging the protests. The lawsuit said college tour guides informed prospective students that Gibson's is racist.

The Gibsons said the protests devastated their business and forced them to lay off workers. They said they haven't paid themselves or other family members since the protests.

The three black students later pleaded guilty to misdemeanours and read statements in court that said Allyn Gibson's actions weren't racially motivated.

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The school initially stopped doing business with Gibson's, later resumed the relationship and ended it again when the Gibsons filed their lawsuit.

Oberlin has long been a bastion of liberalism. During the 1830s, it became one of the first colleges to admit blacks and women. During the 1850s, it became a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Today, about 15% of Oberlin's 8,300 residents are black.

More recently, news articles quoted students decrying the school dining hall's sushi and Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches as cultural appropriation.

The Gibsons' attorneys said the college, which charges $70,000 a year for tuition and room and board, has an $887 million endowment and can easily afford to pay the family what they are owed.

Oberlin's tree-lined campus is roughly 35 miles (56 kilometres) southwest of downtown Cleveland.VANCOUVER - A former Liberal environment minister is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet to reject the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, arguing there is no economic basis for the project.

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This article was published 15/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A sign warning of an underground petroleum pipeline is seen on a fence at Kinder Morgan's facility where work is being conducted in preparation for the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, in Burnaby, B.C., on April 9, 2018. A former Liberal environment minister is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet to reject the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion because he says there is no economic basis for the project. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER - A former Liberal environment minister is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet to reject the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, arguing there is no economic basis for the project.

David Anderson, who served 10 years in the cabinets of prime ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, sent letters to six members of Trudeau's cabinet this week asking them to dismiss the pipeline proposal.

"There is no credible evidence to suggest that Asia is likely to be a reliable or a significant market for Alberta bitumen," Anderson wrote in the letter dated June 11.

Cabinet is expected to announce its decision on the expansion of the Alberta-to-B.C. pipeline by Tuesday. Given that Trudeau's government bought the pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion, it's widely anticipated to give it the green light.

Anderson holds a law degree and served eight of his 10 years in cabinet as the senior federal minister for British Columbia. While he was environment minister in 2002, Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. He is now an honorary director of West Coast Environmental Law and has previously spoken out against the Trans Mountain project.

His letter doesn't focus on the climate and environmental impacts of the expansion. Instead, he took aim at the economic argument for the project, which he described as the "perceived need for a pipeline connection with tidewater in order to sell Alberta bitumen in Asian markets, where, so it is claimed, it would find new purchasers."

"With respect, you and other government ministers have yet to provide evidence in support of that hope," he wrote.

Anderson wrote that Asian refineries have better supply options than Alberta. Compared with conventional light and medium crude oil from Nigeria and the Middle East, Alberta bitumen is expensive to produce, hard to handle and provides no security of supply advantages, he said.

Further, he said despite access to tidewater through unused pipeline capacity in the existing system and through American Gulf of Mexico ports, Alberta's bitumen has not found or developed any significant offshore market in Asia or anywhere else.

"Why? Because buyers are few and far between. That remains the situation today, and there is little to suggest it will change in the future. Building a new pipeline will not change the market."

Canada's two major competitors are Venezuela and Mexico and they've faced the same low demand and low prices that have eroded the value of Alberta bitumen, he added.

Anderson said in an interview that he sent the letter because he is a Liberal and felt the government needed to be reminded that it had not made a business case for the project. He said no one had responded.

"You'd think the people who own the pipeline, the Canadian taxpayers, should be informed of what their asset is likely to bring in," he said.

Trans Mountain Corp. has said the expansion will inject $7.4 billion into Canada's economy, boost federal and provincial tax coffers by $46.7 billion and increase revenues for producers by $73.5 billion over 20 years.

Trevor Tombe, an associate economics professor at the University of Calgary, said it's true that Alberta bitumen is more difficult to refine but that's reflected in the cheaper price.

Producers in Alberta are confident there will be demand and have made contractual commitments to ship through the expanded pipeline, he said. Further, he said all forecasts, including the National Energy Board's assessment, predict increased oil production in the province.

"The only question around the economics of the pipeline that matters is will there be barrels shipped in it, not where those barrels go. That will potentially even change from one year to the next," he said, adding the United States and British Columbia are other possible markets.

An often-cited argument for the expansion is that Alberta's prices are lower because it can only currently access U.S. markets. But Tombe argued the issue isn't that America is exercising market power, it's that Alberta is using high-cost transportation options including rail and truck.

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"It is cheaper to ship by pipe than by rail. Full stop," Tombe said.

The largest single demand source for heavy crude remains the United States, but the fastest-growing market is Asia, said Kevin Birn, a North America crude oil market analyst at IHS Markit.

People sometimes refer to Asia as code for China, but the continent is an immense market containing India, Japan, Korea and others and it's looking for a variety of crude, both in terms of quality and geographic source, he said.

Refineries can be reconfigured to process different oil types but it's hard to justify doing so for Alberta crude if they can't get it on a consistent basis, he added.

"In the absence of having meaningful export capacity, there is no market for Canadian crude. But if there is meaningful export capacity, there is a market for Canadian crude."

 Follow @ellekane on Twitter.Lake Manitoba First Nation says, in the absence of any real consultations, it will not support construction of permanent channels connecting Lake Manitoba, Lake St. Martin and Lake Winnipeg.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Lake Manitoba First Nation says, in the absence of any real consultations, it will not support construction of permanent channels connecting Lake Manitoba, Lake St. Martin and Lake Winnipeg.

Chief Cornell McLean said the planned channel wont even protect his community and others from future floods.

Affected communities called out the province after spotting work crews on the site in April, as some vegetation-clearing has already begun. The proposed structures would build on an emergency channel cut to divert water through Lake St. Martin to handle severe flooding in 2011.

"We took the hit for the city of Winnipeg, the man-made flood," said McLean. "We took it. Were not saying were not willing to help, we are willing to help. But come to the table and negotiate with us. Fix the past wrongs."

Unlike four area First Nations affected by flooding in 2011, Lake Manitoba said it hasnt received the type of compensation that built new houses in other communities. It was also not part of a $90-million class-action lawsuit resulting in payments to residents of Lake St. Martin, Pinaymootang, Little Saskatchewan and Dauphin River First Nations.

"Its not to say Im not happy for the other communities; I am," McLean said. "They did receive housing and various other things for that flood of 2011, but we didnt receive (anything) for Lake Manitoba. And were on the shore, we were the first ones (hit by flooding)."

The province said Lake Manitoba First Nation did receive disaster funding, but couldn't specify what for.

McLean is also chairman of the Interlake Regional Tribal Council, which again this week  with the support of the Assembly of First Nations  publicly called on the province to stop any work and focus on consultations.

Province of Manitoba Lake St. Martin channel in October, 2011.

He said a traditional land use study  required for an environmental assessment  has not been completed, but expects it would show the area has a rich variety of uses for Indigenous communities, from hunting and fishing to a place to find traditional medicines.

McLean said he had a meeting with Minister of Indigenous and Northern Relations Eileen Clarke and Minister of Infrastructure Ron Schuler two weeks ago, but called it "lip-service." Lake Manitoba is asking for support for housing and infrastructure to rebuild from the flood eight years ago, such as lights along Highway 68 to make it safer.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Environmental Agency website states the environmental assessment has not been completed on the channels proposal, and "proceeding with any aspect of a designated project" could result in a fine of $100,000 to 400,000.

A provincial infrastructure spokesman said the vegetation clearing thats taken place is not construction.

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"Robust engagement and consultation for the project is ongoing and being led by Manitoba Infrastructure," David von Meyenfeldt said in an emailed statement. "To be clear: construction on the outlet channels project has not begun, due to the lengthy and complex regulatory approval process imposed by the federal government."

Indigenous Services Canada confirmed this week no compensation is in the works for Lake Manitoba for the 2011 flood, nor the flooding of five houses in 2014.

"However, ISC continues to work closely with the community to ensure it is protected from flooding," spokeswoman Rola Tfaili said in an emailed statement.

The federal government contributed $15.4 million in 2011 for a clay dike and another $2.1 million  not including provincial funding  to make the dike permanent and improve drainage in the area, she said.

tvanderhart@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @tessavanderhartWhen emergency room physician Paul Doucet arrived at work at St. Boniface Hospital on Wednesday morning, he was alarmed at what he saw.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When emergency room physician Paul Doucet arrived at work at St. Boniface Hospital on Wednesday morning, he was alarmed at what he saw.

At 11 a.m., there were 22 admitted patients in the emergency department who were waiting for a hospital bed. Eight of the admitted patients were in the department's high-acuity area. Two were being assessed for admission to intensive care. The number doesn't count all those who were waiting in the waiting room.

"We didn't have the capacity to respond to additional critically ill patients," Doucet said Friday.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS St. Boniface ER Paul Doucet said staff were at 'a critical state in the emergency department' on Wednesday morning.

When he came on shift at 11, he phoned the administrator who was on-call, alerted the director of the emergency department, the bed co-ordinator and other staff. The memo that would be leaked to the media Thursday, with the subject line '24 hour Emergency Redirection,' was the result of those calls.

It recommended temporarily redirecting people who go to the ER for follow-up appointments or non-emergency treatment elsewhere.

Doucet contacted the Free Press Friday after seeing the way the situation was characterized in the media by Winnipeg Regional Health Authority president and CEO Real Cloutier and Martine Bouchard, president and CEO of St. Boniface Hospital.

Cloutier said the situation had to do with "managing patient flow within the emergency department," while Bouchard said the memo's language, in hindsight, was alarmist. Neither of them captured the chaos of what had occurred in the St. Boniface ER, Doucet felt.

WRHA boss clarifies statement Real Cloutier, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, said he takes concerns raised by physicians and other staff very seriously. In a statement to the Free Press on Friday he said he was referring to overall patient numbers when he previously described Wednesday as not being an unusually busy day at St. Boniface Hospital. Our analysis of the data shows that June 12 was a busy day at the St. Boniface Hospital emergency department... While overall visits were below average, there were a higher-than-average number of patients who were waiting to be admitted from the emergency to in-patient units when the day began, he said. click to read more Real Cloutier, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, said he takes concerns raised by physicians and other staff very seriously. In a statement to the Free Press on Friday he said he was referring to overall patient numbers when he previously described Wednesday as not being an unusually busy day at St. Boniface Hospital. Our analysis of the data shows that June 12 was a busy day at the St. Boniface Hospital emergency department... While overall visits were below average, there were a higher-than-average number of patients who were waiting to be admitted from the emergency to in-patient units when the day began, he said. Cloutier said he did not have a full analysis of the situation on Thursday when he met with the media. That data has now been analyzed, and no unusual surges of patient arrivals have been identified. Patient volumes and acuity were not outside the range of what could typically be safely managed by established surge protocols. It must be noted, however, that an emergency department can be an unpredictable, complex and dynamic environment, and statistics cannot adequately describe the individual scenarios of the patients who presented on that day. We therefore accept and take very seriously the concerns expressed by staff and physicians at St. Boniface Hospital, and would like to reinforce that we encourage staff and physicians to continue escalating concerns when they arise. Busy days are not unexpected in emergency departments, and there are well-established protocols both in our system, and in the field of emergency medicine in general, to safely manage the unpredictability of surges in volume and higher acuity. The system is designed with this in mind. WRHA and St Boniface Hospital leadership are now working to identify the specific factors that led to Wednesdays redirection being called at the hospital, including what established overcapacity protocols in the site and region could and should have been utilized. Close

The WRHA had appeared intent Thursday on containing the situation. Before the news conference took place, a communications official warned a Free Press reporter against stirring up public fear.

But, for doctors and nurses at St. Boniface Hospital, there was cause for concern.

"We were at a critical state in the emergency department," said Doucet.

"(Bouchard) characterized the memo as alarmist... but I've worked for 32 years in emergency departments in Winnipeg and I was alarmed."

At one point on Wednesday, with both of the ER's resuscitation beds occupied and one "active resuscitation in progress," another patient in the department suffered a cardiac arrest in the hallway. One of the patients in a resuscitation bed had to be moved.

"It was chaotic," Doucet said, noting that these situations occur from time to time. "We work in a chaotic environment. There's always going to be things like that."

However, he doesn't want the situation that arose this week to be minimized either.

"We didn't have adequate capacity to respond to those situations on Wednesday because of the lack of capacity in the system," he said, referring to St. Boniface Hospital and the city's hospital network as a whole.

Doucet said Health Minister Cameron Friesen was correct when he stated on Thursday that such surges in demand are nothing new. The longtime ER doctor said he's encountered days like Wednesday "episodically" throughout his career.

SASHA SEFTER / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen

"That should be almost more alarming in that it's not a new problem and we don't have effective ways of dealing with it in a timely fashion," he said.

Doucet said he has empathy for Cloutier, Bouchard and Dr. Bruce Roe, the WRHA chief medical officer who was removed from his job this week, because they're placed in situations where they're not given the tools to adequately deal with the problems.

"They have a role and they have to say what they''re saying. They don't want to be alarmist... but the people in the emergency department are alarmed for patient safety," he said.

Doucet said situations such as the one that occurred this week are hard on patients, their families and hospital staff.

"The nurses are placed in unbelievably stressful conditions, where (they're) faced with over 30 people in the waiting room and really no capacity to look after them safely. It's very stressful on nursing staff," he said.

Doucet said the issue at St. B arose this week due to a shortage of hospital beds. There was a crunch in the ER because there was no place for admitted patients to go.

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"In the final analysis, it's a political issue because if we're talking about capacity and beds we're talking about money. It's a question of resources," he said.

Doucet said he didn't want to comment on the merits of the Pallister government's hospital ER consolidation plan.

However, he is concerned about bed shortages and staffing levels, noting that a number of nurses who were to arrive at St. Boniface as the result of the closure of the Concordia Hospital's ER are now staying put to work in the newly announced urgent care centre there.

If Seven Oaks Hospital's ER is transitioned to an urgent care centre in September, as planned, he said he and most of his colleagues in the St. Boniface emergency department believe that the situation they experienced on Wednesday "will be more frequent and worse."

"You're taking more of the capacity out of the system. With the way it's structured now, going forward, I would think things will continue to get worse," he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.caAn 80-year-old great-grandmother waited almost seven hours in a city emergency room before being treated for a minor heart attack, her family said.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An 80-year-old great-grandmother waited almost seven hours in a city emergency room before being treated for a minor heart attack, her family said.

She died in the hospital a day later.

Now, her daughters are looking for answers.

"We were never told how serious this could be," said Cathy Hunter. "If we would have known, we would have stayed with her 24/7. And unfortunately, she passed (away) and we weren't there."

Hunter said her mother Joyce was diagnosed with a terminal illness in January. Her doctors said she had nine months to live, so her family started making plans for the rest of their time together.

"We were planning to have a beautiful summer with her. We were talking about flowers and just spending some good, quality time with her. She loved summer," Hunter said.

Hunter said she and her two sisters took their mother to emergency at St. Boniface Hospital on May 6 after she started experiencing shortness of breath. Their mother had survived a massive heart attack just over three years earlier, so Hunter said she and her sisters were worried when they noticed one of the warning signs.

They arrived at triage at 5:20 p.m., and staff shortly took Joyces blood and did an EKG test  but the family didnt get in to see a doctor who could give them the results until after midnight, Hunter said.

Monica Reynolds said shell never forget watching her mother suffer in the emergency room that night as other patients arrived and were treated.

"She asked, How about me? Is this how they treat dying patients?" Reynolds said.

In an emailed statement to the Free Press, a hospital spokesperson said the facility cannot comment publicly on specific cases because of patient confidentiality and privacy laws. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority echoed that statement.

Hunter said when her mother finally got in to see a doctor that night, they were told Joyce had suffered a small heart attack.

"I was under the impression that when you go into a hospital emergency (room) that cardiac issues were a priority," she said. "Were struggling because were thinking maybe if my mom was seen earlier, maybe shed still be alive. "

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Staff told the family they wanted to keep Joyce at the hospital for a few days, as her medications were being changed, Hunter said, adding there was never any indication that there was something to worry about. When the hospital called family the following night to report her death, it came as a shock. Hunter said.

"Maybe they couldn't do anything for her heart, but look at her last 24 hours and how she was treated," she said.

Hunter said shes wondering if recent changes to staffing at the hospital played a role in her mothers death.

"What's so horrible about this is that my mom talked about this, about (changes to) our health-care system.... And this is how she died, because of our health-care system. Its just horrible."

Hunter said a representative from the hospital reached out to their family Friday afternoon to set up a meeting next week.

caitlyn.gowriluk@freepress.mb.caWhile the city levies fines on property owners who let their grass grow longer than six inches, railways arent subject to those rules.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While the city levies fines on property owners who let their grass grow longer than six inches, railways arent subject to those rules.

The city announced the launch of the pilot project that targets overgrown lawns last week. A city worker inspects a residential property and informs the resident the long grass must be cut within 10 days.

If the grass remains uncut after that time, city crews will handle the job and dish out a $250 fine to the property owner.

Of Friday, a city spokesman told the Free Press that Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway do not fall under the purview of the pilot project.

"Rail lines fall under Transport Canadas jurisdiction, so the city cannot enforce there; however, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service does proactively work with railways to help prevent fires," the spokesman said in a written statement.

"Other commercial properties are enforced by the city, per normal process, as set out in the Neighbourhood Liveability Bylaw."

At the intersection of Burrows Avenue and Railway Street in the Shaughnessy Park neighbourhood, the grass along the CP tracks on Friday was roughly two feet tall. A city employee was mowing nearby boulevards, and all the homes in the area had trimmed lawns.

The Free Press sent written questions to CP, but a spokeswoman for the company did not directly answer them. Instead, she sent a link to the CP website, which outlines its policy on "vegetation management" along its tracks.

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"On an annual basis, CP undertakes a comprehensive vegetation management program across our network. Like always, safety is our top priority. There are many different aspects to this program which support safe railway operations," the website said.

"In 2016, there were 69 trespasser versus train incidents in Canada; 46 resulted in fatalities. We have found that leaving grass long in the outer portions of our right-of-way discourages trespass activities, thereby increasing safety."

Last summer, the issue of long grass along rail tracks became a hot-button issue in Winnipeg after a series of brush fires due, in part, to the warm and dry climate at the time.

Meanwhile, residents who refuse to keep their lawns below the six-inch maximum may face increasing fines, on top of the initial $250 fee.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpeA startling spike in killings at Stony Mountain penitentiary has prompted a Manitoba judge to call for an inquest or public inquiry.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A startling spike in killings at Stony Mountain penitentiary has prompted a Manitoba judge to call for an inquest or public inquiry.

On Friday, three Stony Mountain Institution inmates  Victor Travis Ross, 31, Michael Frank Okemow, 31 and Wilfred George Cook, 29  were handed life sentences for their roles in the Jan. 7, 2018 beating and stabbing death of inmate Max Maurice Richard.

Richard, who was serving a life sentence for killing a woman who had refused to have sex with him, was the first of five inmates to die violently at the prison in the past 18 months.

"I'm very concerned as to what is going on," said Court of Queen's Bench Justice Chris Martin. "We obviously, as judges, send people to jail and we do it in circumstances where we are not expecting to condemn that person to exposure of death or serious bodily harm.

"It's very easy for us to say 'Oh well, it's just another criminal who was a killer who got killed himself. So what?'" Martin said. "That of course is a completely wrong approach to these matters. It must be taken very seriously any time anyone is injured or killed in a penal institution... Something must be done to bring the cause of this situation to light. It requires some form of coroner's inquiry investigation or public inquiry to get at the root of it."

Ross, Okemow and Cook attacked Richard in the prison's H range in full view of surveillance cameras, knowing they would be caught, Crown attorney Brent Davidson told Martin.

"The inmates before you did so with horrendous records for violence and in such a brutal fashion that the (victim) in this case had no hope for survival," Davidson said.

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Surveillance video provided to court showed Ross stabbing and beating Richard on a second-floor platform before throwing him over a railing, after which he was set upon by Okemow and Cook. Richard was stabbed 29 times and suffered blunt force trauma to the head. The attack lasted just one minute.

Cook and Ross pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while Okemow, the only one of the three accused not armed with an edged weapon, pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Okemow and Cook were serving life sentences for murder at the time of Richard's killing.

Ross was serving a two-year sentence for robbery and assaulting a police officer when he was charged with aggravated assault on another inmate. He was sentenced to another six years in prison just two months before Richard's killing.

No specific explanation was provided for the killing, except that it may have involved "gang dynamics." Asked by Martin if they wanted to tell the court what had prompted the killing, all three accused said no.

"It would be an understatement to say that this was simply a brutal, grotesque killing," Martin said. "You three unleashed a frenzy of bloodlust in 60 seconds or so. You showed absolutely no mercy and absolutely no regard for human life or any humanity whatsoever."

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.caA Winnipeg Second World War veteran who arrived in Normandy just days after the beaches had been stormed on D-Day was awarded Frances highest national distinction Saturday.

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This article was published 15/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg Second World War veteran who arrived in Normandy just days after the beaches had been stormed on D-Day was awarded Frances highest national distinction Saturday.

Retired corporal Ian Wilson received the Legion of Honour for his contributions defending France as an armourer with the Royal Canadian Air Forces 411 Spitfire Squadron.

The quiet 99-year-old held the crowds attention as he moved to the front of the auditorium at his home at Deer Lodge Centre, stopping next to his wife of 74 years, retired British Royal Air Force aircraftwoman Betty Wilson. The couple sat in their wheelchairs, fingers interwoven as they marvelled at a display of photos and relics from their life together set up between the national flags of Canada and France.

Ian Wilson was given the medal  instituted by French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802  by Honorary French Consul Bruno Burnichon in front of about two dozen people, including three generations of Wilsons family.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Former corporal Ian Wilson and his wife, Betty Wilson, look at a display of photos before Ian receives the Legion of Honour.

"He doesnt talk much about the war, but he does talk about his loss of youth," said Denis Rochon, Wilsons son-in-law. "It made an impact on the rest of his life, and were just thrilled that hes being honoured."

Rochon said because qualified veterans have to apply for the award, many dont know about it, and never got the chance to have their own contributions acknowledged.

"We look at Ian as a proxy, because so many of the veterans who were entitled to (the Legion of Honour) did not receive it," he said.

Kylee Rochon, Wilsons great-granddaughter, said shes seen her great-grandparents have their war contributions recognized before: in 2015, both received a Certificate of Recognition signed by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Betty received Her Majestys Armed Forces Veterans Badge and the War Medal 1939-1945 for service to her country. But she said this time, it feels different.

"Theres just so many people here to congratulate him," said Rochon, 17. "I feel like the (further) we are from the war, the bigger it gets  because theres less people that are getting the recognition."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Betty Wilson and granddaughter, Radcliffe Rochon, look at a display of pictures.

For Betty Wilson, this day has been a long time coming. And, now that its finally here, it means the world.

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"It means that at last hes being recognized," she said. "To see a service person congratulated for what they did means everything."

The 96-year-old said seeing her husband given such a prestigious honour just three days before his 100th birthday has made her reflect on the past  and the future.

"Im glad to be here, and Im glad to have done what I did," she said. "It was a time that I hope never happens again."

Betty Wilson said she feels lucky that she and her husband have spent so many years together. And now that theyre both living at Deer Lodge Centre  she moved in after falling and injuring herself a few months ago  she said shes looking forward to more.

"I just hope that we can stay as we are. When one of us goes, itll be a little different," she said. "He could have been killed a long time ago, but hes still here."

caitlyn.gowriluk@freepress.mb.caAfter the release of the final report on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, I couldnt help but feel a combination of guilt and shame that Ive not done enough as a Metis man to lead by example regarding this heartbreaking national crisis.

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This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After the release of the final report on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, I couldnt help but feel a combination of guilt and shame that Ive not done enough as a Metis man to lead by example regarding this heartbreaking national crisis.

I found myself wishing there was something  anything  I could do.

Among the recommendations in the report is a call for Canadians to take what has been learned and become strong allies with Indigenous women. Being an ally involves more than tolerance, the report states. It means actively working to break down barriers and to support others in every relationship and encounter.

Public awareness

The report also suggests we should strive to promote and advance reconciliation and contribute to public awareness.

This is my first attempt at doing this in a long time.

Before joining the Free Press in 2007, I was a corrections officer with Manitoba Justice for 15 years.

I met thousands of people in Manitoba jails. One remains in my heart, and on the list of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Her name was Mary. In about 1999, she was a regular at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.

In those days, there werent a lot of women in custody  maybe a dozen at any given time. They were nearly always Indigenous.

Mary wasnt without her problems. Shed had incredible struggles with substance abuse and wore the scars of a life filled with pain. She was a shy woman, probably about 25 at the time. She was also very small, spoke in a soft voice and had a childlike smile.

"Despite our profoundly different lives, Mary was family to me. A sister. I knew she felt safe with me"

On a morning when I was to go before a board that would decide whether I should be promoted to a corrections supervisor, which is akin to a patrol sergeant in the police, I stopped at the Shoppers Drug Mart near the jail to buy cigarettes. I was about 32 at the time.

Mary was panhandling in front of the store, and the moment she saw me strut up in my uniform, her face lit up. We exchanged greetings, and I made small talk while Mary smiled and nodded.

Once inside the store, I headed to the cooler in the back and picked out a sandwich and a bottle of orange juice for Mary.

Her hands were shaking, but she was all smiles when I handed her the bottle of juice. In an instant, she dropped it and the glass bottle shattered on the ground. Mary immediately burst into tears. I checked my watch and my interview was getting close, but I marched back into the store and bought her another juice. Mary grinned when I returned, mumbled a thank you and gave me a big hug.

She didnt let go for about 30 seconds.

Despite our profoundly different lives, Mary was family to me. A sister. I knew she felt safe with me.

It was a poignant moment Ill never forget. Mary hugged me tight, and it must have been quite a sight  a burly guard in uniform and a frail, young homeless woman embracing on a busy downtown street.

Vulnerable and alone

Later, at the interview, after all the questions about policy and procedure and leadership, the lady from government human resources on the panel asked me why I would make a good supervisor. I found myself telling her about my encounter with Mary. I told her how much it pained me to see Mary out there so vulnerable and alone, without anyone to help her.

The lady cried at what I said next. The words poured out of me as if someone else was talking.

I told her that in my life, Id been guided by strong Metis women who taught me a thing or two about compassion. They taught me no woman is property. No woman is disposable. No woman deserves to be abused and thrown away like trash. No woman should ever be a victim. It was how I was raised and how I live.

I also told her the job needed men like me to help the men who hurt these women, both behind the bars and in front of them, to understand just how dreadful they had been acting.

Of course, I was promoted.

"I wish there was something I could do to make others see it my way, to make others understand we all have a responsibility to look out for one another, especially the most vulnerable among us"

I did my best to lead by example. It wasnt always easy. I made it about another eight years and finally packed it in. But thats another story.

One of the hardest days on that job occurred not long after seeing Mary that day. She had been found dead on the streets she called home.

There was no vigil. There was no media blitz. Just a small item in the paper with her name glaring back at me. It was like a knife to the heart.

What was it about Mary that so profoundly affected me? What was it about her killing that ate at me like cancer?

'Property'

There was a Mary in our family tree. She is listed on a church record as the "property" of our great-great-great-great-grandfather in the mid-1800s.

There, along with the goats and the chickens and the cow, was the name of his wife. Mary, Saulteaux squaw, age 25.

Nowadays, Im an enlightened man. The spirit of my great-great-great-great-grandmother Mary and the spirit of my murdered friend Mary now flow freely through my veins.

I wish there was something I could do to make others see it my way, to make others understand we all have a responsibility to look out for one another, especially the most vulnerable among us. Those like Mary.

I still dont know what to do, but I suppose writing this down and sharing it with you is a good start.

Rest in peace, Mary. You are not forgotten.

willy@freepress.mb.ca

Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.The effect of Winnipegs rash of random homicides extends beyond the people who had the grave misfortune to be in the path of killers. When victims are chosen by chance, when it could happen to any of us, the community feels anxious.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 15/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

The effect of Winnipegs rash of random homicides extends beyond the people who had the grave misfortune to be in the path of killers. When victims are chosen by chance, when it could happen to any of us, the community feels anxious.

After a homicide, the public wants to know the circumstances leading to the death. They dont necessarily want the bloody details, but they want to know why it happened so they can mentally class the tragedy into one of two categories: did the victim put himself in a dangerous situation? Or was it random?

The category of dangerous situations can include living with a domestic partner who is violent, or associating with people involved in such illicit activities as street gangs, prostitution or the drug trade.

The lives of people who are killed in such situations are not less valuable, but the context leading to their deaths is publicly parsed because people want to believe they and their loved ones will be safe if they avoid such dangerous circumstances.

Random attacks are more alarming. When people feel their fate is out of their control, its distressing.

Winnipegs unusually high number of homicides this year  22 so far  compares with 22 for all of 2018. At this rate, 2019 could be Winnipegs worst year for homicides.

The slayings so far this year include at least five, and probably more, in which the victims seem to have been chosen at random.

On June 7, Robert Christian Donaldson, 51, was fatally stabbed outside his building on Sherbrook Street. He apparently had no previous contact with Rodney Byron Williams, 34, who is now charged with his death.

On June 2, lawyer Justin Silicz, 32, was killed in a confrontation as he and two friends were walking back to his parked car and were approached by three men on Arlington Street at Winnipeg Avenue at 4:30 a.m.

Winnipeg police Const. Rob Carver commented, "The last two homicides appear to be absolutely random attacks where the victim and the assailant didnt know each other, didnt have any sort of interaction where anyone can make any sense as to why there was an assault, let alone ending in a murder. I think thats very disturbing, for anyone looking at these, to think that theyre just random."

Another victim of a random attack was Jaime Adao, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Tec Voc High School. He and his grandmother were in their home on the 700 block of McGee Street on March 3 when the house was invaded. The teen died after being stabbed in a confrontation with two men.

At least two other homicides this year began as street robberies in which the attackers apparently picked their victims at random. There are five homicides this year that remain unsolved, and others in which police havent disclosed the motivation of the killers, so the tally of homicides in which the victim was chosen at random is likely greater than five.

The effects of such violence on a community are well-studied by social scientists, including James Q. Wilson, whose "broken windows" theory of law enforcement was adopted for crime-reduction programs in cities such as New York and Los Angeles.

Wilson wrote this: "Predatory crime does not merely victimize individuals, it impedes and, in the extreme case, prevents the formation and maintenance of community. By disrupting the delicate nexus of ties, formal and informal, by which we are linked with our neighbours, crime atomizes society and makes of its members mere individual calculators estimating their own advantage."

When their sense of safety is broken, people often take measures to protect themselves. They enrol in self-defence classes, get scary dogs, carry defensive weapons or, if they can afford it, buy homes in gated communities. Some become wary of their neighbours and nervous to walk the streets, which corrodes the notion of secure community.

People will avoid geographical areas they feel are more dangerous, reversing the commendable work by groups such as the North Ends Bear Clan Patrol and the North Point Douglas Residents Committee to restore the image of their neighbourhoods.

Also, if its felt certain ethnic groups are disproportionately responsible for the random violence, that belief can reinforce racist stereotypes.

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In reality, the objective odds of becoming a victim of a random homicide in Winnipeg are extremely low. But theres often a mismatch between real risk and perceived risk. Many people adjust their attitudes and their lives according to the risk they perceive.

Winnipeg needs its community leaders to be accountable and address the public in depth about the recent swell in random homicides and the preventative measures being taken. Its not enough to say its due to meth use. How are authorities trying to curb that epidemic?

The pact between Winnipeggers and police is that we hire them to maintain order and, in return, we dont need to protect ourselves in ways that can include carrying personal weapons, as many Americans are inclined to do.

Its incumbent on the mayor and police chief to publicly and steadily reassure Winnipeggers. They should quell exaggerated fears, and explain why we can still trust them to keep citizens safe.

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.caIn 1817, Lord Selkirk negotiated a treaty with five chiefs, led by Chief Peguis, allowing Europeans to settle on territory along the Red River.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In 1817, Lord Selkirk negotiated a treaty with five chiefs, led by Chief Peguis, allowing Europeans to settle on territory along the Red River.

According to the wording, Lord Selkirk and his "heirs and successors" agreed to "annually pay to the chiefs and warriors and successors one hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable tobacco, to be delivered on or before the tenth day of October at the forks."

This was not the first time gifts had been offered between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in this place, but may have been the most important.

The 1817 Peguis-Selkirk treaty set the groundwork for relationships and, frankly, is the reason Manitoba looks like it does today. Simply put, everything in Manitoba stems from this first offering of tobacco.

Why tobacco?

It wasnt that Peguis and his allies wanted to smoke a lot; they were setting the stage for healthy and positive relationships in this place.

Tobacco, what Anishinaabe call asemaa, gets a lot of bad press. Its classified by governments as a drug, controlled with laws and taxed, and labelled as a major cause of cancer.

Tobacco is not something easily attained; its something you earn.

"The tobacco plant, Nicotiana, has probably been responsible for more deaths than any other herb," says a study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. "At present, tobacco smoking is causing over three-million deaths a year worldwide, and if current smoking trends continue, the annual mortality will exceed 10 million by around 2030."

I agree, smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or even smoking it in a pipe multiple times everyday will potentially kill you.

When Indigenous peoples speak about tobacco though, they are not talking about this. The cause of most tobacco-related cancers is due to overuse, addiction, and the accompanying pesticides, fertilizers, tar and filters companies add to the plant.

Tobacco (and its potent component nicotine) is a medicine Indigenous peoples have used for thousands of years as a toothpaste, to cure headaches, soothe colds, relieve pain and heal wounds and burns.

It was to be used occasionally, but performed incredible tasks. (According to the Royal Society study, for example, researcher Anne Charlton remarks Indigenous peoples used tobacco topically to cure "diseases of the glands in the neck.")

In our creation story, asemaa is one of the gifts Anishinaabe were offered by the Creator to help us live a sustainable and meaningful life. Alongside sage, cedar and sweetgrass, asemaa is one of our four sacred medicines and is arguably one of the most important parts of Indigenous life. It is used in ceremonies, as gifts, and is the theme of songs, stories, and teachings. (Some Indigenous nations, however, dont use tobacco.)

You have probably witnessed asemaa as a gift offered to an elder or knowledge keeper to share their thoughts, words, or ideas. If you have, you should know what is happening.

There are hundreds of teachings of tobacco. Many are spiritual and speak of the way it burns and how it carries words and thoughts throughout Creation.

Growing tobacco takes typically six to eight weeks  in a friendly, warm climate. In Manitoba, therefore, you need around three months.

Tobacco is not something easily attained; its something you earn.

Growing tobacco takes typically six to eight weeks  in a friendly, warm climate. In Manitoba, therefore, you need around three months.

Tobacco seeds are demanding, requiring just the right amount of water and warmth to germinate. The best results in Manitoba involve indoor heat lamps, fertilizer, and greenhouse-like conditions. After a few weeks, you transport the plants outside. This is when the real work starts, as you must ensure tobacco receives adequate sunlight and protect the plant from insects.

Tobacco is a commitment. To succeed, it has to become a part of your daily routine, as important as sleeping or eating.

This is what elders mean when they tell you to put yourself into your tobacco, your thoughts, your actions. You should put your words, songs, and stories, too (plants love that).

After around 100 hours of blood, sweat, and tears, your tobacco plants are now ready to be dried (taking more time). Then, you crinkle the leaves and get a tiny amount in your hand.

In that tiny pinch is everything you have committed to on your journey. Does it feel heavy? It is all of you.

Now, you must give it away.

Tobacco is a commitment. To succeed, it has to become a part of your daily routine, as important as sleeping or eating.

This is hard, as often weve grown connected to our tobacco. It is, after all, a part of us.

This is why tobacco is powerful. It represents time, commitment, and sacrifice.

This is why gifting someone tobacco is like a contract. Its like saying: "I am giving you me."

If someone accepts it  and people always have the option to say no  a person is then expected to offer you a piece of themselves in return. This could be an idea, a teaching, or a relationship.

Whats hoped is the person receiving the tobacco understands what they are being asked to do. This way they understand what they must spend 100 hours doing.

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This is also why the proper receipt for tobacco is miigwech, a word that comes from miigwe, which means "to give." Saying miigwech is like a confirmation a gift offered will be returned in its entirety.

This is why offering tobacco is a big deal. Its not something to do lightly.

Can you imagine how powerful our world would be if everyone put 100 hours of commitment into every person they met?

This is what Chief Peguis was trying to teach Lord Selkirk in 1817, a teaching that continues to be the foundation of all relationships in Manitoba.

A lesson still happening today.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.caTo understand why taxi drivers want payment up front, we should imagine ourselves in the drivers seat.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 14/6/2019 (931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

To understand why taxi drivers want payment up front, we should imagine ourselves in the drivers seat.

We go to the location requested by the passenger, turn off the meter and announce the fare. The passenger ignores their obligation to pay, opens the door and runs.

Hiring a commercial service and then skipping out on the payment is called fraud, but semantics dont help the driver who is trying to eke out a living.

"Drivers have told the media they typically get stiffed on a fare every day, sometimes several times a day"

As it currently stands, Winnipeg cabbies have no good options to prevent fraudsters from getting free rides. Lock the doors until the passengers pay? The drivers could be criminally charged with forcible confinement, and possibly assaulted by passengers outraged about being constrained. Phone police? Freeloading passengers are long gone by the time help arrives.

Drivers have told the media they typically get stiffed on a fare every day, sometimes several times a day.

The lack of recourse for drivers who are getting cheated out of their rightful payment is the motivation for a pilot project that has been approved by the city hall committee that regulates taxis. The experiment  it will start by autumn and last nine months  will let taxi drivers ask some passengers to pay a portion of their fare at the start, rather than the end, of their rides.

Unlike planes and buses, taxis dont demand prepayment. (Wayne Glowacki / Free Press files)

According to Grant Heather, manager of the municipal body that regulates taxis, limousines and ride-hailing, the project is about reducing conflict and reducing the likelihood that passengers will skip out on a fare. He added that such conflicts occur most often at night.

It seems a reasonable way to ensure people pay for the service provided, but there is concern that the pay-before-you-go system will unfairly target Indigenous people.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas noted some drivers are already asking for prepayment, even before the pilot project begins, and he alleged drivers are disproportionately targeting Indigenous women, some of whom have also reported harassment and inappropriate behaviour by drivers.

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Such allegations are concerning. In a city trying to rise above deeply entrenched racism, it would be wrong  deeply, alarmingly wrong  for taxi drivers to request prepayment based on the ethnic appearance of a passenger.

The city is currently seeking public input on details of what should be allowed under the pilot project, such as defining the circumstances in which drivers can request prepayment.

Heres our input: prepayment for all, or prepayment for none.

"After all, people have to pay in advance when they engage other types of transportation"

If people are prepared to pay for their taxi ride, it should matter little to them whether they pay at least a portion of the ride in advance. It can be paid in cash or through debit- or credit-card authorization.

After all, people have to pay in advance when they engage other types of transportation. On airlines, for example, if a would-be passenger said they would pay only after the flight lands in Toronto, that person would not be allowed to board. City buses, and the highway bus firms that replaced Greyhound, also require payment before passengers ride. Ride-hailing services already have a system that prevents fare jumpers from riding for free, requiring passengers to have credit-card approval in advance.

Winnipeg taxi drivers are a historic anomaly to this common practice of paying in advance for transportation. Its understandable drivers want to be treated fairly, but fair treatment includes devising a system in which prepayment requirements are applied fairly and without discrimination.In many ways, the current fad in red states to pass unconstitutional laws banning abortion, even for rape and incest victims and the threat to a pregnant womans life, is nothing short of disgusting.

Making it even more disgusting is that these laws in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Louisiana and elsewhere have been spearheaded mostly by men who, despite the plethora of unique circumstances involved in pregnancies, believe they have the right to force a woman to bear a child for which members of their gender are 50% responsible, but bear no consequences.

For sure, there are many abortion foes who sincerely believe that to abort a fetus is an intolerable sin. But, also for sure, theres a vast swath of so-called pro-life advocates and lawmakers who are nothing but hypocrites.

They believe they should be able to force their views and religious beliefs on every one of us. But their concern for life stops there. While they piously insist that all babies need to be born, for too many of them, their respect for that new life ends right there.The Kebbi state house of assembly has denied writing Atiku Bagudu, governor of the state, to confirm the appointment of Elizabeth Kara...





The Kebbi state house of assembly has denied writing Atiku Bagudu, governor of the state, to confirm the appointment of Elizabeth Karatu as chief judge of the state.





According to Daily Nigerian, Karatu, who has been in acting capacity, had said the governor acted against the approval of the lawmakers who had confirmed Karatu as the substantive chief judge in January.





She also petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), alleging that the governor did not confirm her appointment because she is a Christian.





But in a statement, Abdulmumini Kamba, the speaker of the assembly, said lawmakers had rejected Karatu all the times the governor wrote them for approval.





He said there was never communication from the lawmakers conforming her appointment.





The Kebbi Governor , Senator Abubakar A Bagudu, wrote to the Honourable House on June 01, 2018 appointing Justice Asabe Karatu as Chief Judge and seeking the confirmation of the House as required by the Constitution, he said.





Justice Asabe Karatu was invited by the House on August 1, 2018. During the conformation hearing which Justice Karatu attended in the company of some Higher Court Judges was discovered by Honourable Members that the Primary School Leaving Certificate presented by Justice Karatu was altered severally, including alteration to the date of birth from May 1952 to May 1954.





Justice Karatu accepted that she was aware of the alterations but that they were done by the headmaster.





On account of the alterations and other inconsistencies in her credentials, the Honourable House rejected the request by the Governor and declined to confirm her as Chief Judge of Kebbi State.





Subsequently, and on three other occasions, the State Govenor, Senator Bagudu, wrote and sought her confirmation. On all the occasions the Honourable House maintained its refusal to confirm Justice Asabe Karatu as Chief Judge of Kebbi State on account of alterations and inconsistencies with the last such rejection made by the Honourable House on May 15, 2019.





The speaker said the purported letter showing the lawmakers confirmed Karatu wasnt written by them.



The Williams Cos., Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company, which explores, produces, transports, sells and processes natural gas and petroleum products. It operates through the following segments: Transmission and Gulf of Mexico; Northeast G&P; and West. The Transmission and Gulf of Mexico segment comprises of interstate natural gas pipelines, Transco and Northwest Pipeline, as well as natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment includes midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation businesses in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins. The company was founded by David Williams and Miller Williams in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa,

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Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, TXF LLC, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.Axel Springer SE operates as a publishing company primarily in Europe and the United States. The company operates through three segments: Classifieds Media, News Media, and Marketing Media. The Classifieds Media segment operates a portfolio of online classified portals in the areas of real estate, jobs, cars, and general. This segment operates SeLoger, Immoweb, and Immowelt/Immonet real estate portals; Totaljobs, Jobsite, and Saongroup job portals; meinestadt.de, a regional portal; and car and general classified ad portals, including LaCentrale and Yad2. The News Media segment offers newspapers primarily under the BILD and WELT brands in Berlin, as well as the FAKT name in Poland; automotive, computer, and sports magazines under the AUTO BILD, COMPUTER BILD, and SPORT BILD brand names; and a tabloid under the BLIKK name in Hungary. This segment also operates Internet portals, such as Onet.pl and azet.sk; profession.hu, a job portal; WELT, a news channel; BILD.de, a news and entertainment portal; WELT.de, a news portal; Upday, a mobile news portal; businessinsider.com; and Autobild.de, a digital appearances of the magazine. Its digital offerings also comprise analytics, studies, and digital market data for companies and institutions. The Marketing Media segment provides advertising services on performance or reach based marketing. The company distributes its print media primarily through press wholesale companies, station book trade, and press import companies; and digital products principally through its webpages or download platforms, including the app stores of Apple and Google. Axel Springer SE was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.

Read MoreCanadian Utilities Limited and its subsidiaries engage in the electricity, natural gas, and retail energy businesses worldwide. It operates through Utilities, Energy Infrastructure, and Corporate & Other segments. The Utilities segment provides regulated electricity transmission and distribution services in northern and central east Alberta, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories; and integrated natural gas transmission and distribution services in Alberta, the Lloydminster area of Saskatchewan, and Western Australia. It owns and operates approximately 9,000 kilometers of natural gas pipelines, 16 compressor sites, approximately 3,700 receipt and delivery points, and a salt cavern storage peaking facility located near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta in Canada. The Energy Infrastructure segment provides electricity generation, natural gas storage, industrial water, and related infrastructure development solutions in Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Australia, Mexico, and Chile. The Corporate & Other segment retails electricity and natural gas business in Alberta. The company was incorporated in 1927 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Canadian Utilities Limited is a subsidiary of ATCO Ltd.

Read MoreHalma plc provides technology solutions in the safety, health, and environmental markets. It operates through four segments: Process Safety, Infrastructure Safety, Environmental & Analysis, and Medical. The Process Safety segment offers specialized interlocks that control critical processes safely; instruments that detect hazardous gases; and explosion protection and corrosion monitoring systems. This segment serves the gas detection, industrial access control, pressure management, and safe storage and transfer markets. The Infrastructure Safety segment provides fire detection systems, specialist fire suppression systems, elevator safety systems, people and vehicle flow technologies, and security sensors. It serves the fire detection and suppression, People and Vehicle Flow, Security Sensors, and elevator markets. The Environmental & Analysis segment offers optical, optoelectronic, and spectral imaging systems; water, air and gases monitoring technologies; and systems for water analysis and treatment. It serves the optical analysis, water analysis and treatment, and environmental monitoring markets. The Medical segment provides critical fluidic components used by medical diagnostics and Original Equipment Manufacturers; laboratory devices and systems that provide information to understand patient health and enable providers to make decisions across the continuum of care; technologies and solutions to enable in-vitro diagnostic systems and life-science discoveries and development; and technologies that enable positive outcomes across clinical specialties. This segment serves the life sciences, health assessment, and therapeutic solutions market. The company was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Amersham, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreSenate President Ahmad Lawan says henceforth, the national assembly will ensure the passage of the nations budget within three months...





Senate President Ahmad Lawan says henceforth, the national assembly will ensure the passage of the nations budget within three months of its submission by the executive.





Lawan made the promise when he fielded questions from state house correspondents after joining President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the weekly Fridays Jumaat prayer at the Aso Rock mosque, Abuja.





He, however, expressed the hope that the executive would always ensure early submission of the budget enable the assembly deliberate and pass it in good time.





Well, this is a crucial thing that worries everyone, every Nigerian wants to see the national assembly pass the budget in good time and what we have in mind weve campaigned with that and its something both of us in the national assembly have bought into  that well pass the budget within three months by the grace of God, he said.

But I want to say here that it takes two sides of government to pass the budget in good time. I am sure that the executive side of the government would like to present the budget before the national assembly in good time  in September or early October.





By the grace of God, we in the national assembly will ensure that we carry out the budget defence and do the remaining parts of the processes and before we leave for Christmas break, the budget would have been passed and Mr President would have the budget before him to assent.





The senate president, therefore, called for sacrifice by both the assembly and the executive so as to create a window for budget defence only, a dedicated period and time-frame- say a month of which only budget defence will be carried out in the national assembly.





It is our desire in the national assembly that every minister, every chief executive officer of every agency comes to the national assembly and defence the budget of his agency or her agency before going out of the country, he said.





That window is going to be available within the one month but that is the only window that is going to be available.





After that for example, every minister or head of agency who did not come to defend the budget of that institution, we will go ahead to work on such a budget appropriately.





According to Lawan, the national assembly is in a hurry and thirsty to perform and will support Buhari in his efforts to transform the nations economy for the benefit of all citizens.





He added I believe that nobody would take pleasure in wasting the time of this administration.





We are in a hurry, we are thirsty to perform, we want to support Mr President, we want to see Mr President achieve those legacies dreams that he has and we are going to work full course and full time to ensure that we give him the maximum support that he requires.





Last year, the budget was delayed for seven months before it was passed.



Experian Plc is a global information services company, which engages in the provision of data and analytical tools that are used to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers, and automate decision making. Its activities are grouped into four global business lines: Credit Services, Decision Analytics, Marketing Services, and Consumer Services. The Credit Services provides information to organizations to help manage the risks associated with extending credit and preventing fraud. The Decision Analytics unlocks the value of its vast store of credit and marketing information, as well as other data sources, by applying expert consulting, analytical tools and software to convert data into valuable business decisions. The Marketing Services helps many of the organizations target and engage to customers through sophisticated marketing strategies that generate significant return on investment. The Consumer Services provides credit monitoring services to millions of consumers via the internet. The company was founded by John Wilfred Peace in 1980 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Read MoreFortis, Inc. is an international electric and gas utility holding company. It operates through the following business segments: Regulated Utilities and Non-Regulated. The Regulated Utilities segment comprises of ITC, which contains mainly of the electric transmission operations of the ITC regulated operating subsidiaries; UNS Energy that offers vertically integrated utility services; Central Hudson, which provides regulated electric and gas T&D utility services; FortisBC Energy distributes natural gas in British Columbia; FortisAlberta, which involves in the ownership and operation of regulated electricity distribution facilities; FortisBC Electric includes the ownership of hydroelectric generating plants, high voltage transmission lines, and a large network of distribution assets; and Other Electric that contains utilities in the eastern Canada and Caribbean. The Non-Regulated segment consists of energy Infrastructure, which is primarily comprised of long-term contracted generation assets in British Columbia and Belize, and a gas storage facility in British Columbia; and Corporate & Other includes expenses and revenue items not specifically related to business operations. The comp

Read MoreiShares S&P SmallCap 600 ETF's stock was trading at $62.31 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IJR shares have increased by 83.8% and is now trading at $114.51.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance and Wealth. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings accounts, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, credit cards, and other financial services to personal and small business customers. The Commercial Banking segment provides lending, transactional banking, working capital management, risk management, and debt capital market services to small and medium-sized entities, corporates, and financial institutions. The Insurance and Wealth segment offers life, home, and car insurance products; and pension, investment, and wealth management products and services. It also provides digital and mobile banking, and telephone services, as well as advisory services for savings, investments, and planning for retirement. The company offers its products and services under the Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, MBNA, Schroders Personal Wealth, Black Horse, Lex Autolease, Birmingham Midshires, LDC, IWeb, and Agricultural Mortgage Corporation brands. Lloyds Banking Group plc was founded in 1695 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MorePreferred Apartment Communities, Inc. engages in the acquisition and operation of multifamily properties in select targeted markets throughout the United States. It operates through the following segments: Multifamily Communities, Financing, New Market Properties, Preferred Office Properties, and Others. The Multifamily Communities segment consists of company's portfolio of owned residential multifamily communities. The Financing segment refers to the portfolio of real estate loans, bridge loans, and other instruments deployed by the company to partially finance the development, construction, and prestabilization carrying costs of new multifamily communities and other real estate and real estate related assets. The New Market Properties segment covers portfolio of grocery-anchored shopping centers, as well as the financial results from the retail real estate loans. The Preferred Office Properties segment relates to the portfolio of office buildings. The Others segment includes deferred offering costs. The company was founded by Leonard A. Silverstein and John A. Williams on September 18, 2009 and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Lear: AccuMED Corp., AccuMED Holdings Corp., Arada Systems, Autotech Fund II L.P.(Delaware) (5.56%, Beijing BAI Lear Automotive Systems Co. Ltd., Beijing BHAP Lear Automotive Systems Co. Ltd.(China) (50%, Beijing Lear Dymos Automotive Systems Co. Ltd., CelLink Corporation, Changchun Lear FAWSN Automotive Electrical and Electronics Co. Ltd., Changchun Lear FAWSN Automotive Seat Systems Co. Ltd., Chihuahua Electrical Wiring Systems S. de R.L. de C.V., China New Trend Group Co. Ltd, Consorcio Industrial Mexicano de Autopartes S. de R.L. de C.V., Cordelia Autoparts Sweden AB, Dunlop Cox Limited, Durango Automotive Wiring Systems S. de R.L. de C.V., EXO Technologies Ltd., Eagle Ottawa (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Eagle Ottawa China Ltd., Eagle Ottawa Fonseca S.A., Eagle Ottawa Foreign Holdings ApS, Eagle Ottawa Holdings Ltd., Eagle Ottawa Hungary Kft., Eagle Ottawa LLC, Eagle Ottawa North America LLC, Eagle Ottawa Warrington Ltd., Evolved by Nature Inc., Foshan Lear FAWSN Automotive Systems Co. Ltd., Grote & Hartmann, Guangzhou Lear Automotive Components Co. Ltd, Guilford Europe Limited, Guilford Europe Pension Trustees Limited, Guilford Mills, Guilford Mills Europe Limited, Guilford Mills Limited, HB Polymer Company LLC, Honduras Electrical Distribution Systems S. de R.L. de C.V., Hyundai Transys Lear Automotive India Private Limited, Industrias Cousin Freres S.L., Industrias Lear de Argentina SrL, Insys - Interior Systems SA, Jiangxi Jiangling Lear Interior Systems Co. Ltd., Kyungshin-Lear Sales and Engineering LLC, Lear (China) Holding Limited, Lear (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Lear (Shanghai) Auto Parts Technology Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Lear Automotive (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive EEDS Honduras S.A., Lear Automotive Electronics and Electrical Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive Fabrics (RuiAn) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive India Private Limited, Lear Automotive Interior Materials (Yangzhou) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive Manufacturing L.L.C., Lear Automotive Metals (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive Morocco SAS, Lear Automotive Operations Netherlands B.V., Lear Automotive Services (Netherlands) B.V., Lear Automotive Systems (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive Systems (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive Systems (Shenyang) Co. Ltd., Lear Automotive Systems (Yangzhou) Co. Ltd., Lear Canada, Lear Canada Holding S.a.r.l., Lear Canada Investments ULC, Lear Changan (Chongqing) Automotive System Co. Ltd., Lear Changan (Hangzhou) Automotive Seating Co. Ltd., Lear China Engineering LLC, Lear Corporation (Mauritius) Limited, Lear Corporation (Nottingham) Limited, Lear Corporation (UK) Limited, Lear Corporation (Vietnam) Limited, Lear Corporation Ara S.L., Lear Corporation Ardasa S.L., Lear Corporation Asientos S.L., Lear Corporation Belgium CVA, Lear Corporation Beteiligungs GmbH, Lear Corporation Canada ULC, Lear Corporation Changchun Automotive Interior Systems Co. Ltd., Lear Corporation China Ltd., Lear Corporation Czech Republic s.r.o., Lear Corporation Engineering (UK) Limited, Lear Corporation Engineering Belgium B.V.B.A., Lear Corporation Engineering Czech Republic s.r.o., Lear Corporation Engineering GmbH, Lear Corporation Engineering Hungary Kft., Lear Corporation Engineering II GmbH, Lear Corporation Engineering Italy S.r.l., Lear Corporation Engineering Morocco S.a.r.l., Lear Corporation Engineering Poland Sp. z.o.o., Lear Corporation Engineering Slovakia s.r.o., Lear Corporation d.o.o. Novi Sad, and United Technologies Automotive.Roots Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides apparel, leather goods, footwear, and accessories under the Roots brand in Canada and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Direct-To-Consumer, and Partners and Other. The Direct-to-Consumer segment sells products through the company's corporate retail stores and e-commerce. The Partners and Other segment primarily engages in the wholesale of Roots branded products to the company's international operating partners. This segment is also involved in licensing Roots brand to manufacturing partners; and wholesaling Roots branded products to retail partners. As of January 30, 2021, it operated 111 corporate retail stores in Canada, two corporate retail stores in the United States, 117 partner-operated stores in Taiwan, 26 partner-operated stores in China, and two partner-operated stores in Hong Kong, as well as an eCommerce platform and partner-operated eCommerce channels in Taiwan and mainland China. W. Roots Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Read MoreSalt Lake Potash Limited engages in the exploration and development of resource projects in Australia. The company explores for sulphate of potash deposits. It primarily owns 11 salt lakes covering an area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers in the Northern Goldfields region of Western Australia. The company was formerly known as Wildhorse Energy Limited and changed its name to Salt Lake Potash Limited in November 2015. Salt Lake Potash Limited was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Perth, Australia.

Read MoreSemGroup Corporation provides gathering, transportation, storage, distribution, marketing, and other midstream services for producers, refiners of petroleum products, and other market participants. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Liquids, U.S. Gas, and Canada. The U.S. Liquids segment operates crude oil pipelines, truck transportation, storage, terminals, and marketing businesses; stores, blends, and transports refinery products and refinery feedstock through pipeline, barge, rail, truck, and ship; and operates a residual fuel oil storage terminal in the U.S. Gulf Coast. This segment has 18.2 million barrels of storage capacity on the Houston Ship Channel; and 7.6 million barrels of storage capacity at the Cushing Interchange. It also operates a 460-mile crude oil gathering and transportation pipeline system in Kansas and northern Oklahoma; 75-mile crude oil gathering pipeline system that transports crude oil from production facilities in the DJ Basin to the pipeline owned by White Cliffs Pipeline, L.L.C.; 2 parallel 527-mile pipelines that transports crude oil from Platteville, Colorado to Cushing, Oklahoma; 3 pipelines with an aggregate of 106 miles of pipe; 30-lane crude oil truck unloading facility in Platteville, Colorado; and crude oil trucking fleet of approximately 245 transport trucks and 235 trailers. The U.S. Gas segment provides natural gas gathering, processing, and marketing services. It operates 842 miles of gathering lines in Oklahoma; and a 53-mile high pressure gathering pipeline located in the STACK play. The Canada segment owns and operates natural gas processing and gathering facilities with approximately 530 miles of natural gas gathering and transportation pipelines in Alberta, Canada. SemGroup Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Read MoreSinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells petrochemical products in the People's Republic of China. It operates through five segments: Synthetic Fibers, Resins and Plastics, Intermediate Petrochemicals, Petroleum Products, and Trading of Petrochemical Products. The Synthetic Fibers segment produces polyesters, acrylic fibers, and carbon fibers that are primarily used in the textile and apparel industries. The Resins and Plastics segment produces polyester chips that are used to produce polyester fibers, coating, and containers; polyethylene resins and plastics, which are used to produce insulated cables and mulching films, as well as molded products, such as housewares and toys; and polypropylene resins that are used for films and sheets, as well as molded products, such as housewares, toys, consumer electronics, and automobile parts; and PVA granules. The Intermediate Petrochemicals segment produces p-xylene, benzene, and ethylene oxide, which are used as raw materials in the production of other petrochemicals, resins, plastics, and synthetic fibers. The Petroleum Products segment operates crude oil refinery facilities used to produce refined gasoline, fuel, diesel oil, heavy oil, and liquefied petroleum gas. The Trading of Petrochemical Products segment is involved in the import and export of petrochemical products. The company was founded in 1972 and is based in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited is a subsidiary of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation.

Read MoreMedtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Roper Technologies: 3089554 Nova Scotia ULC, AC Analytical Controls B.V., AC Analytical Controls Holding B.V., AC Analytical Controls Services B.V., Acumen PM LLC, Aderant Canada Company, Aderant Company, Aderant Holdings Inc., Aderant International Holdings Inc., Aderant Legal (UK) Limited, Aderant Legal Holdings (AUS) Pty Ltd, Aderant Legal Holdings (NZ) ULC, Aderant Legal Holdings Inc., Aderant North America Inc., Aderant Parent Holdings Inc., Advanced Sensors Limited, Alpha Holdings of Delaware I LLC, Alpha Holdings of Delaware II LLC, Alpha Technologies B.V., Alpha Technologies GmbH, Alpha Technologies Japan LLC, Alpha Technologies Services LLC, Alpha Technologies U.K., Alpha Technologies s.r.o., Alpha Trust Corporation, Alpha UK Holdings LLC, Amot Controls Corporation, Amot Controls GmbH, Amot/Metrix Investment Company Inc., Amphire Solutions Inc., Amtech Systems (Hong Kong) Limited, Amtech Systems LLC, Amtech World Corporation, Aplifi Inc., Ascension Technology Corporation, Assureweb Limited, Atlantic Health Partners Inc., Avitru LLC, Axium Holdco Inc., C/S Solutions Inc., CBORD Holdings Corp., CIVCO Medical Solutions B.V., Centurion Research Solutions LLC, Civco Holding Inc., Civco Medical Instruments Co. Inc., CliniSys Group, CliniSys Group Limited, Clinisys Scotland Limited, Clinisys Solutions Limited, Cointec Ingenieros y Consultores S.L., Compressor Controls (Beijing) Corporation Ltd., Compressor Controls Corporation B.V., Compressor Controls Corporation Middle East, Compressor Controls Corporation S.r.l., Compressor Controls LLC, Compressor Controls Mauritius Ltd., Compressor Controls Pty Ltd., Compressor Controls Saudi Arabia LLC, ConstructConnect, ConstructConnect Canada Inc., ConstructConnect Inc., Cornell Pump Company, DAT Solutions LLC, DATSolutions Private Limited, DCMH Group Holdings Inc., DCMH Group Holdings LLC, DCMH Holdings Inc., DI Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., DI Dutch Holdings LLC, DI Hong Kong Limited, Dash I Inc., Data Innovations, Data Innovations Canada Ltd., Data Innovations Cooperatief U.A., Data Innovations Europe S.A., Data Innovations LLC, Data Innovations Latin America Ltda, Dawning Technologies LLC, Deltek, Deltek Ajera Inc., Deltek Asia Pacific (HK) Limited, Deltek Australia Pty Ltd., Deltek Danmark A/S, Deltek France SAS, Deltek GB Limited, Deltek GmbH, Deltek Inc., Deltek Nederland B.V., Deltek Netherlands B.V., Deltek Norge AS, Deltek Sverige AB, Deltek Systems (Canada) Inc., Deltek Systems (Colorado) Inc., Deltek Systems (Philippines) Ltd., Deltek WST LLC, Dominion I Inc., Dynamic Instruments Inc., Dynisco Enterprises GmbH, Dynisco Enterprises LLC, Dynisco Europe GmbH, Dynisco Holding GmbH, Dynisco Hong Kong Holdings Limited, Dynisco Instruments LLC, Dynisco Instruments S.a.r.l., Dynisco LLC, Dynisco Parent Inc., Dynisco S.r.l., Dynisco Viatran LLC, Dynisco Viatran (M) Sdn Bhd, Dynisco-Viatran Instrument Sdn Bhd, FMS Purchasing & Services Inc., FSI Holdings Inc., FTI Flow Technology Inc., Fluid Metering Inc., Foodlink Holdings Inc., Foodlink IT India Private Limited, Foundry, Foundry Visionmongers (Ireland) Limited, GeneInsight Inc., Getloaded Corporation, HRsmart Canada Inc., HRsmart Czech Republic, HRsmart France SAS, HRsmart Germany GmbH, HRsmart Inc., HRsmart International, HRsmart International Holdings LLC, HRsmart Mexico, HRsmart SA (Pty) Ltd., HRsmart Talent Management Solutions Europe Limited, HRsmart Ventures LLC, Handshake Software Inc., Hansco Automatisering B.V., Hansen Technologies Corporation, Harbour Holding Corp., Hardy Process Solutions, Horizon Software International LLC, INPUT Inc., IPA Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., ISL Finance SAS, ISL Holding SAS, ISL Scientifique de Laboratorie - ISL S.A.S., IT Canada Holdings LLC, Innovative Product Achievements LLC, Inovonics Corporation, Instill Corporation, IntelliTrans Limited, Intellitrans Canada Ltd., Intellitrans LLC, Intellitrans Sweden AB, Job Access LTDA, K/S Roper Holding, K/S Roper Investments, Laser App Inc., Link Logistics Holding LLC, Loadlink Technologies Corporation, Logitech Limited, MED Professional Services LLC, MEDTEC Inc., MHA Long Term Care Network Inc., MHA Long Term Care Services Inc., MIPS Austria GesmbH, MIPS CZ s.r.o, MIPS Deutschland GmbH, MIPS France Sarl, MIPS Nederland B.V., MIPS Schweiz AG, MIPS Software Iberica SL, MPR Readers Inc., Managed Health Care Associates Inc., Marumoto Struers K.K., Medical Information Professional Systems NV, Medina Acquisition LLC, Metrix Instrument Co. L.P., NDI Europe GmbH, Navigator Group Purchasing Inc., Neptune Technology Group (Canada) Co., Neptune Technology Group Inc., Neptune Technology Group Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Neptune Technology Group Services Inc., Nippon Roper K.K., Northern Digital Inc., Off-Campus Advantage LLC, Omega Legal Systems Inc., PAC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PAC Denmark ApS, PAC GmbH, PAC Instruments (Thailand) Company Limited, PAC Instruments Asia PTE. Ltd., PB Bidco Limited, PB Holdco Limited, PB Midco Limited, PB Topco Limited, PGP UK Limited, Petroleum Analyzer Company L.P., Phase Analyzer Company Ltd., PowerPlan, PowerPlan Canada ULC, PowerPlan Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Inc., PowerPlan Intermediate Holdings Inc., PowerPlan Operations ANZ Pty Ltd, PowerPlan Operations Ltd., Project Diamond Intermediate Holdings Corporation, Project Torque Intermediate Holdings Inc., Project Viking Holdings Inc., Project Viking Intermediate LLC, QSC 1208 Limited, QSC 1209 Limited, RF IDeas, RF IDeas Inc., RI Marketing India Private Limited, RIL Holding Limited, RMT Inc., RT Merger Sub Inc., Rebate Tracking Group LLC, Resonant Software Inc., Roda Deaco Valve Inc., Roper Acquisitions Holdings Inc., Roper Brasil Comercio E Promocao De Productos E Servicos LTDA, Roper Canada Holdings LP, Roper Canada UK Limited, Roper Denmark UK Limited, Roper EUR Pte. Ltd., Roper Engineering s.r.o., Roper Europe GmbH, Roper GM Denmark Holdings ApS, Roper Germany GmbH, Roper Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Roper Holdings LLC, Roper Holdings Limited, Roper IH LLC, Roper Industrial Products Investment Company, Roper Industries Denmark ApS, Roper Industries Deutschland GmbH, Roper Industries Inc., Roper Industries Limited, Roper Industries Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Roper Industries Mauritius Ltd., Roper Industries UK Limited, Roper International Holding Inc., Roper International Holding Limited, Roper International Holding SCS, Roper LLC, Roper Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Roper Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Roper Middle East Ltd., Roper NL1 UK Limited, Roper NL2 UK Limited, Roper Pte. Ltd., Roper Pump Company, Roper Scientific B.V., Roper Scientific SAS, Roper Scot LP, Roper Southeast Asia LLC, Roper Swiss Finance GmbH, Roper UK Investments Limited, Roper UK Ltd., Roper US Finance I LLC, Roper US Finance II LLC, Roper-Mex L.P., Ropintassco 1 LLC, Ropintassco 2 LLC, Ropintassco 3 LLC, Ropintassco 4 LLC, Ropintassco 5 LLC, Ropintassco 6 LLC, Ropintassco 7 LLC, Ropintassco Holdings L.P., SHP Group Holdings Inc., SIRA LLC, Shanghai Roper Industries Trading Co. Ltd., Sinmed Holding International B.V., Societe de Distribution de Logiciels Medicaux, SoftWriters Inc., Softwriters Holdings, Softwriters Holdings Inc., Sohnar Pty Ltd, Star Purchasing Services LLC, Strata Acquisition Subsidiary Inc., Strata Decision Technology LLC, Strata Parallel II Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker 2 Inc., Strategic Healthcare Programs Blocker LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs Holdings LLC, Strategic Healthcare Programs L.L.C., Struers (Shanghai) International Trading Ltd., Struers A/S, Struers GmbH, Struers Inc., Struers Limited, Struers SAS, Student Advantage LLC, Sunquest Europe Limited, Sunquest Holdings Inc., Sunquest Information Systems (Europe) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (India) Private Limited, Sunquest Information Systems (International) Limited, Sunquest Information Systems Inc., Sunquest Information Systems Pty Ltd, TLP Holdings LLC, Technolog Group Limited, Technolog Holdings Ltd., Technolog Limited, Technolog SARL, The CBORD Group Inc., The Foundry Bidco Limited, The Foundry Bidco No.2 Limited, The Foundry Holdco Limited, The Foundry Holdings Limited, The Foundry Intermediate Holdings Limited, The Foundry Midco 3 Limited, The Foundry Midco No 1 Limited, The Foundry Midco No 2 Limited, The Foundry Topco Limited, The Foundry Topco No.2 Limited, The Foundry USCo Inc., The Foundry Visionmongers Ltd., The Tidewater Healthcare Shared Services Group Inc., The Washington Management Group Inc., Torque Acquisition Holdco Inc., Transcore Atlantic Inc., Transcore CNUS Inc., Transcore Holdings Inc., Transcore ITS LLC, Transcore LP, Transcore Nova Scotia Corporation, Transcore Partners LLC, Trinity Integrated Systems Limited, UHF Purchasing Services LLC, Union Square Software (International) Limited, Union Square Software Inc., Union Square Software Limited, Union Square Software Pty, Uson L.P., Uson Limited, Utilitec Limited, Utilitec Services Limited, Utility Data Services Limited, Verathon Holdings (Delaware) Inc., Verathon Inc., Verathon Medical (Australia) Pty Limited, Verathon Medical (Canada) ULC, Verathon Medical (Europe) B.V., Verathon Medical (France) SARL, Verathon Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Verathon Medical (Japan) K.K., Verathon Medical (UK) Ltd., Vertafore, Vertafore Canada Inc., Vertafore Inc., Vertafore India Private Limited, Viastar Services LP, Viatran Corporation, Walter Herzog GmbH, WorkBook APAC Ltd., Workbook Software A/S, Zetec (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zetec France, Zetec Inc., Zetec Korea Inc., Zetec Rental LLC, Zetec Services Inc., iPipeline, iPipeline (TCP) Limited, iPipeline Canada Inc, iPipeline Co. Ltd., iPipeline Holdings Inc, iPipeline Inc, iPipeline Limited, iSqFt Holdings Inc., iSqFt Parent Corporation, iSqFt Sub Inc., iTradeNetwork Inc., and mySBX Corporation.iShares MSCI EAFE ETF's stock was trading at $56.05 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EFA shares have increased by 40.4% and is now trading at $78.68.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.An off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer shot and killed a man and injured two other people in a Corona, California, Costco after the man attacked him, according to authorities.

The officer, who has not been identified, was shopping with his family in the store Friday evening and holding his young child when a man he did not know "assaulted" him, according to a news release from Corona Police Department Public Information Officer Tobias Kouroubacalis.

The release said the attack was unprovoked.

The officer fired his weapon, killing 32-year-old Kenneth French and injuring two of French's family members. The injured relatives were taken to local hospitals, where they are in critical condition, Corona police said.

The officer suffered minor injuries and has been released from the hospital. His child was not injured in the incident, the news release said.

"The Department has initiated an Administrative Investigation and is working with the Corona Police Department to learn more about the incident," Los Angeles police said in a statement.

Officers arriving to the scene on Friday initially believed there was an active shooter, Lt. Jeff Edwards of the Corona police said. Panic broke out as people tried to flee the store, leaving some injured in the scuffle.

Many left their personal items -- purses, cellphones, and backpacks -- at the store in an effort to get out quickly. Corona Police are now trying to find their rightful owners.UTICA, N.Y. -- After 25 years, the Salvation Army thrift store in Utica is closing.

The property was purchased by Mohawk Valley Health Systems as part of the downtown hospital project.

The Salvation Army hopes to have the majority of their inventory sold by Saturday, and will move the remainder of the goods to their Rome location.

There are thrift stores in Ilion and Rome, and the Salvation Army is looking for a place to relocate in Utica, but hasn't found anything yet.

The Salvation Army on Clinton Street is not moving or changing services, but losing the thrift store will have an effect on their budget.

Saturday is the last day of operation for the store on Lafayette Street.CARMEL, N.Y. (AP) - A 57-year-old county judge has died after suffering a heart attack in his upstate New York courtroom.

A spokesman for the state court system says Putman County Court Judge James Reitz was stricken on the bench Friday morning. Court officers performed CPR and used an automatic electronic defibrillator to try to resuscitate him before he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Court system spokesman Lucian Calfen says Reitz died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Reitz, a resident of Mahopac, had been a county judge since 2007 and was also an acting justice with the state Supreme Court. He previously worked as a lawyer in private practice.

State Sen. Terrence Murphy called Reitz the "ultimate public servant" in a Facebook post and praised his drug court program.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Subaru beat a fundraising record at this year's 5K color run.

The car manufacturing company raised more than $50,000 for Special Olympics Indiana, which is the most money the company has ever brought in from the race.

This year's goal was to raise at least 50K to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary.

Subaru has been hosting this race for five years. The money is raised through registrations fees and 100% of the proceeds go towards Special Olympics.

Event Coordinator Sarah May said the race grows in participants every year. She said the company appreciates the support of its community.

We are a huge supporter of our community, said May. If it weren't for our community, we wouldn't have the success that we have so we're really very lucky to have such strong support in Tippecanoe County.

This year's race brought out more than 500 runners. Subaru has raised a total of nearly $130,000 for Special Olympics through the years.(WLFI)  U.S. Senator Todd Young was in Lafayette today and News 18 asked his thoughts on the President's comments and if there should be legislation to make foreign interference in U.S. elections illegal.

"I would never work with the Chinese or Russians on a campaign," said Young. When asked if it should be made illegal, Young responded, "I'll be saying no more about this. I would not work with the Chinese or Russians on a campaign."

The Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections or FIRE Act was blocked by Senate Republicans Thursday.

It was introduced by Democratic Senator Mark Warner after President Donald Trump's controversial oval office interview with ABC News. President Trump said he was open to getting information from political opponents with the possibility of not letting the FBI know. Trump said he thought there isn't anything wrong with listening to what he called, "oppo research".

The Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee tried to pass the Fire Act unanimously. Under Senate rules, any one senator can object to its passing. Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn blocked the request.Ott Tanak produced perfection to win all six speed tests and take a commanding lead at Rally Italia Sardegna on Saturday night.

He finished the longest and toughest leg of the four-day Mediterranean island rally with a 25.9sec advantage in his Toyota Yaris over previous leader Dani Sordo. Teemu Suninen was a further 17.0sec behind in third in a Ford Fiesta.

Having overnighted in third, the Estonian took the lead in the last of this mornings three tests, before extending his 6.4sec advantage to almost half a minute when the stages were repeated this afternoon.

Neither Sordo nor Suninen had any answer to his pace. Spaniard Sordo finished second in all three morning tests, while Suninen did likewise twice this afternoon.

Abrasive rocky tracks and high temperatures posed a fierce test for cars, drivers and tyres. Tanaks morning mix of Michelins medium and hard compound rubber, followed by the durable hards this afternoon, paid dividends.

To win all the stages is great, but my main priority is the rally win, stage wins make no difference, he said. It was a good fight today, Dani was pushing hard and did a really good job. I tried to be careful this afternoon because it was really rough in places.

Sordo lost vital seconds this morning as his Hyundai i20, shod with hard tyres, suffered wheelspin. Suninen was delighted with his performance, blending pace with caution as he benefited from highly experienced co-driver Jarmo Lehtinens knowledge for the first time.

Dani Sordo fought hard to end the leg in second

Elfyn Evans and Andreas Mikkelsen fought furiously for fourth. They swapped places in every morning test and the gap never exceeded 2.6sec until the final stage, when Mikkelsen lost time with badly worn tyres in his i20. Evans ended on top by 7.9sec in his Fiesta.

Both kept Kris Meeke at arms length until the Briton stopped to change a puncture on his Yaris in the final test. He dropped to eighth.

His time loss promoted Thierry Neuville into sixth, almost a minute adrift of team-mate Mikkelsen. The Belgian made a poor tyre choice this morning and struggled to find a rhythm in his i20, despite changing the set-up at the midpoint service.

Esapekka Lappi was seventh while behind Meeke, Juho Hanninen and Kalle Rovanpera completed the top 10.

It was another disappointing day for Sebastien Ogier. Returning after yesterdays crash, the Frenchman again hit a rock and broke his C3s rear suspension arm. He made roadside repairs before limping through the next stage and into the haven of the Alghero service.

Sundays final leg is the shortest of the weekend at 41.90km. Two identical loops of two stages culminate in the picture-postcard Wolf Power Stage along the west coast, which offers bonus points to the fastest five drivers.

Head to WRC+ to watch All Live from Rally Italia Sardegna, including every stage broadcast live, breaking service park news and expert studio analysis.

VIDEO

More NewsChief judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled Friday that WikiLeaks founder and journalist Julian Assange will face a trial in February 25 next year to determine whether he is extradited to the United States.

As far as Britains government and judiciary are concerned, the verdict is a forgone conclusion. Assange will be railroaded to Washington, where his persecutors will try him on 18 counts, including 17 under the Espionage Act, carrying a combined sentence of 175 years in prison.

Protesters demanding Assange's freedom

Westminster Magistrates Court was able to proceed after Conservative Home Secretary and party leadership contender Sajid Javid certified the US extradition request on Wednesday. This was just 24 hours after the Trump administration formally asked the British government to extradite Assange.

Looking visibly unwell, Assange appeared at court via video link. He initially had difficultly even telling the judge his name and date of birth. Assange was not able to appear even by video link at his last scheduled hearing, as he had been transferred to Belmarsh prisons medical ward due to a marked decline in his health.

The WikiLeaks founder was appearing before the court despite not being able to even see the extradition request filed against him by the US.

After hearing prosecutor Ben Brandon, for the US, and a statement from Assanges legal team, Arbuthnot ordered a full extradition hearing, expected to last five days, to begin on February 25. The entire hearing lasted less than half an hour.

Arbuthnot had no right to preside over the hearing as her impartiality has been questioned. She is the wife of ex-Conservative MP, junior defence minister and government whip Baron James Arbuthnot. He was chair of Parliaments Defence Select Committee in 2005-2014 and a director of Security Intelligence Consultancy SC Strategy Ltd. Two other directors of the private consultancy are Sir John Scarlett, the former head of Britains foreign intelligence service, MI6, and Lord Carlile.

A cross-party peer, Carlile was a former independent reviewer of UK government antiterrorism legislation, who has repeatedly defended the extraordinary scope of the antidemocratic powers of the UK intelligence agencies. In 2015, he called for an end to the demonisation of the intelligence agencies. SC Strategy was formed in 2012 and by 2015 Scarlett and Carlile had received 800,000 between them for offering commercial advice on UK policy and regulation.

Protesters demanding Assange's freedom outside the court

In February last year, when Assange was still in the Ecuadorian embassy, Arbuthnot upheld a UK arrest warrant and threw out irrefutable arguments from Assanges legal team explaining why he had been forced to breach bail conditions in 2012. Assange sought political refuge at the embassy, which he was granted under international law, because he feared that he would be extradited to the US on trumped-up espionage charges. No one who is not part of a conspiracy to silence Assange can now deny that his fears were well founded.

Brandon laid out the reasons why the US is seeking to lock Assange away forever. The case is related to one of the largest compromises of confidential information in the history of the United States, he declared.

What Assange had in fact done was expose the war crimes of US imperialism to the worlds population.

Brandon continued that Assange had published on the internet, via WikiLeaks, Afghanistan war-related significant activity reports, Iraq war-related significant activity reports and US State Department cables containing names of human intelligence sources who provided information for the United States and coalition forces and to United States diplomats.

WikiLeaks had damaged the work of the security and intelligence services of the United States of America. It damaged the ability of the armed forces of the United States of America to carry out their tasks and endangered the interests of the United States of America abroad.

Brandon also accused Assange of seeking to crack a US defence network password, in collusion with US whistleblower Chelsea Manning. This is a key element of the US plan to extradite Assange, as it brands Assange as a hacker, rather than as a publisher and journalist. Invoking the Espionage Act against those who publish or report leaked information is an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment of the US constitution, protecting freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Assanges defence lawyer, Mark Summers QC, said to Arbuthnot that the case being concocted against Assange was an an outrageous and full-frontal assault on journalistic rights. The defence faced substantial obstacles in mounting its case as Assange was in prison, had no access to a computer and could only see legal documents if they were posted to him. Summers said the US timetable for a trial in February was therefore optimistic.

After Arbuthnot had waved through the demands of the US, without bothering to address any of the difficulties raised by Summers, Assange demanded clarity on the nature of the accusations against him. Protesting the deliberations, he said that he had not yet been able to see the paperwork containing the US case against him. He was immediately interrupted by Arbuthnot who said, they only received it yesterday in any event.

Assange said, I heard this gentleman who represents the United States say something and yesterday I was told that the BBC was reporting that I was wanted for computer hacking in the United States. My understanding is that this is false. The US government does not allege that WikiLeaks hacked anything I understand there has been quite a lot of false reportage.

He asked if it was possible for the court to clarify that he or WikiLeaks did not hack anything. Brandon replied that one of the counts against him was for alleged computer intrusion and that this would equate to hacking under UK law.

Taking her cue from the prosecution, Arbuthnot dismissed all legal concerns, saying, My understanding now is that there is a hacking allegation. She then told Assange, I think the problem is that we are all working on the basis of papers that were delivered yesterday and that they are quite substantial and no one, let alone your representatives, has got fully on top of them.

Assange replied defiantly that 175 years of my life is effectively at stake and there has been significant mis-reportage.

I didnt break any password whatsoever, he insisted. WikiLeaks is nothing but a publisher.

Arbuthnot refused to allow any further discussion on Assanges important statements. She closed the hearing by saying to Assange cynically, No doubt the press will report accurately what has been said today. Im sure they will, and in due course you will be able to see the allegations for yourself.

Jennifer Robinson (centre) speaks to media after the hearing alongside journalist and Assange defender John Pilger and (left) Fidel Navaez, a former consul of Ecuador to Britain

Outside the court, Jennifer Robinson from Assanges legal team said that the US indictment, if successful, would have a chilling impact on journalism and publishers all over the world. Assange was being pursued in retaliation for him making public truthful information about the United States, including evidence of war crimes, human rights abuse and corruption the world over.Under the pressure of massive and outspoken opposition among students and residents, the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education voted on Friday, June 14, to reject the demand from newly installed Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to shut down the only high school in this Western Michigan city.

In recent weeks, thousands of students, teachers and Michigan residents have voiced their outrage at the governorwho ran for office as pro-educationand her insistence on disbanding the school. Benton Harbor High School (BHHS) students, as well as those at the alternative school, would be scattered to some 10 other districts, some as far as 30 miles away.

The head of the state teachers union, which represents educators in the district, has endorsed the shutdown. Michigan Education Association (MEA) President Paul Herbart, arrogantly dismissing the growing outrage in the community, called the plan the best solution for students and families and a bold solution that will put Benton Harbor students on a path to success.

Herbarts remarks were contrasted by sophomore Dadrainana McFall, who said at a rally to save the school, I dont have anywhere else to go. This is my hometown. Benton Harbor created me. I dont want the school to close. Her statement was echoed by dozens of others.

The State of Michigan is utilizing Benton Harbors accumulated $18 million debt to blackmail the district, saying that it would eliminate $12 million of the debt only if the district acceded to the demand for closure. Otherwise, it threatened, the entire district could be shut down and replaced with charter schools. While she claims to oppose for-profit charters, Whitmer named former charter school executive Doug Ross as a senior adviser on educational attainment last February. Dissolving the district would require approval from the state legislature.

Whitmer traveled to the city in June, telling residents that the districts financial and academic crisis required the schools so-called temporary closure. My hope is that the district has phenomenal academic outcomes for K-8 and that we reboot the high school in Benton Harbor, Whitmer said. We shed the debt, we get the academics on the right path, and we rebuild a high school opportunity. She called it a matter of facts, science and the needs of the children.

None of students or residents believe in the temporary nature of such a shutdown. In 2013 the state dissolved the Buena Vista Schools and Inkster Public Schools over a similar mass opposition by residents. The measure forced thousands of students into charters, most for-profit entities.

I hope our voices mean something, Benton Harbor parent Apollonia Williams vehemently disagreed, telling Whitmer. We have been lied to. We cant trust anyone right now. We have had people come talk to us about what this is going to be, and they turn around and do another thing. ... There is not one parent who wants this high school closed, she added, according to the Detroit News.

Since Whitmer laid down the states ultimatum, hundreds of students and residents have jammed school board meetings seeking to save their school district. Last Tuesday, students organized a march of community members and students, while an online petition calling on the state to forgive the debt currently has over 12,000 signatures. Student group Peace4Life has won wide support by calling for a 90-day period to create a plan for the revitalization of the school.

The school board is now calling on state officials to negotiate an alternative agreement. The states jurisdiction will end June 30 when a 2014 state-imposed consent decree expires and control of the schools will revert to the locally elected school board.

For their part, however, school board members and media including the Detroit News have gone out of their way to characterize the conflict as a racial one, stating that the predominantly black Benton Harbor students were being transferred to neighboring white districts. The deliberate promotion of racial animosity is calculated to cover over the fact that Benton Harbor schoolslike those across the statehave been systematically starved of fundinglocally, statewide and nationally. Moreover, the growth of social inequality and the predominance of low-wage jobs have impoverished large swathes of the population, both black and white, across Michigan.

Western Michigan, the site of Benton Harbor, is home turf for the school-privatizer-in-chief, US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos who, through her massive campaign donations, has long played an outsize role in squeezing public schools financially while promoting vouchers, charters and other forms of privatization.

Long years of budget cuts and declining student enrollment have resulted in a situation where starting salaries for teachers in Benton Harbor are at an impossibly low $34,000. Poverty-level wages have made it difficult to attract or retain educators, resulting in about 40 percent of the positions being filled by long-term substitutes who have lesser qualifications and must be reassigned every year. The district receives barebones per capita funding of only $7,871 per student, with $700 of that going directly to the banks in the form of debt repayment.

While Whitmer and other big business politicians make the lying claim that Benton Harbor High School or the entire district must be shuttered because of financial mismanagement or low test scores, the fact is, the city and its workforce have created hundreds of millions in wealth for its former main employer, Whirlpool.

The company was founded in the city over 100 years ago by Lou Upton. Today it boasts some $21 billion in annual sales and 92,000 employees. An international manufacturing behemoth, the corporation retained only about 4,000 executives and analysts in Benton Harbor after it boosted its bottom line in the 1980s by shutting its local factories and relocating in cheaper labor locations. As of the 2017 US Census, 48 percent of Benton Harbor lives in poverty, with a median household income of $20,157.

Meanwhile, the Uptons and their scions have dominated local politics, ensuring lavish tax cuts for the corporation at the expense of public services. Lous son David served as state representative and now grandson Fred, a right-wing Republican budget hawk with a net worth $7.3 million, continues the trend. He is also a beneficiary of DeVos campaign largesse.

In 2011, Whirlpool came up for a paltry $1.5 milliona drop in the bucketfor the Benton Harbor schools. Were part of the community, Jeffrey Noel, vice president for corporate communications, told the New York Times magazine, noting that the remaining employees are active volunteers around the cityan effort that costs the firm exactly zero.

The WSWS Teacher Newsletter calls for all workers and young people seeking to defend public education in Benton Harbor and beyond to establish their own, independent rank-and-file committees to fight for the resources that are so urgently required. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has, in a few short months, already demonstrated the bipartisan character of the attacks on public education across the state. Moreover, the MEAs criminal endorsement of the destruction of BHHS as well as the jobs of its own membership there reveals, once again, that the unions are in the pockets of the corporate elite.

The working class must put forward its own socialist solution to this attack. Rank-and-file committees should fight to unite Benton Harbor educators with teachers in Detroit and across the country and every section of workers, including autoworkers. Billions must be made available to rebuild the public school system and upgrade education, from pre-K through college, through the nationalization and expropriation of the billion-dollar banks and corporations, including Whirlpool, which are responsible for the impoverishment of society.In results announced Friday evening, workers at the Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee voted 833-776 against being represented by the United Auto Workers in a US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) supervised election. It was the second rebuff to the UAW by workers since 2014 at the plant, which builds VW Passat sedans and the Atlas SUV. In 2014 workers rejected the UAW by a 712-626 margin.

Fridays vote was the latest in a string of debacles for the UAW, including a 2-1 rejection by workers at the Canton, Mississippi Nissan plant and a similar 2-1 rejection by workers at Fuyao Glass America outside Dayton, Ohio.

The UAW quickly attempted to shift the blame for the defeat, citing management delaying tactics and unfair US labor laws. That is absurd. In the great industrial battles of the 1930s, workers fought and overcame far more formidable obstacles to organize. The fact is the UAW is rightly despised by workers for its unbroken record of betrayal.

The current NLRB election followed a series of arcane legal maneuvers by both the UAW and VW management. The dispute revolved around a small group of VW maintenance workers who voted to join the UAW in 2015. VW refused to bargain with the maintenance unit, insisting any union at the plant must cover all workers. The dispute was resolved by the UAW in typical cowardly fashion disavowing the maintenance unit.

Since 2014 the credibility of the UAW has suffered further devastating blows. In 2015 it forced through sellout contracts, over heavy rank-and-file opposition, expanding the number of super-exploited temporary part-time (TPT) workers at the Detroit automakers. The negotiations saw a historic 2-1 rejection vote by Fiat Chrysler workers of the first contract presented by the UAW.

Subsequently it was demonstrated that top negotiators for the UAW, including then UAW vice president Norwood Jewell, had taken bribes from Fiat Chrysler executives in exchange for signing sweetheart contracts. Former UAW President Dennis Williams and other top UAW officials have also been implicated in the scandal involving the siphoning off of millions from the funds of UAW-management training centers over several years.

The UAW continues to collaborate with the auto companies to cut costs and slash jobs. The UAW organized no opposition to the announced closure by GM of five North American factories, four in the US. Instead it has promoted anti-Chinese and anti-Mexican nationalism while lining up with the protectionist measures by the extreme right-wing Trump administration.

The complete contempt of the UAW for the elementary interests of workers was on display again this week when it shut down a strike by nurses it represents in Toledo, Ohio, forcing them back to work without releasing any details of the contract or the opportunity to vote. During the strike, the union ordered hospital support staff, who are also UAW members, to cross the picket lines of striking nurses.

UAW membership continues to plummet, despite the low official unemployment rate, falling eight percent in 2018 to below 400,000. That compares with 1.5 million members in 1979.

With negotiations for the 2019 contract with Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler set to begin in July, the UAW is attempting to dampen expectations, raising no substantive demands. Wall Street on the other hand is pushing for further attacks on autoworkers to shore up profits in the face of growing signs of recession. With wages stagnant for decades, auto analysts now point to gold-plated autoworker health care benefits as a target for attack, insisting that any form of decent health coverage is a luxury that must be scrapped in order to fatten investor portfolios.

Workers at VW, like those at the Detroit-based US carmakers, face overwork, insufficient time with their families, attacks on benefits, stagnating wages and the conversion of large parts of the workforce into contingent, part-time and third-party contract employees. Aerotek, a staffing agency, supplies between 30 and 40 percent of the workforce, according to one report. Indeed, only 1,700 of the plants 3,800 workers are eligible to vote in the NLRB election.

However, the UAW said nothing about ending the super-exploitation of these workers just as it sanctions the abuse of temporary part-time and contract workers at the Big Three auto factories. This was highlighted by the tragic death of Jacoby Hennings, a young TPT worker attempting to hold two jobs, one at Ford and one at Fiat Chrysler. Police and UAW officials claimed he killed himself at the Ford Woodhaven stamping plant after a still unexplained dispute with union officials.

In 2014 VW was pressing for the establishment of a works council at its Chattanooga plant, similar to ones it has established in Germany with the support of the IG Metall trade union to better discipline its workforce. However, under US labor laws VW would need to grant union recognition in order to establish a works council and openly campaigned in favor of the UAW.

The UAW gladly offered its services, signing an agreement declaring its utter subservience to the profit drive of VW. The union agreed to maintaining and where possible enhancing the cost advantages and other competitive advantages [Volkswagen] enjoys relative to its competitors in the United States and North America.

In spite of, or perhaps because of, VWs backing of the UAW, workers voted to reject the union in 2014. In the just completed NLRB-supervised election, VW management pulled back somewhat from the open support it gave to the UAW, stating its neutrality. But there is no doubt it would have embraced a UAW victory, working with its corporate partner to impose ever more draconian conditions while stifling opposition.

The vote this week at VW took place amid an ongoing upsurge of strike activity, both in the US and internationally. A massive general strike took place in Brazil on Friday. Teacher strikes and protests have erupted in a number of major cities including Los Angeles and Oakland, California. In January, 70,000 maquiladora workers began a series of wildcat strikes in Matamoros, Mexico. General strikes have also taken place in Algeria, Sudan, India and other countries.

Workers everywhere need fighting organizations democratically controlled and encompassing the broad masses of workers. The unions have long ceased to be genuine workers organization. Instead, in country after country they collude with the government and employers to destroy workers hard-won gains while promoting reactionary nationalism.

The World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter calls for the building of rank-and-file factory committees to be the genuine independent voice of workers. These committees should unite all workers, whether contract, TPT or full-time, in a common struggle to advance demands based on the needs of workers, not the profit requirements of management. To fight global corporations like VW, GM and Ford, which are destroying jobs throughout the world, US workers must link together with their brothers and sisters in Germany, throughout Europe and the world.

Workers face not just a fight against this or that greedy employer, but against an entire economic system, capitalism, based on the enrichment of a wealthy few off the labor of millions. In its struggles, the working class must be guided by a socialist perspective aimed at placing the banks and big industry in the hands of the working people for their common benefit. Workers interested in learning more are encouraged to read the Autoworker Newsletter.The Democrats and their allies have seized on an ABC News interview of President Donald Trump to renew their charges of disloyalty and collusion with Russia. The uproar follows Trumps remarks to ABCs George Stephanopoulos, in which he said he would be open to receiving information about his 2020 election opponent from a foreign country. Its not an interference, they have informationI think Id take it, Trump said.

The latest furor comes two months after the release of the Mueller Report, the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into a possible conspiracy between Trumps 2016 campaign and Russia and possible obstruction of justice in connection with the probe that followed his victory. Mueller found no illegal conspiracy and said that Justice Department rules prevented him from charging a sitting president with a crime such as obstruction of justice. He pointedly added, however, that his investigation did not exonerate Trump.

The Democrats response to the Mueller report and the special counsels public statement at the end of May has been to double down on the basic line of their attack on Trump since the 2016 election campaignthe fabricated claim that the Russian government intervened massively in the election to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton and elect Trump, making Trump, in the July, 2016 words of New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, the Siberian candidate.

With Trumps latest comments, they have sought to promote this theme even more shrilly, underscoring the entirely right-wing, pro-war basis of their opposition to the most reactionary president in US history.

Former Vice-President Joseph Biden, currently leading in the polls for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, tweeted, President Trump is once again welcoming foreign interference in our elections. This isnt about politics. It is a threat to our national security. An American President should not seek their aid and abet those who seek to undermine democracy.

Other aspirants for the Democratic nomination, including Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, chimed in. Bernie Sanders, speaking on MSNBC, assured his listeners that he would inform the FBI immediately if he were ever approached by a foreign national.

This is just the latest example of what Vice President Biden meant when he said that Mr. Trump is an existential threat to our country, former CIA Director John Brennan wrote on Twitter. Unfit to be President is a gross understatement.

California Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and one of the leading figures in the Democrats anti-Russia campaign, declared, The president has either learned nothing from the last two years or picked up exactly the wrong lesson, that he can accept gleefully foreign assistance again and escape the punishment of the law.

The Democrats appeal is to Wall Street and the military-intelligence complex, not to the mass of working people who are the victims of the tax cuts for the rich, the attacks on immigrants and the assaults on democratic rights that are being carried out by the fascistic demagogue in the White House.

The New York Times, which has been in the forefront of the Democrats anti-Russia campaign, wrote in a front-page article on Friday that the president had renewed questions about his willingness to profit from the aid of a hostile foreign power.

Washington Post Op-Ed columnist Jennifer Rubin went further than the Times, accusing Trump of treason. Trump is willing to betray his country to win reelection to the presidency, she wrote, demanding that Republicans come forward to defend American capitalism from the traitor in the White House.

Multi-billionaire and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg weighed in on his Bloomberg website, scolding Trump for failing to recognize the alleged danger of foreign meddling in Americas democratic elections. Ignoring his own massive spending to influence vote outcomes, the Republican-turned-Democrat focused on the unverified accounts of Russian social media spending amounting to, even if true and directed by the Kremlin, a small fraction of what Bloomberg and his fellow plutocrats spend regularly to buy electionsnot to mention the hundreds of millions spent by Washington to install and overthrow governments all over the world.

Trumps enemies in the bourgeois media are playing the patriotism card in different ways. Much was made of the fact that Trump contradicted his own FBI director when he told Stephanopoulos that Christopher Wray was wrong to say that any attempt by a foreign national to provide election dirt should be reported to the agency. A former FBI agent is quoted as declaring that it is demoralizing to some extent and confusing and, lets face it, unprecedented to have a commander-in-chief who has such a lack of fundamental understanding

The hypocrisy of Trumps Democratic Party opponents knows no bounds. Bipartisanship reigns on such issues as the persecution of Julian Assange, the regime-change operation in Venezuela, the buildup of the Pentagon and the preparations for war with China. There is little or no disagreement on meeting the demands of Wall Street, on so-called border security and the need to restrict immigration, or on the alliance with the blood-soaked regimes in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.While the Senate adopted the 2022 health bill on Tuesday, hospital strikes against the deterioration of the health system that began in March in Paris are now spreading throughout France.

Health Minister Agnes Buzyn and President Emmanuel Macron have turned down all the demands of hospital staff despite rising anger among workers. Already, Macron has refused to make any concessions to demands of yellow vest protesters that he put an end to his policy of austerity and war. He reacted by launching riot police against the yellow vests, leading to mass arrests of thousands of protesters, dozens of whom have been mutilated by the cops.

On Monday on the set of the BFM-TV news channel, faced with demands for an increase in staff and salaries, Buzyn dismissed out of hand the idea of a new salary increase for carers. She bluntly said, But when the concern is purely about wages whereas it is the entire system that doesnt work ... honestly, the problems wont be solved just because I pay you more.

Despite 400 million investments to create medical assistant positions and finance rural or territorial health care, the 2022 health project plans to cut 3.8 billion from health budgets. There is rising anger and concern among hospital staff, who fear a drastic deterioration in working conditions.

Hospital staff began striking in Paris in March, and these strikes have now spread to 95 emergency wards across France. Demonstrations are planned in Paris and in the provinces.

Faced with rising anger in the hospitals, the trade unions have called strikes to protest against the lack of resources at the University Hospital of Bordeaux, as well as of Libourne, Agen-Nerac and Pau. All hospital staff in the neurological and cardiological services at Albi are also on strike to demand a better quality of care and acceptable working conditions.

Staff at Lariboisiere Hospital, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, mounted a sickout in the night from Monday to Tuesday.

Terrified by this growing movement, the Macron government deployed police-state measures against hospital workers, with requisitions issued by the gendarmerie to deprive staff of their constitutionally protected right to strike and require a return to work. In the emergency room of Lons-le-Saunier, health workers were requisitioned by order of the police prefect. The authoritarian methods first used against yellow vests are being deployed against all workers in struggle.

WSWS reporters spoke to Fanny and Chloe, nurses at Saint Louis Hospital in Paris, who denounced the lack of beds and staff when there are more and more people who need them. Before, people arrived at the hospital, and we had beds for them in separate rooms, one said.

Chloe added: Over the past year, a year and a half, that has changed. There are no more beds, theyre full. People sleep on stretchers in the emergency corridor all night long.

Fanny pointed out that three or four years ago there was one caregiver for every 10 people, but now its one for every 14. The problem is money. There is money, but its the politicians who decide what to do and we the people, we have no power to decide. We dont feel anyone listens to us at all. Our work is not recognized in fact, but it is essential for the population. Our salary has not changed since 2010.

Fanny told the WSWS that they can earn almost 1,700 a month, but have to work on several public holidays and weekends. She compared the deterioration in the working conditions and living standards for hospital staff to that of other civil servants: My sister is a teacher. They always cut classes and there are more children in the classes. Its like us, because theyre closing down the services.

The WSWS also spoke to Maryline, who works as a doctor in Nancy. She said that ruling circles do not want to invest in hospitals. ... They are happy that public hospitals are deteriorating and that there are more private clinics, and that only those who can afford them can go to private clinics.

She added, There is now a crisis in the hospital system. They offer doctors 1,500 euros for 24 hours of work if they come to regions where there is a shortage of doctors. If someone doesnt come to work, theres a problem. But many employees have health problems, and in some services there are working conditions that are difficult, and people do not stay. Nurses are paid only 1,300 euros per month, but they have many responsibilities. We need more nurses and more caregivers. We cant treat people like this anymore. When people wait, their health deteriorates.

Fanny explained that there is plenty of money, but the Macron government and its predecessors are setting out to destroy social rights established by previous generations of workers struggles, looting the education and health system to extract more money from them. For the first time in 18 years, the Social Security system is running a surplus. This is due to the gutting of retirement pensions and family benefits in 2019 and 2020.

The policy adopted by the Macron government in its social dialogue with the union bureaucracies is deeply regressive. These austerity cuts in healthcare and the surpluses generated are used to finance Macrons tax cuts for the rich and to finance the massive military spending increases, so that France and the EU can wage neocolonial wars in Africa and the Middle East.

The creation of a public health service that meets the needs of the masses requires a broader struggle of hospital staff, mobilizing together with other sections of workers in France and internationally. To this end, workers must create their own organizations of struggle, independent of the trade unions, to defend social rights and lead a political fight against war and the police-state preparations.Following his recent re-election and swearing-in, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the strategically-located Indian Ocean nations of the Maldives and Sri Lanka last weekend. The trip underlined New Delhis increasingly aggressive pursuit of its great power interests in the region and its role as a US strategic partner against China.

Modi met with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, addressed the parliament and signed six agreements, including defense and maritime during the trip. One of the agreements involves the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force sharing white shipping informationi.e., prior information about commercial shipping. Modi and Solih also inaugurated a Maldives National Defence Force training facility and Coastal Surveillance Radar System.

A joint statement by the two leaders declared that they would remain mindful of each others concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region and not allowing their respective territories to be used for any activity inimical to the other.

This statement, along with Solihs reaffirmation of a so-called India First policy, reflects the sharp shift in the Maldives foreign policy following his election as president. Solih came to power last November after defeating the pro-China former President Abdul Yameen. The former Yameen administration had side-lined India while pledging support for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and several Beijing-funded infrastructure projects.

India, the US and EU repeatedly criticised human rights violations by the previous Yameen government and denounced its crackdown on the opposition, including former President Mohamed Nasheed and his Democratic Party of Maldives (MDP). These hypocritical concerns had nothing to do with defending democratic rights but were to undermine the presidents pro-China policy.

Solih was elected president after behind-the-scene manoeuvres by the US and India. He immediately pledged his support for India and began dismantling several Chinese projects. His government has also launched a so-called anti-corruption drive against Yameen and his top supporters.

Modi made a brief four-hour visit to Sri Lanka last weekend where he met with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse.

Sri Lanka is another country in South Asia where India backed a US-orchestrated regime-change operation. In January 2015, Indias ruling elite endorsed the moves to oust President Rajapakse and install Sirisena as president.

The US and India were hostile to Rajapakses close relations with Beijing, including the purchase of Chinese arms for the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and financial assistance for various projects from Beijing. The incoming Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration quickly adjusted Sri Lankas foreign policy away from China and in favour of the US and India.

Political tensions, however, escalated between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe. Late last year Sirisena attempted to sack Wickremesinghe as prime minister and replace him with Rajapakse. These moves were opposed by Washington and New Delhi, with the Sri Lankas Supreme Court in the end forcing Sirisena to end his efforts to appoint Rajapakse.

Last weekend Modi declared his solidarity with the Sri Lankan people over the devastating terrorist attack on April 21. While the Sri Lankan government and the opposition have seized on the terror attack to justify unprecedented police-state measures, sharp political infighting has erupted again between the Sirisena and Wickremesinghe-led factions.

The purpose of Modis visit was to send another clear message to Colombo that India is determined to maintain strong military and political relations with Sri Lanka. A statement issued by Wickremesinghes office said the Sri Lankan prime minister had held discussions with Modi on counter-terrorism cooperation, including more facilities for training Sri Lankan troops in combating terrorism, and expediting long-delayed Indian financed projects.

Reflecting the strategic concerns of Indias political elite, an Indian Express article by Raja Mohan declared that Modis visit to Male and Colombo offers the opportunity to firmly place the Indian Ocean island states into Indias regional geography [I]sland states and territoriesincluding the smallest pieces of real estateare coming into strategic play amidst the return of great power rivalry to the littoral.

India, Mohan added, needs to develop its own national capabilitiesespecially in the delivery of strategic economic and security assistance to the island states.

Working in tandem with Washington, New Delhis wants to dominate the vital Indian Ocean sea lanes between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Eighty percent of Chinas of oil imports are shipped through the Indian Ocean.

During the last Modi government, India opened its bases to US warplanes and ships under various logistical agreements and boosted bilateral, trilateral, and quadrilateral strategic cooperation with the US, and its principal regional allies, Japan and Australia. Washington and New Delhi calculate that control of critical Indian Ocean sea lanes will allow them to block key choke points, such as Malacca Strait between Thailand and Malaysia, in any military conflict with China.

Last month, against the background of sharply rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, warships from US, Japan, Philippines and India provocatively engaged in major naval engagements in the South China Sea. Under the pretext of freedom of navigation, six vessels provocatively passed through the area claimed by China and close to the Chinese mainland.

Like the US, India is hostile to Beijings Belt and Road Initiative. Chinas multi-billion project, which aims to link the Eurasian landmass, as well as Africa, both by land and sea, is to counter Washingtons increasing aggressive efforts to isolate China.

As Modi toured Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Indias new external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Bhutan, Indias north-eastern neighbour, and met with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Lotay Tshering.

India and China were involved in a tense confrontation for 10 weeks in JulyAugust 2017 over control of the Donglang Plateau (Doklam) near Bhutan. Both countries withdrew their troops, temporarily defusing the tensions, but none of the underlining issues were resolved. While there was no indication that Jaishankar discussed the Doklam dispute during his visit, New Delhi is determined to keep China out of Bhutan.

The Modi governments moves to strengthen its strategic relations in South Asia underline the sharpening geopolitical tensions between India and China, which are being further exacerbated by Washingtons aggressive actions in Asia against Beijing.Protestors gathered outside Westminster Magistrates Court Friday to support Julian Assange, who faced his third extradition hearing. The lively crowd kept up almost continuous chants of Hands off Assange!, No extradition and British justice is no justice.

Members of the Julian Assange Defence Committee and the Socialist Equality Party were joined by people who had travelled from across London and further afield, including two Yellow Vest protestors from France.

Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to Lauri Love, who had successfully opposed his own extradition to the United States, charged with breaching government computers and obtaining data illegally.

Lauri Love

Ive already been through this process. Ive been through five or six hearings when the USA was trying to kidnap me.

Everyone said to begin with, theres no chance youre going to win, they always get their way. Its a completely unbalanced extradition treaty, there is no need for the USA to substantiate any evidence, because [then Labour Party Prime Minister] Tony Blair and [Home secretary] David Blunkett signed away that right to George W Bush.

But we won in the end because of a concerted campaign by supporters and getting coverage in the press.

Nobody should be a bystander or spectator in such an important case as this. I would encourage everyone to find their power, and reassert their power, attending hearings, writing letters, organising and sharing material online. Find your voice.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid who signed the extradition warrant should consider that there would be a gross violation of Julian Assanges human rights if he were sent to America. We wouldnt send a journalist who reported on war crimes to the country he was reporting on. To send Julian to a country where he would face the rest of his life in prison is wrong.

One of the principles of justice is that a defendant can meaningfully participate in their defence, otherwise its a sham, its a show trial. I dont think Assange can meaningfully participate in his defence in such a complex case if he is not allowed access to computers, to emails, with only very limited telephone contact permitted, and is in such poor health that he can barely get to a video screen. That is not justice.

It was horrific enough in my case, and I was at libertyI could organise and meet my lawyers whenever I wanted. But even then it was physically, emotionally and spiritually awful and Im still carrying the traces of that trauma. It will be immeasurable worse for Julian. All prisons are horrific, but Belmarsh is on the worst end of the scale.

Politicians say, Its for the courts to decide, thats their stock phrase. They can wash their hands of it, like Pontius Pilate. And were supposed to pretend the judges are impartial. But realistically, all matters of justice are political, and the final say about extradition is a political decision. A politician would put their signature on a piece of paper that would condemn Julian Assange to a lifetime of torture in the USA. That is why we cannot exempt ourselves from the process, it is political. To pretend otherwise is to allow injustice to happen.

Richard

Richard from Wandsworth, London, said he had come down to support Julian Assange because he was a true hero.

Hes done more for society than most other journalists combined. Hes published important documents, backed up by truth and facts. No fabrications, no misinterpretations. Thats why Ive come out to support Julian Assange.

I got involved by first looking at WikiLeaks on the Internet. But the first time I came out to protest is when they took him out of the embassy. That motivated me to say enough is enough. It was brutal, and it didnt have to be like that. Somethings not right, and people have to stand up, because if we dont, who will?

A lot of the politicians only look at things in terms of their own career. Its not about truth or justice.

This is only just the beginning. The more people that hear about it and realise the injustice of this case, the more people will turn up at the protests. People will gather in greater and greater numbers because it is truth that we are defending, not lies and not abuse. And if you cant stand up for truth, what can you stand up for?

This is not the first time that journalists have been under attack, but this is a new phase. Obama put more whistle-blowers away than anyone. And now Trump is following close behind, so you can see where this is going.

Look at the censorship on the Internet. They dont want the truth to get out, and theyre silencing everyone that speaks the truth.

Look at the Grenfell situation. There are still hundreds of buildings with unsafe cladding, two years later, on buildings across London and across the country. Theyre just trying to make more money out of the poor. Theyre trying to push the poor out of London.

Elsa Collins

Elsa Collins read out a personal statement to the demonstration, in which she said that people across the world will take up this fight against this grotesque injustice because the freedom of Julian Assange is our freedom.

Public officials and legal officials are abusing the system, violating national and international law, showing no regard for human life, no regard for human dignity, no regard for human rights.

I strongly condemn and denounce the collusion of the US government, UK government, Australian government, Swedish and Ecuadorian governments for waging a brutal war against a single journalist, the greatest journalist of our time, Julian Assange. All he has done is publish truthful information about US and allies war crimes, which the public have a right to know about.

John

John came from Geneva, Switzerland, where he had organised protests in support of Julian Assange outside the UN building. He wanted to be a part of the movement in Britain and had been following the case for years, ever since the Collateral Murder video was released. It reveals such appalling behaviour by the American government and its allies in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and all over the world.

An artist and musician, John said he was moving back to Britain so he could support the campaign to free Assange. People have to stand up, and I hope this movement grows and grows, and it looks like it is at the moment.

He had met people who did not support Assange because the dirtying of his name has been so effective. The smear campaign has been so effective that ordinary intelligent normally compassionate people have fallen into the trap and believe all the nonsense that has been printed about him.

Governments have been using this tactic throughout the whole of history.

The role of Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party was shocking. John said he didnt want people like him leading the country. If they cant speak the truth, all the time, then theyre not for me.

Corinno

Coranno is a Yellow Vest protester from Nancy in north-east France, who came to the protest by car with three others from Switzerland. She said, It's a very dangerous time for democratic freedom, for me, for my children. In France, there is no more freedom for the press anymore. With Macron, it's very, very difficult. For Yellow Vests its dangerous to go in the street, more so at every protest. In Montpelier, last week you could see a lot of people with blood on their heads.

Antonia said, Ive come down today because its important to demonstrate for Julian Assange. He needs us at this moment. We need to stand up and protect his rights as a journalist and publisher and remember the war crimes hes exposed.

Antonia

She added, Ive been involved in the Julian Assange campaign since his arrest. When he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy by the police, there was a flashback about WikiLeaks and all that hes exposed and I just wanted to know more, and I wanted to know what was going to happen to him.US President Donald Trump escalated the war threats against Iran Friday, insisting that Tehran was responsible for the damage done to two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman the previous day and vowing US retaliation for any Iranian action to shut the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Trump based his ignorant and belligerent remarks on a grainy, black-and-white video released Thursday night by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which directs US military interventions throughout the Middle East.

CENTCOM claimed that the video, apparently shot from a US spy plane, showed a small boat of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approaching one of the damaged tankers, the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, and removing an unexploded limpet mine attached to its hull. The video was touted as proof that Iran carried out attacks on the vessels and had sent the IRGC boat to remove any incriminating evidence.

In a Fox News television interview Friday, Trump declared, Well, Iran did do it, and you know they did it because you saw the boat.

He continued: I guess one of the mines didn't explode, and it's probably got essentially Iran written all over it. And you saw the boat at night, trying to take the mine off and successfully took the mine off the boat. And that was exposed. That was their boat. That was them, and they didn't want the evidence left behind.

He went on to denounce Iran as a nation of terror, adding that theyre in deep, deep trouble. He also told Fox News that if Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, its not going to be closed for long. The strait, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is a 21-mile-wide seaway through which 30 percent of all seaborne-traded liquid products pass, most of them petroleum-based.

The claims by Trump and the Pentagon that the CENTCOM video is some kind of smoking gun proving the culpability of the Iranian government in the apparent attack on the Kokuka Courageous and the second tanker, the Norwegian-owned Front Altair, is nothing of the kind.

Unsubstantiated is the claim that those depicted in the video were removing a limpet mine from the hull, not to mention that in supposedly doing so they were engaged in a coverup designed to conceal evidence of Iranian culpability.

The CENTCOM video recalls nothing so much as the incontrovertible proof presented by then Secretary of State Colin Powell to the UN Security Council in 2003 of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

The US claims were directly contradicted by he owners of the tanker shown in the video. Yutaka Katada, president of the Kokuka Sangyo shipping firm which owns the Kokuka Courageous tanker, told reporters Friday in Tokyo that the claim the ship had been damaged by limpet mines was false.

The crew are saying it was hit with a flying object. They saw something come flying toward them, then there was an explosion, then there was a hole in the vessel. Then some crew witnessed a second shot," Katada said.

To put a bomb on the side is not something we are thinking, he added, noting that the damage to the ship was above the water surface by quite a lot.

As for Trumps denunciation of Iran as a terror nation," the wholesale terror that has been inflicted upon the Middle East has the clear imprint of Made in the USA.

Successive US wars against Iraq, which culminated in the illegal invasion of the country and cost the deaths of well over a million people, have been followed by the wars for regime-change in Libya and Syria in which Washington utilized, funded and armed Islamist militias tied to Al Qaeda for the purpose of overthrowing the government of Muammar Gaddafi and attempting to overthrow that of Bashar al-Assad.

Now Washington is attempting to accomplish the same goal in relation to Iran, a far larger and more powerful country, with four times the land mass and more than twice the population of Iraq.

It has implemented what Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Thursday boasted was a campaign of maximum pressure designed to starve the Iranian population into submission. Having abrogated last year the 2015 Iranian nuclear accord reached between Tehran and the five permanent member nations of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, Washington has reimposed and sharply intensified crushing economic sanctions that threaten not only Iran but any country or company doing business with it. The aim, as the US has made clear, is to reduce Iranian oil exports, which count for the overwhelming share of the countrys export earnings, to zero.

These measures, carried out unilaterally and in direct violation of UN resolutions, are the equivalent of a full-scale economic blockade, an act of war.

Iran responded to the latest threats from Trump and the Pentagon, calling them alarming and worrisome.

Just before Trump gave his interview to Fox, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced Washington for having immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran [without] a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence.

On Thursday, Zarif called attention to the fact that the two tankers, one owned by a Japanese firm and the other carrying a Japanese-related cargo, had been struck precisely at the moment that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired, he said.

Pompeo, in his bullying speech at the State Department Thursday afternoon, declared insultingly that Zarif was trying to be funny. On the contrary, the Iranian foreign minister was merely hinting at the conclusion drawn by many around the world that Tehran would hardly be motivated to strike the tankers just as Abe was in Tehran crediting the Iranian government with abiding by the nuclear accord and forswearing the development of nuclear weapons. While there, he declared that major progress has been made toward securing peace and stability in this region. Japan had been one of the major purchasers of Iranian oil before last month when the Trump administration abrogated waivers that had been granted to several importing countries.

In examining the crime from the standpoint of the age-old detective maxim of Cui bono?, or Who benefits?, the answer is obvious: those who want to prevent Iran from reaching accommodations allowing it to loosen the economic noose tied around its neck by US imperialism. This includes both Washington itself and its principal regional allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, all of which are entirely capable of carrying out strikes on tankers in order to blame them on Tehran and set the stage for a catastrophic war.

The apparent attacks on the two tankers came just days after German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas traveled to Tehran with the aim of salvaging the nuclear accord repudiated by Washington and forestalling a region-wide war.

Maas promised Iran that Germany, the UK and France would soon put into operation a payment channel to sidestep US sanctions known as INSTEX, while warning that the European powers could not do miracles in the face of punishing US sanctions feared by companies that previously did business in Iran.

Germany and the other European powers--with the exception of London, which, as in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, is marching in lockstep with Washington--have voiced skepticism about the US charges of proof of Irans guilt in relation to the tankers and have called for de-escalation by both sides.

China, meanwhile, has rejected the US charges. Meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed that Beijing would deepen its ties with Tehran no matter what the situation in the region. He and Rouhani both placed central responsibility for the tensions on Washingtons unilateral abrogation of the nuclear treaty.

Washington is determined to blow up any attempts to circumvent its sanctions regime and clear the way for direct military intervention in Iran. This is the most likely motive for the tanker attacks.

This conclusion is borne out by an editorial published in the Wall Street Journal Thursday that stated: Lately, some have doubted the importance of the US role in the region. Two oil tankers in flames from torpedo attacks in the Gulf of Oman refute that view. The unavoidable fact is that Iran remains the primary threat to stability in the Middle East. The US is right to be there, in force and prepared to defend the interests of itself and its allies.

The Journal added that it was all the more important that the West unite in opposition to Iran's aggression. It would send the worst possible signal if in the aftermath of these attacks the Europeans buckled to Iran's military pressure.

Similarly, the Washington Post's David Ignatius, a columnist with close ties to the US military and intelligence apparatus, wrote in a piece published Thursday titled Is the Iran-US tinderbox about to ignite?: Trump has a new opportunity to broaden international support for his Iran policy after isolating the United States last year by abandoning the Iran nuclear agreement.

What is being prepared with the provocations in and around the Persian Gulf is a war that could quickly claim the lives of tens of thousands. An outright US invasion of Iran would require the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of US troops, forcing the re-introduction of the draft and creating revolutionary conditions in the US itself.

At the same time, as the tensions with Europe and China signal, such a bloody conflict would pose the direct threat of triggering a third world war.Former US President Bill Clinton travelled this week to Kosovo to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the end of NATOs savage bombardment of Yugoslavia, which lasted 78 days from 24 March to 12 June 1999. Behind all of the hypocritical festivities, topped off by Clinton receiving Kosovos Order of Freedom and describing the authoritarian and corrupt government in Pristina as an exponent of democracy and freedom, his visit had the character of a warmonger returning to the scene of the crime.

Clinton was joined for the ceremony by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former NATO supreme Commander General Wesley Clark, all of whom played a leading role in initiating the war of aggression against Serbia under the guise of standing up for human rights.

The ceremony took place twenty years to the day of the entry of NATO ground troops into the Serbian province of Kosovo on 12 June 1999, two days after Slobodan Milosevic ordered Serbian troops to withdraw. The imperialist military forces remain there two decades later to guarantee the stability of the tiny privileged elite represented by the regime of Hashim Thaci, a former Kosovo Liberation Army commander who has been accused of war crimes and has close ties to a Europe-wide organised crime network.

It has been my lifes biggest honour to have stood with you against ethnic cleansing and for freedom, proclaimed Clinton during the ceremony. Never forget, when you think of the challenges ahead of you, and I say that to your existing leaders, you have already done something amazing. You have given a whole generation the first 20 years of their life in peace.

What cynical nonsense! Far from being motivated by concern over alleged acts of ethnic cleansing, which were quickly proven after the conflict to have been massively inflated, Washington and its allies incited the bloody war to pursue their own predatory economic and geopolitical interests. It was the culmination of the imperialists strategy, begun with Germanys recognition of the independence of Croatia and Slovenia, to dismember the Yugoslav state so as to consolidate imperialist domination over the Balkans, regardless of the devastating consequences this had for the regions population.

Clinton and his fellow warmongers in Britain and Germany used the charge of ethnic cleansing against Milosevic to justify their bloody onslaught. In the corporate-controlled media, lurid claims were made that Milosevic, who was likened to a modern-day Hitler, was ethnically cleansing Kosovo Albanians on a mass scale. Some reports even asserted the astounding figure of 100,000 Albanians killed. In reality, the number of deaths when NATO intervened was later estimated at not more than 2,000-3,000. The ruthless air war claimed some 2,500 casualties and injured 12,000 more, according to Serbian statistics. Moreover, the aftermath of the conflict produced ethnic cleansing carried out by the imperialist-sponsored KLA, which drove large numbers of Roma and Serbs out of Kosovo.

Clintons bluster about freedom and peace is no less nauseating. The former US President was speaking in a tiny, landlocked state which, more than ten years after unilaterally proclaiming its independence from Serbia, remains the poorest country in Europe. Unemployment stands at over 30 percent, with youth joblessness rising to 50 percent. Average wages are little more than $400 per month. Its government relies on NATO troops to maintain control over this social powder keg, which has threatened to ignite with workers strikes and protests over unpaid wages and collaborates with unelected European Union officials to implement policy. What freedom is this for the vast majority of the population of Kosovo, not to mention workers in Serbia, who confront the devastating consequences of NATOs bombardment on a daily basis due to the lack of infrastructure and jobs in their cities and towns two decades after their bombardment?

As the World Socialist Web Site noted in a perspective marking the 20th anniversary of NATOs launching of the war, the 78-day assault, which destroyed factories, schools, bridges, and hospitals sought to bomb the Serbian population into submission to US and Western European imperialisms domination of the Balkans.

The war represented a further escalation of American imperialist violence around the world, which erupted in 1990 with the launching of the Gulf war and would accelerate rapidly following the decimation of Serbia to engulf Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011) and Syria (2011-present), to mention only the most prominent examples. The explosion of US militarism during the past quarter-century of war has claimed the lives of millions, forced tens of millions more from their homes, and devastated entire societies. Moreover, NATOs eastward expansion to Russias borders, and the US military build-up in the Asia-Pacific, has raised the very real prospect of all-out military conflict between nuclear powers, chiefly Russia and China.

Contrary to Clintons fatuous claims, none of these wars were waged for freedom or democracy. Rather, the eruption of US militarism had deep objective roots in the crisis-ridden capitalist system, and in Washingtons protracted economic decline vis-a-vis its chief rivals in particular. Believing that its time had come following the Stalinist bureaucracys dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US ruling elite sought through military force to overcome the weakening of its economic hegemony.

However, the bogus humanitarian propaganda now regurgitated by Clinton served a very real purpose, enabling broad layers of the formerly pacifist middle class to make their peace with imperialism. In Germany, which joined its first foreign military intervention since the downfall of the Third Reich, the war was overseen by a Green Party Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, who during the 1960s and 1970s participated in the radical student movement.

As David North wrote at the time in his pamphlet After the slaughter: Political lessons of the Balkan war, With the exception of Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britainwho had virtually no political history until he was selected by Rupert Murdoch to head the Labour Partyall the other major leaders of NATO's war would have claimed, earlier in their lives, to be opponents of imperialism. President Clinton, as everyone knows, avoided the draft, puffed marijuana, and publicly proclaimed his hatred of the US military. Javier Solana, the social democrat who had opposed the entry of Spain into NATO, is now the general secretary of the military alliance. The German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder spouted Marxist phrases as leader of the Social-Democratic youth movement and opposed the deployment of Pershing missiles only 15 years ago.

This shift was a reflection of broader social processes, above all the fabulous enrichment of a layer of the middle class that had once played with socialist and revolutionary politics. Organizations like the US International Socialist Organization, Frances Ligue Communiste Revolutionaire (LCR, later the New Anti-Capitalist Party), and Germanys Left Party rapidly emerged over subsequent years as open champions of imperialist wars, as shown by their efforts to justify the bloody NATO onslaught against Libya in 2011 and the US-instigated civil war in Syria.

While these political scoundrels continue to employ fraudulent human rights rhetoric to justify aggressive wars led by US imperialism and supported by its European imperialist allies, there is deep popular opposition to the impending threat of a much broader conflict among the major powers. It will hardly have escaped the notice of working people around the world that the very day Clinton was uttering his absurd platitudes about freedom and democracy in Kosovo, current US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was employing the very same language to lay the groundwork for war in the Middle East against Iran.

In remarks at the State Department Thursday, Pompeo denounced Iran for its aggression against freedom-loving nations and portrayed the regime in Tehran, which has been targeted with economic sanctions tantamount to a declaration of war and a military build-up of US forces by the Trump administration, as a danger to peace and security.

The decisive lesson of the Kosovo war and what has followed is that the advanced preparations for an even bloodier conflagration can be stopped only by an international working class-led movement to oppose war and its source: the capitalist profit system.Asia

India: Sanitation workers in Chandigarh protest wages and conditions

Sanitation workers from Lions, a leading municipal road sweeping company, demonstrated in Chandigarh, capital of Indias Punjab state on June 10, over salary arrears and severe working conditions. The workers protested and chanted slogans outside the municipal council office.

The demonstration was supported by the Safai Karamchari Union, the Door to Door Union, All Contractual Karamchari Sangh and several other unions. Workers are demanding wages be paid on the 7th of every month and all outstanding salary increases be paid. Workers also demanded an end to the severe exploitation of all contract and outsourced workers.

While the demonstration ended after Mayor Rajesh Kalia promised to fulfil workers demands, no details have been provided about when this would occur.

Telangana community health workers demand fixed salaries

Hundreds of the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) community workers protested outside 25 District Collectorate offices in Indias Telangana state on June 10 to demand fixed salary levels and the payment of five months outstanding wages. The workers, who are currently paid on a below-poverty level activity-based remuneration system, also demanded better working conditions and basic welfare provisions.

The protest was supported by members from the Telangana Voluntary and Community Health Workers Union and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Police arrested around 100 workers involved in the mass state-wide action.

Swiggy food delivery workers demonstrate in Hyderabad

Swiggy food delivery workers protested outside Telanganas Labour Department office in Hyderabad, the state capital, for several days beginning on May 31. The demonstration was organised by the All India Trade Union Congress.

Workers said that the company has reduced payments from 35 to 25 rupees for each delivery and called for job security, payment of two million rupees accident insurance to the families of each worker killed in accidents, pension facilities, continuation of a previous incentive policy, payment of an additional 30 rupees for each late-night order and an end to management harassment.

The Swiggy workers said that they were not paid what they were promised and pointed out that 20 workers had been killed in recent accidents.

E-sevai and Aadhaar enrolment workers protest in Tamil Nadu

Nearly 1,000 E-sevai workers and Aadhaar enrolment workers held a hunger strike protest in 20 district centres across Indias Tamil Nadu state on May 31 to demand payment of outstanding salaries and better working conditions. The workers have been fighting over these issues for the past five months.

The E-sevai and Aadhaar enrolment workers are employed by the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV), a government-run company, which offers a variety of services including proof of identity and address documents for ordinary people. E-sevai centres are outsourced to private contractors who hire the workers on contract basis.

While the government previously paid E-sevai workers 7,600 rupees ($US107) per month, seven months ago this was reduced to about 4,000-rupees. Neither the Tamil Nadu state government nor the TACTV has given any reason for the pay cut. Workers have also not been given their Employees State Insurance (ESI) card even though money for ESI was deducted from their salaries.

The UNITE union, which covers these workers has demanded full payment of all salaries, with back pay for the past seven months, provision of workers ESI cards, and a fixed monthly payment of 18,000-rupees, the prescribed minimum wage by the central government.

They also want employers to provide or pay for all necessary stationery, which is currently paid for by the workers.

Hundreds of Pricol auto-part workers demonstrate in Tamil Nadu

Auto parts workers demonstrated outside Pricols Coimbatore plant in Tamil Nadu on May 30 to demand reinstatement as ordered by the Madras High Court.

Over 290 workers were dismissed following their strike action last August. The dismissed workers are members of the Kovai Mavatta Pricol Thozhilar Ottrumai Sangam (KMPTOS) affiliated to the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU).

Bangladesh fishermen and boat owners protest

Hundreds of fishermen and their families, and the fishing boat owners in Chittagong demonstrated last Sunday and Tuesday to demand the government withdraw a 65-day national ban on coastal fishing in the Bay of Bengal. There are about 375,000 fishermen along the 100km coastal belt from Mirsarai Upazila to Patenga in Chittagong.

The fishermen ended the protest after state officials and local members of parliament assured them that their demands would be raised in the parliament. The government ban, expected to be in force between May 20 and July 23, is supposed to ensure higher fish stocks.

Protestors on Tuesday told government authorities that they had 72 hours to lift the ban or face more militant action. One fisherman told the media that they never work in deep-sea areas and that the sea resources were never damaged.

The coastal fishing ban, which was previously limited to only 21 days, was suddenly expanded without any warning. The Bangladesh government cynically offered 40 kilogram of rice and 5 kilogram of lentils per month to compensate the ban. Fishermen rejected this denouncing it as an insignificant amount.

Cambodian garment workers strike over conditions

More than 1,500 garment workers stopped-work and rallied outside the Sunrise Light Enterprise garment factory in Bavet city, in Cambodias Svay Riengon province, on Wednesday.

The workers had signed a petition demanding the right to elect their own representative; overtime payments for holiday and weekend shifts; a 10 percent reduction in production; the posting of signs in the factory in Khmer and Mandarin; a more lenient attitude to leave; health insurance; an end to arbitrary sackings, and the firing of a manager.

One worker told the media that if the company did not meet their demands, the workers would continue to strike.

Australia and New Zealand

Sydney ferry crew resume strike action

Sydney harbour ferry deckhands employed by the NRMA on its My Fast Ferry and Manly Fast Ferry services continued industrial action this month with a six-hour stoppage from 5 p.m. yesterday. The action, in a dispute over a new enterprise agreement, followed restricted two-hour stoppages in March and April.

The strike was sparked when the NRMA cancelled a meeting scheduled for Thursday following enterprise agreement negotiations on Wednesday. A spokesman from the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) said the strike follows six months of unresolved negotiations with the NRMA, which has failed address wage demands or offer a single permanent job to the casual workforce.

The Fair Work Commission last December rejected a workplace agreement for deckhands after finding that full-time shift workers were being short-changed by $136.37 per week and part-timers were being paid $36.32 below the award for a 12-hour week. Workers are demanding more permanent full-time positions, regular shifts and higher wages.

New Zealand: Thousands of disability care workers hold one-day strike

About 3,000 workers at IDEA Services, which provides support for people with disabilities, will hold a nationwide 12-hour strike on Sunday. The strike is an escalation of industrial action that has already involved four one-hour strikes since April.

The workers, who are members of the E Tu union, are demanding better working conditions, including better levels of staffing to improve safety and reduce workloads. A press statement by E Tu says workers are also concerned about job security. The union has applied for formal facilitation by the government to settle the dispute.

New Zealand retail workers vote on industrial action

Staff at the Farmers department store chain are voting this week and next on possible industrial action. Workers have held partial strikes and pickets at stores across the country in recent weeks. FIRST Union has not said what options for industrial action are being presented to workers.

About 20 percent of Farmers employees are paid the minimum wage of $17.70 an hour. Many are paid little more than this. Workers claim the companys performance assessment system is rigged to keep wages down, regardless of how well workers have performed. The union is calling for workers to be paid a living wage, which is designated by the unions as $21.15 an hour.The New York Police Departments disciplinary trial of Officer Daniel Pantaleo for his chokehold killing of Staten Island resident Eric Garner on July 14, 2014, has concluded. The prosecutionthe citys Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)and the defense had until June 14 to submit closing statements.

The trial is being conducted by NYPD Commissioner of Trials Rosemarie Maldonado, who will make a recommendation for Pantaleos punishment, if any, that might range from the loss of vacation days to his firing from the NYPD. The final decision will be made by Police Commissioner James ONeill.

The death of Garner occurred after police arrived at a street corner near Staten Islands eastern shore and attempted to arrest Garner for selling cigarettes illegally. Garner, who felt he was being harassed, objected. Pantaleo wrestled him to the ground and applied a chokehold to Garner, who cried out 11 times, I cant breathe!

Garner, who received no medical attention at the site of the killing, was pronounced dead at a hospital. Chokeholds, defined as pressure to the throat or windpipe, which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air, were banned from NYPD use in 1993.

A bystander, Ramsey Orta, video-recorded the incident on his cell phone. It became a mass political phenomenon on YouTube and other media sites. It generated outrage around the world and particularly in New York Citys working class, which has had direct and frequent experience with NYPD killings and the hated stop-and-frisk policy.

Although the citys coroner pronounced his death a homicide, a Staten Island grand jury empaneled by then-District Attorney Daniel Donovan refused to charge Pantaleo with a crime. He has never faced any criminal charges for his violent and illegal actions.

Garners case, along with other high-profile police killings in 2014, such as that of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, led to large-scale demonstrations by workers and students across the US. New York City saw some of the biggest demonstrations since the anti-war protests of 20032005.

For the last five years, Pantaleo has been on modified desk-duty in the department and has logged more overtime pay than he did as a patrol officer.

The conduct of this months police trial was thoroughly undemocratic. It was held at the fortress-like One Police Plaza NYPD headquarters in lower Manhattan. The exact charges leveled against Pantaleo have not been made public. Seating for the public is limited, and no images of any kind may be made, including sketches by professional court artists.

Christopher Dunn, a lawyer for the New York Civil Liberties Union, told the media: There is already a concern that the process is not an objective process, that its controlled entirely by the police department, that the judge is actually just a puppet. When the court proceedings take place inside the Police Department, that just adds to the perception.

The NYPD is under no obligation to announce the results of the trial and the media may only be able to discover if Pantaleo is disciplined at all by accessing public records. The fact that Pantaleo is being prosecuted by the CCRB only adds to the farcical character of the trial. The CCRB, an independent agency of the city government and not a part of the NYPD, could prosecute Pantaleo only by the consent of the NYPD. The CCRB has no power to punish officers and can only make recommendations.

Nevertheless, the trial proceedings, at which Pantaleo himself refused to testify, have revealed the brutality and thuggery of the NYPD and its utter disregard for the lives of the poor and the working class in the most populous American city.

The very first reaction of the NYPD to Garners death was revealed by an exchange between Sgt. Dhanan Saminath, who texted to his superior, Lt. Christopher Bannon: Hes most likely DOA [Dead on Arrival]. He has no pulse. Bannon texted back, Not a big deal. These four words summed up the attitude of the NYPD, and, indeed, of the Democratic-run city government, toward the death of Eric Garner.

Bannon later testified that Pantaleo was one of the best officers Ive supervised. It was left to Garners mother, Gwen Carr, to remind the media that Pantaleo had several complaints filed against him.

In 2015, an NYPD internal review ordered disciplinary charges. None were filed until 2018.

Despite the denials of Pantaleos lawyer, the commander of the NYPD Police Academy, Deputy Inspector Richard Dee, testified that Pantaleo had indeed applied the illegal chokehold.

Floriana Persechino, the coroner who examined Garner and pronounced his death a homicide, with photographs of the autopsy revealed in detail the hemorrhaging to four layers of Garners tissue, reiterating that Pantaleo asphyxiated him, triggering a process in Garners body that led to his death.

The Justice Department has made no civil rights violation charges against Pantaleo. An attorney for the DOJ was seen leaving the trial after it was revealed that Pantaleo would not testify. The DOJ has until July 18 to files such charges, which could carry in a prison sentence.

Leading Democratic Party politicians have accepted the legitimacy of the police trial and made no calls for federal civil rights prosecution.

On The Brian Lehrer Show earlier this month, Mayor Bill de Blasio, now a presidential candidate, was questioned on his views on the trial. He said: Im not going to in any way shape or form be disrespectful to that process, and said the ultimate decision on Pantaleo would be made by the police commissioner, who would be very, very mindful and think in terms of fairness and justice.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents a district in Queens, has only tweeted that Garners death should be treated with the gravity that human life deserves. His life was not disposable. This member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who recently dropped her call to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, made no condemnation of the NYPD, of police violence or called for the federal prosecution of Pantaleo on civil rights violations.

Judge Maldonado now has 90 days to recommend disciplinary action against Pantaleo.The brutal murder on Wednesday of 20-year-old Brandon Webber by US federal marshals is the latest eruption of police violence in a country where youth and workers are gunned down on the streets by uniformed killers with numbing regularity.

Webber, the father of three and a student at the University of Memphis, was, according to eyewitnesses, shot up to 20 times after he had been handcuffed and subdued by marshals who had come to his home to serve felony arrest warrants. Webber, an African American, was the third victim of homicidal police violence in Memphis so far this year.

Just two days before, in the far northeastern corner of Tennessee, a young white man was killed by police in a strikingly similar manner. Police went to the home of Terry Frost, 32, in rural Sullivan County to serve him with an arrest warrant. As with Webber, police claim that Frost used his vehicle as a weapon as he attempted to escape. Sheriffs deputies opened fire and killed him.

Between the killing of Frost on Monday and that of Webber on Wednesday, it was announced Tuesday that the Memphis police officer videotaped last year killing unarmed Terrance Carlton, 25, as he lay on the ground in a fetal position, will face no criminal charges.

On Wednesday evening, heavily armed Memphis riot police attacked several hundred angry residents of the Frayser neighborhood where Webber was killed, firing tear gas into the faces of unarmed youth and workers. Three people were arrested, including one who was charged with inciting a riot.

The media emphasized the claims of the authorities that 25 police officers were injured, none seriously, by rocks and bottles thrown by protesters. Mayor Jim Strickland, a Democrat, told a local television station that a violent response to any police shooting was absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Every year in America, some 1,000 people, overwhelmingly working class, are killed by police. According to a database compiled by the Washington Post, Webbers death is the 406th police killing so far in 2019.

It is just short of five years since the police chokehold killing of Eric Garner in New York and the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri sparked a wave of protests across the country. But in the subsequent years, the toll of police killings has only risen.

The conditions in Memphis, a city of 650,000 people, and particularly in the Frayser neighborhood, exemplify the underlying economic and social conditions behind the reign of police violence in working class communities throughout the United States. In 2011, the Census Bureau declared Memphis the poorest big city in America. Median household income in the city is $38,826, and the poverty rate is 26.9 percent.

In Frayser, the poorest neighborhood in Memphis, the corresponding figures are $31,065 and 44.8 percent.

Like scores of US cities, Memphis was hit by factory closures in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving communities such as Frayser economically devastated, with nothing but the toxic waste left behind by shuttered plants to serve as a reminder of vanished jobs.

Police violence is an expression of the acute class contradictions that permeate a society dominated, behind the increasingly tattered trappings of democracy, by a wealthy and criminal corporate-financial oligarchy. The police serve as a front line of state repression in a country where the richest three billionaires have more wealth than the bottom 175 million Americans combined, and where the entire political establishment and both of its major parties are focused on propping up the stock market by pumping trillions more into Wall Street, paid for by slashing jobs, wages, pensions, health care and education.

A quarter-century of endless war abroad, waged to protect the global interests of the oligarchs, has its domestic counterpart in the militarization of the police. Billions of dollars worth of military hardwaretanks, helicopters, armored vehicles, droneshas been handed over to state and local police departments in recent decades. Like the redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top of society, the process has been presided over by Democrats no less than Republicans.

The Trump administration has formally adopted a policy of preparing for war against Americas great power competitors, beginning with China and Russia. The strategists of this policy speak of total war, involving centrally the militarization of the home front and suppression of social and political opposition. Hence Trumps open encouragement of the police to get tough and his setting up of concentration camps for immigrants. The Democrats remain virtually silent on the persecution of immigrants, while overwhelmingly voting for massive increases in Pentagon spending.

With the police killing in Memphis and the eruption of protests, the purveyors of racial politics are once again seeking to obscure the fundamental class questions underlying police brutality and present the issue as purely a racial matter. Pamela Moses, founder of Memphis Black Lives Matter and a candidate for mayor, told Time magazine that police are supposed to be trained to apprehend without deadly force, but when it comes to us, we always have to die.

As a matter of fact, more whites are killed by police than blacks, although the latter, along with Hispanics, are killed at a disproportionate rate. According to the Washington Post list, of the 181 police killings so far this year in which the race of the deceased is known, 82 were white, 52 were black and 44 Hispanic. Astonishingly, police killings have taken place in 46 of the 50 states, including in such largely rural, sparsely populated and overwhelmingly white states such as Vermont and Wyoming. What the vast majority of victims of police violence have in common is not their race, but that they are working class.

While racism no doubt plays a role in police attacks on minorities, the basic reason that blacks and Hispanics are so frequently victimized is that they make up a disproportionate percentage of the most impoverished and oppressed sections of the working class. With few exceptions, it is not wealthy blacks and Hispanics who are subjected to police terror.

The role of racial and other forms of identity politics is to divert attention from the real source of police violence and repression, as well as poverty, inequality and war, i.e., the capitalist system. Politically, it serves to divide the working class and channel social opposition behind the Democratic Party, a party of Wall Street, the military-intelligence complex and privileged sections of the upper-middle class.

It was the African American, Democratic President Barack Obama who expanded the program of military arms to the police and repeatedly intervened on the side of the police when challenged in court for illegal and unconstitutional violations of civil liberties. Under Obamas watch, with only the rarest exceptions, killer cops got away with murder without even being charged. Trump bases his naked support for police violence on the foundations laid down by his predecessor.

The police are part of what Engels called the special bodies of armed men that comprise the capitalist state. They cannot be reformed by adding more minorities or more civilian oversight. The state is not a neutral body. It is the repressive arm of the ruling class.

Under conditions of mounting economic, social and political crisis of the capitalist system in the US and internationally, and a growing movement of the American and world working class against social inequality, the ruling elite in the US and every other country is turning more and more openly to dictatorial forms of rule.

Youth and workers who want to fight against the plague of police violence and murder must turn to the growing movement of workers of all races and nationalitiesto the teachers, health care workers, industrial workers who are striking in the greatest numbers in decadesand fight to unite them on the basis of a struggle for genuine equality and democracy under socialism.The Alliance for Freedom and Change (AFC) called off its protest campaign and general strike earlier this week in exchange for some vague promises of concessions from Sudans junta.

The AFC has handed the initiative to the Transitional Military Council (TMC), which ousted long-term dictator President Omar al-Bashir in April in order to prevent the overthrow of the entire regime.

The nationwide general strike had brought cities across the country to a virtual standstill for three days after the weekend, just days after the TMC ordered a bloodbath to disperse the months-long mass sit-in outside the defense ministry headquarters in Khartoum on June 3.

The sit-in gave expression to workers and professionals determined opposition to the junta despite its threats and intimidation. It prompted warnings of an imminent civil war.

Since then, the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an offshoot of the notorious Janjaweed that ruthlessly suppressed the rebellion in Darfur, have killed at least 120 protesters, including 40 whose bodies were dumped in the Nile River and 19 children, injured nearly 1,000 and arrested hundreds.

Among the opposition leaders arrested was Yassir Arman, who had returned to Sudan in May to take part in the talks with the junta despite facing a death sentence. He had been detained after the military broke up the sit-in and deported by helicopteragainst his willto South Sudan, along with two other oppositionists. The TMC had earlier announced that the three had been released.

There were reports of many rapes. Khartoum has been in lockdown, the University of Khartoum ransacked, and electricity and the internet switched off.

The TMCs deputy leader and RSF chief, Lieutenant General Hamdan Dagalo (known by his nickname Hemeti), who has ambitions of stepping into al-Bashirs shoes, had justified the brutal crackdown by blaming the protesters for causing chaos.

The Alliance for Freedom and Change consists of 22 opposition organisations, including the Sudan Professionals Association, coalitions of political parties, Girifna (We have had enough, a movement of young people), the Forum of Sudanese Tweeters and the families of the Ramadan martyrs (28 of the Baathist officers who, following a failed attempt to overthrow Bashir during Ramadan, were summarily executed by the Islamist security services in 1990).

It has called for the withdrawal of the militias from Khartoum and other towns, an international investigation into the bloodbath, the lifting of an internet blockade and the establishment of a civilian transitional government.

The bourgeois and petty-bourgeois layers represented by the AFC, regardless of their differences with the TMC, offer no way forward for the workers and poor in Sudan. A civilian-led transitional government in alliance with the military, while giving them a greater share in Sudans national cake, would continue to represent the interests of the countrys capitalist elite and its enforcers in the military.

This venal clique presides over a country where at least 80 percent of the 40 million population lives on less than US$1 per day, with some 5.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance in 2018, an increase of 700,000 compared to 2017, and around 2.47 million children suffer from acute malnutrition.

The TMC is riven with dissent, having admitted there have been at least two coup attempts since al-Bashirs ouster, with two groups of officers, apparently supporters of al-Bashir, taken into custody. However, Saudi Arabias state broadcaster al-Arabiya denied this, claiming that most of them had refused orders to disperse the mass sit-in, while al-Hurra, a US-based Arabic channel, said that the officers had been arrested for holding opposing views to the TMC.

Following the militarys crackdown in the capital, there have been reports of clashes in other parts of the country, particularly the already-fragile and troubled regions of eastern Sudan and Darfur, where Janjaweed militia shot and killed nine people in the village of al-Dalij Monday.

In Eastern Sudan, there have been escalating tribal clashes and looting by criminal gangs in Port Sudan that have spread to the cities of Khashm el-Girba and Kassala and resulted in the deaths of more than 30 people. According to the Middle East Eye, it is widely believed that the TMC, RSF and agents of the deep state allied with it, are responsible for the tribal clashes and that the authorities released criminal gangs from prisons and allowed them to run riot.

The TMCs offer of concessions comes in the wake of several international developments: the African Unions suspension of Sudan, the UN Security Councils condemnation of the TMCs crackdown on peaceful protesters and mediation efforts by Ethiopia. According to Mahmoud Dirir, Ethiopias special envoy to Sudan, the TMC and AFC had agreed to resume talks soon.

Both the AFC and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the TMC chief, met separately with Washingtons newly appointed special envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth, and the assistant secretary of state for Africa, Tibor Nagy, dispatched to Sudan to help craft a peaceful solution to the crisis. Booth served as the US Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan from 2013 to 2017.

The US is determined to pressure the TMC for concessions to its own imperialist interests. Washingtons primary concern is to ensure that the uprising does not spread to its regional allies: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. These dictatorial and venal regimes, fearing their own working class and poor peasants, backed the junta and ordered the bloodbath.

The last thing the USand Europewant is instability in Sudan, strategically located in the Horn of Africa, alongside the Red Sea and the entrance to the Suez Canal through which much of the regions oil passes, and a new wave of refugees heading for Europe.

In a sop to the protesters, Sudans state prosecutors have charged former dictator al-Bashir with corruption and misuse of emergency orders and announced investigations into the financial dealings of leading officials of the former regime. The TMC has also retired 98 officers from the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) accused of cracking down on protesters while al-Bashir was in power.

The junta has also admitted that its security forces committed abuses when they attacked the mass sit-in in Khartoum, with its spokesman announcing an investigation into the violence and the arrest of several military officers for the violations.

These concessions urged upon the TMC by international mediators can and will be revoked at the drop of a hat. They are a trap for the Sudanese working class. Complicit in this treachery are Britains fake leftsthe Socialist Workers Party and the Socialist Party and their international affiliateswho have called for Sudans revolutionaries to negotiate and ally with sections of the officer corps.

They likewise supported the Egyptian Revolutionary Socialists, which backed the Egyptian militarys ouster of elected President Mohamed Mursi, paving the way for General Abdel Fattah el-Sisis bloodbath and repression more ferocious than that of his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.

Sudans struggle takes place amid a growing wave of working-class militancy throughout the Middle East and North Africa, exemplified by the strikes and demonstrations in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

The only way to establish a democratic regime in Sudan is through a struggle led by the working class, independently of and in opposition to the liberal and pseudo-left forces in the middle class, to take power, expropriating the regimes ill-gotten wealth in the context of a broad international struggle of the working class against capitalism and for the building of socialism. This requires the building of a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the World Party of Socialist Revolution, in Sudan.Yesterday, accused terrorist Brenton Tarrant appeared in the Christchurch High Court via video-link from Aucklands maximum security Paremoremo prison. He pleaded not guilty to 51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of committing a terrorist act, in relation to mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques on March 15.

In his manifesto The Great Replacement, posted online shortly before the attacks, Tarrant indicated his intention to plead not guilty and use the trial to espouse his racist and fascist views.

More than 100 people crowded into the courtroom, including family members of those killed and survivors of the attacks. There were gasps of disbelief from the public gallery as his lawyers entered the not guilty pleas. The accused remained silent and reportedly smiled during the hearing. His microphone was muted, so he would not have been heard even if he had spoken.

Another preliminary hearing has been set down for August 16, but the trial itself will not begin until May 4, 2020, more than a year after the attacks. Defence lawyer Shane Tate said he expected the trial to last three months. Judge Cameron Mander believed it would take six weeks but accepted it could be longer.

There is widespread anger that the Christchurch atrocity, New Zealands worst-ever mass shooting, was allowed to occur. Tarrant made numerous violent threats on social media and far-right online forums, over several years. He was reported to Australian police in 2016 for threatening to kill an opponent of the anti-Muslim United Patriots Front. Police in Melbourne dismissed the complaint.

Tarrant was able to travel the world freely and interact with fascist groups in Australia, Austria and France, before settling in New Zealand in 2017 where he obtained a gun license after passing a police background check. Police dismissed a complaint about racist and violent language by members of the Bruce Rifle Club near Dunedin, where Tarrant practised shooting.

Three months after the massacre, Australian and New Zealand police have not explained why they ignored these warnings.

The government of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is doing everything possible to whitewash the role of the state agencies and cover up the political roots of the shootings. The Christchurch attacks took place in the context of perpetual war in the Middle East, and the promotion of racism and xenophobia by the political establishment, including Arderns Labour Party.

A royal commission, ostensibly investigating whether the Christchurch attacks could have been prevented, began one month ago but is being held in secret. The inquirys main purpose is to cover up the role of the police, Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in turning a blind eye to the danger posed by right-wing extremism. The public can have no confidence that it will be told what was known about Tarrant, and when and by which agencies.

The victims families were not consulted in drafting the royal commissions terms of reference. The Islamic Womens Council and other Muslim organisations were also ignored.

Since the attacks, several Muslims have spoken to the media anonymously about being approached by the SIS and asked to spy on their community. Many have also reported being routinely stopped and treated like criminals while entering and leaving the country. It is possible that some of Tarrants victims, many of whom were immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries, were themselves the targets of state surveillance. New Zealand has never experienced any attacks by Islamic terrorists but there have been murders, assaults and threats by neo-Nazis.

The National Partys Chris Finlayson, the minister in charge of the intelligence agencies from 2014-2017, told Radio NZ on June 7 that the issue of the far-right when I was the minister never came to the forefront of the agencies concerns. The current minister responsible, Labours Andrew Little, stated shortly after the attacks that the SIS only began to seriously look at the far-right in mid-2018 and had not reached the point of identifying any particular groups or individuals when the Christchurch attacks happened.

Defending the agencies, Finlayson said lone wolf attacks were very hard to identify. Radio NZ did not challenge this assertion, even though it is clear that Tarrant was part of an international network of fascists. He corresponded with the racist Austrian Identitarians and was well-known in Australian fascist circles, which are heavily monitored by police and intelligence agencies. The gunman corresponded with the Australian-based United Patriots Front and the Lads Society, which tried to recruit him in 2016.

To maintain the fiction that Tarrant was a lone wolf and therefore could not have been stopped, public discussion of his connections with far-right groups and political motivations has largely been suppressed.

New Zealands Chief Censor banned Tarrants manifesto, with the threat of 10 years in prison for anyone found in possession of it. Police have charged a handful of people, whose names have mostly been suppressed, with circulating Tarrants video of the mosque shootings and his manifesto.

The racist and anti-Muslim statements in the manifesto closely resemble the rhetoric of US President Donald Trumpwho Tarrant hailed as a symbol of white renewalas well as Australias One Nation and the New Zealand First Party, which plays a major role in the Labour Party-led coalition government. Labour has largely adopted NZ Firsts anti-immigrant policies.

The document also makes clear Tarrants sympathy with the police and military and his hatred of Marxism and socialism, which is shared by the political establishment.

In an unprecedented decision, New Zealands major media outlets agreed to self-censor their coverage of the trial, after Ardern urged journalists not to focus on Tarrant and vowed she would never mention his name.

A New Zealand Herald editorial yesterday said the newspaper would not suppress information needlessly but added that there will be no gratuitous coverage of the court proceedings, or the accused. It cited the agreement by five media organisations to avoid reporting any statements or any message, imagery, symbols or signals made by the accused or his associates promoting or supporting white supremacist ideology, including any references to the manifesto.

Far from being gratuitous, the gunmans motivations, and their political source, should be a major part of any genuine investigation of the attacks. The censorship of Tarrants statements and his manifesto has nothing to do with combating fascism or terrorism. The aim is to prevent the working class from understanding the political source of the Christchurch massacre. As workers seek to fight back against years of austerity, the ruling class in every country is responding by whipping up nationalism and promoting extreme right-wing forces, in order to divide the working class along national and ethnic lines, and to justify criminal imperialist wars.National parks are always a hot destination when summer comes around  but as millions of tourists hit the road this year to enjoy the great outdoors, experts say visitors should first study up on best safety practices.

According to Outside magazine, over 1,000 deaths have occurred at some of the most frequented parks in the country over the last decade, and just this year, four people have died in or around the Grand Canyon, which runs 277 miles through Arizona.

On March 26, the body of a Japanese tourist was found in the forest south of Grand Canyon Village, according to the AP. Just a couple days later, a male tourist from China fell hundreds of feet into the canyon while taking photos near the edge of Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation, PEOPLE confirmed. On April 3, a 67-year-old man from California died after falling from the edge near the Yavapai Geology Museum, CNN reported. Then a 70-year-old woman fell to her death on April 23, PEOPLE confirmed.

Brandon Torres, the branch chief of Emergency Services at the Grand Canyon, says for families planning to visit the park  which sees more than 6 million people visit each year  there are two things they should keep in mind before arriving: preparation and coming to terms with their own physical limitations.

Have in mind some of the activities that you might want to do, and if youre going to be hiking into the Grand Canyon, you really have to plan ahead, Torres, 47, tells PEOPLE. You have to have a fitness plan to get ready for hiking, especially if its a summertime activity because its super hot.

These high temperatures, Torres says, mixed with the elevation, can catch visitors off guard and make hikes much more strenuous than they may have anticipated.

The parks in the southwestern United States are all up on the Colorado Plateau, so were at this high elevation and lot of people dont realize that, he continues.

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The West Rim of the Grand Canyon | Justin Sullivan/Getty

The National Parks Service also has a website page dedicated to helping families plan a trip, and the park offers many opportunities for people to experience great views without putting themselves at very much risk.

There are great ways to visit Grand Canyon in the summer, especially if youre there during the hot months like the middle May to middle September, Torres says. Hiking the rim, staying up top, staying at the high elevation is gorgeous. There are paved trails all along the top. Theres also dirt trails. Both are fantastic ways to visit the Grand Canyon in the heat of the summer.

RELATED: Thinking About Visiting a National Park? Heres Everything You Need to Know for the Best Trip Ever

But for those who will want to explore a bit, Torres  who has worked at the Grand Canyon for 10 years and has been at the NPS for 20  says families need to be ready to adjust their plans at the first sign things are going awry.

Its all about decision making. Whats your plan if things arent going to plan? Well, maybe its time to turn around and change the itinerary a little bit, he explains. If your ankle is sprained, someone is hiking slower or someone has a headache, its really time to redirect and say this isnt going as to plan. Be ready to adjust based on whats going on that reality of the day.

Brandon Torres | Brandon Torres

In March, an Israeli teen died when he fell 600 feet while visiting Yosemite National Park in California. According to the Denver Post, the teen has climbed over a cliffs edge to get a picture and was shouted at to stop before falling. Some of the deaths at the Grand Canyon have also involved risky picture taking, and Torres asks visitors to be focused when theyre near the rim.

Theres been a couple of accidents where people took a picture and posed like they were going to fall off, and they really fell off, he recalls. You gotta be super focused about being next to the edge, and not just at the rim. Hiking down steep canyon trails, think about how much opportunity there is to fall off a trail. People dont tend to fall off the trails at Grand Canyon because theyre pretty focused. Theyre focused on what theyre doing.

RELATED: Grand Canyon National Park Is Turning 100! See All the Celebs Who Have Stood on the Edge

Still, Torres hopes people arent scared off by the stories of death at the Grand Canyon or other National Parks.

Its just a phenomenally big area of incredible landscape that changes with the light and changes throughout the day, he says of the parks natural beauty. I mean, you can be in the same place at three different times of the day and it looks completely different based on the lighting, and its super, super fun.It looks like 6ix9ine finally caught a lucky break, albeit a temporary one, with the dismissal of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

Last October, just weeks before he and five affiliates were arrested on racketeering charges, 6ix9ine made news for canceling a concert at the Washington, D.C. venue Echostage minutes before the show was scheduled to beginand for appearing as a surprise guest at Power 105's Powerhouse Concert at the Prudential Center in New Jersey that same night.

As a result of the no-show, 6ix9ine was sued last December by promoters Benhur Tesfalidet and Anton Alexander for $5.3 million. Also named in the suit were the rapper's soon-to-be codefendant Kifano "Shotti" Jordan; 6ix9ine's former manager Christian Ehigiator; husband-and-wife team Steve and Tashea Ferguson of MTA Booking, Inc. (a company 6ix9ine would accuse of stealing from him days before his arrest, claims they deny); another booking agent, Will Cornish; and iHeartMedia, the company behind the Powerhouse concert.

On Friday, the lawsuit, which was filed in D.C. District Court, was dismissed following a request by Tesfalidet and Alexander's lawyer. Alexander told Complex that they plan to continue their legal battle, however.

"Due to the developing news with 69s other major case[, n]ewly discovered facts affect some of our claims so we will be refiling to specifically address the additional facts and related claims," he wrote in an email.

Steve and Tashea Ferguson's attorney, Bruce DelValle, told Complex that he was happy about the outcome, and ready if the refiled charges include the MTA Booking heads.

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"[Steve and Tashea] actually stepped in to try to help the situation and try to get Tekashi to show up, which at that point in time in his career was becoming a more problematic issue than previously," he said. "It's in the category of 'No good deed goes unpunished.' They did nothing wrong. They were never paid any money. They were actually out money. They just got caught in the net with this promoter. We felt it was a frivolous lawsuit against our client. Clearly, there was some issue of whether Tekashi showed up like he was supposed to, but that had nothing to do with my clients. My clients were not the agents for Tekashi 6ix9ine. They weren't even the booking agents. They were just trying to help by getting the kid to show up. And what they got for that was a loss of some money and a federal lawsuit. So we're delighted that they decided to see the brighter light and dismiss the case. If they're foolish enough to refile, we'll go after them for fees and costs."

The now-dismissed complaint details a year-long struggle to get 6ix9ine to play a show in D.C. On Oct. 25, 2017, shortly after the video for 6ix9ine's breakout hit "Gummo" was released, Tesfalidet says he contacted the rapper's team to get him to play a show at the Bliss Nightclub for $7,000. After multiple cancelations and attempts to reschedule, the fee for the Oct. 28, 2018 performance at Echostage was upped to $60,000.

Following the controversy around the show's cancelation, 6ix9ine addressed the issue on Instagram Live. He said at the time that "the people did not pay me. They was working with some corrupt scamming fuckingWhoever saying they was in charge of me wasn't in charge. They paid some people that, the money never came to me. So I'm not going to a show I wasn't paid for." Tesfalidet claims in court documents, backed up by text messages, that he coordinated with Shotti to deliver $44,970 of the fee in cash, with the remainder having previously been paid during the multiple rounds of cancelations and reschedulings.

One fun detail revealed in the documents: the suit's exhibit A includes a rider for an early attempt to book the show at Echostage, for February 2018. 6ix9ine's provisions backstage were to be one bottle of Balvenie, one bottle of Macallan, two bottles of Hennessey, a 24-pack of Essentia water, and a fruit tray.If it seems like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is fighting for his political life amid a series of negative articles, it might be because he always is. The Sanders campaign is grounded in a principle that an absence of controversy would be the real indication of trouble.

Its not a cliche: Sanders is always, literally, embattled, among other things because his version of politics is a battle, a zero-sum clash of economic interests in particular. The way he fights is unique, says his campaign manager, Faiz Shakhir. He goes to Walmart and confronts the CEO over wages. He goes and stands with striking McDonalds workers directly.

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The latest brush-fire, a series of negative articles trumpeting a poll surge by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren as the latest indication of Bernies oft-predicted demise, is just par for the course.

Sanders this week gave a major address, explaining why he calls himself a Democratic Socialist. He did this in 2015, and after much discussion this spring it was decided he needed to do so again.

Speaking at George Washington University, Sanders described his campaign as a continuation of FDRs legacy, specifically the so-called Second Bill of Rights, as enumerated in the 1944 State of the Union Address. He plans on releasing an Economic Bill of Rights that will essentially provide government guarantees for a living wage, affordable housing, health care and a complete education. Echoing a famous line by Roosevelt, he talked about his confrontations with corporate interests.

They are unanimous in their hatred of me, and I welcome their hatred, he said, to cheers.

Unlike the last election, when the policy difference between himself and opponent Hillary Clinton was so great it scarcely needed explaining, Sanders in 2019 is running in a much-altered Democratic Party environment. In part due to his own efforts in 2016, and in part due to a growing movement driven by the likes of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others, hes now chasing the nomination in a field full of candidates expressing varying degrees of support for policies once considered radical: Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, free college, even a guaranteed income.

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This is an accomplishment on the one hand, but also a complication: How does Sanders stand out now in a political landscape that (policy-wise, anyway) has made wholesale moves in his direction since 2016?

In an odd way, Sanders defines his campaign by the negativity it attracts. Other campaigns that might talk the talk on issues like climate change cant be taken seriously, Bernie Sanders tells me in a phone call from Washington, D.C., unless they frontally confront the fossil fuel industry. If youre not embattled, youre not real. In this vein he derides the middle ground platform of someone like current frontrunner Joe Biden, which Sanders says antagonizes no one, stands up to no one, and changes nothing.

Asked why he chose this week in particular to give an address on Democratic Socialism, Sanders says the motivation was twofold.

The first is to try to move this country away from an austerity policy, he says. We must recognize that economic rights are human rights. People are entitled  and I underline the word entitled  to a decent job that pays a living wage. Theyre entitled to health care. Theyre entitled to a complete education, to affordable housing.

He goes on to elucidate probably the biggest difference between himself and Warren.

In the words of Roosevelt, he says, the Republic at the beginning was built around the guarantee of political rights. But he came to believe that true individual freedom cant exist without economic security.

Its time to guarantee economic rights. [FDR] said this 80 years ago.

Warren and Sanders have nearly identical critiques of how screwed up American capitalism has become in the global economy age. The main difference is that while Warren seems to want to fix the problem by re-invigorating those original political rights, Sanders wants to take what he calls the next step into guaranteeing economic security.

I ask him about the headlines of this week, and how he would best characterize the difference between himself and Warren, whom he describes as a friend. He answers by describing how he came to his decision to run.

I thought long and hard about this, he says. My wife and I thought about it for months and months. We talked about it more than we ever talked about anything else. Wed be sure of one thing on Monday, then Tuesday it would be different.

He pauses. I reached the conclusion that Im the strongest candidate to beat Donald Trump, but that wasnt all. I wouldnt just have to beat Trump  the goal would be to create a movement to fundamentally transform the country, so the future wouldnt be threatened by later Trumps, either.

Sanders then explains that the only kind of candidacy that could succeed now would be one like his own. It wont work, he says, unless you have the courage to take on the very powerful special interests that are entrenched and wield so much influence. If you want to fix the climate change problem, you cant do it unless you frontally confront the fossil fuel industry. You want to rebuild the infrastructure? You have to take on the 1-percent, get them to pay their share.

I believe from the bottom of my heart my approach is the only way, Sanders says. The middle of the road approach isnt going to cut it.

I asked him if hes settled into a psychological strategy for dealing with the media negativity, which seems relentless. Specifically, did he ever think about taking the Trump approach, and embracing the negative media, turning it to his advantage?

He laughs, but only a little.

Its hard, he says. My views on the press are nothing like Trumps. I dont believe that the media is the enemy of the people. Theyre not terrible people, its not fake news  there are a lot of great reports in the New York Times, we use their work every day here on the campaign.

But, he says, at the end of the day, the media work for huge multinational corporations. And as you know  youre one of the few who does know  anyone with my agenda is going to attract a lot of opposition. I mean, last time, I think in a day or two, we had 16 different negative stories in the same paper [the Washington Post].

As for finding a new way to handle it, psychologically, I think were getting there. I think were figuring that out.

Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.At least one person is dead after a gunman opened fire in a Corona, California, Costco on Friday night, with three more suffering injuries, according to reports.

A man witnesses described to KCAL as having a mohawk haircut was seen arguing with another Costco customer near the freezer section, where he pulled out a gun and opened fire.

The man responsible for the fatal shooting was apprehended with injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital by authorities, police report.

Three others were injured, including one off-duty police officer from another department, according to the Los Angeles Times. Their conditions were unknown as of Saturday, police said.

Costco

Witnesses described the chaotic moment when they heard the gunshots, with Christina Colis telling the Riverside Press-Enterprise that she heard at least six to seven shots and hid inside a refrigerated produce backroom alongside other Costco shoppers and employees.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Another shopper, Will Lungo, was with his wife inside Costco when he heard what he first thought was someone dropping a bottle of wine.

I thought maybe someone dropped a bottle of wine, but then I kept hearing shots, Lungo, 45, told the Press-Enterprise. An employee came in and helped us out through the emergency exit.

The victims identities have yet to be released, with the fatal shooting victims identity being withheld until the Riverside County coroners office notifies the family.

Authorities said shoppers and employees rushed out of the stores exits once the gunshots were heard, with witnesses reporting over 100 people fleeing the store.A 4-month-old Ohio boy reported missing in May was found dead Wednesday at the bottom of a 30-foot well, and his parents face charges, PEOPLE confirms.

Dylan Groves is believed to have died in March, the Scioto County Sheriffs Office announced Wednesday after his body was found in the well in Otway, Ohio.

Both Jessica, 39, and Daniel Groves, 41, face multiple charges including abduction, kidnapping and interference of custody.

Authorities say Dylans short life was troubled. When he was born, he had drugs in his system and was put into the custody of childrens services. He was later placed back into the custody of Daniel after the dad completed the requirements to regain custody. But shortly after regaining custody, Daniel allegedly missed court dates, home visits and doctors appointments.

On May 3, after making several attempts to locate Dylan and Daniel, the boys caseworker contacted authorities and asked for help.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

After three weeks of being unable to find the family, deputies located Daniel and Jessica near their home riding a four-wheeler. When deputies approached the couple, they allegedly fled into the woods, and they were not arrested.

On June 10, deputies executed a search warrant for Daniels home and took Jessica into custody without incident. Daniel, however, barricaded himself inside the home, leading to a six-hour standoff before he was arrested.

Through their investigation, authorities came to believe Dylan had been dead since late March. It remains unclear how he died and the parents have not been charged in connection with his death.

Jessica is being held on a $100,000 bond and Daniel is being held without bond. It is unclear if they have attorneys to comment on their behalf.

Dylans body has been transported to the Montgomery County Coroners Office for an autopsy.A friend who had helped slain former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins with her most recent campaign has been arrested in connection with her death.

Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, 48, of Pocahontas, Arkansas, is in custody with criminal charges pending, police said in a statement Friday.

The arrest comes weeks after Collins, 57, was found dead of a gunshot wound in her Pocahontas home on June 4.

The investigation is presently at a critical juncture and no further information will be released at this hour until authorities are confident it will not compromise the integrity to the criminal case, the statement read.

Collins, who formerly went by Collins-Smith, and ODonnell were friends, and ODonnell had helped Collins with her most recent campaign, her former communications director Ken Yang confirmed to PEOPLE.

Collins family issued a statement following news of the arrest, and expressed disgust that someone so close to the Republican was connected to the crime.

RELATED: Former State Senator Linda Collins Family Shares Their Anguish a Week After She Was Shot and Killed

This evening our family received news that an arrest was made in connection to the ongoing investigation. We are sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda, would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime, the statement read.

The family is very confident that the Randolph County Sheriffs Department and the Arkansas State Police will continue to work diligently to bring justice to this case. We would like to thank everyone for the continued prayers and thoughts for our family during this difficult time.

It is unclear if ODonnell has retained an attorney who could comment on her behalf.

RELATED: Former State Senator Linda Collins-Smith Found Dead, Death Being Investigated as a Possible Murder

Yang said Collins neighbors had heard several gunshots a day or two before her body was discovered, wrapped in some sort of blanket, according to KATV.

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Her body had reportedly already started decomposing upon its discovery, making it difficult to identify her.

In a statement issued a week after her death, Collins family praised the late politician as someone always willing to listen and help others, regardless of political affiliation.

We are surprised, upset, angered, and saddened by this event and are at a loss for words in describing the feelings and emotions that we are currently going through, Collins family wrote. Linda would want all of us to be strong for her during this trying time.

Let us honor her memory, of all the wonderful things she said and did for so many people, regardless of political views or otherwise, they added. She was always there to listen and to try to help where she could. She would always go above and beyond for people in need.

She is survived by son Butch Smith, daughter Heather Tate Williams and three grandchildren, according to her obituary.

Her funeral took place Saturday morning at the Sutton Free Will Baptist Church, and was followed by a private family burial.

Collins, who switched from the Democratic to the Republican party in 2011, served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2010 to 2012 and represented Randolph and Sharp counties (District 80), according to her website.

She also served as a former member of the Arkansas State Senate, where she represented District 19 after being first elected in 2014. In the primary on May 22, 2018, Collins was defeated.

In addition to her roles in the Senate and House, the politician also served on several committees, including Revenue and Taxation; City, County, and Local; and Energy, and was the Arkansas House Chair for the American Legislative Exchange Council.

According to her Twitter bio, Collins identified as a Christian Conservative; Pro-Life, Business, Family, Guns, Veterans, Better Education & Patriot.

Just two days after her passing, another former Republican state senator, Jonathan Nichols, was found dead in his Norman, Oklahoma, home from an apparent gunshot wound.This stunning dad and daughter photo shoot gives us all the feels originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

A father and daughter posed together in a heartfelt photo session just in time for Father's Day.

Shelby Rademacher, 16, and her dad, William Rademacher, partook in the session June 1 featuring dad's beloved Ford Bronco.

"We talked about it a few times and honestly we both loved the idea of a father/daughter photo shoot especially if the Bronco was included," Shelby of Cache, Oklahoma, said. "We always have so much fun together and knew we would make this a good time."

PHOTO: Shelby Rademacher, 16, and her dad, William Rademacher, partook in the shoot on June 1, 2018, featuring dad's beloved Bronco. (Hailey Faria Photography)

PHOTO: William Rademacher, 48, said the photos were taken in Lake Lawtonka, Okla. (Hailey Faria Photography)

Shelby is entering her senior year of high school and is exploring options for colleges.

Because her time at home is limited, Shelby wanted to document the bond she and her dad share.

William Rademacher, 48, said the photos were taken in Lake Lawtonka, Oklahoma. He and his daughter have a close relationship and share so many great memories together, he added.

PHOTO: Shelby Rademacher, 16, and her dad, William Rademacher, posed together in a heartfelt photo session just in time for Father's Day. (Hailey Faria Photography)

"Having been in the military and away for several deployments, I wanted to make sure we maintained our close relationship," he told "Good Morning America."

"Unexpectedly, the emotion hit me as I was telling stories about Shelby [during the photo shoot] and realizing college was coming fast and a good possibility she would not be home with us every day."

PHOTO: Shelby Rademacher seen in an undated family photo with her father, William Rademacher. (Rademacher Family)

Linda Rademacher, Shelbys mom, said she is pleased with how the pictures turned out. "The two of them have a great connection, but to see it in the photos is awesome," she said. "Very touching.

Photographer Hailey Faria said she had never seen a dad and teenage daughter photo session before snapping these pictures.

PHOTO: Shelby Rademacher, 16, and her dad, William Rademacher, partook in the shoot on June 1, 2018, featuring dad's beloved Bronco. (Hailey Faria Photography)

"They happily agreed and I became a mere spectator watching a father tell stories from the past, talk about what he will miss most when she leaves and a vision to what my future may hold," she added.

Shelby said she hopes to become a neonatal intensive care nurse.

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PHOTO: William Rademacher and Shelby Rademacher, 16, pose together in a heartfelt photo session just in time for Father's Day. (Hailey Faria Photography)

For Father's Day, the family plans to fix dad one of his favorite meals and possibly taking a drive out to the Wichita Mountains.

(Editor's note: This article was originally published on June 13, 2018)Yahoo Life Videos

Brooke Burke shares her anti-aging tips to reset after the holidays and kick off the new year feeling fabulous  at age 50 and beyond. In a surprising twist, her picks do not include any magic creams or serums. Her priority? Hydration. Watch the video above to see her favorite things.Ecuadors highest court voted 5-4 to legalize same-sex marriage. Im very emotional. I almost dont have the words. Ecuadoria Equality Foundation Director Efrain Soria stated. Its a historic day for Ecuador, that the court finally has given its proper view that marriages between people of the same sex can be celebrated. Its impressive. Were very grateful. Soria filed a lawsuit with other LGBTQ+ rights advocates after his request to marry his partner was denied by a civil court. The couple is now reportedly planning a wedding after being in a civil union since 2012. Above all, were happy because it has given us back our human dignity, he said. Civil unions have same-sex couples have been recognized since 2008, but they dont provide the same inheritance and estate rights as marriage. Ecuador joins a wave of countries in South America to recognize same-sex marriage over the last decade, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. I think that today is a day to celebrate, local resident Stephanie Bonilla stated. Its a ruling that was made in honor of, in memory of, all those who dedicated their lives for the respect for love, the respect for human rights, because human rights are also for the LGBTI community. This video, "Ecuador Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage", first appeared on nowthisnews.com.One of the many joys of summer weekends is that it stays lighter later, which extends the al fresco cocktail hours, an especially useful perk while dominating the grill as those steaks and dogs slowly sizzle to perfection. And nothing makes time spent under a warm sun and over hot coals more enjoyable than sharing suitable snifters of premium spirits with friends. So here are five bottles to help make your meat master and sipping sessions even more memorable.

Bookers Backyard BBQ Bourbon

How can anyone fire up the grill without having a glass of Americas native spirit nearby, especially when it carries the mantra of the late Booker Noe, Jim Beams great grandson and the originator of Bookers, which is always bottled unfiltered and uncut. Appropriately, this latest limited edition, the second release in the 2018 Bookers Bourbon Batch Collection, is called Bookers Backyard BBQ, ($75) and carries an illustration of the Beams familys vintage barbeque grill. Dad loved hosting his famous bourbon-ques throughout the Kentucky summer, recalls his son, Fred, 8th generation Beam master distiller. These barbeques always included his famous pork chops flambeed with Bookers bourbon. Aged for 6 years, 2 months and 10 days and bottled at 128.8 proof, the spirit is loaded with maple, vanilla and cherry-oak notes. A splash of water or an ice cube is recommended.

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Don Julio Double Cask Reposado Tequila

If you cant decide between scotch or tequila, this new limited edition will solve your dilemma. After spending eight months mellowing in American white oak barrels, this reposado ($60) is then finished for an additional 30 days in casks that had previously been used for aging Buchanans Blended Scotch Whisky. Don Julio master distiller Enrique de Colsa spent nearly three years perfecting this innovation, which results in a smooth, buttery flavor rich in thick agave crispness with underlying hints of fruit  perfect for pairing with a grilled sausage nestled in a thick, warm roll.

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Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye

The muscular Knob Creek whiskies  one of the meatiest of the small batch bunch  retains its pre-Prohibition style characteristics with this Cask Strength Rye ($70). But dont confuse this limited edition with its distinctive copper colored disk affixed to the labelwith Knob Creeks Straight Rye Whiskey. This cask strength version takes rye whiskey connoisseurs into an entirely new realm. Aged for nine years in Warehouse A, the oldest standing rackhouse at the Jim Beam distillery, and bottled uncut and unfiltered at a back-slapping 119.6 proof, it is big, bold and spicy, thick with ryes distinctive gentle earthiness accented by charred oak, honeyed cherries and spicy citrus.

Bacardi Gran Reserva Limitada Rum

A blend of rums aged from 12 to 16 years in lightly toasted American oak barrels, this is the rum that has been traditionally served and savored by members of the Bacardi family. But beginning in 2003, visitors to the Bacardi visitor center in Puerto Rico were able to buy this Cuban-style limited edition. Wordand demandgradually spread and in 2010 it was finally made available in the United States. Now the Gran Reserva Limitada ($100) has been handsomely repackaged and given a sophisticated look that reflects its gentle candied oak, cedar and marzipan flavors. This is a rum to be sipped neat, ideally accompanied by a Fuente Hemingway cigar.

Glen Grant 15 Year Old Batch Strength Single Malt

James The Major Grant was an ingenious inventor, a charismatic entertainer and a world traveler. Just the person youd want to invite to your barbeque. Besides, he and his brother John owned a distillery. But that was back in 1840. Today, Dennis Malcom, Glen Grants current master distiller and one of the longest tenured master distillers in Scotland, might also warrant an invitation, because he crafted this 15 year old whisky ($80) at 100 proofbatch strengthto bring an intensified expression to the signature Glen Grant style. Distilled in 2007, matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, and bottled, non-chill filtered in 2017, the result is a single malt full of sweet citrus and toffee, accompanied by spiced pears, tangerines and vanilla, with a slightly nutty finish.

Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Yahoo Life Videos

"In the Heights" star Anthony Ramos has always been proud of his Puerto Rican roots. Now, the actor and musician is opening up even further about his own experience of being Latino in Hollywood and how its impacted his self-care practices. In a new interview with actress Becky G, Ramos speaks on why the machismo mindset is hurting men of color, his journey towards finding therapy and how he believes the industry tokenizes Latino performers.JetBlue inspires fanatical devotion among some fliers. And, later this year, the airlines biggest fans will be able to spend even longer aboard a JetBlue plane.

JetBlue has announced its longest route yet: a 6.5-hour flight from New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport to Guayaquil, Ecuador (known as the gateway to the Galapagos).

Today, the existing New York-Guayaquil market suffers from high fares and limited service choices, Andrea Lusso, JetBlues director of route planning, said in a statement. Broadening our service in Guayaquil will also help us grow our network and will introduce yet another incredible destination for JetBlue customers in New York while also expanding JetBlues international footprint.

Searching for round-trip airfare on JetBlues website shows round-trip flights from New York to Guayaquil starting in the mid $200s.

The route is more than 200 nautical miles longer than anything currently on offer from the airline. The new service, launching December 5, is possible thanks to JetBlues new Airbus A321neo fleet. The airplanes are capable of flying up to 4,000 nautical miles with improved fuel efficiency.

Guayaquil is not a new destination for the airline. It launched flights from Ft. Lauderdale to the Galapagos gateway back in February.

Earlier this year, JetBlue announced its intentions to cross the Atlantic, starting service from east coast cities to London. Nonstop service from New York and Boston is expected to begin in 2021, offering better service and lower fares than anyone, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes claimed earlier this year.Photo credit: Woman's Day

From Woman's Day

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING

1. WINNER SELECTION: Winners (individually and collectively, the Winner) will be selected on or about 08/19/19 in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. Each sweepstakes is a different drawing that must be entered separately. All the sweepstakes in these Official Rules are individually and collectively the Sweepstakes. In the event the Sponsor does not receive any eligible entries, the Sponsor has the right to cancel the Sweepstakes. Drawing will be conducted by Womans Day, whose decisions are final. Odds of winning will depend upon the total number of eligible entries received. In the event Canadians are eligible to enter as specified in the Eligibility paragraph below, and if there is a Canadian Winner, the Winner will be required to correctly answer a mathematical skill testing question as a condition of receiving the prize. Important Notice: You may be charged for visiting the mobile website in accordance with the terms of your service agreement with your carrier. Please consult your wireless service provider regarding your pricing plan. You must use a Smartphone device to participate via your mobile phone. Not all mobile phone providers carry the necessary service to participate. Check your phone capabilities for specific Internet instructions. If your data usage exceeds what is allotted by your data plan, you could be subject to additional fees by your carrier. Please contact your mobile service provider with any questions regarding your bill.

2. WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winner will be notified within one (1) month of the last day of the Sweepstakes, via e-mail, and/or at Sponsors discretion, via phone or postal mail. In the event the Winner doesnt respond to Sponsors notification or does not accept the prize within five (5) business days of notification, the prize will be deemed forfeited and an alternate Winner will be selected. In the event that any one or more potential Winner(s) fails to respond as stated above, declines the prize or fails to provide signed affidavits or releases, such Winner(s) will be deemed to forfeit the prize and Sponsor will select an alternate Winner(s) from the remaining eligible entrants. If any alternate(s) similarly fails to respond or declines the prize, Sponsor will use a reasonable number of attempts, in its discretion, to award the prize(s) to another alternate(s) but if it is unable to do so, the prize(s) will be finally forfeited and Sponsor shall have no further liability in connection with said Sweepstakes. List of Winner(s): For the name(s) of the Winner(s), send a separate self-addressed, stamped envelope to July/August 2019 Womans Day Win It Sweepstakes Winners List, Hearst Magazine Media, Inc., 300 West 57th Street NY, NY 10019 within two (2) months from the Winner notification date as specified above.

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Little, Brown Sweepstakes: Enter beginning 12:01 a.m. (ET) on June 15, 2019, through 11:59 p.m. (ET) on August 15, 2019 (the Entry Period). Go to womansday.com/giveaways on a computer or wireless device and complete and submit the entry form pursuant to the onscreen instructions. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR ENTRY WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM AND ENTERED YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. Prizes & Approximate Retail Value: Five (5) winners will receive a bundle of books including Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak; Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner; Summer of 69 by Elin Hilderbrand; and All the Lost Things by Michelle Sacks. ARV: $108. Total ARV of all prizes awarded: $540. Any difference between the stated ARV and the actual value of the prize will not be awarded in any form.

ENTRIES: Limit one (1) entry per person per day for each Sweepstakes. Multiple entries from the same person per day for the same sweepstakes will be disqualified. Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. If applicable, illegible, inaccurate, lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, mutilated, postage due or mechanically reproduced entry forms or entry forms that have been tampered with will be disqualified. Online entrants must have valid email address and it is entrants responsibility to update Sponsor of any change in email address. The mobile phone number and wireless service provider/carrier of mobile entrants (if applicable) will be automatically captured in the Sweepstakes database and all participation will be limited to that phone number unless entrant notifies Sponsor of a change. If there is a dispute as to the identity of an online or mobile entrant, the prize will be awarded to the authorized account holder of the email address or mobile phone. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person to whom the email address or mobile phone is assigned by an internet service provider, online service provider, carrier, mobile phone provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning the email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address or responsible for assigning the mobile phone number.

ELIGIBILITY: Legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their state or province of residence at time of entry are eligible to enter. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor, its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, independent judging organizations, and prize suppliers (and members of their immediate family and/or those living in the same of household of each such employee) are not eligible.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: Expenses not specifically included in prize description and all taxes are the sole responsibility of the Winner. Each prize is awarded as is with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied outside of manufacturer's limited warranty. No transfer, assignment or substitution of a prize permitted, except Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize for an item of equal or greater value in the event an advertised prize is unavailable. The Winner is required to comply with any and all applicable federal, state, provincial, if Canadians are eligible to enter, and local laws, rules and regulations. All federal, state and local taxes, and any other costs not specifically provided for in these Official Rules are solely the Winners responsibility. If the actual retail value of any Winners prize is $600 or more, the Winner must complete a W9 form and supply Sponsor with his/her social security number for tax purposes. An IRS Form 1099 will be issued in the name of the Winner for the actual value of the prizes received. Sponsor shall have no responsibility or obligation to the Winner or potential Winner who are unable or unavailable to accept or utilize prizes as described herein. Entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Sweepstakes. Winner may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release and where legally permissible a Publicity Release within seven (7) days following the date of first attempted notification. Failure to comply with this deadline may result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate Winner. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate Winner. Winner hereby further agrees that it will sign any documents necessary to transfer copyright of his/her submitted entry, if applicable, to Sponsor within seven (7) days following the date of first attempted notification. By entering, Entrant grants permission for Sponsor, and any of its affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, and prize suppliers to use the entrants submission (including an altered form of the entry), if any, for editorial, advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. If images are being submitted to Sponsor as a requirement for entry, Entrants agree that they have all rights to use the images submitted and to allow Sponsor, any of its affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, and prize suppliers to reuse any of the images, without any liability, for editorial, advertising and promotional purposes. Additionally, acceptance of the prize by Winner constitutes permission for Sponsor and any affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, and prize suppliers to use Winners name and/or likeness and biographical material for editorial, advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. By accepting prize, Winner agrees to hold Sponsor, its advertising and promotion agencies and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representative agents, successors, assigns, officers, directors, and employees harmless for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in the Sweepstakes or acceptance or use of the prize. Sponsor is not responsible for any printing, typographical, mechanical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Sweepstakes or in the announcement of the prize.

INTERNET/mobile: Sponsor is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor or presenter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, at any Web site, or via the mobile phone or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet or mobile phone portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt of affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right to select winners from eligible entries received as of the termination date. Sponsor further reserves the right to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Sweepstakes if it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception or other unfair playing practices or intending to abuse, threaten or harass other entrants. Caution: Any attempt by a participant to deliberately damage any Web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such participant to the fullest extent of the law.

DISPUTES/CHOICE OF LAW: Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by state or federal courts situated in New York, NY, (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (3) no punitive, incidental, special, consequential or other damages, including without limitation lost profits may be awarded (collectively, "Special Damages"), and (4) entrant hereby waives all rights to claim Special Damages and all rights to have such damages multiplied or increased. New York State law, without reference to New Yorks choice of law rules, governs the Sweepstakes and all aspects related thereto.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of these Sweepstakes is Hearst Magazine Media, Inc., 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019.

('You Might Also Like',)In 2018 and 2019, President Donald Trump met with Queen Elizabeth II, making President Trump the 12th sitting president to meet with Her Majesty. Beginning with her meeting with President Harry Truman in 1951 (she was still a princess at the time) her role in diplomatic relationships between the United States and the United Kingdom cannot be understated. However, one president since then has been left off this listbut why? In 1957, five years into her reign, Queen Elizabeth met with President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and in 1961, she hosted President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy at a state visit at Buckingham Palace held in the president's honor. That in and of itself was quite the eventhere's what really happened when Jackie Kennedy met Queen Elizabeth. After the queen hosted President Richard Nixon in 1960, she visited the White House in 1976 to meet with President Gerald Ford and hosted President Jimmy Carter at Buckingham Palace a year later.

Historia/Shutterstock

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan visited the United Kingdom, and the Queen returned the favor a year later when she attended a State Dinner with President Reagan in San Francisco. The Queen visited the United States again in 1991 to meet with President George H. W. Bush, and in 1995, President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton visited Buckingham Palace. The Queen met with the Clintons again in 2000. President George W. Bush met with the Queen in the United Kingdom in 2001 and 2003, and at the White House in 2007. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama met with the Queen several times during his presidency, and in 2009, made headlines with some broken royal protocol: the hug heard 'round the world. President Trump has now met with the Queen twice. But, did you notice we left one name off this presidential list? What happened with President Lyndon B. Johnson? It turns out, the Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, is to blame. Although Her Majesty likely would have met President Johnson if she had attended President Kennedy's funeral, those plans had to be scrapped as Queen Elizabeth was pregnant with Prince Edward at the time. Surprised by this piece of trivia? Then make sure to read on for even more surprising facts about Queen Elizabeth.The fight for abortion access continues in Alabama despite the states recent passage of the strictest abortion law in the U.S.

Nevertheless, Planned Parenthood persisted.

Construction on a new state-of-the-art Planned Parenthood clinic in Birmingham, AL, is reportedly continuing on schedule, according to the Associated Press. The new clinic, which will replace the current facility by adding several more exam rooms and office spaces, is expected to complete construction in November in spite of the seemingly tireless workings of abortion opponents.

We are a doctor that Birmingham has counted on for decades, and we are committed to continuing to provide that care, said Barbara Ann Luttrell, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based Planned Parenthood Southeast.

Construction on the new clinic began in January, months before the passing of the abortion law. The completion of the pre-planned construction schedule in November would make the clinics opening coincide directly with when the new Alabama abortion law is expected to come into force. However, several organizations, including Planned Parenthood, have filed lawsuits in order to block the law from taking effect.

Many believe the passing of Alabamas abortion law is a deliberate ploy by abortion opponents to allow for an abortion case to reach the now conservative-leaning Supreme Court and potentially overturn Roe v. Wade. The problem is that while the legal system takes its time (there are currently no court dates set for the lawsuits pertaining to Alabamas abortion ban), many women in Alabama may be stuck without access to abortions.

As construction continues on the new Planned Parenthood facility, only three abortion clinics remain operational in Alabama. The clinics are located in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Huntsville.

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Ivanka Trump Closed Her Fashion Brands, But She Earned Millions From Her Father's D.C. HotelFrom filmmakers in Nigeria to fashion designers in Senegal, Africas creative scene is bursting at the seams. And Rwanda, whose inspiring postwar transformation has ushered in a new wave of inventiveness, has a global influence that cannot be denied.

A quarter of a century has passed since the East African nation was torn apart by genocide. But from the depths of tragedy, the country has risen, becoming an international beacon of hope and progressivism. In the parliament, for example, women hold more than half the seats  the largest share of any country. And in 2016, the country made headlines when it became the first to deliver essential medical supplies via drone. Rwanda was also one of the first countries to ban plastic bags, and its ambitious climate plan will transform the nation into a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy by 2050.

Now, Rwandas creative class is finding its footing  though not without considerable strain. For one, this young generation of artists has been burdened with the profound responsibility of defining Rwandan art. This carving out a new identity necessitates confronting the past, reckoning with hard truths about the countrys history and mourning those lives and legacies lost. It also requires re-learning the traditions and techniques that formed Rwandas artistic bedrockno easy feat, given that 79 percent of the countrys population is under 35. Then there's the larger, more historically sweeping fight that unites most, if not all, African artists: to change the Western hemispheres attitudes and perceptions about the continent, which have largely revolved around the sad and familiar narratives of conflict, poverty, and trauma.

So what is the picture of Rwanda that this new generation is painting? And how are these young talents building a creative community from the ground-up? To find out, I hit the streets of the capital city Kigali in search of the creatives that are writing the countrys next chapter.

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Courtesy of Philippe Nyirimihigo - IG: @starp

Linda Mukangoga (left): I'm the designer behind ethical fashion brand Haute Baso and a member of Collective RW, an organization that was founded in 2015 to promote a dynamic creative sector in Rwanda. The government has been hugely supportive. Through Made-in-Rwanda initiatives like the matching grant program and the Export Growth Fund, which helps local businesses export their products to international markets, weve really been able to find our stride.

Matthew Rugambar (right): I'm the founder and creative director of House of Tayo, a brand centered on contemporary, locally-made clothes and accessories. In Rwanda, there's this old belief that creatives are the people who failed school and couldn't get a conventional job. To fight these perceptions we've formed groups like Collective RW that have given us strength in numbers and allowed us to push our agendas.

Courtesy of Philippe Nyirimihigo - IG: @starp

Elvis Ngabo: Ive been dancing since I was 7 or 8 years old. My parents told me it was not possible to support myself as a professional dancer in this country. They told me it would be hard to pursue my dream. But social media has given me a platform to reach a wider audience.

Courtesy of Philippe Nyirimihigo - IG: @starp

Winnie Kalissa (left): My family hasnt been very supportive of my career path as a model, but when I walked my first runway show, everything changed. I learned how to express myself through fashion and nurture my inner creative.

Rachel Neza (right): As a model, I've witnessed the creative community evolving and growing every day, in large part thanks to the efforts of the government. With their help, were working to make Rwandas creative industry an economic powerhouse.

Courtesy of Philippe Nyirimihigo - IG: @starp

Mackson Maxmillian: Rwandas culture has inspired my art work immeasurably. Our country's story is one that I reflect on constantly.

Courtesy of Philippe Nyirimihigo - IG: @starp

Cedric Mizero: I was born in a small village, so I feel passionate about being a voice for the voiceless through creative expression. Through my art work, I hope to draw attention to those 'invisible' people who live in rural and poor areas of Rwanda.A premature newborn baby girl and her 17-year-old migrant mother were almost entirely ignored and neglected for an entire week while held by Border Patrol near the Texas border.

Lawyers who visited the immigration processing station in McAllen, TX, told HuffPost that the one-month-old infant was wrapped in a dirty towel and wore soiled clothing. The mother was severely underslept, wheelchair-bound, and unable to walk or lie down due to pain from an emergency C-section.

The baby was born in Mexico after the mother left Guatemala for the U.S. while eight months pregnant. Neither mother nor child has been publicly identified.

According to immigration and human rights attorney Hope Frye, the mother was taken to a hospital at least once for pain medication, but the baby had not received any medical care since being placed in Border Patrol custody.

Frye described the baby as listless to HuffPost.

I looked at that baby and said, Who does this to babies? Frye said. They were being sadistically ignored.

Frye said a colleague told her on Wednesday that the baby appeared weak and had not cried for hours. There were also concerns about the infants body temperature dropping, which could lead to health complications and even death. Medical experts have said Border Patrol facilities are not safe for children and babies, especially those susceptible to disease or medical complications.

HuffPost confirmed that the family was to be transferred to a resettlement facility on Thursday, days after they initially came into Border Patrol custody.

Federal law dictates that unaccompanied children in government custody are required to be released from Border Patrol custody to the Office of Refugee Resettlement within 72 hours. The 17-year-old mother and her baby are both considered minors.

Border Patrol facilities were designed to primarily hold single adult men and are not equipped to house families and children, per HuffPost. Government officials have repeatedly said they do not have the resources necessary to accommodate the influx of refugees heading to the border. Officials have even said the immigration system has reached its breaking point, according to The Washington Post.

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Jess Morales Rocketto, chair of the Families Belong Together coalition, called for legislative action against the Trump administrations anti-immigration agenda in the wake of this news.

Time and time again, the Trump administration has shown that it doesnt care about babies and children. Weve already seen at least six migrant children die in this administrations custody, and there are constant reports of babies still being kept in cages and dangerous health conditions for children and families in these de facto internment camps, Rocketto said in a statement. Republicans in Congress must answer for the public health and moral crisis that Trump is creating at the border.

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Planned Parenthood Is Building A Large Clinic In Alabama  Despite The Abortion BanIve never thought of myself as much of a daddys girl. Though if I look back on my first childhood memories, it's clear my father had an idea of the woman I would become, even before I did. Picture a four-year-old mechubby-cheeked, bow-legged with a neatly cropped afrorunning wild through John Lewis, the bustling department store in Londons West End. Somehow, my dad knew exactly where to find me: not in the toy department on the fourth floor, but down on three with all the fashion. Shiny shoes! Shiny shoes! I wasnt afraid to declare my love for this one pair of black patent leather Mary Janes. Imagine how cute they would look with my favorite sailor dress and frilly white socks? The obsession was real; my little heart was pounding. I turned to my dad with the biggest, puppy dog eyes. Please, papa papa, please! I want them! I need them!

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

My mother, a nurse whod been raised in the Swiss countryside with sensible shoes practically sewn into the soles of her feet, would have been horrified. And that was something my father knew full well. He also knew the kind of kid he had on his handsrelentless, stubborn, specific about everythingand one who seemed to share his penchant for fancy shoes, too. What was the poor guy to do? And so we shuffled home to face mum together: him in two-inch Cuban heels, me in my beloved shiny shoes.

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

Growing up, my father wasnt someone I would think of as fashionable, but he always dressed with elegance and intention. He came to the U.K. from Nigeria to study economics in 1964. Three years later and Nigeria was ravaged by a civil war that pitted the government against Biafra, the secessionist state in the east where my father was born. I cant imagine what it felt like for my dad to be so far from home during those tumultuous times, not knowing from one day to the next if his family and friends had been harmed or displaced. I do know that he still keeps a Biafran dollar in his wallet, one of the few ever to be printed, a crushing reminder of what could have been. Eager to know more about his childhood in Nigeria, I asked to see photos of him as a kid. A sad look passed over his face; there were no family photos, he explained. Theyd been destroyed in the war along with just about everything else.

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Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

As the story goes, my father landed in London in the middle of winter with little more than a suitcase of neatly starched slacks and tailored shirts. According to him, he didnt feel the cold at first. Instead of buying some cheap winter warmer, he saved up for a beautiful cashmere coat, a considerable investment for anyone back then, let alone a student. (Some months later, he would end up coming down with tuberculosis as a result of having been exposed to those bone-chilling winds.) Still, there was a deeply important method to his madness. At a time when racial discrimination was rampant, and young, African students like him seeking private housing in London were routinely turned away based on the color of their skin, clothing was a vital tool in navigating these hostile new surroundings. In dressing to look and feel like a prince, he wielded black excellence like a suit of armor. The politics of his fashion choices were just as carefully considered. When I asked him why he stopped wearing denimnary a pair of jeans a denim shirt or jacket evenmy dad, a life-long socialist, explained that in his mind, jeans were a sign of American imperialism.

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

As a child, I only ever remember my dad wearing suitsusually single-breasted in gray or navythough he wore them without a tie when he wasnt working his government job on the weekend. While he couldnt afford anything tailor-made, he did take pains to snag the best off-the-peg alternatives, trawling the January sales along Oxford Street for Italian tailoring. Even though he favored quality over quantity, his suits and button-down shirts still occupied the biggest closet in our modest three-bedroom apartment, even when there were eight or nine of us living therecousins, aunties, uncles, and other extended family from Nigeria. Never one to throw anything away, my dad kept his clothes for years and years, even when they were worn to shreds, something I know that still drives my mother up the wall. It was, however, a boon to me as a teenager to discover this Narnia of vintage mens fashion in my own home: weather-worn leather jackets and fraying indigo-dyed dashikis that I still wear to this day. Where my mothers fantastic 60s minidresses were always too short in the leg and or too generous in the bust, his slimly-cut menswear fit me like a glove.

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

My father was pretty encouraging when I started experimenting with style as a teenager. Unlike my mother, he turned a blind eye when Id come home each Saturday laden with shopping bags, having blown my entire paycheck from a gig at a local sandwich shop. Still, some of my early fashion choices did bother him. When I came home one day wearing what I thought was an amazing 40s crombie coat found at the second-hand store by my high school, he was mortified. Why on earth would you want to wear dead peoples clothes? he said, aghast. In his culture, ancestral spirits were always among us, not relegated to some distant afterlife. He was also somewhat crestfallen when, after scoring straight As, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a fashion journalist and not the career in medicine he had hoped for.

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

These days I think (I hope!) my dad is pretty proud of the path I have chosen, though the ins and outs of what I do are for sure still a mystery to him. Shortly after I landed my job as a fashion writer at this magazine nine years ago, he called to congratulate me. I hear you work for someone important called Amy Wintour, he said proudly, having consulted one of his old college buddies, a retired journalist. I didnt have the heart to correct him. To be honest I was secretly relieved that he didnt have the faintest clue about the fashion world.

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

That said, my dad's no stranger to the subtle language of style, particularly when it comes to West Africa. A few years ago, at the wedding of a family friend in eastern Nigeria, he took pride in pointing out the signifiers of traditional Igbo dress, including the distinctive ozo red cap, worn by chiefs as a symbol of authority: the taller the crown, the higher the wearers social standing. To satisfy my obsession with artisanal textiles, he took me to a tiny village where the traditional handwoven fabric known as akwete is still produced, a three-hour drive from my fathers village. We watched enrapt as craftswomen worked their magic on centuries-old wooden looms.

These days, my dad no longer wears his fancy Cuban heels. The knee replacement surgery he had a few years prior has made him learn to love a wardrobe of comfy sneakers. Last year, for his 75th birthday, I flew to London from New York to surprise him. Is it really you? Or a dream? he said through tears, when I showed up on his doorstep at midnight. I knew hed be thrilled to see me, but I hadnt quite anticipated this moment of tenderness. It was as if the emotions hed kept under lock and key as a young man, were all rising to the surface.

Photo: Courtesy of Chioma Nnadi

The next day, we went for lunch, then shopping for birthday sneakers. He didnt need much help picking out exactly the right ones. The moment we hit the shoe department at John Lewis he zeroed in on a pair of minimalist running shoes hed been eyeing for weeks, just like I had all those years ago.

A few months later, he sent me an excited WhatsApp message out of the blue. Hed unearthed a picture of himself as a teenager from a stash that was retrieved after the war. In the photo, hes looking especially dapper, dressed in a crisp white shirt and the kind of high-waisted pants I would kill to get my hands on now. The family resemblance was unmistakable, tooin the sidewise grin, the slightly awkward stance. But more than that, I could see myself in the soft pleats of his trousers, the tie knotted just so. When I posted the image to Instagram the next day, my phone was ablaze with likes. Wow, Chioma! This is you in drag, read one of many comments from friends and family. The truth is they all knew what Id temporarily forgottenthat I am my fathers daughter through and through.

Originally Appeared on VogueFormer vice president Aaron Burr usually isnt credited as a Founding Father, but there is one instance where Burr directly helped to change the Constitutionby impelling the passage of the 12th amendment after the constitutional crisis created by the 1800 election.

The original Constitution allowed for presidential electors to cast two votes. The candidate with the most votes became President and the second-place finisher was named the Vice President. That wasnt a big issue when George Washington was elected by unanimous consent.

However, when bitter rivals John Adams and Thomas Jefferson finished first and second in the 1796 election, Adams was left with his biggest opponent as his Vice President.

The situation went from awkward to much worse in 1800, when Adams and Jefferson faced off in a rematch. Jeffersons campaign included New York deal-making politician Aaron Burr as his intended Vice Presidential running mate, with the idea that the Jefferson-Burr electors would cast one less vote for Burr, ensuring the Jefferson was the President and Burr the Vice President.

However, no one coordinated the voting and the two running mates tied for first place in the election. After the electoral votes were counted, Jefferson and Burr each had 73 votes, and tied as the winner. Worse yet, Article II sent the tie election to the House, which was controlled by Adamss Federalist Party.

The House members could only vote for Jefferson or Burr, and not Adams, and then Burr made the controversial move to try to take the election from his own running mate, Jefferson.

The contingent runoff election between Jefferson and Burr was a true constitutional crisis. Jefferson ultimately won the House election on the 36th ballot after a week of voting. Alexander Hamilton, Jeffersons long-time enemy, supported Jefferson instead of his old rival from New York, Burr.

Vowing to clean up what was clearly a flawed presidential election system, Congress made the 12th Amendment its first order of business in October 1803. After two months of debate, the House approved the 12th Amendment by a two-thirds margin, followed by the Senate.

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During the state ratification process, the amendment was rejected by Delaware and Connecticut. After New Hampshire became the 13th state to ratify, the newly minted 12th Amendment was certified by Secretary of State James Madison in September 1804 in time for the next election, which Jefferson easily won.

The 12th Amendment made sure that separate electoral votes were counted for Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates.

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate, the first part of the Amendment read.

Burr wouldnt run for elected office again and the intervention of Hamilton in the 1800 election was one of many issues between the two men. On July 11, 1804, Burr killed Hamilton in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey.Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump on Thursday reignited the political storm that has threatened to engulf his presidency by insisting he has the right to use dirt provided by foreign governments on political opponents without informing the FBI.

In an interview aired late Wednesday by ABC News television, Trump was asked about taking help similar to the research offered by Russian operatives to his 2016 campaign about rival Hillary Clinton.

"There's nothing wrong with listening," Trump said, adding that he'd only "maybe" contact the FBI if he "thought there was something wrong."

When ABC interviewer George Stephanopoulos pointed out that FBI Director Christopher Wray recently said that any foreign meddling in US elections should be reported, Trump responded: "The FBI director is wrong."

A torrent of criticism erupted Thursday, including from vital Republican ally Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the president had made "a mistake."

"I believe that it should be practice for all public officials who are contacted by a foreign government with an offer of assistance to their campaign -- either directly or indirectly -- to inform the FBI and reject the offer," Graham said.

Senior Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer called Trump's comments "shocking."

"To say that it's OK for foreign countries to interfere in our elections, with motives that are not what's in the interest of the American people? Disgraceful," he said.

"Everybody in the country should be totally appalled," the Democratic speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said.

- 'Ridiculous!' -

Trump defended himself Thursday, saying that his remarks had been taken out of context and that anyway he talks "every day" with foreign figures.

"Should I immediately call the FBI about these calls and meetings? How ridiculous! I would never be trusted again," he tweeted.

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However, Trump was referring in his tweet to conversations with allies like the leaders of France and Britain, and even Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

But on Wednesday Trump was asked about getting assistance from countries like Russia or China, which are seen by the US government as potentially dangerous competitors.

The White House and Republicans argued that Trump was being unfairly singled out when the Democrats had been the ones to make use of the now infamous dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent, Christopher Steele, in 2016.

Steele talked to Russian sources for the report which was paid for by a legal firm linked to Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Filled with explosive and in some cases apparently completely erroneous claims about Trump's links to Russia, the report was eventually handed over to US law enforcement, adding fuel to a massive official probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

"The hypocrisy here knows no bounds," Trump spokesman Hogan Gidley said, branding criticism of the president "absolutely ridiculous."

- Impeachment threat -

According to Mueller, who completed his probe in April after nearly two years of exhaustive inquiries, Trump's 2016 campaign had numerous contacts with Russians but the pattern did not amount to proof of a conspiracy with Moscow.

Despite that, Democrats say that Trump's behavior was suspicious enough to warrant further investigation in congressional committees. A loud minority of lawmakers is even pushing for impeachment.

Trump's interview with ABC came on the same day his son Donald Jr was grilled by US senators about his contacts with Russians.

In June 2016, the younger Trump held a now-infamous meeting at Trump Tower that included his father's son-in-law Jared Kushner, then-campaign manager Paul Manafort, and a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Democratic nominee Clinton.

Trump declared victory after the Mueller report was released but his latest comments have reignited the controversy just as his 2020 reelection campaign starts up in earnest.

Trump will hold a rally with supporters in Florida to mark the official kick off on Tuesday.

One of Trump's fiercest Democratic opponents, House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff, called the president's comments on taking foreign help "a dereliction of duty."

"The Trump campaign sought such help in 2016, and their candidate just put out word they want more in 2020. It's up to Congress to put a stop to it," he said.(Corrects to clarify view of the Western Watersheds Projects and add to description of more conservation-focused groups)

By Nichola Groom

June 13 (Reuters) - U.S. environmental groups fighting fossil-fuel development made headlines years ago with public demonstrations against big pipeline projects including the Dakota Access and the Keystone XL - only to be steamrolled by President Donald Trumps executive orders to approve them.

Now the so-called keep it in the ground movement has a new strategy to slow Trumps pro-oil agenda: Burying the administration in formal written protests and lawsuits challenging nearly every oil and gas lease it plans on public land.

Over the past three years, more than 90 percent of the nearly 4,000 land parcels offered by the government to drillers in the contiguous United States have drawn formal protests, compared to less than half prior to 2015, according to data recently released by the U.S. Department of Interior. (GRAPHIC: https://tmsnrt.rs/2WrS1wL )

There is no avenue to file protests against Alaska leases because they are located in a region set aside specifically for drilling.

The protests slow down leasing, but are also a prerequisite for lawsuits seeking to force the administration to consider global warming in its drilling policy. Some of the resulting suits have yielded judgments to stall drilling in states such as Wyoming and Utah.

Weve already seen a surge in litigation over oil and gas leasing. There is sure to be more," said Jeremy Nichols, an attorney with WildEarth Guardians, among the leading groups filing protests. "We are in the process of developing the next round.

The strategy has delayed processing times and costs for public-lands leasing, according to the Department of Interiors U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), because the government can't lease acreage before responding to what are often long-winded arguments asserting threats to the climate and wildlife.

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BLM spokesman Derrick Henry cited one 1,095-page document filed by WildEarth Guardians protesting an upcoming lease sale in New Mexico.

Frivolous protests on anti-fossil fuel sentiments or general opinions," he said, "are not helpful to the BLM in addressing legitimate protest concerns."

The protests have created uncertainty and delays for oil firms and sometimes cause them to lose interest in bidding on parcels, said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance drillers association. That's bad news for taxpayers, she said, because it threatens public revenues.

The surge in administrative protests adds to the trouble the Trump administration has had expanding drilling in public territories.

In 2017 and 2018, the U.S. government offered nearly 17 million acres for oil and gas leasing, compared with a combined 4.2 million in the last two years of the Obama Administration. But the number of active leases by the end of 2018 was 24,028 - up less than half a percentage point since 2016, according to the data.

That's in part because oil drillers have found cheaper, easier places to drill on private acreage.

The administration hasnt had much luck offshore either. In March, a federal judge in Alaska blocked Trumps attempt to open vast areas of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to drilling after green groups argued the move violated environmental protections.

Public lands drilling is also becoming an issue in the 2020 presidential election, with a handful of Democratic hopefuls, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, calling for bans on such activity to accelerate the U.S. transition to cleaner forms of energy.

SETTING UP LAWSUITS

Some of the groups regularly filing protests, including WildEarth, the Center for Biological Diversity and Western Watersheds Project, oppose all new fossil-fuel development.

Others are more conservation-focused groups that may support some level of responsible energy development but oppose Trump's aggressive push to drill on public lands due to impacts on wildlife and other environmental concerns. They include the Wilderness Society, National Audubon Society, and the National Wildlife Federation.

The administrative protests rarely stop the government from leasing land for energy development. In both 2017 and 2018, more than 96 percent of the parcels posted in original sale notices were ultimately offered for sale, according to BLM data.

But green groups say the protests pave the way for legal challenges to drilling, and they cite some recent victories in forcing the government to consider climate damage in leasing decisions.

A U.S. judge in March blocked oil drilling planned in Wyoming after WildEarth and two other groups successfully argued the government failed to adequately consider its impact on global warming. The ruling blocked drilling on more than 300,000 acres (121,400 hectares) while the Bureau of Land Management conducts further analysis.

ConocoPhillips, Anadarko, Noble Energy and BP were among the companies with leases challenged in the suit, according to court documents filed by the American Petroleum Institute.

The trade group had argued that the government cannot impose "a blanket ban on development of oil and gas leases" and that its authority is limited to imposing curbs based on concerns specific to a lease location.

Last month, at the Department of Interior's request, the judge in the same proceeding sent leases on more than 150,000 acres in Colorado and Utah back to BLM for further climate impact analysis. Interior made the request in order to head off another legal setback, in light of the Wyoming decision.

BROAD IMPLICATIONS

The green groups are now building a new wave of lawsuits that they hope will benefit from the Wyoming court decision.

The implications, I think, are broad in terms of redefining the scope of the governments analysis for really any fossil-fuel-related project on our public lands, said Kyle Tisdel, an attorney with Western Environmental Law Center, one of the groups that joined WildEarth in the Wyoming suit.

Officials at the Interior Department and the White House declined to comment on the significance of the rulings.

WildEarth filed another lawsuit last week seeking to cancel 210 oil and gas leases issued in 2017 and 2018 on more than 68,000 acres in New Mexicos Great Carlsbad region based on their impacts to climate, air quality and water resources.

WildEarth had protested all 210 leases in the region, which includes New Mexicos portion of the Permian basin, the largest shale-oil region in the country.

"We're not just scribbling down a note and sending it off to the BLM," said Nichols of WildEarth. "There's very sophisticated opposition."

(Editing by Richard Valdmanis, Brian Thevenot and Sonya Hepinstall)Colombo (AFP) - Five Sri Lankans wanted in connection with the Easter bombings that killed 258 people were arrested in Saudi Arabia and extradited Friday, police and Interpol said.

"One of the alleged ringleaders in the April 21 bomb attacks in Sri Lanka has been arrested following the publication of an Interpol Red Notice," the international police organisation, based in the French city of Lyon, said in a statement.

A so-called "red notice" is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Interpol identified the alleged ringleader as Mohamed Milhan, a senior leader of the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) jihadist group which was held responsible for the April 21 bombings.

The "29-year-old Sri Lankan national, wanted on charges including terrorism and murder, was today extradited to Sri Lanka, along with four other suspects, following their arrest in the Middle East," the statement said.

Sri Lankan police had said earlier that the five suspects were taken into custody in the Saudi city of Jeddah and then extradited back to Sri Lanka.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said Milhan was also wanted in connection with a November killing of two police constables in the east of the island where NTJ leader Zahran Hashim had his base.

Interpol secretary general Juergen Stock said "the arrest and extradition of one of the key suspects in the Sri Lanka bomb attacks is an important step in the ongoing investigation."

It is the second time that suspects had been arrested abroad in connection with the attacks against three churches and three luxury hotels in the country claimed by the Islamic State group.

Last month, army chief Mahesh Senanayake said two suspects were arrested in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He did not disclose the nationalities of the suspects, but official sources said they were Sri Lankans.

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Sri Lankan authorities have arrested just over 100 people who had links with the NTJ and its leader Hashim who was one of two suicide bombers who attacked the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo.

Sri Lanka has been under a state of emergency since the attacks which also left 45 foreign nationals dead and wounded nearly 500 people.

There have been recriminations over the failure on the part of police and security forces to act on advance warnings of the impending attacks.

Top intelligence and police officers have told a parliamentary panel investigating security failures that the attack was avoidable had the authorities acted on intelligence provided by neighbouring India.

India had on April 4 warned Sri Lankan authorities that a suspect in their custody had revealed detailed plans to stage a deadly attack in Sri Lanka targeting Christian churches among others.

President Maithripala Sirisena, who is also the minister of defence and law and order, has sacked his intelligence chief, secured the resignation of the defence secretary and suspended the police chief after blaming them for the attacks.

They in turn have said Sirisena ignored security protocols and should take the blame for the major lapses that allowed the suicide attacks.

burs-aj/spm/pmaSALT LAKE CITY (AP)  A Utah man pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of threatening to kill a member of Congress during thousands of phone calls to the U.S. Capitol.

Scott Brian Haven, 54, entered his plea to one count of interstate transmission of threats to injure during an arraignment in a federal courtroom in Salt Lake City. He is being held without bail after a judge previously determined he was a danger to the community.

His attorney Mark Moffat said that label doesn't seem to fit with the man he has met or how Haven's wife describes him. Moffat said Haven is a soft-spoken, mild-mannered insurance broker who has lived a crime-free life. Moffat said he's trying to determine if Haven has any mental health issues or was going through some stressful life situation.

"There's something gone on and we're going to try and figure out: Did he make the calls and if he did, what was going on his life? Why were the calls made?"

State online records indicate he has no criminal history.

Haven spoke softly to answer the judge's questions about whether he understood the proceedings, his hands and feet shackled. As a bailiff escorted Haven out of the courtroom a woman in the gallery said to him, "I love you," and he repeated those words to her. She declined to comment or give her name outside court.

He was arrested June 4 in his hometown of Kaysville, Utah, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City.

Prosecutors accuse Haven of making more than 2,000 phone calls to Washington offices of unnamed U.S. representatives and senators from 2017-2019. They say Haven often complained about Democrats trying to destroy Donald Trump's presidency and threatened to harm politicians.

In one call last month, he called the office of an unnamed U.S. representative and purported to be standing right behind him and ready to "shoot him in the head" because "the Russians want him taken out because he is trying to remove a duly elected President," according to charging documents unsealed Wednesday.

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In other calls, Haven alluded to him and other gun owners taking matters into their own hands, charging documents show.

He told a staffer for an unnamed senator in September 2018 that there were "far more Second Amendment people than whiny, crying liberals," the documents said.

He called back the next month to the same office and said, "We will exercise our Second Amendment rights to address Democrat mobs that threaten conservatives," according to the documents.

Haven threatened to cut off the heads of two senators in another call and in yet another identified himself as Hitler and yelled repeatedly he would "put a bullet" in the head of the senator, the documents said.

The names and political affiliations of the lawmakers who were threatened are not included in the charging documents.Women march in traditional Norwegian dresses (Bunads) on International Workers' Day in Oslo on 1 May. Photo: Noe Falk Nielsen/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Norway is the most family-friendly of the richest countries in the world, a new Unicef report claims.

The report ranks 31 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries based on family-friendly policies including parental leave at full pay, and childcare services for children aged between 0-6 years old.

The study found Norway, Iceland and Sweden ranked in the top third for paid leave reserved for fathers, and the proportion of children under the age of three in childcare centres.

READ MORE: How to cope with returning to work after maternity leave

But Norway offers longer paid leave to mothers than Iceland and Sweden, both in terms of actual weeks and in terms of the full-rate equivalent weeks  adjusted by the rate of payment for a parent on average earnings.

At the other end of the scale, Cyprus, Greece and Switzerland are the least family-friendly countries, ranking in the bottom third for three out of four indicators. No countries scored in the bottom third on all four indicators.

Only half of countries offer at least six months of leave for mothers at full pay, the study reveals.

READ MORE: Paid family leave can be a win-win for workers and employers

It found Estonia offers mothers the longest duration of leave at full pay, at 85 weeks, closely followed by Hungary (72 weeks) and Bulgaria (61 weeks).

Meanwhile, the US is currently the only OECD country without nationwide, statutory, paid maternity leave, paternity leave or parental leave. Some states do, however, offer paid parental leave insurance programmes to eligible workers.

While the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia have generous leave provisions for mothers, they still ranked in the bottom third because of poor access to early childhood education.

READ MORE: This map shows how much money a family of four needs to earn to get by in every US state

The report also shows that even when fathers are offered paid leave, most do not take it. In Japan, the only country that offers at least six months at full pay for fathers, only one in 20 took it in 2017.

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And the Republic of Korea has the second longest paternity leave. However, dads only make up one in six of all adults who take parental leave.

Paid paternity promotes a more equitable distribution of care in the home and helps fathers to bond with their children, the report states.

READ MORE: Top 10 most family friendly and flexible jobs

For some people looking for childcare options, affordability is the biggest barrier, with UK parents the most likely to say they cant afford childcare.

However, in Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden, money was an issue for fewer than one in 100 people who said that they had an unmet need for childcare.Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says Princess Diana was a complicated woman.

Bond, 68, who covered the royal beat from 1989 until 2003, became close to the late princess while reporting on her charity engagements and tours.

I never saw the really angry side of Diana but I did see her ignore me, when the day before we had been sitting chatting, having a cup of coffee and the next day she would just blank me and walk straight past, she was a complicated lady, she tells Yahoo UKs The Royal Box.

Bond recalls one of Dianas most memorable overseas trips to Angola in January 1997, where she walked through an active minefield in support of the Hazardous Areas Life-Support Organisation (HALO Trust).

She says: The tour with Diana to Angola was probably one of the most meaningful and important tours that I did. It was memorable for me because she was heavily criticised by a junior minister in the government for being a loose cannon for espousing Labour policy.

Princess Diana in 1997 and Jennie Bond speaking on Yahoo UK's 'The Royal Box.' [Photo: PA/Yahoo UK]

At the time, the Conservatives, who were in power at the time, said they would not support a ban on landmines worldwide until all countries had signed a deal.

Dianas trip to Angola was seen as an endorsement of Labour's anti-landmine policy. Earl Howe, who was then junior defence minister, was the one who labelled the princess a loose cannon.

Princess Diana walks on the edge of a minefield in Angola in 1997. [Photo: PA]

Bond continues: I tackled her [Diana] about this and she was upset, she gave me an answer, but she was very upset.

She got into her Landrover afterwards and burst into tears, and I sent her a note [saying], You have to understand, you did well with what you said, Im just a humanitarian, Im just trying to help, that is fine, its going to be good headlines tomorrow, it will make a good news report.

Bond says that Diana forgave her after she sent the note and the stylish royal even gave her some fashion advice in return, telling Jennie she shouldnt wear yellow - it really makes your skin look quite sallow, you should wear red.Skarsgard and Harris in Chernobyl (Credit: HBO)

The Marxist-Leninist Party in Russia is calling for the HBO series Chernobyl to be banned.

In a statement, the communist party accused the series, which charts the horror of the meltdown at the nuclear power station in Soviet Ukraine, of 'demonising the image of the Soviet government and Soviet people'.

The party is also hoping to bring a libel case against the show's makers.

Read more: How accurate is Chernobyl?

The real tragedy is the Chernobyl series is ideological manipulation by HBO, read a statement, via The Hollywood Reporter.

The television series about the dramatic events of April 1986 is an ideological tool designed to defame and demonize the image of the Soviet government and Soviet people.

The motivation, the actions of the heroes, the order of relationships in institutions and collectives, the moral climate in Soviet society, are an absolute lie.

Chernobyl (Credit: HBO)

It is calling for Russian broadcaster Roskomnadzor to begin a libel case against HBO, under Article 129 of Russia's criminal code.

The news comes after reports that the Kremlin is mulling making its own version of the show, but one in which the CIA is blamed for the explosion at the power plant.

Starring Mad Men's Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard and Emily Watson, the show has been a critical smash, voted the highest-rated series on IMDb.

As well as the devastating human cost of the accident, it also addresses the disinformation spread by the Communist government at the time.

Read more: Chernobyl creator slams disrespectful tourists

But not those in Russian government are displeased with it.

Conservative culture minister Vladimir Medinsky has even gone as far as praising it.

The film was made masterfully with the greatest of respect for ordinary people, he reportedly said, adding that his father was among those who helped to fight the initial fires.

My father, who was a liquidator practically from the first day, said that, yes, in general it was just like in the film.Louise Linton attends the swearing-in ceremony of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Feb. 13, 2017, at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Louise Linton, an actress and producer whos married to President Trumps Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, realizes that shes in a unique position.

I have the high honor of being the only person who has been compared to Marie Antoinette, Darth Vader and Cruella de Vil at once, Linton says in a new interview with Los Angeles Magazine.

Linton quickly became loathed by the masses in 2017 when the internet spotted her living the high life as the spouse of someone on the government payroll. She added hashtags identifying her designer threads when she traveled with Mnuchin and then publicly slammed one of her critics. She infamously wore leather opera gloves during a visit to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C.

Louise Linton poses with husband Steve Mnuchin for a photograph on Nov. 15, 2017, at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)

In the new interview, Linton, 38, seems to have a sense of humor about it all and points out that shes apologized multiple times. She says that, through the hate that shes received over the internet, her husband has been supportive and the White House has remained silent.

She regrets some of her earlier moves, even without someone admonishing her. She attributes it to a lack of experience.

It all happened so fast: I went from regular girl, an actress trying to make it in Hollywood, to a Cabinet spouse in one of the most polarizing administrations ever. It was overwhelming, Linton says. I love my husband and I wanted to support him, but the transition to Washington has been my hardest experience. I felt very lonely and isolated; I didnt have any friends there. I never got much guidance. You know that movie The Princess Diaries, where a mentor held her hand saying, Walk this way. Talk this way. Do this; dont do that? Well, I didnt have anyone like that. No one hands you a guidebook when you get off the plane in D.C. The only people waiting for you are the press.

Linton explains that Trumps wife Melania and Vice President Mike Pences wife Karen were new to town themselves, so they couldnt offer advice.

Story continues

And as far as I know, there really isnt a PR firm for people who suddenly become Cabinet spouses, ya know? The partners of ambassadors and congressional spouses get to go to a training camp! Cabinet spouses get nothing. Being married to someone so high up in government, it surprised me that there was no one there to step in, as Im sure they do, for the first lady or for Meghan Markle or Kate Middleton! Im sure the palace gave them meticulous advice about how to adjust to public life.

That might have kept her from making some newcomer mistakes, such as wearing those gloves.

Youve heard of cold cash right? They call it that because its kept freezing cold there, Linton says. I was warned ahead of time so I came prepared. But I certainly didnt expect to be in any photographs. My mistake was when Steven said, Hey, honey, this is cool; step in this picture. I didnt say, Wait a minute, let me take my gloves off, Steven. I look like a crazy person. I look like Darth Vader!

When the interviewer asks Linton about why she didnt lay low following her public controversies, she corrects her.

I did lay low! I was deeply depressed for a while. But it sucks being perceived as a person that youre not; it sucks being hated, Linton says. Most people know me for the gloves or the plane or that awful Instagram post. Look, I made some rookie mistakes. I understand why people are angry about me getting off that government plane tagging fashion brands. It was a stupid thing to do. I get why everyone rolled their eyes at the opera gloves. But this caricature of me is the opposite of the girl I actually am. I run a business; I have several movies coming out. I cant hide out for another five years.

Writer Maer Roshan describes Linton in the lengthy piece as alternately bubbly, naive, canny, funny, and self-centered, given to earnest soliloquies and melodramatic flourishes and notes that, when it began to rain during one of their interview sessions, she quickly changed into a swimsuit and dove into the pool with full makeup.

Linton shuts down any suggestion that shes poised to have an influence on the administration, which she disagrees with in the treatment of animals and the LGBTQ community. It doesnt work like that, she says, noting that she has gone to the White House as a regular citizen to advocate for animals.

Read more on Yahoo Entertainment:

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter.Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook (New Line Cinema)

The Notebook author Nicholas Sparks has responded to accusations of homophobia and racism that have been reported by The Daily Beast.

The claims come from a legal battle between the writer and Saul Benjamin, former headmaster and CEO of the Epiphany School of Global Studies in New Bern, North Carolina.

The Daily Beast article claims that Sparks chastised Benjamin for promoting an agenda that strives to make homosexuality open and accepted.

The article quotes emails The Daily Beast claims were written by Sparks - whose novel The Notebook inspired the hit film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams - to Benjamin, which include the following cricisim of the Schools non-discrimination policy.

Read more: Netflix responds to The Notebook edit controversy

About the non-discrimination policy you keep bringing up: please remember that sexual orientation was NOT in there originally, and that the only reason it was added was that YOU insisted it be specifically be added, or you said that the school might get in serious legal trouble. Frankly, no one but you wanted it in there

Novelist, screenwriter and producer Nicholas Sparks during a private interview with his fans for New Book 'Two By Two'. (Photo by Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images)

The piece says Sparks was against the formation of an LGBT group at the school, referring to emails that defend his position (not allowing them to have a club is NOT discrimination), while denying the school had problems with gay students. Remember, weve had gay students before, many of them, Sparks wrote. [The former headmaster] handled it quietly and wonderfully I expect you to do the same.

Read more: The Notebook to Become a Broadway Musical

The article also says that Sparks has made racist comments, including blaming the schools lack of black students on the fact (in Sparks alleged words) they are too poor and cant do the academic work.

Sparks has posted a response to the Daily Beast on Twitter, saying the article repeats false allegations and claims, and that claims of discrimination and harassment made by Benjamin have been rejected in court.Inslee to share first Democratic debate stage with Warren and ORourke, but no Biden or SandersOn Wednesday evening, the Negev Museum of Art will open an exhibition titled Those were the Times in Be'er Sheva, which will feature photographs, posters, films and documents from the 1950s and 1960s, focusing on the founding of the capital of the Negev.

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The exhibition was created as an initiative of the Central Zionist Archive to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Zionist Organization in conjunction with the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive, which is celebrating 50 years since its founding, curator Dr Dalia Manor said.





A new immigrant traipses through the sand dunes, circa 1950

The exhibition is meant to remind Be'er Sheva residents of places, institutions and events long forgotten.

A street cobbler,1949

The bulk of the exhibition includes photographs from the earliest years of the city's founding, showing the old city and the old town hall  now the Negev Museum of Art  and celebrations and ceremonies.





Museum zone, Be'er Sheva 1950

The exhibition is also designed to reflect the perceptions and agendas of the organizations that helped settle the Negev: Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael (JNF), Keren Hayesod and government bodies.





Be'er Sheva, old city, 1950

It aims to reveal how they chose to document events, including staged scenes, such as making the wilderness blossom, absorption of immigrants, education, ceremonies, visits by VIPs, donors and more.





New housing in Be'er Sheva 1953

Alongside the exhibition which will run until the end of August, a series of events are planned, featuring researchers and long-time residents of the city.





President Ben Zvi visits Be'er Sheva municipality, today the art museum, 1953

The first event is planned for Wednesday, June 19th at 6pm and includes a tour of the exhibit and of the earliest neighborhood established, led by Prof. Esther Meir and Dr. Ze'ev Zivan.





Laying cornerstone for the Beit Ha'am (community center) 1956

The entry fee for the event is NIS 40 and advance registration is required.





Ceramics factory, circa 1956

In addition to the historical exhibition, an art exhibition of artworks recently received by the museum will also be on display.





Teacher's seminary, Be'er Sheva, 1957

The museum's collection has continued to expand since the 1960s, thanks to gifts by artists and collectors.

Home economics class, Be'er Sheva 1957

Opening of the Elanor Roosevelt youth center, Be'er Sheva, 1959

Religious leaders observe Independence Day, Be'er Sheva, 1964

In the last year, the museum has received about 50 works by Israeli artists including paintings, drawings and sculptures, some of which will be on display.Hong Kong media reported the city's government would suspend a proposed law that would allow people to be extradited to mainland China for trial, after widespread anger and large protests.The head of the Arab League is calling on the Iranians to "be careful and reverse course."

Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit noted after meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at U.N. headquarters in New York on Friday that there are conflicting reports about how Thursday's tanker incidents occurred.

"We believe that responsibilities need to be clearly defined," he said. "The facts will be revealed, I am sure, it's only a matter of time."Jordans King Abdullah reacts angrily to any suggestion that he might accept a U.S. deal to end the Arab-Israeli conflict that would make his country a homeland for Palestinians.

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Speaking to the armed forces in March, he rejected the idea of Jordan as an alternative state for Palestinians, saying: Dont we have a voice in the end?

Already facing economic discontent at home, Abdullah must navigate diplomatic moves by his U.S. allies that are upturning a regional status-quo that has underpinned Jordans internal politics and foreign relations for decades.

Jordan's King Abdullah meets with Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner in Amman, Jordan, May 29, 2019

After Israels creation in 1948 Jordan absorbed more Palestinians than any other country, with some estimates that they now account for more than half the population.

Any changes to the international consensus on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, and Palestinian refugees right of return to what is now Israel and the Palestinian territories, long buttressed by U.S. policy, therefore reverberate harder in Jordan than anywhere else.

U.S. President Donald Trumps long-promised Deal of the Century to resolve the conflict is still secret, though leaked details suggest it dumps the idea of a full Palestinian state in favor of limited self-rule in part of the Occupied Territories, which would undermine Palestinians right to return.

It envisages an expansion of Gaza into part of northern Egypt, under Egyptian control, with Palestinians also having a smaller share of the West Bank and some areas on the outskirts of Jerusalem and no control over their borders, the leaks say.

Jordanian fears about what the plan portends for the region, for their Palestinian citizens, and for the politics of their own country, have been aggravated by Trumps readiness to upturn U.S. policy.

American officials deny contemplating making Jordan a Palestinian homeland, pushing it to take a role in governing parts of the West Bank or challenging the right of King Abdullahs dynasty to custodianship of Jerusalems holy sites.

But Trumps radical approach to the issue, and recent statements by his ambassador to Israel that it had a right to annex some of the West Bank have done little to assuage Jordanian concerns.

PALESTINIANS IN JORDAN

Few subjects in Jordan are more politically charged than the role, presence and future there of Palestinians. The issue is so sensitive that the government publishes no data on how many of its 8 million citizens are also of Palestinian descent, though a recent U.S. congressional report put it at more than half.

Despite the U.S. denials, Jordanians fear that Trump is returning to an old Israeli theme: that Jordan is Palestine and that is where the Palestinians of the West Bank should go.

King Abdullah II of Jordan with US President Donald Trump at the White House (Photo: AP)

It could not have come at a worse time for the 57-year-old Abdullah, whose country is facing economic challenges that led to protests and a change of government last year.

While many Palestinians are integrated in Jordan, and many descendants of refugees have never set foot in their original homeland, some native Jordanians have never acknowledged that they will stay permanently.

They fear Trumps plan could alter the demography and politics of a nation shaped by the presence of Palestinians, who hold full citizenship but are marginalized and seen as a political threat by some people of Jordanian descent.

But Abdullahs decision that Jordan should attend an economic conference that is part of the U.S. plan showed that despite mounting alarm at home, Amman cannot ignore pressure from richer, more powerful allies in the West and the Gulf.

INTERNAL WORRIES

Maintaining unity between citizens of Jordanian and Palestinian descent has been critical to the ruling familys role as a unifying force in a country where tribal and clan loyalties hold sway.

The king is already facing anger from the Herak opposition, drawn from Jordanians of native descent, who say Trumps plans will tear apart a state patronage system that has cemented their own loyalty to the monarchy.

Retired army officers have held small weekly protests in opposition to a deal.

No to eroding our national identity and dismantling the state, said Saad Alaween, a prominent Herak dissident, referring to the deal.

Some warn the monarch not to accept a plan that could give their compatriots of Palestinian origin more political rights in an electoral system tilted in favor of native Jordanians.

Rumors that the plan could lead to Jordan taking in Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Syria, or that it would merge with a rump of Palestinian territory in bits of the West Bank, have also led to alarm.

In a sign of his concerns, the king has even met lawmakers from the once outcast Islamist movement in an attempt, say officials, to win the backing of the largest opposition grouping with support in large cities and Palestinian camps.

Trump wants to buy and sell Jordan and create a new regime. We are behind the king in opposing this, said Muraed al-Adaylah, head of the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood.

King Abdullah II of Jordan at an Arab League conference in Tunisia (: AP)

Abdullah also inspired a shake-up in the intelligence establishment - long seen as a guardian of Jordans stability - to solidify the internal front and mitigate any fallout from the deal in the months to come, insiders say.

In the army - whose loyalty to the crown is deeply meshed with Jordanian national identity - there are also signs of concern.

Jordan is a country that has sovereignty and history, and will say its word at the right moment, said General Mahmoud al-Friehat, the armys chief of staff.

FOREIGN PRESSURE

Jordans long-term strategic and economic policy is based on close relations with the West and the Gulf - an approach that underlay its decision to make peace with Israel in 1994.

Abdullah has made repeated visits to Washington, where officials say he was not told details of the White House plan.

That has only accentuated the sense of alarm among a political establishment that sees a day of reckoning coming with Trumps deal, two officials and a politician said.

The royal palace has pointed to demonstrations in dozens of rural towns and cities as a message to Washington that it cannot impose a solution that permanently settles Palestinians in Jordan against its will.

Jordan has traditionally turned to monarchies in the Gulf to shore up its economy. However, their focus has shifted to their rivalry with Iran, cutting financial support and leaving Jordan more exposed than ever.

King Abdullah II of Jordan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Photo: AFP)

Our Gulf allies are too beholden to Washington ... to extend the level of support that can help us withstand the growing pressures, said a senior official.

Although Jordan will join the conference to roll out the economic parts of Trumps plan, it will deliver a message there that no cash offers can replace a political solution to end what the Jordanians see Israel's occupation of the West Bank, officials say.

Still, some think economically challenged Jordan could profit from any plan that promises billions in aid and project finance.

Some businessmen have already positioned themselves to benefit and this month a prominent MP, Fawaz al-Zubi, said Jordanians should be open-minded about anything they could gain from it.

In the camps where 2.2 million of Jordans registered refugees live, bitter realism seems to prevail.

Ibrahim Anabtawi, a second-generation refugee with six children, said that like others in the camp he had dug up old United Nations ration cards to prove their rights in case any new deal offered compensation.

I wont forget I am a Palestinian or give up the right of return, said Anabtawi. But he added: I have been persecuted all this time and no one stood by us. I now want anything that this deal and Trump offers.UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahya said Iran's fingerprints were clear on the attacks on oil tankers on May 12, Arabiya TV reported on Saturday.

He also called for the international community to work together to protect shipping routes, Arabiya TV said. Iran has denied any involvement in the attacks.Iran will continue scaling back compliance with its nuclear deal commitments unless other signatories show "positive signals", the Iranian president told a meeting of Russian, Chinese and other Asian leaders in Tajikistan.

"Obviously, Iran cannot stick to this agreement unilaterally," President Hassan Rouhani told the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.Saudi Arabia called for swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies, after the United States blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital oil shipping route that have raised fears of broader confrontation in the region.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said "there must be a rapid and decisive response to the threat" to energy supplies, market stability and consumer confidence after the attacks in the Gulf area, the Saudi Energy Ministry reported on Twitter.Iran on Saturday summoned the British ambassador to Tehran after London blamed it for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, the semi-official Students News Agency ISNA reported, a claim denied by the British government.

"During the meeting with Iran's foreign ministry official, Iran strongly condemned the unfounded allegations and criticized Britain's unacceptable stance regarding the attacks in the Gulf of Oman," it said.YORK  When Chris Young, administrator of Midwest Covenant Home in Stromsburg, was looking for professional development opportunities for his team, the Global Leadership Summit hosted by York College immediately caught his eye.

The location made a big difference, as their budget for training was small, he said. Having access to worldwide experts and high-quality instruction without having to pay for transportation and lodging for his team was huge. He brought four staff and one board member with him to the two-day event at York College in 2018, and says it was definitely a worthwhile investment.

We had been looking for some external input and training to bring some new ideas to our organization and improve our team connectedness, said Young. Over the two days of the Summit, Young said his team heard lots of useful insights. His biggest take away was when one of the presenters challenged leaders, Youve got a great culture? Congrats. Now double it. He realized that no matter how good things were, they could be better.

That was a big piece that hit home for our team, he said. Even if we thought we were doing a good job, we could find ways to be doing more. Weve had a lot of conversations about that since the Summit.YORK  Andre Hill, 42, formerly of York and currently of Geneva, has been sentenced to another 10 months in jail as his post-release supervision has been revoked in a case where he was convicted of being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon.

According to court documents, the case began last year when a woman reported to the York Police Department, in the middle of the night, that Hill was pounding on her door and she didnt want him to gain access to her residence.

The arresting police officer wrote in his report that while on his way to the womans residence, he saw Hill on a bicycle and stopped to speak with him.

Because Hill was already on probation, the officer asked to search his backpack.

During that search, the officer found a knife with a four-inch blade and brass/iron knuckles. Both are prohibited from being in Hills possession because he is a convicted felon.News

Washington, DC - The Presidential Task Force on Protecting Native American Children in the Indian Health Service System (Task Force) convened in Montana, from June 11 to 13, for its third meeting.

On Tuesday, June 11, the Task Force met with Tim Davis, Tribal Chairman of the Blackfeet Nation, about institutional vulnerabilities in Indian Country healthcare services. The Task Force also met with a special agent from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, regarding jurisdictional challenges and investigative processes that occur when a suspected child abuse is reported. On Wednesday, June 12, the Task Force visited with health officials at the Blackfeet Community Hospitalthe reservations primary health facility operated by the Indian Health Services. The Task Force continued its focus on the Indian Health Service (IHS) culture, along with its protocols and practices, branding, recruitment, retention of quality healthcare professionals, employee familiarity with mandatory reporting requirements, and means of reporting child abuse, among other topics.

On Thursday, June 13, the Task Force traveled to Great Falls, Montana, to meet at the U.S. Attorneys Office. Their agenda included a highly informative meeting with the area multi-disciplinary team, which focuses on crimes against Native American children, and is comprised of law enforcement agents, prosecutors, victim services, and healthcare officials.

At the conclusion of its third meeting, the Task Force designated individual members to conduct follow-up inquiries in the coming weeks and to begin developing policy recommendations for the final report to the President.

The President announced the formation of the Task Force in March 2019 and charged it with examining institutional and systemic factors that may have contributed to the failure to prevent the predatory abuse of Native American children in the care of the IHS. The Task Force is working to develop and recommend policies, protocols, and best practices to protect Native American children in the IHS system.

The Task Force is co-chaired by Joseph Grogan, Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. The Task Force relies on the multi-disciplinary expertise and experiences of Task Force members; draws on additional Federal employees and Federal resources; and seeks the perspective of and engages with tribal leaders and Native Americans.Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.Guwahati: Constable Sunil Kalita of 209 CoBRA battalion of CRPF, who sustained injuries in an IED blast on May 28 during anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand`s Saraikela succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

Kalita, who was first admitted to a hospital in Ranchi, was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to Trauma Centre AIIMS on June 4, where he breathed his last on Friday.

Security personnel and officers paid floral tribute to the CRPF security personnel at Guwahati airport.

Assam: Security personnel and officers pay tribute to Constable Sunil Kalita of 209 CoBRA, at Guwahati airport. He had sustained injures in an IED blast on 28 May during anti-naxal operations in Saraikela, Jharkhand and succumbed to his injuries at AIIMS Delhi, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/ijAbpGN0pO  ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2019

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Eleven police personnel were injured in an IED blast triggered on May 28 in Kuchai area of Saraikella.

The incident occurred when the troops of 209 CoBRA battalion of CRPF, and Jharkhand police were out on special joint operations.

Among the injured, 8 personnel were of CoBRA while 3 of Jharkhand Police. All the injured were airlifted to Ranchi and admitted to a hospital for treatment.The death toll of children due to viral infection Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) reached 89 in Bihar on Saturday evening. Muzaffarpur is the worst-hit district in the state with the death toll reaching 76. Another 10 children died in Vaishali, two in Motihari and one in Begusarai.

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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his grief at the deaths of the children and announced an ex-gratia of rupees four lakh each to the kin of those children who died due to the infection. He asked the district administration to take all possible steps to cure the children and wished for their speedy recovery.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will visit Bihar's Muzaffarpur on Sunday to take stock of the situation. "While the Centre is extending all support to the state for the containment and management of the recent surge of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, I shall be going to Muzaffarpur tomorrow to take stock and review the situation at the site with the state government," Vardhan said.

During his visit, the minister will interact with the multi-disciplinary teams deployed there and address a state-level review meeting. "I shall discuss the management measures being recommended by the high-level expert team of the Centre, and support that can be extended through the National Health Mission (NHM) for health systems strengthening, and other Ministries of the Central government including the Ministry of Women and Child Development as part of the immediate and long term measures," he stated.

Vardhan said that the health ministry is constantly monitoring the situation and supporting the state health authorities in managing the AES/JE cases. "The continued round-the-clock presence of the central and state teams in the affected areas and preventive actions taken by them have instilled confidence among the public. We will soon be able to contain the rise in AES/JE cases," Vardhan added.

Elaborating on the support being extended to the state of Bihar, Vardhan said, "A multidisciplinary specialist high-level team has been deployed by the Health Ministry. Experts were drawn from NCDC/NVBDCP/ ICMR/AIIMS, Patna/ Child Health Division of the Health Ministry are part of this Central team and are supporting the state in containing the surge in cases of encephalopathy/ encephalitis."

The Union Health Minister also met Mangal Pandey, Health Minister of Bihar, on two occasions recently and discussed the reported rise in cases of AES from Muzaffarpur and JE.Patna/Muzaffarpur: With six more deaths reported in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, the death toll due to viral infection Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has reached 83 on Saturday.

The Muzaffarpur district administration had issued a statement on Friday evening saying that six children died in the state-run SKMCH hospital while three died at Kejriwal hospital, which is operated by a trust.

The Muzaffarpur district of Bihar is among the worst hit by the outbreak of brain fever.

In Vaishali, ten fresh cases of children suffering from AES had been reported.

The state health officials had been maintaining that deaths were due to hypoglycemia - a condition caused by a very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

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According to Bihar Health Department's Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar, the disease has affected 222 blocks of 12 districts especially Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran.

State's Health Minister Mangal Pandey had on Friday visited the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur where several children have died due to AES.

Pandey met SKMCH Principal Dr (Professor) Bikash Kumar and other senior functionaries and inquired about the medical facilities to treat children suffering from AES.

Since June 1, 178 and 72 children were admitted in SKMCH and Kejriwal hospital respectively with suspected cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) but most of them were found to be victims of hypoglycemia.

Nine children undergoing treatment at SKMCH are serious, the release said, adding that five children are critical in Kejriwal hospital.

The Health Minister, who held a meeting with doctors and officials of the SKMCH, said that six more ambulances will be available there and a 100-bed new ward will be made operational soon.

The Kejriwal Hospital's management also agreed to increase the number of beds if the need arises, he said.

Pandey said creating awareness among the people is needed to prevent the outbreak of the disease.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already directed the officials concerned to ensure that preventive measures were taken in the affected districts, though deaths have so far been reported from Muzaffarpur only.

A central government team of experts had visited Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.

(With Agency Inputs)The agitating doctors on Saturday refused to hold a closed-door meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat, saying that they feel highly insecure and apprehensive regarding their representatives' "meeting with her behind closed doors".

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They instead asked her to visit the Nil Ratan Sircar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital for an open discussion to resolve the impasse. The doctors said no representative of the agitating doctors would be attending the meeting called by Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday evening.

"We feel highly insecure and apprehensive regarding our representatives' meeting with the chief minister behind closed doors. That is why we are not sending any representatives to the Chief Minister's Office to attend the meeting," read a letter of the joint forum of junior doctors after holding a governing body meeting.

Two doctors were allegedly assaulted by relatives of a patient who had died on Monday night at the NRS hospital.

"Right from the beginning, we are open to a healthy discussion to find a solution to meet our demands. We want to make this very clear that we are deeply concerned about the sufferings of common people. We want an urgent solution to this situation by ensuring proper security and safety at our workplace as per our demands. We shall resume our duties as soon as our demands are met," read the letter. "We humbly request the chief minister to meet all of us at the NRSMCH to discuss and implement all our demands at the earliest," also read the letter.

On Friday night, the agitating junior doctors declined to attend a meeting called by CM Banerjee at the state secretariat, Nabanna, saying it was a ploy to break their stir. After the protesting doctors did not turn up, Banerjee gave them time again at 5 pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, resignation by senior doctors continued in support of their protesting colleagues. Over 300 medicos across various state-run medical college and hospitals have resigned from their services.NEW DELHI: Members of the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA) called off their ongoing protest on Saturday and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to fulfil the demands of their agitating colleagues there.

In their ultimatum, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS, Delhi stated that if the demands are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at the Delhi hospital.

"All the junior and the senior resident doctors are back to work but we are continuing the protest. We are holding symbolic protest by wearing black badges, helmets and bandits. We have given 48-hour to the Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal health minister to meet our demands, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike from June 17," said Amarinder Singh Malhi, President, Resident Doctor`s Association AIIMS while speaking to ANI.

Amrinder Singh Malhi, President, RDA (Resident Doctors' Association), AIIMS: All resident doctors are back to work but we will continue with symbolic protest by wearing black badges, bandages&helmets. If condition worsens we will go on indefinite strike from June 17. pic.twitter.com/nOxcqPCSsi  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

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"We condemn the hostile and unapologetic attitude of the government of West Bengal. Our protest at AIIMS, New Delhi continues until justice is meted out. According to the decision taken in a general body meeting held on June 14, RDA issues an ultimatum of 48 hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need," the AIIMS RDA said in a statement.

They also expressed their gratitude to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for his prompt and proactive steps to resolve the impasse.

"We sincerely hope that he will address this matter of utmost importance with the urgency that it merits," they said.

Safdarjung Hospital RDA president Parakash Thakur also echoed a similar stand on the matter.

The doctors, however, will continue to wear helmets and bandages at work as a sign of protest.

Kolkata: Junior doctors of NRS Medical and Hospital continue their strike for the fifth day over violence against doctors. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/FIAlKIFwDR  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

The 48-hour ultimatum by AIIMS doctors comes days after Mamata Banerjee gave a four-hour ultimatum to the striking doctors in her state to withdraw their strike or vacate hostels.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Indian Medical Association (IMA) met Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in connection with the junior doctors' strike.

Delhi: Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation meets Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan over the ongoing strike of doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/0GDIcaDHQs  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

To express solidarity with the doctors who are agitating against an attack on their colleagues in West Bengal, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a strike on June 17.

The IMA has also decided to continue their protest on Saturday and Sunday condemning the continued suffering of the resident doctors and repeated occurrence of harassments, it said.

These protests will include wearing black badges, dharnas, peace marches. IMA has also requested the support from all associations of the fraternity to join the agitation.

The apex body of doctors in the country also renewed its demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said that the law should provide a minimum sentence of seven-year jail to violators.

Dr Harsh Vardhan had on Friday supported the medical fraternity's demand for a central law to check violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and said such crimes should be made non-bailable.

On Friday, scores of doctors in Delhi held demonstrations, with many seeing patients in emergency wards wearing bandages on forehead or helmets, marching and raising slogans to express solidarity.

(With Agency Inputs)NEW DELHI: The resident doctors of Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday to accept the demands of the agitating junior doctors failing which they will be forced to go on an indefinite strike.

''We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal Government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike,'' the Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS was quoted as saying by ANI.

Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS: We issue an ultimatum of 48 hours to West Bengal Govt to meet demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to indefinite strike at AIIMS. #Delhi  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

The warning from the RDA of AIIMS came even as Mamata Banerjee invited the protesting junior doctors to meet her again on Saturday in a bid to end their agitation, which has found immense support from their colleagues across the country and crippled the healthcare and medical services in the government and private hospitals.

The invitation for talks came after the agitating doctors categorically refused to meet the state's Chief Minister on Friday night and demanded an unconditional apology from her.

They also put up six conditions for withdrawal of their ongoing stir.

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"We want an unconditional apology from Chief Minister Banerjee for the manner in which she addressed us at the SSKM Hospital on Friday. She should not have said what she said. She should come to the NRS Hospital to meet us," Dr Arindam Dutta, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, said.

Banerjee, after visiting the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday, had alleged that some outsiders had entered the medical colleges to create disturbances. The West Bengal CM had also blamed the BJP and the CPI-M for engineering the doctors' agitation.

She had earlier asked the agitating junior doctors across the state to resume work by 2 PM, failing which she had threatened them with disciplinary actions. The doctors, however, defied her warning.

Meanwhile, State's Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi said that he had called up Banerjee to discuss the issue of doctors' strike but got no response from her.

"I tried to contact the Chief Minister. I called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me up, we will discuss the matter," he told reporters after visiting injured junior doctor Paribaha Mukhopadhyay at the hospital.

Mukhopadhyay is one of the two junior doctors attacked by the relatives of a patient, who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital on Monday night.

As the things unfolded, Banerjee held a two-hour-long meeting with senior doctors, who were not part of the strike, and invited the agitating doctors for talks at the Secretariat Nabanna on Friday.

After the protesting doctors refused to meet the Chief Minister, dubbing the invitation as a ploy to derail their stir, she invited them yet again to meet her at 5 PM on Saturday at Nabanna.

Informing about the Chief Minister's second invitation, senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said, "We hope some junior doctors will turn up."

The agitating doctors had said that the Chief Minister must visit the injured doctors at the hospital and issue a statement condemning the attack on them.

Seeking immediate intervention of the CM, the doctors also demanded a judicial probe into the police inaction in providing security to doctors at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital against attack on Monday night.

"We demand documentary evidence and details of the action taken against those who attacked us," said one of their representatives.

The agitators also demanded unconditional withdrawal of all "false cases and charges" imposed on junior doctors and medical students across West Bengal for going on strike.

They also sought improvement of security infrastructure in all health facilities and posting of armed police personnel to shield them from any attack while on duty.

As many as 460 doctors of various government hospitals across the state have resigned from their services to show solidarity with agitators.

In his resignation letter, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine director, Dr P Kundu, said entire medical fraternity of the state fully support the agitation by the doctors of NRS Medical College and Hospital and other government hospitals against the "brutal" attack on medicos during duty.

As the medical fraternity from Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and other states began to rally behind their West Bengal colleagues, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan urged Banerjee not to make the "sensitive matter" a "prestige issue" and ensure an "amicable end" to the stir.

Several prominent personalities like filmmaker Aparna Sen, rights activist Binayak Sen, thespian Kaushik Sen, film director Kamaleshwar Mukherjee and musician Debojyoti Mishra along with many senior doctors, visited the agitators at the NRS Medical College and Hospital to register their support to the agitating doctors.

They later participated in a rally holding placards with a message "No more violence, enough is enough".

Many relatives of the TMC leaders too backed the doctors stir. They include Banerjee's nephew Abesh Banerjee, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim's daughter Shabba and son of TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

The Calcutta High Court, meanwhile, refused to pass any interim order on the strike.

(With Agency inputs)The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday stated that operations to retrieve the mortal remains of the 13 personnel onboard the ill-fated An-32 are being curtailed due to incessant rains and heavy clouding. No helicopter could fly due to bad weather, added the IAF. The rescue team--comprising of 17 IAF, Army Special Forces, and civilian members--is present at the crash site.

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Helicopter operations require great skill and caution, under such conditions, especially hovering at high altitudes and very close to the steep mountain slopes, added the IAF. It said that bad weather has been hampering the hovering by helicopters to do winching operations which are mandatory for all the rescue operations and recovery of mortal remains.

All efforts are being made to heli-lift the mortal remains of the IAF personnel at the earliest to their parent base Jorhat. Rescue teams, including Cheetah and ALH Helicopters, are on stand-by and operations will resume as soon as the weather improves. At present, there are low clouds associated with rain in the area.

The effort to retrieve the mortal remains of the air-warriors who laid down their lives in the line of duty commenced early morning. However, the progress got hampered due to bad weather in the area. The IAF personnel are in constant contact with the families of these air-warriors and are being updated regularly about the ongoing operations. They are also being explained the challenges of the weather.

The air-warriors who lost their lives in the tragic accident crash are Wing Commander GM Charles, Squadron Leader H Vinod, Flight Lieutenant MK Garg, Flight Lieutenant S Mohanty, Flight Lieutenant A Tanwar, Flight Lieutenant R Thapa, Warrant Officer KK Mishra, Sergeant Anoop Kumar, Corporal Sherin, Leading Aircraftman SK Singh, Leading Aircraftman Pankaj, NC(E) Putali and NC(E) Rajesh Kumar.

On June 3, the aircraft with eight aircrew and five passengers on board took off from Air Force Station at Jorhat in Assam at 12.27 pm for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground. The last contact with the aircraft was made at 12.55 pm.

On Tuesday, the wreckage of the aircraft was spotted 16 km north of Lipo, North East of Tato, Arunachal Pradesh at an approximate elevation of 12,000 ft by an IAF Mi-17 helicopter. Aerial operations were launched subsequently to the designated crash site however, due to the steep slope and thick forest the helicopter could not land near the crash site. Two km from the designated crash site, an area was designated and a camp was established for helicopters to land with the recovery parties.

On Wednesday, a team of nine IAF personnel (including mountaineers), four Army Special Forces personnel and two local mountaineers were dropped at the campsite. On Thursday, eight members of the rescue team reached the crash site in search of the survivors. Unfortunately no air-warrior survived the crash.

Thick vegetation, inhospitable terrain and inclement weather adversely affected the aerial search operation in the vast search zone. Despite the challenges posed by poor weather and terrain, IAF remained committed to the continued air and ground efforts throughout the day and night to locate the missing aircraft and its brave air-warriors. Extensive support towards rescue operation was provided by Indian Army, Indian Navy, Arunachal Pradesh government, state police and the locals.Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has invited the protesting junior doctors to meet her again on Saturday in a bid to end their agitation, which has found immense support from their colleagues across the country and crippled the healthcare and medical services in the government and private hospitals.

The invitation for talks came after the agitating doctors categorically refused to meet the state's Chief Minister on Friday night and demanded an unconditional apology from her.

They also put up six conditions for withdrawal of their ongoing stir.

"We want an unconditional apology from Chief Minister Banerjee for the manner in which she addressed us at the SSKM Hospital on Friday. She should not have said what she said. She should come to the NRS Hospital to meet us," Dr Arindam Dutta, a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, said.

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Banerjee, after visiting the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday, had alleged that some outsiders had entered the medical colleges to create disturbances. The West Bengal CM had also blamed the BJP and the CPI-M for engineering the doctors' agitation.

She had earlier asked the agitating junior doctors across the state to resume work by 2 PM, failing which she had threatened them with disciplinary actions. The doctors, however, defied her warning.

Meanwhile, State's Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi said that he had called up Banerjee to discuss the issue of doctors' strike but got no response from her.

"I tried to contact the Chief Minister. I called her up. Till this moment there is no response from her. If she calls me up, we will discuss the matter," he told reporters after visiting injured junior doctor Paribaha Mukhopadhyay at the hospital.

Mukhopadhyay is one of the two junior doctors attacked by the relatives of a patient, who died at the NRS Medical College and Hospital on Monday night.

The attack on the doctors triggered the ongoing nation-wide stir by medicos.

As the things unfolded, Banerjee held a two-hour-long meeting with senior doctors, who were not part of the strike, and invited the agitating doctors for talks at the Secretariat Nabanna on Friday.

After the protesting doctors refused to meet the Chief Minister, dubbing the invitation as a ploy to derail their stir, she invited them yet again to meet her at 5 PM on Saturday at Nabanna.

Informing about the Chief Minister's second invitation, senior physician Sukumar Mukherjee said, "We hope some junior doctors will turn up."

The agitating doctors had said that the Chief Minister must visit the injured doctors at the hospital and issue a statement condemning the attack on them.

Seeking immediate intervention of the CM, the doctors also demanded a judicial probe into the police inaction in providing security to doctors at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital against attack on Monday night.

"We demand documentary evidence and details of the action taken against those who attacked us," said one of their representatives.

The agitators also demanded unconditional withdrawal of all "false cases and charges" imposed on junior doctors and medical students across West Bengal for going on strike.

They also sought improvement of security infrastructure in all health facilities and posting of armed police personnel to shield them from any attack while on duty.

As many as 460 doctors of various government hospitals across the state have resigned from their services to show solidarity with agitators.

In his resignation letter, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine director, Dr P Kundu, said entire medical fraternity of the state fully support the agitation by the doctors of NRS Medical College and Hospital and other government hospitals against the "brutal" attack on medicos during duty.

As the medical fraternity from Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and other states began to rally behind their West Bengal colleagues, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan urged Banerjee not to make the "sensitive matter" a "prestige issue" and ensure an "amicable end" to the stir.

Several prominent personalities like filmmaker Aparna Sen, rights activist Binayak Sen, thespian Kaushik Sen, film director Kamaleshwar Mukherjee and musician Debojyoti Mishra along with many senior doctors, visited the agitators at the NRS Medical College and Hospital to register their support to the agitating doctors.

They later participated in a rally holding placards with a message "No more violence, enough is enough".

The Calcutta High Court, meanwhile, refused to pass any interim order on the strike. Many relatives of the TMC leaders too backed the doctors stir.

They include Banerjee's nephew Abesh Banerjee, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim's daughter Shabba and son of TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

(With Agency inputs)New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday resumed efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of 13 brave air warriors who were killed in the tragic crash of its transport aircraft AN 32 nearly ten days back in the mountainous area of Arunachal Pradesh.

The IAF said in a statement that rescue efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the 13 air-warriors who laid down their lives in the line of duty commenced early on Saturday.

#Update on An 32 crash: Early this morning rescue effort to retrieve the mortal remains of the air-warriors who laid down their life in the line of duty commenced. However, the progress has got hampered due to inclement weather in the area. (1/3)  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 15, 2019

However, the progress got hampered due to inclement weather in the area, it added.

Cheetah & ALH Helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves. At present there are low clouds associated with rain in the area. #IAF in making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors. (2/3)  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 15, 2019

''Cheetah and ALH Helicopters are on standby and are waiting to commence operations once the weather improves. At present, there are low clouds associated with rain in the area. IAF is making all efforts to retrieve the mortal remains of the deceased air-warriors,'' IAF spokesperson and Wing Commander Puneet Chadha said.

Chadha further informed that the IAF personnel are in constant contact with the families of these air-warriors and are updating them regularly about the ongoing rescue operations.

#IAF personnel are in constant contact with the families of these air-warriors and are being updated regularly about the ongoing recuse operations. They are also being explained the challenges about the weather. (3/3)  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 15, 2019

They are also being explained the challenges about the weather, Wing Commander Puneet Chadha said.

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IAF mountaineers, Army Special Forces personnel and local mountaineers were dropped off at the closest possible location to the crash site and have reached the crash site," a Defence Ministry release said.

The mortal remains and other material evidence have to be picked up by helicopters and brought back to Jorhat in stages.

The recovery team is braving the treacherous terrain and inclement weather in order to bring back the mortal remains as soon as possible.

''The IAF has flown around 200 sorties towards the AN-32 search and recovery operations and is sparing no efforts in recovering the remains of its personnel for which 08 helicopters have been deployed,'' the Defence Ministry statement said.

The AN-32 transport aircraft of the Air Force went missing on June 3 after taking off from Assam`s Jorhat.

The aircraft was headed for Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with ground authorities at around 1300 hours.

After a massive search and rescue operation for eight days, during which assets from several agencies were deployed, the wreckage of the aircraft was located by a Mi-17 chopper.

The wreckage was located 16 km north of Lipo at an elevation of 12,000 feet.

The picture emerging from the crash site suggested that the plane was trying to cross over the mountain top but could not do so due to blockage of views by clouds.

(With Agency inputs)Jabalpur: A local BJP leader was murdered and his dead body was buried into the sand in Bargi Assembly constituency of Jabalpur district in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. The deceased BJP leader has been identified as Rishabh Jain.

It is suspected that Rishabh was murdered and then his body was buried into the sand of Panchvati in Bargi's Bhedhaghat town. According to police, 'the end' was written near his body.

Jain was the general secretary of BJYM Nagar administration in Bhedaghat. He was campaigning against trade of illicit liquor and sand mining in the area.

He went missing since Thursday after which the police launched a search to find him.

While the reason for his murder is not clear yet, police have registered a case in this regard and launched an investigation to crack the case. Jain's body has been sent for the post-mortem.

In January, several BJP leaders were reportedly murdered in Madhya Pradesh. BJP leader Manoj Thakre was found dead in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh on January 20.

BJP had termed these deaths a result of political rivalry and said that its leaders were being targeted.New Delhi: Four Congress chief ministers and Karnataka's H D Kumaraswamy met former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday to discuss issues of their respective states, especially those related to farmers and tribals, to be taken up at the Niti Aayog meeting.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Puducherry' V Narayansamy held a meeting with Singh at the Congress headquarters here. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also joined the meeting later.

Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is heading a coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka. They discussed the proposed agenda and issues of their respective states to be taken up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Niti Ayog meeting, sources said.

Among the issues discussed were injecting life back in water bodies, fresh efforts needed from the Centre in the agricultural sector and amendment in the Forest Act to bring about change and prosperity in the lives of the tribals. Baghel, Kumaraswamy and Narayansamy also separately called on the prime minister on Saturday.

On Friday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Nath had hosted a dinner at his residence where Gehlot, Baghel and Narayansamy were present. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh could not make it for the dinner and is likely to skip the Niti Aayog meeting.

The chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states are expected to raise key farmers issues and also share the benefits of the loan waiver scheme implemented by them at the Niti Aayog meeting, sources said.

The fifth meeting of the Niti Aayog's Governing Council will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain water harvesting and preparedness for kharif crops.

The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security related issues with special focus on left wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said. This is the first governing council meeting under the new Modi government, which is being attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, Union ministers and senior government officials.Despite the assurances by the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to provide security to junior doctors on hospital campuses, junior doctors refused to end the stalemate situation on Saturday evening. CM Banerjee while addressing the media said that the demand of junior doctors of giving security on campus has been fulfilled. We have met all of their demands. If they have any more demands which are practical, those will also be fulfilled, she said.

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The Chief Minister launched a blistering attack on the junior doctors for not coming forward to end the ongoing impasse. Immediate action was taken. I sent my ministers, secretaries and Kolkata Police Commissioner the next day to resolve the issue. I waited for five hours on Friday, they did not turn up. Even today I waited but again they did not turn up. Infact, when I went to SSKM hospital, they pushed me and even hurled abuses at me. But I told the police to not take any action against them as they are young and they make mistakes, she remarked.

On the other hand, she alleged that she did not invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) unlike other states, some ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). So many states have invoked the ESMA. I can, but wont. I do not want young aspiring doctors career be marred by police cases. So Im being patient with them and willing to allow some time, she said.

On junior doctors demand of whether she will visit the NRS hospital or not, she said it is completely her decision whether she visits NRS or not, on the other hand, on being asked whether she is going to tender unconditional apology, she alleged that the press should apologise on her behalf.

Agitating junior doctors turned down her appeal to end their stir and resume duty, saying there was no honest effort on her part to break the deadlock. Junior doctors continued their ceasework across all hospitals in the state on Saturday on the fifth day of agitation.

"We are eagerly waiting to rejoin our duty, but from the Chief Minister's side there is no honest initiative to find a solution (of the ongoing problem)," a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors told reporters after CM appealed to protestors to return to work.

The agitating junior doctors also rubbished Banerjee's claims that a few of their colleagues visited her at the state secretariat. "What CM has told in the press conference is not at all true. No junior doctor went to meet her. What she claimed that we are against the solution and conversation...But we want her to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital listen to us and take necessary steps to serve the ailing people," he said.

Earlier, Banerjee, while addressing the press at the state secretariat, left it midway, claiming that a few junior doctors have appeared there in order to meet her.

On June 10, a clash broke out at NRS Medical College and Hospital after an elderly patient died on Monday night. Relatives of deceased patient claimed medical negligence and beat up two junior doctors. One of the junior doctor, Paribaha Mukhpadhyay suffered serious injuries on his skull and is presently undergoing treatment at a city hospital. Since Monday night, junior doctors are on a strike, demanding safety from the government and police.Ayodhya: A high alert has been sounded in Ayodhya after intelligence agencies warned of a possible terror attack in the holy city in the near future.

According to reports, the intelligence agencies had warned on Friday that terrorists may sneak into the holy city of Uttar Pradesh from neighbouring Nepal to carry out a major terror attack here.

In the wake of the intelligence warning, the security across the city has been beefed up and the paramilitary forces deployed here have been asked to be more vigilant.

Surveillance and patrolling in sensitive areas have also been increased after the intelligence warning.

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According to top security officials, the terrorists ae likely to take the Nepal route to enter Uttar Pradesh.

All incoming trains and buses are being thoroughly searched and hotels, lodges and guests houses have been put under scanner.

The authorities are taking all precautionary measures since the verdict in the 2005 terror attack in Ayodhya is scheduled to be delivered on June 18.

The UP government has deployed anti-terror squads, special police and paramilitary personnel, including Rapid Action Force (RAF) and drone cameras to monitor the crowd in real time in and around Ayodhya.

It may be recalled that on June 5, 2005, a terror attack was foiled in Ayodhya and five terrorists were gunned down by the security forces.

Four Kashmiri terrorists were later arrested in this connection.

It is noteworthy that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is also scheduled to visit Ayodhya with his 18 MPs on Sunday, June 16.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya to make a fresh pitch for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site there.

Thackeray will offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple at the site.

This will be Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya after the Lok Sabha results last month. He had visited Ayodhya in November last year.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the goal to make India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024, is challenging, but can surely be achieved. Delivering the opening remarks at the fifth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, in Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in New Delhi, PM Modi said that the states should recognise their core competence, and work towards raising Gross Domestic Product (GDP) targets right from the district level.

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Describing water as an important element for life, the Prime Minister said that the poor bear the brunt of insufficient water conservation efforts. He said that the newly created Jal Shakti Ministry will help provide an integrated approach to water. He urged states to also integrate their efforts towards water conservation and management. He said management of available water resources is a vital imperative.

PM Modi said that the aim is to provide piped water to every rural home by 2024. He said attention has to be given to water conservation and raising the water table. He appreciated the efforts made by several states towards water conservation and management. He said rules and regulations, such as model building bye-laws, also need to be framed for water conservation and management. He added that district irrigation plans under the PM KrishiSinchaiYojana should be implemented carefully.

The Prime Minister called for effective steps to tackle drought. He said that the spirit of per-drop, more-crop needs to be promoted.

Welcoming the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and other delegates, the Prime Minister reiterated that NITI Aayog has a key role to play in fulfilling the mantra of SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas, SabkaVishwas.

Recalling the recent Lok Sabha election as the world's largest democratic exercise, the Prime Minister said that it is now time for everyone to work for the development of the nation. He spoke of a collective fight against poverty, unemployment, drought, flood, pollution, corruption and violence etc.

The Prime Minister said that everyone at this platform has a common goal of achieving a New India by 2022. He described Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and PM AwaasYojana as illustrations of what the Centre and the States can accomplish together.

The PM said that empowerment, and ease of living, have to be provided to each and every Indian. He said the goals that have been set for the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, should be accomplished by October 2, and work should begin in earnest towards the goals for 2022, the 75th anniversary of independence. PM stressed that the focus should be on collective responsibility for achieving short term and long term goals.

Noting that the export sector is an important element in the progress of developing countries, he said both the Centre and the states should work towards growth in exports, in order to raise per capita incomes. He said there is immense untapped export potential in several states, including the North Eastern States. He said a thrust on export promotion at the state level will provide a boost to both income and employment.

Reiterating the Union Government's commitment to double incomes of farmers by 2022, he said this requires focus on fisheries, animal husbandry, horticulture, fruits and vegetables. He said that the benefits of PM-KISAN - KisanSammanNidhi - and other farmer-centric schemes should reach the intended beneficiaries well within time. Noting that there is a need for structural reform in agriculture, the Prime Minister spoke of the need to boost corporate investment, strengthen logistics, and provide ample market support. He said the food processing sector should grow at a faster pace than foodgrain production.

Turning to aspirational districts, the Prime Minister said that the focus should be on good governance. He said the improvement in governance has led to remarkable progress in several aspirational districts. Giving several examples, he said out-of-the-box ideas, and innovative service delivery efforts in some of these districts have also delivered outstanding results.

The Prime Minister said that many aspirational districts are affected by Naxal violence. He said the battle against Naxal violence is now in a decisive phase. He said violence will be dealt with firmly, even as development proceeds in a fast-paced and balanced manner.

On the health sector, the Prime Minister said that several targets have to be kept in mind, to be achieved by 2022. He also mentioned the target of eliminating TB by 2025. The Prime Minister urged those States who have not implemented PMJAY under Ayushman Bharat, so far, to come onboard this scheme at the earliest. He said health and wellness should be the focal point of every decision.

The Prime Minister said that we are now moving towards a governance system characterized by Performance, Transparency and Delivery. He said proper implementation of schemes and decisions is vital. He called upon all members of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog to help create a government setup which works and has the trust of the people.Lucknow: Shivapal Singh Yadav, younger brother of Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, on Friday claimed his party Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) will form the government in Uttar Pradesh in 2022.

"We have decided to contest the 2022 Assembly elections. Our party will form the government in Uttar Pradesh in 2022," he said during a press conference at the party office here.

Putting to rest the speculation of a merger of his party with SP, he said, "Rumours are that there will be a merger but this (revelation) should put an end to all that." Shivpal also said that the election symbol of his party will remain that of a key.

He further said the PSP needs to be strengthened so that in 2022, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) forms a government on its own.

In 2016, Akhilesh had shown the door to his uncle Shivpal, who later formed his own party -- PSP. The family feud had become a hot topic of discussion among villagers at Saifai, a village in the Etawah district and Mainpuri Parliamentary constituency.

Youths in Saifai are divided into two groups -- a few supporting Akhilesh while others are in favour of Shivpal. The PSP had failed to win any seat in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)

Islamabad: Though there was no "structured meeting", Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan exchanged pleasantries during the second day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi claimed on Friday.

While talking to Independent, a UK-based news channel, the Pakistani FM, however, refused to answer whether PM Modi had approached Khan or vice versa.

"There was no scheduled structured meeting between two leaders. On the second day of the SCO, but they met, shook hands. They also exchanged pleasantries," he said.

When asked whether Khan had approached PM Modi, he said, "It isn't necessary who approached whom".

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Again pushing for restarting the bilateral talks, the Pakistani FM said, "I have always said only talks can solve pending contentious issues between Indian and Pakistan."

On its part, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) too claimed that there were no formal discussions between the two leaders.

Some are commenting on social media that a meeting took place. Even Pakistan is not claiming a meeting took place. Let me once again reiterate that no meeting took place. No pull aside. Only an exchange of usual pleasantries in the Leaders Lounge where other leaders were also present. Request not to twist facts, the MEA said in a statement.

All this came after PM Modi made a veiled attack on Pakistan while addressing the plenary session here on Friday, stating that countries which support and finance terrorism must be held accountable.

Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated, especially after the Pulwama terror attack, where India lost over 40 CRPF personnel.

Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack, which saw the entire world community throwing its weight behind India in its fight against terrorism.

The US, in fact, told Pakistan to immediately stop providing support and a safe haven to terror groups following the dastardly attack which occurred on February 14 this year.

Following this, India launched a successful diplomatic campaign to get JeM`s Pakistan-based chief Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist at the UN Security Council, the proposal of which was launched by USA, France and the UK.

Azhar was designated as a global terrorist by the UNSC on May 1. In Bishkek, Khan reiterated the need to resolve all outstanding issues with India through dialogue while talking to Russian news agency Sputnik on June 13.

India, on the other hand, has maintained its stance that Pakistan needed to create a terror-free atmosphere first, conveying the same to Chinese President Xi Jinping during their bilateral on Thursday.

"He (Modi) has informed the Chinese President that Pakistan needs to create an atmosphere free of terror and at this stage, we do not see this happening. We expect it to take concrete action," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had told reporters during a briefing here on the sidelines of the SCO engagements.NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived home on Sunday after concluding his highly successful two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit during which he urged the participating nations to unite against terrorism.

PM Modi was received by top MEA officials at the IGI airport upon his arrival from Bishkek.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Delhi after concluding his two-day visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan where he participated in #SCOSummit2019 . pic.twitter.com/IJKOfXJiQ3  ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2019

During his visit, PM Modi held successful bilateral talks with China, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan, apart from addressing the SCO Summit in Bishkek.

The Prime Minister discussed the global security situation, terrorism, multilateral economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and topical issues of international and regional importance at the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) annual summit in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek.

Though he held discussions with top Asian leaders at the SCO Summit, PM Modi did not hold any formal meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan.

However, PM Modi exchanged "usual pleasantries" with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan in the Leaders` Lounge at the SCO Summit.

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Besides this, the Prime Minister also held a ''pull-aside'' meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus on the sidelines of the SCO Summit on Friday, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

PM @narendramodi had a 'pull-aside' meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko of #Belarus on the margins of #SCOSummit. The two countries share the common goals of development and cooperation in the region. @amb_in @BelarusMFA pic.twitter.com/XpegeYGECg  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 14, 2019

During his address at the SCO Summit, PM Modi coined the acronym ''HEALTH'', which is a template for strengthening cooperation amongst the member-states.

Expanding on the acronym, he said that the `H` in HEALTH stands for Healthcare Cooperation, `E` for Economic Cooperation, `A` for Alternate Energy, `L` for Literature and Culture, `T` for Terrorism free society and `H` for Humanitarian Cooperation.

Even though India did not hold any official talks with Pakistan - who is also an SCO member - in Bishkek, PM Modi also jointly inaugurated the India-Kyrgyz Business Forum with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov earlier today, following which the new strategic partners held a bilateral.

He was also accorded a ceremonial welcome by Jeenbekov at the Ala Archa Presidential Palace in the Kyrgyz capital, which formally started off the Prime Minister`s bilateral visit to the Central Asian country.

Red carpet welcome As the bilateral visit begins, PM @narendramodi was extended a ceremonial welcome by the #Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov at the Ala Archa Presidential Palace in #Bishkek. pic.twitter.com/YgaFXUoPNp  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 14, 2019

15 documents were exchanged in various sectors in PM Modi and Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov`s presence at a joint presser which followed the India-Kyrgyz bilateral.

Expanding the template of cooperation. 15 documents were exchanged in various sectors in the presence of PM @narendramodi and Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov. Full list of documents is at https://t.co/rnr2jgJsNo  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 14, 2019

India also proposed a 200 million dollar line of credit to Kyrgyzstan during wide-ranging talks with the country on Friday.

Even though Pakistan again showed its eagerness in holding talks to resolve all issues, India maintained its stance that Islamabad needed to create a terror-free atmosphere first -- a position which was conveyed to Chinese President Xi Jinping by the Prime Minister during their bilateral on Thursday.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiralled following the deadly February 14 Pulwama terror attack. New Delhi has remained firm to its stand, saying that terror and talks with Islamabad cannot go together.

The next SCO Summit will be hosted by Russia, the MEA confirmed in a special briefing here on Friday. India became a full member of the organisation in 2017 in Astana, along with Pakistan.

(With Agency inputs)New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a crucial meeting of NITI Aayog's fifth Governing Council on Saturday. Today's meeting will focus on issues like the drought situation, farm distress, rain-water harvesting and preparedness for Kharif crops.

The five-point agenda for the meeting also includes aspirational districts programme, transforming agriculture and security related issues with special focus on left-wing extremism (LWE) districts, an official statement said.

The meeting, which will be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be attended by chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, several union ministers and senior government officials.

This will also be the first Governing Council meeting of the new NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to attend the meeting, saying it is "fruitless" as the Niti Aayog has no financial powers to support state plans.

Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao also won't attend the meeting today as he is said to be busy with preparations for the inauguration of an irrigation project in the state.

KCR is yet to meet PM Modi after the national election results. He had also skipped PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony last month.

During today's meeting, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also expected to raise the demand for special status to his state. Kumar, a BJP ally, has considerable presence in the Lok Sabha. He has been pressing for the status for many years now.

The Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled states are expected to raise key farmers issues and also share the benefits of the loan waiver scheme implemented by them at the NITI Aayog meeting, according to PTI.

Headed by the Prime Minister, the Governing Council includes ministers of Finance, Home, Defence, Agriculture, Commerce and Rural Development, besides state chief ministers and Niti Aayog vice chairman, CEO and members.

The Governing Council reviews the action taken on the agenda items of the previous meeting and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities. So far, four meetings of the Governing Council have been held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.

The first meeting of the Governing Council was held on February 8, 2015, at which the Prime Minister laid down the key mandates of Niti Aayog such as fostering cooperative federalism and addressing national issues through active participation of the states.

The second meeting on July 15, 2015, reviewed the progress made by the three sub-groups of chief ministers and the two task forces.

In the third meeting on April 23, 2017, PM Modi had pitched for conducting simultaneous elections of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies and shifting to a January-December fiscal year.

The fourth meeting of the council on June 17, 2018, deliberated upon measures taken to double farmers' income and the progress of the government's flagship schemes.

(With Agency inputs)In the backdrop of the agitation by doctors in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed to doctors to resume their work at the earliest as thousands of patients are suffering. Addressing a press briefing at Nabanna, the state secretariat, the state government stated that it wants to end the stalemate situation, adding that all the 'practical' demands of the protesting doctors will be met.

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The CM in a veiled warning to the agitating doctors said that there are several steps--invoking Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) and cancellation of licenses--that could be imposed on them but the state government has refrained from taking those. CM Banerjee said that she didn't arrest a single person despite the stir continuing for the last five days, adding that no police or stringent action will be taken. She cited incidents in other states where the ESMA was imposed but added that it won't be done in Bengal as it would affect the careers of the aspiring doctors.

The CM claimed that despite repeated attempts on the part of the government to hold meetings and waiting for five hours on Friday, the agitated doctors refused to meet her. Reiterating that 'one must show respect to the constitutional body', she added that she cancelled all her programmes and waited for the doctors to turn up at the meeting.

She also accused the agitating doctors of pushing her and hurling abuses, adding that she still didn't take any action against them as "they are young and made mistakes".

The CM claimed that the agitation has some political interference, adding that some outsiders and intellectuals have joined the movement. She also said that she sent secretaries of the govt, ministers, commissioner of police to hold discussions with them, yet the junior doctors turned a deaf ear and protested on their arrivals.

She said, "We can control incidents 99 per cent of the times but if one per cent of the incidents is happening we have to take action. The police had immediately intervened and five persons were arrested but the court granted them bail."

"These are essential services which cannot be stopped. I will appeal to them through media to please join work and restore normalcy. What we have done, others will not do. We have had enough patience. I have spoken to the Governor, he is convinced. When Narendra Modi was in Gujarat, they arrested doctors and invoked ESMA," she added.

Two doctors were allegedly assaulted by relatives of a patient who had died on Monday night at the NRS hospital.

On Friday night, the agitating junior doctors declined to attend a meeting called by CM Banerjee at the state secretariat, Nabanna, saying it was a ploy to break their stir. After the protesting doctors did not turn up, Banerjee gave them time again at 5 pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, resignation by senior doctors continued in support of their protesting colleagues. Over 300 medicos across various state-run medical college and hospitals have resigned from their services.Kolkata: West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advising her to take immediate steps to provide security to medicos and find out a solution to the impasse arising out of junior doctors' agitation across the state. CM Banerjee later said that she has spoken to the governor and appraised him about the steps taken by the state government to resolve the impasse in hospitals.

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Tripathi advised her to take the doctors into confidence about the arrangements of their security as well as the progress of the investigation into the incidents of assault on them. It will help create a suitable atmosphere and "enable the doctors to resume their duties", the governor's letter read.

Tripathi had on Friday said that he tried to contact the chief minister to discuss the issue of junior doctors' agitation but got no response from her.

This comes after CM Banerjee appealed to doctors to resume their work at the earliest as thousands of patients are suffering. Addressing a press briefing at Nabanna, the state secretariat, the state government stated that it wants to end the stalemate situation, adding that all the 'practical' demands of the protesting doctors will be met.

The CM in a veiled warning to the agitating doctors said that there are several steps--invoking Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) and cancellation of licenses--that could be imposed on them but the state government has refrained from taking those. CM Banerjee said that she didn't arrest a single person despite the stir continuing for the last five days, adding that no police or stringent action will be taken. She cited incidents in other states where the ESMA was imposed but added that it won't be done in Bengal as it would affect the careers of the aspiring doctors.

The CM claimed that despite repeated attempts on the part of the government to hold meetings and waiting for five hours on Friday, the agitated doctors refused to meet her. Reiterating that 'one must show respect to the constitutional body', she added that she cancelled all her programmes and waited for the doctors to turn up at the meeting.

She also accused the agitating doctors of pushing her and hurling abuses, adding that she still didn't take any action against them as "they are young and made mistakes".Hyderabad: A meeting of the Telangana cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, would be held on June 18, the state government said here Friday. "The Chief Minister will chair the state cabinet on June 18 (Tuesday) afternoon at 2 PM at Pragathi Bhavan," an official release said.

The Cabinet meeting is expected to discuss, among others, the proposed new municipal legislation, Andhra Pradesh government handing over buildings held by it here to Telangana and the inauguration of Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation project scheduled for June 21. TRS sources said Rao is unlikely to visit Delhi on Saturday to attend the NITI Ayog meeting.

There was no official word on the matter. Rao visited Mumbai Friday to invite his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis for the inauguration of Kaleswaram project.

On June 19, Rao, the president of ruling TRS would preside over the TRS state executive, a TRS release said. TRS sources said the state executive was likely to discuss the recent Lok Sabha election results and the programmes to be taken up by the party in the next few months.

Amid expectations that the TRS would win at least 13-14 of the total 17 Lok Sabha seats, it bagged nine. The loss of sitting TRS MP and Rao's daughter K Kavtiha in Nizamabad has disappointed the party.Bishkek: A day after PM Narendra Modi strongly raised the issue of terror at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar called it the " gravest threat" that "we face in Asia today" at a summit in neighbouring Tajikistan.

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Speaking at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, EAM said, "Many CICA members are victims of terrorism and should be clear that terrorists and their victims must never be equated."

At the summit, New Delhi called for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) which was proposed by India in 2016 and calls for a common definition on terror.

On regional connectivity initiatives, India reiterated, that connectivity projects should be "inclusive, sustainable, transparent and respect the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity", a message for Bejing, whose China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

CPEC is part of China's mega connectivity plan--Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which plans to connect China with rest of Asia and beyond. CICA is 26 member group based in Kazakhstan.

Speaking on Afghanistan, New Delhi said, "all initiatives and processes must include all sections of Afghan society, including the legitimately elected Government," a statement which shows India's continued support to Ghani govt who seems to be isolated in US-Taliban talks and Russian initiatives on Afghanistan.

On the sidelines of the CICA, EAM Jaishankar met Vice-President of Vietnam, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Khalidal Khalifa, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and Bangladesh's AK Abdul Momen.MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis will expand his cabinet on Sunday and preparations for the same are currently underway at the Raj Bhawan.

The cabinet expansion will be held around 11 AM at the Governor's House where the newly-appointed ministers will be administered the oath of office and secrecy.

''Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will take place tomorrow,'' CM Fadnavis told ANI.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Delhi: Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will take place tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/neuERxCYGE  ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019

According to reports, senior Republican Party of India leader Avinash Mahtekar and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil are likely to be inducted as ministers in Sunday's Maharashtra government's cabinet expansion.

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Two MLAs from Shiv Sena are also likely to take oath as ministers tomorrow.

Fadnavis had met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the expansion of his cabinet.

The Maharashtra CM met Uddhav at the latter's residence 'Matoshree' on Friday.

During the meeting, the two reportedly discussed the state cabinet expansion in detail.

"I met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ji at Matoshree here today and had a long discussion on the cabinet expansion," Fadanvis had informed through a tweet in Marathi.

The Fadnavis-Uddhav meeting came at a time when there are intense speculations that the ruling BJP could offer deputy Chief Minister post to ally Shiv Sena,

The speculation regarding Maharashtra cabinet expansion has been doing the rounds for quite some time in the wake of widening rift between the Shiv Sena and BJP over portfolio allocation and Chief Minister post in Maharashtra.

Seeking to downplay the speculations, the BJP had said that the cabinet expansion would help fulfill the expectations of the Shiv Sena and other NDA allies.

Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister for Finance and Planning in the Maharashtra government, had on Tuesday said that cabinet expansion will be done before the assembly session which begins on Monday.

"Devendra Fadnavis has decided that Maharashtra Cabinet expansion will be done before the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Session, soon all will hear the good news. Shiv Sena and other allies will meet their expectations," he said.

Shiv Sena and the BJP had contested the 2014 assembly polls separately, but the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined the government later.

Both parties contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election together and swept the state.

While BJP won 23, Shiv Sena bagged 18 out of total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the proposed expansion of his cabinet.

According to ANI, Fadnavis met Uddhav at the latter's residence 'Matoshree' on Friday.

During the meeting, the two reportedly discussed the proposed state cabinet expansion in detail.

"I met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ji at Matoshree here today and had a long discussion on the cabinet expansion," Fadanvis informed through a tweet in Marathi.

   .              .  Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) June 14, 2019

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The Fadnavis-Uddhav meeting comes at a time when there are intense speculations that the ruling BJP could offer deputy Chief Minister post to ally Shiv Sena,

The speculation regarding Maharashtra cabinet expansion has been doing the rounds for quite some time in the wake of widening rift between the Shiv Sena and BJP over portfolio allocation and Chief Minister post in Maharashtra.

Seeking to downplay the speculations, the BJP had said that the cabinet expansion would help fulfill the expectations of the Shiv Sena and other NDA allies.

Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister for Finance and Planning in the Maharashtra government, had on Tuesday said that cabinet expansion will be done before the assembly session which begins on Monday.

"Devendra Fadnavis has decided that Maharashtra Cabinet expansion will be done before the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Session, soon all will hear the good news. Shiv Sena and other allies will meet their expectations," he said.

Shiv Sena and the BJP had contested the 2014 assembly polls separately, but the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined the government later.

Both parties contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election together and swept the state.

While BJP won 23, Shiv Sena bagged 18 out of total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.Mumbai: Actress Aditi Rao Hydari was nostalgic as her maiden Telugu film "Sammohanam" clocked a year since its release on Saturday

Directed by Mohan Krishna Indraganti, the romantic drama also features Sudheer Babu.

"'Sammohanam' my Telugu debut with a dream team. Lots of love to the audiences who not only accepted me but also gave me so much love. Cannot believe it's already been a year no Sudheer Babu. Turn back the clock! P.S. V' will all be together soon," Aditi tweeted.

The team has now reunited for action thriller "V".

Announcing the new project, Sudheer had earlier tweeted: "V are coming back and this time with an action thriller. Reunion with my favourite Mohan Krishna Indraganti sir and Aditi Rao Hydari."Shweta Bachchan Nanda's kids - Navya Naveli and Agastya - spent some time with their grandmother Ritu Nanda and aunt Nitasha and a picture of them was shared by socialite Natasha Poonawalla recently on Instagram.

The picture also features Natasha and they can be seen posing cheerfully. Navya, looking radiant in white, is seated beside her grandmother while Agastya adorably pulls his aunt Nitasha's cheek. Can't get cuter than this!

Natasha posted the picture with mutiple heart emojis. Take a look.

The picture appears to be taken in the US, where Ritu Nanda and Nitasha are currently staying. They are spending time with actor Rishi Kapoor, who is undergoing treatment for cancer in New York. Ritu Nanda is Rishi Kapoor's elder sister.

Shweta, daughter of star couple Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, is married to businessman Nikhil Nanda. Navya and Agastya are the couple's two children.

Just recently, social media was flooded with pictures of the brother-sister duo from his graduation ceremony, which was attended by Navya and Shweta. He graduated from Sevenoaks School in Kent, London

"In the blink of an eye - congratulations Gus you made it," Shweta captioned a picture of Navya and Agastya from the ceremony.

Her actor brother Abhishek also shared a similar picture for his nephew and wrote, "Congratulations on your graduation, Agastya. You're growing up too fast and way too tall!! #ProudMamu."Mumbai: Karan Singh Grover, who returns to television after six years with the reboot version of 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay', believes it is the mindset of people that has become regressive and not the content on the small screen.

Karan, who has been part of some memorable shows like 'Dill Mill Gayye', 'Qubool Hai' and others, disagrees with the argument that the content on TV has become regressive in the last few years.

"It is the thought process that is regressive and not the content. We are at a point where we are confusing regressive content with regressive thinking. I think people's thoughts have become regressive. There are ten stories in the world and out of that how do we tell it differently is the key.

"I have seen episodes of the new version of 'Kasautii...' and I was part of the previous show as well. I must say it has evolved in a way that it is able to connect with the current scenario and thought process of everyone," Karan told PTI.

Karan is all set to enter the reboot version of 'Kasautii Zindagii Kay' as Rishabh Bajaj, the character which was originally played by actor Ronit Roy in the original that ran successfully from 2001 to 2008.

Interestingly, Karan was part of the previous show, where he played Prerna (Shweta Tiwari) and Mr Bajaj's (Ronit) son-in-law.

Recalling his experience of working on the show, the actor says both the lead actors, Shweta and Ronit, were very humble and helpful towards him.

"The role that I am playing is such an iconic role and it was played with magnificence. It is a blessing when you get such a role. It is larger than life character. This time they (makers) have added more layers and dimensions to the character.

"He is an adrenaline junkie, he lives on the edge. But there is another side to him that is very endearing," Karan says.

The actor has no problems with the comparison that will be made between his and Ronit's versions of Mr Bajaj.

"Comparisons are bound to happen and it is good. But I will stay away from it. I will just concentrate on performing as the new age Mr Bajaj. I need to pay attention to my performance. I believe in staying true to the story, the writing, the character that you are playing."

The reboot version, created and produced by Ekta Kapoor, premiered last year on Star Plus. It stars Parth Samthaan and Erica Fernandes in the lead.A six-year-old girl from India died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert after her mother left her with other migrants to go in search of water, a medical examiner and US Border Patrol said on Friday. The girl, Gurupreet Kaur, soon to celebrate her seventh birthday, was found by US Border Patrol west of Lukeville, Arizona on Wednesday, when temperatures reached a high of 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius), US Border Patrol and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) said.

The girl`s death, the second recorded fatality of a migrant child this year in Arizona`s southern deserts, highlighted the danger of summer heat as a surge of migrant families, mainly from Central America, cross the US-Mexico border to seek asylum.

An increasing number of Indian nationals are entering the United States from Mexico, according to immigration officials. They are among thousands of Africans and Asian migrants making the arduous journey, led by smuggling cartels. The girl and her mother were among a group of five Indian nationals dropped off by smugglers in a remote border area at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 17 miles (27 km) west of Lukeville, a US border town 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Tucson.

After walking some way, the girl`s mother and another woman went in search of water, leaving her daughter with another woman and her child. "Once they went to look for water they never saw them again," said US Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavilbaso.

The mother and the other woman wandered in the rugged Sonoran desert wilderness for 22 hours before being found by a US Border Patrol agent who tracked their footprints. Four hours later, Border Patrol agents found the body of the deceased girl a mile (1.6 km) from the border.

Agents tracked the remaining woman and her 8-year-old daughter into Mexico before the mother and child re-entered the United States and surrendered to Border Patrol. The deceased girl died of hyperthermia and her death was ruled an accident, said Greg Hess, PCOME chief medical officer.

Up to May 30, PCOME recorded 58 migrant deaths in southern Arizona, most heat related. It recorded 127 deaths in 2018. Border Patrol blamed Kaur`s death on the smugglers.

"This is a senseless death driven by cartels who are profiting from putting lives at risk," Tucson Chief Patrol Agent Roy Villareal said. Human rights activist Juanita Molina said the US border security measures were also partly to blame, along with the exhausted state of Indian child migrants once they reach the border.

"They`re trying to unload people in places where they can avoid detection themselves," Molina, director of Tucson-based Border Action Network, said of smugglers. "For a young child, death can come very quickly," she added.Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that Britain`s Queen Elizabeth II had more fun during his state visit to the UK than in the last 25 years."I have such a great relationship, and we were laughing and having fun. And her people said she hasn`t had so much fun in 25 years. Then I got criticized for it because they said we were having too much fun," the Hill quoted Trump as saying.

Trump`s comments come two weeks after his first state visit to London to meet the 93-year-old monarch. During his three-day visit, the president dined with the Queen, members of the British royal family and other British politicians at Buckingham Palace.

Trump and the queen reaffirmed the importance of the Washington-London relationship during an elaborate state banquet."On behalf of all Americans I offer a toast to the eternal friendship of our people, the vitality of our nations and to the long cherished and truly remarkable reign of her majesty, the queen," Trump said in his toast during the event.

He also met Prime Minister Theresa May. Opposing Trump`s visit, thousands of people hit the streets. The `Trump Baby` blimp was flown by the demonstrators outside the Houses of Parliament, according to CNN, alongside a 16-foot robot version of Trump sitting on the toilet and tweeting.

Other activists came dressed as gorillas, with signs reading that they "only eat chlorinated chicken" -- a nod to concerns in Britain that a post-Brexit trade deal with the US would mean a decline in food standards for imported produce.

Appleton PD(APPLETON, Wis.) -- Two officers involved in a shooting that left the suspect and a firefighter dead have been cleared of any wrongdoing in Wisconsin.

Outagamie County District Attorney Melinda Tempelis said Appleton Police Sergeant Christopher Biese and Officer Paul Christensen were justified in shooting a suspect to death nearly a month to the day after the incident.

Body camera footage released Thursday shows the chaotic scene that unfolded on the evening of May 15 when police, firefighters and paramedics responded to a man who they believed had a seizure on a bus arriving in the town.

Ruben Houston, 47, was traveling back to his home in Wausau, Wisconsin, when he was found unresponsive on the bus.

First responders discovered that he had overdosed on opioids and administered two shots of Narcan.

In body camera video captured by Biese, Houston can be seen getting up before he begins to walk away, which is when officers noticed a bulge on his right side.

Houston claimed it was his phone, but then he reached for his .380 semiautomatic weapon and shot at the officers.

I heard like a pow, and I thought it was a lawnmower backfiring, witness Tori Mourning told ABC News affiliate WBAY-TV. I heard it again, I looked up because we can see the bus stop from my bedroom window. I looked at the tree, I saw the guy shoot a female, and she went down, and another shot was fired, and there was another male and he went down, and then I saw the shooter flee.

Mitch Lundgaard, a 14-year veteran of the Appleton Fire Department, was shot in the back after offering Houston a cot to lay down on outside of the bus. He later died at the hospital.

Christiansen was also shot in the lower body, but immediately returned fire. He was released from the hospital the next day.

Authorities believe bystander Brittany L. Schowalter, 30, was used by Houston as a human shield. She was struck by the officers gunfire but is now in stable condition.

Houston was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

The investigation found that both officers involved had fired at least once.

Lungaard was a father of three kids, held the rank of firefighter inspector and was also a relief driver engineer. He drove the firetruck to the scene that night.

Biese has been at the police department since 2004. Christiansen had been there for just under 15 months.

It shows the public just how a seemingly insignificant, non-emergency call for a police officer, can quickly turn deadly, Appleton Police Chief Todd L. Thomas said. This is why our officers have to always remain vigilant, and why there is no such thing as a routine call.

Sgt. Biese and Officer Christensen acted heroically, moving and repeatedly engaging the suspect as he fired. Even after Officer Christensen was hit, and clearly in extreme pain, he battled on because peoples lives were still in danger, he added. They were both guardians and caregivers  and, when needed, they were true warriors  vividly demonstrating the strength of the thin blue line.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Humberto Leon and Carol Lim spent eight years as co-creative directors at Kenzo, turning the French, LMVH-owned brand into the cool, accessible hybrid of streetwear and luxury fashion it is today. Today, they've announced they're leaving the brand for good, to focus full-time on Opening Ceremony, the brand they founded together in 2002, which first made them famous.

According to Vogue, the duo have reacquired all shares of Opening Ceremony, and are leaving Kenzo with the intent of expanding and experimenting with the company. "With full control of the company we are focused on growing our company even further," Leon and Lim told the outlet.

"We are thankful to our wonderful Kenzo team and the LVMH group for the opportunity to take forward [founder of Kenzo] Takada's groundbreaking legacy," Leon and Lim said in a joint statement. "We are excited to bring so many rich experiences and memories from our time at Kenzo to new frontiers."

According to LVMH, Kenzo's next "creative step" will be announced soon. Good luck to Humberto and Carol on whatever's next!Lili Reinhart has signed on with Amazon Studios to star in and executive produce a new coming-of-age romance flick called Chemical Hearts.

Deadline reports that the Riverdale actor is joining forces with writer and director Richard Tanne to bring an adaptation of Krystal Sutherland's Our Chemical Hearts to life. The production will be her first executive producer role.

Related | Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart Are a Cute Camp Couple

According to the publication, Chemical Hearts focuses on a teen romantic named Henry Page who's still waiting for that "once in a lifetime kind of love." At the start of the school year, Henry is focused on becoming the editor of his high school newspaper, however things don't go exactly as planned when he meets Grace Town (Reinhart), a new transfer student, on the first day of his senior year.

Okay, so maybe not as salacious of a story as something that would appear in Riverdale High's The Blue and Gold, but it still sounds like a pretty cute story. Not only that, but the production is also reportedly working with nonprofit RespectAbility, which aims to ensure accurate media portrayals of characters with disabilities.

No set premiere date yet, but production is reportedly already underway in New Jersey.The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) says it is consulting with the Somali government and partners to start handing over military bases to local security forces as part of a transitional plan.



Francisco Madeira, special representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, said the mission was now moving into critical stages of the implementation of the Somali Transition Plan of gradually transferring security responsibilities to Somali security forces.



"In the coming months, AMISOM in consultation with the Federal Government of Somalia and partners will be transferring Forward Operating Bases to the Somali security forces. This is in the spirit of the Somali Transitional Plan," Madeira said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.



Speaking during a hand-over ceremony of six specially-designed refrigerated containers, Madeira reiterated the critical importance of having a well-funded, well-resourced and adequately-supplied Somali security forces.



The AU mission donated the six containers to the Somali security forces to help enhance their capacity as they intensify operations to liberate the country from militants.



Madeira congratulated the Somali security forces for their role in liberating Bariire town in the Lower Shabelle region, saying AMISOM would continue to motivate and support the Somali security forces.



Four of the donated containers went to the Somali National Army and two were received by the Somali Police Force.



Al-Shabab extremists, who control large parts of Somalia's southern and central regions, continue to carry out high-profile attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere, targeting military bases manned by AU troops and Somali security forces.

Source: GNA









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Featured VideoThe Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has called for a review of the contribution rate of workers to enable it to sustain the pension scheme and to pay workers higher pensions.



Currently, the contribution rate is 11 percent of basic salary but SSNIT wants it reviewed to 19.2 percent.



At the Volta Regional forum in Ho to discuss issues related to pensions, benefit computation, among others, the Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, said there was the need for a discussion on what the correct funding rate should be for the scheme.



The forum was organized by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in collaboration with SSNIT.



Participants were taken through practical details of how to estimate their pensions.



Dr Ofori-Tenkorang said the benefits that pensioners received as compared to the contributions they make showed that there was a chance that SSNIT might not be able to meet its obligations in the future especially when more and more pensioners come on board.



We have had external actuaries who come and look at our scheme every three years and some of their suggestions they have been making is that we should come up with an appropriate funding rate to sustain the scheme, he said.



The time, he said, had come for the country to build a robust and sustainable scheme that would still be there for generations to come.



No cheating



Responding to claims that SSNIT pensions were low, Dr Tenkorang debunked such claims, stating that there were no myths surrounding benefit computation and that pensions were a direct reflection of salaries of workers on which they contribute.



He described SSNIT as a generous scheme, explaining that the lowest paid pensioner earns more than a lowest paid worker in active service despite meagre contributions.



According to him, the system put in place did not create the opportunity for SSNIT workers to steal peoples pensions and in a situation whereby there was a wrong computation of benefits, it could be easily rectified.



SSNIT does not cheat workers. I cant cheat you; SSNIT workers cannot cheat you too. If they dont even pay you the right amount, they cant put that money in the pocket because wrong computation can easily be corrected, he told members of labour groups and workers at the forum.



The SSNIT boss mentioned that SSNIT had embarked on an aggressive public education agenda to promote knowledge of the scheme among others and for that matter has rolled out the second phase of infoshop in five universities to empower next generation of workers on their right to the scheme.



TUC



The Deputy Secretary General of TUC, Mr Joshua Ansah, said pensions had been a major concern for workers in Ghana and that was why they felt it necessary to bring the top hierarchy of SSNIT to address the concerns for workers.



He urged workers to take active interest in their social security and retirement planning.

Source: Graphic.com









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Featured VideoTHE NATIONAL Identification Authority (NIA) has responded to a report on social media that seems to suggests that a Togolese national has fraudulently acquired the Ghana Card.



According to NIA, the said the card was genuine.



NIA in a statement signed by its Head of Corporate Affairs, ACI Francis Palmdeti, said it has seen on social media, a picture of a Ghana Card placed alongside a Togo National ID card, both bearing the personal details of one Wilfried Amenovideto.



It said some of the commentaries on the said ID card images suggest that the individual is a Togolese

and therefore not eligible to be issued with a Ghana Card as a Ghanaian citizen.



The NIA wishes to put the following facts on record for the attention of the general public: the Ghana Card bearing the name of Wilfried Amenovideto is genuine; in support of his application for the Ghana Card, Mr. W. Amenovideto submitted a Birth Certificate issued by the Births and Deaths Registry on 26th January 2018 at Aflao, with the nationality of both parents indicated on the said birth certificate as Ghanaian, the statement noted.



It added that a person who is a citizen of Ghana and a citizen of another country is entitled to apply for, and be issued with, the Ghana Card; a citizen of another country may subsequently become a Ghanaian citizen after going through the requisite process of Naturalisation or Registration as provided for by law.



Also, it said, there are many foreigners living in Ghana who, through the Ministry for the Interior, have obtained Ghanaian citizenship either through Registration or Naturalization; and NIA is conducting an investigation to determine whether any person or persons have violated any applicable law in the issuance of a Ghana Card to the said Wilfried

Amenovideto.



The NIA wishes to assure the general public that it takes very seriously, concerns or allegations of fraudulent acquisition of the Ghana Card meant for citizens by persons who are not Ghanaians. Accordingly, the NIA is currently assisting the Ghana Police to investigate several such cases.



The prosecution of crime is not limited by time therefore any person found to have breached any relevant legal provision will be duly prosecuted, it disclosed.







Source: Daily Guide









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Featured VideoFIVE NIGERIANS who raped a woman in the course of their robbery operation at Community 25 in Tema have been arrested by the Prampram Divisional Police Command.



The suspects were apprehended Friday after being on the police wanted list for some time.



Their modus operandi is attacking mobile money vendors, mostly women in their house with machetes and guns and raping them after taking away their valuables.



Confirming the incident to DGN Online, Chief Superintendent Cecilia Arko, Crime Officer of the Prampram Divisional Police Command, narrated that barely a month ago, four among the five suspects attacked a couple at their residence at about 3:00 am.



According to her, the suspects who were aiming at a mobile money vendor, mistakenly went to the house of the couple and held them hostage before demanding for money and valuables.



For the couples inability to provide what they wanted, Chief Superintendent Arko noted one of the suspects angrily sent their female victim to one of the rooms where he removed her underwear and forcibly hard sex with her while his accomplices filmed the odious act with a cell phone.



The Crime Officer indicated that last Thursday, the couple were walking in the neighbourhood when the female victim spotted the suspect who removed his mask before filming the act, adding that she quickly alerted the husband who confronted the suspect on the street.



However, according to her, the suspect decided to take to his heels upon seeing the couple but the male victim managed to raise alarm which attracted neighbours who apprehended the suspect and handed him over to the police station.



She further said when the suspect was interrogated, he admitted the offence and further led the police to their hideout in the area where his accomplices were also arrested including the gang leader who brought the suspects from Nigeria to Ghana to do criminal activities such as internet fraud and armed robbery.







Source: Daily Guide









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Featured VideoThe regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bono Region, Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC has descended heavily on the Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi for accusing the government of deliberately shielding those who kidnapped the two Canadian ladies.



According to him, NDC is full of propagandaists.



The opposition NDC yesterday 13th June, 2019 held a press conference at their party headquarters to identify some NPP-affiliated vigilante groups as the alleged culprits behind the kidnapping of the two Canadian women.



At a press conference the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, revealed what he said is incontrovertible proof that "the ringleader and masterminds of the nefarious kidnapping of the two Canadian girls are not ordinary criminals," but are "party thugs associated with the New Patriotic Party vigilante group, Delta Force in the Ashanti Region".



But Abronye DC reacting on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Programme urged Ghanaians to disregard the press conference since he believes it is just a means for the NDC to cover up the mess created by its party chairman Ofosu Ampofo.



Abronye DC revealed further that Sammy Gyamfi was forced to come out with the real identities of the suspects due to the bastardisation of its party chairman, Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo who has been accused of orchestrating the recent wave of kidnappings in the country hence trying to equalize with the NPP.



Setting the records straight Asiedu Nketia after Ayawaso West Wuguon by-election violence indicated that National security operatives is full of NPP and their cronies and that it should be closed downthe question is, how can NPP arrest NPP because according to NDC all national security officials are members of the NPP so how can they arrest their ownthe best thing for them to do is to allow them (culprits) to run away if truly they are NPP boys? he quizzed.



The motive of the NDC press conference yesterday is to clear their chairman Ofosu Ampofos name from all the accusation leveled against him but it will not hold because the truth is always exposed you, he stressed.



Watch full interview below;





Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









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Featured VideoThe Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has visited the Prince Emmanuel Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church at Ringway Estates to worship and give thanks to God for 70 years of its existence.



On Friday, June 14, 2019, the leadership and members of Nkrumahs once vibrant CPP, visited Abosey Okai Central Mosque to worship, praise and thank Allah for the same reason.



Notable among the leadership was the Partys 2016 presidential candidate, Kobina Ivor Greenstreet.



At the SDA church, Pastor Dr. Divine Ayivor, nephew of Komla Agbeli Gbedema, recounted the connection between the CPP and the Church.



He stated the leadership was right in visiting the Church to thank God for 70 years.



According to the pastor, God was indeed invited at the foundation of the Party.



He prayed for a renewal and rejuvenation of the party.



He added that there was the need for a revival and rededication to the founding dream.



CPP was founded by the late President Kwame Nkrumah on June 12, 1949 and spent about eight years helping to fight for independence for then Gold Coast.



Ghana gained independence on March 6, 1957 from Britain, with the CPPs founder becoming Ghanas President.



He stayed in power for about nine years before he was overthrown in February 1966.

Source: Daily Guide









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Featured VideoThe launch of a Shatta Movement fan club at Ngleshie Amanfro in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region on Saturday turned violent.



A faction of Nii Kwashie Gborlor IV, Chief of Ngleshie Amanfro clashed with a faction of Shatta Wales father.



Charles Nii Akramah Mensah, father of Wale was set to launch the Shatta movement fan club but an impending chieftaincy feud between the substantive Chief, Nii Kwashie Gborlor IV and Shattas father, said to be carrying himself as the chief of the area, marred the event.



The event turned bloody when the substantive chiefs faction in a bid to halt the launch allegedly attacked members of Shattas camp claiming Wales father had no right to hold himself up as the chief of the area.



Officials of the Ghana Police Service in the area later came to the scene and dispersed the crowd.



Chief of Ngleshi Amanfro, Nii Kwashie Gborlor IV who spoke to Citi News said the posture of Shatta Wales father is inimical to the customs hence, he will use the appropriate channels to oppose his actions.



He is claiming himself as the custodian of the area. So he is telling people that he is coming to launch the fan club, but it is a lie. We will not sit down for that to happen. As a gazetted chief, I will act according to the law so this wont happen. I respect the law. We have given a letter with the police and we have informed the National Security. 



Dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale was not present as at the time of the incident but some of his militants were seen at the launch.



A sub-chief at Ngleshi Amanfro, Odotobli Kwame Yedu also corroborated the concerns of the Chief warning of more reprisal attacks if the issues are not addressed.



All they are doing is illegal. We are appealing to the government, especially the IGP and the security agencies should stop this man else we will all bath in the blood. We will make sure to deal with anyone who tries to intimidate us. We will resist this issue of our land involving Shatta Wales father.

Source: citinewsroom.com









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Featured VideoIf you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found hereThe New York Times, May 30, 2019

By Rod Nordland

KABUL, Afghanistan  One of the investigators of the American University in Afghanistan summed things up this way: If the United States government had paid to send every Afghan graduate to college in the United States, it would have spent less money than it did on financing a troubled, English-language university for them in the Afghan capital.

The university graduated 1,281 Afghan degree students over the past decade, at a cost of $126,000 each to American taxpayers, or a total of $162 million.

Now the continued existence of the university is potentially at risk after investigators said they were unable to determine what happened to $63 million of that money, according to officials of the United States Agency for International Development and the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction.

The result was an official effort last year by investigators at both agencies to have the university disqualified from receiving any further government funding, a process known as suspension.

An agreement was reached that prevented that step. But the university, generally known as A.U.A.F., remains the subject of a criminal investigation as well as a forensic audit to find out what happened to all that money.

The university is one of the most high-profile development projects that the American government has undertaken in Afghanistan. Reached for comment, officials at U.S.A.I.D. praised its academic achievements.

The universitys primary objective is to provide an American-style education to the youth of Afghanistan, and it has been very successful at doing so, said Tom Babington, an agency spokesman. The student body is made up of impressive, motivated individuals, and its graduates are now increasingly influential in all areas of modern Afghan life  in both the public and private sectors.

Prestigious Fulbright fellowships have been awarded to 76 of its graduates, a higher number than any other university worldwide, according to A.U.A.F.

Mr. Babington acknowledged that the financial and management problems uncovered by investigators were serious, but he said that continued funding by the United States government, which underwrites most of the universitys budget, was still under discussion.

U.S.A.I.D. is in negotiations with A.U.A.F. for a possible extension through June 2020, he said.

The agencys contract to fund the university expires on Friday, but there is interim funding until the end of June, Mr. Babington said.

On March 29, the universitys board chairman, David Sedney, signed an administrative agreement that American government officials say they demanded. In it, the university pledges to undertake substantial reforms in budgeting, management and oversight as a condition of future government funding, but admits to no wrongdoing. The New York Times obtained a copy of the agreement.

The agreement, according to the U.S.A.I.D. inspector general, Ann Calvaresi Barr, imposes robust mechanisms to monitor and verify steps that A.U.A.F. must take to continue to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars.

The university has had a turbulent history, with numerous management changes, and, in August 2016, an attack by the Taliban that killed at least seven students and six guards. A few weeks before that attack, two professors at the university, an Australian and an American, were kidnapped by the Talibans Haqqani network; both remain in captivity.

Then last November, the universitys board chairman, an American entrepreneur named Abul Huda Farouki, abruptly resigned, shortly before his indictment on criminal charges connected with his companys contract to supply food and logistics support to the American military in Afghanistan.

The special inspector for Afghanistan, as well as the inspector generals office of U.S.A.I.D., said they opened a joint criminal investigation into the university several years ago after they had been approached by a whistle-blower. But they said they found the universitys records in such disarray that they were not able to make a criminal case against anyone.

Instead, last year, the investigators recommended suspension of the university from receiving future government funding. U.S.A.I.D. instead decided on the administrative agreement, which investigators for both agencies said they agreed to reluctantly.

Mr. Sedney, a former Defense Department official and former president of the university who took over as board chairman after Mr. Faroukis departure, played down the investigators concerns.

In the range of administrative agreements, ours is the mildest one. Its a regulatory proceeding. We were not suspended, no finding of fraud, no financial wrongdoing or requirement to pay back any money, he said.

He also objected to officials characterization that the university had lost more than $63 million since 2012, as the special inspector for Afghanistan said in its latest report to Congress.

A.U.A.F. has not lost any money, Mr. Sedney said. A.U.A.F. is a nonprofit organization that has spent all the money it has received from the U.S. government.

Mr. Sedney also said government inspectors had failed to visit the university campus or interview key officials, including himself. He said the record-keeping problems were the result of the Taliban attack on the university, which forced it to move abruptly to a new, highly fortified campus.

We welcome Sigar or any other organization or individual to contact the university for a full, accurate description of what A.U.A.F. has produced through its responsible use of all funds it has received, he said, referring to the special inspector general for Afghanistan.

Mr. Sedney said the university had built a serious institution, with classrooms, dormitories, laboratories, computing facilities and other physical assets that will benefit Afghanistan for decades to come. The report made no mention of these assets in the places where it discussed what the United States and Afghanistan have gained from the universitys existence, he said.

The special inspector general, John Sopko, said that investigators from his office and U.S.A.I.D. had examined 28 previous investigations and audits of the university. When they sought further information from the university about money that was unaccounted for, he said, they encountered resistance  even to a subpoena from his office, in one case.

In seven years of investigating government contractors and grant recipients in Afghanistan, this is one of the worst-run programs I have ever seen, Mr. Sopko said.

When his agency said the university had lost $63 million, he said, it meant that record-keeping was so poor it was impossible to determine what had happened to that money, more than a third of the U.S.A.I.D. and Defense Department grants to the university since it was founded in 2006.

Suspension or debarment actions are serious. In the grant and aid world, thats considered to be the death penalty, Mr. Sopko said. We really want this university to survive, but if it continues with this management style that everything is O.K. and theres nothing to worry about, it will fail.

U.S.A.I.D. officials said that future funding of the university depended on it making substantial progress under the administrative agreement. The U.S.A.I.D. administrator, Mark Green, emphasized those concerns in a letter to Mr. Sedney on April 29, which the agency released on Thursday.

I remain concerned about the Board of Trustees commitment to the responsible management of U.S. taxpayer dollars and dedication to making A.U.A.F. a self-reliant, sustainable institution, Mr. Green said.

The administrator said that if ongoing negotiations lead to an extension of university funding for another year, this is the last such extension I will approve. He added that any future funding would be subject to a competitive bidding process, meaning another organization might win the university funding.

Ms. Barr, the U.S.A.I.D. inspector general, said her office would remain vigilant in this matter. Time will tell if A.U.A.F.s responses effectively address the serious nature of our concerns.

Mr. Sopko also said his agency was continuing its criminal investigation and an audit of how the university spent government funding.

U.S.A.I.D. officials acknowledge that spending at the university has been high.

Any time you are starting up a new institution, the costs will be higher, Mr. Babington said. Afghans studying at institutions in Afghanistan are also more likely to maintain their local connections, look for local employment opportunities, and ultimately contribute to the Afghan economy and society. That remains our intent.

Mr. Sedney said the investigations of the university did not focus on its achievements. The universitys academic program is in the best shape its been in its history, he said. The level of student achievement is higher than ever before.Correction: June 3, 2019

An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to efforts by United States government investigators to take action against the American University in Afghanistan. Last year, the investigators urged suspension for the university, a process that would disqualify it from receiving further government funding, but did not also suggest the process of debarment. Neither action was taken.New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/14/2019 -- Monocyte Activation Test Market by Product (Monocyte Activation Test Kits and Reagents) Source (Blood Based, Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell (PBMC) Based, and Cell Line Based), Application (Medical Devices, Lipid Parenteral, Dialysis Liquids, Blood Products, and Toxic/immune-modulatory Drugs) and Region - Analysis & Forecast 2019-2030.



Download Free PDF Sample Copy @ https://www.marketindustryreports.com/pdf/48



The global monocyte activation test market is witnessing continuous advancements in test offerings and extensive growth in the product portfolio of major as well as local manufacturers. The growth of the global monocyte activation test market is attributed to increasing number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries globally, rising research and development, increased investments and surge in new drug approval activities. Additionally, a proposed ban on animal tests has resulted in reducing the use of the rabbit for pyrogen test. This is one of the significant factors that is driving the growth of monocyte activation tests globally. Increase in public and regulatory concerns about product safety further support the market growth.



Ban on Animal-based Pyrogen Test by Several Regulatory is likely to Boost Monocyte Activation Tests Market

Animals are used to test both the safety and efficacy of therapeutic drugs, cosmetics, household products, and chemicals. Fortunately there are developing numbers of effective non-animal alternatives that can replace the use of animals in pyrogen testing. Moreover, many countries have regulatory requirements that stipulate a ban on animal based pyrogen testing. There have been major changes in the European Union in recent years. In the EU the use of animals for pyrogen testing of cosmetic products has been banned since 2009, the use of animals for the testing of cosmetic ingredients also has been banned since March 2013. Furthermore, the EU banned the sale of any cosmetics tested on animals from March 2013 onwards. Israel imposed similar cosmetic testing bans in 2007 and 2013, and similar policy change is under consideration in India and South Korea. These factors are anticipated to present a lucrative growth opportunity for the global monocyte activation test market in the coming years.



Browse key industry insights spread across 150 pages with market data tables & figures & charts from the report, Monocyte Activation Test Market by Product (Monocyte Activation Test Kits and Reagents), Source (Blood Based, Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell (PBMC) Based, and Cell Line Based), Application (Medical Devices, Lipid Parenteral, Dialysis Liquids, Blood Products, and Toxic/immune-modulatory Drugs) and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 - Global Analysis & Forecast, 2019-2030 in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.marketindustryreports.com/48/monocyte-activation-test-market



Increasing Investments in R&D



Rising prevalence and incidences of several diseases worldwide has triggered the need for advanced R&D scenario across all sectors of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and research establishments. Both public and private sectors are now focusing on new innovative techniques to obtain latest medical breakthroughs. According to studies, it was estimated that the total spending on R&D by mid-market biotechnology companies, witnessed an increment of approximately 18% between 2015 and 2016. Growing need to address several forms of ailments has been crucial in dictating the funding and R&D spending by government establishments as well as major market players and other research institutes. Increasing R&D investments and spending is anticipated to positively contribute to the growth of the global monocyte activation test market.



Inadequate supply of MAT test kits & reagents to Restrain Global Market



According to WHO (World Health Organization), only 12.5 million blood donations are collected globally, and approximately half of these are collected in high-income countries, which is home to 19% of the world's population. Thus, inadequate number of healthy blood donors hampers the manufacturing of MAT kits & reagents which eventually effects the growth of the global market. Moreover, there is an increase in application of pyrogen tests in various fields, whereas initially pyrogen test was introduced only for pharmaceutical products. However, presently it is being used on medical devices, implants, purification of water, and food & beverages industries.



Rapid Growth of the Asia Pacific Market



Asia Pacific is estimated to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing growth of the R&D infrastructure, continuously growing economy, and proposed ban of animal-based pyrogen test by many South Asian countries is anticipated to present a lucrative growth scenario for the monocyte activation test market in this region. Furthermore, increasing R&D expenditures in the region is expected to present an attractive growth prospect for the market in the coming years.



Major Players in the Monocyte Activation Test Market



The prominent players in the global monocyte activation test market are Merck KGaA, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Sanquin, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., Microcoat Biotechnologie GmbH, SOLVIAS AG and Lonza Group among others.



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June 14, 2019 GORDON WANTS LAWS AMENDED TO OBVIATE SIMILAR HEALTH SCAMS In the wake of the multi-million peso "ghost dialysis" controversy that rocked the Philippine Health Insurance Company or PhilHealth, Senator Richard J. Gordon said he is looking into the possibility of amending laws to obviate similar health scams from being perpetrated. Gordon, who was completely devastated because the very officials of the PhilHealth, themselves, are in collusion with unscrupulous health providers to embezzle funds from the health corporation, expressed apprehension that they might also do this with the Universal Health Care which will be funded from the recently approved Sin Tax bill. "I'm completely devastated by this. The Congress of the Republic of the Philippines recently passed the Sin tax bill, which will fund the Universal Health Care, now we're seeing our own people are cheating. To me that is very serious. Humihingi tayo ng tulong sa tao, sa gobyerno tapos pag nagbigay ang gobyerno, dadayain ang sistema. There's something wrong there. Have we lost our moral compass? Pati ito dadayain, Biruin mo 90 sessions lang ng dialysis ang sagot ng PhilHealth, yung iba babayaran na nila. Tapos nanakawan mo pa, kawawa naman ang mga tao," he bewailed. Hence, the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said the perpetrators must be held accountable for a higher degree of due diligence and penalties, adding, though, that to be fair to the present PhilHealth officials, a lot of investigations have been made even in the past such as the cataract scam. However, Gordon is not immediately leaping into an investigation into the controversy as he is still awaiting where President Rodrigo R. Duterte's actions will lead to. "It's important that we look into that (amending laws). I will religiously look at what's going on. I'm not immediately jumping into an investigation because I'm still waiting where the President's actions, which have been good so far, will go. I'm glad the President immediately acted by having Sy (Bryan Sy, owner and vice president of WellMed Dialysis Center) and the other one arrested," he said. Aside from having Sy arrested, Duterte also ordered PhilHealth president Roy Ferrer and Philhealth's board members to submit their courtesy resignations in the wake of the multi-million peso ghost kidney treatments. Gordon also underscored the importance of checking the integrity of people or organizations wanting to open up a dialysis center because a dialysis center is not a purely for profit business. "Dapat tingnan natin, bago magtayo ng dialysis center, yung integrity ng mga taong magtatayo nun. It is not supposedly a purely for profit enterprise. There's got to be responsibility in running a dialysis system. The Philippine Red Cross has put up one and I'm very, very careful about it," he said.Press Release

June 15, 2019 De Lima to Duterte: Stop ranting, go back to work or else, resign! Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged Mr. Duterte to devote his time and energy in addressing the most pressing issues burdening the country and its people instead of ranting about his work as a President. De Lima made the statement after Duterte, who is on his second half of his one-time, six-year term of office, recently said he regretted his decision to run for the country's top political position due to the overwhelming problems he had to face. "A competent leader would have nothing else on his mind at this moment except to govern, face the pressing issues hounding the nation, and ease the suffering of the Filipinos, especially the poor and vulnerable members of our society," she said. "Now is not the time for the President to rant and play politics - not when thousands of his countrymen are suffering from unemployment, poverty and human rights abuses, among others," she added. In a speech before newly-elected local government officials in Cagayan De Oro City last June 12, Duterte said he had lost interest in his job and warned his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, not to follow in his footsteps. Duterte even blamed his critics, like Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV, anew for supposedly making his work tough because "they are the rogue soldiers." The lady Senator from Bicol lamented how Duterte "would always find someone to blame every time he fails to fulfill his duty as a president," adding that he should "stop using the opposition as easy scapegoat for his failed governance, or the lack thereof." De Lima, a former justice secretary, added that every attempt by Duterte to complain about his role as a president is a "missed opportunity" for him to serve and improve the lives of the Filipino populace. "Harapin mo nang maayos ang mga problema ng bayan at ang kabi-kabilang isyu na kinakasangkutan ng administrasyon mo hindi yung puro ka reklamo, Mr. Duterte. Sawa na ang sambayanang Pilipino sa mga drama mo. Just work! Better still, just resign!" she said. De Lima also lamented that the administration's war on drugs has miserably failed in stopping the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country and in running after the big-time drug lords and syndicates. She reiterated her call for Duterte to allow a fact-finding independent body to investigate the unabated spate of extrajudicial and summary killings in his administration's all-out war on drugs. Duterte has repeatedly broached the idea of relinquishing his post in the past. Last March, Duterte said he is willing to cut short his term of office because he was supposedly feeling tired from solving the issues in relation to his war on drugs. In August 2018, he expressed interest to step down from presidency before his term ends in June 2022 because he was tired of fighting illegal drugs and corruption in government.Press Release

June 15, 2019 De Lima: Heed mounting concern over human rights situation in PH Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged the government to heed the mounting calls from the local and international communities to address the worsening human rights crisis in the country, particularly the unabated killings in its war on drugs. De Lima reiterated her call after the Canadian chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) recently joined the growing number of groups pressing the Philippine government to respect human rights. "For the past years, several local and international groups and treaty-based committees have lent their voices in defense of human rights by expressing their serious concern and calling for investigation into the state-sponsored abuses in the country," she said. "The present government could no longer play deaf to these continuing concerns about what is happening in the Philippines, and how this administration continues to disregard the very notion of human rights while undermining the rights of human rights defenders," she added. Last May 11 and 12, the ICHRP-Canada reportedly led a workshop to discuss the human rights situation in the Philippines attended by more than a hundred community leaders from cities across Canada at the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) headquarters in Ottawa. As the ICHRP-Canada members described the human rights situation in the Philippines as "troubled times," they committed to exert more effective pressure on both the Canadian and Philippine governments to respect human rights in the Philippines. De Lima, also a known human rights defender here and abroad, said she remains grateful that more and more organizations are now committing their help to upholding human rights in the Philippines and calling on the citizenry do the same. "One thing is sure, we cannot remain silent when it comes to the worsening human rights situation in any parts of the world, much less in the Philippines, where the president himself loves to take credit for the deaths of his own people," she said. "I thank the ICHRP-Canada and other organizations for boldly standing up for human rights and the rule of law while other public officials in the country choose to remain on the safe side and not dare lay a finger on the issue," she added. Last June 7, some 11 UN rights experts asked the UN Human Rights Council to start an independent probe to look into the "staggering number of unlawful deaths and police killings" in the Philippines' war on drugs as well as killings of human rights defenders." Last March 13, the US State Department noted "numerous reports that government security agencies and their informal allies committed arbitrary or unlawful killings in connection with the government-directed campaign against illegal drugs." Since Duterte carried out his so-called war on drugs in July 2016, about 28,176 individuals were killed - 5,176 of whom are considered "drug personalities" while 23,000 are victims under the category of "homicide cases under investigation" (HCUIs). In December 2018, UN Special Rapporteur Michel Forst issued an assessment report highlighting the "stigmatization, defamation, judicial harassment, arbitrary arrest, and criminalization of defenders" as a key area of concern in the Philippines. De Lima vowed to refile the Senate's version of the House-approved measure seeking to provide protection to human rights defenders, noting how Senate Bill No. 1699 she filed in the 17th Congress has been gathering dust at the committee level since 2018.Press Release

June 15, 2019 DOWNGRADE TIES WITH CHINA OVER "PREPOSTEROUS CLAIMS" ON WEST PH SEA HIT-AND-RUN INCIDENT *Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on the Chinese government's claim that there was no "hit and run," Chinese vessel "besieged" by Filipino fishing boats The Chinese government's response to the West Philippine Sea hit-and-run incident, through its embassy here in Manila, is preposterous. It is a flimsy attempt at a cover-up to shield the involved Chinese crew from any accountability and shift the blame and responsibility to our distressed fisherfolk. The claim that the Chinese vessel "accidentally" hit and sank our ship because it was "suddenly besieged by 7 or 8 Filipino fishing boats" is ridiculous. Equally incredible is the excuse that the Chinese vessel failed to rescue our fishermen because it was "afraid of being besieged" by our boats. First, it is the Chinese vessels which regularly trespass our territories which have a long record of harassing our fisherfolk in the region. This is well documented and even part of a recent case filed before the International Criminal Court. In fact, Chinese ships have been ramming, firing water cannons at and sinking Vietnamese vessels in the Paracels for several years now. Second, if there were 7 to 8 Filipino fishing boats in the area, why were our fishermen rescued by the Vietnamese? Why would our fishermen wait for several hours, exposed to the mercy of the elements, before they were saved from danger? It is becoming clear that we cannot rely on the Chinese government to conduct an objective investigation on this matter and hold accountable all those responsible for this awful incident. Despite the efforts of our foreign affairs officials, it appears that the Chinese government is sweeping this under the carpet. I call on President Rodrigo Duterte to immediately downgrade our ties with China, as expressed through the immediate recall of our diplomats stationed in the country. The downgrading of ties will upgrade our position in finding justice for our aggrieved fisherfolk and in defending our sovereignty. Lastly, I call on President Duterte to break his silence on this serious issue. While it is correct that he can speak through his alter egos, nothing is more reassuring to the public than to see and hear their own President, the supposed architect of the country's foreign policy, telling them that he is on top of the situation. After all, if the President can make public statements on the most mundane things, he can certainly do the same on this extremely important matter.The doctors, who are protesting against the assault on two of their colleagues at NRS Medical College and Hospital, had on Friday sought unconditional apology from Banerjee and set six conditions for the state government in order to withdraw their stir.

: Striking junior doctors turned down West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation for a meeting at the state secretariat, which was called to resolved the impasse, and continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

"We are not going to the secretariat upon the invitation of the chief minister for the meeting. She will have to come to the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital and deliver an unconditional apology for her comments made during her visit to the SSKM Hospital on Thursday," Arindam Dutta, spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors, told mediapersons.

"If she can go to the SSKM she can also come to the NRS... or else this agitation will go on," Dutta said.

Banerjee, who visited the state-run SSKM Hospital on Thursday amid slogans of "we want justice", had contended that outsiders were creating disturbances in the medical colleges and the ongoing agitation is a conspiracy by the CPI-M and the BJP.System error

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Beirut, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2019



At least 35 combattants including 26 pro-regime forces were killed Saturday in clashes and air strikes that erupted at dawn in northwestern Syria, a war monitor said.

The flare-up came as Russian-backed regime forces tried to retake two villages seized by jihadists and allied rebels earlier this month, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"Since this morning, the Syrian regime and allied fighters have launched five failed attempts to regain control of Jibine and Tal Maleh in northwestern Hama province," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

Syrian regime and Russian air strikes killed nine jihadists and rebel fighters, the war monitor said.

Ensuing clashes in the north of Hama province left 26 pro-regime forces dead, including eight who were killed in a mine explosion, the Observatory said.

The Idlib region of some three million people is supposed to be protected from a massive regime offensive by a buffer zone deal that Russia and Turkey signed in September.

But it was never fully implemented, as jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned demilitarised zone.

In January, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate extended its administrative control over the region, which includes most of Idlib province as well as adjacent slivers of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces.

The Syrian government and Russia have upped their bombardment of the region since late April, killing more than 360 civilians, according to the Observatory.

Turkey said Friday that it did not accept Russia's "excuse" that it had no ability to stop the Syrian regime's continued bombardments in the last rebel bastion of Idlib.

"In Syria, who are the regime's guarantors? Russia and Iran," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told state news agency Anadolu in a televised interview.

"Thus we do not accept the excuse that 'We cannot make the regime listen to us'," he said.

His comments came as Turkey disagreed with Russia earlier this week after Moscow claimed a new ceasefire had been secured in the province following weeks of regime bombardments -- a claim that was denied by Ankara.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.

Russia launched a military intervention in support of the regime in 2015, helping its forces reclaim large parts of the country from opposition fighters and jihadists.Iran, EU officials meet on nuclear deal amid tensions



Tehran, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2019



Iran's deputy foreign minister met a top EU diplomat on Saturday to discuss the future of the troubled nuclear deal, state media said, amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The meeting in Tehran between Abbas Araghchi and Helga Schmid, deputy to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, focused on the 2015 nuclear deal while also touching upon "regional and international issues", according to IRNA news agency.

The talks follow attacks Thursday on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman that the United States has blamed on Iran, despite Tehran's denials.

US-Iran strains have escalated since President Donald Trump withdrew last year from the landmark nuclear deal which Iran signed with world powers.

The European Union is an ardent backer of the deal and has pledged to support Tehran in the face of crippling US sanctions, but Iranian officials have voiced frustration at the lack of concrete steps taken so far.

Tehran has given the remaining partners of the deal until July to make good on their pledges, or warned it will step back from its key nuclear commitments.

Schmid's stop in Tehran follows visits last week by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The latter was in the Iranian capital when the tanker attacks happened, with explosions hitting a Japanese-owned vessel and a Norwegian-operated one.

The incident near the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway which is vital to the world's oil supply, has raised fears of conflict erupting in the region.Fuss over Colombo Port East Container Terminal By D. Godage View(s): View(s):

The East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port has been brought into attention by the politicians in the Parliament in the recent past stating that it has been sold to Japan and India. But the governing side has denied that charge. What is ECT?

The Colombo Port has been in operation for over 130 years after protecting the water area by the South West breakwater. Systematic gradual development of the Port continued over the years and particularly from 1980s on container handling facilities. The Jaye Container Terminal JCT was completed by 1997 and the South Asia Gateway Terminal SAGT came into operation from about 2000.

Incidentally Colombo Port came into prominence as a result of these later developments and the ranking of the Port rose from 139th position in 1980 to 20th in 1997 globally while 1997 container handing recorded as 1,687,184 TEUs viz. container units.

As this existing harbour water basin and the facilities such as quay wall lengths, water depth were becoming inadequate for modern mega container ships, around 1996 the idea of a new harbour basin was mooted and a feasibility study was completed in the year 2000. This proposal culminated in 2012 when a massive breakwater system having a length of 6km was completed enclosing a bigger water basin compared with 130 year old existing harbor basin and more significantly 18 m water depth compared to 15m water depth in present harbor. The Ports Authority had to bear a total cost of around US$ 400 million.

This newly formed water basin is called the Colombo South Harbour located to the west of the old harbour and it is to have three massive container terminals named East, South and West container terminals. Each terminal will have 1200 m long quay wall berth length when present day mega container ship has a length of around 400m.

First of the three terminals developed was the South terminal as CICT or Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd in operation since 2013. The Ports Authority started building the East terminal and around 35 per cent berthing length was ready by 2015. Installation of container handling cranes and other equipment that would cost around $100 million was interrupted and as a result the part completed ECT is lying idle.

Future of ECT

In such circumstances we now hear the news of development of the ECT in collaboration with Japan and India under a new Terminals Operations Company with 51 per cent of shareholding under the Ports Authority. A significant feature here is the 51 per cent shareholding to the Ports Authority when SLPA has only 15 per cent stake in both SAGT and CICT.

Speeding up of ECT operations is indeed welcome news to all in the maritime industry in the country. Everyone is aware that Colombo is reaching full capacity soon and adding capacity is crucial. The actual performance of Colombo in 2018 was 7 million TEUs and that matched the high side forecast in the Business Plan developed in 2005 for the Colombo South Harbour and that forecast required the second terminal which is the ECT to be operational by 2019. But it did not happen.

In the National Port Master Plan presented to the Ports Authority the forecast for 2024 is given as around 8 million TEUs which appeared an under estimation, whereas the South Harbour Business Plan 2005 gave a figure close to 10 million TEUs. The lower forecast appears an excuse for the delay in the ECT operation as it will take at least two more years to operate. This Port Master Plan further stated that port capacity shortage starts from 2020. Significance of Japan and India

Japan has been assisting the Colombo Port from around 1980 to expand and develop container handling facilities and the Jaye Container Terminal JCT along with other infrastructure components were completed by 1997. As stated previously Colombo rose from an insignificant domestic cargo handling port to an important container handling port and ranked 20th position globally. This elevation was due to transshipment cargo. Though the logistics industry is important and modern logistics trends have been talked now, the transshipment business will remain as the most significant factor for a longer time as seen over the past three decades and more.

Private operators came in after 1996 and contributed to increase capacity. Those in the maritime industry know that domestic base load is small and transshipment cargo volumes is made up about 75 per cent of the total cargo. The major contribution in that about 80 per cent of Colombo transshipment come from India. Statistics illustrated some years back show that Colombo receives about 40 per cent of all Indian transshipment cargo while the balance goes to Singapore, Malaysia and West Asian ports. It is hoped that the Indian partner will contribute to sustenance and gain of Indian cargo which is critical for Colombo success.

Conclusion

For a long time those in the maritime industry and others who wished the success of Colombo Port highlighted the delay in commencement of operation of ECT. Now with the news of movement towards commencement of the ECT it is essential to proceed faster as the development activities are time consuming. Supply of cranes and equipment would take about 18 months while the balance portion of structures and buildings would require two years or more. Unless the ECT operation is speeded up Colombo Port faces the danger of losing cargo volumes and global position in terms of connectivity which are not encouraging. Prompt action is therefore awaited for operationalisation of the ECT as the second deep water terminal.

(The writer is a Chartered Engineer and was Chief Engineer  Ports, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Project Director, Colombo South Harbor Development Project).Industry reps removed from key tea promo committee By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

With the Sri Lanka tea industry just months away from launching its much-awaited global promotional campaign in September, a number of stakeholder representatives have been removed from the Promotion and Marketing Committee (PMC) said to be due to certain structural changes required by authorities.

Plantations Minister Navin Dissanayake on June 7 had informed the respective stakeholder associations that their representatives have been removed from the PMC. The PMC is the committee that looks into how the funds of the promotional levy is being used and grants approval for these projects.

In this respect, four representatives had been removed from the committee. However, it is uncertain as to the reasons for the removal of these persons.

During meetings, members had raised concerns about the manner in which the fund monies were used for different projects; and there had been complaints that the fund was not used for the purpose of promotion and marketing but just lying around in the state coffers.

Some claim that the PMC was using funds for reasons appearing for a political reason other than promotional and marketing campaign.

However, Tea Board Chairman Lucille Wijewardena told the Business Times that the tea industry required representation from all sectors like the tea growers, the tea manufacturers, tea exporters and the brokers and it was in this respect that the minister realized that there was only one set of stakeholder representation at the PMC.

As a result Mr. Wijewardena said the changes were carried out as part of a restructuring of the committee. He also noted that payments from the fund were used only for the promotion of the industry and in fact recently the Nuwara Eliya tea festival too was carried out with this intention. He also noted that they had established an office which was also opened on this occasion in Nuwara Eliya.

He asserted that this had attracted a number of tourists and locals to the festival in the hill country and that it was also a part of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity to encourage more workers to participate in this welfare event.

The Chairman also pointed out that there were too many representatives from the same association and as a result they wanted to ensure increased participation of all including the tea factory owners and the tea smallholders as well which was the reason to reconstitute the PMC.

But industry sources complain that tea promotion funds were once used to establish the now defunct Tea Cafe during the previous government and currently as well it was being used for activities within the country like the Nuwara Eliya tea festival.

Meanwhile the tea global promotion is expected to get underway in September, Tea Board Promotion Director Hasitha De Alwis told the Business Times adding that the delay is due to certain tenders requiring approvals that need a minimum of six weeks in addition to evaluations that need to be carried out.

The board is looking at using the services of bloggers and influencers to send out the message about Ceylon Tea to the different markets.Sampath Bank signs MOU with Rajarata University for R&D View(s):

Sampath Bank, taking yet another momentous step towards supporting youth pursuing tertiary education, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Faculty of Management Studies of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. Sampath Banks partnership with Rajarata University aims to promote the facultys research and development as well as training aspects pertaining to the subjects of banking and finance, according to a Sampath Bank media release.

Under the terms of the MOU, candidates of Rajarata Universitys Faculty of Management Studies will be offered tailor-made courses and joint courses, in addition to internship opportunities at Sampath Bank. The candidates will also gain wider exposure to research and development in specific subjects by participating in research projects supported by Sampath Bank.

The staff of the partner institutions will also encourage resource sharing in terms of teaching, research and professional development activities. Furthermore, both institutions will benefit from the expert consultancy exchange programme, as and when required. Students and staff of Rajarata Universitys Faculty of Management Studies as well as Sampath Bank staff will also gain immensely through the exchange of information pertaining to various subjects including banking and related areas as well as on issues affecting the industry.

Expressing his views on the matter, Aruna Jayasekera Group Chief Human Resource Officer of Sampath Bank PLC, noted, This five-year long partnership with Rajarata University will no doubt create an ideal platform to tap into a massive resource pool of expertise. And with the joint endeavours we intend to steer in the future, I believe that both institutions will be able to reap unprecedented rewards, and in turn consolidate the backbone of the nation  the banking and finance sector of Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. B. A. Karunarathna  Vice Chancellor of Rajarata University of Sri Lanka stated, Were very happy to be a part of this resource sharing endeavour with Sampath Bank. As we approach the digital era with new technologies emerging in every sector, it is crucial for the financial sector to stay abreast in order to support and strengthen the countys economy. Therefore, universities have a pivotal role to play in grooming the budding future leaders.

Synergies drawn between public and private institutions will not only enhance efficiencies, but also spark innovation while greatly reducing costs. In line with the belief that public-private partnerships are the way forward for streamlining Sri Lankas development process, Sampath Bank intends to support future bankers and financial experts, paving the way for the country to attract more investment opportunities and yield greater benefits, the release added.Theatrics in the Kussiya View(s):

In the past two to three years, various characters have sprung to life in this column, discussing the vagaries of the weather, gossip in the village, political happenings to  last but not least  the health of the economy and business developments. In the past two to three years, various characters have sprung to life in this column, discussing the vagaries of the weather, gossip in the village, political happenings to  last but not least  the health of the economy and business developments.

Through conversations with these individuals, the column has brought to the fore the issues confronting the nation, its economic health and the way forward.

Many readers have called and commented with laughter over the phone on the weekly antics of either Kalabala Silva or Pedris Appo as they discuss all kinds of issues with their expert opinion.

As I watched Kussi Amma Sera, her comrade-at-arms Serapina and down-the-lane gossip Mabel Rasthiyadu in conversation under the Margosa tree with these thoughts, the phone rang.

It was Dosai Danny, my new-found, verti-wearing buddy from Trincomalee.

Helloo , he drawls. How are you my friend? How is Trincomalee? I ask. Fine fine, he says, adding: I called you because a news story about the lottery tickets in the Sunday Times was very worrying.

He was referring to a recent Sunday Times report quoting an audit by the Auditor General.

To quote the report: The Development Lotteries Board (DLB) prints a strikingly smaller number of tickets for each draw than is required on the basis of the number of balls in the draw machine. This means the probability of there being a winning ticket in your hand is minimal, the Auditor Generals Department has said in an explosive new report available on its website. It also found significant drawbacks in the DLBs conduct of the lotteries. For instance, there was no evidence that the number of balls in the draw machine is verified or their quality inspected before each edition.

This is very unfair if the lottery cannot be trusted. Poor people are the ones buying tickets, Dosai Danny said. It is indeed unfair, I said in agreement. A few days after the story broke, the DLB authorities are learnt to have explained that these issues have been sorted out and the lottery is a safe bet now.

Moving on and coming back to todays discussion on the characters that make alive this column as they constantly interrupt a nice Thursday morning (today, of course, it was a gloomy day with rain), hats off to Kussi Amma Sera whose regular forays into kitchen economics are also seen as a guidance to our esteemed rulers for whom nothing can go wrong, in spite of functioning in a swirl of corruption and being part and parcel of it.

Serapina, by the way, comes from a village surrounded by small tea plantations and hence knows a little Tamil, while Mabel Rasthiyadu is a key part of this trio as well.

Then there is Pedris Appo, short for Appuhamy, who is a retired agriculture expert and involved in farming. Appo brings life to this column with his knowledge of agriculture and, often, general issues.

Arthika, my nonsensical economist friend, can discuss the economy for hours and often his long-winded conversations eat into my deadlines. Nevertheless, he is a delight to listen to as he talks on the economy and its ills.

Then there is good-for-nothing Somey, lazy-as-ever but sometimes, surprisingly, comes up with some good points.

Jolly-mood economist friend, Sammiya, short for Samson, is another character who evokes laughter whenever he calls with his jokes-laced economic issues. His knowledge of economic affairs is sound and to-the-point.

Seeni Bola, my banker friend got his nickname from friends after once boasting that compared to his bank, other banks were handling seeni bola deposits. Nevertheless, Seeni Bola is an authority on banking but also comments on anything that attracts his interest.

Human resource pundit, HR Perera, is another character whose valuable suggestions on governance bring life to this column but too is he not restricted to human resource matters.

Kalabala Silva, the often-agitated academic, is a delight. Kalabala often starts the conversation with anxiety on some issue or other but settles down to talking about problems that affect you and me.

A newcomer to the weekly theatrics in the kitchen as this column attempts to weave through complex economic and business issues using Kussi Amma Seras concoction of kitchen economics, is Cardboard Sando, the muscle man from the nearby petti-kade. He will soon be a feature in these columns.

Karapincha Perera is the tea-kade gossip who loves to talk for hours when deadlines emerge and long conversations are taboo. He is, however, a delightful character with juicy gossip also on the rulers of this country and their kith and kin.

Koththamalli Fernando is the Kokatath Thailaya (oil-for-any ailments) expert who has a remedy for any issue. His remedies can range from running the economy well to tackling the cost of living; curbing unfair taxes to how the government should tax the rich; and how to ensure free healthcare services to the people. Whether his oil theories have worked remains to be seen.

Know-all neighbour Haramanis of broken English fame is another character that springs to life when the nation is confronted with a crisis. His usual opening words in a sentence, I say  are always good to hear since his conversation is witty as he wades through economic issues with an interesting choice of words.

Reconditioned Ranjith, a know-all on the second-hand car market, is a newcomer to the column like Dosai Danny and Cardboard Sando. Another newcomer to the column is Nana Mohideen, the jolly trader from Moneragala, who will be featured soon.

Shifty Silva, the always-inquisitive IT expert, is often consulted when there are issues on technology and information communication. While being an expert on these matters, he also tends to annoy some people with his probing questions.

All these characters bring life to this column with their comments, taking a complex economic issue and making it readable and lively. Kussi Amma Sera, of course, is the main character with her cup of tea being legendary and her comments often forming the core of this column.

As if reading my mind, Kussi Amma Sera walks in with a second cup of tea for me, saying: Mahattaya, oya me davaswala liyanne monawda (What are you writing these days?)

Oya gena  oya gena, I reply, laughing and settling down to another refreshing cup of tea that makes this country famous around the world.Three Sri Lankan start-ups at Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), Netherlands View(s):

1,200 investors and entrepreneurs from across the world attended the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) that took place from June 3-6 at The Hague, Netherlands.

Takas.lk, Busbookings.lk and Saaraketha were among the Sri Lankan companies selected to attend this selected summit representing the ground-breaking work that they are doing in technology and organic farming. The US Government and the Netherlands Government jointly organised the summit.

Charitha Abeyratne is the Founder and Chief Executive of Saaraketha, which is involved in organic food produce. Dinusha Kornkaduwa is the Chief Operating Officer of Express 418, a company working with government and private organisations to disrupt the current model of public transport in Sri Lanka by improving bus travel and comfort. Express 418 runs an online platform Busbooking.lk. Lahiru Pathmalal, CEO and co-founder of Takas.lk, is one of Sri Lankas leading ecommerce and technology companies, according to a media release issued by the participating organisations.

In relation to Sri Lankan companies that were represented, Mr. Pathmalal said: It was a fantastic opportunity for Takas to showcase our SaaS product to the world. The reception was quite amazing, as we could essentially validate the product among the worlds best start-ups and companies. It showed that Sri Lankans are capable of building technology products which can stand against the very best in the world.

Ms. Abeyratne said, Being a part of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit was an excellent opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs, who face similar challenges in a global marketplace and it was also a perfect platform to be inspired and to reignite my passion for socially sustainable businesses.

Mr. Kornkaduwa added, What I enjoy most was meeting like- minded individuals who wanted to make the world a better place. It validated the work we do in Sri Lanka in making the lives of thousands of people easier through our platform.All around us chaos and madness View(s):

Aiyo Sirisena,

It has been a while since I wrote to you last, but I thought I must write to you again, especially when we heard that you were quite annoyed about what was happening around you, with everyone trying to blame you for what happened on Easter Sunday  and apparently for what did not happen before that.

This is all because a committee in Parliament is conducting its own inquiry into what happened on Easter Sunday. From what we have seen and heard at that committee, one after the other, every witness is giving evidence that points the finger firmly at you. So naturally, you are very angry.

Why, there was that chap who was supposed to be in charge of our intelligence services. He turned up at the committee and said that meetings of the National Security Council were not held for about two months before the Easter attacks, since February, when they were supposed to be held every week.

Was that because you were busy gallivanting around the world  I am told you are in Tajikistan now  or were you angry with the Security Council too, and told them that you wouldnt conduct any meetings unless they did what you told them to  just like what you are doing with the Cabinet now?

We also had a former Defence Secretary tell this committee that even though he had that job, he spent hours trying to meet you. When he did, you nodded and said you knew about what was going on. He said he was an asarana Defence Secretary, unlike Gota, who was an unofficial Defence Minister!

Of course, we have to take what he says with a pinch of salt, because this is the same chap who told the media after the Easter attacks that he knew that some attacks were being planned, but he did not know that they would be so devastating. Still, he was not very complimentary about you!

Last but not least, we had the interdicted Police Chief giving the most damning evidence to the committee. He claims that you told him to take the blame for the attacks and resign, and that if he did so, he would be made an ambassador, but if he did not, he would lose his job and pension.

Something similar happened during Mahinda maamas time when the then Police boss, another Mahinda, took the blame for what happened at Rathupaswala and resigned. He was later appointed our ambassador to Brazil, but he didnt say that he was threatened like our current IGP does!

I am not sure what exactly happened between you and the IGP, but I think if you are having a difference of opinion with him, you have chosen the wrong man to have a fight with. He hasnt resigned, you cannot sack him and he has gone to courts now  where he is likely to say even more!

With all these details coming out in public, Aiyo Sirisena, we can understand why you are angry about this committee in Parliament. We, too, are trying to figure out who we should believe. If we are to believe you, that would mean that each and every one of these people are lying under oath!

Like any kindergarten child would, you have made your anger known. You threatened not to conduct the affairs of government by not having Cabinet meetings. You have even threatened not to allow other officials to give evidence before this committee. I agree, you have to do some damage control!

However, I am just wondering, Aiyo Sirisena, where that would lead our country. There would be no Cabinet meetings and no decisions would be taken, which would mean that the government would cease to function. Some are asking whether that would be any different to what is happening now!

I am not sure whether you realise this, Aiyo Sirisena, but even a grama sevaka cannot say I am angry with you, so I am not doing my job, to the people he has to serve. What might be good for all of us, is not for you to just walk away, but to do the bare minimum and allow others to do their jobs properly!

By also asking officials not to give evidence before this committee, you are trying to pick another fight with Parliament, Aiyo Sirisena. The last time that happened was when you tried to fire the Green Man and dissolve Parliament, and ended up with egg all over your face because it was unconstitutional!

Whether you like it or not, your days are numbered now because Maco has told us that the big election must be held by December. From what we can see and hear, most people are now counting those days because it cannot come sooner for them. Think about all of this, will you, Aiyo Sirisena?

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: We heard that you want to ban all carpentry workshops as soon as possible. Is it because you know that you will never get to form another cabinet, Aiyo Sirisena?Hong Kong betrayed, freedoms threatened View(s):

This was bound to happen. World over citizens have been betrayed by their governments, promises shattered by political leaders. Here in Britain messy politics and confused pledges have led to sheer historic instability with people increasingly distrusting their governments and mainstream political parties.

If British politics has produced instability, it is surely worse in Sri Lanka, where politics is even messier and dirtier. Those who run the countrys coalition government spend more of their time going for each others jugular than doing what they promised to do, if elected.

Vindictive politics has turned governance into a dirty word and despised by the people. Those who faithfully promised yahapalanaya or clean and good government have since then retreated into their fox holes and those who ruled before are gearing for a fight to return to power.

The country has come to a virtual standstill with the President spending his time abroad grabbing every opportunity to take flight generally at public expense. Or he leaves it to see how the other coalition partner manages the country in his absence, possibly hoping that it would make a mess of things for which it could be blamed.

If round the world people have been let down by their governments, Hong Kong, the former British colony, has been betrayed by two governments  its former colonial power and its new master, China.

Promises were made by the Chinese and British governments in the 1984 bilateral treaty called the Joint Declaration and the subsequent Basic Law, the territorys mini constitution that laid down how Hong Kong will be managed for the next 50 years.

Hong Kong was given a high degree of autonomy including executive, legislative and independent judicial power. It extended to the former colony certain rights and freedoms and pledged to uphold such freedoms as that of press, free speech and association. That is until the treaty expired in June 2047.

But since 1997 the sovereign power has gradually encroached on Hong Kongs autonomy, eroding the rights and freedoms that China had promised to leave intact in the bilateral treaty.

To many Hong Kong people the promises made in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law appeared spurious. They hardly believed that a one-party state that denied its own citizens any of the freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong would last very long.

Their scepticism was fortified by the cruel suppression of the Chinese peoples massive protest at Beijings Tiananmen Square. That protest by students which started in April 1989 and swelled into millions of demonstrators as claimed by some, ended on June 4 when Chinese troops crushed the protest killing several hundred protestors, according to some accounts.

I left Sri Lanka (thats another story) when the Hong Kong Standard newspaper offered me a place, just 2  months or less after the Tiananmen protest was crushed.

A politically apathetic Hong Kong was suddenly galvanised at the cruel treatment of their cousins across the border by a government that would shortly be its sovereign. Hong-Kongers were shocked into action with apparently millions marching in support of the Tiananmen protestors, holding candle light vigils in the crowded city.

Hong Kong had not seen anything like it before, I was told. The newspaper gave me quite a lot of leeway, writing editorials, a regular column and as sketch writer covering the Legislative Council (Legco), Hong Kongs apology for a parliament.

The more I read of the Sino-British negotiations over Hong Kong and how the treaty was imposed on the territorys citizenry, the more it became clear that the two powers were jointly preparing to sell the Hong Kong people down the river.

In fact, it was the headline of a column I wrote in The Standard in December 1993, in which I quoted the then Constitutional Affairs Secretary Michael Sze, who admitted that if the Hong Kong people sought legal redress for any violation of the Joint Declaration, they would fail since they, as a matter of law, could not seek to enforce against the two governments.

What is perhaps worse is that even Britain did not have recourse to legal redress. So if China decided to do as it pleases, there is precious little the other party could do.

So the door was left ajar for either party to violate the treaty and neither Britain nor the Hong Kong people could do anything about it.

So there you have it. All its pious hopes and platitudes about maintaining Hong Kongs economic system and way of life can so easily be turned into pretentious prattle by a party that could, one day, decide to dispense with the rights and obligations cast upon by a burdensome treaty, I wrote more than 25 years ago.

This is precisely what Beijing has been doing. As early as 1991 when Hong Kongs Court of Final Appeal was being established, the Joint Declarations Annex 1, Section 3, which was considered inviolate, left the decision of inviting foreign judges entirely to the Hong Kong judiciary.

But what happened. The Joint Liaison Group (JLG) consisting of the Chinese, British and Hong Kong governments usurped the right of the court. The issue was not the number of foreign judges to be invited. If the three governments can steal the right of the judiciary and impose conditions on it, other pernicious violations are possible.

It is in the last decade or so that Beijing started to tighten the screws and gradually encroach on the rights and freedoms promised to Hong Kong. That is why one sees more protests and demonstration by the Hong Kong people in recent years.

The 2014 Umbrella Revolution during which Hong-Kongers, mainly university and college students, protested for months blocking streets in the Central district of the city, because China reneged on what was a promise that by 2017, its chief executive will be elected by universal franchise. But an ambiguity in the Basic Law led to heightened tensions as the expected democratisation appeared to be chimerical. The Basic Law states that the ultimate aim is to have Hong Kongs leaders elected by popular vote but does not set a date for it.

In any event the Basic Law is interpreted by China and not by the Hong Kong judiciary. That is what angered Hong Kongs youth to launch the Umbrella Revolution which threw up some young leaders but failed to win its demand.

The current protest is over a bill that tampers with the judicial system and makes it possible for Hong Kong people and others to be extradited to China to stand trial there under mainland Chinas laws.

Nearly five years ago some Hong Kong booksellers were arrested for writing booklets and articles critical of China. At least one of them, a Swedish national living in Hong Kong, was taken to China where he was incarcerated for several months and released after eight months in June 2016.

These curbs on Hong Kong peoples rights and freedoms have scared them. Many young people  students as well as professionals  have left the former colony and sought to live elsewhere.

The fact is that despite laws and treaties promising rights, freedoms and democratic elections, Beijing sees all this as a contagion that must not be allowed to spread to China. A one-party state cannot afford to loosen its grip on the people.

The Tiananmen protests and the huge demonstrations in Hong Kong in recent years demanding that the promises held out in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law be implemented have alarmed mainland China and Hong Kong, its Special Administrative Region (SAR).

But it is not China alone that is guilty of violating the Joint Declaration that adopted Deng Xiaopings doctrine of One Country, Two Systems. Britain, too, is guilty as hell. That is why its government remains silent, except for an occasional statement, which hardly reaches the British people and the world.

As far back as 1990, we wrote that Hong Kongs free lifestyle and its freedoms and rights were in jeopardy. We were not wrong.Considers possibility of non-binding referendum to hold parliamentary elections before Presidential elections this year

Strong opposition from UNF government, SLFP MPs also livid while Mahinda Rajapaksa remains non-committal

Sri Lanka facing worst crisis since Independence; country was virtually without a government with both leaders being overseas President Maithripala Sirisena wants to conduct a parliamentary general election first after seeking approval at a non-binding national referendum.

Towards this end, sources close to the Presidency said, he has sought the opinion of the Attorney General Dappula de Livera. He has concurred that the move was possible but the Presidents own legal advisers have differed in their view. Even if he wishes to go ahead, he has a number of other obstacles to surmount. Main among them is the support of political parties, particularly those in the opposition. The backing of their support base may not be forthcoming.

For weeks now, the matter has been engaging the attention of President Sirisena. So much so, he approached Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting on June 3 in the afternoon. It was the same day Rajapaksa, together with three other MPs from the opposition, met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the morning. That meeting was largely centred on ascertaining the possibility of giving the burdened people some relief in the form of an economic package. Yet, Rajapaksa asked Wickremesinghe at that meeting whether there would be Parliamentary elections and he replied there is no decision yet.

President Sirisenas meeting with Rajapaksa was essentially to discuss the aftermath of the Easter Sunday massacres. He gave him a brief on matters relating to ongoing investigations and the proposed changes he was making in the security establishment. He said he had already removed from office the Chief of National Intelligence (CNI), retired crime investigator DIG Sisira Mendis, a former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Before him, the post had been held by officers of the Sri Lanka Army. The first CNI was Major General Chula Seneviratne, who has had a long intelligence career and is now retired. He was followed by Major General Kapila Hendavithana, who was earlier Director General of Military Intelligence (DGMI). Sirisena has now appointed Major General Ruwan Kulatunga, an officer trained in intelligence and is the Regimental Commander of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI).

During the conversation with his predecessor, President Sirisena then broached the subject of conducting the parliamentary general elections ahead of this years presidential polls. He then told him that he had consulted the Attorney General. Rajapaksa was non-committal and kept asking him a number of questions. Sirisena said a stable government had become inevitable in the light of what was going on in the country. The best thing was to give the people the opportunity to elect a new government that will meet their aspirations, he said. Rajapaksa, the savvy politician that he is, declared that he would have to consult leaders of all opposition parties and obtain their views first. The mood in the predominant party in the opposition, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is strongly in favour of the scheduled presidential elections and not a parliamentary election first. We are not here to pull Sirisenas chestnuts out of the fire, quipped a senior member.

Sirisenas main aim in going for a parliamentary general election first is because he believes that would lead to the defeat of the United National Party. Hence, he thinks, its leader and Premier Wickremesinghe will not be able to become a presidential candidate and would thus see a serious crisis within his party. To say the least, his political battle with the Premier is now a national priority. It is no secret that there are sections in the UNP who want to replace Wickremesinghe as leader and thus deny him the presidential candidacy. Two UNPers have shown signs of wanting to be in the fray. One, backed by Sirisena himself, is Sajith Premadasa though that support would be political anathema for Premadasa. The other is Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who has stepped up meeting civil society groups and even Colombo based diplomatic community periodically. Of course, he has declared he will become presidential candidate if the UNP wants him.

Like there is many a slip between the cup and the lip, President Sirisenas latest gamble has more signs of failure than success. The most important is the question of support from political parties. The opposition spearheaded by the SLPP is sure to oppose the move not to mention the United National Party (UNP) led United National Front (UNF). Above all, there is also another more important question -whether the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which is led by President Sirisena will back them. The reason  it was just last week that 23 SLFP parliamentarians handed in a letter to Sirisena assuring him of their support for his presidential candidature. In return, Sirisena assured he would make a public statement that he would be the SLFP presidential candidate. It did not happen. These MPs are now livid.

The letter was prompted by reports attributed to Sirisena telling a Cabinet meeting on May 28 that he would back a winning presidential candidate from the UNP and will not seek a joint alliance with the SLPP. However, the angered SLFP ministers met him to protest over his remarks. Their contention was that they too be allowed to decide on their political future. Though he did make the remarks Sirisena flatly denied it. It was then that these MPs declared they would in unison sign a letter making him the SLFP candidate and urged him to formally make a public announcement. It has not been done so far. Now, fears of most parties opposing a referendum looms large thus politically isolating Sirisena.

Nevertheless, President Sirisena remains keen on the referendum for another reason. He feels it is now his turn to strike back at the UNP albeit the UNF for going ahead with a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe the Easter Sunday incidents. He charged at the emergency Cabinet meeting last Friday night (June 7) that the aim of the PSC was to project him as the villain responsible for the incidents on Easter Sunday. He named Premier Wickremesinghe for being behind the move and said it was to make him the scapegoat and tarnish his image.

It was also to embarrass him as the head of state, Sirisena alleged. Other Presidential sources said the move was a prelude to initiate impeachment proceedings against him though the time frame available, ahead of a presidential election, makes it difficult. Such reports gained currency after Wickremesinghe wrote to Sirisena challenging the legality of the latter appointing acting ministers when a minister was not in office. You all backed me at the presidential election in 2015. You all are now betraying me, Sirisena complained. Maava Ivara Karanna Yanney. Denatama mama ivarai or they are trying to finish me. I am already finished, he said. Premier Wickremesinghe pointed out that it would be difficult to wind up the PSC but it may be possible to talk to its members about the Presidents concerns and work out some modalities. UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa concurred with Sirisenas assertions and declared it was unfair for the PSC to go ahead this way.

President Sirisena also kept telephoning Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. He expressed serious concern over former Police Chief, N.K. Illangakoon, a person known well for his high integrity, being summoned before the PSC. Later, the move to summon him before the PSC was changed. There was also a view that senior security forces, police or intelligence officials should not be summoned in keeping with the concerns already expressed by the Attorney General that the matters they were engaged in were sub judice or under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere. Yet, the PSC decided to continue by summoning the former Governors Azath Sally (Western Province) and M L A M Hizbullah (Eastern Province).

After the emergency Cabinet meeting, it was Minister Rajitha Senaratne who brought to the notice of the PSC the concerns raised by President Sirisena.

His remarks infuriated Abraham Sumanthiran, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian. He said that Senaratne had undertaken a contract job for Sirisena and asserted that in terms of the Constitution the President could not give directives to Parliament. Minister Ravi Karunanayake was not present at this session though he met Sirisena together with colleague Senaratne.

The tug of war between the Executive and the Legislature spilled over for another week. President Sirisena was now becoming more livid. Last Wednesday night, Minister Senaratne was locked in lengthy conversations with him. In turn, the President was also telephoning Speaker Jayasuriya. The talks veered towards a settlement. President Sirisena agreed he would summon the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday June 18. What did the UNF Minister offer in return? Was it to incrementally wind down the PSC and now rely on the final report of the three-member Committee that probed the Easter Sunday incidents? This Committee is headed by serving Supreme Court Justice Vijith Malalgoda and comprises N.K. Illangakoon (former IGP) and Padmasiri Jayamanne, one-time Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order. They have handed in to President Sirisena both their interim and their final reports. It is to be sent to Speaker Jayasuriya for tabling in Parliament.

On Thursday, just ahead of his departure to Tajikistans capital of Dushanbe, President Sirisena wrote to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. Copies of this letter were also delivered to all members of the PSC. In that he re-iterated the damage that was being caused to national security through media publicity. He appealed again to wind up the PSC since action was being taken based on the findings of the three-member Committee. Speaker Jayasuriyas position has been that it was a matter for the Committee members, the Parliament and even the party leaders to decide. Hence, he will meet the PSC members on Tuesday to discuss all issues connected with the request. He is also to chair a meeting of the party leaders.

There is every likelihood that President Sirisena could change his decision to boycott chairing cabinet meetings if he does not receive a favourable outcome from the PSC. However, Parliament sources said whatever decision they take would be bearing in mind the supremacy of Parliament and would not compromise on the Constitutional safeguards. Before he departed for Tajikistan too Sirisena spoke with Speaker Jayasuriya on Thursday. He is due in Colombo on Sunday (today).

In the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe he attended the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

President Sirisena appears to have been bitten by a travel bug. He will leave again from Colombo on June 25 for a visit to Kampuchea and thereafter spend two days (June 26 and 27) in Laos.

After the latest crisis between the Executive and Legislature, opposition parties summoned a hurried meeting to discuss the situation. Their fears rose because state officials now depended on the Cabinet to take decisions before they implemented them. This was particularly in the backdrop of senior state officials being summoned to state investigation agencies to be questioned on their official actions. They took note of the fact that the PSC had drawn a high degree of public interest though live television coverage was stopped after the first day of sittings. Social media coverage in this regard in the form of video clips is being lapped up.

The opposition meeting was attended by Basil Rajapaksa, Susil Premajayantha, Bandula Gunawardena, Dullas Allahapperuma and Thilanga Sumathipala. It was noted that the functioning of the government had come to a virtual standstill with officials not wanting to take decisions. One of them said even a small matter like the extension of service of an official over the age of 55 years required Cabinet approval. Some speakers also criticised the PSC on the grounds that the matters it was probing were sub judice. This was why the opposition parties had not served in the PSC. They said it was a convention that Parliament did not debate or discuss matters that were sub judice and related to sensitive national security issues.

The meeting decided that they would urge Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa to play the role of an intermediary between the President and the UNF government. We do not want to support either side. We are compelled to take this step due to two main reasons  to help the people who are facing hardship and to keep the country safe, said a spokesperson. The move may still become necessary if the issues between the Executive and the Legislature are not resolved. Asked whether the opposition discussed any options in case they could not reconcile the troubling issues, the spokesperson replied yes and added, we were even ready to suggest the prorogation of Parliament that would effectively put an end to this.

Also criticising the PSC was SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera. He told a news conference on Tuesday that the UNP and the Opposition wanted the appointment of a PSC. It was only after its appointment that the UNP brought a suggestion on the process to be followed, he declared. He said he objected to it on the grounds that the UNP did not consult anyone. The Committee was only engaging in activity that concerned former Minister Rishad Bathiuddin, he alleged. For that purpose, they were attacking the President, he said. He added There are more than 500 Fundamental Rights violation petitions before the Supreme Court. When the PSC discusses such matters, it affects the cases and denies them of a fair trial. It is the Parliaments responsibility not to do so and respect time honoured traditions.

However, a more important news conference was the one held by Mahinda Amaraweera, General Secretary of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) which is led by President Sirisena. He told a news conference on Thursday that preparations were under way to sign the Status of Forces (SOFA) Agreement with the United States. This was when US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo visits Colombo on June 27, he said.

Already an Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) has been signed. It was more expanded than the one that previously existed, he pointed out. The SOFA is detrimental to our country. It will allow the US military to occupy Sri Lanka with immunity from Sri Lankan laws, he claimed. It is strange indeed that Ameraweera should say this at a news conference when President Maithripala Sirisena has already directed that no such agreement be signed with the US. The directive was given on the telephone to Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana who was in Washington holding talks with officials there. That itself speaks for the great disarray in the Presidency where they find it difficult to even carry out the Presidents own directive. They have to therefore resort to hurried news conferences to lament over what is going on.Amaraweera added: According to information we received, we believe this Agreement is a threat to security and sovereignty of the country. Therefore, we are expecting to get an explanation from the government. We would also educate the people about this. When we questioned the Government, it says it would sign the agreement after notifying Parliament. Yet we have observed that a lot of agreements signed by the government are not presented in Parliament. This includes the ACSA though officials claim it is harmless and the US had signed it with more than 100 countries. Why then keep it a top secret?

Talking of ACSA, the man who allegedly pressured then Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiaratchchi to rush through this lopsided agreement with the US, former Foreign Secretary, Prasad Kariyawasam has responded to our report last week that he is paid by the US Federal Government. This is what he had to say in a twitter message: @TimesOnlineLK resorts to deplorable reporting with no prior fact-checking. Yesterday it did the same by misrepresenting my contractual employment with the Parliament of Sri Lanka and the Hon. Speaker as his Advisor on International Affairs.

Is it the whole truth, half truth or no truth? Like our fact checking which brought to the attention of Maithripala Sirisena, President of the Democratic, Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the fact that Kariyawasam intervened as Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka on behalf of the United States to rush through the ACSA, even before the armed forces commanders commented on it, here is the story. It is told to the Sunday Times by an unimpeachable, highly authoritative source whose identity cannot be revealed for obvious reasons.

Kariyawasam was one of four Resources Persons recruited by Parliament under an arrangement which is financially supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). His appointment was concurrently endorsed both by the USAID as well as Parliament. His slot was originally meant for Karunatilleke Amunugama, Sri Lanka Ambassador. However, he was ailing and passed away before he could take appointment after his retirement from a diplomatic career.

Kariyawasam is on a six-month contract of which he has to complete two more months. We will of course review his position at that point. The US aid funds for our project with the Parliament comes through DAI, an implementing agency associated with USAID. There is no financial provision in Parliament to pay for the Resource Persons. Naturally, Kariyawasam has to sign a contract with Parliament since his services are for them but paid for, not in dollars, but in rupees by DAI on behalf of USAID.

As for his claim that he is an advisor to the Speaker, (the one that has given him entre or licence to interact with the diplomatic community in Colombo), it is only for the purpose of parliamentary diplomacy, one of his functions.

Kariyawasam, who complains of fact check, is yet to tell the real facts to Sri Lankans over the role of how ACSA, the heavily one-sided agreement with the US became effective. Is it not only because he used his official position as then Foreign Secretary? He has also not explained why he ordered the immediate transfer of a Foreign Ministry official on secondment to the Defence Ministry? Was it because she had already delayed the draft ACSA from going before Cabinet? Who is the other former Foreign Ministry official (now serving another ministry) who is backing him and was involved in this transfer? These are among a multitude of questions to which Sri Lankans, who are shocked by the recent developments, want answers to.

Of course, the fault lies with President Sirisena for making appointments to key sensitive positions like defence and foreign affairs. He should take the full responsibility for the choices he made and the blunders they have caused. The US cannot be blamed when local persons are able and willing to concede anything and everything, they want without as much as a murmur. Never before have things sunk to such depths since independence.

That Sri Lanka is in a worst political crisis, both at home and abroad, is extremely disturbing. After all, the country has been without leaders, both the President and the Premier this week. Must anything more be said about good governance?

Retired DIG says Easter Sunday carnage could have been prevented Mawanella, along the Colombo  Kandy road, was where the IS backed Muslim extremists made their debut as the godfathers of violence and terror. As far back as December 23 and 26, last year, they launched a campaign to create ethnic disharmony by damaging Buddha statues. If they got away with the first attack, the second in the tiny village of Lindula saw civilians rounding up two attackers at night. Teams from the Mawanella Police scoured the area in the next two days. Five more Muslim youth between the ages of 20 and 28 were arrested. Their statements were recorded. That laid bare that three most wanted persons were at large  Zahran Hashim, described as the leader, from Kattankudy, two brothers Sadiq Abdulla and Saheed Abdul Haq from Mawanella. The latter were later arrested and Zahran died in the suicide bomb attack on Shangri La Hotel. It came to light that those arrested had links with a foreign organisation. Hashim had preached them to kill all infidels or non-Muslims and attack their places of worship. Unable to find Zahran in Mawanella, a Police team went to Kattankudy. The Sunday Times has seen a letter given to Inspector A.G. Amerapala of the Police team in Tamil. Under her official seal and signature, Ms M.C.S. Fasmilla, Grama Niladhari, New Kattankudy South, said, Zahran had not been living in her area. He had gone missing. Yet, intelligence officials in Colombo knew he was posting messages on his Facebook. The Mawanella Police reported facts to court and the suspects were remanded. With the lack of wherewithal, the Police then asked the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to further probe the case. Palitha Siriwardena, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) was in charge of the Kegalle Police Division until June 3, till just two weeks ago. He spoke exclusively to the Sunday Times of the events that followed. My conscience does not allow me to remain silent in retirement when more than 250 innocent lives have been lost and nearly 500 were injured. If there was prompt action over our findings, the Easter Sunday carnage could have been prevented. The Public have a right to know how it failed and who failed it, he lamented. Siriwardena said after the CID took over, detectives investigated deeper into what Police unearthed. They established that a foreign organisation was funding the local group. They were operating on several mobile phones. The locals had large sums of money in bank accounts. I had conferences regularly with all the Police teams. Thereafter, I reported them in detail to Senior DIG in charge of the Sabaragamuwa Range (Ravi Wijegunawardena). He in turn kept the Inspector General of Police (Pujith Jayasundera) informed both through phone calls and in several reports, said Mr Siriwardena. Hence, the IGP was aware, much ahead of the April 9 intelligence warnings, that a serious situation was developing, he charged. A letter from DIG Wijegunawardena dated January 14 2019 to then Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera, a copy of which was obtained by the Sunday Times confirms this assertion. Here are highlights of the Sinhala letter translated to English: Regarding the investigations carried out about the damages made to the Buddha Statues in Mawanella police area With reference to your letter regarding above subject dated 2019.01.09. Referring to the subject, there is a report handed over to me by the Deputy Inspector General/ Kegalle regarding an investigation carried out about the letter issued by President of Mawanella Masjid, Dr Hameed A Azeez who is residing at Masjidul Hudah, Hinguloya, Mawanella. According to the report, there were four Buddha statues situated in Mawanella police area, Kegalle police division have been damaged by an organized group on 2018.12.22 and 2018.12.26. There have been 07 Muslim suspects arrested for damaging the statues arrested and produced in Mawanella Magistrate Courts. They were remanded until 2019.01.16 (case number M/U 11330/18) Apart from that, there was a revelation that the arrested were also linked to incidents in damaging Buddhist, Hindu and Christian statues in Peradeniya, Welamabada and Pothuhera police areas. The two main suspects had fled the area. Special police units are deployed to arrest them. Investigations conducted so far have revealed seven Muslim suspects and two Muslim suspects who are to be arrested have co-ordinated their actions through mobile telephones. This has been confirmed by phone records. People of the area believe that there can be foreign or local connection influencing the attacks on the statues. The report also points out that there must be in depth investigations carried out to find out whether there are local and international groups linked to this. In order to do that the mobile data information of the suspects and bank accounts as well as other assets must be subjected to investigations. However, the officials of the divisional police stations do not have the required special training or the needed equipment to carry out in- depth investigations to analyze mobile data or check bank accounts. This has hindered the investigation to find out who are the ones behind damaging of religious statues. However, the Buddhist monks and the Buddhist community are in high alert to learn about the organizations and international organizations. They thoroughly believe that the parties that are involved would be involved through police investigations. It had been reported that somehow if that trust on the police is lost there will be issues of racism and spark religious hatred. The Criminal Investigation Department, Terrorism Investigation Department and Government Intelligence are trained and equipped to carryout prior mentioned investigations into mobile data, report on verified data and Bank account reports. According to the facts presented I would agree with the recommendation made by DIG of Kegalle. Therefore, I send you page 01 to 07 of the file along with this report. Retired DIG Siriwardena revealed that it was on the basis of information obtained from suspects arrested by the Mawanella Police that the CID raided the IS backed extremist Muslim groups operational base in Lactose Watta, Vanathavillu in the Puttalam District on January 16. There they found materials to manufacture bombs, as lethal as the ones they used during the Easter Sunday carnage. There were 100 kilos of explosives, six 35 kilo cans of nitric acid among the items found. Even here, the name of Zahran transpired as the leader, he said. He said CID detectives arrested four suspects and detention orders were issued on them for four months duration each under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Two of them were later released by the CID with three conditions imposed on them. They were told that they should live in the same address as before, they cannot have any contacts with the extremists, they should report every month on a Monday to the CID headquarters between 9 a.m. and 12 noon and, report within 72 hours after being summoned. This is very unusual. It is only the Courts that places such bail conditions. We were told there was political pressure. Siriwardena said. Is it because a leading politician claimed that the persons be released claiming the two were carrying food? he asked. He noted that the investigators took their safeguards and released the two. No one has so far been indicted in this case involving the base. Siriwardena also made an allegation against the former Western Province Governor Azath Sally. This was when three teams from the Mawanella Police were investigating the matter. He said: I had a telephone call from the IGP (Pujith Jayasundera) asking me whether we had arrested Sadiq Abdulla and Shaheed Abdul Haq. I said no. He then asked me to get my Assistant Superintendent of Police ASP (Gamini Tennekoon) to telephone Azath Sally, the Western Province Governor. Later, ASP Tennekoon reported to me that he had spoken to the former Governor. The Governor had told him that Moulavi Thamsin would come over to the Police and surrender Sadiq Abdulla and Shaheed Abdul Haq and to await them. However, the ASP later said they never turned up. At a progress review meeting with the investigation teams, SP, ASPs and Inspectors on December 31 2018, retired DIG Siriwardena said I raised this telephone call matter again. Whilst all of them watched, I took a telephone call during the conference to Mr Sally. All others were witnesses and will testify at any inquiry. I told him that the two wanted persons have not surrendered. He replied he had told Moulavi Thamsin about it. Whilst Mr Sally was still on the line, I took a conference call to this Moulavi. The first question he asked me what is the status of the investigation now? I could not have told him that. I cut the line and told the teams to look for the suspects. Who is this Police bu.r? He does not know protocol. I told the IGP Pujith Jayasundera that the All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ulema (ACJU) had spoken to me. They also wanted me to speak to the Defense Secretary too, exhorted Mr Sally when asked to comment. He said The Police are turning what I said into something else. Whoever is saying this is connected to (mentions the name of a leading opposition left wing politician). Every police DIG is working with Pohottuwa. They are into anti Muslim activity and they are creating the anti-Muslim feelings, anti -Muslim phobia Before more questions could be posed, including one on why he interfered with the Police investigation, that too outside his province, he rang off.Prospect of lower trade deficit strengthening external finances in 2019 View(s):

The countrys external financial vulnerability remains a serious concern despite the Central Banks assurance that the countrys debt repayment obligations can be met this year and that foreign reserves are expected to be US$ 6.7 billion at the end of the year.

On the other hand, if the decline in the trade deficit in the first quarter of this year continues during the remaining months, a sharp reduction in the trade deficit could result in a significant balance of payments surplus that would strengthen the external finances.

Important

It is of utmost importance that this declining trend in imports continues in the next nine months to reduce the trade deficit to around US$ 8 to US$ 8.5 billion that could improve the balance of payments to achieve a significant surplus. This is especially important as the insecure conditions in the country and geopolitical factors are likely to decrease tourist earnings, foreign investments and workers remittances that are significant foreign exchange earnings.

External vulnerability

The countrys external vulnerability is due to the large foreign debt and debt repayment obligations. The foreign debt of the country is likely to rise to about US$ 55 billion at the end of this year. This is mainly due to the need to borrow to repay outstanding debt obligations of around US$ 3 billion during the rest of the year.

This foreign debt of over 50 percent of GDP is too high. Foreign debt repayments have been nearly 30 percent of merchandise export earnings in recent years. Consequently the country is in a vulnerable position, especially when facing external and internal shocks.

BOP surplus

Balance of payments (BOP) surpluses have been small owing to persistent large trade deficits. These small BOP surpluses have been inadequate to replenish the foreign reserves. A lower trade deficit this year could result in a higher BOP surplus.

This can only be achieved by a much lower trade deficit than last years US$ 10.3 billion and the previous years US$ 9.6 billion. The trade deficit must be brought down to about US$ 8 to 8.5 billion to make a dent in the external financial position.

Can this be achieved this year?

There is a prospect of a reduced trade deficit this year, if the decline in the trade deficit to US$ 1.7 billion in the first quarter and the sharp decrease in the March trade deficit continues.

In the first quarter of 2019, the trade deficit contracted to US$ 1.66 billion from US$ 2.98 billion in the first quarter of 2018.This 55 percent decrease in the trade deficit was brought about by a 5.6 per cent increase in export earnings and by a reduction in import expenditure by as much as 19.3 per cent. This trend must continue to achieve the desired BOP surplus.

March trade balance

The improvement in the trade balance was particularly sharp in March 2019 when the trade deficit narrowed by nearly 20 percent compared to March 2018, due to record high export earnings and a significant reduction in imports. This is a drastic reversal of the trend of increasing imports in 2018 and 2019.

Imports

Expenditure on imports continued to decline due to policy measures adopted by the Central Bank and the government. Consumer, intermediate and investment goods imports decreased. The lower fuel prices were significant in intermediate imports decreasing.

Continuity

The trade deficit was only US$ 1.7 billion in the first quarter. If this trend continues, the trade deficit could decline to as little as US$ 7 billion. Even if the trade deficit is not reduced that much, but to US$ 8 billion, it could result in a significant balance of payments surplus.

Risks

However there are unpredictable factors that could affect the trade deficit adversely. The current international oil prices could rise, if the US imposes a trade embargo on Iran. Higher prices for fuel would affect the trade balance adversely. Trade tensions are serious threats to the countrys trade.

Policies

The continuation of tariff policies on gold and motor vehicle imports are necessary to stem these imports. Furthermore, there should not be a relaxation of import tariffs. Fiscal and monetary policies must be vigilant to stem imports.

Reversal

This decrease in the trade deficit in the first quarter of this year is a reversal of the trend in recent years, when despite an increase in exports, the trade deficit increased owing to a larger increase in imports. In contrast, there was a reduction in imports and a continued increase in exports that reduced the trade deficit by 12 percent in the first quarter of this year.

It is of utmost importance that this declining trend in imports continues in the next nine months to reduce the trade deficit to below US$ 9 billion.

This is especially important as the insecure conditions in the country and geopolitical factors are likely to decrease tourist earnings workers remittances that are the two most significant foreign exchange earnings. Foeign investments too are likely to fall.

Projection

If imports continue to be contained, the trade deficit could be brought down to around 8 to 8.5 billion that could enable a balance of payments surplus of significance. However this would be possible only if workers remittances and tourist earnings do not decline too much.

While a reduced trade deficit would boost the chances of a higher balance of payments, the dip in workers remittances and tourist earnings should not offset the gains in the trade balance. Foreign investments too are expected to decrease. Together these may reduce foreign earnings by about US$ 3 billion.

Summing up

One of the serious weaknesses of the economy has been the increasing trade deficits in recent years. The trade deficit of US$ 9.6 billion in 2018 increased to US$ 10.3 billion last year. Such a large trade deficit weakens the balance of payments and erodes the foreign exchange reserves.

The decrease in the trade deficit in the first quarter of this year was a reversal of the trend in recent years, when despite an increase in exports, the trade deficit increased owing to a larger increase in imports. In contrast, there was a reduction in imports and a continued increase in exports in the first quarter of this year.

Every effort must be made to enhance this reduction in the trade deficit to increase the balance of payments surplus.The ugly use of extremism and terrorism for political gain View(s):

The recent statement by former Eastern Province Governor M.L.M. Hizbullah that Muslims are a majority in the world and that Sri Lankan Muslims should not fear even if they are a minority is dangerously inflammatory. It also amounts to an encouragement of the primitive cacophonous yelling on the part of Sinhala extremists that more Sinhalese ought to be born, that forced sterilizations of Sinhala Buddhist mothers are being carried out by Muslim doctors (without a shred of tangible evidence, let us add) and that the Sinhala-Buddhist nation-state is in imminent and existential peril.

Ploys to fool the citizenry

It is no excuse therefore, when questioned later by journalists, that the ex-Governor piously explains himself that he had only tried to give strength to scared and intimidated Muslims in Sri Lanka or that he spoken not at a public meeting but with a crowd at a mosque. Regardless, these are not sentiments that can be excused. In fact, the full weight of his testimony before the Parliamentary Select Committee this week brought to mind echoes of a grotesque circus of clowns as he protested that he had put signboards in Arabic in Kattankudy to attract tourists and that date trees were planted in the middle of the road as it was too hot to expect any other tree to grow. At times, it was hard to distinguish which was more ridiculous; the questions put to him by his interrogators or his abominably slippery answers.

These are the antics that took place at the very same time that the Kochchikade Church was being reconsecrated with scores of injured worshippers in the Easter bomb attacks executed by a militant islamist terrorist with whom the ex-Governor had signed an electoral agreement in 2015. It is no answer also to explain (as the ex-Governor did) that this terrorist was only an extremist when he signed that agreement. As a sobbing teenager who had lost her father in the cruel blasts, called upon the Christian virtues of forgiving ones enemies but asked that one anguished question Why?, surely the entire band of political crooks who have ruined this country by their machinations time and time again must stand condemned?

For these political dramas must be recognised for what they are; simply, ploys to fool the citizenry in the face of upcoming elections. And lest there is any doubt on that score, this indictment applies in full measure to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well. His special address to the nation a few days ago where he pontificated that his leadership was the solution to the crisis is nothing but more of the same political profiting off a communal catastrophe. As much as Tamil nationalists and Sinhala zenophobes fed off each other to prolong a deadly war which laid waste to the country and destroyed lives and communities for decades, this too is similarly cynical manipulation for political purposes.

Why the SLFP/SLPP combine opposes the Select Committee

Mr Hizbullah is not greatly loved by his own people. He may blame the fact that he did not play ball with the Kattankudy extremists turned terrorists for the fact that he failed to muster sufficient votes in the 2015 general election but the truth is deeper than that. As reward for his lack of popular support, he was given open licence by Presidential fiat to terrorise Sri Lankas East as its Governor to the chagrin of not only the Sinhalese but also the Tamils. His detractors point to his being instrumental in transferring a judge who did not obey him but instead, bringing in a judicial officer into that Province who was more compliant to his instructions as it were. This is a hair-raising indication of the impunity with which he behaved. So too is the statement purportedly made by him where he boasts of taking over Hindu temple land for his own benefit.

Earlier, another former Governor, Azath Salley had testified before the Parliamentary Select Committee that the Thowheed Jamath and the police had worked together from 2005 onwards which was effectively the period where the Rajapaksa writ ran in the country. When ordinary Muslims protested, they were detained or chased away. Meanwhile the other testimony of peculiar interest was that of the President of the Federation of Kanthankudi Mosques and Muslim Institutions, Abdul Uvaiz, yesterday who stated strongly that wahabist extremism had run riot in the East during the term of the former Eastern Province Governor M.L.M. Hizbullah and that those opposing this spread, did not stand a chance of being heard. Law enforcement authorities had been deaf and blind to all entreaties.Taken in sum, it is not difficult to understand why the SLFP/SLPP combine opposes the sittings of the Parliamentary Select Commitee probing the Easter Sunday attacks so ferociously.

That opposition emanates also from the political game of oneupmanship that all politicians are playing without compunction for the country or its battered, frightened and insecure people. Nervous that the chain of command would lead to the door of the President, (though this is surely a foregone conclusion already), yet another constitutional crisis is being perpetuated as the President has refused to preside over the Cabinet. Now his agitated political mouthpieces are threatening a prorogation of Parliament if the Select Committee proceedings continue. It is a relief that the Speaker has maintained a firm constitutional position on the obvious fact that the President cannot dictate to Parliament as to how it should conduct its own proceedings. But are we some beggarly, newly emerged nation that these fundamental constitutional principles must be reiterated in this way to politicians in high seats?

How does national security come into play?

In any event, it beggars the imagination as to how and in what way, the testimony given by the officials who have appeared before this Committee can, in any way, harm national security. Their posts are known, some of them have stepped down or have been sacked from their positions. There is no great secret as such that is being unveiled. Instead, what we see is a miserable process of political failures in leadership, rebounding both on the President and the Prime Minister. So why are SLFP politicians quoting the danger of intelligence leaks or violation of the archaic Official Secrets Act to circumvent the proceedings being held? This is purely to hide their own culpability. Indeed, an obscene paradox emerges. While national security was disregarded to the highest possible extent enabling the horrific Easter Sunday bomb attacks to happen with nary a wink, questioning that fog of doubt and suspicion is met with opposition ostensibly on the basis of national security. And while one political party protects one Muslim political extremist leader, the other political party protects yet another, all the time, attacking each other. This has to stop.

Public pressure must make it clear that the citizenry has profound scorn for the political class taken as a whole. The time is not far off where politicians on both sides of the divide may find themselves unable to appear in public without being hooted and jeered at, which is happening to quite a few Sri Lankan Ministers even at this time.

This must be the price for monumental failures in leadership.Fiat justitia! View(s):

If the sound of the koha heralds the coming of the National New Year, the resurrection of the Wasim Thajudeen and Lasatha Wickrematunge murders usually heralds the coming of an election.

So sneers a meme now circulating on social media, on the heels of a report that the Attorney General (AG) has ordered police to speed up investigations into four criminal cases, all of which occurred during the former administration.

These are the Thajudeen and Wickrematunge killings, the forced disappearances of 11 men in Colombo and the murder of 17 NGO workers in Mutur. The oldest incident goes back 13 years; the most recent one, five. Speed up is an absurd understatement.

The Presidential election will take place at the end of the year. And it is bitter past experience which has bred this widespread cynicism and belief that it is only for the purpose of gaining political mileage that certain criminal cases are pulled up from time to time.

This is not to cast aspersions on the office of the AG. The top seat was filled just last month by Dappula de Livera, Presidents Counsel, who appears eager to alleviate unnecessary delays in high-profile cases such as these.

But negative public sentiment is a reaction to stark reality. Behind the grim humour is very real concern that the system is not working for the good of the greater public but for the personal interests of politicians. And light-hearted jabs on social media mask an absence of confidence in Government and governance.

Most politicians everywhere are self-serving. Still, most do it with a finesse that is distinctly lacking in the Sri Lankan breed. This week a Muslim leader from the East told Parliamentary Select Committee on the Easter Sunday attacks that he was happy Zahran Hashim, the bomber from Kattankudy, had died because he could now win the next election without any trouble from his group.

The remark may have come from a desire to distance himself from the murderous bombers. But the sensitivity chip that is missing in M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, the former Eastern Province Governor, is also absent in most other Sri Lankan politicians.

Foreign journalists attending the first Government news conference after the Easter bombings were aghast that Ministers at the head table were grinning from ear-to-ear while taking questions on the disaster. Even while expressing remorse, they could not deign to be remorseful.

There are more serious issues than missing sensitivity chips. And these are to do with due process and the administration of justice. This Government assumed power in 2015 with a serious and determined pledge to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of alleged mass-scale corruption, regardless of political colour. And they started with aplomb.

The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) was set up, the Bribery Commission was revitalised, the police were trained by elite foreign investigators and cooperation was initiated with the World Banks Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative. Opposition politicians went in and out of remand custody. But not a single conviction took place. In fact, in recent months, the tendency has been more towards acquittals.

Soon, the Government was embroiled in the Central Bank bond scam, on which there have also been no convictions. The Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the matter produced a report. End of. The one on SriLankan Airlines (sittings are throwing up examples of serious malpractice and abuse) will also throw up a report. End of. To many, it comes as no surprise that the wrongdoers are seldom punished. How, they ask, can thieves order thieves to be investigated?

But these are not laughing matters. And the fact that the contemporary public lets them go with a sardonic grin should worry anyone who has interest in the future of Sri Lanka. Ayesha Thajudeen, the sister of the murdered rugby player, told a newspaper in March that the familys only hope now is that justice will be served by God.

Nobodys only hope in a democratic country with purportedly old, strong, democratic institutions should be for justice to be served only by God. But the Thajudeen family, like many others, has gone through the mills of Sri Lankan justice and learned bitter lessons. Despite months of investigation throwing up troves of crucial evidence, there have been no convictions.

So, what does the Attorney General asking police to expedite investigations really mean? Would it require revisiting the evidence already gathered? Or would it, in all honesty, mean fending off political interference so that the integrity of the process can be preserved and the case be taken to a conclusion?

Are the police and the AG robust enough to hold the fort? Or will our institutions fold under pressure or political command as they have done in the past? In Sri Lanka, a mere order to speed up investigations has never led to the anticipated result.

And this is where the public cynicism comes from. That, and the undeniable fact that most high profile cases are, indeed, pulled up when an election is due; or when a politician in an opposing camp seems to be getting a little ahead of himself. Not only does this apply pressure on the protagonist, it attempts to remind the public that he is a scoundrel, even if it was never proven in a court of law.

But this situation is not tenable. Sri Lankans must demand the preservationor returnof integrity of their institutions. It is one battle worth fighting because, while politicians come and go, it is institutions that form the foundation of governance. And it is they that will ensure justice does not become even more of a joke here than it already has.

Nothing is more glaringly representative of a breakdown of law and order, of accountabilityand, perhaps inevitably, the justice systemthan the Easter Sunday attacks. The leaders knew, they failed to act and they remain in power. Accepting this status quo is an indictment, not only on them but on us, the voting public that pay for their upkeep.Kids World View(s):

My village

My village is Imbulgasdeniya. It is a big city. Near our house there is a paddy field. There is a big bookshop in our village. And there is a salon, a co-op city, a fish market, a bakery and lots of markets. There are lots of coconut trees in the village. There are lots of kinds of trees there. Some of them are mango, papaya, rubber, guava and many other kinds of trees.

My village is situated in Kegalle district. There are other small villages in my village. There is a river in our village. Some people bathe from the river. In our village there are so many houses. I love to live in my village and

I love my village very much.

Guvani Rajapaksha (Grade 5)

Royal Int. School, Kegalle

My favourite hobby

Hobbies are what we do in leisure for our pleasure. I read books and newspapers, watch TV, listen to songs and collect stamps and picture postcards. I like to travel also.

But my favourite hobby is practising the Japanese martial art of Karate.

Karate helps to develop our mind and body. Actions in Karate make our muscles and joints strong. My master  Shihan H. R. S. Jayakody says that fighting comes last in the list of benefits. It is because we use Karate for

self-defence and not to attack anyone. Karate helps me to study well as it improves my concentration.

I feel very happy and calm when I practise Karate.

Pesandi Karunaratne (Grade

D. S. Senanayake C. C., Mirigama

J. K. Rowling

J. K. Rowling is a famous British author, screen writer and a film producer. She was born on July 31, 1968. She is the author of the most popular book series Harry Potter. Not only that, she had written many books such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Casual Vacancy, The Cuckoos Calling etc. Her favourite subject in school was English. Her childhood pets were two dogs, two guinea pigs and lots of goldfish.

At last in my words, J. K. Rowling is the best author in the world.

Hishma Siraj (13 years)

Badi-ud-din Mahmud Girls College, Kandy

My cat

A mouse came down the well.

My cat was sleeping in the hall.

The mouse ate some cheese.

My sleepy cat gave a chase.

Susiru Ratnayake (Grade 7)

Regent Int. School, Gampaha

My grandmother

My grandmother is

Mrs. Lilian. She is 70 years old. She is fair. Her hair is white.

She can cook very well.

She tells me stories and

teaches me songs. Her hobby

is reading books. Her favourite food is Jak curry. Every Sunday she goes to church.

I love my grandmother.

Prashasthi Fernando (Grade 4)

St. Lawrences Convent, Mattakkuliya

My trip to Ella

On April 19, we went on a trip to Ella.

I was so excited when I woke up. My family and I got dressed and went to pick up my grandparents. Then we set off to Ella.

On the way we stopped to eat our breakfast and went to see a gem mine in Ratnapura. Next we went to see the Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara. On the way to our bungalow we met our cousins. Afterwards we stopped for lunch and went to our bungalow. It was very beautiful. Then we played and had our dinner and went to sleep.

The next morning we ate our breakfast and went to see a few places like Ravana Ella and Buduruwagala Temple. Next our family went to eat in a fancy restaurant. After a while we retreated to our bungalow and played. That night we had a barbeque dinner. Tired after a long day, we went to sleep.

The next day we sadly left the bungalow. we went to see Lipton Seat. It was a bumpy ride. Finally the trip came to an end and we all went home. It was a fun trip.

Nevanya Atukorale (Grade 4)

Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo

Our school sportsmeet

Our school sportsmeet was held on March 28, 2019. Member of Parliament Mrs. Hirunika Premachandra was our chief guest. The sportsmeet started at 10 a. m., with a memorable and colourful ceremony. First of all the 100 m race was held and relays followed.

After the races were over, there was a drill display. It was a very

eye-catching event. The last event of the sportsmeet was the teachers hurdles. It was very exciting. The audience cheered and participated in our sportsmeet. It was an unforgettable day in my life.

Senuki Fernando (Grade 5)

Sri Dharmarama Vidyalaya, Ratmalana

The deadly monster

Many shiny, glistering, sharp teeth snapping hungrily

Two spiked, beady, glaring eyes staring tightly

Many pointy, sharp, triangular claws scratching angrily

Two sweaty, greenish, nasal cavities smelling wickedly

One thorny, triangular, fractious tail keeping steadily

Two black, hairy, thick eyebrows moving hastily

One enormous stinky mouth, watering greedily

A huge monster is on its way to catch its prey

Sithumi Jayasinghe Arachchige (14 years)

Mahamaya B.V., NugegodaLooking their best on their big day Concluding our two-part article on modern day weddings, Sashini Rodrigo and Ruqyyaha Deane look at changing trends in traditional attire View(s): View(s):

Its the day youve dreamed of  and whether you are in a suit or sarong, flowing gown or saree  it is important that you look your best on your wedding day. This week we set out to find how our choices of wedding attire have adapted to the evolving trends in the fashion industry.

Bridalwear designer Purnima Abeyratne who has been creating bridal looks for 19 years observes that many brides now go for a Modern Kandyan incorporating their own styles into the traditional outfit.

When designing a bridal I give preference to the brides own requirements of what she likes, traditional, modern or something in-between, keeping in mind what will suit her the best. My goal is to have each bride shine on her special day, she shares.

Influences from contemporary European fashion are seen in her designs as brides ask for plunging necklines, variations in sleeves, a longer and layered pota instead of its customary three folds and floor length. Light, transparent fabrics such as lace, tulle, chiffon and net are now in vogue instead of the heavier brocades, handlooms and embroidered silks of yesteryear.

Kandyan brides are usually adorned with the mala hatha, nalal patiya, ira handa pendants for the hair and other traditional jewellery but today many opt for only the nalal patiya and the first three chains worn alongside modern jewellery.

Many brides also forego the elaborate updos to simply let their hair down or keep it in an elegant low chignon, pinned in place with a few clips, with flowers or crystal embellishments woven in.

Asanka de Mel took the humble sarong into something modern, cutting edge and contemporary with his Lovi Ceylon brand and has now turned his sights on the Kandyan Nilame outfit worn by the groom.

Wanting to honour the Sri Lankan cultural identity on milestone days like a wedding, the Nilame is given a fresh, modern look, the 7 to 15-piece outfit simplified into three pieces: the Nilame Jacket, long sleeve shirt, and Nilame sarong (See Magazine cover).

With our updated designs, I hope to spark excitement about our roots, to foster confidence about our island home, and help usher in our traditional clothing into modern times, says Asanka.

Traditional elements such as handloom fabric are retained while also bringing in pockets, belts, and lining, which are the things you need for a life in motion.

At iBRIDE Bridal Lounge by Indi Yapa Abeywardena, designer Indi affirms that the most noticeable change in bridal wear would be moving from traditional Kandyan bridals to modern.

With the modern Kandyan, Sri Lankan weddings and bridal outfits are moving to a new level of sophistication without losing their old world charm, she feels.

70 percent of her clientele consists of brides having a destination weddings in Sri Lanka or Lankans from overseas coming back to get married here. These brides who are more exposed to a wider fashion industry are not afraid to try new things; styled silhouettes, lace and fabrics. They are open to new ideas and at iBRIDE, current global fashion trends, the latest French lace, Italian charmeuse silk to embroidered organza from India are incorporated to create the perfect bridal outfit.

Our design style is something we like to keep fresh with each bride and do it as a team with the bride. At the end of the day, its the brides big day, and she needs to feel comfortable in what she wears, she needs to feel beautiful in the design, she has to fall in love with it, shares Indi.

The shift is in bridal make-up too. Make-up artist Jeeshan Umar of Beauty Dosage tells us that modern make-up is truly without rules, boundaries or guidelines.

A recent trend has seen rose gold and burgundy tones on the eyes, the new nude in make-up as opposed to traditional looks that paired soft smokey eyes, winged liner, kohl on the lower lash line with either a mauve, deep maroon or nude lip.

Now, the bold eye looks are often enhanced with glitter and a complementary lip colour. The look is finished by a bridal glow  a dewy skin finish that emulates a radiant glow from within.

For the ultimate bridal accessory, Director of Petals Hashantha Ariyarathna tell us that brides are now leaning towards simpler bouquets that are more innovative very different from the traditional teardrop tight bouquets. The difference is based on the shape, look, colours and even different flowers used  a big change from the traditionally heavy, predominantly white flower bunches.

The aspect of a bouquet solely depends on the outfit of the bride, so according to the outfit the bouquet can vary from minimalistic to extravagant.

Whatever style or aesthetic you pick, the experts all agree the couple should aim to look their best without sacrificing their comfort and personal vision for their big day.More than a fighting chance for little hearts By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Sri Lankas first-ever Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children will help save the lives of many children suffering from congenital heart diseases View(s): View(s):

All set. Very soon Sri Lankas first-ever Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children in Colombo will be fully functional.

We already have about 12 human valves in storage and in a month or two will be able to graft them in very ill children with congenital (present at birth) heart disease, says Paediatric Cardiologist Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe whose dream this has been for a very long time.

These valves will help save many lives, MediScene learns, and the LRH team, which includes Paediatric Cardiologists and Paediatric Cardiac Surgeons, is hoping to undertake at least three or four surgeries a month.

Dr. Samarasinghe explains that they would initially start with children suffering from Tetralogy of Fallot. In a majority of these patients, the pulmonary artery is not formed. (See box)

Commonly known as blue babies, these children suffer from cyanotic heart disease, which results in a low blood oxygen level. They form about 7-10% of those affected by congenital heart disease, it is learnt.

The calculation is simple but for the families who have children with congenital heart disease it is heart-breaking. With around 2,000 children being born with congenital heart disease (caused by a problem with the structure of the heart) every year in Sri Lanka, around 200 would be hit by cyanotic heart disease.

Congenital heart disease may involve the walls of the heart, the valves of the heart and the arteries and veins near the heart and disrupts the normal flow of blood through the heart, MediScene understands.

Taking MediScene through the processes, Dr. Samarasinghe says that after obtaining consent ethically, from the closest family member, the team would harvest the heart of a dead person, within a few hours of death in a clean environment within the mortuary. The cadaveric donor should ideally be a child or young adult who has not had calcification (build-up of calcium) of the blood vessels or atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in the arteries).

The heart would be placed on the Static Transfer Box with double locks, from the side of the least sterile room and passed into the highly sterile inner room with filtered air in the Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank. Here the heart will be dissected in a special Bio-safety Cabinet, harvesting the aortic valve, the aorta, the pulmonary artery and the pulmonary valve. These valves and vessels will also be measured with an accurate record being kept.

The harvested valves and vessels will then be kept in an incubator and treated with antibiotics to ensure that there are no bacterial or fungal growths and stored. The storage is in nitrogen vapour at a temperature of -150C under gradual gradient freezing, says Dr. Samarasinghe, explaining that they can then be kept for as long as five years.

When the Paediatric Cardiac Surgeons require a vessel or valve for grafting, those in storage would be released, depending on the size requested and there would be a gradual warming up of the vessel or valve to body temperature.

Currently, the children who need replacement of their pulmonary arteries get bovine (cattle) or porcine (swine) artificial vessels imported at high cost from the United States of America.

Earlier, Consultant Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Kanchana Singappuli explained the challenges when using these conduits prepared from the jugular veins of these animals. There would be a shortage of the two extremes  big and small vessels.

The vessels from human cadavers are longer lasting substitutes as against the others which are shorter lasting. The artificial vessels do not last as children have high calcium metabolic rates which, in turn, lead to calcium deposits forming (calcification) on these arteries, it is learnt.

The state-of-the-art Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank has been set up with the support of 18 Rotary Districts across the world which extended a helping hand to the Rotary Foundation to raise US$ 400,000 (around Rs. 60 million), with the Rotary Club of Colombo Fort acting as facilitator. While Rtn Sushena Ranatunga was instrumental for the project, those actively involved included then Rotary District Governor Gowri Rajan.

The funds for the construction of the building amounting to Rs. 20m were from the Health Ministry.

Once fully-functional, the bank would also benefit adults diagnosed with congenital heart disease. It can also be expanded to store other tissue including skin for burn victims and preserve ovarian and testicular tissue of those who have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation.

Pulmonary atresia Pulmonary atresia is a form of heart disease in which the pulmonary valve does not form properly. The pulmonary valve is an opening on the right side of the heart that regulates blood flow from the right ventricle (right side pumping chamber) to the lungs. This affects the oxygenation of the babys blood. Team effort The all-important team which is making the Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank a reality include the Consultant Paediatric Cardiologists, the Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Surgeons, four graduate nurses, Advisor Dr. Renuka Sornarajah and the Manager of the Oxford Cell and Tissue Biobank, United Kingdom (UK), Jill Davies who has provided invaluable advice. We used the same prototype used in Oxford, encompassing the right training and harvesting the right quality tissue for transplantation, said Ms. Davies, adding that as such the standards are similar to those in the UK. In December last year, Ms. Davies provided hands-on practical training to the staff here, working with pigs hearts. Valves will save the lives of children in Sri Lanka  thats why we are here to share our knowledge, she says. Meanwhile, Dr. Sornarajahs role is to provide guidance on international quality and safety standards. With a doctorate from the University of Cambridge, she has worked as a scientist in the UK, Singapore and Australia and has much technical expertise in setting up new laboratory facilities and processing many types of tissues and cells used for transplantation. She is working on an honorary basis.500,000 suffering in the drought cry out for water By Pravin Jayasundere View(s): View(s):

Nearly half-a-million Sri Lankans are suffering without water to drink and facing food shortages as a result of lingering drought.

While the Southwest monsoon has brought rains, it has not been enough to replenish the rivers, tanks and agri wells.

Statistics obtained by the Sunday Times show that more than 120,000 families and in excess of 450,000 people have been suffering in the drought since January.

Most of the affected people are in the Eastern, Southern, Northern, North Western and North Central provinces.

The data show that over 160 houses were partially destroyed due to adverse weather and more than 30 houses fully destroyed.

Mannar DMC district assistant director, Kanagaratna Teelipan, said people in five divisions face hardship.

Over 62,000 people have been affected and 145,000 litres of drinking water has been provided to the five divisions.

He said that if the situation continued for another 20 days, dry rations will have to be given.

It was also reported that certain residents using tube-wells have complained of excessive levels of salt in the water.

Puttalam Divisional Secretary, Sanjeewani Herath, said there has only been about 50 millimetres of rainfall this month.

The farmers have only been able to achieve about 50% of what they were hoping to achieve. Farmers do not have any food to eat, because they cannot grow without rain water, she said.

Drinking water availability is also very low.

District assistant director of the District Disaster Management Coordination unit of the District Secretariat of Jaffna, Mr. S. Ravi, said there is a severe drought in Jaffna.

He said there are only limited water sources and warned of a water scarcity.

Mr. Ravi also said they are focusing on four out of 15 divisional zones, but he fears that the drought might spread.

An official of the Government Agents office handling disaster relief in the Jaffna district, who wished to remain unnamed, said drinking water is distributed to nine divisions in Jaffna.

She presented reports which show that there are only 18 tractor bowsers and seven lorry bowsers to provide drinking water to over 20,000 families.

The report shows that the number of family members means that over 70,000 are badly affected by the drought.

Batticaloa DMC district assistant director, Mr. A. S. M. Ziyath, said more than 20,000 people are suffering in eight divisional secretary areas.

He said 27 tanker trucks are used to distribute water.

Polonnaruwa District Secretary Panduka Abayawardhena, said the drought was similar to that in the North. He also reported very high levels of heat and high wind speeds.

There is no rain at all, we are currently supplying water to over 14,000 families. The biggest issue we are facing is the lack of drinking water.

Harsh weather conditions were also reported by Anuradhapura District Secretary, R.M. Wanninayaka.

The Galle DMC district assistant director, Lt. Col. P.D. Ratnayake, said:

While it has been raining, that is less than what we usually receive in other monsoon periods

The rainfall is enough for now. It is enough for the farmers. But I am not certain about the coming months

The director of weather forecasting and decision support at the Department of Meteorology, Ms. A. R. Warnasooriya, predicts continuing rain for the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North Western provinces until the monsoon season ends in September.

She said there is only a slight chance of rain for drought-hit areas such as Ampara, Badulla and Batticaloa.

If thunderstorms occur then there will be heavy rain, its just that the number of places that receive such rain will be minimal.

She said that most other areas not receiving rains from the Southwest monsoon will not get rain unless there is a disturbance in weather patterns through an abnormality.

The director general of the Disaster Management Centre, Mr. W. A. Dharmasiri said preparations have been made for flooding and landslides.Hotels Association asks Govt. to underwrite loans View(s):

The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) has urged the Government to underwrite working capital loans amounting to Rs12 billion.

Issuing a statement, THASL President Sanath Ukwatte said they are making this request as an industry after taking stock of the situation. He added that the association was asking the Government to underwrite the working capital loans in order to meet monthly salaries, employee benefits and utilities for a period of one year, as most private and some state banks were reluctant to risk capital payments of these loans, especially to the Small and Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) sector.

Last year, the tourism industry brought in USD4.5 billion with employment, both direct and indirect, of over 500,000 people.

He said that the tourism industry had been performing well and was on track to reach the USD5 billion mark this year. The Easter Sunday terrorist attacks halted industry growth, and its recovery will depend on how well the industry manages international public relations from now. Tourism in Sri Lanka is mainly private sector owned, with substantial capital investments by both local and foreign investors. The industry has created a large number of job opportunities across the country, he observed.

The tourism industry is now facing a crisis due to a breach of security it had no control over, he lamented. Hotels were directly targeted in the attacks, and it would take time to erase security fears from the minds of international travellers, he added. We need to look at stabilising the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people whose only source of income is from tourism. Their service charge, which at times is more than the salary, is nonexistent today. We urge the Government to grant us this facility without any further delay, he said.Lankan, Indian Armed Forces exchange visits to foster goodwill View(s):

The 160 Sri Lankan Armed Forces Personnel and their families, designated for the 2nd Bodh Gaya Pilgrimage, organised by the High Commission of India, met with 160 Indian Armed Forces personnel and their families at Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday. The latter are here on the invitation of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.

The initiative began last year following discussions held to increase interactions between the Armed Forces of both countries, the High Commission of India said in a press release. This year, the duration of the pilgrimage has been extended to 4 days and, for the first time, saw a reciprocal visit by their Indian counterparts and their respective families.

The Indian visitors will visit historic locations, including the Mahabodhi Temple, the 80-foot tall statue of the Buddha, and the Rajgiri and Nalanda museums. They will also visit Galle and Kandy, where they will pay their respects at the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

It is expected that such visits will provide an ideal platform to develop personal and lasting bonds of friendship between the Armed Forces of the two countries, which already share a very deep and robust professional relationship. High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Shri Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt Gen Mahesh Senananyake were at the airport to receive the Indian delegation visiting Sri Lanka, and see off the Sri Lankan delegation to India.Millions mark Poson in Apura, Mihintale and Thanthirimale View(s):

More than a million Buddhists are expected to join in pilgrimages to historic sites, especially Mihintale on Poson Poya today, the day when Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka by Arahat Mahinda.

Hundreds of thousands of Buddhists are also converging on Anuradhapura, the ancient capital, where the then Sinhala monarch, King Devanampiya Tissa embraced Theravada Buddhism following his meeting with Arahat Mahinda.

Security has been stepped up in the sacred day, and, in contrast to the low-key Vesak, more decorations, dansal and pandals have come up for Poson.

According to Deputy Inspector General Senarath Sandungahawatta, 4,227 police personnel have been assigned to Anuradhapura and Mihintale where the main religious activities are being held.

He said 2,735 police personnel had been assigned for work in ten police areas within Anuradhapura and Mihintale, while more than 1,000 had been assigned for traffic duty. In addition, 246 policemen in civvies and 150 officers of the Police Lifeguard Association had been called in. There would be checkpoints, patrols and sniffer dogs, he said.

In addition, more than 2,000 armed forces personnel and another 2,000 Civil Defense Force cadres would be on standby, he said.

The police have designated 20 car parking areas in Anuradhapura city and six in Mihintale.

The Poson Poya religious activities began yesterday at Anuradhapura, Mihintale and Thanthirimale.

Pirith chanting which began on Thursday will continue till next Wednesday.

District Secretary R.M Wanninayake, who heads the Poson Celebration Committee, said more than a million pilgrims were expected at Mihintale and Thanthirimale. Public facilities have been arranged, while special trains are operating between Anuradhapura and Mihintale from yesterday and they would in operation until Monday midnight.

Mihintale, Thanthirimale, Isurumuniya and the stupas at Mirisawatiya, Thuparama, Lankaramaya, Abhayagiriya have been illuminated.

Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. is illuminating the Thanthirimale Temple. The Lankadeepa Poson illumination is being done for the 16th year.

The illumination was ceremonially switched on by Wijeya Newspapers Director Siri Ranasinghe, who is also the Chief editor of Daily Lankadeepa, while the temple illuminations was switched on by Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. Chairman Ranjith Wijewardene.

The event was attended by the North-Eastern Province Sanghanayaka, the Ven Thanthirimale Chandarathana Thera, who is the Chief incumbent of Thanthirimale Temple.

State Defence Minister of Defence and non-cabinet Mass Media Minister Ruwan Wijewardene and Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. Deputy Chairman Sujan Wijewardene also took part.Motorists snap fingers at lane laws despite 500 cases filed By Kasun Warakapitiya View(s): View(s):

The rain was being used as an excuse by motorists to break the lane law. Pix by Ishanka Sunimal

The lane law became effective from Monday but most motorists ignored them whenever traffic police were not present.

Since Monday, police have filed cases against 500 errant motorists, Deputy Inspector-General (Traffic) Senior Superintendent Ajith Rohana said yesterday. We will keep booking them. We will not relent, he warned.

The lane law requires motorists to stay in a specific lane instead of overtaking as they please.

We will ensure that motorists also do not encroach into priority lanes reserved for buses since that holds up a large number of commuters, DIG Rohana said.

The worst offenders, private buses, three-wheeler scooter taxis and motor cyclists, were using the rain as an excuse to break the law, police said.

Each day, we file at least 15 court cases against drivers who break the lane law, Sub-Inspector Prabath Kaluarachchi said in Kotahena.

They have a new excuse: they say that since it is raining they have to go faster to either to drop passengers in covered places or simply to avoid getting wet themselves, he said.

He had not seen any improvement in drivers as they disregarded the lane law whenever police enforcement was lacking.

In Kollupitiya, SI Janaka Weerasinghe said the rain excuse was also being used by culprits breaking the lane law between the Bambalapitiya and Kollupitiya junctions.

Since there are four lanes it is quite easy to manage the traffic when the lane system is implemented but drivers of buses and three-wheelers are tending to disregard the lane laws when picking up people, claiming they cannot allow people to get wet in the rain, he said.

Senior Professor of the Department of Transport and Logistics at the University of Moratuwa, Amal Kumarage urged police to stay on the job.

People in Sri Lanka naturally take time to start following directives. This law must be made a habit for people. Police should keep up routine checks in Colombo as well as areas in outstations, he said.

Former Traffic DIG Amarasiri Senaratne said the public had flouted lane laws for years. Even the most educated people, when they become drivers in this country, behave irresponsibly and selfishly disregard the lives of other people. They dont care about fines or legal action as they can pay fines, he said.Muslim MPs who resigned to reconsider accepting ministerial posts By Chris Kamalendran View(s): View(s):

Muslim MPs who stepped down from their Cabinet, State and Deputy Minister positions will hold a special meeting in the Parliament complex on Tuesday to consider whether to again accept ministerial posts in the Government.

Former Minister Abdul Haleem told the Sunday Times that the meeting would take place once Parliament sessions resume on Tuesday.

He said the MPs would hold the meeting to discuss an appeal made by the Chief Prelates of the three Buddhist Nikayas and leading members of the Maha Sangha, urging the Muslim MPs to take up their ministerial portfolios again.

Mr Haleem said they would consider the appeal as the situation in the country had now returned to normal. We need to come forward to work for the betterment of the country. We have informed all ministers who resigned and they have agreed to come for this discussion.

The former minister said it was up to relevant law enforcement authorities to investigate various allegations regarding Muslim MPs and find out the truth. They can take action if there is any wrongdoing, he

pointed out.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media after meeting with the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters on Friday, former Minister Kabir Hashim said that they had resigned from their portfolios to pave the way for an impartial inquiry into all allegations. We have taken this decision for the betterment of the country, he stressed.

Mr Hashim also said he was prepared to resume duties as a minister if his supporters requested him to do so.

All Muslim MPs stepped down from their ministerial posts following a fast unto death launched by Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera. Accordingly Cabinet Minister Rauff Hakeem, Kabir Hashim, Rishad Bathiudeen and Abdul Haleem, State Ministers Faizal Cassim, Mohamed Harees, Ali Zahir Moulana and Amir Ali as well as Deputy Minister Abdullah Maharoof resigned from their positions.Power Minister proposes drastic reduction in powers of PUCSL View(s):

Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake is seeking to whittle down the authority of independent regulator, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).

Since taking over the portfolio in January this year, the minister has already floated various emergency power proposals; contracted barge-mounted electricity outside accepted procurement procedure; and ordered the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to appoint 27 personal nominees as coordinators to projects that have not even been initiated.

Now, Mr Karunanayake wants to dramatically reduce the powers of the PUCSL to the great detriment, experts warn, of electricity consumers. In April, he presented a Cabinet memorandum titled Amendments to existing Acts to remove Legal and Regulatory barriers of the development of the Electricity Industry in Sri Lanka [sic].

In it, he envisages the downgrading of the PUCSLwhich was set up to be a strong, independent regulatorto the mere status of a safety regulator and ombudsman to the electricity industry. He also proposes to amend the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No 20 of 2009 and Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Act 31 of 2013 so that the economic and technical regulatory powers of the industry are transferred to the Cabinet of Ministers through the minister and the ministry in charge of the subject of power and energy.

The minister claims that the expected outcome from the PUCSL as overall regulator of the electricity industry has not been achieved. He highly recommends that the Government takes corrective actions without delay to avoid any further complications and to put the electricity sector back on the correct track without any undue influence to achieve the desired economic goals of the country.

The Cabinet paper blames all manner of electricity sector ills on the regulator. The move has been couched as an attempt to make the electricity sector more efficient.

Mr Karunanayake attributes the current deficit in power to legal and institutional barriers. This goes against some of his other Cabinet papers which state that none of the coal power, liquefied natural gas (LNG), furnace oil or large scale solar power plants in the CEBs long-term 2013-2035 and 2015-2037 generation plans was implemented due to reasons such as policy decisions, tender issues and pressure from external parties.

The Cabinet paper, however, points to many other legal barriers for the development of the power sector as a whole such as licensing processes and the tendering and regulatory barriers.

The PUCSL was set up under the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Act 35 of 2002. Technical, economic and safety regulatory powers over the electricity industry were entrusted to it on April 8, 2009, seven years later. Until that time, the Cabinet paper says, the technical, economic and safety regulatory functions were smoothly carried out by the Government through the subject minister and the Ministry of Power and Energy.

Mr Karunanayake also argues that the present conflicting situation between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the PUCSL with regard to long delays and policy differences in approving the Least Cost Long Term Generation Expansion Plan prepared by the CEB, determination of the transmission and bulk sale tariffs, determination of the distribution and supply tariffs, etc, have even resulted in the litigations between the two institutions.

Thus, he says, no tangible base load power projects have been implemented since 2011 and, as a consequence, the country is now facing power cuts due to the inadequate base load power generation capacity of the national grid having greater impacts to the socioeconomic activities of the country [sic].

The minister maintains this is mainly due to the disputes between the CEB and the PUCSL.

It is pertinent to mention that the CEB and the ministry had to face many difficulties with regard to the implementation of the proposed important power projects, determination of distribution and supply tariffs, determination of transmission and bulk sale tariffs, including renewable energy purchase prices, etc, his Cabinet paper claims.

Furthermore, procurement of power plants for power generation purposes by the CEB is strictly in accordance with the stipulated Government Procurement Guidelines, it states. However, PUCSL has gone beyond its mandate to interfere with the existing Government Tender Procedures and imposed new rules and conditions for power plant procurement. Hence, the CEB need to follow the Government Procurement Guidelines as well as PUCSL Guidelines. No examples are provided.

Mr Karunanayake justifies his attempt to undermine the regulator by saying the CEB has a highly skilled technical workforce that is fully capable of taking highly technical decision such as implementation of power plants and determination of tariffs etc in accordance with Government policy.

He also says the CEB is a monopoly under the strict control of the Ministry and the Cabinet. The Government and the Treasury provide significant economic input to the sector. Therefore, the technical and economic regulatory function should be vested with the Government, he rationalises. However, the safety, consumer protection, consumer rights which can be violated using the monopolistic power, can be empowered to the PUCSL [sic].

The Minister has already repeatedly bypassed the PUCSL in the six months he has held the portfolio. His Cabinet papers related to procurement make no mention of the regulator. And he has himself ignored procurement procedures in his haste to get the two power barges contracted.

The ministers proposal to weaken the PUCSL was assessed by a ministerial committee. One memberHarsha de Silva, Non Cabinet Minister of Economic Reformshas recorded his strong opposition to the move. He points out that the fundamental cause of the power crisis is the failure or inability of the authorities to move forward and initiate the procurement of the planned power projects and not regulatory and institutional hindrances.

For instance, the Sampur coal power project was cancelled due to environmental factors. But the steps needed to finalise the LNG power plant and other projects were not initiated. Furthermore, the decision of whether the source of power generation should or should not be coal is a policy-oriented decision and not an institutional or regulatory one, Dr de Silva states in a strong note conveyed to the Cabinet via President Maithripala Sirisena.

It is also pointed out that, under the 2009 Sri Lanka Electricity Act, the supply of electricity comes under the jurisdiction of the PUCSL. The CEB, which functions under the Power Ministry, is a licence-holder of the PUCSL.

In that light, the Ministry responsible for the CEB cannot function as both the regulatory body and licence-holder, it states.

In order to meet customer requirements, every country needs a regulatory body for essential services such as power generation, Dr de Silva asserts. Their main responsibility is to ensure a trustworthy and high quality service offering the minimum cost. However, the Cabinet paper in question suggests that the power generation sector does not require a regulatory body.

A regulatory body has a specific role, he stresses. This said specific and autonomous role cannot be altered based on requirements/wishes of the service provider, CEB or the policymakers, the Ministry. Based on the Cabinet paper in question, it is evident that there was no collaboration between the CEB, Ministry and the regulatory body.

One clear instance of Minister Karunanayake attempting to bypass the PUCSL is in the procurement of power from the Turkish barges. The Turkish Ambassador recommended a company named M/s Karatdeniz Holdings which sent in two proposals to supply electricity using power ship technology. The CEB submitted a Board Paper seeking approval to procure, in the first instant, 200mw from Karatdeniz via a barge anchored at Kerawalapitiya.

However, due to present social, political and legal situation, the Board of Director of the CEB is cautious in recommending the power procurement and no decision is made yet, a Cabinet paper dated April 20 presented by Mr Karunanayake observes.

A technical evaluation committee (TEC) appointed to buy electricity from this power ship also needed at least two weeks to evaluate the proposals and the TEC is not ready to make a quick decision, this Cabinet paper reveals.

The tender board and the Cabinet will require another seven to ten days after the TEC recommendation. The CEB is of the view that the approval of the PUCSL should also be obtained prior to this procurement, even if it is under emergency basis, the paper says.

Separately, the power purchase agreement (PPA) must be approved by the Attorney General. This will take another week. So the Minister has sought Cabinet approval to direct the CEB Chairman and Board to issue a letter of intent to Karatdeniz; to direct the TEC and Cabinet appointed negotiating committee (CANC) to evaluate the PPA and finalise negotiations with Karatdeniz; to direct the CEB Chairman and Board to sign the PPA and so on. There is no mention of the PUCSL.

A good regulator is the backbone of the electricity industry, multilateral agencies such as the World Bank (WB) state. Electricity services are among the most regulated areas of economic activity, and research has shown that sector performance is linked to the quality of regulatory institutions, The WB says in its Doing Business.

A study covering 28 developing economies found that high-quality regulatory governance is associated with higher per capita electricity generation, it states. Energy regulators play various roles across economies, from the supervision of electricity supply quality to setting maximum thresholds for duration and number of power outages to the setting of electricity tariffs for final consumers. In this sense, an independent energy regulatory agency can be essential for governments to promote an efficient and reliable energy sector operation.Strong opposition to Presidents non-binding referendum move By Our Political Editor UNF and SLPP insist that presidential election be held first View(s): View(s):

President Maithripala Sirisena wants to conduct a non-binding national referendum to seek public approval for parliamentary general elections ahead of the presidential poll this year.

Though he has obtained a favourable opinion from Attorney General Dappula de Livera, there are other political obstacles he would have to surmount. His own legal advisors have also expressed scepticism over the move.

The United National Party (UNP)-led United National Front, the main opposition Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, which commands a substantial vote base, are not in favour of the move. They want the presidential election, scheduled for this year, to be held first.

The move comes as President Sirisena appears to have resolved a deadlock between the Executive and the Legislature. After behind-the-scenes manoeuvres by at least two UNF ministers  Ravi Karunanayake and Rajitha Senaratne  he had agreed to summon the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (June 18).

He insisted earlier that he would not preside at Cabinet meetings until the winding up of the Parliamentary Select Committee, now probing the Easter Sunday incidents.

Before his departure to Tajikistan, President Sirisena wrote to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on the matter and copied the same letter to all members of the PSC. He had highlighted the damage caused to national security by wide publicity being given to testimony by witnesses and urged that the sittings be wound up. The matter is to come up for discussion before the Speaker as well as members of the PSC on Tuesday.

President Sirisena had said that the report of the three-member committee headed by serving Supreme Court Judge, Justice Vijith Malalgoda, had been handed over to him. He had assured that action would be taken on the matter.A month of all things French with Spring Festival By Ruqyyaha Deane View(s): View(s):

The French Spring Festival has returned for its 8th edition with a diverse set of 10 cultural events spanning a month from June 13 to July 14. Organised by the French Embassy and the network of Alliance Francaise in Sri Lanka, the festival will promote French literature, music, art, cinema and fashion.

The Festival was an opportunity to have better knowledge of the French culture and with the exposure to Sri Lanka, a bridge between the two countries and our two people, French Ambassador Eric Lavertu said at a press briefing last week.

Here are the events for June:

Niroshini Gunasekara will present a Sinhalese translation of French writer David Foenkinos highly acclaimed novel Memories on June 19 at the Alliance Francaise de Kotte. The book launch is open to the public based on a pre-registration basis. You can register for the event on afko.communication1@gmail.com

To celebrate International Music Day on June 21, French DJ Ludo Di Lucci will be playing at Cafe Francais from 9 p.m. onwards. The event will be preceded by an open mic event at 4 p.m.

DJ Ludo will also be having a set on June 22 at Amaya Hills Kandy.

Graffiti artist and designer Philippe Baudelocque, will be creating new works at Park Street Mews on June 22 and 23, Ecole Francaise Internationale de Colombo (EFIC) on June 24 and 25, and finally at the Alliance Francaise de Kotte on June 26. His monochrome designs are said to convey simple emotions aimed at a universal audience.

Rounding off the events for June, is the Fashion exhibition Exposition de mode. The talent of 30 Sri Lankan fashion designers will be showcased at the Lanka Institute of Fashion Technology (LIFT) on June 28 and 29. Inspired by French trends and divided into five sub-segments, the exhibition is open to the public through pre-registration. You can register for the event on www.lift.lk

For more information visit their Facebook page the French Spring Festival, twitter account @frenchspringfestival or their websites www.alliancefrancaise.lk and lk.ambafrance.orgLetters to the Editor View(s):

If change is to come to our nation it must begin with us, ordinary citizens

No one realized early in the morning of Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, that events later would shatter all our lives. Although many of us did not lose a loved one or a friend  the numbness, sense of shock and grief enveloped the whole nation. As I write this, it is about six weeks since the blasts. So much more has happened subsequently.

Many families lost more than one loved one and their lives will never be the same. For those who are still in hospitals, the physical pain is compounded by the emotional trauma as they try to understand what really happened. What does one say to a mother who weeps inconsolably for her child snatched away, or to a child left with no parents? What can one say except stand beside them in their grief.

What do I say to a 14-year-old Muslim girl when she weeps? She is sad and angry that some men in the name of Islam killed so many innocent people. She harbours a sense of shame which is heightened when someone looks at her community in condemnation and judgment. These young ones are made to feel that all are responsible for the carnage.

I discuss with some children who a terrorist is  an individual who kills in the name of religion or an ideology, but in reality is one who does not represent any true religion. A terrorist terrorizes, and cannot represent his/her ethnic group. So how would we define what happened in the North Western Province when terror was unleashed? I talk to the group of children about terrors of the past that I knew: that of the JVP and the LTTE. These groups did not represent their communities.

I hear many voices of fear since April 21. For many younger folk this is their first experience of a bomb and its devastating effects that endure long after the explosion. A lot of them now sleep with their parents. Thankfully many say that they feel school is a safe place. I hear the sense of sadness felt by some, when friends and adults talk of staying away from Muslim owned shops and restaurants. As a Sinhalese I feel a sense of shame. Weve lived side by side as neighbours for over 40-50 years; I grew up in a school where we saw each other not as from different communities, but as fellow schoolgirls forming one community, one family.

We let the terrorists win if we divide a nation on ethnic or religious lines. All four major communities are represented on our flag and all religions teach us a common humanity; one of compassion, kindness, forgiveness and tolerance.

My life has been the richer for knowing those of other faiths and communities. I am grateful for a home where we grew up learning to love and respect all people. We were taught by the example our parents set and I hope we have passed that on to succeeding generations.

So, who IS my brother/sister? She who takes flowers to the kovil; He who goes to the mosque on Friday; one who takes flowers to the temple on Poya day and another who worships at a church on Sunday. Their lives and well being are inextricably linked to mine. So YES, I am my brothers keeper!

I love the African story which talks of Ubuntu which means How can I be happy when others are sad? It also means: I am  because we are!

So I weep with the families of the bomb victims and those whose lives have been shattered. I also weep with my Muslim brothers and sisters who are made to feel a sense of shame for something they never did. I so want to believe that there is much good in very human being, as I believe we are all made in the image of God. We cannot and must not let the worst in us come out because of our suspicions and prejudices.

We cannot let fear dominate our rational thinking. We know better and must listen to each other, and sow seeds of understanding where mistrust grows; to talk and have conversations face to face, and on social media. To build relationships rather than destroy. If change is to come to our nation it must begin with us, the ordinary citizens of our land.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jnr.:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Sarla Williams Via email

The karaniya meththa sutraya, a timely doctrine for today

Poson poya is the second most important day for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Buddhism is a philosophy rather than a religion. There are many things in Buddhist philosophy which are useful to all humans. One good example is mindfulness, that originated from the first discourse of Lord Buddha.

The karaniya meththa sutraya, preached by Lord Buddha to a group who were practising meditation is heard by most of us every day. However, the meaning of the sutra is probably not known by those who hear it routinely. It is a universal doctrine for peace and harmony for everybody.

This sutra has two parts; the first part describes personal development and the second about true loving kindness.

In the first part it advises how to be competent and honest, straightforward, calm  pleasant, assertive, contented, not over busy, simple, tranquil, prudent, without over attachment to dwelling and not resorting to do anything that intelligent people would reproach.

The second part starts with, May all beings be happy, enjoy comfort, be safe and secure

Then it describes all types of living beings in the universe.

What so ever living beings, feeble or strong, long, short or medium, very small or large, visible or not visible, far or near or spirit or being awaiting a birth in a womb or egg,

May all enjoy comfort, be safe, secure and happy!

No one ever should deceive others, nor look disparagingly at another anywhere, avoiding anger or hostility, not wishing unhappiness on another.

It states the quantity of loving kindness one can give should equal that of a mother to her own only son, unbounded and immeasurable, advising to care for all with kindness, as a mother would her only son.

Loving kindness unbounded should rise to the whole universe, above, below and across, without a boundary. It further advises to mindfully be kind at each moment, standing, walking, sitting, reclining or any other.

The karaniya meththa sutra is a timely doctrine needed by everyone irrespective of any differences.

Dr D.P.D Wijesinghe Vie email

Look into these frequent power failures

There are frequent power failures in the Nugegoda, Kalubowila and Kohuwela areas ranging from five minutes to two hours that occur in the morning, afternoon and late at night. The authorities seem to be not taking any action to get to the root cause of the problem. These power failures affect our daily work routine and also damage our electrical and electronic equipment.The problem could be either due to low quality spare parts or poor maintenance etc.

This matter should be urgently addressed by the Area Engineer of CEB Dehiwela.

Anxious resident Via emailSo close yet so far: The broken link between Odisha and Sri Lanka By Tissa Migara View(s): View(s):

Can you mark the state of Odisha (formerly Orissa) on a map of India? I can wager that 24 out of 25 Sri Lankans wont be able to. And yet, there is arguably no other Indian state that has such historical links with Lanka as the State of Odisha.

Sri Lankan history is replete with references to Orissa, that part of East India which is now broken up into three States  Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha (see map).

The links are ancient. According to legend, Prince Vijaya set sail with his band of men to Thambapanni (land of the golden sand) as the island of Lanka was then known from Tamluk, ancient Tamralipti, a port city in present day West Bengal bordering Odisha. And Odisha itself is where the Great Emperor Ashoka fought the last of his battles  at Kalinga. That battle which Ashokas army won resulted in the massacre of over 100,000. Viewing the battleground from a nearby hillside, he realised the futility of war and embraced Buddhism that was flourishing in Kalinga at the time, spreading instead the message of universal love. That clash of arms took place in Dhauli only a few kilometres from Odishas current state capital of Bhubaneswar. Emperor Ashoka was considered an even more acclaimed warrior than Napoleon or Alexander the Great. His Mauryan Empire spread from present-day India to Afghanistan and almost Iran.

What was remarkable is that he was never defeated in battle, but overcome by his own remorse at blood-letting in the pursuit of glory. Who knows, if not for his change of heart, his next stop may well have been the conquest of Lanka.

Instead, he sent not his Army, but his children, Mahinda with the message of the Buddha Dhamma to Lankas King Devanampiyatissa on a Poson Poya day and his daughter Sanghamitta with a Bo sapling from Buddha Gaya. He conquered Lanka in a different way.

Odishas Buddhist history has only really been officially rediscovered due to the work of Universities, and also the Archaeological Survey of India. In Udayagiri, Ratnagiri and Lalithgiri, known as the Diamond Triangle are numerous archaeological sites and monasteries so much so it was hailed as a centre of learning second only to the iconic Nalanda University in fairly close proximity to Buddha Gaya in which there is renewed international interest as one of the greatest seats of learning of all time.

Odishas sites, which also include the ancient Buddhist sites in Puri have yet to receive due recognition from the State Government leave alone the Government of India or of international governments and UN agencies like UNESCO.

While the Odisha State government advertises its tourism attractions over CNN, it has to upgrade its vast potential in Buddhism tourism. It has failed to exploit the historical story of Emperor Ashoka who pioneered the change in the course of Indian history from that of conquest to one of love. The famed rock edict in Dhauli which Ashoka inscribed in Brahmi script is kept locked in a seemingly makeshift shed, opened by a watcher for a small tip. There are around 30 edicts of Ashoka in different parts of India, several of them found in Dhauli and Jaugada both in Odisha.

The Japanese built a peace pagoda near the banks of the river Daya in 1972 to commemorate Asokas change of heart after the Kalinga war the Dhauli International Peace Pagoda or Dhauli Giri Shanti Stupa and that is the only proper place for visitors to come and spend a morning.

Today, Odishas sea routes have gone into disuse. The Bhubaneswar airport largely caters to domestic travellers. Only Thai Airways flies in from overseas, given its Buddhist history. SriLankan Airlines flies to dozens of destinations in India a week but theres no direct flight to Bhubaneswar, which should take just over an hours flying time from Colombo.

If Palaly airport is opened one day for regional flights it should take less than an hour to Bhubaneswar from there.

The other day the PMs official website quoted Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe referring to the impact of Emperor Ashoka in a speech made at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the Kelaniya University. Emperor Ashoka of India disseminated Buddhist missionaries extending to Greece, Egypt and Iran for the propagation of Buddhism. They used the Greek and the Egyptian languages in the propogation of the Dhamma. We have to take these examples and move forward.

Both the Government of Sri Lanka and the State Government of Odisha must join hands in restoring the ties between the peoples, the cultures and historical links. The Congress spokesman in Odisha said that out of 100 Sinhala words, 34 have their origin in Odia, the language of Odisha.

This forgotten history has to be reconnected as both Sri Lanka and Odisha have been engrossed in their own politics over the years. The two are so close, yet so far.The arrival of Anubudu Mihindu Himi or the Light of Lanka By Dr. P.G. Punchihewa View(s): View(s):

The arrival of Mahinda Thera, the son of the Emperor of India, Ashoka, with five other Bhikkhus and a layman, on the Missaka mountain on the full moon day of the month of Poson, 2,265 years ago, marked the greatest event in the long history of this island. In his Pali Literature of Ceylon (pg 25) Professor G.P. Malalasekera refers to it as the most successful and most productive of the missionary efforts of Ashoka and as amongst the greatest civilizing effects of the world.

This event was the dawn of a new civilization in the island. A community of people made up of the first Aryan emigrants from India,following different cults and beliefs , trying to settle down to a new way of life and the indigenous people of the island imbued in animistic beliefs together were directed accordingly to a new spiritual way of life.

The arrival of Mahinda Thera in the island was neither a myth nor an accident. It was a well-planned one. An inscription in Rajagala in the Ampara district marks the site of a stupa built to enshrine the relics of Mahinda Thera and Iddhika Thera who accompanied him and they are mentioned in the Mahavamsa by name. The record is thus of first rate historical importance, in that it proves the trustworthiness, in its essentials of the account given in the chronicles of the introduction of Buddhism to Ceylon in the reign of Devanampiyatissa says Prof. Paranavitane (Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol.1 (pg) ci)

After his arrival, Mahinda Thera set about the task of establishing the Buddha Sasana systematically. Having convinced and converted the King Devanampiyatissa whom he found to be a very intelligent person after his incisive questioning, he delivered the Culla Hatthi Padopama Sutta to the King. The King no doubt would have had a good knowledge of elephant behaviour. The Thera next turned to the courtiers and their families. He was very selective in the choice of the subject to them.The two discourses, Pethavatthu and Vimana vatthu dealt with the results of bad and good actions which the listeners would have had no difficulty to grasp.

These discourses had a ripple effect in society, in taking the message of the new faith to near and far.The important fact was that the Thera Mahinda delivered his sermons in the language of the island (deepabhasaya).It is possible that he studied the language of the island during the six months he spent in Vidisa where he was the guest of his mother. All the discourses Mahinda Thera delivered were from the Tripitaka. As such there would have been the necessity to explain them in detail to the local followers. So the Thera had come up with the commentaries to the Tripitaka, which came to be known as Sihalaatthakatha in the language of the island. The Thera no doubt used the Brahmi script with which he was familiar and which was the same as that found in edicts of Ashoka and the early inscriptions of the island thus giving rise to the Sinhala script which over the years developed to the present form.

Thera Mahinda meanwhile was also concerned with the other requisites which bind the Sasana together. He ordained the layman Bhanduka who accompanied him thus establishing the local bhikkhu lineage.He along with his associates observed the Vassana (retreat during the rainy season ) as laid down in the Vinaya. With the possible expansion of the numbers,Thera Mahinda realized the need to have a sima-malaka for the Sangha to perform their ecclesiastical functions (uposatha ceremony and other acts of religion).Accordingly he advised the King to demarcate and assign the boundaries for the sima-malaka.When it was done,the Thera himself had fixed the inner boundary which later came to be the sacred city.

Dr. Walpola Rahula is of the opinion that other than the Thera there was no one knowledgeable in the island to perform this task. He had lived in such big cities like Pataliputra and seen his father constructing the Asokaramaya.What was built within the premises later became the Mahaviharaya. First lessons on architecture in the island may have come from the Thera.

Since the arrival in the island, Mahinda Thera took steps to give the new faith an indigenous outlook.The culmination of it was when he told the King that the Sasana would be established in the island only after a child of the island,having entered the Order, learns the Vinaya and expounds it to others. In other words he wished the leaders of the Buddhist Church in Ceylon to be natives of the island, says Paranavitane. Accordingly arrangements had been made for the Maha Arittha Thera to perform this function.

The Thera was also instrumental in getting down his sister Theri Sangamitta from India who established the Bhikkhuni sasana in the island bringing with her the branch of the pipal tree from Buddha Gaya.

As mentioned by Prof. Malalasekera, the mission to Sri Lanka was the most productive one. It was due, no doubt, to the untiring effort of Thera Mahinda, ably supported by the King Devanampiyatissa.

After serving the Sasana and the Sihala- deepa which he made his home, the Thera, passed away at the age of 80. Within this period he transformed the spiritual, cultural and social life of the islanders as never happened or never to happen in future. Acknowledging the contribution the Thera Mahinda made here, the people called him the Light of Lanka (Lanka pradeepo).Vessagiriya 2 inscription of the 10th century refers to him as Anubudu Mihindu Himi.To this day in the island he is better known by that honorific.

Missaka Pabbata worthy of World Heritage title Missaka Pabbata had been the cradle of Sri Lankan civilization for more than a millennium. The ruins of the largest hospital and the monastery dating back to the 10th century can be seen even today. According to the criteria laid down to qualify to be a world heritage site Missaka Pabbata stands tall. To be selected, a World Heritage site must be an already classified landmark, unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable place having special cultural or physical significance (such as an ancient ruin or historical structure, building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, mountain, or wilderness area. It may signify a remarkable accomplishment of humanity, and serve as evidence of our intellectual history on the planet. There are 44 heritage sites in France and the same number in Germany. Sri Lanka has only 8. It is high time the authorities move to get Missaka Pabbata declared a world heritage site.The dawn of Poson and the significance of Thanthirimale By Chris Edirisinghe View(s): View(s):

On Poson Poya we commemorate the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka centuries ago.

Some historians record that King Ashoka of India after his battle at Kalinga met a young Buddhist prelate and was so impressed by his tranquil demeanour, that he embraced this new doctrine. Keen to spread this to countries in the region, he sent his son to preach the new religion to his friend, King Devanampiyatissa in the adjoining kingdom of Thambapanni, as Sri Lanka was then known. It was on a Poson Poya day that Arahat Mahinda had a momentous encounter with the King at Mihintale. This is the story of Poson we celebrate today.

Religious observances at Poson were traditionally centered in Mihintale and in Anuradhapura. This year these will be held on a larger scale according to reports, since Vesak could not be observed as planned due to the problems that the country experienced recently.

In recent years Thanthirimale too has gained prominence during Poson celebrations. Thanthirimale has been known for centuries as the village honoured by Sangamitta Theri when she brought the sacred Bo sapling to the kingdom of Anuradhapura on Unduwap Poya. Theri Sangamitta was the youngest child of King Ashoka and the sister of Arahat Mahinda. She and her entourage, as well as King Devanampiyatissa had to stop for the night at Thanthirimale on their journey to Anuradhapura.

In grateful remembrance of this event the 8th shoot of this sacred Bo sapling was presented to Thanthirimale at the time as a gift.

Many pilgrims visit Thanthirimale after their religious observances in Mihintale and Anuradhapura.

Aloka Pooja for the 16th time With the Aloka Pooja conducted by Wijeya Newspapers, Thanthirimale has today become an important place of worship for Buddhists. This year the Aloka Pooja is being held for the 16th time on June 15, 16 and 17. The facilities provided for pilgrims have been enhanced and Chief Incumbent Ven. Thanthirimale Chandrarathana Thera along with his staff have made all arrangements to help the devotees participate in the religious ceremonies. Dhamma and observance of Sil programmes have been organised during the three days, and devotees can experience a weekend of religious observances. Hand in hand with the Aloka Pooja programme there will be the usual distribution of uniform material and stationery to the staff and children of the Sangamitta Daham Pasala of Thanthirimale. When the Aloka Pooja was begun in 2004, there were many dangers due to the LTTE conflict and devotees faced difficulties in getting to the temple premises including passing through many security checkpoints. Transport was difficult and except for a few shops and Poson dansal, food was hard to come by and drinking water scarce. Fortunately pilgrims today can travel without any fear or hindrance. The temple authorities have provided drinking water and many other amenities including pilgrims rests. The roads from Anuradhapura and in the direction of Mannar have been redone to ensure a comfortable journey.With love from Italy: Music to heal Lanka By Mehr Gunawardena View(s): View(s):

The Italy Sri Lanka Charity Concert held on June 11 by the Italian Embassy to show their support and solidarity with Sri Lanka after the recent terror attacks featured a line-up of impressive musicians from Italy who performed for a select audience at the Archbishops House in Colombo.

Internationally renowned violin soloist Gennaro Cardaropoli and world-renowned flautist Antonio Senatore in an interview with the Sunday Times on the morning of the concert, said they had no hesitation about performing in Sri Lanka following the attacks. They made it a priority to rearrange their schedules to be able to come to our island to share their gifts. Music unites us all and is a universal language to express our emotions, and during times of grief it is most important to remember that we are not alone and that there are people who support us and stand with us, Senatore said. This Baroque concert was their way of showing us their support.

The concert additionally consisted of Italys most talented and expressive conductor Jacopo Sipari Di Pescasseroli, the coloratura soprano Rodica Vica who thrilled the audience with her intense vocal agility and an orchestra composed of some of the very best young musicians in Italy. The intent of the concert is to aid the reconstruction of damaged churches.

An Italian investor based in Sri Lanka has volunteered to cover the costs of commissioning new stained glass windows for St. Anthonys church in Kochchikade. The windows will be created by famed artisans in Verona, the very same artisans who crafted the masterpieces seen in the Bari Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Paul. Maestro Di Pescasseroli will also host a sister concert in Italy so that various Italian benefactors will have the opportunity to support the embassys fundraising efforts.

Vivaldis The Four Seasons was chosen because it presents the circular nature of the world. Just as autumn and winter represent death, pain, and sorrow, it allows the budding of new life and opportunities in spring and lets life flourish and thrive in summer. Sri Lanka has just experienced the cruel nature of autumn and winter, so the musicians wanted to promote hope as spring and summer are yet to come something we must not lose sight of.

Senatore also explains that his flute solo, Il Gardellino, follows the life of a little bird, and is innately a joyful melody. Music like this is incredibly healing. It allows us to appreciate the fragility of life and understand how to heal from the pain it leaves us with. It gives us the tools to recover in unity with the people we have around us, he says.

Before the concert began, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith addressed the audience at the Archbishops House auditorium about the importance of love and tolerance. Referring to the movie Castaway to emphasize our need for societal companionship, not just within a select community, but beyond borders, he described how, in the movie, the castaways deprivation of human contact was destroying his ability to survive to such an extent that he had to create a replacement with coconuts just to keep himself semi-sane.

He wanted this expression of music to remind us how we are one people and that we need each other to survive.

There was a hush as the audience listened to Senatore play Il Gardellino supported by the ensemble, which was the first piece of the night. Senatore was flawless in his execution as he simulated the life and movement of a little bird. It was fresh and inspiring. This was followed by La Primavera (Spring), that introduced violin virtuoso Cardaropoli. His performance was sensitive and presented a deep and expressive tone. The cello-violin interplay was exuberant and melodic. Cardaropoli additionally performed a solo at the end of the concert  a work by Paganini. His dexterous mobility and unique control over his instrument were awe-inspiring.

Interspersed between the Four Seasons were demonstrations of Vicas enthralling vocal agility. She had the audience spellbound as she took us on a guided tour of operatic emotions. The orchestra under the baton of Maestro Di Pascasseroli played as one. The Maestro was animated, expressive and completely possessed by the music. It was a treat to see the musical electricity that ran through his entire body be fed into the musicians as they played. His energy was infectious and riveting. It was a gift for all those who were able to experience the evening.

A 300-year-old violin Violinist Gennaro Cardaropoli performed with a very special violin at the Italy-Sri Lanka Charity Concert a 300-year-old Guarneri violin lent to him by the Pro Canale Foundation especially for this concert. The violin is valued at approximately four million Euros. The violin required its own passport and has been used as the first violin in the Hollywood Orchestra for the past 15 years. It is the same violin that was used for every major violin soundtrack in many blockbuster movies over the last 15 years.Cardaropoli feels that it is a huge honour to be lent this violin and that he always shakes when he opens the case because it is like holding the Mona Lisa in his hands.Communal violence: When Police failed to act By B.Anton Jeyanathan View(s): View(s):

It is regrettable, sad and unpardonable for the failure by the Law Enforcement Agencies primarily the Police Department, in periodically, allowing the attack on the minority Sri Lankans by the majority Sri Lankans. Even though I abhor drawing a distinction between the majority and minority communities in Sri Lanka, I am compelled to refer to such distinction to emphasise on the pattern of communal violence that has happened and is happening periodically, where the Police mysteriously and miserably failed to act according to the law.

The Police Ordinance stipulates the duties, responsibilities and liabilities of a police officer, irrespective of the rank.

Section 56 of the Ordinance referring to the Duties and Liabilities of Police Officers clearly states that it shall be the duty of every Police Officer:

I To use his best endeavours and ability to prevent all crimes, offences and public nuisances;

II To preserve the peace;

III To apprehend disorderly and suspicious characters;

IV To detect and bring offenders to justice.

In 1958/1959 large scale communal violence resulted in the minorities residing in Colombo and other areas being sent by ship to Jaffna and Trincomalee. For this purpose, the then Governor General Oliver Goonetilleke commissioned some cargo ships which were in the Colombo harbor. He ordered the Police and Army to bring all those who were in the refugee camps to the Colombo harbour.

While Police officers in many parts of the country, especially in Colombo and the suburbs, failed miserably in taking control of the situation and implement the law against the perpetrators, the late D.S. Ranasinghe, who was then the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of Anuradhapura Division, took correct steps and with a posse of Police Officers under him prevented thugs from Padaviya proceeding towards Colombo to attack the minorities. He warned them not to proceed. The crowd was adamant and disobeyed his orders. This resulted in SSP Ranasinghe opening fire. The unruly thugs ran for cover. His action saved many lives and damage to property in Colombo and the suburbs.

A similar incident took place where somewhere in 1965 or 1966, if I remember right, when the Sri Lanka Freedom Party was in power, commuters protested against the train delays. At the Pattiya railway station in the Kelnaiya division, the commuters became violent one morning, damaged railway property and blocked the track by placing the furniture they had damaged.

The late Lionel Senanayake was the SSP Kelaniya at that time. He, along with a group of police officers, went to the Pattiya junction to quell the riot. In the process the Police had to open fire. This resulted in the death one person. The areas UNP politicians politicize this issue. If I remember right, the late Shelton Jayasinghe, who was always seen attired in coat and tie, with a few of his supporters came to the Pattiya junction and confronted the Police. They carried the body on a stretcher and staged a protest march to Parliament building, demanding justice. A few Special Police Branch officers who were in the crowd were observing what was happening, and reporting to the Special Branch.

When the march approached the roundabout near the Kelaniya new bridge, a police truck, known as the Riot Squad truck from Field Force Headquarters, was heading towards them on the dual carriage road. Somewhere near the power house, the truck stopped. A posse of police officers with guns and helmets descended from it and formed themselves into a line across the dual carriage road.

The late Arthur Herath, Senior Superintendent of Police, who was then attached to Field Force Headquarters, was in charge of the riot squad. Having set the armed party in place, he used a megaphone to warn the marchers and ordered them to disperse. But the crowd did not heed his orders. When his repeated warnings were not heeded, he opened fire in the air. On hearing the gun shots, the rioters dumped the body on the main road and ran for cover. Among them was Mr .Jayasinghe in his coat and tie. He was seen running across a keera kotuwa. The police officers picked up the body, put it in the truck and drove away. This was an example where mere firing in the air had dispersed an unruly mob.

As to why the Police do not act in this manner nowadays to control mobs is a mystery.

I also recall incident. The late DIG Sydney Zoysa, a brave Police Officer, was out of the country when the communal trouble flared up. He cut short his foreign trip and returned to Sri Lanka. The same night he got into an open jeep and visited all the police stations in Colombo and reprimanded, in the choicest language, the police officers who were in the stations. He drove them out into the city to confront the rampaging thugs who were attacking innocent Tamils and damaging their property.

DIG Zoysa visited the Wellawatte Police Station where the OIC was much older than him. He too was scolded for not having opened fire from the station which was facing the Galle Road. Many vegetarian restaurants and plantain boutiques, right in front of the station, had been set on fire and several people had been killed. The OIC was told that he could have opened fire from the Police Station premises itself and killed a perpetrator or two. He could have stopped the riots without even going out of the Station. As a result of this dereliction of duty, the OIC was transferred to KKS with immediate effect. Mr. Zoysa, thereafter, took over the command and the situation was brought under control, with police officers going out fearlessly and opening fire on the perpetrators when they defied the Police order.

Here I would like to mention that every police officer, rrespective of rank, who undergoes training at the Police Training School/College, is taught what is known as Police Firing Orders. They are made to memorise this and in mock demonstrations, Police Officers are trained on how to deal with violent mobs.

The Firing orders, based on the Penal Code, are in respect of defence of persons and property. The Police Departmental Order A 19 states, To ensure that all Police Officers are thoroughly cognizant of their powers in using firearms, they are required to learn by heart and to repeat the following order, which forms a precis of their powers for the defence of person and property as defined in sections 93 and 96 of the Penal Code:

If I see a mob committing or attempting to commit any of the following crimes:

Murder or grievous hurt;

Robbery;

Burning or damaging by means of explosives (vide sections 96, 418 and 419 of the Penal Code) houses, shops, stores, or places of worship, which are used for the custody of property, or in which there are persons living;

Breaking into houses, shops, stores, or places of worship by night;

Attacking houses, shops, stores, or places of worship at any time, by day or night, in such a way as may cause the death of or grievous hurt to any inmate, and if there is no person in authority from whom I can get orders and if there is no other way to stop the mob,

I am entitled to fire upon the mob to protect the persons and property in danger. Before ordering fire to be opened, I should consider whether immediate action is necessary, or whether the mere presence of the armed party will not be sufficient to cause the mob to desist.

This clearly spelt out provision empowers any police officer to open fire on unruly mobs if they continue their criminal acts disregarding the presence of police officers or the warning given by them.

In spite of such legal strength and the power, it is regrettable to note that police officers have failed miserably in almost all the communal troubles  from the 1958/59 troubles and the 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom to last months anti-Muslim violence in the Kurunegala and Gamapaha districts  where the minorities were the victims.

It is regrettable that not a single police officer had been questioned and dealt with departmentally or otherwise with regard to their failure to use their powers.

It is well known that in the Beruwela area, a senior police officer who took action according to the law was transferred to Police headquarters.

During the 2018 Ampara anti-Muslim violence, the attacks took place in the presence of a large number of police officers, but none of them has been departmentally or otherwise dealt with for their neglect of duty.

In Digana, the scene of yet another communal violence, a senior Officer from the Kandy Division was promoted and allowed to retire with full pension rights. Even in this case none of the Police officers has been departmentally or otherwise dealt with for neglect of duty.

The recent attacks on the Muslim community are a shame and a black mark on the Police Department. If the Police had acted according to the law, I am certain that the rioting mob would have decamped without causing much harm to the people and damage to the countrys international reputation and that of the Police Department. In this incident, the senior Police Officer in charge of Kuliyapitiya, has been transferred out, but no disciplinary action has been taken against any of the Police Officers for neglect of duty.

It has been alleged that the attacks took place when the curfew was in force. What a shame that the Police could not protect the minority Muslims. As a result of their failure, Sri Lanka is being seen as a country where minorities cannot live in peace. The failure of the law enforcement officers will have an adverse political and economic impact, which our country cannot afford to face, especially at a time when it is trying to overcome the blow to the economy in the wake of the the pro-ISIS groups terror attacks.

Many thought the attacks could unleash a communal clash between the Catholics and the Muslims. Fortunately the Church leadership prevailed upon the Catholics to restrain themselves, underscoring the message of reconciliation and peace.

The Sri Lanka Police, as it is known now, has to maintain law and order, irrespective of race, religion or language. Unfortunately, the inaction of the Police to curb the communal violence has generated doubts in the minds of the minority communities that the Sri Lanka Police are there to safeguard the interests of the majority community only. Let the Police Department, once and for all, erase this image, by acting, without fear or favour, without considering the ethnicity of those who commit offences.

(The writer is a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police)Modis big power politics, NAM and vision of Lanka By Gamini Weerakoon Doublespeak View(s): View(s):

The greatest enemy of clear language is insincerityGeorge Orwell

There is a feeling of insincerity and being dodgy about the term Non Alignment which was coined in the sixties to represent a group of nations that represented a greater proportion of humanity. The dictionary meaning of the term align yourself with implies that if you align yourself with an organisation or a person, you agree with or support their aims. How does this meaning of align square up with the  Non-Aligned Movement?

The emergence of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) during the Cold War years is often explained as the desire of leaders of some nations not to be aligned to either of the superpowers: United States or the Soviet Union. Why did they not describe themselves in positive terms instead in negative nomenclature? Why not a name such as The Independent Group of Nations? The hard reality was that they could not stand independently alone or as group of nations. These abjectly impoverished former colonies, despite their scathing rhetoric against the two big powers, particularly the United States, needed military and economic assistance from the two powerful nations. They were covertly and directly aligned to one power bloc or the other.

President J.R. Jayewardene, himself a former chairman of the Non Aligned Movement, made the trite observation: There are only two genuinely Non-Aligned countries: The United States and the Soviet Union. A cardinal principle of non-alignment, distancing it away from both power blocs relating to defence relations, was observed more in the breach by some countries, particularly India.

Tilting towards the Soviet Union both in anti-American rhetoric while receiving Soviet armaments, India in 1971 signed the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, which, some analysts said, was tantamount to a defence agreement.

Interference in the internal affairs of Nepal and armed intervention in the Pakistani conflict (1971), Sri Lanka (1986), and the Maldives are blotches on record of non-alignment of the biggest leader of the movement.

The end of the Cold War with the demise of the Soviet Union removed the raison detre of NAM Despite the reason for its creation being no longer in existence, Indian leaders are still said to be leaders and practitioners of the movement, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was described on his arrival in Sri Lanka last week.

Modi, after his sweeping victory in the Indian polls, is now doing his victory lap in the region  one of the feathers in his cap being a leader of NAM. But does NAM exist today? On paper Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela is its chairman. Though he is in the news, NAM is not.

There is also the issue whether India could be considered a NAM member if we go by the ideals and principles expressed at Bandung in 1955 and Belgrade in 1961. India has close relations with the sole superpower economically and in defence affairs. Yes, there had been US sanctions against India, when India conducted five nuclear tests in 1998 violating the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, but they were removed by 2001 when the US thought that India could be used as a countervailing force against China the rising power of Asia. The US now conducts joint military exercises with India and there is widespread speculation of a defence alliance between the US, Japan, India and Australia to contain China in the Indo-Pacific region.

The latest move of Modi appears to give preference to countries ringing the Bay of Bengal region (BIMSTEC) after India pulled out of SAARC, the association of South Asian countries. For his inauguration as prime minister for the second time, he invited the heads of state of BIMSTEC countries instead of heads of SAARC states, as he did for his first inauguration.

The reason trotted out is that this is in accordance with his Look East policy, BIMSTEC countries including Myanmar and Thailand. Whatever Modis objective may be, it looks a transparent ploy to keep out Pakistan, the second most populous country in South Asia and also a nuclear power.

The last SAARC Summit that was to be held in 2016 at Islamabad had to be abandoned when India, together with Bhutan, pulled out, alleging that Pakistan had initiated terrorist attacks on the Indo-Pakistan border. Since then this 34-year-old organisation had been in hibernation.

The achievements of BIMSTEC  Bay of Bengal Institute for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation  despite its impressive name and 22-years of existence are not known. SAARC, too, had only a few successes to crow about, but, despite its internal squabble  smaller countries taking on the giant India  the annual pow-wows brought the leaders together and even the people to know member countries better.

Sri Lankans will be beholden to Pakistans supply of arms during the separatist war when no other country was willing to do so and some in the neighbourhood were actively campaigning against Sri Lanka.

Narendra Modi after his recent victory declared neighbourhood policy first before visiting the Maldives and Sri Lanka. It was the same policy he declared after his first victory and invited all heads of SAARC nations, including the Pakistani prime minister. But as time passed the neighbourhood did not receive his priority.

Whether Modi can qualify as a Non-Aligned leader or is debatable. He is now in big power politics. Whether the big power factor will come into play in his vision of the South Asian region will be of much interest to Sri Lankans.The tortoise on the fence post By Citizen Silva View(s): View(s):

While indulging in my usual musings this weekend, pondering over the happenings in our land over the past few weeks, I was reminded about the story told to me by one of my friends a few months ago.

I say Silva he began do you know that our presidents position these days is just like that of the famous tortoise on the fence post?

I looked at him quizzically. What tortoise? I cannot remember you telling me that particular story of yours. Remind me  I am all ears.

Warming to my encouragement, he went on Sometime ago when I was stationed in Minneriya, I was peacefully driving my old Morris Minor along a narrow country road. In those old days as you remember, long before these new expensive highways were built, you had to drive pretty slowly and carefully in our shock absorber-less vehicles to avoid being shaken up by hitting the potholes on those rural roads. Suddenly while driving, I spotted something unusual on the top of a fence post by the side of the road  so I stopped my car to have a look.

There I found, to my surprise, that on top of the flat fence post was a Kiri Ibba  one of those exotic star tortoises that nowadays have become prey to the illegal pet trade and can fetch a thousand dollars or so if smuggled into western countries.

Anyway, having stopped the car I walked up to the fence post and discovered the poor tortoise precariously balanced on it. He was still alive and feebly waving his flippers.

Wondering what to do  I had some vague idea that it was illegal to take the tortoise with me  I noticed a wizened old villager standing a short distance away, looking at me. I hailed him, showing him the tortoise pathetically perched on the fence post and asked him if he knew anything about it.

Sir said the villager laconically, I also spotted this when I was walking towards this place. This is a Kiri Ibba and he cannot get down from the top of the fence post.

I was about to greet this offering of blatantly useless information from the villager and sarcastically tell him that I knew it was a helpless Kiri Ibba, when the old man went on Some cruel children must have put him up here.

Then he paused, looked at me and said, You know, sir, this Ibba is just like some important people who get into high positions

Intrigued, I asked him why he made that comparison.

Why, he explained it is obvious that this creature did not get up by himself to where he now is. He definitely does not belong up here and he hasnt a clue as to what to do while he is up here  because he has been elevated way beyond his ability to function.

Recounting this story, my friend continued, So Silva, I was reminded about the Minneriya villagers explanation about the tortoise on the fence post when I listen to the thoughtless things our president is doing these days. Dont you agree the comparison is appropriate? Moreover, just thinking about the poor Kiri Ibba which has been elevated beyond its capabilities and has no idea of what to do next, people like you and me are now thinking: What kind of idiotic people put him up there in the first place?

I could not help agreeing with my friend.

Just this past month, the president with the admirable intention of protecting our nations natural environment (which has had its forest cover drastically depleted by human activity) decided that he would prohibit not only the import of chainsaws and tree cutting machines but also the maintenance of carpentry shops.

Excellent intention  pity about the futility of its planned implementation!

Notwithstanding the terrible events that took place in our country on April 21st, the president, sparing little thought for the feelings of those who tragically suffered as a result, got what he felt were his priorities correct. Soon after the tragedy when so many lost their lives, he celebrated his sons wedding in a five-star hotel.

He then decided he would indulge in some useful overseas trips that would have been extremely beneficial to our country  first to attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilisations in Beijing China and now to Dushanbe the capital of Tajikistan to attend a Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

His visit to Tajikistan  a 98% Muslim country where the administration has suppressed Islamic expression, even banning beards and hijabs  will give him the opportunity of meeting its president Emomali Rahmon, who has held that office for the past sixteen years. One can only speculate on the reasons for visiting President Rahmon.iStock/Viktorcvetkovic(NEW YORK) -- Authorities in Arkansas arrested a woman on Friday in connection to the murder of former State Senator Linda Collins-Smith, who was found dead in her home last week.

Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, 48, of Pocahontas, was arrested Friday, Arkansas State Police said in a statement.

Criminal charges were still pending, police said.

Authorities in Arkansas arrested a woman on Friday in connection to the murder of former State Senator Linda Collins-Smith, who was found dead in her home last week.

Rebecca Lynn ODonnell, 48, of Pocahontas, was arrested Friday, Arkansas State Police said in a statement.

Criminal charges were still pending, police said.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake strikes NE of Tonga: US quake monitor



Wellington, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2019



A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Sunday centred 97 kilometres (60 miles) north-east of Ohonua, on the Pacific island of Tonga, the US Geological Survey reported.

The quake hit at 2156 GMT Saturday with an epicentre depth of 10 kilometres, the US global quake monitor said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued no alerts, and there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The reported epicentre lies within the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of regular seismic activity.

In February 2018, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea killed 150 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings.Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons

In the 1950s and 1960s, it was hard to compete with the Pahlavi family in terms of sheer glitter power. This tiara was one of several that Farah Diba received when she married the last emperor of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in 1959.

Wikimedia Commons

This tiara, named for the seven cabochon emeralds that are studded across the top of the piece, was made by Harry Winston in the same year that Farah became queen. The rest of the tiara is made of diamonds  nearly three hundred of them  in shades of pink, yellow, and white. One of the most unusual features of the piece is its base, which is curved, almost mimicking the wings of a bird. She posed for more than one photograph in the tiara, including the 1962 official portrait shown above. She often paired the piece with a necklace, bracelet, and ring set with rectangular, faceted emeralds.

Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons

Farah often took the tiara with her for important state visits. In April 1962, she wore the tiara for a state banquet at the White House in Washington, D.C., during a state visit to the United States.

Kennedy Library Archives/Newsmakers

Heres a color photograph from the same evening. Youll also spot another famous jewel, Jacqueline Kennedys Sunburst Brooch, in the image. (More about the brooch over here!)

German Federal Archives/Wikimedia Commons

In May 1967, Farah brought the tiara with her on a state visit to West Germany, wearing it for a reception at Schloss Augustusburg in Bruhl.

Wikimedia Commons

Like most of the rest of the imperial jewels, this piece was left behind in Iran when the family left following the revolution of 1979. (The jewels were and are considered state property.) You can see it, along with many other pieces, in the countrys Treasury of National Jewels, located in the Central Bank in Tehran.The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

Posted June 15, 2019



The June 7 demonstration has now proven to everyone that something is not going well in Liberia.



As the dust settled in that black hole in a negotiation process, where each side attempts to claim victory and posture to take advantage of the pitfalls of the other side.



Saying that it was a public relations disaster for the Weah administration would be an understatement. Nobody wants to be in the same category as the last batch of autocratic regimes on the continent. But that is what the administration did by shutting down the Internet. In these days and age, no democratic government tempers with the Internet. That simple action has put the Weah administration among those regimes considered as undemocratic. It reminds Liberians of the Doe and Taylor eras.



President Weah is calling for a national round table to solve Liberias problems. Does that mean the Pro-Poor Agenda not working?



The Council of Patriots (COP) responded positively to the call of dialogue but demanded the resignation of the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank. This is a faux-pas.

There is another faux-pas. In as much as it was able to mobilize thousands and shut down the city for a day, COP does not speak for all Liberians. Its not up to them to decide under which conditions a national dialogue should take place. This is a much bigger issue that calls for the involvement of all stakeholders.



Rather than ask for the resignation of Tweah and Patray, COP should probably ask the President to make public his assets and make his appointees to declare theirs. This is a real issue, which deals with breaking the law, subverting the Constitution. In a way, people who have not declared their assets should not be allowed to stay in government. Focusing on the firing of two persons as a solution to the current economic stagnation and the political confusion is like trying to cure cancer with a band-aid.



A national dialogue must look at structures and systems not at individuals. Tweah and Patray are part of the structure. As long as that structure remains, the result would be the same no matter who is appointed. One cannot keep taking the same road and expects to be somewhere else.

Liberians have been blindsided many times in recent history because they fell for messianic figures who end up disappointing everyone because there is no such thing in politics as a Messiah.



Back in 1993, after Octopus, some people came to Interim President Amos Sawyer with a plan to eliminate Charles Taylor. Dr. Sawyer refused to go along, saying that Liberias problems were much bigger than Taylor. He said something to the effect that after the killing of Presidents William R Tolbert and Samuel K Doe, we were still facing and talking about the same issues. Therefore, we must go beyond personal issues to look at what is wrong with what we refer to as Liberia as a nation.

There are some 20 young people languishing in jail for their association with Representative Yekeh Korlubah. That issue is now taking a life of its own. People are talking about political prisoners that include university students. The administration may find lots of laws to indict anyone but arresting people ahead of a demonstration is called witch-hunt.



The President has an obligation to publish his assets and get his appointees to do the same. If he cannot abide by that singular law, there is no reason to trust anything he promises. The Code of Conduct was first crafted back in 1992 by Dr. Amos Sawyer when he was interim President but it didnt pass until recently under the Sirleaf administration. Its the first step towards integrity and transparency in public administration. The Code of Conduct is the most singular constitutional issue facing the administration. This is the first step of gaining back some confidence.



The second action the President needs to take would be to free the 20 young people and stop being paranoid about Representative Yekeh Kolubah. The more you go after him, the more popular he will get... because conditions are getting worse and the number of unhappy grows by the day, as the Liberian dollar keeps climbing.



However, the most important action the President needs to take for his own sake is to fire the person who suggested that they should shut down the internet during the demonstration. That person caused more damage to this administration than President Weah can ever begin to imagine. Creeping dictatorship and corruption are not epithets that can be washed away easily.



The effects of June 7. 2019 will be felt for a long time to come. The administration has every reason to ensure that there is no repeat. The next one could lead to unpredictable consequences.



The big question: how sincere...?



MBABANE  One in 25 people globally has one of the four types of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).



From Eswatinis perspective, it means about 48 000 cases of STIs have been attended to, out of the population of 1.2 million.

This is according to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) released on June 6, 2019 which states that globally over one million STIs are acquired everyday worldwide.



The four main types of sexually transmitted infections include trichomoniasis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea were labelled the major causes of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility affecting women.

STI symptoms can include discharge, pain urinating and bleeding between periods.



According to the report if a woman contracts an STI when shes pregnant, it can lead to stillbirth, premature birth, low birth-weight and health problems for the baby including blindness, congenital deformities and pneumonia among others.



acquiring



Worth noting, is that all four diseases were reportedly associated with an increased risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV.

That then means the world receives more than 376 million new cases annually of the four infections.



Even so, the WHO stated in their report that the results have proven to have no much difference compared to those of the 2012 and 2016, which was the last time they did the statistics.



Previous reports show that among men and women aged 1549 years, there were 127 million new cases of Chlamydia in 2016, 87 million of gonorrhea, 6.3 million of syphilis and 156 million of trichomoniasis.



These STIs have a profound impact on the health of adults and children worldwide. If untreated, they can lead to serious and chronic health effects that include neurological and cardiovascular disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirths, and increased risk of HIV. They are also associated with significant levels of stigma and domestic violence.



globally



Syphilis alone caused an estimated 200 000 stillbirths and newborn deaths in 2016, making it one of the leading causes of baby loss globally, reads part of the report.



The lack of proper intervention means for the spread of STIs as per the comparison of figures was declared as a wake-up call to which the biggest concern according to WHO was particularly about the rise in drug-resistant STIs.



The focal person of STIs in the Ministry of Health, Mpumelelo Mavimbela, stated that they were concerned about the statistics hence they have, in 2018, updated guidelines on how to treat the infections.



resistance



The guidelines, he said, were going to be reviewed in 2021 to see if they were effective adding that the guidelines were targeted at the resistance in treatment, especially in gonorrhea.



Mavimbela mentioned that they were normalising the situation by adapting to the new guidelines that were recommended by WHO.

We have also developed job aids to make sure it is easy for caretakers dealing with STIs, added Mavimbela.



As part of their plans they introduced syndromic management to track the trails of the infections.

When asked if they had national statistics on patients treated for the infections, Mavimbela said they had a challenge combining the statistics as STIs were recurrent, adding that one would be treated for it today and get infected again in a weeks time.



I do not have the exact figures because the infections are recurrent, mentioned Mavimbela.



improve



He said as they were making means to improve their strategies, they were having a challenge because there was a shortage of some of the crucial medication and instruments needed, which he said were part of the new recommendation.



Part of the things one should do to ensure they are safe from STIs according to healthline.com is practicing safe sex, particularly through condom use, and better access to testing.

It continues to state that bacterial STIs can be treated and cured with widely available medications.



But syphilis treatment has been made more difficult because of a shortage in the specific kind of penicillin needed, and there has been an increase in cases of so-called super-gonorrhea which is almost impossible to treat, reads part of the tips.



The need to urgently reduce the spread of STIs infections and invest in new antibiotics and treatments to replace those that no longer work is needed.



strategic



It was part of the WHO country cooperation strategic agenda of 2014-2019, strategic priority III, to promote health through the life course by promoting the implementation and monitoring of evidence-based interventions, to reduce mortality through the life course by supporting the implementation and monitoring of interventions on family planning, prevention and management of abortions, STIs cancers of the reproductive organs and adaptation and implementation of guidelines for sexual and reproductive health.LOBAMBA  Teachers will no longer be allowed to invigilate during external examinations after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found that the act gives rise to discrepancies and financial irregularities.



When the Ministry of Education and Training appeared before the PAC yesterday, it was also recommended that head teachers should be forbidden from participating in the marking of external examination scripts.



The PAC said the discrepancies were in that some teachers dominated the invigilation process and ended up claiming huge amounts of money yet the examinations were written during normal working hours.



The PAC said the invigilation should be outsourced to qualifying community members designated for this task.

Similarly, the PAC members were of the view that school head teachers were bound to be involved in conflict of interest by marking examination scripts as they were competing for best results.



wrong



The PAC Chairperson, MP Phila Buthelezi, also said it was wrong to close schools early on account that teachers were engaged in the marking of scripts for external examinations.



He said the ministry should always ensure that the number of markers was increased to avoid delays in the marking process and release of results. We are against the closing of schools early on account that teachers are off to attend to marking, he said.



When some MPs registered concern that teachers would decry loss of earnings, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, Dr Sibongile Mtshali, clarified that teachers were being paid even during school holidays.



She said the MPs could include the issue in their recommendations when they compile reports, after which it would be reviewed at ministry level.

MP One Boy Zikalala said it was worrying that the council allowed head teachers to use different rates when paying invigilators, something that could affect the pupils who paid the school fees.MBABANE  A couple has carved a simple life for themselves by turning a huge rock into a home for the past two years.



Shadrack Ntshangase (56) and Nomsa Dlamini, whose age is unknown, have found refuge under a gigantic boulder, the size of a Quantum bus, which is cleft on a sloppy hill near the end of Corporation Township in the Capital City, Mbabane.



The cave is on the part of Mdzimba Mountain which falls under Corporation, overlooking the back of the defunct Swazi Inn in Malagwane, along the Mbabane/Manzini Highway.



Beneath the giant boulder that acts as a roof to the makeshift house, is another rock that forms the base of the cave and has a natural cradle that suspends the giant rock to an elevated position.



Mother nature also placed smaller rocks at one end of the cave, as if to assist in holding up the roof that is the giant boulder. In-between the boulders is a one metre opening, conducive enough for the couple to call their bedroom.



Crawl



To manoeuvre in this frame, one has to literally crawl on all fours, while any slight miscalculation would result in an ouch! as the head bumps the rocky ceiling.

For a bed, the couple has a piece of sail and a grass mat.

They then spread a blanket across and use two sofa cushions as pillows. The permanently open entrance to the cave lets in the cold winter wind, while there are a few other permanent openings other than the main entrance, also exposing the inhabitants to weather elements. However, due to the dense forest around the cave, there is no light coming into these outlets. Ntshangase said his life was too miserable that he could not even afford a candle.



When the couple returns home from foraging for food, at nighttime in most instances, they go straight to sleep oblivious of any possible danger that could lurk near them. The surrounding vegetation that forms a canopy is also a breeding ground for snakes, spiders, scorpions and other potentially harmful animals.



Spacious



Ntshangase said he was recently given pieces of planks from pallets, with which he built a structure on top of a rock.

He used the timber structure for bathing as it was spacious enough and allowed them to remain in a standing position. Among items of interest found in the structure was his toothbrush, shoe brush, buckets filled with water and pots. The roofless structure lacks a firm foundation such that Ntshangase treads cautiously above it, admitting it may crumble anytime.



An open fire outside the cave looks idle, with a pot on it. Ntshangase said the last time he used it was when he heated water for bathing in the morning.

Nomsa Dlamini, the girlfriend, was not home when the Swazi News team visited on Thursday, as Ntshangase cut a lonely figure.

She went away just recently, probably because sometimes the cold is unbearable in here. Im expecting her to come back anytime, he said.

He added that he met his girlfriend over a year ago after he relocated to Corporation.



In most instances, such a humble abode is common with people who are mentally unstable. However, this is not the case with Ntshangase, who was found wearing a clean pair of jeans, a trending jacket and sneakers.



Humble



The soft spoken Ntshangase seemed uneasy with the news team as visitors, but after much persuasion he allowed them into his compound, further showing them around. He said a life filled with misfortune and fate had relegated him to this impoverished state.



When a question was asked if he did not fear thieves would steal his belongings, as they lay around without security while he was away, he dismissed the mere thought: I hate the act of theft. I dont steal anyones goods and do not suppose someone could also think of stealing my things.



He explained how he used to have a home at Nkhaba, about 40 kilometres from Mbabane, but allegedly lost it under a cloud of controversy.

Both my parents are no more, having died several years ago, leaving me and five siblings behind. I have two sisters and three brothers who I grew up with in Nkhaba. However, my brothers now live in South Africa, where they went to search for job opportunities several years ago. I dont know where my sisters live and I lost contact with all my siblings.



He said while living in his home, some people approached him to say that they had purchased the home and that he should move out. He said the people did not explain who had sold the home to them.



Discouraged



When asked why he did not take the matter up with the local authorities because the area was administered under the Nkhaba Royal Kraal, he said he was discouraged by the assumption that the authorities knew about his plight and did nothing.

I didnt bother to go there because seemingly they knew everything about the transaction but did not help me. I just decided to let go and started living the life of a vagabond, he said.



He admitted that none of his family members knew his whereabouts.

Ntshangase said he earned a living from doing menial tasks such as helping to carry peoples loads when going to catch buses from shops in town.

I am only able to make enough money to buy bread from Pick n Pay because it is cheaper there. If I was lucky to make more money I would buy soup to go with the bread. If I manage to get a loaf of bread, it will be my lunch and supper. I do not have breakfast.



He said he had recently informed his girlfriends brother that she had left his house and further asked if she was at her parental home at Emajotini, near Mhlosheni.



Cold



He said he had also not been home for a while and did not know if she was there or not. Its the cold that drove her away. She will come back, he said.

Ntshangase appealed to the public for a job and a place to stay, saying he was tired of the life he was living. He said he feared that he could die in the cave without anyone noticing.



The Headman of Nkhaba, Petros Kunene said he would investigate the issue of Ntshangase to ascertain its veracity.

Ive only assumed the leadership role a year ago and will have to ask those who have been here for longer if they played any role in such a case.

The Municipal Council of Mbabane said the issue would be investigated.William Millard adjusts his Christmas light set during the Townville yard sales, on Friday. Millard and his wife, Marilyn, decided to sell their haul of holiday goods because they no longer stay in the area to celebrate. Instead, the couple vacations to Florida.Revenu dun pret au Stade Rennais, Loic Badiashile sapprete a quitter de nouveau lAS Monaco.

Selon le journal LEquipe, le gardien de but de 21 ans va etre prete au Cercle Bruges pour la saison 2019-2020. La formation monegasque souhaite envoyer le portier francais dans son club satellite afin quil beneficie de temps de jeu.

Avec Rennes, le natif de Limoges na pas dispute la moindre minute au cours de la seconde partie de saison, consequence de la concurrence de Tomas Koubek.GFH Properties, the real estate arm of GFH Financial Group, has launched the sales for its landmark Harbour Row residences with an exclusive financing plan that enables prospective buyers to purchase their dream home in Bahrains best waterside location as the development continues to progress on all major works.

Harbour Row is situated at the Bahrain Financial Harbour in the heart of Manama within close proximity to all the citys major commercial centres and prime lifestyle and tourist attractions.

The development is made up of six buildings, split between the West and East side, four of which are residential buildings consisting of 322 apartments, with the other two buildings set to house a prime five-star hotel and 150 hotel apartments.

GFH Properties will be also showcasing offerings to visitors at The Avenues with a sales centre booth located in the heart of the mall.

The company said sales and an exclusive financing package have now been launched for luxury, state-of-the-art studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and exclusive penthouses with private swimming pools.

The first instalment of 15 per cent is due 14 days from booking, a second instalment of 15 per cent due on handover, with the remaining 70 per cent to be paid thereafter in 60 equal monthly installments.

Commenting on the sale, Acting CEO Laith Al Memar said: "GFH Properties is delighted to continue to report strong development progress at Harbour Row, which now enables us to launch sales of these luxury residences.

Among the works now completed on the East and West side residences are all substructure and superstructure works which are progressing aggressively on finishes. MEP works and external cladding is also well underway.

"There is strong demand for centrally located, high-end waterside living in Bahrain and there is no better option for buyers than Harbour Row. Were pleased to now open up the chance for buyers to acquire one of these ideally designed and positioned apartments," stated Al Memar.

"Future residents can now book and purchase their properties through a flexible and well planned financing package that weve designed to serve various segments of the market. We look forward to further rapid progress at Harbour Row and to welcoming future residents to this one-of-a-kind project," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceDushanbe, Jun 15 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on the sidelines of CICA Summit here in Tajikistan capital on Saturday.

Both the leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said.

Notably during the two-day SCO Summit at Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a scheduled bilateral between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran President Hassan Rouhani on Friday had to be cancelled due to scheduling issues and paucity of time.

Hence the meeting between Dr Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart here assumes significance as India and other countries like China are to decide on the oil import from Iran following US sanctions on the same. The waiver announced for a six-month period for India and seven other countries expired in May and the Trump administration has also announced that no fresh sanction waivers will be issued to existing importers of Iranian oil.

Tension has lately mounted in the Gulf region.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang has said on Friday that "......the last thing we (Beijng) want to see is a war. It serves no one's interests and undermines the shared interests of the international community".

"China maintains normal cooperation with the Gulf states, including in the field of energy. Our cooperation under the framework of international law is legitimate and legal, and thus should be respected and protected," he also said.

In May, the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had assured Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif during his visit to Delhi that the central government will take a decision on buying oil from Iran only after the conclusion of Lok Sabha polls.

The Modi government has been maintaining that on the US sanctions, New Delhi will go by what is in the country's 'national interest'.

UNI DEVN RSA 1908New Delhi, Jun 15 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be back with his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' programme from June 30.

"We will meet once again thanks to the radio, share joy, positivity and celebrate the collective strength of 130 crore Indians," Mr Modi tweeted on Saturday morning.

He further wrote: "I am sure you have lots to say for Mann Ki Baat. Share it on the NaMo App Open Forum. For the #MannKiBaat this month, dial the toll-free number 1800-11-7800 to record your message."

"You could also write on the MyGov Open Forum and pen your inputs," Mr Modi invited the citizens adding "Looking forward to a great interaction".

Last 'Mann Ki Baat' radio broadcast through All India Radio was on February 24.

It may be mentioned that Prime Minister had asserted that he will 'return to power' after the 2019 general elections and would address the nation again in 'Mann-Ki Baat' radio broadcast from the last Sunday of May month.

"Next two months, we all will get engaged in elections process. I will be a candidate myself and hence keeping the high traditions of democracy and as a mark of respect to it, the next Mann Ki Baat session will be held on last Sunday of May 2019," Prime Minister had said.

"Mein chunao ke baad, ek naye vishwas ke saath apke ashirwad ke sath phir ek baar Mann Ki Baat

ke madhyam sey hamari baat chit ke silsiley ke arambh karunga...aur saalon tak apse mann ki baat karta rahunga (I will be back again in Mann Ki Baat programme with a renewed faith, confidence and equipped with your blessings. I will be back with our chit chat again in May and will continue it for years)," Mr Modi had said on February 24 signing off the uniquely designed radio programme.

However, as the swearing in of the new government took place on May 30, Thursday, the maiden 'Mann Ki Baat' after Mr Modi's massive win in the recent polls will take place from June 30.

UNI DEVN 1214Kolkata, Jun 15 (UNI) Staying firm on their stand, the striking junior

doctors on Saturday once again ruled out attending Mamata

Banerjee-called meeting at Nabanna at 5 PM, making it clear that the

Chief Minister will have to come to NRS Medical College

and Hospital and hold a meeting to find a solution.

Talking to newspersons after the General Body meeting of the striking

junior doctors, one of the representatives said, ' We don't vouch for

a closed-door meeting at Nabanna. The Chief Minister will have to come

to NRS for a discussion on our six-point charter of demands. We want

that the functioning in the hospital starts at the earliest as we are

also worried about the patients. '

Earlier, a meeting between the IMA delegation, headed by its

president Dr Santanu Sen, with the striking junior medics at the NRS

Hospital to end the impasse remained inconclusive.

Despite Dr Sen's persuasion to the agitators to go to Nabanna and meet

Ms Banerjee, nothing concrete emerged.

Several seniors doctors also today held a meeting among themselves and

decided to lead a delegation to NRS to talk to their juniors.

Dr Sen said the attack on the medics is not new and it has become a

phenomenon across the country, and for this IMA has been fighting. He

said constant movement like this would alienate the medical fraternity

from the common people.

Last night, five senior doctors met Ms Banerjee at Nabanna and

informed that she would meet representatives of junior doctors on

Saturday. The senior doctors, who met Ms Banerjee, included Dr Sukumar

Mukherjee, Dr Alokendu Ghosh, Dr Makhan Lal Saha and Dr Avijit

Chaudhury.

Meanwhile, Ms Banerjee might visit the injured doctor at Neuroscience

Hospital at Park Circus, which was one of the demands of the striking

doctors.

Doctors of AIIMS Delhi on Saturday called off their protest and gave a

48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to

meet the demands of the protesting doctors. In their ultimatum, the

Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at AIIMS said that if the demands

of the West Bengal doctors are not met within 48 hours, they would be

forced to resort to an indefinite strike at the Delhi hospital.

The AIIMS Delhi doctors would, however, continue to wear red-stained

bandages and helmets as a sign of protest.

"AIIMS issues an ultimatum of 48-hours to the West Bengal government

to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we

would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi.

We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this

hour of need," the statement read.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also launched a three-day

nationwide protest and called for a strike on June 17 with the demand

of proper security of the doctors in all hospitals.

UNI SJC-PC-BM RNAdvertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jun. 14, 2019 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 14, 2019 | 03:57 PM | PADUCAH

They've warned it was going to happen, and now we know when US Highway 60 and the exit 4 interchange of I-24 will close.



The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet issued a press release Friday saying the five-week-long closure will begin Monday, July 8. The closure will allow for construction of final connecting points for a new double crossover diamond interchange, which will increase road capacity and improve safety.



Traffic on I-24 will not be affected, but ramps and US Highway 60 through the interchange will close. A marked detour will be established using Cairo Road/KY 305 at the exit 3 interchange.



Weve been working with city and county government officials, as well as the Paducah Tourism and Visitors Bureau, in an effort to make the closure as painless as possible for both businesses and travelers, KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat said. Weve determined, along with the project contractor, that by closing the entire interchange starting July 8 we can shorten the total time of closure from about eight weeks to five.



Work will take place between James-Sanders Boulevard and Coleman Road, but access will be maintained to businesses on each side of the interchange.



During the work, traffic will be detoured to Cairo Road, and anyone wanting to use eastbound US 60 going toward Paducah will use Charter Oak Drive and Coleman Road. Drivers wanting to use eastbound US 60 and access businesses in the Kentucky Oaks Mall area will use Olivet Church Road (KY 998) and New Holt Road.



While the Paducah Exit 3 interchange will become the primary detour for traffic that would normally use Exit 4, we are encouraging local motorists to use other alternate routes, like the U.S. 45/U.S. 62 Paducah Exit 7 interchange, Poat said. This will help reduce congestion at Exit 3 where cross-country motorists traveling I-24 will be directed.



U.S. 60 and ramps at the Paducah Exit 4 Interchange are required to reopen by August 12th, and the entire project is targeted for completion on November 20.Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required.

Your Full Name: (optional)

Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required.By Bill Hughes Jun. 14, 2019 | 06:18 PM | PADUCAH

The National Quilt Museum has experienced over fifty percent growth over the last seven years.Frank Bennett, CEO of the National Quilt Museum, spoke to the Paducah Rotary Club on Thursday, telling some of his life story and how he came to Paducah in 2011. He also shared some statistics about the museum's visitors.In 2011, over 22,000 people paid to visit the museum, and except for a slight decline in 2016, there has been growth every year. In 2017, almost 34,000 people paid admission to see the quilt exhibits.Bennett shared data showing that the average museum visitor travels 180 miles, stays in Paducah about 30 hours, and spends $300-400 in the community.He also said between July and October, there are visitors from at least fifteen states every day. People from over 35 states visit the exhibits every month, and in at least eight months, more than 40 states are represented.Bennett told West Kentucky Star that he believes many people have two misconceptions about the museum. First of all, it is not affiliated with AQS in any way, and second, the annual Quilt Week events only account for fifteen percent of the museum's business each year."The show is important and it's great for the city and I'm glad it's happening, but it's just part of our year for us. We have visitors to the museum all year long," Bennett said. "I think people lose track of the fact that what you ultimately have is a fantastic annual event, and separately, a fantastic global destination museum."He said they're an established enterprise with consistent history of growth, and it's a continued opportunity for economic impact in Paducah.Bennett said, "We're a growing organization that can still be much, much bigger than we are, and the only thing holding us back is just funding. The more we can promote, the more people will come to the museum."He said funding for the museum comes in a variety of ways, from admission and gift shop sales to grants and corporate gifts. While there is now much more competition for grant money, Bennett said more private donations could really allow them to boost their outreach, and ultimately, their continued economic impact.Click the link below for more information on various ways to support the museum.

On the Net:By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 15, 2019 | 08:15 AM | HOPKINSVILLE

The former band director at Hopkinsville High School appeared in court Friday on sex-related charges involving a former student.According to WKDZ, 30-year-old Seth Peveler was in Christian County District Court, where his attorney asked to have his preliminary hearing continued until July 21 at 9:00 am. The lawyer also asked to have Peveler's bond reduced, and the judge agreed, but said the defendant must wear an ankle monitor.Peveler was arrested June 5 on charges of 3rd-degree rape, 3rd-degree sodomy and 2nd degree unlawful transaction with a minor. A criminal complaint alleges that he engaged in sexual acts two different times with a member of the band, once when she was 16 and once when she was 17 years old.WKDZ reports that an open records request revealed new details in the case, alleging that he was possibly grooming another student for possible inappropriate conduct, including allegations that he sent threatening messages to her boyfriend.Peveler was placed on administrative leave by Christian County Schools when they learned of the allegations, and he later resigned.

On the Net:Advertisement

By The Associated Press

Jun. 14, 2019 | FRANKFORT

By The Associated Press Jun. 14, 2019 | 06:05 PM | FRANKFORT

The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled that police can be sued for damages when their car chases lead to the death or injury of third parties.



The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the court's 6-1 ruling on Thursday overturned a 1952 decision that had granted police blanket immunity. The ruling will align Kentucky practice with that of most other states where juries are allowed to decide whether police are at fault.



In the case at hand, the children of Luis Gonzalez will be allowed to sue Scott County Sheriff Tony Hampton and Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Johnson for damages related to their father's death.



Gonzalez died in 2014 when Keenan McLaughlin crashed head-on into Gonzalez's vehicle as he was fleeing from Johnson. A passenger in Gonzalez's car died months later from her injuries.



"A litany of things went wrong with the pursuit," the court's majority opinion reads. That included a broken siren on Johnson's car; wet, slippery roads; and a restless police dog that was poking his head into the front of the car where Johnson sat, steering.



McLaughlin pleaded guilty in 2015 to two counts of manslaughter and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.



Attorney Barry Stilz representing the sheriff's office, said they are disappointed with the ruling and disagree with it. He said he would consult with his clients before commenting on the next legal steps.



Justice Laurance VanMeter wrote a dissenting opinion. It said the Kentucky lawmakers had seven decades to enact a law addressing the court's 1952 decision if they believed police should face liability for chase-related crashes, but they did not.Glyndwr student support commended by Quality Assurance Agency

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jun 15th, 2019

Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys student support has been commended by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) as part of its Quality Enhancement Review of the university.

The QAA has commended Wrexham Glyndwr for the effective monitoring and support of individual students in a personalised way to facilitate their academic development as well as the articulation and dissemination of a comprehensive set of strategies designed to support the enhancement of the student learning experience.

Overall, Wrexham Glyndwr University meets UK expectations for quality and standards and has been awarded with the QAA Quality Mark.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Claire Taylor said: Were delighted to have been awarded the QAA Quality Mark and to have received commendations for our work to support our students.

We have robust arrangements for securing academic standards, managing academic quality and for enhancing the quality of the student experience by enabling ground-up initiatives, prompted by our students and staff, to come to fruition.

The report recognises that high proportions of students at Wrexham Glyndwr are from groups who are generally under-represented in higher education and are those likely to face difficulties in accessing and engaging in education.

Were very proud to have been rated as the UKs most socially inclusive university by the Times and Sunday Times, added Claire.

Our approach to the provision of personalised support is multi-faceted and includes access to individual advice and guidance  whether online or in person, and a personal tutorial system which is integrated with academic and professional services in order to enhance students academic development.

The QAA review is an evidence-based process during which the Quality Enhancement Review team make judgements on the requirements of the

European Standards and Guidelines and the regulatory requirements of the Quality Assessment Framework for Wales. The report can be viewed in full at www.qaa.ac.uk.Wrexham solicitor to take on 85 mile Parish Walk to raise funds for charity

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jun 15th, 2019

A Wrexham solicitor is to take on 85 mile Parish Walk in just one day later this month.

John Lancaster, a mental health lawyer with GHP Legal and a member of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship, will set off on the walk at 8am on 22nd June with the aim of raising funds for Age UK Cheshire and Scripture Union on the Isle of Man.

The Manx Telecom Parish Walk is a unique endurance challenge where competitors have 24 hours to complete the 85 mile route which takes in all 17 of the islands Parishes.

John and his wife, who has family connections with the island, came across the annual event whilst visiting last year and John says he thought it would be an interesting challenge.

He said: Since my wife and I married we have been frequent visitors to the island.

When we came across walkers participating in the challenge last year I thought that at the young age of 60 it was something I could do to raise money for a good cause or two.

To complete the challenge I will need to walk 85 miles in under 24 hours.

Many entrants plan to stop in Peel after 32 miles but, all being well, I intend to keep going, walking back to Douglas by dawns early light.

The Partners at GHP Legal have generously started off the sponsorship drive with 100 towards helping me raise funds for my two charities.

Anyone else wishing to sponsor me can do so by visiting here to pledge money for Age UK, or by visiting here to pledge money for Scripture Union on the Isle of Man.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-14 16:05:24|Editor: ZX

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Photo taken on June 14, 2019 shows food displayed during an e-commerce expo held in Auckland, New Zealand. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group's flagship eCommerce Expo kicked off on Friday for the first time in New Zealand, focused on helping local businesses tap into the e-commerce enabled Chinese economy. (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Groups flagship eCommerce Expo kicked off on Friday for the first time in New Zealand, focused on helping local businesses tap into the e-commerce enabled Chinese economy.

Ruan Ping, Chinese Consul General in Auckland, expressed optimism about China-New Zealand's cooperation in cross-border e-commerce.  China and New Zealand have strong economic complementarities and China has maintained New Zealand's largest trading partner for many years, Ruan told Xinhua on the expo.

In the field of agricultural production in New Zealand, there are many household small and medium enterprises. Cross-border e-commerce can reduce its marketing costs and increase sales channels in the booming China market. It has great potential in China-New Zealand trade in the future, Ruan said.

Jian Yang, New Zealands national MP, told Xinhua that small and medium enterprises would embrace the opportunities of cross-border e-commerce. High-quality agricultural products export is a major feature of the New Zealand economy and have an advantage in the transformation and upgrading of the Chinese consumer market. For both supply and demand, e-commerce is more direct and more convenient. It can be expected that cross-border e-commerce cooperation will become a highlight of China-New Zealand trade in the future.

David Parker, New Zealands Minister for Economic Development, Environment, and Trade and Export Growth, acknowledged that e-commerce can help reduce carbon emissions and highly praised the China's achievements in reducing carbon emissions.

It is so important to the future of the world as we moved to a low carbon future, so as to avoid the extremes of climate change that the world is heading on, unless we find new technologies to electrify the transport, said Parker, who was very impressed by China's leading role in the development of electric vehicles.

Alibabas inaugural New Zealand Expo is a great opportunity for local businesses large and small. Kiwi products have a great reputation among Chinese consumers for their high-quality, so New Zealand retailers are very valuable to Alibaba Group, said Maggie Zhou, Managing Director for Alibaba Australia and New Zealand.

With the Alibaba eCommerce Expo, were aiming to enable New Zealand businesses to explore new opportunities. The event is designed to engage big businesses already having great success with our online marketplace, as well as introducing small and medium enterprises who are looking for knowledge and support to tap into the Chinese market, said Zhou.

Over 110 local retailers on the expo, from both New Zealand and Australia, will have the opportunity to build valuable relationships with Alibaba and its ecosystem of partners, meet with Chinese buyers, and engage directly with Chinese consumers who will livestream product demonstrations on Taobao, Chinas largest mobile commerce destination.

Alipay, operated by Ant Financial, a related company of Alibaba Group, also have a presence at the expo, explaining to businesses how they can capitalize on the 400,000 Chinese visitors who come to New Zealand every year. Alipay is the number one payment method in China, offering merchants a convenient point-of-sale experience and a sophisticated marketing channel to reach visitors before, during and after their visits to New Zealand.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-14 22:24:55|Editor: Li Xia

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TALUQAN, Afghanistan, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Three Taliban fighters and one security personnel were killed, following a militants' attempt to take control of Eshkamish district in Afghanistan northern Takhar province on Thursday, an official said Friday.

The clash happened late on Thursday night, when a group of militants loyal to the Taliban stormed government forces positions to run over Eshkamish district of the province, Abdul Khalil Asir, the provincial police spokesman, told Xinhua.

According to the official, Taliban militants fled away after leaving the bodies of three fighters behind.

Taliban offensive to overrun the neighboring Khawja Ghar district has also been foiled a couple of days ago.

Taliban militants are yet to make a comment.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-14 23:25:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Public Security said on Friday that it would take measures to reduce major traffic accidents that cause deaths.

Public security authorities across the country will deal with potential problems threatening road safety as well as disruption of traffic order, and expose major traffic violations to increase public awareness of dangerous driving behavior, according to a meeting on traffic security held by the ministry.

The ministry also called for efforts to improve rural road safety.

The number of traffic accidents that cause more than three deaths and accidents that cause more than five deaths this year should both drop significantly from last year, as required by the ministry.

Traffic accidents causing more than three deaths since the start of this year declined 30 percent compared with the same period last year, while no major traffic accidents causing more than 10 deaths have been reported, according to the ministry.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 00:47:37|Editor: ZX

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Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan visits the Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, June 14, 2019. Wang paid an inspection tour in Heilongjiang from Thursday to Friday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

HARBIN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan has underlined the development and opening-up of border areas, as well as stimulating the vitality of economic and social development.

During a tour in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from Thursday to Friday, Wang said that the border areas should capitalize on their own characteristics, tap their potential, give full play to their advantages, and deepen the integration of their interests with those of neighboring countries and regions.

The border areas should protect the environment, explore historical and cultural resources, pass down excellent national culture, find new sources of economic growth, and constantly enhance the people's sense of gain, Wang said.

"We should open the door wider to the outside world in the field of science and technology, strengthen scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, make full use of international innovative resources, and strengthen innovation partnerships," he said.

Efforts should also be made to promote cultural and educational exchanges, deepen understanding of the history and reality of the East and the West, promote mutual learning among civilizations, and consolidate the support for building a community with a shared future for humanity, Wang added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 01:53:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BISHKEK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) pledged to further efforts to expand pragmatic cooperation, according to a press communique issued after the 19th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO held here on Friday.

Member states emphasized that the SCO, as an efficient and constructive multilateral cooperation mechanism, plays an important role in maintaining regional peace and stability, as well as promoting the development and prosperity of the member states, the communique said.

SCO members said they will continue to promote pragmatic cooperation in the SCO framework in such fields as politics, security, economy and trade, finance, investment, transportation, energy, agriculture, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

They also stressed the significance in deepening all-round and mutually beneficial cooperation with the organization's observer states and dialogue partners.

They reiterated their support for strengthening the role of the United Nations as a central coordinator.

The leaders strongly condemned terrorism in all forms, and called on the international community to fully implement relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

They noted that the interference in the domestic affairs of other states under the pretence of combating terrorism and extremism is unacceptable, as well as the use of terrorist, extremist and radical groups for one's own purposes.

They noted that unilateral and unlimited build-up of missile defense systems by certain countries or groups of states jeopardizes international security and world strategic stability.

They also expressed their readiness to increase cooperation on drug control and emphasized the need to launch multilateral negotiations on an international convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and biological terrorism, the communique said.

Member states reaffirmed their support for mediation of conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria through dialogue, and urged to implement comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue on the basis of unconditional fulfillment of obligations by all parties, according to the communique.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their support for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, it said.

The 20th SCO summit will be held next year in Russia, the communique said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 02:48:55|Editor: ZX

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Donated buses are seen at a delivery ceremony in Maputo, Mozambique, on June 14, 2019. One hundred new buses donated by China were delivered to Mozambique on Friday to improve public transport in the southeast African country. (Xinhua/Nie Zuguo)

MAPUTO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- One hundred new buses donated by China were delivered to Mozambique on Friday to improve public transport in the southeast African country.

"The buses we are receiving today are Chinese government offer, are sophisticated and resilient, have automatic engine system, and a series of measures to make life easier for Mozambicans," said the President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi at the delivery ceremony in Maputo.

The president said the donation is a result of the good relations between Mozambique and China, and his government encouraged more Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in the country on the basis of mutual benefits.

The delivery is part of Mozambican government's "Plan 1000" program which aims for distributing 1,000 buses throughout the country in five years, said the president, adding that 80 percent of the target has been met, calling for conservation.

The Mayor of Maputo Eneas Comiche expressed his gratitude at the ceremony, saying that "there is no doubt that the donation will help minimize the glaring problem of mobility in the country especially in urban areas."

Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique Su Jian said the donation is a further proof of the friendship between the two peoples and also a concrete manifestation of the strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development between the two countries.

"The donated cars have spare and accessory parts for maintenance and a group of local technicians will be instructed to properly operate them," Su said.

The buses, China's famous brand "Zhong Tong," have a carrying capacity of 40 passengers, and lots of improvements have been made, said the company's Chairman Li Shupeng.

"According to the road and climatic conditions and people's travel habits in the country, we set up a special team to improve the vehicles, such as re-designing the doors, improving the wading capacity and installing the automatic gear-box," said Li.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 02:53:58|Editor: Wu Qin

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Palestinian medics carry a wounded man during clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of Gaza City, on June 14, 2019. At least 34 Palestinian demonstrators were injured on Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between the eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, the Gaza Health Ministry said. (Xinhua)

GAZA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 34 Palestinian demonstrators were injured on Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between the eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, the Gaza Health Ministry said.

The casualties include two volunteering paramedics, said the ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra.

Dozens fainted after inhaling Israeli tear gas, he added.

Clashes broke out on Friday afternoon between hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli army forces as the Palestinians joined the weekly anti-Israel rallies, better known as the Great March of Return.

The Israeli media reported that dozens of demonstrators threw homemade grenades at the Israeli patrols stationed on the border, while Israeli soldiers fired live gunshots, rubber bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators.

The media reports also said Palestinian young men released dozens of incendiary balloons from eastern Gaza into southern Israel, causing large fires and huge losses to the farms in the area.

Israeli war jets struck Hamas military posts and facilities in Gaza early Thursday and Friday, in response to the launch of three rockets on Wednesday and Thursday from the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave into southern Israel.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader, said his movement will hold talks with the UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov, the Qataris and the Egyptians respectively in the following days to "oblige the (Israeli) occupation to be committed to the calm understandings."

The last calm understanding between Israel and Hamas-led factions in the Gaza Strip was brokered by the United Nations, Egypt and Qatar in May.

"These understandings were reached under the sword of the marches of return and we grabbed it from the occupation and it will go on until the siege is lifted and our people enjoy freedom," al-Hayya said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 03:04:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HELSINKI, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Minister for Finance Mika Lintila on Friday took distance from the statement by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire about the result of the overnight meeting of euro group finance ministers in Luxembourg.

Le Maire said, after 12 hours of talks in Luxembourg, early Friday that "a genuine euro zone budget" had been approved. "For the first time, we will start thinking about the future as a coherent bloc and coordinating our economic policies", Le Maire was quoted by AFP as saying.

Lintila told Finnish national broadcaster, Yle that the word "approval" is a fairly brave interpretation. "It was approved that there will be a budget that is to be used for investments and partial financing, but there was no agreement on how it will be financed and allocated", Lintila said. "It will be challenging in the future to bring divergent views into one format", Lintila said.

Lintila said he does not believe that a closer economic and monetary union as envisioned for example by France and Spain could be created. But the meeting agreed that inside the EU budget a fiscal tool for the euro zone countries will be planned for the next seven years.

Meanwhile, the ministers shelved the idea of a "euro budget" that some major euro zone countries such as France, Spain and Germany would like to see formed on top of the current budget.

"There will be more pressure for the Finnish presidency", Lintila noted. Finland begins its half-a-year tenure holding presidency of the Council of the European Union in July. "They already throw balls to our side", Lintila described.

Finland will be chairing the ecofin meetings of all EU countries during the presidency. The EU's seven-year economic plan is to be completed during the Finnish presidency. The euro group is chaired by the Portuguese Finance Minister Mario Centeno.Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

DUSHANBE, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Tajikistan will open a new chapter in bilateral ties and boost comprehensive cooperation to a new level, Chinese Ambassador to Tajikistan Liu Bin has said here.

The Chinese president arrived here Friday for the fifth Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and a state visit to Tajikistan.

"Since President Xi's first state visit to Tajikistan in 2014, China-Tajikistan relations have seen great development, and cooperation between the two countries in various fields has achieved great results," Liu told Xinhua.

China and Tajikistan are "good friends, good neighbors and good partners" that support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, he said.

Meanwhile, the two countries have substantially enhanced their trade and economic ties, he added.

China is currently Tajikistan's biggest investor and the third largest trading partner, said the ambassador, adding that the volume of bilateral trade exceeded 1.5 billion U.S. dollars last year.

He highlighted the alignment of Tajikistan's development strategy for the period up to 2030 with the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and praised the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries under this framework.

Liu also commented on the solid friendship and flourishing people-to-people exchanges between China and Tajikistan, especially the growing popularity of Chinese culture in Tajikistan.

Thanks to a comprehensive strategic partnership, China-Tajikistan ties have reached "the highest level in history" with broad prospects for bilateral cooperation, Liu said, highlighting the BRI construction and security cooperation as key areas.

Liu further said the two countries agree to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas and pledge to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Speaking of the CICA, Liu said that China supports Tajikistan in hosting the event, which is an important mechanism for promoting mutual trust and common security in Asia.

"Leaders of the participating countries will discuss security and cooperation issues in Asia, so as to promote the building of a security governance mode with Asian characteristics, which helps promote regional stability and development as well as create a better future for Asia's peace and prosperity," Liu said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 03:59:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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VILNIUS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's President-elect Gitanas Nauseda has asked NATO to strengthen air defense capabilities in Lithuania during a phone call with NATO head Jens Stoltenberg on Friday.

Nauseda, who is to take the President's Office next month, and Stoltenberg discussed security issues, defense spending, NATO strengthening in a phone call, the president-elect's spokesperson told local media.

Nauseda has told Stoltenberg Lithuania needs more air defense capabilities.

"We said that air defense is important, and we would want more air defense," Aistis Zabarauskas, Nauseda's spokesman, told local news agency BNS.

The conversation was initiated by Stoltenberg, Zabarauskas told national broadcaster LRT.

Air defense is the weakest link in Lithuania's defense, according to local media.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, NATO's Eastern-flank member countries by the Baltic Sea, do not have their own fighter jets and rely on rotating NATO air-policing missions conducted by the allied countries since 2004 when Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined NATO.

In recent years, Lithuania, a small Baltic State with a population of less than 3 million, has been stepping up its defense capabilities amid security tensions in the region.

The President-elect Nauseda, 55, formerly an economist at one of the country's largest banks, will take the President's Office on July 12, replacing the incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite, who is completing her second term.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 04:09:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ATHENS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Greece marked World Blood Donor Day on Friday with experts calling for wider participation in blood donations nationwide to meet the country's needs.

Established in 2004, World Blood Donor Day is marked every year on June 14 to raise awareness of the need for this life-saving gift. The slogan for 2019 is "Safe Blood for All".

In awareness campaign the National Center for Blood Donation (EKEA), the Greek body responsible for attracting and maintaining volunteer blood donors and securing adequate national blood stocks, urged Greeks to start participating en masse to blood donations.

In Greece, at least 600,000 units of blood are required annually, of which only 40 percent are covered by volunteer blood donors, according to the official data.

It is worth noting that the country's fixed annual blood requirements amount to 120,000 units to address needs only of people suffering from Thalassemia, also called Mediterranean anemia.

According to EKEA, a total of 538,580 blood units were collected in 2015, 318,044 from volunteer blood donors and 220,536 from replacement donors, which is relatives and friends.

In addition, Greece imported 27,050 blood units from the Swiss Red Cross in 2015 to cover part of the needs of Mediterranean anemia sufferers.

According to the World Health Organization, Greece belongs in the 60 countries of the world that cannot meet their needs for blood autonomously and rely on replacement donors.

Summer is the period with the largest blood shortages, as many volunteers leave for holidays and neglect blood donation, while the needs are increasing.

A survey by the Panhellenic Federation of Blood Donor Volunteer Associations conducted in 2008 found that only 0.65 percent of the population are regular volunteer blood donors, meaning they give their blood twice a year. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars)Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 04:39:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TRIPOLI, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Libya's east-based army on Friday announced that at least 12 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in southern Libya.

The army "carried out a surprise attack against IS remnants hiding in Haruj mountains, and killed more than 12 terrorists of a group called the Lonely Wolves," the army's information department said in a statement.

The army also destroyed six vehicles and seized several others, the statement added.

The terrorists hiding inside Haruj mountains in southern Libya are responsible for several terrorist attacks in the region, it noted.

In April and May, the IS claimed responsibility for four terrorist attacks in southern Libya, which has been controlled by the army since January.

Libya has been suffering escalating violence and unrest ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 04:50:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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UNITED NATIONS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for an independent investigation into this week's attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

"It is very important to know the truth, and it is very important that responsibilities are clarified," the UN chief told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, noting "that can only be done if there is some independent entity that verifies those facts."

"Whatever happens in the international community, we will be supportive of any initiative in this regard, provided it is truly independent," the UN chief said when answering a question regarding the attacks and their investigation.

The secretary-general further noted that "the world cannot afford a major confrontation in the Gulf."

Earlier Thursday, two oil tankers were hit in the Gulf of Oman. At least one of them was operated by a Japanese company.

The attacks came amid Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Iran, who was seeking to help ease tensions between Iran and the United States.

In May, four commercial vessels reportedly suffered similar sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 05:25:32|Editor: Wu Qin

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French President Emmanuel Macron(C) delivers a speech at the joint press conference in front of the Auberge De Castille at Valletta, capital of Malta, on June 14, 2019. Seven leaders of Southern EU Member States met in Malta on Friday where they discussed issues of common concern ranging from migration to climate change and the EU budget. (Xinhua/Jonathan Borg)

VALLETTA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Seven leaders of Southern EU Member States met in Malta on Friday where they discussed issues of common concern ranging from migration to climate change and the EU budget.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat hosted French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades at Auberge de Castille, the Office of the Prime Minister in Valletta.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that the aim was to coordinate ways to work together, which aims were recorded in the official declaration signed after the summit. The summit comes before the newly elected MEPs meet at the European Parliament. "The EU is expected to, and should, play a meaningful global role by stimulating stability and growth." said Muscat.

The leaders also discussed economic growth, which leads to more and better jobs, placing at the centre of their policies. "Our region needs to be at the forefront of innovation, a hotbed for the creation, development and roll-out of emerging citizen-centric technologies, designed to enhance socio-economic wellbeing," Muscat said.

During a press conference held after the roundtable discussion and signing of a declaration, the six leaders all expressed their solidarity and support towards Cyprus and its people following the recent escalation of tensions between the country and Turkey.

The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that this was not a bilateral matter but an EU-Turkey matter, underlining that the bloc has to adopt specific measures in this regard. He said the only way to address this problem was through dialogue. "We want Turkey to abide by international laws, and those who do not should face consequences," he added.

Another theme discussed among the leaders was that of migration. In the declaration which the seven leaders signed, it was underlined that although progress has been made, the Southern Mediterranean States are still facing persistent migratory pressures. The leaders underlined that continuous efforts are needed towards a comprehensive approach on migration. They also referred to the need of channels for legal migration, improved border control, and a reformed and harmonized common European asylum system that would guarantee effective implementation of the principle of solidarity and fair burden sharing between Member States.

The Spanish Prime Minister spoke about the need to think of "Africa as an opportunity", saying that his country was only a few miles away from the African continent. He stressed on the importance of building relations with African countries and not only talk about migration.

On the other hand Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte spoke about the lack of implementing conclusions which have been decided in June 2018. He stressed on the need of such conclusions to be turned into practice saying that "we cannot continue to be abstract in our solidarity" and that such situations is leading to frustration among European citizens. Conte also spoke about the instability in Libya which is leading to an increase in the influx of migrants saying that a political solution is needed, starting from a ceasefire and the need to dialogue.

Another theme dominating the summit was that of climate change. The leaders declared that they will jointly strive to tackle the effects of climate change in the Mediterranean basin, as they reaffirmed their commitment to the objective of climate neutrality, which should be reached by 2050. They also voiced their concern about plastic pollution and its effect on the marine environment, with the Spanish Prime Minister urging for more resources allocated in the next budget to address climate change.

The leaders welcomed the adoption of a directive on single-use plastics.

"We need to ensure we intensify our work on the EU's climate strategy, mindful of regional specifics, to implement the objectives we all agreed to in the Paris Agreement," said Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Energy security was also on agenda of the sixth summit, with Muscat stating that "We need a well-connected Mediterranean region as a precondition for a fully functioning energy market aimed at sustainability, affordability, and security of supply."

The seven leaders reiterated their commitment in the digital field in the Southern Mediterranean region and declared that they will keep looking more deeply into concrete cross-border projects on matters such as Distributed Ledger Technologies, and other technologies such as 5G, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things among others.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 05:40:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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UNITED NATIONS, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday called on the international community to fully respect Burundi's ownership and leadership over its elections and provide assistance in view of the government's needs.

The international community should prioritize efforts in creating a favorable external environment for peace and stability of the country, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, in a Security Council meeting.

"Elections are the internal affairs of a country," said the Chinese envoy.

According to Wu, at the end of last year, the Burundian government started preparations for the 2020 elections through consultations with various political parties in the country. It has formulated a roadmap and committed to raise all necessary funding for the elections.

"This fully demonstrated the ability and resolve of the Burundian government and people to take care of their own problems," he added.

The Burundian government has stated on many occasions that its situation does not pose a threat to regional peace and security, and that the question of Burundi should not remain on the Security Council's agenda, Wu said.

The Council should listen seriously to the voice of Burundi and make timely and necessary adjustments in light of the latest developments, he added.

Wu said that the Burundian government has formulated a ten-year development plan covering 2018 to 2027, and more than 60,000 Burundian refugees have voluntarily returned home from neighboring countries. "This shows continued improvement in the Burundian situation and the strong aspiration of the Burundian government and people for peace and development."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 05:45:41|Editor: ZX

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Shi Yuewen, Chinese cultural counselor to Egypt, speaks during a promotion on China's Qinghai ramen in Cairo, Egypt, on June 14, 2019. Dozens of Egyptians enjoyed the taste of Chinese hand-pulled noodles during a promotion on ramen from Northwest China's Qinghai Province on Friday in the Egyptian capital Cairo. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

CAIRO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Egyptians enjoyed the taste of Chinese hand-pulled noodles during a promotion on ramen from Northwest China's Qinghai Province on Friday in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

More than 300 guests and 18 ramen companies attended the event.

"I have tried Chinese noodles before, but this one is really different and delicious," Dina Mohsen, a college student of Chinese language, told Xinhua.

The young woman, who came to the event with friends, said she is a fan of the Chinese food and will follow the information about the new restaurants in Egypt serving Qinghai ramen.

During the event, Liu Zhenhua, deputy mayor of Haidong City of Qinghai Province, said Qinghai ramen has become a convenient business card for Muslim catering services.

"Three Qinghai ramen pavilions will be opened in Cairo and Alexandria. I hope Qinghai cuisine will bring good enjoyment and Chinese cultural experience to the Egyptian people," he told the guests.

This promotion not only strengthens economic and trade cooperation, and promotes the ramen industry, but also provides "a platform for exchange and cooperation in economy, culture and food," the Chinese official noted.

Through docking and negotiation between Qinghai ramen entrepreneurs and their counterparts in Egypt, Liu said, three ramen companies in Haidong will cooperate with Alexandria to open ramen shops in the Egyptian city.

"I hope that the Chinese cuisine will bring great benefits to the people of Egypt and bring rich Chinese experience to the food culture here," he added.

Haidong ramen shops are available in more than 270 large and medium-sized cities in China and more than 10 countries and regions in the world, Liu noted.

"The annual turnover of the ramen industry reaches 19 billion yuan (2.74 billion U.S. dollars)," he said.

Shi Yuewen, Chinese cultural counselor to Egypt, said ramen is a famous Chinese food and a part of the Chinese traditional culture.

"I encourage all forms of cultural exchanges and hope that this ramen promotion will become another bridge for Sino-Egyptian cultural exchanges," he added.

During the event, three agreements were signed between the Chinese and Egyptian companies.

Haidong Ramen Entrepreneur and Cairo City Entrepreneur signed a framework agreement for cooperation in investing in Qinghai ramen brand stores.

Han Fuzhong, chairman of Haidong Han Dingji Catering Management Co., Ltd., and Muhammad Emini from Cairo City Investment Co., Ltd. signed the Intentional Cooperation Framework Agreement for "Han Dingji Qinghai Ramen Brand Store in Cairo New District."

Ma Zhen, chairman of Haidong Hehuangyuan Food and Beverage Investment Development Co., Ltd. and the head of the Cairo Peninsula Club signed a framework agreement for the international cooperation of Qinghai Ramen Shop.

After upgrading the relations between China and Egypt to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014, cultural exchange has been at its peak with frequent visits of artists, cultural and musical delegations between the two countries.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 06:25:58|Editor: Wu Qin

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Delegates attend a panel discussion at the 10th Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit in Naas town of County Kildare, east Ireland, June 14, 2019. A high-level conference aimed to strengthen the economic ties between China and Ireland was held in Ireland's County Kildare on Friday, attracting nearly 200 business leaders from both sides. (Xinhua)

DUBLIN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A high-level conference aimed to strengthen the economic ties between China and Ireland was held in Ireland's County Kildare on Friday, attracting nearly 200 business leaders from both sides.

Sean O'Fearghail, chairman of the lower house of the Irish parliament, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong, former Irish prime minister Enda Kenny and former Chinese vice minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation Long Yongtu attended the conference which was held at Killashee House Hotel in the Naas town of County Kildare.

Addressing the conference, Sean O'Fearghail, who is a native of County Kildare, extended his warm welcome to the 140-strong delegates coming from the different business sectors of China. He said that the relationship between Ireland and China is "very good" and is improving all the time.

"One of the most significant aspects of the relationship between Ireland and China has been the number of the incoming Chinese delegations that we have met in this country over the last couple of years," he said, adding that over the last 10 days alone he had met three different Chinese visiting groups.

China has an interest in Ireland and it is determined to exploit that interest, he said, adding that Chinese investment in Ireland last year increased by 200 percent.

Chinese ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong in his speech said that great progress has been made in China-Ireland relations since the establishment of the diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1979, particularly over the last decade or so.

In 2018, the value of the goods trade between China and Ireland reached 14.5 billion U.S. dollars, more than doubled than that of 2015, he said, adding that the lift of the ban on the Irish beef exports to China last year as well as the recent opening of the three direct flight services between the two countries will serve an impetus to the further development of the economic cooperation between the two sides.

Long Yongtu, who is also the co-chairman of Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation (SIEF) which organized the conference, said that this is the first time that SIEF has picked Ireland as a venue for its annual European conferences since the first of its kind was convened in 2008.

He said that SIEF has made the right decision to hold its 10th Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit in Ireland as he himself and the delegates from China both see a lot of business opportunities in the country, particularly in the fields of science and technology, food industry and tourism among others.

SIEF is a global non-profit, non-partisan organization incorporated in Switzerland and headquartered in Beijing.

Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit is one of the summits regularly held by SIEF with the aim to promote the partnership between the business leaders of China and Europe. SIEF also holds annual conferences in Africa and Australia on a regular basis.

Former Irish prime minister Enda Kenny also addressed the conference.

During the one-day conference, delegates from both sides explored the cooperation opportunities mainly in the fields of investment, finance, banking, education and agriculture in the forms of panel discussions and speeches.File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before leaving the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday accused Iran of being behind the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman one day before, citing a video released by the U.S. military.

Two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday morning, with at least one of them operated by a Japanese company.

"Iran did do it and you know they did do it because you saw the boat," Trump said in an interview with Fox News, referring to the video released by the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM).

"They didn't want the evidence left behind...It was them that did it," Trump noted, adding that "we don't take it lightly."

USCENTCOM released a video late Thursday which it claimed showed Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers (Kokuka Courageous) shortly after the attack.

"At 4:10 p.m. local time an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat approached the M/T Kokuka Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous," USCENTCOM spokesperson Bill Urban said in a statement.

The statement noted that the United States has no interest in a new conflict in the Middle East, while stressing that "the U.S. and our partners in the region will take all necessary measures to defend ourselves and our interests."

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, which Tehran denied.

File Photo: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks at a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim (not in the picture) in Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 13, 2019. (Xinhua)

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday responded on his Twitter, saying that the United States immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran was a plan to use sabotage diplomacy to cover up its economic terrorism against Iran.

The attacks came amid Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Iran, which was the first visit made by a Japanese prime minister since Takeo Fukuda in 1978.

The rare visit aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, told Abe on Thursday that it was meaningless to exchange message with Trump, according to Iranian state media.

"While I very much appreciate P.M. Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!" Trump tweeted on Thursday.

Trump on Friday thanked Abe again for his effort to facilitate communication with Iran during their phone conversation, according to a statement issued by the White House.

"Diplomatic efforts by allies are necessary to dial down the tension, but they can't resolve it as long as Washington relies on an all-or-nothing approach," said an article of Foreign Policy, citing Ali Vaez, a senior Iran analyst and the Iran Project director for the International Crisis Group.

"If Iran is behind these attacks, it clearly shows that a U.S. policy relying solely on coercion can backfire," said Vaez.

Over the recent weeks, Washington has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran with a series of sanctions, designations and military threats, trying to press Iran back to negotiations after U.S. exit from the landmark Iran nuclear deal over a year ago.

Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran would not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats or sanction pressures.

In May, four commercial vessels suffered similar sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 06:51:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CHICAGO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The trial of Brendt Christensen, who is accused of kidnapping and killing Chinese visiting scholar Zhang Yingying in 2017, continued Friday with the video from a second interview the FBI conducted with Christensen played in court.

The third day of testimony for the trial started from 9 a.m. (1400 GMT) at a federal courthouse in Peoria, U.S. state of Illinois, after local police and FBI agents testified in the previous day.

Christensen's father was in court Friday and had a brief exchange with his son.

Christensen smiled when he saw his dad, saying "how's it going?"

Families of both sides and jury watched the video of an FBI agent interviewing Christensen on June 17, 2017, in which he appeared to try to clean up some earlier statements that he had made to investigators.

The FBI agent asked in the video for Christensen's whereabouts on June 9, the day Zhang disappeared.

"I just drove around everywhere," Christensen said and was getting a bit bored when he saw Zhang. "She looked panicky," he said, so he offered her a ride.

Christensen said that when he was asked previously about Zhang's disappearance, he legitimately didn't recognize her as the girl he picked up because all Asians look the same.

On Thursday, a video from another interview the FBI conducted with the accused killer was played in court.

On Wednesday, one of Christensen's attorneys admitted in the court that the defendant indeed kidnapped and killed Zhang. However, Christensen is not changing his not guilty plea.

The defense said they will make an effort to spare Christensen the death penalty.

Zhang, a 26-year-old visiting Chinese scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), went missing on June 9, 2017, after getting into a black Saturn Astra about five blocks from where she got off a bus on her way to an apartment complex to sign a lease.

Police arrested Christensen on June 30, 2017, who was a former UIUC doctoral student, and charged him with the kidnapping, torturing and killing of Zhang.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 07:26:10|Editor: Yamei

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NEW YORK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- China Online Education Group, which provides online English language training via the platform 51Talk, is poised to deepen its presence in underserved markets in China.

The company on Friday delivered net revenues of 48.1 million U.S. dollars in the first quarter through March, notching a year-over-year increase of 23 percent.

Meanwhile, its gross billings climbed to 67.4 million dollars for the quarter, representing a 27.4-percent increase as compared to the same period last year.

"Our first quarter results reflect the successful and consistent execution of our strategic initiatives which focus on our flourishing K-12 one-on-one mass-market program in China's lower-tier cities," Huang Jiajia, founder and chief executive officer of 51Talk, said in a statement released by the company on Friday.

"With a solid presence in the largely saturated tier-one cities, we are keenly focused on bringing our programs to China's large and underserved markets in non-tier-one cities," Huang added.

Founded in 2011, the Beijing-headquartered company operates online and mobile education platforms that enable students to take live interactive English lessons with international foreign teachers.

The company said first-quarter gross billings from non-tier-one cities, or medium and small-sized cites, accounted for 72.8 percent of its K-12 mass-market one-on-one offerings, compared with 63 percent a year ago.

"Our goal, as we move through the year, is to continue to make learning accessible throughout China by bringing our educational offerings to underserved markets where we can leverage our existing programs," said Huang.

As for second-quarter guidance, the company, which was listed on New York Stock Exchange in 2016, expects net revenues to book an increase of about 21.4 percent to 23.2 percent from one year ago.

The stock closed 2.3 percent lower on Friday after a short-lived 3 percent advance in morning trading.

China's online education market has grown rapidly in recent years, bolstered by new technologies.

In 2018, the number of users of such services rose 29.7 percent year on year to 201 million, accounting for 24.3 percent of total Internet users, according to a report by the China Internet Network Information Center.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 08:10:15|Editor: Wu Qin

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Photo taken on June 13, 2019 shows people in a refugee camp in Ituri province, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At least 60 people have been killed in tribal clashes in Ituri province. (Xinhua/Alain Uyakani)Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 08:46:30|Editor: ZX

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SHENZHEN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Africa's leading e-commerce platform Jumia said opening a third-party platform to the Chinese market has become its strategic focus amid booming Africa-China trade.

Jumia CEO Jeremy Hodara told Xinhua in a recent interview that they are actively recruiting Chinese sellers, as the platform wishes to explore the African market and build a bridge for China-Africa market cooperation.

"China's products are widely welcomed and recognized in Africa, but many Chinese brands have no sales channels in Africa, which gives us an opportunity to cooperate in the market," said Hodara, who last month visited Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai to meet with suppliers there.

"We hope to work with Chinese merchants to make the African market bigger and stronger," he said.

Known as "Alibaba in Africa" or "African Amazon," Jumia has built an ecosystem including e-commerce platforms, payment, logistics, take-out and hotel reservations to cover 14 African countries. Hodara said the platform will learn from Alibaba and Amazon to tap into the continent's huge e-commerce potential.

Jumia has reached cooperation deals with Chinese brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, Skyworth and Haier. In March, the company announced a partnership with tech firm Xiaomi to house the latter's flagship store on its e-commerce platform and to receive full sales authorization for Xiaomi products in the African market, including the Redmi Go smartphones.

The African continent, with a population of 1.2 billion and about 17 million small- and medium-sized enterprises, is attracting Chinese brands, while Chinese products boasting price advantages and cost-effectiveness are well received in Africa, according to the CEO.

The advent of Chinese companies also benefits Africa's own development, said Hodara, citing the example of Konka, a Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer.

"For example, Konka has a factory in Africa, and we're working together to make the market bigger. It will promote Konka's investment in Africa and also boost the local economy."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 08:56:33|Editor: Wu Qin

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CANBERRA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Australia's new Environment Minister Sussan Ley has said that drought-affected farmers should be allowed to borrow water from river systems.

In an interview with Fairfax Media on Saturday, Sussan Ley said there is a need for "flexibility" that would allow water reserved for environmental use to be used by struggling farmers.

Ley represents the New South Wales (NSW) electorate of Farrer where concerns about the amount of water in the Murray River allocated for agricultural use was a major issue in the campaign for the general election on May 18.

"Sometimes the environment doesn't need all its water but farmers desperately do need water," she told Fairfax.

"(In some cases) there's water in the dams (holding environmental water) and there are crops that are dying and farmers with drought-affected stock that need hay."

Any move to introduce Ley's borrowing scheme would require changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan - the agreement on water use across the Murray-Darling Basin, which is Australia's most significant agricultural area.

Changes to the plan must be agreed to by the governments of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) as well as the Federal Government.

Maryanne Slattery, the senior water researcher at the think tank Australia Institute, said that Ley had failed to properly explain the problem in the basin.

"The environment is just a scapegoat," she said.

"There are so many other aspects of mismanagement and perverse policy outcomes that I think need to be looked at first."

In addition to revealing her water management plan, Ley also suggested that the government would be more aggressive in eradicating pests such as invasive starfish on the Great Barrier Reef.

"As a farmer, I'm very big on (eradicating) feral pests," she said.

"There are some quite clever scientific approaches to the health of the reef, including breeding the coral differently, addressing the crown-of-thorns starfish, working with coastal volunteers because obviously the inflow (of nutrients and sediment) into the reef is important."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 09:41:44|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The leading Party members groups of China's top legislature, the State Council and the top political advisory body have recently held separate meetings to make arrangements on advancing a Communist Party of China (CPC) education campaign themed "staying true to our founding mission."

The meetings studied the speech by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, at a meeting on May 31 to launch the campaign.

Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu and Wang Yang respectively presided over the meetings of the leading Party members groups to which they belong. Han Zheng attended the meeting of the leading Party members group to which he belongs.

The meeting of the leading Party members group of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, or the top legislature, urged carrying out the education campaign vigorously and studying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in a thorough manner, particularly Xi's instructions regarding the system of people's congresses.

The meeting of the leading Party members group of the State Council said the campaign launched by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core is of great significance and called for combining the campaign with the State Council's work in deepening reforms, boosting social and economic development and ensuring social stability.

The leading Party members group of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, or the top political advisory body, urged fully grasping the spirit of Xi's speech, and actively improving the political advisors' work accordingly.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 10:01:54|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Free access to legal service is available to private enterprises in China as authorities strive to create a more favorable legal environment for their development, said the Ministry of Justice (MOJ).

The MOJ, as well as All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, asked justice agencies and bar associations to organize legal groups to provide legal service to enterprises with the help of local industry and commerce associations.

Lawyers provided free legal services to 56,000 private enterprises and offered more than 78,000 suggestions on legal risk control during a two-month pilot project launched by the MOJ since last November.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 10:01:56|Editor: Wu Qin

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GABORONE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A 67-year-old cattle farmer was trampled to death by a stray elephant in northwestern Botswana on Friday, local police said.

The incident took place at a cattle farm near Dukwi village, some 530 km northwest of Botswana's capital Gaborone, Azhani Mokokomani, an assistant superintendent at Dukwi police station, told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

The deceased, whose name is still withheld by the police, angered a marauding elephant that had strayed into his ranch by shooting at it, leading to an escalating conflict between the farmer and the wild animal, according to Mokokomani.

Botswana has the world's biggest population of elephants, which is estimated at around 160,000.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 10:37:13|Editor: Wu Qin

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SYDNEY, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Residents living in Sydney's Mascot Towers were evacuated from their homes on Friday evening after "movement" and "cracking" were detected in the building.

Mascot Towers are Located in the harbor city's inner-south near Sydney's International Airport. New South Wales State Fire and Rescue Service along with a team of engineers, were called to the scene to assess the 10-storey, 131-unit complex.

Although the Tower's Superintendent Adam Dewberry told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that "At this stage there is no thought that the building is going to have a catastrophic failure or collapse," engineers who inspected the tower felt it was not safe for residents to return.

With cracking found in the "transfer slab beams supporting the primary building corner," a letter to residents from building management stated that "following the inspection, the engineer raised concerns over the safety for residents in the building."

"It has been determined that there will be a partial evacuation of the building, pending further monitoring of the transfer beams over the course of the next week. This will determine if the building is safe for reoccupation," the letter said.

Erected 10 years ago, the complex is made up of two towers. At this stage 95 apartments have been affected, while residents of the remaining units have been allowed to return to their homes.

For those unable to find accommodation, authorities have set up a temporary shelter at the Mascot Town Hall.

The incident follows an identical series of events which occurred back in December last year, when another 36-storey highrise in Sydney was evacuated when structural cracks began to appear.

With 3000 residents told to leave 4-month-old Opal Tower complex, the episode sent shockwaves through the nation's property sector raising concerns shoddy building practices could be widespread throughout the construction industry.

"We hope that the builders or the people who are responsible for this will be held accountable because it's had so many issues from day one," Anthony, a resident from the Mascot Tower who did not wish to give his surname told local media.

"I guess defects happen in most apartments but you wouldn't ever have thought it would come to this."

"Especially after seeing the fiasco with the Opal Tower in Homebush, you would have never thought something like this would happen in metro Sydney."

"I hope the owners do all get together collectively to hold the right people accountable for this."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 10:42:17|Editor: Wu Qin

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MEXICO CITY, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Mexico will seek support from the international community to curb the flow of migrants to the United States, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said here Friday.

"We want to bring it to the table and we want the U.S. to make its part, but we also are going to invite the international community," Ebrard told reporters.

Particularly, Mexico would seek support from United Nations agencies such as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), he said.

"What we want now is for the United Nations ... to participate and to help us," he said.

All parties involved in the crisis should share responsibilities, he added.

"There are two parts here -- a flow driven by poverty and a huge business that generates 6 trillion U.S. dollars a year, so we have to offer short-term options to those families. That is the plan," Ebrard said.

A Central American migrant pays smugglers between 3,500 and 7,000 dollars to cross into the United States, which means that in a single day they can earn some 20 million dollars, said Ebrard.

On June 7, the Mexican and U.S. governments reached an agreement to reduce the number of migrants from Central America.

The agreement suspended the implementation of tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose on all Mexican imports beginning on June 10.

Under the deal, Mexico promised to increase its efforts to reduce undocumented immigration, and strengthen the deployment of its recently created National Guard.

The flow of Central American migrants fleeing poverty and crime has increased since the end of 2018, with caravans of thousands crossing Mexico, mainly on foot, to reach the U.S. border.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 10:42:19|Editor: Wu Qin

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WASHINGTON, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. man, found to be in possession of a handgun and numerous rounds of ammunition, was apprehended on Thursday outside an elementary school in Westfield, New Jersey, authorities said on Friday.

Thomas J. Wilkie, 46, of Bear, Delaware, is charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, fourth-degree possession of hollow-point bullets, and fourth-degree trespassing on school grounds, said a press release issued by the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

At approximately 3:55 p.m. local time (1955 GMT) on Thursday, patrol officers from Westfield Police Department and detectives responded to a report which says a man later identified as Wilkie was en route to Tamaques Elementary School and may be armed, the preliminary investigation shows.

The school was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure, and to identify any other potential threats.

Police officers located Wilkie in the front seat of his truck parked in the school's parking lot with a 45-caliber handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets.

Two additional loaded clips of ammunition were recovered on Wilkie, while 130 additional rounds of ammunition were located in his vehicle.

Wilkie was taken into police custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

If found guilty, he could face a jail term of up to 10 years.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 10:57:24|Editor: ZX

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WASHINGTON, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a major lobbying organization in the country, on Friday reiterated opposition against the White House to impose additional tariffs on imports from China, as tariffs hurt American businesses, the economy and consumers.

"The existing 25 percent tariffs on 250 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese exports are already inflicting grave harm to U.S. consumers, farmers, ranchers and businesses," Myron Brilliant, vice president and head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.

"Proposed tariffs on an additional 300 billion dollars of Chinese imports would only expand the damage to these groups and the broader economy," Brilliant said.

"We urge the administration to use the upcoming G20 meeting in Osaka to return to the negotiating table, with the aim of striking a high-standard, comprehensive, enforceable agreement soon that puts an end to tariffs already in place and forestalls further disruptions to all Americans," he said.

Brilliant's statement came as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Friday that it will hold public hearings regarding proposed tariffs on approximately 300 billion dollars worth of Chinese products from June 17 to June 25, with more than 300 witnesses set to testify.

A total of 661 U.S. companies and associations have signed a letter to President Donald Trump, urging his administration to abandon tariff hikes and reach a deal with China.

"We know firsthand that the additional tariffs will have a significant, negative and long-term impact on American businesses, farmers, families and the U.S. economy," the groups said in a letter released Thursday by Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, a lobbying campaign against tariffs.

Combined with the impact of previously implemented tariffs and retaliation, the new tariffs on another 300 billion dollars worth of Chinese imports, if imposed, would result in the loss of more than 2 million U.S. jobs, add more than 2,000 dollars in costs for an average American family of four, according to the letter.

"An escalated trade war is not in the country's best interest, and both sides will lose," the letter said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 11:32:32|Editor: Yamei

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by Xinhua writer Shi Hao

BISHKEK, June 15 (Xinhua) -- For Kyrgyz farmer Mairambek Sarkulakov, the gigantic mountains he could see were almost the boundaries of his world.

What visitors may see as picturesque in Sarkulakov's hometown in Jalal-Abad Region in southwest Kyrgyzstan -- grassland where animal graze, the Naryn River and snow-capped mountains -- made travel difficult and dangerous for the locals.

The existing narrow road connecting major cities in Kyrgyzstan have been worn down over years without proper maintenance, badly hindering the flow of people, goods and natural resources in this landlocked country.

The situation did not change until the Kyrgyz government decided to build the North-South Alternative Road, financed by the Export-Import Bank of China with low-interest loans, to connect the capital Bishkek in the north with the country's second largest city of Osh in the south.

Since 2014, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has won the bids to build the first and second phases of the project with total length of more than 250 km, and it plans to complete the construction in 2021.

The work involving more than 2,000 builders is more than arduous in the mountainous Central Asian country.

Some 81 km of the road in the second phase of the project needed to be built in high-altitude and uninhabited areas, and engineers had to ride donkeys and trudge in the mountains without cellphone signals, said Cai Yu, a CRBC manager for the section No. 6 of the second phase.

A large part of the road was built next to the torrential Naryn River, and builders had to tie themselves to a safety rope when working on the mountainside as the rocks were easily eroded by the river, said Zhang Haixiao, a CRBC manager for the section No. 8 of the second phase.

A key tunnel was built at an altitude of over 3,000 meters and it snowed there in May, while in rainy seasons the stormy Naryn River has swept away three temporary bridges, said Jin Zhe, an assistant to the general manager of the CRBC's Kyrgyz branch.

The artery running across the country is set to be Kyrgyzstan's largest road project featuring the longest road tunnel built since the country's independence, according to Jin.

"We have built more than 10 roads in Kyrgyzstan. I believe all of them will serve our people for a long time," said Ruslan Tuhtamatov, a material engineer who has been working with the CRBC for over 15 years.

"The road will link Northern and Southern economic zones, serve as a corridor connecting China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Russia, and boost our economy," said Lev Alibegashvili, 84, deputy director of the survey and design institute under the Kyrgyz Ministry of Transport and Roads.

Aibek Kozhoshov, head of Toguz-Toro district of Jalal-Abad Region, said the people of his district are thankful to the Chinese company, which has created many jobs.

As the North-South Alternative Road has reached his hometown, Sarkulakov now works as a driver for the CRBC. The brand-new "China Road," as locals call it, also takes his fellow villagers to Jalal-Abad City to do small businesses.

"The 'China Road' has changed the life of me and other people here. I hope my children will easily go beyond these mountains to the outside world," Sarkulakov said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 11:52:37|Editor: Wu Qin

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Brazilians took to the streets on Friday for a nationwide massive protest against the social security reform proposed by the government.

According to local media, there were protests in at least 190 towns in all Brazilian states.

As a full strike was called, buses halted in 19 state capitals, subway and urban train workers in several cities joined the strike, classes were cancelled in public schools and many private schools in at least 23 state capitals, and road blockades were seen in the country.

The protests and strikes were mostly peaceful, with few isolated conflicts.

It is the third massive protest in Brazil in less than six months after President Jair Bolsonaro came to power. Brazilians have already taken the streets to protest against massive cuts in the funding of federal universities.

This time, the strike focused on the social security reform bill which the Bolsonaro administration is placing all its bets.

The government has claimed that the reform is essential to ensuring that Brazil will start growing again, but critics believe that the reform will maintain the privileges of some, such as politicians and the military, while making poor workers much harder to be able to retire.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 11:52:39|Editor: Wu Qin

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by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, June 14 (Xinhua) --- Current U.S. policy towards Cuba, marked by outright hostility and a serious setback in bilateral ties, is controlled by the most conservative wing of President Donald Trump's government, academics said on Friday.

Experts from several U.S. universities and research centers agreed that figures like U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Republican Senator Marco Rubio, have negatively edged Trump back to the past.

"The perspective of this administration on Cuba responds to the views of neo-conservatives that Trump has in his government. They did not support Obama's opening and that's why they have done everything possible to reverse it," Gary Prevost, a political science professor at St. Benedict and St. John's University, told Xinhua.

Prevost participated until Friday with more than 60 academics from his country and Cuba in the University of Havana's Conference on U.S. studies where different issues were debated about Washington's foreign and domestic policies.

According to the university professor, the White House has used Cold War era tactics to roll back relations with Havana in open opposition to the opinion of its own citizens and major U.S. business conglomerates.

"Currently, large corporations in the U.S., sectors in both parties, the majority of the American press and a good part of Cuban-Americans support better ties between the two countries," he added.

In recent weeks, the White House has intensified sanctions and measures against the island country by paralyzing cruise ships and recreational vessels and canceling people-to-people educational and cultural trips.

Also, the United States recently activated Title III of the Helms-Burton Act against Cuba that allows U.S. citizens to establish lawsuits against Cuba on nationalized or expropriated properties after 1959.

The latest moves feed the hostility built up by the Trump administration since 2017 to intensify the commercial embargo against the Caribbean nation with increasing economic and financial sanctions leading to hardships on the island.

"If Trump is re-elected next year, U.S. policy will be the same as the current one, as neo-conservatives like Bolton and Pompeo will control it. It would be four more years of very difficult ties," said Prevost.

However, the expert added, if there is a change in the U.S. presidency after next year's election in November, there is a possible policy change that would return to the rapprochement initiated by former President Barack Obama.

"The 24 Democratic candidates have positions similar to Obama on Cuba and therefore there is the possibility of a change in this direction," he said.

Meanwhile, Michael Wolfe Traugott, a professor of international relations from the University of Michigan said the regression in links between Washington and Havana have much to do with domestic policy in the United States.

"The Trump administration takes this path with Cuba because it has a lot to do with domestic issues as it seeks to win a state like Florida in a future electoral campaign next year," he said.

Hardline Florida Republican Senators like Rubio and Rick Scott have endorsed Trump's re-election in exchange for tougher policies against Cuba and Venezuela.

Traugott told Xinhua that Bolton has been instrumental in influencing Trump to reinforce sanctions against Havana.

The academic said it's possible that an eventual victory by a Democratic Party candidate in 2020 could mean the return to the process of normalizing ties but Cuba won't be Washington's top foreign policy priority.

"There are some changes that a new president could make that would not require a lot of effort such as staffing back the U.S. embassy in Havana and removing some of the travel restrictions," he said.

These types of actions, he said, would not require negotiations or bilateral diplomatic dialogues but other areas that have been affected by the aggressiveness of the Trump administration will need more time.

The university professor added that, regarding economic or business cooperation in that scenario, diplomatic contacts between the two countries would have to be resumed, since links have been severely affected in the past two and a half years.

"We must re-establish trust between both countries and return to the path of normalizing relations," he said.

U.S.-Cuban relations have soured since Trump came to office, partially rolling back the detente initiated by Obama and reverting to Cold War rhetoric, while maintaining re-established diplomatic ties.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 13:02:51|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Masaaki Miyasako was among the 3,000 Japanese young people invited to visit China in 1984 to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the normalization of the China-Japan relations.

For decades, Miyasako, professor emeritus with Tokyo University of the Arts and a prestigious cultural heritage protection expert, has endeavored to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation with China and made a remarkable contribution to the preservation of Dunhuang grottos.

Thirty-five years later, Miyasako is in China again, now leading a delegation of young Japanese students, with whom he fondly shares his observations of China's development over the past decades.

The delegation is the second batch of Japanese university student dispatched by Japan-China Cultural Exchanges Association to visit China on a tour from June 11 to 17.

At the invitation of the China-Japan Friendship Association, the group, comprised of 110 students and scholars from 40 institutions of higher education as well as personnel from the association, is scheduled to visit Beijing and northwest China's Gansu Province, where the Dunhuang grottos are located.

The Chinese and Japanese governments have designated 2019 as the China-Japan Youth Exchange Promotion Year, and agreed to arrange exchanges and visits for 30,000 young people of the two countries in the next five years, said Song Jingwu, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Song, delivering a welcome address, expressed his hope that these Japanese students can form strong friendships with their Chinese peers.

"There is a lot that we now need to learn from our Chinese friends, including the Belt and Road Initiative, a great concept that the Chinese people are now promoting," said Miyasako.

Miyasako said he hopes this generation of Japanese students can take over the relay baton of exchanges and serve as a positive influence for the relationship between the two countries.

EXQUISITENESS OF THE FORBIDDEN CITY

The delegation attended three interactive workshops at the Palace Museum, located in the Forbidden City, on Tuesday afternoon, on seal carving, porcelain painting and court necklace making.

"There are profound ties between the cultures of China and Japan," said Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum. "We learned from each other during ancient times, and we can still do the same today."

A first-time visitor to China, Marie Ogura, a student from Heian Jogakuin University, said the Palace Museum is "delicate and exquisite."

Ogura said she was impressed by the sense of community and strict self-expectation in China.

Hayato Miura, a senior at the Law School of the University of Tokyo, just completed his year-long studies at Peking University. "China has a diverse culture and a profound history."

Japanese society has a fairly limited understanding of China, said Miura. "I hope the Japanese public can take part in more cultural exchanges to see the real China."

Minami Yamaguchi studies at Tokyo University of the Arts and visited the Palace Museum two years ago. This time, she brought a drawing book to sketch the buildings and decorations.

Noting her interest in Chinese culture, with which Japanese arts are closely related, Yamaguchi hopes to get to know more friends in China through paintings.

SEEING THE REAL CHINA

Suiko Wakano, from Heian Jogakuin, has made four trips to China. "I have many very friendly Chinese friends in Japan. We often go to restaurants, temples and shrines together."

"With a love of Chinese culture, I chose to major in Chinese classics," said Yuri Iida from Keio University.

Iida said Chinese people are very warmhearted and she enjoys such close feelings between people.

On Wednesday, the delegation climbed the Great Wall with 40 students from Beijing Forestry University. They also cooperated to complete nine illustrated descriptions of selected specimens at the university museum.

Kenjiro Kase entered Kyorin University in 2018, where he made Chinese friends and became interested in Chinese for the first time.

Having now learned Chinese for a year, Kase said he felt the dignity of Chinese culture through visiting the Palace Museum and the Great Wall.

Hana Nakanishi specializes in ancient Chinese poetry. "I wish to become a teacher after graduation to pass on the fun of Chinese poetry to my students, and to tell them about the real China."

"Starting a decade ago, I bring my students to Dunhuang every two years, offering them an opportunity to learn more about China," Miyasako told Xinhua. "I am willing to serve as a bridge between them and China."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 13:32:59|Editor: Wu Qin

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NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Delhi, which is often referred to as the "Crime Capital of India", witnessed a decrease of 8 percent in crimes against women during the first five months of the year, as compared to the same period last year, the official data of the Delhi Police has revealed.

Against the 897 crimes against women recorded last year, 886 such crime cases were reported this year.

Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma was quoted as saying that controlling the crimes against women remained their priority and that there was no rise in such crimes figures till May 31 this year.

Heinous crimes such as murder, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, etc. also witnessed a decline, even as 2,269 such cases were lodged from January till May this year, as compared to 2531 cases last year, according to the police data.

Quoting the data, English daily The Times of India reported on Saturday that the number of murders, however, went up from 205 to 211 and the number of snatchings went up from 2,691 (in January-May 2018) to 2812 during this year's five months.

The total number of crimes registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) since January were 123,767, while the figure stood at 97,701 in the first five months of last year, showed the Delhi Police data.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 13:58:09|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- "Today's attack on China is the wrong war," chief economics commentator at the Financial Times (FT) Martin Wolf has said, warning against framing relations with China as a zero-sum conflict.

Many are framing or suggesting an "insoluble conflict" or a "perpetual conflict" between the United States and China, he said, citing as an example U.S. State Department Director of Policy Planning Kiron Skinner's analogy of the unfolding China-U.S. competition to "a fight with a really different civilisation."

Skinner has claimed this would be "the first time that we will have a great power competitor that is not Caucasian."

This is dangerous, said Wolf, a British economics journalist, in a signed article carried by the FT.

"It risks turning a manageable, albeit vexed, relationship into all-embracing conflict, for no good reason," he said.

"Across-the-board rivalry with China is becoming an organising principle of US economic, foreign and security policies," Wolf said. "The aim is US domination. The means is control over China, or separation from China."

He mentioned the white paper issued by China earlier this month on trade consultations with the United States, saying Chinese positions are right on many points.

"The US focus on bilateral imbalances is economically illiterate. The view that theft of intellectual property has caused huge damage to the US is questionable," he said.

"The proposition that China has grossly violated its commitments under its 2001 accession agreement to the World Trade Organization is hugely exaggerated," he wrote, noting that accusing China of cheating is hypocritical when almost all trade policy actions taken by the U.S. Trump administration are in breach of WTO rules.

An effort to halt China's economic and technological rise is almost certain to fail, he warned. "In the long run, the demands of an increasingly prosperous and well-educated people for control over their lives might still win out."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 13:58:11|Editor: Wu Qin

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NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The very severe cyclonic storm, Vayu, which was likely to make a landfall in India's western state of Gujarat on Thursday but changed its trajectory could again recurve in the next two days, meteorological department officials said Saturday.

"The very severe cyclonic storm Vayu over northeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea moved west-southwestwards over northeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea, about 180 km west-southwest of Porbandar (Gujarat), 230 km west of Veraval (Gujarat) and 290 km west-northwest of Diu. The system is very likely to move nearly westwards during the next 48 hours and recurve northeastwards thereafter," a meteorological department official in Ahmedabad said.

"The system is moving nearly westwards. However, Porbandar and Devbhoomi Dwarka districts are likely to experience squally winds speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph and Gir Somnath and Junagarh districts with strong winds speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph during next 12 hours decrease subsequently."

According to the official, during the two days Gujarat is very likely to experience an active wet spell and sea conditions are very likely to be very rough to high along and off Gujarat coast until Monday. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into north Arabian Sea and along and off Gujarat coast during this period, officials said.

Authorities in the anticipation of the cyclone had made adequate arrangements and evacuated 300,000 people from the coastal Gujarat and the union territory of Diu. Apart from the National Disaster Response Force, the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force and the Border Security Force were put on high alert and schools and colleges were closed.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 14:18:15|Editor: Wu Qin

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ADDIS ABABA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Friday expressed its "deep concern" over the increasing trend of drug-related crimes in Guinea-Bissau.

The AU urged the authorities of Guinea-Bissau to take appropriate measures to halt the growing problem, which "remains Guinea-Bissau's major security concern and contributes to the instability of the country," the statement said.

The 55-member pan-African bloc also "urged the government of Guinea-Bissau to strengthen the national laws to be able to address the drug-related crimes."

Since the mid-2000s, the illicit cocaine trade has become increasingly active in Guinea-Bissau. The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime referred to the nation as Africa's first "narco-state" in 2008.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 15:03:41|Editor: Li Xia

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NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Seven people including three staff members were killed Saturday due to suffocation after entering septic tank of a hotel in India's western state of Gujarat, police said.

The incident took place in Dabhoi in Vadodara district, 161 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat.

"Seven people, four sanitation workers and three hotel staff, were today choked to death after entering a septic tank at hotel here," a police officer posted in Dabhoi said.

"We are being told initially the four sanitation workers entered inside the tank with the purpose of cleaning it and when they didn't come out, three hotel staff members went inside to look for them and with this all the seven were killed."

Following the incident, police team and firefighters rushed to the spot to retrieve the bodies from the tank.

Police have registered a case and ordered investigations into the deaths.

"A case has been registered against the hotel owner and investigation will follow," the police officer said. "Apparently the deaths have taken place because of inhalation of poisonous gas. The bodies have also been sent for post-mortem."

The incident triggered chaos in the hotel and in the adjoining areas.

Laborers in India usually ignore safety standards during working hours.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 15:33:50|Editor: Li Xia

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LOS ANGELES, June 14 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and three others injured in a shooting incident at a Costco store in the city of Corona, 75 km east of downtown Los Angeles, local CBS news channel reported Friday night.

Witnesses told CBS that the fatal shooting occurred after an altercation between a white man and a lady with her child inside the membership-only warehouse, where seven to eight gunshots were heard.

Police from the city and Riverside county were swarming the area and the Costco was evacuated.

Corona police confirmed the incident was "stabilized" at 9:09 p.m. (0409 GMT Saturday), but did not disclose when the gunfire broke out, what led up to it, how many people were hurt and whether anyone was in custody.

"There is no apparent threat to our community from any outstanding persons. We will release more information as we work to confirm the facts," the Corona Police Department tweeted.

Many witnesses said that there was chaos at the scene since shoppers were trying to escape through the store's emergency doors after hearing gunshots but the doors were locked.

"It's not very fun when you're scared and you're running for your life, and you're trying to open a door that says 'emergency' and they don't open," Navi, a shopper, told local KTLA news channel. "Everybody was freaking out. People were falling over each other."

"Everybody's running around," she said. "It's scary."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 15:59:03|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Aerial photo taken on June 10, 2019 shows Blake Hurst, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, also a corn, soybean and greenhouse farmer, driving a tractor in his field in Tarkio, Missouri, the United States. The combined uncertainty caused by an unusually wet spring and the U.S.-initiated trade tensions with China is putting Midwestern farmers on edge, said a U.S. farm leader, who fears a recovery could drag on for months or even years.(Xinhua/Liu Jie)

by Xiong Maoling and Hu Yousong

TARKIO, the United States, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The combined uncertainty caused by an unusually wet spring and the U.S.-initiated trade tensions with China is putting Midwestern farmers on edge, said a U.S. farm leader, who fears a recovery could drag on for months or even years.

Blake Hurst, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, told Xinhua in a recent interview that several rounds of flooding in the Midwest since late March have significantly delayed planting operations and could lower crop yields this year.

"We've had maybe four times our normal amount of rain in the last six weeks in here. And that's been the same all of the Midwest," said Hurst, also a corn, soybean and greenhouse farmer in Tarkio, Atchison County, northwest Missouri. Such a widespread flooding throughout the Midwest is the worst he can remember.

According to the latest weekly crop progress report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 83 percent of the corn crop had been planted as of Sunday, well behind the 99 percent five-year average. The data also show that soybean growers had only planted 60 percent of acreage as of June 9, far below a five-year average of 88 percent.

Hurst, who has 40-plus years of farming experience, said corn should ideally be planted by the first week of May, and a one-month delay could cut the normal yield by roughly 20 percent, as there might not be enough time for it to mature before the frost hits the ground.

"It will hurt our yields a great deal," said Hurst, who is also a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation board of directors.

Hurst said some 8 to 10 million acres (about 3.2 million hectare to 4 million hectare) of corn might not be planted at all, as the rain-soaked fields might not dry out before the planting window closes. And if soybeans don't get planted by next week, farmers will start to lose yield as well.

But what concerns Hurst is more than the potentially reduced yields. After such catastrophic floods, it would take "some time" for the affected farmers to recover, he said, as they need to repair levees, restore drainage ditches, clean up debris, remove tree limbs, and deal with sand deposits, among others.

It could take the farmers up to three or four years to fully recover, Hurst said, adding that some farms won't be able to recover after "taking such a financial hit."

The financial hit is certainly compounded by the U.S.-China trade tensions, which have drained the demand for U.S. agricultural products, especially soybeans, and caused prices to plummet. "It has made a big difference to farmers' income over the several months the trade tensions have been going on," he said.

Hurst's family owns 6,000 acres (2,428 hectare) of land, usually split between corn and soybean. The farm produces 150,000 bushels of soybeans a year, but with the price drop, he said his gross income would suffer a loss of 250,000 dollars in 2019.

In Atchison County, a farming community of about 5,000 people, farmers will be looking at a decline of 10 million dollars in gross income this year, Hurst said.

Hurst believes that restoring the farming industry from the damage of trade tensions is not just a matter of time. "The question has to be, are we losing these markets permanently?" he said, adding that the U.S.-initiated trade tensions in some ways made Washington appear "not as a dependable supplier."

"I would not be surprised if our customers look elsewhere," he said. "We'll be paying for this for years."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 16:19:11|Editor: Li Xia

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LOS ANGELES, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A Los Angeles federal judge preliminarily approved a 215-million-U.S.-dollar class-action settlement over alleged sexual abuse by former University of Southern California (USC) gynecologist George Tyndall.

In an open letter issued to the university's community Thursday, USC Interim President Wanda Austin announced the judge's decision, saying the money will compensate individuals who received women's health services from Tyndall at the Student Health Center.

Previous media reports suggested that as many as 17,000 women who were treated by the gynecologist between August 1989 and June 2016 could qualify for the settlement.

Their compensation will range from 2,500 dollars to 250,000 dollars, the university said.

Austin said the settlement included more stipulations for the university, including the appointment of an independent women's health advocate, pre-hiring background checks for all new personnel and other measures to prevent sexual misconduct.

"This settlement will provide relief to those who were affected by this difficult experience. It is an important milestone for those former patients seeking certain resolution without reliving their painful experiences," said the letter.

"I hope the independent female health advocate can really keep his or her responsibility and investigate any complaints of improper conduct to the end," said 30-year-old Erica Ma, a graduate from the USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

The settlement, which could get its final approval at a hearing next January, will be one of the largest settlements to be reached by a U.S. university facing accusations of sexual misconduct.

Tyndall was a gynecologist at the university's student health center for almost 30 years. He was fired in 2017 after complaints of sexual misconduct and racist language.

Those accusations included groping patients, penetrating them digitally, taking photographs of their bodies and exposing himself. Tyndall denies any wrongdoing.

The Los Angeles Times has reported that some colleagues of Tyndall feared the gynecologist was targeting Asian students.

According to the Deng Law Center in Los Angeles, at least three former Chinese students of the university joined the lawsuits against the USC last May.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said it "has received a total of 99 crime reports" about Tyndall from the Los Angeles Police Department, but Tyndall hasn't been criminally charged and denies wrongdoing so far.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 16:19:12|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Whether China and the United States would see a turnaround in trade negotiations around the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) Osaka summit, clearly, the prospect entirely depends on the actions of the United States.

If the U.S. side would honor its commitment, deliver on the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries in Argentina and solve China's core concerns on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect, it is highly possible that the turnaround will happen.

But if some people in the United States continue to exert maximum pressure on China and continue to utter in an unstable and immature manner, it is only wishful thinking that the negotiations would see progress.

Experiences in the past year have proved that China is able to withstand U.S. pressure and can afford it in the long run.

The tariffs imposed by the United States on the Chinese products have exerted little impact on the Chinese economy. Leading indicators show that China's economy remains resilient in May driven by brisk growth in domestic consumption. In the first five months of the year, foreign trade volume bucked the external headwinds and continued expanding.

For more than a year, the Chinese economy has stood the test of trade frictions with the United States, and the good momentum will continue.

Facing U.S. trade bullying, China has intensified countermeasures. By introducing the unreliable entities list and national technological security management list system and issuing U.S. travel alerts, China stands ready for a protracted trade war with the United States. China has ample ammunition, and releasing more countermeasures will be a regular practice.

The U.S. side should know that if it escalates its threat against China and its blocking of China's industries, China will only fight back even harder. China's determination and will to fight the trade war until the end should never be underestimated.

The upcoming G20 meeting is an opportunity to see whether the United States has real sincerity to solve the conflict. If not, China's sincerity could be squandered.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 16:29:17|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Facial recognition technology has been helping with searching for missing persons in China, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

In 2018, the country's homeless service facilities began to use a facial recognition system, which performed 201,198 operations during the year, identifying 6,493 missing persons, according to the ministry.

The ministry also cooperates with a domestic news app to send targeted pushes of missing person information to users based on their locations. Information about 36,889 missing persons has been sent since 2016, helping find 7,456 people.

China had 34,805 homeless people living in homeless shelters and other social welfare institutions as of the end of May last year, nearly 30 percent less than the figure by the end of April in 2017.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 16:34:20|Editor: Xiang Bo

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ATLANTA, United States, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Jimmy Carter, the former U.S. president who helped set the China-U.S. diplomatic relationship in motion forty years ago, was recognized for his crucial role in an award ceremony this week.

The George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, also known as the Bush China Foundation, bestowed its inaugural George H. W. Bush Award for Statesmanship in U.S.-China Relations on Carter, saying he made "profound contributions to the development of constructive and mutually beneficial relations" between the two countries.

At the award ceremony held at the Carter Center here on Wednesday, speakers took the opportunity to look back at how Carter helped normalize what would be considered the most important bilateral relationship in the world, and reaffirm the importance of this bilateral relationship for the peoples of the two countries as well as the world forty years on.

"President Carter displayed tremendous vision in normalizing U.S.-China relations," said Neil Bush, son of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, on behalf of the Bush China Foundation.

"President Carter took bold and politically courageous action to establish formal diplomatic relations between our nations. That decision not only transformed U.S.-China relations, but indeed quite literally changed the world and for the better," Bush said, explaining why Carter was chosen as the first recipient of the award.

"Intuitively, President Carter understood that normalization was about the long game," Bush said.

Carter, who suffered a fall and underwent subsequent surgery last month, was not present at the ceremony in person. His son Chip Carter received the award in his place.

Chip Carter recalled that normalizing the relationship with China had been a priority for his father going into the presidency, and that an official delegation including Chip Carter was dispatched to China to meet with its top and local officials less than three months into Carter's presidency.

The speakers noted that the statesmanship the two former presidents demonstrated in developing the U.S.-China relationship should be an example for modern-day leaders, as some in Washington are trying to pit the two countries against each other.

"President Bush categorically rejected the notion that China is an enemy or adversary of our nation. On the contrary, he laid out a powerful vision of U.S.-China full partnership and friendship," said David Firestein, president and CEO of the Bush China Foundation, in his remarks.

"Many of us here today are alarmed as President Bush was at the increasing shrillness and anger that we now hear in the rhetoric about China in some U.S. elite circles. President Bush held the view that anger did not make for good policy," Firestein warned.

Firestein noted that both presidents, Carter and Bush, attached great importance to the China-U.S. relationship, and called on Washington to "heed the wise counsel" of the two presidents.

Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to the United States, echoed Firestein in saying there "are yet some irrational dialogues about our relationship."

"Some are clamoring for a decoupling of the two countries and even a new cold war. These attempts are not only questioning the achievements we have made over the past four decades and challenging the very tangible outcomes of our cooperation, but also putting the future of our relations and the prospects for global stability and prosperity at great risk," Cui said.

Ambassador Mary Ann Peters, CEO of the Carter Center, said there is great potential for the two countries to cooperate.

Peters said an idea for a deconfliction committee among countries with a military presence in Djibouti, including the United States and China, has been "turned into a reality with discussion ongoing about how to institutionalize regular meetings."

Firestein said the award would continue to be bestowed and that it would not be limited to U.S. citizens.Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The U.S. is looking to build an "international consensus" around Thursday's tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman that the U.S. has blamed squarely on Iran. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the attack, Iranian small boats have prevented salvage tugs from moving one of the damaged ships to a port, according to a U.S. official.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan highlighted to reporters on Friday that the attacks were not only a "U.S. situation," saying the focus now is to "build international consensus to this international problem."

"When you look at the situation, a Norwegian ship, Japanese ship, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE..." Shanahan said, listing some the countries that owned ships attacked in Middle Eastern waters Thursday and in another attack a few weeks prior.

"Fifteen percent of the world's oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz," Shanahan continued. "So, we obviously need to make contingency plans should the situation deteriorate, but we also need to broaden our support for this international situation."

He said the effort to declassify intelligence and release it publicly was part of the effort to build international consensus.

On Thursday evening, U.S. Central Command released video taken from a U.S. Navy P-8 surveillance aircraft showing what they said were Iranian small boats attempting to remove an unexploded mine from the side of the Kokuka Courageous -- one of the two ships attacked earlier that day. CENTCOM also released images of that ship, showing where one mine had exploded and another had not.

In a statement, the United Kingdom's Foreign Office said it was almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military -- the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps -- attacked the two tankers," adding that "no other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible."

But the German Foreign Minister was not as convinced, saying video released by CENTCOM was "not enough" for Germany to make a final assessment.

Iranian officials have flatly denied any involvement in the attacks.

Iranian interference in aftermath of tanker attacks

In the day following the attacks, Iranian small boats have prevented salvage tugs from towing the other damaged ship, the Front Altair, as they had been contracted to do, a U.S. official told ABC News.

The Front Altair suffered significant damage after the explosion of two to three mines triggered a massive fire on board the ship. While it was feared that that tanker would sink, officials said it now appears salvageable. But the salvage tugs have been told by Iranians that they cannot move the tanker, the official said.

The 23 mariners on board the Front Altair were rescued shortly after Thursday's attack by the Hyundai Dubai, but Iranians aboard small boats quickly demanded the crew be turned over to their custody. The master of the Hyundai Dubai contacted the headquarters of his shipping company in Seoul and was instructed not to turn the crew over to the Iranians. However, the ship's master felt he had no choice to comply with the Iranian demands. So the crew was taken to an Iranian port where they remained on Friday.

While the owners of the Front Altair said the mariners would be repatriated, there have been no indications yet from Iran that that is the case.

According to a separate U.S. official, crew members from the Kokuka Courageous returned to their tanker very early Friday morning and contracted a tug to pull the ship back to the United Arab Emirates.

Several Iranian small boats and an Iranian tug offered assistance, but that assistance was declined by the ships master. As the Iranians on those vessels kept insisting that they wanted to assist, the U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Bainbridge, made a bridge to bridge communication with the Iranians and told them that no assistance was required. The official added that the Iranians did not try to force themselves onto the ship because of the Bainbridges presence.

On Thursday, it was the Bainbridge that rescued the Kokuka Courageous's 21-person crew, treating minor injuries.

The Bainbridge, along with another U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Mason, remain near the Kokuka Courageous. The USS Lincoln carrier strike group, which was deployed to the Middle East in response to threat streams emanating from Iran in early May, is also in the vicinity.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 16:54:36|Editor: Li Xia

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JAKARTA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A boat with dozens of people on board sank in waters off central Indonesia on Saturday, leaving two people dead and five others missing, a rescuer said.

KM Motor Nusa Kenari 02 went down in waters off Alor district of East Nusa Tenggara province, said Yusuf Latief, media officer of the national search and rescue office.

Tidal waves are to blame for the incident which was indicated by damages at the upper parts of the boat, he told Xinhua via phone.

The wreckage of the boat was stranded on the coast, said the official.

A total of 54 others survived the incident while search and rescue efforts have been underway, the rescuer said.

The survivors rescued themselves by swimming, said Yusuf.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 17:04:41|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Two-thirds of Chinese parents encourage their teenagers to take part in outdoor activities to avoid short video addiction, according to a poll published by the China Youth Daily.

Of the 1,974 parents surveyed, 64.8 percent suggest that parents should set a good example by not watching videos when their children are present.

About 36.8 percent of those surveyed hold that parents should take more responsibility when dealing with teenagers' addiction to short videos, while 26.1 percent believe that it is the short video platforms that should play a more active role in the issue.

Online video platforms are able to use technological means to prevent teenagers from indulging in short videos, Zhu Wei, an associate professor from the China University of Political Science and Law, was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

Currently, about 21 online video platforms have launched systems designed to prevent addiction among adolescent viewers by restricting the time they can spend online and providing adolescent-friendly content.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 17:24:50|Editor: Xiang Bo

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NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The strike of doctors in India's eastern state of West Bengal on Saturday entered the fifth straight day as local government's efforts to woo them back could not materialize, officials said.

With protesting doctors refusing to join the duties, health services in the government-run hospitals are remaining the worst-hit.

"With the strike of junior doctors healthcare is affected in at least 13 big government hospitals here," a senior local government official from the health department in Kolkata said. "The efforts from the government to end the impasse are yet to bring out desired results."

The striking doctors are getting support from the fellow colleagues in other parts of the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Kerala, Bhopal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

On Friday, the striking doctors refused to meet the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following her invitation to them to break the stand-off.

"The doctors refused to meet the chief minister, demanding an unconditional apology from chief minister and action against those who attacked the doctor on duty," the official said. "They also put up six conditions for withdrawal of their strike."

On Thursday, Banerjee issued an ultimatum to the doctors to return to the duty. She also blamed opposition party Communist Party of India-Marxist and Bhartiya Janta Party for the strike. The posturing of Banerjee worsened the situation and met open defiance.

Reports said nearly 300 doctors resigned from the government hospitals in West Bengal on Friday amid protest. The agitation began from Kolkata's NRS hospital where a junior doctor was allegedly assaulted by the relatives of a patient who had died. The doctor suffered a head injury.

The doctors in other parts of the country also staged protests in solidarity with the doctors of West Bengal. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) directed its members in all its state branches to stage protests and wear black badges on Friday as a mark of solidarity with the striking doctors in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi Saturday again were seen treating patients wearing helmets and donning bandages on their foreheads as a symbol of solidarity with the doctor that was attacked in West Bengal.

Many doctors at several government hospitals here, who could not join nationwide strike on Friday, staged protests on Saturday. Reports said doctors at the government-run Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, RML Hospital and Delhi government facilities such as Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and DDU Hospital, boycotted the work and held protests.

The AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the West Bengal government to end the stalemate, failing which they also would join the indefinite strike.

"All resident doctors are back to work but we will continue with symbolic protest by wearing black badges, bandages and helmets. If condition worsens we will go on indefinite strike from June 17," President of Resident Doctors' Association at AIIMS Amrinder Singh Malhi told media.

Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday urged the doctors across the country "to end the strike" and appealed to Banerjee "not make this a prestige issue."

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi Friday night said he called on Banarjee to discuss the issue but there was "no response" from her side.

Meanwhile, a senior government official on condition of anonymity said the efforts to end the strike were underway.

"The option of talks is still open and we are hopeful we will be able to bring the striking doctors on the table to break the ice," the official said.

Reports said Banerjee is likely to visit the injured doctor on Saturday.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 17:39:59|Editor: Xiang Bo

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NAIROBI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Newly appointed executive director of UN Environment Inger Andersen officially took over her duty in Nairobi on Friday and vowed to prioritize greater action on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution during her four-year tenure.

Andersen, a Danish national and environmentalist expressed optimism that it is possible for humanity to fix the environmental problems with the help of science, the UN Environment said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Saturday.

"Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution in all its forms pose a clear and present danger to human and planetary health and to prosperity," she said.

"I am proud and excited to begin work at the UN Environment Programme in beautiful Kenya at a critical time for humanity. Good environmental stewardship has never been more important," she added.

Andersen noted that what remains now is increased action by governments, private sector engagement and the youths.

"I am committed to work with all partners and donors, to define the priorities of an organization that is central to our aspirations of a sustainable and equitable world," she added.

The new UN Environment head called for unity to help fight challenges that threaten a healthy environment that allows all of humanity to thrive.

Andersen was nominated for the post by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and approved by the General Assembly in February.

By the time of her appointment, she was the director general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

She replaces Erik Solheim who stepped down at the end of last year. Joyce Msuya, deputy executive director has been serving in an acting capacity since the departure of Solheim.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 17:45:01|Editor: Xiang Bo

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WAJIR, Kenya, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan security forces are pursuing al-Shabab militants who abducted three national police reservists after storming a local center in Wajir county along the Somalia border, officials said on Saturday.

A senior police officer said the heavily armed militants believed to have crossed from Somalia on Thursday evening stormed Konton center in all directions targeting the police reservists and escaped with a motorbike and rickshaw (tuk-tuk) widely used for urban transport.

"Al-Shabab stormed Konton center in Wajir east in all direction targeting national police reservists in the center at around 4:30pm on Thursday. The police reservists fought the al-Shabab who were many in numbers while locals were fleeing the town," said the police who declined to be named.

"The police reservists after running out with ammunition of two magazines ran away. Al-Shabab kidnapped three police reservists and took with them a motorbike and a tuk-tuk belonging to area chief's brother," he added.

He said security operation to rescue the kidnapped police reservists and recover the stolen motorbike and a rickshaw is underway.

The attack happened despite heightened security around the country with security agencies in an unprecedented state of alert.

The attack came two days after Kenya indefinitely closed its border with Somalia in the coastal Lamu region.

The decision was reached as security operations in the area intensified. Border villages and residents have also been banned from cross-border trade.

Lamu County Police Commander Muchangi Kioi said the border which was closed on Tuesday will only remain open to security officers.

Kenya's northeastern region has borne the brunt of grenade and gun attacks in the last several years since Kenya took its troops to Somalia to fight the al-Shabab militia group.

Many people, majority of them non locals have as a result lost their lives with others left with permanent injuries.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 17:50:03|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MOGADISHU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said Saturday it plans to ensure recovered areas from al-Shabab militants enjoy security to enable residents overcome their fear of the militants.

A delegation of the AU mission, which visited Bariire in Lower Shabelle region in South West State of Somalia to conduct a rapid needs and security assessment of the situation on the ground following the recovery of the town from al-Shabab, revealed the need to guarantee the locals of their security.

"In order for the local community to overcome their fear of the militants, there is a need to guarantee their security. We have to ensure that al-Shabab militants are not going to come and terrorize the people," Abdul Diabagate, head of AMISOM's humanitarian liaison unit said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

Diagabate said the local community is beginning to regain confidence and return to the area, to resume their daily lives, owing to the presence of AMISOM and Somalia National Army (SNA) forces.

Bariire, the agricultural rich area, was recently recovered from the terrorist group al-Shabab in a joint operation by the SNA with the support of AMISOM forces.

However, more than a month after its capture, Barire is largely deserted town, though communities are beginning to return, said the AU mission.

The AMISOM delegation noted that transport movement in the district is a nightmare after fleeing militants blew up an important bridge, virtually cutting off a section of Bariire district.

Diagabate said there was an urgent need to rebuild the bridge. During a guided tour of the town, the delegation guarded by SNA and AMISOM troops met and interacted with a few members of the population who had just recently returned.

In Bariire, the SNA and AMISOM troops live in one camp, from where they plan and conduct joint operations. Patrick Opira, the Commander of Ugandan AMISOM forces in Bariire said the population is now gaining confidence and gradually returning to their homes and farms in the area.

"The situation is gradually improving due to the consolidation process that we have been consistently doing. We sit on a daily basis with the commander of the SNA to plan and send out patrols to exploit places further from our base and this has improved the security situation in the area," said Opira.File photo shows the port of Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania. (Xinhua/Guo Chunju)

DAR ES SALAAM, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The government of Tanzania said on Friday the expansion of the Dar es Salaam port by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) will enable it to handle large vessels ferrying up to 6,000 containers when the project will be completed.

Isack Kamelwe, the east African nation's Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, told the visiting Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi that the port was currently handling ships with a capacity of ferrying between 3,000 and 4,000 containers.

"But after completion of the project, the port will have the capacity to handle vessels carrying up to 6,000 containers," Kamelwe told the visiting DRC leader.

The minister said expansion of the port will not only benefit Tanzania but also its neighboring landlocked countries, including the DRC.

The project being undertaken at the port by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd includes improving the port's capacity by expansion of berths, he said.

"We are doing all in our capacity to improve the port's efficiency," said Kamelwe.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 18:10:11|Editor: Xiang Bo

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DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged Asian countries and their partners to join hands in opening up new prospects for Asian security and development under new circumstances.

Addressing the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Tajikistan, Xi called on CICA members to uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and explore a regional security structure with Asian features to realize collective security for Asia.

Calling Asia one of the most dynamic and most promising regions in the world, Xi said Asian countries also face common challenges including insufficient political mutual trust, imbalanced economic development, and outstanding security and governance issues, and thus there is a long way to go to realize long-lasting peace and shared prosperity.

Hailing the progress made by Asian countries in building an Asian community with a shared future in the past few years, Xi encouraged CICA members to hold on to their goals, jointly seize opportunities and address challenges, and make concerted efforts in opening up new prospects for Asian security and development under the new circumstances.

Building a prosperous Asia is a shared aspiration of Asian countries, and development is the key to all problems, Xi said, adding that CICA members should work together to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and ink regional integration documents such as Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership at an early date.

Building an open and inclusive Asia is a common pursuit of Asian countries, said Xi. He urged CICA members to well implement the consensus reached at the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in May in Beijing, and develop a vision of civilizations based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness.

Speaking of China's role, Xi pledged to steadfastly pursue a peaceful development path and share development opportunities with all parties, especially through Belt and Road cooperation and more conveniences in market access.

He also called for equal dialogue based on mutual respect and adherence to multilateral trade rules in addressing economic and trade problems, stressing that relevant sides should never readily resort to protectionism and unilateralism.

Xi arrived here Friday for the CICA summit and a state visit to Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 18:30:26|Editor: Li Xia

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DAMASCUS, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish forces brought in military units to observation points it maintains in northern Syria on Saturday, a war monitor reported.

A total of 35 military vehicles entered early on Saturday the Syrian territory in the countryside of Idlib and Hama provinces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The new deployment comes two weeks after the Turkish side deployed troops to the observation points in Hama and Idlib countryside.

The development comes a day after Turkish reports said that Syrian troops attacked a Turkish observation point in Idlib.

It's worth noting that the Turkish forces maintain several observation points in Idlib, as this province, as well as rebel-held areas in the surrounding of Idlib such as in Latakia and Hama as well as Aleppo countryside areas, are included in a de-escalation zones' deal.

The de-escalation zones' deal was reached between Russia and Turkey in last September.

Under the deal, the ultra-radical groups should evacuate their areas and hand over their heavy weapons.

However, the al-Qaida-linked militant groups expanded and captured the entire Idlib area and engaged in battles with the Syrian Army and these battles evolved into a full showdown that has started in late April.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 18:45:34|Editor: Lu Hui

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Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan addresses the opening ceremony of the second China-Russia local cooperation forum in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, June 15, 2019. Wang attended the sixth China-Russia Exposition and the opening ceremony of the second China-Russia local cooperation forum from June 14 to 15 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, and met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

HARBIN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan attended the sixth China-Russia Exposition from June 14 to 15 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, and met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov.

When addressing the opening ceremony of the second China-Russia local cooperation forum Saturday morning, Wang said the Exposition and the Forum are of important significance, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the two heads of state recently agreed to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

The relationship has gone through an extraordinary process of 70 years and enjoys the highest level of mutual trust, coordination and strategic value among the ties between major countries, said Wang.

"We should strengthen the guidance to release the effectiveness of local cooperation platforms and actively promote the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, in accordance with the important consensus of the two heads of state," he said.

Wang expected the two sides to optimize pragmatic cooperation environment, promote trade and investment facilitation and conduct cooperation in some key areas such as equipment manufacturing, agriculture and forestry development, industrial park construction, transportation and logistics. He also called for closer people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov said at the opening ceremony of the forum that although bilateral local cooperation has achieved remarkable results, it still has great potential. The Russian side is willing to constructively expand new areas within various local cooperation mechanisms to realize new progress with the times.

Earlier Saturday morning, Wang and Akimov together visited the Russia pavilion at the exposition.

Wang also met with Akimov Friday afternoon in Harbin. Wang said relevant departments, localities and people of various circles shall work hard to deepen economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and cooperation at local levels and score tangible win-win results.

Akimov said the Russian side is ready to expand cooperation on economy, trade, agriculture, energy resources and new technology, in accordance with the cooperation goals set by the two heads of state.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 19:00:43|Editor: Li Xia

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WAJIR, Kenya, June 15 (Xinhua) -- At least eight Kenyan police officers were killed and five others injured in an explosive attack in Wajir county along the border with Somalia, the police said Saturday.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 19:15:50|Editor: Li Xia

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TALUQAN, Afghanistan, June 15 (Xinhua) -- At least eight armed militants were killed and five others injured, after army aircraft targeted the Taliban militants in Afghanistan's northern province of Takhar on Saturday, an army spokesman said.

"Army aircrafts dropped bombs on Taliban's gathering in Eshkamish district of Takhar province early Saturday, killing eight militants and injuring five others," Abdul Hadi Jamal, an army spokesman in northern provinces told Xinhua.

Taliban militants who have besieged the strategically important Eshkamsih district over the past few days have yet to make comment.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 19:15:52|Editor: mingmei

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An exhibitor (R) introduces a product to a visitor at the 6th China-Russia Expo held in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, June 15, 2019. The 6th China-Russia Expo kicked off here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

HARBIN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Sixth China-Russia Expo opened Saturday in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, with a focus on promoting China-Russia cooperation at local levels.

The five-day event has attracted more than 1,700 enterprises from 74 countries and regions, according to the organizing committee.

Wang Yingchun, head of the Heilongjiang provincial council for the promotion of international trade, said a total of 1,246 enterprises from China and 137 enterprises from Russia have signed up for the event.

Andrei Ostrovsky, deputy director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said on the sidelines of the expo that the event provided a platform for Chinese and Russian enterprises to deepen cooperation, and Russia's Siberia and Far East hoped to seize the opportunities brought by the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

The China-Russia Expo has served as an important platform for bilateral economic and trade cooperation since it was first launched in Harbin in 2014. Last year, the expo was held in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.

Wu Zhengping, head of the Trade Development Bureau of China's Ministry of Commerce, said he hoped this year's expo would help Chinese and Russian enterprises further cooperate in mining, forestry, tourism, technology, education and finance.

Bilateral trade between China and Russia has seen rapid growth in recent years. China has been Russia's largest trading partner for eight consecutive years, and the bilateral trade volume exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars last year.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Russia. Earlier this month, the two countries agreed to upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 19:20:54|Editor: Li Xia

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A chef takes part in a cooking contest in Gaza City, June 14, 2019. Nine participants competed in the final round of the "Smile Kitchen Talent" competition, which was organized for the first time in the Gaza Strip. The contestants were divided into three groups, namely Western, Oriental and Pastry cooking groups, to prepare their dishes in 90 minutes. (Xinhua/Stringer)

GAZA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- "It was my first step to achieve my dream to be a global chef," Sarah Nowfal said to Xinhua while she was preparing her eastern dish in a competition for cooking talents.

Nowfal was one of nine participants competing in the final round of the "Smile Kitchen Talent" competition, which was organized for the first time in the Gaza Strip.

The nine contestants were divided into three groups, namely Western, Oriental and Pastry cooking groups, to prepare their dishes in 90 minutes.

In May, the "Smile Kitchen" center, an academic center aiming to teach talented chefs the arts of eastern and western cooking in the Gaza city, announced that they are going to organize a competition for cooking talents.

The competition came under the auspices of the Palestinian Chefs Club, which is a member of the International Chefs Association.

"It consisted of 70 participants of both genders, 20 of whom reached the pre-final stage, while only nine contestants qualified for the final stage," chef Warif Qasem told Xinhua.

Qasem, one of the jury members of the competition, said that each competitor in the finals had a black box that contained the basic ingredients of the food such as meat, rice, legumes, flour, spices, oil and sugar, to prepare their special dishes in only 90 minutes.

"This is the first time that a cooking competition was organized in the Gaza Strip. Despite the challenges we faced, especially in the light of the shortage of electricity, and the Israeli blockade," he said.

"Professional cooking, the way the food is prepared, the presentation and the handling of kitchen utensils are the criteria upon which the jury has decided to select contestants who have reached the finals," Qasem said.

He pointed out that the winner will be officially admitted to the club of Palestinian chefs, and provided a job opportunity in the field where he or she can create new varieties of food.

Such competitions are rarely held in the Gaza Strip, which has been besieged by Israel since 2006.

Israel imposed a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip right after Hamas movement violently seized control of the enclave in 2007. Since then, the economy in the enclave has been deteriorating and has created a hard living situation for its people.

For his part, Ziad Al-Rabie, director of the competition, praised the event despite the difficulties that the participants faced.

"Despite the difficulties we faced during the competition, especially in light of the lack of support and sponsorship from private institutions, we succeeded in hosting this competition with limited resources," he said.

After 90 minutes, the contestants finished preparing the dishes and presented them to the jury members for evaluation.

The audience also voted in the finals for their favorite contestants.

The competition ended with three winners, Sobhia Abu Hasira in the group of sweets and pastries, Suha Sharaf of Oriental cooking, and Saja Abu Sahaban of Western cooking.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 19:30:59|Editor: Li Xia

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KATHMANDU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Three Indian laborers were killed and three other Indian laborers were injured when a portion of an under-construction building collapsed in Dang district of Nepal, 350 km south of Kathmandu, on Saturday morning, the government official said here.

Chief of the Dang District Administration Govinda Prasad Rijal told Xinhua that the incident occurred when the portion of the under-construction building of Samrat Cement Factory collapsed at around 1:00 a.m.

The deceased Indian nationals came from the Indian state of Jharkhand, officials said.

Those injured were rescued and rushed to local hospitals for treatment.

The general manager of the factory Remanta Dhakal told local media that the incident occurred when the laborers were working to set up the sixth floor of the under-construction building.

"Three Indian workers died on the spot after falling off from the under-construction building while three sustained injuries. We immediately rushed them to hospital," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 19:56:08|Editor: mingmei

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Visitors view traditional fans during the "Poetic Jiangnan: Style of China" exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, June 14, 2019. After visiting Russia, Japan and the United States, the "Dynamic Shanghai" event has made the long-anticipated return to Belgium with the "Poetic Jiangnan: Style of China" exhibition here at the China Cultural Centre. (Xinhua/Pan Geping)

BRUSSELS, June 15 (Xinhua) -- After visiting Russia, Japan and the United States, the "Dynamic Shanghai" event has made the long-anticipated return to Belgium with the "Poetic Jiangnan: Style of China" exhibition here at the China Cultural Centre.

"Although it is an industrial, financial and commercial megalopolis of China, Shanghai is also active in developing and sharing its traditional and modern culture," said Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Cao Zhongming at the opening ceremony on Friday.

Belgian Minister of Budget, Civil Service and Administrative Simplification in the Government of the French Community, Andre Flahaut, attended the ceremony with some 120 invited guests.

Representatives from the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality have visited Belgium on four previous occasions to promote the city internationally through multiple cultural events around the world and encourage new opportunities for collaboration.

"Discovering Shanghai means falling under the spell of its poetry and dynamism. This dynamism is sure to inspire vacations and desires for travel," said Belgian Minister Flahaut.

The exhibition's focal point lies in showcasing the evolution of Chinese ink painting and reflecting the contemporary image of Shanghai and Jiangnan cultures, presenting iconic symbols of the city all animated by a series of typical Shanghai activities.

Several generations of Chinese ink artists from a group of core academic institutions in Shanghai are convened for their deep understanding and inheritance of the essence of Chinese traditional culture with the purpose of sharing this art with the European public.

It is organized on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and unites exhibition, tradition and modernity.

The exhibition will be open to the general public from June 17 to 21 at the Cultural Centre of China in Brussels, before continuing its tour next week in Hungary.

This is the fourth time that the Municipality of Shanghai has visited Belgium over the past 5 years to present the "Dynamic Shanghai".Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:06:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, here on Saturday, agreeing to promote bilateral cooperation on the sidelines of the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

Xi said that he highly values China-Turkey relations and is willing to work with Erdogan to translate bilateral friendship into mutual trust, and constantly open new chapters in promoting the China-Turkey strategic cooperative relationship.

China and Turkey should give each other firm support on issues that touch their respective core interests and major concerns, and step up the anti-terrorism cooperation, Xi said.

Calling Turkey a traditional Silk Road country, Xi said that China stands ready to enhance their mutually beneficial cooperation within the Belt and Road framework.

The Chinese president also called on the two countries, both important members of the Group of 20 (G20), to strengthen their communication and coordination on multilateral arenas such as the G20.

Agreeing with Xi, Erdogan said that Turkey attaches great importance to relations with China, adding that Turkey is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges between the two countries and expand their cooperation in economy, trade, finance, infrastructure construction and other fields.

The Belt and Road Initiative is very important to Turkey, he said, adding that his country is willing to actively participate in its joint construction and cooperation.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:11:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani here on Saturday, pledging to deepen political mutual trust and boost cooperation between the two nations.

Voicing his appreciation for Tamim's commitment to promoting the bilateral ties, Xi recalled the emir's state visit to China in January this year during which the two heads of state had an in-depth exchange of views and reached extensive consensus on developing the China-Qatar strategic partnership under new circumstances.

During Saturday's meeting on the sidelines of the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, Xi said China and Qatar should consolidate their political mutual trust and continue understanding and supporting each other on issues involving their core interests.

The two sides should accelerate the all-round cooperation in energy, trade and economy, infrastructure construction, investment, the fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications and other areas, said the Chinese president.

On the cooperation on fighting terrorism, Xi expressed gratitude to the Qatari side for its support for China's counter-terrorism and de-extremization efforts, stressing that the Chinese side stands ready to step up coordination and cooperation with Qatar in multilateral affairs.

Tamim hailed the strategic significance of the Qatar-China relationship, calling his China visit in January a great success.

The Qatari side is ready to work with China to boost cooperation in key areas including investment and energy, as well as increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges, Tamim said.

Qatar firmly supports China's push to safeguard sovereignty and fight against terrorism, said the emir. He spoke highly of China's fair stance on international affairs, where the Chinese side upholds that disputes should be resolved through dialogue between nations, and pledged to increase coordination with the Chinese side in multilateral affairs.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:11:23|Editor: Li Xia

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KATHMANDU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Seasoned mountain climber Lakpa Sherpa had made debut in climbing Mt. Qomolangma by reaching the top of the mountain on May 23, 2010 from the Chinese side of the mountain by taking US climbers.

Since then, the 28-year old man has not looked back in his climbing career, reaching the top of the world's tallest mountain seven times already, twice as a member of rope fixing team. He has already climbed K2 (8611m) in Pakistan, the world's second tallest peak, twice from attempted four, Mt. Makalu in Nepal twice, Mt. Lhotse in Nepal once, all peaks above 8000 meters.

He has also climbed other mountains of Nepal below 8000 meters also reaching the top of Muztagata (7509m) peak located in western Xinjiang of China.

Now, he is recognized as one of the safest hands in taking the mountaineers to top of high mountains around the world.

During the course of his climbing career, he also took many Chinese climbers including some famous names to the summit of several mountains including Mt. Qomolangma. He worked as a guide for famous Chinese climber-Luo Jing when he led a Chinese expedition team to the top of Mt. Manaslu in 2011. It was the first successful attempt on eight-thousander and later summitted all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters of the world.

Likewise, Lakpa was the guide for another famous Chinese climber Yang Chunfeng to climb K2 in 2012. Unfortunately, Yang Chunfeng was killed in a terrorist attack in Pakistan in 2013 at the foot of Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain in the western anchor of the Himalayas, when an expedition team involving Yang Chunfeng was preparing to climb the mountain.

Being guide to these famous names exposed Lakpa to the wider mountaineering community in China. Ever since, he has already led over 200 Chinese climbers to the top of different high mountains so far.

Lakpa, who is now managing director of Pioneer Adventure, mountaineering and trekking company established in 2016, has maintained very good client base in China. "My company has the largest client base in China. The Chinese climbers occupy 50 percent of my total client base in mountaineering," Lakpa told Xinhua in an interview this week. His company took nine Chinese climbers to the top of the Mt. Qomolangma this spring season.

Lakpa feels that he has made himself recognized in China after working with many Chinese climbers over the years. In fact, it was difficult for him to communicate with Chinese climbers initially because of language. "I used to rely more on sign language to communicate with them," Lakpa revealed.

Based on the advice of Chinese climbers, he learnt Chinese language which has been the handy for him to communicate with Chinese clients. In his experiences, the Chinese climbers want Chinese food during the expedition on the mountains. "So, I arrange Chinese cooks for them," revealed Lakpa.

In the recent years, the number of Chinese along with Indian citizens willing to climb Nepal's highest mountains is growing rapidly. Most of them aim to reach the top of Mt. Qomolangma.

According to Nepal's Department of Tourism, it permitted a total of 67 Chinese nationals to climb Mt. Qomolangma this spring season as they came third behind climbers from India (78) and the US (75) in receiving climbing permits.

The department has not confirmed how many Chinese climbers reached the top of Mt. Qomolangma. It said that a total 659 climbers and their assistants reached the summit of the world's highest peak.

"The number of Chinese climbers is still low compared to Chinese population," Lakpa said pointing out that there is a lot of room for Chinese market to grow for Nepal's mountaineering sector.

Stressing on why Chinese market should be focused, Lakpa said that Chinese are among the climbers who spend lavishly for the guides. "They spend more than western climbers in most cases. They also give handsome tips to their guides," said Lakpa.

As he talks about attracting more Chinese mountaineers, he is against the call for limiting the number of climbers on Mt. Qomalangma amid reports about traffic jams caused deaths of many climbers. In this spring season, eight climbers died and one went missing on Mt. Qomolangma, according to Nepal's Tourism Department.

But, Lakpa does not agree that traffic jam was the main reason behind increased deaths on Mt. Qomolangma this year. Instead, he blamed unfavourable weather condition, ill preparation and lack of experienced guides and climbers behind the increased deaths. "Many climbers don't listen to guide's suggestions not to climb despite their poor health and pressurize the guides to take them to the summit putting lives of both climbers and guides at risk," said Lakpa. EnditemSource: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:11:25|Editor: Li Xia

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KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The unilateral and protectionist behavior by the current U.S. government contradicts the principle of free trade it once championed, said a senior Malaysian member of parliament (MP), urging the United States to put on more good faith to settle the trade tensions which is detrimental to not only U.S. and China but also other countries.

The United States used to put in a lot of effort in promoting free trade, including bringing in China into the World Trade Organization, said Chang Lih Kang, But now almost everything it does contradict the principles of free trade in the past, resorting to unilateralism and trade protectionism.

Its crystal clear that who is at fault for the trade tensions, said Chang, who is also the vice president of People's Justice Party, a major component party of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition.

The official white paper released by China, titled "China's Position on the China-US Economic and Trade Consultations", in a very clear document, which demonstrates with detailed data that China has not taken advantage of the United States in the bilateral trade as alleged by the U.S., Chang said in an interview.

The white paper also shows that U.S. behavior has hindered the trade negotiation with China, he added.

The Malaysian parliamentarian expressed concerns over the actual and psychological impacts of the prolonged trade tensions on medium and small economies like Malaysia.

We hope the trade tensions between major powers could be settled as soon as possible. Because at the end of the day, it was not only China and the United States that suffer but also our smaller trading nations as well, he said.

We have seen the sincerity demonstrated by China, so we hope our American friend can put on the same sincerity to settle the trade tensions, he said.

As Chang pointed out, Chinas growth in trade has been accompanied by criticism over the years, from deficit of its trade partners to the protection of intellectual property. But we have witnessed that China has improved its practices in the past decades, he said.

Other countries could also feel Chinas sincerity in promising further opening-up of its domestic market and to increase import, said Chang.

As Malaysia and China celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year, Chang sees great potential of cooperation between the two countries thanks to the geographical proximity.

We share the same view on free trade, Chang said.

He believes that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China could create a win-win situation for Malaysia and China, and to boost business exchange in Southeast Asia.

I have great expectations that China, Malaysia and other ASEAN countries could share prosperity in the next 50 years, he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:16:28|Editor: Li Xia

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by Fatima Aruri

RAMALLAH, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinians organized a sit-in at West Bank's Ramallah city center Saturday in protest of the U.S.-led economic workshop to be held in Bahrain next week.

Various Palestinian political parties and factions who organized the protest said they were planning to hold a series of national protest activities against the workshop, known as "Prosperity for Peace," in an attempt to thwart it.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a press statement that the U.S. ideas for Middle East peace, known as "Deal of the Century," was "minimized into a workshop and may only emerge as a paper outside the framework of international law and Arab legitimacy" due to Palestinians' firm position against it.

"The president's position in Mecca summit, the united Palestinian positions have led to an international consensus to protect the two-state solution and international law," he said.

"The real aim of this economic paper is to avoid political negotiations on the basis of international legitimacy, which will eventually lead to an impasse," he added.

Member of national factions secretariat Salah Khawaja, one of the protest organizers, told Xinhua that this sit-in and the following protests are "a unified Palestinian message," and that they are called by all national factions and various constituents of the Palestinian civil society.

He affirmed that the protests will reach the peak when the workshop was held next week.

Spokesperson for Abbas' Fatah party Osama Qawasmi told Xinhua in a telephone interview that the U.S. peace deal is a "disgrace," and the protests are intended to go global.

Qawasmi said that "complementary to the political and diplomatic efforts, the protest activities will be mobilized by Palestinian communities around the world, including Palestinians living in Israel and Palestinian territories."

A joint statement issued by the Bahraini and U.S. governments on May 19 said that Bahrain will host the "Peace to Prosperity" economic workshop in Manama on June 25-26 to bring together finance ministers and business people.

Palestinians immediately opposed the idea of holding the conference, claiming they were not even consulted on it. Officials have been urging world governments to boycott the U.S.-led conference, saying it is part of the U.S. President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century," which was rejected by the Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority declared it has boycotted the American administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem last May.

The U.S. administration has taken several steps against the Palestinians, including shutting down the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, cutting aid to the only UN agency providing support to the Palestinian refugees UNRWA and cutting aid to the Palestinians.

Since then, Abbas has repeatedly called for an international multilateral umbrella to overlook the peace process. EnditemSource: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:16:30|Editor: Xiang Bo

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NANCHANG, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 people were killed and three were still missing as of 7:00 p.m. Thursday as rain-triggered floods hit eastern China's Jiangxi Province, local authorities said Saturday.

Nearly 3 million residents have been affected, with 229,000 relocated and 120,000 in urgent need of aid, according to the Jiangxi provincial emergency management bureau.

Starting on June 6, heavy rain has left 80 counties and districts of the province inundated.

The floods also affected 208,700 hectares of crops and toppled 3,918 houses, according to the bureau.

Direct economic losses were estimated at 8.78 billion yuan (about 1.27 billion U.S. dollars).

The provincial authorities have sent relief materials to the disaster-hit areas to guarantee basic living needs of the people. The provincial government has also allocated 6 million yuan in disaster relief funds.

The weather service said the flood situation in the province remained grim and local governments should take precautionary measures while carrying out relief work.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:26:36|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Syrian people are seen returning to their city of Palmyra in central Syria on June 14, 2019. The ancient city of Palmyra has seen the vicious attacks and occupation of the Islamic State (IS) two times throughout the Syrian crisis and the people of that ancient oasis city went displaced more than once. After the second liberation of Palmyra in early 2017, the residential part of Palmyra, which has ancient ruins and residential area, were largely damaged. Since then, work has started to rehabilitate the infrastructure of the city and around 200 families have so far returned to their homes in Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs province in central Syria. TO GO WITH Feature: (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

PALMYRA, Syria, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The ancient city of Palmyra has seen the vicious attacks and occupation of the Islamic State (IS) two times throughout the Syrian crisis and the people of that ancient oasis city went displaced more than once.

After the second liberation of Palmyra in early 2017, the residential part of Palmyra, which has ancient ruins and residential area, were largely damaged.

Since then, work has started to rehabilitate the infrastructure of the city and around 200 families have so far returned to their homes in Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs province in central Syria.

As always, returning home is a sweet experience people usually talk about after long years of displacement and deprivation of the peace of mind.

Ramzi Hmaidi, a man in his 50s, left his house four years ago when the IS invaded the city.

"We escaped the city when IS stormed it and now we decided to return home to rebuild our areas better than before," he told Xinhua.

For his part, Ghassan Botaman, another 50-year-old man, told Xinhua that now they hope to rebuild their lives after all the years of war and displacement.

Botaman has fled to Homs after the rebels took over the city and stayed there for four years.

"We returned home now and we hope to live in peace," he said.

Those people and tens of others are returning home by buses provided by the Syrian government.

Women, children and elderly people are all returning in green buses with one thing in common, a grin of happiness.

Suad Jurjos, a returnee, said she is longing to set foot in her house again.

Recalling the moment she fled, Jurjos said she was overwhelmed when IS took over.

"I was looking around and the room started spinning, because I didn't know what to grab," she said.

Without thinking much, the 40-year-old widow grabbed her three children and left the house so quickly that she forgot to put her shoes on.

It has been such a long time that the house might be far different from the time when she left it, but the woman said she is prepared for the worst and is ready to fix everything.

The widow closed her eyes and pulled her youngest son to her chest, whispering in his ear that everything is going to be fine.

On a seat behind her, Jamal Saed was looking away in the distance through the blurry window of the bus.

His brown skin is rippled by the wrinkles that swept his forehead and around his eyes.

The look on his face speaks of the agony this man endured in his life.

"My heart is still beating," he said, adding that "with every beat of my heart, the hammer will hit to build a new part of my house."

Saed was told by his neighbors who came before him that his house was largely damaged.

"If there is only one standing corner of the house, it would be enough for me to sleep in and from there I will restore the entire house," he said.

In the city, dust was expected as Palmyra is located in the desert.

Some houses were damaged while others were sound.

The residential part of Palmyra is separated from the ancient famous ruins of the city, which took a strong beating during the presence of IS.

The government pledged it will facilitate all reconstruction including fixing the infrastructure to help the people return.

Talal Barazi, the Governor of Homs province, said that around 200 families have so far returned to their homes in Palmyra, adding that the government pledges to facilitate the return of people back home.

"Today the return starts and the Syrian government pledges to meet all basic needs of the people and to restore the infrastructure and all that needed to return life to this city," the governor said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:41:42|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saturday spoke on issues related to the amendment of two ordinances concerning the transfer of fugitive offenders by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government.

Geng Shuang, spokesperson for the ministry, said it has been noted that HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday announced the HKSAR government's decision to suspend sending relevant amendment bills to the Legislative Council for second reading, and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council has made a statement.

Geng said the Chinese central government has expressed its support, respect and understanding for the decision, and will continue to firmly support Lam and the HKSAR government in their governance in accordance with the law and their efforts with people from all walks of life to safeguard Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the policies of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy have been faithfully implemented, Geng said, adding that the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people have been fully guaranteed in accordance with the law, which has been widely recognized.

To maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability serves not only the interests of China but also countries around the world, Geng said.

"I want to reiterate that Hong Kong is China's special administrative region and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs that brook no interference by any country, organization or individual," said the spokesperson.

China is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests and maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, Geng added.Chinese medical team representatives posed for a photo with Zambia's former President Kenneth Kaunda on June 14, 2019. (Xinhua)

LUSAKA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Members of Chinese medical teams in Zambia on Friday paid a courtesy call on Zambia's former President Kenneth Kaunda to express their gratitude for his role in building the relationship between the two countries.

The former president met with the Chinese doctors at his residence in Lusaka, the country's capital.

Kaunda expressed gratitude for the visit and thanked the Chinese doctors for the wonderful work they were doing in the country.

The Chinese doctors included those from the 20th medical team, who have just completed their tour of duty in Zambia and are going back to China, and those from the incoming 21st medical team.

Ma Chao, head of the 21st Chinese medical team, said the team were happy to visit Kaunda who started diplomatic relations with China together with Chairman Mao Zedong.

He said the Chinese people never forget old friendship and that the visit was meant to celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:46:45|Editor: Li Xia

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MOGADISHU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Somalia police confirmed the arrest of a suspect following a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack in Mogadishu on Saturday.

Zakia Hussein, deputy police commander confirmed that no one was injured in the attack. The VBIED went off near the security checkpoint at KM4 junction.

"The driver of the VBIED has been apprehended and there were no casualties resulting from the blast," Hussein said in a statement.

She said another separate VBIED went off near Sayid Junction, and promised to provide more details concerning the attack, the latest in the restive capital, Mogadishu.

No group has claimed responsibility for the two latest attacks in Mogadishu but extremist group, al-Shabab which is fighting to overthrow the government, usually stages such deadly attacks in the Horn of Africa nation.

The move comes while Mogadishu is on high alert as police forces blocked the main roads of the capital to prevent possible attacks by the militants.

Somali National Army (SNA) backed by African Union Mission in Somalia have driven al-Shabab militants out of Mogadishu, but the terror group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants and public places.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 20:46:47|Editor: Xiang Bo

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HONG KONG, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Liaison Office of the Chinese Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) supports, understands and respects the decision made by Chief Executive Carrie Lam to suspend the exercise to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, an official in charge of the liaison office said here Saturday.

The purpose of the SAR government to put forward the legislative proposal to amend the ordinances was to plug a loophole in the existing legal framework and demonstrate social justice, which bears legitimacy and necessity, the official said.

"We firmly oppose any foreign forces meddling in Hong Kong's affairs and strongly condemn the radical and violent acts of a small number of people. We resolutely support Hong Kong police force in lawfully maintaining Hong Kong's rule of law, social stability and its residents' rights and interests. We believe that through rational discussions, all walks of life in Hong Kong will rightly understand the content of the proposed amendments to the two laws, reach consensus and make joint efforts to maintain Hong Kong's rule of law," he said.

The official said that since she came into office two years ago, Chief Executive Carrie Lam has been upholding the principle of "setting no easy goals and avoiding no difficult tasks" and leading the SAR government in governing Hong Kong in accordance with law and assuming a proactive role, which has always been highly recognized and fully trusted by the central government.

The liaison office will remain steadfast in supporting the chief executive and the SAR government in governing Hong Kong in accordance with law, maintaining the order of rule of law in Hong Kong society and safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, so as to secure Hong Kong as a prosperous and stable home for all, the official said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 21:06:56|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SOFIA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's official Xinhua News Agency presented its artificial intelligence (AI) news anchors at the sixth News Agencies World Congress here on Friday.

Of the three anchors, One speaks English, one Chinese, and another Russian.

The voice, gesture, lip movement, body shape of the AI anchors can help them pass almost for the real ones.

The "lady" speaking Chinese said "her" name is Xin Xiaomeng. Lisa, the Russian version, was jointly developed by Xinhua, Russia's TASS news agency and Sogou.

African News Agency CEO Grant Fredericks told Xinhua that AI is the future of where we are heading and he was pleased with Xinhua's innovations.

"We are happy to be allied with an agency like Xinhua, and see how we could possibly use its AI solutions," he said.

Elizaveta Zelenskaya, the prototype of Lisa, also a specialist of the international relations department at TASS, told Xinhua during the presentation that the anchor fills her with "pride."

Last November, Xinhua released the world's first AI news anchor at the fifth World Internet Conference in China's Zhejiang Province.Security staff stand on guard outside the St. Anthony's Church where a blast took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 21, 2019. (Xinhua/A.Hapuarachchi)

PARIS, June 15 (Xinhua) -- France-based international police agency Interpol on Friday announced the arrest of "one of the alleged ringleaders" of suicide bombings, which rocked hotels and churches across Sri Lanka two months ago.

Following the publication of an Interpol Red Notice, which is a request to law enforce, Ahamed Milhan Hayathu Mohamed was detained in the Middle East, it said in a statement.

Wanted on charges of terrorism and murder, the 29-year-old Sri Lankan national was extradited on Friday to Sri Lanka along with four other suspects, it added.

"The arrest and extradition of one of the key suspects in the Sri Lanka bomb attacks is an important step in the ongoing investigation, and one which Interpol is proud to have supported," said the agency Secretary General Jurgen Stock.

"Red Notices are a powerful tool in helping our member countries cooperate seamlessly across borders in order to locate and bring international fugitives to justice," he added.

As part of the investigation, Interpol had deployed Incident Response Team (IRT) that included experts in counter-terrorism, explosives, analysis and disaster victim identification, in addition to providing real-time crosschecks against the police agency's global databases.

On April 21, multiple terror attacks struck three churches and four hotels in Sri Lanka during Easter.

More than 200 people were killed and hundreds others were wounded in the first major attack on the Indian Ocean island since the end of a civil war a decade ago.

The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attacks.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 21:27:02|Editor: mingmei

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Singing group Black Duck perform during the performances in Auckland, New Zealand, June 15, 2019. A Chinese art troupe made its debut in New Zealand's largest city Auckland on Saturday evening with high quality performances, to promote peace and cooperation and celebrate the 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism. (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

AUCKLAND, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese art troupe made its debut in New Zealand's largest city Auckland on Saturday evening with high quality performances, to promote peace and cooperation and celebrate the 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism.

About 2,500 people enjoyed the two-hour show in the Victory Convention Centre. The evening brought together the traditional Peking Opera, classic songs, festive songs and dances, as well as stunning acrobatic performances, which perfectly presented the charm of Chinese culture and art to the audience. During the performance, applause and cheers came one after another.

China's Vice Consul-General in Auckland Xiao Yewen saw the performances as an opportunity to strengthen ties between New Zealand and China and promote the exchange of culture and arts.

"The performances of Chinese artists brought the Chinese people's friendship to the people of New Zealand. The Chinese and New Zealand artists would strengthen exchanges and mutual learning through the performances on the same stage, promoting the communication and friendship between China and New Zealand," Xiao said.

The cultural exchange program, called The Classic Reconstruction and Building Peace Together, is organized by New Zealand Friendship for Peace Association.

George Chow, president of the New Zealand Friendship for Peace Association, who hosted the performances, said the New Zealand's Chinese community cherishes the friendship and cooperative relations between China and New Zealand.

"The cultural exchange program is a part of the 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism, which will be celebrated with multiple events and cultural programs in China and New Zealand."

Paul Young, Auckland's councilor, acknowledged the local Chinese community's participation in cultural exchange activities between New Zealand and China to "promote peace and prosperity."

After the performance, Chinese lawyer Robert Hu, who has lived in New Zealand for more than 24 years, was reluctant to leave. He said the gala tonight was very exciting. He admitted he was moved to tears when he was watching the show.

"Although as a lawyer I have to maintain an extremely calm state, when the traditional classic culture touched my heart, tears flow unconsciously," Hu said

In the next two days, artists will exchange cultural and arts in New Zealand's Taupo, Rotorua and Hamilton.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 21:32:04|Editor: Xiang Bo

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JINAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's engineering machinery manufacturer Shantui has made a further step to tap the Kyrgyzstan market by opening its first franchise store in Central Asia in its capital city Bishkek earlier this year.

The company, which has entered the Central Asia market for 10 years, is seeking to win more customers in the region.

Shantui contributes to 30 percent of China's exports of five types of engineering machineries to the Kyrgyzstan market, including bulldozers, excavators and road rollers, and has all the market share of bulldozers, said Chai Sen, vice president of the import and export subsidiary of Shantui Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.

The company, based in the city of Jining, east China's Shandong Province, began tapping the Central Asian market in 2009. Since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed in 2013, Shantui sped up expanding its presence there by building a sales network and setting up sales offices in the major markets of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Shantui accounts for 80 percent of China's exported bulldozers to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, said Chai. "Shantui has become a code word for bulldozers for its high quality and good service," he said, predicting a sharp year-on-year sales growth in Kazakhstan in the first half of this year.

In recent years, more and more Chinese engineering machinery makers have been welcomed by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries.

Observers said many of the SCO countries, home to 44 percent of the world's population, enjoy the population and resources divident, but have weak infrastructures.

Wuzheng, another engineering machinery manufacturer in Shandong Province, has adjusted its vehicle designs to cater to the buyers' demands in Pakistan, given this country's tropical and subtropical climate conditions and its right-side driving.

Zhang Xiwen, head of the international trade department of the Wuzheng Group Co., Ltd, said the new improvements on its sanitation vehicles could prolong the service life and improve its driving reliability and fuel efficiency.

Meanwhile, other China-made manufacturing machineries, like electric tricycles and tractors, are also welcomed by the SCO countries, especially in the Central Asian market.

Last November, tractors produced by Lovol Heavy Industry CO., Ltd, went on display on the Kyrgyzstan International Agricultural Exhibition, highly acclaimed by local buyers and industry experts for their stylish appearances and advanced technologies.

Lovol developed new generation tractors with a wide-range horse-power choices and multiple functions specifically targeted the Central Asian market. Their efficient performance, and timely repairs and components supplies helped keep alive the buying sentiment.

Li Guangjie, a researcher with the Shandong Academy of Social Sciences, said the robust growth of trade among the SCO member countries in recent years offers a strategic opportunity for Chinese engineering machinery manufacturers to expand overseas.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 21:32:06|Editor: Li Xia

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BUCHAREST, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Moldova's Constitutional Court on Saturday announced to annul some recent decisions, among which the one to dissolve the parliament and not recognizing the government of Maia Sandu, according to news reports reaching here from Chisinau, capital of Moldova.

Saturday's judgement "is meant to be a source of social peace, rule of law, democracy as well as a safeguard of a proper framework of human rights protection, by combating a political crisis of great magnitude," said the top court on its website.

Late Friday, Moldova's President Igor Dodon called on the Court to review its rulings since last weekend, after the incumbent cabinet decided to step down from power. EnditemSource: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 21:47:15|Editor: Xiang Bo

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CHENGDU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A giant panda that fell sick and was rescued by villagers returned to the wild Saturday after 10 weeks of treatment.

The wild bear was found by villagers in Jiuzhaigou County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on April 5.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding sent a team of two veterinarians and a breeder to rescue the rare animal in Jiuzhaigou County.

The panel examined and diagnosed the giant panda as an adult female, presumably aged between 7 and 8 years, severely dehydrated and suffering electrolyte disorder, metabolic acidosis, infection, anemia and cardiac dysfunction.

After more than two months of intensive treatment and nursing, the panda's food intake and mental state have gradually improved. She weighs 85 kg, 10 kg more from her weight at the beginning of the treatment. Experts believe her weight is normal. Female giant pandas in captivity aged around 8 usually weigh 95 to 120 kg.

Her daily defecation has increased to more than 10 kg from a very small amount when she was rescued. For captive giant pandas of her age, they usually defecate 15 to 30 kg a day depending on how much they eat.

All her physical indexes have become normal. She is still wild and eligible for release into the wild, according to the rescue panel.

The giant panda was spotted wandering down the mountain to human habitations in early April. Local villagers reported to the administration of nature reserve and were asked to leave her alone after providing clean water and bamboo for her.

The black-and-white bear drank some water but ate nothing before leaving. She showed up in the same area the next day, appearing weaker and making an "um-um" cry. She did not escape nor attack when humans approached.

People judged she was in very poor physical condition and asked the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for medical treatment.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 22:07:31|Editor: Li Xia

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NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- India's state-owned carrier Air India (AI) will start a new flight from the northern state of Punjab to Canada from Sept. 27, country's Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced.

The "Amritsar-Delhi-Toronto" flight, which will fly three times a week, will commence on the occasion of "World Tourism Day" on Sept. 27. Amritsar is a city in Punjab state bordering Pakistan.

"Delighted to announce the commencement of a thrice weekly Air India flight between Amritsar and Canada," Puri tweeted.

"I am glad I was able to help in fulfilling this long pending demand of citizens of Amritsar and devotees who travel from North Americas to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib, Durgiyana Mandir (a holy place) and other holy places," he added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 22:12:40|Editor: mingmei

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HONG KONG, June 15 (Xinhua) -- An official in charge of the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Saturday expressed understanding, respect and support for the decision by the HKSAR chief executive to suspend the exercise to amend the HKSAR's Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance.

The official also voiced continuous staunch support for HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the SAR government in governing Hong Kong in accordance with law, safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security and development interests, and upholding Hong Kong's enduring prosperity and stability.

"We firmly support the SAR government's efforts to amend the ordinances," he said, adding that the amendments to the two ordinances aim to plug a legal loophole in the existing legal framework, demonstrate social justice and improve Hong kong's rule of law, which is necessary, legitimate and reasonable.

The contents of the amendments conform to the international law and the common practices of the international community, and help fight crimes, he said.

The official strongly condemned the violent acts by some people, and voiced firm support for the Hong Kong police force to mete out punishment in accordance with law, uphold Hong Kong's rule of law and protect Hong Kong's social stability.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Hong Kong people have been enjoying unprecedented and extensive rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech and assembly, he said.

However, freedom is by no means without boundaries, and rights must be exercised within the framework of the rule of law. Any civilized society ruled by law will not tolerate unlawful acts which impact peace and security, he said.

He stressed that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs. "We resolutely oppose any external forces interfering in its affairs with any excuse or in any form. Any attempts to create chaos in Hong Kong and jeopardize its prosperity and stability are doomed to fail," he said.

"Again, we urge relevant countries to comply with the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, fully respect China's sovereignty and the SAR government in exercising governance in accordance with law and immediately stop the wrong words and deeds that undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," the official said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 23:03:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LONDON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Health chiefs in England have started an urgent investigation following the deaths of five patients in hospitals after eating sandwiches and salads.

A further five patients remain seriously ill in hospitals, suffering from listeria linked to the current outbreak, said Public Health England (PHE).

Initially it had been reported that three patients had died at hospitals in Manchester and Liverpool, but in an update on Friday afternoon, PHE said the number had risen to five.

A multi-agency investigation has started into listeria cases linked to sandwiches and salads served in hospitals.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a statement that he has instructed the National Health Service (NHS) to conduct a full review of hospital food.

"I have been incredibly concerned by this issue and strongly believe that we need a radical new approach to the food that is served in our NHS. Staff, patients and families deserve so much better," he said.

PHE is analysing previously known cases of listeria from the past two months to see if they are linked to the current outbreak.

PHE said affected sandwiches and salads have been withdrawn from hospitals linked to the listeria infections after the first victims were identified.

NHS organisations such as hospitals were told not to provide any food products from the Good Food Chain company to vulnerable patients.

"Sandwiches and salads linked to the patients have been withdrawn and the supplier, The Good Food Chain, has voluntarily ceased production while the investigation continues," said PHE.

"This business had been supplied with meat produced by North Country Cooked Meats which subsequently produced a positive test result for the outbreak strain of listeria. This business and North Country Quality Foods who they distribute through, have also voluntarily ceased production."

Dr Nick Phin, an expert at PHE, said: "To date, there have been no patients linked to this incident outside healthcare organisations, but we continue to investigate. Swift action was taken to protect patients and any risk to the public is low. PHE is continuing to analyse all recent and ongoing samples of listeria from hospital patients to understand whether their illness is linked to this outbreak."Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 23:13:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BUCHAREST, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Moldovan President Igor Dodon announced on Saturday the end of the week-long political and constitutional crisis in the country, soon after the top court annulled its recent decisions regarding the parliament and the government.

"I welcome the decision of Constitutional Court today to review its resolutions adopted on June 7-9," the president wrote on his social media account, stressing that "the political and constitutional crisis has been overcome," as "all the defective legal interpretations that led to the political and institutional crisis in Moldova have been removed."

Moldova's Constitutional Court on Saturday announced to annul some recent decisions, among which the one to dissolve the parliament and not recognizing the government of Maia Sandu.

The top court's move was a positive response to the relevant presidential appeal on Friday after the incumbent cabinet decided to step down from power.

The political situation in Moldova underwent dramatic changes last Saturday when the Socialists and ACUM alliance, which signed a coalition agreement to form a parliamentary majority, convened a special parliamentary session, at which their deputies elected Socialists' leader Zinaida Greceanii as president of Parliament and approved a new government led by Maia Sandu, leader of the ACUM alliance.

The Constitutional Court accepted the contests of the ruling Democratic Party and ruled that the election of Greceanii as the parliament's speaker, as well as the formation of the new government were unconstitutional, just as the other decisions made by the national legislature starting from June 8, when the parliament must be dissolved according to a ruling released a day before by the top court on terms of parliament's dissolution.

Not only that, the top court on Sunday suspended President Igor Dodon for his refusal to dissolve the parliament and named Prime Minister Filip as acting president.

Filip immediately announced to dissolve the parliament and call snap elections on Sept. 6.

However, at the time of serious confrontation between the two sides, the European Union (EU) issued a statement on Sunday afternoon to explicitly support the newly-formed coalition government. The EU statement was soon echoed by Russia, Germany and other major European states.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 23:33:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The following are highlights of China's key local business news from the past week.

-- SCI-TECH INNOVATION BOARD

China inaugurated its science and technology innovation board in Shanghai, kicking off the country's much-anticipated capital market reform this year.

The new market will support tech companies that are in line with the national strategies, make breakthroughs in core technologies and are well accepted by the market to grow stronger, Yi Huiman, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), said at the launching ceremony of the sci-tech innovation board at the Lujiazui Forum in Shanghai.

Yi pledged to push forward key institutional innovations and implement the registration-based initial public offering (IPO) system on the new board that underlines sufficient information disclosure.

-- GEELY SMART BUS

Chinese auto carmaker Geely unveiled a smart bus assisted by the 5G mobile network in the city of Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

The bus can support face-scanning payment and real-time connection with bus stations, which enables passengers to check the status of the vehicle.

Equipped with 20 cameras and a millimeter wave radar, the 5G-powered vehicle can have real-time interaction with China Mobile's high-definition live cameras in the city, as well as bus stops and traffic cameras.

-- CHINA'S INCUBATORS

China's 11,800-plus incubators had helped nurture about 620,000 startup enterprises and teams by the end of last year, said a report by Torch High Technology Industry Development Center.

As of 2018, China was home to 11,808 incubators, which helped generate job opportunities for 3.95 million people working in startups, according to the report.

-- SHANXI'S NEW ENERGY

China's major coal base Shanxi Province is estimated to see 36 billion kWh of electricity generated by new energy in 2019, up 9 percent year on year, as the province pursues cleaner development.

The estimate means the province can replace 11.34 million tonnes of standard coal for generating electricity and reduce 30.62 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, according to the provincial branch of the State Grid.

-- SAIC GOING GLOBAL

Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corporation Limited has launched a new car-shipping line connecting Shanghai with ports on the west bank of South America, speeding up domestic carmakers going global.

The new route can deliver cars to their destinations within 30 to 35 days, 25 percent quicker than before, which would further promote the competitiveness of Chinese auto industries in South America.

-- GUIYANG-MELBOURNE AIR SERVICE

Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province opened a direct air route to Melbourne, according to its operator Sichuan Airlines.

The direct service by an Airbus A330 aircraft every Wednesday is expected to cut the travel time between the two cities by at least eight hours.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 23:33:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GABORONE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank through its office in Botswana is working in collaboration with the southern African country in drafting Botswana's national entrepreneurship policy, the bank's official said Saturday.

Xavier Furtado, the World Bank's representative in Botswana, told a gathering that included government officials, representatives of the country's private sector and academia in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city.

According to Furtado, the World Bank is assisting Botswana's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to draft the first ever national entrepreneurship policy with a view of driving the country's economic diversification.

Furtado said the event is aimed at creating a platform of deepening consultations around the draft policy and ensure that it speaks directly to the "needs, challenges and priorities of key stakeholders in the entrepreneurship network of Botswana."

"Botswana is faced with pressing issue of youth unemployment," said Furtado, adding that the eventual formulation of an entrepreneurship policy will serve as a launching pad towards dealing with youth unemployment.

He noted that innovation and entrepreneurship are key aspects of a dynamic business environment, a competitive economy and inclusive growth.

Bogolo Kenewendo, Botswana's Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, said the administration of President Mokgweetsi Masisi commits to take on board all the insights derived from the entrepreneurship policy.

"The insights will be considered for adoption into the country's National Economic Policy of 2019," said Kenewendo.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 23:48:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOGADISHU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 16 others injured in bomb blasts in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Saturday, police and medical sources said.

A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) went off at a checkpoint in Sayidka near the parliament building.

"The police suspected the car and ordered the driver to park it but he defied and drove off, then the car detonated causing the death of six people," the officer said.

Zakia Hussein, deputy police commander had earlier said the security forces intercepted a second VBIED which exploded while the driver was being questioned at K4 junction, leaving no casualties.

Abdulkadir Abdurrahman, director of Amin ambulance, free ambulance service in Mogadishu said they had carried 16 injured people from the scene.

Witnesses said the blasts were huge and caused panic among the residents.

"We heard a loud explosion as we were passing at KM4 junction and we heard gun fire, but we don't have further details," Farah Elmi, a witness told Xinhua.

The blasts come as the police tightened security of the capital blocking the main roads of the city to ward off possible attacks by the militants.

Al-Qaida allied group al-Shabab which fights to overthrow the central government claimed the responsibility for the latest bombings.

Somali National Army (SNA) backed by African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) have driven al-Shabab militants out of Mogadishu, but the terror group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants and public places.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-15 23:58:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged Asian countries and their partners to join hands in opening up new prospects for Asian security and development under new circumstances.

Addressing the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Tajikistan, Xi called on CICA members to build an Asia featuring mutual respect and trust, security and stability, development and prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, as well as cooperation and innovation.

China will steadfastly pursue a peaceful development path, stick to opening up and all-win approaches, uphold multilateralism, and work together with all sides to create a better future for Asia and the world, said the Chinese president.

Hosted by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the CICA summit was attended by leaders or representatives of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan and other member countries, as well as representatives of observer states and relevant international and regional organizations.

Participants exchanged views on the theme "Shared Vision for a Secure and More Prosperous CICA Region," held in-depth discussion on international and regional issues of common concerns, jointly planned for Asia's long-lasting peace and shared prosperity, and reached extensive consensus.

In his address, Xi hailed the CICA's positive contributions to promoting peace and development in Asia since its establishment 27 years ago, saying that the mechanism has been committed to increasing mutual trust and collaboration among member countries and safeguarding regional security and stability.

Xi recalled that on the 2014 CICA Shanghai summit, he put forward a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and proposed exploring a new security and development path that fits Asian features and the common interests of relevant countries, which received positive responses from various parties.

China stands ready to work with all sides to deepen cooperation in various fields and push forward the CICA process onto new stages, he said.

Calling Asia one of the most dynamic and most promising regions in the world, Xi said Asian countries also face common challenges including insufficient political mutual trust, imbalanced economic development, and outstanding security and governance issues, and thus there is a long way to go to realize long-lasting peace and shared prosperity.

Hailing the progress made by Asian countries in building an Asian community with a shared future in the past few years, Xi encouraged CICA members to hold on to their goals, jointly seize opportunities and address challenges, and make concerted efforts in opening up new prospects for Asian security and development under the new circumstances.

Xi said that building an Asia featuring mutual respect and mutual trust is CICA members' shared expectation, calling on them to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect each other's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as their respective choice of political systems and development paths.

We should discard zero-sum game and protectionism, enhance policy communication, improve political mutual trust and gradually expand strategic consensus, said Xi.

Noting that building a safe and stable Asia is a common goal of regional countries, Xi called for dialogue rather than confrontation, and partnership instead of alliance among CICA members.

To properly address various traditional and non-traditional security problems, we should stand firm in cracking down on terrorism of all forms, take all kinds of effective precaution measures and extinguish extremism from its roots, the president said, urging CICA members to explore a regional security structure with Asian features to realize collective security and common security for Asia.

Building a prosperous Asia is a shared aspiration of Asian countries, and development is the key to all problems, Xi said, adding that CICA members should work together to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, implement the consensus reached at the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April, strengthen the synergy of their development strategies, boost comprehensive connectivity and promote high-quality economic development in all countries.

Building an open and inclusive Asia is a common pursuit of Asian countries, said Xi. He urged CICA members to well implement the consensus reached at the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in May in Beijing, and develop a vision of civilizations based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness.

We should ensure that diversified coexistence will replace civilization superiority, harmonious symbiosis will replace civilization clashes, exchanges and sharing will replace civilization estrangement, as well as joint prosperity and progress will replace civilization rigidity, said Xi.

Building a cooperative and innovative Asia is our common need, the president said, calling for innovation in such areas as theory, institution, science and technology as well as culture, and efforts to seek new answers to old problems and good answers to new problems, so as to crack various difficult problems facing Asia.

China has always insisted on developing good-neighborly relations with Asian countries, Xi said.

As a member of the Asian family and a responsible major country of the international community, China will continue to be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order, he said, adding that it will push forward the construction of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.

Firstly, China will steadfastly pursue a peaceful development path, Xi said, vowing never to seek benefits at the expense of others.

China will continue to deepen friendly cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, address territorial and maritime disputes with relevant countries through peaceful means, and support dialogue and consultation in solving regional hot-spot issues, the president said.

Secondly, China will stick to opening-up and all-win approaches, and share development opportunities with various countries, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with all sides to take the advantage of the Belt and Road international cooperation platform to inject powerful momentum into their common development.

China will hold the second China International Import Expo this year, which will create more conveniences for all parties to access the Chinese market, he said.

Thirdly, the Chinese president pledged to firmly uphold multilateralism and safeguard the international order based on international laws.

China stands ready to work with all countries to promote a global governance vision featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, staunchly protect the international system with the United Nations (UN) at its core, and firmly safeguard the multilateral trade system with the World Trade Organization at its core, Xi said.

He called for equal dialogue and consultation based on mutual respect, and adherence to the norms of international relations and multilateral trade rules in addressing economic and trade problems, stressing that relevant sides should never readily resort to protectionism and unilateralism.

Such a stance held by China, Xi said, is not just to protect the legitimate right of development for all countries, but also to protect international fairness and justice.

Applauding Xi's address, other CICA participants thanked China for its contributions in promoting dialogue and cooperation within the CICA framework during its previous presidency.

All sides agreed that they should continue to advance the CICA process based on Asia's realities, implement the confidence-building measures, seek common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect cultural diversity and build Asia into a harmonious region with lasting peace and prosperity.

CICA members reiterated that they adhere to the UN Charter and generally-accepted international laws and norms, uphold the efficient multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, fully support the principle of noninterference in each other's internal affairs, jointly build an open world economy and stand against protectionism in any forms.

They also pledged to jointly combat international terrorism, extremism and transnational organized crimes, join efforts in addressing various risks and challenges, promote peace and stability in Asia and the world, strive to build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation, and forge a community with a shared future for mankind.

A joint declaration of the fifth CICA summit was issued.

After the summit, Xi attended a welcoming banquet held by Rahmon for leaders and representatives participating in the summit.

Xi arrived here Friday for the CICA summit and a state visit to Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 00:13:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HO CHI MINH CITY, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A lieutenant at a border guard station in Vietnam's southern Long An province on Saturday used a military gun to hurt three people before killing himself, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Lieutenant Ta Quang Dat, an officer at the border guard station of Binh Hiep international border gate, shot two officers at the station and a local resident who lives near the station, injuring them slightly. After that, Dat shot himself dead.

Dat had a psychological problem and underwent treatment before the accident took place, according to the station's leaders.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 00:19:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NAIROBI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has become a big market for food exports from its neighbors as erratic rains in the east African nation hit crop and livestock production.

Rains in the east Africa's biggest economy failed this season, starting in May instead of March and have since declined in most parts of the nation, including in breadbaskets, according to the meteorological department.

While this has turned to be a nightmare for Kenyan farmers, it has become a boon for farmers in Uganda and Tanzania where rainfall pattern was least affected this season.

According to Uganda National Meteorological Authority, rainfall in the March-June rainy season has been above average.

The farmers in the two countries are literary feeding Kenyans, with cities like Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu flooded with Tanzanian and Ugandan produce.

Topping the list of produce exported to Kenya by the neighbors are tomatoes, milk, eggs, onions, tomatoes, fruits, beans and maize.

At Wakulima market in the capital Nairobi, tens of tons of farm produce are delivered every day in trucks from Tanzania.

A survey at the market on Saturday indicated the major farm produce being delivered currently from the neighboring countries is potatoes, oranges and onions.

While produce from Uganda is shipped in through Busia and Malaba, that from Tanzania comes through Namanga, Isebania, Lunga Lunga and Taveta border points.

"Most of the produce being sold here currently is from Tanzania," said Mary Wangare, a trader.

"We are getting little from our farmers because we did not have rains for a long time, which disrupted the growing seasons," she added.

According to her, the produce from Tanzania and Uganda is fairly priced as compared to that from Kenya, some grown under irrigation in the past months.

"Kenyan farmers are selling a 90kg bag of potatoes at 3,500 shillings (35 U.S. dollars) but the same bag from Tanzania is going from 30 dollars or less," she said.

The foreign produce, according to Wangare, is also loved by traders not only because of its affordability, but it has a longer shelf-life.

"Onions from Tanzania are better cured than those from Kenya which makes them have a longer shelf-life preventing us from getting losses when we buy to sell," she said.

From Uganda, Kenya mainly imports maize and poultry products like eggs, with a 90kg bag of the grain from the country selling at 24 dollars currently. That produced in Kenya is going for 28 dollars in wholesale markets.

A crate of eggs from Uganda is selling in Kenya for as low as 2 dollars, making it traders' favorite.

Data from the East African Grain Council shows that in the first quarter of this year, Kenya imported more than 80,000 tonnes of maize from its two neighbors, earning Ugandan and Tanzanian farmers some 31 million dollars.

According to FarmGain Africa, bean exports through Busia regional trade hub to Kenya average over 100 metric tonnes per day, with a bag in Kenya going for 80 dollars.

With surge in imports, Kenyan farmers who are mainly using irrigation are feeling the pinch as they lack market for their produce, whose cost of production is high.

"Last month I went to sell my onions at 0.6 dollars per kilo and found there were those from Tanzania going for 0.50 dollars per kilo. I had no choice but to comply to dispose of the produce," said Bernard Kirathe, who farms under irrigation in Isinya, Kajiado County.

Beatrice Macharia of Growth Point, an agro-consultancy, noted that Kenyan farmers have been hard hit by erratic rains, an effect of climate change, as compared to their neighbors in Uganda and Tanzania.

"But the rains are not the only problem, the cost of production in Kenya is higher due to high input prices. For instance, Uganda offers subsidies on fertilizer and pesticides but Kenya is taxing them making production expensive," she said.

On June 13, Kenya re-introduced 16 percent tax on fertilizer, following a similar move in September 2018 when the government imposed taxes on pesticides. This would hurt farmers more, said Macharia, amid the changing weather pattern.

Kenya will open duty free maize imports from July to curb the current shortage of the grain that has seen prices rise 30 percent. Most the maize would come from Uganda and as far as Mexico.

According to the recently released 2019 Economic Survey, Kenya's exports to its neighbors in the East African Community stood at 1.29 billion dollars in 2018, down from 1.31 billion dollars in 2017, while imports from the region rose by 12 percent to 680 million dollars.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 00:44:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Death toll due to Encephalitis in India's eastern state of Bihar continues to rise, officials said Saturday.

According to officials, 75 children have died due to suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in the state. The worst affected being Muzaffarpur district.

"So far 75 deaths have been reported due to AES in which maximum casualties have been reported from Muzaffarpur and adjoining area," an official said.

Around 100 children are still undergoing treatment at Sri Krishna Medical College and hospital and Kejriwal Matrisadan hospital, officials said.

The local health department officials said they were taking all preventive measures to contain the spread of disease.

"We have taken all precautionary measures to contain the spread of the disease further," an official posted in Muzaffarpur said.

As per data available with the health department, majority of the suspected AES cases have been reported from Muzaffarpur, Sheohar, Vaishali and East Champaran districts.

"Kanti, Musahari, Katra, Minapur and Muraul blocks in Muzaffarpur district have been identified as most vulnerable for the suspected AES cases," the official said.

The local government has intensified the awareness campaign in the worst hit villages to check the spread of the disease further.

"An alert has also been sounded about the disease in other districts," the official said. "We are hopeful that the it would bring out desired results."

On Wednesday a multi-specialist high-level team from India's federal health ministry visited Muzaffarpur to assist the state government in the containment and management of rising cases of AES. The team submitted a report to health ministry

Experts say the disease mostly affects children below 15 years of age and symptoms of AES are acute-onset of fever and a change in mental status - confusion, disorientation, delirium, or coma - and onset of seizures.

According to officials AES outbreaks are routine in areas in and around Muzaffarpur during summer.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the AES cases recurred because awareness campaign was not done properly in the state.

Meanwhile, India's federal health minister Harsh Vardhan would Sunday visit Muzaffarpur where he is likely to take stock of situation in wake of the due to encephalitis outbreak.

"While the centre (federal government) is extending all support to the state of Bihar for the containment and management of the recent surge of AES and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) cases, I shall be going to Muzaffarpur tomorrow to take stock and review the situation at the site with the state government," Vardhan in a statement said.

The minister said his ministry was constantly monitoring the situation and supporting the local government in managing the AES and JE cases.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 01:14:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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OSLO, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Norwegian government will tighten the licensing conditions for wind power, newspaper Aftenposten reported on Saturday.

Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Kjell-Borge Freiberg announced stricter regulations when it comes to respecting deadlines for the start of construction of wind farms.

Wind power developers in Norway today have five years to go from the license acquisition until the start of the construction of the wind farm and this deadline is often extended if developer asks for it.

Besides, long processing time will cause the projects to change, for example, due to new technology.

Development of wind power has become a controversial issue in Norway and local resistance has increased in many places.

At most of the political parties' annual meetings there has been extensive debate on wind power on land and its negative impact on nature.

"Norway has some fantastic opportunities in offshore wind. It is not Norway that is the market for electricity produced by offshore wind turbines, but the rest of the world," Freiberg told Aftenposten.

"If we are to achieve the goals in the Paris Agreement, then the wind is part of what needs to be developed. Here Norway has an industrial opportunity," he said.

The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) so far processed a total of 244 applications, out of which 39 have been granted a license.

The processing of 24 new licenses is put on ice until Oct. 1, when the government consultation deadline for the wind power framework expires.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 01:49:28|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BUCHAREST, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Romania continued to strengthen its position as the largest trading partner of Moldova in the first four months of 2019, with bilateral trade accounting for 18.16 percent of the latter's total trade, according to news reports reaching here on Saturday from Chisinau, capital of Moldova.

The total trade volume between the two countries was 513.9 million U.S. dollars in the first four months of the current year, as Moldova imported 255.6 million dollars from Romania and exported 258.3 million, according to the latest data of Moldova's National Bureau of Statistics (BNS) quoted by official Moldpres news agency.

Over 42 percent of Moldovan goods exported to EU states were on the Romanian market during the above period, the BNS data also showed.

Romania, Germany, Turkey, Italy and Russia were the top five destination markets of Moldova, while Russia, Romania, China, Ukraine and Germany were the main source countries for Moldova imports.

Close to a quarter (24.9 percent) of exports in Moldova involved transport equipment and machinery in the above time span, while food and live animals contributed to 22.83 percent on export.

But Moldova's largest imported products were also transport equipment and machinery, accounting for 22.89 percent of the total imports, followed by manufactured goods, mineral fuels, chemical products and food.

In January-April 2019, exports totaled 948.7 million dollars, a year-on-year growth of 8.1 percent, while imports amounted to 1.88 billion dollars, an increase of 6.2 percent, resulting in a trade deficit of 931.9 million dollars, up 4.4 percent compared with the same period last year.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 01:54:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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LOS ANGELES, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The tourism community in Los Angeles greatly values its healthy and long-standing bilateral relationship with that in China, an industry insider has said.

Ernest Wooden Jr., president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, told Xinhua in a recent email interview that the investment of marketing resources in China remains steady to ensure Los Angeles remains a premier destination for travelers.

According to data released by the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office, tourists from China to the United States dropped for the first time in 15 years, with the number of Chinese tourists traveling to the United States falling 5.7 percent to 2.9 million last year.

However, Los Angeles' 2018 visitation from China ran counter to the national figures as the city welcomed a record 1.2 million Chinese visitors, a 6.9 percent year-over-year growth.

"Non-stop seat capacity from China to Los Angeles International Airport from January to April this year has increased 4.6 percent compared to the same time-period last year," said Wooden.

The organization has made great efforts over the years to ensure Los Angeles as the top-ranked U.S. city for Chinese travelers.

According to Wooden, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board was the first U.S. municipal marketing organization to establish a full-time tourism office in China in 2006.

Now, with four full-time offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, the organization works closely with the Chinese tourism industry to ensure interest in Los Angeles remains strong among Chinese travelers and monitors factors which have the potential to impact future tourism.

"We are fully committed to further strengthening our relationship and will continue to warmly welcome visitors from China," Wooden told Xinhua.

The organization has established a Chinese-based website, and created accounts on China's popular social media channels Weibo and WeChat in a bid to attract more Chinese visitors.

In a recent effort, the organization held a nine-day exhibition named "City of Angels Experience" in Shanghai last month to better showcase the glamour of Los Angeles.

Wooden believes that tourism is a powerful vehicle for cultural exchange and will continue to promote the valuable benefits of people-to-people connection that is driven by travel between China and the United States.

"Los Angeles Tourism will continue to take a long-view approach to China and work strategically to protect and grow our market share," said Wooden.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 01:54:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Photo taken on June 15, 2019 shows the headquarters of Huawei Spain in Madrid, Spain. In cooperation with Chinese telecom giant Huawei, Vodafone Espana on Saturday rolled out the first commercial 5G mobile services in Spain, making it one of the first European countries with the ultrafast mobile network in Europe. (Xinhua/Guo Qiuda)

By Ren Ke, Guo Qiuda

MADRID, June 15 (Xinhua) -- In cooperation with Chinese telecom giant Huawei, Vodafone Espana on Saturday rolled out the first commercial 5G mobile services in Spain, making it one of the first European countries with the ultrafast mobile network in Europe.

According to Vodafone Espana, the 5G mobile network covers 15 major Spanish cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Around half of the residents in these cities will be able to enjoy the cutting-edge high-speed network service, which will be expanded in the future.

With 5G mobile phones, customers in Spain will experience download speeds of up to 1Gbps at launch and up to 2Gbps by the end of the year, which means it could be 10 times faster than that of the 4G network, said Vodafone.

The low latency network will be fundamental for some key technologies such as autonomous driving, telemedicine and virtual reality in the future.

The 5G data packages and smartphones are now available on the website of Vodafone Espana and will be available at its outlets on Monday. However, staff from a Vodafone outlet in Madrid said that there were already many customers consulting them about 5G plans, an indication of great interest in the brand-new services.

Vodafone has thus become the first operator to make 5G services available to Spanish customers, and the 5G Vodafone Espana is also the network that covers the most cities in Europe to date.

Two European countries, Britain and Switzerland, have already rolled out their first 5G mobile services lately. Britain's EE and the Swiss carrier Sunrise have both been equipped with Huawei gear and technology.

According to Huawei Spain, the company has prepared a lot for the launch and has cooperated with Vodafone as the core equipment supplier for the project. The two companies have had close cooperation for more than 10 years.

It is believed that the launch of 5G network in Spain will promote the transnational operator Vodafone to launch more 5G services in other countries. The company will commercialize 5G services to users in seven cities in Britain from July 3 this year, and the 5G roaming coverage in Britain, Italy, and Germany will be available this summer.

The launch of Huawei-engineered 5G network in Spain came as the United States has been pressuring its European allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G network construction on the groundless pretext of "security risk".

Despite this, Spain, Germany, Britain and the Netherlands, have decided not to bar Huawei from participating in the building of their 5G network. Germany said it already has a high standard for security regarding 5G network, while Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell declared earlier in March that the relations with Huawei are very important for Spanish telecom companies and Spain has no prejudice against anyone.

At the end of May, Jin Yong, chief executive officer of Huawei Spain, said most of Huawei's partners in Spain have decided to stand shoulder to shoulder with Huawei despite U.S. sanctions against the company, which will not impact on Huawei's 5G project in Spain.

Vodafone CEO Nick Read warned in February in Barcelona that banning Huawei from Europe's 5G networks would be harmful for operators and consumers, and might delay its rollout by "probably two years".

According to Huawei, the company has long-term partnerships with major mobile carriers in Spain and around Europe.

"We will continue to provide service to Spanish operators in their 5G projects. We will also improve our service so as to inspire and invite more small and mid-sized Spanish enterprises to make contributions to 5G applications," said Jin.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 01:59:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Economy Minister Mansour Bteish said on Saturday that the flow of Syrian refugees to Lebanon led 200,000 Lebanese people to live under the poverty line, the National News Agency reported.

"We have 200,000 Lebanese citizens living under the poverty line in addition to 1 million more who were initially suffering from poverty," Bteish said in Bekaa.

Bteish added that a big number of Lebanese youths immigrated to work outside Lebanon after the eruption of the Syrian crisis and the flow of refugees to Lebanon.

"Bekaa hosts around 36 percent of these refugees and it is among the areas that suffer the most from different challenges," Bteish said.

The minister emphasized the need for cooperation between all sectors and parties to overcome the economic challenges facing Lebanon.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 02:14:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NICOSIA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The opposition parties in Cyprus have demanded the government to take advantage of the Brexit opportunity and a UN General Assembly decision on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to push for the termination of the presence of the British bases on the eastern Mediterranean island, local media reported on Saturday.

During an overnight debate in parliament on Friday, the issue was debated on the suggestion of center Democratic Party (DIKO). The proposal was supported by the socialists and two other smaller opposition parties, including far-right ELAM party.

Opposition parties have a majority of seats in parliament. Although all parties agreed that the bases should go, they disagreed on the timing.

Britain retained two sovereign areas totaling 253 square kilometers or 3 percent of the territory of Cyprus to use as military bases, when it granted independence to the eastern Mediterranean island in 1960.

One of the bases at Akrotiri, on the south shores of Cyprus, is an important air base providing support to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operations in the Mediterranean and as far as Afghanistan. According to military specialists, it is also one of the most important electronic surveillance hubs in the NATO network.

DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos said Brexit provided a historic opportunity for the Cypriot government to raise the issue of terminating the presence of British bases in Cyprus.

He also said a decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in an application by Mauritius, and a resolution of the UN General Assembly declaring illegal the presence of the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands was an opportunity Cyprus should not miss.

Andros Kyprianou, leader of left wing AKEL, the biggest opposition party in the Cypriot parliament, said his party has always said that the bases constitute a violation of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, but argued that the Brexit was not the right opportunity to raise the issue, as Britain had declared right from the beginning that the territory of the bases was not part of the European Union.

He also argued that opening a second front at a time when Cyprus is facing challenges to its sovereignty by Turkey would not be a wise move.

Governing DISY party also agreed with AKEL that the timing was not right to push for the British bases to go.

The party also argued that in the case of a messy Brexit, Cyprus and Britain have to agree on arrangements to avoid hardship for Cypriots living within the bases territory and for British expatriates, mostly pensioners, living in Cyprus.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 02:19:44|Editor: mingmei

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) receives the Order of the Crown, Tajikistan's highest decoration, from Tajik President Emomali Rahmon during a ceremony in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Sadat)

DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping received the Order of the Crown, Tajikistan's highest decoration, from Tajik President Emomali Rahmon here on Saturday.

During the ceremony held at the presidential palace, Rahmon spoke highly of Xi's positive contributions to the development of Tajikistan-China relations, saying he is ready to work together with Xi to guide bilateral relations toward greater achievements.

Noting that the Order of the Crown embodies the profound friendship the people of Tajikistan have kept with the people of China, Xi said he attaches great significance to the decoration.

"I am willing to join hands with President Rahmon in lifting China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership to higher levels and better serving the two peoples," Xi said.

Xi arrived here Friday for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and a state visit to Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 02:24:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Leaders or representatives of member countries of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) pose for a group photo with representatives of observer states and relevant international and regional organizations in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. The fifth CICA summit was held in Dushanbe on Saturday. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the summit. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

DUSHANBE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Member states of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on Saturday agreed to make further joint efforts to promote comprehensive and sustainable security and development in Asia, according to a declaration issued after the fifth CICA summit held in the Tajik capital.

In an increasingly interconnected and interdependent globalized world, Asian countries share common interests in building a sustainable environment conducive to peace and security, the declaration said.

CICA members are ready to seek common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and promote development and progress based on common understanding that has been reached so far, it said.

They reaffirmed commitment to effective multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, and to maintaining and promoting peace and stability, pursuing peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to the threat or use of force, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.

As an important multilateral cooperation mechanism in the region, the CICA will develop dialogue on a regional security architecture that is open, inclusive based on universally recognized principles of international law and the UN Charter, and promote international relationship based on mutual respect, fairness and justice, mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as build a community with a shared future for mankind, the declaration said.

Deeply concerned about security threats posed by terrorism and extremism in all forms, the leaders called for devising a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism.

They stressed that separatism is a threat to national sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, security and stability, and that the CICA does not support any separatist movements and entities on the territory of the member states.

They also confirmed the necessity and expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in accordance with international and respective national laws in countering transnational organized crimes and corruption, such as drug trafficking, financial crimes, including money laundering, human trafficking, trafficking in cultural property, illicit arms flows in all their forms.

The member states reiterated their unwavering support to the Iran nuclear deal, called for reviving negotiations on the Middle East peace process, and underlined that peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan should be inclusive, Afghan-led, Afghan-owned.

They agreed on further joint efforts on non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control, and recognized that negotiations for the conclusion of an international agreement or agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space remain an important agenda of the Conference on Disarmament.

In the declaration, CICA members said that inclusive and sustainable economic growth as well as the elimination of poverty and illiteracy, are among the most effective measures to remove the breeding ground of terrorism and extremism.

The leaders stressed the need to further conduct dialogue and cooperation on regional and sub-regional levels to promote sustainable development, economic cooperation and the peoples' well-being, and called for greater market access and non-discrimination in trade.

They welcomed all initiatives of the member states to promote and strengthen cooperation in various fields, including economy, finance, transport and trade within the geography of the CICA at bilateral and multilateral levels.

Meanwhile, the CICA members stressed the importance of building an open world economy enabling all countries and all peoples to share the benefits of globalization.

They remained firmly committed to a rule-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and inclusive multilateral trading system centering around the World Trade Organization, taking into consideration its reform process, and firmly opposed to all forms of protectionism.

In particular, they praised the important role that China had played in advancing the CICA process, promoting CICA institution building, adopting and implementing confidence-building measures in various fields since it assumed the CICA chairmanship in May 2014.

According to the declaration, the sixth meeting of CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be held in 2020 and the sixth CICA summit in 2022.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 02:24:48|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Danish Queen Margrethe II (C-L), accompanied by Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid (C-R), attends a wreath laying ceremony at the foot of the War of Independence Victory Column in Tallinn, capital of Estonia, on June 15, 2019. Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid Saturday welcomed here the Queen of Denmark who is on a two-day visit to Estonia to strengthen bilateral relations. (Xinhua/Guo Chunju)

TALLINN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid Saturday welcomed here the Queen of Denmark who is on a two-day visit to Estonia to strengthen bilateral relations.

Estonia and Denmark are like-minded Northern European countries, partners in the European Union, allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the peoples have a tight bond in almost every field of life, Kaljulaid said in a statement.

The Estonian president highly values Denmark's contribution to defending the region and the battle unit located in Estonia.

Kaljulaid and Queen Margrethe II discussed the countries' good bilateral relations, environmental issues and Baltic Sea cooperation.

After the meeting at the Estonian president's office, they attended the opening of the exhibition Dannebrog for the Golden Age of Danish Art at the Kadriorg Palace art museum.

The Danish Queen also visited Freedom Square at the Tallinn city center and laid a wreath at the foot of the War of Independence Victory Column and participated the public family event held at the square in celebration of the Danish and Estonian flags.

Delivering a speech at the public event of music, games, drawings and thematic activities, Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas lauded the good relationship between Estonia and Denmark.

Another museum exhibition opening, Tallinn city tour, press conference, concerts and a gala dinner concluded Saturday's program, and the Danish Queen were scheduled to leave Estonia on Sunday.

The Danish Queen arrived on the royal yacht Dannebrog and was met by the Estonian president aboard the ship Admiral Bellingshausen, which was followed by an official welcoming ceremony at the Seaplane harbor.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 02:44:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Catering employees working for airlines at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are planning to strike, demanding pay hikes and less healthcare insurance costs, a local union representing airline catering workers said Saturday.

"BREAKING: Airline catering workers at SFO have voted by 99.8% to strike when released by the government," tweeted UNITE HERE Local 2@UniteHereLoal2, a union representing hotel, airport and food service workers in San Francisco and San Mateo counties.

It said an overwhelming majority of unionized workers are in favor of authorizing a walkout to demand a better life.

"We prepare the food and beverage served on @United, @Delta, and @AmericanAir flights. We're sick of struggling to make ends meet while they profit," the union said in the tweeted post.

The workers are employed by two catering companies at the SFO to provide services for major U.S. airlines including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, San Francisco-based KQED radio channel said.

"I prepare food and beverage for some of the world's biggest airlines, but I have to go to a free clinic because my company insurance is so expensive that I can't afford it. I voted to strike when released because #1job should be enough," the union quoted one of the workers as saying.

Catering staffs working at an airport need prior authorization from the National Mediation Board, an independent federal agency, for "release" to strike.

Unite Here Local 2 is the same union that launched a months-long strike at Marriott hotels in the Bay Area and across the United States last year.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 02:49:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HELSINKI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Green League on Saturday chose Maria Ohisalo, the current minister for the interior, as its new chairman at the party convention in Pori, western Finland.

The 34-year-old doctor of social sciences was elected unanimously. She was elected to parliament this year.

In her speech, Ohisalo raised financial inequality and the climate change as the two things she would combat against. She said she wants to build a country where the social safety net functions.

Ohisalo said that alienation is the worst internal security risk in Finland. "The security of even the lowest income people must be guaranteed," she said.

Ohisalo reminded that she knows personally what poverty is. Besides being a sociologist focusing on poverty, she was born to a low income family.

Ohisalo underlined equality also in combating the climate change. "Climate change must be warded off in such a way that no one is left behind. Those who already have problems with their livelihood shall not pay the bill."

Ohisalo said the program of the newly launched center-left government is historic in defining the goals of the climate policies. Finland is to become carbon neutral by 2035.

As minister of the interior, Ohisalo is also responsible for immigration affairs. She underlined that each application for asylum in Finland is being processed appropriately and ascertaining the lawful security.

She said it is possible to change the Finnish asylum policy and public debate on it. "We can resist hatred speech. I am not afraid of fascists," she said.

The Green League has 20 MPs in the parliament. The previous party chairman Touko Aalto resigned last autumn on health grounds. Earlier party chairman Pekka Haavisto was appointed as interim chairman and did not run for chairmanship now.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 03:20:05|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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RABAT, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Five British tourists were arrested in Morocco for forgery of money, said the official news agency MAP.

The suspects were allegedly involved in currency falsification and trafficking, as well as assault, said the report.

Two Moroccan women were also arrested during this operation on Friday in the province of El Haouz, about 35 km from the city of Marrakech, it said, adding that police seized 32 counterfeit 20 euro banknotes in their possession.

The suspects were also found in possession of some Moroccan currency suspected from trading operations with counterfeit foreign currency, it said.

The five British suspects were placed in custody for an ongoing investigation.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 03:30:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DAMASCUS, June 15 (Xinhua) -- An explosion took place inside a military base in Syrian capital Damascus on Saturday afternoon, state news agency SANA reported.

The explosion rocked the military base in the Mashru Dummar area west of Damascus, according to the report.

The state media report said the blast occurred in a weapon depot and was caused by fire that erupted in dry grass nearby.

Citing a military source, the report said that an investigation is underway to determine the exact details.

Meanwhile, people in the capital said they heard the big bombing, and even shared online photos of smoke rising from the direction of Mashru Dummar, a high-end residential district.

The district is close to the military bases of the Fourth Brigade of the Syrian army, which is tasked with protecting the capital.

Damascus has been calm since May of 2018 when the army completely liberated the surrounding of the capital from the rebels.

However, Israel repeatedly targeted military sites in Syria on the pretext that it was targeting the sites of Iranian-backed militants.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 03:45:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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STOCKHOLM, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Babies that are born prematurely have an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life, a new study shows.

COPD is an inflammatory disease of the trachea and lungs, characterized by slowly increasing constriction of the trachea. Smoking is a major risk factor. COPD is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. The World Health Organisation predicts that COPD will become the third leading cause of death globally by 2030.

Swedish researchers have come a step closer to solving the riddle of why hundreds of thousands of non-smoking Swedes are affected by COPD.

"COPD is strongly associated with smoking but about 20 percent of those who develop the disease have never smoked," Magnus Skold, the study's main author and Professor of Lung Medicine at the Karolinska Institute, said in a press release on Saturday. "Now we have a completely new, important insight into COPD, which makes it possible to inform risk groups about how they can prevent the disease. For example, it is extra dangerous for those who were born prematurely to take up smoking."

In the study, which was published on Wednesday, Magnus Skold's research group examined the lungs of 95 people in their 20s. The study shows a markedly impaired lung function in the participants who were prematurely born and needed oxygen. A total of 27 percent of those who developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) after birth, ie those with lesions on the lungs, had already developed signs of COPD in their 20s.

Gunnar C. Hansson, Professor of Medical Biochemistry at the Sahlgrenska Academy, told Swedish Television (SVT) that he is not surprised by what the study shows. Healthcare has long believed that COPD is only linked to smoking, but it is changing, said Hansson.

"For a very long time, it has been assumed that COPD is only caused by smoking, but it is not. Anything that damages the lungs leads to a similar illness. So it's not particularly surprising that premature children, who also get harmful oxygen, also get lung damage, Hannsson told SVT on Saturday.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 03:50:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- A United Airlines plane skidded off the runway after landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in the U.S. state of New Jersey on Saturday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

No injuries have been reported.

The FAA said in a statement that United Airlines Flight 627 landed at 1 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) on a runway at the airport, west of New York City, and then skidded off the left side of the pavement.

"The left main landing gear is stuck in a grassy area," the statement said. "The aircraft will be towed off the airfield after passengers leave the aircraft via stairs."

The passengers will ride buses to the terminal, the statement added.

"Flights are delayed until the aircraft is moved," it said.

The FAA is en route to the airport to investigate the incident.

United Airlines Flight 627 originated at Denver International Airport.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 04:40:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield has been named the new president of the Naval War College, the first woman to hold the post in the institution's history.

In a statement making the announcement on Friday, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer called Chatfield "a historic choice" for the Naval War College.

"Admiral Chatfield will play a pivotal role in leading the War College as it integrates into the new Naval University system we are now establishing to foster a culture of continuous learning in the naval services," Spencer said.

Chatfield earned her doctorate in education from the University of San Diego and is a naval aviator who commanded at both the squadron and wing levels.

She also served as a Provincial Reconstruction Team Commander in Farah Province, Afghanistan. She is currently serving as Commander, Joint Region Marianas, Guam.

The Naval War College, established in 1884, is the staff college for the U.S. Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 04:50:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SKOPJE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia's economy is moving to the right direction and this is confirmed by the positive upgrading rating from "BB" to "BB+" by the Fitch international credit rating agency, according to the country's Finance Ministry on Saturday.

Finance Minister Dragan Tevdovski told a press conference that the last time the country's economy credit rating increased was in 2006, and this increase confirmed the successful government policies.

The Fitch rating agency elevated the country's credit rating in its latest report published on Friday.

The minister noted that the "Fitch report said that positive steps have been taken with regard to the country's Euro-Atlantic integration bid and recognizes the country's well-established fiscal policy."

According to the Fitch report, North Macedonia has managed to maintain its currency stability over a longer period of time and has improved its governance and human resource management.

Moreover, the Fitch agency forecasts an acceleration of North Macedonia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to 3.4 percent in 2019 and 3.6 percent in 2020, from 2.7 percent in 2018 and just 0.2 percent in 2017. The growth is relatively broad-based and boosted by a recovery in domestic investment, alongside sustained private consumption growth, according to the report.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 04:55:48|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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RAMALLAH, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Saturday that Palestine will not participate in the U.S.-sponsored economic workshop to be held in Manama, capital of Bahrain, on June 25.

Abbas stressed that "we reject the U.S. peace plan," better known as the "Deal of the Century," in a meeting with the leaders of the Fatah Youth Movement in Ramallah.

The U.S. administration is planning to soon present the peace plan for resolving the conflict in the Middle East. The Palestinians have announced that they reject it.

"Jerusalem and Palestine are not for sale," Abbas told the leaders, adding that "the Palestinian leadership is sticking to the stable legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state."

The Palestinian Authority (PA) severed its political ties with the United States after President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017 and moved his country's embassy to the city in May last year.

Meanwhile, Abbas reiterated the Palestinians' rejection to receive the partial funds of the tax revenue dues collected by Israel on behalf of the PA from the Palestinian trade.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is pictured at the UN headquarters in New York, Jan. 14, 2019. (Xinhua)

RAMALLAH, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Saturday that Palestine will not participate in the U.S.-sponsored economic workshop to be held in Manama, capital of Bahrain, on June 25.

Abbas stressed that "we reject the U.S. peace plan," better known as the "Deal of the Century," in a meeting with the leaders of the Fatah Youth Movement in Ramallah.

The U.S. administration is planning to soon present the peace plan for resolving the conflict in the Middle East. The Palestinians have announced that they reject it.

"Jerusalem and Palestine are not for sale," Abbas told the leaders, adding that "the Palestinian leadership is sticking to the stable legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state."

The Palestinian Authority (PA) severed its political ties with the United States after President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017 and moved his country's embassy to the city in May last year.

Meanwhile, Abbas reiterated the Palestinians' rejection to receive the partial funds of the tax revenue dues collected by Israel on behalf of the PA from the Palestinian trade.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 05:35:58|Editor: Wu Qin

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People participate in a march in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, June 15, 2019. Thousands of people, mainly women dressed in pink, took part in the 19th Avon march to express support for patients with breast cancer and their families in Prague on Saturday. (Xinhua/Dana Kesnerova)

PRAGUE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people, mainly women dressed in pink, took part in the 19th Avon march to express support for patients with breast cancer and their families in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic Saturday.

The march started from Old Town square in the historical centre of the city and ended on Stvanice Island where a cultural program was prepared, including a concert.

The motto of this year's Avon March Campaign is "it doesn't matter what we have on our minds, but what we carry in our hearts".

The Avon Healthy Breast Project is funded by the sale of special pink ribbon products and Avon March T-shirts. Through buying the T-shirts, people contribute to the prevention of breast cancer as well as projects for patients and the assessment of screening data.

More than 7,000 women in the Czech Republic get breast cancer every year and around 1,900 die from this disease in the same period, according to the website mamo.cz, an information portal set up by the Institute of Biostatistics and Analyzes of the Faculty of Medicine of the Masaryk University together with the Czech Association of Mammodiagnostics.

Statistics show that if the tumor is captured at an early stage, the chance of cure is greater than 90 percent. Mammography is an effective and completely safe method of breast examination. In the Czech Republic, about 60 percent of women go through screening mammography examinations every year, according to the portal.Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-16 05:46:01|Editor: mingmei

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NEW YORK, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City will be closing from Saturday to Oct. 20 for an extensive renovation and reorganization of its galleries, according to a MoMA press release.

Stunning new galleries and spaces for performance and events will transform the museum, MoMA said.

The historic expansion, coincides with the 90th anniversary of MoMA, is expected to bring more voices and perspectives to the facility through new and unprecedented ways with additional 50 percent spaces.

Current exhibitions are being ended at 5:30 p.m. local time Saturday, but members of MoMA will be able to enjoy the art collections one more day on Sunday.

The collections of art include The Starry Night of Vincent van Gogh, Water Lilies of Claude Monet, and The Persistence of Memory of Salvador Dali.

During the close of main galleries in Manhattan, tourists will be able to visit MoMA PS1 in Long Island, which is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit arts centers in the United States devoted to contemporary art, according to MoMA.Expert: Nu sunt sperante ca preturile la gaze sa mai scada vreodata

Nu sunt sperante ca preturile la incalzire si gaze sa mai scada vreodata, au declarat analisti pentru 'Adevarul'. Romania a ajuns sa importe cantitati tot mai mari de gaze naturale pentru a-si acoperi consumul intern, in ultimele doua luni de vara, iulie [citeste mai departe]On Saturday, June 15, illegal armed groups violated the ceasefire in Donbas conflict zone eight times. The press center of the Joint Forces Operation headquarters reported this on Facebook. Thus, in the Donetsk sector, the enemy fired at the positions of our fighters in the region of Lebedynske, Avdiivka, Novotroitske and Krasnohorivka.In the Luhansk sector, militants fired at positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Stanytsia Luhanska settlement.The JFO headquarters specified that the armed forces of the Russian Federation fired on positions of our servicemen using mortars of 120 mm and 82 mm caliber banned by the Minsk agreements, as well as grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms."As a result of enemy shelling, no casualties among the Ukrainian servicemen were reported... The enemys losses are being clarified," the report says.

Earlier, t

he mobile group of the Joint Control and Coordination Centre documented the consequences of the attack on Mariinka, Donetsk region ; the shelling took place on early June 14. The Joint Forces Operation HQ reported that on Facebook

The shooters used a 122 mm cannon; two shells hit the residential area, doing grave damage to a living house. The experts found it could not be repaired.

'Besides, a family was inside the house during the terrible attack; a grandfather, a husband and wife, a daughter and an eight-year-old girl. Due to the use of Minsk-banned weaponry, the family members, including little girl Varvara, suffered wounds of various degrees of severity', the HQ claimed.

The Ukrainian military confirmed that the specified facts confirm that the armed formations of the Russian Federation violate all available principles of the humanitarian law.

The criminal case was opened against the perpetrators of the attack; it is qualified as the terrorist act.Rosstandart officials conducted the checks in the occupied peninsula; it also appears that 47 percent of diesel fuel did not match the quality standards, too

Open source

The occupant authorities of Crimea stated that the share of adulterated petrol in Crimea makes 20 percent. These are the results of the quality checks ran by Rosstandart, the Russian government's organization for quality control.

'In 47 percent of conducted checks, we found diesel fuel that did not match the requirements. In 20 percent, it was adulterated petrol', the message says.

58 samples of diesel fuel and petrol were taken at gas stations across Crimea in May and early June.

Other violations concerned the documentary escort and the marking of the fuel.

The local occupant government insists that this number in Crimea actually dropped compared to that observed in 2018. Last year, Rosstandart observed 70 percent of low-quality diesel fuel and up to 45 pecent of adulterated petrol in the total turnover of fuel substitutes in Crimea.The ongoing hostilities were among the topics negotiated during the ministerial meeting

Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union dw.com

Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission met with Vatican's officials. Among those were His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and H.E. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

The sides discussed a wide range of questions, including the ongoing conflicts across the globe.

''The third ministerial dialogue focused on Latin America (Venezuela and Nicaragua); the Middle East and particularly Syria; Russia and Ukraine; the Western Balkans; Africa; and multilateralism'', reads the message at the European External Action Service's website.

Earlier, Mogherini supposed that the European Commission would extend the sanctions against Russia for the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.First flights departed from Kishinev to London, Moscow and Odesa, hours after Democratric Party's government led by Pavel Filip announced resignation

Kishinev airport, Air Moldova plane www.interfax.ru

Politicians and businessmen related to the Democratic Party of Moldova who stand in opposition to President Igor Dodon started to leave the country. The first flights departed from Kishinev on late Friday, hours after Democratric Party's government led by Pavel Filip announced resignation. Interfax news agency reported that referring to the local media.

According to Moldovan TV channels, three private aircraft departed from Kishinev airport on late June 14. According to flightradar24, Bombardier CRJ-200LR eaded for Moscow, Gulfstream G200 landed in Odesa, and the third plane went to London. Another five charter flights were supposed to head for Istanbul.

It is supposed that oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc, leader of the Democratic Party was on board of one of these planes. Plahotniuc refused to transfer power untile he eventually succumbed; however, Pahotniuc himself still has not commented on this.

As we reported, the Security Service of Ukraine enhanced the counter-intelligence regime at the entrance to Moldova through the territory of Ukraine because of radical citizens of Russia.

Ukraines Foreign Ministry revealed an appeal which raises a concern about the possible implementation of the Russian scenario of Moldovas federalization.

On June 9, the parliament of Moldova appointed a government and the Prime Minister. Four political parties have come to the parliament after parliamentary elections in Moldova.

The parliamentary elections and a consultative referendum on reducing the number of MPs from 101 to 61 were held in Moldova on February 24.

The leaders of the race are socialists led by President Igor Dodon, supporters of rapprochement with Russia, and the Democratic Party, which now controls the parliament, representing pro-European forces. It is headed by Vladimir Plahotniuc, the richest man in Moldova, accused of having solely controlled all the authorities. The Democratic Party supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine.'If the United States takes any negative actions towards us, we will also take reciprocal steps', - Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

The Turkish government may seek retaliation to the American sanctions, as Ankara eventually chose Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, refusing to buy F-35, U.S. fifth-generation stealth fighters. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said this as quoted by Reuters.

''If the United States takes any negative actions towards us, we will also take reciprocal steps,'' he told the press as quoted by the news agency.

Turkey purchased the S-4000 Triumph missile systems from Russia last month. The head of the Relationship Office of the Presidential Administration of Turkey Fahrettin Altun reported that on May 11.

Certain Western arms experts assume that Turkey risks being cut out of manufacture and use of American F-35 fighter jets. That ''could mark a step toward a re-evaluation of its 67-year membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization'', as Reuters put it.

I condemn yesterdays attacks on two ships in the Gulf of Oman. Our own assessment leads us to conclude that the responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran, Hunt said.



He stressed that these recent attacks are based on the nature of Irans destabilizing behavior and pose a serious danger to the region.



The British government notes that in this case international norms regarding civil navigation were violated.



It is important that tankers and crews can safely pass through international waters, the British Foreign Secretary said.

Related: Iran responds to new U.S. sanctions



"We call on Iran to urgently end all forms of destabilizing activities," Hunt said.



According to him, the UK remains in close coordination with international partners to find diplomatic solutions to reduce tensions.



On June 13, explosions occurred on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman. One of them was registered in Panama, the second vessel belonged to the Norwegian Frontline and sailed under the flag of the Marshall Islands. On one of the ships were 11 Russians, they, like other crew members, were evacuated to Iran. After the explosions, the tankers caught fire.



Earlier, the US accused Iran of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman. "We call on Iran to urgently end all forms of destabilizing activities," Hunt said.According to him, the UK remains in close coordination with international partners to find diplomatic solutions to reduce tensions.On June 13, explosions occurred on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman. One of them was registered in Panama, the second vessel belonged to the Norwegian Frontline and sailed under the flag of the Marshall Islands. On one of the ships were 11 Russians, they, like other crew members, were evacuated to Iran. After the explosions, the tankers caught fire.Earlier, the US accused Iran of attacking tankers in the Gulf of Oman.The Ukrainian diplomats also advise that citizens carry their IDs with them all the time, avoid large crowds and central streets of capital city of Kishinev

Moldovan flags, protests Open source

Ukraine's Embassy in Moldova advises that Ukrainian citizens refrain from particpation in the mass rallies and protest actions in this country, specifically in the capital city of Kishinev. The diplomatic authority posted this on Facebook.

'Due to the civil actions of political nature that continue in the Republic of Moldova and the large-scale march planned for Sunday June 16, we recommend Ukrainian citizens to limit the movement across the central streets of Kishinev city, to avoid the sites of amassment of people, abstain from joining the meeting and demonstrations', reads the message.

The Ukrainian diplomats also advise that citizens carry their IDs with them all the time, strictly abide by the security measures and rules of stay in the foreign country ad follow the news in the local and the international media.

As we reported, the Security Service of Ukraine enhanced the counter-intelligence regime at the entrance to Moldova through the territory of Ukraine because of radical citizens of Russia.

Ukraines Foreign Ministry revealed an appeal which raises a concern about the possible implementation of the Russian scenario of Moldovas federalization.

On June 9, the parliament of Moldova appointed a government and the Prime Minister. Four political parties have come to the parliament after parliamentary elections in Moldova.

The parliamentary elections and a consultative referendum on reducing the number of MPs from 101 to 61 were held in Moldova on February 24.

The leaders of the race are socialists led by President Igor Dodon, supporters of rapprochement with Russia, and the Democratic Party, which now controls the parliament, representing pro-European forces. It is headed by Vladimir Plahotniuc, the richest man in Moldova, accused of having solely controlled all the authorities. The Democratic Party supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine.Volodymyr Zelensky at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, June 4, 2019 Zoya Shu/112.ua

The infrastructure of Donbas will receive investments in the near future, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said during the working visit to Mariupol. This is reported by the press service of the head of state.



In the near future, the investments into the infrastructure of Donbas will take place. I am talking about this with all foreign investors, he concluded.



During his trip to Mariupol, Zelensky visited Spalakh multihab, where he spoke with progressive youth and business representatives.



The President also watched the presentation of the citys small and medium business development program.

Related: Zelensky appoints Mykola Balan as Commander of National Guard

Earlier, we reported that Volodymyr Zelensky initiated the replacement of Rotterdam+ by Rotterdam-, as the Presidents Representative to the Cabinet of Ministers Andriy Gerus said at the briefing broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.

By the order of the President of Ukraine and Administration, a bill which will be presented to the Verkhovna Rada on Monday was prepared. This bill is called On reduction of electrical energy, in particular, it was proposed that Rotterdam+ was canceled and another formula should be used instead of it. It might be called Rotterdam-, Gerus said.

This bill provides that this plus (the price for coal delivery from Rotterdam to Ukraine, 8,000 km by sea, which was non-existent, as nobody delivered coal from there) should be taken away from the respective formula. If the quality of the coal is low, it means that the price for the coal should be lower, than that is enrolled in the tariff. Therefore, there might be a discount from 1 to 10% considering the quality of the coal. This plus makes around 428,5 million, Gerus explained.

Rotterdam+ is a way of the formation of price for coal in the manufacture of thermal electric power in Ukraine. It was imposed in May 2016.

Related: New faces of president Zelensky's Servant of the People partyThe Constitution Court of Ukraine will continue to consider the case on the constitutionality of the president's decree regarding the dissolution of the Parliament on June 18. This is stated in the courts work plan for the next week.The question of the Verkhovna Rada dissolution is second in the court's list on Tuesday.The court began to consider the case of the dissolution of the Rada on June 11. Then the open and closed hearings took place.The speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Andriy Paruby, on June 14 submitted to the Constitutional Court the list of deputies, which confirms the presence of the coalition at the time of the People's Front faction withdrawal.

Earlier we reported that Volodymyr Zelensky initiated the replacement of Rotterdam+ by Rotterdam-, as the Presidents Representative to the Cabinet of Ministers Andriy Gerus said at the briefing broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.

By the order of the President of Ukraine and Administration, a bill which will be presented to the Verkhovna Rada on Monday was prepared. This bill is called On reduction of electrical energy, in particular, it was proposed that Rotterdam+ was canceled and another formula should be used instead of it. It might be called Rotterdam-, Gerus said.

This bill provides that this plus (the price for coal delivery from Rotterdam to Ukraine, 8,000 km by sea, which was non-existent, as nobody delivered coal from there) should be taken away from the respective formula. If the quality of the coal is low, it means that the price for the coal should be lower, than that is enrolled in the tariff. Therefore, there might be a discount from 1 to 10% considering the quality of the coal. This plus makes around 428,5 million, Gerus explained.

Rotterdam+ is a way of the formation of price for coal in the manufacture of thermal electric power in Ukraine. It was imposed in May 2016.Open source





The European Union condemns the death penalty in Belarus, due to the execution of the death penalty for two people. This was reported in a statement by the press secretary of the European Foreign Service Maja Kocijancic. T he execution of Alexander Zhilnikov has taken place in Belarus in June 2019; according to reports there is a high probability that Viachaslau Sukharka was also executed. The European Union expresses its sincere sympathy to the families and friends of the victims of the crimes committed , Kocijancic said.



At the same time, she stressed that the EU reaffirms At the same time, she stressed that the EU reaffirms its strong resistance to the death penalty in all circumstances and calls on Belarus to impose a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards the abolition of this measure of punishment.Today, I wanted to address a pretty big debate that has been going on in our comments sections anytime we talk about our bnbs. Upfront I want to say that I think these types of debates can be healthy and educational, and thats something we encourage! I love to learn from your experiences and stories. We know some of you have passionate opinions about short-term rentals, wed love to hear your thoughts and we hope you will take the time to hear ours.

This issue is complex and varies so much from city to city, so I want to encourage everyone to avoid oversimplifying it. The point of this post is to share our opinions and experiences with our bnb properties in the two cities we live in. The laws in cities around the country can be very different. The pros and cons list can be different for every city as well. Its so interesting to learn how people feel about short-term rentals in different parts of the country. I hope the conversation around short-term rentals can become more nuanced because I truly think its an important ongoing conversation. Please keep in mind, we are here to share our experiences in Nashville and Springfield, not to speak for every different city.

We love our bnb properties and are so proud of them. We work really hard on making them special, beautiful homes. The home we are renovating in Missouri will be a part-time home for my family and I when we visit. We love to stay with our families, but now that were adopting our second child we realized we needed our own space to pace the busy holiday schedule, make some memories on our own and charge our introvert batteries. Last Christmas, I ended the night in tears because it was just so overwhelming. After that, we began to make plans to go at a slower pace that works better for our family.

We have been remodeling the Springfield home with love and care and the intention of it being a holiday home for my family. We have met the neighbors, and they understand and support our reasons for renting the house out when were not in town. Long-term renting would not be an option for us since we plan to use the home often, but short-term renting gives us a chance to not let the house sit empty most of the year.

In Springfield, there are new laws to moderate short-term rentals (Im going to say STR from here on) that are really great and protect neighborhoods. First of all, there is a regulation that there cannot be too many STRs too close together. So there will never be a neighborhood or a street that is all bought up by investors looking to do STRs. (This is only for homes that will be second homes, like ours. For primary residences that only rent out their home three months out of the year or less, there is a different permit that is a bit easier to obtain.)

Next, you have to get signatures from the majority of your neighbors to show they support your intention to use your property as a STR. And, after that, you are required to host an open house where neighbors can come meet you face to face, ask any questions they may have and raise any concerns.

These are all new regulations in Springfield, Missouri. In our opinion, they are very fair and overall balanced. Neighborhoods are protected, but people like us can still rent out a property that is empty for months at a time. Best of all, relationships with neighbors are valued and protected. Even though Emma was a little nervous to host her open house (our property was mostly gutted and under major construction at the time), it was so good to be able to talk face to face with the neighbors. Best of all, we were able to give them our direct contact info, so in case they ever notice an issue, they can call us right away.

Once we are done renovating and the house is furnished, we will also be required to get another approval from the city. They will be checking that our property has enough (and working) smoke detectors and other safety necessities. Personally, we really like this oversight measure. If we were to rent the property as a long-term rental, its possible we would go for years without really being able to check in on smoke detectors or other wear and tear to the home. But with short term this is much more accessible and I think makes the property even safer for not only our family but anyone who chooses to rent an STR.

In Nashville, the regulations are much different. Most residents can get permits on their primary homes that they live in, but if its a second home it has to be commercially zoned or you cannot get a permit. These are also new laws that are ever changing.

For this reason, Emma and I chose to buy a duplex that was commercially zoned. It currently sits next to two empty lots. There are very few properties like this available, so we chose the best one we could find. It was a new construction with very little (old house) charm or details, so we have spent the past few months adding a lot more detail to the homes and furnishing them. Emma is planning to live part-time in her property and Im so happy about it. This week, she and her husband are there and weve been hanging out almost every night with Nova. Its been really great.

Since the STR laws in Nashville have become so much more strict, there are now less bnbs in the city than there have been in a long time. I understand when people say they worry investor-owned STRs will take inventory away from people trying to buy their primary home. Due to the new laws, this is no longer an issue.

All in all, I think cities moderating STRs so that there arent too many is a good and important step. We are obviously not anti-bnb, but we still believe regulations should be in place so that investors cannot buy up whole neighborhoods. All of the worst stories I have heard have been situations like that where no oversight was in place.

Another thing I want to mention is the responsibility of STR owners to screen their guests and have strict rules that protect neighborhoods. I remember years back we rented a home in Palm Springs and one of the rules was that if a neighbor called the police on you due to noise you would be kicked out immediately. These type of serious rules being enforced keep neighborhoods safe. We dont allow any kind of parties in our houses (Nashville is popular bachelorette/bachelor party destination). If we had a downtown property, we would allow party groups to stay. But since we have a neighborhood property, we dont.

We also now have ring doorbell cameras on our doors so we can make sure that our house isnt getting a huge number of people when only a small group is supposed to be staying there. Ive never had my property used for a party or trashed, but I have met people who have. This is why its important to us to give our information to neighbors so they can let us know if they notice anything out of the ordinary.

In the best-case scenario, a STR will stay in excellent condition and be used respectfully. Jeremy and I were blown away by how respectful our guests were in our first experience owning a STR last year. As an owner, the other thing that is night and day different (from long-term rentals) is that the property stays in absolute mint condition and we had a chance to make tiny upgrades all throughout the year. This is why I would personally rather live next door to a (well managed) STR than a long term. I mean our STR properties get professionally cleaned WAY (like, wayyyy) more than our personal home.

The last thing I want to talk about are my own customer experiences. I sometimes like staying in short-term rentals and sometimes I prefer hotels. It depends on the city and whether I am traveling with my whole family. If youve ever traveled with a kid who goes to bed early (Novas current bedtime is 7 p.m.), staying in a single hotel room together is difficult. Suites can work well, but they can also get expensive fast. If youve ever traveled with pets, same thing. And if youve ever traveled with a group of 2-3 couples or a big family group, you know how much more functional a short-term rental can be. Short-term rentals are something I use often and appreciate as a customer. Bottom line, they are two totally different experiences. Do you want room service or a kitchen? Are you spending a lot of time in your rental or will you be out 90% of the day? There is a need for both and having options is a good thing!

Every summer, my in-laws rent a big house with a pool for our whole family to stay in. The first few years we did it we stayed in hotels and condos. I can tell you from that experience the house is 100x better for the quality time our family is trying to achieve. When we start a new property, I always think about what kind of families might stay there and try to make it really special for them. A big part of our motivation when we decorate and furnish is envisioning the memories we have made and new memories being made.

Nashville has awesome fancy hotels, but not a ton of affordable (but still nice) ones. When we were moving here four years ago, we were staying in hotels a lot and we stayed in a couple of the worst hotels weve ever stayed in. Thats one of the things that inspired us to look into making a bnbI felt like there werent enough medium-priced options.

Springfield is a smaller town. It doesnt have a hotel industry like Nashville and it doesnt have a ton of cute places to stay. We love that we can offer something really beautiful for people to rent in our hometown. (Although for the record, there are a few cute spots to stay and we have a couple friends who also have bnb properties around our hometown that they put so much love into just like us.)

Emmas and my goal is to create STRs that add value to our city and the people who visit our cities. We go the extra mile to give our guests a full experience. We respect the neighborhoods as these are communities we are a part of. We really care! I hope if you get anything from this post you can see that were trying to do a good job. I think a lot of people who own STRs are (and Im sure there are some bad ones toowho I am not defending). I hope if anything that Ive shared how weve made our decisions and how we are trying to run a side biz that contributes positively to our communities in every way.

Short-term rentals can be good and can be bad. Like almost all other tasks in life, it needs to be done responsibly, not recklessly. We want to do it the right way. We take that responsibility seriously. And although we are forever imperfect and always learning, we felt it was worth it to share all this today.

Doing more STR properties is a goal of ours for the future. Were at the prime of our careers and it makes sense for us to invest money in property and it is something we really enjoy working on. Its a bonus that we can share some of these projects and tours here on our blog and its an extra special bonus that some of the guests who choose to rent our properties are readers who have been following us for years.

After our last big announcement, we had a real talk about whether we needed/wanted to share our short-term rental projects here on the blog. Believe it or not, my friends who dont promote their properties to their followers at all make basically the same money on their STRs. The point of why we share isnt to get people to rent it, they pretty much stay rented either way and from what I can tell most of the people renting our property have not all been fans by any means.

After thinking it over, we have decided to keep sharing this part of our business for now because A. We love doing it (really really enjoy this!) and B. We want to continue to be a part of this conversation. Its 100% OK with us if some of our readers dont like STRs or dont like that we own them. We can agree to disagree and we plan to keep listening, keep learning and trying to do better. STRs are still a relatively new option (or at least recently popularized) and with anything that new there is going to be some back and forth before things are properly regulated and best practices are fully established.

Thank you for reading! xx. Elsie

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson, Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photo edited with A Color Story Desktop.New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Plenty of sunshine. High 79F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

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YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Lt. General Artak Davtyan has chaired a consultation on June 15 with the commanding staff of the military to discuss a number of issues regarding the combat readiness of the troops, procurement and logistics, the defense ministry said in a news release.

According to the ministry, the Lt. General gave relevant orders to the leadership of the military regarding the solution of existing issues.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani armed forces breached the ceasefire at the Artsakh line of contact around 140 times June 9  15, the Ministry of Defense of Artsakh reported.

The Azerbaijani military fired more than 1000 rounds using various caliber small arms.

On June 11th, Azerbaijan also fired five shells from HAN 17 type grenade launchers in the southern direction of the line of contact.

The Artsakh military said it took adequate steps to suppress the enemy fire.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan has visited a military base of the Armenian Armed Forces today, spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on Facebook, without elaborating the location.

At the combat position D. Tonoyan personally viewed the tactical situation, the adversary units, the engineering work done by our troops etc. At the end of the visit Davit Tonoyan issued relevant orders to the commanders, Hovhannisyan wrote on Facebook.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanIt would be patrol officers whod accompany the land surveyors, magistrates and land wardens, to negotiate land exchanges to begin one of the worlds largest mining ventures.

Soon landsmen and surveyors would arrive to negotiate purchase of large tracts of beach front for a massive port to export the minerals. And thousands of acres of virgin jungle high in the mountains to mine the minerals.

I bunked in a back room at the Kieta hotel with three other patrol officers who were new inductees to the Bougainville District administration. Thered been an influx of officers because copper and gold had been discovered in Bougainvilles central highlands.

The adventures I sought in the jungle would have to wait for the return of the regular clerk who was on furlough for six months and I was his replacement.

This was my first posting in Papua New Guinea. I was 23 and far from my former life in Australia. It was almost my dream come true. Almost because I was acting as district clerk, tied to a desk and a formidable row of file cabinets, answering directly to the District Commissioner.

The Mortlock islanders are Polynesians with straight hair and slim bodies who fitted the stereotype created by the French artist, Paul Gauguin whod lived in Polynesian Tahiti in the latter part of his life. They were unlike the Negroid, stocky, blue-black Bougainville natives.

It was run by a small jolly Aussie fellow who wore colorful sarongs and recruited natives from the Mortlock Islands over the horizon, an idyllic group of small islands on a single atoll, north east of Bougainville and part of the Solomons.

The Kieta Club, a whites only club where the local expatriates drank too much, took pride of place at the center of the small community and near the shoreline was the Kieta hotel where I stayed when I first arrived.

A thick green blanket of jungle, a carpet of dense undergrowth and a profusion of tropical forest trees swathed in creepers and vines and screeching wildlife, accelerated rapidly into the clouds toward the inland spine of the island.

Houses with enclosed verandahs protecting the inhabitants from the teeming malarial anopheles mosquitoes, crept back from the shoreline and climbed steeply up the mountains offering a fine view of the picturesque harbor.

Jimmy Wongs Chinese trade store was at one end and of the settlement and Kietas hospital, a series of grass huts with tin roofs, was at the other. Between were administrative buildings huddled under the ubiquitous coconut trees that curved and swayed against the cloudless sky providing dappled shade from the tropic sun.

Pok Pok [crocodile in pidgin English] had the shape of a huge crocodile lying flat on its belly on top of the sea, its huge head jutting to the south, its tail tapering to the north. It was inhabited by local natives who paddled their small canoes loaded with copra, fish and vegetables for sale in Kieta.

Kieta was perched on a narrow ribbon of land skirting the harbor. Pok Pok Island loomed off shore, protecting the harbor from the squalls and storms that sometimes tore in from the east with great ferocity.

The dust from the road that serviced the harbor, floated through the louvered windows of the office and most days the sun beat down on this small coastal town.

The air was infused with the musky smell of copra, dried coconut kernels from which coconut oil is squeezed, stacked along the shore in brown hemp sacks ready for the small boats that carried them to trading vessels anchored in the harbor for delivery to Rabaul and the world market.

In this second part of his PNG memoirs from the 1970s, ANDREW LESLIE PHILLIPS, now a radio station manager in the USA, recounts his first experience of being a patrol officer in Bougainville

One morning as we assembled for breakfast of fresh papaya with a squeeze of lime juice, followed by bacon and eggs served by the handsome sarong clad waiters, a stranger approached. He was an Australian but unlike we patrol officers in our khaki shirts, shorts and long white socks, was dressed native style wearing sandals and a sarong we called a lap lap, wrapped around his waist and worn like a skirt.

His name was Barry Middlemiss and he was the plantation manger at Arawa and worked for Kip McKillop whod been a coastwatcher during the war years and owned a one-thousand acre copra plantation not far from Kieta. The plantation was renowned for its outstanding orchid collection of more than one-thousand varieties.

The coast watchers were Allied military intelligence operatives stationed on remote Pacific islands during World War II to observe enemy movements and rescue stranded Allied personnel. There were about 400 Coastwatchers in allmostly Australian military officers, New Zealand servicemen, Pacific Islanders and escaped Allied prisoners of war.

In August 1943, Lt John F Kennedy of the United States Navy and twelve fellow crew members, were shipwrecked after their boat, the PT-109, sank. An Australian coastwatcher, Sub-Lt Arthur Reginald Evans, observed the explosion of the PT-109 when it was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Evans dispatched two Solomon Islander scouts in dugout canoes. The scouts found the men and Kennedy scratched a message to Evans on a coconut, describing the plight and position of his crew and the rest is history.

Middlemiss sat. He observed us with a mix of disdain and envy. Hed gone native, siding with the locals, and was helping organize resistance against the inroads of the copper company and the administration. He was cut-off from his fellow countrymen and seemed hungry for fellowship but his demeanor was aloof and his conversation laced with disdain toward the Australian support for the copper company.

It would take me some time to understand Middlemiss attitude for I was naive and unfamiliar with the politics, greed and the devastation our work as patrol officers supported. We were handmaidens to the mining industry and, though unaware at the time, were sowing the seeds of a revolution the likes of which Australia and her colony had never seen.

In the district office I filed the paper work that greased the wheels of the mining venture. More and more white strangers were fronting the bar at the Kieta club. Blase Americans and Aussies in new Toyota Landcruisers trickled into town and disappeared into the jungle. There were murmurings of unrest in some inland villages and the police contingent at district headquarters was increased.

I became friendly with the land warden who was responsible for arbitrating the sale of land to the mining venture. He was much older than I, a fit and friendly fellow who eagerly awaited the arrival of his young girlfriend from Australia. On weekends Hec and I headed for a bay near Aropa airstrip that paralleled the coast, to swim in the surf that beat against the rocks and crashed on the black sand beach.

We floated beyond the break in the warm sea looking back at the beach, the palm trees fringing the rugged coastline and the steeply rising foothills which quickly climbed higher and higher into the cloud forest. To the north we could sometimes see Mount Bagana, a steaming volcano, which sat central in the island.

We talked about home and a life devoid of female company and I realised I was lonely for my Australian girl friend, whom Id left back in Melbourne. Soon I was to write and encourage her to leave her nursing job to come marry me in the islands.

Hecs job as land warden, was to wrest land from the natives and settle on a price. The mining company was a British based conglomerate, Conzinc Riotinto (CRA), which amalgamated with an Australian partner and employed American engineering outfits to install the infrastructure of what would soon become the worlds largest open-cut copper mine deep in the mountains at Panguna in the heart of Bougainville Island.

When Id first arrived on Bougainville, the road to Panguna was a treacherous track that climbed precipitously through primeval rain forests. The Moroni lived in clusters in grass huts in clusters but soon their ridge-top homes would be torn down as excavation of the mine site proceeded.

There were about twenty known language groups on the island, all with their own unique customs. The Boungainvillians passed land ownership through the women. It was a matrilineal society and the women held great sway.

In the early land struggles, the women were on the front lines to try stop the mine from destroying their home. Near Kip McKillops plantation at Arawa, the Rorovana women, bare breasted, wearing laplaps and holding their children, stood between the government and their land, fighting to retain their birthright.

The pictures of that initial fight were spread across the front pages of Australian newspapers and alerted the world to the nascent struggle. But I think it was the naked breasts more than the rights of the locals that garnered the publicity for little was seen of the press in those parts after that, during the early development of the copper mine.

I was beginning to understand what Barry Middlemiss, the strange outsider Id met months before, was all about and I admired his courage and lonely struggle to protect the local natives from the onslaught of the mining venture.

When the district clerk finally returned to rescue me from the tedium of office work, I learned I would be posted to Boku, a distant inland patrol post in the south of the island.

I pined for companionship and my girl friend back in Melbourne as I sat on my verandah at nights looking out over Kietas harbor, marveling at the unspeakable beauty of those tropic nights, watching canoes leaving to fish, their lanterns glimmering like tiny stars on the black sea. I wrote Libby a letter asking her to marry me and after a few excruciating weeks of waiting, her letter arrived saying I do!.

On a clear tropical evening in Kieta, the District Commissioner did the honours. His black car collected us and drove, ceremonially through town to his house, which was mounted high on a hill with the best view of the land. The District Commissioner had gout that day and hobbled around on a crutch; a long white stocking covered one foot that lay propped on cushions on a stool while he presided over ceremonies from a chair while his wife and daughter prepared the savories.

Later we would celebrate with fresh sea food and copious strong drinks at the home of a senior officer. And then retire to our conjugal bed in our standard issue domicile to begin our new life together.

Soon afterwards I was posted out of headquarters to a bush posing. Libby and I boarded a coastal trading vessel and sailed south, to the bottom of the island, to Buin. And then drove inland, crossing seven rivers with no bridges, fording the waters in a four-wheel drive Landrover, until finally we reached the inland patrol post at Boku.

The officer in charge was a tall, bird-like, eccentric fellow who favored brief shorts and bare feet. Id read of Bob Hoads legendary exploits in the Fly River delta in south-west Papua. Hed conducted one of the last great exploratory patrols that had lasted nine months and his patrol reports were lengthy and detailed.

In the library in Australia at ASOPA, Id poured over his reports with wonder and admiration. Now I stood in front of him at this lonely outpost where my wife was the only woman among three white men. I noticed how he avoided my eye and seemed unable to take his gaze of my attractive young new wife, creating a great unease in my heart. But there was to be no hanky-panky at Boku in the year we spent though, till the end, I was never able to communicate with my senior officer.

Bob Hoad led Libby and I to our new home, a large thatched grass house with bamboo shutters and a tin roof. No running water and an outback toilet, a simple wood cooking stove, kerosene lamps. Gecko lizards, friendly green creatures that made clicking sounds as they crawled up the walls clinging with suction feet pads, some transparent so you could actually see their innards. It was a lonely and desolate green place and our first home together.

Nearby, across the Pureata river, was a construction camp where engineers and machine operators were installing a road to connect the patrol post to the copper mine at Panguna. Once a week wed visit to drink beer, sit under the stars and watch a movie. These visits became the highlight of our week. They were a hardy group of Aussies, polite toward me and my wife in that outlandish place. We became friends and they offered relief from the sultry, introspective senior officer whose eyes that devoured my wife and left us both uncomfortable.

We went through months of loneliness at Boku. The highlight of the month was receiving stores wed ordered and were shipped by boat and then truck to Boku. And the occasional visit from a patrol officer friend who flew his own plane and once visited. I studied film script writing by correspondence and pined for more social life and stimulation.

The patrol post office was another grass hut overlooking the Puriata River. In the rainy season, ferocious thunderstorms rolled in at noon like clockwork. Usually I made it to my house for lunch, about one hundred meters from the office, before the storm clouds opened and the deluge began.

On one such occasion I was resting, stroking the cat which lay on my chest when there was a massive explosion that rattled the tin roof and propelled the cat high into the air screeching in fear, leaving her claw marks etched in my chest.

When I returned to the office I saw the tall coconut tree that shaded the office, cleft down its center from the lightening bolt responsible for the ruckus. The electrical charge had raced down the trees trunk splitting it asunder and into the soil tracing the outline of the roots as if a machine gun had strafed the ground.

After these storms, the humidity lessened and the air smelt fresh and clean creating a magical atmosphere in the evenings when we sat on the verandah enjoying a beer. On one such evening the man who ran the patrol posts generator providing electricity in the evening till 10 pm, sauntered towards us and beckoned. He opened his fist to show me what looked like an axe head the size of a matchbox and asked if I wanted it. Olsem wanem I asked  what is it?

Ol i kolim marlio ston he said. Olsem wanem dispela marlio ston  i cum long sampela hap we?   its called a malio stone he answered. What is it  where is it from?, Id asked. Dispela ston i pundaun na brukin diwai taim ples bilong klaut i pairap  the stone comes down and breaks the tree when lightening strikes he said.

Wanem nem bilong dispale samting  what is it called, I asked a second time trying to fathom the origins of the strange looking artifact which by now I was holding, rubbing my fingers on its smooth surface. It was dark gray in color with a sharp edge on one end and curved and swelled towards the back where it was round and smooth. I had seen nothing like it and wondered if perhaps it could be some kind of ancient tool. And yet it did not seem hard or heavy enough to be an axe head and it was certainly not an arrowhead.

Dispela ston, oli kolem malio ston  this stone is a marlio ston, the man answered again and went on: Olgeta taim klaut I pirap, dispela marlio ston I pundaun na brukim namel dispela diwai na mipela painim em long insait na klostu long diwal.

The man was telling me that during a thunderstorm, the stone came from the lightening in the clouds and split the tree in half and that people found them in the tree of nearby. I took the stone and placed it in a safe place and next day asked some of the Bougainvillian police stationed at the patrol post about the stone. They confirmed the story.

Years later in New York City, I told this story to a friend of mine from the small Himalayan country of Bhutan and he turned to me with an excited grin exclaiming: oh a thunder stone  very special stone  it has special properties  we have them in Bhutan!.

When I brought the stone, which is my oldest possession and which I had carried with me for more than thirty years, to show it, he took the stone and held it with reverence and asked if he could borrow it. It is special, he said and would protect and bring good luck.

It was soon after this that I realized that perhaps the adventure I had sought as a patrol officer was not going to materialize. Independence for Papua New Guinea was now the prime objective of the administration and our work was more and more involved with supporting district government and local councils. Patrol officers were now glorified clerks and accountants and I knew I had to move on.

It was 1969 and the Vietnam war was slowly worsening, taking more lives. Mankind had landed on the moon. A president and his brother had been shot and a black sage called Martin Luther King, murdered and the uncompromising outrage of Malcolm X had been stamped out.

All this I heard on short-wave radio broadcasts I monitored in our grass hut. I felt remote and cut-off from the world. I could feel the end of an era. I did not think of myself as colonial. Like most in the administration I was teaching the locals how to do what we did. In fact we were all here to work ourselves out of a job eventually, to implement development and growth and spread the good news of democracy and capitalism.

But the days of exploration, some might say exploitation, and true adventure in Papua New Guinea, had passed. After two years in the field I decided to resign my commission and capitalize on my advertising background and try garner a job in the Department of Information and Extension Services as a radio journalist in one of the fifteen radio stations run by the administration.Women police and Bryan Kramer: "I'll make it my business to stamp out gender bias and sexual harassment in the RPNGC"

BRYAN KRAMER MP | Kramer Report | Edited

MADANG  On Thursday I had the privilege to accompany prime minister James Marape and fellow ministers to inspect progress on the Australian government-funded Angau Hospital redevelopment project in Lae.

During the event, members of the Royal PNG Constabulary asked me if it was OK to take to a picture with them.

Under the leadership of Marape-Steven government, and in my capacity as police minister, our women will play a greater role in policing throughout the country.

While all members of the force face challenges in serving our country, our women in blue face unspeakable difficulties, not because of their lack of ability or performance but because of discrimination for being a woman.Thomas Heaton is a food and travel reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before working in Nepal, he spent five years in New Zealand, most recently as a food writer for Cuisine magazine. Heaton is content trawling through markets, sampling sundry skewers of offal and getting into uncomfortable situations while travelling.At last year's annual Pacific Islands Forum meeting, 16 countries (including Australia) issued a regional security declaration explaining climate change is the "single greatest threat" facing the region.

To avoid catastrophic impacts, the world cannot expand coal production. Last year, 12 Pacific island countries issued a joint statement at United Nations climate talks explaining "there must be no expansion of existing coal mines or the creation of new mines."

Coal is the single greatest driver of climate change. In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) explained that coal-fired power must be phased out to avoid dangerous climate change.

So how will this news be greeted by other countries in Australia's Pacific neighbourhood?

SUVA - News has broken that the controversial Adani coal mine in Australia has been given the green light for work to start.

In August, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison will attend the 2019 Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Tuvalu.

Tuvalu prime minister Enele Sopoaga has explained, "it is my strong prayer that Australia will reconsider opening this new coal mine."

Sopoaga's counterpart, the president of the Marshall Islands, Hilda Heine, has also explained that, "now is not the time to be debating the science, trashing solar power, or building new coal mines.

Last month, the general secretary of the UN, Antonio Guterres, travelled to Tuvalu, where he explained: "Stop building new coal plants by 2020. We need a green economy, not a grey economy.

Fiji prime minister Bainimarama will attend the Pacific Islands Forum. He has told Scott Morrison directly: "We cannot imagine how the interests of any single industry can be placed above the welfare of Pacific peoples and vulnerable people in the world over.

The secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, has explained: "I hope that the Australian government will see the importance of the climate issues ... we're all in this together. And we've got to help each other."

So, to summarise, news that the Adani coal mine has been granted approval to start construction is unlikely to be well received for the simple reason that expanding coal exports is not compatible with helping to address the single greatest threat facing the region.

Dr Wesley Morgan is a lecturer in the School of Government, Development and International Affairs at the University of the South Pacific in Suva and an Adjunct Fellow at Griffith University in BrisbaneThe Most Affordable U.S. Cities to Live In

Fed Up With NYC & San Francisco? We Don't Blame You

It goes without saying that the cost of living in the U.S. has never been higher  if you live in a city like LA or New York City, youre probably no stranger to paying upwards of $3,000 for your apartment, and while politicians are doing their best to ensure all Americans receive a livable wage, in the meantime, it can be tough to cover day-to-day expenses, especially when living in an expensive, big city.

If youre able to pick up and move to a new city  if you work remotely or youre in an industry that you could pick up wherever you are, it can be tempting to leave the big, expensive city life for a more affordable cost of living elsewhere. In fact, freeing up that extra income can help you get ahead and plan for the future, even if that means eventually moving back to your city of choice.

RELATED: How to Ask for a Raise (and Actually Get It)

According to U.S. News & World Report, and GOBankingRates, these are the metropolises that are the most affordable in terms of real estate, median annual salary and percentage of income spent on living expenses. According to various reports, citizens can live comfortably while making $50,000 per year. Here, the most affordable metros in the U.S.  from unapologetic big cities to cities with a more small town feel.

Louisville, Kentucky

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With a median annual salary of $45,100, Louisville residents reportedly spend 21.1% of their household income on living expenses. This means that theyre able to dedicate more of their income on classic Kentucky activities or travel to big city neighbors like Nashville or Cincinnati. Incidentally, Louisville was also ranked 64th on the list of Best Places 2019 according to U.S. News & World Report.

Buffalo, New York

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Sick of life in the city but not ready to totally abandon New York? Head upstate to Buffalo. Tucked along the Canadian border at Lake Erie, this Northern town has a median annual salary of $48,180 and residents spend about 21% of their income on living expenses. Buffalo ranked 52 on the list of Best Places 2019, largely due to its low cost of living and proximity to jaw-dropping natural attractions like Niagara Falls.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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Yes, Baton Rouge is a surprisingly affordable place to call home. With a median annual salary of $44,500, residents only spend about 20% of their annual income on living expenses. The city has a very strong economy and was rated as one of the "Top 10 Places for Young Adults" in 2010 by portfolio.com. The city was also called one of the best places in the country to start a new business by CNN, due to this strong economic upswing.

Indianapolis, Indiana

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Unlike Indiana as a whole, Indianapolis is well known for its financial services, insurance, and pharmaceutical industry, which paves the way for its strong economy. Indianapolis residents spend just 20% of their income on living expenses and need just $40,726.80 to live comfortably (though the median income is about $10K more than that per year).

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Located in the Western part of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is a great option for NYC-dwellers to escape the bustle of the city while enjoying a much more affordable cost of living. A six hour drive from its big city counterparts, Pittsburgh ranks 50th on the Best Places 2019 list. The main reasons for its economic upswing include the shift away from steel and toward high technology, robotics, and nuclear engineering.

Phoenix, Arizona

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Anyone who has been to Phoenix could see the appeal of living there  the dry heat, sweeping mountain views, and proximity to neighbouring Nevada and California are big selling features. But Phoenix residents also benefit from a considerably low cost of living. Residents only need to earn about $48,628.96 annually to live comfortably in the city, but thats positioned to change as Arizona grows  so if the desert is calling you, go, now!

Detroit, Michigan

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Its well known that the loss of the industrial and auto industry hit Detroit hard. The largest U.S. city to ever file for bankruptcy protection has since seen significantly lower unemployment rates (even lower than the national average these days) and the economy is only growing, with several major corporations based in the city, including three Fortune 500 companies. Residents need just $34,808 annually to live comfortably, with a one-bedroom apartment running around $600 per month.

Las Vegas, Nevada

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Living in Las Vegas may seem unimaginable to an outsider, but theres a lot more than goes on in the city outside of The Strip. While the big economic draw in Vegas is tourism and gaming, there are handfuls of other major corporations based in the city, including Zappos and Allegiant Airlines. Residents will need $43,454.96 annually to live comfortably in Las Vegas.

Memphis, Tennessee

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If youre just starting out or on a budget, Memphis is a great alternative to neighboring Nashville. The city is just as music-focused as its bigger city counterpart, but residents will need around $42,260.16 to live comfortably, so if you love the music industry, this may be a great alternative. Due to its central geographic location, the main economic draw in Memphis is the transportation and shipping industry, specifically serving as a primary hub for FedEx and other Fortune 500 companies such as AutoZone and International Paper.

San Antonio, Texas

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San Antonio is the oldest municipality in Texas, and while the cost of living is currently low, GOBankingRates researchers expect it to rise significantly in the near future. For now, residents need just $43,460.40 to live comfortably in the city, with big employers including the military (the largest local economic draw), health care, government, and financial services.

You Might Also Dig:Drunk drone drivers in Japan could face jail sentence. Source: Getty

Operating a drone while drunk in Japan could see you facing a year in prison, after the country passed new legislation earlier this week.

On top of that, those found to be intoxicated while flying a drone could also face a fine of up to 300,000 yen (AU$4,020), according to the BBC.

The law covers drones weighing more than 200 grams, and also limits where exactly the drones can be flown.

Namely, drones must avoid airports and crowder areas, must stay below 150 metres, and only be flown during daylight.

The Japanese transport ministry told the AFP news agency that operating drones after consuming alcohol was as serious as drink driving.

If drone pilots are caught quickly plunging the drone towards crowds, theyll face a fine of up to a whopping 500,000 yen (AU$7,000).

The new regulations follow an earlier ban on drones approaching nuclear power plants, Japans parliament buildings, their armed forces and the prime ministers office.

As well, stadiums and other sites for the 2020 Olympics are also off-limits, the BBC reported.

Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign uphere and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news.A tense moment between Meghan and Harry was caught on camera. Photo: Getty Images

An embarrassing royal misstep from Meghan Markle has been caught on camera, and it was her hubby who gave her away.

While on the balcony at this years Trooping the Colour eagle-eyed royal watchers noticed a slightly tense moment between husband and wife, and it turns out it was all in the name of protocol.

Video footage shows the duchess with her back to the crowd talking to Prince Harry.

Yes thats right, her husband says.

She then faces the front, but turns back again to say something, and this time he does not look impressed.

Turn around, a terse-looking Harry says. Look.

The Duchess abruptly swivels to the front, a neutral expression on her face.

It wasn't all fun and game on the royal balcony this year. Photo: Getty Images

Its an unusual display from the usually loved-up couple, but it all makes sense as the strains of God Save the Queen, the British national anthem start playing.

During the anthem royals are expected to face forwards and participate, rather than chat amongst themselves.

Harry in fact saved his wife from the gaffe becoming more embarrassingly obvious.

That is if he was addressing Meghan at all.

Pulling the kids into line

Prince Harry is no stranger to misbehaving on the royal balcony. Photo: Getty Images

Royal watchers are divided over whether Harry was addressing his wife in such an unusually brusque manner, or whether his comments were directed at the royal children.

Famously pint-sized royals have a habit of demonstrating cheeky behaviour on the balcony.

Prince Harry himself was a major offender at one point, as a toddler he didnt hold back from poking out his tongue and getting up to mischief.

The misstep from Meghan is the latest in a string of rumours which has arisen around the new mum, including that she is spending excessively and is having problems with her household staff.

Got a story tip or just want to get in touch? Email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com

Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Or sign up to our daily newsletter here.Beijing confirmed Saturday that a Chinese vessel hit a Philippine fishing boat in a collision which has increased tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but denied claims it was a "hit and run". The Chinese trawler sailed away after the incident Sunday near Reed Bank that sank the fishing boat, sparking outrage from Philippine authorities and media. While President Rodrigo Duterte has largely set aside the once tense stand-off with China over the resource-rich waterway, many in the Philippines bristle at Beijing's actions in the sea. The Chinese embassy in Manila said the crew of trawler Yuemaobinyu 42212 "bumped into" the Philippine boat and then left due to safety fears. "The Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipino fisherman, but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats," the statement said. It went on to say the incident was not a "hit-and-run", as some Philippine authorities had claimed, because the trawler "confirmed the fishermen from the Filipino boat were rescued". However, the 22 fishermen told a very different story, saying they had spent hours in the water awaiting help. They were eventually picked up by a Vietnamese boat and brought home Friday aboard a Philippine navy vessel. The Philippine coast guard has started an investigation of the incident which Duterte's spokesman branded as "outrageous and barbaric". Opposition lawmaker Francis Pangilinan branded China's version of events "as fake as its territorial claims," and called for Philippine leaders to stand up to Beijing. "Now is the time to show real grit and toughness," Pangilinan said. "There is never a time to be meek and submissive before a foreign power that endangers our own people." Duterte has yet to make any public comment but he recently criticised China's assertive stance over the sea. "I love China... but it behoves upon us to ask, 'Is it right for a country to claim the whole ocean?'" he said in a speech last month. Manila's Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said this week that he had lodged a diplomatic protest with China over the sinking. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Thursday called the incident "an ordinary maritime traffic accident". Geng said it was irresponsible for the Philippines to "politicise the incident without verification". Competing claims over the South China Sea are a point of regional contention because trillions of dollars of goods pass through it, and rich petroleum reserves are thought to sit deep beneath its waters. Reed Bank, an area claimed by Manila and Beijing, is within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and far from China's nearest major landmass. Manila won a key 2016 ruling against China's claims in the waterway, but Duterte opted to set it aside in exchange for Chinese investments. Opposition politicians as well as segments of the public and media charge that Duterte has bartered away Philippine sovereignty with little to show in return. The South China Sea collision has angered people in the PhilippinesThe World Health Organization said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not qualify as an international threat, despite the spread of the virus to neighbouring Uganda carried by an infected family. The closely-watched decision followed advice from WHO's emergency committee, which only meets to review the world's most severe outbreaks. The head of the UN health agency Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is in DRC reviewing the Ebola response, said he accepted the committee's advice. "Although the outbreak does not at this time pose a global health threat, I want to emphasise that for the affected families and communities, this outbreak is very much an emergency," Tedros told reporters. He also appealed for more funds to combat the ongoing Ebola flare-up, which has recorded more than 2,000 cases, including over 1,400 deaths, since it emerged in eastern DRC in August. Friday's emergency committee meeting was prompted by confirmation this week of Ebola deaths in a western Uganda region that borders DRC. - Rare declaration - The WHO panel has used the label "public health emergency of international concern" only four times previously. Those included the H1N1, or swine flu, pandemic of 2009, the spread of poliovirus in 2014, the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016 and the surge of the Zika virus in 2016. This is the third time the WHO panel has considered -- but held off -- making the emergency call for this DRC outbreak, which has been concentrated in the restive provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. The head of the committee, Preben Aavitsland, told reporters in Geneva that current Ebola crisis was "an extraordinary event, with risk of international spread, (but) the ongoing response would not be enhanced" by an emergency declaration. - Uganda cases confirmed - The Uganda cases stem from a Congolese woman, married to a Ugandan, who travelled with her mother, three children and their nanny to DRC to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola. WHO said 12 members of the family who attended the burial in Congo were placed in isolation in the DRC, but six "escaped and crossed over to Uganda" on June 9. The next day, a five-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in Bwera, a border town, vomiting blood before he died. Tests confirmed he had Ebola and the family was placed in an isolation ward. His three-year-old brother was also confirmed to have Ebola, as was their grandmother, who died late Wednesday. Speaking from western Uganda's Kasese district, a senior Red Cross official told AFP that "the biggest challenge" was ensuring robust monitoring along the porous border with DRC. "People are continuing to come in to the country and not passing through the areas where screening is taking place, because screening has been instituted along certain points of entry but not all the points," said Josephine Okwera, the director of health and social services for the Ugandan Red Cross. - Restive region - Health officials had initially hoped that they could contain the outbreak with help from a new vaccine, which has now been given to more than 130,000 people in DRC. But chronic violence and militia activity in the affected eastern DRC provinces as well as hostility to medical teams among some in the region have hampered the response. WHO has also accused political leaders in Ituri and North Kivu of manipulating the Ebola issue to turn people against health workers. Ebola spreads among humans through close contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected person. The current outbreak is the worst on record after an epidemic that struck mainly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone between 2014-2016, leaving more than 11,300 people dead. burs/bs/klm Ebola has claimed two lives in western Uganda so far The Red Cross says the biggest challenge is ensuring robust monitoring along the porous border with DRC Map and data on Ebola in DR Congo and UgandaA father has been handed the death penalty for murdering his five young children.

Timothy Jones, 37 was convicted of the murders of Merah, 8; Elias, 7; Nahtahn, 6; Gabriel, 2; and Abigail, 1 at their mobile home in 2014 before driving their decomposing bodies through several US states and dumping them in Alabama.

A jury in Lexington, South Carolina, voted unanimously to give divorced former software engineer the death penalty rather than life in prison without possibility of parole.

Timothy Jones was sentenced to death for murdering his five children

Jones was arrested in Mississippi in September 2014 and led police to the children's bodies, wrapped in rubbish bags, in Alabama.

He confessed to police that his middle son, Nahtahn, died after a punishment he had meted out to him and he later strangled the other four children.

READ MORE

A jury voted unanimously to hand the death penalty to Timothy Jones (Picture: Reuters)

The oldest person in Britain has died at the age of 112

In a phone call from prison in 2014, Jones said he "snapped" when he killed Nahtahn, 6, because the child was crying for his mother.

During the trial, the jury saw graphic photos of police evidence and heard emotional testimony from the children's school teachers and relatives.

Prosecutor Rick Hubbard had argued that the murders of children under age 11 warranted the death penalty, branding Jones a mass murderer.

Defence attorney Casey Secor reminded jurors that Jones' mother was institutionalized with schizophrenia, a condition that can be inherited.

"How much more death does the Jones family have to endure?", Secor said. "The death penalty is never required in any case."

Jones' father, Timothy Jones Sr., pleaded for his son's life and took his shirt off in court to show his back covered with tattooed images of his dead grandchildren.

Jones' ex-wife Amber Kyzer also appealed for mercy for Jones, saying: "He did not show my children mercy by any means. But my kids loved him.Russian President Vladimir Putin presented his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with a giant box of ice cream for his 66th birthday before a summit in Tajikistan on Saturday, the Kremlin said, in a sign of the pair's warm ties. "Happy birthday, my best wishes... I am delighted to have a friend like you," Putin told Xi, according to the Kremlin website. The two leaders met in the Tajik capital Dushanbe for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which brought together delegations from 27 countries including Iran and Qatar. Xi last week made a three-day visit to Russia to visit Putin, whom he described as his "best friend", as the two countries seek to bolster ties amid shared tensions with the US. "We came with good gifts," Putin said on Saturday before presenting a huge box full of Russian ice cream as temperatures in Dushanbe sweltered above 30C degrees (86 Fahrenheit). Other presents included a cake and an ornate vase. Pictures showed Xi and Putin holding up champagne glasses to toast the birthday. "Our whole team, and I can even say our whole nation, wishes you all the best in the world because you do a lot for the development of relations between our two countries," said Putin. "You enjoy great authority in the hearts of the Chinese people," Xi said. The two men last week signed a joint statement on the development of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. Major Russian and Chinese companies also signed cooperation agreements. The CICA summit, which was also attended by Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan, aimed to explore ideas to stabilise Asia amid turbulent geopolitics. "The Russian leader praised Xi Jinping's role in the development of bilateral relations and noted the success of the recent state visit by China's President to Russia," the Kremlin website said. Russian President Vladimir Putin presented his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with ice cream for his birthday Putin and Xi posed with other world leaders for a family photo at a summit in Tajikistan Putin and Xi toasted with champagne Xi has described Putin as his "best friend"Hong Kong's embattled leader on Saturday said a divisive bill that would allow extraditions to China would be "suspended" in a major climbdown from her government after a week of unprecedented protests. The city's pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam has come under huge pressure to abandon the controversial legislation, including from her own political allies and advisers. "The government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more... work and listen to different views of society," Lam told reporters Saturday. "We have no intention to set a deadline for this work and promise to report to and consult members of the legislative council panel on security before we decide on the next step forward." The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets. As criticism mounted, signs also emerged of a growing discomfort among Communist Party leaders in Beijing, and Lam held her press conference Saturday at the same government complex that was besieged by protesters earlier in the week. The South China Morning Post said Lam held an emergency meeting on Friday night with her advisers while Chinese officials were also meeting in the nearby city of Shenzhen to map a way out of the impasse. Tensions were running high with protest organisers planning another mass rally on Sunday. Lam, who is appointed by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists, had previously refused to consider abandoning the bill, despite months of criticism from business and legal bodies -- and a record breaking rally on Sunday where organisers said more than one million protesters hit the streets. "I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years," Lam said. - 'Lost credibility' - On Friday she found herself facing growing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiralling public anger -- including from hardline pro-Beijing lawmakers. "Shouldn't (we) cool the citizens down? I think to postpone it for a little bit is not a bad thing. At this moment, the government should self-examine," Ann Chiang, a hardcore pro-Beijing lawmaker, told i-Cable News. But others have warned against Lam bending to the protesters. "If the government caves in to violence and external influences, in the long run that would also make Hong Kong ungovernable," pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip told reporters. Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross section of Hong Kong. Protest organisers had been calling for a full withdrawal of the bill, not a postponement. James To, a lawmaker from the city's pan-democrat camp, called on Lam to step down. "The credibility of our chief executive has already been written off, it's a kind of government that cannot have any credibility to rule anymore," he told reporters Friday. Beijing has vocally supported the bill and earlier this week threw its full support behind the Lam administration, calling protesters "rioters". But it has since sought to distance itself as public anger spiralled. "The central government gave no instruction, no order about the... amendment," Lu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, told the BBC. "This amendment was initiated by the Hong Kong government." On Friday night, thousands of parents gathered in a park in the heart of the city's commercial district to condemn the use of rubber bullets and tear gas against predominantly young protesters on Wednesday. Y. Chan, a 50-year-old mother of two, said she was outraged watching the scenes unfold. "It's calling for all mothers who had enough already of what happened the other day," she told AFP. "My kids were out there also that day. And although I want them to be safe, want them to be at home, but this is their home. They are defending it." Wednesday's clashes were the worst political violence in Hong Kong since its 1997 handover to China Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has come under huge pressure to abandon the controversial legislation Thousands of parents gathered Friday night to condemn the use of rubber bullets and tear gas against predominantly young protestersFor the second time in six months, a Sydney high-rise apartment complex has been completely evacuated due to cracking and reports of movement.

Residents from all 122 units in Mascot Towers and nine units in surrounding buildings were unable to sleep in their own homes after concerns about the structural integrity were raised about 6pm on Friday.

"There has been some concern with movement in the building," Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry told AAP.

It's the second such mass building evacuation in Sydney since December, when cracks appeared in the newly-built Opal Tower in Sydney Olympic Park.

A Sydney apartment block in the southern suburb of Mascot has been evacuated. Source: 9News

A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman on Saturday said there were no concerns the decade-old Mascot Tower could collapse and the evacuation had only occurred as a precaution.

The cracks in the basement which had been monitored over some time became worse on Friday, he said.

The call to allow some residents to stay overnight in the tower was rescinded late on Friday as they would have been forced to enter and exit the building only through fire exits, he said.

A temporary shelter was established at Mascot Town Hall as residents wait for the 'all clear', police say.

"It will be a process. It won't be a simple fix, it will be very methodical," Supt Dewberry said.

Cracks inside the building at Mascot Towers. Source: 9News

The building manager, Building Management Australia, has been contacted for comment.

Some units in Sydney Olympic Parks Opal Tower are still uninhabitable as permanent structural remedial works continue.

An independent report released in February found critical support beams were left susceptible to "bursting" because they were under-designed and some were made from lower strength concrete.

The tower was found to be structurally sound overall but having several structural and construction issues.

The tower's builder Icon is continuing to reimburse affected owners for rental loss but in May stopped covering costs for tenants' alternative accommodation.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here.Residents of a Sydney apartment complex are "homeless" after ongoing and persistent cracking forced the building's evacuation.

All 122 units and all but two ground-level shops in the Mascot Towers are currently empty after concerns about the decade-old buildings structural integrity prompted its closure on Friday.

Residents were warned on Thursday via email and a notice posted in a common area that the building in the inner-south suburb of Mascot may be evacuated at short notice.

An email at 7.45pm on Friday advised the premises must be vacated by 9pm.

"The general thing going through my mind was, What can I leave here and just go buy?" renter Cameron told AAP on Saturday.

"I have enough socks and jocks to last for a little bit, but apart from that Ive left TVs and thousands of dollars of computer equipment.

Residents were given just one hour to evacuate after large cracks were spotted in the building. Source: AAP

Im effectively homeless.

One resident was asleep and missed during the evacuation and woke on Saturday to find the building abandoned, news.com.au reported.

Cracks in the ground-level carpark widened on Thursday, prompting the buildings engineer to urgently install temporary building support.

This is in response to an ongoing and persistent cracking and structural deformation observed within the primary support structure and the facade masonry, the strata manager told residents in a letter.

This deterioration has been rapid, hence expedited propping was deemed a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants.

Building management later advised renters they would have to sort their own temporary accommodation while owners alternate housing may not be covered by insurance.

That left some residents to stay with friends and others to seek help through their employer.

"It's a bit annoying to not really know what is going on and move at short notice but we'll deal with it," renter Jade told reporters on Saturday.

A 10-year-old girl and her family spent the night at Mascot Town Hall, local state MP Ron Hoenig told reporters.

Story continues

The Labor MP said he was angered the owners corporations insurance company had denied any responsibility for accommodating the residents.

Mr Hoenig said it was too early to point the finger at what caused the damage, but the early view of engineers was that a newly-constructed building next door to Mascot Towers may have something to do about it.

"Its suspicious that the new building is not even occupied and the building thats been up for 12 years all of a sudden has substantial cracks, he said.

A hairdresser opened on Saturday as did an Indian restaurant for takeaway only.

Residents of Mascot Towers apartment building have been forced to leave their homes. Source: AAP

The supermarket and a handful of other shops remained closed.

Transport for NSW confirmed there was no impact on the airport rail line or Mascot Railway Station, which runs underneath the complex.

Engineers Australia said the situation was further evidence changes were needed in the building and construction sector.

Mascot Towers building manager and strata company have been contacted for comment.

It's the second time in six months a Sydney apartment complex has been completely evacuated due to cracking and reports of movement.

Some units in the Opal Tower, which was evacuated in December soon after being built, are still uninhabitable as permanent structural remedial works continue.

An independent report released in February found critical support beams were left susceptible to "bursting" because they were under-designed and some were made from lower strength concrete.

The tower was found to be structurally sound overall but having several structural and construction issues.

The tower's builder Icon is continuing to reimburse affected owners for rental loss but in May stopped covering costs for tenants' alternative accommodation.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here.The father of a 17-year-old girl who was attacked by a shark has shared the dramatic story of how he rescued his daughter by punching the shark repeatedly until it let go.

Charlie Winter was in the water off the North Carolina coast near his daughter, Paige, earlier this month when he heard other teenagers swimming with them at Atlantic Beach shout: "Paige! Shark! Get her!

But when he looked in the water, he saw only a five-foot trail of pink blood in the water.

Mr Winter dove in and grabbed his daughter, pulling a shark up out of the water along with her.

"It was a big shark... I immediately just started to hit it," he said at a press conference on Friday (local time).

Charlie Winter shared the moment he unleashed on a shark Rocky Balboa-style after it attacked his daughter. Source: AAP

"I don't know how many times I punched it, but I hit it with everything I could and it let go."

Then the former paramedic ran for shore, applying pressure on his daughter's badly injured leg while the shark chased him "at arm's length", he said.

In the struggle, Mr Winter added his daughter had been attempting to pry open the shark's mouth with her hands.

Afterward, he said she was calm and just kept repeating the word, "Dad", as he carried her to safety.

"She's a tough little thing," he said with emotion in his voice.

Doctors said the teenager's left leg and two fingers on her left hand were amputated after what was likely a bull shark attack, based on tooth markings found on her bones.

Paige Winter had her left leg amputated above the knee after a savage shark attack. Source: GoFundMe/Charles Winter

Mr Winter said he saw two sharks in the water just after the attack, but doesn't know what types of sharks they were.

Attacks like this are rare, according to Eric Toschlog, chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Vidant Medical Centre.

He was one of the doctors who treated Paige.

"I have not seen a wound of this severity, ever," Dr Toschlog said, adding there were usually only two or three attacks off North Carolina every year.

According to the University of Floridas International Shark Attack File, a research organisation that tracks shark bite reports worldwide, there were a total of 32 unprovoked shark attacks in the United States in 2018, making up 48 per cent of the worldwide total. The number was down from 53 attacks in 2017.

Story continues

Paige was attacked at Fort Macon State Park at Atlantic Beach in North Carolina. Source: abc

Despite her injuries, doctors said Paige was in good spirits, and should complete physical therapy and rehabilitation within six to 12 months.

In a video shown at the conference, Paige said she wanted to use this incident to do something good for the environment and for sharks.

"Sharks are still good people and that's just kind of the truth, they're still so good and they're so cool," she said with a smile.

The June 2 incident was one of two shark attacks in North Carolina so far this month.

A 19-year-old surfer said he was bitten on his foot last weekend.

Just one week prior, a shark was filmed stalking a swimmer in crystal clear waters at Panama City Beach in the Gulf of Mexico.

Last year, North Carolina had three confirmed shark attacks, according to the International Shark Attack File.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here.The two friends of the young woman who was filmed playing chicken with other cars shortly before she was killed in a head-on collision have revealed a tattoo tribute to their late friend.

Hazel Wildman, 23, and Faeda Hunter, 20, were travelling in a car with Shania McNeill six weeks ago.

A Snapchat video of the group screaming and driving erratically was uploaded to the social media platform just moments before the horrific crash that left 21-year-old Ms McNeill dead.

Hazel Wildman (left) shows the tattoo tribute to their friend, Shania McNeill. Source: Sunday Night

The two friends talk about their tribute to Ms McNeill on Channel Sevens Sunday Night, a short promotional video for the episode revealed.

"She had the exact same chicken feet, so we went and got the exact same one," Ms Wildman says as she rolls up her right sleeve to show off the tattoo.

The pair revealed they got the tattoos on what would have been Ms McNeills 22nd birthday on May 24.

I miss her so much, Ms Wildman said.

In another preview for the episode, Ms Hunter looks at the camera and says, We were the girls that filmed it, referring to the Snapchat video showing Ms McNeills final moments.

Shania McNeill died senselessly, killed when she smashed into an oncoming car. This week, @AlexTCullen talks to everyone involved in the tragedy as they struggle to understand this reckless and senseless waste of a young life. That's Sunday at 8:30pm on @Channel7. pic.twitter.com/kRlcufgMCH  Sunday Night (@SundayNightOn7) June 12, 2019

The promotion videos for the duos interview comes just days after The Daily Telegraph revealed Ms McNeil had alcohol, cannabis and MDMA in her system the night of her death.

The 21-year-old was behind the wheel of her pink Suzuki Baleno driving along Richmond Road at Berkshire Park in Sydneys west on April 28 when she was involved in a head-on crash with a Nissan Micra about 1.15am.

Story continues

Ms Wildman and Ms Hunter drew criticism after they posed for selfies from their hospital bed, just hours after their friend lost her life.

Ms Wildman told Sunday Night she was the one who posted the image.

Ms McNeill moments before a fatal head-on crash (left). Hazel Wildman and Faeda Hunter (right) take a 'selfie' from hospital hours after the crash. Source: Snapchat/News Corp

The pair have claimed they had not been aware at the time of the photo their friend was dead.

The father of Ms McNeill was also reportedly approached by media in exchange for payment, but rejected the offers.

According to The Sunday Telegraph, Lee McNeill was approached by two networks, but refused, saying: Ive got a box of ashes in my garage. It makes me sick to involve money.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here.When Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its first Australian location in Sydney in 1968, a piece of chicken and a serving of chips would set you back 45 cents.

Fast forward to 2019 and the chicken may be more expensive, but the famous red logo has barely changed and divers from Queensland have the proof.

A local underwater clean-up group has found a plastic KFC bag estimated to be at least 40 years old during dive on the Sunshine Coast.

The plastic bag may be only partially in tact but the famous logo of the colonel is still visible. Source: Facebook SCCUD/Getty

The founder of volunteer group Sunshine Coast Clean Up Divers, Elliot Peters, posted the photo on their Facebook group in May to demonstrate the environmental impact of plastic in our oceans.

This startling discovery further proves the longevity of plastics, even in harsh environments, the post read.

The bag was found under eight metres of ocean water off Bulcock Beach and was almost fully intact when it was discovered underwater, half full of silt and tangled in rocks.

The group complete monthly clean-up dives in the northern Pumicestone Passage and the Mooloolah River estuary, and reached out to KFC to find out how long the bag had been floating around.

The group showed what other debris they found on the May clean up dive. Source: Facebook SCCUD/Getty

A spokesperson from KFC Australia stated ...judging by the logo it would be [from the] 70s-80s," the post said.

The unfunded group said they had collected more than 500kg of debris, including almost 20km of fishing line in the past 18 months on the dives and reported findings to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative and Project Aware.

Sadly we are barely able to cover even 1000 square metres before we need to start again in the same spot, the post read.

KFC Australia now uses more eco friendly paper bags but the image is a reminder that even with recent changes to our age-old habits, we will still live with the consequences for a long time to come.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here.Several hundred thousand purple-clad protesters blowing whistles, banging pots and pans and brandishing feminist slogans filled the streets of Swiss towns and cities on Friday, as women across the country went on strike for equal pay. "I love badass women" and "Eliminate the patriarchy" figured among the messages on posters and banners, as women vented their frustration with persistent gender discrimination and wage gaps in the wealthy Alpine nation. "June 14, 2019, enters the recent history of Switzerland as the biggest political event. Considering the whole day, several hundred thousand women took part in actions, strikes and walkouts," said a statement by USS, an umbrella organisation grouping 16 Swiss unions. The action comes nearly three decades after women held the country's first nationwide strike for equal pay. Pram marches, whistle concerts and giant picnics were planned around the country, with the day's events culminating in giant demonstrations including the capital Bern (40,000 people), Zurich (70,000), Basel (40,000) and Geneva (20,000), organisers said. In Lausanne (60,000), the cathedral was lit up in the colour purple. In Bern women filled the square in front of the government and parliament buildings. Manu Bondi, 68, joined the protest alongside her daughter and granddaughter, and two friends who demonstrated with her in 1991. She said she was protesting "in solidarity with all women of all ages". "There are more of us this time than in 1991 and our demands are different," she said. "Back then it was about abortion. Now it is above all about equal pay. It is really important that women be paid according to the work they do. It is great to see people so committed." - Burning bras - The events kicked off overnight in Lausanne, with women ringing the bells of the cathedral, and lighting a "bonfire of joy", with some women tossing in their bras. By morning, some 500 people gathered for a massive breakfast celebration, blocking traffic on one of the town's main bridges. In Zurich, demonstrators pulled a giant, pink clitoris perched on a cart through the city, while in Basel they projected the clenched-fist feminist symbol onto the skyscraper headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Roche. In Geneva, protestors replaced street signs bearing men's names with women's ones. While 548 streets in Geneva Canton are named after men, only 41 have female names, according to the ATS news agency. At the march, a 22-year-old topless protester, Oceane Schaub, told AFP: "I think the fact that I am bare-chested can shock and change things." - 20 percent less - The organisers of Friday's action say things have hardly improved since the major 1991 strike, insisting women need to demand "more time, more money, more respect". Women in Switzerland on average still earn 20 percent less than men. And for men and women with equal qualifications, the wage gap remains nearly eight percent, according to the national statistics office. "Wage equality has not been achieved. That is a good reason to go on strike," Ruth Dreyfuss, who in 1998 became Switzerland's first female president, told broadcaster RTS on Friday. Riding the wave of the global #MeToo movement, a new generation of women is attacking lingering discrimination, harassment, sexual abuse and wage inequality with renewed vigour. Organisers have called upon women to snub their jobs and housework for the entire day. - Women work for free - For those women unable to take a full day, the organisers urged them to at least pack their things and leave by 3:24 pm. "After that, women work for free," said Anne Fritz, the main organiser of the strike and a representative of USS. Back in 1991, many women were blocked from participating in the strike. Organisers feared a repeat Friday, with the country's main employers' organisation flatly opposed to the action. Thursday's strike was born out of frustration at a bid to change the law to impose more oversight over salary distribution, after a watered-down version passed through the Swiss parliament last year. Switzerland was one of the last countries in Europe to grant women the right to vote, in 1971. Over the past three decades, women's rights advocates in Switzerland have made some gains. Abortion was legalised in 2002, and 2005 saw the introduction of 14 weeks of paid maternity leave. But Switzerland still offers no paternity leave, and limited access to expensive daycare is seen as a major hindrance to women's integration into the labour market. Christa Binswanger, a gender studies professor at St. Gallen University, said she was optimistic that Friday's strike would make a difference. "It has already shown an impact during the last weeks," prompting wide media coverage of gender issues, she told AFP. "The strike has mobilised a sense of solidarity." Organisers of Friday's events say women need to demand "more time, more money, more respect" Women demonstrated outside government offices in Bern Statistics show women in Switzerland on average still earn 20 percent less than men Women on strike said a recent salary oversight law did not go far enoughAt least 10 civilians and 35 combatants, mostly pro-regime forces, were killed Saturday in clashes and air strikes that erupted at dawn in northwestern Syria, a war monitor said. The flare-up came as Russian-backed regime forces tried to retake two villages seized by jihadists and allied rebels earlier this month, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "Since this morning, the Syrian regime and allied fighters have launched five failed attempts to regain control of Jibine and Tal Maleh in northwestern Hama province," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. Syrian regime air strikes killed nine jihadists and rebel fighters, the war monitor said. Ensuing clashes in the north of Hama province left 26 pro-regime forces dead, including eight who were killed in a mine explosion, the Observatory said. In neighbouring Idlib, regime air strikes killed 10 civilians, including three children, the Observatory said. The strikes hit the towns of Maaret al-Numan and Al-Bara as well as the village of Al-Ftira, according to the war monitor. The Idlib region of some three million people is supposed to be protected from a massive regime offensive by a buffer zone deal that Russia and Turkey signed in September. But it was never fully implemented, as jihadists refused to withdraw from a planned demilitarised zone. In January, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate extended its administrative control over the region, which includes most of Idlib province as well as adjacent slivers of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces. The Syrian government and Russia have upped their bombardment of the region since late April, killing nearly 400 civilians, according to the Observatory. Turkey said Friday that it did not accept Russia's "excuse" that it had no ability to stop the Syrian regime's continued bombardments in the last rebel bastion of Idlib. "In Syria, who are the regime's guarantors? Russia and Iran," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told state news agency Anadolu in a televised interview. "Thus we do not accept the excuse that 'We cannot make the regime listen to us'," he said. His comments came as Turkey disagreed with Russia earlier this week after Moscow claimed a new ceasefire had been secured in the province following weeks of regime bombardments -- a claim that was denied by Ankara. Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests. Russia launched a military intervention in support of the regime in 2015, helping its forces reclaim large parts of the country from opposition fighters and jihadists. Smoke billows from buildings in the jihadist-held village of Tal Maleh in northwest Syria's Hama province on June 9, 2019 as pro-regime forces pound the siteA woman has drowned in Lake Geneva when her sightseeing boat sank as a violent storm battered parts of Switzerland on Saturday, police said. A man who was in the same boat was able to swim to another vessel from where he fired "two flares", Joanna Matta, police spokeswoman for the canton (region) of Geneva, told AFP. The man told officers that the woman had been "passing through Geneva" and that the storm had taken them "by surprise", Matta said. Three police boats and emergency services rushed to the scene. Police divers later retrieved the woman's body from the lake. The victim, whose nationality remains unknown, was then taken to a hospital in Geneva where she was declared dead. In a separate incident, the storm also damaged some of the 465 boats taking part in the 81st edition of the Bol d'Or, an annual regatta on Lake Geneva, the event's press service said. Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the participants on Saturday afternoon, causing boats to capsize although nobody was injured. However, the storm broke the mast of the ultra-fast "Real Team" catamaran, which had been in the lead and was forced to pull out of the race. The bad weather struck western Switzerland on Saturday afternoon, bringing hail and winds reaching up to 110 kilometres (70 miles) per hour, according to the national forecaster MeteoSwiss. In the neighbouring French region of Haute-Savoie the storm also caused damage and left a 51-year-old German tourist dead after a tree came down at a campsite. The storm caught tourists on Lake Geneva by surprise The storm also damaged some of the 465 boats partaking in the Bol d'Or race, an annual regatta taking place on Lake Geneva The storm brought winds reaching up to 110 kilometres (70 miles) per hour in western SwitzerlandChandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife.New Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday made his first official visit to the major trading port city of Mariupol, where he observed joint military exercises in the Sea of Azov. The city which is about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the frontline of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which was seized by Russian-backed separatists, was celebrating the fifth anniversary of it's liberation from the rebels. "We must now thoroughly redistribute the maximum of our attention to the Donbass," Zelensky, 41, told journalists at the port, referring to the region controlled by the rebels. "This is our land, our territory and we want people from the other side, in the temporarily occupied territories, to see that Ukraine is flourishing here." The president, a former comedian and TV star whose landslide election victory shook the political establishment, said he had a plan for the "nearest future" -- that would not take five years. He also said his main goal was to end the war in eastern Ukraine and return all areas to under the control of Kiev. "There are our people, we are all Ukrainians," he stated. During the military exercises, Zelensky sat on the deck of search and rescue ship and watched officers of the Ukrainian national guard, border guard, sappers and divers demonstrating their skills. More than a hundred officers, at least three camouflaged guard boats, inflatable boats and a helicopter were involved. After the official part of the visit, Zelensky visited the city centre, took selfies with people and even ran through a park fountain with children. Earlier some 10,000 people had attended a military parade in the city to mark five years of being free from separatist control. "The lesson for Donbass is that when Russian forces leave, peace begins," Kurt Volker, US special envoy for Ukraine, tweeted on Friday. Volker said Mariupol had been largely peaceful in recent years "except for when Russian forces shelled it, killing dozens". In 2015 rocket strikes hit the residential district, killing 30 people and wounding more than a hundred. Kiev and its Western backers accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border in the east to fan the flames of the conflict. Moscow has denied the claims despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Some 13,000 people have been killed in this war since 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov (2nd R) inspected equipment and armaments in the port city of Mariupol Zelensky (L) ran through a park fountain with children during his visit to MariupolAUBURN  A cap from the 1800s has been presented to a Washington, D.C. museum group from the Owasco Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

The DAR, a women's service organization, presented the cap Saturday to David Price, executive director of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Clara Barton Missing Solider Office Museum, and Pry House Field Hospital. The chapter is donating the cap for 90 days, during which time it will be researched. Helen Lyons, regent of the chapter, said she expects the chapter will donate the cap to the museums afterward.

Lyons said the cap was donated to the chapter in 1938, but had been stored for years. Lyons said it was found in a box with paper indicating that it was worn by a Sara Comstock, a nurse during the Civil War who worked under Clara Barton. Information in the box also mentioned Bunker Hill.

Price said that notation caused the veracity of the item to be initially questioned, as that name is often associated with the famous American Revolution battle called the Battle of Bunker Hill, but it was later determined there had been a Civil War hospital by the name of Bunker Hill in Washington, D.C.

Price said he believes the artifact may been used as a "beach hat" to protect soldier's necks from the sun, but they would cause soldiers to become so sweat-ridden that they were often thrown away, so the items are rare.

"We're excited to become the next caretaker of this item," Price said.

Lyons said the chapter's three priorities are education, historical preservation and patriotism, so presenting the cap fit with their organization's mission.

The event also featured accolades given out, including scholarship nominees James Mock and Briance Love and Port Byron school district teacher and veteran advocate Dr. Linda Townsend, who was given a community community service award. She said it is important for young people to know about history and good citizenship.

"If we don't give our children a sense of what their past is, they're never going to understand about their future," Townsend said.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The calls come during dinner. During the workday. Even in the middle of the night.

Sometimes, they're offering debt reduction. Other times, they're allegedly urgent calls from the Social Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service. The truly despicable ones claim someone you love is in trouble.

They have to stop.

The Federal Communications Commission voted last week to allow phone companies to block such calls by default, without getting customer permission, though the new rule will include an opt-out provision for customers who don't want such calls blocked. Phone companies can choose whether to participate. They also can decide to charge for the service, which would be unfortunate. But the FCC's move is a start.

Robocalls have become so ubiquitous that it's surprising when you go a day without getting one. Those who have landlines often don't answer any calls. On cellphones, the scammers use area codes and locations similar to others that you answer. While the calls are hated for how irritating they are, the bigger concern is just how easily and how often they work, and how many seniors and others fall prey to scams and schemes. According to the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. consumers lost $55 million just to tech support-related scams last year.

The FTC and the FCC set regulations on this issue. Now, Congress and both agencies seem close to finding viable solutions. The U.S. Senate last month passed the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED). The bill, sponsored by Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey and South Dakota Republican John Thune, would give the FCC more power to fine robocallers, as much as $10,000 per call, and would add to the timeframe between when a call is placed and when the FCC can find and prosecute such scammers. Perhaps most important, the legislation would require telecommunications firms to establish technology that authenticates which calls are real and which are robocalls or scams, and to stop them before they reach a customer.

 Newsday, Long Island

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are in bed with each other, and not just as husband and wife.

New revelations of official coziness are a huge problem for Chao, whose leadership of the infrastructure-building agency was already on a shaky foundation. Unless she can explain a slew of suspect decisions, and do it quick, she must step down.

Monday, Politico reported that Chao designated a dedicated liaison to help Kentucky and only Kentucky  the state represented by her powerful spouse  with infrastructure grants.

Not California, with more people and needs than anyplace else. Not New York, the economic capital, with aging tunnels and bridges. Just the Bluegrass State.

So just as McConnell was gearing up for reelection, Kentucky won nearly $80 million in approved grants, including a highway-improvement project that had been previously rejected twice. Convenient.

This obscene use of political power puts in sharp focus other curious episodes during Chao's tenure.

The New York Times reported that in a 2017 proposed trip to China, Chao  whose family runs an American shipping company with extensive business in China  attempted to have Beijing Embassy staff coordinate travel for at least one family member and have other relatives sit in on meetings with Chinese government officials.

Last month, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Chao made $40,000 profiting from sale of stock in the country's largest construction materials supplier  stock she had promised to divest from a year ago.

At this point, we're too exhausted to muster much surprise at the discovery of this type of behavior in the Trump Cabinet. But we're not tired enough to take it laying down.

 The Daily News, New York

Thank you, Beijing, for making it clear to Americans how short-sighted we have been for many years.

Chinese officials have issued a new threat as part of their reaction to President Donald Trump's increases in tariffs on some goods imported here from China. His purpose is to force Beijing to lower trade barriers that harm U.S. companies and to curb abuses such as theft of intellectual property.

Some of the materials used in electronic devices such as cell phones and electric vehicles are rare minerals. Collectively, they sometimes are referred to as "rare earth."

Instead of developing other, secure sources of such minerals, the United States has become dependent to some extent on China, which possesses large quantities of rare earth.

Now, the Chinese are hinting that in retaliation for Trump's action, they may cut off our supplies of the minerals.

For decades, proponents of a global marketplace approach to economics have assured Americans that is in our best interests in both the short and long terms. So, we have allowed other countries to build up certain critical industries, including energy and steelmaking. In the process, the United States has become dependent on other nations for many products, including some critical to our national security.

Yes, that has meant lower prices for some goods, including steel and sometimes, gasoline. It also has resulted in other nations  or groups of them, as with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries for many years  being able to influence both our economic and diplomatic policies by threatening to cut us off and sometimes doing so.

China's threat on rare earth is one more reminder of how shortsighted our policies have been.

 The Evening Observer, Dunkirk

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0The Federalist Papers : No. 74

The Command of the Military and Naval Forces, and the Pardoning Power of the Executive

From the New York Packet.

Tuesday, March 25, 1788.

HAMILTON

To the People of the State of New York:

THE President of the United States is to be "commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States WHEN CALLED INTO THE ACTUAL SERVICE of the United States.'' The propriety of this provision is so evident in itself, and it is, at the same time, so consonant to the precedents of the State constitutions in general, that little need be said to explain or enforce it. Even those of them which have, in other respects, coupled the chief magistrate with a council, have for the most part concentrated the military authority in him alone. Of all the cares or concerns of government, the direction of war most peculiarly demands those qualities which distinguish the exercise of power by a single hand. The direction of war implies the direction of the common strength; and the power of directing and employing the common strength, forms a usual and essential part in the definition of the executive authority.

"The President may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective officers.'' This I consider as a mere redundancy in the plan, as the right for which it provides would result of itself from the office.

He is also to be authorized to grant "reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, EXCEPT IN CASES OF IMPEACHMENT.'' Humanity and good policy conspire to dictate, that the benign prerogative of pardoning should be as little as possible fettered or embarrassed. The criminal code of every country partakes so much of necessary severity, that without an easy access to exceptions in favor of unfortunate guilt, justice would wear a countenance too sanguinary and cruel. As the sense of responsibility is always strongest, in proportion as it is undivided, it may be inferred that a single man would be most ready to attend to the force of those motives which might plead for a mitigation of the rigor of the law, and least apt to yield to considerations which were calculated to shelter a fit object of its vengeance. The reflection that the fate of a fellow-creature depended on his sole fiat, would naturally inspire scrupulousness and caution; the dread of being accused of weakness or connivance, would beget equal circumspection, though of a different kind. On the other hand, as men generally derive confidence from their numbers, they might often encourage each other in an act of obduracy, and might be less sensible to the apprehension of suspicion or censure for an injudicious or affected clemency. On these accounts, one man appears to be a more eligible dispenser of the mercy of government, than a body of men.

The expediency of vesting the power of pardoning in the President has, if I mistake not, been only contested in relation to the crime of treason. This, it has been urged, ought to have depended upon the assent of one, or both, of the branches of the legislative body. I shall not deny that there are strong reasons to be assigned for requiring in this particular the concurrence of that body, or of a part of it. As treason is a crime levelled at the immediate being of the society, when the laws have once ascertained the guilt of the offender, there seems a fitness in referring the expediency of an act of mercy towards him to the judgment of the legislature. And this ought the rather to be the case, as the supposition of the connivance of the Chief Magistrate ought not to be entirely excluded. But there are also strong objections to such a plan. It is not to be doubted, that a single man of prudence and good sense is better fitted, in delicate conjunctures, to balance the motives which may plead for and against the remission of the punishment, than any numerous body whatever. It deserves particular attention, that treason will often be connected with seditions which embrace a large proportion of the community; as lately happened in Massachusetts. In every such case, we might expect to see the representation of the people tainted with the same spirit which had given birth to the offense. And when parties were pretty equally matched, the secret sympathy of the friends and favorers of the condemned person, availing itself of the good-nature and weakness of others, might frequently bestow impunity where the terror of an example was necessary.

On the other hand, when the sedition had proceeded from causes which had inflamed the resentments of the major party, they might often be found obstinate and inexorable, when policy demanded a conduct of forbearance and clemency. But the principal argument for reposing the power of pardoning in this case to the Chief Magistrate is this: in seasons of insurrection or rebellion, there are often critical moments, when a welltimed offer of pardon to the insurgents or rebels may restore the tranquillity of the commonwealth; and which, if suffered to pass unimproved, it may never be possible afterwards to recall. The dilatory process of convening the legislature, or one of its branches, for the purpose of obtaining its sanction to the measure, would frequently be the occasion of letting slip the golden opportunity. The loss of a week, a day, an hour, may sometimes be fatal. If it should be observed, that a discretionary power, with a view to such contingencies, might be occasionally conferred upon the President, it may be answered in the first place, that it is questionable, whether, in a limited Constitution, that power could be delegated by law; and in the second place, that it would generally be impolitic beforehand to take any step which might hold out the prospect of impunity. A proceeding of this kind, out of the usual course, would be likely to be construed into an argument of timidity or of weakness, and would have a tendency to embolden guilt.

PUBLIUS.Nativity Chapel Tours: 5 p.m. Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel, 16 W Cherry Ave. Tours are free and will last no longer than 30-40 minutes. A goodwill offering is requested and will go towards restoration efforts of the chapel, information about which can be found here: savenativitybvm.com. 928-779-1341.

Riverside Church: 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. 419 S. Verde Street. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Sunday Morning Service 11:15 a.m. Pastor Leonard L Bryant. 602-621-1878. riversidecogic.com.

Christian Science Society of Flagstaff: 10-11 a.m. 619 W. Birch Ave. We hold Sunday worship services and Sunday School (for children and young people up to the age of 20) at 10 a.m. The subject of this week's sermon is "God the Preserver of Man." We also have Wednesday testimony meetings at 5:30 p.m. each week. Our Christian Science Reading Room, a quiet place for prayer and study, is open from 4-5:30 on Wednesdays and 10:00 - noon on Saturdays. 928-526-5982.

The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany: 423 N Beaver St. Mission: Bringing the love of God to all people. Vision: Reconciling all to God, so the world will know peace and justice. 423 N. Beaver St. Worship days and times: SAT 5:30; SUN 8 and 10:30 AM; TUES 11:00 Centering Prayer; 12:15PM Healing Service ; FRI 5:30PM 1st Friday Art Walk; SUN Priest Marianna celebrates and Rev Lynn Perkins Preaches at all services; SUN  Youth Sunday; WED / 19th  1PM Lunch Bunch; SAT / 22nd 9AM Wisdom Walkers 5:30PM Taize'/ Eucharist. 928-774-2911. epiphanyaz.org.

Greenlaw Baptist Church: 9:30 a.m. 3400 E. Lockett Road in East Flagstaff. Morning Worship Service at 10:45, Sunday School at 9:30 with classes for all ages. Pastor Barry Hall will bring the morning message titled The Bible and Relationships. The initial scripture reading will be I John 4:19. Hall said, "This is a message to speak to the matter of the Christian faith as relationship centered." The service will honor fathers. The church will continue Thursday worship service at 4:00 p.m., Thursday dinner will be at 5:00, followed by two breakout groups at 6:00, which are a Bible study led by Pastor Hall, and Celebrate Recovery [CR] led by Pastor Manny Martinez. 928-526-4939. greenlawbaptist.org

Unity of Flagstaff: 417 W Santa Fe Ave. Come Join Us this Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m, for the reflective insight and humor of Rev. Charlie Tupper. She will be speaking on Living in the Fullness of Spirit. Journey with us this Sunday as we step into the fullness of an ever abundant life." Enjoy the music of Shawn Dennehy, Wiley Beveridge and Trina Goetz. unityofflagstaff.org.

First Congregational Church of Flagstaff: 740 N Turquoise Drive. Sun, 10:30-11:45 a.m. Reverend Nathan Watts will preach on "So Explain This to Me Again" based on Romans 5:1-5 and John 16: 12-15. Please join us for fellowship and a Father's Day Feast after worship. 928-774-0890. fccflagstaff.org.

Church of the Resurrection: 740 W. University Heights Drive South. Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m. Former FaithWorks Director Glen Allen is going to teach on Luke 5:1-11 "Just Where Are We With Jesus?" Please join us for fellowship after the service. 928-699-2715. cor-pca.org.

Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation: 510 N Leroux St. Sun, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. "Nurturing Loving Fathers": We live in a society that has often devalued expressions of love, affection, and nurturing in men. How we can help change this and in doing so help lift up every father and father figure? Presented by Worship Associate Linda Ochi. 928- 779-4492. beaconuu.com.

Living Christ Lutheran Church: 6401 N. US Highway 89, Flagstaff. Living Christ ELCA Lutheran Church holds Sunday services from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. with fellowship following. We worship through music, teaching, prayer and sacraments. Pastor Kurt Fangmeier will be leading worship June 16 with the scripture readings from Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 and the gospel reading from John 16:12-15. 928-526-8595. livingchristflagstaff.org.

Holy Cross Orthodox Church: 6134 Black Bill Road. Please join us Sunday for our 8:55 a.m. 'Orthos' and 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy with Father Earl. 928-225-3814. holycrossflagstaff.org.

Spiritual Center for Intentional Living: 10-11:10 a.m., Ponderosa HS, 2384 N Steves Blvd. Please join us at Sunday Service to welcome Rev. Bonnie Bernard, who will give a message based on our theme for June 'Creativity'. We are an open, inclusive New Thought Spiritual Center, and welcome people of all faith traditions. 928-522-9103.

Flagstaff Federated Community Church: 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. 400 W Aspen Avenue. This Sunday is the last Sunday we will share together with Pastor Jessica as our Pastor. We will acknowledge that which has been, celebrate that which is, and anticipate that which will be. We will meditate on Ecclesiastes 3:1-22. After worship, we will celebrate Pastor Jessica's ministry with a potluck and a time of sharing, celebration, and blessing. 928-774-7383. flagstafffederatedchurch.org.

Calvary Bible Church: Sunday teaching by Pastor Aaron Hulbert: Living in a Gray World from James 5:7-8. Sundays 9:30am Overview of the Old Testament. Mid-Day Worship Service 10:45am. 6pm Evening service 'Life of Christ study'.Child care and Children's Church. Wednesday 6pm: Bible Study/Matthew, then prayer time. Teen AWANA on break for summer.2nd Saturday of every month: Men's breakfast and Bible Study 7am. calvarybibleflagstaff.com.

Shepherd of the Hills ELCA: 1601 N San Francisco St. Our services include a Spoken Word service at 5 p.m. on Saturday, a Contemporary service at 9 a.m. on Sunday, and a Traditional service at 11 a.m. on Sunday, all led by Pastor Adam Barnhart. 928-774-4832. sothflagstaff.org.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon): Sunday services held at four Flagstaff locations: 4165 S. Lake Mary Road, 625 E. Cherry Ave., 2401 E. Linda Vista Drive and, for young single adults, 239 E. Saunders Drive. Meetings are also held in Williams at 1111 Stockmens Road and at the Shrine of the Ages on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Check azdailysun.com or "Locations and Schedules" at LDS.org for meeting times by ward/branch. Sunday services consist of Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and special instruction for various age and interest groups (Priesthood Meeting for men, Relief Society for women, Young Men/Young Women for youth and Primary for children).

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0As Katharyn Duffy climbed the ladder for her bachelors degree studies in geology at Portland State, then a masters in climate science and solutions and a doctorate in earth science from Northern Arizona University, she was surprised to find that as the computing and coding needed for the advanced degrees increased, her classes tended to have fewer and fewer females.

Duffys dilemma isnt unique. While tech jobs are the fastest growing occupations in the US, only 18% of the 64,000 students who graduated with a computer science degree in 2016 were women, according to girlswhocode.org.

I had to learn to code because I was working on the earth systems scale and the only way you can do it is through code. I beat my head against a brick wall for a year, Duffy said of learning Python, MATLAB, CSS, Markdown, Bash and other coding languages. The more you work in tech the more languages you have to speak, and some are like Portuguese and Spanish -- [they are] related, but kind of confusing when you try and speak them together.

Now studying for her postdoc in ecoinformatics at NAUs School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Duffy is part of the Phenocam team. Duffy uses code daily to collate and process millions of images of landscapes all over the world and determining their greenness.

On her NASA grant, Duffys title is an open source software engineer. The open source aspect means that Duffys codes are available online for anyone who wants to view and learn from them.

Being unstinting with her codes and knowing firsthand what its like to be one of the only women in her field, Duffy was immediately drawn to Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit program that aims to close the gender gap in tech by teaching girls how to code for free, and she started northern Arizona's first Girls Who Code program at NAU in March.

Anyone can come. We offer transportation funds, we offer food, we offer computers and its completely free. So there are no barriers to participation, Duffy said.

Out of the six middle school girls who joined Duffys first Girls Who Code group, Elizabeth Burakhovska, Abby Henderson and Maegan Glanville are all incoming eighth-graders at Pine Forest Academy on Fourth Street.

Historically, Pine Forest and other Waldorf schools are nature-based and don't include computing or technology in the curriculum. Pine Forest does not have computers in its classrooms, so if students want to learn anything about computers, they need to do so outside of school.

The best way to [learn coding] is to join the club cause its a little intimidating to just sit by yourself in front of a computer, Duffy said.

And middle school is the right time to get girls interested in computer programming, according to the official Girls Who Code website.

Experience of computing in their junior high years means that girls are 18% more likely to show interest in computing throughout their high school and college years, according to girlswhocode.org, which also shared that by high school, many factors negatively impact computing interest for girls, including not having friends in computing classes.

Duffys Girls Who Code group created the Plastic Pollution Solution, with each girl making a different type of animation project relating to the harms of plastics in the ocean, using Massachusetts Institute of Technologys free programming tool, Scratch.

One of Duffys students created a chat bot to ask users trivia questions about ocean pollution. An avatar of a cartoon girl was projected in front of a beach backdrop. Text appeared in a comic bubble by her mouth:

Which items are a hazard to ocean life? A. Seashell, B. Trashbag, C. Seaweed, D. All of the Above, it read.

A box then popped up for the user to type in their answer. In typical middle school humor, typing in and entering with the right answer created a cheering sound effect; the wrong one triggered audio of a toilet flushing.

I havent coded anything for them, I havent written anything for them. This is all theirs, Duffy said.

While Duffys goal was for the girls to have fun learning the basic functions and code used for programming -- including loops, variables and conditionals -- the girls also learned about different women in tech and joined a sisterhood of other female peers and role models meant to produce confidence in being a girl in tech.

Its important for girls to learn to code cause there are more boys coding than girls and girls can code too, Henderson said, adding that coding is so fun and awesome.

In the future, Henderson said she wants to make more animations about things that are troubling the earth like endangered animals or air pollution.

Im proud that I learned how to make animation and I reached my goals, Glanville said.

In the fall, Duffy plans to have a class for grades 3-5 and a class for grades 6-12.

Parents of those interested in joining the Girls Who Code fall programs at NAU can go to girlswhocodenau.weebly.com for more information.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Normally, Flagstaff small business owners might use Google to search for a question they have about running a business in the modern age, but on Friday, Google came to them.

As a part of their Grow With Google event, Google employees made their way to the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library near City Hall to teach small business owners how to use Googles tools. The Google workers have been traveling around the 50 states, landing in a few cities in each state and working with small business owners to help them succeed.

Erica Fitzpatrick, a leader of the Grow With Google initiative, said they are also providing $1 million in funding available in small grants for individual libraries around the country. Over the past week, the Google team had been in Tucson and Phoenix before making their way north.

Its been fantastic so far, and its a very friendly, welcoming group and were so happy that theyve welcomed us with open arms to this library, Fitzpatrick said.

The skills taught at the event included optimizing a business website for potential customers, using data available on Google to inform business decisions, helping business owners appear on Googles job searching tools, and teaching Google programs to business owners in the hopes of helping them stay organized and effective with Google products.

Mayor Coral Evans spoke at the event and underlined the importance of utilizing the best available technology.

Our local businesses and nonprofits are extremely important. And for them to mature and thrive, we need to make sure that everybody has the skills that they need to be able to compete, Evans said. Im excited to see so many workshops happening here. I believe our community is better off because of this.

Scott Buffon can be reached at sbuffon@azdailysun.com, on Twitter @scottbuffon or by phone at (928) 556-2250.

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Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.The Coconino County Sheriff's Office sent out a release late Friday stating that Judge Mark Moran had dismissed the lawsuit against Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll and Jail Commander Matthew Figueroa regarding Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainers.

According to the release, Moran ruled that Jose Montelongo-Morales lacked the standing to bring the lawsuit against the sheriff. The sheriff's release states that because the ICE detainer was taken off of Montelongo-Morales, he could not file a class action lawsuit. Moran's dismissal marks another loss for the lawsuit focusing on ICE detainers backed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The lawsuit concerned Coconino County Sheriffs Offices policy on ICE detainers, which are requests to local law enforcement agencies that ask the facility to hold people suspected of being undocumented for up to two days longer than what their local charges require.

Witnesses at the scene allege that ICE officials exchanged Montelongo-Morales capture for the safety of his family members.

The Arizona Daily Sun will update with more information on the case once it becomes available.

Love 26 Funny 4 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 9In celebration of Flagstaffs long-standing and vibrant art history, Aspen Place at the Sawmill recently announced the summer lineup of rotating exhibits at its on-site Comet Art Gallery now through August.

In partnership with Coconino Community College (CCC), the Comet Art Gallery opened at Aspen Place in May 2019 and showcases a collection of 2D and 3D ceramics, paintings, drawings and photographs made by CCC faculty and students. As the first off-campus gallery for the community college, each monthly exhibit within the 4,500 square-foot space will coincide with the popular First Friday ArtWalk and feature interactive demonstrations hosted by recognized local artists including Jim Schroeder, Elaine Dillingham and Alan Petersen. Located across from Whisk and Whisky in the old Charming Charlie space, all artwork on display is available for purchase with all proceeds going to the artists.

Were always looking for new and creative ways to bring artwork into our developments and to give back to the local community, so we couldnt have found a better partner for this activation at Aspen Place than the Coconino Community College, said McKenzie Shaver, marketing specialist for RED Development. By having new exhibits on display every month, were able to consistently give the locals something new and exciting to look forward to while showcasing the raw talent of some of the most up-and-coming artists within the community. Its really a win-win for everyone.

The summer lineup for the Comet Art Gallery includes:

June 7: Coconino Community College Student and Faculty Exhibition

As the first-ever installation at the Comet Art Gallery, the Coconino Community College Student and Faculty Exhibition gives locals and travelers a look into the cultural diversity of Northern Arizona as paintings, ceramics, sculptures and more are inspired by the surrounding verdant landscape and rich Native American history. Events and demonstrations that will be held on Friday, June 7 include:

 Coconino Community College Ride Along Band: The CCC Ride Along Band is a rotating ensemble of faculty, staff and community supporters who play Bluegrass, Folk and Americana music in support of events where CCC is represented.

 Don Fethkenher Pottery Demonstration

 Jim Schroeder Painting Demonstration

July 5 - August 2: Lunar Dreams Exhibition Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing

The Lunar Dreams exhibit is presented as part of Flagstaffs year-long celebration of the citys scientific role in the Apollo moon missions, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. The exhibition will include paintings, photography, sculpture and mixed-media artwork that celebrate the moon from scientific, cultural and personal perspectives. The works of art showcased will be from local and national artists alike. Events and demonstrations that will be held on Friday, July 5 include:

 A Block Party at Aspen Place: Exact time and details to be announced.

July 20 and 21 - ART35 North Studio and Gallery Tour

The ART35 North Studio and Gallery Tour is an annual self-guided tour of Flagstaff artists' studios. There are typically between 20 and 30 artists participating with work in a broad range of media. The Comet Art Gallery will be the first gallery to participate in the tour.

 Live demonstrations and installations to be announced.

The Comet Art Gallery is open Thursday through Saturday from 12-7 p.m. For more information, a tenant directory or to see the latest happenings at Aspen Place, visit http://www.aspenplace.com

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0On Thursday at about 10:56 p.m., the Coconino County Sheriffs Office received a report of shots fired in the area of Randall Boulevard in Ash Fork, according to a press release. Several persons reported hearing multiple shots fired from possibly two different weapons.

The reporting party, identified as 68-year-old William Barentine of Ash Fork, stated he was in the area and had possibly been fired upon while checking a neighboring vacant property for smoke, according to the release. Barentine stated he was verbally confronted by an unknown male subject who fired at least one shot from a weapon. He reported firing multiple shots from his weapon into the air before leaving the area.

The Northern Arizona Tactical Response Team was requested and responded to the incident along with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Yavapai County Sheriffs Office.

Upon further investigation, the second individual was identified as 58-year-old Norman Fagundes, a ranch hand who was camping on the property. Fagundes was staying on the property with the permission of the owner along with his girlfriend, according to the release. Both reported hearing a vehicle pull onto the property and believed the person in the vehicle could have been there to commit a theft. Fagundes verbally called out in the direction of the vehicle telling the person he was a ranch hand and to leave the property. A short argument ensued and Fagundes fired one round from a revolver into the air to warn off the person in the vehicle. Barentine reportedly fired multiple shots into the air in response prior to leaving the property. Neither party could identify the other due to it being dark.

No one was injured during the incident. The case is currently under further investigation for possible weapons violations by the Coconino County Sheriffs Office.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0One works at a college, another runs an Airbnb. A third works with landscapers and contractors.

But once a month, the three have one thing in common: They search for the remains of migrants who died trying to cross the southern U.S. deserts.

Aguilas del Desierto is a nonprofit group in San Diego that organizes the monthly search efforts. The group consists of a few dozen regular volunteers. One of them is James Holeman of Flagstaff, one of two volunteers who live in Arizona. He has volunteered with Aguilas del Desierto since 2018, the year he closed McGaughs Flagstaff, the craft beer store he owned. He and his wife now are renovating properties and offering vacation rentals on Airbnb.

Asked why he volunteers to search for missing migrants, he replied its something he doesnt think twice about doing.

Why wouldnt you want to join a group like this? I dont understand why half of Phoenix isnt down here, Holeman said.

While searching the desert, Holeman wears a neon-green shirt, good hiking boots, Carhartt pants, snakebite ankle guards and a hat to block the sun. He also has his trusty Black Diamond Trekking Poles to help support his not super-great knees.

He is proud of the work Aguilas del Desierto does to help migrants.

I think its a damn shame that we turn a blind eye to them and criminalize humanitarian aid, Holeman said.

January marked the seventh straight month Henri Migala took part in the searches. He has a background in international humanitarian aid work, and found out about Aguilas del Desierto after the group popped up on his Facebook feed.

I reached out to them, contacted them, they were instantly very welcoming and very warm and very appreciative of my interest, he said. I came out on a search and Ive been doing it ever since.

Migala is the director of the University of San Diegos International House, a campus organization that pairs international students with U.S. students so they can room together.

His humanitarian work, however, is his passion.

Were not bringing happiness to people when we find these remains, but we do bring closure to some families who are anguished, he said.

Most of the families of missing migrants reach out to the group for help through its Facebook page. Group volunteers said the calls to search for a missing loved one have increased in recent months as a flood of mostly Central American families has surged toward the border.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 92,607 people were apprehended between ports of entry in March. That number was 66,884 in February and 47,984 in January.

As long as migrants try to cross the deserts, there will always be those who do not make it.

Humane Borders, a humanitarian organization that aims to help and protect migrants, worked in conjunction with the Pima County Medical Examiners Office to map out the locations of all migrant remains that have been discovered by Border patrol and such groups as Aguilas del Desierto.

Aguilas officials declined to reveal search locations but said many of the remains are found in the most barren areas of southern Arizona.

Some of our guys get hurt so bad, weve got to get them out because they step into a cactus or fall or trip, Migala said.

Volunteers said the challenging conditions and terrain are not deterrents. For them, this is a mission.

I think this is just the right thing to do, Migala said.

The group was started in 2009 by Eli Ortiz of San Diego after he lost two family members to the desert.

A human trafficker left my brother and cousin behind at the Barry M. Goldwater Range in southwestern Arizona, Ortiz said through an interpreter.

Ortiz wanted to search for his family but needed help to make the dangerous trek. He contacted local Mexican consulates and police agencies without luck. He eventually got in touch with a group called Angeles del Desierto that performed organized searches.

It was four months later when we found the two bodies, said Ortiz, who works full time as landscaper in San Diego.

After finding his brother and cousins remains, Ortiz knew he wanted to help others in similar situations, so he founded Aguilas del Desierto.

Everytime Im out here, I go back to the same moment I was looking for my brother and cousin. It reminds me of what I went through at that time, he said.

Ortizs daughter, Stephanie, 21, also helps with searches.

Stephanie Ortiz said the long drives out to the search locations are a good opportunity to think about the kind of work the team does.

We have six-plus hours to get here, and in that span of time, youre mentally preparing yourself because its a really intense psychological experience to be looking for peoples remains, she said.

Pima County recorded 127 remains found in Arizona deserts in 2018. When bodies are found, the group reports back to authorities. The area is then treated like a crime scene and the bodies are transferred to the Pima County Medical Examiners Office.

Aguilas del Desierto volunteers also find discarded water jugs and camouflage clothing, which are commonly used by migrants crossing the desert.

Its just the kind of stuff you can get at a thrift store. Theyre just trying to make it. Migala said.

Campos said that, for now, Aguilas del Desierto has been able to maintain a good relationship with such federal agencies as U.S. Customs and Border Protection. We let them know where we are going to be and they tell us they will give us back up if it is needed.

Sometimes the group also has backup from cadaver dogs. During Februarys search, Aguilas del Desierto was joined by six canine teams. One of them was made up of Kathy Albrecht and her 3-year-old German shepherd mix, Mesa.

Albrecht and Mesa, who are from El Dorado County in northern California, have been volunteering to search for bodies for about a year and a half. Before joining Aguilas del Desierto, the pair helped in search efforts after the Camp Fire killed more than 80 people and leveled the town of Paradise, California, in November.

I think its important to contribute to your community and help others, Albrecht said, explaining why she made the drive to Arizona to assist.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0By Washington's Blog, via Global Research

Global Research Editors Note:

First published in May 2015, this article reveals not only that the ISIS is a creation of US intelligence, it also confirms that the Caliphate Project was designed in Washington.

See Screenshots Below from the title page as well as excerpts:

 there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist Principality in eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime .  (Washington Blog, see below)



Judicial Watch has  for many years  obtained sensitive U.S. government documents through freedom of information requests and lawsuits.

The government just produced documents to Judicial Watch in response to a freedom of information suit which show that the West has long supported ISIS. The documents were written by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency on August 12, 2012  years before ISIS burst onto the world stage.

Here are screenshots from the documents. We have highlighted the relevant parts in yellow:

Why is this important? It shows that extreme Muslim terrorists  salafists, Muslims Brotherhood, and AQI (i.e. Al Qaeda in Iraq)  have always been the major forces driving the insurgency in Syria.

This verifies what the alternative media has been saying for years: there arent any moderate rebels in Syria (and see this, this and this).

The newly-declassified document continues:

Yes, you read that correctly:

 there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist Principality in eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime .

In other words, the powers supporting the Syrian opposition  the West, our Gulf allies, and Turkey wantedan Islamic caliphate in order to challenge Syrian president Assad.

Sure, top U.S. generals  and vice president Vice President Joe Biden  have said that Americas closest allies support ISIS. And mainstream American media have called for direct support of ISIS.

But the declassified DIA documents show that the U.S. and the West supported ISIS at its inception  as a way to isolate the Syrian government. And see this.

This is a big deal. A former British Army and Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism intelligence officer and a former MI5 officer confirm that the newly-released documents are a smoking gun.

This is a train wreck long in the making.I'm both stunned and saddened by the death of former State Senator Linda Collins-Smith. She was a good person who served in the public arena with passion and conviction. The First Lady and I extend our deepest sympathies to her family and friends during this difficult time.

I was shocked and saddened to learn of Linda's tragic death," said Attorney General Rutledge. "Always a stalwart conservative, Linda was dedicated to serving Arkansans and was a dear friend to so many. Boyce and I send our deepest prayers and sympathy to Linda's family and friends.

Today, we learned of the untimely death of former Senator Linda Collins Smith. She was a passionate voice for her people and a close member of our Republican family. We are praying for her loved ones during this difficult time.

Today, we learned of the untimely death of former Senator Linda Collins Smith. She was a passionate voice for her people and a close member of our Republican family. We are praying for her loved ones during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/uOg76yd6dF  Arkansas GOP (@ARGOP) June 5, 2019

I am shocked and incredibly saddened to learn that Jonathan has passed away. He was a valuable member of my staff and a friend. Jonathan was a very proud man, but he served humbly. He was proud of his family and loved them deeply, he was proud of Norman and he was proud of Oklahoma. He was especially proud of his service to the state, as a prosecutor, as a state Senator and later as a valued and esteemed advisor for both Senate leadership and House leadership. He loved the rule of law and public safety, and he spent most of his career working tirelessly on those issues. His wife, Talitha, and his daughters, Jessica and Rachel, are in our prayers today.

We mourn his loss deeply on behalf of his family but also on behalf of the OU family and everyone who believes public service is sacred and essential for a civil society. Jonathan will be missed by me, our OU family and the many people he served in his roles as senator, prosecutor and advocate for education.

In a disturbing coincidence, two former state senators - both Republicans - were shot and killed in separate, unrelated incidents in the past week.CNN reported the tragedies occurred in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Former Arkansas state Sen. Linda Collins-Smith's death is being treated as "suspicious" and investigated as a homicide. Former Oklahoma state Sen. Jonathan Nichols' death is still being investigated by the criminal investigations division of the local police department.Collins-Smith was found in her home last Tuesday, killed by a gunshot wound. Collins-Smith was a Democrat before she switched to the Republican Party and was elected to the state senate in 2014. In 2018, she was primaried and lost. CNN affiliate KARK reported that Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson - also a Republican - mourned the loss on TV and in an official statement.On "KARK 4 Today" last Wednesday, Hutchinson brought up Collins-Smith during an interview originally about flooding from the Arkansas River.Hutchinson said.That same day, Hutchinson released a statement mourning Collins-Smith's death:Leslie Rutledge, the state's attorney general, issued her own statement, KARK reported:The Arkansas GOP also tweeted condolences:Hours later and hundreds of miles away, police found Nichols' body in his Norman, OK, home. Nichols had served in the Oklahoma state senate between 2000 and 2012. He left office due to term limits and started working at the University of Oklahoma in 2016 as the vice president of government relations. At the time of his death, he was a senior policy advisor to Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall. He was also married with two daughters.CNN affiliate KFOR reported that police found Nichols after receiving a call about a gunshot. In a statement , the Norman Police Department said,and thatMcCall released a statement on Nichols' death:Joseph Harroz Jr, the interim president of Nichols' former employer, OU, also released a statement:Tom Campbell

More than 800 gathered in Raleigh this week to address the Opioid epidemic. Five lives are lost each day and more than 13,000 deaths occurred between 1999 and 2017 due to Opioids. In addition to the heartbreak to families, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates it cost North Carolina some $2.5 billion in 2017. DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen said this public health crisis requires "all hands on deck."Opioids are common painkillers like oxycodone, hydrocodone and codeine, but also heroin and fentanyl. We've been aggressively fighting this crisis with some success. Opioid prescriptions have been reduced by 24 percent. 12,000 have been treated for overdose and emergency room visits have decreased by 20 percent. More than 3,000 providers have been trained, 29 syringe exchange programs have been established and 20,000 Naloxone kits have been dispensed throughout the state. A $54 million federal grant helped achieve these results and establish effective partnerships with care providers, law enforcement, mental health, social service, treatment centers and other professionals. But the face of the Opioid epidemic is transforming, and the campaign must also transform.Secretary Cohen stated the federal grants have helped immeasurably but are only a temporary solution. Those overdosing on or addicted to Opioids need more extensive treatment. Sadly, more than half those needing help don't have health insurance. Governor Roy Cooper, addressing the summit, emphatically reinforced that fact, saying this is another compelling reason why we need to expand Medicaid.The Governor recognized that neither the House nor Senate had included Medicaid expansion in budgets they passed, adding talks are going on behind the scenes that might lead to expansion. Democrats in both chambers support the expansion and a growing number of Republicans are open to some form of expansion, but it is being blocked by Senate Republican leadership.The major opposition has two prongs. First, and maybe most importantly, Medicaid expansion is associated with former President Barack Obama and Republicans don't want anything that smells of Obama. There is the additional concern about costs. The federal government promises to provide 90 percent of the costs; many say the federal government is already broke and they don't want to add to federal deficits. Further, they fear that a cash strapped federal government will drastically reduce the 90-10 match. But 37 states, many with Republican governors and/or legislatures have joined, convinced the benefits outweigh the risks. They also know that once a benefit has begun it never gets repealed or even greatly reduced. Congress won't likely risk losing voters in 37 states, even if it means more deficits.I asked Governor Cooper if the exclusion of Medicaid expansion in the state budget was a deal breaker and he came close to sayingperhaps because last week's legislative failure to override hisabortion bill signifies that a budget veto might prevail.Governor Cooper makes a pretty compelling case for Medicaid expansion, saying we could provide coverage for an additional 500,000 people, lower costs for private insurers and plan participants, while creating 43,000 new jobs.The Opioid Action Plan that was updated at this week's summit would benefit greatly from Medicaid expansion and make another giant step to help prevent, reduce harm and aid the access to care for our people.I have devoted most of my life to building, inhabiting, and sometimes leading organizations devoted to advancing the cause of freedom. But what I mean by that term may be quite different from what you mean.Even if the context is limited only to political matters, most people would agree that "freedom" is an essential public value - and then proceed to disagree about what public policies are required to protect or expand it.The roots of such disagreements run deep. In his seminal work Albion's Seed , the historian David Hackett Fischer describes four waves of settlement, emanating from four different regions of the British Isles, that helped shape the history and politics of the North American colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries. Each of the four "folkways," as Fischer put it, contained its own conception of freedom.For the Puritans who settled New England from East Anglia and the Netherlands, the organizing principle wasYou were free if you were part of a free, self-governing community.as the concept was also called, wasFischer explained.For the Royalists who settled Virginia and neighboring colonies from their original homes in the south of England, the organizing principle was something closer toin Fischer's phrase. That is, while they emphasized individual freedom instead of the Puritans' sense of collective liberty, Virginians didn't think everyone was entitled to it. Rank had its privileges, in other words, and obviously those held in bondage were excluded entirely.Quite different was theespoused by the Quakers and other religious dissenters who settled Pennsylvania and its environs. Their conceptionWhile religious liberty was essential to this tradition, its protection of individual autonomy extended to other spheres of life, as well, including property rights and procedural rights for those accused of crimes.Finally, large waves of settlement from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Northern English during the 18th century brought the idea of "natural liberty" to the backcountry of early America. Rejecting the idea of tempering their personal freedom with the communal authority of the Puritans, the hierarchical authority of the Royalists, or the radical egalitarianism of the Quakers, the backcountry folk insisted that they simply wanted to be left alone. Indeed, as a group of Mecklenburg County leaders put it in 1768, their individual liberties came before their political obligations.they stated.These were just the original British folkways that help shaped America's political culture. Weave in the distinctive beliefs of America's other origin cultures and you have an ideological tapestry of intricate complexity.The late University of Oklahoma scholar Rufus Fears described freedom as existing at three levels. Individual freedom means the right to do as you choose without the government telling you otherwise. Political freedom means the right to vote and participate in civic affairs. Finally, national freedom means the right of a people collectively not to be ruled by some other people.Ideally, one would enjoy freedom at all levels. But for most of recorded history, most people have enjoyed just one or two of these freedoms, if any. For example, under the Roman empire quite a few people enjoyed individual freedom and some enjoyed the political freedom to elect local magistrates. But no one outside Rome itself experienced national freedom.To my way of thinking, individual freedom is the end-goal. I value political freedom and national freedom precisely because I think they are most likely to protect individual freedom from encroachments, foreign or domestic. To be free is not necessarily to be happy. It certainly doesn't make one free of social attachments, or capable of obtaining any particular goal. It simply means you can pursue whatever goal you wish without government telling you otherwise. And I think it's worth fighting for.ICYMI: Here are our top stories from Saturday, June 15

Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (June 15, 2019).

Photo: ShutterstockGovernor-elect Ron DeSantis speaking with attendees at the 2018 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. | Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons

"Sanctuary policy" means a law, policy, practice, procedure, or custom adopted or allowed by a state entity or local governmental entity which prohibits or impedes a law enforcement agency from complying with 8 U.S.C. s. 1373 or which prohibits or impedes a law enforcement agency from communicating or cooperating with a federal immigration agency so as to limit such law enforcement agency in, or prohibit the agency from:

(a) Complying with an immigration detainer;

(b) Complying with a request from a federal immigration agency to notify the agency before the release of an inmate or detainee in the custody of the law enforcement agency;

(c) Providing a federal immigration agency access to an inmate for interview;

(d) Participating in any program or agreement authorized under section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. s. 1357; or

(e) Providing a federal immigration agency with an inmate's incarceration status or release date.

Fulfilling a promise he made when he successfully campaigned for governor in 2018, on Friday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will sign into a law a bill that will ban sanctuary cities in Florida. The bill, which was passed on May 2 by both the Florida House and Senate, was sent to DeSantis on Thursday. The Orlando Sentinel reported that DeSantis spokeswoman Helen Ferre sent the Sentinel an email stating:The Sentinel noted that supporters of the bill have urged local governments and law-enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration detainers and share information with federal immigration authorities once illegal immigrants have been detained.The bill, SB 168 , flatly states,The bill explains exactly what that entails:In May, DeSantis warned the U.S. Border Patrol not to transfer illegal immigrants to Broward and Palm Beach counties. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Broward Mayor Mark Bogen had stated that U.S. Border Patrol said that two planeloads of immigrants would be transferred to those counties each week, roughly 500 per month to each county. DeSantis said he was going to communicate with President Trump, according to the Orlando Sentinel , asserting, Fox News noted,A bill before the General Assembly (Senate Bill 55) would create new continuing education requirements for general contractors. Currently, the state doesn't require any continuing education for general contractors. So right from the start, this bill would raise costs on being a general contractor in North Carolina.The question before lawmakers should be whether such a change is justified or arbitrary.According to the Legislative Analysis Division , here's what currently someone needs to get an maintain a general contractor's license in North Carolina:This bill, however, would impose another annual requirement on general contractors: passing eight credit-hours of continuing education. Why?The requirement itself doesn't provide much of an answer. Only two of those eight credits would be of a "mandatory course approved by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors." The other six hours would be spent on "elective courses whose materials and instructors have been evaluated, approved, and accredited by the Board." Elective courses?Even if this new requirement were supposed to address an acknowledged need in the state, the fact that only two of the eight hours would be of a mandatory course strongly suggests it's unnecessary.Requiring six hours a year on elective instruction? What is that but to provide another source of income to the board and the course providers? Legislative Fiscal Note attached to the legislation demonstrates as much:There are other problems with this idea. First of all, requiring a license for general contractors to start with. Twenty-three states (nearly half of U.S. states) don't require that general contractors be licensed.Can the state protect occupational freedom in general contracting instead? If other states can, why can't North Carolina? The concerns being overaddressed by licensing in North Carolina could probably be addressed through registration with the Secretary of State.Even within a field that's licensed, however, research shows that imposing higher costs harms employment and job creation in that field. The stricter and more costly the occupational regulation, the more it dampens job growth in that field.Does this need to be said? The state should not be imposing arbitrary costs that would harm employment and job creation. North Carolina's decision to license general contractors seems arbitrary already, given that about half the states find they can do without it. But then to raise costs on it?Research also shows that these arbitrary limits on employment and job creation impose harm on consumers, especially lower-income consumers. Why? Because when there are fewer suppliers of a service, the ones who are around to do the work can charge higher rates, and these higher costs make consumers seek out riskier alternatives to licensed work.Does this need to be said? The state should not be imposing arbitrary costs that would lead to higher service rates on and riskier choices by consumers, either.The Red Lodge Carnegie Library recently announced its next Lunch and Learn public-speaker series, which takes place at the library on the third Tuesday of each month.

Hal Stearns, historian and storyteller, will present Larger than Life Leaders in Montana History, on Tuesday, June 18.

The community is invited to hear Stearns discuss historical leaders including Sitting Bull, Custer, "copper kings" Wheeler and Mansfield, Jeannette Rankin, Elouise Cobell and others. Stearns will tell stories about Montanas past leaders to start a discussion about Montana today.

The Lunch and Learn events begin at noon with a homemade lunch of soup, bread and dessert for $5. The free programs start at 12:30 p.m.

For more information or to make lunch reservations, call the library at 446-1905, or email hopeshomemade@gmail.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0OVANDO  When the suns at the right angle, Wayne Slaght can spot grizzly bear tracks on the hard-packed dirt road even when hes whizzing along in a four-wheeler at 25 mph.

Thats either a 6- to 8-year-old female or a 4-year-old male, Slaght said, measuring the track with his Leatherman tool. Im told every inch of width is about 100 pounds, so that could be a 400- or 500-pound bear.

And its one of probably 10 grizzlies roaming the Two Creek Cattle Ranch between the homes of Slaght and his partner and brother-in-law Ken Kovatch below the southern tip of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Having that many federally protected predators in the middle of a cattle ranch has kept Slaght and Kovatch on the hunt for tactics that keep them in business.

The bears arent going anywhere and we dont want to go anywhere either, Slaght said. So were living with them. The public wants me gone, not the bears. So the only reason I can be here is because I tolerate them. Im willing to try anything. Bottom line  I want to stay here and the only way is to learn to live with them. The public would be fine with me gone. I moved onto this ranch when I was 4. My three kids have grown up here. Its a way of life. Its not about the money.FWS must provide better oversight of the states, including Montanas new council. Together, federal and state stakeholders can improve coexistence efforts. We have learned a lot about how to prevent conflicts, with the help of bear pepper spray, bear-proof garbage bins, and electric fences around beehives and chicken coops. Much can be gleaned from successful coexistence work in the Madison and Blackfoot Valleys to improve practices elsewhere.

Climate warming and massive wildfires have already clobbered native bear foods, forcing bears to forage more widely and boosting human conflicts. Montanas Grizzly Bear Council could help navigate the new reality, while allowing more bears to live in the ample suitable habitat we still have.

People outside Montana cannot and should not be ignored. During the last 20 years, citizens from around our country have overwhelmingly and consistently supported stronger protections for grizzlies through comments on more than a dozen federal and state decisions. Nearly 1 million people commented on the 2016 draft rule to remove ESA protections for Yellowstones grizzlies. More than 99.99% supported stronger, not weaker, protections. They deserve a seat at the table.

Meaningful recovery of grizzlies can only be achieved through a combination of local, state and national efforts. With 150 applicants for 15 seats on the Grizzly Bear Council, Montanans have shown a keen interest in constructive progress. The challenge now is to frame that work within an effective and coordinated national effort. The FWS must wake up and engage  on behalf of all of us.

Louisa Willcox has advocated for grizzly bears and other wildlife in the Northern Rockies for 35 years. She is a founder of Grizzly Times and lives in Livingston.

Love 7 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 4A report released by FWP titled  Wildlife Management and Regulated Trapping in Montana" shows that in the 2008-09 trapping season, there were four documented reports of dog mortalities of which three were on public land and one on private land. Three of the dogs were without owners and the other was roughly one mile away from its owner. There is no record of a hiker or other recreationist ever being caught in a trap. I suggest that Heister keep her pet on a leash or under control while hiking or using public lands.

Trappers are a part of the public and also have a right to use the public lands that they support through their federal taxes. The fee that trappers pay for a license is used by Montana FWP to acquire lands that are used by organizations such as Footloose Montana to recreate on. I suggest that Footloose Montana donate a value equal to the trappers license fees, to FWP each year to help support the maintenance of the public lands that they hike on.

Thomas Zwick, of Hardin, is a retired professor of geology, who used to do some trapping.

Love 11 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3Of course, diapers are far from the only expense of having a new baby. That's why United Way of Yellowstone County is hosting a baby shower on its Day of Action, June 21.

Companies, groups and individuals are invited to collect essential baby items (see wish list below) and deliver them between 9 and 10 a.m. on June 21, to United Way, 2172 Overland Ave. Donors are invited to stay for refreshments and information on child poverty in Yellowstone County.

The gifts will be sorted and donated to needy local families through the Best Beginnings Coalition members' home visiting programs. The members include Family Tree Center, Family Support Network, Young Families/Early Head Start and Billings YWCA.

Diapers given at the United Way baby shower will be used to match a First Interstate Bank Centennial Youth Grant of up to $1,000. All donations to this FIB diaper challenge will be given to the community diaper bank housed at Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley.

"Lack of access to basic baby items can put a lot of pressure on parents," United Way CEO Carol Burton said in a press release. "If we're going to ensure children in our community have what they need to be successful, the work has to start early and their families need our support."Nayak Paudel is a crime reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2018, he has also written on health issues.FARGO  For Bojin Chen, a nearly empty King House Buffet was evidence of how business has declined at his downtown restaurant in the weeks since health officials discovered caged pigeons in the basement.

"You see no people here," Chen told The Forum as he looked around the restaurant. "Usually there's still a lot of people around after lunch rush."

Chen said "a lot of people changed their mind" about his restaurant after news reports of caged pigeons found in the basement, which he said is "totally separate" from the restaurant.

King House Buffet, 122 Broadway N., was the subject of a Fargo Cass Public Health investigation May 8 after the agency received a tip regarding the pigeons.

That tip came from the landlord, Kilbourne Group, according to a company spokesperson, who said Kilbourne shares the basement with King House. Kilbourne acquired the entire Merchants National Bank building in 2016, and Chen signed a lease with the company in March 2018.

Chen said business was good up until last month's pigeon episode. "Some people still come, but not like before," he said, adding that the number of King House customers was previously double or triple what the restaurant has seen in the past few weeks.

Chen said he and his wife, Cindy, are going to see how business is over the next two months and then they will decide whether to keep the doors open. "I'd like to stay here," he said. "Everybody telling me it will get better."

"If people want it open, come here," he said. "They don't come to eat, they want me to close."

John Leopold, of Thief River Falls, Minn., said he's been a King House customer since 1989 and makes it a point to stop by the restaurant when in town.

"It's a quick, easy place to eat at," he said as he left the restaurant on a recent afternoon, fortune cookie in hand. "I've never had a bad experience, and I always leave very satisfied."

Leopold said he was aware of the pigeon incident, but doesn't believe the birds were being served at the restaurant (Health officials previously said they found no indication or evidence the birds were being served).

"I'll keep coming here," Leopold said, adding that "it would be a shame" if the business closed.

Reviews on the restaurant's Facebook page since the incident have been by and large positive. And it still holds a 4.3 out of 5 star rating.

Follow-up inspections by health officials have been positive, too, with no major violations noted.

The day after pigeons were discovered and corrective actions were ordered, no pigeons were present in the basement, according to a May 9 report. There were no serious violations found during the most recent routine inspection by the health department on May 30.

"King House has been very cooperative and does not have any issues that we would consider ongoing," said Grant Larson, director of environmental health with Fargo Cass Public Health, in an email to Forum News Service.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0GRAND FORKS  On Sunday, Joshua Wynne officially becomes interim president of the University of North Dakota.

It's unknown how long Wynne will remain in the position, but its likely he will be faced with at least a few difficult decisions over the next several months.

"It's an absolute blur," Ed Schafer, UND's last interim president, said during his final days on the job in 2016. "It's like two years of work jammed into six months."

Schafer, a former North Dakota governor, was UND's interim president from January through June 2016. During that time, he dealt with expansive budget cuts and controversy regarding the school's Fighting Hawks nickname and logo. When he left the position, he said his goal had been to "have a new university for the new president."

Schafer held the job before Mark Kennedy began his tenure at the university. Kennedy left UND to take a job as president of the University of Colorado system and Wynne now takes over as the university's interim leader.

Schafer said Wynne likely is best known as the dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. But since Wynne also is vice president of health affairs at the university, he has been one of the presidents top advisers on campus. Wynne has been in that position since Robert Kelley was president and also advised Schafer during his interim tenure.

So, Im not sure if Im in a position to give him advice, Schafer said with a laugh earlier this week.

Schafer said its important for Wynne to remember that the university is there for the students.

The administration gets all wrapped up in the budget and the faculty and the administrators, but in the end, you have to keep in mind that its all about the students, Schafer said. I think he has a good sense of that from the med school, but as the interim president, you have to translate that out to the whole university. I think he will.

As interim president, Wynne will have the ability to make a lot of changes and leave his stamp on the campus. While Schafer isnt too concerned about Wynne coming in and making sweeping changes at UND, he said it's important for people in these types of positions to understand the inherent strength of the university.

Its more important to let the goodness of the university unfold and incorporate it into action, rather than saying Oh, Im going to put my name on this or change that, Schafer said. The university has some momentum; its going the right direction. The learning experience has been great, so lets just keep that going.

Various community and state leaders offered Wynne advice on how to be a successful interim president.

Birgit Pruess, faculty representative on the State Board of Higher Education, had a single word of advice for Wynne: Listen.

Not just to the people on the outside of the university, but also to the people inside, she said. The faculty are hurting and there is some relationship mending that needs to be done, trust that needs to be regained.

Steve Burian, co-chair of the Valley Prosperity Project and former CEO of the engineering firm AE2S, said he believes it is important for Wynne to continue to push the One UND strategic plan. Wynne also should be aware of the internal culture of UND, Burian said, adding he hopes Wynne will be able to help the campus become more upbeat.

I understand that the attitude isnt very good over at UND internally and so I think it would be good if he could use this time to be sensitive to what some of the pinch points are with the university, Burian said.

"Anything Josh can do to work his magic in terms of helping to raise the profile and respect of higher education within the Legislature would also be important, according to Burian.

Rep. Jake Blum, R-Grand Forks, represents the university's district in the North Dakota House of Representatives. Blum said Wynne is a highly respected individual and a consummate professional, adding he is pleased Wynne has been selected as interim.

I would just advise him to be as transparent as possible, effectively communicating how he plans to sustain the universitys growth and development in this temporary period, Blum said in an emailed response to the Herald's question. Theres no doubt in my mind that he will do so.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BOTTINEAU  Students who attend Dakota College at Bottineau next year could learn how to raise hemp, opening the door to train more North Dakota farmers so they can enter a growing industry.

The two-year college in north-central North Dakota has asked the State Board of Higher Education to allow the school to offer associate degrees and a certificate program for hemp production. The boards academic and student affairs committee will review the proposal Tuesday.

If approved by the SBHE, the college could begin offering the classes as early as January, said Keith Knudson, chair for the Dakota College department of agriculture. The school would be the first in the state to offer a degree and certificate program for hemp production.

We just think there is a lot of opportunity, Campus Dean Jerry Migler said. It just seems like it has a lot of potential.

The program will educate and train students on growing industrial hemp with a THC level below 0.3%  that eliminates the intoxicating elements found in marijuana  for commercial use, according to a North Dakota University System staff report. Students would graduate with a two-year degree, or potential producers could participate in a shorter program to obtain certification.

North Dakota was one of several states that participated in pilot programs offered through the 2014 Farm Bill to produce hemp, and Congress legalized hemp production in 2018 through another farm bill that year.

More than 50 producers have been licensed to grow hemp in North Dakota, according to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. Thats compared to 34 growers in 2017, when North Dakota farmers planted more than 3,000 acres in 17 counties, according to the latest report from the state Ag Department.

With more than 25,000 uses for hemp, the crop has created a growing industry in the U.S., Knudson said.

Were seeing an increased demand in hemp products nationwide, and it does fit in our agriculture program fairly well in North Dakota because hemp does grow relatively well in our climate, he said. We see that as an option for producers in our region.

Hemp can be used for food, feed, oil, rope, clothes and even building products, to name a few examples. Agriculture and state leaders have touted hemp as a potential cash crop for North Dakota.

Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation in March that aligns the state and federal definitions of hemp and calls for the establishment of a program to regulate production.

Migler said the college has a longstanding natural resources mission  it opened in 1906 as the North Dakota School of Forestry. The school has worked over the years to expand that mission, including in agriculture, he said.

Dakota College is uniquely suited to offer the degree because of its facilities and its proximity to hemp producers, Migler said. It also can work with Minot State University to test hemp to make sure it is meeting the 0.3% THC limit.

I think we are just touching the tip of the iceberg because there are so many products that can be made with hemp, Migler said.

The academic and student affairs committee also will review a proposal for North Dakota State University to stop offering a masters degree in its nurse educator program. The degree allows nurses to teach in baccalaureate and associate degree level nursing programs, but leaders have suggested removing the degree at NDSU due to low enrollment, according to a summary report from university system staff. The University of North Dakota and the University of Mary also offer the degrees, the report said.

NDSU stopped offering classes for the degree in 2014, but existing students were educated until the last student graduated from the program in August 2017, according to staff.

University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott has recommended the SBHE approve both proposals.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0It went really fast. If it had been a windy day, that could have been a disaster.

-- Mandan resident Mike Hack, witness to a fire that destroyed an eight-unit apartment garage.

q q q

"The whole goal is to provide services without borders and barriers."

-- Burleigh County Social Services Director Kim Osadchuk, speaking about multi-county "human service zones" for county social services that were authorized this year by state lawmakers.

q q q

Customers treat them better and give them larger tips.

-- Michael Hoffman, attorney for the company that operates 40 Steak & Seafood in Bismarck, talking about how East 40 Inc. values its pregnant employees. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing East 40 for allegedly firing a server because she became pregnant, an allegation the company denies.

q q q

"For me, they're a big issue of transparency. More transparency in government is a good thing, and I think that's two things that go to that end."

-- Bismarck Mayor Steve Bakken, on why hes supporting efforts to repeal a criticized restriction on the state auditor and a new law shielding certain communications of North Dakota lawmakers.

q q q

"Maybe we'll never find a motive."

-- Mandan Deputy Police Chief Lori Flaten, on the question of why four people were slain at RJR Maintenance & Management on April 1. A suspect is in custody.

q q q

People dont usually donate because they arent asked. We ask people to step up.

-- Travis Dressler, donor recruitment manager for Vitalant, a nonprofit transfusion organization that provides blood for North Dakota hospitals. The blood supply in the region is "critically low," with hospitals not having enough to meet their needs.

q q q

Theres so much that people can do, but this is just one little thing that we like to do in North Dakota.

-- Tyler Schlosser, of Dickinson, who with family organizes the annual Fishin' for the Cure fishing tournament on Lake Sakakawea, which raises money for research into childhood cancers.

q q q

"It should look more like a modern building.

-- Darin Scherr, business and operations manager for Bismarck Public Schools, on the impacts of a $7 million renovation project at Northridge Elementary School.

q q q

"Even as contentious as it was during the construction, I always knew there was an opportunity of something they could do after the dust settles. I'm really happy for the city, for the community."

-- Mandan City Commissioner Scott Davis, on Dakota Access Pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners donating $3 million to the city for library and park upgrades.

q q q

The states criminal justice system relies on the scientific support provided by the State Crime Lab. When the testing is backlogged, the entire judicial system moves that much slower.

-- State Auditor Joshua Gallion, after an audit by his office found issues with turnaround times at the lab.

q q q

This administration has reset the precedent on permitting this type of project. But we urge you to also reset the federal governments precedent in these matters to maintain law and order on federal land and recognize the overwhelming responsibility the state and local authorities in North Dakota employed to maintain public safety.

-- North Dakotas congressional delegation, in a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan urging them to settle North Dakotas year-old demand for $38 million to cover the cost of policing protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

q q q

Additional pipeline capacity will be crucial to continue to move North Dakotas crude oil to key markets in the Gulf Coast.

-- North Dakota Pipeline Authority Director Justin Kringstad, after Phillips 66 and Bridger Pipeline announced they plan to build the Liberty Pipeline to transport growing volumes of oil from the Bakken and the Rockies.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0Bowalley Road Rules



The blogosphere tends to be a very noisy, and all-too-often a very abusive, place. I intend Bowalley Road to be a much quieter, and certainly a more respectful, place.

So, if you wish your comments to survive the moderation process, you will have to follow the Bowalley Road Rules.

These are based on two very simple principles:

Courtesy and Respect.

Comments which are defamatory, vituperative, snide or hurtful will be removed, and the commentators responsible permanently banned.

Anonymous comments will not be published. Real names are preferred. If this is not possible, however, commentators are asked to use a consistent pseudonym.

Comments which are thoughtful, witty, creative and stimulating will be most welcome, becoming a permanent part of the Bowalley Road discourse.

However, I do add this warning. If the blog seems in danger of being over-run by the usual far-Right suspects, I reserve the right to simply disable the Comments function, and will keep it that way until the perpetrators find somewhere more appropriate to vent their collective spleen.

Binod Ghimire covers parliamentary affairs and human rights for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2010, he has reported primarily on social issues, focusing on education and transitional justice.News / National

by Staff reporter

CONTROVERSIAL Harare preacher Talent Chiwenga is likely to face culpable homicide charges after the car he was driving from South Africa was involved in an accident killing three people including his wife.National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi could neither confirm nor deny that Chiwenga might be charged, but said investigations were still going on."We are still conducting investigations. It is only after investigations that the police will be able to provide a position," Nyathi said.However, in a video Chiwenga posted on social media, while on a hospital bed, he said he suspected foul play.National Patriotic Front Spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire blasted controversial preacher Apostle Chiwenga over his claims that the accident that befell him was an assassination attempt.Chiwenga claimed that there was a car without number plates which followed him before the accident happened."There are a lot of inconsistencies in his narrative, maybe it is because he is in pain, but that again won't help his case in the event of a trial," Mawarire said."My advice again will be, shut up, concentrate on recovery, mourn your wife and colleagues then face your day in court. Dzungu hakusi kungwara."Mawarire urged the pastor to keep quiet because he was facing 3 counts of culpable homicide."When one was driving a vehicle which got involved in a fatal accident, the driver usually faces culpable homicide charges, in this case, 3 counts, it's normally wise to shut up and await their day in court. Just my little advice."I have spoken to very competent journos from Masvingo who attended the accident scene and I refuse to pander to limping conspiracy theories in order to be seen to be politically correct, never. I also know the place where the accident occurred, I have my personal experiences there."News / Regional

by Staff Reporter

The government is deploying more police officers to mining areas to deal with the violent clashes between illegal miners popularly referred to as makorokoza.The deployment follows an upsurge in deaths recorded in the clashes between rival gangs over gold mine claims.The deputy minister of Home Affairs Mike Madiro said the government was aware of the rising cases of murder recorded in gold wars."Indeed, it is true that we are losing a lot of our young boys and girls through these machetes. However, the Government, through the ZRP, is taking measures especially in those areas where this problem of machetes is on the increase," said Madiro.He said there has been a systematic deployment of police in recent months to quell the violence."A few months ago to date, our ZRP is working hard to deploy more police officers in those areas. The police are also taking those machetes from motorists at the roadblocks," said Madiro."In addition to this, there are awareness programmes that are being carried out encouraging people not to take alcohol whilst carrying dangerous weapons like those machetes."Bloody clashes between rival makorokoza have been recorded in Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces.Police sources have complained that it is difficult to arrest some gangs as they enjoy political backing from the ruling Zanu-PF elite.Top view of people having party, gathering, celebrating together

Like many people reading this, I go out for meals far too often. My taste buds like this arrangement, but my wallet and waistline certainly dont.

Although I always love trying a unique new place, often Ill end up at one of Canadas many chain restaurants. These places are almost always conveniently located, reasonably priced, and perhaps most important, I know what Im getting. The food is consistently good.

Its obvious that millions of other Canadians agree with me. These restaurants are constantly busy, with everyone from families to senior citizens enjoying a meal out. Whenever I see something like this, I immediately realize theres an investment opportunity.

In fact, if you invest enough into top restaurant stocks, youll earn enough in monthly dividends to fund your eating out habit  and then some. Lets take a closer look.

Canadas best restaurants

Investors can get exposure to thousands of underlying restaurant locations by buying just three stocks.

The first is Canadas largest pizza chain, Pizza Pizza Royalty Corp (TSX:PZA). The companys two main brands are Pizza Pizza  which boasts some 650 locations, mostly in eastern Canada  and Pizza 73, which is big in Alberta. Together, the two brands combine for approximately $546 million in sales from 750 locations.

The bad news is that recent results have been somewhat lackluster. The company reported that same-store sales  a primary gauge of health in the restaurant business  declined 1.6% in 2018, because of lackluster value offerings, consumers switching to healthier options, and meal delivery apps allowing folks to get delivery from almost any restaurant.

Im convinced that the chain can turn things around, however. In fact, 2019 will see the company put a greater emphasis on its value proposition, as well as further introducing some healthier options like a pizza with a cauliflower crust. While investors wait for this turnaround, they get to collect an 8.5% dividend.

Story continues

Speaking of pizza, lets look next at Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund (TSX:BPF.UN). Boston Pizza is Canadas largest fast casual restaurant brand, with total system-wide sales recently surpassing $1.1 billion annually.

The stock has quietly been a great performer since its 2002 IPO. Highlights of its time as a publicly traded company include giving shareholders an average annual return of 12%, and passing on 18 different distribution increases. The stock currently yields 7.9%, giving investors an impressive mixture of current yield and growth in the distribution.

Same-store sales growth was a mere 0.1% in 2018, primarily because the companys Alberta restaurants continue to struggle. It plans to right the ship by offering better promotions in 2019, as well as further leveraging technology to increase the average bill size. Boston Pizza is also a master at trying new items. 2019 will see dozens of new items hit menus, and perhaps one will be a big hit.

Finally we have Keg Royalties Income Fund (TSX:KEG.UN), a chain of 105 higher-end restaurants specializing in steak. Canadians are well aware of the brand, which the company hopes to capitalize on with a U.S. expansion. There are 10 restaurants currently in the United States.

Kegs 2018 results were decent, with same-store sales increasing 1.5%. The U.S. operations led the way with a 4.5% increase over 2017s final numbers, while Canadian results came in at a more tepid 1.2%. First-quarter numbers in 2019 were slightly better, with same-store sales increasing 1.8%.

The companys dividend isnt quite as good as the other two mentioned, but Keg still offers investors a currently yield of 6.6%.

Never pay for a meal again

Youd have to be eating out quite a lot to hit $1,000 per month in restaurant spending. So as long as we get $1,000 in monthly dividends from these 3 companies, lets say well never pay for a meal out again.

To collect $333 from each of these stocks, youd need to invest:

4,690 Pizza Pizza shares for a total investment of $47,040

2,895 Boston Pizza shares for a total investment of $50,059

3,505 Keg shares for a total investment of $60,636

Put the three investments together and were looking at a total capital outlay of approximately $158,000.

Remember, you dont have to invest that much. An investment just shy of $16,000 would spin off $100/month in passive income, which still buys a lot of pizza.

More reading

Fool contributor Nelson Smith owns shares of PIZZA PIZZA ROYALTY CORP, Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund, and Keg Royalties Income Fund. The Motley Fool owns shares of PIZZA PIZZA ROYALTY CORP.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2019A son is desperate for answers after his mother mysteriously died while on vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Leyla Cox of Staten Island had traveled to the popular tourist destination on Wednesday, June 5 for her birthday and never returned, SILive.com reported.

Her son William Cox said he last spoke to his mother on June 2, just a few days before she set off.

I called her on a Sunday and wished her a happy birthday, William told SILive.com. I told her I love her.

The trip was Leylas second time visiting the island and as she prepared for her solo adventure, William said he and his family warned her not to go.

My family wanted her to not go on this vacation, William explained to SILive.com. I truly believe if my mother was not in the Dominican Republic, she would have been alive right now.

With everything going on in the news right now, we think shes a casualty of whats been happening, he said.

Leyla was found dead at 53 in her hotel room and according to William, the U.S. Embassy officials explained her death had been ruled as a heart attack, SILive.com reported.

I am overwhelmed and confused and in shock, William told the outlet. Her birthday was on June 9 and she passed away on June 10.

Leyla Cox | Facebook

RELATED: Yoga Teacher and Mother, 42, Dies After Being Caught in Rip Current in the Dominican Republic

Leyla was supposed to return home on June 12.

Following her death, an autopsy was performed and William was told no toxicology report could be ordered because her autopsy showed no red flags, Williams told SILive.com and CBS New York.

He explained he was also told the toxicology machine was broken, CBS New York reported.

At this time, William just wants one thing  to give his mother a proper funeral.

He is currently waiting for Leyla, who worked in the radiology department at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, to be transferred from the hospital to Blandino Funeral home in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Story continues

Once they have her, theyre going to call me, and theyre going to make arrangements with me, William told SILive.com.

I have to get her ashes back, William told the outlet. Her ultimate wish was to have her ashes spread in the Florida Keys.

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that at least six American tourists have died while vacationing in the Dominican Republic since the summer of 2018. Some of them passed away in what appear to be bizarre  and similar  circumstances.

PEOPLE confirms that both the FBI and the CDC are investigating these strange deaths, but the agencies are not yet releasing further details.

According to Univision, Robin Bernstein, the ambassador of the United States to the Dominican Republic, said last week the recent high-profile incidents were isolated cases. We have 2.7 million Americans who come to the country and the statistics is that this is a very  unique event, Bernstein said. They come to visit the beautiful beaches and enjoy the great culture. Unfortunately sometimes those things happen to people.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Leyla Cox

On May 30, 2019, engaged couple Nathaniel Edward Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, were found dead in their hotel room at the Grand Bahia Principe La Romana resort, according to a statement released by the hotel.

Holmes and Day, of Maryland, were found by resort staff after they missed their scheduled checkout time that day, per the statement.

Their bodies did not show signs of violence, USA Today reported. The Dominican Republic National Police announced that an autopsy found the couple had respiratory failure and pulmonary edema. Day also reportedly suffered cerebral edema.

Pennsylvania native Yvette Monique Sport, 51, had just arrived at the Bahia Principe resort in Punta Cana when she died in June 2018.

Though her death was initially ruled a heart attack, with the news that several American tourists have died at the Bahia Principe in Punta Cana, Sports cause of death is being investigated again.

RELATED: Engaged Maryland Couple Found Dead in Their Hotel Room in the Dominican Republic

David Harrison, 45, was celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife and 12-year-old son when he died of a heart attack at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana in July of 2018.

On May 25 of this year, Pennsylvania psychotherapist Miranda Schaup-Werner, 41, collapsed shortly after mixing a drink from the minibar in the Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville in La Romana, where she was celebrating her ninth wedding anniversary with husband Daniel Werner.

According to autopsy results released by the Attorney General of the Dominican Republic, she died of a heart attack that caused respiratory failure and fluid accumulation in her lungs.

In April 2019, Robert Bell Wallace, 67, died while staying at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino resort in Punta Cana. His niece, Chloe Arnold, told Fox News that he became ill after having a drink from his hotel rooms minibar. He was in the country to attend his stepsons wedding.With two popular depression medications in short supply, mental health experts say prescribing generic replacements or different drugs can lead to relapse and a new set of side effects.

Certain formulations of Wellbutrin (bupropion) and venlafaxine  sold under the brand name Effexor, among others  are not available throughout the country.

It's a "big problem," according to Dr. Pierre Blier, who treats patients at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and is director of mood disorder research at The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research.

Because of the shortage he was forced to prescribe a fast-release version of Wellbutrin, which has caused serious side effects in some of his patients

"Often we see a relapse or a return of their symptoms," he said.

'Rebound anxieties'

Over the last few months, Blier has also had to switch patients taking Effexor to a generic brand.

"Sometimes if [the patients] are switched to generic brands, it's as if they weren't taking any active ingredient," he said.

Other patients have described what Blier called discontinuation symptoms, including "rebound anxieties or a sensation like electrical shocks," he said.

Vanier pharmacist Phil Emberley said he's worried because many of his customers take Effexor or Wellbutrin.

The pharmacy he works at, Pharmasave Respect Rx on Selkirk Avenue, has a close working relationship with Recovery Ottawa, an addiction treatment centre.

Regis Duvignau/Reuters

"I see it as being quite problematic because for patients that are stabilized on an anti-depressant, it's very challenging to have to switch them to another medication that isn't as effective or may come with additional side effects they haven't experienced before," Emberley said.

People taking medications for mental illness are especially vulnerable, he argued.

"You don't want to create any more anxiety in the patient," he said.

"There is a certain degree of, for lack of a better word, experimentation, to find the certain drug to treat their anxiety or depression, so you don't want to constantly change this."

Story continues

Shortages ongoing

Drug shortages are nothing new in Canada. Over the last few years there have been short supplies of blood pressure medications and some anesthetic drugs used during surgery.

Last summer, a critical shortage of EpiPens  which many people with life-threatening allergies depend on to stop an anaphylactic reaction  raised serious concerns.

It Canada it's mandatory for drug manufacturers to report anticipated and actual shortages to a national website Health Canada oversees.

The shortage of various formulations of Wellbutrin  which is primarily used to treat depression but also seasonal affective disorder  has been ongoing since September 2018.

The current shortfall is with Wellbutrin SR, which releases slowly.

According to Arthur Shannon, a spokesperson for Wellbutrin manufacturer Bausch Health, it's due to a shortage of an active ingredient in the drug that's supplied by another company.

Bausch can't say when Wellbutrin SR will be available again, Shannon said.

Sandoz Canada, one of the manufacturers of venlafaxine, said it doubled its sales of the drug last month and it's now completely out of some formulations of venlafaxine and in limited supply of others.Canada's peacekeeping contingent will stick around in Mali for an extra few weeks this summer in order to smooth the transition for the next country set to provide helicopter support for the United Nations mission in the war-torn country.

A detachment of helicopters providing transport and medical evacuation to the large UN mission was supposed to depart on July 31.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Friday there will be a phased withdrawal of the two CH-147F Chinook helicopters  one of which is specially outfitted as a mobile air ambulance and surgical suite  as well as four armed CH-146 Griffon choppers, which provide escort.

Canada will continue to provide air medical support until the end of August, the ministers said following question period in the House of Commons.

"This is a practical and pragmatic plan to ensure a smooth transition," said Freeland.

A contingent of Romanian helicopters is slated to replace the Canadian detachment this summer, but there were concerns it would not be in theatre and operational until fall.

UN pushed for longer stay

Canada has faced repeated calls from the UN and at least one opposition party to stay for a few extra weeks to ensure there is no gap in service.

UN officials had warned the House of Commons defence committee that an interruption in service would mean that it would have to rely on civilian contractors which don't provide the same level of support.

Sajjan said Canada will use its C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift transports to help the Romanians get into Mali  something the Commons defence committee recommended.

He insisted the decision doesn't mean the government is extending the mission.

"Up until the end of July, we will maintain all the missions that we've been conducting," Sajjan said. "However, to conduct a smooth transition, we are going to be focusing strictly on medical evacuations so we can start doing that transition, and this will allow for that gradual handover."

Story continues

Since the Canadian helicopters deployed last July, they have done 10 medical evacuations. Sajjan said the troop transport function, which the UN has insisted is helpful in maintaining stability, will be scaled back during the transition period.

It's not clear why the government was reluctant to push the handover to October, but testimony before the Commons defence committee suggested military planners were anxious to bring the helicopters home so they can be available for domestic deployments involving natural disasters.

The military increasingly has been called upon to send troops and equipment to help with flooding in eastern Canada and wildfire relief in the West.The Ebola outbreak in Congo that hit Uganda this week should not be declared a global emergency, the World Health Organization concluded Friday.

The outbreak is a health emergency in Congo (also known as Congo-Kinshasa) and the region, but does not meet the criteria to be declared a public health emergency of international concern, the WHO's emergency committee said.

To be declared a global emergency, outbreaks must constitute a risk to other countries and require a co-ordinated response.

Dr. Preben Aavitsland, acting chair of the committee advising WHO, said they were deeply concerned about the lack of adequate funding and resources from the international community for the outbreak.

A gap of $54 million US needs to be filled for the period of February to July, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in accepting the committee's recommendation.

Declaring an international emergency typically triggers more funding and political attention.

This outbreak, the second-deadliest in history, has affected more than 2,100 and killed more than 1,400 people since it was declared in August.

Congo's outbreak is in the northeastern region, near the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.

Response workers have said mistrust has been high in the border region, which is experiencing its first outbreak. Attacks by rebel groups, including on health centres, are also hampering efforts to stamp the disease out.

"It's a very scary disease and the response is sort of an overwhelming public health response, so it's quite reasonable that there is resistance," said John Johnson from Doctors Without Borders. "But it's made working here very difficult."

On Monday, a Congolese family travelling to Uganda brought the virus over that border.

The WHO emergency committee urged neighbouring "at risk" countries to improve their preparedness for detecting and managing exported cases, "as Uganda has done." Uganda has successfully fought previous outbreaks of Ebola.

The disease is spread mainly through contact with the bodily fluids of those infected.

Health authorities in both Congo and Uganda are tracking contacts of those infected to check for any signs and symptoms of the hemorrhagic fever and to offer them a preventative vaccine.A PhD student at York University has won $8,000 in funding to study her great-great-grandfather, who was chief justice of P.E.I. in the 19th century.

Anna Jarvis won the R. Roy McMurtry Fellowship, an annual award for PhD students and recent doctorate grads researching Canadian legal history.

Her ancestor Edward Jarvis held his position from 1828 to 1852, during the time of the land question on P.E.I.

"I'm absolutely thrilled and very excited to have won it," Anna says. "It means everything because as a student I try to make ends meet. Especially when you're travelling as a student and doing research."

Edward Jarvis was a key figure during a time when absentee landlords controlled the province, and tenants living on the Island were often squatting on properties and not paying quit rents.

Submitted/Anna Jarvis

However, he wasn't an "activist judge," Anna said. "He would never have agreed to protesters being given  the land."

He was also involved in a trial that saw a Mi'kmaw man commuted for the death of another member of the Mi'kmaw community.

The goal of Anna's research, as she pores over Supreme Court rulings, newspaper clippings and letters is to figure out exactly what kind of role the chief justice played on P.E.I.  or, as she puts it "To what degree was he simply a patsy of the government?"

'I love my time out east'

After schooling in London, England, Edward Jarvis held a position in Malta before taking the job in Prince Edward Island.

And Anna considers herself just as lucky to be doing her research on the Island.

"I love my time out east," said Anna. "I enjoy being there."

Anna is planning on returning to P.E.I. this summer to do research in the province's archives.

More P.E.I. newsA Calgary couple expecting the birth of their first child next month has no idea who will help deliver their baby or even where it will be born. It may not happen in Calgary, where they live, after a local obstetrician requested a $10,000 upfront payment for his services before the couple's first appointment.

Kevin Brosha and his wife, Dewi, met in Indonesia three years ago. Brosha, who is Canadian, and Dewi, who is Indonesian, were married in Canada last summer. In November, the couple confirmed the pregnancy and started making plans for Dewi to become a permanent Canadian resident.

Brosha says the demand for an upfront payment was surprising.

"I was just in shock when they told us that," he said.

"When I asked if we could make any arrangements to pay later, they said no."

The CBC has learned the upfront fee for uninsured maternity patients in Calgary has now gone up to $15,000.

Paperwork error

The Broshas say they submitted applications for permanent residency and an open work permit in December, but one of the documents was missing a signature and was returned to the couple two months later.

The mistake set their application back at least two months  and Dewi's temporary residency status expired at the end of January.

It means Dewi is without health care coverage in Alberta and could face thousands of dollars in prenatal care and delivery costs.

Brosha, as a Canadian citizen, took on the task of handling Dewi's application and takes full responsibility for his mistake.

"I didn't know the system. I did my best to navigate it, but I didn't know the rules, and now we're in a situation where she's got no health care coverage," said Brosha.

The couple had been paying a family doctor to see Dewi for the past several months. However, she hasn't seen a doctor for several weeks, since the time she was referred to an obstetrician and the demand for a hefty upfront payment was made.

Story continues

"It's stressful, but my husband always supports me," said Dewi, who is an electrical engineer and had worked for a Canadian company in Indonesia.

Urgent care, not preventive care

A Calgary obstetrician who is not involved in Kevin and Dewi Brosha's case says a group of Calgary physicians is working on a strategy to deal with the treatment of uninsured maternity patients.

Dr. Fiona Mattatall has researched the issue of non-Canadians seeking health care and or citizenship for their newborns.

"It's a complicated issue," she said.

In Calgary, Mattatall noticed an increase in the number of uninsured deliveries by non-Canadian patients between 2014 and 2016. She says the numbers levelled off in 2017 and 2018.

The research, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada in 2017, found health care professionals agree on the "provision of emergency care, but not preventive care."

Some physicians and midwives ... do not feel that it's ethical to look after those patients. - Dr. Fiona Mattatall, obstetrician and gynecologist

The paper concluded: "Differing ethical perspectives on the care of these patients may lead to conflict within health care teams because of differences [in] ethical perspectives of care among team members."

Mattatall says if a woman in labour shows up in emergency, the physicians and midwives she interviewed said they would care for the mom and baby "and ask questions later."

But for preventive- and prenatal-care office visits, she says there was a mixed response.

"Some physician and midwives ... do not feel that it's ethical to look after those patients, especially when we are in a publicly funded health care system [where] we don't have limitless resources to look after everybody."

Mattatall says Calgary has seen an increase in birth tourism: expectant mothers delivering in Canada to ensure their babies become Canadian citizens.

Mattatall says she supports charging non-Canadians upfront for delivery services, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

"It could range anywhere from $3,000 up to $25,000 to $30,000 to have a baby, and I think most of us as Canadians don't appreciate what our health care actually costs, because we don't get a bill, but it is paid by our tax dollars," she said.

Brosha and his wife are considering travelling to Nova Scotia to have the baby. Brosha's uncle is a physician there and says a delivery without complications would cost around $5,000.

Mattatall says she's had discussions with the college of physicians and surgeons about the upfront payments.

In a statement to CBC, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta said that while "billing and fee codes" do not fall under the CPSA's authority, it expects physicians "to follow the code of ethics and standards of practice in regards to uninsured services."

"Our standards obligate a physician to provide acute, emergent care to uninsured patients; and in non-acute situations, they must inform a patient of any fees to be charged before the care is provided."

Doctors can set own fees

A spokesperson for the Alberta Medical Association says uninsured services are not regulated, and the association advises physicians "to charge an amount that reflects their professional costs and expertise, administrative and indirect costs."

A document obtained by the CBC outlines the "private pay care fees" some obstetricians are charging uninsured maternity patients.

It says a $15,000 deposit is due one week before a patient's initial consultation. The fee just went up from the $10,000 the Broshas were quoted earlier this month.

The $15,000 doesn't include hospital fees, which could cost $1,500 to $2,000 a night; the fees for an anesthesiologist if needed; or costs if the baby needs to be transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Insurance extension

Brosha says he was also unaware that Dewi's health care coverage could have been extended as a temporary resident.

The Alberta government advises people to apply "early" for an extension to their Canada entry documents, such as temporary resident or visitor visas, while waiting for permanent residency.

He's written to his UCP MLA, his Liberal MP, and the minister of immigration, asking for the extension.

A Calgary immigration lawyer says some compassion should be shown to the couple, since they appear committed to staying in the country long-term.

Entitled to health care coverage

"This is a bureaucratic snafu, albeit perhaps of their own making," said Michael Greene.

"This is somebody who should be entitled to health care. She's married to a Canadian. The child will be born as a Canadian citizen."

Bryan Labby/CBC

"And just unfortunately because they make a little mistake that was too hard to fix, they're put in this awful predicament, and it's going to cost them potentially a lot of money," he said.

Greene says Alberta Health does offer an appeal process for people who have been denied coverage.

"Yes, I've made a mistake. But I don't think that means that we should be on the hook for $30,000 for a birth," said Brosha.

The Broshas have to decide within the next few days whether they will fly to Nova Scotia to have the baby. After 36 weeks, Dewi will likely not be permitted to fly.

"I just pray and I hope everything will be fine," said Dewi.

Bryan Labby is an enterprise reporter with CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can reach him at bryan.labby@cbc.ca or on Twitter at @CBCBryan.The supermodel, 49, posed naked for "golden hour" in Kenya. [Photo: Getty]

Naomi Campbell took to Instagram to share her desert-themed photoshoot in Kenya.

In the photo she shared, the 49-year-old is seen completely naked with just a thin gold chain around her waist.

The photo, which is also showcased in Vogue, is captioned first drop of golden hour.

The model told the fashion magazine that she hasnt felt comfortable in her body until recently.

She said: Whenever I did something like lingerie pictures, I continued to feel incredibly self-conscious.

Even in my day-to-day life, if I was in the street wearing tight jeans or leggings, Id always be sure to tie a cardigan around my waist so that I didnt feel exposed.

READ MORE: How well is Liz Hurleys swimwear business doing?

The supermodel, who named as the new face of Nars late last year, believes that her confidence has come with age.

Its taken me a long time to feel right in my body and has really only happened over the past few years.

As well as feeling more confident about the way she looks, Naomi Campbell says she feels more relaxed about taking days off if shes not feeling 100 per cent.

I know my limits: I know when I have to take time out. She said in the July issue of Vogue.

Ive learned not to feel guilty about staying in bed when Ive spent several weeks at work; I now know how to lie on the beach and just let the day go by.

READ MORE: Ashley Graham says she has to work harder than other models

She shared one other image from her shoot on her Instagram, shot on location in Malindi, Kenya.

Fans of the supermodel rushed to praise the iconic model.

I thought this was a throwback. One Instagram comment read.

Another said: She will forever be a timeless beauty.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Style UK:Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Padron No. 89 Natural that was re-released as a TAA Exclusive. This is a cigar line we assessed back in June 2016.

Wrapper: Not Disclosed, other than Natural

Binder: Not Disclosed

Filler: Not Disclosed

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: Tabacos Cubanica S.A.

Corona Gorda: 6 x 46

On January 29, 2016, South Florida retailer Smoke Inn hosted a cigar event with Jose O. Padron in attendance in its Boynton Beach, Florida store. The event was an early celebration for Mr Padrons 90th birthday, which was later in the year on June 10th. That evening a commemorative cigar was made available to attendees known as the Padron No. 89 (some have referred to it as the Padron Black Label because of the banding). According to Smoke Inn, part of the reason No. 89 was chosen (as opposed to 90) is that Mr. Padron was actually still 89 years of age when the event occurred. Par for the course with Padron releases, the Padron No. 89 was offered with both a natural and maduro offering. Fast forward to 2018, and the Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) announced that both the natural and maduro offerings would be a part of the 2018 TAA Exclusive Series to commemorate the organizations 50th birthday. But it wouldnt be until 2019 when the Padron No. 89 cigars slated for the TAA would arrive in stores. Today we take a closer look at one of those cigars, the Padron No. 89 Natural.

The TAA Exclusive Series consists of cigars made by leading manufacturers that are exclusively sold at TAA member retailers. The TAA is a small group of retailers. At press time the number of retailers is approximately 80. The TAA has defined itself as:

The Tobacconists Association of America, Ltd. is a trade organization established in 1968 by visionary retail tobacconists. By providing education, communication, research, advocacy, and member discount programs, The TAA works with our members and the industry they support to offer the tools and relationship building opportunities needed to maximize professionalism and success.

Since 2018 was the 50th anniversary of the Tobacconist Association of America, there were a large number of releases as part of the 2018 TAA Exclusive Series:

Padron has played an extensive role in the TAA Exclusive Series. There have been a total of five installments and ten cigars:

* Released in 2019

Much of the details of both the Padron No. 89 Natural and Maduro blends are a mystery. Other than the wrapper being natural or maduro, there isnt much else than has been disclosed about the blends. Both the No. 89 Natural and No. 89 Maduro are rounded 6 x 46 Corona Gordas. The cigars are sold in ten-count boxes.

The Padron No. 89 Natural started out with a mix of sweet natural tobacco, bakers spice, cedar, earth, and black pepper. Early on the natural tobacco sweetness and bakers spice dominated with the cedar earth, and pepper secondary. As the cigar experience progressed, the earth and cedar notes increased in intensity. Shortly before the final third, the spices (pepper, cedar, and bakers spice) took control of the flavor profile.

The flavors produced by the Padron No. 89 Natural are medium-bodied and this is countered by medium strength. The body has a slight edge over the strength.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

In terms of the smoking experience, while the flavors are still medium-bodied, I still found this cigar was a bit overpowered by the spices  particularly during the second half. While this wasnt a bad cigar, I still found the Padron No. 89 Natural to be a cigar that struggled to find a new balance of flavors. If you are looking for a cigar on the spicier side, this is a cigar that could satisfy. However at $16.50, this is not an inexpensive cigar, so its one Id recommend trying it first and seeing if its in your wheelhouse.

Summary

Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Cedar, Bakers Spice, Earth, Pepper

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium Minus

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium

Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Try a Sample

Score: 89

References

Previous Assessment: Padron No. 89 Natural (Jose O. Padron 90th Birthday Cigar for Smoke Inn)

News: Padron Black No. 89 Heading to TAA Retailers

Price: $16.50

Source: Purchased

Brand Reference: Padron

Photo Credit: Cigar Coop